AV 19th October 2013

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Democracy is the best model of governance for India: Modi

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Manmohan Singh, Queen Elizabeth and Rajapaksa

Protest against holding the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meet (CHOGM) in Sri Lanka is gradually impelling strength.

CHOGM summit is to be held in Sri Lanka during November 15 to 17 this year. While Tamils around the world and many international human rights organizations have called for an independent international investigation of

war crimes by Sri Lanka, the Commonwealth Council has planed to enthrone the alleged war crimes perpetrator Mahinda Rajapaksa as the “Commonwealth Chairperson in office” for the next two years.

The demands to banish Sri Lanka from the Commonwealth and to change the CHOGM venue out of Sri Lanka are Continued on page 26

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Over 115 killed in MP Asian Entrepreneurs help temple stampede fuel economic recovery The death toll in a stampede during the Navratri festival near a temple in Madhya Pradesh's Datia district has crossed 115, according to reports. The Madhya Pradesh Government has ordered a judicial probe into the untoward incident in

which more than 100 people were injured on the bridge over Sindh River near Ratangarh temple.

Survivors alleged that some people spread the rumour that the bridge was on the verge of collapse, resulting in panic.

Continued on page 26

With meteorological warning systems working efficiently and swift reaction by the Odisha government and the Centre, the strongest cyclone to strike India in the last 14 years began dissipating on Sunday, thwarted from its destructive potential by the mass evacuation of close to 900,000 people

into cyclone shelters in Odisha and adjacent Andhra Pradesh. Others sought safety in schools or temples in a matter of hours and days.

Roaring at more than 200 kmph, winds ripped through homes and tore down trees. A cargo ship was feared sunk, but the

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Several Asian companies celebrate landmark achievements by making it to the renowned Sunday Times Top Track 250 league table of Britain’s leading midmarket private companies with the biggest sales. The list of booming mid-market private companies are being heralded as 'the 10% club', of

Mass evacuation saves precious lives in Odisha

The recent announcement by George Osborne to relax visa rules for Chinese visitors has served a significant blow to the Indian community, who are seeing this move as nothing more than a

Continued on page 26

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China receives preferential treatment

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www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 19th October 2013

Keith Vazwith MP

Sona Jivraj

Keith Vaz MP vidual bride and think out of the box when designing such rather than the one fits all idea. I believe the best aspect of my current job role is when I have designed ‘the perfect wedding outfit’ for that special bride/groom.

There is a sense of gratitude they express that nothing can beat and it makes my job all the more worth-

Sona Jivraj was born in London in the year of 1980. Educated at the London School of Fashion, she opened Wembley boutique Sonas Haute Couture in 2004 soon after graduating, determined to make her ambition of becoming a fashion designer a reality.

Celebrated by clients for the precision cut, intricate embroideries and refined embellishments of her designs, she has attracted an eager customer base early on in this venture.

Having been established for nearly a decade, Sona has her finger firmly on the pulse of bridal fashion and style, using her knowledge to bring the latest catwalk trends, both western and eastern, to her customers. Sona has positioned herself to be one of UKs leading designers.

1) Please tell me about your current position?

I am the owner and designer of Sonas Haute Couture.

I am in charge of designing all collections from concept to completion which entails designing the garments, sourcing materials and ensuring that my vision on paper comes to reality with the help of my production team.

I also consult for brides & grooms who need a bespoke outfit designed for their special day. This involves understanding their requirements and altering designs we have in store or creating something unique. I work hand in hand with my clients to ensure that we can deliver for their special day.

As with any business owner my role varies from day to day and I spend a lot of my time on management and training. I am a firm believer that my products speak for themselves but also that the customer experience in SONAS is just as important.

2) What are your proudest achievements?

Working with Michelin-star restaurant Nobu Park Lane, I was approached to dress Nobu’s guests at a private launch event called ‘Enchantments of India’ at Mayfair Hotel in London.

I have designed collections for many key artists and renowned celebrities such as Mark Ramprakash MBE wedding outfit, Manrina Rhode’s (Rishi Rich’s wife) reception outfit and red carpet style pieces for celebrity Laila Rouass to name a few.

Most recently I designed a collection for artist Rahat Fateh Ali Khan for his ‘Voice from Heaven 2013’ live tour around the world.

3) What inspires you?

I live and breathe fashion; any culture or style. I am always inspired by trends from the past to modern day and how quick fashion changes.

People inspire me. I love to people watch and simply see what people wear and how they put things together for all events and occasions.

My inspiration can come from anywhere. People, music, television, or even a walk in the park. I believe the key is to be in an inspired state of mind and the inspiration will always come.

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

There are a lot of competitors in the fashion industry who tend to replicate and resell my designs. I strongly believe fashion is about individuality, and sometimes find it disheartening that people simply copy

my designs to pass as their own. However, it’s the name of the game and I’m constantly told to look at it as a compliment.

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

I would have to say my family, in particular my dad. I come from a background of family businesses and SONAS is no different. I am very blessed to have had the support and the drive from my family.

They constantly keep me on my toes and push me to expand and step out of my comfort zone. It’s great for me as I always have people I can trust around me which is crucial in business as well as people who give me honest criticism when needed. I know a lot of people cannot work with family, but I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Family support coupled with my passion for what I do has played a huge part in my success today.

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

As much fun shopping for a bridal outfit can be it can also be quite overwhelming for many brides who don’t know what they are looking for.

Designers should create bespoke garments to each indi-

China receives preferential treatment

Continued from page 1 Though the announcement can be seen as a thaw in relations with Beijing which have been stilled since Cameron's visit last year, the UK government has also voiced its wish to strengthen ties with India.

Why then is India and Indians not receiving the same response from the UK government?

With Britain's weakening economy, it has tried to strengthen its ties with India in the past, in a hope

to attract incoming investment.

Indeed, Indian investment has been very substantial over the last 5 to 10 years. Only after much deliberation, in March 2010, Indian businessmen were granted the privilege of having the option of a fast track visa at short notice. Though this was a step however, it has remained a strict option, given only sparingly to those doing business in India. It thus seems UK efforts to 'strengthen' ties

between the two countries are in vein, as recent disclosures by Theresa May proposing a discretionary £3000 cash bond on incoming visitors from India to the UK, has been proposed under the banner of forcing tourists under a high risk bracket to go back to India.

In fact, it seems to many more a stunt to decrease the number of Indians entering the country.

Fortunately, this proposal has not come in to force as yet, due to significant Lib

while.

The catwalks are a great buzz and I usually still don’t believe that it’s actually my designs on all these models when it’s happening.

Also, the ability to fuse eastern and western designs in my works and expressing my capabilities through my designs whether it be demure and traditional or high fashion with elegance. To put it simply, I love what I do and it gives me a great sense of achievement to see an idea come to reality.

7) And the worst?

Admin! Creative people don’t do admin. However business owners have to. So I would definitely say the administrative tasks of running the business take their toll on me every so often.

Also, having to keep a limit on number of designs I create for my store each Season. It is a common mistake for retail businesses to overstock more than necessary, inventory is key to many successful businesses.

8) What are your long term goals?

To establish Sonas Haute Couture as an International leading brand.

I’m looking in ways to expand using technology to tap a global market as we live in a

Dem objections, but the rhetoric is out there and comes, ironically, in conjunction with the new revelation to open doors to Chinese tourists. Why is this?

As George Osborne and Boris Johnson continue their week long stint in China, promoting the strong relationship UK and China have, relaxing visa rules for only the Chinese, displays a clear bias after the UK government have chosen to ignore the same

day and age where anything is possible – so any business needs to take advantage of this to keep up.

The Sky is the limit for us.

We have recently been getting more interest from central London clientele as well as buyers abroad which is very positive for us. We pride ourselves in that most of our clients come from referrals which means we must be doing something right, and our growth plans include ensuring that our relationship with our brides and grooms as well as the quality of our outfits are the main priority. We are confident with that element being mastered the rest will follow.

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

Immigration – I would look to put stricter measures to ensure that migrants were adding value to the UK economy and not at the expense of the UK residents. The countries Benefits and Health systems are being put under immense stress due to the influx of migrants who do not wish to work and just claim benefits.

The UK is seen as an easy country to reside in due to its benefits.

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

Gandhi – to learn and understand his philosophy of life. Gandhi had a different view to real life problems which I feel are lacking in today’s world. His philosophy on everything was to tackle any problem with love. If I sit with him I would understand how such a great mind works. It would be interesting to see what separates a man like him from all other humans who were all born equal and maybe even take a small bit away from him would be invaluable.

interest for India, the world's 3rd largest economy ($4.8 trillion GDP), only narrowly following China by $7.4 trillion, despite being smaller in size.

Another significant factor in this case is that Osborne announced on Monday, “let me make this clear to you and to the whole of China. There is no limit to the number of Chinese who can study in Britain.” In what way can the UK government justify relaxing restrictions for Chinese students, when there are more Indian stu-

dents who are keen to come to the UK and who mostly speak English more fluently than the Chinese?

It is true that in February, Osborne held a series of prolonged talks giving promises to Indians that they would have unrestricted access to the UK for study, but these have since been regarded as false promises.

This new announcement has undoubtedly struck a chord with the Indian diaspora, who have felt that Indian potentials and inputs are being ignored.

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COMMENT

Sachin Tendulkar: A glory departs

All good and great things have their end, as they do their beginning. Sachin Tendulkar’s international cricket career which began in 1989, at the tender age of 16, is to close next month against the touring West Indies side. The two scheduled Test matches will be Tendulkar’s 200th, a record unlikely to be equaled, let alone surpassed, anytime soon. The same is true of his 100 international centuries, including 51 in Tests and an aggregate of 15,827 runs, and 49 hundreds in ODIs. Tendulkar’s awesome gifts with the bat make him the greatest of all Indian batsmen; his technique classical, his aggression fearsome. His range of shots has been phenomenal – three for every ball, said Australian champion Greg Chappell, who ranked Tendulkar among the ten greatest batsmen he had seen. Another former Australian Test captain, Steve Waugh, described him as the “Don Bradman of our times,” while the non parallel Sir Don himself likened Tendulkar to his own youthful incarnation, including him in his team of all-time greats. Tendulkar’s Australian contemporary, the legendary wizard of legspin, Shane Warne, was in no doubt that Sachin was the greatest batsman he had played with or against, “then came daylight, after that Brian Lara.”

Tributes from all corners of India and the cricketing world have been pouring in thick and fast. The status that cricket enjoys in India today is largely due to his giant presence: player extraordinary, unsullied by fame and fortune, courteous, sporting and approachable, the personification of the game’s noblest traditions, and a role model without peer.

Sachin Tendulkar cast a luminous light on the

Indian nation. When he arrived on the scene, India was riven by social and political discord, and an economic crisis that threatened its future well-being. The exploits of the emerging icon began to hold the country in thrall, transfixed by his genius, his dedication to his craft, and the pride and joy he felt in playing for India. This has been Tendulkar’s abiding passion.

Having dedicated his match-winning century in December 2008 against England to the people of Mumbai, still traumatized and reeling under November’s terrorist attack on the city; but he made it clear that although a son of Mumbai, he was the son of India as well, that his first loyalty always was to India and the inalienable right of Indians to live in place of their choice in the country – an oblique reference to Mumbai’s Shiv Sena’s targeting of the city’s Bihari population.

Sachin Tendulkar, together with the brilliant supporting cast of Rahul Dravid, VVS Laxman, Virender Sehwag, Sourav Ganguly and Anil Kumble, helped knit Team India into a formidable combination, driven by the self-belief that they could take on and beat the best. There will be life after Tendulkar, in Indian cricket and beyond its boundaries. The Indian game may feel orphaned for awhile, but other hands will assuredly take up the Tendulkar mantle and climb the heights, without perhaps reaching the Tendulkar pinnacles of greatness. Such is the law of life: from dust comes creation in a never ending cycle. All India will be rooting for Tendulkar’s departure in a blaze of glory. Then the slow, majestic descent of the curtain.

Thanks for the show, Sachin. Thanks for the memory.

The Eurozone economic crisis and the US economic slowdown makes it imperative for India to cast its net wider for markets, investment opportunities and a secure resource base. The Look East policy is paying dividends with ASEAN, an encouraging start has been made in Latin America; now the giant African continent beckons. Putting Indian and African heads together to forge a plan of action on a platform of currency stabilization and food security to the benefit of both parties, a trade figure of $200 billion has been chalked out as a goal for 2020. Such was the outcome of the visit to Johannesburg by Indian Minister of Commerce and Industry Anand Sharma for the third India-Africa Business Council (IABC) meeting. On the agenda was a comprehensive discussion on telecommunications, healthcare and aviation cooperation and ways and means to improve connectivity between India and Africa. On food security, India made it clear that it would not compromise on its determination to meet the needs of the most vulnerable sections of its population, the reference being to the World Trade Organization’s suggestion that the measure constituted a violation of acceptable trade practice. Protecting the livelihood of the poorest Indians and Africans was best practice, Mr Sharma averred. He pressed for fast tracking talks on a free trade pact between the 19-nation Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA).IndiaAfrica trade crossed $70 billion in 2012 and is expected to reach $100 billion by 2015. The Minister said: “We are aiming at $200 billion bilateral trade with the African nations by 2020 and strongly feel that this can be achieved without any difficulty.”

Terming the partnership as distinct and strategic, he said that the governments of India and Africa were providing new opportunities for both parties to achieve robust growth through transnational trade, institution building, human resource development and productive investments. Mr Sharma noted that a large number of African and pan-African institutions had been established on the continent for capacity building and skills development. He appealed for an expeditious agreement with the Southern African Customs Union (SACU) which includes Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia, South Africa and Swaziland. Five rounds of talks between India and SACU had been held and a number of issues still needed sorting before the accord got its final shape.

However, there is another dimension to India’s presence in Africa. The trilateral Indo-US-Africa programme on agriculture being driven by the Jaipur-based National Institute of National Marketing (NIAM) has opened up new vistas in knowledge sharing with the Officers of Agriculture from Africa. They are playing an enabling role in meeting the challenges of local food security and globalization. NIAM, being a centre of excellence in training in agriculture marketing, is presently training agricultural officers from Kenya, Liberia and Malawi under this trilateral endeavour. The needs of the three states vary, with Liberia the poorest, thanks to its decade-old vicious civil war, now happily ended. Hence Liberian needs are the most extensive, from water and crop management, technology skills. The road ahead may be hard but the future is bright. India is in the right place at the right time.

On Saturday, October 12, the mortal remains of the legendary General Vo Nguyen Giap were laid to rest in the north Vietnamese village where was born over a century ago. But life moves on and there is much business to accomplish by the new Vietnam, which the great man’s heroism did so much to create. The Indo-Vietnam relationship is the pivot of India’s engagement with ASEAN. No other bilateral relationship in the region is as important to India, encompassing, as it does, defence cooperation at the highest level, science and technology traffic, trade, and oil exploration in the South China Sea. Its further consolidation will receive a major boost with the visit to India of the Vietnamese Communist Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong early next month.

Security ties between the countries were always close, but China’s rise and its muscle-flexing over contentious borders – land in India’s case, maritime in Vietnam’s – have brought the partners into a warmer closer embrace. Chinese bellicosity over India’s help to Vietnam in oil exploration off its coast in the South China Sea was the riveting

bolt in the widened the Indo-Vietnam paradigm.

New Delhi cast off its earlier timidity, opting for a more robust posture in its China policy, while Vietnam, which had repelled a Chinese invasion in February 1979, had fewer qualms about confronting its truculent neighbour to the north. Thus India-Vietnam defence cooperation at present is closest in military aviation and submarine training and the transfer of medium-sized Indian warships and missiles to its partner. Of significance in such cooperation is that both partners were reared on Soviet military technology and therefore possess a large range of contemporary Russian weaponry.

This has helped Vietnam’s military modernization, including aircraft upgrades. Commercial ties are growing and there is close political consultation between the two countries at ASEAN conferences, with Vietnam a member of the bloc and India an observer. Indian warships have visited Vietnam’s Nha Trang port, located near the strategic Cam Ranh Bay and there will be no let up in India’s oil exploration on Vietnam’s behalf in the South China Sea.

India-Africa: Forging a partnership

India-Vietnam set to strengthen

3

"Nothing will ever be attempted if all possible objections must first be overcome."

Dr Samuel Johnson (1709-1784)

The Politics of Economics I’ve just returned from Delhi, Chandigarh, Amritsar, Lucknow, Bangalore, Hyderabad – all in one month. As I commented on my new InvestingBetter.com – India just can’t ‘catch a break’ recently.

Well the IMF said growth is going to be even lower. And now even the Gods are harassing the country with a tropical storm. In a country like the USA that does not impact GDP, but in India which is around 25% agrarian – it does indeed.

Discussing Indian GDP, the country's output is expected to be lower than previously estimated.

The International Monetary Fund has announced that it expects India's GDP to come at 5.6% for 201314, which is 0.2% lower than previous estimates.

This estimation comes as an aftermath of several key economic indicators missing estimates earlier this year, with Industrial Growth and Merchandise Exports being the most notable sectors. This will be reflected on the SENSEX as well, although the index is near all-time highs a lot of short-term downward pressure is expected at least until next year's elections.

Coming to the issue of the Indian Rupee, the currency is now at an alltime low against the Dollar and this should lead to more inward investment in the long term. This currency depreciation has been the outcome of the developments in the 'more advanced' world as emerging markets' economies has seen large outflows of capital, a decline in equity prices and a weakening in currency strength.

However, I don't

expect any serious developments on that front until the elections, the situation would still be too uncertain for any serious investors move on this but in the long run the rupee is bound to rally.

Inflation is another major issue to tackle when it comes to India's economics. Earlier this year the Reserve Bank cut its policy rate for the first time in three years trying to boost growth but inflation remained stubbornly high and now the country is facing a rather difficult puzzle to solve as growth seems to slow while prices continue to move higher. At the same time the budget deficit makes government's subsidies unsustainable and this is bound to squeeze spending, making it harder for the central bank to revive the economy while battling stagflation risks.

On the interest rates policy, the newly appointed RBI Governor Raghuram Rajan ordered a rise in the benchmark interest rate from 7.25 to 7.50 percent at a midquarter policy review in Mumbai. This is a bold move from the new central banker that caught analysts by surprise but Rajan quoted that “bringing down inflation to more tolerable levels warrants raising the repo rate by 25 basis points immediately”. We will have to wait and see whether "The Guv" is up to the task to prop up the weak rupee and revive the slowing economic growth while curbing the rising inflation.

Politics are getting in the way as ever of Indian economic growth, but now, with the election and international community like IMF bearing down – it’s worse than ever.

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MIDLANDS VOICE

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 19th October 2013

Raihan's visit to Downing Street Crown Hills Community College and works for Phones 4u in the city centre, said: "It was great to visit Downing Street and even more special as I got to wish the Prime Minister happy birthday and shake his hand.

I also got to meet Sinitta, who I recognised from The X Factor.

"She is an ambassador for the Diana Awards. I was very pleased to see her as I am interested in making music."

Raihan said he had always been keen on taking the lead whenever there was something to organise.

His aim is to start his own charity. The idea originated from a visit to Baghdad earlier this year.

He said: "Seeing all the kids on the street without shelter or even any drinkable water was an unforgettable experience which left me determined to try to do something about it."

The Diana Princess of Wales Memorial Award for Inspirational Young People was established in 1999 by a board chaired by former Prime Minister Gordon Brown, who felt the award would reflect the personal

interest of Diana in supporting the outstanding achievements of young people.

Bradford is celebrating after winning the Curry Capital Crown for 2013 and for being the first city to clinch the title for a third year in a row.

Bradford's bid included the creation of a limited edition curry flavoured crisp, Patricia Tillotson, Visitor Economy developed by local Manager Visit Bradford, Kevin Butterworth, company Seabrook Marketing Director at Seabrook, Shabir and Bradford restau- Hussain, Owner of Akbar’s Restaurants rant Akbar's.

Spice and Zouks.

Patricia Tillotson, Coun Susan Hinchcliffe, Bradford Council's Visitor Bradford Council's Executive Economy Manager, said: Member for Employment, "Our bid was an incredibly Skills and Culture said: "I'm strong submission and we're delighted that Bradford has immensely proud of our won Curry Capital of Britain efforts. for the third year running.

"The 2013 restaurants "It just shows we're and the team representing the unbeatable as a city. I want to City in the last 12 months thank our superb restaurants, have worked incredibly hard the Bradford tourism team on charitable events which and of course Seabrooks included a charity dinner and crisps for making the bid that a Poppadomathon which extra bit special this year. have all contributed to us They have all contributed to winning." this wonderful success."

Those restaurants who The Bradford bid crisps have supported the bid are available across the UK in include Aagrah, Akbars, the Asda and Morrisons Kiplings, Omar's, Shimla stores.

Muslims at a mosque feared an attack after a teenager daubed graffiti outside the building following the killing of soldier Lee Rigby, a court heard.

Worshippers at Oadby Central Mosque believed they could be assaulted after "EDL" – a reference to the English Defence League – was scrawled on a charity clothing bin outside the building.

Prosecutor Safina Desai told Leicester Youth Court how the 17-year-old graffiti vandal wrote "EDL" on the bin in Sandhurst Street days after the attack on Mr Rigby in London on May 22.

In a victim statement read out in court, Muhammed Katib, chairman of Oadby Central Mosque, which is also a community centre, told how Muslims were in fear of being attacked. After the killing of Mr Rigby, mosques had been set on fire. "We were on red alert and very concerned about what had happened.

We were fearful that the mosque would be damaged or set on fire or people would be attacked," said Mr Katib.

Mrs Desai said the defendant, who is from Oadby and cannot be named because of his age, was arrested after police identified his "tag'' – a signature – on the graffiti.

When his home was searched, police found pens that matched the colour of the graffiti on the bin.

The teenager pleaded not guilty to two charges of racially-aggravated criminal damage on May 13 and between June 6 and 11. He was convicted of both offences after a two-day trial at Leicester Youth Court on September 17.

Alan Mee, representing the teenager at the sentencing hearing, said the 17-yearold regretted what he had done. The teenager said: "I am sorry if I caused any grief or fear or anything."

The youth is to be electronically tagged for two months and must observe a curfew between 9pm and 7am every day.

Mr Chater told the teenager: "I think on reflection you understand what you did and how something like this affected the community."

have targeted white girls.

But the report exposes how – in the majority of cases – Asian offenders will groom members of their own community, feeding them drink and drugs and silencing them with promises of marriage to conceal the abuse.

It said: “When the family became aware of any abuse they re-victimised them, which meant not believing them, blaming them, forcing them into a marriage, forcing them to leave the family home and in one case forcing the victim to have hymen repair surgery prior to a

forced marriage.”

It also reveals that victims were vulnerable to being sexually exploited by gangs, as they had a limited knowledge of sex, suffered from disabilities, or were seeking to escape a harsh background.

Shaista Gohir MBE, from MWN Birmingham, said “In our research, the majority of victims of sexual exploitation were Muslim and two thirds – about 66 percent – were of Pakistani background. When victims were Pakistani, the offenders were also Pakistani. The

Pakistani girls were being abused by Pakistani men from their own communities and being passed around for sex.”

Nazir Afazl OBE, the Chief Crown Prosecutor of the Crown Prosecution Service, said: “We know that women and victims from minorities are even more reluctant to report these crimes, in part because of honour and shame issues. It is the availability of victims coupled with their vulnerability that leads to them being targeted by these predators.”

A fund-raising student who won an award for his community work has visited 10 Downing Street to tell his story to people who received the same honour this year.

Raihan Latif, of Evington, was nominated for the Diana Princess of Wales Memorial Award by his tutor, Martin Ham, last February.

The 17-year-old's community work started by helping his mosque raise £20,000, and then spread to other organisations, including his school, and other faith groups.

Raihan, who attends

Bradford wins Curry Capital hattrick with curry flavoured crisps

Raihan Latif receiving his Diana award from Sinitta

Mosque graffiti left worshippers in fear of attack

Sex gangs target Asian girls because they are too ashamed to report abuse

Grooming gangs are targeting Asian girls because they are too ashamed to report attacks to the authorities, a damning report has revealed.

The study by the Muslim Women’s Network UK (MWN), based in Birmingham, shows that offenders will target vulnerable youngsters of the same ethnicity – but rely on the Asian and Muslim culture of honour and shame to mask their crimes.

The study titled Unheard Voices followed a series of high profile cases about gangs of Asian men who

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Ex-England star opens sports centre

Former England cricket captain Mike Gatting has officially opened a sports centre. Kulvinder Sidki, chairman of Leicester Sports Centre, in Freemans Common, said its main purpose was to promote indoor cricket, football and netball.

Mike Gatting, with Kulvinder Sidki and guests including Leicestershire players Josh Cobb and Shiv Thakor

He said: "Indoor sports are not as popular in the UK as they should be."

The sports centre, which has been privately funded, has two indoor pitches.

Mr Sidki said more than 400 people turned up to look around and join in a game of cricket on the opening day.

"We don't just provide a sporting facility, we want to work within and serve our community," he said.

Volunteers for faith communities join together as part of special Sewa Day

Volunteers from faith communities all over the UK gathered to celebrate a special day of service to needy people. They took part in Sewa Day on October 2, which aims to encourage people to sacrifice their time and resources for the benefit of others without wanting anything in return.

Sewa Day volunteers Hurrit Singh, Sharen Ravat, Kartar Singh Bring, Chelsea Bennett, Jakob Whiten and Bharti Acharya at the Sanatan Manavta Day Centre in Belgrave, Leicester

In Leicester from the St Philip's Centre, in Evington, joined members of the city's Buddhist, Hindu, Jain and Sikh communities for an event called Talk over Tea at the Sanatan Manavta Day Centre, in Belgrave.

Riaz Ravat, from St Philip's Centre, said: "Sewa Day is a wonderful time of the year when the spirit of selfless service is clearly demonstrable."

Sewa Day took place across the UK and globally with over 75,000 volunteers took part from 25 countries (including Australia, Bosnia, Hong Kong Kenya, Russia, UAE and USA) and over 250 projects (UK/ World) and with global corporate partners such as BP, Canal & River Trust, Deutsche Bank, Ernst & Young, Goldman Sachs, Lloyds, PwC & The National Trust amongst many others.

In the UK support came from across the political divide, including Labour MP for Brent North Barry Gardiner and Conservative MP for Croydon Central Gavin Barwell as well as involvement from well known Asian celebrities such as Navin Kundra and Avina Shah.

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 19th October 2013

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Asian Entrepreneurs help fuel economic recovery

Continued from page 1 According to the Top Track 250 report, as a group the 250 companies brought in almost £68 billion in revenues last year – equivalent to 4.5% of the country's gross domestic product. These companies are based all over Britain and employ more than 400,000 people with over 36,000 staff joining them in their latest year of trading.

Below is the list of the strongest Asian performers amidst the group that have topped the mid-market leader board in 2012. The annual Top Track 250 league table, compiled by Fast Track, ranks the next 250 UK companies after the Top Track 100 for their latest sales – either those with increased sales or operating profit. The title sponsor for this year with its strong representation amid dynamic companies in the UK mid-market, was Grant Thornton. Barclays also sponsored the list.

Top Track 250 List of Asian Companies Lycamobile – Sales: £633.3m, Profit: £11.3m Lycamobile's customers use its prepaid mobile SIM cards to make high quality, low-cost international calls.

Founded in 2004 by Subaskaran Allirajah, 41, the London group says it has 30m customers and employs over 7000 people.

