AV 16th June 2018

First & Foremost Asian Weekly in Europe

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Vol 47 Issue 7

16th June to 22nd June 2018

Let noble thoughts come to us from every side 80p

INDIAN BILLIONAIRE CLAIMS POLITICAL ASYLUM IN UK Taking a cue from fellow fraudcommitting, beleaguered businessman Vijay Mallya, diamantaire Nirav Modi too has reached London with high hopes of attaining political asylum from the government. He has escaped India in January, after committing a $2.2 billion bank fraud. His presence in the country was confirmed by UK Counterterrorism Minister Baroness Williams of Trafford during her official visit to India on Monday.

She has assured authorities in New Delhi of her country's full co-operation.

After news of Modi's probable presence in London broke into headlines, the Indian government, authorities and the press jumped into action.

In a later report, it was known that the UK may link the extradition process of the fugitive businessmen- both Modi and Mallya, with the signing of a much-delayed agreement that will facilitate deportation of over 75,000 Indians who are allegedly illegally staying in Britain.

India seeks Nirav Modi's extradition

The Bengal's Pride Awards honour global Bengalis at House of Commons

See page 16-17 for full report

Sikh soldier first to wear turban in Queen's official birthday parade

See page 6 for full report

India-China boost ties The topic of the final signing of the memorandum of understanding on illegal immigrants was raised by Baroness Williams during her talks with India's Minister of State for Home, Kiren Rijiju.

During the talks, Williams stressed on the need for formal signing of the MoU to enable the

return of illegal Indian immigrants within a month of their detection

by British authorities.

Meanwhile, Rijiju raised the issue of extradition of the defunct billionaires.

An official said, “We are afraid they may link the process of extradition of Nirav Modi, Vijay Mallya and others with the siging

Mumbai: Delhi:

£375

£405

Hyderabad: £395 Chennai:

£405

of the MoU.” Modi and his uncle Mehul Choksi are alleged to be among the main beneficiaries of a fraud at the Punjab National Bank (PNB). While both have denied any wrong doing Indian officials did everything to book them under the law.

Continued on page 26

See page 26 for full report

Ahmedabad: £395

Bhuj:

£450

Amritsar:

£405

GOA:

Kochi:

£425

Singapore:

£430

Rajkot:

£450

Bangalore:

£440

£455

Lucknow: Kolkata:

£450 £420

Dhaka:

Bangkok:

£465

£440

2

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Asian Voice | 16th June 2018

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with

Keith Vaz, MP

Shashi Tharoor Shashi Tharoor is an Indian politician and a former career international diplomat and has served as Member of Parliament for Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala since 2009. He is currently the serving Chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on External Affairs and All India Professionals Congress of the Indian National Congress. Shashi has a distinguished and wide ranging career. He previously served as Under-Secretary General for Communications and Public Information at the United Nations, under Kofi Annan in 2001 before retiring following a close second place finish in 2006 to the position of United Nations SecretaryGeneral to Ban Ki-moon. During his tenure at the UNDPI, Tharoor reformed the department and undertook a number of initiatives, ranging from organising and conducting the first-ever United Nations seminar on anti-Semitism, the first-ever United Nations seminar on Islamophobia after the 11 September attacks, and launching an annual list of "Ten Under-Reported Stories the World Ought to Know about" Shashi is an acclaimed writer with a history of authoring bestselling works. He is the author of 17 books. His most recent work, Why I Am a Hindu, explores Hindu philosophy and its role in modern Indian politics. Tharoor is currently on a book tour around the UK which will take him to the Jaipur Literature Festival at the British Library, and to the Bradford Literature Festival.

Of his 16 bestsellers to date he has written on India focusing on a wide range of topics from its history, culture, film, politics, society, foreign policy, and more.

Shashi has two sons, Ishaan Tharoor and Kanishk Tharoor.

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

Country would be India.

City would be my cons t i t u e n c y , Thiruvananthapuram. And place would be anywhere which has an internet connection!

What are your proudest achievements?

My sons, now 33. My books, now 17.

What inspires you?

The possibility of making a difference to people's lives.

What has been biggest obstacles in your career?

Jealousy, and the "lobster syndrome".

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

My father inspired my work ethic and my desire to excel. My bosses recognised what I could contribute and gave me the opportunity to make a difference.

What is the best aspect about your current role?

As Chairman of the External Affairs

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Committee, the opportunity to review and influence Indian foreign policy. As head of the All India Professionals Congress, the chance to provide a platform to taxpaying Indian professionals. And as an author and speaker, the privilege of contributing to the national discourse on the issues that matter for the country.

And the worst?

The need to spend a great deal of time on fulfilling individual requests from constituents rather than dealing with policy issues affecting millions. The energy expended on dealing with petty political attempts to pull me down.

What are your long term goals?

To make a difference, and to leave a part of the planet a better place for my having been in it.

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

The educational system to better equip our young people to prosper in the world of the 21st century.

If you were marooned on

a desert island, which historical figure would you like to spend your time with and why?

Jawaharlal Nehru, because he had the most fascinating mind of any 21st century leader - a sense of history and culture, a refined humanism, and a gift of language.

Man who faked holiday sickness to claim compensation ordered to pay £10,000 A wedding guest has been ordered to pay travel firm TUI £10,000 after he falsely claimed the food and drink at a Mexican all-inclusive resort made him ill.

Jadeep Singh, 34, from Salford, stayed at the Beach Palace in Cancun for a wedding and appeared to have a good time.

He posted wedding selfies marking his stay in November 2015, but said he was ill for three weeks after he returned. Singh also tried to claim that 12 other guests were made ill by the food, but nobody

One in five Brits, around 9.5 million people, have been approached about making a compensation claim for holiday sickness, according to a recent survey.

Jadeep Singh, 34, from Salford, has trade been ordered to pay £10,000 after he Travel falsely claimed the food and drink from o r g a n i s a t i o n an all-inclusive holiday made him ill Abta, which co m m i s s i o n e d else put in a claim with the poll, warned that TUI. When his claim went claims management firms to court, a Manchester are cold calling millions of county court judge didn’t people, urging them to believe him, and ordered make false claims. him to pay £10,000.

Teenager who edited and shared ISIS videos jailed for encouraging terrorism A west London teenager who edited video game footage to show ISIS soldiers and posted it on YouTube has been jailed.

Mohammed Khilji, 19, posted the video of "Battlefield", a computer game, but altered it so that there was a terrorist battle song playing in the background and quotes from ISIS propaganda material.

The video caught the attention of Metropolitan Police Counter Terrorism Command officers, who started their investigation into the teenager and raided his home address on July 4, 2017.

After forensically searching his phone and computer, police said that officers found he had been sharing graphic videos calling for violence against non-Muslims as

well as videos of ISIS operatives beheading soldiers.

He also shared a video of the Westminster Bridge terror attack, which then offered advice on making a vehicle-based bomb.

Khilji was charged with eight counts of encouraging terrorism in relation to these videos.

Detectives also found selfies of Khilji Mohammed Khilji, 19 (Image: Met Police) charged in relation to the posing with one finger in Battlefield video or the the air, a well-known ISIS selfies, they were shown salute, in front of the terto Kingston Crown Court rorist organisation's black as evidence of his mindflag. He captioned some set and sympathies. He of these photos with was sentenced on statements such as Thursday (June 7) for five “going kaffur hunting”. years, after he was found "Kaffur" is Arabic for guilty by the jury on all unbelievers, or noneight counts of encouragMuslims. ing terrorism.

Although he wasn't

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COMMENTS

Pranab Mukherjee’s vision of India to RSS Former President Pranab Mukherjee, a veteran Congressman throughout his long public life served as Finance Minister, Home Minister, Defence Minister and Minister of External Affairs. No politician of his generation since, has matched Mr Mukherjee’s experience in government or in Parliament. As minister and MP, he was noted for his accessibility, courtesy and geniality both towards contemporaries and younger colleagues. He was liked and respected by all sections of the House. Mr Mukherjee, clearly distressed and disturbed by the falling standards of behavior in Parliament, became almost a lone voice for decorum, for reasoned debate and mutual respect.

As President Mukherjee, he brought his qualities to the fore in his last office as head of state. He offered counsel when it was sought, as Prime Minister Narendra Modi acknowledged in his moving private farewell letter to ‘Pranab Da’ the day after he had demitted his office.

President Mukherjee kept his lines open to all parties, including the RSS which has a political and social face.

In the hothouse of contemporary Indian politics, where hatred and intolerance rules the roost, the RSS was cast outside the pale by the present Congress dispensation and the establishment left and various groupings of the radical chic whose propensity to denounce and defame are now a Pavlovian reflex. This is not say that the RSS and the Hindutva brigade are above criticism and censure. But the essence of democracy is surely the willingness and ability to argue forcefully for an alternative view of history, politics and society.

The Congress Party, which has a top heavy court of fawning courtiers, has taken on itself, on who to talk and what to say. Its high moral pretence is a sham. Its treatment of the late Narasimha Rao when he was prime minister was a disgrace, as the respected Senior Congress politician, Margaret Alva pronounced publicly.

The Congress leadership cold-shouldered Dr Abul Kalam for accepting the office of president from a BJP government, replacing him after his first tenure with the obscure Pratibha Patil, who duly disappeared from public life into anonymity after her first term.

India today is divided by every conceivable barrier. It is time to talk, and to do so dispassionately, yet firmly.

Margaret Alva of the minority Christian community, defended Mr Mukherjee’s decision to address the RSS faithful at their bastion. He did so in conciliatory mode but firm. He set out the liberal, inclusive vision of Indian nationalism based on the freedom of thought and expression, recognizing the country’s ethnic, cultural and religious diversity, which has been its strength in times past and will assuredly be its rock in times to come.

Multiple identities converge in resolute larger identity.

We see its expression on cricket fields, battlefields, fields of diplomacy, commerce, industry, science, space, cinema, music, literary festivals and the like.

The manic desire to chasten everybody into a common shape reflects a deep, if unconscious sense of insecurity. Christians and Christianity, for example, send the Hindu fringe into a deep neurosis. The same people would like nothing better than an American green card or rights of settlement in the UK and Europe; they do so with little tangible fear of conversion, enjoying freedom under the law, a level playing field in education, the professions, business etc to better their prospects in life, which they have done frequently outstandingly well. It is time to grow up..

India was perceived through a glass, darkly in the early years of its independence. Dissolution was famously predicted by a host of doomsayers abroad.

Look at the world as it stands, and where is Yugoslavia?

It has disappeared as a single entity. The Arab world despite its shared faith, language and ethnicity is a house divided.

The lesson for India is thus abundantly clear: Pranab Mukherjee addressed his RSS audience with thought and clarity and self-belief. It was a robust performance.

Congress leaders were reassured, but they had no reason to doubt the man’s good faith in the first place. Congress fears stemmed largely from a loss of confidence and a lack of direction. Aggression in the public sphere cannot hide the unsavoury truth that the thing to fear most is fear itself.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi appears to have made a shrewd assessment of an emerging world order based on diverse poles of power. The unipolar order, long the sustaing dream of the American political class and of European elites, has clearly had its day. The Trump Administration attempts to project and protect American global hegemony through wanton increases in defence expenditure, tariff wars and sanction regimes, have, instead undermined the sanctities of a largely discredited past.

The tectonic shift is clearly visible. President Putin’s recent visit to Austria was a diplomatic triumph. In Brussels, the President of the European Commission Jean Claude Juncker pronounced, ‘Russia bashing must be brought to an end.’ This appeared to trigger a seizure in the BBC’s Hard Talk host, Stephen Sackur, whose incontinent Russia-bashing during a incendiary conversation with a former US ambassador to Moscow left one awestruck at the depth of his rage.

The decline of the West is no longer a fantasy conjured up by the German doomsayer Oswald Spengler. The scent of crisis is everywhere. Russia and Iran, with China for company, have become themes of the new dirge.

German anger at the undiplomatic posturing of the US Ambassador in Berlin, provoked some in the capital city to call for his expulsion. Times are a-changing.

It is against this canvas that Prime Minister Modi journeyed to Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore, where he addressed the Shangri-La Dialogue on India’s policy in the Indo-Pacific region. He stressed close economic

ties with ASEAN members, upheld the principle of free passage on the high seas, the subtext being contested waters of the South China Sea. In a word, India sought regional partnerships, and not containment, less so, confrontation to the table.

The Indian Prime Minister proceeded to China a little later for the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) comprising its founders, Russia, China, the Central Asian states, India and Pakistan as full members, with Iran, Afghanistan, Mongolia and Belarus given observer status.

The SCO is devoted to regional security, trade and investment. It would be correct to describe it as an offshoot of BRICS, acronym for Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. In China and India, it has the two most populous countries on earth, China is the world’s largest economy after the United States, Brazil is the great power of South America, and South Africa the most industrialized in all Africa. Russia is a military superpower along with the United States, while India is the fastest growing of the world’s large economies.

Where the SCO, deftly choreographed, was a picture of amity, the vaunted G7 in Quebec was one of discord.

The US refused to put its signature to a joint communiqué, and President Trump’s departure for his Singapore Summit with North Korean President Kim Jong-un, was markedly abrupt.

Count on a gradual meltdown of the received global order and its arrogant underpinnings. Humpty Dumpty cannot be put together again. It is the coda fit for 21st century purpose.

PM grasps reality of emerging world order

India’s Artificial Intelligence Czar Balaraman Ravichandran is India’s Artificial Intelligence Czar. Reinforcement learning is the cutting edge of Artificial Intelligence Research. MIT Technology Review placed it the top 10 technologies of 2017. A good many AI gurus aver that Reinforcement Learning (RL) will be the route to the summit of artificial general intelligence. RL is in a league of its own.

Professor Balaraman Ravichandran, of the Indian Institute of Technology – Madras, is amongst India’s foremost AI geeks, making him the most sought after voice in the deep RL technology. In RL, it is said, he is

the country’s sole specialist. There are in all 100 AI experts in India, according to Global AI Talent Report 2018. Balaraman Ravichandran did his PhD at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst (USA), under Andrew Barto, one of the foundering fathers of RL. India’s ambitions in agriculture, education, healthcare and defence make this field an imperative for India’s future development and prosperity. AI was deployed this year to discover the whereabouts of 3,000 missing children, and also for the improvement of the country’s rail network. Science and technology constitute the platform for India’s rise.

Asian Voice | 16th June 2018

3

The greatest part of our happiness depends on our dispositions, not our circumstances -Martha Washington (1731-1802)

Alpesh Patel

Priyanka Chopra Priyanka Chopra is in a hot political mess. Her, now cancelled, show Quantico about an FBI agent, had as its latest plotline some Hindu Nationalists set to bomb Manhattan to blame it on Pakistan. (Because there’s a history of that [sarcasm]) – which presumably gives it a plot twist. After all Pakistan plots terror attack isn’t fiction – that’d be a documentary.)

Interestingly, from all the angry tweets centred at her, I’ve not seen any saying, ‘it’s just fiction and she’s just an actor.’ So should we care?

Does it matter? Now, firstly, before I tell you why I think it very much matters, let us clarify the other reasons Priyanka is being criticized, which are irrelevant to this particular issue: She does not dress in purdah, well okay, she has an ample bosom, which if adorning the walls of an ancient temple is fine but does not fit how some people want India to be portrayed. And of course, she dares to be a successful woman too.

These are the ‘why are we not more like UltraOrthodox Saudi Muslims brigade; god we hate them, but they would not ever allow it, so let’s be like them…god we hate them.’

I’m seeing the Prime Minister on Wednesday.

Her office has told me what to wear. ‘Smart Attire’. See happens in the evil West. Personally, I wasn’t planning to impress with my bubbling bosom billowing out of my ball gown – but were I famous enough to be considered a representative of my nation, then I may well be under tension from the personal brand and the representative one. Or I may say, ‘I’m in it for me, leave me alone.’ We shall see. Remember, some are born dutiful, some have duty thrust upon them, and some become dutiful…and some don’t give a shit.

As the song goes, ‘Where have you gone, Joe DiMaggio, Our nation turns its lonely eyes to you.’ It doesn’t mean Joe cares, or that the nation speaks with one voice, or should turn its eyes.

“How dare she succeed in the West, and therefore be representing us, when in fact, that’s not how I want to be portrayed.” Actually, Indra Nooyi, CEO of Pepsi, and the CEOs of Google, Mastercard and Microsoft are how Indians are portrayed – so relax. Besides, one Mahatma Gandhi succeeded in the West. So again, relax.

India’s image in the West is better than most, in the minds of those who matter.

So does this fictional episode matter. And is all this just yet again an underhanded attempt to control women? The reason the story-line matters is because India is in a state of defacto war with Pakistan and Pakistani terror. This story-line is exactly the one the enemy seeks to have portrayed. Assisting the enemy is the problem. If you don’t get it. Don’t worry, only 1% needs to. The rest can go about their business knowing there are men and women with guns on the fenceline.

One more reason it matters. The audience is American. The Indian Government is lobbying the American Government and people about the terror networks in Pakistan, about State sponsored terror in Kashmir and backing of Khalistan.

Mixing this with fake fiction at this critical time is a propaganda coup. So fearful were Americans of this, they even had a Senator background check writers in Hollywood. He was called McCarthy.

Not something India or America advocates, but outrage, certainly is fair.

The punishment? Twitter. That’s it. That’s all the punishment needed for this young lady.

Enough. Move on. Sentence executed.

Editor: CB Patel

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NS O I T NA NOW I M NO PEN O

th

Is there someone you know who has broken boundaries and deserves recognition for their unique contribution to the Asian Community or the Nation ?

Nominate them for the 18th Asian Achievers Awards

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.

Deadline for nomination 31st July, 2018 Please tick the appropriate category Achievement in Community Service In recognition for an individuals service to community.

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

Sports Personality of the Year Awarded for excellence in sports.

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.

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

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

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

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

Please fill the details below I Nominee's

Full Name: _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

I Occupation: I Nominee's I Email:

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Contact Details Tel: _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________________________________

Make sure that you fill in this application form and send it on or before 31st July, 2018 by post, fax or email to Mr. Rovin George, Tel: 020 7749 4013, Fax 020 7749 4081, Email: aaa@abplgroup.com.

If you are sending it by post the address is Mr. Rovin George, ABPL Group, Karma Yoga House, 12 Hoxton Market, London N1 6HW. Apply online

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Hundreds remember Jo Cox at Ramadan meal in Batley

Jo Cox

Hundreds of people gathered to celebrate the end of the daily Ramadan fast and remember Jo Cox. Friends and family of Mrs Cox were among those at the second Big Iftar event held in Batley, West Yorkshire, on Saturday night, where she was MP. The first was staged in 2017, a year after she was

The second annual Big Iftar was attended by hundred of people

shot and stabbed during the EU referendum campaign. Her sister Kim Leadbeater, who spoke at Saturday's gathering, said "Jo was all about bringing people together".

The event took place at sunset in the Memorial Gardens and Market Square in Batley.

Molana Irfan, one of the organisers, said: "We

Man jailed for raping woman after meeting in nightclub

A man has been jailed for six-and-a-half years for raping a "vulnerable" woman in a Maidenhead underpass after meeting her in a nightclub.

Harjinder Brar, 23, from Slough, was captured on CCTV pushing his drunk victim to the ground and dragging her by the throat around a corner. His attack on 17 December was halted by passers-by, seen in the footage running to her aid after hearing her screams.

Brar pleaded guilty to rape on the first day of his trial in May. He also admitted a further count of sexual assault and one of an assault causing actual bodily harm.

Reading Crown Court heard the woman had

tried to call 999 but Brar took the phone from her and ended the call before raping her.

Timothy Bass, defending, said Brar was filled with remorse for his actions and "utterly, genuinely disgusted by his behaviour that evening".

He said Brar had taken cocaine for the first time that night which "perhaps offers some explanation as to why he was so uninhibited". Sentencing, Judge Maria Lamb told Brar his behaviour had been "despicable" and he had taken advantage of a woman "vulnerable through drink".

She added that while the attack may not have been prolonged it was "sustained".

are living in a time where there is some hate around, therefore it is very important that we as human beings remain together and care for one another."

In her first speech to Parliament on 3 June 2015, Ms Cox said: "We are far more united and have far more in common with each other than things that divides us."

Suspected acid attack

Witnesses are needed after a woman in her early 30s had a suspected noxious substance thrown at her in the middle of a Brentford street last Friday evening (June 9).

Metropolitan Police and emergency services were called to Brentford High Street shortly after 7pm where a woman was treated by paramedics at the scene. The injuries she sustained in the suspected acid attack were not lifethreatening and she did not need hospital treatment.

A 20-year-old man was arrested at the scene of the incident on Friday on suspicion of causing grievous bodily harm. He was taken to a west London police station and has been bailed to a date in early July. Enquiries into the incident continue.

Manchester Arena bomber's suitcase search at Bury landfill resumes A search for a suitcase used by Manchester Arena bomber Salman Abedi has resumed at a landfill.

Greater Manchester Police (GMP) has confirmed it is carrying out a followup search at Viridor Waste Management site in Bury for the blue case.

Suicide bomber Abedi was caught on CCTV dragging it through the city centre hours before the attack on 22 May 2017, in which 22 people were killed. Last month GMP said it had completed a fruitless search at the landfill site. The case was not used in the attack but it has never been traced.

It is not thought to pose any risk to the public but police have advised people not to touch it if it is found and call 999.

Salman Abedi pictured with blue suitcase

Police in blue overalls have been seen in and around the site earlier. Abedi detonated the home-made bomb, with metal nuts used as shrapnel, killing 22 people and injuring more than 800 people at an Ariana Grande concert.

Police believe he carried the device through city centre streets for "several hours" before the attack.

In a statement GMP said: "Officers are currently carrying out a follow-up search at a landfill site in Bury in relation to the ongoing investigation into the arena attack."

A memorial service attended by Prince William and Prime Minister Theresa May marking the first anniversary of the attack was held last month.

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Faith representatives request Ministers to tackle religiously motivated sex grooming A group of faith representatives, have written to the Home Secretary Rt Hon Sajid Javid asking for the government to take further steps in tackling the issue of child sexual exploitation. A recent letter coordinated by Sarah Champion MP of Rotherham dated 25 May 2018, and co-signed by a group of 20 cross party politicians requested the Home Secretary and MP Nadhim Zahawi, Minister for Children and Families to do more for the victims of Britain’s sexual grooming gang epidemic.

Jayne Senior a social worker in 2011 helped uncover industrial scale child sexual grooming in Rotherham by gangs of mostly Pakistani men. She told the Sky news that promises were made by the government to resource the police and provide care for victims have not been kept.

Mrs Senior told Sky News: "I think Rotherham has been forgotten. When I went to see David Cameron in 2015, I naively believed that this issue

would be resourced. That the victims would be given an opportunity to not only come forward but also to receive support around therapy and counselling.

But that hasn't happened."

The letter that has been signed by Lord Singh of Wimbledon of Network of Sikh Organisations, Wilson Chowdhury of British Pakistani Christian Association, Satish K Sharma of National Council of Hindu Temples, Trupti Patel of Hindu Forum of Britain, Ashish Joshi of Sikh Media Monitoring Group and Mohan Singh of the Sikh Awareness Society wrote, “The cross party group have requested the Home Secretary pays heed to the 2015 report Tackling Child Sexual Exploitation, and have asked the government to commission research into better understanding the ‘operation and motivation’ and ‘drivers’ behind sexual grooming gangs.

We believe this is important, however we also believe some aspects of the ‘motivation’ and ‘drivers’ behind sexual grooming/child rape gangs are already abundantly clear.

“Firstly earlier this year, a survivor of these rape gangs has confirmed she was targeted for being a ‘white slag’, because she was ‘non-Muslim’. Judges like Gerald Clifton who sentenced men in Rochdale in 2012, made a similar observation in sentencing remarks. He said the Muslim men had targeted their victims because they were not part of the offenders’ ‘community or religion.’

“A (2017) report from counter-extremist think tank Quilliam looked at 58 grooming gang cases since 2005, and found 84% were ‘Asian’, of which the majority were comprised of men ‘of Pakistani origin, with Muslim heritage.’

“This analysis was preceded by the Jay report into Rotherham (2014), which concluded, ‘agencies should acknowledge the suspected model of localised grooming of young white girls by men of Pakistani heritage, instead of being inhibited by the fear of affecting community relations.’ The report concluded an estimated 1,400 children, (mainly white girls) had been abused by predominantly British Pakistani

men. Muslim girls are rarely targeted, and despite authorities failing to recognise the phenomenon, Sikh and Hindu communities have been complaining about ‘grooming’ since the 1980s.

“We as faith communities want the government to do the right thing and call out the motivation for the majority of sexual grooming gangs for what it is. We believe the evidence overwhelmingly points to an inconvenient truth. That is: nonMuslim girls (this includes Sikh, Hindu and Christian girls) have been systematically targeted in Britain due to a form of religiously motivated hate. We must have the courage to face the reality if we are serious about finding a solution to Britain’s sexual grooming gang epidemic. We support Baroness Warsi’s brave stance when she said, 'a small minority' of Pakistani men see white girls as 'fair game', and ask the government to help the Muslim community tackle this stain on an otherwise law-abiding community, with appropriate funding if necessary.”

Boy, 15, becomes first to have internet gaming addiction recognised by NHS Boy missed a year of school because of addiction A mother is fighting for her 15-year-old son to be diagnosed with internet game addiction by the NHS because his obsession is tearing his life apart.

Kendal Parmar's son was a talented sportsman, the captain of his county rugby and cricket teams, and in a stream for gifted pupils at secondary school.

But his addiction to online gaming has left him unable to attend classes for a year and confined to his north London home as his confidence plummeted.

The teenager was even admitted to hospital for eight weeks because his ability to function was so impaired.

When he left, he was offered Vitamin D tablets to reverse the effects of

months without sunlight.

Miss Parmar has battled for three years to get the NHS to recognise internet gaming as a treatable condition so those in her son's situation can get the help they need without having to pay about £350 a session for private therapy.

The mother-of-five told The Telegraph: 'Every moment he's awake, he wants to be on a game.

There is no outside world.

It has become all-consuming.

'The biggest effect on our family is the isolation from us all. He is estranged within our own house. We have lost him...although we know he is in there.'

The World Health Organisation (WHO) classified internet gaming as an official mental health disorder earlier this year - signalling a potential breakthrough for Miss Parmar.

She describes internet gaming as a 'silent addiction' which is often overlooked because it does not disrupt society in the same way drug or alcohol addiction.

A recent study showed a staggering four per cent of youngsters are clinically at risk of internet addiction.

Miss Parmar runs a company called 110%

Mum Kendal Parmar

Limited which helps empower employees through 'identity management' development.

She says she sits with her son when he is playing on Twitch, Amazon's live streaming video platform, to try to understand his addiction.

Miss Parmar thinks he is attracted to the sociability of gaming because you can play with lots of other people, as well as the buzz when he achieves in the virtual world.

The Bengal Heritage Foundation to install Dwarkanath Tagore's bust in London The Bengal Heritage Foundation together with the Friends of Kensal Green is commemorating the life of Prince Dwarkanath Tagore for the first time by inaugurating his bust on 11 August 2018, at Kensal Green cemetery, in northwest of London, where he was buried and which currently has his tomb. the event will be attended by MPs, Lords, local Councillors and other key dignitaries.

Dwarkanath Tagore (1794–1846), the grandfather of Poet Rabindranath Tagore, was one of the first Indian industrialists and entrepreneurs, and the founder of the Jorasanko branch of the Tagore family. He is notable for making substantial contributions to the Bengal Renaissance. In the 1820s, Dwarkanath Tagore became foremost among the so-called merchant princes investing in range of businesses from steam engines to banking to coal mines.

