AV 14th June 2014

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Anand Mela celebration at Harrow Leisure Centre

President emphasises on economic revival

See Page - 14-16

See Page - 26

Football fever grips the world

Demonstrators at Trafalgar Square with mock coffins

24 students washed away in Himachal river

Delayed Travel Documents Anger Thousands

At least 24 students, including six girls, of the VNR Vignana Jyothi Institute of Engineering and Technology in Hyderabad were reported missing after strong currents in the mighty Beas River washed them

There is a possibility that thousands of people will be left without holiday plans, if the head of the Passport Office does not sort out the long delays it is taking to issue travel documents. According to Union leaders, staff are

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reportedly struggling to deal with a backlog of up to 500,000 applications, leaving many stranded and others without the possibility of having a summer holiday.

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To mark the 30th anniversary of the Operation Blue Star, thousands of British Sikhs marched through Amritsar's Golden Temple, the holiest site in Sikhism. Crowds from all over the UK, also gathered in London, to lend their support to the demonstration. They used the event to protest about what they claim was India's failure to prevent the killing of thousands of Sikhs in rioting later in 1984.

Vandalised statue of Gandhi in Leicester

Though the march was peaceful, it has been reported that in the famous Golden Mile of Leicester, Mahatma Gandhi's statue base have been sprayed with graffiti appearing to refer to the 1984 Golden temple attack saying, "Never forget 84" and "We want justice #84". Police are investigating after the vandalism was discovered on Saturday.

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www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 14th June 2014

Keith Vazwith MP

Keith Vaz MP to grow, strengthen and move forward successfully.

Ketan Sheth

Ketan Sheth is a London Borough of Brent councillor for Tokyngton Ward in Wembley. He was first elected in 2010 and has successful retained his seat in the recent local elections with an increased majority.

Ketan sits on a number of public bodies, including as a Chair of the Valuation Tribunal for England and is the Lead Governor of the Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust, which is one of the largest NHS trust with almost 7,000 staff providing integrated healthcare to a third of London's population and across wider geographical areas, including Milton Keynes, Kent, Surrey and Hampshire.

He was educated in Wankaner, London and Moscow. He is a lawyer in London and is married with two young sons.

1) Tell me about your current position?

I am lucky enough to have an amazing portfolio career that keeps me busy - During the daytime, I am busy with my law practice and when not in the office, I regularly sit on various tribunals in southeast of England.In the evening, I am hugely privileged to serve my local community as a local councillor.

2) What are your proudest achievements?

Well, right now, it is the local election victory - so very proud to have been able to retain my council seat...it's great to have the vote of confidence of the

people and to be given another four year! On professional level, within days of entering in the legal profession, I successfully managed a case for judicial review in the High Court, which was considered to be a landmark case concerning an offence committed by a defendant on licence - the case was widely reported and followed in subsequent cases.

tion have been my parents and family. They have supported me throughout my life unconditionally by not only devoting their time and energy etc, but also installing in me sound values and principles, which have been central to my achievements to date.

3) What inspires you?

It's very important to me that I'm always proud of what I'm doing, which drives me to reflect on how things can be improved - I'm a firm believer that you can always improve!

However, my greatest inspira-

4) What has been the biggest obstacle in your career?

There have been many glass ceilings that I have had to be overcome, but good thing about all of these is that I have always considered obstacles as opportunities, which have helped me

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

My mother for her constant support and inspiration; and the late Frank Longford (The Rt Hon, The Earl of Longford, KT), whom I worked with for many years in the House of Lords as his special advisor, for introducing me to politics and reminding me that the life is an educational roller-coaster.

But, on personal level, I have a confession to make - I have two ladies in my life: my mother, as already mentioned, and my wife - they have been pillars in my life and have not only provided me with affection and support, but have also been big influence in all my successes in my life thus far.

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

Going home knowing that you have done your best that day,

Prospects for an Innovative India: “Don’t believe in miracles in India, but fully rely on it”

Shefali Saxena

The newly appointed BJP cabinet, post the 2014 general elections in India, has instilled high hopes for real change in mood for investors and scope for innovation in India Asia Pacific Technology Network organised a seminar on Prospects for an Innovative India on June 3, 2014 at Asia House.

Chairing the seminar, Pratik Dattani, Director, FICCI, said, “By 2020 the average age of an Indian will be 29, while China will still have more older population which can bring about phenomenal growth and changes in the education sector and hence the economy of India.”

Supriyo Chaudhuri, Founder and Director of Education, U-Aspire Education gave an overview of India's higher educational system and analysed how it helps or hinders innovation.

Chaudhuri termed it as ‘Education for the Babus’ calling Indian education, a caricature education where

the tiny are at the top.

“More than 40 percent of IIT graduates stay in the US”, he said. However, he believes that India has the capacity to come up with something which is as big as Facebook and Google but he blamed the lack of connectivity and prestige issues among Indian universities for the slow growth.

Following the recent row related to the new HRD Minister Smriti Irani’s educational qualifications, Supriyo said, “I don’t know that this kind of portfolio allocation may be a sign of giving youth the charge, or is it a sign of not being considered important enough.”

Indian Advocate Garima Basu discussed India's innovation scene, about the latest developments and the place for foreign collaborators. She said, “The issue of profit sharing at the enforcement stage is the biggest challenge.” Basu emphasised on how single window clearance, In-Out licensing, International benchmarking of Intellectual Property

protection can help the investors in overcoming key legal considerations.

Dr. Pradipta Biswas, from EDC University of Cambridge showed how software developed by IIT Madras enables online personalisation for farmers by which they can take a picture of a diseased plant and send it over as an MMS using low end mobile phone to seek solutions. He said, “Responses from India are slow due to lack of man power”, but he was surprised to see an 87 year old illiterate woman playing the song of her choice on her mobile phone.

Dr Rakesh Roshan, from India Lead, Isis Innovation Limited, University of Oxford spoke about India's innovation eco-system. He presented case studies where Indians had innovated and produced clay refrigerators, battery rickshaws and cyclical washing machines, a few of which went onto international television on Discovery Channel.

Criticising how academic institutions in India are

devoid of experimental research due to lack of Intellectual property policies in India, he said, “There are no tax incentives for investors to commercialise research.” “Don’t believe in miracles in India, But fully rely on it,” he added.

Manish Tiwari, from Here & Now 365 gave a detailed picture of the "The Post-Election outlook".

Naming 2014 elections as “Tsunamo” he discussed how Narendra Modi’s tweet “India has won” went on to be retweeted 69,000 times and he got mentioned around on social media for about 11.85 million times.

“2019 will see social media as the battleground for elections,” he said. Innovation recently back fired on the government with anti Modi remarks, followed by arrests in India, on which Tiwari said, “This is a good reason to step into the system and correct these things. There should be a watchdog to where they can prevent people from being penalised from expressing themselves.”

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but there is more to do tomorrow 7) And the worst?

Change comes far too slowly...

8) What are your long term goals?

Continuing to work on projects that support people, especially those who need help to navigate this complex and difficult world in which we live in.

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

Our education system is crippling us as a nation and not fulfilling our children's potential.

One of the best investments we can make in a child's life is high quality early education and focusing on the consistency of education, as "opportunity for all" really does matter.

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

Mahatma Gandhi - for his profound philosophical and intellectual companionship; and as we are on a desert island, for his considerable vegetarian cooking talent - being a vegetarian myself!

People become more racist during recession, claims study A new study has found that people tend to become more racist during a recession. In an experiment, participants judged faces having a darker skin tone and stronger 'Afrocentric' features during a financial downturn (bottom left graph).

When they were asked to distribute money, people allotted less money to a face with stronger 'Afrocentric' features in times of financial scarcity than to the same face in normal economic conditions (right).

The study by New York University claims that conditions of ‘resource scarcity’ alter people’s perception of race. Their work follows a study last year, which suggested racism is on the rise in the UK, fuelled by financial strife.

In four experiments, involving 285

n o n - b l a c k Americans, scientists David Amodio and Amy Krosch found people see faces different during an economic downturn.

‘It’s well known socioeconomic disparities between white Americans and racial minorities expand dramatically under conditions of economic scarcity,’ Professor Amodio reportedly said.

‘Our findings indicate scarcity changes the way people visually perceive another person’s race - and this perceptual distortion can contribute to disparities.’

He continued: ‘Together our results provide strong converging evidence for the role of perceptual biases as a mechanism through which economic scarcity enhances discrimination and contributes to racial disparities.’

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 14th June 2014

COMMENT

Modi sets furious pace in foreign policy

Seven overseas trips in the next six months: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has hit the ground running.

“Put simply, Mr Modi’s inbox for outbound travel is very crowded,” said the External Affairs Ministry spokesman Syed Akbaruddin. Bhutan, India’s closest and friendliest neighbour, will be the Indian Prime Minister’s first port of call later this month. In July, Mr Modi will visit Japan. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and his Indian counterpart have developed a close relationship, with each following the other’s ascent to power with considerable interest and due acknowledgement. They have held frequent telephone conversations on subjects of mutual interest and are ready to give fresh traction to Indo-Japan ties, to take them to the next level. Also in July, Mr Modi will travel to Brazil for the BRICS summit of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. He may enjoy some World Cup football when time permits, and will meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping and the Ukraine-embattled Russian President Vladimir Putin for one-to-one talks on the sidelines.

Referring to the meeting with Mr Putin, the Hindu newspaper’s Diplomatic Editor, Suhasini Haider, writes: “It is significant that India will stand shoulder to shoulder with Russia at the summit.”

In September, Mr Modi will travel east to Jakarta for the ASEAN-India and East Asian summits, thence westward to New York for the UN General Assembly summit of heads of governments and states, after which Mr Modi will meet with US President Barack Obama in Washington. Next will follow Mr Modi’s attendance at the G20 summit in Brisbane, Australia, thence to the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) summit in Kathmandu, Nepal. Europe has not been on the itinerary, presumably on the ground that, as Mr Modi will be talking to the organ-grinder (President Obama) in Washington, the need to consult with the EU members would be a superfluous exercise. At least for now.

There have been a number of distractions of late along the way. First came the usual anti-Nehru salvo

from Neville Maxwell, on the Times of India’s editorial page. Mr Maxwell, a former [London] Times Correspondent much given to maligning India on almost every conceivable issue, repeated his hoary canard that it was Nehru who was responsible for igniting the Sino-Indian war of 1962. He called on the Modi’s government to perform a mea culpa and reverse India’s China policy, pointing to the example of Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev, who made his peace with Beijing after Russian forces, claimed Mr Maxwell unblushingly, had been routed in a military confrontation at the Amur-Ussuri river basin in 1969, a derisory falsehood exposed in George Walden memoir, “A Wolf in the World,” which related the author’s experiences in Beijing as a senior British diplomat fluent in Mandarin and Russian. Mr Maxwell’s passionate special pleading for China was extraordinary even by his own twisted standards of prevarication. The fact that the head of the Tibetan government-in-exile in India, Lobsang Sangmay, was invited to the Indian Prime Minister swearing-in, surely carries a message for Mr Maxwell’s Chinese handlers. As if this wasn’t enough, two retired Indian diplomats, currently on plum assignments with the University of Pennsylvania, made a pitch, in the Hindu newspaper, for US arms acquisitions by India because of their technological superiority. Question?

What, Gentlemen, are your credentials as glorified arms salesmen for Uncle Sam? IAS examinations are not known to include papers on missiles, tanks, artillery systems, or warplanes, radars and submarines and the like. Arms acquisitions are best left to the experts, don’t you think? Meanwhile, India is set to toughen its Afghanistan policy with long sought after arms supplies to Kabul. With Ajit Doval as the National Security Advisor, Delhi is well placed to do so. Mr Doval has specialist knowledge of the country as a former intelligence chief and is an expert on Islamist terrorism. Kabul is delighted.

Foreign policy has a strong undercurrent of continuity, as the national interest transcends the hurly burly of domestic party politics.

The Israeli Ambassador to India, Alon Ushpitz, who is nearing the end of his three-year term in Delhi, was in expansive mood during an extensive conversation with the Kolkata-based Telegraph.

Ambassador Uspitz highlighted Indo-Israeli agricultural cooperation, agriculture being an area of renowned Israeli expertise. The Israeli footprint was significantly large in five Indian States, and the Ambassador’s visit to Kolkata marked Israel’s arrival in West Bengal. An institution to disseminate agricultural knowledge and skills is to be set up in the Hooghly district. It is one of the more sensible measures undertaken by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s government. Mr Uspitz spoke of Israel’s involvement in the clean-up of the heavily polluted Ganga river. After all, as he told his interviewer with justifiable pride, 80 per cent of Israel’s sewage is processed, cleaned up and recycled for use in agriculture. This hopefully will be the fate of the Ganga. Ambassador Uspitz was notably gracious about India’s Prime Minister. “We have known Mr Modi for many years. He has always been a solid friend with whom we have had very

open and focused discussions,” he said. Signing a free trade agreement with India in the next few months would be another milestone in relations between the two countries. India-Israeli trade turnover has grown in leaps and bounds, from $180 million in 1992, when diplomatic ties were established, to $5 billion in 2012.

Israel believed in taking the technologies produced and perfected in laboratories to the marketplace. “Tel Aviv University has a $200 million-corpus to fund Research & Development and a large chunk of that comes from Tata Sons,” said the Ambassador. “The beauty of beginnings is that if we handle them in the right way ten years from now, it will be a very big thing.” Mr Uspitz was robustly upbeat on tourism. Given that 45,000 Indians visit Israel every year and a similar number of Israelis visiting India. If this trend continues, Israel, with its 8.2 million population, would have one member of every Israeli family spending time in India. “That is a very unique element in relations between two countries,” he said. Quite so. India-Israel ties are on the right trajectory. Their promise is infinite.

Cambridge University Vice Chancellor, Professor Leszek Borysiewicz, has warned that the UK government’s ironclad immigration rules have given rise to a perception among potential Indian students that they were no longer welcome to study here. He said “there was an emerging perception, particularly in India, that Britain was not welcoming.” Criticizing the government, Professor Borysiewicz maintained that it made little sense to limit the number of migrants to the UK to 100,000 year as it hindered “the true potential benefit that people coming to the UK can actually have.” Professor Borysiewicz said “the most inspiring applicants come from children of immigrant parents who often value education highly.

The whole academic sector brings back more to the UK than the resources that Britain puts into these areas,” he said. “These are very important sources of funding for our top institutions in this country. When I think of how my parents were welcomed to this country, I find that actually quite saddening. I do feel we are an open, democratic country and we should be setting the standards for the rest of the world, not hindering them.”

The Vice Chancellor said that Cambridge competed more with Harvard, Princeton and Stanford in the US than with other British universities and “therefore anything that prevents us getting the very best students, I believe, would be to the longterm detriment of the UK. At a personal level I abhor the idea that we have a very strict migration target.”English universities have registered a sharp drop in the enrollment of overseas students – the sharpest drop in three decades – due largely to Indian students turning away from Britain and looking to alternative areas to pursue their higher education ambitions. In 2012-13, the number of Indian applicants for undergraduate and postgraduate studies at UK universities decreased by 38 per cent. This has been most notable in the science, technology, engineering, mathematical (STEM) courses. Entrants from India for these courses fell by 64 per cent. The aggregate international intake for full-time post-graduate STEM courses has declined by around 3600 (20 per cent) between 2010-11 and 2012-13. Higher education, particularly in the sciences, is where the best British and Indian minds have bonded.

Immigration paranoia will end it.

Israel key player for India

Cambridge warning on declining levels of Indian students

3 We ought not to be ashamed of applauding the truth, nor appropriating the truth, from whatever source it may come, even if it be from remote races and nations alien to us - Al-Kindi (801-873)

How to spot an extremist

Hindus are used to suffering at the hands of extremists.

So have those of no faith, and all faiths. Muslims however suffer the most from extremism – just on a basic factual measure of deaths caused by extremism.

I write to you from Malaysia. A country where Hindus have had a tough time for being Hindu. I write a day after the Pope invited the Israelis and Palestinians to pray for a peaceful resolution. I write at a time when the largest democracy is working a solution on the autonomy of Kashmir. I write at a time when hundreds of girls in Nigeria are missing for wanting an education.

I write the week a US soldier was released by the Taliban after 5 years of captivity.

Extremism in British schools is a problem troubling the British Prime Minister. What is the problem with extremism? With a confident belief that one is right?

The certainty, the righteousness? Belief in God? Belief something is better, superior? To care passionately in something?

The problem is simple: I believe I am right, I am certain, I leave no room for wisdom, that I may not know everything, have every answer, for humility. My certainty dictates, mandates me to act according to those beliefs, and that is one small step from backing my action by force. After all if I am so right, why should you who dare disagree and not be open to agreement, not be forced to agree?

Worse an extremist will argue that is after all what Western forces do? Wrong.

It is a very British thing to say some things are better than others, not to simply respect authority for the sake of it being authority. For using force to back those views. That has been manipulated by extremists to attack Britain.

An extremist will always find legitimacy in religion.

The difference between an extremist and everyone else is we find legitimacy in authority from something other than Faith. We find it in law. Change those laws if you wish. Does that make us irreligious? No, it protects us from using force to change the minds of others. Only to use force to defend ourselves. To use force only to enforce laws, not religious views.

To be sure, there was a time when the British were extremists themselves, so certain in their religious beliefs which they say gave them the right to spread the word of religion because there’s was superior. The Spanish, the Portuguese too raced the world to spread by force their superior beliefs. Then the Germans perfected extremism. No need even for a God, you had your race to give your superiority by then.

To be sure some things are better than others.

Some views, thoughts, beliefs are superior. I believe democracy is superior to other forms of Government. All things are not equal.

And to defend that view is a legitimate act. But to be so certain, to have no room for doubt, to use force to enforce without legal sanction. That is extremism. That is now un-British.

Extremists ultimately want to use force. To bully, without legal right, or use religion in their laws. That is the problem with extremists. It is not that they may become terrorists. It is that they are so bloody certain they are right. And they want to bully by force to make you see things the same way. They cannot stand you disagree. They cannot walk away. That’s how you spot an extremist.

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Fundraiser for Equality and Unity

By Dhiren Katwa

An organisation which campaigns nationally for British identity, integration, equality, fairness and justice will host its charity fundraiser in Coventry this Friday (Jun 13).

The British Organisation for People of Asian-Origin, or BOPA, has organised this event in association with The Lions Club of Coventry, Mercia. BOPA was formed in 2012 and its mission is to promote British identity and integration of British Asians into British mainstream society. Its vision is to promote better cohesion between all communities. The £15 per head event from 6pm will feature a magic show, song, dance and much more. The event will be opened by The Lord Bishop of Coventry, the Rt Rev Christopher Cocksworth, who is a patron of BOPA, and BOPA’s Chairman Cllr Ramesh Srivastava, who is also Mayor of Rugby. BOPA’s new website (www.bopauk.org) will also be officially launched on the night.

Davinder Prasad, BOPA’s General Secretary, said:

BOPA Team: From left: President, Dr Rakesh Sachdev, member, Pandit Ravi Bhushan, Assistant Treasurer, Terlochan Singh, Patron, Harmohinder Singh Bhatia, Upashak Ji, General-Secretary Davinder Prasad and Chairman, Cllr Ramesh Srivastava

“Denominations among all communities seem to be increasing.

We may be in times of uncertainty and economic austerity, but our collective skill, talent, professionalism and rich heritage of our respective cultures and religions should not be underestimated. If not for us, let’s at least come together to create a more prosper-

ous and stable society for our future generations and be an integral part of Great Britain.”

The Masters of Ceremonies will be local radio DJ Hafizah Khan and Rena Dipti Annobil, a producer of BBC radio programmes and online columnist.

For tickets visit www.belgrade.co.uk

Brum's Al-Hijrah school head teacher sacked

The head teacher of a failing Birmingham school has been sacked after protesting parents prevented a new management team from taking over.

Al-Hijrah School, in Bordesley Green, was placed in special measures

by Ofsted last year and an Interim Executive Board was appointed.

Interim head Anita Baptist's contract had been terminated, the council said.

On Monday, more than two dozen parents protested outside the school over the board's involvement.

The school is not among 21 currently being investigated over the alleged "Trojan Horse" plot.

Birmingham City Council said it had tried three times to replace the governors, since approval was given by Education Secretary Michael Gove on 16 May, but each time had been turned away.

Members of the IEB

made another attempt to enter the school on Monday. Their duties were expected to include management of the budget, curriculum, staffing, pay and performance, and the appointment of the head teacher and deputy head teacher.

Last week, former governors were banned from the site and there have also been allegations that the school's budget was "mismanaged" amid claims of a £889,000 deficit.

The former chair of governors Waseem Yaqub said the deficit was as a result of Birmingham City Council's "financial mis-

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management".

Ms Baptist

appointed in the wake of the last Ofsted report, published in February which rated leadership at the school, teaching standards, pupils' attainment, behaviour and safety, all as inadequate. Since then, an Ofsted monitoring inspection said governance at AlHijrah remained inadequate and highlighted failures by the governors in handling the budget.

Grant given to Leicester City Council to improve Diwali celebrations was

The Arts Council has given Leicester City Council £6,000 to look at ways of improving its Diwali attended by tens of thousands of people.

Assistant city mayor Manjula Sood, who is vice-chairman of the council's Diwali working party, said: "Our Diwali event has already put Leicester on the world map and is the largest one outside India. Last year, we did things slightly differently and had fewer fireworks on Cossington Park and there was a mixed reaction to that, so we want to get it right.

The younger generation now want a different kind of entertainment so with this report we will be able to find out what they want."

Coun Sood said she discussed the city's £80,000 Diwali event with Arts Council chairman Sir Peter Bazalgette when he

visited Leicester last year on a tour of contenders for the 2017 UK City of Culture title. "He was very interested in how we made a celebration for Hindus, Sikhs and Jains into an event enjoyed by people from all walks of life. Now, I'm very pleased the Arts Council is supporting us."

Leicester Belgrave Mela has received a separate grant, of £61,500, so the Indian arts and cultural festival can record its 30-year history.

Festival manager Pravin Mistry said: "I would like to thank the Heritage Lottery Fund for supporting this great project and everyone involved in putting the application together. I am thrilled we now have the resources to make sure we can document and highlight the success and growth of the Mela festival over the past 30 years."

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 14th June 2014

Quentin Bond puts a fresh spin on suits

The Quentin Bond shop pulls in the crowds for its opening

Quentin Bond, a specialist shop selling statement suits and tailored clothes for young professionals, has just opened its first store in Leicester city centre. The shop, in Granby Street, has been opened by the owners of Leicester's Suit Yourself men's wear, to meet a growing demand for a younger style of men's formal attire.

Part-owner Bhavik Popat said: "Traditionally, the UK has always been a bit stiff upper lip. At Quentin Bond we have a lot more colour and things you wouldn't usually see. We're a bit more daring and out there."

Brands on sale in store include Holland Esquire, Saint Hilaire, Life & Limb, Goodwin Smith and John White.

Bhavik continued: "We're very much focused on slim fit and

quality fabrics. For us it's all about making sure things fit properly, about making sure the suit looks like it belongs to the person. We ensure it's a tailored fit, even if it's something off the rack."

Quentin Bond also offers formal wear hire and a tailoring service for women and men. The shop provides men's formal hire, shoes, ties and accessories.

"I don't think there's anybody in Leicester who does what we do."

Bhavik said attentive service and advice was all part of the Quentin Bond experience.

Owners Bhavik Popat, Amit Chauhan and Raj Lashar have spent the past six months perfecting the interior of their shop.

"I think it's the bestlooking shop in Leicester," Bhavik said.

'Proud Brummie' Shafique Shah elected next Lord Mayor of Birmingham A ‘proud Brummie’ father of five is set to become the next Lord Mayor of Birmingham.

Coun Shafique Shah and wife of 20 years Sadia Shafique were made Lord and Lady Mayoress of Birmingham at the city council’s annual meeting on Monday afternoon.

They were be joined by their five children, Salhia, Hasan, Saman, Sanya and Muhmmad.

The telecoms engineer grew up in Bordesley Green and has represented the inner city area as a councillor since 2005.

Coun Shah said: “What I am looking for-

Coun Shafique Shah

ward to is the opportunity to meet as many regular, hard-working citizens of the city that time will allow.”

Nurse wasn’t competent, hearing told A hospital nurse was so incompetent her boss had to supervise her every move, a London hearing has been told.

Hanadi Hamza gave a baby a double dose of medication and left another in a dangerous position in an incubator at the Royal Oldham Hospital. She took the oxygen mask from another baby with severe breathing difficulties - then abandoned th child to find help, rather than use an

emergency buzzer.

Lynn Bowe, a senior nurse on the ward, described her frustration over Hamza to the Nursing and Midwifery Council: “She was being shown again and again and again, the same things, it was repetitive, day in, day out.”

She is also accused of entering a cordoned-off area occupied by patients infected with the MRSA superbug. The hearing continues.

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 14th June 2014

Indian-Origin soldier jailed for life

A former soldier of Indian origin from Bristol, found guilty of beating his wife to death has been jailed for life.

Nirmal Gill used his exercise tools to hit her head 12 times, after coming to know about her extra marital affair with her ex husband. He murdered his wife, Rosemary, at their home in last July.

A four week trial ended last week, and the Bristol Court finally gave its verdict.

Gill had reportedly hired a few private investigators after he suspected his wife was having an affair behind his back.

