AV 21st September 2024

£ 75million to tackle people smugglers

H o m e S e cre ta ry Yv ett e

C ooper h as u nveiled a £7 5 m il li o n f u nd in g b o o st to increase the num ber of bord er s ec u ri ty o f f ic er s an d intensify efforts against p eop le sm ugg lers

The funding will support the acquisition of new technology and enhance the c a p a b i l i t i e s o f t h e U K 's Border Security Command

This announcement follows

t h e a r r i v a l o f o v e r 1 , 0 0 0 migrants in the UK over the weekend, with eight tragically losing their lives while a t t e m p t i n g t

E n g

s h C h a n n e l o n Saturday

C o o p e r s t a t e d ,

"Criminal gangs are exploiting our border security and j e o p a r d i s i n g l i v e s T h e Border Security Command will undergo a signif icant overhaul to strengthen law enforcement against smug-

g l e r s a n d t r a f f i c k i n g n e tworks We will deploy cutt i n g - e d g e t e c h n o l o g

n d i m p r o v e o u r i n t e l l i g e n c e c a p a b i l i t i e s t o d i s m a n t l e this abhorrent trade " The funds, initially allo-

Yvette Cooper

cated for the previous government's Rwanda asylum plan, will now be redirected to these new border security initiatives The Labour gove r n m e n t , fo l l o w i n g t

d the Rwanda scheme, which sought to deter asylum seekers by relocating those who arrived illegally in the UK to East Africa T h e u p d a t e d p l a n includes the installation of hidden cameras and monitoring technology to accele r a t e i n v e s t i g a t i o n s a n d enhance the likelihood of s u c c e s s f u l p r o s e c

t

n a

Cr i m e A g e n c y ( NC A ) w i l l receive an extra 100 speciali s t i n v e s t i g a t o r s , a s announced earlier this year

Ex-police chief appointed as border security commander

T h e Ho m e O ff i c e h as

a pp o i nted M a rti n Hew i tt, former chair of the Natio nal P ol ic e C

omm ander

He w i t t w i l l l e a d t h e

n e w l y e s t a b l i s h e d B o r d e r Security Command , a key initiative launched in July as part of the Labour Party's m a n i fe s t o c o m m i t m e n t

Ho m e S e c r e t a r y Yv e t t e

C o o p e r p r a i s e d He w i t t ’ s e x t e n s i v e e x p e r i e n c e i n n a t i o n a l s e c u r i t y, p u b l i c safety, and serious organised

c r i m e , s t a t i n g t h a t h i s expertise and proven track record make him ideal for the role

This appointment precedes the introduction of a new border security, asylum, and immigration bill The Home Off ice has indicated that the bill will introduce "intrusive state powers" akin to those in counter-terrori s m l e g i s l a t i o n , a i m e d a t e m p o w

involved in organised immigration crime

The Home Off ice highlighted Hewitt’s ability to i

agencies, and government bodies in addressing major security threats as a crucial factor in his selection His n

t

b

e l e a

s h i p d u

t h e C o v i d -19 p a n d e m i c , where he coordinated policing efforts and participated in daily government brief ings, further demonstrated his capability

Hewitt, who chaired the NPCC from 2019, played a key role in coordinating the U K

overseeing policing efforts during a critical period

PM's popularity hits record low

new Ipsos poll

Nearly half of those

the Prime Minister, just

appointment Ipsos' latest Political Pulse survey, conducted between

towards political parties and their leaders, presents a bleak picture for both Starmer and his

Reeves

Only 32% of respondents view Starmer positively, a drop of six percentage points from the previous month, while 46% hold an unfavourable view, an increase of eight points This results in a net rating of -14, matching the highest unfavourable rating Sir Keir has recorded with Ipsos, which followed the Hartlepool by-election in June 2021 Rachel Reeves fares even worse, with just 23% of respondents expressing a favourable opinion (down four p o i n t s) a n d 4 4 % h o l d i n g a n unfavourable view (up nine points), resulting in a net rating of -21 The

Labour Party itself sees a s i m i l a r t r e n d , w

h 36% favourable (down fo u r p o

s) a n d 4 5 % unfavourable (up eight points) Despite these numbers, Sir Keir can f ind some solace in the f

Approximately 69% of 2 0 2 4

view Starmer positively this month, consistent with August's f igures

direction of the countr y 55% of respondents believe Britain is heading in the wrong direct

three percentage points from August This f igure is lower than the 62% recorded just before the General Election but higher than the 49% recorded after Labour's victor y in July

A new sur vey question assessing government performance out of 10 gives the Labour Government a score of 4 4 The Ipsos sur vey included a representative sample of 1,147 adults a c r o s s G r

d

a weighted to match the population prof ile All polls are subject to potential errors

E-visa rollout to replace documents by 202 5

Th e Un i t e d Ki n gd o m ha s b e g un implemen ting e-visas as par t of its effort to mode rnise and dig it ise b order control and immigration procedure s By 2025, millions of visa holders in the UK will transition from physical immigration documents to digital evisas The Home Off ice has initiated this process by emailing holders of biometric residence permits (BRPs), inviting them to create a UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) account to access their new e-visa This phased rollout will extend to all BRP holders by summer 2024

E-visas are expected to enhance border security by reducing the risks associated with fraud, loss, and misuse of physical documents They provide a secure method for proving immigration status and support a contactless

border process, aligning with the government's goal of a more automated immigration system This move aligns with a global trend toward digital immigration documents Physical immigration documents will be gradually phased out by 2 0 2 5 , s t re a m l i n i n g t h e b o rd e r a n d immigration processes Current e-visa holders need not take additional steps but should keep their UKVI accounts updated with any personal changes Until their physical documents expire, travellers should continue to carr y them when going abroad In addition to e-visas, the UK gove r n m e n t h a s i n t r o d u c e d t h e Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) scheme, which enhances pre-travel s c r e e n i n g t o i d e n t i f y a n d p r e v e n t potential threats before entr y into the countr y

Russia expels 6 British diplomats amid spying claims

On Frid ay, Sep tember 13, Ru

s with the exp ulsion of six British d iplom ats, accusing them of espio nage

The Russian government revoked the accredi t a t i o n o f t h e B r i t i s h diplomatic staff, with the F S B, R u s s i a's p r i m a r y security agency, alleging that the diplomats were sent by a division of the U K s Fo r e i g

n f

i c t a strategic defeat” on Russia Maria Zakharova, a spokesperson for Russia's Foreign Ministr y, claimed t h a t t h e e m

s aimed at harming our people ” The U K d i s m

I N B R I E F

INTERNATIONAL STUDENT NUMBERS FALL

Compared with last year the number of international students applying to study in the UK last month fell by a sixth As per the Home Office statistic s, in the month of August, there were 25,200 fewer applications for sponsored study visas in 2023, a decrease of 17 1 percent Unless students are taking research postgraduate qualifications, they cannot bring dependents with them as per the new introduced visa rules in January This has impacted the number of applications, with 15, 500 dependents of students applying this year, an 83% decrease compared to last year Ahead of the start of the academic year, student visa applications typically peak between July and September

JUNK FOOD ADVERTS BANNED BEFORE 9PM

In the first of several tough public health measures that Sir Keir Starmer says are essential to saving the NHS junk food advertisements will not be shown on social media and pre -watershed television next year The prime minister said the government had just got to be more ambitious," as the budget watchdog warned that Britain s worsening health would blow a £100 billion hole in the public finances Ministers confirmed that the 9pm TV watershed for advertising foods high in fat, salt, and sugar, first proposed by Boris Johnson in 2021, will finally take effect next October after multiple delays Such ads will be prohibited online at any time

ROYAL NAVY SEIZES £160M OF COCAINE IN A RAID

For the first time a Royal Navy warship intercepted a narco -sub” and seized £160 million of cocaine that was being trafficked across the Caribbean Sea The semi-submersible vessel was seized by HMS Trent, which is based in Portsmouth and working alongside the United States coast guard and a US maritime patrol aircraft, while it was 190 nautical miles south of the Dominican Republic In a raid, 2 ,000 kg of cocaine was recovered, bringing Trent ’s haul of narcotic s over eight operations in seven months to nearly £750 million 11 suspects were arrested as part of the operation

o r y m e a s u r e linked to the previous month's decision to revoke the credentials of a Russian attaché i n L o n d o n A t t h a t t i m e , t h e U K a l s o imposed restrictions o n Mo s c o w ’ s d i p l omatic activities in the capital T h i s d

's v i s i t t o Washington, where discussions will i n c l u d

U k r a i n e's r e q u e s t t o u s e Western-supplied weapons for strikes d e e p e r i n s i d e R u s s i a R u s s i a n

President Vladimir Putin has warned that such actions would escalate the conflict to involve NATO directly

completely baseless,” asserting that the expulsion was a r e t a l i

POSTMASTERS ARE TOLD TO BE PATIENT

After campaigners claimed “hundreds” of victims were still waiting for payouts the government is getting on as quickly as we can” to compensate subpostmasters Sir Keir Starmer has said Jo Hamilton who was wrongly convicted of false accounting, said nothing has changed since the general election She was talking at a television awards ceremony Sir Alan Bates is among the “more than 300 exonerated sub -postmasters yet to receive a payout, she added Bates played a key role in exposing the Horizon IT scandal The prime minister was asked to comment on Hamilton’s statement, where he replied that the previous government had left “a bigger problem than we anticipated” but “we are getting on with this as quickly as we can ”

Rachel Reeves

Keir Starmer

Vladimir Putin

Martin Hewitt

Winter ‘fuelled’ with loneliness

The plight of elderly South Asians in the UK during winter is a deeply troubling issue, with rising energy bills, loneliness, and a lack of support taking a heavy toll on their well-being These challenges are compounded by cultural and generational dynamics within South Asian families, where respect for elders is traditionally held in high regard Yet, the realities of modern life, particularly financial constraints and shifting family roles, leave many elderly individuals feeling neglected and isolated Research by Age UK in 2023 revealed a heartbreaking statistic: 2 8 million older people said all they wanted for Christmas was companionship For many elderly individuals, particularly in South Asian communities, this loneliness is not just a holiday issue but a constant struggle Christmas, once a time of joy and togetherness, has become the hardest day of the year for far too many older people This reflects a broader issue of isolation and purposelessness felt by the elderly, especially as they navigate financial insecurity during winter

Rising energy costs, driven by government policies and cold weather, exacerbate the financial strain on pensioners Many are left worrying about how they will afford both heating and food South Asian elders, who may live with extended families, can become limited in their roles within the household as younger generations focus on their own busy lives This perceived lack of purpose further contributes to their loneliness

The Government’s recent decision to make Winter Fuel Payments available only to those on Pension Credit or other means-tested benefits has significantly reduced the number of recipients from 11 4 million to just 1 5 million This move, intended to save £1 5 billion annually, has left millions of pen-

sioners in a vulnerable position, particularly those just above the eligibility threshold For many of these individuals, £300 could make a crucial difference in managing winter heating costs (see p1)

In addition to those missing out on the Winter Fuel Payment, there are 800,000 pensioner families eligible for Pension Credit who do not receive it, often because they are unaware of their eligibility, reluctant to ask for help, or confused by the application process With Pension Credit now required to access the Winter Fuel Payment, this administrative hurdle leaves many struggling to navigate the system

For those in their 80s and 90s, relying on public spaces like community centres or malls to stay warm is a distressing experience These elders, raised with deep-rooted values of dignity and respect, often find the atmosphere in these places to be emotionally taxing They struggle with the brash behaviour and lack of consideration that may clash with their cultural expectations, making their isolation even more painful In some cases, elderly individuals who were once active and engaged become vulnerable to illness or even complex financial fraud because of their isolation and lack of guidance

As we navigate these complex issues, it is crucial for both the government and communities to step up and provide better care for the elderly Reforming the Pension Credit system to ensure fairness and integrating health and social care services more effectively is essential Above all, ensuring that the elderly, particularly in culturally traditional South Asian families, are not left to face the harsh winter months alone and unsupported should be a priority for all

It’s not just a fishy matter

The ties between modern-day India and Bangladesh are deeply rooted in shared civilisation, culture, and history Both nations share a common heritage from the Bengal region, along with strong linguistic, cultural, and artistic connections, including a shared passion for music, literature, and the arts

Before the 1947 Partition of India, Bangladesh was known as East Bengal and was part of India The partition, based on religious lines, created West Bengal in India and East Bengal in Pakistan In 1955, East Bengal was renamed East Pakistan, becoming the only non-contiguous part of Pakistan

In 1971, the Bangladesh Liberation War erupted between East Pakistan and West Pakistan India intervened by supporti

Bangladesh December 6th is celebrated as Friendship Day by b o t h c o u

Bangladesh and their lasting friendship

Many things such as the Hilsa fish is a strong cultural link between India and Bangladesh, especially for the "Bangals" (those from East Bengal, now Bangladesh), for whom Hilsa is more than just food it's a cultural symbol While West Bengal residents enjoy it, including limited local produce in the waters of Ganges/Hooghly river, they don t hold it in the same reverence For them ‘Chingri’ or lobsters hold a competitive significance Hilsa remains Bangladesh's national fish, with the country producing over 500,000 tons, comprising 85% of the global supply

Bangladesh halted Hilsa exports to India from 2012 to 2022 due to a water-sharing dispute, though exceptions were made for key festivals Hilsa also played a role in diplomacy, as it was discussed during Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's 2022 visit to India, with shipments arriving shortly after However,

with Sheikh Hasina out of power following an uprising in August, bilateral relations have soured India's strong support for her and its offer of refuge has caused frustration among many in Bangladesh Bangladesh's International Crimes Tribunal is now seeking to extradite former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina from India under a 2013 extradition treaty However, it remains unclear if India will comply India and Sheikh Hasina share deep historical ties; she sought refuge in India in 1975 after her father, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, and several family members were assassinated India, under then-Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, provided Hasina with asylum and security, fostering her longstanding relationship with the country, including with the current Modi government While India values these ties, it must also consider its relations with Bangladesh's current administration to maintain regional stability Extraditing Hasina could fuel stronger anti-India sentiments in Bangladesh and create further challenges for the Hindu minority, who already faced violence during the protests that led to Hasina's ouster

Last year, Bangladesh sought an extradition treaty with the UK to bring back BNP leader Tarique Rahman, convicted of money laundering, and to repatriate two fugitive army officers involved in the assassination of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and his family At the time, Sheikh Hasina was in power, but now the political tide has turned against her Despite her niece Tulip Siddiq being a Member of Parliament and the strong contributions of the Bangladeshi community in the UK, the British government has refused to grant asylum, leaving her to stay in India Experts suggest that India now faces a delicate balancing act between maintaining ties with Hasina and securing its regional interests

India on the world tourism map

In the era of globalisation, travel and tourism have surged s i g n i f i c a n t l y T h e U n i t e d N a t i o n s W o r l d T o u r i s m Organisation forecasts international tourism will continue growing at an annual rate of 4% India has carved a unique niche on the world tourism map, thanks to its rich natural and cultural diversity In India, tourism is the third-largest industry, directly or indirectly employing around ten million people

The tourism industry plays a crucial role in the Indian economy, generating substantial foreign exchange, creating jobs, and driving infrastructure development India has risen to 39th in the World Economic Forum’s Travel & Tourism Development Index 2024, a remarkable jump from 54th in 2021 India also ranked highest among South Asian lowermiddle-income economies, achieving an overall index score of 4 25 out of 7, with 7 being the best These statistics highlight India's growing competitiveness in the global tourism sector and reflect the significant strides the country has made towards overall development over the past decade

It is often said that there is always room for improvement, and this holds true for India’s tourism sector Despite its potential, the industry faces numerous challenges Many tourist destinations struggle with inadequate infrastructure, lacking proper air, rail, and road connectivity, reliable internet access, and essential hospitality, health, and sanitation facilities Remote regions, especially in the North-East and rural areas, face severe connectivity and amenity issues Governance problems, such as unclear tourist and citizenship guidelines like the OCI policies, poorly regulated health standards, inefficient tourist information centres, and complicated visa regulations, further deter potential visitors

The tourism industry is also burdened by a complex tax

structure, with high Goods and Services Tax (GST) rates on hotels and tour services, driving up costs for tourists A shortage of skilled professionals, particularly multilingual staff, limits the quality of service Safety concerns, including crimes against tourists, remain significant, with incidents like the gang rape of a foreign woman in Jharkhand in March 2024 underscoring the risks, especially for women travellers For the progress the country has made, these drawbacks drag its name through the mud

Despite positive indicators, the tourism industry has been largely neglected in recent government budgets, which is troubling given its substantial contributions to the economy and employment To fully harness the sector’s potential and ensure sustained growth, significant investments and strategic initiatives are essential Furthermore, these investments must be closely monitored to prevent corruption at both the national and state levels With Bollywood legends like Amitabh Bachchan and Shah Rukh Khan promoting state tourism, the creativity to make Indian states appealing is evident However, on-the-ground improvements and proper promotions through trusted media such as community newspapers, are essential to ensure India presents its best self to international visitors and to the diaspora returning to reconnect with their roots

It’s also important to note the growing impact of Indian tourists on global tourism By 2027, India is projected to surpass Australia, Canada, and France to become the world’s fifth-largest outbound tourism market, with Indian travellers contributing $89 billion, more than double the $38 billion in 2019, according to Bernstein As more Indian travellers experience international standards, India must elevate its tourism infrastructure to match global expectations

Political Sketchbook

Alpesh Patel

What the UK Government can Learn

from India Right Now

Power with out m oney can be a lot better for a country than pow er w ith mo ney T he UK Government has pow er, but little mo ney That migh t not be as bad a thing as it sound s

As someone who served on the UK-India Business Council for ten years and participated in the UK-India Roundtable advising the Prime Ministers of both countries for five years, I have seen firsthand the strengths and challenges of both nations' economies One striking concept from India, which could offer innovative solutions to the United Kingdom's economic challenges, is "Jugaad "

Rooted in India's informal economy, Jugaad is an approach to problem-solving that relies on creativity, resourcefulness, and efficiency, often in the face of limited financial resources It embodies the idea of finding simple, low-cost solutions to complex problems Applying this Indian model to Britain’s political and economic challenges could pave the way for more sustainable and humane policy decisions

In the UK, the government is often criticized for the inefficiency of large public projects, with billions spent on welfare programs, public services, or infrastructure, only for outcomes to fall short of expectations For instance, infrastructure projects such as HS2 have ballooned in costs, while questions remain about their long-term efficacy In the wake of financial constraints, particularly exacerbated by post-pandemic recovery and ongoing inflationary pressures, the UK government is caught between the need for austerity and the demand for substantial public investment Here is where the principle of Jugaad can provide a new direction

Jugaad : An Indian Innovation Mod el

Jugaad, often translated as "frugal innovation," is deeply ingrained in Indian society It is more than just a concept for fixing problems; it is a mindset that celebrates the ability to "make do" with what is available This has been seen in numerous sectors, from agriculture to technology Indian farmers, for example, have long used affordable, locally sourced materials to create irrigation systems, improving crop yields without heavy investment Similarly, in India's tech industry, startups have grown by leveraging open-source software and cloud-based platforms, which eliminate the need for large capital expenditures

Academic studies of the Jugaad model highlight its potential for driving inclusive growth and sustainable development Research from the University of Cambridge describes how Indian entrepreneurs and businesses "do more with less," creating solutions that are not only costeffective but also scalable and socially impactful Another study by the University of Sussex emphasizes that frugal innovation can help create systems that are flexible and adaptive, essential qualities for economies facing uncertain futures

A pplying Ju gaad to th e U K’s Challeng es

Translating the Jugaad philosophy into the British political landscape offers several advantages One potential area is public health Rather than expensive overhauls of the National Health Service (NHS), which has seen both staff shortages and funding crises, adopting a Jugaad mindset could result in smaller, incremental innovations that make healthcare delivery more efficient For instance, India’s telemedicine initiatives, which rely on digital platforms to provide healthcare to rural areas, could be adapted to address the NHS s staffing problems by decentralizing care and empowering local health professionals

Similarly, in infrastructure, Jugaad can help the UK reduce costs by focusing on modular, flexible, and scalable solutions India's low-cost housing projects, which focus on using locally sourced materials and community-driven construction, offer a potential blueprint for addressing the U K

reliance on expensive imports

evolved in India due to budgetary constraints can be informative for the UK, where a government wielding significant political power but facing financial limitations could benefit from adaptive policies This could be especially useful in local government, where councils must balance shrinking budgets with the need to provide essential services Small-scale, innovative solutions, such as community-run social services or partnerships with local businesses, could offer a path forward

A for m e r M

r o po l i t a n P

Former Met chief complains of subtle racism Court clears woman over coconut placard at rally

ce coun tert errorism chief has conde mn ed the practice of stop and sea rch

He revealed that he was the officers' regular target because he is of Asian descent and he experienced stop and search as recently as two weeks ago Neil Basu, who was an assistant commissioner and retired in 2022, said stop and search is the reason for losing trust among people from ethnic minority backgrounds

In an interview with The T i m e s C r i m e a n d J u s t i c e Commission, he said: “I’m pretty much confident that I’m the only chief constable in the last 30 years to have been regularly stopped and searched as both a child, a teenager, and an adult, including two weeks ago when I last passed through Heathrow I

g u a r a n t e e w h e n I g o o n Saturday, I’ll be searched again

It’s ironic because I’m the person who used to set the rules for that ”

He added: “It is humiliating

Neil Basu

and if chief constables think that it is okay that a police officer can give you the lawful reasons for doing it and that’s enough, that is massively underestimating the power of that interaction with a member of the public ” In 1992, Basu joined the Met, and in his 30-year career, he handled the national command for c o u n t e r t e r r o r i s m w h e n t h e threat from the Islamic State was at its peak

Met Police phasing out work-from-home

T h e M e tro p o l i tan P o l ic e i s rep orted ly planning to p hase out r em o t e w o rk , as ki ng st af f to return to their d esks

Under the new system, some departments will be allowed to work from home for only one day a week, a significant reduction from the current three days

A f o r m a l a n n o u n c e m e n t i s expected within the next two w e e k s , a c c o r d i n g t o t h e S u n This change comes as the Met acknowledges that many of its 4 6 , 0 0 0 e m p l o y e e s i n c l u d i n g 33,852 officers and 13,795 support staff have continued working from home following practices established during the COVID19 pandemic

A police source told the Sun: “ T h e r e ’ s u n c e r t a i n t y a b o u t where staff will be placed since many buildings have been sold off Staff are unhappy, and we might see a wave of resignations ”

shifting Not all staff are needed on-site every day, but some have been taking advantage of the r e m o t e w o r k a r r a n g e m e n t s since the pandemic ”

The Met is already facing its lowest staffing levels in a decade, with a projected decrease to 310 officers per 100,000 Londoners by March 2025, down from 342 in March 2023

Police minister's purse stolen at conference

P olicing Minister Dam e Diana

J ohnso n had her purse stolen d uring a speech at the Police

S u p e ri nt end ent s' A ss o c ia ti o n ( PSA) co nference in Kenilworth

o n Tuesday

Ironically, the theft occurred while she was addressing the audience about the Conservative government's role in an "epidemic of antisocial behaviour, theft, and shoplifting " A mem-

b

s Warwickshire Police arrested a 56-year-old man from Coventry on suspicion of burglary, who has since been released on bail

T h e H o m e O f f i c e s t a t e d n o security risks were identified

In her speech, Dame Diana

c r i t i c i s e d

Party s legacy and discussed gov-

restore respect for the rule of law

, highlighting the growing prob-

A teach er who d isplayed a p lacard at a pro -P alestinian protest, featuring images o f Rishi S unak and Suella Braverm an superimp o s ed

, h as be en acquitted o f a racially ag gravated p ublic order offence

Marieha Hussain, 37, from

Magistrates' Court but denied it

then Prime Minister and Home

Hussain's defence argued that

satire and humour rather than a racial insult

Prosecutor Jonathan Bryan contended that "coconut" is a

someone who is "brown on the outside but white on the inside," suggesting a betrayal of one's race He claimed that Hussain's placard crossed the line from political expression into racial insult

Hussain's defence team, on

the prosecution as an unwar-

expression and peaceful protest H

read to the court described the placard as a critique of what she viewed as an "exceptional manifestation of hatred" from the Home Secretary and the Prime Minister The other side of the placard featured an image of the

threatening and non-racist Rajiv Menon KC, representing Hussain, criticised the prosecution, noting the apparent disp

figures were treated He argued t

"impeccable character," should not be convicted of a racially aggravated offence After a two-day trial, District Judge Vanessa Lloyd ruled that the placard fell under the category of political satire She conc

i o n failed to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the placard was a

s i v e o r t h a t H u s s a i n w a s aware it might be perceived as such

Junior doctors accept government pay deal

Junior doc tor s in England ha ve accepted a pay deal from the governm ent , m ar king a s ignif ic ant br e ak t hr oug h af t e r a s er ie s of s t r ik e s , in c l ud in g th e l on ge s t walkout in NHS his tory earl ier this year

Junior doctors, experienced physicians who make up a substantial portion of medical staff, had been in dispute over more than a decade of pay cuts since

n ( B M A ) reported that 66% of junior doctors voted in favour of the new government offer, which includes a 22 3% pay increase over two years Additionally, the government has pledged to work with the BMA to streamline the proc e s s f o r r e p o r t i n

impacting town centres Dame Diana announced that the government has agreed to initial funding to support the College of Policing in launching a new training program for neighbourhood officers

PSA President Nick Smart

adversely affected by the early release of hundreds of prisoners without adequate release plans, leaving officers to manage the fallout

working hours

Junior doctors committee coc

should never have taken so long to get here, but our determination and a government willing to negotiate realistically about pay restoration have achieved results One strike was one strike too many " T h e L a b

offer comes after several unsuccessful rounds of talks between t

B M A

s Conservative administration The government’s health department noted that the prolonged pay dispute had "catastrophic impacts" on the economy, patients, and national health, with over 1 5 million appointments cancelled The government stated that resolving the dispute is a crucial first step toward NHS recovery, with the pay changes expected to be reflected in November’s pay packets

Traffic ban for Oxford Street

under new plans announc ed by M

recently granted powers from the Labour government to fi nally implement pedestrianisation of the c ity's i conic shopping district Khan emphasised the need for swift action to ensure the

again become the world’s leading retail destination " Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner is expected to approve the creation of a mayoral development

authority to advance the initiative, first proposed in 2017

which previously blocked the plan over concerns from businesses and residents about bus

I N B R I E F

COLDEST AUTUMN SINCE THE 80S

In nearly 40 years, London experienced its lowest temperature on Thursday, September 12, as an Arctic wind brought a chilly end to summer As the rest of the country shivered in unseasonably cold conditions a temperature of 4 7C was recorded at Heathrow overnight The last time all four nations dipped below zero was in 1986 Jason Kelly chief meteorologist at the Met Office said: The cold Arctic air we have been experiencing will be replaced with warmer westerlies over the weekend High pressure will bring fine weather to the south, but there is an area of low pressure to the northwest, which will push some weather fronts across Scotland and Northern Ireland, bringing rain and thicker clouds ”

COURT ORDERS MOTHER TO TAKE PARENTING COURSE

A mother has been ordered to pay £1,200 for missing her son and one of Britain’s youngest rioters' court date as she was found holidaying in Ibiza During two episodes of disorder in Manchester on July 31 and August 3 the 12-year-old was said to have shown the “worst type of feral behaviour” As a punishment the 30-yearold single mother was ordered to take part in a six-month parenting course District Judge Joanne Hirst asked her to pay compensation and told her that it would amount to approximately the same cost as your holiday to Ibiza On September 1, the woman went abroad the day before her son was to appear in court for sentencing who admitted two charges of violent disorder

MAKE A WILL FOR DIGITAL ASSETS

Most people don't consider making plans for their digital assets after they die Because of which, their social media accounts and photos are at risk of being inaccessible to loved ones, Which? has warned As per the research done by the consumer group more than three quarters of people do not have a digital legacy plan and they are urging people to prepare one While only 3 per cent have included provisions in their will, less than a fifth plan to leave directions on how to access their accounts Harry Rose, the editor of Which? magazine said: “Whether it’s handing over sentimental assets such as photos or simply enabling a loved one to close down your social media accounts we strongly advise consumers to put a plan in place

GOVERNMENT SPENDS £80M IN FIGHTING LEGAL CHALLENGES

More than £79m has been spent by the Government fighting legal challenges against the Home Office in 2023 A Freedom of Information Request by the Refugee and Migrant Forum of Essex and London (RAMFEL) found that the Conservative administration spent £79 603 815 on judicial reviews against the Home Office last year As per the Freedom of Information Request by the Refugee and Migrant Forum of Essex and London (RAMFEL), last year, the Conservative administration spent £79,603,815 on judicial reviews against the Home Office In the span of just three years, between July 24, 2019 and September 21, 2021, the government spent almost £77m on legal challenges against the department

Dame Diana Johnson

Sadiq Khan

VAT on private school fees is going to backfire, says Lord Karan Bilimoria

S pokespe rson of Educat ion

N ot Taxa tion, a mot her an d jour nalist, L ovee na Tand on r ecen tly spoke to Lord Ka ra n Bilimor ia about his p erspect ive on the Labour Part y ’ s p lan s to imple men t educat ion VAT

S p e a k i n g t o T a n d o n , Lord Karan Bilimoria (CBE, DL, FCA is a British Indian businessman, member of the H o u s e o f L o r d s , a n d Chancellor of the University of Birmingham) said, “We have the most phenomenal

s c h o o

s

m

u s schools, but they only make up 7% of the children of this country 7% of children go to our private schools 93% go to the state schools, and the difference between the two is huge So these 7% of children that go to the private schools are through the taxation paying for their place, for the State School, which they're not taking up So in a way, they're subsidizing the other 93% by not using up their place So that's the fact for a start On top of that, they pay fees, which are on average, forget boarding If

y o u e x c l u d e t h e b o a r d i n g

f e e s , t h e a v e r a g e p r i v a t e school fee is 16,000 pounds a year

“ T h e a v e r a g e a m o u n t spent by the government on a state school child is 8000 pounds So literally, double the amount is being spent per child when they go to a private school Now, if you c a n i m a g i n e , i f w e s p e n d double the amount on state schools, how much better

we could pay our teachers, how much better the facilit i e s w o u l d b e , a n d h o w much better our state school education would be?

