AV 26th April 2025 by Asian Business Publications Ltd

WE STILL BELONG!

The “English vs Desi” debate, that has long shaped the lives of British Asians has recently come under spotlight The second and third generations often feel pressured to choose one identity, even when they enjoy the best of both To explore this ‘conundrum’ and take the discussion further, Asian Voice ran a social media poll with hundreds of participants, sparking real conversations about identity and belonging

Pahalgam on Tuesday, killing at least 26 people, including foreign tourists, and

responsibility for the attack

security forces that two to three men dressed in military fatigues rushed in and started firing indiscriminately at tourists while they were enjoying the Baisaran

a c k Intelligence sources said that the terrorists inquired about the religion before shooting them dead

Security forces were rushed to the area, and a massive anti-terrorist operat i o n w a s l a u n c h e d t o h u n t d o w n t h e assailants Videos of the aftermath of the attack showed people lying motionless a n d b l o o d i

women were frantically looking for their loved ones

Subhasini Naicker

Second and third generation South Asians in the UK often find themselves having to justify their “Englishness,” despite being born and raised in the country. From modifying names to downplaying cultural traditions at school or work, many navigate a constant balancing act between heritage and belonging

Tourist being rescued in Pahalgam terror attack

Former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and his family celebrated Diwali at 10 Downing Street in 2023

Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, Lisa Nandy

PM Narendra Modi meets the Vice President of the United States, JD Vance, Second Lady Usha Vance and their children at his residence

UK and India strengthen defence ties, enhance collaboration

The Unite d Kin gdom and I n d i a r e v i e w e d t he ir de fence ties during the 24t h

Group (DC G) me etin g, held in Lon don this wee k The discussions focused on strengthening defence industr y collaboration and advancing India’s ‘Make in India’ initiative The meet-

David Williams Both sides e

bilateral defence cooperat

conclusion shared via off icial social media updates

Group meeting in London

R a j e s h Ku m a r Si n g h a n d

U K c o u n t e r p a r t D a v i d

Wi l l i a m s c o - c h a i r d i s c u ssions aimed at enhancing bilateral defence cooperation,” the Indian Ministr y of Defence said “Key focus areas included expanding

industr y collaboration and p r o m o t i n g t h e ‘M a ke i n India’ initiative, particularly i n n i c h e a n d

ment added

T h e m e e t

n g c o m e s ahead of the UK’s Carrier Strike Group deployment, led by the aircraft carrier H M S P r i n c e o f Wa l e s , w h i c h i s s c h e d u l e

depart Portsmouth on April 22 for an Indo-Pacif ic mission that includes a port

armed forces conduct joint

including India

“The group will transit the Indian Ocean, conducting exercises and port visits with partners including the US, India, Singapore, and Malaysia, before joining 19 partner nations for Exercise Ta

Australia It will also train alongside the Japanese Self-

Ministr y of Defence stated

key region for UK trade, with imports and exports valued in the billions The deployment will also create opportunities for UK com-

scheduled port visits

Prisons minister pledges ‘ bold decisions’ amid

The UK p rison syste m is facin g a ca pacity cr isis, wit h the p riso n p opula tio n g row ing by 1 00 pe ople ea ch we ek , a cc or d i n g t o t h e p r is o n s m i n i st e r, Lo r d J a m e s

Timpson

Speaking at the Crime

a n d Ju s t i c e Su m m i t ,

Ti m p s o n w a r n e d t h a t t h e current situation, with just 500 available spaces in male p r i s o n s , i s u n s u s t a i n a b l e

“You can’t run any organisation when you ’ re that close to running out of space, ” he s a i d R e c e n t M i n i s t r y o f Justice (MoJ) data revealed

capacity crisis

that only 961 spaces remain a c r o s s t h e e n t i r e p r i s o n estate, with the system set to hit its operational capacity of 89,042 soon To address the issue, Timpson vowed to make "bold decisions" in the coming months to reduce the number of criminals sent to jail

In the short term, the MoJ h a s r e i n t r o d u c e d t h e use of police cells to house i n m a t e s t e m p

i l y T h i s emergency measure, which costs nearly f ive times the a v e r a g e c o s t o f a p r i s o n place, will remain in place

for at least a month

Timpson also endorsed the Times Crime and Justice Commission's recommendation to grant more autono-

, allowing them to make decisions within their units He stressed the need for longterm leadership in prisons to foster a positive culture and improve outcomes

Despite the challenges, T

support and his enthusiasm fo

issues within the system

Three subpostmasters receive OBEs

T hree form er subp ostm asters have been awarded the Ord er of the British Em pire ( OBE ) fo r th ei r rele ntl es s f ig ht for j ustice, bu t they rem ain determ ined to continue th eir camp aig n S e e m a M i s r a , L e e Castleton, and Christopher