They had managed to fit a tracking device into her car to trace her whereabouts, and follow her each time.

When Gill discovered his wife and her ex husband Andrew Cooper embracing each other during a secret meeting, he apparently confirmed his doubt. He planned the revenge and killed the wife after 3 days.

Nirmal Gill

The couple’s 19 year old daughter, Jasmine, found the body of her mother after 8 hours. She had been sleeping in the room just next to the couple’s bedroom.

Gill confessed to manslaughter, but he denied charges of murder, on conditions of mental illness.

According to forensic experts, Rosemary was clothed when she was killed. But, her underwear had been taken off after she died. Gill confessed that he tried to have sex with his wife about 20

Rosemary Gill

minutes after she died.

Julie Mackay, detective inspector, spoke outside the court and said, “Nirmal Gill is a possessive man who couldn’t accept the breakdown of his marriage. He couldn’t face the thought of Rosemary living an independent life without him and in a cold and calculated attack took her life away.”

UK

British officials agree to help India over mango ban

In May this year, the EU banned the importation of Alphonso mangoes from India. Leicester East MP Keith Vaz has been spearheading the British Parliament’s response to this ban.

Mr Vaz recently met with senior EU officials and the Indian Keith Vaz MP High Commissioner have been to the EU. He has also taken to have the ban spoken with relevant UK overturned. government officials, has Mr Vaz was informed raised the matter with that the Department for the Prime Minister and Food and Rural Affairs now has spoken to the (DEFRA) has offered Chief Executive of the technical assistance and Food and Environment training to India to Research Agency ensure a successful (FERA), an agency of the examination in British Government September 2014. which provides regulatoMr Vaz said: “I am ry services in Plant delighted that the govHealth among other ernment is taking action things. to help India to ensure EU officials will be that this ban is lifted as travelling to India in soon as possible. I have September 2014 to spoken with Hilary assess the measures that

Irish Minister apologies for offending Muslims over 'heathen' comment Northern Ireland's First Minister has issued an apology to Muslims after he appeared to defend comments by a Christian pastor who called Islam a “satanic” religion.

Peter Robinson sparked significant anger

after defending comments by fundamentalist Christian James Mr McConnell.

McConnell said Islam was a “heathen” religion and claimed groups of Muslims were organised in Britain in the way the IRA

operated during the conflict. Democratic Unionist MP Mr Robinson made his apology when meeting Muslim leaders in Belfast on Tuesday night.

“I made it very clear to the people present tonight that I apologise for any

offence that I might have caused,” he reportedly said. “The very last thing that I would have ever have in my mind would be to cause anyone hurt or distress or to insult them and I make that publicly clear as well in the clearest

possible terms. I cannot spend the rest of my life apologising but what I can do is spend the rest of my life building the united community that I believe we want in Northern Ireland.” The controversy began last month when Mr McConnell held a church service during which he

5

Aldridge, Chief Executive of FERA, who informed me that they are willing to help train the relevant Indian officials to deal with this issue. It is absolutely vital that the British stand shoulder to shoulder with the Indian authorities to get this ban lifted. This has been a dreadful summer. The British public misses the king of the mangoes and I sincerely hope that we will have this delicious fruit back in the UK very soon.” said he did not trust Muslims. He attacked Islam and claimed former MP Enoch Powell was right during his "Rivers of Blood" speech criticising immigration into Britain in 1968. Mr Robinson has attended the pastor's evangelical church in north Belfast in the past.

6

UK

Asian women really are breaking the ‘glass ceiling’

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 14th June 2014

Spriha Srivastava

London remembers Jiah Khan

Rabiya and her family are calling for the High Court in Mumbai to reinvestigate this case and are trying to gather support from friends, family and the media, both in India and UK to get justice for Jiah. “I know this will take time but I also know that it is only with the help of media and friends that I can get justice for my daughter,” added Rabiya.

Rabiya spends most of her time in Mumbai trying to gather support for ‘Justice4Jiah’ campaign. She and her two daughters are confident that this was not a suicide because Jiah was a happy and peaceful girl.

She had many things to look forward to and was slowly coming out of her alleged relationship with Aditya Pancholi’s son Suraj Pancholi. Suraj

As I walked into the old Chelsea Townhall building I saw an extremely pleasant picture of the late Jiah Khan who was found hanging from her ceiling in her flat in Mumbai. She was young, dynamic and extremely elegant and one of the few to make an entry in the big world of Bollywood with a hit film. Last week marked the one year death anniversary of the young and glamorous actress whose death still remains a mystery. Her mother, Rabiya Khan, along with Jiah’s two sisters organised a memorial service at Chelsea Townhall.

Attended by close family and friends and some members of the press, the memorial service remembered Jiah, also known as Nafisa Rizvi Khan’s life and good times.

J i a h ’ s memorial i n c l u d e d speeches by her younger s i s t e r s Karishma and Kavita, Sufi prayers and musical tributes. The 25year-old, who went to More House School near the memorial venue, was also remembered as part of a special ‘Life of Nafisa’ video.

Born Nafisa Rizvi Khan, she took the name Jiah to act in films like ‘Nishabd’ and ‘Ghajini’.

Born in New York, Jiah moved to London after her mother, a former Bollywood actress, divorced her father when Jiah was two. She went to Queen’s college and at the age of 18 made her debut with Amitabh Bachchan in a controver-

also written to UK Foreign Secretary William Hague to intervene.

“I am asking for a full re-investigation of the case, whether it is the CBI or the FBI, but the entire case needs to be investigated again,” she said on the sidelines of the memorial, adding, that “today it’s my daughter but tomorrow it can be someone else’s daughter. This needs to stop.”

was charged with abetting suicide before being released on bail. He is now starring in a film called Hero.

While it’s been a year since Jiah passed away and the Bollywood seems to have moved on with its own set of hits and flops but Jiah’s family is still waiting for justice with an undying hope that those who have committed this heinous crime be punished.

The Arts University Bournemouth kicked off its South Indian Film Festival last weekend.

Curated singlehandedly by third year Film Production student Shashi Wilson-Joshi, the festival screened six Tamil films with the help of subtitlist Rekhs Haricharan, known for subtitling over 200 Indian films into English.

“This unique festival shares her dream of bringing Indian cinema

to a new audience. The cinema of South Asia has been painfully underrepresented in the West for too long, and the clichés and stereotypes associated with mainstream ‘Bollywood’ are in need of being drastically reconsidered,” said a press note.

All the film screenings were followed by Q&A with the films’ cast and crew via Skype.

“The vibrant selection has something for everyone, whether it be quirky

black comedies, romantic musicals or hard-hitting realism, but they all have one thing in common; exhibiting an exciting new-wave of intelligent and meaningful cinema from India’s Southern states,” the website stated.

The six Tamil films screened were "Sutta Kadhai", "Vidiyum Munna, "Neethaane En Ponvasantham", "Mudhal Mudhal Mudhal Varai", "Neram" and "Neer Paravai"

Jiah Khan

sial yet trendsetter film called “Nishabd.”

“She was confident and acted extremely well and wanted to do so much more,” said Rabiya Khan, Jiah’s mother, who has maintained from day one that her daughter did not commit suicide but was the victim of a coldblooded murder. She has

AUB kicks off South Indian Film Festival

Let us know what you think.

Email Spriha at aveditorial@abplgroup.com

Dhiren Katwa A leading fertility expert and international kickboxing champion were among 11 women honoured at the Asian Women of Achievement Awards.

Each was recognised for remarkable contributions to their respective careers. The awards, now in their 15th year, were held last Wednesday at Hilton Park Lane in London.

Chris Sullivan, Deputy CEO, Royal Bank of Scotland, was cheered and whistled at as he stepped on stage to give address. The attraction was his glittering royal blue, velvet Indian outfit, making him the ‘best dressed male’ in the room.

He then invited on stage the “magnificent” Pinky Lilani, awards founder.

“It’s so important that we continue to recognise the often under-reported work that is being done by the impressive female leaders in the country’s Asian communities,” said Pinky, “and it’s for this reason, I’m delighted to bring together so many people who are dedicated to celebrating the achieve-

ments of these women.”

Her remark about her husband, Mehboob, wishing to be called Mr Pinky, prompted laughter in the room.

Each category had between four and six finalists. The winners were: (Arts & Culture) Nisha Tandon, executive director of Ireland-based ArtsEkta; (Social & Humanitarian) Sharmila Nikapota, for her commitment to helping her daughter and others suffering from rare skin disorders; (Professional) Yee Yee Low, senior engineer, Shell, who told guests that she’d told her colleagues she wasn’t going to win, so had began on the drinks; (Media) Poorna Bell, lifestyle editor, The Huffington Post, for her work in highlighting and campaigning on issues such as forced marriage and domestic violence amongst the Asian community; (Sport) joint winners, Shehneela Ahmed, lawyer, football agent, Platinum FA and Samera Ashraf, kick-boxer, ISKA. Also, (Young Asian Woman) Divya Reddy, production technologist, Shell UK; (Entrepreneur)

Shazia Saleem, founder, ieat foods, a “very commercially aware” businesswoman; (Public Service) Shemiza Rashid, teacher and broadcaster, Luton Sixth Form; (Business) Karina Govindji, managing consultant, client development, Gallup; (Finance) Valerie Dias, chief officer, risk and compliance, Visa Europe. The Chairman’s Award went to Professor Geeta Nargund, consultant, medical director and CEO at St George’s Hospital, Create Health Clinics and Create Health Foundation. The full list of winners, and information on how to enter is available fromwww.awa.realbusiness.co.uk Special guests included Justine Miliband, comedienne Nina Wadia, English actress and model Elizabeth Hurley – who turned 49 this week – and award patrons Cherie Blair and Princess Badiya bint El Hassan of Jordan.

The evening was compered by Riz Lateef, BBC London correspondent.

Entertainment was provided by FatBoyZ Dance. Photo: Award winners.

Bollywood actress Aishwarya Rai Bachchan attend Downing Street reception for cleft charity Smile Train Samantha Cameron, wife of PM David Cameron last week praised the work of international cleft lip and palate charity, Smile Train, at a reception hosted to mark the occasion of the charity’s one millionth smile surgery.

Smile Train is an international children’s charity with a sustainable approach to a single, solvable problem: cleft lip and palate. Globally renown actress and Smile Train Goodwill Ambassador, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, attended the event in support of giving children with clefts around the world new smiles and new hope for the future.

Speaking at this very important juncture of completing one million

cleft surgeries, she said: "There are so many of us who lead such blessed lives. I truly believe it's time to share our blessings. Working with Smile Train, if I can make a difference in families' lives, it will certainly make me feel honoured and blessed. There are a lot of children with clefts around the world who so

desperately need help, but can’t receive timely care because their families cannot afford this surgery or are ill-educated about this condition. It's time we smiled together in our lifetime - healthy and happy!"

Also present at the reception was Smile Train’s CEO, Susannah Schaefer.

HUMILIATED

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 14th June 2014

MANY WIDOWS ARE

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7

8

On Being British As I See It

In the aftermath of the 5 Birmingham schools controlled by Pakistani Muslim leadership, there has been a lot of reporting in the British media. It has brought into the open, the fight between two senior Secretaries of State - Michael Gove and Theresa May. They were seen sitting together in the House of Commons on Monday, but thank God, the great mass of body called Eric Pickles was sitting between them, without any expression to his left or to his right.

Eric Pickles, the Secretary of States for Communities, is an ideal candidate for any territorial disputes, as he can sit in silence in the no man's land and his sheer presence can be helpful to retain at least the outward facade of the Cabinet

1250mn. The number of MPs in the Lok Sabha are still the same: 543. Janata Dal Coalition was a very different format than the BJP and NDA of today. PM NaMo has shown enormous dignity, foresight and maturity as can be seen in his own pronouncements, particularly in the Presidential address to the joint assembly of both Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha (Upper and Lower Houses of Indian Parliament).

I have also noticed that Presidential address, in effect the Modi government, declaration is very largely based on the manifesto of the BJP party and NaMo's speeches during the election campaign.

It is focused on specific issues, probable solutions with some form of time frame

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 14th June 2014

mood of India, in the correct manner.

The Times of 9th June page 33 wrote: “Hindu hardliners press Modi down path of extremism”- by Robin Pagnamenta from Nagpur on what I feel is a completely irrelevant and misguided article.

RSS has been a recognised all India wide cultural and social organisation.

Some of the assertions in the Times correspondent's story are inaccurate and misleading. It has been made very clear by the RSS and the BJP leadership that Sangh does not control the Modi government.

Let me say something more with intimate knowledge. NaMo ruled Gujarat for almost 13 years without any dictate from the RSS. Ask people in VHP, RSS and Bajrang dal. They will tell you NaMo is his own man. He has never been under anybody's control obligation. More depressing is such irresponsible journalism, damaging the fabric of Indian society by promoting inter-communal distrust and animosity.

The more appropriate strategy for all with reservations and doubt, is to watch carefully PM Modi's every move.

Monitor his every action and challenge him on his decisions and delivery, rather than continuing the charade on his perceived intentions.

Direct Flight campaign

Theresa May, Eric Pickles and Michael Gove

colleagues' camaraderie. Let me focus on the slightly more crucial issue: What do we mean by being British? On the Guidebook of the Life in the UK (published by the Home Office), some of the values of being British are: respect and obey law, respect others' rights including opinions, treat others with fairness, look after yourself and your family and look into the area you live in. New citizens are supposed to pledge to uphold them.

In return, the UK offers them freedom of belief and religion, freedom of speech, freedom of unfair discrimination, a right to a fair trial and a right to join in the election of the government.

I chose to be British 53 years ago, in Tanganika, East Africa. I could have remained an Indian citizen, and I also had enough qualifications to apply for a US Greencard. I chose to be British for various reasons. The main points are the rule of law, justice, tolerance, equality as well as the pride of the Britons in their independence and willingness to sacrifice blood for freedom anywhere in the world. I have no regrets whatsoever. I lived in India for 23 years and Britain for 48. I am proud to be a British of Indian origin.

Let's look back 37 years!

The spectacular victory of Narendra Modi, BJP and NDA have demolished the oldest political machine in India.

Congress is decapitated. I think my readers will be interested to know how New Life (predecessor of AV) reported the similar 'Ballot box revolution' in its issue of March 25, 1977. So much water has flown under the London bridge in the last 37 years.

PM Indira Gandhi's 11 years reign was demolished by Janata Dal Coalition led by Morarji Desai and inspired by Jay Prakash Narayan. The draconian emergency clamp down on civil liberties was the death nail of the Congress at that time.

After thirty years of continuous domination, the debacle of the Congress was no way near to what happened in India, in just the last few weeks. The population at that time was 600mn. Now its

for appropriate action. Thank goodness that PM Modi has not promised to bring down inflation within 100 days.

Another noteworthy feature of the Modi government is that his administration appears to be more like a huge corporation with a competent CEO, who has been able to allocate specific tasks to appropriately talented colleagues with guidelines, but it looks like it is geared for better governance.

The effect is there to be seen. The stock market is up, FDI is gushing, gold prices are decreasing and the entire country feels more optimistic. It was not the case in 1977. Morarji Desai was an upright Gandhian but there were people like Raj Narayan, George Fernandes and others who were bent upon teaching Indira Gandhi and Congress leadership a lesson. In our New Life comment of 25 March, it was clearly stated that Indira Gandhi, though had made life hellish during her emergency, her record of achievements should not be ignored. She should not be victimised.

Alas PM Desai could not prevail upon some of his colleagues. Several commissions were appointed to look into this or that, which smacked of vindictiveness and revenge. Mrs Gandhi was arrested and detained and what happened next? Within 30 months she came back to power with a thumping majority.

What is most noteworthy and praiseworthy is that PM NaMo has behaved absolutely properly ever since 16 May, when electorate of India gave him a massive majority.

Will some in the Media ever learn?

Indian media of all sorts is very active, independent and normally they were and are not perhaps pro Modi to a very large extent. I am not surprised that Modi's utterances, gestures, actions have won him many many admirers in the Indian media. Of course the proof of the pudding is a matter of wait and see, but the omens appear to be very good for the PM and all Indians.

Unfortunately some in the British media are yet to interpret the change of

Asian Voice and Gujarat Samachar have campaigned for a direct flight between Ahmedabad and London for over a decade. The readers of Asian Voice and Gujarat Samachar and the business community are hoping that PM Narendra Modi will revive the direct flights to Gujarat. Here is an open letter for NaMo:.

Respected Prime Minister of India Dear Shri Naren drabhai Mod i, You will have to restart direct flights between Ahmedabad and London, for your own Indian people in Britain.

Around 2.5mn Gujaratis live in Britain and the USA. For the people of South Rajasthan and West Madhya Pradesh, Ahmedabad-London or Ahmedabad-US do not have the luxury of direct flights.

Senior citizens, people, with bad health, pregnant women and women traveling with their young kids have to suffer immensely while interchanges and sometimes due to the long hour wait in different ports.

It is also time consuming for businessmen to travel to Gujarat via Mumbai, Delhi or Middle East Respected Narendrabhai, you are acquainted with this issue very well.

Petitions and representations of our brethren based in Britain were not successful in 2003. On behalf of Indian Diaspora I represented the issue individually and requested to bring some solution to the problem. And within few days, a solution was reached. You had spoken to the then civil aviation minister in NDA government and finally Ahmedabad-London flight connecting were established.

In the beginning Air India had started direct London-Ahmedabad-London flight just once in week. But later it started operating five flights a week.

Naturally, it must have witnessed increase in traffic flow.

Despite the fact, passengers had to pay extra £50 for direct flights between London to Ahmedabad; they preferred to travel in them.

Unfortunately India witnessed change of guards in 2004. Subsequently, Praful Patel became the Union Minster for Aviation. Nobody knows what happened (though non residential Indians

do) and he abruptly discontinued all direct flights between AhmedabadLondon, without any prior notice.

Again the lengthy process of petitions and representations were restarted.

Numerous direct representations were made to Praful Patel. Not only that, we met and presented our case to Gujarat MPs including Ahmad Patel, Dinsha Patel, Bharatsinh Solanki, Harin Pathak and told them how passengers are suffering. Despite those efforts nothing was done. In last 6-7 years even Air-India has made huge losses.

We have complete trust in your words – ‘Achhe Din Ane wale hai’ (good days are about to begin). Around four years back during an inaugural function of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport’s second terminal, where you were present, the issue of direct flight was raised. Praful Patel announced on the platform that the flights would restart shortly (in following autumn).

Even during his subsequent visit to Saurashtra, he kept spoke about resuming direct flight. Unfortunately for us, he didn’t fulfil his promise! Later on he was removed from civil aviation ministry and now UPA government is not at the helm.

We overseas Indians, especially those who belong to Gujarat feel cheated by Praful Patel. Your new government is eager to attract foreign investments. You also want overseas young generations of Indian origin to participate in the development process of India – directly or indirectly.

In this scenario, we overseas Indians are hopeful that you would take measure to kick-start direct flight as early as possible. Here in Britain, young people want to travel and wish to see their native place. But no one wants to travel for 16 hours, instead of 10, which is the solution a direct flight can bring.

I would like to request you that please consider feelings of overseas Indians, who are ambassadors of India on foreign soil. Past central governments had done many injustices to Gujarat and one of them is the direct flight issue.

You are working hard to bring positive changes within India and what you have achieved in Gujarat during 13 years of your rule, we wish it would be replicated in a bigger scale for the entire country and its people overseas.

With Warm Regards C B Patel

We wish all the readers a very Happy Father’s Day (June 15th)

Indian High Commission turns a new leaf

HE Ranjan Mathai briefed the Indian Jounalists' Association about their new initiatives including outsourcing of OCI and Indian Passport services and engaging with the Indian community in Britain including Indian students.

For more pl ease see next we ek's Asian V oice.

Mayor warns London will fall like 'Sparta' without immigration

Boris Johnson, the Mayor of London told the Daily Telegraph that London would face irreversible decline, much like the Greek city of Sparta, if it turned away immigrants. He also described PM Cameron's unsuccessful attempt to cut down immigration as a policy failure.

Mr Johnson added that Immigrants being treated on the NHS should not expect special treatment because of their religion and nurses should not be forced to undergo 'culture training' to learn how to deal with Muslim patients.

UK

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 14th June 2014

Leading Lights

Rani Singh, Special Assignments Editor

Lady Business Angel Preserving the Heritage of The Deccan Mary Anne Cordeiro graduated with an MA Honours (Oxon) degree in Chemistry, completed a dissertation in Quantum Pharmacology under Professor Graham Richards and was awarded an open scholarship to Worcester College, Oxford University to read Chemistry. Since then she has worked 15 years in the City with Goldman Sachs, Bankers Trust and Paribas before becoming a business angel and venture capitalist in 2000 with a focus on Healthcare Technology. She is the Chair of the Board of Trustees of the Deccan Heritage Foundation ("DHF").

Mary Anne was born in Nairobi, Kenya and moved to England in 1970 but her parents always brought her up to be proud of her Indian heritage. “My father made a point of taking us almost every year to our ancestral home in Saligao, Goa and marched us around the village explaining how every-

one fitted into the complex web of relationships. From the time he retired in 1989, my parents spent four months each year in Goa and had our home retiled, re-wired and re-plumbed. We have continued to maintain the house to a high standard even although we only spend a few weeks a year there nowadays,” she told me, continuing, “Whenever I visit Goa I have been touched by three things: the Goans’ warm hospitality, delicious cuisine and the easy-going attitude to life.

However, I have equally appalled by their lack of civic sense: dumping rubbish; building without concern for the neighbours; and complete lack of appreciation for old artefacts and monu-

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ments. Heritage should be of extraordinary importance to the Deccan region and Goa in particular owing to its unique historical background.”

Mary Anne had been considering to act to help her native region.

“So when I was approached by George Michell (who had been working at Hampi, Karnataka since the early 80s) and Helen Philon (an expert in Islamic Art/Architecture) to found an organisation for the Deccan, I knew that this could be my platform to help bring about change. DHF was founded in 2011 and is a registered charity in the UK and in India. Our goal is to preserve, restore and promote the heritage as well as the plethora of places of cultural importance in the Deccan region of India through conservation, cultural and educational projects.” One of its key objectives is to pass on this rich heritage to the ever-modernising next generation of Indians as well as foreign visitors to the region.

I wanted to know about the funding.

“DHF is funded privately by Trustees of the charity as well through donations from friends of ours.

However, we unveiled plans for the Reis Magos International

Festival of Music (“RIFM”) at a high profile reception showcasing the historical Deccan region of India, at the Indian High Commission in London on 21 May 2014.

The event was generously hosted by His Excellency Ranjan Mathai, High Commissioner of India to the UK, who invited leading members of the Indian business community. We hope these guests will support us in the future.”

One of Mary Anne’s angels is Lady Helen Hamlyn, wife of the late billionaire publisher Paul Hamlyn. Mary Anne revealed,

“Heritage should be of extraordinary importance to the Deccan region and Goa in particular owing to its unique historical background.”

“I was introduced to Lady Hamlyn by Lady Gavron (co-Trustee of Balletboyz, the internationally acclaimed contemporary dance company which I Chair) who knew we both shared an interest in Goa. Lady Hamlyn, Chairman of the Helen Hamlyn Trust, was asked personally by Mario De Miranda, the distinguished Goan cartoonist and national hero of Goa, if she would restore Reis

9

Magos, the most important historic Fort in Goa, then in a ruinous condition. This she has done with the architect, Gerard da Cunha and the Fort is now completely restored.”

Since 2012 it has been open to the public. Lady Hamlyn was keen that the Fort be used for cultural and educational purposes.

So now, Mary Anne is creating the first festival to be held at the newly-restored 16th century Reis Magos Fort in Goa from 12 December to 14 December, 2014. “RIFM will revive a magnificent cultural space in Goa for the benefit of the local populace and visitors alike. A musical extravaganza will be put on to celebrate both traditional Goan music in addition to western classical music performed by world acclaimed musicians including the soprano singer, Patricia Rozario OBE, a Goan herself.

DHF is working in partnership with the Giving Voice Society and INTACH with financial support from the Dempo Group as Principal Sponsor and the Helen Hamlyn Trust as Education Sponsor.

Around 1000 local school children will be involved ahead of the festival.”

Mary Anne also happily noted a Goan presence in the Modi Cabinet of the new Indian Government!

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YOUR VOICE

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 14th June 2014

Secularism

Article 370

Now that the BJP has got absolute majority in India’s House of Commons (Loksabha) it is the duty of the present government to implement the manifesto of the party in the present tenure of the parliament. There is no excuse to say that the government has to depend on other partners in the government. Now the government should define what secularism is.

The French Republic is a true secular state and is built on a strict separation of church and state, intended to foster equality to all private beliefs rather than stigmatise any religion. There is no preference to one religion. The rule clearly states that any state worker in public service must be impartial and hence they cannot show their belief with outward symbol such as headscarf, hijab, cross, turban or Jewish kippa.

When India’s constitution was written there was no mention of secularism and all citizens were treated in the same way irrespective of caste, creed or religion. The only reservation was made for Dalit’s (previously called untouchables) because they were treated as social outcastes. The reservations in education and in jobs are meant to improve their status in Indian society. It appears only in 1976 the ‘term’ was introduced in the Indian constitution.

In a secular state all children go to same school with the same curriculum.

Religious schools are very divisive.

Reservations should be made only for those who are economically and socially poor living below the poverty line irrespective of their caste or religion.

