AV 23rd August 2014

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Navroz (Nowruz) Mubarak to all our Parsi readers

First & Foremost Asian Weekly in Europe

Indian Women win historic Test against England

Indian Independence Day Special

See Page 32

Afghan Sikh Ordeal Shocks Community See Page 14-17

Let noble thoughts come to us from every side

VOL 43. ISSUE 16

Kapoor from Afghanistan, died during the journey.

The 35-strong group are currently being cared for by Home Office officials, Essex police reportedly said, and are in the process of applying for asylum.

Inquiries will continue after a post-mortem examination carried out on Monday 18 August proved inconclusive.

Kamaljit Singh

The Asian community are in shock after 35 Afghan Sikhs were discovered screaming and banging in a shipping container, destined for Tilbury Docks in Essex from Belgium, on Saturday 16 August.

Thirteen children aged as young as one were among the Afghan Sikhs rescued from the container. Tragically, one man, who has now been named as 40-year-old Meet Singh

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Mataharu, a translator used by police, reportedly said that the group believed they would have died if they remained trapped for another 30 minutes. He added that they told him: "It was pitch black, without any air. It soon became extremely uncomfortable."

Mataharu said there were 15 families, all from Kabul, packed into the container after they had travelled to Europe in a lorry. They told him they had been inside the container for 18 hours.

Essex police said the group included nine men and eight women aged between 18 and 72, as well as 13 children aged between one and 12.

Belgian police earlier indicated that they believe the immigrants were probably already inside when the container was delivered to a European port before setting sail for Britain.

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Footage obtained by ITV News apparently shows members of the group after they were released from the container. The short footage shows some of the migrants sitting on the floor while wailing and shouting can be heard in the background.

A Home Office spokesman confirmed that all the people involved were now in the process of claiming asylum in Britain. He reportedly said: "We are continuing to provide expert support, along with the National Crime Agency, to the Essex police investigation into the discovery of 35 people in a container at the port of Tilbury on Saturday. This tragic incident is a reminder of the devastating human consequences of illegal migration and we will do all we can to help bring those responsible to justice.'

Continued on page 13

23rd August to 29th August 2014

Come, make in India Modi tells investors

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi voiced dismay at the government in-fighting he found on assuming office in May and vowed to fire up the bureaucracy to deliver results in a country desperately in need of growth and development. He also spoke of the need to strengthen the manufacturing sector and

appealed to investors from around the world to make India a manufacturing hub.

Modi, who spoke more than an hour from the ramparts of the Red Fort during his first Independence Day address on Friday, emphasised the need for better governance.

Continued on page 26

India calls off talks with Pakistan over its envoy meeting J&K separatists

Sujatha Singh

Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhury

India called off foreign secretary level talks with Pakistan with just a week to go, sending out a strong message that its envoy's engagement with Kashmiri separatist leaders was unacceptable.

The decision came shortly after Pakistan

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High Commissioner Abdul Basit met separatist leader Shabbir Shah in the first of a series of meetings planned over three days.

Sources say Foreign Secretary Sujatha Singh, who was supposed to Continued on page 26

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nation building.

Fr. Jose Sequeria

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

My parents and a priest who worked selflessly.

Fr. Jose Sequeira was born in Vasco-Goa, India. Inspired by the dedicated work of a priest from my parish in Vasco, he joined seminary in class VII (grade 7). Fr Jose was ordained a catholic priest in 1998. As a priest he served in several different positions across India. He was an assistant pastor at Don Bosco Church, Nashik in Maharashtra in India, and subsequently became an administrator of an orphanage in Borivli, Mumbai. Fr Jose was also Vice Principal of a High School and Higher Secondary at Quepem in Goa. Fr. Jose was an administrator of Home for Street Children (Bosco Boys Home) in Mumbai and am currently studying for a Masters in Social Work. He have also been the Director of a Youth Centre, the Director of a Counselling Centre and Assistant Director of Konkan Development Society at Panjim in Goa. For the last four years he have been an Executive Director of Konkan Development Society (KDS). This is his fifth year as an executive Director of KDS. 1) What is your current position?

Executive Director of Konkan Development Society - Non Governmental Organization, working with the children, youth, women and men right from Ratnagiri in Maharshtra till Mangalore in Karnataka.

Over the past years, the Konkan Development Society has responded to the growing needs and demands of children, youth and women in various ways, each of which has led to several different projects that seek to empower the marginalized community. What began initially as a simple development office, with just one staff member in the Don Bosco Provincial house situat-

ed at Odxel in Goa, has now grown into an organization that runs programmes ranging from non-resident and special training centers to life skill training of the poor youth, placement cell, awareness and prevention programmes, remedial teaching, women’s empowerment and adult literacy classes.

2) What are your proudest achievements? a) Being asked by the State board to represent the state at national meeting in Delhi on Education and for being appoint on the District body for monitoring Mid-Day meal government program and Disaster Management program along with government heads.

b) For being instrumental in empowering over 33000 people in India through education, skill training and promotion of programs for women empowerment along with my staff. c) Getting help of the corporates for training and placement of underprivileged youth.

3) What inspires you?

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

Non Availability of sufficient Financial Resources to address the programs that can help upliftment of the poor and the marginalized of the society.

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

In my current position as the Executive Director the ability to work with people of all type.

Making the unfortunate to know about the opportunities and letting the fortunate to know the reality of the unfortunate and to make them appreciate what they have and to help those who have not. Partnership, linking the haves and the havenots.

7) And the worst?

When some who tend to ignore the reality.

8) What are your long term goals?

To work to ensure every child gets to learn especially poor migrants.

To work to employ 75% of trainees in companies with fully equipped and all round skill training. To enable women to play important role in decision making in the families, in

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

As a Prime Minister, I would work towards achieving brotherhood – which people live peace and harmony, avoid discrimination on the basis of religion, caste and work for true unity which in turn enables to achieve economic development. Secondly I would invite capable people of all parties in the formation of good government, finally what matter is good of the community and not which party does it.

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

Mahatma Gandhi – who utilized god given talents for nation building and unity. His simplicity, focus and commitment I will cherish for a long time. He has inspired me to think of others first. To put others first. To put nation first.

To know we are called to live as true brothers and sisters in the country and not to each other as rivals and competitors. To know that true happiness lies in being true to yourself. To believe and live for true. In the field of social development work I inculcate Gandhi`s values of Truth, Unity, Tolerance.

Lord Parekh: “Gandhi statue at Hundreds of rogue claim firms closed Parliament Square to honour his contribution to India”

The proposed statue of Mahatma Gandhi in Parliament square has sparked controversy, after it has been opposed by some women activists in India and Britain, especially after historian Dr Kusoom Vadgama, the 82 years old founder of Indo British Heritage Trust challenged the decision, raising alarming questions about Gandhi's 'moral character'.

However Indian-origin political theorist Prof Lord Bhikhu Parekh, who is the President of Gandhi Foundation, UK, reportedly told that putting up statue of Mahatma Gandhi outside the British Parliament was "an excellent idea". He emphasised that the statue at the Parliament Square is intended to honour his contribution to India and has nothing to do with his

Lord Bhikhu Parekh

Mahatma Gandhi

personal life.

"The statue is an excellent idea that is long overdue. It is great pity that Labour government in UK never thought of it, and the Conservative party government thought of it only in the context of better trade relations with India," he said.

"I am disappointed that the design of the statue was not widely discussed and there was no real public consultation.

Since the wider public is raising all the money, it should take ownership of

the statue by being involved in its planning and design," Parekh added.

"I hope the statue will represent political and not religious Gandhi. Gandhi leading the Dandi march, and not Gandhi in meditation or prayer. It is this (political) Gandhi who shaped modern India and best fits into the Parliament Square," he said. The statue will symbolise post-imperial reconciliation between Britain and India, among other things, he added.

Almost 600 of the claims companies responsible for bombarding people with nuisance calls and texts have left the industry in the last year as the Government has continued a crackdown on rogue firms.

The latest figures show that more robust enforcement against claims management companies and stricter rules raising standards are having a dramatic effect. The number of firms who are regulated to handle compensation claims, for example for personal injuries or mis-sold finan-

cial products, including PPI, has fallen from 2,693 in April 2013 to 2,097 in March 2014.

The fall has come as the Government has introduced tough new rules to prevent bad business practices as well as increasing regulation fees, and is introducing large new fines, of potentially hundreds of thousands of pounds, for companies which break the rules.

This follows previous reforms to tackle rogue firms, including a ban on companies offering cash and other incentives to

consumers to bring claims and the banning of "referral fees” which used to be paid between no-win no-fee lawyers, claims firms and others for profitable claims.

Justice Minister, Lord Faulks said: "We have made major reforms to turn the tide on compensation culture, drive down insurance premiums and help honest people. What we have already seen is that this has had a significant impact on the amounts people are having to pay and the departure of a large number of claims companies will be welcomed by many.”

Learner Driver jailed after police chase A teenage learner driver allegedly raced through residential streets and went through traffic lights during a 110 mph chase with the police.

Adnan Pathan the holder of only provisional license was chased around the streets of Birmingham until he eventually crashed into a concrete

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post when he turned into a dead end.

Adnan Pathan, who was driving high-powered Volkswagen Scirocco has now been jailed for six months and is been charged a ban of driving for one year after he was accused of driving dangerously.

Judge Patrick Thomas

QC told him: “You drove in the most dangerous way. You were trying to get away from the police at speeds in excess of 100mph and you were drawing away from them.

A pedestrian walking out from behind a car on to the road would simply have had no chance at all.”

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 23rd August 2014

COMMENT

Indo-Israeli ties cannot be derailed by Gaza

The weekend massacre of 80 Yazedi men and women by jihadis of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) is a tragic reminder of Middle East ground realities, of the barbarism that lurks beneath the surface. The victims were given the choice of conversion to Islam and were shot when they refused to bow to the threat. The presence of the persecuted Yazedi and Christian communities should not obscure their ancient roots in the land which pre-date the arrival of the Muslim religion. It is as well that the historical background is understood before people across the world rush to judgment on Israel. It is this wider context against which the events in Gaza should be placed. Facts are sacred, and comment, although free, should be informed. Apropos of the Indo-Israel relationship, the Indian government during the debate in parliament preferred to withhold taking sides on the plea that Indian interests in the region, including the vulnerability of the country workforce, had to be borne in mind. Days after India voted against Israel in the United Nations Human Rights Council, the Israel stated that it hoped the Indian decision would not impact on the robust IndiaIsrael ties in strategic areas of security, and some more “ingredients” added in the past few months.

There is little chance of that happening, as Indian authorities at the highest state level well appreciate the value of their country’s relationship with Israel.

No amount of posturing on Indian streets by certain Muslim bodies will deflect Indian policy from its time-tested Israelt relationship. The public at large in India look at such demonstration with scepticism and not a little contempt. There has not been a squeak against recent ISIS massacres by any of these Muslim groups, whose mollycoddled elements in Bengal have demanded that Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee lead the charge against Israel. Having sown State government handouts to imams and mullahs, she is now reaping the whirlwind. She lacks the constitutional authority to

make such pronouncements.

Moving to matters of greater moment, the busted jihadi terror circle in South India headquartered in the Pakistan High Commission in Colombo led to the quick departure of diplomat Siddiqui, its mastermind. The terrorists had the Israeli missions in their sights, but were neutralized by Indian intelligence operatives who tracked down and arrested the jihadis. The Israeli Consul General expressed his government’s warm appreciation of the operation and the protection offered to Israeli diplomatic missions in India. It reinforced the close friendship between the two countries, he said. To this one must add the appreciation of the Vajpayee government, when the late Ariel Sharon’s cabinet responded promptly to India’s urgent request for critical mortars for use against the Pakistan invaders in the Kargil conflict of 1999. A personal letter of thanks to prime minister Sharon, was delivered to him by Mr Vajpayee’s most trusted aide, the late Brajesh Mishra, together with an invitation to Mr Sharon to visit India, which he duly did. Addressing a gathering of the Indian Jewish Association in London, Israel’s Deputy Ambassador to the UK, Eltan Na’eh pointed to the 2000-year Jewish presence in India without the slightest discrimination. “This is something unparalleled in Jewish history. We want peace in our region to look, like the amazing ties…..fostered between Indian and Jews,” he said. Mr Na’eh referred to his country’s ties with India that include everything from alternative technology, to space exploration and agriculture, for which Israel had set up 30 centres of excellence in India. Indian High Commissioner to the UK, Ranjan Mathai, who once served in Israel as Indian ambassador, affirmed that, “India maintains a very very strong relationship with Israel, not only in the bilateral sense but in the global arena.” The Indo-Israeli ties prospers. They are in good order, the future secure.

Shalom! Namaste!

A Princeton University mathematician of Indian origin, Manjul Bhargava, has won the Fields Medal (which he shares with three other mathematicians, one of whom is an Iranian and a woman to have done so). The Fields Medal in pure mathematics carries the prestige of the Nobel Prize, from which the subject is excluded. The Fields Medal award, which started in 1936, is given to a pure (as opposed to applied) mathematician under the age of 40. Manjul Bhargava, whose parents (father chemist, mother mathematician) come from Jaipur, Rajasthan, was born and educated in Canada, and appointed full Professor at Princeton in 2003, the second youngest person to be so honoured.

Together with his PhD student Arun Shankar, he won the Fermat Prize in 2011. Bhargava has maintained his Indian roots. A frequent presence in Jaipur, he learned Sanskrit from his grandfather, an eminent teacher of the subject in a notable Sanskrit institution in the city, and is also an accomplished tabla player. Bhargava is the only Indian Fields Medallist, a galaxy of American, Russian, French and British mathematicians having won 38 Fields Medals between them. Martin Hairer, another Fields Medal recipient, who teaches at Warwick University (UK), says his inspiration was Srinivasa Varadhan, who Hairer said “is one of the leading senior leading mathematicians in my field.” Varadhan won the prestigious Abel Prize in Mathematics in 2007, awarded by the Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters. Professor Varadhan moved from the Indian Statistical Institute in Calcutta to New York University’s Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences, where

he has been a teacher since 1966. By all accounts there is currently a revival of mathematics revival in India itself, where an outstanding crop of mathematicians are apparently making their presence felt on the global stage. All of which begs the question: why after the legendary Bhaskara in 1000 AD, has it taken India so long to make an impact in a subject it once led the world? It was the genius of Srinivasa Ramanujan to reignite the flame in the early 20th century. And therein lies one of the key answers to the question. It was the British presence in India that led to the creation of universities with modern curricula. Science and engineering began to take-off in the 19th century and flowering in the twentieth, with such names as Jagadish Bose, Satyen Bose, Megnad Saha, C.V. Raman, Subramanian Chandraseker, Homi Bhabha et al. India has still a long way to go, but Rome wasn’t built in a day.

What we can say is that European science was seeded in outstanding centres of learning in the Middle Ages, when Indian undergoing its long millennium night under Turkish-Mughal rule, mired in theological mumbo-jumbo. The light of science in the Islamic universe, following three centuries of seminal development, extinguished by a dominant clergy was never relit there. The Pax Britannica brought political and social stability to India, including a new education system, a modern administrative service, railways, telegraph and the rule of law and an unfettered press.

Mindless anti-colonialism is an infantile disorder.

Let us meditate on history with no malice aforethought.

India’s women cricketers have done themselves and their country proud with their first series win in England. India’s much hyped men, meanwhile, have been an abject embarrassment, with neither skill nor character to lighten the gloom. The selection of a cavalcade of medium pace journeymen and the lack of variety in the spin department, with no backup in batting should things go wrong, has been an indecent exposure of lamentable judgment.

There is little point mentioning names. Truth is that a surfeit of 20/Twenty circuses and the inability to adjust to needs of the longer game have emasculat-

ed India’s Test cricket , which is the true measure of a cricketer’s worth. Players who bat a bit, bowl a bit and drop a catch or two betwixt and between, who are neither fish nor fowl, may not be fit for purpose, but they’ve become the flavour of every Indian season. The Indian team on show in England this summer will be roasted, then consumed at every Australian breakfast, Australia being India’s next port of call at the end of the year. The Durgas of Indian cricket will perform better. Bring them on – and quickly.

Revival Indian mathematics

Look to India’s women cricketers for hope

3 It is not the critic who counts: not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles or where the doer of deeds could have done better.

The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly, who errs and comes up short again and again.

- Theodore Roosevelt (1858-1919)

Great politicians are the people; Indian PM isn’t great, he is us When hearing PM Modi’s Independence Speech people say it is a great speech, he is a great man. They are wrong.

His speech was exactly what so many of the readers of this paper think, ordinary people like you and me; protect our women, provide toilets for our mothers and sisters and daughters.

He is a giant because the pygmies before him who never bothered to express such a view on Independence Day. Who never spoke of a national shame on Independence Day but always sought to beat their chests about their own greatness and attack their neighbours for their own failings.

PM Modi is great, is a giant, because he is ordinary, like you and me. For all those who think criticising your nation does not make you a patriot, you were all shocked to hear his speech. To politicians who think they can only speak from a script and yet appear sincere, you were proved hollow and shallow. To his opponents who think those who say they are Hindu must be fundamentalists, you were proved cowards of your own fears. Where was the communalism, you secularists feared? Where was your plea for toilets on Independence Day? This is what it means to be a Hindu Nationalist. To say, we need toilets, to say crimes against women are a national shame.

That is patriotism. The secularists never managed it on Independence Day. They had their chance and they were shown to be dwarfs, that is why a man of ordinary stature looks a giant, because he stood after midgets and dwarfs and pygmies. But he is us – the common patriot.

When you look around you may see the poor, I see the shame of what has befallen a great and wondrous civilisation, always too open to foreign influence, I see royal blood in paupers clothes. You see a destitute woman, I see the honour of a nation reduced to begging on the streets.

Anyone who speaks the truth without fear is great. We all do it in our living rooms each evening. The Prime Minister just did that. A simple thing, but in the years since independence hardly a PM had that simple thought, to do simply that. Speak the truth about the nation’s problems.

As the words of the unofficial national anthem state: Thou art Durga, Lady and Queen, With her hands that strike and her swords of sheen, Thou art Lakshmi lotus-throned, And the Muse a hundred-toned, Pure and perfect without peer, Mother lend thine ear, Mother sweet, I salute thee, Mother great and free!

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Furniture firm fined £11,250

A Birmingham business and its director have been ordered to pay a total of £15,613 after pleading guilty to 15 offences each under the Consumer Protection Act 1987 and the Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988.

Company director Dinesh Karshan Visavadia, aged 63, who runs Furniture Wholesale Central Ltd, Plated Strip, on Wharfdale Road, Birmingham, was ordered to pay a fine of £3,000 and a £20 victim surcharge during the sentencing at Birmingham Magistrates’ Court. The company was fined £11,250 and also ordered to pay full costs of

£1,363.25 and a £75 victim surcharge.

Birmingham City Council brought the case against the company director after Trading Standards officers seized nine items of furniture which failed to meet the labelling requirements of the 1988 Regulations during a routine inspection on 5 December 2013.

Visavadia was ordered to not sell the non-compliant furniture and to check all remaining stock to ensure it met the labelling regulations.

Furniture Wholesale Ltd was able to continue trading during this investigation.

Four of the items seized – two footstools, a two-

seater sofa and a lazyboy lounger – were sent to West Yorkshire Materials Testing Service for flammability tests to be carried out.

Three items failed these tests, as they continued to burn beyond the two minute threshold.

Officers asked Visavadia to produce paperwork to identify the suppliers and on 12 February 2014, he provided a number of documents detailing foam and fabric tests. However when officers asked which items they related to, he was unable to answer.

Visavadia was invited to interviews with officers on several occasions but failed to attend.

Gaza protesters holding Pro-Isis flag angers Kurds in Sheffield

A group of protesters in Sheffield triggered an angry confrontation with Kurdish residents, when they marched through a majority Kurdish populated street waving a black flag linked with Islamist extremism on Saturday 9 August.

The group of men were holding a protest against the conflict in Gaza, and carried a Palestinian flag and a black flag with the Muslim declaration of faith, according to South Yorkshire police. Versions of this flag are used by Islamic State, the extremist group also known as Isis.

The sight of the flag outraged local residents, many of whom are refugees from Iraqi Kurdistan and other Kurdish communities in Syria, Turkey and Iran.

“They said they were helping the Palestinians

and they waved a Palestinian flag, but after that they brought the Isis flag as well,” reportedly said Sarwat Jaf, an Iranian Kurd who moved to Britain in 2006, who witnessed the end of the confrontation.

“The Kurdish people did not want that. They said that Isis are terrorists and are killing our people in Kurdistan.”

Police insisted that the Kurdish residents mistook the flag to be the symbol of the Islamic State.

Mr Jaf refused to believe that and said that

fellow Kurds had asked the demonstrators, whom he said were of Pakistani origin, why they chose to walk through a part of Sheffield that is home to many Arab and Kurdish refugees — the main victims of Islamic State violence — rather than the city centre.

The police said that two people were arrested for public order offences.

Mr Jaf said that the two people taken away by police were Kurdish rather than the demonstrators.

Security officials are increasingly concerned that support for the Islamic State among certain members of the Muslim population in Britain is growing, particularly through the use of social networks Facebook and Twitter.

Manchester City Council discover bag full of severed cats’ heads After a bin bag full of severed cats’ heads were found on a street near the city’s popular Curry Mile, the Manchester City Council has launched an urged investigation and the RSPCA is being contacted.

A council worker was sent to investigate fly tipping complaints in Rusholme area, who made this gruesome discovery.

The bin bag’s contents were revealed in a memo sent to councillors and council officials, which described the findings as “cat heads”.

The Chairman of the local Conservative Association, Stephen Woods, told the Manchester Evening News [MEN] everyone was “flabbergasted” when they received the news.

“It’s absolutely disgraceful the way they have been treated,” he said.

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 23rd August 2014

Top entrepreneur to be guest of honour at IAB annual dinner

The guest speaker at this year’s Institute of Asian Businesses annual dinner and awards is one of Britain’s leading entrepreneurs, Hussein Lalani.

Mr Lalani is a cofounder of 99p Stores, which has just opened its 250th store in the UK, in its home town of Northampton, and is on course to record a turnover of £500m this year.

99p Stores was set up by Nadir Lalani and his two sons, Hussein and Faisal, in 2001.

The Lalanis have retailing in their blood - Nadir Lalani first came to Britain in 1973, from Tanzania, where he owned a wholesale business and general store. In the UK, he established and sold two convenience store chains, before moving into discount retailing with his two sons.

The first 99p Store was in Holloway, with three others opening in the same year, and it was the collapse of Woolworths six years ago that helped the family accelerate the growth of their business. The family

took over 80 former Woolworths stores, which was a massive expansion of the firm.

Mr Lalani said: “My dad started with a typical Asian corner shop in Muswell Hill. One of the Woolworths stores we

took over was opposite to it. This is very much a family business, and the great inspiration for me was my grandma, who ran a wholesaling business in Tanzania.

“My message to the IAB event will be a bit of an inspirational one as well – I want to show that everyone can achieve anything, with hard work, smart work and having your family behind you, you can achieve anything.”

IAB president Saqib Bhatti said: “I am very excited to have Mr Lalani,

founder and managing director of 99p Stores as our keynote speaker.

“I have no doubt he will follow our prestigious list of annual dinner speakers from past years and captivate our guests with his story of how the 99p Stores grew to be a high street stalwart with many millions in turnover.”

This year’s IAB dinner and awards takes place on 29 November at Birmingham’s International Convention Centre, and is expected to attract a capacity crowd of 500.

Mr Bhatti said: “The IAB Annual Dinner has proved to be one of the top engagements on the Birmingham business social calender and this year will prove to be no different.

“It is an evening jampacked with entertainment, awards celebrating the region’s top business talent, great food and of course networking with the top businesspeople and institutions from across the West Midlands.”

Security driver helps to spoil robbery plan

A security driver spoilt plan of robbery by a teen pair armed with a gun, axe and a machete. Johnzeb Anwar and Asad Quasim were also found with face masks and balaclava on the car park of a Lidl Supermarket in Bordesley Green.

The cash-in-transit driver’s suspicions were aroused when he noticed the same green Peugeot car watching him between February 8 and 15 this year. His hunch was proved right when cops searched the car and found the haul of weapons on the 19-year-old men.

Quasim, of Ward End Park Road, Washwood Heath, was jailed for eight-years after pleading guilty to conspiracy to

Johnzeb Anwar and Asad Quasim

commit robbery and a firearms offence, Anwar, of Ludlow Road, Alum Rock, was jailed for eight-and-a-half years after also pleading guilty to a charge of burglary.

Judge Roderick

Henderson heard both got involved in the scheme to pay off debts to a drug dealer.

But he said there was no doubt they had planned to rob the driver, it appeared the pair got cold feet.

Muslim graves vandalised in Oldham Rusholme’s Curry Mile

The animal remains were condemned as “an extreme example of animal cruelty” by Manchester City Council, who said an investigation into the “sickening” incident is now underway.

In a statement, it said: “A member of our team was called to an address in Rusholme earlier today [Friday] and discovered a fly-tipped black bin-liner containing animal remains.

“This is obviously an incredibly distressing and sickening incident which we are now looking into but this is the first incident of its kind we have come across.

“At this stage we have no way of knowing how these animal parts came to be where they were discovered but we will be contacting the RSPCA as this is clearly an extreme example of animal cruelty.”

Muslim graves are reportedly damaged in a racist attack at Chadderton Cemetery in Oldham.

The yobs uprooted headstones, trampled on flowers and kicked over memorials in what police branded a ‘heinous and senseless’ crime. The raid took place between 8.30pm on Friday, August 15, and 7.30pm the following day.

Officers received a distressed call from someone visiting the grave of a loved one.

When police arrived

they found up to ten graves - all in the Muslim section of the cemetery had been damaged, leading them to believe it was a racially-motivated attack.

Wooden grave markers and headstones were uprooted from four adjoining graves, one of which had a brass plaque ripped from the headstone itself.

A further two large floral tributes on other graves were smashed, trampled on and the flowers scattered across the other, while flowers on up to four other graves were also kicked over. There was also some evidence to suggest someone had walked directly over a recent grave.

Police are now appealing for witnesses to come forward.

In June a community rallied around to clean up a Jewish cemetery in Blackley targeted in a racist vandalism attack.

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 23rd August 2014

Student cleared of smuggling money to Syria

British student Nawal Msaad has been cleared of trying to fund terrorism.

She was accused of smuggling thousand of pounds to Syria and supplying around £16, 000 to jihadist rebels. It was believed that she carried this sum of money in her underwear and was reported that she was stopped by police before her journey to Turkey.

The student concealed the £16, 300 in notes in a condom at Heathrow Airport. The prosectors believed that Msaad was trying to fund for terrorism and alleged that the money was “destined to support the jihadist cause”. Later in court

Msaad was accused of being tempted by an incentive of €1000.

Prosecutors concluded that if she was successful in her delivery, she would be rewarded with the €1000.

Msaad, a human resources student, was believed to be recruited by her friend, Amal elWahabi, to deliver the money to Wahabi's husband, Aine Davis in Syria.

Before embarking on the Istanbul-bound British Airways flight in Terminal 5, Msaad was stopped by police on 16th January.

She told officers she was going to Turkey for a short break, and wanted to buy gold for her mother.

Asked how much cash she had, Msaad said she had €20,000 "around me".

She was then taken by counter-terrorism officers to a private room, jurors were told, where she

pulled a roll of banknotes from her underwear, comprising 38 €500 notes, four €200 notes and two €100 notes. However, Msaad denied that she was trying to fund for terrorism and felt that she was “stitched up” by her friend, Wahabi.

During her trial, she denied trying to smuggle money into Syria to fund terrorism and added that she did not know that Aine Davis was involved in such acts. She repeated that the money was intended to help move her children to live in Turkey.

It is also reported that she told some of her friends about moving and living in Turkey.

Mother drowned herself thinking she had stomach cancer A young mother from Bradford, West Yorkshire, drowned herself after she became convinced that she was dying of stomach cancer. 35 year old Seemberjeet Kaur believed her organs were failing for weeks after becoming 'consumed' by the ill health of her fouryear-old daughter. She gave up her job at a nursery to care for the child in the months before her death.

An inquest heard how the mother-of-one visited the doctor after rapidly losing weight in August

2013. She was given a muscle relaxant, but selfdiagnosed herself as having stomach cancer after researching symptoms on the internet.

On October 23, after making repeated phone calls to her husband saying she was not feeling well, Mrs Kaur took a taxi to the River Aire. CCTV footage showed the woman walking down a canal towpath. Her body was discovered six weeks after she vanished in water near Leeds railway station.

Mrs Kaur married her

husband Balijeet Sing Kang through an arranged union in 2006, the inquest heard. After three years of marriage, the couple welcomed their daughter.

