Asian Voice by Asian Business Publications Ltd

FIRST & FOREMOST ASIAN WEEKLY IN EUROPE

VOL 39. ISSUE 16

VOICE

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;;; 7&286&:*1 (42 Fonseka stripped off his rank, medals by Lankan military court

Kashmir integral part of India, India trashes emphasises Manmohan Superbug bogey PM offers talks to all, says that is the only option

Sarath Fonseka

A Sri Lankan military court last week stripped the country's war hero and former Army chief Sarath Fonseka off his rank and medals after finding him guilty of dabbling in politics, while in service. The General was convicted by a threemember military court which began deliberations five months back. The court verdict has to be ratified by President Mahinda Continued on page 24

Prime Minister of India, Dr. Manmohan Singh has offered talks to all â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the agitating youth of Kashmir and Naxalites as the only solution for all problems. Addressing the nation on the 64th Independence Day from the ramparts of Red Fort in New Delhi, he expressed regrets over deaths of more than 50 people, most of them children and youth in Kashmir, he said Indian democracy is generous and flexible to accommodate and address on issues facing every group. At the same time, he underscored the point that Kashmir is an integral part of India. Any solution has to be found within this framework.

Govt. feels drug MNCs behind the scare

Manmohan Singh delivers a speech from behind a bulletproof shield on India's 63rd Independence Day from the ramparts of the Red Fort in New Delhi on August 15

In his speech, Dr. Singh said the central government is ready to take forward every process of talks that is capable to lead to progress in resolution of problems. He tried to reach out to people of the troubled North East

states and Naxals as well. "I would like to convey to all political parties and groups of the Northeast that disputes in the name of state and tribe can only harm all of us," the PM said. Continued on page 24

As the Indian co-author and even government of India have strongly refuted that the country was exporting a superbug gene that helps develop resistance to most of the antibiotics among the disease causing bacteria, concerns have spread in the western countries over the issues of safety on the medical tourism front. At the same time, health experts all over the world have said drug resistant bacteria and viruses is nothing new, that phenomena is a global one. Medicos have also said concerns about medical tourism likely to be affected adversely are

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unfounded. The superbug controversy erupted after a report in British journal Lancet said some UK citizens who had been to India and Pakistan for treatments were found with the antibiotic resistant gene. The British researchers have even gone to the extent of naming it after Indian capital, as NDM1 (New Delhi Metallo 1). The gene makes bacteria resistant to almost all known antibiotics. What has irked India is that an Indian, Chennai based researcher Karthikeyan Kumarasamy had prepared the basic Continued on page 24

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Asian Voice - Saturday 21st August 2010

100 Days of Coalition Government - how they fared

David Cameron began his holiday last week as the first evidence emerged that his Coalition's honeymoon with the public may be over. A Daily Telegraph opinion poll found 57 per cent of people describing its performance as 'disappointing' and although there was support for Mr Cameron personally, other ministers have failed to impress. Just 23 per cent of people think Britain is better off with a coalition, with 31 per cent preferring a single party. Since succeeding Gordon Brown as Prime Minister in May, Mr Cameron has spent a frenetic three months in Downing Street. Every week has brought a new policy announcement or strongly worded statement from the Prime Minister setting out his determination to reduce the deficit and target problems like welfare dependency. But how well has his Government performed so far?

David Cameron: • Made an impressive start by forming the coalition swiftly • Civil servants point to a more workmanlike, efficient and courteous atmosphere in Downing Street. The new Prime Minister, they say, has a relaxed, consensual style. • But he upset Pakistan by accusing them of “looking both ways” on terrorism, risked a rift with Israel by describing Gaza as a prison camp. He mistakenly suggested that Iran had a nuclear weapon; he also angered war veterans by describing Britain as the US’s “junior partner” against the Nazis in 1940. Despite these early blunders, however, even his critics acknowledge that he is growing in stature on the world stage. • He refused to give the Kohinoor back to India, making the controversial

“new special relationship” with India and oversaw a visit by Cameron there with a large delegation of ministers and business figures. • Brazil is another developing country with whom he hopes to forge stronger links.

PM David Cameron and Deputy PM Nick Clegg on the first day of their coalition government

Nick Clegg: • Took his party from third in the polls to being a major force in government. • The Deputy Prime Minister began confidently – enjoying a good rapport with Cameron – and was put in charge of the huge area of constitutional reform, a process which he boasted would bring the biggest change to the nation since 1832 – although some see the move as Cameron’s way of tying Clegg up and minimising his potential to make trouble. He is also in charge of a major review of “bad law”. • Since then he has faltered frequently. He was forced to retreat on plans to make it harder for MPs to dissolve Parliament by imposing a 55% threshold for any vote of confidence. His announcement that a referendum on electoral reform would take place on May 5, 2011 was met with Lib Dem delight but Tory jeers. He now faces a major battle, with Conservative and Labour backbenchers gearing up to join forces to change the date or even scupper the plans altogether. Clegg’s standing was not improved when he stood in for Cameron at PMQs last month and called the war in Iraq illegal. Downing Street had to claim he was speaking in a “personal capacity”

PM Cameron in India at a cricket coaching session

remark, “If you say yes to one you suddenly find the British Museum would be empty. "I think I'm afraid to say...it's going to have to say put."

but the outburst clearly highlighted the tensions of the coalition. • He has presided over a massive slump in Lib Dem support and faces internal trouble from his own MPs including party deputy

leader Simon Hughes. George Osborne: • Sometimes dismissed as a lightweight in opposition, Osborne has grown in stature now in power. He decisively ushered in the deepest and fastest cuts in public spending in living memory in his emergency Budget. • His zeal to cut the deficit and “balance the books”, included a controversial rise in VAT and £40bn extra public spending cuts on top of the £73bn planned by Alistair Darling. A two year public sector pay freeze; the freezing of child benefit; caps on housing benefit; sweeping changes to how finance is regulated ... even Labour MPs admitted it was bold. • However his decision to protect NHS and international development spending is controversial. • Osborne’s new Office of Budget Responsibility, the independent forecasting body, hit trouble when its first head Sir Alan Budd announced he was resigning earlier than expected. Vince Cable: • The left-leaning Business Secretary often seems the least enthusiastic member of the coalition, and risks earning a reputation as a malcontent. He has privately described the Coalition’s immigration cap as “crazy”. • He demanded the coalition adopt a controversial graduate tax to fund university education after describing tuition fees as a “poll tax”. The plan which could see those who earn more paying more, is now being put to a review, to the dismay of Tory backbenchers who could stage a rebellion if students are forced to pay more than the cost of their degrees in tax. • He refused to back a climb-down on proposed increases in Capital Gains Tax to 40%, for example, so the concessions resulting from a Tory rebellion were limited and a rise to 28% still went ahead. • Cable, who once proposed a mansion tax, called for “fair taxes” and redistribution of wealth recently. Often seen as the weakest link, and the most likely

minister to resign first, he is a force to be reckoned with

George Osborne

However, there are some unanswered questions that still exist, according to the Independent: • Could the Tories' blueprint for government be blown off course by the state of the economy they inherit from Gordon Brown? • Has the Tory plan to put welfare at the heart of their first Queen's Speech been wrecked by Labour's decision to bring in very similar proposals? • How would a Tory government try to change Britain's commitments under the Treaty of Lisbon if the treaty has already been approved by all 27 EU member states? • Would the Tories try to renegotiate EU membership if the other nations refuse to let it withdraw from the social chapter? One stresses that ‘if the Coalition is a success, a future Lord Ashcroft won’t be pouring millions into trying to unseat Chris Huhne (the Energy Secretary) in

voters what the point of the Liberal Democrats is. If not, the next 1,000 days will be ‘split and swallow’ time. We asked our readers, what they feel about the 100 days of coalition government. Karan Nath, a North London resident and a banker in the city said, "George Osborne is trying to straighten the economy without reshuffling anything. We saw the news and looks like the inflation is going up, jobs going down and no buyers. How are we going to deal with this scenario? We are tax payers, yet we are probably going to pay an increase of 6% in train fare. That's not fare! This government is incurring costs. This is absolutely outrageous!" Anil Patel, a professional, said, "I think the Cameron-Clegg government has done some good. I was very pleased when I read Cameron saying that the council houses can't be for a lifetime. Vince Cable's remark that he would choose over tax paying Indian immigrants than other immigrants, I felt, at last someone is looking at the profits we are adding to this country." Suchira Ray, a city Lawyer said, "I think this government has finally done something with the

while he remains in government. Ken Clarke: • Rejecting the notion that “prison works” and announcing a review aimed at putting fewer criminals behind bars has hardly endeared the Justice Secretary to Conservative MPs. His proposed prison reforms which would see less emphasis on locking up criminals and more on rehabilitation prompted senior MPs such as Michael Howard and David Davis to s p e a k out against them. Critics claim the hitherto popular figure is not endearing himself with the nation at large either because his modernising views on penal policy are out of step with the public desire for tough action on crime. William Hague: • Making the former Tory leader Foreign Secretary was Cameron’s first appointment. He also gave him the honorary title of First Secretary of State, his deputy in all but name. • An early meeting with Hillary Clinton in Washington was followed by a trip to Afghanistan with other ministers. • He has outlined plans for a National Security Council and despite being a leading eurosceptic has promised to be pragmatic in relations with Europe. A key plank of his approach is to make trade a main objective of UK relations with other nations. He has spoken of a

PM Cameron in Afghanistan in front of the British soldiers

Eastleigh’. The message is clear: stick with us and we’ll see you right. On the Lib-Dems’ side, the great worry is that history ends up repeating itself. Every time Liberals have gone into government with Conservatives, they have ended up splitting, with one half of them then being absorbed by the Conservatives. They fear that they could be on course for what they have dubbed ‘split and swallow’ again. Over the next few weeks, Clegg will have his highest profile yet. He will be ‘holding the fort’ (in his own words) as Cameron goes on holiday and then covering for his new buddy after Samantha Cameron gives birth. But if Clegg is to maintain Liberal Democrat support, he needs to show that he is more than just the Prime Minister’s catching partner or the man who fills in for him when he is off. He must demonstrate to

immigration. Yes the rules are a little too steep, with English becoming a very important factor. The Labour government tried to clean the system, but the Tories are doing so!" V. Urvi, a teacher adds, "I think the immigration rules by this government is ridiculous. You have no idea what problem my sister went through for a simple visa- like spouse visa! The charges are ridiculously high. I do not think this government will make our lives easier. I went to an English friend's wedding and there were local people invited. They are about 60. They asked us why we do not go back to India? It was strange. I have lived in this country for 10 years and this is the first time I feel such discriminatory attitude towards us. I blame the government for this! They are portraying immigrants as villains and not friends to this economy."

Asian Voice - Saturday 21st August 2010

COMMENT

Pakistan's woes intensify as floods surge Pakistan faces an unprecedented natural disaster the like of which, says UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon, he has never seen in all his travels to the world's hotspots. The country's government and its principal agency for disaster relief is clearly overwhelmed, as are many foreign NGOs. It is easy to pick holes in the relief effort from afar, but a closer view underscores the true gravity of a situation that appears steadily to be getting worse. International aid to date has fallen grievously short of target figures. But foremost of the aid donors are the US and UK, both ritually censured by the Pakistani media for a multitude of sins of omission and commission. Washington has earmarked $70 million for Pakistan, while London has set aside $42 million. China, which most Pakistanis swear, is their country's most steadfast friend and ally, has donated a paltry $1.5 million. Other friends, such as Saudi Arabia and Kuwait and kindred Gulf states, seem shy of exposing their generosity to public scrutiny. India has offered $5 million, which Islamabad says it is considering – it was the same five years ago in the aftermath of the country's earthquake – but news of the Indian offer has evidently not reached The Guardian's offices, from where it has been put about, that India had refused Pakistan any financial help. No matter. This is surely one of those rare occasions when human welfare ought to transcend politics. The statistics are bleak. About 20 million people have had their lives dislocated by the rising waters, most having lost their homes and belongings, many their livestock as well. Waterborne diseases are taking hold, and a public health catastrophe looms. All in all, the loss of the country's richest farmland together with its wheat and cotton crops and much else represents a 3 per cent decline in GDP. Beyond this domestic calamity, are the multiplying viruses of jehadi terrorism and the expanding influence of organisations within the country which, through a newly acquired charitable garb, are reaching out to the poor and most disabled sections of society. This should not be merely something for Britain to ponder, it affects the region and the wider world, for Pakistan is recognised as a global hub of

Islamist terror. There is also regional security to consider. President Zardari is scheduled to visit Moscow for a four power conference where he will meet the leaders of Afghanistan, Russia and Tajikistan. The tentacles of the Pakistan Taliban are to be found in every corner of the land. Even as the flood waters ravage Baluchistan, Taliban violence claimed the lives of 10 bus passengers in Quetta, the provincial capital. The Pakistan military appears to have convinced the country's public and sections of foreign opinion that Islamabad's strategic influence over Afghanistan brooks no argument. In other words, that Pakistan has every right to use Afghanistan as a proxy in its regional realpolitik. This foolhardy course puts Pakistan's own security in some danger. First, there is not the slightest evidence that the people of Afghanistan will accept any form of control by Islamabad over their country; second, the major regional powers are unlikely to accept a diminished sovereignty of the Kabul government in its national territory. Such grandiose dreams by the Pakistan military offers no lasting peace for the region. The US and UK, whose influence in Islamabad is paramount, are duty-bound to advise realism and common sense on the Zardari regime. The Pakistani masses have suffered enough already. Their leaders are in debt to them, having denied them responsible government down the decades, offering them seriously flawed governance instead. Michael Kugelman, an associate at America's Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, says a political class rooted in land-owning dynasties has little interest to reform. “These vested interests are the single biggest obstacle to moving forward in a sustainable and long-term way. It's just not the water problems, but also food security, agricultural problems and also the energy crisis.” A marooned farmer on the central reservation of a highway linking Peshawar and Lahore, exclaimed: “The rain came down from heaven and our fate lies in heaven. No one can help us but God.” Enough said.

Assessing the Coalition's first 100 days Coalitions in Westminster are an exception rather than the rule. A peacetime National Government governed the UK between 1931-35. A wartime coalition government between 1940-45 oversaw Britain's contribution to the Allied war effort which resulted in the defeat of Nazi Germany and Imperial Japan. It has taken nearly sixty-five years for another coalition regime to emerge, this time between the Conservatives and Lib Deems, with Labour in opposition. This latest coalition was born in the arithmetic of the last election returns. Its first 100 days in office has introduced the country to the winds of change, bringing in their wake storm clouds in certain sectors of the economy. An increase in VAT is one such example. The Coalition has nailed its colours to the mast of deep spending cuts to diminish the huge fiscal deficit it inherited from New Labour. The details of these cuts will be announced in full this autumn, and the

reactions from public sector workers are certain to be fierce. A projected strike in six major airports has been called off, and the pay dispute between the BAA management and the Unite union resolved. But such disputes elsewhere could bring a winter of discontent. The defence review will also result in pruned expenditure to meet likely threats in a new international security scenario. Health and education will be expected to share the burden of financial limitation. Already, reduced university places will deprive worthy A level students of their higher educational aspirations. This could have negative long-term effect on an economy seeking to keep pace with old and new competitors in an increasingly demanding global marketplace. Reduction of the fiscal deficit is a national priority, but the danger of a double dip recession is a hazard that must be avoided. There are no easy ways out of the present economic crisis.

Sri Lanka's politics in turmoil Sri Lanka continues to present a troubled picture. The court martial of disgraced former commander-inchief Sarath Fonseca has ended with a guilty verdict on the charge that he had interfered in politics. President Rajapakse, with whom he was in conflict, promptly stripped him of his rank and the medals earned in the victorious war against the Tamil Tigers. Beyond this contentious trial are the public hearings by a commission of inquiry into the conduct of the war in its concluding stages, when, it has been alleged, numerous atrocities against Tamil civilians were perpetrated by the Sinhalese-manned Sri Lankan Army. The inquiry has come in for much criticism abroad, especially in the US and the EU, resulting in the suspension of a trade agreement between the latter and the Colombo government. Meanwhile, the inquiry commission, which has Tamil representation,

has been told by Tamil witnesses in the country's north, that Tamils were shot and harried by Sri Lankan troops as Tamil Tiger resistance collapsed. President Rajapakse had promised to bring a healing touch to his war-torn nation, but this remains elusive. Transparency and the full restoration of democratic norms to public life are vital if Sri Lanka's wellbeing is to be restored. Colombo and New Delhi are closely engaged. India must respect Lankan sensitivities, but friends can say in private what they may be reluctant to do in public. It is in India's interest to advise President Rajapakse to tread a more accommodating route with his opponents if peace in the country is to endure and blossom into a true understanding that would bridge community discord. This surely is the wisest way to secure Sri Lanka's future.

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Thought for the Week Indulge yourself by being generous help someone out, perform an act of kindness, offer a compliment. The person who will feel most uplifted by you having done so is …you. -Paul Wilson (1996)

Gareth Thomas, MP Harrow West (Labour)

Unfinished business With David Cameron and a host of other Ministers and businesspeople visiting India recently there has been much comment about Britain’s relationship with India and how it should change in the months ahead. There is unfinished business from the last government’s work with India. Bringing India into modernised global institutions to take on greater international responsibility for the world’s problems should remain pivotal. Gordon Brown successfully moved the G20 (where India is a key player) centre stage, making it, not the G8, the focus of the international effort to build a global economic recovery. Britain has also championed India’s right to a place on the UN Security Council, the premier body of international diplomatic discussion. Reform of the Security Council has been talked of for many years yet remains stuck and the new government needs to continue to champion reform so that one of the world’s most populous countries takes its rightful place alongside other world powers. Trade remains key and David Cameron is right to champion further trade between our two countries. As a former Trade Minister I know Britain has much to gain from new Indian investment into the UK. India has much to offer in information technology, in drugs and in many other fields. Similarly, Britain has much more it could export to India, helping for example to modernise India’s infrastructure and offering new expertise in low carbon technologies, life sciences etc. We also need to work closely with India, challenging them to make further progress on a stalled EU-India trade deal and on

crucial world trade negotiations. These trade negotiations need to be concluded soon so that both Britain and India can benefit further from the extra private investment and expertise more open trading relationships would bring. There does of course need to be proper protection in these deals for India’s poorest people, particularly those in agriculture, but these concerns have increasingly been addressed and with a new EU Trade Commissioner firmly in place and elections in both the UK and India out of the way, now is a good time to accelerate trade negotiations. The last area is perhaps the most controversial how much aid should Britain give to help India’s poorest people. If it is in our interests to have a strong India, it is surely also in our interests to help India help its poorest people benefit more quickly from its growing economic strength. India has more people living on less than a dollar a day then the whole of Sub-Saharan Africa, so if we want to meet the Millennium Development Goals and halve the number of those living in extreme poverty, we cannot ignore the number of poor people living in states such as Uttar Pradesh or Bihar. It is clearly sensible as India gets ever closer to being a middle income country to think through options for our future relationship, but we still surely have a moral responsibility to help those in India who are determined to help their countries’ poorest. India remains a hugely important country – not just because of its place at the heart of Asia’s growing world structure, but also for its trade and diplomatic importance. But we still for now, must not forget India’s poorest too.

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YOUR VOICE

What Swami Ramdev could do I read several letters concerning Swami Ramdev’s idea of forming a new political party in India to fight against India’s corrupt politicians. He is ‘naive’ to waste his money to float a new party . There are several political parties in India and he should work with one the main parties to fight against corruption. Swami Ramdev is basically a yoga teacher and made money because of his middle class Hindu followers. Ramdev’s support lies only in the Hindi heartland in the North where BJP is strong and they are in power in some states. Swami’s party will work against the interest of BJP, since it derives support from Hindu middle classes in The North. Swami Ramdev is not known in the South and in the North East. In fact the congress party will be very happy if Swamiji starts the party since it will take Hindu middle class and upper caste voters from the BJP in the North. It does not make sense to compare Gandhiji with Swami Ramdev. Gandhiji was able to mobilise the Indian masses throughout India and he had millions of followers. It is difficult for any Hindu Sadhu to mobilise people In India. Hindu religious leaders like Swami Ramdev and Ravi Shankar should use their wealth to start schools, orphanages, leprosy asylum and so on for poor Hindus especially in the tribal areas to prevent Hindu tribal’s being converted to Christianity. Arun Vaidyanathan Via Email

Be more responsible 64th Indian Independence day was celebrated on 15th August at Indian Gymkhana Club Thornsbury Avenue Isleworth in London. It was a very good function and well organised. Parking was a problem but it is London and is expected. Heartiest congratulations to Indian High Commission Staff to organise this program . I wish to request to all Indians where ever they go in large functions, one thing they must remember that after eating they must throw their plates, spoons and glasses etc in the bins. I saw there were plenty of people who littering and make the beautiful compound dirty. I would give again credit to the organisers that they immediately organised few young people to pick the rubbish thrown by some irresponsible people. There is no purpose of celebrating Independence if we do not bring discipline in our life. Dharam Sahdev Ilford

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Asian Voice - Saturday 21st August 2010

All Hindus are Karma bound Mr Lokesh Patel, in response to your statement that ‘all Hindus are Karma bound’ and so all ‘Gujurati Hindu NRIs must refrain from drinking locked up cows milk’ is absurd. If you believe in the laws of Karma to such an extent that even drinking cows milk is unacceptable, then I must question your reasoning. For one, cows are sacred for Hindus because of their milk. Remember, the cow represents Mother. When we are born it is our Mother who feeds us milk. For the rest of our lives, the cow gives us the milk and does so as selflessly as a Mother does. Secondly, based on your explanation, does that not make it unacceptable to drinks goats milk also? The goat is a living, breathing animal too, and so that too is sacred. The laws of Karma don’t exist so you can pick and choose when they are enforced. I do agree, however, with your point that cows should not be locked up. Oxford Center for Hindu Studies are currently running something called the ‘Bhumi Project’ which encourages the consumption of ‘Ahimsa milk’ - cruelty free, organic milk from cows, that is in accordance with Dharma and will not give you bad Karma. I sincerely hope that you use the fire in your belly to help support the cause. Miten Kana Via Email

Labour’s Vote-Bank Politics

The Labour control Harrow council is in turmoil and is now ready to review plans to introduce Halal only meat menu in their primary schools after flood of complains from the concerned parents. The Council’s statement “However there is a choice of menu every day and frequently there is a fish, as well as vegetarian choice” is like rubbing salt to the wound, the famous words of French monarch telling the starving peasants that if you do not have bread, then eat cakes! Although Harrow is a multi cultural, multi faith borough, majority of its pupils come from Christian, Hindu, Jain and Sikh faith who prefer non Halal meat, although most pupils from ethnic minorities are vegetarians. While no one would object for the Muslim and Jewish children to have Halal or Kosher meat to stay within their religious beliefs, it is equally true, indeed obligatory for others to have the choice of non Halal meat if their parents so wish. After all it is the choice of most indigenous parents. By denying choice, the Council is indeed putting the rights and welfare of the minority in bad light; especially as most Muslim and Jewish parents are indeed fair minded and would like to see a fair deal for all the pupils. This high handed policy by Labour control council is seen as a political posturing, trying to introduce a vote bank politics that will come to haunt them at the next local elections.

IT Services - Harrow Council I notice that there is no clear comprehension as to how modern services are run, or how a fragmented infrastructure affects the efficiency of the whole council. What one fails to understand is the fact that for any ambitious transformation programme, it is essential that it is supported by a modern and reliable IT platform. It is a matter of record that the previous administration had no strategic direction and a chronic lack of incremental improvement in its IT services. As the new administration we have inherited a number of legacy systems which do not have the capability to deliver a modern IT service and are increasingly becoming difficult to support and operate. The veto on simple incremental renewal means that 95% of the hardware has reached the end of its life and therefore operates at a very high risk of failure. It has left us with an extremely limited capacity for remote and mobile working. There is no Off-site backup or strategic disaster recovery capability. We still use Novell for our main server, collaborative working and email systems and it is extremely difficult to support and integrate with our other key more modern systems. There are inconsistent levels of system performance across the council We are forced to change our IT systems to provide a platform to fit the needs of the council moving forwards, and not to provide the shiny new toys. An updated IT resource will go far beyond providing us with a more robust infrastructure. It will deliver a flexible IT service to meet remote and mobile working initiatives with the opportunity to reduce the size of the Civic Centre and de facto cost. Without an updated IT infrastructure we will not be in a position to introduce much of the future efficiency savings that we need in order to meet the challenges ahead. Cllr Graham Henson London Borough of Harrow - Roxbourne Ward

Pakistan flood aid I read a story last week in a leading daily paper that said India refused to help Pakistan for the flood that took so many lives. I am absolutely upset by this news. I watched the Al Jazeera tv, where it clearly showed that India has donated $5mn whereas China has only given $1.5mn. In fact Pakistan said, they would think if they would consider India’s donation. What amuses me is that India has been affected so badly by the terrorism, often supported by Pakistan. Jammu and Kashmir has become a standing joke! When it comes to spreading Islam, UAE, Qatar, Iran and Gulf countries contribute generously. But when it comes to helping those Muslim people who are facing a life-death situation, no money is donated by those affluent countries. Why is those millions of ‘oil’ money not being utilised for humanitarian benefit?

Bhupendra M Gandhi Via Email

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How free are we India’s 64th Independence Day is monumental achievement. Indians are free prosper in India and abroad; spread Hinduism globally; build magnificent temples; attract many non-Hindus to practice Hinduism; to export technologies to developing countries; buy flagging industries and businesses abroad; allow non Indian, individuals or MNCs to prosper in India. Negatively, Indians are free to stash away millions of rupees in secret accounts abroad; suffer from starvation, corruption, seudo-secularism, reservation etc; see Kashmir burning a la 198990; see traitors in death row enjoy 5 star hospitality. True freedom - when: 1) All Indians know true history of real India. 2) Youth are endowed with power which is gripped by very old leaders who are over protective, cautious, diplomatic and allow transgressions on India by known enemies. 3) Indian leaders reject Mc Caulay-ism, stop behaving like remnants of British civil servants. 4) Leaders are aware of survival needs of poverty stricken mass and turn benevolent efforts towards them instead of being puppets of the west. 5) People will shrug off inferiority complex and promote the term Indian to elicit full share of esteem in international arena. 6) Rapport, between state and parliament will remove parochialism and to create collective patriotism. Ramesh Jhalla Via Email

Has India progressed?

I have been reading with interest the Scrutators page and his enthusiasm for India.However all is not well in India. Although it has made progress,majority still live below poverty line. The wealthy Indians and the Indian government still put the welfare of the westerners and multinational western companies before the welfare of their own people. The legal system is so slow, it is useless for the victims. India has been a victim of terrorism. People try and make money by cheating their customer at every opportunity. It is so ingrained in the Indian Psyche that they cannot see beyond their personal greed. You cannot trust an Indian bank to give you back your own money, you cannot trust the shopkeeper not to cheat you at every opportunity, you cannot trust the government officers to serve you without a bribe,you cannot trust an ordinary Indian to try not to rip off an NRI. When each and every citizen of India is treated fairly, has access to basic necessities, is not exploited,every child has a chance to free education and develop to their full potential; only then can you say India has progressed. It is a shame that Indian doctors have to seek a living in the West, India cannot afford to keep them! Miss Shah Via Email

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‘Smile Pinky’ too gets the Oscar Boyle says Mumbai dwarfed the statuette

(Off Coronet Street)

Cricket crazy Indians for the first time was seen so euphoric on Monday morning, as they expected a couple of Oscars. British Indians in the UK, Dharavi slums, the shanty township of Mumbai, a village in Uttar Pradesh and almost the entire Bollywood waited in expectation, glued to their TV sets. They burst into celebrations as one by one, their heroes, the actors of the British Indian film and the music maestro, A R Rahman bagged the top awards in the world of entertainment. British actress Kate Winslett also won the Oscar after having missed it almost five times earlier. ‘Smile Pinki’, a short documentary on a cleft-lipped Indian girl in Uttar Pradesh directed by American director Megan Mylan, won the Oscar for the Best Documentary (Short).