“And here we have a government saying, well, private schools have been exempt for VAT they've been exempt for business rates, we will now remove those exemptions They'll have to pay business rates, and they will have to pay VAT at 20% so that puts up the fees, yes, not by 20% because the private schools will be able to reclaim some input VAT, but at least by 15% people have this wrong impression that the children who go to private schools are all children of very wealthy individuals ” Robbing Pe te r to pay Paul

E x p l a i n i n g t h e m a t h , Lord Bilimoria added, “So this calculation of getting a n e t 1 3 t o 1 5 b i l l i o n b y putting up 20% VAT on private school fees is going to backfire because it will not end up being the 1 5 billion because there Be more of a

cost to the state school sector Many calculations have shown that, in fact, it might be a net cost to the exchequer by trying to raise this 1 5 billion But the most important point is, what is 1 5 billion, supposedly to get 6500 more teachers? Well, 1 5 billion, when you're spending six 0 billion, 60 billion, it's a drop in the ocean What we need to do is to prioritise school education It is not been a priority for governments in the past, certainly not for the last 14 years, and we need to spend more as part of our budget, generally speaking, on stage education to reduce this gap of 8000 to 16,000 not rob Peter to pay Paul, which is going to backfire ” Hig her e duca tion will also suffer

According to him, international students are crucial to the UK’s private schools, w i t h 2 8 , 0 0 0 c u r r e n t l y enrolled as boarders If it becomes too expensive, they may choose other countries like the US, causing the UK to lose not only their fees but also significant economic contributions A 15% drop

Additionally, 90% of these students continue to British universities, so higher education will also suffer This

impact the education sector and the country’s economy, coming across as class warfare rather than thoughtful policy

Student smishing scams on the rise

A t t h e s

2 4/25

C o m p

n y ( S L C ) is r emin ding st uden ts to be vigila nt of smishing scams

S c a m m e r s t a r g e t students at this time of year as they receive

t h e i r f i r s t m a i n t enance loan payment

S L C i s e x p e c t i n g t o pay £2bn to students over the autumn term and last y e a r i t s t o p p e d £ 2 9 m o f maintenance loan payments being taken by smishing and phishing scams, where students received and acted on false communications

pay attention to any com-

England (SFE) or SLC over the coming weeks

H e s a i d : “ S

Smishing, which is fraud involving text messages, is currently the most popular form of scam, with students usually being asked to click a link to complete a task – for e x a m p l e v e r i f y i n g b a n k details or confirming their personal information, providing an opportunity for a payment to be diverted to a scammer ’ s bank account

SLC will never ask students to provide or verify their personal or financial information via email or text

m e s s a g e , a n d A l a n Balanowski, Risk Director at SLC, is urging students to

n g o r returning to university is an exciting time, but it’s also busy, with students getting organised and set-up for the a c a d e m i c y e a r ,

h includes dealing with inform

g ourselves We aim to ensure our payment process is simple for students, but we do experience a rise in smishing scams at this time of year This means students need to b e a l e r t t o a n y p o t e n t i a l attempt to intercept their m a i n t e n a n c e l o a n i n s t a lment

“We have a range of preventive methods we use to target scams, but the most

University calling: Parents extend unconditional support as students go far from home

Shefali Saxena

A s thousand s of U K stu dents embark on their university journeys this year, parents find them selves grapp ling with mixed em otio ns p rid e, excitem ent, and th e inev itable p angs of em pty nest syndrome Send ing a child to univ ersity marks a significant milestone, not only for the student but also for the family

As the 2024/25 academic year begins, the Student Loans Company (SLC) warns students to beware of smishing scams With £2 billion set to be paid out, scammers target students through fake texts requesting personal or financial details SLC advises students to remain vigilant and report suspicious messages immediately

Parents play a crucial role in supporting their children through this transition, offering emotional guidance and reassurance From being a listening ear to helping them navigate challenges, parental support remains vital as students adjust to their new academic and social environments This balance of independence and support ensures their children thrive in this new chapter

Ritwika to the University of Warwick in Coventry, and our experience has been very pleasant Initially, we were a bit worried, but the university representatives were extremely cooperative and helpful, which made the process much smoother Ritwika has found the people in Coventry to be very kind and supportive, which has boosted her confidence, especially since she's all alone Although she is

impactful tool we have i s w o r k i n g t o g e t h e r with students to stop scammers If a student receives a suspicious message, they should delete it and report it immediately, but if a scammer does succeed in obtaining personal details, then we must collectively act quickly to spot and block the action”

“Last year, we were able t o s t o p £ 2 9 m o f m a i n t enance loan payments ending up in the hands of scammers and we are focused on working as effectively as we can to protect students and their finance

“ O u r m e s s a g e t o s t udents is quite simply, think before you click ”

If a student receives a s u s p i c i o u s m e s s a g e , t h e y should report it immediately

b y e m a i l report@phishing gov uk and to SLC by calling our dedicated hotline on 0300 100 0059

There is also a range of additional advice and information on recognising and avoiding scams from Action

F r a u d , t h e U K ’ s n a t i o n a l reporting centre for fraud and cybercrime

Offer a listening ear and uncond itional supp ort Alag arsam y Rajamannar, trustee for Croydon Tamil Sangam told us, “Sending my son to the University of York, where he's taken on a challenging course in AI, has been a whirlwind of emotions pride, excitement, and a bit of worry It’s a huge milestone, and while I trust his abilities, there’s always that concern about how he’ll handle the workload and adjust to university life If he doesn’t find it to be the right fit or struggles, I believe the best thing I can do as a parent is offer a listening ear and unconditional support I encourage him to share his feelings openly, and together, we’ll discuss solutions, whether it's adapting to the new environment or exploring different paths I remind him that it’s okay to reassess choices that not loving the university or course isn’t a setback, but part of finding his way My role is to empower him, ensuring he feels confident in making decisions for his future ” Lo ad s of emotional su pport available

Dr Santanu A ch arya ’ s son Aritra Acharya has joined medical school at Aberdeen University this

year Speaking to Asian Voice, he said, “We just left him at his University residence yesterday evening It's a 3-hour drive from Glasgow where we live and where he went to secondary school at Hutchesons Grammar School It was surreal to take him back to a place where I started my UK medical career a quarter of a century ago We got married and my wife flew from Kolkata to meet me in Aberdeen on Xmas Eve Time has flown since then as 18-year-old Aritra is now set to join the same hospital as the second doc in the family It was mixed feelings for us On the one hand, we were happy that he is venturing out in the new world that will make the man out of the boy but on the other hand there is always a bit of trepidation about how he will cope given this is the first time he is on his own As Indian parents, especially his mom have always been a bit protective but I compensated by being brave enough to allow him to do the things teenagers are expected to do When we drove back to Glasgow we went straight to his room that has his smell all around with the clutter everywhere We stayed in his room the night since I was flying out to Kolkata in a few hours I am sure my wife will keep texting him as she has started just now given we knew he went to a pub with a friend yesterday night and he has to attend uni this morning ” Dr Acharya added, “However, we expect at least to message once a day to give us comfort and for his emotional well-being too There are loads of emotional support available to students in the university these days but not all will feel the need to seek help which they should do However, I always felt peers are usually the best support a kid can get and therefore selection of friends goes a long way in this respect ” Doesn't feel like far fro m ho me

Nu pur and Rahul C hakrav arty told us, “We have sent our daughter

currently staying offcampus, she will soon move into her campus accommodation, and we are hopeful that everything will go well there too The city itself is beautiful She doesn't feel like she is far from home, which brings us a lot of comfort ” Like any parent, A nindita Bonnerjee initially found herself navigating the complexities of her daughter s higher education path Bonnerjee told Asian Voice, “Higher education in the UK is undeniably competitive Students need to work diligently to excel in their GCSEs and A-Levels to secure a place at the country's top universities Upon achieving excellent results my daughter began her undergraduate journey at the University of Manchester, studying Aerospace Engineering The financial and other commitments are significant As a parent, however, there’s always a parallel thought process: What if she doesn’t like the course or the university? While that possibility is small especially since we did extensive research before making our decision it still lingers in the back of my mind We spent over a year carefully considering her options, speaking with friends, colleagues, and alumni who are either studying or have studied at Manchester, and gathering as much information as we could Despite this, I remain optimistic If she decides the course isn’t for her, UK universities are flexible and supportive when students choose to switch paths ”

Lord Karan Bilimoria

Nupur and Rahul Chakravarty

Dr Santanu Acharya's son Aritra on his first day at University of Glasgow

CB Patel

A walk through the memory lane: Indian Republic Day, the India League and IJA legacy

In 1967, I wa s explorin g po tentia l venu es in London

to a ttend the Re public Day cele br ation I wa s in for me d th at, w ith th e support of I ndia Hou se and in collabora tion w ith th e India n Jou rna lis ts’ Association, Republic D ay flagr aising ce remony is a rr anged at

the Commo nwea lth Institu te in Ken singto n

On 26 January 1967, I had the privilege of attending the first Republic Day celebration in London There were about 200 people present, mostly from India, though some had come from East Africa or Aden,

all sharing a deep sense of "Indianness" in their hearts The ceremony was very short, followed by light refreshments. On that day, two White police officers seemed rather amused, if not surprised, to see so many Indians celebrating Republic Day so far from their homeland

Indian Journalists’ Association

Indian Journalists’ Association or the IJA was officially established in 1947, with correspondents or representatives from Indian print publications such as the Times of India, The Statesman, Amrita Bazar Patrika, and the Deccan Herald Among the prominent figures were stalwarts like Dr Shalvankar, Dr Tarapada Basu, Peter Pansey and a few others residing in Britain at the time

I would like to especially highlight Dr Tarapada Basu, a Bengali and Indian nationalist who earned his doctorate from Sorbonne University, Paris Though a Francophile, he remained thoroughly Indian, with his Bengali temperament always evident In the 1990s, during one of Tony Blair’s press conferences, the topic of Jammu and Kashmir arose Dr Basu didn’t hesitate to speak his mind, offering a candid and much-needed perspective on the issue

My connection with this group came about through my acquaintance with Bishop Trevor Huddleston, whom I had known since my time in Dar-es-Salaam Bishop Trevor Huddleston served in Dar-es-Salaam, but was deeply involved in the African Liberation Movement His wife, Ethel, if I recall correctly,

was from Tabora As a young man of 24 or 25, I volunteered for the AntiApartheid Movement in Dar-es-Salaam, inspired by Julius Nyerere, who encouraged such efforts I was also a supporter of the Tanganyika African National Union

Let me provide some context about the situation in East Africa Tanzania gained independence in 1961, followed by Kenya in 1963, and later Uganda While Tanzania had the largest geographical area, Kenya, particularly Nairobi, became the primary hub for the African continent, attracting many European and American private companies, as well as international organisations Uganda faced challenges, largely due to the forced union of four distinct regions during colonialism in the late 19 century Kenya, on the other hand, had longstanding tensions, particularly between the Kikuyu and Luo, along with other tribes Tanzania, however, was comparatively less divided along tribal lines, with its significant Muslim and larger Christian communities coexisting more harmoniously

The greater stroke of fortune was Mwalimu (teacher) Julius Nyerere, who was deeply committed to nonviolence and the peaceful

Interestingly, there were no major community organisations in existence back then. By 1980, according to the Commission for Racial Equality (CRE), there were over 500 community organisations

However, this development came a few years after the large

Iuse of power His policies greatly inspired me and Bishop Trevor Huddleston served as my contact As the years passed and I was at the University of London, I found that the next building over housed the SOAS (School of Oriental and African Studies) There, students from all over the world, including Indians and Africans, would gather in a cafe and I had the opportunity to meet many of them I reconnected with Bishop Trevor Huddleston, who encouraged me to undertake some small volunteer work During that period, I met several Indian correspondent journalists and the Indian Journalists’ Association (IJA) became my point of contact Although I was not a media professional, this connection provided valuable opportunities

At that time, Bishop Trevor Huddleston was based in Stepney, not far from the university campus When I visited him, his wife would offer me light refreshments, and we would exchange a few words in Swahili When I ar rived in Dar -esS alaam in t he 1 960s and joined t he Civil Service, there was a special incentive to lear n Swahili langu age Classes were o ffer ed at DA Girls' S choo l, and achieving certain pr oficiency l evel s cou ld r esul t in a 3 t o 4% salar y incr ease

ndia League was founded by V K Krishna Menon He was also the first High Commissioner of India to the UK after Independence India League was affiliated with the Indian Home Rule League, which was founded by Annie Besant in London in 1916 Annie Besant was a remarkable figure, and her work was supported by various supporters, including members of the Russian aristocracy who backed her philosophy In 1889, Annie Besant embraced the teachings of Helena Blavatsky, a Russian-born religious mystic and cofounder of the Theosophical Society Besant became deeply involved in Theosophical work, engaging in extensive lecturing and writing This commitment to Theosophy influenced her founding of the Indian Home Rule League, an organisation that sought to support India's struggle for selfrule and gain

migration of Indians from East Africa Significant events like the Kenyan exodus in 1963, the Ugandan expulsion in 1972, and the migration from Aden and Fiji during the intervening years contributed to the rise of these community organisations

India League

British Parliament, successfully turning British sentiment towards supporting Indian independence He also served as a Councillor in the London Borough of St Pancras I became a member of the India League in June 1967, through my connection with Dr Tarapada Basu At that time, prominent figures like Michael Foot, Bishop Trevor Huddleston, Lord Fenner Brockway, and others were actively involved

international attention for its cause

While studying at Madras Law College, V K Krishna Menon became involved with Theosophy and was closely associated with Annie Besant and the Home Rule Movement Known for his intelligence, and brilliance, Menon played a key role in helping Jawaharlal Nehru succeed Mahatma Gandhi as the moral leader and executive of the Indian independence movement He also supported Nehru’s rise as the first Prime Minister of independent India In 1928, he founded the India League as a lobbying group in the

with the India League, and some were also engaged with the Indian Journalists Association

Back in 1962-63, Pandit Nehru had expressed his desire at a London event for a statue of Mahatma Gandhi to be placed in Central London, where Gandhiji had qualified as a lawyer and participated in public activities They approached several councils, but without success However, thanks to Krishna Menon's influence, Camden Council became more cooperative At just 31 years old, and through the encouragement of Dr Basu and others, I joined a discussion involving Camden Council, the

India League and the India House Soon after, the London Borough of Camden provided a prime location near Russell Square, at Tavistock Square Garden, for Gandhiji’s statue The India League was responsible for raising funds, while India House became a partner in the agreement, committing to host two annual events every year, on Gandhiji’s birthday (2 October) and on his Nirvan Day (30 January), as well as maintaining the statue This significant statue was unveiled by Prime Minister Harold Wilson in 1968

Every year ceremonies were held in the presence of the Indian High Commissioner, the Mayor of Camden, and the Chairman of the India League I was privileged, to be the Chairman of the India League for 10 years, to attend these events until 2020-21 However, on 30 January 2024, I noticed that Camden Borough Council was not involved Typically, the Mayor or Deputy Mayor of Camden Council participates in this ceremony There might have been a notable reason for their absence I kindly request that the High Commissioner to ensure that the ceremonies on 2 October and 30 January continue to be conducted in the presence of the Indian High Commissioner, Mayor of Camden and India League, so that we can uphold and continue this important legacy

V K Krishna Menon (L) with US President Richard M Nixon (R)

CB Patel offering floral tribute to Mahatma Gandhi s statue, Tavistock Square Gardens

L-R: Kusoom Vadgama (Author historian and co-founder of Indo-British Heritage Trust) Dr Tarapada Basu, Dr Shalvankar, Trevor Turner (standing)

Starmer’s NHS reform agenda in the spotlight

Starmer announced he is ready to implement “controversial” measures to address the NHS and public health issues in England

Speaking at the King’s Fund, Starmer emphasised his commitment to “major surgery, not sticking plasters” for the NHS, and vowed to adopt “much bolder” strategies to prevent illness

He declared that the NHS must “reform or die” and warned that the necessary changes would take a decade to implement “We need the courage to pursue longterm reform major surgery, not sticking plasters We must confront the challenges of an ageing society and a growing burden of disease,” he stated

The Darzi report revealed that years of neglect had left the NHS “in critical condition,” struggling to meet the rising demand from an ageing and increasingly ill population It highlighted that A&E departments were in “ an awful state,” with long waits potentially contributing to 14,000 extra deaths annually I ncrea sed dem and and ongoi ng recrui tm ent problem s

Speaking about the immediate changes should be prioritised to ensure timely patient care and prevent such tragedies, Dr Shriti Pattani OB E, an accredited specialist in Occupational Medicine, said, “I have been a doctor in the NHS for 33 years I do not work in A&E so it is difficult for me to comment as I have not experienced the current climate The challenges faced by A&E vary nationally depending on local populations needs and population density However, the core issues around higher patient demand, combined with difficulty in recruitment of adequately trained staff remains a problem countrywide

“In terms of one immediate change, I would like to share my experience of working with A&E during Covid in 2024 Staff in A&E who would normally have different shift patterns were rotated together on the same shift pattern which fostered good team work, psychological safety and this boosted morale at a very difficult time We know that improved staff morale leads to reduced sickness absence, improved patient care and better clinical outcomes,” she

added

Shriti underscored that whilst more staffing is important, we need trained staff who feel valued and supported to encourage them to continue giving service to the NHS She said, “Resource allocation is a constant dilemma in the NHS as there are competing needs and often resources are used for ‘fire fighting’ because of the pace and demand of the work In my national role I look forward to working with the current government to help address staffing challenges including sickness absence, retention and increase in mental health among staff ”

Dr Prabhu Ra jendran, a Consultant Paediatrician and RCPCH Ambassador said, “It is refreshing to hear the PM reaffirming that the NHS is still the right model and also the honest acknowledgement of the current state of the NHS Major change to rebuild our NHS requires positive energy I can see the intent and the desire to help drive reform and improvement But this can't be achieved without addressing the root cause of understaffing ”

“Demand for NHS services is growing faster than the workforce, and we have not been able to recruit or retain staff The NHS should intensify its recruitment efforts by collaborations using their global health partnership Let us use this reorganisation to reset the system in the right way, ” he added ‘I w aited over 14 hours i n the A &E’

Speaking about the long waiting times in the NHS, especially in accident and emergency, M rs Kalapan Purohi t stated that, “I waited over 14 hours in the Accident and Emergency department due to my asthma and breathing issues The extended wait was incredibly challenging, and the lengthy delay in receiving care was difficult to endure One time, during my long wait, I was

eventually called for a blood test The nurse informed me I would need to wait for an hour after the test My daughter, concerned about the delay, inquired about my situation and noted that I had been waiting for an unusually long time Kalapan emphasised that elderly individuals should receive priority in emergency departments because they often struggle with long waits She said, “Many cannot sit for extended periods and may need assistance for basic needs like using the bathroom While it's important to attend to all patients, giving priority to the elderly can ensure they receive the care they need more promptly and with greater consideration for their limitations ”

Amri ta Bala chandran* whose husband recently went to A&E with a broken toe, described their frustrating experience She said, “We initially went to A&E where an X-ray of my husband’s toe showed no fracture However, as an athlete, he frequently visits a private physiotherapy clinic They felt something was wrong and referred him for a private MRI scan, costing us £300, which revealed a fractured of the sesamoid bone So we took the scan results to the GP, who said that referral to the fracture clinic would take 3 to 4 weeks Then he advised me to return to A&E for a quicker visit to an orthopaedic doctor

“At A&E, we waited almost for six hours on a Monday night, only to have nurses, rather than an orthopaedic doctor, examine him The nurses initially tried to rush us and dismiss his case After some persuasion, she agreed to refer my husband to the fracture clinic, but only for a virtual appointment a suggestion we found inadequate for a fractured foot Given the uncertainty, went decided to see an orthopaedic doctor privately We paid another £300 for that appointment, another £180 for a specialist boot and received care instructions Meanwhile, the NHS fracture clinic promised to call to check on the broken toe ‘virtually’ and warned that if we missed the call, they would discharge my husband from the clinic But eventually after much persuasion they have now sent an in-person appointment after 2 weeks We sincerely hope they don’t cancel it at the last minute ” * Name changed to protect anonymity

Conference season showdown for a changed Britain

In his speech at the Liberal Democrat conference, Ed Davey urged the government to “act faster and be much bo lder” in tac kling th e UK’ s crises He pledged that his party would counter the “pessimism and defeatism” he attributes to Keir Starmer, with a particular focus on urgent reforms in the NHS and social care

Davey criticised what he described as a shortsighted Treasury approach to investment and vowed to adopt a more constructive stance

Addressing a packed hall in Brighton, Davey celebrated his party’s substantial gains in the general election, where

their number of MPs surged from 15 to 72 He expressed his goal of winning more Conservative-held seats and “consigning the Conservative party to the history books ” Looking ahead, the Labour Party Conference will be held in Liverpool from September 22-25, followed by the Conservative Party Conference in Birmingham from September 29 to October 2 With a new Labour government and the Tories grappling with a leadership contest, this year ’ s conferences signal a fresh chapter in British politics

The UK-India relationship is likely to be a

major topic at the Labour conference, focusing on the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) and the opportunity to refresh and strengthen ties with the emerging economic powerhouse

The Conservative Party, reeling from its historic defeat, is experiencing a notable dip in enthusiasm for its conference

Organisers are reportedly struggling with event planning, pushing back deadlines, and chasing reluctant speakers for fringe events

Additionally, the absence of a dedicated streaming platform for fringe events this year has been interpreted by some as a sign of diminished interest

Dr Shriti Pattani OBE

Ed Davey Keir Starmer

Rishi Sunak

Tribute to Lord Basaveshwara statue by former Chief Minister of Karnataka and Member of Parliament

Basav araj Bom mai, fo rm er

C hief M inister of Karnataka

an d cu r ren t M

be

f Parliament, p aid tribute to th

Bas

m ent in Lo nd on H

ac c o m p an i ed by

A

D

y Mayor of Londo n The event was organised

in collaboration with Basava

S

Kingdom Notable participation came from Kannada Balaga, Kannadigaru UK and Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan

Dr Neeraj Patil, former M

Borough of Lambeth, along with Basava Samithi officials

Indian and Kannada com-

munities

presented a formal letter of

Chief Minister of Karnataka, requesting him to deliver it

Minister of India The invitation calls upon the Prime Minister to revisit the statue in celebration of the tenth anniversary of this historic monument

by Prime Minister

significant as the first statue unveiled by an Indian Prime Minister in the UK It is also one of the few conceptual

British Cabinet under the UK Statutes Act of 1854

Rahul Gandhi, Leader of the Opposition, had previ-

on 5th March 2023

Amir Khan to receive Philanthropy award at the Asian Achievers Awards

T w o -t im e w o rld b o xi ng

ch amp ion and hum anitarian

A mir Khan will be honoured

w ith the prestigious Special

A w ard fo r Ph ilanth ro py at th is year ’ s A sian A chi ev ers

A ward s, reco gnising his out-

s ta nd i n g c o n tri bu t io n s to

c h a ri tab le c a us e s an d h i s

c o m m i t m en t t o u p li f ti ng com munities in th e UK and aro und the world

As one of the most iconic British-Asian athletes, Amir Khan has consistently used

h i s p l a t f o r m t o c h a m p i o n causes close to his heart His Amir Khan Foundation has l e d n u m e r o u s i n i t i a t i v e s , including providing aid to

d i s a s t e r - s t r i c k e n r e g i o n s , supporting underprivileged

c o m m u n i t i e s , a n d r a i s i n g awareness of child poverty,

h e a l t h a c c e s s , a n d m e n t a l

h e a l t h i s s u e s H e w i l l b e r e c o g n i s e d f o r h i s t i r e l e s s efforts to give back to society, particularly through his w o r k v i a t h e A m i r K h a n

F o u n d a t i o n i n e m e r g e n c y response and development projects in the UK and globally Amir Khan, speaking on the honour, said: "It’s a privilege to be recognised for the work I’ve always felt deeply passionate about The real champions are those working every day to improve the lives of others, and I’m proud to play my part in that This award is recognition for all those who have supported my foundation in the last decade and the brilliant team who work tirelessly on the ground " T h e A s i a n A c h i e v e r s

Awards have long celebrated

o improving lives through his

personal involvement in var-

, embodies the values of this esteemed award

o

Pratik Dattani, Director

Awards, commented: "Amir Khan is a true role model, not just for his achievements in sport but for the way he

serving those in need His

borders, and his efforts to

e t o c o m m u n i t i e s w o r l d w i d e make him a deserving recipient of this award " The event promises to be a night of celebration, honouring Amir Khan and other exceptional individuals who have significantly impacted society in various fields

Niraj Sutaria honoured with Brent's Community Leadership Award

O n F r id ay, 1 3 S ep t em b

F

C entre in Wembley

While he was unable to attend the ceremony, Niraj, a prominent figure in the Jain

dedicated the award to the entire community,

and their two daugh-

A celebration of devotion and unity

where friends and neighbours joined in the rituals

people of all ages, fostering a sense of togetherness and connection that echoed the spirit of Ganesh Chaturthi

Final Ganesh Chaturthi for Kingsbury family

F or the p ast 1 8 years, the A m i n f am i ly i n Ki ng s bu ry has been celebrating Ganesh C haturthi with deep d ev otion This year ’ s celebration, how ev er, carries extra significance it will be the family’s f ina l p u bl ic o bs erv anc e o f the festival, ending a trad ition started by the m atriarch, Hiraba, nearly two d ecades ago What began as a small, intimate family prayer has since evolved into a grand annual event, drawing not only relatives but also members of the local Indian community Over the years, the Amin household became a f o c a l p o i n t f o r m a n y i n

K

G a n e s h C h

t h i c e l e b r ation grew larger, welcoming people from different walks of life to join in the prayers

and partake in the communal spirit

The day of the festival is a l w a y s m a r k e d w i t h a detailed puja (prayer cerem o n y ) w h e r e m a n t r a s a r e chanted with great fervour,

followed by the offering of prasad This year was no different The devotion of the f a m i l y w a s p a l p a b l e a s Rashmiben led the rituals, creating an atmosphere filled with faith and reverence

The event saw about 125 attendees, each taking part i n t h e f e s t i v i t i e s , e n j o y i n g the prasad, and reflecting on the legacy of the Amin family’s celebrations For many, t h i s m a r k s t h e e n d o f a b e l o v e d c h a p t e r i n t h e Kingsbury community’s cultural life

T h e f a m i l y h e l d a n immersion ceremony like no other as they travelled to the B r i g h t o n s e a s i d e i n a 9 4seater double-decker coach for the symbolic immersion of their Ganesh idol, followi n g a p p r o v a l f r o m l o c a l authorities

Lohana community to host Diabetic Screening Camp

On Su nday, 22nd Sep tember 2 02 4 , th e Lo h an a Community No rth London (LCNL) will h old a Diabetic S c r ee ni n g C am p at t h e Dh amecha Lohana Centre in K a nt ar i a H al l , S o u th Harro w The camp will feature a series of informative lectures from 11 AM to 12 PM, pre-

sented by healthcare professionals including Dr Mitesh K a k a d , K a

T h a k r a r , and Sujata Din The session will be moderated by Prof B h i k K o t e c h a a n d D r Jitendra Kakad Participants will gain valuable insights into diabetes management, prevention, and the significance of early detection

Following the lectures, a

u n d e r g o screening from 12:15 PM to 2 PM The screenings aim to identify high-risk individuals and encourage proactive health measures, as catching diabetes early can prevent s e r i o u s h e a l t h c o m p l i c ations

Leicester East MP urges to reinstate cancelled Diwali event

Leicester East M P S hivani Raja has urg ed

Mayor Sir Peter Sou lsby to rev erse th e cancellation of this year ’ s Diwali lig ht switchon She met with the mayor, requesting a reconsideration of the event, a key part of Leicester’s annual Diwali celebrations The cancellation, due to Leicester City Council’s financial struggles, will save £250,000, with festivities now focused solely on Diwali Day, October 31 I n a l e t t e r c o - s i g n e d b y f e l l o w

community without regard for time, l

Conservative MPs Peter Bedford and Neil O’Brien, Raja emphasized Diwali’s cultural and economic importance, claiming it generates £3 5 million for the city The MPs also questioned Sir Peter’s understanding of the event’s costs, which he dismissed, describing h i s m e e t i n g w i t h R a j a a s “ b i z a r r e ” a n d defending his knowledge of the financial sit-

Basavaraj Bommai, Dr Patil, Rajesh Agrawal and others in front of the statue

Amir Khan

Shivani Raja

Asian Voice – The voice that connects us

As we recently celebrated the 78th Independence Day, Asian Voice and Gujarat Samachar take pride in having served the British Asian Community through our publishing activities for over 52 years We are truly fortunate to receive your ongoing love and support Over the decades, Asian Voice and Gujarat Samachar have evolved and progressed, thanks to the invaluable contributions of readers, supporters, and well-wishers like you

As a token of our appreciation, we are excited to offer a special service for our subscribers You are invited to send us a brief text (50 words) and a photograph celebrating your family s special occasions such as births, weddings, marriages, or your child’s achievements and we will publish it at no cost Likewise, you may also submit a short obituary note for a loved one who has passed away, along with a photograph Please send your write-up and photograph to pooja raval@abplgroup com

If you or your organisation, be it a community group or charity, have any reports or photographs from recent or upcoming events, feedback or expectations regarding our content, write to us at: aveditorial@abplgroup com For any other queries, feel free to call us at 020 7749 4080

- Pooja Raval, Business Development Manager

Successful training sessions for Gujarati teachers organised by the Gujarati Shikshan Sangh

Under the initiative of the Gujarati Shikshan Sangh (Consortium of Gujarati Schools), training sessions for Gujarati teachers were organised in London at the Sanatan Mandir Hall, Wembley, on 21 July, and at the Jalaram Community Centre in Leicester on 08 September

These sessions were highly successful,

positive feedback

During these training sessions, the initial focus was on improving the effectiveness of Gujarati education and methods for assessing students' progress The later portion emphasised evaluating students' "Gujarati speaking skills" and explored techniques to enhance their fluency and overall proficiency in the language

In London, around 35-36 trainee teachers were trained under the leadership of Mr Jayantibhai Tanna, Chair of the Gujarati Shikshan Sangh Assisting him as supporting teachers were Vijayaben Bhanderi, Rekhaben Patel, and Ritaben Kaamdar, who offered their services In Leicester, a total of 29 Gujarati teachers from both Leicester and Bolton participated In Leicester, Vice-Chair Shobhaben Joshi played a significant role

under the leadership of Chair Jayantibhai Tanna

The evaluation of these training sessions was carried out using scientific methods This included an examination of their positive outcomes as well as a discussion of potential improvements for future sessions

Upcoming sessions for A-level education are scheduled from October 2024 to April 2025 F o r t h e u p c o m i n g A - l e v e l G u j a r a

course, training sessions for teachers are scheduled from 18 October 2024 to 04 April 2025, comprising 12 support sessions The zoom presentation for these sessions will be conducted by Vice-Chair Shobhaben Joshi Gujarati teachers interested in this course must apply by 22 September

For more d etails, contact: Jayantibhai T anna (Ch air), email: jtanna@aol com M:07711 372 853

Vijayaben Bhanderi (S ecretary) , email: vijya bhanderi@yahoo co uk

Sh obh aben Joshi (Vice-Chair), email: shobha2424@gmail com M: 07985 281 511

91st Janma Jayanti of Guruhari Mahant Swami Maharaj to be celebrated

On S aturday, 28

S eptember 2024, the B APS Shri

S waminar ayan Mandir

i n Lo ndo n will host the 9 1st Janma J ayanti C elebr atio ns o f Guruhari

M ahant S wami Maharaj

This event marks the birth anniversary of a revered figure known for his selfless service, unwavering faith, and divine love The celebrations will feature an enlightening musical and poetic tribute to honor his legacy

To accommodate as

many devotees as possible, the celebrations will be held twice throughout the day This event promises to be a significant

Shri Ashokpuri Goswami’s ‘Wajeh’ collection released

On Wed nesday, 1 4th A ugu st 2024 , in London, th e ghazal c o ll ec ti o n " W aj eh

and

ter Sh ri Ashokpuri Gosw ami was unveiled

The event, organized and hosted by local writer Bharati Pankaj Vora, marked a signif-

Gujarati literary

"Gujarat Samachar," alongside Shri Vipul

Akademi

gathering for the community, reflecting the profound impact of Mahant Swami Maharaj's teachings and dedication

Shri Ashokpuri Goswami, a nationally recognized poet with five awards from the Gujarat Sahitya Akademi, has been honoured by various literary organizations and has represented Gujarat at national conferences His participation in this London event was recorded in the Book of World Records Upon learning of Shri Ashokpuri Goswami's

Vora organized the launch,

erary achievements Shri C B Patel and Shri Vipul Kalyani

from his journey from India to England, while Shri Vipul Kalyani engaged in a literary discussion with the poet, reminiscing about past poetry readings and

recitations of

and

ghazals Copies of "Wajeh" were gifted to all attendees by the Ashokpuri Goswami The event concluded with a group photo session and heartfelt expressions of gratitude from the poet

Teachers Training Session in Wembley

Teachers Training Session in Leicester

L-R Bharati Vora, CB Patel, Ashokpuri Goswami and Vipul Kalyani

GPay introduction to India

I am writing to express my gratitude and admiration for the introduction of Google Pay (GPay) in India on September 18, 2017 Since then, this incredible digital wallet has transformed the lives of millions of common citizens in our nation GPay has not only made transactions fast and secure but also promoted financial inclusion for the underprivileged

The user-friendly interface, seamless integration with various banks, and the convenience of using UPI have made it an essential tool for daily transactions The simplicity of scanning a QR code or sending money through a phone number has reduced the need for physical cash, enabling a more sanitary and efficient payment system

Furthermore, the platform's partnerships with merchants and service providers have fostered a cashless economy, empowering small businesses to grow With GPay, India has taken a significant step towards a digital future, where financial freedom and inclusion are the norms

The introduction of Google Pay in India has been a game-changer, positively impacting the lives of countless individuals and businesses Let us continue to embrace such innovations and work towards a brighter, more inclusive future

TS K arthik

Growing cybercrime threat and Its impact on vulnerable groups

Cybercrime is at an all-time high, and despite our efforts to safeguard personal data, it often still falls into the hands of

aspects of daily life, this serves as a strong reminder of our vulnerability to attacks on critical infrastructure

A particularly troubling aspect is the increasing involvement of young individuals, including teenagers, in cybercrime, driven either by the lure of quick money or other motivations This misuse of technology not only harms large organisations but also poses a serious threat to vulnerable individuals, particularly the elderly Many older people, unfamiliar with modern technology, often fall victim to scams and online fraud, leaving them financially and emotionally devastated

While technology has undoubtedly enhanced our lives, it has also introduced significant risks Our personal information is now more exposed than ever, and the ease of digital transactions brings serious security concerns

As cyber threats continue to evolve, it is crucial that we confront these challenges and take steps to protect both our privacy and the most vulnerable members of society

Sneha Vasani

Microplastic found in human brain

The recent discovery of microplastics in the human brain, as revealed by the team at São Paulo University, is both alarming and raises serious concerns about the long-term impact of plastic pollution on human health The fact that these tiny plastic particles, previously detected in other parts of the body, have now been found in such a critical and sensitive area as the brain is deeply unsettling

With the global rise in neurodegenerative diseases, it’s h a r d n o t t o w o n d e r i f o u r i n c r e a s i n g e x p o s u r e t o microplastics is playing a role As we gain more insight into how these particles affect our bodies, it becomes crucial to enforce stricter regulations on plastic production and pollution While plastic offers convenience, it’s turning into a silent yet significant threat to both living beings and our environment If this pollution isn't curbed soon, we may even face the risk of a new global health crisis

It’s up to all of us to take action, reducing plastic use in our daily lives wherever possible, to build a greener, safer, and healthier world

Fatima Raja

Stand against harassment

Recent research revealing that globally 52% of female doctors have faced sexual harassment by patients is deeply disturbing Over half of female doctors report experiencing such harassment, with similar issues affecting their male counterparts at around 45% Nursing staff are also subjected to these distressing experiences

Doctors are often revered as next to gods due to their critical role in our lives Yet, the brutal reality of sexual harassment and even physical attacks from patients and their families starkly contrasts with this respect Such behaviour not only undermines the dignity of medical professionals but also threatens their safety and well-being Healthcare staff work tirelessly and selflessly around the clock, including during disease outbreaks such as the recent Covid-19 pandemic

Immediate and decisive action is essential It is our collective responsibility to safeguard the dignity and safety of those who dedicate their lives to caring for others We must work together to create a safer, more respectful environment for all healthcare professionals, ensuring that their vital contributions are met with the respect and protection they rightfully deserve Dev Varma

Soneri Sangat

Last week on the Soneri Sangat zoom program, we were thrilled to feature a truly exceptional guest speaker, Dr Gautam Bodiwala CBE, a pioneering British Indian in the field of Emergency Medicine

Dr Bodiwala's contributions to Emergency Medicine are truly remarkable His influence extends worldwide, having advised numerous countries on establishing their emergency medical services Dr Bodiwala has been honored with over 25 awards, including four lifetime achievement awards and honorary doctorates (DSc) from the University of Leicester and De Montfort University In 2000, he was

Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) During the program, we had the privilege of hearing about his remarkable journey and some of the untold stories from his life

For those who missed it, catch up on this event and previous episodes b y visitin g our YouTube channel @abplgroup87 72

Stay tuned for more exciting content comin g your way!

