AV 05th August 2023

FATE OF INDIAN STUDENTS HANGS MID

The fate of several thousand current and former students of University College London (UCL) now lies in the hands of the London High Court, including dozens of students from India who faced disruptions in their studies and joined the collective lawsuit These students who take major life decisions by arranging their tuition fees, sometimes by taking loans that have made them keep their homes as collateral, are anxiously pursuing compensation. They are alleging a breach of tuition contracts due to the shift to online teaching with limited access to facilities during the Covid pandemic.

A spectacular saree parade in Central London

First female wind foiler from India to qualify for the Asian Games

Anusha Singh

Hirsh Vardhan Singh

PM Modi walks through Rajkot International Airport in Gujarat

with

Keith Vaz A L PAT E L

During the 26 years in pharm acy, Al Patel founded th e 'A sk Yo ur Pharmacist section of The Daily Mail and made it a must read o n the agenda of ev ery serious health add ict and f itness fanatic, while also starting the p aper's hugely successful ‘Good Health’ Section Now one of UK's mo st respected com mentato rs on th e h ealthcare market, he is a consultant to m any leading brand s and publications

Previous accolades include 'Pharmacy of the Millennium' title in 2000 and as an Independent Prescriber, he started UK's f irst Asthma and Dermatology clinic During his free time, he is a f ilm and food critic and writes for various publications and online magazines Al is now looking at ways technology can assist health and is looking to pioneer a startup Health tech company

1) Which place, or city or country do you most feel at home in?

I feel mostly at home in London I was born in Kenya and came to the UK at a ver y young age and have been educated and spent most of my life in London I have travelled to a few countries, but none are like London

2) What are your proudest achievements?

I've had many achievements in the past but the proudest was receiving an award from the Mayor of London for setting up safe havens for City Safe It was hard work and involved many hours liaising with vario u s c o m mu n i t y m e m b e r s a n d g e t t i n g funding for CCT V and wardens to patrol deprived areas In fact, City Hall also has a safe haven status!

3) What inspires you?

Many things inspire me Anytime I see someone overcome adversity, or beat the odds–be it in sport, politics, business, or arts, it inspires me to also tr y to give my best shot to life Luckily enough, there are m a ny i n s p i r a t io n a l p e o ple a n d s t o r ie s

Earlier in my career I was lucky to have a good mentor who was ver y inspirational and successful To this date I still love to read stories about him and it makes me thrive 100% Inspiration is important, I hope to continue to f ind it in the stories of others, and perhaps one day my own stor y can be an inspiration for someone else

4) What has been biggest obstacle in your career?

One of the biggest challenges during my start in the career was the volume of work and the amount of multitasking that needed to be done It was a big change from university and school, and the deadlines were also much tighter I tackled this in a few different ways: I looked for opportunities to start or join groups and met with my peers for advice on where to focus my attention

5) Who has been the biggest influence on your career to date?

My mentor and ver y good friend Ben Elliott He is ver y encouraging, determined and driven and is incredibly hardw o r k i n g a n d h a s a s a y i n g H i s w o r k mantras are: ‘Done is better than perfect’ and ‘Never waste a second’

6) What is the best aspect about your current role?

Sadiq Khan gets candid about feeling like an outsider

Sadiq Khan, th e Mayor o f Lo nd on, has candid ly shared his early experiences o f feeling like an ou tsider d uring his yo uth Grow ing up in a co u ncil estate in Too ting , south Lo nd on, as the son o f a Pakistani bus d riv er, he felt a stark contrast between his upbring ing and the w orld o f law and politics

Sadiq Khan

Overall, the best aspect of my current role is the variety of work I love that ever y day presents me with different challenges and the opportunity to be helpful and informative for patients, contributing to their learning and solving their issues

7) And the worst?

One of the signif icant obstacles is drug shortages Post covid these shortages have been caused by various factors, such as manufacturing issues, supply chain disruptions, regulator y challenges, unexpected increases in demand, or discontinuation of certain medications To navigate these shortages and work closely with healthcare providers and patients to f ind s u i t a b l e a l t e r n a t i v e s , m a i n t a i n p a t i e n t safety, and ensure continuity of care takes several hours of the day, where this time could be utilised in better ways

8) What are your long term goals?

A I- b a s e d t e c h n o l o g y w i l l h a v e a n i m p o r t a n t r o l e i n h e l p i n g p e o p l e s t ay healthy via continuous monitoring and coaching I have always been interested in IT and tech and with a healthcare background would like to develop a tool to help patients look after themselves and used self- help techniques

9) If you were Prime Minister, what one aspect would you change?

Addressing climate change and promoting sustainable development is a complex and pressing global challenge As a Prime Minister, focusing on these aspects would demonstrate a commitment to safeguarding the environment and fostering a sustainable future for current and future generations

10) If you were marooned on a desert island, which historical figure would you like to spend your time with and why?

" L e o n a r d o d a V i n c i , t h e It a l i a n R e n a i s s a n c e p o l y m a t h , w o u l d b e a n intriguing choice to spend time with on a desert island Leonardo was a brilliant artist, scientist, inventor, engineer, and p h i l o s o p h e r, k n o w n fo r h i s i n s a t i a b l e curiosity and wide-ranging interests

L e o n a r d o's d i v e r s e k n o w l e d g e a n d interests would make for engaging and thought-provoking conversations From a r t a n d a n a t o m y t o e n g i n e e r i n g a n d astronomy, there would be no shortage of topics to explore!"

In a recent episode of the Big Fish podcast, Khan revealed that he adopted a different way of speaking to f it in better when he was at law school He described it as speaking "two languages,"

as he would use a more posh

a c c e n t o u t s i d e h i s h o m e environment

“I was raised on a council estate My dad was a bus driver To go from that background to being a lawyer

f irst, then a parliamentarian, was just light years away from my experience growi n g u p , ” T h e Te l e g r a p h quoted Khan as saying

“So when I f irst went to law school – I went to this re a l ly p o s h l aw s c h o ol i n Guilford, the College of Law – I started changing the way I speak to f it in To sound posher ”

For him, this adaptation was a coping mechanism to n a v i g a t e t w o d i f fe r e n t worlds and f ind his place in an environment vastly different from his upbringing

Junior doctors announce fifth round of strikes

Junior d octo rs in England are set to embark on their f ifth round of strikes in a prolonged pay dispu te w ith th e g o v e rn m ent , as ann ou nc ed by th e Bri ti sh Medical Association ( BM A) o n We d ne sd a y ( 26) T h e planned strike w ill last for four days, from A ugust 11 to Au gust 1 5

Earlier in July, the government proposed a six percent pay rise and a £1,250 c o n s o l i d a t e d i n c r e a s e fo r

junior doctors as part of the 2 0 2 3 /2 4 p u b l i c s e c t o r p ay awards The offer aimed to bring an end to the ongoing strikes that have plagued the h e a l t h c a r e s y s t e m fo r months

However, the BMA, repr e s e n t i n g a p p r ox i m a t e l y 4 5 , 0 0 0 j u n i o r d o c t o r s i n England , remains dissatisf ied with the proposed offer They argue that the raise still amounts to a pay cut in real terms and consider it a

m i s s e d o p p o r t u n i t y t o address their concerns adequately

In response to the situation, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has f irmly stated that the government's proposal is the f inal offer and will not b e s u b j e c t e d t o f u r t h e r negotiation

This stance poses a signif icant challenge in f inding a resolution to the impasse b e t w e e n t h e g o v e r n m e n t and junior doctors

Probe into bullying allegations against Baroness Falkner halted again

Media reports indicate that the inquiry into th e chair o f th e E qu a li ty an d Hu m a n Rights Co mmission (E HRC) h as been su spend ed fo r a seco nd time T he d ecision to s u sp e nd t h e i nv es ti g a ti o n c am e af ter a rev o lt f ro m b o ard m e m be rs o f t h e EHRC , who expressed dissatisfaction with the h andling of th e probe

B a r o n e s s K i s h w e r Falkner of Margravine, who has been at the helm of the E H R C s i n c e 2 0 2 0 , w a s under investigation by an

external barrister following allegations of bullying and harassment However, her allies believe that she has b e c o m e t h e t a r g e t o f t h e t r a n s l o b b y d u e t o h e r staunch defence of women's rights

The suspension of the investigation occurred following an inter vention by B u s i n e s s S e c r e t a r y a n d E q u a l i t i e s M i n i s t e r, Ke m i B a d e n o c h , a f t e r E H R C 's b o a r d m e m b e r s i n fo r m e d the government that they had been "bypassed" in criti-

S o u r c e U K P a r a m e n t

Baroness Kishwer Falkner

c a l d e c i s i o n -m a k i n g p r ocesses related to the investigation A report from the Sunday Telegraph revealed this development

‘Systemic discrimination’ in the service, admit fire chiefs

A c k n owl e dg i n g t he pre sence of "systemic di scrimination" within the f ire serv i c e, th e Na ti o na l Fi re

Chiefs Council (NFCC) has taken a cruci al step forward by unveiling a comprehensive Culture Ac tion Plan

UK-India development partnership to majorly focus on climate action

T h e U K Fo rei g n , C o m m o nw e alt h , and De v el op m ent Of f i ce (FCDO) recently pu blished a 'U K-In d i a d e v elo p m ent partnership summ ary,' outlining th e allocation of the £ 3 8 -m il li o n d e v elo p m ent aid bu dget for India in 202324 T he report rev ealed a sig nif icant fo cu s on climate ac ti o n p ro j ec ts , w i th th e majo rity o f the funding targeted toward s this crucial area

According to the summar y, 75 percent of the bud-

g e t w i l l b e d i r e c t e d

t o w a r d s "C l i m a t e a n d Na t u r e" i n i t i a t i v e s Additionally, 24 percent w i l l b e a l l o c a t e d fo r " B i l a t e r a l I n v e s t m e n t Pa r t n e r s h i p s ( B I P ) " t o foster collaborative economic growth and development, while 1 percent is d e s i g n a t e d fo r G l o b a l Health" initiative

The FCDO emphasised the positive impact of this shift in aid dynamics, moving away from a traditional d o n o r-r e c i p i e n t r e l a t i o n -

Rishi Sunak with Narendra Modi

ship since 2015 This strategic approach has led to high returns on investments

In the upcoming f iscal year of 2024-25, the FCDO are planning to increase the b i l a t e r a l d e v e lo p m e nt a i d budget for India to £57 million

This plan aims to confront the toxic behaviours r e c e n t l y b r o u g h t t o l i g h t t h r o u g h a s e r i e s o f I T V News reports Within these reports, cases of misogyny, r a c i s m , a n d h o m o p h o b i a were exposed, revealing the deep-rooted issues plaguing some f ire ser vices in the UK

The NFCC, comprised of f ire chiefs from across t h e n a t i o n , h a s o p e n l y acknowledged the criticism levelled at f ire ser vices for t h e i r f a i l u r e t o a d d r e s s these abuses of power adequately and has recognised that a proactive approach to fostering a positive working culture is imperative for the well-being and dignity of all those who ser ve in the f ire ser vice

Thought for the week

More British Asians should embrace politics as their career

Britain boasts of diversity and multiculturalism, more so since Rishi Sunak became the Prime Minister The 2021 Census suggests an estimation of 1 9mn Indians in the UK, one of the largest diasporas Out of which over 800,000 are Gujaratis and 700,000 are Punjabis Among other South Asians, 1 5 are Pakistanis, around 650,000 Bangladeshis and 250,000 Sri Lankan Tamils

9 3% of the population in England and Wales are of Asian origin According to YouGov uk, the representation of people from an ethnic minority background in politics has increased in the recent years, including Indians and South Asians The number of MPs from minority ethnic backgrounds has increased at each general election since 1987 Following the 2015 general election that figure stood at 41, rising to 52 at the 2017 election and 65 at the 2019 election Ethnic minority MPs now number 10% of all MPs Out of that, 41 are Labour (up from 23 in 2015) and 22 are Conservatives (up from 17) This equates to 20% of all Labour MPs originating from ethnic minority backgrounds compared to only 6% of MPs in the Conservative party

At a party level, a third of ethnic minority adults (32%) feel ethnic minority representation has improved among Conservative MPs and a quarter (26%) say the same of Labour MPs Four in ten (42%) of both Indian Britons and t h o s e o f ‘ o t h e r e t h n i c i t y ’ s a y t h a t t h e s i t u a t i o n h a s improved among MPs in the Conservative party compared to a quarter (25%) of those defining themselves as ‘other

Asian’ Twice as many Black and Indian Britons (30%) say e t h n i c m i n o r i t y r e p r e s e n t a t i o n h a s i m p r o v e d a m o n g Labour MPs compared to those from an ‘other Asian background (15%)

Cllr Ameet Jogia MBE, the co-chair of Conservative Friends of India and a Political Adviser to PM Rishi Sunak at No10 has been elected as the Conservative party candidate for Hendon in 2024 General Election As Margaret Ferrier losses her parliamentary seat in Scotland due to a recall petition, the upcoming elections will not be easy for any party

As FTA draws to a close, several issues will dictate the fate of political parties in the UK While Sadiq Khan wins his Ulez battle, the discontentment among locals with its result, may be a driving issue in the general election The manifestos must cover how they would tackle cost-of-living, rising energy bills, illegal migrants, terrorism and inflation

In 2019, there were over 30 new candidates from South Asian background in both the Labour and Conservative parties It is important we realise that for all changes that we demand and rightfully so, having a political voice is the first step

In Idi Amin’s Uganda, expulsion of Asians could not be stopped to a great extent because there was no political voice from the community in the Parliament The same mistakes were not repeated in the UK, but we need to do more and have more South Asians embracing politics as their career

India’s geopolitical rise

India’s rise is visible in its increased geopolitical relevance both regionally and in the West It has already established itself as the "voice of the Global South" a term used to refer to developing and less developed nations and will work to advance their interests on a global scale An Indian origin president would receive international attention, raising India’s profile on the global stage and potentially improving its position in international affairs In 2021, Kamala Harris made history by becoming the first female, first black and first South Asian Vice President of the United States Her rise to such a prominent position has served as a positive representation for Indian-Americans and has opened doors for people from diverse backgrounds She will eventually succeed Joe Biden as US president if he steps down, making her the first woman and IndianAmerican to hold the office

There’s still a year to go for the United States presidential elections, but the race is already on with a number of contenders While Donald Trump seems to be the frontrunner from the Republican side and will challenge Democrats’ Joe Biden in 2024, there are others who pose to stand in his way The three Indian-Americans – Nikki Haley, the former governor and US ambassador to the UN, Vivek Ramaswamy, a tech entrepreneur, and now Hirsh Vardhan Singh, an engineer are all in the race to the White House and hoping to secure a ticket from the Republican Party

India has been working towards economic development, attracting foreign investment, and increasing trade partnerships with other nations From Apple to Amazon, some of the top global companies, especially those in the

US, have set their sights on India as the country quickly expands across multiple sectors More than three decades later, India is currently making significant efforts to promote chip manufacturing in India during Semicon India 2023, a three-day event that was hosted in Gujarat and inaugurated by Prime Minister Modi Semicon India 2023 featured many MoUs for semiconductor production Before PM Modi’s US State visit the decks were cleared for a $2 75 billion assembly, testing, marking, and packaging facility in Gujarat proposed by the US-based Micron Technology

International organisations such as the United Nations, the G20, and others can give a venue for collaboration on global challenges while also highlighting India's position The G20 presidency of India has been a watershed moment in demonstrating the country's strong commitment to multilateralism and people-centered development

China is well aware that India has grown to be the largest consumer market in the world The Indian government banned more than 300 Chinese apps following the dispute with the bordering country in 2020 Since then, the investments made by Chinese companies in India have been subject to further scrutiny and clearance But now things are easing off a little bit Last week, Minister of Information and IT Rajeev Chandrashekar stated that India is open to doing business with any company as long as they are investing and doing business lawfully and are in compliance with India s laws China s telecom sectors, such as ZTE and Huawei, are looking for joint ventures with India Some experts have stated that many Chinese companies are ready to invest in India

Is there a culture of political violence in Bengal?

In numerous countries around the world, democracy and political violence often intertwine, and even advanced western democracies are not exempt from this challenge India, being a young republic, faces its share of political violence, particularly linked to electoral politics, which tends to occur episodically

The state of West Bengal, burdened by insurgency, social unrest, mass migration, and aggressive political mobilisation, appears to be more entrenched in a culture of political violence compared to other Indian states This is evident through violent clashes between political party workers, especially in rural areas during elections

While it might be easy for the western media to oversimplify the narrative of West Bengal violence and categorise it under black and white, the history, geography and politics of the state makes the narrative much more complex and a rather grey area

The roots of political violence in Bengal can be traced b a c k t o i t s h i s t o r i c a l l e g a c y T h e p r e - I n d e p e n d e n c e n a t i o n a l i s t m o v e m e n t , n o t a b l y t h e r e a c t i o n t o t h e

Partition of Bengal in 1905 by the British, marked the beginning of violent protests in the early 20th century Secret societies like Anushilan Samiti and Jugantar, led by Sri Aurobindo emerged, leading armed revolts against the c o l o n i a l r u l e r s C o m m u n a l c o n f l i c t s l i k e t h e G r e a t

Calcutta Killings of 1946 and the Tebhaga Movement of 1946-1947, a violent peasant uprising, further added to the legacy of violence

When it comes to leading the independence movement in India, while Mahatma Gandhi was leading the nation towards a non-violent upsurge, Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose led the Azad Hind Fauj to fight for the

Political Sketchbook

Alpesh Patel

The Move to Entrepreneurship

“I am the master o f my fate, I am the captain of my soul ” Ends the famo us poem I recently as P resident of the India League and Ch airman of City Hindu ’ s netwo rk coho sted an event in Parli ament abou t su cceeding in bu siness Su mmer i s a time for reflection for many p eo ple and as the great resignatio n continues, so h ow do you know wh en to j ump ship and start you r own bu siness as an entrep reneur? As co -founder of th e UK chapter of the world's largest entrep reneu r mento ri ng o rganis ation, TiE org, I can tell you 90% shou ld stick to a day jo b Here are some tips to help you make that decision:

1 Assess Yo ur Risk Tolerance:

Business: Starting a business often involves higher risks but potentially higher rewards

Job: Sticking with a job usually offers more stability but may limit growth potential

Tip: Analyze your financial situation and personal comfort with risk to determine which path aligns with your risk tolerance

2 E valuate Yo ur Passion and S kills:

Business: Do you have a passion for entrepreneurship and the necessary skills to run a business?

Job: Are you content with your current role and see a clear career path?

Tip: Consider what excites you more and where your strengths lie

3 Consider Work- Life Balance:

Business: Owning a business can demand more time and flexibility

Job: A traditional job might offer a more predictable schedule

Tip: Think about your desired work-life balance and how each option aligns with that

4 Analyze Market Op portunities:

Business: Is there a market need for your business idea? What s the competition like?

Job: Are there opportunities for advancement in your current field?

Tip: Conduct thorough market research if considering a business, or evaluate career growth opportunities if leaning towards a job

5 S eek Professional Gu idance:

Tip: Consult with mentors, career coaches, or business advisors to gain insights tailored to your unique situation

6 Create a Financ ial Plan:

country “Tum mujhe khoon do, main tumhe aazadi dunga”, still echoes through the nation’s heart

Even after Independence, Bengal faced the Naxalbari rebellion of 1967, initiated by radical communist forces aiming to overthrow the state administration Moreover, West Bengal's proximity to the border and the impact of partition and subsequent violence, akin to Punjab, influenced the region

Presently, Jihadi militancy is an appealing proposition to many jobless youths Incidents of land-grabbing and attacks on temple property have been rampant and the overt appeasement of Muslim minorities has emboldened radical elements among them to push the envelope further

The BJP has gained significant ground in West Bengal after failing to secure any seats in 2011 BJP's vote share surged to 17 percent in the 2016 assembly election and the party secured 77 seats in the 2021 by-elections This surge may strengthen the party's position ahead of the upcoming General Election in 2024 and provide a growing platform for their nationalist agenda

The BJP has established its own cadre and leadership in the state, supported by other right-wing affiliates, making it capable of countering the TMC However, this has also r e s u l t e d i n a n e s c a l a t i o n o f v i o l e n t c o n f r o n t a

between the two parties

Amidst it all, one question arises: Is West Bengal's violent present and history more highlighted because of the absence of saffron in the state? This is considering that Uttar Pradesh and Bihar also face criminal mafia control used by politicians to eliminate rivals, and other states like Gujarat, Rajasthan, and Maharashtra also experience political violence, but receive less attention in comparison

Business: Outline the startup costs, funding sources, and revenue projections

Job: Consider your salary, benefits, and long-term financial goals

Tip: A detailed financial plan can provide clarity on the feasibility of each option

7 Co nsider Long-Term Goals and Values:

Tip: Reflect on your long-term life goals and how each choice aligns with your values and vision for the future

8 Prep are for Change and Uncertainty:

Tip: Both paths may present unexpected challenges Be prepared to adapt and reassess as needed

9 T est the Waters (If Po ssible):

Tip: If feasible, consider trying out entrepreneurship part-time while maintaining your job to see if it suits you

10 Make a Decision and Commit:

Tip: Once you've weighed all factors, make a decision and fully commit to it Understand that no choice is permanent, and you can always reassess in the future

Good luck, happy sailing the waters of your life

Asian Voice is published by Asian Business Publications Ltd

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"It always seems impossible until it's done " Nelson Mandela

UK-India trade talk wraps up its 11th round positively

T he 11 th round of neg otiations for a UK -India f re e tra d e ag r ee m en t ( FTA ) co nclud ed on a p o s i ti v e no te , w it h d etailed d raft treaty discussions spanning several policy areas, as stated in a joint statement issued recently

T h e U K ' s

D e p a r t m e n t f o r B u s i n e s s a n d T r a d e (DBT) announced that Round 12 of the negotiations is anticipated to take p l a c e i n t h e u p c o m i n g months The statement also highlighted significant visits from India during the 11th round of talks, which commenced earlier in the month and concluded on July 18

T h e j o i n t s t a t e m e n t reads: “On 10-11 July, the H o n o u r a b l e M i n i s t e r f o r C o m m e r c e a n d I n d u s t r y , G o v e r n m e n t o f I n d i a , Piyush Goyal, visited the UK a s p a r t o f t h e e l e v e n t h

round of the UK-India FTA negotiations He met with Rt Hon Kemi Badenoch MP, the Secretary of State for B u s i n e s s a n d T r a d e , a n d Nigel Huddleston MP, the M i n i s t e r o f S t a t e f o r International Trade, where they discussed ways to make progress on the FTA negotiations and wider trade and i n v e s t m e n t o p p o r t u n i t i e s for the UK and India “ S h r i S u n i l B a r t h w a l , C o m m e r c e S e c r e t a r y , Government of India, also

visited the UK during the round He met with senior UK trade officials and took stock of the p r o g r e s s m a d e i n t h e eleventh round of negotiations Technical disc u s s i o n s w e r e h e l d a c r o s s 9 p o l i c y a r e a s o v e r 4 2 s e p a r a t e s e ss i o n s T h e y i n c l u d e d d e t a i l e d d r a f t t r e a t y text discussions in these policy areas ” I n d i a a n d t h e U K h a v e m o v e d s i g n i f i c a n t l y closer to finalizing a proposed free trade agreement (FTA) after successfully concluding the eleventh round of negotiations

Piyush Goyal’s was followed by India's Commerce S e c r e t a r y , S u n i l B a r t h w a l These high-level visits are viewed as positive indicators of the substantial headway made in both political and substantive aspects of the discussions

Rishi Sunak heckled over infected blood scandal compensation

R i s h i S u na k , t h e P r im e Minister, faced heckling as h e d ef e nd ed th e go v er nment's delay in setting up a c o mp en sa tio n s ch e me fo r v i c ti ms o f th e i n f ec te d bloo d scandal He exp ressed that th e government is diligently wo rking to address t h e " tr age dy" an d res o l ve the issu e as swiftly as possible D u r i n g t h e p u b l i c inquiry into what has been labelled the worst treatment d i s a s t e r i n N H S h i s t o r y , S u n a k r e j e c t e d a r e q u e s t f r o m J e n n i R i c h a r d s K C , counsel to the inquiry, to reconsider the decision to wait for Sir Brian Langstaff's

Woman claims assault in police custody

Th e po lice watchdo g is currently inv estigating d i s tu rb i ng al leg ati o ns m ad e b y a w o m an nam ed Zayna Iman, wh o claim s th at she w as subjected to a h orrifying ord eal while in custody According to Iman, she was strip ped , drug ged , and sexually assaulted by officers du ring her time in detention

Video footage, obtained by Iman, shows three female police officers taking her to a mattress in Manchester's main police station They proceed to remove her jeans and cut off her underwear Shockingly, Sky News reports that approximately three hours of footage from her detention is missing, raising concerns about transparency and accountability

The incident began in February 2021 when police responded to a welfare callout at Iman's flat, where she was reportedly under the influence of cocaine Following an altercation during the encounter, Iman was arrested after knocking a female officer's glasses off her face Subsequently, she was stripped down and given anti-rip garments due to welfare concerns, leaving her lying face down with no top on and her hands restrained

A

sought medical attention According to her medical report, she was "admitted with an acute psychotic episode," likely related to the administration of a date rape drug, leading to a sexual assault The medical notes also indicate evidence of sexual injuries

In response to these allegations, the police force has yet to comment on the claim that crucial footage from Iman's detention is unaccounted for

BAME COMMUNITY AVOIDED FORMAL SERVICES DURING PANDEMIC FEARING RACIST RESPONSE

According to new research, Black and minority ethnic (BAME) communities relied more on social networks and community support than formal services during the Covid-19 pandemic This reliance was attributed to a lack of trust and fear of facing racist responses within the formal system The study which was part of the Economic and Social Research Council s UK Research and Innovation-funded Co-POWeR project, also examined the impact of low-paid and precarious work and disproportionate attention from the police on children in BAME communities during the pandemic Despite making up only 3 8 percent of the population in England, BAME individuals accounted for 5 8 percent of Covid-19 deaths, underscoring the disproportionate impact of the pandemic on these communities

Additionally, the study found that BAME children faced increased anxiety about their parents employment and income during the pandemic s restrictions Cramped housing, lack of access to free school meals, and limited internet and digital services further affected their ability to engage with education during lockdowns Moreover the research project which received £2 5 million in funding revealed that BAME children experienced inconsistencies in the policing of lockdown rules and in receiving support for their education and mental health These findings underscore the importance of targeted and equitable approaches in tackling the challenges faced by BAME communities during and beyond the pandemic

final report before implementing a payout scheme Langstaff's review is expected to be published in the autumn However, Richards highlighted that an interim r e p o r t r e l e a s e d i n A p r i l already contains the chair's complete recommendation

on compensation D u r i n g t h e i n q u i r y , Rishi Sunak mentioned that S i r B r i a n L a n g s t a f f h a d expressed his commitment t o p r o c e e d i n g w i t h t h e investigation as swiftly as p o s s i b l e w h i l e e n s u r i n g thoroughness

Second ballot open for UK-India Young Professional Scheme

The British governm ent has l aunc hed the sec ond bal lot f or t h e UK - In d ia Y o un g Profes sional Scheme, excl us iv e l y f o r In d ia n s a g e d b etween 18 and 30 y ears old p os s e s s i ng gr a d ua t e- l e ve l q ual if ic ations This s c hem e a im s t o grant vis as to eligibl e y oung Indians, of fering t hem t he chance to reside, work , or pursue st udies in the UK for

a dur ation of up to two years I n t e r e s t e d a p p l i c a n t s have until July 27 to participate in the ballot, providing a v a l u a b l e o p p o r t u n i t y f o r young individuals to explore a n d e x p e r i e n c e l i f e , c a r e e r o p p o r t u n i t i e s , a n d e d u c at i o n a l p r o s p e c t s i n t h e

United Kingdom

For the year 2023, a total of 3,000 places are available

Sunak- Starmer’s dilemma of connecting with the public

MORE THAN A MILLION PEOPLE OFF WORK DUE TO MENTAL HEALTH CHALLENGES

under the UK-India Young Professional Scheme The UK V i s a s a n d I m m i g r a t i o n (UKVI) reported that a significant portion of these places w e r e a l l o c a t e d d u r i n g t h e first ballot held in February As the second ballot is now taking place this month, the r e m a i n i n g p l a c e s w i l l b e f i l l e d t h r o u g h a r a n d o m selection process

Co-op robbed over 50 times in six months

Over the span of six months, a specific branch of the C oo p has experienced over 50 robberies perpetrated by the same g roup , coinciding with a notable rise in org anized c ri m i n al g ang s ta rg e ti ng retail stores Paul Gerrard, th e cam p aig ns and p ubli c affairs director at the grocery ch ain, expressed conc er n ab o ut th e es cal ati ng

issue of sh oplifting orchestrated by gang s, who p rofit by selling stolen g oods on the black market Gerrard shared his conv e r s a t i o n s w i t h a n x i o u s m a n a g e r s o f t h e L o n d o n s t o r e , w h i c h b e c a m e a repeated target for the same c r i m i n a l s A s t o n i s h i n g l y , d e s p i t e s t e a l i n g m e r c h a nd i s e w o r t h h u n d r e d s o f

thousands of pounds, the g a n g m e m b e r s h a v e n o t been apprehended T h e C o - o p r e c o r d e d a p p r o x i m a t e l y 1 , 0 0 0 i n c idents of retail crime, theft, a n d a n t i s o c i a l b e h a v i o u r daily across its stores during the past six months, representing a 35 percent increase compared to the previous year

A s Rishi Sunak and S ir Keir Starmer g ear up for their summ er holidays, each faces a commo n d ilemma - how to effectively connect with th e electorate and gain their suppo rt Starmer believes he has successfully navigated the first two phases of his plan, which involved confronting Labour's hard left and highlighting the Conservative Party's shortcomings With a 20-point lead in the polls, he now faces what is deemed the most challenging task: convincing a sceptical public why his party is the right choice, asking them, If not them, why us?

On the other hand, Sunak is following a similar strategy Having distanced himself from his predecessors and established control over the parliamentary Tory party, he pins hopes on a promising economic outlook in the coming months If the economic situation improves substantially - a significant ifSunak aims to present his own vision for the future of Britain during autumn

The recent YouGov poll conducted for The Times has shed light on the challenging situation confronting both leaders

According to official figures, over one million people are currently absent from work due to depression stress or anxiety Among a record 2 5 million individuals classified as long-term sick a significant increase of more than 400 000 since 2019 the Office for National Statistics (ONS) discovered that more than half around 1 35 million people, report experiencing depression, anxiety or nerve-related issues Economists are pointing to the rising prevalence of illnesses among 16 to 64-year-olds as a key factor contributing to the slower recovery of Britain from the impacts of the coronavirus pandemic in comparison to other major nations The ONS noted that the number of economically inactive workers reporting depression, stress, or anxiety has surged by 40 percent since 2019 rising from 965,000 to 1,351 000 individuals Among those on long-term sick leave a total of 53 percent report facing mental health challenges, which contrasts with just 12 percent of the overall working-age population

“GHOST CHILDREN” IMPACTED BY COVID CAN CAUSE HUGE CRIME WAVE

Ministers failure to facilitate the return of children to school after the pandemic may result in the creation of thousands more violent offenders as per analysis conducted by experts This concerning situation has led to a generation of "ghost children" who have disengaged from education due to the impact of Covid If not addressed promptly, these young individuals may be at risk of turning to crime due to the neglect of their futures by official authorities Based on official studies it is estimated that up to 9,000 additional young offenders, including 2,000 violent criminals, could be roaming Britain's streets by 2027 due to increased school absence This surge in offending is projected to cost taxpayers £100 million Presently, approximately 1 7 million pupils are missing at least 10 percent of school time Alarmingly, the number of students who miss 50 percent of lessons, totalling 125,000 has also doubled indicating a significant and worrisome trend of reduced engagement in education

Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal with UK Secretary Of State For Business and Trade Kemi Badenoch

Jenny Richards KC

Sir Brian Langstaff

Rishi Sunak

Keir Starmer

Solicitors caught advising immigrants to mislead for asylum, SRA takes action

It has been repo rted that so me im m ig ration law yers in the U K hav e been alleg edly advising th eir clients to provid e misleading information to authorities in ord er to secure the righ t to rem ain in Britain A n inv estigation by th e D ail y M ai l rev e als that law yers are p urpo rted ly charg ing exo rbitant fees of £1 0,0 00 to submit false asylum claim s

V P Lingajothy, who is not a practicing solicitor but h e l d t h e m e e t i n g a t t h e o f f i c e s o f D u n c a n E l l i s Solicitors in south London, was caught on tape advising an undercover Mail reporter posing as an Indian client to fabricate a false narrative for his asylum application and to pretend that he is a proKhalistani who was ill-treated and tortured in India

In the same recording, L i n g a j o t h y a d d e d t h a t h e the client should also ment i o n t h a t h i s f a m i l y w a s being threatened by people t r a f f i c k e r s A d d i t i o n a l l y , L i n g a j o t h y a l l e g e d l y h a d a n t i - d e p r e s s a n t s a v a i l a b l e for the client, presumably to use as evidence to prove suicidal thoughts during the immigration process

In response to the investigation, Duncan Ellis, the firm where Lingajothy was associated have cleared up

that he is no longer with their firm They also reporte d t h e m a t t e r t o t h e S o l i c i t o r s R e g u l a t i o n A u t h o r i t y ( S R A ) a n d c o nducted an internal investigation to address the situation

A n o t h e r i n d i v i d u a l , Malik Nazar Hayat from the s o u t h w e s t L o n d o n f i r m Lincoln Lawrence Solicitors, was also reportedly captured on film advising an underc o v e r r e p o r t e r t o " c r e a t e something" for an asylum application, suggesting that t h e f a b r i c a t e d b a c k s t o r y should involve police and secret agencies pursuing the applicant Hayat appeared to encourage the client to claim victimhood as a result of human trafficking When asked about his success rate, Hayat allegedly stated that it was "above 90% " S o l i c i t o r R a s h i d K h a n from the southwest London firm Rashid and Rashid was captured on video allegedly a d v i s i n g t h e r e p o r t e r t o "make something up" and b r i n g i t t o h i m W h e n approached about the allegations, he asserted that he h a s a l w a y s a c t e d w i t h i n t e g r i t y , h o n e s t y , a n d i n accordance with his professional code of conduct

Initially reacting to the undercover investigation, a S o l i c i t o r s R e g u l a t i o n

Authority (SRA) spokespers o n s a i d : “ A l l s o l i c i t o r s should uphold the high professional standards that we a n d t h e p u b l i c e x p e c t o f t h e m T h i s i s e s p e c i a l l y important in areas such as i m m i g r a t i o n w h e r e t h o s e involved may be among the most vulnerable in society

M o r e o v e r , P r i m e Minister Rishi Sunak alleged that the “Labour Party and a s p e c i f i c g r o u p o f l a w y e r s and criminal organisations” are aligned in their support, enabling an exploitative system that benefits from illegal immigration to the UK

A L a w S o c i e t y s p o k e s p e r s o n , r e a c t i n g t o the Prime Minister’s statement, said: “Where there is evidence of wrongdoing it is r i g h t t h a t t h e r e g u l a t o r s investigate and take approp r i a t e a c t i o n I t i s d i s a ppointing that senior politic i a n s c o n t i n u e t o p e r s i s t with loose language which stereotypes a whole profession This undermines the hard work carried out by the majority of good solicitors t o e n s u r e e v e r y o n e h a s

access to justice

“ A l l e g a t i o n s a g a i n s t a few lawyers should not distract from the fact that the

I l l e g a l M i g r a t i o n A c t i s incompatible with international law and likely to fail ”

A f t e r i n v e s t i g a t i n g t h e matter, three immigration firms: Rashid & Rashid in

S o u t h W i m b l e d o n , K i n g s w r i g h t S o l i c i t o r s i n B i r m i n g h a m , a n d L i n c o l n L a w r e n c e i n H o u n s l o w , w e r e c l o s e d d o w n b y t h e SRA on 31 July

The SRA, following their action, said: “Closing a firm down, known as an interv e n t i o n , m e a n s w e h a v e stopped the firm from operating, taken possession of all documents and papers held by the firm, and taken possession of all money held by the firm (including clients' money)

“The practising certificates of the Rashid Khan M u h a m m a d A h m a d a n d M u h a m m a d H a y a t h a v e b e e n a u t o m a t i c a l l y s u sp e n d e d , s o t h e y c a n n o t practice as a solicitor

“We have also issued a Section 43 order against VP L i n g a j o t h y , f o r m e r l y o f D u n c a n E l l i s S o l i c i t o r s , which means that he cannot w o r k i n a n o t h e r s o l i c i t o r f i r m w i t h o u t o u r p e r m i ssion ”

Cllr Ameet Jogia MBE to contest the North West London seat of Hendon in 2024 General Election

P r im e M i ni s te r Ri s h i S unak's Po litical Ad v is er at No10 , Am eet Jog ia was s el ec te d to c o nte st th e North West London seat o f He nd o n at th e n ext General Election

Following the Tories

r e c e n t v i c t o r y i n Uxbridge, Hendon was a t i g h t l y c o n t e s t e d s e l e ction Ameet beat a number of local candidates for the spot The selection follows t h e r e s i g n a t i o n o f l o n g s t a n d i n g C o n s e r v a t i v e MP, Matthew Offord who will be stepping down at the next election

H e n d o n i s a l e a f y London suburb, between Harrow and Finchley and Golders Green, which was previously represented by Margaret Thatcher

A m e e t i s s e e n a s a heavy weight candidate in North West London Not only is he a long standing H a r r o w C o u n c i l l o r , b u t also Co-Chairman of the C o n s e r v a t i v e F r i e n d s o f I n d i a w h o r e c e i v e d a n

MBE for his services to the Party last year

With his connections w i t h R i s h i S u n a k a n d c o m m u n i t y m e m b e r s , including Lord Popat who he was a former aide to, Ameet is well known in the area S p e a k i n g a f t e r t h e selection Ameet told Asian Voice, “I am honoured to stand for Parliament in an area I am proud to call home We have a strong presence in the area, and I look forward to championing Conservative values on the doorstep "

Cllr Ameet Jogia MBE

FATE OF INDIAN STUDENTS HANGS MID AIR

The group, under Student Group Claim (SGC), sought approval from the London High Court for their legal complaint Should the decision not be in favour of these students, one can only imagine the consequences that they may have to suffer, along with their families in a domino effect to face colossal financial loss and emotional damage which follows when families bet their entire life savings to educate their children

The first hearing in the high c o u r t a g a i n s t U C L o c c u r r e d o n May 24, where they(UCL) urged that their own internal complaints procedures must be used, despite d e n y i n g a l l l i a b i l i t y t o p a y a n y c o m p e n s a t i o n t o t h e s t u d e n t s

Subsequently, letters before action were sent to 17 other UK universities

On July 17, the court instructed both parties to attempt an out-ofc o u r t s e t t l e m e n t t o r e s o l v e t h e claim without going to trial The trial has been suspended for eight m o n t h s A d d i t i o n a l l y , t h e j u d g e granted permission for either side to request shortening that period to four months under specific circumstances

Students from more than 100 U K u n i v e r s i t i e s h a v e j o i n e d Student Group Claim Their cases will follow in the wake of the claim against UCL However, many other u n i v e r s i t i e s a r e l o o k i n g a t t h e moment at what happens with the UCL claim and it will have a significant impact on those other cases I f s u c c e s s f u l , t h e s t u d e n t s could potentially receive tens of thousands of pounds in compensat i o n , a r g u i n g t h a t t h e y w e r e promised in-person teaching but w e r e o f f e r e d o n l i n e c o u r s e s instead “Not hav ing practical exp erience is a ho llow I will h av e forev er ”

A runima Ghosh came to the UK for her MSc in Bioscience in January 2020 before Covid hit One of the major reasons why she chose to do her degree in the UK and at her chosen university was to gain more practical experience in the l a b o r a t o r y T h e s e s k i l l s a r e t h e major backbone of the degree she came to study and are very important for successful career progression

She is one of the students who have signed up for their tuition fee r e i m b u r s e m e n t D e t a i l i n g h e r e x p e r i e n c e t h a t p r o m p t e d t h i s decision, she said, “I had to design my master’s dissertation project which was supposed to be a laboratory-based work on chemotherapy resistance in cancer cells, early in Feb - March 2020 As the university shut down and labs were closed at the end of 2020 and beginning of 2021, I was given a few weeks notice to switch to a dry project or literature review which I could do from home