Dwarkanath died at the peak of his fortune on the evening of 1 August 1846 at the St. George's Hotel in London during a tremendous thunderstorm. He was buried at the Kensal Green Cemetery and Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, who had welcomed him to their court like ‘an old friend’ sent four carriages. It was a princely send off.

Dwarakanath was only 52 when he died in the company of just two members of his vast family, a son and a nephew.

Four days later, they buried him and among the mourners were his youngest son Narendranath, nephew Nabin Chandra Mukherji, four medical students who had accompanied him on his trip to England and his former partners Major Henderson and William Prinsep.

The inaugural event this summer, will include wreath laying ceremony, welcome songs at the cemetery chapel, followed by a tour of some key tombs there.

Sourav Nyogi, President of The Bengal Heritage Foundation told Asian Voice “Very few Indians are aware of Prince D w a r k a n a t h Tagore’s tomb in London. The current tombstone has very limited information on Dwarkanath Tagore. Bengalis are known for many things but not necessarily entrepreneurship.

However this is changing. Dwarkanath is an inspiration for this new generation Bengali entrepreneurs. From coal to banking to trading - he successfully set the foundation of an industrial Bengal and internationalisation of India. Our effort is a humble tribute to this great son of Bengal and keep his heritage alive for the future generations.”

A n i r b a n Mukhopadhyay, President of London Sharad Utsav, supporting this initiative said, “We would like to invite Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to be the Chief Guest at this bust inauguration, and we will soon be getting in touch with her office for the purpose. It will be a thrilling experience for us if she graces the occasion with her presence.”

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Asian Voice |

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16th June 2018

Exclusive: In conversation with the NPA Chairman Nitin Sodha, the new Chairman of the National Pharmacy Association spoke exclusively to Asian Voice about the challenges facing pharmacy and his vision for the sector.

My vision is for independents to do lots of clinics in the pharmacy, medicines adjustments, work in GP surgeries and adopt digital solutions.

I would like pharmacy to offer more point of care services. It may not happen in the immediate future but the NPA is constantly looking for fresh ideas to bring quality care to communities.

Overall view of pharmacy today Pharmacy is a massively important stakeholder in the NHS agenda. It is the third largest employer in the NHS and is in the heart of the community with free and ready access. It makes a hundred million health and medicines interventions a year, while dispensing over a billion prescriptions. Pharmacy is changing to become more clinical, more digital and more integrated. At NPA our policy is to ensure that our members, and independent pharmacists in particular, are supported because they are a vital part of the community. As the demographic shift happens with more elderly people with long term conditions requiring care, pharmacy can play a vital role and ease the burden on NHS. In fact, fifty per cent of NHS prescriptions are to do with long term conditions. So, the NPA is moving with the times whilst also maintaining pharmacists’ longstanding position at the heart of local communities.

Going forward what role do you see for the NPA in pharmacy?

The NPA represents six and a half thousand community pharmacies so it is a major stakeholder in the profession. It has to be a strategic shaper to make sure that pharmacies not only contribute to health and provide solutions to the NHS but also remain completely sustainable. Our objective is to ensure that independent pharmacists are successful commercially and have a fulfilling professional career. We want to create a win-win situation along with the Department of Health and local commissioners.

On the funding cuts These are drastic cuts. It is a triple whammy. First, we had the funding cuts. Then we had the Category M clawback, followed by price increases in generic medicines. This triple whammy is causing severe stress on independent community pharmacists. I cannot emphasise more that it is a great tragedy that there is a huge number of pharmacists working on negative cash flow. Pharmacists are compassionate and caring individuals in the community and no one must compromise that. In 2016 the NPA's Support Your Local Pharmacy campaign, which ran under the leadership of my predecessor Ian Strachan, brought pharmacists together with the patients they serve to oppose the planned funding cuts.

The campaign resulted in 2.2 million signatures from the public and patients, and the resulting healthcare petition was probably the largest ever delivered to 10 Downing Street. That campaign highlighted that the DH is making fundamental errors in its judgement while dealing with community pharmacy.

Does the solution to this problem lie entirely with the DoH? Ninety percent of independent pharmacy business is related to NHS

Nitin Sodha

work. The commissioner is the DoH and the provider is the community pharmacist. So it has to be a shared solution. I believe that the only way we can resolve ongoing issues is through collaborative means. We do not want to be confrontational, conversely, we want to be an integral part of the healthcare system.

As the new chairman of the NPA what do you want to bring to pharmacy?

There is a lot that my predecessors have done and I would like to take forward some of the great work that has been done so far. I have issued a hundred-day challenge for the board to come up with compelling solutions to help pharmacists professionally and commercially. We have a digital strategy that is being developed and that will be released at the forthcoming Pharmacy Show. We have a clinical strategy for hypertension – twelve percent of GP appointments are to do with blood pressure.

Public health is increasingly becoming a serious issue and community pharmacists should be doing more health checks, more diagnostic testing and more point of care testing and so on.

What sort of relationship do you see between the NPA and PSNC? I want the NPA to have a great working relationship with all the UK’s contract negotiating bodies. We have two of our board members on the PSNC and I have said that we want greater transparency and we want to be a stakeholder in designing the new contract with the NHS. We will work collaboratively with the PSNC but if we do not agree then we will strongly voice our disagreement.

Payment structure The current payment structure is having a huge impact on our cash flow. In this electronic age when payments are transmitted electronically we should be paid as soon as we submit the prescription. There may be certain adjustments to be made.

Most industry sectors pay in thirty days so why should pharmacy be an exception? Funding cuts and other issues exacerbate the problem. I think the present system is completely unfair. We will constantly lobby through the PSNC and we will not rest until the matter I resolved.

This is high on my agenda.

Do you see pharmacy playing a bigger role in communities?

Do you think pharmacists should better embrace technology?

Technology is a major enabler and is here to stay and I believe that pharmacists should use it as much as possible. Using technology, patients can order prescriptions from home, get it delivered and can get advice for their condition. In particular, it can make life so much easier for the elderly. At the same time, face-to-face care is tremendously important and we should never lose the human touch in healthcare. I am in the process of forming an innovations group within the NPA to have an open thinking forum and plug in ideas and drive change.

In the current scenario what advice would you give the younger generation which might want to take up pharmacy as a career?

Pharmacy offers various options. You can work in hospitals, community pharmacy, have your own business, work in a GP surgery, or care homes.

With our ageing population, health needs are growing, and pharmacists will have an important role long into the future. For people who want to own and run a pharmacy my advice would be to think about how they can meet patient needs, use technology as an enabler, make sure staff are upskilled, think of creative ideas all the time, and finally learn to develop a team around you. Make sure your team is motivated and focussed and well trained. I work in a pharmacy every Saturday and I thoroughly enjoy it.

Personal values Some years ago, I did a course at Oxford centre for Hindu studies to better understand my own faith and the outcome was a better understanding of the common values that apply to all. I now run social cohesion programmes in Redditch where I have managed to get together people of all faiths and develop a common pledge for the betterment of the town.

The values of compassion, hard work, team work and service are fundamental for me. The UK is an incredible country that has given us so many opportunities and I want to be a positive contributor in every way. I am also proud of my Indian and Kenyan heritage.

Final comments I am really delighted, honoured and humbled to be the NPA chairman.

Looking back, I came from East Africa as one of eleven children and started with nothing. To Chair this very prestigious organisation with a fantastic Board and teams is a hugely humbling experience. I want to be an exemplary leader, working though outcomes, inspiring colleagues, increasing aspirations for all, and make sure that independent pharmacy is a highly regarded profession.

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Sikh soldier first to wear turban in Queen's official birthday parade A soldier from the Coldstream Guards has become the first Sikh to wear a turban during Trooping the Colour parade on Saturday 9th June, that marks Queen's official birthday.

22 year old Guardsman Charanpreet Singh Lall from Leicester said, he hoped this was looked at as a welcoming 'change in history'. About 1,000 soldiers took part in the ceremony, with their traditional uniform, but Singh's turban remained visible among those, making the community proud.

Singh said that he expected it would encourage those from different religions and backgrounds to join the Army. As at October 2017, according to the Ministry of Defence, people from ethnic minorities made up 2.4% of officers in the UK regular armed forces. For ranks below officer, 8.6% of all armed forces personnel were from ethnic minorities, though the Army had the highest percentage of people from ethnic minorities working both as officers and in other ranks, compared to other armed forces.

Singh told the BBC, "I'm quite proud and I know that a lot of other people are proud of me as well.

"For myself, being the first turban-wearing Sikh to troop the colour and to be part of the escort it is a really high honour for myself, and hopefully for everyone else as well.

"My mum was crying on the day I passed out so I wonder what is going to happen to her when she sees me in this."

Trooping the Colour has commemorated the birthday of the Sovereign for more than 250 years and also functions as a display of army drills, music and horsemanship performed by British and Commonwealth Armies at Horse Guards Parade in St James's Park.

Kishan Devani appointed as REC Ambassador The Religious Education Council (REC) has appointed Kishan Devani FRSA to undertake ambassadorial work on its behalf.

Kishan will be working with faith and belief communities, and with politicians, to increase their awareness of and support for the REC’s work.

Kishan is a politician, consultant, and former head of religious studies at a school in North London. He is a Treasury Envoy for the Liberal Democrat Party and a member of their Racial Equality Working Group.

He had previously been a member of the Conservative Party, where he had been the youngest Deputy Chairman (membership and finance) for the Conservative Party in London. He stood for Parliament in 2015 for the constituency of Leicester East and was a candidate for the Greater London Assembly in 2016.

REC Chief Executive Officer Rudolf Eliott Lockhart commented, “I am delighted that Kishan

will be an Ambassador of the REC. He has a passion for religious education and will bring much energy and drive to our organisation.” Kishan Devani com-

mented, “I am humbled and honoured to be appointed an Ambassador of the REC. As a former RE teacher I know how important it is to see a society that understands the importance of high quality teaching of RE in our schools. The work of the REC is crucial in supporting and promoting RE across England and Wales.

This is so important for helping young people to develop their understanding of the diverse society in which they live. I look forward to assisting the REC and to helping it go from strength to strength.”

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Asian Voice | 16th June 2018

Baroness Williams visits India to strengthen counter-extremism cooperation including establishing the independent Commission for Countering Extremism and creating a network of over 160 civil society groups who challenge extremism in their local areas.

The visit follows Prime Minister Modi’s successful visit to the United Kingdom in April this year, where he and Prime

Minister Theresa May agreed to work in partnership to take decisive and concerted actions against globally-proscribed terrorist organisations. As part of this renewed cooperation, the UK and India will work together to tackle the threat of online radicalisation and violent extremism.

More than 4300 applicants refused visas over five months

Photo credit: Twitter

Minister for Countering Extremism, Baroness Susan Williams, who is in India this week has held bilateral talks with Indian government ministers in Delhi to build closer cooperation on counter-terrorism and counter-extremism which Prime Minister Theresa May agreed with Prime Minister Modi during the Indian leader’s visit to the United Kingdom in April.

Williams held meetings with Minister of State for External Affairs, MJ Akbar, and Kiren Rijiju, Minister of State for Home Affairs, focused on what more can be done to tackle the threat of extremism in both countries.

Addressing the Observer Research Foundation conference, she said, “It is no secret that there are those in nations across the world, who do not share our values of democracy, the rule of law, mutual respect and tolerance of individuals of different faiths and beliefs.

“The threat we face from extremists is unprecedented. The internet is enabling them to spread their ideologies at a pace and scale never before seen.

Defeating extremism in all its forms is not something any government can, or should, do alone.

Baroness Williams meeting the Indian Minister of State for External Affairs, MJ Akbar

“Only through close cooperation with trusted allies and partners can we undermine the extremists who wish to do us all harm.

The Minister outlined the UK government’s strategic approach

to countering extremism, which vigorously opposes extremist ideologies in all their forms, whether violent or non-violent, Islamist or far and extreme right wing. She also discussed key successes in the UK’s approach

More than half of all applicants for 'Tier 2' UK visa or traditionally known as workpermit have been rejected in recent months, including 2300 applications from doctors and nearly 2000 IT professionals were rejected, according to official figures.

The figures, obtained by the law firm Eversheds Sutherland through a freedom of information (FOI) request, come after the home secretary, Sajid Javid, said he was “taking a fresh look” at the cap on skilled migrants.

The figures further revealed in total out of 18,517 applicantions, 10,187 were rejected over the last five months. Under current rules a maximum of 20,700 certificate of sponsorship are

issued under the Tier 2 visa.

With Brexit nearing, a decline in EU workers in UK has triggered this requirement, but Theresa May promises to still cut down immigration by hundreds and thousands.

A British Medical Association spokesman told The Guardian: “These figures demonstrate that the tier 2 visa cap is resulting in thousands of highly trained, experienced doctors being blocked from taking up empty posts in the health service that the NHS is unable to fill.

“This is a situation that we cannot afford at a time when the NHS is under unsustainable pressure from rising demand, stagnating budgets and widespread staff shortages.”

JITENDRA LAKHANI: FUTUREPUMP

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Asian Voice | 16th June 2018

Sunetra Senior

W

e were delighted to talk with the co-founder of excellent humanitarian company, Futurepump, whose core ethos is to “help marginalised farmers anywhere across the world.” Having begun the distribution of their special solar-powered irrigation pumps to local farmers in parts of Africa, the growing enterprise has now been able to turn their attention to distributing in India where the manufacturing arm is based.

Jitendra also emphasised the eventuality of being able to aid those who might need agricultural support in the west: “this includes Britain and the US.” But the company’s current momentum is certainly borne of the primary focus on affecting equality in the developing world. A very happy memory,” Jitendra elaborated, “was witnessing the very real results of our product with some farmers in rural Kenya. I had been managing from India and it was the first time I got to see our pump in the hands of

SP

TLIGHT

articulate Jitendra was more than happy to divulge: “our current model is the SF2 which is a beautiful, compact pump which also has the advantage of a data logging system. One can therefore detect immediately if a pump is malfunctioning. This is especially great for remote farmers.

It runs simply but effectively: on 80 Watts through a solar photovoltaic system. This is comprised of a panel and pump, and is able to draw water from any shallow water source.”

Portability and durability were then foremost at the design stage. “We wanted to support farmers who would need to walk long distances,” who also rely on Futurepump to feed the wider community. The cuttingedge research materialised, Futurepump was recently given the Ashden Award in 2o17, and were invited to present the product at the International Solar Alliance in March of this year: “this was a big highlight,” Jitendra beamed. “The alliance is constituted of 121 nations who receive good solar light, with India and France heading. It was an absolute honour to present on our

youngsters who are college dropouts or are thinking of giving up education to instead pursue their learning and see the benefits of the workplace.” This means the company contributes to social development in the immediate urban surroundings too.

“When working with graduates, I consider how aware they are of our company philosophy: we are community-orientated and competent.

Another key point then is the emotional approach.” Much like the pragmatic yet ranging imagination of the Futurepump itself, “the visionary energy of youngsters must be channelled into smaller, robust components to achieve the tangible results. Furthermore, they cannot be single-minded. They must be willing to grow with our project rather than moving in leaps and bounds.”

Ultimately, Futurepump champions an ubiquitous definition of growing and growth.

What is your particular role in the Futurepump family?

I am at the head of Indian operations, and my concentration is presently on troubleshooting, bottle necks and the supply chain.

Previously, I was heavily involved in the development and establishment of the product too. I also liase with government bodies and am a caring mentor to my employees.

prized pumps.” Futurepump is estabthe prospective customers, yielding lished in roughly 12 different counsignificant and healthy crops.” tries, with the likelihood of becoming Valuably boosting vegetable proa global brand within the next 5 duce, a Futurepump helped one years. Here, another unique aspect of farmer - this time from Tanzania - go the pumps is that they are environfrom irrigating only a half an acre of his four units to roughly two and a mentally friendly, protecting the half acres each year. “The ease with whole planet as well as the pecked which these individuals can farm pockets of the third-world’s their vegetables can lift them little man. The use of clean and renewable out of poverty,” Jitendra I wanted to energy is an obvious commented. “Without the alternative to fossil help of our equipment a use my fuels and the potenfarmer would have to entrepreneurial tially industrialsolely depend on the skills to help sized machines that annual rain of their counrun on them. Thus, try. By allowing them to the masses. not only does access and make available Jitendra’s beneficial the extra water, they can vision demonstrate the increase their cycles of crop success in being “socially impactfrom one to as many as three a year. ful”, but also this as creating good There’s then a bigger revenue and a business. “We are doing so well better profit margin.” Indeed, so empowered have some Futurepump because we’re considering people’s recipients become that they can even actual needs. We are looking at what is required” – the purest expression rent out the handy product when it’s of otherwise superficial want. As evinot in use to further supplement a dent through Jitendra’s friendly conpersonal income. This might not versation, this genuineness is also indicate the same degree of luxury as extended to the staff and their trainthe participation in the first-world ing policy: “my leadership role phenomenon of Airbnb, but it comes means I have a responsibility to our reassuringly close! employees: to give guidance, advice *** and tips. It’s important to give our It also begs the question: what exactly is the genius technology that can staff members a strong direction. At parallel the online west? Well, the the lower rung, we work to encourage

Tell us more about your mentoring of straying youth?

I believe education is as much about professional maturity as it is the concrete learning. I also get involved in helping the youth appreciate the simple power of eliminating bad habits. For example, tobacco addiction. Even more broadly, in terms of company practice, a lot of progress lies in identifying the weak points.

What is the founding story of Futurepump?

I had been in the industry for 25 years, and this wonderful socially conscious opportunity came along. I wanted to use my entrepreneurial skills to help the masses.

Futurepump sets out to be a worldwide service: never really limited to one particular segment.

Not that this is possible, but are there further benefits with Futurepump?

Yes. As you do not need to manually pump or carry water, our pumps also save time. This is especially important for the women in agriculture who tend to be left with the arduous task of irrigating.

Read more about this innovative, new movement here: W: https://futurepump.com/ T: @futurepump

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UK New BAPS Hindu Mandir opens in East London

The new BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in Chigwell, Essex, was inaugurated in the presence of Anandswarupdas Swami and Bhadreshdas Swami, senior swamis visiting from India, on Saturday 9 June 2018.

The new mandir (Hindu temple) will not only serve as a place of worship for the large and enthusiastic local Hindu community, but also as the hub of children’s, youth, educational, healthcare and other charitable activities for BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS) in the wider East London area.

His Holiness Mahant Swami Maharaj, spiritual head of BAPS, had performed the murti-pratishtha of the Mandir – a special Vedic ceremony infusing the images with the divine presence of the deities – on 8 October 2017.

Following the murti-pratishtha ceremony in October 2017, volunteers worked tirelessly for the completion of the adjoining cultural complex. The festivities on 9 June marked the culmination of their endeavours.

The inauguration was marked with a grand mahapuja (Vedic prayers for peace and righteous prosperity) in which hundreds of worshippers as well as members of the local community participated. This was followed by an enlightening cultural programme of devotional singing and discourses from swamis who explained the historical context and significance of mandirs, and the peace and fulfilment that they provide to endless people.

A series of short video presentations charted the development of spiritual and community activities in East London, and the history of the new mandir project.

A number of prominent guests were present for the opening, including Dame Eleanor Laing, MP for Epping Forest and Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons, and Cllr Darshan Sungar, Cllr Gagan Mohindra and Cllr Aniket Patel as well as all members of the Epping Forest District Council.

Girish Patel, one of the leading volunteers of the Mandir, shared, “The Mandir will play an important role in the East London region and we are delighted to see so many members of the local community coming together to celebrate this momentous occasion with us.”

FSA investigating allegation of meat traces in vegan ready meals The Food Standards Agency (FSA) is investigating allegations that traces of meat were found in vegetarian and vegan ready meals, The Daily telegraph reported.

Laboratory tests reportedly found traces of pork in Sainsbury’s “meat free” meatballs and traces of turkey in a vegan macaroni ready meal from Tesco, the newspaper wrote.

An FSA spokeswoman said: “Our priority is to ensure consumers can be confident that the food they eat is safe and is what it says it is.

“We are investigating the circumstances surrounding these alleged incidents and any resulting action will depend upon the evidence found.”

A Sainsbury’s spokeswoman said: “These products are produced at a

meat-free factory.

“Sainsbury’s and the Vegetarian Society also carry out regular checks and no issues have been found.

“We are concerned by these findings however and are carrying out a comprehensive investigation alongside our supplier.”

A Tesco spokesman said: “We take the quality and integrity of our products extremely seriously and understand that our vegan and vegetarian products should be exactly that.

“Our initial DNA tests have found no traces of animal DNA in the BBQ Butternut Mac product available in stores today.

“We would urge the Telegraph to share full details of their testing, including the lab used as we continue to investigate.”

UK

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9

16th June 2018

Technology expert trying to future-proof businesses Charusmita Dr Peter Chadha is a man with a vision, which is to help companies drive change and efficiency through well-structured IT and allied functions using effective and commercially sound technology. In a nutshell, he wants information technology to be easy for people and companies to help their decision-making and drive innovation.

Since the last two decades, Peter has donned the hats of an independent technology consultant as well as a commentator. He set up his own consultancy called DrPete Technology Experts and co-authored a book on Google titled ‘Thinking Of...Going Google Apps? Ask the Smart Questions’ in 2013. His company boasts of expert business advice in all aspects of IT including managing IT contracts, software development, cloud consulting, IT infrastructure, IT strategy, IT architecture and many additional areas. One may also come across his name as a featured writer in the specialist IT press as well as the Financial Times and The Daily Telegraph.

In an exclusive interview to

Asian Voice, Peter shared that he nurtured a lifelong dream of being an entrepreneur. However, on his father’s insistence to get a doctorate in hard sciences, Peter pursued a PhD in Chemistry at the University College, London, developing computerised targeting of drugs to get through the Blood-Brain-Barrier. The most significant takeaway for Peter from academia was his understanding of how great people such as inventors, innovators and scientists were not wrong or right in their creations or thinking, but rather their work was a function of the tools that were available to them. He understood the importance of context and resources in achieving end goals, which drove his career further.

All through this, Peter was mindful of his entrepreneurial dream and knew that his true passion was IT, not chemistry.

For seventeen years after his studies, he further acquired skills and knowledge of the IT industry while working across the sector.

He contracted for various companies like Apple, at a time when the company was in the doldrums. Although not trained in an IT degree, Peter learnt on the job and took specialist training to become an expert IT consul-

Dr Peter Chadha

tant. His commitment paid off and Peter was awarded the IBM Top 50 influencer, as one of the country's leading lights in technology. In 2012 he received the IBBF Award for Leadership through Technology Innovation at The Houses of Parliament.

He now writes extensively as a commentator in the capacity of a strategic technology adviser and management consultant for various organisations such as CloudPro and Tech Radar among others. With the recent General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) laws, we asked if he

thought the nature of specialised personnel for IT is changing and whether we should expect to see an increase in data protection officers across companies. Peter responded, “Companies sometimes have been careless with data. Now they recognise information is a valuable asset whether it for a good use or not”.

He pointed out that many companies already have specialised personnel, but with the new laws, they will hopefully become more responsible and transparent and the role of such data protection professionals will

become more important. This will benefit everyone in the long run, he added.

Today Peter is an advocate of the blockchain, the technology on which Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies work. By design, a blockchain is resistant to modification of the data, thus rendering cryptocurrencies more transparent and secure. Peter is working with the new tech community to aid blockchain’s establishment in modern world. Once again he is training and currently pursuing a course offered by Oxford University on blockchain strategy.

Peter is not only an immensely active professional but is also committed to the larger cause of community cohesion.

He is a part of the British Sikh Association, BSA where he is the Joint Secretary. He is a trustee of the Indian Jewish Association, an inter-faith organisation to establish links between the British Indian and British Jewish communities. He was also a founder of the Rothmund-Thomson Syndrome Foundation in the USA. Peter firmly believes that the opportunity to learn from self-made and industrious people is the most valuable part of his armoury.

INTERNATIONAL WIDOWS DAY 2018 Deeds Not Words: The Quest to Leave No Widow Behind Why Widows Need Your Help

23rd June is International Widows Day, the United Nations ratified day of action to raise awareness and help millions of widows and their children around the world, who are suffering from poverty, illiteracy, diseases such as HIV/AIDS, conflict and social injustces.

The Loomba Foundaton launched 23rd June as International Widows Day at the House of Lords in 2005. After a tireless campaign for five years, the United Nations adopted it at the 65th UN General Assembly in 2010. It is a significant day as it was on this day that Lord Loomba’s mother, Shrimat Pushpa Wati Loomba, became a widow in 1954 in Punjab in India.

There are estmated 46 million widows and over 100 million their children in India. Many of them are humiliated, abandoned, ostracised, discriminated against, raped, tortured and even murdered. Often, they lose their rights to inheritance Please contact: safdar.shah@theloombafoundation.org www.theloombafoundation.org UK Registered Charity No. 1064988

Shrimati Pushpa Wati Loomba

With President of India, Ram Nath Govind

Hon’ble Prime Minister of India Shri Narendra Modi

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READERS’ VOICE

Asian Voice |

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16th June 2018

Under funding of poilce

The crime crisis is getting from bad to worse and the underlying cause is under-funding and reduction in police officers because of the severe austerity measures imposed by the government for the last 8 years.

These austerity measures have not yielded any positive results insofar as the deficit and growth in the economy is concerned. It is time now for the government to change tack and get rid of the suffocating austerity measures and replace them with a system that is workable and sustainable. You simply cannot maintain community cohesion when you slash funding to the police service and cut the number of officers on our streets by 21,000. The three most senior police officers in England and Wales have expressed concerns that funding cuts and pressure on resources are hampering their ability to tackle serious crime.

Appearing before the home affairs select committee, Cressida Dick, the Metropolitan police commissioner; gave examples of how cash shortages were posing a risk to public safety. Dick said it would be “naive” to suggest reductions in police officers was having no impact on rising crime. She added: “It is having a massive strain on our people and it cannot go on. We are in the middle of the largest change programme the Met has ever been through. It cannot go on without hard choices – either more money, smaller mission, greater risk of attack.” Dick’s deputy, Craig Mackey, said the budget squeeze could mean officer numbers falling to 27,500, 4,000 officers fewer than now.

Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: “If the Government are serious about keeping all Londoners safe then they need to guarantee that they will fully fund the Met – which means real terms increases, cancelling the planned £400 million of cuts and giving London the full allocation of National International and Capital City (NICC) funds.” Ms Sophie Linden the deputy mayor for policing and crime said “There are number of reason why violent crime has risen across London and one of those is a cut in resources. She added: “There have been 700 million pounds of cuts to the police budget and the number of police officers have dipped below 30,000.

Cressida Dick’s predecessor Sir Bernard (now Lord) Hogan-Howe said financial pressures put the police under pressure and “there are some warning lights flashing”. Association of Police and crime Commissioners stated: Budget cuts will radically change policing. However, with reductions in staff levels and support services already made, further budget constraints will lead to difficult questions on how best to structure police forces to respond to changes in crime, and what this would mean for the local service provided to the public.

Baldev Sharma.

Rayners Lane, Harrow

Footballer with a golden heart

Papers are full of horrible stories about premier league footballers who earn millions every year and don’t know how to spend this easy come income, wasting it on gambling, drinks and high living, instead of investing wisely for rainy days. No wonder so many are in financial trouble after retiring from the game, earning pittance from odd jobs. Only a very few are able to move on to media and administration, as backroom staffs, scouting for new talents or even become Head Coach.