Why is there double talk about Article 370? The statement, “Kashmir is integral part of India whether Article 370 stays or goes,” is opposed by insistence that the Article must be abrogated.

After Modiji’s spokesman generated roar by Omar Abdulla, cautious BJP put issue on back burner, yet we clamour for repeal of Article 370. Are such elements blind to deleterious effect on - Kashmiri and Indian Muslim vote bank, and goodwill earned by BJP/Modiji?

Why have no PMs after 1947 dared to touch this contentious issue and why have no U.N./ foreign governments wanted to meddle in this matter? May be, clause for final merger/time limit, of Kashmir into India is missing in tool of accession, leaving abrogation of Article 370 to voice of Kashmiris, and not on Hindustanis.

Pakistan took advantage of this omission to create demographic imbalance by infiltration of Muslims and expulsion of Pandits; displacing Hindustani voice, and giving a roar to Muslim Kashmiris and separatists. Article 370 can be drowned in tsunami of goodwill to lure Kashmiris/ separatists to potential prosperity that can be generated by free flow of Indians if and when Article 370 is abrogated.

Please convert contentious article into a bridge and not a barrier.

Arun Vaidyanathan By email

Spitting it out

As the title says, people these days are spitting in public places rather than in wash-basins etc! I have noticed people spitting on the streets, on the pavements, while smoking or while waiting for a public/transport.

Initially I thought it might be a few uneducated and irresponsible people some of which would be from within the migrant population. But to my surprise, people of all sorts are doing it! School kids looking like a gangster, chatting so loud, spitting etc is cool for most of them.

When some people smoke, they usually spit during that. Some want to spit out the cough in order to clear their throats. I am quite gutted to mention this but it is true that some people even clean their noses on the streets, pavements etc in order to clear their blocked/runny noses of cough.

How about keeping a tissue in the pocket if one has a runny/blocked nose!

And how about council wardens spotting these and punishing these people! It might be because of Mr. Cameron’s budget-cuts that the councils can’t afford numerous wardens anymore!

I must say that it is very disgusting to see these sorts of spits on the streets when you are walking.

Kick off

World Cup football has always appealed to me. All the different skills and styles in action are a joy to watch. And although I love Brazil, having enjoyed a great family holiday there, I shall not bother to sprawl in front of our TV set armed with my usual array of gathias, chevda and chutney sandwiches, not to mention cans of lager, because somewhere in the world a Mr Big probably already has all the results tucked into his back pocket.

I am fed up with the bribery and corruption that has managed to seep into competitive sport, football being the latest target. Ask yourself: is any competitive sport worth watching any more?

Your time would be better spent kicking a football against your garage door. At least the exercise would benefit you!

Rudy Otter By email

Culture of corruption

Corruption is apparently synonymous with the people of India and it is deeply rooted. It’s accepted by many as the norm and part and parcel of life. It has become so rampant at all levels that it’s not seen as immoral or illegal. It is practised openly in many places.

Virtually, everything is possible by way of corruption. Jobs are secured, promotions gained, the course of justice changed. One can even get away with murder. It has become the means of supplementing income for some and making a fortune for others. It is easy for a law abiding, moralistic person to get dragged into this culture of masses as it is seen a

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Ramesh Jhalla By email

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ASIAN VOICE

D-Day 70th Anniversary: Rejoice or Repent?

It was 6th June 1944 when Allied Forces landed on the beaches of Normandy, France. General Dwight D Eisenhower was selected as the Supreme Commander. In the Far East, Japan had invaded China in 1937. The US had declared war against Japan to protect their interests in that region. Japan’s allies’ Germany and Italy had declared war on the US. This bitter fighting carried on until 1945.

The US dropped two atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki on 6 and 9 August 1945. In World War I [1914-18], there were 6 million casualties and 12 million injured, leaving 3 million widows and millions of children living without fathers or with injured fathers. In World War II [1939-1945] altogether there were 30 million casualties. That would have probably resulted in another 15 million injured and left 15 million widows and 30 million children growing up without fathers.

Historically, over the almost 50 years I have lived in London, I continuously see coverage of sacrifices and heroism to save the world from oppressors by legal and illegal invasions of other countries.

When soldiers, some with severe injuries come home or their bodies or injured bodies are flown back, there is praise for the sacrifices and heroism. Apart from the soldiers, the bravery also comes from sophisticated weaponry and safety gear worn in land, sea and air attacks and recently by use of drones. It is time to forget the past and live in the present.

Nagindas Khajuria By email

Bank holidays

I refer to the article in Asian Voice on Eid and Diwali bank holidays. It is important for minority groups to be able to enjoy a day off for their festivals, as well as for community cohesion, for this to be recognised by employers.

The easiest way to implement this is for the government to provide ‘one floating bank holiday’ annually which would enable all minority groups to take a day off for their festival, and for others, they can utilise this extra bank holiday for any other purpose. This would enable all faith groups to celebrate festivals, not just Eid and/or Diwali.

Jayam Dalal By email way forward. It is both frightening and scary.

Corruption is a serious disease. It affects the well-being of the nation. It can damage as well as paralyse the nation.

Black economy thrives as a result of corruption. In India, billions in black money is tucked away in foreign banks.

Countless is hidden and hence out of circulation. All these years since independence, very little has been done to erode corruption. Surely Modi Sarkar will take care of this issue.

Niranjan Vasant W Norwood

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Berlin ZERO

The Evening Standard (6/6/14) reports that a £35m project has been launched in Berlin Germany to construct a building where Jews, Muslims and Christians can pray together. The “House of One” would be the first scheme in the world with a synagogue, mosque and church in a single location.

Quite a nice project on the face of it.

But then one asks : What about the Hindus? Despite the fact there are a Billion Hindus; we have become invisible the world over. I ask why? Is it because we do not get involved in terrorist activities? Perhaps. Is it because we are far too peaceful? Perhaps. Is it because we do not make regular demands on the rest of the citizens e.g. no beef should be eaten any where? Perhaps.

But by far the biggest reasons Hindus are ignored is that we are NOT one.

There are too many factions. There isn’t a single leader e.g. Christians have the Pope; and as a result we do not have a voice. As long as these reasons persist, Hindus will continue to be ignored.

Raj Patel Woodford Green, Essex

Disposable paper cups

At Indian weddings and other gatherings, we use disposable paper cups for serving drinks. They are ok as far as serving soft drinks like coke and juices but when it comes to serving tea and coffee, they are potentially harmful.

These disposable cups have become quite popular in office pantries as well due to the convenience they offer. They are cheap and can be thrown away after use thereby avoiding the need for washing up.

What many overlook is the fact that these paper cups are coated with a tiny layer of wax, which is essential to prevent water from seeping into the paper.

When very hot liquids are poured over this cup, the wax may disintegrate and a little may come off, which will promptly be sent along with the drink into our stomachs! While our bodies can discard minor amounts, over the long-term, it does become a problem after repeated use.

So what can be done about it? Try using glass cups at functions. Glass is one of the least reactive materials in the world (acids are stored in glass vessels, blood samples are collected in glass plates – these are for a good reason).

But glass does have the problem of breaking easily, so it requires good care.

Ceramic cups are probably the best bet.

One can also use ones ordinary stainless steel glass, but never use plastic ones – they are harmful, and the dangers are even worse than wax.

Dinesh Sheth Newbury Park, Ilford

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EDUCATION/COUNCIL VOICE

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 14th June 2014

Gove calls for enforcement of British Values after Trojan Horse revelations

Michael Gove

card design competition and Christmas parties were cancelled at the school.

Park View At Academy, its sister secondary school, a madrassa curriculum was introduced in some lessons.

Officials reportedly said that they saw posters in Arabic in most of the classrooms and corridors advertising the virtues of prayer, while teachers told them that loudspeakers in the school were used to broadcast the call to prayer.

Golden Hillock, a secondary school run by the same trust, was among several accused of reportedly doing “too little to keep students safe from

the risks associated with extremist views”.

Saltley, another secondary school, was said by Ofsted to be “in a state of crisis”, with governors interfering with the dayto-day running of the school and undermining the work of the head and senior teachers.

Governors reportedly paid private investigators to check the emails of senior staff and spent £55,000 “unnecessarily” on a private solicitor.

The Ofsted report also described a “culture of fear” among some head teachers who were marginalised or even forced out from some Birmingham schools as governors pushed through changes effectively turning them into strictly orthodox Muslim schools.

Nasir Harif, who has a nine-year-old son at Oldknow Academy, reportedly said the school was providing an excellent education. “Ofsted have gone in there with a preset agenda,” he said. He did say that the school had a “very subtle Islamic ethos” but said it encouraged moral values such as honesty, trustworthiness and justice, not extremist beliefs.

But Mr Gove has remained steadfast on his decision to enforce the promotion of British values in schools. He reportedly told the Commons on Monday, “We will put the promotion of British values at the heart of what every school has to deliver for children. What we have found was unacceptable. And we will put it right.”

A Department for Education source also reportedly told a national Daily that all schools would be required to promote mutual respect and tolerance of those with different religions, as well as freedom, the rule of law and democracy. This would include an understanding that the freedom to hold other faiths and beliefs is protected in British law and that detrimental or discriminatory behaviour is not acceptable.

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British values of liberty and tolerance will be enforced into schools from September after a series of reports, carried out by revealed on Ofsted, Monday, how strict Islamic ideology had been imposed on schools.

The investigation, undertaken by Ofsted under the direction of Sir Michael Wilshaw, revealed that several Birmingham schools had been targeted by Muslims in an organised campaign to alter their “character and ethos”.

The investigation comes after Ofsted carried out inspections at 21 schools in Birmingham following allegations of a “Trojan horse” plot in which hardline Muslims were attempting to take control of schools.

It has emerged that five Birmingham schools are to be taken into special measures after Ofsted found that they had exposed children to extreme Islamist beliefs. It declared that Park View, Nansen, Golden Hillock, Oldknow and Saltley were inadequate and needed measures to special improve.

They also said that another 12 schools needed to improve. The E d u c a t i o n Funding Agency, part of the Department for Education, which monitors academies, also published critical reports on the Park View trust schools and Oldknow.

According to the report, Oldknow Academy, a large primary school in Small Heath, Birmingham, contributed £50,000 for a school trip to Mecca, Saudi Arabia and cancelled Christmas whilst visits to local churches, synagogues and Sikh gurdwaras were phased out, and the Christmas tree, Christmas

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'Soft' GCSEs and A-levels to be scrapped, Ofqual says

Attempts to integrate young Muslims into mainstream national culture and blow the cloak of the so-called Trojan Horse conspiracy, have been overshadowed by the unlikely clash between Mr Gove and Theresa May, the Home Secretary last week. Both clashed over policy and aired their differences on how best to deal with Islamic extremism, with Mr Gove accusing the Home Office of a reluctance to confront extremism until it resulted in violence.

Mr Gove's announcement is being welcomed by the Asian community, who understand the fundamental meaning of British values as being all inclusive of all faiths and traditions as well as a certain tolerance of every religion. This universal set of British values, a belief in democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty, tolerance, mutual respect and gender equality, should be wholeheartedly promoted amongst children and provide the pillar to their education. The schools that choose to defy these British values need to be dealt with caution, whether that means facing the very hardliners in question or restructuring the administration.

Ofqual, the exams watchdog, has said that certain 'soft' GCSEs and A-levels such as home economics, performing arts and humanities, will be scrapped while others including media studies and ICT will be be made tougher as part of a major shake-up of the exams system.

Ofqual published a list, on Friday 4 June, of dozens of “unusual” courses that will be scrapped in the next three years because of concerns they lack academic rigour.

All subjects should be “similar in overall demand” but at least 43 currently fall below the requirement, the regulator said.

Qualifications to be cut in England include a GCSE in home economics, which is sat by more than 32,000 pupils a year, and an A-level in film studies taken by almost 9,000 teenagers.

Other subjects identified include performing arts, humanities, applied science, human biology and environmental studies.

Ofqual has also told exam boards that they must radically toughen up 73 other courses including ancient histo-

ry, business studies, classical civilisation, general economics, studies, law, media studies and psychology.

The move forms part of Michael Gove’s plan to dramatically toughen up GCSEs and A-levels to place a renewed emphasis on traditional subject knowledge and prepare pupils for the demands of university and the workplace.

He has called for exams to be “more challenging, more ambitious and more rigorous” than those introduced under Labour.

Other GCSEs to be axed are digital communication, expressive arts, electronics, manufacturing, engineering, humanities, applied science, additional applied science, environmental science, environmental and land-based science and human health and physiology.

OUR NATURE “What I talk about is very simple, not complicated, because it is about you.

Simple as it is, it’s worth observing what our nature is. Why is it that when you are content, when you are happy, you actually become kind? You forgive. If someone cuts in front of you on the road, it’s okay. When you are not content, when you are frustrated, if someone cuts in front of you, you honk your horn.

Contentment, peace, joy, fulfillment - when we have that, we actually act and react to things totally differently. How we talk, how we react, how we actually cope with problems is totally different. But when something inside is not fulfilled, any little thing becomes intolerable.

The idea of peace did not start yesterday. This goal was set a long, long time ago. Civilisations are very proud of what they have achieved, but that goal that was established a long time ago for the whole humanity has not been achieved.

Going to the moon has been accomplished. But peace has been ignored.

Peace is the responsibility and charge of every single human being. It is that individual peace which needs to be sought, acknowledged and achieved in this lifetime. Where is that contentment? It is within you. What you are looking for is within you. Look within. Listen to your longing without fear.

There is only one life – many days, but one life. From the bottom of your heart, enjoy every single day. It is the most priceless thing there is. Every breath that comes into you – you cannot buy it, you cannot exchange it, you cannot give it.

It is yours.” ~ Pr em R aw at

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MEDIA WATCH

Telangana has become the 29th state of the Indian Union amidst joyous celebrations among its population.

The new state is Telugu-speaking, just like the old Andhra Pradesh from which Telangana has been carved out. Both States will share a common capital, Hyderabad, for the next ten years until a satisfactory site is found for Andhra Pradesh.

Punjab and Haryana share Chandigarh as their capital, so why not Telangana and its parent Andhra Pradesh? The Telangana movement is almost as old as the Indian state itself.

The reason was economic.

There was widespread poverty and little visible development when a communist insurgency took hold in the area many decades ago. This movement subsequently developed along constitutional and democratic parameters, reaching the promised fulfillment described above. Telangana’s first Chief Swearing in of Telangana government Minister, K.Chandrasekhar West Bengal and worked tireRao, was sworn in last week by lessly to strengthen the BJP base Telangana Governor E.S.L. in the State. (Times of India Narasimhan. Also sworn in was June 3) a cabinet of 12 ministers, which include the Chief Minister’s son, K.Taraka Rama Rao, and Kharge leader of nephew T. Harish Rao. Other Opposition members of the cabinet were: Mohammed Mahmood Ali, Mallikarjun Kharge, a T.Rajaiah, Naini Narasimha Karnataka Congress notable, Reddy, Eatala Rajinder, has been chosen as Leader of the Pocharan Srinivas Reddy, T. Congress in the Lok Sabha.

Padma Rao, P. Mahinder Reddy, Congress President Sonia Jogu Ramanma and G. Gandhi and Vice President Jagadeshwar Reddy.

Rahul Gandhi declined the post.

Andhra Pradesh Chief Kharege has the been described Minister Chandrababu Naidu by party insiders as a “pragmahas promised to develop a new tist with a safe pair of hands.”He state-of-the-art State capital at has come out on top in succesVijayawada. He and his ministesive general elections, an envirial team were sworn in at the able record. Kamal Nath, a forweekend. His Telugu Desam mer minister with a good knowlparty is part of the BJP-led edge of industry and an adept National Democratic Alliance parliamentarian, was seen as a (NDA) at the centre (Hindu contender for the post, but was June 3,7) passed over, presumably because his organizational skills would PM’s felicitations be needed to put life back into a moribund Congress party.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi (Telegraph, Hindu, Times of congratulated the Telangana India June 3) people and government and assured them of the full support Kharge, leader of the of the Union Government in Delhi in their endeavours to Congress party in the achieve “newer heights of Lok Sabha progress.” The Indian Prime Minister, welcoming Telangana During the reign of Jawaharlal into the Indian Union as its 29th Nehru, Indira Gandhi and Rajiv state, said it would be a source Gandhi, with their thumping of strength to India. Meanwhile, majorities in the Lok Sabha, the the Union Finance Ministry has leader of the opposition was begun devolving funds to from various Coalition partners.

Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.

The result of the 16th General Elections has reduced tally of Tapan Sikdar the Congress MPs to just 24, not even 10% of the 543 MPs and Another prominent BJP politiyet it is the largest group on the cian, Tapan Sikdar, who was a Opposition bench. member of the Atal Behari Vajpayee government between The official leader of the 1998-2004 died in a Delhi hospiOpposition must represent 10% tal after a long illness. He was a of the total MPs. Hence there is prominent party member from no official leader of the Opposition. In the aftermath of the election, a popular joke has been going around in Delhi, that 10 years of UPA regime, there was no proper Government and now there is no authentic Opposition!

RBI cuts SLR, to spur banks

Tapan Sikdar

The Reserve Bank of India has left interest rates untouched in a bid to reduce inflation, but by

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 14th June 2014

cutting the Statutory Liquidity Ratio (SLR) by 50 basic points, it has released Rs 40,000 crore liquidity to spur bank lending and inject momentum into the economy and reverse the present sluggish growth pattern. The 50-basic point cut in the SLR to 22.5 per cent (from 23 per cent) of bank deposits, starting midJune, will expand banks’ resources by Rs 40,000 crore.

Larsen & Toubro plant

Reserve Bank of India Governor Raghuram Rajan

The SLR cut is seen as a device to restrain the Government from borrowing on the market.

Predictably, India Inc, while welcoming the RBI decision on the ground that it would give banks more room to lend to the corporate sector, argued that a cut in the key interest rate would have been more conducive for growth (Business Line June 4)

India overtakes Germany, Italy

India has overtaken Germany and Italy to become the world’s second-largest textile exporter, the first being China by a long way. Data released by the Apparel Export Promotion Council shows India’s textile exports were estimated to be $40 billion in 2013. Textiles include everything from fibre and yarn to fabric, made-ups and readymade cotton, silk and synthetic yarn garments. India ranks sixth in the readymade garment section,

profit for the last quarter of 2013-14 ending March 31. This stood at Rs 2,723 crore, compared with Rs 1,610 crore in the same period of the previous year, primarily through the efficient order delivery of orders and better contract management. Net sales were up 11 per cent at Rs 20, 079 crore against Rs 18, 075 crore in the previous year.

Larsen & Toubro secured new orders worth Rs 4,198 crore in 2013-14, which was 15 per cent higher than the registered figure of the previous year.

International orders worth Rs 30,752 crore for the year grew more than three times year-onyear, constituting 33 per cent of the total order inflow. Most of these orders were in the infrastructure segment. Better days were ahead, said Shankar Raman, L&T Executive Chairman (Business Line June 4)

Maharashtra, Gujarat

Maharashtra has posted an impressive 8.7 per cent growth in 2013-14 on the back of a remarkable performance in agriculture. While agriculture grew at 4 per cent, industry recorded 8.8 per cent growth with the services sector topping them with 9.3 per cent. Agriculture performed well because of the rise in foodgrains, oil seeds and cotton by 38 per cent, 5 per cent

Textile factory at Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu

having beaten Turkey to move up a place. Smaller countries such as Bangladesh and Vietnam sell more in retail chains in Europe and the US on the back of cheaper labour costs (Times of India June 3)

Larsen & Toubro profit surge

Larsen & Toubro (L&T), the Mumbai-based construction and engineering giant, posted a 69 per cent rise in standalone net

and 11 per cent respectively over the previous financial year. This success is attributable to the excellent rains during the sowing season and the vegetable growth stage of kharif crops across the State.

Meanwhile, in neighbouring Gujarat the platform for economic development constructed by then Chief Minister Narendra Modi has started yielding results. The total number of project proposals received by Gujarat were 12,230, to Maharashtra’s 18,406. Yet,

Gujarat earned Rs 12,70, 172 crore, while Maharashtra took less with Rs 10, 21, 633. In effect, Gujarat has converted a higher number of proposals into actual investments on the ground (Business Line June 3)

Modi briefed on nuclear issues

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been given an extensive briefing on the command and control system of India’s nuclear force structure by the country’s top military and civilian experts.

He was told of the urgent need for operational control of the arsenal to a full-time chairman of the joint chiefs of staff committee. This has been a subject on which previous governments, starting with the BJP-led Vajpayee regime, have preferred to put on the back burner. Modi is likely put an end to the dilatory record (Hindu June 4)

Tata eyes defence sector contracts

The $100 billion Tata Group’s aerospace and defence arm, Tata Advanced Systems Ltd (TASL), is gearing up to take the opportunities likely to come its way from the further opening up of India’s defence sector to the private enterprise. Hence TASL is scaling up operations across its seven lines of manufacturing as it prepares to bid for the full production of aircraft in the next three to five years. Accordingly, TASL is eyeing a defence contract for the manufacture of 56 military aircraft to replace India’s ageing fleet of Avro jets currently in service with the Indian Air Force (IAF). TASL’s business spreads across a wide spectrum that includes radars, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), missiles, electronics, command and control systems and homeland security. TASL currently produces Sikorsky helicopters in a joint production venture with US firm Lockheed Martin Corporation.

New opportunities

With Indian defence spending projected to grow to $180 billion between now and 2020, the opportunities for TASL are hugely significant. As in the private sector of advanced countries, Indian companies such as TASL, Mahindra & Mahindra, Larsen & Toubro and Godrej will of necessity depend on government contracts to secure their future. (Mint June 5)

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 14th June 2014

British Sikhs protest Operation Blue Star

Continued from page 1 such an important part of the heritage of India, as well as the heritage of Leicester, I think is a disgrace.

The Indian army's Operation Blue Star was launched to remove Sikh separatists who demanded an independent homeland, Khalistan in Punjab, and had sought shelter inside the temple. But unfortunately hundreds of civilians were killed in that attack. According to the Indian government, about 400 people were killed, including 87 soldiers - but Sikh groups dispute this figure, saying thousands died.

sparking widespread rioting which resulted in thousands of Sikh deaths, especially in the capital Delhi. There has also been allegations that Tory leader Margaret Thatcher

and the British government may have lent military expertise to Mrs Gandhi to plan the raid.

Newly de-classified documents suggest that an officer of the UK's elite Special Air Service met with Indian army officers ahead of the attack.

However in February, an investigation by the Cabinet Secretary Sir Jeremy Heywood found that the advice had been "limited". But part of the community still believes that the British government has failed them by indirectly participating in this widespread killing.

But despite her name, Indira Gandhi was not related to the assassinated independence campaigner Mahatma Gandhi, who promoted non-violent civil disobedience.

Leicestershire Police said the graffiti was due to be removed from the Mahatma Gandhi statue on Sunday, and appealed for anyone with information about how it got there to contact them.

for suspicion of money laundering.

Mr Hussain is a key player in Karachi, a city known for brutal politics, bombings and assassinations. As leader of the MQM, which represents the Muhajir ethnic group, he commands a militia with tens of thousands of men that is often linked to killings and bombings.

The Metropolitan police confirmed that a 60year-old man had been arrested and that his house

in Edgware, northwest London, was being searched. Britain’s deputy high commission in Karachi was closed amid fear of a backlash.

Mr Hussain, who has lived in Britain for two decades and has a British passport, has been the subject of a series of police investigations but has never been charged.

Officers have investigated complaints that he used his base in London to incite violence in Pakistan.

Soldiers outside Golden Temple during Operation Blue Star in 1984

Days later Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was assassinated by two of her Sikh bodyguards

Backlash feared after Pakistani Politician Altaf Hussain arrested in London

Fears of widespread disorder and violence spread last Tuesday in Karachi, after the arrest in London of one of Pakistan's most prominent politicians.

Altaf Hussain is the leader of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), Pakistan’s fourth biggest political party. He leads it from the first floor of a tower block in Edgware and frequently addresses crowds via a telephone link to a loudspeaker. He was arrested

UK

Delayed Travel Documents Anger Thousands

Continued from page 1

Keith Vaz, chairman of the home affairs select committee, has called on the chief executive to appear after union leaders said staff were struggling.

This is, of course, extremely embarrassing for the Passport Office, which was the one part of the immigration system considered to be functioning well.

Paul Pugh, its chief executive, has insisted there is no backlog of applications but admitted that there had been an excessive early demand this summer. In the first five months of the year, 300,000 more applications were received than in the same period last year.

The Home Office has said that the improving economy has played a significant role in the increase in people seeking passports to travel, after an aggressive marketing campaign by holiday companies earlier in the year.

Mr Vaz reportedly said the committee had summoned Mr Pugh to appear before it to be questioned a week today. He added: “I have been inundated with letters from people saying they have been waiting and waiting for their passport. This could not be happening at a worse time.”

Union leaders have blamed the delays on the fact that 300 jobs were cut over the past four years.

Applications from UK citizens overseas are among those hit hardest His house was searched after the murder in Edgware four years ago of the co-founder of the MQM, Imran Farooq.

Yesterday in Karachi, MQM supporters set vehicles alight while residents rushed to stock up on food, fearing a long business shutdown. All trains from Karachi were also cancelled and the Karachi stock exchange fell by more than 3 per cent after news of the arrest.

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after the Passport Office took over responsibility from the Foreign Office for the processing of all forms.