“The dissertation has the maximum weightage in the degree and not being able to do that in the laboratory and getting the opportunity to learn the skills I was supposed to after spending so much more money as an international student was a major disappointment

“What was worse was that EU and home students were allowed to differ their dissertation to the time when labs opened however m i n e w a s n ’ t a s t h e u n i v e r s i t y refused visa extension I felt this to be extremely unfair

“ I n g e n e r a l , m y c o u r s e w a s

something that could not be done through distance learning and the u n i v e r s i t y v e r y w e l l u n d e r s t o o d that One cannot tell a doctor to learn surgery online and directly go to the operation theatre Similarly, a s c i e n t i s t n e e d s t o l e a r n t h e i r experimental skills to be able to secure jobs and conduct further experiments

“When I contacted the university for some reimbursement, I was said that they have given me what was promised However, the whole laboratory infrastructure was shut down and scientific reagents, consumables and machines were not in use The university mostly profited by saving all the expenses that I paid my overseas tuition fees for ” This experience was not only unfair to Arunima, who paid hefty fees in order to gain practical experience, it also affected her career

She said-

“Whether you are applying for a job or PhD roles, your master's research project is very important Not having that is a hollow I will h a v e f o r e v e r w h i c h c o u l d h a v e been, on the other hand, a major plus point in my career

“I have progressed in new roles and landed in jobs but that is only due to the companies being lenient towards Covid impacted students Otherwise, there is added focus on university experience when you are applying as a fresh graduate ”

Wh ile the teach ers ’ strike is v alid, it is at the expense of the stud ents

When Shov on Roy enrolled for his Journalism course at his university, the courses were being held online He chose to defer with hopes that he would attend once o f f l i n e c l a s s e s s t a r t e d , b u t h i s hopes never materialised Of the three modules in the course, two were delivered online

Additionally, with the teachers going on strike, half the classes were cancelled “Out of 11 classes in the module, we only attended 5 and this frustrated the students Also, the assignments were based on all the classes, so the students had to resort to self-study for the six cancelled classes

“On confronting the teachers about the strike, we were told that the teachers were not getting paid enough and there was discrimination within the faculty and the teachers of colour were devoid of a raise However, as valid the reason was, this was happening at the cost of the students”, he said The university authorities at S h o v o n ’ s U n i v e r s i t y r e f u s e d t o amend the fees structure, giving the reason that they “needed to pay the teachers”, while there haven’t been any reconsideration of salary since 2008

Referring to international stud e n t s , S h o v o n s a i d“ W h i l e t h e local students pay around £10,000 for the course, the international students pay double the amount Additionally, my course is parttime and is attended by professionals While they might not really c a r e a b o u t t h e f e e s r e g u l a t i o n , international students come to the UK with the main aim of pursuing the course and have financial limitations ”

A n o t h e r s t u d e n t , A nw es h a Saha, also missed classes due to teachers strike While she only missed three-four of them, she has f r i e n d s w h o m i s s e d m o n t h s o f classes

She was able to cope with the missed classes, but Anwesha now faces problems in applying for jobs

a s h e r t r a n s c r i p t i s i n c o m p l e t e

“With the professors on strike, one of my papers have not been graded a n d t h a t l e a v e s m y t r a n s c r i p t incomplete Due to this, when I now apply for a job, I have to write to the organisation explaining my situation ”

UCL Vice-Provo st reaffirms belief in the institution’ s comp laints procedure

P r o fe ss o r K ath l ee n A rm o u r, UCL’s Vice-Provost (Education & Student Experience) gave the following statement:

“We know that the last few years has been a very difficult time f o r m a n y s t u d e n t s T h e y h a v e f a c e d c h a l l e n g e s a n d d i s r u p t i o n from Covid and, in some cases, industrial action too Supporting our students, their wellbeing and their educational achievements is always UCL’s priority

“We respect the right of our s t u d e n t s t o c o m p l a i n a n d s e e k redress if they feel that they have n o t r e c e i v e d t h e s u p p o r t t h e y expected from us We still believe our complaints procedure represents the most efficient, cost-effective and swiftest way for students to resolve their complaints We are pleased that the High Court has ordered that proceedings be stayed to allow for the parties to attempt t o r e s o l v e t h e s t u d e n t s ’ c l a i m s without the need for further litigation and that the Court has recognised the part our complaints procedure can play

“We remain confident that our c o m p l a i n t s p r o c e s s i s t h e b e s t route for our students Should anyo n e b e u n s a t i s f i e d w i t h o u r response to their complaint, they also have the further option of asking the Office of the Independent Adjudicator for Higher Education, the appointed independent body for student complaints, to review UCL’s decision ”

U niv ersities sh ould be voluntarily paying com pensation to th eir stud ents

Ryan Dunlevy is a partner at Harcus Parker, the law firm cond u c t i n g t h e S G C A c c o r d i n g t o him, the universities adapted to the Covid lockdowns and other restrictions due to Covid, while charging full fees to students but n o t p r o v i d i n g t h e m w i t h w h a t t h e y h a d p r o m i s e d “ I s a y t h i s because the first 18 universities we have engaged with to seek compensation for students made more than £1billion of profit, or “ surp l u s ” , o v e r t h e m a i n l o c k d o w n y e a r , w h i c h w a s a c a d e m i c y e a r 2020-2021

“All of those universities also increased their tuition fee revenue, sometimes by nearly 50% I can only see that they did this because if an “in person ” course is turned into a distance learning or online o n e , u n i v e r s i t i e s a r e n o t c o n -

versities when it comes to them settling out-of-court

strained by capacity in their physical facilities, such as lecture thea t r e s T h e o r e t i c a l l y , a n i n f i n i t e number of students could be put o n o n l i n e c o u r s e s , b u t o n l y s o many can fit into a building and its rooms

“To top off the bumper profits that the universities made, most also took furlough money over the c o u r s e o f t h e P a n d e m i c Universities also saved money over the Covid years by mothballing f a c i l i t i e s a n d p a y i n g m u c hreduced utility and other bills

“These institutions like to present themselves as struggling charities and suchlike, but the reality is that they are businesses, somet i m e s w i t h b i l l i o n s o f p o u n d s worth of assets, and students are consumers, as well as protected as such by the law

“In contrast to the universities, students often had no income, no assets, and leave universities with a considerable amount of debt”, he said

O f t h e a u t h o r i t i e s c l a i m i n g pride in “how universities adapted and managed in adverse circumstances”, while the teachers are striking due to stagnant salaries a n d d i s c r i m i n a t i o n , h e s a i d , “ I believe that UK universities have little or nothing to be proud of in relation to their reaction to the Pandemic and strikes They should a l s o q u e s t i o n t h e m s e l v e s a b o u t how they treat their own staff

“While universities save money again by not delivering their services properly to students during strikes, and, I understand, by not paying their striking workers their full salaries, students are charged full fees for teaching that is not being delivered

“ T h e y s h o u l d b e v o l u n t a r i l y paying compensation to their students for not delivering the services for which they were contracted Instead, none of the universities we have written to so far has admitted any liability to pay compensation to our clients That is why this dispute has moved into the litigation arena, with our first c a s e a g a i n s t U n i v e r s i t y C o l l e g e London ”

A c c o r d i n g t o R y a n , “ T h e

o p p o r t u n i t y o f a n o u t - o f - c o u r t settlement is a fantastic development” The claim has urge the UCL to engage in settlement talks ever since they sent it the first letter in April 2022

“Hopefully this judgment will break the deadlock on that point and we can now proceed to settlement negotiations”, he said Sometimes settlement negotia t i o n s m o v e q u i c k l y o n c e t h e y start I would urge anyone who wants to join the claim to do so now rather than wait Also, if the UCL claim settles, that is likely to focus the minds of the other uni-

The SGC claim wants to help the students receive compensation, based on the difference in value between what was promised by the universities and what was delivered “We all know what was promised, tuition delivered in person by world-leading academics and physical access to state-of-theart facilities The promise of these is what attracted students to certain universities in the first place W h a t w a s d e l i v e r e d w a s quickly cobbled together subpar online, distance learning teaching, and limited or a lack of access to physical facilities”, Ryan explained S p e a k i n g o f t h e p o t e n t i a l damage settlement, he said, “ we a r e e s t i m a t i n g t h e m a t a b o u t £5,000 per student for domestic students, and much more than t h a t f o r i n t e r n a t i o n a l s t u d e n t s , d e p e n d i n g u p o n h o w m u c h a n i n t e r n a t i o n a l s t u d e n t p a i d f o r their course “ D o m e s t i c s t u d e n t s p a i d £9,250 per annum in fees whereas international students paid up to £40,000 per annum in fees for the same courses ” , he added A p ositive ou tloo k amid claims

Asian Voice also reached out to Ch a m u K u p p u sw am y, S e n i o r L e c t u r e r , H e r t f o r d s h i r e L a w School, regarding the faculty operating remotely and providing a satisfactory experience for the students She informed us that the faculty has been promoting blended learning way before the pandemic as a means to harness the power and opportunity technolog y p r e s e n t s , f o r l e a r n i n g a n d teaching

She said that, “It was what students signed up for, and what they expected to receive And so, as the pandemic struck, we were in a p o s i t i o n o f s t r e n g t h t o m o v e online We ensured that the students were well supported with t h e i r l e a r n i n g , b y r e m a i n i n g i n constant touch with them through m o t i v a t i o n a l v i d e o s a s w e l l a s making sure our online learning portal was updated and accessible at all times We produced a lot of extra materials, made adjustments to assignments and assessments, and received and responded to a lot of queries and concerns

“Every week, there is a prerecorded lecture, a face-to-face inclass session, and a facility to meet the tutors one to one, to clarify anything they are learning on the module Yes, the experience has been satisfactory for students

“We deliver our modules in a b l e n d e d l e a r n i n g e n v i r o n m e n t While the lectures are pre-recorded in very high-quality recordings, these are not videos of a classr o o m - d e l i v e r e d l e c t u r e w i t h uncertain sound and visual quality Staff who lecture for blended learning are trained and provided the facilities to record lectures –right from the recommendations to write and design slides, fonts, colours, and the way to deliver (video on/off, diction, pace etc) to a variety of upload methods (video only, video plus slides)

“We constantly discuss this in team meetings, and with central university learning and teaching units, our blended practice is wellhoned, and well-liked by students We are rated highly at UH with a TEF gold Students derive a lot of benefit from listening to lectures online, and have said so to us ”

SP Jain School of Global Management becomes the first Indian-origin management school to start an international campus in the UK

Rupanjana Dutta

S P J a i n S c hoo l of G lo b al M a n a ge m en t , ra n k e d i n t he world’ s top 12 for its 1-year Glob al M BA programme, has become the fi rs t Indian management sc hool to start an internati onal campus i n London The school will als o offer admission to loc al students, with a poss ibility to s tudy in its other branc hes in Dubai, Mumbai, S i n ga po re o r Sy d ne y f or a s emes ter or two

S P J a i n L o n d o n w i l l b e g i n delivering a range of undergraduate and postgraduate programmes i n O c t o b e r 2 0 2 3 T h e s e p r ogrammes will be accredited by the Office for Students, Department for Education, UK, and will result in students graduating with a UK degree However, SP Jain London h a s a l s o r e c e i v e d N e w D e g r e e Awarding Powers (NDAPs), which m e a n s i t c a n c o n f e r i t s o w n degrees- the first ever by an Indian institute in the UK

G a u r a v J a i n , t h e B u s i n e s s Development Manager said, “We are only the 5 institution to get these degree awarding powers and the only one of Indian origin ”

T h e s t u d e n t m i x w i l l b e a combination of UK nationals and residents and students from all over the world SP Jain Global already has 85 alumni who work in the UK

The new school will also offer students from the UK and abroad t h e o p p o r t u n i t y t o s t u d y i n London and also at S P Jain’s other c a m p u s e s i n D u b a i , S i n g a p o r e ,

Sydney and Mumbai The London campus is located in the heart of London’s financial, business and tech district – Canary Wharf

N i t i s h J a i n , F o u n d e r a n d President of the S P Jain Global Group told Asian Voice, at a working lunch meeting with IJA journalists, “People ask me – why London? Because students want to study in London! Simple The number of students interested to study in the UK has doubled in the last year itself We are a studentcentric school and will go to any length to improve their learning experience And why not London?

With GMT 0, I call it the centre of our planet earth “ O u r n e w s t a t e - o f - t h e - a r t campus in London is designed to be a place where students, alumni, i n d u s t r y l e a d e r s , a n d entrepreneurs from across the UK can come together to ideate and

Honorary Degree of Doctor of Health for Prof Mahendra G Patel OBE

Prof Mahe ndra G Patel

OBE has bee n con ferred an Hon orary Doctor of Health b y the Un ivers ity of Bradford In a message to this

the world or

career It makes me proud to receive this honorary award I don’t h a v e t h e w o r d s t o express the magnitude of what it means to me

collaborate on thought leadership

It also provides for an excellent location for part time jobs, internships and industry guest lectures ” The meeting was also joined by his wife and author Bapsy, who w a s b o r n i n K o l k a t a a n d s o n Gaurav

A p p l a u d i n g t h e i n i t i a t i v e , S a r a h C h i d g e y , H e a d o f I n t e r n a t i o n a l E d u c a t i o n , D e p a r t m e n t f o r I n t e r n a t i o n a l Trade, UK said, “We are delighted to welcome S P Jain to London!

We have heard of their strong reputation and futuristic education London is a centre of global business, and we are confident that s t u d e n t s w o u l d h a v e a s u p e r b learning experience Though the UK is well-known for the quality of its higher education, a strong new provider would add to the choice both British and international students would have ”

Selwyn College, Cambridge and Ameena Gafoor Institute create Visiting Fellowship in indentureship studies

The Unive rsity of Ca mbridge ha s crea te d w hat is be lieve d to b e the firste ve r visi tin g fe llow ship i nto the study of i nde ntureshi p, the controv ersi al sy ste m that re pla ced slave ry i n the B ritish Empire

T h e C o l l e g e h a s a p p o i n t e d P r o f e s s o r G a i u t r a B a h a d u r a s t h e Ramesh and Leela Narain visiting bye-fellow in Indentureship Studies

It is a major study of the lives of Indian women who became indentured labourers to colonial plantat i o n s i n t h e n i n e t e e n t h c e n t u r y

Professor Bahadur is the author of

C o o l i e W o m a n : T h e O d y s s e y o f Indenture, which was shortlisted for the Orwell Prize Selwyn College and the Ameena Gafoor Institute - whose director is novelist, poet and academic Professor David Dabydeen - collaborated closely in setting up the programme which allows a scholar to spend eight weeks a t t h e U n i v e r s i t y , c o n d u c t i n g research The programme will run for an initial five years

The study of indentureship and its legacies was one of the recommendations made in the report of

t h e L e g a c i e s o f E n s l a v e m e n t a t Cambridge Advisory Group, and it is h o p e d t h a t e n o u g h f u n d i n g w i l l eventually be raised to establish a permanent Professorship in the subject, based at the University Professor Bahadur will give a public talk and Q&A on the writing of Coolie Woman on Thursday, 27 July, at Selwyn College Her presentation will include a reading from her book and a topical conversation about her research experiences with the Master of Selwyn College, Roger Mosey

Medical student awarded University of London Gold Medal 2023

N i ra j Do sh i , a g ra du a te i n Medicine, achieved a remarkable feat by winning the award fo r his viva presentation during this year's ceremo ny

This victory marks the third c o n s e c u t i v e y e a r t h a t a U C L Medical School student has been h o n o u r e d w i t h t h e p r e s t i g i o u s Gold Medal in the University of London competition

Speaking of his recent graduation and winning the University of London Award, Niraj said: I m very pleased to have graduated from UCL Medical School with the University of London Gold

Niraj Doshi

M e d a l i n M e d i c i n e ! E n d l e s s t h a n k s t o t h e f a c u l t y a n d m y

incredible family and friends

Congratulations to UCL's class of 2023 - the perfect celebration to mark the end of 6 years!

In the competition, students

face a panel of external experts from outside the London universities who pose questions covering essential specialties like general m e d i c i n e , s u r g e r y , o b s t e t r i c s & gynecology, clinical pharmacology, emergency medicine, and psychiatry

The panel evaluates the candidates' responses, and the winner is c h o s e n b a s e d o n t h e i r p e r f o rm a n c e d u r i n g t h i s q u e s t i o n i n g session

T h e r e c i p i e n t o f t h e M B B S award is presented with a prestigious Gold Medal along with a cash prize of £500

“My message to the graduates is to be inclusive in what you do and a l w a y s b r i n g p e o p l e with you Don’t think of your career in terms of working for others, but rather working with them

“Reach for your dreams but make sure they are realistic and if you do have times when you fall, just remember there’s always the next day to pick yourself up and be ready to go again ”

Starting his career as a pharmacist, he went on to work with t h e B r i t i s h H e a r t F o u n d a t i o n , developing the national educational toolkit, Healthy Hearts, to improve heart disease in the community, which won the British M e d i c a l A s s o c i a t i o n P a t i e n t Information Award in 2010 Over the years, he has helped raise over £400,000 for the charity along with other national charities

W o r k i n g w i t h N I C E ( N a t i o n a l I n s t i t u t e f o r H e a l t h and Care Excellence), Mahendra p i o n e e r e d a p r o g r a m m e o f S t u d e n t C h a m p i o n s w h i c h became a national programme in 4 0 u n i v e r s i t i e s a c r o s s n u r s i n g , m e d i c a l , p h a r m a c y a n d d e n t a l f a c u l t i e s , e n a b l i n g s t u d e n t s t o e n g a g e w i t h t h e i n s t i t u t e a n d g a i n o p p o r t u n i t i e s t o f u r t h e r their careers He was among the

first cohort to gain a fellowship from NICE (2010-2013)

In 2010, Mahendra became a founding member of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society, and in s u b s e q u e n t y e a r s b e c a m e i t s e l e c t e d n a t i o n a l b o a r d a n d assembly member, as well as treasurer He was awarded the prestigious fellowship of the Society in 2 0 1 6 a n d l a t e r t h e P r e s i d e n t ’ s

Charter Award for Outstanding Services to Pharmacy

A m o n g h i s m a n y a c h i e v ements, Mahendra is also Patron of the Commonwealth Pharmacy A s s o c i a t i o n , a T e a c h i n g a n d Faculty Member of UNESCO, a BMJ Team Diabetes Award winner, the first International Fellow o f t h e I n d i a n P h a r m a c e u t i c a l A s s o c i a t i o n a n d I n t e r n a t i o n a l H o n o r a r y A m b a s s a d o r o f Lebanese Pharmacists

M a h e n d r a i s c u r r e n t l y national lead supporting inclusive and representative recruitment to clinical trials for Covid19 at the University of Oxford, a n d h a s n o w e s t a b l i s h e d t h e Centre for Research Equity, the first such centre of its kind To top it off, last year, he was awarded an OBE for services to pharmacy

UK’s Harrow School to launch in Bengaluru this month

T he p res ti g i ou s H arro w S c h o ol from th e UK is scheduled to inaugurate classes at its new Bengaluru ca m p u s o n A u g us t 1 6 T h e Beng aluru d ivision of th is historic 451-year-old sch ool is situated o n a sp a ci o u s 60 - ac re ca m p u s in De v an ah a lli , ne ar th e

v i d e s b o t h

em p e g o w d a In ter na ti o nal Airport (KIA) T h e s c h o o l p r

l

f u l l -

i

b o a r d i n g options in its campus boarding houses, accommodating students who prefer to stay on campus Additionally, the school offers an alternative for day scholars who live in or near the city to attend classes during the day and return home afterward

T h e s c h o o l w a s f o u n d e d i n 1572 under a Royal Charter granted by Queen Elizabeth I, and follows a House system that aims to provide individual attention and care to its students, as stated in an official

statement

On Monday, the school organized a private event that brought together parents of children in the first cohort The event was attended by Adam Hart, Harrow School G o v e r n o r , D i r e c t o r o f H a r r o w International Schools Ltd, and an alumnus of Harrow School himself Andrew Leale, the Founding H e a d , w a s a l s o p r e s e n t a t t h e event

L-R: Aditi Khanna Nabanita Sircar Ruhi Khan Rupanjana Dutta Naresh Kaushik Gaurav Jain Nitish Jain Mahesh Liloriya Bapsy Jain Namrata Bansal and Danish Khan at Veeraswamy after the lunch meeting

Professor Mahendra G Patel OBE PhD FHEA FNICE Alumni FIPA (India) FRPharmS

DHASOL hosts its 2023 annual gathering with Chha Gam Nagrik Mandal

Dh armaj Society of Lo nd on (DHA SOL) h osted the m em bers’ annual g athering and d inner wi th C GNM at S attav is P atidar Centre, Wembley o n 23 July 20 23 in the presence of special guests v iz f o rm e r M a yo r o f Ha rro w C ll r

N i ti nb h ai P are k, f o rm e r M ay o re ss

Hitaben Parek and C B Patel of Asian

V oice and Gujarat Samachar Proceedings commenced with a w e l c o m e b y D H A S O L S e c r e t a r y

Rashmiben K Patel The programme proceeded with the “Maru Dharmaj” song for which compelled the audience to stand up, applaud and cheer DHASOL President, Mukundbhai Patel welcomed the guests and introduced the Chha Gam Presidents assembled on the s t a g e : B h a d r a n B a n d u S a m a j

Bimalbhai Patel, Karamsad Samaj

Mahendrabhai Patel, Nadiad Nagrik Mandal – Jayshreeben Patel, Sojitra S a m a j – B h a d r e s h b h a i P a t e l , V a s o

Nagrik Mandal – Pravinbhai Amin

I n t r o d u c i n g M u k u n d b h a i explained, “Each of these organisations had been established here for over 50 years, with a view to keeping in touch with and retaining the original identity of rich culture & heritage inherited tracking back to their roots ”

As an acting Chairman, he updated the members on progress at CGNM and upcoming events for individual village associations and thanked the past CGNM Chairman, Dharmesh Desai for his contributions

M u k u n d b h a i a n n o u n c e d t h a t

D H A S O L t r u s t e e s a n d c o m m i t t e e

members had authorised for the payment of £501 00 towards the Mayor’s f a v o u r i t e c h a r i t y R I T A , a d e m e n t i a appeal at Northwick Park Hospital

T h e P r e s i d e n t i n h i s D H A S O L report further mentioned, “In common with other similar charities and organisations, Covid-19 imposed considerable limitations in our usual activities and ability to raise donations for good causes DHASOL team’s principal effort recently has been engaged in bringing up to the standard our little property acquired during the Covid-19 period –named Nat Nandi at 188-190 Kenton Road, Kenton, Harrow HA3 8BL

“We have established modern facil-

ities here with regular and community needs very much in focus, offering a s u b s i d i s e d p l a t f o r m t o s e l f - h e l p c o m m u n i t y g r o u p s , s e t u p t o p r om o t e i m p r o v e d s o c i a l wellbeing through regul a r a c t i v i t y p r o m o t i n g c u l t u r e a n d i m p r o v e d lifestyles etc i e Senior L a d i e s G r o u p , R e t i r e d

Members Group, Yoga classes

“These activities are beginning to take off now and we encourage more to participate and indeed set up groups focused on community engagement

Our Nat Nandi Seniors Citizen Club celebrated its first anniversary in June with a packed house and is continuing to progress further since then Here we have established a platform to enable seniors to meet once a month and socialise with light meals and entertainment for a nominal charge – a service heavily subsidised by DHASOL Behind our success lies the dedication of our volunteering team comprising members from all CGNM gams and beyond setting an example of teamwork

“Our sincere gratitude in particular to non-DHASOL members helping us i n t h e e s t a b l i s h m e n t o f N N S C C :

Chandrakantbhai and Renukaben - KS, J a y r a j b h a i a n d D e v i k a b e n - B B S , Thakorbhai and Umaben – Sojitra

“ S p e c i a l t h a n k s t o U m a b e n , Devikaben and Renukaben who have throughout worked very hard in the Kitchen in association with DHASOL ladies to serve freshly cooked food in plenty on the day

"Also special thanks to DHASOL ladies and gents – Pushpaben, Ilaben, A n s u y a b e n , N i l a b e n , M a l a b e n ,

Tributes pour in for Dr Shabir Akhtar after his death

B rad fo rd C o u n ci l f or M osques has offered its d eepest h eartfelt cond olences to th e f am i ly o f Dr S h ab ir A k h ta r w h o s a d ly p a ss e d away in Oxford o n July 25

Dr Shabir Akhtar was a l o c a l l a d w h o w e n t o n t o become one of the brightest stars of his generation within the British Muslim community, achieving great feats

He came to the UK aged 8 and went from a comprehensive school in Bradford to study philosophy at St Catherine’s College, Cambridge in 1980 He graduated with a first-class hono u r s d e g r e e a n d w a s a s t u d e n t o f t h e Elisabeth Anscombe, a Catholic philosopher and one of the literary inheritors of Wittgenstein He returned to Bradford to work on racial equality and rose to national p r o m i n e n c e a s a s p o k e s p e r s o n f o r t h e Bradford Council for Mosques during the Rushdie affair Seen frequently on television, he debated with the likes of Ian M c E w a n , M e l v y n B r a g g a n d M i c h a e l

Ignatieff

He wrote and published several books on Islam in the modern world and spent

Sonaliben, Jyotiben, Induben and others chipping in on a regular basis

“ W e l o o k f o r w a r d t o m e m b e r s ’ ongoing support to make it a truly memorable DHASOL legacy for future generations in memory of our pioneers’ DHASOL spirits ”

Cllr Nitinbhai Parek emphasised for the community to work together and the need to encourage the younger generation to join and develop community self-help groups aimed at addressing issues faced by the elderly He

You can do more only when you do less

Rohit Vadhwana

Wh il e g ro w ing u p , I d ev elo p ed several hobbies P ursuing them to a certain extent help ed m e gain skills related to them I found myself playing cricket w ith friends till I tried m y hands at vo lleyball to know th at with m y long hand s and good heigh t, I co uld be a g ood vo lleyball player too While playing these g am es, someone asked me wh y d on't I try singing With th is sug gestion, M oham med Rafi within m e gave was awakened A neigh bou r exp lained to m e h ow running w as a meditative exercise which h as a cult of its own I thoug ht, w hy not! But at the same time, another friend was encouraging me to try bod ybuilding in the g ym Not enough yet S ince childhoo d, I had been painting intermittently, but writing has always been someth ing th at felt close to m y heart

praises, “This was the first time he had come across a village having its own song ” C B Patel, Publisher and Editor-inC h i e f o f A s i a n V o i c e a n d G u j a r a t Samachar thanked for being invited to D H A S O L A n n u a l G a t h e r i n g a d d i n g how he was proud of being connected to Dharmaj, it being his mum ’ s village (Mossar) and always considered himself to be 50% Dharmajian

He applauded DHASOL for hosting an event incorporating the Chha Gam Nagrik Mandal at Sattavis Gam Patidar Centre He recalled the early formation of Dharmaj Society around 1968 and in particular visiting the founding members, then residing at Trinity Road, Tooting Bec He said that he also felt that DHASOL has achieved the most compared to any other village organisation and done the most amount of charitable work and contributed the most in the progress of their roots- village and vicinity

S e c r e t a r y R a s h m i b e n i n t r o d u c e d t h e t r u s t e e s a n d c o m m i t t e e t o t h e members In recognition of long dedicated service to DHASOL, Saurabhbhai Patel read out a tribute to Manharbhai H Patel, Managing Trustee ahead of the presentation of the shawl presented by Bhupebdrabhai and Dinubhai, fellow trustees

It took me a long time to realise that I cannot do anything and everything, even if I am good at it or I have a hidden talent for some of them The day I realised it, I left going after many of the above (incompletely) listed items Deciding to focus on one or two of the hobbies and skills at a time, I focused on writing and occasional painting Never pursued music, and never followed any passion for singing - it was best for me to not encourage the sleeping singing giant within me, since there are already enough singers around, and I would have in any case not made a better one In fact, it has saved many people from being victims of listening to enthusiastic singers who bore us for hours I also happily said goodbye to cricket and volleyball, without looking for any notable success in them Sports remained only fun activity afterwards

I have always believed that without an active and passionate hobby, our life becomes dryly dull Developing a strong hobby is essential for enthusiasm in life It works as your private paradise and gives you something to look forward to Writing remained the sole pursuit, for fun, for introspection and as a meditative activity Iran's posting gave me a chance to explore the art of oil painting a bit more, and it has not been completely discarded since then I pick up brush and canvas very occasionally but with interest Having left all the other activities that people call your skill or hobby, I am able to give more time to writing, hence producing four-five pieces of English and Gujarati articles/posts every week Personally, they are very useful to me as introspective activities and I identify myself with them meaningfully, rather than dividing my personal identity into fragments

I am writing this as an introspection and with immense self-satisfaction for taking this decision to do less and get more out of it Personally, I have experienced that you can do more only when you do less And, I have always kept in mind, these are my hobbies - there is no race with anyone, no competition with anyone May be you can do more too by doing a bit less

(Expressed opinions are personal)

Ugandan food science and nutrition pioneer awarded honorary degree

Dhiren Katwa

many years working on an I s l a m i c r e s p o n s e t o C h r i s t i a n i t y H e w a s a n a c c o m p l i s h e d s c h o l a r o f comparative religion being fluent in Arabic, Greek and Hebrew He spent the last years of his life in Oxford where he taught at the university A poet and philosopher, he was one of a kind

I m r a n K h a n , t h e P r e s i d e n t o f B r a d f o r d C o u n c i l S a i d , “ W e a r e extremely saddened with the sudden and sad death of Dr Shabir Akhtar ”

“Dr Shabir Was a man of exceptional intellect and prowess His death at a relatively young age is an enormous loss to the Muslim and the wider intellectual community ”

“Dr Shabir served Bradford Council for Mosques throughout the Rushdie Affair which was perhaps one of the most difficult episodes in the life of the Muslim community ”

“His intellectualism and astuteness will be greatly missed ”

“We pass on our deepest heartfelt condolences to his family ”

A n i n s p ir a t i on a l d i p lo m a t a nd acade mic, we ll k nown f or h e r wo r k t o r e d uc e pove rt y an d childhood maln ut rition in her home count ry of Uga nda , ha s rece iv ed a n h o n o r a r y d e g r e e o f Doct or of Scie nce from the Un iver sit y of R ead ing

P r o f e s s o r J o y c e

K a k u r a m a t s i K i k a f u n d a i s the High Commissioner of Uganda to India and also spearheaded the establishment of Uganda’s first ever Department of Food Science and Technology in 1989

P r o f e s s o r K i k a f u n d a i s one of few female professors in Uganda She has graduate d f r o m t h e M a k e r e r e

U n i v e r s i t y , w i t h a B S c i n Agriculture in 1976, receivi n g F i r s t C l a s s h o n o u r s

A f t e r f u r t h e r s t u d y i n

C a n a d a , s h e w e n t o n t o

c o m p l e t e a P h D i n F o o d

H e r r e s e a r c h w a s p r imarily focused on the risk factors for childhood malnut r i t i o n i n r u r a l a r e a s o f

U g a n d a A f t e r s h e d i s c o v -

ered poor weaning practices were largely contributing to childhood nutrition in the country, she and her team w o r k e d w i t h m o t h e r s t o

e x p l a i n h o w a b e t t e r d i e t

c o u l d i m p r o v e t h e i r c h i ld r e n ’ s h e a l t h a n d w e i g h t H e r w o r k o n “ G e n d e r

I n f o r m e d N u t r i t i o n i n Agriculture” contributed to a reduction of child malnutrition in the western Region of Uganda from 21% to 11% in a period of four years

P r o f e s s o r K i k a f u n d a ’ s

a c h i e v e m e n t s h a v e b e e n recognised both nationally and internationally She was a w a r d e d t h e N e s t l e N u t r i t i o n I n s t i t u t e A f r i c a Award in 2012 and became a m e m b e r o f t h e B o a r d o f Trustees of the International R i c e R e s e a r c h I n s t i t u t e b a s e d i n t h e P h i l i p p i n e s from 2010-2015

I n h e r a c c e p t a n c e speech, Joyce thanked Dr O l a t u n d e O l u w a t o l a f r o m Nigeria for nominating her, the University of Reading for honouring her and said that this degree is a tribute to the G i r l C h i l d , n o t o n l y i n U g a n d a b u t t h e w h o l e o f Africa

From left: Dhiren Katwa, Dr Oluwatola, Professor Kikafunda, HE Nimisha Madhvani, University of Reading Vice-Chancellor Professor Van de Noort

Shefali

ULEZ is ultimately about our environment

Saxena

P r i m e M i ni s ter R is h i S u nak i s adv ising the Mayor of L ondon to reco nsider his plans to exp and th e

U ltra L ow Emissions Zone ( Ulez) to o uter London Sunak expressed his concern, describing the proposed expansion as an "u nnecessary extra tax" d uring a time when inflatio n is alread y causing difficulties for p eop le He emp hasized that this m ove cou ld burden families when they carry o ut ev eryday activities like v isiting the superm arket, taking their kids to scho ol, or seeing their GP

In response, City Hall stated that the mayor would explore alternative ideas to support Londoners

The recent High Court ruling upheld the lawfulness of expanding the Ulez across L o n d o n , d e s p i t e c h a l l e n g e s f r o m f i v e Conservative-led councils The plan aims to charge older, more polluting vehicles £12 50 a day from August 29

L a b o u r l e a d e r S i r K e i r S t a r m e r a l s o weighed in on the matter, urging the mayor to reconsider the expansion following a byelection victory for the Conservatives in U x b r i d g e a n d S o u t h R u i s l i p S t a r m e r attributed the victory to the impact the Ulez expansion has on people

The Ulez was initially introduced by Boris Johnson when he was the mayor of London, taking effect in April 2019 Later, under the mayoral term of Sadiq Khan, it was extended beyond the central area to include the North and South Circular roads i n 2 0 2 1 F u r t h e r e x p a n s i o n t o c o v e r a l l L o n d o n b o r o u g h s w a s c o n f i r m e d i n N o v e m b e r 2 0 2 2 , s c h e d u l e d t o b e g i n o n August 29, 2023

City Hall has claimed that 90% of cars seen driving in outer London already comply with Ulez standards, a statement supported by the UK Statistics Authority, although the watchdog has criticized the mayor for issues related to data transparency

Mr Sunak said: "It just shows that they are out of touch with the concerns of hardworking people

"Ultimately there's an elected mayor in London and a Labour Party who are supportive of this policy, and ultimately it's not for the UK government to come and bail them out "

He added: "The Ulez is a policy by the Labour mayor of London, backed by the Labour Party and Keir Starmer and I'd tell them not to do it No-one is forcing them to do it They should not do it "

London grabs the title of the world's best city for students, does the diaspora agree?

H o w e v e r , S i r K e i r r e j e c t e d that assessment of the policy earl i e r t h i s w e e k , s a y i n g t h e l a w "requires the mayor of London to take measures to reduce air pollution once it gets above a certain level"

He added he wanted to "see whether there are things that can be done to make it easier for people" who are affected by the scheme"

A spokesperson for the mayor of London said: "The mayor has been clear that the decision to expand the Ulez was very difficult and not something he took lightly, but necessary to save the lives and health of young and vulnerable Londoners

" T h e m a y o r h a s b e e n l i s t e n i n g t o L o n d o n e r s t h r o u g h o u t t h e U l e z r o l l o u t , which is why from next week he is expanding the scrappage scheme to nearly a million families who receive child benefit and all small businesses with up to 50 employees

He will continue to look at new ideas to support Londoners

"He continues to call on government to further support the switch to cleaner vehicles through funding a targeted national scrappage scheme, or providing additional funding to London, as it has done for other cities implementing clean air zones across the country " R e a c t i n g t o t h e P M ’ s s t a t e m e n t , D r Chamu Kuppuswamy, Senior Lecturer at H e r t f o r d s h i r e L a w S c h o o l a n d G l o b a l

Economy Interdisciplinary Research Lead at the Office of the Vice-Chancellor, told Asian Voice, “A vast majority of people depend on the car, I agree with the PM on that, and unfortunately that is a situation I would like to see changed It is clear that our way of thinking about how to move around in the country needs to change, but whether the U L E Z e x p a n s i o n w i l l h e l p a c h i e v e t h a t change is questionable Ultimately if this is about our environment, how does just cleaning up a city’s air help the environmental crisis as a whole? It is in places like London that the people use public transport so much m o r e b e c a u s e t h e r e a r e s o m a n y m o r e options available!

“It is important to not play politics in the matter of the environment, as the subject is going to stay with us for a long time, and things will come back to bite We need to keep the bigger picture, and the wider cont e x t i n p e r s p e c t i v e , i e , b r i n g i n g a b o u t behaviour change in people and government investment outside cities in better transport and connectivity, so that overall GHG emissions from the transport sector is addressed ”

Migrant barge plan postponed due to safety concerns

T he Hom e Office has cancelled its p lans to relocate m igrants onto th e Bibby S tockholm barg e in P ortland P ort, south Dorset T h e d e c i s i o n c a m e a f t e r T h e T i m e s d i s c l o s e d t h a t D o r s e t & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue identified "critical issues" during inspections, p r o m p t i n g f u r t h e r a s s e s s m e n t s

However, the Home Office stated that if these concerns were addressed by the end of today, migrants might still be moved tomorrow

Meanwhile, the Border Force is anticipating a surge in small boat crossings this month due to French police reducing beach patrols as officers take annual leave The French government assured the UK Home Office that there wouldn't be a decline in beach patrols, as the British-funded co-operation deal, agreed upon in March, remains in place This deal, struck between Rishi Sunak and President Macron, involved the French committing to increase the number of offic e r s d e d i c a t e d t o b e a c h p a t r o l s t o 7 0 0

However, it appears that only 40% of the increase will be in effect by the end of this

year

A source from the Border Force highlighted that the reduction in French police presence could contribute to the expected increase in migrant arrivals August has historically been one of the busiest months for C h a n n e l c r o s s i n g s s i n c e m i g r a n t s b e g a n crossing in small boats five years ago The Border Force foresees the next three months as the peak period for migrant crossings, mirroring last year's pattern when 51% of the y e a r ' s r e c o r d - b r e a k i n g 4 5 , 7 5 5 s m a l l b o a t arrivals occurred in August, September, and October

For the second year in a row, L ond on, the capital o f the UK, h as earned the prestig ious title o f the world 's best city fo r students In an im pressive display of academic excellence and vibrant cultural life, Lo nd on ou tshined other global contenders, with Tokyo and Melbo urne securing the second and third sp ots, resp ectiv ely T his latest wo rld wi de ranking underscores Londo n's exceptional appeal as a top destination for students seeking a world-class education and a div erse and enriching experience

There is, however, a flip side to this

a c h i e v e m e n t a s w e l l W h i l e t h e c o u n t r y grapples with the effects of the cost-of-living and recession, those impacted significantly are individuals from low socio-economic b a c k g r o u n d s a n d i n t e r n a t i o n a l s t u d e n t s , e a c h g r a p p l i n g w i t h d i s t i n c t c h a l l e n g e s I n t e r n a t i o n a l s t u d e n t s , h i n d e r e d b y v i s a restrictions, face limitations on increasing their working hours, leading to financial constraints Moreover, they often encounter greater difficulty in accessing funds and resources compared to domestic students

R e c e n t f i n d i n g s f r o m t h e N a t i o n a l Student Accommodation Survey, published a few months ago, revealed that a staggering 80% of international students, including those from India, were deeply concerned about their day-to-day living conditions Additionally, approximately 58% of students reported a noticeable increase in their energy bills, primarily attributed to the ongoing cost-of-living crisis and high rent

For Harini V ish wanath, who is pursuing BSc (Hons) Biomedical Science, cost-of-living and medical support is quite a concern “As international students, we are currently grappling with the escalating cost-of-living Sunak's proposal to increase the IHS charges to support the NHS staff is also concerning, especially when we feel that the healthcare system's services do not fully cater to our

needs as international students”, she said

In a year of pursuing post- graduation in London, Khushali Thakar has struggled to maintain a lifestyle She is of the opinion that “The basic expenses including food, travel and rent are too high Also, job opportunities are a bit tough to find, be it parttime or full-time positions”

For Khush i Thakkar, shifting to the UK for studies has been a rewarding but one of the most daunting experiences For her, London is a city packed with complexities

“As an international student, it took me nearly six months to get used to the environment even before I could focus on my studies To top this off, the hefty prices made me rush for a part-time job Before I could proc e s s t h i s m a s s i v e c h a n g e a n d o v e r c o m e homesickness, I was in a vicious loop of doing chores, studying, and working leaving no time for self-care”, she expressed

“The worst part is, there is no escape It is j u s t a n o t h e r s y n o n y m f o r h u s t l e - c u l t u r e promised with no certainty whatsoever ” She also feels that, with the country facing recession, Rishi Sunak’s plan of limiting student migration at this point would only be unwise since the diaspora roughly makes 58 million net economic contributions

While experiences may vary from one individual to another, depending on factors such as the university, course, and personal circumstances, the diaspora definitely faces a bumpier road

Dr Chamu Kuppuswamy

Rishi Sunak with Emmanuel Macron

A column with punch and panache

I am a great admirer of Kapil’s column, Khichadi, I read with interest and appreciation As a fellow writer I can judge how much time he may be spending on research, talking with people and spending considerable time harvesting Computer to collect the material he uses in his writings

His latest piece, “Keir for No 10?” in last week’s Asian Voice was no exception when it comes to inform and educate readers about the intricacies of our politics where all political leaders promise us heaven but it turns out to be nothing more than a one day picnic!