Majid Freeman jailed for 22 weeks

Two d ecadesago, inspired and led by Osam a bin L aden, Islamists o rchestrated th e bigg est attack on America since WW2

I remember that day very well I had in fact just arrived back from New York the previous night And yes, as it happens, I was actually at the twin towers the day before the attack, for a business meeting Whilst I escapedeither by sheer luck or destiny, thousands of others unfortunately paid a very heavy price for the madness that was unleashed by the terrorists

It sent shockwaves at the very centre of American establishment as well as right through every western nation Osama bin Laden showed that there was no nation or target that was off the table Millions have died since by the actions of the west against Islamic terrorism right across the Middle East What started in 2001 has manifested itself into countless wars against the ‘axis of evil’

One would have thought that given the magnitude of everything that had happened, that the west would have the commonsense not to fall for the lies of the radicals, the Islamists and the terrorists Yet two decades on the only conclusion one can come to is that maybe these terrorists are now having the last laugh

It seems in these two decades they have managed to change the narrative in their favour to such an extent that most western nations now bend over backwards to appease to their whims Most major political, educational, and social institutions in many western nations appear to be infiltrated by appeasers of Islamists

In America thousands came out on the streets to support the madness of Palestinian Hamas forgetting that this same ideology brought them 9/11 Two decades on it seems the new generation have forgotten their own history Of course we can this for all western nations We witness on a regular basis hate marchers who come out in forcesomewhere in Europe Some people are so taken in by the narrative of the Islamists that they have lost allcommonsense perspectives

Free ma n, ha s bee n sent enced t o 22 weeks in prison Free ma n was convicted of a Section 4 p

c o rd er offe nce for his

during the unrest

Mehtaat handed down the sen-

Northampton Magistrates Court, highlighting Freeman's intent to provoke immediate unlawful violence through abusive language

Freeman has a history of anti-Hindu rhetoric, particularly during the 2022 Leicester unrest, which was triggered by a cricket match between India and Pakistan He was an outspok

Independent MP for Leicester South who defeated Labour’s Jonathan Ashworth, a prominent figure in Keir Starmer’s shadow cabinet Ashworth had served as MP for Leicester South for 13 years before the unexpected defeat Freeman was charged in July last year with inciting terrorism and supporting the proscribed terrorist organisation Hamas

What the UK Government can Learn from India Right Now

Continued from page 3 Potential Drawbacks and C onsiderations

While the Jugaad approach offers significant potential, it is not without its risks The emphasis on short-term, lowcost fixes can sometimes sacrifice long-term stability and robustness In India, while Jugaad has helped solve immediate problems, some solutions have proven unsustainable when scaled Therefore, the UK must balance the nimble, frugal nature of Jugaad with the need for systemic solutions that address the root causes of its economic challenges

Nonetheless, in a post-Brexit, post-COVID world, where fiscal prudence is increasingly necessary, a Jugaad-inspired strategy could offer a lifeline By focusing on innovation, community engagement, and frugality, Britain might find more humane and effective solutions to its pressing challenges than by simply pouring money into bureaucratic systems that often fail to deliver

In conclusion, the UK's complex and multifaceted challenges cannot be solved by a one-size-fits-all approach Embracing the Indian concept of Jugaad using creativity and resourcefulness to solve problems without throwing excessive money at them could be a powerful way forward As both countries continue to strengthen ties, perhaps it is time for the UK to take a page from India’s playbook

You have to commend the Islamists for their command of a narrative where they remain victims whilst committingthe crimes Billions of Dollars has underpinned this narrative They have literally bought off the news media and many of the leading influencers, columnists, celebrities, politicians, political parties, universities, lobbyists, and even high-level people in the justice system

The nature of western societies is on the cusp of permanent change A change that I fear will disenfranchise many of their own citizens Can this carry on?

In my view it cannot carry on It’s now only a matter of time before we see unprecedented civil unrest We have seen glimpses of this already, but there will come a time when it erupts into something that will be difficult to control I would not be too surprised if we see our armed forces having to come out on the streets to maintain law and order And this my friends will happen in every western democracy, sooner or later

For the UK, our Prime Minister has a huge mandate He can literally do what he wants, and no one will be able to stop him He has the power to reset our civic society such that the extremists and the radicals gain zero traction Will he use that power wisely? I fear he will not He has already shown a remarkable talent for saying one thing and then doing something totally different I am aware that within the Labour Party, MPs, Councillors and ordinary members are being enticed to not just accept a warped definition of Islamophobia, but to enshrine that in law Should this happen, we can kiss away our democracy and it will be the end of Great Britain as we know it

Just this week we finally got a court ruling that Majid Freeman will spend 22 weeks in prison over a public order incident during the riots that took place in Leicester in September 2022 Do remember, Hindus in Leicester were attacked by Islamists The British media and Labour politicians all made the Hindus to be the villains, and the Islamists the victims Even the police failed in their duty towards the Hindu community at that time This time however the Hindu community rose up and said enough is enough It responded and made it abundantly clear as to who were the attackers, and who were the victims Majid Freeman was made out to be an ‘activist’, a ‘ campaigner’ and a ‘humanitarian worker’ by the media This false narrative is now laid to bare as he does time behind bars

My message to Keir Starmer, the Labour Party conference is with us shortly Use that majority to rid your party of extremists and reset it so it becomes a party for the nation It’s time to hear the cry of the masses that is so often subdued by the din of the hate marchers

Two decades on, what have we learnt? At your peril you ignore the silent majority

Kapil Dudakia

Majid Freeman

BCU unveils project on 40 years of British Bhangra heritage

Subhasini Naicker

B i rm i ng h am ’ s ro le as th e

b i rth p l ac e o f Br i ti sh

B h an g ra m u si c i s b ei ng

h ighlighted throu gh a new

c o ll ab o rat i o n w i th Birmingham City U niv ersity ( BCU ) The univ ersi ty h as

p artnered with South A sian p opular culture experts to ch art 4 0 years of Bhang ra

h e ri ta g e, fr o m i t s 1 9 7 0 s roots to current trends The

p r o j ec t is led b y M r

Narinder Singh Winnie and D r R aj i nd e r Du d rah ,

P r o fe ss o r o f C u ltu r al

S t u d i es an d th e C rea ti v e Industries at BC U

I n a n i n t e r v i e w w i t h

Asian Voice, Dr Dudrah discusses the project, the histor y o f B h a n g r a i n Birmingham, and more Birmingham has long been reco gnised as the birthplace o f British Bhangra music In your opinion, what makes Birmingham such an integ ral part of Bh angra ’ s history in th e U K?

P o s t - w a r B i r m i n g h a m became a key relocation hub

f o r m i g r a n t s f r o m t h e Indian subcontinent, particu l a r l y f r o m t h e P u n j a b region of India and Pakistan

During the 1950s and 60s, as Birmingham thrived as an industrial hub, young men migrated for work opportu-

n i t i e s , h e l p i n g t o r e b u i l d

post-war Britain Many later brought their families, set-

t l i n g i n B i r m i n g h a m a n d

s u r r o u n d i n g a r e a s A l o n g w i t h t h e m c a m e c u l t u r a l i n f l u e n c e s l i k e B h a n g r a music and Bollywood films Birmingham became a cultural centre, where the stor i e s a n d m u s i c o f P u n j a b

m e r g e d w i t h n e w e x p e r i -

e n c e s , f o s t e r i n g a v i b r a n t Bhangra music industry that continues to thrive today C an you tell us more about this exciting new collabo ration with Birm ing ham C ity U niv ersity?

This project is a collaboration between myself and Mr Narinder Singh Winnie, a key figure in the developm e n t o f B h a n g r a i n

B i r m i n g h a m a n d t h e s u r -

r o u n d i n g B l a c k C o u n t r y region Narinder has played a significant role in teaching Bhangra dance and music and leading the renowned M e g a B a n d f r o m W o l v e r h a m p t o n W e a r e organising a series of workshops and a public symposium to explore and document the archives and personal stories of Bhangra pion e e r s A s m a n y o f t h e s e influential figures are now in their 60s and 70s, we aim to preserve their contributions through a multimedia w e b s i t e a

g h t t h e i r impact on the British Asian music scene and educate a n e w g e n e r a t i o n o f m u s i c enthusiasts about the rich history of British Bhangra

A s so meo ne lead ing this coll ab o rat io n , w h at in s p ir ed you to take on this role, and w hat personal significance d oes this project hold for you?

As a teenager in the 80s, I was deeply immersed in Bhangra music, organising

B h a n g r a d i s c o s a n d c e l ebrating my British Punjabi h e r i t a g e a l o n g s i d e B r i t i s h pop and Bollywood music

M y p a s s i o n f o r B h a n g r a extended into my academic career, where I focused on documenting and preserving our cultural stories and contributions Bhangra’s influence has grown globally, exemplified by artists like Diljit Dosanjh, w h o b r i d g e s t r a d i t i o n a l Punjabi music with international styles The foundat i o n s l a i d b y

accepting

Ed Sheeran drops in for a ‘Perfect’ surprise with Arijit Singh

revealed that Lady Starmer

r

clothes and personal shopping from Lord Alli When questioned about

Bhangra scene in the 70s, 80s, and 90s have paved the way for today's global recog-

This legacy continues to

Asians, as well as Punjabi m

rooted in traditional harvest

remain a central part of both cultural festivals and British popular culture Whether at local events like the Lord M

Bhangra is a vibrant representation of British Asian identity and a key element of multicultural Britain

W h at i s yo u

o ng - te rm v isio n for the Birmingham C ity U niv ersity and British B h ang ra l eg a cy co l lab o ration, and h ow m ight it influence futu re cultural stu dies and music programmes in the U K?

We are optimistic about s

successful track record in

a n d British Bhangra projects My r

university profile, has historically attracted funding and supported collaborative, c

This ongoing project aims to enhance university curricula and provide resources for e d u c

globally, particularly in pop-

studies

Our goal is to legitimise and explore these cultural forms, demonstrating their significance in shaping cultural identities and migration narratives By creating accessible resources through o u r w e b s i t e , w e h o p e t o enrich both academic study and public understanding of the British Bhangra industry and its impact As the project develops, it will offer new opportunities for collaboration and growth within the field

Starmers with accommodation valued at over £20,000 during the election

declare gifts and donations to parliamentary authorities within 28 days They must disclose any interests that could reasonably be seen as influencing their actions

these declarations published in the Register of Members’ Financial Interests

include the gifts received by Lady Starmer, which were believed to have been given

assumed office at Downing Street, after initially misun-

Anusha Singh E d Sheeran's collaborations with I ndi an artists continue to soar Aft er pe rformi ng

M um bai ea rlier thi s year, the "Perfect" singer made a surprise appearance at Arijit Singh's concert in London on Septemb er 15 The two m us i c al i c on s s h ar ed t he stage, delivering a powerful duet of Sheeran's hi t s ong * Perfec t* , lea vin g f ans i n awe

Arijit expressed his gratitude on Instagram, thanking Sheeran for adding his "perfect" touch to the show

" L o n d o n , t h

n k y o u f o r showing up in such a magnificent way last night Love and Gratitude Thank you @ t e d d

wrote, sharing photos from the event

The surprise collaborat

o n s

c i a l m e d i a , w i t h f a n s flooding platforms like X with videos and reactions

O n e f a n s h a r e d , " A r i j i t S i n g h a n d E d S h

deflected the asteroid and s a v e d E a r t h ! A n

w r o t e , A r i j i t S i n g h m a y have just sung Perfect better than Ed himself!"

Suranjan Som has never

missed an Arijit Singh concert when the singer performs in London He told A s i a n V o i c e t h a t h e w a s very surprise as Ed Sheeran stepped on the stage and the two singers jammed to ‘Perfect’ “The crowd at the O2 Arena 16,000 strong had sold out the event within three hours of ticket sales opening, mainly to see Arijit and when Ed Sheeran made a surprise appearance for o n e s o n g , i t w a s a h u g e shock for the audience”, he said, He further added, “The audience was a mix of first, second, and even third-gene r a t i o n I n d i a n s , m a n y o f whom grew up in the UK and are fans of both Arijit and Ed Sheeran To see one o f t h e i r W e s t e r n m u s i c idols perform alongside one of their Indian heroes was a brilliant move by the promoters and a pleasant surprise for everyone ” With both Arijit and Ed S h e e r a n o n s t a g e , w h a t stood out to Suranjan was t h e i r m u t u a l r e s p e c t f o r each other He said, “Arijit

has mentioned that he's a fan of Ed Sheeran, and it was clear that Ed Sheeran, s e e i n g t h e l o v e A r i j i t received from the crowd, gained a sense of who Arijit is and the impact he has on his fans

“ I t w a s a m e m o r a b l e p e r f o r m a n c e , a n d t h e chemistry between the two artists was truly a highlight of the night " Gaurav Bhatia, another

attendee also sings praise of the mutual respect between the two artists “When Ed Sheeran joined him, Arijit w a s v e r y r e s p e c t f u l , a n d their interaction reflected m u t u a l a d m i r a t i o n ” , h e

s a i d A b o u t t h e o v e r a l l experience of the concert, h e f u r t h e r s a i d , “ W h a t stood out was how he sang each song exactly as it was recorded, yet infused it with his own energy, making it even more powerful

“He kept the crowd capt i v a t e d f o r n e a r l y t h r e e hours, showing visible energy throughout I was lucky to be right in front of the stage, and I noticed that he didn’t rely on any backing tracks he sang everything l i v e , w h i c h w a s t r u l y impressive Especially when h e p e r f o r m e d P e r f e c t alongside Ed Sheeran, the e n e r g y o f t h e a u d i e n c e soared to another level ”

Anushka Arora, was also present at the O2 to see the t w o a r t i s t

l a b o r a t i n g and shared, “The collaboration between Ed and Arijit was nothing short of fireworks It was a total surprise and in all honesty the harmonies the music, the energy in that arena was

there to witness this historic moment “ T w

h artists coming together to sing one song: perfect It was nothing short of PERFECT I hope they release their own version of this song or bring out some sort of musical collab very soon b e c a u s e w

never get over this!”

Another attendee, Aadil Siddiq ui who had a similar

night of melodious performances that left the audience in awe The highlight was Ed Sheeran

surprise

“The show was highly

Dr Rajinder Dudrah

Gaurav Bhatia

Suranjan Som

Anushka Arora

Aadil Siddiqui

Ed Sheeran and Arijit Singh

Lord Waheed Alli

“

W E A R E I N C R E D I B L Y W O

Asian Voice has spoken to the elderly in the community about their concerns, future and way forward

St ar mer ’ s £1 5bn winter fuel cut faces inter nal dissent

Prime Minister Keir Starmer narrowly avoided a major party

r e b e

£1 5bn cut in winter fuel payments for the elderly, as discont e n t e d l a w m

s c h o s e t o abstain rather than vote against the government

The vote was a crucial test of Starmer’s authority, coming just two months after his landslide election victory It also tested his commitment to advancing government spending cuts, which

finances

A f r e e d o m o f i n f o r m a t i o n response quietly published by the government showed that 4 6 million people who live alone will lose their winter fuel payments this year

Almost three million people aged 80 and above will lose it, as well as 7 3 million aged between 66 to 79

Documents also reveal that seven in 10 disabled pensioners will lose their winter fuel payments due to Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rachel Reeves' cuts,

f o l l o w i n g L a b

assessment

T h e a s s e s s m e n t c o n c l u d e s that couples are the most likely to be impacted, with men slightly more affected than women, as they are less likely to be on the lowest incomes

Rachel has claimed £4,400 of taxpayer cash towards her energy bills, has defended the winter fuel policy, which will be used to help plug a £22bn fiscal “black hole” in public finances But the

d e c i s i o n h a s c a u s e d c o n c e r n a m o n g a n u m b e r o f b a c kbenchers

More than 50 Labour MPs defied Sir Keir last week and refused to vote for the change PM Starmer has also received dozens of letters from council leaders calling for an about-turn

‘The sudden change has put lives at r isk’

Morgan Vine, Head of Policy and Influencing at Independent Age said, “It is not an overstatement to warn that, in its current form, this sudden change puts lives at risk Too many people on a low income now face an uncertain winter where their budgets are even more stretched and will be forced to make dangerous and stressful decisions While

w e u n d e r s t a n d t h a t t h e U K Government must make difficult decisions, this is too much, t o o s o o n W e u r g e t h e C h a n c e l l o r t o n o t m a k e t h i s change now, and instead ensure every older person has an adequate income to avoid financial hardship before removing the Winter Fuel Payment Any less risks serious consequences for older people in poverty ”

Zeenat Jeewa, CEO of Asian People’s Disability Alliance said, “APDA is very worried about the dire situation that many Asian o l d e r a n d d i s a b l e d p e o p l e already face and now will potentially further face if they do not meet the new eligibility criteria

for the winter fuel allowances from the UK Government This essential support at Winter to Pensioners is critical to ensuring older people can stay warm during these difficult times where everyone is facing financial constraints Again we will witness p e o p l e h a v i n g t o m a

choices about whether to eat or heat their homes We hope the g

y s

those most vulnerable in our society and communities ” Wint er F uel Payment is import ant for pensioner s 71-year-old Aftab Ahmad is a

Hamara Healthy Living Centre in Beeston, Leeds and is chair of the men ’ s elder group He said,

winter fuel payment is import

their lives easier and now the government is trying to take it away Means-testing it will defin i t e l y i n

n d damage people’s health I know I’m personally going to struggle m o r e w i t h o u t i t a n d s o w i l l other older people I know It’s already increasing older people’s stress and anxiety Since it was announced it’s been a hot topic at the Hamara centre, I’ve spoken to many older people and they’re worried about it ”

Couple Pr it pal Kaur (Hula Hoop Kaur) and Rajinder Singh MBE aka Skipping Sikh, who are

loved by all for their inspiration to keep fit and moving, especially during Covid-19, are pensioners They felt worried and upset when they first heard about the recent changes to the winter fuel allowance

Pritpal, who is suffering from cancer, said, “I felt very upset and sad as it means someone like me who has myeloma, a rare blood cancer, will miss out and that's just not fair I am vulnerab l e a n d i m m u n o c o m p r o m i s e d and I feel the cold easily and need the heating on all the time even in summer I feel really angry at the government and I wish I had never voted Labour ”

R R I E D ”

Speaking about the difficult choice the couple are going to make, Rajinder said, “We will have to cut back on food and even healthcare or little things

l i k e n o t

y much or the water We don't have a washing machine and use the launderette - so that's also another cost, we need to cut back on ”

during winter She added, "I'll have to rely on an electric blanket and hot water bottle, and probably avoid using my underfloor heating No one informs us about any help available, and it's going to be hard We are incredibly worried about the winter I feel so cold and just want to use my heating when I need it " Rajinder added, "I'll have to wear extra layers of clothing and cut down on heating It s going to be really tough for us "

80-year-old Shardaben Shah

tough situation of not being able to go out and are stuck at home

becomes unbearable, especially in winter Many have severe leg problems like me, and the cold

proper warmth and mobility, my quality of life will significantly decline, making it extremely difficult for me to manage daily tasks and stay comfortable Even if I manage to get out, if they cut the winter fuel allowance, the cold home will become unbearable If I can t go out due to the cold or can t afford to heat my home, it will be hard to manage daily tasks like cooking or shopping The situation will be dire without adequate support

“If I spend money on heating, I won't have enough left to pay for help, and vice versa If I can't afford to pay for cleaning services, I must manage on my own, and that’s challenging if it’s too cold There are times when help is necessary, especially if I can't do my own shopping or cleaning, but it doesn’t always come for free” she added

Rashmi Shah, 60 said “My

husband and I will need to make adjustments at home as we both feel the cold intensely Mr Shah, due to his disability and health issues, is particularly affected We avoid going out because of t h e s e c o n c e r n s , a n d t h e c o l d exacerbates our discomfort As a result, we’ll have to make some d i f f i c u l t c h o i c e s T o m a n a g e expenses, we are forced to find ways to cut costs, such as reducing spending on food, clothing, or heating ”

Many elderly individuals report increased loneliness

Kashm ira Jya who is 64 is dis-

a b l e d a n d w h e e l c h a i r b o u n d emphasised that elderly individuals often need assistance with both technical tasks and daily activities She highlighted that many seniors cannot manage on their own and rely on others for support

She said, “Many older people lack smartphones or digital skills, leaving them vulnerable to fraud and unable to manage online hospital appointments Many elderly people are often in the need support and connection However due to Covid-19, which forced many people to live in isolation also had drastic effect on the older people Since then, many elderly individua l s r e p o r t i n c r e a s e d l o n e l i n e s s , leading to poor mental health and self-care This has added pressure on hospitals, highlighting a broader crisis of loneliness

“I'm fortunate to have support f r o m m y f a m i l y , f r i e n d s , a n d APDA, where I've been involved for nearly 39 years However, many in the South Asian community, especially Punjabis and Pakistanis, struggle with loneliness and lang u a g e b

added

Rashmi emphasised loneliness stems from various reasons such as

not being able to go out or lack of company She said, “Social interactions are increasingly digital, and essential services like day centres a n d t r a n s p

k e Dial-a-Ride are being cut or poorly managed This leaves many feeling isolated, especially those who rely on public transport and communi-

loneliness due to the lack of inperson interactions More community support and accessible services are needed to address these challenges and improve social connections ”

“Given the rising costs, elderly people who are unable to go out might seek warmth in shopping m

However, this is problematic as it

after the lockdowns and Covid-19 restrictions Those with disabilities who cannot leave their homes face additional challenges To manage expenses, we need to explore altern

without compromising our health or well-being,” she added

Speaking about how financial pressures can be tough to stay con-

said, “Loneliness is a constant chall

can't go out Even staying connected by phone can be costly, with landline bills rising significantly Adding to that, expenses for TV, broadband, and heating are also increasing Many people struggle to afford basic utilities and entertainment because the costs keep climbing For instance, a landline bill can reach around £85 to £90, while mobile, TV, and broadband charges add up as well Balancing these expenses is tough, leaving people to choose between paying f o r e s s e n t i

enjoying entertainment

Seema Malhotra proposes compassionate visa reform

Fo reign nationals who are cop ing w ith the death of a p artner and exp eriencing financial difficulties will so on h av e the op tion to apply for a fee waiver o n their settlem ent application in th e U K, under new rules introdu ced in P arliament this w eek

Starting October 9, individuals who qualify for this waiver include partners on a family visa facing destitution, if their deceased partner was a British citizen, a holder of indefinite leave to remain in the UK and from the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, or Liechtenstein with pre-settled status

Currently, individuals applying for settlement in the UK after the death of a British citizen partner must pay a £2,885 fee, regardless of any financial changes resulting from their loss Migration and Citizenship Minister Seema Malhotra announced that this fee will now be waived to

Seema Malhotra

provide a "fairer and more compassionate approach" for those who wish to remain in the UK while dealing with significant financial strain during their grief

Malhotra stated: “Losing a loved one is an immense and profound pain, often made worse by the financial difficulties faced by those left behind ”

Aftab Ahmad

Rajinder Singh MBE and Pritpal Kaur

Kashmira Jya

Rashmi Shah with her husband Pradip Shah

Ritika Wadhwa’s journey of empowering change

Anusha Singh

R i ti ka Wa d h w a w as b o rn

i n to a tr ad i ti o na l In d i an

f am ily o v er 4 0 years ag o, w h ere w om en w ere o ften d iscouraged from pursuing careers, she defied the odd s and forged a path that transformed her life and inspired cou ntless others

F

o

Ritika’s father stood out as a

many in the community, he championed her aspirations and encouraged her to pursue her dreams He envi-

, expressing unwavering faith in her intelligence and capa-

y , h e r

f a t h e r p a s s e d a w a y i n a n accident when she was just

1 7 , l e a v i n g a p r o f o u n d impact on her life His belief in her potential instilled a lasting confidence that pro-

p e l l e d h e r f o r w a r d “ T h a t was one of the main reasons I kept pushing,” she recalled

R i t i k a ’ s d e t e r m i n a t i o n was further fuelled by her observations of the status of women in India She recog-

n i s e d t h a t f i n a n c i a l i n d e -

p e n d e n c e w a s v i t a l f o r women to gain control of their lives Witnessing the

s t r u g g l e s o f f i n a n c i a l l y

d e p e n d e n t w o m e n w h o faced domestic abuse and societal limitations motivated her to seek an independent, free life “I wanted to work, to make an impact, and to contribute meaningf u l l y t o t h e w o r l d , ” s h e explained, underscoring her desire to travel and explore b e y o n d t h e c o n f i n e s o f India

of fresh air “It’s important to share this perspective,”

s

edging the varying realities of women around the world

Prabhaav Global, an organisation focused on making an

"impact" in Hindi, reflects her commitment to creating

Maa Krupa Foundation hosts successful Bhagavat Katha by Shree Bhaishri Ramesh Oza

After many years of earnest ef fo r ts to i nv i te S h ree

Bh a i sh r i R am e sh O za to lead Bhag avat Katha, M aa Krup a Fou nd atio n ’ s p ersev eranc e fi nally bo re fru i t Despite delays caused by the C o v i d - 1 9 p an d em i c an d o th er ch a ll eng es , th ey remained determined Their rep res en tat iv e fr o m Mum bai, Jalabhai, regularly visited Bhaishri to request his presence

n t h e UK, she felt a sense of liberation and for the first time, she could walk down the street without the fear of h a r a s s m e n t o r j u d g m e n t , f e e l i

accepted in a new cultural landscape

However, the transition was not without its challenges Ritika encountered the realities of being labelled a “ woman of colour,” grapp l i n g w i t h d i s c r i m i n a t i o n based on her accent and cult u r a l b a c k g r o u n d “ A s a n i m m i g r a n t 2 0 y e a r s a g o , things were much different than they are today,” she noted She faced constant mockery regarding her pronunciation of English words

a n d w a s o f t e n t o l d s h e lacked UK work experience, making it difficult to secure e m p l o y m e n t T o n a v i g a t e these obstacles, Ritika found h e r s e l f e n g a g i n g i n c o d eswitching, attempting to fit into a predominantly white environment “I started to shed the core of my Indian identity just to survive and fit into the culture around me, ” she admitted

D e s p i t e t h e s e c h a llenges, Ritika's perspective o n h e r j o u r n e y r e m a i n s o p

s

s that every woman ’ s experience is unique, and while many South Asian women may face significant strugg l e s i n t h e U K , h e r

transition felt like a breath

When Ritika moved to t h e U K , h e r p e r s p e c t i v e regarding her identity as a woman changed “In India, women aren't technically a minority, but the way they a r e t r e a t e d , e s p e c i a l l y i n terms of gender, makes it f e e l l i k e t h e y a r e , ” s h e r e f l e c t e d A r r i

grounded in the belief that impact matters more than intent “People might say, ‘We didn’t intend to make you feel bad,’ but the impact

work, she supports leaders to navigate the complexities of a diverse world and hold themselves accountable for fostering inclusive environments, by cultivating cultural intelligence She aims to address the gaps in the market concerning accountability in diversity training and leadership “What happens

asked, advocating for tangi-

rather than just awareness

As a successful woman and inspiring figure, Ritika's message to young women embarking on their journeys is to “Embrace and own your

heartedly ” She encourages women to appreciate their

expectations

Ritika’s story is one of strength found in embrac-

necessity of creating inclusive spaces for all “Don’t let the world dictate your identity; instead, define it for yourself,” she urged, emphasising the power of authenticity

British Sikhs appeal about Islamophobia definition

T h e Ne tw o rk o f S i kh

O r ga ni s at i o n s ( NS O) , a p ro m i ne n t B ri ti s h S i kh group , h as appealed to UK

D e p u t y P ri m e M i ni s te r

A n gel a R a yn er re ga rd in g th e Labour P arty's co ns ideration of a p otentially flawed definitio n o f Islamop hobia

The NSO is concerned that adopting this definit i o n m i g h t t h r e a t e n f r e e speech and hinder open discussions about the history of the Indian subcontinent and the persecution of religious minorities globally In a recent letter to Rayner, who is also the Secretary of S t a t e f o r H o u s i n g , C o m m u n i t i e s , a n d L o c a l

G o v e r n m e n t , t h e N S O expressed its apprehension after Rayner’s address to the House of Commons on the

issue

Rayner had mentioned t h a t t h e g o v e r n m e n t w a s " a c t i v e l y

Islamophobia The definit i o n p r o p o s e d b y t h e A l l Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on British Muslims i

Islamophobia as a "type of

sions of Muslimness The N S O '

definition could significantly impact free speech and restrict discussions of historical truths

It condemns the targeting of mosques and asylum seeker hotels by vandals and the targeting of individuals perceived as 'far right' by s

be counterproductive and lacks evidence of reducing anti-Muslim hatred Angela Rayner

O n J u n e 2 8 , S h r e e Bhaishri graciously agreed to provide a date for the event By July 18, he confirmed that the Katha would be held from September 6-8

H o w e v e r , d u e t o v e n u e availability issues, the event was moved to September 12 a n d w a s m e t i c u l o u s l y

planned with the invaluable support of the trustees

o

, Brijesh Modi, Ashok Dalia, R a s h m i k

, especially Bhupendrabhai K a n s a g r a D e s p i

the musical artists accom-

resulting into

need for UKb

commenced with the Pothi Y

) from Jayantibhai Khagram's residence The sacred procession made its way to the Greenford Jalaram Temple, finally arriving at the SKLP S

C

m

Centre, where the Bhagavat Katha took place This journey symbolised the devotion and unity of our community D e s p i t e t h e h u r d l e s

teers and public generosity, the event was a resounding success, drawing thousands of attendees All elements including discussions, venue

audiovisuals, sound,

and

albeit at the last minute (A special thanks to

editorial contribution)

Ritika Wadhwa

Jayantibhai Khagram and Ashokbhai Dalia with Pujya Shree Bhaishree

Brijesh Modi and Jayantibhai Khagram welcome Pujya Shri Bhaishree

London welcomes spiritual wisdom with Bhaishree's Katha

Parth Pandya

Renowned spiritual leader Rameshbhai Oza, affectionately known as 'Bhaishree,' commenced the narration of the Shrimad Bhagavat Katha in Northolt, London, on September 12 until 18 This event has been organised by the Maa Krupa Foundation, along with the support of its sponsors and well-wishers

Rameshbhai, widely respected for his Bhagawat Parayana discourses, is staying as a guest of the Pankhania family He gave an exclusive interview to Asian Voice and Gujarat Samachar at the Pankhania family's residence, "Hillfield," in Harrow Vraj Pankhania, a prominent businessman, fondly known as Vajubhai, shares a longstanding relationship with Rameshbhai Oza

During the interview, Oza reflected on his 40year-long connection with London and the UK, offering insights into his spiritual teachings He also touched on the impact of globalisation and commercialisation on human life CB Patel, Publisher/Editor of Asian Voice and Gujarat Samachar met Rameshbhai Oza and Vajubhai Pankhania on this occasion

Interview:

Question: You have had a long-standing connection with London and Britain, since your first visit in 1983 How has that relationship evolved over the last 40 years?