Its website said: “Her Majesty’s Passport Office acknowledges the frustration customers may be experiencing and will continue to review its guidance on estimated processing times.”

Among those suffering, awaiting passports, is a baby whose parents want to bring him home to meet his family. Dylan White was born in Qatar seven weeks ago but his parents have been told it could take eight weeks to issue a passport for him.

The couple, from Penarth, are emailing the British passport office each day saying their case is urgent.

If Dylan does not have a passport by two months old they face a daily fine of 10 riyals (£1.60) from the Qatari authorities.

The situation is even more chaotic in India where dozens of babies, born to Britons in India, are being classified as illegal immigrants because of the UK’s disorganised system of issuing passports

there.

It typically takes at least four months for British newborns to get a passport in India, eight times longer than for Americans.

Because India does not offer citizenship to babies born to nonIndians, it means that, illegal immigrants are fined every day that they 'overstay'.

Passports, driving licences, marriage certificates, work permits, visas and medical records as well as ultrasound pictures of the unborn child have to be handed over to the High Commission.

A spokesman for HM Passport Office reportedly said that all applications were now subject to further security checks, which means processing times have increased.

Do you have a similar story? Please share it with us.

Are you looking for a more rewarding career?

Media Advertising Sales Representative Media Advertising Sales Representative positions are available with Asian Business Publications Ltd publishers of Asian Voice and Gujarat Samachar, the leaders in ethnic media.

Using a mixture of face to face, telephone and electronic contact, the position will entail selling advertising space for both Asian Voice and Gujarat Samachar, theme based specials, sponsorships for various events we conduct through out the year.

We are seeking confident assertive, energetic, and goal-oriented individual with or without previous experience in sales. Position is responsible for building effective consultative business conversations with decision makers and win business. Selected candidates will receive a competitive salary and commissions. For consideration please email resume with references.

LOCATION: JOB TYPE: START DATE:

Central London Permanent Immediate

Asian Voice & Gujarat Samachar are the largest selling Asian news weeklies, now in their 42nd year with paid subscription of almost 25,000 and additional 5000 copies sold through retail outlets.

Check us online www.abplgroup.com

Send your CV with a covering letter to: Mr CB Patel Asian Business Publications Ltd Karma Yoga House 12 Hoxton Market (Off Coronet Street) London N1 6HW or email: cb.patel@abplgroup.com

Asian community kickstarts Sum

14

UK

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 14th June 2014

Harrow Leisure Centre was buzzing with entertainment, determined shoppers and the aromas of Indian snacks at the weekend, as Asian Voice and Gujarat Samachar successfully hosted the fourth Anand Mela in the last three years. Over 6000 people gathered at the Mela on Saturday 7th and Sunday 8th June to experience an excellent display of Indian culture, especially Gujarati, where the ambience was one of gaiety and excitement. Councillors and MPs were also present for the inauguration.

One of the sponsors for the mela was Anoop Pankhania from Jasper Centre.

The mela showcased a variety of stalls which included food & drink, education and entertainment, Health & Medical, Travel & Tourism, Banking & Finance, Fashion & Wedding, Real Estate and many more. Visitors had the opportunity to indulge in endless fun, do some shopping, enjoy the day's

Banubhai Pandya

Manorma Joshi

Meera Salat

entertainment, eat some tasty food, meet near and dear ones or dance to their favourite songs.

The entertainment over both days included performances by well-known artist Navin Kundra, Archana Kumar Dance Academy, singer Kishan Amin, dholplayer Kivraj Gharyal, entertainer Tilu

Archana Kumar Dance Academy

Honey Kalaria with student

Inauguration Ceremony with Councillors, MPs and members of Asian Voice and Gujarat Samachar

Patel, classical dancer Manorma Joshi, charity Shishukunj, dancer Meera Salat, classical singer Kesh K, Honey Kalaria's Dance Academy, Singers Rekha Sawhney, Hemina Shah, Adil Hashmi, Maz Khan, Tanya Wales and Vikas and Mehi. London School of Dhol's Kishan and Dilesh, Om Shakti Day Centre and

Kivraj Gharyal

Jasper Centre. Actress Esha Kansara was also in attendance and engaged in a fun Q&A with the audience.

The funds raised through ticket sales and raffle was donated to our nominated charity for the mela Shishukunj, a charity run entirely by the youth, for the youth, catering primarily for children aged 514 years old. The aim of the charity is to provide an environment rich in positive values, which will allow the hidden potential

“language is not a barrier at all.” The team at Asian Voice and Gujarat Samachar appreciated his presence at the mela.

CB Patel, Publisher/ Editor of Asian Voice & Gujarat Samachar, expressed his delight after the successful mela, and said, “Anand Mela means, in simple terms, enjoyment together.

Irrespective of their background, age, religion, colour or nationality, when I literally saw several hun-

Shishukunj members with Lord and Lady Loomba and CB Patel

Honey's Dance Academy

Tilu Patel

within each child to flourish.

Shishukunj aims for allround development of the child - encompassing physical, mental, emotional, spiritual and social development.

It was heartening to see Councillor Phillip O’dell, who attended the mela and spent a couple of hours watching the performances. When our Editor CB Patel spoke to him, he said,

Jaspar Centre volunteers

Chaganbhai Dabhi

Shishukunj volunteers performing a garba dance

Hemina Shah

Honey's Dance Academy

mmer with fantastic Anand Mela UK

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 14th June 2014

dreds rejoicing in music, dance, eating and shopping, I was extremely happy. Our aim was extraordinarily fruitful.”

Raj Mistry, a spokes person for the charity Shishukunj said, “The Anand Mela was a fantastic opportunity for Shishukunj as the nominated charity.

The event provided us with tremendous exposure to the Indian community and it was a delight to work with the team at Asian Voice.”

Performers

Adil Hashmi

Adil is a musician, live performer and songwriter who is well-known for his song 'Jaana'.

AK Bollywood Dance

AK Bollywood Dance is a fresh dynamic dance group, which specialises in Bollywood dance with a fusion of a variety of other forms such as classical, traditional, modern contemporary and hip hop.

Banubhai Pandya

Banubhai Pandya is a wellknown comedian, who specialises in jokes in Gujarati

Hemina Shah

Kirvraj Gharyal

Hemina Shah is a talented singer and performing artist originally from the UK, specialising in a range of different styles of Indian music including Hindi Bollywood, Hindi pop remixes, Bhangra, Garba, Fusion etc.

Kivraj is an extremely talented 12 years old dhol player, who has been learning dhol and tabla for the last 5 years. He hopes to pursue music when he is older.

Honey Kalaria is an award winning actress, choreographer and one of the top 3 Asian business women in the UK, with 18 Bollywood schools, an Honorary Doctorate of Arts and a No 1 Bollywood Workout video.

Kanti Patel

Kishan is an up and coming vocalist who has been singing for over 15 years.

Training in Indian classical music since the age of 5, he performs in various different styles ranging mainstream Bollywood and Bhangra to ghazals and other classical forms of Indian music.

Kesh K

Kishan and Dilesh are dhol players from the London School of Dhol.

Honey Kalaria

Banubhai Pandya is a wellknown comedian and specialises in jokes in Gujarati Kesh K is a versatile musician armed with understanding of tabla, vocal, writing and composing.

Born into a family of mixed origin (Indian/Italian) Kesh has been surrounded by music from day one. At the age of 3, he would imitate and play along with the likes of Ustad Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, Ustad Zakir Hussain and Aziz Mian which articulated his passion for music.

Actress Esha Kansara

Om Shakti Day Centre Volunteers

From Charutar Arogya Mandal in Gujarat, Secretary Mr Jagrat Bhatt, Chairman Dr Amrita Patel, Surendra Patel and Kanti Nagra

Kishan Amin

Kishan and Dilesh

Om Shakti Day Centre

A group of women performed a garba dance and also gave a speech congratulating Asian Voice & Gujarat Samachar for the Anand Mela.

Manorma Joshi

Manorma is a performing artist (Actress, Singer/Song writer & Indian classical Kathak dancer) living in London UK. She comes from a very artistic family background

and has had the biggest inspirations from there.

Maz Khan

Rotheram based business man Maz Khan is set to release his debut single ‘Jaan Soniye’ on 12th June 2014. The business man started singing at a young age at family events and parties before he met with record label owner Zahid Parvez (sid Twilight) who offered to give him his first break as a professional singer.

Mehi

Mehi is a brand new punjabi artist who will be releasing his new track this month.

Meera Salat

Meera Salat is a dancer who is trained in a variety of dance styles. She has her own dance academy where she teaches dance to all ages.

and English. With a strong fan based reach of over 3 million people and growing, Navin has achieved six number one singles in the Asian Charts, and won the 2013 'Entertainer of the Year' Award in the Houses Of Parliament.

Rekha Sawhney

A versatile Singer, Performer and Dreamer, as she describes herself, Harrow's own Rekha, believes that talent should speak for itself and not be ornamented with vanity and over-confidence.

Singing for her is very much like thinking and speaking.

Shishikunj

Maz Khan

Tanya Wales and Vikas Tanya Wales is a nonIndian woman who specialises in singing Bollywood songs with a soul-touching voice.

Tilu Patel

Tilu Patel is an entertainer who performed a Raj Kapoor Dance.

Photo courtesy: Raj D Bakrania, Prmediapix and Suryakant Jadava

A group of volunteers from the charity Shishukunj performed a garba dance

Navin Kundra

Navin Kundra is a British singer/songwriter, who writes, composes and performs songs in Hindi, Punjabi

Councillor Phillip O'Dell with Associate Editor of Asian Voice, Rupanjana Dutta

Q&A with Esha Kansara

Preeti Varsani

15

Pratap Ghadvi from Shishukunj

Navin Kundra

Kishan and Dilesh from London School of Dhol

Kishan Amin

Adil Hashmi and Sib

Esha Kansara with Consulting Editor of Gujarat Samachar Jyotsna Shah

Rekha Sawhney

Mehi

Joint Director Anoop Pankhania, Event Manager Riddhi Pankhania, Manager Kishor and Rio at Shishukunj stall

16

PROPERTY INVESTMENT

The Anand Mela also was host to a separate Property Show, in conjunction with India Bulls, and was a huge success.

Regarding the show, Percy P. Sethna, Country Head UK, India Bulls said, "The Affordable Indian Property Show was a joint event organized by Indiabulls London office & Asset India in association with Gujarat Samachar. It was a very well organised event and added great value to the participating Indian Developers. Event had a good turnout of people from Harrow and the surrounding Indian areas visiting the Affordable

Property Show to explore options of purchasing properties in India.

Indiabulls looks forward to engaging with NRI audience in UK." Dharmesh Doshi Director of Asset India Ltd said “ The Affordable India Property Show in Harrow was conceived less than a month ago in association with Indiabulls, Asset India & Gujarat Samachar/Asian Voice. We jointly not only created a first-class environment by being surrounded with first –class people as the event was graced by Members from House of Lords, Members of Parliament, Councillors

& TV Stars along with a entourage of India’s most reputable developers resulted in a approximate footfall of 1000+ people at the property show itself.

This success most of all

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 14th June 2014 was a show case of work of harmony, integrity and competence with team effort. Congrats to Gujarat Samachar/Asian voice, Indiabulls & Asset India Team”.

Strategic partners

Miss Manshi and Percy Sethna, India Bulls with Lord and Lady Loomba lighting the lamp

Lord and Lady Loomba cutting the ribbon Navin Shah MP, Gareth Thomas MP and Lady Loomba

Lord Loomba, CB Patel, Gareth Thomas MP and Lady Loomba

Actress Esha Kansara taking a quick tour at the Property section

Lord Loomba speaking to Sachin Gupta, Mayor of Hounslow and Councillor Jagdish Sharma

Lord Loomba speaking to a few of the guests

Lord Loomba meeting the developers

Councillors listening to Lord Loomba's speeches

Developer going through brochure with a client

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 14th June 2014

Record Breaking Christie’s likely to Score again with India Sale

Rani Singh

Less than 24hrs after we go to press Christie’s India Sale in London will likely have broken at least two records, a feat it has maintained over the past seven years with Modernist Indian Art records. Added to that will be a pioneering initiative to add more clients into the world of Indian art buying and make the system more accessible with the first ever online Indian classical art sale.

Buyers the world over will either be in person or represented at Christie’s famous South Asian Modern and Contemporary Art Sale Wednesday 11th June 2014.

I was given an induction and some insight by the principals involved.

Deepanjana Klein, Head of the South Asia Department, based in New York, talked to me in front of the trophy piece of the sale; “Man & Woman Grinding Their Teeth,” painted by Francis Newton Souza in 1957. She said that the sale of the last painting by this modern artist broke a record in 2008.

“We do not normally come across a Souza of this calibre” she said.

While the estimate is at £1-£1.5 million, the likelihood is that that will be exceeded as “the market will decide the price.”

Deepanjana explained that private collectors and museums are the chief buyers; but went further and said that the main interest is “from India, London, New York and the Bay area in the US.” Dr Amin Jaffer, International Director of Asian Art, said that the Souza was in beautiful condition and its rich colours certainly glowed under the spotlight. “It

An illustration from a dispersed Harivamsa series by an artist of the first generation after Purkhu Kangra, North India, 1830-1840

was from his golden period,” Dr Jaffer said, also pointing out a large collage by the late activist artist Bhupen Khakar called “Night” with an upper estimate of £250,000. “Khakar was self-taught, based in Baroda, and you rarely see his work on that scale,” he told me. When pushed for the names of collectors, he said Kiran Nadar and Lekha and Anupam Poddar are known people, while pointing out previously that Usha Mittal’s commission of the late MF Husain’s paintings were on display at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London in collaboration with Christie’s, so art philanthropy counterbalancing the sale.

Damian Vesey, at 28 a Christie’s Junior Specialist in London, excitedly said that for the first time art buyer, the sale also offered special pieces away from the million pound price bracket.

There are relatively cheap items from Bhupen Khakar and S.H. Raza, “Both titans of the contemporary Indian art

world,” he said.

Apart from the high stakes and lower end of the sale tomorrow, Christie’s is the first auction house to actively expand its client base with the first ever classical Indian art collection on paper, and for this I was shown two examples

by Frenchman Romain Pingannaud, Director of Islamic and Indian Art. 50 works on paper from one private collector dated between 16001800 are on sale, with no catalogue, until Thursday June 12th.

“The idea is to broaden the audience for Indian Art, said Romain, “already we have sent an email to 33,000 people about this sale and 50% of them are new to Christie’s. We hope to make them into new clients! Many of them are from India and would not normally travel to London.”

Christie’s South Asian Modern and Contemporary Art Auction is on Wednesday June 11 2014 2pm at 8, King Street London SW1Y 6QT.

SDL now officially opens for business June 12th marked the official opening of Secure Deposits Ltd at 129 Belgrave Road Leicester, LE4 6AS. Built on the landmark site of Saree Mandir it is the latest chapter of Mr S B Khandelwal’s business development in Leicester.

The centre opened by Sir Peter Soulsby and the Rt Hon Keith Vaz has been designed to take the place of banks w h o are withdrawing from providing traditional custodian services.

A real need for crime prevention within the community has been felt for a very long time.

Mr S B Khandelwal’s son, Anil, said, “Many new companies are trying to move into this industry thinking that they will make a quick killing through cheap g i m m i c k s because demand is high. But we know that the public want a long term service with integrity as well as security in an environment where they can really trust the owners and management.

“Our experience of

UK

17

Southwark chooses new Mayor and honours local volunteers

Cllr Sunil Chopra, was elected as the new Mayor of Southwark at the traditional Mayor Making ceremony, which took place on Saturday 7 June at Southwark Cathedral.

The ceremony, which is officially called the Annual Meeting of the Council for the election of a new Mayor, was held at the cathedral for the first time - and in another change was preceded by the annual Southwark Civic Awards Ceremony.

Cllr Chopra said: "I am honoured to accept the role of Mayor of Southwark and I am looking forward to representing our communities and promoting the amazing work that the people of the borough do. This year I will be fundraising to

support my chosen charities The Robes Project and Homes for Heroes. I am also particularly proud to be the first Indian born Mayor of Southwark. " Cllr Neil Coyle was appointed as Deputy Mayor.

The Southwark Civic Awards, which honoured 33 local volunteers, community champions and organisations, are organised by the Southwark Civic Association and supported by Southwark Council. They are given to people and organisations who sacrifice their time and energy to make a positive difference to the borough.

Awards included Letters of Commendation, Lifetime Achievement Awards and Honorary

Liberties of the Old Metropolitan Boroughs of Bermondsey, Camberwell and Old Southwark. The special Mayor of Southwark's Discretio nary Award, given to an individual or organisation identified as deserving special recognition throughout the year was awarded to the Lewisham, Greenwich and Southwark Samaritans.

Cllr Chopra added: "The Civic Awards are a chance to honour the incredible work being done everyday across the borough by people who ask for no compensation, reward or recognition. I would like to congratulate all this year’s recipients and thank them again for their tireless service to our communities."

ZFTE welcomes the High Priest of Udvada, Gujarat and the Lord Popat of Harrow to their first ever visit to the Zoroastrian Centre

Mr Dorab E Mistry OBE – ZTFE Treasurer & External Relations – Inter Faith Officer, Ervad Rustam K Bhedwar – Senior Zoroastrian priest in the UK and ZTFE Trustee, Ms Jesmin Sorab – ZTFE Joint Social Secretary, Mr Behram R Kapadia – ZTFE Vice President, Lady Sandhya Popat of Harrow, Lord Dolar Popat of Harrow, Dasturji Khurshed Kaikobad Dastoor – High Priest, of Shree Pak Iranshah Atash Behram, Udvada, South Gujarat, Mr Malcolm M Deboo – ZTFE 26th President, Mrs Havovi Khurshed Dastoor, Mrs Parivash F Kiani – ZTFE Joint Social Secretary and Mrs Shenaz B Sadri JP – ZTFE Joint Inter Faith Officer

On Sunday 11th May 2014, the Zoroastrian Trust Funds of Europe (ZTFE) together with the Zoroastrian community of the UK gathered to welcome the High Priest, Dasturji Khurshed Kaikobad Dastoor of Shree Pak Iranshah Atash Behram

at Udvada, South Gujarat, and his wife Havovi to the Zartoshty Brothers Hall, at the Zoroastrian Centre in Harrow.

The Zoroastrian Trust Funds of Europe brought together not only members of the Zoroastrian community, but members

of the Baha’i, Buddhist, Christian, Hindu, Jain, Jewish, Muslim, Sikh and other faith communities.

Lord Dolar and Lady Sandhya Popat of Harrow were the Chief Guests – it was Lord and Lady Popat’s first ever official visit to the Zoroastrian Centre.

having built the current 5000 lockers at the Bank of India 25 years ago has given us a much deeper insight into customers’ needs and the type of establishment they feel their belongings will be safe in. We have sought to build a world class facility with the most stringent security features,

coupled with a service that even banks simply can’t offer. And to cap it all we have insured the contents of the lockers at no extra cost to the customer.”

The grade 10 explosive proof vault is the first of its kind in Leicester and features the customer’s encrypted fingerprint

being linked directly to the locking mechanism of each and every locker so even if keys and cards are stolen, no one else except for the customer can access their locker. Open 7 days a week and manned by an accredited security guard SDL claim it is the safest safe deposit facility there is.

18

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 14th June 2014

Dear Financial Voice Reader,

I write to you from Singapore where I’ve just been speaking to Eduardo Saverin, the co-founder of Facebook. I meet a lot, a hell of a lot of billionaires, in what I do for the British Government – in searching for the best entrepreneurs around the world and landing their companies into the UK. I meet the Rothschild’s in Palaces. I am a lucky observer of wealth and have learnt long ago the difference between a class act and a money act.

But I have never met a more humble genuine ultrarich person as Eduardo. The irony is the jumped up moderately rich I meet who are worth a fraction of a decimal point of a billion will happily be arrogant, will happily claim credit for the wealth built by their humble parents, for inheritance, attribute brilliance to themselves, not to chance.

Happily have photos of themselves with fat cigars stuffing their faces, strutting in fine suits and expensive watches, as if they still need to prove themselves. They will photo-shop their wealth on the covers of tacky magazines, and then they wonder why they are never truly part of the Establishment, the closed rooms which they are desperate to get into where the real decisions are made.

Top lessons I learnt as a Barrister and from some very English gentlemen and ladies: 1. The chap with the smartest suit usually has the least money. The guy at the back of the room, with the scuffed shoes, and the cheap watch, is usually the money in the room 2. Money doesn’t chase, or try hard. Those shocked that they have it do.

3. Never ever chase glory. Never be nouveau riche.

Don’t know what nouveau riche is? Then you don’t know why nobles oblige is class either.

4. Class does not look over the shoulder of the person you are speaking to see if someone more important is present 5. Class does not in reality throw parties like The Great Gatsby 6. Little money shouts, big money is silent 7. The more you want it, the more you show it, the less the decent want to be around you.

8. It helps when you know what the charity you are raising funds with an over-priced gala dinner actually does.

9. Poor does not make you better. But rich guarantees you are not.

10. Never throw a party to show how rich you are.

11. You’re not as rich as Warren Buffett and he follows all these rules.

12. A Birkin is vulgar.

13. Camels pass through the eyes of needles before the rich enter heaven – the Bible told me so.

And a young billionaire in an un-ironed shirt and jeans unspotted by everyone in a room, who maintains eye contact as you discuss how to help nations aspire to better for their citizens is worth a million arrogant millionaires talking about their wealth.

India likely to allow FDI in e-commerce

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India's e-commerce sector as early as next month, paving the way for global online retailers such as Amazon to expand their business, people in the know said. A more robust online retail sector will spur manufacturing and help an economic revival, said sources, who are privy to discussions within the new government.

An announcement is expected in next month's budget.

India currently bans global online retailers from selling goods directly to customers but allows them to own 100 per cent of a marketplace business, where third-party suppliers can use their platform.

Both Amazon and eBay use such a platform to operate in the country.

Modi victory gives instant boost to BSE sensex

The sweeping victory of BJP and Narendra Modi has given an instant boost to the sensex. The sensex which has been on the rise and since March has crossed the 25,000 mark for the first time on May 16, the day the election results were announced, and reached 25,364 before closing at 24,121. It now stood at 25,349.

According to Hargreaves Lansdown, the adviser, this performance helped India to account for four of the ten best performing funds last month.

This is great news for those who have already gambled on a recovery from sluggish GDP growth of about 5 per cent, persistent inflation and a current account deficit.

However, experts agree it is not too late for investors to join the party.

“This is the first time in 30 years that India will not have a coalition government and the first time in its history that a government with a nonsocialist, pro-market philosophy will be in power with a majority,” says Juliet Schooling Latter, head of research at

Industry body Assocham said that acute power shortages may force over 25 per cent micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME) in several states, mostly in north India, to close their businesses.

The worst affected states are Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Rajasthan and Delhi, Assocham secretary general D.S. Rawat said in a report. In its survey, Assocham stated that the industrial production is likely to fall by 40 per cent due to frequent power outages in north Indian states that are also coping with severe heat wave.

Due to extreme power deficit, industrial production in states of Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra would have to be curtailed to the extent of 30-35 per cent, particularly in manufacturing units, as these have no alternative means to produce power.

According to a feedback received by Assocham from the industry, power deficit in the states like Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and J&K may

Chelsea Financial Services.

Modi, she argues, has a decent track record as chief minister of Gujarat state and will lead a successful government if he can meet his aims of “tackling inflation and the country’s finances, although the current account deficit is already in much better shape, rebuilding local business confidence, speeding up decision-making and getting infrastructure projects up and running”.

One of the biggest assets Modi has is a young population, says Brian Dennehy of fundexpert.co.uk, the

financial website. “The median age of the Indian population is 26 years,” he says.

“Compare that with Italy (44) or Britain (40). A 25-year-old working Indian with young children has much greater economic potential than a 70-year-old Italian pensioner.” There is plenty of scope for economic growth as well. In terms of GDP per head of population, India stands at $3,900, while Italy is at $30,100. It is not a market for those looking to make a quick buck, however. To effect a turnaround in India’s economic fortunes, Modi will need to make sweeping reforms, such as reducing spending on subsidies, simplifying the tax system, making it easier for foreign investors to enter the market and, of course, reducing red tape and corruption. Such reform cannot be done overnight.

“Getting individual

states to implement reforms passed by the central government will also not be easy,” says Dennehy, drawing parallels with Margaret Thatcher’s government and the economic impact that it had. Thatcher ripped into local government and centralised more government - this might not be easy in India.”

Damien Fahy, of moneytothemasses.com, the investment website, agrees that reform will be a longterm process. “Modi’s call to ‘give me 60 months’ during campaigning underlines that” - but he says that the country remains a compelling investment opportunity.

“Indian equities’ valuations, currently 15 times forward earnings, are around their long-term average,” Fahy says. “In the short term, investors can expect volatility and bouts of profit-taking.

India is no longer the screaming ‘buy’ it was in the past few years but as a long-term investment play it remains compelling.

Investors should drip in monthly, benefiting from price fluctuations.”

go up to 30-35 per cent in June-July from 20-25 per cent recorded in AprilMay. Uttar Pradesh, which is one of the industrialised states in the country, is facing one of the worst crises, and resorting to an average load-shedding of 10-12 hours a day.