From all the promises and propaganda coming out of Labour “Think Tank” one may obliged to believe that Labour win at the next general election in 2024 is a foregone conclusion! But as we say, “A week in politics” is a long time, so no one can foresee what will happen in a year ’ s time!

It is also a well-known fact that political parties behave differently when they are in the “Opposition” when it is easy to promise everything to everyone, regardless of the cost and the inconvenience But reality comes home to roost when faced with the cost and the fierce opposition from the losing party

In our democracy, it is difficult to get two third majority that may be needed to make significant changes to our constitution, so the cooperation from the opposing parties is essential and this safety valve guards and protects our constitution from being raided by the party in power, stops lurching to extreme right or left

Last week’s three by-election results failed to favour any one party, Conservatives surprisingly held on to the Boris’s old seat, mainly due to people showing their displeasure at the Labour mayor of London imposing high daily congestion charge of £12:50 for outer London Boroughs It is time for intellectual Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer to show his leadership quality and save us from the savage congestion charges that will punish those who are least able to pay!

Bhup endra M Gandhi

Muharram: Mourning for Muslims

Muharram is one of the most significant and sacred festivals for Muslims all over the world, as it marks the beginning of the Islamic New Year It is the second holiest month after Ramadan, but is not celebrated like other holy festivals; it is a festival of mourning and a period of self-reflection It is the first month of the Islamic calendar and is significant in the Muslim community

The tenth day of Muharram, called the Day of Ashura, is of most significance for different Muslim factions for various reasons

On the day of Muharram, Muslims all over the world set up langars where water and fruit juices are served free to all, no matter what caste or community the people belong to The month of Muharram is observed with extreme grief and mourning due to the battle of Karbala that took place during this month During the Battle of Karbala, the Last Prophet’s (PBUH) grandson, Imam Hussain, was martyred mercilessly and this is the reason that Muharram is related to grief, mourning, sadness and is critical to Muslims all over the world

The month of Muharram also has a great importance among the followers of Islam The month comes with deep grief, despair, and melancholy in Muslims who cry and wail on the martyrdom of Imam Hussain, the son of Hazrat Ali in the Battle of Karbala During the battle, Imam Hussain was mercilessly beheaded by the forces of Umayyad Caliph Yazid I The event took place in the 690 CE and has been since then observed among Muslims every year as ‘Muharram,’ meaning prohibition

During this entire month, Muslims abstain themselves from any kind of joyous events and celebrations, as a way to pay tribute and honour to the martyrdom of Imam Hussain During the first 10 days of Muharram, Muslims belonging to the Shia community wear black outfits and go for street processions as a way to mourn the death of their beloved Imam Hussain and the pain inflicted on his family members

Muslims belonging to different Muslim communities observe Ashura in different ways; some keep fast, some observe abstinence and some participate in religious gatherings

In India, a glimpse of the Muharram procession can be seen on roads The Shia devotees even cut their bodies and walk barefoot on fire This act of self-harming is very rigorous Muslims consider it as an act of mourning

Muharram is the occasion to keep aside all your problems and offer yourself in the service and devotion of God It is a festival which reminds us all to always embrace peace and happiness and spread the message of brotherhood and togetherness

Jube l D'Cruz

The desperation of Anti-Hindu forces

The so-called secular and left wing journalists are so desperate to demonise Hindus that they are blinded by the illogicality and incomprehension of what they are writing Delhi based Geeta Pandey’s article was published by BBC - whose days are numbered in its present form

The article picked on Sudha Murty of Infosys and motherin law to British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak An innocuous comment by Mrs Murty that being a strict vegetarian she is wary of eating in mixed restaurants, has been morphed into a Caste battle! Geeta claims Mrs Murty's notion of 'purity' is dictated by the Caste system! The Brahmin Caste according to Geeta show their purity by being vegetarian In the next sentence she contradicts herself by saying that Brahimins traditionally did eat meat Only 20% of Indians are vegetarians according to her

She doesn't want you to think Vegetarianism is big in India but at the same time she wants to condemn it because it is linked with Hinduism For a practicing Hindu, killing of any life even an insect is a sin Compassion is the first principle of religions born in India namely Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism But there is more to it Meat eating is associated with the damage caused to the planet It is also associated with the major killer diseases like high blood pressure, heart disease and various forms of cancer Tens of millions of people are becoming vegetarians and vegans all over the world for these reasons including the so called lower Castes! The President of India Draupadi Murmu who is from a tribal community is also a strict vegetarian Vegetarianism like Yoga is now a world phenomena!

N itin Mehta

Oppenheimer and Gita

The greatest minds in the world be it scientists like Louis Pasteur or Oppenheimer believed in the power of prayer and Spirituality which is greater than science They drew inspiration from Bhagavad Gita and Veda and tuned their antennas to recieve the right frequency and mother nature revealed its secrets to them They were successful but well grounded very well knowing that man can only clone the body not the soul

TS Ka rthik

K A P I L’ S K H I C H A D I

Kapil Dudakia

Read ers will alread y know fro m my previous colu mns, as w ell as the excellent cov erag e by Asian V oice and Gujarat

S am achar, that a Labour M P, Gareth T homas, created a g rou p called A PPG British Gu jaratis – bu t ag ainst the w ishes of the Gujarati comm unity

Almost every Gujarati, Indian, Hindu and Jain organisation wrote to Gareth informing him that they had not been consulted and that this new group formed was unwanted They specifically told him that creating one for Gujaratis was divisive to the whole of the Indian diaspora Yet the wishes of the very people he was meant to represent were ignored because it seems this new entity was for his own gratification

Recently he and the APPG British Gujaratis have been making some noise about flights to India Let me remind readers, over the past few decades when any such issue ever came up, it was Asian Voice, Gujarat Samachar, the NCGO (UK), HFB, HCUK and other leading organisations that came together to put forward the needs of the community All of this has been done successfully and without the need for a divisive APPG that Gareth has created

I am told that someone representing a non-existent airline in the UK is part of this enterprise Maybe their interest is self-promotion to show their other directors how influential they are, or maybe they think they can pressurise the British and Indian airport authorities to give them licences to further their airline business? Who knowswhat motivates some of these people, but what is certainly true is that none of them care one jot for Gujaratis If they did, they would have listened to us

This same APPG is hidden behind many secrets I have asked many questions, butno answersso far When people run away from answering legitimate questions, one is left wondering what more they might have to hide

No doubt they will next try and hijack education by demanding GCSE classes for everyone in Gujarati The fact that the vast majority of Gujaratis don’t pursue it in schools is lost to these charlatans I am told that this nonsense will be created because a few people who run Gujarati classes can then secure more money from local and national government Just imagine, we have got a few people running Gujarati classes who are willing to sacrifice the integrity of the Gujarati community, just so they can get their hands on a bit more money

What next? Given the utter madness of these Labour MPs I should not be too surprised if in the very near future they create an APPG for Punjabis I wonder what demands they will make for them Khalistan state?

"Celebrating Entrepreneurship"

A special zoom event was organised by Gujarat Samachar and Asian Voice on 29th July 2023 Subhash V Thakrar, renowned professional and entrepreneur, was the keynote speaker at this virtual event to celebrate Entrepreneurship in our Asian community He shared useful information and tips, discussing the challenges and limitations and how to overcome them Detailed report of this event will be published in the coming week edition

I spoke to Shri Vimalji Odedra, President of the NCGO (UK) who said, ‘I am very concerned with the way in which the APPG British Gujaratis are misrepresenting themselves They do not represent Gujaratis It's a creation of Labour MP Gareth Thomas against the wishes of the community It's a tool to divide the Indian diaspora and we at the NCGO (UK) will never accept any entity that undermines our community I am shocked they are now trying to hijack issues that we at the NCGO (UK) have led and successfully for many year, e g direct flights to Gujarat This affront to our community must cease immediately’

F or your inform ation, the fo llowing org anisations had formally rejected this unwanted A PPG:

1 Bhadran Bandhu Samaj UK (A Gujarati community organisation)

2 CB Patel / Asian Voice / Gujarat Samachar - The leading Asian media house

3 FISI - Friends of India Society International

4 Hindu Council of Central England

5 Hindu Council UK - national organisation

6 Hindu Forum of Britain (representing hundreds of Hindu organisations and Mandirs nationally)

7 Hinduism Study Group

8 HSS UK - 110 active centres in 67 towns A large section of its membership are Gujaratis

9 INSIGHT - Social movement of British Hindus and Indians

10 National Association of Patidar Samaj - representing thousands of Gujarati families in the UK

11 National Congress of Gujarati Organisationsthe largest body representing Gujaratis in UK

12 Param Shakti Peeth of UK

1 3 S a r d a r P a t e l M e m o r i a l S o c i e t y U K - t h e i c o n i c Gujarati who united the whole of India

14 VHP

We are grateful to all letter writers for more and more versatile letters well within word limit Please keep contributing as always If you are new, then write to Shefali at shefali.saxena@abplgroup.com

Five friends with a dream of making it one day

Shefali Saxena

S ou t h A s i a n b u s i n e s s e s have f ound real s uccess in the UK, one of them i s The Coconut Tree, growin g to ni ne locations and countin g, a Sri L ank an re stauran t starte d in 2016 by a group of family an d frie nds from Sri Lank a I n 2 0 1 6 c o - f o u n d e r Rashintha Rodrigo was a b a r t e n d e r b y n i g h t a n d b o o k k e e p e r b y d a y w h o found accommodation for a group of five above an old p u b R o d r i g o a n d h i s

a n d e m b r a c e t h e u n i q u e aspects of Sri Lankan cult u r e , a n d i t s e r v e s a s a reminder of the beautiful connections we can create through food

How do you adapt to the cuisine according to British people?

University accused of racial discrimination against students faces further allegations

A furt her se t of allega tions ha ve come t o light a gainst a UK Un iver sit y tha t is fa cin g a cc usa t i on s o f d is cr im in at ion ag ainst In dian st uden ts in Eng inee ring

require careful attention and resolution ” Vaz also listed s i g n i f i c a n t c h a l l e n g e s f o llowing their appeal process

T h e I n d i a n H i g h

f r i e n d s / f a m i l y s a w a n opportunity in transforming the tired, old ale house i n t o s o m e t h i n g m o r e Being homegrown chefs, a b a r t e n d e r / b o o k k e e p e r s a n d a c c o u n t a n t s , t h e y turned to what they knew best and starte d s h a r i n g t h e uniquely Sri Lankan f l a v o u r s o f t h e i r c h i l d h o o d w i t h Cheltenham

By the end of the year, the first TCT r e s t a u r a n t o p e n e d its doors, sharing a slice of its founders’ c o a s t a l i s l a n d l i f e b a c k home with their new community in the UK TCT has since built on this success and added eight more sites across the West and South West, all while receiving awards and exciting recognition like winning Come D i n e W i t h M e : T h e Professionals and touring on the Roadshow H e s p o k e t o A s i a n Voice about his journey

Froma bartender to a bookkeeper and now an owner of a chain of restaurants, please tell us your success story.

M y u p b r i n g i n g i n a n e n t r e p r e n e u r i a l f a m i l y , coupled with my experiences in the service industry, shaped my friendly and e a s y - t o - r e a d a p p r o a c h t o business I learnt early on t h a t e n t r e p r e n e u r s h i p requires a unique attitude a n d a p p r o a c h a n d t h a t ’ s s o m e t h i n g I c a r r i e d i n t o my work at The Coconut

T r e e ( T C T ) w h e n w e

launched in 2016 Unlike a traditional 9-5 job, where a p a y c h e c k i s g u a r a n t e e d , b e i n g a n e n t r e p r e n e u r means waking up each day with unwavering enthusiasm W o r k i n g a s a b a rtender, waiter, and bookkeeper showed me that a

s u c c e s s f u l b u s i n e s s requires a balance between p a s s i o n a n d p r a c t i c a l i t y Getting TCT to where it is t o d a y h a s c e r t a i n l y b e e n a l a b o u r o f l o v e I t ’ s t a k e n t i m e a n d e f f o r t , p a s s i o n a n d d e d i c a t i o n S i n c e t h o s e early days in 2 0 1 6 , w e ’ v e come a long way, growing a significant Sri Lankan presence across our nine locations in the South and South-West

What did it take to turn an old place into a new experience?

At the end of the day, w e ’ r e a l l a b o u t b r i n g i n g authentic Sri Lankan cuisine to UK tables There’s always going to be an element of balance and compromise when you ’ re introd u c i n g s o m e t h i n g a l i t t l e new and maybe even unfamiliar to people, but we ’ ve f o u n d w e h a v e n ’ t h a d t o c h a n g e t h i n g s t o o m u c h Pretty much the only thing that we do differently is that w e u s e l e s s c h i l l i i n o u r d i s h e s T o n i n g d o w n t h e level of heat makes the food a little more palatable here, b u t o t h e r w i s e , t h e d i s h e s remain true to their roots How do you source authentic spices and ingredients?

In short? Five friends with a dream of making it one day, six months of hard labour, a few cases of cheap whisky, help from parents back home and friends in the UK, and 20K savings Having a big-picture mindset was helpful too; being able to look past the surface and see the potential lying beneath We thought ‘let’s stick to our guns ’ –cook what we know, share what we love And that’s Sri L a n k a n F r o m t h e r e i t c a m e d o w n t o c o m m i tment, determination, and passion The community in Cheltenham were also so s u p p o r t i v e T h e y w e lcomed TCT and proved to u s t h a t w e h a d s t a r t e d something special

What does it mean to you as a South Asian to be able to promote the culture and food abroad?

As a Sri Lankan owning and promoting Sri Lankan r e s t a u r a n t s a b r o a d , i t means the world to me It s an opportunity to showcase the rich and diverse culture of our homeland through its vibrant cuisine Sharing the flavours, spices, and traditions of Sri Lanka with peop l e f r o m d i f f e r e n t b a c kgrounds allows us to bridge c u l t u r a l g a p s a n d f o s t e r

While a lot of our fresh produce and ingredients are sourced locally here in the UK, it’s always been import a n t t o u s t o m a i n t a i n s t r o n g c o n n e c t i o n s with Sri Lankan suppliers too Currently, we source the finest S r i L a n k a n h e r b s , s p i c e s , a n d p r o d u c e from a variety of supp l i e r p a r t n e r s a n d export to The Coconut Tree restaurants in the UK This brings muchn e e d e d f o r e i g n income to Sri Lanka These include established brands such as Finagle, Silva Mills and Ma’s Kitchen We also work with small businesses that supply dried fruit and t r e a c l e , b e n e f i t t i n g s m a l l farmers and supporting the local economy Our parents a r e a l s o r e a l l y i n v o l v e d , o f t e n b u y i n g t h i n g s l i k e coconut milk and oil from small independents in Sri L a n k a a n d s e n d i n g t h e m over

What are your fond memories of eating and preparing Sri Lankan food in your childhood?

T h e r e a r e s o m a n y , I could really write an essay; making fish patties with my mum and eating about 25, to start There’s this popular f r i e d s n a c k c a l l e d p r a w n wadey that we would enjoy at Gall Face Green Even something as simple as eating curry sauce with roti, because it’s the only thing you can afford when you ’ re 16 at a Saiver Kade (these are c h e a p , s m a l l r e s t a u r a n t s )

Stopping at a little corner shop on your way to Kandy so you can eat Pol Rotti (Coconut Rotti) with really spicy sambol and then wash it down with some sweet black tea The list goes on Food and sharing a good meal are so central

Media reports revealed that Leicester’s De Montfort University (DMU) allegedly r a c i a l l y d i s c r i m i n a t e d against its students, out of which 128 were engineering s t u d e n t s o f I n d i a n o r i g i n , making up 52 per cent of the entire pathway It is alleged that out of the 128, 89 or almost 70 per cent failed Indian overseas students s t u d y i n g A d v a n c e d Biomedical Science at DMU h a v e a p p r o a c h e d f o r m e r Leicester East MP Keith Vaz, who has written a letter to the vice chancellor Professor K a t i e N o r m i n g t o n o n Monday The letter, as seen by Asian Voice reads, “I have n o w b e e n c o n t a c t e d b y I n d i a n o v e r s e a s s t u d e n t s p u r s u i n g M S c A d v a n c e d Biomedical Science at DMU These concerns add to matt e r s r a i s e d b y t h e E n g i n e e r i n g s t u d e n t s a t D M U F i r s t l y , I m u s t emphasise that the students o f t h e E n g i n e e r i n g Department remain disappointed with the response they have received from the university In addition to the c o n c e r n s e x p r e s s e d i n m y previous letter, they continue to raise vital issues that

“I wish to reiterate that my intention in raising these m a t t e r s i s r o o t e d i n t h e utmost respect for the academic excellence and reputation of DMU and our collective need to protect it Addressing these concerns d i l i g e n t l y a n d i m p a r t i a l l y w i l l s e r v e t o f u r t h e r strengthen DMUs commitment to providing a supportive and equitable learning e n v i r o n m e n t f o r a l l s t udents

“I sincerely hope that the meeting with the affected students can be arranged as a matter of urgency, and I await your response and the other information requested,” Vaz added

In his letter to the vice chancellor, Vaz imperatively m e n t i o n e d t h a t f r e s h e v idence has been brought to his attention by more than 50 students pursuing MSc A d v a n c e d B i o m e d i c a l Science These students find themselves deprived of their m a s t e r ' s d e g r e e s a t D M U , c i t i n g t h e f o l l o w i n g c o n -

cerns One of the concerns listed in the letter said that approximately 50 Indian stud e n t s , d e s p i t e p e r f o r m i n g w e l l i n t h e i r e x a m s , h a v e f a i l e d t o a c h i e v e p a s s i n g marks ranging from 40 to 49

C o m m i s s i o n w r o t e t o t h e UK university demanding an investigation into the said claim This letter came soon after there were reports of more than 80 learners from I n d i a a t L e i c e s t e r ’ s D e Montfort University (DMU) who complained about this d e v e l o p m e n t T h e H i g h Commission has reportedly sent a letter titled “Alleged d i s c r i m i n a t i o n a g a i n s t Indian students”, to the vice chancellor, Professor Katie Normington

Further reports suggest that Lord (James) Wharton, C h a i r o f t h e O f f i c e f o r Students (OfS), has responded to the concerns raised a b o u t D e M o n t f o r t University (DMU) He wrote to the individual who raised the issue, confirming that t h e i n f o r m a t i o n p r o v i d e d was immediately passed on to the regulation team at the OfS He also mentioned that at least seven affected students directly contacted the OfS since receiving the letter

While the OfS typically does not intervene in individual disputes between students and universities, it has taken the unusual step of engaging with DMU to further investigate the matter T h i s i s a d e v e l o p i n g story

Co-founders and cousins Rodrigo (blue top) and Shamil (black top)

Call to embrace power of

G U J A R A T I L A N G U A G E I N E D U C A T I O N

Badal Lakhlani

On the occasion of the golden jubilee celebration, Gujarat Samachar and Asian Voice organised a special Zoom event on "Embrace the Power of Gujarati Language in Education" The moderator of the event was Jyotsna Shah, Consulting editor of Gujarat Samachar

Editor and publisher of Gujarat Samachar and Asian Voice, CB Patel said, "We have united everyone who is proud of the Gujarati language, whether they were born in Gujarat or elsewhere The identity of Gujarat is prominent and unique in the world Nowadays, even in America, there are millions of Gujaratis and non-Gujaratis who say 'Kem Cho?’ (How are you?) and also talk about dhokla and Thepla For years, you and I have been concerned about the Gujarati language The Gujarati language must be used and preserved Even if we don't speak or write in Gujarati, we must understand it The child will know the family's morals if the parents teach him Gujarati and comprehend well enough to communicate with his grandparents "

The consulting editor of Gujarat Samachar, Jyotsana Shah, said, "English is obviously crucial given that we live in Britain, but we also need to keep in mind the importance of Gujarati, our native tongue In Britain, some teach the Gujarati language through institutions

Although we are proud of the European languages we teach our kids, we must encourage our children to learn Gujarati

Learning a European language might help you land a better career or gain an additional qualification But, we must not lose sight of the fact that we are Gujarati traders, and Gujaratis have made their homes all over the world At present, many countries are showing interest in setting up their own industries in Gujarat, so it should be understood that the Gujarati language is vital

Dr J agdis h Da ve, Gujarati expert and scholar, said, "In 1984, I moved to London I was brought by Bhanubhai to CB Patel to join the editorial board in order to write the piece I've a four-decade-old relationship with Gujarat Samachar 'Learn Gujarati' was a weekly column that began in 1989 with CB Patel and ran for two years My late younger brother Prafulla Dave edited the article I have tried to change Gujarati education for English medium students In English, 'S' is Gujarati's ડ ’ , if you cut, it becomes ‘ ક ’ , if you hook it down, it becomes ‘ ફ ’ , if you bracket, it becomes ‘ હ ’ and if you

connect, it becomes ‘ ઠ ’ With this method, students mastered ડ ’ , ‘ ક ’ , ‘ ફ ’ , ‘ હ ’ and ‘ ઠ ’ within a week

If you make a horizontal line and bring it down, it becomes ‘ ત ’ , if

teacher in London, said, "Many Gujaratis emigrated to Africa and Britain in the 1970s and 1980s Where the majority of families had children aged 8 to

you take it up, it becomes ‘ મ ’ and if you bring it back down from above, it becomes ‘ ભ ’ Later, if you move two brackets up and down, it becomes ‘ દ ’ , if you put a line in front, it becomes ‘ ઘ ’ , if you put a line below the knot, it becomes ‘ધ’ , if you move two brackets forward, it becomes ‘ છ ’ , If you weave, it becomes ‘ઈ’ Thus, within ten parts, we turned the entire script around and started promoting it that way "

Jayan t Tanna, former Chairman of the Consortium of Gujarati School, said, "When I retired from my profession, there came a moment when the government decided not to hold the Gujarati language test Then, I felt as though I ought to offer something based on my personal experience In a meeting, it was decided to establish an organisation to prevent the suspension of the Gujarati examination; thus, the Consortium of Gujarati School was formed I presided over this association in 2015 as chairman That time there was a concern that there would not be the Gujarati GCSC We spoke to all the eminent people, and Gujarat Samachar also helped us Societies and temples gathered signatures from the public, and a petition with about 10,000 signatures was then delivered to Parliament When we put forth a lot of effort in this way, the government agreed to switch the test board and allocate funding to a different board so that Gujarati and other languages could continue Thus Gujarati education started again "

Vijaya Bhand

eri,

a Gujarati

10 who could read and speak Gujarati The Gujarati language was not being taught to youngsters at that time because those who had recently immigrated to Britain were working long hours to establish themselves and make money They used to speak Gujarati at home, but outside the home, English began to dominate Learning Gujarati was a little easier for kids throughout the 1980s and 1990s because the majority of families had parents who could read and write Gujarati and who also partially taught Gujarati to their kids In the 1990s, the work of Gujarati language education went on with great vigour After the 2000s, it started to change Some young parents of the new generation, whose parents came from Africa during the 1970s and 1980s, could not read, write or speak Gujarati Since the 1980s, Gujaratis have continued to settle in certain London suburbs and cities However, the number of kids studying Gujarati continues to decline as a result of the shifting environment, Gujarati parents' lack of interest in learning the language, and kids' apathy Most of the schools have closed down, the remaining institutional schools continue to try to teach Gujarati, even with limited equipment and inexperienced teachers "

Sonal Sha h, Chairperson of the Consortium of Gujarati School, said, "Over the years, Gujarati have received a lot of negative publicity According to what I have observed, lesson planning is not practised in many schools, but this is

changing as training is provided and the conventional educational approach is used After I came here, I started working as a teaching assistant at a mainstream school I knew that if children were to be taught Gujarati, it was necessary to know how education was imparted in mainstream schools I have prepared myself and have been training other fellow teachers I feel that in the school I run, parents are less interested in other activities; they demand Gujarati classes for two hours continuously On the demand of parents, we have also started adult classes The number of GCSCs has also increased "

Rekha Sh ah, head of Mandatha Gujarati School, said, "An Australian citizen once said that while English is the language used here, the mother tongue should still be spoken at home so that the children can learn Don't worry about it

When our kids first started going to school, even the youngest students had to start learning Gujarati They used to be free only in the evening because of a shortage of time, but we found a solution Chandrakalaben and Kusumben started evening classes in our institute building These young people's offspring eventually enrolled in our school to study Gujarati We organise the programme every year, taking great satisfaction in the rare culture and sweetness of the language Students are inspired and given the confidence to perform on stage in this way "

Mina xi Cha mpa ne ri from Glasgow, a former Gujarati teacher said, "We relocated here after my husband was sent to Scotland from Birmingham, where I had been teaching Only 10 to 15 families comprised this

Gujarati group Gujarati had to be taught to the kids here, but there was no structure I began teaching kids Gujarati at this time Initially these children were taught to speak Gujarati, later to write and read Children began learning Gujarati through individual tutoring over time They learn the names of cooking ingredients Over time, I took up a position in the Gujarati Association as Secretary Due to some reason, the association collapsed The number of Gujaratis has grown over time When Gujaratis gathered in 1985, there were 40

to 50 of them; now there are 350 to 400 "

Joshna D Pa te l, the author of "Global Gujarati", said, "We spend a lot of time fretting, but we must take action to facilitate the learning of languages This task is not difficult, but Gujarati can be taught quickly if one finds the appropriate materials and techniques that they enjoy and can use at any time I have written a comprehensive Gujarati book that you can learn on your own Children will be able to read and speak Gujarati in addition to English "

H ina Pancholi from Aylesbury, a former Gujarati teacher said, "There was a great deal of passion for Gujarati education many years ago, and new students began teaching Gujarati Many new Gujarati families have relocated to Aylesbury We wanted to launch a new class because the number of Gujaratis in Aylesbury has increased five-fold, creating a fresh demand for studying "

Present participants and experts talked about younger kids and parents learning about Gujarati, details about Gujarati schools, and others The vote of thanks was proposed by Group Editor Mahesh Liloriya

Scan to watch this zoom event or visit our Youtube channel: @abplgroup8772

CB Patel Jyotsna Shah

Dr Jagdish Dave Jayant Tanna Vijaya Bhanderi Sonal Shah

Rekha Shah Minaxi Champaneri Joshna D Patel Hina Pancholi

Not a nightingale!

The tribute to Lata Mangeshkar by singer Palak Muchchal at the Royal Albert Hall didn’t go down well with members of the community

Shefali Saxena

Nearly 4 9 years after the leg endary

L ata Mangesh kar g raced the Royal

A lbert Hall in L ond on w ith a rare l i v e c o nc ert , h e r ic o n ic so n g s reso und ed once more in a special t ri bu t e ev e nt, ti tl ed 'L ata

M ang eshkar: Bollyw ood Legend ' , a s p a rt o f t h e BB C ' s a nn u al s u m m er P r o m s

season

The Prom 18, held on F r i d a y n i g h t , f e a t u r e d m a n y r e n d i t i o n s f r o m the late playback singer's 1974 live concert, including classics like 'Aye Mere W a t a n K e L o g o n ' a n d

'Aaega Aane Wala' from the film 'Mahal,' accompanied by the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra (CBSO)

Singer Palak Muchhal, known for her philanthropy and extensive playback singing, opened the show with the title track from the film 'Satyam Shivam Sundaram,' foll o w e d b y m e l o d i e s f r o m

Bollywood classics like 'Mughal-eAzam' and 'Kabhi Kabhie,' to more contemporary hits from 'Dilwale D u l h a n i y a L e J a y e n g e , ' 'Mohabbatein,' and 'Kabhi Khushi

Kabhie Gham '

The BBC Proms acknowledged the extraordinary impact of Lata M a n g e s h k a r ' s c a r e e r , s p a n n i n g nearly seven decades with around 50,000 songs in 36 different languages Her exquisite voice earned h e r t h e r e v e r e d t i t l e o f ' T h e

Nightingale of India '

The concert featured a diverse selection of songs, presenting several medleys that represented over half a century of Indian music Dancers from the Bollywood Co London added to the spectacle, p e r f o r m i n g d a n c e s e q u e n c e s inspired by the cinematic originals

The CBSO artists, led by music i a n s T i m P o t t i e r , S a u r a b h S h i v a k u m a r , N a t h e n D u r a s a m y , a n d M i c h a e l S e a l , b r i l l i a n t l y arranged the songs for the live orchestra, combining violins, cell o s , c l a r i n e t s , a n d t r a d i t i o n a l Indian instruments like tabla, dholak, and dhol The audience, comprising thousands of enthusiastic fans, sang and danced along, creating an electrifying atmosphere

First Bollywoo d celebration in o ver a d ecade

This event marked the first Bollywood celebration in over a decade at the annual Proms, also k n o w n a s t h e H e n r y W o o d Promenade Concerts, which run for eight weeks and are broadcast live by the BBC

David Pickard, Director of BBC P r o m s , h i g h l i g h t e d t h e P r o m s ' c o m m i t m e n t t o c e l e b r a t i n g d i v e r s e g e n r e s a n d a r t i s t s f r o m around the world In addition to the tribute to Lata Mangeshkar, t h i s y e a r ' s P r o m s f e a t u r e d P o r t u g u e s e f a d o a n d N o r t h e r n Soul for the first time

Lata Mangeshkar, who passed away at the age of 92 in February of the previous year, was accorded a state funeral in Mumbai, leaving behind a timeless legacy in the world of Indian music

Asian Voice heard from community members who watched the show on iPlayer or attend it in person at the Royal Albert Hall

Deep ly disappointed by a wasted o pportunity

Psychiatrist Dr JS Bamra told Asian Voice, “I was deeply disappointed in BBC Proms choosing Palak Munchal to pay tribute to the iconic and revered Lataji last weekend It was frankly embarr a s s i n g f r o m t h e m o m e n t s h e

Birmingham sisters to take on Thames Bridges Trek for Dementia UK

Tw o s i s t e rs f r om B i r m i n g h a m will be ta king part i n the Ultra Challenge, Thames Brid ge s Trek on 9th Septembe r, to raise vital funds f or Dem entia UK, the speciali st dem entia n urs ing c harity Kiran Sahota, 37, a History Consultant, and Aman Sahota, 33, a Software Developer, will be taking on the challenge, inspired by t h e i r l a t e g r a n d f a t h e r B h a j a n Singh who was diagnosed with vascular dementia in 2017 and d i e d i n 2 0 1 9 T h e t r e k , w h i c h spans 25km, will begin at Putney Bridge and take participants over 16 historic bridges through the city and a mid-point rest stop near The Oval Cricket Ground, finishing at Tower Bridge

a n y o n e a f f e c t e d b y d e m e n t i a , whenever it’s needed They work

o n t h e f r e e n a t i o n a l A d m i r a l N u r s e D e m e n t i a H e l p l i n e , i n face-to-face and virtual clinics, a n d i n t h e c o m m u n i t y , i n G P p r a c t i c e s , h o s p i t a l s , a n d c a r e homes

Kiran said: “I was in my thirties when my grandad was diagnosed with dementia I was completely overwhelmed and didn’t feel like any of the information available represented my heritage or background We struggled to find a Nurse who could speak

P u n j a b i t o c o n v e r s e w i t h m y grandfather

started singing Satyam Shivam Sundaram, and it didn’t get any better so I switched the TV off

I t r e a l l y w a s s u c h a w a s t e d opportunity because there is so m u c h t a l e n t i n I n d i a ’ s s i n g e r s which could’ve been showcased A good choice would’ve been either Shreya Ghoshal or Alka Yagnik, or better still, this would have been a fantastic opportunity for some of those talented singers from Indian Idol or India’s Got Talent to be given a chance to perform at the historic Royal Albert Hall This is really not the best way to spend our licence fee The BBC must make amends with a re-run which will meet the approval of the millions of Lataji’s fans all over the world ”

Th e orchestra and singer’s v oices were mismatched

M o l ay Bh a d ra t o l d t h e

n e w s w e e k l y , “ I s o m e h o w h e a r d about this program and couldn't get hold of a ticket I asked around and was told to please watch it on

B B C a n d c o n c e n t r a t e o n t h e

B i r m i n g h a m S y m p h o n y b y t h e

C i t y o f B i r m i n g h a m S y m p h o n y Orchestra (CBSO) After watching t h e p r o g r a m m e I r e a l i s e d w h y

From the very beginning things were not right The orchestra and the singers voices were completely out of the world and a complete mismatch and initially I blamed it on my TV With due respect to BBC, they didn't realise how to immerse the Hindi songs into a symphony orchestra On top, the singer Palash Muchhal is not a singer for such occasions With due respect to the organizers, the f e m a l e s i n g e r a n d h e r b r o t h e r killed some of the very well-known Lataji songs I couldn't sleep and was about to cry There are hundreds of singers in London who could sing those songs much better than them, so why this team of singers? I think there is a scam behind this I think BBC has to choose such out-of-sync singers to make the CBSO sound better and I agree At some point, I was just listening to the orchestra music and ignoring the vocal I know BBC don't listen to or understand such matters but I think for such a situation our late R D(Panchamda) was very much needed there to make the program a little more audible a n d p r e s e n t a b l e W a t c h i n g t h i s prom you won't have a clue why earning Lataji received the endearing title of 'The Nightingale of India happened Not at all The program killed it all ”

The money raised will help t h e c h a r i t y t o p r o v i d e m o r e d e m e n t i a s p e c i a l i s t A d m i r a l Nurses, to support families facing dementia

B h a j a n S i n g h w a s b o r n i n India and moved to the UK in the 1960s He worked as a foundry worker up until his retirement This South Asian Heritage Month (July 18th – August 17th), Kiran and Aman want to raise awaren e s s o f t h e c h a l l e n g e s a r o u n d access to care for families from a South Asian background following their personal experience

The number of people from a South Asian background living with dementia is set to increase by 600 per cent within the next three decades, however, families in this community are less likely to access treatment and support when diagnosed

Every three minutes, someone in the UK develops dementia: a progressive and complex condition that can be devastating for the whole family It’s a huge and growing health crisis and is the leading cause of death in the UK

Admiral Nurses are continually supported and developed by D e m e n t i a U K , t o p r o v i d e l i f echanging advice and support to

“In the South Asian community, we don’t tend to talk about dementia I know many families struggle to ask for help We are taking part in the Thames Bridges Trek to raise money for Dementia UK – a charity that provides a lifeline to many families like mine – and to raise awareness of the barriers to care that many families from my community face when accessing dementia care No family should face dementia alone ”

Aman told Asian Voice, “Many S o u t h A s i a n l a n g u a g e s d o n o t have a word for dementia, and derogatory terms are sometimes used instead This creates stigma around dementia in South Asian communities, with dementia seen a s a s o c i e t a l t a b o o B e i n g o f

I n d i a n o r i g i n m y s e l f , I w o u l d struggle to explain it to elders who don’t speak English without it being interpreted as a mental health illness ”

“ T h e r e n e e d s t o b e m o r e financial and emotional support for people with dementia and the person caring for them

"After my grandad was diagnosed with dementia, my sister really struggled to juggle work and her personal life while caring for him It felt like there was no support available and we were left

to manage on our own There were days when my grandad was 'fine' and our days would continue as normal Other days were more stressful when he was confused or not understanding something, we weren’t able to leave him alone to go to work or see friends

“Let's get conversations about dementia going, let's raise awareness and money so that families with dementia can access the vital support they need ”

J o a n n a S u l l i v a n , H e a d o f Community Fundraising, Events and Innovation at Dementia UK said: “We are so grateful to Kiran a n d A m a n f o r t a k i n g o n t h i s incredible challenge for Dementia UK One in three people born in t h e U K t h i s y e a r w i l l d e v e l o p d e m e n t i a i n t h e i r l i f e t i m e Thanks to the hard work of our amazing fundraisers like Kiran and Aman, more families than ever will be able to access the lifechanging support offered by our Admiral Nurses ” Aman and Kiran are hoping to raise £600

Silent protest held in London in solidarity with victims of Manipur violence

A p r o te s t w a s o rg a n i s e d b y Wo m e n o f N o rth E a st I nd ia Support N etwork outsid e the I nd i a n H i g h C o m m i s s i o n i n London in solid arity to share the pain and anguish of the two Kuk i-Zo sisters of Manipur in India, who were paraded nak ed and gang- ra ped

The protesters were dressed i n w h i t e s y m b o l i s i n g i n n oc e n c e , p e a c e , a n d e x p r e s s e d t h e i r g r i e f T h e i r c o v e r e d m o u t h s r e p r e s e n t e d ‘ W e a r e

silenced’ #WeAREThem

T h e S u p r e m e C o u r t l a s t

Tuesday restrained the Central

Bureau of Investigation (CBI) from taking statements of the survivors of the Manipur sexual violence case which was recorded in a horrific video that went v i r a l o n s o c i a l m e d i a T h e Supreme Court on Monday put several questions to the Union G o v e r n m e n t a n d t h e S t a t e Government on the ethnic violence in Manipur, which has been going on, in the words of t h e C o u r t " u n a b a t e d " , s i n c e May 4

Millions of UK families relying on credit cards and loans to cover essential expenses

Millions o f familie s a re re sor ting to borrowing to me et e ssential bills a nd expe nses, highligh ting Br it ain 's e ntr y int o a p e r ilo u s stage of the cost-o f-living crisis, as p er recent analy sis

A n t i c i p a t e d i n t e r e s t r a t e hikes this week raise concerns a b o u t a " t i m e b o m b o f d e b t " looming over low-income households Disturbing reports indicate that companies are specifi-

cally targeting struggling single p a r e n t s t h r o u g h s o c i a l m e d i a a d s , o f f e r i n g u n s u i t a b l e d e b t

r e p a y m e n t s c h e m e s t h a t m a y leave them in a more precarious financial situation As of May this year, their collective debt amounted to £14 2 billion, with £3 9 billion in interest, roughly e q u i v a l e n t t o £ 6 7 5 p e r f a m i l y annually Using credit to cover expens-

es does not shield households from falling behind on payments

A b o u t t h r e e - q u a r t e r s o f t h e s e families report arrears with at least one household bill or lending commitment, and 44% are in arrears with three or more bills

Additionally, around 2 8 million low-income households disclosed that they were denied a loan between May 2021 and May 2023

Kiran and Aman

Palak Muchchal at the Royal Albert Hall

Ralleigh on her debut children

Subhasini Naicker

Gita Ralleigh is a writer, po et and do ctor S he has pu blish ed sh ort stories, winning the Wasafi ri prize fo r fiction in 2013, as well as two p o etry bo o ks for adults , “S iren” a n d “ A T e rr ib l e T h i ng ” “ T h e D estiny o f Minou Moo nsh ine” is h er d eb u t c h i l dr en s no vel C u r re nt ly , s h e l i ve s i n Lo nd o n with her two children and teach es creative w ri t in g t o u n de rg ra du a te s a t I m p er i al College

Gita Ralleigh

tance including classical epics to Booker prize winners Although I was born in London, we often visited India and still do as a family, so it’s always been a source of inspiration I also studied Indian classical d a n c e ( K a t h a k ) a s a c h i l d a n d teenager, a dance form where the art of storytelling is very important I think I would be a poorer writer if I didn’t have this wonderful heritage to draw upon Although The Destiny of Minou Moonshine is classified as fantasy, it has much in common with magic realism

In an interview with Asian Voice, Gita talks about her debut children novel, her South Asian heritage, and the art of writing AV: Can you tell us a bit about your inspiration for writing children s books and what motivated you to pursue this genre?