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Asian Voice - Saturday 21st August 2010

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Asian Voice - Saturday 21st August 2010

Kapil’s

“Our London”

KHICHADI

CIIr Navin Shah AM London Assembly Member for Brent and Harrow

Ground Zero Islamic Centre debate existing building to enable redevelopment of the site. The controversy is raging in the last ten days or so since the ‘Landmarks Preservation Commission’ (an organisation with responsibilities similar to the ‘English Heritage’ has in England) voted unanimously to deny landmark status to the building where the Islamic community Centre is planned. After considering the existing building’s heritage and architectural features the panel confirmed that the 152-year-old lower Manhattan building isn’t distinctive enough to be considered a landmark thus paving way for its demolition and construction of the new Islamic Centre. The decision has attracted strong responses. Praising the decision the Mayor of New York City Michael Bloomberg commented the mosque project “a key test of Americans’ commitment to religious freedom. The World Trade Centre site will forever hold a special place in our city, in our hearts. But we would be untrue to the best part of ourselves, and who we are as New Yorkers and Americans, if we said no to a mosque in lower Manhattan.” The opponents described the decision to be disrespectful to the memory of those killed at the hands of terrorists. The American Centre for Law and Justice, a conservative advocacy group since the panel’s decision has now challenged the panel’s decision in State Court

I’m still holidaying in America but leisurely following the current affairs headlines here ranging from America’s fiscal policy debates to proposals for strengthening of manufacturing base (in decline for the last couple of decades or so) and the controversy about same sex relationships legislation. However, the hottest issue I wish to share with you, leading up to the anniversary of 9/11 2001 terrorist attack on ground zero (the former World Trade Buildings site) in New York, is the controversy raging about proposal for an Islamic Centre with a mosque planned two blocks from the ground zero site. The proposal has set off an emotional and strong debate among relatives of victims of the terror attacks, local residents and politicians since its conception early this year. ‘The Cordoba Initiative’ and the ‘American Society for Muslim Advancement’ have jointly promoted a $100 million project for a Muslim-themed 15 storey community centre described as a hub for interfaith interaction, as well as a place for Muslims to bridge some of their faith’s own schisms. The initial plans comprise for prayer space, leisure facilities like a swimming pool, gym, performance arts centre, culinary school, art studios and other public spaces. If the plans go ahead the Centre is expected to be completed in three to five years. The proposal entails demolition of the

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on the grounds that the panel “acted arbitrarily and abused its discretion.” In a nutshell the proposed Centre has emerged as a national political issue, with prominent Republicans from former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin to former House Speaker Newt Gingrich lining up against it. The AntiDefamation League America’s prominent Jewish civil rights group, known for advocating religious freedom, surprisingly come out against the proposal as they feel “in the shadow of the World Trade Centre” the project “will cause some victims more pain – unnecessarily and that is not right.” The latest twist to this sensitive debate is the New York Governor David Peterson’s offer of State help if the developers agreed to move the project farther away from the current site. I see this as a ‘compromise’ solution but the Developers have declined to comment so far. The latest voice added to this national debate is President Obama’s comment to the guests invited to Ramadan dinner at the White House saying “opposing the project is at odds with American values.” I’m hoping to visit both ground zero and the site where the Islamic Centre is proposed this week and share with you the images of both sites and my own thoughts on this issue. But, one thing is for sure this is one issue that is going to test the resolve of the people of America - its constitution when it comes to religious equality and fairness.

Man in court over Geeta Aulakh murder A fourth man has appeared in c o u r t charged with murdering a woman who was found with her hand chopped off in a north-west London street. Geeta Aulakh, 28, was attacked in Greenford in

by Kapil Dudakia - email: kapil@abplgroup.com Indi … pendant?

Bankrupt Politics

Independence day for India has become a major fanfare, and rightly so. It marks the day when the imperial masters of yesteryears left, but leaving behind the siblings of their ‘imperialist’ mindset in those with the pseudo power of the nation in their hands. That was more than 60 years ago. Countless lives sacrificed over many centuries with millions suffering at the hands of the oppressors, and all this for what? Bharatvarsh was split to accommodate not just some misguided fanatics of other faiths, but more importantly – to ensure that the Indian sub-continent remained in a state of perpetual turmoil with regional conflict. The ‘white’ imperial masters were truly intelligent, if they could not have their cake, they damn well were going to make sure that no one else enjoyed those fruits either. And the people of Pakistan, India and now Bangladesh fell for this Trojan, hook, line and sinker. India has emerged not only a regional power, but now also as a world power. However let us not get ahead too quickly. These are very early days and every competing power in the world will do their best to undermine India covertly, whilst also extending the hand of friendship overtly. Western democracies cannot sustain the thought that the ‘BRIC’ nations will in effect become the defacto leaders of the world over the next few decades. However, whilst this is a possible scenario – there are grave dangers that must first be overcome. India still needs to be mindful that the pendant of hope that garlands the nation does not become a millstone of despair arising out of the increasing inequality in society.

When the national anthem starts, even the common man on the street knows that one should stand and give due respect. You do so, not only because it is the right course of action, but more importantly, in that moment you remind yourself that your ancestors died for the freedom you enjoy today. However, if you are Laloo or Rabri – then it seems that they are exempt from standing when the anthem is played. If Indians insist on electing people of such calibre, then what can you expect of them when it comes to ‘Desh Bhakti’? There is corruption in almost every country and in every Government – they just call it by different names. However, there is one defining element that often separates such corrupt politicians – those who will allow their motherland to go to the dogs – and those who will draw a line and never allow the integrity and sovereignty of their nation to be compromised, ever. What India needs are politicians who will rise to their responsibilities and know where this line is, to mark it in the sand and if necessary, lay their lives in the protection of their nation. I fear that in India we are far from achieving that goal. There is scope for someone to emerge and take control of the aspirations of the many. One person, with a team of real ‘desh Bhaktas’ who are willing to work to a code of high ethics. They can galvanise the nation and take it to its next natural stage of development, that of being the leading nation for the world. Is there anyone in India who can do this and by doing so – take their place in history? Many names have been thrown into the hat. Can it be Narendrabhai Modi, the Lion of Gujarat? Or

November 2009 as she went to pick up her two sons. Jaswant Singh Dhillon, 30, of High Road, Ilford appeared in custody at West London Magistrates’ Court on Saturday, 14 August charged with the murder of murder of Geeta Aulakh in Greenford on

16 November 2009. Ms Aulakh’s estranged husband Harpreet Aulakh, 32, is one three men also charged with murder. Mr Aulakh, of no fixed address, Sher Singh, 19, of

Rahul Gandhi, the quite but intelligent young man who is well placed for the top seat? Or will it be Swami Ram Dev ji, the man of the moment without fear? I don’t have the answer, however I have faith that we will see someone emerge within a decade or so who will take India to its true elevated position in the world.

I am free when ... A nation can claim to be free and independent when it can ensure that even its poorest are fed, educated, have access to medical facilities, have shelter, have equal rights under one law for all and have the opportunity to fulfil their potential of being a productive citizen. The list can be endless, but the stem that should run through should revolve around every citizen having the welfare and well being of the nation first and foremost on their minds. To be independent one must elevate the masses to such an extent that no outside force can turn them against the nation. And in this age of ‘Kali’ do I think that this is achievable? Frankly, no I don’t. However, within the limitations of available resources, and the challenges a nation face – one must aspire for realistic goals and achievements. This is possible and should become the very essence of the psyche of the nation over the coming decades. I am free when I know I can sleep without hunger and without fear for my safety. I am free when I can wake up knowing I have every opportunity to contribute to the world to the extent of my personal gifts. I am free when I know that my rewards will be based on my true worth, and not determined by the greed of others. I am free – because today I grasp my power back and I choose not to be a slave any longer. I am free. Wren Avenue, Southall, and Harpreet Singh, 20, of Elmwood Road, Slough, Berkshire, are due to face a trial at the Old Bailey on 18 October 2010. They all deny murder.

ˆuù aAp ivl bnAvvA ivcArI rHAA Ae? ‘aeˆ ivLs’ aApnA œre aAvI, aApnI anuk u tAae, aApnI A¿AAmAù smÀvIne VyAjbI wre ivl bnAvI aApˆe. aApnA pirvArjnAenI surxAA mAqe aAje j ivl bnAvAe.

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Asian Voice - Saturday 21st August 2010

Man sentenced for Gary Johnson murder Ranjit Nankani has been sentenced to life in prison, to serve a minimum of 18 years, after being found guilty of the murder of Gary Johnson. Gary Johnson, 25, was run over and killed outside the Ministry of Sound nightclub on 31 August 2009 when, following an argument Nankani drove his vehicle at speed, hitting Gary and killing him instantly. Ranjit Nankani, 30, of Brampton Road, Croydon, was found guilty of his murder on Friday 13 August. Another man, Dwayne McPherson, 28, of Sydenham Park, SE26 who was also caught up in the feud and fired his gun at the car which killed Gary, was found guilty of the attempt-

ed murder of Ranjit Nankani on Friday 13 August. McPherson was also convicted of possession of a firearm and will be sentenced on Friday 10 September. McPherson and Nankani, despite being involved on opposite sides of the feud, have both been tried at the same time. These unusual circumstances have meant that both men have been on trial in the same court room. The argument between the men began on Sunday 30 August 2009, when Ranjit Nankani and two friends went to the Ministry of Sound nightclub in Gaunt Street, Southwark. Nankani drove to the club in his Mitsubishi Shogun and arrived at the club at

approximately midnight. On the same evening Gary was also in the Ministry of Sound nightclub with two friends, one of whom was Dwayne McPherson. During the course of the evening Nankani became involved in an argument with Gary and his friends after he stood on one of their feet. The argument escalated and security staff intervened to remove both parties from the club. Once outside, the argument took a violent turn as Nankani got into his car with his two friends and drove the Mitsubishi Shogun, mounting the pavement and accelerating at high speed, towards McPherson and Gary. McPherson managed to get out of the way of the speed-

Gary Johnson

ing car, however Gary was hit and died instantly from serious head injuries. Nankani continued driving and collided with a parked car. McPherson then fired four shots at close range into the car, hitting Nankani in the shoulder. Nankani’s two friends were uninjured. They all got out of the car

Ranjit Nankani and Dwayne McPherson

and left the scene separately. Later that night, at approximately 04:40hrs, the injured Nankani approached two police officers in the New Kent Road and told them he had been shot. He was then taken to hospital, where officers linked his injuries to the earlier incident at the Ministry of Sound and the death of

Gary Johnson. An investigation was undertaken by officers from the Homicide and Serious Crime Command (HSCC), and Nankani was arrested for Gary’s murder on 1 September 2009. McPherson was arrested on 10 September 2009 for the attempted murder of Ranjit Nankani.

Policemen to be charged over ‘violent’ arrest of terror suspect Scotland Yard is facing calls to reform or abolish its elite public order unit after four officers were told last week that they will face criminal charges for violently assaulting a terrorist suspect. The Territorial Support Group (TSG) officers are accused of attacking Babar Ahmad (pictured) during his arrest in December 2003, when he was allegedly punched, stamped on and twice placed in a neckhold until he almost passed out. The Crown Prosecution Service’s action contrasts

with its decision not to bring charges against a TSG officer in the case of Ian Tomlinson, who died at the G20 protests last year — though PC Simon Harwood will face a disciplinary tribunal for gross misconduct after being filmed striking Mr Tomlinson with a baton before pushing him to the ground.

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The Metropolitan Police want to hold that hearing in private but could be ordered by the police complaints watchdog to conduct it in public. The officers charged in the Babar Ahmad case — Nigel Cowley, 32, John Donohue, 36, Roderick James-Bowen, 39, and Mark Jones, 43 — were removed from frontline duties pending the outcome of the case. All four were part of a TSG unit based at Paddington Green highsecurity police station when they were sent to arrest Mr

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that Mr Ahmad had been the victim of an attack. The outcome of the civil action led the CPS to review its earlier decision. Lawyers in its Special Crime division said: “There is sufficient evidence and it is in the public interest to charge four of the officers ... with causing actual bodily harm.” Sadiq Khan, MP for Tooting and a friend of Mr Ahmad, said: “It is important that these very serious allegations are considered in a criminal court, and that justice is seen to be done.”

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God now?” Doctors who examined Mr Ahmad documented 73 injuries. His claims of ill-treatment were investigated but in 2004 the CPS decided there was insufficient evidence to prosecute any officer. One constable appeared before a police tribunal but was cleared of any disciplinary offence. The suspect’s lawyers pursued a damages claim through the High Court that resulted in Sir Paul Stephenson, the Metropolitan Police Commissioner, accepting

Ahmad. After the death of a police officer in Manchester during the arrest of a terrorist suspect earlier that year, the TSG unit was equipped with riot helmets and protective clothing. Mr Ahmad, 36 (as pictured), from Tooting, South London, complained that the officers punched and kneed him, stamped on his bare feet with heavy boots, injured his wrists by twisting his handcuffs, and mocked his Islamic faith by placing him into the Muslim prayer position and shouting: “Where is your

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North England

Day-release prisoner makes thousands of pounds running a brothel A day-release prisoner made thousands of pounds running a brothel while he was still serving a six-year jail term, a court heard, reports Daily Mail. Rashpal Singh (pictured), 28, was allowed to work in the community six days a week as part of his rehabilitation. He was supposed to be working for a tyre firm but instead spent his time running a brothel from a terraced house. Jailing him for a further two years on top of his existing sentence for burglary, Judge Alan Goldsack told Singh: ‘As far as the prison was concerned you were working eight-and-ahalf hour days for a tyre firm which was paying you a minimum wage. ‘By contrast, according to the owner of the tyre company you were not paid at all by him and were not required to work regular hours. For most of the

time he did not know where you were. ‘In fact you used your early freedom to set up and run a brothel from a terraced house in Rotherham.’ The judge added: ‘I suspect the public will be surprised you were allowed out on day release so early in a lengthy sentence. ‘The fact that so few checks, if any, were made that you were actually attending the place where you were supposed to be working will add concern.’ Sheffield Crown Court

heard Singh was allowed out between 5.30am and 9pm from his cell at Moorland Prison in Doncaster. Prison staff thought he was working eight-and-ahalf hour days at a tyre firm in Rotherham and spending the rest of the time travelling to work by public transport. Instead Singh was recruiting prostitutes, mainly eastern European women, and advertising their services. He ferried the women to and from the brothel before returning to his cell at night for about six months before he was rumbled. When arrested in February he was carrying £2,000 in cash and a large amount of cannabis. He was originally jailed for breaking into a house armed with an imitation shotgun. Last week he admitted

keeping a brothel for prostitution. After he was jailed, a spokeswoman for South Yorkshire Probation Service said: ‘This was a very unique case and a first for us. It is rare we come across cases of running a brothel let alone ones where the defendant is serving a prison sentence. ‘Singh may have thought he was orchestrating a clever criminal plan but due to the nature of his business and the way it was marketed it was only a matter of time before he was caught out. ‘His actions have impacted on the lives of many other people including his family and the women who were working in the brothel to make him money. He now faces a longer prison sentence which reflects the seriousness of his crime and his deception.’

Doctor struck off medical register due to gross abuse of authority A doctor who committed a ‘gross abuse’ of authority and trust when he allegedly fondled the breasts of four patients was struck off the medical register last week, as reported by the Daily Mail. Dr Parag Bhatt (pictured), 46, was allegedly sexually motivated as he groped his victims - one of whom was aged 16 - at a practice in Rotherham, South Yorkshire, a disciplinary panel ruled. The General Medical Council fitness to practise hearing was told it was the first time the 16-year-old

had visited a doctor on her own and she had since been unable to seek med-

ical help unaccompanied. The GP was found guilty of alleged misconduct in relation to his treatment of six patients at the Rosehill Medical Centre where he worked between January 2007 and September 2007. In all of the cases, in which he allegedly touched their breasts as part of the examinations, he was apparently found to have failed to provide adequate explanations to the patients as to what he was doing. The panel ruled there was no clinical reason for

five of the intimate checkups which were also inappropriate and that he failed to offer a chaperone to four of the patients, reports the national daily. One woman - known as Patient C - went to see Dr Bhatt with a swollen finger and complaints of palpitations. Rather than examine her heart, Dr Bhatt allegedly unzipped her top before he put his hand into her bra and took out her left breast. Patient D - the 16year-old - was allegedly subjected to having him

Asian Voice - Saturday 21st August 2010

Midland Voice Dhiren Katwa is away. He will be back in the 11th Sep issue.

Conman arrested after repeatedly failing exams A conman who charged thousands of pounds to take driving tests for incapable clients – but kept failing them – was jailed last week. Gageen Preet Singh , 35 (pictured), tried to outwit test centre staff by alternating his headwear, sometimes arriving in a turban, at others in a beanie hat, a wig or a flat cap. But he was finally caught because he forgot to vary the car he arrived in – a Mini Cooper. Singh was sentenced at Guildford Crown Court to 14 months in prison after he was caught taking a test in Milton Keynes in October last year. The Indian national will be deported after serving his sentence. He admitted taking seven other tests for clients, and that he failed five of them. Six of the tests were while he was disqualified for drink driving, the court heard. Rachel Davies, prosecuting, said the tests he admitted to were likely to be ‘only a fraction’ of those he had fraudulently taken. ‘His behaviour came to light because he used the same vehicle, a Mini that he owned, each time,’ she said. Singh, from West

Drayton, Surrey, failed tests in Bristol, Hendon, Hayes, Derby and Portsmouth. He was also prevented from taking a test in Morden, South London, when Driving Standards Agency staff became suspicious. And he admitted taking one theory test fraudulently. Judge Susan Matthews QC expressed amazement that Singh had such a poor test record, despite being paid for providing a supposedly professional service. Singh, who operated principally in Indian communities throughout the South East, London, the Midlands, East Anglia the North East, had £51,000 in cash seized from his home by police after his arrest. This is believed to be just a fraction of what he earned from his crimes. He was previously jailed for eight months in October last year for the same crime.

put both his hands around each of her breasts and he then shook them while breathing heavily. He also rubbed her

nipples with his fingertips. Dr Bhatt also reached unnecessarily into the bras of two other women, patients E and F.

Language course ‘scam’ is new immigration gateway A college that appears to have no qualified teachers is under investigation after allegedly creating a fraudulent gateway to British citizenship by selling English language certificates to hundreds of Asian immigrants. The cash-for-qualifications investigation was launched after the national daily The Times discovered that recent students of Oxford College of Management Sciences appeared to have little or no knowledge of what, when and where they had studied to gain their certificates. It heightens concern — prompted by a huge rise last year in the number of immigrants from Pakistan, India and Bangladesh who were granted British citizenship — that hundreds of poorly regulated private colleges have found a new way to exploit severe weaknesses in immigration controls. Similar unscrupulous institutions are now

allegedly rigging ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) and Skills for Life citizenship courses to help immigrants already in the UK to cheat their way to British passports. Passing the ESOL course entitles immigrants who meet other requirements to apply for British citizenship or indefinite leave to remain. It typically requires 100 hours of classroombased study, yet one man who registered with an Oxford College centre says that he was told that he had gained a pass certificate less than 15 minutes into his first lesson. Concerns were raised last December by Ofqual, the exams regulator, that ESOL certificates were being issued by some colleges “with virtually no training or learning taking place and with insufficient rigour in the assessment process”. More than 203,000 immigrants successfully

applied for British citizenship last year, a rise of 58 per cent on the previous year and the highest number since records were first published in 1962. Successful citizenship applications from Pakistan, India and Bangladesh more than doubled from 24,900 in 2008 to 59,500 last year. A source close to Oxford College has told The Times that immigrants who speak little or no English pay the college between £250 and £450, effectively to purchase an ESOL certificate without attending any lessons. The man who has been allegedly running the college, Rizwan Ahmed Kiyani, is a 38-year-old Pakistani citizen who appears to have spent much of the past seven years posing as a student while working in a series of full-time jobs. He has twice been detained by British immigration authorities and has been due for deporta-

Rizwan Ahmed Kiyani

tion since May 2008, yet remains free today and is applying for indefinite leave to remain in the country. His alleged business partner, Mohamed Amer, a director of the college and another Pakistani citizen, is living in the UK under one identity but uses another name, Amer Masood Mir, on his Pakistani passport to make regular trips to his home city of Rawalpindi. He apparently has no legal right to be in the UK.

Building of the Management School

The Home Office said that it first became aware of alleged malpractice involving Oxford College ESOL certificates last month. The police and the UK Border Agency are now conducting a joint investigation. The Home Office said that it had rejected all applications for British citizenship since April this year that were accompanied by an ESOL certificate from the college

because it no longer had correct accreditation. Mr Kiyani’s solicitor told the national daily that his client had “no knowledge of any fraudulent activity by the college”. He had been an employee of Oxford College for “a short period” in 2008 but was not and never had been its owner and had no involvement with its management. He also denied ever claiming falsely to be a student.

EDUCATION/COUNCIL

Asian Voice - Saturday 21st August 2010

More than 100 Council Chiefs saw pay rise to £200K last year MORE than 100 town hall bosses last year enjoyed bumper pay packets worth more than £200,000 while many front line services are under threat from cuts. And an amazing 221 council executives picked up more than Prime Minister David Cameron’s annual salary of £142,500. Top of the list is Gerald Jones, in charge of Wandsworth Council in south London, who received a total package worth £356,891 in the 12 months to last April. But Monday night the council said this included two bonuses and pension contributions, ahead of his retirement this October. His replacement will have a basic salary of less than £200,000. However, Wandsworth’s

council tax is the lowest in the country with someone in a Band D home paying only £687 a year, and Mr Jones has presided over savings worth £4billion. A Wandsworth representative said: “In the 25 years our chief executive has been in charge, our council tax has been the lowest of any local authority in the UK for every one of those years. It is currently half the amount of everywhere else in the country. We have been awarded the maximum four-star quality rating by the Audit Commission and the highest score for offering our residents value for money. We also have the highest satisfaction ratings from residents of any council in the country. This salary recognises the

enormous demands of the job and these unparalleled successes.” Mr Jones is one of 16 executives across the country to have received more than £250,000 last year, including two who are no longer in post. Joanna Killian, of Essex County Council, got £285,152. In East London, Newham Council’s Joe Duckworth, who left last month, collected £281,085, Haringey’s Peter Lewis earned £252,670, Gareth Daniel from Brent earned £249, 884, whilst Barnet Council’s Nick Walkley took home £249,210 followed by Enfield’s Rob Leak on £247,048 and Croydon Council’s Jon Rouse £246,810.

‘Bridging year' is the new gap year says UCAS head Gap year travellers have been urged to use their time off strategically as significant numbers of students are set to miss out on a university place this year. The chief executive of admissions service UCAS Mary Curnock Cook even thinks that the "golden age of the gap year" is over suggesting changing the name to "bridging year" to

try and enhance university applications. "Conceptually a gap year has been when young people take a nice break and go out and see the world. By calling it a bridging year instead, you stress that it should be used in a focused way to support an application to the course or university you are targeting," she told the Telegraph.

Although Curnock Cook was reluctant to put a figure on the number of applicants who may be left without a university place, she did not dispute previous estimates of up to 200,000 students. "A competitive environment, even with good A level grades, means that some people won't get an offer," she said.

Motorists hit by new parking charges Councils have been accused of declaring "war on the motorist" after introducing a raft of new parking charges to plug holes in their budgets. In towns and cities across the country, the cost of parking is soaring, with some local authorities doubling – and in one case trebling – their rates. Elsewhere, residents are being forced to buy expensive permits for the first time and thousands of free parking spaces are being scrapped and replaced with paid-for spaces. Motoring organisations said the charges were effectively a tax on the motorist, and said they could be subject to legal challenges because they were designed to raise revenue rather than ease congestion. Small businesses warned that the changes

could also hurt the economy. But local authorities defended the increases and said the extra revenue would be reinvested in road safety. An investigation by The Sunday Telegraph established that at least 150 councils have brought in new parking charges this year, or are considering such a move. These included 40 councils that have either introduced, or plan to introduce, parking charges in areas where

parking was previously free and 12 councils that are extending chargeable hours or bringing in weekend charging to raise extra funds. The remainder are putting up, or considering putting up, the cost of existing parking. Brent, in north-west London, was one of the worst effected as the council agreed to increase residents' permit charges and introduce an emissionbased charging regime that will raise an extra £1.1 million.

Thousands of students to miss out of degree courses gested and called on schools to ensure they give proper advice to pupils. Many of the rejected straight-A candidates are likely to have applied for degrees in medicine, where places are strictly controlled and competition is particularly intense. ‘That’s their decision. They can choose how they handle those applications. ‘There may be a number like

Competition for university places is so intense this year that 3,500 sixth-formers with three As at A-level are set to miss out, a minister warned yesterday. Top students are listing too many ‘competitive’ universities on their application forms and failing to include less prestigious courses as a ‘back-up’, Universities Minister David Willetts sug-

that again this year and we will do our best to help them and encourage them to think about how they could reapply next year.’ Mr Willetts’ comments come as Exam watchdog Ofqual announced A-levels and GCSEs are to be brought in line with the world’s toughest exams in an attempt to end accusations of ‘dumbing down’.

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Asian Voice - Saturday 21st August 2010

Bank of Baroda - A Passion with Perseverance By Rupanjana Dutta Bank of Baroda (BoB) has been a household name when it comes to the British Indians in the UK. But it was not the case even 3 years ago. Though existing along with other Indian banks in the UK, BoB became the bank one could ‘bank on’ in Europe, only when the now Chief Executive, Mr SS Mundra stepped his foot in this country. How was it possible? How did he do it? Mr Mundra shared his experiences with Asian Voice and Gujarat Samachar, at a lunch in our office, on last Wednesday. He was accompanied by Mr Abhinav Iyer, Marketing Manager, Bank of Baroda (UK Operations). AV: Mr Mundra, we have seen a considerable growth in the bank’s performance over the last 2 to 3 years. Could you explain how you did it? SS: When I came to the UK, I did not want to do the impossible. I picked up 2-3 things that were doable, and started working on them. I changed the technology in 3-5 months. But then the financial meltdown started. I realised that in all adversities there are opportunities. We did not take up the risky model. We made sure that we did not

drive out a single customer. We offered better security and in fact those who had left us for the high street banks, started coming back to us. In the end of 1950s, as Indians started moving to the UK from East Africa, we followed them to the UK. There were people who had left all their money, all their businesses back in East Africa. They had no credit history in the UK. We offered them help to start over. In the intervening period, people started moving away from us with their progress, but when I joined, I tried to find an opportunity to re-engaged with our lost brothers. We started marketing well. We started the ‘Bank on Baroda’ campaign, we prepared multi media clips, power point presentations etc. Then we entered into the mainstream. We got the right technology and we started the Baroda Max, which was formally launched on 2nd August. I follow the four Ps‘Product, Process, People and Promotion.’ To increase the productivity, what I did was to centralise the credit. Earlier it was a hassle for a customer to run around from branch to Head office for loan approvals, but what we did to save time was to centralise the loan and

British teenager becomes Kollywood star Amy Jackson, a Miss England contestant, 18, became the first unknown British girl to appear in a Kollywood film, starring as the heroine Amy Wilkinson in the m o v i e ‘Madrasapattinam’. Miss Jackson was hand-picked for the role by top Indian director A L Vijay, after he spotted her picture on the Miss England website. The film is set in the pre-independence India of the 1940s and tells the love story of a Madrasi man, played by

credit sanctioning. We asked the branch managers to do more than sitting in front of their computers and go out to meet clients and other businesses. We started the process, what I call-‘from screen to street.’. We brought young blood, changed the profiles, started various internal promotions, started employee of the month system, house magazines, initiated new websites- user friendly with detailed product literature and many other things. We also found out new ways to enjoy work. For quarter and annual meetings, we started going to outdoor locations, so that we could enjoy as well as work. We have revamped the look of our branches with instrumental music and a much more chic environment! We have added 20% human resource in the last two and a half years but simultaneously our turn

Bollywood star Arya, and the British daughter of the governor of Madrasapattinam. The film topped the Kollywood box office on its release last month, making former Miss Jackson an instant superstar.

