AV 22nd July 2023

Heatwave wreaking havoc across Europe

U K businesses set their sights on India for international expansion

DIASPORA HAILS PM MODI

Various plans announced including a new agreement on the use of India’s Unified Payment Interface (UPI) in Eiffel Tower, five-year visa for Master’s students and Indian Consulate in Marseille

The history of the relationship b e t w e e n F r a n c e a n d I n d i a i s extensive and has been progressively improving in recent years. India and France have collaborated on a wide range of international problems, including commercial relations, climate action, and defense collaboration

I n d i a n P r i m e M i n i s t e r Narendra Modi's two-day visit to France to attend the Bastille Day parade marks a represents a cruc i a l t u r n i n g p o i n t i n t h e t w o countries' developing ties As he l a n d e d i n P a r i s , h e r e c e i v e d a warm welcome from the Indian community, which gathered to g r e e t h i m a n d a l s o c h a n t e d 'Bharat Mata ki Jai'

Hindu temple attacked with rocket launchers, another razed to ground in Pakistan

The upcoming niche of vegan tourism

India's Chandrayaan-3 begins its journey to Moon

HDFC's profits soar amid India economic boom

Subhasini naicker

HDFC Bank headquarters in Mumbai

Actor R Madhavan with PM Modi and President Emmanuel Macron at the Bastille Day celebration

with

Keith Vaz PA RT I SH DU B EY

Partish Du bey was bo rn and raised in Ind ia He h ad his entire Scho ol and College education in the Institutions of Bh ag avan Sri Sathya S ai Baba He has also studied in the U K and top ped his educational career with an M BA d eg ree from the Ch icago Booth School of Business (U SA)

He has worked in various blue-chip Organisations like Godrej & Boyce and GE Capital in India and in Citigroup, Barclays Capital and Wells Fargo in the city of London He is currently pursuing his dream of becoming an Entrepreneur Deeply influenced by the teachings of Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba, he retains a passion for following global Geo Politics, Economy and the games of Cricket and Tennis He loves reading, writing and spending time with his family, especially his children Aditya and Shreeya

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

I love the city of London for three reasons First, London is a truly Global city People from all over the world live here I studied in Prasanthi Nilayam During my formative years, I saw people from all over the world visit Prasanthi Nilayam And I f ind that people from all over the world live in London One can perceive "Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam" (the w o r l d i s o n b e f a m i l y) i n t h i s c i t y

Second, London is also the Political, Financial and IT Capital of the United Kingdom There is an outstanding capital of Talent in the city Third, London is a dream destination for a Sports fan We have Cricket at Lords and The Oval, Tennis at Wimbledon and Football at Wembley, Arsenal, Chelsea, West Ham to name a few And I have not even mentioned about the cultural aspects of the city One can never get bored in a city like London

2) What are your proudest achievements?

I think the best is yet to come I am happy with my achievements so far but feel there is a lot more to do I will be proud when I am able to give back something to society I wish to be able to ser ve both my Janmabhoomi (India) and my Karmabhoomi (United Kingdom)

3) What inspires you?

I am inspired by the life and teachings of Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba I have been inspired by my parents I am ver y fortunate to have such wonderful parents I am inspired by the desire to ser ve and give back to society We need to do our bit to make this world a better place to live in

4) What has been biggest obstacle in your career?

Politics played within Organisations and a lack of appreciation of diversity within Organisations I f ind it particularly annoying when people expect you to be like them We all have different life experiences, and these will shape who we are and how we think and behave

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

My parents have had the biggest influence on my career They allowed

County cricketer accuses of racism fixing

A n ex-county cricketer, who end ured a leng thy wait o f alm ost two years for a resolu tio n i n an inv es tig a tio n into h is allegations of racism an d b u ll yi ng w i th i n t h e g a m e, h a s c ri ti c iz ed t h e England and Wales Cricket Board (EC B) for m erely paying lip service to elim inating discrimination

me to choose my career and have always encouraged me to strive to be best in what I do They have always backed me and asked me to be a life long learner I am grateful for the opportunities I have had I always look to learn from ever y situation

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

T h e a b i l i t y t o d e s i g n t h e Organisation in the way I want to Take the example of a ship Most people when asked will say the Captain of a ship is the most important person for the ship However, I believe the designer of the ship is the most important person since the Captain can only work within the limitations of the designer Therefore, t h o s e w i t h t h e a b i l i t y t o d e s i g n a n Organisation have a greater responsibility placed on their shoulders

7) And the worst? When you have to ask people to leave an Organisation That is never easy since so many lives may be dependent on that person's earnings

8) What are your long-term goals?

I have three long term goals First, to scale up my target acquisition both in terms of revenue and prof its Second, to do as much good as I can Especially to give something back to society Third will be to instil a sense of "Love for God, Fear of Sin and Morality ion Society " in m y c h i l d r e n a n d h o p e f u l l y i n m y employees too

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

The quality of ser vice provided by the NHS I have been in the UK for almost 21 years now and I have seen the deterioration in the ser vice provided by the NHS over the years The NHS is a brilliant concept and must be treasured However, it is currently cr ying for help and the Prime Minister should do all he can to help restore the health of the NHS The quality of ser vice provided by the NHS I have been in the UK for almost 21 years now and I have seen the deterioration in the ser vice provided by the NHS over the years The NHS is a brilliant concept and must be treasured However, it is currently cr ying for help a n d t h e P r i m e M i n i s t e r should do all he can to help restore the health of the NHS

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

I would like to spend t i m e w i t h I n d i a's f i r s t Nobel Laureate, Gurudev R a b i n d r a n a t h Ta g o r e I w o u l d l i ke t o h a v e a glimpse into his brilliant m i n d He w a s a p o e t , p h i l o s o p h e r, c o m p o s e r, social reformer to name a few I am sure speaking with him would be both an e n r i c h i n g a n d e l e v a t i n g experience

Jahid Ahmed, a former m e d i u m - p a c e b o w l e r fo r Essex, who faced mistreatm e n t a n d d i s c r i m i n a t i o n based on his ethnicity and religion, has little hope that anything will truly change d e s p i t e t h e r e c e n t l y p u b -

Jahid Ahmed

l i s h e d r e p o r t f r o m t h e

I n d e p e n d e n t C o m m i s s i o n for Equity in Cricket, which s p a n n e d 3 1 7 p a g e s a n d revealed widespread racism, sexism, classism, and elitism within the sport

While the ECB issued an apology and expressed its commitment to transforming the toxic culture of the game, Ahmed remains skeptical about players' willingness to come for ward and report the issues and mistreatment they encounter

Although Essex initiated an independent review, led by Katharine Newton KC, to investigate Ahmed's allegations and claims of racism m a d e b y C h a m b e r s a n d Sharif, Ahmed has lost faith in the process, as it has been nearly two years without a resolution

PM to limit students in low-value degrees

R is h i S u na k, th e P r i m e M i ni s te r, w i ll i m p l em e nt measu res to lim it the numb er o f s tu d e nts p u rs u i ng l o w -v a lu e d eg r ees i n E ng l an d , a m o v e th at is expected to d isprop ortionat ely affe ct w o r ki ng - c la ss an d Bla ck , A s i an, an d minority ethnic applicants

T h e a n n o u n c e m e n t states that courses will be c a p p e d i f t h e y d o n o t demonstrate a high proportion of graduates entering professional jobs, pursuing p o s t g r a d u a t e s t u d i e s , o r starting their own businesses However, vice-chancellors argue that these meas u re s w i l l d i s c o u r a g e s t udents from pursuing capped

Rishi Sunak

courses, as they believe it will harm their prospects in life, leading to signif icant costs for institutions

M a n y c h a n g e s t o t h e s t u d e n t l o a n s s y s t e m i n England, part of the governm e n t 's r e s p o n s e , h a v e a l r e a d y b e e n a n n o u n c e d

These include signif icantly i n c r e a s i n g t h e p o r t i o n o f loans that most graduates will repay by lowering the starting salar y threshold for repayments and extending the repayment term from 30 to 40 years

However, these changes w i l l h a v e l i m i t e d o r n o impact on the f inancial situation of English universities, which have faced a freeze on undergraduate tuition fees at £9,250 per student since 2017 Inflation has eroded the value of fees by approximately one-third, and universities claim to be operating at a loss for ever y undergraduate course taken by a UK student

People smugglers jailed for bringing people in car boot

T w o m en w h o s m u g g l ed s ev e n In d i an m i g ra nts , includ ing wom en and child re n, i nt o th e U ni t ed Kingd om by hid ing th em in the boots of their cars hav e been sentenced to pris on Palvinder Singh Phull, aged 48 , was apprehend ed at the U K bord er in Dover on July 8 , 2 0 1 8 , w h e n au th o r it ies found three Indian national s , w h o c la i m ed to b e

A fg han Sikhs, concealed in the trunk of h is rental car

Four days later, Phull's c o -a c c u s e d , H a r j i t Si n g h Dh a l i w a l , a g e d 4 5 , w a s stopped at the same check-

point, and four more individuals, also claiming to be Afghan Sikhs, were discovered hidden in the boot of his vehicle

Following investigations into their phone records, the Ho m e O f f i c e d e t e r m i n e d that Phull, from Hounslow, a n d Dh a l i w a l , f r o m

Middlesex, had collaborated in their smuggling activities

O n Ju l y 1 3 , t h e y p l e a d e d guilty to charges of assisting u n l a w f u l i m m i g r a t i o n a t C a n t e r b u r y Cro w n Co u r t Both individuals were sentenced to prison, with Phull receiving a term of three and a half years, and Dhaliwal being jailed for three years and two months

The joint efforts of law enforcement and the Home Off ice led to the apprehens io n a n d s u b s e q u e nt s e nt e n c i n g o f t h e t w o m e n involved in this illegal immigration operation

London Mayor slammed for pay-per-mile scheme

Sadiq Khan, th e Mayor o f Lo nd on, is exploring alternative strateg ies to generate revenue for the Ultra-Low Emission Zones (UL EZ) as the current expansion p lan faces po tential rev enue lo ss du e to the increasing numb er o f e nv i ro nm ent all y f ri end ly v eh i cl es On e p o te nti a l s o lu ti o n be i ng considered is the introducti o n o f a p ay-p er-m il e o r pay-per-minute scheme on Lo nd on roads, w ith h igher charg es for older and more pollu ting vehicles

A c c o r d i n g t o R i c h a r d Holden, the Roads Minister, h e w a s i n fo r m e d b y S e b

D a n c e , t h e D e p u t y M a y o r o f Tr a n s p o r t , a b o u t t h e mayor's interest i n i m p l e m e n ti n g s u c h a s c h e m e T h i s discussion arise s f r o m c o ncerns that the government's f iscal watchdog has predicted a potential £13 billion loss in public f inances due to the a d o p t i o n o f e l e c t r i c c a r s , resulting in a decline in fuel duty revenue Sadiq Khan has previously mentioned the possibility of adopting systems

similar to those used in Singapore, where s e n s o r s m o n i t o r vehicles during peak h o u r s a n d c h a r g e higher fees accordingly However, this n e w p ro p o s a l f ro m the mayor has faced c r i t i c i s m f r o m

Members of Parliament and c a m p a i g n e r s w h o a c c u s e him of attempting to "shut London down " T h e e x p a n s i o n o f t h e U l t r a-L o w E m i s s i o n Z o n e has faced widespread critic i s m f r o m d r i v e r s a n d L o n d o n b u s i n e s s o w n e r s

Dear Prime Minister, have you seen the future?

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s plan to curb “low value” degrees has hit the wrong note The Times reported that the PM said the changes would save taxpayers from being liable for billions of pounds in tuition fees for graduates who never reached the threshold to repay their student loans His determination to “crack down on rip-off degrees”, is mainly aimed at the figures from the Office for Students, which recorded that nearly 3 in 10 graduates do not progress into skilled jobs or further study 15 months after graduating The Institute for Fiscal Studies reportedly estimates that one in five graduates would be better off financially if they had not gone to university at all

The government has of course moved away from using the term “Micky Mouse degrees” but who decides what subject is relevant today and be irrelevant tomorrow?

The ‘Asian dad’ in Mr Sunak is quite obvious in his plans, and as a strategy, theoretically, his plan sounds right for high achievers, but many of his own MPs have barely had professional degrees including some who haven’t even

a t t e n d e d u n i v e r s i t i e s ! Y e s , m a n y o f t h e m s t u d i e d a t Oxbridge – which holds a different prestige in British society, but it does not change that they mostly have been students of humanities

Course data from the HESA were analysed by training course provider The Knowledge Academy to determine the most and least popular undergraduate courses in the UK

In 1990s and early 2000, Education was a popular subject among male students, as well as mass communications, veterinary science and dentistry Today these are least likely to be taken up by students, including reducing popularity of computer science among women Climate Change and AI have had an increasing popularity, but these were non-existent even a decade ago Art and Culture, degree in theatre and music, philosophy, history, or literature may not land you a £200,000 per annum job, but they help make the finest of playwrights, actors, journalists, writers, farmers or teachers, who build the country up from bottom Not everything about education is quantifiable, and this is basic knowledge

India's economic dream edging closer to reality

The Indian economic dream is edging closer to reality While a post-lockdown boom has failed to materialise in China, an update from HDFC Bank has shown that the banking system is growing alongside investor interest in India Profits at the seventh-largest listed lender rose 30 per cent and shares are soaring, reflecting confidence Indian banks largely escaped the financial turmoil that erupted in the US and Europe this year

The Reserve Bank of India has followed a gentler path than international peers Problems in the state-owned banking sector appear contained It leaves private-sector banks such as HDFC to position themselves as integrated financial services providers that can help take the country forward India’s economy has a history of disappointing bulls, but the private sector is flourishing despite the country’s social and institutional chall e n g e s H D F C r e c e n t l y m e r g e d w i t h p a r e n t H o u s i n g Development Financing Corporation This has made HDFC India’s largest private-sector lender by assets with a market worth of $150 bn The bank added 1,500 branches last year for a total of about 6,000, and plans to double that within four years

State-run publicly-owned lenders’ weakness creates opportunities for private banks such as HDFC and ICICI Non-performing loans in public banks are at a decade low of 6 per cent But that is still high by international standards At HDFC, NPLs were under 2 per cent last year A loan-to-deposit ratio in the 80s gives HDFC plenty of headroom for new lending It has more deposits per branch than peers As HDFC pushes into rural areas, higher-quality savings should grow, underpinning self-funded and sustainable growth

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Macron have taken the Franco-Indian ties to a new high France bestowed on Modi the highest civilian honour during his visit Our tri-services contingent, which marched past Champs-Elysees, must have made every Indian’s heart swell with pride Three documents, namely, the joint commu-

nique, the Horizon 2047 road map and the list of specific outcomes put out by the two sides is very significant PM Modi's visit to France so close on the heels of the US is the ultimate expression of India’s strategic autonomy The trust developed between the two countries over the last 25 years has been unshakeable So, the divergence between the two countries on the war in Ukraine has not been allowed to jeopardise the remarkable development of their bilateral ties

India and UAE are major trading partners and PM Modi's visit to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) will bolster cooperation between the two countries in areas such as trade, energy and climate action Both the countries have also signed agreements on trade settlement in national currencies and setting up a real-time link for cross-border transactions The UAE has had a special place in India’s efforts in recent years to increase its engagement in areas ranging from trade to security with West Asian states The Emirates are home to 3 5 million Indian expatriates, who account for about 30% of the country’s population B i l a t e r a l t r a d e g o t a b o o s t w i t h t h e s i g n i n g o f t h e Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) in February 2022

Meanwhile, in a major milestone in the Indian space trajectory that will go down as an unprecedented achievement in the c o u n t r y ’ s s p a c e h i s t o r y , C h a n d r a y a a n - 3 w a s s u c c e s s f u l l y launched The soft landing on the moon's surface is planned for late August Chandrayaan-3 is the third lunar exploration mission in the fourth operational mission (M4) of LVM3 launcher The mission consists of an indigenous propulsion module, a lander module, and a rover with the objective of developing and demonstrating new technologies required for inter-planetary missions The launch window was fixed for July, similar to that of the Chandrayaan-2 mission (July 22, 2019) because the Earth and moon would be closer to each other during this period of the year

Make in India initiative propels India forward

India's incredible progress with the Make in India initiative demonstrates its steadfast dedication to becoming a manufacturing and innovation powerhouse on a global scale Launched in 2014, this transformative initiative has propelled India forward, attracting international attention and investment while fostering domestic entrepreneurship and technological advancements This programme has been a driving force behind India's economic growth and sustainable development by boosting indigenous manufacturing, fostering foreign direct investment (FDI), and fostering an investor-friendly business climate

The Indian government has diligently worked toward enhancing the ease of doing business, streamlining regulatory processes, and building infrastructure across multiple industries which has enabled businesses to thrive and create employment opportunities to meet the demands of a dynamic manufacturing landscape

India has fostered innovation, research, and development, effectively aligning with global economic trends and environmental sustainability goals In a major push for the 'Make in India' programme of the Union government, Indian armed forces are all set to procure 97 new highly capable drones under a joint acquisition plan In another milestone, India launched Chandrayaan-3, third moon mission from Sriharikota To ensure the mission success, ISRO has collaborated with several manufacturing companies under ‘Make in India’ scheme to construct the rover, lander and launch vehicles

The Make in India campaign's international outreach has been instrumental in projecting India as a prime investment destination on the global stage Collaborative efforts with countries and businesses worldwide have enhanced India's economic ties and facilitated technology transfers As one of its suppliers, Foxconn, recently proposed to set up a £880 million supplemental facility in Karnataka, Apple's recent plans to increase its production

Political Sketchbook

Alpesh Patel

Churchill

The (Indian) Women Who Increasingly Rule the World

In the grand tap estry of global finance, a vibrant thread has emerged, weaving a tale of emp owerment, resilience, and sheer brilliance It s the tale of India, a burgeo ning ec onomic p owerho use, and the fo rmidable wo men who are steering its

i n a n c e M i n i s t e r s a n d C e n t r a l Bankers meeting in Gujarat, India, was a testament to this narrative Among the distinguished attendees were two women of Indian origin who have etched their names in the annals of global finance - India's Finance Minister, Nirmala Sitharaman, and her counterpart at the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Gita Gopinath Sitharaman, the first woman to hold the finance portfolio full-time in India, has been instrumental in shaping India's economic policy, steering it through the choppy waters of the pandemic On the other hand, Gopinath, as the first woman Chief Economist of the IMF, has been a b e a c o n o f w i s d o m , g u i d i n g g l o b a l e c o n o m i c p o l i c y through her incisive analysis and forecasts

These women, in their respective roles, influence the fate of billions Their decisions ripple through the global economy, affecting everything from the price of a loaf of bread in Bangalore to the interest rates on a mortgage in Melbourne

Their rise to these positions of power is not just a testament to their individual brilliance but also a reflection of the changing face of India and its growing clout in global finance It's a story of a nation that is increasingly embracing the potential of its women, recognizing that the path to economic prosperity is paved with gender equality

However, this journey is not without its challenges

Women in finance, like in many other sectors, face a myriad of obstacles - from gender bias and stereotypes to the lack of equal opportunities and representation These challenges are not unique to India but are a global phenomenon that needs to be addressed

capabilities in India may receive a boost US and India signed defence deals during PM Modi visit to US, General Electric (GE) has signed an agreement with India’s stateowned Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) to jointly make engines in India to power fighter jets for the Indian Air Force

A t t h e G 2 0 c o n f e r e n c e , I M F M a n a g i n g D i r e c t o r Kristalina Georgieva stated that the global economy has shown some resilience Despite successive shocks in recent years and the rapid rise in interest rates, global growth although anemic by historical standards remains firmly in positive territory, supported by strong labor markets and robust demand for services Meanwhile, Georgieva maintained that India is a "bright spot" in the global economy

I n d i a h a s s i g n e d a n M o U w i t h L i q u i d G r o u p , a Singapore-based fintech company, to launch UPI payments across 10 Asian markets - Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Philippines, Vietnam, Cambodia, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Republic of Korea and Japan Indian Institutes of Technology (IIT) and Indian Institutes of Management (IIM) are prestigious educational institutions, known for producing some of the brightest and skilled professionals in the fields of engineering, technology, and management IIMs who have played a vital role in driving India's economic growth and development Schemes under ‘Made in India’ such as skill India, digital India, startup India can witness a surge in entrepreneurship and innovation With a large population of young and ambitious minds who contributed to the success of startups, established successful enterprises, and occupied influential positions in multinational corporations IIT campuses are now opening in foreign countries and mark a significant milestone in India's journey towards global educational leadership It enhances India s reputation as a knowledge powerhouse and fosters collaborations with leading academic institutions worldwide Recently, the first IIT was set up in Tanzania

In the UK Parliament, we are hosting an event to shed light on these issues, to discuss the challenges faced by women in business, and to chart a path forward We believe that the stories of Sitharaman and Gopinath can serve as an inspiration, a beacon of what is possible when women are given the opportunity to shine I am co-hosting this as Chair of the City Hindus Network and as President of the India League (www theindialeague org) with our friends without whom the event could not take place – City Sikhs Network

In conclusion, the importance of India and women in finance cannot be overstated As we move forward, it is imperative that we continue to champion gender equality, to break down the barriers that hold women back, and t o c e l e b r a t e t h e a c h i e v e m e n t s o f t r a i l b l a z e r s l i k e Sitharaman and Gopinath After all, a nation's true wealth lies not in its coffers but in the potential of its people, and it's high time we realized the untapped potential of our women

So, let's raise a toast to the women in finance, to the women who are breaking the glass ceiling, one financial report at a time Here's to a future where the face of finance is not just a man in a suit, but also a woman in a saree or a hijab or a business suit Here's to a future where the fate of billions is not just decided by men in boardrooms, but also by women who bring their unique perspectives and insights to the table

Success is not final, failure is not fatal, it is the courage to continue that counts - Winston

Teenagers sentenced in the fatal stabbing of a 16-year-old

Two teenagers have been s entence d to a total of 34 y ears i n pris on for the m urd er of 16 -y ea r- old Ro nan K a n d a I n M a y , Pr a d j e e t V e a d ha s a an d Su k hm an Shergill were foun d gui lty o f t he m ur d e r, w hi c h occ urred in June of the previ ous year n ear Ronan's resi dence in Wolverham pton

The incident took place w h e n V e a d h a s a , h a v i n g a c q u i r e d a s e t o f n i n j a swords and a large machete t h r o u g h o n l i n e c h a n n e l s , m i s t o o k R o n a n f o r h i s friend and fatally stabbed

h i m S h e r g i l l , w h o w a s found to have participated in the murder under joint e n t e r p r i s e , h a s a l s o received a sentence

Veadhasa has been sent e n c e d t o l i f e i n p r i s o n , with a minimum term of 18 years, for his role in the c r i m e S h e r g i l l , o n t h e

Major food recalls affect retailers in Leicestershire

other hand, has been sent e n c e d t o l i f e i m p r i s o nm e n t w i t h a m i n i m u m term of 16 years

R o n a n t r a g i c a l l y b e c a m e t h e t a r g e t o f a chase and was struck twice with the weapons while he was walking home from his friend's place The motive behind the attack stemmed from the teenagers' intent i o n t o h a r m R o n a n ' s friend, to whom one of the 16-year-olds owed money and had engaged in a previous altercation Regrettably, Ronan succumbed to his injuries at the scene, leading to his u n t i m e l y d e m i s e F o l l o w i n g a t r i a l h e l d a t W o l v e r h a m p t o n C r o w n Court, both teenagers, now 17 years old, were found guilty of murder

University of London honours Indian historian

On Ju ly 13, the U niv ersity of L ond on honoured Professor

A so k K u m a r D as , In d i a' s forem ost expert in M ughal m iniatu re painting s, fo r his sig nificant contributions to art history througho ut his lifetime

A t t h e a g e o f 8 6 , Professor Das embarked on h i s c a r e e r a s a k e e p e r a t K o l k a t a ' s I n d i a n M u s e u m six decades ago His journey began under the guidance of t h e r e n o w n e d h i s t o r i a n Nihar Ranjan Ray, and he f o u n d i n s p i r a t i o n i n t h e e x t e n s i v e c o l l e c t i o n o f miniature paintings housed

in the Indian Museum In p u r s u i t o f h i s p a s s i o n , P r o f e s s o r D a s o b t a i n e d a scholarship and enrolled in the School of Oriental and A f r i c a n S t u d i e s a t t h e U n i v e r s i t y o f L o n d o n i n

1 9 6 4 t o p u r s u e a P h D focused on miniature paintings I n r e c o g n i t i o n o f h i s r e m a r k a b l e a c h i e v e m e n t s , the university will bestow u p o n h i m a n h o n o r a r y D o c t o r o f L e t t e r s ( D L i t t ) , a l s o k n o w n a s D o c t o r o f

Literature

Commonwealth conference celebrates the power of youth work

T he University of Reading in the U K w as ad orned w ith f la g s f ro m ac ro s s t h e

C omm onwealth to welcom e s p eakers , p arti ci p ants and rep resentativ es fro m yo uth

UK TO LAUNCH ITS FIRST ELECTRIC AIRLINE

In the prev ious m onth, several food items were recalled d ue to various concerns, ranging fro m u nd eclared ingred ients like g luten and soya to potential health risks such as p lastic contamination T his recall affected num erous retailers, including Waitro se, Tesco, Lid l, and A l d i , as w e ll as p r o m in en t b ran d s li k e Sh arwood 's and Jack's Guacamole

To safeguard consumers and raise awareness about potentially hazardous food products, the Food Standards Agency compiles a comprehensive list of the recalled items This list includes detailed information about each product, such as its description, the affected dates of production, and instructions on how to return the items The objective is to ensure that individuals only consume safe food products and avoid the risks associated with sickness, allergies, or injuries

Grape Tree has issued a recall for their toffee popcorn due to the presence of milk, which is not declared on the product's label This poses a potential health risk for individuals with allergies or intolerances to milk or milk constituents

The recall notice specifically applies to 200g packs of toffee popcorn, regardless of batch codes The affected products have best before dates extending up to and including the end of December 2023

Waitrose has issued a recall for their extralarge king prawns (ready to eat) due to the presence of raw, uncooked prawns in the p r o d u c t T h e i n c l u s i o n o f r a w , u n c o o k e d prawns renders the product unsafe for consumption

Dale Vince a prominent green energy entrepreneur has unveiled plans to launch Britain s first electric airline called Ecojet The aim of this initiative is to demonstrate that even traditionally polluting industries can decarbonize and transition to sustainable practices Ecojet, envisioned as a "flag carrier for green Britain," is set to commence operations in early 2024 Initially, the airline will operate a 19-seater aircraft on a route between Edinburgh and Southampton The planes will initially run on kerosene-based fuel for the first year before being retrofitted with engines capable of converting green hydrogen into electricity Ecojet plans to commence operations with several 19-seater planes adorned with green stripes, capable of flying up to 300 miles The airline aims to expand its routes to cover major cities across Britain In line with its environmentally friendly mission the staff will wear sustainable uniforms and the inflight meals will be plant-based

MOSQUE TO BE BUILT INSIDE WELL-KNOWN ENTERTAINMENT COMPLEX

Property tycoon

o f y o u t h w o r k t o m a k e transformative changes by harnessing social, cultural, a c a d e m i c , l e g i s l a t i v e , a n d p o l i t i c a l i n t e r v e n t i o n s t o help young people to thrive

A sh ortag e o f trained frontline workers and funding crisis is being faced by charities supp o rt i ng A s i an d o m e st i c ab u se su rv i v o rs , experts hav e warned They have also warned abou t fu rther serv ices being at risk of shrinking or clo su re d ue to lack o f financial supp ort

o rganisations wh o gathered for the 4th Com monwealth

C onference o n Youth Work

T h e c o n f e r e n c e , e n t i -

tled: 'The Power of Youth

Work: Forging a Sustainable a n d p e a c e f u l c o m m o n future', attracted over 250 d e l e g a t e s i n p e r s o n , w h o were joined by more than 1,000 virtual attendees from across the 56 member states of the Commonwealth H o s t e d b y t h e U K ' s N a t i o n a l Y o u t h A g e n c y (NYA) in partnership with t h e C o m m o n w e a l t h S e c r e t a r i a t , t h e t h r e e - d a y event highlighted the power

T h e C o m m o n w e a l t h S e c r e t a r y - G e n e r a l , t h e R t

Hon Patricia Scotland KC, opened the conference by underscoring the power and potential of youth workers

The Secretary-General said:

"We all know that the energy, creativity, and passion of our young people are catalysts for positive change And we all feel that, with dedication and hard work, we can enable young people to fulfil their potential and shape a better future

"As youth workers, you are fundamental to this Yours is not simply a pro-

fession; it is a calling – a vocation driven by a deep sense of purpose " Youth voices were prioritised during the event Youth leaders from across t h e C o m m o n w e a l t h n o t o n l y h i g h l i g h t e d c h a llenges and opportunities but presented projects and other solutions that they are actively working on T h e c o n f e r e n c e p a r tn e r s a l s o i n c l u d e d t h e

C o m m o n w e a l t h A l l i a n c e o f Y o u t h W o r k e r s Association (CAYWA) and t h e U K G o v e r n m e n t ' s D e p a r t m e n t o f C u l t u r e , Media and Sport (DCMS)

The NYA also collaborated with national youth work p a r t n e r s i n S c o t l a n d

85 per cent frontline workers believe that insufficient funding has been impacting community based service, a research by the Refuge Charity has found Additionally, 76 per cent of the workers believe that their caseload has increased in the past 12 months

The number of new clients supported by Refuge’s community-based services increased by 10 per cent as well, in 2022-23

According to Sundari Anitha, professor of gender, violence and work at the University of Lincoln, there has been a “huge reduction” on spending on domestic violence services across the board since 2010

11 women ’ s sector organisations formed a coalition to send a petition stating at least £238 million a year is needed for such services through the Victims and Prisoners Bill, to justice secretary Alex Chalk in late June

A n a n n u a l i n v e s t m e n t o f £ 4 2 7 m i s required to fund community-based and refuge s e r v i c e s “ t o t h e l e v e l n e e d e d t o s u p p o r t women and children who need to access them”, a report by Women’s Aid states Out of the total investment, £189m is needed by the refuge services itself

A n e e t a P r e m M B E , f o u n d e r o f t h e Freedom charity, which supports domestic abuse survivors, said her organisation is facing a challenge of insufficient funding as well

Asif Aziz, widely known as 'Mr West End,' is in the process of constructing a large mosque in London's entertainment district The threestory house of prayer and Islamic center is being established within the Trocadero a prominent location between Piccadilly Circus and Soho This new mosque will occupy the space previously left vacant after the closure of a Metro cinema in 2006 Initially, plans for a larger mosque with a capacity of 1,000 worshippers faced opposition and were withdrawn in 2020 due to backlash from residents and far-right groups However, a revised planning application for a smaller development was approved by Westminster Council at the end of May 2023 The upcoming three-story house of prayer will have a capacity of 390 worshippers

EQUALITY MINISTER INDICATES NEW GENDER GUIDANCE

Ahead of the release of gender guidance for schools in England Equalities Minister Kemi Badenoch emphasized the importance of parents being aware of what is happening with their children While she could not provide specific details about the guidance, which is expected to be published soon, recent reports suggest that schools will be advised to inform parents if students are questioning their gender Badenoch emphasized the right of parents to be informed about their children's experiences at school She stated that the forthcoming guidance would provide clarity for schools on how to address the needs of children experiencing gender distress The Department for Education is anticipated to release a draft of the guidance for consultation, followed by the issuance of the final guidance

VICTIM: Ronan Kanda

SENTENCED: Prabjeet Veadhesa and Sukhman Shergill

Lack of funding leaves South Asian domestic abuse survivors vulnerable

From promoting India’s business interests to turning 100, FICCI shining under new leadership

Rupanjana Dutta

T h e F ed e rati o n of I nd i an C hambers of Com merce and I n d u st ry ( F I C C I ) , I n d i a ’ s a p ex bu s i ne ss c h am b er , a nn o u nc ed th e ap p oi n tm ent of S hailesh Pathak as th eir Secretary General in M arch In a career spanning 3 7 ye ars , M r P at h ak h as sp ent time in gov ernm ent as an IA S Offic er as w ell as h elmed large com panies in t h e p ri v a te s ec to r Hi s e xt ens i v e in ter na ti o nal e xp o s u re i n cl u d es an E i s en h o w er Fe ll o w sh ip in 20 00 as an em erging Ind ian L ead e r, an E U V i si to r P r o g ra m h o st ed b y th e E u r o p ean C o m m i s s io n 2 0 0 3 , an d a C h ev eni n g scho larship at the U niv ersity o f Oxford in 2011 H e w a s r e c e n t l y i n L o n d o n , a l o n g w i t h t h e Forum of Parliamentarians, which is FICCI’s unique initiative for outreach across party affiliations, covering both Houses of the Indian Parliament, in true bipartisan spirit

The Forum engages with P a r l i a m e n t s a c r o s s I n d i a n S t a t e s a n d i m p o r t a n t P a r l i a m e n t a r y S t a n d i n g Committees It provides a p l a t f o r m f o r M e m b e r s o f P a r l i a m e n t t o m e e t a n d

interact with stakeholders in other countries, such as the UK These stakeholders usually include parliamentarians, government representatives, businesses, academic a n d r e s e a r c h i n s t i t u t i o n s , diaspora networks, etc

This year ’ s delegation to the UK, comprised of Indian Members of Parliament representing 5 different parties Nationalist Congress Party ( N C P ) , B h a r a t i y a J a n a t a P a r t y ( B J P ) , Y u v a j a n a S r a m i k a R y t h u C o n g r e s s P a r t y ( Y S R C P ) , R e v o l u t i o n a r y S o c i a l i s t Party (RSP) They represente d s i x s t a t e s o f I n d i a ( A n d h r a P r a d e s h , B i h a r , Haryana, Kerala, Odisha and Maharashtra) This was the first visit overseas after pandemic since June 2018

C entenary celebrations in 20 27

At an exclusive interview with Asian Voice, Mr Pathak spoke about his vision for FICCI in the coming years

As FICCI turns 100 soon, he said, “Mahatma Gandhi had come for the fourth annual general meeting of FICCI in 1931 So, we celebrate 100 y e a r s i n A p r i l 2 0 2 7 a n d there's a countdown clock that we have put up at our reception We plan to do a lot of things and there are

seven groups, who are worki n g o n t h i s , i n c l u d i n g D r P a r a m S h a h , F I C C I ( U K ) Director At the same time, India is going to become a $5 trillion economy in the next few years, and it's certainly going to be closer to an $8 trillion economy by 2030, as per a recent Morgan Stanley report, and that's not going to happen without the private sector becoming much bigger So, if the private sector today is here, and looking at a certain amount of growth in the next five to seven years, FICCI is definitely going to be both a cause and a result of this growth ” G20 and wom en em powerm ent

T h e u p c o m i n g G 2 0 which PM Rishi Sunak specially mentioned at his summer reception in No 10 during, will have a country-wide (India) participation, including by the FICCI, which is backing sustainable develo p m e n t , g r e e n e n e r g y , women ’ s empowerment as well as leadership

M r P a t h a k e l a b o r a t e d , “We are very much part of t h e d e l i b e r a t i o n s A s y o u know the G20 Summit will happen in September 2023 Our involvement in particularly mine, will be in the

Business-20 and is going to continue after “ I w o u l d a l s o l i k e t o h i g h l i g h t o n t h e G 2 0 A l l i a n c e f o r t h e E m p o w e r m e n t a n d P r o g r e s s i o n o f W o m e n ’ s

E c o n o m i c R e p r e s e n t a t i o n (G20 EMPOWER), which is accelerating women ’ s leadership and empowerment in the private sector This initiative was launched in 2019 w i t h r e p r e s e n t a t i o n f r o m the government and private sector

“During 2023, EMPOWE R i s t a k i n g f o r w a r d t h e cause of women-led development with Digital Skilling as a cross-cutting priority, not only in the corporate sector but also at the grassroots The key outcomes of t h e E M P O W E R d e l i b e r at i o n s h e l d s o f a r w i l l b e

announced at the upcoming G20 EMPOWER Summit on

1 - 2 A u g u s t 2 0 2 3 i n Gandhinagar, Gujarat

“ T h e F L O I n d u s t r i a l

P a r k i n H y d e r a b a d ,

Telangana is India's first 100

p e r c e n t w o m e n - o w n e d industrial park This park was inaugurated on 8 March

2 0 2 2 , c o m m e m o r a t i n g International Women’s Day and is promoted by FICCI Ladies Organization (FLO) i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h t h e T e l a n g a n a g o v e r n m e n t I t h a s b e g u n i t s o p e r a t i o n s w i t h w o m e n - o w n e d a n d o p e r a t e d G r e e n P r o j e c t s The park's opening attracted considerable attention from women entrepreneurs intere s t e d i n o p e r a t i n g t h e i r m a n u f a c t u r i n g b u s i n e s s from this location This flags h i p p r o j e c t i s u n i q u e i n

India, and participation is open to chapter members a n d n a t i o n a l m e m b e r s o f FLO,” he added, focussing on FICCI’s established role i n w o m e n e m p o w e r m e n t and leadership at all levels Reco gnised at U K-Ind ia Award s 20 23 FICCI has also emerged triumphant as the ‘Business Promotion Organisation of the Year’ at the 5th UK-India Awards 2023 held in London recently They were awarded for their work in the IndiaUK corridor, highlighting its i n s t r u m e n t a l r o l e i n p r om o t i n g I n d i a ' s b u s i n e s s interests globally and fostering a favourable ecosystem for economic development “ T h e B u s i n e s s P r o m o t i o n O r g a n i s a t i o n o f t h e Y e a r award is a significant milestone for FICCI for its work in the United Kingdom It is a testament to its unwavering commitment to promoting India's business interests and fostering international partnerships This recognit i o n f u r t h e r r e i n f o r c e s FICCI's position as a leading voice for Indian businesses and its instrumental role in shaping the country's econ o m i c g r o w t h , ” s a i d M r Pathak expressing his gratitude

L-R: Dr Param Shah, Subhrakant Panda, Baroness Usha Prashar and Shailesh Pathak

Possibility of a cancer diagnosis is also a cause for fear

Shefali Saxena

Ethnic Minority Cancer

A wa re ne s s Mo nt h ( E MCAM) , p reviou sly E th n i c M i no r i ty C an c er Awareness Week (EMCAW) , i s w h en th e c o m mu n i ty c o m e s to g et h e r to ra i se awareness of cancer within Black and Minority Ethnic co mmu nities i n Britain, taki ng p lace in Ju ly Nati onal S arco ma Awareness P ro ject i s co nducted every year to r ai s e S ar c o ma Awa re n es s a mo n gst m edi c al st u den ts a nd F ou ndati o n year do ctors July i s sarcoma awareness month

Sarcomas are malignant tumours derived from mesenchymal cells (bone, cartilage, blood vessels, muscle, fat, nerves and connective tissue, including that present in the organs), and can develop at any site in the body There are many different types of sarcomas, but t h e y a r e u s u a l l y g r o u p e d into soft tissue sarcomas or b o n e s a r c o m a s S a r c o m a s a r e r a r e c a n c e r s : t h e 2 1 s t group of cancer in descending order of incidence Due to its rarity, a GP can expect to see only one or two sarcom a s i n a n e n t i r e c a r e e r T h e r e a r e a p p r o x i m a t e l y

4 6 3 0 s o f t t i s s u e s a r c o m a s and 670 bone sarcomas diagnosed each year in the UK

In August 2020, Geeta P atel found a lump the size of her hand on her leg in the bath Sharing her story on Sarcoma org UK, Patel said, “I immediately booked an ultrasound via the GP After multiple X-rays, MRI scans, and biopsies, they confirmed it was alveolar soft part sarcoma After a full-body CT s c a n , t h e y a l s o c o n f i r m e d that I had multiple bilateral tumours in my lungs, and it was unfortunately at stage 4 This means it is incurable

“ S i n c e m y d i a g n o s i s , I have had surgery on my right leg to remove the lump, as well as the muscle around it, s o m y f u l l h a m s t r i n g h a s now been removed I also had six weeks of radiotherapy in the area and 16 rounds o f i m m u n o t h e r a p y w h i c h unfortunately didn’t work I was then declined a clinical trial and put on palliative end-of-life care with no further treatment However, I didn’t give up and continued to push for the trial This was granted in March 2022 a n d t h a n k s t o t h i s p h a s e three clinical trial my lung tumours are now stable

“It was difficult to cope, especially during the pandemic, which made hospital v i s i t s h a r d e r a s I h a d t o attend hospital on my own D e s p i t e a l l o f t h i s , m y f r i e n d s a n d f a m i l y r e a l l y helped me get through it, especially my mum and husband Ankush ”

S h e d e c i d e d t o r a i s e f u n d s f o r S a r c o m a

Language may be a barrier for people from ethnic backgrounds

Manveet Basra, Associate Director, Public Health, Inclusion and Awareness at Breast Cancer Now spoke to Asian Voice about cancer in ethnic minorities.