Mr Kang explained how after their daughter had a 'severe' eczema and a bout of pnemonia, Mrs Kaur 'did not leave her side.'

At the time of her death, Mrs Kaur was not working as she had given up work to look after their child which had a negative effect on the nursery worker.

Recording a verdict of suicide Coroner Roger Whittaker, reportedly said: 'I record a verdict that she took her own life whilst the balance of her mind was disturbed.'

The sobering truth: 17,500 Law graduates, only 5,000 jobs Recent reports into graduate jobs for Law students have shown that there is a shrinking pool of training places in solicitors’ firms and barristers’ chambers.

More than 17,500 graduates are pursuing about 5,000 training contracts at law firms and some 400 pupillages in barristers’ chambers. They are also competing against graduates from previous years who are still seeking work. The number of pupillages available has fallen from 695 in 2001 to 429 in 2013. The number of training contracts (for would-be solicitors) also fell from more than 6,000 in 2008 to 5,200 in 2013.

The challenges faced by those trying to break into the legal profession are not lost on those who have already established themselves. It is also extended to those wanting to become solicitors.

Andrew Caplen, the president of the Law

UK

5

Society, has said, “We urge students thinking of embarking on a career in law to think carefully and do extensive research.

Competition for training contracts remains exceptionally high with some firms receiving thousands of applications for each place. Many students are left with debt up to £50,000 when they finish their studies with no guarantee of a job at the end.

To succeed as a solicitor, you need determination, motivation and academic ability in abundance.

Students should be confident that they are right for the profession and that the profession is right for them before making that commitment.”

There have been suggestions that cuts to legal aid have dissuaded some barristers’ chambers from recruiting, whilst the economic downturn has also affected barristers and firms of solicitors heavily.

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UK

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 23rd August 2014

Shrien Dewani fit for trial

Spriha Srivastava

Home-cooked food at your desk If you fancy some reasonable and tasty Indian food but don’t know where to find then you must read on. I normally like to cook my own Indian meal but there are times you get bored of your own cooking too.

Who would have thought? Well, I decided to try something different for a change.

I had been seeing lots of Facebook posts about this place called Dhaba Lane. Run by former banker Arti Bareja and business development manager Upma Arora, the place offers a range of menu from across India.

The idea was inspired our of childhood nostalgia for home-cooked food.

‘Dhaba’ a term often used in India for roadside food joints that probably offer one of the best parathas and dal makhani I have ever tasted in India, especially in Delhi.

Dhaba Lane brings those flavours to London. You have lots of options to choose from.

To start with they do daily lunch deliveries to office from a range of menu every day.

So if you fancy some healthy salad they have a wonderful salad menu which is served base of green leaves, black chickpeas & beans sprouts & are sprinkled with fresh fruits.

If you prefer a small bite they have sandwiches in artisan bread rolls and finally if you prefer curry they always have a vegetarian and a nonvegetarian curry of the day along with white or brown rice for £6.50.

The food is cooked in low oil and is healthy, tasty and very close to home-cooked meals. And what’s better than getting hot home-made food delivered to your desk while you are in the middle of crunching numbers and staring at the screen wishing you too could be on a holiday? Well, this sounds like a dream come true.

And Dhaba Lane has made it a reality.

The other very interesting and much more delicious angle is their weekend brunch.

Dhaba Lane has setup a small little place in Shoreditch where they serve a delicious and sumptuous four-course

brunch for £15 per person.

Starting with hot Upma to Pav bhaaji to stuffed parathas and finally delicious sweet kheer, the menu is extremely rich and filling.

You can also have either masala chai or mango lassi on the side.

An extremely wonderful initiative and one that is very close to the organizers since it was inspired from their own love for home-made food.

It is a boon for all those professionals who work in London far away from home and crave homecooked rice and daal.

If you haven’t tried yet, time to do it now. All you need to do is find them on Facebook and you will never look back.

Bhattacharyas capture Edware road

Looking for a nice classy evening with some wine and tapas? And some Italian food as well?

Cucina Bella, just off Edgware Road is your best bet. Located in the heart of London, and a few minutes away from Marble Arch, this restaurant has recently been taken over by Londonbased Indian couple, Mr. B P Bhattacharya, Senior Partner of BSS Associates Chartered Accountants Registered Auditors of Gresham House and Mrs. Susmita Bhattacharya, a renowned Rabindra Sangit Singer and Managing Director of

Gresham Hotel, Sussex Gardens, London.

Set in one of the classiest locations in London, the restaurant will offer a wide variety of Spanish Tapas, Italian cuisine, exotic cocktails and mouth-watering desserts. Currently under renovation, the restaurant will open in 3-4 weeks time for general public.

The formal inauguration was done by Vivek Burman, chairman of Dabur India along with his wife Mrs. Monica Burman. Mr. Burman congratulated the new owners and also wished good luck to the staff to make it a world-class restaurant.

Bhattacharyas have in the past few years spread their wings from Gresham, Hyde Park to French Partridge, Horton to 189 Piccadilly and now to Cucina Bella.

The restaurant’s formal inauguration party held last week had the who’s who of London present. An exotic selection of wine, cocktails and canapés was served along with good music.

As far as comfort and hospitality is concerned, Mr. & Mrs. Bhattacharya are known for being an extremely wonderful host. Their two hotels the French Partridge in Horton and The Gresham Hotel has been very well rated on all the travel sites.

It is now time you step out and enjoy their hospitality in one of their properties. It surely will be worth every effort and penny.

Let us know what you think.

Email Spriha at aveditorial@abplgroup.com

Honeymoon murder suspect Shrien Dewani, pictured, has been ruled fit to stand trial in October, for plotting to kill his new wife. The 34-year-old, who denies the allegations, lost a long battle against extradition to South Africa in April after claiming to be too traumatised to go through with the trial.

Dewani appeared in court on Friday 15 August, to listen to the announcement by mental health experts that he is well enough to be tried for wife Anni’s abduction and murder during their honeymoon in 2010 after they observed him for 30 days.

He has remained behind bars in South Africa since he was extradited from Britain earlier this year and was seen in May at the Valkenberg Hospital, a secure psychiatric hospital in Cape Town.

Anni’s sister Ami Denborg, who lives in Sweden, welcomed the news, and reportedly said: ‘It’s a relief for all of us.

We’ve been waiting quite a long time for this. I know this autumn is going to be tough for us but we still want the trial to start so that we can get the information we need. We can get to know what really happened. It feels like we’re moving forward.’

Dewani’s parents and brother also attended the brief hearing on Friday where the prosecutor Rodney de Kock reportedly told the Cape Town High Court: ‘The accused is not mentally ill. The

accused is not certifiable.’

Dewani was dressed in a dark suit and tie and thought not speaking, he nodded to acknowledge that he had understood the decision.

Anni, 28, was murdered in November 2010 after the couple’s taxi was stopped at the edge of a town.

Dewani was released unharmed, but Anni’s body was found the next day in the abandoned vehicle with a fatal gunshot wound to her neck.

Dewani returned home to Bristol a few days later and was subsequently detained in a hospital for depression and post-traumatic stress disorder.

The case is set to be heard on October 6, when Dewani will face charges relating to kidnapping, robbery and murder. He will continue to be held at the Valkenberg psychiatric hospital until then.

have produced a short film on Autumn season in London to start the key period in the cultural calendar. Respected British actor, David Harewood MBE, has narrated the short film highlighting the key artistic, literary and theatrical events to attract domestic and international visitors.

Addressing a special gathering at Tate, the Deputy Mayor for Education and Culture Munira Mirza said, “Culture is the main driver for visitors and London is the most exciting city on the planet. Our aim is to promote smaller organisations and attract more people.”

She also emphasised that after the London 2012 Olympics, “We learnt that working together is the most powerful thing.” To this, Kerstin Mogul, Managing Director Tate added, “London is the home of British art. London’s autumn season promotes a sector that drives the reputation of London and is incredibly important for its economic growth. It means that this country carries dynamism.”

Withstanding the unmatched popularity of Sherlock Holmes, Sir Nicholas Kenyon, Managing Director, Barbican talked about London’s cultural realm and said, “Benedict Cumberbatch’s show is sold out at Barbican but

34,000 people are still queuing online when it did sell out.”

However, a major highlight of this autumn season will be the Ming: 50 years that changed China at the British Museum, exploring a golden age in China’s history bringing together unique loans from collections around the world.

The High Commissioner of China, Liu Xiaoming said, “We want to promote ChinaUK cultural exchange.”

While he talked about the master pieces of Chinese paintings he also said, “Chinese new year celebration is the largest celebration outside Asia which attracts more than half a million people. Ming exhibition is the zenith of Ming dynasty, the second last dynasty in Chinese history.”

According to Jessica Harrison, curator of Chinese ceramics, the exhibition is based between the periods of 1400-1450 when China was the world super power. It showcases the understated China at the British Museum with imperial and regional crowns, series of silk robes and hairpins of princesses, including gold vessels.

Sir Nicholas summed up the real essence of this year’s London Autumn Season exhibitions saying, “It’s a bit like your own Spotify to have, but live and breathing.”

London’s Autumn Season: A celebration like no other

Shefali Saxena

London’s major cultural institutions recently came together to celebrate London’s Autumn Season at Tate Britain. The reception featured a special preview of exhibitions across the Barbican Centre, The British Museum, the Imperial War Museum, the Museum of London, the National Gallery, the Natural History Museum, the Royal Academy, Tate Britain and Victoria and Albert Museum.

The stellar line up of blockbuster exhibitions includes Turner at Tate Britain, Anselm Kiefer at the Royal Academy and Ming: 50 years that changed China, a major exhibition covering the Ming Dynasty reign at the British Museum featuring an antique collection of paintings made in China.

A real treat to Sherlock Holmes’s fans shall be showcased at the Museum of London, in an exhibition titled “The man who never lived and who will never die”. The museum aims to recreate the atmosphere of Sherlock’s London through film, photographs and original artefacts.

The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson has said, “Throughout the year, the capital offers an unbeatable variety of arts and culture, attracting people in their millions from around the world. It is a fabulous success story, which we want to build on and we are developing a plan aimed at maximising the potential of the full range cultural activity to be found throughout our city.”

The Mayor’s official promotional company for the capital- London & Partners along with GREAT Britain campaign

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 23rd August 2014

Despite pass rate decreasing, record numbers get into university reach those grades with the helping factor of exams being taken in January, which allows more teaching time.

But a statement from the Joint Council for Qualifications said that the changing of exam timing, with the January sitting being cancelled, gave schools less flexibility and prevented students from taking re-sits.

In 2013, 26.3% of Alevel papers were given A or A* grades, while the total number of A*-E grades rose to 98.1% – the 31st year in a row that the proportion had increased.

In 2012, 26.6% of entries were awarded the two top grades. The last time the A grades were awarded in greater amounts was 2011, when 27% of entries received As. Figures also showed

that students have increasingly started to study more traditional subjects such as the maths and sciences due to the demand for these subjects from universities, meaning that fewer pupils opted for general studies and political science. Also, results show that boys slightly outperformed girls in 2012 and 2013 for the number A* achieved in A-levels. It thought that the change from coursework to end of

course exams is more preferred by boys.

The Education Secretary, Nicky Morgan, reportedly said: “I’m delighted to see more students, especially young women, studying maths and sciences and teachers having more time to push pupils to achieve the very top grades. This will help them secure the top jobs, regardless of their background, and secure a brighter future.”

Three drug dealers have been found guilty of shooting 24-year-old nursery teacher Sabrina Moss on her 24th birthday.

The men, all in their 20s, face life sentences for shooting the innocent nursery teacher in August last year.

Ms Moss had been celebrating her 24th birthday when she was killed as a drug world turf war erupted in Kilburn High Road.

She had stopped to shelter from the rain with her friends and were seen by

one gang to be chatting to members of a rival group.

The girls were wearing party dresses and Miss Moss’s bright red outfit

“stood out like a beacon in the night” according to one officer.

She was struck in the heart by one of the six rounds fired in her direction from a Mac10 “spray and pray” sub machine gun which had previously been used in gang violence in London and Birmingham.

Her friend Sabrina Gachette, also 24, was hit in the back by 50 pellets

from a double-barrelled sawn-off shot gun but miraculously survived.

Martell Warren, 23 of Kensal Green, Hassan Hussain, 29 of Willesden Green, and Yassin James, 20 of Wembley, were all convicted of Sabrina’s murder on Monday 18 August.

They will be sentenced later by Judge Stephen Kramer QC. Miss Moss, who lived in Neasden, worked at Alice’s Wonderland nursery in Stonebridge and had a four-year-old son.

A Labour party candidate and aid expert was shot in the head and chest by terrorists, while he was dining at a restaurant in Afghanistan, an inquest has heard.

Dharmender Singh Phangurha, also known as Del, from Southampton, was in Kabul working as an aid adviser for an organisation called Tour Afghanistan and was monitoring the flow of aid into the country. At the time of the attack, he was dining in a restaurant frequently used by visitors because it was deemed secure.

The inquest in Winchester, Hampshire, was told that two insur-

gents armed with AK47 rifles were able to get into the Taverna du Liban restaurant after a suicide bomber set off a device outside. The explosion killed two men standing guard, and breached the steel security gate.

A total of 21 people died in the attack, including senior UN officials, Afghan dignitaries and restaurant staff. The gunmen also died in the incident on 17 January.

Singh, 39, was an international development specialist who had vast experience managing EU and UN projects in postconflict countries including Afghanistan and

Sierra Leone.

A statement from Richard Ironside, a manager with Tour Afghanistan, said Singh and his team would always report their movements.

Ironside said he received a phone call from Singh as the shooting

unfolded. He reportedly said: “A call then came in from Del. He was saying ‘I am at the restaurant, I am at the restaurant. I can hear firing in the background’.”

Ironside said he could hear gunfire before the phone went dead, the hearing was told.

Dishi Kaur, Singh’s younger sister, reportedly broke down as she told the coroner her brother was “a really great man”.

A postmortem examination showed that Singh had suffered four gunshot wounds – two to the head and two to the chest – that would have killed him immediately.

Universities have accepted a record number of entries this year despite the overall A- level pass rate falling. More people have achieved A*s, the highest grade possible, this year than last year with an increase of 0.6%. Around 8.2% of exam entires achieved an A* which is an improved figure compared to last year’s results.

However, the percentage of students achieving grades from A* to E has dropped by 0.1% from 98.1% to 98%. Officials from the exam board have said that the improved proportion of students gaining A* is becoming a “key grade for the highest performing students” who are looking to get into top flight universities in the UK. This has also been aided by teachers and pupils by making efforts to

Three men found guilty of shooting nursery teacher on her birthday

Labour Party candidate ‘killed at random by terrorists’

Three men of ‘Asian appearance’ wanted A female shop worker suffered a horrific ordeal, after she was tied up and her colleague beaten by three masked thugs during an ‘appalling violent robbery on the morning of Sunday 17 August in Tadworth, Surrey.

The suspects burst

into the local convenience store at around 7am on Sunday and threatened staff before escaping with stolen cash and cigarettes.

Two members of staff, a woman and a man both in their thirties, were tied up and the man was physically assaulted, although

his injuries are not believed to be serious.

Police want to speak with anyone who might have seen a dark blue small-to-medium sized car that the suspects left the scene in. Two of the suspects are described as of Asian appearance and the

third man is described as black. All three were wearing dark coloured hoodies and tracksuit bottoms with trainers.

Anyone with information should contact police on 101 or contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

UK

Increase in violence and abuse leads to fearful Jewish groups

7

Disorder inside Tesco in Hodge Hill following a protest against the war in Palestine

The year of 2014 has witnessed numerous antisemitic attacks on British Jews, which have reached a record high since 2009’s record of 304 antisemitic attacks leading to fear.

Jewish groups are now afraid after there were 200 reported attacks on individuals and property last month. The Community Security Trust, the charity in possession of records of such incidents, recorded 200 attacks last month, which unfortunately remained the same in August.

The British Jewish Community are worried that legitimate protests regarding Israel’s response to the Gaza crisis is being used to target this particular group of people. The numbers of protests boycotting against products produced form Israel have started to increase.

There have also been reports of such events around the UK. One incident in North London involved a Jewish boy being hit on the head with a stone by a woman wearing a niqab. In another, a brick was thrown through a glass window of a Belfast synagogue.

Another incident involving verbal abuse included demonstrators telling a

Jewish mother and her two children to “burn in hell”.

Mark Gardener, a spokesman for the trust, reportedly said: “They come randomly at Jews and Jewish locations throughout the country.

Many appear to be perpetrated by Muslim youth and adults, but by no means all.”

During the occurrence of conflicts in Israel, the number of antisemitic incidents usually increase and then tends to decrease and return to normal.

However, this is not the case over the past few months as the numbers are still high. One of the many organisations affected by these protests is Tesco, which have reported occurrence of antiIsrael demonstrations in over 20 stores of theirs.

Campaigners have denied that Tesco is being targeted because it was founded by a Jew. A spokesman for Sainsburys reportedly said: “We have approved suppliers in both Palestine and Israel. We are a nonpolitical organisation and source our own brand products according to the ability of the producer to meet our quality, safety and ethical standards.”

The Islam Channel has been rebuked by Ofcom, the media regulator, for giving biased coverage to a controversial mayor during the local elections campaign.

The Channel, which reaches up to 60 per cent of Muslim households in the UK, breached broadcasting rules by screening an interview in which Lutfur Rahman, the mayor of Tower Hamlets in east London, discussed his record in glowing terms without being challenged, the regulator said.

This comes after Ofcom found that other TV chan-

nels aimed at Muslim audiences were excessively positive in news or political programmes about Mr Rahman, Britain’s first directly elected Muslim mayor.

Mr Rahman, who has been accused of links to extremist groups, which he denies, was criticised last month when he flew a Palestinian flag at the town hall in support of bombing victims in Gaza. He is also facing a trial over allegations that his victory involved electoral fraud. Mr Rahman denies any wrongdoing.

Muslim Channel rebuked for biased coverage

UK

India to welcome Clegg next week

Rupanjana Dutta Daniel Santosh

Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg will be visiting India next week, to strengthen the bilateral relations further between the two countries. The trip which is suspected to be some time between 24th27th August 2014, has

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 23rd August 2014

EXCLUSIVE

Britain from £16 billion to £22 billion, despite this figure being an ambitious target.

He also went on to talk more about problems and issues faced by Indian students.

Mr Clegg emphasised that he strongly believes that Indian students need to be exposed to better

Clegg told Asian Voice, “I think in these particular sectors, I have identified that there is great potential for further growth. The British economy is growing faster than any other G8 economies. Faster than any other major economy in Europe. We have had to administer some extreme, controversial at times,

(Photo courtesy: Raj D Bakrania, Prmediapix)

8

A protest demonstration was held by Hindus outside Pakistan High Commission in London on 17th August 2014 from 12-2pm to campaign against torture, loot, discrimination and murder of Hindus in Pakistan. Pakistani Hindus, Sikhs and Christians are the victims of religious apartheid. Almost all the Hindus and Sikhs have been religiously cleansed from Pakistan. At the time of Partition. Hindus and Sikhs were approximately 22-25%. Now they are 1-1.5%. Thousands of Hindu families are being torn apart by their desperation to flee persecution in Pakistan.

Surgeon found guilty of mistaken operation returns to work

Lord Raj Loomba, Lord Navnit Dholakia, Rupanjana Dutta, Associate Editor, Asian Voice with Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg (Photo courtesy: Raj D Bakrania, Prmediapix)

been described as one of the “largest business delegation led by a senior member of this Coalition government to India.”

Though no details on the delegates were divulged by the time we went to press, sources revealed that Lord Navnit Dholakia and Lord Raj Loomba will be amongst them.

Ahead of his delegation to India, Mr Clegg held a press conference in London, where he expressed his aims and purpose of this trip to Asian Voice, which will include a visit to Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore and a meeting with the Indian Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi.

Whilst one of the first visits on Mr Clegg's agenda is to pay homage to the fallen Indian soldiers at World War I, his primary aim is to gain investment opportunities in three main sectors: retail, aerospace and education.

The DPM clarified that he strongly believes his choice of sectors promises to help raise the trade value between India and

skills than they are at the moment.

“One out of the population of 1.2 billion in India, around half are under the age of 25. And only a fraction of those actually have made available to them proper skills courses.”

During this trade mission, Mr Clegg promises to travel with leaders and ministers in the education section and he wants to be able to apply their “outstanding expertise” to help provide a higher quality of recognised vocation courses to the young students of India. He made it very clear that all aspiring students are welcome to come and study in British universities.

Discussing controversies over the ability of Indian students to work in Britain after their graduation, the DPM promised to listen to objections placed upon the new system and said that he is open to making further changes to the system if the reservations and objections are wellfounded.

Speaking about the bilateral relationship Mr

Paid subscribers of Asian Voice will receive a copy of the British Punjabi magazine with their newspaper this week.

unpopular reforms over the last few years to repair the damage that we inherited. So it is a good time for a visit like this. Equally, of course given the that Prime Minister Modi has been so clear that his central objective is to make his economy stronger, given the state of both of our economies, no time could be better for this delegation.”

During this delegation, the Deputy Prime Minister and his team promises to be working on many projects, which he regarded being beneficial for both Britain and India.

Previous to DPM Nick Clegg's big trade delegation, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, George Osborne and the former Foreign Secretary William Hague embarked on their very own trip focusing on India's defence and infrastructure sector, hoping to find investments.

It is believed that after this, the next delegation to India will be led by the British Prime Minister David Cameron in Autumn 2014.

A clumsy surgeon who left a young woman unable to conceive naturally after she removed the wrong fallopian tube, is free to return back to work.

Gynaecologist Dr Samina Tahseen mistook her patient’s tumour for the ectopic pregnancy she was supposed to remove, leading to the patient losing both her fallopian tubes within three days.

The gynaecologist did not see the patient before her operation, read her medical records or properly examine her during the procedure on September 21, 2010.

She then insisted she had removed the correct fallopian tube and sent the

patient home despite the woman knowing something was desperately wrong.

Dr Tahseen was allowed to continue to work under conditions despite being found guilty of serious misconduct by a Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service (MPTS) panel two years ago.

The panel reportedly said the medic put her patient’s ‘life at risk’ by discharging her with an untreated ectopic pregnancy (when a fertilised egg begins to develop outside of the womb), which later became worse.

The patient had to return to the Royal Derby Hospital three days after

the botched operation to have her other fallopian tube removed.

A standards hearing in 2012 found the doctor had been careless before, during and after the procedure and her actions had reportedly ‘undermined public confidence in the medical profession’.

Dr Tahseen’s practise was restricted by a number of conditions and she was closely monitored by the General Medical Council. But those conditions were revoked on Monday 18 August, after the MPTS found she is now fit to practise again.

Dr Tahseen is now free to return to work without restrictions.

at least 18 homicide investigations in which Miami detectives were paid by South American drug cartels to cover up their crimes. He believes that his client will be freed within months.

Speaking at the South Florida Correctional Centre, a federal prison on the outskirts of Miami, for the first time since a decision in May by Judge William Thomas, of the

11th Judicial Circuit Court, to consider new evidence at a hearing later this year, the 75-year-old reportedly said: “The police force was rotten all the way to the top. I want the truth told, and the knowledge that this will never happen to another person. There is no amount of money that can repay me for this 27 years of hell. I was sentenced to be executed. I was the victim of a conspiracy to murder. My murder.”

Investigative work by Stafford Smith, of the rights group Reprieve, has located witnesses over the years, including cartel members and former police officers, who have gone on record as saying that Maharaj was innocent.

Death row Briton may have been framed

British businessman Krishna Maharaj, pictured, who has spent 27 years in an American jail for two murders he insists he did not commit, has called for action against corrupt police and public officials, after increasing evidence shows he may have been framed.

He claims that the real killers were the sort of gangsters depicted in the 2006 film Cocaine Cowboys, which focused on the crimewave, fuelled by the burgeoning cocaine trade, that hit Miami in the 1970s and 1980s.

Clive Stafford Smith, Maharaj’s lawyer, reportedly said that the case of Krishna Maharaj, who was convicted of shooting dead two associates in Florida in 1987, is one of

BAPS Swaminarayan Temple in Neasden celebrated Shri Krishna Janmashtami on Sunday 17th August from 9am.

Thousands of devotees visited the temple to celebrate Lord Krishna's birthday.

The day began with a ceremonial offering of food to the deities in the Mandir, where visitors and devotees arrived throughout the day to pray and offer their respects, and to

swing the murti of Shri Krishna in the ‘paranu’ (birth cradle).

The life and messages of Shri Krishna were elucidated in an enlightening programme held in the assembly hall in the evening.

The finale of the evening – marking the divine birth of Shri Krishna – was celebrated with the arti followed by the swinging of the paranu accompanied with vibrant and devotional singing.

UK

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 23rd August 2014

Leading Lights

Rani Singh, Special Assignments Editor

Dr S.Y. Quraishi, Thought Powerhouse The former Chief Election Commissioner of India, Dr Quraishi, previously held the offices of Secretary, Sports and Youth Affairs and Director General of the National AIDS Control Organization. In that position he put India’s national AIDS control programme on the world map. He was the first person on the planet to get a doctorate in social marketing, a concept he has effectively used for creating public awareness and behaviour change.

He set up the India International Institute of Democracy and Election Management that has trained the election managers of 42 countries. He is also on the Board of Advisers of the International Institute of Democracy and Electoral Assistance based in Stockholm, Sweden.

Since he ran the 2014 Indian election, it had to be the subject of this interview. There is so much information to discover!

Dr Quraishi called this election, one of New and Social Media. He said, “In

Dr S.Y. Quraishi

India we have 900 million mobile devices. Of which 165 million are connected to the internet. 70% of the Indian population is below 35. So almost one fourth of Indian voters are

young people.

Parties which were smart focussed on them and reaped the rewards. It has been estimated that social media can swing three to four per cent of

the voting population. We have seen that even a one to two per cent swing leads to drastic changes in performance.”

Though Dr Quraishi would have liked otherwise, money power is still prevalent.

“The law provides a ceiling on election expenditure. But money power is rampant. Since most of it is black money, it is difficult to control.

Candidates use ingenious ways to circumvent the law. They distribute money and liquor on the sly. We came across lavish parties to bribe voters camouflaged as marriages!

There was no bride or bridegroom! In future they will put up hired grooms as well!

Money power is perhaps the only outstanding problem. All others are fully under control. There is no rigging, no booth capturing, no intimidation of voters, and no use of force. Political parties and candidates conduct themselves well. Incidents of hate speech, personal attacks and misuse of official machinery are also fully under control. As a result, the polls are absolutely free.”

Dr Qurashi is a democracy advocate.

“About five or six years ago, as a student of social marketing and communication, I started a process

of voter education as a regular activity. I was interested to read, when we were setting up the voter education division, that 20% of electoral management funds in the UK are set aside for voter education. What kind of voter education is taking place, I don’t know.”

“Our efforts were rewarded with success: the highest ever voter out in India’s 64 year electoral history!”

Dr Quraishi’s latest book, “An Undocumented Wonder, The Making of the Great Indian Election,” was published this year

by Rupa

Aside from ethical conduct by participants, the effort the Election Commission expends to ensure that each Indian voter uses his franchise is fascinating.

“India is the most diverse country in the world. We have to ensure no one is left out of the election process in any nook or corner. In Arunachal Pradesh, by the China border, it can take three or four days to get to a polling booth. We use all kinds of communications;

9

boats, planes, buses, elephants, camels, mules.

Deep in the Gujarat forest, home to the Asiatic Lions, there is a single voter booth. The lone voter is a temple priest.

We provide a polling booth for him. A polling party of six goes there, sets up the booth the previous night and waits for him to come at whatever time he chooses. Even after he casts his vote we cannot pack up and go because somebody may come and claim to be the real voter.

And there would be a disputed vote. So we wait until closing time. On one hand, we deal with 835 million voters, more than 90 countries put together; on the other hand, we are equally concerned about a single vote.”

India’s young demographic has been a target for Dr Quraishi.

“We also focussed on youth as their participation was previously found to be abysmal. National Voters Day (25 January every year) was introduced with them in mind.

On this day for four years in succession we added 118 million new voters.

We reached out to them and all others using every possible means of communication. Our efforts were rewarded with success: the highest ever voter out in India’s 64 year electoral history!”

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YOUR VOICE

Unwarranted Criticism of Lord Suri

I read with dismay the criticism of Lord Suri by some of his own fellow Sikhs on his appointment to Lord Suri Dr Rami Ranger the House of Lords.