Score uses 7 questions to identify how high a risk someone is of getting diabetes. These are age, ethnicity, sex, family history of diabetes, waist size, body mass index and any history or treatment for high blood pressure. Answering these does not tell someone whether they have diabetes, just what their risk of having it is. Their GP needs to be seen to provide a firm diagnosis. The Diabetes Risk Score is on-line at the Diabetes UK web site and has already been taken by more than 21,000 people. It can be seen at: http://www.diabetes.org.u k/riskscore.

Mr SS Mundra, Chief Executive (European Operation), Mr MD Mallya, Chairman and Managing Director of BoB and Mr Lamba, Chief Executive (US Operation) at the opening of the new premises in Tooting with others

over has gone up by two and a half times and growth has also been around two and a half times. We have more than 700 branches all over Gujarat, 70-80 branches in Ahmedabad alone, 110 branches in Mumbai, 3148 branches all over India. BoB has nearly 80 branches over 25 countries and 9 branches in the UK alone. These 9 branches generate 7-8% of the profit (little more than Rs 300 crores). We are now almost the largest in the Europe. AV: What about the Indian students, have you initiated anything new for them? SS: Bank of Baroda has always offered them transactional net banking, click fund to India etc. We have

opened new premises of the Tooting branch. We are opening new branch in Ilford. We are being more accessible for them! AV: How about women? We do not see Bank of Baroda having much of women as its operational head, why? SS: No, that not true. Our South branch head in India is Usha Anand Subramaniyam, our chief accountant is a womanRupa Rege Nilsure, our GM is Minal Bhagat in Mumbai. So we have women in our bank at real high positions! AV: What is your future plan? SS: Returning to India as the Executive Director of one of the leading Indian banks, I want to engage people, bring varied expo-

sure for them. I have worked as a credit officer in the beginning of my career, so I know how to the pave way to a better success. When the days are good, people become over ambitious. My point is be ambitious, but work within your competency. Also it is important to connect with next generation. The Indian community in the UK is much stronger than what it used to be before. We have to make sure that the generation next feels an emotional connection with us. AV: What is your moto in life? SS: I think passion is not for auction. Work hard and you will achieve what you dream!

Don’t be afraid, make cancer your friend! By Jyotsna Shah

New diabetes risk assessment developed A team from the University of Leicester, led by Professor Melanie Davies from the Department of Cardiovascular Sciences and Professor Kamlesh Khunti from the Department of Health Sciences, has developed an easy way for people to assess their risk of having diabetes. Working in partnership with Diabetes UK, the largest diabetes charity in the country, and University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust, they have produced the first diabetes risk assessment that can be used in a multi-ethnic population. The Diabetes Risk

Mr SS Mundra, Chief Executive (European Operation)

Cancer is a disease that people not only fear but dread! Mrs. Malti Khakhkhar, a middle aged housewife from Rajkot in Gujarat – India battled cancer successfully and is playing a sort of role model for others, encouraging people to fight the disease bravely. She feels that may be there are a few people who don’t know that she herself was a terrified cancer stricken lady would term her advise as just big talk. But, she says such patients and their kin should atleast read through this piece to come face to face of her experience. She feels a lot of people will definitely feel encouraged to take the fight head on. Mrs. Khakhkhar and her husband, Mr. Bhupendra Khakhkhar (owner of Chowki Dhani, a very popular resort on the outskirts of Rajkot city) dropped in to Asian Voice office a couple of weeks ago. In a chat, she said it was in 2005. She was diagnosed with ‘Ovarian’ cancer. The doctors also said it was in the third stage, with a tumor of 3.5 inch between the ovaries and the uterus. The situation was very delicate at home, as two of her

daughter-in-laws were both pregnant. The fact of Maltiben being cancer stricken was not to be disclosed on them. The rest of the family members suddenly felt as if dark clouds of misery had gathered in their happy lives. She was in great pains, having undergone surgery and chemotherapy – both being painful processes, at Jaslok Hospital in Mumbai. But, all this was perhaps not enough. In about a year’s time, another tumor was detected, rather developed at the same spot. The family was really disturbed and in distress. They were running to every place suggested, nervous. Doctors even said now Malati would not survive beyond three months. Money was being spent without any hitch. The hopes of the family were hanging by various threads of hope, faith and of course medication. Mr. Bhupendra was like a wall behind his wife and the family. Some well wisher suggested a visit to Yog Patanjali ashram of the famous Baba Ramdev at Haridwar. The Ayurved practitioners there prescribed various ayurvedic medicines and four different types of breathing exercises for 20 minutes

Maltiben and Bhupendra Khakkar

daily. To their pleasant surprise, the treatment was very effective and Mrs. Malati is very much hale and hearty, alive and kicking even today in 2010 after doctors had predicted a life of just about 3 months for her in 2006. Mr. Bhupendra’s voice was choked with emotions as he also narrated the harrowing experience of his wife’s battle with cancer and life. Yet he too maintains that life is a battle and it has to be fought valiantly. Having emerged victorious, they have started special sessions of “Pranayam” (the typical breathing exercises) in Rajkot for cancer patients. The couple is prepared to travel to any corner of not only India but even abroad, at their own costs, to help cancer patients with advice about the type of medication, offer any other help and suggest changes in

lifestyle etc. The couple has proved angels to atleast 10 cancer patients. They were also scheduled to meet one such patient in London. When asked about the symptoms of ovarian cancer, Mrs. Khakhkhar said severe pain on both the sides of the back, continuation of menstrual sort of bleeding even after menopause are clear warnings. If one comes across them, they should immediately consult a doctor and get diagnosed. It may help curb the disease well in time. A patient of ovarian cancer should be very vigilant in curbing obesity with the help of ‘pranayam’. Cancerous tumors are likely to be hereditary. One common advice they have for all is, “Do fight the disease and conquer it”. The Khakhkhars can be contacted in London on 07976414 236 (London) or 0091 98250 75070 (India).

Asian Voice - Saturday 21st August 2010

Face to face with Climate Change Minister Greg Barker By Rupanjana Dutta 1. Was it your first trip to India? This was actually my second visit to India, but my first as the Government’s climate change minister. I first went last year with a group of other MPs from Britain to meet members of the Indian Parliament, and talk about how we can work together to tackle climate change. I was really looking forward to going back this time and it’s amazing how things have changed in such a short amount of time. In Delhi you can really see how the city is getting prepared for the 2010 Commonwealth Games which I’m sure will be a great success. I had an incredibly warm welcome from everyone I met, from business leaders, the public and Government ministers. 2. What is your idea about India’s energy consumption? Can you suggest any alternate source of energy for India? When it comes to energy in India, two things are always at the front of my mind. Firstly, the reality that a staggering 450 million people don’t have electricity at all. And secondly, that there’s going to be a massive increase in the amount of energy the country uses over the coming years, and India’s already the 5th largest user of energy in the world. So that’s obviously a huge challenge for its Government and it can’t be solved by lecturing or preaching from the UK. But I saw for myself during last week’s visit how India is showing huge ingenuity when it comes to developing new green technologies and green energy sources. I went to see the Tata

BP solar factory in Bangalore. There’s also Moser Baer, one of India’s leading technology companies. Moser Baer has investment plans of nearly US$3.2 billion in solar research, development and manufacturing, aiming to make small scale solar panels much more affordable. Only the other day, I was reading about the new iPad-like touchscreen laptop developed by the Indian Government which can run on solar power. 3. Do you believe in global warming? Give us 5 tips to avoid global warming. Yes, I do. The majority of scientists are clear that our climate is warming and that the cause is human activity. When it comes to top tips on tackling climate change, then I think that Government and business have got to show the way in making those big reductions, and developing things like renewables energy. But I know people can do their bit as well, and while I’m certainly no energy doctor, the following tips are pretty sound: a. Fit loft insulation – it really is the single biggest thing you can do which saves you money as well. Houses lose a quarter of their heat through the roof, so lagging lofts will save on heating bills every year. b. If you’ve got cavity walls, then try to get them filled. Houses lose a third of their heat through the walls. c.Try to recycle as much as you can. Lots of waste ends up in landfill sites, where biodegradable waste generates methane, a powerful greenhouse gas. In fact, two-thirds of household rubbish can be reused or recycled.

d.Buy tasty seasonal food. Eating seasonal food can help tackle climate change e. Green your laundry! 4. Tell us more about green investment bank, green economy and green jobs? I really think that the future of the world economy is green. That’s where the new jobs of the future will come from which is really important at a time when we’re emerging from a recession. The potential for green jobs in every part of the UK will be vast but we will need to ensure we create the right conditions for green investment in Britain. We’re already pushing on all fronts to make that happen. For example, we want the EU to increase its targets to cut emissions. And it’s also why I think it’s really important that we set up a Green Investment Bank to tackle the barriers that exist at the moment to low carbon growth. It’s a project

I’ve been involved with from the start, and I think London’s got a great opportunity to use its huge experience in financial services to become a global hub for green finance. Another really important initiative is the Green Deal, which I hope will kick start an urgent and massive revolution in energy efficiency. Every one of the 26 million homes in the UK could benefit in some way from the measures available under the scheme. It won’t only help individuals up and down the country save CO2 but also help them make savings on their energy bills. 5. Do you have any message for our British Indian readers? I think Asian Voice readers can really play their part in tackling climate change. Whether that’s through being more energy efficient in the home or in the workplace there are easy steps we can all take to reduce our carbon footprint and save money.

Curry King puts the fun back into fundraising A bellyful of laughs is forecast for Thursday 7 October in Glasgow when Curry King Charan Gill MBE (pictured) puts the fun back into fundraising with The (Hottest) Funniest Night of the Year! Some 500 guests are set to enjoy a night of hot and hilarious celebration of all that’s best in the worlds of showbiz and commerce when some of Scotland’s top business names will be playing it for laughs and competing for votes to be crowned the first Hottest Stand Up of the Year. Making the transition from corporate to comedy are: John McGuire, managing director of the award-winning

including Tam Cowan and Des Clarke who will give their verdict before Scotland’s new stand up King or Queen is crowned. The four comedic corporate contestants will be following in the footsteps of event organiser and

Phoenix Car Company; fashion agent Jack Konopate; Gaynor Turner, jeweller, and Gordon White, MD of design and marketing agency fatBuzz. Each of them will be mentored by award winning Scottish comedienne Janey Godley before they face a judging panel of real Scottish comedians

host Charan Gill, who delivered the punch line to his own live stand-up debut last year by launching a regular weekly Slumdog Stand-up slot every Thursday night at his bustling Slumdog Bar & Kitchen on Sauchiehall Street.

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The importance of good exam grades I’ve just returned from a break in Spain with my family. While I was there I was able to catch up on some of my neglected reading which included the Sunday newspapers from 2 weeks ago. In one article I noted that the better British universities are now really raising the bar for entry in respect Pankaj Vekria of the grades needed to guaranCEO, Etutors tee a place for next year (2011). Universities, like all public bodies, are facing their own challenges. At the same time as they are receiving an unprecedented number of applications from students they also face cutbacks in funding or at the very least no increase in their budgets. Under these circumstances they have no option but to ration the places available to students and not unreasonably they are electing to admit on the brightest and the best. As a parent myself, I am well aware of the anxiety that the result season engenders. My own daughter is due to go to university in September this year and I am sure that I share with many of you some degree of trepidation about the results that we are expecting for her. However, at least she is fortunate in having been offered a place to study this year. In 2011, she would need a minimum 3 A grades at A level to be considered for a place on her course. If you have children who are going to be taking their A levels over the next two or three years, then you need to plan carefully to ensure that they achieve the necessary standards to secure a place at their university of choice. It is in providing this support that external tutoring can play an important part. This year my company, eTutors, has been supporting a number of A level students throughout the academic year and we have also provided important last minute support at the revision stage just prior to exams. We are confident that our input will ensure that the students with whom we have worked – including my daughter of course - are going to achieve good results. Of course, eTutors is not the only service that you can turn to in order to support your child, there are alternative resources available, but if you want high value, first class tuition at a reasonable cost then I would like to think that that you would find it difficult to beat our offering. Our children will face enormous challenges over the coming few years but perhaps the biggest initial hurdle will be securing a good tertiary education and the first barrier that they have to overcome is passing their A levels with good grades. By the time this article appears, this year’s school leavers will likely have received their results. I do wish all of them every success.

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Asian Voice - Saturday 21st August 2010

Scrutator’s “It's the economy, stupid,” said former US President Bill Clinton: wise words which appear to be well understood by India's rulers. Nothing will matter in the end if the country's economy is fragile and its progress uncertain. Mercifully, India has been spared this experience. David Pilling, in the Financial Times (August 11), writes: “Nirlesh Tomar, a manager at the Hero Honda factory in Gurgaon, north of New Delhi, points to a powder blue robotic arm as, in a matter of seconds, it welds together two halves of a motorcycle, one of more than 4 million that will roll out off the company's production lines this year.” He continues: “ So rapacious is demand that the world's biggest manufacturer of scooters and motorbikes is considering building a fourth plant less than two years after a state-of-the-art facility in the pilgrimage city of Haridwar. That factory, which started production just six months before the collapse of Lehman Brothers, might have looked like a mistake. But Mr Tomar says the company has never looked back. Sales leapt up by one-quarter last year and are beating expectations this year, too. Nor is heavy demand for motorcycles a sign Indian consumers are trading down from four-wheeled vehicles. Figures out this week show that car sales reached a record high in July, rising 38 per cent from the previous year to 159,000.”

Power sell-off A second FT report from Mumbai, in the same issue, by Joe Leahy and James FontenellaKhan said the “Indian government is preparing to tap investor appetite for large emerging market deals by pushing ahead with plans to list its state-owned coal mining company by October and to sell an additional stake in its national oil company....The government also revealed that it was discussing the sale of an additional 5 per cent stake in the listed Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) for up to Rs130 billion.” Arvind Mahajan, head of natural resources KPMG, commented: “The power sector is going to be the next success story, as the telecom story was a few years back. Coal India will be an important player in that story.” Messrs Leahy and Fontenella-Khan: “Indian companies have sold $17.5 billion of shares in 93 deals this year.....This year's total makes India the second highest issuer of shares among emerging markets after China....The Indian government, which wants to divest stakes in state-owned companies to raise money to counter the rising fiscal deficit, has led the charge.”

nology in an attempt to attract high-speed, computer-driven trading that accounts for a large proportion of activity on US and European bourses. Mr Fontenella-Khan writes: “The equity market in India has attracted much foreign institutional investor cash in the past six months, outperforming large emerging markets rivals, as the economy has grown 8.5 per cent on the back of strong domestic demand and abundant liquidity.”

University of Bristol. The lead Indian institutions are: IIT-Madras, IITs, Mumbai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Kanpur; the Indian Institute of Information Technology, Bangalore and the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore. Professor Parr said: “There are a number of key challenges we must address from the engineering, research and socio-economic aspects of next generation wireless systems. Areas of importance relate to the performance and accuracy of the lower level physical communication channels, their robustness in the presence of failure or interference, how they cope with reduced power to provide for energy optimisation....support an array of services and citizenfacing applications, especially video-based content that might form part of an e-government application in a rural area.” Professor Lajos Hanzo, of Southampton's School of Electronics and Computer Science, explained that, the joint venture would help the UK and India to reap economic and social benefits offered by emerging telecommunications engineering hardware and software together with fixed/wireless broadband technologies for low cost sensor and user devices, and other delivery platforms.

Indo-UK technology

Empowering prisoners

The Hindu newspaper reporter Ramya Kanan reporting from Chennai (August 8) told of a cooperative venture between a

A Business Line report by Suresh Iyengar told how the Vedanta Foundation, part of the mining and metals major

Retail sector Another FT report by James Fontenella-Khan (August 9) tells of India's plans to open its equity markets to foreign retail investors in the latest bid to reform the economy and boost double-digit growth hopes. A panel set up by the government to explore ways of increasing foreign capital inflows had recommended making it smoother for overseas investors – in particular wealthy foreign nationals of Indian origin – to buy shares on Indian exchanges. Arvind Parikh, a Partner at Ernest & Young in Mumbai, who has been working on the project, said: “The Finance Ministry has accepted the recommendations in principle as it wants to capitalise on India's incredible growth by attracting more foreign investors.” The plan comes as India's exchanges are upgrading tech-

Jail inmates learning computer skills

consortium of nine UK universities and seven Indian science institutions to design the next generation wireless systems across India. “The project, India-UK Advanced Technology Centre of Excellence in Next Generation Networks Systems, is led by Gerard Parr from the University of Ulster in Northern Ireland and Ashok Jhunjhunwala of the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras.” Other UK institutions are: University of Southampton, University College, London, University of St Andrews (Scotland), University of Surrey, Queen Mary College, London, University of Cambridge, University of Lancaster, and the

Vedanta Group, had trained 12,000 inmates from 14 jails across India for computer operations for four a day for four months, through its Vedanta Umeed programme. The success of the training programme can be gauged from the fact a Haridwar-based company, NRS Softtech, awarded has a data-entry contract worth Rs 250,000 recently, and had promised to come back with a further contract shortly. The earnings from this venture are shared by partipants and handed over to their families. The Vedanta Foundation now plans to include another seven jails in Orissa and three in Rajasthan in its initiative, which will benefit 1,000 jail inmates. Jaswant Rampal, in Delhi's

Ruins of old Nalanda

Tihar jail, wrote to Vedanta Foundation, saying: “Earlier, I always had tension and negative thoughts, but now I spend one hour on the computer. I feel positive because of that hour. When I complete my jail term, I will start my life again.

Science research According to the Hindu, the Union Cabinet has approved a proposal of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) to set up an academy for scientific and innovative research that will offer courses and award degrees in the frontier areas of science and technology. The bill to set the academy is to be introduced in the present session of parliament. Envisioned as a world-class institution, the academy will primarily focus on research and training that are not ordinarily offered by the existing universities. Its curricula, pedagogy and evaluation will be innovative and aimed at creating high quality personnel in cross disciplinary areas. The academy will operate on the hub-and-spoke mode, with campuses in 37 CSIR laboratories linked through the National Knowledge Network. The academy will tap into the CSIR's resources and facilities to operate on a self-sustaining mode. The academy will take advantage of the CSIR's state-of-the-art infrastructure and scientific manpower. It will be based in Noida, near Delhi, and is expected to produce 1,000 Ph.Ds in science and technology and 120 in engineering annually from the fifth year of its establishment.

Nalanda revived The FT's James Lamont writes from New Delhi: “One of the world's oldest universities Nalanda...in the state of Bihar – is to be refounded more than 800 years after it was destroyed, fulfilling the dreams of scholars from India, Singapore, China and Japan.” India's Parliament is to consider legislation that would allow foreign partners to help recreate the ancient Buddhist centre close to the ruins of its original site, 55 miles from Patna, the capital of Bihar. The project has been actively promoted by Amartya Sen, a Nobel laureate in Economics

and an internationally acclaimed scholar, who described Nalanda as “one of the highest intellectual achievements in the history of the world.” Professor Sen said Nalanda's recreation would lead to a renaissance of Indian learning that would draw students from all over the region. At its height Nalanda attracted students from all over Asia. It was sacked by invading Turkic Khilji dynasty, and its famous library burned down in 1193, “at a time”, says Mr Lamont, “when some of Europe's oldest academic institutions, such as Bologna and Paris, were just beginning to flourish.” Financial support has been promised by the Union government in Delhi, while the Bihar state government will gift 500 acres of land for the project. “Professor Sen, who is irreligious, said the Buddhist foundation would create international facilities across the full spectrum of learning, including philosophy, mathematics, medicine and information technology, and would be able to open facilities within two years.”

Defence planning As India lives in a notoriously unstable neighbourhood, the country's defences must be in good working order at all times. A Times of India report (August 9) provided an update based on information given to Parliament by Defence Minister A.K.Antony. Following the induction of Agni 1 (700 kilometres) and Agni II (2,000 kn) missiles, the 3,000 Agni III missile is now ready for service, he told MPs. Also ready for induction is India's third generation anti-tank missile, the minister said. Mr Antony informed the House of programme for the testing and eventual manufacture of a joint Indo-Israel medium range surface-to-air (LRSAM) was moving ahead. Meanwhile, the first test of the long range Indo-Israel surfaceto-air missile had been carried out in May, said the Minister. He said the Defence Acquisition Council had approved the IAF proposal to acquire an additiona 42l Russian-made Sukhoi30MKI warplanes to supplement the 230 Sukhois contracted for. This latest order would be fulfilled between 2014-2018.

Asian Voice - Saturday 21st August 2010

India’s Independence Day celebrated in the UK with much pomp and gaiety The 64th Independence Day of India was celebrated with enthusiasm and fanfare on last Sunday at the Indian Gymkhana Club in London. The High Commissioner Shri Nalin Surie hoisted the Tricolour followed by singing of the National Anthem. The Address to the Nation by the President of India, H.E. Shrimati Pratibha Devisingh Patil on the eve of the 64th Independence Day of India was broadcast on the occasion. More than 40 Indian Associations in the UK representing different regions and communities of India participated in the celebration. Depicting the confidence and ambitions of the youth of the nation and the rich heritage of the country, the representatives of these Associations presented a colourful cultural programme which included patriotic songs and dances. Regional delicacies and cuisine of India were offered at the food stalls set up voluntarily by these Indian

Flag hoisting by HE Nalin Surie at Indian Gymkhana Club on 15th August 2010

Associations. For the first time ever the Indian diaspora representing Councillors of Indian origin, Captains of Industry, Academia, Youth,

Students and budding artists participated in the celebrations in a large scale. More than 2000 people attended the function.

Prof. Balwant Jani, Mrs. Maya Panchal feted British Gujaratis in London celebrated the Independence Day of India this year in a distinct style. On Saturday, the eve of the celebrations, Prof. Balwant Jani (from Rajkot) and Mrs. Maya Deepak Panchal Jagadish Dave, Monica Mohta, Director Nehru Centre, Prof Balwant Jani, CB Patel, Pankaj Vora, Adam Tankaravi, Devi Parekh and ( f r o m Arunaben Patel (front) Ahmedabad) were honoured lyrics on the occasion. the Nehru Centre. with “Sanskar Garima” A new album of While C B Patel, award by Asian Voice and Gujarati songs by Maya Publisher and Editor of Gujarat Samachar as well Deepak, ‘Moksha’ was Asian Voice and Gujarat as the Sangat Community also unveiled on the occaSamachar honoured Prof. Centre, Harrow. sion. She enthralled the Jani with the award, Gujarati poets settled audience with her patriotSarojben and Pushpaben in London – Dr. Jagdish ic and devotional rendiPatel felicitated him. Mrs. Dave, Dr. Vinod Kapasi, tions. Maya Deepak was feliciMs. Bharti Pankaj, Prof. Jani had also tated by Kantibhai Nagda Neeruben Desai and R. K. of the Sangat Centre. addressed a function at Bhatt too presented their

Alpesh Patel’s Political Sketchbook: Independence Day In one sense it is ironic India should celebrate Independence Day. It is after all a civilization older than its former Imperial masters. A country born not 60-odd years ago but a nation 5000 years old. To celebrate a blip in its recent history seems to put it in the same category as all those ordinary new nations. More to be celebrated is the exceptional manner in which India gained Independence. And in this struggle whilst the world rightly knows Gandhiji and Nehru, too often forgotten is Sardar Patel. Let us not forget that the Sardar was elected to be India’s first Prime Minister – he was the people’s choice. As Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister he was charged with forming the Union of India by ensuring that all 565 Princely States within the territory acceded to India – rather than sought accession to Pakistan or seek to be Independent nations. Remember Hyderabad in the centre of India sought to secede to Pakistan. Patel made the Prince an offer he could not refuse. He earned the reputation as the iron man of India for precisely his firmness in ensuring the shape of modern India, and whilst he focused on the Hyderabad succession issue Nehru dealt with Kashmir. The rest as they say is history and to this day many say that under Patel, the Kashmir dispute would never have occurred. But as Gandhiji represented peaceful revolution, the likes of which mankind had not seen since Christ walked in

A portrait of Sardar Patel, in the forecourt of my ancestral home in Karamsad

Jerusalem, so Patel was a man of his times. To understand him we have to understand from where he hails. If you visit the Sardar’s former home in the tiny village of Karamsad in Gujarat, one of a million villages in India, a home in a nondescript alley, there you will find a living room the floor of which is made of cow pats. The British Empire they say was formed on the playing fields of Eton. The end of the British Empire was formulated on this cow pat floor in Karamsad, in a small village in what to the greatest Empire known to man must have seemed the middle of nowhere. Cecil Rhodes, not the Indian born Kipling as is often thought, once wrote that ‘To be born an Englishman is to have drawn the first prize in the lottery of life.’ As you celebrate Indian Independence this year, consider that if you hail from the village of Karamsad, then it is YOU who have drawn the first prize in the lottery of life – for you will share the sacred bloodline of

Sardar Vallabhai Patel. The man who constructed the most populous democracy in the history of the world and precipitated the end of the age of empires. More than the modern Americans or the ancient Greeks – he brought more people under the umbrella of democracy than any other individual ever to have lived. Not Lincoln, not Washington, not the American Revolution, not the French revolution, can claim that success as the man from Karamsad. But ask anyone from the village from Karamsad, and they will tell you they like to think, rightly, they make heroes and patriots there. The village made the man. As the Mahatma and Patel knew, freedom is not free at all, it comes with the highest of costs. The cost of blood. As Indians celebrate their Independence by their action they can choose to give testament to their bloodline; choose whether Patel’s actions will be wasted to the pages of history or whether their actions today reflect their bravery.

A Course of Discovery for Hindu Youths “It is a course of discovery for me which I will cherish all my life” remarked an exciting young Hindu to his parents on Sunday 8th August. The occasion was the Samarop (concluding ) function of the 10 day Sangh Shiksha Varg (SSV), an annual Residential Youth Leadership Course organised by Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh(UK) and Hindu Sevika Samiti(UK). This was the 36th SSV which was attended by 173 boys full time (over the age of 13) from 30th July to 8th August at the Lutterworth College, Lutterworth, Leicestershire. Over 100 girls attended a similar

course at the Riverside Community College, Leicester from 1st -8th August organised by Hindu Sevika Samiti (the sister organisation to HSS(UK) ). Participants came from all over the UK, Denmark, Germany and Singapore. Participants underwent intensive tuition on selfinspired leadership through a structured course which had a balance of physical, mental/intellectual and spiritual elements. The syllabus included games, yoga, martial art, meditation, lectures, discussion sessions, workshops, spiritual songs (bhajans) and relaxation sessions. There

were special classes on Hindu scriptures, Vedic Maths, Band (Ghosh) instrument playing and spiritual songs. The day’s routine started at 6am and finished at 10.30am. There were elders (office bearers of HSS and Samiti) to mentor and guide the youths. The last day was an open day with a concluding function attended by over 650 people (parents and guests). The function provided an opportunity for the participants to showcase their skills and knowledge learnt in the SSV. The chief guest was Mr Philip Carr-Gomm, Head of the Order of Bards, Ovates and Druids

which has thousands of members across the world. Druidry is an ancient British (preChristian) philosophy of life and spiritual tradition. It has many common beliefs and traditions with

Hindu Dharma. Mr Phillip Carr-Gomm was very impressed by the spirit of the event and the work done by HSS. He ended with a clarion call, “I ask you all to take three actions away from here …

one, do yogasana and meditation everyday for good health … secondly to the parents, talk to the younger generation daily … and finally, let us all promote Hindu awareness in our everyday lives”.