I began writing books for children after I became a mother my b o o k s f o r m y o w n children When I wa a child growing up i the UK, I never expect ed to see someone o my own background a s t o r y a n d w h e n s e a r c h e d f o r c o n t e m p o r a r y b o o k s , t d e a r t h b e c a m e q u o b v i o u s T h i s h i m p r o v e d r e c e n t l y South Asian charact are still the most und represented in childr books in the UK (Ce for Literacy in Prim E d u c a t i o n , R e f l e c R e a l i t i e s 2 0 2 2 ) I found the books that b e i n g p u b l i s h e d S o u t h A s i a n c h a r a d i d n ’ t p r o v i d e w h a y e a r n e d f o r a s a y reader: fantasy stories that sweep you into another world AV: How did you address sensitive and complex topic like colonialism in your book?

I think children are capable of far more than adults give them credit for Early feedback for The Destiny of Minou Moonshine suggested I alter the background of a colonial society in case children didn’t understand it But those readers weren’t thinking of families like my own, families who know about colonialism because it forms part of their own history I’m pleased that books on s i m i l a r t h e m e s l i k e S a t h n a m S a n g h e r a ’ s S t o l e n H i s t o r y a n d N a z n e e n A h m e d Pathak’s City of Stolen Magic are being published now India was known as the ‘jewel in the crown ’ of the British Empire and our shared history extends over centuries To write historical fantasy and leave colonialism out altogether doesn’t make sense That said an important principle when writing for younger children is to keep hope alive, which is where my imagination as a writer comes in AV: What challenges have you encountered while writing for children, and how do you overcome them?

For younger readers a pacy plot, engaging characters and simpler language are key Although I have written fiction and poetry on similar themes for adults, I have always been fascinated by myth, folklore, fairy tales and legends, all of which led me naturally towards writing for children The story I am trying to tell, the age of the main character and the thematic elements I want to include all help me decide who the reader is, and whether it’s best written for adults or children AV: As an author with a South Asian background how has your cultural heritage influenced your storytelling?

South Asia is a huge region of the world with a rich culture, diverse mythology and folklore and an incredible literary inheri-

The book’s magical elements are rooted in the myths and culture of Indica, the alternative colonial India of my story world, and are interwoven with its landscape and wildlife

AV: Children of the South Asian diaspora often seek books that reflect their dual cultural identities How do you cater to this audience elp them connect with heritage?

hink historical fantasy

a s T h e D e s t i n y o f ou Moonshine allows ren with dual cultural tities to see themselves story, along with prong a fast-paced advent h a t c h i l d r e n f r o m

b a c k g r o u n d w i l l

o y O n e l i n e p e o p l e

e n q u o t e f r o m t h e ok is, “Stories matter and that loses its stos l o s e s i t s w a y ’

c o v e r i n g l o s t s t o r i e s lps to guide my young ero Minou Moonshine owards her destiny For ny child to fully realise who they are and what h e i r p o t e n t i a l m i g h t be, they need to undere they come from

AV: Have written multiple formats like poems and fiction, how is the writing process different?

I love writing both poetry and fiction, but these are very different arts Poems tend to begin as the flash of an image, idea or a phrase, which I will often make note of and then return to later and expand on Poetry tends to be a quieter, more reflective process For me, fiction develops from a character and their situation What does the hero of my story need and/or want most in the world? How are they going to achieve it and what obstacles – both internal and external – stand in their way? Discipline is crucial for any form of writing, for fiction I will set myself a daily word count goal, for poetry, I find courses and workshops are helpful in shaping those early flashes of inspirations into the form of a finished poem

AV: With technology becoming more prevalent how do you see the role of children s books evolving in the digital age?

It’s so interesting that many children and teenagers – including my own – haven’t taken to e-readers or audio books in a way that most adults have They seem to enjoy the tactile quality of a physical book and the escape it gives them from screens Exploring narratives for other media such as virtual reality, video games or screenplays would be fascinating – though I haven’t yet attempted these genres, I’d love to try them out in future

AV: Do you plan on writing more children books?

I am currently writing another children’s book for the same age group (9-12) set in the Indica, but with a different lead character – a boy this time If all goes according to plan, it should be coming out next year It’s a fantasy adventure with an island setting, which is something I’ve always wanted to explore After that, I hope to return to poetry and also write more books for young readers

Rabi ah Hu s s ai n ’ s la tes t th e atr ic al m as te rp i ec e Word -P lay, und er the brilli a nt d i r ec ti o n o f Ni m m o Ismail, delves into the profound impact of langu age on th e collectiv e co nsciousness, le av i n g an in d el i ble m ar k with rep ercu ssio ns stretching across generations She was honoured with a prestigious opportunity as a w r i t e r f o r t h e e s t e e m e d Kudos TV and Royal Court T h e a t r e F e l l o w s h i p Programme, in 2019 During her tenure, she made a notable contribution to the third edition of the Royal Court Living Newspaper Additionally, Rabiah's creative

Hussain

lives, and what the impact of that is on us as individuals I think that is where the variation of scenes has the most power There's something in the play that everyone can relate to

How does Word-Play focus on the impact of language used by the people, on the smaller sections of our society?

The play looks at language in all spaces because I don't believe language used by those in power only sits within that group It passes down to all of us It seeps into the public consciousness and that is what makes it both powerful and potentially dangerous Those in power focus on language because they know how language can change and shape society And that is what the play is really exploring

Is the South Asian diaspora more susceptible to being affected by the manipulation of language?

prowess shone through in the form of "WE ARE SHADOWS," an enthralling audio drama tour of Brick Lane for Tamasha Theatre

In an interview with Asian Voice, she talks about “Word-Play” and the inspiration behind it

What inspired the creation of WordPlay?

My love of language I wanted to write a play that explored both the beauty of language but also how, in the wrong hands, language can change how we see the world A play that focuses first and foremost on language is a challenging task But it also gave me the freedom to be inventive and have a range of scenes that reflect both the emotion of language, but also linguistic patterns within language The play became a way for me to really experiment and show range because that is what language is It's never one thing There are endless possibilities with language

Whenyou are writing about people in power, how did you make sure that your writing doesn’t become too political and is still relatable for the audience?

My natural instinct when writing is to always balance the political with the emotional I don't see politics as something that sits separately to our day-to-day lives It seeps into everything And so, it allowed me to give snapshots of how language used by those in power trickles down into our

I don't think we are more or less susceptible to being affected by the manipulation of language Every single person in s o c i e t y , w h a t e v e r y o u r b a c k g r o u n d , i s affected by this, whether we realise it or not I'm not sure whether having a South Asian Prime Minister or more people of South Asian heritage in positions of power h a s h a d a d i f f e r e n t i m p a c t I s a y t h i s because class is a major factor here Most of us won't relate to a South Asian Prime Minister who is as wealthy as he is But that doesn t mean his words don t still have impact That is something that affects every single person in society

What is your opinion on the representation of the South Asian diaspora and their stories in the world of theatre? Why do you think more and more diaspora stories need to get exposure?

We have incredible writers of South Asian heritage in this country and we've seen some great plays by them over the years But these things ebb and flow, not b e c a u s e t h e w r i t e r s a r e n ' t t h e r e , b u t because we are always expected to write certain stories and when we don't, it feels like we disappear for a certain time This isn't just for theatre It's across all mediums But this is the responsibility of institutions to make sure the space for range is there Why should we always compromise on what we want to truly write in order to get our work out there? And our stories are important They are needed We are more than a handful of stories or ideas We are everything And we need to be allowed to be everything

Word-Play will be running at the Royal Court Jerwood Theatre up until Saturday, 26 August 2023

Taxi driver to UK student:

A woman f rom Maharashtra who earns her living by driving a taxi in trib al regions and as pires to study abroad will soon be realizing her dream in the UK, af ter a swif t sc holars hip d e c is ion b y M a ha r a s h t ra C hi e f M in i s t e r

E knath Shinde

Kiran Kurma, hailing from Reguntha, a village in the Naxal-affected Gadchiroli district, has been awarded a generous 40 lakh scholarship With this financial support, she intends to pursue a one-year International M a r k e t i n g M a n a g e m e n t c o u r s e a t t h e University of Leeds Following her studies, Kiran plans to work in a company in the UK for two years before returning to her homeland All the formal processes are expected to be completed by July 31, after which she will receive the grant money, enabling her to embark on her journey to study abroad and

work towards her career aspirations

Ms Kurma sought monetary assistance f r o m C h i e f M i n i s t e r E k n a t h S h i n d e i n Mumbai for her higher education expenses Initially hesitant, she sought help from a friend to meet him Upon reaching the Vidhan Bhawan, they found the Chief Minister still in his office Ms Kurma handed him her application, and he promptly dialed Sumant Bhange, t h e S e c r e t a r y o f t h e S o c i a l W e l f a r e Department Even before she could reach the secretary, the Chief Minister had already sent the application to Mr Bhange via WhatsApp Despite the challenges Kiran faced in a Naxal-affected region, she persevered and earned a master's degree in Economics from Osmania University, Hyderabad To make a living, she started driving a taxi on a 140 kmroute from Reguntha to Sironcha and back

Exploring the impact of language on collective consciousness with “Word-Play”

Rabiah

“I have always been fascinated by myth, folklore, fairy tales and legends”Gita

novel

The remarkable journey of a woman

Subhash Viman Gorania: Marvel at my World

Sunetra Senior

Indie multi medi a arti st, S ubh ash , di sp lays as many vibrant arms as his latest arty exh ibitio n, Marvel at my World, wh ich sho wcases the many dynamic hero es wh o have influ enced, qu ite literally, the ch oreo graphy of the creator’s life In o ne series, for examp le, yo u can spy S p i derm an cu r io u s ly gla nc in g a t a c h eek il y ren dere d Krishna while another displays th e living dancing gurus wh o h ave helped sh ape Subh ash profe ss io na lly th ro u gh o u t h i s ca reer; each appeari ng a unique protagonist, celebrating the diverse strength of contemp orary being ***

“Many of my drawings were digitally designed on an I-pad while others are done in the style of the iconic artist Andy Warhol There are also comic collages in the style of the Seventies and eighties as well as sculptures made of resin ” Subhash first made his colourful mark as a modern fusion dancer who went on to establish his own dance company: Morph Dance Now, venturing into the new visual terrain of drawing, he extends the emotive concept he has explored through corporeal movement to another frontier: “To me, the Hindu Gods and Goddesses were always superheroes I particularly related to Shiva, who seemed to be this cool character via the way he carried himself: this informed my personal narrative, helping me better understand the self Over lockdown, like many others, I suddenly found myself jobless and confined by four walls It was a chance to spend time with my son and teach him about Hindu mythology I started to doodle Marvel heroes alongside the deities of Indian religion to introduce him to the latter and he really loved it!”

H e r e , S u b h a s h e m p h a s i s e d t h a t there are already several notable similarities between western superheroes and the spirituality of Indian cultural tradition whereby translating this truth into the accessible form of illustrative storytelling only seemed the next logical step: “both types of heroes are superhuman, fighting good over evil and represent a p o s i t i v e p r o a c t i v e o u t l o o k o n l i f e , encouraging one to be a good person The parallels are even specific If you compare Ganesh and Dr Strange, for example, they are both removers of obstacles ” More than inviting us into his universe then, Subhash jumps playfully into universality itself, allowing others to immerse themselves this boundless way too “From a young age, I have always loved drawing and design However, it wasn’t because I was really gifted but rather the excitement of the process When we are little, our imaginations can run wild A child can reimagine a cardboard box as something so much bigger I wanted to encapsulate that feeling ”

Indeed, this continues to be an asset well into adulthood! The gleeful exaggeration that reflects this is evident throughout Subhash’s exhibit: “I’ve redrawn popular weapons as huge The Goddess, Durga, is portrayed as if she is Wonder Woman: she looks Amazonian, wielding a shield with a lion and riding a tiger that is four times the size It is a bit of a deviation from the older idea of passive femininity Generally, I’ve enjoyed reinventing

Who was Annapurna Turkhud?

beloved characters

i n a w a y t h a t i s loud, colourful and fun ” Not only does Subhash’s graphic ode salute the coll e c t i v e d e s i r e f o r i n s p i r i n g r o l e models but at once

o

e, Rab i nd r ana th sp e nt tw o month s in Bombay before heading to England for h is stud ies in the year 1878

During his stay, he reside d a t t h e h o m e o f D r

A t m a r a m P a n d u r a n g Turkhud, a prominent physic i a n a n d t h e f o u n d e r o f

P r a r t h a n a S a b h a D r

A t m a r a m w a s a f r i e n d o f S a t y e n d r a n a t h T a g o r e , Rabindranath's elder brother

A n n a p u r n a , A n n a , N a l i n i v a r i o u s n a m e s adorned her, yet she would f o r e v e r r e m a i n Rabindranath Tagore's first love And as they say, 'First Loves' can never be forgotten, akin to the gentle caress of the first Spring breeze or the innocence of a seedling as it sprouts from the soil

the infinite wealth of creativity that dwells within us all The showcase launches at Leicester Gallery (DeMontfort University) on 10th July and runs until 26th August Gallery opening times: Monday-Saturday 12pm-5pm, Sunday-closed

Tell us a bit more about this exhibit and what it was inspired by?

Basically, my aim in life was to become an artist in some form but I never really took to academia I studied multimedia design but was racially attacked in 2002 and lost the will to continue and had no choice but to leave university I ended up stacking shelves for a bit before coming across dance classes as a joke and before I knew it that had become my career By returning to drawings recently, I have come full circle: Andy Warhol was the last artist I studied before I dropped out earlier

How do you feel you have evolved as a visual artist over the years?

As artists, we are constantly changing and evolving organically You just explore the avenues that open along the way It is exciting to explore and not always know the answer ahead

What else drew you to drawing and design?

The positivity and encouragement that you can evoke is just as important as the technical skill and excitement I love being able to be a positive role model who can fuel confidence and focus on what one can do rather than what they cannot

What are your favourite pieces in this exhibit?

The Marvel and Hindu Gods and Goddesses series is fun It took so long and was worth the investment There is one big piece with four female goddesses in the style of Indian Avengers!

As the preparatory classes progressed, a deep bond f o r m e d b e t w e e n R a b i n d r a n a t h a n d Annapurna, leading him to a f f e c t i o n a t e l y c a l l h e r

'Nalini' - a name that he l a t e r i m m o r t a l i s e d i n h i s p o e t r y A n n a p u r n a w a s moved by the young poet a n d o n c e w r o t e t o h i m : 'Poet, I think that even if I were on my death-bed, your songs would call me back to life ' Interestingly, Annapurna e x p r e s s e d h e r d i s l i k e f o r R a b i n d r a n a t h ' s b e a r d e d appearance and urged him not to keep it At the age of eighty, Tagore humorously recalls: 'Everyone knows that I h a v e n o t f o l l o w e d t h a t advice But she herself did not live to see my disobedience proclaimed upon my face '

A glimpse into Malala’s Barbie world

M al ala Y o u s af za i an d h er h u s b and A s se r Malik stoo d in one of th e p o p u la r m o v i ethemed picture boo ths present in theatres all o v er th e w o rld , an d M al ala rev eal ed h e r ow n inte rpr etati on of Ba rbi e an d K e n T h e P aki s ta ni a ct iv is t, 2 6, posted a p hoto of her and M alik, 27, standing in li fe - si z ed B arb i e p ac ka g i ng a nd j o k ed : “ T h is B ar bi e h a s a No b el P ri z e [ s p ar kl y heart em oji] He’s just Ken ”

A t t h e a g e o f 1 7 , Y o u s a f z a i w o n t h e N o b e l Peace Prize in 2014, making her the youngest recipient ever She was honoured for h e r e f f o r t s t o p r o m o t e women's and children's education in Swat, her native country, where the Taliban forbade girls from attending school

M a l i k , w h o w o r k s f o r the Pakistan Cricket Board as their high-performance general manager, took it in his stride and replied to his

Malala Yousafzai and Asser Malik

wife’s tweet: “I’m Kenough [ c r y - l a u g h e m o j i ] ” T h e word “Kenough” is a reference to the recently released Barbie movie, directed by Greta Gerwig, and is a play o n t h e c h a r a c t e r o f K e n (Ryan Gosling) and the word “enough”

I n t h e p h o t o g r a p h , Yousafzai wears an all-pink s a l w a r k a m e e z , a n d a m a t c h i n g p i n k h e a d s c a r f , w h i l e M a l i k w o r e a d a r k blazer over a white T-shirt as he smiled and put his arm around Yousafzai

c

p e

40,000 attendees, including s o m e w h o h a v e t r a v e l l e d from overseas to join the event at Oakland Farm in Alton, Hampshire

During the opening ceremony on Friday, the Caliph raised the community flag a l o n g s i d e t h e U n i o n f l a g , which was raised by Rafiq Hayat, the national presi-

d e n t o f t h e A h m a d i y y a Muslim Association in the UK The Caliph delivered a sermon addressing the curr e n t i s s u e s a f f e c t i n g b o t h the community and society at large

Throughout the weekend, volunteers will prepare a p p r o x i m a t e l y 2 7 0 , 0 0 0 meals on-site, and the con-

vention's bread factory will supply around 9,000 rotis (flatbread eaten with meals) per hour for the attendees

The site features a rotim a k i n g f a c t o r y t h a t p r oduces approximately 9,000 rotis per hour, which are t h e n h a n d - p a c k a g e d a n d distributed throughout the site

documents may be downloaded from 6

High Commission of India invites bids for Garden Maintenance Services at Sun House, 9 Frognal Way, London, NW3 6XE".

Photo Credit: Angela Grabowska

“To me, the Hindu Gods and Goddesses were always superheroes"

SUBHASH VIMAN GORANIA

Annapurna Turkhud

Celebrating the richness of Indian Handloom Sarees: A spectacular saree parade in Central London

In dian hand loom sar ees, an e m bod im e n t of t h e cou nt r y 's r ich cu lt ur a l he r it ag e a nd cra ftsman ship, a re se t to t ak e cent re st age in Cen tra l L ondon on A ug ust 6 th, 2023, a t Tra fa lg ar Square I n a c e l e b r a t i o n o f I n d i a ' s t e x t i l e t r a d i t i o n s , British Women in Sarees is all geared up to host a mesmerising Saree Walkathon, showcasing the beauty and importance of these elegant garments on an international platform

The Imp or ta nce of In dian Han dloom Sa ree s: A Le gacy of Cra ft sma nship and Culture Indian handloom sarees h a v e b e e n i n t e g r a l t o t h e c o u n t r y ' s c u l t u r e f o r c e nturies Each region in India has its distinct weaving techn i q u e s , p a t t e r n s , a n d designs, making handloom sarees a captivating showcase of diversity The meticu l o u s c r a f t s m a n s h i p a n d a t t e n t i o n t o d e t a i l m a k e t h e s e s a r e e s u n i q u e a n d timeless B e y o n d t h e i r a e s t h e t i c appeal, handloom sarees are v i t a l i n e m p o w e r i n g r u r a l communities and preserving traditional art forms The art of handloom weaving provides employment opportunities to thousands of artisans across India, especially in rural areas By supporting handloom sarees, consumers contribute to the livelihoods of these skilled weavers and ensure the continuation of their craft for future generations

M o r e o v e r , w e a r i n g h a n d l o o m s a r e e s h a s b e c o m e a s u s t a i n a b l e a n d e t h i c a l f a s h i o n s y m b o l

Unlike mass-produced textiles, handloom sarees are created using natural fibres and dyes, reducing the environmental impact and prom o t i n g e c o - f r i e n d l y p r a ctices

To promote the beauty and significance of Indian

H a n d l o o m s a r e e s B r i t i s h

Women in Sarees has taken the initiative to organise a g r a n d S a r e e P a r a d e i n Central London This parade will celebrate India's textile heritage diversity while raising awareness about sustaina b l e a n d e t h i c a l f a s h i o n practices

T h e e v e n t , s l a t e d f o r August 6th 2023, will feature a n e x t r a v a g a n t p r o c e s s i o n f r o m T r a f a l g a r S q u a r e t o Parliament Street of individu a l s d o n n i n g e x q u i s i t e handloom sarees from various states of India

The parade will weave through the iconic streets of Central London, showcasing a vibrant display of colours, textures, and designs, creating a visual treat for onlookers

The Saree Parade is not only a celebration of Indian c u l t u r e a n d c r a f t s m a n s h i p but also an opportunity for cross-cultural exchange By showcasing these intricately woven garments in the heart of London, the event aims to f o s t e r a p p r e c i a t i o n a n d u n d e r s t a n d i n g o f I n d i a ' s diverse heritage among peo-

ple from different walks of life

Our organisation behind this unique event is a UKbased non-profit advocating for sustainable fashion and promoting traditional crafts worldwide They recognise handloom sarees' social and c u l t u r a l s i g n i f i c a n c e a n d believe that events like the Saree Parade are essential to creating awareness and support for these heritage textiles

The outcome

Cultural Exchange: The parade will facilitate cultural e x c h a n g e b y s h o w c a s i n g handloom sarees in a cosmopolitan city like London, allowing people from diverse backgrounds to appreciate and connect with Indian traditions

E c o n o m i c E m p o werment: The event will contribute to the livelihoods of skilled artisans and weavers by promoting the demand for handloom sarees

S u s t a i n a b l e F a s h i o n : The parade aligns with the

Florence Nightingale Foundation to host a webinar in association with ASAM and British Sikh Nurses

South Asian H eritage Mont h

We b in a r w il l b e h e l d on

Monda y August 14th 11am12pm It will b e hosted by Fl o r e n ce N ig h t in g a l e Foun dat ion (FNF), in conju n ct i on wi t h A S AM a n d British Sikh N urses To mark So ut h A si a n H e r it a g e Mont h FNF is a char it y suppor ting nurses and midwives o i mp r o v e ca r e a n d sa v e lives We focus on suppor tin g nurses and midwive s to conne ct, l ead a nd in fl ue nce healt hcare

And what difference they have made to people’ lives in their role as a nurse/midwife In this year of the 75th anniversary of HMT Empire Windrush arriving in the UK, we celebrate descendants of all those who have come to t h e U K f r o m a l l o v e r t h e world, who are an essential part of our rich and diverse health and care workforce

Participants will include:

organization's commitment t o s u s t a i n a b l e a n d e t h i c a l f a s h i o n , h i g h l i g h t i n g t h e eco-friendly nature of handloom textiles

Global Visibility: By garnering attention in London, the event will draw global awareness to the importance o f p r e s e r v i n g t r a d i t i o n a l c r a f t s a n d s u p p o r t i n g t h e artisans behind them

In conclusion, the Saree Parade in Central London presents a unique and captivating opportunity to celebrate the richness of Indian h a n d l o o m s a r e e s o n a n i n t e r n a t i o n a l s t a g e T h i s event serves as a testament to the timeless beauty, cultural significance, and sust a i n a b l e a s p e c t s o f h a n dloom textiles while promoti n g c r o s s - c u l t u r a l u n d e rs t a n d i n g a n d e c o n o m i c empowerment As the world takes a step towards appreciating and embracing tradit i o n a l c r a f t s m a n s h i p , t h e Saree Parade stands tall as a symbol of unity, diversity, and sustainable fashion

South Asian dance Kathak as the core narrative

Shefali Saxena

A mi n a K h a y y a m D a n ce Compa ny i s r etu rni n g to S u m me r h a l l w i t h t w o s h o w s Y OU &M E a n d BI RD, par t of our Ka thak Mon ologues – dan ce pi eces w r i tte n & ch or eo gr ap he d b y A m i n a K h a y y a m t h emati c f rom a South A si an f emin ist perspect ive N o m i n a t e d f o r t h e N a t i o n a l D a n c e A w a r d s 2 0 2 2 - A m i n a K h a y y a m Dance Company (AKDC) makes touring dance theatre work using the South Asian dance Kathak as the c o r e n a r r a t i v e A K D C develops works in collaboration with those who are c u l t u r a l l y l e a s t e n g a g e d , e c o n o m i c a l l y c h a l l e n g e d a n d s o c i e t a l l y d i s e n f r a nchised - with a focus on the marginalised female voice – across its hubs in Luton, S l o u g h W o k i n g , E a s t London and Birmingham: S p e a k i n g t o A s i a n V o i c e , A r t i s t i c D i r e c t o r A m i n a K h a y y a m s a i d : “ I treat Kathak as a contemporary form thereby transcending any ‘classical’ or

‘ m o d e r n ’ p r e c e p t s t o i t s approach I use its vocabulary to transpose it on a modern body dialogue, in the process subverting its many facets to carve out an e m o t i o n p e r f o r m e d t o a contemporary narrative I believe the dance form is evolving with progressions demanded by the contemp o r a r y z e i t g e i s t , i n t h e same way it did so from the demands of the Mughals, t h e l a s t t i m e i t t o o k a major step forward At its heart, to me, Kathak is a s t o r y t e l l i n g f o r m – a n approach that has allowed m e t o u s e i t s u n i q u e l y

p l a c e d a n d e q u i p p e d vocabulary to tell new and u r g e n t s t o r i e s o f g l o b a l i m p o r t a n c e – s u c h a Yerma, A Thousand Faces, Catch The Bird Who won’t Fly, - stories made in coll a b o r a t i o n w i t h w o m e n w h o a r e c u l t u r a l l y l e a s t e n g a g e d , e c o n o m i c a l l y c h a l l e n g e d a n d s o c i e t a l l y disenfranchised - not just from the mainstream but f r o m w i t h i n t h e i r o w n community - a place from where I myself come from ”

YOU &ME – Wed 2nd Aug – Sun 13th Aug

Man meets Man discovering a state of happiness never felt before; but he has a wife and family at home A dance duet featuring the spectacle of high energy Kathak and physicality of contemporary dance with a live music score of sitar tabla and cello

BIR D – Tue 15th Aug – Sun 27th Aug

The stage sequel to the critically acclaimed Catch The Bird Who Won’t Fly’ exploring the question What happens when you run away from domestic abuse? Three dancers weave the story to a specially commissioned live music score by Jonathan Mayer (with an adaptation of John Marc Gowan's sequence from Slut)

The preview nig hts are on the first night of each ru n:

- YOU&ME Weds 2nd Aug, 19:20 (45 minutes)

- BIRD Tues 15th Aug, 19:20 (45 minutes)

T h i s w e b i n a r a i m s t o shine a light on nurses and midwives from South Asia and their heritage, acknowledge the contribution that they have made to healthcare, hear their stories We will hear from seven nurses and midwives who will be sharing their personal nursing/midwifery journey and where they are now, how it feels to be South Asian in this role, what their families think of their professions

Nafiza Anwar - Co Founder a n d C o - D i r e c t o r o f t h e Association of South Asian Midwives, Benash Nazmeen a n d S u n d a s K h a l i d - C oFounder and Co Director of t h e A s s o c i a t i o n o f S o u t h A s i a n M i d w i v e s , S u n d a s Khalid - Co-Founder and Co Director of the Association o f S o u t h A s i a n M i d w i v e s , R o h i t S a g o o - F o u n d e r & D i r e c t o r o f B r i t i s h S i k h Nurses, Bally Sall - British Sikh Nurses, Mandeep Lally – British Sikh Nurses and Harpreet Kaur - British Sikh Nurses

Remembering Dwarkanath Tagore

Accord ing to Asian Voice’ s special co lum nist, A bh iroop Sengu pta, the 'Memo irs of Dw a rk ana th T ag o r e' b y Kis hori C hand Mi tra su gg es t th a t h is g ra nd f at h er Ni lm o n i T ag o r e w a s th e yo u ng er so n o f J ayr am Tag ore who w as the A min of the 24 Parg anas

D w a r k a n a t h p r o b a b l y had its roots in a school run by an Eurasian teacher to whom he later also provided a pension He further educated himself by interacting w i t h i n d i v i d u a l s l i k e R e v e r e n d W i l l i a m A d a m s and also individuals like Mr JG Gordon and Mr James Calder who were partners in Mackintosh & Co, a wellknown firm of its day It can be rightly said that the seeds o f e n t r e p r e n e u r s h i p w e r e also sown in him around t h i s p e r i o d H i s c l o s e s t friend who also influenced him greatly was none other but Raja Ram Mohun Roy, the reformer who laid the foundation of a movement w h i c h l a t e r b e c a m e t h e Brahmo Samaj

Dwarka Nath was married to Digambari Devi and a m o n g h i s c h i l d r e n w e r e

G i r i n d r a n a t h , D e b e ndranath and Nogendronath

D e b e n - d r a n a t h w h o l a t e r led the Brahmo Samaj was also the father of the poet Rabindra Nath Tagore

Among the nobles with whom he interacted were Lord John Copley, the Lord H i g h C h a n c e l l o r a n d t h e

Duke of Wellington He also attended a grand review of the troops by royal invitat i o n H e a l s o v i s i t e d

B u c k i n g h a m P a l a c e , Stafford House, Chatsworth and frequented Hyde Park, R e g e n t ' s P a r k a n d t h e

Kensington Gardens A very well-travelled person he had a l s o p e r s o n a l l y m e t t h e

Queen, the Prince Consort and even the Pope on different occasions On one occasion he also met the Scottish science writer, astronomer a n d p o l y m a t h M a r y Somerville His adventurous l i f e s u d d e n l y c a m e t o a n abrupt end on the 1st of August 1846 at St George's Hotel, Albemarle Street in

Dwarkanath Tagore was a friend of Queen Victoria

London Looking back one can very well wonder that h a d h e l i v e d l o n g e r h e would have surely received far many honours than he had already received which i n c l u d e d t h e e p i t h e t o f 'Prince' D w a r k a n a t h T a g o r e died "at the peak of his fortune" on the evening of 1 A u g u s t 1 8 4 6 a t t h e S t George's Hotel in London I n h i s o b i t u a r y , T h e London Mail newspaper of 7 August wrote: "Descended from the highest Brahmin caste of India his family can prove a long and undoubted pedigree But it is not on account of this nobility that we now review his life but o n f a r b e t t e r g r o u n d s

However gifted, his claims rest on a higher pedestal –he was the benefactor of his country [T]hey testified to his merits in the encouragement of every public and private undertaking likely to benefit India " Heritage Bengal Global will host a commemorative event at the Kensal Green c e m e t e r y o n 5 A u g u s t t o m a r k T a g o r e ’ s d e a t h anniversary as part of South Asian Heritage month

21st Asian Achievers Awards announce Shortlist, Nitin Ganatra returns as Host and Ainy Jaffri Rahman to Co-Host

The sta ge is set a nd th e r ed -ca rpe t is ge tting la id o ut a s th e sho rtlist fo r p ote nt ia l winner s of the 21st Asia n Ach ie ve rs

Awar ds, the UK ’ s mo st p rominent a nd l ongstanding ce lebra tio n o f Br itish Asia n a chieve ment across mu ltiple field s, ar e a nno unce d This yea r ’ s Awar ds wil l ta ke p lace on F rid ay 15th Se ptem be r 20 23 a t th e pre st igious L ondon Hilton o n Par k L ane Nea rly 70 0 peo ple a re e xpe cted to at tend

The se h ig h-prof ile g uests incl ude cel ebritie s, se nior ministe rs, globa l sta rs and influe nce rs

In the upcoming edition, more than 500 nominations were received across all the categories These include: Arts And Culture, Business Person Of The Year, Community Service, Entrepreneur Of The Year, Lifetime Achievement Award, Media, Professional Of The Year Sports Personality Of The Year, Uniformed And Civil Service and Woman Of The Year

Judges were chosen to represent a wide crosssection of society from charity, public services, business, entrepreneurship and politics They include Farzana Baduel (CEO and Co-Founder, Curzon PR), Shamil Thakrar (CoFounder, Dishoom), former England cricketer and Yorkshire captain Azeem Rafiq, Chair of Unicef UK Shatish Dasani, Chair of the Police Federation for the City of London Mike Reed, and Mohammed Amin MBE, trustee of the The National Warm Memorial.

This year ’ s shortlist includes accomplished figures across various fields This includes the star of BBC One drama A Suitable Boy and Apple TV+ Shantaram, Shubham Saraf, as well as Anwar Uddin MBE, who created history by becoming the first British-Bangladeshi player in English football history, and Chair of KPMG UK Bina Mehtathe first woman to hold the role in company ’ s 150 year history

Speaking about this

year ’ s programme, Liji George, Commercial Director, Asian Achievers Awards says: “We see in the Shortlist that the Awards represent the best and brightest in South Asian excellence across the country We have community leaders, innovators and job creators that have added to the social, cultural and business fabric of the UK Congratulations to all the shortlist and best of luck for the Awards ”

South Asians in the UK today occupy leadership positions across a range of fields, including politics, business and civil society The Asian Achievers Awards continue to recognise the outstanding work of such individuals within the South Asian community The event is organised by global advisory firm EPG in collaboration with Asian Voice, Gujarat Samachar, supported by Market Financial Solutions (MFS), Axiom DWFM, and others, with expected funds of upwards of £150,000 expected to be raised for charity

A look into summer school teachers’ concerts at The Bhavan

T h e B h av a n, L o nd o n i s currently in the m iddle of its a nn u al S u m m e r S c h o o l p rog ram It is a three-week intensiv e in Ind ian C lassical

A rts including dance, mu sic, instruments, and languages w it h r eno w ned t eac h er s from India and th e U K

The weekend of 22 and 23 July saw Hindustani vocal recital by Dr Nagaraj Rao Havaldar and Carnatic vocal recital by Dr Baby Sreeram respectively On Saturday, 22 July, the event boasted a main recital by Dr Nagaraj Rao Havaldar The concert concluded with a Purandara Dasa composition in Raga Bhairavi and Jhaptaal, which was tuned by Dr Havaldar himself

Dr Havaldar also spoke about the lineage and the responsibility of the artists t o c a r r y f o r w a r d t h e Parampara to the younger generation

O n S u n d a y , 2 3 J u l y , following the opening act, the main recital was by Dr B a b y S r e e r a m S h e presented some rare Krithis and impressed the audience w i t h h e r m a s t e r y o f t h e tradition and range Both the concerts were received v e r y w e l l b y t h e L o n d o n audience It was a pleasure t o s e e a r t i s t s f r o m I n d i a e n t h r a l t h e m u s i c aficionados here

The second weekend of teachers’ performances was

on the 29 and 30 of July, w i t h a k a t h a k r e c i t a l b y

Abhay Shankar Mishra and a B h a r a t a n a t y a m r e c i t a l b y S m t S r e k a l a B h a r a t h respectively The recital on S a t 2 9 J u l y f e a t u r e d t h e b e a u t i f u l u p c o m i n g a r t i s t

Aishwarya Hariram, senior disciple of Abhay ji Abhay ji’s presentation began with ‘Rudrashtakam’ - a piece on Shiva His mastery over Kathak s h o n e t h r o u g h t h e performance and will easily be remembered as one of the best Kathak recitals The Bhavan has seen in recent times The music, lights and the dancing prowess held t h e a u d i e n c e c a p t i v e a n d m a d e t h e e v e n t a g r a n d success T h e S u n d a y e v e n t featured an opening act by u p c o m i n g d a n c e r A b b e y r a m e L a v e n i y a

Hariharan, senior disciple of resident Guru Sri Prakash Yadagudde She performed with grace and showcased her meticulous training and dedication to the artform She started with a Ganapati Stuti and followed with ‘Bho

partnerOne Kind Act on the night

Nitin Ganatra (Eastenders), entrepreneur, philanthropist and documentary filmmaker, returns as the host of the evening Joining him as the co-host is renowned Pakistani actress and model, Ainy Jaffri Rahman (Balu Mahi) Ganatra says: “The Asian Achievers Awards celebrate the best of the awe-inspiring talent we have in the South Asian community today Every year I come to these Awards and am impressed by the standard of nominations and the quality of the shortlist Just look back at the last two decades of winners and you’ll see the event has tracked the growth of our community for more than a generation ”

Rahman adds: "Everywhere we look in the South Asian community in Britain today, it is full of inspirational people. Some excel on screen, and others do it quietly in their local

Art and C ulture:

v Archana Kumar

v Jasdeep Singh Degun

v Prathiba Parmer

v Shubham Saraf

Shortlist:

Professional of the Year

v Bina Mehta

v Dr Nikki Kanani

v Lubna Shuja

v Professor KJ Patel

Bu siness Perso n of th e Year

v Dr Dharminder Nagar

v Harren Jhoti

v Nisha Katona

v Zeeshan Shah

Com munity Service

v Atif Ali

v Baljeet Chane

v Poulomi Desai

v Shalni Arora

Entrepreneur of the Year

v Nurdin Jivraj

v Rishi Patel

v Siddhi Mittal

v Tani Dulay

v Vaysh Kewada

Media

v Aditya Chakrabortty

v Anila Dhami

v Rubina Papani and Poppy Jay

v Shamim Chowdhury

neighbourhoods I'm pleased to be involved in the AAA to be able to celebrate these hidden gems, who I hope can inspire the next generation "

Sports Perso nality of the Year

v Anwar Uddin

v Bhupinder Singh Gill

v Hamzah Sheeraz

v Naomi Dilip Dattani

Uniform ed and Civ il Serv ice

v Asrar-Ul-Haq

v HHJ Anuja Ravindra

Dhir QC

v Murugesvran Subramanian

v Salman Desai

Wo man of th e Year

v Dr Lalitha Iyer

v Ridwana Wallace-Laher

v Rukshana Kapasi

v Saloni Bhijwani and Samira Ann Qassim

Over the last few editions, the net worth of the room has consistently been over £40 billion Tickets for the event will be available at: asianachieversawards com

Shambho’ in Revathi Raga S h e t h e n p e r f o r m e d a n A b h i n a y a p i e c e o n L o r d Muruga and concluded with the Maand Thillana

BBS UK 41st AGM

Notice:

BBS UK will be holding an AGM for a con nuance for the ensuing year as there has been no ac vi es since our last AGM. A short AGM will be held on:

Date: Sunday 13th August 2023

Time: 12.00pm to 1.00pm

The main act by Smt Srekala Bharath began with a S h a d a k s h a r a K a u t h v a m a n d f o l l o w e d w i t h a Swarajathi which was the centre piece of the evening This was followed up by the p o p u l a r D e v a r a n a m a ‘Jagadoddharana’ with live music

This was followed by an intense Ashtapadi showing the divine love and yearning o f R a d h a a n d K r i s h n a ( J i v a t m a m e r g i n g w i t h P a r a m a t m a ) S r e k a l a B h a r a t h c o n c l u d e d h e r r e c i t a l w i t h a d e v o t i o n a l

Abhang praising Lord Rama in Ayodhya and Vitthala in Pandharpur

The third week of the S u m m e r s c h o o l i n t e n s i v e will conclude with students’ performances on Sat 5 and Sun 6 of August Tickets are a v a i l a b l e t o b o o k o n o u r website bhavan net

Venue: Kingsbury High School, (Upper School) Princes Avenue, Kingsbury, London, NW9 9JR

Bimal Patel President ‐ Bhadran Bandhu Samaj UK

Carnatic Vocal Concert

Opening actAbbeyrame Sriharan

Dear Financial Voice Reader,

Alpesh Patel OBE

The Na sdaq is up over 40% so my pension and that of my cl ient s are up in some c ases over 100% Part of this has be en driven by AI But we have to be c autious with this b efore it bec omes a bandwagon

Certainly! Investing in Artificial Intelligence (AI) stocks is an exciting and potentially lucrative opportunity As AI continues to shape various industries, from healthcare to finance, the demand for AI technologies is growing Here's an article that can guide investors on how to find the best AI stocks to invest in:

I n v e s t i n g i n A I S t o c k s : H o w t o F i n d t h e B e s t Opportunities

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is transforming the way we l i v e a n d w o r k F r o m s e l f - d r i v i n g c a r s t o p e r s o n a l i z e d medicine, AI's applications are vast and growing Investing in AI stocks can be a rewarding venture, but it requires careful research and consideration This article will explore how to identify the best AI stocks and what to look for when making investment decisions