What kind of cancer is common in ethnic minorities?

because sarcoma is so rare

She wants to raise awaren e s s s o t h a t p e o p l e c a n check lumps all over their bodies, and not just in the most talked about areas

“ B e c a u s e t h e r e i s n o cure for my type of cancer, I want more research to be conducted into sarcoma, to hopefully find a cure and to u n d e r s t a n d t h e d i s e a s e more, as other cancers are more common There are more ways to manage other types, but I hope it will be possible to find something that manages cancers like mine, and hopefully gets rid of them,” Geeta added

A rare form of canc er

Dr CR Chandrasekar is a C o n s ul t a n t O r t ho p a ed i c O ncology Surgeon at Royal Li ve rpoo l an d B roa dgr ee n U ni ve rs i ty H osp it als N HS

Trust with a keen interest in raising sarcoma awareness

Speaking to Asian Voice, he said, “It is unsurprising to r e a d i n t h e p r e s s a b o u t d e l a y e d o r m i s s e d c a n c e r d i a g n o s e s , e s p e c i a l l y w i t h rare cancers like sarcomas Often the story is presented as one of wilful neglect on the part of healthcare professionals, who purportedly fail to perform their duty of c a r e T h e s e p r o f e s s i o n a l s , with much medical experience, many years of training and a genuine desire to help patients, don’t set out to deliberately delay the diagnosis of a rare cancer like sarcoma Factors including the rarity of the condition (the average GP might see one or two new sarcoma patients in their career) and the lack of training, which c a n l e a d t o a n i n c o r r e c t diagnosis, make it exceedi n g l y d i f f i c u l t t o e n s u r e e a r l y d i a g n o s i s

Furthermore, sarcoma is a rare cancer, affecting about 3800 patients per year in the UK

“The main difficulty in ensuring the correct identification of sarcomas arises from the lack of relevant information provided duri n g m e d i c a l t r a i n i n g Unfortunately, because of the rarity of sarcomas, educ a t i o n a b o u t t h e m i s unlikely to become a part of the undergraduate medical curriculum This may mean many doctors qualify with little or no knowledge of s a r c o m a s a n d w i l l s u b s equently be unable to corr e c t l y i d e n t i f y t h e m a n d

recommend the necessary t r e a t m e n t A s t h e s a y i n g goes: what the mind does not know, the eye cannot see ”

According to him, for most patients, the possibility of a cancer diagnosis is also a cause for fear, resulting in a reluctance to seek medical advice about what i s d e e m e d a s t r a n g e swelling Hence, it is important to emphasize that sarcomas are treatable, especially when diagnosed early, and that there are a number of people who have been cured

Havin g the tests does n ot mean that you have can cer

ABPL Group held a special virtual event to mark E t h n i c M i n o r i t i e s C a n c e r Awareness Month and disc u s s B r e a s t C a n c e r A w a r e n e s s D r T or a l

Ga thani is a Senior Clinical R e s e a r c h F e l l o w i n t h e Cancer Epidemiology Unit of the Nuffield Department o f P o p u l a t i o n H e a l t h , University of Oxford and a C o n s u l t a n t O n c o p l a s t i c Breast Surgeon at Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust Speaking at event, Dr Gathani said, “Breast cancer is common a m o n g e t h n i c m i n o r i t y women And even though Indian women are less likely to get breast cancer compared to white women, it is still the most common canc e r t h a t i s d i a g n o s e d i n Indian women in the UK The most common problem is a lump If you feel that there is a lump in either b r e a s t o r u n d e r t h e a r m then it's important that you s e e k h e l p f o r t h a t T h e other issues can be changes to the nipple, either there is a d i s c h a r g e w h i c h c a n either be clear or with blood o r s o m e t i m e s t h e n i p p l e c a n b e c o m e i n v e r t e d o r have an ulcer for which you n e e d t o s e e a d o c t o r ” However, the doctor mentioned that merely having t h e t e s t s d o e s n o t m e a n t h a t y o u h a v e c a n c e r I t means that there is a need to just see a little bit more and you mustn't be afraid if there are more investigations

Dr Gathani was joined b y D r B h a v e s h P a r e k h , Head of Shalby Cancer and R e s e a r c h I n s t i t u t e F u l l

on the event to fol-

According to Cancer Research UK, White people in England, are more than twice as likely to get some types of cancer, including melanoma skin cancer, oesophageal, bladder and lung cancers compared with people from Black, Asian or Mixed ethnic backgrounds Likely in part due to preventable risk factors such as smoking and obesity However, prostate cancer, myeloma (a type of blood cancer) and womb cancer, are all more common in Black people The study also found that Black people are more likely to get stomach and liver cancers, and Asian people are more likely to get liver cancers Any increase in cancer rates is concerning to the charity With some evidence suggesting smoking and obesity rates in people from Black, Asian or Mixed ethnic backgrounds could become similar to those in White people in future, experts warn that cancer rates in minority ethnic groups could increase Given existing inequalities in patient experience, which include people from minority ethnic groups reporting worse experiences of cancer care and lower survival for some cancer types seen, this is worrying

How soon is cancer detected among ethnic minorities? Is there a stigma around the disease?

Cancer awareness is often lower among ethnic groups than the rest of the population This can lead to people from these communities presenting later to their GP with possible signs and symptoms, or not seeking help at all In 2021 Breast Cancer Now commissioned specific insight into ethnic communities, particularly Black and South Asian women When asked about the first thing that comes to mind when you hear the word cancer, the primary association with cancer is

death: fatalism This shows that the concept and possibility of early detection/early diagnosis are minimal as a first thought There are misunderstandings, myths and taboos around breast cancer which can deter communities from talking about it and result in some people not disclosing their diagnoses Our insight (sample of 561 women) also showed women from ethnic groups are less aware of the symptoms of breast cancer than White British women Women from ethnic groups are less likely than White British women to believe breast cancer affects all women, including themselves Women from ethnic groups are less aware of risk factors for breast cancer than White British women White British women check for signs of breast cancer more frequently than women from ethnic groups Asian women are the least confident in checking for signs of breast cancer

Whilst breast cancer incidence rates are lower amongst ethnic groups compared to their White counterparts, they are more likely to die from the disease We know that the earlier breast cancer is diagnosed, the better the chance of successful treatment

What about rare forms of cancer? What's the status of its diagnosis?

A rare type of cancer can take longer for doctors to diagnose This is because the symptoms might be unusual and less recognisable than more common types People may also need to have

more tests compared to people with common cancers

What kind of help is available for ethnic minorities for breast cancer awareness?

Breast Cancer

Now offers a range of health information in audio and written formats where language may be a barrier for people from ethnic backgrounds on breast health, risk factors, the NHS breast screening programme and myths and misconceptions around breast cancer We also have a free, confidential Helpline, which offers a language line for people where English may not be their first language, where they can speak to one of our breast care nurses on 0808 800 6000 We also raise awareness of breast cancer through our Public Health talks programme Our team of trained public health volunteers deliver talks, helping us spread vital awareness around early detection and prevention, championing our work in communities across the UK Our talks can be delivered online or inperson to private, public health and voluntary organisations including workplaces, local community groups, religious groups, voluntary organisations, universities and professional networks We also offer online and in-person public health talks to help raise awareness of breast cancer amongst workplaces, organisations and local community groups, which you can book by contacting us on our website

Is there any data available for cancer in ethnic minorities?

We are aware of a lack of recent data that looks at outcomes in people with breast cancer from ethnic minority backgrounds This type of data is not routinely collected or published in the standard datasets (so we take these findings from published research) We need more current research in this area

Dr CR Chandrasekar Dr Toral Gathani

Manveet Basra

The Top 100 Asian Stars in UK Tech announced

The Top 10 0 A sian Stars in UK Tech 20 23 list was unv eiled at a cerem ony organized by Diversity UK, in partnership with Eversh ed s Sutherland and Biorbyt

T h e e v e n t , h e l d i n C e n t r a l London on July 5, 2023, featured the presentation of the list, the r e c o g n i t i o n o f 3 0 A s i a n T e c h Pioneers Awards, a discussion on 'AI and HealthTech,' and a Tech Showcase highlighting four innovators This annual list acknowledges the significant contributions o f B r i t i s h A s i a n s t o t h e d i g i t a l economy and has been running successfully for nine years Lopa Patel MBE, Chair of Diversity UK, e x p r e s s e d s a t i s f a c t i o n w i t h t h e event's success, emphasizing the celebration of diversity, innovat i o n , a n d p o s i t i v e f e e d b a c k received

S h e s a i d , “ I t w a s a b u s y evening, but with the support of o u r p a r t n e r s , E v e r s h e d s S u t h e r l a n d a n d B i o r b y t , I w a s pleased that we organised a really enjoyable, insightful and informal event that has received a lot of positive feedback We published the definitive list of the Top 100 Asian Stars in UK Tech 2023 celebrating diversity in the digital sector with a special focus on innovation, the ninth year for the feat!” ”

Diversity UK's Top 100 Asian Stars in UK Tech list aims to shed light on the contributions of Asian digital entrepreneurs in creating

Dr Amir Khan opens up about his dad's death and how his Asian heritage impacted the process

innovative business models, apps, and support networks By recognizing their achievements, the list seeks to address the diversity gap

T op 10 names in th e list were:

v Aashima Arora

Partner at LocalGlobe

v Abhilasha Dafria

CEO of Angels Den Funding

v Ah ana Banerjee

Founder & CEO of Clear

v Alex Yeung

Co-Founder & COO of Connexin

v Am ir Hussain

Founder & CEO of Yeme Tech

v Anand Verma

Founder & CEO of Expect

v Anya Roy

Co-Founder of Syrona Health

v Asher Ism ail

Co-Founder of Uncapped

v Ashw in Nandaku mar- Co-

Founder of OncoAssign

v Atul C houd rie

CEO of XYB by Monese

within the tech sector and highlight the abundance of talent that is fueling the growth of the British tech scene It serves as a testament to the valuable and diverse perspectives that Asian entrepreneurs bring to the industry

Heatwave wreaking havoc across Europe

Extreme heat waves have b ee n wr ea ki ng h a vo c a c ro s s mu l t i p l e c o nt in en ts , re s u lt i n g i n t h e breaki ng of temp erature r e co r d s w o rl d w i d e a nd v ar i o u s re gi o n s o f t h e globe are grappli ng with t h e c o ns e qu e nc e s o f s corchi ng temperatures This global h eatwave has l ed to vari ous d isrupt i o n s an d c h al l e nge s i n a f f ec t ed areas S o u t h e r n E u r o p e i s c u r r e n t l y experiencing an intense heatwave, with temperatures in Greece exceeding 40°C (104°F) and even higher temperatures predicted next week

The soaring heat has prompted the closure of popular tourist sites, such as the Acropolis, during the hottest hours of the day for visitor safety

The European Space Agency (ESA) has raised concerns about extreme conditions in Italy, Spain, France, Germany, and Poland, monitoring land and sea temperatures through satellite data

The region is also on high alert f o r w i l d f i r e s , e s p e c i a l l y i n a r e a s p r o n e t o s t r o n g w i n d s G r e e c e , which suffered significant wildfires during a previous heatwave in 2021, is particularly concerned In Croatia, fires have already broken out, causing damage to homes and vehicles in one village, Grebastica, located along the Dalmatian coast Fortunately, officials have reported that the fire has been brought under control

Central parts of Europe, including Germany and Poland, have also been affected by the high temperat u r e s C z e c h i a ' s m e t e o r o l o g i c a l office has issued warnings of temperatures surpassing 38°C, an except i o n a l l e v e l f o r t h e c o u n t r y Rupanjana, who recently travelled to Athens, Greece with husband, told the Asian Voice, “For the last 20 years, we have been travelling to Europe every summer and last year

Recognising that it can be d ifficult to know h ow to supp ort friends and family, leading bereav em ent ch arity, Sue Ryder, h as launched a seco nd series of the Grief Kind podcast, h osted by author, journalist and am bassad or, Clover Stroud

G P D r A m i r K h a n w i l l b e appearing on the third episode of the podcast to delve into his experience of grief aged just 26 after his father died from heart disease, 10 years after being diagnosed with the condition

He discusses how Muslim traditions, and his South Asian background impacted his experience of grief in both positive and negative ways – from having to become the man of the house, to having a constant flow of visitors offering support in the days and weeks that followed his dad’s death

Amir says: “Traditionally, and r e l i g i o u s l y s p e a k i n g , w e ' r e o n l y supposed to grieve for three days in Islam, which I know is really, really

prescriptive, and you're supposed to then kind of get on with the rest of your life ”

“One thing that just happens, and you know will happen in most cultures but is particularly heightened in the Asian culture, is that you get an influx of people who come to your house That influx starts at about 7:00 in the morning, you're not even awake, and it goes on until three or four o'clock at night So you have the same conv e r s a t i o n o v e r a n d o v e r a g a i n , which I found quite- no, it wasn't hard, but I just found it draining ” He also reflects on the feeling

of loss not only for his father, but also the potential for a closer relationship that never had the chance t o d e v e l o p H e t a l k s a b o u t t h e "what-ifs" and longing for a deeper connection with his father: “I'll be honest, it wasn't the best relationship between father and son, but nor was it terrible It was as expected, I think, for him in that South Asian culture back in the 80s and early '90s ”

“And I wonder whether those k i n d o f c o m p l e x r e l a t i o n s h i p s , when you don't have that really strong bond that you really want with your dad, when you do lose them, it makes it more complex, the loss, I think And kind of you're grieving not just the loss of the relative, but the loss of the potential that that relationship could have been ”

Dr Khan’s advice would be to ask those grieving how they're feeling, how they're coping, what you can do to help

DESIblitz Literature Festival returns for 2023 edition

we were in Crete, Greece “I have hiked to Mer d e G l a c e i n F r a n c e , D a m b u l l a C a v e i n S r i L a n k a a n d R o m a n A m p h i t h e a t r e i n Syracuse, Sicily I am fit, I walk 10,000 steps every day and climb at least 5-6 floors daily using stairs My husband is a professional volleyball player “ B u t t w o w e e k s b a c k , w h i l e climbing The Acropolis, which is hardly 9 floor high, in 38 degrees centigrade at 6:30 in the evening, I suddenly felt dizzy Fearing a sunstroke, or worse, I sat down and rested for some time in a corner with water With ruins around, marbles reflecting the extreme dry heat, t h e r e w a s n o s h a d e o n t h e t o p Somehow, I managed to feel better quick, recoup energy to return to hotel which was close by, after 30 mins of rest

“Of course in a few days they had to shut The Acropolis as more and more healthy people fell ill in the sun, heat and needed the hospit a l T h e f e a r o f f o r e s t f i r e a l s o required people to evacuate from beach resorts

“People turning away in fear of increasing temperature, will hit the economy of those countries that depend on tourism like Greece But if this does not make one fear for the future of climate change, and take measures now, I don’t know what would ”

I n c o n t r a s t , t h e U n i t e d

K i n g d o m i s e x p e r i e n c i n g h e a v y

showers and gusty winds in certain regions of England Meteorologists suggest that this change in weather is influenced by the southern shift of the jet stream, which is responsible for the hot conditions in Europe, and is now drawing low-pressure systems into the UK, resulting in unsettled and cooler weather

Showcasing th e breadth of talent an d c re at iv it y in B ri ti s h South Asian culture to day, the fre e a nd fa m il y- f ri en d ly DES Iblitz L iterature Festival w ill take place across multip le locations in Birm ing ham from 20th – 29th October 2023 Som e of the biggest names in mu sic, film, TV and bo oks w ill take p art in the festiv al in Octo ber with the aim of h elping to inspire young peop le to g et more involv ed in th e arts

Some of the names participating in the 2023 festival include Goodness Gracious Me TV stars Kulvinder Ghir and Nina Wadia, Channi Singh OBE the "godfather"

of Bhangra in the West, musicians

Harbans Singh Jandhu, Kulwant Singh Bhamrah, the Grewal Twins

a n d S u k h i B a r t A u t h o r s w i l l i n c l u d e S a i m a M i r , A j a y

Chowdhury, Bali Rai, Costa Prize Winner Jasbinder Bilan, Dr Shahed Yousaf, Nash Ramji and Kavitha

Rao

At the heart of the DESIblitz Literature Festival is the educat i o n a l D E S I b l i t z A r t T r u c k Decorated by world-renowned professional truck artist Haider Ali from Pakistan, the truck is taken to schools across the UK t h r o u g h o u t t h e y e a r b r i n g i n g

Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi and Sri Lankan stories to the widest possible audience of kids and is available for schools to book for the 2023/2024 academic year

The DESIblitz Art Truck will be at the festival this year with a programme of magical storytelling from a range of South Asian cultures

UK India Triumph Awards

Incontinuation of the celebrations to m ark the Golden Jubilee o f Gujarat Sam achar U K, ABPL Group organised the UK India Triump h A wards at th e House of L ord s on 1 2 Ju ly 2023

The awards were presented for recipients’ contributions to public life, philanthropy and community services Lord Loomba CBE hosted the event at the House of Lords

The Awards were presented to:

n Dr Y o g en d ra K o th a ri , C h a i r m a n , A n u y o g Hospital and Research Centre Pvt Ltd, India

n Dr A nju Kothari, Managing Director, Anuyog Hospital and Research Centre Pvt Ltd, India

n M an i sh M aru , N a t i o n a l P r e s i d e n t , A k h i l

Bharatiya Jain Divakar Navyuvak Sangathan

n H E Nim isha Mad hv ani, High Commissioner of Uganda to the UK and Ambassador to Ireland

n Kamlesh D P atel, Daaji, fourth spiritual guide in the Sahaj Marg system of Raj Yoga meditation

The full coverage of the Award ceremony will be published in the next issue of AV

Winners Dr Yogendra Kothari and Dr Anju Kothari, Lord Loomba and CB Patel

Lord Ranger, HE Nimisha Madhvani, CB Patel and Mahesh Liloriya

Shashi Bhushan, SAHC, Lord Ranger, winner Manish Maru and CB Patel Team Daaji, Lord Loomba and CB Patel

GP Dr Amir Khan

Art Truck Bus

On top of The Acropolis in Athens

SRMD UK to host London Youth Festival 2023

Sh rimad R ajchan dra Mission Dha ra mpur ( SRMD) U K is h o s t in g L o n d o n Y ou t h Fe stival 2023, on t he 22-23 rd J u ly a t Me r ch a n t T a y l or s ’ School, Nort hwood In t his fest , youth bet wee n the age s of 18 to 3 9 y ea rs will imme rse in a journ ey of both - person al a nd socia l impa ct

T h e S R M D L o n d o n Youth Festival follows the success of the SRMD Global Youth Festival 2022 where o v e r 3 , 0 0 0 y o u t h f r o m across the world participated in a unique blend of cultural, spiritual, humanitarian, social and athletic activit i e s T h e S R M D L o n d o n Youth Festival, inspired by spiritual visionary and globa l h u m a n i t a r i a n P u j y a Gurudevshri Rakeshji, will bring together youth from a c r o s s t h e c o u n t r y a n d i n c l u d e s 2 5 r e m a r k a b l e e v e n t s o v e r t w o d a y s t o bring an exciting and inno-

v a t i v e c u r a t e d e x p e r i e n c e for the youth Festiv al Hig hlights – Meet the Real Y ou Meet You r Com passion: In an effort to create a compassionate ripple in the lives of those who need it most, t h e f e s t i v a l f e a t u r e s a n i m p a c t f u l H a c k a t h o n t o encourage innovative solut i o n s t o r e a l - t i m e s o c i a l c h a l l e n g e s , l e d b y e x p e r t mentors including Shivani

P a u , F o u n d e r o f “ A M i l l e n n i a l M i n d ” P o d c a s t ( R a n k e d T o p 2 % P o d c a s t Globally) You can sign up to be one such changemaker and address diverse topics l i k e I m p r o v i n g A c c e s s t o

M e n t a l H e a l t h f o r S o u t h A s i a n c o m m u n i t i e s , R e -

T h i n k i n g F o o d U s a g e t o e n s u r e f o o d s e c u r i t y a n d

Bridging the gap to Housing access The solutions will be then pitched and presented to industry leaders, with an

opportunity to take it further, implement and make a difference

T h e F e s t i v a l a l s o includes a special Charity

F i r e w a l k ; a n e x p e r i e n c e where you can conquer your fears under the guidance of t r a i n e d e x p e r t s a n d c h a llenge yourself whilst raising funds for worthy causes

P a r t i c i p a n t s w i l l a l s o h a v e t h e o p p o r t u n i t y t o come together to create personalised gift packs for child r e n f r o m l o w - i n c o m e h o u s e h o l d s , t h e h o m e l e s s and the elderly, through an end-to-end production line

M eet Yo ur P urpo se: To m a k e a c h a n g e e x t e r n a l l y and internally, there will be i m m e r s i v e a n d i n t e r a c t i v e W i s d o m M a s t e r c l a s s e s o n v a r i o u s t o p i c s i n c l u d i n g self-reflection, stress management and enriching relationships Meet You r Peace: The

F e s t i v a l p r e s e n t s u n i q u e opportunities to align the b o d y a n d m i n d t h r o u g h E x p e r i e n t i a l W e l l n e s s including chocolate meditation, glow stick meditation, techno yoga and Yogalates Sessions will be led by the Global Head of SRMD Yoga, A t m a r p i t S h r a d d h a j i w h o shared the importance of holistic wellbeing; ‘Physical, mental, emotional and spiritual fitness has become of p r i m e i m p o r t a n c e a m i d s t o u r f a s t - p a c e d & c h a o t i c lives Let us learn the art of b u r n i n g k a r m i c c a l o r i e s , and nurture our hearts to live a happy, healthy life!’ One can also engage in experience booths such as ‘The Art of Smart Living –Life Hacks to Take Home’, ‘Forging Your Way, Resume Making & Interview Skills’, a n d ‘ F l e x Y o u r M e n t a l M u s c l e , U n l o c k Y o u r Brain’s Potential’

Vimalji Odedara re-elected as the President of NCGO UK

T h e N ati o na l C o u nc i l o f Gujarati Org anisatio ns UK ( NC GO U K) has elected its new Execu ti ve Co mm ittee ( EC) members in an A nnual G en era l M eet in g ( A G M ) h eld on 9 July 2023 at th e S a ng a t A d v i c e C e ntr e H ar ro w V i m a lj i Od e d ar a w as been re-elected as th e P r es i d en t f o r o n e m o r e

term Members elected to the E C are:

Office bearers: President

- V i m a l j i O d e d r a , V i c e President - Krishna Pujara, Secretary - Sanjay Odedra, J o i n t S e c r e t a r y - J i t e n d r a

Patel, Treasurer - Deepak

P a t e l , J o i n t T r e a s u r e r -

Sumantrai Desai and Public Relations Officer - Pravin G Patel

E C C o m m it tee

Members include Dr Amrut Shah, Chandrakant Mehta, G a r g i P a t e l , J a y a n t P a t e l , K a l a w a t i P a t e l , N a v i n N a n d h a , R a m e s h O d e d r a ,

S i a ( S a i l e s h ) O d e d r a , Dhirubhai Lamba, Vandana Joshi, Jairaj Bhadaranwalla and G P Desai

T h e N C G O U K P r e s i d e n t V i m a l b h a i

What is the quality of your decisions?

Rohit Vadhwana

Overa pe riod of time , wh en we routinel y make d ecisions in a ny f ie ld , the y become fixe d, moul de d a nd usual It migh t be be cause o f the dur ation of time we a re ta king su ch d ecisions or th e qu antit y of the m, bu t re sul tingl y we lo se nove lty We sto p app lying our mind s a fre sh No e ff ort is mad e to giv e a ne w pe rspe ct ive to th e mat ter a t ha nd No out-ofthe -box t hinking is app lie d to our conclusions This fixe s th e quality o f yo ur de cisio ns - not f or go od, unfortunate ly

Everything needs to be updated from time to time, including our decisions Especially for those in a professional capacity, their decisions need to be time-tested as well as time relevant When the world is changing, the thought process needs to change as well Unless we are adaptable to new circumstances, there is a chance of being outdated and obsolete To avoid that situation, we should keep our information and intelligence modern This should be used as input in arriving at any judgements New inputs would lead to new outputunless we are rigid

expressed his heartfelt gratit u d e t o t h e o u t g o i n g E C members for their dedicated service and valuable contrib u t i o n s a n d s a i d , “ T h e newly elected EC members are excited to take on their r e s p o n s i b i l i t i e s a n d w o r k closely with the NCGOUK m e m b e r s , p a r t n e r s , a n d stakeholders to promote the G u j a r a t i h e r i t a g e , a d d r e s s community challenges, and c r e a t e o p p o r t u n i t i e s f o r growth and progress ”

International Day of Yoga celebrated at SKSST

The International Day of Yoga was celebrated at the S h r e e K u t c h S a t s a n g S w a m i n a r a y a n T e m p l e (SKSST) in Kenton, Harrow, to embody – spirituality and a h o l i s t i c a p p r o a c h t o h e a l t h and well-being The event was a t t e n d e d b y t h e M a y o r o f Harrow, Cllr Ramji Chauhan

It drew nearly 90 participants with varying abilities

Yoga classes have continued at the temple for the last sixteen years, including during the Covid-19 lockdown

The classes run every Tuesday f r o m 7 p m i n t w o s p a c i o u s halls and have been successfully led by Bharatbhai Mehta

Saavan Shivratri celebrated in London

S a na tan S a ns th a o f U K ( S S U K ) c ele br ate d S a av a n S hivratri at Sh ravana Baba C ent re i n L o nd o n M o r e than 40 ch ild ren were inv ited to come and learn th e i m p o r tan ce o f S h ra v an a m o nth , w h y M ah a d ev is w orsh ipped in this m onth a nd to le arn to d o a Ru drabhish ek offering ou r lov e and gratitud e to Lord S hiva The event w as hosted by P t Ash ish M ishra from S SUK T eam

Children and their parents participated with full vigour and made the room

reverberated with sounds of ‘ O m N a m a h S h i v a y ’ a n d other Shiva Mantras The programme also had a special lingam puja performed b y t h e h e a d p r i e s t o f S h a r a v a n a B a b a j i c e n t r e w i t h V e d i c c h a n t s S h i v a

Bhajan’s were also offered b y d e v o t e e s , a s c h i l d r e n understood the importance of doing a havan after a puja T h e p r o g r a m m e w a s managed by SSUK team lead b y A s h w a n i S r i v a s t a v a , Ashish Mishra, C K Naidu,

Sometimes in the burden of work and set routines, we do not at all review the system - hence no change comes into it The precedent set by ourselves or others becomes a set procedure - hindering innovation and adaptation Are you set in such a routine? If so, it is time to review it and come out of a formula which prevents new ideas Better to examine it through fresh eyes and angles Why be a prisoner of the past, when you can improve the present and through that future? It is the decision which leads to action If your decisions are outdated, so would be action taken on them, and easy to imagine what would be the outcome

For a better result, take a review of the quality of your decisions, the kind of inputs you use for them and the quality of actions applied over them After all, we are given the ability to think, so why not use it every time we get an opportunity? Repetition can be performed even by robots We cannot expect different results by working on the same choices And, no new choices can b e m a d e u n l e s s w e t h i n k o f d i f f e r e n t o p t i o n s

Remember this while making the next decision (Expressed opinions are personal)

Civil service pay system criticised by the FDA, in need of reforms

The FDA union has criticized the civil s ervice pay system, deeming it inadeq ua te an d i n n e ed of reform, even though they have ac cepted the pay recommendations put forth by the Prime Minister Prime Minister Ris hi Sunak confirmed that mi llions of publi c s e c to r w or ke r s w ou ld rec ei ve pay rais es, accepting the complete recommendati ons from i ndependen t pay review bodies, whic h compelled ministers to i dentify cuts of up to £2 billi on

disparity exists because SCS p a y i s r e v i e w e d b y t h e Senior Salaries Review Body (SSRB), while the pay for rank-and-file civil servants is not reviewed by an independent body Instead, it is determined by the civil service's own pay remit guida n c e , o v e r s e e n b y t h e Cabinet Office

Darshan Singh, Ridhi Vyas, H i r d e s h G u p t a , A j a y P r a k a s h , A n u p a m F o t e d a r a n d A b h i Y o g i T h e p r ogramme had multiple volunteers from Sharavana Babaji Centre who worked togethe r t o c r e a t e a b e a u t i f u l S a a v a n S h i v r a t r i S u s h i l P a n d i t j i a l s o g r a c e d t h e e v e n t w h o s a i d ‘ i t ' s v e r y i m p o r t a n t t o e d u c a t e o u r children on Sanatan dharma ” and congratulated the o r g a n i s e r s f o r p u t t i n g together such a successful event in London, attended by hundreds

However, there is a discrepancy between the pay awards provided to senior a n d j u n i o r c i v i l s e r v a n t s

Senior civil servants (SCS), w h o c o n s t i t u t e a p p r o x imately 2 percent of the civil service and earn between £70,000 and £200,000, will r e c e i v e a 5 5 p e r c e n t p a y i n c r e a s e O n t h e o t h e r hand, the majority of other civil servants will receive a 4 5 percent pay raise, along with a one-time lump payment of £1,500 and an additional 0 5 percent increase for the lowest grades

A c c o r d i n g t o A m y Leversidge, the FDA's assistant general secretary, this

Previously, the Cabinet Office recommended that p a y i n c r e a s e s f o r S C S should not exceed those of more junior staff members Leversidge stated that the F D A w o u l d a d v o c a t e f o r s t r e n g t h e n i n g t h e p a y review body process across the entire civil service, as the current system is based on a 50+ year-old system e s t a b l i s h e d i n 1 9 7 1 w h e n the SSRB was formed Nevertheless, the FDA welcomed the pay recomm e n d a t i o n s , c o n s i d e r i n g the offer to be fair and reasonable and in line with the rest of the civil service a n d p u b l i c s e c t o r I t i s worth noting that teachers, junior doctors, police, and p r i s o n o f f i c e r s h a v e a l l received offers of more than s i x p e r c e n t , d e s p i t e t h i s fact

Celebrities mark their presence at the Wimbledon finals

T h e 2 0 2 3 ed i ti o n o f t h e Wi m bl ed on C hampionships concluded, featuring Carlos A lcaraz as the victor in the men's final and M arketa Vo nd rousov a as the champion of the women's singles

From the beginning, the tournament exuded elegance, attracting celebrities and r o y a l s , a n d i t e n d e d o n t h e s a m e n o t e Bollywood celebrities like Priyanka Chopra, Amir Khan, Sonam Kapoor, Neena Gupta and Mohanlal marked their presence at their tournament

Action Against Discrimination welcomes ban

In a recent statem ent issu ed to t h is n ew s p ap e r, J o n ath a n

in Belgium, so this is a step in the right direction

before passing it back Kate told Mu’awwiz that she hopes that he gets to enjoy “ every moment of it”, while she thanked the boy for attending the event

Mu’awwiz was representing WaterAid, a charity for which he raised nearly £10,000 He cycled three miles every day, during Ramadan, to raise funds and completed a half ironman triathlon this year The charity

M e tl is s , C h a i rm an o f A c ti o n A g ai ns t Di s cr i m in at io n ( A A D ) said: “ AAD applaud s the conviction and sentencing of A rsenal sup porter Daniel Dow n for his chanting o f “ Hitler should h av e finish ed the job” at a Tottenham v Arsenal game but regrets that the banning o rder is only for a period of three years Zero to lerance is th e only answ er to this behav iour w hich sadly h as been com monplace for years Perhaps the existence of th e new Jewish Goo ners Group w ill h e lp to p r ev e nt a rec u rr enc e o f th i s behav iour " A A D s t i l l r e g r e t s t h e f a i l u r e o f t h e Crown Prosecution Service to charge and prosecute the four West Ham supporters for abusing a chassidic man on a flight to a game

Jonathan Metliss Chairman AAD

"This behaviour and language by Down merely confirms that AAD’s campaign to eradicate the use of the “ Y” word by Tottenham supporters i n c l u d i n g t h e e x p r e s s i o n s "Being a Yid “ , “ Yid Army “ , “ Yiddo” and “ Yid” is correct and justifiable These words prov o k e a n d e n c o u r a g e a n t is e m e t i c r e s p o n s e s a n d behaviour from opposing fans who exploit these expressions to express their anti semitism

"In summary, this sentencing is encouraging and should be taken on board by all relevant football authorities, clubs, supporter groups and politicians This behaviour is totally unacceptable and will not be tolerated

UK universities significantly dependent on foreign students

Bo llyw ood m akes a statement

India’s global superstar Priyanka Chopra attended the Women’s singles finals alongside her husband, singer Nick Jonas and enjoyed the match from the Royal Box The c o u p l e ’ s a t t e n d a n c e a t t h e t o u r n a m e n t allowed US Opens to crack a joke at the couple The Instagram handle of US Opens shared a collage of their appearance at the

was nominated by AELTC Chaiurman, Ian Hewitt

A to uch of Royalty at th e finals

Princess of Wales, Kate Middleton was joined by husband Prince William and child r e n C h a r l o t t e a n d G e o r g e f o r t h e Wimbledon finals This was charlotte’s first and Georges second Wimbledon outing and the siblings thoroughly enjoyed the game, cheering on the players in the court Queen Camila and Princess Beatrice also attended matches earlier this week

Apart from the British royals, King Felipe

A n a na l y s i s c o nd uc te d b y Th e G ua r d ia n reve als that UK univers ities r elied heavil y on international st udents f or f ina nc ial support, wit h one in every f ive pounds rec eived by univ e r s i ti e s l a s t y e ar c om i n g f r om ov e r s e a s t uition fe es This growin g depen dence on international stude nts' higher fees has raised c onc erns tha t UK students may be at a dis adv ant ag e in the c om pet ition f or univ er sit y plac es At some institutions, tuition fees from international students now account for a third or more of their total income Around 80% of UK universities have witnessed a rise in the number of international students since

2016-17, and approximately 30 institutions have doubled their intake of overseas students

T h e l a t e s t d a t a f r o m t h e H i g h e r Education Statistics Authority (HESA), covering 155 universities, highlights the increasing reliance of the UK university sector on income from international students Universities are able to charge significantly higher tuition fees t o o v e r s e a s s t u d e n t s , w i t h a n a v e r a g e o f £22,000 per year for undergraduate studies, according to estimates by the British Council This revenue helps offset the stagnation of domestic fees, which have remained capped at £9,250 since their introduction in 2012

2018 US opens alongside their pictures from the Wimbledon finals The image was captioned, “Do you think they have tennis in the Year 3000? -Priyanka to Nick (probably) ” While Priyanka skipped the Men’s finals, her mother Dr Madhu Chopra accompanied her son-in-law to the event

Amir Khan attended the Wimbledon finals along with daughter Ira khan and sons Azad and Junaid were also present Ira Khan took to instagram to post a selfie of the group on her stories Meanwhile, Sonam Kapoor Ahuja attended the tournament with husband, Anand Ahuja She actively documented her experience on Instagram, sharing glimpses of the tickets, food and the players in action Congratulating 20-yearo l d A l c a r a z o n h i s m a i d e n t i t l e , S o n a m wrote, “What an incredible historic match to w a t c h , w i t h s u c h b r i l l i a n t c o m p a n y !