Southall Travel – Sales: £283.4m, Profit: £13.4m Originally a niche business selling flights to British Asians travelling to India, Southall Travel has transformed itself since chief executive Kuljinder Bahia, 40, took over in 1997 at the age of 24. The company now arranges flights and package holidays, as well as car hire and insurance, and has a growing corporate travel division.

99p Stores – Sales: £270.2m, Profit: £7.3m Operating from 225 stores in Britain and 3 Euro 50 Stores in Dublin, this discount retailer continues to expand. It launched its first Scottish store in Ayr in July, and has announced a threeyear plan to open a further 20 north of the border. Chief executive Nadir Lalani, 64, founded the business in 2001.

United Wholesale (Scotland) – Sales: £202.5m, Profit: £2m Mohammed Sarwar – elected Britain's first Muslim MP in 1997 – set up United Wholesale (Scotland) in 2002. The Glasgow cash-and-carry firm sells groceries, alcoholic drinks and tobacco. It also supplies 100 independent shops, operating under the Day-Today banner, and its website, todaysgreatdeal.com, offers discount vouchers for groceries, clothing and holidays.

Day Lewis - Sales - £200.9m, Profit - £17.7m This pharmaceuticals retailer was founded in 1975 when chief executive Kirit Patel, 63, bought his first shop, in Southborough, Kent. The company now has 215 outlets across the south of England and a distribution and wholesale business.

JJ Food Service - Sales - £180.6m, Profit - £2.4m This Enfield company sells food, catering disposables and cleaning materials to independent fast-food establishments. Mustafa Kiamil, 57, established JJ

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 19th October 2013

Food in 1988 and now has eight depots across England, delivering to restaurants, pubs and snack vans.

VIP Computer Centre – Sales: £180.6m, Profit: £2.4m Serving smaller retailers and highstreet chains, this IT wholesaler distributes components and software for PCs. The Warrington-based company also assembles computers following its acquisition of CMS Computers in 2011. It is led by founder Jatti Sahni, 47, and his wife Avneet, 42.

Radisson Blu Edwardian, Sales: £164.5m, Profit: £33.4m In partnership with the global hotel brand Radisson Blu, Edwrdian operates 14 luxury hotels in London, Manchester and Guildford. Despite a dip in coporate business, founder Jasminder Singh, 62, says he is spending £300m on refurbishment and new acquisitions.

Kingsland Wines and Spirits, Sales: £161.3m, Profit: £3.9m Kingsland claims that it accounts for one in every 15 bottles of win consumed in the UK, supplying branded and ownlabel wines and spirits to customers including Tesco, the Co-op and smaller independent retailers.

Arora Holdings – Sales: £157.9m, Profit: £21.2m Surinder Arora, 55, founded his hotel chain in 1999 after running bedand-breakfast services for Heathrow's airline staff.

The group has seven hotels near Manchester, Heathrow and Gatwick airports, and plans to develop more at sporting venues.

East End foods, Sales: £146.6, Profit: £5m This company is one of the largest importers and processors of ethnic foods in Britain, supplying the main supermarkets as well as 70% of independent Asian retailers and restaurants. It was started when Tony Deep Wouhra, 71, and his four brothers opened a store in Wolverhampton in the 1970s to provide Indian food to recent immigrants.

IDIS, Sales: £145.6m, Profit: £11.6m Idis supplies patients with medicines that are not routinely available in their own countries, The Surrey company sources 20,000 medicines for healthcare provides and pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies. Backed by CBPE Capital, the company is led by managing director Tony Dutta, 50.

Sun Mark, Sales: £142.3m, Profit: £9.8m Rami Ranger, 66, set up his wholesale business in 1995, distributing food and other products to stores mainly in the Middle East and Africa. Sun Mark makes its own ranges and distributes on behalf of multinationals, including Unilever, Kraft and Heinz.

Elbrook Cash and Carry, Sales: £129.2m, Profit: £2.3m Fukhera Khalid, 44, started his London cashand-carry business when he was just 16. IN 2003, he turned an adjacent site into Indian restaurant Chak 89, along with a conference and banqueting suite that has proved popular with Bollywood celebrities.

Spriha Srivastava

In conversation with Raj Nayak, CEO, COLORS Channel The channel Colors has been in news lately for a number of reasons – for some of the most interesting shows they have been broadcasting, for instance, Comedy Nights With Kapil, Bigg Boss and Twenty Four.

However, the channel was also in news recently after INR20 crore set of Comedy Nights with Kapil caught fire and got destroyed. But that did not kill their determination. The entire cast and crew picked themselves up and started again on a loaned set for now.

I interviewed the brain behind the channel, the man who makes the clocks tick – Raj Nayak.

Raj is one of the most respected and wellknown names in the Advertising, Marketing & Media circles in India.

He is known to be a thought leader and is recognized for his vision & foresight. With over 24 years of experience, he is currently the Chief Executive Officer of India’s leading GEC channel COLORS –Viacom18.

He is the immediate past President of the International A d v e r t i s i n g Association (IAA) – India Chapter and its board. He is also been on other industry bodies such as the board of Media Research Users Council (MRUC) & The Indian B r o a d c a s t i n g Foundation (IBF) etc.

Raj has recently been elected to board of The Advertising Club –India.

I asked him his views on different shows the channel is currently broadcasting and what makes Colors different from others.

How do you think Colors is different from other channels?

Colors means differ-

to manage the costs within our P&L as per the business plan.

Raj Nayak

ent things to different people, just like success means different things to different people. The DNA of Colors is that we do cutting edge differentiated programming and are able to offer the maximum variety when it comes to Hindi GEC entertainment content.

We like to experiment with new formats and take risks, as we believe that a leader must lead & evolve. The fact that both Rishtey and Colors occupy leadership positions also reflects that our viewers like what we offer.

When deciding the content to be broadcast on Colors is there a strict selection procedure?

Yes we have a creative team for fiction and non -fiction and we deliberately look at past trends, mix it with consumer insights, our own gut and then based on conviction take a creative call as to go ahead with a project or not.

You have three big shows now - Bigg Boss, Twenty Four and Comedy nights with Kapil. That must make you feel on the top of the world?

Yes in a way you feel on top of the world, but it also burns a big hole in your pocket. We have a great sales team that has mastered the art of monetization, so overall we are able to do big non-fiction shows as we are able

Which one would you say is the most successful show of your channel?

There is not one show but many shows that make our channel successful. Among the fiction shows Balika Vadhu is still going strong and so is Madhubala & Sasural Simar Ka. In the Nonfiction space all shows have done well, be it Jhalak Dikhlajaa, Bigg Boss or 24. I am sure the next show we are launching India's got talent will also do well.

Recently, Comedy nights with Kapil had a major accident but they are back with much more determination.

How challenging was this for you and the channel?

That was really sad.

It totally put the show off gear. Kapil Sharma was devastated, but the optimistic person that he is, we were able to ensure that there was no disruption in the show and it still is on air. It was a huge challenge, but collectively the entire programming, production team and the talent came together to overcome the crisis.

What future plans do you have for the channel?

Both Colors and Rishtey are very successful in the UK market and have a leadership position by being no 2 & 3.

This puts us in a challenger brand position & this is a good position to be in. Our Endeavour would be to ensure that either Rishtey or Colors becomes the No 1 GEC channel in the UK & at the same time ensuring both our brands remain in the top 3.

Let us know what you think.

Email Spriha at aveditorial@abplgroup.com

Vegetarian who can't eat Vegetables

Dee Vyas, from Harrow, is worried about her health declining, because she has an acute fear of eating fruit and vegetables. Ms Vyas has not eaten anything green or healthy for 22 years. She admits that her social life is significantly affected because she cannot eat at restaurants. She also dislikes the smell and taste of meat, leaving her the only unhealthy option of crisps and chocolate to live off.

She said: “I panic if I see fruit or vegetables on my plate – tomatoes make me shudder and bananas make me cringe”. She blames her fear, known as lachanophobia, on being forced to eat her greens as a child. Only a few thousand people in Britain are affected by lachanophobia. The fear is treated by 'psychological reprogramming' that controls the anxious response to seeing vegetables.

Dee Vyas

UK

Bhanu Choudhrie: A young entrepreneur’s fresh dreams

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 19th October 2013

Bhanu Choudhrie, a successful BritishIndian entrepreneur who has received many awards for his hardwork and contribution to political and public life, has been the executive director of C&C Alpha Group Ltd since 2001.

A UK based company with worldwide investments in healthcare, hospitality, aviation, utilities, agribusiness, has also made significant contributions in the Real Estate market. The group has a vast portfolio of investments, from luxury award-winning spa hotels in India and Mauritius to care homes in the UK and has now made inroads into the Indian property market and feels India is the place to be because investors and entrepreneurs are now looking towards the east for growth and profits due to the huge growth in India, China and the Far East.

The real estate wing of the company, Alpha G:Corp Development Private Limited, is one of the fastest growing and most felicitated companies in the Indian real estate industry with projects spread across the country. It's one of the few Indian real estate companies that is 100% FDI compliant and its work culture and professional practices put the company in a league of its own in India. Its portfolio extends across the country with developments that collectively encompass an area of well over 100 million square feet. Cities in India like Ahmedabad, Amritsar, Delhi NCR, Fatehabad, Gurgaon, Goa, Karnal, Jaipur, Meerut and other cities in Gujarat, Punjab, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh have all experienced the unrivalled expertise of Alpha G:Corp.

We interviewed Bhanu Choudhrie recently to know more about the company and understand his views on the Indian property market.

"Local demand has never relied on

only

£2 -

Bhanu Choudhrie

outside investments in these countries.

India, for example, will be a country of the future with huge opportunity for long term investments. The focus of our group is in India, with real estate, hotels and healthcare ventures," he said.

But doing business is not as easy in India. What is Alpha G Corp doing differently in order to survive in the volatile and fast-paced real estate market of India?

"The investors backing the group have diversified business interests in international trade, power generation, apparel manufacturing, equity collaborations, information technology, specialty hospitals and prestigious real estate developments worldwide. Besides, Alpha G:Corp in an exclusive agreement in 2006, divested equity worth US$ 65

million to Morgan Stanley Real Estate, thereby opening fresh fields of opportunity in diverse developments. The company earnestly encourages its constituents, customers, associates and the fraternity to ‘Expect the finest’, from them, be it in terms of delivery standards and professionalism, or the capacity to pioneer industry-best practices in real estate development and management," says Bhanu.

However, Bhanu has some interesting advice for those looking to invest in the Indian markets. He says any individual looking to invest in real estate market in India should carefully first understand the objective of doing this.

"The number of NRIs investing in real estate is increasing fast as the value of the rupee is depreciating and real estate offers yet better returns.

Before venturing into investment in real estate in India, the Non-Resident Indians in particular should take care of the provisions contained in the Foreign Exchange Management Act as well as the Income-tax Act. A fair knowledge of these two enactments will help the Non-Resident Indians to take a wise decision," he said.

Bhanu has led the company to build absolutely stunning and impressive townships and shopping malls, something that the Indian consumer market has huge appetite for. As of now the company is working on two very ambitious projects – the Alpha International City Amritsar and AlphaOne, Ahmedabad.

The Alpha International City, Amritsar is being developed in phases at a cost of INR 650 crores. The 300 acres township will combine plotted development, international quality civic infrastructure, avenues for recreation and entertainment, plus dedicat-

ed commercial space to deliver a holistic living experience of global standards. In the first phase, AICA is offering plotted development between 200 square yards to 500 square yards.

Meanwhile the AlphaOne, Ahmedabad is one of Gujarat’s largest shopping and entertainment destination. This 1.2 million sq. ft. mixed-use development comprising of retail and entertainment was opened to the public in October 2011. Since the launch, AlphaOne in Ahmedabad has become the city’s most popular shopping and lifestyle destination with a touch of local sensibilities.

Bhanu is aware that the Indian government is making progress in reforming its bureaucracy in order to attract more investors in the country.

“India needs to reform its bureaucracy and curb widespread corruption so it can fix its global image and achieve the expected economic growth.

These factors also prevent NRIs from investing freely in India,” he said.

The company is also extremely conscious of environmental safeguards and considers itself one of the pioneers among Indian developers to establish sustainable eco-practices that have been well recognised nationally and at international platforms. AlphaOne in Amritsar and Ahmedabad have received recognition and accolades for pioneering sustainable and organized CSR activities and eco-friendly practices in the city.

Bhanu has led the company to be extremely successful in establishing itself in the Indian real estate market.

Armed with impressive qualification and truck loads of experience, he will surely continue to take his company higher up the ladder.

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Hon'ble Speaker Meira Kumar: The Successes and Challenges of India's Parliamentary Democracy

Tanveer Mann

Meira Kumar, Speaker of the Lok Sabha, India's lower house of parliament, recently held a lecture on Parliamentary Democracy in India, at the prestigious Cambridge University, where she spoke of the “magic of Indian democracy”. Students flocked in to listen to Kumar give a passionate speech on the world's largest democracy.

The speaker, daughter of late Babu Jagjivan Ram, former deputy prime minister and India's most decorated Dalit leader, arrived in London after attending the 129th Assembly of the InterParliamentary Union in Geneva. Kumar opened her speech explaining the evolution of democracy in India. She said: “It has, to some extent, emerged out of a mass movement of mind boggling dimensions, the kind of which, the world had not seen before. All those who participated became politically aware. They knew their participation was important for deciding their country's future. In free India it gives the common man a sense of empowerment. Come elections and the man who otherwise did not count, suddenly becomes the most sought after. The powerful and the mighty walk up to his door with folded hands.

His vote matters. Why would he let go of such a system? Rather he would strengthen it. He has faith in it.”

Meira Kumar

She then praised India's democracy, asking the rhetorical question, “I wonder if any of you have seen our elections, especially, in the interiors of rural India? During these elections we create, what I call, the largest level playing field in the world.

Such is the magic of Indian democracy. In the last general elections, nearly 60% of 700 million plus voters voted with over a million Electronic Voting Machines to send 543 MPs to the Lok Sabha. The voter turnout was more than the combined estimated population of UK, Canada and the USA.” Though acknowledging the successes of Parliamentary democracy, Kumar did not shy away from admitting the problems and difficulties that occur within India.

According to Kumar, the caste system, is generally the deciding factor and is usually discussed in hushed tones behind closed doors. She said: “The Caste system needs to be destroyed completely and not encouraged to

tighten its grip on our electoral system. What has been poison for so long cannot suddenly become nectar of life.”

She also acknowledged the prominent role that religion plays in elections. She said: "The cliche is that India is a land of religious tolerance.

No, I disagree. Tolerance is a negative word. It implies that we merely endure and suffer one another. It suggests an uneasy co-existence. India is far, far more than that.

We respect each other, admire and appreciate our diversity. We engage and celebrate each others' religious practices.”

The visiting Indian leader, whose responsibility is one of the toughest in a democratic institution, concluded by saying, “In a country of India's enormity, there is no shortage of issues. All are important in their own way and deserve public attention.

An impression has gained ground, which certainly needs to be dispelled, that pandemonium and forced adjournments can draw maximum attention to an issue. My endeavour is always to sort this out for which I hold meetings with the leaders and members. Sitting in my chamber, located just behind my chair in the House, I am also constantly in touch with them, persuading, convincing, talking over a cup of tea to find a way out. It is another matter that I consume gallons of tea in the process.”

Ministers of Justice gather to discuss prospective policies

The Ministry of Justice played host to a select group of journalists on Monday morning, in an informal meeting to discuss new policies announced in the Justice System. In attendance was Secretary of State for Justice Chris Grayling, newly-appointed Justice Minister Shailesh Vara and Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Justice Jeremy Wright.

Secretary of State Chris Grayling announced five major changes that have taken place recently.

Firstly, the justice department are in the process of transforming the rehabilitation programme.

Secondly, the prison system itself is evolving as the justice department are working to bring down costs. Thirdly, they are working to improve the system by which they detain young people, by

Shailesh Vara, Chris Grayling and Asian Voice journalist Tanveer Mann

focusing more on education. Penultimately, the Ministers discussed legal aid for BME clients and lastly, they are improving the way courts function.

When asked by Asian Voice what the Justice department are doing to target the underground sex-groomers network, Grayling said, “It is a combination of improving the process and making prosecutors, and police more aware of the issue. There is no doubt that big les-

sons have been learnt from cases such as in Oxford and Bradford.” According to Grayling and Vara, the crucial steps they have taken is making the process in court easier for the victim to give evidence. By allowing the victim to give their testimony earlier in the process, in private and relatively soon after arrests of the suspects are made, encourages more victims to come forward. At present, this change has been imple-

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 19th October 2013

National Hindu Students Forum (UK)

By Chirag Patel, Alumni Member, NHSF (UK)

Human Boundaries

“You are free; you are free to go to your temples, you are free to go to your mosques or to any other place of worship in this State of Pakistan. You may belong to any religion or caste or creed; that has nothing to do with the business of the State.”

These were the words of Muhammad Ali Jinnah during his first Presidential Address to the Constituent Assembly of Pakistan. Unfortunately the current status of religious minorities in Pakistan, particularly Hindus, is not in line with what had been dreamt by Jinnah and neither is the future bright for Pakistani Hindus seeking asylum in India.

C o n s e c u t i v e Governments in Pakistan have continuously failed their own citizens by failing to protect them with basic legislation.

Pakistan's Hindu community has been requesting the legalising of the Hindu Marriage Act to prove that marriages from Hindu, Sikh, Jain and Buddhist religions are lawful. For over four years, the

Hindus Marriage Act has been drafted and passed through Pakistan’s parliament; however it is yet to be enacted.

Hindu women in particular are subject to a variety of Human Rights abuses. According to the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC), every month some 20 to 25 Hindu girls are forcibly converted to Islam in the Sindh province of Pakistan alone. These forced conversions are usually in conjunction with kidnapping and forced marriage. If they are not married off they are beaten, maimed, raped, gang-raped, sold or thrown into prostitution.

Shakuntala Devi from the Schedule Cast Hindu Rights Movement stated, “It has now been more than four years that we have been waging struggle for our rights. Hindu women are being constantly victimised as, in absence of a marriage law; they remain deprived of basic right.”

By passing the Hindus Marriage Act, Hindu women will not only be

given the right of marriage, but also the right to divorce. This means that women who are in abusive marriages will be protected by a legal framework to relieve themselves from their husbands without fear of kidnap or homelessness.

NHSF (UK), along with other Hindu and interfaith groups, has set up an international vehicle by which individuals can sign a petition.

We are petitioning for: l Pakistan to implement meaningful constitutional and legal reform as well as passing the Hindu Marriage Act. l India to grant Pakistani Hindu refugees asylum or legal status in India.

Alongside this petition, there will be screenings of a short 30 minute film in 11 locations across the UK. This award winning film will highlight the plight of Hindus in Pakistan and the struggles they face in seeking asylum in India.

For more information please visit www.nhsf.org.uk/human

Carole Waugh murder accused a ‘practised and competent liar’, court hears

A conman on trial for the murder of a wealthy oil executive from London was a “practised and extremely competent liar”, a court has heard.

Rakesh Bhayani, 41, one of two men are accused of murdering 49year-old Carole Waugh before draining around £1million of her assets, was regarded as a friend

by Waugh, who even visited him in prison and lent him £40,000, the Old Bailey was told.

Bhayani and Nicholas Kutner, 48, both described to the court as professional conmen with gambling habits, deny murdering Miss Waugh, who was said to be lonely and looking for love in the months before her death.

Concluding his opening statement, prosecutor Patrick Gibbs QC said of Bhayani: “He has lied repeatedly and convincingly, that’s what he does for a living and mented in Leeds, Liverpool and Kingston but they hope to extend this to all courts.

On a separate topic, when asked if the Justice Ministers are planning to visit India or if an Indian Minister plans to visit the UK, Grayling said that it is

what he has done all his life.”

Miss Waugh disappeared from her home in Marylebone last year.

She was last seen in midApril and her remains were found three and a half months later.

A third defendant, Elie Khoury, 40, of Spring Street, Paddington, faces a charge of conspiracy to defraud, which he denies.

Mr Gibbs told jurors they came to know one another as Khoury’s brother had been in prison with Bhayani.

After he was arrested last August Khoury told police they were both gamblers, and knew Bhayani as being “all about fraud”, the court heard.

Bhayani, of Chamberlayne Avenue, Wembley, north west London, denies murder but admits perverting the course of justice by con-

his intention to take a couple of trade delegations to look for opportunities to open markets but that the challenge in India is that they have a restricted market place. Vara added that he is very keen to see it happen in the near future, but it

Trial: Carole Waugh, 49, a wealthy woman who was allegedly murdered by two professional conmen with gambling habits

cealing the death and also conspiracy to defraud.

Kutner, of Leighton Road, Kentish Town, north west London, denies murder and perverting the course of justice by concealing the death, but admits conspiracy to defraud.

The case continues. is just a question of when.

He also highlighted that many Indian graduates are being recruited by firms in the city and the West End to come to the UK, which shows the increased cooperation between the two countries.

UK

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 19th October 2013

Leading Lights

Rani Singh, Special Assignments Editor

Successful Author Sees Mathematics Hidden in The Simpsons You may have watched The Simpsons without realizing that embedded in many plots are subtle references to mathematics.

That they exist, Simon Singh reveals, underscores the brilliance of the shows’ writers, who often have PhDs in mathematics and have published research in prestigious academic journals.

The story of how Simon discovered the hidden maths in The Simpsons is serendipitous.

“My first book was Fermat’s Last Theorem. It is the story of a problem that remained unsolved for three centuries. I was shocked to find the equation for Fermat’s Last Theorem appearing in two episodes of The Simpsons.

That made me curious, and I began to discover more and more mathematics – much of it very sophisticated.

“In ‘Bart the Genius’ – the first real episode of The Simpsons – maths plays a big role. Bart is sent to a school of gifted children and the teacher

ers on the first show, Al Jean and Mike Reiss.

Al went to Harvard when he was just sixteen to study mathematics. Reiss did not study mathematics at university, but he was a superstar teen “mathlete", representing his school in state competitions. They welcomed other mathematicians onto the writing team, people like Jeff Westbrook who was a professor at Yale before he became a comedy writer.

Simon Singh According to Singh, the Indian character makes a joke that is only Apu also has a mathematfunny if you know someical background: “He thing about calculus. graduated from CalTech There were two mathe(Calcutta Technical maticians on the writing Institute) and then comteam, which explains how pleted a PhD in computer the maths joke was introscience at the Springfield duced. The first scene of Heights Institute of this episode shows baby Technology, which has a Maggie with her building rather unfortunate blocks making the equaacronym. In one episode, tion E=mc2. This is more “Marge in Chains”, Apu physics than maths, but it says he can recite pi to is yet another equation in 40,000 decimal places and The Simpsons.” that the 40,000th decimal This all came about place is 1. To check their because of the maths writ-

maths, the writers wrote to a mathematician at NASA, who posted them all 40,000 digits.

Simon Singh received his PhD in particle physics from the University of Cambridge.

A former BBC producer, Simon Singh directed a BAFTA award-winning documentary on Fermat’s Last Theorem. His book on the same subject became a number one bestseller. He is also the author of international bestsellers The Code Book and Big Bang.

He presented The Science of Secrecy on Channel 4, Mind Games on BBC4, and The Serendipity of Science and Five Numbers, both broadcast on Radio 4. After being sued for libel in 2008, he successfully defended a case and was at the forefront of the Libel Reform Campaign, which resulted in the Defamation Act 2013.

Simon was not steered into science by his parents - who both left school early- but they always emphasised that school was a priority: “Most kids are fascinated by the world around them – why is the sky blue, how many stars are there, is there life on other planets? Most of us lose that curiosity about the world, those who retain that childish curiosity become scientists (or science writers in my case).”

“I spent two years at CERN working on my PhD. It is an extraordinary place, with dozens of nationalities all focussed on the same goal, which is to understand the nature of the universe. It is a competitive environment, both within CERN and racing against rival laboratories in America. When I was at CERN we were looking for a particle called the top quark, but we lost that race to an American experiment. Nevertheless, we learnt a huge amount, and that collider now feeds into the Large Hadron Collider, where the Higgs boson was discovered.”

And what about Simon’s plans?

“The Simpsons and Their Mathematical Secrets” is a celebration of mathematics, but it is also important to examine more serious issues like cliThe Simpsons and their mate change. I would Mathematical Secrets is like to do more to explain published by Bloomsbury in why scientists think that hardback at £18.99, ebook £16.99. this is a problem for the the UK is going to comfuture. Many politicians pete with the rest of the and newspapers think cliworld we need home mate change is a conspiragrown innovators.” cy, but they’re wrong. I Before becoming a prowould also like to spend ducer- writer, Simon was more time highlighting at CERN, the European bad science and pseudoOrganization for Nuclear science, such as astrology, homeopath and psychic Research. What that was readings.” like?

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5 nd 2 nd £2 Lo t £ a e e os e” v om th c ic sa .c o w vo t – w s t ho n e ho et r S sia ick rs ck to “A t to Ti ves de REE ves n In e co ur F oni Us yo ond m .l ai w cl ww

Engage with the market

He feels that Britain is currently struggling to educate enough strong mathematicians, and suspects that this is due to “a shortage of maths teachers and a curriculum that caters for the middle, not the top. Political pressure has encouraged schools to focus on turning D grades into C grades, not turning B grades into A grades. If

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YOUR VOICE

Hindu welfare association of Essex

I have read with great concern about the controversy at Shri Luxmi Narayan Temple in Asian Voice of 12th October issue. I had faced the similar problem some 28 years again at Radha Krishna Temple Stratford, London which I had founded in 1967.

Our temple had properly installed (With Pran Pratistha) deities of Radha Krishna in the temple with resident priest and Pooja and Arti was conducted every day in the morning and evening (Evening precisely at 7.30pm) Bengali association asked us to keep their Kali Devi Murti (of Clay) for safe keeping which they used to come and worship during three days of Durga Pooja. During this pooja on one day I happened to be there when they started to distribute prashadam (meals) at about 7.15pm. I requested them to delay till 7,45pm after main Arti but they did not listen and started eating meals in the main hall.

When we started our Arti at 7.30pm I requested them to stand up as a gesture of respect. Their attitude was quite rude and some openly said that they did not believe in Radha Krishna. Few days after their Durga pooja was over I requested them to take away their Murti for which they had never contributed any cost of maintenance and up keeping. They did not like my request.

All my co-trustees supported me and said that it was right decision. Within few months later we had done Pran Prathistha of Marble deity of Maa Durga which is being worshiped every day Baldev Goyal MBE Chairman

Current Account Switch Service

Many people who would like to change their bank worry that it would be too much hassle or that something might go wrong in the process.

The good news is that a new service has been introduced to make changing your current account a lot easier. 33 banks are taking part in the Current Account Switch Service which allows customers to switch their bank accounts to another bank within seven days.

You can now have the confidence to make that switch, knowing that all your payments in and out will be taken care of.

Your new bank will provide a guarantee to protect you should anything go wrong.

This covers all payments coming in (such as salary) and going out (such as direct debits) as well as payments mistakenly made to your old account. You can find more information at www.simplerworld.co.uk.

Let us hope that we are entering a new era of choice and competition in banking, which will see banks doing more to attract new customers and keep their existing ones happy.