Answer: Over the past four decades, India and the world have transformed significantly due to liberalisation and the rise of new technologies When I first visited in 1983, it was a big deal just to make an international phone call to inform that I had reached safely Today, we can easily connect through video calls Back then, people cherished collections of records of Katha at home, but now anyone can listen to it live from anywhere in the world Whether I am reciting Katha in India or the UK, a global audience can tune in and this is one of the incredible gifts of modern technology

However, there’s a flip side People seemed more free in the past, while many find themselves

trapped in the material world today I am particularly concerned about the younger generation People of all ages now live under constant stress, racing against time, and this constant rush has burdened their lives

Question: How do you view materialism and spirituality? Are they actually opposite concepts?

Answer: Materialism and spirituality are not opposing forces The body and soul are interconnected, and life exists only when united Without either, life ceases Therefore, life's physical and spiritual aspects need to evolve together

Spiritual growth is just as significant as physical growth, and maintaining a balance between the two is crucial Without this balance, a person risks losing their sense of wholeness

Question:

As you mentioned, men are becoming increasingly selfcentred and disconnected from the society due to liberalisation. What is the solution to this according to you?

Answer: During the first Satsang at the temple in Crowley, the trustees proudly announced that the temple was finally debt-free I remarked to the devotees that while the temple may be debtfree, humans are not Our scriptures teach us that we are indebted to sages, gods, and ancestors, and we must consciously strive to repay these debts

In business, one may be a sole proprietor, but in life, we are always in partnership Soorya Dev, Vayu Dev, Varuna Dev, and the gods all play a role in our existence, representing our debt to the divine forces

Moreover, community plays a vital part in shaping who we are My education, growth, and development are the result of contributions from my family, friends, teachers, and the government of my nation Each has invested in my life, and in return, I owe them a deep sense of gratitude

When people remember this, they move away from selfcenteredness Life is a partnership, and everyone contributing must receive their share Therefore, our duty is to support our

Tranquility of the ‘Hillfield’ Residence

Nestled in Harrow-on-the-Hill, Hillfield offers a serene escape from the bustling pace of London This peaceful home belongs to Vrajbhai Pankhania, affectionately known as Vajubhai, who lives here with his wife Jyotsnaben, their sons Kamalbhai and Sunilbhai, and their extended family. In an era where families are increasingly drifting apart, the unity of the Pankhania family stands as an inspiration Their home frequently hosts guests, including the revered Rameshbhai Oza, who Jyotsnaben and Vajubhai warmly welcomed On a recent visit, guests, including women from Leicester, gathered to pay their respects to Rameshbhai Oza.

families, community, our nation and humanity

Consciousness evolves through stages It starts with the self, where a person is focused on "mine " As consciousness grows, it shifts to "ours," extending to the family Eventually, it broadens to include society, and in its most developed stage, it reaches the divine, where one's consciousness aligns with God

Question:

Your inspiration of Bhagawat Katha Parayana came from your uncle Jivarajbhai Do explain, how did this happen?

Answer: My grandmother, who was both devout and welleducated, played a significant role in shaping my spiritual upbringing She conducted adult education classes and instilled in us a deep sense of devotion Growing up in a village Brahmin family, I developed an early interest in rituals My uncle introduced me to the practice of daily recitation of a chapter from the Shrimad Bhagavad Gita From a young age, I accompanied him to Kathas, observing how he conducted kathas

When my grandmother passed away at the age of 13, I performed a seven-day event in her memory, reciting the Shrimad Bhagavad Gita We set up a tent in our courtyard and even formed a committee of children to organise the event, bringing us great joy and accomplishment

After this event, my father and uncle decided to send me to Tattvajyoti Pathashala, where I studied Sanskrit Later, I continued my regular education, moving to Mumbai with my family and graduating there I delivered my first independent katha in Mumbai at the age of 18 while studying commerce, and from that point on, I dedicated my life to this spiritual path

Question:

In today's era of commercial and private education, why did you want to start a Gurukal like the Sandipani Vidyaniketan?

Answer: My connection with Porbandar began in the 1980s through Tulsi Bhai, a local figure with whom I often performed Navratri rituals Around 1984, he

introduced me to a group managing a Sanskrit school in Babda and asked me to take over its operations At the time, the school was in dire conditions Brahmin boys would beg for food in the village, and teachers would often sacrifice their meals to ensure the students could eat Some nights, they would only drink water to satisfy their hunger

A year prior, in 1983, I had travelled to Britain for the first time While there, I had the opportunity to collect donations but initially refused, believing I had no right to them However, a person advised me to accept offerings and use them for good deeds

These two experiences the school’s struggles and the advice inspired the establishment the Vidyapith Whatever donations I received went directly into improving the Vidyapith

What began as the Babda Pathshala eventually grew into Sandipani Vidyapeeth in Porbandar, officially founded in 1992 We named the school "Sandipani" in honour of Sudama and Krishna’s guru, Rishi Sandipani

The vision for Sandipani was to blend the traditional values of a Rishikul and Gurukul, providing both Sanskrit and modern education

Today, we are educating over 4,500 boys and girls

Question: You frequently mention the four paths: Yagya, Gyan, Bhakti, and Karma

What is their significance?

Answer: In the Gita, God emphasises that yagya, knowledge, and penance are essential for the purification of the soul and should never be abandoned The concept of Yagya is far broader than simply offering Aahuti (sacrifice) into a fire The entire universe operates as a yagya Rain,

for example, is a form of yagya, as it arises from the interaction of elements Yagya represents the union of the Soma (essence) and Agni (fire) principles The earth, which contains the fire element, receives rain, symbolising the soma element, to sustain life Even a farmer farming a field is participating in a yagya Rain nurtures crops, feeds animals, and contributes to the life cycle This is the essence of yagya – the cycle sustaining all creation Similarly, Katha imparts wisdom and insight Along with Yagya, Karma and Tap are also essential things, and for the truth, one must do sacrifice There are four steps of religion – truth, austerity, mercy and holiness

Question:

How long have you been in touch with Vajubhai, your current host?

Answer: My relationship with Vajubhai spans decades He had previously organised a Katha at Wembley Arena and invited me London and Leicester have a longstanding tradition of Katha, spanning over 40 years, and I have been warmly embraced by many dedicated devotees with love and respect I want to express my concern and grief regarding something else Individuals entering religious leadership must be well-educated and knowledgeable Anyone who takes on the role of a preacher should have been mentored by a guru and undergone proper study Another issue we face is that many are drawn to religion without considering whether their actions genuinely serve their purpose We must reflect on whether we are nurturing the essence of religion or merely exploiting it for personal gain

L-R : Shri Vajubhai Pankhania, Pujya 'Bhaishree' Rameshbhai Oza and C B Patel

Meet the woman behind ‘Girls Will Be Girls’

S huchi T alati is a filmmaker

f ro m In d i a w h o s e w o rk

ch alleng es dominant narratives around gender, sexuality, and South Asian identity

Her feature film, Girls Will Be Girls, will premiere

i

S

Girls Will Be Girls has been a r e c i p i e n t o f A i d e A u x

C i n é m a s d u M o n d e a n d

S ø r f o n d g r a n t s , a n d t h e

ArteKINO and VFF Talent Award at the Berlinale CoProduction Market It has

s

a

G o t h a m W e e k , B e

l i n a l e Script Station and Cine Qua Non Script Lab

Asian Voice spoke exl-

c u i s v e l y t o S h u c h i a b o u t

‘Girls Will Be Girls’

What inspired you to set 'Girls Will Be Girls' in a strict Himalayan boarding school, and how did the unique setting shape the story’s themes of desire and rebellion?

I wanted to set the film in a strict school because I

w e n t t o a s t r i c t s c h o o l myself where women were policed all the time As soon as we became teenage girls we were policed for our sexuality, any displays of desire, a n y r e l a t i o n s h i p s t h a t w e had We were reprimanded for any time we wore a short skirt, or too tight of a top And then I wanted it to be a boarding school because I never got to go to one and I a l w a y s h a d a f a s c i n a t i o n , and I read a lot of boarding school books I read Enid Blyton, later when I was an adult, I read Harry Potter

I found the Himalayan setting allowed me to do a couple of things – one, it’s gorgeous, and many boarding schools in India are conc e n t r a t e d i n m o u n t a i n

each town may have a hundred boarding schools, like the town that we shot in, Mussoorie But it allowed me also to use being on top of the mountain to express how Mira was feeling on the inside, so when she becomes a head prefect at the beginning of the film, she feels on top of the world, she feels powerful, and I wanted that to be high up

The film explores complex mother-daughter dynamics alongside themes of sexual awakening How did you approach balancing these sensitive topics while crafting the narrative?

It started with my focus o

identified with her journey

o

e x u a l a w

n g T h e mother was much more of an antagonist in early drafts, and then as I was writing I noticed that – or a script

c o n s u l t a n t I w a s w o r k i n g with noticed that – the film always ended with the boy leaving and the mother and d a u g h t e r l e f t a l o n e , a n d there was in there a clue to what I wanted to do – that the love story was not really about Mira and the boy Sri, but it was about her and her mum The film also took many years to write, and as I was writing I was much closer in age to the mum than Mira’s age It struck me that t h i s m o t h e r w a s r e a l l y a y o u n g w o m a n , a n d w h y shouldn’t she be allowed to have desire? Why shouldn’t she be allowed to flirt? Why should she have to be relegated to living this supporting role in her daughter’s life I grew to have so much

love and compassion for her and feel both her joy that she’s able to give her daught e r s o m e f r e e d o m s s h e didn’t have but also her sadness and envy for her lost y o u t h W h e n t h a t c a m e together for me, that’s really when the story of the film came together 'Girls Will Be Girls' has received multiple prestigious grants and awards. How have these recognitions influenced your creative process, and what has their impact been on the film’s journey?

I don’t think the grants really affected the creative process much, I mean they allowed the creative process to continue, but I wouldn’t say they influenced, because the grants really use in them the things that are ready at that moment, and if they like it they grant you and if they don’t like it they don’t grant you There were a coup l e o f p r e s t i g i o u s g r a n t s which had a very important impact on the making of the film – Aide aux cinémas du monde (ACM) by the CNC in France is considered a very selective grant, so once we received that and then we were pitching the film at B e r l i n a l e C o p r o d u c t i o n market, the producers who came to meet us, even if they hadn’t read the script they took us very seriously because the film had been vetted and had that stamp of approval which is something that grants do in addition to giving you resources

S o m e o f t h e s e g r a n t s really enabled us to make this film, and then there are other stamps of approval, l i k e a S u n d a n c e a w a r d , which I think were important for our film to get distribution, to be seen widely I think if it hadn’t gone to an A-list festival, unfortunately there are vert few slots available and if you ’ re lucky to get them it feels a little bit like a lottery because I’m sure there are many many other great films that are not getting these slots I’m glad that we got the lottery

Exploring life's cycle through stories

ing experiences

New comedy show offers unique DJ’s perspective on weddings

After a su ccessfu l run at th e Edinburgh Fringe, Rifco T heatre's DJ -du o, P ali & Jay, are tou ring th e UK with th eir sh ow, ‘P ali & Jay’s Ultimate Asian Wedding D J Roadsh ow ’ T his co medy takes you behind th e scenes of a desidisco p arty, featuring an uncle-nep hew D J du o navigating family expectations and dancefloor antics Th e sh ow p romises an entertaining night out while reflecting o n real-life experiences of British S outh Asians

In an interview with Asian Voice, the show director Ameet Chana spoke about the inspiration behind the show, challenges they faced and much more Wh at inspired you to direct ‘P ali & J ay ’ s Ultimate Asian Wedding D J Roadsh ow’? Ho w did the idea fo r the sh ow c ome abou t?

Viraj Janeja, the writer and performer, initially approached us with the concept for an online digital show At Rifco, where we also produce online content, we saw great potential in his idea Pravesh Kumar MBE, our artistic director, was equally enthusiastic We decided to transform the concept into a stage show, focusing on a two-hand comedy featuring a dynamic uncle-nephew duo as DJs

With over 16 years as a roadshow DJ, I deeply connected with Viraj’s idea, which echoes my own experiences in the wedding scene The show offers a unique perspective by focusing on the DJ’s role, an angle rarely explored This fresh viewpoint provides an authentic look at the DJ’s experience, making the show stand out As th e show director, what were some of th e ch allenges yo u faced in p ortraying th e c ultural nuances of So uth Asian weddings?

What we've achieved brilliantly is creating a vibrant wedding experience with just two actors on stage Despite the minimal cast, we ’ ve managed to bring a full wedding atmosphere to life through effective lighting, content, and scripting As an audience member, you become part of the wedding, with moments that make you feel like the guests We’ve designed interactions where you take on roles as if you ’ re part of the event experiencing the delays with the caterers and the bride and groom taking photos somewhere This immersive approach ensures that, despite the limited cast, you never feel the absence of a larger ensemble, as the audience seamlessly fills the role of the wedding guests Wh at was you r visio n fo r h ow th e sh ow sho uld repres ent th e evolving natu re of British S outh Asian weddings, fro m th e traditional elements to the modern-day influences?

Pali and Jay’s show offers a unique perspective by highlighting the oftenoverlooked viewpoint of the Asian wedding DJ It delves into the behind-thescenes aspects of the job: where DJs park their vans, how they load equipment, and the pressures they face from guests requesting songs This fresh take provides a rare look at the DJ’s role in an Asian wedding, a perspective

rarely seen before Pali, the senior DJ, represents a more traditional approach His setup, rooted in the early 2000s, focuses on the artistry of DJing rather than flashy equipment or modern trappings like big TV screens and elaborate lighting rigs He prioritises delivering exceptional music and memorable experiences for the bride and groom over showy displays This contrast highlights how the DJ's role has evolved or in Pali's case, remained steadfastly true to its roots focusing on the craft rather than modern gimmicks This approach offers a nostalgic nod to the early days of DJing, emphasising the enduring importance of entertainment quality over technological advancements Wh at message or takeaway do yo u ho pe viewers, bo th Sou th Asian and non-So uth Asian, get from watching th is show?

This show offers a unique perspective by presenting two South Asian men on stage addressing mental health, relationships, and male issues topics rarely explored in such a setting It might be the first time you see a comedy that not only entertains but also provides a platform for discussing South Asian male experiences Viraj has brilliantly crafted a moment of genuine male bonding, highlighting issues that are often overlooked both within South Asian communities and beyond Men are frequently taught to suppress their struggles and emotions, but this show breaks that mould Through humour, Viraj brings to light profound emotional content within the uncle-nephew dynamic, offering a rare and valuable exploration of male vulnerability and connection

Short film celebrates London angler's legacy

Canadian writer Ashley M

together a rich tapestry of experience and insight and offers a gentle and magical a p p r

i ldren and their families navi-

g a t e t h e c o m p l e x i t i e s o f death and grief This essen-

t i a l r e a d i s d e s i g n e d f o r y o u n g r e a d e r s a n d t h e i r

g r o w n - u p s , p r o v i d i n g a

t h o u g h t f u l g u i d e t h r o u g h one of life’s most challeng-

The book features a collection of h e a r t w a r m i n g t a l e s , i n c l u d i n g ‘The Little Wave’, ‘ T h e H e a v i e s t B a c k p a c k ’ , ‘ T h e C a n a r y t h a t w a s Afraid to Fly’, and ‘ T h e M a g i c T e l e p h o n e ’ E a c h story is narrated by a grandmother to her granddaughter, who are both dealing with the loss of the girl’s grandfather This narrative framework offers a unique perspective on coping with grief, as the stories are not o n l y c o m f o r t i n g b u t a l s o introduce the natural cycle

o f l i f e a n d death in a gentle and accessible manner

I l l u s t r a t e d b y t h e a w a r dwinning Zainab

T a m b a w a l l a , the book’s artw o r k e n r i c h e s its storytelling, d r a w i n g o n global traditions and rituals ‘ T h e L i t t l e W a v e a n d

Other Stories’ is a celebration of life’s full journey, m a k i n g i t a n i n v a l u a b l e resource for children aged 5 to 8 and their families, offering comfort, understanding, and a hopeful perspective on life’s inevitable transitions

A new sh ort film is sh owcasing th e i nspi ring sto ry o f Brig epal Singh, a renow ned ang ler from Hackney, and h i s c o nt ri bu t io n s t o t h e ang ling com munity Brigepal Singh, 57, has been a passionate angler for decades, and his powerful connection to the sport is now featured in the minidocumentary The film is part of the Angling Trust’s

# W e F i s h A s O n e Y o u T u b e series and aims to encourage more Londoners to embrace fishing, fostering a sense of unity and a shared love for n a t u r e i n t h e c a p i t a l a n

B r i g e p a l ’ s j o u r n e y a s a n angler and draws parallels between his Sikh faith and

fishing, both of which serve as meditative practices for him

In addition to his pers o n

, the documentary highlights his dedication to volunteering at his local temple and his role in mentoring young anglers within his "angling

family " Known for his deep-

Brigepal hopes his story will inspire the next generation of anglers to take up the sport, which he sees as not just a hobby, but a form of

Brigepal is now a legend within his angling community, particularly known for

chub, one of the UK’s most

quently fishes on the Grand Union Canal and is recognised for his contributions to the sport, both on the water and in his advocacy for angling as a way to connect with nature and others

Ameet Chana

Brigepal Singh

Suchi Talati

Failure to address widows’ plight entrenches poverty and gender disparity worldwide, new study finds

Nineteen years after th e i nt ro d u c ti o n o f

I nt ern ati o n al W id ow s

D ay, an d fo u rteen year s after its ad option by the U N as an official day of action, m illions of w idow s

a re n o t ye t se ei ng an im prov ement in their desperate plight, a new stud y has found

Battling the elements: A Three Peaks Challenge adventure

Simran Solanki, St Dominic’s Sixth Form College, London

UN which dubbed it “the sin of omission” – still pers i s t s t o d a y I t c a l l s f o r

research on widowhood to be scaled up substantially to provide a better understanding of the challenges faced and support required

b y w i d o w e d w o m e n “ A c h i e v i n g s i g n i f i c a n t improvement in their lives

Commissioned by the Loomba Foundation, the UN-registered NGO spec i a l i s i n g i n w i d o w h o o d i s s u e s , U n i v e r s i t y o f C a m b r i d g e r e s e a r c h e r s analysed the conditions of w i d o w s i n 1 1 c o u n t r i e s

a c r o s s S o u t h A s i a (Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Sir Lanka), Latin America ( G u a t e m a l a , C h i l e ) a n d

S u b - S a h a r a n A f r i c a (Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Malawi and South Africa), tracking advances in legisl a t i o n a n d s u p p o r t p r og r a m m e s i n t h e p e r i o d

s i n c e I n t e r n a t i o n a l W i d o w s D a y w a s i n t r oduced

What they found was that while awareness has g r o w n , d i s c r i m i n a t i o n against widows based on deep-rooted cultural preju d i c e s r e m a i n s r i f e i n many communities – manifested in degrading wid-

o w h o o d r i t u a l s , i n h e r i -

t a n c e g r a b b i n g , s o c i a l m a r g i n a l i s a t i o n a n d e x p l o i t a t i o n – a n d t h e

e x t e n t o f d e s t i t u t i o n affecting widows and their dependents represents an i n s u r m o u n t a b l e o b s t a c l e to achieving the UN Goals

f o r S u s t a i n a b l e

D e v e l o p m e n t u n l e s s s i gn i f i c a n t p r o g r e s s c a n b e made to improve the position

The study, titled “Not Leaving Widows Behind”, finds that the lack of data

o n w i d o w h o o d – f i r s t identified in 2002 by the

will require a methodical, e v i d e n c e - b a s e d a p p r o a c h to policy formulation,” it concludes

Launching the study at the House of Lords at an

e v e n t a t t e n d e d b y

D e v e l o p m e n t M i n i s t e r

Anneliese Dodds and the H i g h C o m m i s s i o n e r s , A m b a s s a d o r s a n d s e n i o r diplomats of the countries covered by the study, Lord Raj Loomba said:

“The plain fact is that eradicating the scourge of d i s c r i m i n a t i o n r e q u i r e s d e t a i l e d k n o w l e d g e o f what is happening, so that g o v e r n m e n t s c a n d e l i v e r effective support, and so that the ignorance which f e e d s d i s c r i m i n a t i o n c a n b e c o u n t e r e d , t o s t a r t changing the cultural attitudes that are so deeply rooted in many communities

“Our own efforts, and those of the many other organisations listed in the report, can and do transform the lives of widows a n d t h e i r f a m i l i e s B u t looking at the scale of the c h a l l e n g e , w e c a n o n l y scratch the surface

“It is time to tackle the sin of omission head on –to work with Governments and others to develop a structured programme of r e s e a r c h t o s u p p o r t o u r d e t e r m i n e d e f f o r t s t o move the dial for widows

T h i s i m p o r t a n t n e w study adds significantly to the case for doing so ”

To find out more about the work of The Loomba Foundation, visit: www theloombafoundation org @TheLoombaFndtn facebook.com/loombafoundation

Em barking on the Three Peak s Challen ge is no small fe at This challenge involves summiti ng the hi ghes t mountains in Wales, Englan d, an d Sc otlan d Snowdon , Sc afell Pike, and B en N evis consec utively, with 40 s tuden ts from St Domi nic’ s Sixth Form College, Harrow O ur journey began on M on day, J uly 1, as we set off from London , b ound for Sn owdoni a to begin our adventure

in earnes t

Day 1: Sn owdon- A Stormy Start

Tuesday, July 2nd, saw us at the base of Snowdon, ready to tackle the highest peak in Wales

Despite a promising start, the weather quickly turned as we ascended, with showers sweeping across the mountain and gusts picking up The climb was tough, the wind driving rain into our faces, making the ascent more challenging than anticipated

Still, the rugged beauty of Snowdon, with its dramatic ridges and steep valleys, kept us pushing forward The summit was shrouded in mist and rain, but the sense of achievement was undeniable After a swift descent, we wasted no time and immediately set off for the Lake District, where our next challenge awaited

Day 2: Scaf ell Pi ke - Battling the Eleme nts

The morning of Wednesday, July 3rd, brought us to the foot of Scafell Pike, England’s highest peak, at 978 meters The weather had only worsened overnight We began our climb in the face of heavy showers and wind gusts reaching up to 50 mph, making the ascent particularly challenging

The path was rocky and slippery, with each step requiring caution and concentration

As we climbed higher, the wind intensified, nearly knocking us off our feet Visibility was poor, with fog swirling around the peak, and we had to rely on each other to navigate the treacherous terrain

The summit was a hard-won achievement, marked by brief, windswept celebrations before beginning a careful descent back to safety

By mid-afternoon, with Scafell Pike behind us, we boarded our coach for a long drive to the Scottish Highlands, determined to rest before our final climb

Day 3: Ben Nevis - A Te st of Enduranc e Arriving at a hostel near Ben

Nevis on Wednesday evening, we felt the strain of the past two days weighing heavily Yet, there was no time to waste Early on Thursday, July 4th, we set off for Ben Nevis, Scotland’s highest peak, standing at 1,345 meters The climb was a steady ascent through cloud and rain, with winds gusting sporadically

The path was steep and relentless, winding its way up through boulder fields and across patches of snow As we approached the summit, the gusts picked up once more, making the final push particularly challenging Still, we pressed on, reaching the top amidst cheers and high-fives-a triumphant end to our Three Peaks Challenge

The descent felt surreal, our legs heavy but our spirits light, knowing that we had completed our goal We made our way back to Fort William, where we celebrated with a much-needed dinner, recounting the highs and lows of the past days over hearty meals and laughter

The J ourney Back : A WellDeserved Rest

On Friday, July 5th, we began the 12-hour journey back to London, exhausted but exhilarated by what we had achieved The coach ride gave us time to reflect on the past three days the physical exertion, the unpredictable weather, and the incredible sense of accomplishment we all felt R eflections on the Challenge

Completing the Three Peaks Challenge was an experience like no other The rain, wind, and grueling ascents tested our resolve, but they also bonded us as a team, pushing each of us to our limits and beyond It was a journey through some of the UK's most stunning landscapes, from the rolling hills of Snowdonia to the rugged peaks of Scotland

For anyone considering the Three Peaks Challenge, expect the unexpected especially when it comes to weather Prepare thoroughly, stay determined, and embrace the adventure The reward is not just in reaching the summit but in every step, stumble, and gust along the way

(This was more than just a trek; it was an unforgettable adventure that reminded us of nature's power and our resilience in the face of it A true test of endurance, spirit, and teamwork in some of the UK's wildest landscapes)

I N B R I E F

EX-OXFORD ISLAMIC SCHOLAR FOUND GUILTY OF RAPE

Tariq Ramadan, a former Oxford University lecturer and Islamic scholar, has been convicted of rape and sexual coercion by a court in Geneva, overturning a previous acquittal Ramadan, 62, was found guilty following allegations made in 2018 by an unnamed Swiss woman about an incident at a Geneva hotel in 2008 He has been sentenced to three years in prison with two of those years suspended after prosecutors appealed the earlier verdict The Geneva criminal appeal court determined that multiple testimonies certificates medical records and expert opinions supported the complainant s account Ramadan is the grandson of Hassan al-Banna, the founder of the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt He has lectured in various countries, including Europe, Morocco, Qatar, and Japan In June, a Paris appeals court decided Ramadan should face trial on charges of raping three women between 2009 and 2016, a ruling his lawyers are currently contesting

WE’LL BE BACK, SAY PRISONERS RELEASED EARLY

Under the government’s early release scheme violent criminals who were among 1 650 people who were let out of jail admitted that they had not been rehabilitated and would return within days Considering the mass release and in an attempt to stop the prisoners from reoffending as the Probation Service has too little housing, Shabana Mahmood, the justice secretary, had to authorise the use of budget hotels to house prisoners for up to three months 44year-ld Paul Shaw who is a repeat burglar was released three months early from HMP Fosse Way in Leicestershire He said that he would be back in prison soon as he did not have any housing “I will end up back here I will start drinking going back to what I used to do because of a lack of knowing where I’m staying,” he said SUNAK HAD NO

CONFIDENCE VOTE

The former chairman of the backbench 1922 Committee has revealed a startling fact, citing only ten Tory MPs had submitted letters of no confidence in Rishi Sunak when he called the election Despite a plot by supporters of Suella Braverman to remove him Lord Brady of Altrincham said Sunak had the confidence of almost all Tory MPs He further revealed that Penny Mordaunt had previously suggested that she could replace Sunak and when the latter announced the election, Dame Andrea Leadsom tried to stop him Brady spoke to The Daily Telegraph ahead of the release of his autobiography, Kingmaker As chairman of the 1922 Committee, he served under five Tory prime ministers and was responsible for informing two that they had no choice but to step down His book reportedly reveals multiple attempts to unseat sitting prime ministers, including moves by Jeremy Hunt, Sajid Javid, and Michael Gove against Theresa May during the Brexit crisis criticising her leadership as wooden

Development Minister Anneliese Dodds MP with Lord and Lady Loomba at the launch of the study, 5 September 2024, House of Lords

Simran Solanki

Three Peaks Challenge

A New Era of Trade for the UK and Africa

This Friday, while I sat in a room surrounded by leaders, entrepreneurs, and investors from across the UK and Africa, I felt a deep sense of optimism This year's UKAfrica Business Summit, stands as a testament to the potential that Africa holds as a trading partner for the UK I have long championed the economic opportunities across Africa, and this summit reinforced my belief that Africa’s prosperity can be the UK’s prosperity

For over a decade, I have advocated for closer trade and investment ties between the UK and Africa, particularly in my role as the Prime Minister’s Trade Envoy to Uganda, Rwanda, and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) During this time, I have witnessed the tremendous changes taking place across the African continent, from advancements in infrastructure to the rise of a tech-savvy generation These developments are creating endless opportunities for trade and collaboration that we in the UK cannot afford to overlook

However, despite Africa’s rapid growth, the UK’s share of trade with the continent has significantly decreased, with just 2 2% of UK exports are intented for Africa The continent’s potential should not be ignored In just 40 years Africa will have a larger population than India and China combined This summit served as a reminder that it’s time for the UK to renew its focus on Africa and seize the opportunities it presents As I have stated before- when Africa thrives, so do we, and I firmly believe that the time is now to act on this

A crucial area discussed at the summit was the role of critical minerals in the green economy Africa is rich in the minerals required for technologies such as electric vehicles, wind turbines, and smartphones

These resources are increasingly in demand as the UK and the rest of the world are transitioning towards more sustainable energy solutions Although, there are challenges to overcome in ensuring that these minerals are sourced responsibly and sustainably, the potential for collaboration is huge

Of course, we also have work to do in breaking down the barriers to trade between the UK and Africa

Over the years, I have seen first-hand the hesitation among UK businesses to invest in Africa, often due to outdated perceptions or concerns about infrastructure However, this mindset is beginning to change I have worked closely with SMEs to encourage them to explore Africa’s emerging markets, and many are now realising the many opportunities available For example, as highlighted by Ramathan Ggoobi, during the summit, Uganda’s economic performance has been impressive They have acquired substantial Foreign Direct Investment, had a rise in remittances and increased tourism revenue to $1 28 billion

Furthermore, in relation to the UK, between early 2023 and early 2024, trade between Uganda and the UK reached £287 million This is just the beginning, and I believe that more UK businesses will follow suit

Therefore, I am confident that the groundwork laid at 2024 UK-African Investment Summit, will lead to even greater success It is clear that Africa is on the rise, and the UK must position itself as a key partner

The opportunities are extensive, but we must be proactive in overcoming the challenges and ensuring that our trading relationship with Africa is built on trust, innovation, and mutual benefit

In my role as Trade Envoy, I will continue to advocate for deeper engagement with Africa, and I encourage UK businesses to do the same Africa’s growth is already happening, and I am proud to be part of the effort to strengthen these essential ties

Together, we can create a future of growth and prosperity

Vision for strengthening UK-Africa Economic Partnerships

Dhiren Katwa

East Africa is open for bu siness: this was the loud and cl ear m e ss ag e f ro m

Ramathan Gg oobi, U gand a ’ s

Secretary to th e Treasury

S p

e U K -

Africa Business Summit in London, Mr Ggoobi said the British, in particular, were over cautious and reluctant to trade with African coun-

Whereas other foreigners he said had taken risks, ceased

“Don’t be scared,” he smiled

and shakers from across the globe T

o v e r 6 0 s p

k e r s included Lord Dolar Popat, D r S u d h i r R u p a r e l i a a n d Ruth Nankabirwa, Uganda’s r i c h e s t m a n a n d E n e r g y M i n i s t e r , r e s p e c t i v e l y , Karim Fatehi MBE, Ninder

J o h a l E g y p t i a n M i n i s t e r

T a m e r A l i , H E N i m i s h a

M a d h v a n i , K e i t h S t o k e s -

S m i t h , S i d J i w a n i , R a j a n

N a z r a n , D r N o o r z a m a n Rashid, Farouk Verjee and Paramita Dasgupta

D e l e g a t e s i n c l u d e d

M i h i r P a t e l , J a f f e r K a p a s i

O B E , U m

R

d i a , P a r e s h K h e t a n i , P a r

R u g h a n i , e n t r e p r e n e u r S t e p h e n

Ddungu, Harshad Kothari, Kirit Teli, Simon McArt, Sid Jiwani, Milan Patel, Jagbir

A t h w a l , C h a n d a n P a l a n d

Jean Le Grix de la Salle

Key topics included oil

a n d g a s , t e c h n o l o g y , agribusiness, energy, infrast

India-UK leaders unite at International Conclave 2024

Conclave on Good Governance 2024 , " a three-day ev ent aim ed at fo stering d ialog ue on lead ersh ip and gov ernance, between I nd ia & U K, too k place in London from September 1 1th to 14th, 20 24

The highlight of the event was a Gala Lunch hosted on September 13th a t t

d s , U K

Parliament, by Lord Mike German The conclave was organised by Nachiket Joshi, an inspiring leader, author, philanthropist, and the visionary Founder of the World Leadership Forum along with Khushboo Shah The event gathered influential dignitaries and leaders from India and the United Kingdom, promoting collaboration and mutual understanding in governance, business, and cultural exchange

The Gala Lunch was anchored by Raageshwari Loomba, renowned singer and mindfulness coach, and witnessed the attendance of several prominent figures, including: Aditi Varda Sunil Tatkare, Minister of Women & Child

D e v e l o p m e n t , M a h a r a s h

Virendra Sharma, Former Member of

Parliament, UK, Shivani Raja, MP from Leicester East UK, Paul Scully, Former MP & Minister, UK, Cllr Anjana Patel, Deputy Mayor of Harrow, CB Patel, F