Before diving into AI stocks, it's essential to understand what AI is and its various applications AI involves creating algorithms that allow computers to learn, reason, and make decisions Key areas where AI is making an impact include:

- **Healthcare**: Personalized treatment plans, early disease detection

- **Finance**: Algorithmic trading, fraud detection

- **Transportation**: Autonomous vehicles, traffic management

- **Retail**: Personalized recommendations, inventory management

Investing in AI stocks requires careful analysis Here's how to find the best opportunities:

1 **Research Leading Companies**: Look for companies that are leaders in AI technology, with a strong track record of innovation and growth For me this means looking at their valuation (PE), revenue and profit growth, cashflow growth and return on capital

2 **Evaluate the Industry Focus**: Consider the industries where AI is making significant strides, such as healthcare or finance, and identify companies that are excelling in those areas These are usually the giants, or very niche players I love for instance Adobe Chipotle is an AI play in the restaurant space but now might be peaking Of course Microsoft and Meta are powering my SIPP

3 **Analyze Financials**: Assess the company's financial health, including value, growth, income, cashflow, momentum

4 * * C o n s i d e r P a r t n e r s h i p s a n d C o l l a b o r a t i o n s * * : Companies that are partnering with tech giants or leading research institutions may have a competitive edge

5 **Monitor Regulatory Environment**: Keep an eye on regulations that may impact AI development and deployment

Investing solely in AI stocks can be risky Consider diversifying your portfolio by including other sectors and investment types Be aware of the volatility in the tech industry and have a clear risk management strategy Hence why I have Chipotle and Apple

Investing in AI stocks offers exciting opportunities but requires careful planning and research By understanding AI's applications, identifying promising companies, evaluating financials, and considering partnerships and regulations, investors can find the best AI stocks to add to their portfolios Bewarned, every journalist wants to talk about AI stocks to buy now That is because they have a deadline and word count Do not fall for it I am looking at so many so called AI stocks which are appalling

Diversification and risk management are key to a successful investment strategy in this rapidly evolving field With the right approach, investing in AI stocks can be a rewarding venture that aligns with the future of technology and innovation

UK workplaces need to be more productive

A s per the latest data from the Office for National Statistics, the outp ut per hou r worked in the U K was o nly 0 6% hig her than the p re-pandemic average o f 201 9 during the first quarter of 2023

In the UK, productivity has only grown at an annual rate of 0 4% since the financial crisis, which is less than half the rate seen in the 25 wealthiest OECD countries, according to analy s i s b y t h e R e s o l u t i o n F o u n d a t i o n t h i n k - t a n k

Consequently, the household income in the UK now lags behind Despite efforts to improve productivity, the latest data suggests that British companies are struggling to translate confidence into tangible action and investment to become more productive

Additionally, UK companies rank sixth in terms of "capabilities," indicating that they might be lacking in certain areas to drive productivity effectively

British Gas profits soar while households struggle with huge bills

Ce nt ri c a, th e o w ne r o f British Gas, h as repo rted its highest- ever fi rst-half profits of nearly £1 billion, a signi f i c an t t u rn a ro u n d af te r regu lator Ofgem p ermitted th e r ec o u p me nt o f c o s ts from h ouseho ld bills In th e fi rst half of 2023, th e gro up ach ieved a staggering o perating profit of £6 5 billio n, a rema rkab le i ncr eas e co mpared to th e o perating losses of £1 1 billion in the same perio d last year Underlying operating p ro fits rose fro m £1 3 billion to £2 1 billion, sh o w ca si n g t h e ex ten t o f th eir profit gro wth

T h e r e m a r k a b l e p r o f i t surge is largely attributed to

a c h a n g e i n t h e e n e r g y

w a t c h d o g ' s p r i c e c a p , e n a b l i n g B r i t i s h G a s t o recover some costs associated with supplying energy to i t s 1 0 m i l l i o n c u s t o m e r s

Coutts boss quits amid Farage account row

P ete r F l av e l, th e h ead o f Co utts, the es teem ed private bank serving affluent clients, h as resigned followin g th e c o nt ro v er sy su rro u nd in g th e c l o su re o f Nig el Farag e's bank account Flavel, w ho h eld the p osition, and NatWest, th e parent c o m p an y o f C o u tts , reached a mutual ag reem ent fo r h i s im m ed i at e d e p arture

Flavel expressed that the manner in which the bank dealt with Farage s account closure did not meet the institution's high standards of personalised service This development comes shortly a f t e r t h e r e s i g n a t i o n o f Dame Alison Rose, the head of NatWest Group Mohammad Kamal Syed is slated to assume the role of Coutts' interim boss The r e c e n t i n c i d e n t i n v o l v i n g

Farage, the former leader of the UK Independence Party and a prominent supporter of Brexit, unfolded in early July when he revealed that his private bank account at C o u t t s h a d b e e n c l o s e d without any given reason

A c c o r d i n g t o r e p o r t s , t h e a c c o u n t w a s c l o s e d b e c a u s e F a r a g e n o l o n g e r met the wealth threshold r e q u i r e d b y C o u t t s However, it later came to light that Farage obtained a report from the bank, which disclosed that his political views were also taken into consideration

The report raised conc e r n s a b o u t F a r a g e b e i n g d e s c r i b e d a s " x e n o p h o b i c a n d r a c i s t , " a n d i t q u e stioned the potential risk to Coutts' reputation associate d w i t h h a v i n g h i m a s a client

during the energy crisis The

r e t a i l e n e r g y d i v i s i o n , B r i t i s h G a s E n e r g y , w i tn e s s e d a r e m a r k a b l e increase in underlying earnings, soaring from £98 mil-

lion in the previous year to a n a s t o n i s h i n g £ 9 6 9 m i llion

However, these historic profits have sparked concerns and anger among consumer groups and charities, as they coincide with record energy market prices that h a v e p u s h e d m i l l i o n s o f people into a cost-of-living crisis

Earlier this year, British Gas faced controversy when debt collectors, acting on t h e c o m p a n y ' s b e h a l f , entered the homes of vulnerable customers to install prepayment meters, leading t o a n i n v e s t i g a t i o n b y Ofgem

Energy costs may soar as parliament building gets older

An expert on p arliamentary matters h as issu ed a warning that the ag ing and deteri o rat in g s tat e o f th e P arl i am e nt bu i ld i n g h a s made it suscep tible to so aring energy costs A ccord ing to th e latest data, th e gas and electricity bills for the first two mo nths of the curren t f i na nc ia l yea r h a v e alread y reac h ed nea rly £ 1 mi llio n During A p ril and May 2023 , the gas bill for P arl i am e nt am o u n ted to £152,661 , while the electricity bill reached a stagg ering £741 ,897, resulting in a combined total of £894 ,558 for th at tw o - m o nt h p eri o d alone

The most recent available data covers the financ i a l y e a r 2 0 2 1 / 2 2 D u r i n g t h a t y e a r , t h e o v e r a l l g a s e x p e n d i t u r e a m o u n t e d t o £793,650, and the electricity

c o s t s r e a c h e d £ 4 , 5 9 8 , 6 5 7

Comparing these figures to t h e t w o p r e c e d i n g y e a r s , there was a notable increase i n g a s e x p e n s e s i n t h e

2 0 2 0 / 2 1 f i n a n c i a l y e a r , which totaled £554,875, and the 2019/20 financial year, w h i c h a m o u n t e d t o £634,627

However, it's essential to consider that the 2020/21 financial year included prolonged periods of lockdown, during which fewer people would have been present on t h e p a r l i a m e n t a r y e s t a t e , p o s s i b l y a f f e c t i n g t h e g a s consumption E l e c t r i c i t y c o s t s h a v e s h o w n f l u c t u a t i o n s i n recent years, with a total bill of £4,815,584 in the 2020/21 financial year, an increase from the £3,311,512 recorded in 2019/20, but closer to the £4,459,994 seen in 2018/19

Lloyds

takes

£700m bad loan charge as rate squeeze intensifies

Ll oy d s B a nk i n g G r oup h as announced a new provi sion of £7 00 million for potential bad loans in light of the challenging econ omi c c on di ti ons D espite this, the bank managed to rais e di vidends to shareholders due to increased profits

In the first half of the year, Lloyds reported pre-tax profits of £3 9 billion, surpassing the £3 1 billion achieved during the same period last year The rise i n p r o f i t s w a s a t t r i b u t e d t o higher interest rates imposed o n c u s t o m e r s a s a r e s u l t o f actions taken by the Bank of England to combat inflation

While Lloyds has set aside additional funds, on top of the £1 5 billion from the previous year, to cover potential loan defaults, the bank is actively w o r k i n g w i t h c u s t o m e r s t o manage their obligations and assisting those with savings in obtaining the best rates

T h e f i n a n c i a l s e c t o r h a s come under scrutiny for alleged r a t e s

UK court upholds the claims of Crane Bank and its shareholders

cerns about slow increases in s a v i n g s r a t e s w h i l e q u i c k l y p a s s i n g o n h i g h e r m o r t g a g e c o s t s O t h e r m a j o r l e n d e r s , such as Barclays and NatWest, a r e e x p e c t e d t o r e p o r t t h e i r progress later this week

This set of results marks the f i n a l r e p o r t i n g b e f o r e t h e implementation of a new rule on customer service, known as c o n s u m e r d u t y T h i s r u l e requires all firms regulated by t h e F i n a n c i a l C o n d u c t

A u t h o r i t y ( F C A ) t o d e m o nstrate how they ensure positive o u t c o m e s f o r c u s t o m e r s , including responsive customer service, clear communications, and fair value for money on products

Lloyds also emphasised its c o m m i t m e n t t o s u p p o r t i n g customers during the cost-ofliving crisis, including providi n g g u i d a n c e t o m o r e t h a n 200,000 mortgage customers and engaging with over 550,000 business customers to promote financial resilience

The UK Cou rt of A ppeal has up held the claim s of Crane Bank and its shareh old ers for hundred s of millions o f US Dollars ag ainst DFCU Bank, its executive directors, non-executive directo rs and that the shareholders can pro ceed to be heard by the English co urts

In agreement with Sudhir Ruparelia and seven additional applicants, the Court of Appeal claims that Crane Bank Limited (CBL) was acquired by DFCU Bank and its stockholders through a corruption operation involving Bank of Uganda employees

The court also recommends that Bank of Uganda officials at the centre of the transaction be prosecuted for corruption

The decision follows a lower court's ruling in which both DFCU and BoU were cleared of wrongdoing in a $211 million lawsuit by Lord Pelling QC of the High Court of Justice of England and Wales on October 19, 2022 Judge Pelling based the ruling on the grounds that there was no serious issue to be tried, declaring that the court has no jurisdiction to try the appellants’ claims against the respondents and setting aside service of the Claim Form on them

The court ordered DFCU Bank, DFCU Limited, i t s h o l d i n g c o m p a n y

a n d J i m m y M u g e r w a , t h e bank's former board chairman, to pay shareholders of the former Crane Bank £ 1,875,000 (UGX8 8 billion) in court costs Juma Kisaame and William Sekambembe, the bank's former Managing Director and Executive Director, respectively, have also been ordered to pay

Qatar investors considering $1 bn investment in Ambani retail business

T h e Q a ta r I n v es t m e nt

Auth ority w as considering a m i no r it y s t ak e in R el ia nc e Retail Ventures, ac cording to p eop le with knowledge o f the discu ssions

O n e o f t h e m s a i d t h e fund was considering a $1bn investment, giving it a stake

o f a b o u t 1 p e r c e n t a n d valuing the business at about

$100 billion

T h e p e o p l e s a i d t h e a g r e e m e n t h a d y e t t o b e finalised and was subject to change One person said the

Mukesh Ambani

$450 billion fund had not yet approved it

T h e n e g o t i a t i o n s t a k e p l a c e a s R e l i a n c e R e t a i l m a k e s s i g n i f i c a n t

Adani in talks with 3 foreign lenders to raise $750 bn

I ndus triali st Ga utam Adan i i s ne goti ati ng wi th thr ee f oreign le nde rs to ra ise up t o $ 7 5 0 m i l l i o n to r es tructure de bt i ncurr ed f or the acquis ition of ACC a n d A m b u j a C e m e n ts Separately, he completed a $ 394 m illion ( £32 3 1 m illion) trade fina nce arrangement wi th two fore ign lenders , B a rc l a y s a n d D e ut s c he B ank, for a s olar module m anufacturing c om plex

This proposed complex is managed by Adani New Industries, a wholly owned s u b s i d i a r y o f h i s m a i n b u s i n e s s , A d a n i Enterprises According to B l o o m b e r g , t h e A d a n i Group chairman is in talks

w i t h B a r c l a y s , D e u t s c h e B a n k , a n d S t a n d a r d Chartered over a $600-750 m i l l i o n l o a n f a c i l i t y t o p a r t i a l l y r e p a y t h e $ 3 8 billion loan obtained for the Ambuja acquisition H e i s a l s o i n d i s c u s s i o n s w i t h o t h e r l e n d e r s t o r e f i n a n c e t h e r e s t o f t h e l o a n T h e discussions take place six m o n t h s a f t e r U S - b a s e d H i n d e n b u r g R e s e a r c h accused the Adani Group of corporate malfeasance i n J a n u a r y , p r o m p t i n g a surge in dollar borrowing costs Adani has denied the allegations and the group ’ s cost of capital has dropped again

investments to grow its consumer operations The oil-to-data conglomerate

R e l i a n c e I n d u s t r i e s , India's largest firm with a m a r k e t c a p i t a l i z a t i o n o f

$205 billion, is a subsidiary of India's largest shopping g r o u p b y r e v e n u e s , e n c o m p a s s i n g l u x u r y apparel to groceries

Ambani’s daughter, Isha, leads the retail business as the t y c o o n p r e p a r e s h i s t h r e e children to succeed him She has overseen a blitz of brand

a c q u i s i t i o n s - r e c e n t l y a c h o c o l a t e c o m p a n y - a s R e l i a n c e b u i l d s i t s r e t a i l offerings

I n a d e a l t h a t v a l u e d Reliance Retail Ventures at around $62 4 billion at the time, Saudi Arabia's Public I n v e s t m e n t F u n d i n v e s t e d $1 3 billion for a 2 04% share in the company in 2020 Two sovereign investment funds from Abu Dhabi and the New Y o r k - b a s e d p r i v a t e e q u i t y f i r m K K R a r e a d d i t i o n a l owners

Indian cos can list directly on IFSC exchanges in GIFT City

Indian companies can now directly list on the International Financial Services Centre (IFSC) in Gujarat’s GIFT City, finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman said Sitharaman, who was speaking at an event organised by markets regulator Sebi, said the move would help Indian companies access capital from investors from around the world and also get better valuations

At present, Indian companies are allowed to list in overseas markets through the American Depository Receipt (ADR) and Global Depository Receipt (GDR) routes Once the listing of Indian companies on IFSC exchanges is cleared, listing of these entities on foreign bourses could follow

The move comes several years after the law was amended to provide for direct listing However, things in this direction had moved in recent months after the finance minister in the 2020 Budget announced that the modalities would soon be in place for overseas listing of Indian companies

Detailed rules are expected to be notified soon, a senior finance ministry official said The FM also said that a securities markets code - which combines the three current acts related to the securities markets (SCRA, Sebi Act and Depositories Act) - will be a reality soon

Reliance's Jio Financial and BlackRock tie up to launch India MF biz

Th e wor ld's larg est f und m an ag e r , B l a ck R o c k, is t eam i n g u p wi t h J io F in an ci al S er v ic es , a s u b si di ar y o f R el ia n ce I ndu st r ies , to la u nch an a ss et s m a na g em e n t co mpany in India, th e t wo b u s in es s es a n no u nc ed This comes five year s af ter Bl ackRock and Hemendra

Kot hari's D SP gro up sp lit ways Called Jio BlackRock, the t w o e n t i t i e s w o u l d h o l d e q u a l s h a r e i n t h e j o i n t v e n t u r e J i o F i n a n c i a l a n d

BlackRock are targeting an i n i t i a l i n v e s t m e n t o f $ 1 5 0 million (about £123 million) each in the JV, RIL said in a statement

“The joint venture will l a u n c h o p e r a t i o n s a f t e r r e g u l a t o r y a n d s t a t u t o r y approvals it would combine J i o F i n a n c i a l S e r v i c e s ’ k n o w l e d g e a n d r e s o u r c e s and BlackRock’s scale and i n v e s t m e n t e x p e r t i s e t o d e l i v e r a f f o r d a b l e , i n n o v a t i v e i n v e s t m e n t s o l u t i o n s t o m i l l i o n s o f investors in India, it said

L&T to buy back £1bn worth shares, biggest this year

The partnership would aim a t “ t r a n s f o r m i n g I n d i a ’ s asset management industry t h r o u g h a d i g i t a l - f i r s t o f f e r i n g a n d d e m o c r a t i s e a c c e s s t o i n v e s t m e n t s o l u t i o n s f o r i n v e s t o r s i n India ”

A c c o r d i n g t o H i t e s h Sethia, president & CEO, Jio Financial, this would be an e x c i t i n g p a r t n e r s h i p between Jio Financial and B l a c k R o c k , o n e o f t h e largest and most respected a s s e t m a n a g e m e n t companies globally

L arsen & Toubro, the la rge st en ginee ring compa ny in India, will m ake its se con d a tt empt in four ye ars t o r epurchase share s wort h £1 billion The 3 3 million sh are s of L&T with a face va lue of Rs 2 ea ch would be r epurchase d by the com pany 's board at a ma ximum price of R s 3 ,000 pe r shar e, giv ing inv estor s a sig nifican t r etur n on t heir in vest ment

L&T was forced to abandon its £900 million share buyback plan in 2019 after Sebi disapproved it for breaking regulations It will be the company's first such capital dividend to shareholders since it went public in 1950 if the share buyback program is successfully c o m p l e t e d t h i s t i m e T h i s i s t h e l a r g e s t s h a r e r e p u r c h a s e

announcement of this year till date, according to Prime Database

Excluding L&T, boards of eight companies have approved share buyback proposals ranging from £ 1 8 million to 50 million so far this year, the research firm said The engineering major’s buyback programme comprises 2 4% of its paid-up equity

L&T CFO Shankar Raman said the company will announce the final buyback price after obtaining shareholder approval Rules allow L&T to offer a price beyond the upper band (Rs 3,000), he said T h e C F O s a i d t h a t a f t e r t h e c o m p a n y ’ s p r e v i o u s b u y b a c k experience, it had worked with Sebi to make the guidelines clearer

A s o f D e c e m b e r 2 0 2 2 , BlackRock managed nearly $8 6 trillion worth of assets globally, disclosures to the U S S E C s h o w e d T h a t ’ s m o r e t h a n d o u b l e B S E ’ s market capitalisation, which is nearly $3 7 trillion “The p a r t n e r s h i p w i l l l e v e r a g e BlackRock’s deep expertise i n i n v e s t m e n t a n d r i s k m a n a g e m e n t , a l o n g w i t h t h e t e c h n o l o g y c a p a b i l i t y and deep market expertise of (Jio Financial) to drive digital delivery of products,” Sethia said

Tata Motors lines up £3.8 bn capex spend in FY24

For FY24, Tat a Motors is pla nnin g a consolid ate d ca pex of £3 8 billion for fin ancial yea r 20 24 , which include s £800 million for Ta ta Mot ors an d £3 billion for JLR A ccord in g to g roup chie f C FO PB Balaji, t he busine ss' str ong pe rfor man ce by JLR a nd contin ue d price p rofit ability by t he passeng er and commer cia l ca r se ctors allowe d the compan y to en han ce ca sh flows and reduce n et d ebt by £250 million in Q1FY24

The company recorded a 42% jump in cumulative revenue at £10 22 billion with a 177% jump in Ebitda at £1 47 billion all showing a sharp improvement driven by JLR even as the passenger business was steady Profit before taxes was £530 million, while net profit was £330 million Due to robust wholesales and an improved mix, JLR's revenues increased by 57% to about 7 billion pounds The transition to BS6 Phase 2 resulted in a 15% decrease in commercial vehicle numbers due to manufacturing loss, while profits improved as a result of a better mix and price increases

The company ’ s consolidated net debt came down by £250 million in Q1FY24 at around £4 10 billion of which Tata Motors India share was £820 million

Suresh Vagjiani, Sow & Reap Properties Ltd

I recen tly met a c li ent who w anted to purchase a b ui ldi ng but had a couple of late paymen ts on their res idential mortgage This i s a bi g no no for most len de rs They found s om ethi ng which seemed perf ect for them in an affluent suburb in London, actually one of my fa vourite hot s pots Their mortgage advi sor at the ti me sugges ted to them to take a bri dge for now, m ake paym ents for si x m on ths , then they would be in a positi on to rem ortgage, with the same len der having si x paym ents to their nam e

They took this at face value, and went ahead with t h e d e a l , f u l f i l l i n g t h e i r s i d e o f t h e a g r e e m e n t However, when the time period had passed the world had changed Rates had gone up Loan to values had decreased And they were not ready to do the deal In desperation they went to another lender, as these things a l w a y s t a k e l o n g e r t h a n e x p e c t e d t h e y h a d n ’ t anticipated the delay and ended up missing another payment with the current lender

The new bridger decided to increase their rates to 1 8 % p e r a n n u m , j u s t t w o d a y s b e f o r e d r a w d o w n , frustrating the borrowers even more

There’s a saying, if you ’ re in a hole don’t start digging deeper

T h e y a d d e d s o m e v a l u e t o t h e p r o p e r t y s i n c e p u r c h a s e b y s e p a r a t i n g t h e c o m m e r c i a l a n d t h e residential They also had planning permission to build a studio in the rear of the garden

Property is a good investment It is usually the lending element which causes the pressure on the deal There’s a reason why usury or the lending of money was frowned upon They have managed to normalise this now If you examine the word mortgage it means a pledge of death, mort means death, as in mortuary There are Muslims who shun the borrowing of money on interest, seeing it as haram This has however flowered into a lucrative Islamic finance industry, w h i c h c a l l s i n t e r e s t b y a n o t h e r n a m e , t h e r e b y converting something haram into halal, by way of a name change

In short, there are three bits to this deal, the residential, the commercial and the development plot to the rear The end value is there From where I’m looking they need to stay away from all borrowing This is a dangerous game currently and will get even more dangerous in the near future They need to sell one or two parts of the deal to save the rest, so they are in the position to repay the loan in full, and hold the asset in cash until the rates come down to reasonable levels

This requires them to be flexible, unemotional, and pragmatic; instead of being stuck between a rock and a hard place, whilst trying to hold on to the deal with their fingernails

This doesn’t look like a decision they will be able to make and therefore I suspect they will try and hold on to the deal in full and slide down a slippery slope

Govt appoints 21 members on NCLT benches

T he g o v e r n m e n t h a s nomin at ed 21 mem be rs t o the be nches tha t he ar ca se s in v ol v i n g i n so lv e n c y a n d comp any law in one of the la r g e st r o u n d s o f a p p oi n t m e n t s t o t h e N a t i o n a l C o mp a n y L a w

Tribun al ( NCLT)

T h e a p p o i n t m e n t s a r e intended to ensure that the number of members across benches will be close to 60, a g a i n s t t h e s a n c t i o n e d strength of 63, which many s a y i s w e l l b e l o w t h e r e q u i r e m e n t H o w e v e r , a t least one of the candidates chosen is unlikely to join T h e g o v e r n m e n t i s , h o w e v e r , k e e n t h a t t h e vacancies remain as low as p o s s i b l e T h e m i n i s t r y o f corporate affairs is closely c o o r d i n a t i n g w i t h N C L T a n d t h e I n s o l v e n c y a n d

Bankruptcy Board of India

( I B B I ) t o s m o o t h e n t h e i m p l e m e n t a t i o n o f t h e Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code Sources said that the ministry is planning to begin t h e p r o c e s s o f a p p o i n t i n g another set of members by A u g u s t o r S e p t e m b e r A shortage of members in the tribunal is seen as one of the factors for delay in decisions u n d e r t h e I B C , w h i c h p r e s c r i b e s t h a t i n s o l v e n c y c a s e s s h o u l d b e d e c i d e d within 270 days at the most Till the end of March, over 6,500 cases had been filed under IBC, and there had been closure in around 4,500 cases but 2,053 cases were ongoing, according to I B B I d a t a W h i l e t h e number of resolutions rose to an all-time high of 180 d u r i n g t h e l a s t f i n a n c i a l year, the average time taken was high

Don’t dig if you’re in a hole

Indian-origin minister to run in Singapore's presidential poll

S I N G A P O R E : T ha r m a n S h a n mu g a r a t n a m, an I nd ia no r ig in s en i o r m i n is te r o f S ing apo re announced h is intention to run in the city-state's p resid ential election later this year, step ping aside from activ e p olitics after 22 years Tharm an, 66, also said he intend s to resig n from the ruling People's Actio n P arty (PAP ) which has been running th e prospero us city-state s i nc e th e 1 9 60 s H e als o i nf or m ed P ri m e M i nis ter Le e Hsien Loong o f his decision to retire fro m politics and all his p ositions in the g overnment and contest in the presid ential elect i on t h at m u s t b e h eld b y S eptem ber 13

Tharman was first elected

Tharman Shanmugaratnam

Member of Parliament in 2001, in Jurong Group Representation C o n s t i t u e n c i e s ( J u r o n g G R C ) which allows candidates from the minorities to join a group led by members from the city state's predominantly Chinese origin population

"I plan to do so a month from

now, on July 7, so that I can f i r s t f u l f i l m y i m m e d i a t e o f f i c i a l c o m m i t m e n t s i n Singapore and internationa l l y , a n d e n s u r e t h a t arrangements are fully in p l a c e f o r c o n s t i t u e n t s o f J u r o n g G R C t o b e w e l lserved for the rest of the e l e c t o r a l t e r m , " C h a n n e l News Asia quoted Tharman from a letter he wrote to the Prime Minister He will also step down as c h a i r m a n o f t h e M o n e t a r y Authority of Singapore (MAS), deputy chairman of GIC, chairm a n o f t h e E c o n o m i c D e v e l o p m e n t B o a r d s International Advisory Council and other responsibilities he has

Indian woman who travelled to Pakistan to marry Facebook friend gifted with money and land

IS L A M A BA D: The 3 4-year-old Ind ian mother of two ch ild ren w ho travelled to a rem ote v illage in Pakistan to marry her Facebook friend after conv erting to Islam has received som e m oney and a piece of land as g ifts fo r embracing the religion Anju - w ho now go es by the name of Fatima after conv erting to Islam - on July 25 m arried her 29-year-old f riend Na sru llah, wh o se h o m e is in the U pper Dir d istrict of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa T hey became friends on Facebook in 2019

Mohsin Khan Abbasi, the CEO of a real e s t a t e c o m p a n y b a s e d i n K h y b e r Pakhtunkhwa, visited Anju and Nasrullah at their residence He presented Anju a cheque, the amount of which was not known, and a land document in the presence of her husband to make her feel at home in Pakistan

"Anju travelled all along from India to this part of Pakistan and converted to

Islam to start her new matrimonial life We came here to welcome her to our religion and congratulate her on her marriage," he said

Anju, who was born in Kailor village in Uttar Pradesh and lived in the Alwar district of Rajasthan, travelled to Pakistan legally from India via the Wagah-Attari border She was granted a 30-day visa, valid for Upper Dir only Her visa will expire on August 20

ISIL claims responsibility for Pak bombing that killed 54 people

BA JAUR (PA K ISTAN ): The death toll f rom a suicide bomb ing that ta rgete d an el ect ion rally in the border dis trict of Bajaur, Pakis tan, has ris en to 54 as f uner als ar e hel d a nd the governm ent prom is es to hunt down those behind the at tack Nearl y 200 peopl e were wounded in Sunday’s bomb ing, which the ISIL (ISIS) armed group claime d res ponsibility for on M onday

“A suicide attacker from the Islamic State [ISIL] detonated his explosive jacket in the middle of a crowd” in the town of Khar, the armed group ’ s news arm Amaq said in a statement About 400 members of the Jamiat Ulemae-Islam (JUI-F) party, a key government coalition partner headed by hardline politician Fazlur Rehman, were waiting for speeches to begin when a bomber detonated a vest packed with explosives near the stage

Rehman did not attend the rally, held under a large tent close to a market The Pakistani leader has escaped at least two known bombings in 2011 and 2014 during political rallies

As condolences poured in from across the country, dozens of people who received minor injuries were discharged from hospital while the critically wounded were taken to the provincial capital, Peshawar, by army helicopters The death toll continued to rise as critically wounded people died in hospital, Dr Gul Naseeb said

On Monday, police recorded statements from some of the wounded at a hospital in

INDIAN ORIGIN BOY STABBED, ROBBED IN OZ

been undertaking in his ministerial capacity Tharman said he has been "humbled" by the requests he has received in recent months from Singaporeans who want to see him stand in the presidential election "It has been a difficult decision," he said in his letter "I have consulted my family, and given careful thought to how I can best serve the country in the years ahead " In his letter to Tharman, Prime Minister Lee said he understands the decision to run for President "It is in keeping with the spirit of public service and sense of duty that you have shown all these years," Prime Minister Lee wrote

Bangladesh police clash with oppn supporters seeking PM's resignation

A 16-year-old Indian-origin boy was ambushed and stabbed on his birthday along with two of his friends in an unprovoked attack while they were playing basketball in Melbourne The incident happened in Tarneit City The trio was attacked by a group of seven to eight people who demanded that they hand over their cell phones as well as a brand-new Nike Air Jordan sneakers, which the birthday boy received as a present The boy was stabbed in his ribs, arms, hand and back, and was hit in the back of his head, the report said One of his friends was also stabbed according to Victoria Police The victim was taken to hospital where he underwent surgery to save the fingers on his left hand He is expected to remain in hospital for a few more days as he recovers the report said, adding that his two friends are also recovering in hospital

PAK POLICE AVERT TERROR ATTACK ON FOREIGNERS

Khar, Bajaur’s largest town Feroz Jamal, the provincial information minister, said police were “investigating this attack in all aspects”

The death toll rose to at least 54 on Monday as about 90 injured people were still being treated at hospitals in the northeastern province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, rescue official Bilal Faizi said Local police chief Nazir Khan said at least three suspects were arrested overnight and intelligence and law enforcem e n t a g e n c i e s w e r e i n t e r r o g a t i n g t h e m Bajaur had been a hotbed of attacks and was once controlled by the Taliban, according to Nizam Salarzai, executive director of The Khorasan Diary, a local media outlet Since then, he said, the security situation has gotten significantly better

DHA KA: Bangladesh p olice fired rubber bull ets and tear g as at sto ne-th row ing o p p o si t io n p a rty s u p p o rte rs b lo c ki ng m aj o r ro ad s in th e c ap i tal D h ak a t o demand the prim e m inister’s resignation

The main opposition party has organ i z e d l a r g e r p r o t e s t m a r c h e s r e c e n t l y , including one that drew tens of thousands of supporters out of frustration with the rising cost of living The party has been in disarray since its leader Khaleda Zia was imprisoned in 2018 on bribery allegations

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party has d e m a n d e d t h a t P r i m e M i n i s t e r S h e i k h Hasina resign and that the upcoming election, scheduled for January 2024, be held under a caretaker administration that is impartial Her government has rejected this proposal BNP activists set fire to buses and exploded petrol bombs, according to p o l i c e a n d m e d i a F a r u q A h m e d , a spokesman for the Dhaka Metropolitan Police said, “We had to fire tear gas and rubb e r b u l l e t s t o c o n t r o l t h e s i t u a t i o n ” Numerous members of the BNP claimed that a large number of its supporters have been hurt According to police, at least 20 officers were also injured in the clashes At least 90 people were arrested, while two senior BNP leaders were taken into police custody and later freed, police said Senior BNP leader Abdul Moyeen Khan denounced the police action as an “injustice”

Dhaka summons Western envoys over poll violence remarks

D HA KA : Af ter iss uing a unified s tatement condemning an ass ault on an independent candidate during a rec ently held parl iam ent ar y b y-e l ec t ion, 13 We s t er n am b a s sa dor s we r e s um m on ed b y Ba n gl a d es h s f or e ig n ministry Awami League (AL) candidate Ashraful Alom was attacked on July 17 in Dhaka The attack was denounced by the envoys, who included representatives from the United States, Britain, France, and the European Union Alom, an actor and social media star also known as Hero Alom, was beaten in an attack in a polling centre in Banani, Dhaka His party has alleged that the physical assault was

carried out by supporters of the ruling party

The 13 diplomats, also including envoys from Canada, Germany, Denmark, Italy, the N e t h e r l a n d s , N o r w a y , S p a i n , S w e d e n a n d Switzerland, issued a joint statement warning that “violence has no place in the democratic process ” They also called for a full investigation and accountability to be brought against the perpetrators The envoys were summoned t o e x p l a i n t h e i r s t a t e m e n t , s a i d S h a h r i a r Alam, a junior foreign affairs minister

“We said that it is an incident by which the peaceful, free and fair polls of the whole day cannot be judged,” Alam told reporters after the meeting “We have expressed our discontent over [the envoys’] behaviour ”

Ten extremists who were preparing to disrupt the Muharram celebrations in the Punjab region and plotting a terror attack on foreigners, particularly Chinese people, were detained by Pakistani police The arrests were made by the Punjab police's counterterrorism unit during intelligence-based operations in the Punjabi districts of Lahore Attock, Sargodha, Gujranwala, Multan, and DG Khan In the past, terrorists have targeted Chinese people who are employed in Pakistan The suspected terrorists belong to the banned organisations of TTP IS Sepah-eSahaba Pakistan and Lashkar Jhangvi the statement said Four hand grenades one IED bomb 893gm of explosives 7 detonators a safety fuse, two pistols, scores of bullets and literature of banned organisations have been recovered, it said

MACRON PROMISES LANKA HELP IN DEBT RESETTING

Emmanuel Macron the first-ever French president to visit Sri Lanka has reaffirmed his full support for the country s continuing debt restructuring process which would aid in its recovery from its worst-ever financial crisis As part of his wider visit to the South Pacific region, Macron arrived in Colombo following which he held talks with his Sri Lankan counterpart Ranil Wickremesinghe “President Macron reaffirmed France’s willingness and commitment to supporting Sri Lanka in its economic recovery As the fourthlargest creditor to Sri Lanka, France pledged its assistance in the debt restructuring process, aiming for a positive outcome for the country,” the President's Media Division (PMD) said in a statement

TALIBAN SHUT AF BEAUTY SALONS DESPITE PROTESTS

The Taliban announced that all beauty salons in Afghanistan must now close as a one-month deadline ended despite rare public opposition to the edict Sadiq Akif Mahjer, spokesman for the Taliban-run virtue and vice ministry, did not say whether it would use force against salons that do not comply The ruling is the latest curb on the rights and freedoms of Afghan women and girls following edicts barring them from education, public spaces and most forms of employment The Taliban said it decided to ban beauty salons because they offered services forbidden by Islam and caused economic hardship for the families of grooms during wedding festivities Its earlier announcement of a one-month deadline for salons to wind down their businesses led to a rare public protest in which dozens of beauticians and makeup artists gathered in Kabul the capital Security forces used fire hoses and tasers and shot their guns into the air to break up the protest

RUSSIAN DELEGATION TO JOIN CHINA ON N KOREA VISIT

A Russian delegation led by defence minister Sergei Shoigu will visit North Korea along with a Chinese group as the first such public visit to the country since the start of the pandemic

The delegations will visit to celebrate the 70th anniversary of Victory Day” in Pyongyang state media agency KCNA reported with Chinese Communist Party politburo member Li Hongzhong leading the group from his country Russia s defence ministry said it had been invited by its North Korean counterpart “This visit will contribute to strengthening Russian-North Korean military ties and will be an important stage in the development of cooperation between the two countries,” the ministry said in a statement

NARROW ESCAPE FOR DESANTIS AFTER CAR ACCIDENT

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis was involved in a multi-car accident as he travelled in a motorcade to campaign events in Tennessee for his 2024 presidential bid but was uninjured Traffic slowed down and caused four cars in the motorcade to hit each other police said One staff member suffered a minor injury The Republican White House hopeful and his team are uninjured his campaign press secretary said DeSantis was continuing on to his event

The Florida governor, who has trailed front runner Donald Trump in the GOP presidential contest, was expected to be at fundraiser at a private home in Chattanooga

SUU KYI MAY BE MOVED TO HOUSE ARREST

Myanmar s military-controlled government plans to transfer the country s ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi from a prison in the capital, Naypyitaw, to home confinement The move is part of an act of clemency to prisoners in connection with a religious ceremony, a security official said There has been no official confirmation of the plans, though journalists working for outlets friendly to the military government said they had heard the same information News about Suu Kyi is tightly controlled by the military government, and even her lawyers are banned by a gag order from talking to the media about her cases Suu Kyi, who was arrested on February 1, 2021 when the army seized power from her elected government has been sentenced to a total of 33 years in prison

US GOVT SUES TEXAS OVER FLOATING BORDER BARRIERS

The US justice department sued Texas over floating barriers installed by the state in the Rio Grande river to block migrants crossing from Mexico Texas authorities began installing the string of buoys in the middle of the river near Eagle Pass Texas as part of Texas Republican Governor Greg Abbott’s initiative dubbed Operation Lone Star to deter migrants Mexico has also complained about the barrier saying it violates a water treaty and may encroach on Mexican territory

ABOUT 7 IN 10 US ADULTS BELIEVE IN ANGELS

About 7 in 10 US adults say they believe in angels according to a new poll by AP-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research For a lot of people, angels are a lot safer to worship, Jack Grogger a chaplain for the Los Angeles Angels, said American s belief in angels (69%) is about on par with belief in heaven and the power of prayer, but bested by belief in God or a higher power (79%) Fewer US adults believe in the devil or Satan (56%), astrology (34%), reincarnation (34%), and that physical things can have spiritual energies, such as plants, rivers or crystals (42%) Angels mean different things to different people, and the idea of loved ones becoming heavenly angels after death is neither an unusual belief nor a universally held one

Another Indian-origin joins US presidential race

WA S H I NG T ON : A n In d i an -

A m e ri ca n en g i nee r H ir sh Vardh an Singh anno unced h is bi d f o r th e Wh i te Ho u s e, becom ing the th ird perso n of Ind ian descent after Nikki Haley and Vivek Ramaswamy to join the crowd ed Republican field of candid ates vying to becom e US President in 20 24

In a video message posted on Twitter, Singh, 38, said that he is a “ l i f e l o n g R e p u b l i c a n ” a n d “

A m e r i c a F i r s t ” c o n s e r v a t i v e who worked to restore a conservative wing of the New Jersey Republican Party

"We need strong leadership

to reverse the changes that have occurred in the past few years

a n d r e s t o r e A m e r i c a n v a l u e s

That is why I have decided to s e e k t h e R e p u b l i c a n P a r t y ' s nomination for the 2024 elec-

tion for the office of president of the United States,” Singh said in a 3-minute video

He officially filed his candidacy with the Federal Election Commission last week, reported

The Hill newspaper

Prior to Singh, former gover-

n o r o f S o u t h C a r o l i n a N i k k i

H a l e y a n d m i l l i o n a i r e entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy

a r e t h e o t h e r t w o I n d i a n -

A m e r i c a n s s e e k i n g f o r Republican candidature for the 2024 US presidential election

W i t h a d o z e n c o n t e n d e r s vying for the Republican nomination, including former presi-

d e n t T r u m p , S i n g h j o i n s a crowded field Republicans will meet in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, from July 15-18, 2024, for their national convention to formally select their party's next presidential nominee

Singh also called himself the “ o n l y p u r e b l o o d c a n d i d a t e ” because he “ never gave in to the Covid vaccinations ”

He ran in the Republican primaries for governor of New Jersey in 2017 and 2021, for a H o u s e s e a t i n 2 0 1 8 a n d f o r Senate in 2020 but was unsucc e s s f u l i n w i n n i n g t h e Republican Party's nomination

BAPS leaders meet PM Modi during his Paris visit

P A R I S : L e a d e r s o f Sw a min a r a ya n S an st h a (BA PS ) me t Pr i me M in ist e r Na r e n dr a Modi in Pa ris dur in g h is visit t o Fran ce on July 20 The Prime Ministe r receiv ed an upda te on t h e n e w Hi n d u t e m p le t h a t BAP S is building in Paris fr om volun te ers of t he or gan iza tion