So the story of Jermain Defoe, a humble, unpretentious premier league popular footballer, having played for premier league clubs like West Ham, Tottenham, Sunderland and Bournemouth who was honoured in the Queen’s Birthday Honour’s list, with OBE, has caught every one’s imagination. He described it as the proudest moment of his life with mix emotion. Defoe is indeed a worthy recipient who was recognised for his services to charitable foundation established in his name, has caught every one’s imagination.

Bradly Lowery, a six year old football crazy boy suffering from terminal cancer, who idealized the lustrous footballer, was granted his wish to meet Defoe who says there was chemistry between them and he made instant connection with his tragic best pal Bradley. Defoe attended his funeral, wearing England shirt. It is indeed praise worthy that such a busy player with myriad demand on his time, found time for the boy, visiting him as often as he could.

Let us hope that this bitter sweet friendship between a prince and a pauper has touched the hearts of other England footballers and hopefully some of them will follow into the footsteps of Defoe for the good of the game at large.

Kumudini Valambia By email

Seeing the light

Why are light bulbs so expensive these days? Not so long ago I can remember paying just 40p or 50p for a bulb. The other day, on a supermarket shelf, I was astonished to see light bulbs priced around £5 each.

If you are ever stumped for something to give as a wedding or birthday gift, why not consider a pack of three light bulbs neatly packaged in colourful wrapping paper and tied with a nice ribbon? They will certainly appreciate it.

Rudy Otter By email

Help your dad kick the butt

Are you looking for an original, meaningful and inexpensive Father’s Day gift? If your dad smokes, show him your love by supporting him in quitting smoking.

Quitting can take many tries and he doesn’t have to do it alone.

Let your dad know you’ll stand by him for as long as it takes. Even if he has tried to quit it before, encourage him to keep trying – a smoker attempts to quit an average of seven times before quitting for good. Remind him that a smoker who gets support and use medicines are nearly three times as likely to quit for good.

Quitting smoking is one of the most difficult things your dad will ever do. Tell your dad not to get discouraged. If he slips up, let him know that you’re there for him when he’s ready to try again, no matter how many times he tries to quit.

Jubel D’Cruz, Mumbai, India

PM and Home Sec on different wave lengths

While appointment of Sajid Javid as Home Secretary, the first member from ethnic minorities to hold such a high profile Cabinet post, comes like a breath of fresh air, especially following into the foot-steps of Amber Rudd Who was seen somewhat under constraint, following the policies of her predecessor, none other than PM May, Sajid Javid is seen as an independent minded person with his own agenda, his own independent policy, especially on immigration, that may sooner or later will clash with his boss.

Perhaps promotion for Amber Rudd who was an MP for only six years, at the time of her appointment as Home Secretary, came too early in her political career who inherited the most difficult portfolio, with added thorny issue of Windrush immigrants that was not of her making. No wonder she was uncomfortable answering searching questions from MPs, especially from Labour MP David Lammy, champion of Windrush migrants, indeed British citizens who were badly treated, some were even illegally deported.

The second thorniest issue Sajid inherited was the denial of visas to 200 Indian doctors; some were already working here for experience, to gain mastery in their chosen branch of medicine, such as oncology, gastroenteritis, optometry and heart surgery and already working in NHS, providing a valuable service to under-staffed NHS, in their hour of need.

It is indeed a surprise why PM sabotaged the visa applications of these doctors, fully supported by NHS where they are working and some employed directly from India. Mr Javid is set to scrap the artificial limit imposed by PM on issuing visas, especially for highly skilled applicants that may lead to conflict within the Cabinet. Then with Brexit dominating the agenda and split within the Cabinet, as well as political divide, even the future of this government and PM is uncertain, although I do not think PM will call another election in a hurry, no matter what lead various polls give to her and the Conservatives. Once bitten, twice shy will be her moto!

Bhupendra M. Gandhi By email

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Message from G7, SC08 and DPRK-USA Summit

We have seen in the last few days a flurry of diplomatic activities from heads of states, the kind which the world has not witnessed since 1945. The annual G7 (group of seven industrialised countries – previously G8 before Russia was expelled in 2014 after annexation of Crimea) meeting in Quebec City in Canada ended with a sugar coated communique in spite of the tariff imposed by the USA on steel and aluminium imports from the allies. However, on his way to Singapore, President Trump in a fit of anger withdrew from it with a Tweet which resulted in acrimonious utterances between allies. The message from his action is that greed governs. Civility and concern about others have no place in Trump’s America.

A meeting of SCO8 (Shanghai Co-operation Organisation of Group of eight countries) was held in Qingdao, China. Bharat and Pakistan were opted in the organisation last year and attended as full members for the first time. The SCO is often dubbed as “alliance of Asia” as it represents large area of Eurasia and half the population of the world. It ended amicably and the message from their communique is that progress is through co-operation. Bharat, Pakistan and China has few differences but acted as allies for the progress and prosperity of their people.

The summit between Kim Jong Un of DPRK (North Korea) and Donald Trump of the USA is taking place on Sentosa Island in Singapore on Tuesday 12th June.

It will be finished by the time we read these pages with whatever the result. Kim Jong Un is well known for everything repugnant to the civilised world; autocracy, dynastic rule, human right violation, elimination of rivals and many more acts. In spite of all his misdeeds he will be given an opportunity to sit with the world top leader as a statesman. The message from it is that strength is respected and not character. Would the summit have happened if DPRK did not have nuclear weapons and a delivery system?

Narsibhai Patel New Malden

Ramadan: the holy month of fasting

Ramadan is a Muslim festival. During Ramadan, Muslims are expected to abstain from food and beverages from sunrise till sunset, which is at least 12 hours each day. Ramadan is one of the holiest months in the Islamic lunar calendar for Muslims. Unlike the Gregorian calendar, which uses the sun as its guide, the Islamic calendar uses the moon. While months in the Gregorian calendar usually have 30-31 days, months in the lunar calendar have 29-30 days. This might not seem like much of a difference, but having one or two fewer days in the month means having 1213 days less than the Gregorian calendar each year. So if a month falls on a certain day this year, next year that month falls on a day that is 12-13 days earlier than the previous year. These days add up and after a few years the month that fell in spring a few years ago now happens during the winter, and so on.

Because of this inconsistency, Muslims don’t really develop a seasonal recognition of Ramadan.

Americans might see Santa Claus and think of winter but you can’t do that with Ramadan. There were many lunar calendars before the Gregorian calendar was discovered, and even though there has been tremendous pressure for Muslims to abandon their calendar, they refused to do so. If you think about it, there is a lot of wisdom to the tradition. If Ramadan always fell in winter in the northern hemisphere, and in summer in the southern hemisphere, then people in the southern hemisphere would be fasting a lot more than their counterparts in the north and Ramadan would be more difficult for them. Because it changes, people in both hemispheres get to experience Ramadan in different seasons, making it all the more fair.

After abstaining from food and beverages from sunrise to sunset, a Muslim usually eat a large meal after sunset. There are many reasons to fast, including the Muslim tradition. Other reasons include selfcontrol. If a person is able to abstain from eating or drinking for that amount of time, he learns to control his desires and temptations and thus has greater selfcontrol.

Jubel D’Cruz, Mumbai, India

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Universities warned over courses for 'bums on seats' Universities have been warned against running low quality, "threadbare" courses just to get "bums on seats".

Universities Minister Sam Gyimah said there were a "clutch of underperforming degrees" where students would have poor job prospects when they graduated.

The minister was speaking at the launch of a survey indicating that fewer than two in five students felt they were getting good value for money.

Universities UK said getting a degree remained an "excellent investment".

Mr Gyimah urged universities to work harder at ensuring the quality of all

their courses.

He called for them to look more carefully at the future job outcomes of their students.

And he warned of complaints from students that some courses had been expanded so much there were not enough desks or spaces in lecture halls.

Mr Gyimah said that for any future courses, universities should be "thinking very carefully, 'Is this about, 'I want to expand'?' or 'Is this really about offering a high quality degree worthy of our university sector and higher learning that students will benefit from?'"

He said universities were autonomous but

Readers’ Voice

Sam Gyimah

needed to exercise more "responsibility" in terms of the quality of courses and to guard against "grade inflation" in how many top degree grades were awarded.

His comments accompanied a new analysis of data published last year showing big differences in students' likely future earnings, depending on the university they attended and the subjects they studied.

I have noticed that lately the letters in this “Readers’ Voice” column are getting too long and exceed the 250 words limit which was previously set by the editorial board. Too long letters put me off and I stop reading them halfway. They also occupy too much space at the expense of other writers’ contributions.

The editorial board needs to set a realistic word limit and then adhere to that. Any longer letter may be cut to size or omitted. I appreciate that there could be times when an exception could be made but as a general rule, the limit on words would enable the AV editorial board to publish a variety of letters on various subjects.

Our letters should focus on issues which concern us here in our country of residence and should be interesting and

informative and contained within the words limit imposed by the editorial board. They should normally focus on issues which concern us here in our country of residence, rather than placing too much emphasis on matters relating to our mother land.

Be original rather than latching on to other contributors’ ideas. Long winded letters become boring and make me skim through them instead of digesting the contents.

There is a tool called “word count” on most computers and I would urge the compulsive long letter writers to make use of that and save us time in going through material which may be of little interest to many.

Dinesh Sheth Newbury Park, Ilford

How shocking and shameful it is that millions and millions of women continue to be sexually assaulted all over the world. This totally negates the claim that we are living in a cultured society.

The places where such incidences have been reported include every country and continent. This underlines the fact that women are still not safe in any corner of the world.

It is further painful that several celebrities are found involved in this heinous crime. The 'me too' campaign that started last year on twitter, provoked women on a global scale to discard disrepute and come out for reporting such mishaps.

This may still be just a tip of the iceberg as innumerable victims are minors and vulnerable hence such offences are not reported. It is astonishing that recent stringent legislation in India has failed to deter the culprits. Thus speeding up the legal process and punishing the guilty without delay might mitigate such crimes.Moreover, intensive selfdefence techniques must be an integral part of school curriculum everywhere.

'Me too' campaign must be highly appreciated for being successful in drawing the attention of the world media to this horrible social menace.

Bharat Shah Rayners Lane

Sexual Harassment: Shame for Society

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Business leaders urged to help run schools

Short, succinct and subtle

I

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Schools need help from leading businesses to offset skills shortages on their governing bodies, according to Education Secretary Damian Hinds.

In a speech later, Mr Hinds will call for a range of professionals to "take on this vital role".

The National Governors' Association says about 10% of school governor and trustee posts in England are empty, with larger shortages in poor areas.

It wants more young and ethnic minority governors to come forward.

In a speech to the NGA's annual conference, Mr Hinds is expected to

say he wants to do everything he can "to help boost governor recruitment and retention - because, quite simply, we need more great people.

"So today I'm issuing a call to arms... appealing to people up and down the country... to play their part in helping the next generation reach their potential."

There are currently about 250,000 school governors and trustees who volunteer to oversee the management of schools and academies.

Their duties can include overseeing budgets, developing long-term strategies and holding

head teachers to account for schools' performance.

The NGA says a recent survey of governing bodies found that nationally: - about a third have at least two vacancies - and more than half struggle to recruit governors or trustees It also revealed: - nine in 10 governors are over 40 - 96% are white - eight in 10 describe their current or previous occupation as professional or managerial - about four in 10 said their employer gave them paid time off for governor duties

Background, subject and university 'all impact earnings'

Family background, subject choice and university have a significant impact on English students' earnings five years after graduation, new data shows. Figures compiled by the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) show economics and medicine students earn about 60% more than history and English graduates.

Those from the highest social groups have an 8% premium on earnings, while every A at A-level adds about 3%. The data

controls for socio-economic background and prior attainment.

The IFS examined the school and university exam records of graduates from England attending UK universities, alongside their tax returns. It found that, typically, graduates of physics and maths had higher earnings than those who studied subjects such as psychology and sociology. Those who studied creative arts, social care and media earned the least, about £20,000 five years

after graduation.

The report says that while some of the differences in earnings can be explained by differences in prior attainment and background characteristics of students, significant gaps still emerge.

The IFS found that some subjects, such as computing and business, where average earnings were not especially high, actually added a lot to salaries once background and A-level grades were taken into account.

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Asian Voice | 16th June 2018

The Reserve Bank of India (RB I) announced a rise in the interest rate for the first time in four years, on the back of a unanimous decision of its six-member Monetary Policy Committee. The 25 basic-point rise takes the interest rate to 6.25 per cent. The thinking behind the hike was an increase in inflation. The RBI expects the inflation rate for the first half of the current financial year ending March 31, 2019 to be around 4.8-4.9 per cent, slowing to 4.7 per cent in the second half.

Inflation has been linked to the volatile crude oil price rise and its price fluctuations. To this may be added global price rises of Reserve Bank of India Governor Urjit Patel commodities.

GDP projection

Tharoor to clear his name

India’s growth rate projection has been retained at 7.4 per cent.

Economic Affairs Secretary Subhash Garg, welcoming the RBI statement, said that the current assessment struck a balance between current assessment, growth and the external situation. Railways Minister Piyush Goyal said that RBI policy ‘confirms that economic activity is on the upswing.’

The law must take its course, which is what is meant by the rule of law. Congress politician Shashi Tharoor has been summoned to appear by a Delhi court to answer charges of a role had played in the death of his late wife Sunanda Pushkar, as

Market perceptions The Sensex and the Nifty gained close to 1 per cent as traders took cue that the rupee may not weaken sharply for the present. The Sensex rose 275 points or 0.8 per cent to close at 35.178. The Nifty rose 0.86 per cent to close at 10.684.

After five days of decline, the BSE MidCap and SmallCap indices gained 1.53 per cent respectively. The maturity the markets can be gauged by its buoyancy despite record outflows of foreign funds from the country. (Economic Times, Times of India, Hindu, Business Line, Mint June 7, 8).

Quick closure of sick PSUs The Union Cabinet at a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Modi, approved a framewoirk for the expeditious closure of Central Public Sector Enterprises and disposal of their movable and immovable assets. Under the new norms, the Centre drafted a uniform standard to give employees Voluntary Retirement Scheme (VRS) at the 2007 pay scale irrespective of their current pay scale.

Shashi Tharoor.

the court decreed that there was sufficient prima facie evidence to warrant a trial. Tharoor said he welcomed the court’s decision as he was keen to clear his name (Times of India, Hindu, Mint June 6).

Tharoor was refreshingly honest, in contrast to the Congress leadership’s initial reaction that the whole affair was ‘a conspiracy’ by the government to defame him and his party.

US rebuffed Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said she had informed the United States Administration that its warning to India to comply with US sanctions against Russia or else

Attracting talent In a concerted effort to retain and also attract talent , especially in rsearch and hitech sectors, the Department of Public Enterprises, the nodal agency for state-ownded firms will fast track promotions and introduce incentives to bring in young talent (Business Line June 7).

Nirmala Sitharaman

be sanctioned itself would have no effect on the government.

India would go ahead with the purchase of the Russian S-400 Missile Defence System, and that India’s ‘time-tested’ ties with Moscow would continue regardless (Hindu, Times of India, Mint June 6) The American Empire demands compliance even from its closest allies in Europe and elsewhere; India, for a start, has never been an ‘ally’ of the United States even as it is friendly to it.

India is committed to upholding its strategic autonomy, and thus remains free to conceive and execute policies that conform to the national interest.

India, Iran talks on US sanctions India and Iran are to start talks on a trade accord even as the US is about to implement a new round of stringent sanctions against Tehran, following Washington’s decision to abort the international nuclear deal of which it was once part.

India has informed the US that it will abide with no unilateral sanctions imposed on Iran without the imprimatur of the United Nations. That said, New Delhi and Tehran must take measures including a preferential trade agreement.

This will entail duty concessions on each other’s goods, enabling, for example, greater access to the Iranian market for Indian pharmaceutical products. India also stands to gain by increased exports of man-made staple fibre, iron and steel, coffee and tea etc, said Ajay Sahai, Director General,, Federation of Indian Export Organizations (Economic Times June 8).

Russian LMG makes Indian entry The first imports of Russian liquefied natural gas (LMG) have entered India as part of its strategic diversification of energy supplies to meet rising national needs. ‘Today will be seen as the golden day for India’s energy roadmap.’ said Oil Minister Dharmendra Pradhan after receiving the first LNG ship from Russia at Dahej terminal.

The government is committed to India’s transformation into a gas-based economy, he said, with Russian supplies helping towards its realization (Economic Times, Times of India, June 5).

Mahindra return to Chinese market Mahindra & Mahindra, the world’s largest tractor manufacturer by volume is returning to China, which it had exited a year ago when it ended its joint venture with a Chinese firm. Mahindra’s solo re-entry is to be driven by farm machinery market and not simply by tractors. This is part of a company project to generate most of its revenues from International sales instead of the 35 per cent it earns at present. To realize its ambitions, Mahindra must increase its Chinese

footprint. (Economic Times June 8).

India tops Mobius list Emerging markets guru Mark Mobius keeps faith with Indian shares, saying that they top the list in his portfolio of his latest venture Mobius Capital Partners.

‘We have a model portfolio, and India has the highest weightage in that one, followed by China,.

After that we are looking at Korea, Russia, Brazil. I think the Indian stock market may gain 15 per cent up to end of 2018, driven by earnings growth, he said. He referred to the ‘incredible progress they [Indian] companies are making on the technology front’ (Mint June 8).

Agni V success India’s 5,000 plus miles intercontinental nuclear capable ballistic missile was successfully test-fired for the sixth time off the Odisha coast in the Bay of Bengal. The first two tests were land based, but the next four (including the latest one) were launched from a canister attached to a mobile truck.

The mission objectives were all fulfilled, said the Agni V Ministry of Defence.

G.Ramaguru, the mission’s Programme Director, and Project Director M.R.M. Babu, are based at the Advanced Systems Laboratory, Hyderabad, the nodal agency for every range of Agni missile. More than 200 private and public sector industries have been, and are, involved in the production of these missiles under the aegis of the Defence Research & Development Organization (Hindu June 4).

Gujarat, Maharashtra, UP indicted by PM Prime Minister Modi has indicted the three States for the delay in land acquisition for the 1,504-km freight corridor between Delhi and Mumbai. He directed the Railway Ministry to coordinate efforts to rectify and speed up the process so that the project can be completed within a reasonable timeline (Economic Times June 5).

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Mizo Saink School open to girls Sainik Schools were established way back in the 1950s as preparatory institutions for entry into National Defence Academy at Khadaswasla, Pune, and the Indian Naval Academy.

The aim of the Sainik School was to take in students from every social background, give them a good general education before moving them onto specialized disciplines. In keeping with the times, Sainik Schools limited admissions to males only.

Closing the Gender gap Times change, and so too does society. The bastions of male privilege had to be breached. It was a happy day when this notable event occurred in Mizoram in India’s Northeast. On June 4, history was created with the admission of six girls joining the Sainik School Chhingcchhip, Mizoram at Class VI, along with 54 boys.

Lt Colonel Inderjeet Singh welcomed the 2018-19 class of 60 cadets, who were selected after rigorous tests. If India has a woman Defence Minister, then why not girl cadets? (Times of India June 6).

ISRO to get higher financial payload The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) has been awarded an increased government grant of Rs10,469 crore over the next five years to construct 40 rockets including the heavier ones that power the 4 tonne Geosynchronous Satellites into higher space orbit (GSLV-Mark III). ISRO’s PSLV rocket which powers lighter polar satellites into lower orbit will be farmed out to India’s private sector companies such as Godrej Aerospace, Larsen & Toubro, Walchand Industries and Hindustan Aeronautics.

The second development GSLV- Mark III flight carrying communications equipment into geosynchronous orbit 36,000km is expected to be launched later this year. Standard operations of GSLV-Mark III will give India self-reliance in space launch capability with commercial payloads. India’s space ventures may hold more exciting surprises. (Economic June 7).

PM Modi at SCO summit in China

(L-R) PM Narendra Modi (India), President Sooronbay Jeenbekov(Kyrgyzstan), President Emomali Rahmon (Tajikistan), President Vladimir Putin (Russia), President Xi Jinping (China), President Nursultan Nazarbayev (Kazakhstan), President Shavkat Mirziyoyev (Uzbekistan), President Mamnoon Hussain (Pakistan)

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Jail for Heathrow Airport employee who helped Colombian gang smuggle cocaine into Britain An airport security officer who was at the centre of a Colombian organised crime group’s cocaine route into the UK has been jailed for 13 years.

Farhan Iqbal, 31, used his insider knowledge and privileged access at Heathrow Airport to take consignments of the Class A drug before passing them on.

On Friday, June 8 at Blackfriars Crown Court, Iqbal from Southall, was sentenced along with two accomplices – a courier who brought the drugs in and a man who was waiting to collect them.

On November 23 last year National Crime Agency officers caught Iqbal in the toilets at Terminal 5 taking possession of 5.9kg of cocaine from Camilo Pulido Suarez, 37, who had flown

in from Bogota, Colombia.

The drugs had a street value of £480,000.

Middleman Iqbal was on sick leave and not due to work that day but at 3pm he arrived at Heathrow's Terminal 3 in his uniform, passed through security checks and made his way to Terminal 5. Pulido Suarez landed at Terminal 2 and then caught a bus to Terminal 5 where he headed to the toilets. He had a black trolley bag with him which contained hidden compartments where the drugs were stashed. When officers moved in one of the compartments had been sliced open to reveal a black package containing the Class A drug.

Officers searched the men and found a Wilkinson Sword razor blade on Pulido-Suarez

'Devastated' family suffering sleepless nights after huge house fire

Jawaad and Rabia Salam at their property in Feltham (Image: Darren Pepe)

A “devastated” family of four from Feltham are suffering sleepless nights after a huge fire tore through their home on Sunday June 3rd and destroyed everything they own.

Jawaad Salam and his wife Rabia fled from their house with their two children, aged 11 and 14, when a huge fire broke out at around 4.30pm.

The fire spread through the semi-detached home “within five minutes”, destroying everything from clothes to children's football trophies and years of treasured family photos.

Mr Salam, who did not sleep for two days after the fire, suffers from kidney failure and was put on the transplant list because his

kidneys are currently functioning at around 5%.

The 47-year-old says the fire has not helped his condition and that the family are now “really struggling”. Six fire engines and 35 firefighters and officers were called to the house in Westbourne Road at around 4.30pm and took nearly three hours to bring the fire under control.

Although the cause of the fire is still under investigation, it is believed to have caused by the electrical unit, a spokesman for London Fire Brigade said.

The family were put up in a B&B and a hotel by the council and their landlord as they wait to see if insurers will cover the cost of their destroyed family home.

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and the Wilkinson Sword packaging on Iqbal.

Iqbal planned to take the drugs and transfer them to Wilmer Salazar Duarte, 44, who arrived at the airport at 2.50pm with a black trolley bag and was waiting in Terminal 5’s arrivals area.

Officers from the Metropolitan Police searched Salazar Duarte’s home and found a large number of phones and sim cards, a pair of scales, books with pages torn out which are believed to have concealed drugs and details of flights coming to London from Bogota.

Iqbal was convicted at trial of conspiring to smuggle Class A drugs.

Pulido-Suarez and Wilmer both admitted the offence and were jailed for five years three months and seven years six months respectively.

Heathrow Airport security officer Farhan Iqbal was caught with cocaine worth £480,000 (Image: Met Police)

Wilmer’s brother Alexander SalazarDuarte, 47, has admitted conspiring to import Class A. He is listed for a Newton hearing - to determine the extent of his role – on July 5 when he is also due to be sentenced.

Terror suspect 'forced to handle explosives'

An alleged Taliban bomb-maker says he was held captive in Pakistan and forced to bundle up parts of explosive devices to prove he was not a British spy.

Khalid Ali told his trial he travelled there as a tourist, but was taken to a complex where he was under armed guard.

Prosecutors say Mr Ali's fingerprints were found on bomb parts handed to US forces in Afghanistan in 2012.

Mr Ali, 28, from north London, denies preparing a terrorist act in the UK and possessing explosives abroad. He was arrested in Westminster in April 2017,

Whitehall terror suspect Khalid Ali

in possession of three knives.

Giving evidence at his trial, Mr Ali, from Edmonton, said he visited Pakistan's city of Quetta as a tourist with someone he had met on his travels, before he was taken to a complex in a remote, rural area.

There he was accused

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16th June 2018

Man in court accused of attempted murder after mum and baby attacked A man has appeared in court charged with two counts of attempted murder after a baby and a woman were stabbed.

Rehan Khan, 25, was presented at Uxbridge Magistrates' Court on Thursday June 7th accused of attacking the 32-yearold woman and the boy at a home in Feltham, court officials said.

Khan was arrested when he attended a police station on Wednesday, following the incident two days earlier. The baby, who cannot be named for legal reasons, remains in hospital in a critical but stable condition, while the woman is still in hospital with non-life threatening injuries, police said.

Khan will appear in custody at the Old Bailey on July 5.

The charges came following a double stabbing in Swinfield Close, when a mum, named locally as of being a British spy and beaten, he told the Old Bailey.

He told the jury he was then asked to bundle up detonators for improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and to match up transmitters and receivers - which he carried on doing under armed guard for three months.

He said he would have been shot if he had not done what he was told to do.November 2016.

Earlier, Mr Ali told the court that MI5 had tried to recruit him.

He said he had met representatives from the security services for the first time at Gatwick airport in 2010, when they

Rehan Khan

Salma Sheikh and baby both suffered stab wounds.

Police and paramedics were called to the Oriel estate at around 7.10pm on Monday (June 4) after neighbours heard “blood curdling” screams coming from inside the family home. After launching a manhunt after the stabbing, the Metropolitan Police confirmed that Khan handed himself in at a west London police station on Wednesday morning June 6th. Khan was then arrested on suspicion of two counts of attempted murder. had asked him to "keep an eye out" on what was happening on the Road to Hope aid convoy to Gaza.

Mr Ali said he had two further meetings with people who said they were attached to "counter-terrorism" who had asked him to spy on individuals.

On one occasion he said he was paid £80-100 for his time.

He said he told them that he was not willing to help them and part of the reason that he decided to leave the country in 2011 was due to his fear that "they may come after me".

Mr Ali arrived back in the UK from Istanbul in November 2016.

The trial continues.

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The successful candidate must have excellent communication skill, good spoken and written English, good knowledge of current affairs, ability to generate own news stories, keen eye for editing, flexibility regarding working patterns and ability to work to very tight deadlines.

Employment: Full-time. Location: London.

Apply with your full CV and a covering letter to Rupanjana Dutta, Associate Editor, Asian Voice at rupanjana.dutta@abplgroup.com

RECORD NUMBER OF ASIANS RECOGNIS

14

QUEEN’S BIRTHDAY HONOURS LIST

Asian Voice |

www.asian-voice.com

16th June 2018

Rupanjana Dutta

Nitesh Gor OBE

Several ‘extraordinary’ professionals, entrepreneurs and individuals from the Asian community were named in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List for 2018.

The list of individuals named for the UK’s highest civilian honours from various walks of life reflects the achievements of the diaspora in various walks of life. 1057 people have received the Queen’s honours on her birthday this year. The list is published twice a year, at new year and on the date of the queen’s official birthday.