ART & CULTURE

Asian Voice - Saturday 21st August 2010

From India to Oxford to India By Spriha Srivastava

15th August, 2010: Indian Gymkhana Club This year the Indian Independence day in London was celebrated with a wonderful sense of community bonding and patriotic spirit. I am sure many of you must be thinking that this day has been celebrated every year for the past 64 years then what was so special this year? Well this year, there were not one but two events that brought together a number of Indians from around the UK to celebrate the spirit of freedom and togetherness. At the Indian Gymkhana Club in London, Indian High Commissioner, Shri Nalin Surie hoisted the tricolour Indian flag followed by the singing of the National Anthem. A moment of pride and patriotism shared among more than 2000 people present in the sprawling lawns of the Gymkhana club. Following the national anthem, the address to the nation by Indian President Smt. Pratibha Devisingh Patil on the eve of 64th Independence Day was broadcast. It was indeed one of those moments that every Indian looks forward to. And especially for those of us living so far away from our country, this was indeed an incredible experience. However, the most

striking aspect about this event was the fact that more than 40 Indian associations in the UK representing different regions and communities of India participated in the celebration. Associations like the Bhartiya Vidya Bhavan and many more including some independent artists presented a colourful cultural programme which included patriotic songs and dances. And when we talk about an Indian event, how can we forget our multi-cultural cuisine? Regional delicacies and cuisine of India were offered at the food stalls set up voluntarily by the participating Indian associations. A range of food items including Rajma Chawal from North India, Dhoklas from Gujarat, Dosas from South India

and many more items were offered to the large group of people present there. There were also a good variety of sweets that were offered which made the day for a lot of us. One can however just sum up to say that for the first time ever the Indian diaspora representing Councillors of Indian origins, Captains of Industry, Academia, Youth, Students and budding artists participated in such a large scale celebration. It is for the first time that the varied Indian community of Britain came together to celebrate a day that is so important to each one of us. And for this effort, one must congratulate and thank the Indian High Commission for bringing the Indian community to celebrate our freedom in style.

15th August: Freedom Run, Richmond Organised by a group of young and enthusiastic professionals, this event was held at Old Deer Park in Richmond. As the name suggests, the idea of the event was for each to run 5 Km and help celebrate freedom on India’s Independence Day. An organisational team consisting of Upma Arora, Natasha Shukla and Rashmi Sonal worked hard in association with ActionAid, with all profits supporting ActionAid’s India Priority Project that aims to create a safe haven for India’s street children. Clifford Chance, a global law firm based in London were the official sponsors for the event that managed to raise more than £6000 in total. The run started at 10 AM with many finishing in a span of 30 minutes. A beautiful

exhibition of photographs from India selected by the team was exhibited on the side which caught everyone’s attention. Upma Arora, one of the ain organisers of the event said, “It was a brilliant event to bring together so many people. More than raising funds, it was a stepping stone to bring awareness about how to change the world. Apart fro Indians there were people from other nationalities as well and they appreciated the celebrations as much as we did. The event was all about coming together and feeling how we can do our bit to change the world.” Following the run, the Indian flag was hoisted and everyone came together to sing the national anthem and national songs like Vande Mataram and

Saare Jahan se accha. The event also had free food for all, sponsored by Jashan, a restaurant based in Turnpike Lane. Apart from the fact that the event raised money for the underprivileged section of our population, it also brought the larger Indian family together to create awareness about the change that we as individuals can bring about in this world. It helped in teaching each one of us that even if we do our own bit; we can go a long way in contributing to the problems that the world is facing today. One can just say that this event could not have been held on a better day that on the day when India became free. I guess its now time for us to make sure that we do our bit to make the world free.

Let us know what you think. Email Spriha at spriha@abplgroup.com

moved to the UK in 2005. Oxfam works in many Her first experience of countries across the world working in a humanitarian and staff are often emergency was in the deployed from one counaftermath of the 2004 try to another to help in tsunami, which struck the humanitarian emergencies Indian Ocean and killed and on other projects. 230,000 people. Oxfam is a global organiShe was deployed to sation of people in many Tamil Nadu in south India countries that share a a day after the tsunami common vision to eradiJonaid Jilani took place. The area was cate poverty. materials as well as procompletely devastated, Nupur Kukrety works viding clean water, sanitaand her task was to do a for Oxfam at the UK headtion and promoting good rapid assessment, travelquarters in Oxford as a health and hygiene pracling from village to village, social protection and food tices to prevent the spread speaking to people and security adviser. Her job of deadly diseases. It also involves ensuring that assessing the damage and provided a means for peoneeds of the people in people have the basic ple to get food and ways to order to help Oxfam’s needs of food and the help people make a living means of making a living in the long term. in many developing counToday Nupur works to tries, particularly in the improve the lives of many aftermath of an emergency people in countries such or crisis like the floods as Ethiopia and Kenya. currently hitting Pakistan. One project in Kenya Nupur is originally that Nupur works on gives from Lucknow in India people smart cards with and first became aware of some cash on them in Oxfam in the 90’s when areas where banks are not the organisation was givavailable to allow them ing grants and fellowships buy food. These cards are to local small organisathen taken to traders who tions, many of which have have access to chip and Nupur Kukrety since become some of the pin devices. In other areas response. most important groups in mobile phones are used to “The tsunami was very India. transfer money. Cash is She was very inspired sudden, it happened on given instead of food as by an organisation that Boxing Day which meant people buy from their local was helping to support many people were away on market or shops which and build local organisaholiday. When I was helps build the local econtions and civil society, and deployed to Tamil Nadu, I omy and also gives people worked with others to was very moved. The level choice. overcome poverty. of destruction was “Oxfam changes peoNupur studied agriculimmense; people were in a ple’s lives, not just the ture and one of her first desperate situation and people we are helping but were moving into camps. I jobs was working for an the people who work for energy research centre, felt both emotionally and the organisation. I feel which involved looking physically drained,” she rewarded on a daily basis said. into renewable energy knowing that people are Oxfam’s immediate such as solar power and getting assistance and it researching into climate priority in response to the never feels like work but a change. tsunami was to save lives. joy to be able to help othIn 1997 Nupur joined It distributed essential ers,” she said. relief items and shelter Oxfam in India and then For more information about Oxfam and its India project or to donate please call 0300 200 1242

Book Review By Anahita Hoose Everybody Loves a Good Drought by P Sainath Published by Penguin Books India, Rs 399 paperback Journalist Palagummi Sainath visited some of India’s poorest districts between 1993 and 1995, reporting on the lives of the rural poor for the Times of India. Everybody Loves a Good Drought is an expanded version of the series of articles that emerged from the project. The author’s intention, as he explains in the introduction, was to focus on the experiences of real people rather than the statistics of poverty, and on ‘processes’ rather than ‘events’. He argues that the suffering of India’s poor is underreported because it is continuous and perceived as less dramatic than sudden disaster. The articles are divided into ten sections, beginning with one on bureaucratic ‘craziness’ and misguided ‘development’ projects, implemented from the top down with little con-

sideration for local needs, that have failed or even harmed the people they were supposed to help. Some similar stories, perhaps among the most tragic and infuriating in the whole book, appear in the section on forced displacement. P Sainath has also included sections on the access of the rural poor to education and health care, which is very poor in most of the areas he visited. The public health system has failed, for example, at Latehar in Bihar, where he found only one health worker on duty on several visits to the sub-divisional hospital. The chief doctor was on leave; the other four, together with seventeen employees, were running their private practice next door. The section ‘Beyond the Margin’ explores the survival strategies people use during the 200-400 days when there is no agriculture in their regions. The work some resort to, usually for very little payment, is extraordinarily hard and dangerous. Other sections consider water

problems, the hold that moneylenders exercise over many rural Indians, and, on a somewhat lighter note, ‘characters of the countryside’. The book ends with a section on what impoverished men and women are doing to help themselves, from the villagers of Kendupatti in Nuapada, Orissa, who have grown a regenerated forest stretching over 140 acres, to the women who cycle as a sign of empowerment in Pudukkottai, Tamil Nadu. Some of their achievements are impressive, but the author makes clear his opinion that the Indian Government needs to do more to help the rural poor. This frequently heartbreaking book may not be a cheerful read (although it reflects the fact that the poor, so far from being miserable victims, are able to help themselves and maintain an enjoyable social life in difficult circumstances), but it is interesting and informative. P Sainath has succeeded in making poverty real as a continuous ‘process’ that affects every area of people’s lives.

ART & CULTURE

Asian Voice - Saturday 21st August 2010

Bhangra Legend Kuljit Bhamra MBE receives Doctorate in Music

Presents

2010

The 10th ASIAN ACHIEVERS AWARDS (AAA) 30th September 2010 NOMINATION FORM The prestigious Asian Achievers Awards is hosted every year by UK’s leading news weeklies Asian Voice and Gujarat Samachar to honour British Asians par excellence. If there is someone you know who has broken boundaries and deserves recognition for their unique contribution to the community and the nation then please nominate them for one of the awards listed below. Make sure that you fill in this application form and send it before the 20th August 2010 by post, fax or email to Mr. L George, email: aaa@abplgroup.com, Tel: 020 7749 4013 fax 020 7749 4081. If you are sending it by post the address is Mr. L George, ABPL Group, Unit 2, Karma Yoga House, 12 Hoxton Market, London N1 6HW.

The theme for this year Asian Achievers Awards is “British Asians Turning ADVERSITY into OPPORTUNITY through RESILIENCE, SACRIFICE and DETERMINATION”

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AAA Platinum Award for Business Person of the Year A Business Person who is a success in every sense of the word and can demonstrate a gen uine passion for social issues. AAA Gold Award for Professional of the Year Professionals in any field who have scaled the heights of their chosen profession. AAA Gold Award for Woman of the Year In recognition and honour of a woman who has made a significant mark in any chosen field. AAA Gold Award for Sports Personality of the Year Awarded for excellence in sports. AAA Gold Award for Achievement in Community Service In recognition of any individual’s service to community

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AAA Gold Award for Young Entrepreneur of the Year Young entrepreneur with a proven track record of soperating a successful business. Must be aged below 35 yrs. AAA Gold Award for Achievement in Media, Arts and Culture Someone who has made a mark in print and broadcast media, cinema, art and culture. AAA Gold Award for Business in Community A business house that has made a demonstrable contribution to community. AAA Gold Award for Uniformed and Civil Services Outstanding achievement in uniformed or civil services or contribution to the community through any of the above services.

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To nominate online please visit www.asianachieversawards.com NOMINATION AND SELECTION PROCESS a This is a unique event where readers nominate and an dependent panel of judges comprising of eminent personalities selects the winner. a Judges’ decision is final. ABPL Group will not entertain any dialogue with members of the public regarding the judging process. a In order to ensure a high degree of transparency and fairness, the management and members of the staff of Asian Voice and Gujarat Samachar will play no role in the nomination or judging process. a You can nominate yourself if you wish to. a Nominations and entries must follow the prescribed format and bear the signature of the applicant.

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Kuljit Bhamra MBE (pictured), the renowned Bhangra Legend has added to his long list of accomplishments by being awarded a Doctorate in Music from the University of Exeter. K u l j i t Bhamra joined an acclaimed list of key figures, from sporting heroes, scientists, activists, politicians and dignitaries in being awarded a Doctorate in Music. He was joined by TV Newsreader Moira Stewart; Sir Ian Botham and Human Rights Activist Shami Chakrabarti in being presented his award. Kuljit was presented with his distinction by the

Chancellor of E x e t e r U n i v e r s i t y, F l o e l l a Benjamin, herself an actress, p r e s e n t e r, writer and broadcaster. Speaking of the honour Kuljit said, “I am delighted that my music has reached people of all backgrounds and ages and that I have been able to share my passion and creativity with the world. My father had a dream that I would one day become a Doctor and now at last he can call me one!” Kuljit has composed and produced over 2,000 songs and is responsible for the rise to fame of numerous Bhangra and Bollywood stars.

Asian Art Group Asks Questions About Arts Council England’s Commitment to Cultural Diversity Arts Council England has confirmed it has awarded £7.2m for a new flagship cultural complex in Southampton, but it continues to exclude a culturally diverse organisation which was a founding partner of the development. Art Asia – the South Asian art organisation – appears to have been cut out of plans for the creation of the Southampton New Arts Complex, despite investing 10 years in the creation of the building and, significantly, all of its lottery funding into the planned development (£3/4million). For the past month the organisation has been waiting for updated plans and confirmation of funding, which was announced today. However, Arts Council England’s and Southampton City Council’s failure to confirm

the role of Art Asia in the new complex – which the group had planned to make its new home when it opens in 2014 – raises serious concerns for the Asian group’s future, and difficult questions about the commitment to culturally Both Southampton City Council and Arts Council England have been contacted by Art Asia for an explanation on their exclusion as an anchor tenant. Both have responded, but neither has given a clear explanation of the future role of the organisation, or what it will get from its investment. A recent petition launched by Art Asia to show the region’s commitment to this culturally diverse group has already gained over 2,000 signatures to date. To show your support visit http://www.artasia.org.uk”

UK Designer Wins Best Wedding Designer Award 2010 The world’s top Asian designers showcased their collections at the 1st annual International Asian Fashion Awards held on Friday 9th July 2010 in a bid to win a prestigious accolade. Fashion designer Arinder Bhullar, pictured, of Leicester, renowned for her cuts and style, took the top award for Best Wedding Designer at the extravagant event hosted at London’s Hilton Metropole during the night’s celebrations. The event was a professionally staged evening, with top guests and models injecting high-octane glitz into the proceedings. The awards were judged by prominent industry professionals namely Laila Rouass, Nihal Arthanayake, Illy Jaffar and Mani Kohli.

Arinder Bhullar has been a distinctive name in ethnic bridal attire for the last 12 years, operating a designer boutique in the heart of Belgrave Road in Leicester. Brides from all over the country have regularly ventured over to the designer boutique to have a bespoke style created by Arinder Bhullar for their bridal trousseau.

Bollywood

16 Asian Voice Saturday 21st August 2010

Many of the Superstar’s fans are upset with him! Not because he has not joined politics as yet… that is an old and ongoing issue. This time, it is because of something that he said at the Enthiran (also known as Endhiran) music launch in Malaysia. Enthiran, produced by Kalanithi Maran under the Sun Pictures banner and directed by Shankar, is one of the biggest and most awaited movies not just for Tamil audiences, but for movie enthusiasts all over India and even all over the world. At the music launch, when Rajinikanth came on stage to talk about the movie and his experience working in it, he said the real stars of the movie are Kalanithi Maran, Shankar, A.R. Rahman and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan. This humble comment has upset his fans who felt that their Thalaivar was underestimating his position as the Superstar. We all know that Rajni has always been very humble; maybe his humility and sometimes over-humility has made his fans feel that he is let-

comes to lovemaking scenes, Neil Nitin Mukesh has still a long way to go. He was apparently ting them down. What can we say, except that irrespective of what the Superstar says, it cannot be denied that Enthiran is such a huge film not because it is one of the most expensive movies in India or it will be have the widest release ever for an Indian film or it brings together some of the biggest names in Indian cinema. None of this would have happened unless Rajni was the captain… So Enthiran is huge beacuse it has Thalaivar Superstar Rajni in the lead role! So Rajni sir on behalf of all your fans, we at Galatta have only one thing to say… we respect your humility, but our admiration for you is so high that we are unhappy even if you hide your talents and strengths.

Suriya: The perfectionist By now, we all know that Suriya plays the role of a trapeze artiste cum animal trainer in his upcoming flick 7Aum Arivu. The unit is currently shooting at Great Bombay Circus in Coimbatore. The latest buzz is that the actor will be performing all the circus acts himself without using a double in any of the sequences. Besides his circus acts, the actor will also be doing several innovative stunts in the film. A special trainer from Rajkamal Circus has been appointed to teach him the jumps and other

special items he will perform in the movie. According to sources, Suriya is also planning to perform the circus stunts he has learnt during 7Aum Arivu live for his fans closer to the release of the film.

Baana Kaathadi awarded U certificate Satyajyothi Films is back with their next production venture Baana Kaathadi, set in the slums of Chennai. It also marks the debut of actor Murali’s son Atharva. Chirpy newcomer Samantha, who played Trisha’s role in the Telugu version of Vinnaithaandi Varuvaayaa, is the heroine. Prasanna plays a prominent role in the film. The latest we hear is that the Censor Board has awarded an ‘U’ certificate without any cuts.

When i t

Yuvanshankar Raja has composed music for this film directed by Badri Venkatesh. The technical crew includes Richard M. Nathan (Camera), Badri Venkatesh (Story), G. Radha Krishnan (Dialogues), Rock Prabhu (Stunts) and Suresh Urs (Editing). Karunas in a vital role will provide comic relief.

not so comfortable while filming an intimate scene with Priyanka Chopra in 'Saat Khoon Maaf' in Coorg, Karnataka, last month. During the filming of the scene, Priyanka had to put all her acting skills into action to get the shy Neil to perform on a par. Apparently there are seven such sequences for the actress with her seven screen husbands. Thorough professional that she is, Priyanka sailed through the love scenes with her other screen husbands. With Neil, however, there was apparently some awkwardness and much re-takes before, much to Neil's relief, the shot was okayed. Neil doesn't deny the absence of an adequate comfort level. “But that's because I hardly got to know her before working with her in Coorg. It was like... in and out. We didn't get to know one another at all. I hardly had time to reach Coorg before we started shooting. There was no time for proper rehearsals,” said Neil. Based on Ruskin Bond's story 'Susanna's Seven', 'Saat Khoon Maaf' is about a femme

Shahid Kapoor has made lifelong friendship with Sonam Kapoor. Back in Mumbai after a marathon schedule with her in Scotland the first film Shahid wants to catch is Sonam's “I Hate Luv Storys.” Says Shahid, “Yeah I want to see Sonam's film and all the other films that I've missed while I was away.” Shahid's domestic portrait cannot get any more rosy. He has just returned to Mumbai after a hectic twomonth schedule with his father's film “Mausam” in Edinburgh, bid his dad adieu for now and headed to his Mom's place. Says Shahid, “Shooting in Edinburgh was like a dream. The place was so beautiful I felt I was transported to paradise. And then being directed by Dad was a dream come true. He is like an encyclopaedia of acting. I've learnt so much in the last one month. I tried to absorb as much as I could.” Shahid missed his mom and kidbrother like crazy during the shooting abroad. “In fact I wanted my brother to come over to Scotland. But kids that age have their own life and commitments,” says

Shahid sounding every inch the concerned Bade Bhaiyya. Now until the next schedule of “Mausam” in Punjab when Papa Pankaj again gets Shahid's undivided attention, Shahid intends to spend as much time with his mom and bro as possible.

Sonam comes to Abhay's rescue In today's Bollywood, a couple of months prior to the release of a film and the subsequent week are considered to be extremely important and precious for the successful promotion of the film. It is due to this reason that the prime star cast of a film needs to be within the public eye for those two months preceding the release. Usually, the cast has to face several interviews, attend a number of promotional events, chat shows, photo shoots and need to promote the movie on social networking sites as well. These promotional activities are seriously a mandatory requirement in

the present dog-eat-dog movie-world. Therefore, it was a strange surprise to see Abhay Deol absent at the promotion for his latest film, “Aisha.” Abhay has always been one step ahead and has promoted each of his movies with a certain aggression except this time. Abhay Deol's absence was noticeable

With a National Award for best actress under her belt, and a hit reality adventure show on television casting her as host, Priyanka Chopra is now gearing up for a new role - that of the national brand ambassdor for UNICEF’s programme promoting child rights and adolescence. “Throughout my career, I have always multitasked. My interests are varied and I want to explore each of them while I can,” asserts the 28 year-old. Priyanka says her selection was hardly a surprise, considering she has been working with them for a while. “I have been supporting UNICEF’s efforts in India for the past three years without drawing any media attention. There’s no reason for people to be cynical over my capabil-

fatale who bumps off her seven spouses and Priyanka plays that role with seven male actors including Naseeruddin Shah, Irrfan Khan and Neil.Having said that, Neil is all praise for Priyanka and director Vishal Bharadwaj. 'She is amazing on camera. I just loved watching her give her shots. As for Vishal Bharadwaj, just being directed by him is a learning experience,' he said. Coming back to the love scene in 'Saat Khoon Maaf', Neil protests: 'It isn't as if I was camera shy. I just didn't get enough time to get comfortable. I've done a love-making scene earlier with Rimi Sen in my first film 'Johnny Gaddar'.' Talking about his chemistry with Deepika Padukone during the shooting of 'Lafangey Parindey', Neil said: 'Oh, with Deepika it was different. It was just the two of us. We had ample time to know one another before we faced the camera. In 'Saat Khoon Maaf', I am just one of the seven men in Priyanka's life. It was almost like 'Aadmi musafir hai, aata hai jaata hai'.'

Shahid has made lifelong friendship with Sonam

when it came to “Aisha.” His absence was felt and it was indeed weird. He wasn't there for “Aisha,” while he attended the promo of his upcoming road movie. Surprise! It was good that Aisha's protagonist Sonam Kapoor came to Abhay's rescue. She revealed that he was busy shooting for “Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara,” a film by Zoya Akhtar in Spain. It is a big budgeted film that features Hrithik Roshan, Farhan Akhtar and Katrina Kaif among others. It is clear that he couldn't be at the promotions of Aisha, since he is in Spain promoting the big budgeted road movie.

ities of performing my duty now that this is official,” she shrugs. With a moderately packed film schedule starting with her two upcoming releases, Sidharth Anand’s “Anjaana Anjaani” on September 24, followed by Vishal Bhardwaj’s “Saat Khoon Maaf,” Priyanka begins beaming when the topic shifts to her career. “Anjaana Anjaani is about two individuals who decide to commit suicide after several failed attempts at love. They come to the same bridge to do so and the ironic encounter becomes the starting point of a long-term friendship,” she says. The promotional posters of the film have created controversy over their resemblance to the 2009 Oscar-nominated British film, “An Education,” but Priyanka says the similarity is unintentional. “It’s just a strange coincidence that the posters look alike. It wasn’t a deliberate move,” she says. In “Saat Khoon Maaf,” Chopra’s character, Susanna, has seven husbands and she is accused of murdering them one after the other. “It is not as morbid as it sounds. It has the typical treatment of a Vishal Bharadwaj film with several twists and turns. The unique thing is that I am portraying a wide age graph - from a 25-year-old to a 65-year-old woman,” she says. Up next for Chopra are two other films - Farhan Akhtar’s “Don-2” and Anurag Basu’s “Silence.”

Shah Rukh Khan makes a presence in Times Square

Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan's wax figure was on Friday last unveiled at the Madame Tussads museum in New York's Times Square. The 45-year-old star's new wax figure was unveiled amid colourful dance performance by Bollywood Axion Dance Troupe that performed to the soundtrack from his latest film 'My Name Is Khan' with the waxwork behind them. The actor already has a statue at Tussauds Los Angeles branch and his latest wax figure is dressed in a sleek black suit and white shirt. The event also marked the release of the DVD for 'My Name is Khan'. The movie centres around an Indian Muslim man with Asperger's Syndrome, who falls for Mandira, a successful Hindu single mother, played by Kajol, and how their lives are impacted by 9/11.

Soon after the unveiling visitors and tourists began to get their picture clicked with him. "More and more people are seeing Bollywood as part of the mainstream," Rosemary del Prado, director of marketing at Madame Tussauds, said. "It represents his current style," she said, pointing out the button down vest and the blazer zipper. Khan stands in a small room on the 9th floor and is the second waxwork to enter the Bollywood Zone at the Madame Tussauds in New York after Amitabh Bachchan was introduced last year. The London branch also has a wax statue of Bollywood actress Aishwarya Rai. Khan, who was named one of Newsweek's '50 Most Powerful People in the World' in 2008, has a fan following in the billions. Khan and Kajol became the first

Hrithik, Abhi not in demand Two of Bollywood's hottest hunks, A b h i s h e k Bachchan and Hrithik Roshan are no longer selling like hot pancakes. Reason? Post the box office debacles of “Raavan” and “Kite,” the two superstars have lost out on their price value. Buzz is that post the recent debacle of big budget films, corporate houses are wary of buying films at high costs even if the film stars B-Town biggies. “Zindagi Milegi Na

I have always been multitasked, says Priyanka

Neil not comfortable with intimate scenes

Rajinikanth upsets his fans!

Asian Voice - Saturday 21st August 2010

Dobara” and “Game,” starring Hrithik and Abhishek respectively, are not fetching the price producers are demanding. Evidently, two of the most sought-after actors in Bollywood, are not as saleable as they used to be.

Bollywood stars to ring the NASDAQ bell for Fox Searchlight Pictures, the distributors of the film. One of the reasons for Khan's inclusion in the New York facility was due to public requests, according to del Prado. "We make these decisions based on our guest feedback," she said. "And the population around NYC are familiar with Bollywood." In the room next to where Khan was unveiled, there is an exhibition of presidents of the United States and world leaders, which include Mahatma Gandhi, Fidel Castro, Helen Keller, Martin Luther King Jr., Yasser Arafat and Napoleon.

Leander to make Bollywood debut Tennis star Leander Paes is set to make his debut on the silver screen with a film titled ''Rajdhani Express''. Paes plays a common man in the film, which is to be directed by Ashok Kohli. "I have always been an admirer of Mahatma Gandhi, and when I read the script, it struck a chord with me, as it reflected Gandhiji''s immortal words ''Be the Change that you would like to see in the world'' in an entertaining and engaging way," Paes said. Although he had been offered his first film since 1996, he was too engrossed in tennis and self admittedly, not ''ready'' to take the plunge. He believes that one of his strength is to connect with people and he looked at different

medium to do that. Tennis was one such medium and now its films, starting off as a common man in ''Rajdhani Express''. Paes said that he has always loved watching films and found the power to transport to another world exhilarating.

Lafangey Parindey

An action and romance film from the banner of Yashraj films, Lafangey Parindey is an unusual love story of Nand and Pinky. It’s a dash of style with loads of attitude and a hunger to reach the stars. Lafangey Parindey revolves around a group of youngsters living in the backstreets of Mumbai. Path to love for Nandu and Pinky is paved by friendship, grit and hope. Nandu is wild, a born fighter. He is One-Shot Nandu. For the raw, champion street fighter, one-shot is literally what it takes. Absolutely wild, fierce, and hungry to win, this fighter takes boxing to a new level by knocking down his opponents – Blindfolded. Needless to say, Nandu lives life on his own terms and is a local hero amongst his friends. But all that soon changes, when he meets Pinky Palkar. Produced by Aditya Chopra and directed by Pradeep Sarkar, the lead cast of the film consists of Neil Nitin Mukesh, Deepika Padukone, Piyush Mishra, Manish Choudhary,Namit Das, Amey Pandya, Viraj Adhav, Vinay Sharma and Palomi, while Kay Kay Menon has a special appearance.The story, screenplay and the dialogues are penned by Gopi Puthran, while Swanand Kirkire has credit for the lyrics. Music is scored by R. Anandh, while Ronit Sarkar, Mohit Chauhan, Shail Hada, Anushka Manchanda, Shilpa Rao and Suraj Jagan have rendered the playback.