Congratulations to the insanely talented @carlitosalcarazz and the amazing @djokernole! @wimbledon #everydayphenomenal”

Veteran actor Mohanlal enjoyed a day out in London as he attended the Women’s semi- finals The icon was accompanied by Disney Star executive K Madhavan While the star shared some pictures from the grass court that were much loved by the fans, the official Twitter account of the tournament shared the veteran’s picture with the caption “ G r e a t t o h a v e y o u a t # W i m b l e d o n , Superstar Mohanlal”

A r d e n t t e n n i s f a n a n d a c t o r N e e n a Gupta ticked off a box in her bucket list as s h e a t t e n d e d t h e w o m e n ’ s f i n a l a t

Wimbledon The actor posted videos and photos from the tournament with her husband, calling it a dream come true

Mu’ aww iz A nw ar, eight, to ok centre stage to start the m atch

T h e e i g h t y e a r o l d m e t P r i n c e a n d P r i n c e s s o f W a l e s a n d t h e i r c h i l d r e n

Charlotte and George He handed the coin to Charlotte, who showed it to her brother,

VI of Spain and Princes Maria- Olympia of Greece were also present at the finals C eleb g alore at Wim bledon M a n y o t h e r i n t e r n a t i o n a l c e l e b r i t i e s m a r k e d t h e i r p r e s e n c e t h r o u g h o u t t h e

Wimbledon tournament Freida Pinto, Katy

P e r r y a n d O r l a n d o B l o o m , s i n g e r E l l i e Goulding, Jameela Jamil, Billie Jean King, Cara Delevingne, David Beckham and Jon Bon Jovi were some of the celebrities witnessed throughout the tournament Ariana Grande was spotted at the finals alongside “ W i c k e d ” c o - s t a r a n d B r i d g e r t o n s t a r , Jonathan Bailey The duo were joined by Andrew Garfield, Tom Hiddleston and his wife, Zawe Ashton

The tournament finals was also attended b y o t h e r B r i d g e r t o n s t a r s l i k e P h o e b e

D y n e v o r , I n d i a A m a r t e i f i o , C o r e y M y l c h r e e s t , A r s e m a T h o m a s , G o l d a R o h s e u v e l , N i c o l a C o u g h l a n , C h a r i t h r a Chandran, Hannah Dodd and Luke Newton Brad Pitt was also present in the stands and successfully took the internet by the storm w i t h h i s b u f f b l o n d e p r e s e n c e H o m e Secretary, Suella Braverman was also present for the tournament and met with the event organizers and the police, thanking them for their commitment to protecting the public R e i g n i n g J a m e s B o n d , D a n i e l C r a i g enjoyed the game from the Royal Box and greeted the Princess of Wales He was seated a l o n g s i d e h i s w i f e , a c t o r R a c h e l W e i s z

Former Bafta chair Krishnendu Majumdar was also present in the Royal box Emma Watson, along with Lewis Capaldi were spotted cheering from the stands

Sonam Kapoor Ahuja with husband Anand Ahuja and friends

Amir Khan, with daughter Ira and sons, Azad and Junaid

Veteran actor Mohanlal with Disney Star executive K Madhavan

Neena Gupta and husband Vivek Mehra

Priyanka Chopra enjoys the finals with husband Nick Jonas

Spartan Ukrainians led by a naivety

It is of utmost importance to have political leaders, who are street-wise, clever, patriotic and utterly dedicated to their jobs, willing to sacrifice their own lives without a s e c o n d t h o u g h t , f o r t h e g o o d o f t h e i r m o t h e r l a n d U n f o r t u n a t e l y , t h e r e a r e o n l y f e w s u c h d e d i c a t e d politicians around, as most of them come from established environment, such as Ox-Cam and other well-known universities and families who are already well-known public figures

These politicians have never gone to bed on an empty stomach, does not know what hunger is In sharp contrast, India is fortunate to have a politician of the highest calibre in Narendra Modi, Indian PM, who comes from a poor family, so called backward class, who used to serve tea on platforms, a chawala (tea boy) in the eyes of Congress leaders who tried to defame Modi How I wish we had Modi as PM instead of Nehru when India was liberated from the clutches of British Raj

Nehru and Gandhi were decent, honest and welleducated people but not right politicians to lead India to independence They kept Sardar Patel out, the politician elected by the Congress inner circle to be first PM, who was the one politician capable of standing up to British might No wonder PM Modi’s favourite politician is Sardar Modi has followed in his footsteps

Unfortunately for Congress, always struggling to find a right person for PM position, it’s hatred for Modi backfired and put Modi on the podium As long as Rahul Gandhi is president of Congress, a spoiled child who lives in fantasy land, brought up in the lap of luxury, BJP is safe, will win election after election while Congress will remain in doldrums So long live Rahul Gandhi!

Another such dedicated but naive politician is 45-yearold President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky who lives in fantasyland and thinks he can defeat Russia under ruthless Russian President Vladimir Putin, a shrewd, cunning and clever politician who was once in charge of Russian Secret Service, known in the West as KGB!

President Zelensky flies from one western capital to another, spends more time in air than on land, never misses a photo opportunity, not realising that West is using him as a scapegoat to fight Russia through a third party Russia is turning Ukraine, city by city, town by town into rubbles, like Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the only victims of atom bomb!

The cost of rebuilding Ukraine was put at $150 billion some time back It must have exceeded to $200 billion, even more, money no one has got, that means Ukraine will remain inhabitable for a long time A clever politician would seek cease-fire, negotiations and a quick end to war and wait in the wing for a better opportunity to unite one ’ s motherland, like Vietnam and Germany which was divided in to East and West Germany after the end of WW2

Crimea was part of Russia and Soviet Union for a very long time, until Russian President Nikita Khrushchev gifted it to Ukraine in 1956, as Ukraine was part of Russian Federation, even though 98% of population is of Russian origin and Russian is the main language, the only language throughout Crimea It is time for naïve President Zelensky to propitiate Russia, not the West, face the truth and stop this beautiful country turning into an industrial and agricultural desert when dams that provide much needed water for agricultural are systematically blown-up!

Bh upend ra M Gandh i

Better care could have avoided 850k hospital admissions

A new stu dy has revealed t h a t m o re th a n 8 50 , 00 0 h osp ital admissio ns per year among individuals aged 65 and o ver co uld have been p revented with better care at th e lo cal level Age UK, a ch arity focu sed on su pp orti ng o lder peop le, h as called f o r a s i gn i f i ca n t s h i f t to wards i ntegrated h omea n d c o m mu ni t y- b as e d h ealth and s ocial care services for older individuals

According to the charity's report, in the year 202122, there were 4 8 million A&E attendances by older people The research also shows a 40% increase in A & E a t t e n d a n c e a m o n g i n d i v i d u a l s o v e r 8 0

between 2012-13 and 2021-

Mission accomplished

In the vast space of our universe, where mythology and science come together so often, Chandrayaan-3 shines brightly as a symbol of India’s astral hope and exploration It shows India's strong determination to uncover the moon's mysteri e s W i t h c a r e f u l p l a n n i n g a n d r o b u s t d e s i g n s , Chandrayaan-3 gets us closer to landing on the moon and discovering its hidden secrets

Chandrayaan-3 is the fruit of decades of labour by the scientific community since the launch of India’s space programme in 1962, followed by the creation of ISRO in 1969

It is India s ambitious lunar mission, following in the f o o t s t e p s o f i t s p r e d e c e s s o r s , C h a n d r a y a a n - 1 a n d Chandrayaan-2 Chandrayaan-3 is India's second attempt to achieve a soft landing on the moon's surface It is a project undertaken by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) to achieve a successful landing on the moon's surface and deploy a rover to conduct experiments and gather valuable data The mission is focused on studying the moon's geology, mineralogy, and exosphere, which will contribute to our understanding of the moon's origin and evolution

Jubel D’Cruz

Chandrayaan 3

Mission to moon reminds us of Tamil poet Auvyar's lines "Katrathu Kai Mann Alavu, Kallathathu Ulagalavu" It means what one knows is only a handful, whereas the unknown is the size of the world

Space science is like a gold mine where mining has just begun The movement of dot on computer screen of scientists monitoring the mission is nothing but triumph of human spirit

T S Karth ik

Recycling and waste reduction

Ketan Dattani made a very valid point in AV dated 15-21 July 23, in “Recycling and Waste Reduction in South Asian Communities” by suggesting practical ways to reduce waste and how South Asian communities are leading their way

Since our childhood, we have been taught not to create food waste I think this habit has been paying off in the long run Food waste is a major contributor to waste It not only wastes financial resources but also creates more environmental pollution and produces germs From an early age, students in schools should be taught about how to prevent the waste of precious resources like food, potable water etc

The government will do its part, but the onus lies on every one of us to do whatever we can, to make sure that our future generations have adequate resources and a clean planet to live their lives Recyclable materials should be kept aside and there should be more collection points at the supermarket (like they are for batteries in most superm a r k e t s ) w h e r e p e o p l e c a n e a s i l y d e p o s i t t h e disposable/recyclable materials

There are many businesses and small shops putting the used packaging aside so the same can be collected by the wholesalers while delivering the products But more needs to be done by individuals by changing their habits like using reusable bags, avoiding plastic water bottles wherever possible etc

Hitesh Hingu

End-of-life care often falls below expectations, finds patient watchdog

2 2 I n t h e y e a r 2 0 1 9 - 2 0 alone, there were 855,000 e m e r g e n c y a d m i s s i o n s t o hospitals for older individuals that could have been avoided with better social care

Caroline Abrahams, the charity director of Age UK, emphasized the importance o f b r i n g i n g h e a l t h a n d social care services together at the local level to provide improved and timely support for older individuals in their own homes However, she stressed that the benefits of this approach can only be realized with gove r n m e n t i n t e r v e n t i o n t o a d d r e s s a n d r e s o l v e t h e i s s u e s s u r r o u n d i n g s o c i a l care

K A P I L’ S K H I C H A D I

Kapil Dudakia

T iraṅ gā , th e national flag of In dia otherwise al so k nown as the T ric olour, was official ly ad opted b y In dia on 22 nd Jul y 1947 76 yea rs on , it flies in al l its m ajestyrep re sen tin g the a spirations of 1 3 bil lion In dians , and the inspiration and sa crifices of thous ands of martyrs of Bharat Ma

The National flag of India consists of three colours The top band is coloured saffron colour, indicating strength and courage of emerging Bharat T h e w h i t e m i d d l e b a n d i n d i c a t e s p e a c e a n d truth,and this is imbibed with the Dharma Chakra with 24 spokes The green bottom band signifies fertility, growth, and auspiciousness of the land

The inclusion of the Dharma Chakra is intentional It depicts the "wheel of law" in the Sarnath Lion Capital made by the 3rd-century BC Mauryan Emperor Ashoka The chakra shows there is life in movement,but death in stagnation

Gaining independence was of seismic proportion for a nation that had been enslaved by various tyrannies over 1200 years For the first five decades of independence, India could not get rid of the enslaved mindset Its leaders were trapped by their own inferiority complex instilled from birth by their colonial masters However, over the past two decades we have seen a change with the green shoots of our own self confidence and reliance sprouting

This established a reasonable foundation for something a bit more dramatic, however, India was still led by those who appeased to the imperial master It was only in 2014 that for the first time in modern Indian history we saw the rise of a leader who had a laser like focus in taking India forward in becoming a dominant force on the global stage

Enter PM Modiji In the 9 years of his tenure, we have witnessed India take on the might of the east and the west It no longer lives in the shadow of its imperial pastnor that of Islamic tyranny It would take a whole book to write about how India has progressed in the past 9 years, but suffice to say, let me share a few headlines that provide the wind to fly the Tiraṅgā in all its glory

• Article 370 (and article 35A) removed from constitution to make Jammu and Kashmir an equal part of India Born is the concept of one nation, one people and one law

• Since 2020, more than $200 billion in FDI And the top five nations investing in India are: Singapore, Mauritius, USA, UAE, and the Netherlands

• More than 489000000 bank accounts have been opened under the Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY) scheme

• More than 800 000 000 were provided food grains under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Ann Yojana (PMGKAY)

• India has sent space missions to Mars and the Moon Since 2014, it has launched more than 200 satellites for many nations

• In 2022 alone there were 89 5 million digital transactions This accounted for 46 per cent of the global real-time payments in 2022

• In 2014 3 85m cars were produced in India, today it stands at over 5 5m

Th e H e a lt h c ar e S a fe t y I nv e s ti g a ti o n B ra n c h ( H SI B ) , a pa t i en t s a fe t y wa t c hd og , h as i de n ti f i e d significant shortcomi ngs i n end-of-life care acros s the N at i on a l H e al t h S e rv i c e (NHS) in England Despite the presence of a national strategy for end-of-life care s i nc e 2 00 8, t he r e por t re v ea l s di s p ar i t i es a n d inequities i n the provision of care for dying pati ents

The report raises concerns about the limitations in delivering palliative and end-of-life care, particularl y i n d e p r i v e d a r e a s Services are found to lack consistency and struggle to provide individualized care due to factors such as staff shortages and the availabil-

ity of charitable donations

Moreover, there is a lack of specific guidance for service providers regarding the palliative needs of their local populations Ruth Driscoll, an assoc i a t e d i r e c t o r a t M a r i e Curie, a support provider for cancer and terminal illness, highlights that one in f o u r p e o p l e d i e w i t h o u t receiving the necessary care a n d s u p p o r t D r i s c o l l e m p h a s i z e s t h e n e e d f o r u r g e n t a c t i o n t o a d d r e s s gaps in services, particularly f o r i n d i v i d u a l s d y i n g a t h o m e , e s p e c i a l l y i n deprived areas, to ensure that everyone has access to t h e e n d - o f - l i f e c a r e t h e y require for managing pain and other symptoms

76 years on, the Tiraṅgā is finally flying proudly over the whole of India The Tiraṅgā is a reminder to every Indian, that today they enjoy freedom because their ancestors sacrificed themselves over centuries On 22nd July, let’s take a minute to stand up and salute her Let Vande Mataram fill your life with the s p i r i t o f a n a t i o n t h a t i s m o v i n g o n w a r d s a n d upwards to claim its rightful place in the world It is the only nation with a heritage Satya, Dharma, Shanti, Prema and Ahimsa – the very cornerstone of our collective humanity for the world of tomorrow

We are grateful to all letter writers for more and more versatile letters well within word limit. Please keep contributing as always

If you are new, then write to Shefali at shefali

12th UK-India Economic and Financial Dialogue scheduled for September 2023

T h e Bri t is h Hi g h C o m m i s si o n i n I n d i a h a s confirm ed that the 12th U KI n d i a E c o no m i c a nd F inancial Dialo gue is sch edu led to be held in New Delh i o n 1 1 S ep te m b er 20 2 3 betw een the UK T reas ury and Ind ian Finance M inister N irm al a S it ha ram an T h i s Dialo gue will be an oppo rtunity to further strengthen economic ties

T h e 1 1 t h I n d i a - U n i t e d K i n g d o m E c o n o m i c a n d F i n a n c i a l D i a l o g u e ( E F D ) was held on September 2, 2 0 0 1 , v i r t u a l l y c h a i r e d b y Indian Union Minister for Finance & Corporate Affairs

Nirmala Sitharaman and the t h e n U n i t e d K i n g d o m

Treasury Chancellor Rishi Sunak

T h e I n d i a n d e l e g a t i o n i n c l u d e d G o v e r n o r R B I , Chairman SEBI, Chairman IFSCA, Secretary Economic Affairs and other represent a t i v e s f r o m M i n i s t r y o f F i n a n c e , M i n i s t r y o f

External Affairs and Indian High Commission, UK

T h e U K d e l e g a t i o n included Governor Bank of E n g l a n d , C E O F i n a n c i a l C o n d u c t A u t h o r i t y , E c o n o m i c S e c r e t a r y a n d other representatives from UK HMT

The Dialogue, inter alia, covered discussions on economic cooperation on mult i l a t e r a l i s s u e s , i n c l u d i n g

G20 and COP26 Both sides deliberated on furthering of Financial Services collaboration with special emphasis on Fin-Tech and GIFT City, annual India-UK Financial Market Dialogue and measures underway to reform f i n a n c i a l m a r k e t s Infrastructure development and promotion of sustaina b l e f i n a n c e a n d c l i m a t e finance were also discussed

Private sector initiatives u n d e r I n d i a - U K F i n a n c i a l P a r t n e r s h i p ( I U K F P ) a n d I n d i a - U K S u s t a i n a b l e F i n a n c e W o r k i n g G r o u p including its progress were also discussed The Climate

India-UK discusses security of Indian diplomats in UK

Source: Tw tter

O n T h ur sd ay ( 1 3 ) , I nd i a sh ared its conc erns abo ut the security of its dip lom ats with the UK The issue was raised amid st extremist elem ents threatening officers o f I n d i an m i s s io n s i n Britain The issue was raised by External affairs minister S Jaishankar with the British f o r e i g n s e c r e t a r y J a m e s C l e v e r l y f o l l o w i n g I n d i a ’ s national security advisor Ajit D o v a l c a l l i n g t o h i s U K counterpart Tim Barrow to t a k e s t r o n g p u

S Jaishankar and James Cleverly during a meeting in 2022

o f t h e I n d i a - U K bilateral exchanges jointly Posters inciting violence against senior Indian diplomats in the UK as well as in t h e U S , C a n a d a a n d A u s t r a l i a w e r e r e c e n t l y i s s u e d b y p r o - K h a l i s t a n group, triggering concerns in New Delhi

Any direct attacks on the Indian High Commission in L o n d o n w e r e d e c l a r e d “ c o m p l e t e l y u n a c c e p t a b l e ” by Cleverly

Business Secretary indicates benefits of trade deal, if used

F i n a n c e L e a d e r s h i p Initiative (CFLI) India partn e r s h i p w a s l a u n c h e d b y both sides which aims to work with financial institutions, corporates, and existing sustainable finance initiatives to accelerate efforts t o m o b i l i s e c a p i t a l i n t o India Both sides agreed to continue to work together t o m o b i l i s e f i n a n c e s v i a m u l t i l a t e r a l a n d p r i v a t e means and sharing relevant experience, including of the U K ’ s u p c o m i n g s o v e r e i g n green bond issuance

The 11th Economic and Financial Dialogue concluded with adoption of Joint S t a t e m e n t b y U n i o n F i n a n c e M i n i s t e r a n d Chancellor of Exchequer of United Kingdom and release of the Joint Statement on Climate Finance Leadership Initiative (CFLI) India partnership

In this joint statement, Sitharaman and Sunak had said, “This is a moment of global leadership for both countries, with the UK pres i d i n g o v e r t h e G 7 a n d COP26, and India chairing the BRICS and set to chair the G20 Presidency in 2023, while being present on the UN Security Council during 2 0 2 1 - 2 2 W e r e a f f i r m o u r commitment to cooperate through the multilateral system at this important time

We recognise the value of collaboration at the G20 to e n s u r e m o m e n t u m o n i t s objectives and build consensus on international challenges, such as sustaining the economic recovery, digital taxation, climate change, g l o b a l h e a l t h g o v e r n a n c e and financial sector issues

“We are proud of our cooperation as co-chairs of t h e G 2 0 F r a m e w o r k Working Group As we navigate through the crisis and look ahead to a strong, sust a i n a b l e , b a l a n c e d a n d i n c l u s i v e g l o b a l e c o n o m i c recovery, we highlight the need for enhanced bilateral as well as global coordinat i o n i n v i e w o f d i v e r g e n t recoveries across and within countries Building on the p r o g r e s s a c h i e v e d i n s u pporting and shaping global e c o n o m i c r e s p o n s e t o C o v i d - 1 9 w e c o n t i n u e t o lead the work on updating the economic and financial r e s p o n s e u n d e r t h e G 2 0 Action Plan in light of the evolving path of the pandemic We will continue to c o o r d i n a t e o u r e f f o r t s t o steer international economi c c o o r d i n a t i o n t o w a r d s strong, sustainable balanced and inclusive recovery in a post-pandemic world The UK is committed to working c l o s e l y o n I n d i a ’ s G 2 0 Presidency in 2023 ”

Starmer’s promises a deeper strategic partnership between UK and India

“ It does feel particularly special that I think this is the first time an event like this h a s ta ke n p la ce i n P a rl ia m en t, ” S i r K ei r S tarm er, the L eader of the U K Opp osition, said while add ressing a first event of its kind T he event was o rg anised to celebrate the 76th y ea r o f I nd ia ’ s Independ ence in the Riv er Room of the Hou se of L ord s this week

Laying emphasis on his message from the keynote a d d r e s s a t I n d i a G l o b a l

Forum’s UK-India Week last m o n t h , t h e L a b o u r P a r t y Leader said he was committ e d t o b u i l d i n g a d e e p e r

s t r a t e g i c p a r t n e rs h i p b e t w e e n t h e UK and India

He said: “That m e a n s o u r t w o great democracies are working hand in hand to develop the three layers of security t h a t d e f i n e t h e m o d e r n world: global Security, clim a t e s e c u r i t y , w h i c h i s going up and up the political a g e n d a s , a n d e c o n o m i c security I believe India and the UK could provide solut i o n s t o t h e p r o b l e m s o f tomorrow when we come together as a united force ”

Sir Keir Starmer

“Th e UK will only see the full benefit of a new trad e deal w ith 11 A sia and Pacific na ti o ns if w e u s e i t” , B u si ne s s S ec re tar y K em i Bad enoch has told B a d e n o c h ’ s c o m m e n t s came after she signed off the deal with a trade area that c o v e r s a b o u t 5 0 0 m i l l i o n people Only marginal gains to the UK economy have been predicted through this a g r e e m e n t H o w e v e r , M s Badenoch amplified that the k e y w a s h o w b u s i n e s s e s “utilise the agreement”

The Comprehensive and

Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnershipor CPTPP - was established

i n 2 0 1 8 , a n d i n c l u d e s Australia, Brunei, Canada, C h i l e , J a p a n , M a l a y s i a , Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, S i n g a p o r e a n d V i e t n a m Membership of the CPTPP loosens restrictions on trade b e t w e e n m e m b e r s a n d reduce tariffs - a form of border tax - on goods

It is hoped that joining t h e g r o u p w i l l b o o s t U K

exports by cutting tariffs on g o o d s s u c h a s d a i r y a n d meat products, cars, gin and

Kemi Badenoch

w h i s k y T o g e t h e r , t h e 1 1 members account for about 13% of the world’s income and the UK has become the first European country to join

He stressed that he is leading a “changed Labour

P a r t y ” , w i t h r e f e re n c e t o t h e O p p o s i t i o n ’ s c o nn e c t i o n w i t h t h e Indian diaspora T h e e v e n t , o r g a n i s e d b y t h e British Indian think t a n k 1 9 2 8 I n s t i t u t e w i t h c r o s s - p a r t y b a c k i n g f r o m t h e I n d i a ( T r a d e a n d I n v e s t m e n t ) A l l P a r t y P a r l i a m e n t a r y G r o u p ( A P P G ) , b e g a n w i t h a roundtable on the subject of ‘India and the Indo-Pacific’ It brought together diplomats from all major IndoPacific countries for deliberations on this crucial geopolitical dynamic

A S P E C I A L Z O O M E V E N T O N

Achyut Sanghavi

Gujarat Samachar and Asian

Voice organised a special Zoom event on Saturday 8th July on 'Our Community Organisations and their Activities' Leaders of various community organisations joined this special programme

Niraj Sutaria, President of Mahavir Foundation, Dilip Mithani, President of Navnat Vanik Association, Neetaben Bipinbhai Sheth of Jain Vishwa Bharati, Vijay Sheth of Jain network and Manharbhai Mehta, Chairman of Vanik council UK were keynote speakers for the event

The entire programme was coordinated by Jyotsnaben Shah, Consulting Editor of Gujarat Samachar At the beginning of the event, Chairman and Editor-In-Chief, C B Patel stated that we are starting a new chapter of Seva Yagna and Gyan Yagna Prayers were also recited by him He said that we have embarked on a new form of debate, where he defined the concept of an organisation that aims to promote a healthy and robust society An organisation is greater than an individual It relies on various factors such as grants, capacity building, and overall performance, which are intrinsically tied to the leadership and office bearers, including the chairman and president of the organisation

He said, “On the occasion of golden jubilee celebrations, Gujarat Samachar and Asian Voice are organising various social service programs I humbly thank each and every one of you for your support and cooperation as readers, wellwishers, and writers We work hard to carry out the duty that has been given to us Jyotsnaben Shah is the main organiser of the program Today, we have a favourable opinion of institutions We ponder only constructively positive thoughts Let's talk about how well institutions function rather than, whether any particular institution is good or terrible

The subject of discussion is not about where the work is good or defective Gujarat Samachar's only heartfelt duty is to focus on good work so that we can give something back to the community equally ”

Jyotsnaben Shah, Consulting

Editor of Gujarat Samachar started off the zoom event on “Organisations and their functions” with a warm welcome She said, “Life is a school where one learns something new every day

Today our topic of conversation is our institutions and their services The aim of Gujarat Samachar and Asian Voice is the overall development of the society through zoom events ”

She said, "The origin of the institutions started when we left our home country and

moved to a distant one We initially looked for a solution to many problems like an unknown country, an unknown language, a harsh environment, loneliness, etc There used to be up to 600 government entities, but some have since collapsed, others have become inactive, and some are simply still present in name There are some organisations that do amazing work and we are fortunate to have leaders of such organisations present among us ”

She added, “Understanding

cooking Jain-vegetarian cuisine with enthusiasm when requested to ”

He said, “Every Sunday, our students from age 5 to 15 are taught about Indian dance and music with Mahavir band, apart from that we also teach religious and practical knowledge of 'live and let live' including non-violence and preservation of life In addition to educating not to be rude, the focus is on how children can advance in life through education We appreciate you giving us such a fantastic

entertainment, music and dance activities ”

“We also fund over 100 charities every year and support local ones such as Cancer Research We sponsor two schools in Gujarat We celebrate every festival including Ramanavami, Mahavir Jayanti, Janmashtami, Paryushan, Navratri etc We also conduct career fairs and summer fairs, graduation ceremonies We are thankful to Mr CB Patel, Jyotsnaben, Maheshbhai and all staff of Gujarat Samachar They have

square feet of carpark with a nice vegetarian restaurant with a range of activities for kids to elders The second floor has a huge 10,000 square feet Derasar with 108 beautiful statues and paintings of Lord Parshvanatha Everyone, including children, have worked for the Jain Network through many challenges Such institutions have been established with the cooperation of all with body, mind and money We don't do this for ourselves, we do it for our children, future generations ”

Vanik Council UK Chairman, Ma nhar bh ai Me hta said, “The organisation was established in 1948 under the name of National Council of Vanik Association 25 institutes are networked with this institute We act as chaplains to provide religious support to Jains who are undergoing treatment in different hospitals in England We cater to all organisations in the Vanik community We have also taken care of health and well-being promotion for the members of various organisations We run matrimonial services in an effort to ensure that young men and women of our society get married within the Jain and Hindu community ”

how organisations may appeal to the younger members of society is crucial Today, these trailblazers will share with us the secrets to their companies' success We will discuss how the generational gap is widening and learn how to narrow it with different solutions given by top executives of firms We will learn from the leaders present today about the factors that have shaped their organisations We hope that organisations that are inactive or simply present in the society will get inspiration from our zoom event ”

Nira j Sut aria, the youngest president of Mahavir Foundation, said, “Any organisation is not run by one person, but even by the smallest person We consider how to engage people of every generation, including young children and students The committee thought of organising cultural programs in which everyone can showcase their skills We work with the concept of celebrating every festival of Indian culture It has grown from just 400 to 800 members and life members have also increased Along with religious planning, we also organise various events, competitions to explain how to move forward in UK culture

The young boys have started

platform ”

President of Navnat Vanik Association, Mr Dilip V Mit hani narrated the history of Navnat He said, “Currently, we have 3500 members During Covid period, we let the NHS use our venue for five months for vaccination purposes We also took up volunteering task of delivering groceries and medicines to the elders For this, Gujarat Samachar also awarded the organisation a special award of “Sevaratna”

Our mission is to carry out activities for the welfare of the Navnat community in the UK which mainly includes cultural, religious, social, educational and recreational programs as well as taking care of the physical and mental health of every individual ”

He said, “We have many affiliated organisations and branches It includes Yuva Mandal, Vruddh Mandal with more than 500 members and Bhagini Samaj with 1000 members On an average 350 to 400 members attend each of our functions Food is arranged by our kitchen committee and nothing is brought in from outside Many groups also run yoga classes and sports classes We have a group called 'Jalsa Kar' which provides fun to everyone through

been a valuable voice for all Gujaratis in the UK ”

Neetaben Bipinbhai Shet h of Jain Vishwa Bharati said, “I have a lot of gratitude from Jain society which I will never forget Today I got a chance to talk about those who have nonviolence in conduct, pluralism in thought, freedom in speech, and non-violence in life ” She talked about Sadhaviji and her virtues, which had longstanding visions

Vijaybhai S et h of Jain Network said, “Everyone has a mission in life, just as CB has taken up the mission of building Gujarat in the UK by bringing everyone together Jain Network's mission is to improve the spiritual and physical quality of life for the Jain and non-Jain communities

Be it Navnat, Mahavir Foundation and any Hindu organisations, the roots of every organisation are the blessings of the elders and their hard work It takes a lifetime to understand their hard work We are lucky that even in such a country, religion and culture, Gujarati mother tongue can be seen ”

“A new 30,000 square feet center is coming up in Collingdale by Jain Network It's not just a Jain Derasar, there are beautiful arrangements, 10,000

“We provide funeral services for Jains only In Jain society, ordinary and trained volunteer brothers like us do the funerals Our team of volunteers provides service to elderly people who are alone We make sure that their time is spent well, their mental health is preserved and that they are happy, whether at home or outside Today, we also create awareness about organ donation When someone needs a heart, eye, kidney, liver, or other organ, there is a system in place to donate that person's deceased organs We have started this activity since 2017 covering the Jain and Hindu community only

At the end of the program CB Patel thanked the leaders of the organisations who participated in the event He gave insight and stated that there is no longer a distinction between Jain and non-Jain He also talked about the plans for upcoming events After this, the Q & A was conducted Vote of thanks was given by Kanti Nagda MBE, CEO of Sangat Centre He thanked the all community leaders of various organsations who participated in the programme and shared information about their activities

Scan to watch this zoom event or visit our Youtube channel: @abplgroup8772

C B Patel Dilip V Mithani Jyotsnaben Shah Manhar Mehta

Neetaben Sheth Niraj Sutaria Vijay Sheth Kanti Nagda MBE

Kamal

Pankhania

Chief Executive Officer, the Westcombe Group

The Westcombe Group look ahead for H2

Withinc reas in g mortgage rates, the outlook for the hous in g market may be uncertain, but at Westcomb e Group we con tin ue to build apace , with several projects completing or being started in th e coming months We’re c ommitted to overhaulin g listed buil dings to ma ke them in to the b eautiful, mod ern housing that we n eed, an d the rest of this year will b e n o different

We are focused on completing our development at Chancery Lane next month, on which we have already exchanged contracts with a private buyer

The development renovates a Grade II listed building in a prestigious address close to the Royal Courts of Justice and Lincoln’s Inn, at the heart of the legal district The development will produce 14 boutique apartments, demonstrating yet again how buildings hundreds of years old can be converted for spacious, modern living

W e a r e r e l e a s i n g t h e n e x t p h a s e o f o u r development at Kingswood Gate in Northwood, a collection of new and refurbished apartments, next week, following the successful sale of all units in Phase One of the development, with Phase Three being completed in the first quarter of next year As a mainly new development, Phase Two still retains the classical style which makes our redeveloped listed buildings so sought-after

W e s t c o m b e w i l l b e g e t t i n g “ s h o v e l s i n t h e ground” on several new projects this year, including the redevelopment of six luxury flats in a Victorian building on High Holborn in September, and a new development at Gerrard’s Cross near Uxbridge, where work on a complex of residential buildings and industrial warehouses will begin in January 2024 We will also start work on eight houses in Thurlow Park

Looking further ahead, work will start soon on redeveloping the ballroom at St Bernard’s Hospital, the final stage of our conversion of a Grade II Listed building in West Ealing The redevelopment offers traditional living in a stunning listed building in a remarkably green corner of West London, and we expect to complete this final stage in September 2024

One of our biggest developments will be opening in October of this year The Hampton by Hilton Hotel in Old Street, East London, will offer a new, high-quality destination for tourism and business in the heart of one of London’s most popular areas

C r u c i a l l y , t h e d e v e l o p m e n t m a i n t a i n s o u r l o n g s t a n d i n g c o m m i t m e n t t o m a i n t a i n i n g a n d defending heritage wherever we work

T h e h o t e l i s l o c a t e d w i t h i n t h e U n d e r w o o d conservation area Designated in 1990, the area is made up of a fine group of nineteenth century warehouses and other important historic buildings, s u c h a s t h e E a g l e T a v e r n T h r o u g h o u t i t s development we considered how to maintain the varied character of the street and the Victorian industrial character of the wider conservation area

Alongside our development work, the Westcombe Foundation has continued our charitable endeavours So far this year we have responded quickly to crises like the earthquake in Turkey and Syria by partnering w i t h K h a l s a A i d I n t e r n a t i o n a l t o f u n d t h e i r emergency support and meals for those who had lost their homes

T a c k l i n g h o m e l e s s n e s s i s c e n t r a l t o o u r Foundation’s work, focusing on the capital We s u p p o r t e d S P E A R L o n d o n ’ s o u t r e a c h s e r v i c e s i n Southwest London, as well as funding Centrepoint’s work to help at risk young people live independently and worked closely with Ealing Soup Kitchen to help homeless and vulnerable people in West London As t h e y e a r e n d s a n d w i n t e r a p p r o a c h e s , w e w i l l continue to focus on helping the homeless here in the UK

We’re always looking at new opportunities to acquire more properties which we can turn into our n e x t g e n e r a t i o n o f l i s t e d h o m e s A n d w i t h a n economic downturn looking to be on the horizon, we are also identifying substantial acquisitions alongside o u r d e v e l o p m e n t w o r k , i n c l u d i n g a d d i t i o n a l residential buildings, hotels and mixed-use schemes Planning, however, continues to be a challenge, w i t h a n e t w o r k o f d i f f e r e n t l o c a l c o u n c i l s a n d government regulations meaning that processes are significantly longer and more complex than required Despite this, as our pipeline demonstrates, the future is bright

Measles on the rise in London

T h e U K H ea lth S ec u ri ty A g en cy

(U KHSA) has announced an increase in cases of m easles across L ond on, with two thirds of cases in England over the last six months hav ing been in the capital

NHS England is therefore calling on all parents and guardians – especially in London - to ensure their children are fully vaccinated against the disease

One in ten children in England are not fully protected with both doses of the MMR vaccine and, in some areas of London, up to two in five children are left unprotected - well below the World Health Organisation’s recommended level of 95%

Measles is highly infectious and can cause serious complications such as meningitis and sepsis - one in every five children who gets measles requires a hospital visit It can start with cold-like symptoms and a high temperature up to several days before a rash appears and progresses through the rest of the body

The MMR vaccine is part of the routine programme of immunisations

o f f e r e d t o b a b i e s a n d c h i l d r e n i n England Parents are strongly encouraged to check their child’s medical record, found in their red book, (their Personal Child Health Record, which is g i v e n t o p a r e n t s / c a r e r s a t a c h i l d ' s birth) or contact their GP practice You c a n t h e n m a k e a n a p p o i n t m e n t t o catch up with any missed MMR doses or if you have any questions

Dr Kiran Rahim said, “I’ve seen two cases of measles in my clinical practice i n t h e l a s t t w o m o n t h s a l o n e I t ’ s important that parents ensure their child is up to date with vaccinations

Measles can have life changing consequences for babies and children ” According to the National Autistic Society there is ‘ no link between autism

and vaccines’ The MMR vaccine has protected 20 million people since the 1 9 6 0 s a n d s a v e d o v e r 4 5 0 0 l i v e s Moreover, the vaccine also offers prot e c t i o n a g a i n s t m u m p s a n d r u b e l l a (German measles), so you ’ re keeping your child safe from several diseases at once Daisy Amin parent to Ayra 2 said, “It’s really simple to find out if your child has had their two doses of the MMR vaccine – which is all it takes to give the best protection against measles and prevent it spreading As well as living in London, we ’ re traveling abroad to see family this summer, so checking that my daughter was fully vaccinated stopped me worrying about it before we go ”

Maximum fine on fly-tippers drastically increased

The maxim um fines th at local authorities can impose on indiv iduals caug ht littering, fly-tipping, or graffitiing hav e increased Effective imm ed iately, those caug ht fly-tipp ing could face a fixed penalty notice (FPN) of up to £ 1,00 0, which is more than d ouble the previou s lim it of £4 00

The maximum fines for littering or g r a f f i t i i n g h a v e r i s e n f r o m £ 1 5 0 t o £500, while the penalty for breaching

h o u s e h o l d w a s t e d u t y o f c a r e h a s increased from £400 to £600 Rebecca P o w , t h e E n v i r o n m e n t M i n i s t e r , emphasized that the government is t a k i n g c o m p r e h e n s i v e a c t i o n t o a d d r e s s a n t i - s o c i a l b e h a v i o u r a n d ensure that waste criminals face consequences However, she also acknowledged the importance of empowering communities with the necessary tools to tackle these issues

As part of this effort, the government is increasing the upper limit for on-the-spot fines and ensuring that the p r o c e e d s f r o m t h e s e f i n e s a r e ringfenced for clean-up and enforcement operations The additional funding generated from these fines will be dedicated to supporting local authorities in their efforts to enforce cleanliness and maintain a cleaner environment

Post Office inquiry chair slams Horizon compensation scheme

The chair of the inqu iry into th e scandal has said that schemes that are set up to com pensate former post o ffice operators wh o are w rongly accused of crimes are “ a patchw ork quilt” w ith “holes in it” that are likely to m iss the dead line to pay up

A f t e r t h e P o s t O f f i c e ’ s f l a w e d Horizon IT system incorrectly suggested there were financial shortfalls, more than 700 people were prosecuted for theft and false accounting between 2000 and 2014

Many victims told the inquiry that they had had episodes of depression,

they also attempted to kill themselves and had to leave their homes as a result

In 2019, a high court judge ruled that the system contained a number of “bugs, errors and defects” and many of

Police charges man with drug offences; Recovers £30k of drugs and cash

After police recov ered a haul of up to £30 ,00 0 of C lass A dru gs and a larg e am ount of ca sh , a m a n w as ch a rg e d w it h d r u g o f fe nc es L a s t week, a raid was carried ou t in Lozells

Last Monday, July 10, an operation was launched at a property in Mayfield Road, West Midlands Police said 2 5 - y e a r - o l d M o h a m m e d Uddin was later arrested and has now been charged with possession of cocaine with intent to supply He has been remanded into custody and is due to a p p e a r b e f o r e a j u d g e a t Birmingham Crown Court next month

I n a s t a t e m e n t , p o l i c e said: "We've charged a man after recovering a haul of up to £30,000 of Class A drugs and a large amount of cash

in Lozells We made the disc o v e r y a t a p r o p e r t y i n Mayfield Road last Monday (10 July)

" F o l l o w i n g f u r t h e r e n q u i r i e s f r o m o u r Birmingham priority crime t e a m - w o r k i n g a l o n g s i d e local CID officers - detained a 25-year-old man later in t h e w e e k M o h a m m e d

U d d i n h a s s i n c e b e e n charged with possession of cocaine with intent to supply, and he was remanded i n t o c u s t o d y a h e a d o f a n appearance at Birmingham Crown Court on 11 August

" I t c o m e s a s w e ' v e launched Operation Target which sees us take a defiant stand against a range of serio u s a n d o r g a n i s e d c r i m e offences – from drug dealing and burglary, to cybercrime and fraud "

the criminal convictions were overturned

T h e i n q u i r y ’ s c h a i r , S i r W y n Williams on Monday called for legislative change to resolve issues for the c o m p e n s a t i o n s c h e m e s t h a t w e r e placed to recompense those affected by the scandal

So far, the Post Office and the government has paid almost £100m but Williams said it was his “strongly held view” that administrators would be “unable to deliver compensation payments to all applicants” by the deadline of 7 August next year

Dr Kiran Rahim Daisy Amin

Sir Wyn Williams

Largest vinyl archive of South Asian records to go on display

A celebration of South Asian Culture in 1980s Britain at Manchester Museum’s South Asia Gallery

T h e M an ch es ter

M useu m will be sho wc asing th e U K s m ost e xtens i v e c o m p ila tio n o f vinyl archiv es, d ed ic ated to So u th A si an m usic Opening o n Ju ly 1 9t h , t h e S o u th A si a Gal lery w ill f eatu re a captivating installation t it led " Req u es t L i ne, " created by artist Faisal Hussain