It must speak volumes about those Sikhs who instead of rejoicing at the appointment of their fellow turbaned Sikh, projecting a positive image of their community, these handful of people felt it necessary to attack Lord Suri for their own feel-good factor. They should have asked themselves before voicing their opinion unnecessarily if Lord Suri would encourage and inspire his fellow Sikhs to become more publicly and politically spirited in a country where they now live and where their next generations will live.

I co-founded the British Conservative Link (BACL) with Lord Suri to make the Conservative Party an inclusive one.

Lord Suri and I, along with a group of prominent Asians worked hard for over a decade to make Asian Members of Parliament in the Conservative Party.

There were none before Lord Suri and I embarked on this important journey to make our democracy stronger and Britain richer.

As Chairman of the British Sikh Association, where we try to live up to the ideals of our illustrious Gurus, I feel my fellow Sikhs who have deemed it fit to criticise Lord Suri's appointment have failed themselves and their Gurus. Our Gurus advocated for us to be the best amongst the rest through our actions and good deeds and not by putting down other people's accomplishments.

A similar motto is adopted by the Royal Air Force, "Rise above the rest".

Regrettably, these critics cannot call themselves "the best amongst the rest" or claim to have risen above Lord Suri with their actions.

Please click on the link to view some of the BACL press releases. http://www.cpfi.org.uk/bacl_pressreleases/BACL/Past%20Events.html in order to establish Lord Suri’s immense contribution to the Tory Party and the Asian community.

In all it is disappointing that the appointment of Lord Ranbir Suri has been tarnished by the very people who should have been celebrating the cultural diversity and inclusive nature of our Parliament.

Dr Rami Ranger MBE Chairman, The British Sikh Association

Pakistan’s psychology of war

Asian Voice editorial ‘Pakistan’s covenant of war with India (AV 9 Aug, 2014)’ has given a vivid account of what Christine Fair, an American academic of Georgetown University has discovered through her research of Pakistan’s psychology of war against India. It is apparent from today’s world that this psychology of war is not specific to Pakistan alone it exists in one form or another in

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 23rd August 2014

Is there life in an egg?

Scotland and India

Although Dineshbhai’s letter is illuminating, it is also confusing, especially for the older generation. Hen lays some 300 eggs every year during her fertile life. These eggs are unfertile until male bird sits on them and fertilize them. In modern-day battery farm production line, there are no male birds to fertilize, thus eggs we buy from Supermarkets will never hatch. So pertinacious pessimism is unfounded, counter-productive, baily bridge thinking.

Situation in East Africa was different, as both fertilized and unfertilized eggs were mixed up, thus most Hindus were averse to eating eggs. Moreover the taste is not to every one’s liking.

But the argument that by not eating eggs we may save life is erroneous, ossified traditions. There is more life in onions, potatoes, garlics, cassava, ginger that would sprout if planted. Moreover all these root-vegetables plus mulli, radish, beetroots need killing plants in order to dig them up.

No one should have carte blanche; boisterous beliefs. It should be unencumbered with ostensible interest, not rigid or oscillate, otherwise life would become cumbersome. We have to educate ourselves, be sensible. It has been proved beyond doubt that vegetarian lifestyle is most healthy. In animal kingdom vegetarian animals like elephants, tortoise, gorillas and Baleen whales who survive on planktons enjoy long life of between 70 to 150 years over predacious animals.

Vox populi may only give plutocracy, ventriloquist or even pedicure opinion unless there is an intelligent debate with significant participation.

After 300 years of marriage, Scotland has been given the luxury of referendum whether to stay married to England or to go separately. This referendum is to take place on Thursday 18th September 2014, when all over 18 years of age and registered to vote will be entitled to cast their votes. Their votes will decide the future of Scotland.

If Scotland decides to divorce England, it all will be done in an orderly fashion and there will be no blood shed, people will not have to run for their lives, women will not be raped.

In 1947, Britain partitioned India.

Indians of undivided India were not allowed to decide their own future. It was not done in a civilised way. This resulted in hundreds of thousands people fleeing from one part of the country to another to protect their lives. Thousands were killed. Women and young girls were raped. Many got lost and to date many of them have not been re-united with their lost families.

Of the two new countries born on14th/15th August 1947, one is the largest democracy in the world. In that country governments are elected by the people through ballot boxes on regular basis.

No military coupes have taken place.

People of all faiths are treated equally. I consider myself fortunate that I am of Indian origin and Hindu. And to the Scottish people, I wish them good luck in whatever they decide.

Kumudini Valambia By email almost all Muslim countries.

Organisations such as al Shabab, Boko Haram, al Mahajiroun, Laskar-eTaiba, Islamic students’ movement in India, etc are invented to carry out acts of war against non-Muslims. If there is any disagreement, whether political or any other, between Muslims and nonMuslims, Muslim response is war against the opponent. Pakistan’s Bangladesh war and Idi Amin Dada’s war in Uganda bear witness to this psychology.

Baroness Sayeeda Warsi has immense sympathy for those who are engaged in firing rockets for indiscriminate killing of Israeli civilians. But she has not uttered a single word against the Muslims who are engaged in ethnic cleansing and butchering the peace loving Yazidis.

Since independence Pakistan has been maintaining an army disproportionate to what it can economically afford. Without American aid it is not going to take long for its economy to collapse. Yet the psychology of war continues. Is there a real answer to such a psychology? Armed resistance is important but it cannot eliminate the belief or ideology responsible for fuelling the war mentality. The real answer is to address the beliefs and ideology and especially their source.

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Dr Jatindra Saha By email

ASIAN VOICE

Population survey

I take this opportunity to thank Chandrasekhar Rao for his bold decision to hold door to door household population survey to find out the true population of Telengana. The survey is being done to identify bogus beneficiaries. I feel sorry for Mr Rao since some sections of the community and some political parties object to that and brand him as Hitler.

Modi when he was the Chief Minister of Gujarat wanted to carry out proper population census in Gujarat. The idea was to identify bogus ration card owners and illegal Immigrants. It was stopped by the UPA government in order to appease the minorities since minority population is always underestimated.

In the case of Telengana the number of households are estimated as 88 lakhs and actually the number of ration cards issued were more than 1.2 crores and the present government knows so many bogus ration cards were issued and some of them for outside the state. This survey needs to be done in each and every state to find out the accurate population of various religious groups. The people are free to refuse to divulge personal details and they want only the family size and income so that they can find out how many people are below the poverty.

In some states like Kerala, Bengal and Assam Muslim population is increasing and it is estimated Muslim population in India is over 200 million excluding Bangladeshi illegal Muslim migrants and

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

Asian Voice and Gujarat Samachar as every year will be publishing the ‘Diwali Special’ Magazine for our fabulous and supportive readers like yourself. This year in the English section, we are doing something special for our young readers. l If you are between 7-25 years of age, write an article in English on 'how you celebrate your Diwali every year' or 'your most memorable Diwali with friends and family' or 'how you celebrate Diwali in your school' in no more than 700 words, along with a suitable photo. l if you an organisation, which has a youth wing or support youth activities, tell us how your young members or youth wing celebrates Diwali in 500-600 words with 2 pictures (in no less than 300dpi).

Last date of entry is Sunday 20 September 2014.

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

- Asian Voice

Gandhi Statue

Chuni Chavda By email

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I was pleased to read in your 2nd August issue that besides Ex Foreign Secretary Mr. William Hague and Chancellor George Osborne announced that a statue of Gandhi will be installed at Parliament Square London, also Statement by Economist Meghnad Desai that he has established a Gandhi Statue Memorial Trust to raise about one million pounds for the statue as he feels “We want as many people to contribute whatever little they can from anywhere in the world: This is a people’s statue”.

Not to be sponsored by any billionaire, I fully agree with Mr. Desai as Mahatma Gandhi was a people’s person, by his life and action, he said “My Life is my message” of simplicity and service above self, which he proved when in 1932 he visited factory workers and unemployed in Lancashire to boots their morals, so a befitting statue by people in Parliament Square of Gandhi who was socially and politically attached to Britain, especially London.

Dhanjibhai D. Tanna MBE By email nobody knows the exact number. The previous government did not want to disclose the Muslim population in some sensitive areas such as Assam and West Bengal.

Arun Vaidyanathan By email

Continued on page 11

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www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 23rd August 2014 Continued from page 10

How can Isis be dealt with?

As we know ISIS, an extremely radical alQaeda inspired group, now threatens Baghdad and further destabilization in the Middle East. Despite its success its vulnerability has also increased. This should not be difficult to exploit, since American interests accord with those of the surrounding states of Syria, Iran, Kurdistan (de facto), Turkey and the Baghdad’ new Iraqi government.

ISIS (mostly Sunnis) cannot easily expand much further, since it is hemmed in to the north by the Kurds and Turkey, to the east by Iran (predominantly Shiite), and to the south and west by Assad-controlled Syria and by Jordan. At stake in Iraq are the Baghdad and Basra areas, which are densely populated and where the mostly Shiite population has formed large militias to fight alongside the Iraqi military. Advances in this direction will be increasingly though slowly

Mahatma’s statue

As a regular reader of AV, I have keenly read, enjoyed and appreciated the views expressed by learned contributors like Sarvshri B M Gandhi, Ramesh Jhalla, Upendra Kapadia and Dr. Rami Ranger.

They have, with their vast wealth of knowledge and prompt presentations of valid points enliven the discussions and enlightened the readers. Today I would like to humbly request them to please concentrate on what Kusoomben Vadgama has written in her letter (dated 9.8.14). Especially considering and contemplating on (and I quote) “Gandhi is other people’s Mahatma, Not anymore the man I once worshipped as my God”.

Janmashtami celebrations

Today Hindus celebrate birth anniversary of Krishna bhagvan, famous for Geetaji, flute, Raaslila, sudarshan chakra, and for his promise to incarnate to promote good people and punish sinners. But was he a flesh/blood person, if so, was he an expert on agricultural and bovine subjects?

Otherwise, was he a personified parable of some unexplainable terrestrial or extra terrestrial events, visitors, interaction, phenomena or scientific truths. The promise is greatest consolation when humanity suffers the most. But are not the sufferings ignored by Krishna?

One portion of the world is burning with internecine slaughter, ethnic cleansing indulged in name of religion, six million human beings were massacred in

YOUR VOICE

and hard fought.

Foreign policy is a form of strategic thinking that begins with identifying a strategic goal, with realizable and measurable outcome. What goal should the U.S. be pursuing in Iraq? Does it want to maintain Iraq as one country? President Obama has declared this as a top priority but has neither explained his rationale nor acted to ensure it. Predictably, the complete withdrawal of American forces severely decreased the odds Iraq would remain intact. What does it matter to the United States whether there are two or three states in Iraq? President Obama has said that he is unwilling to commit large forces and sums of money. In my view the realistic goal should be stability which can happen with destruction of ISIS. The U.S and its allies should not worry about the nature of regional governments –in any case they do not have the resources to steer them.

Sir Andy Chande By email If this opinion is viewed without the blinkers of preconception and sanctimony, it is not difficult to recognise the sadness and the deep pain it conceals. The question is, are we ready, or willing or even capable of learning the truth behind the statement?

When a person of acknowledged and dedicated patriotism utters, even an unpleasant opinion, we are free not to accept it; but it does not deserve the frivolity and disrespect that our lack of knowledge generates. Sometimes we have to disembark from the high saddles of our horses to see and understand the reality close to the ground.

Amratlal Vara South London name of racial purity. Additionally, innocent travellers perish in mysterious circumstances. To top it all incurable and rapidly lethal infections (a la ebola) are inflicted on unprepared humanity. The stockpile of overkill thermo-nuclear weapons is frightening.

Vedic God-Vishnu-is supposed to have reincarnated ten times and eleventh avatar, Kalki is awaited. But at the rate humanity is speeding towards inbuilt self destruction via inventions (a la Bhasmasur), and nature-inflicted calamities e.g. floods, fire, earthquakes, tsunamis etc there may not be need of Krishna to fulfil the promise. Let festive mood keep you optimistic.

Angry bus driver attacks cyclists

A London tourist bus driver has been dismissed

by Golden Tours after he mounted a pavement to block two cyclists on their path before yelling at them to ‘get a Highway code’.

Ali Choudhry, 19, and a friend were cycling through central London, abiding by marked cycle lanes, when they became embroiled in a conflict with an open-topped double-decker.

Ramesh Jhalla By email

As they approached the Tower of London on Lower Thames Street, they were directed onto a shared pavement by the road markings. But the raged driver overtook them in his tour bus and pulled straight onto the pavement in front of them - stopping the pair in their paths.

He then left his seat, opened the door and yelled at the two cyclists – reportedly telling them to

‘get a Highway Code’.

Mr Choudry, of Ilford, Essex, reportedly said: ‘This idiot driver decided to spice things up a bit for us with a spectacular display of road rage. He tailgated us at literally three feet and got angry for being held up for a few seconds but had all the time in the world to stop and vent his fury.’

The incident occurred around 6pm on August 2, and was captured by Ali’s

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India’s national anthem

I refer to Kusoom Vadgama’s letter about the Indian National Anthem. The song was indeed written by Rabindranath Tagore in 1911 but in Tagore’s own words, “A certain high official in His Majesty's service, who was also my friend, had requested that I write a song of felicitation towards the Emperor.

The request simply amazed me. It caused a great stir in my heart. In response to that great mental turmoil, I pronounced the victory in Jana Gana Mana of that Bhagya Vidhata (ed. God of Destiny) of India. That Lord of Destiny could never be George V, George VI, or any other George.’ This clearly states that the song was not written to glorify the King George V. It is unimaginable that Tagore would do such thing.

Paryushan

Paryushan, or Pajoshan as it is more commonly known, is the most important event in the Jain calendar. It is an eight day period of fasting and religious activities which will take place this year during 22 August and 29 August. Jains will meet every day during this period to pray (perform Samayik and Pratikraman) and sing Jain stavans. They will gather together to hear Mahavira’s message of Ahimsa (non-violence in the strictest possible sense), Satya (adhering to speaking of truth), Prem (love) and Karuna (kindness) expounded, so that they can follow his teachings and emulate his example.

Jainism is an ancient religion from India that teaches that the way to liberation and bliss is to live a life of harmlessness and renunciation. It believes in a universe If your family member or children have done exceptionally well in this year’s A-Levels, you can publish a congratulatory message (no more than 40 words) with a photo free of charge.

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Vinod Kapashi By email without beginning, without end and without creator.

The ultimate objective of Jain teachings is how one can achieve moksha (nirvana) – total freedom of the soul from the eternal cycle of birth, life, pain, misery and death. It states that from eternity, every living being (soul) is in bondage of karmic atoms that are accumulated by its good or bad deeds. Jainism’s doctrines of Right Faith, Right Knowledge and Right Conduct are the three jewels, Ratnatraya, of Jain Philosophy by which to achieve the ultimate goal in life and become a Jina. Members of Shree Jain Sangh East London and Essex, will celebrate Paryushan during the period 22 to 29 August at the Oaks Park School in Newbury Park.

Dinesh Sheth Newbury Park, Ilford

Modi’s speech

I listened to Prime Minster Modi's Speech on 15th August- India's Independence day. Such a big speech coming out from his heart and soul reflected thoughts and feelings of millions of people of India. After a very long time India has a leader who is dedicated to look after the people of India. It is therefore the responsibilities of every Indian to follow his instructions and do his or her duties to make everyone respected in the world.

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Mr Choudry has sent the footage to bus operators Golden Tours and is still waiting to hear back from them.

He added: ‘I hope they do sort it out as best as they can. The driver really needs to control his irrational anger and what he does as a result of it.’

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The Anthem is a very short and beautiful piece of poetry. The first few words describe the area and people like Punjab, Sindhu, Gujarat, Maratha. These words do not require translation.

Last few words like Tav Shubh name Jage, Tav Shubh ashish mage are common in most other languages. All Hindi speaking, Marathi speaking, Gujarati speaking, Bengali speaking and many people know these words in India. To say that ‘Its meaning is lost to 90% of Indians’ is far from truth. Most people in India know very well what the song means. The word is Sindhu and not Sindh. So there is no need to say why an area of Pakistan has been mentioned. Sindhi people are living in India and the word Hindu comes from Sindhu.

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MEDIA WATCH

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s address to the nation from the ramparts of Delhi’s Red Fort was a visionary statement that carried a message of hope and renewal. There was immense passion in his call for gender equality from birth; he attacked the widespread Indian preference for male children, a warped attitude that needed to be corrected through proper education early on, and robust public persuasion in adulthood. Violence against women, was India’s continuing shame, he said.

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 23rd August 2014

Independence Day military parade

Bajaj challenge to Hero MotorCorp Modi address from Red Fort Delhi

The revival of the economy, and ongoing economic reforms were high on the government’s agenda. So was social inclusiveness during economic growth. The poor and disadvantaged had to be given a future that worked for them. The Prime Minister appealed for communal harmony, without which, he said, there could be no lasting progress in the country.

Naval destroyer commissioned

Commissioning the Navy’s largest-ever Indian-manufactured warship, INS Kolkata, Prime Minister Modi said his government’s priority was committed to taking the committed to a strong and efficient navy that will augment its deterrent capability. India’s goal was not to fight a war imposed by an aggressor’s miscalculation, but to deter him from doing so. INS

Growth forecast

Barclays and Standard Chartered Banks have forecast 6 per cent in the gross domestic product (GDP) growth for India in the first quarter of the current fiscal (April-June 2014), which indicates the first green shoots of an economic recovery from the 4.7 per cent growth figure for the entire 2013-14 fiscal.

The present 6 per cent projection [the confirmed figure is due for official release on August 28] is the highest figure since March 2012.

Standard Chartered Bank declared: “We do expect a rebound in actual economic activity as indicated in by improvements in consumer and business confidence surveys and ongoing policy changes. However, this is likely to be a story for the second half of 2014-15 and 2015-16, rather than the first half of 2014-15.”

(Telegraph August 14)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi along with Admiral RK Dhowan, Chief of Naval Staff

Kolkata, which is to be followed shortly by IINS Kochi and INS Chennai, are part of a trio of destroyers with similar stealth features and equipped with the most sophisticated armaments, including the supersonic antship BrahMos cruise missile and surveillance radar systems – MFStar and the Long Range Surface-to-Air Missile (LRSAM) being joint ventures between India’s Defence Research & Development Organization (DRDO) and Israel Industries.

The lethal Barak II Israel-built missile is to be introduced when ready.INS Kolkata is 164 metres and weighs 7,500 tons, with a crew of 30 officers and 330 ratings. It has a fully computerized communications network. “INS Kolkata is a floating technological marvel,” said Mr Modi, a symbol of “Indian brainpower” and enterprise. (Hindu August 17)

JLR sales go skyward

The impressive figures posted by Tata Motors’ profit comes on the back of buoyant sales from its Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) subsidiary, whose revenue rose 30 per cent to pounds sterling 5, 35 billion. JLR sales rose 27.3 per cent during the April-June quarter. “This reflects a solid demand for our new JLR lineup. We want to build on the sales momentum from the Range Rover Sport, Jaguar F-Type launches. There was a good volume growth with high double digits in Europe.

The US, Middle East and North Africa are also picking up,” said JLR Chief Executive Officer Europe, Ralf Speth. Sales of JLR in China, he said, had risen 29 per cent over the 21 per cent in the quarter of the previous year, but could decline as cheaper, Chinese-made cars entered the domestic market (Hindu, Business Line, Mint August 12)

Discoverer 150, the latest Bajaj motorbike, carries the company message that its primary focus hereon will be in this segment, that the scooters for which it was previously famous belongs to the past. Speaking to the media, Managing Director Auto, Rajiv Bajaj, said: “Being a specialist gives us the chance to be the best in the world. During a downturn, it makes sense to manufacture a better bike and not a scooter.” Discoverer 150 is part of this strategy; it has been positioned as the most powerful motorcycle in the consumer segment, where it has been unable, as of now, to make the breakthrough to challenge market leader Hero MotorCorp. With the Discoverer 150, Bajaj hopes to attract young buyers seeking the optimal mix of power and mileage (Business Line August 12)

Adani buys Lanco Infratech plant

Lanfra Infratech has sold its 1,200 MW Udipti plant to Adani Power for Rs 6,000 crore, which will the enable Lanco to retire part of its consolidated debt of around Rs 35,000 crore. The acquired power plant can be ramped up by another 1,320 MW, which the Adani Group can take up, subject to securing fuel linkages. The imported coalbased thermal power plant supplies 90 per cent of the power generated in Karnataka and 10 per cent in Punjab. If required the jetty capacity to handle coal at the New Mangalore port can be increased by another 4 million tonnes . (Business Line August 11)

Russian market for India agri produce

Russia’s ban on food import from Europe, the US and Australia in retaliation for their economic sanctions against Russia over developments in Ukraine has opened the door for Indian dairy products, fresh vegetables and poultry and other items. “It definitely presents an opportunity for us and we are keen on having a direct presence there,” said R.S.Sodhi, Managing Director of Gujarat Co-operative Milk Marketing Federation , which owns the Amul brand. Sodhi said a leading Russian company had shown interest in importing Amul prod-

ucts and held talks with the company. “We will soon be going in for certification of our plants by the Russian authorities and expect to enter the market with our products such as butter, cheese, and milk powder.

Among others,” Sodhi said.

Poultry products are also on the radar (Business Line August 9)

Rupee, Rouble trade

change of government at the Centre has led to a significant rise in investments India’s corporate sector, led by the Tatas and Reliance Industries, have committed $100 billion to this end. The Tata Group has announced plans to invest $35 billion, while Reliance Industries will follow suit with $30 billion.

Public sector companies are expected to pitch in with $41 billion. There are expectations that the new government’s reforms programme will continue apace giving rise to the present optimism in business circles. Foreign investment is also likely to pour in, with Amazon and General Electric are already pumping in billions of dollars into the country (Hindu August 14)

Maruti roadmap unveiled

Aiming to maintain its lead role in India’s automotive sector, Maruti Suzuki India has unveiled a 30-year roadmap that will involve 3 million sales of its motor vehicles annually. Maruti is set to step up investments in new initiatives, with renewed focus on innovation, Research & Development and customer outreach.

Maruti Managing

India and Russia are exploring the possibility of replacing the US dollar and euro with the rupee and rouble. New Delhi and Moscow decided to set up a panel of experts from Indian and Russian bank, which will examine the possibilities of moving trade to their national currencies.

Russia already has this mechanism in Mr R.C. Bhargava, Chairman and Mr.Shinzo place for its trade Nakanishi, MD & CEO, Maruti Suzuki India Ltd with China and a similar structure with India will Director and CEO Kenichi reduce Russian dependence on Ayakawa said, “While we contrade with the West. India is a tinue to provide compact cars, votary of such mechanisms with we will also enter new segments as many major countries as poslike SUVs/MUVs with full bandsible because of the immunity with. We will also be open to this provides against currency leverage opportunities in the fluctuations pegged to the US LCV space, if our product and dollar. “The way we see it, it’s a platform offer a compelling win-win situation. And it will proposition.” (Hindu August strengthen our bilateral relation14) ship,” said a Russian official.

Vietnam seeks The decision to set up an IndoRussian panel had been taken in Closer India ties late July at a meeting in Moscow between the Reserve Bank of Speaking to a rapt audience in India’s Executive Director G. Kolkata, President of the Padmanabhan and the First Vietnam Academy of Social Deputy Chairperson of the Bank Sciences, Professor Ngyuen of Russia, Ksenia Yudayeva in Xuan Thang said the security Moscow (Telegraph August 13) situation in the South China Sea was fraught with China’s claims most of its waters and the Five-month low inflation to Spratley and Paracel Islands.

India has a contested land borIndia’s inflation declined to a der with China along the five-month low 5.19 in July. The Himalayan mountain chain. latest data has reconfirmed that Professor Thang said India, the current inflation are largely Vietnam and Japan needed to food and retail driven. The fact have closer coordination on that the core inflation rate is their territorial disputes with lower is reassuring, but rising China.without forming an anti food prices are a continuing conChina bloc. Stating that India cern. Economists have ruled out and Vietnam shared a “cherthe possibility of any policy rate ished relationship,” he cut during the calendar year. nnnhoped that with a new govBut neither is the fear of a rise in ernment in Delhi economic ties rates during this period justifibetween the countries would able (Business Line August 15) deepen. “Currently, bilateral trade is $7 billion and the targeted trade turnover $20 billion by Business houses 2020.” He called for Indian optimistic investment in Vietnam’s IT, pharma and textile sectors.

The improvement in the busi(Hindu August 14). ness climate following the

UK

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 23rd August 2014

Afghan Sikh Ordeal Shocks Community

Continued from page 1

Asking her reaction to the discovery, the Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury and the only Asian woman in the Cabinet Priti Patel MP, said, “This is an appalling and extraordinarily tragic occurrence resulting in the sad loss of life. The facts of this case are still being established and, at this early stage of a police investigation, it would not be appropriate for me to comment further.�

Addressing the wider problem of human traffickers, Bhai Amrik Singh, chairman of the Sikh Federation (UK),

reportedly said: "It is a disgrace the persecution of the tiny minority of Sikhs from Afghanistan has largely been ignored and it takes an incident like this to remind us all that they are also being exploited by human traffickers."

An international homicide investigation has been launched to capture the human traffickers exploiting the group, who may have been fleeing persecution at the hands of Muslim extremists.

Commenting on behalf of the British Sikh Association, Chairman Rami Ranger said, “The British Sikh Association is concerned about the plight of fellow Sikhs who arrived under the most appalling condition in a shipping container having fled religious persecution in Afghanistan. It would

like to appeal to the British Government to allow these destitute Sikhs to settle in Britain away from religious intolerance.

Over 750,000 Sikhs are already well settled in Britain punching above their weight for our country. We at the British Sikh Association will do our best to find employment and shelter for our fellow Sikhs without creating any burden on the state.'

The City Sikh's Network added, “It is heartening to see the local Sikh community coming together to ensure that the religious needs of the victims are being met, and we hope that the people smugglers behind this dreadful atrocity are found and prosecuted.

National Council of British Indians have taken action by writing to the Prime Minister, pleading the case for granting asylum to the Afghan Sikhs.

The group, whose Vice Chairmen are Mihir Bose and Sanmukh Singh Baxim have stated (from its Chairman Daljit Sehbai), “National Council of British Indians is concerned about the plight of Afghan Sikhs who were found in a

locked container that landed at Tilbury Docks last week. They travelled in miserable conditions to escape persecution and threat to their lives in their homeland.� “We do not condone the practice of People Trafficking and hope that your government will pursue the traffickers with the help of other countries in Europe and bring them to justice for their vile crime also led to the death a victim of their greed. We, however, feel that these miserable people seeking revue have a reasonable case for asylum,. We also hope that your government will give their case a sympathetic consideration. Some British Indian businesses are willing to provide them financial assistance and jobs once their residential status is regularised so that they are not a burden on Britain’s welfare system.�

Deaf club nominated for Community Spirit Award

Harrow United Deaf Club (HUDC), based in The Bridge Day Centre in Christchurch Avenue, Harrow, has been nominated for a charity's Community Spirit Award.

It was put forward for the award by charity Signature in its upcoming 2014 annual award ceremony.

Since 2009, HUDC, managed by Asif Iqbal, has been organising events aimed at both the deaf and hearing community to encourage better cohesion and understand-

ing of what it means to have impaired hearing. Mr Iqbal reportedly said: “It’s an honour to be commended for the work we do to make a positive impact on the community.�

Jim Edwards,

Signature chief executive, reportedly said: “We are delighted to be recognising Harrow United Deaf Club in the Community Spirit category at this year’s awards. Though the club is relatively young, what it has achieved so far

is very impressive. The club is a terrific example of how deaf and hearing communities can pull together to make a real difference. It’s now down to the local community to rally behind them in the public vote.�

PM: We have to fight ‘monstrous’ ISIS jihadis or face mayhem on our streets

Before departing for another holiday, PM David Cameron has voiced Britain’s urgency to combat ‘monstrous’ Islamic State fundamentalists before they bring ‘mayhem on our own streets’.

The Prime Minister insisted he was not ‘sending in the British Army’ to Iraq, but maintained that it was right to use the UK’s ‘military prowess’ to help the Kurds fight Islamic State jihadists.

Mr Cameron’s remarks came after the Defence Secretary Michael Fallon revealed Britain’s involvement in Iraq could last for ‘months’, on Monday 18 August.

Despite many warnings, Mr Cameron also revealed this morning that he was set to go on holiday again this week to

Cornwall with his family less than a week after returning from Portugal 12 hours earlier than planned to chair an emergency meeting on the Iraq crisis.

Mr Cameron defended his holiday plans this morning. Asked whether it was right that he was going away amid efforts to tackle the threat from Islamic State extremists, he said he would remain

‘within a few feet of a BlackBerry’.