New Hindi movies releasing this week 1.Lafangey Parindey 2. Kis Hudh Tak… 3. Mr. Bhatti on Chutti

Top 5 Bollywood movies for the week No. Film 1 Aisha 2 Once Upon A Time In Mumbai 3 Khatta Meetha 4 Tere Bin Laden 5 I Hate Luv Storys

Last Week Total Weeks New 1 1 2 3 5

2 3 4 6

Kangna looking out for her Mr Right Kangna Ranaut and Adhyayan Suman might have gone separate ways after their break-up but it seems that the actress is struggling to get over her former lover. And believe it or not, Kangna still hasn’t found a man who can quite match up to her ex-beau. Talking about her love life, Kangna said, “I won’t say that I don’t have time for love. After all when it happens, you find time for it yourself. However, you don’t go around looking for it. It has to be spontaneous. I haven’t found the right guy and really, I am in no hurry either”. However, Kangna holds no grudges against her exbeau. Speaking about her equation with Adhyayan, Kangna said, “I didn’t feel any pain even the next day of my break up. I was back to my regular self pretty quickly. See,

it all depends upon the intensity of the relationship. For both, Adhyayan and I, it was a mutual relief because we were always more of friends than lovers. When we tried taking the latter route, it started becoming very demanding.”

Asian Voice - Saturday 21st August 2010

Alpesh Patel Consultant Editor Financial Voice Dear Financial Voice Reader, Reasons why you should sell stocks: 1. Chinese growth will slow, good times will end, their property market is overpriced, commodity prices will fall, our exports will be hit. 2. The Hindenburg omen: As stated on thestreet.com ‘the Hindenburg Omen occurs when an unusually high number of companies in the New York Stock Exchange reach 52-week highs and lows at the same time. A UBS strategist told Bloomberg that the Hindenburg Omen signalled itself seven times in 2008, before the S&P posted its biggest annual drop since the Great Depression. A confirmed Hindenburg Omen has occurred prior to every major stock market crash since 1985. ‘ 3. German investor confidence dropped more than forecast to a 16 month low in August – suggesting economic growth will slow. 4. Double dip recession is highly likely given cuts in government spending, with a consumer who is still in a lot of debt, not able to borrow on their homes whose values have dropped and banks cutting back on lending and businesses hoarding cash. 5. Oil and consumer goods from China account for nearly the entire US trade deficit. Trade deficits don’t help employment. The US could easily stay at 10% unemployment indefinitely. By the Chinese keeping their currency cheap to the Dollar and causing a trade imbalance by an artificially lower price for their good, they starve the US of the businesses which otherwise would have competed, built skills and exported. 6. Nasseem Taleb, who predicted the market crash says investors should avoid stocks. Reasons you should buy stocks: 1. Production in US factories, mines and utilities continued to rise last month, proving that the recovery continues. This also means business investment in new equipment kept growing. 2. The doom-sayers are too gloomy: not just the production figures, but just about all economic data being produced is better than expected. We’ve been too gloomy – don’t buy the pessimists story. 3. Germany – the powerhouse of Europe is growing at a whopping 2.2% per annum. So we don’t need to worry about Spain, Portugal and the smaller economies because the giant – the German one – is growing. 4. Capacity utilisation (measuring the amount of a plat that is in use) is nearing the 80% average of the past 20 years. 5. Chindia: Never in a market collapse have we had China and India to support demand – and China is now the second largest economy in the world overtaking the stale, tired Japanese economy which has stagnated for 20 years. 6. Yields: The monthly gap between the yield on S&P500 and the 10 year Treasury yield means it’s time to move into stocks – they are no longer overvalued 7. Earnings: On an earnings measure the Dow Jones Industrial Average is trading at a multiple of 13 times earnings. That is below its average of 16 over the past few years and would mean it should be trading at 13,000 – representing a 30% rally. 8. Experts: Mark Mobius, who oversees about $34 billion says the recovery is ‘well in place’. Conclusion: too close to call. When that happens don’t try to time the short term – go for the long term outlook in regions which are growing.

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Tatas at the top: The group is India’s most valued Mukesh Ambani’s RIL at no. 2, Vedanta group’s Sterlite at no. 3 Tata Group of India has emerged as the wealthiest – most valued Indian corporate house with a market value of about Rs. 3,710 billion, marching ahead of the Reliance empire. Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance Industries Ltd. (RIL), with a market value of about Rs. 3,217.50 billion has been ranked no. 2, while Sterlite Group of the UK based Anil Agarwal’s

the Tata Group has emerged as no. 1 is the split in the Ambani empire, which if put together is still larger than the Tatas.

Vedanta Group is at no. 3 and younger Ambani – Anil’s ADAG is at no. 4. Bharti group owned by Sunil Mittal is at no. 5. One of the reasons that

Anil Agarwal-promoted Sterlite group’s value stands at Rs 1,353 bn, ADAG’s value stands at Rs 1,250 bn, while Sunil Mittal-led Bharti group’s value is at Rs 1,205 billion in terms of cumulative

market capitalisation. The combined market capitalisation of the two Ambani groups currently stand at nearly Rs 4,470 bn — higher than the Tatas by nearly Rs 770 bn. At the end of the previous quarter (April-June 2010), the Tata group had a total market cap of Rs 3,260 bn — making it the secondmost valued firm after the Mukesh Ambani group.

Cairn India to sell majority stake to Vedanta Indian assets to change hands between two UK based companies Vedanta Group, the UK based global metals and mining giant with operations in India has struck a deal to purchase majority stake – 51% to 60% of Cairn India from Edinburgh based parent company – Cairn Energy. The all cash deal is to be in the range of US$8.5 to 9.6 billion.

While the UK based parent company – Vedanta Resources Plc will hold 31 to 40% stake in Cairn India, their

Indian subsidiary – Sesa Goa will buy 20%. Vedanta will be paying Rs. 355 per share plus a non-compete fee of Rs. 50 per share. Cairn India has the most significant assets in Rajasthan, where the

company has found huge reserves of crude oil and is supplying it to refiners. The two companies had confirmed of talks going between them over last week. Cairn Energy holds 62.37% stake in the Indian subsidiary. For Vedanta, it is their first venture in the oil and energy sector.

Environment panel against nod for Vedanta mines in Orissa Saxena committee says lease would deprive rights of tribal groups The fight by the Dongria Kondh tribals to save their habitat in the Kalahandi district of Orissa got a shot in the arm as the N. C. Saxena Committee has said expressed a view that no mining permission should be given to the UK based Vedanta Resources Plc. The panel is of the view that if the nod is given, it would be depriv-

ing two primitive tribal groups of their rights. Such an action, seen as a move to benefit a private company would shake the faith of the tribals in the law of the land. The committee has also said such a move may have serious consequences for the security and the well being of the entire country.A

spokesman for Vedanta in India said he had no immediate comment as he was yet to see the panel's report.Government sources said the environment ministry's forest advisory committee would take up the panel's recommendations and announce a final decision soon. India's Environment Ministry on June 30

ordered a new panel to investigate whether Vedanta's planned mine could impact local tribes and wildlife. A report on Vedanta submitted to the environment ministry in March said company was violating environmental guidelines and had not taken adequate consideration of the impact on the Dongria Kondh people.

H-1B visa misuse by Indian IT companies is just a huge hype US Chamber of Commerce rolls out facts and figures to puncture the bubble Coming out openly to puncture the bubble of hype of misuse of H-1B visas by Indian IT companies, the US Chamber of Commerce has termed as “hyperbole” the allegations against the Indian companies. The world’s largest body of trade and industry with more than 3 million members – the US Chamber came down heavily against all those in the USA who have of

late being alleging that Indian companies are responsible for taking away most of the jobs meant for Americans. In a latest report on immigration, the representative body of corporate America asserted that “In FY 2009, Indian tech companies used 4,809 new H-1B visas, which equals to 0.003 per cent of the US civilian labour force, less than 1/100th of 1 per

cent. Moreover, H-1B use by Indian companies has declined by 70 per cent between 2006 and 2009.” The new H-1Bs used by Indian companies represented only about six per cent of total initial beneficiaries (new employment), according to US Citizenship and Immigration Services, the report said. “When information technology services com-

panies – whether Indian or non-Indian – perform work in the United States it is only because US companies believe such work makes their businesses more profitable,” it said. If such service providers enable US businesses to concentrate on core functions and run more effectively, then US companies can hire more people in the long run, it added.

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Better investments for a Better life

FINANCIAL VOICE

Asian Voice - Saturday 21st August 2010

Property Focus Suresh Vagjiani Managing Director of Sow & Reap, a Property Investment & Financing company.

From a Bead Bag to a Money Bag This week we were privileged to have helped one of our long term clients complete on a property. The property is a one bedroom flat in the area of Stonebridge Park. While it may not be the most desirable area, from a rental yield perspective it is far more attractive than some of the more desirable areas. The councils decide the rent allowance according to the location of the property in the borough. As a rule of thumb, any property which crosses the north circular going towards central London naturally attracts a higher rent. Though the property is a one bedroom flat, it has potential to be converted into a two bedroom flat. This will permit the investor to achieve a rent of £17,000 pa. The corresponding mortgage will be £4,800 per annum. This will leave a passive income of £12,000. As the tenancy will be arranged directly with the council, there will be no agent fees to pay. The only expense to the landlord will be the service charge of £750 pa. The purchase price of this property was £121,000, with a 15% deposit, which was funded through a personal loan. Now, most will agree with me if I was to describe this as a “sweet deal”; what I find most fascinating about this, is not so much the nature of the deal itself, but rather the background of the investor. Sanaka, though Italian by birth, spent all his school years in Gurukul, he has gained a lot of life experience, but by modern standards he received very little formal education. His parents joined ISKCON in the early 1980s. Due to this Sanaka spent much of his childhood in Vrindavan, India, the holy birth place of Lord Krishna. There he would raise early in the morning, study Sanskrit and chant vedic hymns and prayers. He sometimes travelled with the school on sacred pilgrimages in the Himalayas and other holy Tirthas. When he came back from India, he

found it difficult to integrate in society. He came to this country from Italy 10 years ago, without money or direction. He managed to get accommodation, on the goodwill of the mother of one of his friends. Since then he has been doing odd jobs. His income has been irregular. It was therefore very difficult to secure a mortgage, especially in the current climate. But, he had taken the decision to generate passive income through rental properties; and he was determined to achieve this. This example, shows that where there is a will there is always a way, if and when we are committed. His aim at present is to obtain financial freedom so that he can do what he most wants with his life. He has been taught from a very early age that God is unlimitedly wealthy, and that the heavens are full of abundance. Sanaka’s rationale is to start practising and living this abundance now, so that it will be an easy transition in the after life. On a more serious note, he wants to live life doing what he enjoys; dedicating his time and energies to his spirituality and personal growth without being constrained by a 9 to 5 job to eat and pay the bills. It is not that he has a lavish lifestyle, but the extra income will help him to have the time to do has he wishes. In short this income stream will help him buy time and freedom. Making money working hard is one thing, but money made through passive

flats and then remortgaged again to release the funds back out. This property was bought using a combination of personal loans and credit cards. These normally have a period of zero interest followed by a very high rate. It was imperative to withdraw funds from the property and clear these cards, otherwise he would have ended up footing a hefty interest bill. Both deals have been done using practically no money. Now Sanaka is the proud owner of his third property with Sow & Reap’s help. If you would like to generate some income passively in your life why not give us a call.

income is a different kind of money altogether. Passive income means you do not even need to get out of bed to earn this income. Once it is set up, it pours in effortlessly. Many people seem to miss this point; they work hard whether in their own business or within someone elses. The point they miss, is if they remove themselves from the business, the business will collapse, if they stop working for others the pay cheque will stop. Most people are better situated then Sanaka to create a portfolio of income producing properties, but few take the plunge. Sanaka’s example shows that the block is more emotional than practical; it is created by social conditioning. We have been brain washed since n Convenient location day one, into believing n Moments away from Malabar Hill, Napean Sea road , that to earn money we Cuffe Parade, Nariman Point, Worli, Bandra-Kurla must work like asses – no Complex such thing as a free lunch n This is a soft launch exclusively through Sow & Reap – perhaps, Sanaka’s designed for investors unconventional upbring- n The developer has been in business since 1948 ing has helped him n Architect – the renowned Hafiz Contractors because he was not overly n Full self contained mini Town ship project exposed to this misconception. You will only need to put a fraction of the property price We helped him obtain down now but benefit from the rise of the whole property. his first property about E.g if the property price is Rs20,000 per sq ft four years ago when the And you put in 20% - which is Rs4,000 markets were a lot more If the property then sells for Rs 22,000 in the official flexible in regards to issu- launch ing credit. This first prop- then you will have made Rs 2,000 per sq ft - a 50% return erty was a freehold three This is the principal on which this deal has been designed. bed house in Watford. This part of Mumbai is yet to come to the levels of the rest Sanaka split the property of Mumbai, the gravity of the city is shifting fast. into two one bedroom Register your interest with Sow & Reap now

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fInancIal voice

Asian Voice - Saturday 21st August 2010

Leadership Matters

Banking is the next destination for Indian business houses paper on the subject. While RBI is very clear that those in the real estate should not be allowed, the business houses who already have a presence in the financial services segment will be sort of preferred, as licence for them would be easier. Analysts feel that taking a cue from the learnings from the global economic meltdown in 200809, which was aggravated by the failure of jumbo

Business houses in India can now look forward to set up banks in the country, as Reserve Bank of India, the key Indian regulatory authority has said it is no more opposed to the idea of allowing business houses to set up banks. Good governance and shareholding structure of the business houses who want to promote new banks will be crucial things to be looked into, according to a discussion

Stones, Bullets & Olives

banks and financial institutions, RBI is aiming to have a large number of banks, rather than largesized banks. "In an attempt to increase the dimension of the banking system, RBI has chosen the route of increasing the number of banks rather than ramping up the size of banks," said J a g a n n a d h a m Thunuguntla, equity head, SMC Capitals, in a research note.

Davora’s Diwali, Eid greeting cards now available at ASDA non-food products and we are looking forward to stocking them”. “Greeting cards are an integral part of British culture and their popularity for ethnic occasions has been increasing dramatically over the last few years” said Rajeev Arora, director of Stockport based Davora Ltd. “We’ve been working with ASDA to bring high quality cards to consumers at the right price”. Eid is the Islamic festival celebrated at the end of Ramadan, the month of fasting. Diwali, known as the ‘Festival of Light’ is celebrated by the Hindu and Sikh communities. This year Eid will

The supermarket chain ASDA has teamed up with niche publisher Davora Ltd to bring a fresh ethnic greeting card range to its customers for the occasions of Eid and Diwali. ASDA already have a strong ethnic foods offering, will now stock the cards in 40 stores across the UK. Noor Ali, ASDA’s Ethnic Buyer commented “we know how important these festivals are for our customers and we want to make sure we are catering to all their needs. Davora’s range of cards are a perfect complement to our existing range of ethnic food and

fall on 10th September while Diwali coincides with Bonfire Night on 5th November. ASDA will also stock Raksha Bandhan cards, which is another Hindu and Sikh festival celebrating the bond between brothers and sisters. Raksha Bandhan is on 24th August. Over the last five years, Davora Ltd has become a leading publisher of cards for Asian, Jewish, Chinese and other minority occasions. They are preferred suppliers to a number of supermarkets and stores as well as many independent shops around the UK and abroad.

63 years is not a very long time. There are many who are older, some perhaps smarter, a few maybe richer, but none who are as vibrant or energetic as India. During his Independence Day address to the nation, the honourable PM Manmohan Singh highlighted this emerging stature, “Today India stands among the fastest growing economies of the world. As the world's largest democracy, we have become an example for many other countries to emulate…Our country is viewed with respect all over the world.” Although, the recent headlines about the Naxalite insurgency or the disturbances in Kashmir only reiterate that, like all nations, India has her problems. The PM spoke about both of these issues and offered an olive branch to anyone who ‘abjures violence’ and resolved to deal with those who incite terror to achieve their goals. All leaders have the difficult task of treading the fine line between being considered as approachable and being perceived as weak. Most

Luxury homes in India draw potential buyers By Rudy Otter

Mumbai, Goa, Pune, Bangalore and Hyderabad. The exhibitors aimed not only to sell flats and villas but used the two-day event as an "awareness exercise" to show non-resident Indians how they could buy a home of their choice in the part of India that suited them best. Sheetal Ladva, administration officer of Venus Realtors UK, based in Uxbridge, Middlesex, was telling enquirers about buying top quality homes with all amenities in Delhi, Uttar Pradesh,

Hundreds of Indians stepped into the Hilton London Metropole hotel in Edgware Road to find out all about buying luxury villas and flats in India. The India Homes Fair, staged by the Housing Development Finance Corporation, ended on 25th July, having brought together more than 30 property developers and marketing representatives covering such areas as Rajasthan, Punjab, Delhi, Kolkata, Gujarat,

Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan. She told Asian Voice: “Retired Indian couples are buying holiday homes as an investment for themselves and their families. We arrange to sell villas, apartments, and penthouses, many safeguarded in gated communities. Representing Goa was Rohit Borkar, director of Akar Creations pvt, based in Margao, and selling holiday homes in South Goa, all close to the beaches. a The domestic market for luxury homes is rising

rapidly but we are always on the look-out for more business.” Bhavika Aggarwal, marketing manager of Panchshil Realty of Pune, told Asian Voice that Pune was “growing in importance” because it is within easy reach of Mumbai. One of Chennai’s representatives, Pasumarthy Ravindranath of Vasavi Housing, told Asian Voice: “Chennai is known as the 'Detroit of India' with car manufacturers like Ford and Nissan doing great business in the state.

International Faculty for Executives honours for Carlos Maia CEO of Staples Portugal, a Portugal based publishing house engaged in trade and industry magazines on HR, distribution, logistics and transportation and business, Mr. Carlos Maia has been honoured by the International Faculty for Executives with the “Distribution Master Figure 2010” award.

Carlos Maia

For the past 20 years, the International Faculty

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processes that Staples printed on the national market. Carlos Maia is Staples Portugal’s CEO – STAPLES INC Group – since June 1996, and also member of Staples International’s Executive Board, co-founder of Staples University and member of Staples Council for people development.

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By Amit Patel

Pandavas and Kauravas at a tournament. Naturally, he wished to participate, but while he was ridiculed by the Pandavas, Duryodhan adopted a different approach and offered him an olive branch. The rest as they say is history. True progress can only be found when everyone strives together, united by a shared vision, a common goal and a collective spirit. Perhaps the olive can be more powerful than stones and bullets. Amit Patel has over 15 years experience in the field of Personal Development and Human Resource Management. He has delivered speeches on People Management and Development throughout Europe, North America, and Asia. To contact Amit, email him at amitpatelmail@gmail.com

M&M bags Ssangyong of South Korea For M&M, it is a first strategic international acquisition. With Ssongyang in their kitty, M&M will gain access to new technology and new markets. Ssongyang SUVs are sold in Asia-Pacific, Europe, South America, Africa and the MiddleEast.

After loosing the race for the British iconic brands of JLR to the Tatas, rival Indian auto major Mahindra and Mahindra has finally managed to bag the ailing South Korean SUV maker Ssangyong. M&M last week emerged a preferred bidder for the Korean company.

Invest for a Life in the US The United States of America, often referred to as the land of opportunity, has been taking in immigrants at the rate of more than one million every year for over a century. Unfortunately, because it is so popular, it has become progressively harder to secure a visa for those who wish to live and work there on a permanent basis. Most visas are either difficult to obtain or unsuitable, because they need to be reapplied for, which carries risks. Noone wants to emigrate

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will adopt the same approach as the hon. Dr. Singh and send a message to all parties that they themselves determine how they will be dealt with. Is there another way? Can one engage the disengaged without appearing to be weak? Why do we wait for things to get out of control before we try to control them? It is not to say that everyone can be treated the same and sometimes, one has to stand firm. In the same token, many of today’s conflicts may have been resolved much sooner had the olive branch been offered earlier rather than later. Herein lays the problem. When challenged, most people become defensive and closed off to any external threat. The problem is this also means that opportunities are missed and things can escalate so rapidly that people lose sight of the original problem and become entangled in a web of discontent, frustration and anger. From that road, it is very hard to turn back. In the Mahabharat, Karna first met the

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only to lose their visa after a year or so. The most popular choice, for those in a position to invest $500,000, is the EB-5 investment visa. In 2003 the US Government reintroduced the Regional Center program. Investments into an approved Regional Center qualify an investor, spouse and all children under 21 to Green Cards (Permanent Residency). Citizenship can be obtained after 5 years. For information, visit eb5-visa.net.

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FINANCIAL VOICE

Asian Voice - Saturday 21st August 2010

Foreign Exchange Rajesh Agrawal is the Chairman & CEO of RationalFX, Currency Specialists. For any further information call 020 7220 8181 or e-mail info@rationalfx.com

Is The Euro Back on Track? Figures released on Friday the 13th of August showed that the German economy had grown by 2.2% (an annualised rate of close to 9%) in the three months to the end of June, well above even the most optimistic of economic forecasts. These growth figures are the best since German re-unification nearly twenty years ago, meant that the whole euro-zone had a good quarter with growth in the sixteen country euro-block approaching an annualised rate of 4% much faster than America, and only slightly below the strong British growth figures. This euro-zone success owes much to a surge in German exports, mainly to the demand for quality goods in the emerging markets, and internal investment needed to expand stock to meet this new area of export growth. Germany supply much needed infrastructure products, such as power plants to these emerging markets along side these kinds of industrial exports; the newly created middle classes in the emerging east-

ern industrial giants are craving status symbol products. Mercedes have tripled the sales of their cars to China to the year ending last July, sales in India

have more than doubled and other middle class brands such as VW and BMW have shown much-improved figures. The German statistical office said that consumer spending has made a positive contribution to GDP. Some firms are already reporting skill shortages, which

ought to be good for jobs, wages and (eventually) consumption. Even so, a more balanced recovery in Germany may yet be thwarted by fragile banks and by

the inherent thrift of consumers. It is telling that Germany is one of the few places where sales of Mercedes cars have fallen this year. This improvement in sales is obviously good for jobs and unemployment figures in Germany have improved much

more quickly than the euro zone in general. It is strange that this German economic revival is so strong at a time when a sovereign debt crisis in other parts of Europe, seems to threaten the very existence of the single currency. Countries with strong industrial ties to Germany such as Holland, France and Austria have had stronger growth figures, whereas GDP in Spain, Portugal and Greece have been feeble by comparison. The renewed hope in Europe contrasts with anxiety in America, where the economy is faltering and jobs growth is scarce. But just as these concerns are a warning to Europeans that the global recovery is not secure, the joy in Germany should comfort Americans. The fortunes of both economies are as tightly bound as ever. If German exporters are thriving, it means that someone out there in the world economy is still spending freely.

Weekly Currencies As of Tuesday 17th August 2010 @ 2.30pm GBP - INR = 72.8332 USD - INR = 46.51 EUR - INR = 59.98 GBP - USD = 1.5631 GBP - EUR = 1.2144 EUR - USD = 1.2893 GBP - AED = 5.7417 GBP - CAD = 1.6237 GBP - NZD = 2.2014 GBP - AUD = 1.7321 GBP - ZAR = 11.3263 GBP - HUF = 338.35

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 areâ&#x20AC;&#x201A;the commercial foreign exchange rates provided by RationalFX. For a live quote or to find out more about how RationalFXâ&#x20AC;&#x201A;can help you, call us on 0207 220 8181.

INDIA

Asian Voice - Saturday 21st August 2010

In London, East India company is born again Sanjiv Mehta, an India born businessman now settled in UK has relaunched East India Company in London the over the weekend, though in a new incarnation – as a luxury goods brand. 400 years ago, the company was a symbol of the British rule in India. Now, the brand will sell luxury gift sets, teas, coffees, jams and other Amitabh Bachchan trying his hand at ‘Charkha’, the spinning wheel that Mahatma Gandhi used to spin Khadi, one of his weapons for fighting the British Rule. Big B was in Ahmedabad recently and visited Gandhi Ashram as a part of his brand endorsement shooting for promoting Gujarat.

Bapu’s long forgotten diary recovered The diary is handwritten by Gandhiji in Gujarati Mahatma Gandhi's diary written during the year of Indian Independence and held till recently under private possession will soon be open for public viewing at the National Archives in New Delhi. The small diary handwritten by the Bapu in Gujarati is among a collection of other letters and documents handed over to the Archives by Varsha Das, former director of the Gandhi National Museum. "We received Gandhi's diary along with a collection of other documents from Varsha Das, the former director of the Gandhi National Museum," Rajesh Verma, assistant director,

National Archives of India said. Meena Jain, a childhood friend of Das had handed over to her, Gandhi's diary and other documents containing letters and several diaries written by Manu Behn, the niece of Mahatma Gandhi. "I handed over the collection to the Archives in the first week of July as we do not display the original diary and documents at the Museum. Also, the Archives has the facility of temperature control that is suitable for the preservation of the diary whose pages are in a fragile condition," Das said.

Visa fee hike row could go to WTO India terms the US move as protectionist After President Obama signed the bill to hike visa fees last week, India said on Tuesday that the US move is “protectionist” and New Delhi may drag the USA to World Trade Organisation. The Visa Fee hike is sure to hit India’s IT sector, which has a lot of stake in outsourcing businesses in the USA. The new law earmarks funds from the visa fee hike to pay for the US government's plans to boost security along its border with Mexico to crack down on illegal immigration and drug smuggling. India "cannot keep quiet" on an issue that hurts its commercial interests, Rahul Khullar, the top bureaucrat in the commerce ministry, said in New Delhi. The visa fee hike "is WTO incompatible," Khullar said, adding the government was now deciding its "next course of action" which could include challenging the US legislation before the World Trade Organisation.

The 600-million-dollar measure will nearly double visa fees for some Indian information technology workers entering the United States. The National Association of Software and Services Companies (NASSCOM), which represents India's top software exporters, has said the measure will boost annual US visa costs for the sector by 200-250 million dollars annually. The US legislation affects those skilled workers brought in by companies whose employees are more than 50 per cent foreign, a move that largely affects India's IT and outsourcing industries. More than half of the world's top 500 companies outsource work to India, which has become the world's back office where Western firms have set up call centres and number-crunching and software development outlets to cut costs. Anti-outsourcing sentiment in the United States has been stoked by high unemployment.

goods inspired by the East India Company’s history through its new e-commerce website. The site, and the company’s flagship store in London, was launched on Sunday. Mumbai-born owner Sanjiv Mehta, 48, says ‘‘The winds are blowing eastwards and I see the East India Company as a brand tomorrow’s India can build upon.’’

"The world would be a very different place if there had been no East India Company,” said Mehta, after the company launched its e-commerce site and flagship store in London on Independence Day. Mehta said he is inviting fellow Indians to join him as custodians of the brand through investment and helping the business

to grow in new areas. He believes the brand has not lost its power. The brand’s transformation from the 1600s may already be considerable, but there are some things Mehta doesn’t want to change. He says he hopes to ‘‘capitalize on and retain the brand’s impeccable pedigree and enviable heritage’’.