At the heart of this c o l l e c t i o n l i e s a t r e a s u r e trove of 3,000 records resc u e d i n 2 0 1 7 f r o m t h e Oriental Star Agencies Store i n B a l s a l l H e a t h , Birmingham, just before its c l o s u r e O r i g i n a l l y , t h e s e records were played during t h e 1 9 8 0 s o n B B C R a d i o West Midlands, courtesy of M o h a m m e d A y u b , A n i t a Bhalla, and Farah Durrani, w h o h o s t e d t h e p o p u l a r 'East in West' radio show

Intriguingly, the installation will not only present a

Migration Experience” highlights the stories of Punjabi citizens in Wolverhampton

Anusha Singh

m e d i a e l e m e n t s , i n c l u d i n g v i d e o s , a n im a t i o n s , a r c h i v a l imagery, and dedicated l i s t e n i n g s t a t i o n s T o celebrate the launch of t h i s i n s t a l l a t i o n , t h e artist will deliver a talk, accompanied by performances from DJ Rizmi and Chande This event marks the opening of S o u t h A s i a n H e r i t a g e M o n t h 2 0 2 3 a t t h e

T h e N ati o na l P o rt rai t G all ery , along with Wolv erham pto n Arts and Culture, ph otog rapher Anand C hhabra and poet Laureate Ku li Koh li, have put togeth er a captiv ating co llection delv ing into th e li ves of P unj abi resi d ents fro m Wolv erhampton who have left a lasting im print on their city

opportunities that have made my confidence soar ”

“Art is the best way to comm unicate th e truth”- Anand C hhabra

curated selection of these records but also showcase t h e i r v i n y l c o v e r s Additionally, it will unveil t h e h a n d w r i t t e n r e q u e s t s that people sent in during t h e 1 9 8 0 s , c a r e f u l l y p r es e r v e d w i t h i n t h e v i n y l s l e e v e s T h i s i n t i m a t e g l i m p s e i n t o t h e S o u t h A s i a n c o m m u n i t y i n Birmingham during that era is sure to captivate visitors

Beyond the vinyl collect i o n , t h e e x h i b i t i o n w i l l incorporate various multi-

M a n c h e s t e r M u s e u m , promising a remarkable and enriching experience for all who attend

South Asian Heritage Month to be celebrated at 700-year-old venue

S t Mary's Guildh all, a 700year-old Grade-1 listed h eritag e venue, h as partnered w ith prominent So uth A sian artists to celebrate th e cult u ral ri c h ne ss e nt w in ed w ith Britain s history In coll ab o rat io n w i th C o v ent ry A rtspace, th e Gu ild hall will h os t th e exh ibitio n 'What We Wore: S tories of S outh

A si a n T ex ti le s' fr o m J u ly 22nd as part of S outh A sian Heritag e M onth

The exhibition, curated b y C o v e n t r y - b a s e d a r t i s t Hardish Virk, draws inspirat i o n f r o m h i s e x t e n s i v e archive 'Stories That Made Us ' This collection encompasses a multitude of artifacts, such as clothing, jew-

e l r y , p h o t o g r a p h s , m u s i c , artwork, and books, docum e n t i n g t h e s o u t h A s i a n experience in Coventry and beyond since World War II

The exhibition serves as an integral part of St Mary's G u i l d h a l l ' s c o m m u n i t y

Lord Jeffrey Archer launches the latest book of author Suresh Kumar

Celebrated writer, Lord Jeffrey Archer launched author Suresh Kumar’s fast-selling book, ‘Follow That Dream’ at The Nehru Centre, London on Wednesday 12

July 2023

The book unveils the true story of a British Indian family navigating the challenges of life, while steadfastly continuing to chase their aspirations

engagement program, supported by the Heritage Fund and National Lottery playe r s V i r k e m p h a s i z e s authentic storytelling in his south Asian heritage project, u n d e r l i n i n g t h e g l o b a l impact of south Asian textiles and fashion showcased in the exhibition

M i n d y C h i l l e r y , t h e e x e c u t i v e d i r e c t o r o f Coventry Artspace, eagerly anticipates the exhibition as an opportunity to apprecia t e t r e a s u r e s f r o m t h e a r c h i v e w i t h i n t h e Guildhall's beautiful setting Chillery encourages artists t o d r a w i n s p i r a t i o n f r o m Coventry's South Asian stories and their influence on British art and culture

S o u t h A s i a n v i s u a l artists Tejal Gohil and Daya Bhatti will contribute digital artworks to the exhibition

The exhibition at St Mary's Guildhall will continue until t h e e n d o f S e p t e m b e r , allowing visitors to immerse themselves in the rich history and personal narratives preserved by the archive

To kickstart the exhibit i o n , a s p e c i a l u p c y c l i n g workshop hosted by Daya B h a t t i i s s c h e d u l e d f o r

Saturday, July 22nd at 2 pm

Through a dynamic collaboration with dedicated Citizen Researchers, remarkable tales to life using a blend of a r c h i v a l r e s o u r c e s , o r a l h i s t o r i e s , p o e t i c expressions, and captivating photography have been put together for the exhibition

Citizen researchers themselves hail from the city, spanning diff e r e n t g e n e r a t i o n s , b a c k g r o u n d s , a n d e x p e r i e n c e s T h e s e i n d i v i d u a l s b r o u g h t t h e i r p e r s o n a l n a r r at i v e s i n t o t h e i r research, illuminating the captivating stories of the people and pivo t a l m o m e n t s t h a t h a v e m o u l d e d t h e v i b r a n t P u n j a b i c o mm u n i t y i n Wolverhampton W i t h i n t h i s t r e asure trove of local narr a t i v e s , s e v e r a l accounts of remarkable c o u r a g e s t a n d o u t

Tarsem Singh Sandhu, for instance, is a resolute bus driver who put his foot down and fought for his right to wear a turban on duty

Cllr Bishan Dass Bains, the first South Asian Mayor of Wolverhampton, through h i s t i r e l e s s c a m p a i g n s f o r e q u a l i t y a n d human rights, has brought about substantial improvements in the lives of countless individuals who were victims of discrimination

C o u n t l e s s P u n j a b i w o m e n w h o h a v e made significant contributions within the confines of their homes and workplaces, often without receiving the recognition they deserve, have shaped the very fabric of the community, serving as a testament to their strength and resilience

These stories of courage, equality and contributions paint a vivid portrait of the P u n j a b i c o m m u n i t y i n W o l v e r h a m p t o n , showcasing the indomitable spirit that binds them together

Kuli Kohli on how the exhibition preserves the untold stories of the com munity for the futu re generations

According to Kuli Kohli, creative writer, poet and retired council worker, the main o b j e c t i v e o f t h e “ P u n j a b i M i g r a t i o n Experience” is to archive untold stories and make them available for future generations to see “As a close-knit community that had many untold stories, we tried to explore them from the perspectives of the Punjabi citizens of Wolverhampton ”

T a l k i n g a b o u t t h e m o s t i m p a c t f u l aspects of the exhibition, she shares that, “ we found diverse stories of activism and a sense of community which demonstrated how people worked together which fed into the national influences about UK citizenship ”

“One of my favourite stories is about the o f c o u r a g e a n d i n t e g r i t y o f b u s d r i v e r

Tarsem Singh Sandhu, who fought for two years for the right to wear his turban to work This is close to my heart because my father had a turban and was a bus driver at that time ”

For Kuli, Wolverhampton is her home and she is proud of the city that has provided her with a safe and happy place to live She feels that “being a poet Laureate of the city has brought some excellent experiences and

A n a n d C h h a b r a , f o u n d e r , director and the Chair at Black Country Visual Arts and a photographer with over 20 years of experience worked on the exhibition to train citizen volunteers with archiving and interviewing stories for the project He also created a number of portraits of the participants for the project

Explaining the project further, Anand said, “The exhibition conveys the individual s t o r i e s o f a r r i v a l o f P u n j a b i s ‘ e n m a s s e ’ between the 1960s-1980s ”

T h e m o s t i m p a c t f u l p a r t s o f t h e e x h i b i t i o n , according to him, are the interactive parts and how v i s i t o r s c a n e n g a g e a n d write about their own experiences “People can hear first-hand, through a special a u d i o s y s t e m , i n d i v i d u a l experiences of first and seco n d - g e n e r a t i o n m i g r a n t s arriving and living in the city as migrants ”

Apart from the reiterating the inspiring stories of Tarsem Singh Sandhu and C l l r B i s h a n D a s s B a i n s , A n a n d t a l k s a b o u t t h e s t r u g g l e s o f c o m m u n i t y nurse Harjinder Kaur who s t r i v e d t o e d u c a t e t h e c o m m u n i t y a n d became the first community nurse of Asian description at the main hospital

“It was all particularly hard for them as they suffered opposition to keep their identity as Indians and took on jobs that the indigenous community of British people felt wasn’t meant for them”, he added

Anand believes in the saying that ‘ a picture speaks a thousand words’ and that art is the best way to communicate the truth

When people hear first-hand stories and see the participant portraits, it brings the very essence of their lives to audiences which they can then experience and appreciate

“To create these kinds of projects that r e p r e s e n t s t h e c o m m u n i t y i n a p u b l i c gallery, that they can celebrate and tell their friends about, is an important part of what creating art should be about ”

Talking about the Apna Heritage Archive which Anand help curate, he expresses that a city with as large a population of Punjabis as i n W o l v e r h a m p t o n ( l a r g e s t o u t s i d e o f London), there is little to no immigrant history curated in local archives and galleries “It is important for me as an artist to showcase their stories This photographic archive readdresses the fact no archives were held in the local collections in Wolverhampton ”

The exhibition leverages a wealth of a r c h i v e m a t e r i a l s o u r c e d f r o m W o l v e r h a m p t o n ' s r e n o w n e d r e p o s i t o r i e s , including the esteemed Express and Star and Apna Heritage Archive, this project gains a solid foundation The exhibition is now available at the Wolverhampton Art Gallery for viewing

“Punjabi

Anand Chhabra Kuli Kohli

Punabi Migration Experiences

Mona Kumar, Lord Archer and Suresh Kumar

Rabindranath Tagore through The Tagoreans’ eyes

Dutta

Rupanjana

A group of talented and enthusiastic Beng alis came to gether r ec en tly to s h o w ca s e a n i m pressi v e array of activ ities s p a nni n g T a g o re ’ s m u s ic , d ance, theatre and art

Rabindranath Tagore is not just a name, but an emotion for Bengalis across the globe One believes whatever the stage of life you are in, every moment r e s o n a t e s w i t h T a g o r e ’ s c r e -

Celebrating 400 years of Shakespeare’s first Folio

Reg arded as one of the mo st remarkable treasures in th e realm of literature, the First Folio h old s a p rom inent p osition

T his inv aluable co llecti on, p ri nted in 1 623, emerg ed sev en years follow ing the p assing of its esteemed autho r, William S hakesp eare It stand s as the initial p ubl i sh e d e d i ti o n enc o m p a ss i ng al l o f S hakesp eare's p lays

ations, thoughts and work, that h a v e l i v e d t h r o u g h d e c a d e s , inspiring generations

E s t a b l i s h e d b y t h e l a t e

Tapan and Gairika Gupta in 1965, the UK’s oldest Bengali c u l t u r a l o r g a n i s a t i o n , T h e Tagoreans, celebrated golden jubilee during 2015-2016 On Sunday 2 July 2023, they had put together a programme at The Bhavan called ‘Once Upon a T i m e ’ , p r e s e n t i n g s o n g s , dances, live opera, recitations, and readings The programme was one of the finest cultural productions, I have witnessed in recent years, telling the stories about who we are but without a hint of exaggeration or over-dramatisation

The stage came alive by the beautiful singing (and drama) b y A t r a y e e , B i t h i , D o l o n , J y o t s n a , K r i s h n a k o l i , M a d h u b a n t i , M a d h u s r e e , Manoshi, Soma, Sohini, Sujoya, J a y a n t a , P a r t h a , S a t i p a d a , Suman, Tathagata and Sasha ( o r A n i r u d d h a ) a n d e q u a l l y g r a c e f u l d a n c e s b y A l i n d a , I s h i t a , S a y o n i , S e n j u t i , S r e e p a r n a , A l i n a , A s h m i t a , D e b d a t t a , D i n a , M a h i k a , J a n n a t u l , J e s s i c a , P r a p t i , Sanvika and Shrinika

Though the acting in the d a n c e - d r a m a ‘ S t o r i e s f r o m Indian mythology’ was impressive by singers Sasha (Balmiki), Sujoya (Goddess Lakshmi) and Soma (Goddess Sarswati), they did not seem very natural at it, and came across slightly hesitant and abrupt In the same section/chapter, the energy in d a n c e r s J a y a n t a , P a r t h a , Satipada and Suman were palpable, but there was a moment of over enthusiasm – nonetheless immensely enjoyable

Introduction and narration b y J a y a n t a , M a n o s h i , Madhubanti, Dolon, Godhuli, P a r t h a , A v i m a n y u a n d

Shreyosee brought to life the power and magic of stories that defines our culture, traditions, values, and beliefs, while child a r t i s t e s S r e s t h a ( s i n g e r ) a n d

Samaira (dancer) were notable in their roles

Manoshi and Jayanta effortlessly, while a wide ensemble of talented singers from the UK and India were led by Sasha M u s i c w a s p r e s e n t e d b y Subrata (Keyboard), Aniruddha (Tabla and Khol), Tirthankar (Esraj) and Kingshuk (Mandira and Percussion) and choreography in group dances was the b r a i n c h i l d o f S r e e p a r n a a n d

Suchismita

The programme was divided into five parts or chapters While the first half focussed on stories in songs and poems, the post interval show was about stories from Indian mythology a n d s t o r i e s i n s p i r e d b y Shakespeare and Lewis Caroll Seco nd -generation Bengalis talk about traditions and roots through T ag ore ’ s work S a s h a , o r A n i r u d d h a Ghoshal, is a second-generation Bengali, born and brought u p i n T o r o n t o , C a n a d a H e moved to London to pursue a c a r e e r i n m u s i c t h e a t r e a n d g r a d u a t e d w i t h d i s t i n c t i o n from the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama with an MA in Music Theatre in 2016 S a s h a w h o n o w l i v e s i n B r i t a i n , c o n t i n u e s t o t e a c h R a b i n d r a s a n g e e t ( T a g o r e ’ s songs) both online and offline t o m a n y s e c o n d - g e n e r a t i o n I n d i a n s a c r o s s t h e w o r l d Speaking about holding on to traditions with a responsibility to reach out to as many people as possible, he said “I very much believe that we should stick to t r a d i t i o n s a n d m a i n t a i n t h e integrity of Rabindra sangeet At the same time there is the responsibility to reach as many people as possible because the art is about connecting with a wider audience

“In fact, I was the first person to sing Rabindra sangeet in ‘ S o m e p l a c e E l s e ’ , K o l k a t a I w a n t t o c o n t i n u e t e a c h i n g Rabindra sangeet, and work on t r a n s c r e a t i o n a n d t r a n s l a t i n g Tagore’s works for which I have been collaborating with various a r t i s t s a n d r e s e a r c h e r s - f o r example, Dr Mathew Pritchard at the University of Leeds I

l o o k f o r w a r d t o c o n t i n u i n g

working with the Tagoreans in

p r o m o t i n g a n d p r o p a g a t i n g Tagore’s philosophy and I hope these works can ignite a spark that can go beyond the Bengali diaspora ” Award winning and critic a l l y a c c l a i m e d w r i t e r , p l a ywright and dramatist who has b e e n w r i t i n g f o r t h e s t a g e , radio and TV for over 30 years, Tanika Gupta MBE’s parents f o u n d e d T h e T a g o r e a n s Tanika who has been, a member of The Tagoreans by birth, s p e a k i n g a b o u t h e r p a r e n t s ’ devotion to Tagore’s work said, “My parents were very keen to keep Tagore alive That’s why t h e y s e t u p t h e T a g o r e a n s They used to put on dance dram a s , t a k e t h e m a r o u n d E u r o p e a n c o n t i n e n t – t h o s e were my earliest memories in the back of a minibus, going to Austria, Germany, Sweden to perform with a group of other Bengalis ”

Tanika’s own early works were adaptations of some of Tagore’s most seminal literary masterpieces, specifically ‘Red Oleanders’, was the adaptation of Tagore’s Rokto Korobi for Radio 3 and ‘Home and The World’ – was the adaptation of T a g o r e ’ s n o v e l G h o r e B a i r e Her first ever stage production was ‘The Skeleton’ was inspired by a short story by Tagore

In 2017 while curating the F e s t i v a l o f I n d e p e n d e n c e a t Shakespeare’s Globe, celebrating 70 years of India’s independence - Tanika was pivotal in commissioning a performance by The Tagoreans as part of this iconic, prestigious festival – thereby ensuring the works of T a g o r e , t h e B a r d o f B e n g a l w e r e p r e s e n t e d f o r t h e f i r s t t i m e a t t h e f a m o u s G l o b e Theatre

Dancer Alinda Barua has been born and brought up in Britain An architect by profession, she started learning dance at a very young age She said, “Tagore has been a constant in my life As a young girl Ma, Manoshi and baba would listen to Rabindra sangeet in the car a n d h o m e I l o v e d l e a r n i n g dance steps to phuley phuley at o u r c o m m u n i t y s h o w s a n d w o u l d l i s t e n w i t h s o l e m n i t y with the Brahmo samaj congregation to Tagore’s devotional hymns

“ B u t f o r m e a p i v o t a l moment came in my twenties w h e n T h e T a g o r e a n s d i d a show at Dartington Hall in 2011 t o c e l e b r a t e T a g o r e ’ s 1 5 0 t h birth anniversary The moment perfectly crystallised his deep philosophy, humanity, connection with nature and educational ambitions for all He was a pioneer ”

Known as the Folio, this collection, p u b l i s h e d i n 1 6 2 3 , c o n s i s t e d o f Shakespeare's "Comedies, Histories & Tragedies " Its significance lies in the preservation of Macbeth and 17 other plays that would have otherwise been lost to the ages

As this year marks 400 years of the first Folio, the occasion is being celeb r a t e d b y s c h o l a r s a n d i n s t i t u t i o n s across the UK Sh akespeare Birthp lace Trust celebrates the enduring legacy of the First Folio

The trust has a new exhibition at Shakespeare’s New Place, “The Great Variety of Readers’ that celebrates the enduring legacy of the First Folio The exhibit focuses on three special objects: the Ashburnham Folio, a ‘WS’ seal ring, and a 17th Century notebook, that once belonged to one of his earliest and most devoted fans The notebook is being put on display for the first time Through t h e s e o b j e c t s , t h e S h a k e s p e a r e Birthplace Trust aims to tell the Bard’s story

copies that are still held at the Folger Shakespeare Library in Washington, DC

That's the highest number of copies owned by a single institution in the world ”

“In the UK, the British Library owns m u l t i p l e c o p i e s a n d S e n a t e H o u s e Library at the University of London similarly houses copies of all four editions of the Folio published in the seventeenth century", she reports

“To me, the most unique feature of Shakespeare is precisely its relevance”, she adds "Adapting, translating and performing Shakespeare means joining a huge community of artists and scholars It can also lend visibility to emerging minority languages and cultures”, Sonia e x p l a i n s f u r t h e r “ I n f a c t , i t ' s o n l y because it's been adapted over the cent u r i e s t h a t S h a k e s p e a r e h a s b e c o m e

“This summer we have a special programme of events and activities across S h a k e s p e a r e ’ s f a m i l y h o m e s i n

S t r a t f o r d - u p o n - A v o n i n s p i r e d b y t h e First Folio The programme will include l i v e p e r f o r m a n c e s o f f a m o u s s c e n e s from the ‘lost plays’ that we wouldn’t have records of, without the publication of the First Folio”, said a spokesperson for the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust

“In the long term, we are partnering with Walker Books to produce a new abridged folio for children Using all his original language but allowing small groups of children to perform the plays, helping to ensure that Shakespeare’s legacy is preserved for future generations”, the spokesperson further added

“The most unique feature of Shakespeare is precisely its relevance”

S o n i a M a s s a i , P r o f e s s o r o f Shakespeare & Early Modern Studies at King’s College London, shares that, out of the 235 surviving copies of the 1623 First Folio, most copies migrated to America around the end of the 19th century and early 20th century

“It was a time when the sales of the f o l i o s w o u l d m a k e h e a d l i n e s , w h i c h expressed a deeply felt concern about these valuable objects leaving Britain One very famous tycoon and enthusiast, Henry Folger, amassed as many as 82

" S h a k e s p e a r e " ; o t h e r w i s e , h e w o u l d c o m e a c r o s s a s o b s o l e t e t o t h e v a s t majority of worldwide readers and audiences who still enjoy his works now ”

A Royal celebration of the anniversary

O n T u e s d a y , K i n g C h a r l e s c o mmemorated the momentous occasion by hosting an event at the Windsor Castle that united actors and directors in a joyous celebration of the monarch's deep admiration for the bard and the book that has earned widespread acclaim as one of the most significant works in English literature

Actors who performed at the event i n c l u d e d S i m o n R u s s e l l B e a l e a n d Harriet Walter, two of Britain's greatest stage actors

Last year, in a poignant tribute to his l a t e m o t h e r , K i n g C h a r l e s q u o t e d Hamlet- "May flights of angels sing thee to thy rest "

Shakespeare’ s influence on authors that follo wed

Since his passing, Shakespeare has left an indelible mark on every succeeding generation of writers His influence reverberates through the centuries and continues to shape contemporary plays, movies, and poems in profound ways

John Keats and Rabindranath Tagore were two of the most prolific writers to be influenced by the Bard K e a t s h e l d s u c h r e v e r e n c e f o r Shakespeare that he kept a bust of the Bard in close proximity while he wrote It was his hope that the presence of Shakespeare would ignite his imagination and inspire his poetic endeavours T a g o r e ' s d e e p a d m i r a t i o n f o r Shakespeare is evident in the poem he composed and translated as a tribute to t h e B a r d T h r o u g h t h e i r w o r k s , S h a k e s p e a r e a n d T a g o r e p r o v i d e a bridge that enables us to grasp the sentim e n t s p r e v a l e n t i n S h a k e s p e a r e a n

times, carried forward through the passage of centuries and diverse cultures

William Shakespeare's signet ring to be displayed in the Folio 400 exhibition Copyright SBT

Folio exhibition Mar 2023 Sam Allard

Sonia Massai, Professor of Shakespeare & Early Modern Studies at King’s College London,

First Folio Exhibition 2023

Lakhmi Bhambra: Reiki Master, Teacher and Wellness Coach

Sunetra Senior

At a time of increasing techno log ical innovation, th e g lo w i ng f o u nd e r o f w ell ne ss f ran ch i s e, T h e 1 1 1 Ap proach, Lakh mi, brings mindfulness and inner regeneration com plementarily to th e fore Society has fundamentally benefitted from incredible industrial adv ancem ent o ver tim e, but what of th e equally significant equanimity o f people along side? Lakhm i comm ented here: “Now ad ays, w e rely so m uch on external validation, but the truth is that no thing comp ares to th e personal emp owerment that can only come from within ” To this end, she ad eptly combines th e remedial world s of Wellness

C o ac h i ng a nd In tu i ti v e E ne rg y Healing, both of wh ich she has professionally trained in, to insp iring ly create her brand of Besp oke Holistic Healing ***

This entails the hands-on practice of Reiki in sync with various everyday motivational tools for the betterment of fitness, sleep, nutrition and stress and time-management, which can be easily incorporated into the individual’s busy routine “That accessibility as well as the tailoring of my programs across different clients for respective needs is very important,” she shared with us Indeed, when Lakhmi, who is already a licensed Reiki Master, consequently trained in wellness, she noticed that very few places offered the bitesize but effective learning that she required: “the courses available were o f t e n t i m e - c o n s u m i n g a n d i n t e n s e However, I wanted to make being able to change one ’ s life pragmatic and entirely possible ” One can feel this ethos at a glance: Lakhmi’s 111 Approach offers realistic, brief yoga and meditation exercises, a chance to habitually journal, immediately actionable advice on relationships and much, much more This cumulatively but compassionately instils the model of mental and physical health There is also an upcoming accompanying app which will be available digitally, designed to further assist through the range of wholesome practice

However, the spiritual dimension interconnected to Lakhmi’s enterprise is key “That aspect is what sparked my curiosity in the sector I had, earlier in my journey, been gifted a practising healer and was amazed at the experience It is astonishing to think that everything in the universe is tangibly made up of energy and atoms and that we too can tap into these frequencies: that is what energy healing does and so forms the core of my business ” Lakhmi then radically roots the practical aspect of enhanced productivity and physicality in an essential sense of wellbeing, connecting one to a profound state of progress which is altogether more real “If you give yourself smaller tasks and goals consistently, your brain is almost tricked into inhabiting a higher functional space The Reiki works centrally while the wellness coaching reinforces it Clients may be slow to start off but then reach this wonderful point of exponential shift I can start with any chosen area of life and build underlying wellness from there ” In this way, Lakhmi gently returns autonomy to the person wherein they can experience their own inherent power from which an o v e r a l l m i g h t y m o t i v a t i o n o r g a n i c a l l y flows

T h e 1 1 1 A p p r o a c h m e a n i n g f u l l y r e m o v e s t h e d i s t r a c t i v e m i d d l e m a n o f materialism to rightly make the sole master of your life you! This is not to say that wealth, status or reputation are forfeited but rather rearranged so that they principally serve you The outer system is simply aligned with that of an evolved emotional one to allow the dynamic distribution of energy to harmoniously pulse There is encouraged a strong, deeply natural inner conviction that affects the transcendent beneficial change within the world surrounding Lakhmi stated: “Science and spirituality are one and the same What the former calls fight or flight, the latter dubs your third eye or sixth sense ” Interestingly, she had prior pursued an empirical career in the medical field, having studied biology, before realising that the component of true, or multidimensional, fulfilment had been missing: “ once you understand that spirituality is interwoven into the very fabric of existence, you wonder why they are not

teaching this in society and schools!

I m y s e l f w a s a m a s s i v e s c e p t i c , focussed on the highly visible and l o g i c a l H o w e v e r , t h e u n i v e r s e i s expansive and so also must be our understanding Through modalities such as Reiki, one can positively manipulate it, removing what is dense and heavy and rebooting oneself If you can just sit with yourself and minimise the prescribed chatter that is a start ”

By restoring the relationship to pure individuality, an otherwise stressful and chaotic landscape is transformed

Edinburgh Fringe Festival to highlight South Asian talents

T h e h i gh ly an t ic i p a te d Edinbu rgh Fringe Festival is all set to c ommence in ju st a mo nth 's time, fro m August 4th to 2 8 th T h e fe s ti va l p ro vi de s a p la tf o r m f o r ar ti s ts t o s h o w c as e th e i r c re at iv i ty an d a rti s t i c pro wess, adding a diverse and vibrant flavo ur to th e event

into vitality, opportunities and joy

You are literally freed to live an elev a t e d a l t e r n a t i v e a n d h o p e f u l l y channel that optimism around too Not only does Lakhmi encourage completeness of the self but at once the total cosmic order that ultimately runs through What have been some memorable success stories?

I’ve had quite a few! I have been lucky to have high-profile clients and generally people from all walks of life I have helped both men and w o m e n A p a r t i c u l a r l y p o i g n a n t b r e a k t h r o u g h w a s w i t h a c l i e n t who had an eating disorder which was agitated by lockdown She found it very difficult to eat in the presence of other people As we completed her coaching program, she finally came to a moment where she was able to nonchalantly book a table and meet her friend to catch-up over a relaxed meal That small but significant gesture represented the wider comfort she felt with herself It was emotional

What would you say drives you in your work?

Just being able to help people realise their own power in a collaborative healing way: that’s it When people can really feel that they are sitting on gold, that they are their own love and power, it is such a beautiful achievement Many of us are just existing not living It is possible to thrive with the smallest change I would never want to be egotistical about what I do I work with others to help them unlock their own healing I am just tapping into my ability to be able to help inhabit this

Do you have comment on emotionality?

I think it is brave, socially intelligent and a sign of great strength It is less admirable to repress and dismiss This is why I’m so passionate about showing people that they can be happy with simply themselves!

Do you offer online sessions?

Yes, I do distant healing as well as in-person sessions In fact, that can be an incredible demonstration of the far-reaching power of energy healing If you are in your own home, you may feel more relaxed and that is important Your centre of energy is open and you can dive deeper I have obviously had a few of these sessions over lockdown where one of my clients was based in New Zealand

You can add candles and calming music to the mix and the enhanced energy lingers

Finally, how would you summarise a typical session?

It is like a massage with your clothes on: a psychic or spiritual one if you will It will holistically relax the muscles while creating a shift within You will feel the effect immediately: emotional and mental clarity increases as well as alleviation of physical symptoms

To find out more visit:

W: https://www angelicsoulhealing co/ www the111approach com

Social M edia: @the111approach

1 min daily meditations are available free of charge on social media channels

Email: Info@the111approach com

Some particular events h i g h l i g h t i n g S o u t h A s i a n culture at the event are:

Th e S ociety Fo r New Cu isine

Taking a Buddhist allegory and turning it into a d a r k s a t i r i c a l f a b l e , E a s tAsian writer and performer

C h r i s F u n g ’ s d e b u t o n eman show addresses cons u m e r i s m , e x i s t e n t i a l i s m and a need that can never be satisfied When a man goes t h r o u g h a c a t a c l y s m i c awakening, he takes stock of his life and finds himself wanting Partly inspired by a real-life experience, partly inspired by the swathes of workers in the UK, USA and C h i n a w h o l e f t w e l l - p a i d

jobs during the pandemic, T ickbox 2 Tickbox 2 deals with the c h a l l e n g e s t h e y e n c o u nt e r e d w i t h h u m o u r a n d emotion, from bereavement to balancing two cultures to explaining samosas to the casually racist neighbour It is a semi-autobiographical one-woman play that raises issues around race, perception, identity and living up to expectations growing up a s a p e r s o n o f c o l o u r i n Glasgow in the 1970s Blub Blub

Blub Blub is a charming story of chaotic cohabitation as two fish find each other in an aquarium, both wanting to escape, but with conflicting views of how Blending physical theatre, m i n i a t u r e s e t d e s i g n a n d puppetry, along with a myst e r i o u s l i v e s c o r e , T r u n k T h e a t r e P r o j e c t r e t u r n s f r o m S o u t h K o r e a t o Edinburgh Festival Fringe with a new aquatic advent u r e f o l l o w i n g l a s t y e a r ’ s space adventure

Hemina unveils her latest single "Gold"

Follow ing the recent success o f h er c ol lab o rati o n w i th Nig erian artist Fric P on the track "OYI," Hemina retu rns with yet another sensational release, "GOLD," featuring the talented Nigerian artist and p ro d u c er , F em key z from L ag os, Nig eria

In her upcoming song, Hemina takes on the persona of a 'gold digger' and passionately sings about the allure of gold, jewels, and the joy of shopping, highlighting their significance in winning a girl's heart With its infectious rhythm and vibrant melodies, "GOLD" captivates listeners from the v e r y f i r s t n o t e F e m k e y z , too, delivers a memorable performance, expressing his willingness to give all his gold and treasures to the woman he loves

This lively and enjoyable track promises to get audiences moving to its infect i o u s A f r o b e a t s g r o o v e , injecting a wave of energy into any setting Hemina's e x c e p t i o n a l v o c a l p r o w e s s c o m b i n e d w i t h F e m k e y z ' s skillful production guarantees an unforgettable musical experience

E x c i t i n g l y , H e m i n a i s embarking on a journey to Kenya in August, where she w i l l s h o w c a s e h e r u n i q u e Indian-African fusion songs through live performances A u d i e n c e s c a n e x p e c t a f u s i o n o f c a p t i v a t i n g m e l o d i e s a n d t h e v i b r a n t spirit of two rich musical cultures coming together in harmony

"Gold" is set to release worldwide on the 14th of July, and will be available for download across all major music platforms Listeners everywhere can embrace the infectious rhythm and revel in the vibrant energy that "Gold" brings

“Science and spirituality are one and the same. What the former calls fight or flight, the latter dubs your third eye or sixth sense”

LAKHMI BHAMBRA

Lubna Kerr

DIASPORA HAILS PM MODI

During his speech to the Indian diaspora at the historic La Seine M u s i c a l e i n P a r i s , P M M o d i emphasised the strength of Indian democracy and highlighted that nations like India and France can work together to advance global development Many members of the Indian community attended t h e e v e n t , w h i c h b e g a n w i t h cultural programmes

T h e r e w e r e m a n y g o o d announcements in store for the diaspora, including plans to open a new Indian Consulate in Marseille and an updated agreement on the u s e o f I n d i a ' s U n i f i e d P a y m e n t

Interface (UPI) in France, as well as Master's students from India being able to receive five-year post-study visas He called his visit to France " s p e c i a l " a s i t c e l e b r a t e s i t s

National Day and congratulated the people on the occasion

Talented actor, R Madhavan was among other guests to attend the banquet dinner organised by

" m i n i - I n d i a " t h e r e " S p e a k i n g about the bond between India and France, PM Modi said that peopleto-people connections and mutual trust between the people of the t w o n a t i o n s a r e t h e s t r o n g e s t foundations of this partnership "Our people-to-people connection and mutual trust between people of two countries are the strongest f o u n d a t i o n o f t h e I n d i a - F r a n c e

UPI It will be started from the E i f f e l T o w e r , a n d n o w I n d i a n tourists would be able to make payments in Rupees, through UPI, in the Eiffel Tower," PM Modi said during his address to the Indian d i a s p o r a I n 2 0 2 3 , U P I a n d S i n g a p o r e ' s P a y N o w s i g n e d a n agreement, allowing users in either c o u n t r y t o m a k e c r o s s - b o r d e r transactions

I nd ian influence o n the Bastille Day procession on th e C ham psÉlysées

PM Narendra Modi attended the Bastille Day Parade as the guest o f h o n o u r a t t h e i n v i t a t i o n o f F r e n c h P r e s i d e n t E m m a n u e l Macron on the Champs-Élysées

For the first time since 2017, a

Bastille prison on July 14, 1789, during the French revolution that symbolises the democratic values of liberty, equality, and fraternity’, t h e c e n t r a l t h e m e o f b o t h t h e Indian and French constitutions " With France’s top honour, another feather in M odi cap

law; and, working with others in the region and beyond, build a balanced and stable order in the r e g i o n , w i t h r e s p e c t f o r s o v e r e i g n t y a n d t e r r i t o r i a l integrity "

F r e n c h P r e s i d e n t E m m a n u e l

M a c r o n i n h o n o u r o f P r i m e Minister Narendra Modi Other Indian-origin artists Ricky Kej, a Grammy-winning composer, and Priyanka Rajkakati, an Assamese aerospace engineer, also attended t h e b a n q u e t T h e c e r e m o n i a l dinner was organised on French N a t i o n a l D a y a t P a r i s ' L o u v r e M u s e u m , w h e r e b a n q u e t s w e r e closed off after they were last held for Queen Elizabeth in 1953

P M M o d i m e t I n d i a n - o r i g i n Mrs Leena Nair, Global CEO of Chanel, and talked about further ways to boost skill development among artisans and make Khadi more popular T h e v i s i t o f P r i m e M i n i s t e r Narendra Modi also coincides with the 25th anniversary of India and France's strategic alliance In 1998, the then-French president Jacques Chirac visited India, and the two nations agreed to build on their existing bilateral collaboration to promote their respective strategic independence Mo di ad dressed Ind ian diaspora in Paris

During his address, PM Modi announced that India and France have reached an agreement on the use of UPI in France, which will start from the Eiffel Tower He a l s o s a i d t h a t I n d i a n s t u d e n t s pursuing master's degree in France can now get a 5-year post-study v i s a H e a l s o r e c a l l e d t a k i n g m e m b e r s h i p i n t h e A l l i a n c e Francaise, the cultural centre of France in India, around 40 years ago, and being the first person to get registered for it

P M M o d i s t a t e d t h a t W h e r e v e r w e g o , w e c r e a t e a

partnership," he said "India and F r a n c e a r e t a c k l i n g m a n y c h a l l e n g e s o f t h e 2 1 s t c e n t u r y Consequently, at this crucial time, the importance of the strategic partnership between our countries h a s i n c r e a s e d e v e n m o r e , " h e added Amid applause, he noted: " F r e n c h f o o t b a l l p l a y e r K y l i a n Mbappe is a superstar among the youth in India Mbappe is probably known to more people in India than in France "

F r a n c e ' s h i g h e s t h o n o r , t h e G r a n d C r o s s o f t h e L e g i o n o f Honor, was presented to Prime Minister Narendra Modi by French President Emmanuel Macron at the Elysee Palace According to a s t a t e m e n t f r o m t h e I n d i a n g o v e r n m e n t , M o d i t h a n k e d M a c r o n f o r t h e e x t r a o r d i n a r y honour on behalf of the Indian people Modi will become the first Indian Prime Minister to receive

The statement claims that the Indo-Pacific strategy's security and c o o p e r a t i o n g o a l s a n d P r i m e Minister Modi's vision of SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region) are "very much aligned " The partnership between France a n d I n d i a , i t c o n t i n u e d , i s " c o m p r e h e n s i v e " a n d s p a n s a v a r i e t y o f a r e a s , i n c l u d i n g i n f r a s t r u c t u r e , c o n n e c t i v i t y , c o n n e c t i v i t y , s u s t a i n a b i l i t y , a n d human-centered development A c c o r d i n g t o t h e s t a t e m e n t , India and France would expand naval visits, build India's defense i n d u s t r y , a n d w o r k t o g e t h e r t o m e e t o t h e r c o u n t r i e s ' d e m a n d s P r i m e M i n i s t e r N a r e n d r a M o d i met with the French President at t h e E l y s e e P a l a c e d u r i n g h i s attendance as Guest of Honor at t h e B a s t i l l e D a y P a r a d e T h e d i s c u s s i o n s b e t w e e n t h e t w o leaders covered a wide range of a r e a s o f b i l a t e r a l c o o p e r a t i o n i n c l u d i n g d e f e n c e , s p a c e , c i v i l nuclear, science and technology, t r a d e a n d i n v e s t m e n t , e n e r g y , climate action, culture and peopleto-people ties Defence deals

Rupee paym ent op tion in France

Prime Minister Narendra Modi

a n n o u n c e d I n d i a n v i s i t o r s t o France would soon be able to use s m a r t p h o n e a p p s t o m a k e payments in rupees He claimed that France and India have agreed t o i m p l e m e n t t h e U n i f i e d Payments Interface (UPI) in this c o u n t r y o f E u r o p e , c r e a t i n g a

s i z a b l e n e w m a r k e t f o r I n d i a n innovation

"In France, an agreement has been made for the use of India's

f o r e i g n l e a d e r s e r v e d a s t h e parade's chief guest A 241-member detachment of the Indian armed forces from all three services, led by a military band, took part in the parade to c o m m e m o r a t e t h e 2 5 t h a n n i v e r s a r y o f t h e I n d i a - F r a n c e Strategic Partnership According to t h e a d m i n i s t r a t i o n , t h e P u n j a b Regiment and the Rajputana Rifles Regiment were in charge of the Indian Army contingent I A F R a f a l e p l a n e s f r o m t h e H a s h i m a r a - b a s e d 1 0 1 S q u a d r o n took part in the flypast during the p a r a d e T h e I n d i a n s t a t e m e n t s t a t e d t h a t " J u l y 1 4 m a r k s t h e anniversary of the storming of the

this honour

"In the past, the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour has been r e c e i v e d b y s e l e c t p r o m i n e n t leaders and eminent personalities f r o m a c r o s s t h e w o r l d T h e s e include former president of South