Sustained campaign by BJP

There is a sustained campaign waged against Narendra Modi after he has been officially nominated by the BJP as the Prime Minister candidate and to promote Rahul Gandhi as young dynamic leader by Indian press and by NDTV. NDTV promotes Rahul Gandhi as a youth leader when he is 43 years old and he cannot be considered as a leader for the poor Indian masses. Rahul Gandhi was born with a silver spoon in his mouth and he went to English medium school and he never lived in Indian villages except for few days as a political gimmick.

He spent most of the time abroad and he was caught at the airport in U.S.A for smuggling currency and the Prime Minister Vajpayee at that time had to rescue him. Nobody knows about what he did when he was in U.K. He comes to U.K very often . There is a powerful lobby in the west to promote him and to discredit Modi. People who praise Modi and who work with him such Shah are branded as communalist and Congress backed Central bureau of investigation is taking action on these people on some pretext.

We are in real danger of handing India to Italian dynasty. Hindus were ruled by Muslims, British and Italians ( now) for centuries and this is going to continue for ever. The only Hindu country Nepal has become secular.

According to Mark Telly ‘ I can say without the shadow of doubt that when history will be written , the period over which Sonia Gandhi presided, both over the Congress and India, will be seen as an era of darkness , of immense corruption and of democracy verging towards autocracy, if not disguised dictatorship, in the hands of a single person, a non-India and a Christian like me.’

We should not allow this continue and Hindus should start sustained campaign to stop Rahul Gandhi become the Prime Minister of India.

Arun Vaidyanathan By email

US shutdown

America, an advanced country, a superpower, has to shutdown its services to pass Federal budget!!. Even President has to cancel his foreign visits. 800000 workers are temporarily laid off and have to work on without pay( that includes the Capitol Police officers). Whereas I appreciate the reasons for the type of constitutional administration in existence, it is time consuming,costly and can affect world economy .

British democratic system is more efficient. Initial readings in the two Houses of parliament allow sufficient time for the discussion and amendments to the bill. Finally, with the majority votes of the elected m.p.s in the House of common, bills are passed.

Subscribe Today Syed Kamall Conservative MEP for London

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 19th October 2013

Asian Voice in UK for only £27.50 for one year

Ila Kapadia Kingsbury

ASIAN VOICE

Is Kenya sleep-walking into disaster?

Although murderous terrorist attack on Kenyan capital Nairobi’s landmark Westgate Shopping Mall has taken the world by storm, but significantly it has not stirred their conscious in a way it should, bringing home the brutality, savagery perpetrated by mindless, brain washed thugs. Yet the West is still as ignorant, arrogant, inept and laid-back as ever.

Even the brutal 9/11 attack on America is slowly being erased from the memory, as billions of petro dollars are being intelligently invested by Saudi Arabia in US universities, educational establishments to create Islamic Study Centres and students are intellectually brain washed in accepting, even appreciating this culture and religion as better than Christianity. Even the powerful American Jewish lobby is out manoeuvred and out-flanked by Islamic thinktank.

Students coming out of American universities and to the horrors of their families are brain-washed to an extent that they believe their motherland is evil, a devil’s incarnation. Uncle Sam is a devil’s advocate.

Conversion of Christians to Islam is at the highest level in US and home grown American terrorists are multiplying by leaps and bounds with the aim of destroying the country from within while America is busy fighting unwinnable wars in Iraq, Afghanistan and destroying pro-Western regimes in the Middle East in the name of democracy.

Removal of Saddam, Gaddafi, Mubarak and their likes who were friends of the West and kept terrorism under control within their own borders was an unforgivable act of political and cultural vandalism in the name of installing democracy. Vast areas of Kenya have been infiltrated and occupied by Somalis who have destroyed their homeland and now sowing the seeds of similar destruction in Kenya and throughout subSaharan Africa. Kenya is sleep walking into unmitigated disaster while the West pays a lip service and is more interested in prosecuting President of Kenya Uhuru Kenyatta than to liberate Kenya from the clutches of terrorism.

Kenya is a multi-ethic, multi-faith nation but for how long? Mombasa is on the verge of being taken over by one faith and rest of Kenya will follow in less than half a century.

Bhupendra M Gandhi By email

Taming of Cyclone Phailin

Indian disaster teams have begun a relief operation after the mighty Cyclone Phailin, roaring with gusts of over 150 miles per hour, devastated the eastern areas of the country and forced up to one million people to abandon their homes and flee.

The cyclone wrecked many coastal homes, uprooted trees and damaged the infrastructure in Andhra Pradesh and Orissa states. Five deaths have so far

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Dear Readers, Diwali is two months away. The New Year is knocking at the door waiting to bring in colours and light to our lives with fervour of joy and ever lasting happiness.

Asian Voice and Gujarat Samachar as every year will be publishing the ‘Diwali Special’ Magazine for our fabulous and supportive readers like yourself. This year in the English section, we are doing something special for our young readers.

-If you are between 10-25 years of age, write an article in English on 'how you celebrate your Diwali every year' or 'your most memorable Diwali' in no more than 700 words, along with a suitable photo.

Or - if you an organisation, which has a youth wing or support youth activities, tell us how your young members or youth wing celebrates Diwali in 500-600 words with 2 pictures (in no less than 300dpi).

Last date of entry is Sunday 20th October 2013.

Please email your article to aveditorial@abplgroup.com with your full name, age and contact number.

- Asian Voice been linked to the cyclone. This is far fewer than what was initially feared. In 1999 a cyclone killed more than 10,000 people in this eastern state of India, and the earthquakes in Bhuj and Bhachau in Kutchch brought the Indian government down to its knees. But the authorities were better prepared this time round and averted what could have turned out to be an unparallel disaster.

We must congratulate the Indian authorities for their hindsight and being so very well prepared to have lessened the effects of what could have been a major catastrophe. This is far better than what the mighty US had been able to do when the hurricanes like Sandy struck recently, and Katrina did a few tears back!

So what could be done to prevent such disasters from happening again? It is time for governments to do more to protect the environment. This could be achieved by reducing global warming and conserving an ecological balance by avoiding the depletion of natural resources like trees and forests – by creating sustainability. The governments could also make Environment Education a mandatory subject for schools and institutions of higher education.

Dinesh Sheth Newbury Park, Ilford

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www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 19th October 2013

11

12

MEDIA WATCH

Much has been said and written about the need for the greater empowerment of Indian women. Nothing brings more cheer to the subject than the appointment of Arundhati Bhattacharya, 57, as Chairperson of the State Bank of India (SBI). She will also be the bank’s chief financial officer. Ms Bhattachrya took over the reins from Pratip Chaudhuri at the beginning of the month. Apart from being the first woman to hold the post, Ms Bhattacharya happens to be the youngest person to do so. The Cabinet Committee chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh cleared her appointment.

Arundhati Bhattacharya holds a post-graduate degree from Jadavpur University, Kolkata, and has occupied responsible positions in the SBI, including head of the bank’s Capital Markets Ltd, the SBI’s investment arm. She faces the daunting challenge of reducing the SBI’s bad assets and its falling profits. Her considerable experience in all sectors of the SBI and her “balanced approach on handling issues, which is required for the top job,” will help her cope, said a SBI insider. She has shown an ability to Arundhati Bhattacharya make tough decisions.

Other women bankers

There have been a number of major appointments for Indian women in the country’s commercial banking sector. These include Chanda Kochhar (MD and CEO), ICICI Bank Ltd;

Chanda Kochhar

Vijayalakshmi Iyer (CMD, Bank of India); Shukla Sharma (MD and CEO) Axis Bank Ltd; Naina Lal Kidwai (Group General Manager and Country Head, HSBC, India); Shubhalakshmi Panse (Chairperson and MD, Allahabad Bank); Archana Bhargava (CMD, United Bank of India); Kalpana Morparia

Vijayalakshmi Iyer

(CEO, JP Morgan India) and Meera Sanyal (Country Executive and Chairperson Royal Bank of Scotland India).

The list includes a formidable

range of talent (Mint October 8)

India to see better times

Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor Raghuram Rajan, in his first interview to the press since taking up the post on September 4, said things would be getter for the Indian economy. He based his assessment on a number of factors, the first of which was the rising export figures in the second quarter (July-September 2013), the second factor being the likelihood that the glitch in the US budget would be resolved sooner rather than later, the third was the projection of a stronger performance in India’s agriculture sector following an excellent monsoon; next was the revival of stalled infrastructure projects that would release liquidity into the economy and the spillover effect on suppliers.

Inflation and consumption were still sticking points, but the overall signs thus far were encouraging., he said (Mint October 9)

Trade deficit narrows

The Sensex reached the 20000 mark following a sharp fall in the trade deficit. Exports have risen for the third straight month. Exports to the US and Europe had fallen because of their sluggish markets, but diversification to South America, Africa and South-east Asia had paid off well.

Textile exports had risen by 15 per cent and pharmaceuticals and diamonds showed significant improvement. The reduction in imports of gold, silver and oil had aided the better trade balance. The trade deficit is the lowest in two-and-a-half years.

Finance Minister

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 19th October 2013

Chidambaram’s stated goal of reducing the fiscal deficit to below $70 billion appears achievable, opined a Mint editorial (October 10).

Meanwhile, the State Bank of India has reduced interest rates for car and consumer durables as a stimulant measure. Other banks to have done so are PNB, OBC and IDBI (Times of India, Hindu October 10). The Finance Ministry’s projected economic growth in the current fiscal ending March 31, 20014 is 5.5 per cent, as opposed to the 5 per cent for 2012-13 fiscal (Hindu October 9)

Keran operation ended

The Indian Army’s 15-day Keran operation in the Kurpura district, near the Line of Control, in Jammu and Kashmir has ended. A group of jihadi infiltrators had been trapped in this heavily forested mountainous terSachin Tendulkar see comment page 3 rain. The area has been cleared of the preparedness. It was a “copyintruders and a vast arms dump book flight,” said an official from Mauritius to plug captured. India’s Army chief the Defence Research & tax loophole General Bikram Singh accused Development Organization the Pakistan Army of complicity (DRDO).A second Prithvi II Mauritius has taken a signifiin the jihadi infiltration. “On the was fired the next day to test its LoC we are in an eyeball-to-eyecant step forward to plug loopradar and command and control ball situation. It is impossible for holes in the India-Mauritius mechanisms, which worked perany terrorist activity to take double tax avoidance treaty fectly, said DRDO officials monplace without the support of the that allows companies to avoid itoring the flight and onboard Pakistan Army. The desperate paying taxes on their investsystems (Hindu, October 8,9) infiltration bid had been foiled,” ments in India. It is doing so by he said. No Indian soldier had laying down rules for compaIndia, Russia close to been killed in the operation, said nies, which will now be nuclear energy deal Air Chief Marshal NAK Browne. required, among other things, He counselled patience, this to create a tangible business India and Russia are close to being the essence of such long structure rather than simply clinching a nuclear energy haul operations (Hindu invent a notional company on investment and civil aviation October 9) paper. The moves addresses deal, which will take their relaIndian government concerns tionship to new heights. They about companies taking the Tamil Nadu Jihadis held are also closer to clearing the Mauritius registration route for nuclear liability hurdle to a coninvestments in India in order to Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh tract for the supply of Russian reduce their tax burden (Mint police forces in a joint commanreactors for Units 3 and 4 of the October 10) do-style operation raided a Kundakulam Power Project, house in Puttur, Andhra according to sources in the Pradesh, some 100 km from Indian delegation at the annual India looks East Chennai, and arrested Bilal meeting of the Indo-Russian Malik and Panna Ismail, both Inter-governmental Commission In a move to boost India’s ties wanted for a number of violent on trade, economic, scientificwith the Association of South crimes, and a huge haul of magtechnical and cultural cooperaEast Asian Nations (ASEAN), netic bombs and explosives were tion. The two sides, said the Prime Minister Manmohan seized. The swift police action source, were looking to “reconSingh announced in Brunei, was preceded by the arrest of cile the Indian laws [which holds suppliers of nuclear power equipment responsible for accidents] with international law,” which placed responsibility on the operator.

The formula would essentially waive the liability clause for Units 3 and 4 but would not set a precedent for the US and France which seek simiManmohan Singh at India-ASEAN meeting in Brunei lar exemptions (Hindu October 5) where he arrived for the IndiaFakruddin in Chennai a few days IAF at 80 ASEAN summit, that his govearlier.The arrested men ernment’s plan to set up an belonged to a banned jihadi The Indian Air Force was estabembassy in Jakarta to the 10 group called Umma. lished on October 8, 1932. It has nation regional grouping.

Investigators claimed to have come a long way since its founDuring his talks with ASEAN averted a series of terrorist dation 80 years ago. It is now leaders , Dr Singh sought to attacks on prominent Hindu the fourth largest air force in the take India’s relations with the leaders across Tamil Nadu. The world. The IAF is in the midst of bloc to a new level by talking three suspects are believed to its most ambitious programme up the potential benefits of the have been involved in the murto induct advanced technoloevolving India-ASEAN free ders of BJP State Secretary V. gies, including radars, avionics trade zone to boost commerRamesh and Hindu Munnani and missiles etc, undertake cial and investment ties Secretary S. Vellaiyappan at major upgrades and acquire new between the parties. He said: Vellore in July (Hindu October aircraft in preparation for a “Our engagement with 6) simultaneous two-front conflict ASEAN and its member counPrithvi II launches with Pakistan and China. The tries is the cornerstone of our phase out of old warplanes has Look East Policy and has Nuclear weapon capable surdepleted the strength of IAF’s evolved into a strong, compreface-to-surface Prithvi II misfrontline squadrons to 31, from hensive and multi-faceted partsiles with a 350-km range were its projected 42squadrons. Swift nership in recent years.” fired by India’s Strategic Forces replacements are vital for the (Times of India, October Command from Chandipur, in fulfilment of its war doctrine 10,11) Odisha, to test their operational (Mint October 8).

UK

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 19th October 2013

Lord Bilimoria of Chelsea, CBL, DL and Gareth Thomas MP this Monday announced the establishment of the Zoroastrian All Party Parliamentary Group.

The event, hosted in the Members’ Dining Room of the House of Commons on Monday 14th October with the assistance of the Zoroastrian Trust Funds of Europe (ZTFE), was attended by over a hundred MPs, Peers and members of the international Zoroastrian community, including the Rt Hon Eric Pickles MP, the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, and Dr Virander Paul, the Acting High Commissioner of India to the United Kingdom.

Speaking at the launch, Lord Bilimoria said that he was honoured to have been elected Chair of the first All Party

Photo courtesy: Duncan McKenna

Inaugural Zoroastrian All Party Parliamentary Group launched at the Houses of Parliament, Westminster

Parliamentary Group for Zoroastrians, saying that he was “thrilled that 47 members had already expressed their interest in becoming founding members of the APPG.” The Group’s new Secretary, Gareth Thomas MP, also welcomed the establishment of the

Photo courtesy: Bob Collier Photos Ltd

Samira Kauser plans to get married next year

Much more than I can ever comprehend. Their only solace is that someone else has been able to carry on with their life.

It is a massive gift.”

The seven-hour operation took place at St James’ University Hospital in Leeds and was carried out by transplant surgeon Niaz Ahmad.

What would a Gandhian business model look like?

The Gandhi Foundation's annual lecture next Wednesday will be delivered by Rt Hon Vince Cable MP, Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills. It will be focussed on the question "What would a Gandhian business model look like? And what steps would a LibDem Govt take to get there."

Mr Cable will speak for 20 minutes and then proceed to a 30 minute Q&A. It will be chaired by Lord Bhikhu Parekh, President of the Foundation and be held at

SOLICITORS

Mitesh Patel

Don’t deal with insurers directly say Levenes Levenes Solicitors are campaigning to inform the community that they should avoid dealing with compensating insurers directly as experience and research has shown that they would have been more likely to recover much higher levels of compensation had they used a Solicitor.

Mitesh Patel, Solicitor and Partner at prestigious injury law firm Levenes, has called on the public to take heed of the fact that the chances of injured people getting maximum compensation increase when they use a solicitor instead of dealing with insurers themselves.

Mitesh points out that “it is the insurers job to offer as little compensation as possible, and it’s the job of the Solicitor to maximize his clients compensation, an insurer negotiating against a member of the public is more likely to result in the insurers getting away with paying out low amounts”.

Mitesh says that in his experience negotiations with insurers are not always straightforward, “they can be lengthy and tedious, I have had clients who have been offered small sums initially by insurers and by the time Levenes have helped them with their case, these clients have received thousands of pounds more than the original amount offered” These eye opening examples from Mitesh and his firm are not isolated results as research from the Financial Services Authority, which only became publically available because of a freedom of information challenge, revealed personal injury claimants who turn down an insurer's initial offer and take legal advice from a solicitor get on average three times more compensation.

The Law Society are also promoting the value of using a Solicitor to get proper legal advice, with publications stating the importance of using a solicitor to get maximum results.

Desmond Hudson, chief executive of the Law Society said: “Pursuing your claim with a solicitor will mean you will get what you are genuinely entitled to.”

Mitesh adds that the chances of people receiving very low payouts from dealing directly with insurers are increased where the injured person’s first language is not English, “often claimants are not familiar with legal jargon or medical terms relevant to personal injury claims, obviously this is a problem, however such difficulties are further compounded if the injured person’s first language is not English – these people are vulnerable to being talked into settling prematurely”.

Levenes has been tirelessly serving the needs of various communities, with staff who speak over 25 languages including Gujarati, Hindi, Urdu, Mandarin, Spanish and Portuguese, they are not just Solicitors but Solicitors who speak your language.

Lord Bilimoria, High Priest Dr Kotwal and Rt Hon Eric Pickles MP, the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pictured with members of the Zoroastrian community

Baby’s kidneys save woman's life

The kidneys of a fiveweek-old baby have been transplanted into a woman from Yorkshire who was dying of renal failure, making the infant the youngest organ donor in Britain.

The baby girl had died from a heart failure after contracting an infection but her parents agreed for her organs to be donated.

Doctors were able to transplant the tiny kidneys to save the life of 22-year-old healthcare assistant Samira Kauser from Halifax, according to reports in a national newspaper.

Ms Kauser said: “Words cannot express the gratitude I feel to the parents of this baby. My life was standing still, now I can live it. They have lost so much.

LEGAL VOICE

Vince Cable

The Inner Temple Hall, from 6.30pm till 8pm (doors open at 6pm).

To register your attendance please email festival.of.nonviolence@gmail .com typing AL2013 into 'Subject'.

Group. Noting that his Harrow West constituency is home to the Zoroastrian Centre, the main forum for the British Zoroastrian community, Mr Thomas said “I am proud to be the only current Zoroastrian member of the House of Commons!”

The Secretary of State welcomed the establish-

ment of the APPG, stating that it was “long overdue” in having the Zoroastrian community represented in the Houses of Parliament.

Mr Pickles was then presented with a 150th Anniversary medallion by Malcolm Deboo, on behalf of the Zoroastrian Trust Funds of Europe.

Police foil 'major terror plot'

Raid: one man was held at his home in Peckham

Police smashed a suspectinterests of public safety. ed Islamist terror plot to They are understood to be attack London after four different nationalities, men were held by heavilythough at least one is armed officers. The Met British and were held in acted on intelligence that co-ordinated raids in what the men may have had the Met described as a access to firearms, “pre-planned, intelligence prompting fears of an led operation.” They were attack similar to the being questioned at a Kenyan mall atrocity. south London police station Tuesday on suspicion Two men aged 25 were of the commission, prepaarrested in a “hard stop” ration or instigation of in Mansell Street near Tower Bridge Monday after officers blew out the tyres of their car with shotgun rounds and rammed the vehicle. One man, aged 29, was held at his home in Peckham after a stake-out by Alounak restaurant undercover officers. Police also seized a acts of terrorism.

28-year-old man outside The threat of an attack an Iranian restaurant in in London by several gunWestbourne Grove. men such as in Mumbai in Around eight police cars 2008 or Nairobi last surrounded the Alounak month is the biggest fear of anti-terror chiefs. restaurant as the suspect Last week Andrew came out.

Parker, the director generThe men are underal of MI5, warned that stood to have been under Islamist extremists in the surveillance by police and UK see the British public MI5 for some time. Senior as a legitimate target for officers ordered the simultaneous arrests in the attacks.

13

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UK

Community Leaders gather for launch of Diwali in London

14

The Diwali in London (DIL) organization all gathered together recently to host a glamorous evening to mark the launch of the annual Mayor of London's Diwali in Trafalgar Square 2013 festival on Sunday 27th October.

Hosted by this year's Chair Ameet Agarwal from the Art of Living Foundation at the Watford Langley, the evening was filled with over 200 influential members of the organizing

committee along with Chief Guest Mr Pritam Lal, First Secretary (Coord), High Commission of India, and other respected community leaders. Other organizations in attendance included the City Hindus Network, Swaminarayan Baps, Art of Living, Iskon, Bhrama Kumaris, Sai School Harrow, North London Bhramin society, and the host for next years Diwali in london, Chinmaya Mission.

Diwali celebrations

came early as the evening commenced with the inaugural lighting of the peace lamp creating a solid foundation for the event taking place at the end of the month in Trafalgar Square. Guests were given a taste of some of the exquisite entertainment that is lined up for Trafalgar Square, by the talented dance group Karan Pangali, who gave a remarkable performance. The evening then came to a close with a delicious three-course

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 19th October 2013

meal and networking.

Diwali in Trafalgar Square is open to everyone and everyone is invited to come and celebrate.

The packed line-up of free entertainment includes the best contemporary music and dance from community groups and professional artists. There will be an array of different stalls selling delicious food and drink plus a range of activities for children. To find out more please visit the www.diwaliinlondon.com

Investigation launched after murder of shop owner

A Murder investigation has been launched in Barking following the death of a brave shop owner.

At around 10.30am on Monday, 14 October police were alerted by London Ambulance Service to a collision between a lorry and a pedestrian on River Road, Barking.

It is believed that at 10.20am a group of 10 men entered the Glen & Co Cash & Carry armed with metal bars and a sledgehammer in a robbery attempt. The owners, Shammi Atwal and his wife, tried to stop the robbers and an altercation followed which saw the suspects run away with Mr Atwal in pursuit. As he chased the robbers someone pushed Mr Atwal under a skip lorry. The father-of-two was pronounced dead at the scene at 11.10am. The driver

Shammi Atwal, 44, was shoved into the road in the path of a truck

stopped at the scene. No arrests have yet been made.

Mrs Atwal, 37, sustained minor injuries which did not require a hospital visit.

The suspects have been described as white males; inquiries are ongoing into how they fled the area.

The investigation is

Forensic officers in Barking

being led by officers from the Homicide and Serious Crime Command.

Detective Chief Inspector Neale Baldock said: "This was a man trying to stop thieves robbing his business. He acted bravely in defence of his wife and managed to chase the robbers from his premises only for him to be pushed in front of a moving lorry.

People in the community know who committed this appalling and cowardly crime and I would urge them to contact my officers."

Potential witnesses, or anyone with information, should call the Incident Room on 020 8345 1570 or contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Rise in number of foreign nurses in the NHS

New figures show that the number of foreign nurses coming to Britain to work has doubled in three years as scores of NHS hospitals look to recruit workers from abroad. The figures showed that more than one third of NHS trusts hunted overseas to recruit nurses in the last year, with even more drawing up plans to do so now.

Nursing leaders said the health service was wasting a fortune raiding staff from overseas, to plug a staffing crisis created by "boom and bust" planning, with the loss of 5,000 NHS nurses since 2010. The total number of nurses who registered to work in Britain after receiving their training abroad rose from 2,306 in 2009 to 4,521 last year,

official figures show.

While many NHS trusts targeted countries in Europe in the last 12 months, several travelled thousands of miles to the Philippines, Australia, the US and India in search of staff. Hospitals targeted 29 different countries, with the highest number of nurses recruited

from Portugal, followed by Spain, Ireland and the Philippines, the FOI disclosures show. The recruitment trawls also targeted Greece, Poland, Canada and Switzerland.

A Department of Health spokesperson said: "Recruiting from abroad is nothing new. Overseas nurses make a very valuable contribution to NHS patient care.

However, they should only ever work in the NHS if they have proven their competence and language skills."

Patients' groups expressed fears that safety is being compromised, because the vast majority of the workers are able to come to this country without checks on their language skills or competence.

Samvad (Dialogue)

The programme will take place in Shakti Hall of Karma Yoga House, 12 Hoxton Market, London, N1 6HW, between 3pm and 6pm on Saturday 19th october.

Mrs Kantaben Patel, a wellknown writer will be honoured and her writing will be discussed. This part will be conducted in Gujarati.

In the second part, young persons will participate and Mrs Sita Suchak will talk about Swami Vivekanand. Mr Madhukant Shah and Meet Mehta will speak on

Sardar Vallahbhai Patel, whose 138th birthday is taking place on 31st October.

The Vice Chancellor of Saurashtra University will also attend the programme and speak on the higher education at his university. This programme is open for all.

For convenience of management, please register your name with Dr Vinod Kapashi, the coordinator of Samvad, on 07966 006 261 or Kamal Rao, news editor, on 07875 229 211 or email him at kamal.rao@abplgroup.com

Talented ethnic and female recruits will be able to go straight into the top ranks of the Met under a new Home Office scheme announced Monday.

The fast-track system will allow police forces to hire business people, former military officers and other able outsiders as chief constables or superintendents without requiring them to work their way through the ranks. The main aim is to improve the quality of police leadership by making it easier for professionals who have already succeeded in other careers to move into

forces. But policing minister Damian Green said that another key objective would be to improve the diversity of the senior ranks of the Met and other forces amid concern that there are currently too few ethnic and women officers in such posts. The reforms, which will also permit foreign citizens such as the former New York police chief Bill Bratton to lead the Met in future, follow a report on improving policing by the Chief Inspector of Constabulary Tom Winsor. He said that hiring outsiders for top police jobs would “enrich� forces.

A shopkeeper has died and another has been seriously injured in a suspected machete attack in Rotherham.

Sightings of a man brandishing a machete in the Eastwood area and near a Tesco store in the town centre were reported to police at 14:00 BST. One man was found to have died at the scene.

The injured man has been taken to hospital. A 27year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of murder.

Police have not confirmed reports that the arrested man had been Tasered.

Grosvenor Road in Eastwood has been cordoned off and there is a large police presence in the area.

Omar Mehban, a local Conservative spokesman,

said the dead man owned a local shop with his brother and was married with children.

Mr Mehban said: "He was a family friend. This is such a shock and I feel really deeply for his family.

He should be celebrating Eid tomorrow with his wife and kids, instead they are faced with this. He was such a wonderful person, always courteous and kind. All the times I went in his shop, I can never recall him not smiling. It's absolutely devastating."

A Tesco spokesperson said the store was supporting police with their investigation.

Met announces fast tracking of ethnic and female recruits

Shopkeeper killed, man injured, in Rotherham 'machete' attack

UK

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 19th October 2013

MUSIC

Tanveer Mann

ANNIE KHALID TUJHE YAAD KIYA'

British / Pakistani singer Annie Khalid has burst back into the music industry over the last few weeks. After releasing the infectious, pop reggae-infused ‘Boom Boom Danze’ featuring the Grammy award winning Beenie Man, Annie has teamed up with British Asian super producer Rishi Rich for the Asian pop, dance smash ‘Tujhe Yaad Kiya’.

Annie has been featured in a number of major mainstream press outlets in recent days, since the release of her single 'Boom Boom Danze'. High profile press pieces include a feature in The Independent, Cosmopolitan, Huffington Post and a cover story in today's Metro newspaper (3rd October).