ND Tiwari's plea dismissed, ` 75,000 fine imposed

Trial against Sajjan Kumar stayed by SC

application raised objections to the additional facts incorporated by Rohit Shekhar in his fresh paternity suit. He said that Rohit should have sought the court's permission to amend the suit with the new fact that he had tried to meet Tiwari at an airport in 2005. The Supreme Court had on May 10 dismissed the appeal filed by Tiwari

The Supreme Court of India last week stayed trial proceedings against the Congress leader Sajjan Kumar who is facing murder and other charges in connection with the 1984 anti-Sikh riot cases. A bench of Justices P Sathasivam and B S Chauhan also issued notice to the CBI on Kumar's appeal challenging his prosecution. The Delhi high court had on July 19 refused to quash various charges including that of murder against him, saying the delay in prosecution has apparently benefited him. Kumar, a former Outer Delhi MP, is facing prosecution in two cases in which he has been accused of inciting a mob against Sikh community in the aftermath of Indira Gandhi's assassination. "The interest of justice requires that the offences allegedly committed by accused persons are expeditiously tried to preserve the rule of law in the society," the High Court had said while directing the trial court to hold the proceedings against him expeditiously in the riots cases.

The Delhi High court on Friday last dismissed the application of former Andhra Pradesh governor ND Tiwari seeking changes in the paternity suit filed by a lawyer who is claiming to be his biological son. Justice S Ravindra Bhat, while dismissing Tiwari's application, also imposed a cost of Rs.75,000 on him. Tiwari, through his

challenging the high court's decision to adjudicate the paternity suit. Rohit claimed that he was born out of a relationship between his mother Ujjwala Sharma and Tiwari, a charge denied by the Congress leader. Tiwari had earlier refused to undergo DNA test on Rohit's plea and denied ever having any physical relationship with his mother.

Lalu, Ram Vilas forge alliance for Bihar polls

RJD chief will be the Chief ministerial candidate Overcoming last-minute hiccups, Lalu Prasad Yadav-led RJD and Ram Vilas Paswan's LJP on Monday clinched an alliance for the coming assembly elections in Bihar in which they will get 168 and 75 seats respectively. Lalu Prasad will be chief ministerial candidate of the alliance while LJP Bihar unit chief Pashupati Kumar Paras, younger brother of Paswan, will be the deputy chief minister aspirant. Uncertainties had

gripped the tie-up for three-four days, triggering speculation that LJP would join hands with Congress in case the alliance with RJD broke down. "Our alliance (with RJD) is rock solid and unbreakable. There is no truth in reports that I had talks with Congress or that I would become a minister at the Centre," Paswan said at a joint press conference with Lalu Prasad. "RJD will contest on 168 seats and LJP would

be fielding candidates in 75 seats. Lalu Prasad will be the leader of our alliance for the election. He will be projected as chief ministerial candidate while Pashupati Kumar Paras will the nominee for deputy chief minister," Paswan said. The LJP chief said he would focus on national politics. Lalu Prasad said the two parties had joined hands after much consideration and added "the alliance between the two parties will continue even in future."

Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah on Tuesday pardoned suspended head constable Abdul Ahad Jan who had flung a shoe towards him during a function and ordered his release. Mr Abdullah also ordered the police to withdraw the case against Jan. Releasing Jan on extremely compassionate grounds, Mr Abdullah called him to his residence and gave him a patient hearing after which he directed his office to accompany him to his native village so that he could be with his family members during the fasting month, an official spokesman said. Jan was taken into custody immediately after he hurled a shoe towards the chief minister while he was taking the salute from marching contingents after unfurling the national tricolour during

the official Independence Day function in Srinagar on August 15. Mr Abdullah said, “the Holy month of Ramzan teaches us to be compassionate and forgive everyone. My steps are in conformity with teachings of Islam which does not preach hatred but only love and brotherhood.” Omar hugged Jan and ordered the police to release him. The suspended cop also profusely thanked the chief minister. Visibly moved by Mr Abdullah’s gesture, Jan became emotional and tears rolled down his cheeks after his meeting with the A shoe is hurled towards Jammu and chief minister. Jan Kashmir state Chief Minister Omar was equally thrilled Abdullah, right, during Independence Day to know that the celebration in Srinagar on Sunday

Shoe-thrower moved by Omar’s Ramzan gift chief minister was making arrangements to fly him out by the state helicopter to his native village in Ajjas in Bandipore. The shoe flung by Jan missed the target but an unfazed Abdullah referred to the incident in his speech and said “It is the best way to protest. It is better to raise slogans and hurl shoes but avoid stone pelting.” As many as 15 policemen were suspended pending inquiry after the incident. Jan, who was suspended in May after a criminal case was registered against him, has been chargesheeted in two cases of extortion and being drunk during duty hours.

Asian Voice - Saturday 21st August 2010

INDIA

India will not accept any cut in UK grants

In divine light

Pranab says will surrender it voluntarily rather than accept cut most needed. The UK aid is being received for health, education and poverty alleviation programmes in Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, Orissa, Bihar and Madhya Pradesh. Mukherjee said the external assistance forms just 0.4 per cent of India’s GDP and its share in the total budgetary expenditure on developmental schemes has gone down to 2.5 per cent from 3.4 per cent. “It is peanuts in our total development expenditure,” he said.

Indian Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee has said that India will not accept any cut in grants, would rather prefer to voluntarily surrender the grants. He informed Rajya Sabha, the upper house of Indian parliament on Tuesday that “New Delhi had made it clear to the David Cameron administration on the issue that should UK decide to cut aid to India, we will voluntarily surrender it.” India's stand was made clear during the recent visit of British

Prime Minister and UK government was asked to give it prior information on any decision to cut the aid. "We don't require the aid... we will voluntarily surrender it," he said. The new government in the United Kingdom has commissioned a review of each of their bilateral aid programmes being implemented by the Department for I n t e r n a t i o n a l Development (DFID) with recipient countries globally to determine where UK resources are

US teenager arrested in Jodhpur for murder of his mother

Delhi High Court upholds marriages between minors

Police in Jodhpur, a city of Rajasthan in India arrested the teenager son of a US lady who was found dead in a hotel last week. Her body was found beheaded. Cindy, believed to be in her 50s, was staying with her 15-year-old son, John. The hotel staff discovered her body in the bathroom last week. Her son allegedly left the hotel in a taxi on the day her body was recovered. He was questioned by the police later and allegedly said that that he had a fight with his mother recently. The young man has now been arrested by the Jodhpur police who are now trying to find out the reason for the brutal murder. The mother and son are from Pennsylvania and landed in Jodhpur from Mumbai on August 11.

Marriage between minors is valid and it can be annulled only on the plea by one of the partners, the Delhi High Court ruled. "A marriage in contravention of clause (iii) of section 5 (which fixes minimum age of 21 years for bridegroom and 18 years for bride) does not fall in the category of void marriages nor does it fall in the category of voidable marriages. Consequently, by the process of elimination, it would be a valid marriage," the court said. A bench of Justices B D Ahmed and V K Jain said that even under the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act the marriage involving minors has not been declared as invalid and the Act just says that the marriage can be annuled on this ground if plea is made by the minor partner. "Nobody other than a party to the marriage can petition for annulment of the marriage," the court

said. The court passed the order on a petition filed by a minor boy who tied knot with a minor girl against the wishes of their family members after fleeing from home. Eighteen-year–old Jitendra Kumar Sharma approached the court after a criminal case was registered against him on the complaint of family members of 16-year-old minor girl Poonam Sharma who alleged the boy had abducted her. The High Court had earlier directed the couple to be present in the court and they submitted that they were in love and got married without being forced by anyone. The court, after recording their statement, said their marriage is valid and the minor boy is the lawful guardian of the girl. The court said family members of Poonam cannot prevent her from living with her husband.

Petition seeking voting right for Sehajdhari Sikhs in SGPC elections filed in Punjab HC Punjab and Haryana High Court last week issued notices to Gurdwara Election Commission, the Union government of India and the State government of Punjab on a petition seeking restoration of voting rights for Sehajdhari Sikhs in the elections to the Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee (SGPC). The petition, filed by one Mr. Hans Raj from Jalandhar district has challenged the amendment to the section 49 and 92 of the Gurdwara Act. It is before the Bench of Chief Justice Mukul Mudgal and Justice Ajay Tewari. The amendment effectively meand Sahajdhari Sikhs are not being considered as Sikhs in view of the

impugned amended Section 49 and Section 92 of the Gurdwara Act.” In the petition filed through counsel Mansur Ali and H.S. Deol, Hans Raj has contended special voting rights were given to Sahajdhari Sikhs in 2002. As such, it is evident that “Sahajdhari Sikhs were recognised as Sikhs and got all electoral rights thereof”. The petitioner added that up to 2003 Sahajdhari Sikhs were considered as Sikhs. But at present “the respondents are restraining the definition of Sikhs by ousting Sahajdhari Sikhs by amending Section 49 and Section 92 of the Act.” Going into the legality of the action, the petitioner said the original Act declared Sahajdhari

Sikhs as qualified electors for the SGPC elections; and the apex court in numerous judgments held the state cannot regulate the definition of religion. As such, the state authorities cannot fetter the definition of Sikhs in general and Sahajdhari Sikhs in particular, when religion is not within the bounds of any kind of legislation. The petitioner said Sahajdhari Sikhs were ones not born in Sikh families, but were followers of the Sikh religion for all intents and purposes.When even the preachers have not restricted any man from entering the Sikh fold, the action of the respondents in creating a class within a class is bad in law.

By Rajen Vakil

Jayadratha, the fear of death Jayadratha was the king of Sindhu and the husband of Dussala, sister of Duryodhana. Jayadratha tried to adduct Draupadi during the Pandavas exile in Kamyaka Vana. The Pandavas caught up with him but being Dussala’s husband, Yudhisthira asked the others to spare him. They spared his life but shaved his head and then released him. Jayadratha wanted to avenge this insult and he prayed to Mahadeva and was granted a boon by him that for one day during the Great War, he would be victorious against all the Pandavas but Arjuna. During the Great War when Dronacharya formed the Chakravyuha and Arjuna was drawn astray from the main battlefield, Jayadratha held off the Pandavas and their army from entering the formation behind Abhimanyu. Hence, Abhimanyu went into the Chakravyuha alone and met his death inside. When Arjuna heard of this, he vowed to kill Jayadratha before sunset the following day or perish himself. The Kauravas protected Jayadratha with their whole army by placing him right behind the entire army with the intention of forcing Arjuna to give up his life if he was unsuccessful in killing Jayadratha by sunset. Arjuna had to make his way through the whole army to get to Jayadratha. Sunset approached but Arjuna was still far from striking distance of Jayadratha. Sri Krishna then created the illusion that the sun had set by covering it with clouds. Thinking that the sun had actually set, Jayadratha came out of his safety formation. At this moment, Sri Krishna lifted the clouds covering the sun, exposing Jayadratha to Arjuna. Arjuna then struck an arrow cutting Jayadratha’s head off and killing him. Before he aimed for Jayadratha’s head, Sri Krishna told Arjuna that Jayadratha’s head should not fall on the ground but instead fall in his father’s lap, who was meditating in an ashram. Jayadratha’s father had a boon from Mahadeva (as Pasupata) that whosoever fell Jayadratha’s head on the ground, his head would explode into a thousand pieces. Arjuna sent Jayadratha’s head into his father’s lap; his father in a state of shock threw Jayadratha’s head on the ground and immediately his own head exploded

into a thousand pieces. Jayadratha comes from the word ‘jayat’ meaning victorious and ‘ratha’ meaning chariots – the one with the victorious chariots. The chariots represents the body-brain system and Jayadratha signifies the victory of the body-brain system over the power of attention, done by seducing attention in sensual matters of the world such as objects, people, and events. Hence, deep attachment or hypnosis of our own bodies is Jayadratha. Patanjali calls this attachment to the body as ‘abhinivesa’ or the deep desire for sentient existence, which manifests as fear of death. The largest industry in today’s world is ‘the body’ – whether it is in form of medicine, vitamins, life enhancing tonics, clothes, perfumes, or any other products that enhances the feeling or sensuality of one’s body. The state when our attention is totally seduced by an object of the senses is called Jayadratha. When our attention is free from the pull of the senses then that state is Arjuna. In both these states, the attention is one-pointed. In the state of Jayadratha, the one-pointedness attention is external and a result of hypnosis whereas in the state of Arjuna, the one-pointedness attention is internal and a result of being free of any hypnosis. We have seen in expositions in previous articles that Draupadi is the sex energy, which when it rises up the chakras becomes ‘Kundalini Shakti’. She is in the Kamyaka Vana or the forest of desire. We have seen that Jayadratha represents usage of the power of seduction for fulfilment of sensual desires. These desires are vibrating in our unconscious mind and in the Kamyaka Vana (the forest of desire) they manifest and within our thoughts we keep on abducting this vital sex energy by becoming seduced to beautiful objects or persons. Abhimanyu going into the chakravyuha and being blocked off by Jayadratha to come out reveals to us that whenever ‘abhiman’ or ego leads us into a difficult situation in life, it is our own fear of the unknown or the desire for sentient existence that clouds our vision and does not allow us to see a way out of the situation. If only we can remain detached, the solution

becomes visible. The Kauravas represent the hundred inclinations that seduce our attention all the time through the five sense organs. These are desires that keep on manifesting from our sub-conscious and our unconscious mind. These desires block the actual feeling of the real instinctive fear of death – our eluded psychological fear of death is that if death was to occur now all our desires will remain unfulfilled. Because of this covering of desires, we cannot feel the fear of death in an instinctive way that animals feel. Yoga says that in the right nostril is the ‘suryanadi’ which gives a positive charge and heats the prana that flows through and in the left nostril is the ‘chandranadi’ which gives a negative charge and cools the prana that flows through. All negative emotions, especially anger and fear, need the support of suryanadi to seduce our attention and take away our energy, making us victims of negative emotions. When the yogi wants to free his psyche of negative emotions, specially the fear of death, he artificially blocks the right nostril or suryanadi, represented by Sri Krishna covering the sun with clouds. At this point, any negative emotion that manifests does not have a firm foundation; that is it does not get the heat from the suryanadi to explode, rendering it weak and unable to seduce the attention of the yogi. It is then that the yogi is able to kill the negative emotion that had come out of the subconscious or the unconscious by the arrow of his attention (or self-observation), represented by Arjuna’s killing of Jayadratha. Jayadratha’s is the fear of death and his father represents the instinctive desire for selfpreservation. The yogi wants to be free of the fear of death but unless he also kills the instinctive desire for self-preservation, this fear of death will manifest again and again. By surrendering to the divine, represented by Sri Krishna, the yogi (or Arjuna) no longer needs the natural instinct of selfpreservation because his life is now in the hands of the divine and he does not need nature to protect it. This is shown by Arjuna obeying Sri Krishna in sending Jayadratha’s head into his father’s lap, killing both of them. (Edited by Chintu Gandhi)

INDIA

Asian Voice - Saturday 21st August 2010

‘Peepli Live’ sparks protests, Vidarbha farmers burn Aamir’s effigy Mr. Perfect – Bollywood hero Aamir Khan’s latest movie ‘Peepli Live’ may have won him accolades and even flooded the box office, helping him rake in big money, but farmers from Vidarbha region in Maharashtra have staged protests again the film and even burned the effigy of the filmmaker. It may be recalled that this region had been one of the epicenters of suicide by farmers as crop failures and other issues had driven them to debt and despair. On the occasion of Independence Day, farm widows and farmers took to the streets in Yavatmal, about 160 km from Nagpur. They demanded immediate ban on the screening of the movie objecting to the way the issue of farmers’ suicide has been depicted in the film. Vidarbha Jan Andolan Samiti president Kishore Tiwari, who led the protests, had said that the protests will continue. “It is an insult to poor farmers of Vidarbha who have been victims of globalisation and wrong policies of the state. We will not tolerate further as this movie revolves

Aamir khan

around a debt ridden farmer committing suicide for the sake of compensation, trivialising the issue and is far from reality,” Tiwari said. "Producer Khan should have consulted some experts before finalising the script," Tiwari said, adding the movie has put a question mark on the farmers' widows demanding compensation. "Farmers in any region of India commit suicide due to the wrong policies of the government, not because family members can live off the compensation they would get," the release from Tiwari added.

Kashmir integral part of India, emphasises Manmohan Continued from page 1 “The years of violence should end. Such violence will not benefit anyone…We are ready to talk to every person or group which abjures violence,” he said. On to Pakistan, he said he expected the government "not to let their territory to be used for acts of terrorism against India." Describing Naxalism as a "serious challenge" to internal security, he said, "I once again appeal to the Naxalites to abjure violence, come for talks with the government and join hands to accelerate social and economic development." On development in the Naxal areas, he said: "I have asked the planning commission to formulate a comprehensive scheme towards this end, which we would implement fully. It is our endeavour that our Adivasi brothers and sisters join the mainstream of development." Highlights of PM’s address • The rate of economic growth in India has been better than most other countries in the world. This shows the strength of India. • Even the growth rate of agriculture has increased substantially

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in the last few years. We want the fruits of development to reach the common man. Government is committed to maintain communal peace and harmony. Naxalism is a serious challenge to India’s internal security. We will deal firmly with those who resort to violence. It is also our endeavour that our adivasi brothers and sisters join the mainstream of development. We have a special responsibility towards the states of the North East. I would like to convey to all political parties and groups of the northeast that disputes in the name of state or tribe can only harm all of us. In Jammu and Kashmir, we are ready to talk to every person or group which abjures violence. Kashmir is an integral part of India. The Commonwealth Games will start in Delhi after about one and a half months. I am convinced that all our countrymen will treat the Games as a national festival and will leave no stone unturned to make them a success.

Who was behind The Hindu Experience? A question asked by many and the beauty of it was the first time ever have over 40 community organisations came together to organise and support this spectacular event in July 2010 under a universal banner The Hindu Experience. We would like to share some of the amazing feedback received from some of the people who attended. "Firstly, let me congratulate you all and Hindu Experience team and volunteers on an your vision, planning and superb execution of the event. A number of pointers to the success of the event should be noted: Large number young volunteers, proudly promoting our culture and values. Excellent themes with information and knowledge. Very popular zones. Projection of Hindu talent on the stage was great. Very good turnout. To cap it all, it was a great day, where people could visit whatever they liked without being pushed into or stressed out by anything". - Amrat (West Midlands). "Thanks a lot for taking me with you in one of the stand and introducing me to the future leaders of Hindus. I really thought the day was a great achievement for Hinduism at large. Your aim to use the youths as the frontline commanders is crucial and win the heart and minds of

everyone in this country. Once again thanks a lot and please congratulate the team for a work well done". Major Suryaparsad Upadhya. "I would like to congratulate you very warmly for such an extremely well-organised and executed event yesterday. I can just imagine the hard work and dedication into making it a success, and the thing that will remain is the large number of young people who came together to make it happen. They were very proud of their heritage and clearly happy to explain it and show people around". - Atul (London) "I must say a job well done and great event after a long time. Many suggestions were there and we should all compile them and should have an analytical meeting of the lead people in the organisation

to analyse the successes and shortcomings of the event and decide way forward. Most people said that we should have this type of Hindu gathering more often than not and at least every two or three years not like we had this one after a spell of about 21 years". - Himmat "It was a great day, to bring all the Hindus together under one roof. The huge credit and appreciation goes to the organisers and volunteers who have worked for many months with total dedication , tireless and selfless for a common goal to bring awareness to our youngsters . Well done!!! We were blessed with super weather. Over 5000 thousand attended the EXPERIENCE. Great achievement" "All the zones were well presented and offered different theme and sto-

ries, the volunteers were knowledgeable on their displays and ready to answer any questions the guests had. Well researched. I found Baal zone presentation was fantastic, interactive and many things for children to do. The Talent shows were brilliant and pleasant to see children of all ages performing with confidence and bhav" - Rajeshbhai There will be some exciting developments on the website in the near future, enabling our communities to connect and collaborate. We also launched the first Hindu Business Directory. Register your business and start networking today! For more information or if you attended THE, register your feedback. Please visit: www. thehinduexperience.org or email: info@ thehinduexperience.org

Fonseka stripped off his rank, medals by Lankan military court Continued from page 1 Rajapaksa in his capacity as the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed forces, Sri Lankan media reported.

The court also ruled that the 59-year old General, who is now a Parliamentarian, be "cashiered," which means he will be stripped off his

rank, medals and decorations won during his 40year long span in the Sri Lankan Army. Fonseka is currently an MP from the opposition

Democratic National Alliance Party though he remains under arrest. His supporters allege that these accusations are politically motivated.

Continued from page 1

between different bacteria to make them resistant to most drugs, has so far been identified in 37 people who returned to the UK after undergoing surgery in India or Pakistan. “I think in the UK we

themselves admit that there is no genetic similarity between the UK and Indian strains. And the very first alert issued by the UK government on January 30, 2009, makes no mention of India. Instead, it lists presence of the bug in Greece, USA and Israel. Director General, Indian Council of Medical Research, Dr V M Katoch said India may have actually been a victim of this bug, since it is spontaneously evolving all over the world. "India is definitely not the source of origin of this so called superbug, it is omnipresent across the globe," Katoch said. Indian medical experts say the researchers may have flagged an important emergent problem, but to blame it on India's health system was stretching it too far. Health ministry is now planning to write a strong formal rejoinder to the journal refuting these findings. But what's bugging India is that it is stinking

of a conspiracy. A Conspiracy that could damage India's flourishing medical tourism that attract thousands of patients from the west. Most come to India in the lookout for high quality treatment at cheaper costs. Questions are now being raised about why the research was sponsored by two big pharmaceutical companies that may gain from the findings? Moreover, the Indian Health Ministry says the research is not supported by scientific data and has rubbished the conclusions. Also, furious about the bacteria named after the capital of the country, India is only reiterating the conspiracy theory. "This phenomena is not India centric, the superbug is everywhere. It is wrong to blame India, its hospitals, and our drug policy. Indian hospitals are world class. This gives a very wrong message. We will register protest," said V M Katoch, Secretary, Department of Medical Research.

India trashes Superbug bogey

research paper about the superbug gene has said that the person responsible for editing it for Lancet had added his own interpretations to it and for that reason, Kumarasamy has dissociated himself with parts of it, particularly the last para, which has a warning against going for certain particularly surgeries in India. “A new type of resistance has emerged in India, this so-called "NDM-1" enzyme which destroys some of the most powerful antibiotics we have. It's transferable between bacteria, it's moved to different species, many are already very resistant, so we end up with these extremely resistant bacteria, some of which are circulating in India and some of which have been imported with patients back into the United Kingdom,” said Professor David Livermore from the Health Protection Agency. The superbug gene, which can be swapped

Scientists say naming the gene after New Delhi is unprecendented don't actually have to hit the panic button at the moment. We have 50 patients who are presented with this ostensibly in the last year and a half, and that is much, much smaller than for instance the number of cases of MRSA. So, there's actually much difference, it's vastly different” said Tim Walsh, Professor of Medical Microbiology at Cardiff University. Out of the 37 samples collected in UK, only 17 samples had history of travel to India or Pakistan. So, a question arises as to where did the rest 20 people contract this superbug? Also, the authors

World

Asian Voice - Saturday 21st August 2010

Duncan Lewis wins right to work for 45,000 people in UK London: An estimated 45,000 people will be entitled to work in the UK as a result of the Supreme Court ruling in “ZO” – in a case brought by Duncan Lewis solicitors. Delays in the time it takes for the UK Border Agency (UKBA) to process asylum claims causes hardship to thousands. These hardships were exacerbated by the inability to find lawful work during the time spent waiting for a decision. Our client, ‘ZO’, was such an individual; a lone vulnerable young single female who had suffered terrible treatment in her home country of Somalia. Initially refused asylum, ZO submitted a second claim based on previously unavailable evidence. This second claim was highly likely to succeed. Unfortunately, the claim was placed in a backlog of some 500,000 cases, some

dating back more than 10 years, announced in July 2006 known as the ‘legacy’. There was no guarantee that ZO’s application would be considered before mid 2011. ZO was in limbo; not permitted to work and reliant upon ‘hard case’ support, a meagre level of support of food vouchers and hostel accommodation, unsuitable for vulnerable individuals. The UKBA recognises that these conditions are unsuitable. If an initial asylum application is outstanding for over 12 months - the UKBA grants the Applicant permission to work in the UK. However, the UKBA has denied the same right to those awaiting the outcome of a “legacy” claim. As a result of “ZO” this is now unlawful. In most cases, those with “legacy” claims will now be able to find work and, as a result, will no longer be depen-

dant upon the state for support. As confirmed by the Court of Appeal, and this week by the Supreme Court, Council Directive 2003/9/EC (the ‘Reception Directive’) does apply to subsequent asylum claims. The Directive lays down minimum standards for the reception of asylum seekers to ensure them a dignified standard of living. Permission to take employment is one of these keys rights. Other rights now enshrined include preservation of family unity, access to education for minors, access to vocational training, access to emergency health care and essential treatment of illness. There is no onward right of appeal from the Supreme Court; and so the right to work is now guaranteed to individuals such as ZO, and an estimated 45,000 other people

currently in the UK. There are many other people in other EU States who may benefit from this judgment – as judgments of the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom are held in high regard by other Member States and by the European Court of Justice. Regrettably, the Government already seems to be considering alternative ways of restricting the rights guaranteed by the Reception Directive. The day after judgement in ZO Damian Green, the current Immigration Minister, announced plans to bar individuals such as ZO from applying for some 28.5 million jobs in industries where there are no official staff shortages. Such a step would likely be open to further legal challenge and it is to be hoped that the Supreme Court will continue to stand up to government.

a mosque there," Obama said on Sunday. "I was commenting very specifically on the right people have that dates back to our founding. That’s what our country is about. And I think it’s very important as difficult as some of these issues are that we stay focused on who we are as a people and what our values are all about," he said. Families of victims of September 11 attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon have criticized Obama for saying that he supports building a mosque near Ground Zero, Politico reports.

Planners say the multistory "Cordoba House" will include a mosque, sports facilities, theater, restaurant and possibly a day care, and would be open to all visitors. Democratic Senator opposes mosque Meanwhile, US Democratic Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said a mosque should not be built near the 9/11 site. The US Constitution's "First Amendment protects freedom of religion. Senator Reid respects that but thinks that the mosque should be built some other place," said the Nevada lawmaker's spokesman, Jim Manley.

Obama backs off from stand on 9/11 mosque

Washington: US president Barack Obama, who strongly backed the building of a proposed Muslim community center and mosque near ground zero in Manhattan, has defended his decision to wade into the controversy the night before, but backed off from his previous stance. "In this country we treat everybody equally and in accordance with the law, regardless of race, regardless of religion," Obama said when questioned about his remarks at a White House dinner on Friday marking the start of Ramadan. He did, however, insist

Barack Obama

that his defense of the organizers’ right to build the mosque did not mean he endorsed the project, Politico reports. "I was not commenting and I will not comment on the wisdom of making the decision to put

Myanmar goes to polls on Nov 7 in two decades Rights group criticize it as a sham to entrench military power

Yangoon: Myanmar will hold its first parliamentary elections in two decades on Nov. 7, state media said last week, ending speculation over the timing of a poll criticised by rights groups as a sham to entrench military power. The United States, Britain and human rights groups have said the elections would be illegitimate if the military junta denies a role to thousands of

political opponents now in prison, including detained Nobel Peace Prize-winner Aung San Suu Kyi. The election takes place about a week before Suu Kyi is expected to be freed from house arrest on Nov. 13.Her National League for Democracy (NLD) party, which won by a landslide in the last elections in 1990 only to be denied power by the military, has refused to register

with the authorities in protest at what it called "unjust" election laws. Forty parties have registered to take part in the first civilian government in almost half a century in the reclusive, army-ruled country of 48 million people. But several big parties said the election timing undermined their ability to raise funds. Many diplomats and analysts see the polls as

intended to strengthen the military's power under the guise of civilian rule in an attempt to lure investment to the resource-rich country nestled strategically between booming China and India. "It's essentially a costume change," said Jacob Ramsay, senior analyst for Southeast Asia & Pacific for British-based security consultants Control Risks.