A f r i c a N e l s o n M a n d e l a , K i n g Charles, the then Prince of Wales, f o r m e r c h a n c e l l o r o f G e r m a n y Angela Merkel, Boutros Boutros Ghali, former secretary general of t h e U n i t e d N a t i o n s , a m o n g others," said a source Ind ia, France collaborate to establish balanced , stable o rd er under new Indo-P acific Roadm ap The Indo-French relationship in the Indian Ocean has grown to be an essential emphasis of our b i l a t e r a l t i e s , a c c o r d i n g t o t h e

I n d i a - F r a n c e I n d o - P a c i f i c R o a d m a p I n 2 0 1 8 , I n d i a a n d France agreed on a ‘Joint Strategic V i s i o n o f I n d i a - F r a n c e Cooperation in the Indian Ocean Region’ Our combined efforts can now be expanded to the Pacific

"Our two countries believe in a free, open, inclusive, secure, and peaceful Indo-Pacific region Our cooperation seeks to secure our o w n e c o n o m i c a n d s e c u r i t y interests; ensure equal and free access to global commons; build p a r t n e r s h i p s o f p r o s p e r i t y a n d s u s t a i n a b i l i t y i n t h e r e g i o n ; advance the rule of international

The agreement signed for the construction of three additional Scorpene submarines in India was removed from a later draft of the b i l a t e r a l s t a t e m e n t a f t e r t h e proposed deal for 26 Rafale-Marine fighters failed to appear in the joint documents released following the Modi-Macron summit in Paris

An official government source claimed “ some earlier negotiating text got uploaded” on the external a f f a i r s m i n i s t r y ’ s w e b s i t e “ f o r a short while” and that it was “not the agreed upon text in any way ” The approved text now on the w e b s i t e i s t h e s a m e o n e a s p u b l i s h e d b y t h e F r e n c h government, he added

Both the proposed Rafale-M a n d S c o r p e n e p r o c u r e m e n t s , which were cleared by the defence ministry on and will together cost a n e s t i m a t e d R s 8 0 , 0 0 0 c r o r e (almost 9 billion euros), of course, are still far away from being inked, as was reported earlier by media

The government likely doesn't want to give the opposition any o p p o r t u n i t i e s t o s t i r u p controversy in the lead-up to the general elections early next year, so t h e a c t u a l c o n t r a c t s w o n ' t b e s i g n e d u n t i l a f t e r p r o t r a c t e d t e c h n o - c o m m e r c i a l n e g o t i a t i o n s and then the final nod from the Cabinet Committee on Security, which could take well over a year

PM receives ceremonial welcome on his arrival at Paris Airport

Bastille Day celebrations

PM at the community event in Paris

PM with the President of France, Emmanuel Macron at the India-France CEO Forum at Elysee Palace

PM conferred with the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour

Alpesh Patel OBE

E a ch we e k I r e ce i v e e m a il s fr o m pr i v a t e in v e s t or s approachin g re tirement concern ed ab out the poor pe rformance of their pension s In this ar ticle , we de lve into the re asons behind t he widespr ead tende ncy among UK in dividual s t o disreg ard Individua l Sav ing s Accounts (ISA) and Se l f-In ve st ed P er son al Pen sions (SIPPs) a s in ve stme nt ve hicle s for their pen sions Additional ly, we explore the inclinat ion of UK in vestors t o predominant ly invest in UK stocks rat he r than diversify ing into US stock s, which have consisten tly y ie lded heal thier return s in recent yea rs

Over the years I’ve made it my job to examine why this is so with my team

Investment Vehicles and UK Investor Behaviour:

The first aspect we examined was the underutilisation of ISA and SIPPs by UK individuals for managing their pensions Despite the numerous benefits these investment vehicles offer, such as tax advantages and flexibility, a considerable number of UK investors seem to disregard them We explored the underlying factors contributing to this trend, including a lack of awareness, misconceptions, or alternative investment strategies that may appear more appealing

Preferen ce for UK Stocks over US Stocks:

Furthermore, we investigated the prevailing inclination of UK investors to focus primarily on UK stocks rather than diversifying their portfolios with US stocks Notably, US stocks have consistently outperformed their UK counterparts for years, providing investors with substantially higher returns By analysing the reasons behind this preference, we aimed to uncover the factors influencing UK investors' decision-making processes and their potential impact on long-term investment outcomes

Factors Influencing UK Investor Behaviour:

To gain a comprehensive understanding, we delved into various factors that contribute to UK investors' reluctance to utilise ISA and SIPPs and their preference for UK stocks We considered the following key aspects:

1 Lack of Awareness and Understanding: We analysed the extent to which UK individuals are aware of the benefits and potential of ISA and SIPPs Additionally, we explored the knowledge gap surrounding the advantages of diversifying investments into US stocks, which may result in missed opportunities for higher returns

2 Risk Perception and Familiarity Bias: We investigated the role of risk perception and the tendency of investors to favour familiar territory UK investors may exhibit a bias towards domestic investments due to a perceived sense of security and a lack of familiarity with the US market

3 Regulatory and Administrative Barriers: We assessed the impact of regulatory complexities and administrative burdens surrounding ISA and SIPPs on UK investors' decision-making process By examining the ease of access and simplicity of investing in UK stocks compared to US stocks, we aimed to identify potential barriers that hinder diversification We found these were more perceived than real, such as exchange rate, tax and form filling concerns

4 Cultural and Economic Factors: We considered cult u r a l a n d e c o n o m i c f a c t o r s t h a t m a y i n f l u e n c e U K investors' behaviour, such as a preference for supporting local industries or a perception that UK stocks align better with their investment goals

D ata Anal ysis and Insights:

To support our analysis, we utilised relevant data and s t a t i s t i c a l i n f o r m a t i o n f r o m r e p u t a b l e s o u r c e s W e employed data visualisation plugins to present key findings effectively, allowing readers to grasp the significance of the trends and patterns observed By incorporating datadriven insights, we aimed to provide a comprehensive understanding of the factors contributing to UK investors' choices and the potential consequences of their investment decisions

This led to the conclusion we had to educate and inform people that they were simply getting it wrong And so www campaignforamillion com was born Indeed this year where the FTSE 100 is up under 10% and the Nasdaq up over 40%, we have people following us gaining over 100% That was proof we were right all along

UK businesses set their sights on India for international expansion

As ne gotia tions aroun d a UKInd ia Fr e e T r ad e Ag re e me n t con tinue , new re se ar ch from G r a n t T h or n t o n U K L L P’ s Bu si n e s s O ut l o ok Tr a ck e r find s t hat In dia is a cor e focus in te rna tiona l growt h ma rke t for t he UK mid-mar ke t

T h e f i r m ’ s B u s i n e s s O u t l o o k T r a c k e r , w h i c h s u r v e y e d 6 0 8 m i d - s i z e d businesses in the UK, finds that over one third (36%) of UK businesses are planning to invest more in growing internationally in the next six months Many of these businesses have their sights s e t o n I n d i a , w i t h 7 3 % o f r e s p o n d e n t s i d e n t i f y i n g t h e country as a focus international growth market

The mid-market is already very familiar with doing business in I n d i a , w i t h a l m o s t t w o - t h i r d s (64%) of the businesses surveyed already having a business presence established Of these, almost all (94%) have plans to expand their presence, with the majority having plans to do so within the next two years The opportunities that a Free T r a d e A g r e e m e n t ( F T A ) w o u l d offer are also evident to the midmarket As negotiations continue, a l m o s t t h r e e q u a r t e r s ( 7 2 % ) o f respondents agree that an FTA

with India is likely to encourage t h e i r b u s i n e s s t o e x p l o r e m o r e opportunities there

As India’s economy continues t o g r o w i n s t r e n g t h , t h e m i dm a r k e t s e e s m a n y b e n e f i t s t o establishing a business presence in this market The top three benefits identified by the research are:

• A fast growing and stable economy

• A large working age population

• A large consumer market However, while establishing a b u s i n e s s p r e s e n c e i n a n

i n t e r n a t i o n a l m a r k e t c a n o f f e r n u m e r o u s o p p o r t u n i t i e s , i t a l s o presents challenges The biggest

b a r r i e r s f o r t h e m i d - m a r k e t t o

b u i l d i n g a b u s i n e s s p r e s e n c e i n India identified by the research are:

• High tariffs and protectionist policies

• Infrastructure

• Ease of doing business

Anuj Chande OBE, Head of South Asia Business Group, Grant Thornton UK LLP, said:

“India is now the fifth largest economy in the world and is predicted to become the third largest by 2030 It therefore presents a huge opportunity for growth for businesses in the UK As the country is only set to continue to grow, it is an excellent time for both those with an existing presence, and those looking to India for the first time, to be exploring potential opportunities in this market India offers a stable and certain economic environment for investors and businesses, with, not only a fastgrowing economy, but also a large working age and consumer population “ T h e a n t i c i p a t e d U K - I n d i a F r e e T r a d e A g r e e m e n t s h o u l d a l s o h e l p p r o p e l t h e relationship between the two countries further and provide an excellent platform for further investment An FTA should reduce tariffs and duties to allow for a more level playing field for overseas businesses and give greater access to a large and fast-growing market It should also allow for the relaxation of certain regulations a n d h e l p i m p r o v e t h e e a s e w i t h w h i c h businesses in the UK can look to do business with, or within, India

“

W h i l e o u r r e s e a r c h h a s i d e n t i f i e d t h e biggest challenges many businesses face when setting up in India - as there are challenges looking to grow internationally anywhere in the w o r l d - t h e r e i s s u p p o r t a v a i l a b l e T h e Department for Business and Trade provides support to those seeking to trade or invest in India, while firms, such as ours, can also provide tailored support for businesses exploring new markets ”

Slow down in housing market causes buyers to retreat

JD Wetherspoon, a popular pub chai n, has reported a significant i ncrease in sales i n r ec e n t w ee k s as consumers, faci ng fi nanc ial c on s tr a i n ts d ue to hi g h inflation and the c ost- ofli v i n g c ri s i s , s e e k m or e affordab le food and drinks opt i on s W et he r s poo n 's sales have risen by 11% i n the 10- week pe ri od s i nc e May, compared to the same period in 2019, before the pa n de m i c T he c o m pa n y remains optimistic, noting an 11 5% increase in sales of be v e ra ge s an d m e a ls compared to the previous ye a r, i n d i c at i n g t ha t c us t om er s a r e no t s i gn i f i c a nt l y t i gh te n i n g their budgets

The boost in sales has g a i n e d m o m e n t u m i n r e c e n t w e e k s , f o l l o w i n g successful Easter and May

b a n k h o l i d a y w e e k e n d s , leading to a 10% increase in J D W e t h e r s p o o n s s h a r e p r i c e O t h e r h o s p i t a l i t y b u s i n e s s e s h a v e a l s o e x p r e s s e d p o s i t i v i t y regarding the outlook for the industry

T h e L o u n g e r s c h a i n , operating over 230 cafe, bar, a n d r e s t a u r a n t v e n u e s , reported record sales in its full-year results, with CEO N i c k C o l l i n s s t a t i n g t h a t t h e U K c o n s u m e r sentiment remains positive, i n f l a t i o n a r y p r e s s u r e s a r e d e c r e a s i n g , a n d s t a f f r e c r u i t m e n t i s b e c o m i n g l e s s c h a l l e n g i n g J D Wetherspoon attributed its favorable financial results to its strategic decisions to s e l l , c l o s e , o r s u r r e n d e r leases for 28 pubs, resulting in a net cash inflow of £6 5 million

Accord ing to a recent industry surv ey, the ho using market in Britain displayed signs of slowing d own in June T he surv ey, cond ucted by th e Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RIC S), rev ealed th at p roperty surveyors anticipate continued subd ued activity du e to higher borrow ing costs impacting new buyer enquiries

In the poll, RICS members reported a net balance of -45, indicating a decline in new buyer enquiries compared to -20 in May This June reading represents the most negative figure since October of the previous year when former Prime Minister Liz Truss's "mini-budget" economic plan had a similar impact with a -51 rating

Various factors contribute to the pressures faced by B r i t a i n ' s h o u s i n g m a r k e t , i n c l u d i n g w e a k e n i n g b u y e r demand, declining house prices, rising mortgage rates, and the Bank of England's efforts to control persistent inflation

Financial markets are anticipating that the Bank of England (BoE), which has been consistently raising interest rates since December 2021, will further increase its bank rate to 6 25% by the end of this year, up from the current rate of 5%

The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) reported a decline in its gauge of agreed sales, reaching a net balance of -34 in June, a significant drop from -8 in May and the lowest level in six months Additionally, RICS' house price balance decreased to -46 in June compared to -30 in May Analysts surveyed by Reuters had expected a reading of -34 for this indicator

Remortgaging costs to hit £2,600 a year, warns BoE

The Bank of En gland has issued a warning that homeowners who choose to remortga ge in t he latt er half of this yea r wil l e x pe r i e n ce a si g n ifi ca n t i n cr e a se i n t he i r a n n ua l co st s , amounting to £2,640 due t o rising b or rowing r ates The Ba nk

Pound strengthens after reduced shrink in economy

T he B ri t i s h po un d c o nt i n ue d i t s upward trajectory against the US dollar, reaching a 15-month high above $ 1 31, buoyed by official data revealing a smaller-than-expected contraction i n the UK economy for the month of May

Despite the inclusion of an additional bank holiday in May to comm e m o r a t e t h e K i n g s c o r o n a t i o n , GDP only declined by 0 1% compared to economists' predictions of a sharpe r 0 4 % f a l l T h i s u n e x p e c t e d

resilience in economic performance was viewed positively by money markets, paving the way for potential interest rate increases

The Office for National Statistics' release also highlighted that the UK's economic output in the three months leading up to May remained flat compared to the previous quarter, slightly better than the forecasted 0 1% contraction The additional bank holiday i m p a c t e d m a n u f a c t u r i n g a n d c o nstruction sectors negatively but had a

p o s i t i v e e f f e c t o n e n t e r t a i n m e n t , recreation, accommodation, and hospitality After experiencing a decline due to widespread doctor strikes in April, the health sector saw a rebound of 1 1% in output

H o w e v e r , S a m u e l T o m b s f r o m

P a n t h e o n M a c r o e c o n o m i c s n o t e d that May s GDP figures indicate that the economy remains lackluster, and the anticipated recovery mentioned in business surveys has not yet materialized

estima tes that for the ave rage mor tgage hol der tra nsitioning from a fixed-rat e dea l to more e xpensive te rms, monthl y payme nts a re like ly to rise b y £220 over t he n ext six months

According to the Bank's latest financial stability report, approximately 4 5 million homeowners have already been affected by higher mortgage repayments since late 2021 when the Bank began raising interest rates to combat inflation Additionally, the report predicts that by the end of 2026, an additional four million mortgage holders will face increased borrowing costs During this period, at least one million households will experience a monthly payment increase of at least £500 Andrew Bailey, the governor of the Bank, acknowledged the impact of increased interest rates, stating that there are consequences resulting from the rate hikes The Bank emphasized that while the UK economy has shown resilience to interest rate risks so far, it will take time for the full impact of higher rates to manifest

Having raised its base interest rate from a record low of 0 1% to a 15-year high of 5% last month, the central bank's policymakers have taken steps to combat inflation

Cash- tapped customers seek cheaper food and drink

Anuj Chande

India to become the

world’s secondlargest economy by 2075: Goldman Sachs

By 2075, Ind ia will su rpa ss n ot just

Ja pan an d G er many but also the Unit ed S ta t e s to be com e t he se con d-la r ge st e conomy in t he wor ld, accordin g to G old man Sa chs C urre ntly, In dia is t he wor ld ’ s fift h-lar gest econ om y, be hind G er many , Japa n, Chin a an d the US

I n a d d i t i o n t o a g r o w i n g population, India's advancements in innovation and technology, increased c a p i t a l i n v e s t m e n t , a n d i m p r o v e d w o r k e r p r o d u c t i v i t y a r e w h a t a r e fueling the prediction, according to a

recent analysis by the investment bank

“Over the next two decades, the dependency ratio of India will be one of the lowest among regional economies,” said Goldman Sachs Research’s India economist, Santanu Sengupta

The dependence ratio of a nation is d e t e r m i n e d b y d i v i d i n g t h e t o t a l p o p u l a t i o n o f w o r k i n g a g e b y t h e n u m b e r o f d e p e n d e n t s A l o w dependency ratio means that there are proportionately more adults of working age who can assist the young and old

SC sets Aug 14 deadline for Sebi to wrap up Adani probe

T he Su preme Court ordered S eb i to wr ap u p a n i n ve s ti g at io n i nt o c l ai m s made by Hindenburg that b u s i n es s es in t h e Ad an i group co mp anies h ad been manip ulating sto ck p ric es, whi ch h ad caused shares to crash S o l i c i t o r G e n e r a l T u s h a r M e h t a w a s i n f o r m e d b y a b e n c h consisting of Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud, Justices P S N a r a s i m h a a n d M a n o j M i s r a , t h a t t h e c o u r t expects Sebi to finish the investigation and deliver a report "positively by August 14" Mehta claimed that the i n v e s t i g a t i o n i s b e i n g carried out "full speed" and quickly “ T h e S C - a p p o i n t e d expert committee says Sebi i n v e s t i g a t i o n s c a n n o t g o a n y w h e r e b e c a u s e o f t h e situation they have created by amending the rules They have amended the rules to r e m o v e t h e d e f i n i t i o n o f o p a q u e s t r u c t u r e T h e y

h a v e a m e n d e d t h e r u l e s r e l a t i n g t o r e l a t e d p a r t y transactions and beneficial owners This is to prevent e x p o s i n g f r a u d s o f t h i s nature,” Bhushan alleged

The CJI said, “Apropos this submission, we would l i k e t o g o i n t o t h e background on which these amendments were carried out Have you dealt with t h a t ? B h u s h a n i s a r g u i n g t h a t , t o d a y S e b i m a y b e prevented from going into the layers of transactions because of the amendments which Sebi has made to the d e f i n i t i o n o f b e n e f i c i a l o w n e r s W h a t a r e t h e c i r c u m s t a n c e s t h a t necessitated amendment of those definitions? That is something which we would definitely like to go into ”

Sengupta said that increasing labor

f o r c e p a r t i c i p a t i o n i s t h e k e y t o

m a x i m i z i n g t h e p o t e n t i a l o f I n d i a ' s r a p i d l y e x p a n d i n g p o p u l a t i o n A n d

Sengupta predicts that for the next 20 years, India will have one of the lowest r e l i a n c e p e r c e n t a g e s a m o n g m a j o r economies

“So that really is the window for India to get it right in terms of setting up manufacturing capacity, continuing to grow services, continuing the growth of infrastructure,” he said

Akasa beats SpiceJet in market share within a year

I n te r ms of d om es t i c m a rk e t s h a re i n I nd i a , Akas a, a company just 11 m on t hs o ld , s ur pa s s ed S pi c e J e t i n J un e 2 0 2 3 S pi c e J e t c ar r i ed 5 50 , 0 00 p as s e n ge r s la s t m on th , c om pared to 62 0, 000 f or Vi n a y D u b e' s r a pi d ly expanding Akasa

IndiGo is the domestic market leader with a 63 2% market share Tata Group a i r l i n e s - A i r I n d i a w a s s e c o n d a t 9 7 % , V i s t a r a (which is to be merged by AI next year) was third at 8 1% and AirAsia India fourth at 8% The Tata Group’s combined share was 25 8% Akasa (4 9%) is now at the fifth spot and SpiceJet at sixth (4 4%), according to D G C A d a t a A k a s a currently has a fleet of 19 aircraft and the 20th onewhich will make it eligible to fly abroad - will come l a t e r t h i s m o n t h b e f o r e I n d i a ’ s y o u n g e s t b u d g e t carrier turns one on August 7 , 2 0 2 3 A j a y S i n g h , t h e

promoter of SpiceJet, has been attempting to gather money for months and he agreed to inject £50 million, but the airline needs much more to meet its financial r e s p o n s i b i l i t i e s S p i c e J e t asserts that it now has 35 planes that are flying A c c o r d i n g t o D G C A d a t a , 1 2 5 m i l l i o n p e o p l e t r a v e l l e d w i t h i n I n d i a i n June 2023, increasing over 19% from 11 million in the c o r r e s p o n d i n g m o n t h o f the previous year Domestic traveller numbers increased by 33%, or 7 6, from January to June of last year, from 57 m i l l i o n , d e s p i t e G o F i r s t , which operates more than 50 aircraft, having stopped all operations as of May 3, 2023

GST council approves 28 pc tax on online gaming

The GST Coun cil in India voted to c ut the tax on food an d b ev e r a ge s s ol d in m ul t i pl e x e s , c h an g e t he def inition of util ity vehic les f or t h e l e vy , an d l e v y t he maximum 28 per c ent tax on the entire fac e val ue of bets in online gam ing, ca sinos and horse rac ing

The panel also exempted G S T ( G o o d s a n d S e r v i c e s T a x ) o n i m p o r t o f c a n c e r

d r u g D i n u t u x i m a b , a n d medicines used to treat rare d i s e a s e s a n d f o o d u s e d i n F o o d f o r S p e c i a l M e d i c a l P u r p o s e s ( F S M P ) , b e s i d e s s a t e l l i t e l a u n c h s e r v i c e s p r o v i d e d b y p r i v a t e operators Instead of the 18% that m a n y c i n e m a h a l l s w e r e typically charging, food and b e v e r a g e s c o n s u m e d i n theaters will now be subject

RBI seeks to push e-rupee payments using UPI infra

Th e RBI wants to i ncrease daily c entral bank digital cu rrency (CBDC ) transacti ons from up to 10,00 0 by th e end of th e year to 10,0 0,000 by using UPI QR cod es, which is an ambi tious go al f or e-rupee payments Banks are responsi ble fo r promoting th e C BDC by enabli ng U PI QR codes to accept e- rup ee payments

E-rupee payments combine the convenience of digital transactions with the anonymity of cash Transaction volume has not yet increased, mostly due to the small number of businesses that accept CBDC payments On December 1, 2022, the RBI had rolled out the e-rupee for retail transactions as a test As of June, about 13,00,000 users have downloaded t h e C B D C w a l l e t a n d a r o u n d 3 0 0 , 0 0 0 m e r c h a n t s a r e accepting CBDC payments

R B I d e p u t y g o v e r n o r T R a b i S a n k a r s a i d t h a t interoperability would enable any merchant accepting UPI payments to also accept CBDC, eliminating concerns about the number of merchants onboarded He was speaking at a conference organised by the Indian Banks’ Association

He said that the 13 banks allowed to deal with CBDC had achieved partial interoperability, where QR codes can be scanned and linked to CBDC wallets if available

t o a G S T o f 5 % , w h i c h i s comparable to the fee levied in hotels and restaurants F o r t h e p u r p o s e o f levying a 22 per cent cess in addition to the 28 per cent GST rate, the definition of u t i l i t y v e h i c l e s h a s b e e n changed Any utility vehicle with an engine size of 1,500 cc or more, a length of 4 meters or more, and a ground clearance of 170 mm or less

will be subject to the cess

G i v i n g d e t a i l s o f t h e decisions taken at the 50th C o u n c i l m e e t i n g , U n i o n f i n a n c e m i n i s t e r N i r m a l a Sitharaman said the decision t o l e v y m a x i m u m t a x o n online gaming and casinos was not intended to kill the industry but considering the “ m o r a l q u e s t i o n ” t h a t i t cannot be taxed at par with essential commodities

Tata Motors set to build battery factory in UK

Tata Motors plan s t o const ruct a flag ship batt ery fa ct ory in the UK t o supp ly Ja gua r L an d R ove r's e le ctr ic ve hicles, accor ding t o people br ie fed on t he India n group ’ s plans Accor ding to multiple sour ce s, Tata , the own er of JLR, ha s se le ct ed a site in S om erset in sout h-we st En gla nd for the fa ct ory ove r a riva l loca tion in Spain Tata could a nnoun ce it s choice th is wee k, possibly as ea rly as Wed nesda y

UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak held secret one-to-one talks in May with Natarajan Chandrasekaran, chair of parent company Tata Sons, in an attempt to kick-start Britain’s efforts to join the global race for electric car production

Tata has requested the UK government for £500 million in aid, including road upgrades, a one-time grant from the government's $1 billion automotive transformation fund, and subsidies for the Somerset factory's high energy demand

One industry insider said the company was poised to make the announcement “It’s definitely by the end of the week - the government wants this out before parliament rises,” they added Securing the proposed JLR factory at B r i d g w a t e r i n S o m e r s e t i s s e e n a s a m u s t - w i n b y t h e government as it seeks to support the UK car industry, which has struggled with the shift to electric vehicle production

Suresh Vagjiani, Sow & Reap Properties Ltd

W e ’ r e d e a l i n g w i t h a r e m o r t g a g e c a s e w h e r e t h e managing agents are trying their best to default the leases of our clients

There are some minor grounds to do so, but this has been exaggerated and made into a personal matter

They have tried their best to cause as much trouble and havoc as they can, going to the extent of writing to our clients’ current lender claiming the security they had based their large loan on was about to be defaulted

H e n c e t h e r e a s o n t h e y a p p r o a c h e d u s f o r a refinance Given the background we needed a lender who would look at this in context, and able to take a pragmatic view on the actual issue, and able to separate the personal issues from the actual issues

Often when one is dealing with lenders, you ’ re dealing with an underling, who refers the matter to the lender’s lawyers The lender’s lawyer’s objective will be to cover themselves from a potential future case, not to look at this issue commercially and in context

Lenders typically cover themselves on two fronts, the lawyer and the valuer

One can predict the blocks to this case even before submission

The lawyers we do not have any control over, however, we did manage to get our nominated valuer to do the valuation for the lender They have done a v a l u a t i o n p r e v i o u s l y a n d w e h a v e a l o n g t e r m relationship with them They took the time to put the issue into context on the valuation report by attaching a cost to the remedial works, which are nominal The valuation report alone could have stopped the case from getting off the ground

Now it was only the lawyer’s objections to deal with Predictably their stance was to resolve the situation before they could proceed

We have a connection to the decision maker who sits at the top of the firm Ordinarily this case would have been dismissed by the case manager

We had an impression on the likely issues, hence chose a lender whom we had a good relationship with

The case is still in motion, we ultimately have no control over the outcome All we can do is to get a proper grip on the case, and try to view it as the lender would, and try and present it in the best possible manner This is the actual role of a broker, to fight in the corner of the client

Once this case has crossed the line – finger crossed, the clients will be looking to take the managing agents to court, as they feel they have stepped over the line of their authority several times, and this whole issue has been personal from the start and this can be evidenced

I also have a lender in the background who will act as an insurance policy should this case not proceed with the current lender, but we are fighting against time

India ranks 36th out of 53 in expats’ choices to work

India is ranke d 36 th out of 5 3 c o un t r i e s i n InterNati on s' Expa t Insi der Survey 202 3, which ranks th e b e s t a n d w o r s t lo c a t i on s f or e x pa t r i a te

li vi n g a n d e m p l oy m e n t

Wi th more than 4 8 mi lli on m e m b e r s i n 42 0 c i ti e s worldwi de, InterN ations is a large in tern ational expat network

According to the report, expats find meaning in their profession and are content w i t h t h e i r f i n a n c i a l c o n d i t i o n , b u t t h e p o o r quality of life and challenges navigating the bureaucracy have a negative impact The top 10 locations for expats i n 2 0 2 3 i n c l u d e d M e x i c o ,

S p a i n , P a n a m a , M a l a y s i a ,

T a i w a n , T h a i l a n d , C o s t a

R i c a , t h e P h i l i p p i n e s ,

B a h r a i n , a n d P o r t u g a l

K u w a i t , N o r w a y , T u r k e y ,

S o u t h K o r e a , G e r m a n y , South Africa, Italy, Malta,

New Zealand, and Japan are the worst nations for expats Expat Insider evaluates nations based on more than 1 2 , 0 0 0 r e s p o n d e n t s u s i n g five indices: quality of life, ease of relocating, working a b r o a d , p e r s o n a l f i n a n c e , a n d t h e E x p a t E s s e n t i a l s I n d e x , w h i c h l o o k s a t h o u s i n g , a d m i n i s t r a t i o n , language, and digital life

For the tenth time in a r o w , I n d i a l a n d s i n t h e bottom 10 of the quality of l i f e i n d e x ( n o 5 2 ) , o n l y a h e a d o f K u w a i t ( n o 5 3 )

Expats are unhappy with the air quality (73% unhappy vs 17% globally) and the urban environment, such as green spaces or noise levels (67% unhappy vs 16% globally) Additionally, 55% agree that t h e g o v e r n m e n t d o e s n o t support policies to protect the environment, more than t h r e e t i m e s t h e g l o b a l average (17%)

in brief

Hindu temple attacked with rocket launchers, another razed to ground in Pakistan

K A RA C H I: A Hindu temp le was attacked with rocket launchers b y a g a ng o f d a c oi t s i n th e S o u th e rn S i nd h p ro v i n ce o f Pakistan on Sunday, in the second such incident of v andalism of a p lace of worship belonging to the minority comm unity in l es s t h an t w o d ays T h e a ss ai la nt s a tta ck ed th e sm all tem ple built by th e local Hind u c o m m u n it y an d ad j o i ni n g ho mes belonging to m em bers of the minority comm unity in the K as h m o r e ar ea o f t h e S i nd h prov ince

The attack came after the Mari Mata Temple in Karachi’s Soldier Bazar was razed to the g r o u n d b y b u l l d o z e r s i n t h e presence of a heavy contingent of police force on late night The

temple believed to be nearly 150 years ago was demolished after being declared an old and dangerous structure in Karachi, the p r o v i n c i a l c a p i t a l o f S i n d h province

The assailants fired rocket l a u n c h e r s i n d i s c r i m i n a t e l y a t the temple, prompting a police unit led by Kashmore-Kandhkot SSP Irfan Sammo to reach the s c e n e T h e y f i r e d “ r o c k e t

l a u n c h e r s ” a t t h e p l a c e o f worship, which was closed during the attack, the police official said, adding that the t e m p l e o p e n s a n n u a l l y f o r religious services conducted by the Bagri community

The police officer estimated that eight or nine gunm e n w e r e i n v o l v e d i n t h e attack Dr Suresh, a member of the Bagri community, said that the “rocket launchers” fired by the dacoits failed to explode, resulting in no loss of life He called on the police to protect the community, saying the incident had left the residents in a state of panic

The attack comes days after dacoits in the Kashmore and G h o t k i r i v e r i n e a r e a s h a d

4 soldiers killed as militants attack Balochistan army garrison

I S L A M A B A D : A t err o ri st attack on a m ilitary base in t h e u nre st -r id d en Baloch istan prov ince resulte d i n th e d eat h s o f fo u r P akistani arm y soldiers and f i v e s er io u s i nj u ri es T h e ens ui ng sh oo tou t resu lted in the d eath s of a wom an c au gh t in the cro ssfire as w ell as three oth er attackers

A ttac ker s fro m T e h reek -e J ihad Pakistan took credit for the crim e A group of around 20 gunmen wearing army unif o r m s a t t a c k e d t h e b a s e , a c c o r d i n g t o M u h a m m a d Azim Kakar, a senior officer i n Z h o b ' s a d m i n i s t r a t i o n T h e s o l d i e r s o n d u t y stopped the terrorists' initial effort to enter the building, according to a statement from the army's media b r a n c h , I n t e r - S e r v i c e s P u b l i c R e l a t i o n s ( I S P R ) Following a heavy exchange of fire, the terrorists were

contained to a small area at the boundary, the ISPR said, adding that three “heavily armed terrorists” had been k i l l e d “ S e c u r i t y f o r c e s r e m a i n d e t e r m i n e d t o t h w a r t a l l s u c h g h a s t l y a t t e m p t s a t d e s t r o y i n g p e a c e i n B a l o c h i s t a n a n d Pakistan ”

Kakar said the woman civilian killed was travelling by a bus that was caught in t h e g u n f i g h t , a n d t h r e e o t h e r p a s s e n g e r s w e r e wounded A f t e r t h e b a n n e d

Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan brokered a ceasefire with Islamabad in November last year, Pakistan has experienced an increase in terrorist operations, particularly in the northwest's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province and t h e s o u t h w e s t ' s B a l o c h i s t a n T h o u g h s p a r s e l y p o p u l a t e d ,

B a l o c h i s t a n , P a k i s t a n ' s largest province, is rich in natural resources including copper, gold, and gas and b o r d e r s b o t h A f g h a n i s t a n and Iran

Lanka not averse to using Indian rupee as common currency: Wickremesinghe

C OL OM BO: Sri L anka w ould want to see the Ind ian rupee as much as the US dollar, Presid ent Ranil Wickrem esinghe has said , d ays ah ead of h is first official v isit to New Delhi on Ju ly 21 Wickremesingh e, also th e cash-strap ped cou ntry's Finance Minister, m ade this remark while add ressing the Ind ian CEO Foru m last w eek

“Just as East Asia, including countries like Japan, Korea and China, witnessed significant growth 75 years ago, it is now India’s turn, along with the Indian Ocean region, Wickremesinghe said Wickremesinghe is expected to visit New Delhi this week, his first since becoming President a year ago amidst unprecedented economic and political turmoil in the island nation

Wickremesinghe's comments were in response to the chair of the Forum, T S Prakash, who in his address had called for the enhanced use of the Indian rupee in the Sri Lankan economy “It makes no difference to us if India (the Indian rupee) becomes a common currency We will have to figure out how to go about it We must become more open to the outside world”, Wickremesinghe said

“The world is evolving and India is undergoing rapid development, particularly under Prime Minister Modi’s leadership”, he added He also said that Sri Lanka benefits from its proximity to India, coupled with a rich history, cultural heritage and longstanding trading relationships spanning 2,500 years, The Daily Mirror newspaper quoted him as saying

Meanwhile, the High Commissioner of India in Sri Lanka Gopal Bagle who was at the event, said that the Indian government and the Indian business community have helped the island nation in recuperating from the last year's financial crisis

t h r e a t e n e d t o a t t a c k H i n d u places of worship and community members in retaliation to Seema Haider Jakhrani’s PUBG love story Seema, a Pakistani mother of four, left her country and entered India to live with a Hindu man she befriended and fell in love with while playing on online gaming platform PUBG in 2019 Seema, 30, and Sachin Meena, 22, live in Greater Noida, near Delhi, where he runs a provision store, according to police

While Seema was arrested on July 4 for illegally entering India without a visa via Nepal with her four children, all aged below seven years, Sachin was put behind bars for sheltering t h e i l l e g a l i m m i g r a n t s T h e y were released from jail recently

Pak criminal gangs hold hostage 30

Hindus; rights group raises alarm

I S L A M A B A D : T h e H um an R ig h ts C ommission of Pakistan (HRC P) has raised alarm about reports of organised criminal gangs h old ing h ostage 3 0 m em bers of the m i no r i ty Hi n d u c o m m u n it y, in c lu d i ng wo men and child ren The incid ent has been repo rted from th e d istricts of K ashm ore and Ghotki in Sind h

The HRCP also highlighted the threats to attack Hindu temples, calling on the home department to investigate the matter immediately “Moreover, we have received disturbing reports that these gangs have threatened to attack the community's sites of worship, using high-grade weapons The Sindh Home Department must investigate this matter immediately and take steps to p r o t e c t a l l v u l n e r a b l e c i t i z e n s i n t h e s e areas, ” it added

The group raised concern amid reports of a Hindu temple being attacked with rocket launchers by a gang of dacoits in the Southern Sindh province of Pakistan, in the second such incident of vandalism of a place of worship belonging to the minority community in less than two days

India, China among nations that support UN resolution against Quran burning

NEW YORK : Desp ite the overw helm ing condemnation of the burning of the Mu slim holy book Quran, the v ote caused m ore discord than harmo ny Countries from Europe and A merica claimed that with a little more effort, a strong er, unified consensu s could h av e been reached

A debate and resolution were proposed by Pakistan and other Organisation of Islamic Cooperation countries after an Iraqi refugee burned Quranic pages in front of Stockholm's largest mosque last month The incident led to diplomatic repercussions throughout the Muslim world

The United Nations' top rights body backed the OIC resolution on countering religious hatred by 28 votes in favour, with 12 against and seven abstentions Argentina, China, Cuba, India, South Africa, Ukraine and Vietnam backed the resolution

"Islamophobia is on the rise Incidents involving desecrating the holy Quran have happened again and again in some countries," China's ambassador Chen Xu said "These countries have done nothing to implement their professed respect for the protection of freedom of religious belief "

Despite backing the resolution, Argentinian ambassador Federico Villegas admitted: “We would have liked to have reached a text with more consensus and clarity ”

Britain, the United States, European Union countries including France and Germany, plus Costa Rica and Montenegro, voted against the resolution Mexico's ambassador Francisca Mendez Escobar said: "Not all criticism of religion amounts in and of itself to an incitement to discrimination, hostility or violence "

PAK EC ISSUES NONBAILABLE WARRANT AGAINST IMRAN

Imran Khan, a former prime minister, was the subject of a non-bailable arrest order by Pakistan's highest electoral commission For the same offense the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) also issued a non-bailable arrest warrant against Fawad Chaudhry a former I&B minister The warrants were issued for allegedly using intemperate language against the electoral watchdog and its head the chief election commissioner (CEC) The ECP had begun contempt proceedings against PTI leader Imran Khan and former party leaders Chaudhry and Asad Umar last year

SHARIF LAUNCHES N-POWER PLANT BUILT WITH CHINA AID

Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif launched the 1200-megawatt nuclear power plant being built with China’s assistance in Punjab province which is seen as a sign of growing strategic cooperation between the two all weather allies Earlier, Sharif had inked an agreement with China worth a whopping $3 5 billion under which Beijing would build the Chashma-V nuclear plant at Chashma in the Mianwali district of Punjab He had termed the plant agreement signing as a token of increasing economic cooperation between Pakistan and China and vowed to complete the project without any delay

FLOODING KILLS 37 IN SOUTH KOREA

Rescuers battled to reach people trapped in a flooded tunnel in South Korea where at least 37 people have died and nine are missing after heavy rains caused flooding and landslides South Korea is at the peak of its summer monsoon season, and there has been heavy rainfall for the last four days, causing a major dam to overflow Hundreds of rescue workers were still struggling to reach more than 10 cars and an unknown number of people trapped in a 430-metre (1,410-foot) underground tunnel in Cheongju, North Chungcheong province, the ministry said South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol held an emergency meeting with his aides, his office said