Commonly known as the ‘Pop Princess of Pakistan’, Annie showcases her natural talent singing both in English and Punjabi on her new single ‘Tujhe Yaad Kiya’. Annie’s vocal delivery is perfectly complimented by the creative talents of Rishi Rich, who gives a production master-class on the track, another perfect example of why he remains one of the UK’s most sought after producers.

Speaking about her latest single, Annie says: “For the last few years I have followed Rishi Rich’s music, from the early years of the Rishi Rich Project to his remix work and Bollywood film songs. We recently signed up with the same international management agency and I was so pleased when we were able to connect through our manager. After some studio sessions in London, we really hit a great note and had a lot of fun making music together. ‘Tujhe Yaad Kiya’ is a fun song with a little something for everyone and I’m sure all of my fans are going to love it.”

Annie Khalid's ‘Tujhe Yaad Kiya’ releases via 4Play Recordings on 17th October.

UPCOMING

EVENTS

If you have any particular topics you would like covered on my page, please let me know.

www.punjabeeblonde.wordpress.com tanveer.mann@abplgroup.com

BOOKS

The unexpected power of rich and poor In Search of Decency is Michael Heyn's memoir, and a call for a partnership between rich and poor.

An uncommon memoir, Michael Heyn’s cross-cultural journey through pervasive human adversity unexpectedly reveals a positive global vision of human decency and caring relevant as much to America as to Yemen. His journey passes through 50 years living and working across countries spanning from the United States to India, Pakistan, Ethiopia, South Pacific Islands, Nepal, Kenya, Liberia, Malawi, Thailand, Kosovo, Bangladesh, South Sudan, Vietnam, and Yemen. His story stretches from an unsettling childhood to a lifetime in support of the struggle for justice, opportunity and change of those left on the far sides of an ever expanding divide between rich and poor.

The Haunted Mansion Halloween Ball Saturday 26th October - No.5 Cavendish Square. For tickets, visit: www.voodooentertainment.co.uk

Did you know..?

Honey is the only natural food which never goes off

Word of the Week:

Chafe – v. to warm by rubbing; to wear sore by rubbing; to feel annoyance or dissatisfaction; n. a sore or injury caused by rubbing

THEATRE

Phizzical in association with Belgrade Theatre Coventry presents the award winning theatre production CYMBELINE. Touring nationally from 14th September until 5th December 2013, the cast of Cymbeline perform effortlessly in the comic, romantic and magical play by William Shakespeare set in Bollywood and Dubai!

Show dates are below:

Thursday 14 – Saturday 16 November at the Curve, Leicester LE1 1SB. Contact: 0116 242 3595 www.curveonline.co.uk

Saturday 23 November at the Pegasus Theatre, Oxford OX4 1RE. Contact: 01865 812 150 www.pegasustheatre.org.uk

Tuesday 26 – Saturday 30 November at Tara Arts, London SW18 4ES. Contact: 020 8333 4457 www.tara-arts.com

Bollywood movie mogul King Cymbeline is in turmoil and the fate of India is at stake. hat happens when the lives of a foolish father, his beautiful daughter, her banished husband and a charming rogue collide?

Power, love and treachery are to the fore when the rebellious Innojaan risks her reputation and family honour by marrying without her father’s permission. When her husband falls prey to the manipulations of a rakish and smooth-talking womaniser, her loyalty is tarnished. Innojaan is forced to swap her sari for breeches and flee from Bollywood.

The improbable becomes probable in this epic, adventurous romance filled with heroic strangers, sinister villains and long-lost brothers. Will there be a happily ever after?

Visit www.phizzical.com/cymbeline to find a detailed list of show locations.

.... . a H a H . :P . . . e H He h ll a Fis

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15

From living as a Peace Corps Volunteer in a remote Peruvian mountain village to innumerable confrontations with prejudice, abuse, deprivation, conflict and war over a long career in service of the United Nations, Heyn shares what he learned from those caught up on either side of the chasm. A unique insight into and historical understanding of both alienation and aspiration that cut through all human cultures and relations, Heyn envisions a break from the past isolation of greed and selfishness on the one hand and a stark hopelessness on the other.

This is a voyage of accumulating discovery that exposes what must change if people are to cross over the divide to come together for their common good, no matter how antithetical this may seem. It is a belief in the basic decency of people both rich and poor as the magic to realise such change. Heyn sets out a practical path to achieve this goal to be actively pursued and managed by those bridging the divide. In the face of seemingly insurmountable odds, it is an exhilarating path that will benefit all engaged and instil reform of our societies’ values and governing systems. It is the vision of an immense new power of rich and poor to realise an altered way of life and a better world. In Search of Decency is a gripping memoir that provides cross cultural and political analysis, and views on international development.

“My hope is to inspire people, rich and poor, young and old, corporate leaders and agents of change, that the world can be a more just and decent place, and that their commitment to join together is the power to make this happen,” says author Michael Heyn.

16

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 19th October 2013

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 19th October 2013

Akshay Kumar's ‘Boss’ enters Guinness Book

ichael Jackson’s ‘This Is It’ held the Guinness Book of World Record for M being the largest poster in the world.

Akshay Kumar’s upcoming film “Boss” breaks the record. The actor's fan club put together logistics into place and work made the special poster of “Boss” aiming to make it the largest poster in the world.

The poster was completed in four months.

The poster was unveiled at Little Gransden Airfield, Little Gransden, UK, on October 3. Macro Arts (UK) did the manufacturing of the poster.

Hrithik to star with Rajinikanth?

ollywood star Hrithik Roshan has desires to act B with Tamil Superstar

Rajinikanth once more. Hrithik had acted with the Superstar in 'Bhagwaan Dada', a 1986 Hindi film which had his father Rakesh Roshan, Rajnikanth and Sridevi in the lead.

Speaking on his favourites southern stars with whom he would like to work, Hrithik says, "There are so many. But I do want to work with Rajini sir.

I've worked in a film with him years ago as a child artist. It would be an honour if I could work with him now.”

Nothing to worry about Priya Anand

T

he shoots of the Anand Shankar directed romantic action thriller, “Arima Nambi” are underway at a brisk pace. A major part of the film will be shot in the months of November and December and the team plans to complete their filming by the end of the year. Recently, there was a hue and cry over Priya Anand getting injured while shooting a car stunt sequence in the movie but the director clarifies that there is nothing to worry and that it was just a minor injury scare. Her injury was attended immediately and she is fit and fine as ever.

Mallika Sherawat mobbed in her native village

ctress Mallika Sherawat was mobbed by a crowd as A she reached her native village

Moth in Haryana's Hisar district to shoot for her TV show “Bachelorette India.” She visited her village after a long time and was surrounded by a crowd of 3,000 to 4,000 people. She wanted to shoot some scenes of her ancestral house for her show. However, seeing the huge crowd, Mallika did not step out of her car and soon left. The actress was also supposed to go to a Gurdwara with her family members but could not do so.

Ranbir-Katrina’s secret escapade to New York

anbir Kapoors t a r r e r R “Besharam” might

not have done well at the Box Office but that hasn't dampened the young actor's spirits. On the contrary, if sources are to be believed, he is on a vacation to New York with his alleged lady love Katrina Kaif.

According to a raeport, Ranbir has gone to New York with Katrina Kaif and director Ayan Mukerji. He has been spotted posing with fans over there too.

There are also rumours that the actor likes spending time in New York and might buy an apartment there soon.

Actress Sunaina goes for name change

A

Actor Srihari passes away

ctress Sunaina, who has appeared in well-received movies such as “Neer Paravai” and “Kadhalil Vizhundhen,” has undergone a name change and she will be henceforth addressed as Anusha.

She has been called Sunaina since her birth but now her parents have decided that the name Anusha is the way forward for her. This decision has been taken at the discretion of her parents after consulting with a pundit, who felt that her name should contain certain letters for her well-being. Anusha is now getting used to her new name and her family and friends have started calling her by this new name.

Kareena Kapoor goes ‘besharam’

ollywood hottie Kareena Kapoor goes all “besharam” as she shakes her booty along with Imran Khan in their new song 'Tooh' from their “Gori Tere Pyaar Mein,” directB ed by Punit Malhotra.

While Kareena's look appears to be a mix of her films “Chameli” and “Jab We Met,” Imran Khan again reminds us of his 'Aunty Ji' look from “Ek Main Aur Ekk Tu.” A high energy, Punjabi number sung by Mika Singh, 'Tooh' is certainly to be a popular shaadi song.

However, the song, going with the trend, is a bit cheeky and naughty, as compared to Imran-Kareena's previous hit song, 'Aunty Ji'. But the highlight of the song is surely the sexy and graceful Kareena making Imran Khan shake his booty! Incidentally, it is not new for Kareena and Imran to get naughty. Kareena had pinched Imran's butt in one of the scenes from “Ek Main Aur Ekk Tu,” which got rejected by the Censor Board and even created lot of noise. But now that the duo is shaking their booty in the new song, it seems they have carried their obsession for Butt from their last film!

‘Bullet Raja’ trailer crosses 2.5 million views T

igmanshu Dhulia’s “Bullet Raja” starring Saif Ali Khan and Sonakshi Sinha has conquered the hearts of the people without having gala launches or star-studded events. The trailer which was released recently received fantastic response, making it one of the quickest films to cross the 2.5 million mark views. In four days the trailer crossed the 2 million views. And even before the trailer release, the anticipation was really high on the digital space.

With Saif’s bold, rustic and triggerhappy avatar and Sonakshi’s Bengali look packed with some slick action, romance, crisp dialogues and blazing guns, the film has set the mood in B-town to gear up for action!

Presented by Fox-Star Studios, the film also stars Jimmy Shergill, Gulshan Grover, Vidyut Jamwal, Chunky Pandey with Mahie Gill in an item number and is slated to release on November 29, 2013.

A

ctor Srihari a reputed actor in Tollywood and Kollywood passed away at Mumbai. The actor is a bankable star in Tollywood and has acted in quite a handful of movies. The actor breathed his last at Leelavathi hospital in Mumbai.

Starting off his filmy career as a stunt artist, he acted in various movies including Vijay's “Vettaikaran” quite recently. He was also the husband of Disco Shanti. It will be a big loss for the cine field, as he was a fine actor and a person off the screen as well.

Salman and Amitabh hug each other

It was one of the most awaited moments for all Big B and Salman Khan fans when both the Bollywood superstars met and hugged each other on the sets of Amitabh Bachchan's “Boothnath Returns.”

While shooting for the sequel, Amitabh learnt that Salman and Tabu were also shooting in the same vicinity. Without wasting anytime Big B dropped on the sets of Salman and Tabu's film. After the meeting, Big B went ahead to tweet about Salman and Tabu, ""Met the lovely Tabu and Salman shooting on next floor ... always a joy to be with colleagues."

Veena Malik to be star in Dutch documentary

Pakistani actress Veena Malik is to be featured in a Dutch documentary called “Women In Islam.”

The documentary was shot in Qatar, India, Turkey, Morocco, Egypt, London and Holland. It comprises six episodes and features many important women from the Islamic culture. It is set in the remotest of areas in the countries and there is an episode with Veena Malik too.

'Sholay’ 3D likely in January 2014

The 3D version of the 1975 Bollywood classic “Sholay,” which was slated to be released on megastar Amitabh Bachchan's 71st birthday last week, is now likely to be released in January 2014. The makers wanted a "four-week window" for the film. "We have requested cinemas to give us a fourweek window. So, we are currently in talks with cinemas for a date in January," Jayantilal Gada, who is the presenter of the film, said. The film is very significant for the makers, who have spent three years on the 3D project.

17

‘Zangoora’- home to Bollywood’s long running show

A

s Mumbai film festival kicks off on 17th October and Bollywood celebrates its 100th anniversary this year, those looking for the ultimate Bollywood experience there is only one place to head... the apex of Jaipur, Agra and Delhi’s iconic Golden Triangle lies the Kingdom of Dreams - home to the world’s longest running Bollywood show, “Zangoora.”

Zangoora is the biggest Bollywood musical in the world. Situated in the Kingdom of Dreams’ world class theatre “Nautanki Mahal”, the show is renowned for its unrivalled sound, light, video, animation, special effects, aerial choreography, stunts and magic. Whilst onsite also pop by the Culture Gully, an indoor boulevard spread over 100,000 square feet which incorporates traditional restaurants, street bars and arts and crafts stores which represent 14 of India’s states. An all-encompassing Indian experience. For more information visit www.kingdomofdreams.in

16

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 19th October 2013

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 19th October 2013

Akshay Kumar's ‘Boss’ enters Guinness Book

ichael Jackson’s ‘This Is It’ held the Guinness Book of World Record for M being the largest poster in the world.

Akshay Kumar’s upcoming film “Boss” breaks the record. The actor's fan club put together logistics into place and work made the special poster of “Boss” aiming to make it the largest poster in the world.

The poster was completed in four months.

The poster was unveiled at Little Gransden Airfield, Little Gransden, UK, on October 3. Macro Arts (UK) did the manufacturing of the poster.

Hrithik to star with Rajinikanth?

ollywood star Hrithik Roshan has desires to act B with Tamil Superstar

Rajinikanth once more. Hrithik had acted with the Superstar in 'Bhagwaan Dada', a 1986 Hindi film which had his father Rakesh Roshan, Rajnikanth and Sridevi in the lead.

Speaking on his favourites southern stars with whom he would like to work, Hrithik says, "There are so many. But I do want to work with Rajini sir.

I've worked in a film with him years ago as a child artist. It would be an honour if I could work with him now.”

Nothing to worry about Priya Anand

T

he shoots of the Anand Shankar directed romantic action thriller, “Arima Nambi” are underway at a brisk pace. A major part of the film will be shot in the months of November and December and the team plans to complete their filming by the end of the year. Recently, there was a hue and cry over Priya Anand getting injured while shooting a car stunt sequence in the movie but the director clarifies that there is nothing to worry and that it was just a minor injury scare. Her injury was attended immediately and she is fit and fine as ever.

Mallika Sherawat mobbed in her native village

ctress Mallika Sherawat was mobbed by a crowd as A she reached her native village

Moth in Haryana's Hisar district to shoot for her TV show “Bachelorette India.” She visited her village after a long time and was surrounded by a crowd of 3,000 to 4,000 people. She wanted to shoot some scenes of her ancestral house for her show. However, seeing the huge crowd, Mallika did not step out of her car and soon left. The actress was also supposed to go to a Gurdwara with her family members but could not do so.

Ranbir-Katrina’s secret escapade to New York

anbir Kapoors t a r r e r R “Besharam” might

not have done well at the Box Office but that hasn't dampened the young actor's spirits. On the contrary, if sources are to be believed, he is on a vacation to New York with his alleged lady love Katrina Kaif.

According to a raeport, Ranbir has gone to New York with Katrina Kaif and director Ayan Mukerji. He has been spotted posing with fans over there too.

There are also rumours that the actor likes spending time in New York and might buy an apartment there soon.

Actress Sunaina goes for name change

A

Actor Srihari passes away

ctress Sunaina, who has appeared in well-received movies such as “Neer Paravai” and “Kadhalil Vizhundhen,” has undergone a name change and she will be henceforth addressed as Anusha.

She has been called Sunaina since her birth but now her parents have decided that the name Anusha is the way forward for her. This decision has been taken at the discretion of her parents after consulting with a pundit, who felt that her name should contain certain letters for her well-being. Anusha is now getting used to her new name and her family and friends have started calling her by this new name.

Kareena Kapoor goes ‘besharam’

ollywood hottie Kareena Kapoor goes all “besharam” as she shakes her booty along with Imran Khan in their new song 'Tooh' from their “Gori Tere Pyaar Mein,” directB ed by Punit Malhotra.

While Kareena's look appears to be a mix of her films “Chameli” and “Jab We Met,” Imran Khan again reminds us of his 'Aunty Ji' look from “Ek Main Aur Ekk Tu.” A high energy, Punjabi number sung by Mika Singh, 'Tooh' is certainly to be a popular shaadi song.

However, the song, going with the trend, is a bit cheeky and naughty, as compared to Imran-Kareena's previous hit song, 'Aunty Ji'. But the highlight of the song is surely the sexy and graceful Kareena making Imran Khan shake his booty! Incidentally, it is not new for Kareena and Imran to get naughty. Kareena had pinched Imran's butt in one of the scenes from “Ek Main Aur Ekk Tu,” which got rejected by the Censor Board and even created lot of noise. But now that the duo is shaking their booty in the new song, it seems they have carried their obsession for Butt from their last film!

‘Bullet Raja’ trailer crosses 2.5 million views T

igmanshu Dhulia’s “Bullet Raja” starring Saif Ali Khan and Sonakshi Sinha has conquered the hearts of the people without having gala launches or star-studded events. The trailer which was released recently received fantastic response, making it one of the quickest films to cross the 2.5 million mark views. In four days the trailer crossed the 2 million views. And even before the trailer release, the anticipation was really high on the digital space.

With Saif’s bold, rustic and triggerhappy avatar and Sonakshi’s Bengali look packed with some slick action, romance, crisp dialogues and blazing guns, the film has set the mood in B-town to gear up for action!

Presented by Fox-Star Studios, the film also stars Jimmy Shergill, Gulshan Grover, Vidyut Jamwal, Chunky Pandey with Mahie Gill in an item number and is slated to release on November 29, 2013.

A

ctor Srihari a reputed actor in Tollywood and Kollywood passed away at Mumbai. The actor is a bankable star in Tollywood and has acted in quite a handful of movies. The actor breathed his last at Leelavathi hospital in Mumbai.

Starting off his filmy career as a stunt artist, he acted in various movies including Vijay's “Vettaikaran” quite recently. He was also the husband of Disco Shanti. It will be a big loss for the cine field, as he was a fine actor and a person off the screen as well.

Salman and Amitabh hug each other

It was one of the most awaited moments for all Big B and Salman Khan fans when both the Bollywood superstars met and hugged each other on the sets of Amitabh Bachchan's “Boothnath Returns.”

While shooting for the sequel, Amitabh learnt that Salman and Tabu were also shooting in the same vicinity. Without wasting anytime Big B dropped on the sets of Salman and Tabu's film. After the meeting, Big B went ahead to tweet about Salman and Tabu, ""Met the lovely Tabu and Salman shooting on next floor ... always a joy to be with colleagues."

Veena Malik to be star in Dutch documentary

Pakistani actress Veena Malik is to be featured in a Dutch documentary called “Women In Islam.”

The documentary was shot in Qatar, India, Turkey, Morocco, Egypt, London and Holland. It comprises six episodes and features many important women from the Islamic culture. It is set in the remotest of areas in the countries and there is an episode with Veena Malik too.

'Sholay’ 3D likely in January 2014

The 3D version of the 1975 Bollywood classic “Sholay,” which was slated to be released on megastar Amitabh Bachchan's 71st birthday last week, is now likely to be released in January 2014. The makers wanted a "four-week window" for the film. "We have requested cinemas to give us a fourweek window. So, we are currently in talks with cinemas for a date in January," Jayantilal Gada, who is the presenter of the film, said. The film is very significant for the makers, who have spent three years on the 3D project.

17

‘Zangoora’- home to Bollywood’s long running show

A

s Mumbai film festival kicks off on 17th October and Bollywood celebrates its 100th anniversary this year, those looking for the ultimate Bollywood experience there is only one place to head... the apex of Jaipur, Agra and Delhi’s iconic Golden Triangle lies the Kingdom of Dreams - home to the world’s longest running Bollywood show, “Zangoora.”

Zangoora is the biggest Bollywood musical in the world. Situated in the Kingdom of Dreams’ world class theatre “Nautanki Mahal”, the show is renowned for its unrivalled sound, light, video, animation, special effects, aerial choreography, stunts and magic. Whilst onsite also pop by the Culture Gully, an indoor boulevard spread over 100,000 square feet which incorporates traditional restaurants, street bars and arts and crafts stores which represent 14 of India’s states. An all-encompassing Indian experience. For more information visit www.kingdomofdreams.in

18

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 19th October 2013

Financial Voice Dear Financial Voice Reader,

I write to you back from Hyderabad. This is a very crucial week for currency markets globally as we enter the third week of the US government shutdown. Investors remain cautious and this is causing an unpleasant trading environment as breakouts prove to be fake and trends don't last testing traders' nerves.

On Monday night there was a shared feeling of optimism coming from Washington as President Obama was quoted saying that "important progress" has been made in the negotiations and he was later followed by the Senate majority leader that stated his optimism that a deal could be reached very soon. These statements offered some support to the Euro and the Cable but the rally didn't last long and the pairs retraced lower over the late US and early Asian sessions.

Any signs that a deal is near will prove beneficial for the risk-on currencies as the Euro and the Pound but such a deal could come as late as a few hours before the deadline expires. By the time you read this I expect a deal to have been completed.

At the beginning of the week we need to turn our attention to the Euro and Cable pairs as important news events are expected: the German ZEW confidence report is expected on Tuesday and a potential decline of investor confidence due to the US shutdown could hurt the Euro.

The pair is trading just above 1.3550 having reached for 1.3600 and should investors kept their calm and expressed some optimism during the survey we might see the pair edging higher as the week progresses. Also on Tuesday morning, the British CPI will be announced and a positive reading could lift the Pound higher as the pair is getting upwards support from the declining US Dollar.

The resistance of the 1.6000 level is proving hard to overcome at this time but if the Pound clears it then we would be confident that a bottom has been reached and the pair's outlook will be bullish again.

The FTSE 100 has retraced higher since last week's bottom and the UK index seems to be influenced by the optimism that comes out of Washington the last couple of days. Key resistance level on this uptrend is the 6,550 points area and we are very keen to see if the current momentum behind the recent uptrend will hold and push the index above this key level.

Gold once again proves hard to tackle for yet another week as the instrument remains volatile.

The yellow metal has been on a downtrend for some time now but it seems that has found a temporary bottom for now around the support area of $1,275. On Monday the price breached below that area so it now remains to be seen whether the move downwards will pick up pace or the US shutdown will affect Gold's outlook.

2 BEDROOM FLAT FOR SALE IN SOUTH GOA

Situated near Colva Beach, some 20km from airport, state

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Wal-Mart, Bharti Enterprises call off India joint venture

Wal-Mart Stores Inc and Bharti Enterprises are breaking up their Indian joint venture, leaving the world's biggest retailer to go it alone in a country where it has struggled to build a bigger presence.

Bentonville, Arkansasbased Wal-Mart, the world's largest retailer, will take over its Indian partner's 50 per cent stake in Bharti Wal-Mart Pvt Ltd, which runs 20 wholesale stores under the Best Price Modern Wholesale brand.

However, if Wal-Mart wants to set up its own retail stores in Asia's thirdlargest economy, it will need to find another local partner to own 49 per cent of the business under foreign investment rules that were eased last year.

Wal-Mart tied up with Bharti in 2007 and had been the most vocal proponent of prying open India's restrictive retail market to foreign super-

market operators.

But its growth in India has been hindered by stillevolving rules on foreign investment, an internal bribery probe, and, more recently, the faltering partnership with New Delhibased Bharti.

Wal-Mart has not opened a wholesale, or cash-and-carry, store in India for about a year, despite earlier plans to open eight in 2013.

"Wal-Mart can now focus on getting its act clean in India and start

afresh," Saloni Nangia, president for retail at Technopak Consultants, said.

Govt pins hope on Tesco Now that Walmart has made it clear that it is not entering the Indian retail space immediately, the government looks up to British retailer Tesco to become the first foreign supermarket chain to open shop in the country.

"Tesco seems to be considering entering the multi-brand retail space,

but not Carrefour," a senior official at the department of industrial policy and promotion (DIPP) said. "Tatas keep coming and meeting us. Talks are progressing so we are hopeful that they will invest," the official added.

Tesco has a sourcing and technological partnership with the Tata Group's Star Bazaar hypermarket chain and plans to carry forward the partnership to frontend retail as well.

A Tesco spokesperson said, "We are excited about the India opportunity and await policy clarity before we can take further decisions on the matter." A person privy to the company's plans said Tesco is seeking clarity on DIPP's 'clarifications'. "Those clarifications created further confusion as they were a new set of conditions altogether in terms of greenfield investment," the person said.

India’s agricultural GDP is likely to grow by over 5% this year thanks to the most abundant rains in nearly two decades, a government think tank has forecast. If the prediction comes true, it could help tame food inflation, provide much-needed boost to rural incomes and a knock-on effect on other sectors of the economy.

The demand for twowheelers, tractors and mobiles, in particular, could rise sharply, helping the government in its efforts to steer the economy out of a slowdown. For the UPA, that will mean great news politically in the run-up to the 2014 general

elections. While private economists are betting on the farm sector growing by around 4.5% this fiscal year, the Commission for Agricultural Costs & Prices (CACP) has said the sector will clock 5.2-5.7% growth during the 2013-14 agricultural year (July-June). In the last financial year, the sector’s growth was estimated at 1.9%.

In recent years, the fastest growth rate has been in 2010-11, which propelled the overall economic growth to 9.3%. “Comparing these likely agri-GDP growth rates with 2012-13 performance is three times higher than last year.�

There is some good news for chartered accountancy students of India.

Aiming to place Indian chartered accountants on a par with their global peers, the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) has collaborated with its British counterpart the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW) - so that Indian CAs can pass three more papers and qualify under the British body. Since ICAEW has larger acceptance than ICAI, Indian CAs, by passing the additional papers, can gain acceptance as qualified account-

ants in Europe, including the UK, and most countries around the world.

Globally, the British body is considered as the leading body for accounting practices and rule making.

"This pact opens up two new avenues to ICAl members. First, ICAEW's global recognition gives members many opportunities to work across the globe. Second, this also gives an additional set of integrated skills that help Indian companies gain a global perspective, which tangibly accelerates growth," said Vandana Saxena Poria, chairman, British Business Group.

Stephen Plunkett, associate partner of St. James’ Place Wealth Management spoke on

“Tax efficient management of your business and personal investments,� Andre Gotch, founder of TaxAction and member of ICAEW’s Technical committee, spoke on “Tax update on non-doms and NRIs� and Rashmin Sanghvi, founder of Rashmin Sanghvi & Associates, Mumbai, spoke on “NRI Investments in Indian and FEMA.�

Following keen interest shown by the delegates and success of the seminars, future seminars are being planned.

India’s farm sector set Indian auditors can to grow by over 5% gain acceptance in UK

Illuminating seminars on tax and investment

A series of educational and innovative seminars took place on Tuesday 1st and Wednesday 2nd October by John Cumming Ross Limited and St. James’s Place Wealth management, on Tax and NRI Investments in India. The seminars jointly took place in Harrow and Central London. Dilip Unarket, managing director at John Cumming Ross and Stephen Plunkett, an associate partner at St. James’ Place Wealth Management welcomed delegates on both evenings. Demand for both events far out-

stripped expectations and the seminar was well attended by over 230 delegates.

FINANCIAL VOICE

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 19th October 2013

19

I’ll drink to that

Suresh Vagjiani

Sow & Reap A Property Investment Company

We have just received our architect’s proposals for the Pub we purchased a few weeks ago; the property was purchased freehold for £1.25m.

The sellers were insistent the VAT must be charged on this transaction, to the point where they would rather not do the deal than take off the VAT. It was a large group we were dealing with and like a group they had a herd mentality; blindly following process and procedures without thinking.

We were under a serious time pressure as there was a contract out already at a higher price, and at £1.25m even with the VAT this was an exceptional deal. So in the interest of securing the deal we agreed, and exchanged on the basis the transaction will attract VAT. VAT is not supposed to be applicable if our intention is to purchase as a going concern. The seller’s solicitors claimed we had a different intention, i.e. we wanted to develop this into flats; they seem to have gotten this information from an agent whom we have never spoken to.