The PM’s remarks came after the Defence Secretary told troops in Cyprus that Britain needed to help Iraq combat terrorism. His remarks came amid a series of dramatic developments on the ground that will fuel concerns about mission creep and prompt fresh demands for the recall of

Parliament.

He also insisted on the ‘This Morning’ show, that Britain was ‘not going to get involved in another war in Iraq’ adding: ‘We are not going to be putting boots on the ground.’ However, the Defence Secretary Michael Fallon revealed on Sunday, troops had been on the ground in Iraq for the first time since British forces withdrew from the country in 2009.

Regular soldiers from the Yorkshire Regiment were in the Kurdish region last week to prepare an evacuation of trapped Yazidi refugees from Mount Sinjar. British military planes meanwhile are flying deeper into Iraq to capture surveillance footage of jihadist fighters to help Kurdish and Iraqi forces on the ground.

13

700,000 migrants do not bother learning English

Around 700,000 migrants struggle with even speaking a word of English and do not even try to learn it, alarming new figures have revealed.

The startling figures were exposed in a thinktank report by Demos, which stated learning the English language was ‘vitally important to the integration of migrants who wished to build a successful future in the UK’.

Academics said migrants, who were ‘nonproficient’ in English, were being ‘left voiceless’.

The report follows a recent survey by the Office for National Statistics which revealed more than half of migrants who have failed to learn English do not have jobs – so are more likely to rely

on benefits. This group were significantly less likely to be in employment than people who speak English as their first language - and the 2.9million migrants who have learnt it.

The report said there was a ‘widening gap’ between the 850,000 migrants who at the last census in 2011 said they could not speak English well or at all and the 150,000 currently registered in classes to learn – known as English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL).

Of those who struggled to speak English, 37 per cent were from south Asia, including Pakistan and Bangladesh, and 17 per cent were from Poland.

A man has been arrested on suspicion of people smuggling after a lorry containing 15 immigrants – including a 15-year-old boy - from Eritrea and Kashmir were found at a Somerset service station.

Police were alerted after a number of people reported hearing noises coming from the back of a lorry off the A303 in Ilminster, Somerset on Tuesday 19 August.

The group, which included men, women and a 15-year-old boy, were

treated by paramedics at the scene for possible dehydration but there are no concerns over their health and wellbeing.

Avon and Somerset Police confirmed medical support and supplies were provided. It is working with the local authority to manage their ongoing welfare needs.

A man from Germany was arrested on suspicion of facilitating the unlawful entry of people into the UK as we went to press.

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14

Bhavan celebrates 68th Independence Day

On 5th August, the Bhavan and its guests came to celebrate the 68th anniversary of Indian Independence at the Mountbatten Auditorium.

High Commissioner of India Ranjan Mathai was the Chief Guest. Many other distinguished members of the Indian community were present, including Lord Hameed CBE; Smt Sukanya Ravi Shankar; Virendra Sharma MP, along with the Mayor of Hammersmith and Fulham, Cllr Mercy Umeh.

The event began with a prayer recited by the Director Dr Nandakumara.

Bhavan’s Chairman Joginder Sanger then welcomed the guests. He expressed gratitude to the High Commissioner for coming as the chief guest and also welcomed Bhavan's Patron Sukanya Ravi Shankar, Pt Birju Maharaj and Pt Dhananjayans. He also thanked Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham for its support and described the organisation as a follower of Gandhian principles.

Bhavans is the largest organisation outside India for the propagation of Indian art and culture and founding Chairman Maneck Dalal OBE and founding Director Padma Shri Mathoor Krishnamurthi contributed immensely for its growth.

Cllr Mercy Umeh said that they were lucky to have the Bhavan in their Borough. Padma Bhushan Lord Hameed CBE reminded those present of the Bhavan’s Gandhian precepts of non-violence and democracy. He then quoted Bhavan’s motto – the world is one family, and went on to add that in terms of World Truth, India had led the way.

Barry Gardiner said that celebrating India’s

Indian pharma industry affordable access to healthcare for all

Murali Neelakantan, Global General Counsel, Cipla Limited

independence was like celebrating a divorce – albeit a friendly one. He said, "It was important to realise that India won its independence. Independence meant being your own person and not being what others wanted you to be. It is also important to remember that India had the largest electorate in the

maturity as a nation by the way in which power had been transferred recently after the election. He talked about how Bhavans has stood as 'the model for a people’s movement and a flag-bearer’. He emphasised that Bhavan’s courses and activities were a help in establishing relations with our friends in the

L-R: Lord Hameed CBE, Mr Joginder Sanger Chairman, Virendra Sharma MP, His Excellency Sri Ranjan Mathai, Mr Barry Gardiner MP, Mr Ravi Mehrotra

world."

Virendra Sharma MP said he was very happy to come to the Bhavans again.

The Honourable Sir Mota Singh QC said, "This occasion celebrated 67 years of Indian independence.

However, 67 years was drop in the ocean as far as India’s history which was at least 3,000 years long.

This is an occasion to take stock. The recent election in India has produced a clear majority and mandate for the Government to carry out its policies."

The High Commissioner of India began by recalling all those who had fought for India’s independence. He said that India has demonstrated its

British community. He also quoted India’s newly-elected Prime Minister Narendra Modi who said in Hindi, “Sabka saath sabka vikas” (Together with all, development for all).

Bhavan's Vice chairman, Padma Shri Dr John Marr gave the Vote of Thanks. He began this by referring to Barry Gardiner’s remarks about there having been a divorce between Great Britain and India. “What divorce?” he asked. Dr Marr went on to say that relations between the two countries has always been good. The event was concluded with a short cultural programme of patriotic music and dance.

They say that these policies must be changed. FIBA should change its discriminatory policies and allow Sikhs to participate in the championship, with their turbans on. The recent incident at Wuhan has deeply hurt the feelings of all Sikhs for merely adhering to their faith.

Recently, in 2102 FIFA changed its policies and lifted the ban on headscarves for female Muslim players. It is high time FIBA recognizes and changes its discriminatory policies towards Sikhs.

There is no evidence that the turban has been dangerous during a basketball game or any other sporting event. Many Sikh players like Milkha Singh, Harbhajan Singh and Monty Panesar have

enjoyed safe and successful careers with their articles of faith in tact.

Sports are means of uniting people from diverse cultures, religions and races. Ask FIBA to change its discriminatory policies and allow Sikhs to play with their turbans. Honey Singh and Milkha Singh are hoping to collect signatures of at least 25,000 people so that FIBA will know that this is an issue of great importance and change its policies to be more sensitive to the religious sentiments of Sikhs. They have urged the people to forward the petition to as many people as they can.

For downloading the petition e-mail to Honey Singh and Milkha Singh at - honeysingh@aarog.in or milkhasingh@aarog.in.

FIBA urged to remove turban ban on Sikh players

Recently, at the Asia Cup Basketball Championship at Wuhan, China, two Sikh players – Amarpal Singh and Amjyot Singh – were asked to remove their turbans if they wanted to play.

They were told that wearing turbans violated the rules of International Basketball Federation (FIBA). Sikh sportsmen have won so many medals for India while playing across the world and never have been asked to remove their turbans.

Rapper Yo Yo Honey Singh and Flying Sikh Milkha Singh began a signature campaign against this discriminatory rule of FIBA. Turban is a part of Sikh Code of Conduct.

FIBA’s policies are discriminatory and curb the players’ religious freedom.

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 23rd August 2014

high prices and because it can hinder improvements and subsequent innovations.

Static dis-

N o t enough attention has been paid to impact of Indian pharma sector in healthcare around the world. Unlike other manufacturing industries in India, the pharma sector is innovative, widely acknowledged as making a global impact in the treatment of diseases like HIV, AIDS and also able to support the healthcare needs of the world .

The fact that India is licensed to produce 3,685 drugs compared with 3,815 made in the UK suggests that Indian factories meet global quality standards and are able to produce complex drugs.

While news of regulators visiting Indian manufacturing facilities and finding fault with processes is widely reported, very little is said about how routine this is. Gerald Heddell, director of inspections, enforcement and standards at the MHRA, stressed that the number of problems identified by regulators in India was in proportion to the volume of medicines they produced.

When we look back over 110 inspections we conducted over the last two years in India, we had significant concerns with 9 or 10 companies,” he said. “That does not represent a statistically higher proportion than in other parts of the world.

India stands out because it is just such a big supplier.” The Indian pharma Industry produces about 20% of the global generic drugs with the US accounting for nearly 28 per cent of Indian pharmaceutical exports, followed by the European Union at 18 per cent and Africa at over 17 per cent.

This should be a clear acknowledgement of the global leadership that Indian pharma industry has achieved which would have been impossible without following global quality standards.

Another criticism of Indian pharma has been that there is insufficient investment in innovation

and R & D .

Despite over 500 new drugs being discovered by Indian pharma companies during 1985 – 2005, there seems a perception that India thrives on copying foreign products.

A recent study by Evaluate, a leading independent specialist pharma consultancy, reports that there is little difference in the investment by “innovators” and “generics” and it is just a myth that “innovators” invest heavily in research while “generics” don’t.

Despite well publicised claims of the Western world, there seems to be a marked decrease in R&D investments and this trend is expected to continue.

When one realises that almost 50% of the European pharma patents are either lying dormant or filed in order to block competitors, one wonders how innovation is being defined and encouraged. Is it innovation stifling further innovation and competition and creating barriers for improvements?

Indian pharma industry has clearly demonstrated that it has the potential to be a part of the solution for universal access to healthcare.

India’s strength is innovating to improve global access to medicines as opposed to developing more and more drugs which have been traditionally defined by the West as innovation.

As such, the current patent system is itself reeling from the ill effects of patent assertion entities (trolls) that do not produce anything of value but merely hold patents with a view to threatening businesses with infringement actions to obtain licensing revenue. Patents have other flaws that relate to monopoly power, both because it harms consumers who have to pay

tortions, too little incentive for original research, and wasteful duplication of research are some of the most serious problems of the patent system. In addition to TRIPs - compliant patent regimes which ostensibly promote innovation and discourage copying, the next generation of barriers to competition seems to be set up as global standards. Just as IPR was addressed by the WTO in TRIPs, the more recent barriers are likely to be in the form of harmonised regulations. Patent linkage (in Canada and the US for example) denies access to markets on a mere allegation of patent infringement. Data exclusivity extends the term of monopoly enjoyed by patent holders and keeps out competition and innovation without any benefits to society. This concept does not exist in sectors other than pharma and there seems to be no real rationale for pharma to get special treatment. In fact, data exclusivity raises several ethical and moral issues.

In the background of the Trans Pacific and Trans Atlantic Partnerships being negotiated, India has the opportunity to demonstrate leadership in the global market place by pioneering the opposition to using harmonisation as a proxy for barriers to competition. The issue of access to healthcare in the developing world has, despite some efforts by the UN and other aid institutions, not had the impact that it should have. There is a realization that Indian Pharma companies have the potential to be a key element of the solution to world's healthcare crisis.

Now is a great opportunity for India to demonstrate leadership in IPR regimes as more and more countries like South Africa and Brazil are following India’s example.

15

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 23rd August 2014

Modi govt giving top priority to clean water

Pallava Bagla

Water is one of the natural resource that is at the core of life on Earth. Today more than ever, the new Prime Minister Narendra Modi- led government is placing clean water at the heart of good governance.

So when Prime Minister Modi gave a clarion call when speaking to agriculture specialists seeking “per drop, more crop,” it automatically touches a chord among Indians.

Fresh potable water is at a premium and may possibly become the ratedetermining step in the future. India with over a 1.2 billion people makes up almost 17 per cent of the world's population – the contrast is that the country possesses merely 4 per cent of the world's fresh water resources with the renewable fresh water resources of India standing at 1,869 billion cubic meters (BCM) per year.

Currently every Indian has access to less than a fourth of what is the world average and disparities are only growing. Can this thirsty divide between the waterstarved and the water-rich be bridged by sound water management and by deploying best practices.

There is a huge interest in cleaning the river Ganga with the new National Democratic Alliance government even renaming the central water ministry as the “Ministry for Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation.” An interministerial national consultation called `Ganga Manthan’ was organized in New Delhi where it was recommended that a honest effort will be made that in next five years a clean Ganga is given back to Indians. The new government is undoubtedly focusing heavily on providing clean water, towards that a massive effort to clean up

river the Ganga has been allocated $ 340 million in the budget. The 2,500 km long northern Indian river whose basin houses some 400 million people, has been heavily polluted and Modi promises to clean it up by 2019. He made this promise while giving a victory speech on the banks of the Ganga in Varanasi.

According to estimates by the Ministry of Water “the per capita availability of water in the country is 1,545 cubic meters as per the 2011 census. The per capita water availability in the country is coming down progressively due to rise in population. The average annual per capita availability of water in the country, taking into consideration the population of the country as per the 2001 census, was 1,816 cubic meters which reduced to 1,545 cubic meters as per the 2011 census.”

According to estimates

put out by the National Water Development Agency (NWDA) to meet the irrigation potential of 160 million hectares by 2050 up from the current of about 100 million hectares, new strategies will have to be adopted, especially since India’s population is likely to be anywhere between 1.4 to 1.5 billion up from the current 1.2 billion. To feed the people by then the country will have to produce some 450 million tons of food grains, almost doubling the output in less than four decades. Ensuing that the country gets more crop per drop will be the big game changer.

To make the long-range forecasts of the monsoon more accurate, India has launched a $ 75 million, 5year research program called the `monsoon mission’ to decipher the mystery of the monsoon. The southwest monsoon is that life-giving phenomenon

which showers on the Indian landmass 80% of the total annual of 105 cm rainfall that India receives.

Every year between JuneSeptember, moisture-laden winds blowing in from the Indian Ocean rejuvenate the parched Indian countryside. The monsoon arrives without fail, but forecasting it months ahead is a nightmare. The drought of 2002 shrank India’s GDP by an estimated 5.8%. Calling the monsoon an “intriguing phenomenon,” Shailesh Nayak, a geologist and secretary in the Ministry of Earth Sciences says “understanding the monsoon is a major priority for the next five years.”

According to the government “water quality data of various river stretches has revealed that organic pollution, particularly Bio-chemical Oxygen Demand (BOD), has exceeded the desired water quality criteria in 150 river stretches covering 121 rivers. The major cause of rising organic pollution, particularly BOD in these rivers, is due to discharge of untreated and partially treated domestic effluents by various municipalities across the country.

Pollution abatement in rivers is an ongoing and collective effort of the central and state governments.

Ministry of Environment & Forests, Government of India is supplementing the efforts of the state governments in pollution abatement in various rivers through the centrally sponsored National River Conservation Plan (NRCP), which presently covers 40 rivers in 190 towns spread over 20 States. Pollution abatement schemes include

each one of the six world championships and an Olympic medal. Equally inspiring is the young Saina Nehwal, who is the first Indian to win a medal in Badminton at the Olympics.

Indian women authors like Arundhati Roy, Jhumpa Lahiri, Anita Desai have won many international literary awards and global critical acclaim. Then there are women who work for society, tirelessly like Ela Bhat who founded the Self Employed Women Association (SEWA) that works for empowering employment among rural women. In the field of

entertainment, the list of women achievers is unending. While the list of current women achievers is impressive, the list of Indian women who stand out in history is equally stellar.

The Indian Constitution guarantees equality to all women and no discrimination by the state but it is an uphill battle in practice to break through the glass ceiling.

In rural India, women constitute nearly 85 per cent of the work force but they rarely own land. In urban India, they are present in offices and construction sites but are paid less than their male counterparts.

With awareness increasing among Indian women about their rights and responsibilities, they are growing more assertive, ready to take on challenges and march in step with their male counterparts. In an India on the march, women will have to be an integral part of the country’s success story.

Gujarat Chief M i n i s t e r Anandiben Patel in her Independence Day address at Patan said that state government is determined to provide equal opportunity to poor, deprived, women, children, farmers and others for growth. She asked the people to eradicate evil customs, addiction, malnutrition, etc She asked people of Gujarat to strive for protecting the fabric of peace, safety, harmony and development which her predecessor and now Prime Minister Narendra Modi has promoted as `Sadbhavna'.

Anandiben said that Gujarat's scaling of new heights at world level was possible due to the feeling

Indian women seek equality

In a country where female goddess Devi is venerated as the source of primordial power, the symbol of piety and purity, Indian women are subjected to sexual harassment and societal subjugation. Now more and more crimes against women are being reported.

The world looks upon India as an emergent power and it is impossible for India to be a power in this region with half its population lagging behind.

One of India’s most powerful Prime Ministers was a woman. Prime Minister Indira Gandhi ruled with an iron-fist and led an almost entirely male cabinet for decades, pulling India out of famines and war, into a Green Revolution that transformed Indian agriculture.

Several years later, her daughter-in-law Sonia Gandhi took over the reins of the Congress party and led it to victory. India’s current External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj is

the second woman to occupy that post, the first being Indira Gandhi.

We have many woman leaders in industry too.

Chennai-born Indra Nooyi is the president and chief executive officer of PepsiCo, the world’s fourth-largest food and Beverage company.

Chanda Kochhar is CEO and MD of ICICI Bank, India’s largest private bank. In sports, Sania Mirza is the highest ranked female tennis player with a career ranking 31 in singles and 24 in doubles. Mary Kom is a five-time World Amateur Boxing champion and the only woman boxer to have won a medal in

interception, diversion and treatment of sewage; low cost sanitation works on riverbanks; gas fired, electric or at times improved wood crematoria are being used. Sewage treatment capacity of 4,574 million liters per day has been created. Nobody can doubt that rivers in India are heavily polluted and giving them a quick scrub will certainly make India a healthier place.

The whole spirit of water is of tranquillity and peace, praise and cleansing. Yet, there are wars, and it is predicted they have only just begun. The wars may be over the use of water, over its sharing, over who gets how much.

This war plays out each day, all the time, in countless Indian cities, towns, and villages. Its many scenes are depicted in the long and tired queues of women with more pitchers than they can hold, in the growing frequency of water tankers that actually sell water in many parts of the country, and in the larger political dramas that unfold around the sharing of rivers between states and the damming of water.

But water endures, and also manages to push human endurance beyond limits. It befriends, pacifies, cajoles and makes its way into the lives of the unlikeliest of people. It draws humans, animals and plants alike. It can make or break ecosystems and economies. It entices industry and beckons even the atheist. Water is at what must truly be the center of the Universe for every Indian. Better governance of this vital resource will ensure a healthy and prosperous future for India.

of `Sauno Sath, Saubi Vikas' (Collective Efforts, Inclusive Growth). The state-level function at Patan was marked by cultural programmes performed by students of various schools and hair-raising stunts by the motorcycle, equestrian and dogsquad teams of the police force. The children also made a Yoga presentation.

Gujarat CM asks people to eradicate evil customs

16

Highlights of Modi's speech

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who hoisted the national flag on the historic Red Fort, broke the tradition by delivering a 65- minute speech in Hindi without any bullet-proof shield. Here are some of the key aspects of Modi's speech:

1. Come, make in India: Modi urged investors from around the world to make India a manufacturing hub.

2. Rapes make country's head hang in shame: Modi asked parents to question their sons about the malaise.

3. Planning body to be disbanded: Modi said that he would replace the central Planning Commission that for decades guided the country's socialist economy with a more modern institution.

4. I am an outsider to Delhi: Modi despaired that after becoming the PM he realised that even in one government there were different govern-

ments.

5. Stop female foeticide: Modi drew attention to the dismal sex ratio in the country, and appealed to Indians to stop female foeticide.

6. Praise for previous PMs: Modi praised all his predecessors and previous governments for contributing to India's development.

7. Appeal to SAARC nations: Modi urged SAARC countries to come together to fight poverty in the region.

8. Give up violence: During his speech, Modi requested people of the country to follow a path of peace and brotherhood and asked them to under-

take a 10 year moratorium on communal, caste and class clashes to see positive results.

9. It's time for a 'Digital India': Modi said that India is no longer known as the land of black magic and snake charmers as it has come a long way and added that it is now time for a 'digital India'.

10. Let's build a clean India: Reiterating his dream to make India a clean place, Modi asked: "Do we want to live in filth?" He said India should become clean and hygienic by 2019 - the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, a staunch believer in cleanliness.

Anoopam Mission celebrates Indian I-Day

colour with the Indian national anthem ‘‘Jana Gana Mana” which brought out the true feeling of nationalism among the guests. Jashbhai Saheb, Lt. Gen (Rtd.) Walia, writer Dr Balvant Jani and Mukeshbhai Kadhiwala (USA) addressed the gathering.

Anoopam Soorvrind presented patriotic songs on this special occasion. At

the end the celebration, British Indian boys and girls, won the hearts of guests by presenting a colourful cultural programme, highlighting Indian culture and values.

Jashbhai Saheb praised Himmat Swami and Sadhaks of Anoopam Mission for their efforts in training these youngsters and cultivate their Indian values.

The people’s choice awards

good governance will become a reality. We want India to progress and Indians to prosper."

Modi's message was available in Malayalam, Urdu, Mizo, Odia, Nepali, Dogri, Kashmiri, Assamese, Konkani, Punjabi, Bengali, Tamil, Marathi, Kannada, Gujarati and Telugu.

The PM, who saluted the brave men and women who sacrificed their lives for India's freedom, said the great freedom fighters and martyrs always "remain in our hearts and minds". "It is our duty to remember their heroic deeds and emulate their ideals for the good of our nation and our people," he said.

Stressing that growth and development are the way ahead, Modi said good

governance safeguards the rights of the poor and development gives the poor an opportunity to move ahead.

"Our fight is against poverty and I can say it with confidence that we will emerge victorious in this battle. Our victory against poverty will show the way to the entire world on how to free thousands of people from the clutches of poverty," Modi said.

Earlier, the PM tweeted his message: "Greetings to my fellow Indians on Independence Day! May our tricolour fly high and our nation scale new heights of development.

Jai Hind!"

Promising regular communication with the people, Modi said: "Today, on Independence Day let every Indian pledge to do good deeds that will benefit our country, our countrymen, women and the weaker sections of society; a deed that will enhance the pride and prestige of our tricolour."

as the land of snake charmers.

Today, our IT professionals have left the world spellbound.

work has helped the poor or come to benefit the nation in any way? We should come out of the 'Why should I care' attitude and dedicate ourselves to the nation's progress.

6. India used to be known

7. From ramparts of the Red Fort, I would like to call people of the world to 'come, make in India'. I want to tell the global companies that we have skill, talent and discipline... From electronics to

electricals, from chemicals to pharmaceuticals, come, make in India. Paper to plastic, automobiles to agricultural

products, come, make in India, from satellite to submarine, come, make in India. We have the capabilities. Come here and manufacture in India. Sell the products anywhere in the world but manu-

Talking about good governance, he said India needs creative thinking in governance that enables fast track development and ensures social harmony. "The nation has to be placed above partisan impulses. The people come first." In a democracy, the

President said, the power of good governance has to be exercised within the framework of the Constitution through the institutions of the state. "With the passage of time and changes in the ecosystem, distortions do appear making some institutions dysfunctional. When one institution does not function in the manner expected of it, phenomenon of overreach sets in.

"While some new institutions might become necessary, the real solution lies in reinventing and restoring the existing ones to serve the purpose of effective government," he said. Mukherjee said good governance was critically dependent on rule of law, participatory decision-making, transparency, responsiveness, accountability, equity and inclusiveness.

"It calls for wider involvement of the civil society in the political process. It calls for deeper engagement of the youth with the institutions of democracy. It calls for quick dispensation of justice to the

people. It calls for ethical and responsible behaviour from the media," he said.

Mukherjee said a country of India's size, heterogeneity and complexity calls for culture-specific governance models for taking a responsive administration to the door step of every hut and habitation in the land. The President also touched the issue of poverty saying the decisive challenge of our times is to end the curse of poverty.

Though poverty has come down in last six decades from over 60 per cent to less than 30 per cent, he said even then, nearly one-third of population still lives below the poverty line. "Poverty is not a mere statistic.

Poverty has a face, which becomes unbearable when it scars the visage of a child. The poor cannot, and will not, wait for yet another generation to see the very essentials of life food, shelter, education

and employment - being denied to them. The benefits from economic development must percolate down to the poorest of the poor," he said. Referring to the current economic situation, he said though the growth rate was subdued at below 5 per cent during the last two years, there was a "sense of renewed vigour and optimism in the air". "Signs of revival are visible. Our external sector has strengthened. Fiscal consolidation measures are beginning to show results.

Notwithstanding occasional spurts, inflation has started moderating," he said adding food prices still remain a matter of serious concern.

Mukherjee said manufacturing sector was on the rebound and the stage was now set fro the economy to move on a high-growth trajectory of 7-8 per cent which was essential to ensure the availability of adequate resources for

equitable development.

Referring to clean environment, the President said ancient travellers from abroad had written about the efficient administrative systems with planned settlements and good urban infrastructure. "What has gone wrong with us now?

Why can't we keep our environment free of filth?," he said commending Prime Minister Narendra Modi's call to honour the memory of Mahatma Gandhi on his 150th birth anniversary by making India a clean country by 2019.

But, Mukherjee said, that can be achieved only if each Indian converts this into a national mission.

"Every road, every path, every office, every home, every hut, every river, every stream, every particle in the air around us can be kept clean, if we but cared just a little. We must nurture nature, so that nature continues to nurture us," he said.

facture here... we have the power, come I am inviting

Indian President Pranab Mukherjee said intolerance and violence is a betrayal of the letter and spirit of democracy and slammed those who believe in the "poison drip of inflammatory provocation".

In his Independence Dayeve address to the nation, he referred to bigotry and noted that an increasingly turbulent international environment has sparked off rising dangers "in our region and beyond".

"Though an ancient civilization, India is a modern nation with modern dreams.

Intolerance and violence is a betrayal of the letter and spirit of democracy. Those who believe in the poison drip of inflammatory provocation do not understand India's values or even its present political impulses. Indians know that progress, economic or social, is difficult without peace," Mukherjee said.

The President's remarks assume significance in the context of rising incidents of communal violence in the country. He recalled Maratha

king Shivaji's letter to Aurangzeb when he imposed "jizya". He told the emperor that Shah Jehan, Jehangir and Akbar could also have levied this tax "but they did not give place to bigotry in their hearts, as they considered all men, high and low, created by God to be examples of the nature of diverse creeds and temperaments". Mukherjee said the 17th-century epistle of Shivaji carries a message, which is universal. It must become a living testament that guides our behaviour today.

"We can least afford to forget this message at a time when an increasingly turbulent international environment has sparked off rising dangers in our region and beyond, some clearly visible, and some crawling out of the debris of unprecedented turmoil," he said.

The President noted that across parts of Asia and Africa, attempts are being made by radical militias to redraw the maps of nations to create a geography for theo-

cratic ideology. "India will feel the heat of blowback, particularly as it represents the values that reject extremism in all its manifestations. India is a beacon of democracy, equilibrium, inter-and-intra faith harmony. "We must defend our secular fabric with vigour. Our

security and foreign policies must combine the steel of strength with the velvet of diplomacy even as we persuade the like-minded as well as the hesitant to recognise the substantial dangers that breed within indifference", Mukherjee said.

Asian Achievers Awards is organised every year by UK’s leading news weeklies Asian Voice and Gujarat Samachar to honour British Asian par excellence

For table booking contact us on 020 7749 4085

Venue: Grosvenor House, Park Lane, London W1K 7TN

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8. The mantra of our country's youth should be to at least make 1 product that we import. Don't compromise in manufacturing; Stress on Zero defect, Zero

effect (impact of environment). Our manufacturing should have zero defects so that our products should not be rejected in the global market. Besides, we should also keep in mind that manufacturing should not have any negative impact on our environment.

9. I want to ask parents, when daughters turn 11 or 14, they keep a tab on their movements. Have these parents ever asked their sons where they have been going, who they have been meeting?

Rapists are somebody's sons as well! Parents must take the responsibility to ensure that their sons don't go the wrong direction.

10. India's sex ratio is 1,000 boys for 940 girls. Who creates this disparity? It isn't God. Don't fill your coffers by sacrificing the mother's womb. People feel that sons will take care of them when they are old. But I have seen aged parents in old-age homes. I have seen families where one daughter serves parents more than five sons.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi greeted the nation in 18 Indian languages and assured that he would do everything to fulfil the mandate given by the people. In a firstof-its-kind move, the greeting message of the prime minister was shared in 18 languages, including Hindi and English, on the Press Information Bureau (PIB) website. The message was shared on the PIB website's home page through a new feature - a green and orangecoloured box - representing the Indian Tricolour which said "PM's greetings on Independence Day".

"The mandate of 2014 was a mandate for hope, good governance and to rebuild the trust. I assure the people that I will leave no stone unturned to fulfil the mandate given by the people of India. Our government has devoted every moment of our time to fulfill the mandate given to us," Modi said in his message.