N KOREA FIRES 1ST ICBM IN 3 MONTHS AFTER THREATS

North Korea test-fired its first intercontinental ballistic missile in three months days after it threatened consequences to protest what it called provocative US reconnaissance activity near its territory Some experts say North Korea likely launched its developmental, roadmobile Hwasong-18 ICBM, a type of solid-fuel weapon that is harder to detect and intercept than its liquidfuel ICBMs North Korean leader Kim Jong-un previously called Hwasong-18 his most powerful nuclear weapon The missile flew about 1,000 km at a maximum altitude of 6,000 km before landing in waters between the Korean Peninsula and Japan, according to South Korean and Japanese assessments

TRANS WOMAN CROWNED MISS NETHERLANDS

Rikkie Valerie Kolle a trans woman has been crowned as Miss Netherlands 2023 She was the first trans woman to win the pageant in the Netherlands and she will be the second openly trans woman to compete in a Miss Universe competition when she represents her country in El Salvador later this year Spain’s Angela Ponce, also a trans woman, was a finalist in 2018 As the first trans woman to be named Miss Netherlands, Kolle said she hoped to help young queer people Kolle said she had faced a lot of online abuse and insults since winning the pageant Kolle is not the first Dutch trans woman to reach the Miss Netherlands finals Solange Dekker, a finalist from last year’s competition took home the title of Miss Social Media

in brief

SINGAPORE MINISTER HELD IN RARE TOPLEVEL GRAFT PROBE

Singapore’s transport minister has been arrested in connection with a rare top-level corruption probe that has also ensnared a billionaire hotel tycoon the country’s antigraft body has said Transport minister S Iswaran was “arrested on July 11, 2023” and “subsequently released on bail” the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB) said in an emailed statement confirming the arrest for the first time Iswaran had been ordered to go on leave earlier in the week by PM Lee Hsien Loong after the CPIB said the minister was currently assisting an ongoing investigation Hotel tycoon Ong Beng Seng, one of Singapore s richest people, was also arrested on the same day and released on bail in connection with the probe The bureau has not disclosed details of the investigation that has gripped the city-state

INFLATION-HIT NIGERIA DECLARES EMERGENCY

Nigeria declared a state of emergency that will allow the government to take exceptional steps to improve food security and supply, as surging prices cause widespread hardship The move will trigger a range of measures, including clearing forests for farmland to increase agricultural output and ease food inflation, Dele Alake a spokesman for President Bola Tinubu, said It follows the president’s removal of fuel subsidies and exchange-rate reform, which has seen the naira fall by 40% after its peg to the dollar was removed last month Consumer price growth had accelerated to an almost 18-year high of 22 4% in May

WARMING CHANGES COLOUR OF HALF OF WORLD’S OCEANS

Human-induced climate change has changed the colour of over 56% of the world’s oceans in the last 20 years according to an alarming study In particular, the tropical ocean regions near the equator have become steadily greener over time reveal the study The shift in ocean colour indicates that ecosystems within the surface ocean must also be changing as the colour of the ocean is a literal reflection of the organisms and materials in its waters Scientists from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in the US and the National Oceanography Center in the UK detected the changes in ocean colour over the past two decades which according to them cannot be explained by natural, year-to-year variability alone

NETANYAHU OUT OF HOSPITAL AFTER DIZZY SPELL

Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu was discharged after an overnight hospital stay following a dizzy spell Netanyahu, 73, was rushed to Sheba Medical Center after feeling mild dizziness

Netanyahu’s office said he had spent the previous day at the Sea of Galilee, a popular vacation spot in northern Israel where temperatures climbed to about 40°C amid as country-wide heat wave After a series of tests, the initial assessment was that the veteran Israeli leader was dehydrated The doctors said Netanyahu was in “excellent” condition after a series of tests, including cardiovascular ones

QUAKE TRIGGERS TSUNAMI LAERT IN ALASKA

A 7 2 magnitude earthquake triggered a brief tsunami advisory for southern Alaska, but the advisory was cancelled about an hour later, monitoring bodies reported The earthquake was felt widely throughout the Aleutian Islands the Alaskan Peninsula and Cook Inlet regions, according to the Alaska Earthquake Center In Kodiak, Alaska sirens warned of a possible tsunami and sent people driving to shelters, according to video posted to social media The US Geological Survey wrote in a social media post the earthquake occurred 106 km south of Sand Point Alaska The quake initially was reported as 7 4 magnitude but downgraded to 7 2 soon after

Indian student ‘brutally beaten’ by Khalistani supporters in Sydney

S YD NEY : A group o f Khalistani separatists sav agely attacked an In d i an st u d en t i n S y d ne y, A us tralia, acco rd in g to m ed ia rep orts Acc ordi ng to Sw ap nil

Si ng h ( nam e altered ) , h e w as attacked in the Western Syd ney neighborhood of Westmead

S w a p n i l c l a i m e d h e i s a n international student and was on his way to work when the m o b a l l e g e d l y a t t a c k e d h i m with iron rods He was struck with a rod on the left side of his face

“Today, morning at 5 30 am when I was going to work some 4 - 5 K h a l i s t a n i s u p p o r t e r s

attacked me I work as a driver and my vehicle was parked just 50 metres from where I live As soon as I sat in my driving seat

t h e s e K h a l i s t a n i s u p p o r t e r s came out of nowhere,” Australia Today quoted Swapnil as saying He claimed that one of the

Indians gather in solidarity outside San Francisco Consulate after Khalistani attack

S A N F R A N C I S C O : I n di a n Am er i c an s h o l di n g t h e Tricolou r gath ered o utsi de th e I nd i an Co ns u l at e i n S a n Francisco to exp ress sup po rt for India and its dip lomats there fo ll owi ng a rec ent attem p ted arso n at th e diplomatic facility by p r o - K h a li s t an s u p p o r te rs Th ey raised slo gans like "V ande Mataram", "Bharat Mata ki Jai" and "Akhand Bh arat Z indabad"

They were carrying banners c a r r y i n g m e s s a g e s l i k e " W e stand with our diplomats" and " K h a l i s t a n i a t t a c k o n t h e

Consulate is an act of terrorism"

A g r o u p o f p r o - K h a l i s t a n supporters allegedly attempted to set fire to the Consulate on July 2 There was no major damage nor any injuries and police were carrying out an investigation into the incident

A video of the fire at the C o n s u l a t e w a s s u p p r e s s e d quickly by the San Francisco

F i r e D e p a r t m e n t C a l l i n g t h e attack nothing less than a "terror act" an official said that no major damages or staffers were

Kamala Harris makes history by casting 191 tie-breaking votes in Senate

W A S H I N G T O N : K am ala Harris, w ho m ad e history by becoming the first perso n of colo r to ho ld the office of v ice presid ent, h as no w m atc hed th e S enate record that h as sto od for 1 91 ye ars f o r th e m o s t ti ebreaking votes

H e r 3 1 s t s u c h v o t e , a d v a n c e d t h e n o m i n a t i o n o f Indian-origin Kalpana Kotagal t o t h e E q u a l E m p l o y m e n t Opportunity Commission The only other VP to cast so many was John C Calhoun, VP from 1825 to 1832 “It is a moment and I think that there’s still so much left that we have yet to do,” K a m a l a s a i d a f t e r w a r d “ M y mother gave me great advice, which is that I may be the first to do many things,” she added “I’m going to make sure I’m not the l a s t ” U n l i k e C a l h o u n , w h o spent eight years accumulating his total, Kamala reached 31 in 2 5 years It’s a reflection of her unique circumstances, with a narrowly divided Senate and a sharply partisan atmosphere

On June 21, Kamala cast a vote to break a 50-50 tie on Natasha Merle's nomination to the Eastern District of New York bench and a 48-48 tie on the c o n f i r m a t i o n o f A r a c e l i Martinez-Olguin to the North District of California bench In the first two years of Kamala's tenure as VP, the Senate was evenly split, making the nickname of “101st Senator” a reality

Within the first three weeks

Harris

of her employment in February

2 0 2 1 , K a m a l a c a s t h e r f i r s t tiebreakers A record-breaking 15 tiebreaker votes in her first year as vice president surpassed Mike Pence's total of 13 in his four years in office, according to the media

“It really says more about our time, and our political climate, than about anything else,” s a i d J o e l K G o l d s t e i n , a v i c e presidential historian “Our politics is so polarised that, even on the sort of matters that in the past would have flown through, it takes the VP to cast a tie breaking vote ”

harmed T h e L o c a l S a n F r a n c i s c o p o l i c e d e p a r tm e n t , s p e c i a l d i p l o m a t i c s e c u r i t y p e r s o n n e l , a n d state and federal authorit i e s w e r e n o t i f i e d a n d immediately began investigating the incident Following the incident, the US strongly condemned the reported vandalism and attempted arson by proKhalistan supporters

Meanwhile, the co-chairs of the India Caucus condemned s u c h e l e m e n t s , s a y i n g f r e e

attackers kicked open the car's left side door and struck him on the cheekbone beneath his left e y e w i t h a n i r o n r o d “ A f t e r which they opened the driverside door and dragged me out of the vehicle and started beating me with iron rods Two of them were doing video recording on their phones while 4-5 were hitt i n g m e f r o m a l l s i d e s , ” h e added

He alleged that the mob was r e p e a t e d l y r a i s i n g t h e s l o g a n “Khalistan Zindabad” He was l a t e r t a k e n t o W e s t m e a d Hospital with serious injuries to his head, leg, and arm

speech is not a license to prov o k e v i o l e n c e T h e r e m a r k s were made by the co-chairs of the Congressional Caucus on India, Ro Khanna, and Michael Waltz They also appealed to the US State Department to investigate the damage and take necessary action

Arunachal is in India, US senate passes resolution

S A N F RA NC IS C O: Less than a month after th e historic v isit of Prime Minister Narendra Mod i to the US, a C ongressional Senatorial Co mmittee h as passed a resolu tion recognising A runach al Pradesh as an integ ral part of Ind ia The resolution was introduced by senato rs Jeff Merkley, Bill Hag erty, Tim Kaine and Chris Van Hollen

The resolution reaffirms that the US recognises the McMahon Line as the international boundary between the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh It pushes back against Chinese claims that large portions of Arunachal Pradesh are PRC territory, which is a part of the PRC’s increasingly aggressive and expansionist policies, a media statement said The resolution will now go to the senate floor for a full vote

“America’s values supporting freedom and a rules-based order must be at the centre of all of our actions and relationships around the world - especially as the PRC government pushes an alternative vision,” said senator Merkley, who serves as the co-chair of the Congressional Executive Commission on China

“Committee passage of this resolution affirms that the US views the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh as part of the Republic of India - not the People’s Republic of China - and commits the US to deepen support and assistance to the region, alongside like-minded international partners,” he said

Hagerty said at a time when China continues to pose grave and gathering threats to the free and open Indo Pacific, it’s critical for the US to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with its strategic partners in the region- especially India and other Quad countries -and push back against the Chinese Communist Party’s broader strategy of territorial aggrandisement that it has pursued in the South and East China Seas, in the Himalayas, and in the southern Pacific

“The US must stand strong in our defense of democracy by supporting a free and open IndoPacific,” said senator Cornyn

Park sign defaced with anti-India grafitti in Canada

T OR ON T O: Si gnage at t he Sh ri Bha gav ad Gita Park in the cit y of Bra mp ton i n th e Grea ter Toronto Are a o r GTA was v andali se d , the late st in a seri es o f such de se cra tions ov er the y ear

The v andali sed sign wa s di scov ere d wi th gra ffi ti spr a y p a i nte d on i t a t t ac ki ng Ind i a ’ s P r i me

Minister Nare nd ra Modi City workers quickly removed the graffiti a n d r e s t o r e d t h e s i g n t o i t s o r i g i n a l s t a t e

However, this was just the latest episode in a series of similar episodes in Canada since last summer, targeting Hindu temples and even statues of Mahatma Gandhi

The City tweeted that it was “deeply disappointed to learn of the recent act of vandalism targeting a park sign, which is an attack on a f a i t h c o m m u n i t y ” I t s a i d t h e m a t t e r w a s r e f e r r e d t o t h e P e e l R e g i o n a l P o l i c e Unfortunately, several similar instances of vandalism in the area still remain unsolved and no one has been arrested

“At the City of Brampton, we stand united against such acts of intolerance and discrimination We proudly uphold our values of diversity, inclusivity, and respect for all and these acts of hate will not be tolerated,” the tweet added

Kamala

Countries must unitedly fight online crimes, says Shah at G20 meet

Home minist er A mit Shah ca l l e d fo r m ul t il a t e r a l coop e ra t io n t o sh a re r e altime infor mation on cybe r t hr e a t s a n d d ev e l o p c y b e r resil ience in a n increa singl y conne cte d wor ld, cal ling the t ra n s for m at i on of se cur i t y cha ll e n ge s fro m "d yn a mit e to metav erse" an d "hawala to cry p to cur re n cy " a s we l l as cyb ercrimes in vol ving virt ua l asset s, dark net, an d "t ool kit" mi si n fo r ma t i on c a mp a i gn s concerns the entire world S p e a k i n g a t t h e G 2 0 conference in Gurgaon on "Crime and Security in the a g e o f N F T s , A I , a n d Metaverse," Shah mentioned h o w m a n y n a t i o n s h a v e e x p e r i e n c e d c y b e r a t t a c k s , w i t h t h e W o r l d B a n k projecting losses of almost $5 2 trillion between 2019 and 2023 Stating that no

country or organisation can c o m b a t c y b e r t h r e a t s i n isolation, Shah, at the event attended by 900 delegates f r o m m e m b e r c o u n t r i e s , n i n e g u e s t n a t i o n s a n d organisations like Interpol etc, urged all nations to rise a b o v e g e o g r a p h i c a l b o u n d a r i e s a n d f i g h t “ b o r d e r l e s s ” o n l i n e c r i m e s l i k e c y b e r - t e r r o r , o n l i n e radicalisation, sale of critical

personal data and ‘toolkitb a s e d ’ m i s i n f o r m a t i o n c a m p a i g n s , a s a l s o t h e growing tendency to target critical information, digital p u b l i c i n f r a s t r u c t u r e a n d financial systems

T h e u n i o n h o m e minister called upon the G2 0 m e c h a n i s m t o b r i n g u n i f o r m i t y i n l a w s o f m e m b e r c o u n t r i e s t o counter digital crimes “An

i n t e g r a t e d a n d s t a b l e approach to cyber security p o l i c i e s w i l l f a c i l i t a t e i n t e r o p e r a b i l i t y , i n c r e a s e trust in information sharing a n d r e d u c e t h e a g e n c y p r o t o c o l s a n d r e s o u r c e s gaps, ” he said T h e h o m e m i n i s t e r sought greater coordination among cyber agencies of all countries in reporting and t a k i n g a c t i o n o n c y b e r i n c i d e n t s a s w e l l a s i n v e s t i g a t i n g c r o s s - b o r d e r cyber crimes through joint efforts to build a "peaceful, secure, deterrent, and open i n f o r m a t i o n a n d communication technology" a f t e r p i l o t i n g a s l e w o f c y b e r s p a c e i n i t i a t i v e s i n I n d i a t o p r e v e n t , d e t e c t , f i g h t , a n d i n v e s t i g a t e v a r i o u s t y p e s o f c y b e rthreats and attacks

European Parliament calls for end to Manipur violence

T he Europ ean Parliament adop ted at i ts p le nar y se s si o n i n F ra nc e's S t ras b ou r g a j o i nt m o t io n by s i x p olitical groups seeking decisiv e steps t o en d th e “ eth n i c and rel i g i o us v iolence” in the north eastern state

The motion, put to vote after a debate, also urges India to “protect all r e l i g i o u s m i n o r i t i e s , i n c l u d i n g t h e state's Christian community” and also " r e p e a l t h e u n l a w f u l A r m e d F o r c e s (Special Powers) Act in line with the recommendations of the UN Universal Periodic Review"

T h e j o i n t r e s o l u t i o n , w h i c h " d e n o u n c e s i n t h e s t r o n g e s t t e r m s n a t i o n a l i s t i c r h e t o r i c d e p l o y e d b y leading members of the BJP party , c o i n c i d e s w i t h P M N a r e n d r a M o d i landing in France on a two-day visit

The text adopted at the plenary session mentions how "violent clashes between the Meitei and Kuki ethnic communities in Manipur since May 3,

2023 have left at least 120 people dead a n d 5 0 , 0 0 0 d i s p l a c e d , a n d h a v e d e s t r o y e d o v e r 1 , 7 0 0 h o u s e s , 2 5 0 c h u r c h e s a n d s e v e r a l t e m p l e s a n d schools" T h e m o t i o n c l a i m s t h a t “ i n t o l e r a n c e t o w a r d s r e l i g i o u s a n d belief minorities, including Christians, contributed to the violence" It urges the authorities to allow independent investigations into the violence" and "unhindered access to humanitarian

415 mn Indians escape poverty in 15 years: Global poverty index

T h e m os t r e ce n t G l ob a l M ul t id i me n s io n a l Po v e r t y I n d e x ( M PI ) st a t e d t h a t 4 1 5 m il l io n individuals in India were ab le to e scape povert y in just 15 yea rs, from 2005 to 2021 India is one among t he 25 nat ions that has successfull y r educed its worl dwide MPI values in l ess than 15 ye ars

Some of the other countries t h a t h a v e a c h i e v e d t h i s i n c l u d e C h i n a , C a m b o d i a , C o n g o , H o n d u r a s , I n d o n e s i a , M o r o c c o , Serbia and Vietnam The analysis is based on trends from 2000 to 2022 a n d i n c l u d e s 8 1 n a t i o n s w i t h c o m p a r a b l e d a t a o v e r t i m e , according to a UNDP release T h e w o r l d w i d e M P I t r a c k s progress in reducing poverty as well as how people are affected by it in all facets of their everyday lives, including access to healthcare and e d u c a t i o n a s w e l l a s b a s i c necessities like housing, drinking w a t e r , s a n i t a t i o n , a n d p o w e r N o t a b l y , t h e n u m b e r o f p e o p l e living in poverty in India decreased from 645 million (55%), in 2005–2006, to 230 million (16%), in 2019–

2021 According to the report, people i n I n d i a w h o a r e m u l t i d i m e n s i o n a l l y p o o r a n d d e p r i v e d u n d e r t h e n u t r i t i o n i n d i c a t o r d e c l i n e d f r o m 4 4 % i n 2005-06 to 12% in 2019/21 and child mortality declined from 4% to 1 5% Those who are poor and deprived of cooking fuel declined from 53% t o 1 4 % a n d t h o s e d e p r i v e d o f sanitation declined from 50% to 11 3% In the drinking water, those deprived fell from 16% to 3%; lack of a c c e s s t o e l e c t r i c i t y c a m e d o w n from 29% to 2% and housing from 44% to 14% “ I n d i a s a w a r e m a r k a b l e r e d u c t i o n i n p o v e r t y L a r g e numbers of people were lifted out of poverty in China (2010-14, 69 million) and Indonesia (2012-17, 8 m i l l i o n ) , ” t h e U N D P s a i d i n a statement The report noted that d e p r i v a t i o n i n a l l i n d i c a t o r s declined in India, and the poorest s t a t e s a n d g r o u p s , i n c l u d i n g c h i l d r e n a n d p e o p l e i n disadvantaged caste groups, had the fastest absolute progress

a i d p r o v i d e r s , i n t e r n a t i o n a l o b s e r v e r s and journalists" F l a g g i n g " p o l i t i c a l l y motivated, divisive policies p r o m o t i n g H i n d u m a j o r i t a r i a n i s m " , a n i n c r e a s e i n m i l i t a n t activity and accounts of p a r t i s a n i n v o l v e m e n t b y s e c u r i t y f o r c e s i n t h e killings", the text alleges t h a t t h e s e h a v e i n c r e a s e d p u b l i c distrust of the administration Manip ur an internal matter

T h e u n r e s t i n M a n i p u r i s “ a b s o l u t e l y ” a n i n t e r n a l m a t t e r o f India, New Delhi has made it clear to European parliamentarians “We made a r e a c h - o u t t o t h e c o n c e r n e d E U parliamentarians But we made it very clear that this is a matter absolutely internal to India,” foreign secretary Vinay Kwatra said in New Delhi

BJP blames Bihar leader’s death on police lathicharge

A senio r BJP district o ffi cial in Bih ar allegedly s u f f er ed fa ta l in j u r ie s du r i ng a p o li c e l at h i c h a rge o n s af f ro n p ar ty - o rg an i z ed demo nstrators at P atna's Gandhi Maidan over th e Nitis h Ku mar admi nistrati on's teac her recru itment p olicy and other iss ues Vijay Kumar Singh, general secretary of BJP’s Jehanabad unit, was wheeled into Patna m e d i c a l c o l l e g e u n c o n s c i o u s , h o s p i t a l superintendent Dr Indus Shekhar Thakur said “He was put on a ventilator, but could n o t b e s a v e d W e a r e a w a i t i n g t h e p o s tmortem report to know the cause of his death No external injury mark was found on the body ”

B J P ’ s M a h a r a j g a n j M P J a n a r d a n S i n g h Sigriwal, who was a minister in the erstwhile NDA government in the state, was among 30odd people wounded in the police crackdown on protesters, sources said While BJP blamed the police lathicharge for Vijay Singh’s death, the district administration issued a rebuttal stating that the latter was “found unconscious by the roadside”

To stop the BJP's protest march, the Patna administration has placed barricades at the D a k B u n g a l o w c r o s s i n g l e a d i n g t o G a n d i M a i d a n T h e d e m o n s t r a t o r s a p p a r e n t l y attempted to scale the barricade to get to the crossing's focal point before the lathicharge began

I nd i a ’ s a m bi ti o u s initiative to reintroduce cheetahs into the w ild f ac ed ye t an o th er setback as cheetah S uraj was fo und dead in M P’s

K u no N ati o n al P a rk

The sub-ad ult male had injuries similar to tho se su stained by cheetah T ejas, w hich died in mysterious circu mstances three days ago

Suraj is the eighth cheetah to die in Kuno in less than four months The eight deaths include three of the first four cubs born in India in over 75 years The Kuno casualty rate stands at 25% To add to the worry, Suraj is the first cheetah to die in the wild, outside the enclosure

T h e s t r i n g o f d e a t h s h a s r a i s e d c o n c e r n s a b o u t c o n s e r v a t i o n e f f o r t s a n d w h a t ’ s h a p p e n i n g w i t h t h e cheetahs behind Kuno’s fences Experts, however, say the project is on track

“Success is not losing more than 50% of the translocated cats during the first year We are at 10 months and have lost 25% So, in perspective, this project is still ahead,” Susan Yannetti, former Cheetah Conservation Fund (CCF) adviser, said

When Suraj’s carcass was found with injuries in the neck a n d b a c k , K u n o o f f i c i a l s , s t i l l s t r u g g l i n g w i t h T e j a s ’ s unsolved death, were shocked The state’s chief wildlife warden, J S Chouhan, said that Suraj was first spotted “in idle position” around 6 30 am but “swiftly ran away when approached” Patrol teams set out to locate Suraj, only to find it dead a few hours later Officers are waiting for the autopsy report to ascertain the cause of death

Tejas had succumbed to “traumatic shock” Just how, is not known At five-and-a half years, its weight was much below average, and the autopsy detected “compromised internal organs ” The external wounds on its back were considered superficial

Experts involved with the project, however, say that the death of eight cheetahs cannot be called a setback As per the action plan, the project will be deemed a “failure” only if the introduced cheetahs do not survive or fail to reproduce within a five-year period

The Supr eme Cour t decl ar ed the gover nment' s tw in decisions to be "il legal" and r evoked the two one-year extensions handed t o Sanjay Kumar Mishra, the head of the Enforcement Directorate, but permit ted him t o remain in office unt il Jul y 31 in the public int er est t o enabl e a seamless t ransit ion inside the agency Mishra's extended term was to end in November and the apex court's order has cut it by almost four months A three-judge bench of Justices B R Gavai, Vikram Nath and Sanjay Karol held that the two extensions given to Mishra by the government - first in 2021 and then in 2022 - were not "valid in law" as they violated the apex court's September 2021 order directing the government not to extend his tenure further

The Central Vigilance Commission Act and Delhi Special Police Establishment Act amendments, which g a v e t h e g o v e r n m e n t t h e a u t h o r i t y t o e x t e n d t h e minimum tenure of CBI and ED directors beyond two years by up to three one-year extensions each, were affirmed by the Supreme Court

“The impugned orders dated November 17, 2021 and November 17, 2022 granting extensions to the tenure of Mishra for a period of one year each are held to be illegal However, Mishra is permitted to continue to hold office till July 31, 2023," it said

Taking into consideration that the review process by international watchdog FATF (Financial Action Task Force) is underway, one of the reasons cited by the government to justify extensions to the ED chief, and also that appointment of his successor would take some time, the court permitted Mishra to function until July 31 The apex court s order came on petitions, including f r o m C o n g r e s s g e n e r a l s e c r e t a r

a n d T r i n a m o o l M P M a h u a M o i t r a , challenging Mishra s continuation

Extensions given to ED chief 'illegal', declares SC

Despite 8 deaths, India upbeat on cheetah project

Amit Shah

HDFC's profits soar amid India economic boom

T h e M um bai -bas ed HDF C 's net p rofit recorded a 3 0 per cent rise for the quarter that ended on June 3 0, comp ared to th e same p eriod last year, as bad loans remained u nd er control and its net interest income climbed The results cam e d ays after HDF C Bank co mbined w ith h ousing finance giant HDFC L imited to create a financial serv ices beh emo th w ith a market cap o f abo ut $150 billion

A n a l y s t s s a i d t h e c o m b i n e d group was likely to be a major winner as India sustains its expansion

The IMF has predicted that Indian economy will grow 5 9 per cent this year, outshining China and the US Well-run private-sector Indian banks are outperformi n g a s t h e y t a k e a d v a n t a g e o f strong economic growth and higher interest rates HDFC is now in the top 10 lenders by size globally

According to Goldman Sachs, by 2075, India will surpass not just Japan and Germany but also the

United States to become the second-largest economy in the world

C u r r e n t l y , I n d i a i s t h e w o r l d ’ s f i f t h - l a r g e s t e c o n o m y , b e h i n d Germany, Japan, China and the US

In addition to a growing popu-

l a t i o n , I n d i a s a d v a n c e m e n t s i n

i n n o v a t i o n a n d t e c h n o l o g y , increased capital investment, and improved worker productivity are what are fueling the prediction, according to a recent analysis by the investment bank “Over the next two decades, the dependency ratio of India will be one of the l o w e s t a m o n g r e g i o n a l economies,” said Goldman Sachs

R e s e a r c h ’ s I n d i a e c o n o m i s t ,

Santanu Sengupta

I n d i a i s a l r e a d y t h e f a s t e s tgrowing economy in the world, having clocked 5 5% average gross domestic product growth over the p a s t d e c a d e N o w , t h r e e m e g atrends - global offshoring, digitalization and energy transition - are setting the scene for unprecedent-

ed economic growth in the country of more than 1 billion people

“We believe India is set to surp a s s J a p a n a n d G e r m a n y t o become the world’s third-largest economy by 2027 and will have the third-largest stock market by the end of this decade,” says Ridham

D e s a i , M o r g a n S t a n l e y ’ s C h i e f

“

E q u i t y S t r a t e g i s t f o r I n d i a

C o n s e q u e n t l y , I n d i a i s g a i n i n g power in the world order, and in o u r o p i n i o n t h e s e i d i o s y n c r a t i c changes imply a once-in-a-generation shift and an opportunity for investors and companies ”

A l l t o l d , I n d i a ’ s G D P c o u l d more than double from $3 5 trillion today to surpass $7 5 trillion by 2031 Its share of global exports could also double over that period, while the Bombay Stock Exchange could deliver 11% annual growth, reaching a market capitalization of $10 trillion in the coming decade

I n a n e w M o r g a n S t a n l e y R e s e a r c h B l u e p a p e r , a n a l y s t s

Floods cause £1.5 billion economic loss to North India

H ea v y rai n s c au s ed v as t a reas o f De lh i and no rth India to become subm erged T ourists and locals were left strand ed by th e bad weathe r, w h i c h a ls o d es tro y ed h omes, roads, and a stagg ering amou nt of public and p riv ate property Early estim ate s i n d i ca te th at th e w eat h er t h i s m on th h a s caused a loss of at least £1 to 1 5 billion

“While the current status of economic loss due to these floods is yet to be estimated, we believe this in the range of £1 to 1 5 billion," an ecowrap issued by S B I R e s e a r c h s a i d T h e recent floods had severely affected Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Jammu a n d K a s h m i r , a n d D e l h i India has also incurred massive financial losses as the B i p a r j o y c y c l o n e s w e p t t h r o u g h t G u j a r a t e a r l i e r this year “ I n H i m a c h a l P r a d e s h roads, transformers, electric sub-stations and water supply schemes have suffered extensive damage As per an i n i t i a l e s t i m a t e , t h e l o s s could be in the range of £300 to 400 million," the

ecowrap added S u k h v i n d e r S i n g h Sukhu, the chief minister of H i m a c h a l P r a d e s h , r a i s e d an alarm about the potential losses from floods in the state of around £500 million A total of Rs 1,45,000 i n c o m p e n s a t i o n h a s already been given to peop l e w h o s e h o m e s w e r e t o t a l l y d e s t r o y e d , a n d R s 1 0 0 , 0 0 0 t o o t h e r s w h o s e h o m e s w e r e p a r t i a l l y destroyed

India has been ranked t h i r d , a f t e r t h e U S a n d C h i n a , i n r e c o r d i n g t h e highest number of natural d i s a s t e r s s i n c e 1 9 0 0

According to data compiled within the SBI report, the country has seen 764 natural disasters since 1900 -

mostly floods and storms

S i n c e 2 0 0 1 , a s m a n y a s 1,000 million people have been impacted, and almost 8 5 , 0 0 0 p e o p l e l o s t t h e i r lives

D eath toll reaches 108

A c c o r d i n g t o g o v e r nment estimates, 108 people h a v e d i e d i n H i m a c h a l Pradesh as a result of the v i o l e n t r a i n s T h e S t a t e

D i s a s t e r R e s p o n s e F u n d (SRDF) received an advance s e c o n d t r a n c h e w o r t h £18 04 million from Union Home Minister Amit Shah T h e g o v e r n m e n t h a s d e p l o y e d 1 1 u n i t s o f t h e National Disaster Response Force and many columns of the Army to ensure safety and evacuate people from dangerous areas

Tesla starts talks to set up factory in India

Elon Musk's Tesla has begun talks with the Indian government abou t a prop osed i nvestm ent to build a car p lant th ere w ith an annual p rod uction capacity of up to 5 0 0 , 0 0 0 e lec tr i c v eh i c le s, w ith p ricing starting at "as low as" Rs 20 ,00 ,00

A c c o r d i n g t o g o v e r nment sources, the corporation, which has a substantial presence in China and operates facilities there, is also considering using India as an export hub in order to sell cars to nations in the Indo-Pacific area “Tesla has come to us with an ambitious plan, and we are confi-

dent that the movement will be positive this time around, especially as it involves both local manufacturing as well as exports,” a source said T h e c o m m e r c e a n d industry ministry is leading the talks on the issue and the government is hoping to put together a “good deal” while maintaining a levelp l a y i n g f i e l d T h e turnaround in Tesla’s plans c o m e s w i t h i n w e e k s o f M u s k ’ s m e e t i n g w i t h P M M o d i d u r i n g t h e l a t t e r ’ s high profile visit to the US last month

Musk had then said that he was a “fan of Mr Modi”

and added that the PM had been pushing him to invest in India “He [Mr Modi] really cares about India because he’s pushing us to make sign i f i c a n t i n v e s t m e n t s i n India, which is something we intend to do We are just trying to figure out the right timing I am confident that Tesla will be in India and will do so as soon as humanly possible,” Elon Musk had said on June 21 Tesla had reopened the dialogue channels with the government in May when a team from the company visited India a month ahead of Modi’s visit

working across sectors look at how this new era of economic development could bring about staggering changes: boosting India’s share of global manufacturing, expanding c r e d i t a v a i l a b i l i t y , c r e a t i n g n e w businesses, improving quality of life and spurring a boom in consumer spending

“In a world that is currently starved of growth, the opportunity set in India must be on global i n v e s t o r s ’ r a d a r , ” s a y s C h e t a n

Ahya, Morgan Stanley’s Chief Asia Economist “India will be one of only three economies in the world that can generate more than $400 billion annual economic output growth from 2023 onward, and this will rise to more than $500 billion after 2028 ” India is also poised to become the factory to the world, as corporate tax cuts, investment incentives and infrastructure spending help drive capital investments in m

i n g “ M u l t i n a t i o n a l s

a r e n o w b u o y a n t a b o u t t h e prospects of investing in India, and the government is helping their cause by investing in infrastructure as well as supplying land for buildi n g f a c t o r i e s , ” s a y s U p a s a n a Chachra, Chief India Economist Anuj Chande OBE, Head of South Asia Business Group, Grant Thornton UK LLP, said: “India is now the fifth largest economy in t h e w o r l d a n d i s p r e d i c t e d t o become the third largest by 2030 It therefore presents a huge opportunity for growth for businesses in the UK As the country is only set to continue to grow, it is an excellent time for both those with an existing presence, and those looking to India for the first time, to be exploring potential opportunities in this market India offers a stable a n d c e r t a i n e c o n o m i c e n v i r o nment for investors and businesses, with, not only a fast-growing economy, but also a large working age and consumer population ”

Rahul Gandhi moves SC, seeks stay on defamation ruling

C ong ress leader and former MP Rah ul Gandhi app ealed to the Sup reme Court v ia electronic filing , d isputing a Gujarat Hig h Court decision refusing to postpone a S urat trial court's jud gm ent sentencing him to tw o years in prison in the Mod i surnam e defam ation case

The petition, yet to be n u m b e r e d b y t h e S C Registry, is likely to be mentioned for urgent hearing before a bench led by CJI D Y Chandrachud in the next few days Rahul needs the SC to act quickly because, in the absence of a stay of proc e e d i n g s , h e w i l l h a v e t o apply for new bail while his appeal against the conviction is pending and risk losi n g h i s r i g h t t o r u n t o become a member of parliament for eight years as of

Gandhi

the date of the Surat court s order

I n h i s p e t i t i o n , R a h u l s a i d , “ I f t h e r e l i e f i s n o t granted to the petitioner, then he will lose eight years of his career ” Under Section 8(3) of the Representation of t h e P e o p l e A c t , a p e r s o n convicted and sentenced to two years for any offence would remain disqualified to contest elections for the jail term and six years after serving the sentence

H e c l a i m e d t h a t t h e

o f f e n s e t h a t h a d b e e n brought against him at t h e r e q u e s t o f o n e P u r n e s h M o d i , w h o s e attorney P S Sudheer had submitted a caveat to the S C t o p r e v e n t R a h u l f r o m o b t a i n i n g a n e xparte stay on the HC ruling, was neither serious in nature nor fit the definition of "moral turpitude" to justify such a harsh punishment

Q u e s t i o n i n g t h e l o c u s standi of the complainant to f i l e a d e f a m a t i o n c a s e a g a i n s t h i m , R a h u l s a i d when the allegedly offendi n g o r d e f a m a t o r y w o r d s were spoken during a political speech, it must be understood to have been directed at a political opponent and n o t a g a i n s t a n y c l a s s o r community

Surat building beats Pentagon to become world’s largest office

Th e bigg est office build ing in the w orld h as been established in Surat, Gu jarat For more than 80 years, the P entagon, which s erv es as th e seat of th e U S D ep artm en t o f D efe nse , h eld the title of larg est office complex in the world How ev er, it is ov ertaken by a structu re in Surat that will serv e as a center for diamo nd trading to take th e title of la rg es t o ff ic e b ui ld i ng in th e wo rld

Surat Diamond Bourse, the newly constructed building, is a 15-storey b u i l d i n g , a c c o

across 35 acres, the building has nine rectangular structures and 7 1 million square feet of floor space

Prime minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to open the Surat Diamond Bourse The structure can serve a commercial center's auxiliary but traditional demands, such as multipurpose banquet halls In addition to the projected allied facilities for custom offices, banking facilities, auction houses, and safe deposit vaults, there will be confere

security measures will be used to protect every business and area while still ensuring traveler connectivity For ease of travellers and vehicle parking,

planned for organised vehicle parking With distinct entry and exit locations and a oneway traffic circulation on the peripheral internal road, the traffic arrangement limits possible points of vehicular conflict and decreases traffic congestion The traffic layout gives provision for cars, taxis, autos, service vehicles/goods, vehicles, custom vehicles and two-wheelers, along with specific entry/exit for dedicated service vehicles

Rahul

BJP hints at alliance talks with JD(S) ahead of 2024 LS polls

H U BBA L L I ( KA RNA T A K A ) : Senior BJP lead er Basavaraj

B om m ai h i nt ed a t t alk s regarding the JD(S) joining th e Na ti o na l D em o c ra ti c A l li an ce ( ND A ) , a h ea d o f 20 2 4 L ok Sa bh a elec tio ns

The former Ch ief M inister said the re su l ts o f th e d i s cu s s io n w i ll d e ter m i ne th e fu t ur e p o li ti c al developments

" T h a t i s f o r t h e d i s c u s s i o n between our leadership and JD(S)

P r e s i d e n t H D D e v e G o w d a , " B o m m a i s a i d i n r e s p o n s e t o a question on the possibility of JD(S) joining NDA Speaking to reporters, h e s a i d J D ( S ) l e a d e r H D Kumaraswamy has expressed certain f e e l i n g s a n d t h e d i s c u s s i o n s w i l l continue in that direction

" T h e f u t u r e p o l i t i c a l developments will be based on the r e s u l t o f t h o s e d i s c u s s i o n s , " h e added

R e c e n t l y , t h e r e h a v e b e e n enough indications from leaders of BJP and JD(S) about both parties coming to an understanding ahead of the Lok Sabha polls BJP veteran BS Yediyurappa had said his party

and the JD(S) would f i g h t t h e C o n g r e s s g o v e r n m e n t i n t h e state together Kumaraswamy on h i s p a r t h a d s a i d a d e c i s i o n o n a n electoral understanding for the Lok Sabha polls will be taken when the situation arises The BJP swept the 2019 Lok Sabha polls in Karnataka by winning 25 of the total 28 seats in the state, while an independent backed by it won in one seat The Congress and JD(S) secured one seat each Responding to a question on the a p p o i n t m e n t o f L e a d e r o f O p p o s i t i o n i n t h e K a r n a t a k a assembly, Bommai said, "Yes, the a p p o i n t m e n t h a s n o t h a p p e n e d most probably it may happen after July 18 " E v e n t w o w e e k s a f t e r t h e legislature session began, the BJP, which is the principal opposition party in the state, is yet to appoint t h e L e a d e r o f O p p o s i t i o n i n t h e A s s e m b l y T h e p a r t y i s f a c i n g criticism from various sections for t h e d e l a y , i n c l u d i n g t h e r u l i n g Congress in the state

case

C H E NN A I : Th e enfo rcem ent d irecto rate ( ED ) arres ted

T amil Nadu hig her edu cation m inister K Po nm ud y on

M onday in an 1 1-year-old case in w hich he and his associates are being inv estig ated in relation to alleged laundering of m ore th an £4 m illion from a sand m ining scam when h e was a minister in the DMK cabinet between 20 06 and 2011