This include s a de monstr at ion of a 3 D mod el of t he te mple as we ll as in tricat e build in g blue print s an d archite ct ura l dra wings Modi learned how the temple, which is being constructed at the Esplanade des religions et des cultures – the multifaith and multicultural heartland of Paris

One

will become mainland Europe’s first traditional temple and will promote culture, integrity, and harmony Paris is home to some of the m o s t f a m o u s s t r u c t u r e s a n d m a g n i f i c e n t l a n d m a r k s i n t h e entire globe With the advent of this BAPS Hindu Mandir, France i s e m b r a c i n g I n d i a ' s a r c h i t e ct u r a l g r a n d e u r , w h i c h m a d e Modi very happy BAPS volunteers also explained to PM Modi how the Hindu temple complex will serve the needs of current and future generations, and that it will stand as a beacon of inspiration, service and harmony to

people of all faiths and backgrounds within the Indo-France community

The Prime Minister also met the temple’s project team and architects Arte Charpentier as w e l l a s A n d r e w H o b s o n (MD/Principal) and Nahla JojoLegrand (project director)

According to Hobson, this p r o j e c t w i l l i m p r o v e t i e s between French and Indian citizens, making it the most significant and essential cultural centre ever undertaken in France F u r t h e r m o r e , N a h l a J o j oLegrand emphasised how fortunate and honored everyone is to

work on this renowned project and be a part of its history

Deep Patel, project coordinator for the temple’s construction, added, “We were honoured to meet Prime Minister Modi and discuss the BAPS temple in Paris

The Prime Minster was pleased to learn about this project, representing the blossoming friendship between France a n d I n d i a B A P S t h a n k s t h e leaders of both France and India f o r t h e i r c o n t i n u i n g s u p p o r t and for bringing the vision of our spiritual leader His Holiness M a h a n t S w a m i M a h a r a j t o fruition ”

Indian crew member killed, 20 injured as cargo ship catches fire off Dutch coast

N E T H E R L A N D S : A l a r g e fir e broke out on board a ca rgo ship ca r r y i n g r o ug h l y 3 , 00 0 ca r s, kill in g one Indian cr ew member and in juring 20 ot he rs, off t he coast of the Nethe rlan ds

On the 199-meter Fremantle Highway, registered in Panama and en-route from Germany to Egypt, a fire broke out The crew was forced to leap overboard by s e v e r a l c i r c u m s t a n c e s T h e I n d i a n e m b a s s y i n t h e N e t h e r l a n d s a n n o u n c e d o n

s o c i a l m e d i a t h a t a n I n d i a n national had died as a result of the fire

"We are deeply saddened by t h e i n c i d e n t i n v o l v i n g S h i p ‘ F r e m a n t l e H i g h w a y ’ i n t h e North Sea, resulting in the death of an Indian seafarer & injuries to 20 of the crew, it said in a tweet The embassy said it was in touch with the family of the deceased and is assisting in the repatriation of the mortal remains

"The Embassy is also in touch

Kenya govt and opposition agree to hold talks after protests

NAIROBI: Fo llowing a string o f opp osition protests against p rice hikes and tax increases, leading lawmakers fro m both sides o f the aisle said th at Kenya's go vernment and opp osition wou ld fo rm a team to work out their disagreements

Earlier this month, rallies organised by the opposition alliance Azimio la Umoja (Declaration of Unity) disrupted daily life and occasionally resulted in violent clashes with the police that left over two dozen people dead and numerous others hurt

A z i m i o a n d t h e g o v e r n m e n t c o a l i t i o n K e n y a Kwanza (Kenya First) issued separate statements confirming the talks The majority leader of Kenya Kwanza in parliament, Kimani Ichung'wah, stated in a statement that the discussions would examine, among other things, the establishment of an office for the head of the opposition and the composition of Kenya's electoral commission

The statement said the talks would not go into recent tax changes since these were already before a court An appeals court lifted a suspension placed on a law that would double value-added tax on fuel and introduce a new housing levy

The court said the lifting of the suspension may be subject to further appeals, which must be served within 14 days A separate case challenging the law is also pending

with the remaining 20 injured crew members, who are safe and receiving medical attention All p o s s i b l e a s s i s t a n c e i s b e i n g extended in coordination with the Dutch authorities and the shipping company," it said Rescue boats and helicopters were used to get the 23 crew members off the ship after some h a d j u m p e d i n t h e w a t e r , a s p o k e s p e r s o n f o r t h e D u t c h coastguard said Pictures show g r e y s m o k e c o m i n g f r o m t h e

ship, raising concerns that it may be sinking 27 km north of the Dutch island of Ameland in the Wadden Sea, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that is regarded as one of the most crucial areas in the world for migratory bird cons e r v a t i o n , a c c o r d i n g t o t h e report Dutch firefighters were still struggling to put out the fire on the cargo ship some 16 hours after the blaze started, a Dutch coastguard said

Sharp increase in Bhutanese student immigration to Australia

SY D N E Y /K AT H M A N D U : A la r ge number of young people in Bhutan, a landlocked H imalayan monarchy, are fleeing to Aus tralia as it reopens its borders to overseas students following the epidemic Bhutan has experienced a sharp increase in student immigration to Australia, with over 12,000 long-term m i g r a n t s a r r i v i n g t h e r e i n t h e 1 1 m o n t h s l e a d i n g u p t o M a y a l o n e These migrants represent around 1 5% of the population of this small South Asian nation, which has a double-digit young unemployment rate

Most of the recent arrivals have settled in Perth, Western Australia, where they have enrolled in courses s u c h a s c h i l d c a r e , h o s p i t a l i t y a n d

accounting Tashi Kipchu, a 25-yearold education consultant, is one of many who came to Australia last year in search of better opportunities " R i g h t a f t e r C o v i d , e v e r y t h i n g died People don't see an opportunity out there," said Kipchu, who studied m a r k e t i n g a t t h e U n i v e r s i t y o f Western Australia

Australia has been minimal until 2017,

when student immigration began to increase, aside from a tiny humanitarian intake With official data showing a five-fold increase in student visa requests from Bhutan in the fiscal y e a r t h a t c o n c l u d e d i n J u n e , t h i s speeded up once Australia's borders were reopened in 2022 T h e i n f l u x o f s t u d e n t s i n t h a t short period has made Australia home to one of the largest communities of B h u t a n e s e e x p a t r i a t e s o u t s i d e o f South Asia While they represent just a small part of Australia's 600,000 international student population, the surge comes as the A$40 billion ($27 billion) education sector tries to make up for business lost from a dearth of foreign students during the pandemic Students from key market China, in particular, are returning at a slower pace than hoped

"Australian universities are keen to diversify - they got the message f r o m t h e g o v e r n m e n t t h a t t h e y shouldn't rely too much on just China, I n d i a a n d N e p a l , " s a i d P h i l

Honeywood,

Chief Executive Officer a t I n t e r n a t i o n a l E d u c a t i o n Association

of Australia

Hirsh Vardhan Singh

Crimes against women in Manipur ‘unprecedented': SC

T h e S u p re m e C o ur t r efu s ed to e nt erta i n a req u es t f o r i ts i n ter v en ti o n i n c o m p ara bl e o c c u rre nc es i n We st Be ng a l, R aj as th a n, C h h a tti s g ar h , an d K e ral a, st ati ng th a t c ri m es c o m m i t ted ag a i ns t w o m en i n M anipur were of "unpreced ented m ag nitude " Appearing for two intervenors, l a w y e r a n d B J P l e a d e r B a n s u r i S w a r a j s a i d t h e r e w e r e c r i m e s against women in other states too a n d a m e c h a n i s m s h o u l d b e devised which could be applicable e v e r y w h e r e “ T h e d a u g h t e r s o f India need this, irrespective of the state they reside in,” Swaraj said “Are you for a moment saying

t h a t d o s o m e t h i n g f o r a l l t h e d a u g h t e r s o f I n d i a o r d o n ’ t d o anything for anybody at all?” a bench headed by Chief Justice D Y

C h a n d r a c h u d a s k e d “ C r i m e s against women take place all over

the country This is part of o u r s o c i a l r e a l i t y Presently, we are dealing with something which is of unprecedented magnitude, n a m e l y c r i m e s a n d p e r p e t u a t i o n o f v i o l e n c e a g a i n s t w o m e n i n a situation of communal or sectarian strife of a nature which is taking place in Manipur So, there is no gainsaying in the fact that there are crimes which are taking p l a c e a g a i n s t w o m e n i n W e s t Bengal as well ”

“The question is, how do we d e a l w i t h M a n i p u r ? W h a t s u g g e s t i o n s d o y o u h a v e f o r

Allahabad HC verdict on Gyanvapi survey on Aug 3

T h e A llah abad h ig h co urt w i ll d eliv er i ts v erd ic t on A u g u st 3 on a p eti t io n b ro u g h t b y th e A nj u m an I n tez am i a M as aj i d ( A I M ) that contested the Varanasi d istrict co urt's July 21, 2023 , o rd er ord ering the A SI to s u rv ey th e Gya nv ap i com plex C h i e f J u s t i c e P r i t i n k e r Diwaker reserved judgment after hearing counsels for both parties The court said t h e S u p r e m e C o u r t s t a y order on an ASI survey will r e m a i n i n f o r c e t i l l t h e judgment is delivered T h e r e w o u l d b e n o excavation at the Gyanvapi site, additional director of the Archaeological Survey of India Alok Tripathi said to the court as the session got u n d e r w a y A d v o c a t e General Ajai Kumar Misra spoke on behalf of the UP

g o v e r n m e n t a n d a s s e r t e d that the state s role was to uphold peace and order and had nothing to do with the survey A d v o c a t e V i s h n u Shankar Jain, the counsel for the four women on whose petition the district judge o r d e r e d t h e A S I s u r v e y , s u b m i t t e d t h a t a n A S I s u r v e y w a s n e c e s s a r y t o bring the issue to a logical conclusion He also showed photographs of the western side of the mosque which, h e c l a i m e d , s h o w t h e e x i s t e n c e o f s h r i n e s o f Hindu worship and other Hindu symbols

Earlier, AIM lawyer SFA N a q v i s a i d , “ T h e c o u r t cannot be used to collect e v i d e n c e b y s e n d i n g a commission to do it when t h e a p p l i c a n t h a d n o evidence in support of his

c a s e ” J a i n r e p l i e d : " T h e existence and non-existence of the deities is a matter of e v i d e n c e T o s e c u r e e v i d e n c e , w h i c h i s t h e r e , a n d p a r t i e s a r e n o t i n a p o s i t i o n t o p r o d u c e ( i t ) t h e m s e l v e s , a c o u r t c a n o r d e r a c o m m i s s i o n t o collect such evidence and the commission will collect it in this regard ”

He added, “The district court had ordered the ASI survey to come to a logical c o n c l u s i o n r e g a r d i n g t h e e x i s t e n c e o f d e i t i e s a n d n a t u r e a n d a g e o f t h e structure ” Senior advocate N a q v i r e p l i e d : “ W e h a v e a t t a c h e d p h o t o g r a p h s o f various digging equipment, w h i c h A S I w a s c a r r y i n g when it reached the mosque premises It shows that they h a d i n t e n t i o n s o f d i g g i n g (at) the spot ”

Manipur? If you have something to assist us on that or if you have something in terms of laying down a f r a m e w o r k f o r i n v e s t i g a t i o n , p l e a s e t e l l u s W h a t s o r t o f investigation framework should be laid down, please tell us that,” the court told Swaraj Op pn team v isits Manip ur

The conflict in Manipur has been allowed to rage for so long t h a t i t c o u l d p o s e a t h r e a t t o national security if left untamed,

o p p o s i t i o n a l l i a n c e I N D I A ’ s 2 1member delegation to the state t o l d g o v e r n o r A n u s u i y a U i k e y while handing her a memorandum t h a t c r i t i c i s e s t h e c e n t r a l government's “brazen indifference

to the violence”

“

J u s t i c e s h o u l d b e t h e cornerstone” of the effort to get the state back on the rails after almost three months of violence, the members from 16 non-NDA parties said before wrapping up their two-day trip

They blamed N Biren Singh’s BJP-led government of for violence flaring up every few days, and the continued internet blockade for a cycle of misinformation fuelling m i s t r u s t b e t w e e n c o m m u n i t i e s

“You are requested to apprise the U n i o n g o v e r n m e n t o f t h e complete breakdown of law and order in Manipur for the last 89 days,” the memorandum says

Cong running 'loot ki dukan' in Rajasthan: PM Modi

Addressing a p ublic meeting in Si ka r , P r im e M in is t e r N arendra Mo di charged th at t h e C o ng re s s p a r ty w as r u n nin g a " l o o t ki d u k an " (sh op of pl under) in a "jho oth k a ba z a ar " (m a r ke t o f fal seho ods) in Rajasth an He c l a im e d t h a t a "r e d di ar y " d et a il e d th e p a rt y ' s "k a l e karname" (black deeds ) He said the red diary is “ t h e l a t e s t p r o d u c t o f Congress’ loot shop” and it will contribute to the party’s d e f e a t i n t h e R a j a s t h a n assembly elections, due later t h i s y e a r T h e S i k a r e v e n t marked the ninth visit of the PM to the poll-bound state in e i g h t m o n t h s , i n d i c a t i n g B J P ’ s s t r o n g f o c u s o n t h e a s s e m b l y a n d L o k S a b h a elections

A f t e r f i r e d m i n i s t e r Rajendra Singh Gudha made s t u n n i n g a c c u s a t i o n s t h i s

LAC friction has eroded our trust, Doval tells China

In his m eeting wit h Wa ng Y i, China’s t op diplomat and direct or of the office of the CPC Foreign Aff airs Comm is sion, on the sidelines of a Brics m eeting in Johannes burg, NSA Ajit Dova l said the s ituation along the LAC in the wester n s ect or s ince 2 02 0 had “eroded strat egic t rus t and t he public and pol itic al ba sis of t h e r el a t ion s h ip” b e tw ee n I nd ia a n d China According to the Indian readout of the meeting, released by the MEA, Doval e m p h a s i s e d t h e i m p o r t a n c e o f continuing efforts to fully resolve the s i t u a t i o n a n d r e s t o r e p e a c e a n d tranquillity in the border areas, so as to remove impediments to normalcy in bilateral relations “The two sides agreed t h a t t h e I n d i a - C h i n a b i l a t e r a l relationship is significant not only for the two countries but also for the region

and world,” said the Indian government I n d i a h a s i n s i s t e d t h a t r e l a t i o n s cannot return to normal until Beijing moves the disengagement process in e a s t e r n L a d a k h f o r w a r d a n d f u l l y resolves the military standoff that began in May 2020, despite Chinese claims t h a t t h e s i t u a t i o n a t t h e L A C h a s improved and the assertion that the b o r d e r i s s u e s h o u l d n o t p r e v e n t r e s u m p t i o n o f r e g u l a r b i l a t e r a l

exchanges

“The Indian side is willing to work w i t h t h e C h i n e s e s i d e t o f i n d a fundamental way to resolve the border s i t u a t i o n i n t h e s p i r i t o f m u t u a l understanding and mutual respect, look at the overall situation and the longterm, promote the improvement and development of bilateral relations as s o o n a s p o s s i b l e , a n d m a k e p o s i t i v e c o n t r i b u t i o n s t o m a i n t a i n i n g w o r l d peace and prosperity,” it said, quoting the Indian NSA Before the summit that will take place next month, the BRICS NSA meeting was held PM Narendra Modi and President Xi Jinping are both anticipated to attend the conference

The two leaders haven't met in person since the military stalemate started, but they did chat briefly last year on the sidelines of the G20 conference in Bali

ISRO’s PSLV puts 7 Singapore satellites into orbit

I SRO’s PSLV-C56 pla ce d se ven Singa pore satellites i nto orbi t in a pi cture -perfe ct launch on Sunda y, markin g i ts six th successful b last-off thi s y ear and addi ng to the after g low of a hi tch-fre e sta rt to the Chan dra yaa n-3 missi on just ove r tw o we eks ago Wi th this, I sro has so fa r launched 43 1 sa te llites b elonging to 34 countrie s

“In the midst of Chandrayaan 3 mission, Isro scales another landmark with the successful launch of PSLV-C56/DS-SAR,” minister of state for science and technology Jitendra Singh tweeted The launch vehicle flew the seven payloads, including the radar imaging earth observation satellite DSSAR, to a 535-km circular orbit before the rocket’s upper stage was moved to a lower orbit to reduce its orbital life and mitigate space debris

Around 21 minutes after PSLV lifted off, the rocket placed its primary payload – the 352kg DS-SAR Over the next three minutes, the other six satellites, weighing a total of 70 5 kg, were injected into the orbit

Chand rayaan on way to reach Moon

India’s third lunar mission, Chandrayaan-3, is only around six days away from reaching the lunar orbit with another important manoeuvre - that will see Isro slingshot the spacecraft towards Moon The manoeuvre is expected to last between 28 and 31 minutes and onboard thrusters of the spacecraft will be fired when the spacecraft is at the closest point to Earth (perigee) and not when at the farthest point (apogee)

At present, the Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft is going around Earth in an elliptical orbit at a velocity ranging between 1km/second and 10 3km/second The velocity is highest (10 3 k m / s e c o n d ) a t p e r i g e e a n d l o w e s t a t a p o g e e a n d w h i l e attempting the slingshot, the spacecraft will need to have a high velocity The other reason is that its angle will have to change to travel towards Moon, which can be added if the operation is carried out at perigee

week regarding the journal s c o n t e n t s , t h e m y s t e r i o u s diary came into the public eye Gudha claimed that amid t h e p o l i t i c a l u p h e a v a l brought on by Sachin Pilot's mutiny and the subsequent R a j y a S a b h a e l e c t i o n s i n 2 0 2 0 , t h e j o u r n a l h a d information about payments made to independent MLAs and specific BJP MLAs

At the rally, the PM gave h i s t a k e o n M a h a t m a Gandhi’s “Quit India” slogan “Today’s slogan is Corruption

Quit India, Nepotism Quit India and Appeasement Quit India '' Modi took a dig at the o p p o s i t i o n , p a r t i c u l a r l y Congress, saying the slogan “Indira is India and India is I n d i r a ' ' d u r i n g t h e e r a o f former PM Indira Gandhi has now changed to “UPA is India and India is UPA”

The PM said: “To make sure the UPA’s misdeeds are not remembered, its (name) has been changed to INDIA Congress and its allies have started a new trick

Licences of 2 pilots suspended over tail strike of IndiGo Airbus

T h e Dir e c t o r at e Ge ne r al o f C iv il Av ia t io n (D GC A ) h a s sus pended the licence of the p ilo t-in-co mmand (PI C) for th ree months and co- pilot' s licences fo r one m onth fo llo wing an investigation into th e tail strike of an I ndiGo Airbus A321 (V TIMW) during landing at Ah medabad on June 15, 2 023 The regu lator h ad iss ued a sho w cau se notice to the p ilo ts regarding the incident and fo und th e “vio lation o f the p rovis io ns o f the relevant (ru les)” by th e c rew th at had led to the same

A senior DGCA official said, “On June 15, 2023, an Airbus 321 aircraft was involved in a tail strike while landing at Ahmedabad DGCA investigation revealed the crew carried out the landing in deviation from established standard operating procedures Accordingly, both crew members were issued a show cause notices by DGCA ”

A tail strike occurs when the aft fuselage (tail) of an aeroplane comes in contact with the runway during either t a k e - o f f o r l a n d i n g A c c o r d i n g t o t h e a v i a t i o n w e b s i t e Skybrary, statistically, most tail strikes occur on landing “Tail strikes most often occur as a result of human error although e n v i r o n m e n t a l f a c t o r s , s u c h a s s t r o n g g u s t y w i n d s , c a n increase the potential for an event,” Skybrary states

The DGCA official said: “After examination of their replies and relevant facts, the license of the PIC has been suspended for three months and that of the co-pilot for one month for violation of the provisions of the relevant Civil Aviation Requirements and SOPs ”

DGCA fines IndiGo

Meanwhile, the DGCA penalised IndiGo Rs 30,00,000 for lapses that have led to as many as four tail strikes within six months this year alone on its Airbus A321 aircraft DGCA chief Vikram Dev Dutt had ordered a special audit of the airline to r e v i e w i t s d o c u m e n t a t i o n a n d p r o c e d u r e o n o p e r a t i o n s , training, engineering, and flight data management programme T h i s a u d i t r e v e a l e d “ c e r t a i n s y s t e m i c d e f i c i e n c i e s i n documentation pertaining to operations, training procedures and engineering procedures,” the regulator said in a statement

PM Modi

P r i m e M i ni s ter N are nd r a M o d i p r o m i se d t h at d u ri n g h i s t h ir d term India will be propelled into o ne of th e top three eco nom ies of the world Send ing out a messag e o f d ev elopm ent and growth at th e inauguration of Delh i s revamped P ragati Maidan, he said, from east to west, no rth to so uth, Indi a's i nf rastructure is chang ing Th e w orld 's hi gh est rail brid g e is i n Ind ia, th e longest tu nnel at th e h ig hest altitud e is i n Ind ia, th e h ighest motorable road , the largest stad ium, th e largest statue -- all of them are in India"

T h e e c o n o m i c g r o w t h , h e a d d e d , w i l l k e e p p a c e w i t h t h e country' aspirations "In our first

term, India was in the 10th spot in terms of economy In my second term, it is the world's fifth largest

economy On the basis of track record, I will make the economy of the country among the world's top

three," he added "In my third term, India will stand among the top

t h r e e e c o n o m i e s A n d t h i s i s Modi's guarantee"

In a political speech held at the I n t e r n a t i o n a l E x h i b i t i o n - c u mConvention Centre, now known as

" B h a r a t M a n d a p a m , " P M M o d i compared the growth of the last nine years with the whole growth of the six decades since independence

" I n t h e l a s t 6 0 y e a r s , I n d i a managed to electrify only 20,000 km of rail lines compared to the 40,000 km achieved by his government in the last nine years Now every month, we are completing a 6 km metro line, less than 400,000

LS Speaker admits no-trust motion moved by Congress

T he no-co nfidence petiti on against the BJ P government was accepted by the S peaker o f the Lo k Sabha, Om Birla, setti ng th e grou nd for a struggle that the go verning NDA is exp ected to easily win bu t th at will be u sed as a sp ringbo ard by its rivals to h one their antiMo di p latform

Birla said the date for discussion on the no-trust motion, the first to be faced by the Modi government in its second term, will be decided after consulting all parties

Assam-based Congressman Gaurav Gogoi made the proposal, which was

approved by the Speaker as soon as 50 MPs, the needed number under the rules, rose in favour of it

T h e r e a r e i n d i c a t i o n s t h a t t h e debate and the vote will be scheduled after passage of important legislations, including one that seeks to replace the ordinance promulgated last month to wrest control of the bureaucracy in Delhi from the state government The Congress and its allies have maintained that while they, with numbers stacked in favour of the government, know its outcome, they decided to force the contest in order to "force" the PM to

speak T h e r e w e r e e n o u g h i n d i c a t i o n s that the BJP was also looking forward to the debate as an opportunity to turn the tables on Congress and others on a range of issues and to sharpen its own themes of "Modi versus the Rest" and "dynasts and nepotists ganging up on the common man's PM"

By giving a statement at the opening of the new ITPO complex that seemed to be a prelude to the intended attempt to carry the war to the opposing camp, Modi himself demonstrated the combative purpose

First female wind foiler from India to qualify for the Asian Games

Subhasini

Naicker

Hailing fro m Goa, Katya Ida C oelho is the first and o nly Indian wind foiler to represent India at the Youth Olympics in 20 14 S he ad ditionally rep resented India at the 20 18 Asian Gam es Sh e won seco nd place at the International Windsurfing Cu p in Thailand in 2022

She is now all set to represent Ind ia ag ain in the Asian Gam es 2023, w hich will be held in Hang zh ou, C hina from Sep tember 23 to Octo ber 8

In an EXCLUSIVE interview with Asian Voice, Coelho talked about her journey in wind foiling, the challenges she faces in her career, and promoting sports in India

AV: What inspired you to take up windsurfing at a young age? How did the early inception into the sport help your career, personal growth and well-being?

I have always been a water baby, I loved swimming from a very young age; in fact, I started swimming when I was around 3 years old My father, Donald Coelho, a three-time national champion in windsurfing, introduced this sport to me and my brother Since I can remember, sailing has been his passion Seeing him sail and watching his competitions motivated me to take up the sport I think that starting to play sports at the young age of 11 helped me develop as a person since it developed character and discipline

Early involvement in sports competitions shaped me into the person I am today Additionally, it has helped me stay healthy and keep track of my diet over the years

AV: Can you elaborate on the efforts y o u p u t i n t o t h e p r o m o t i o n o f w i n d s u r f i n g ? D o y o u i n v o l v e yourself in specific projects aimed at promoting the sport?

Though it has been difficult, I believe I can promote the sport in India with the right assistance My father, his friend, and I now run an a c a d e m y c a l l e d G o a B e a c h S p o r t s Academy, where my brother, Dayne Coelho (an Asian Games participant a n d m u l t i p l e t i m e n a t i o n a l Champion), and I work as instructors during the summer, which is the perfect time to teach other people how to sail On our own social media, we also promote the sport by showing what it's like to be a sailor

AV: Have you observed any changes in the sport in itself and people's outlook towards it, over the years?

Yes, I have Through my victories, I have observed that people are more curious to learn more about the sport

Many mothers ask about it for their daughters, which is significant given the low level of female engagement in this field in India In the next few years, we might be able to see a good fleet from India

A V : P e r i o d s s u r e l y m u s t b e a struggle for a woman involved in windsurfing. How do you deal with

t h e w h o l e s i t u a t i o n , e s p e c i a l l y when you are competing?

I t h i n k m o s t w o m e n h a v e always experienced agony throughout their periods It's incredibly bad for me and throws off my entire routine, but we simply have to get by with it and push through the discomfort

AV: What are some challenges that you've faced in your career?

My main challenge in the sport is getting the right equipment to race with Because it is difficult to get training abroad and to have two sets of equipment - one for training and one for competing (which all athletes in this sport have) - since t h e s p o r t i s n o t w e l l - k n o w n a n d receives little financial support from sponsors or the government

A V : H o w c a n w o m e n i n s p o r t s facilitate changes in the mindset and therefore actions of the community?

I believe that a change is progressively taking place as a result of prominent Indian women making history, such as Saina Nehwal, PV Sindhu, Mirabai Chandu, and Hima Das The s u c c e s s o f I n d i a n s p o r t s w o m e n i s gradually changing the perception of sports in India

AV: What advice do you have for those who want to follow in your footsteps?

Discover your passion and give it everything you've got to overcome the challenge Finding one's genuine purpose in life is crucial because it gives your life meaning; whatever it may be, identify it and pursue it Take up swimming as a sport if you re excellent at it, and if you enjoy creating stories, go for it However, there is nothing more fulfilling than finding a purpose and putting your heart and soul into it

km of village roads In 2014, Delhi airport's capacity was around 50 million a year Now it is 75 million The number of airports has reached 150, he said

Taking a jab at the opposition, PM Modi claimed that when establ i s h m e n t s l i k e t h e B h a r a t Mandapam raise a nation's reputation, "negative minded" individuals have tried to thwart it "These peop l e t r i e d t o s t o p t h i s B h a r a t M a n d a p a m I t i s s o m e p e o p l e ' s compulsion to stop every work In b r e a k i n g n e w s , w h a t a l l w a s showed? So many cases were filed I am confident that after a while, those people will come here for some lectures or event," he said

UK's Malhotra group acquires Imperial Golf Estate in Ludhiana

L eading d ev eloper M alhotra Group said that after four years of discussions, it has acquired T he Imperial Golf Estate in L udhiana, Punjab Th e develo pment, which includes an 1 8h ole cham pionship golf course designed by Jack Nicklaus com pany, Nicklaus Design, w as halted in 201 9 after the prev ious owners ran into financial difficulty

The development is now firmly back on track having been acquired by Malhotra Realty Private Ltd India (MRPL), a Malhotra family holding company Meenu Malhotra, the chairman of the UK-based company, has always wished to leave a lasting legacy in his hometown of Ludhiana The company has holdings in real estate, care facilities and leisure facilities around the nation

“This project will not only create opportunities for local people but also provide world class facilities, enhancing the reputation of the already affluent town of Ludhiana and placing it on the world map, ” said Malhotra

Together with the championship golf course, the project will see the creation of more than 700 villas and apartments, an upscale shopping mall with national and international designer outlets and fashionable food and beverage offerings

A destination health farm with spa facilities and a luxury f i v e - s t a r h o t e l w i l l b e c r e a t e d w i t h o t h e r , y e t t o b e announced, prestigious partners Along with houses of worship and a creche for locals and families, an international school (junior and senior) in conjunction with renowned educational institutions situated in the United Kingdom is also planned

RPF constable on JaipurMumbai Express guns down boss, 3 passengers

Chetan Singh (3 0), a Railway Protection Force constable, wh o was p art of a team escorting the Jaip ur-M umbai S uperfast Exp ress, sh ot and killed four men on th e ru nning train betw een Vaitarna and Mira Road statio ns

Three of the victims were passengers while the fourth, Tikaram Meena, an assistant sub-inspector with RPF, was heading the escort team

The shootings, which took place across coaches, lasted n e a r l y 4 0 m i n u t e s S i n g h , w a s c h a s e d a n d n a b b e d b y Government Railway Police (GRP) personnel at Mira Road, in Mumbai’s suburbs, after he got off the stationary train and tried to flee The trigger for the incident is still being investigated Singh first got into an altercation with three travellers in Surat He was uneasy as the train approached Valsad and insisted on getting off His coworkers took away his weapon and asked him to take a break A communication was sent to the control room to deploy another constable to replace him as he persisted in arguing with Meena about wanting to go Afer a while, Singh said he was feeling better and resumed duty His colleagues went off to patrol other sections of the train while Meena and Singh were in coach B5 At 5 15 am, as the train neared Vaitarna station, Singh pumped four bullets into Meena from his automatic rifle which was loaded with 20 bullets In the same compartment, he also gunned down Kadar Bhanpurwala (62)

For the next 40 minutes or so, Singh strutted across several coaches with the weapon He crossed five bogies to reach the pantry car where he killed a second passenger

In my third term, India will be one of world's top economies, says

Katya Ida Coelho

Airport official who didn’t wait for Karnataka governor suspended

B E NG A L U R U : Th ree days af te r an A i rA si a In d i a ’ s H yd e rab ad - b o u nd f l ig h t too k o ff bef ore K arnataka g o v e rn or T h aa w ar C h an d Ge h lo t c o u ld bo a rd it a t B eng a lu r u, t h e ai rl in e ’ s s tat io n m an ag e r a t Kem peg ow d a Internatio nal A i rp o r t ( K I A ) h as b een suspend ed for a m onth B e s i d e s m a n a g e r Z i c o S o a r e s , t w o m o r e a i r l i n e staffers are likely to be suspended over “lapse” before a scheduled meeting of A i r A s i a o f f i c i a l s i n t h e g o v e r n o r ’ s office, KIA sources said The sources confirmed that Zico Soares had been suspended on charges of not waiting for the VIP and giving the AirAsia ( n o w A I X C o n n e c t ) p l a n e t h e g oahead to fly with regular passengers R a j B h a v a n m a i n t a i n s t h a t t h e g ove rn or ha d ar ri v e d on t i m e bu t m i s s e d t h e f l i g h t b e c a u s e o f t h e “lapses” on the part of the airline’s g r o u n d s t a f f G e h l o t t o o k a n o t h e r flight 50 minutes later to Hyderabad

The sources said Gehlot was to board I 5 9 7 2 a t 2 0 5 p m “ T h e g o v e r n o r ’ s arrival was awaited as two of his staff had already reached with his bags But he reached the VIP gate only at 2 07

pm and was heading in his official car on the tarmac towards the flight By t h e n , t h e f l i g h t , p a c k e d w i t h passengers and scheduled to take off at 2 05 pm, had already pushed back after the doors were closed and the ladders removed,” said an official D u r i n g t h e m e e t i n g w i t h g o v e r n o r s o f f i c e , s e n i o r a i r l i n e officials will explain to Gehlot or his team the situation that led to him missing the flight as well as the action in the form of the suspension, the s o u r c e s s a i d A n A I X C o n n e c t s p o k e s p e r s o n h a d i n a s t a t e m e n t earlier “regretted” the episode and c i t e d a n o n g o i n g p r o b e G e h l o t ’ s office said that a complaint had been l o d g e d w i t h t h e c i v i l a v i a t i o n ministry

BE NGA L U RU : Days after former Karnataka CM H D Kumaraswamy said h is party and BJP hav e d ecided to work together “in th e interest of the state”, his fath er and JD (S) p atriarch H D Dev e Gowda ruled out hav ing any alliance with the saffron party for now Dave Gowda said his party will contest the Lok Sabha elections independently and will not have ties with any other party “Whether we win five, six, three, or two seats, we have decided to go it alone and keep the existence of the party afloat We will decide on the f u t u r e c o u r s e o f a c t i o n b a s e d o n t h e p r e v a i l i n g situation,” he said, indicating that in the long run the possibility of a tie-up with NDA or INDIA could not be ruled out Gowda said that JD(S) will field candidates only in constituencies where it has a strong presence The former PM said he was not invited for the opposition parties’ meet held in Bengaluru earlier this month as a section of Congress in Karnataka was opposed to such a move, even though Bihar CM Nitish Kumar was keen on his participation

After the party's drubbing in the recent assembly elections, a section of JD(S) functionaries, including Kumaraswamy, is said to be in favour of an alliance with BJP Kumaraswamy feels the regional party stands a better chance of winning more seats in the Old Mysuru region if there is a direct fight with Congress

But BJP functionaries feel an alliance with JD(S) will not be beneficial to them as Kumaraswamy's party does not have much of a presence outside the Old Mysuru region, where 18 seats are up for grabs

5 killed, 70 injured in Haryana communal clashes

G UR U G R A M: Fiv e pe ople wer e k i lle d a n d a t le a s t 70 ot h e r s, i n c lu d i n g s e v e r a l p o li c e m e n , w e r e i n j ur e d a s a m o b i n Har ya na's Nuh dist rict t ried to s t o p a r e li g i o us p r o ce s si o n , pe lt ing ston es an d se tt in g cars o n fire , officials said Se curit y a round religious pla ce s ha s bee n s t re n g t he n e d Bo t h t he p oli ce a n d a d m in i s t r a t i o n h e ld m e e t i n g s w i t h p r o m in e n t m embe rs of both communities t o ensure peace , police said Police have registered about 40 cases and arrested more than 80 people in connection with the v i o l e n c e T h e r i p p l e s f r o m v i o l e n c e h a s r e a c h e d

WEST BENGAL

9 KILLED, 12 INJURED IN TN FIRECRACKER UNIT BLAST

Nine people, three of them women were killed and 12 others injured in an explosion at a licensed firecracker shop and godown in Krishnagiri town of Tamil Nadu Shop owner Ravi his family members and employees were packing firecrackers at the shop when they started to explode The conflagration spread and the entire shop and godown collapsed The fire spread to nearby commercial establishments too Fire and rescue services took nearly four hours to put out the blaze Only after this could they pull victims out from under the debris and take them to hospital PM Narendra Modi announced Rs 200 000 as ex gratia to the kin of the deceased and Rs 50 000 for each of the injured Chief minister MK Stalin also announced Rs 300,000 each to the families of the deceased

KARNATAKA MAY WITHDRAW RIOT CASES

Karnataka home minister G Parameshwara has directed prison officials to review cases filed against several people for their alleged involvement in violence in Bengaluru, Shivamogga, Hubballi and elsewhere in the state Parameshwara in a note to the principal secretary of prisons, civil defence, and auxiliary services (PCAS), stated: “It has been requested that innocent youths and students have been arrested under false cases in connection with protests and riots in Bengaluru’s DJ Halli and KG Halli Shivamogga Hubballi and other places and to withdraw cases in accordance with rules after review It is instructed to take necessary action in this regard after review ” Later Parameshwara reiterated that if it is legally possible cases would be withdrawn

B a d s h a h p u r , 4 0 k m a w a y R e s t a u r a n t s , a n d s h o p s w e r e torched by a mob amid religious chants Haryana Home Minister

A n i l V i j s a i d t h e s i t u a t i o n i n Nuh, which saw clashes between t w o g r o u p s o n M o n d a y , w a s u n d e r c o n t r o l , a d d i n g t h a t u n i d e n t i f i e d m i s c r e a n t s l i k e l y

e n g i n e e r e d a n d m a s t e r m i n d e d t h e violence " I n t e r n e t s e r v i c e s have been suspended i n N u h d i s t r i c t a n d c u r f e w h a s b e e n i m p o s e d A d e q u a t e p o l i c e d e p l o y m e n t s have been made at the s c e n e a s w e l l , " h e s a i d T h e

Additional Director General of Police Mamta Singh said that Nuh was the main affected area a n d n o m a j o r i n c i d e n t h a s h a p p e n e d o u t s i d e N u h " W e have arrested a large number of people We have appealed to everyone to come forward if

BJP panel seeks CBI probe into Bengal rural poll violence

NE W D EL HI: BJP’s five-mem ber fac tf inding central team on panc haya t poll violence submitted its report to party p re s i de nt J P Na dd a l a s t we e k a f t er vis iting the state The comm ittee heade d b y s e n io r p ar t y l e a de r Ra v i S ha n ka r Pras ad, which travel led over 2,000 km in t he violenc e-hit areas , sugges ted that all c ases of panchayat poll -rel ated violence s hould be investigated b y a Ca lcutta high c ourt-monit ored CB I team

The panel also recommended that all bomb blast cases need to be referred to the NIA for investigation “The state g o v e r n m e n t ’ s a r r o g a n c e a n d u t t e r disrespect for democratic processes are dismaying BJP will continue to fight for the people’s voice in West Bengal in a d e m o c r a t i c w a y , ” N a d d a s a i d a f t e r receiving the report

T h e c o m m i t t e e a l l e g e d t h a t a “sickening symbol of shameful democracy” w a s w i t n e s s e d d u r i n g t h e p a n c h a y a t elections It is necessary for the country to know that democracy has ended in Bengal, Prasad, who was the convener of the factfinding committee, said P r a s a d c l a i m e d t h a t a n

“ o v e r p o w e r i n g f e a r ” b e c a m e t h e hallmark of these polls and cited several incidents of violence, including killings, and the suffering of the families targeted for political reasons The state police, civil authorities and a “cooperative” state e l e c t i o n c o m m i t t e e f a c i l i t a t e d t h i s , Prasad said

He adding that the committee has demanded that all cases of violence be p r o b e d b y t h e C e n t r a l B u r e a u o f

Investigation (CBI) as the state police and the administration are complicit and biased

The National Investigation Agency ( N I A ) s h o u l d i n v e s t i g a t e t h e c a s e s i n v o l v i n g b o m b e x p l o s i o n a s i t i s a scheduled offence, Prasad said “What is h a p p e n i n g M a m a t a j i ? T h i s i s condemnable,” he said, showing pictures o f v i o l e n c e a n d v a n d a l i s a t i o n o f properties of political targets, most of w h o m , P r a s a d a d d e d , w e r e f r o m deprived and backward communities It appeared that the entire machinery was used to ensure win for the state’s ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) and attack its rivals, he said

they have any information that can help us in the investigation or identify the rioters," ADGP Singh said

About 2,500 people, who had come to Nuh to take part in the procession, were stranded at a t e m p l e d u e t o t h e v i o l e n c e outside They were rescued by police later in the evening A m o b a t t a c k e d a m o s q u e i n Gurgaram and killed one person, and injured several others on late Monday night, police said A mosque, Anjuman Jama Masjid in Sector 57, was also set on fire Fire control trucks were rushed to the spot, and brought the fire under control