D

Pradyuman Vaja, MLA, Gujarat, India, Himanshu Vyas, Chairman of NRGC, A

Executive Editor, ABP Asmita, Vijay

Founder IDUK among others

In his keynote address, Nachiket

Joshi highlighted the significance of

drawing a connection to the values championed by Indian Prime Minister

Narendra Modi "Under Prime Minister

Modi's leadership, India has embraced principles of transparency, integrity, and dedicated public service, setting a strong example of good governance O u

u

a n d extend these values, promoting their influence on governance worldwide," said Nachiket

The leadership felicitations were presented to exceptional individuals for their contributions to society A special performance on sustainability was delivered by children, highlighting the importance of environmental stewardship for future generations

V i j a y G o e l , F o u n d e r o f I E B F , remarked, “The International Conclave on Good Governance is a crucial platform for exchanging global perspectives and best practices, fostering transparency and accountability for a better future ”

Executed seamlessly by Khushboo Shah, a London-based professional, the conclave celebrated the shared goals of effective governance and sustainable development, fostering collaboration a

the two nations

Jammu and Kashmir diaspora condemns Pakistan’s abuses

Mem bers of the Jamm u and Kas hm ir dias pora in the UK s taged a protest outside the UK Pa rliam ent , c ondemn in g Pakis tan's s tate-spons or ed terrorism

The demonstration highlighted the b r u t a l i t i e s i n f l i c t

community due to Pakistan’s terrorism i

targeted them The protest saw strong support from the Indian diaspora, who expressed solidarity with those affected by terrorism, including members of the

Indian Army and victims of attacks duri

Amarnath Yatra and Shiv Khori in Reasi, Jammu T

Parliament on the same day This event

Pakistan’s agenda while disregarding the realities in Jammu and Kashmir, including its illegal occupation of parts of the

region and ongoing terrorism perpetrated by both state and non-state actors The event also notably excluded key stakeholders from Jammu and Kashmir, such as Kashmiri Hindus who were ethn

, Gujjars, Bakarwals, Paharis of Jammu, Sikhs, Buddhists, and Shia Muslims of Ladakh Several prominent community members addressed the protest, underscoring the need to address these overlooked issues

Speakers with Dr Sudhir Ruparelia, centre, and Willy Mutenza, far right

Mr Ggoobi, centre, with speakers

Our roving reporter Dhiren Katwa with Dr Sudhir Ruparelia HE Nimisha Madhvani with Deo Nyanzi from Uganda Airlines

Lord Dolar Popat

Delegates and guests at the Summit

Nachiket Joshi, CB Patel and a guest

Dear Financial Voice Reader,

Alpesh Patel

A s a for me r visit in g fel low at Corpus Christi Col le ge, Ox ford Univer sity, where I le cture d on be ha vioura l finan ce, a nd as t he author of 18 books on the subje ct, I have spent y ears ana lysing why people struggl e to make t he right fina ncial de cisions pa rticul arl y whe n it comes to their pensions

The comple xities of human beha viour are a significant ba rr ie r to effe ctive finan cial plann ing , and nowhere is this more e vide nt than in the way peopl e trust Inde pe ndent Finan cial Adviser s (IFAs), weal th manage rs, and fun d ma na gers with their hard-ear ned mone y Behavioural finance teaches us that most people are not rational when it comes to money Instead, they are governed by emotional biases and cognitive shortcuts When it comes to pensions, these biases often lead to a pattern of over-reliance on external “experts,” such as IFAs or wealth managers, without fully understanding their motives or expertise These advisors often sell financial products with a focus on their commission structures rather than genuinely considering what’s best for their clients

One of the most common pitfalls is the trust people place in fund managers The average investor believes that if they invest their pension pot with a fund manager, they are in safe hands However, many fund managers fail to consistently outperform the market after fees are deducted The idea that someone else can make your money work for you better than you can often leads to suboptimal returns, particularly when the fees these managers charge eat into what would otherwise be compounding interest in your pension fund Over time, this reliance can cost you tens of thousands of pounds in retirement

Let’s break down why this happens Human beings have a deep-rooted preference for certainty, and this often man-

Retirement planning can feel overwhelming, so many people simply trust an expert to handle it for them, assuming that IFAs and wealth managers have superior knowledge or access to better opportunities This misplaced trust often prevents them from seeking lower-cost, more effective solutions such as index funds or self-directed pension plans like SIPPs (Self-Invested Personal Pensions), which often yield better returns without the high fees

Another aspect of human behaviour at play here is a bias towards inertia Once people have made a decision to hand over control of their pension to an IFA or wealth manager, they are reluctant to make changes, even when presented with evidence that the advisor is not delivering value This "status quo bias" keeps people locked into bad financial arrangements, preventing them from taking proactive steps to optimise their pensions

Then there’s the issue of "herd behaviour," where individuals do what they see others doing, rather than making decisions based on their own circumstances or needs Just because your neighbour or colleague has an IFA doesn't mean it’s the right choice for you In fact, following the crowd often leads to poor financial outcomes, particularly when everyone is being sold the same expensive, underperforming financial products

In my experience, breaking free from these behavioural traps requires education and a willingness to challenge the status quo People need to stop viewing their pension as something to be outsourced and start taking an active role in managing it themselves It’s time to move away from the notion that IFAs and wealth managers have all the answers, and instead adopt a more self-directed approach to investing T

designed to empower individuals to take control of their financial futures by investing more wisely and cutting out the middlemen who add unnecessary cost without adding value We should all be striving to make better, more informed decisions about our pensions, and that begins with recognising the behavioural patterns that hold us back

The goal is simple: to help one million people build a better retirement by arming them with the knowledge and tools they need to grow their wealth independently The old ways of relying too heavily on fund managers and IFAs are no longer fit for purpose It’s time for individuals to reclaim control over their financial destinies

Britain faces £40bn tax hikes for debt

Fam ili es i n th e U K cou ld face a daunting £4 0 billion in tax hikes or severe spendin g cu ts o v er t h e nex t d ec ad e , a c

Responsibility (OBR)

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has criticised the previous Conservative government for leaving behind what he describes as a £22 billion "black hole" in public

warned that the upcoming O

"painful," with the govern-

tough decisions The OBR

such as longer lifespans with poor health, rising interest rates, and net-zero climate targets will exacerbate eco-

London is teetering on the edg e of financial d isaster as es ca lat i ng h o m e le ss ne s s becomes the "fastest-g rowing risk" to co uncil bud gets, local auth orities warn Councils are grappling with a £700 million shortfall while trying to house residents amidst the ongoing housing crisis Government data reveals that nearly 18 out of every 1,000 households in London are living in temporary accommodation, t o t a l l i n g a s t a g g e r i n g 175,000 people equivalent to one in every 50 residents in the capital

The surge in temporary accommodation is pushing councils towards bankruptcy With a shortage of avail-

nomic difficulties

could soar to nearly three times the GDP by 2071, and increased defence spending due to the Ukraine conflict might worsen the situation To restore debt levels to preCOVID standards, the OBR estimates that £40 billion in

cuts over the next decade

able properties, many councils have been forced to place h o m e l e s s L o n d o n e r s i n hotels, driving costs to an eye-watering £3 million per d a y a n d £ 9 0 m i l l i o n p e r

month A survey by London Councils, which represents all 31 boroughs, found a 10 percent increase in househ o l d s l i v i n g i n t e m p o r a r y

Britons hold £430bn in excess savings

Br it ish save rs are sit ting on a s t a g ge

n ex cess ca sh, pote ntiall y missin g out o n high er r e tur ns from inve stmen ts, a ccording to a new report

Barclays' research reveals that around 13 million adults c o u l d b e e a r n i n g m o r e through investments, highlighting the need for regulat o r y c h a n g e s t o m o t i v a t e savers to put their money to work The report focuses on those who already have more than six months’ worth of i n c o m e s a v e d i n c a s h , demonstrating the "scale of t h e o p p o r t u n i t y " f o r increased investment

The findings come as the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) is finalising plans to

s i m p l i f y t h e p r o v i s i o n o f financial guidance, aiming to help individuals invest without the need for full-blown

a d v i c e T h i s m o v e i s designed to reduce the regulatory burden and costs for f i r m s , m a k i n g i t e a s i e r t o offer "targeted support" or “simplified advice” for those with smaller investments or less complex needs

B a r c l a y s ’ s u r v e y s h o w s that 20% of non-investors believe they lack sufficient k n o w l e d g e , a n d 2 5 % f i n d

i n v e s t i n g t o o c o m p l i c a t e d

P o l i c y m a k e r s a r e k e e n t o b o o s t i n v e s t m e n t i n U K

s t o c k s , w h i c h h a v e f a c e d

p r o l o n g e d o u t f l o w s a s investors seek higher returns abroad

UK Finance reveals results of 'innovation platform' experiment

U K Finance has unveiled key findings fro m its w ork on a new financial m arket infrastru cture concep t known as the UK Regulated L iability N etw o rk ( RL N ) , w h i ch p rom ises to enhance capabilities in p ayments and settlements Since April, UK Finance

h

Darren Jones commented, “It has exposed the shocking state of public finances left b

ment

Davies accused Labour of “fabricating a narrative to justify reckless tax increas-

April 2023 and April 2024 I n

Councils has expressed support for the Renters’ Rights Bill, recently introduced in t h e H o u s e o f C o m m o n s They hope the bill will help alleviate the rising homelessness pressures in the capital Cllr Grace Williams, London Councils’ Executive Member for Housing & Regeneration, s t a t e d , " T h r e e m i l l i o n Londoners live in privately rented homes and deserve s t r o n g e r p r o t e c t i o n Boroughs back a ban on nofault evictions Too often, Londoners are evicted without cause, leading to homelessness and upheaval With record levels of homeless-

While PM Starmer has

figures from the Office for

reveal that the UK economy stagnated in July, marking

month of no growth despite expectations of recovery In response, Chancellor Rachel Reeves stated, “I am fully aware of the scale of the challenge we face and will be transparent with the British people that change

years of stagnation That’s why we are making

rebuild the foundations of our economy ”

ness, banning these evictions is a crucial step forward "Boroughs will collabo-

these reforms succeed This includes providing boroughs

resources needed to enforce the new rules and addressing t

n g London’s housing pressures and the escalating homelessn

y

h e chronic shortage of affordable housing " London accounts for 56 percent of England’s total number of homeless households Last year, homelessn

h e d record highs amid the ongoing cost of living crisis

New state body to secure energy, cut bills

Th e g ov ern m ent w i ll i nv est £ 63 0 million to acquire National Grid, the co m p any c u rre nt ly m an ag i n g Britain’ s energy infrastructure, as it establish es a new public entity, the Nati onal E nerg y S ystem Operator (Neso)

Set to launch in October, Neso will unify oversight of the electricity and gas systems for the first time, a move that Energy Secretary Ed Miliband believes will create a network “fit for the future ” Previously, concerns over p o t e n t i a l c o n f l

Electricity System Operator, which will become the core of Neso, being legally separated in 2019 Neso will manage daily energy supply and demand, oversee strategic planning, and decide where to develop new power projects to align with areas of high demand

T h e

and Visa, along with other

Experimentation Phase The exploration revealed several potential benefits, including

and lower costs associated

including Barclays, Citi UK, HSBC UK, Lloyds Banking

with failed payments in the UK

various technical, legal, and business aspects of developing a 'platform for innovation ' Key conclusions indicate that, when combined w i t h o t

i k e Open Banking, such a platform could create economic v a l u

innovation The experimen-

functionalities such as

fund management features, s

multiple use cases

A d d i t i o n a l l y , t h e p l a tform could offer emerging firms a unified access point to interact with established institutions, enhancing paym e n t a

tems

Britain’s energy security, help keep energy bills low over time, and increase the integration of clean energy Miliband emphasised that Neso will play a crucial role in achieving the government’s goal of decarbonising the energy system by 2030 He stated, “We need to transition Britain from costly, insecure fossil fuels to clean, affordable, domestically produced energy that we control This will lower bills in the long run, boost energy independence, and create skilled jobs across the country ”

Most of the costs associated with this acquisition will be covered by existing energy bill charges that would have previously gone to National Grid The creation of Neso follows plans proposed in 2021 under the previous government and recommendations by Ofgem, the energy regulator National Grid, which manages much of Britain’s power network and is involved in major infrastructure projects, is planning a £60 billion upgrade over the next five years to expand capacity and accommodate rising electricity consumption Following the announcement, National Grid’s shares

Keir Starmer

Rachel Reeves

Ed

Chipmaker NXP to invest $1bn in India

N XP Sem ic onduc tors w ill

i nves t as muc h as $1 billion

i n the Indian market in a b id to double down on its research and development c ap ab i l i ti e s , j oi n i n g a

g r ow i ng b as e of g lo b al

c hipmakers who are betti ng on the c ountry to set up

d e s i gn an d c a p ab i l i ty c entres

“NXP is committed to double its R&D efforts here in the country in the next few years, which is far in excess of a billion dollars,” Kurt Sievers, CEO of NXP Semiconductors said at the Semicon India 2024 event

He said the company is i n t a

e

i n t h e country, where it has four s e m i c o n d u c t o r d e s i g n centres, with about 3,000 employees

N X P f o

shied away from investing

opened research and design centres in the country This

design centre in Bengaluru

Chennai

India is home to a large

engineers, as it has served as a backoffice for global chip companies for several years

n

estimated 300,000 design engineers in the country, accounting for around 20

workforce in the sector

India in the chip

Bajaj Housing Finance shares surge 136% on debut

S ha r e s of B a j a j H ou si n g

Finance, one of India's b iggest mortgage provider s, shot up by as much as 136 per

nt t o Rs 165 during its tr ading

places like China and Taiwan

India has ambitions to become a major chip hub on the lines of the United States, Taiwan and South

courting foreign companies to set up operations in the country

So far, it has approved

which are in Gujarat and one in Assam This includes a fabrication plant being set up by the Tata Group and T

four assembly and testing plants by US-based Micron T

Power in partnership with Japan’s Renesas, and Kaynes Semicon

iPhone exports from India grows to $5bn for first 5 months of FY 25

A p p le’s exp ort o f i Ph o nes from Ind ia tou ch ed the $5billion m ark fo r the first five m onths (Ap ril-Aug ust) of F Y

25 - a h eady gro wth o f 54 p er cent over $3 2 billion during the same period last year, the co mpany ’ s vendors said With Apple deciding to make the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone Max in India, it is set to give a fillip to the value of its exports from the country this financial year An Apple spokesperson, however, did not respond to queries on the issue When compared with Apple’s own numbers,

t h e f i v e - m o n t h e x p o r t i s equal to its full-year figure for FY22

Apple is making iPhones through its three vendors -

F o x c o n n , P e g a t r o n a n d

W i s t r o n ( n o w T a t a

E l e c t r o n i c s

J o i n t l y , t h e t h r e e vendors have committed an export output of $8 9 billion under the PLI scheme for F Y 2 5 , w h i c h i s a l s o t h e scheme’s fourth year At $5 b i l l i o n , t h e t h r e e A p p l e v e n d o r s h a v e a l r e a d y delivered 54 per cent of their f u l l - y e a r ’ s c o m m i t m e n t within the first 5 months

Going by previous years ’ e x p o r t p a t t e r n s , i P h o n e exports from India usually slow down between August and October when Indian f a c t o r i e s s t a r t d i v e r t i n g

s u p p l i e s t o s e r v e t h e

d o m e s t i c m a r k e t T h i s follows the global launch of t h e n e w i P h o n e m o d e l , w h i c h u s u a l l y o c c u r s i n September each year A p p l e

India and China last week

m

Following the launch of the new iPhones and the festival season exports from India are expected to pick up in a significant manner

b e t w e e n N o v e m b e r a n d March, just like earlier The

average export during this period is almost 20-30 per c e n

Apple This year, the value

o f i P h o n e e x p o r t s i s expected to be higher post

N o v e m b e r s i n c e F o x c o n n will start producing iPhones Pro and Pro Max models, which are at least 25-30 per cent more costlier even at freight on board (FOB) value

t h a n t h e n o r m a l i P h o n e models

Ford to reopen Chennai plant after 2 years

Ford Motor pl ans to res tart a m anufact uring pla nt f or exports in Tamil Nadu, India, the c om p a ny s a id , pot e n t ia l l y r e- e nt e r i ng a market it e xited three years ago Ford said it has submitted a letter of intent to the state government, two days after Tamil Nadu s chief minister said that the two were in talks to restart manufacturing in the state for exports Ford stopped producing cars i n I n d i a f o r d o m e s t i c s a l e i n 2 0 2 1 a f t e r struggling to boost volumes and pulled the

plug on exports in 2022, effectively exiting the world's third-largest car market, which is dominated by Asian rivals "

export to global markets," Ford said in a statement The cars that Ford plans to make

announced later, the company said Prior to its exit, it built cars and engines at its plant in Chennai, Tamil Nadu

India's retail inflation up marginally

Retail inflatio n inched u p marginally in Au g, led by vegetable and som e foo d p rices, but rem ained below the Reserve Bank of Ind ia’s 4 % targ et fo r the second month in a row, p rov iding room to the central bank to mov e o n interest rates later this year

Data released by NSO showed retail inflation, as measured by the consumer price index (CPI), rose an annual 3 7% in Aug, a tad higher than the previous month’s 3 6% Food inflation also moved up marginally to 5 7% in Aug compared to 5 4% in July Rural inflation was higher at 4 2% during the month, while urban was at 3 1% Vegetable prices rose 10 7% during the month, while pulses and products were up 13 6% Food & beverages inflation was at 5 3% “We expect food inflation to ease relative to last fiscal given the good progress of monsoon and kharif sowing Softer food inflation should pave the way for the RBI to initiate rate cuts In our base case, we expect two rate cuts this fiscal,” said D K Joshi, chief economist at ratings agency Crisil

Bajaj Housing Finance, part of the nearly century-old Bajaj Group which sells everything from scooters to insurance, has grown with the rapid expansion of India's

registered a 31 per cent annual increase of assets under management to Rs 970 bn ($12 bn) in the quarter to the end of June

The listing comes after India's central bank ordered a group of large non-bank lenders to go public by 2025 in an effort to enhance regulation of the sector

Sanjiv Bajaj, chair of Bajaj Finserv, said that, regardless of the Reserve Bank of India's rules, it was a good time to list the company and diversify its funding

Bajaj said it was also an “ open question” whether Bajaj Finance, which has $42 bn in assets under management, would float its four-year-old brokerage business down the line The billionaire also sought to play down concerns over a rise in bad loans, adding that a deterioration of personal loan credit quality following a boom in retail lending during the pandemic was temporary

“It will come back within a manageable level and then it'll grow from there, Bajaj said “We've seen multiple such cycles over the last

couple of decades ”

Over the past year, the RBI has warned over the

consumer loans and credit card debt

unsecured personal loans and we slowed down our growth over there,” Bajaj said “The important thing is to take note of it, act on it and then go back to it when the times get better ”

Bajaj added that he was untroubled by

other shadow lenders, such as Jio Financial Services, which was listed last year and is owned by rival Indian billionaire and Asia's wealthiest tycoon Mukesh Ambani

The Bajaj family's legacy is deeply tied to India's freedom movement, with Jamnalal Bajaj playing a key role After Mahatma Gandhi returned from South Africa, Bajaj embraced his teachings and became a close ally He donated 20 acres of land in Wardha,

Ashram, making

central

from where Gandhiji started nationwide campaign for Independence Jamnalal Bajaj also supported Acharya Vinoba Bhave’s Paunar Ashram and was a strong advocate for Gandhi’s principles like

and the

values today

Adani denies Hindenburg allegation of freeze on group’s bank accounts

Ad a ni Gr ou p d en i ed al l e ga t io n s b y Ne w Y or k b as e d s ho r t -s e l l e r

Hi n de n b ur g R e s e a r c h t ha t Swis s authoritie s have frozen mor e tha n $ 3 10 m il lion in f un ds a c r os s h al f a doz en Swis s ba nk a ccount s as part of a m oney l aundering and s e c ur i ti e s f or ge r y inves tigat ion into the Adani Gr oup, dating back as ear ly as 2021

H i n d e n b u r g m a d e t h e

c l a i m o n X , c i t i n g n e w l y released Swiss criminal court records In response, Adani

G r o u p s a i d i t h a s n o i n v o l v e m e n t i n a n y S w i s s court proceedings nor have

a n y o f i t s c o m p a n i e s ’ a c c o u n t s b e e n s u b j e c t t o

s e q u e s t r a t i o n b y a n y authority

H i n d e n b u r g s a i d t h e investigation detailed how an Adani frontman invested in opaque British Virgin Islands, M a u r i t i u s a n d B e r m u d a funds that almost exclusively owned Adani stocks

“More than $310 million belonging to an alleged front m a n f o r G a u t a m A d a n i (chairman of Adani Group) is

s e q u e s t e r e d i n s i x S w i s s b a n k s T h e O f f i c e o f t h e A t t o r n e y G e n e r a l o f S w i t z e r l a n d t o o k o v e r t h e investigation after the case

was revealed in the press, ” Swiss media outlet Gotham City reported “ E v e n i n t h e a l l e g e d order, the Swiss court has neither mentioned our group

clarification or information from any such authority or regulatory body,” said Adani Group, adding, “We have no hesitation in stating that this is yet another orchestrated and egregious attempt by the

Kenyan court halts Adani’s proposal for Nairobi airport

A Kenyan co urt suspended a govt plan to allow Adani

Ai r p o rt Ho ld in gs to o pe rate its mai n airp o rt for 30 years until it rules on th e matter

The high court issued the order prohibiting any person from implementing or acting on the privately initiated proposal by Adani until the m a t t e r

Odhiambo, president of the Law Society of Kenya, an applicant in the case Adani didn’t

comment when contacted

The lawyers’ body and the Kenya Human R i g h t s C o m m i s s i o

organisation, are challenging govt’s right to lease the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in the capital, Nairobi, to Adani Airport as it breaches the constitution “Leasing the strategic and profitable JKIA

Jamnalal Bajaj

Hindus hit streets in Banagladesh against wave of attacks

DHA K A : Th ousands o f Hindus took to the streets in Dhaka and Bang ladesh co mmercial cap ital C hattogram to d em and effectiv

them since

A u g 5 Brav ing rain, the demonstrators

c ar ri ed p

p oint d em ands, includ ing

T

after chief adv iser M uham mad Yu nus told th e natio n in a telev ised speech that no one should d o anyth ing to hu rt relig io us h armony

I n C h a t t o g r a m , H i n d u s demanded a separate ministry to deal with minority affairs, reserved seats for minorities, and asked the coordinators of the students’ protests to sit with them, giving them 15 days to act The protests had culminated in the Hasina-led govt’s fall and her flight to India

The Hindu demonstrators said they would not return to t h e i r h o m e s u n t i l t h e i r

demands were met, including compensation and rehabilitation of those affected Referring to targeted killings, looting and destruction of their properties, they also demanded a separate minority protection act They asserted they were not acting as anyone ’ s “agent”, a label they

minorities whenever they spoke up for their rights

In Chattogram, protesters, including women, gathered in Jamal Khan area and demonstrated from 3 pm Describing

declared they will not leave this land

expressed displeasure over the media role as their voices are

urged the authorities to take note reports of daily Prothom

besieged the landmark Shahbag

Watched by security forces, the programme was held under the

Grand premiere of ‘The Fairy Tale’ show at BAPS Mandir in Abu Dhabi

ABU D HABI : The gra nd premie re of the immer siv e show, ‘The Fa iry

Ta le ’ , which re cr eat es the incred ible journ ey of the BAPS Hindu M and ir in Abu Dhabi, ma rk s a sign ifican t mileston e in celebra ting t he histor ic a nd iconic Man dir C rea te d by the ge ner osit y of the lea der ship of Abu Dhabi a nd the e ffo r t s o f BA P S S w a mi n a r a y a n S anstha , t he Mand ir ha s alrea dy a tt racte d ov er one million visitor s fr om across the world in t he first 1 00 day s a ft er it s open ing, d emonst rat ing imm ense globa l a dmira tion an d suppor t

The show is the result of over three months of creative conceptualization, scripting, visualization, animation, and meticulous designing by an in-house BAPS team The show transported the audience through the pivotal moments of the Mandir’s history, s u c h a s , H i s H o l i n e s s P r a m u k h S w a m i M a h a r a j ’ s f i r s t p r a y e r i n t h e d e s e r t s o f Sharjah (1997), the generosity of the UAE President HH Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan in the Presidential Palace (2018), and t h e s p i r i t u a l l y c h a r g e d i n a

y Mahant Swami Maharaj and Prime Minister Narendra Modi (2024)

Recognizing Abu Dhabi as an ‘Epicenter of Harmony’, the show presents the values of t

h e Mandir’s message of global harmony, which has already generated more than 67 billion positive digital impressions

S

In his welcome speech, Brahmavihari

unveil ‘The Fairy Tale’, which not only celebrates the Mandir's incredible journey but also everyone ’ s inner journey The love, support and harmony we have felt in the UAE has encouraged us to create this Spiritual Oasis for Global Harmony, and this new show will encourage every visitor to become a true Ambassador for Harmony, by spreading more harmony at home, at work, and in society at large by their personal intentions, interactions and actions "

The gathering of 250 guests comprised UAE leaders, religious heads, government officials, donors, dignitaries, and well-wishers Addressing them, the Consul General of India in Dubai, Satish Kumar Sivan, said, “The true Fairy Tale is the construction of t h e S w a m i

i n A b u Dhabi I guess the tag line quite captures the essence of the story of the mandir ”

many Hindu organisations

Justice Makers Bangladesh in F

“deeply alarmed” by the recent

minorities The destruction of homes, businesses and places of worship represents a grave viol

organisation said Halting Durga puja activities

Hindu community to halt their Durga puja-related activities, specially playing any musical instrument five minutes before a z

a m a a z

“Such activities need to cease during offering namaaz, and the pause will have to be followed from five minutes prior to azaan, ” home affairs adviser

L t G e n ( r e t d ) M d J a h a n g i r Alam Chowdhury said, ahead of Durga Puja, the largest relig i o u s f e s t i v a l o f t h e H i n d u community

Several lawmakers of PTI detained

I SLA MA BA D : Pa kista ni police have deta in ed s e ve r a l l e a d e r s a n d l a wm a k e r s o f Im r a n Khan’s Pa kist an Tehreek -e -Insaf (PTI) from parl iament’s compoun d, days after the part y hel d a ra ll y and se rved a two-week ultimatum for t he r ele ase of the ja il ed former PM The d e t e n t i on s fo l l o w e d a l l e g e d v io l a t i on of norms during the ra lly

I n a s e p a r a t e d e v e l o p m e n t , A l i A m i n

G a n d a p u r , c h i e f m i n i s t e r o f K h y b e r Pakhtunkhwa from Imran’s PTI, went missi n g f r o m I s l a m a b a d f o r e i g h t h o u r s a n d emerged in his provincial capital Peshawar later Sources said Gandapur was in the custody of an intelligence agency and added that he was quizzed for hours Gandapur came under fire for a tirade against the military during PTI’s protest-cum power show in Islamabad’s suburbs “Fix your institution, fix your generals, fix yourself If the founder of PTI (Imran) is not legally released within one to two weeks, we will have him freed ourselves,” the CM vowed While several PTI lawmakers apologised for Gandapur’s remarks, Imran defended him, saying he had merely expressed the nation’s sentiments “Party members who have apologised for Gandapur’s remarks are weak and cowards They should not remain in PTI,” he w a s q u o t e d a s s a y i n g a t h i s p r i s o n i n

R a w a l p i n d i L a s t w e e k , t h e f e d e r a l g o v t passed a law to “regulate” public gatherings in Islamabad It set three-year jail terms for participants of “illegal” assemblies, with 10 years for repeat offenders

Typhoon Yagi ravages Myanmar, Vietnam

NAY PY ID AW: Hundr eds of vil -

l ag e r s in M y a n m

w ad e d or swa m through c hin-high wa ters, fleeing severe f loods around the re m o t e c a pi t a l , N ay p y id aw , a s Vietnam began clea ring up after Typhoon Y agi

A swath of northern Vietnam, L

l a n

i d

h e w a k e o f t h e storm, which dumped a deluge of rain when it first hit the region last weekend

The overall death toll across the four countries stands at 346, including 233 in Vietnam and 113 in Myanmar But with many peo-

ple missing, it is expected to rise further

Myanmar’s national fire service confirmed the new death toll, while more than 50,000 people have been forced from their homes

In Vietnam’s capital, Hanoi, residents equipped with shovels, brushes and hoses were out clearing up debris and mud from the streets after the waters that had s u b m e r g e d p a

f t h

c

t y receded, and the sun came out for the first time in days

The Red River through Hanoi reached its highest level in 20 years earlier this week as rains

brought by Yagi funnelled out towards the sea

Vietnam since Yagi hit, and more than 135,000 homes have been

Sadbhav’ to provide humanitarian assistance to countries affected by Typhoon Yagi in Southeast Asia Under the operation, India

in brief CHEF VIKAS KHANNA RESPONDS TO VIDEO OF HIS ‘SAVAGE’ REPLY TO BBC INTERVIEWER

Chef Vikas Khanna has reacted to a resurfaced viral video showing his firm response to a BBC interviewer who implied his sense of hunger stemmed from his humble background in India In an Instagram post, Khanna addressed the trending video, saying, As this is trending worldwide, I must address this issue Every nation has its greatness and faults India is so, so multidimensional and multicultural; one of the fastest-growing economies Our cuisine is valued as our greatest soft power, our family structure, spiritual power and wisdom, literature, science research, technology, music, culture has defined its space in the world ” “Our Chefs are ruling the global stages and our role in the World of science & technology is symbolic to who we are & our educational systems But somehow this is the only question significant to some ” the post read He also shared the video in question dating back to 2020 when Khanna organised large-scale food distribution drives during the pandemic winning appreciation from many You understand how precarious it can be in India the interviewer asked It shows Khanna calmly explaining that his hunger didn t originate from his upbringing in India, where community kitchens provided for everyone but rather from his struggles in New York as a young immigrant aspiring to open a Michelinstarred restaurant

STUDENT FROM TELANGANA DROWNS IN CANADA

A man from Telangana, who went to Canada to pursue his Masters, drowned while swimming with his friends in a lake in Toronto The victim, Praneeth, was from Telangana s Meerpet and went to celebrate his birthday The man's father has requested the government to bring his son s body back to India as early as possible The victim had moved to Canada in 2019 for studies while his elder brother in 2022 A video showed Praneeth jumping into the lake In another video the man recorded a selfie with his friends on a motorboat in the lake "Both along with other friends visited the lake to celebrate the birthday of Praneeth

US TO GIVE $202 MN MORE AID TO DHAKA

America will provide an additional $202 million of aid to Bangladesh, a US delegation said during a visit to Dhaka The six-member delegation, led by deputy under secretary of the treasury department Brent Neiman is the first from the US since the interim govt headed by Muhammad Yunus took office last month following the ousting of PM Sheikh Hasina after deadly protests The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) said it would provide a $202 million grant to promote good governance, social, human and economic opportunity and resilience, in a deal signed in Dhaka It follows a 2021 agreement where USAID pledged a total of $954 million between 2021 and 2026, of which $425 million had already been provided

$1,00,000 each to Vietnam and Laos A consignment of 35 tonnes o

t e r p u r i f i c a t i o n items, water containers, blankets, k i t c h e n u t e n s i l s , a n d s o l a r lanterns, among others, was airlifted to Vietnam by a special aircraft, said the govt in a statement T h e f l o o d s a n d l a n d s l i d e s have caused widespread damage to property and agricultural land affecting around 40,000 people in Laos Aid was also sent to M y a n m a r “ D e m o n s t r a t i n g o u r solidarity with the people affected by Typhoon Yagi, India is disp a t c h i n g a i d t o M y a n m a r , V i e t n a m a n d L a o s , ” e x t e r n a l affairs minister S Jaishankar said

CHINA RAISES RETIREMENT AGE

The Chinese govt approved a plan to raise the country s statutory retirement age, currently among the lowest in the world, in a longawaited but broadly unpopular effort to address the challenge of its rapidly aging population This is the first time China has raised its retirement age since the 1950s It will be phased in gradually, starting on Jan 1, 2025 The retirement age for men, previously 60, will increase in increments of several months before finally reaching 63 by 2040 The retirement age for women in white-collar jobs, previously 55, will rise to 58 Women in bluecollar jobs who previously could retire at 50 will have to work until 55

Swami Brahmavihar das expressed gratitude for the UAE leadership s support that inspired this Mandir and ts story through this Immersive Show

in brief

INDIAN ORIGIN LAWYER FIRED OVER 'INAPPROPRIATE RELATIONSHIP

An Indian-origin lawyer has been fired in the US over an alleged inappropriate workplace relationship with the CEO of her company Nabanita Nag, the Chief Legal Officer at Norfolk Southern Corporation, Atlanta, was terminated from her role after an investigation into allegations that she was in a consensual relationship with her boss Alan Shaw who was also fired as CEO Though the relationship was consensual, the two officials violated company policies and code of ethics by engaging in a relationship, Norfolk Southern Corporation said The move "comes in connection with preliminary findings from an ongoing investigation that determined Shaw violated company policies by engaging in a consensual relationship with the company s chief legal officer Shaw s departure is unrelated to the company s performance financial reporting and results of operations Norfolk Southern Corporation said in a press release