The thing with the word intention is it’s something between you and your maker. It’s an intent, which is an intangible will.

This was actually untrue, and irrespective their policy was to charge VAT always. They claimed if it wasn’t due you can always claim it back.

But if it was due and wasn’t paid they could be held liable from HMRC.

V AT is something which can be claimed back an d so at its worst involves a lot of t ime and chasing but it’s still not terrible, meaning at least we d o n ot lose this mon ey t otally.

The stamp duty however is to be paid on the full purchase price including the VAT element, on this basis we would be losing about £2,000 permanently.

After we exchanged however our client’s accountant was a persistent fellow and argued the point and managed to convince them that to be charging VAT on this transaction was illegal as we were purchasing on the basis of a going concern and therefore VAT is not applicable; even though it was in our contract, the contract is not above the law.

We put the other side on notice to say if we ended up paying VAT, which according to us was not payable we would hold them liable for any costs involved in reclaiming this back as well as the lost stamp duty.

Needless to say they looked at this policy more closely and came back and stated they would not indeed be charging us the VAT element.

So we won the battle.

The property consists of a pub on the ground and lower ground floors, with two floors of residential above. Our architect came back with proposals to add another floor, which means there will be three flats above the pub. The internal layouts will need to be agreed.

Not that we can change the external structure, but should we do two bed two baths, or three bed and one bath? This needs further research, it would be presumptuous for us to suggest layouts without doing the ground research.

For example when we went to meet the Publican and told him our plans to rejig the property by putting flats above and restricting his lease to the ground and lower ground floors, which involved moving the kitchen from the first floor to the basement, we asked him when he would prefer to do this work and his answer given was very surprising.

He stated over Christmas! I would have assumed this would be the worst time to do work, especially in a pub.

The pub is not a rowdy place where you are likely to have brawls but a very tasteful and up market bistro pub. This means the fact that the flats are above a pub is not a major issue from a rental or sales point of view.

When we purchased the property we made sure we could exercise the right to kick the tenant out completely if required. At the moment it is not likely we will be exercising this, as he seems very amiable to cooperating with what we wish to do which is to relocate the pub and develop the flats.

One of the questions I asked when I met him was how come he wasn’t interested in purchasing the pub himself given this was clearly a thriving business and he wanted to stay on. He disclosed to me he was interested, and in fact he did try and purchase it for £1.465, however he was unable to raise the funds. If the occupier was willing to pay this much, it means it is worth more and we clearly had a bargain at £1.25m.

We expect the flats above to be valued at £750k a piece which means the total value of the flats will be £2.25m alone. The ground floor pub and basement will be valued at a conservative £750k. This means you have an end value of £3m, conservative. This clearly looks like a good investment, and prices seems to be heading in the right direction upwards. The flats are in a location a stone throw away from Kensington Olympia Station where there is a property boom going on.

It’s very strange how certain pockets in London have boomed in the last year. We were selling 47 Bloemfontein Rd in Shepherds Bush for £650k, which consisted of three flats which we had purchased as part of a portfolio. They didn’t sell in the Allsops Auction, yet 10 months later two have sold for £642k and the other is under offer for £270k giving a combined total of £912k; which is 40% higher than the year before for doing nothing, meaning no work has been done on them during this period.

This in truth has been a learning curve and we have never been involved in purchasing a running pub before, there are licenses and insurances you need to have in place for the pub to carry on running.

Often doing one type of deal attracts more of the same, consequently we have now got another two pubs we are looking at closing, one in W1 and the other in W2. Going through this experience obviously means we have it under our belt and therefore have more confidence in executing these other two deals.

Appare ntly this area is second home territory an d du ring Christmas everyon e go es ho me t o t heir main home s. Here’s whe re local knowled ge coun ts, and this is precisely t he reaso n why we would no t t ry and gue ss what the en d bu ye r or ren ter would pre f er in a flat.

The Real Deal

Knightsbridge, London, SW7 Purchase Price: £6.2m l An elegant property arranged over six floors with five reception rooms and six bedrooms l Freehold property with garden l Located in the heart of South Kensington arranged around an immaculately maintained garden square l End value after works expected to be around £12m l Off market opportunity Call us now if you would like to have a piece of this pie!

Doin g propert y doe sn ’t ne cessarily me an you n eed to know everyt hing about every possible t ransactio n, but you must have t he right con tacts to g o t o g et goo d, st ron g an d impartial advice; meaning havin g a so lid n etwork in place .

The two pubs we are looking at acquiring are both off market, and both in very strong locations. They will each be priced in the £2-3m range.

If you like the numbers for the real life example we have described and would like to do a similar investment, even if you don’t have the full amount to invest give us a call.

0207 993 0103

We provide a turnkey solution. Contact us now:

Specialists in

Central London Property Sourcing

info@sowandreap.co.uk

www.sowandreap.co.uk

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

Follow us online:

Sowandreapuk

SowandReapProperties

Tips of the Week l Always have two exit strategies when doing a property deal, as things may not always go as per your plan.

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

20

FINANCIAL VOICE

The New Immigration Bill

Maria Fernandes

maria@abplgroup.com

Finally the Immigration Bill, which has had several advance previews, is out.

What is interesting about the Bill are not the changes as such but the fact that airlines, banks, landlords, and even the DVLA will have to become trainee immigration officers whilst the courts are having their wings clipped.

The devil is always in the detail. This week will concentrate on the bare bones.

Reduction of Rights of Appeal • The number of appeals to be reduced from 17 to 4 • When decisions are made they will be accompanied by removal directions.

They will be able to raise human rights issues at this point only.

If encountered later they will not have any further rights of appeal.

• Establishment of an administrative review system to replace the loss of these rights • In Article 8 cases make the test of the public interest to require removal stronger My comment: one way of preventing the judges from challenging the Government

Increase in Powers of Immigration Officers • There will be a substantial increase in the powers of Immigration Officers to search property of third parties for documents, reduce their right to withhold consent to enter and search premises • Reduce the power of an applicant to apply for bail if detained.

Furthermore, the Secretary of State will be required to consent to a grant of bail where removal is due to take place within 14 days of the Tribunal hearing the application. In other words the final say in these circumstances will be with the Secretary of State rather than the court.

• Foreign criminals can only exercise rights of appeal from abroad My comment: Ethnic businesses already suffering with the enormous number of raids can expect more Marriage • Marriages will be subject to notice periods of 28 days in all cases including British citizens and 70 days in cases

where there are suspicions of a false marriage • Notices of marriages of non-EU nationals will be reported to the Home Office in all cases where there is an “immigration advantage” i.e. the applicant does not have settled status or British Citizenship • Non-EU nationals who want to marry in a Church will still need to complete the civil formalities • This scheme will be introduced in April 2015.

My comment: The judges threw out a previous attempt by the UKBA to introduce certificates before allowing marriage.

This is a re-hash of that.

Immigration Advisers • Tougher powers to regulate immigration advisers. There will be powers for the Immigration Commissioner to obtain a warrant to enter premises.

My comment: Overdue change Airline Operators • Exit checks will come into force in 2015.

Carriers and operators will be expected to carry out these checks and will receive training to do so.

My comment: Seriously?

Landlords • Require private landlords to check the immigration status of their tenants, to prevent those with no right to live in the UK from accessing private rented housing;

NHS • Introduce a new requirement for temporary migrants, for example overseas students, to make a contribution to the National Health Service; Banks • Require banks to check against a database of known immigration offenders before opening bank accounts;

DVLA • Introduce new powers to check driving licence applicants' immigration status before issuing a licence and revoking licences where immigrants are found to have overstayed in the UK; My comment: The new breed to immigration officers

India's trade deficit drops to 30-month low; exports jump

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 19th October 2013

India's exports rose by 11.15 per cent to $27.68 billion in September while imports dipped by 18 per cent, helping to narrow trade deficit to a two-anda-half-year low, government data showed.

According to data released by the commerce ministry, imports contracted by 18.10 per cent to $34.44 billion in September, leaving a monthly trade deficit of $6.76 billion. This is the lowest trade deficit since March 2011.

Trade deficit was recorded at $10.9 billion in August and $12.27 billion in the previous month.

Trade deficit has dropped sharply in the recent months due to lower

imports of gold and other precious metals.

Talking to reporters, commerce secretary S.R. Rao said lower imports of non-essential commodities like gold have helped narrow the trade gap. "The government has taken conscious steps to curtail imports of non-essential commodities, essentially

precious metals," Rao said.

"That is working out as the government intended," he added.

Cumulative trade deficit for the first six months of the current financial year has dropped to $80.12 billion, as compared to $91.82 billion recorded in the same period last year. Lower trade

deficit is raising hope for a significant reduction in the country's current account deficit, a major macro-economic problem that has created huge volatility in the currency and equities markets.

Value of exports for April-September period of this year stood at $152.10 billion, 5.14 per cent higher than the $144.67 billion exports registered during the corresponding period of last year.

Cumulative value of imports for the first six months of the current financial year is $232.23 billion as compared to $236.49 billion recorded in the same period last year, registering a decline of 1.8 per cent.

India has overtaken Thailand as Singapore's biggest rice supplier for the first time, exporting 92,865 tonnes or 32.9% of the total rice supply to the island nation in the first eight months of 2013.

Thailand shipped 85,816 tonnes or 30.4 per cent during the January-August period of this year to Singapore, reports said.

Vietnam supplied 77,459 tonnes or 27.4 per cent of rice supply during the period.

Indian rice exports to Singapore had risen to 29.5% last year from 15.3% in 2009. Thailand has been the leading rice supplier to Singapore since 1998, accounting for over half of the total rice consumption of the city state between 1998 and 2011.

But its market share fell to 35.3% last year while supplies from India and other countries have increased.

prices in FY13 from 6.3 per cent in the previous fiscal year.

Although partly reversed, India's rupee depreciation of around 20 per cent between May and August 2013 reflected changing market sentiment toward the region and the increasing vulnerability to external shocks.

India's slowdown has significant spillover effects to the rest of South Asia, and even more so after the financial crisis of 2008, the report said.

There is a clear transmission of the global business cycle to South Asia, but also a significant effect from India on South Asian economies' GDP growth rates.

India's policy on foreign banks soon: RBI chief

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) will soon come out with new rules for the entry of foreign banks that may even allow them to take over Indian banks, RBI governor Raghuram Rajan has said in Washington.

"That is going to be a big opening because one could even contemplate taking over Indian banks, small Indian banks and so on," he said at an event in the Institute of International Finance.

"We're coming out with details on that in the next couple of weeks. By setting up wholly owned subsidiaries, foreign banks will get more opportunities to expand in India," Rajan said. "We will allow you a lot of freedom on branching."

Currently, foreign banks in India operate as branches of the foreign parent and face restrictions on the number of branches they can set up

in India. The banking sector reforms, particularly those facilitating entry of foreign banks in India in a "big way", is part of the five pillars of reforms, including monetary policy framework that the RBI is going to implement in the next few years, Rajan said. "For foreign banks, if you adopt a wholly-owned subsidiaries structure, we will allow you near national treatment," but with a couple of conditions, he said.

"One reciprocity - your

country should allow the same to our own banks and second you come through one route - either you have a branch or you have a subsidiary; don't do both."

Acknowledging that price situation was an issue for the economy, Rajan said the ordinary monetary policy would be focused on containing inflation and not directed towards external sectors.

I am not a superman: Rajan With a "little bit of euphoria" surrounding him with the arrest of the Indian rupee's slide, Rajan has sought to temper expectations saying "I am not a superman".

Portraying himself as a regular guy, he told the Washington audience what the country's central bank could do or not do.

"Expectations are high.

There is a little bit of euphoria in India," said Rajan

With India's slowdown having significant spillover effects to the rest of South Asia, the World Bank wants governments to work harder on reforms to raise growth in a region with the world's most poor.

With economic growth in South Asia expected to be modest this year and in 2014, the goal of ending extreme poverty by 2030 will not be attained, the Bank said in its South Asia Economic Focus report.

South Asia was the second-fastest growing region in the world in the aftermath of the global crisis, the report noted.

However, its recent performance has been less

stellar, and it has been sustained by potentially volatile portfolio inflows.

More stable Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in the region is low, half that of other regions relative to GDP; inflation is twice that of other regions and fiscal deficits and debt-to-GDP ratios are high, the report said.

The report, a twiceyearly look at South Asia's economic prospects, said that despite recent volatility in international capital flows, fundamentals determining long-run growth and stability in South Asia have not changed significantly over the last 12 months.

Like other developing regions, South Asia is fac-

ing greater turbulence as markets reassess sources of global growth and risks.

"Exuberance has given way to deep pessimism, particularly in the case of India, while the underlying potential remains somewhere in-between," said Martin Rama, Chief Economist for the South Asia Region at the World Bank. "However, shortterm capital market turbulence is manageable and the return to sustainable growth in the developed world is a positive development for South Asia," he added.

India, the region's main economy, slowed down significantly to an estimated 3.2 per cent real GDP growth at market

Raghuram Rajan

India is leading rice supplier to Singapore

South Asia needs more reforms after India's slowdown: World Bank

FINANCIAL VOICE

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 19th October 2013

21

Foreign Exchange

Paresh Davdra is the Dealing Director of RationalFX,

Republicans & Democrats remain in deadlock Currency Specialists.

Concerns continue to linger over the US, as both Republicans and Democrats remain in deadlock over a deal to raise the debt ceiling. Failure to raise the ceiling would see the US default on their debts in what would be a catastrophic event for the world economy.

Ahead of this Thursday’s deadline, President Barack Obama has recently insinuated that he saw “some progress” in the talks, ahead of Thursday’s deadline for the US to raise its $16.7tn (£10.5tn) borrowing limit or risk defaulting on its debt.

US Senate leaders have expressed optimism after a flurry of negotiations on raising the federal debt ceiling to avert a potentially disastrous default.

The deal currently under discussion would fund the government until 15 January while raising the debt ceiling until early to mid-February.

Senate Democratic Majority Leader Harry Reid told the chamber on Monday evening: "We've made tremendous progress”.

In its latest World Economic Outlook report, the IMF downgraded its growth forecasts for the world economy to 2.9% this year from 3.1%. Its 2014 forecast was also revised lower to

3.6% from 3.8%. However the IMF’s forecasts for the UK were upgraded higher to 1.4% this year and to 1.9% for 2014.

Continued encouraging data

would lend further support for the pound.

With regards to data from the UK, the Office for National Statistics reported a drop in output across the manufacturing sector, from pharmaceutical firms to makers of computers, electronic & optical products; and food products, beverages & tobacco goods. The expectation was for to rise 0.4% but it in fact fell 1.2%.

Industrial Production fell by 1.1% month-on month, which is the worst drop since September 2012.

Economists had pencilled in a 0.4% rise in output, as the UK’s economic recovery is seen to be picking up some pace.

Following this bad news the UK trade deficit (he difference between imports and exports) was larger than expected in August – at £9.625bn, compared with forecasts of £9bn.

As widely expected, the Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) voted in favour of keeping interest rates at 0.5%. The Bank of

England has said it will not increase interest rates until the unemployment rate falls from its current level of 7.7% to 7%. The MPC has also kept QE unchanged at £375bn. Although widely expected, the pound managed to strengthen on the back of these decisions.

Data from the euro zone revealed that single bloc grew by 0.3% in the second quarter, unchanged from preliminary estimates. The Sentix index revealed that euro zone investor confidence dropped to 6.1 in October from 6.5 in September as concerns over the US political impasse weighed in on investor sentiment.

We had some fairly disappointing data from Germany as factory orders fell by 0.3% in August. A case that the euro could be over-valued against the US dollar could be made seeing as exports only rose to 1% instead of 1.5% in August, falling shy of market expectations. The IMF improved the growth outlook for the euro zone but still think that single bloc area will contract by 0.4% in 2013 instead of 0.5%.

Weekly Currencies

As of Tuesday 15th October 2013 @ 1pm

GBP - INR = 98.60

USD - INR = 61.82 EUR - INR = 83.41 GBP - USD = 1.59 GBP - EUR = 1.18

EUR - USD = 1.35 GBP - AED = 5.86

GBP - CAD = 1.65

GBP - NZD = 1.90

GBP - AUD = 1.67

GBP - ZAR = 15.87

GBP - HUF = 349.27

www.rationalfx.com

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

22

PAKISTAN-BANGLADESH-SRI LANKA

In Focus

Pakistan appoints Ibne Abbas as new envoy to India

Islamabad: Pakistan has appointed Syed Ibne Abbas as its new high commissioner to India replacing Salman Bashir. Abbas was a political counsellor at the high commission in Delhi and was also a director for Kashmir affairs in the Pakistan Foreign Office. Foreign Secretary Jalil Abbas Jilani has been appointed as the new ambassador to the US, Dawn reported citing the government's decision. Jilani will be replaced by Abdul Basit, who is currently serving as the country's ambassador to Germany.

Kayani appointed JCSC chairman

Islamabad: Pakistan Army chief General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani assumed the additional charge as the Chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee until a replacement is selected for the top post. Minister for information and broadcasting Pervaiz Rashid said appointments to the posts of Chief of Army Staff and Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee will be made in accordance with the constitutional framework. Rashid said currently chief of the army staff is holding the acting charge of the Chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (CJCSC) and this position will be filled within 30 days as per the requirement.

Bomb attack kills Afghan governor

Pul-i-Alam (Afghanistan): An attack on a mosque killed the governor of Logar Province south of the Afghan capital, officials said, as he was making an address on the first day of the Muslim holiday of Eid alAdha. No one immediately claimed responsibility for the attack on governor Arsala Jamal. Police and government officials said others in the mosque were killed or wounded, but the number of casualties was unclear.

Life imprisonment for Bangla opposition member

Dhaka: A special Bangladesh tribunal has found a senior member of the opposition guilty of crimes against humanity stemming from the nation's 1971 independence war and sentenced him to life imprisonment.

The prosecution says 83-year-old Abdul Alim of the main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party was found guilty of involvement in the killing of at least 600 people during the war. It is the eighth verdict delivered by the tribunal since Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's government ordered it formed in 2010 to prosecute war crimes.

Blasts rip through Pak cities; seven killed, 50 injured

Islamabad: Bomb blasts in three cities of Pakistan's Punjab and Balochistan provinces last week killed seven people and left more than 50 injured. The first blast occurred inside a small restaurant in Lahore killed the eatery's owner and injured more than a dozen others. A second explosion ripped through a busy market in Quetta, the capital of Balochistan province, killing six people and injuring 35 others. In yet another explosion in north-western city of Peshawar, at least four security personnel were injured.

Tamil students killing: Lanka court grants bail to 12

Colombo: Twelve Sri Lankan policemen from an elite task force, accused of killing five Tamil students in 2006, were granted bail in a case that evoked international concern. Judge Amal Ranarajah in the Trincomalee high court in the east allowed the release of suspects on bail. The killing of some five Tamil students in early 2006 by the police's elite special task force caused international concerns as rights group urged the Sri Lankan government to bring perpetrators to justice. Bowing to pressure, the government initiated the legal process which resulted in the arrest of the 12 personnel in August.

US, Afghanistan set to seal post-2014 security deal

Kabul: US secretary of state John Kerry and Afghan’s President Hamid Karzai have reached preliminary agreement on a bilateral security pact that now depends on the approval of Afghanistan’s tribal leaders.

The pact, announced jointly by Kerry and Karzai after two days of talks in Kabul would keep some US forces in Afghanistan after the withdrawal of most foreign troops by the end of next year.

The draft includes a US demand to retain legal jurisdiction over its troops who stay on in Afghanistan, which would give them immunity from Afghan law.

Karzai opposes that and said the question could not be decided by his government.

Instead, a Loya Jirga, or an assembly of elders, leaders and other influential people, will consider the demand and decide whether to accept it.

The US is insisting it cannot agree to a deal unless it is granted the right to try in the US its citizens who break the

Pak court reopens graft cases against Zardari

Islamabad: Pakistan's anti-graft court has reopened five corruption cases against former president Asif Ali Zardari dating back to the 1990s, officials said on Monday.

The allegations against Zardari relate to kickbacks, money laundering and the illegal construction of a polo ground at the prime minister's official residence, during his slain wife Benazir Bhutto's two stints as premier. As president Zardari enjoyed immunity from prosecution, but this ended when he stepped down after five years in September and now an anti-corruption court has taken up the cases. "The accountability court has ordered former president Asif Ali Zardari to appear before the court on October 29," a court official said.

The probe includes corruption allegations relating to customs contracts given to two Swiss companies that were behind a long-running tussle between the Supreme Court and

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 19th October 2013

John Kerry & Hamid Karzai

law in Afghanistan. US officials said they wanted the pact finalized by the end of October and Kerry’s visit was seen as a last-ditch effort to push it through before the deadline. A senior US administration official said the sides had agreed on language

Pak Muslims form human chain to protect Christians

the last government, led by Zardari's Pakistan People's Party (PPP).

For more than two years PPP ministers refused to write to the Swiss to ask them to reopen their probe into claims Zardari and Bhutto laundered $12 million worth of bribes. In June Swiss prosecutors refused to reopen the cases, saying no new evidence had emerged since they were dropped in 2008 and in any event the statute of limitations had expired.

Islamabad: In a rare show of inter-religion camaraderie in Pakistan, over 200-300 people, both Muslims and Christians joined hand-in-hand to form a human chain during a Sunday mass, around a Lahore church after paying tribute to the victims of Peshawar church attack that killed 100.

The human chain tribute around St Anthony’s Church on Oct 6 in Lahore came just a fortnight after twin suicide attacks on All Saints church after a Sunday Mass killed 100 people.

The human chain tribute for the country’s Christians was organised by a citizen group "Pakistan for All” which works to promote awareness about minorities’ rights.

The group had organ-

Dhaka’s Durga puja unites Hindus and Muslims

Dhaka: She gave Dhaka her name. And though she has been attacked several times she remains an inspiring example of communal integration in Bangladesh. The best time to witness this is during Durga puja. The 800-year-old Dhakeshwari temple is like no other Hindu temple in the world. The national flag of Bangladesh is hoisted here every morning and even flies at half mast during official mourning.

Durga puja at Dhakeshwari too is unique in many ways. It is a must-visit for not only the country’s estimated 14 lakh Hindus, but also for the vast majority of Muslims here. Senior politicians of both the Awami League and the Bangladesh National Party (BNP) make it a point to drop by and greet puja revellers here.

The long queues waiting to be served the rich bhuna khichuri served on Ashtami

(the second day of the fourday puja) include Muslims too. Bijoya Sammilani (the post-puja social and cultural gathering) held in the temple grounds is a major event in Dhaka’s cultural calendar.

“Durga Puja, for us, is an occasion to do some social service and strengthen bonds between members of other

in the draft deal that covers the issue of immunity and “that can be put to his Loya Jirga for their consideration”.

Hundreds of people, and at times even more than 1,000, attend a Loya Jirga, which makes it difficult to predict how deliberations will unfold.

However, in the past, they have voted in favour of keeping a US presence in Afghanistan and Western diplomats are optimistic the assembly will pass the deal as long Karzai remains in favour of it.

“The Loya Jirga here basically follows the advice of the president, and I think he will (agree to the pact),” said one senior diplomat. Karzai said the assembly would be held within a month.

communities,” says Bashudeb Dhar, the president of the Mahanagar Sarbojonin Puja Committee that oversees the 212 community pujas in Dhaka.

Prominent members of all communities, including Buddhists and Christians, are invited to participate in the festivities.

ised a similar show in Karachi last week outside St Patrick’s Cathedral.

"Well the terrorists showed us what they do on Sundays. Here we are showing them what we do on Sundays. We unite," Pakistan for All organizer, Mohammad Jibran Nasir told a Pakistani newspaper.

Nasir also urged Pkaistani politicians to join the solidarity efforts saying, "I see no reason why our politicians and our leaders should not come out of their houses, leave the luxury of their secure homes and stand in solidarity with the common man”.

Christians account for a mere 4 per cent of the country's 180 million population and are vulnerable to bombings, assassinations and blasphemy laws.

Amnesty to launch report on US drone strikes in Pak

London: Amnesty International will launch a report on the US drones programme in Pakistan – “Will I be next? – US drone strikes in Pakistan" on 22nd October. The report is one of the most comprehensive studies about the US drone program from a human rights perspective. It includes detailed research into several recent drone strike killings in North Waziristan, which raise serious questions about violations of international law. Advance copies of the report, press release and AV material are available on request.

For more information, please contact: Olof Blomqvist, Asia/Pacific Press Officer, in London: + 44 (0) 20 7413 5871 or olof.blomqvist@amnesty.o rg.

WORLD

In Focus

Nobel peace prize for chemicals weapons watchdog OPCW

Stockholm: The daunting challenge of ridding the world of chemical weapons got a massive push with the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) being awarded the Nobel peace prize 2013. OPCW tipped clear favourite 16 year old Pakistani Malala Yousufzai to win the award. OPCW has been tirelessly monitoring activities in the chemical industry to reduce the risk of commercial chemicals being misused for weapons purposes, providing assistance and protection to member countries if they are attacked or threatened with attack by chemical weapons.

Iraq hangs 42 convicted on terrorism charges

Baghdad: Iraq has hanged 42 prisoners convicted of terrorism-related charges, including a woman, the justice ministry said, in Baghdad's latest use of capital punishment despite international appeals to have it abolished. With violence mounting since April, the government defends the death penalty as a way to face down insurgents bent to destabilize the country.

More than 5,000 people have been killed over the past six months, including nearly 200 so far in October.

Sikh leader in New Zealand charged with forgery

Wellington (New Zealand): A Sikh leader in New Zealand was charged with forging election documents in a bid to win a local body election three years ago.

Daljit Singh, a former Labour Party candidate, who was running for the OtaraPapatoetoe local board in Auckland Council in 2010, is on trial at the high court in Auckland on 20 charges of using a forged document, Radio New Zealand reported.

Seven other men, who helped Daljit Singh, are also on trial for the same charges, but on fewer counts. Daljit Singh, a real estate agent, however, pleaded not guilty.

Libyan PM Ali Zidan freed after stunning abduction

Tripoli (Libya): Libyan Prime Minister Ali Zidan was freed from captivity just hours after gunmen abducted him at dawn from the hotel where he resides in the capital, Tripoli, according to the state news agency. The brazen abduction - apparently in retaliation for the US special forces' raid over the weekend that seized a Libyan alQaida suspect from the streets of Tripoli reflected the deep chaos and lawlessness gripping Libya.

Typhoon threatens Japanese capital

Tokyo: A once-in-a-decade typhoon threatened Japan on Tuesday forcing the cancellation of flights and trains and disrupting oil shipments as it made its way across the Pacific directly towards the capital, Tokyo. Typhoon Wipha is expected to make landfall right around the morning rush hour on Wednesday, bringing hurricane-force winds to the metropolitan area of 30 million people. The centre of the storm was 860 km southwest of Tokyo, the Japan Meteorological Agency said.

Iran resumes talks to end nuclear deadlock

Geneva: Iran resumed negotiations with six world powers on Tuesday after a sixmonth hiatus, under pressure to propose scaling back its disputed nuclear programme to win relief from crippling sanctions. The two-day meeting, the first since relative moderate Hassan Rouhani was elected Iran's president on a platform to ease its international isolation, is seen as the best chance in years to defuse a long stand-off over Iran's nuclear ambitions that has heightened the risk of a new Middle East war.