This year, 920 candidates have been selected at BEM, MBE and OBE level: 318 at BEM, 392 at MBE and 210 at OBE. 71% of the recipients are people who have undertaken outstanding work in their communities either in a voluntary or paid capacity; 519 women are recognised in the List, representing 49% of the total; 10% of the successful candidates come from a BAME background and 5.7% of the successful candidates consider themselves to have a disability (under the Equality Act 2010).

The proportion of women receiving

Dr Hasmukh Shah BEM Dr Hasmukh Shah who is a GP working in the Rhondda Valley has been recognised in the Queen's Birthday Honours list by the award of British E m p i r e Medal.(BEM) He has worked in the NHS for nearly 43 years and has devoted his life to the betterment of the health of a significantly deprived area of Wales.

However, it is his passion for community and charitable work that was recognised in the Honours List. He is trustee of Sanatan Dharma Mandal &Hindu Community Centre Cardiff, Welsh Hearts, Race Council Cymru and The Mentor Ring.He is also the Chair of MEGAFOCUS group (Minor Ethnic Association for Ophthalmic Care) in Wales Government, and a fundraiser member of Vale for Africa charity. Dr Shah has worked selflessly raising thousands of pounds for various charities.

He is also the honorary secretary of British Association of Physicians of Indian origin which has contributed tremendously to recruitment, retention and training of overseas trained doctors providing vital services to the NHS in Wales. His charity, however, does not stop its work in UK but also extends to overseas deserving causes, and he has raised funds for school projects in India and orphan project in Africa.

Dr Shah was awarded visiting a Fellowship by the University of South Wales in April, 2017 for his long standing medical professional work, education and charitable work to people of Wales. A humble family man, he is proud to have raised two daughters who are successful doctors in London.

Speaking to Asian Voice Dr Shah said, " I am truly humbled by this recognition and would like to dedicate this to my family,all my friends colleagues and coworkers who help me in achieving so much for charitable causes.”

the highest level of awards has risen to 41% this year, compared to 39% in the most recent New Year's Honours List. But the improvement is considerable when compared to the 2015 list. This year there are 11 Dames and 21 knights, none Asian and the number of women receiving the higher awards of CBE and above has risen by 10% in the last three years. The shift reflects the changing prominence of women in public life and comes on the 100th anniversary of the first women being given the vote.

An official statement said the Queen’s Birthday Honours List recognises the achievements of a “wide range of extraordinary people” across the UK. Honoured with a damehood were actor Emma Thompson and Mary Beard, professor of Classics at Cambridge. Historian Simon Chama and footballer Kenny Dalglish have been named for knighthood .

Order of the British Empire Commanders of the Order of the British Empire (CBE)

Professor Jaswinder Singh Bamrah: Consultant Psychiatrist, Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Trust and Honorary Reader, University of Manchester. For services to Mental Health, Diversity and the NHS. Professor Bashir Mohammed Ali AlHashimi: Professor of Computer Engineering, University of Southampton for services to Computer Engineering and to Industry.

Officers of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) Manoj Kumar Badale: Chair British Asian Trust, for services to the Economy and to charity.

Sonia Kumari Brooks: Deputy Governor, HM Young Offenders Institution, Feltham, for services to HM Prison Service and to the Criminal Justice System.

Pargan Singh Cheema: Chief Executive The Scottish Grocers' Federation, for services to business, to community cohesion and to charity.

Pradip Khodidas Dhamecha: Chief Executive, Dhamecha Group for services to exports, economic growth and philanthropy.

Nitesh Gor DL: Founder and chief executive, Avanti Schools Trust, for services to education.

Shahana Khan: for volumtary service to healthcare amd social housing in the West Midlands.

Pritpal Singh Landa: Managing Director, DSL Group (Nottingham) Ltd, for services to business to charity to the community in Nottingham.

Amandeep Singh Madra: For services to Punjabi and Sikh heritage and culture.

Dhruv Prashant Patel: For voluntary services to the British Hindu community and to social cohesion.

Kumar Sureshchandra Raval: Founder of Faith in leadership, for services to leadership, education and interfaith cohesion.

Dr Syed Tanzeem Haidar Raza:

Nitesh Gor CEO and Founder of Avanti Schools Trust has been awarded an OBE in the Queen's Birthday Honours List 2018. Speaking to Asian Voice, about his honour, Gor said, “I feel humbled knowing all the great work that others within Avanti Schools Trust are doing to make it such a success. It’s wonderful having our work within Avanti being recognised in this way.”

The purpose of Avanti is to contribute to society through the systematic pursuit of human values and spiritual development. The idea for Avanti began in 2003 and our first school was opened in 2008. Their vision was for a family of schools based upon our core principles of educational excellence, character formation and spiritual insight. They now have close to 2,700 students and 250 members of staff across our family of 6 schools (5 primary and one secondary) with two more schools in pre-opening (both allthrough schools). Their schools are located in Redbridge, Harrow, Leicester and Croydon.

Consultant physician, The Royal Bournemouth and Christchurch Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust for services to health and medical education.

Dr Ashok Roy: Clinical lead learning disabilities, Health Education England, for services to People and with Learning Disabilities.

Dr Amarjit Kaur Samra: Director of Research Medical Directorate, for services to Defence Medical Research.

Members of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) Roma

Agrawal:

Associate

director

Dhruv Patel OBE 34 year old Dhruv Patel has received an OBE. He has been an elected member of the City of London Corporation for five years where he has served as Chairman of the Community and Children’s Services Committee, a Director of the City of London Academies Trust, and as Deputy Chairman of City Bridge Trust, London’s largest independent charitable funder. Dhruv is a married father of two and a businessman with interests in property, retail pharmacy, and the London insurance market.

Commenting on his OBE Dhruv said: “I’m am deeply humbled to be recognised in the Queen’s Birthday Honours.

“I have been heavily engaged in voluntary service, particularly for the Hindu community, since my university days. My election to the City of London Corporation gave me the chance to broaden out this work.

“My focus has been on ensuring London’s young people have the best start to life, and all communities have the opportunity to thrive.

“Whilst it is wonderful to receive this national honour, recognition cannot be the driver: sewa or selfless service is, and shall continue to be, a vital part of my life.”

AECOM, for services to Engineering.

Ajaz Khowaj Quoram Ahmed: Founder AKQA, for services to Media Akeela Ahmed: Founder, She Speaks, We Hear for services to Muslim women.

Sarfraz Ali: President, Pakistan Association Liverpool, for services Community cohesion and integration in Liverpool.

Mahomed Farouk Alimahomed: Chairman, Lesta Packaging plc, for services to business, the community and philanthropy.

Faisal Atcha: Firefighter and community volunteer, Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue service for public service.

Satvir Paul Bungar: Managing director of Mergers and Acquisitions and head of facilities management sector BDO LLP for services to Corporate Finance.

Fakrul Alam Choudhury: For services to the community in Oldham

Jagdev Singh Virdee MBE The Editor of the British Sikh Report, Jagdev Singh Virdee, has been awarded an MBE by Her Majesty the Queen for services to the Sikh community and in recognition of his contribution to the field of statistics.

Jagdev is the most senior statistician in the global Sikh community dealing with official statistics, and an active member of the International Association of Official Statistics, the International Statistical Institute and the Royal Statistical Society. He joined the Civil Service in 1978 and served in various departments, finishing his Civil Service career at the Office for National Statistics where he progressed to be one of the first ethnic minority Deputy Directors.

Since leaving the ONS in 2010, he has become recognised as one of the leading figures in championing the use of statistics to inform policy development across Britain and internationally. His extensive experience has led to him regularly being asked to organise and lead sessions at events such as the UN World Data Forum in Cape Town in 2017, which addressed the statistical requirements to support the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

Since 2015 he has been the Editor of the British Sikh Report, a comprehensive and ground-breaking annual document based on the views and opinions of Sikhs in the UK, as part of his commitment to improving society through robust data.

Jagdev’s other voluntary activities include sewa through various teams at Guru Nanak Darbar Gurdwara (Gravesend), one of the largest Gurdwaras outside India, and as Chair of Jugnu Bhangra Group (established in 1970 in Gravesend).

On hearing the news Jagdev said, “The sewa or volunteering that so many of us are involved in is hugely rewarding in its own right, especially if we can combine our passions with our work-related skills for the benefit of wider society. I just hope that this honour will help raise the profile of real life issues such as mental health, which we have been highlighting through this year’s British Sikh Report. This work reflected the need to have high-quality statistics to inform discussion of a key issue, and it has brought together analysts, researchers, mental health specialists, and policymakers.”

SED IN THE QUEEN'S BIRTHDAY HONOURS QUEEN’S BIRTHDAY HONOURS LIST

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Pradip Dhamecha OBE

Pradip Dhamecha is the Chief Executive of the Dhamecha Group, which runs a chain of cash and carry units in the Midlands and the South East of the UK. The first Dhamecha Cash and Carry opened in 1976 and set up by brothers Khoridasbhai and Shantilalbhai Ratanshi Dhamecha. Today, Pradip and his cousin Manish Dhamecha’s Group has a turnover of over £800m and is the largest member of the Today’s Group.

The cash and carry offers a range of grocery products, confectionery, beers, wines and spirits, toiletries and tobacco for independent convenience retailers and caterers - therefore clearly demonstrating his extensive involvement with a wide number of small and medium sized exporters.

Job creation has been central to Pradip’s growth strategy over the years.

Through his operation, Pradip employs over 650 people, serving a customer base of over 12,000 SME's and independent convenience stores across the country. Pradip and his group make a significant contribution to the UK economy by enabling direct and indirect employment of many thousands of people. In addition to those he employs across the country, the vast majority of retailers are exclusive buyers of his cash and carry's. This in turn promotes selfemployment further down the supply chain.

His group is committed to contributing to the UK’s inward and outward investment. The Group imports a substantial part of its goods and in the last two years the Group have set up a special exporting department which he is looking to expand further. As of 31 March 2016 exports amounted over £5mn and export figures continue to grow. Pradip has demonstrated the opportunities available post-Brexit, as he continues to grow trade with non EU Meerwis Daoud: Cultural Advisor to Senior British Representative Kabul, for services to defence.

Mili Ranjit Doshi: Dental consultant Surrey and Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust, for services to NHS dentistry.

Hemlata Gandhi: Post mistrss, Risinghurst Post Office and General store, for services to to the post office and community in Oxfordhsire.

Dr Sadhu-Ram Gupta: For services toi Opthalmology and to charity in the Ukand abroad.

Maboob Hussain: For services to West Yorkshire Police and charity.

Mohammad Iqbal: For services to charity and community relations in Manchester.

Mohammed Ishaq: Director, The Punjab Kitchen Ltd, for services to Innovation and the economy in Tyne and Wear.

Rehana Mohammed: Rehana is a learning manager, Workers' Educational Association, for services to the Education of marginialised women in Rochdale and Oldham.

Gargi Patel: Immigration Officer, Immigration Enforcement, Home office for services to Community Engagement and Immigration.

Dr Parameswara Venugopal Prasad, General Parctioner Panton Surgery, Holywell, for services to the community in Holywell.

Mohammed Mushtaq Raj: Senior Executive Officer, Home Office, for services to race and equality. To diversity and inclusion.

Dr Rabindra Vishanka Ratnasuriya: General Practioner, Lordswood medical

destinations like Africa and India.

Pradip has provided evidence of delivering genuine wealth creation in the UK. The Group has nine cash and carry's - the most recent having opened in Birmingham. The opening reflects the Group’s ongoing expansion programme providing greater consumer choices to customers.

Each of Pradip’s sites act as catalysts for redevelopment and regeneration across the country – freeing up potential and promoting economic growth.

The Group’s multi million pound investment in the Midlands is yet another indicator of the underlying quality of their business. In an ultracompetitive environment this is great news for suppliers and retailers and paves the way for even further expansion in the coming years.

Pradip is also a philanthropist and has made substantial contributions to the wider community for the development of community centres and the empowerment of charities.

He has a strong propensity to give back to society, which is largely done through his charitable trust called the Laduma Trust. Recently, Pradip made a large donation to Leicester University for the advancement of research for heart decease – a cause he is particularly committed to. Pradip is passionate about promoting community cohesion and has donated those building multi use community centres for use by all of society. This includes the development of the Lohana Community of North London Community Centre and contributions towards the construction of the Crawley Community Centre. group and chair, our health partnership, for services to general practice in West Midlands.

Mahesh Seewoodhary: Senior lecturer, Adult nursing, University of west London. For services to opthalmology nurse training and sickle cell awareness.

Akeela Ahmed MBE Akeela is the founder of the She Speaks We Hear online platform which exists to empower women from faith communities, especially Muslim women, to be able to speak out about issues which matter to them. She started the platform to enable Muslim women to own their own narrative, without any cultural filters. In the four years that it has been running it has attracted almost 3,000 followers online. She has been instrumental in using the platform to encourage Muslim women to vote in elections, combatting the counter narrative that it is unIslamic to vote. She is also a tireless campaigner against AntiMuslim hatred and is the Chair of the Independent Members of the CrossGovernment Anti-Muslim Hatred Working Group. In this role she acts as a bridge between Government and Muslim communities. In particular she has advised social media companies and the police on the effect of hate crime on communities.

15

Asian Voice | 16th June 2018

Krish Raval OBE

Pavandeep Dhanjal BEM

Krish Raval, a longstanding member of the City Sikhs Advisory Board, has been awarded an OBE by Her Majesty the Queen for services to leadership education and interfaith cohesion in the UK. Krish has helped change British interfaith relations over the last decade with his innovative leadership programmes. In the immediate aftermath of the 7/7 bombings in 2005, he set up a highly influential course for under 30s called Faith in Leadership (FiL).

Based on his Learn to Lead programme set up 10 years earlier, he encouraged leading global experts from various industries to dedicate their time to deliver parts of the programme. FIL alumni have gone on to work for or set up leading faith organisations throughout Britain, including City Sikhs.

Since 2012, initially, in partnership with the Divinity School at the University of Cambridge, he has been running the Senior Faith Leaders Programme to develop the leadership of outstanding figures from various faith communities in the UK. A leadership expert and a devout Hindu, Krish has advised several organisations for a number of years on issues regarding organisational development, diversity, interfaith relations and community engagement.

On hearing the news, Krish said: “Through the FiL and Learn to Lead programmes, we have been privileged to train over 2,000 people across the United Kingdom about the importanceof respecting differences and bridgebuilding for the common good. None of that would have been possible without the help of my own mentors and the support of my dear family, including my parents who brought untold strength and resilience when they emigrated here decades ago.

“Our faiths call for a deepening of community, and I catch glimpses of this in Britain’s wonderful diversity, particularly through my wider family of Hindu, Sikh, Muslim, Jewish and Christian alumni, faculty and friends.

This honour ultimately points to their constancy and brilliance.”

A talented henna artist, Pavandeep began learning the craft at the age of 15.

Since henna was a cultural necessity for weddings, she began by practicing on guests for special occasions.

She enjoyed it so much that she knew she wanted to make a career out of it and started doing henna for brides whilst studying at the University of Westminster. It was whilst doing henna for one particular bride that she was told she was fast and was encouraged to aim for the Guinness World Record.

She completed 314 henna armbands in one hour, each one a different design, beating the previous record by 100. In 2012 she broke the world record again, completing 511 armbands in one hour, and holds the record to date. She opened a henna bar in Topshop where she promoted henna to customers. This proved to be so successful that she opened bases in Harvey Nichols and Selfridges. She has also expanded to the UAE, Milan and Munich. She has been involved in various charitable initiatives, including Cancer Research where she created henna crowns for patients undergoing chemotherapy.

Dr Farzaaz Sharief: Governing body elected elected clinical member NHS Medway clinical commissioning group, for services to mental health.

Dr Opinderjit Kaur Takhar: Director of centre of Sikh and Punjabi studies., University of Wolverhampton, for services to higher education and to the community in Wolverhampton.

Alpana Taylor: Choreographer, for services to South Asian dance.

Jagdev Singh Virdee: for services to statistics and Sikh community.

British Empire Medal (BEM) Pavandeep Ahluwalia: Henna artist for services to the beauty industry.

Soorendra Lingiah: Chair, Minority Ethnic Group for All Kingston Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, for services to BAME patients.

Dr Nishma Manek: GP trainee and founder next generation GP for services to General Practioner Leadership development Vijay Mehta: For services to heritage in the public sector.

Abdul Aziz Sardar: For services to the community in Tower Hamlets, London.

Dr Hasmukh Vadilal Shah: For services to the Hindu community in Cardiff.

Diplomatic Service and Overseas List

Order of the British Empire GBE

Rebecca Ann Sagar, for services to British foreign service.

This list may not be exhaustive

Sarfraz Ali MBE Sarfraz is a key member of two of the oldest ethnic minority organisations in Liverpool, the Ar Rahma mosque and the Pakistan Association Liverpool (PAL). He is regarded as the most senior figureheads in the Pakistani community and is actively involved in providing community activities. The Pakistani Association built a multi-cultural community centre in 1977 which is now firmly established as being at the heart of the community. He has used the centre to create harmonious and cordial relations between communities and.

He was responsible for the £561,000 renovation of the PAL Multicultural Centre which is used by members of the community regardless of their ethnicity, age, gender, sexual orientation or disability. The centre has also refocused to meet the needs of ethnic minority women and elders to reduce isolation and combat social exclusion.

In addition to his work with the PAL he has also been involved with the wider community of different cultures and traditions. He was one of the founding members of the Afro, Asian and Caribbean Standing Committee on Merseyside, an umbrella organisation of faith organisations. He is also on the Board of the Merseyside and Cheshire Commonwealth Association.

SED IN THE QUEEN'S BIRTHDAY HONOURS QUEEN’S BIRTHDAY HONOURS LIST

www.asian-voice.com AsianVoiceNews

AsianVoiceNewsweekly

Pradip Dhamecha OBE

Pradip Dhamecha is the Chief Executive of the Dhamecha Group, which runs a chain of cash and carry units in the Midlands and the South East of the UK. The first Dhamecha Cash and Carry opened in 1976 and set up by brothers Khoridasbhai and Shantilalbhai Ratanshi Dhamecha. Today, Pradip and his cousin Manish Dhamecha’s Group has a turnover of over £800m and is the largest member of the Today’s Group.

The cash and carry offers a range of grocery products, confectionery, beers, wines and spirits, toiletries and tobacco for independent convenience retailers and caterers - therefore clearly demonstrating his extensive involvement with a wide number of small and medium sized exporters.

Job creation has been central to Pradip’s growth strategy over the years.

Through his operation, Pradip employs over 650 people, serving a customer base of over 12,000 SME's and independent convenience stores across the country. Pradip and his group make a significant contribution to the UK economy by enabling direct and indirect employment of many thousands of people. In addition to those he employs across the country, the vast majority of retailers are exclusive buyers of his cash and carry's. This in turn promotes selfemployment further down the supply chain.

His group is committed to contributing to the UK’s inward and outward investment. The Group imports a substantial part of its goods and in the last two years the Group have set up a special exporting department which he is looking to expand further. As of 31 March 2016 exports amounted over £5mn and export figures continue to grow. Pradip has demonstrated the opportunities available post-Brexit, as he continues to grow trade with non EU Meerwis Daoud: Cultural Advisor to Senior British Representative Kabul, for services to defence.

Mili Ranjit Doshi: Dental consultant Surrey and Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust, for services to NHS dentistry.

Hemlata Gandhi: Post mistrss, Risinghurst Post Office and General store, for services to to the post office and community in Oxfordhsire.

Dr Sadhu-Ram Gupta: For services toi Opthalmology and to charity in the Ukand abroad.

Maboob Hussain: For services to West Yorkshire Police and charity.

Mohammad Iqbal: For services to charity and community relations in Manchester.

Mohammed Ishaq: Director, The Punjab Kitchen Ltd, for services to Innovation and the economy in Tyne and Wear.

Rehana Mohammed: Rehana is a learning manager, Workers' Educational Association, for services to the Education of marginialised women in Rochdale and Oldham.

Gargi Patel: Immigration Officer, Immigration Enforcement, Home office for services to Community Engagement and Immigration.

Dr Parameswara Venugopal Prasad, General Parctioner Panton Surgery, Holywell, for services to the community in Holywell.

Mohammed Mushtaq Raj: Senior Executive Officer, Home Office, for services to race and equality. To diversity and inclusion.

Dr Rabindra Vishanka Ratnasuriya: General Practioner, Lordswood medical

destinations like Africa and India.

Pradip has provided evidence of delivering genuine wealth creation in the UK. The Group has nine cash and carry's - the most recent having opened in Birmingham. The opening reflects the Group’s ongoing expansion programme providing greater consumer choices to customers.

Each of Pradip’s sites act as catalysts for redevelopment and regeneration across the country – freeing up potential and promoting economic growth.

The Group’s multi million pound investment in the Midlands is yet another indicator of the underlying quality of their business. In an ultracompetitive environment this is great news for suppliers and retailers and paves the way for even further expansion in the coming years.

Pradip is also a philanthropist and has made substantial contributions to the wider community for the development of community centres and the empowerment of charities.

He has a strong propensity to give back to society, which is largely done through his charitable trust called the Laduma Trust. Recently, Pradip made a large donation to Leicester University for the advancement of research for heart decease – a cause he is particularly committed to. Pradip is passionate about promoting community cohesion and has donated those building multi use community centres for use by all of society. This includes the development of the Lohana Community of North London Community Centre and contributions towards the construction of the Crawley Community Centre. group and chair, our health partnership, for services to general practice in West Midlands.

Mahesh Seewoodhary: Senior lecturer, Adult nursing, University of west London. For services to opthalmology nurse training and sickle cell awareness.

Akeela Ahmed MBE Akeela is the founder of the She Speaks We Hear online platform which exists to empower women from faith communities, especially Muslim women, to be able to speak out about issues which matter to them. She started the platform to enable Muslim women to own their own narrative, without any cultural filters. In the four years that it has been running it has attracted almost 3,000 followers online. She has been instrumental in using the platform to encourage Muslim women to vote in elections, combatting the counter narrative that it is unIslamic to vote. She is also a tireless campaigner against AntiMuslim hatred and is the Chair of the Independent Members of the CrossGovernment Anti-Muslim Hatred Working Group. In this role she acts as a bridge between Government and Muslim communities. In particular she has advised social media companies and the police on the effect of hate crime on communities.

15

Asian Voice | 16th June 2018

Krish Raval OBE

Pavandeep Dhanjal BEM

Krish Raval, a longstanding member of the City Sikhs Advisory Board, has been awarded an OBE by Her Majesty the Queen for services to leadership education and interfaith cohesion in the UK. Krish has helped change British interfaith relations over the last decade with his innovative leadership programmes. In the immediate aftermath of the 7/7 bombings in 2005, he set up a highly influential course for under 30s called Faith in Leadership (FiL).

Based on his Learn to Lead programme set up 10 years earlier, he encouraged leading global experts from various industries to dedicate their time to deliver parts of the programme. FIL alumni have gone on to work for or set up leading faith organisations throughout Britain, including City Sikhs.

Since 2012, initially, in partnership with the Divinity School at the University of Cambridge, he has been running the Senior Faith Leaders Programme to develop the leadership of outstanding figures from various faith communities in the UK. A leadership expert and a devout Hindu, Krish has advised several organisations for a number of years on issues regarding organisational development, diversity, interfaith relations and community engagement.

On hearing the news, Krish said: “Through the FiL and Learn to Lead programmes, we have been privileged to train over 2,000 people across the United Kingdom about the importanceof respecting differences and bridgebuilding for the common good. None of that would have been possible without the help of my own mentors and the support of my dear family, including my parents who brought untold strength and resilience when they emigrated here decades ago.

“Our faiths call for a deepening of community, and I catch glimpses of this in Britain’s wonderful diversity, particularly through my wider family of Hindu, Sikh, Muslim, Jewish and Christian alumni, faculty and friends.

This honour ultimately points to their constancy and brilliance.”

A talented henna artist, Pavandeep began learning the craft at the age of 15.

Since henna was a cultural necessity for weddings, she began by practicing on guests for special occasions.

She enjoyed it so much that she knew she wanted to make a career out of it and started doing henna for brides whilst studying at the University of Westminster. It was whilst doing henna for one particular bride that she was told she was fast and was encouraged to aim for the Guinness World Record.

She completed 314 henna armbands in one hour, each one a different design, beating the previous record by 100. In 2012 she broke the world record again, completing 511 armbands in one hour, and holds the record to date. She opened a henna bar in Topshop where she promoted henna to customers. This proved to be so successful that she opened bases in Harvey Nichols and Selfridges. She has also expanded to the UAE, Milan and Munich. She has been involved in various charitable initiatives, including Cancer Research where she created henna crowns for patients undergoing chemotherapy.

Dr Farzaaz Sharief: Governing body elected elected clinical member NHS Medway clinical commissioning group, for services to mental health.

Dr Opinderjit Kaur Takhar: Director of centre of Sikh and Punjabi studies., University of Wolverhampton, for services to higher education and to the community in Wolverhampton.

Alpana Taylor: Choreographer, for services to South Asian dance.

Jagdev Singh Virdee: for services to statistics and Sikh community.

British Empire Medal (BEM) Pavandeep Ahluwalia: Henna artist for services to the beauty industry.

Soorendra Lingiah: Chair, Minority Ethnic Group for All Kingston Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, for services to BAME patients.

Dr Nishma Manek: GP trainee and founder next generation GP for services to General Practioner Leadership development Vijay Mehta: For services to heritage in the public sector.

Abdul Aziz Sardar: For services to the community in Tower Hamlets, London.

Dr Hasmukh Vadilal Shah: For services to the Hindu community in Cardiff.

Diplomatic Service and Overseas List

Order of the British Empire GBE

Rebecca Ann Sagar, for services to British foreign service.

This list may not be exhaustive

Sarfraz Ali MBE Sarfraz is a key member of two of the oldest ethnic minority organisations in Liverpool, the Ar Rahma mosque and the Pakistan Association Liverpool (PAL). He is regarded as the most senior figureheads in the Pakistani community and is actively involved in providing community activities. The Pakistani Association built a multi-cultural community centre in 1977 which is now firmly established as being at the heart of the community. He has used the centre to create harmonious and cordial relations between communities and.

He was responsible for the £561,000 renovation of the PAL Multicultural Centre which is used by members of the community regardless of their ethnicity, age, gender, sexual orientation or disability. The centre has also refocused to meet the needs of ethnic minority women and elders to reduce isolation and combat social exclusion.

In addition to his work with the PAL he has also been involved with the wider community of different cultures and traditions. He was one of the founding members of the Afro, Asian and Caribbean Standing Committee on Merseyside, an umbrella organisation of faith organisations. He is also on the Board of the Merseyside and Cheshire Commonwealth Association.

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THE BENGAL'S PRIDE AWARDS HONOUR GLOBAL BENGALIS AT HOUSE OF COMMONS 16

Asian Voice |

The Bengal’s Pride Awards 2018

www.asian-voice.com

16th June 2018

WINNERS

Mohua Banerjee of Shree Ganesh Paper Mill, Naihati receiving SME of the Year from Baroness Uddin and CB Patel

Prof Ananya Jahanara Kabir receiving the Lifetime Achievement Award on behalf of Dr Amartya Sen from Sir Malcolm Grant CBE

The Churchill Room in the House of Commons buzzed with excitement as renowned faces from the Bengali community gathered to attend the first ever Bengal's Pride Awards on the evening of Thursday 6 June. Hosted by the Asian Business Publications Limited, publisher of the Asian Voice newsweekly, these annual awards aim to recognise global Bengalis and Bangladeshis for their work in different walks of life.