China deploys new missiles on border with India

Washington: China has moved new advanced longer range CSS-5 missiles close to the borders with India and developed contingency plans to shift airborne forces at short notice to the region, according to Pentagon. Despite increased political and economic relationship between India and China, the Pentagon in a report to the US Congress said,

tensions remain along the Sino-India borders with rising instances of border violation and aggressive border patrolling by Chinese soldiers. However, a senior Defense Department official told reporters that the US has not observed any anomalous increase in military capabilities along the Sino-India border. Noting that China

continues to maintain its position on what its territorial claim is, the official said, the two capitals Beijing and New Delhi have been able to manage this dispute, in a way, using confidence-building measures and diplomatic mechanisms to be able to maintain relative stability in that border area. "But it's something that China continues to

watch; but I wouldn't say that there's anything in this report that demonstrates a spike or an anomalous increase in military capabilities along the border. "It's something that China's paying very careful attention to. It's obviously something that India is paying careful attention to as well," the Senior Defense Department official said.

Questions over size of Tony Blair's book royalty donation to Royal British Legion London: Former British prime minister Tony Blair announced on Monday that he would donate “the proceeds” from his forthcoming book to Britain’s biggest military charity. This attracted a lot of attention. However, what leaves the public in complete dismay is if he has been trying to use the money he allegedly keeps away from public eye! This is not only infuriating but also very shocking for the British Indian community that invested so much in the Labour government under Blair. However, this alleged gesture will mean as much as £5 million is paid to the charity, it was widely suggested. It will help pay for rehabilitation facilities for seriously injured Services personnel. But Mr Blair’s office failed to answer a series of questions about how much money is involved. The man who committed British forces to military action five times while in office was also accused of using the donation as “blood money” to appease families of those killed or injured in the conflicts. Since standing down as prime minister in 2007, Mr Blair has

amassed a personal fortune thought to be worth tens of millions of pounds. But his finances have been shrouded in secrecy and many politicians and service families remain highly suspicious of him. Relatives of soldiers killed in Iraq demanded that he disclose exactly how much money the charity should expect. Mr Blair will publish 'A Journey, an account of his political career', next month. It is expected to be one of the biggestselling political books of the year. The Daily Telegraph put detailed questions to Mr Blair’s office about the donation, its value and its nature. Spokesmen for Mr Blair declined to answer many of those questions, or to supply basic information including how much his donation is worth. The national daily reported that Chris Simpkins, the directorgeneral of the Royal British Legion, which is building a rehabilitation facility called the Battle Back Challenge Centre, welcomed the gift. But critics described the donation as “blood money” and one public relations expert called the move the “best PR stunt of the year”!

A gurdwara in Texas faces razing following a court ruling

Houston: A newly-built gurdwara in Austin may soon be razed or moved following a Texas appellate-court ruling that it violated zoning laws, resulting in an outcry from members of the community. The gurdwara was completed in April to replace a mobile home that the congregation of about 60 families in central Texas had been using as a place of worship since 2003. But, the congregation says it was unaware of the subdivision's restricting covenants stating that only single-family dwellings can be built on the plot and that they must be used as housing.

The group purchased the 2.75-acre property where the new gurdwara sits in 2003 in a subdivision of the Austin suburb of Bee Cave and set up the makeshift gurdwara in the 1,200-square-foot mobile home. Two years later, the congregation started plans to build a gurdwara on the property and obtained all necessary permits from the city, said Harnek Bains, president of the Austin congregation. The court ruling has resulted in an outcry from members of the religious group, some of whom claim discrimination is at the heart of the case.

Taliban stone to death Afghan couple over adultery Kunduz (Afghanistan): Taliban militants stoned a man and woman to death in northern Afghanistan on suspicion of adultery, the provincial governor said on Monday. 'A man and woman were stoned to death in public in a bazaar in Mullah Quli area,' governor Mohammed Omer said. The bazaar and most parts of the province are under Taliban control. The insurgents read out a statement in the

bazaar and then started throwing stones at the couple until they were dead, he said. Their bodies were returned to their families, the governor said without providing more information. Militants executed a pregnant woman on charges of adultery in western part of the country last week. During their 1996-2001 reign, the Taliban staged public executions, mainly in recreation areas including football stadiums.

Pakistan

Asian Voice - Saturday 21st August 2010

Flood victims block highways to protest slow relief Sukkur (Pakistan): Pakistani flood victims, burning straw and waving sticks, blocked a highway on Monday to demand government help as aid agencies warned relief was too slow to arrive for millions without clean water, food and homes. Public anger has grown in the two weeks of floods, highlighting potential political troubles for an unpopular government overwhelmed by a disaster that has disrupted the lives of at least a tenth of its 170 million people. Hundreds of villages across Pakistan in an area roughly the size of Italy have been marooned, highways have been cut in half and thousands of homeless people have been forced to set up tarapaulin tents along the side of roads. But aid has failed to keep pace with the rising river waters.

Flood survivors jostle for a sack of flour distributed by volunteers on Monday

"The speed with which the situation is deteriorating is frightening," Neva Khan, Oxfam's country director in Pakistan, said in a statement. "Communities desperately need clean water, latrines and hygiene supplies, but the resources currently available cover only a fraction of what is required." Dozens of stick-wield-

ing men and a few women tried to block five lanes of traffic outside Sukkur, a major town in the southern province of Sindh. Villagers set fire to straw and threatened to hit approaching cars with sticks. On Sunday night, hundreds of villagers burnt tyres and chanted "down with the government" in Punjab province. "We are dying of

hunger here. No one has showed up to comfort us," said Hafiz Shabbir, a protester in Kot Addu. Only a quarter of aid arrives Only a quarter of the $459 million aid needed for initial relief has arrived, according to the United Nations. That contrasts with the United States giving at least $1 billion in military aid last year to its regional ally to battle militants.On Sunday, UN SecretaryGeneral Ban Ki-moon urged donors to quicken up aid and Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani warned of a second and third wave of floods. Despite a possible break in heavy rains, many families had little hope of returning to their homes. The UN has reported the first case of cholera amid fears that disease outbreaks.

Reluctance on accepting flood aid from India Media reports suggest Pakistan wants it through UN Islamabad: Even as the country is reeling under unprecedented floods, the government of Pakistan appears reluctant, in a dilemma about the flood aid offered by India. External Affairs minister of India, S M Krishna on Friday last week, had called on his Pakistani counterpart, S M Qureshi and offered aid worth US$ 5 million. It may be recalled that in 2005, when a killer earthquake had struck the part of Pakistan occupied Kashmir, Islamabad had accepted help from India. But, the present day Pakistan government feels the sensitivities are differ-

ent. Sources in India were non-committal on whether India would consider the relief through United Nations but that possibility was not ruled out. "Let''s see, what we can do," said a source. In Islamabad, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said his Indian counterpart S M Krishna offered the aid during a telephone conversation on Friday. "Yes, they have offered assistance to Pakistan and they have asked the government of Pakistan to prioritise what kind of assistance we require," he said. I''ve informed the leadership about the details and the leadership is giv-

ing it consideration," he told a news conference at the Foreign Office. In response to another question on why Pakistan has accepted aid from other countries but is yet to decide on India''s offer, Qureshi said the kind of relationship with India and the "sensitivity" involved is "different". Meanwhile, the Daily Times newspaper quoted its sources as saying that Pakistan might accept the Indian aid if it is routed through the United Nations. Krishna had described the offer of aid as a "gesture of solidarity with the people of Pakistan in their hour of

Benazir’s daughter to enter ‘practical politics’ Islamabad: Slain former Pakistani premier Benazir Bhutto's daughter Bakhtawar has decided to enter "practical politics" even as her brother Bilawal ruled out launching his political career so that he could focus on continuing his education. Advisor to the Sindh Chief Minister and a loyalist of the Bhutto-Zardari family, Sharmilla Faruqui, has said in a statement that Bakhtawar's decision to enter "practical politics" augurs well, especially for the women in the country. "This is also very good for

Bakhtawar

the patriotic, democracyloving and pro-masses people," she said. Bakhtawar, best known for dabbling in music, will "carry forward the mission of her great mother" and

serve the backward and downtrodden segments of society and women, Faruqui said. She claimed "the day is not far" when Bakhtawar will promote democratic values and ensure inclusion of women in national development. On the other hand, Bakhtawar's 21-year-old brother Bilawal, who is chairman of the ruling Pakistan People's Party, announced recently that he has no plans to launch his political career as he intends to continue his "academic and political" education.

need". The floods triggered by unusually heavy monsoon rains have killed over 1,700 people and affected 20 million. It has also destroyed millions of acres of crop land and washed away key roads, bridges and communication infrastructure. Pakistan had accepted aid from India when a devastating earthquake had struck the Kashmir region in 2005. S M Krishna had also conveyed India’s deepest sympathies and condolences to the people and Government of Pakistan on this natural disaster. Last week, Mr Krishna had sent a condolence message to Mr Qureshi.

No decision on deposition of Indian officials Islamabad: Pakistan is yet to take a final view on India's suggestion to allow officials, who recorded the Mumbai terror attack accused Ajmal Kasab's statement, to testify in the anti-terror court here through videoconferencing. That such a request had been officially made by India was confirmed by Foreign Office spokesman Abdul Basit on Thursday last. India made this suggestion on the premise that Indian law did not allow the investigating officer and magistrate to travel abroad to testify in a foreign court.

Musharraf not to visit Pak for his party launch

Islamabad: Former Pakistan president Pervez Musharraf, currently living in London will not visit Pakistan for the launch of his All Pakistan Muslim League party in September as

decided earlier, according to a media report on Monday. Sources close to the former military ruler were quoted as saying that Musharraf had decided to steer his party

from London and that he would not come to Pakistan during this year because of "some formidable challenges and serious risks he would be exposed to here". The sources said that

a core team of legal and political experts is finalising the manifesto of the newly formed APML and the party will be launched after Eid-ul-Fitr in London, Pakistan, Dubai and the US.

In focus Court seeks explanation on Kayani's tenure extension Peshawar: The Peshawar High Court (PHC) has demanded an explanation regarding the tenure extension of Army Chief General Ashfaq Kayani from Pakistan Deputy Attorney-General Naveed Inayat Malik. It comes after Shahid Orakzai, a journalistcum-lawyer, filed a writ petition under Article 199 of the Constitution, and requested the PHC to declare the move "ultra vires the constitution". PHC judge Justice Mazhar Alam said that since no government representative was present during the hearing, the DAG should submit a statement about the case within the next 15 days, The Nation reports. The petitioner had said that through the 18th Amendment, Article 46 of the constitution was amended, under which the Prime Minister shall only "keep the President informed on all matters of internal and foreign policy". He said that under Article 243(3), the President was bound to make military appointments on the advice of the Prime Minister, but there was no room to double the tenure of any of the four officers - the COAS, naval and air force chiefs, as well as the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee Chairman.

US puts LeT in five 'most dangerous bad guy' groups Washington: Five Pakistan-based "most dangerous bad guy groups", including Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) responsible for the 2008 Mumbai terror attack, pose a critical threat in war-torn Afghanistan, says a top US official. "Of course, Afghanistan and Pakistan have always been closely related," US special representative for Pakistan and Afghanistan Richard Holbrooke told "Charlie Rose" on PBS. "From the day Pakistan became independent they've had a bad relationship." "And now we're in a situation where the sanctuary for the Taliban in Pakistan poses the most serious of all hurdles to our objectives in Afghanistan, and also endangers our national security," he said. While the main US enemy is Al-Qaida lurking "across the border in the tribal areas of Pakistan," Holbrooke said "there are about five of our most dangerous bad guy groups all grouped in this area in Pakistan where the floods are going on now." Besides Al-Qaida, he identified the bad boys as Afghan Taliban, the Pakistani Taliban, "the infamous Haqqani group" and LeT "a group that the Americans don't pay any attention to...but the Indians sure pay attention because it is the LeT who attacked Mumbai in December of 2008." "All based in Pakistan and they're all based in an area roughly the size of California in the tribal areas," Holbrooke said stressing the need "to retain the residual capability to strike at these groups while we build up the Afghan security forces" as the US draws down in Afghanistan.

Times Square bombing: Pakistani man freed from jail Boston: A Pakistani man, arrested on immigration charges in Boston during investigation into the failed Times Square bombing, has been freed from jail and is now seeking legal residency in the US. Pir D Khan has been allowed to stay free on bail for at least the next two months. "The government does not believe Khan has any ties to Faisal Shahzad charged in the case," Boston Globe quoted his attorney Saher Macarius as saying. Khan was arrested on civil immigration charges in May but suddenly released by federal officials on July 29."I'm sure the government would not make a hasty decision to release him unless he had nothing to do with the Times Square bombing," Macarius said. "Khan has nothing to do with the Times Square bombing."Khan, who appeared in US Immigration Court with his American wife Rebecca May Barry last week, is due back in court on October 14.Immigration and Customs Enforcement attorney Richard Neville, however, said the government now wants to deport Khan, who has admitted to entering the United States illegally in 1991.

Drone strike kills 12 A suspected US drone missile strike in Pakistan has killed at least 12 militants in a tribal area near the Afghan border, Pakistani officials say. The strike hit a compound used by militants in Issori village in North Waziristan, the officials said. The region that has become a stronghold of the Taliban and al-Qaeda and has been repeatedly hit by similar attacks. Pakistan publicly objects to the strikes but analysts believe they have the private backing of officials. Saturday's attack was the first since devastating floods hit Pakistan in late July.

East Africa

Asian Voice - Saturday 21st August 2010

In focUs Tanzania wants temporary lifting of ivory trade ban Dar es Salam: Tanzania has said it would soldier on seeking a temporary lifting of the ivory trade ban to enable it to sell its 60 tonne-stockpile which it has been holding for the past two decades - despite its neighbour, Kenya, trumpeting for a total ban. Shamsa Mwangunga, the minister for Natural Resources and Tourism told The EastAfrican in Dar es Salaam last week that Kenya’s argument that relaxing the ban on a one-off basis would increase poaching in the region, “does not hold water” because the number of elephants in the country had increased over the past decade. Mrs Mwangunga said Tanzania and Zambia had already secured backing from the Southern African Development Community for their bid to allow their ivory to be auctioned. Dr Kalumbi Shangula, permanent secretary in Namibia’s Ministry of Environment and Tourism, told The EastAfrican that his government would back a proposal by Tanzania and Zambia during next month’s Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) in Quatar, to be allowed to conduct a one-off ivory auction, saying the proposal is in line with Namibia’s philosophy of utilising natural resources sustainably. The number of elephants in Tanzania currently stands at 120,000. Between 1977 and 1987, the period of the worst poaching, their numbers had dropped from 184,000 to 55,000. It is believed that Ruaha National Park in Iringa, south of Dar es Salaam holds the largest elephant population in Tanzania with an estimated 6,300 elephants in 2006.“The country will argue the case scientifically and wisely at the meeting… because despite having the ban in place, poachers are continuing to kill our elephants,” Mrs Mwangunga said. Along with Tanzania, Zambia too is keen to off load its 22-tonne ivory stockpile. Kenya, on the other hand, is already claiming victory, with 16 out of 23 member countries of the African Elephants Coalition backing its proposal to replace the moratorium on ivory trade, which ends in 2019.

Zanzibar endorses formation of national unity govt Zanzibar City: Zanzibar made history last Saturday by overwhelmingly endorsing constitutional changes in a referendum that will pave the way for the formation of a government of national unity later this year. Such a government will be the first ever in the country since the armed revolution that rooted out the Arab Sultan rulers in the early sixties, and also in the modern times following the introduction of multiparty politics in Tanzania in 1992. The momentous verdict was issued by 188,705 voters who participated in the exercise at 66.4 per cent against 95,613 at 33.6 per cent of those who were not in favour of the outcome that will now significantly alter the way politics is played in Zanzibar.Political leaders, representatives of the donor community and even the common man on the streets have immediately welcomed the referendum outcome, with a majority saying it would finally guarantee peace and tranquility in the Isles that had hitherto remained perilous every election year. But as the dust settles, different interest groups will take stock of what transpired on the campaign trail and what the final result would mean for their role in the future of Zanzibar. Some are not entirely ruling out new political realignments prior to and after the October 31 general election."It was a positive vote for unity by the people but as observers we could not fail to notice that deep antagonism, mainly within the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi remained," explained Dr Benson Bana, the Chairman of Tanzania Election Monitoring Committee and also head of the University of Dar es Salaam's Research for Democracy and Education in Tanzania (Redet).That voters on Pemba Island regions gave an emphatic 'Yes' vote and are still the more enthusiastic of the new political order than their colleagues in Unguja Island. As in the past elections, Pemba has tended to vote for the opposition Civic United Front (CUF) to the last man standing and in the referendum sided with their leaders who campaigned for 'Yes'.

Kenyan Church leaders lose face with citizens Nairobi: Church leaders, just like politicians, have lost the trust of Kenyans, a new survey has said. According to the Synovate post-referendum poll, only 19 per cent of those interviewed said they fully trusted Church leaders, compared to 17 per cent who said they fully trusted politicians. And it gets worse - 38 per cent said they don't trust Church leaders at all, a bigger number than the 22 per cent who said they don't trust politicians at all. But Church leaders dismissed the notion that their credibility had suffered. Replying to questions from the press in a separate meeting, the National Council of Churches of Kenya said Christians still have enough faith in the clergy. "On whether the Church has lost credibili-

Canon Peter Karanja

ty, we state that those claims are not true," said Canon Peter Karanja, NCCK general-secretary at the end of a two-day executive committee meeting at Jumuia Conference centre, Limuru. The cleric, who became the public face of the Church's campaign against the draft, said the Church retains an important "prophetic role" in the country that cannot

be wished away - sentiments echoed by Father Vincent Wambugu, the Kenya Episcopal Conference secretarygeneral. "The Church is walking tall with no reason to be embarrassed because of its work," he said. The pollsters, Fr Wambugu added, should find something more important to tell Kenyans rather than going after church leaders. The survey was con-

ducted between August 8 and 9, only days after the referendum, and 1,012 respondents were interviewed countrywide. Churches campaigned strongly against the new Constitution that was later approved by two-thirds of voters, and continue to object to clauses on abortion and Kadhi courts. The new Constitution retains the Kadhi courts, which are in the current law, and further says that Parliament will make a law specifying the circumstances under which a pregnancy should be terminated. Mr. George Waititu, the managing director of Synovate, attributed the low level of confidence in Church leaders to their stand on the new law, which a majority of Kenyans had earlier perceived as a good document.

Architects of Kenya’s post-election chaos to be prosecuted

Nairobi: Six key architects of Kenya's post-election chaos will be prosecuted at The Hague, International Crimes Court chief prosecutor Luis MorenoOcampo told a government team last week. However, Mr MorenoOcampo is said to have declined to name the individuals during a meeting with a Cabinet committee set up to facilitate ICC investigations. Sources at the two-hour meeting at Harambee House said the prosecutor laid his investigations plans before the committee

chaired by Internal Security minister George Saitoti. He is said to have stated that other key players in the chaos should be handled at the International Criminal Tribunal in Arusha. "He told us that he will eventually take six individuals to face charges at The Hague. But he refused to disclose any names to us," said a source close to the talks. The names, he told the meeting, would be an outcome of the investigations he has launched and not

necessarily those mentioned in the Waki Commission and the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR) reports. The prosecutor is said to have hinted that he will register two cases involving the six individuals at The Hague either in September or October. The team - which also includes ministers Mutula Kilonzo and Amason Jeffah Kingi - was formed by President Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila Odinga to deal with all issues relating to the ICC.

Zimbabwe opens 'blood diamond' sale Harare: Zimbabwe last week opened the first sale of diamonds from its Marange fields since international regulators partially lifted a ban imposed after the military violently seized control of the mines. About 900,000 carats were on sale, according to Abbey Chikane, the monitor from the international Kimberley Process which is charged with preventing trade in "blood diamonds". "Indeed it is historic in that we have managed to satisfy the minimum requirements of the Kimberley Process," Prime minister Morgan Tsvangirai said while opening the sale.

Uganda rebels 'on massive forced recruitment drive' Kampala: Uganda's rebel Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) has been accused of going on a massive forced recruitment campaign in remote areas of central Africa. Human Rights Watch said the group had brutally abducted at least 697 adults and children over the past 18 months.Civilians were said to have been taken in remote regions of the Central African Republic (CAR) and the north of the Democratic Republic of Congo.Its fighters, who are being hunted by Ugandan special forces, are now spread across northern DR Congo, Southern Sudan and the east of the CAR. "They've been carrying out mass-

scale abductions in order to replenish their ranks," Anneke Van Woudenberg, a senior Africa researcher at Human Rights Watch, said.Some of those abducted managed to escape, bringing with them tales of children forced to kill other children and trained to treat other human beings as animals. "The LRA tied the hands of the victims behind their back, a cord around their legs, and placed the victims face down on the ground," a 12year-old girl said. "Then the LRA would give us children a heavy wooden stick and force us to beat them on the head till they died." International action The Human Rights

Watch report says girls are being used for sex or as servants. Refusing sexual relations is often punished with death. "We've conducted interviews with hundreds of people over the course of

the past month. And the evidence is overwhelming that this is indeed being ordered by the LRA's leader Joseph Kony and being carried out by his top commanders," Ms Van Woudenberg said.

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Asian Voice - Saturday 21st August 2010

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India scores an incredible hit with tourists By Rudy Otter London’s India Tourism Office targeted senior citizens when it took part in The Retirement Show at Olympia exhibition centre. The lively 2-day annual show, which ended on 17th July, drew hundreds of people to the stand dotted with the eye-catching ‘Incredible India’ slogan. On display were colourful booklets and brochures covering attractions across the entire subcontinent, appealing to people of all ages with all types of interests ranging from wildlife and rural tourism to beach holidays and religious tours. While India Tourism’s Ranjit Sharma dealt with enquirers, his colleague Gopalan Omanakuttan told Asian Voice: “We are providing information to many first-time visitors to India as well as repeat visitors. There is a tremendous amount of interest in all parts of India from the Golden Triangle in the north to Kerala in the south which is drawing increasing numbers of visitors year after year.” He said medical

tourism was booming as a year-round service to foreign visitors and there was a growing fascination with the smaller “toy trains” ferrying tourists to hill stations such as Shimla, Darjeeling, Ooty and Matheran near Mumbai. I learned from the stand that another sector gathering momentum was cruise tourism, taking visitors on trips along India’s famous rivers, such as the 15day cruise from Kolkata to Varanasi, including sightseeing tours at various scheduled stops along the route. Another cruise, on the Brahmaputra river, takes two days from Kolkata to Assam. Yoga, meditation, relaxation in 5-star hotel spas, all feature in India’s array of attractions. The Retirement show included cookery demonstrations, financial tips and advice, holiday homes, free health checks, dancing sessions, a climbing wall, yoga, body massages, arts and crafts and gardening hints. As a sobering reminder of human mortality, there was also a stand on eco-friendly burials in forest settings.

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Coming Events Asian Voice wishes all the Parsee readers Navroz Mubarak 1. Gujrat Hindu Society presents India’s Independence Day, Saturday 21st Aug, 7pm at the Main Hall. 2. Federation of Hindu Priests (UK) and Vaidik Religion Astrological Society presents Janmashtami on Wednesday, 1st September 2010. Please contact: Yogeshbhai Shukla at 01162201749 3. Saturday 2 October 2010, Shree Swaminarayan Yuvak Mandal Cardiff will be taking part in the Walk to Cure Diabetes at Bute Park to raise funds to find the cure for Type 1 Diabetes. Join then to reach the target of £5,000.00. Contact: Karsan Vaghani0778986575. 4. 50 Colourful paintings in memory of Chandni. 5 Nether Street, North

Finchley, London N12 0GA. Contact: Harish 020 8292 1726 5. Colours of Krishna, a musical drama, Thursday 2nd September, 7:30-9pm. Sattavis Patidar Centre, Wembley HA9 9PE. Contact: 07950602794 6. Katha UK and Asian Communist Arts presents Launch of Ved Mohla’s books Nehru Centre London, 23rd Aug, 6:30pm Launch: Rt Hon Virendra Sharma, Kailash Budhwar. Contact: 07868 738 403 7. Wednesday 01 Sep: 6:30pm. Book Launch: DRG DRSVYA VIVEKA- The Yoga of Seer and Seen Clarissa Nehru Centre, 8 South Audley Street, London W1K 1HF Contact: 020 7491 3567

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bring confusion and misundertandings at work and troubles with your health as Mercury turns retrograde in your sixth house. You’ll need to pay more attention to detail and double check everything before finalising important matters. Close relationships need to be re-assessed. Mercury goes retrograde TAURUS Apr 21 - May 21 in your fifth house of romance for the next three weeks. This is a good time reflect and analyze current situations. Pressure begins to build as there will be a lot of demands in your daily work. Some of you will prefer to get away and seek solitude and avoid social events. As Mercury turns retroGEMINI May 22 - June 22 grade in your fourth house, you need to watch out for extreme changes in peoples attitude and behaviour at home. Strong emotions may spill out with your loved ones, but it is alright to reveal your fears and insecurities sometimes. It’s a cosmically testing time, so try not to tread on each other’s toes. Mercury turns retroCANCER Jun 22 - Jul 22 grade in your third house of communication, making it difficult to express yourself clearly for the next three weeks. Misunderstandings and confusion could waste a lot of your time. This is also a good time to read into the unspoken rather than what is being said to make any sense. You may need to take care as LEO Jul 23 - Aug 23 Mercury turns retrograde in your second house of finances. This is a good time to re-assess your money matters. In spite of that, all sorts of things could go wrong especially if people owe you money. Have patience as business matters move slowly or get delayed. Mercury turns retroVIRGO Aug 24 - Sep 23 grade in your sign for the next three weeks. Normally we expect matters to be dealt with smoothly, but not while your ruling planet Mercury in your sign, is moving backwards. Confusion and frustration reign, so put your plans on hold. Curb your expenditure as you will spend unnecessarily. With Venus and Mars LIBRA Sep 24 - Oct 23 embracing your sign, this should be a good time for love and relationships. Unfortunately, Mercury turns retrograde for the next three weeks. Be patient with your loved ones as your communications are going to be garbled and misconstrued. Saturn in your sign will also prove to be frustrating. It’s a lovely week for a SCORPIO Oct 24- Nov 22 clandestine romantic encounter, as Venus and Mars embrace your solar 12th house. Bear in mind that Mercury turns retrograde in your eleventh house of friends and associates as well. The next three weeks would serve you well if you spend more time listening than speaking. Mercury turns retroSAGITTARIUS Nov 23 - Dec 21 grade in your tenth house of career and status, slowing down your progress at work. It is important for you to be steadfast and focused as misunderstandings and confusion reign. Stay as organized as possible while Mercury, the planet of communications does its best to trip you up. Mercury turns retroCAPRICORN Dec 22 - Jan 20 grade in your ninth house of travel and adventure, slowing down your pace for the next three weeks. Your mental focus could be anywhere other than your normal routine - find a way to break up the monotony. Don’t be afraid to take on extra responsibilities as it could lead to better prospects. The planet Mercury turns AQUARIUS Jan 21 - Feb 19 retrograde in your eighth house of joint resources, taxes, wills, legacies and alimony, creating confusion and complications for you during the next three weeks. Travel could also prove to be problematic, so make sure you have plenty of time to get where you need to go. Your closest relationships PISCES Feb 20 - Mar 20 come under scrutiny as Mercury, the planet of communications goes retrograde in your seventh house of marriage and partnerships. There can be a lot of misunderstandings and confused signals. You’ll need to listen carefully to what your partner is saying during the next three weeks.

time

Asian Voice - Saturday 21st August 2010

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The following sentencs have two blanks that can be filled with two words that are anagrams of each other. Please find those words The entire coalition of the country’s ________rallied to gether and chanted their demands in _______ so the nation would sympathize with thier deplorable working conditions.