23

India to set up separate ASEAN mission: Manmohan

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 19th October 2013

Brunei: Eyeing greater cooperation with south east Asian countries on economic and security issues, India announced a separate mission for ASEAN region to be set up in Jakarta with a fulltime resident ambassador.

Addressing the 11th ASEANIndia summit here, Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh also said that India was ready to sign a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with ASEAN on services and investment to boost their bilateral trade to USD 100 billion by 2015, from USD 76 billion last year. Singh said over the last two decades, India and ASEAN have established a comprehensive agenda of cooperation and a wide-ranging framework to pursue it.

"Today, we stand on the

Washington: India and the US agreed to work together to target the financial network and fund raising activities of Pakistan-based terror outfits like Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jamaat-ud-Dawa, the Haqqani network and individual terrorists associated with these organisations.

The decision by the two countries, in this regard, was taken during a meeting between India’s finance minister P Chidambaram and US

threshold of the third decade of our engagement. In keeping with our substantial achievements, the recent elevation of our ties to a strategic partnership and the rich potential of our cooperation, I feel it would be appropriate for me to take this opportunity to announce that India will soon set up a separate mis-

sion to the ASEAN in Jakarta with a full time resident ambassador," he added.

The secretariat for ASEAN (Association of South East Asian Nations), a ten-member block of countries including Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam, is based in Jakarta.

Singh said that all the "countries have equal stakes in the security and prosperity of our shared Asian neighbourhood. The global economic crisis and turmoil in different parts of the world underscores the salience of our robust partnership. The scope of India's engagement with the east and south east Asia has grown steadily in the last two decades.

"We seek to promote not

only mutually beneficial bilateral relations, but also to work institutionally with regional partners and foster a climate that is conducive to stability, security and economic development in our region," he added.

The Prime Minister said that ASEAN has paved way for a great level of "cooperation and integration, not only among themselves, but also in the broader region."

"For India, it is an article of faith of our Look-East policy that ASEAN must remain central to the future evolution of regional mechanisms, which must be open and inclusive. We share your vision and aspirations for the region and we applaud your march towards an ASEAN Economic Community in 2015," he added.

treasury secretary Jack Lew. The two leaders jointly chaired the fourth annual meeting of India-US Economic and Financial Partnership held at the IMF headquarters here.

Chidambaram and Lew also agreed on commitment to deepening dialogue on implementation of international anti-money laundering, combating the financing of terrorism and expanding cooperation on countering

illicit financing.

This will include targeting the financial networks and fundraising activities of terror organisations such as Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), Jamaat-ud Dawa (JuD), the Haqqani Network and individual terrorists associated with these organisations, India said in a statement after the meeting.

These commitments were also reflected in a joint statement issued after

Chidambaram's meeting with Lew. Jamaat-ud-Dawa is the parent body of banned terror group Lashkar-e-Taiba that carried out the 2008 Mumbai attacks which claimed 166 lives.

"They also agreed to enhance cooperation between our agencies in fighting against counterfeiting currency and illicit financial flows," the statement said.

Manmohan Singh

India, US to jointly target financial networks of LeT, JuD

93 killed as quake hits Philippines

Cebu (Philippines): The death toll from a 7.2-magnitude earthquake that struck the central Philippine island of Bohol on Tuesday rose to 93, as rescuers struggled to reach patients in a collapsed hospital. Centuries-old stone churches crumbled and wide areas were without power.

Bohol police chief Dennis Agustin said 77 of the deaths came from the province. At least 15 others died in nearby Cebu province and another on Siquijor Island.

The quake was centered about 33 km below Carmen city, where many small buildings collapsed.

Many roads and bridges were reported damaged, making rescue operations difficult. But historic churches dating from the Spanish colonial period suffered the most.

Among them was the country's oldest, the 16th-century Basilica of the Holy Child in Cebu, which lost its bell tower. The highest number of dead, 18, were in the municipality of Loon, 42 km west of Carmen, where an unknown number of patients were trapped inside the Congressman Castillo Memorial Hospital, which partially collapsed. Rescuers were working to reach them, said civil defense spokesman Maj. Reynaldo Balido.

Extensive damage also hit densely populated Cebu city, across a narrow strait from Bohol, causing deaths when a building in the port and the roof of a market area collapsed.

The quake set off two stampedes in nearby cities. When it struck, people gathered in a gym in Cebu rushed outside in a panic, crushing five people to death and injuring eight others, said Neil Sanchez, provincial disaster management officer.

24

INDIA

South

CPI extends support to AIADMK nominee

The state unit of the CPI has decided to back the ruling AIADMK in Tamil Nadu for the Yercaud by-poll, indicating possible understanding among them for the 2014 Lok Sabha elections as well. CPI state secretary D Pandian announced his party's backing for the AIADMK in the by-poll and rejected the DMK's plea for support for its candidate. The CPM, while avoiding any direct commitment to the AIADMK now, has, however, rejected the DMK's appeal for a common candidate for the by-election.

Evangelist Dhinakaran meets Modi

Evangelist Paul Dhinakaran met Gujarat chief minister and BJP prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi at his office in Gandhinagar.

He prayed for Modi's prosperity and the welfare of the people. Paul is the son of the late evangelist D G S Dhinakaran and runs the evangelist ministry 'Jesus Calls'. "The 15minute meeting was cordial. The way he received me was overwhelming. I prayed for his mission for the people of our country. His policies and successful schemes for the people of Gujarat should be extended to everyone in our country," Dhinakaran said.

Lingayats renew demand for separate religion

The All India Veerashaiva Mahasabha president and senior Karnataka minister Shamnur Shivashankarappa is lobbying at the Centre to seek 'religious minority' status for Lingayats by seeking a separate identity from Hinduism. But there don't seem to be many takers for this within the community.

The demand has been kept alive for the past decade by some Lingayat leaders, most of whom happen to be the Mahasabha officials.

Punjab

20 pilgrims killed in mishap Twenty pilgrims were killed while 40 others were injured when an overloaded mini truck carrying them fell in a gorge in Manguwal village in the Hoshiarpur district last week. "The pilgrims were returning from Chintpurni shrine in Himachal Pradesh and were headed to Begowal falling in Punjab's Kapurthala district when the accident occurred," Hoshiarpur SSP Sukhchain Singh Gill said. The dead included 13 women and four children.

CAG pulls up Haryana govt

A team of the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) has slammed the Haryana government for hiring an orchestra party by paying over Rs 2200,000 to organize cultural programmes while its public relations department's artistes remained "idle." Out of the 11 big programmes, seven cultural events - Rafi night, cultural fair, Ramlila, etc - during 200812 were organized at Rohtak, home town of chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, instead of the whole of Haryana, a draft report of the CAG pointed out.

Differences ironed out, Metro to roll

Punjab, Haryana and UT have resolved their differences over the fund-sharing mechanism for the Rs 109 billion Metro, paving the way for the project to roll in the Tricity. The three stakeholders gave their consent to sign the MoU without any major changes in the draft in a key meeting. "The draft memorandum of understanding was deliberated in detail. Punjab and Haryana expressed their agreement on the terms. This approval on the MOU will be conveyed to the government and the MoU shall be formally signed by the stakeholders after the Centre's approval," said a UT official.

Students murder engineering college principal

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 19th October 2013

Police said Suresh was walking towards his office room, when the three students, who were waiting for him, surrounded him and attacked him with sickles.

Suresh sustained multiple injuries and collapsed in a pool of blood. Students and faculty of the college took him to a nearby hospital where he was pronounced dead.

The murder spread shock

and panic across the college campus and students and faculty gathered in large numbers at the government hospital in Tirunelveli where the principal's body was kept.

Police said that one of the students was suspended two days back by the principal and that could be the motive for the murder. "Pichaikannan was suspended two days back.

We suspect that the suspen-

sion and humiliation was the motive for the murder. Dannis and Prabakaran were friends of Pichaikannan and so they joined him in the attack,'' a police officer investigating the case said.

Narrating the sequence of incidents that led to the murder, a police officer said a few days back, two other students of the college identified as Muthselvan Moses and Adithan from Tuticorin had a disagreement and got into a scuffle. Pichaikannan intervened and artbitrated in the issue. When the college authorities learnt about the clash and the "katta panchayat (kangaroo court)'' settling the issue, they suspended Pichaikannan as well as Muthuselvan and Adithan.

The suspension infuriated Pichaikannan, who conspired with his friends Dannis and Prabakaran, police said.

conspiracy in the Three weeks after assassination; the death convict in CBI said they were Rajiv Gandhi assasdevoid of merit. sination case A G In a counter-affiPerarivalan sought davit filed in the to reopen the case court of additional by requesting the sessions judge N designated TADA Dhandapani, who court to order and held the additional monitor further charge of the desigprobe, the CBI said Rajiv Gandhi nated court, CBI such a move would special public prosecutor N be in contempt of the Ranganathan said entertainSupreme Court. ing the petition would Dismissing Perarivalan's allegations that several amount to commenting on important files were either the findings of the apex court stolen from or destroyed at in the case. He said the case had been investigated, tried, the Prime Minister's Office adjudicated and even the and that the CBI's MDMA appeals had been decided by had not properly probed leads the Supreme Court. that suggested international

B Selvam, a senior section engineer at the Basin Bridge train care centre in Chennai, had a problem. The pesticides meant to sanitise train coaches weren't working.

Determined to find a solution, he scoured the crevices of a coach with a pencil camera attached to a laptop.

What he found - colonies of pests and bed bugs behind walls, floors and the roof spurred him to devise a fumigation chamber.

It not only proved a success but also won him the Prime Minister's Shram Vir award for 2012. "I used a network of narrow tubes through which poisonous methyl bromide gas was pumped into the

crevices of coaches. A chamber was made so that coaches could be kept in isolation," said Selvam.

Southern Railway chief mechanical engineer S K Sood said, "The gap between the inner walls and the metal shell is six inches wide and there was no way to send pesticides into the gap. A chamber was made of used rexine to accommodate a coach so that fumigation could be done without affecting workers."

After it proved a success, a chamber to accommodate three coaches was made at the yard last year. The coaches treated in the chamber remain pest-free for six months.

Punjab chief ministhat it reflected ter Parkash Singh the frustration of Badal said that the the Congress hostile attitude of leaders who were the Congress led making these UPA government futile attempts in towards the states the false hope of ruled by opposition regaining the parties was strainpower again. ing the CenterBadal said states relations in that the Congress the country. must Parkash Singh Badal leaders remember that Speaking at the money spent on these Gidderbaha, Badal said that projects comes from the the Congress leadership was states through the collection eroding the federal system in of taxes due to which they the nation by deliberately have every right over it. He ignoring the elected governsaid that they do not bother ments of states during the inauguration of developmenabout not being invited at the tal projects. He said that function to lay down the whether it was Uttar Pradesh foundation stone of PGIMER or Punjab, the Congress leadSatellite Center at Sangrur ers had deliberately ignored but in the manner the union the ruling political leadership government has humiliated of the states in the functions them by ignoring the state of the union government just government in this regard, was unconstitutional and to take political mileage of derogatory. these projects. Badal said

The Punjab government will distribute free bicycles to over 100,000 girl students of government schools in the state, as part of a scheme aimed at motivating them for higher education.

Bicycles will be distributed to 1,52,330 girl students under the state government's flagship programme 'Mai Bhago Vidya Scheme' at a state-level function being organised at Jagraon in Ludhiana district on October 25, an official release stated.

The cycles will be distributed to students of Classes 11 and 12, it stated.

The government has already released Rs 419 million for procuring these bicycles and decided to distribute them

to the girl students at a state-level function in Jagraon.

The scheme is aimed at motivating the girl students for higher education and empowering them, the release said.

The SAD-BJP government had launched this scheme in 2011-12 by distributing 1,11,000 free bicycles worth Rs 300 million to girl students and it was decided to make it an annual feature.

In one of the most brutal incidents of campus violence, the principal of an engineering college was hacked to death by three students in the campus at Vallanadu in Tuticorin district. The principal, LRD Suresh (53) of Infant Jesus College of Engineering and Technology sustained multiple injuries and was rushed to a government hospital but was pronounced dead.

The three students, who had managed to escape from the campus, were climbing a hillock nearby when police, with the help of other students, managed to nab them.

The three were identified as P Pichaikannan (21), a fourth year Aeronautical Engineering student from Nazareth, G Dannis (22), studying fourth year B Tech and M Prabakaran (21) from Nagapattinam studying third year BE Civil Engineering.

CBI opposes plea to reopen Railway man’s fumigation Rajiv Gandhi murder case chamber wins award

Badal blames UPA for straining Punjab to give free bicycles center-state relations to over 100,000 girl students

To advertise in our ‘Diwali Special’ Magazine 2013, Call today at 020 7749 4085

INDIA

In Focus

Amitabh Bachchan turns 71, Aaradhya sings happy birthday "I will continue working till there is strength in my body," is how megastar Amitabh Bachchan prophesied as his two-year-old granddaughter Aaradhya joined other family members in wishing him on his 71st birthday. "Her mother (Aishwarya Rai Bachchan) taught her to sing a happy birthday song. She sang for me but with her own name," an exuberant Bachchan told reporters. "Last year, there was a grand celebration as it was the 70th birthday, this year it is quite simple and quiet. Every year it is not possible to do it that way. I met family members and close associates. All I wish for is love and affection on my birthday," the legendary actor said. Having starred in over 180 films in a career spanning more than four decades, Bachchan continues to hold sway over millions of his fans with his rich baritone on the big screen as well as on TV.

Hazare in Pune hospital, may undergo surgery

Social crusader Anna Hazare was admitted to a private hospital in Pune on Monday after he complained of weakness, loss of appetite and problem in passing urine. His lawyer Milind Pawar said that Anna was rushed to Pune from Ralegan Siddhi, his hometown, after he complained of pain in the prostate gland.

"The doctors have conducted tests and he is likely to undergo a prostate surgery," he said.

India's Varun Arora wins UN award

A young man from India is among 10 people from around the world selected for a prestigious United Nations award in recognition of their work as entrepreneurs and use of technology to change the world.

The winner from India is Varun Arora who created 'Open Curriculum', an online platform for local educational material for standard, primary and secondary schooling.

Notice to Pak singer Adnan Sami for overstaying in India Pakistani musician Adnan Sami was on Tuesday issued a notice by the Mumbai Police for overstaying in India after his visa expired earlier this month. The 44-year-old Sami, who has made India his second home for the last several years, has been asked to reply to the notice explaining reasons for overstaying and efforts being made by him for renewal of the visa within a week, sources in the special branch of city police said. The singer-composer's last visa was valid from September 26, 2012 to October 6, 2013.

Raja Bhaiyya back as minister in SP government

Controversial independent MLA Raghuraj Prtap Singh alias Raja Bhaiyya was re-inducted as a cabinet minister by chief minister Akhilesh Yadav on Friday. Raja Bhaiya was sworn in by governor B L Joshi at Raj Bhawan in the presence of SP supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav, chief minister Akhilesh Yadav and senior cabinet minister Mohd Azam Khan. The former food and civil supplies minister had to resign from the cabinet after being named by DSP Haq's wife Parvind Azad in the murder case earlier this year.

Speculation of his return was rife for the past one month after being given clean chit by the CBI, which is probing the case. Re-induction of Raja Bhaiyya, five times independent MLA from Kunda assembly constituency in Pratapgarh district, in the cabinet is being seen as Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav's attempt to please Thakurs in UP, who are drifting towards the BJP after Muzaffarnagar riots, in the run up to Lok Sabha elections. After taking oath, Raja Bhaiyya said that he is innocent and the CBI probe has proven it. He thanked Mulayam and Akhilesh for reinduction. Known for his muscle power, which earned him sobriquet 'Kunda Ka Goonda', Raja Bhaiyya belongs to the erstwhile royal family of the Bhadri estate. He has several criminal cases pending against him in police record.

Sonia Gandhi denies retirement rumours

Congress chief Sonia Gandhi has ruled out premature retirement, scotching the speculations that she could call it a day in 2016 when she turns 70. Lok Janshakti Party chief Ram Vilas Paswan asked the Congress chief about the retirement speculations during a meeting. "I have never said this," Paswan quoted her as saying in response. The rejoinder is seen as refuting the reports that began swirling recently in the wake of her illness as well as Rahul Gandhi's belated enthusiasm about the leadership role. It is likely to come as a relief to many parties and allies who prefer continuity against the volatility of change that they expect to result from Rahul Gandhi's unconventional approach to politics.

25

BJP woos UP Muslims with Gujarat model

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 19th October 2013

Ahead of BJP prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi's rally in Kanpur on October 19, the party is distributing booklets in the Muslimdominated localities in the city highlighting the "growth of the community in Gujarat" under his chief ministership.

Party sources said it was an attempt to counter efforts of the Congress and the Samajwadi Party to sneak into the BJP's vote bank. The Kanpur event is of major political significance for the BJP as it will be Modi's first public meeting in the politically crucial Uttar Pradesh in years.

Over 20,000 copies of the booklet titled "Naz Hai Gujarat Par" (We are

proud of Gujarat), published by the Minority Cell of BJP's Gujarat unit, have already been distributed in various parts of Kanpur, sources said, adding that the exercise would be extended across the state in the next two months.

The booklet states the Sachar Committee has confirmed in its report that Gujarat's Muslims have prospered in the last a few years.

"Misinformation was spread across that the Muslims in Gujarat were not growing socially and economically. But the reality is just opposite of it," it claimed. Pictures of Modi with Muslims and clerics have also been featured in it.

"Over three dozen members of Modi's team have been camping in Kanpur for last 10 days.

They are deciding even the minutest things… We are apprehensive of the fact that the SP government may create law and order problem during the rally and blame us for it.

This is why Gujarat government officials are regularly visiting the city to review arrangements," said a BJP leader on the condition of anonymity.

The BJP, however, knows well it would take tremendous energy to woo even a fraction of Muslim votes. "We know that it is tough to bring the Muslims in the BJP fold. But the whole idea of Team Modi is to create a

flutter in the Congress and the SP camp, so that they concentrate in the minority votes and stop thinking about sneaking into our Hindu vote bank," the leader added.

Kanpur was decided strategically for Modi's first rally in UP. There are six Lok Sabha seats in the region, including Kanpur, Akbarpur, Farrukhabad, Fatehpur, Kannauj and Etawah, which are either held by the Congress or the SP. "Modi wants to claim these seats," he said.

When contacted, UP BJP spokesperson Vijay Bahadur Pathak said the Hindus as well the Muslims trust Modi more than any other leader in the Country.

The Election Commission (EC) is examining how to get social media within the purview of the model code of conduct. The election watchdog is looking at ways of regulating accountability of expenses and communication through social media for campaigning. In case the code of conduct gets extended to online activities, this will impact parties’ big plans since social media is expected to play a major role in the forthcoming assembly and national polls. The issue of regulating online media surfaced before the EC earlier this week, when a rights organization approached the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) V S Sampath. Citing growing instances of campaigning via “Whats app”, purchase of Facebook “like” and multiple homepage of candidates, the organization seeks greater scrutiny of election expenses incurred on campaigning through social media/internet.

Headed by former BJP ideologue K N

Govindacharya, RTILegal’s PIL before the Delhi HC earlier this year has yielded tangible results. The PIL triggered an HC order to hold FB and Google accountable towards Indian government and users. It prompted the court to plug loopholes and forced these networking sites to appoint “grievance officers” answerable to problems of Indian users.

Buoyed by the success, RTILegal team, including SC advocate Virag Gupta, former economic advisor to PM Jagdish Shettigar decided to petition the EC. Their note to the Commission argues that almost 37% of urban voters have an online presence, which is why the conduct of candidates and political parties campaigning through networking sites or internet should be also brought within the EC’s purview. “We request the EC to obtain particulars of authentic official e-mail IDs with details of social networking site account in the affidavit being filed by the candidates.”

In a landmark order, the Supreme Court extracted significant employment opportunities for the disabled by directing the Centre and states to implement within three months an 18-year-old law mandating 3% reservation in government jobs.

The 1995 Persons with Disabilities (Equal Opportunities, Protection of Rights and Full Participation) Act came into force on February 7, 1996 providing a minimum 3% reservation -1% each for persons suffering from blindness or low vision; hearing impairment; and locomotor disability or cerebral palsy. The reservations will be implemented by all government departments, PSUs and government companies, enlarging opportunities for persons with disabilities eligible for benefits under the law.

The court rejected concern of the 3% quota breaching the 50% cap on reservations indicating it would come from SC, ST, OBC even general category seats lying vacant. The

50% bar on reservations was set by the SC itself in the Indra Sawhney (Mandal) judgment.

The National Federation of the Blind through advocate S K Rungta had moved the Delhi High Court seeking implementation of the law in letter and spirit while pointing out contradictions and deficiencies in the office memorandum issued by the Centre. The HC had allowed their petition. The Centre challenged the HC verdict in the SC. The court rejected the Centre’s argument that 3% reservation to disabled would see quotas exceed the 50% cap as it said 49% reservation to SCs (15%), STs (7%) and OBCs (27%) in government jobs was vertical in character, while the benefits to disabled were horizontal in nature.

An apex court bench of Chief Justice P Sathasivam and Justices Ranjana Desai and Ranjan Gogoi was moved by the distress caused to differently abled persons.

of the party concerned".

Ramdev had conducted four yoga diksha camps and addressed 15 public meetings in the state just ahead of the polls where he used to platform to mount an attack against opposition Congress, its president Sonia Gandhi

and vice-president Rahul besides seeking support for BJP's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi and his party in the upcoming elections.

C h h a t t i s g a rh Swabhiman Manch and the opposition Congress had complained to the Election Commission that Yoga Guru was canvassing support for the BJP in the guise of his 'Yoga Diksha shirvir' at various places in Chhattisgarh. They had also alleged that it was being carried out at the behest of the ruling BJP as its leaders and supporters were facilitating his programmes at the local level.

However, BJP's poll cell Naresh Chandra Gupta said the party

would seek legal opinion on the Election Commission's decision and raise objection against the decision to include Baba Ramdev's programme expenses in its accounts for the elections.

A day after Congress leaders complained to the EC, state Congress spokesman Shailesh Nitin Trivedi said, Ramdev had used intemperate language about Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi. He said the party had already written to the EC to take note of such utterances and language during campaigning and register criminal cases as allowing such a situation could lead to law and order situation and vitiate poll atmosphere.

EC mulls model code Give disabled 3% quota, for social media SC tells Centre & states

Baba Ramdev's Modi praise proves 'costly' for BJP

Election authorities have found that Yoga Guru Baba Ramdev's 'Yoga Diksha' public meetings in Chhattisgarh turned out to be for canvassing support for the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party and hence it has been decided to include its expenses in the BJP's poll campaign accounts.

State chief electoral officer Sunil Kujur said, "After detailed examination of video recordings of Baba Ramdev's speeches at his programmes, Election Commission has reached a conclusion that he had canvassed support for a particular party. His Yoga diksha shivir's expenses will now be accounted in the expenses

26

INDIA

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 19th October 2013

Jamiat chief lashes out at Cong Left, SP, JD(U) join hands to form non-Congress, anti-BJP front for fanning fears about Modi

Jamiat-e-Ulema-e-Hind chief Syed Mehmood Madani on Monday accused the Congress party of creating a Modi bogey to spook the Muslim voters into backing the party in the 2014 election.

He asked Muslims not to be scared of the Gujarat chief minister being BJP's prime ministerial candidate.

"The Muslim community should not be scared.

Secularism is deep-rooted in the country and communal forces can never win over the hearts of general public," said Madani. He was speaking at a conference on the demand for reservation for Muslims at Jaipur's Birla Auditorium.

Madani, a former Rajya Sabha MP, warned the Congress of backlash from Muslims in the upcoming assembly elections in five states.

"Congress should not try to get Muslim votes by creating fear about somebody. The party should look at possibilities of community welfare which they have not done so far," he added.

The Jamiat leader accused both the Congress in Rajasthan and the Samajwadi Party in Uttar

remarks were construed as praise for Modi, widely accused of complicity in the 2002 anti-Muslim pogrom. Madani and supporters were believed to have orchestrated the campaign against Vastanvi, the first Gujarati to be nominated for the post, as they feared his elevation could weaken the family's traditional hold over the influential western Uttar Pradesh Syed Mehmood Madani seminary.

Madani also alleged Pradesh of failing to prothe Ashok Gehlot governtect Muslims. "Muslims were at the receiving end ment was unfriendly to during the riots at Muslims as five years of Muzaffarnagar in UP and his rule witnessed several Gopalgarh in Rajasthan. incidents of atrocities in The respective governplaces like Gopalgarh, ments failed to read the Surval (Sawai Madhopur) communal undercurrents and Tonk. and act," Madani said.

He also raised the The statement comes issue of Ajmer Dargah two years after Maulana blast and criticized invesGhulam Ahmed Vastanvi tigative agencies for slow was forced to quit as pace of probe. "Muslims Darul Uloom Deoband will answer to every vice-chancellor over his injustice meted out to comments about the posthem by voting judiciousitive impact of Gujarat's ly in favour of right candevelopment's on the didates and right party," state's Muslims. The Madani said.

Continued from page 1 "My mother is dead and six people from my village were also killed. People were leaving from both exits after worshipping the Goddess. Suddenly, police arrived. They began shouting that the bridge had broken and they charged the devotees with batons," said Vipul Pathak, a man who lost his mother in the incident.

According report, a large gathering of 500,000 devotees had assembled

for the Durga Puja festivities at the temple, situated at 60 km from Datia.

The report states that the stampede was caused by a group of people, who in order to jump the long queue spread rumour that the bridge on the river there was on the verge of the collapse. The rumour created panic as people started rushing towards the bridge across the Sindh river. The local police said that some people are untraceable as they

Continued from page 1 being taken to the various sections of people in Tamil Nadu. Anger is being shown through street protests, train campaigns, pamphlets, conferences, hall meetings, public meetings and through social network portals. The students especially are getting organized for the massive protest.

In such situation, if the meet would be held in Sri Lanka, it will only encourage the perpetrators of the genocidal war crimes against the Tamil civilians in Sri Lanka. It has been proved by the UN Expert Panel, Dublin Permanent People’s Tribunal Award and the London Channel-4 documentaries that the Sri Lankan government’s involvement in genocidal was crimes.

Sri Lanka has violated

all the core beliefs of the Commonwealth nations as declared in 1971 Singapore Declaration of Commonwealth principles of equal rights for all regardless of race, colour, creed or political belief.

With a record of killing more than 60 journalists, Sri Lanka stands as the third unsafe nation for journalists too. Renowned writers Noam Chomsky, Arundhati Roy and Orhan Pamuk refused to attend the Galle Literary festival on the ground that lack of freedom and safety for journalists there. Lawyers from nearly 50 countries have appealed Commonwealth nations to boycott CHOGM on the ground that there is no judicial independence and transparency in Sri Lanka.

The Commonwealth Lawyers Association cited

The concept of Third Front may have lost its appeal among the votaries of a non-Congress, nonBJP experiment, but the idea of bringing together non-Congress parties against the BJP endures and led four parties to bind together on a "secular" platform.

The two Communist parties, Samajwadi Party and JD(U) announced their plans to hold a convention against communalism on October 30 in what was seen as the start of a new initiative to try erecting a new non-

Congress, anti-BJP platform.