Enam Ali MBE receiving the Bengal’s Pride Award from Sir Malcolm Grant CBE

Prabir Chattopadhyay of Little Kolkata receiving Young Entrepreneur of the Year award from CB Patel and Sir David Amess MP

Vinesh Gadhia and Santosh Shetty from Nova IVI Fertility Clinic receiving IVF Clinic of the Year award from CB Patel

Chandrashekhar from Apollo Hospitals on behalf of Dr Prathap Reddy, receiving the award for Contribution to Health & Social Care from Chief Guest Sir Malcolm Grant CBE, Chairman, NHS England

Radhika Iyer, NDTV’s representative in the UK receiving Media Person of the Year award on behalf of Dr Prannoy Roy from Prakash Hinduja

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16th June 2018

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Rupanjana Dutta

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Dileep Singh Mehta from NSHM Knowledge Campus receiving Educational Institute of the Year Award from CB Patel, Publisher/Editor, Asian Voice and Baroness Pola Uddin

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ecipients at this inaugural awards included Noble laureate Dr. Amartya Sen, who was conferred the Lifetime Achievement Award, while the newly appointed counter-terrorism chief of Scotland Yard, Asst Commissioner Neil Basu, won an award for his Contribution to Public Services.

Not just Bengalis, winners on the night also included key personalities who work closely with the community, especially in the UK, West Bengal and Bangladesh.

The initiative has been supported by Hippo Cabs, UK’s first branded disability transportation services. Prabir Chattopadhyay of Little Kolkata, founder of a pop up venture and upcoming Bengali restaurant in London's Covent Garden won the Young Entrepreneur of the Year award, while Enam Ali MBE, the Bangladesh born British businessman won the Bengal’s Pride

Award. NSHM Knowledge Campus has been honoured as the Educational Institution of The Year and SME of the Year has been conferred to Mohua Banerjee of Shree Ganesh Paper Mill, Naihati.

Dr. Pronnoy Roy of NDTV won the Media Person of the Year award. Sahana Bajpaie, enthralling audience with her singing and honeyed rendition of Tagore songs and folk music, was honoured in the field of Contribution to Art and Culture. Dr. Prathap Reddy, Chairman, Apollo Hospitals Group won the award for his commendable contributions in Health & Social Care and Nova IVI Fertility Clinic received the IVF Clinic Of The Year award.

Prime Minister Theresa May, in her exclusive message to the winners said, “It is important to recognise the achievements of the Bengali community, and honour those who are key role models in business, politics, public services, art, philanthropy and across many other sectors. The Bengali community should be proud of what they have achieved over the years.

The breadth of the awards being celebrated today is a testament to the positive impact the group has had, both here in the UK and across the world.”

CB Patel, Publisher /Editor of Asian Voice, mentioning Bengali contribution to the NHS added, “The UK is

home to Bengalis from both India and Bangladesh, and although the latter forms a larger community, both have many customs and traditions in common, coming as they do from the same ancestry.

The Bengali community in the UK can harness the commonalities for the greater good of the UK economically and culturally.

“The Bengal's Pride Awards is our humble acknowledgement of the lofty accomplishments of the Bengali community and I do hope that it will scale greater heights in the years to come."

Chief Guest for the evening, Sir Malcolm Grant CBE, the Chairman NHS England told the audience, “We have over 40,000 physicians of Indian-origin working in the NHS. Our hospitals, primary cares would collapse without the participation of this extraordinary community. I pay tribute this evening to the immense strength of the NHS based on the support from this community.”

Samit Kumar Biswas, Director and CEO, Advatech Healthcare Europe Ltd said, “I strongly believe in giving back to the society and this awards is our humble way of doing so. Through this awards, we would also like to pay tribute to the extreme passion of Bengalis towards their diverse profession.”

Sir David Amess MP, hosting the evening told the audience, "On 9th of June, I

Sahana Bajpaie receiving award for her Contribution to Art and Culture from Prakash Hinduja, Chairman of Hinduja Group in Europe

Asst Commissioner Neil Basu dedicates award to his parents and officers In a moving speech at the awards ceremony Mr Basu said, "I have a very long job description, but if you boil it down, it effectively means stopping terrorist attacks. Last year 36 people died on my watch and many hundreds were injured. I think about public safety and defence every day. Most importantly I think about stopping terrorism, and that's a big reason why I am in this job. Before this I was a corporate banker and before that I was a chocolate salesman. The reason I do this is is because of a sense of public of serAsst Commissioner Neil Basu receiving award for vice. It was Mahatma Gandhi who said that the great- Contribution to Public Services from Sir David Amess MP est calling is to lose yourself in the service of others.

That's what I decided to do and I do it for two people them, they gave 90 years of their life to the NHS. I wantand one great reason. These two people are great ed a career in public service and it is a very hard and heroes - my mum and dad. My dad could not be here emotional job but the reason I do this is because it is because I lost him three years ago and it was the single team work. The people I would really like to dedicate most worst day of my life. My dad is a Bengali who came this award to are the 12,400 police officers, supported here in 1961, and (addressing the chief guest Sir by amazing police staff who work every day, often runMalcolm Grant) I am a child of the NHS. My dad was a ning into danger, when others are running the other doctor and my mum a nurse and between the two of way. I thank them for this."

L George, CEO, ABPL

Samit Biswas, Director & CEO, Advatech Healthcare Europe Ltd

The Bengal’s Pride Awards will be televised on Zee Tv’s flagship community show OUT & ABOUT this weekend.

Saturday 16th June @6:30 pm and repeated on Sunday 17th @ 9:30am would have been in this Parliament for 35 years.

This is the opportunity to celebrate the achievements of the Bengali diaspora in the UK as well as the Bengali community in India and Bangladesh...From a rich history and countless achievements in various fields Bengalis have a lot to be proud of. We always show huge gratitude to the tremendous contribution made by young Bengalis who travelled here to help rebuild this country following the Second World War...

"The Bengali community now is one of the most prominent cultural groups in the world."

Compere for the evening was Alpesh Patel, award winning trader, international bestselling author and columnist.

Alpesh Patel

Winners cheering at the inaugural Bengal’s Pride Awards with Sir David Amess MP, Sir Malcolm Grant CBE and Mr Prakash Hinduja

Photo courtesy: Raj D Bakrania, PrMediapix & Devarshiphoto

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JLR to move UK production of Discovery to Slovakia Tatas, Britain’s largest car manufacturer, will be transferring the production of its Land Rover Discovery model from the West Midlands to Slovakia, potentially putting hundreds of jobs at risk. According to sources, the profits from the sale of cars have been dented following decline in the sale of diesel cars, slumping to £364 million pre-tax in the three months to the end of March, compared to £676 million in the same period last year.

The Labour MP Madeleine Moon said: “This is truly shocking news. The automotive industry has been warning of the dangers facing their sector and now it appears the reality of Brexit is setting in.

“Jobs have already gone in a number of car factories. When will this government finally admit to the damage they’re causing and start to listen

to groups like the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders who don’t want British cars stagnating in the slow lane?”

JLR said there would be a “significant investment and technology upgrade” in its Solihull factory, with the carmaker believed to be spending hundreds of millions of pounds to meet its low-carbon commitments.

The manufacturer said it would also be investing in its plant at Halewood, Merseyside, to build the

next generation Range Rover Evoque. The move has also been welcomed as a step for the manufacturer to upgrade the Solihull plant to build new, electric models.

In the short-term, more work than anticipated will move to JLR’s new £1billion facility in Nitra, Slovakia, which is due to open at the end of the year and is expected to build the revamped Land Rover Defender. JLR, owned by the Indian company Tata, had already signalled it would move a

large amount of the production on the Discovery, which sold about 45,000 units last year, the lowest volume of the five models built in Solihull. In a statement, JLR said: “This significant investment and technology upgrade in Solihull in order to accommodate our next generation of flagship Land Rover models, and the refit of our Halewood plant for the next Evoque, is proof that we remain committed both to the UK and to transformation and growth.”

Adding that job losses would come from agency staff employed at Solihull, the company said: “The decision to move the Land Rover Discovery to Slovakia and the potential losses of some agency employed staff in the UK is a tough one but forms part of our long-term manufacturing strategy as we transform our business globally.”

Indian govt identifies 16,500 entities as shell firms The government of India has identified over 16,500 companies as “confirmed shell companies”, with 80,000 others put in the suspect category and under the radar. The Finance Ministry said the companies, that are suspected to have little business but large amount of fund flow, are typically classified as shell companies as money, is routed through a web of entities. While the Serious

Frauds Investigation Office (SFIO) has created the database on the basis of “red flags” put together by law enforcement agencies, the government is unwilling to disclose them.

The FM in its statement, said the task force has identified the red flags that will be used to identify more shell companies. It further said that as part of the drive to get companies to file the

returns mandated under the Companies Act, the Registrar of Companies has identified and removed the names of 2,26,000 companies with close to 3,10,000 directors getting disqualified. The statement said, “With the concerted efforts of the MCA, department of financial services and the Indian Banks' Association the exdirectors/authorised signatories of the struck-

off companies have been restricted from operating the bank accounts of these companies and they cannot withdraw any amount from these bank accounts, other than for specified purposes, till the company is restored.”

The ministry will soon launch a public awareness campaign to make the public aware of the need to get the registrations of their defunct companies cancelled themselves.

India may create new company to take over PSBs’ NPAs India's Finance Minister Piyush Goyal has announced that a bankers' panel would look at the feasibility of setting up a new asset reconstruction company (ARC) or asset management company (AMC) to take over bad loans of public sector banks (PSBs).

A committee headed by Punjab National Bank chairman Sunil Mehta would not only look at the need for an ARC or an AMC, but would also go into the modalities of setting up the same if felt necessary.

Addressing the press after a meeting with bank chiefs from west and south

India, Goyal said that another group of bankers led by Bank of Baroda MD PS Jayakumar will look at formulating a strategy regarding a consortium of PSBs taking over good loans of banks under the RBI's Prompt Corrective Action (PCA).

Goyal promised that the government would ensure that all vacancies in PSBs will be filled within 30 days.

“There is also a proposal that banks may consider oversight committees comprising retired judges, vigilance officials and regulators, and bring in some expertise to help

faster decision-making in Indian banks.”

Regarding bank consolidation, Goyal denied that the government was planning any merger of banks. “We believe in autonomy of banks and the banks will have to take a final call if at all they wish to.”

SBI chairperson Rajnish Kumar said, “One of the topics of the meeting was how to achieve global scale for Indian banks there we made a presentation. There is a fragmentation as far as banks are concerned in India. Here, we shared our experience with SBI when

we merged five banks in one go.”

Goyal said that the focus of the meeting was not bad loans but how to ensure that credit continued to flow despite restriction faced by the bank. He said, “There are many borrowers facing restrictive covenants because of restrictions placed by some banks on lending. A process has been devised by the bankers themselves to ensure that credit flow to good borrowers of banks under prompt corrective action of banks will not face any problems.”

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India may ease import norms for high-end cars, bikes & e-vehicles

With the Indian government set to liberalise import norms by removing restrictions on price and engine capacities, roads in the country may soon be flooded with top-of-theline vehicles.

The liberalisation may encourage new product launches by carmakers such as Mercedes, BMW, Nissan, and Toyota and premium two-wheeler companies like Triumph and Kawasaki. Sources said that the government will henceforth allow the import of vehicles, which are certified by internationally-accepted test agencies such as those in Europe, Singapore and other countries.

Current norms as decided by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) allow homologation-free import of four-wheelers valued above $40,000 and two-wheelers of 800-cc and beyond.

These rates would soon be done away with, even though, import and other duties will still need to be paid at the current rates. Sources said the proposed norms will allow a manufacturer or its agent to import 2,500 units annually and these would not require testclearance by Indian agencies. Luxury vans

may benefit from the measure. While Toyota can look at introducing the Alphard people's carrier, Mercedes may be prompted to get the Viano van or V-Class.

The Road Transport Ministry has issued a draft notification on easing the norm, which it claimed will increase the options for consumers to buy globally-popular models. Officials said this will also pave the way for registration of imported vehicles across states, which has been a problem in certain states.

The draft notification, to ensure that imported vehicles meet certain Indian conditions, said that these will have to have “right hand steering control” while complying with international standards set in Europe and Singapore. A ministry official said, “Our aim is to give exposure of more models of vehicles to people. There are certain segments of vehicles, which can be used by physically-challenged or older persons, and these will also be allowed under this scheme.

There are global companies which launch several models overseas but introduce only a few models in India despite it being a big growing market.”

Unpaid employees of Air India are all set to receive their April salaries. The government said it would resume equity infusion into the airline, which was stopped after it was decided to sell it off and, it will give guarantee for a £100 million loan to the Maharaja that banks had revoked after the divestment bid was announced last year. An aviation ministry official said, “Employees will be paid their salaries as the

fund flow of government through equity infusion will begin and the loan guarantee will be given.”

About the failed divestment bid, he said, “We are examining the failure and are in touch with the transaction advisor.

If the government decides to go ahead with AI divestment by revising the original terms, then that process may still happen in its remaining term. But that is the government's call now.”

Govt of India to resume equity infusion into AI

REAL ESTATE VOICE

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IT’S NOT WHAT YOU DO, BUT THE WAY THAT YOU DO IT AsianVoiceNews

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Currently, we are in the process of bidding for a site. Here, the issue is not one exclusively based on price and performance. If it was, it would be easier.

Here, we’re being tested for construction knowledge, execution of the project and our past history of development, in particular examining niche issues which this development would entail.

Suresh Vagjiani

Sow & Reap London Property Investment

As time goes on, both doing developments and investing in property is becoming more complex.

The environment is becoming complicated. To the average person it is becoming a headache to understand how the current taxation environment will impact your investment and to understand which wrapper - if any wrapper at all - is best for your circumstances. And then, once this is done, to see how this will impact

lending.

To understand tax, you need to see how the effects of CGT, Income Tax and Inheritance Tax will impact your investment. And then there’s the exercise for those who have an existing portfolio. By portfolio I mean even a few properties. Holding this in a personal name is now becoming a serious issue. Transferring to a Ltd company means there will be CGT and stamp duty payable, this has to be weighed against the potential savings from the other side over a period of time; and to top it all off the lending needs to be taken into account.

It’s no wonder people are getting confused. When they approach an expert they are often given one dimensional advice, which does not consider the whole issue holistically.

AGONY AGENT IS HERE TO HELP! Q: I have had a great couple living in my property for the last few years, however, they have recently split up. Should I do anything about this?

A: There are a couple of points that I would recommend. First of all, don’t get involved. Breakups can be very messy, and as much as your tenants would love to get you involved in the split, don’t. It is not your place to do so. Stay professional and impartial. This may sound like cold-hearted

advice, but you need to protect your business.

You rented your property to responsible adults, and have no responsibility beyond this. Often the case is that if they can drag you into their dispute, then they will.

Just stay out of the way and find out what the tenants want to do. If they want to stay on you may want to change the tenancy agreement. If you do choose to change the tenancy agreement, then you will have to refund any deposit taken

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and ask for a new deposit, which you’ll then have to re-protect. Please don’t miss out this step. It is very important to ensure any deposits taken from tenants are protected in one of the Government approved tenancy deposit schemes.

If you think the tenant who wants to stay can’t afford the rent on their own, be careful, as once a new agreement has been signed in just one tenants name, you have no legal right to chase the former tenant for rent. Your only

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Asian Voice | 16th June 2018

So, they then approach another expert who gives differing advice. In addition to this, there are caveats in place to say this advice is not fool proof, so the recipient then ends up having very little or no confidence in the advice they have been given.

The structure within which the investment is made is now becoming increasingly important.

It’s not just a question of making money, but what shape this money is in.

Recently, we had an investor who wanted to buy a property in W2, it was around the half a million range. Simple enough, so you would think. The trouble is, he’s a high band tax payer.

Therefore, it makes sense to purchase it in the wife’s name. However, she does not have an income.

The wife cannot get a course of action would be to give notice using a Section 21.

If they both want to leave, then you can accept notice from them, and end the tenancy in the normal manner. If there is still a fixed term to wait out, then you may still have a legal right to the rent.

You might want to negotiate with the tenants on this point, as your new focus should now be on getting new tenants in.

If there is a history of rent arrears, or persistently late rent payments, with them as a couple, then as singles they won’t be any

mortgage, not even as a BTL, as there is no income to show. BTL lenders need a basic rate of about £25k per annum to qualify for a BTL mortgage.

We had to arrange a conference call with an accountant and the mortgage broker to come up with a workable solution. The solution ended up being that the property should be purchased in a SPV (Special Purpose Vehicle), this means a Ltd company

which only holds the asset. The shares are held by the high rate tax payer, with the wife becoming an employee of the company.

This will also make the transition of ownership from the parents to the next generation smoother, in the future.

It’s vital now to ensure the way property investment is done is looked at from a variety of angles, and it is entered into with a 360 degree vision.

better! It may just be best to end the agreement now, and they both leave.

Whatever you do, always keep the lines of communication open between you and your tenants, just don’t get involved in the “he said she said”.

Remember, you are not the only person that this has happened to, many landlords have got through this, even when that they have become a part time therapist!

Although I do not have any couples therapy experience, I am an experienced Lettings Manager and I am more

than happy to take over this situation and see it through, if it is becoming too much for you; or at the very least, offer a helping hand.

Richard Bond Lettings Manager Sow & Reap

l A spectacular share of freehold flat l Large reception room, two bedrooms, one bathroom, and fitted kitchen l Approximately 850 sq. ft. l Designated private parking spot l Moments away from the green open spaces of Paddington Recreation Ground l Expected resale value is £650,000 Call us now for more information!

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Turning land into cash Get in touch about our land opportunities

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Asian Voice | 16th June 2018

Consultant Editor Financial Voice Alpesh Patel Dear Financial Voice Reader, At the recent Bengal’s Pride Awards, as often happens, someone came up to me to tell me how much they enjoy my columns in the paper and read every one…the political ones not the financial ones!

Is anyone here? I hope so. Because this past week, we had our regular Investment Committee meeting of Chatham House. Now, Chatham House, also known as the Royal Institute for International Affairs is an important think tank whose patron is HM Queen. So, it matters what we on the Investment Committee think and do with the funds entrusted to us.

My views, and I have expressed these before is, aside from a quasi-Trustee role such as this one, I advocate for people using index trackers because they save costs of human fund managers who normally benchmark themselves against such indices and fail to beat them consistently anyway.

And my second advocacy, linked to the first is American stocks. You may say, what about the tech collapse and the credit crunch. Well, over most 5 year periods, it is rare for UK companies represented by the FTSE 100 to outperform the US markets – and if they ever do, then definitely expect that to be short-lived.

Why American companies outperform – meaning, they make their shareholders richers than UK ones is a problem to do with access to capital, markets and productivity. But, one thing is for sure, whereas a Brit used to say they made their riches through owning property, an American used to say it with the stock market.

The American still can with stocks. The Brit, no longer with property. Of course, one complication is currency. If you expect the Pound to plummet next year, because of Brexit being hard, then the conversion is in your favour anyway.

So is this unpatriotic. No, the very first column I wrote for the Financial Times in 1999, said exactly this in the opening sentence – ie I’m selling all my UK stocks and buying US ones. You have to look after your returns.

Charity begins at home. Anyway, your profits will be taxed in the UK anyway on hour gains – so that’s patriotic; the more profits, then the more tax you will pay.

For a free online trading course visit www.alpeshpatel.com

Videocon faces bankruptcy proceedings Videocon Industries currently faces bankruptcy proceedings after the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) admitted a plea from lenders, led by SBI, to initiate a resolution process with a new owner to be found through a bidding process over the next 180 days. The flagship company of the Dhoots, Videocon Industries owes around £2 billion to the banks and has been irregular in clearing its dues. The bankruptcy court is due to hear a petition against Videocon Telecom, a company that does little business now but has run up bank loans of around £200 -300 million.

Sources said that close to a dozen companies of the Videocon Group, which has cumulative debt of around £4.4 billion, are facing action. While NCLT admitted the petition against Videocon Industries and appointed KPMG's Anuj Jain as the insolvency professional, the action will not cover its subsidiary Videocon Oil Ventures that has loans of around £1.2 billion and owns assets in Brazil and other countries. Videocon Industries chairman Venugopal Dhoot said that he was hoping to use a new provision where a case can

Venugopal Dhoot

be withdrawn if 90 per cent of the creditors agree. “In our case, 100 per cent lenders had said that they do not want our company to go to NCLT,” he said. “If the process does go though, lenders will recover 75-80 per cent of the value of the loans. Property itself is valued at £800 million, we have 17 manufacturing units, have a strong brand and a very good network of showrooms,” he added.

Videocon was on the second list of companies identified by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), where banks were ordered to initiate insolvency action.

The Dhoots join several top names from the corporate sector.

Under the Insolvency & Bankruptcy Code (IBC), Jain will have 180 days to turn around the company, with an option to extend the deadline by 90 days.

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£100m Force India takeover deal could be completed soon

If reports are to be believed, a £100 million takeover of one of Britain's Formula One teams would be completed in the next few days. In a report published by The Telegraph, chief executive of energy drinks firm Rich Energy, William Storey has lashed out at “external moves to destabilise” the proposed takeover, stating that he has already had an offer accepted “in principle” for the Silverstonebased Force India team.

He claimed that a Sales and Purchase Agreement is now being finalised.

Rich Energy's offer is reportedly just shy of £100 million, down from the £150 million that was originally tabled after due diligence threw up snags,

including various creditors who have yet to be paid. Engine suppliers Mercedes is one of those creditors and is believed to be owed roughly £13 million.

Anxiety is growing as former principal Vijay Mallya is facing extradition to India. The report said that however, there are “elements who would prefer to see Force India go under than sold to Storey's company”.

Rumours also say that Mercedes, together with its sponsors BWT, might be eyeing up a takeover.

Storey said it was time to speak out, to let the Force India's 400-strong staff know there was a serious bid on the table, adding he was prepared to put in an “additional eight-figure” sum on completion of the deal.

Storey said, “In light of illinformed media speculation and certain

external moves to destabilise the team, I can confirm that Rich Energy made an official offer to buy Force India Formula One team at the end of April. This offer was accepted in principle, and we are close to finalising purchase with SPA. We have deposited funds considerably in excess of the purchase price and will invest an additional eightfigure amount in the team.” Storey added, “We have a long-term business plan that not only involves our beverage brand but two multi-national corporate sponsors who are not currently in Formula One. We have found the shareholders to be excellent people with the team's and employees' best interests at heart. We aim to conclude a deal as soon as practicable and the lawyers approve.”

ICICI Bank, Kochhar face US market regulator probe As a multi-agency probe continues into alleged lapses involving ICICI Bank’s chief Chanda Kochhar and her family members, the matter has also come under the scanner of the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). In addition, Indian regulators and investigative agencies are mulling on seeking help from their overseas counterparts, including in Mauritius, as part of their own probes, officials said.

When asked about its probe into matters related to ICICI Bank and Kochhar, a spokesperson for the SEC office of public affairs declined to comment. The queries sent to ICICI Bank also remained unanswered.

The lender has already instituted an independent inquiry into allegations of ‘conflict of interest’ and ‘quid pro quo’ in Kochhar’s

dealing with certain borrowers.

Earlier in March, when reports first surfaced in this regard, the bank had said that its board has “full confidence and reposes full faith” in Kochhar.

Sources said the US markets regulator is actively looking into the matter as ICICI Bank is listed in the US, and it may seek further details from its Indian counterpart, Sebi, which has already issued showcause notices to ICICI Bank and Kochhar as part of its probe.

Officials said Sebi has been approached for some clarifications that would be provided to the bank and its CEO, among others, to whom notices have been served. Those looking into the matter also include the RBI and the corporate affairs ministry, while the CBI had earlier registered a

Chanda Kochhar

preliminary inquiry against Kochhar’s husband, among others, and extensively questioned her brother-inlaw in April.

The cases under scanner includes the bank’s £325 million loan to Videocon Group in 2012 and the involvement of Kochhar family members in restructuring of the loan.

Last week, interim finance minister Piyush Goyal said the law will take

its own course in the alleged case of nepotism at ICICI Bank, even though it is a good bank with “very robust processes” and there was no cause for concern for any of the stakeholders of ICICI Bank per se.

There are allegations of impropriety in ICICI Bank extending loans to some companies and enjoying reciprocal benefits. It has been alleged that family members of the bank’s chief, including her husband Deepak Kochhar, got financial favours from borrowers against the loans sanctioned by the bank. It was also alleged that Videocon Group pumped money into Nu-Power Renewables, a firm owned

by Deepak Kochhar. Sebi has served a notice on Kochhar on dealings of the bank with Videocon Group and NuPower.

PNB expects £800 mn recovery this month Following the successful resolution of Bhushan Steel, fraud-hit Punjab National Bank (PNB) is hopeful of £800 million recovery from bad loans in the first quarter of the current fiscal. With its primary focus on recovery of dues from defaulters, the bank has managed to surpass the total amount recovered in the last fiscal in the first two months of the current financial year, a senior bank official said.

“This is due to renewed focus on recovery by public

sector banks, including referral of many cases to NCLT under the bankruptcy code is forcing many of the defaulting companies to settle their NPAs. While PNB had recovered £561.75 million in the whole of last year, the bank's recovery stands at £600 million by the first week of June,” the official said. They said that PNB expects to complete recovery of almost £800 million by the time this quarter ends. They also added that large corporates like Religare, Arcotech and

Surya Alloys have recently settled bad loans worth £35 million in the last two months via recovery camps set up by PNB. PNB posted loss of £1.34 billion for the fourth quarter ended March, 2018, the biggest ever by any domestic lender. The bank last month said it provided for £717.8 million, 50 per cent of the total amount of £1.44 billion in the quarter of 2017-18, with regards to the loss incurred on account of Nirav Modi fraud. PNB said the

remaining amount will be covered in the three quarters of the current fiscal year. It further said it has paid £658.61 million to other banks to discharge its liabilities towards Letters of Undertaking (LoUs) and Foreign Letters of Credits (FLCs) issued fraudulently and in unauthorised manner to certain overseas branches of Indian banks through the misuse of SWIFT system of the bank, which was then not integrated with CBS (core banking solutions).

PAKISTAN -BANGLADESH

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PAKISTAN

BANGLADESH

Pakistan army denies abducting British activist

Dhaka to allocate special funds for Rohingya rehabilitation

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan's army has denied abducting British citizen of Pakistani origin for criticising the military, in an incident that prompted a wave of condemnation and increased fears of a crackdown on free speech. Gul Bukhari, 52, was detained for several hours by unknown men in the eastern city of Lahore, one day after the military held a press conference warning that it is monitoring citizens who criticise Pakistan.

Pakistan has a history of enforced disappearances, often of people who criticise the security establishment largely seen as a red line few dare cross. The kidnappings have become increasingly brazen in recent years. Bukhari is

Gul Bukhari

known for advocating human rights online and is also a prominent columnist whose articles are often highly critical of the military and its policies. When news of her abduction broke it caused a furore, with widespread calls for her release and fingers broadly pointed at the military.

The British High Commission expressed "concern" at the incident as activists called on the

army, which is the most powerful institution in Pakistan and has ruled the country for nearly half its 70-year history, to tolerate dissent. "(The) army is not behind the abduction of Gul Bukhari," Major General Asif Ghafoor, chief military spokesman, told reporters. "We actually want a thorough investigation in this case," he said.

The military routinely says it is not involved in enforced disappearances, but the statement was a rare on-the-record denial.