Uttar Pradesh, which has a power requirement of over 8,282 million units, has availability of little over 7,358 million units (MU), with deficit ranging over 11.2 percent. The situation is no better in Andhra Pradesh where the power deficit is approximately 12.1 percent. The availability in the state is only 7,976 MU against the requirement of 9,070 MU. The southern part of the country is likely to suffer energy shortage to the extent of 2,111 MU particularly in Andhra, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. Jammu & Kashmir suffered a power shortage of 20.3 per cent in April and it is likely to go up to 25 per cent in the coming months.

Besides low production capacity, Assocham said, power theft, leakages and transmission and commercial losses were among the main reasons for the crisis in these states.

India’s leading mortgage lender HDFC has hosted the India Homes Fair - a property event exclusively for those interested in knowing about the latest projects by over 36 renowned and wellreputed developers in India. In its 7th annual property show in London, over 50,000 properties will be on display from Bengaluru, Chennai, Gujarat, Goa, Hyderabad, Kerala, Mumbai, National Capital Region, Pune, Punjab, Kolkata to name a few. With varying options like flats, villas and plots,

customers can avail of exclusive offers and value-added benefits during the property

Narendra Modi

Power crisis may hit small businesses in India

HDFC to organise India Homes Fair in London

fair.

The two-day fair will be held at Hilton London Metropole Hotel, 225 Edgware Road, London W2 1JU on 14th and 15th June. Opened between 10 am and 7 pm, visitors will also be able to attend free seminars on residential trends in India, emerging destinations, budget housing and taxation in India, to be presented by the HDFC Realty’s CEO, Vikram Goel.

REAL ESTATE VOICE

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 14th June 2014

19

Purchasing problem properties without inheriting the problems

Suresh Vagjiani

Sow & Reap A Property Investment Company

Following on from last week’s story our buyer for Lindfield Gardens in Hampstead did eventually complete, like we suspected he would, otherwise he would have dropped £100,000.

However we couldn’t take the chance that he may not have completed, and so we had to be ready with cash to complete the deal. The deadline was on Monday, on this day we could have forfeited our deposit of £85,000 and gained £100,000. So we would have been £15k up. This was not what we wanted though, we wanted to purchase the property for £750k, reduced from our original purchase price of £850k by the buyer’s £100k deposit.

At such short notice it was proving difficult to get a lender comfortable with the situation surrounding the property, consequently we had to draw upon cash to complete the deal. The investors who put money in on Friday morning done rather well, they ended up with a 7% return on the money for a few hours of investment. Money was transferred in the morning and the buyer ended up completing the deal by the afternoon. A couple of investors who put in £100k and £200k got the money returned by the evening with a handsome return, needless to say they were both very pleased. Their money was to be used as an insurance policy, to protect us from the risk of our buyer not completing. Both the investors had worked with us before and so had a level of trust in our ability to make the deal lucrative even if we had to complete.

Another property we purchased for £250k in Northolt a month ago is a three bedroom freehold semi detached house. Again it had its fair share of issues, it came with a tenant who was in the process of being evicted. Her defense from what we had heard was that she was a sitting tenant - supposedly.

This was not true.

We were no t able to see t he property from the insid e du e to the on going issue s with the ten an t, so we had to purchase blind. F or a three bedroom this was ve ry che ap t he act ual price of t he pro pe rty should have bee n £325k minimum. So we we nt ahead an d exchan ged on the morning of the auctio n.

Many properties co me with issu es, it’s rare t o find a deal where there is n othing wro ng and it is simply cheap; the y exist, but man y come with dramatic stories. It’ s important to hear th em and explo re the problems, but n ot inhe rit them.

When we approached a local agent to ask about the property they had already heard about the property and knew the original owner.

They were shocked he would have let it go unless there was something wrong with it as he had a shrewd reputation and owned many properties. When I heard this, it was not an immediate cause for panic, it is better to start from a clean slate and assume nothing. Often due to differing personalities issues may develop between the landlord and tenant.

We got not one but two firms to check whether the contract was an AST. Our own lawyers confirmed the situation and another firm specialising in evictions confirmed the same thing to us. We also went and spoke to the tenant, the issue was the seller’s solicitors had filed all the notices wrongly and so they were rejected. The tenant was also annoyed at the landlord for not having done any works to the property.

It is important to start with a clean slate as any previous problems could be to do with the tenant and landlord relationship exclusively. As a new buyer you have a new perspective, and should not be clouded by any problems which have occurred previously.

If we had taken this standpoint and been influenced by previous problems with the property we would not have bought Lindfield Gardens for £850k and resold it for £1m within a couple of months. We did need to get a barrister’s opinion on certain issues surrounding the property, but only to confirm what we already knew and to ensure we followed the correct process in doing things properly.

In July 2013 we purchased a block on Kilburn Road with a group of investors. There were numerous issues with the deal and there was also a buyer on the scene who was plodding through the various issues and about to exchange on the property when we arrived on the scene.

We were given a green light by the sales agent and sent a contract out. Our lawyer on the Friday evening called and said he didn’t think we should exchange as he had spotted something which was done without planning. This would have caused a problem with the lender which we needed to finance the rest of the deal. We made a decision to go ahead regardless. If we had left it any longer there was a strong chance the existing buyer would have woken up and done the deal.

We purchased the property for £2.675m, and last week the property was valued by Savills at £4.675m, which is a bit low in my opinion but even then it’s a good valuation. We plan to add another £1m on the property by adding another six studios to it. The great thing about this deal is we didn’t spend a penny on it at all, the money was supplied to us for free, all £550k of it – in return for renting the property out for ten years to a housing association.

It later transpired the planning was in place but our lawyer simply didn't have the documents at the time we exchanged.

Had we have not been able to take on and seen through the issues we would not have been able to do any of the deals listed above.

The Real Deal

Many pro ble matic propertie s are oft en l iste d in auc tion. The sel lers are bank in g on man y buyers n ot d oing t he du e diligence properl y and n ot havin g check ed the legal paperwork prope rly.

A Precious Diamond London, SW7 Purchase Price: £1.05m

Another cause for concern is most lenders are not currently lending on property which has been held by the sellers for less than six months.

So traders who buy to sell know selling through an agent is not always the best route as at some point any issues will be raised and the sale will be blocked by the buyer’s mortgage lender. One way is for traders to sell via auction, many buyers will not realise the property is being traded and therefore expect a normal BTL lender to fund the rest of the purchase. By the time they come to realise it is too late, they would have already exchanged on the property. These are the potential pitfalls of purchasing through auction. One safeguard is to see who is selling, if it’s a public body such as the council then there is a strong chance all the paperwork will be in order and it will not be a resell. It’s also worth seeing whether the property has been up in auction before and if it failed to sell or if it exchanged and the buyer failed to complete, this may help to shed some light on any problems surrounding the property.

l A large one double bedroom raised ground floor flat in a highly sought after location l Very high ceilings l Share of freehold l The property is coming in at around £1,480 per sq. ft. while properties in this location are being sold at around £1,700 per sq. ft. l Excellent buy and hold opportunity Call us now to secure this deal!

0207 993 0103

We provide a turnkey solution. Contact us now:

Specialists in

Central London Property Sourcing

info@sowandreap.co.uk

www.sowandreap.co.uk

55 Bryanston Street, Marble Arch Tower, London, W1H 7AA

Follow us online:

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SowandReapProperties

Tips of the Week l Beware when purchasing in auctions, these can be used by many traders as a dumping ground. Check who the seller is and do full due diligence prior to bidding.

l More people lose money from not making a decision than making the wrong decision when it comes to property investment. Remember - The early bird gets the worm!

20

BUSINESS

Indian industry seeks friendly tax regime from Jaitley

India Inc has sought a healthy tax environment, free of retrospective amendments, reforms such as the introduction of GST and Direct Taxes Code, and incentives in the forthcoming budget.

During pre-Budget consultations with finance minister Arun Jaitley, tax appeared to be the biggest concern for industry captains with chambers Ficci and CII highlighting stability of tax regime along with pressure from tax authorities to meet government's revenue target as key areas of concern and suggested that the government move to a "nonadversarial and conducive tax environment". They also suggested that the rollout of the controversial General Anti-Avoidance Rules should be deferred by another three years.

The other dominant theme was tax concessions, a usual demand at such pre-Budget events.

Industry bodies have demanded that the government offer tax rebates for

Among the reform areas, GST, DTC and lower subsidies were suggested.

The finance minister recognized that the economic situation "is quite challenging" but added that the industry wants to turn it to its advantage.

"He said that there is need to give directional thrust to translate the same into better results," the finance ministry said in a statement. During a separate meeting with trade unions, the minister suggested that a special focus will be given to skill development,

which was also a theme during the election campaign.

Unions asked Jaitley to implement the UPA Cabinet decision to raise monthly wage ceiling to Rs 15,000 from Rs 6,500 by amending the EPF Scheme. The delegation of trade union representatives submitted a joint memorandum.

The trade unions spelt out that they would oppose FDI in core sectors like railway, defence production, retail, telecom, financial sector, education, health and media, said Tapan Sen of CITU, who was part of the delegation.

They also opposed disinvestment in profit-making PSUs. The trade unions gave Jaitley their 10-point demand charter for which they have been seeking talks with the Centre for the last three years. "We urged the finance minister to initiate negotiations on our 10-point demand charter," said B N Rai of the BMS.

Arun Jaitley

investment in creating new capacity in an attempt to boost capacity addition and create jobs.

The demand came even as industry captains recognized that the government's financial health was not very sound. As a result, CII suggested that the government should step up its disinvestment drive and target to raise Rs 500 billion annually, a feat that has never been achieved. It also suggested that the assets of sick public sector companies should be monetized to raise funds.

India beats China in manufacturing and services growth in May

AI to seek Rs 16 bn more this fiscal

Manufacturing and services sectors in India expanded at a faster rate than China's in May even as emerging market output remained stuck in "low gear", an HSBC survey said.

The HSBC Emerging Markets Index (EMI), a monthly indicator derived from Purchasing Managers' Index surveys, inched up to 50.6 in May from 50.4 in April, indicating weak output growth across global emerging markets. While the EMI stood at 50.6 in May, the developed world's PMI was at 55.4 during the month. "While the former (EMI) points to an ongoing languor that has plagued the emerging markets over the past year, the developed world has moved into a higher gear and is now enjoying it strongest growth for just over three years," Markit Chief Economist Chris Williamson said.

During May, the HSBC composite index for India, which maps both manufacturing and services, stood

at 50.7, whereas for China it was 50.2, Brazil 49.8 and Russia 47.1. An index measure of above 50 indicates expansion.

"Disappointing performances continued to be seen across the four largest emerging markets in May. The only good news is that China and India both returned to growth, although in both cases the rate of expansion was only very weak. Brazil and Russia meanwhile continued to contract," Williamson said.

Williamson further said that "an ongoing near-stagnation means the emerging markets are, as a whole, underperforming the developed world to the greatest extent ever recorded by the PMI surveys".

New business orders across emerging market economies increased at a slightly faster pace in May. Meanwhile, employment declined further, and at the strongest rate since June 2009. On price rise HSBC said, inflationary pressures remained subdued in May, with input price inflation unchanged from April's ten-month low. Moreover, prices charged increased at the strongest rate in five months, albeit only marginally, HSBC said.

Meanwhile, the HSBC Emerging Markets Future Output Index that tracks firms' expectations for activity over the next 12 months, fell sharply to a new low in May, with sentiment in the service sector notably weak.

Cash-strapped Air India will seek an additional Rs 16 billion as equity in 2014-15, asking for Rs 71 billion instead of Rs 55 billion as per the original financial restructuring plan (FRP) approved by the UPA. The additional funds in the coming budget are being sought on three grounds - shortfall of Rs 5 billion in the government's equity infusion last fiscal, interest cost incurred by the airline to raise this amount as loan from banks and finally the fluctuation in $-Re exchange rate last year from the assumed value of Rs 40-45 when the FRP was approved. “AI was to get Rs 60 billion this fiscal.

The interim budget presented by UPA-II made a provision for Rs 55 billion.

So, the airline will be seeking the Rs 5 billion shortfall of last fiscal and Rs 11 billion for meeting interest cost (incurred for meeting this shortfall) and the wild exchange rate fluctuation,“ said an official.

The Reserve Bank of India said that it has not withdrawn the restriction on buying immovable property in foreign countries even as it increased the amount, which Indians could freely remit overseas, to $125,000 form $75,000 earlier. In its policy statement, RBI partially rolled back the restrictions it has introduced on forex remittances in August 2013 in the wake of the rupee going into a free fall against

the dollar. The policy statement said the amount Indians could remit overseas “without end-use restrictions” was increased to $125,000. The only condition was that the remittance should be for a legal activity. The relaxations were seen as a mark of renewed confidence in the rupee, which had gained ground against the dollar in recent months. In August 2013, RBI cut the remittance limit to $75,000

from $ 200,000 earlier. It also amended the Foreign Exchange Management (Permissible Capital Account Transactions) Regulations, 2000, to bar any remittance for acquisition of immovable property abroad.

RBI's reference to the August 2013 circular and the statement that all other terms remain unchanged would mean that existing restriction on property purchase continue, says Raj

Ramachandran, Partner, J Sagar Associates.

"Generally there is a discomfort over acquiring property assets outside India. May be there is a feeling that it is not in the economy's long-term interest if someone sends $125,000 every year and uses it for immovable property outside India as it may not come back. Whereas financial investments will come back at some point," said Ramachandran.

Curbs on buying overseas homes remain: RBI

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 14th June 2014

How to run SME business

Sidhu-Robb, a former corporate lawyer, who started her business with a £2,000 bank overdraft more than five years ago to make nutritious food for her allergy-prone son, says that the health of the business depends on the cash flow.

“I have run the business on credit cards, agreed overdrafts and prayers. We haven’t taken out any short-term loans. We have never really borrowed money. It is all very lean and mean. I have never had the privilege, or problem, of people throwing money at me.”

“The 2011-12 financial year was very painful and I wondered whether we would survive but then 2013-14 looks very good.

The main difference is that I put myself through an executive MBA course last year and now I feel so much more in control. I know what I need to concentrate on. It taught me about cash flow and margins. It also taught me to look at how much money we were actually making rather than how much was coming in through the day - it’s not just about turnover.”

Last year the company raised about £350,000 to help fund the launch of the Nosh Detox retail range.

“If someone will buy what you have, you have a business. If they keep buying, you have cash flow. If they stop buying then you have a cash flow issue. If you have to borrow - for anything other than a specific project - you have a problem,” she says.

Sidhu-Robb says that she has learnt to build relationships with her suppliers and to be more open about cash flow. “I initially thought my cash flow wasn’t of interest to anyone else but now I talk to my suppliers all the time.” She has also learnt that an adrenaline boost can help generate cash flow solutions. When a regular annual voucher deal fell apart just before the busy January detox season, she organised 38 joint-venture deals in four days to generate more income than in previous years.

Finally, she urges small businesses to think about more than generating cash through sales. “I’m looking to cut costs all the time. We recently cut our electricity bill by 26 per cent and our gas bills by 15 per cent. Its not just about making more money, it is about spending less.”

Controlling cost is the biggest challenge for SME leaders A survey by Sage Group found that the top challenge facing the SME leaders was how to control costs. This is not necessarily a case of badly-run business because, as the entrepreneurs in this issue of SME prove, even the most successful of companies has to grapple with gaps

between doing work and being paid for work.

The ten business leaders profiled are evidence that a thorough understanding of cash flow is a precursor to growth. The entrepreneurs we interviewed keep a close eye on the flow of cash in and out of their businesses at all times with most knowing exactly how much needs to come in every day to cover costs. They forecast and plan to minimise surprises.

They all subscribe to the mantra that cash is king. Turnover, although still the currency often cited, can be deceptive.

Take for instance Rob Halliday-Stein, whose company turnover is expected to exceed £100 million this year. Hardly an SME you might think, but Halliday-Stein deals in gold bullion. His is still a young, small business, operating on tight margins and has to watch the pennies like any other SME: “Understand your costs.

They are the key to cash flow,” he advises.

Turnover is vanity.

Another illustration of the truth of the cliche is Igloo Books. Its chief executive, John Styring, explains that stock management is the key to his cash flow. There is no point in having lots of valuable books sitting in storage if you can’t pay your bills. It might be better to sell at a discount and release cash than face a build-up of debts. Cash is reality. There are a variety of experiences relayed within these pages, with more than one entrepreneur describing a time when they genuinely feared for the survival of their business. As a result, the business owners have taken a pick-and-mix approach to their finance arrangements, from invoice discounting and bank overdrafts to peer-topeer lending and credit cards. However, there are some common tips, that can be distilled about how best to overcome the fiscal uncertainties of running a small business.

Firstly, SMEs need to be cash aware: predict and plan to give yourself enough time to act if there is danger ahead. Secondly, SMEs need to build relationships with suppliers, customers and investors so that each has an understanding - and hopefully empathy-— for any financial difficulties suffered by the other.

David Hutchinson, the artistic director of Sell A Door Theatre Company has the right approach.

“When we do a show we invite them [suppliers] to the press night. In a sense, they are part of the business, so we look after them. That goes a long way. It means, for example, if a theatre pays us late or goes bust, which does happen, we can work it out with them.”

CURRENCY VOICE

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 14th June 2014

21

Foreign Exchange

Paresh Davdra is the Dealing Director of RationalFX,

Interest rate remain unchanged Currency Specialists.

The Interest Rate decision was announced by the Bank of England and came out as expected and unchanged at 0.5%. This is no surprise as they have stated they will not be changing interest rates in the near future until real wages begin to rise and the economy gets closer to full capacity.

House prices in the UK have broken through their previous high and the average cost of a home is now higher than ever before. Nationwide reported a 13th consecutive month of house prices; bring the cost of an average UK home to £186,512.

This figure is higher than the previous peak reached in October 2007.However at 0.7% increase in May the monthly rate inflation reported by of Nationwide was lower than the 1.2% recorded in April Britain's trade deficit widened in April because of weaker chemicals and manufacturing exports, official figures showed. The Office for National Statistics said the deficit in trade in goods grew to an estimated £8.9bn from £8.3bn in March.

Including Britain's surplus in trade in services, the overall

trade deficit widened to an estimated £1.8bn from £1.1bn in March.

There was also a report out from the IMF that acknowledged that the economy has rebounded strongly and growth is becoming more balanced. By this they mean that business investment is now growing, not just consumer spending. They also state that the housing market and productivity growth is still well below historic levels Eurozone Unemployment improved from 11.8% to 11.7% in April, while the wider meas-

ures across the European Union fell to 10.4% from 10.5%.With the lowest unemployment rates that were recorded in Austria (4.9%), G e r m a n y (5.2%) and the highest was in recorded Greece (26.5% and Spain (25.1%).

The number of people registered as out of work in Spain fell by 111,916 people last month the biggest fall for a May on record. This is a good sign the Spanish economy is recovering but this figure does not include the long term unemployed.

Inflation across the Eurozone also slumped to just 0.5% in May, from 0.7% in April.

Food, tobacco and alcohol inflation fell sharply in May - down to just 0.1% in May compared to 0.7% in April there was also no inflation at all in non-energy industrial goods

US non-farm payrolls data showed 217,000 jobs created in May. This is just below the expected 218,000 new jobs, significantly below the previous month at 282,000 new jobs. The unemployment rate stayed at 6.3%, a 5 1/2 year low.

The US Labour Department said the US economy has now recovered all the 8.7m jobs lost during the recession. US service sector growth picked up in May with PMI rising to 56.3, up from 55.2 in April. This is the 53rd month in a row that the Service sector PMI has come in above the 50-point mark, indicating expansion.

America's trade deficit has widened to its largest level in two years, with exports falling by 0.2% in April and imports rising by 1.2%. This caused the Dollar to weaken off in the afternoon session.

Meanwhile, US productivity fell at its fastest rate in six years in the first three months of 2014 and job creation across America's private sector fell to its lowest level since January.

Figures show 179,000 new jobs were created by US firms in May this is a four month low.

Weekly Currencies

As of Tuesday 10th June 2014 @ 5.30pm

GBP - INR = 99.23

USD - INR = 59.22 EUR - INR = 80.21 GBP - USD = 1.68 GBP - EUR = 1.24

EUR - USD = 1.35 GBP - AED = 6.15

GBP - CAD = 1.83

GBP - NZD = 1.97

GBP - AUD = 1.79

GBP - ZAR = 17.94

GBP - HUF = 376.67

www.rationalfx.com

Information provided by RationalFX. None of the information on this page constitutes, nor should be construed as financial advice. The exchange rates used are the commercial foreign exchange rates provided by RationalFX. For a live quote or to find out more about how RationalFX can help you, call us on 0207 220 8181.

22

PAKISTAN - LONDON

34 killed as terrorists attack Karachi airport

Islamabad: At least 34 people were killed and 26 others were injured after heavily-armed Taliban terrorists disguised as security forces stormed Karachi airport on Sunday night and challenged the security forces.

The latest Pakistani Taliban assault was the most daring since they had struck at a naval base in Karachi in May 2011. It came despite a split within the Taliban ranks and showed their ability to carry out coordinated attacks at will. Officials said the slain included all 10 attackers, who stormed the airport just before midnight disguised as Airport Security Force personnel. Explosions and gunfire continued in the airport throughout the night. But no aircraft was damaged and passengers were evacuated and all flights diverted. The siege ended at dawn on Monday when all attackers were killed.

Meanwhile, in less than 48 hours after the terrorists storming of the airport, a security academy at Karachi's airport came under attack on Tuesday. "The ASF academy is under attack. There is gunfire," a senior official at the Federal Investigation Agency said, referring to the Airports Security Force. It was not immediately clear who was behind the latest strike.

The army said it had deployed troops to the scene where, according to a Pakistani television

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report, three militants had been surrounded by security forces. All flights in and out of the sprawling city of 18 million were suspended, an official said.

The assault destroyed prospects for peace talks between the Taliban and the government of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and triggered speculation that the army might opt for an all-out offensive against militant strongholds. Earlier on Tuesday, Pakistani fighter jets bombed Taliban positions on the Afghan border.

"Nine terrorist hideouts

were destroyed by early morning military air strikes near the PakistanAfghan border," the army's press wing said, adding that 25 militants were killed.

The Pakistani Taliban, an alliance of insurgent groups fighting to topple the government and set up a Islamist state, said they had carried out the late Sunday attack in Karachi in response to the air strikes on their strongholds. At Karachi's airport, rescue workers earlier recovered the bodies of seven people trapped inside a cargo building, bringing to 34 the death toll from the first assault.

"The bodies are badly charred beyond identification," said a morgue official who declined to be identified. Airport officials said the victims had taken refuge in the cargo shed to hide from the gunfire but got trapped when the building caught fire at the height of the battle.

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 14th June 2014

In Brief

Human smugglers fleecing hapless refugees

Rome: Migrants who were lucky to reach Italy by boat across the Mediterranean told the interrogators that the people smugglers were charging them extra for life-jackets, food and water. The refugees told the Italian authorities that the boats, which regularly make the crossing from the coast of North Africa to Italy, are effectively divided into different classes.

Which class you travel in the boat depends on how much you can pay to the smugglers.

Serve drinks in a heavy glass

London: An Oxford University academic has suggested that drinks should be served in heavy glasses as the weight of the vessel makes the beverage taste better.

Charles Spence, Professor of Experimental Psychology, said that a heavy glass rather than a flimsy plastic cup will make people think the drink is significantly better.

Prof Spence says lightness is associated with poor quality and ‘cheapness’ and will change the flavour of even the most expensive tipple.

Govt plans to tackle bogus insurance claims

London: The government is planning to ban ‘no-win no-fee’ claims firms from offering presents in order to entice customers into making dubious claims. Claims for whiplash injury will only be allowed if medical assessments are carried out by independent professionals, under Ministry of Justice proposals. New rules will restrict cases from being settled unless there is confirmation of the claimant’s whiplash injury. Under a tightening of the rules designed to curb a “compensation culture”, courts will be required to throw out entire cases where the claimant has been “fundamentally dishonest”.

NOMINATION FORM

The prestigious Asian Achievers Awards is hosted every year by UK’s leading news weeklies Asian Voice and Gujarat Samachar to honour British Asians par excellence. If there is someone you know who has broken boundaries and deserves recognition for their unique contribution to the community and the nation then please nominate them for one of the awards listed below.

Make sure that you fill in this application form and send it on or before 14th July, 2014 by post, fax or email to Mr. L George, Tel: 020 7749 4013, Fax 020 7749 4081, Email: aaa@abplgroup.com. If you are sending it by post the address is Mr. L George, ABPL Group, Karma Yoga House, 12 Hoxton Market, London N1 6HW.

Please tick the appropriate category Entrepreneur of the Year ....................................................

Uniformed and Civil Services ............................................

Awarded to an entrepreneur with a proven track record of operating a successful business enterprise.

For outstanding achievements in uniformed and civil services or contribution to the community through any of the above services.

Achievement in Media, Arts and Culture ....................

Professional of the Year ......................................................

Someone who has made a mark in media including print and broadcast media; cinema, art and culture.

Achievement in Community Service................................

Professionals in the field of medicine, law, education, banking, finance and others, who have scaled the heights of their chosen profession.

International Personality of the Year ............................

In recognition for an individuals service to community.

Awarded to those who have acclaimed popularity internationally for his/her contribution in any particular sector and is recognised for their timeless philanthropic activities.

Sports Personality of the Year............................................

Awarded for excellence in sports.