That the objective may stretch beyond debating the threat of "communalism" was evident from the remarks of Sitaram Yechury (CPM), Ramgopal Yadav and K C Tyagi (JD-U) as they expressed their desire for roping in two other antiCongress formations, Biju Janata Dal and AIADMK. The initiative is significant as the participants, existing as well as likely ones, have the potential of netting 100-odd seats: a crucial number in a hung

scenario and for determining the make up of the next "secular" coalition at the Centre.

However, given the fate of similar pre-poll maneuvers in the past, the parties concerned sought to tamp down the suggestion that the convention would be a prelude to the formation of a front. After their meeting, leaders of Left parties, SP and JD(U) ruled out forming a front for the 2014 polls. They said their focus was on holding the December 30 convention.

are feared to have fallen in the river.

"Some people spread a rumour that the bridge was falling. Their objective was to reach the temple quickly. They were unable to go due to a massive crowd. This led to the stampede," said Deputy Inspector General Dilip Kumar Arya.

Over 25, 000 people were on the bridge when the stampede occurred.

The injured were shifted to hospitals.

Continued from page 1 death toll of 23 stood in stark contrast to nearly 10,000 killed in 1990 when the super cyclone had struck an almost unprepared eastern coastline.

“I think we’ve been successful in minimizing the loss of precious lives,” said a relieved Odisha chief minister Naveen Patnaik in Bhubaneswar.

“We’ve successfully evacuated 900,000 people.

This is one of the largest evacuation operations to have taken place in the country,” he said, identifying rehabilitation of millions of homeless people as the most important challenge before his government. More than half a million shelters were built after the 1999 disaster.

Electricity was restored to the state capital, Bhubaneswar, and a senior state government official said that all highways and roads have been cleared. Preliminary estimates suggest the cyclone affected 8000,000 people in Odisha, the state that

bore the brunt of its fury, hitting 14,500 villages and 39 civic bodies. Five lakh hectare of standing crop are reported damaged and properties worth millions of rupees lost. In Ganjam district alone, around 240,000 houses were partially or fully damaged, said Ganjam collector Krishan Kumar. He added that all major roads in the district were cleared while power supply was almost restored. For the cyclonehit people, however, the intervening sleepless night of Saturday and Sunday would remain etched in their minds forever.

Heavy rain triggers floods in Odisha Heavy rain brought by cyclone Phailin triggered floods in Odisha, forcing authorities to evacuate thousands of people after rain water entered their homes, officials said.

Rescue and relief officials were sent to Mayurbhanj and Balasore districts where the flood water of the Budha Balanga and Baitarani

rivers devastated homes, submerged thousands of acres of standing paddy crops, Surya Narayan Patro, Odisha's revenue and disaster management minister, said.

Many other districts also face the fear of flooding as water level in other rivers were rising, he said.

Flood water entered into Baripada town, the district headquarters of Mayurbhanj and inundated hundreds of houses.

Many houses were under five-six feet of water and the residents took shelter on the roof top.

"Almost half of the town is under water and 3,000 people have been evacuated" Mayurbhanj district collector Patil Rajesh Pravakar said.

Large swathe of agricultural lands and houses located in the low laying areas were also submerged in Balasore district.

"We have dispatched rescue and relief team to the area," a senior official of the state revenue department said.

the controversial removal of Sri Lanka’s Chief Justice.

Veteran political leader, Thiagu in Chennai initiated fast from October 1 and demanded that Indian government should take action to oust Sri Lanka from Commonwealth Council.

He urged the Indian Prime Minister to ask for the change of venue from Colombo and in the case of no change, boycott the meet. The 63-year-old leader is gaining support from different political parties and organizations.

Even in Sri Lanka the protest against CHOGM is gradually gaining momentum. Students and youths are engaged in street campaigns and bike rallies appealing the Indian Prime Minister to boycott CHOGM.

The 'Boycott CHOGM in Sri Lanka' drive has gained unequivocal support from various political parties, progressive movements and rights activists all over India. The people and political parties of Tamil Nadu are nearly unanimous in appealing Indian Prime Minister to boycott CHOGM if it is held in Sri Lanka.

Besides the Tamil Nadu based political parties, the state units of National parties like BJP and Congress have appealed the Prime Minister to boycott.

Notably, the Union Minister G.K.Vasan has appealed the Prime Minister not to attend the summit.

Medha Patkar, National Convener of National Alliance of People’s Movement (NAPM) has

planned a nationwide campaign to mobilize public support against Manmohan Singh’s proposed visit to Colombo.

The movement plans to reach out to people in 15 major cities covering the 12 states from 17th October to 30th October.

Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harpner has decided not to attend the summit. Canada is deeply concerned about the situation in Sri Lanka, he said adding that the absence of accountability for the serious violations of human rights and international humanitarian standards during and after the civil war is unacceptable.

Internationally renowned human rights organizations like Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and International Crisis Group

call for the change of venue.

Her majesty the queen, who always attends CHOGM meets, has decided not to attend herself putting forward her age as an excuse.

South Africa was kept out of the Commonwealth from 1961 to 1994 because of apartheid policy. India was one among the frontrunners in the campaign against South Africa’s apartheid policies and supported the suspension of South Africa from Commonwealth Council.

However, on Sri Lanka, Indian Government’s stand seems to be different.

India's External Affairs Minister Salman Khursid expressed that he would participate in CHOGM at Colombo after his recent visit to Sri Lanka.

Over 115 killed in MP temple stampede

Mass evacuation saves precious lives in Odisha

Protest against CHOGM in Lanka

INDIA

Sanjay Gupta: A Gujarat cadre IAS turned corporate honcho

By Mayuri Dave

Sanjay Raghunath Prasad Gupta, a former Gujarat cadre IAS officer is riding on many horses. The 48year-old bureaucrat turned entrepreneur has successfully established a chain of hotels. Some months back he entered into media business by floating the first 24 hour Hindi news channel from Ahmedabad and planning to air six more news channels that include a first English Channel from Gujarat’s biggest city Ahmedabad. He has also launched Private Equity Fund (PE Fund) in order to provide financial support to upcoming entrepreneurs and SMEs. The 1985 batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer dared to resign in 2002 with a view to plunge into business.

Initially he joined Adani Group as Chief Executive Officer. In the year 2005-06 he quit the job and set up his own venture – chain of hotel under the brand ‘Cambay’. Subsequently he set up Neesa Group, which under his leadership has transformed itself into a well diversified group having interest in hospitality, agritech, manufacturing and engineering, infrastructure, IT and media.

In 2011 Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi picked him to head the Rs. 220 billion AhmedabadGandhinagar Metro Rail Project. Gupta, however, put in his paper about two months back. “My business needed attention as the market situation is challenging. Besides, I want to concentrate on media and PE Fund ventures besides other business interests of the group,” said the bureaucrat turned honcho.

Gupta, a civil engineer from Indian Institute of Roorkee and fellow from Wharton School, is highly influenced by his technocrat father. It was his father who insisted him to pursue

for Indian Administrative Service. After completing IAS, he started as Gujarat cadre bureaucrat in 1985.

He was instrumental in increasing the turnover of Gujarat State Petroleum Corporation (GSPC) as Managing Director from 1998 to 2002. During his stint GSPC’s turnover increased from $ 4 million to 75 million. He also played crucial role in establishing an intra-Gujarat gas pipeline company – Gujarat State Petronet.

Talking about his PE Fund business, Gupta says that Let India Fly for Ever (LIFE) would focus on lifestyle businesses. The LIFE fund is focused with a

Sanjay Gupta

vision to accelerate the growth of upcoming SMEs and profit-focused startups from different industry sectors. Under this PE Fund first scheme is being floated as ‘India Aspiration Scheme’ which would focus on SMEs and industries with a turnover of Rs 200 million to 2 billion.

Apart from infusing financial support to the SMEs, LIFE fund will also provide business intelligence and a support network pertaining to a range of businesses depending upon their need and situation.

Recently Gupta roped in senior journalist Kamalendra Kanwar as head of media business.

The move is in view of launching a National English News Channel. His company plans six more TV channels in near future.

Modi, Advani to appear together in Gujarat

AV Correspondent Following his elevation as BJP’s prime ministerial candidate, Narendra Modi will first time appear publicly in Gujarat with his mentor and former deputy Prime Minister LK Advani on Wednesday. Advani, who is also MP from Gandhinagar, is visiting his constituency to inaugurate gardens developed on Sarbarmati Riverfront Project.

The two leaders of saffron brigade were supposed to meet in the state last month in a meeting of Somnath Trust. However, Advani couldn’t attend the meeting. The veteran leader couldn’t come for the inauguration of the new elevated BRTS fly-

over in September.

Sources said that dates for the next meeting of trustees of Sri Somnath Trust would also be decided on Wednesday. Apart from Advani, former Gujarat Chief Minister Keshubhai Patel and Modi are also trustees of the trust.

Though BJP leaders in Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation invited Advani for the inauguration, somehow, he didn’t come and they had to drop the idea of grand inauguration ceremony of the flyover in which they wanted Modi-Advani duo to remain present.

However, the bridge was inaugurated in simple ceremony by Ahmedabad mayor Minakshi Patel.

27

Vice President Ansari Opens Parekh Institute of Indian Thought

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 19th October 2013

The US-based Nirman Foundation donates Rs 15 million for the institute

AV Correspondent

The Vice- President of India, Dr Hamid Ansari, inaugurated “The Parekh Institute of Indian Thought” recently in Delhi. The US- based Nirman Foundation, promoted by Lord Bhikhu Parekh and his brother Dr Chandrakant Shroff donated Rs 15 million to Delhi’s The Centre for the Study of Developing Societies to start the institute.

Since much of Indian thinking in politics, social sciences and other areas is heavily dependent on the Western import, the purpose of the Parekh Institute is not only to study Indian traditions but also to evaluate their critical resources and apply them to uniquely Indian problem. The institute will provide a regular meeting ground for Indian and foreign scholars.

“I am excited by this great initiative and would

Bhikhu Parekh with Dr. Hamid Ansari, Sarmila Tagore & others

be ready to help the cause,” said Dr Ansari during the inauguration ceremony. The ceremony was attended by eminent intellectuals, including Justice Aftab Alam, Rajya Sabha member N.K. Singh, Hindi film actress Sharmila Tagore, Justices of the Supreme Court, Members of Parliament and cine artists.

Apart from the setting up of the Parekh Institute in Delhi, Nirman

Foundation has recently made several significant donations in Gujarat also.

It has donated Rs 6000,000 to SEWA-Rural in Jhagadia to expand its

vocational training scheme for the tribal and OBC youth. The scheme provides technical qualifications and ensures jobs to around 30 young people on completion of the course.

It gave Rs 6000,000 to Gandhi-Ghar in Kachholi in Gandevi Taluka for educational and residential support of the deaf and dumb girls from tribal areas. This initiative would benefit nearly 40 young girls every year and change their lives for better radically.

Nirman Foundation also gave Rs 3500,000 to Jawaharlal Nehru University to set up an educational fund for deserving students irrespective of caste and religion. Its annual interest will provide fully funded scholarships to 10 M Phil students every year and help them to complete their courses and secure academic jobs.

Industrialist and philanthropist Shri Ratilal Premchand Chandaria passes away

Shri Ratilal Premchand Chandaria chose the Dussehra day to commence his final journey to the heavenly abode. (He was also born on a Dussehra day!)

He was a renowned industrialist and philanthropist. He was also the visionary founder of GujaratiLexicon, Digital Bhagwadgomandal and several other Gujarati Language initiatives.

Shri Ratilal Premchand Chandaria was born to Shri Premchand Chandaria and Smt Punjbahen on Oct 24, 1922. He had his primary and secondary education at Nairobi and Mombasa.

At the beginning of Second World War, he migrated to India along with his parents. Instead of continuing his education, he joined the family business and subsequently expanded into newer ventures in India.

He got married in 1943 at Jamnagar to Vijayalaxmi, daughter of Mr. Fulchand K. Shah, also born in Nairobi. His immediate family comprised of one daughter, three sons and eight grandchildren. He returned to Nairobi in 1946 to join family trading activities and travelled extensively in East and Central Africa.

During the early fifties, the family diversified their interest from trading to industry in Kenya and other countries. In all these spheres of expansion and moves he remained as an active entrepreneur and his family's industrial

Ratilal Premchand Chandaria

investments spread across continents and countries.

Apart from his business and industrial activities he has been associated with several social activities since the last 65 years in various countries. In Britain, he was closely involved with Oswal Association, Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, Indian Gymkhana, SANGAM, an Association of Asian Women, Institute of Jainology etc.

With the inspiration and support of Professor

Bhikhu Parekh, the first ever international Gujarati conference was organized in London in 1984. Senior minister Mr. Prabodh Raval, six of the seven Vice Chancellors of the Universities in Gujarat and nearly 150 delegates from India and other countries attended this conference. Mr. Chandaria was the Chairman of organizing committee and Mr. C.B. Patel was its Secretary.

However, Ratilal Chandaria is most famous-

ly remembered for the creation of the world's biggest Gujarati language resource portal - GujaratiLexicon.

He started the project 25 years back with a simple thought - serve the mother Gujarati Language. His relentless passion and missionary zeal for language moved across continents and organizations. The launch of GujaratiLexicon on Jan 13, 2006 as a mega language portal was a starting point of ongoing language initiatives. Saras Spellchecker, Lok-Kosh, Digital Sarth Kosh, Crossword, Quiz, GL Gems, Kids Games and GL Mobile Apps have enlarged the vision.

GujaratiLexicon has worked with CDAC, GV, GSP and other organizations to spread the love and power of Gujarati L a n g u a g e .

GujaratiLexicon has digitized and created online version of Gujarati’s Mega Encyclopedic Work, Bhagwadgomandal. It is archived in the US Congress Library and British Library Catalogue as a landmark work of Gujarati. The cumulative visits to GujaratiLexicon sites have crossed 25 million - apart from it being installed on lakhs of PCs and mobile devices.

Ratilal Chandaria led his life by example and built a successful and sustainable business. And then contributed to larger goals. No wonder, his contemporaries and his friends find inspiration from his life. He leaves behind a rich legacy.

28

TRAVEL - INDIA

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 19th October 2013

Democracy is the best model of governance for India: Modi

Chandipur beach, where the sea disappears ave you seen the sea disappear in front of H your eyes? A unique phe-

nomenon rarely seen anywhere else, the sea recedes by as much as five km every day on the Chandipur beach in eastern India, not just enthralling the onlooker but also offering an opportunity to literally walk into the sea.

One of nature's many wonders, the sea recedes massively from the beach during ebb and returns to fill the emptiness during high tide. This hide-andseek of the sea comes to play twice a day and seeing the sea disappear and then return is an unforgettable experience.

Chandipur lies around 200 km from Orissa capital Bhubaneswar.

From here, one can either take the train to Balasore, the closest town at a distance of 10 km, and then travel by road, or take the entire journey by road on National Highway 5. One can be assured of a good journey thanks to the green scenery that follows you throughout and good roads.

Adding to the peaceful ambience are the swaying casuarina trees and the solitary sand dunes, with the constant hum of the waves as they rise and fall gently.

Considering its uniqueness, the beach supports a varied range of biodiversity. It's not rare to thus find a horseshoe crab or red crab crawling beside you.

While it's still not very well known among tourists who flock to its cousin beaches of Puri, or the temple destination

of Konark, local tourists often visit Chandipur.

"My wife and I saw the sea disappear in front of our eyes, and we walked in the sea bed, almost for four km, and then returned with the gentle water when the high tide came," Anirban Mukherjee, a tourist from the nearby state of West Bengal, said.

"It was like returning with the sea. The massive void left behind by the waters, the path we took, was soon filled up and it was as if we had walked into the sea. This beach is nothing like the other beaches," said his

One of nature's many wonders, the sea recedes massively from the beach during ebb and returns to fill the emptiness during high tide

wife Arpita.

For some, it's not just walking but also riding a bike into the sea. When asked if it was dangerous for people to ride a bike into the sea bed with the impending high tide, Dasarath Dash, a coconut seller by the beachside, said no.

"The tide has its timings. Depending on the moon, the timings keep changing. It's mostly the locals, familiar with the tide's time, who take their bikes into the sea bed. Others are thrilled just to walk that distance," Dash said.

"In any case, the sea is not rough here. The waves are gentle," he

said.

Food is another plus point here. For those who love sea food, here's a place which can offer you plenty, especially fresh prawns.

The Chandipur beach is also well known for its proximity to the Defence Research and D e v e l o p m e n t Organisation's (DRDO) Integrated Test Range. A number of missiles have been launched from here, including Akash, Agni, Shaurya and Prithvi ballistic missiles.

There is a handful of small hotels - with a tariff range of Rs 500 to 2,500 per day - and a government guesthouse in Chandipur. There are no 5-Star hotels in the area. One can also opt to stay in Balasore.

"The best time to visit Chandipur is winter, between November and March, and most tourists come during this time," Dash said. The tourism department has also been trying to promote Chandipur and other spots nearby as potential tourist destinations. An elaborate beach festival, showcasing the dance forms, art and culture of the state, has become an annual affair here and takes place every February.

"I really hope proper infrastructure can be put in place so that the Chandipur beach attracts more tourists and the locals around can benefit. Right now we mostly have local tourists and those from the neighbouring states. The number of foreign tourists is still very low compared to Puri," said Ubachan Mohanty, a local.

AV Correspondent Terming democracy as organic system, BJP’s prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi mentioned that for the vast country like India, there cannot be better model of governance than democracy.

It is the best possible system in the word, said Modi while addressing global meet of the Emerging Markets Forum in Washington through video conferencing on Monday.

Speaking on ‘Effective Governance in Democracy: The Gujarat Experience’, the Gujarat Chief Minister said that democracy has made lives of the people in a number of countries much better. “It is a selfcorrecting system. There are internal controls in it. A democracy has the process and possibility to raise people’s voices. It is an organic system in the true sense,” he added. He cautioned against a possible disconnect between the people and the government after the elections is over saying that there should not be any doubts on a democracy for it has a solid foundation

and flexible framework.

Modi talked elaborately about the importance of good governance and said that governance must be system based and policy driven and that is when things like subjectivity and corruption would be reduced. “People are ready to listen for the sake of development. People are ready for bitter pills only that they want an assurance that what is happening is for their greater good.

People need to have faith,” he said recalling his own experience when he took over as the CM when he told the farmers to look at water conservation over the then prevailing energy crisis. The result was that a large number of irrigation structures were made, the government and people worked together and a lot

was done in the field of irrigation. Modi gave five areas where democracy must be taken ahead that include enhancing levels of harmony, participation, information, institutionalization, and capacity to listen.

Referring to the name of the body that organized the event – Emerging Markets Forum, Modi said, “It is a mistake to consider these emerging counties only as markets. Are they simply markets? Can we change our terminology? They are emerging growth centres!”

These nations are blessed with immense potential for human resources and in terms of being cost effective, he added.

Mantra of the Gujarat government has always been Gujarat’s growth for India’s growth, he pointed out adding that at the same time things have changed in other states too. When asked whether Gujarat was doing better than other states in preventing corruption, Modi said, “People are the best judge and this is the reason why they are giving us a chance one after another.”

AV Correspondent A business delegation from France led by France envoy to India Francois Richier held a one-to-one meet with Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday. The French envoy talked about possibilities of investment in Gujarat and strategic partnerships with France and Gujarat in trade and industrial sectors.

Richier, who has come on Gujarat visit accompanied by office bearers of 14 companies of France, held a two-hour meet with Gujarat government officials and discussed elabo-

rately on French companies’ partnership with Gujarat in the fields such as urban infrastructural facilities, solid waste and water management, urban transport, defense equipment and solar energy.

Many of these companies showed commitment for setting up projects in Gujarat.

France envoy also expressed keenness in knowledge sharing and extending cooperation in the development of the progressive state like Gujarat.

Modi was keen on strategic partnership with French companies to develop

defense equipment manufacturing sector in Gujarat.

He talked about how the French companies would provide engineering knowledge for creating trained manpower for the field of defense equipment.

Modi also acquainted the French envoy with Gujarat’s initiatives such as solid waste management and developing waste water recycling technology under clean city project, metro rail project, and other urban development projects. He also discussed about the state’s efforts for elevating the life standard of the common people.

Saurashtra University settled in Britain. He urged former students of Saurashtra University to join Alumnae Association with a purpose to strengthen bonding with their educational institution.

On October 19 ‘Gujarat Samachar’ London has organized an interaction with Dr. Padalia through its pro-

gram ‘Samvad’. On this occasion he will inform the audience about the progress made by Saurashtra University, which was established in the year 1967. Besides he would also talk on Zaverchand Meghani Lok Sahitya Kendra, started by the University.

Dr. Padalia took charge as Vice Chancellor of the university in October 2011.

During his prolonged educational career he had worked right from Professor up to department head of Human Rights & International Law. He also served as Pro-Vice Chancellor in the past.

You can contact Dr. Padalia in London on Mobile No: 7438257372

French envoy meets Modi, keen on investments in Gujarat

Dr Padalia to participate in Commonwealth Conference

AV Correspondent Dr Mahendra Padalia, Vice Chancellor of Saurashtra University is on a week long visit to London.

During his visit, Dr Padalia will participate in the three day long ACU Centenary Conference organized by the Association of C o m m o n w e a l t h Universities. The conference is organized at University of London’s Senate House from Oct 16 to Oct 18 on ‘Future Forward: Taking Charge of Change’ subject. During the conference, Dr Padalia will interact with Vice Chancellors of various countries’ universities.

During the visit, Dr Padalia intends to interact with alumnae of

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 19th October 2013

Chest pain not sole marker of heart attack

hest pain is recognised as a symptom of C heart trouble, but one out

of five women aged under 55 years who have had a heart attack do not experience this symptom, a study led by the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre has found.

The findings, gathered from partner institutions across Canada, including the University of British Columbia (UBC), are the first to describe this phenomenon in young women. The study has implications for emergency room healthcare professionals and for atrisk individuals, as every second matters when it comes to the accurate diagnosis and treatment of heart attack.

"The reality is that chest pain, age and gender are no longer the definers of a heart attack.

Our study shows that young people and women who come into the emergency without chest pain, but other telltale ACS

symptoms such as weakness, shortness of breath and/or rapid heartbeats, are in crisis. We need to be able to recognise this and adapt to new standard assessments in previously unrecognised groups such as young women," Nadia Khan, associate professor of Medicine, UBC, said.

"We need to move away from the image of an older man clutching his chest, when we think about acute coronary syndrome, she said. Women

under 55 are more likely to have their ACS misdiagnosed in the ER than men, and they have higher risk of death, she said.

Khan and her colleagues evaluated over 1,000 young patients who were hospitalised for ACS. Their findings showed that women were less likely to experience chest pain when compared with men and that the absence of this pain did not correlate with less severe heart attacks. Patients without chest pain had fewer

symptoms overall but their ACS was not less severe.

The diagnosis of ACS, therefore, depended on detailed cardiological assessments.

Khan and colleagues are also doing a study looking at South Asian men and women.

Previous studies have shown that South Asian women are at risk of heart disease. "In our study, many of the women were obese, smokers, had high blood pressure. Some had diabetes. There is hardly any research on young women. We found that the most common symptom for heart attacks was still chest pain in both young men and women (under 55)," Khan said.

Professor K Srinath Reddy, President of the World Heart Federation, said: "Women must realise that they may not have the typical symptoms that lead to a heart attack. They need to be extra careful if they have risk factors like high blood pressure and diabetes."

HEALTH WATCH

29

Almonds best for reducing hunger pangs without piling on the pounds

new study has found that people who eat A 1.5 ounces of dry-roasted,

lightly salted almonds every day experience reduced hunger and improved dietary vitamin E and monounsaturated (“good”) fat intake without increasing body weight.

Snacking has become nearly universal behavior in the United States, with an estimated 97 per cent of Americans consuming at least one snack per day.

In light of increasing snacking frequency and snack size among US adults, combined with continued increases in obesity rates and widespread nutrient shortfalls, it becomes increasingly important to identify snacks that pose little risk for weight gain while providing health benefits.

Snacking reportedly increases risk for weight gain, but this broad generalization may mask differ-

ent responses to select foods.

The newly published randomized, controlled clinical study, led by researchers at Purdue University, investigated the effects of almond snacking on weight and appetite.

“This research suggests that almonds may be a good snack option, especially for those concerned about weight,” Richard Mattes, PhD, MPH, RD, distinguished professor of nutrition science at Purdue University and the study’s principal investigator, said.

“In this study, participants compensated for the additional calories provided by the almonds so daily energy intake did not rise and reported reduced hunger levels and desire to eat at subsequent meals, particularly when almonds were consumed as a snack,” he said.

blamed sedentary lifestyle for it. “Our children are becoming obese.

The prevalence of diabetes is on the increase because of increasing weight and lack of activity,” he said.

Wondering how children could be encouraged to be more active, the IDF president said: “Where are the playgrounds? How do we motivate our children to lead a healthy lifestyle?”

Kochar said there was an average increase of one to four per cent in the incidence of Type I diabetes and four to six per cent in the case of Type II diabetes over the past decade.

Symptoms Listing symptoms, Kochar said: “If the child is drinking too much water, urinating more frequently than he used to, has gained weight, or feels hungry more frequently, it is a warning sign.”

A r c h a n a Dayal Arya, consultant endocrinologist and diabetologist, recommends regular screening after the age of ten.

“Parents need to watch that children are not overweight. After the age of 10, regular screening should be done, especially if symptoms are noticed,” she said.

According to A K Jhingan, chairperson of the Delhi Diabetes Research Centre, the disease is more common among children in metros than in rural areas.

“Children in urban centres, specially in a metropolis like Delhi, are more prone to diabetes, as the lifestyle is flawed and physical activity sometimes nil,” he said.

Donkey milk can be used More and more children falling prey to diabetes for cosmetic purposes T

or a long time, donkey milk has been a secret F of beauty. Its wonderful

virtues make the milk a great source of skin health.

Historical Background In the Antiquity, some of the most beautiful women used the donkey milk for cosmetic purposes.

The most famous example is Queen Cleopatra. She bathed in the milk daily to give radiance and youth to her skin and swore by it, claiming it was part of her beauty regime. Legend says that she used to bathe with the milk of seven hundred donkeys. Her donkey-milk baths have gone down in history as one of the most famous cosmetic routines.

Beneficial Properties for the Skin Donkey milk contains many beneficial properties for the skin. Extremely rich in vitamins (A1, B1, B2, C and E), it also contains a significant amount of immunoglobulin, magnesium, calcium, potassium, phosphorus, zinc and sodium. This rich composition regenerates skin and makes the milk a perfect moisturiser. The milk has also been found to be very effective in combating skin problems because of its purifying and reconstitut-

ing effects.

Asinus: a natural skincare brand purely based on donkey milk Asinus is an exclusive natural cosmetic brand that offers a large range of skincare products purely based on donkey milk. It is in the middle of the Pyrenees (France) in one of the first Donkey-Farms in Europe that the brand was created.

Olivier Campardou, the founder, was the first farmer to produce donkey milk on a regular basis.

Biologically and ecologically friendly, all Asinus products are made by professional hands. Because of the donkey milk properties, the products have been recognised to help to keep the skin hydrated, smooth and youthful. The company will exhibit and showcase its Asinus brand at The Organic & Natural Beauty Show on 2-3 June at Excel London.

To Our Readers

We are publishing these items in good faith, kindly consult your Doctor before you try to implement it. We do not hold any responsibility for its efficacy...

hat both Children’s Day and the World Diabetes Day fall on November 14 may be a mere coincidence.