It came as the powerful army is facing growing criticism of its policies within Pakistan, from disappearances to the use of militant proxies in Afghanistan and India. A burgeoning civil rights movement by the country's ethnic Pashtuns and

recent comments from former prime minister Nawaz Sharif have increasingly criticised the generals and caused uproar in the country.

Journalists have spoken of "pressure" not to cover the criticisms, adding to an atmosphere of repression. During a wide-ranging press conference that appeared to address the mounting criticism, the military issued a veiled warning to online critics, saying it has the capacity to monitor social media accounts.

Ghafoor briefly flashed an image on screen showing what appeared to be Twitter handles and names, including of at least one prominent journalist, but refused to elaborate further, fuelling the outcry over free speech.

Sharif accuses Pakistan CJ of oppression and injustice ISLAMABAD: Pakistan's ousted prime minister Nawaz Sharif has accused the chief justice of the country of rushing through the hearings in the three corruption cases filed against him, terming it an "extremely unfortunate" example of "oppression and injustice." The Supreme Court had disqualified Sharif, 68, last year, forcing the three-time prime minister to resign. Sharif has dismissed as politically motivated the corruption charges linked to the Panama Papers case.

Sharif claimed that his fundamental rights were being violated as no lawyer would take up a case where he is not even allowed time to prepare and is asked to appear even on the weekends. Sharif was referring

Nawaz Sharif

to his lawyer Khawaja Harris who failed to represent him, arguing that he can neither work under pressure nor on the weekends as demanded by the Accountability Court. "Does the chief justice (Mian Saqib Nisar) not know that justice rushed is justice crushed?" Sharif, 68, was quoted as saying.

"This last episode of the game that began with

Panama (papers) is an extremely unfortunate example of oppression and injustice," he said, repeating his previous claims of injustices meted out to him in the case. As the Accountability Court Judge Muhammad Bashir resumed proceedings in the Al-Azizia case, one of the three graft cases, against Sharif, Harris withdrew, prompting the judge to order the trial court to proceed on a daily basis and even conduct hearings on Saturdays.

The court asked Sharif if he would engage another lawyer or continue with Harris. Sharif said he needed time to make a decision and the hearing was adjourned. "I do not know whether my right to defence is more important

or a decision being given before election. Are the standards of law and justice important or a decision before elections? Are the fundamental rights of a Pakistani citizen important or a decision before elections?" Sharif later told reporters. Harris has been Sharif's lawyer in all three cases filed against him and his family on September 8 following his disqualification as the premier on July 28. Fawad Chaudhry of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf said that Sharif's lawyer's statement was a ploy by Sharif to delay the conclusion in the cases.

The Accountability Court is hearing the corruption cases against Sharif, his daughter Maryam and son-in-law captain (retd) Muhammad Safdar.

DHAKA: Bangladesh Finance Minister Abul Maal Abdul Muhith said the government would allocate a special fund for Rohingya rehabilitation in the upcoming 2018-19 fiscal year budget. "We planned to allocate around Tk400 crore as special funds for Rohingya rehabilitation," Dhaka Tribune quoted Muhith as saying. The allocation will be provided mainly for building shelters for Rohingya rehabilitation.

Specific allocations to ensure health care, sanitation, and food supply would also be given to the concerned ministries, Muhith further said. The proposed budget will be announced in Parliament soon.

The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) approved Tk2,312 crore for the Rohingya rehabilitation project to rehabilitate around 1 million Rohingya temporarily.

A project named "Ashrayon 3" is being implemented at Bhasanchar, within the next year, where around 100,000 Rohingya will be rehabilitated initially.

Rohingyas are a Muslim minority ethnic group in Myanmar, who are considered as illegal immigrants as opposed to citizens of the country. Due to a surge in violence in western Myanmar last year, over 700,000 Rohingyas fled the country to escape the military's action.

Presently, they are languishing in Bangladeshi refugee camps.

Pressure on Myanmar over Rohingyas Myanmar has been

under mounting international pressure as it remains 'very slow' in creating conditions for the safe return of Rohingyas from Bangladesh.

According to the Dhaka Tribune, a diplomat has said that depending only on bilateral mechanisms to resolve the Rohingya has not produced any result. On June 6, UNHCR, the UN refugee agency, and UNDP, the UN Development Programme, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Myanmar government in Nay Pyi Taw. The MoU aims at creating conducive conditions for the repatriation of refugees and for creating improved livelihoods for all communities living in Rakhine State. Human Rights Watch has asked the UNSC to immediately refer the situation in Myanmar to the ICC. During the first week of May, senior diplomats from the 15-member UNSC visited refugee camps in Bangladesh to see the situation of the more than 700,000 Rohingya refugees who fled Myanmar military abuses since August 2017.

Last month, the European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Operations (ECHO) had provided $2.6 million to United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF) to ensure that both the Rohingya refugees and local Bangladeshis who live alongside them, can live in a safe and protective environment free from gender-based violence (GBV).

Notices served to Imran's ex-wife over sensational disclosures Islamabad: Pakistan’s cricketer-turned-politician Imran Khan’s ex-wife Reham Khan has been served a legal notice by four persons, including cricket star Wasim Akram, after she made sensational disclosures about their sex lives in her upcoming book. The notice sent by her first husband Dr Ijaz Rehman, cricketer Wasim Akram, a British businessman, Syed Zulfiqar Bukhari, and Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) media coordinator Anila Khawaja, claims that

she defamed them in her autobiography, the manuscript of which was leaked online recently.

The upcoming book ‘Reham Khan’, reportedly includes details of her interactions with various celebrities and her marriage with Imran Khan which ended in divorce 15 months later. A “preaction defamation protocol” letter, was issued by a West London law firm to Reham on May 30, on behalf of Dr Rehman, Akram, Bukhari and Khawaja, claiming that the

Reham Khan

manuscript of her upcoming book contains a “litany of malicious, false, incorrect and defamatory” imputations against its

clients.

The notice includes some highly sensational allegations that Reham has made in her manuscript about Akram and the three others. At pages 402 and 572 of the leaked online content of the book, Reham accused Akram of using his late wife to carry out his sexual fantasies by arranging a black man to have sex with her while he watched.

“This is grossly defamatory, indecent and disrespectful to our client’s late wife. Wasim Akram is an

internationally well known former Pakistani cricketer and media personality who is being acknowledged by cricket experts and fans as being one of the best test fast bowlers in the history of first class cricket,” the notice stated. On page 464 of the book, Bukhari, Imran Khan’s Londonbased top aide, has been accused of doing dirty work for Khan. She alleged that Bukhari had arranged an abortion for a young woman in London impregnated by Imran Khan.

Khawaja has been accused

of having an illicit affair with Imran and exercising enormous hold and control over him. “Reham called her ‘chief of the harem’ in the manuscript,” the notice claimed.

According to the legal notice, Reham held her first husband Rehman responsible for several failures in their marriage through much of the manuscript beginning with the chapter, entitled, ‘The Door’, at page 5. Rehman, the notice said, was wrongly portrayed as being “nasty, mean and cruel.”

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Kim, Trump agree on 'complete denuclearisation' of Korean Peninsula S I N G A P O R E: North Korean leader Kim Jong-un agreed with US President Donald Trump to completely denuclearize the Korean Peninsula in exchange for security guarantees, according to an agreement signed between them here on Tuesday. In the pact that came after an over four-hour historic summit between Trump and Kim earlier in the day, the two countries also committed to work towards the development of fresh relations and promote "peace, prosperity and security" in the region.

The meeting was held at the Capella Hotel on Singapore's resort island of Sentosa.

"President Trump committed to provide security guarantees to North Korea and Chairman Kim Jong Un reaffirmed his firm and unwavering commitment to complete

Kim Jong-un and Donald Trump

denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula," the agreement said. It also said that US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will meet a senior North Korean official "at the earliest possible date" to continue with the negotiations.

The agenda of the follow-up talks will include a commitment to "establish new US-North Korea relations in accordance with the desire of the people of the two countries for peace and prosperity" and discussions on building "a

lasting and stable peace regime on the Korean Peninsula". Kim and Trump acknowledged that the summit was of great significance in helping the two countries overcome decades of tension and hostilities and open up a new future in their relations.

Reaffirming the Panmunjom Declaration which South Korean President Moon Jae-in and Kim signed after the third inter-Korean summit on April 27 at the border village of Panmunjom, North Korea

agreed to commit to working towards the c o m p l e t e denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula, it added. Pyongyang and Washington also agreed to commit to recovering the remains of prisoners of war and those missing in action during the 1950-53 Korean War, including an immediate repatriation of those already identified. The two leaders acknowledged that Tuesday's summit was "an epochal event of great significance" and decided to "commit to implement the stipulations in this joint statement fully and expeditiously".

The summit in Singapore was the first between the leaders of North Korea and the US after nearly 70 years of confrontation and 25 years of failed negotiations and tensions over Pyongyang's nuclear programme.

Ami Bera, Ro Khanna win US Congressional primaries WASHINGTON: IndianAmerican Congressmen Ami Bera and Ro Khanna won their respective primaries in California and will run for the Congressional elections on November 6. The three other Indian-Americans Hirsh Singh, Goutam Jois and Peter Jacob - running for Congress in New Jersey lost their bid at the primary level. New Jersey has a sizeable Indian American population.

T h r e e - t i m e Congressman from Seventh Congressional District of California, Bera bagged more than 51% of the votes in the open primary. His nearest rival Andrew Grant from the Republican party received 32.9% of the votes. In California the top two candidates, irrespective of their party affiliation in the open primary

Ami Bera and Ro Khanna

head for the general elections for the House of Representatives.

Khanna, who entered the House of Representatives for the first time in 2017, received an overwhelming 58.9% of the votes in the open primary for the 17th Congressional District of California. His nearest rival Ron Cohen from the Republican Party received nearly 25% of the votes.

Coming from a strong

Democratic bastion, both Bera and Khanna are expected to win the Congressional elections in November. “Despite running an exciting insurgent campaign, Vivek Viswanathan came up short in his bid for California state treasurer,” said Gautam Raghavan of the recently formed Impact Project, which is keeping track of some 80 Indian Americans running nationwide this election season.

He got just 12.8% of the votes.

A total of eight states held primary elections on June 5 and all Indian American contenders lost their bids. Attempting to unseat the longtime Democratic incumbent Dianne Feinstein from her US Senate seat were 31 candidates, among them Indian Americans Arun Bhumitra, a Republican, and Rash Bihari Ghosh, an Independent.

Pakistani American Shahid Buttar made a long-shot bid to replace Democrat Nancy Pelosi. Recent UCLA graduate Shubham Goel was hoping to “fix issues” as new governor of the state.

However, the 22-year-old’s voice was not successfully heard. The independent Goel finished last in the pool of candidates with 2,233 votes.

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Hely Patel - Pride of Gujaratis in USA VIRGINIA: Hely Patel, who is studying in 11th grade in Bristol City of the State of Virginia of USA, has won numerous achievements and has enhanced the pride and prestige of Gujaratis in USA. Hely has earned numerous achievements.

She became secretary of young business entrepreneurs of Virginia state last year after winning the election.

This year Hely was elected as its President.

The election for the president was held in Washington where 2,500 representatives from 300 high schools participated.

Following her election as the president, she became the business advisor for colleges of University of state of Virginia. Now she is eligible to contest for the president of business entrepreneurship of USA. She is the first young Gujarati aspiring to be future leader who won elections in this category.

She has recently celebrated her 16th birthday.

Hely is captain of tennis group in her high school. She has won several awards and received prizes for her o u t s t a n d i n g performances. She is

Hely Patel

good public speaker and can speak on any subject instantly. Her mother Trupti has taught her dance and Gujarati language. She has performed in various social functions. Her engineer and hotel owner father Hetal Patel is providing her all the help and encouragements. She takes leading part in academic discussions with his learned grand father Prof Chandrakant Patel who is an author of more than 106 books to his credit.

Over 75% of those waiting for green cards in US are Indians

WA S H I N G T O N: Indians account for more than three-fourths of those highly skilled professionals waiting in queue to obtain legal permanent residence status in the US, popularly known as green card, according to the latest official figures. As of May 2018, there were 395,025 foreign nationals waiting for green cards under the employment-based preference category. Of these, 306,601 were Indians, according to the latest figures released by US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). This does not include counts of dependent beneficiaries

associated with the approved immigrant petitions, it said.

India is followed in a distant second China, which currently has 67,031 Chinese waiting for green cards. Thereafter, none of the other countries have more than 10,000 people waiting for green cards.

Other countries are El Salvador (7,252), Guatemala (6,027), Honduras (5,402), Philippines (1,491), Mexico (700) and Vietnam (521). Under the existing law, no more than 7% of green cards may be issued to natives of any one independent country in a fiscal year.

Man finds $1 mn winning lottery ticket; tracks down the lucky owner

KANSAS: A Kansas couple are now millionaires after wining a lottery - but they almost never even learned of their earnings.

Back in March, Andy Patel was behind the counter at a gas station in Salina when a customer came in to have three lottery tickets checked. After checking the first two unsuccessful

tickets Andy let the customer leave before remembering to check the third.

Andy told the outlet he eventually realised that he had not checked the third ticket left behind, and still checked it.

“And that’s the one that ended up being a million dollar winner,” Kal Patel, whose parents own

the Pit Stop gas station, said. He said that Andy called him, and the pair determined that they would track down the ticket’s owner, who Kal said he recognized by description as a “longtime customer.”

“They didn’t know Kal Patel and the owner of a $1 they had the winning million winning lottery ticket ticket, so they never

would have known if I hadn’t found them,” Kal said.

“But then you’d have to live through the guilt of that all your life.” Kal said that he drove to the man’s neighborhood, but couldn’t identify his home by the customer’s vehicle.

About to give up and return to the store, he spotted the customer driv-

ing out of the neighbourhood. After following in his car, eventually the man stopped and Kal showed them the winning tickets.

Kal said, “It felt good to find it and then find them.”

Both Andy and Kal were awarded the Helping Hand from local firm, DeVaughn James Injury Lawyers, earning $1,200.

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Maoist threat to PM Modi: Security tightened Home Minister Rajnath Singh chaired a high-level meeting to review Prime Minister Narendra Modi's security, after the Maoists threatened his life. The Home Minister’s Office tweeted that Singh held talks with senior officials after the Ministry of Home Affairs received inputs from Maharashtra Police regarding letters seized from individuals arrested for having links with Maoist organisations.

The letters cited references to an attack on Modi.

The high-level meeting was attended by the National Security Advisor, the Home Secretary and Intelligence Bureau director. “The Home Minister has directed that all necessary measures be taken in consultation with other agencies to suitable strengthen the security arrangements for the Prime Minister,” the tweet said.

Earlier, Maharashtra

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and the state police had said that Maoists were planning to

assassinate Modi, the way former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi was killed. The threat was

PM Modi is the most liked world leader on Facebook

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has become the most popular world leader on Facebook, garnering over 43.2 million likes on the social media platform. A study titled 'World Leaders on Facebook', published by communication firm Burson-Marsteller revealed that Modi's followers include US President Donald Trump, who himself is in second place with 23.1 million followers.

This number of follow-

ers has also made him the most popular leader of Asia, since Facebook is more widely used in this region, than Twitter. The study analysed the activity of 650 Facebook pages of heads of state, government, and foreign ministries from January 1, 2017, to calculate the data from Facebook's Crowdtangle tool. Over fifty variables were considered, including likes, check-ins, location, liked by pages, etc.

based on a letter allegedly seized from a person arrested in connection with the Bhima-Koregaon violence last week.

Fadnavis said Pune police had arrested five suspects and seized “internal communication” from them. In one of the letters, a Maoist commander called on his cadre to assassinate Modi. A thorough investigation into the alleged plot is already underway.

The letter in which the alleged assassination plot was mentioned, was seized from the Delhi house of Rona Wilson.

The letter was written to one comrade Prakash, and talked about a “Rajiv Gandhi-type incident”. It read, “Defeating Hindu fascism has been our core agenda and a major concern for the party. Several leaders from secret cells as well as open organisations have raised this issue very strongly.

Modi-led Hindu fascist regime is bulldozing its way into the lives of indigenous adivasis.”

Vajpayee's condition improves after hospitalisation Former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's health improved to "stable" from Monday's "critical", said doctors at New Delhi's AIIMS, where he was rushed with a urinary tract infection. "Former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee's condition is stable. He is responding to treatment and is on injectable antibiotics. All vital parameters are stable. He will continue to be in hospital till infection is controlled," said AIIMS in a statement on Tuesday.

The 93-year-old will be under supervision of AIIMS director Randeep

Atal Bihari Vajpayee

Guleria who has been treating him for nearly 15 years. Vajpayee, who is diabetic and has only one functional kidney, suffered a stroke in 2009 which affected his cognitive abilities. Later,

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he developed dementia.

The three-time former PM, had been restricted mostly to his residence on Krishna Menon Marg where a team of doctors, nurses and physiotherapists look

after him 24x7.

He was admitted to the hospital at around 11.30 am. While it was initially said he had been taken for a routine check-up, concern about his condition soared by the evening with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP chief Amit Shah as well as Congress president Rahul Gandhi visiting him at AIIMS. Modi spent about 50 minutes in the cardioneuro centre talking to doctors and Vajpayee’s family. BJP veteran L K Advani and Union health minister J P Nadda were among those who visited the hospital.

SA commemorates 125th year of Mahatma’s satyagraha

Pietermaritzburg Station in South Africa where Gandhiji was forced out a white only compartment - turning point of his life - Birth Place of Satyagraha of Mahatma Gandhi.

PIETERMARITZBURG: The screening of the biopic 'Making of a Mahatma' marked the opening of a three-days of events to commemorate the historic incident 125 years ago when Mahatma Gandhi was evicted from a train because the compartment he was in was reserved for whites only. On the night of June 7, 1893, Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, a young lawyer then, was thrown off the train’s first class compartment at Pietermaritzburg station for refusing to give up his seat. The incident led him to develop his Satyagraha principles of peaceful resistance and mobilise people in South Africa and in India against the discriminatory rules of the British.

The film, a coproduction between India and South Africa, was made in 1996, soon after Nelson Mandela ascended to the position of South Africa’s first democratically-elected President. Directed by Shyam Benegal and based on the book 'Apprenticeship of a Mahatma' by the late freedom activist Prof.

Fatima Meer, the film recalls the incident and developments thereafter as Gandhiji decided to forego worldly life and started up the Phoenix Settlement commune in Phoenix near Durban and also Tolstoy Farm near Johannesburg.

A.B. Moosa, CEO of the Avalon Group, at whose Cine Centre

cinema the film was shown, said that it was a moving moment as he recalled the relationship of his forefathers with the Mahatma. “It was a special privilege for my dad Moosa Moosa and myself to kick off this 125th commemoration at our cinema, as it were also our forebears who unwittingly started off young lawyer Mohandas Gandhi’s path to becoming the Mahatma through his Satyagraha plans in both South Africa and India,” Moosa said.

“If he did not have to take that train to submit legal papers for our forefathers to Pretoria, the fateful incident where he was thrown off the train might never have happened and the world might never have benefited from Gandhiji’s guidance and leadership,” he added. Moosa was referring to the fact that British-trained lawyer Gandhi had been brought to South Africa from his Gujarat home to fight a legal battle between two Indian merchant cousins.

The commemoration continued for over two days with events spearheaded by India's External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj. These included a youth workshop on Gandhiji, a special train ride with an engine and coaches bedecked with 400 metres of khadi cloth brought in from India, and a banquet at which top politicians spoke at the local City Hall, which was lit up in the colours of the Indian flag.

people not to believe rumours and social media posts. We also appeal to the people to inform the police immediately if they find anyone spreading rumours and hate messages,” Agarwala said.

Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal held a high-level meeting at his official residence in Guwahati following the incident and took stock of the prevailing situation in

the state. He ased DGP Kuladhar Saikia to ensure that the police force maintains constant vigilance on all activities and put a spanner on any canards likely to violate public order and peace in the state.

He maintained that the culprits should be brought to book and no leniency should be exhibited in dealing with the incident.

Protests in Guwahati turn violent over Assam lynching

In the aftermath of the brutal lynching of two Guwahati youths in Karbi Anglong, Assam, protests across the city took a violent turn as people got to the streets condemning the incident.

Hiren Chandra Nath, Commissioner of Police, Guwahati, said, “The protests were going on peacefully. But then a few miscreants from the back pelted stones, bricks and

water bottles. Six of our men were injured.” He said that demonstrations and candle-light marches were held at several locations across the city.

“From tomorrow, no demonstration or procession will be allowed without prior permission from my office,” he said.

Condolences and cries for justice have been flooding the social media ever since the news broke

over the weekend. Assam Police have arrested 16 people in connection with the lynching of Nilotpal Das and Abhijeet Nath, who were savagely killed by a mob near Kathilangso waterfall.

Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order) Mukesh Agarwala said that police were on the lookout for more people involved in the incident.

He said the situation in village Dokmoka, where the killings took place, was under control.

“In four to five villages around Dokmoka, fake posts went viral on social media about 'Xopadhara' or child abductors in the area.

Preliminary investigation says that people in the area suspected the two youths as child lifters and attacked. We appeal to

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SOUTH

WEST BENGAL

Portfolios finally allocated among Karnataka ministers BENGALURU: Twenty five ministers have been inducted in Karnataka as Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy expanded his cabinet after a delay of two weeks.

Kumaraswamy has kept 11 portfolios for himself, including finance. Other departments are energy, i n f r a s t r u c t u r e d e v e l o p m e n t , information and public relations and the intelligence wing that comes under the home ministry. His brother HD Revanna will head the public works ministry.

Former industries minister and senior Congressman R V Deshpande is now in charge of revenue and skill

Former Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah (left), Cong leader KC Venugopal (centre) and chief minister HD Kumarswamy during a press conference

development.

Congress troubleshooter D K Shivakumar also has two portfolios- irrigation and medical education. Former home minister, KJ George will hold industries and also IT and BT. The only female in the cabinet, National award winning actress

Jayamala will handle the ministries of women and child development and also Kannada and culture.

Allotment of portfolios comes amid dissent in the Congress as many leaders are unhappy about being left out of the cabinet.

Notable omissions include

MP Patil, former irrigation minister who spearheaded the push for recommending minority status for Lingayats. HK Patil and Roshan Baig are others who failed to make the cut. The Congress still has six cabinet berths that may help keep hopes alive and serious dissidence at bay.

Sources said that by dropping the heavyweights, the high command meant to communicate its unhappiness with the local leadership's wrong reading of the election which eventually forces Congress to become a junior partner in the coalition government. The JD(S) leadership also had to bear the brunt of anger from its workers.

Thousands flock for ‘fish prasadam’ in Hyderabad HYDERABAD: Thousands of asthma patients accepted “fish prasadam” at the Exhibition Grounds in Hyderabad last week.

Traditionally distributed by a family since over 170 years, patients from Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and other states queued up from morning to mark 'Mrigasira Karti', the onset of monsoon as members of Bathini Goud began administering the “wonder drug”.

Elaborate arrangements were made for the annual event. Minister for animal husbandry and fisheries T Srinivas Yadav, along with

Telangana legislative council chairman Swamy Goud inaugurated the distribution. Bathini Harinath Goud said their family members were giving “fish prasadam”

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at 40 counters and the distribution continued till Saturday. The fisheries department has supplied 1,30,000 fingerlings for sale at its counters at the venue.

However, the actual number of patients taking the 'prasadam' could be less than a lakh. Police authorities, Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation, Hyderabad metro water supply and sewerage board, electricity, transport and other departments made elaborate arrangements for the smooth conduct of the event.

Telangama State Road Transport Corporation (TSRTC) operated over 130 special buses from the airport, railway station and bus stations to ferry asthma patients to the venue.

PUNJAB-HARYANA

Mamata reshuffles cabinet; restructures party

KOLKATA: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee reshuffled her ministry after dropping three ministers from her cabinet last week. She later said this was done to reduce the workload of some of the ministers.

While the reason behind the removal of ministers Churamani Mahato, James Kujur and Abani Joardar is not unknown.

Insiders of the Trinamool Congress view this as a fallout of the party's relatively poor show in some areas of the state.

Senior cabinet minister Subrata Mukherjee, who was holding the important panchayat and rural development portfolio, besides public health engineering (PHE), will now be in charge of only the first one, an official notification said. He has also been given the water resources investigation and development portfolio, which was previously held

by Soumen Mahapatra.

Irrigation minister Rajib Banerjee has been shifted the backward class welfare department, while Mahapatra has been given the key irrigation and waterways portfolio.

Kolkata Mayor Sovan

Chatterjee has been stripped off the environment portfolio, which has been given to transport minister Suvendu Adhikari as an additional charge. Moloy Ghatak, who has been given the additional charge of PHE, will also hold the portfolios of law and labour, the notification said. Minister of state Chandrima Bhattacharya retained her health and family welfare and land and land reforms departments, besides being given independent charge of personnel and administrative reforms and e-governance.

Restructures party Mamata has also divided the party leaders among three key tasks national politics, state administration and statelevel party organization.

While pushing nephew Abhishek Banerjee forward, she herself has stepped back from certain activities.

State administration will be handled by rural minister Subrata Mukherjee, education minister Partha Chatterjee, finance minister Amit Mitra, and power minister Sovandeb Chattopadhyay.

Akali Dal calls BJP ‘permanent ally’ Haryana backtracks on order asking share of athletes' earnings Women's panel flays Bengal's NEW DELHI: The Manohar Lal Khattar government in Haryana has put a pause on its shocking order to state's sports persons asking them to submit one-third of their earnings from professional sports and commercial endorsements to the Haryana Sports Council.

The Chief Minister said he has asked for the relevant file of the sports department to be shown to him and the notification to be put on hold till further orders. He said, “We are proud of immense contribution by our sports persons and I assure them of a just consideration of all issues.”

The government notification had said that the money collected from athletes would be used for “development of sports in the state”. It read, “Onethird of the income earned by sports persons from professional sports or commercial endorsements will be deposited with the Haryana State Sports Council, amount to be used

for development of sports in the state.” It also said that “in case the sportsperson is treated onduty while taking part in professional sports or c o m m e r c i a l endorsements.”

Several people, including members of sports fields trashed the notification. Olympic silver medallist Sushil Kumar called it a burden. He said, “Sportspersons do these extra jobs to take care of their families.

The government should not burden us... Aspiring sportsperson will not be inspired by such moves.

This is the first time I have heard of such a notification.

The CM should review it.”

Fellow wrestlers Vinesh Phogat and Babita Phogat said the order was unfair.

Babita said, “Does the government even realise how much hard work a sportsperson puts in? How can they ask for one-third of the income? I do not support this at all. The government should have at least discussed it with us.”

human rights record

Akalis welcoming Amit Shah

C H A N D I G A R H : Shiromani Akali Dal president Sukhbir Singh Badal has stressed that his party remains a permanent ally of the BJP, and urged other alliance partners too to stand together ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.

Speaking to the press after his meeting with BJP president Amit Shah, he said there was no conflict between his party and the Bharatiya Janata Party. He said SAD members discussed strategy for the upcoming 2019 parliamentary polls with Shah at the meeting, which was part of the BJP's “sampark for samarthan” exercise.

Badal said his party wanted to appeal to all

NDA allies to come together for the polls. “The battle is just over six months away. Whatever differences may there be, we should forget those and make one plan,” he said.

Sources in SAD said the two parties have decided to form a six-member committee in connection with the 2019 polls. The panel will also take the development work by the NDA government to the people.

Regarding seat sharing between the two parties next year, Badal said, “We will form an internal committee which will discuss that.” BJP leader Tarun Chugh said, “Both parties are old and permanent allies.