Woman of the Year ................................................................

The award will recognise and honour a woman who has made a significant mark in any chosen field.

Business Person of the Year ..............................................

Awarded to a business person who is a success in every sense of the word and can demonstrate a genuine passion for social issues.

Lifetime Achievement Award ............................................

To honour those individuals, who during their lifetime, have made immense contributions in any given field. This remarkable individual can be marked as an example for the younger generation.

Application Form

Name of the Person you are Nominating: __________________________________________________________________________ Contact Details of the Nominee (Tel & email):_______________________________________________________________________ Present Occupation of the Nominee:_______________________________________________________________________________ Please attach the Nominees's CV which includes the following information (Please do not exceed a limit of 1000 words)

(1) Personal background (2) Most important career achievements till date.

(3) Nominee's contribution to the community and nation.

(4) Future Plans, ambitions and visions.

(5) Any notable obstacles in the Nominee's career that has helped him/her to reach where they are today.

Summary- (Please include a summary in not more than 150 words why the nominee is worthy of winning the particular award in a separate sheet)

Nominator’s name and contact details: ____________________________________________________________________________

Nominator’s current Occupation/Company: _________________________________________________________________________ Tel/Mobile:

_________________________________

Email: __________________________________________________________

NOMINATION AND SELECTION PROCESS This is a unique event where readers nominate and an independent panel of judges comprising of eminent personalities selects the winner. Judges’ decision is final. ABPL Group will not entertain any dialogue with members of the public regarding the judging process. In order to ensure a high degree of transparency and fairness, the management and members of the staff of Asian Voice and Gujarat Samachar will play no role in the nomination or judging process. You may use an additional sheet if the space provided is insufficient. The winners will be announced at the AAA Awards ceremony on 19th September, 2014. Asian Voice, Gujarat Samachar will publish the names of the short listed candidates and winners after the event. The winners names will also appear in our e-edition www.abplgroup.com You can nominate yourself if you wish to.

Nominations and entries must follow the prescribed format. All nomination forms must reach our offices on or before 14th July, 2014

Learning a trade better than going to university

London: School leavers were advised to learn a trade rather than going for a university degree since there is going to be great demand for medium and low-skilled jobs in future.

According to a research, a trade will prepare the teenagers for a practical and job-oriented career in the next 10 years.

Religious people more charitable

London: According to a survey commissioned by BBC, people who practise a religion are more charitable than those who don't.

The survey showed that three quarters of people in living in England who practise a religion have given to charity in the past month. This compares to only two thirds of English people who do not practise a religion. This year, the Methodist Church is encouraging people to rethink what it means to be generous as part of the A Generous Life campaign.

Dame Vera Lynn’s wartime songs still a hit

London: The much-loved British singer Dame Vera Lynn is aged 97 but her album of wartime songs Vera Lynn: National Treasure - The Ultimate Collection – has reached number 13 in UK’s top 20 album chart.

The Ultimate Collection marks the 70th anniversary of the D-Day landings. She is the oldest living artist to feature in the UK album chart, following a host of records in her early career.

In Brief

Halal methods giving chickens painful deaths

London: The government’s concern about religious freedom has prompted it to delay the introduction of a more reliable form of stunning at slaughter houses and thereby giving a painful death to millions of chickens.

According to vets, the electric shock used by the halal industry may be too weak to ensure that chickens feel no pain while being killed.

Halal producers are concerned that if the electric shock is too strong some chickens could die before their throats were cut, meaning that the meat could not be defined as halal.

Mass graves of babies found in Ireland

Dublin: Following the discovery skeletons of 800 babies and children apparently dumped in a septic tank near the former St Mary’s Mother and Baby Home, in County Galway, the Irish government has launched an inquiry into claims that thousands of babies and young children could lie in unmarked graves at former homes for “fallen women” all over the country. Human rights organisations had called for an independent investigation into alleged neglect at ten so-called mother and baby homes established by the Catholic Sisters of Bon Secours to house unmarried mothers and their children, who were stigmatised within Irish society.

British economy in a better position

London: Britain’s economy is up to £70 billion bigger than previously thought, according to revised official estimates. According to revised estimates, the country’s economic output will increase by between 4% and 5%. The revisions, which are being imposed by Brussels, will be another fillip for George Osborne, whose economic strategy won praise from the International Monetary Fund last week, although it warned of a growing risk of a housing-market shock.

Corrupt Venetians were able to eat the evidence

Rome: Corrupt Italian businessmen who bribe politicians in exchange for contracts for a massive flood prevention project in Venice has come up with edible notes so that when the investigators come for inquiry, you can destroy the evidence by swallowing the notes. The businessmen allegedly listed the politicians to whom they were paying millions of pounds’ worth of bribes on pieces of edible paper. The revelation, contained in a 712-page document compiled by prosecutors after a three-year investigation, added a farcical touch to a scandal which has reinforced the image of Italy as a country in which corruption is endemic among the political and business elite.

Human face shaped by millions of years of fist fights

London: A study has found that millions of years of fist fights have altered the human face to leave men's jaws more robust than women's. Evidence suggests it evolved to minimise damage from bruising altercations after our ancient ancestors learned how to throw a punch. Researchers studied the bone structure of australopiths, ape-like bipeds living four to five million years ago that predated the modern human primate family Homo. They found that australopith faces and jaws were strongest in just those areas most likely to receive a blow from a fist.

Being too clean is not good for health

London: Academics have claimed that mothers should suck their babies' dummies to clean them and allow children eat food from the floor if they want to keep their families healthy. They say that being too clean will kill beneficial bacteria, which keep the immune system strong. They also advise frequent walks in the countryside; visiting farms and kissing family members regularly, and exercising in the park rather than at the gym, to top up on healthy bacteria.

PAKISTAN - USA - UK

23

Pakistan’s Geo News TV's license suspended, fined $10,000

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 14th June 2014

Islamabad: Pakistan's Electronic Media Regularity Authority (Pemra) last week suspended popular Geo News TV's license for 15 days and fined it $10,000. The order followed the Geo Group's move to sue the ISI for defaming and maligning it by accusing it of working on an anti-Pakistan agenda.

Pemra's order came two months after Pakistani defense ministry complained against the channel and sought its license suspension for accusing the ISI and its chief, Lt Gen Zaheerul Islam, of being behind an attack in April on journalist Hamid Mir in Karachi.

The regulatory authority said the license suspension would continue in the event of non-payment of the fine. It

warned the license could be cancelled in case of "repeated violations".

The Geo Group said Pemra had already punished the channel as its transmission was blocked in the country's 90% areas for 45 days.

"Geo News was not provided with any evidence nor was its stance heard by Pemra. The

channel had already apologized and incurred Rs 2 billion in losses," it said in a statement.

The license suspension came after the group served a legal notice on the ISI, the government and Pemra demanding a public apology within 14 days and payment of $500 million in damages.

Washington: A top American lobbying group which represents the strong manufacturing sector in the US has changed its anti-India stand stating the Narendra Modiled government offers hope and optimism for India-US ties.

"Manufacturers in the US are optimistic that we have before us an important opportunity to put the USIndia economic relationship back on track," Jay Timmons, president and CEO, National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) said.

Calling for a dialogue with India, he said, manufacturers throughout the US want to see a stronger and more robust Indian economy and to work with businesses in India on a range of issues, from growing innovation and skills to improving participation in global supply chains.

"By working together on trade, investment and other issues, we can grow both our economies in a fast-paced and globally connected world economy," he told a Washington audience.

Jay Timmons "NAM stands ready to work together with the Indian government and the Indian business community to share its experiences and best practices, as well as work with the US Congress and trade representatives", he added.

"We also recognise we can learn from India. But for this partnership to succeed, India needs to be prepared to embrace this opportunity for constructive dialogue and develop a business climate that promotes competitiveness and innovation," Timmons said, adding that the coming weeks and

months will be pivotal to India's path and the direction of our bilateral relationship.

NAM along with the US Chamber of Commerce last year had launched an Alliance for Fair Trade with India and was instrumental in more than 200 lawmakers including powerful Senators and Congressmen from both the parties, writing to the US President, against Indian trade policies. However, NAM refuted allegations that its actions last year were antiIndia. "This (AITF) was not and is not an anti-India group," Linda Dempsey, cochair of AITF and NAM vice president of international affairs, said.

"To the contrary, the NAM and our members created AFTI to push for the development of a stronger and more robust business and economic relationship with India. To do so, as Timmons' and my remarks has reinforced that the two countries must talk about key trade and investment issues and work together to solve them," Dempsey said.

Washington: Two IndianAmerican politicians in California chalked up modest victories in nationwide primary elections for a long-shot challenge at established veterans in mid-term polls slated for November.

In one of the most watched races nationally, Democrat Ro Khanna came a distant second to fellow Democrat Mike Honda in California's 17th district, polling only about 25% votes to Honda's 50%. But the top two candidates, regardless of party affiliation, qualify for the November poll, so there will be another face-off for the House of Representatives seat that Honda has won some half dozen times.

Another Indian-American, Republican Vanila Singh, a professor at Stanford Medical Center, came third with 16.2% votes.

In another race that has attracted nation-wide interest, Indian-American Neel Kashkari, a former Treasury official and a moderate Republican, defeated a Tea Party favorite Tim Donelly in the primaries for the governorship of California to earn the right to challenge the incumbent three-term governor Jerry Brown in the general election in November .

Brown, a Democrat seeking a fourth term, took 55% of the votes to run out an easy winner, with Kashkari a distant second with 18% votes, and

Donelly polling 15%.

Both Kashkari and Khanna are long shots to displace the incumbents. The Japanese-American Honda, 72, is a political veteran endorsed by the party old guard, including President Barack Obama, House minority leader Nancy Pelosi, and the state's two Senators Dianne Feinstein and Barbara Boxer.

Khanna, 37, has strong support from the tech community in a Congressional district that includes the heart of the Silicon Valley, including endorsements from Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer, Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg, and Google chairman Eric Schmidt.

American lobbying group changes its stand over India

In primaries, 2 PIOs score modest victories in California

"All must publicly apologize to the group and all its workers and their families for levelling absolutely baseless, wrong and shameful allegations without any proof and endangering the lives of thousands of professionals attached with the group," the notice said.

"More than 8,000 journalists, workers and professionals attached to the group and their families are not only being harassed but also attacked and tortured across Pakistan.''

The Geo News has lost over 80% viewers in less than two months. Most cable TV operators have taken it off from their list under the ISI pressure. Pakistani TV channel Geo News sues spy agency ISI for defamation

Plastic bag charge: govt rejects small retailers’ plea

London: While the government has confirmed that 5p charge for plastic bags will be introduced as planned at larger stores in England from October 2015, the environment secretary Owen Paterson has a rejected plea by the Association of Convenience Stores for its 33,000 members to be covered by the requirement to charge shoppers for plastic bags.

Just over seven billion thin plastic bags were handed out in England in 2012, up 4.4 per cent on the previous year. The number of bags distributed in Wales fell by 76 per cent over the same period after it introduced a 5p charge on all bags from all shops in 2011.

Northern Ireland has also introduced a 5p charge and Scotland is expected to introduce one later this year. However, Paterson has rejected appeals by retailers to remove various exemptions. The retailers fear the exemptions, including for any business employing fewer than 250 people and for all paper bags, will weaken the impact of the charge and result in millions of bags still being given away free each week, with many ending up as litter and polluting waterways.

Shane Brennan, public affairs director of the Association of Convenience Stores, said: “They are introducing an exemption for our members which they do not want. The exemption creates confusion for customers, who will walk down the High Street and not know which shops are required to charge and which are not.”

He said his members could introduce a charge voluntarily but this carried the risk that another shop might try to gain a competitive advantage by continuing to give away bags.

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INDIA

Naidu sworn in Andhra CM

Guntur: N Chandrababu Naidu became the first chief minister of the new state of Andhra Pradesh by taking oath of office on Sunday. He inducted 19 members into his cabinet, which includes two deputy chief ministers and three women ministers.

He also gave two berths to the BJP, a first for the saffron party to join the state cabinet.

Keeping with his preelection promise, Naidu signed the first file as CM appointing a committee to look into the modalities of waiver of agricultural loans.

But this in effect means, the loan waiver will be implemented after the committee

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 14th June 2014

N Chandrababu Naidu submits its report. The panel has been given 45 days' time.

Naidu, who described himself as 'No 1 coolie,' also announced increase in the retirement age of government employees from 58 years to 60 and abolition of all belt (illegal liquor) shops.

The 65-year- old Naidu took oath of office and secrecy at a mega political show at the sprawling 70-acre ground at Nagarjunanagar between Vijayawada and Guntur amidst cheers by millions of party supporters and a host of Union ministers and chief ministers of various states.

Governor ESL Narasimhan administered him the oath.

This is the third time that Naidu has been sworn-in as the chief minister.

In departure from the tradition, leaders were called to take oath in seniority order.

Senior leaders KE Krishna Murthy and Yanamala Ramakrishnudu took oath immediately after Naidu.

Senior leader designated as deputy chief minister Nimmakayala China Rajappa, Chintakayala Ayyanna Patrudu, Bojjala Gopalakrishna Reddy, Devineni Umamaheswara Rao, K Narayana, Paritala Sunita, Prattipati Pulla Rao, Kamineni Srinivas, Ganta Srinivasa Rao, Palle Raghunatha Reddy, Peethala Sujatha, K Atchan Naidu, S Raghava Rao, K Mrinalini, Kollu Ravindra, Ravela Kishore Babu followed them.

BJP's P Manikyala Rao was the last to take oath.

For the first time in TDP government's history, there was no representation of minorities in the cabinet.

New Delhi: Tamil Nadu chief minister J Jayalalithaa is open to supporting the Narendra Modi government in Parliament, in what can help BJP further stamp its political dominance and smoothen its task to Narendra Modi and Jayalalitha get crucial legislations approved despite its Jaitley in his office, in a dranumerical strength in Rajya matic first of sorts on the Sabha. Responding to a spepart of the stature-conscious cific question from reporters CM who would so far deal after her meeting with PM only with the PM. Narendra Modi and his minThe friendliness was isterial colleagues, amplified when Modi sent Jayalalithaa did not rule out over two of his colleagues, extending support to NDA law and telecom minister Ravi Shankar Prasad and in Parliament. “We will see commerce minister Nirmala when that situation arises,“ Sitharaman, for discussions she said in a remark which is on issues related to Tamil significant because of the Nadu. Jaya was seen as a poll-time acrimony between potential NDA ally until she her and BJP and will make threw her lot with the “secuthe weakened opposition's lar” Third Front. The camjob in Parliament even paign saw them trading tougher. The remark came against the backdrop of what charges and, in the process, she called her “very useful“ drifting further apart. All meeting with Modi. She also that seemed to be distant visited finance minister Arun past now.

Chennai: Private medical universities and colleges in Tamil Nadu have raised their tuition fees for MBBS admissions this year. A student starting MBBS this year will have to pay an average of up to Rs 10 million - Rs 3500,000 to 5000,000 as tuition fee and up to Rs 5000,000 in cash as capitation fee.

Sri Ramachandra Medical University, Chennai, has announced that its annual tuition fee for MBBS is Rs 900,000 per year and SRM University will charge Rs 700,000 a year. In other colleges, the fee is between Rs 300,000 and Rs 500,000. But this does not include charges for library, laboratory, mess or hostel.

"I have been told that I will have to pay at least Rs 5000,000 as tuition fee for the five years. There are other expenses such as fees for seminars and books," said Ramesh Kumar, who secured 98.7% in Class 12.

If he manages to get a seat

in a government medical college, the tuition fee would be Rs 11,500 a year but he said he's unlikely to get a seat there because of the 69% caste-based reservation system followed in Tamil Nadu.

"Most private colleges ask for Rs 4000,000 as capitation fee. I will be the firstgeneration doctor in my family, but I am not sure we can afford it," he said. After doing some maths, his mother Kalyani R, a banker, asked him to opt for an engineering course which will cost them far less. The family will have to spend close to Rs 10 million for an MBBS degree and once Ramesh becomes a doctor his salary would be Rs 20,000 to Rs 30,000 in a private hospital.

Every year, as per a Supreme Court order, a committee appointed by the state government reviews the tuition fee charged by private colleges but deemed universities are out of their purview.

Jayalalithaa open to supporting Modi govt

12 hurt in clashes inside Golden Temple complex

Amritsar: At least 12 people were injured in a clash between security forces of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) and radical Sikh activists on the 30th anniversary of the Army's Operation Blue Star at the Golden Temple complex.

Police later booked 28 sword-brandishing radicals and charged them with attempt to murder. These men, most of whom belong to Khalistane s p o u s i n g Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar), a party led by radical ex-IPS officer Simranjit Singh Mann, were also slapped with charges of defiling place of worship and hurting religious sentiments. Of them, 21 were arrested while seven of them were still at large, Amritsar commissioner Jatinder Singh Aulakh said.

As tension escalated during the 45-minute fierce

display of violence at the temple, deputy commissioner of police HS Brar managed to convince the radicals to , these cops first brokered peace, dispersing the sword-totting turbaned men away. However, within 30 minutes, 400 more radicals regrouped and ran amok, forcing Akal Takht head priest Jathedar Giani

Gurbachan Singh to arrive near one of the staircases leading to the rostrum and make a plea to desist them from using physical assault.

Charging radicals, who continued to raise sloganeering extolling efforts of slain leader Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, were immediately arrested.

MBBS in TN colleges to cost up to Rs 10 mn

Drug menace spreading fast: Akal Takht jathedar

Jalandhar: Adding to the woes of the ruling SADBJP government, which is already facing flak from various quarters on the drugs issue and also suffered losses in the recent Lok Sabha elections in the state, jathedar of Akal Takht, the supreme temporal seat of Sikhs, Giani Gurbachan Singh said that the menace had had grown significantly in Punjab in the past five-six years.

"There was a serious crisis staring at the next generation as majority of Punjabi youth were turning impotent due to drug addiction," he observed.

Comments by the jathedar have apparently put top Akali leadership in a spot as the SAD-BJP combine has been ruling Punjab since 2007. The home department, which is responsible for keeping a vigil on criminals through the police, is held by SAD president and deputy chief minister Sukbir Singh

Badal.

It is rare for the Akal Takht jathedar, who is perceived to work at the behest of SAD and Badals, to say anything which can put Akali brass in a piquant situation.

Jathedar Gurbachan Singh, who was addressing a congregation, said that the administration failed to curb the drug menace in Punjab. "If somebody is arrested, even before the arrested reaching the police station, there would be phone for 'sifarish' (recommendation) to release that person," he said.

"Several youth have died and scores were turning impotent in Punjab.

This way, a generation of Punjabis is being finished," he said, expressing anguish at drug abuse by youngsters in the state. However, some action was being witnessed against drug peddlers in the state, he said. The jathedar also exhorted people to boycott persons involved in drug trade.

South Brief

SC extends stay on Jaya's trial

New Delhi: The Supreme Court has extended till June 16 its order staying the trial in a disproportionate assets case against Tamil Nadu chief minister J Jayalalithaa by a Bangalore court. "Interim order to continue till next date of hearing. List the matter for final hearing on June 16," a bench comprising justice J S Kehar and C Nagappan said. The bench also asked the vigilance department of Tamil Nadu to file its response by next Friday.

The bench issued notice to Jayalalithaa on a separate petition by a DMK leader seeking impleadment as a party to the plea filed by the Tamil Nadu chief minister before the apex court.

Prisoners attack cops

Mangalore: Inmates of Mangalore district jail went on a rampage on Sunday when authorities tried to shift two undertrials to Dharwad Central Prison. The agitated inmates damaged jail property and beat up police officers, leaving over a dozen of them injured.

Mangalore city police assistant commissioner (central) K Tilakchandra and a KSRP officer suffered serious injuries while a dozen other cops were treated for stress-induced anxiety.

Rajinikanth meets Karunanidhi

Chennai: Superstar Rajinikanth called on his 'friend' and DMK chief M Karunanidhi at his Gopalapuram residence on Sunday and extended his belated birthday wishes to the former Tamil Nadu chief minister. In his brief interaction with the media after the meeting, Rajini said, "I was away in Hyderabad on Kalaignar's (Karunanidhi) birthday and could not wish him on that day. I came to wish him on his birthday." Karunanidhi and the superstar have been maintaining good relationship for a long time.

North Brief

15 injured in communal clash near Gurgaon

Gurgaon: The death of a man in an accident triggered communal riots in Tauru, a town just 32 km from Gurgaon, leaving at least 15 people injured. Rioting mobs fired at each other and plundered and vandalized shops and vehicles.

The violence was controlled only after the administration put the area under curfew and three companies each of the CRPF and BSF were rushed to the area. Local residents claimed at least three people died and several others sustained critical injuries but police insisted only the accident victim had died and the rioting did not claim any lives.

3 get life term for rape, murder of 15-year-old

Kurukshetra: A court in Kurukshetra held three people guilty of raping and killing a 15year-old girl three years ago and awarded them life sentence. In a drunken state, the three had kidnapped the victim, daughter of an engineer with the Haryana irrigation department, on May 4, 2011 and raped her. They killed the girl later and threw her naked body in a secluded place.

With no leads in the case, police were accused of shielding the accused. Even the Kurukshetra superintendent of police (SP) was transferred for inept handling of the case. The accused were finally arrested from Shahbad and the vehicle used in kidnapping also recovered.

Sikh handbag designer in race for global award

Chandigarh: Defeating more than 1,500 entries from five continents and 28 countries, Indian-origin handbag designer Devinder J Singh's jute bag has made it to the final five at the IDHA award for the greenest handbag.

Singh is a Sikh based in Florida. Devinder's entry to the competition is a jute bag, which is the result of his recent experiments in raw jute. "I manipulate the jute into a structured bag that has a soft organic look rather than a rigid appearance. I have blended form and function into a traditional shape to create a fashion forward look without compromising the environment. This design is appealing and has been popular with both men and women," he said. The awards will be announced on June 18.

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Explore Muscat’s rich heritage, vivid traditions & striking cultural landmarks

TRAVEL - INDIA - UK

25

Vishwa Gujarati Samaj demands more international flights from Gujarat

The Vishwa Gujarati Samaj (VGS) has reiterated its demand for more International Airports in Gujarat as well as air connectivity from Gujarat to important destinations around the world, including one between Ahmedabad and London.

In the backdrop of large number of Gujaratis settled across the globe, VGS has decided to raise its voice for better international air-connectivity from Gujarat during the standing committee meeting of the body on 31st

May 2014 at Mumbai.

“Having regard to large number of Gujaratis settled abroad and their live contact and frequent visits to their native places in Gujarat it is necessary to confer status of International Airports to Surat, Vadodara, Rajkot and Bhuj. Besides direct air-connectivity between London and Ahmedabad as well as Gulf countries are the need of the hour,” said Vishnu Pandya, general secretary, Vishwa Gujarati Samaj.

Meanwhile, VGS com-

mittee members congratulated Narendra Modi for attaining prime ministerial position and passed a resolution expressing the hope that Prime Minister Modi by his good governance and able leadership will raise India to the great height and will bring glory to Gujarat.

VGS also congratulated Anandiben Patel for her elevation as Chief Minister of Gujarat and her becoming Chief Patron of Vishwa Gujarati Samaj as per VGS constitution.

Consul General Peter Haas with Gujarati visa applicants

it will continue to grow for many years to come,” said Haas.

The United States set up its first commercial operation in Ahmedabad in 1997. In the subsequent 17 years, the US Commercial Service team has brought multiple highlevel trade missions from the United States to Gujarat. Two-way trade between the United States and India has already surpassed $100 billion per year, almost double the annual level of three years ago.

US Consul opens new office in Ahmedabad

US Consul General Peter Haas inaugurated a new commercial office at Ahmedabad on Tuesday with a view to connect USA based companies to Gujarat based firms.

The office will work from a 5-star hotel in Ahmedabad and work to promote US exports to India as well as Indian investment in the United States. The new office marks a significant upgrade of the US government presence in Gujarat.

“The new office in Gujarat

So, reaching on board this magical Arabian metropolis, you must be thinking what is that secret behind throngs of vacation enthusiasts visiting Muscat from far and near? Could it be the magic created by the low-rise, white-washed suburbs stretching along the shores of Muscat’s 25 km long coastline, or its antique glow rising above the old enclaves of Mutrah and Old Muscat? Or its vitalizing sightseeing gems including the iconic Bandar al Jissah, Bait al Zubair, the National Museum, Sultan Qaboos Grand and the Mirani Fort, or the untouched and unexplored coastal areas popular for both nature activities and excursions could be the strongest allure for visitors waiting to be mesmerized? Immerse yourself in the pristine milieu, floating on a traditional dhow,

which is one of the finest ways to feel the romance dissolved in Muscat's picturesque seascapes.

By now, you must have found an answer to your query about the most enthralling side of Muscat, but there’s still something that holds the key to Muscat’s perpetual fame .The majestic Shangri-La Barr Al Jissah Resort with its three palatial hotel properties stand as a testimony to Muscat’s glorious past.

Wedged between the captivating sceneries of the emerald sea and the zigzagged ochre mountains, the Al Waha lives up to its name with several swimming pools merging to form a serene oasis. The focal point of the Al Bandar hotel is akin to a town with a mélange of fine restaurants and the classy Al Husn (the castle) oozes luxury in every inch. Staying in one of the six-star plush palaces set on the cliff side embraced with rich damson silks, marble and latticed mahogany panels next to a dreamy backdrop of resorts with the ultra-glamorous restaurants and lounges is one of just pure opulence!