But experts warn that the connection between children and the disease is growing stronger. If you are under the impression that diabetes is an old man’s disease, you are wrong. More and more children are falling prey to this lifestyle disease and doctors say it is best to screen children too. The theme of this year’s World Diabetes Day is ‘Protect Our Future’. “There has been an increase in the number of patients coming to clinics for diabetes screening in the last decade. The number of young people falling prey to the disease is also increasing,” said IPS Kochar, paediatric and adolescent endocrinologist and diabetologist at Fortis Hospital in New Delhi.

Type I diabetes, which is not lifestyle-induced, is more common among children. Doctors say the issue of concern, however, is the rising cases of Type II diabetes, which occurs due to lifestyle

disorders. “Type I diabetes is when the pancreas doesn’t create insulin, and that is what mostly affects children.

But these days, we are also seeing Type II diabetes, which is when insulin is secreted but fails to work. This type is lifestyle-induced,” Jean Claude Mbanya, president of the International Diabetes Federation (IDF), said.

According to the IDF, there are over 61 million patients of diabetes in India.

The Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) says there are about a million children with Type I diabetes in India. Mbanya

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WORLD

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www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 19th October 2013

Ugandan Asians honoured

by President Dhiren Katwa

Honours have been bestowed on 18 movers and shakers of Uganda by the country’s president.

His Excellency General Yoweri Museveni presented the awards last Wednesday as part of Uganda’s 51st Independence Day celebrations.

Among those recognised across three categories were Dr

Sudhirbhai Ruparelia, Uganda’s richest man, veteran journalist and author Dr Vali Jamal, Professor Dharam Ghai, lecturer at Makerere University and Mrs Sugra Visram.

Posthumous awardee Mr PI Patel, the longest serving member of Kampala City Council was also recognised. Full list of winners with photographs will be published next week.

Coming Events

l Saturday 19th October 2013 – The 4th Annual Dhamaka: An evening of sensational live music, song and dance at The Grange Hall, Vicarage Lane, Nottingham NG12 2FB from 6pm-11pm.

Contact: 07896486505. l Tuesday 29th October 2013 – Exhibition on Message of Peace by Ramita Bhaduri at The Nehru Centre, 8, South Audley Street, london W1K 1HF from 6.15pm. Contact: 020 7491 3567. l Wednesday 30th October 2013 - Book Launch: The Second Homeland by Dr Anuradha Bhattacharjee from 6.30pm at The Nehru Centre, 8, South Audley Street, london W1K 1HF from 6.15pm.

Contact: 020 7491 3567. l Tuesday 5th November 2013 - Exhibition: Invented Mythology by Ravindra Salve from 6.15pm at The Nehru Centre, 8, South Audley Street, london W1K 1HF from 6.15pm.

Contact: 020 7491 3567. l Friday 8th November 2013 - Talk: Am I a Hindu?

Questions young people ask by Dr Nick Sutton at 6.30pm at The Nehru Centre, 8, South Audley Street, london W1K 1HF from 6.15pm.

Contact: 020 7491 3567. l Friday 8th November 2013 – The Cumin Catering presents Cumins 6th Anniversary & Celebration Charity Event at Crowne Plaza, Wollaton St., Nottingham, NG1 5RH from 7pm.

Contact: 07968480796. l Saturday 9th November 2013 – Nottingham Diwali Celebrations, Old Market Square, Nottingham from 5.30pm – 9.00pm. Contact: 01158765589. l Sunday 10th November 2013 – Southwark HIndu Centre celebrates Diwali at St Faith's Community and Youth Centre, Red Post Hill, North Dulwich, SE24 8JQ, from 6-9pm.

Editor: CB Patel Associate Editor: Rupanjana Dutta Tel: 020 7749 4098 - Email: rupanjana.dutta@abplgroup.com Editorial Executive: Tanveer Mann Tel: 020 7749 4010 - Email: tanveer.mann@abplgroup.com Senior News Editor: Dhiren Katwa Freelance Correspondent: Rudy Otter Chief Operating Officer: Liji George Tel: 020 7749 4013 Email: george@abplgroup.com Chief Financial Officer: Surendra Patel Tel: 020 7749 4093 Mobile: 07875 229 220 Email: surendra.patel@abplgroup.com Chief Accountant: Akshay Desai Tel: 020 7749 4087 Email:accounts@abplgroup.com Business Manager: Alka Shah Tel: 020 7749 4002 - Mobile: 07944 151 893 Email: alka.shah@abplgroup.com Advertising Manager: Kishor Parmar Tel: 020 7749 4095 - Mobile: 07875 229 088 Email: kishor.parmar@abplgroup.com Business Development Managers: Rovin J George - Email: rovin.george@abplgroup.com Tel: 020 7749 4097 - Mobile: 07875 229 219 Nihir Shah - Email: nihir.shah@abplgroup.com Tel: 020 7749 4089 - Mobile: 07875 229 111 Urja Patel - Email: urja.patel@abplgroup.com Kalpesh Shah Tel: 07539 88 66 44 Email: kalpesh.shah@abplgroup.com Graphic Designers: Harish Dahya & Ajay Kumar Tel: 020 7749 4086 Email: graphics@abplgroup.com Customer Service: Ragini Nayak Tel: 020 7749 4080 - Email: support@abplgroup.com (BPO) AB Publication (India) Pvt. Ltd. 207 Shalibhadra Complex, Opp. Jain Derasar, Nr. Nehru Nagar Circle, Ambawadi, Ahmedabad.

Tel / Fax: +91 79 2646 5960

You have everything to gain by following creative inclinations. If you have new ideas, now is the time to put them into practice. 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. A great time to meet and interact with people.

ARIES Mar 21 - Apr 20

The Tabora Gathering Event 2013 was organized by Rajubhai Shah, Prakashbhai Mehta and Rashmiben Shah and took place at RAM’S Vegetarian Restaurant (Kenton, Harrow) on 10th August, 2013 and was a great success.

For more details on the next Tabora Gathering Event, please contact: Rajubhai Shah: 07971 419 848 e-mail: raj5haa@hotmail.com Prakashbhai Mehta: 07934 790 789 e-mail: peter_mehta2002@yahoo.com Rashmiben Shah: 07915 998 455

COMPETITION

WIN! A ‘BOSS’ Ring and T-Shirt!

Bollywood superstar Akshay Kumar is all set to thrill audiences in his new action-entertainer 'Boss’, directed by Tony D’Souza. ‘Boss’ releases internationally on 16th October 2013 through Krian Media and through Tip Top Entertainment.

To celebrate the release of ‘BOSS’ in cinemas, you have the chance to win a special ring and 2 T-shirts from the film. For your chance to win, simply answer the following question and send your replies to tanveer.mann@abplgroup.com by Friday 25th October 2013.

Q. What is the name of the actor who plays the role of ‘BOSS’ in the film?

TAURUS Apr 21 - May 21

You are endowed with a level of determination that others sometimes find formidable. Once you set your mind on a goal you stay the course no matter what obstacles you encounter. Saturn's placement in your opposite sign often denotes a phase of restriction, sometimes frustration, in one's life.

GEMINI May 22 - June 22

There may be a discrepancy between the energy you put out and the actual result achieved.

You can do much to minimise this effect by avoiding distractions and concentrating on only what is most essential at a day-to-day level. Try to take things in your stride rather than anticipating what might happen.

CANCER Jun 22 - Jul 22

With Jupiter in your sign, you should enjoy a very popular phase in your life where everyone wants to invite you to parties. You will meet people of your own calibre and pursue any romantic liaisons. Your communications are extremely high making it easy to to make friends.

LEO Jul 23 - Aug 23

Domestic and home matters are disturbed and a source of concern to you. You could find family members hostile and difficult to reason with. It is a period of handling matters with utmost diplomacy and calmness. With Mercury there too people will listen to what you have to say.

VIRGO Aug 24 - Sep 23

This week you will be mentally alert and have the ability to sort out any practical problems.

Matters of the heart are not favoured this week, so expect some setbacks. Plan ahead for the long term where finances are concerned as this is a good time to invest. The atmosphere at home is likely to be convivial and joyous.

LIBRA Sep 24 - Oct 23

With Jupiter in your solar 10th house, your career is lit up and bodes well for the coming month.

Some of you will be in a reflective mood and taking stock of your lives and working out the best direction to take. This is a good time to take up yoga and meditation or even take time out for a while.

SCORPIO Oct 24- Nov 22

Bureau Chief: Nilesh Parmar (M) +91 94266 36912 Email: nilesh.parmar@abplgroup.com Consulting Editor: Bhupatbhai Parekh, Ahmedabad, Gujarat Tel: +91 79 2630 4142 Urvashi Jagadeesan (India) Mumbai: Kanti Bhatt, Hemraj Shah (Jumbo Advertiser) Horizon Advertising & Marketing: 205, Shalibhadra Complex, Opp. Jain Derasar,Nr. Nehru Nagar Circle, Ambawadi, Ahmedabad. Tel / Fax: +91 79 2646 5960 Email: horizon.marketing@abplgroup.com Business Manager: Hardik Shah (M) +91 99250 42936 Email: hardik.shah@abplgroup.com Advertising Manager: Neeta Patel (Vadodara) M: +91 98255 11702 Email: neeta_abplgroup@yahoo.co.in Assistant Marketing Manager: Manish Shah (Vadodara) M: +91 96876 06824 Email: manish.shah@abplgroup.com Assistant Marketing Manager: Krunal Shah (Ahmedabad) M: +91 98243 67146 Email: krunal.shah@abplgroup.com Business Co-ordinator: Shrijit Rajan M: +91 98798 82312 Email: shrijit.rajan@abplgroup.com Prashant Chanchal (Rajkot) M: +91 98250 35635 International Advertisement Representative: Jain Group (South India) Tel: +91 44 42041122/3/4 Fax: +91 44 25362973 Mumbai: +91 222471 4122 Email: jain@jaingroup.net Delhi Office: Tel: +91 44 9311581597

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Mars and Saturn placement in your chart sets a rather challenging theme. Although this gives increased potential for tension and conflict with other people, it also means that you are able to confront issues and sort any problems out. If this involves a close relationship, you can now resolve your differences.

SAGITTARIUS Nov 23 - Dec 21

This is a good time to cut back on extravagant spending and consolidate your finances. Your social calendar is likely to keep you very busy and you will have lots of opportunities to promote yourself. For some of you this is also a good time to meet like-minded people which could lead to romantic liaisons.

CAPRICORN Dec 22 - Jan 20 You will begin this week with positive attitude towards life and will have good communication skills. This will also make you feel very confident in all areas of your life. You will continue to wield power and authority in whatever you do. You will also spend a lot of your free time helping charitable institutions.

AQUARIUS Jan 21 - Feb 19

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.

PISCES Feb 20 - Mar 20

The need to push ahead with personal interests and to assert yourself with added force will take precedence over everything else for some time to come. Mentally you will be in top form, perhaps feeling quite passionate about expressing your ideas and views. Indeed, a goal you have been striving towards will at last be reached.

Kevin Pietersen, Jack Wilshere involved in Twitter spat

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www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 19th October 2013

Kevin Pietersen took to Twitter to question England footballer Jack Wilshere's belief that only English players should represent the national side.

Pietersen, born in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa to an English mother and South African father, has become a mainstay of the England cricket team and is just one match away from appearing in 100 Tests.

He is one of a number of players across several sports, including Jamaicaborn footballer John Barnes, who've represented England without being born in the country, a legacy of the country's imperial past, 'mixed' marriages and, more recently, greater global

Kevin Pietersen and Jack Wilshere

migration.

But Wilshere said: "The only people who should play for England are English people. If you live in England for five years it doesn't make you English." However, Pietersen pointing to his own case and that of several other South Africa-born

England cricketers as well as Somali-born double Olympic champion Mo Farah, said: "Jack Wilshere interested to know how you define foreigner...?

"Would that include me, (Andrew) Strauss (the exEngland cricket captain), (Jonathan) Trott (England

batsman), (Matt) Prior (England wicketkeeper), Justin Rose (South Africaborn golfer), (Chris) Froome (Kenya-born Tour de France champion), Mo Farah?"

Following a back and forth Twitter exchange Wilshere, who sparked a nationwide debate ahead of the England football team's key World Cup qualifier against Montengero at Wembley, clarified his remarks by saying: "To be clear, never said 'born in England' - I said English people should play for England. "Great respect for people like KP (Kevin Pietersen), Mo Farah and Wilf Zaha - they make the country proud.

Djokovic tames Del Potro, defends Shanghai title

World number two Novak Djokovic produced a magical display to overcome the ferocious hitting of Argentine Juan Martin del Potro and successfully defend the Shanghai Masters title.

The Serbian triumphed 6-1 3-6 7-6 (3) to complete a brilliant fortnight on the Chinese hard courts after he defended his China Open in Beijing last week. It was the 26-year-old's 20th consecutive win in China.

After Del Potro defeated world number one Rafa Nadal in semi-finals with some powerful hitting, Djokovic was eager to avoid giving the Argentine any room to find his rhythm in the early stages.

The Serbian took command of the centre of the court, moving his taller opponent from side to side by taking the ball early and pressuring the Argentine's serve with some crisp, deep returns.

Djokovic broke twice to race into a 5-0 lead before sixth seed Del Potro finally held for the first time to register a game.

The Argentine's first serve percentage dropping to 56 per cent as the pressure from

at 2-4 but the Argentine's monstrous forehand offered some clean winners as he crucially held before serving out for the set in the next game.

Neither man gave an inch at the start of a tense third set where the hitting intensified as Del Potro sensed his first Masters title.

Del Potro had break point on the Djokovic serve at 2-2 only for the Serb to come up with a huge ace and hold before it was the turn of the Argentine to feel

the heat.

More pressure hitting from Djokovic fashioned two break point chances in the next game but Del Potro came up with more forehand winners to hold as the crowd rose in appreciation at the display of the two ATP Tour World finalists.

Djokovic then had two match points at 6-5 only for Del Potro's forehand to once again dig him out of a hole as he somehow hung on to his serve and forced the tiebreaker.

But the Serbian's renowned athletic steel finally came through though as Del Potro, who won last week in Japan, finally appeared to tire.

A careless forehand was pushed wide setting up match point which Djokovic took on the first with a backhand winner down the line to seal his 15th Masters title.

"The whole third set was give and take. I was break points down, he was break points down. Just in the important moments I managed to play some better shots than he did, I was fortunate and I am just really glad to win the title," Djokovic said.

tions on Meiyappan, a former team principal of Chennai Super Kings, owned by his company India Cements, and at one point also wanted to walk off from the interview given to a news channel.

Asked about the shoddy probe by the two-member panel set up by BCCI, Srinivasan said: "I cannot answer it because the panel was set up after I had stepped aside as the president. I was not even part of the probe panel. The report was submitted to the working committee and I was not even part of it."

Srinivasan also refused to comment whether the image of cricket in India has taken a beating after the bet-

ting and the spot-fixing scandal in the IPL. "I don't agree that people had any anger against me. I can only say that I was attacked savagely by the media. For 12-13 days, I was on the front page of the newspapers and some 81 articles were written about me. Am I that important?" he asked.

Srinivasan was allowed by the Supreme Court to take over as the BCCI president. The apex court also set up a three-member panel, headed by Mukul Mudgal, former retired judge of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, to look into allegations of betting and spot-fixing in the IPL and submit the report in four months.

Novak Djokovic

Djokovic's brilliant returning told. Djokovic quickly wrapped up the set in 34 minutes but a rejuvenated Del Potro fought back gamely in the second, turning the tables on the Serbian with some powerful hitting of his own.

The 2009 U.S. Open champion scored a crucial break early in the set thanks to some booming winners as he opened up a 3-0 lead with an improved serve also providing cheap points.

Djokovic, though, had three chances to break back

My conscience allowed me to remain BCCI chief: Srinivasan A defiant Narayanaswami Srinivasan said his conscience allowed him to continue as the president of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).

He, however, refused to answer any question on his son-in-law Gurunath Meiyappan, accused in the Indian Premier League (IPL) betting scandal. "Most certainly, I would not have taken up the position if I felt otherwise. And, as I said in the beginning, I stand for what I do. If I have done something wrong, yes, my conscience would not permit me. But in this case it was not so that is what I said in the very beginning," Srinivasan said.

"If this is the road we

Narayanaswami Srinivasan

want to travel, then in a sense we differ (from each other) then. If that is your view, you are entitled to that," he added.

Srinivasan was clearly uncomfortable taking ques-

Court allows shuttler Jwala Gutta to play tournaments

The Delhi High Court asked Badminton Association of India (BAI) to allow ace Indian shuttler Jwala Gutta to participate in upcoming tournaments till the disciplinary authority takes a final decision on the issue of her alleged indiscipline. Justice V K Jain allowed Gutta's plea and said, "I am of the view that you (BAI) must allow her to play in the tournament". However, the court said a detailed order will be passed on her plea later. The court also observed that till the final view is taken by the committee, she should be allowed to take part in the tournament. The two upcoming badminton tournaments in which Gutta was to participate are Denmark Open scheduled from October 15 to 20 and French Open from October 22 to 27. The BAI, however, withdrew the selection of Gutta and her doubles partner Ashwini Ponnappa from Denmark Open.

The BAI's disciplinary committee has recommended a life ban on Gutta for trying to stop some players of her franchise Krrish Delhi Smashers from playing a match against Banga Beats in the Indian Badminton League in August this year. Gutta approached the high court challenging the decision of BAI to recommend a life ban on her for alleged indiscipline in the IBL.

Andy Murray out of World Tour Finals

Andy Murray delayed his return to ATP tennis until the 2014 season as the recent back surgery patient withdrew from the season-ending World Tour Finals next month. “I’m really disappointed not to be playing this year, I love playing in front of my home crowd, it’s a great atmosphere,” Murray said in a statement. “All the players look forward to competing in London and I’ll be doing my best to qualify again for the tournament next year.” Murray was among four men already qualified for London: Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and David Ferrer are the others.

Lankan cricketer Dilshan retires from Test cricket

Ex-Sri Lanka captain Tillakaratne Dilshan announced his retirement from test cricket with immediate effect, saying he wants to clear the way for younger players. Dilshan, who will turn 37 next week, told reporters that he had planned to retire after a series against Zimbabwe this month but the cancellation of that tour means he will depart without a farewell match. “It’s a good time to go. I have done well in my last series with an average of 60,” Dilshan said of his last series against Bangladesh. Dilshan said he is leaving happy, having accomplished his personal target of 5,000 test runs and captaining the team. Dilshan led Sri Lanka in 11 tests, with one win, five draws and five losses. The highlight of his captaincy was leading his team to its first win against South Africa in South Africa “I started (tests) in Zimbabwe in 1999 and planned to retire in Zimbabwe. Unfortunately we don’t have any test matches in Sri Lanka until 2015 and that’s why I decided to retire without saying goodbye from the ground,” he said. Dilshan played 87 test matches during a 14-year career, and his 5,492 runs included 16 centuries at an average of almost 41. A versatile cricketer, Dilshan has also picked by 39 wickets with his part-time off spin bowling and kept wickets.

SPORT

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Tendulkar to retire after 200th Test

Sachin Tendulkar announced his decision to retire from Test cricket after playing his landmark 200th match against the West Indies next month, bringing an end to the intense speculation about his future.

The 40-year-old Tendulkar, who has not been in the best of form in recent times, has informed the BCCI about his decision to quit Test cricket after a glorious career spanning 24 years.

"All my life, I have had a dream of playing cricket for India. I have been living this dream every day for the last 24 years. It's hard for me to imagine a life without playing cricket because it's all I have ever done since I was 11 years old.

"It's been a huge honour to have represented my country and played all over the world. I look forward to playing my 200th Test Match on home soil, as I call it a day," Tendulkar, who has already retired from the ODIs, said in the release issued by BCCI Secretary Sanjay Patel.

Tendulkar thanked the BCCI for its support throughout his career and also for allowing to walk into Test sunset at a time of his choosing.

"I thank the BCCI for everything over the years and for permitting me to move on when my heart feels it's time!

I thank my family for their patience and understanding.

Most of all, I thank my fans and well-wishers who through their prayers and wishes have given me the strength to go out and perform at my best," he said.

There was intense pressure on Tendulkar to bid adieu to Test cricket after a prolonged form slump and particularly with the advent of a number of young players.

Sachin Tendulkar

Tendulkar's 200th Test match will be held at his home ground in Mumbai from November 14. The Eden Gardens in Kolkata was also a contender for hosting that historic match.

The fact that the BCCI squeezed in a home series against the West Indies had raised speculation that it was done to give Tendulkar the opportunity to retire in front of his home fans.

Although Tendulkar had always maintained that he would continue playing cricket as long as he enjoys playing the game, the pressure of playing at the international level has gradually taking a toll on his ageing body.

He recently retired from

the IPL and the Champions League T20 event after his franchise Mumbai Indians won both the titles this year.

Although the decision to retire was in the offing for some time, the BCCI release did create a flutter, prompting many former Test crickets to pay glorious tributes to the champion batsman who virtually held every batting record.

Tendulkar has been the most complete batsman of his time and the most prolific run maker of all time. His 198 Test appearances yielded 15,837 runs at an average of 53.86. From his 463 ODI matches, he had, under his belt, a whopping 18,426 at an average of 44.83. He is the

To bid adieu at Wankhede stadium

The Wankhede stadium in Mumbai, Sachin Tendulkar‘s home town, has been selected as the venue for his 200th Test, his last. The iconic Eden Gardens in Kolkata will host Tendulkar’s penultimate match of his career and the first Test of the 2-match series against West Indies, as decided

by BCCI in a meeting.

“The match will be held in Mumbai as desired by Tendulkar,” BCCI vice-president Rajeev Shukla had said last week. Sachin has also expressed his desire to see his mother at the ground for his last match. The Test at Kolkata will be held from November 6-10, followed by the last Test in Mumbai from November 14-18.

only batsman to score 100 international centuries - 51 in Tests and 49 in ODIs. Much before his debut on November 15, 1989 against Pakistan, Tendulkar's precocious talent was there to be seen when he shared an unbeaten 664-run stand with buddy Vinod Kambli in the Lord Harris Shield InterSchool Game in 1988.

His first Test century came in England in 1990 at Old Trafford and the Mumbaikar rose in stature after the 1991-92 tour of Australia, hitting sublime hundreds on a Sydney turner and a Perth minefield.

Tendulkar was also the first batsman in the world to score a double ton in ODIs, a feat he achieved in Gwalior against South Africa in February 2010. This was included in Times magazine's top 10 sports moments of the year. A perfect team-man, Tendulkar limited his Twenty20 ambition to the Indian Premier League, ruling himself out of national reckoning lest it upsets the existing equilibrium of the side. The biggest compliment to his batting came from Bradman himself in 1999 when he said that Tendulkar's style of playing resembled his style.

His 154 scalps in ODIs underline the fact that Tendulkar could have also staked claim to be that elusive all-rounder that India has been desperately looking for since the legendary Kapil Dev. In the field, he is among the safest pair of hands in the slip and his flat throw releasing strong arm saw him manning the deep with equal aplomb. He has taken 114 catches in Test cricket and 140 in the ODIs.

One-off T20: Yuvraj drives India to victory

Riding on a blazing fifty from comeback man Yuvraj Singh, India chased down a massive Australian target of 202 to win the oneoff Twenty20 contest by six wickets at Rajkot. Yuvraj struck 77 off 35 balls, his highest score in international Twenty20, as India chased down the target with two balls to spare. MS Dhoni remained unbeaten on 24 off 21 balls. Clint Mckay although took two wickets but went for 50 runs in his four overs. Yuvraj forged an unbeaten 102-run stand with Dhoni, who played a second-fiddle. Yuvraj, playing for India in over eight months, scored an unbeaten 77 off 35 balls as the hosts beat Australia by six wickets at Rajkot. For Australia, Aaron Finch smashed 89 off 52 balls to drive the visitors to a big total.

Finch plundered 15 boundaries, including a six, as he anchored the Australian innings while debutant Nic Maddinson (34) and Glenn Maxwell (27) also played more than handful knocks for their side.

Venkatesh Prasad aspiring to become Lanka head coach

Former India medium pacer Venkatesh Prasad is among the eight short-listed aspirants who could take over as head coach of the Sri Lankan cricket team, a top SLC official said. Ex-Sri Lanka captain Marvan Atapattu, former opening batsman Romesh Kaluwitharana and another national player Ruwan Kalpage are among the local applicants. SLC advertised for it after incumbent Graham Ford announced that he would leave the job in January next year. Peter Moores, a former England coach and Paul Farbrace, who was assistant coach with Sri Lanka until 2009, are among the overseas aspirants alongside Prasad. SLC said the deadline for applications has been extended until October 31.

All-round Australia overwhelm India in first ODI

Australia put in a dominating performance, defeating India by 72 runs, to win the first ODI at the Maharashtra Cricket Association stadium in Pune on Sunday.

Chasing 305 for victory, India lost Shikhar Dhawan (7) early, who was caught behind by Brad Haddin.

Unfortunately for the keeper, the bowler James Faulkner’s high-flier hit him in the eye. Haddin went down right away, got back to work after receiving some treatment, only to walk off later on. Phil Hughes donned the gloves, watching a 40-run partnership bloom between Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. Shane Watson however, extracted an edge from the latter,

Australian skipper George Bailey in action during the first ODI

as Hughes picked up the catch.

A healthy 71-run partnership between Virat Kohli and Suresh Raina briefly put India on track.

Kohli in particular played some delightful shots, driving and pulling with style. But once James Faulkner broke through

this stand, Australia slowly began to establish control. Yuvraj Singh fell for 7, and Kohli (61) fell lbw, playing across to Shane Watson.

The hosts needed 113 from 60. But Mahendra Singh Dhoni can’t be summoned to engineer a rescue act all the time.

Once he was bowled by Clint McKay, it was only a question of completing the formalities. The tail did resist, but it was too late.

Earlier, Australian skipper George Bailey won the toss and decided to bat first. Openers Phillip Hughes and Aaron Finch gave the hosts a good headache, adding 110 runs for the first wicket. Hughes had Virat Kohli to thank, after the latter dropped him on 32 at point. The left-hander would go on to make 47, before he fell to Ravindra Jadeja, caught at leg slip

by Suresh Raina.

Yuvraj Singh then came in, to take a wicket off his first ball, with Shane Watson hitting the ball straight to Ravindra

Jadeja at long on. Aaron Finch then hung around with George Bailey for a 33-run partnership, before ending up as Yuvraj’s second wicket.

Man-of-the-Match Bailey (85) however was keen to keep the foot on the accelerator, and he thrived on the half-trackers being offered by Yuvraj. Adam Voges’ run out did bring about a bit of a wobble, but Glenn Maxwell joined his captain to restore stability.

After a brief lull, Maxwell brought up his first six off Ashwin, before turning his attention to Vinay Kumar.

The right-hander smashed two sixes, punishing the right-armer for some pretty ordinary bowling, before hitting a

careless shot straight into the hands of Rohit Sharma at cover. Brad Haddin (10) came in to strike two boundaries before, playing back to Ashwin. The leg before appeal was accepted, and Australia’s scorecard read 231/6.

Bailey went into fourth gear, hitting his tenth four, before being removed by Ashwin, when he took the aerial route. India then had trouble with the Australian tail, as James Faulkner (27) made merry. Mitchell Johnson and Clint McKay too cleared the fence, as the visitors registered a challenging total of 304/8. It would be enough to help them take a 1-0 lead in the seven-match series.