Ponmudy became the second minister from the DMKled government to be taken into custody, following the arrest of electricity and excise minister V Senthil Balaji in a cash-for-jobs scam

The ED conducted searches at nine places connected to Ponmudy and his son P Ashok Sigamani, who is an MP During the 14-hour operation, the agency seized large amounts of cash, including substantial amounts of foreign currency, and froze fixed deposits in entities connected to the minister, official sources said

R e s p o n d i n g t o t h e c o n s e c u t i v e s e a r c h e s o n s t a t e ministers by ED, chief minister MK Stalin dismissed them as mere drama aimed at diverting public attention He urged the media to be mindful and questioned the fairness and motives behind such actions

Earlier, Balaji, arrested by the ED in a cash-for-jobs case, was shifted to the Puzhal Central Prison from a private h o s p i t a l , o f f i c i a l s o u r c e s s a i d T h e m i n i s t e r h a s b e e n accorded 'A' class facilities in prison The minister was arrested on June 14 by the ED and his remand was extended till July 26 by a court here Following his arrest, Balaji was hospitalised He later underwent a coronary bypass surgery recently at a private hospital

Punjab governor questions legality of special Assembly session in June

C H A N D I G A R H : P un j a b G o ve rn o r

B anwarilal Purohit has said that the Spec ial Punjab Vidhan Sabha session, c alled by the Aam Aadmi Party government on June 192 0, was i n breach of law and procedure

This cas ts aspersions on the legali ty of the four bi lls passed by the As sembly then

The Governor, in a letter to Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, has said that he had received legal advice, which has made him believe that the session was “in breach of law and procedure” He was replying to a letter sent by the latter to him, wherein CM Mann had accused Governor Purohit f o r d e l a y i n g t h e a s s e n t t o t h e S i k h

G u r u d w a r a ( A m e n d m e n t ) B i l l , 2 0 2 3 , saying it was passed in order to do away with the monopoly on the telecast of Gurbani from Darbar Sahib by a news channel owned by a political family This B i l l , a l o n g w i t h t h e P u n j a b P o l i c e Amendment Bill, was sent to the Governor

in brief CASE AGAINST DHANUSH, AISHWARYA DISMISSED

The Madras high court last week quashed the criminal proceedings against popular film star Dhanush and Aishwarya Rajinikanth that was pending before a magistrate court for allegedly showing banners of the Tamil film 'Velaiyilla Pattadhari' carrying a picture of Dhanush prominently smoking a cigarette Originally on a private complaint filed by one S Cyril Alexander the proceedings were initiated against Dhanush and Aishwarya In his order, the judge said in the instant case the only allegation that has been made in the complaint is that the advertisement banners of the movie were found to carry the picture of the lead actor prominently smoking a cigarette This act, per se, cannot be brought within the purview of Section 5 of the Cigarettes and other Tobacco products since the display was not done by persons engaged in the production, supply or distribution of cigarettes or any other tobacco products, the judge said

FORMER KERALA CM OOMMEN CHANDY PASSES AWAY

for his approval on June 26, 2023

Though it is not mentioned in the letter today, it is clearly implied that the other three bills - Punjab Police Amendment Bill, 2023 (regarding appointment of state DGP), Punjab Affiliated Colleges (Protection of Services) Amendment Bill, 2023 and the Punjab University Laws Amendment Bill, 2023 (which seeks to remove the Governor as chancellor of state universities) - will also not get his nod anytime soon

It may be mentioned that after the two day session had concluded last month, the Punjab Governor had clearly said that he w o u l d f i r s t e x a m i n e t h e c o n s t i t u t i o n a l legality of the session He had then said that he wanted to see if the special session was an extension of the Budget session, because the Vidhan Sabha was not prorogued “If it was an extension then we need to examine if Bills could be passed, or the proceedings had to be restricted only to the budget

related business,” he had then said

In his letter, the Governor has said, “ I do wish to point out that ,I, as Governor, am enjoined by the Constitution of India to ensure Bills are passed in accordance with L a w I n o r d e r t o d i s c h a r g e m y d u t i e s conscientiously, I have proceeded to receive legal advice In the background of the legal advice received, I am actively considering whether to obtain the legal opinion from the Attorney General of India, or as per the Constitution, to reserve these Bills for the consideration and consent of the President o f I n d i a A s C h i e f M i n i s t e r , y o u w i l l appreciate that the people of Punjab are equally concerned with ensuring that laws which ultimately affect them are passed after following due procedure You may rest assured that I shall take action according to law after the legality of the Vidhan Sabha s e s s i o n h e l d o n J u n e 1 9 - 2 0 i s f i r s t examined,” he has said

Big win for Trinamool in Bengal rural polls

K O L K A T A: Be nga l’ s vio l enc e- m ar re d r ur al v o t e ga ve T r ina m o o l C o n gr es s a m as s iv e, m o ral e- bo o s ting ma ndate , going into next y e ar ’ s b ig Lo k Sab h a b a tt l e - al l 2 0 z i l l a p aris hads, 317 of th e 341 panch ayat s amitis, and 2 ,644 o f th e 3,317 gram p anch ayats at stake S e c o n d - p l a c e d B J P ’ s t a l l y o f s i x panchayat samitis and 220 gram panchayats accentuated TMC’s dominance in the threetier elections, which appeared a foregone conclusion as results and trends emerged on the first day of counting The once-mighty Left finished with a piffling two panchayat s a m i t i s a n d 3 8 g r a m p a n c h a y a t s , w h i l e Congress drew a blank in the second tier of the rural structure and won four in the third BJP lost ground to TMC in the bastions of Union ministers Nisith Pramanik, John Barla and Shantanu Thakur It got a slim lead in Nandigram, home to state oppn leader Suvendu Adhikari

“It’s TMC all the way in rural Bengal I want to thank the people for their love, affection and support towards TMC This election has proved that only TMC resides in the heart of the people of the state”, CM

Mamata Banerjee wrote on Facebook BJP put up a semblance of a fight in C o o c h b e h a r a n d A l i p u r d u a r , b e s i d e s p o c k e t s o f s o m e d i s t r i c t s l i k e E a s t M i d n a p o r e ' s N a n d i g r a m , l e a d e r o f t h e

opposition Suvendu Adhikari’s home turf But the saffron party's vote share shrank e v e n i n t h e s e p l a c e s , s t r e t c h i n g f r o m

D i n h a t a i n n o r t h B e n g a l t o t h e Matuadominated areas of Thakurnagar in s o u t h B e n g a l t h a t w e r e c o n s i d e r e d i t s strongholds until two years ago T r i n a m o o l m a d e i n r o a d s i n t o t h e S c h e d u l e d C a s t e a n d S c h e d u l e d T r i b e

pocket boroughs of BJP that had given the party eight of its 18 Lok Sabha seats in the

2019 elections The repolling which was ordered was again marred by violence in several booths Around 40 people have died due to poll-related violence Repolling was h e l d i n 6 9 6 b o o t h s a m i d a l l e g a t i o n s o f e l e c t o r a l f r a u d , b o o t h c a p t u r i n g , a n d multiple reports of electoral irregularities and voter suppression during the polling

Po ll wins will be subject to court orders

The Calcutta high court directed West Bengal State Election Commission (SEC) to inform all elected candidates that their poll wins would be subject to the orders passed o n p e t i t i o n s c h a l l e n g i n g t h e e l e c t i o n process The HC also held that all steps taken by the SEC so far - from the conduct of t h e p a n c h a y a t p o l l s o n J u l y 8 t o t h e

declaration of results - would be subject to court orders

The bench directed the SEC to file its response by July 24, and fixed the matter for hearing on July 26 “The court is surprised to note that the state is not able to control v i o l e n c e e v e n a f t e r t h e d e c l a r a t i o n o f results,” a division bench of Chief Justice TS S i v a g n a n a m a n d J u s t i c e H i r a n m a y

Congress veteran and former Kerala chief minister Oommen Chandy passed away on Tuesday He was 79 Chandy who served as chief minister of Kerala twice died in Bengaluru in the early hours of Tuesday his family announced Chandy who had not been keeping well for quite some time, had been staying in Bengaluru for treatment at a health facility Extremely sad to bid farewell to our most beloved leader and former CM Shri Oommen Chandy One of the most popular and dynamic leaders of Kerala, Chandy sir was loved across generations and sections of the population The Congress family will miss his leadership and energy ” the Congress in Kerala tweeted Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan also expressed deep grief over the death of Chandy "We were elected to the Legislative Assembly in the same year It was at the same stage that we came to the political fore through student life," said Vijayan

MANN URGES SHAH TO MAKE DRONE REGISTRATION COMPULSORY

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Monday urged Union Home Minister Amit Shah to make registration of drones compulsory, saying unmanned aerial vehicles were being used for cross-border smuggling of weapons and heroin Taking part in a virtual meeting on Drug Trafficking and National Security’ chaired by Shah Mann also suggested that anti-drone technology or jammers be installed along the international border with Pakistan to check the smuggling in of drugs and weapons A state-ofthe-art regional drone forensic lab may be set up in Punjab, preferably in Amritsar, in order to trace the origin destination and route maps of drones he added The chief minister apprised the Union minister of his government's action against drugs and smugglers and said Punjab is the first state to constitute a special task force to effectively implement laws against drug trafficking apprehend traffickers and disrupt the supply chain

BODY OF BJP WORKER FOUND HANGING

The body of an elderly BJP worker was found hanging inside his house in West Bengal’s Malda district on Sunday morning triggering protests among a section of villagers who accused local Trinamool Congress leaders of abetment Police said the body of 62-year-old Buran Murmu was found hanging inside his room at Bamangola, adding that he lived in the same house with his son and daughter-in-law Murmu s daughter-in-law had contested the recent panchayat elections on a TMC ticket but lost to the BJP following which Buran was assaulted by his son and other Trinamool supporters the protesters alleged Police said Murmu’s son Biplab will be interrogated

After Senthil, ED raids 2nd TN minister, arrests him in mining

Basavaraj Bommai

India's Chandrayaan-3 begins its journey to Moon

India's Chandrayaan 3 p roject w as d esig ned to land a spacecraft o n the m oon's surface, a feat th at has o nly been accom plish ed by C hina, the United States, and Russia A m o nth a ft er l au nc h , t h e C h and ray aa n- 3 s p a ce cr af t w i l l e nt er l un ar o r bi t T h e la nd e r, V ikram , and the rov er, Prag yaan, are expected to land on th e moo n o n Au gust 23

F r o m S r i h a r i k o t a ' s S a t i s h D h a w a n S p a c e C e n t r e , Chandrayaan-3 was sent into orbit by the LVM3 rocket The lander and rover combination will travel into orbit and be propelled to a 1 0 0 - k i l o m e t e r l u n a r o r b i t o n c e there The lander will then separate from the propulsion module and attempt a soft landing on the lunar surface

The propulsion module also carries the Spectro-polarimetry of Habitable Planet Earth (SHAPE) payload, which will analyse the light from Earth to study its spectral and polarimetric properties

C h a n d r a y a a n - 3 w i l l p e r f o r m s c i e n t i f i c e x p e r i m e n t s t o l e a r n more about the moon's environment, including its history, geology, and potential for resources, in addition to its primary objective of landing a spacecraft there

Chandrayaan-3 is carrying six payloads to study the lunar soil and

capture photographs of Earth from lunar orbit During its 14-day mission (one Lunar day) upon landing, C h a n d r a y a a n - 3 w i l l c o n d u c t a series of groundbreaking experiments using its payloads RAMBHA and ILSA These experiments will study the moon's atmosphere and d i g i n t o t h e s u r f a c e t o b e t t e r understand its mineral composition

T h e m o o n r o v e r P r a g y a a n , which will deploy its instruments to measure seismic activity there, will be photographed by the lander Vikram Pragyaan will use its laser beams to melt a piece of the lunar surface, called regolith, and analyse the gases emitted in the process India will gain access to a lot of information on the lunar surface as w e l l a s i t s p o t e n t i a l f o r f u t u r e h u m a n h a b i t a t i o n t h r o u g h t h i s mission

Chandrayaan-3 a new chapter in India’s space odyssey: Modi Tweeting from France after the

UPA, NDA gear up for 2024

Lok Sabha election showdown

A s the 20 24 L ok Sabha election inches closer, the ruling NDA and Oppo sition UP A coalitions prepare fo r the fierce battle ahead The U P A h el d st rat eg y m eet in g s i n Bang alore w hile the NDA meeting w as held in Delhi on the sam e d ay to show case its strength

UPA has expanded, with eight more parties joining the second unity meeting in Bengaluru The Opposition is enthused after its successful first meeting in Patna last month in which 16 parties participated The Bangalore meeting is meant to take it forward The NDA, too, is seeking more allies and retaining the present flock

C o n g r e s s p r e s i d e n t

Mallikarjun Kharge had invited 24 a l l i e s , i n c l u d i n g e i g h t n e w e n t r a n t s T h e V i d u t h a l a i C h i r u t h a i g a l K a t c h i , t h e Revolutionary Socialist Party, the Forward Bloc, the Indian Union M u s l i m L e a g u e , t h e K e r a l a Congress-Joseph and the Kerala C o n g r e s s - M a n i w e r e i n v i t e d t o join the second Opposition meeting MDMK and KDMK were BJP allies earlier

T h e C o n g r e s s P a r l i a m e n t a r y Party’s leader Sonia Gandhi also attended the meeting Though she has taken a back seat, for the first t i m e , s h e w i l l p a r t i c i p a t e i n B e n g a l u r u m e e t i n g T h e m a i n objective of the UPA is to promote positive partnerships At Patna, the UPA held firm to an unwavering mindset of ‘hum saath saath hai’ This motto encapsulates the UPA’s unwavering confidence in working as a team The Patna meeting has kept out irritants among the players, which itself is considered wellbegun A lot had happened politically since the Opposition’s first and second meetings There was a setb a c k a f t e r t h e N a t i o n a l i s t Congress Party split this month E i g h t N C P r e b e l s , i n c l u d i n g

Sharad Pawar’s close lieutenants Praful Patel and Chagan Bhujjwel, h a v e d i t c h e d t h e s e n i o r P a w a r

Sharad Pawar’s nephew Ajit Pawar is now the new Deputy chief minister of the Shinde cabinet S e c o n d l y , i n W e s t B e n g a l , T r i n a m o o l C o n g r e s s l e d b y

Mamata Banerjee won a massive victory in the recent Panchayat elections

Why do the national parties seek alliance? The BJP governs ten states independently and five othe r s i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h o t h e r s , while the Congress governs four s t a t e s i n d e p e n d e n t l y , a n d t h r e e others with allies

In about 180 Lok Sabha seats, t h e p r i m a r y c h a l l e n g e r s t o t h e national parties are regional part i e s T h e C o n g r e s s v e r s u s B J P would play out in over 230 seats

Bharat Rashtra Samiti, Biju Janata

D a l , A n d h r a P r a d e s h ’ s Y S R C P , Bahujan Samaj Party, and other s m a l l e r p a r t i e s w i t h p o c k e t s o f influence are neutral

T h e O p p o s i t i o n i s a l r e a d y b r o a d l y u n i t e d i n S t a t e s l i k e Maharashtra, Bihar, Tamil Nadu, J h a r k h a n d , a n d J a m m u a n d

Kashmir The contradictions are in West Bengal as the TMC directly competes with the BJP The AAP is a rival to the BJP in Delhi and Punjab In Kerala, it is Congress versus the Left

T h e m a i n i s s u e i s w h e t h e r

Congress accepts allies as its equal and vice versa Congress and the allies perceive each other as not having equal status They must come to a mutual understanding

For instance, following the Patna m e e t i n g , A A P a n n o u n c e d t h a t attending future meetings would depend on whether Congress publicly denounced the recent ordinance hurting the Delhi government

In the 2024 elections, the BJP is eying for a hat-trick for Modi A new and expanded NDA met in Delhi to discuss their plans The BJP aims to secure 50% of the vote share by collaborating with new and old NDA members

successful liftoff of Isro’s ‘Bahubali’ rocket LVM-3 carrying the spacecraft, Modi said, “It soars high, elevating the dreams and ambitions of e v e r y I n d i a n T h i s m o m e n t o u s achievement is a testament to our scientists’ relentless dedication I salute their spirit and ingenuity!”

People behind Chandrayaan-3 mission

The mission has been a culmination of years of research and development by hundreds of scientists working around the clock

T h e a m b i t i o u s t r i p t o t h e moon was conceptualised by Isro chief S Somnath He has also been credited with expediting a number of other missions, including the crewed Gaganyaan expedition and the solar mission Aditya-L1

M S a n k a r a n w a s a p p o i n t e d director of the U R Rao Satellite Centre in June 2021, which serves as India's primary facility for the design, production, and construct i o n o f a l l I s r o s a t e l l i t e s A

Rajarajan is a distinguished scientist and currently the director of S a t i s h D h a w a n S p a c e C e n t r e SHAR (SDSC SHAR), Sriharikota, principal SpacePort of India

P Veeramuthuvel took charge as Chandrayaan-3 project director in 2019 Before his current assignment, he served as a deputy direct o r i n t h e S p a c e I n f r a s t r u c t u r e P r o g r a m m e O f f i c e a t t h e I s r o headquarters The mission director for LVM3-M4/Chandrayaan 3 is S Mohana Kumar, a senior scientist from the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre He earlier served as the director for the successful commercial launch of the One Web I n d i a 2 s a t e l l i t e s o n b o a r d t h e LVM3-M3 mission

A total of 54 female engineers and scientists have personally contributed to the mission They serve as "assistant and deputy project directors and project managers of various systems," according to an Isro official

T h e B J P h a s shrunk because it lost four of its oldest allies since 2014 - The Janata

D a l ( U n i t e d ) , A k a l i

D a l , S h i v S e n a , a n d

J D ( U ) I n a g a m e o f s n a k e s a n d l a d d e r s ,

T e l u g u D e s a m a n d

A k a l i D a l w a n t t o come back Shiv Sena has split, and one faction will join the NDA

T h e B J P n e e d s t o b e m o r e attentive to its allies, as they feel they need to be consulted It must n u r s e i t s a l l i e s i n M a h a r a s h t r a , Haryana, Bihar, the northeastern and southern states It must also keep channels open with neutral parties like Biju Janata Dal and YSRCP The purpose of the July 18 meeting is to signal NDA is strong The BJP also wants to reduce the m e d i a s p o t l i g h t o n U P A ’ s B a n g a l o r e m e e t i n g B o t h c o a l it i o n s p l a n t o m a k e f u l l u s e o f optics

W i th ou t a n y o p po s i ti o n, th e Bharatiya J anata Party 's three nomin e e s f or th e G uj a ra t -b a se d Ra j y a Sabha se ats hav e all be en declared elected For the thre e se ats, the oppositi on partie s did not file any ca ndida te s D u e to th e B J P s 1 56 - se a t adva ntage in the 182-me mbe r Guja ra t legisla ti ve assem bly, it wa s a gi ven that i t would win all thre e se ats

In a press release from the assistant election officer and deputy secretary of the Gujarat Vidhan Sabha, it was announced that S Jaishankar, t h e m i n i s t e r o f e x t e r n a l a f f a i r s ,

K e s r i d e v s i n h Z a l a , a n d B a b u b h a i

D e s a i h a d b e e n e l e c t e d w i t h o u t opposition to the upper chamber of parliament from Gujarat All three had filed their nominations earlier t h i s m o n t h F l a n k e d b y C M Bhupendra Patel, state BJP president C R P a a t i l a n d o t h e r l e a d e r s , S Jaishankar had submitted his nomination papers to returning officer Rita Mehta at the Vidhan Sabha complex on July 10 J a i s h a n k a r t h a n k e d P r i m e Minister Narendra Modi, the BJP

leadership, the MLAs, and the people of Gujarat for providing him another opportunity to represent the state in the upper chamber of Parliament in a statement to the media following the filing of his papers

Subsequently, on May 12, the B J P a n n o u n c e d t h e n a m e s o f K e s r i d e v s i n h Z a l a a n d B a b u b h a i Desai as its remaining two candidates Zala is the son of the late Congress leader and former Union environment minister Digvijaysinh Zala He belongs to the royal Rajput family of Vankaner from Saurashtra and has been active in the BJP for many years

D e s a i i s a f o r m e r M L A o f K a n k r e j ( 2 0 0 7 t o 2 0 1 2 ) i n B a n a s k a n t h a d i s t r i c t o f N o r t h G u j a r a t a n d c o m e s f r o m t h e Maldhari (cattle rearing) communit y T h e r u l i n g B J P h a s r e p e a t e d Jaishankar as its candidate, while Z a l a a n d D e s a i r e p l a c e D i n e s h A n a v a d i y a a n d J u g a l s i n h T h a k o r , whose terms as Rajya Sabha MPs have ended

India, UAE sign rupee-dirham trade pact

T he Reserve Bank of Ind ia ( RBI) and the C entral Bank of the U AE d ecid ed to adv ance their economi c c o o p era ti o n b y a llo w i n g e xp o r ter s an d i m p o rt ers fr o m eith er sid e to invoice and p ay in their respectiv e d omestic currencies, the rupee and th e dirham , w hile collaborating on a m essagi n g sy s tem t h at c o u ld r ep la ce S W IF T ( S o ci et y f or Wo rl d w id e I n ter ban k F in an ci al T elecom munication), th e system w i d ely u s ed to trans fer mo ney internationally

During PM Modi's visit to Abu Dhabi, RBI governor Shaktikanta D a s a n d h i s U A E c o u n t e r p a r t Khaled Mohamed Balama signed an MoU that is thought to be intended to protect traders from exchange rate fluctuations while o p e n i n g u p o p p o r t u n i t i e s f o r Emirati businesses to invest in India given that the UAE has a trade surplus with India

The UAE is among India’s top t h r e e t r a d i n g p a r t n e r s a n d i s home to many Indian workers, besides being a major destination

for Indian tourists

Describing the MoUs as an important aspect of cooperation between the two nations, Modi s a i d , “ I t p a v e s t h e w a y f o r enhanced economic collaboration and will make international financ i a l i n t e r a c t i o n s s i m p l e r O u r

bilateral trade has grown by 20% F o r t h e f i r s t t i m e , w e h a v e a c h i e v e d $ 8 5 b i l l i o n t r a d e a n d soon we will achieve the target of $100 billion If we decide, we can cross this milestone before the G20 summit ” The actions coincide with a

movement away from the dollar during the Russia-Ukraine conflict, which compelled nations to look at alternate payment chann e l s t o m a i n t a i n t r a d e l i n e s

Industry sources claim that a sizable portion of India's trade with R u s s i a i s s e t t l e d i n d i r h a m s

Separately, the government and RBI are also trying to internationalise the rupee and had, on last count, allowed 60 banks from 18 countries to settle transactions in rupee through a special account

The MoU with the UAE takes the initiative a step further

All three BJP RS candidates declared elected unopposed

Narendra Modi & Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan

The upcoming niche of vegan tourism

Anusha Singh

Planning travel can pose challenges for individuals who follow a plantb a s e d l i f e s t y l e , p a r t i c u l a r l y w h e n c o n s i d e r i n g d i n i n g o p t i o n s S i m p l y booking accommodations, cruises, day t r i p s , o r r e s t a u r a n t m e a l s c a n b e stressful if travel companions do not share the same vegan or plant-based preferences

V e g a n - f r i e n d l y t o u r i s m i s e x p e r i e n c i n g a s i g n i f i c a n t r i s e a s c a t e r i n g f o r d i e t a r y p r e f e r e n c e s b e c o m e s m o r e i m p o r t a n t , a r e c e n t r e p o r t f r o m G l o b a l D a t a f o u n d T h e report released at the end of 2020, s u r v e y e d 5 , 7 0 0 p e o p l e g l o b a l l y a n d found that nearly 76 percent responded t h a t e t h i c a l a n d e n v i r o n m e n t a l s o u r c i n g o f f o o d i n f l u e n c e d t h e i r choices This was up significantly from t h e 4 6 p e r c e n t i n t h e p a s t y e a r , signifying a substantial shift among consumers who became increasingly concerned about environmental issues and personal nutrition

I n r e s p o n s e t o t h e i n c r e a s i n g demand from plant-based travellers, various industry giants in the tourism sector have implemented measures to accommodate their needs

Asian voice reached out to industry expert Vas Jesani and got some insights on what vegan tourism is all about

What was your inspiration behind the inception of ‘Crystal Blue Travel’?

The inception of the idea comes f r o m m y l o v e f o r t r a v e l I t h i n k travelling helps enrich your soul When you are visiting different countries, you a r e i m m e r s i n g y o u r s e l f i n d i f f e r e n t cultures and experiences I wanted to g i v e p e o p l e t h e o p p o r t u n i t y t o

experience that Also, there's a lot of people who don't know how to put p a c k a g e s t o g e t h e r a n d I ’ d o r g a n i s e holiday packages for my family and friends So I ended up turning it into a business

For many of us, the concept of vegan tourism is limited to access to food choices. Can you elaborate more on what the whole concept is about?

Vegan travel is an up and coming trend It is yet to gain that mainstream appeal but it is definitely making a space A lot about veganism is to do w i t h t h e d i e t a r y r e q u i r e m e n t s T h e tribalism has changed over the years a n d t o u r i s t d e s t i n a t i o n s a r e g e t t i n g more and more inclusive Less than 10 years ago, you’d struggle to find vegan food Let alone vegan, you wouldn’t be able to find restaurants that would cater to your vegetarian food needs But now, every major city has expanded to include vegan and vegetarian options

As for other aspects of veganism with reference to tourism, I think it

e v e r y t h i n g i n t h i s w o r l d T h e r e i s a n o t h e r c h a r a c t e r W i n s t o n S m i t h , who is leading a normal layman life u n d e r t h e s e h a r s h c i r c u m s t a n c e s , though hating all of this He works on writing the old newspaper articles in o r d e r t o m a k e h i s t o r y o r t h e p a s t relevant to today’s party line

He is efficient enough in spite of hating his bosses Julia, a young girl who is morally very rigid comes into the fore She too hates the system as much as Winston does Gradually, they get into an affair but have to conceal their feelings for each other, as it will not be acceptable to Big Brother In Big Brother’s bad world, freedom is slavery and ignorance is strength Instances where 1984 became the reality of Indian politics

Ano v e l b y G e o r g e O r w e l l , unleashes a unique plot and as per it no one is safe or free. From a r u t h l e s s p a r t y b o s s k n o w n a s B i g Brother who is regarded as equal to God, there is nowhere one can safely flee or even hide. In this scenario, the State is the only owner of everything. The aftermath of World War II was seen by everyone During this time, l e a d e r s l i k e H i t l e r , S t a l i n a n d Mussolini were successful Big Brother is always keeping an eye on you He even controls everyone’s feelings of love, to live and to discover The basic plot of this historic novel revolves around the concept that no person has freedom to live a life on his or her own terms The present day is 1984

T h e w h o l e w o r l d i s g r a d u a l l y changing As a result, a strong cartel known as Oceania has been formed by t h e n a t i o n s t h a t e n j o y f r e e d o m d i s t o r t i n g i n t o u n p l e a s a n t a n d d e g r a d e d a r e a s B i g B r o t h e r r u l e s

g o e s h a n d i n h a n d w i t h sustainability I think within the next f i v e y e a r s , w e ' r e g o i n g t o s e e a massive change in sustainability and our carbon footprint The industry is all set to make waves

Focusing on South Asian vegan tourism, what are some facilities and services that you offer to your customers that set your firm apart?

I am simply mindful of the needs

o f m y c u s t o m e r s a n d w o r k o n eliminating the mind-set that they will struggle because of their lifestyle choices I ask questions about the dietary choice and restrictions and

o t h e r a c c o m m o d a t i o n c h o i c e s I then relay back these choices to the hotels and the stays I’ve booked for them As someone from a vegetarian b a c k g r o u n d w h o h a s t r a v e l l e d extensively, I am now aware of the problems that can arise and how the small problems don’t really take away from the experience

T h e r e i s a l s o t h e m u l t igenerational packages that are so much b e t t e r w h e n t h r e e g e n e r a t i o n sg r a n d p a r e n t s , p a r e n t s a n d c h i l d r e n travel together

Ho w d o y o u s e e t h e f u t u r e o f vegan tourism panning out?

T h e t o u r i s m i n d u s t r y i s s l o w l y r e a l i s i n g t h a t t h e y h a v e t o m a k e c h a n g e s , w i t h c h a n g i n g t i m e s Sustainability is a big question and that goes hand in hand with veganism We can expect massive changes in the short time of next 18 months itself The industry is actively trying to withdraw t h e i r c o n t r i b u t i o n t o p o l l u t i n g t h e various elements and travellers will have to start going hand in hand

While primarily the novel set in a W e s t e r n c o n t e x t , t h e t h e m e s a n d m e s s a g e s o f t h e n o v e l r e s o n a t e powerfully in India, a country with a r i c h h i s t o r y o f f i g h t i n g a g a i n s t o p p r e s s i v e s y s t e m s W h e n v i e w e d through an Indian lens, the novel's themes strike a chord, reflecting the n a t i o n ' s o w n e x p e r i e n c e s w i t h autocratic regimes and its ongoing fight for democratic values

I n d i a h a s s u r v i v e d p e r i o d s o f p o l i t i c a l u n r e s t a n d a u t h o r i t a r i a n t e n d e n c i e s s i n c e g a i n i n g independence from British colonial a u t h o r i t y i n 1 9 4 7 U n d e r P r i m e Minister Indira Gandhi s leadership, an emergency was imposed in 1975 that w a s s i m i l a r t o t h e h a r s h s e t t i n g depicted in "1984 " Civil freedoms were r e s t r i c t e d , m e d i a c o n t r o l w a s

widespread, and dissenting opinions were suppressed throughout this time Orwell's cautionary tale urges vigilance a g a i n s t t h e d e g e n e r a t i o n o f democratic institutions by serving as a reminder of the perils of unbridled authority

Moreover, India's complex societal fabric and diverse cultural heritage add

layers of significance to the novel's themes The caste system, entrenched in Indian society for centuries, bears s e m b l a n c e t o t h e h i e r a r c h i c a l structure perpetuated by the Party in "1984 " Parallel battles that India is still f i g h t i n g i n c l u d e t h e r e p r e s s i o n o f individual voices, the subjection of marginalised people, and the control of historical narratives Orwell s writing also has resonance with India's democratic culture and its t h r i v i n g l e g a c y o f d i s s e n t a n d resistance The protagonist Winston S m i t h ' s a t t i t u d e o f d i s o b e d i e n c e i s similar to that of the Indian freedom fighters who struggled against colonial tyranny India has a long history of civil society action, student protests, and social movements that serve as examples of the unbreakable human spirit that was captured in "1984 " The book serves as a reminder of the value o f d e f e n d i n g c i v i l f r e e d o m s a n d u p h o l d i n g d e m o c r a t i c p r i n c i p l e s against persecution

There have recently been worries

a b o u t t h e d i m i n u t i o n o f p e r s o n a l freedom due to the rapid growth of d i g i t a l s u r v e i l l a n c e a n d p o t e n t i a l violation of privacy rights in India For a country struggling to strike the right b a l a n c e b e t w e e n s e c u r i t y a n d individual liberty, the novel's depiction o f a s o c i e t y u n d e r c o n t i n u a l

"

monitoring serves as a sobering lesson

1 9 8 4 " , w h i c h c a p t u r e s t h e f i g h t s against dictatorship, surveillance, and the resiliency of the human spirit, r e s o n a t e s w i t h t h e I n d i a n c o n t e x t

I n d i a ' s e x p e r i e n c e s t h r o u g h o u t h i s t o r y , c u l t u r a l i n t r i c a c i e s , a n d

o n g o i n g d e m o c r a t i c b a t t l e s g i v e O r w e l l ' s c l a s s i c n o v e l a n I n d i a n perspective By examining the novel through an Indian lens, we gain a deeper appreciation of the universal relevance of "1984" and its enduring m e s s a g e o f r e s i s t a n c e a g a i n s t oppressive systems

Asian Voice invites creative pieces from children aged between 5 to 12

Submit your child’s poetry, drawings, essays, stories and jokes via email to shrijit rajan@abplgroup com

The best entries will be published in Asian Voice very week

Vas Jesani

Researchers claim to have developed vaccine for breast cancer

Researchers have claim ed to h ave dev eloped a g rou ndb re aki n g e xp e ri m en tal breast cancer vaccine th at h as show n promising results in early trials, raising hop es o f elim inating one o f the w o rl d 's d ead l ie st d is eas es T he vaccine, wh ich has been adm inistered to 15 wom en w ith an ag gressive form of breast cancer, has resulted in remission for up to five y ears, ev en in p ati ents a t h igh risk of relapse

Among those who have benefited from the vaccine is Jennifer Davis, a 46-yearo l d n u r s e f r o m L i s b o n , Ohio, and a mother of two Jennifer underwent extensive rounds of chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and a double mastectomy before participating in the trial She s a i d " I w a n t e v e r y b o d y I know to get it I want every-

one to be able to get it If this can prevent it, it'll be amazing " T h e v a c c i n e w o r k s b y training the body to target a protein commonly found in p r e g n a n t a n d l a c t a t i n g women, which can be a prec u r s o r t o b r e a s t c a n c e r C u r r e n t l y , t h e v a c c i n e i s being tested specifically for triple-negative breast cancer, which is highly treata b l e w h e n d e t e c t e d e a r l y

Dr Amit Kumar, CEO of Anixa Biosciences, the comp a n y d e v e l o p i n g t h e v a cc i n e , e x p r e s s e d o p t i m i s m about its potential impact

Intense exercise may help slow Parkinson's disease, say experts

but tends to spread rapidly and silently to other parts of the body, resulting in a survival rate of as low as 12 per cent beyond five years

H o w e v e r , r e s e a r c h e r s hope that the vaccine will e v e n t u a l l y b e g i v e n t o healthy individuals years in a d v a n c e , e f f e c t i v e l y p r eventing any form of breast c a n c e r I f s u c c e s s f u l , t h i s vaccine would be the first of its kind

Harvard professor 'debunks

He said: "We believe that within five years, it'll be on the market for people like J e n n i f e r , w h o h a d b r e a s t c a n c e r a n d a r e w o r r i e d about recurrence A couple of years after that, it should be available for all women, including those who have never had breast cancer It is very exciting " The vaccine is currently being tested by researchers at the Cleveland Clinic in O h i o , w h o a r e c a u t i o u s l y optimistic about the results

A l t h o u g h s t a t i s t i c a l l y , 4 0 per cent of the women in the trial should have experienced a cancer recurrence within five years, none have thus far

you need eight hours of sleep every night

D r D ani e l L ie be rm a n, a r en ow ned p ro f es s or f ro m H ar v ar d U ni v er si ty 's D ep a rtm ent o f Hu m a n Ev olutionary Biology, claims t h at th e w i d e ly ac c ep t ed n o ti o n o f nee d i nd g e i g h t h ours of sleep a a m yth He said that peo ple actually fare better when they sleep for seven h ours instead

During a recent episode o f t h e p o p u l a r p o d c a s t Diary of a CEO, Lieberman challenged the long-standing belief in eight hours of s l e e p , s t a t i n g , " T h i s i d e a that you need eight hours of sleep has been around for a long time, basically since the industrial revolution H e p o i n t e d o u t t h a t p o p u l a t i o n s w i t h o u t t h e m o d e r n d i s t r a c t i o n s o f manufactured light, such as electricity, phones, and t e l e v i s i o n s , h a v e b e e n

shown to require less sleep D r a w i n g u p o n r e s e a r c h conducted by colleagues in t h e f i e l d o f e v o l u t i o n a r y medicine, Lieberman highlighted the use of sensors o n i n d i v i d u a l s w h o l a c k access to modern gadgets

"When you put sensors on people who don't have electricity, TVs, phones, it turns out they sleep like six or seven hours a night, and t h e y d o n ' t n a p , " h e

revealed This contradicts the widely held belief that n a t u r a l h u m a n b e i n g s i n h e r e n t l y r e q u i r e a f u l l eight hours of sleep

Lieberman further suggested that limiting screen t i m e c o u l d p o t e n t i a l l y reduce the amount of sleep n e e d e d i n t h e l o n g r u n However, his recommendations align more closely with the lower end of the C e n t e r s f o r D i s e a s e

C o n t r o l a n d P r e v e n t i o n ( C D C ) g u i d e l i n e s , w h i c h advise all Americans to aim for seven to nine hours of sleep each night

The CDC also provides specific sleep duration recommendations for different age groups, suggesting that children aged six to 12 years need nine to 12 hours, while teenagers should aim for eight to ten hours

T h e s t u d y i n d i c a t e d t h a t d e v i a t i n g f r o m t h i s optimal duration, either by getting more or less sleep, was associated with cognitive difficulties, including m e m o r y p r o b l e m s , impaired learning ability, reduced focus, and decis i o n - m a k i n g c h a l l e n g e s Moreover, individuals not achieving the seven-hour threshold were more likely t o e x h i b i t s y m p t o m s o f depression and anxiety

Obesity linked to poor outcomes in leukaemia treatment

A s the obesity crisis in th e U nited States grows, scienti sts are co ncentrating o n h ow body weigh t can affect h ealth outcom es A ccording to recent research published in Blood Ad vances, A YAs w it h ac u te l ym p h o b la st ic leukemia (A LL) may experience inferior treatm ent outc om es if the ir bo d y m ass index (BMI) is h igher This study clarified how w eig ht a ff ec ts tre atm e nt s i d e effects and resu lts and urg es m o re re se arc h i nto h o w w eig ht affects ho w well vario us AL L chemotherapy regim ens work

Obesity will be a major public health issue in the United States by 2020, when 40% of the population will be fat The study's findings s u g g e s t t h a t o b e s i t y , a s shown by a high BMI, may have a detrimental effect on

h o w e f f e c t i v e l y A Y A s respond to ALL treatment regimens

“ W e h a v e k n o w n f o r roughly fifteen years that obesity affects survival in p e d i a t r i c p a t i e n t s t r e a t e d for ALL, and more recently, we are recognizing a similar relationship in adult popul a t i o n s , ” e x p l a i n e d S h a i Shimony, MD, an advanced fellow at the Dana-Farber C a n c e r I n s t i t u t e a n d t h e

corresponding study’s lead a u t h o r “ B u t w e w a n t e d more granular data on this, to understand why this corr e l a t i o n e x i s t s , a n d h o w dependent it is on age ” R e s e a r c h e r s g a t h e r e d information from 388 AYAs who were receiving pedia t r i c D a n a - F a r b e r Consortium ALL treatment b e t w e e n 2 0 0 8 a n d 2 0 2 1