PM MODI TO ATTEND QUAD LEADERS MEETING

President Joe Biden will host the fourth in-person Quad leaders summit in Wilmington Delaware on September 21 and is looking forward to welcoming Prime Minister Narendra Modi as well as other leaders, the White House said The summit will focus on bolstering strategic convergence among our countries, advancing a shared vision of free and open Indo-Pacific region Others in attendance will be Prime Minister Anthony Albanese of Australia, and Prime Minister Kishida Fumio of Japan White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said

FORMER SA MINISTER PRAVIN GORDHAN DIES

Pravin Gordhan, who was a South African government minister for many years after beginning his political career opposing apartheid, died last week He was 75 and had cancer Gordhan, a long-time member of the African National Congress party, retired from active politics after the May elections when the ANC lost its parliamentary majority for the first since it came into power in 1994 Gordhan passed away peacefully in hospital surrounded by his family, closest friends and his long-time comrades,” his family said in a statement

8 DEAD, 2,750 HURT AS PAGERS EXPLODE ACROSS LEBANON

Eight people have died and more than 2 750 injured many grievously so in Lebanon in a synchronised detonation of pagers targeting USdesignated terror group Hezbollah Iran s state media reported that its Ambassador to Lebanon, Mojtaba Amani, has also been wounded in the incident Lebanese Health Minister Firass Abiad confirmed that eight people were killed and some 2,750 wounded in the incident Hezbollah, which is banned both by the United States and the European Union is the political and military establishment in Lebanon and is backed by Iran Hezbollah backs Hamas, which has been at war with Israel in Gaza since October 2023

US ACCUSED OF PLOT TO KILL VENEZUELA PRESIDENT

Three Americans, two Spaniards and a Czech citizen were arrested after Venezuelan officials accused them of coming to the South American country to assassinate Prez Nicolas Maduro

The arrests were announced by Diosdado Cabello, the nation’s powerful interior minister Cabello said the foreign citizens were part of a CIA-led plot to overthrow the Venezuelan govt and kill several members of its leadership In the television programme Cabello showed images of rifles that he said were confiscated from some of the plotters of the alleged plan

The US state department said that any claims of US involvement in a plot to overthrow Maduro are categorically false

Kamala consolidates post-debate lead over Trump

WA SHINGTON: K amala Harris has co nsolidated h er polling lead over Donald Trump o n economic issues, especially among voters who watched the presidential debate last w eek, accord ing to the first big economy-focused election surv ey since the televised show down

month, the FT-Michigan Ross poll showed Harris with a slim lead over Trump on stewardship of the economy, with 44 per cent of registered voters saying they

president to run the economy

month, she led 42 per cent to 41 per cent

Harris fared even better with

watched by an estimated 67mn A

Nielsen

Of the nearly three-quarters of respondents who said they watched all or part of the 90-

minute debate, 48 per cent said

manage the economy, compared with 42 per cent for Trump Among those who said they did not watch the debate, 41 per cent trusted the former president and just 35 per cent favoured Harris

The poll was conducted in the two days after the debate It comes just a few days before the Federal Reserve is widely expected to cut US interest rates, a signal it is confident that a period of high inflation has been vanquished The poll found that voters

believe Harris better represents the interests of the middle class, small businesses, union mem-

Trump was seen to better represent the interests of large corporations and the wealthy

When asked which candid

you

, 47 per cent of respondents cited Harris while 37 per cent pointed to Trump

Despite that, voters still said that they would be better off financially if Trump won, with 40 per cent saying they would either be somewhat or much

better off under his presidency, and just 35 per cent saying they

Harris

Since the Financial Times and University of Michigan Ross School of Business began polling on economic issues nearly a year ago, Biden never beat Trump on the question of who voters trusted more to manage the economy Harris’s support from 44 per cent of Americans is an eightpoint improvement over Biden With less than two months to go until election day, the race for the White House remains close

The FT poll tracker shows H

point lead over Trump nationally, but in a virtual tie in the seven swing states likely to decide the election

The FT-Michigan Ross Poll

Strategy Group and Republican polling firm North Star Opinion Research from September 11-12

Extremists deface BAPS Mandir in New York

N E W Y O R K: The BAPS S hri Swaminarayan Mandir located in Melville h am let in the N ew Yo rk State o f the United S tat es was vandalised by ext rem ists on Monday (16th S ep tem ber) night In visuals that have surfaced on social media, it could be seen that the sacred Hindu temple was desecrated with d i s t u r b i n g s l o g a n s o f ‘ F u c k Modi’, ‘Modi is Terrorist’ and ‘Hindustan Murdabad ’ A noticeable gap was maint a i n e d b e t w e e n t h e w o r d s ‘ H i n d u ’ a n d ‘ s t a n ’ , t h e r e b y implying the ‘breasts of the

Hindu’ In a statement, the BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha condemned the attack on the Hindu place of worship

“We also offer our deepest prayers for those who perpetrated this crime to be released of their hatred and to see our common humanity,” it said The temple authority further informed, “Upon learning of the hateful vandalism, the local authorities were called, and BAPS is working fully with t h e a u t h o r i t i e s t o s u p p o r t t h e i r i n v e s t i g a t i o n i n t o t h i s hate crime ” The Consulate General of

India in New York also issued a statement, condemning the t a r g e t i n g o f t h e B A P S S h r i Swaminarayan Mandir

In January this year, the Vijay’s Sherawali Temple in H a y w a r d

C

l i f

w

s d e s e c r a t e d w i t h p r oKhalistani slogans The temp l e w a s s p r a y - p a i n t e d

s l o g a n s s

K h a l i s t a n Zindabad’ and ‘Modi is terrorist ’ “ A f e w o t h e r H i n d u Temple’s in the area have also been vandalized (most likely by the same culprits) We pray for those who wish harm and

hatred on others that Mata Rani cleans their souls and g i v e s t h e m h a p p i n

s s a n d e r a d i c

e s h a t e f

m t h e i r hearts,” it added On 22nd December 2023, t h e S w a m i n a r a y a n M a n d i r V a s a n a S a n s t h a i n N e w a r k city of California, was defaced with pro-Khalistan, anti-Modi and anti-India slogans Similar attacks have taken place in the past, both in the United States and its neighbouring Canada, wherein Hindu temples have been attacked, vandalised and defaced with derogatory graffiti

Indian origin Israeli soldier killed in car attack in West Bank

JE RUS

community wa s kill ed i n a veh icle-rammi ng a ttack close t o th e West Ba nk s Bei t E l settle ment, co mmu ni ty me mbe rs sa id

Staff Sergeant Geri Gideon Hanghal was a resident of Nof HaGalil and a soldier in the Kfir Brigade's Nahshon Battalion, the Israeli Army said Community members said that they were "in shock at the news of the loss of a young life" near Asaf Junction Hanghal immigrated to Israel from northeast India in 2020 Some 300 Bnei Menashe youngsters are said to be doing Army duty during the current war, most of them serving in combat units T h e B n

m India's north-eastern states of Manipur

M

ancient times

Shlomo Amar, Sephardic Chief Rabbi, declared them descendants of Menasseh in 2005 paving the path for their immigration to Israel as members of a lost tribe Some 5,000 members of the Bnei Menashe community are said to have immigrated to Israel, including almost 1,500 in the past five years Another 5,500 still live in India and are waiting to immigrate

Plot, was quoted by Ynetnews as saying that "the city of Nof HaGalil mourns and grieves the loss of Staff Sgt Hanghal Gideon was a

M

h e community, which is very dear to my heart - good, humble and patriotic people"

Footage from the scene of the a t t a c k s h o w e d a t r u c k w i t h a Palestinian license plate veering off a busy highway and barrel full speed into an Israel Defence Forces (IDF) guard post adjacent to a bus stop before coming to a halt The suspect was named by Israeli security sources as 58-year-old Hayil Dhaifallah, from the central West Bank town of Rafat

The attack follows a series of attempted suicide bombings and shooting incidents emanating from the West Bank and claimed by Islamic Hamas

One arrested for assassination bid on Trump

W AS HIN G TO N : A man ident i f ie d as 58 - ye ar - o l d R y

family golf course of Trump, located in West Palm Beach, w

was present at the time of the

escape He was later arrested based on information provided by eyewitnesses According to CBS News, Ryan Routh has a long criminal history His recent address was listed in Hawaii, but for most of his life, he lived in N o r t h C a r o l i n a H e o w n

Camp Box Honolulu, which is a shed-building company His criminal record shows that Routh has had problems

According to North Carolina D

charged with possession of a weapon of mass destruction, which is a felony In another incident, he was charged with misdemeanours that included

weapons violations, and a hitand-run offence Routh was

cheques on multiple occasions, according to the reports

Donald Trump & Kamala Harris

Ryan Wesley Routh

Kejriwal quits as Delhi CM, Atishi stakes claim to form govt

A am Aadmi Party (AAP) supre mo Arvind Kej riwal on Tues day m et Lt G overnor VK Saxen a and tendered hi s resign ation as the C hi ef M inis ter of Delhi Seni or AAP leader an d mi nister Ati shi, who was chosen by the p a r ty

M ini ster, m et the Lt Governor to stake c laim to the post

Speaking to the media after meeting the Lt Governor, Atishi said, "This is the first time in the democratic history of the world that a Chief Minister has decided that the decision of the Supreme Court is not enough for him Until the court of the people gives its verdict, he will not sit on the Chief Minister's chair " T

Kejriwal ji as the Chief Minister, so they have vowed to make him win in the next elections too The whole Delhi is saddened by Kejriwal's resignation," she added

Atishi's name was proposed by Kejriwal at the meeting of the legislature party, and it was unanimously accepted by the AAP MLAs Sources said there would be no Deputy Chief Minister and Atishi, who represents the Kalkaji constituency, would take oath during a special Assembly session on September 26-27

Speaking on her appointment, Delhi minister Gopal Rai said, "The responsibility has been given to Atishi in testing times Agencies were being misused against AAP to destabilise the government AAP has frustrated these attempts "

Rai said Atishi, who has been with the AAP since its inception, had two major responsibilities - to work for the 20 million

conspiracies

Kejriwal, who was granted bail in the

shockwaves through Delhi's political circles after announcing on September 15 that he would resign in two days

An Oxford University alumna and a Rhodes scholar, Atishi is considered close

K

Minister Manish Sisodia, under whom she worked as an advisor till 2018

gauged from the fact that Kejriwal, in

recommended Atishi to hoist the national

programme

A

minister in the Delhi Cabinet, she is also in

department, revenue and services

How India’s dynasties dominate business

Fam il y plays a c entral rol e in the lives of India ns, a f act that exte nds prominently into t he business world In India, fam il y-owned b us ines ses (FOBs) ac count f or m or e than 75% of the national GDP, one of the highes t rat ios g l ob a l l y , wit h pr o je c t io ns

c ould inc rease to 80-85% by 2047

According to McKinsey research, FOBs experienced revenue growth approximately 2

delivered returns to shareholders that were

economic power through regulations and nationalizations, large family enterprises have continued to thrive due to their established connections and adaptability These firms leverage their influence to attract capital,

government policies to their advantage The absence of inheritance tax since 1985 has further facilitated the maintenance of family control across generations

However, change is beginning to emerge The Tata Group, once dominated by family members, saw the departure of the last Tata

influence in Indian commerce, with the top ten family-business groups valued at nearly $900 billion, according to Hurun India

The total value of the top 100 family firms reaches $1 4 trillion, with first-generation

figure Research by Kavil Ramachandran from the Indian School of Business reveals that 90% of India's listed companies are familycontrolled, a stark contrast to the Western corporate landscape where family control is rare, exemplified by the absence of family influence at companies like Microsoft and Apple

In India, the dominance of family-run f i r m s s h

n t uniquely Succession disputes, such as the high-profile conflict between Mukesh and Anil Ambani, often result in conglomerates being divided into separate entities Marital alliances among corporate families and the ease of collaborating with influential families have made it easier for foreign companies like Disney to operate in India D

Indian origin caught with forged passport

Alp esh P atel, a resident of New Jersey in the US and a n at i ve o f A na nd di s tr i ct , wa s c au gh t at th e

S a rd ar V al la bh bh ai P a te l International (S VPI) airp ort with th e passpo rt of another man on his arrival last week

A c c o r d i n g t o a n F I R registered with the police, Patel, 43, reached the SVPI

a i r p o r t o n a f l i g h t f r o m

D u b a i a

Patel has been living in the US for the past 24 years and runs a grocery store, a police officer said

A c c o r d i n g t o t h e F I R filed by immigration officer

Darshil Shah, when Patel

p r e s e n t e d h i s p a s s p o r t d u r i n g t h e i m m i g r a t i o n

l e a r a n c e p r o c e s s , t h e

s y s t e m d i s p l a y e d

i n f o r m a t i o n b e l o n g i n g t o o n e M o h a m m e d M a s r u r

“Further checks using the P R I D E ( p a s s p o r t - r e l a t e d information data exchange) system confirmed that the passport had been reported as lost,” the FIR said

A c c o r d i

complaint, the passport was i

l t a n p u r district of UP, on July 7, 2022

“Hence prima facie it can be inferred that Alpesh Patel has p r e s e n t e d a f r a u d u l e n t l y obtained Indian passport to the officer for immigration

c l e a r a n c e H e h a s b e e n handed over to the police for f u r t h e r i n v e s t i g a t i o n , ” t h e complaint states

Airport police registered a complaint of cheating by personation, forgery, forgery of valuable security and using a f o r g e d d o c u m

n

a s genuine under the Bharatiya

Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) along w i t h t h e c h a r g e s o f

Passport Act

passport first expired in 2010, and he subsequently renewed it However, when it expired again in 2022, he sought the help of an agent originally from Gujarat but residing in

Information Data Exchange (PRIDE ),” the Airport police official added The Special Operations Group (SOG) of the city crime branch will probe the case

Supreme Court stops bulldozer demolitions across India until Oct 1

T h e S u p re me Co u r t s t o p p e d b u ll do ze r d em o l it i o n a c ro s s I nd i a u ntil October 1 witho ut its p ermission, and unless th e demolitions are on pu bli c roads, water bo dies, railway lines

The apex court said it would formulate directives o n w h e n a n d h o w p r o p e r t i e s c a n b e d e m o l i s h e d u n d e r t h e municipal laws of the land

Last week, the Supreme C o u r t b e n c h c o m p r i s i n g J u s t i c e s H r i s h i k e s h R o y , S u d h a n s h u D h u l i a , a n d SVN Bhatti had criticised “ b u l l d o z e r j u s t i c e ” , a n d

o b s e r v e d t h a t s u c h

d e m o l i t i o n t h r e a t s a r e inconceivable in a country where the law is supreme

O n e o f m u n i c i p a l

leadership from Anand Mahindra to

Harsh Mariwala of Marico stepped down in 2014, passing leadership to a successor outside the family

firms, with companies like Cipla and Haldiram’s potentially available for

India’s economy, marked by an increase in new business registrations and a vibrant tech

dynasties might loosen over time

In today’s rapidly evolving technological landscape, advancements such as AI are also contributing to shorter business lifespans and increased competition For FOBs, this presents the dual challenge of sustaining their high growth rates while staying relevant amidst increasing disruptions To continue d

broader economy, FOBs must be bold and innovative It is crucial for their owners to g r a s p t h e f a c

r s t h a t c o n t r i b u t e t o exceptional performance among FOBs in India

Y e t , c h a n g e w i l l b e g r a d u a l G a u t a m Adani, India’s second-richest individual and head of the Adani Group, is actively building a family dynasty, with his children deeply involved in the business The steel giant JSW is preparing for its second succession, and the Bajaj Group has navigated two succession phases with indications of a third to come India’s family-run empires appear poised to persist well into the future

a u t h o r i t i e s i n G u j a r a t threatened to bulldoze the house of a family among whom one of them has been named in the FIR

T h e p e t i t i o n e r , a c oo w n e r o f a l a n d i n t h e

K a t h l a l i n K h e d a d i s t r i c t

h a d a p p r o a c h e d t h e t o p court against the decision of the municipal authorities

T h e p e t i t i o n e r ' s l a w y e r s u b m i t t e d t h a t t h r e e generations of his family are residing in the said houses for about two decades

“ I n a c o u n t r y w h e r e a c t i o n s o f t h e S t a t e a r e governed by the rule of law,

t h e t r a n s g r e s s i o n b y a f a m i l y m e m b e r c a n n o t invite action against other members of the family or t h e i r l e g a l l y - c o n s t r u c t e d r e s i d e n c e A l l e g e d

involvement in crime is no ground for the demolition of a property," the bench observed On September 2, the top court had said it would issue g u i d e l i n e s t o r e g u l a t e demolitions across India “ W e a r e o n b r o a d guidelines so that there is no bulldozer tomorrow and so that it is documented and checked so that neither side p o i n t a n y l a c u n a e W h y cannot some guidelines be passed so that it is followed? There can be notice, time to file a reply, time to pursue o t h e r l e g a l r e m e d i e s a n d t h e n t h e d e m o l i t i o n w e want to resolve this on a pan-India basis," the bench of justices Bhushan R Gavai a n d K V V i s w a n a t h a n h a d stated

Charusat's Devanshi Dalal presents research paper at ophthalmology congress

Devanshi Dalal, A ssistant Professor in the Departm ent of Optom etry at the Bapubhai De sai bh ai P atel Ins titu te o f P aram ed i cal S c i enc es ( BD IP S ) , C h a ru s at U ni v ers i ty, C hanga, ach iev ed international reco gnition by presenting her research at the prestig ious

3 9 th Wo rld Op h th alm o

C o ng res s in C a na d a H

re se arc h p o st er, ti t led " A t ro p i ne f o r M yo p i a C o n tro l , " w a s show cased at th e event Devanshi was the sole participant from G u j a r a t a t t h e c o n g r e s s T h e c o n g r e s s , organized by the International Council for Ophthalmology, attracted representatives f r o m c o u n t r i e s w o r l d w i d e , p r o v i d i n g a platform for Continuing Medical Education (CME), networking, research discussions, a n d p o s t e r p r e s e n t a t i o n s o n c r i t i c a l e y e health issues like myopia Under the mentorship of Dr Jitendra Jethani, Director of Baroda Children Eye and S q u i n t C l i n i c a n d a p i o n e e r i n m y o p i a

c o n t r o l i n I n d i a , D e v a n s h i c o n d u c t e d research focused on myopia management Devanshi received inspiration and guidance from Principal of BDIPS Dr Hemant Kumar Her research explored the effectiveness of atropine in slowing myopia progression and examined potential side effects related t o v i s i o n M y o p i a , o r n e a r s i g h t e d n e s s

causes distant objects to appear blurry due to changes in the eye's dimensions, which can

associated with long-term risks like retinal d e

With studies predicting that by 2050, h

affected by myopia, leading to increased rates of blindness, addressing this growing c

contributes to efforts aimed at preventing the progression of myopia and its associated risks, focusing on early intervention and its importance in protecting future eye health

Former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, CM-designate Atishi and Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena

PM Modi lists NDA govt’s 100 days’ achievements

P r im e M

M odi on Tues day (Septemb er 17, 202 4) highlighted im por-

t a n t s t e ps t a k en b y t h e

N a t io na l De m oc r a t ic

Al liance (NDA) governm ent f or the poor , farm ers, youth, a nd women during the firs t 100 days of its current term

T hi s d a y al s o f al l s a s t h e

b irthday of PM Modi

“Today marks 100 days of the NDA government’s cur-

r e n t t e r m I n t h i s t i m e , numerous key decisions have

b e e n m a d e t o b e n e f i t t h e poor, farmers, youth, and to

e m p o w e r w o m e n A m o n g these, the government has committed to build 30 mn n e w c o n c r e t e h o u s e s a n d announced a £20 bn package aimed at uplifting the youth,” Modi said addressing beneficiaries of Subhadra, a newly launched scheme for women in Odisha, at Bhubaneswar

He added, “the govern-

m e n t w i l l f u n d t h e f i r s t month’s salary of young professionals when they join pri-

v a t e c o m p a n i e s W e h a v e also approved an additional 75,000 seats in medical colleges Recently, we gave the green light to connect 25,000 villages with concrete roads The budget for the Ministry

o f T r i b a l A f f a i r s h a s b e e n doubled, and a special pro-

gramme for the development of 60,000 tribal villages has been launched ” Pens ion sc heme

Modi detailed other initiatives, stating, “ a remarka b l e p e n s i o n s c h e m e f o r government employees has been introduced Income tax rates have been reduced for

p and small entrepreneurs In j u s t 1 0 0 d a y s , 1 1 , 0 0 , 0 0 0 women have become new Lakhpati didis ”

“We have taken a major decision to support paddy and onion farmers Import duties on edible oil have been increased to encoura g e d o m e s t i c p

r c h a s e s from Indian farmers At the same time, the export duty on basmati rice has been lowered to boost exports and benefit paddy growers Additionally, the minimum s

crops has been increased, providing financial relief to millions of farmers to the tune of £20 bn,” he said T

released the first instalment

under the Prime Minister A

around 14 States, took part i n G

(

warming) celebrations for 26,00,000 beneficiaries of PMAY (Gramin and Urban) f

and handed over house keys

d Awaas+ 2024 Application, f

Y - G , and the operational guide-

P

A w a s Y o j

n

– U r b a n (PMAY-U) 2 0

Rahul says 50% ceiling on reservation must go

S tressing th at h e has been c ons is tently demandin g th at th e 50% c ap o n reservation sh ould be remo ved and a caste censu s co ndu cted withou t delay, lead-

e r o f th e o p p o s i ti o n R a h u l Gandh i said he has been misqu oted th at h e is against reservatio n

T o a q u e s t i o n a t t h e

National Press Club in Washington, the Congress MP said his team raised attacks on minorities in Bangladesh at a meeting with US lawmakers, adding it’s the responsibility of the Yunus govt to stop it soon

S p e a k i n g a b o u t q u o t a s , h e s a i d , “Somebody misquoted me, saying that I am against reservations I have been saying again and again and again - we are going to increase reservations beyond 50%, and I am not against reservation ”

Asked if he views caste census as an antidote to Hindutva politics, Rahul said it is not a ‘Mandal vs kamandal’ issue, but a Congress idea to make India a fair country Rahul said, “What we are saying is different than the idea of only reservations We want to have a comprehensive understand-

ing first of what’s going on, and then we are going to apply a series of policies to correct it reservation being one of them ”

Rahul pushed back against the proposal that reservations should be on the economic criteria, arguing that caste is the fundamental issue in India and untouchability is beyond an economic idea “I don’t think it’s only an economic idea I think it’s discrimination on many, many different axes ”

He rebuffed the suggestion that US should exert pressure on PM Modi on the issues of “democratic backsliding, persecution of minorities, freedom of press ” He said, “The fight for democracy in India is an Indian fight It has nothing to do with anybody else It’s our problem and we will take care of it ” He said Indian democracy is fighting back, but was broken for the last 10 years when it was under attack Gandhi disagreed that the Kashmir issue is holding back Indo-Pak relations, arguing that Islamabad’s instigation of terrorism is the reason for the freeze in relations

All Indians aged 70 and above to get 500,000 health cover

The Narendra M odi govt appr oved health cover to all senior c itiz ens aged 70 ye ars and a b ov e i rr e s p e c t iv e o f i nc om e u n de r Ayus hm an Bharat Pradhan M antri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) – a decision that is likely to benefit approximatel y 60 m il lion s enior citizens They will be el igible for a Rs 500,000 fre e health ins ur ance cover annuall y on a family bas is under AB-PMJAY which was until now availa ble only to the poor and vulner able fam ilies The Cabinet approved an initial outlay of £343 7 mn to fund the expansion of ABPMJAY to include senior citizens, information and broadcasting minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said The decision comes just before govt completes the first 100 days in office in its

third term

“The scheme will be rolled out soon All eligible senior citizens would be issued a new distinct card under AB-PMJAY The senior citizens of the age 70 years and above belonging to families already covered under AB-PMJAY will get an additional top-up cover up to Rs 500,000 per year for themselves (which they do not have to share with the other members of the family who are below the age of 70) All other senior citizens of the age 70 years and above will get a cover up to Rs 500,000 per year on a family basis,” Vaishnaw said The minister added that eligible senior citizens already availing benefits of other public health insurance schemes may either choose their existing scheme or opt for AB-PMJAY

Surat’s solar king Faruk Patel ranks second among the

Hurun India ha s r elea sed it s l ist of the top 10 richest peop l e in In d i a , a n d it a l s o incl udes t he top t en b usin e ss me n fr om Su r a t O n e na me that st ands out is Dr Faruk Patel , known as the “ So l a r Ki n g ” o f t he KP Group In 1994, the son of a b u s c on d u ct o r st a r t e d hi s business journey wit h a capita l of just Rs 100,000 under t h e n a m e KP G r o up

T hr o ug h r e l e n t l e ss e ff or t , innovat ion, and st rong manage me nt, Dr Pa tel ha s made KP G roup one of the top five businesses in Sur at With a ne t worth of £970 mn, Dr Pate l has now be come the second riche st busin essman in Sur at Surat is home to 28 billionaires Leading the pack among the top ten is Ashwin Desai of Aether Industries with a net worth of £1 07 bn Dr Patel, with his companies

Engineering, has made sig-

richest in Surat

nificant strides in the renew-

companies have a combined market capitalization of over £1 8 bn They have installed 473 MW of solar power and have 2 33 GW of orders in the pipeline In the wind energy sector, they have completed 840 MW projects, with 1009 MW orders pending In March 2024, Dr Patel's

£18 95 mn on the BSE’s MSE platform KP Green is currently building Asia’s largest galvanizing kettle at a new

Additionally, Dr Patel’s company owns Gujarat’s largest private solar park and holds the record for installing the first seven wind turbines in South Gujarat He is also recognized as the largest individual taxpayer in Surat

tycoons from Surat in the list include: Niraj Choksi of NJ Indiana with £960 mn;

James

Disengagement achieved in 4 border areas,

Fo llo wing fo reign minister S Jaish ankar’ s remark that I n di a an d C h i n a h av e res olved 75% of th ei r “diseng age me n t p ro b le ms ” i n eastern Ladakh, China said t h at th e t wo si d es h av e reali sed di sengageme nt i n fou r areas in th e Western s e ct o r, in c lu di n g G al wa n valley Th e Chinese fo reign ministry said th at the bo rde r s it u at i o n i s ge ne ra ll y stable and under contro l India has been pressing China to complete the disengagement and de-escalat i o n p r o c e s s , s a y i n g i t ’ s e s s e n t i a l f o r rebuilding the relationship D i s e n g a g e m e n t h a s b e e n achieved in several areas, as Indian govt has confirmed earlier, but there has been n o p r o g r e s s i n t a l k s t o achieve the same in remaining areas like Demchok and Depsang, which are seen by Beijing as legacy issues predating the military standoff that started in May 2020

says Beijing

“ O n S e p t 1 2 , d i r e c t o r Wang Yi met with NSA Ajit Doval in St Petersburg The two sides discussed progress made in recent consultation on border issues and agreed to deliver on the common understandings reached by the leaders of the two count r i e s , e n h a n c e m u t u a l u n d e r s t a n d i n g a n d t r u s t , c r e a t e c o n d i t i o n s f o r improving bilateral ties and m a i n t a i n c o m m u n i c a t i o n to this end,” said Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning

“In recent years, frontline armies of the two count r i e s h a v e r e a l i s e d d i s e ngagement in four areas in the Western sector of the China-India border, includi n g G a l w a n V a l l e y T h e C h i n a - I n d i a b o r d e r s i t u ation is generally stable and under control,” added the o f f i c i a l , r e s p o n d i n g t o queries about Jaishankar’s remark and Doval’s meeting w i t h W a n g i n S t

Petersburg Separately, on the Doval - W a n g m e e t , C h i n a s a i d they agreed to implement the consensus reached by heads of the two countries, e n h a n c e m u t u a l u n d e rstanding and trust, maintain continuous communic a t i o n , a n d c r e a t e c o n d itions for boosting ties W a n g e x p r e s s e d t h e hope that the two sides will properly handle their differe n c e s i n a p r a g m a t i c approach and find the right way to get along with each other and push the ChinaI n d i a r e l a t i o n s b a c k o n track for healthy, stable, and sustainable development Earlier, Jaishankar said roughly 75% of India’s “dis-

look at “other possibilities” if the disengagement proc

and peace and tranquillity restored on the border

Lady Pramila Parekh, wife of Professor Lord Parekh, passed away on August 30th, after a short illness. She was an active Community Relations Officer, who did much to bring Hull's various ethnic and religious communities together. She was particularly sensitive to the religious needs of minorities and did much to integrate them into Hull's tolerant social framework. She was a well-known Cultural Ambassador who interpreted and explained the religious beliefs and practices of different communities, especially Hindu, in Hull's primary and secondary schools.

Her funeral will be held on Saturday 28th September at Lelley Fields Crematorium, HU12 8FX. No flowers please, but should you wish, you may make a donation to Dementia UK.