China accuse s steel row MPs of twisted mindset

C hina has accused British M Ps of displaying "arrog ance" and a " twisted mindset" following th e escalating diplomatic row o ver British Steel

The UK government inter vened to take direct control of the company due to concerns that its Beijing-based owners, Jingye, would not keep the Scunthorpe plant operational There were fears that Jingye intended to sabotage the site, increasing the UK’s reliance on inexpensive Chinese imports British MPs have accused Beijing of deliberately undermining the UK's industrial base

In response, the Chinese embassy warned that politicising or exaggerating business i

between China and the UK A spokesperson fo

T h e a nt i-C h i n a rhetoric from some British politicians is absurd, reflecting their arrogance, ignorance, and twisted mindset ”

T h

politicians for focusing on slandering the Chinese government instead of addressing

embassy urged the UK government to act

rights of Chinese companies in the UK

Luke de Pulford, executive director of the I n t e r-Pa

described the embassy's statement as "eccentric" and criticised the Chinese government for attempting to blame its critics for alleged sabotage

Concerns about China’s involvement in critical infrastructure have led to further security measures, such as the banning of electric vehicles with Chinese components from sensitive militar y sites

PM urged to stop using hotels for migrants

Prime M inister Keir Starm er h as been urg ed to cancel mig rant hotel contracts by next year to prevent fo reign aid funds from being div erted to th e asylum system

A l e t t e r s i g n e d b y 1 0 6 i n t e r n a t i o n a l

I N B R I E F SOLICITOR SUSPENDED OVER STUDENT FLATS MISCONDUCT

A solicitor has been suspended after failing to warn clients that their investment in his wife’s property scheme was at risk Waheed Ur Rehman Mian who ran MR Solicitors in London, did not disclose that his wife, Sobi Waheed, was a director of Leicester-based developer Aronex, which collapsed in 2019 before construction began on a city centre flat development Investors had already paid 70% of the property costs The Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal found Mian knew the company was in financial trouble but concealed this from clients He falsely claimed he was unaware of his wife’s role, but the tribunal ruled he had lied It also emerged two employees at his firm were Aronex directors another undisclosed conflict of interest The panel said Mian’s misconduct damaged trust in the profession and ordered him to pay £40 218 in costs His suspension will remain in place until August 2025

EY UNDER INVESTIGATION FOR POST OFFICE AUDIT

EY, one of the Big Four accounting firms, is under investigation for its role in auditing the Post Office's accounts during the Horizon software scandal, which led to the wrongful conviction of hundreds of post office operators The UK’s Financial Reporting Council (FRC ) has launched the investigation to determine if EY met its auditing standards, specifically concerning the Horizon IT system Developed by Fujitsu, Horizon was central to the scandal, which is regarded as the UK's largest miscarriage of justice The FRC clarified that its probe follows the conclusion of the Post Office Horizon IT inquiry in December which did not assess the role or knowledge of external auditors While the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales would normally oversee such matters the FRC has taken over due to the significant public interest The investigation will focus on the Post Office s financial records for the four years leading up to March 25, 2018

He a d w e r e h o n o u r e d fo r their tireless efforts advocating for themselves and hundreds of other subpostmast e r s w r o n g l y a c c u s e d o f theft due to faulty Horizon software

Misra, reflecting on the a w a rd , c a l l e d i t a “ h a p p y day” and a step for ward for their cause, but stressed that

their f ight is far from over “The f ight is still on, ” she said, emphasising the need fo r c o m p e n s a t i o n a n d accountability “We need to prove that nobody is above the law ” Me a n w h i l e , Si r A l a n Bates has urged victims of the Horizon scandal to pursue legal action over delays in f

NGOs and charities, supporting refugees, asylum seekers, and children, condemned the UK’s asylum system as not f it for purpose The signatories, backed by Labour MP Sarah Champion, chair of the Commons international development committee, criticised the policy of outsourcing asylum accommodation to private companies

They argued that this approach provides taxpayers with "poor value for money" and e x p o s e s v u l n e r a ble i n d i v i d u a l s , i n c lu d i n g children, to risks due to insuff icient safeguarding oversight by the Home Off ice The letter advocates for housing asylum seekers i n “d i s p e r s a l a c c o m m o d a t i o n ” l o c a l authority-provided homes, bedsits, and flats This would be cheaper and support better integration

Using a f ifth of the foreign aid budget, £2 8 billion last year, to fund the £145 per person per night cost of housing asylum seekers in hotels undermines efforts to promote global stability, the letter asserts With a record number of small-boat crossings this year, the government has conf irmed talks with France about a migrant exchange deal Meanwhile, Starmer has pledged to end the use of foreign aid for domestic asylum costs and reduce foreign aid spending from 0 5% of national income to 0 3% by 2027 M i n i s t e r s f a c e p r e s s u r e t o t r i g g e r b r e a k clauses in £4 6 billion contracts signed with private contractors for asylum accommodation