"I promise that the change expected through

Addressing the nation on Independence Day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi sought to invigorate the spirit of the nation with an impassioned appeal to the people to rise above petty issues and move forward as one unified unit. He also laid out the agenda of the government and its main goals. Here are the top 10 quotes from the PM's address:

1. I can promise you. If you work 12 hours, I will work for 13. If you work 14 hours, I will work for 15 hours. Why? Because I am not a pradhan mantri, but a pradhan sevak.

2. I am an outsider in New Delhi. I have stayed away from the elite in this city. In the 2 months I have been here, I now have an insider view. I was astonished. I saw many governments functioning within a government. One department is fighting the other. So, we are trying to break this wall; we want to have one mission and target: Take the nation forward.

3. I come from a poor family and I want the poor to get dignity. We want to start a movement for a clean India. If we have to build a nation, let us start from the villages.

4. Be it caste or communal violence, they stall the growth of the nation. Let us affirm that we will be free from these tensions.

5. Can someone tell me, whatever we are doing, have we asked ourselves if our

PM greets Indians in 18 languages

Ph

ASIAN ACHIEVERS

17

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 23rd August 2014

Intolerance, violence a betrayer of democracy: President Mukherjee

(From Left) Harshadbhai, Dr Virendrabhai-Vice President, Anoopam Mission International, Dr Vishnubhai-President, Anoopam Mission USA, Satishbhai Chatwani - President, Anoopam Mission International, Surendrabhai Patel, Jashbhai Saheb, Ashvinbhai, Himmat Swami, C B Patel, Shantibhai and Vinubhai Nakarja-President, Anoopam Mission UK.

Anoopam Mission, UK, celebrated the 68th Indian Independence Day with national fervour. In the presence of Saints Jashbhai Saheb, Ashvinbhai and Shantibhai, Publisher / Editor of Asian Voice & Gujarat Samachar C B Patel hoisted the Union Jack with the national anthem of God Save the Queen. Then Surendrabhai hoisted the Indian tri-

10 top quotes from Modi’s address www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 23rd August 2014

Media Partners

16

Highlights of Modi's speech

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who hoisted the national flag on the historic Red Fort, broke the tradition by delivering a 65- minute speech in Hindi without any bullet-proof shield. Here are some of the key aspects of Modi's speech:

1. Come, make in India: Modi urged investors from around the world to make India a manufacturing hub.

2. Rapes make country's head hang in shame: Modi asked parents to question their sons about the malaise.

3. Planning body to be disbanded: Modi said that he would replace the central Planning Commission that for decades guided the country's socialist economy with a more modern institution.

4. I am an outsider to Delhi: Modi despaired that after becoming the PM he realised that even in one government there were different govern-

ments.

5. Stop female foeticide: Modi drew attention to the dismal sex ratio in the country, and appealed to Indians to stop female foeticide.

6. Praise for previous PMs: Modi praised all his predecessors and previous governments for contributing to India's development.

7. Appeal to SAARC nations: Modi urged SAARC countries to come together to fight poverty in the region.

8. Give up violence: During his speech, Modi requested people of the country to follow a path of peace and brotherhood and asked them to under-

take a 10 year moratorium on communal, caste and class clashes to see positive results.

9. It's time for a 'Digital India': Modi said that India is no longer known as the land of black magic and snake charmers as it has come a long way and added that it is now time for a 'digital India'.

10. Let's build a clean India: Reiterating his dream to make India a clean place, Modi asked: "Do we want to live in filth?" He said India should become clean and hygienic by 2019 - the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, a staunch believer in cleanliness.

Anoopam Mission celebrates Indian I-Day

colour with the Indian national anthem ‘‘Jana Gana Mana” which brought out the true feeling of nationalism among the guests. Jashbhai Saheb, Lt. Gen (Rtd.) Walia, writer Dr Balvant Jani and Mukeshbhai Kadhiwala (USA) addressed the gathering.

Anoopam Soorvrind presented patriotic songs on this special occasion. At

the end the celebration, British Indian boys and girls, won the hearts of guests by presenting a colourful cultural programme, highlighting Indian culture and values.

Jashbhai Saheb praised Himmat Swami and Sadhaks of Anoopam Mission for their efforts in training these youngsters and cultivate their Indian values.

The people’s choice awards

good governance will become a reality. We want India to progress and Indians to prosper."

Modi's message was available in Malayalam, Urdu, Mizo, Odia, Nepali, Dogri, Kashmiri, Assamese, Konkani, Punjabi, Bengali, Tamil, Marathi, Kannada, Gujarati and Telugu.

The PM, who saluted the brave men and women who sacrificed their lives for India's freedom, said the great freedom fighters and martyrs always "remain in our hearts and minds". "It is our duty to remember their heroic deeds and emulate their ideals for the good of our nation and our people," he said.

Stressing that growth and development are the way ahead, Modi said good

governance safeguards the rights of the poor and development gives the poor an opportunity to move ahead.

"Our fight is against poverty and I can say it with confidence that we will emerge victorious in this battle. Our victory against poverty will show the way to the entire world on how to free thousands of people from the clutches of poverty," Modi said.

Earlier, the PM tweeted his message: "Greetings to my fellow Indians on Independence Day! May our tricolour fly high and our nation scale new heights of development.

Jai Hind!"

Promising regular communication with the people, Modi said: "Today, on Independence Day let every Indian pledge to do good deeds that will benefit our country, our countrymen, women and the weaker sections of society; a deed that will enhance the pride and prestige of our tricolour."

as the land of snake charmers.

Today, our IT professionals have left the world spellbound.

work has helped the poor or come to benefit the nation in any way? We should come out of the 'Why should I care' attitude and dedicate ourselves to the nation's progress.

6. India used to be known

7. From ramparts of the Red Fort, I would like to call people of the world to 'come, make in India'. I want to tell the global companies that we have skill, talent and discipline... From electronics to

electricals, from chemicals to pharmaceuticals, come, make in India. Paper to plastic, automobiles to agricultural

products, come, make in India, from satellite to submarine, come, make in India. We have the capabilities. Come here and manufacture in India. Sell the products anywhere in the world but manu-

Talking about good governance, he said India needs creative thinking in governance that enables fast track development and ensures social harmony. "The nation has to be placed above partisan impulses. The people come first." In a democracy, the

President said, the power of good governance has to be exercised within the framework of the Constitution through the institutions of the state. "With the passage of time and changes in the ecosystem, distortions do appear making some institutions dysfunctional. When one institution does not function in the manner expected of it, phenomenon of overreach sets in.

"While some new institutions might become necessary, the real solution lies in reinventing and restoring the existing ones to serve the purpose of effective government," he said. Mukherjee said good governance was critically dependent on rule of law, participatory decision-making, transparency, responsiveness, accountability, equity and inclusiveness.

"It calls for wider involvement of the civil society in the political process. It calls for deeper engagement of the youth with the institutions of democracy. It calls for quick dispensation of justice to the

people. It calls for ethical and responsible behaviour from the media," he said.

Mukherjee said a country of India's size, heterogeneity and complexity calls for culture-specific governance models for taking a responsive administration to the door step of every hut and habitation in the land. The President also touched the issue of poverty saying the decisive challenge of our times is to end the curse of poverty.

Though poverty has come down in last six decades from over 60 per cent to less than 30 per cent, he said even then, nearly one-third of population still lives below the poverty line. "Poverty is not a mere statistic.

Poverty has a face, which becomes unbearable when it scars the visage of a child. The poor cannot, and will not, wait for yet another generation to see the very essentials of life food, shelter, education

and employment - being denied to them. The benefits from economic development must percolate down to the poorest of the poor," he said. Referring to the current economic situation, he said though the growth rate was subdued at below 5 per cent during the last two years, there was a "sense of renewed vigour and optimism in the air". "Signs of revival are visible. Our external sector has strengthened. Fiscal consolidation measures are beginning to show results.

Notwithstanding occasional spurts, inflation has started moderating," he said adding food prices still remain a matter of serious concern.

Mukherjee said manufacturing sector was on the rebound and the stage was now set fro the economy to move on a high-growth trajectory of 7-8 per cent which was essential to ensure the availability of adequate resources for

equitable development.

Referring to clean environment, the President said ancient travellers from abroad had written about the efficient administrative systems with planned settlements and good urban infrastructure. "What has gone wrong with us now?

Why can't we keep our environment free of filth?," he said commending Prime Minister Narendra Modi's call to honour the memory of Mahatma Gandhi on his 150th birth anniversary by making India a clean country by 2019.

But, Mukherjee said, that can be achieved only if each Indian converts this into a national mission.

"Every road, every path, every office, every home, every hut, every river, every stream, every particle in the air around us can be kept clean, if we but cared just a little. We must nurture nature, so that nature continues to nurture us," he said.

facture here... we have the power, come I am inviting

Indian President Pranab Mukherjee said intolerance and violence is a betrayal of the letter and spirit of democracy and slammed those who believe in the "poison drip of inflammatory provocation".

In his Independence Dayeve address to the nation, he referred to bigotry and noted that an increasingly turbulent international environment has sparked off rising dangers "in our region and beyond".

"Though an ancient civilization, India is a modern nation with modern dreams.

Intolerance and violence is a betrayal of the letter and spirit of democracy. Those who believe in the poison drip of inflammatory provocation do not understand India's values or even its present political impulses. Indians know that progress, economic or social, is difficult without peace," Mukherjee said.

The President's remarks assume significance in the context of rising incidents of communal violence in the country. He recalled Maratha

king Shivaji's letter to Aurangzeb when he imposed "jizya". He told the emperor that Shah Jehan, Jehangir and Akbar could also have levied this tax "but they did not give place to bigotry in their hearts, as they considered all men, high and low, created by God to be examples of the nature of diverse creeds and temperaments". Mukherjee said the 17th-century epistle of Shivaji carries a message, which is universal. It must become a living testament that guides our behaviour today.

"We can least afford to forget this message at a time when an increasingly turbulent international environment has sparked off rising dangers in our region and beyond, some clearly visible, and some crawling out of the debris of unprecedented turmoil," he said.

The President noted that across parts of Asia and Africa, attempts are being made by radical militias to redraw the maps of nations to create a geography for theo-

cratic ideology. "India will feel the heat of blowback, particularly as it represents the values that reject extremism in all its manifestations. India is a beacon of democracy, equilibrium, inter-and-intra faith harmony. "We must defend our secular fabric with vigour. Our

security and foreign policies must combine the steel of strength with the velvet of diplomacy even as we persuade the like-minded as well as the hesitant to recognise the substantial dangers that breed within indifference", Mukherjee said.

Asian Achievers Awards is organised every year by UK’s leading news weeklies Asian Voice and Gujarat Samachar to honour British Asian par excellence

For table booking contact us on 020 7749 4085

Venue: Grosvenor House, Park Lane, London W1K 7TN

Sponsors

Sponsored Charity

y n d B so ste Tom Ho ppa illi

AWARDS

you.

8. The mantra of our country's youth should be to at least make 1 product that we import. Don't compromise in manufacturing; Stress on Zero defect, Zero

effect (impact of environment). Our manufacturing should have zero defects so that our products should not be rejected in the global market. Besides, we should also keep in mind that manufacturing should not have any negative impact on our environment.

9. I want to ask parents, when daughters turn 11 or 14, they keep a tab on their movements. Have these parents ever asked their sons where they have been going, who they have been meeting?

Rapists are somebody's sons as well! Parents must take the responsibility to ensure that their sons don't go the wrong direction.

10. India's sex ratio is 1,000 boys for 940 girls. Who creates this disparity? It isn't God. Don't fill your coffers by sacrificing the mother's womb. People feel that sons will take care of them when they are old. But I have seen aged parents in old-age homes. I have seen families where one daughter serves parents more than five sons.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi greeted the nation in 18 Indian languages and assured that he would do everything to fulfil the mandate given by the people. In a firstof-its-kind move, the greeting message of the prime minister was shared in 18 languages, including Hindi and English, on the Press Information Bureau (PIB) website. The message was shared on the PIB website's home page through a new feature - a green and orangecoloured box - representing the Indian Tricolour which said "PM's greetings on Independence Day".

"The mandate of 2014 was a mandate for hope, good governance and to rebuild the trust. I assure the people that I will leave no stone unturned to fulfil the mandate given by the people of India. Our government has devoted every moment of our time to fulfill the mandate given to us," Modi said in his message.

"I promise that the change expected through

Addressing the nation on Independence Day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi sought to invigorate the spirit of the nation with an impassioned appeal to the people to rise above petty issues and move forward as one unified unit. He also laid out the agenda of the government and its main goals. Here are the top 10 quotes from the PM's address:

1. I can promise you. If you work 12 hours, I will work for 13. If you work 14 hours, I will work for 15 hours. Why? Because I am not a pradhan mantri, but a pradhan sevak.

2. I am an outsider in New Delhi. I have stayed away from the elite in this city. In the 2 months I have been here, I now have an insider view. I was astonished. I saw many governments functioning within a government. One department is fighting the other. So, we are trying to break this wall; we want to have one mission and target: Take the nation forward.

3. I come from a poor family and I want the poor to get dignity. We want to start a movement for a clean India. If we have to build a nation, let us start from the villages.

4. Be it caste or communal violence, they stall the growth of the nation. Let us affirm that we will be free from these tensions.

5. Can someone tell me, whatever we are doing, have we asked ourselves if our

PM greets Indians in 18 languages

Ph

ASIAN ACHIEVERS

17

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 23rd August 2014

Intolerance, violence a betrayer of democracy: President Mukherjee

(From Left) Harshadbhai, Dr Virendrabhai-Vice President, Anoopam Mission International, Dr Vishnubhai-President, Anoopam Mission USA, Satishbhai Chatwani - President, Anoopam Mission International, Surendrabhai Patel, Jashbhai Saheb, Ashvinbhai, Himmat Swami, C B Patel, Shantibhai and Vinubhai Nakarja-President, Anoopam Mission UK.

Anoopam Mission, UK, celebrated the 68th Indian Independence Day with national fervour. In the presence of Saints Jashbhai Saheb, Ashvinbhai and Shantibhai, Publisher / Editor of Asian Voice & Gujarat Samachar C B Patel hoisted the Union Jack with the national anthem of God Save the Queen. Then Surendrabhai hoisted the Indian tri-

10 top quotes from Modi’s address www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 23rd August 2014

Media Partners

18

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 23rd August 2014

Dear Financial Voice Reader,

I write to you before flying to Bangalore to speak to the largest collection of investors in India. As I said to a group of private equity investors, ‘tread softly, for this is the land of my ancestors, the home of genius, of philosopher kings, of astronomy before the Greeks, of navies before the Romans, of great cities before the Egyptians, of Universities before the Anglo-Saxons, of art before the Renaissance and of faith before Christ and Moses. Tread softly, for you walk on the graves of my forefathers.’

So when I co-host for the British Government the largest collection of investors in India next week this is what I will remind them. Their money, their investments, their talents, are not welcome in India, not needed, unless they serve first the nation, not just their pocket books. Unless they seek to do that, they should pack their bags and go home, they are not welcome.

They will be desecrating a mother herself. Bewarned.

The Sensex is indeed at an all time high. It’s been moving upwards ever since the election of PM Modi.

The only extremism the pathethic left wing morons feared from a so-called Hindu nationalist government has been the extreme rise in the Indian stock market.

It’s up nearly 30% this year.

The British markets are having a harder time. Well, every country can’t have a Narendra Modi can they?

But we are moving sideways and as Brits we will take that. If you want to know the best UK companies in the past 6 months: Shire – up 40% - pharmaceuticals and their attractiveness I wrote about last week.

SAB Miller – up 17% - there is still money to be made in this alcohol company United Utilities – up 15% and utilities are supposed to be safe and steady G4S – up 14% and expanding globally so more to come clearly BAT – up 13% - ban it all you want, people are going to smoke Aberdeen Asset Management – one of my picks from last year – still up 10% in the past 6 months – and rising with the markets as people invest ever more What about the worst big british performances in the past 6 months. Are there some cheap buys?

Vodafone is at 1998 level – buy it for 3 years – as soon as it goes up 30% in that time sell it.

Royal Mail – all time low. Yuck EasyJet. RyanAir and BA on their tails. Hold for now.

Tesco falling to 2000 levels. Hold it for 3 years. Sell as sooon as you get a 50% profit in that time.

Morrisons at 2000 levels – same as Tesco.

Good luck!

Jaitley to chair Vibrant Gujarat summit

Union finance minister Arun Jaitley will chair the forthcoming Vibrant Gujarat summit in January 2015. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will attend the valedictory function. Over the years, Vibrant Gujarat summit has become a platform for Indian business leaders to make investment promises worth millions of dollars.

This time around, the summit will see one of India’s biggest brain storming events where top

CEOs from many Fortune 500 companies across the world discuss economic issues.

Gujarat government officials say confirmations from the invitees are yet to come. "The presence of Indian PM has generated a lot of interest from global firms. It was Modi's dream to transform this event from an investment attracting exercise to a top brainstorming and networking event," said a senior government official.

India’s steel producer Tata Steel Ltd's first quarter consolidated net profit slumped 70 per cent, hurt by provisions for impairment of non-core assets and a higher tax expense.

The company posted net income of 3.37 billion rupees ($55.01 million) in the three months ended June 30, compared with 11.39 billion rupees a year

earlier. Net sales jumped 11 per cent to 361.43 billion rupees, helped by an increase in European demand. The company's management has intensified cost cuts and focused on high-margin products to boost sales at Tata Steel Europe, which contributed close to 57 per cent of the company's total steel production last year.

Tata Steel profit falls 70 pc

PM Modi disbands Planning Commission Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi ended the era of the Planning Commission. He said during the Independence Day speech that the times have changed since the Planning Commission was created. A new institution would be set up "in a short span of time", hs said.

It was Prime Minister Nehru, a socialist who admired Josef Stalin's drive to industrialize the Soviet Union, who in 1950 set up - and chaired - the Planning Commission to map out a development path for India's agrarian economy.

The collapse of Soviet communism in 1991 killed off Gosplan - as that country's State Planning Committee was known.

Yet its Indian counterpart survived the ensuing economic shock and cautious market reforms that followed.

India Inc welcomed the maiden speech of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the occasion of Independence Day in which he presented a vision to transform India into a global manufacturing hub.

Addressing the nation from Red Fort, Modi said: "I tell the world, Make in India! Sell anywhere but manufacture here. We have the skill and talent."

He said it should be every Indian's dream to see "Made in India" products around the world environment-friendly and with zero defects.

Industry body Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) welcomed Modi’s speech citing high importance attached to manufacturing and investment in it. "As PM said, manufacturing is necessary for employment and for trade expansion.

Come, make in India what an inspiring statement! CII is sure these words will be welcomed

Modi never had a high opinion of the Planning Commission - as leader of the industrial powerhouse of Gujarat, he stunned the panel last year by turning up at a meeting with a video that accused it of high-handedness and hobbling the states with onesize-fits-all policies.

This June, a government-backed report suggested replacing the Planning Commission with a think tank more in line with a US-style

Council of Economic Advisors.

"Since the Planning Commission has defied attempts to reform it to bring it in line with the needs of a modern economy and the trend of empowering the states, it is proposed that the Planning Commission be abolished," the report said.

Arun Shourie, an influential member of Modi's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, had derided the Planning Commission - set in a New Delhi building with 500-600 employees - as a "parking lot" for political cronies and unwanted bureaucrats.

In 2012, it was pilloried for spending $50,000 to renovate two office toilets, and then it was lampooned for suggesting that citizens who consumed goods worth 27 rupees or more a day (44 US cents) were not poor - in a country where millions struggle

to survive on less than $2 a day.

Modi has focused on bringing to order India's unruly state apparatus. He has beefed up the prime minister's office, ordered bureaucrats to get to work on time and - in a law passed last week - restricted the power of judges to appoint each other.

In so doing, Modi has taken a leaf from the book of another leader in Moscow - Vladimir Putin.

Following the chaos of the 1990s, the Russian leader established a centralised "vertical of power" that underpins his power in the Kremlin. Political analysts and economists say that Modi's focus on process summed up by his slogan "maximum governance, minimum government" should increase the effectiveness of his administration and yield benefits to voters over time.

by foreign investors," Chandrajit Banerjee, director general, CII said.

Prime Minister Modi elaborated in his hourlong speech, which he delivered extempore, that: "electricals, chemicals, automobiles, agro valueaddition, pharma, paper, satellites and submarines - all can be made in India."

CII said it has been working with the government on a facilitative investment climate and improving ease of doing business to promote the manufacturing sector.

"Some of the areas to be addressed for this would be taxation, including introduction of the GST, land acquisition, faster approvals, trade policy," Banerjee said.

The Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) also welcomed the Prime Minister' speech which, it said, gave clear signals to investors both domestic and global.

"We are now confident

that the 'Make in India' and 'Made in India' vision will be supported by requisite policy and implementation measures for enhancing the competitiveness of our manufacturing sector," said Sidharth Birla, president, FICCI. "This is critical if we have to create a million jobs each month for the next 10 years and ensure a sustainable balance of payments," said Birla.

FICCI further said that the new structure that replaces Planning Commission will provide a concrete direction towards broad-based development and its monitoring and that good governance would be greatly enhanced by e-governance and digitisation.

"This is an absolute imperative for connecting the remotest of villages and sharing the fruits of growth with people in these regions. Digitization will also help realize the vision of financial inclu-

sion and skill development," Birla said.

The Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (Assocham) also welcomed Modi’s speech specifically stating that it illustrated commitment to reach and connect to rural India through mobile governance. "The initiative will empower our rural population as they will come closer to the governance machinery. This, combined with a big initiative of financial inclusion through bank accounts and debit cards, will go a long way in bringing millions of people in the mainstream of economic development," said Rana Kapoor, president, Assocham.

Kapoor added that the announcement to completely revamp the Planning Commission and make it relevant to the present-day challenges of governance, direction, and thinking is a refreshing idea.

fire dampened the consumer sentiment around the brand.

"Although fire incidents were either caused

by foreign objects in t h e exhaust system or external manipulation with the car's electrical systems, over the period, we have rectified them," he said, adding that the company has refocused on the safety aspect in its subsequent model Nano Twist.

The company realized that there were significant number of cases where people would test-drive, book their Nano and then, drop out owing to negativity around the brand.

"Social circles would dissuade them," Wagh said adding that the company was hoping to see a change in Nano's fortunes, post rebranding, including possible export to international markets.

Tata Nano is manufactured at the company's Sanand facility on the outskirts of Ahmedabad.

India’s trade bodies welcome PM’s I-Day speech

Tata Nano to be revamped as 'Smart City Car'

Tata Nano, once a symbol of aspiration for twowheeler owners, will be revamped next year and launched as a 'Smart City Car', Girish Wagh, senior vice-president, Tata Motors, said. "We are carrying out multiple interventions to improve the product as well as its image to ensure that the Nano lives up to its promise," Wagh said. The adulation around the Nano brand disappeared when deliveries were hit owing to delay in the project.

Cases of the car catching

REAL ESTATE VOICE

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 23rd August 2014

19

London property a safe deposit box for Indians

Suresh Vagjiani

Sow & Reap A Property Investment Company

Last week I was introduced to a business man from Mumbai, I was told he wanted a property in Mayfair and to see if we could scout out a deal for him. We managed to get an off market deal on the 6th floor of a portered building, the flat consists of 1,550 sq. ft. and the price is £3.4m, which equates to £2,193 per sq. ft., cheap considering a flat in the same block only two months ago sold for £3,800 and this was on the third floor! The price rises the higher up the block you go.

I also mentioned we have something in Marylebone which was only across the road, he wasn't in the slightest bit interested. There’s something about Mayfair and wealthy Indians from India, these investors have ploughed £1bn into the prime central London property market over the last 18 months, and are expected to spend another £500m on redevelopment in the next five years.

Mr Shah Rukh Khan himself owns an apartment on the prime street of Park Lane; I heard from the grapevine this property was flipped to him, and the trader made several million by acting in between.

One reason for this level of inflow is the faltering property market back home; Indians are second only to British-based buyers, they spent almost £450m purchasing 221 residences in prime central London in 2013, with the top three most popular locations being St John’s Wood, Belgravia and Mayfair.

B ritish bu yers accou nted for 30% of property in Mayfair, wh il e wealthy Ind ians have snapped up 25%. Midd le Eastern, con tinen tal European an d Russian buyers all accou nted fo r 13% o f purchase s each in the exclu sive Lond on borough . At the height o f th e B ritish summer some 3,000 u ltra high n et worth In dian families escape the he at of De lhi and Mumbai t o Mayfair, bu t the y are also moved by Lond on's status as a global in ve stme nt safe have n.

And true to expectation, within just 24 hours of his May 26 inauguration, Modi created an investigative team of former judges and current regulators to find the concealed assets estimated to be worth $2 trillion and bring them back into the country. The Prime Minister wanted to send out a loud and clear signal to all tax evaders.

As the Indian economy remains under stress, residential real estate prices have been surging in an unprecedented manner, unlike income levels which are not rising, and making London more appealing.

According to Peter Wetherell the owner of the main agent in Mayfair, Wetherell: ”Many have chosen to invest in Mayfair, especially in Grosvenor Square, because they can see that currently the district is undervalued compared to neighbouring locations such as Knightsbridge and Belgravia. There has been a spectacular 314% rise in sales values in Grosvenor Square since 2000, surpassing values such as Eaton Square and Cadogan Square.”

Apart from the individual money there is institutional investment coming in a big way, The Lodha Group, India's largest residential developer, has recently purchased the Canadian High Commission in Grosvenor Square for £306m. The group plans to turn the seven floor 135,000 sq. ft. High Commission into 18 to 20 luxury homes. "It is not surprising that Indians are buying in London, their preferred postcode has always been Mayfair, and it fits with their resonance with British luxury brands," said Adam Challis, head of residential property at JLL. "More interesting is the strategy by developers such as Lodha who are diversifying into international markets, and London is of course the first port of call.”

There is a vicious rumour that one of the main drivers of money flowing into London property is as a consequence of the new government tightening up on ‘hidden’ money. It was always expected that Narendra Modi as Prime Minister would go after hidden money abroad.

Estimat es abo ut t he amoun t of black mone y vary wid ely.

Ind ians had mo ve d $644 billion to t ax have ns as o f 2011, acco rd ing to d ata from Glo bal Fin anc ial In teg rity. The B JP said in a 2011 report that Ind ians had $250 billion , or 20 perce nt of the pre vio us year’s gross do me st ic produ ct, hidin g in Switzerland alo ne.

The government defines black money as assets that haven’t been reported to authorities at the time of their generation or disclosed at any point during their possession. A large portion is converted into gold and held in households domestically. It’s legal for Indian residents to hold money in foreign bank accounts as long as they disclose it and pay taxes.

In reality it will be difficult to trace funds which have been moved offshore, one way will be for the government to have agreements with foreign banks to sign disclosure agreements, this will serve to tackle money held in offshore accounts.

However property purchased in vehicles held in off shore companies who have a layer of trustees will be more difficult to get to the bottom off. The introduction of Capital Gains Tax to be payable by non-resident individuals on disposals of UK residential property which is due to come in April 2015 will do little to dampen the demand for prime London property. The finer details of this tax are still yet to be defined.

The Real Deal

The simple way to avoid this tax is t o n ot sell, the tax is only payable at the point of sale. If on e n eeds to tap in to the equit y you can refinance and ge t 65% to 70% of equ it y out, which probably isn' t that far away from selling an d paying 28% in tax.

Middlesex, UB5 Purchase Price: £310k

It is unlikely you will see many distressed sales in these areas, the buyers are astute and financially savvy. The primary reason for purchasing properties in these locations is not to make money but to keep money safe. London property is one big safety deposit box for these investors; not just for the Indians, in the coming years you will see a lot more Chinese money coming into the capital.

Therefore it is unlikely once purchased these properties will again be sold in a hurry. If there are no sales there will be no capital gains tax.

This point was confirmed during the last stamp duty rise, there was much talk of this damping investment in London property, whereas in fact the stamp duty rise made no difference in the demand for London property.

l A semi detached house with three bedrooms and two reception rooms l Freehold l Around 900 sq. ft. area l We expect the value of the property to be around £350k l Very good BTL investment Call us now to secure this deal!

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Tips of the Week l Capital values may fluctuate but generally regular income in terms of rent can be expected in good as well as bad times. l You can easily understand the expenses and income associated with property investment, the same cannot be said of many financial products such as pensions.

20

BUSINESS

Modi govt not to entertain FDI in multi-brand retail

Clearing the stand on FDI in multi-brand retailing, India’s commerce and industry minister Nirmala Sitharaman said the NDA government will not "entertain" foreign direct investment in multi-brand retail.