Mamata orders formation of disciplinary panel in TMC legislature party

K O L K A T A: We st Be nga l c h i ef mi ni s ter Mam ata Ban erj ee o rdered the formati on of a dis cip linary c o mmi tte e o f th e T ri nam ul Co n gres s legi s latu re p ar ty , h e ad ed by p a rl i am en ta ry a ff a ir s mi n i s te r S o b h an de b Ch a tt o p a dh y a y, f o l lo w i ng re ce n t instances o f its MLAs making statements that were no t i n tu n e wi th th e p a rt y l i ne a nd c au s e d embarrassment to th e ruling disp ensati on B e s i d e s C h a t t o p a d h y a y , t h e f i v e - m e m b e r committee comprises ministers Firhad Hakim, Aroop B i s w a s , C h a n d r i m a B h a t t a c h a r y a a n d B i r b a h a

Hansda

The panel, a separate entity from the party’s disciplinary committee, is the first of its kind for the p a r t y “ I t w a s c h i e f m i n i s t e r M a m a t a B a n e r j e e ’ s

decision There have been some untoward remarks from some members of the treasury benches in the recent past, which have caused discomfort to the party and have not gone down well with her This committee will help minimise such instances,” said a senior in the party “There are several appropriate platforms within to flag concerns or seek resolutions to issues Bringing them up in public or in the House, without warning, is uncalled for,” he added

ED RAIDS PREMISES OF HERO MOTOCORP'S PAWAN MUNJAL

The Enforcement Directorate conducted searches under provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) at premises linked to Hero Motocorp executive chairperson Pawan Munjal and others as part of its investigation in undeclared holding of foreign currency, officials said The officials said these searches were carried out at premises located in Delhi and neighbouring Gurugram The ED s probe under PMLA is based on a Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) complaint against a person allegedly close to Munjal, who was investigated on charges of carrying undeclared foreign currency The Income Tax Department in March last year raided Munjal and his company Hero Motorcorp the country s largest two-wheeler manufacturer as part of a tax evasion investigation Hero MotoCorp became the world s largest twowheeler manufacturer in 2001, in terms of unit volume sales in a calendar year, and has maintained the title for the past 20 consecutive years

SC ASKS ED TO WITHDRAW NOTICES AGAINST ABHISHEK, HIS WIFE

The Supreme Court directed the Enforcement Directorate to withdraw lookout circular against Mamata Banerjee s nephew and TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee and his wife Rujira who are being probed in a money laundering case arising out of a coal pilferage scam The court, however, directed the couple to inform the agency and take its permission a week before flying out of India The order was passed on an application filed by the two, seeking permission to go abroad for medical treatment claiming they were being denied because of the circular Observing that travelling abroad is a matter of right unless a person is going to abscond, the court sought explanation from ED on issuing the circular against them Additional solicitor general SV Raju, appearing for ED told the SC that the look-out notice was not coming in the way of the couple to go abroad as the agency allowed them to do so

No alliance with the BJP for LS polls, says Deve Gowda

Thaawar Chand Gehlot

PM Modi inaugurates international airport near Rajkot

P r im e M i ni s t e r Na r e nd r a M odi inaugur ated Gujar at's f irst greenfield a irpor t, which is situated in the vill age of Hiras ar and is c lose to Rajkot

The PM unveiled a num ber of other im portant project s whil e on a two-day visit to G uj a r a t H e de d ic at e d t he Saurashtra Narm ada Avtaran Ir rigat ion (SAUNI) Yojan a's p a c k a ge s 8 a n d 9 Th e s e pac kages will s upply wate r to 5 2,39 8 acres of irrigable land in 95 vil lages and give potab le water to al most 9 8,000 people in t he Sauras ht ra region

As part of the PM Gati S h a k t i P r o j e c t , t h e R a j k o t I n t e r n a t i o n a l A i r p o r t h a s b e e n m e t i c u l o u s l y d e v e loped, with a total investment of £140 5 million It is strategically located around 30 km

SC

S a nj ay K u m ar M i sh r a' s t en ur e as d i re c to r o f th e E n fo r ce m en t D ir ec to ra te w a s ext end e d b y 4 6 d ay s u nti l Sep tem ber 15 i n the " lar g er p u bl i c in te res t" d es p i te th e fa ct th at th e S upreme Co urt had prev io usly ruled on July 11 th at the prev ious tw o one-year e xt ens i o ns g i v en to h i m w ere unlawful and designated July 31 as the d ay of h is d ep ar tu re fr o m E D T h e g o v er nm e nt s o u g h t th e extension to help in seaml es s p e er re v i ew b y th e F inancial A ction Task Fo rce ( F A T F ), t he g lo bal m o ney l au n d eri n g an d te rro r is t financing watchdo g

from Rajkot, near NH-27, in H i r a s a r v i l l a g e , c o v e r i n g a vast area of 2,534 acres The A i r p o r t A u t h o r i t y o f I n d i a h a s b e e n i n s t r u m e n t a l i n c o n s t r u c t i n g t h e a i r p o r t across 1,500 acres The airport has a welldesigned 3,040 m (3 04 km) long and 45 m broad runway

that can hold up to 14 planes at once Its apron is 50,800 square meters in size, and the passenger terminal is 23,000 square meters large, with a remarkable capacity to handle 1,280 passengers per hour at peak hours

As part of the Greenfield A i r p o r t p o l i c y , 1 1 a i r p o r t s

have been successfully made operational The government h a s p r o v i d e d ‘ I n - P r i n c i p l e ’ approval for the development o f 2 1 m o r e G r e e n f i e l d Airports across the country

Construction work for the remaining 10 airports is curr e n t l y i n p r o g r e s s a n d i s expected to be completed in due course

T h e d e v e l o p m e n t o f Greenfield airports encompasses a comprehensive process that includes meticulous p l a n n i n g , d e s i g n i n g , a n d construction of all essential airport facilities These facilities comprise runways, term i n a l s , a i r t r a f f i c c o n t r o l t o w e r s , c a r g o h a n d l i n g infrastructure, parking areas, and other essential amenities

Government aims to recognise India's courageous martyrs

Prior to Ind ep endence Day, P ri m e M i ni s ter Na ren d ra Mod i announced the beginning o f the "Meri M ati Mera Desh" cam paig n, which aims to rec o g n is e th e n ati o n 's courageous martyrs by havi ng u ni q u e i ns cr i p ti o ns placed in p anchayats in their honour

The Prime Minister said i n h i s m o n t h l y r a d i o a d d r e s s , " M a n n K i B a a t , " t h a t t h e c a m p a i g n w i l l include the "Amrit Kalash Yatra," in which 7,500 pots containing soil from all over the nation will be transported to the capital together w i t h s e e d l i n g s “ A m r i t Vatika will be built near the National War Memorial by fusing the soil and saplings that will arrive in 7,500 urns

T h i s ' A m r i t V a t i k a ' w i l l become a grand symbol of 'Ek Bharat Shresth Bharat',”

The bench of Justices BR Gavai, Vikram Nath, and S a n j a y K a r o l s t a t e d t h a t they were inclined to allow Mishra to continue as director for an additional period of time until September 15 in the interest of the greater good, explaining that under normal circumstances, such a n a p p l i c a t i o n f r o m t h e g o v e r n m e n t w o u l d n o t have been entertained We direct that Mishra would cease to be the director of E D o n S e p t e m b e r 1 5 - 1 6 m i d n i g h t a n d n o m o r e applications for his extens i o n u n d e r a n y c i r c u ms t a n c e s w o u l d b e e n t e rtained in future ”

During last week’s hearing, Justice Gavai said, “(By making this application) is the government not giving an indication that ED is full o f i n c o m p e t e n t p e r s o n s who can’t succeed Mishra? It is as if that person is not t h e r e , t h e e n t i r e d e p a r tment is not going to funct i o n D o e s i t s h o w t h e department in a good light? Will it not demoralise the e n t i r e w o r k f o r c e i n t h e d e p a r t m e n t ? D o e s i t n o t indicate that there is not a s i n g l e c o m p e t e n t p e r s o n who can succeed Mishra?

“Suppose I am the CJI a n d s o m e t h i n g u n t o w a r d h a p p e n s t o m e W i l l t h e

S u p r e m e C o u r t o r t h e c o u n t r y ’ s j u d i c i a l s y s t e m collapse in my absence?”

Solicitor general Tushar Mehta said it was not about the indispensability of one person “The issue here is leadership No one is indispensable, but the country will benefit with continuity and present a correct picture of action taken against offences of money launderi n g a n d t e r r o r f u n d i n g Maintaining a good FATF rating, which India enjoys, will project a positive image of the country’s financial c a p a b i l i t i e s a n d r i g o r o u s framework against financial offenders ”

India aims to lay solid foundation for semicon manufacturing

T he world 's large st democr acy wil l be a ke y play er in Industry 4 0 as it works t o l ay a soli d founda tion for a r obust chi p ma nuf acturi ng a nd r e l a te d e co s y s te m wi thin the nati on, accor di ng t o P r i m e M i ni st e r Na rendr a Modi , wh o posit ioned India as a "trusted a nd re lia ble pa rtner to the g l ob a l se mi co n d u c to r i ndustry

Flanked by some of the top executives in the global semiconductor industry at t h e s e c o n d e d i t i o n o f S e m i c o n I n d i a , M o d i s a i d while an aspirational midd l e c l a s s i s f u e l l i n g t h e demand for products built u s i n g c h i p s , i n v e s t m e n t inflows are being led by the c o u n t r y ’ s a m b i t i o u s $ 1 0billion incentive scheme, a r e l i a b l e e n e r g y s u p p l y , land, and fast-developing s t r e n g t h o f s k i l l e d m a npower and engineers “All t h i s s h o w s t h a t I n d i a i s rolling out the red carpet f o r t h e s e m i c o n d u c t o r industry ”

The PM said the world today needs a “reliable and trusted” supply chain after facing the side-effects of t h e p a n d e m i c a n d t h e

Russia-Ukraine war “ I n d i a r e a l i s e s t h a t a semiconductor is not just our necessity, the world, too, needs a trusted, reliable chip supply Who can be a more trusted partner t h a n t h e w o r l d ’ s l a r g e s t democracy? Investors trust I n d i a a s i t h a s a s t a b l e , r e s p o n s i b l e a n d r e f o r moriented government ” Modi said, “The industry has faith in India as infrastructure is developi n g i n e v e r y s e c t o r T h e t e c h s e c t o r b e l i e v e s i n I n d i a a s t e c h n o l o g y i s growing here The semiconductor industry trusts India as we have a massive talent pool ”

C h i e f M i n i s t e r

Bhupendra Patel noted the importance of Gujarat having the nation's first signif-

icant semiconductor manufacturing plant in reference to the Memorandum o f U n d e r s t a n d i n g t h a t s e m i c o n d u c t o r m a n u f a cturer Micron Technologies s i g n e d w i t h t h e G u j a r a t g o v e r n m e n t H e v o i c e d optimism that India would s o o n j o i n t h e r a n k s o f major global semiconductor players

The Quad partners of I n d i a - J a p a n , U S A a n d Australia - extended their support to India's semicond u c t o r m i s s i o n , a s s u r i n g support ranging from providing critical minerals to training experts

he said Under the ongoing Amrit Mohatsav to mark the 75th anniversary of independ e n c e , o v e r 2 0 0 , 0 0 0 p r ogrammes have been organised 'Meri Mati Mera Desh' will recall the memory of those brave men and women who laid down their lives for the country, the PM said

“With these efforts, we will realise our duties, we will realise the innumerable sacrifices made for the freedom of the country, we will realise the value of freedom Hence, every person in the country must join in these efforts,” he added He mentioned the several sites where people suffered from the floods, landslides, and other natural disa s t e r s t h a t s t r u c k v a r i o u s parts of the nation during t h e m o n s o o n s e a s o n H e claimed that amid the natural disasters, individuals also h i g h l i g h t e d t h e v a l u e o f t e a m w o r k A c c o r d i n g t o Modi, it is great to observe how creative water conservation initiatives are being made everywhere He used the record-breaking planting of 30 billion seedlings in a single day in Uttar Pradesh as an illustration of popular i n v o l v e m e n t a n d k n o w le d g e O v e r 6 0 , 0 0 0 ' A m r i t S a r o v a r s b u i l t d u r i n g t h e ‘Azaadi ka Amrit Mahotsav' were helping in water conservation during the rainy season, he said, adding that o v e r 5 0 , 0 0 0 m o r e p o n d s were being built

India is 'open' to Chinese investment, says minister Chandrasekhar

Despite India’s crackdown on Chinese busin esses and all egations that certa in in vestment b ids have hal ted, India is "open" to inve stmen ts fr om China, according to ministe r Ra jeev Chandra sek ha r

The claim by Chandrasekhar, minister of state for electronics and information technology, comes as India seeks to capitalise on global supply chains in a pivot away from China, wooing suppliers to multinational companies such as Apple “Is India open to doing business with Chinese companies?” Chandrasekhar was asked in an interview “Of course we are ”

Over the past three years, India has prohibited more than 100 Chinese social networking, lending, and other apps, including TikTok, citing data protection and privacy concerns In addition, New Delhi has opened regulatory investigations into the Chinese mobile phone makers Xiaomi, Oppo, and Vivo, alleging that they broke several tax, foreign exchange, and other regulations

“We are open to doing business with any company anywhere as long as they are investing and conducting their business lawfully,” Chandrasekhar said

Tensions began in 2020 after Indian and Chinese troops clashed along the Himalayan border Prime Minister Narendra Modi said his government would halt relations with Beijing until “ peace and tranquillity” were restored

India also tightened its policy on foreign investments from bordering countries Chandrasekhar said that the process did not target China, yet applied to other countries “in the neighbourhood”

49 drugs, including Aspirin, Vitamin D3 fail quality test

Re ce nt findin gs of the Cen tra l Drugs

S t a n d a r d C o n t r o l O r g a n i z a t i on (CDSCO) in dica te t hat 48 medicat ions out of 1, 273 ar e of "subst and ard qua lity " a nd one dr ug is "spur ious " The drug r egulat or con ducted the a ssessmen t in June of this ye ar

According to the drug alert list issued last week, Rantidine Tablets, Rosuvastatin and Vitamin D3 Tablets, E r y t h r o m y c i n S t e a r a t e T a b l e t s I P , Paracetamol Tablets, Telmisartan, and Albendazole are some of the drugs that were flagged in the drug alert list The drug that was declared spurious is

Heparin injection which is used to treat blood clots

In the meantime, 12 of the 48 medications have connections to Himachal Pradesh's pharmaceutical companies Asthma sufferers' Flutrol 250 inhalation was also discovered to be deficient in the necessary test content, according to the drug authority S o m e o f t h e m e d i c a t i o n s m e ntioned are used to prevent and treat dangerous blood clots, asthma, blood pressure, swelling brought on by heart disease, coughing, and peptic ulcers Additionally, the drug regulator has

also raised concerns about two dietary supplements, one of which is supposed to stop hair loss and the other aids in the production of red blood cells

According to the list, most of the flagged drugs either failed the dissolution test or lacked the requisite assay content M a x h e a l P h a r m a c e u t i c a l s , Z e e Laboratories, Hindustan Antibiotics Ltd , Cadila Pharmaceuticals, Alkem H e a l t h S c i e n c e ( A u n i t o f A l k e m Laboratories Limited) are some of the m a n u f a c t u r e r s w h o s e d r u g s w e r e flagged by the drug regulator

allows ED chief to continue till Sept 15 in 'larger public interest'

Ne

Visa woes hit the community

w l y m a r r i e d S a d h a n a f r o m

L o n d o n w a s a b o u t t o g o t o Hungary on her honeymoon when her visa never came in time In fact, she received it only after three months

T h e n e w s w e e k l y h a s l e a r n e d t h a t many members of the community are facing delays in receiving or even getting a visa slot at VFS because of their backlog.

Now Sadhana, who has missed her visit to Hungary and has been granted a visa to the country three months later, might possibly face issues in getting a n o t h e r v i s a i f s h e d o e s n ’ t v i s i t Hungary in the said time period for which her visa has been granted We asked members of the community if any of them had faced a similar issue

A surprise visit with more surprises

Prateek Jayant told Asian Voice, “I wanted to visit Italy and started to find visa slots in the month of January this year and somehow got a slot in March I appeared for the appointment with my family in the London centre and submitted my application I was told I would get a decision within 15 days

However, I waited more than 2 months and didn't get any notification from VFS about passport collection I called customer service and tried to reach t h e m b y e m a i l a n d g o t t h e s a m e response that my visa is under process and they have no idea how long it would take Finally, after waiting more t h a n t w o m o n t h s , I d e c i d e d t o randomly show up at the centre and ask them what was going on To my surprise, I found out there that my passport had been ready for collection for the last two months and the visa was granted within 5 days! I was so annoyed that I filed a complaint and after waiting more than 1 month got a v e r y g e n e r i c r e s p o n s e f r o m t h e m saying they don’t know what happened and they can't do anything Every time I used to send a message they would reply back after 1 month But I didn’t budge and after fighting for more than

Book Review

'The Last Queen' by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni

3 months they finally agreed to refund my £5 SMS alert fees! I was utterly d i s a p p o i n t e d a n d s c a r e d t o g o i n business with them again ” Black market M o l a y B h a d r a t o l d t h e newsweekly, “I think this is a chronic illness created by some and suffered by a l o t m a n y p e o p l e s t a r t i n g i n l a s t winter and it continued Somewhere the tap was closed so you won't get any visa biometric appointment slot at all But on the contrary, it was always available in the black market via some agencies Many others, including me, did plan a trip to the EU zone this summer and during late winter/early summer after some soul-searching, I g a v e u p T h i s s i t u a t i o n h a s b e e n c r e a t e d f o r n o a p p a r e n t r e a s o n o r explanation Someone, somewhere is making the money out of it Exactly one year from now I am planning to visit Paris Olympics and thinking how to approach the situation from now on Last year I went to watch the football world cup in Doha, Qatar and I h a v e s e e n h o w t h e y c o m p l e t e l y b y p a s s e d t h i s v i s a & i m m i g r a t i o n system for football fans visiting Qatar

Not sure what will happen next year ”

Limited availability of appointment slots has resulted in a backlog

In a statement to the newsweekly, a VFS spokesperson said, “Post-covid t h e r e h a s b e e n a s u r g e i n t r a v e l d e m a n d g l o b a l l y a n d c o n s e q u e n t l y global visa applications submitted for some countries are at higher volumes

who was later known as Rani Jindan, n a v i g a t i n g t h e c o m p l e x i t i e s o f h e r early life We see her growth from a c o u r a g e o u s y o u n g g i r l r a i s e d i n a loving and cultural environment to a r e s o l u t e l a d y w h o o v e r c o m e s challenges with bravery and resiliency

D i v a k a r u n i p r e s e n t s a h i g h l y drawn world full of vibrant characters and political intrigue in which she expertly captures the splendor of the Sikh Empire Rani Jindan confronts o b s t a c l e s a n d b e t r a y a l s w h e n s h e a s s u m e s t h e t h r o n e , b o t h f r o m members of her own court and from outside forces attempting to topple the once-powerful nation The intricate n a t u r e o f p o w e r s t r u g g l e s a n d t h e alliances forged during that turbulent time in Indian history are expertly explored by the author

than ever before This increase in demand for visa application a p p o i n t m e n t s c o u p l e d w i t h t h e l i m i t e d a v a i l a b i l i t y o f appointment slots has resulted i n a b a c k l o g V F S G l o b a l manages the non-judgmental a n d a d m i n i s t r a t i v e t a s k s related to applications for visa, passport, and consular services f o r i t s c l i e n t g o v e r n m e n t s , enabling those governments to focus entirely on the critical assessment task

“For the client governments we serve, visa appointments are available online on a first-come first-serve basis a s p e r t h e d i r e c t i v e s o f t h e c l i e n t governments Appointments are free of cost and can only be booked via our w e b s i t e w w w v f s g l o b a l c o m D e c i s i o n s o n v i s a a p p l i c a t i o n s , i n c l u d i n g t h e a v a i l a b i l i t y o f appointment slots and the timelines to process them, are at the sole discretion of the respective governments we serve and may vary from one government to another ”

While Indians living in the UK with Indian passports need Schengen visas to visit mainland Europe, not all visas can be applied through VFS In a recent update, it has been reported that British folks travelling to Europe will have to share health information and have their faces and fingerprints scanned next summer under new rules introduced by Brussels Under the EU Entry/Exit System, holidaymakers will be expected to reveal health conditions and details of their trips before being granted entry permits Other conditions for receiving a v i s a u n d e r t h e E u r o p e a n T r a v e l Information and Authorisation System ( E t i a s ) i n c l u d e s h a r i n g i n f o r m a t i o n about criminal records, the purpose of travel and the location of your first night's stay It's feared the new entry requirements will cause hours-long queues at Britain's air, ferry and rail ports, the Mail On Sunday reported

The novel is a stunning work of h i s t o r i c a l f i c t i o n t h a t s p i n s a spellbinding web of emotions, political intrigue, and female empowerment

This compelling story is set against the b a c k d r o p o f 1 9 t h - c e n t u r y I n d i a , follows the life of the enigmatic and formidable queen, Rani Jindan Kaur of Punjab, a figure often overshadowed b y h e r m o r e r e n o w n e d h u s b a n d , Maharaja Ranjit Singh.

It begins with a vivid portrayal of the young and innocent Mehtab Kaur,

O n e o f t h e m o s t c o m p e l l i n g aspects of "The Last Queen" is the u n w a v e r i n g s p i r i t o f R a n i J i n d a n herself Chitra portrays Rani Jindan as a woman ahead of her time, defying s o c i e t a l n o r m s a n d e x p e c t a t i o n s , determined to protect her family and h e r i t a g e R a n i J i n d a n ' s i n d o m i t a b l e will and sharp intellect allow her to n a v i g a t e t h e t r e a c h e r o u s w a t e r s o f politics and power with unparalleled strength

The narrative beautifully captures the emotional journey of Rani Jindan, h e r m o m e n t s o f t r i u m p h a n d heartbreak, and her unyielding love for her son, Maharaja Duleep Singh, the youngest ruler of the Sikh Empire The mother-son relationship is at the core

o f t h e n o v e l , a d d i n g a l a y e r o f tenderness amidst the harsh realities of a crumbling empire Furthermore, "The Last Queen" o f f e r s a r e f r e s h i n g p e r s p e c t i v e o n historical events often relegated to the s i d e l i n e s o f h i s t o r y b o o k s C h i t r a m e t i c u l o u s l y b a l a n c e s h i s t o r i c a l a c c u r a c y w i t h f i c t i o n a l e l e m e n t s , breathing life into the lesser-known story of an extraordinary woman who played a crucial role in shaping India's h i s t o r y H e r p r o s e i s l y r i c a l a n d evocative, capturing the essence of the c h a r a c t e r s a n d t h e i r s u r r o u n d i n g s R a n i J i n d a n e m e r g e s a s a m u l t i d i m e n s i o n a l f i g u r e , d i s p l a y i n g v u l n e r a b i l i t y a n d c o u r a g e i n e q u a l m e a s u r e , m a k i n g h e r r e l a t a b l e t o r e a d e r s a c r o s s c u l t u r e s H o w e v e r , there are moments in the novel where the pacing seems to slow down, and c e r t a i n p l o t l i n e s c o u l d h a v e b e e n further explored to enhance the overall depth of the narrative

In conclusion, "The Last Queen" is a must-read for anyone fascinated by history, female protagonists, and tales of resilience in the face of adversity

C h i t r a h i g h l i g h t s a m u c h - n e e d e d s p o t l i g h t o n a n e x c e p t i o n a l q u e e n

w h o s e l e g a c y d e s e r v e s t o b e remembered and celebrated Through her masterful storytelling, combined with her profound understanding of the region's history and culture, makes t h i s b o o k a m u s t - r e a d f o r a n y o n e seeking to delve into the empowering s t o r i e s o f r e m a r k a b l e S o u t h A s i a n women who have shaped history

Asian Voice invites creative pieces from children aged between 5 to 12

Submit your child’s poetry, drawings, essays, stories and jokes via email to shrijit.rajan@abplgroup.com. The best entries will be published in Asian Voice very week

Eating bananas before bed could help you fall asleep faster

Being able to get 8 hours of sleep as an ad ult is hard er than you th ink, especially as the weather gets w armer

Over h alf of Brits ( 56%) –w hich equates to more th an 2 5 m i ll io n p eo p l e – are e xp e ri enc i ng m o re d i sturbed sleep in the summ er m onths, acco rd ing to new research from Yakult

The data reveals that of t h o s e w h o e x p e r i e n c e a worse night’s sleep in the summer, a staggering 83% get less than the NHS-reco m m e n d e d 7 - 9 h o u r s a night

There are several factors that affect our quality o f s l e e p w i t h g u t h e a l t h being one of them – good g u t h e a l t h c a n h e l p u s achieve quality sleep and vice versa, getting enough sleep could support good gut health

So how can we tackle our gut health and achieve quality sleep all at once?

Dr Michael Breus, who is also known as the sleep

doctor on TikTok, explains t h a t w h e n i t c o m e s t o snacking before bed, eating bananas could in fact help y o u f a l l a s l e e p f a s t “ B a n a n a s a r e c a l l e d ‘ n a t u r e ’ s s l e e p i n g p i l l ’ a s they’re loaded with magnesium,” Breus says M e a n w h i l e , s l e e p e x p e r t R o b H o b s o n explains that eating a balanced diet can help support your gut health, which can, in turn, improve sleep quali t y “ T h e q u a l i t y o f y o u r sleep can also be directly influenced by the type of foods you choose to eat

Therefore, it’s particularly

Yoga provides health benefits to older women prone to Alzheimer’s

important to eat the right foods if you ’ re struggling to sleep,”

Hobson says

Magnesium activates the parasympat h e t i c n e r v o u s s y stem, which is respons i b l e f o r r e l a x a t i o n

“The mineral is pres e n t i n d a r k g r e e n l e a f y v e g e t a b l e s , l e n t i l s , n u t s , a n d seeds Tryptophan helps to make melatonin - the sleep hormone - in the brain It is found in oily fish, chicken, t o f u , b e a n s , a n d o a t s , ” Hobson adds

He suggests partnering these with foods that are rich in tryptophan with carbohydrates to improve their uptake into the brain He explains that: “Vitamin B6 f o u n d i n f o o d s s u c h a s chicken, salmon, chickpeas, l e n t i l s , a v o c a d o , a n d bananas is also involved in m e l a t o n i n p r o d u c t i o n , which regulates the sleepwake cycle ”

Using a type of MRI that measures activity in regions and subregions of the brain, UCLA Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behaviour researchers discovered that Kundalini yoga, which combines movement and meditation and focuses on breathing, mantra recitation, and mental visualisation, increased connectivity in an area of the brain that can be impacted by stress and is associated with

r y i m p a i r m e n t , ” s h e said, adding, “This gentle form of yoga, which focuses more on breathing and mental engagem e n t t h a n o n m o v ement, like other forms of yoga, is ideal for older a d u l t s w h o m a y h a v e s o m e p h y s i c a l l i m i t ations ”

hippocampus, a critical area of the brain for learning and memory

“Kundalini yoga training

a p p e a r s t o b e t t e r t a r g e t stress-related hippocampal connectivity, whereas MET may better target sensory-

i n t e g r a t i o n s u b r e g i o n s o f the hippocampus, supporting better memory reliability,” said Lavretsky, director o f t h e L a t e - L i f e M o o d , S t r e s s , a n d W e l l n e s s Research Program

tivity in subregions of the

Maternal nutritional imbalance affects infant brain development

A c c or d i n g t o r e se a r ch e r s, un der nutr ition durin g pregn an cy is on e of the risk fa ct ors for disea se s in childr en a s th ey grow old er, ad ding t hat ma te rna l malnut rition r e ma ins a global issue for w o m e n R e se a r c he r s i n Ja pan ha ve n ow stud ie d if t he sa me e ffe ct s might be d e t e c t e d i n p e op le in t h e first human cohor t study on t he r e l a t i o n sh i p be t w e e n m ate rna l nut rition al imbala nce a nd in fa nt bra in dev elopm ent D r K u n i o M i y a k e , a researcher at the University o f Y a m a n a s h i a n d f i r s t a u t h o r o f t h e s t u d y p u bl i s h e d i n F r o n t i e r s i n Nutrition, said, “Most preg-

nant women in Japan consume far less dietary fibre t h a n w h a t i s t h e r e c o mmended intake Our results p r o v i d e d r e i n f o r c i n g e v id e n c e t h a t u n d e r n u t r i t i o n during pregnancy is associated with an increased risk o f n e u r o d e v e l o p m e n t a l delay in children ” I n c o m p a r i s o n t o t h e h i g h e s t - i n t a k e g r o u p , t h e children of mothers in the l o w - i n t a k e g r o u p s w e r e m o r e l i k e l y t o s h o w n e urodevelopmental delays The e f f e c t o f m a t e r n a l f i b r e undersupply was noticeable in several domains related to b r a i n f u n c t i o n A f f e c t e d were communication skills, problem-solving skills, and

p e r s o n a l - s o c i a l s k i l l s T h e r e s e a r c h e r s a l s o f o u n d delays in the development of large body part movement and Children’s Study It is an ongoing project to elucidate how the environment affects children’s health

"Nutritional guidance is crucial: The researchers also f o u n d t h a t t h e m e d i a n dietary fibre intake in Japan is just over 10 grams a day Only 8 4 per cent of Japanese pregnant women consumed e n o u g h f i b r e T h e y a l s o pointed out that the recomm e n d e d f i b r e i n t a k e f o r p r e g n a n t w o m e n v a r i e s : While in Japan, the recommended daily dietary fibre intake is 18 grams each day,

it is 28 grams in the US and Canada “Our results show that nutritional guidance for pregnant mothers is crucial to reduce the risk of future h e a l t h p r o b l e m s f o r t h e i r children,” said Miyake T h e r e s e a r c h e r s a l s o p o i n t e d t o c e r t a i n l i m i t ations of their study “Human s t u d i e s c a n n o t a s s e s s t h e effects of dietary fibre alone Although this study considered the impact of folic acid intake during pregnancy, the possibility of other nutrients having an impact cannot be c o m p l e t e l y r u l e d o u t , ” Miyake pointed out, adding, “ I n a d d i t i o n , d i e t a r y f i b r e i n t a k e f r o m s u p p l e m e n t s could not be investigated ”

Short bursts of intense exercise linked to reduced risk of cancer

R esearch publis hed in the j ou rn a l J A M A O n c ol og y u s ed da t a f ro m we a ra b le devi ces to track the daily a c ti v i t y o f ov e r 2 2 , 0 00 “ n on - e xe r c i s er s ” T he y f ound that 4-5 minutes of v i g o ro u s a c ti vi t y t h at m akes people huff and puff durin g daily task s is ass oc iated with a lower ri sk of s om e cance rs b y up to 32 per c ent R e s e a r c h e r s a t t h e U n i v e r s i t y o f S y d n e y i n A u s t r a l i a f o l l o w e d t h e g r o u p ’ s c l i n i c a l h e a l t h records for close to seven years to monitor for cancer

They found that four to five minutes of vigorous interm i t t e n t l i f e s t y l e p h y s i c a l activity or ‘VILPA’ was associated with a substantially lower cancer risk compared to those who undertook no VILPA

T h e r e s e a r c h e r s s a i d that adults who don’t exercise are at increased risk of developing certain cancers like breast, endometrial or c o l o n , b u t u n t i l r e c e n t l y , t h e i m p a c t o f l e s s s t r u ct u r e d f o r m s o f v i g o r o u s physical activity was unable to be measured

"We know the majority of middle-aged people don't r e g u l a r l y e x e r c i s e , w h i c h puts them at increased canc e r r i s k b u t i t i s o n l y through the advent of wear-

able technology like activity trackers that we are able to look at the impact of short bursts of incidental p h y s i c a l a c t i v i t y done as part of daily l i v i n g , ” s a i d l e a d a u t h o r P r o f e s s o r E m m a n u e l Stamatakis

"It is quite remarkable t o s e e t h a t u p p i n g t h e intensity of daily tasks for as little as four to five minutes a day, done in short b u r s t s o f a r o u n d o n e minute each, is linked to an overall reduction in cancer risk by up to 18 per cent, and up to 32 per cent for cancer types linked to physi c a l a c t i v i t y , " S t a m a t a k i s said In a study sample of 22,398 people with an average age of 62 who did not e x e r c i s e i n t h e i r l e i s u r e

time, the researchers found 2 , 3 5 6 n e w c a n c e r e v e n t s (1,084 in physical activityr e l a t e d c a n c e r ) o v e r a n a v e r a g e f o l l o w - u p o f 6 7 years A minimum of around 3 5 minutes of daily VILPA was associated with up to 1 8 p e r c e n t r e d u c t i o n i n cancer incidence, they said About 4 5 minutes of daily VILPA was associated with up to 32 per cent reduction in physical activity-related cancer incidence, according to the study

T h e s t e e p e s t g a i n s i n cancer risk reduction were s e e n i n p e o p l e w h o d i d s m a l l a m o u n t s o f V I L P A compared to those who did n o n e H o w e v e r , b e n e f i t s continued with higher levels of daily VILPA -- particularly for physical activityrelated cancers

“ T h e k e y t a k e a w a y i s that this study adds to the l i t e r a t u r e s u p p o r t i n g t h e benefits of yoga for brain health, especially for women who have greater perceived stress and subjective memo-

Based on their findings, t h e y o g a “ t r a i n i n g m a y b e t t e r t a r g e t h i p p o c a m p a l s u b r e g i o n c o n n e c t i v i t y impacted by stress, which m a y a i d i n p r o c e s s i n g information, including facial information, into memory, ” t h e a u t h o r s s a i d , a d d i n g , “ t h e o b s e r v e d g r e a t e r i n c r e a s e d c o n n e c t i v i t y b e t w e e n a n t e r i o r a n d p o s t e r i o r h i p p o c a m p a l s u b r e g i o n s w i t h K Y K K training than with MET may suggest superior long-term neuroprotective benefits in t e r m s o f v u l n e r a b l e h i p p o c a m p a l c o n n e c t i o n s critical to episodic memory with KY KK training ”

Environmentally friendly foods could enhance lifespan

According to new re se ar ch, ea ting more foods tha t a re good for the en viron ment ma y help y ou live a lon ger , h ealthier life In a st ud y wit h a follow-up of more tha n 3 0 y ea rs, r esea rchers discover ed t hat t hose who at e more susta ina bly wer e 25 pe r cen t le ss lik ely to pa ss awa y tha n those who didn ’t

The research expands on earlier studies that identified foods that are beneficial to both human health and the environment, such as whole grains, fruit, non-starchy vegetables, nuts, and unsaturated oils, as well as foods that may be detrimental to both, such as eggs and red and processed meats According to the latest research, consuming more healthful meals may lower one's risk of dying from conditions including cancer, heart disease, respiratory illnesses, and neurological disorders

“We proposed a new diet score that incorporates the best current scientific evidence of food effects on both health and the environment,” said Linh Bui, MD, a PhD candidate in the Department of Nutrition at Harvard T H Chan School of Public Health “The results confirmed our hypothesis that a higher Planetary Health Diet score was associated with a lower risk of mortality ”

With the new study, the researchers aimed to create a simple tool that policymakers and public health practitioners could use to develop strategies to improve public health and address the climate crisis

“As a millennial, I have always been concerned about mitigating human impacts on the environment,” said Bui “A sustainable dietary pattern should not only be healthy but also consistent within planetary boundaries for greenhouse gas emissions and other environmental parameters ”

To create their Planetary Health Diet Index (PHDI), researchers reviewed existing research on the relationships between various food groups and health outcomes based on the EAT-Lancet reference diet that accounts for the environmental impacts of food production practices They then applied the index to analyse outcomes among over 100,000 participants in two large cohort studies conducted in the United States The data set included over 47,000 deaths during a follow-up period spanning over three decades from 1986-2018

Kriti Sanon launches affordable beauty line on birthday

Actor Kriti Sanon is the latest celebrity to unveil her beauty brand, after Katrina Kaif and Deepika Padukone She made the announcement on social media last week as she turned 33 She had recently launched her production house, Blue Butterfly Films Taking to Instagram, Kriti dropped the first ad of her brand In the caption, she wrote, “Happy Birthday to me! It’s finally here! Today, on 27th July 2023, my heart is filled with joy and gratitude as I welcome you all to our world of Hyphen!”

“Hyphen is a hope of possibilities, o p p o r t u n i t i e s a n d o f a d d i n g m o r e chapters to life! And this chapter of my l i f e i s s u p e r s p e c i a l ! T u r n i n g m y obsession of skincare into passion and then into a dream- a dream of getting a lot of amazing ingredients together to m a k e p o w e r - p a c k e d p r o d u c t s t h a t actually work! We’ve hyphened the power of nature and potency of science to give multiple benefits from each product People say “You can’t have it all!” But why not? Just HYPHEN it! H e r e ’ s t o g l o w i n g a n d g r o w i n g

together! I can't thank the entire team o f H y p h e n a n d m y c o - f o u n d e r s enough who’ve worked endlessly to get our baby out on my birthday Best birthday gift ever! @always brewing @ t a r u n s h a r m a 8 8 @ m o h i t j a i n 3 1 1 0

@vikas

lachhwani @saurabh2014 ism

We are live! Check out all the products on letshyphen com Love & Gratitude,” she signed out as the co-founder and chief customer officer of the brand

Hyphen is a budget-friendly beauty brand As per its website, the products start at Rs 449 and go up to Rs 649 So f a r , t h e b r a n d h a s a t o t a l o f f o u r products All of them are said to be clinically tested, Peta certified, vegan and come with zero plastic footprints

On the work front, Kriti will be seen in the upcoming film ‘The Crew,’ with Kareena Kapoor and Tabu Ekta Kapoor and Rhea Kapoor produce the film Besides this, Kriti also has an untitled film with Shahid Kapoor and ‘ G a n a p a t h ’ w i t h A m i t a b h B a c h c h a n and Tiger Shroff She is also reuniting with her Dilwale co-star Kajol in her maiden project, ‘Do Patti,’ which will release on Netflix

Ayushmann talks about his music career, calls himself 'lucky'

Act or Ay ush mann Khurrana has establi sh ed hi mse lf as a sing er wit h big h its such as ‘ Paani Da Rang , ’ ‘Saadi G ali , ’ ‘Mi tt i Di Khushboo,’ ‘ Nazm Nazm, ’ and ‘H aare ya’ to name a few He re cent ly rel eased a new si ng le, ‘Raat an Kaali yan’ whi ch has also re ndere d it se lf t o be come a hi t The si ng er col laborate d wit h R ochak Kohli for t he track .

Taking to Instagram, the actor shared a glimpse of the song which he captioned, “This little piece of my heart is yours from today! The brand new track #RaatanKaaliyan is now out Tune in now Link in b i o A y u s h m a n n X R o c h a k ” G u r p r e e t S a i n i a n d G a u t a m Sharma wrote the lyrics for the song Khurrana demonstrates his extraordinary talent as a performer in the music video S h a r i n g h i s f e e l i n g s , Ayushmann said in a statement, “I’m glad that Raatan Kaaliyan is being called a hit song now and that it is getting so much love from Indians and South Asians across so many countries The feedback and t h e l o v e t h a t I ’ m g e t t i n g f r o m people across the world is simply overwhelming This reminds me that I should give more time to my music and give the audience more music and hopefully they enjoy it in the years to come!”