‘MISLEADING’ MEDICAL TITLES NOT UNLAWFUL

A High Court judge has ruled that using medical titles that could mislead the public is not unlawful dismissing a legal challenge from the British Medical Association (BMA) The BMA had sought to prevent the General Medical Council (GMC ) from grouping non- qualified professionals like physician associates and anaesthesia associates under the same category as qualified doctors The BMA argued this could confuse patients and compromise safety The GMC defended its position stating that its guidance clearly distinguished between doctors and associates in public registers, and argued it was lawful to use a collective term for all regulated medical professionals Physician and anaesthesia associates, while not independently qualified, support doctors and anaesthetists in medical teams Justice Lambert rejected the BMA s challenge, stating that applying the same professional standards to associates was beneficial The BMA criticised the ruling, claiming it could lead to patient confusion and safety concerns The GMC welcomed the judgment

Seema Misra

The third space

The recent Supreme Court ruling affirming that access to single-sex spaces should be based on biological sex rather than gender identity has reignited a complex and sensitive

n a t i o n a l c o n v e r s a t i o n I n r e s p o n s e , B r i d g e t P h i l l i p s o n , Minister for Women and Equalities, has voiced support for expanding unisex toilet facilities, which many businesses already provide, as a way to ensure dignity and inclusion for all users

For many in the British South Asian community, issues around gender, identity, and public spaces intersect with deeply held cultural and religious values However, these values, especially those of respect, family, and care for others, can guide us to engage with this debate in a way that prioritises both compassion and clarity

Unisex or gender-neutral toilets offer a practical middle ground, ensuring safety and privacy for all Yet the conversation must not end there There is a growing recognition that creating a distinct third space for transgender and non-binary individuals is essential, one that does not force people to choose between spaces where they do not feel seen or safe These "third spaces" can be a respectful and inclusive solution, meeting the needs of those who often feel caught in the crossfire of political and social debate

PM Keir Starmer, leader of the Labour Party, has also addressed the matter After previously facing criticism for remarks on gender and biology, he has since clarified that he believes a woman is “ an adult female” and agreed with for-

mer Prime Minister Tony Blair that biological sex provides important clarity At the same time, Starmer has stressed the importance of treating trans people with dignity, reflecting a position that aims to bridge empathy and realism

Former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak echoed similar biological definitions, saying, “A man is a man, and a woman is a woman That’s just common sense ” While many share that view, it’s important to remember that behind every identity label is a real person, often vulnerable, often marginalised, and simply seeking a place to exist without fear or shame

The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) is now expected to issue updated guidance for schools, hospitals, and businesses This guidance, shaped by Dr Hilary Cass’s review of gender services, will be especially important for education leaders and frontline institutions aiming to uphold both safeguarding and inclusion

At the heart of this debate are individuals, children, teenagers, parents, and vulnerable adults Whether it’s a mother who wants her daughter to feel safe in a public restroom or a trans young person seeking to use a facility without fear of confrontation, both deserve protection and respect

As a community, we must lean on our values of community, compassion, and justice to find a path forward That path must include fairness, evidence-based policy, and humanity, and it must make space, literally and metaphorically, for everyone

Boosting ties or fuelling trade tensions?

Amid the global ripple effects of President Donald Trump’s ongoing trade war, which has tested America’s relationships with several allies many countries are looking beyond traditional US-led economic alliances In this evolving landscape, attention is now on India, as Trump’s vice-presidential pick JD Vance embarks on a high-profile visit aimed at bolstering USIndia relations This marks the first visit to India by an American vice president since 2013 and Vance’s first Vance’s four-day visit to India, accompanied by his wife Usha and their three children, carries both personal and political weight The trip comes at a pivotal moment, with the US warning of a potential tariff hike on Indian exports, from 10% to 26%, if a trade deal isn’t finalised within the 90-day pause announced by President Trump earlier this month India is now working against the clock to secure an agreement before the deadline expires

While JD Vance’s visit aims to strengthen India-US ties, it also underscores mounting pressure on India to concede to US trade demands The looming threat of a tariff hike creates an uneven negotiating environment, potentially forcing India into rushed compromises Additionally, the visit may be viewed as symbolic rather than solution-driven if no concrete agreement is reached Critics also argue that aligning too closely with Trump's hardline trade stance could limit India’s strategic autonomy and complicate its balancing act between global partners like Russia and the US

During his visit, JD Vance met Prime Minister Narendra Modi for one-on-one and delegation-level talks aimed at finalising a bilateral trade deal The agreement is expected to tackle key issues such as tariffs and market access, with India pushing to secure the first phase before the July deadline The White