She said in Rajya Sabha that BJP got a massive mandate on the basis of its election manifesto which opposes FDI in multi-brand retail.

However, the government has not initiated any move to scrap the policy of allowing FDI in multibrand retail approved by the previous UPA government.

"The mandate given to government is on the basis of our manifesto ... we do not entertain FDI in multi-brand retail," she

Ratan Tata may invest in Snapdeal

Ratan Tata, the 76-yearold chairman emeritus of Tata Sons, is said to be considering a personal investment in Snapdeal, an e-commerce firm, at a time when online retail is generating investor euphoria on the back of exponential growth.

In a move that would signal his interest in India's emerging consumer internet story, Ratan Tata may buy out an early investor in Snapdeal through a secondary sale, people familiar with the development said. Both Tata and Kunal Bahl, co-founder of Snapdeal, did not respond to queries on the deal.

Tata, who transformed India's largest private sector conglomerate with a string of marquee global acquisitions, is expected to be a minority investor in his personal capacity in the e-retailer.

While his holding is unlikely to be high, its real significance would lie in the buzz it would create for the four-year-old firm.

Tata has always had an interest in technology; even so, the deal, if it goes through, would mark the ultimate coming together of the old and new guard.

Tata could be boarding Snapdeal just when the online marketplace, which has crossed $1 billion in gross merchandise sale by value - second only to Flipkart - is busy fending off a challenge from online retail juggernaut Amazon for No 2 position in the domestic e-commerce market.

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 23rd August 2014

Nirmala Sitharaman said. She said FDI flow have not been consistent in past few years. "During the last three years FDI inflow has fluctuated. FDI inflow decreased by 26.33 per cent in 2012-13 and increased by 6.12 per cent in 2013-14," she said.

FDI flow is dependent on the business environment and how decisions

are made, she said, adding FDI inflow has been skewed in favour of Mauritius.

Mauritius accounted for $80.809 billion out of $222.89 billion that came to India between 2000 and 2014.

"We are using FIPB to carry out check (on investing companies)," she said.

Even in sectors where FDI is allowed under automatic route, RBI scrutinises the funds flow, she said.

RBI and Department of Revenue through FIPB takes critical look at the kind of investment coming into India, she said. "Under the liberalised economic environment, investment decisions of investors are based on the macro-economic policy framework, investment climate in the

host country, investment policies of the transnational corporations and other commercial considerations," the minister said.

On the implementation of the controversial GAAR tax, which is to come into effect from next fiscal, Sitharaman said government is "working" on the issue. On steps taken to boost FDI, she said various set ups are in place to attract foreign investment.

These include five joint commissions with Hungary, Poland, Sweden, Belarus and Libya and CEOs form with nations like Japan, France, Russia, Malaysia and South Africa. India has also signed BIPA with 83 countries and CEPA with 9 countries, she said.

India’s industrial output growth slowed to 3.4% in June, while retail inflation inched to nearly 8% in July, posing fresh challenges for policymakers, who are battling to revive growth and tame inflation.

Data released by the Central Statistics Office (CSO) showed industrial output in June rose 3.4% year-on-year from a decline of 1.8% in June 2013 and slower than the upwardly revised 5% expansion in May 2014.

Separate data showed retail inflation rose 7.96% in July, compared to previous month’s 7.46%, largely driven by pressure on fruits, vegetables and beverages prices. Retail inflation is close to the Reserve Bank of India’s target of keeping it at 8% by January 2015.

“Inflation uncertainty exists, given that the monsoon outcome, though improving is still belownormal. Under these condi-

tions, inflationary expectations would tend to get embedded till the harvest season sets in,” said Madan Sabnavis, chief economist at CARE ratings. “Depending on the spread of rainfall, a clearer picture would emerge in September-October on the exact impact on output.

Therefore, RBI is likely to maintain a cautious stance in the next policy too,” Sabnavis said in a note.

Economists said although the factory data for June was disappointing but the overall picture showed some recovery, though not a significant turnaround. The Narendra Modi government has vowed to steer the economy out of two consecutive years of sub 5% growth.

“Industrial growth too disappointed as it slowed to 3.4% in June after growing at 5% in May. However, its overall performance in first quarter of FY-15 is signalling a gradual recovery,”

ratings agency Crisil said in a note. “Given the first quarter IIP growth and assuming that the construction sector grew at the same rate as in FY-14, industrial GDP is likely to have grown around 3.3% in first quarter of FY15,” the agency said.

The consumer goods sector continued to remain sluggish and declined 10% compared to a contraction of 1.5% in June 2013, while consumer durables fell 23.4% in June compared to a decline of 10.1% in June 2013. Inflation continued to be a concern, particularly stubborn prices of some food products. Vegetables prices grew an 16.88% in July, while fruits shot up 22.48%. Overall food and beverages prices rose 9.16%, close to the doubledigit mark. The government may need to keep a close watch on the segment, considering the uncertainty over monsoon rains.

India’s industrial growth slows

George at ASDA becomes LABA’s Patron

President of LABA Jaspal Singh Minhas announced that George at ASDA based at Magna Park in Leicestershire became patron of LABA. The contract was signed at the LABA Women Awards 2014 launch ceremony.

Fiona Lambert the Brand Director at George said “we are absolutely delighted to forge this link with LABA and the vibrant communities it represents. It is based on a sound business proportion of meeting customer needs, as an employer and increasingly as partner is supply chains. At George we are keen to be an integral part of the local community. In Leicester and Leicestershire the British Asian community makes a significant contribution to the economic vitality of the region and the coun-

L-R: Rani Mahal, Vice President of LABA, Lata Dattani Events Manager at LABA, Japsal Singh Minhas LABA’s President, Fiona Lambert Brand Director at George, Robert Watson Director of LABA and Raja Mahal Board Member of LABA.

try. I am absolutely delighted that George will be LABA’s patron in supporting a number of activities, including an award for the prestigious Women’s Awards in October 2014” confirmed Fiona.

“Added to this, said

Jaspal Singh Minhas, “we are developing a number of initiatives around recruiting young people to join the world of fashion and design. Jointly hosting seminars and roadshows with George at local schools, colleges and ASDA local stores.”

Asian Achievers Awards 2014 nominees announced

The Asian Achievers Awards recognises the outstanding work from individuals from across all businesses and professions within the Asian community and acknowledge the accomplish-

and Wasim Gulzar Khan MBE. Sports Personality Of The Year: Dilawer Singh MBE, Neil John Taylor, Paran Singh and Manisha Tailor.

Uniformed And Civil

ments of the finest in the UK’s Asian community.

The event is now into its 14th year and is consistently favoured by the Asian community as the most prestigious and highly respected awards on the calendar.

This year, the Awards will be taking place on Friday, 19th September at Grosvenor House Hotel, London. Below is the full list of shortlisted nominees per category: Media, Arts and Culture: Shahid Khan Aka Naughty Boy, Akram Khan MBE, Hanif Kureishi CBE and Samira Ahmed.

Achievement In Community Service: Shahien Taj, Kiran Bali MBE JP, Sajda Mughal

Services: Dipprasad Pun CGC, Millie Banerjee CBE, Kul Mahay and Nazir Afzal OBE. Professional Of The Year: Anu Ojha OBE, Prof. Sir Tejinder Singh Virdee, FRS, Faisel Rahman OBE and Dr Sandy Gupta.

Woman Of The Year: Saba Shaukat, Balvinder Kaur Sandhu, Priya Lakhani OBE, Sharmila Nebhrajani OBE and Ranjana Bell MBE. Business Person Of The Year: Kishore Lulla, Mahmud Kamani, Kirit Patel MBE and Harry Dulai.

Entrepreneur Of The Year: Sukhi Ghuman, Taz and Umer Sheikh, Majid Hussain and Dr Richie Nanda.

Ambani cousins join their fathers’ business

Reliance Industries (RIL) chairman Mukesh Ambani's elder son Akash Ambani recently joined RIL to help launch the conglomerate's re-entry in telecommunications with Reliance Jio, while Reliance Group chairman Anil Ambani's son Jai Anmol has joined Reliance Capital. While Akash will be in operations, it'll be finance for Jai Anmol.

The cousins, both 22, representing the third generation of the Ambanis, are joining their respective businesses at a time when the next big push is needed for both groups, as they chase growth in an economy struggling to come out of a slowdown. Their fathers had entered the business when they were around 24 and the group needed a big move forward.

Akash, an economics graduate from Brown University is now

involved in rolling out Reliance Jio's complex 4G broadband wireless service offerings, which could redraw the telecommunications landscape. His father did the same more than a decade ago with the launch of Reliance Infocom, now Reliance Communications (part of Anil Ambani's portfolio following the demerger of the Reliance empire in 2005).

On the other hand, Anil Ambani's son Jai Anmol, a graduate from UK's Warwick Business School, has joined Reliance Capital, as he is said to have demonstrated a keen interest in finance.

Jai is learnt to have been actively involved in the Rs 120 billion acquisition of Jaypee Associates's power assets.

"Reliance Capital CEO Sam Ghosh is mentoring Jai for a bigger role in the Reliance Group," said a company insider.

CURRENCY VOICE

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 23rd August 2014

21

Foreign Exchange

Paresh Davdra is the Dealing Director of RationalFX, Currency Specialists.

Pound strengthens against the Euro The Euro significantly strengthened throughout Friday after German exports and imports rebounded in June, suggesting the West's standoff with Russia over Ukraine is not seriously hurting Europe's largest economy. Despite the boost from trade, some economists see a chance of a contraction in gross domestic product (GDP) when data for the second quarter is released next Thursday.

Trade groups are also warning of further trouble from the escalating showdown with Russia, however despite this speculation the Euro went from strength to strength.

The Dollar made ground against the Pound during trading after data revealed productivity of U.S. workers rose more than projected in the second quarter, rebounding from the biggest drop in more than three decades and helping to restrain labour costs. The measure of employee output per hour increased at a 2.5 percent annualized rate, meaning companies that have been relying on wringing efficiency gains from existing staff may take on more employees and increase investment as

demand grows.

The pound strengthened against the euro on Tuesday as investors look for clues from projections due in the central bank’s Inflation Report as to when it will begin raising inter-

est rates. According to analysts at BNP Paribas, if we continue to get an indication from Carney that rate hikes are on schedule for November, then there’s scope for sterling to rebound this week.

German investor confidence fell to the lowest level since 2012 as the crisis in Ukraine and a sluggish euro-area recovery damp the outlook for Europe’s

largest economy. The ZEW Center for European Economic Research in Mannheim said its index of investor and analyst expectations, which aims to predict economic developments six months in advance, dropped to 8.6 in August from 27.1 in July.

Economists forecast a decrease to 17.

This was the eighth consecutive monthly decline and the biggest in more than two years.

The drop in the ZEW index confirms the near-term downside risk for the German and eurozone economies emanating from the Ukraine crisis,” said one senior European economist.

And also the 'Putin factor’ could lead to more cautious investment plans for a while.

A worsening stand-off between Russia and the European Union is clouding the outlook for a German economy that probably contracted for the first time since 2012 in the second quarter. The disruption to

trade threatens to weigh on the revival in the 18-nation euro area, which has already seen Italy slip back into recession.

The UK’s jobs figures revealed a decline in the unemployment rate to 6.4% and a reduction in wages for the first time since late 2008.Figures showed that average earnings, including bonuses, fell to 0.2% in the three months to June. This demonstrated the fact that wages are lower than inflation, which reached 1.9% in June on a positive note labour market, is continuing to recover.

US Retail sales were flat in July, the worst performance in six months, having only risen by 0.2% in June, US, jobless claims also climbed by 21,000 to 311,000 in the period ended Aug. 9, the highest in six weeks.

Applications for unemployment benefits in the U.S. rose more than forecast last week, interrupting a steady decline in claims. A significant decline in layoffs has been the major driver of an improving job market. This is a good sign that business owners have a more optimistic outlook and are more willing to retain their staff.

Weekly Currencies As of Tuesday 19th August 2014 @ 4.30pm

GBP - INR = 100.60 USD - INR = 60.55 EUR - INR = 80.63 GBP - USD = 1.66 GBP - EUR = 1.25

EUR - USD = 1.33 GBP - AED = 6.10

GBP - CAD = 1.81

GBP - NZD = 1.97

GBP - AUD = 1.78

GBP - ZAR = 17.63

GBP - HUF = 391.09

www.rationalfx.com

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

COMMUNITY

Tens of thousands visit Bhaktivedanta Manor for Janmashtami

22

On Sunday 17th August, tens of thousands visited ISKCON Bhaktivedanta Manor for Lord Krishna’s birthday celebrations. It is the most popular Janmashtami festival in the Western world, so for many it took a long time to reach that holy dham, but the endeavour to get there was part of the pilgrimage experience itself: part of the build up to take darshan of the exquisitely beautiful deities of Sri Sri Radha Gokulananda.

As soon as they parked in the fields, immediately the pilgrims felt the spiritual atmosphere of

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 23rd August 2014

credit must not only go to the festival organisers and temple devotees, but to the hundreds of volunteers who gave so much of their precious time and energy to help out. Without all the volunteers Janmashtami at this most holy rural setting on the outskirts of north-west London would not be possible.

Vrindavan where Lord Krishna enacting his childhood pastimes and tended to the cows. Entering into the festival site, ten of thousands of pilgrims passed through the Temple farm before entering the main festival field where they were hit with a variety of devo-

tional music, exhibitions, pravachans, dramas, dances, children’s entertainment and bazaars, enveloped with festive flags and flowers.

The most amazing achievement about Janmashtami at Bhaktivedanta Manor is that, despite the huge amount of pilgrims, all attendees who wanted to get darshan had their prayers answered. Much

Celebration of Indian colour, music, dance and faith comes to Westminster Over 150 Indian-Scottish Pipers from around the world led a peace parade onto Parliament Square all in celebration of a brand new Hindu temple that is about to open in Kingsbury, northwest London.

Shree Swaminarayan Mandir Kingsbury, believed to be the world’s first “eco-temple” due to the numerous environmental technologies that have gone into its design, opened on Tuesday 19 August. A six day festival will ensue, which includes evening shows of dance and music as well as further street parades and the Opening ceremony itself – all presided over by the Mandir’s global spiritual leader, Acharya Swamishree Maharaj.

The parade, or Nagar Yatra, through Westminster was a display of multinational and multicultural cohesion.

Participants from the UK, USA, East Africa, across Europe, India and Australia created a spectacular medley of dance, music, colour, pageantry and

artistry. The world-renowned Shree Muktajeevan Pipe Band London was joined by its sister bands from around

the worlds - Scottish regalia and Indian melodies was just one example of the cultural cohesion that was the theme

of the parade.

Starting near Piccadilly and culminating in Parliament Square, the final act of the parade was to pay reverence to one of the most important sights in the UK. The Bands saluted the ten statues of British and foreign statesmen, who collectively represent the values promoted by Acharya Swamishree Maharaj of human rights, democracy, decency, world peace, tolerance and community cohesion.

Shree Swaminarayan Mandir Kingsbury is part of a £20m complex, which includes state of-the-art multifunction sports and community hall. The Mandir itself blends traditional Indian architecture, intricate carvings and masterful artistry with green technologies to create what is believed to be the world’s first ‘Eco-Temple’ by design. Mayor of London Boris Johnson described the new Mandir and facilities as ‘stunning and impressive’ during his recent visit there.

More information is available at www.Swamin arayanGadi.com/London

London Mela returns to Gunnersbury Park with a bang The London Mela - Europe’s largest outdoor South Asian festival - returns to Gunnersbury Park, Acton, on Sunday 31 August for a spectacular line up of live music, dance, visual arts and food from South Asia. 80,000 people enjoyed last year’s creative triumph and this year the festival is set to be even bigger and better than ever.

BBC Asian Network’s Main Stage line-up his year includes; headline act Miss Pooja, the largest selling female bhangra artist in the world and the UK’s award-winning B21 who after a 12 year hiatus return with a new album and perform their new hits.

Canadian born Raghav, UK heartthrob just back from Bollywood, Arjun and the ‘Justin Bieber’ of the Pakistan music scene Asim Azhar add to this exciting line up.

The Asian Network’s Yasser, Nihal, PHS, Kan D Man & Limelight will host the New Music Tent featuring some of the UK’s emerging British Asian talent including; desi-reggae artist Cold Fever, the multi-talented singer-songwriter Salique and female viral sensation Nesdi Jones.

The Outdoor Arts programme promises to be a not-to-be-missed afternoon of processions and performances. The London Mela is proud to have commissioned Mahogany, an internationally renowned Carnival arts company set in the heart of Notting Hill to create a 140 people strong Carnival procession. Drawing on the Indian Caribbean influences from Trinidad and Tobago, Utsava - a Sanskrit word meaning celebration will create a processional spectacle that will climax on and

around the Main Stage, featuring a musical soundtrack created by popular DJs Punjabi Hit Squad and accompanied by 20 dhol drummers provided by the Dhol Academy. The mysteries of the Mughal Empire unfold with Nutkhut’s ‘Navrattan - A Quest for the Lost Gems’, by Simmy Gupta and Mailout’s interactive caravan experience, while Chutney in the Street invites you to dance along to the drum beats of the Indo-Caribbean.

For the third year, Oxfam have partnered with the London Mela to highlight its work with women in South Asia. The Oxfam Global Local Stage features performances by: stand-up comedienne Nadia Manzoor, and her one woman show ‘Burq-Off!’, and the versatile and creative musician, Sheema Mukherjee, a formidable collaborator with internationally renowned artists from Imagined Village to Elton John.

Magic Mela’s Youth and Community Stage is inspired by the young people of Hounslow so whether you’re young or young at heart you can get active with dance classes, learn circus skills or marvel at the talents of traditional and contemporary young performers. There will be an abundance of culinary delights to whet your appetite at the South Asian Food Market and fun fair to make this free and universally loved event one for all the family.

The London Mela is produced by Ealing and Hounslow Councils, and supported by the Mayor of London and Arts Council England. Other partners include BBC Asian Network and Oxfam. Asian Voice is its ethnic print media partner for the first time.

WORLD

BAPS opens stone temple in Robbinsville

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 23rd August 2014

Robbinsville (New Jersey): The Bochasanwasi Akshar P u r u s h o t t a m Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS) inaugurated one of the world's largest Swaminarayan Mandirs at Robbinsville, New Jersey, on August 10.

Pramukh Swami Maharaj and senior Sadguru Swamis of BAPS attended the inauguration ceremony. The inauguration marks the completion of the second phase of the S w a m i n a r a y a n Akshardham complex that is currently planned for the site. The Mandir is 133 feet long and 87 feet wide, comprising of 98 pillars and two domes (ghummats) 30 feet wide and 34 feet high. The entire complex has been covered by a permanent structure to increase the Mandir’s life and facilitate darshan and worship during the region’s harsh winter. The Mandir is made entirely of Italian marble and was completed in three years at a cost of $18 million.

“Thousands of volunteers have dedicated themselves and sacrificed immensely to help create this lasting legacy. It is through the selfless service of hundreds of professional volunteers that this Mandir has come up so swiftly and at a relatively

low cost”, said Dipal Patel, a BAPS volunteer.

Devotees and wellwishers from across the

TRAVLIN

world gathered to witness its opening. US Senator from New Jersey, Cory Booker and representa-

STYLE

INDIA

FAR EAST

tives from Maryland, Steny Hoyer, Mike Fitzpatrick from Pennsylvania, Frank Pallone from New Jersey, Attorney General of New Jersey, John Jay Hoffman and Indian Consul General Dnyaneshwar Mulay (New York) attended the opening ceremony.

Speaking on the occasion, Steny Hoyer said, “This Mandir will surely not only be a place of worship, but a place of service. The saying, “in the joy of others, lies our own is translated here from words into action.

As followers of this movement have done through-

out the world for the benefit of millions of people.”

“Today is truly a day of celebration. Today is a day that is not just good for this community or the state of New Jersey but indeed what you are doing is great for all of America,” said Cory Booker.

The inauguration festivities included a yagna or Vedic ritual for world peace, an evening of cultural programs performed by children, Mahila Sammelan (women’s culture programme) and the murti pratishta rituals.

Prior to the consecration ritual, the murtis were taken on a festive proces-

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sion around the complex.

Later, the Mandir was officially inaugurated in a Vedic ceremony performed by BAPS Swamis in the presence of Pramukh Swami Maharaj.

It is the sixth traditional BAPS Mandir of its kind in North America.

The Mandir is a modern architectural marvel built in accordance with guidelines from ancient Hindu scriptures. Master craftsmen in India first meticulously carved each portion of Italian marble and then joined together to cover every inch of the structure.

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INDIA

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 23rd August 2014

Survey brings life to a standstill in Telangana

Hyderabad: The massive door-todoor survey by the Telangana government has begun in the newly carved state on Tuesday and has brought life to a standstill.

The survey will cover over 84 lakh households in the state. The enumerators will visit all houses in all 10 districts of the state. The survey has generated a lot of heat in the political circles.

About 400,000 employ-

ees of Telangana, including teachers and policemen, are involved in the massive

Jaya announces welfare schemes on I-Day address

Chennai: Tamil Nadu chief minister J Jayalalithaa said that freedom fighters’ pension would be increased from Rs 9,000 to 10,000.

While addressing the Independence Day function, she also announced the extension of provision of variety meal with ‘masala’ egg to all noon meal centres and Anganwadi centres in the State under the Nutritious Meal Programme.

Launched on a pilot basis in March 2013, the meal along with ‘masala’ egg is now given at Anganwadi centres and noon meal centres attached to three schools in one block of each district, totally benefiting 91,881 children across the State. Totally, there are 54,439 Anganwadi centres and 42,619 noon meal centres, covering about 6830,000 children and school students. The Chief Minister said the provision of variety meal on an experimental basis had received a favourable response from the

J Jayalalithaa beneficiaries. The latest decision would cost over Rs one billion more to the exchequer every year. She said that the family pension, given to legal heirs of freedom fighters, would go up from Rs. 4,500 to Rs. 5,000. The move, involving an additional expenditure of about Rs.14.3 million annually, would benefit 1,955 persons.

Reiterating her government’s position on welfare schemes for the poor, Jayalalithaa gave an account of various schemes and said her government had been implementing those schemes that were beneficial directly to the poor.

Chandigarh: The attempt of the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) led by Om Prakash Chautala to reach out to other castes and in the process shed its pro-Jat image has sparked off a rebellion in its rank and file.

The party, which was the first to allot tickets for the forthcoming Assembly elections, has allotted only 18 out of the 62 tickets to Jat candidates, giving the rest to Brahmins, Aggarwals, backward and scheduled castes.

Two factors have dictated its pro non-Jat stance.

Firstly the rise of the BJP in Haryana, which after winning seven out of ten Lok sabha seats is eyeing to form the government on its own.

The INLD, say sources in the party, is conscious that it has to put up strong candidates to defeat the BJP in the urban areas and this is where the other non-Jat communities call the shots.

In Panchkula for instance, the party has made everyone sit up by giving the ticket to real estate baron Kulbhushan Goyal.

Whenever the party has allied with the BJP in the

past, the saffron party put up candidates from the urban areas leaving the INLD to fight it out in the rural areas. The two are not allying this time and both will contest the elections separately. It is possible that Chautala and his elder son Ajay Singh Chautala might contest from jail if they are not acquitted by the courts before elections. The two are convicted in a teachers’ recruitment scam.

The other reason for it to reach out to other communities is that it apprehends some polarisation of Jat votes in favour of the Congress after the UPA government provided reservation to Jats in government jobs. Lured by the Modi factor, many young Jats also voted for the BJP from rural Haryana in the Lok Sabha elections and this is worrying the INLD that was hoping to sweep the Assembly pools in the State this time.

Clearly, the INLD sees the BJP as its prime competitor in this election and is determined to counter the saffron party on the non-Jat front as well.

exercise. In contrast to heavy traffic witnessed in the morning hours usually, roads in Hyderabad wore a deserted look. The government has declared a holiday for the day and appealed to the people to stay at homes for the survey.

Public transport buses and trains witnessed huge rush of people over the last few days travelling to their native places in view of the survey. Telangana

natives living in cities like Mumbai, Surat and other places have also reportedly sought to come to their native places for the survey.

Dismissing allegations that the survey is aimed at identifying Seemandhra natives, Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao said that the exercise was intended to ensure that benefits of government schemes reached the targeted sections.

Rao appealed to the people to make the survey a success and asked them to give correct information to the enumerators.

Vijayawada to be ad hoc capital of Andhra

South Brief

Andhra, Telangana CMs sink differences

Hyderabad: The Chief Ministers of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh - K. Chandrasekhar Rao and N Chandrababu Naidu - have decided to bury the hatchet and work to resolve the contentious issues between the two States. At a meeting arranged by Governor E.S.L. Narasimhan in an attempt to end the frequent clashes between the two State governments, the two Chief Ministers decided to sort out their differences amicably rather than trading allegations.

Chennai techie’s liver airlifted to save a life in Coimbatore

Chennai: The liver of a 27-year-old man declared brain-dead following a road accident was airlifted to Coimbatore and transplanted to a patient on Sunday. An IT company employee, who met with the accident in Chennai was admitted to a hospital. When the doctors declared that he had suffered irreparable brain damage, his mother volunteered to donate her son’s organs. The organ was retrieved, airlifted to Coimbatore and transplanted to a needy patient.

TN to launch baby care kit scheme

Rebellion in INLD as it tries to shed its pro-Jat image

Vijayawada: The Andhra Pradesh government has decided to have an ad hoc capital at Vijayawada until the needed infrastructure and other projects for the new capital are completed.

At a meeting with members of the advisory committee on Capital City last week, Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu asked them to see that the ad hoc capital will house key administrative offices during the interregnum. A delegation from McKinsey made a presentation, ‘Vision for AP Capital’, at the meeting which was attended by Municipal Administration Minister P. Narayana, chairman of the committee, and members, and industrialists.

As for the new fullfledged capital, Naidu asked the committee members to chalk out a master plan, which should become an important tourist destination. He said the new capital should be unique and slum-free. He wanted the share of flora and fauna to be 60 per cent in the proposed capital city.

He advised them to visit and study other Indian cities before this month-end. They have been asked to take cues from global cities like Brasilia, Singapore, Putrajaya (Malaysia) in building AP’s capital city and complete their tour of South East Asia, Europe, China, Japan, Korea and Middle East by October end.

Haryana schools teaching things in a practical way

Chandigarh: To understand how things work may not be an essential part of textbooks, but students in government schools across Haryana are becoming part of a quiet change in their classrooms as they are being exposed to practical knowledge in real time. The Class Readiness Programme (CRP) initiated recently is ushering in the change to make the students learn different things in a more practical way. Localising education is as important for the students as it is for them to understand the texts they read in the larger context.

Hence, to bring around such a local understanding of theoretical knowledge, educational tours to local factories/industries, banks, post

offices, local hospitals, parks, grain and vegetable markets, bus stands, railway stations, police stations and the like are organised for making students aware of the social system around them, additional chief secretary for higher education Surina Rajan said. Even simple things like going around the campus of the school itself and knowing the local geography, visiting a nearby canal or park, carrying out small activities to learn mathematics or going to nearby historical places is being made part of school activities. The CRP is one of the initiatives taken by Haryana’s education department to bring about a change in the image of government schools.

Chennai: Tamil Nadu chief minister J Jayalalithaa said that the government would provide an Amma Baby Care Kit to all mothers who deliver babies in any government hospital in the State. The kit, which will contain baby and mother essentials post-partum, will include baby towels, napkins, a dress, bedding, mosquito net, oil, nail cutter, soap and soap box, toys, a rattle and hand sanitiser, apart from Sowbhagya Leghyam to build the mother’s health. The CM announced that about 670,000 children born in government hospitals every year would benefit and a sum of Rs 670 million had been allocated for it.

North Brief

Mute, hearing-impaired girl gangraped

Chandigarh: An eleven-year-old mute and hearing-impaired girl was allegedly kidnapped and gang-raped by two men in Shandewala village of Moga, police said.

The father of the victim in a complaint to the police alleged that two unidentified persons abducted his daughter when the family members were asleep at their home. They took her to a secluded location and later gangraped her. The girl returned home and gestured to her parents about the incident. Police have registered a case against two unidentified persons and launched a hunt to nab them.

Panel to sort out issues in AkaliBJP alliance

Chandigarh: Amid growing tension between the ruling alliance in Punjab, Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal has constituted a sixmember State Coordination Committee of the Shiromani Akali Dal and Bharatiya Janata Party to streamline the day-to-day functioning and cooperation between the two. The SAD general secretary, Harcharan Singh Bains, said that senior Vice-President Ranjit Singh Brahampura, secretary-general Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa and general secretary Balwinder Singh Bhunder will represent the SAD while Pathankot MLA Ashwani Sharma, senior BJP leaders Narottam Dev Ratti and Rajinder Bhandari will be the BJP nominees on the State coordination committee.