Meet the world beneath the perfection at this holiday paradise with Brightsun Travel’s Special Package starting from just £885 pp. Call our dedicated tours line on 0208 819 0531 or visit www.brightsun.co.uk .

demonstrates the United States’ strong commitment to trade between India and US. The office in Ahmedabad signals that the US government is confident that our bilateral economic relationship and

We are with you Priti Patel MP

Asian Voice readers must have noticed that a whole page was dedicated to the campaign that Conservative MP Priti Patel has started to seek justice and redress from what appears to be blatant anti-modi bashing by the BBC. Events came to a head when on the BBC flagship programme, ‘Newsnight’; a very slanted narrative was underpinned with an interview from Anish Kapoor.

It is now time that a full investigation took place dating back to 2002 to see how news and information related to Shri Narendrabhai Modi has been reported on the BBC. The BBC has rightly earned a reputation of providing factual news to the world. However it seems over the past decade there have been some changes to the editorial line, especially when it relates to India and Shri Narendrabhai Modi. It is therefore important that as a nation we ensure that this public service paid from licence fee payers is

No. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

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NAME

&

A gentle blend of Western and Arabian architecture, dynamic souks, miles of golden beach front flanked by rustic expanses of the Western Al Hajar Mountains and the turquoise Arabian Sea; Muscat holds a charm of a uniquely different world. The capital city of Oman offers a snapshot of the country’s classic riches fused with the exotic cultural shades of the Persian, Portuguese and Ottoman Empires.

not abused by individuals or groups who might be linked to extremist organisations.

It is equally important that we as a community register our protest. Many national, regional and local organisations have already done this. Gujarat Samachar and Asian Voice are opening the opportunity for each of you to register your protest by signing our petition.

You can also write to Lord Tony Hall the Director General of the BBC at: BBC Broadcasting House, Portland Place, London W1A 1AA. Email: tony.hall@bbc.co.uk When you write please indicate that you have read the letter of complaint from Priti Patel MP (see page 8, AV, 31 May) and that you are supporting her in getting a full investigation to ascertain if there is such bias against the Prime Minister of India – Shri Narendrabhai Modi.

ADDRESS

SIGNATURE DATE

26

INDIA - LONDON

President emphasises on economic revival

Emphasising on the need for economic revival, President Pranab Mukherjee said that the new government at the Centre will work for the development in a corruption free resurgent India.

While addressing the mandatory joint sitting of Parliament after the general elections under Indian constitution, the President said that people have voted for a united, strong and modern India — 'Ek Bharat-Shreshta Bharat'.

Newly-elected Lok Sabha members and those belonging to the Rajya Sabha, Prime Minister Modi, his cabinet colleagues, former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Congress President Sonia Gandhi and other opposition leaders heard the 50-minute speech with rapt attention interspersed by occasional thumping of desks.

“With the involvement of 1.25 billion people of this great country, my government will work to fulfil these aspirations. The new government is committed to make all the minorities equal partners in the development and progress of the nation,” said Mukherjee.

Mukherjee noted that the just-concluded election has been an election of hope. The surge in aspirations and the belief that these could be realised through democratic processes, has been amply reflected in the record 66.4 per cent participation by voters and a clear verdict in favour of a single political party after a gap of

nearly 30 years, he added.

“The electorate transcended the boundaries of caste, creed, region and religion to come together and vote decisively in favour of ‘Development through Good Governance’," he said adding that putting the economy back on track is paramount and the government will put it back into a high growth path, rein in inflation, reignite the investment, accelerate job creation and restore the confidence of the domestic and international community.

“My government will create a policy environment which is predictable, transparent and fair. It will embark on rationalisation and simplification of the tax regime to make it nonadversarial and conductive to investment, enterprise and growth. Green clearances will not come in the way of country's high

Hatch-Match-Dispatch

There are occasion we would like to share with our love ones. Some of them may have moved on. Our address book may not be accurate. Such acquaintance may be from our ancestral home, residence in India or East Africa or some other places we have resided earlier. In the UK. Information regarding Birth of a child, Engagement of family member, Wedding or Sad occasions like Bereavement can be quickly shared through the pages of Asian Voice and Gujarat Samachar.

As you are aware our total number of subscribers are 25,000, and they may be reached through the pages of Asian Voice and Gujarat Samachar. We are able to serve the purpose either no cost or minimum charge.

Both our newsweeklies provide the following services:

1. Birth, weddings and bereavement: Up to 25 words free of charge without photo.

2. Birth, birthday, weddings, anniversary, bereavement notices and other occasion: Up to 150 words and a photograph £120 including VAT. The written message has to be in English and the photograph will have to be provided by the sender, with their relevant contact details and need to be emailed to Saroj Patel by Monday 5pm at saroj.patel@abplgroup.com.

Phone: 020 7749 4006 / 4080

growth path,” the president asserted.

Mukherjee said that his government would make every effort to introduce the Goods and Service Tax (GST) and also address the concerns of states at the same time.

He said that the Central government will follow a policy of encouraging investments, including through FDI, which will be allowed in sectors that help create jobs and assets.

On the foreign policy, the President said while the government was committed to work towards building a peaceful, stable and economically interlinked neighbourhood, “we will never shy away from raising issues of concern to us at a bilateral level.”

The president also praised the Election Commission of India (ECI) for a successful con-

duct of the ninephased 2014 general elections. He also congratulated eighttime Member of Parliament Sumitra Mahajan on becoming the second woman Speaker of the Lok Sabha after Meira Kumar. He said that to have two consecutive women as speakers of the Lower House of Parliament is a historic achievement in itself.

Mukherjee said that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)led National D e m o c r a t i c Alliance (NDA) Government, which is led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, would work to fulfil the aspirations of 1.25 billion Indians."

“Government is aware of a sub-normal monsoon this year and is prepared with contingency plans.

My government is committed to improving the quality of life in villages by empowering people through a strong Panchayati Raj system.

Government will adopt a national land use policy.

Each drop of water is precious... my government is committed to giving high priority for water security.

By harvesting rain water, we will nurture water conservation and ground water recharge,” he added.

He also said that the government would bring a bill to give reservation for women in parliament and state assemblies.

Continued from page 1 away. The students on a 10-day field trip were washed away by a wall of water after the floodgates on a hydroelectric dam on the Himalayan River were opened. The students were bathing beside the river in the mountain state of Himachal Pradesh when water from the Larji hydropower station near Manali was released.

The missing youngsters were part of more than 60 students and faculty members from Hyderabad.

Some of them were getting themselves photographed on the banks of the river in Thalaut area near the Hanogi Mata temple when they were reportedly washed away as the flow in the river suddenly increased.

Rescuers using boats and rafts were working to find the missing students.

They recovered five bodies from Himachal Pradesh's Mandi district, while the fate of 19 others washed away in the flooded Beas River is still not known, an official said.

They said four bodies had been retrieved but

hopes of finding survivors were dwindling as a fierce debate erupted over whether the dam operator sounded an alarm before ordering the opening of the gates. About half of the students managed to scramble to safety but 25, including at least seven women, are missing. The body of one student was found 12 miles downstream at the site of another dam. “They were playing in the water,” said a police official. “The water rose and they were washed away.” “We saw a wall of water hit those who were on the banks. They fell flat and disappeared under the waves,” said a student named Sumiran.

The locals were saying that they tried to call us and had blown a whistle but we couldn’t hear them.

An alarm would have been much more helpful.”

Meanwhile, Virbhadra Singh, the chief minister of Himachal Pradesh, said an investigation had been launched and if any negligence is found, the government would take the strictest action against the guilty.

24 students washed away in Himachal river

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In Brief

Mayor, mayoress barred from pubs

London: Gosport mayor Wayne Ronayne and his partner Paula Carter have been barred from the town's pubs following alcohol-fuelled celebrations just hours after they were sworn in to their new roles. They were ordered out of one pub and barred entry to a second in Gosport, Hampshire. Carter is alleged to have shouted ‘Don’t you know who I am?’ and threatened to use her new powers to shut down the first pub as she was escorted out. Both pubs complained and Mayor Ronayne, 54, has now been given a six-month ban by the town's Pub Watch from 36 establishments in Gosport. Carter has been barred for 12 months.

Mobile phones can harm male fertility

London: A new study says that men who keep a mobile phone in their trouser pocket could be damaging their chances of becoming a father. Scientists at the University of Exeter said their work suggested that exposure to radio-frequency electromagnetic radiation from mobile phones negatively affected sperm quality.

Motorway speeding fine set at £10,000

London: The government sets out new penalty regime which will hit law-breaking motorists hard. As per the rule, fine for speeding on the motorway is to be quadrupled to £10,000 and the fines can be imposed by magistrates. Other fines for breaking the limit on dual carriageways and other roads will also increase four-fold from £1,000 to £4,000, along with the maximum fine for using a mobile telephone at the wheel.

One third adults have borderline diabetes

London: A study gas found that more than one third adults in England is now on the verge of developing diabetes amid soaring levels of obesity and couch potato lifestyles. Study on thousands of adults shows a tripling of rates of borderline diabetes in just eight years. People are classified as having borderline or prediabetes, when they have higher than normal blood glucose levels.

18 Indian pilgrims killed in Nepal

Kathmandu: At least 18 Indian pilgrims were killed and 53 others injured when an overloaded bus carrying them veered off a mountain road and rolled about 100m before plunging into a river in Nepal, officials said. "All 18 people who died in the accident were Indian nationals, mostly from Uttar Pradesh," chief district administrator Ram Bahadur Purumbang said. A total of 56 people were injured in the accident when the bus plunged into the Madi river in Pyuthan district, 750 km west of Kathmandu. There were 74 passengers and all except three people - the bus driver, his helper and a lady - were Indian nationals who were returning from a Hindu pilgrimage in Swargadwari, Purumbang said.

Bomb attack on Afghan presidential election frontrunner

Kabul: Two bombs exploded outside a hotel in western Kabul where presidential frontrunner Abdullah Abdullah was holding a rally, hitting his car and injuring his bodyguards. "When I was leaving the rally from the People's Islamic Unity Party, my car was hit by a roadside bomb and damaged," he said at another rally shortly afterwards.

Floods displace over 100,000 in Sri Lanka

Colombo: Floods caused by days of torrential rain have displaced over 100,000 people in Sri Lanka, latest government data showed. The Disaster Management Centre said that 26,688 families comprising 109,075 people have been affected by the rain, floods and landslides. At least 23 people were killed and one person remains missing. Over 40 houses have been completely destroyed due to heavy rainfall and subsequent flooding in six districts while 101 more homes have been partially damaged.

Attack kills 23 near Pakistan-Iran border

Quetta (Pakistan): At least 23 people including several Shia pilgrims were killed in a gun and suicide attack on the restive Pakistan-Iran border, Pakistani officials said. The attack came when a bus carrying Pakistani pilgrims returning from a visit to holy Muslim sites in Iran stopped at a restaurant in the Pakistani town of Taftan in the border area. "So far we can confirm 23 people killed including several Shia pilgrims and security personal. Seven others are injured," Akbar Durrani, home secretary of Pakistan's southwest Baluchistan province, said.

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 14th June 2014

HEALTH STOP

Health & Wellness

Foods you shouldn't eat daily

There are some food items which you should not take daily or frequently. Using these items in your diet make weight loss, or weight management more difficult and a slower process. Following are some food items that you should avoid in your daily diet.

Glass of milk - While milk is a healthy addition to your meals, it could possibly be the one food that is hindering your progress.

If you are used to having a glass of milk before you sleep, at breakfast, or even for a snack in the evening, take a break from drinking milk for a month. If you feel that it’s making a difference - making you less sluggish, helping you lose weight, clearing up your skin etc - this may be the solution to your problems.

Give it a go.

Something sweet after

Sleeping pills increase heart attack risks new study suggests that gulping A down sleeping pills

can increase the risk of heart attacks by up to 50 per cent.

Scientists found that zolpidem which is found in the pills is linked with a dramatic rise in the number of life-threatening cardiac events.

Four standard dose pills a year – 35 milligrams – send the risk soaring by around 20 per cent. People taking the equivalent of 60 tablets a year could see the threat jump by half.

The study is the first to connect the drug with cardiovascular problems.

Scientists cannot be fully certain yet that sleeping pills are causing heart problems – and the manufacturers say there are no known adverse cardiac reactions to zolpidem.

However, the researchers say the results from a study of more than 5,000 people are sufficiently worrying for “further large-scale and indepth investigations”.

To Our Readers

We are publishing these items in good faith, kindly consult your Doctor before you try to implement it. We do not hold any responsibility for its efficacy...

meals M a n y people have this habit of wanting just a little something sweet after every meal.

This is absolutely unnecessary and you probably know it. Just that addition of sugar after your meals is worth cutting down on if you have it on a daily basis. Let dessert be a treat you save for the weekends and you will probably savour it more.

Evening snack - How often have you felt so hungry in the time between your lunch and dinner,

that you can eat anything without giving a thought as to whether it is right for you or not?

You may land up knocking off a sandwich or a samosa. This may be the only unhealthy addition to your diet in the entire day, but consumed daily, this evening snack could be hindering your efforts. Therefore, carry something that has healthy proteins and fats like nuts, with you so that you don't succumb to hunger.

Potatoes - Recently dubbed by a study conducted by Harvard, as one of the foods that definitely makes you gain weight over time, potatoes have a way of turning up in our daily food unannounced.

You may be eating a healthy sabzi but a whole potato may have been added in there to improve the flavour. Fresh veggies taste good on their own if you try, so give it a shot.

'Healthy snacks' Baked chakris and chips, all of these so called healthy snacks, should be substituted with real nutritious food. Many people eat these unaccounted, thinking they are healthy and will not make a big difference to their health and weight. This is a misconception and you are better off without these highly processed snacks.

the edge of the eye, and that is referred to as the 'black line'," said Kara Maki, an assistant professor at Rochester Institute of Technology in the US. The tears, Maki explained, climb up the eyelid and join a column of fluid that travels along the lids. Lower pressure sucks the fluid into the meniscus and away from the centre, creating the black line and dry spots in the tear film that can compromise vision and irritate the cornea. "We confirmed that

blinking is necessary to stop this thinning from happening. Every time you blink, the tear film gets repainted on the front of your eye," Maki noted.

It is important to have smooth tear film for optical quality, she explained.

Women are predominantly afflicted with dry eye condition due to hormonal changes associated with menopause. A cure for dry eye could be in sight with better understanding of the basic dynamics of the tear film.

sweets, sweetened drinks and foods rich in oil.

Consuming these foods can increase body fat around various areas of your body like abdomen and thighs.

Drink plenty of water: If you want to get rid of your belly, then drink sufficient amount of water every day. Drinking water, after regular intervals will help to boost your metabolism and remove toxins from your body.

Eat raw garlic: Chew two to three cloves of garlic every morning, and drink a

glass of lemon water after that. This treatment will double up your weight loss process and make your blood circulation smooth in your body.

Avoid non-veg food: To eliminate belly fat, it is recommended that one should avoid non-vegetarian food as far as possible.

Load up on fruits and vegetables: Eat a bowl of fruits daily in the morning and evening. This will fill you up with many antioxidants, minerals and vitamins.

Spice up your cooking: Use spices like cinnamon, ginger and black pepper in your cooking. These spices are loaded with health benefits. They help to improve your insulin resistance and reduce levels of sugar in your blood.

Blink enough to keep away dry eye

ry eye is a common condition without a D cure and if you are one of

those suffering from the burning, gritty condition that can impair vision and damage the cornea, check if you are blinking your eyes enough.

With computer simulations that map the way tears move across the surface of the eye, researchers discovered that when your eyes are open, the tears get thin right along the edge of the eye.

Using the software programme Overture, researchers recreated the flow of tears on the surface of an open eye, moving from the upper corner and draining through the ducts at the opposite corner.

"One thing we were able to find is that when your eyes are open, the tears get thin right along

Home remedies to reduce belly fat

elly fat has always been a major area of conB cern. It not only destroys

your image but also increases your risk to many health ailments. Try these tips to lose the fat deposits around your belly.

Start your day with lemon juice: This is one of the best therapies to eliminate belly fat. Pinch some yellow juice into a glass of warm water and add some salt to it. Continue drinking this every morning to boost your metabolism and to get rid of that paunch.

Stay off from white rice: Replace white rice with various wheat products. Include brown rice, brown bread, wholegrains, oats and quinoa in your diet.

Avoid sugary substances: Stay away from

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Top Questions Asked This Week

Ravi Bhanot

JP MRPharmS Dip(Nutr) Dip(Hom) Dip(Ayurv) Dip(Stress Manag) Dip (Massage) Pharmacist, Ayurvedic, Complementary Health and Nutrition Consultant, Lecturer, Researcher and Author. He is a celebrity columnist for many magazines and is Director of The Ayurveda Institute of Europe and Coolherbals Ltd.

Would I lose weight if I skipped breakfast?

Anita from Romford asked if she should not eat breakfast in the morning and leave eating till lunch time. She is desperate to lose 10 pounds as she has a family wedding in August.

Research, from University of Bath, out this week shows people who eat breakfast burn more calories and have tighter blood sugar control than those who do not eat till lunch time.

The six week trial showed that people who were eating breakfast were not snacking as much and had more energy in the morning. They were spending more calories and their blood sugar level was better controlled during the day too compared to those who had fasted.

Anita should eat breakfast – perhaps slow energy release porridge or oats.

According to Ayurveda the energies responsible for best digestion serve best at 7am for breakfast, 11am-2pm for lunch and 6pm-7.30pm for dinner.

“Eat the six tastes and low Kapha foods in your food”

Focus on eating all the six tastes in your mealssugar, salt, sour, astringent, bitter and pungent foods. Sugar foods too I hear you saying? Sugar is in so many of our staple

foods such as wheat.

Eating all the six tastes would satisfy all our tongue taste buds and make us feel more satisfied.

The above tongue showing taste receptors has been taken from the book Slimmer in One Hour...Slim Forever by Ravi Bhanot and Sushma Bhanot Eat low Kapha foods.

These are foods that are less dense – for example fruit, vegetables and if you eat meat white rather than red meat. For a more complete slimming plan that we refer to as the CoolSlim Plan and diet sheet contact us.

Can I help my black circles under my eyes disappear?

Vanita from Croydon wrote in worried about her black circles. The same question was asked at Sheetals Stand at the Anand Mela Harrow last weekend by a couple of people. (Sheetals is a beauty salon in Kingsbury that we supply). She says she has tried various creams, some really expensive, and they had not helped. She has had this problem some 20 years.

What can she do?

The skin around the eyelids is 0.5mm thin whilst skin in the body is 2mm. She may benefit from using a 0.5mm Dermal Roller Treatment.

This is a plastic device that you roll on the skin to provoke more collagen (produces new skin) and allows more of a brightening product to get under the skin. A brightening cream with natural ingredients such as Liquorice and Zinc Oxide may help.

For a Free Coolherbals Skin Analysis with our Skin Analyzer machine contact us.

The names given are pseudo names of people who have written in.

Please email your questions to ravi@coolherbals.com or phone 020 8597 a9039 or write to 386 Green Lane, Ilford IG3 9JU.

DERMAL ROLLER HOME KIT Skin rejuvenation Anti-wrinkle Sun damage Pigmentation Scarring Uneven skin tone

Coolherbals Ltd. 386 Green Lane, Ilford, Essex, IG3 9JU

www.coolherbals.com

Tel: 020 8597 9039 Email: ravi@coolherbals.com

28

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www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 14th June 2014

Vidya Balan to debut in Tamil cinema?

Dhanush film sold for a record price

irector K V Anand's upcoming film 'Anegan' in which actor Dhanush plays the lead role is nearing completion. The film has Amyra Dasthur as the female lead and Karthik plays the lead villain role. Now trade soruces reveal that the satellite rights of the film has been acquired by SUN TV for Rs 180 million. This is a phenomenal price paid for a second generation star like Dhanush. The film is being produced on a grand scale by AGS Entertainments and music is being scored by Anand's regular ally Harris Jayaraj.

S

ridevi is all set to star in a Tamil film directed by Chimbu Devan co-starring superstar Vijay and Kannada star Sudeep.

The film, having Sridevi play the role of a princess, will be dubbed in Hindi.

Sridevi's husband Boney Kapoor told a tabloid, "Yes, she is doing a film with the Tamil star Vijay. That's all I can reveal at the moment." She has previuosly played the role of princess in Chandramukhi and Khuda G a w a h .

Apparently, Sri's daughters persuaded her to sign the movie to complete her triology of the princess act.

I

t was reported that Shruti Haasan was being considered for an item song in Telugu film 'Aagadu' that stars Mahesh Babu and Tamannah in lead roles.

Now the news has been confirmed by the film's music director S S Thaman. He said Shruti Haasan would rock in a special song in this film. 'Aagadu' is Thaman's 50th film as a music composer and he is said to have been working very hard to give Mahesh Babu some very good tunes. Sreenu Vaitla is the director of 'Aagadu' and the film is being produced by Anil Sunkara, Ram Achanta and Gopichand Achanta on 14 Reels Entertainment banner. The film has Sonu Sood, Brahmanandam, Sai Kumar etc in the other key roles.

This film is directed by Debaloy Dey. The film stars B h a n u U d a y , S w a r a B h a s k a r, M u r l i Sharma and Reema Debnath.

Ayesha and U d a y Saxena are a happily married couple and are living a perfect life with their four year old son Sunny. One day, while coming back from a party, they are involved in a major road accident in which the driver of the other vehicle dies, an incident that plays on Ayesha’s mind and depresses her. When Uday's boss offers him the job of managing a Jabalpur factory, he accepts the opportunity to give

t looks like Vidya Balan is quietly considering her debut in Tamil cinema. The lucky hero is likely to be Ajith. Siva who directed Ajith in the hit film Veeram is currently working on his next script and Vidya Balan could make her Tamil debut in this action film. This is of course not Vidya’s first brush with southern cinema.

She acted in Santosh Sivan’s Malayalam film “Urumi” that was also dubbed into Tamil.

And she won several accolades for playing a Silk Smitha like character in The Dirty Picture, including the National Award for Best Actress.

Sridevi to a play a princess in Tamil film

Shruthi Haasan to shake a leg in 'Aagadu'

‘Machhli Jal Ki Rani Hai’

I

Ayesha a change of atmosphere. While Uday becomes busy with his job and rearranging their life, Ayesha starts to feel the presence of someone in the house that no one else can. Her fears grow and she starts behaving in a bizarre manner.

‘Fugly’

It is a comedy drama directed by K a b i r Sadanand.

The film features J i m m y Shergill, M o h i t Marwah, Vijender Singh, and K i a r a Advani.

Singh has described the movie as "a social thriller film with a message".

Filming for the flick took place in Delhi and Mumbai.

Hrithik in Ashutosh Gowariker’s ‘Mohenjo Daro’

H

r i t h i k Roshan has s i g n e d A s h u t o s h Gowariker’s love story ‘Mohenjo Daro’.

The film is set during the ancient Indus Valley civilization. The film is in the pre-production stage and is slated to start filming in the last quarter of 2014. Apparently, the director had approached the actor earlier, but is only now that he has given the nod.

Trade analyst and film critic trade analyst Taran Adarsh tweeted, “After creating magic in Jodhaa Akbar, Ashutosh Gowariker & Hrithik Roshan are back again with yet another love story Mohenjo Daro.” Reports say that Sonakshi Sinha will be paired opposite Hrithik.

Kangana, Saif Ali Khan to romance next?

K

angana Ranaut has been on a high and made headlines post the roaring success of Vikas Bahl’s “Queen,” however she didn’t create enough magic for Sai Kabir’s “Revolver Rani.” Kangana even declined the film offered by Sujoy Ghosh’s, “Durga Rani Singh” for reasons that maybe she had too much on her plate or then she was waiting for a better script. And now recently, director Reema Kagti has asked Kangana to star opposite the Nawab of Pataudi, Saif Ali Khan in her next film. The last film directed by Reema Kagti, was Aamir Khan, Rani Mukerjee, Kareena Kapoor starrer, “Talaash.”

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www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 14th June 2014

Melissa Bell sings for World Cup Vibe!

M

elissa Bell, former lead singer of ‘Soul II Soul’ has once again teamed up with UK’s top Bollywood dance entertainer and choreographer Jay Kumar to feature in his World Cup song. The original song called ‘World Cup Vibe’ and has been written and produced by Jay. Jay also wrote and produced two other songs in which Melissa has also sung - the 2006 Bollywood-inspired England World Cup song, called ‘It’s the time for England’ and a song called ‘The Diwali Anthem.’

Jay aims to get the whole world dancing and singing during the World Cup and in the words of the song “...be

Shefali Saxena

No kissing or bikini for Tamannaah A

ctor Tamannaah Bhatia, who will be featuring in “Humshakals,” says she will not wear a bikini or do a kissing scene on scree. “This is something that I have maintained, and I intent to keep that. I am not comfortable (with it) at all," she said.

For a scene in “Humshakals,” all three actors - Tamannaah, Esha Gupta and Bipasha Basu were required to wear a bikini, but Tamannaah chose to cover it up with an unbuttoned sleeveless top and a pair of shorts.