These AYAs ranged in age from 15 to 50 years, with a

Recent find ings fro m an international team of researchers sug gest th at a vig orous exercise reg imen may possibly halt the progression of P arkinson's disease, opening th e door for non- ph arm aceutical m ethods of relieving symptoms and treating the cond ition

Parkinson’s disease is a condition that is newly diagnosed in almost 90,000 people each year in the United

S t a t e s a c c o r d i n g t o t h e P a r k i n s o n ’ s F o u n d a t i o n Currently, there is no cure

C l i n i c a l s c i e n t i s t s a r o u n d t h e w o r l d a r e attempting to not only find a cure but also are looking to help manage symptoms

a n d u n d e r s t a n d h o w t h i s management works

P a r k i n s o n ' s d i s e a s e , w h i c h h a s b e e n a f f l i c t i n g people for many years, is the second most prevalent neur o l o g i c a l a i l m e n t i n t h e world after Alzheimer's disease

H o w e v e r , t h e e a r l y stages of this condition are d i f f i c u l t t o u n d e r s t a n d a s many of the symptoms occur years after the damage starts

This study in rats, invest i g a t e d w h e t h e r r i g o r o u s physical activity could affect the brain changes present in a n e x p e r i m e n t a l m o d e l o f Parkinson’s

A e r o b i c e x e r c i s e h a s h e l p e d p e o p l e w i t h Parkinson’s

Data showing that vigorous exercise reduces both t h e m o t o r a n d c o g n i t i v e symptoms connected with P a r k i n s o n ' s d i s e a s e w e r e published on July 14 in the journal Science Advances by a t e a m o f n e u r o s c i e n t i s t s f r o m t h e F a c u l t y o f M e d i c i n e o f t h e C a t h o l i c University, Rome Campus with the A Gemelli IRCCS Polyclinic Foundation

T h r o u g h t h i s r e s e a r c h they also better understand how this occurs

“As a neurologist, taking care of Parkinson’s disease patients in the early stages, I noticed that some of them had better course of the disease when they were routinely active doing aerobic e x e r c i s e , ” s a i d P a o l o C a l a b r e s i , c o r r e s p o n d i n g s t u d y a u t h o r a n d F u l l Professor of Neurology in t h e D e p a r t m e n t o f N e u r o s c i e n c e a t C a t h o l i c U n i v e r s i t y o f t h e S a c r e d Heart in Rome, Italy

What are the signs of vitamin D deficiency?

mean age of 24 years

In total, 53 3% of AYAs included in the study had a normal BMI, while 46 6% w e r e c l a s s i f i e d a s o v e rweight or obese Notably, patients with an overweight or obese BMI exhibited a higher rate of non-relapse m o r t a l i t y ( 1 1 7 % v e r s u s 2 8 % ) a l o w e r e v e n t - f r e e s u r v i v a l r a t e ( 6 3 % v e r s u s 77% at 4 years), and a worse overall survival (64% versus 8 3 % ) c o m p a r e d t o t h o s e w i t h n o r m a l B M I s I t i s important to note that the s t u d y f o u n d e q u i v a l e n t o v e r a l l s u r v i v a l a m o n g younger (15-29) and older (30-50) AYAs with normal B M I ( 8 3 % v e r s u s 8 5 % , respectively), which is an incredibly important finding, as age is often considered an adverse prognostic feature in ALL

As mor e a nd more pe ople are being teste d for v itamin D in su ff ic i e n c y , d o c t o r s adv ise tha t awar en ess of the sy m p t o m s i s e ss e n t i a l f or m a in t a i n i n g g o o d h e a lt h De s p it e b e in g a t r o p ic a l na tion, ma ny In dians str ugg le w it h t h e s h o r t a g e “ Vi t a m i n D d e f ic i e n cy in Indian s is still a s high as 6 8 per cent N ot on ly is it se en in urba n ar eas, it is a lso se en in r ural a rea s R eason s for t h is i n c lu d e ur b a n i sa t io n , lifesty le , sk in colour, dr ess cod e, a nd most im porta ntly, our ge ne tic pred isposition, ” sa id Dr Apa rn a Bhan ushali, hea d of gr owth a nd scien tific s u p po r t , Ha y st a ck Ana ly tics

Therefore, it is crucial to r e c o g n i z e t h e d e f i c i t a n d address it The initial warning indications of a deficiency must be examined N u t r i t i o n i s t R u c h i t a B a t r a e n l i s t e d f a t i g u e a n d w e a k n e s s , l a c k i n g e n e r g y , a n d e x p e r i e n c i n g g e n e r a l weakness as general indicators of deficiency “If you f i n d y o u r s e l f f r e q u e n t l y fatigued, even after getting enough sleep, it might be worth considering your vitamin D levels,” said Batra

Chronic illness: Vitamin

D is essential for maintaining a healthy immune sys-

tem Your immune system may become weakened by low vitamin D levels, making y o u m o r e v u l n e r a b l e t o infections, the flu, and other illnesses Low vitamin D leve l s m a y b e t h e c a u s e o f recurrent illnesses or trouble r e c o v e r i n g f r o m t h e m , according to Batra Pain in the bones and muscles: Calcium absorption and the health of the bones d e p e n d o n v i t a m i n D V i t a m i n D d e f i c i e n c y c a n cause weak bones, which can cause joint pain, muscular a c h e s , a n d b o n e p a i n Consider vitamin D deficiency as a potential explanation if you have unexplained or ongoing pain in your bones, muscles, or joints

Mood changes: Vitamin D has been linked to mood r e g u l a t i o n , a n d l o w l e v e l s may contribute to mood disorders such as depression, anxiety, or seasonal affective d i s o r d e r ( S A D ) “ I f y o u notice a significant change i n y o u r m o o d , e s p e c i a l l y during the colder months or when you have limited sun exposure, it could be related t o v i t a m i n D d e f i c i e n c y , ” said Batra, adding that slow weight loss can be another p o s s i b l e s i g n C o n s t a n t l y feeling tired could be a sign of deficiency

myth' that

Dr Daniel Lieberman

Alia Bhatt is set to become the first woman to headline a film in Yash Raj Films' Spy Universe, as per a report The report further states that Alia will play a "super agent" and the film will commence production in 2024

According to sources, "Like Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan and Hrithik Roshan, Alia will play a super agent in the YRF spy universe In the yet untitled film, Alia will be presented in a whole new, never-seen-before avatar Aditya Chopra is leaving no audience segment out of the equation for this franchise Alia is the biggest superstar amongst the youth and Gen Z of India and she is also one of the most adored actresses of our generation "

Alia set to become first female lead in Yash Raj's spy universe

Created by Aditya Chopra, the spy universe kicked off with the Tiger franchise, starring Salman Khan and Katrina Kaif in lead roles It began with 'Ek Tha Tiger' in 2012 and 'Tiger Zinda Hai (2017),

latest

starring Shah Rukh Khan, Deepika Padukone and John Abraham in lead roles

Adah Sharma gets more offers after 'The Kerala Story'

'The Kerala Story' was one of the most profitable movies of the year was. At the worldwide box office, it has brought in more than £24.1 million. Lead actress Adah Sharma is on cloud nine. She tells us, "I have a number of good projects coming my way

It is nice to have a choice to pick from I am very excited to do more work that will entertain the audience " The film received a lot of criticism and was labeled as propaganda

Adah Sharma says, "There was confusion before the film In the movie, we spoke about a radicalised group of terrorists People who had misconceptions got cleared if they watched the film but the other group did not watch it, and maintained that it was a prejudiced film That is the beauty of freedom of speech We do not live in a dictatorship I cannot tell people to watch the film Despite several well-known celebrities tweeting against the movie, the actress says she is pleased that the public chose to support it "This is the whole point of living in Bharat,There is freedom of speech," she argues

Bollywood classics 'Mili', 'Bawarchi' and 'Koshish' to get remakes

Remakes of timeless classics like Hrishikesh

Mukherjee's 'Mili' and 'Bawarchi' and Gulzar's 'Koshish' will be pro filmmaker Anushree

Mehta in partnership with Abir Sengupta of Jaadugar Films and

Sameer Raj Sippy of SRS Productions

Anushree took to her Instagram and posted a picture with Abir and Raj, a n d m a d e t h e announcement regarding the remakes

Aditya Roy Kapoor and Ananya Pandey spotted together in Lisbon

Finally, fans were able to catch Aditya Roy Kapur and Ananya Panday together in Lisbon, Spain. They reportedly went to a rock concert together, according to an earlier report.

f

u t u r

b e s t t o l i v e u p t o t h e e x p e c t a t i o n s , t h e responsibility and most importantly remake these films which will o u c h t h e a u d i e n c e s

earts far and wide "

S a m e e r R a j S i p p y

dded, "I feel movies

r e a b o u t d e f i n i n g

m o m e n t s , i n t e r e s t i n g enough to share with people, and that’s why

I t h i n k i t ’ s t i m e w e take classic stories and bring them in today’s

s c e n a r i o , w i t h a

n e w e r a n d m o d e r n

o u t l o o k A n d t h a t ’ s

the intention behind

r e v i s i t i n g B a w a r c h i ,

M i l i a n d

K o s h i s h

C o m i n g f r o m a legendary family of

g inspired by the family business, I now want to continue this legacy

t h a t h a s b e e n h a n d e d d o w n b y m y

grandfather, N C Sippy, my uncle Romu Sippy and my father Raj Sippy "

It has since been established that the two did in fact attend the Arctic Monkeys concert in Spain, despite the fact that they each published separate Instagram images on their personal accounts Aditya Roy Kapur had shared a small v i d e o f r o m a c o n c e r t o n h i s I n s t a g r a m Stories along with a blue grinning emoji and a monkey emoji Ananya also took to her Instagram Stories to share a picture from the concert and wrote, “Nothing quite like t h e A r c t i c M o n k e y s M y f a v o u r i t e s o n g ever " She tagged the location as Madrid, Spain Later, Ananya even shared glimpses of the sea and the blue sky from Portugal on her Instagram Stories She wrote “magic magic” in the caption

Ameesha Patel recalls her rebelling nature

Ina recent interview, actress Ameesha Patel spoke about her rebellious nature and her choices in cinema According to Ameeshal, she has occasionally disobeyed her family's and friends' wishes and has always been a bit of a rebel Ameesha says she was called “too educated” for doing films; recalls rebelling against everything in life

"I've rebelled against everything in my life," Ameesha said "The family didn't want me to go to America to study They wanted me to go to England because that's where t h e f a m i l y l i v e d A n d t h a t ' s w h e r e t h e y thought I'd be under watchful eyes So I said, No, I want to go to America, I want to be my own person "

Ameesha claimed that she has continued to be independent in her job decisions She claimed that she has always sought out difficult jobs and that she has frequently rejected movies that she thought weren't good enough

When I entered the film industry, the first question every journalist would ask me was, aren't you a misfit? Aren't you too educated? You are Barrister Rajni Patel's granddaughter, what are you doing here?"

Ameesha said "And I'm like, why can't an educated person be part of the performing arts? Because for me, it was art " C o m i n g t o t h e p r o f e s s i o n a l f r o n t ,

Ameesha is currently awaiting the release of Gadar 2 The Anil Sharma directorial film is slated to release on August 11

Tamannaah dances to 'Kaavaalaa' with fan before flying out

The nation has been swept up in the 'Kaavaalaa' fever A fan was recently seen moving her hips to the recently released song 'Kaavaalaa' from the film 'Jailer ' He was joined by none other than Tamannaah, the actress who appears in the song It so happened that Tamannaah was flying out of Mumbai a few days back when she was stopped by a fan, who wanted to dance to the energetic track 'Kaavaalaa.' Initially hesitant, Tamannaah can be heard saying, "mera flight miss hojayega (I will miss my flight)." However, she obliges and also dances to the song alongside the fan. As Tamannaah walks away after sharing a hug with the fan, she can be seen addressing the paparazzi and saying, "Mere se better kar raha hai yeh (He is doing better than me) "

The video went viral almost instantly on all social media platforms One such Twitter fan page also shared the video with the caption, "Tammy spotted at Mumbai airport as she headed to Jaipur for a project and she dances with a pap at the airport for Trending #Kaavaalaa song "

A few days back, Tamannaah also replied to a fan who had synced Shakira's song 'Waka Waka' as the background music to Tamannaah's 'Kaavaalaa' video Sharing the video on Twitter, a fan captioned the video, "Indian Shakira " To the fan's delight, the video caught the attention of Tamannaah herself, who reshared it with the caption, "Have to admit the sync is pretty good "

Kangana reacts to Sonam's jibe at her English

Kangana Ranaut has said that her years of conflict with the 'film mafia' have insured at least one thing: no foreigner will be made fun of their command of the English language. In addition, she said that Sonam Kapoor's mocking of her English on Koffee With Karan had 'officially closed forever'.

Kangana once more made fun of Karan Johar and his discussion show Koffee With Karan, calling him out for nepotism, which started a neverending spat between the two of them

T h e a

e p i s o d e i n w h i c h S o n a m K a p o o r responded to a query about an actor who needs to work on her English by mentioning Kangana

T h e c l i p s h o w e d K a r a n J o h a r asking Sonam, “If you have the power to give celebrities these aspects, who would you give that to - the ability to speak English fluently ” Sonam first hesitated but then went on to praise K a n g a n a ' s f a s h i o n s e n s e b e f o r e actually giving out her name as the answer to Karan's question

Akshay's 'Oh My God 2' sent to censor board review panel

The Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) is examining the dialogue and scenes in 'Oh My God 2' (OMG 2) in an effort to prevent a backlash such as that experienced by 'Adipurush.' The upcoming film is a sequel to Akshay Kumar and Paresh Rawal's 2012 film 'OMG - Oh My God.' As per a new report, the board's revising committee seeks to ensure that the dialogues and scenes in OMG 2 ‘do not create any issues’

Salman and Sooraj Barjatya to work together again

Salman Khan is searching for a script that will honor his status as a superstar. One of the filmmakers he has contacted is none other than his close buddy Sooraj Barjatya, whose film 'Maine Pyar Kiya' launched Salman's career 24 years ago 'Hum Aapke Hain Koun!' and 'Hum Saath-Saath Hain' also made significant contributions to Salman's superstardom

Now when Salman finds h i s c a r e e r a t a d i f f e r e n t junction, Sooraj is just what he needs A close friend of S a l m a n r e v e a l e d , “ S o o r a j i s c o n s t a n t l y i n t o u c h w i t h S a l m a n o v e r a p r o s p e c t i v e p r o j e c t B u t s o f a r , t h e y haven’t hit on an idea that t h e y b o t h l i k e T h e n e w s

about the two doing a film c a l l e d ' P r e m K i S h a a d i ' i s someone ’ s idea of a cruel joke at Salman’s ceaselessly single status ”

Salman is trying to find the best script Right doesn't necessarily mean action- or d r a m a - p a c k e d I t m u s t b e something new for Salman, p e r h a p s s o m e t h i n g b o t h important and intimate

I n c i d e n t a l l y , S a l m a n i s n o t o n h i s o w n t r i p a n y longer, as far as his career goes He has been through m a n y u p s a n d d o w n s a n d won’t do a film for family and f r i e n d s N o m o r e h o m e productions with his brothers as director, or creating a film w i t h f a v o u r - s e e k i n g strugglers, like he did in 'Kisi Ka Bhai Kisi Ki Jaan '

It is unclear at this time exactly words or situations in 'Oh My God 2' have alarmed the CBFC The CBFC is apparently going to decide whether or not to approve the movie, which is scheduled to hit theaters on August 11

As per sources quoted in a recent report by media, “CBFC does not want to repeat the backlash that Adipurush faced over its dialogues” and it will take a decision on Akshay Kumar-starrer Oh My God 2 after the board's revising committee “looks over at the dialogues and scenes in the film”

Sources said that CBFC has now taken “preemptive measures ” to avoid any backlash over 'Oh My God 2' dialogues and scenes CBFC will send any movie dealing with subjects like God or religion for review and revision, added the source

First look of Vijay Sethupathi's 'Maharaja' revealed

Vignesh Shivan thanks SRK for teaching romance to Nayanthara

Theteaser for Shah Rukh Khan's upcoming film, "Jawan," which was released a few days ago, has had a significant impact on the Indian film industry Fans from all around have been drawn to the action-packed, raunchy cuts, and filmmaker Atlee is receiving praise from all angles

Meanwhile SRK reacted to Vignesh Shivan's parise of the 'Jawan' teaser by writing "@VigneshShivN thank u for all the love #Nayanthara is awesomeâ¦but oh who am I telling this¦you toh already know!!! But Hubby, beware, she has now learnt some major kicks & punches!!"

The sporting Vicky replied "soooo kind of you sir Yes sir being very careful but I also heard there is some good romance between the both of you in the movie , that she has learnt from the king of romance so already cherishing that with the happiness of such a dream Debut with YOU #SRK the #KingofHearts #Badshaah #Jawan @Atlee dir gonna be a massive global #Blockbuster" The friendly interaction has received a lot of likes from netizens

Preparations are underway for Vignesh Shivan to helm his sixth film, which will be produced by Kamal H a a s a n a n d s t a r P r a d e e p R a n g a n a t h a n a n d J h a n v i Kapoor Anirudh is scoring the music for the project which is expected to be officially announced soon

Vishal turns into a playback singer after a decade for 'Mark Antony'

TheMakkal Selvan Vijay Sethupathi, whose career in Tamil cinema began as an extra, has advanced far thanks to his talent and perseverance to accomplish a significant milestone His 50th movie is titled "Maharaja," and a mysterious poster has been unveiled

Superstar Rajinikanth's 'Lal Salaam' has been wrapped up

One of the most indemand action stars, Vishal, is getting ready for the debut of his upcoming PanIndian movie, "Mark Antony " The actor is resuming his career as a playback vocalist for the Telugu-dubbed version of this film after a ten-year hiatus

The 'Maharaja'

of the nature of the film with its captions "Even the darkness fear his brutal politics Beware, he’s coming Get ready to handle the toughest ones in the game"

d b y N i t h i l a n Swaminathan of 'Kurangu Bommai' fame with music by Ajaneesh Loknath of 'Kantara' fame while Hilomin Raj handled the editing, and Dinesh Kumar Purushothaman handled the camera The exciting film stars Vijay S e t h u

h y a p , M a m t h a Mohandas and Natty Natraj and is jointly produced by Passion Studios and The Route

AishwaryaRajinikanth, who has helmed the hit movies "3" and "Vai Raja Vai," recently began work on her third project, "Lal Salaam " She finished the movie in record time after nonstop filming in different cities around the nation An image of the whole squad, including Superstar Rajinikanth dressed as Moideen Bhai, has gone viral.

'Lal Salaam' based on politics in cricket has Vishnu Vishal and Vikranth in the lead roles with Rajinikanth playing a powerful character of a don Veteran actresses Jeevitha and Nirosha make comebacks after several years while Thambi Ramaiah, Senthil and Thangadurai are in the supporting cast

The legendary cricketer Kapil Dev has a significant cameo appearance in the lavishly produced Lyca Productions film "Lal Salaam," which features music by A R Rahman Later this year, the movie is anticipated to be released on a special day

Superstar Rajinikanth will now move on to his next film 'Thalaivar 170' also produced by Lyca and directed by T J Gnanavel It is said that Amitabh Bachchan is likely to play an important character while Anirudh will be scoring the music

GV Prakash Kumar composes the musical score for Mark Antony Last week, the makers announced that the film's first single in Tamil is sung by the legendary artist T Rajendar Taking to social media, the team updated that Vishal has crooned the song's Telugu version 'Adharadha' in his voice

A humorous promotional video was created by Vishal and the film's director Adhik Ravichandran to inform fans of the news Vishal made his playback singing debut earlier in 2013 with the song "My Dear Loveru" from his unreleased film "Madha Gaja Raja," which was directed by Sundar C

The oneminute clip is now going viral on the internet Mark Antony is a gangster sci-fi movie starring Vishal, SJ Suryah, Sunil and Selvaraghavan in the lead roles Produced by Mini Studios, the biggie is slated to hit the screens on September 15 The film has cinematography by Abinadhan Ramanujam and editing by Vijay Velukutty

first look poster gives a strong hint

Varun Dhawan admits being ‘cold’ to Jahnvi initially during 'Bawaal'

Recently,

Varun Dhawan made an unexpected disclosure regarding his upcoming movie, "Bawaal " Varun purposely avoided interacting with Janhvi Kapoor during the first month of filming In an interview, Varun revealed that he had intentionally avoided talking to Janhvi during the first month of ‘Bawaal’ shoot He explained, “Initially, at least for the first one month we went on set, I tried this thing where I said I won't communicate with her much Because I felt we'll become friends like this (snaps) I said let me not, and let me be a little aloof, a little cold I'll talk to everyone else but her, and purposely I felt it might evoke something in her and something in me when we were doing scenes of that nature ”

He further added, “(Nitesh) Sir was on this And then eventually, I told her after 20 days Then she realised it, otherwise she took it personally See, I did it selfishly but I think it helped both of us at that time Actually, in the film, how gradually the couple got to know each other, we also got to know each other gradually, which was interesting ”

However, director Nitesh Tiwari said that their process to get into the character did not bother him He said in the same interview, “I didn't really notice I honestly don't mind which schools you guys (Varun and Janhvi) are from, as long as I get my shot I think I got that, yeah ”

The film “Bawaal” stars Varun Dhawan and Janhvi Kapoor and is set in the backdrop of World War 2 The romantic film is directed by Nitesh Tiwari and will premiere on OTT on July 21

Influencer 'The Mermaid Scales' attends Barbie premiere in LA

Krutika, better-known by her social media handle @themermaidscales, sole Indian influencer present at recent Barbie premiere in Los Angeles, California She creates humorous content and has more than 7 million followers on social media. The Mumbaibased content creator shared a few reels on her social media handle related to the 'Barbie' movie.

The 'Barbie' premiere was held on July 9 at the Shrine Auditorium and Expo Hall in Lo Angeles, and a lot of famous peo were in attendance Barbie is di b y G r e t a G e r w i g a n d s t a r s Robbie, Ryan Gosling as leads

The premiere was a star-studded event Billie Elish,

Dua Lipa Nicki Minaj, Ava Max and many lebrities attended it According he media, Krutika mentioned at she was excited to be the sole epresentative of her country at the event She said, "I grew up watching Barbie movies and found them magical As an adult, getting to relive that experience at a global event f e l t a m a z i n g a n d v e r y special " The 24-year-old, who is n o w a f u l l - t i m e c o n t e n t c r e a t o r , n e v e r s e t o u t t o e c o m e I n s t a f a m o u s “ I t pened organically I don’t even how this happened I woke up and a video had done well People were commenting, ‘We love you and your videos’,” she shares

Priyanka's brother, Nick's mom dance their hearts out

Priyanka Chopra's brother Siddharth Chopra and h mother-in-law Denise Jonas share their birthdays This year, the two celebrated it together and had fun.

On Instagram, Priyanka posted different birthday messages for the two of them as well as a video of them dancing together She also thanked Nick Jonas for hosting their birthday bash while she was away for work

Sharing a video of Siddharth and Denise, Priyanka wrote on Instagram Stories, “And that's how it's done Thank you @nickjonas for always m a k i n g e v e r y c e l e b r a t i o n s o incredible Miss you all ”

Siddharth is wearing a black shirt and matching pants, while Denise is wearing a black dress They can be seen trying to do some salsa as they dance their hearts out

Priyanka had wished her motheri n - l a w w i t h a s w e e t p o s t o n h e r I n s t a g r a m S t o r i e s S h e s h a r e d a picture of her and wrote, Happiest birthday @mamadjonas We love you a n d c e l e b r a t e y o u e v e r y d a y ! " T h e actor shared a picture of Siddharth sitting with Malti on his lap and w r o t e , “ H a p p i e s t b i r t h d a y S i d @siddharthchopra89 Seeing you go from my little brother to Mamu is incredible Love you Gooch ”

Nominations for Indian film festival in Melbourne 2023 unveiled

The nominations for the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne 2023 have been unveiled, with 'Darlings', 'Kantara', 'Agra', 'The Storyteller', 'Sita Ramam', and 'Ponniyin Selvan 1 and 2' leading the film nominations In the series category, 'Jubilee' and 'Trial By Fire' take the lead in nominations.

The nominations for the eagerly awaited awards have been released by the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne (IFFM) The biggest Indian film festival held outside of India, IFFM continues to enthrall viewers everywhere The festival is pleased to welcome Bruce Beresford, an Australian director best known for helming classic movies like "Driving Miss Daisy" and "The Contract," as a new member of its elite jury panel this year

The IFFM advisory committee, after meticulous consideration of hundreds of films and series from across Indian cinema, has finalized the nominations for films and series released between 1st June 2022 to 31st May 2023 Leading the pack in the film categories, including Best Film, Best Actor, and Best Actress, are notable productions such as Darlings, Monica O My Darling, Ponniyin Selvan, and Kantara The nominations reflect the diversity and richness of Indian cinema, acknowledging both the blockbusters and the indie gems on the same platform

'Trial By Fire,' 'Jubilee,' and 'Delhi Crime Season 2' have received the most nominations in the OTT category These amazing shows have had a big impact thanks to their gripping stories, top-notch acting, and astounding production quality Only series on OTT platforms that can be accessed in the Australian market have been taken into consideration for nominations

Padma Lakshmi, Kumail Nanjiani and ‘Indian Matching’ nominated for Emmy

Kumail Nanjiani has scored a nomination at the 75th Primetime Emmy Award For the Disney+ series Welcome to Chippendales, he has been nominated for an Emmy Award for "outstanding lead actor in a limited series or a movie " I n a l i v e o n l i n e c e r e m o n y , T e l e v i s i o n Academy Chair Frank Scherma and Emmyn o m i n a t e d a c t r e s s Y v e t t e N i c o l e B r o w n announced the nominees Nanjiani, who is a Pakistani-American stand-up comedian and actor, was chosen for his portrayal of Indian A m e r i c a n S o m e n “ S t e v e ” B a n e r j e e , w h o became the unlikely founder of Chippendales, the male-stripping empire Padma Lakshmi received a nomination for hosting the 20th season of the popular Bravo

cooking series Top Chef The announcement comes a month after the Indian American chef, author, model, and television host would be

q u i t t i n g t h e p r o g r a m S h e a l s o e a r n e d a nomination in the Outstanding Hosted Nonfiction Series Or Special category for her Hulu show Taste the Nation with Padma Lakshmi N e t f l i x ' s " I n d i a n M a t c h m a k i n g , " w h i c h debuted its third season in April, is nominated in the category of "outstanding unstructured reality program The Smriti Mundhra-directed series gives viewers a behind-the-scenes look at t h e w o r l d o f m a t c h m a k i n g a n d p l a n n e d marriages The eight-episode series centers on Mumbai-based Sima Taparia, often known as S i m a a u n t y , a m a t c h m a k e r w h o h e l p s millennials all around the world find their ideal partners The 2023 Emmy Awards will be held at Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles, California, US, on 18 September

Ashwin sets up massive win for India

Of f- s p i nne r R A s h w i n ru n through the ill-equipp ed West

In d i es b at ti ng li n e- u p b y claiming seven wickets for 71 runs to set-up an innings and 141 run victory for India in the o p eni n g te st at Ro s ea u i n Do minica last w eek

After India declared their f i r s t i n n i n g s a t 4 2 1 f o r f i v e m i d w a y i n t o t h e a f t e r n o o n s e s s i o n , a n i m p r o v e d b a t t i n g show was expected from the Caribbean batters but they were simply not up to the task and collapsed to 130 all out in 50 o v e r s t o e n s u r e a t h r e e - d a y finish

A s h w i n f o l l o w e d h i s 3 3 r d f i v e - w i c k e t h a u l i n t h e f i r s t innings with envious figures of seven for 71 in 21 3 overs, his best in an overseas Test The r e s u l t w a s a f o r e g o n e

in brief

writing was on the wall when the West Indies were reduced to 3 2 f o r f o u r i n t h e i r s e c o n d innings With the conditions resembling the slow and dry tracks of India, Rohit Sharma introduced spin as early as the fifth over We let ourselves down:

IAN BOTHAM AUCTIONS OFF MEMENTOES FROM 1981 ASHES WIN

c o n c l u s i o n a f t e r t h e W e s t Indies were bundled out for 150 on the opening day India’s big win was also set up by Yashasvi Jaiswal who made a sublime 171 o n d e b u t V i r a t K o h l i contributed with 76 off 182 but it was not among his fluent k n o c k s a s h e h a d t o w o r k extremely hard for his runs and

was even dropped twice along the way The second and final Test starts in Port of Spain, Trinidad, from July 20 India, who have not lost a Test to West Indies since 2002, will be expected to c o m p l e t e a c l e a n s w e e p a n d pick up crucial points in the World Test Championship The

Bharat Cricket Community kicks off T20 cricket tournament

T h e Bh a r a t C r ic k et C o m m u ni t y in Lo n do n rec ently kicked off th e 7 th e dit io n o f t h e T 20 c ri ck et to urnament, known as BP L, w ith a sp ec tacu l ar o p ening c e r e m o ny T h e ev e nt w a s g ra c ed by e s t ee me d gu es t s i nc l u d in g U nm e s h D es a i, M e m b er o f th e Lo n do n As s emb ly fo r Ea st Lo ndon, and Darren Rodwell, Leader o f t h e C o u n c il f o r t h e London Bo rough o f Barking and Dagenh am

The opening ceremony was a true testament to the s p i r i t o f c r i c k e t , u n i t i n g players and spectators alike in a celebration of the sport

The event commenced with a grand parade, with teams marching onto the field The v i b r a n t c o l o r s o f t h e i r uniforms and the exuberant energy in the air set the tone for an exciting tournament ahead Unmesh Desai, who r e p r e s e n t s t h e b o r o u g h where the event took place, e x p r e s s e d h i s d e l i g h t a t being part of the opening ceremony He commended

t h e B h a r a t C r i c k e t Community for their efforts i n p r o m o t i n g c r i c k e t a n d f o s t e r i n g a s e n s e o f c o m m u n i t y s p i r i t a m o n g individuals of South Asian d e s c e n t i n L o n d o n D e s a i stressed the importance of such initiatives in bringing d i v e r s e c o m m u n i t i e s t o g e t h e r a n d p r o v i d i n g o p p o r t u n i t i e s f o r t a l e n t e d i n d i v i d u a l s t o s h o w c a s e their skills

D a r r e n R o d w e l l a l s o addressed the audience and applauded the organizers for t h e i r d e d i c a t i o n a n d h a r d w o r k i n p u t t i n g t o g e t h e r s u c h a g r a n d e v e n t H e e m p h a s i z e d t h e c o u n c i l ' s

commitment to supporting

c o m m u n i t y i n i t i a t i v e s a n d p r a i s e d t h e B h a r a t C r i c k e t Community's contribution to p r o m o t i n g d i v e r s i t y a n d inclusion in sports

The BPL 7 T20 cricket tournament is not just about the sport; it represents the p o w e r o f u n i t y a n d t h e c e l e b r a t i o n o f d i v e r s i t y I t s e r v e s a s a p l a t f o r m f o r t a l e n t e d c r i c k e t e r s t o showcase their skills and for t h e c o m m u n i t y t o c o m e together as one The opening ceremony, with its esteemed guests, encapsulated the true essence of the tournament a n d s e t t h e t o n e f o r a memorable event

Victoria state pulls out of hosting 2026 C'wealth games in Australia

T h e Au s t ra li a n s t at e o f V ic t o ri a p u ll e d o u t o f h o s ti n g th e 20 2 6 C o m mo n we al th G am es ci ting major cost blow- outs, leaving organisers fuming as they scrambled to keep th e multi-spo rt event afloat S t a t e P r e m i e r D a n i e l A n d r e w s s a i d t h e i n i t i a l estimated Aus $2 billion (US $1 36 billion) needed to hold t h e g a m e s w o u l d m o r e l i k e l y b e a r o u n d A u s $ 7 b i l l i o n , w h i c h h e c a l l e d “well and truly too much” “ I ’ v e m a d e a l o t o f difficult calls, a lot of very difficult decisions in this job This is not one of them F r a n k l y , $ 7 b i l l i o n f o r a

sporting event, we are not doing that,” he said at a p r e s s c o n f e r e n c e i n Melbourne

“I will not take money out of hospitals and schools t o h o s t a n e v e n t t h a t i s t h r e e t i m e s t h e c o s t estimated and budgeted for last year “ T h e G a m e s w i l l n o t proceed in Victoria in 2026 W e h a v e i n f o r m e d C o m m o n w e a l t h G a m e s authorities of our decision t o s e e k t o t e r m i n a t e t h e contract,” he added The event – featuring 20 sports and 26 disciplines

– was due to be held across five regional hubs in the

s t a t e , i n c l u d i n g G e e l o n g , B a l l a r a t , B e n d i g o , Gippsland and Shepparton, with each having its own athletes’ village Andrews said his team had looked at cutting the n u m b e r o f h u b s o r e v e n moving the Games to the V i c t o r i a s t a t e c a p i t a l M e l b o u r n e , b u t “ n o n e o f those options stack up ” V i c t o r i a w a s o n l y a w a r d e d t h e c o n t r a c t 1 4 months ago as the exclusive bidder, with the Federation claiming the state had since d e c i d e d t o i n c l u d e m o r e sports, added an additional regional hub, and changed plans for venues

Brathwaite West Indies captain Kraigg Brathwaite came down heavily on his ill-equipped batting unit, saying the home team was “let d o w n ” b y i t s b a t t e r s i n t h e o p e n i n g T e s t “ W e j u s t l e t ourselves down with the bat First innings total was just not good enough,” Brathwaite said after the match Brathwaite was particularly critical of his own performance as he scored just 20 and 7 in two innings while opening the batting

India win 27 medals at Asian Athletics

Championships 2023

I n the five- day (July 12 to 16) Asian Ath letics C hamp io ns hips 2023 hel d in Bangko k, I ndia f ini sh e d th ir d w it h a t o ta l o f 2 7 m ed al s , inc luding s ix gol d, 12 silver and nine bronze medals, in the second bes t ever p erformance Mixed relay team wins gold

Rajesh Ramesh, Aishwarya Mishra, Amoj Jacob and Subha Venkatesan helped India win the 4x400m mixed relay, beating back the challenge from Sri Lanka and Japan who s e t t l e d f o r t h e s i l v e r a n d b r o n z e m e d a l s respectively India added five medals on the penultimate day on Saturday

Toor bags gold

India's ace shot putter Tajinderpal Singh

T o o r a n d m i d d l e d i s t a n c e r u n n e r P a r u l Chaudhary won gold on the third day which saw Japan’s Hiroki Yanagita (10 02s) and Singapore’s Pereira Veronica Shanti (11 20) emerge as the fastest athletes winning the 100m dash in the men ’ s and women ’ s sections respectively

Jyothi opens India's gold account

Hurdler Jyothi Yarraji opened India’s gold medal account before Ajay Kumar Saroj (men’s 1500m) and Abdulla Aboobacker (men’s triple jump) made it a triple delight as they halted Japan’s charge, who still added three more gold, on the second day While the morning session at the National stadium saw the likes of decathlete Tejaswin Shankar (bronze, 7527 points) battling the stifling heat, showers in the evening made it difficult for the athletes to grip the track But before it poured, Aishwarya

K M i s h r a w o n I n d i a ’ s s e c o n d b r o n z e i n women ’ s 400m

Gritty Abhishek Pal wins bronze

I n d i a ' s A b h i s h e k P a l z i p p e d a h e a d o f

Japan's Yuto Imae in the last 200m to grab the bronze medal in men's 10,000m in the 25th

A s i a n A t h l e t i c s C h a m p i o n s h i p s A s J a p a n collected four of the six gold medals decided on the opening day, it looked like a washout for India Annu Rani had finished fourth in women ’ s javelin throw and Lili Das ended seventh in women ’ s 1500m before Abhishek and Gulveer Singh lined up for the 25-lap race

India win 8 silver, 5 bronze medals on the final day

India failed to win a single gold on the final day and instead settled for eight silver and five bronze medals to end third in the medals tally with a haul of 27 medals, including six gold Among the fine performers on Sunday were young DP Manu (silver, men ’ s javelin throw), Jyothi Yarraji (silver, women ’ s 200m) and Parul Chaudhary (silver, women ’ s 5000m) Young Manu was content with his silver in his debut meet as a senior international

Former cricketer Lord Ian Botham has sold prized souvenirs from his illustrious playing career, with mementoes from the 1981 Ashes win among the best-selling items As part of the collection the former England all-rounder and leading wicket-taker until James Anderson surpassed his 383 wickets in 2015, sold the ball with which he took five Australian wickets in the 1981 Ashes The red ball, which was given to Botham by one of the umpires following the match at Edgbaston, was sold for £20,000 Meanwhile, an original cricket stump from the previous match at Headingley which was taken as a souvenir after the match by Botham and has “Headingley 81” marked in ink on the base sold for £11 000 An inscribed Man Of The Match medal from the 1981 Headingley match was also one of the best-selling items of the collection going under the hammer for more than double the pre-sale estimate at £19,000 In total, Botham sold more than 200 mementoes from across his career at The Oval cricket ground in south London as part of Knights Sporting Auctions – having decided to sell the items as part of a move to downsize it was reported The best-selling item from the auction was an original Manchester United short-sleeved shirt worn by Northern Irish footballer Samuel “Sammy” McIlroy, in the Charity Shield match versus Liverpool played at Wembley in August 1977

The shirt, which was given to Botham by McIlroy and had a pre-sale estimate of £3,000, sold for £23,000 Botham’s BBC Sports Personality Of The Year lifetime achievement award from 2004 sold for £3 600

Other lots included Botham’s Somerset 1st XI cricket cap which sold for more than the presale estimate at £2 700 and a navy blue Test blazer issued to and worn by Botham during his England Test career which sold for £1 800

ICC ANNOUNCES EQUAL PRIZE MONEY FOR MEN, WOMEN AT GLOBAL EVENTS

In a landmark decision aimed at ushering in pay parity in international cricket, the International Cricket Council (ICC) announced that it was introducing equal prize money for men’s and women’s teams at its global events Cricket is now set to become the first team sport to have pay parity at international events Tennis was the first to take a step in this direction when Venus Williams became the first woman to receive the same prize money as her male counterpart at the 2007 Wimbledon Championships In October last year the BCCI had announced that it was introducing equal match fee for India s male and female cricketers for appearances in international cricket The decision was taken at the ICC’s annual conference in Durban South Africa It s learnt that BCCI secretary Jay Shah, who attended the meeting played an active role as the head of the financial and commercial affairs committee (F&CA) in formulating the pay equity policy “I am thrilled to announce that a major step towards gender parity and inclusivity has been undertaken The prize money at all ICC events will be same for men and women Together we grow ” Shah tweeted ICC chairman Greg Barclay said: “This is a significant moment in the history of our sport ”

New revenue model approved ICC’s new finance model as per which India is set to get 38 5% of the $600 million annual earnings for the 2024-27 cycle was approved at the ICC s annual conference As per this new revenue-distribution model for the next four years of ICC s commercial cycle the BCCI is projected to earn $230 million per year nearly 40% of the total ICC revenues in this period