Lord Bhikhu Parekh

Email: profparekh@gmail.com

Rahul Gandhi

SOUTH INDIA

Tamil Nadu signs investment

MoUs worth £266.6mn

C HIC A G O: Tamil Nadu C hief

M inister M K Stalin, w ho w as

o n an official visit to the U S, o versaw th e sig ning of m ajo r

i n d u st ri al

m en t agreements in Ch icago , aimed

electronics manufactu ring and skill development sectors

The agreements, including investments from Jabil Inc and

projected to bring in £266 6

a

in

Chicago

and create over 5,300 jobs in Tamil Nadu’s Tiruchi and Kancheepuram districts An

enhance youth skills and the industrial competitiveness of the state’s small and

move to make Tamil Nadu’s position as

American multinational Jabil Inc and

expanding their operations, and both companies signed MoUs with the Tamil

attended by CM Stalin in Chicago Stalin, welcoming the investment, s p

g electronics industry “Jabil’s foray into Tiruchirappalli will be a crucial anchor investment in the region and will lead to job creation for the local youth and the emergence of a robust electronics supply chain This welcome move is another testament to the availability of talent and infrastructure in all parts of our state and w

electronics and innovation,” he said

Violence erupts in Karnataka during Ganesh idol immersion

MA ND Y A ( K A RNA T A KA ) : A po lic e i nspec to r has been su spended fo r dere lic tio n of dut y a nd 5 5 peo ple have been taken int o c ustody in co nnec tion with th e vi olence du ring a Ganesh idol immersion pr oc essio n h ere

The situation in this town in Mandya district, w h

o g r o u p s following which mobs went on a rampage targeting several shops and vehicles leading to tension has been brought under control, police said

, additional police forces continued to be deployed in t

imposed as a precautionary measure The 52 people who were initially arrested have been sent to judicial custody for 14 days, police said

P

Nagamangala town police station was suspended for dereliction of duty in connection with the clashes that broke out during the procession, Mandya Superintendent of Police, Mallikarjun Baldandi said According to police, an argument broke out b

procession from Badarikoppalu village reached

stones, which escalated the situation

Haryana poll: BJP's full list out; AAP-Cong name more candidates

Haryana are expected to release their full list of candidates for t h e u p c o m in g As s e mb ly elections as Th ursday marks the last day to fi le no minati ons for the p olls, whic h will be held in a single ph ase o n October 5

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has named candidates for a l l 9

contestants for all except three constituencies In its third and f

n g r a f r o m S i r s a , K a n w a r S i n g h Y a d a v f r o m

M a h e n d r a g a r h , a n d S a t i s h

Fagna from Faridabad NIT got the party ticket

After failed talks over the p o t e n t i a l a l l i a n c e , t h e A a m Aadmi Party and the Congress have also named candidates for n e a r l y a l l c o n s t i t u e n c i e s i n

Haryana The AAP released its sixth list of 19 candidates With

WEST BENGAL

Captain Yogesh Bairagi

The AAP, which contested 46 seats in 2019 but failed to taste success, will try to grow its influence in the state Last time, it won less than 1 per cent of the total vote share

Other regional parties like the Indian National Lok Dal and J a n n a y a k J a n

P a r t y w i l l contest the poll battle to stay afloat in the Haryana political landscape and avoid complete

NORTH-EAST

Curfew back in 3 Manipur districts

M anipur, thought to be on the m end until a fres h outb reak of violenc e s ince Sept 1 res ulted in 11 deaths, return ed to s hutdown m ode after the admi nistration clamped an i ndefin ite total c urfew in three di stricts , b loc ked broadband and mobi le i nternet in f iv e di s tri cts , an d bol st ered its 2 6,000s trong contin gent of cen tral armed poli ce f o r c

West and

ew Internet and mobile data had been

before the authorities amended the order, restricting the blackout to Imphal East,

Kakching for five days The trigger for the BJP-led state govt's move was spiralling civilian unrest in the valley, with slogan-

clashing with police and burning effigies

Banners declaring “Stop Indian proxy war ”

reflected the protesters’ defiance, which

misinformation and inciting people The turmoil harked back to mid-2023, when much of Manipur would be under curfew for extended periods as mobs ran riot and m

violence that created a hill-valley divide Internet services, too, remained suspended in the state for months

Officials cited “imminent danger to life and widespread disturbances because of inflammatory material and rumours ” for the renewed internet blockade The protest b

violence to erupt in May last year and enabled suspected tribal militant outfits to resume attacks on civilians in the valley this month

this, it has named contestants for all seats except one The Congress also released a n e w l i s t , n a m i n g f i v e candidates The party initially had hoped for an alliance with the AAP but they failed to build a consensus on a seat-sharing deal The Congress has so far named 89 candidates, including O l y m p i a n w r e s t l e r V i n e s h Phogat, who is set to mark her p o l i

Haryana’s Julana

Bhupinder Singh Hooda from G

Singh from Ladwa to take on BJP CM Nayab Singh Saini To counter Phogat, the AAP has named ex-wrestler Kavita Dalal, w h i l e t h e B J P h a s f

m

Mamata meets doctors, shunts Kolkata CP, 2 health officers

K O L K A T A : F i v e w e e k s o f pr ot e st s tr igger ed by the Aug 9 ra pe-murde r a t Kolk ata 's R G Ka r hospital culmina te d in Be nga l CM Mamat a Ban erje e yie ldin g to the pr ot estin g jun ior doctor s' dema nd for t he r emova l of four top officia ls -

K ol k a t a P o lic e c om m is si o n e r V in e e t Goy al, DCP (Nort h) Abhishek Gupt a, dire ct or of med ica l educat ion Kaustuv Na yek , a nd dire ct or of health se rvices

De b a s hi s H a ld a r - a ft e r a m e e t i n g la sting a sha de ove r two hours

M a m a t a a n n o u n c e d t h e breakthrough in talks with a 42-strong delegation at her residence in Kolkata's Kalighat shortly after the junior doctors left around midnight, saying the govt had acceded to "some of our demands"

"I saluted them for their agitation and am happy with the outcome of the meeting,” Mamata told reporters

Mamata told reporters, "They raised several issues and we gave our views, but tried to listen to their demands as much as possible They are much younger So, we tried to accord as much importance

t o t h e i r d e m a

starting the meeting "

cease-work since Aug 9

to now return to work "for the people's sake"

“Their first demand was justice for the crime," the CM said, adding that the focus was now on CBI as it was probing the crime

"They had four other demands, the first being the removal of the director of medical education, director of health services and the health secretary I told them that the administration would not function if all of them were removed at the same time So, we have decided to remove DME Kaustuv Nayek and DHS Debashis Haldar, Mamata said

" B

p t h e s e assignments But the students were very angry and did not have faith in them So, they will be moved from their posts "

The CM said city police chief Goyal would hand over charge to his successor on Tuesday “Vineet has agreed to move to a post he wants I have told the doctors that the police work for the government and so we have to look after them as well,” she said

Lok Sabha election results, in which all parties except the BJP, Congress and the AAP, got less than 2 per cent vote share, data on the website of the Election Commission shows The AAP got 3 9 per cent votes while the BJP the highest vote share at 46 11 per cent Both BJP and the Congress won five seats each

SC says no to halt live streaming of Kolkata murder case

NE W D EL H I: The Suprem e Court on Tuesday turned do wn the West Bengal g overnment’s request to stop live stream ing of the court proceedings in the case of the rape and murder o f a trainee d octor at the R G Kar Medical C ollege and Hospital in Kolkata on Aug ust 9

While presiding over a three-judge bench, Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud told Senior Advocate K

Government and made the request, “We will not stop this”

Sibal told the bench, “I have great concern at what’s happening Your Lordships took suo motu cognisance of the matter to find out what is happening on the ground Now what happens is if you livestream matters like this which have emotive implications, huge emotive implications We are not for the accused, we don’t stand for the accused, we are only called upon to tell you what the state has done”

Meanwhile, the SC, which perused the status report filed by CBI, said it did not want to make public what has been said by the Central agency

“We will keep it at that so as not to jeopardise the further possibility of the investigation As all of you know, apart from the principal, there has been an arrest of the SHO himself He’s in the custody of CBI, and there are significant pieces of (evidence) would be revealed in the course of the investigation,” the court added

ASSAM EVICTION DRIVE TURNS VIOLENT; 2 KILLED IN POLICE FIRING

Two protesters were killed and 11 others were injured in police firing during a drive to evict alleged encroachers in Kamrup (Metropolitan) district of Assam, a top police officer said Twenty-two police personnel and a government official were also injured in an attack by an irate mob which prompted the firing by the law enforcers Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, meanwhile, claimed that the eviction drive was underway peacefully but after the Congress s opposition to it, the encroachers became aggressive and attacked the government officials and policemen Director general of police GP Singh said revenue authorities of Kamrup Metro have been carrying out eviction proceedings from the government land in the notified tribal belt of Sonapur Revenue Circle During this process 248 bighas of government land have been cleared of encroachment removing 237 illegally constructed structures in the tribal belt built by people not authorised to build such structures he said

AASU FUNCTIONARY ACCUSED OF SEX ASSAULT

All Assam Students’ Union (AASU) asked its general secretary Sankor Jyoti Baruah to go on leave after his former fiancee an AASU member lodged an FIR accusing him of sexual assault and intimidation The woman who hails from Nagaon district in central Assam claimed that Baruah deceived her while promising to marry her and then assaulted and threatened her A case has been registered against Baruah, based on the FIR filed by her at Dispur police station He has been charged for sexual assault and criminal intimidation According to her complaint, Baruah established physical relationship on the pretext of marrying her Baruah admitted that he had a relationship with her, but refrained from discussing the matter

Entire world knows India is best bet for 21st century: PM Modi

N ot jus t Indi a, t he e nt ir e wor ld

k nows that India is the best bet f or t he 21s t century,” M odi s aid in his inaugural address at t he 4th edition

o f t he Gl ob a l Re ne wa bl e E n er gy Invest ors M eet and E xpo (RE -Invest

2 02 4 ) a t M a ha t m a M a n d ir E xhibition and Convention Centre in Gandhinagar

n

The three-day summit will wit-

25,000 delegates from across 140 countries, more than 200 speakers and over 115 B2B meetings

States aim f or 500 GW tar ge t

Chief ministers of five states and senior ministers from other states participated in a plenary session at RE-Invest 2024 The CMs presented

renewable energy (RE) and showed confidence that they will be able to

reaching 500GW electricity generation through RE resources by 2030

T h e p a r t i c i p a n t s i n c l u d e

Andhra Pradesh CM Chandrababu

Sawant, Chhattisgarh CM Vishnu

Gujarat energy minister Kanu Desai

‘India will need $160bn in green finance’ World Bank experts flagged the huge gap between the requirements in green finance – investment and monetary support for environmentfriendly initiatives – and the actual

experts said that India has currently

finance, but the actual requirement to meet the sustainable development goals (SDGs) of the United Nations in the stipulated time frame is $160 billion, which is four times the amount

Metro line inaugurated

The first Metro train service

Gandhinagar on the newly inaugurated corridor was flagged off by PM

Modi The PM boarded the train from Sector 1 and travelled up to the city During the nearly 10-minute journey, the PM interacted with school students

Bhuj-A’bad Nam o Bharat Rapid Rail

The first Namo Bharat Rapid

Bhuj was flagged off from Bhuj,

Express trains to various destinations and the first 20-coach Vande Bharat Express between Varanasi and New Delhi, by PM Modi The five Vande Bharat Express trains flagged off were from to Nagpur to Secunderabad (577 km), Agra Cantt

Visakhapatnam (565km), Pune to Hubballi (557km) and Kolhapur to Pune (326km)

Govt initiates exercise to conduct census

C e n t r e sa i d it h a s in i t ia t e d t he e xe rcise t o conduct the ce nsus an d a n a nnoun ce men t in t his r ega rd is e xpe ct ed soon while ind ica ting it ha d an “ ope n mind ” on a dding a ca st e column in the d ecen nial e num era tion, which ha s bee n d ela ye d since t he Covid out bre ak

“Work on holding the census is already on and a decision in this regard is likely soon, ” a senior govt functionary said

Several opposition parties and BJP allies have been demanding a caste count and even RSS has said it had no problem with the exercise so long as the findings were used f o r d e v e l o p m e n t a n d w e l f a r e schemes, and not for “politics”

The functionary also said one

n a t i o n - o n e e l e c t i o n , o n e o f t h e govt’s priorities, will be implemented during the current Modi govt’s tenure

The modalities of holding elections to state assemblies and Lok Sabha simultaneously were being worked out, the functionary said, adding, “Definitely, one nation-one election will be implemented in this tenure itself It will be a reality ” I n h i s I n d e p e n d e n c e D a y address last month, PM Modi had made a strong pitch for one nationone election, contending that frequent polls were creating hurdles in the country’s progress

The last census with a caste column in it was conducted in 1931, with the govt doing away with the exercise after independence

This is the first time that the govt has confirmed the likelihood of census being conducted shortly, as well as the possibility of including caste in the exercise “This is yet to be decided,” the functionary said

when asked about the inclusion of caste in the census, and added, “We have an open mind about it ” JD( U), LJ P back one- nation-one poll plan

A day after govt asserted that i

nation-one poll target during his

extended support for the move, which has been opposed by opposition parties that have alleged that clubbing the polls would violate the spirit of the Constitution I

s , which was the norm until 1967, would be conducive to the goal of faster development

Terrorism breathing its last in J&K, says Modi

P r i m e M in i st er Nar end ra M o d i attacked th e Abd ullah s, Muftis and Gand his, claiming they had ruined J&K and alleging th e three p olitical families h ad promoted terrorism in J&K for seven d ecades “only to keep their ship s running ” But terrorism is drawing its last breath s in the Union T erritory, he said

A d d r e s s i n g a m a s s i v e p u b l i c rally at Doda, in Jammu division, Modi said a new leadership emerging in Jammu and Kashmir would replace dynastic rule

“ T h e

security forces will make a new J&K now Terrorism is breathing i t s l a s t i n J & K , ” M o d i s a i d

“Terrorism was encouraged by the three families There was curfew as soon as the sun set The home minister of India was scared to go to Lal Chowk,” he said, adding that “ e n e m i e s o f t h e n a t i o n ” t o o k advantage of the three families Thousands of children lost their lives, the PM said Modi said, “The three families h a v e c o r r u p t e d J & K Y o

w e r e made to struggle for small things

Govt jobs were given only to those affiliated with the families They looted your land Dynasty politics has hurt J&K politics

”

“They gave govt jobs to only t h

, b e s i d e s preparing the ground for separatism and terrorism,” the PM alleged

“This time, assembly election will decide the future of Jammu a n d K a s h m i r , w h i c h h a s remained the target of foreign powers since Independence,” he told the gathering

Row over PM Modi's visit to CJI’s home for Ganesh Puja

P rim e M inister Narend ra Mo di’s v isit to Chief Justice o f India (C JI) DY Chandrachud ’ s hom e to attend a Ganesh P uja has trig gered a political contro versy and sp arked div isions w ithin the leg al co mmu nity

While some leaders from the Opposition and lawyers questioned the propriety of such a meeting, especially given the ongoing cases involving the government, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and a section of legal voices dismissed the criticism as unwarranted, terming the event a private affair

The controversy escalated after Opposition leaders, particularly from the Shiv Sena (UBT), raised concerns about the implications of the meeting on the

Sanjay Raut expressed fears that the meeting might affect the ongoing Maharashtra case being heard by CJI Chandrachud “Our case of Maharashtra the hearing is going on before CJI Chandrachud, so we have doubts if we will get justice because the PM is the other party in the case, ” Raut remarked Similarly, another Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi took a jibe at the timing of the visit She posted on social media, questioning whether the CJI would now prioritise the pending Maharashtra case, hinting that elections were around the corner in the state and alleging a delay in justice

The Prime Minister also laid the foundation stones for the quadrupling of the Gandhidham Adipur and Samakhiali – Gandhidham rail lines The two projects will enhance port connectivity and give impetus

ports in Kutch These will also help i

from the area B irthday celeb ration PM Modi marked his 74th birthday with a visit to Odisha and the i

Ahmedabad where he launched projects worth £800 mn, Modi mounted a scathing attack on the opposition a

with hate and negativity are defaming the country Amid a row over Rahul Gandhi’s remarks on reservation in the US and the Congress’ poll t i e - u p

, Modi said, “Some people filled with negativity are targeting India’s unity and integrity intending to divide the country Those filled with hate are not leaving any chance to defame I

Yojana’ – the financial assistance scheme to provide ₹10,000 to over 10 million poor women every year Modi also inaugurated 26,00,000 PM Awas houses at Gadakana in Bhubaneswar Slams op posi tion S p e a k i

demands made by leaders of the National Conference for restoration of Article 370 and statehood to J&K, Modi said: “You have heard they want to bring back Article 370 in J&K, they want to bring back two Constitutions and two laws in (pollbound) J&K,” Modi said

CPM stalwart Sitaram

Yechury dies at 72

Sitaram Yech ury (72), whose comm u ni s t be li ef s sa t c o m f or tab ly with affability and po litical p racticality, breathed his last at AIIMS

T h e h o s p i tal sa i d Y ec h u ry w as ad m i tt ed w i th p neu m o n i a Hi s fam ily d onated h is bod y to the hospital fo r research and training

P M M o d i n o t e d Y e c h u r y ’ s “ability to connect across political spectrum” while paying tributes to the departed leader CPM’s Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan spoke of his “unmatched ideological commitment and strategic brilliance” Yechury, CPM general secretary when he passed away, rose through the ranks, starting as a student activist in JNU A 1977 photo of him reading a students’

r e s o l u t i o n t o I n d i r a G a n d h i , demanding she quit as JNU chancellor, has gained iconic status, partly since Mrs Gandhi did resign

D e c a d e s l a t e r , Y e c h u r y w a s t o

closely interact with Sonia Gandhi, as one of the pivotal CPM politicians during UPA-1 That the comm u n i s t p a r t y d e c i d e d t o h e l p Congress form a coalition govt after the 2004 general elections, was thanks in no small measure to Yechury’s pragmatism His thesis that alliance with Congress, for y e a r s c a l l e d t h e p r i n c i p a l c l a s s enemy by CPM hardliners, was n e c e s s a r y t o t a k e o n B J P , h a s proved durable CPM is part of the INDIA bloc

India slams Iran supreme leader's minorities jab

I ndia has s aid Iran's sup reme leader Ayatollah Al i K hamenei' s c omments o n Indian Mus lim s are "unacc ep table" P osting on X on the birth anniversary of P rop het Moh am med, t h e I r an ia n l e a de r h ad c l u bb e d I ndian M uslims with tho se in Gaza, talking about their s ufferings

"We strongly deplore the comments made regarding minorities in India by the Supreme Leader of Iran," the foreign ministry has said in a statement " T h e s e a r e m i s i n f o r m e d a n d unacceptable Countries commenting on minorities are advised to look at their own record before m a k i n g a n y o b s e

u t others," New Delhi has added In his post on X, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei had said: "We cannot consider ourselves to be Muslims if we are oblivious to the suffering t h a t a M u s l i m i s e n

n g i n #Myanmar, #Gaza, #India, or any other place "

always tried to make us indifferent with regard to our shared identity as an Islamic Ummah," he added The comments came amid an

Iran and Israel - a situation that had led to discomfiture in New Delhi India shares close ties with both nations If 80 per cent of oil comes from West Asia, the strategic relationship with Israel - especially in terms of defence and security - is evolving

Teheran is the biggest supplier of crude in West Asia New Delhi and Teheran also share concerns of t

Chabahar port Terror is also what binds India with Israel, with both nations suffering during the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack, which was why India lent support to Israel in the first few hours of the October 7 terrorist attacks by Hamas

Sitaram Yechury

PM inaugurates the 4th Global Renewable Energy Investor s Meet and Expo at Gandhinagar

45 Indians inducted into Russian army discharged

Forty five In dia ns who were

a

R

Ministry of Ext ernal Affairs

said

There are 50 more Indian nationals still on battlefields i

Ukraine

and

Ministry of External Affairs

added

Narendra Modi's recent visit

P r e s i d e n t V l a d i m i r h a d assured Modi that Russia will discharge any and all Indians who had been misled and

f a l s e l y i n d u c t e d i n t h e

R u s s i a n A r m y a n d

s u b s e q u e n t l y f o r c e d t o g o the battlefields in Ukraine

A h u m a n t r a f f i c k i n g

n e t w o r k e x t e n d i n g f r o m New Delhi to Tamil Nadu

used social media platforms a n d l o c a l a g e n t

people to Russia by offering

admission to what Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI)

c a l l e d " d u b i o u s p r i v a t e universities"

O n c e t h e y r e a c h e d Russia, however, the victims' p a s s p o r t s w e r e t a k e n a n d they were trained in combat roles before being deployed a t t h e f r o n

I n d i a n n a t i o n a l s find themselves trapped in this situation and at least four Indians have been killed i n t h e R u s s i a - U k r a

conflict

P

v e arrested at least four people involved in the job racket A viral video earlier this

year showed a group of men from Punjab

they were tricked into

Ukraine and doubling down on their request for help

New Delhi has said that

attention is being "strongly

ensure the early discharge of stranded people, and 10 Indians have been brought back as part of this effort so far

"toughest legal action" will be taken against agents who duped students from Kerala into fighting for Russia in its war against Ukraine "It is totally unacceptable that any Indian should be taken to a

manner be made to work for a conflict, for an army , "

Jaishankar had said earlier this year

After incessant rain, water leaking from Taj dome; ASI on alert

I ncessant rain in Agra c aused significant damage to the city’s historical monuments , i ncluding Taj Mahal Archaeological Survey of I ndi a had put its s taff on “surveillance” after water b egan to seep from the main d ome of Taj , whil e its a dj ace nt gar den remained inundated

S u p e r i n t e n d i n g a r c h a e o l o g i s t Rajkumar Patel said that a probe is being carried out to “find out from where water is dripping from the main dome of Taj” He added: “Moisture was seen inside the main mausoleum There may be a hairline crack on the dome’s stones, causing leakage The place where water drops are falling is being c h e c k e d , t o f i n d o u t w h e t h e r i t i s continuously in the same position or is f a l l i n g i n t e r m i t t e n t l y I n a n y c a s e , necessary repairs will be carried out The garden will be rejuvenated once the rain stops ”

A tourist guide said, “Heavy downpour submerged a garden near central tank in front of the main mausoleum There was also water leakage from the dome, which reached the chamber housing the tombs of

Mughal emperor Shahjahan and his wife Mumtaz Mahal ”

A video purportedly of the inundated g a r d e n w a s c i r c u l a t e d o n s o c i a l m e d i a , evoking curiosity among locals and tourists visiting Unesco World Heritage Site

As per the Met dept, 151 mm rain was recorded in Agra last week - the highest in the area within 24 hours “ over the past eight decades” The shower also caused “minor damage” to historical monuments like Agra Fort, Fatehpur Sikri, Jhunjhun Ka Katora, Rambagh, Mehtab Bagh, Chini Ka Rauza, A k b a r ’ s t o m b i n S i k a n d r a a n

n Catholic Cemetery Many decades-old trees also fell across the city At Fatehpur Sikri, a 20-metre-long wall between Agra Gate and Buland Darwaza collapsed

At the centrally-protected Jhunjhun Ka Katora, an old tree fell causing damage to the outer wall The actual damage caused will be ascertained once the tree is removed, an official pointed out The entire city also grappled with waterlogging Over 20 houses collapsed in the district and at least 15 people were injured

India successfully test fires two surface-to-air missiles in 2 days

I ndi a s uccess fully te st- fired the Ve rtical Launch Short

R a n g e S u rf a ce t o A i r

Mi ssi le (VLSRSA M) for the s e co n d co n s e cu ti v e d a y f rom the In te grat ed T es t

Ran ge (ITR) at Cha ndi pur

o n t h e Od i s h a co a s t , d efen ce sources sai d

A statement from the

D e f e n c e R e s e a r c h a n d

Development Organisation

( D R D O ) c o n f i r m e d t h a t both tests on September 12 and 13 were successful "In both the tests, the m i s s i l e s u c c e s s f u l l y i

low altitude aerial target

statement said

The missile showcased its precision and capability to neutralise targets, the statement said D e f e n c e M i n i s t e r R a j n a t h S i n g h l a u d e d DRDO, the Indian Navy & all associated teams for the successful flight tests and s t a t e d t h a t t h i s m i s s i l e e q u i p p e d w i t h m o d e r n t e c h n o l o g i e s w i l l g i v e further technological boost to the Armed Forces, it said For safety reasons, the B a l a s o r e d i s t r i c t administration temporarily r e l o c a t e d 3 , 1 0 0 r e s i d e n t s from six villages within 2 5 km radius of ITR Launch Pad 3 A revenue official said these precautions were

taken in consultation with t h e I T R a u t h o r i t i e s a t Chandipur

This follows the earlier test when the VLSRSAM missile effectively engaged a n o t h e r l o w - a l t i t u d e target These consecutive tests not only demonstrate t h e w e a p o n s y s t e m ' s reliability but also validate the recent upgrades made to various components of the system

T h e S e c r e t a r y o f D e p a r t m e n t o f D e f e n c e R & D a n d D R D O C h a i r m a n , D r S a m i r V Kamat, also congratulated the teams involved in the f l i g h t t e s t s o f t h e VLSRSAM system

Loyal dog chases ambulance carrying owner

In a heartwarming display of devotion, a loyal dog chased an ambulance carrying its ailing owner to the hospital But, what happened next will soothe your soul as a medical officer allowed the dog inside the ambulance so that it could accompany its owner TaraBull, an X user, shared the 27-second clip that has gone viral with over 3 million views leaving social media users rather emotional Unable to bear leaving its owner alone in distress, the faithful pet chased the ambulance until a compassionate medical officer allowed it inside “A dog was running after the ambulance that was carrying their owner When the EMS realized it, he was let in,” reads the caption of the post “Humans don't deserve dogs They're just so pure and good to us, ” are comments that viewers posted with respect to the video Several others shared their personal experiences in the comments section of the post: “My precious sister passed away at home and when they put her in the ambulance to take her away, her German Shepherd ran and ran after the ambulance It was heartbreaking ”

Indian discovered America, claims MP minister

Madhya Pradesh's higher education minister Inder Singh Parmar claimed that it was Indian sailor Vasulun who discovered America, and Vasco da Gama didn’t chart a route to India but only followed a ‘Gujarati sea merchant’ here Indian students have been taught the wrong things and references to Columbus and Vasco da Gama will be removed from syllabus, Parmar told reporters in Bhopal Parmar was addressing the convocation ceremony at Barkatullah University when he said that “untruth is being taught to Indian students ” “Vasco da Gama had mentioned that a merchant named Chandan was sailing on the same route ahead of him Chandan discovered India, and not Vasco da Gama Wrong history is being taught to our students,” the higher education minister argued “One more lie that they should not have taught in India is that Columbus discovered America Students in India have nothing to do with it (knowing who discovered America),” Parmar told the gathering Thief prays, then steals from temple

In a bold mix of devotion and crime, a thief broke into Batukeshwar Nath temple in Bihar’s Saran district and offered prayers before and after stealing a copper serpent from Lord Shiva’s idol The theft was caught on CCTV cameras of the temple in Chhapra and a video of the footage has since gone viral on social media Police have registered a case and are scanning CCTV footage for clues In the clip, the thief is seen standing inside the sanctum sanctorum with folded hands and praying to Lord Shiva He then bows, touches the idol and prays again, before carefully removing the metal snake, wrapping it in a cloth and quietly fleeing the spot Police have quizzed the temple priest in connection with the theft

Dead officer gets duty for PM Modi’s visit

In a major slip up, Odisha govt assigned a deceased officer to manage the crowd at Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Bhubaneswar on Sept 17 After the goof-up attracted criticism on social media, the state govt corrected the order later The original order included Prabodha Kumar Rout, an Odisha Administrative Service officer who passed away in July 2023, among those tasked with crowd management at Janata Maidan for the launch of Subhadra Yojana, a cash incentive scheme for women, on PM Modi’s birthday Biju Janata Dal social media cell head Swayam Prakash Mohapatra remarked, “A very strange situation under a strange regime ”

Trucker hits biker, stops to help, lynched

A truck driver from Maharashtra was beaten to death after stepping out of his vehicle to help a biker he had hit in Kharagpur, West Bengal Biker also died in the accident Shyam Shankar Dhankuar was heading towards Chaurangi when he hit 30-year-old Arjun Nayek Instead of fleeing, Dhankuar stopped the vehicle and got down to help However, locals surrounded him and took him to a local club, where he was assaulted The biker was taken to Kharagpur sub-divisional hospital, where he was declared dead on arrival A large police force went to the club to control the mob and rescue the truck driver, and had to resort to lathi charge Seven cops were injured in the scuffle while trying to save the driver The truck driver was admitted to Midnapore Medical College and Hospital and later transferred to Kolkata, but succumbed to injuries on his way to the hospital Eleven people were arrested in connection with the incident and were produced in a city court, which remanded them in 10-day police custody

Dagduseth Ganpati temple sets

world record

A crowd of 42,000 women gathered at the Shreemant Dagduseth Halwai Ganpati Temple in Pune on Ganesh Chaturthi to participate in a grand Ganpati aarti This extraordinary event has set a record, earning recognition from the India World Record organization Mahesh Suryawanshi, treasurer of the temple trust, confirmed and said, “On the festival of Rishi Panchami, 42,000 women performed pooja India World Record also took cognizance of it and has given us a certificate ” The temple is a landmark with a 127-year history The temple’s idol, known as Icchapurti Ganesha, is fashioned from pure silver and is revered for granting wishes Located in Budhwar Peth, the temple was founded by Dagdusheth Gadve and continues to attract numerous devotees with its grandeur

Massive python attempts to attack zookeeper

Jay Brewer, an American YouTuber and the founder and CEO of Reptile Zoo Prehistoric Inc, recently shared a video that showed him defending himself from a python that attempted to attack him The video shows Brewer confidently handling the giant reptile in a box-like compartment In a split second, the serpent strikes, lunging at Brewer's face with lightning speed The unexpected attack caught him off guard, but his quick reflexes saved him from the attack “This big girl struck at me as soon as I turned my eyes away Snakes aren't just sneaky they are also very smart,'' the video was captioned on Instagram Internet users were left terrified after watching the video and posted a variety of comments While some expressed astonishment, others were concerned for his well-being

Study shows CBT enhances Brain circuits to alleviate depression

Co gnitive beh av ioural th e rap y ( C B T ) i s a leading treatm ent for d e p res s io n , te ac h i ng coping skills, encourag in g p o s i ti v e beh av i o ur, a nd ch al -

le ng i n g n eg a ti

e th ough ts But does it lead to lasting ch anges in th e brain?

R e c e n t r e s e a r c h f r o m

S t a n f o r d M e d i c i n e s h o w s that cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) can lead to lasting brain changes, especially when tailored to the patient In a study involving i n d i v i d u a l s w i t h b o t h depression and obesity, onethird experienced reduced

l e m - s o l v i n g - f o c u s e d C B T

These patients also showed adaptive changes in brain circuitry

T h e s e n e u r a l a d a p t ations were evident after just two months of therapy and c o u l d h e l p p r e d i c t l o n g -

t e r m t r e a t m e n t b e n e f i t s

This supports the idea that tailoring treatments to the

o f a patient’s depression given its variability can enhance success rates This personalised approach is already standard in other medical fields

Leanne Williams, PhD, d

H e a l t h and Wellness, notes, “When diagnosing chest pain, doctors use tests like electrocardiograms, heart scans, and blood tests to determine the cause and appropriate treat-

trial and error due to the a

tests

Early Alzheimer’s indicators found in financial scams

A U S C D o r n si f e st u d y , p u b l i sh e d i n ‘C e r e b r a l

Corte x ’ , li nks suscep tibili ty to f inanci al sca ms i n old er a dults wi th earl y si gns of

A lz h e i me r ’ s d i se a se

R e se a r ch e r s f o u nd t h a t fi nanci al vulnera bi lit y may s i g na l e a r l y c o g ni ti v e d ecline

D i s c e r n i n g f i n a n c i a l

f r a u d d e m a n d s c o g n i t i v e skills like critical thinking and problem-solving The study found that the financial exploitation of seniors

o f t e n r e f l e c t s p o o r d e c ision-making abilities This decline in decision-making skills may indicate deteriorating cognitive functions a n d p o s s i b l e s t r u c t u r a l

b r a i n c h a n g e s a s s o c i a t e d with Alzheimer’s disease

The researchers investigated the entorhinal cortex, a brain region linking the memory-focused hippocampus with the cognitive functions of the medial prefrontal cortex This

area is among the first to e x h i b i t e a r l y s i g n s o f A l z h e i m e r ’ s d i s e a s e a n d tends to thin as the condition advances

The study found that individuals prone to poor f i n a n c i a l d e c i s i o n s a n d s c a m s h a d a t h i n n e r entorhinal cortex, particularly in those aged 70 and older While participants showed no clinical cognit i v e i m p a i r m e n t s , t h e y underwent MRI scans to measure entorhinal cortex thickness and completed t h e P e r c e i v e d F i n a n c i a l Exploitation Vulnerability Scale (PFVS) to assess their financial decision-making skills

The researchers suggest evaluating financial decision-making in older adults as it may indicate cognitive decline However, financial vulnerability alone isn’t a definitive sign of impairment and should be part of a broader risk assessment

Benefits and risks of Bromelain

Bromelain, an enzyme found mostly in the core of pineapples, has anti-inflammatory and mucolytic properties that can help break down mucus and reduce coughing While some people drink pineapple juice to alleviate throat mucus, it may not contain sufficient bromelain for effective relief Bromelain supplements might be more potent, but it’s crucial to consult a doctor before starting any new supplement

Saltwater gargles speed up recovery from kids' colds

treatment available to expedite recovery from a cold

Edinburgh University, who

ence

to 12 upper respira-

annually Our study found that those using saltwater nose drops had symptoms for an average of six days, compared to eight days for

two days and lower the risk of spreading

ter concentration used in the study is not available over the counter but can be easily made at home

care Additionally, the saltwater group required fewer medications

that the 2 6 per cent saltwa-

y

exp

to ms

ience f ewer menopause symp

Tracking 4,287 women, the study revealed that a varied plant-based d

toms like depression by 44% and

sweats by 32%

The idea of eating 30 different plant types a week, first suggested by the American Gut Project in 2018, is linked to a more diverse gut microbiome This includes not just fruits and vegetables but also nuts, seeds, pulses, and wholegrains While managing this variety can seem daunting with a busy lifestyle, it might be easier than expected Here are practical tips to help you achieve this goal Blend vegg ies wit h fru its

C

The study involved 407 children up to six years old, who received either saltwater nose drops or standard care for their colds Of the 300 who caught a cold, half used the drops, with three applications per nostril up

drops, 46% of family members had cold symptoms,

control group

Boost menopause relief with 30 plants

third fruit to keep sugar content lower "You can use frozen cauliflower and pre-cooked, vacuum-packed beetroot for convenience," she adds Go for canne d v ege tables

ety of nuts offers unique benefits: Brazil nuts are

nuts provide vitamin E, chestnuts are rich in vitamin C, and pecans con-

help lower cholesterol

Add see ds to y our meals

Seeds like sunflower, pumpkin, flax, and chia boost plantbased diets with protein, fibre, essential fats, and nutrients like zinc and m

adding them to porridge, cereal, and s

seeds for a snack Mixed ground seed blends are also available in supermarket baking sections for added variety

Boost sa lad s wi th e xtr a f ruit Apples, pears, and watermelons can enhance savoury dishes, while frozen grapes and cherries are a

n d beetroot may not be popular, but blending them with colourful fruits like apples, kiwi, and berries can m a s k t h

i r t a s t e i n a s m o o t h i e

Nutritionist Laura Southern suggests using two-thirds vegetables and one-

Tinned vegetables like sweetcorn, kidney beans, and lentils are high in fibre and protein and can help lower blood pressure They’re just as nutritious as fresh options and can be a d d e d t o s a l a d s , b o l o g n e s e s , a n d chilies Plus, beans on toast makes for a quick and comforting meal, according to nutritionist Laura Southern Eat nuts f or bre akf ast Nuts are a powerhouse for plantbased nutrition, says Southern, who calls them a superfood They can lower cholesterol, reduce dementia risk, and support brain health A vari-

Simple home remedies for headache relief

H e a da c h e s , w h e t h e

fr o m migraines or t ensio n, can disr upt daily li fe and o ft en signal an u nderlying issu e They might be linked to

poor diet, irregular sleep, or

you to reassess and improve y o u

sleep, and proper hydration

problems Here are some easy ways to get rid of headaches:

1 Get adequate sleep

H

m

e caused by inadequate sleep Quality rest is essential for overall well-being, as insufficient sleep can impair brain function, leaving you tired and less focused Ensuring

n help alleviate headaches and improve your overall health

2 Relief w ith caf feine

C a f f e i n e c a n p r o v i d e relief from certain types of h e a d a c h e s , i n c l u d i n g migraines It boosts energy,

offers quick relief, and can enhance your mood

3 H ydr ate yo urself

H e a d a c h e s a r e o f t e n caused by dehydration Staying w e l

overall health and can help prevent frequent headaches Aim to drink at least 8 glasses of w a t e r a d a y , a s i n s u f f i

hydration can lead to issues

cramps, dry skin, and dizziness

4 Eat well to prevent h eadaches

Skipping meals can lead to headaches and other health

i s s u e s R e g u l a r , b a l a n c e d meals are essential for maintaining energy, balancing hormones, reducing stress, and supporting overall health

5 Cut down o n screen ti me

Excessive screen time is a

c o m m o n h e a d a c h e t r i g g e r

P r o l o n g e d p h o n e u s e c a n strain your eyes and cause headaches Reducing screen

t i m e a n d t a k i n g r e g u l a r

b r e a k s c a n h e l p p r e v e n t headaches and alleviate tension and stress

grated courgettes or beetroot can boost plant intake Look for seasonal fruits like lychees and sharon

n September Pomegranate seeds also make a simple, unique addition

Blood fats may predict weight loss effectiveness in pre-diabetics

A bl ood tes t th at measu res

s e r u m f a t s c o u l d p r ed ic t w h et h e r w ei gh t l o s s w i l l

e f f e c t iv el y m a na ge b l o o d s u gar l evel s in p re -diabe tic p at ie nts , a new s tu dy s u ggests P re-diabetics have el evated blo od sugar level s but are no t yet diabetic R e s e a r c h e r s a t t h e

University of Sydney found that weight loss through dieting affects various blood fats differently Changes in spe-

c i f i c s p h i n g o l i p i d s w e r e linked to fasting blood sugar

l e v e l s , w h i l e o t h e r f a t s impacted HbA1c, insulin, and insulin resistance

The authors noted that six baseline bioactive sphingolipids were key predictors of changes in fasting plasma glucose They also found that various lipid species, especially diacylglycerols and triglyc-

e r i d e s , p r e d i c t e d c l i n i c a l changes in hemoglobin A1c, i n s u l i n l e v e l s , a n d i n s u l i n resistance (HOMA-IR)

A low-energy, low-carb, fibre-rich diet is often recom-

mended to pre-diabetics to normalise blood sugar levels

H o w e v e r , t h e r e s e a r c h e r s found that more than half of t h e s e i n d i v i d u a l s d o n o t reach normal blood sugar levels despite following the diet The study, published in ‘ T h e A m e r i c a n J o u r n a

that measuring specific fats in serum before weight loss can predict which types of

w i l l improve after losing weight "Our findings show that certain blood fats can indicate a p

improving their blood sugar levels through weight loss,"

blood serum samples from 104 pre-diabetic participants before and after they followed an eight-week

Asians shine at the 2024 Emmys: Celebrating style, talent, and historic wins

At the 76th Emmy Awards, Asian talents and designers left an indelible mark on the red carpet and the stage. Actress Mindy Kaling, best known for her roles in The Office and The Mindy Project, turned heads in a sculpted black gown by Indian designer Gaurav Gupta

Kaling, who has previously worn Gupta’s creations at the Met Gala, showcased his intricate designs once again, keeping her look simple with straight hair and minimal jewellery, allowing the dress’s structure to shine

Meanwhile, Padma

Bollywood stars bid fare well to Ganpati withjoyful Visarjan celebrations

Lakshmi, the former host of Top Chef, wowed in a shimmering grey strapless gown Her look was perfectly complemented by silver stiletto sandals, a diamond-studded clutch, and sparkling jewellery

Lakshmi, a 16-time Emmy nominee, attended the event to present an award alongside actor Sam Richardson

Indian fashion also made waves through Laura Dern, who adorned Sabyasachi Mukherjee's jewellery, including the statement Palm Avenue necklace Dern’s ensemble highlighted the global reach and popularity of

Vir Das set to host the Emmys

Ina landmark moment for India, actorcomedian Vir Das has been named the host of the upcoming International Emmy Awards. Announcing the news on Instagram, Vir shared a photo of himself with a news article, captioning it: "Thanks to your support, an Indian Emmy Host can't wait to host the @iemmys this year! Crazy Thank you for having me Tremendously honoured and excited!" The 2024 International Emmy Awards will be held in New York City on November 25

Vir Das' post received an outpouring of love from his industry peers Hrithik Roshan commented, "Wow That's amazing Very well done " Kriti Sanon added, "That's so amazing " Shweta Tripathi expressed her excitement with, "Whoaaaaaaa this is absolutely amazing!! Shall be watching " Dia Mirza echoed the sentiment, writing, "This is absolutely amazing " Fashion designer Anaita Shroff also chimed in, saying, "Unstoppable you!"

This isn’t Vir Das’s first encounter with the Emmys The actor-comedian was previously nominated in 2021 for his special ‘Vir Das: For India’ However, he secured his first Emmy win in 2023 for his Netflix special ‘Landing’ Beyond his stand-up career, Vir has created, produced, and starred in several TV shows, including ‘Jestination Unknown’ on Amazon, ‘Hasmukh’ on Netflix, and ‘Whiskey Cavalier’ on ABC

Vir also appeared in Judd Apatow’s ‘The Bubble’ and is currently collaborating with Andy Samberg and CBS Studios on a singlecamera sitcom In addition to his acting, he serves as the lead singer of the comedy-rock band Alien Chutney

Indian fashion at prestigious events like the Emmys

A historic win came when Anna Sawai became the first Asian performer to win Best Drama Actress for her role in Shogun In her heartfelt acceptance speech, Sawai dedicated the award to her mother, expressing her gratitude for her family and team, emphasizing the emotional depth of her portrayal

The 2024 Emmys not only celebrated the finest in television but also highlighted the growing influence of Asian talents and designers in global entertainment and fashion

It's Visarjan time for many Ganpati idols among Bollywood stars Several Bollywood celebrities have been participating in the Ganpati Visarjan celebrations, marking the end of the Ganesh Chaturthi festival

Actor Shilpa Shetty marked the occasion with vibrant celebration, dancing

darshan He also attended the Ganesh Visarjan ceremony at his sister Arpita's home Photos and videos from the event captured Salman performing the Ganesh aarti with his niece Ayat and other children by his side The celebration was attended by several family members, including Salim Khan, Arbaaz Khan, Sohail Khan, Arhaan Khan, Alizeh Agnihotri, and Iulia Vantur Comedian and TV host Maniesh Paul, along with

joyfully with her family in a spirited farewell to Lord Ganesha The festive atmosphere was filled with laughter and music as they bid adieu to the beloved deity, who had been a focal point of their celebrations Shilpa and many other bollywood actors Bhumi Pednekar and her sister Samiksha, Aamir Ali and others offered heartfelt prayers and expressed their gratitude for the blessings received over the past year Sunaina Roshan,

Hrithik Roshan's sister, shared a video on Instagram from their Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations The video captures Hrithik performing the aarti, accompanied by his girlfriend Saba Azad Hrithik's parents, Rakesh and Pinkie Roshan, are also seen participating in the festivities Hrithik kept it casual for the occasion, while Saba looked elegant in a yellow salwar suit Along with the pictures and video, Sunaina wrote, "Ganpati Bappa Morya, thank you for always blessing us abundantly " The Kapoor family gathered in style to celebrate Ganesh Chaturthi, with Karisma Kapoor sharing some festive photos from the occasion Ranbir

Kapoor and his mother, Neetu Kapoor, participated in the Ganpati Visarjan, both sporting matching floral outfits

Meanwhile, the Ambanis performed the immersion ceremony of their Ganpati idol at Chowpatty Beach Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant were seen dancing joyfully to the beat of drums, dressed in traditional attire Nita Ambani, along with Anant and Radhika, travelled from their residence, Antilia, to the immersion site in a truck, joined by celebrity friends like Orry and Shanaya Kapoor Actor Salman Khan paid a visit to Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde’s residence for Ganpati

his family, celebrated Ganesh Chaturthi at home with an eco-friendly Ganpati Visarjan Dressed in traditional attire, Maniesh performed the rituals with his wife and family by his side In a video shared on social media, the couple can be seen participating in the Visarjan ceremony, both wearing matching pastel pink outfits

Many celebrities from the film industry, including Tamannaah Bhatia, Sonu Sood, and producer Ekta Kapoor, came together with their families to celebrate Ganpati Visarjan with great devotion and fanfare Actor Sonu Sood’s spectacular eco-friendly Ganpati Visarjan was held in his home in Mumbai, the beloved actor wore a stunning black shimmery kurta, accompanied by his beautiful wife, Sonali Sood, and their two adorable sons, Ishaan and Ayaan

The ten-day Ganesh Chaturthi festival, also known as Vinayak Chaturthi or Vinayak Chavithi, is concluded This celebration honours Lord Ganesha, the "God of New Beginnings" and the "Remover of Obstacles," for his wisdom and intelligence

Mindy Kaling

Anna Sawai

Padma Lakshmi

Laura Dern

Shilpa Shetty with her husband Raj Kundra

Neetu and Ranbir Kapoor

Tamannaah Bhatia

Maniesh Paul with his wife

Sonu Sood with his family

Esha Deol reveals Dharmendra wanted her to marry at 18, not act

Esha Deol, daughter of actor couple Dharmendra and Hema Malini, made her acting debut in 2002 with ‘Koi Mere Dil Se Poochhe’.

While many assum her journey was e due to her famous lineage, Esha revealed that it was far from smooth sailing

Esha Deol shared that her father, Dharmendra, initially wanted her to marry at 18 rather than pursue a career in films

Coming from a traditional Punjabi background, he was not in favour of her acting "He didn’t want me to enter films," she explained "He wanted me to settle down early, as that was his upbringing The women in his fami way " Ho

inspiration in her ther Hema Malini’s successful acting and dancing career, which shaped her desire to follow a similar path

Esha Deol led it took a long time to convince her father, Dharmendra, that she wanted a career instead of getting married "It wasn’t easy, but today is a different story," she said

Despite drawing inspiration from her mother, Hema Malini, Esha admitted she wasn't prepared for the inevitable comparisons to her She recalled feeling uncomfortable with the constant comparisons, with Hema advising her to ignore them, even telling her "You're in the wrong

Rajkummar Rao on ‘Stree 2’ success: 'It was overwhelming'"

Malaika Arora’s father died from multiple injuries, post-mortem shows

Malaika Arora's stepfather, Anil Mehta, allegedly committed suicide by jumping from the sixth floor of his residence, "Ayesha Manor," in Bandra, Mumbai, at around 9 am

The 62-year-old was rushed to a hospital, where he was declared dead on arrival, according to police The post mortem report confirmed that Late Anil Mehta died of sustaining multiple injuries.

"We are deeply saddened to announce the passing of our dear father, Anil Mehta He was a gentle soul, a devoted grandfather, a loving husband, and our best friend Our family is in deep shock by this loss And we kindly request privacy from the media and well-wishers during this difficult time We appreciate your understanding, support and respect," read the statement shared on Malaika Arora's official Instagram page

Before the incident, Anil Mehta reportedly told Malaika and Amrita Arora that he was "sick and tired " The police are investigating, with DCP Raj Tilak Roshan confirming the body has been sent for postmortem Evidence collection is underway, including video footage and CCTV review A source has suggested it may have been an accident rather than suicide

Malaika Arora's ex-husband, Arbaaz Khan, visited her mother's residence, and writer Salim Khan, along with his son Sohail Khan and actor Arjun Kapoor, also arrived Other members of the film industry, including Kriti Sanon, Shilpa Shetty, and Karishma Kapoor, were among those who visited

Saif Ali Khan recommends Aamir Khan’s advice for Ibrahim

Saif Ali Khan is gearing up to captivate audiences with his role in the upcoming Telugu film ‘Devara’. In a recent trailer for ‘The Great Indian Kapil Show Season 2’, the Bollywood star was asked whether his son, Ibrahim Ali Khan, listens to his advice as he embarks on his own film career

In response, Saif Ali Khan

feel my kids don’t listen to me ” Saif Ali Khan, who faced criticism for his role as Ravan in ‘Adipurush’, is now set to

n September 27

films include ‘Adipurush’ and ‘Vikram Vedha’

Kapoor in her Telugu debut The recently released trailer received mixed reviews, with visual elements praised but the songs, "Chuttamalle" and "Daavudi," criticised Fans are eagerly anticipating another hit from Jr NTR following the success of ‘RRR’ ‘Devara’ is

Actor Rajkummar Rao shared that following the success of his latest film ‘Stree 2’, he was overwhelmed with calls and messages from people who felt it was a "personal victory" for them. The horror comedy, directed by Amar Kaushik and written by Niren Bhatt, is a sequel to the 2018 hit ‘Stree’.

Rajkummar Rao expressed his happiness at the positive response and success of ‘Stree 2 ’ , noting that the impressive numbers indicate widespread viewership “I’ve received a lot of love through messages, calls, and social media,” he said

“Many people told me it felt like a personal victory for them, which made me emotionally vulnerable They shared that they feel connected to my journey and see my success as their own, which was overwhelming for me ” He spoke about this at the trailer launch of his upcoming film ‘Vicky Vidya Ka Woh Wala Video’

‘Stree 2 ’ features Shraddha Kapoor, Aparshakti Khurana, Abhishek Banerjee, and Pankaj Tripathi, among others Released on August 15 and backed by Maddock Films, the film has grossed over ₹600 crore in India Rajkummar Rao, who has begun shooting for his next project ‘Maalik’, an action thriller directed by Pulkit, stated he will continue to approach every film with the same dedication The film was announced on his birthday, August 31 Rajkummar Rao revealed, "Just three days after the release of ‘Stree 2 ’ , I began shooting for *Maalik* My passion for what I do remains unchanged, regardless of whether a film earns ₹100, ₹500, or ₹5,000 "

Aditi Rao Hydari and Siddharth tie the knot

Actor couple Aditi Rao Hydari and Siddharth recently tied the knot in an intimate ceremony surrounded by their loved ones The couple took to Instagram to share a few inside glimpses of their special day, giving fans a peek into the celebration that marked the official beginning of their new chapter together.

Aditi Rao Hydari and Siddharth shared stunning wedding photos on Instagram, delighting fans with a glimpse of their special day In a playful caption, Aditi referred to them as "Mrs & Mr Adu-Siddhu," writing, "You are my Sun, my Moon, and all my Stars Here’s to being Pixie Soulmates for eternity to endless laughter and never g r o w i n g u p T o E t e r n a l L o v e , L i g h t & Magic Mrs & Mr Adu-Siddhu

In one set of photos from the ceremony, Aditi and Siddharth are seen dressed in elegant cream and gold attire Aditi kept her mehendi understated, featuring a delicate half-moon design on the back of her hand Her look was completed with traditional temple jewellery, fresh flowers in her hair, and subtle makeup A heartwarming photo captures a tender moment as the family e l d e r s , a l o n g w i t h A d i t i ' s m e n t o r L e e l a Samson, gather with their heads together in celebration

The bride also posted a second set of photos with the same caption, showcasing the couple in their wedding attire at home The images suggest that their nuptials took p l a c e a t a 4 0 0 - y e a r - o l d t e m p l e i n Wanaparthy, just as Aditi had wished Aditi and Siddharth first crossed paths on the set of Ajay Bhupathi’s 2021 film ‘Maha Samudram’ Although the film didn t perform well at the box office, their romance flourished After dating for a couple of years, they got engaged in March of this year

Samantha Ruth Prabhu named 'Woman of the Year' at IIFA Utsavam Awards

South star Samantha Ruth Prabhu will receive the 'Woman of the Year' award at the upcoming International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) Utsavam awards, the organisers have announced

The IIFA Utsavam Awards, set for September 27 at Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, will debut the 'Woman of the Year' award, honouring Samantha Ruth Prabhu for her achievements in South Indian cinema

A leading figure in Tamil and Telugu films, Ruth Prabhu is celebrated for her roles in "Ye Maaya Chesave," "Eega," "Neethaane En Ponvasantham," "Mahanati," and "Super Deluxe "

Samantha Ruth Prabhu expressed her excitement about joining the global tour of the IIFA Utsavam Awards, highlighting its role in showcasing the creativity and storytelling of South Indian cinema to a global audience

She also noted that the award serves as a reminder for her, both as an artist and a woman, to keep pushing boundaries and embrace the limitless possibilities of her journey

Andre Timmins, Founder and Director of IIFA Utsavam, expressed pride in honouring Samantha Ruth Prabhu for her contributions to Indian cinema “As one of the most sought-after actresses of her generation, her remarkable journey reflects her versatility, dedication, and unique ability to connect with audiences through compelling performances and bold, unconventional roles,” Timmins said

Tovino Thomas highligh Malayalam film industry close-knit collaboration

Tovino Thomas's latest action film, ‘Ajayante Randam Moshanam’ (ARM), directed by Jithin Lal, highlights the Malayalam film industry's reputatio driven fil modest b recent in Tovino s the close relations the indus emphasis strong bo its maker

He o "The sm size of o industry keeps us closer, and to compete with larger films, we need to unite "

He also no films like ‘V ‘Lucifer’, ac collaborate

at this collective fort not only reamlines the roduction process ut also helps keep he film's budget in check

Tovino Thomas discussed the financial constraints in the

Aarti Ravi calls Jayam Ravi’s separation announcement ‘blindsiding’

Following actor Jayam Ravi’s announcement of his divorce and a petition filed in Chennai Family Court, his wife Aarti Ravi expressed that she was blindsided and "shocked and saddened" by his handling of the situation.

Aarti Ravi shared a statement on Instagram, revealing she was unaware of Jayam Ravi’s public divorce announcement She expressed being "shocked and saddened" by the news, emphasising that after 18 years of

marriage, such matters should be handled with "grace, respect, and privacy "

Aarti also mentioned that she attempted to resolve their issues amicably and hoped to work on their marriage, but her efforts were unsuccessful She stated, “I sought several opportunities to discuss things directly with my husband to honour our commitment to each other and our family Unfortunately, I was denied this chance, leaving my

children and me completely blindsided by the announcement ” Aarti stated that the decision to end their marriage was solely Ravi’s and that she does not support it She had previously remained silent to maintain dignity but felt compelled to speak out due to trolling and false public narratives blaming her She emphasised her priority is her children’s well-being and will not ignore the unfair attacks on her character

Malayalam film industry, noting that budget and time limitations have forced technicians, directors, and actors to be more resourceful "We compensate for the lack of luxury with smarter ideas," he said His latest film, ‘Ajayante Randam Moshanam’, has been in production for over six years and stars Tovino alongside Krithi Shetty, Aishwarya Rajesh, and Basil Joseph

Archana

Puran

Singh says that ‘I’m paid to laugh while others earn double’

Kapil Sharma, Sunil Grover, Krushna Abhishek, Kiku Sharda, Rajiv Thakur, and Archana Puran Singh are gearing up for Season 2 of ‘The Great Indian Kapil Show’ As they prepare for the premiere, the cast is actively promoting the show. In an interview, Archana shared insights into her signature hearty laughter on the show and the unusual requests she receives to laugh loudly She also discussed her remuneration in comparison to her fellow cast members

I n a r e c e n t c h a t w i t h

S i d d h a r t h K a n n a n , A r c h a n a Puran Singh addressed her role as a permanent guest on ‘The G r e a t I n d i a n K a p i l S h o w ’ When Kiku Sharda expressed concerns about the effort he puts into his performance

d o n n i n g c o s t u

s , a n d performing while Archana is paid simply to laugh, Archana responded with a laugh, “Paise ye log double le jate hai Toh sahi hai na mehnat karo bhai (These people earn double the money, so they must do the h a r d w o r k ) I g e t p a i d f o r l a u g h i n g , w h i l e t h e y ’ r e c o m p e n s a t e d f o r t h e i r h a r d work Some are paid for their beauty, others for their talent, but I’m fortunate to be paid for all of that ”

S u n i l G r o v e r

c o m p l i m e n t e d A r c h a n a , calling her “infectious” in her personality When discussing h e r d i s t i n c t i v e l a u g h t e r , A r c h a n a c i t e d a c t r e s s e s l i k e Deepika Padukone and Kajol, n o t i n g , “ M a n y w o m e n h a v e loud laughs, but my laughter is prominent because I have so many chances to laugh on the show ”

an actor Shabana Azmi is set to honoured by the onal Film Festival of sia Toronto in ion of her nal contribucinema, the rs have ed.

The festival will also feature a masterclass and a musical tribute titled "Shab-e-Sur," celebratShabana Azmi’s cinematic legacy, along with a special dinner in her honour hosted by Turkish Airlines, according to the press release

IFFSA honours

Manoj Bajpayee’s ‘The

Fable’ to Compete

at SEMINCI Film Festival

Manoj Bajpayee's film ‘The Fable’, directed by Raam Reddy of

*Thithi* fame, is the sole Indian entry competing at the prestigious SEMINCI Film Festival in Valladolid, Spain

The film, which had its world premiere at the 74th Berlin Film Festival, is competing in the prestigious Meeting Point Official Selection Competition at SEMINCI, running from October 18 to 26

Other notable films in the category include ‘Blue Sun Palace’ by Constance Tsang, ‘Familiar Touch’ by Sarah Friedland, ‘A Universal Language’ by Mathew Rankin, ‘Toxic’ by Saule Bliuvaite, and Jia Zhangke's ‘Caught by the Tides’

The festival's Meeting Point section is dedicated to showcasing films expected to be the season's standout revelations ‘The Fable’ is competing for several accolades, including the Meeting Point Best Feature Award, the Meeting Point Special Jury Award, and the ‘Pilar Miró’ Award for Best New Director, which recognises first or second feature-length fictions

"Shooting ‘The Fable’ has been a truly miraculous and magical journey," said the director "We not only navigated the challenges of Covid but also faced significant obstacles along the way After a yearlong hiatus due to the pandemic, we returned to the location, only to be hit by the Delta wave Despite these hardships, we persevered and continued filming under strict isolation protocols enforced by the local administration

I m thrilled that The Fable was selected for Berlin and now has another milestone at SEMINCI I can't wait to see the audience's reaction in Spain Best wishes to our director and the team at the festival I'm excited to see how the film is received," Bajpayee said in a statement

13th edition nternational stival of sia Toronto, running from October 10 20, will f ture premieres and special events with top industry names like Imtiaz Ali, Deepa Mehta, Boman Irani, and Anup Singh Shabana Azmi, one of Indian cinema's finest, will be honoured with a tribute celebrating her 50-year career, including a special screening of Shyam enegal's classic ‘Mandi’

IFFSA Toronto Festival Director Sunny Gill emphasised the goal of honouring icons who have shaped cinema “This year ’ s celebration will be a vibrant tribute to he rich legacy of South Asian cinema, filled with unforgettable moments, insightful discussions, and a heartfelt homage to those who have defined our cinematic world,” Gill said Actor-turned-director Boman Irani s debut film, ‘The Mehta Boys’, co-written with Oscar winner Alexander Dinelaris Jr, known for ‘Birdman’ and ‘The Revenant’, will serve as the festival’s opening film

Vijay Varma on preGully Boy struggles: "Locked for Sacred Games, then dropped"

Before

gaining recognition with Zoya Akhtar’s acclaimed drama ‘Gully Boy’, Varma faced a career marked by a scarcity of film offers and a deep hunger to make his mark. Reflecting on his life before his breakthrough role as Moeen in the 2019 Ranveer Singh-Alia Bhatt starrer, Vijay described it as a period of struggle and determination. Vijay Varma began his career with films like ‘Monsoon Shootout’, ‘ C h i t

relatively unknown until ‘Gully Boy’, India's Oscar entry "There were no offers until after ‘Gully Boy’ Casting directors believed in me, but I wasn't given a chance for a long time," Vijay said, reflecting on his journey while discussing his latest work, ‘IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack’ With no offers coming in, Vijay Varma went through countless auditions, often being “locked” for projects like ‘Sacred Games’ before being dropped “I was in the top five or top two in some auditions, but then dropped Even for ‘Sacred Games’, I had costume measurements done before being let go Despite these setbacks, I kept the faith After ‘Gully Boy’, work started coming in, and I was so eager that I took on many roles,” Vijay reflected

Neeraj finishes second in Diamond League, misses crown by 1 cm

Navnat Vadil Mandal Table Tennis Tournament

N

competition

Peters will collect

Diamond League trophy

champion this season Chopra will pocket

the grand finale which marked the end of the

o

points from his two secondplace finishes in DL one-day meets in Doha and Lausanne on May 10 and August 22

w i t h 85 97m

League series after 14 legs,

historic gold at the Tokyo

season on a high

The Indian javelin throw superstar, who has a personal best of 89 94m and season's best of 89 49m, had a series of 86 82m, 83 49m, 87 86m, 82 04m, 83 30m and 86 46m T

seven-man field in the same o

C h o p r a , w h o a d d e d a silver to his Olympic medal t a l l

season-- Paavo Nurmi Games in Turku, Finland on June 18

after finishing fourth in the

C h o p r a h a s b e e n struggling with his fitness this season and is expected to meet a doctor to rectify a groin injury that has affected him all season and came in the way of his quest to hit the 90m mark

finished ninth in a 10-man field in his maiden DL final with a mediocre time of 8 minute and 17 09 seconds to end a largely disappointing season He had finished 11th in the Olympic Games It was for the first time that a

East Bengal fans reclaim the GBS IFA Shield UK in its 7th year

IFA (IFA means Ind ian Fans

A ll ia nc e) S h ie ld U K is a

d ia s p o ra f o o tb al l ev en t p layed mainly between the F ans of the Big Three (Tin P radhan) o f Ko lkata - East

Beng al, Moh un Bag an and

M o h am m e d an S p o rti n g

C lu b Reliv ing th e fanhoo d o f the Clubs in faraway U K, this tournament has become th e launch of ‘ Bang ali ana ’ o ver the su mmer followed

b y th e Du rg a P u j a in autumn F ans troop in ev en f ro m ne ig h bo u ri n g c o u nt ri es a nd m ai nl an d

Eu rope besides London and the Ho me C ounties to take p art i n th is u niqu e ev en t w here they p lay in th e C lub colours, with jerseys being p rov ided by the Org anisers

Now in its 7th year, this year also had the Kolkata legend Chima Okorie as the

G u e s t o f H o n o u r , w h o

e n t h r a l l e d t h e a u d i e n c e with unheard stories of the Maidan Although this event

h a s b e e n o r g a n i s e d annually, it was a first time for some of the Organisers, P r a s u n M a n d a l , S a m M u k h e r j e e , A p u r b a B o s e

and Radha Dhiman Das For

J

after long break from the dreaded Covid year

T h i s

tournament was moved to H

Dhrubajyoti Ghosh it was

e o f i t s o w n , e n s u r i n g t h a t t h e s u c c e s s from the previous years is carried on to this year also and it was a very fulfilling experience at the end of a long day

Tournament wise, this year was very competitive -

l a s t y e a r ’ s w i n n e r s M o h a m m e d a n S p o r t i n g fans put up a very spirited

fight in the semi finals but lost to Mohun Bagan fans who eventually lost the final

t o t h e c h a m p i o n s E a s t Bengal fans

For East Bengal fans, it

w a s a p a r t i c u l a r l y p r o u d year, winning every match from the group stage and having beaten the Runners

U

stage and again in the Final, with Moitreya putting up an e x c e p t i

under the bars and Arijit, Y

T

extended full support not only by getting a team led by

Vadodara- trained Ansh Patel to play for Canadian cricket team

H e qui t his plus h j ob in Canada and shifted to Vadodara over a decade ago to purs ue his dream of seeing hi s son, Ansh Patel, play for the Indian national c ri cket team Pradip Patel’ s dream has finally come true But not entirely Ans h is all set to play for a national c ri cket team, but not the Indian one He has b een pi cked for the Canadian cric ket squad that will play in the Internati onal Cricket Counc il (ICC) Men’s Cri cket World Cup League 2

“It’s a rare case of a cricketer honing his skills in India with the hope of playing for the Indian cricket team but instead getting a break in the Canadian national team Ansh is a talented all-rounder who has

proved his mettle and performed well in several cricket tournaments,” said Snehal Parikh, Baroda Cricket Association (BCA) CEO

Ansh was among the top players in the BCA and considered to be a probable for the Indian team But the BCCI’s decision to allow only those with Indian passports to play in the cricket board’s tournaments turned the world upside down for Ansh

Initially, I was disappointed I shifted to Vadodara with a dream of playing for the Indian team and was probably close to it But destiny probably had something else in store for me as I returned to Canada and got a big break there,” Ansh said

C

Freeman, the Deputy Mayor

afternoon, while the Mayor Salim Chowdhury attended

c e r e m o n y w i t h t h e immediate past Mayor Cllr Ramji Chauhan The Deputy Mayor also cut her birthday cake providing a birthday party experience to the kids who had attended a football workshop on the day

The Navnat Vadil Mandal organised a table tennis tournament on 13 September at the Navnat Centre, with an impressive turnout of 40 participants The event was well coordinated by Ramesh Mehta, Kirti Maniar, Vijay Sheth and Nalin Udani In the men ’ s final, Vijaybhai Sheth claimed the winner’s trophy, with Kirti Bhimani as the runner-up The women ’ s final saw Prafula Mehta take the trophy, with Shila Doshi in second p l a c e T h e

enthusiastically supported the players throughout the event

Kumar Rocke r became the fi

significant milestone in the history of

The 24-year-old pitcher, who was born to an African A

f I n d i a n

e n t , turned out for Texas Rangers against the Seattle Mariners in Seattle, and he impressed straightaway, culminating a journey that had its share of challenges Just two months ago, Kumar was undergoing r e h a b i l i t a t i o n , r e c o v e r i n g from Tommy John surgery a n d h o p i n g j u s t t o s t a y healthy while dreaming of m a k i n g a n i m p r e s s i o n i n minor league games

Tommy John surgery is a procedure in which a partial or fully torn ulnar collateral ligament on the medial side of the elbow is replaced with a tendon from another part of a patient’s body or from a cadaver Backed to the hilt by

University of Maryland and his father Tracy was playing f o r t h e W a s h i n g t o n Redskins Tracy excelled in the NFL (National Football league) for two seasons and c u r r e n t l y w o r k s a s a defensive line coach with the T e n n e s s e e T i t a n s H e h a s been coaching them for the past seven seasons, having previously worked with the P h i l a d e l p h i a E a g l e s

playing days, Tracy turned

Redskins) in 1989 and 1990, starting 17 games over two seasons Kumar's mother Lu

educator

watching from the stands, Kumar didn't get off to the best of starts but regrouped to leave an impression by the time the match ended with his team's victory “It means

The Mayor, with roots in Bangladesh, was particularly p l e a s e d t o m

O k o

C h i m a

w h o p l a y e d

r Abahani Krira Chakra and D h a k a M o h a m m e d a n Sporting also

h i s s u p p o r t i v e p a r e n t s , Kumar recovered in time for h i s m u c h - a n t i c i p a t e d M L B d e b u t H i s m a t e r n a l grandparents immigrated to t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s f r o m Andhra Pradesh His parents m e t w h e n h i s m o t h e r , Lalitha, also known as Lu, w a s a s t u d e n t a t t h e

I think it means more to my mom She always

And I think she is going to be really happy about it," Kumar said

PM Modi hails the performance of para athletes

Haili ng the performan ce of athletes i n the Pari s Paralympi cs, Pri me M ini ster Narendra Mod i, while in teractin g with them, sai d he wanted to d ev el o p a c ul t ur e of a ch

g ed ap p ro ac h towards “ div yang ” (phys ically challen ged) th at they should be seen with respect an d dig nity and not with a sense of pity

“Through all of you, I want to see the evolvement of a mind set among physically challenged and society at large that they are seen with honour and not with pity,” the PM said as he interacted with the para-athletes and hailed their medal haul, saying they had not o n l y

disability The Prime Minister shared

video of his interaction with the contingent,

champions

Modi said while sharing the video on

medallist discus thrower Yogesh Kathuniya gave the PM a new title, calling him “Param Mitra” “For others, you as PM is Prime Minister but many of us consider you as Param Mitra,” said Kathuniya, whose remarks were endorsed by other athletes with applause

The PM recalled that while interacting virtually with the contingent before their sendoff, people of the country had mooted the “Vijayi Bhav” slogan “Your medal haul reflects that the emotions of the country were engraved in your minds,” he said

Neeraj Chopra

Winners with the Shield and the Mayor of Harrow, Cllr Salim Chowdhury Chima Okorie with the Shield