KOLKATA: Fight between the BJP and the Bengal government has yet again erupted as a team of National Commission for Women (NCW) led by chairperson Rekha Sharma visited West Bengal's Nadia district to inquire about the alleged atrocities on women during the recently concluded panchayat elections in the state. Sharma accused the state police of not cooperating with matters related to violence against women and also criticised the West Bengal government led by Mamata Banerjee. She added that all human rights were under threat in the state.

Tagging the official Twitter handles of CM Banerjee, Home Minister Rajnath Singh, the Prime Minister's Office, and Ministry of Women and Chief Development, she tweeted, “West Bengal is in bad shape. All human rights are under threat.

Women in large number suffered all kinds of violence in last elections.

Sharma also visited the Shantipur police station in Nadia, alleging that the NCW committed was denied access to copies of FIRs. In her strongly worded comment, she said, “I am sitting in Shantipur thana, Nadia dist. Of West Bengal and asked for the papers concerning a rape case and a murder case and police has denied.

Even after showing the act of NCW the inspector is not buzzing. Total anarchy. Nowhere in India we have seen Dy. SP declining to provide files of accused on Gang rape & Murder in recent poll related violence.. is Police here to save criminals?”

The NCW team visited the state following violence during the panchayat elections that reportedly left six people dead and several injured.

HERITAGE HISTORY

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Asian Voice | 16th June 2018

Dr. Hari Desai

Vallabhbhai Patel and the Indian Muslims • Patel was for legitimate safeguards since minorities were not foreigners • He foresaw “Reunion of the Partitioned India” due to roots of Muslims

O

indivisible. One could not Wins Freedom”, Azad went ne would find condivide the sea or split the to extent of saying: tradictions in the running waters of a river.

“Jinnah may have raised history till the misThe Muslims had their the flag of partition but understandings are not roots in India. Their sacred now the real flag bearer resolved.

For Sardar places and their cultural was Patel.”

Vallabhbhai Patel, the centres were located here As Moin Shakir rightly Partition of British India in India. He did not know states in “Vallabhbhai was inevitable since his what they could do in Patel: A Biography of his experience in dealing with Pakistan and it would not Vision and Ideas”: “Patel the Muslim League in the be long before they began is a much-misunderstood Provisional or Interim to return.”(“The Collected man of Indian politics. His Government was troubleWorks of Sardar views, especially those on some and after the Great Vallabhbhai Patel” Volume the question of minorities, Calcutta Killings following XII- P. N. Chopra) are subjected to conflictthe Direct Action Day i.e.

One should not for16 August 1946, his get that the mind focused on how Constitutional rights to get rid of M. A. to the Minorities Jinnah and his day to including Muslims day tantrums. were more or less the After the lectures of gift of Sardar Patel Patel in Calcutta and since he chaired the Lucknow in the first Advisory Committee week of January 1948, on Minorities, there was hue and cry Fundamental Rights, about the Deputy etc., and presented the Prime Minister being Reports to the a n t i - M u s l i m .

Constituent Assembly.

Complaints reached “Certain issues which Mahatma Gandhi and had created much bithe had to defend the terness in the past Sardar. In fact whatever were settled by an Patel said at both the overwhelming majoriplaces was “the Muslims should give up Sardar Patel, a real friend of Muslims ty. In discussing the reports the Sardar dilemma and should appealed to the House to ing and contradictory not worry about their assessment. Many of the interests in India”. He misunderstandings may used to say that he was a be removed if they are “true friend” of Muslims examined in a proper perand cared for their interspective.” Though his ests. He believed that the critics may describe him problem of the Muslims, as fascist, communal and like that of the other anti-Muslim, none can minorities, was complicatdispute that Patel’s secued and required careful lar credentials were handling. Political agitabeyond any doubt. tion and communal quesEven when Maulana tions should always be Azad preferred to brand kept apart. him as “the real flag bearBut Mualana Abul er of partition”, Sardar Kalam Azad, the President Patel publicly declared in of Indian National the second week of Congress and first August 1947 that “Today Education Minister of free the partition of India was India, thought Patel “was a settled fact and yet it now convinced that was an unreal fact. The Muslims and Hindus could partition, he hoped, hownot be united into one ever removed the poison nation.” Though Maulana from the body politic of was opposed to the partiIndia. This he was sure, tion of India, he accused The Cover-page of Maulana’s would result in the Patel of being “an even “India Wins Freedom” seceding areas desiring greater supporter of the eschew heat and bitterto reunite with the rest of two nation theory than ness, to recognize the preIndia. India was one and Jinnah.” In his book “India

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Sardar Patel, a real friend of Muslims

Shankar mentions at least thoroughly unreasonable. four incidents to present He held that no the Sardar’s secular and Government would tolernone anti- Muslim credenate this. “We are not going tials: 1. He appointed Josh to drive them(Muslims) Malihabadi, despite his away. It would be an evil political affiliations and day if we started that game the community to which in spite of partition and he belonged, to a responwhatever happens.” Patel sible post as Editor of the expected a change of outUrdu magazine “Aaj Kal” look on the part of the under the Ministry of Muslim community too.

Information and They should forget their Broadcasting. 2. The first past and should involve Indian Chief themselves in the process Commissioner of Delhi of nation-building. whom he appointed , was a The Sardar is not Muslim-Khurshid Ahmad required to be defended as Khan. 3. He introduced the a man who was not antiUrdu language for All Muslim, but since his India Radio broadown colleague, M a u l a n a Next Column: cast. 4. When the daughter of the A z a d , Sardar Patel Nawab of accused him and Bhopal wanted of his bias of to visit her husbeing antithe Sikhs band in Pataudi Muslim, we during the disturmay present certain bances, Sardar decided to occasions indicating his take her himself and to liberal mind. And as Vidya arrange for the safety of Shankar, ICS, Private secthe husband and wife durretary to Sardar,1946-50 ing their stay in Pataudi. states: “Although he What more one should (Azad) has not spared say?

Gandhiji and Pandit (The writer is a SocioNehru, his worst venom political Historian. was reserved for Sardar.”

E-mail: In “Sardar Patel: Select haridesai@gmail.com ) Correspondence 1945-50”,

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sent state of affairs in the neighbouring areas and avoid the raising of controversies which could have unfortunate reactions elsewhere. The question of safeguards and other connected questions, the Sardar said, had often seen long discusses by various committees and in fact there was nothing new in them.” This was the stand taken by Sardar Patel in August 1947.

The secular credentials of Patel were beyond doubt. He was convince that in India, there could be no serious talk of a Hindu state. In a letter to M. B. Birla, he wrote: “I do not think it will be possible to consider India as a Hindu state with Hinduism as the state religion. We must not forget that there are other minorities whose protection is our primary responsibility. The state must exist for all irrespective of caste and creed.”

Moin Shakir adds: “ Patel knew that Pakistan’s antisecular policies would have an adverse reaction on the Indian people, if not on the government, but he bore no ill-will to Pakistan.

For him Pakistan meant ‘the hope of a final settlement of a brotherly dispute.’ We feel that satisfying the obstinate demand of a brother who had been part of a joint family would bring peace to both of us and prosperity for all.”

Patel’s views on the RSS and the Hindu Mahasabha throw sufficient light on his secular approach. He was critical of their philosophy and their political techniques.

He never subscribed to the ideas of a Hindu Raj and a Hindu culture to be imposed by force in India. He was aware of their anti-Muslim stance and termed it as

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INDIA

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India-China boost ties In a bold and much praised move, India was the only country in the 18th eightnation Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit to oppose China's ambitious Belt and Road Initiative. Modi, in his plenary speech, asserted that any mega connectivity project must respect sovereignty and territorial integrity of the countries. 'Connectivity with the neighbouring countries is India's priority. We welcome the connectivity projects which are sustainable and efficient and which respect territorial sovereignty of the countries,” Modi said.

A declaration signed by leaders of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) countries, including Modi, at the end of a two-day summit of the bloc said Russia, Pakistan, Kazhakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan have been “reaffirming” their support for China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).

India has been severely critical of the BRI, Chinese President Xi Jinping's pet project, as the $50 billion China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), passes through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). Modi said India cannot accept a project that ignores its core concerns on sovereignty and territorial integrity.

A fan of acronyms, he coined the acronym 'SECURE', which is short for Security, Economic development, Connectivity, Unity, Respect of sovereignty and integrity, and Environment protection.

Talking about the importance of linking the region with transport corridors, he said connectivity does not only mean geographical link but it

should ensure people-topeople contact.

“India welcomes any such project which is inclusive, sustainable and transparent. And which respects member states' sovereignty and territorial integrity. We have again reached a stage where physical and digital connectivity is changing the definition of geography.

Therefore, connectivity with our neighbourhood and in the SCO region is our priority,” he said. The PM added that India would like to extend all cooperation to the SCO and that the bloc gives India immense opportunities to enhance friendship with resource-rich Central Asian nations.

In his address, Xi also talked about BRI, noting that member countries should respect choice of development paths and accommodate each other's core interests and major concerns. “All parties will continue to work in line with the principle of mutual benefit to improve regional economic cooperation arrangements, enhance the Belt and Road cooperation and complementarity of our respective development strategies,” he said.

Prime Minister Modi attended the SCO Summit last week, in a two-day visit to Qingdao, China where he held nearly half a dozen bilateral meetings including with President Xi Jinping.

This is the first time he attended the summit after India and Pakistan became full-fledged members of the group which is jointly dominated by China and Russia. While he held bilateral talks with leaders from Mongolia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, and Tajikistan, the most hyped was his meeting with Jinping

Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the signing ceremony of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit, in Qingdao, China.

and the bon homie displayed by both the leaders.

Hindi-Chini bhai bhai?

On the sidelines of the SCO summit, Modi met with President of the host nation, Xi Jinping, during which they agreed to hold the next informal summit in India next year, along with resolving to continue efforts to ensure peace and tranquillity along the border.

In the country to attend the visit, Modi seemed more determined to reset ties between India and China after the damage done by last year's military stand-off at Doklam. On June 9, Modi and Xi covered key aspects of the bilateral engagement, reflecting the resolve by the two countries to reset relations and bring back trust in their ties. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said, “The two leaders exchanged views on bilateral relations and issues of mutual interests. They also reached important consensus.”

He said, “Both leaders

believe that their informal summit in Wuhan played a positive role in moving forward the bilateral cooperation. They agreed that the positive momentum should be cherished and they should implement the consensus reached in Wuhan.” Gene said they agreed to implement the consensus in areas of strategic communication and expanding people to people cooperation and move forward bilateral ties.

The meeting was held in cordial atmosphere just like the Wuhan informal summit and it will surely contribute to the sound development of bilateral ties. Both sides also agreed to have high-level exchanges, formulate new trade goals and establish high-level people to people exchanges led by the two foreign ministries.

Regarding the outcome of the SCO summit, Geng said it “breathed new life to the Shanghai spirit, which is mutual respect, mutual benefit, equality

consultation, respect for diverse civilisations and pursuit of common development.” He added, “In the past 17 years the SCO has been growing. This is attributed in the final analysis to the fact that the Shanghai spirit transcended the outdated concepts of clash of civilisations, cold war and mind-set. SCO pursues no isolated and exclusive clubs.”

Key features of the ModiXi bilateral meet: • President Xi suggested Modi that China and India should set up a new bilateral trade target of $100 billion by 2020.

• An agreement was signed between China's General Administration of Customs and India's Department of Agriculture, Cooperation and Farmers Welfare on Phytosanitary requirements for exporting rice from India to China. The 2006 Protocol on Phytosanitary Requirements for Exporting Rice from India to China has been amended to include the

export of non-Basmati varieties of rice from India.

• Both countries signed a bilateral agreement on continuing the sharing of hydrological data on the Brahmaputra river, which was stopped by China last year.

Addressing a press briefing here, Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale said, “The Chinese side also said that it will encourage our pharmaceutical companies to register for high quality Indian pharma products in the Chinese market. This was an important aspect from our perspective because we have been pressing for greater pharma exports into the country.”

In response to the Chinese President's suggestion for enhancing financial cooperation between the two countries and also helping trade, PM Modi conveyed to President Xi India's readiness to permit the Bank of China to establish its branch in Mumbai, Gokhale said.

INDIAN BILLIONAIRE CLAIMS POLITICAL ASYLUM IN UK Continued from page 1 Modi's shops and jewellery have been seized.

His bank accounts frozen and cars impounded. A chargesheet filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) at a court in Mumbai has reportedly named him a “wanted accused”. Also in the list are Choksi and 17 members of PNB staff.

CBI closes all doors for Modi CBI, meanwhile, has sent a request to the Interpol to issue a so-called Red Corner Notice (RCN) seeking Modi's detention.

The jeweller's escape has provoked an outcry in India with the Opposition and the public mounting pressure on Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The RCN request will empower police agencies of 190 member-countries to

locate and arrest Modi and Choksi.

Sources said Interpol will take a call on CBI's request soon, sources said. In its chargesheets last month, the CBI has claimed that Nirav Modi siphoned off funds to the tune of £649.82 million through his companies, using fraudulent LoUs issued from PNB's Brady House branch in Mumbai. Choksi swindled another £708.08 million, making it the biggest banking scam in India yet. Also a matter of probe is an additional loan default of over £500 million.

Is UK deliberately driving a dent in its relations with India?

It felt like yet another knife down India's back when reports of Nirav Modi seeking political asylum in the UK began to do the rounds. Authorities in New Deli have been hunting for

Baroness Williams met Minister Kiren Rijiju in New Delhi and discussed Nirav Modi's case with him

the fugitive magnate for months after he committed the country's largest financial scandals. Ever since he escaped the country, rumours have claimed that the tycoon is either in Hong Kong or New York. And now, his emergence in London only makes the UK the thriving hub of Indian émigré billionaires. Nirav Modi has now joined the ranks of liquor mogul Vijay Mallya and cricket tycoon Lalit

Modi. The latest addition has only irked the already displeased Narendra Modi government, which openly frowns upon the UK's role as a haven for its absconding uber-rich. The desperate Indian government find UK's perceived reluctance to send them home, rather perplexing. The frustration was evident with Modi's recent exchange with British counterpart Theresa May, when he not-so-subtly

hinted her not to question the standards of Indian jails. While it may not be so much the UK's fault that the Indian billionaires end up in London seeking asylum, as the rule of law is to be followed, it is also true that the UK profits a big deal by being a “favoured bolthole” for the fraud-committing rich brats.

Indians, without an ounce of doubt, are the biggest investors in London's prime property.

Several respectable, highyielding tycoons have even set up shop in the Capital.

So with India's bourgeois arriving each year to set up their base, the financial vibrancy of the city receives a boost. Several wealthy Indians hold British passports, and over half a million people of Indian descent live in London.

Britain's approach to India

is rather ironical. While visas appear to be made easily available for the wealthy, middle class Indians find it rather difficult to study and work in the country.

For Modi government, the UK's policies most probably seem back-tofront, creating a hostile environment for students and entrepreneurs, while leaving a widely-opened door and a flower garland for the “questionable” rich.

But then, can you really blame the UK for trying to woo Indian businessmen as it tries to settle down in a life outside the EU? Until then, to please the Indian government, May will have to build a much understanding relationship with the mainstream Indians - the ones who aren't sought back by the Indian government.

HEALTH & LIFESTYLE

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To Our Readers

We are publishing these items in good faith, kindly consult your Doctor before you try to implement any advice. We do not hold any responsibility for its efficacy...

Prostate cancer spit test trialled A spit test to detect men at increased risk of prostate cancer has started early trials.

The new DNA test looks for high-risk genes that are thought to affect one in every 100 men.

Three hundred men are taking part in the trials, from three London GP surgeries. Developing better diagnostic tests that could be used as part of a nationwide screening programme is a research priority for prostate cancer.

At present, there is no single, reliable test for prostate cancer. The PSA blood test, biopsies and physical examinations are all used. But the PSA can give false positives and sometimes misses more aggressive cases. The new DNA test was created by a group of international scientists based at the Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) in London. They studied more than 140,000 men and identified 63 new genetic variations that can increase the risk of

prostate cancer.

The DNA test combines those variants with more than 100 others previously linked to prostate cancer. Ros Elees, professor of oncogenetics at the ICR, said the study was "very significant".

Only those men found to be at higher risk of prostate cancer would then be scanned and have a prostate biopsy, so researchers hope it could prevent unnecessary procedures.

The trial will be expanded to 5,000 men next year. The study is published in the journal Nature Genetics and was funded by the the National Cancer Institute in the US, with additional support from the European Research Council, Cancer Research UK and Prostate Cancer UK.

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NHS staff vote for 6.5% pay deal More than one million NHS workers in England will receive a three-year pay deal worth 6.5% after staff voted in favour of the offer.

Hospital cleaners, nurses, security guards, physiotherapists, emergency call handlers, paramedics, midwives, radiographers and other NHS staff across England will receive the rise. They should now get the money in their July pay packets, backdated from April.

Thirteen unions voted for the deal and one against. The only union to reject the deal was the GMB. The agreement covers all staff on the Agenda for Change contract - about 1.3m across the UK which is the entire workforce with the exception of doctors, dentists and senior leaders.

Sara Gorton, head of health at Unison, said the three-year pay deal must not be a "oneoff".

"Health workers will want to know that ministers are committed to decent wage rises across the NHS for the long term, and that this isn't just a quick fix.

"Most importantly, the extra funding means the pay rise won't be at the expense of services or patient care," she said.

It is expected that additional funding will now be made available for health budgets in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, allowing pay negotiations to take place for health workers there.

GMB officials will meet next week to decide their next move after members rejected the deal by almost nine to one. Salaries will increase by between 6.5% and 29%, with some of the biggest increases for the lowest paid.

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Vegetarian diet linked to lower risk of heart diseases

People who follow a vegetarian diet are likely to have a lower number of risk factors for heart disease and diabetes, says a study of South Asians living in the US. Researchers, including one of Indian-origin, found that those who followed a vegetarian diet had a lower body mass index, smaller waist circumference and lower amounts of abdominal fat, lower cholesterol and lower blood sugar compared to people in the same demographic group who ate meat.

The study, presented at Nutrition 2018 meeting held in Boston, included data from 892 South Asians with mean age 55 years.

The results presented

by Sameera Talegawkar from George Washington University in the US also showed that the odds of developing coronary artery calcium were lower in men who followed vegetarian diet.

The team said that further studies were needed to determine whether vegetarian diet is cardioprotective.

Loneliness can double risk of dying early

Men and women who "feel lonely" are more likely to have worse mental health, heart disease conditions and die early than those "living alone", according to a study.

The findings showed that loneliness was associated with a doubled mortality risk in women and nearly doubled risk in men.

Both men and women who felt lonely were three times more likely to report symptoms of anxiety and depression,

Monday June 18, 2018 00:45 Tere Mere Phere 05:00 Bas Ek Tamanaa 07:02 Rang 09:45 Krishna Arjun 12:28 Teen Patti 15:25 Tanu weds Manu returns 18:05 Star Stop 19:00 Yeh Hai Judgement Hanged Till Death 21:53 Inteha Tuesday June 19, 2018 01:00 Hum Kaun Hai? 05:00 Good Buddy Gadbadi 07:23 Avinash 10:14 Ghatak 13:25 Awaara Paagal Deewana 16:49 Khoobsurat 19:25 1920 London 21:46 Four Pillars Of Basement Wednesday June 20, 2018 00:00 Naya Atish 05:00 Munna Maange Memsaab 07:25 Dharma Karma 10:05 Yes Boss 13:29 Woh 7 Din 16:30 Mr. Natwarlal 19:50 Machine 22:44 1920 London

and had a significantly lower quality of life than those who did not feel lonely.

The results were presented at the annual nursing congress EuroHeartCare 2018 in Dublin.

The study investigated whether poor social network was associated with worse outcomes in 13,463 patients with ischaemic heart disease, arrhythmia (abnormal heart rhythm), heart failure, or heart valve disease.

Thursday June 21, 2018 00:53 Cheetah The Leopard 05:00 The Silent Heroes 07:15 Jwalamukhi 10:00 Juaari 13:03 Lakshya 16:52 Keemat 20:15 Phobia 22:32 Hai Apna Dil Toh Awara Friday June 22, 2018 01:05 Jahan Tum Le Chalo 05:00 Titoo MBA 07:00 Woh 7 Din 09:55 Delhi Belly 11:55 Baazigar 15:24 Machine 18:18 Star Stop 19:00 The Killer 21:26 Phobia

Saturday June 23, 2018 23:45 Ragini MMS 05:00 Dam999 07:04 Krantiveer 10:03 Lakshya 14:01 Fox 16:30 Wah Taj 19:00 Ra.One 22:15 Jashnn

Sunday June 24, 2018 00:45 Madhoshi 05:00 Surkhaab 07:00 Baazigar 10:24 Dil Ne Jise Apna Kaha 13:25 Masti 16:57 Singh is Bling 19:50 Housefull 22:53 Fox

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Asian Voice | 16th June 2018

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'Kaala' frenzy grips Rajini fans ‘Race 3’

An internationally mounted story of a family that deals in borderline crime. Vindictive, and ruthless, there are twists and turns throughout the journey as Shamsher (Anil Kapoor) entrusts Sikander (Salman Khan) with a high profile heist.

Soundarya Rajinikanth challenges Dhanush

F

itness initiative 'Hum Fit Toh India Fit' kickstarted by Minister of State Youth Affairs & Sports, Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore seems to have gone viral. In the campain, one not only posts a video of them working out, but also challenge other people. Challenged by Rathore, Soundarya Rajinikanth uploaded a video of her working out at the gym too, challenging brother-in-law Dhanush and Sriya Reddy.

“Hey giys, let's all share this Thank you for inviting me to be a part of this amazing initiative respected @Ra_THORe sir #FitnessChallenge .. calling out to two crazy fitness freaks I know my brother in law @dhanushkraja & @sriyareddy to share videos too.”

Sri Reddy threatens to shame Nani again

S

ri Reddy, who has been making the headlines lately with her shocking revelations on the casting couch in Tollywood, has seemingly turned her attention towards actor Nani. In a recent Facebook post she wrote, “Nani + Sri reddy =dirty picture.. when??coming soon ..”. The post has triggered speculations that she might share a controversial photo or video of the actor soon.

In an earlier post, Sri had accused the actor of sexual harassment. She had stated that Nani had spoiled the life of an aspiring actress by making her life a living hell. “U act very well in the real life also..on screen also natural..U look natural..but that's ur mask.. U always play super drama in front of the people..big heroes are better in front of u, who has their parents grand parents support..all they are well mannered and well disciplined.. learn from charan, mahesh babu, jr.ntr such a great co stars..they dnt have ego at all.. and u have lot of attitude..U can't respect small directors who r upcoming,such a bad attitude u got that u r succeed..U got a kid recently great congratulations ..but be careful in your life, bcz u used so many girls vag.nas.. girls are still crying f**k..d by u badly.. but remember god always will be justice side..might be takes time to punish.. but u wl suffer.”

R

ajinikanth-starrer 'Kaala' has released all over the country amid massive protests by pro-Kannada activists across Karnataka. Tamil Nadu however, could benefit with the release as fans queued up at theatres as early as 4 in the morning to catch the first show. Just like with every other Rajini film, 'Kaala' too witnessed bursting of crackers, milk abhishekham and other other fanfare. The movie was not released in Bengaluru. One distributor Kanakapura Srinivas said that the film had not released anywhere in Bengaluru and

there were attempts to release the film in B and C Centres. He said Rajini was being updated of all the developments on the front and he was upset with what was happening in the state.

“There is a possibility that Rajinikanth might come to Bengaluru and talk to people concerned appealing them to make way for the film's release,” he said. Several organisations and people related to the Kannada film industry have been opposing the film's release in protest against statements made

by Thalaivar on the Cauvery water sharing issue. Rajini, who recently entered politics, urged the Centre to constitute the Cauvery Water Management Board in April. He had warned that failure to do so would earn the Centre the wrath of Tamil Nadu.

Several cinema halls in Karnataka, where it was to be screened, refused to show the film, leaving diehard fans of the Tamil superstar disappointed. Despite the Karnataka High Court's order directing the State government to take adequate steps to ensure a peaceful atmosphere for the screening of the movie across, multiplexes in Bengaluru are undecided on showtimes.

Dulquer Salman confesses his love for Nayanthara

D

ulquer Salman was in Chennai for an awards function lately where to everybody's surprise, he expressed his love for lady superstar Nayanthara. When asked what would his favourite dialogue be to say to the pretty heroine, he said he loved Atlee's 'Raja Rani' and had always wanted to say Jai's famous dialogue from the movie. “I love you Nayanthara. I always loved your work and been a great fan of yours for a long time,” Dulquer quickly quipped. Both the actors have never shared screen space and only came together on stage for the recently held Vijay TV Awards.

Nayanthara won two awards, Best Actress and Best Popular Actress, for 'Aramm', one of which was handed over by Salman. Labelled the Lady Superstar of the South, Nayan has a strong fan base across all southern states.

Shruti resumes shoot for Mahesh Manjrekar's next

S

hruti Haasan has finally joined the team of Bollywood director Mahesh Manjrekar's upcoming film in Goa to shoot her portions, taking some time off her international music-based commitments in London.

The next schedule of Manjrekar's gangster drama featuring Shruti Haasan and Vidyut Jaammwal will begin in Goa. Yet to be titled, the film is a period-based drama and is expected to be high on performance.

A source said, “It's been quite an exciting journey for Shruti as she is being guided by a master visionary like Mahesh Manjrekar on this film. He is an expert in making people get completely under the skin of the characters and help them breathe life into them in their own unique style. The film is in its second schedule and Shruti is really looking forward to seeing his shape up even better than what she read on paper. If sources are to be believed, Shruti's character is a major catalyst for several ups and downs in the movie.

After completing the shoot, she will resume work on her father Kamal Haasan's bilingual project 'Sabash Naidu'.

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Asian Voice | 16th June 2018

‘Raazi’ becomes New episode of 'Quantico' Alia's highest grosser upsets Indians

A

lia Bhatt's 'Raazi' is finally showing signs of slowing down, however, there seems to be no stopping of the film just yet. The spy thriller has been holding its fort and continuing to attract steady footfalls even in its fourth week.

fantastic storyline that was executed very well by director Meghna Gulzar.

Alia and Vicky Kaushal's unmatchable performances were just the cherry on top. Trade analyst Taran Adarsh tweeted, “Although biz dries up by the time most films reach

The movie on its 27th day, took its overall box office tally to Rs 117.34 Crore, cruising past Bhatt's 'Badrinath Ki Dulhania' collection of Rs 116.68 Crore and proving to be the actress' highest grosser yet.

The mere fact that a niche, women-centric film with a limited release has earned such a huge amount at the BO is not only unbelievable, it is tremendous. 'Raazi' made for a stellar project with a

Week 4, #Raazi proves an exception. Continues to attract STEADY footfalls.

[Week 4] Fri Rs 1.05 Crore, Sat Rs 1.70 Crore, Sun Rs 2.30 Crore, Mon Rs 85 Lakh, Tue Rs 80 Lakh, Wed Rs 80 Lakh. Total: Rs 117.34 Crore. India biz.”

While the current trends how a decline for 'Raazi' with Rajinikanth's 'Kaala' and Chris Pratt's 'Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom' releasing, it will manage to rake in Rs 120 Crore in its lifetime run.

Katrina and her romance with food

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ne look at Katrina Kaif and one would assume she doesn't see butter or oil within a mile. What not many people know is that the gorgeous Kat is a complete food and time and again gorges on good food.