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MINDBENDER-101

Sudoku-100 4

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WHATZIT? - 101

By Dr Anil Mehta

A walkabout in historic Chelsea A district of London on the north bank of the River Thames, Chelsea with its parks, tranquil gardens, and open spaces has almost a river village feel. It was home to a noted artist (Turner), writer (Carlyle, Twain, Oscar Wilde), or a politician (Thomas More, Henry VIII’s Chancellor) at some time or other – all attracted by its peaceful atmosphere and river views. Sloane Square, the pleasant small square near Sloane Square UG station is a nice place to start the walkabout. It’s named after a famous physician, explorer, and obsessive collector Sir Hans Sloane (1660-1753) (his grand statue (pictured) adorns the square), whose personal collection formed the basis of what is now the British Museum. Running through the Sloane Square is the King’s Road, the centre of swinging London in the 60s. It’s still a main shopping centre lined with chain stores, restaurants and cafes. The artist connection is maintained by many galleries (e.g. Saatchi Gallery), and antiques, interior design, and fashion shops. To the south of the King’s Road (on the Royal Hospital Road) are the two famous establishments of Chelsea. The Royal Hospital, Chelsea,

Find the familiar phrase, saying or name in this arrangement of letters.

3 5

Solution of sudoku-100 HOW TO PLAY Each row, column and square 3x3 box is a sub-grid of 9 cells. Fill in the grid so that each subgrid contains the digits 1 to 9. Every puzzle has one solution.

Solution of - 100: Nothing to sneeze at

SPELLATHON - 101

Today’s Ratings: 05-average |06-good |07-outstanding

How many words of four or more letters can you make from the letters shown in today’s puzzle? In making a word, each letter may be used once only. Each word must contain the central letter. There should be at least one seven-letter word. Plurals, foreign words and proper N names are not allowed. British English N S Dictionary is used as reference.

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KAKURO - 101

Solution of KAKURO - 100 20 12

The numbers in the pink squares refer

Example to the sums of the digits that you must fill into the empty spaces directly below or to the right of the pink square containing the number. For instance, in the given example, the 2 boxes below 12 must contain 2 digits that add upto 12, whereas for 20, the 3 boxes places horizontally next to it must add upto 20. No zeroes are used here, only the digits one through nine. Note: A digit cannot appear more than once in any particular digit combination. For instance in the example, we cannot have the combination of 8+4+8 for 20.

Solution of Spellathon - 100 axle, climax, exam, EXCLAIM

and the National Army Museum. The Royal Hospital was founded in 1682 by Charles II (whose gilded statue adorns the Hospital court) as a resident home for army veterans who have been known as Chelsea pensioners ever since. There are 400 of them, some of whom do voluntary work as tour guides, clerical assistants, and ground staff. Instantly recognisable in their immaculate scarlet coats and black hats, you can see them mingling with visitors (pictured). The huge hospital building was built by the famous London architect Sir Christopher Wren in baroque (ornate/decorative) style. The main items to see are the Chapel and reat Hall sandwiched between the two residential wings; and the muse-

um. The Chapel is notable for its wonderful simplicity. Opposite to it is the wood-panelled Great Hall now used as the dining-room. Many beautiful portraits of monarchs including a vast mural of Charles II on horseback, hang in the hall. It was here that the Duke of Wellington’s (Battle of Waterloo fame) body lay in state in 1852. A small museum outside the main building is dedicated to the memory of the Duke of Wellington. It consists of a long gallery and a medal room and displays a variety of objects associated with the history of the Hospital. The world famous Chelsea Flower Show takes place in the spacious Hospital’s grounds during May every year. It lasts for five days and displays an astonishing variety of plants and flowers. The Royal Hospital is owned by the state, it’s maintained through its own efforts and those of the supporters. It’s today recognised internationally as an exemplary in providing an ideal home for war veterans. The Hospital buildings and the museum are open to visitors between 12-2 and 2-4 pm (weekdays) and 2-4 pm (Sundays). Entrance is free. National Army Museum : Royal Hospital has a rich military heritage and it is quite fitting to have the NAM next door to it. Opened in 1971, it gives a lively account of the British army from the defeat of the French at Agincourt (1415), English Civil War (1642-51), World Wars, to the present day. Spread over 3 floors with several galleries, the extensive displays are both innovative and engaging, and include replicas of trenches, fine paintings of battle scenes, portraits of famous soldiers, and the succession of uniforms and medals. Although the entrance to the museum is hardly impressive it’s huge and varied inside, and a must for young and old alike, not to mention those most interested in British military history. It’s open daily and admission is free. Further down the Royal Hospital Road is Chelsea Embankment – a nice riverside promenade with lovely views of Chelsea- and Albert Bridges; and Battersea Park on the south side of the river. A perfect spot to end the walkabout.

hEAlth WATCH

Asian Voice - Saturday 21st August 2010

Eating chocolate cuts heart failure risk among women

Alternative care for indigestion Soda crackers are an old folk cure that actually works. Soda crackers (preferably unsalted) are bland, they digest easily, and they absorb stomach acid. They also contain bicarbonate of soda and cream of tartar, which neutralize the acid. Tip: You know that package of soda crackers they always give you at the restaurant that you leave on the table? From now on, take them with you. These come in handy when you're plagued by heartburn and can't seek immediate relief.

Apple honey is a simple remedy that will neutralize stomach acids. Peel, core, and slice several sweet apples. Simmer with a little water over low heat for three hours until the mixture is thick, brown, and sweet to the taste. Refrigerate in an airtight container and take a few spoonfuls whenever you have the need. Every 3 to 4 hours drink water with 2 to 3 drops of mint essence in it. Massage your stomach with a mixture of 2 to 3 drops of garlic oil and half a cup of Soya oil. Herbal remedies for acid reflux include chamomile, meadowsweet, slippery elm, cancer bush, fennel, catnip, angelica root, gentian root, ginger root and

other botanicals, including aloe. Slippery elm was used historically by native peoples to treat stomach upset, diarrhea, constipation, heartburn and other digestive complaints. Fennel and gingerroot were also common “folk remedies” for the relief of indigestion. Taking plain soda water gives immediate relief from symptoms of gas, distended abdomen and acidity. To relieve pressure at night, use blocks to raise the head of the bed frame at least 6 inches. This will lessen the pressure on the stomach and prevent stomach

lower when lying on the left side. It relieves gas and stomach cramps. Ginger in tea or tablet form relieves gas and reduces bloating and pain. A tablespoon of cinnamon water, taken after an hour after meals, relieves flatulence and indigestion. Ground cardamom seed mixed with ginger, cloves and coriander is an effective remedy for indigestion. Ground cardamom seed mixed with ginger, cloves and coriander is an effective remedy for indigestion. Slippery elm bark in tea or tablet form helps form a protective coating in the stomach. Aloe vera gel helps soothe the stomach. Charcoal absorbs medications and should not be taken within two hours of taking any medicine. Papaya: (Fruit and Leaves) While papaya is

contents from moving into the esophagus. Wait a couple of hours after a meal before lying down. Sleep on the left side of the body, the stomach is

not known as a herb, its plant has a surprising potency in combating digestive disorders and calming down a disturbed gastrointestinal tract. Its powerful enzyme, papain, helps to breakdown complex proteins, reducing the digestive load on the stomach. Mint: An ancient medicinal herb, mint is a cooling diaphoretic that relieves indigestion, gas or colic, and heartburn. It can also calm nausea and vomiting. The menthol in mint appears to soothe the smooth muscle lining of the digestive tract. Some studies show peppermint also may help to prevent stomach ulcers and stimulate bile secretions.

Eating bits of chocolate occasionally can help protect women from heart failure. However, daily consumption seems to negate its positive benefits. In a first ever nine-year study involving 31,823 Swedish women, researchers looked at the link between quantity of high-quality dark chocolate eaten and the risk of heart failure. They found that women who ate an average of one to two servings of high-quality chocolate per week had a 32 percent lower risk of developing heart failure, reports the Telegraph. Those who had one to

three servings per month had a 26 percent lower risk, but those who ate at least one serving daily or more didn’t appear to benefit from a protective effect against heart failure, said the journal Circulation: Heart Failure. Murray Mittleman, who led the study, said the lack of a protective effect among women eating chocolate daily was probably due to the additional calories gained from eating chocolate instead of more nutritious foods. Mittleman, the director of the Cardiovascular Epidemiology Research Unit at the Harvard Medical School in US,

said: ‘You can’t ignore that chocolate is a relatively calorie-dense food and large amounts of habitual consumption is going to raise your risks for weight gain. But if you’re going to have a treat, dark chocolate is probably a good choice, as long as it’s in moderation.’

Meditation is proven to be the serene way to get smarter It has long being credited as the way to a serene mind. But scientists have now discovered that meditation physically enhances the brain. Even a brief course of meditation strengthens connections between the regions of the brain that regulate our emotional responses, they found. This could make it easier for us to keep calm, they said. Chinese and U.S. researchers at the University of Oregon

focused on effects of a meditation technique known as integrative bodymind training, or IBMT. Based on ancient Chinese medicine, IBMT combines posture, mental imagery and body relaxation and breathing techniques. In the study, meditation novices took part in IBMT group sessions for half an hour on weekdays for a month. Another group received the same amount of tuition - 11 hours - in basic relax-

ation techniques. Brain scans revealed the brain connections of those in the IBMT group but not the other group started to strengthen after six hours’ practice. Differences were clear after 11 hours, the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences reports. These ‘structural changes’ were greatest in the fibres connecting the anterior cingulate, the part of the brain which helps regulate emotions and behaviour.

Mid-life stress ups Alzheimer’s risk Women, who experience repeated stress and anxiety in mid-life, can face up to twice the risk of developing dementia than their normal peers. Swedish researchers followed the progress of 1,415 women, with three surveys in 1968, 1974 and 1980 to assess the levels of psychological stress. The women were aged between 38 and 60 at the beginning of the study, says a Daily Mail report. Stress was defined as a sense of irritation, tension,

nervousness, anxiety, fear or sleeping problems lasting a month or more. Researcher Lena Johansson from the University of Gothenburg, Sweden said: “This is the first study to show that stress in middle age can lead to dementia in old age, and confirms similar findings from studies of animals.” During the study, 161 women developed dementia, mainly in the form of Alzheimer’s. Dementia risk was 65 per cent higher

in women who suffered frequent stress in middle age, reports the journal Brain. The risks of developing dementia went up as women responded to more than one survey by saying they were frequently stressed. The risk increased by 73 per cent when women reported frequent or constant stress on two occasions, and more than doubled when all three surveys showed they were stressed.

Paracetamol doubles teens’ chances of getting asthma Teenagers who take paracetamol regularly more than double their chances of getting asthma, says a study. A study of more than 300,000 teenagers, aged 13 and 14 years, found those who took paracetamol once a month were 2.5 times as likely to have asthma than those who didn’t. The research also linked paracetamol use to allergic nasal congestion and eczema, reports the Telegraph. A Medical Research Institute team from New Zealand which conducted the study attributed the

growing risk of asthma, eczema and nasal allergies to pacaretamol. They indicated that the painkiller might interfere with the immune system and cause inflammation in the airways, says the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine. Richard Beasley, professor of medicine at the Medical Research Institute, said that almost half of severe asthma cases could be prevented if use of paracetamol was avoided. Teenagers who used paracetamol once a year were 38 percent more likely to have allergic nasal

congestion and those who used it once a month were more than twice as likely to have the condition than those who never took the painkiller. For eczema, once a year users of paracetamol were almost a third more likely to have the skin condition and once a month users were just under twice as likely to have it as non-users.

Sport worLd

Asian Voice - Saturday 21st August 2010

IPL dispute sparks trouble in Cricket SA Bonus payments to employees to be probed by a committee Payment of performance bonus to Cricket South Africa (CSA) CEO Gerald Majola and former COO Don McIntosh as well as 40 other employees will now be probed by a committee headed by former chief justice of the country P Lanaga with assistance from forensic auditors from KPMG and Deloitte. Majola was paid 1.77 mn rand, McIntosh was paid 1.45 mn, while 1.48 mn rands were paid to the

remaining 40 staff members of the CSA after successful staging of the IPL season II in 2009 and ICC Champions trophy. These payments have been termed as unauthorised, as the remunerations committee said it had not authorised the payments. Problems sprang up as there was a dispute between the Gauteng Cricket Board (GCB), which manages the Wanderers Stadium in

Johannesburg, and the IPL. After the tournament ended, the GCB levelled allegations of mismanagement against Majola, the BCCI and the league. CSA responded by stripping the Wanderers of its international status. The Wanderers was reinstated as an international venue in August last year. After the decision of the probe, Majola has decided to revert the entire amount till the completion of the

probe, while McIntosh who has resigned just last month has said his resignation has nothing to do with the dispute. A written report on the matter has already been sent to the South Africa Minister of Sport and the committee will submit its own report to the CSA board once the investigation is complete. The committee is expected to begin its review in midSeptember.

ICC keen on international cricket in Pak soon An ICC World XI would tour the country, says ECB chief Giles Clarke ECB chairman and also the chairman of ICC’s Pakistan Task Team said return of international cricket in Pakistan should happen soon, an ICC World XI would tour Pakistan in due course. It may be recalled that after the attack on Sri Lankan team in Lahore in March, 2009 there is no international cricket in the

French footballers get ban for World Cup rebellion Nicolas Anelka got an 18 match ban, while former captain Patrice Evra was ordered a five match ban by the French Football Federation after the rebellion and the World Cup fiasco. The FFF's disciplinary commission also gave a three-match ban to Franck Ribery and a onematch suspension to Jeremy Toulalan. Eric Abidal, the fifth player summoned to the fourhour hearing, escaped any sanctions. All 23 players on France's World Cup squad boycotted a training session in South Africa to protest Anelka’s expulsion after he insulted then-coach Raymond Domenech during a 2-0 loss to Mexico. But the French federation only summoned the five players who played a leading role in the mutiny. Ribery and Anelka -whose dressing room rage triggered the strike -- sent lawyers.

country. Giles Clarke said Pakistan cricket should get a chance to fund itself, World cricket must keep giving them such a chance. Writing in the September issue of The Wisden Cricketer magazine, the ECB chief said “Security challenges are enormous, but terrorists

cannot be allowed to win. World cricket must go back and play in Pakistan. They must lose by an innings - repeatedly. Clarke said the inability to host international cricket has resulted in the PCB's income falling from £27 million to £10 million, "a brutal impact that few enterprises could survive;

terrorism does not care about its human consequences" he said. The ECB plans to host more neutral matches featuring Pakistan to help the PCB with its finances. “The ECB intends to assist in staging more Pakistan games in England in 2011 and 2012,” Clarke said.

Hot Spot: Players want it, authorities not ready to pay The most perfect UDRS not possible in World Cup Cricket 2011 Prominent cricketers are a game for ‘Hot Spot’ – the state of the art technology to be used for the Umpire Decision Review System (UDRS), while even the firm that supplies the technology, BBG Sports has said that it wouldn’t be possible for them to provide enough of systems to be used for the entire World Cup Cricket tournament, to be played in India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh next year. That apart, the cost of the entire set up is very

high. Currently, the cost for a two camera set-up is US$ 6,000 per day, which will go up to US$ 10,000 for a four camera set-up. The acquisition process of new cameras, the central equipment to the set up is quite time consuming too. Basically, that is due to the reason that it is classified military equipment. Just the security checks for the buyers take around three months. BBG Sports at present have only four Hot Spot cameras and they would

be in a position to just put them into use for the quarter finals and thereafter. The players, though have said they would be satisfied with a complete UDRS which consist of Hot Spot, and not just the UDRS, while ICC feels that UDRS can go ahead with the use Hawk-Eye, which consists of super slow motion cameras and audio feed from the stump microphone. Hot Spot is ‘desirable’ but not a requirement at this point of time.

BCCI caught on the back foot over crowded calendar Media says Dhoni sent two SOS, board says received no complaints As Indian media has been reporting of two SOS sent by captain cool Mahendra Singh Dhoni about player fatigue and injury scares, the BCCI is caught on the back foot over the issue of crowded calendar for the Indian team. Responding to media queries, the media and

finance committee chairman of the BCCI Rajiv Shukla said the board is not forcing players to play in case of fatigue or injuries. It is for the concerned cricketer to inform the selectors. We will give the players rest. Dhoni, the captain on the other hand, has reportedly sent

in an SOS to the board, seeking to reduce the New Zealand Test series that is to follow soon at home to a two test affair, instead of the three match series that is scheduled. His request followed a lot of injury and fitness problems for Indian team during the current tour of Sri Lanka.

No automatic qualification for Tiger Woods in Ryder Cup team Tiger Woods has missed his automatic qualification for the US Ryder Cup team. The former top golfer now has to rely on the goodwill of Corey Pavin for inclusion. Under the US team's rules, the top eight players from this season's Ryder Cup Points List at

the end of Sunday's PGA Championship were awarded places in the Oct. 1-3 event in Wales. Woods, who has not won a tournament this year and finished tied for 28th at Whistling Straits on Sunday, did not make the top eight, which was headed by US Masters

champion Phil Mickelson. Woods can still make the 12-man team but only if Pavin, who will decide the remaining four spots next month, chooses him. "I think I've got a chance of maybe helping out in singles," Woods joked.

"I'm looking forward to it, hopefully Corey will pick me on the team." Although it is considered a foregone conclusion, Pavin said this week that the world number one was not guaranteed a place because he wanted to be fair to all the players in contention.

CGF chief Fennell also under cloud over Fasttrack deal Indian agencies looking at payments made to more UK firms After AM Films and AM Cars and Van Hire, more UK based firms have come under cloud over alleged irregularities in the New Delhi Commonwealth Games deals, reports in India media suggest. Enforcement Directorate, an agency Suresh Kalmadi of the Government of India has reportedly sent notices to RBS in London and their Indian representative, seeking transaction details of payments made by the Organising Committee of the CWG. Payments have been made by the OC to four major consultants. Fast Track Sales Ltd. of London is another UK firm under the investigations. Apart from the AM Films, Event Knowledge Services and Sports marketing and management (SMAM) are the two other firms being probed. The Enforcement Directorate is trying Mike Fennell to find out the ultimate beneficiaries of the payments. Probe by Indian agency of CAG (Comptroller and Auditor General) has brought out preliminary findings pointing undue favour to Fast Track Sales of London. Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) President Mike Fennell and OC chairman Suresh Kalmadi had recommended for the firm. The OC had approved the international broadcasting sales consultancy to Fast Track Sales Ltd "only on the basis of suggestions made by the president and CEO of the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) and chairman of the OC," according to documentary evidence gathered by CAG officials during the initial inspection of CWG books. In a statement, CGF CEO Mike Hooper also defended the decision of the CGF president in recommending Fast Track saying that though the federation did make this suggestion, but it was ultimately for the OC to select consultants for the New Delhi CWG.

Tyson aims to become a missionary Former boxer wants to shift to Myanmar, live in a hut

Mike Tyson, the former heavyweight boxing champion now wants to change. He wishes that people help him restore pride in himself and win respect of his children. The Hot headed boxer, according to a newspaper wants be become a missionary and shift to Myanmar, where he will live in a hut. Tyson was jailed for raping a beauty queen in 1992. He had also caused a huge row when he bit off the part of his challenger Evander Holyfield’s right ear in 1997. His fortune disappeared as quickly as his reputation and he was declared bankrupt in 2003 after earning more than $260-million during his prestigious but infamous career. Now 44 year old, Tyson credits third wife Kiki with making him a better person and a decent husband, saying: "I realised that if I wanted to have a healthy life and if someone was willing to love me, then she deserved the best I had to offer, physically, emotionally and spiritually. In order to make this work all the other stuff has to die."

EPL games this week Saturday, 21 August Arsenal v/s Blackpool Emirates Stadium Birmingham v/s BlackburnSt. Andrews Ground Everton v/s Wolverhampton Goodison Park Stoke v/s Tottenham Britannia Stadium West Brom v/s Sunderland The Hawthorns West Ham v/s Bolton Boleyn Ground Wigan v/s Chelsea D W Stadium Sunday, 22 August Newcastle v/s Aston Villa St. James’ Park Fulham v/s Man Utd. Craven Cottage Monday, 23 August Man City v/s Liverpool City of Mcr. Stadium

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Asian Voice - Saturday 21st August 2010

India taste success in the tri-series SL beaten by 6 wickets, concede bonus point too

Indian bowling finally did rise to the occasion on Monday at Dambulla to restrict Sri Lanka to 170 runs and later Sehwag and captain Dhoni ensured that they do not falter in chasing the target. Antics by Lankan spinner Suraj Randiv spoilt the match on the last ball as Sehwag was denied a well deserved century by a no ball that looked deliberate. At the end of the first round, all the three teams have a victory each. Sangakkara won the toss, but his decision to bat first did not click as Indian bowlers took advantage of favourable conditions. With a win that looked rather easy in the later part of Indian batting, the team also earned a bonus point. At the start of the Indian innings, Dinesh Karthik's edginess at the crease gradually developed into visible frustration and the one delivery he could have dispatched with ease, he slashed straight to third

Angelo Mathews celebrates Rohit Sharma's wicket at Dambulla on Monday

man. Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma followed in successive overs and it appeared the Sri Lankan seamers had set up a lowscoring thriller. The wickets falling at the other end prompted Sehwag to restrain himself, except against a couple of free-hits. There was greater reliance on timing and using the pace of the seamers than on raw power. At the start of the

match too, Praveen Kumar scalped Upul Tharanga with an outswinger off the first ball of the day. Mahela Jayawardene showed glimpses of his solidity during his brief stay but was trapped in front by a Praveen delivery that moved back in late. Extra pace accounted for Sangakkara. Dilshan was not comfortable yet countered the swing better than the rest. He settled in and was at

greater ease once spin was introduced, making room to cut from the stumps and maintain a steady flow of runs with Angelo Mathews. But Dilshan succumbed to temptation when the ball was tossed up, and top-edged a slogsweep to scupper a recovery he had initiated. Ravindra Jadeja bowled a nagging line and had Sri Lanka in further trouble, dismissing Mathews and Chamara Kapugedera with straighter ones. {Brief scores: 3rd ODI - India 171 for 4 (Sehwag 99*) beat SL 170 (Dilshan 45, Ojha 3-36) by 6 wickets. 2nd ODI SL 195 for 7 (Tharanga 70, Sangakkara 48, Mills 4-41) beat NZ 192 (Watling 55, Malinga 335, Mathews 3-36) by 3 wickets. 1st ODI - NZ 288 (Taylor 95, Styris 89, Nehra 4-47, Praveen 343) beat India 88 (Tuffey 3-34, Oram 2-16, Mills 226) by 200 runs}.

Two more Brit top Athletes to skip Delhi CWG Jessica Ennis, heptathlon world champion and Jenny Meadows, bronze medal winner at the world 800m championships, both of England have joined an already long list of star athletes not going to India for the Commonwealth Games, to be staged in October next. England is to announce their CWG contingent on Wednesday. Jessica Ennis, world and European heptathlon champion has given no reasons for her decision to pull out, while Jenny Meadows has decided not to participate in the CWG to help more rest for her Achilles injury.

England selectors are yet confident of getting together a strong team for the CWG. World and European triple jump champion Phillips Idowu and Olympic 400 metres gold medallist Christine Ohuruogu are among those who are keen to travel to Delhi and defend their Commonwealth crowns. Double European champion Mo Farah, along with European 110m hurdles gold medallist Andy Turner, and 100m World Championship silver medallist Mark LewisFrancis are also in line for selection in the squad.

SLC, Randiv sorry for the ‘deliberate’ no ball Sehwag robbed off his 13th ODI century on Monday

Indian tycoons in Premier League bailouts Balram Chinrai from Hong Kong eyeing Portsmouth By Dr. Premen Addy Last week it was Hyderabad-born, Bahrain-resident Ahsan Ali Syed, who was the cynosure of most eyes as he evinced an interest in Blackburn Rovers, the English League football club which, like so many of its peers, is having trouble balancing its books. If an Arab sugar daddy can take over Manchester City, why shouldn't an Indian do the same with Blackburn Rovers. Rovers last won the League in 1995, for City's League triumph you will have to turn back the pages another twenty years and more to the days when Malcolm Allison and the venerable Joe Mercer were managers. Mr Syed, 36, has promised Rovers present manager Sam Allardyce £100 million for the club's transfer fund. The frenetic competition among the top clubs

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for the best players has sent their market valuation soaring. Without generous cash flows clubs don't stand a chance of wining silverware. Mr Syed told an English reporter, “I am not investing to make a return in two years and walk away, I am coming as an investor to invest for the long term....We have a 15-year investment fund for the club split in to three five-year segments. In the first we will strengthen and retain our Premier League status, invest in the academy for the production of young players, invest in the stadium, and focus on marketing in the Middle East, the Far East and the Indian subcontinent to increase Blackburn Rovers as a brand....All my investments and wealth are out in the open, but I will submit myself to whatever the Premier League

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require of me,” he said. Looks promising. Meanwhile, further down the line, Premier League bankrupt Portsmouth was recently thrown a lifeline by the High Court in London, when it ruled in favour of the club in a case brought against it by Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs. Enter another Indianborn, but Hong Kong resident, businessman Balram Chinrai, who told a reporter, “If I go in, I will go in with money to stabilise the club and bring it back to the Premier League.” Mr Chinrai had already loaned Portsmouth £17 million. If he takes over the club, he would simply have to forego his right to repayment of his loan under the Creditors Voluntary Agreement negotiated by the administrator and agree to meet payments of around £3 million a year to the creditors.

Virender Sehwag raises his arms after the victory at Dambulla on Monday

As Indian opener Virender Sehwag said Lankan spinner Suraj Randiv deliberately denied him a century with a no ball, the incident has sparked a huge row with a lot of former cricketers in India saying cricket is no more a gentleman’s game. Bishen Singh Bedi even went on the extent of seeking a ban of 5 matches for Randiv. Sri Lanka Cricket tendered an apology to Sehwag, the Indian batsman himself has said Randiv called on him personally to say sorry, while Sri Lankan skipper Sangakkara also spoke to Indian coach Gary Kirsten on the issue. SLC also has

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ordered a probe into the issue and will take further action after a report. Manager of Indian cricket team, Ranjib Biswal has said after the apology, the issue is closed for them. Sehwag, speaking to the media on Monday night, also said this not the first time Sri Lankans have done this. Earlier, it was Sachin Tendulkar who was robbed off his century at Cuttack. Sehwag said that Randiv had not bowled a single no ball earlier in the test series and also the previous ODIs this season so far, and asked “How can he bowl one at this point?”

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