EC issues instruction on exit, opinion polls

Chandigarh: In view of by-elections to Talwandi Sabo and Patiala assembly segments in Punjab, the Election Commission has issued instructions restricting conduct of exit poll and dissemination of its results on August 21, the polling day. Punjab chief electoral officer (CEO) VK Singh said that the EC had on July 19 announced the schedule for by-elections to Patiala and Talwandi Sabo constituencies. "As per the provisions of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, there will be restrictions on conduct of any exit poll and publication and dissemination of result of such exit poll during the period between 7 am and 6.30 pm on August 21," he said.

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 23rd August 2014

K

Explore Kerala's Emerald Backwaters

erala is “one of the ten paradises of the world” which is located on the Malabar Coast on the South West of India. You can enjoy an amazing beach holiday, boat cruise through the famous backwaters, bask in the natural beauty of the hill stations, wildlife sanctuaries and national parks, taste beautiful cuisines and explore local life for a real insight into South Indian culture.

The best way to truly see Kerala is to book a tour. A typical itinerary of 9 days would include exploring the hotspots of Kochi, Munnar, Periyar, Kumarakom and Kovalam. On the tour you will enjoy the delicious and mouth-watering vege-

tarian and non- vegetarian cuisine of Kerala.

Spend your first day in Kochi, also known as the Queen of the Arabian Sea, one of the finest natural harbours in the world. Starting from the Dutch, Portuguese and the British, Kochi was the site of the first European colonial settlements in India. Enjoy a city tour visiting the Dutch Palace, Jewish Synagogue, Fort Cochin and Chinese fishing nets.

The next day will be spent in Munnar, one of the most popular hill resorts of South India. The specialty of Munnar is jungle honey, tea and a rare

flower ‘NeelaKurunji’ which blooms once in 12 years. And to further your culinary journey, the next stop will be Periyar the wildlife and spice plantation

hub of Kerala. You’ll enjoy a spice plantation tour to learn about the mystery and history of Indian spices. You also get the opportunity to shop for fragrant spices at a local market.

The last few days will be spent discovering the backwaters of Kerala where you will experience them in a traditional thatch-roofed houseboat, known as ‘Kettuvallam’. After enjoying the cruise, you’ll spend the last couple of days in Kovalam, relaxing on one of the most serene and beautiful beaches of India.

Other highlights of Kerala you could enjoy are ayurvedic treatments and spas.

Along with the lovely massages, wraps and scrubs, there’s yoga and meditation as well to get your body, mind and spirit in sync with each other.

To book a tour to Kerala or your choice of personalized tour around India, Brightsun Travel has unbeatable offers available. For 8 nights including flights, accommodation, transfers and a Kerala tour as per above, prices start from £779pp. To book, call Brightsun Travel on 0208 819 0531 or visit www.brightsun.co.uk

TRAVEL - WORLD

25

Sharif’s followers tried to kill me: Imran Khan

Islamabad: Imran Khan, the cricketer-turned politician and head of Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf party, has accused supporters of Nawaz Sharif shooting at his car as he took part in a protest aimed at toppling the prime minister.

Violent clashes erupted after the incident as the opposition politician led a motorised protest convoy of thousands of people from Lahore to Islamabad, the capital of Pakistan. “They threw stones at us while standing at police vans,” Khan said. “They fired bullets at us.” A close ally of Imran Khan said that he saw someone firing a gun.

Khan said that a mob of up to 300 government loyalists had attacked the convoy, which is moving to Islamabad to protest against alleged vote rigging in last year’s national elections. Police and witnesses to the clashes, near Gujranwala, 120 miles southeast of Islamabad, disputed Khan’s account, saying that no gunshots had been fired.

Protesters vow to stay on streets till Sharif resigns Meanwhile, the fiery anti-government cleric

Tahir-ul-Qadri, on Saturday led a massive rally of thousands of protesters to Islamabad to demand Sharif to step down over alleged fraud in last year’s election. The cleric along with Khan, have drawn thousands of demonstrators to dual protests that have disrupted life across Islamabad.

The protesters have vowed to remain in the streets until Sharif leaves office, raising fears of political instability in the nuclear-armed nation, which only saw its first democratic transfer of power last year.

Qadri told his supporters to continue protesting until they bring about a “peaceful revolution”.

“Nawaz Sharif should be arrested when he steps down and he should not be allowed to leave the

country,” he said. He also called for the dissolution of Parliament and fresh elections.

Sharif has given no indication that he intends to step down, and leaders of his party said Qadri's demands were unconstitutional. Khan, who has camped with his supporters less than a kilometre away from Qadri's rally, also vowed to continue his protest.

“I will not go back to my home without getting resignation from Nawaz Sharif,” he told reporters.

Both Khan and Qadri have vowed to bring 1 million followers into the streets of Islamabad, a city of roughly 1.7 million inhabitants. Police estimated that nearly 35,000 people were present at Qadri's rally and 25,000 at Khan's.

Islamabad: Raking up the Kashmir issue, Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said it was the "main source of tension" in India-Pakistan relations and sought its peaceful resolution to explore new ways to bolster bilateral ties.

"We want peaceful resolution of Kashmir with our full sincerity so that by removing this main source of tension, Pakistan and India could find new ways for promoting their relations," he said while addressing the Independence Day parade in Islamabad.

Sharif's remarks come close on the heels of a spat between the two countries over Indian Prime Minister Narendra

Modi's speech accusing Pakistan of continuing to engage in a proxy war of terrorism against India.

Pakistan and India have been involved in a war of words, with New Delhi saying terrorism was a "core concern" in bilateral ties and its "tool kit" is not restricted in any manner to combat it effectively.

Pakistan had dubbed

Modi's comments as "baseless rhetoric" and "unfortunate".

India has also voiced serious concerns over ceasefire violations by Pakistan along the line of control in recent weeks.

In his address, Sharif said promotion of peaceful relations with neighbours is the cardinal principle of his foreign policy.

"We are a peaceful country. We are striving for peace within the country and also want durable peace on our borders," he said. Sharif also called for durable and permanent peace in Afghanistan so that the entire region could touch heights of progress of development.

New York: Two Indian-origin academicians have won prestigious global prizes in the field of mathematics with one of them being awarded the Fields Medal known as the "Nobel Prize of mathematics.” Manjul Bhargava won the Fields Medal while Subhash Khot won the Rolf Nevanlinna Prize, awarded by the International Mathematical Union (IMU), at the International Congress of

Mathematicians 2014 held in Seoul.

Manjul, a professor of mathematics at Princeton University, was among the four winners who have been awarded the Fields Medal, given out every four years.

Iranian-born mathematician and Stanford University professor Maryam Mirzakhani became the first woman to win the Fields Medal this year. Bhargava was awarded

the Fields Medal for "developing powerful new methods in the geometry of numbers, which he applied to count rings of small rank and to bound the average rank of elliptic curves."

According to the award citation, Bhargava's work is "based both on a deep understanding of the representations of arithmetic groups and a unique blend of algebraic and analytic expertise."

Nawaz Sharif rakes up Kashmir issue in I-Day address

Indian-origin professor wins 'Nobel Prize of mathematics'

26

INDIA - LONDON

Let's work without encroaching on each other: CJI

A day after Parliament approved scrapping of collegium system for appointment of judges in higher courts, the Chief Justice of India R M Lodha said Parliament and executive should not interfere in the domain of judiciary.

"I am sure that people in Judiciary, people in executive and people in Parliament are mature enough to have mutual respect for each other and ensure that each of them is permitted to work in their sphere unhindered by any extraneous influence," Justice Lodha said after unfurling tricolour in the Supreme Court premises.

R M Lodha

He said our Constitution makers made it sure that all organs of the state operate in their respective field without encroaching upon the

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 23rd August 2014

other's domain.

Notwithstanding reservations of judiciary, Parliament had cleared two bills providing for a new mechanism for appointment of judges to higher judiciary by scrapping over two-decade old collegium system that had come under attack from political parties and others.

Apparently responding to criticism over inordinate delay in the justice delivery system, Justice Lodha noted that while judiciary is responsible for appointing less then 1,000 judges (of SC and HCs) the state governments

appoint 19,000 judges in lower courts.

"As head of judiciary my heart feels pain when I find criminal justice system has given tremendous suffering, pain, exploitation of human rights and deprivation of human liberty," he said, adding, that majority of prisoners in jails are undertrials.

"It is curious and tragic paradox that prisons are housed more by undertrials than convicts," he said while noting that in central prisons more than 50 percent inmates are undertrials and in case of district prisons the figure is more than 72%.

ders but found guilty for the killing of five.

Now, 13 years after their convictions, they are finally due to be hung at Maharashtra's Yerwada Jail after India's president rejected their final appeal for mercy. They had been inducted into a life of crime by their mother Anjana who taught them how to pick pockets in crowded

market places and during religious festivals in small towns throughout Maharashtra.

They moved between Nashik, Kolhapur, and Pune, kidnapping children they found in the street and using them as decoys to distract their marks while they picked their pockets or to elicit sympathy if they were caught.

Two sisters to be first women hanged in India

Two sisters who kidnapped 13 young children, forced them to work as pickpockets and then murdered them are about to become the first women to be executed in India.

Renuka Shinde and Seema Gavit became India's most notorious serial killers when they were convicted for a series of child murders in 2001 and

Renuka Shinde and Seema Gavit

sentenced to death. They had been charged with 13 kidnappings and 10 mur-

India calls off talks with Pakistan over its envoy meeting J&K separatists

Continued from page 1 meet her Pakistani counterpart Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhury on August 25, spoke to the envoy and expressed India's displeasure in "clear and unambiguous terms."

"Pakistan's continued effort to interfere in India's internal affairs is unacceptable," said Foreign Ministry spokesperson Syed Akbaruddin, adding, "It raises questions about Pakistan's sincerity and undermines the constructive diplomatic efforts by

Prime Minister Narendra Modi in May." New Delhi's decision marks a giant step back for diplomatic ties that received a boost after PM Modi, in a surprising move, invited Pakistan prime minister Nawaz Sharif along with other South Asian leaders to his swearing-in ceremony in Delhi in May. On Friday, PM Modi also took a sharp departure from Independence Day speeches by his predecessors by not mentioning

Pakistan at all in his extempore address to the nation.

Three days before that, however, on a visit to Jammu and Kashmir, Modi had said that Pakistan, "has lost the strength to fight a conventional war, but continues to engage in the proxy war of terrorism."

India's tough stand is also being linked to a spike in attacks from across the border in the past few days. There have been 10 violations of the 2003

ceasefire in nine days. On Sunday, Pakistan Rangers targeted posts of the Border Security Force (BSF) and unprovoked shelling continued through the night.

Dialogue between the two countries was suspended after the beheading of an Indian jawan by Pakistani troops in January, 2013.

India and Pakistan have fought three major wars since the 1947 Partition and two of them were over Kashmir.

Come, make in India - Modi tells investors

Continued from page 1 He unveiled an initiative to improve access to financial services for the two-fifths of Indians who lack a bank account and are often at the mercy of moneylenders who charge extortionate interest.

A newcomer to central government after running industrialized Gujarat for more than 13 years, Modi, 63, bemoaned New Delhi's bureaucratic disarray. "I saw that even in one government there were dozens of governments. It was as if each had their own fiefdoms," he said, touching on a key concern for many Indians, who have come to revile the layers of bureaucracy and rampant corruption. "The government is not an assembled entity but an organic entity. I have tried to break down these walls," Modi said.

'Made in India' In his speech, Modi spoke of the need to

strengthen the manufacturing sector and appealed repeatedly to investors: "Come, make in India". He also spoke about violence against women, saying his head hung in shame to see incidents of rape and sexual assault continuing unabated since the world was stunned by the gang rape and murder of a young woman in New Delhi in 2012. He said that while the law will take its course, Indian society must itself be raising sons in the best possible man-

ner.

"After all, a person who is raping is somebody's son. As parents have we asked our sons where he is going? We need to take responsibility to bring our sons who have deviated from the right path, to bring them back." He appealed to the parents to stop female foeticide.

He urged an end to caste and communal violence and said that they stall the growth of the nation. Let us affirm that

we will be free from these tensions. He said that he wanted to start a movement for clean India.

He said India should become clean and hygienic by 2019 – the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, a staunch believer of clean India.

He also announced that he would replace the central Planning Commission that for decades guided India’s socialist-style economy with a more modern institution.

In Brief

NHS to spend £2.2m per day for treating diabetes

London: Since the cost of treating diabetes has risen to more than £2.2m per day in England, there were renewed calls for introducing a tax on sugar to encourage healthier lifestyles. The rising cost has put an extra strain on the health budget, the Health and Social Care Information Centre (HSCIC) said. Cllr Jonathan McShane of the Local Government Association’s Community Wellbeing Board, said: "The sheer numbers of people with diabetes shows the very real need to help more of the population improve their diets and lead healthy lifestyles.

Giving placebo to heart patients branded ethically questionable London: A study has branded as ethically questionable the practice of giving a placebo instead of adrenalin to save patients whose hearts stop. Patients in cardiac arrest will receive either a shot of adrenalin, which is the current practice, or a salt water placebo but the patient, their relatives nor the paramedic administering it will know which. The trial is seen to be controversial because patients will not be able to consent to taking part and could receive a totally useless placebo injection.

Obesity fuelling 12,000 cancer cases a year

London: Health experts have warned that obesity epidemic is fuelling more than 12,000 cases of cancer every year. Excess weight increases the risk of developing common cancers by up to 62 per cent, prompting calls for a tax on calorific foods. Campaigners have warned that the benefits of recent medical breakthroughs and screenings could be wiped out in a decade as thousands more people are diagnosed with cancer because of unhealthy lifestyles.

After divorce couple splurging on holiday

London: A report said that after divorce, most couple spends nearly £44,000 on a holiday to help them to forget the heartache of their marriage break-up. Others hit the shops for the latest gadgets, buy jewellery or decide to have a complete makeover or employ a personal trainer. It said that although the legal costs involved in a divorce or separation had fallen since it carried out a similar study in 2006, the costs of moving house and child maintenance had risen steeply.

Petrol prices likely to fall

London: Petrol prices are expected to fall further after the cost of a barrel of crude oil reached its lowest level this year. The fall followed the publication of a report that showed a glut of crude from Saudi Arabia flowing on to the market and rising stockpiles.

GPs prescribing antibiotics to keep off patients

London: In a frank admission, nearly half of family doctors admit that they were prescribing antibiotics purely to get pushy patients out of their surgeries. But there were fears that taking antibiotics unnecessarily may give rise to super bugs.

Passport officers fail to spot people with fake ID

London: A study has found that trained officers are no better than the average person at recognising if someone is holding a fake passport photograph. A study by a team of psychologists showed a 15 per cent error rate in matching the person to the passport photo they were displaying. The findings have potentially serious implications for border security, where immigration officers check passengers in front of them against the photo in the passport. It could mean that thousands of travellers are admitted to the country using fake passports.

UK told to pay £224 mn compensation to US firm

London: An arbitration tribunal ruled that Raytheon, an American arms and electronic manufacturer contracted to provide the e-Borders computer system in UK, is entitled to a payout of £224 million for a breach of contract by the Home Office, including £50 million in damages. The firm was unlawfully sacked by home secretary Teresa May earlier.

Chief rabbi defends use of force in Gaza

London: Ephraim Mirvis, the 11th head of the United Synagogue, defended the use of force in Gaza and said that if Israel lay down its weapons, then the country would not survive. Rabbi Mirvis also warned that British Jews were increasingly worried about “abominable and unacceptable” acts of anti-semitism.

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 23rd August 2014

HEALTH WATCH

A

HEALTH STOP

Soft drinks can damage teeth

recent study conducted by the researchers at the University of Adelaide in Australia, holds that drinks that are high in acidity can be harmful for children's teeth. The acid present in soft drinks, fruit juices and other sugary and aerated drinks can cause permanent damage to their teeth.

Dental researchers call it the 'high acidity triple threat' that can have long-term effects on growing children.

Besides this, tooth grinding and acidic reflux can also affect dental health.

The study was the first of its kind to demonstrate the lifelong damage that could be caused by acidity to the teeth.

Yoga for stress relief

T

he great sage Patanjali described yoga as a means to ‘calm the fluctuations of mind’. The mind connects the physical aspect to the spiritual aspect and thus a clear mind alone can reflect the soul. Therefore, this unification of mind, body and soul will result in leaving us refreshed and energised while still being calm. Thus Yoga helps an individual to cope with stress and makes them ready to take on the world with ease. Yoga philosophy helps an individual to turn away from the material world to a spiritual world. This aspect is important because practising yoga makes an individual feel content and happy ‘no matter what’ which is otherwise a very difficult goal to achieve in today’s chaotic and stressful world.

Thus the feeling of hopelessness or helplessness would never bother an individual practising yoga. The mind, body and soul are not distinct areas as described by some of the scientific systems but need to be treated as a whole.

Therefore, while performing yoga asanas, it is important not to treat them as mere physical movements but to treat them as a unification of mind, body and soul in order to reap the full benefits of the practice.

To Our Readers

We are publishing these items in good faith, kindly consult your Doctor before you try to implement it. We do not hold any responsibility for its efficacy...

"Often, children and adolescents grind their teeth at night, and they can have undiagnosed regurgitation or reflux, w h i c h brings with it acidity

from the stomach," s a i d S a r b i n Ranjitkar f r o m University of Adelaide, Australia.

"Combined with drinks high in acidity, this creates a triple threat to young people's teeth which can cause long-term damage," Ranjitkar said.

Researchers explained that a balance needs to be maintained between acids and host protection in our mouth. Once the balance shifts in favour of acids, irrespective of the type, negative effects are bound to occur.

The research suggests

that permanent damage to the tooth enamel can be caused within the first 30 seconds of consuming an acidic soft drink. Most of us would think that cleaning our teeth could protect them but we fail to understand that the damage is already done, the researchers noted.

Dental erosion is one of the major concerns and the day to day consumption of such drinks can lead to irreversible damage to teeth. In most cases, it is detected after substantial wear and tear has already occurred. The findings suggest that such drinks are best avoided. It recommends that while fresh fruits are also acidic, they are still a healthier option.

probably up to 10 years between the ages of 50 and 65.

No benefit was seen while taking aspirin for the first three years and death rates were only reduced after five years, he and his team.

"Our study shows that if everyone aged between 50 and 65 started taking aspirin daily for at least 10 years, there would be a 9 per cent reduction in the number of cancers, strokes and heart attacks overall in men, and around 7 per cent in women," Cuzick said.

But the researchers also warned that taking aspirin long-term increas-

es the risk of bleeding in the stomach: among 60-year-olds who take daily aspirin for 10 years, the risk of digestive tract bleeding increases from 2.2 per cent to 3.6 per cent, and this could be lifethreatening in a small proportion of people, they said.

"Whilst there are some serious side effects that can't be ignored, taking aspirin daily looks to be the most important thing we can do to reduce cancer after stopping smoking and reducing obesity, and will probably be much easier to implement," Cuzick said.

Aspirin also reduces the risk of clots forming in blood vessels and can therefore protect against heart attacks and strokes, so it is often prescribed for people who already suffer with heart disease and have already had one or several attacks.

amyloid in the brain and allowed researchers to accurately identify the people with Alzheimer's in the studies.

Beta-amyloid protein is the primary material found in the sticky brain "plaques" characteristic of Alzheimer's disease. It was known to build up in the brain many years before typical Alzheimer's symptoms of memory loss

and other cognitive problems.

Heather Snyder, Ph.D., said that advanced researches were needed in the very promising area of Alzheimer's biomarkers because early detection was essential for early intervention and prevention, when new treatments become available.

Clinically, at this time it was only possible to detect Alzheimer's late in its development, when significant brain damage has already occurred, however, biological markers of Alzheimer's disease might be able to detect it at an earlier stage.

Aspirin can cut cancer rates

Taking a small daily dose of aspirin can significantly reduce the risk of developing or dying from bowel, stomach and oesophageal cancer, according to a large review of scientific studies.

Researchers who analyzed all available evidence from studies and clinical trials assessing benefits and harm found that taking aspirin for 10 years could cut bowel cancer cases by around 35 per cent and deaths by 40 per cent.

Rates of oesophageal and stomach cancer were cut by 30 per cent and deaths from these cancers by 35 to 50 per cent.

Professor Jack Cuzick, head of the centre for cancer prevention at Queen Mary University of London, said the evidence showed that, to reap the benefits of aspirin, people need to take a daily dose of 75 to 100 milligrams for at least five years and

Now check your eyes, sense of smell to spot Alzheimer's early

N

ew research has revealed that Alzheimer's key biomarker could be identified in the retina and lens of the eye, moreover, the ability to identify odours might indicate the development of cognitive impairment to Alzheimer's disease in its early ages.

The study found that the decreased ability to identify odours was significantly associated with loss of brain cell function and progression to Alzheimer's disease. In two other studies, the level of beta-amyloid detected in the eye was significantly correlated with the burden of beta-

27

Headaches- Are they all the same?

With this week's news that Paracetamol can cause side effects are you wondering what else you can do to treat headaches? If Aspirin and Paracetamol ignore the causes of the headaches would it not make more sense to find the cause and deal with this?

In all headaches stretching, deep breathing and Ravi Bhanot relaxation is essential. Yoga JP MRPharmS Dip(Nutr) helps keep the mind focused Dip(Hom) Dip(Ayurv) Dip(Stress and stretches the muscles.

Manag) Dip (Massage) Take deep breaths to Pharmacist, Ayurvedic, Complementary Health and increase oxygen intake to Nutrition Consultant, Lecturer, relax the mind and body.

Researcher and Author.

Increase your water intake to 1.5 litres if a woman and 2 litres if a man, daily.

Exercising daily increases the "happy" endorphin hormones and this will help you keep your mind focused off your headache. According to Ayurveda all headaches are not the same. Which is yours?

Vata Headache, Pitta Headache or Kapha Headache?

Vata Headache - some or all of these symptoms are seen: throbbing, pulsating, tense neck, constipation, sciatica, worse on moving, migrates from back to front.

Cause could be fear, stress, anxiety, constipation and hyperactivity, vata rich foods (email us for a vata diet sheet).

Treatment: Rub warmed Vata Oil to top of head, neck and shoulders. (Imbalanced vata energy is due to the cold energies of air and space so use heated oil.)

Reduce vata foods in your diet. If it is migraine, the vessels in the head are expanding and pressing on nerves. A few drops of Feverfew or homeopathic remedies can help relax and reduce pain. Parthenolide in Feverfew is like Aspirin. In headaches due to tension and anxiety heat helps relieve symptoms. Avoid Monosodium Gluatamate (MSG), a food flavouring quite often found in Chinese food, yeast, canned vegetables and in soup mixes. MSG can excite neurons and trigger migraine. If chocolate is your trigger leave it from your diet. Call our Office for an allergy test or homoeopathic appointment if this is required.

Pitta Headache- some or all of these symptoms are seen: starts at temple and goes to centre of head, piercing, burning sensation, worse with heat, behind eye, possible dizziness.

Cause could be acidity, overheating or pitta rich foods (email us for a pitta diet sheet).

Treatment: Massage Pitta Oil to the head, scalp and soles of the feet to cool the body. Cover the head and reduce Pitta foods in your diet. As Pitta headaches are due to expanded blood vessels pressing on nerves, cold compresses can help the throbbing headaches.

Kapha Headache- some or all of these symptoms are seen: pain at the front of head and nasal areas, neck tension, excess tension, allergies, incorrect sleep postures, kapha rich foods ( email us for a kapha diet sheet).

Treatment: Massage with Kapha Oil, particularly around the nose, take one teaspoonful of Valerian and Ginger powder with water three times a day or two Valerian and Ginger capsules. Reduce Kapha foods in your diet. Take a handful of almonds when you feel the ache kicking in. Almonds contain salicin, a natural pain killer. If the headache is due to hay fever try some Apple Cider Vinegar. You should be able to get these Oils and powders from Health Food Shops, Salons or online from www.coolherbals.com

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28

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 23rd August 2014

It's official ...

Nayanthara in Aishwarya Rai's place Jyothika is Back

Floored by Karthik's acting: K V Anand

T

amil cinema buffs wouldn't forget the movie “Jeans” that easily, for it featured some stunning locations from all over the world and also the unbelievably beautiful Aishwarya Rai at her pristine best. Among the numerous exotic spots featured in the movie was Grand Canyon, in the 'Hai Rabba' duet number, filmed on the lead pair.

The Grand Canyon is one truly remarkable spot and seeing it on the big screen makes it even more spectacular. Now we can look forward to the Grand Canyon in Tamil cinema yet again, in the upcoming “Nanbenda,” featuring Nayanthara and Udhayanidhi Stalin. A romantic song composed by Harris Jayaraj is set to be filmed at this US spot with the film's lead pair. It sure promises to be a spectacle on screen.

DoP Balasubramaniem must be licking his lips in anticipation at this glorious prospect.

K

V Anand knows how to deliver a strong social message with a commercial layer. The 'Ko' director is working round the clock to complete 'Anegan'. Fresh from the success of 'VIP' Dhanush & his fans are excited to see the release of this movie, but Anand is happy for some other reason for the time being. Seems he has been floored by, Navarasa Nayagan Karthik's skill & posted a message on his personal page. He's a versatile actor. He gets under the skin of the character to deliver his best.

I'm happy & thrilled to have directed him, whom I admired since my younger days, says an elated Anand. Amyra Dastur is making her debut in Kollywood & Harris Jayaraj is partnering with Anand for the fourth time. AGS Entertainment is bankrolling this venture.

G

ood news arrives to one and all awaiting the comeback of the super-talented Jyothika. She is all set to make her much hyped re-entry in the Tamil remake of the blockbuster Malayalam movie ‘How Old Are You’ that starred Manju Warrier in the lead role. “How Old Are You” isn’t just a movie that marked the comeback of versatile actress Manju, but also carried a social message on women empowerment.

Suriya's 2D Entertainment has now acquired the remake rights of this film to be directed by the same filmmaker of the original version - Rosshan Andrrews and the process of finalizing the others in the cast and crew is happening in full swing now. 2D Entertainment has been taking earnest efforts to make quality films and already has its maiden production, directed by Pandiraj proceeding at a brisk pace.

Dhanush gets a pat from Mahesh Bhatt

H

ere’s an exciting development on R Balki’s much talked project ‘Shamitabh’. Buzz is that ace filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt has got on board of the film’s cast. That means he joins the lead actors, including Amitabh Bachchan, Dhanush and Akshara Haasan.

However, it said to be a special appearance, where Bhatt will feature alongside Dhanush in a Red Carpet Event. According to a source, they shot the sequence within four hours. Bhatt was impressed with Balki’s team for their work and also praised Dhanush for his humble personality. The filmmaker, who did his acting debut in Mukul Misra's ‘Siddharth’, stated in an interview that he is not comfortable facing the camera since he finds memorizing lengthy dialogues difficult.

‘Mardaani’

“Mardaani” is a crime drama film directed by Pradeep Sarkar and produced

by Aditya Chopra. The film features Rani Mukerji in the lead role, with Jisshu Sengupta and Tahir Bhasin appearing in supporting roles. The film tells the story of a female cop whose interest in the case of a kidnapped teenage girl leads her to uncover secrets of human trafficking by the India mafia.

‘Mumbhai Connection’

“Mumbhai Connection” is a film shot entirely in Atlanta, USA. It is directed by Atlanta Nagendra, who also wrote the s c r e e n p l a y.

The cast includes Rafiq B a t c h a , Srinivas, Dick Mays, Alieesa P, Badresia, C h r i s s y Chambers, Eli Jones, David Peirce etc.

The story is about an Indian salesman, Faisal, who joins an Atlanta IT company only to learn that it is run by the Mumbai mafia. Worse, he is forced to sell IT services to the Atlanta mafia. Even worse, they are not buying! Now Faisal's life is in danger and the only way he can get out alive is by going boldly where no salesman has gone before.

‘Life Is Beautiful’

It is a romantic comedy produced and directed by Manoj Amarnani.

The star cast i n c l u d e s M a n o j Amarnani, Anokhi Dalvi, N a n c y Brunetta, Parth Naik and Raj

Zutshi.

The story is about a small boy Aman and his little sister Khushi. They go to a park and meet a beautiful girl Asha. A mishap occurs, but Asha saved the life of Khushi. This story helps children to learn about various sense organs of human beings.

‘Mad About Dance’

It is a dance film. The film is directed

by Saahil Prem. The film stars Saahil Prem and Amrit Maghera in the lead

roles. Saahil Prem debuted as an actor alongside Sunny Leone in the 2014 film “Ragini MMS 2,” and is now making his debut as a director.