“Food gets me going.

Nothing can cheer me up better than a good meal,” Kat said in a statement. The actress shared her foodie secrets as part of a campaign.

When it comes to Mumbai and Delhi, Katrina said she loves the street food. “I love street food and any street place that offers paya with kadak pav will instantly be a favourite for me. I can eat my heart out with paya and pav. I also love seafood, with prawns and crabs being my comfort food. Mumbai being a coastal city has some of the best seafood restaurants, especially around

A

recent episode of Priyanka Chopra's 'Quantico' has irked the wrath of Indians. After three years of steady praise and promotion of a Bollywood actor featuring as the protagonist of an American television show, the charm seems to have faded away. The latest episode features Alex Parrish (Priyanka Chopra) foil a plot by an Indian nationalists to carry out a nuclear attack in Manhattan and frame Pakistanis just days before a summit in Kashmir. Parrish thwarts the plot after noticing a Hindu symbol, the rudraksha on a chain worn by one of the terrorists.

Indian fans of the show feel betrayed by Chopra, who is now viewed as a quasiambassador for the country in the West. A prominent Indian journalist tweeted, “Wow. Power of the global jihad industry. Tainting Hindu nationalism through #Hollywood to cover up for world's greatest terror exporter, Pakistan. Amaze. #Quantico”. Indian author Anuj Dhar tweeted, “Have the makers of 'Quantico' outsourced scriptwriting to Digvijaya Singh?” Chopra has often faced the pressure of depicting India positively abroad. Just last month she was trolled for visiting a Rohingya refugee camp and highlighting the suffering of Muslims rather than Hindus.

Salman and Sanjay Leela Bhansali to reunite?

C

urrently busy with the promotions of his muchawaited upcoming action thriller 'Race 3', Salman Khan has a lot on his plate right now. With 'Bharat', 'Kick 2' and 'Dabangg 3' and a dance film with Remo D'Souza already in the pipeline it is being speculated that he has a collaboration with filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali in the offing. Khan added fuel to fire in a recent interview where he talked about his upcoming projects saying, “The films happening are 'Bharat', 'Dabangg 3', 'Sher Khan' the dance film, 'Kick 2' – when the script is

Soha not ready for a come back

S

and

Mahim Juhu,”

Katrina said.

Calling Delhi the best place for foodies, she said, “The street food here is something to die for, I think Delhi gives you a lot of options and variety to choose from. From chaat in Bengali Market to kebab and paranthe in Chandni Chowk, I would want to try everything. Delhi also has some good fine-dining options.”

ready. And, a Sanjay Leela Bhansali film... when he comes and narrates it to me.”

Khan and SLB have worked together for films in the past and made films like 'Khamoshi' and 'Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam', both that did really well at the box office. There were also reports that Salman was supposed to play the lead in 'Padmaavat', however, things did not work out and finally, Ranveer Singh was chosen. For the upcoming prospect, it is suggested that Bhansali is considering Deepika Padukone, his current muse, as the potential lead for the film along Salman. No official confirmation has been released as yet.

oha Ali Khan who is currently enjoying time with her beautiful daughter Inaaya Naumi Kemmu said she is not ready to work in full-length feature films just yet. When asked when the audience can see her again on the big screen, she said, “To do a feature film is a big-time commitment and I made that personal decision to give Inaaya a year of my life with as much as possible. I can step away for short periods of time and I didn't realise it is only going to become more difficult to step away and its never enough time. But I thought when she is old enough, I will take on more work. The thing is, she is 8 and a half months now and is ready, but I am not.”

Speaking at a launch event, she spoke about her approach to a holistic lifestyle given hectic urban life. “Absolutely.. it is very hectic and it affects you both internally and externally so I always believed in being healthy and my approach for that has been an enduring way even when it comes to my exercise. I enjoy doing yoga because it is something that I have been able to do over the years no matter where I am or no matter what I am doing, whether I was pregnant or not pregnant, it was form of exercise and meditation that I could continue.”

Soha also spoke about the importance for a woman to look after herself so that she can raise her child properly. “It is very true but I don't look after myself after becoming a mother, but today for the event, I am all dressed up with make up and stuff. If you look at me in my house... where I am not properly dressed and my hair is not done properly. Luckily, in my life, there are people like my husband, mother and in-laws who remind me to look after myself because if I fall sick, then it will have huge consequences on Inaaya so, it is very important to look after yourself and also important to be hygienic, clean and healthy which I have understood.”

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Asian Voice | 16th June 2018

Vinay Maganlal Bhimjiyani It is with great sadness and deep sorrow that we inform the great loss of beloved Vinay Maganlal Bhimjiyani, who passed away peacefully at the age of 65, in London. A prayer meet will be held on June 13, 8.30 pm to 9.30 pm, at Dhamecha Lohana Centre, Brember Road, Harrow, HA2 8AX

7 Asian children win UKMT Junior Maths Challenge In April, the Maths department invited students from Years 7 & 8 to sit th UKMT Junior Maths Challenge. The Maths Challenge is a national competition that encourages mathematical reasoning, precision of thought and fluency in using basic mathematical techniques to solve interesting problems.

Only the top 40% of scorers nationally are awarded certificates and this year UKMT had one student that not only

secured Gold but was invited to sit the follow-up round called the UKMT Junior Kangaroo Challenge, much like the JMC but harder.

Deeksha Pant in Year 8 was awarded the Best in School Award for her age group as well as winning the Gold.

Other winners were: Manraaj Pangali (Year 8), Samishka Khurana, Vaibhav Raj, Hassan Abbas, Yasmin Hassan, and Saran Somrah all in Year 7.

Coming Events

l The Datta Sahak Yoga Mission (UK) celebrates International Day of Yoga on June 21, 7.30 pm to 9.30 pm, at Harris Academy Purley, Kendra Hall Road, South Croydon CR2 6DT l Surrey Gujarati Hindu Society to hold their AGM on June 24, 3.00 pm to 5.00 pm, at The Archbishop Lanfranc Academy, Mitcham Road, Croydon, CR9 3AS. Bochasanwasi Shree Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha's head Param Pujya Mahant Swami is in Bhuj for his vicharan. Earlier, he was in Limbdi for five days, where he met his believers. Mahant Swami had reached Limbdi from Rajkot on June 3, where he urged everybody to maintain peace and be kind to every one. He addressed all his followers and spread a message of love and unity. Swami will be in Bhuj till June 15, after which, he will leave for Sadangpur on June 16.

Sneh Joshi

Man who drove car into nightclub denies murder attempt

Father who told kids they would 'find their mother's corpse' if they dialled 999 jailed

A man has admitted causing serious injury when he drove a car into a busy nightclub.

Mohammed Abdul, 21, of McMillan Street in Deptford, appeared via videolink at Maidstone Crown Court.

At least 13 people were injured when he drove a Suzuki Vitara into Blake's in Gravesend, Kent, on 17 March.

Mr Abdul is due to stand trial on 17 September charged with attempted murder and causing grievous bodily harm (GBH) by dangerous driving.

He admitted two counts of causing serious injury by dangerous driving, but denied three counts of attempted murder and two counts of causing GBH.

A father told his daughters police would find their mother’s corpse if they called 999 and reported his ‘appalling’ treatment of their family, a court heard.

Syed Rahman has been jailed after threatening to kill his wife of 17 years because she gave one of her daughters a drink without his permission.

In a separate incident, he berated her while holding a knife.

Manchester Crown Court heard how Rahman, 42, behaved in a ‘domineering’ and ‘controlling’ way towards his wife and their four children.

Rahman began shouting at his wife in front of their children - the oldest of which is a teenager and the youngest a baby - following a row over a drink at the family home in

Burnage, the court heard.

His wife said if he carried on she would leave.

Rahman then threatened to kill her if she called the police. The court heard that Rahman then told his daughters that officers would ‘find their mother’s corpse’ if they called 999.

He then threatened to ‘cut up’ other members of his family and said ‘police wouldn’t find their bodies’. Rahman’s three older daughters went upstairs and did not go down for

their evening meal because they were so scared.

They had a ‘genuine fear’ their father would kill or seriously hurt their mother, the court heard.

The following day, Rahman picked up a knife and threatened his wife.

One of the children told staff at their school about what was happening at home and police became involved.

During their marriage, Rahman, a taxi driver, had stopped his wife from going to the shops, and when he allowed her to leave the home he gave her a time limit, the court heard.

Rahman, who had no previous convictions, pleaded guilty to making a threat to kill and common assault. He was jailed for three years.

Three students have been banned from the University of Warwick after misogynist and racist messages made in a Facebook group chat emerged.

Student online papers The Boar and The Tab obtained screenshots from a group message, with one talking about raping "100 girls".

An investigation was launched and the university said one student had been banned from campus for life. Another two have been banned for 10 years.

A further two students are required to withdraw from the university for a year and will face disciplinary action, including fines, along with three others. One of the messages

revealed by the student news outlets said: "Sometimes it's fun to just go wild and rape 100 girls."

While another said: "Rape the whole flat to teach them all [a] lesson."

Another post included a racially offensive term and anti-Semitic language.

At one point, a user wrote: "Rape her in the street while everybody

watches," with another responding it "wouldn't even be unfair".

The messages came to light after two formal complaints were made to the university, which said an investigation was launched within 24 hours.

A total of 11 students were suspended from the university after the messages came to light.

Ealing Council has committed to tackling the improper use of blue badges across the borough and has issued a fresh warning to offenders that they face fines and prosecution if caught.

In the last year, the council has successfully prosecuted 70 cases of blue badge misuse in court and checked more than 2,180 blue badges, seizing those which had been cancelled, stolen and faked.

Blue badges are issued to people with serious mobility problems and disabilities and allow people who need extra help to park closer to their home or destination.

They can only be used by the named badge holder, or by a person who has dropped off or is collecting the badge holders from a place where the vehicle is parked. People using them incorrectly can be prosecuted. Recently, a driver who falsely displayed a

blue badge in Ealing faced one of the most expensive shopping trips of his life after being caught out by the council.

The man was stopped by council officers as he returned to his vehicle which was displaying an organisational blue badge in the window in Mattock Lane.

Under caution the driver said that the blue badge was issued to a care home, initially claiming that they had dropped one of the

residents there when they had parked the car.

However, when told they were being watched when parking, the driver admitted that they were alone. He then said he was parking with the blue badge to use the bank and go shopping.

The driver received a fine of £1,000 along with costs of £438 and a victim surcharge of £30 at Ealing Magistrates' Court, a spokesman for the council said.

Syed Rahman

University of Warwick bans students over hate posts

Man fined £1,000 for falsely using disabled blue badge in Ealing

The UK’s leading Vedic writer and TV personality

ARIES Mar 21 - Apr 20 Your social graces will serve you

well career-wise. Mixing business with pleasure will bring you benefits. You will achieve great success by being responsible and diplomatic. Ego confrontations with family members are possible now, but the best way to handle this energy is to do your best to strengthen your relationship with your family and your home base.

You’re likely to receive insights TAURUS Apr 21 - May 21 into where everything is going and these may shape your life for months to come. You can look forward to advancing both personal and professional ambitions from now onwards. There are opportunities to expand your sphere of operations and you and a partner could really go places.

Don't take short-cuts in legal or GEMINI May 22 - June 22 official matters. It will be only too easy to feel exasperated by bureaucracy but you won't be doing yourself any favours if you lose your cool. This is a fine time for you to get away from the mundane realities of life and relax. Some of you will probably go abroad.

CANCER Jun 22 - Jul 22 This week you will make your best progress by focusing your mental and physical energies on what you want to achieve.

Intense focus is what is needed now. The underlying trend seems to be pulling you into a much wider social circle now. This is bound to enrich your life and give you a deeper sense of purpose.

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The accent’s very much on relationships. The opening up of a more diverse social life is a point in favour of romantic attachments. You will achieve a lot more, especially when you're motivated by your own desires. The general pattern of things continues on a progressive and buoyant theme.

LEO Jul 23 - Aug 23

A great time to meet and interact with people.

Whatever your present interests you are likely to find that new doors open and the way ahead offers increased scope for expressing your real self. The opening up of a more diverse social life is a point in favour of romantic attachments.

VIRGO Aug 24 - Sep 23

LIBRA Sep 24 - Oct 23

You are in a brilliant period for increasing your earning power and you'll be busy taking charge of your finances. Achieving a sense of security becomes a priority. Although there is a lot of sorting out to be done in your relationship sector, it will not phase you as so many issues have already be dealt with.

SCORPIO Oct 24- Nov 22

There seems to be a danger of conflicts of duty between home and work. Your work is likely to take up a lot of your time which may generate some domestic strain. Try to balance these areas of your life. Some of you will be intent on expanding their mental horizons through meditation, yoga or by travelling.

020 8518 5500

Do not kid yourself that emotional problems can always be solved by material means. This only covers the cracks and does nobody any good in the end. Be prepared to confront the issues. If love has left you feeling rather dejected or cynical, it looks as though soon events will pull you out of this mood of despondency. All this may also demand some heavy sacrifices of personal freedom.

SAGITTARIUS Nov 23 - Dec 21

CAPRICORN Dec 22 - Jan 20

It is an excellent time for exercising your mental energies, clarifying your ideas and getting involved in discussion. Exercise caution when it comes to making financial decisions as being hasty will cost you ! Wait before going full steam ahead with grand actions and gestures. Focus on essentials and establish a solid foundation, so that you feel secure.

AQUARIUS Jan 21 - Feb 19

It's an excellent period for increased energy and motivation, so that new endeavors, whether they are business or health-related, or personal, fare especially well. You are more decisive and forward-looking now, and you feel that your decisions are right. With Venus in your opposite sign and Mars in your sign, love should be blossoming.

A good time for restructuring and rethinking your aims and interests.

You now have an excellent opportunity to sort out where things may be going wrong. The hard part is that you will have to be honest with yourself. Do not get over-anxious if everything seems to be in slow motion - it is time to pull a few strings. You are likely to experience some tension in close relationships.

PISCES Feb 20 - Mar 20

BANGLADESH STUN INDIA, WIN ASIA CUP

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Bangladesh created history as they beat favourite India by three wickets to win the Women's Asia Cup in Kuala Lumpur, on Sunday. Indian skipper Harmanpreet Kaur's allround show went in vain as Bangladesh came out on top over six-time defending champions to win their maiden title.

Before this edition, India had never lost a match at Asia Cup. Chasing a modest target of 113, Bangladesh openers Shamima Sultana and Ayasha Rahman got off to good start as they slammed few boundary early on to put the pressure on India. The duo put on a 35-run stand for the opening wicket, before Poonam Yadav's twin scalps put the breaks on the Bangladesh innings.

Poonam removed both the openers in the seventh over to bring out two new batsmen on the crease.

Fargana Haque and Nigar Sultana took the Bangladesh score past the 50-run mark. Poonam struck again and got rid of Fargana for 11. At this point, India were getting right back into the final, but in the 15th over of the innings, Nigar slammed three successive boundaries off the bowling of Jhulan Goswami to tilt the match in favour of Bangladesh.

Nigar then became Poonam's fourth scalp of the day as she was dismissed for 27. Fatima

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Jubilant Bangladeshi team

Khatun was the next to depart off the bowling of Harmanpreet for 9. Deepti Sharma conceded just four runs in the penultimate over of the innings, which meant that Bangladesh needed 9 runs off the final six balls. Rumana slammed a boundary on the second ball of the last over to put Bangladesh firmly in command.

However, Sanjida Islam and Rumana Ahmed then fell off fourth and fifth deliveries respectively, giving Bangladesh a target of two runs of the final delivery. Jahanara Alam swept the ball towards mid-wicket and a meek throw from the fielder ensured the batters returned home in time and won the match in thrilling style. Earlier, Harmanpreet slammed a quick-fire halfcentury to guide India to 112/9 in 20 over after the

'women in blue' suffered a major top-order collapse in the final.

Batting first, India openers Mithali Raj and Smriti Madhana got off to cautious start on the slow track at the Kinrara Oval.

In the fourth over of the innings, a suicidal piece of running by the Indian openers saw Smriti runout for 7. A 22-ball dry spell followed as the Bangladesh bowlers piled on the pressure on the Indian batters with some good bowling The pressure finally got the better of Deepti and Mithali as the duo departed in quick succession.

Anuja Patil was the next to depart as she was adjudged obstructing the field for coming in front of the throw in trying to get back inside the crease at the non-striker's end. Veda Krishnamurthy and

Harmanpreet Kaur tried to steady the ship from there on and took India's score past the 50-run mark. But Veda's vigil in the middle ended when she tried to sweep a ball and it crashed into her stumps off the bowling of Salma.

Wickets kept falling on one end but Harmanpreet started to deal in boundaries on the other to take the India score closer to the 100-run mark. In the penultimate over of the innings, the India skipper slammed back-to-back boundaries to complete her 50 off 38 deliveries.

The Bangladeshi team was coached by Anju Jain of India.

She was appointed as the new coach following a disastrous tour of Bangladesh to South Africa in which they were blanked in the ODI (5-0) and T20 (3-0) series.

Islamic scholar Obayed Hussain launches football league Obayed Hussain, an Islamic scholar, qualified football coach, and Equality Officer for the Birmingham FA has launched UK's first Ramadan Midnight League. Every Friday throughout Ramadan, over 150 people of all backgrounds from the Birmingham area have gathered together to take part in a roundrobin tournament overseen by FA-qualified coaches and exprofessionals under the lights from midnight until 2.30 am.

The 7-a-side league, hosted by the Birmingham Football Association at the Aston Villa Foundation, has encouraged other regional FA’s to follow

Players await kick-off for the Ramadan Midnight League at the Aston Villa academy

suit. During Ramadan, Muslims who fast for up to 19 hours a day, hardly find time and energy to exercise. The Ramadan Midnight League gives people to participate in the sport they love, without impacting fasting and prayer times.

What was originally set

up to provide Muslims with a space to keep fit during Ramadan has evolved into something bigger and has seen the wider community wanting to take part and to learn about the Islamic holy month.

Chief executive of the Birmingham FA, Kevin

Shoemake, supported the league’s ambition in bringing together people of all faiths, backgrounds and ages. Aston Villa legend, Shaun Teale, who suggests that ‘the next Mo Salah’ could be amongst the players, paying tribute to the profound effect the Liverpool player has had in shining a spotlight on Muslim sporting role models this year.

Obayed Hussain, the founder of the league, said: “The Ramadan Midnight League is about providing a space for people of all backgrounds to come together, to have fun and to keep active during a time of great importance to the Muslim community.”

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Asian Voice | 16th June 2018

Sachin’s son, Arjun, picked for India U-19 squad Arjun, Sachin Tendulkar's son, has been selected to play for India's under-19 squad. Arjun was once rejected by Aussie pace legend Dennis Lillee when he approached MRF Pace Academy in Chennai to train as a pace bowler.

Lillee advised him to train as a batsman. But it's as a pacer that Arjun, who will turn 19 this September, is seeking to make his mark.

The left-hander will be part of the junior squad that will tour Sri Lanka in July to play two four-day matches. The team will be accompanied by another legend, Sachin’s teammate and former India captain Rahul Dravid, who coaches the junior and 'A' teams.

Arjun's coach, Atul Gaikwad, said, “Arjun’s hard work has paid off.” He was roped in by Sachin himself to coach Arjun three years ago. It hasn’t been an easy journey for Arjun. “I’ve seen that boy very closely. From suffering back-to-back stress

Arjun Tendulkar

fractures three years ago to struggling with a spate of injuries, he has worked very hard to get here,” said Gaikwad. Having remodelled his action recently after suffering several injuries, Arjun can whip up good pace, the primary reason why the selectors opted for him. “On a good day, he can consistently touch 135 (kmph),” said Gaikwad.

Like any son born to a famous father, Arjun is bound to face the pressure of comparison and questions about whether he really deserves his spot.

Sunil Chhetri equals Messi’s record

Indian football captain Sunil Chhetri

Indian football captain Sunil Chhetri scored a brace to put himself on par with Lionel Messi and lead the home side to Intercontinental Cup title triumph with a 2-0 win over Kenya in the final in Mumbai on Sunday.

Playing in his 102nd international match, Chhetri struck in the eighth and 29th minutes to hand a dominant India the trophy to the wild celebration of the home fans at the Mumbai Football Arena.

The 33-year-old Chhetri's double strike capped a brilliant tournament which saw him score eight out of India's 11 goals and equal Argentine superstar Messi with 64 strikes for the country to be the joint second highest international goal scorer among active players.

He had scored three against Chinese Taipei, two each against Kenya in the league game and the final and one against New

Zealand. Chhetri gave India the lead off a setpiece, assisted by Anirudh Thapa. Kenyan defender Bernard Oginga gave away a silly free-kick to India for a high-boot on Chhetri after throw in by Pritam Kotal. The 20-year-old Thapa took the free-kick just outside the box and Chhetri connected the ball into the left-corner of the net.

The Indian captain doubled the lead just before the half-hour mark.

Anas Edathodika lofted the ball to Chhetri who controlled the ball nicely on his chest between Kenyan defenders Jockins Atudo and Micheal Kibwage before firing in a low left-footer from inside the box which gave absolutely no chance to keeper Patrick Matasi.

Chhetri had a chance to make it 3-0 and score another hat-trick but he shot over the bar off a freekick in the 43rd minute. At the half-way stage, India were 2-0 ahead.

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SCOTLAND BEAT ENGLAND

BY SIX RUNS IN ODI

Scotland beat world number one-ranked England by six runs in a thrilling one-day international at Edinburgh on Sunday.

Despite making a mammoth 371 for five, thanks mainly to Calum MacLeod's brilliant 140 not out, Scotland were in danger of defeat as England's Jonny Bairstow took advantage of a good pitch and short boundaries at the Grange to make 105. But a middle order collapse gave non-Test nation Scotland renewed hope.

England rallied again, thanks to a 71-run e i g h t h - w i c k e t partnership between Moeen Ali and Liam Plunkett. But pacer Safyaan Sharif sealed Scotland's victory with seven balls to spare when he had No.11 Mark Wood plumb lbw to spark a pitch invasion by jubilant home fans.

Scotland's first win in international cricket over England came in their first match since they were denied a place at next year's World Cup after a poor umpiring decision and rain saw them miss out in their final qualifier against the West Indies in Harare in March. "I'm lost for words, I don't know what to say," Sharif said.

"We've been waiting for this for so long. England are a brilliant side but scoring 371 against them means the world." The

Kohli presented with Cricketer of the Year award

Virat Kohli has won the Polly Umrigar Trophy for Indian cricketer of the year in the BCCI Awards function

Scotland players celebrate their win

International Cricket Council's decision to shrink the World Cup from 14 teams to 10 had already been heavily criticised long before Scotland and their fellow associate or non-Test nations impressed with the quality of their play in Zimbabwe.

Asked if Scotland had sent a message to the ICC with this win, Sharif replied: "I'm not going to say anything - they've seen it all today." This was an embarrassing reverse for 2019 World Cup hosts England ahead of their upcoming five-match home ODI series against Australia and a reminder of how Eoin Morgan's side have been undone in oneoff games, such as last year's Champions Trophy semi-final loss to eventual winners Pakistan in Cardiff.

"(Scotland) are a very dangerous side, I thought they played close to their best cricket today and we didn't," said Morgan. "It's not the end of the world for us, it was a really good run out and good to have a practice coming into the series against Australia," he added ahead of a fivematch campaign that gets underway at The Oval on Wednesday.

Scotland's total was their highest at this level, surpassing their 341 for nine against fellow non-Test nation Canada at Christchurch four years ago. Bairstow set a record by becoming the first England batsman to make three ODI centuries in successive innings but it was not enough to deny the Scots.

Scotland saw captain Kyle Coetzer and Matthew Cross share a century

stand after Morgan won the toss.

But they lost both openers in quick succession to be 107 for two. MacLeod, however, ensured a promising start was not wasted and together with George Munsey (55) put on 107 for the fourth wicket. The 29year-old former Durham batsman went to a hundred off just 70 balls, his seventh at this level and the first by any Scotland batsman against England. Jason Roy and Bairstow launched England's reply with a century stand but Bairstow holed out when he might have won the game. Test skipper Joe Root was carelessly run out and England then lost Morgan and Alex Hales off successive deliveries to be 245 for five.

Indian cricket team captain Virat Kohli was presented with the Polly Umrigar Award for being the best international cricketer for the 2016-17 and 2017-18 seasons at the annual BCCI awards in Bengaluru. The awards night also saw former England captain Kevin Pietersen deliver the MAK Pataudi Lecture. KP is the first foreign cricketer to deliver the annual lecture.

Kohli has been in a phenomenal form since the start of the 2016 season. He has been one of the busiest cricketers in the world playing 134 competitive matches and scoring 8,545 runs across formats, including the Indian Premier League.

In the 2016-17 season.

Kohli amassed 1,332 runs in 13 Tests at a phenomenal average of 74, while he averaged 84.22 for his 1,516 runs in 27 ODIs during the period. In the six Tests played in the 2017-18 seasons, Kohli scored 896 runs at an average of 89.6, while ODI average stands at 75.50.

Kohli will walk away with a prize money of Rs 15,00,000 for each season in the men's category,

while Harmanpreet Kaur and Smriti Mandhana, both of whom played a crucial role in India's impressive runners-up finish at the World last year, will become maiden recipients of the awards for best international cricketer (women) for the 2016-17 and 2017-18 seasons respectively.

To honour one of its finest administrators, the BCCI rechristened four awards in remembrance of Late Jagmohan Dalmiya.

Dalmiya Trophy was presented to the leading run-scorer and wickettaker respectively in the U16 Vijay Merchant Trophy and to the Best Junior and Senior Cricketer in women's cricket.

The BCCI has also raised prize money for nine categories by Rs 1,00,000 and the revised prize money is Rs 1,50,000.

The Cricket Association of Bengal has been adjudged the best State Association owing to their consistent performances in the BCCI domestic tournaments for the 2016-17 season while the Delhi and District Cricket Association gets the prize for the 2017-18 season.

Mizo boy Lalbiakkima stuns Olympic champ Dusmatov Nutlai Lalbiakkima, the young boxer from Mizoram, India, stunned the reigning Olympic light flyweight (49kg) champion, Hasanboy Dusmatov, to reach the 49kg semifinals of the President’s Cup tournament in Astana, Kazakhstan. In his first meeting with Dusmatov,

the young Indian defeated the Uzbekistan pugilist 4-1 to book his berth in the semis.

However, he couldn’t follow-up the high with a win in the last four stage as he lost his bout to Kazakhstan boxer Yerzhan Zhomart, the 2017 World Championships bronze

Nutlai Lalbiakkima

medallist.

Lalbiakkima comes from a very modest family. Pro boxing fights

w w w . d u b a i h o lida y s .c o

are popular among youngsters in Mizoram and Lalbiakkima was exposed to boxing for the first time in one such Pro tournament in 2009.

While he currently trains under 2010 Commonwealth Games gold medallist Suranjoy Singh in Navy Nagar,

Mumbai, back in 2015 these ‘pro’ fights were what sustained Lalbiakkima as the Boxing Federation of India was in a limbo then.

In fact, Lalbiakkima had emerged as the 2015 ‘pro’ champion and once the new federation was formed, he competed and

won bronze in the 2017 Nationals. He got selected at the Mizoram Regional Sports Authority Centre in 2011. The dream of becoming a wellknown boxer took shape in 2012.

“I played the 2017 Senior Nationals in Vishakhapatnam where I won a bronze.’’