He said he is lucky to have a c h a r t b u s t e r - f i l l e d m u s i c c a r e e r Ayushmann said, “My music is a reflection of my soul and my state of mind I believe I bare my deepest thoughts through my music and I ’ m f o r t u n a t e t h a t p e o p l e h a v e

loved my music since Paani Da Rang and the emotions that I have

Dharmendra opens up about on-screen kiss with Shabana Azmi

Veteran actor Dharmendra opened up about his onscreen kiss with co-star Shabana Azmi in their just-released film, ‘Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani ’ Directed by Karan Johar, the film features Ranveer Singh and Alia Bhatt in the lead However, audience also appreciated the chemistry between Shabana and Dharmendra

Kangana says 'womaniser superstar' begged her to date him

Actor Kangana Ranaut has once again lashed out at Bollywood celebrities, digging up her alleged affair with Hrithik Roshan and dragging Ranbir Kapoor and Alia Bhatt. She shared a bunch of posts on Instagram Stories after someone told her that a person was scamming others and hacking their account by pretending to be her representative

In the movie, the two actors play lost l o v e r s w h o r e u n i t e a f t e r y e a r s a s t h e i r grandchildren fall in love The film revolves around two opposites who fall in love but their families clash with each other due to cultural differences Addressing his kiss in t h e f i l m w i t h S h a b a n a i n t h e m o v i e , D h a r m e n d r a s a i d , “ I a m h e a r i n g t h a t Shabana and I have surprised the audience with the kissing scene, and at the same time they have even applauded it I think people w e r e n ’ t e x p e c t i n g i t a n d i t c a m e v e r y suddenly which is why it created an impact

The last time I did a kissing scene was in ‘Life In A Metro’ with Nafisa Ali and at that time too people had appreciated it ”

“When Karan narrated the scene to us, I did not get excited (laughs) We understood it and I realised that it was something that the film required and wasn’t forcefully put in and I said I will do it Also, I believe there is no age for romance Age is just a number and two people irrespective of age will show their love for each other by kissing Shabana a n d I b o t h d i d n o t f e e l a n y k i n d o f awkwardness while doing it as it was very aesthetically shot,” he added

tried to convey through my songs ”

K h u r r a n a a d d e d , “ I t i s t h e audience who make music into chartbusters It has to appeal to t h e i r h e a r t a n d s p e a k t o t h e i r mind No amount of publicity or marketing can make a song into a h i t T h e r e i s n o f o r m u l a f o r i t because delivering a hit completely d e p e n d s o n h o w y o u r s o n g connects with the audience ”

On the work front, he is all set to come up with the sequel to his hit film ‘Dream Girl ’ He recently shared a glimpse of his character Pooja on Instagram The poster depicts Ayushmann in a peculiar persona Only his face is visible to the audience as he emerges from behind a bright curtain The film will be out on August 25

The ‘Emergency’ actress recalled how she, too, was scammed by a per pretending to be Hrithik once She wrote, “Film mafia has always indulged in criminal activities, this superstar who I dated later claimed that I was dating his imposter He used to use different numbers and accounts to chat with me, he also hacked my account and operated in a shady way I thought he was going through a divorce but later I found out that had nothing to do with the shady behaviour ”

Talking about how “film mafia” operate when it comes to films’ box office collections, she wrote, “They buy fake bulk tickets and manipulate collections also inflate to unreasonable proportions They also spy and buy Whatsapp data I always see information about

my contracts and personal life being exploited These are not just talentless stupid people They have criminal tendencies very scary @cybercrimehelp mumbai please take action ” Kangana also hit out at Ranbir and Alia in another post She implied that the actor once begged her date him, hough she did not name anyone “Another superstar who is known to be a womaniser anded at my use and begged o date him but kept meeting secretly to pursue me, when I questioned this shady behaviour he said he was getting a trilogy to date a papa ki pari who he didn’t love, I was not ok with that and I said no to such a situation, he too started to communicate from various numbers and accounts till I blocked all and then I felt he hacked all my devices He even said his marriage was fake and baby is a trick of promote the movie I was beyond appalled I still can't believe if anyone can be so morally corrupt, they aren t humans they are demons that's why I am determined to destroy them Dharma's main purpose is to destroy Adharma That's what Shri Krishna said in Geeta,” she said

While the actor believes he could have done better in the film, he also called it 'fantastic' He appreciated Karan as a ‘good director’ and said he thoroughly enjoyed their collaboration He also lauded Ranveer as a ‘terrific’ actor and said Alia is a natural one

Sussanne praises Narayan Murthy for criticising Kareena’s behaviour with fans

ActorHrithik Roshan’s ex-wife Susanne Khan has praised Infosys founder Narayan Murthy for criticising actor Kareena Kapoor. In an old video recirculated recently, Murthy talks about how the actress ignored her fans on a flight. In a conversation at IITKanpur, he shared an incident and voiced his surprise at the actor not acknowledging her fans on a flight H e s a i d , “ T h e o t h e r d a y I w a s c o m i n g f r o m

L o n d o n , a n d n e x t t o m e w a s K a r e e n a Kapoor, sitting in her seat So many people came to her and they said hello She didn't e v e n b o t h e r t o r e a c t I w a s a l i t t l e b i t surprised Whoever came to me, I stood up, and we discussed for a minute or half a minute-that's all they were expecting ”

His wife, Sudha Murthy, sitting beside him, tried to defend the actor She said, “She has a million admirers She must have been t i r e d M u r t h y , a I n f o s y s f o u n d e r a n d a software person, may have 10,000 (fans), but a film actor will get a million ” Narayan Murthy continued, "That is not the issue

The issue is that when somebody shows a f f e c t i o n , y o u c a n a l s o s h o w i t b a c k , however cryptic manner you can I think that is very important These are all ways to reduce your ego, that's all ”

Stereotypical ‘Rocky and Rani’ teach us how to embrace differences

Rupanjana Dutta

Fil mmaker K aran Johar’s family entertainer, Rocky Aur R ani Ki i P rem Kaha ani, h as had an ex ceptional response i n th e UK and overseas markets i n i ts debut weekend, coll ectin g arou nd $ 4 mill ion despi te Barbie an d Oppenhei mer domi nating th eatres Wh il e competi ng w ith th ese Hol lywood releases for screen s, the fi lm is stil l provin g to be hi gh ly successful i n ci nemas arou nd the world The fi lm has h ugel y popu lar and accompli sh ed lead actors, Ali a Bh att an d Ran veer Si ngh, al on gsi de veteran arti sts, Dharmendra, Jaya Bachchan an d Shaban a Azmi , collaborati ng w ith filmmakin g maestro, Karan Joh ar, in this fami ly- fri en dly genre

The film revolves around the love story of Rocky and Rani, as the title suggests, between a stereotypical flamboyant Punjabi boy who meets an intellectual Bengali girl u n d e r u n u s u a l c i r c u m s t a n c e s A n d l o v e conquers all But if only life was that easy!

The plot of the film isn’t anything we haven't seen before, but it has a feel-good effect and some essence of truth in it As a Bengali who has spent time in Delhi for a bit, can actually relate to the judgement for each other (among Punjabis and Bengalis), as shown in the film

Acting by Ranveer Singh, Shabana Azmi, Alia Bhatt, Churni Ganguly and Tota Roy Chowdhury are commendable Though I found Alia’s Bengali accent off the mark, Shabana Azmi, once again proved that she’s t h e “ Q u e e n ” - w i t h h e r i m p e c c a b l e pronunciations, a quintessentially Bengali style, as popularly seen in Satyajit Ray’s protagonists in 1960s

A z m i c o u l d e a s i l y pass off as a modern-day B e n g a l i ‘ t h a k u m a ’ ( g r a n d m o t h e r )e l o q u e n t , r i g h t e o u s , progressive yet romantic, w i t h a n e y e f o r y e s t e r y e a r ’ s b e a u t i f u l music and poetries

While Jaya Bachchan is remarkable as the cold and regressive matriarch of the Randhawa family, h e r p e r s o n a l i t y i s a n e x t e n s i o n o f Y a s h R a i c h a n d ( A m i t a b h B a c h c h a n ) f r o m K a b h i Khushi Kabhi Gham (K3G) w i t h a m i x o f N a r a y a n S h a n k a r ( a l s o p l a y e d b y h e r h u s b a n d A m i t a b h B a c h c h a n ) i n Mohabbatein, making her unrelatable Her real power acting can be seen, when she walks away from the burning ghat as Azmi e n t e r s - w i t h t h e f e e l i n g o f c o n t e m p t palpable in her expression T h e f i l m , d e s p i t e i t s f l a w s s u c h a s

Israel embassy condemns 'trivialisation' of Holocaust in ‘Bawaal’

s h a l l o w r o m a n t i c i s i n g o f i n f i d e l i t y a n d several cultural stereotypes, is an absolute riot Why? Because it is a lesson on how to embrace differences without complicating t h i n g s u n n e c e s s a r i l y T h e f i l m a l s o effectively builds a larger-than-life imagevery Sanjay Leela Bhansali kind, but then again, what is a film that cannot sell a dream without these ‘little’ extravaganzas? Ishita Moitra's screenplay and dialogues are funny and relevant too - especially the reference to Bengal CM Mamta Banerjee's famous words "khela hobe"!

R a n v e e r S i n g h i n h i s e n e r g e t i c c o m e d y a v a t a r has found a new fan in me, e s p e c i a l l y t h e e a s e w i t h which he has portrayed the l i v e l y “ P u n j a b i M u n d a ” (boy), his exuberance for l i f e a n d h o w q u i c k l y h e transforms into an ideal

B e n g a l i ' j a m a i ' ( s o n - i nlaw/groom) to win over his bae’s family

T o t a R o y c h o w d h u r y deserves a special mention for his bold performance o n M a d h u r i a n d

Aishwarya’s famous ‘Dola r e ’ ( f r o m D e v d a s ) , a n d Churni Ganguly for her effortless portrayal of a Tharoorian - simply at their best

Karan Johar has indeed evolved as a filmmaker He has also broken boundaries by casting Bengali actors from Tollywood for Bengali roles in a Bollywood film, a true visionary for unifying India’s best talents under one fancy umbrella

Sonam, Anil share warm birthday wishes for Anand Ahuja

Actress Sonam Kapoor shared a heartfelt message for her husband, Anand Ahuja, on his birthday. Her father, Anil Kapoor, also took to social media to share a warm message for his son-in-law. He mentioned how seeing Anand with his son makes him want to turn back time and dote on his kids the same way

Anil shared a few pictures of Anand, one of which showed him p l a y i n g w i t h h i s s o n V a y u H e wrote, “Happy Birthday my son @anandahuja! Since you came into our lives, you have been an adoring son to us, an amazing partner to S o n a m a n d n o w , t h e m o s t incredible father to Vayu Sunita and I always talk about how lucky Vayu is to have a father as doting and committed as you ” He added, “Watching you with Vayu makes me wish I had been able to spend more time with my kids when they were y o u n g e r Y o u ' v e s e t n e w s t a n d a r d s f o r fathers everywhere, and I for one, will try to

live up to them as best as I can Love you!

@anandahuja ”

Meanwhile, Sonam also shared a bunch of photos of herself with Anand, with Vayu joining them in a few “Dear Anand, a year around the sun again, this time with our beautiful boy We love you the most in the world, you kind, sensitive wonderful man

Everyone realises how special you are but no one knows how hard you work to be the best version of y o u r s e l f p h y s i c a l l y , m e n t a l l y , e m o t i o n a l l y a n d s p i r i t u a l l y F l y h i g h a n d r e a c h f o r t h e s t a r s

@anandahuja Life is just going to b e t t e r a n d b e t t e r b e c a u s e y o u d e s e r v e e v e r y t h i n g a n d m o r e # e v e r y d a y p h e n o m e n a l , ” s h e wrote S o n a m a n d A n a n d t i e d t h e k n o t o n M a y 8 , 2 0 1 8 , i n a traditional Anand Karaj ceremony I n M a r c h 2 0 2 2 , t h e c o u p l e announced they were expecting t h e i r f i r s t c h i l d t o g e t h e r T h e couple welcomed their baby boy on August 20, 2022, in Mumbai

Sonam was recently seen in the film 'Blind' directed by Shome Makhija and also s t a r r i n g P u r a b K o h l i , V i n a y P a t h a k , a n d Lillete Dubey in prominent roles The film's first look was unveiled at the Jio Studio's event According to reports, she has signed two more projects

Sara and Saif come together in an ad for the first time

Nitesh Tiwari’s Varun Dhawan-Janhvi

Kapoor starrer ‘Bawaal’ finds itself wrapped in controversy The romantic drama follows a high school history teacher Ajay Dixit (Dhawan), and his wife, Nisha (Janvi), as they go on a Europe tour where they visit prominent World War II sites, including Auschwitz and Anne Frank’s home in Amsterdam.

The film includes controversial lines comparing marital discord to Auschwitz and greedy people to Hitler It also shows both the actors in striped pyjamas in a Nazi camp i n a f a n t a s y s e q u e n c e A f t e r t h e J e w i s h organisation The Simon Wiesenthal Center, the Israeli embassy has now called out the m o v i e f o r t h e “ t r i v i a l i s a t i o n ” o f t h e Holocaust

In a statement, the embassy said, "The I s r a e l i e m b a s s y i s d i s t u r b e d b y t h e t r i v i a l i z a t i o n o f t h e s i g n i f i c a n c e o f t h e Holocaust in the recent movie ‘Bawaal ’ There was a poor choice in the utilization of some terminology in the movie, and though we assume no malice was intended, we urge everyone who may not be fully aware of the h o r r o r s o f t h e H o l o c a u s t t o e d u c a t e themselves about it ” They added, “Our embassy is constantly working to propagate educational materials on this crucial subject, a n d w e a r e o p e n t o e n g a g i n g i n conversations with all individuals to foster a b e t t e r u n d e r s t a n d i n g o f t h e u n i v e r s a l lessons derived from the Holocaust ”

Israeli ambassador to India Naor Gilon also tweeted, “I did not and will not watch the film Bawaal but from what I’ve read, there was a poor choice of terminology and symbolism Trivialization of the Holocaust should disturb all I urge those who don’t k n o w e n o u g h a b o u t t h e h o r r o r s o f t h e #Holocaust to educate themselves about it ”

Father-daughter

duo Sara Ali Khan and Saif Ali Khan starred together in an ad for the first time The clip features Sara in the role of a cop and Saif as a convict Fans have loved both the actors together and want to see them together in a film

The video begins with Saif talking to s o m e o n e a b o u t c a r i n s u r a n c e H e i s wearing a prison uniform and is seated inside an interrogation room This is where Sara, dressed as a cop, enters the scene and tells Saif to embrace new habits To this, Saif nods his head and agrees with her

Sharing the video, Sara wrote in the comment section, “Maine toh dad ko car insurance lene ka naya tarika sikha diya! Coz, you ’ re never too young to teach your dad something new, hain na (I have taught my

dad about car insurance)” The ad is for Acko

Check app

Commenting on the video, a fan wrote in the comment section, “We need behind the

scenes videos of this ad!” Another added, “Handsome papa cute daughter ” “I want the Saif Sara movie asap, ” said one more Someone also mentioned, “Want to see you both in a movie ”

Sara is the first child of Saif and his first wife, Amrita Singh She was nine years old when her parents got divorced She also has a younger brother Ibrahim

A l i K h a n w h o w i l l b e m a k i n g h i s Bollywood debut soon

S a i f d a t e d K a r e e n a K a p o o r a f t e r parting ways with Amrita They married in 2012 and had their first son Taimur Ali K h a n i n 2 0 1 6 T h e y e m b r a c e d parenthood once again when had a son Jehangir Ali Khan in 2021 Sara shares a good bond with Kareena and her half-brothers, Taimur and Jeh

“Auschwitz is not a metaphor It is a quintessential example of man ’ s capacity for evil", said Rabbi Abraham Cooper, SWC A s s o c i a t e D e a n a n d D i r e c t o r o f G l o b a l Social Action "By having the protagonist in this movie declare that ‘Every relationship g o e s t h r o u g h t h e i r A u s c h w i t z , ’ N i t e s h Tiwari, trivialises and demeans the memory of 6 million murdered Jews and millions of others who suffered at the hands of Hitler’s g e n o c i d a l r e g i m e , " C o o p e r s a i d “ I f t h e filmmaker’s goal was to gain PR for the m o v i e b y r e p o r t e d l y f i l m i n g a f a n t a s y sequence at the Nazi death camp, he has succeeded,” he added

“Amazon Prime should stop monetising Bawaal by immediately removing this banal trivialization of the suffering and systematic murder of millions of victims of the Nazi Holocaust,” he said in the statement

Meanwhile, Tiwari has long defended the movie, ahead of its release on Prime Video on July 21 He said that he had tried to incorporate chapters from history which contribute to the arc of the film’s lead c h a r a c t e r s “ I ' v e k e p t t h e i n c i d e n t s a n d events, which kind of play an important role i n t h e a r c o f t h e c h a r a c t e r s a n d t h e i r relationships in the movie Every incident has been carefully chosen World War 2 is humongous, there is so much to say," the filmmaker said

Ranveer and Alia during film promotion in Kolkata

Mrunal Thakur calls Dulquer Salmaan 'super humble superstar'

Actor Dulquer Salmaan celebrated his 37th birthday last week and received a barrage of wishes online Among those to wish the actor on his special day was his ‘Sita Ramam’ co-star Mrunal Thakur who took to Instagram and shared a sweet and heartfelt message for him accompanied by a bunch of pictures. She called him a “super humble superstar.” Dulquer responded to Mrunal’s post in the comments.

Samantha loses her sunglasses to monkeys in Bali

Afterannouncing a break from acting, actor Samantha Ruth Prabhu flew from India to Indonesia with her friend Anusha Swamy Both of them have been sharing pictures and videos from their vacation. Sam recently shared pictures on Instagram as she travelled to Uluwatu in Bali. The duo took a road trip and gave glimpses of their experience. For the travel, Samantha wore an olive green dress, a hat and dark sunglasses.

In a photo, she stood near the edge of a building and looked at the water She posed with her back to the camera and looked at a wall with the definition of Uluwatu written on it in another pict u r e S h a r i n g t h e p h o t o , S a m a n t h a wrote, "Ulu (white heart emoji) " She a l s o g e o - t a g g e d t h e l o c a t i o n a s Uluwatu

Taking to her Instagram Stories, she

shared a video after starting a journey by road Recording a clip as she sat in her car, Samantha wrote, "Road trip " In the next clip, many monkeys were seen running towards the forest She wrote, "About to find out just how smart these brats are (smirking face emoji) ” Samantha next shared how she lost her sunglasses to a monkey She posted her photo wearing sunglasses A monkey w a s s e e n p e e k i n g f r o m b e h i n d h e r S h e d r e w a heart around it and wrote, "The last time I saw my shades " In the next video, a monkey held her sunglasses w h i l e a p e r s o n t r i e d t o retrieve them but he was unsuccessful She wrote in t h e c l i p , " W e l l h e d o e s have really good taste ”

She thanked the makers of the film because it led her to be introduced to the actor She shared a bunch of pictures, one of which saw both Mrunal and Dulquer posing with the camera goofily Another picture was a beautiful still from the shooting of the film in which the two of them are seated on a boat filled with flowers The last picture saw Dulquer standing in front of a cake

Mrunal shared these pictures with a heartfelt caption which read, "I can’t thank the makers of Sita Ramam enough for introducing me to this super grounded, super humble, super talented, superstar! You are my inspiration in many ways and I’ve learnt so so much from you thank you for introducing me to Malayalam songs, thank you helping me overcome my fear of learning new languages and thank you for making my first Telugu film so special Wishing you a very very happy birthday @dqsalmaan! Thank you for all the memories here’s to the ones we are yet to make (red heart emoticon)”

It was not long before Dulquer saw the sweet message for him and responded in the comments "Awwww !!! This was the sweetest !!! You don’t need anyone to inspire you You are unique and authentic in the truest sense Thank you thank you mrunal !! But you know you ’ re forever sita garu !!! (red heart emoticons)" he wrote

Meanwhile, to mark Dulquer's birthday, the makers of his next, Lucky Baskhar, shared a first-look poster of the film Helmed by Venky Atluri, the director of ‘Vaathi,’ the film is produced by Sithara Entertainment in collaboration with Fortune Four Cinemas Sithara Entertainment wrote on their official Instagram handle, "Presenting you #LuckyBaskhar - Embark on a Captivating Journey, The Unraveling Triumphs of an Ordinary Man! Wishing the man of elegance and charm, @dulQuer, a very Happy Birthday! #HBDDulquerSalmaan" The first look had Dulquer Salmaan peeping through two Rs 100 notes with only his smile visible

Rajinikanth reveals getting 'lot of calls' to replace Nelson in ‘Jailer’ after ‘Beast’ response

ActorRajinikanth spoke about alcoholism, his negative response to Vijay’s ‘Beast’ and how once the thought of removing the superstar title crossed his mind during the audio launch of his upcoming action drama 'Jailer ’ The event took place in Chennai’s Nehru Indoor Stadium over the weekend as fans thronged in to see their favourite actor

tributors called him and advised him to replace Nelson in ‘Jailer’ a f t e r h i s f i l m ‘ B e a s t , ’ s t a r r i n g Vijay, opened to negative reviews “ W e h a d s h o t a p r o m o a n d a n n o u n c e d t h e f i l m B e a s t released after the promo launch and it received negative reviews I received a lot of calls from distributors to replace director Nelson We then had a meeting with the S u n P i c t u r e s t e a m T h e y h a d

Sanjay Dutt’s first look as Antony Das from ‘Leo’ unveiled

A c c o r d i n g t o T w i t t e r u s e r

@VenkatRamanan , Rajinikanth opened up about his alcoholism

He said, "If there was no alcohol, I would have served the society Alcoholism is the biggest mistake I have made in life I am not saying to avoid it totally Have alcohol when you have fun Don’t drink regularly It will spoil the health and happiness ”

Talking about the film industry, he said, “We should bring our industry bigger Only if big heroes film run, theatres will earn, and everyone will earn Everyone is o u r b r o t h e r W e s h o u l d m a k e every film run ”

Rajinikanth said several dis-

i n f o r m e d m e t h a t B e a s t , e v e n t h o u g h r e c e i v e d p o o r r e v i e w s , didn’t cause any losses for its distributors," he said as quoted by a report H e l m e d b y N e l s o n Dilipkumar, Rajinikanth plays the role of Jailer Muthuvel Pandian in the film It is touted to be an a c t i o n - p a c k e d e n t e r t a i n e r a n d has a stellar star cast that includes Priyanka Mohan, Shiva Rajkumar, Jackie Shroff, Ramya Krishnan, Y o g i B a b u , V a s a n t h R a v i , V i n a y a k a n i n p r o m i n e n t r o l e s The makers have roped in actor Mohanlal for an extended cameo in the film ‘Jailer’ is set to release on August 10 this year

Filmmaker

Lokesh Kanagaraj shared the first glimpse of actor Sanjay Dutt from his upcoming film ‘Leo,’ on the occasion of his 64th birthday Headlined by Tamil superstar Thalapathy Vijay, the movie marks Sanjay’s Tamil debut He had previously forayed into South cinema with the 2022 blockbuster Kannada film ‘KGF: Chapter 2 ’

"Meet #AntonyDas A small gift from all of us to you @duttsanjay sir! It was indeed a pleasure to work with you! #HappyBirthdaySanjayDutt #Leo, Lokesh Kanagaraj posted on Twitter alongside a teaser video of Sanjay from the film

The short clip sees Sanjay's Antony Das making his way through a huge gathering, followed by a close look at the actor, who is seen sporting a rugged look with a grey beard and moustache

Reacting to the clip, a fan wrote, “#SanjayDutt look is just lit ” A comment read, “Looks intense ” A tweet read, “Unable to imagine Thalapathy Vijay and Antony Das face off " “The evil form #Antony is set to clash the pure evil #Leo," said a Twitter user

Sanjay said the teaser is "just a hint of the epic journey that lies ahead ” He also thanked the film's team for sharing his first look on his birthday ‘Leo’ also features Trisha Krishnan, Arjun Sarja, Mansoor Ali Khan, Priya Anand, Mysskin and Gautham Vasudev Menon

The first poster of the movie was unveiled last month to celebrate Vijay's 49th birthday They also released the Tamil movie’s first song ‘Naa Ready ’ Anirudh Ravichander, who composed music for Lokesh’s earlier movies ‘Master’ and ‘Vikram,’ is scoring the soundtrack of the film SS Lalit Kumar produces the project

Sushmita to play transgender activist Shreegauri in her upcoming show ‘Taali’

Neelam Gill clears the air on dating rumours with Leonardo Dicaprio

Hollywood superstar Leonardo DiCaprio has recently been linked to British-Indian model Neelam Gill The two fuelled speculations after being spotted together on multiple occasions Recently, Gill and DiCaprio were seen spending time together on a yacht in Sardinia.

been pictured in the same vicinity is because I have been there with my partner I hope this clears up all the false stories ”

G i l l i s a 2 8 - y e a r - o l d m o d e l born in Coventry, Warwickshire, England, on 27 April 1995 Her r o o t s a r e i n I n d i a , w h e r e h e r grandparents were born in Punjab S h e h a s w o r k e d f o r B u r b e r r y ,

ita Sen is all set to aracter of popular ivist Shreegauri pcoming show f the series released e weekend It nt’s inspiring er college days to nd significant revolutionising the vement in a ’ s portrayal racter seems ng and ul The al synopsis , “Gaali se i tak ke r ki yeh aani enting the y of egauri’s for India’s gender ” Fans on ernet welcomed the nd appreciated s presence Ganesh in Pune, hreegauri is a tivist and one of in the NALSA case er struggle led to ourt’s recognition individuals as the

third gender in 2014

Talking about her role, Sushmita had earlier said, “A story of struggle, resilience, and indomitable power, that’s Shreegauri for you! Nothing makes me more proud and grateful than to bring this journey that has been rife with challenges, only to witness a revolution! This one is special for reasons

I am not quitting ‘Bigg Boss OTT 2,’ confirms Salman

multifold, and I’m really excited to associate with Viacom18 for this one This is just the beginning; stay tuned for what’s in store ”

The show is created by Arjun Singgh Baran and Kartk D Nishandar and is helmed by Ravi Jadhav ‘Taali’ is written by Kshitij Patwardhan and produced by Arjun Singgh Baran, Kartk D Nishandar and Afeefa Nadiadwala

Actor Salman Khan recently opened up about his show ‘Bigg Boss OTT 2’ and revealed what keeps him motivated. The popular host was recently seen leaving it midway after losing his cool. He appears weekly during the ‘Weekend Ka Vaar’ episodes of the show.

She later took to her Instagram account and shared a post shutting d o w n a l l d a t i n g r u m o u r s G i l l w r o t e , “

y r u m o r s I a m n o t L e o n a r d o DiCaprio’s ‘ new flame’ In fact, I am in a committed relationship with his good friend, and have been for many months now ” She added, “The only reason we have

Abercrombie & Fitch and other high-profile fashion companies

Meanwhile, DiCaprio is also rumoured to be dating supermodel

Gigi Hadid A media report quoted a source saying, “They were with s e p a r a t e g r o u p s o f p e o p l e b u t partied together for two nights They were flirty and Gigi looked happy ”

Netflix’s recently released crime thriller ‘Kohrra’ continues to receive rave reviews from critics and the audience Star of the show, Suvinder Vicky, is riding high at fan admiration In a recent interview, he said, “The show has gone viral I am experiencing this for the first time in my life and my career When I am shooting a project, I never think about whether it will get popular or not. I never think about appreciation when I am working, but just give my 100% to the project ”

H e r e v e a l s t h a t s o m e h a v e drawn a comparison between his acting skills and late actor Irrfan K h a n V i c k y s a y s , “ T h a t w a s a dream come true moment for me The compliment will stay close to my heart forever, that too to get it from the audience not from an i n d u s t r y m e m b e r T h e t h o u g h t that they compared me with him is a big thing for me I have done

nothing in front of him, so it is a huge honour for me I have looked up to him and his work since my theatre days ”

H e h a s f e a t u r e d i n s e v e r a l projects, including ‘Udta Punjab,’ ‘Kesari,’ and ‘CAT ’ Looking back, h e s a y s , “ M o s t o f m y e a r l i e r projects have got critical acclaim, and won awards as well But, this is the first time that I’ve got such wider acclaim from the audience I’m very happy that the audience is getting up to notice that I’m a good actor In fact, that is making people curious about my previous work, my struggle and my journey as an actor People are wondering where this guy was? This is the first time that I have gotten popular among the masses I am very happy about it ”

Meanwhile, on the work front, S u v i n d e r ’ s u p c o m i n g p r o j e c t ‘Punjab ’ 95 ’ is going to feature in the Toronto International Film Festival this year

A report quoted Salman as saying, “My fans are my biggest achievement and pride! I am what I am because of them Yes, I lose my cool on the show and sometimes even walk out but I always come back only and only

for my fans who patiently wait for my Weekend ka Vaar ” In one of the July segments, Salman was spotted hosting the show with a cigarette in his hand He also mentioned the Fword on the OTT version of the reality show

Later, reports about his quitting the show began circulating over the internet after pictures of him holding a cigarette in the show went viral

People comparing me to Irrfan Khan has been the biggest honour: Suvinder Vicky

Perfect ending for Broad and England

Stuart Broad delivered a fitting f inale to his cri cket c areer by tak ing the las t two wic kets to c li nc h Engl and a se rie s- tyi ng vi ctory on Day 5 of the fif th

A shes Tes t agains t Australia on

M onday An Ashes series that h a d pr e t ty m u c h ev e r y th i n g en ded with one last dram atic tw is t as Eng land produc ed a s ti rri ng re cove ry i n the fi nal s es s i on to d i s m i s s th e

A us trali ans - who were c ha sing 384 to wi n the s eries 3- 1 - f or 334 an d earn a 49-run vic tory at The O val

It was Broad who finished off the tourists, removing Todd Murphy and Alex Carey to take his career tally of wickets to

Yorkshire fined £400,000 over cricket racism scandal

D ue to claims of racis m and p reju dice at th e club o ver a 17year p erio d, Yorkshire has been fined £400,000 and given a 48p oint reduction in th is year's Co unty Ch amp ionship by th e E CB 's Cr i c ke t D i sc i p l i n e C o m mi s s io n T h e t u rb u l en c e sp arked when Azeem Rafiq first made p ublic h is exp eriences at the clu b in S ep tember 2020 will co me to an end as th e club will no t app eal the ru ling

T h e c l u b a d m i t t e d f o u r c h a r g e s , w i t h s e p a r a t e f i n e s l e v i e d f o r e a c h T h e m i s h a n d l i n g o f t h e i r i n i t i a l report into Rafiq’s experiences brought an £80,000 fine; the d e l i b e r a t e m a s s d e l e t i o n o f emails and documents relating t o t h a t r e p o r t b r o u g h t a £ 5 0 , 0 0 0 f i n e , a n d b o t h f o r repeatedly failing to act upon allegations of racist behaviour, and for failing to address “the s y s t e m i c u s e o f r a c i s t o r d i s c r i m i n a t o r y l a n g u a g e ” between 2004 and 2021 they

were fined £135,000 In its report the CDC said Y o r k s h i r e h a d “ a l r e a d y b e e n s i g n i f i c a n t l y p u n i s h e d financially, organisationally and r e p u t a t i o n a l l y ” o v e r t h e p a s t three years, conceding that “the c l u b ’ s c u r r e n t f i n a n c e s a r e f r a g i l e ” a n d s a i d i t h a d “ t h e current financial state of the club very much in mind when c o n s i d e r i n g t h e a p p r o p r i a t e p e n a l t i e s ” I n o r d e r t o a v o i d r e p e a t m a j o r v i o l a t i o n s o f c r i c k e t r u l e s b y Y o r k s h i r e , £ 3 0 0 , 0 0 0 o f t h e o v e r a l l sentence will be deferred for t w o y e a r s T h e r e m a i n i n g

$100,000 will be paid in four e q u a l p a y m e n t s b e t w e e n January and September 2024

Bumrah to lead India in Ireland T20Is

I n a big boo st to Team Indi a ’ s p lans fo r the O D I W o r l d C u p i n I n d i a i n O c to b erN ovember, fi t again pacer Jas prit Bumrah i s back after al mo st a year, and th at to o as a c ap tai n, fo r th e T20Is in Ireland in August I n another pi ece of goo d news f ro m the p ace bowli ng d ep artment, Prasi dh Kri shna, who too was su fferi ng from stres s fracture of the back l ike Bumrah, and last played a T20I against Zi mbabwe in August 20 22, has also returned i n th e squad , whi ch was anno unced by the BC CI, f or the three-match seri es in Dublin

Ruturaj Gaikwad, who was named captain for the 2023 Asian Games, will be Bumrah’s deputy on the tour Gaikwad is yet to get a game on the ongoing West Indies tour Rinku Singh, Jitesh Sharma and Shivam Dube, who have all been picked for the T20 cricket competition in the Asian Games, have also been selected for Ireland T20Is

T H E S Q U A D : J a s p r i t B u m r a h ( c a p t ) , R u t u r a j G a i k w a d ( v i c e - c a p t ) , Y a s h a s v i

Jaiswal, Tilak Varma, Rinku Singh, Sanju Samson (wk), Jitesh Sharma (wk), Shivam Dube, Washington Sundar, Shahbaz Ahmed, R a v i B i s h n o i , P r a s i d h K r i s h n a , A r s h d e e p

Singh, Mukesh Kumar and Avesh Khan

604 - fourth on the alltime list The 37-year-old pacer announced that he would be retiring after this Test and he got a perfect ending

T h e A u s t r a l i a n s s l u m p e d f r o m 2 6 4 - 3 , l o s i n g t h e i r l a s t s e v e n wickets for 70 runs and s t i l l h a v e n ’ t w o n a n Ashes series in England s i n c e 2 0 0 1 T h e y ’ l l r e t u r n

D o w n U n d e r w i t h t h e u r n because, as the holders, they didn’t lose the series but will

in brief

see this as a big opportunity squandered after taking a 2-0 lead following wins in the first two Tests

As for the English, they will rue the rain that denied them a likely victory in the fourth Test at Old Trafford - and therefore a chance at completing a series w i n a t T h e O v a l - b u t t h e team’s recovery in a six-week s t r e t c h o f f i v e T e s t s w a s a n o t h e r v a l i d a t i o n o f i t s “ B a z b a l l ” a p p r o a c h t h a t i s winning fans, if not quite the biggest series of them all

Team India win 14 medals at Lanka Athletics Championship

Th e Ind ian contingent finished their Sri Lanka A thletics National C ham pionships 2023 stint with 14 medals includ ing nine gold, four silvers and a bronze over the weekend , as per repo rts Ind ian athletes clinched six medals on th e final d ay o f th e ev ent at the Sug athad asa Stadium in Colombo The Indian 4 x4 00m m ixed relay team of Am oj Jacob, A ishwarya Mishra, Muh am med A nas and Himanshi Malik w on the first g old medal of the day T he quartet logg ed a tim e of 3 :17 3 3 to finish on top of the podium

The event also featured a second Indian relay team comprising Nihal Joel William, Subha Venkatesan, Mijo Chacko Kurian and Vithya Ramraj, who bagged the silver medal with a time of 3:18 03

A

Muhammed Anas, Rajesh Ramesh and Muhammed Ajmal to secure the gold medal in the 4x400m men ’ s relay event The Indian team clocked a time of 3:02 03 to finish first

In the 4x400m women's relay event, the Indian quartet of Sonia Baishya, Aishwarya Mishra, Subha V and Himanshi Malik bagged the gold medal with a time of 3:30 41 Interestingly, in the same event, Olympian Jisna Mathew and Vithya Ramraj of India teamed up with Sri Lanka’s WS Himaya Fernando and K Shanika Lakshani to come in third India's T Santhosh Kumar also finished first in the men's 400m hurdles with a time of 50 38

Meanwhile, India’s javelin thrower Kishore Kumar Jena, who won the gold medal earlier, was awarded the Best Male Thrower trophy Notable Indian athletes like Annu Rani (women’s javelin throw), Seema Punia (women’s discus throw) and Amlan Borgohain (men’s 200m), who were listed to compete in the meet, did not participate in their respective events

India edge out rivals to dominate world cricket

India ove rtook Eng lan d and Austr alia a s the world's top cricket ing nat ions, rev olution ising t he sport in wa ys that it s e ar ly pr oponen ts in Melbour ne or Lon don could n eve r hav e en visage d

Since it launched the successful Indian Premier League tournament in 2008, India has brought unparalleled riches to the sport Its teams now attract the world’s best players and have bought up international franchises

The Board of Control for Cricket in India controls international policy and receives a larger portion of international revenue than England and Australia put together India have also affecting the way the game is played, with test teams like England increasingly adopting aggressive, crowd-pleasing play similar to the 20-20 style of the IPL

“India’s influence in global cricket cannot be overstated,” said Arun Dhumal, the IPL’s chair and a former BCCI executive “The IPL has been a game changer, not only for Indian cricket but also for world cricket, in terms of the traction it’s generated with fans across the globe, in terms of the financial bandwidth It has been phenomenal ”

For Prime Minister Narendra Modi, cricket has proved a useful tool at a time when he is projecting India as a rising power Many of the event’s key matches, including the final, will be in his political base of Ahmedabad at the Narendra Modi Stadium, the world’s largest cricket ground Advocates disclosed this was a fair reflection of the money India was bringing into the game, with countries enjoying higher overall revenues even if their share of the pie had shrunk Media rights for the 2023-27 IPL games were sold for an unprecedented $6bn, making the league the second-most valuable on a per game basis after the US NFL

“When you see where that value is created, I think it’s understandable,” Richard Gould, chief executive of the England and Wales Cricket Board, said on a podcast last month

INDIAN WOMEN'S HOCKEY TEAM OUTCLASS SPAIN, WIN TOURNEY

The Indian women’s hockey team produced a dominant performance to comfortably beat hosts Spain 3-0 and win the 100th Anniversary Spanish Hockey Federation International Tournament at Barcelona Vandana Katariya (22nd minute) Monika (48th) and Udita (58th) were the goal scorers as India remained unbeaten in the tournament Riding on the success of Saturday s match against England, where Lalremsiami s hattrick helped them win 3-0 table toppers India got off to strong start in the first quarter Spain created some fine opportunities in the last five minutes of the quarter but India captain and goalkeeper Savita kept the opponents at bay India started the second quarter in a dominant fashion, showing clear intent to take the lead Sushila set up a fine field goal opportunity in the 22nd minute Lalremsiami, the star of the match against England, picked up a rebound and smashed it past the goalie and Vandana was perfectly positioned to get a slight touch to push the ball past the goal-line Men pip Netherlands 2-1

The Indian men’s hockey team notched up a 2-1 win over reigning FIH Hockey Pro League champions Netherlands 2-1 in the third-fourth placing match Captain Harmanpreet Singh (15th) and Dilpreet Singh (50th) scored in India s hard-fought victory while Thierry Brinkman (25th) scored the lone goal for the Dutch side All goals came from penalty corners

SECOND STRING’ INDIA STUTTER IN 2ND ODI

The Indian team's choice to rest captain Rohit Sharma and star batsman Virat Kohli backfired miserably as none of the World Cup contenders were able to handle the West Indies pace bounce and spin, achieving a pitiful 180 in 40 5 overs in the rain-delayed second ODI Losing five wickets for 23 runs in just 7 2 overs after the opening stand of 90 between Ishan Kishan (55) and Shubman Gill (34) became India’s undoing after the West Indies skipper Shai Hope opted to bowl The loss of momentum affected India greatly, but much more so, the forced separation of Rohit and Kohli with only 10 months until the major event lacked any logical justification Remember that the failures raised more questions than they did answers Despite two delays due to weather, the West Indies bowlers maintained their focus and put on a strong performance While Kishan consolidated his case for selection as second wicket-keeper (provided KL Rahul gets fit for World Cup) with a second successive half-century the same couldn’t be said about Sanju Samson (9 off 19 balls) and Axar Patel (1 off 8 balls)

Indian shooters and archers add 6 medals in China

Indian shooter s an d compound a rcher s rule d the roost, baggin g six meda ls in cluding four g o ld a t t h e W o r ld U n i v e r s it y G a m e s i n C h e n g d u , C h i n a o n M on d a y S h o o t e r s

A is hw a r y P r a t a p Si n g h To m a r , Div y a n sh Singh Pan war an d Ar jun Babuta joine d forces to outcla ss local fav ourite s China t o win t he 10m air r ifle me n ’ s tea m gold

The Indian trio, with a combined score of 1894 7, beat China’s Li Xinmiao, Song Buhan and Zhu Xiaozhong (1881 9) to clinch the y e l l o w m e t a l w h i l e K a z a k h s t a n f i n i s h e d third Aishwary and Divyansh then made it a

one-two finish in the 10m air rifle men ’ s individual event

Compound archers also contributed to India’s tally, adding two golds and a bronze medal

Avneet Kaur pipped USA’s Alyssa Grace Sturgill in a thrilling shoot off to clinch the compound women ’ s individual gold After the scores were tied at 144144, the gold medal match entered a shoot off Sturgill was first t o g o , s h o o t i n g a d i s a p p o i n t i n g 8 w h i l e

A v n e e t k e p t h e r c a l m t o l a n d a 1 0

Sangampreet Bisla and Aman Saini clinched the gold and bronze medals in the men ’ s individual event

Jasprit Bumrah

Azeem Rafiq