The actor, who has two film releases lined up – ‘Humshakals’ with Saif Ali Khan and ‘It's Entertainment’ with Akshay Kumar, says both the actors are very different from each other. "Saif can pull off any role - be it ‘Omkara,’ ‘Hum Tum’ or ‘Agent Vinod.’ His kind of films are very different, wheras, Akshay has a genre which he is good at. They are very different individuals," she said.

There were reports that there was animosity between Bipasha, Esha and Tamannaah.

But the ‘Himmatwala’ actor says Bipasha "was very sweet on the sets." "She is an established actor, but she was very cordial with us."

Lakshmi makes you realise how insignificant your problems are

Director Nagesh Kukunoor was recently in London at the screening of his latest release “Lakshmi” (2014) at the 16th London Asian Film Festival in June 2014.

“Lakshmi,” is the story of a 13-year -old girl who was kidnapped and sold into prostitution.

The idea of making “Lakshmi” came to his mind after he visited a rescue home in a small town on the coast of Andhra Pradesh. “I went back there and saw these amazing women. After hearing their stories and listening to the amount of emotional, mental and physical abuse they had suffered, it was incredible that they were standing in front of me and having a normal conversation. I couldn’t fathom that kind of heroism,” he said.

“I found this 14 year old girl.

What’s great about her story is she was forced into prostitution and then she was rescued. She had the courage to take her traffickers to court and she won,” he explained.

“Lakshmi” is being screened in London at a time when cases of gang rapes and sexual assault are on the rise in India. “With Lakshmi and a topic such as child prostitution, it becomes much harder to find an audience. There’s so much crap that goes on in our lives that we really don’t

Abhishek Bachchan cleaning utensils

A

a part of Football’s World Cup Vibe”!

But the recording had to undergo some hurdles, mainly because of Melissa’s ill

health.

Despite that, she gave her all and the result was astounding.

The other hurdle was that Jay’s friend Jayanta Pathak composed and arranged the music from his studio in Atlanta, USA. The vocal recording of Melissa and other members was done at Alexandra Burke’s studio in Hertfordshire with Jayanta Pathak was giving instructions to the studio engineer via Skype. The song has been released is now available to download from iTunes and other Digital stores.

bhishek Bachchan, Neetu Singh and Rishi Kapoor took a break from their film shoot, and visited the Golden Temple in Amritsar on the Martyrdom Day of Sri Guru Arjan Dev. As part of community service, Abhishek washed utensils for 20 minutes and helped out in the langar hall.

Since the trio arrived late in the night, they decided to visit the temple in the next day. But Abhishek had visited the temple on late night as well, as he was keen to check out the temple's atmosphere at night. They also made some shopping, a source said.

want to go to the movie theatre and get some more thrown on us. So, I understand why people would shy away from film like this. I have appealed to people’s conscience. This should not go untouched,” says Nagesh.

Surprisingly the biggest challenge in “Lakshmi” was not the casting.

Nagesh was casting a 14 year old. But he dropped the idea. “I was being irresponsible as a film maker,” he confesses. He went on to cast singer Monali Thakur as Lakshmi, after he spotted her at a party. Labelled as a film maker who makes issue based movies, Nagesh differs. He says, “Fortunately or unfortunately people name as socially conscious filmmaker. I believe it’s not true. If you have a social message that’s ok, but there’s no harm in making movies just for the sake of

Esha Deol turns a producer

E

sheer entertainment.

And I enjoy telling a story. That’s what I believe I am.”

“I keep on dabbling with different genres till I make up may mind about the kind of film I want to make,” he clarifies. Kukunoor does not deny the power of box-office.

“At the end of the day, numbers matter.

Mainstream Bollywood cinema is necessary for the industry to survive.

It gives the most number of jobs. So when movies do well and do insane amount of numbers it allows the people who have made the money to take risk on small films like mine.

What’s critical to remember is – just like when you go to buy a shalwar or a shirt in my case I’ve a choice. I pick and choose. Filmmakers similarly I think should give the audience to choices. That is where I feel we need to work harder,” he enlightens.

Actress Madhoo, who was present at the screening said that she wouldn’t be comfortable in showing the film to her daughters. She said, “No. I don’t want them to be scared in their sub conscience. It’s a god’s world. While everything happens it may not happen to me. Lakshmi is a hard hitting movie.”

sha Deol has followed the footsteps of Shilpa Shetty, Lara Dutta and Dia Mirza and has turned a producer. She has named her production house as Esha Entertainment. “My production house name is Esha Entertainment. I have already checked with a numerologist... it's all proper. Everyone does that, so why shouldn't we," the 32-year-old said. Esha, who married businessman Bharat Takhtani in February 2012, is looking to co-produce films with other production houses. Esha plans to rope in new writers.

Priyanka sheds 7 kg in 20 days!

P

riyanka Chopra's move from a boxing ring in Mary Kom to a business suit in Zoya Akhtar's “Dil Dhadakne Do” was not an easy one. The actress had to lose some extra baggage on the way - seven kg of muscle built while training to play the pugilist in the biopic. The actress had trained with boxer Jharna Sanghvi over the last year to get the brawny physique of the Olympic medal winner.

But Zoya wanted Priyanka to look svelte for her turn as a suave businesswoman from a Punjabi family in her film.

Priyanka had only 20 days to knock off the weight and worked with Jharna to achieve the goal and finally she did just that.

Happy to make a mark in Bollywood: Sunny Leone

I

ndo-Canadian adult film star Sunny Leone is happy for getting noticed but is not sure if she has made her mark in Bollywood.

Before making her Bollywood debut in `Jism 2`, Sunny had participated in the fifth season of the reality show `Bigg Boss`. "I think I have been noticed and I am happy about it. I am happy where I have reached today. I don`t know if I have made a mark for myself here. I want to do good work, have fun and entertain people," Sunny said. "I have done only three films. I still have to work hard. I want more and more people to watch and enjoy my films. It is a steady process. I think one should work hard and prove oneself in dancing, acting and bringing in ticket sales (box office)," she said.

30

UK

Children's Day held in Hertfordshire

We celebrate Mother’s Day, Father’s Day and even Sister’s Day (Raksha Bandhan) but on Saturday 24 May it was truly a Children’s Day when children of all age group ( 512) displayed their talents that included puppet show, drama, costumes, musical instruments, singing at the annual Balagokulam Shibir, organised by Hindu

Swayamsevak Sangh (UK).

Balagokulam (BG) is a place where children (aged 5+) and parents come together on weekly basis across 32 centres in the UK, with a weekly attendance of 750+.

BG enables children to appreciate their cultural roots, learn values in an enjoyable way and make good friends. They also

Coming Events

l Friday 13 June – Dance: Nrithyaanjali by Upahaar School of Dance from 6.30pm at The Nehru Centre, 8, South Audley Street, London W1K 1HF. Contact: 020 7491 3567 l Saturday 14th June – Bhavan Centre hosting a Kathak Dance by Padma Shri Guru Pratap Pawar from 7pm at the Bhavan Centre, 4a Castletown Road, London W14 9HE. Contact: 020 8568 0423. Tickets £12 £10 l Sunday 15th June – Bhajans at 3pm at Shree Budhedevbhai, Shree Manubhai Kotak and Surendra Venkata Vendra and family at Adhya Shakti Mataji Temple, 55 High Street, Cowley, Middlesex UB8 2DZ. Contact: 07882253540. l Sunday 15th June – Gayatri Jayanti Gayantri Maha-Yagya from 1.30pm at Mandhata Youth and Community Centre, 20a Rosemead Avenue, Wembley, Middlesex HA9 7EE. Contact: 0208 907 3028. l Monday 16 June – Exhibition: Insight by Adriana Galabova from 6.15pm at The Nehru Centre, 8, South Audley Street, London W1K 1HF. Contact: 020 7491 3567 l Saturday 21st June – Vani Fine Arts present Vishwam from 6pm at he Bhavan Centre, 4a Castletown Road, London W14 9HE. Contact: 020 7386 0924. Tickets £10, £15 l Sunday 6th July – Samuh Randal Maa Naa Lotaa at Shree Hindu Community Centre from 10am at 541a Warwick Road, Tyseley, Birmingham B11 2JP. Contact 07976 090 794.

Editor: CB Patel Associate Editor: Rupanjana Dutta Tel: 020 7749 4098 - Email: rupanjana.dutta@abplgroup.com Editorial Executive: Tanveer Mann Tel: 020 7749 4010 - Email: tanveer.mann@abplgroup.com Senior News Editor: Dhiren Katwa Freelance Correspondent: Rudy Otter Chief Operating Officer: Liji George Tel: 020 7749 4013 Email: george@abplgroup.com Chief Financial Officer: Surendra Patel Tel: 020 7749 4093 Mobile: 07875 229 220 Email: surendra.patel@abplgroup.com Chief Accountant: Akshay Desai Tel: 020 7749 4087 Email:accounts@abplgroup.com Business Manager: Alka Shah Tel: 020 7749 4002 - Mobile: 07944 151 893 Email: alka.shah@abplgroup.com Advertising Manager: Kishor Parmar Tel: 020 7749 4095 - Mobile: 07875 229 088 Email: kishor.parmar@abplgroup.com Business Development Managers: Rovin J George - Email: rovin.george@abplgroup.com Tel: 020 7749 4097 - Mobile: 07875 229 219 Urja Patel - Email: urja.patel@abplgroup.com Graphic Designers: Harish Dahya & Ajay Kumar Tel: 020 7749 4086 Email: graphics@abplgroup.com Customer Service: Ragini Nayak Tel: 020 7749 4080 - Email: support@abplgroup.com (BPO) AB Publication (India) Pvt. Ltd. 207 Shalibhadra Complex, Opp. Jain Derasar, Nr. Nehru Nagar Circle, Ambawadi, Ahmedabad.

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develop a sense of Sewa, Service to the community.

Since its inception in April 2005, the BG concept has proven to be very popular with centres now in most major cities such as Borehamwood, Stevenage, London, Birmingham, Liverpool & Swindon. Just in the last one year, 12 new Balagokulams have started in locations such as Lincoln, Leeds, Greenwich, Durham, Kings Lynn and Canary Wharf.

On the Whitsun Weekend Friday 23rd to Sunday 25th May at Kings Langley – Rudolf Steiner School, 350+ parents and children descended to take residence for a fun filled, action packed learning and living together experience. At this year’s camp participants came from 30 towns and cities across the country. The camp was conducted in English, Hindi and Sanskrit, with also families from another 6 Indian language speak-

ing backgrounds.

The aim of the camp was to encourage participation in a wide range of sports and team activities, learn and share our rich culture, learn more about how Balagokulam works and an opportunity to experience ‘a weekend away from home’ in a values based environment.

The activities included games, talks, discussions, learning classes, role plays, entertainment drama, yoga and plenty of delicious food. In parallel a teachers training programme was also conducted for all BG teams to further develop theirs skills, share challenges and assist with solutions.

A team of 50 volunteers worked tirelessly to cook meals daily onsite and teachers who executed the whole camp efficiently. This is the fourth annual shibir with record attendance. Interest is growing and many more Balagokulams are ready to start in the coming year.

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 14th June 2014

ARIES Mar 21 - Apr 20 The next three weeks may cause you to step back and rethink your about your work and home balance. Do not hesitate to question fundamental values in order to get to the heart of what you believe and resolve inner conflicts that may arise. Small insights can net you large gains, particularly in the stability of your future plans.

TAURUS Apr 21 - May 21 The next three weeks may well mark a lot of ups and downs in your social circle, with acquaintances being sometimes seeming less than reliable. Try to work on removing obstacles to the flow and diplomatically shift your schedule according to what fits in your evolving agenda. Toward the end, you may have to call upon contacts that are on the same page as yourself.

GEMINI May 22 - June 22

The coming three weeks mark a period when not only hedging your bets but replacing your wagers may be just the right thing to do. When resources come up short, don't hesitate to reallocate them in order to provide yourself a firm foundation.

Do not rely on last minute income to fill in the gap.

Less is more when you streamline your operations.

CANCER Jun 22 - Jul 22

You may find yourself hard at work behind the scenes, although that may not be apparent to others. You may find yourself caught up in a whirlwind of activity, with opportunities to advance on both the inner and outer level. There’s a sparkle to your social life and you will have fun communicating with others.

LEO Jul 23 - Aug 23 For the next three weeks you may feel like you're waiting for things to come together, but you don't know exactly what they are. Events for you are, in fact, restructuring themselves behind the scenes, and you may be in for some surprises when all is resolved. Be open to your own intuitive hunches and be ready when it suddenly materializes.

VIRGO Aug 24 - Sep 23

Sometimes when you choose to lean on friends, you find they're leaning on you already. The next three weeks give you the chance to discover who your true friends are. A tremendous amount of planetary activity in your chart signals a time of mixed emotions as well as personal issues to be dealt with.

LIBRA Sep 24 - Oct 23

The fiery planet Mars, continues to occupy your Solar 1st house for some time to come. Its influence will help you to maintain a high energy level and achieve positive results in anything that requires drive and initiative. If you are involved in a fairly competitive field of activity, you will be the one who comes out on top.

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SCORPIO Oct 24- Nov 22 With Venus traversing your opposite sign of relationships for some time to come, it will put you in the right mood if you intend to indulge your pleasure-loving instincts.

Venus, the planet of love and romance throws a pleasing light on affairs of the heart. Existing emotional differences can be easily sorted out now.

SAGITTARIUS Nov 23 - Dec 21

Give top priority to important written work. This applies particularly to financial and commercial interests. If you can manage to get away from usual routines, this will prove to be highly enjoyable and have a beneficial effect on your physical and psychological well-being. Loved ones will be looking after you.

CAPRICORN Dec 22 - Jan 20

It's a time of slow and steady progress that can set the stage for a long time to come. Of course, there are still challenging issues on both a personal and practical level. To get here you may have overcome obstacles by making important decision and choices. You will achieve a lot more, by motivating your own desires.

AQUARIUS Jan 21 - Feb 19 Mercury Retrograde in 6th House for the next three weeks could easily throw some kinks into your schedule and make your routine suddenly non-routine. You have the opportunity now to iron out the things that may have been bothering you but which were somehow still left unattended.

PISCES Feb 20 - Mar 20 Don't be afraid to act forcefully if your instinct tells you it's time for change. This week the focus is your house of family and home. Besides spending more time tending to domestic affairs, the focus can be on cultivating and nourishing your inner foundations, so to speak.

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Virat Kohli again tops ICC Player Rankings for ODI Batsmen

Indian batsmen Virat Kohli continued to maintain his dominance as he topped the Reliance ICC Player Rankings for ODI Batsmen, followed by South Africa batsman AB de Villiers in second place and Australia's George Bailey in third.

Meanwhile, Sri Lanka's Tillakaratne Dilshan moved up two places to seventh on the list, in the only positive movement inside the top 10. Dilshan was the highest run-getter in the series, with 222 runs at an average of 44.40.

Outside of the top 20, England wicketkeeperbatsman Jos Buttler made the biggest move, jumping 31 places to a career-best 33rd with 580 ratings points. Buttler made 172 runs in four innings to be England's highest run-get-

and Sachitra Senanayake of Sri Lanka entered the top 20 of the for the first time at the end of the fivematch ODI series between the two sides that finished at Edgbaston on Tuesday.

Tredwell jumped 18 places to a career-best 12th with 627 ratings points, while Senanayake vaulted 20 places to 13th, with 623 ratings points.

Both Tredwell and Senanayake claimed nine wickets in the series.

However, Senanayake had a better average of 15.11, while Tredwell's haul came at an average of 18.44.

The biggest mover inside the top 10 was England's James Anderson, who moved up three places to fourth after picking up eight wickets in the series. Anderson is on 706 ratings points, eight behind third-ranked Sunil Narine of West Indies.

Pakistan's Saeed Ajmal continues to top the bowlers' table, with South Africa's Dale Steyn in second place.

England paceman Chris Jordan, the highest wicket-taker in the series with 12 wickets, was the highest mover outside the top 20, rocketing 52 places to reach a best-ever 51st.

he was sure that he wanted Senanayake's appeal to stand. Mathews replied in the affirmative and the batsman had to make his way back to the pavilion.

When the teams shook hands after the game at Edgbaston, clearly disgruntled England skipper Alastair Cook exchanged words with Mathews. "He has been taking unfair starts, not just in this game but in the last game as well," the Sri Lanka

captain told Sky Sports after his side reached their target of 220 with 10 balls to spare. "We gave him two warnings in the spirit of cricket. I actually don't know how to stop a batsman doing that continuously so we had to go for it. I would stick by the decision because what we did was completely within the rules."

Unhappy England Cook said he was "obviously disappointed"

with the Sri Lanka appeal.

"You're going to have to ask Angelo why he did it," added Cook. "I hope I wouldn't do it. Emotion can get the better of you.

You hope you wouldn't do it but until you're put in that situation you don't know how you'd handle it."

England coach Peter Moores was also "disappointed" with the Sri Lanka appeal.

"Angelo made his decision and it's not for me to comment on why he did it," said Moores. "He's made his choice and obviously he's happy with it because that's what he said at the end of the game. We would discuss it with Alastair in a similar scenario.

That's Angelo's choice and that's what he thought was the right decision at the time. I might disagree but it's not my decision, it's his."

Mohamed bin Hammam paign to seal support for the tiny country’s World Cup dream.

The new disclosures is putting pressure on world football’s governing body, Fifa, to take action when the first of its big sponsors, the Japanese electronics giant Sony, broke ranks and called for a

thorough probe into the whole incident.

Ed Miliband, the Labour leader, said that the revelations called for immediate reopening of the bidding process. The documents reveal how Hammam brokered government-level talks for the Thai member of Fifa’s executive committee (Exco) to push a gas deal that was potentially worth tens of millions of dollars to Thailand. Hammam also invited to visit Vladimir Putin to discuss “bilateral relations” in sport between Qatar and Russia a month before the crucial votes. He also influenced former Exco

member Franz Beckenbauer and seven other key Exco members, including the Fifa president, Sepp Blatter.

Michael Garcia, Fifa’s in-house investigator, enraged critics last week by announcing that he would end his investigation into corruption in the World Cup bidding process ahead of Fifa’s congress in Sao Paolo.

The revelations shed new light on how a tiny desert state with virtually no football infrastructure and sweltering summer temperatures of up to 50C walked off with the rights to host the world’s biggest sporting tournament.

Virat Kohli

ter in the series, and also scored his first ODI hundred. Other batsmen to move up include Ian Bell in 22nd (up by one), Angelo Mathews in 24th (up by two) and Joe Root in 41st (up by one).

Meanwhile, in the Reliance ICC Player Rankings for ODI Bowlers, off-spinners James Tredwell of England

Lanka win one-day series amid controversial run out

Sri Lanka won the final one-day international in Birmingham by six wickets last week, a game that will be remembered for the controversial run-out of England's Jos Buttler, to triumph 3-2 in the fivematch series.

After winning the toss England laboured to 199 for six but had the dangerous Buttler, who made a brilliant 121 in the fourth game at Lord's on Saturday, at the crease on 21. The wicketkeeperbatsman was then dismissed at the non-striker's end by Sachithra Senanayake who took the bails off when Buttler strayed out of his crease as the off-spinner was about to deliver the ball.

Buttler had already received several warnings in this game, and at Lord's, for backing up too far but umpire Michael Gough asked Sri Lanka captain Angelo Mathews if

How Qatar won the right to host 2022 world cup football

Qatar’s top football chief has exploited the nation’s vast wealth to win the crucial votes to host the world cup in 2022, documents leaked by The Sunday Times revealed.

Fresh disclosures show how Mohamed bin Hammam, the disgraced Fifa vice-president, pulled strings to arrange meetings and favours for key voters in the months leading up to the World Cup ballot.

The Qatar 2022 committee has maintained it has no links with Bin Hammam after it was revealed that Hammam made secret payments of more than $5m in his cam-

SPORT WORLD

England pick uncapped trio for first Lanka Test

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England named a trio of uncapped players in their squad for the first Test against Sri Lanka at Lord's later this month. Selecting his first Test squad since returning to the job, coach Peter Moores picked 24-year-old batsman Sam Robson and all-rounders Chris Jordan and Moeen Ali for the June 12 match. Bowler Liam Plunkett, who last played Test cricket seven years ago against West Indies, has also been included in the 12-man squad alongside Chris Woakes. Jos Buttler did not make the cut as Matt Prior was selected as wicketkeeper after recovering from an Achilles injury. "We believe that this group of emerging talent will be very well complimented by the established core of experienced players that have been selected," said national selector James Whitaker. "We are expecting a tough series against Sri Lanka." The 25-year-old Jordan, who took 12 wickets during England's 3-2 series defeat by Sri Lanka, has played 13 ODIs and seven T20s since making his England debut last September. The 26-year-old Ali made his ODI and T20 debuts earlier this year against West Indies. Captain Alastair Cook's squad for England's opening Test of the summer also includes James Anderson and Stuart Broad. England squad: Alastair Cook (captain), Moeen Ali, James Anderson, Gary Ballance, Ian Bell, Stuart Broad, Chris Jordan, Liam Plunkett, Matt Prior, Sam Robson, Joe Root, Chris Woakes.

Amla named South Africa Test captain

Hashim Amla, whose family migrated from Gujarat to South Africa, has been appointed South Africa's Test captain, taking over from Graeme Smith, who retired in March. Amla's first assignment will be South Africa's two-Test tour of Sri Lanka next month. He was given the job ahead of team-mate AB de Villiers, who will continue to lead the ODI side in which Amla will serve as his deputy. De Villiers will remain the Test vice-captain and the first-choice wicketkeeper in the longest format. "It's an honour and a privilege," Amla said. "I have to pay tribute to Graeme and his leadership.

For years, I've concentrated on my batting, but now it's time to contribute in the team setting. As a captain, you are more a servant than you are a leader. I will be taking it as my responsibility to give all my heart to this position."

Nadal wins French Open 9th time

Trying to beat Rafael Nadal at the French Open is, without a doubt, the toughest task in tennis. Indeed, he wore down No 2 Novak Djokovic 3-6, 7-5, 6-2, 6-4 in a muggy final on Sunday at Roland Garros to win his ninth French Open championship and fifth in a row, both records. "For me," Nadal said, "playing here in Roland Garros is just unforgettable, forever." It is also his 14th Grand Slam title overall, tying the 28-year-old Spaniard with Pete Sampras for the second most by a man, behind only Roger Federer's 17. That includes Nadal's two trophies apiece at Wimbledon and the US Open, along with one from the Australian Open, proving he can beat the best on grass and hard courts, too. But it's on the clay of Paris where Nadal reigns supreme: He has won 66 of 67 career French Open matches. Since the only loss, against Robin Soderling in the fourth round in 2009, Nadal has won 35 consecutive matches at Roland Garros. No other man has won more than seven titles at any of tennis' four majors.

Sharapova silences Halep: Her 12 double faults were a nuisance and the non-stop shrieks that punctured the air for more than three hours even made a baby wail, yet all Maria Sharapova will want to remember from the French Open is the moment she sunk to her knees in triumph. The Russian had scrapped in eight major finals, winning four of them, but never before had she been taken to three sets in a showpiece match until she ran into a tireless Romanian named Simona Halep on Saturday. Showing nerves of steel that would have made seasoned champions proud, grand-slam final debutante Halep fought, believed and risked everything for three hours and two minutes before a backhand into the tramlines allowed Sharapova to hug the Suzanne Lenglen Cup for a second time in three years.

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SPORT

Football fever grips the world

With the 20th Fifa world cup to kick-start on 12th June in Brazil, football fever would be at its peak in the world till its end on July 13th 2014. From Thursday onwards the world’s top 32 football teams would fight to lift the most prestigious trophy.

The host country, Brazil, the five-time champions will be hopeful of lifting the trophy again and the Latin American country will have tough fight from defending champions

Spain. The other teams to watch out are Germany, Argentina, England and Croatia.

However, other surprises are definitely to come to the fore during the month-long sporting extravaganza.

Before the match on 12 June, the world will be able to watch the tournament’s first kickoff, which will be taken by a paraplegic patient, as part of a demonstration put on by the Walk Again project. Football fans expectations are

centred on the match scheduled to take place at 5 pm (Brazil time) on Thursday, between Brazil and Croatia, at the Corinthians Arena in São Paulo.

But before the first whistle, a big show promises to thrill around 61,000 fans who will be at the stadium, in addition to millions - or billions – who will be watching the 2014 FIFA World Cup opening cere-

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mony on television.

Gates will be opened at 1 pm and the show starts at 3:15 pm.

Dancers, capoeira fighters, gymnasts and other artists will perform for about 25 minutes. Over 6 0 0 dancers will take to the pitch before the players to portray the host country's diversity, led by Daphné Cornez from Belgium, the show's artistic director. The ceremony pays homage to three Brazilian treasures:

nature, people and football. The show’s main element is a ‘live ball’, with over 90 thousand clusters and 7 thousand lighting nits, which moves around during the show.

"We have some reasons to say the audience will increase. We worked very hard on the match schedule and the times we have now, we think will be very good for the football fan," said a top FIFA official. “We think we have very good kick off times for Africa, the Middle East and Europe and will continue to grow the audience there. And as the World Cup is in

the Americas, we'll have even better figures from there than ever before,” he added.

“Asia has grown very fast in term of viewers and rights fees and I believe that even on paper before the event it looks extremely good to break the records we have.”

He said.

However, he did not speculate on numbers, saying FIFA still struggled to audit figures in certain parts of the world, but for the first time FIFA had a rights contract in place with every country or territory and the interest was enormous.