Essentially a dance film, it focuses on the youth, their dreams, anxieties, disappointments and hopes for their future.

The film is based in the quaint and beautiful university town of Sheffield and brings to light the stories of Asian students who leave their home and country and go to study abroad…Their struggles, their heartbreaks, their trials and triumphs…

29

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 23rd August 2014

Time has come to bring out the Mardaani in us: Rani Mukherji

By Shefali Saxena

R

age. You will actually feel a young vibe in the film because the kind of pace and energy the film has, you will not believe that he is 55 plus.”

“Mardaani” is apparently the first Yash Raj movie which has received an A certificate from the Central Board of Film Certification in India. A disheartened Rani said, “The problem in India is that there is no certificate which is a 12 plus. Everything in our country is 18 and above. This is a film which will make them aware of the surroundings, otherwise we are used to going into our cocooned shelf, trying to feel that everything is very rosy out there, but the reality is something else.”

She also said that, “In a time where there is violence happening against five, ten and 12 year olds, I don’t know what the censor board is hiding in the film from whom. If violence is happening to children of that age, it is important to make these children aware of their surroundings. As responsible people we have to adhere to our censorship and that’s all I can say.”

Rani recently made a statement where she argued why other films are not called ‘male centric’. “My whole thought process here is that every romantic film, like every film which you must have seen of Raj Kapoor, Yash Chopra or Sanjay Leela Bhansali is actually a very female centric film.

But they are called romantic films. Why films where the female protagonist is so strong have to be called a woman centric film?” said Rani.

Ruling out the possibility of being directed by her husband Aditya Chopra, Rani clarified, “No my husband will definitely not be directing but hopefully there will be somebody who would want to direct me in a romantic film and I will jump at the opportunity because I love romantic movies. So, hopefully if there’s a really good script and a love story, I would love to be a part of it.”

ani Mukherji is back after a year as Shivani Shivaji Roy in “Mardaani.” In her first film post her wedding, she plays a senior inspector in the crime branch who investigates cases of child trafficking. “She is a very tough, brave and fearless officer. She basically embodies all the officers that are there in India today,” said Rani.

The newly wed Mrs Chopra agreed that this movie was emotionally challenging for her. She said, “We’re getting to hear about gang rapes or someone’s head getting blown off! The time has become so scary around us that we were very emotionally charged right from the beginning because we knew that this is the film that we are tackling.”

She further added that, “As an artist I’ve tried to accumulate my anger and through a film I want to send a message to all my fans and especially for the men that the time has come for us to bring out the Mardaani in us. There is no longer any time for us to sit and talk on chat shows and debates whether who’s superior and how a man must look at us and what the law should be.”

“We should do away with the restrictions like don’t speak against your husband and society. I think that time has gone,” Rani insisted.

Speaking about the director Pradeep Sarkar whom she fondly refers to as ‘Dada’, she said, “In this film you will see that Dada has become 25 years of

‘Kick’ collects Rs 2.26 Akshay Kumar turns bn in three weeks lyricist, writes rap song

B

ollywood superstar S a l m a n Khan’s Eid r e l e a s e ‘Kick’, which became the fastest film to enter the elite Rs 100 crore club, has become the ‘Dabangg’ actor’s ‘all time blockbuster’ film. The film has minted a whopping amount of Rs 2.26 billion within three weeks of its release.

Kick had earned Rs 2 billion within 10 days of its release.

‘Kick,’ which is Salman Khan’s highest grosser in India, earned Rs 19.7 million on its third Friday, Rs 29.4 million on third Saturday and Rs 39.2 million on third Sunday.

B

ollywood a c t o r Akshay Kumar, who returns to the small screen with dance reality show ‘Dare 2 Dance’, has written lyrics of the title track and even rapped it. Akshay Kumar will be mentoring the contestants on the show, shot in Cape Town, South Africa. It will air on Life OK soon. He wrote the lyrics in a day’s time. The rap matches the content of the show, which is about pushing oneself to the extreme to do the impossible, read a statement. The participants will be seen dancing everywhere - on land, sea and even mid-air.

“I

‘Identity Card- Ek Lifeline’

dentity Card - Ek Lifeline”, a hard-hitting film on Kashmir in India, is set for worldwide release on 29th August 2014. The film directed by Rahat Kazmi tells the story of a Delhi-based journalist Naazia Siddiqui (played by Tia Bajpai) who arrives in Kashmir looking to make a documentary and revive her flagging career gets trapped into the turmoil of Kashmir. The film highlights the issue that has plagued both India and Pakistan since partition by capturing the ideological differences of people in the valley and the importance of an ‘Identity Card’ in a warlike situation of Kashmir.

The film also features award winning actors Saurabh Shukla and Raghubir Yadav along with veteran artists Vipin Sharma, Brijendra Kala and guest appearance by Manini Mishra. The film is produced by Rahat Kazmi Films, Amarchand Motion Pictures, in association with Films & Reels Production Pvt. Ltd and co-produced by Tariq Khan and associate producer Javid Banday.

I

Devika Bhise to star in Ramanujan biopic

ndo-American actress Devika Bhise will play the female lead in the visionary Indian mathematician Ramanujan biopic, titled ‘The Man Who Knew Infinity’. The film, which stars ‘Slumdog Millionare’ actor Dev Patel as Srinivasa Ramanujan, will see Devika as his wife, Janaki. Based on the biography of the same name by Robert Kanigel, the film also stars Oscar-winning actor Jeremy Irons, who plays Ramanujan’s mentor, G H Hardy. “I feel fortunate to be able to portray such a rich character who has had a fascinating life.

My extensive training in Bharatanatyam has helped me understand the intricacies of the Tamilian Brahmin Iyengar culture community, which gives me a lot of insight for this particular role,” Devika said.

Ranbir wants to make film on Raj Kapoor’s life

B

ollywood actor Ranbir Kapoor finds his legendary grandfather Raj Kapoor’s life “entertaining” and “interesting” enough for a short film. At the inauguration of a short film festival, named ‘Shuruaat Ka Interval’, Ranbir was asked about the one person on whom he’d like to make a short film. To that, Ranbir said: “I would like to make a short film on my grandfather. His life was very entertaining and interesting. I think that would make for a good short film.” The late Raj Kapoor, one of the country’s most formidable actors and filmmakers of his time, remains alive in people’s hearts.

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30

UK

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 23rd August 2014

Mcdonald's worker found guilty of keeping student as sex slave A McDonald's worker has been found guilty of keeping a student, from Bangladesh as a sex slave for four months while repeatedly raping and beating her.

Abdul Hanif, 30, from Bradford, met the female student, who had moved to London from Bangladesh to study accountancy, in February

when she was working in a sandwich shop in London and planned to force her into prostitution to help repay his gambling debts. He was sentenced on Tuesday 19 August to 17 years in jail at Bradford Crown Court after being found guilty of three charges of rape and one of causing actual bodily harm.

Jains begin fasting for Paryushana Jains are getting ready for Paryushana which is taking place from Friday 22nd August 2014 to Friday 29th August 2014.

It is an 8-day period for fasting, praying and asking for forgiveness.

Paryushana, which means self cleansing by removing all negativity like raag, dwesh, moh and maya, begins on the Bhadrapada Shuklapaksh Chaturthi.

It is sacred as it marks the beginning of the eight days when the dashalakshana vrata is undertaken by devout Jains.

The two Jain sects, Shwetambar and Digambar, follow this period on different days.

As these eight to ten

days fall during Chaturmaas most saints settle in one place. This gives the community an opportunity to listen to their sermons.

The week involves strict observance of Jain scriptures, temple visits, reciting the religious book Kalpa sutra, and adhering to diet regime. Women prepare different menus to suite the requirements of this period, for example only dry items like pulses and lentils are consumed.

The last day is called Samvatsari, which means one year. On this day, forgiveness is asked by saying 'Micchammi Dukadam' which means 'forgive me for all my mistakes'.

Coming Events

l Friday 22nd August 2014 – Saturday 23rd August 2014 – Param Pujya Goswami 108 Shree Kunjeshkumarji Mahoday will be visiting UK at Shree Sanatan Hindu Mandir, Ealing Road, Wembley, HA0 4TA. The programme will be Chaturshloki from 12 – 3pm. Contact: 07917101473. l Friday 22nd August 2014 – Friday 29th August 2014 - Shree Navyug Jain Pragati Mandal hosts Paryushan Maha Parva from 6.15pm – 10.30pm at 11 Sheaves hill Avenue, Colindale, London NW9 6SE. Saturday 23rd August 2014 – Shree Swaminarayan Mandir Kingsbury Grand Opening – Local Kingsbury Parade from 4pm. l Sunday 24th August 2014 – Vaso Nagrik Mandal UK invite you to an annual gathering and Launch of new vaso gam directory with live music and dinner at Lanfrac School, Mitcham Road, Croydon CR9 3AS from 5.30pm till late. Contact: 07930474711. l Sunday 24th August - India’s Independence Day Celebration at the Indian Gymkhana Club, Thornbury Avenue, Isleworth TW7 4NQ from 11am onwards.

Editor: CB Patel Associate Editor: Rupanjana Dutta Tel: 020 7749 4098 - Email: rupanjana.dutta@abplgroup.com Editorial Executive: Tanveer Mann Tel: 020 7749 4010 - Email: tanveer.mann@abplgroup.com Senior News Editor: Dhiren Katwa Freelance Correspondent: Rudy Otter Chief Operating Officer: Liji George Tel: 020 7749 4013 Email: george@abplgroup.com Chief Financial Officer: Surendra Patel Tel: 020 7749 4093 Mobile: 078712 229 220 Email: surendra.patel@abplgroup.com Chief Accountant: Akshay Desai Tel: 020 7749 4087 Email:accounts@abplgroup.com Business Manager: Alka Shah Tel: 020 7749 4002 - Mobile: 07944 1121 893 Email: alka.shah@abplgroup.com Advertising Manager: Kishor Parmar Tel: 020 7749 40912 - Mobile: 078712 229 088 Email: kishor.parmar@abplgroup.com Business Development Managers: Rovin J George - Email: rovin.george@abplgroup.com Tel: 020 7749 4097 - Mobile: 078712 229 219 Urja Patel - Email: urja.patel@abplgroup.com Graphic Designers: Harish Dahya & Ajay Kumar Tel: 020 7749 4086 Email: graphics@abplgroup.com Customer Service: Ragini Nayak Tel: 020 7749 4080 - Email: support@abplgroup.com (BPO) AB Publication (India) Pvt. Ltd. 207 Shalibhadra Complex, Opp. Jain Derasar, Nr. Nehru Nagar Circle, Ambawadi, Ahmedabad.

Tel. +91 79 2646 5960

During his trail, the jury at Bradford Crown Court heard that Hanif's 26-year-old victim was a virgin before he kidnapped and raped her.

The victim said she was made to cook his meals, adding that he would get extremely angry if he was unhappy with what she served. She was only freed after managing

to contact one of Hanif's former friends, Stephen Naylor, saying she was unwell and had been the victim of domestic violence. He alerted police who went to Hanif's flat in June last year where they broke down the door and found the victim inside.

Hanif was also ordered to sign the sex offences register for life.

Ganesha Chaturthi 2014 Ganesha Chaturthi is the Hindu festival celebrated on the birthday (rebirth) of the Lord Ganesha, the son of Shiva and Parvati.

This year it falls on August 29. It is a time where Lord Ganesh is believed to bestow his presence on earth for all his devotees during this festival.

Ganesha is widely worshiped as the god of wisdom, prosperity and good fortune and traditionally invoked at the beginning of any new venture or at the start of travel.

The festival, also known as Vinayaka

ARIES Mar 21 - Apr 20 Jupiter is transiting your creative fifth house. Your willingness to enjoy yourself and explore your creativity now brings new opportunities.. Love and romance may come into your life or an existing romance is enhanced with good humor and warmth. Pregnancy or childbirth may occur during this transit.

Jupiter is transiting Leo, your home and family sector. You are likely to find much joy and pleasure in your family connections and experiences during this transit. Opportunities to buy or sell real estate for financial gain may present themselves. Home improvements and renovations are also favored.

TAURUS Apr 21 - May 21

Jupiter is now in your creative third house.

Communication opportunities present themselves.

During this long-term trend, neighbors or relatives could be especially helpful in your life. You express your ideas with more enthusiasm and positivity, and they are received well.

GEMINI May 22 - June 22

Chaturthi is observed in the Hindu calendar month of Bhaadrapada, starting on the shukla chaturthi.

The festival lasts for 10 days, ending on Anant Chaturdashi.

During these 10 days, there are traditions and rituals that people perform during the Ganesh Chaturthi Hindu festival.

COMPETITION

Two tickets are up for grabs to see legendary Paresh Rawal in 'Dear Father' on Saturday 11th October 2014 in De Montfort Hall, Leicester. All you have to do is answer the following question to have a chance of winning. The winner will be chosen from all correct entries on a lottery basis. All entries need to be sent to aveditorial@abplgroup.com by no later than Saturday 13th September. Good luck!

What is the name of Rawal’s character in the film OMG - Oh My God!?

1) KantiBhai 2) Leeladhar Swamy 3) Kanji Lalji Mahta

CANCER Jun 22 - Jul 22

Jupiter is now transiting Leo, your money, values, and possessions sector. You are likely to see and enjoy benefits to your earning power and value system. You are likely to feel more confident and enthusiastic about your earning ability. Money problems from the past may clear up during this period if you use it appropriately.

Jupiter entering Leo is particularly beneficial and significant for you. This transit heightens your optimism and confidence. You are greeting life with a fresh and positive attitude. You have an altogether different perspective on life now, and are not fazed by anything. Furthering yourself comes easily during this transit.

LEO Jul 23 - Aug 23

Jupiter transits your 12th house. This benefits activities that take place "behind the scenes".

This is a cycle in which you become more compassionate, sensitive and get in deeper touch with these traits. Jupiter in the twelfth house is said to offer us spiritual protection. Meditation and retreats may be particularly helpful to you now.

VIRGO Aug 24 - Sep 23

Jupiter entering Leo your solar eleventh house. This transit brings benefits and fresh energy to networking activities, long-term goals and organizations in your life. Achieving your goals tends to come more easily. Income from your business or career is likely to increase. You can rely on your friends for their help and support.

LIBRA Sep 24 - Oct 23

SCORPIO Oct 24- Nov 22

Bureau Chief: Nilesh Parmar (M) +91 94266 36912 Email: nilesh.parmar@abplgroup.com Consulting Editor: Bhupatbhai Parekh, Ahmedabad, Gujarat Tel: +91 79 2630 4142 Urvashi Jagadeesan (India) Mumbai: Kanti Bhatt, Hemraj Shah (Jumbo Advertiser) Horizon Advertising & Marketing: 2012, Shalibhadra Complex, Opp. Jain Derasar, Nr. Nehru Nagar Circle, Ambawadi, Ahmedabad. Tel +91 79 2646 5960 Email: horizon.marketing@abplgroup.com Business Manager: Hardik Shah (M) +91 99250 42936 Email: hardik.shah@abplgroup.com Advertising Manager: Neeta Patel (Vadodara) M: +91 98255 11702 Email: neeta_abplgroup@yahoo.co.in Business Co-ordinator: Shrijit Rajan M: +91 98798 82312 Email: shrijit.rajan@abplgroup.com International Advertisement Representative: Jain Group (South India) Tel: +91 44 42041122/3/4 Fax: +91 44 25362973 Mumbai: +91 022 2471 4122 Email: jain@jaingroup.net Delhi Office: Tel: +91 9311581597

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Jupiter entering Leo, your solar tenth house will bring increased public recognition and professional success. This can be a time of career advancement, and success in business. Your worldly or public status may change for the better. Integrity, directness, and honesty will get you everywhere now.

SAGITTARIUS Nov 23 - Dec 21 Jupiter entering Leo is particularly beneficial for you, as it transits your solar ninth house. You may have opportunities to travel, study, expand your horizons, and meet people who are of diverse backgrounds. Business dealings, particularly long-distance ones and those involving publicity and promotion, are likely to be profitable now.

Jupiter transits the sign of Leo this year, this Great Benefic in your eighth house--joint finances, loans, taxes, sexuality, and psychological matters. This is a time of increased accumulation of wealth if you manage your resources well. In some cases, a significant tax refund, inheritance, or other such benefit might arrive during this transit.

CAPRICORN Dec 22 - Jan 20

AQUARIUS Jan 21 - Feb 19

Jupiter entering Leo occupying your solar seventh house, your partnership sector. You may enjoy benefits through marriage, business partnerships, negotiations, and/or contractual agreements.

Financial benefits could possibly come through partnerships. The need for freedom in your social relationships is stronger than ever.

PISCES Feb 20 - Mar 20 Jupiter enters Leo your work and health sector. You are likely to see benefits in these areas, as well as daily routines.

Benefits may come through work itself, co-workers, or employees during this cycle. You might be especially interested in the healing arts during this cycle, such as massage or aromatherapy.

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 23rd August 2014

England rout India; win series 3-1

England inflicted yet another humiliating defeat on India as they won the fifth and final Test at The Oval by an innings and 244 runs on Sunday to complete a 3-1 series win.

It was England's second victory inside three days after they thrashed India by an innings and 54 runs to win the fourth Test at Old Trafford. India were skittled out for 94 in only 29.2 overs at The Oval.

After James Anderson and Stuart Broad broke through with the new ball, Chris Jordan took four of the last five wickets.

England had earlier plundered a broken India for 101 runs in 11.3 overs to post 486 in reply to India's first-innings 148, with Joe Root making an unbeaten 149.

Their third successive victory capped an extraordinary turnaround since the hosts were beaten by 95 runs in the second Test at Lord's to go 1-0 behind

in the series. That defeat took England's winless streak to 10 matches, following a 5-0 Ashes whitewash in Australia and a first home series defeat by Sri Lanka. Since then, England have won by 266 runs in Southampton and an innings and 54 runs in Manchester before taking their dominance to even higher levels at The Oval.

India's total was their lowest at The Oval and the first time they have been bowled out for fewer than 100 since 2008. "It was an amazing turn-

around after Lord's," said England captain Alastair Cook. Cook praised coach Peter Moores and assistant coach Paul Farbrace, adding: "We have needed a kick up the backside and they have been brave enough to do that."

England's brutal assault with the bat on Saturday evening and Sunday morning left India facing the improbable task of scoring 338 just to make the hosts bat again.

And they made a miserable start by losing both openers cheaply before

rain forced an early lunch.

Murali Vijay was trapped lbw by Anderson for two and Gautam Gambhir was run out for three when he set off for a single, turned back and was beaten by a direct hit from Chris Woakes. Anderson had Chesteshwar Pujara caught behind, Ajinkya Rahane was brilliantly caught by Gary Ballance at slip off Stuart Broad and captain Mahendra Dhoni glanced Woakes to short leg.

Jordan then took over with three wickets in two overs.

Virat Kohli's wretched series continued when he edged to Alastair Cook at first slip for 20 before Ravichandran Ashwin and Bhuvneshwar Kumar also fell to outside edges. Varun Aaron was run out attempting a second run and the match was ended when Ishant Sharma fended a short ball from Jordan into the air, enabling Moeen Ali to take a simple catch.

India beat Pakistan 1-0 in football match

India defeated Pakistan 10 on Sunday (Aug 17) in an emotionally-charged opener to take the lead in a two-match football series, the first between the arch-rivals for nine years. The hosts hung on to their slender lead after captain Sunil Chhetri scored in the 44th minute in front of thousands of cheering home fans at the Bangalore Football Stadium.

Match officials had initially awarded the goal to striker Robin Singh but changed their decision based on the referee's report. India regrouped to launch a counter-attack after Pakistan dominated the proceedings in the first few minutes.

"I am overall happy with the game. Pakistan started better but we took it over and had a lot of possession," said India coach Wim Koevermans.

"The atmosphere in the stadium was simply electric. This is what football

is all about. It's about the fans."

Midfielder Pronoy Halder came close to scoring in the 16th minute, only to be thwarted by Pakistan goalkeeper Saqib Hanif. The hosts squandered at least three more scoring chances before Chhetri found success just a minute from the break.

Pakistan nearly equalised early in the second half, but keeper Amrinder Singh did well to stop captain Kalleemullah's close-range header from going into the net.

"Now that we have had a look at India, we will strategise accordingly (in the next game)," said Pakistan coach Muhammad Shamlan AlMubarak. "We need to recover fast... We are confident about a positive result."

India were reduced to 10 men when Robin Singh received his second yellow card of the game. The star striker shook his head in disappointment as he walked off the field.

Tempers became frayed on a number of occasions and angry words were

ning campaign in the World T20 in April, will now play only one-day cricket heading into next year's World Cup. Sri Lanka's President

Mahinda Rajapakse was among the 4,000 home fans who turned up at Colombo's Sinhalese Sports Club (SSC) to bid goodbye to one of modern cricket's great batsmen.

"I don't know what to say, but I promise I won't cry," Jayawardene said at the presentation ceremony as firecrackers went off in the stands.

"I love you all. Thank you so much for the support all these years. I still have a little bit left and I promise I'll give it my all for the World Cup.

exchanged, reflecting the high tensions associated with sporting clashes between India and Pakistan.

The football series is the first since India toured Pakistan in 2005 in a three-match contest. India suspended sporting ties with its neighbour in the aftermath of the deadly 2008 attacks on Mumbai, blamed on militants from Pakistan. That deadlock hurt cricket the most, a game with which millions are obsessed on both sides of the border. The current football series offers the teams an opportunity to assess their strengths and weaknesses before the Asian Games in South Korea next month.

India have long struggled in world football and are currently ranked 150th out of 208 in the governing body FIFA's rankings, while Pakistan are 164th.

The second and final game will be played on Wednesday.

Jayawardene ends Test career on a high

An emotional Mahela Jayawardene ended his glittering, 17-year Test career on a high Monday as Sri Lanka won the second and final Test against Pakistan by 105 runs to sweep the series 2-0.

The 37-year-old was hoisted onto his teammates' shoulders for a lap of honour after the tourists, who resumed their second innings at 127-7 chasing a target of 271, were shot out for 165 before lunch on the fifth day.

The former Test captain, who had retired from Twenty20 internationals after Sri Lanka's title-win-

Thanks also to my teammates. It's been great to play for Sri Lanka for so many years. I have always worn this cap with pride and passion."

The elegant right-hander is one of only five batsmen to score more than 11,000 runs in both Test and one-day cricket the others being Sachin Tendulkar, Ricky Ponting, Jacques Kallis and teammate Kumar Sangakkara.

Jayawardene finished with 11,814 runs in 149 Tests with 34 centuries, but his average dropped from 50.02 to 49.84 after making four and 54 in his final Test at the SSC.

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Arjuna award for Ashwin; no Khel Ratna this year

For the first time in over two decades that no sportsperson has been picked for the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna awards for the year 2014. The panel, which met to name players for different sporting awards, picked 15 for the Arjuna Award but decided not to confer the country’s highest sporting honour on anybody. It is only the second time since the award was instituted in 1991-92, that no one has been chosen. Those who will get the Arjuna include cricketer R Ashwin, golfer Anirban Lahiri, shuttler V Diju, athlete Tintu Luka and shooter Heena Sidhu.

There were over 70 names in contention but the panel, led by former Test skipper Kapil Dev, pruned the list to 15. Lahiri was a strong favourite for the Arjuna award having dominated the Asian Tour, winning four titles since 2011. Heena too has had strong performances in the last four years during which she won several medals in international events including the World Cup Finals, Asian Games and the 2010 Commonwealth Games. No hockey player was picked even though recommendations for Shivendra Singh, Tushar Khandkar, VR Raghunath and Dharamvir Singh were made. Jeev Milkha Singh was one of the seven sportspersons in fray for the Khel Ratna. Other included Krishna Punia, PV Sindhu and Somdev Devvarman. The panel included Jaspal Rana, Anju Bobby George, Kunjarani Devi, Lalrem Sanga, Anupam Gulati and Sports Authority of India DG Jiji Thomson.

India 'B' win World Billiards Team Championships title

It was a win-win situation for the Indian cue sport on the occasion of Independence Day as the Pankaj Advani-led India B secured a gold while India A bagged a silver in the inaugural World Billiards Team Championship. The winning team comprising Advani, Rupesh Shah, Devendra Joshi and Ashok Shandilya edged past the other national side (India A) 5-4 in an exciting final at Glasgow. In a first of its kind, the International Billiards and Snooker Federation (IBSF) decided to conduct a World Team event right after the Commonwealth Games, to showcase the sport for a possible inclusion in the next edition of the quadrennial sporting event. This win takes the world title tally of India's poster boy of cue sports, Advani, to an unprecedented 10.

The Bangalore ace has entered the record books yet again, this time it is for winning the highest number of world titles by any Indian in any sport, let alone cue sports. When asked about this win, Advani said, "Winning a gold for India on Independence Day is a dream come true. We could not have asked for a better outcome as both teams confirmed gold and silver for our beautiful country." On being the only Indian sportsperson to have ever reached a double figure in the world title tally, Advani said, "Ten is a number beyond my wildest imagination! This one is special for a couple of reasons. One, of course is because it's the 10th, and two, it's my first team world title and playing with fellow Indians is a special feeling.

Rupesh, Ashok, Joshi and I bonded well and believed we had what it took to click as a unit and get the job done. Our team had tons of experience but of course our biggest challenge came from our own colleagues in India A. Credit to them to make the final as interesting as it could possibly get.

Congratulations to all the Indian cueists for having a fantastic outing in this championship."

Somdev to spearhead India’s Davis Cup campaign In the absence of Leander Paes, Somdev Devvarman will be spearheading the Indian campaign in the crucial Davis Cup World Group play-off against 2013 finalists Serbia in Bangalore Sep 12-14.

The All India Tennis Association (AITA) selection committee picked Somdev, Yuki Bhambri, Rohan Bopanna and Saketh Myneni for the Davis Cup tie. "Zeeshan Ali (coach) stated that Anand Amritraj (Davis Cup captain) had suggested to the selection committee that since Paes is not available for Davis Cup and also since Mahesh Bhupathi is not playing competitive tennis for the last few months, he prefers the playing combination of Somdev, Yuki, Bopanna and Myneni," said a selection committee member.

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www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 23rd August 2014

Mithali leads Indian eves to victory over England

While the Indian men's cricket team has disappointed with their spineless performance in the last three weeks, the women counterparts showed steely temperament as they made a remarkable comeback into Test fold, beating England women by six wickets in Wormsley on Saturday.

Skipper Mithali Raj led from the front with a gutsy unbeaten 50 as Indian women's team surpassed a competitive target of 181 runs with consummate ease. The fifth wicket pair of Mithali and Shikha Pandey (28 not out) added 68 runs to ensure a smooth sailing on the final day. This is the first Test that the eves played after an eight-year hiatus with eight players in the starting XI making their Test debut.

The women's team also achieved a remarkable feat, which the Indian men have never achieved in England, by winning backto-back Test series, having won the one-off 'Test' at Taunton in 2006, which incidentally was also the last time that the likes of

Mithali and Jhulan Goswami were seen in white flannels. Two of the three existing members of that team (third being Karuna Jain), skipper Mithali and pace spearhead Jhulan, have played an important role even this time.

While the lanky Bengal medium pacer took six wickets in the game, Mithali, who had scored 65 during the last Test, anchored the chase with a lot of resolve. Starting the day at 119 for four, Indians required only 62 runs more on the final day after opener Smriti Mandhana's impressive 51 with an opening partnership of 76 with Thirush Kamini (28), laid the foundation of a memorable victory.

On the day, with pitch having eased out, Indian batswomen did not have any problems tackling rival medium pacers Jenny Gunn and Kate Cross. Mithali had four boundaries in her innings, while Shikha hit two fours during her knock.

For India, there have been some good perform-

ances in the Test match, starting with their newball bowler Niranjana Nagarajan, who scalped four wickets to help England out for 92 and then scored 27 in the first innings to give that slender yet important lead of 22 runs. Senior pacer Jhulan then played her part in the second innings with a four-wicket haul as India restricted the hosts to 202 despite the conditions for batting having improved considerably.

Seamers Shikha Pandey, Subhalakshmi Sharma also kept the pressure getting two wickets apiece, while left-arm spinner Ekta Bisht also contributed to the winning cause with two wickets.

In India's second innings, bespectacled lefthanded opener Smriti deserves equal credit as Mithali for her gutsy halfcentury off 109 balls. For the Indian eves, this win is their fourth Test victory.

Brief scores: India 114 & 183/4 (Smriti Mandhana 51, Mithali Raj 50 no, Shikha Pandey 28 no) beat England 92 & 202 by 6 wickets.