House called the deal a chance to boost jobs, welfare, and supply-chain integration, aligning with India’s “Amrit Kaal” vision and America’s “Golden Age ” Both sides noted “significant progress ” and confirmed the finalisation of the terms of reference, setting a roadmap for continued talks

A key outcome of Vance’s visit was the push to boost US investment in India, particularly in manufacturing, energy, and automotive sectors This follows Elon Musk’s recent discussions with Modi about Tesla and Starlink potentially entering India As US-China tensions rise, American companies are increasingly eyeing India as an alternative production base,

Vance’s visit also included cultural stops in Jaipur, Agra, and Akshardham temple, with his wife, Usha Vance, drawing significant media attention in India for her Indian-American heritage and symbolic role in strengthening ties between the two countries Her presence helps soften Vance’s tough image on global issues, paralleling the attention given to Kamala Harris, though she never visited India during her vice presidency

Despite global tariff tensions, the Trump-Modi relationship has remained strong Before Trump proposed steep tariffs, India proactively reduced duties on US products like

improve trade ties After their February summit, India agreed to increase imports of US goods, including crude oil, LNG, and defence systems Modi also supported Trump’s immigration policies by accepting deported Indian nationals

As JD Vance’s visit unfolds, it remains to be seen what positive outcomes will emerge Will it help shape the future of USIndia relations and impact the broader global trade war? Time will tell

The new face of faith

Nearly half of young adults in England and Wales now say they believe in God or a higher power, according to new figures, a striking shift that runs counter to decades of declining faith across Western societies Findings from YouGov and the Bible Society reveal that 48 percent of 18- to 24-year-olds in England and Wales “definitely or probably” believe in God, gods, or some higher power

A similar pattern is emerging in the United States, where more young adults are engaging with the Bible and embracing Christianity And the trend isn’t limited to the West In India, more than half of the country’s youth express an active interest in religion and this youthful presence was especially visible during the last Kumbh Mela, where over half of the 660 million people who took a holy dip, as recorded by the Uttar Pradesh government, were under 30

For young people around the world, faith seems to offer both comfort and clarity amid an increasingly uncertain and fragmented world and they are embracing it with a sense of urgency However, their relationship with religion differs significantly from the generations before them; not just in how they practice it, but in the reasons they seek it out

For our grandparents, religion is often a deeply personal affair a quiet, guiding force shaping values and life choices

For the next generation, faith became more intertwined with community, offering a sense of collective belonging In more recent times, however, religion has been increasingly co-opted as a tool for political gain and social control, turning it into a polarising force

While faith and spirituality continue to offer meaning, identity, and moral grounding for billions, the exploitation of religious identity for power and extremism has deepened fault

lines in societies across the globe From radicalised terror networks in the Middle East and Africa, to the rise of majoritarian religious nationalism in India, Israel, Myanmar, and the growing entanglement of faith-based politics in the US and Europe, the landscape is growing more fraught

Even traditionally secular states, India being a prime example, are witnessing the return of religion to the political mainstream, often cloaked in the language of cultural preservation, national security, or demographic anxiety The UK is not immune to these undercurrents either Far-right protests and backlash against the Prime Minister’s participation in multicultural religious celebrations like Diwali, Eid, and Vaisakhi at No 10 point to growing polarisation

In this complex global environment, it is reassuring that the younger generation’s approach to religion seems to restore some balance, pulling back from extremes and embracing a more thoughtful, question-driven exploration of faith While many maintain ties to traditional religious beliefs, there’s an equally strong appetite for alternative forms of spirituality and personal reflection

This generation often proves to be more capable and discerning than they are given credit for A telling example lies in the UK’s ongoing debate about lowering the voting age to 16 If granted the right, young voters are likely to bring a pragmatic and independent mindset to the ballot box; one less tethered to inherited religious, familial, or community biases

Of course, no trend applies universally, and exceptions, both positive and negative, will always exist But looking at the broader picture, the global youth appears well on its way to steadying the scales that have long been tipped by religious extremism

“Imagination is the only weapon in the war against reality ” Lewis

Political Sketchbook

Alpesh Patel

JD

Carroll

Vance vs. Narendra Modi:

A Strategic Duel Inspired by 'The Art of the Deal' and Chanakya's Arthashastra

As U S Vice President J D Vance embarks on his diplomati c mission to India, he bri ngs with him a playbook remi niscent of Donald Trump's The Art of the D eal In contrast, I ndian Prime Minis ter Narendra Modi channels the anci ent wi sdom of Chanakya's Arthashastra This convergence sets the stage for a high- stakes negoti ation, blending modern deal-making tactics wi th time-honored strategic principles

JD Vance's Strategy: The Art of the Deal in Action Vance's approach is characterized by assertive negotiation tactics aimed at securing favourable terms for the United States His objectives include:

• Trade Leverage: With the Trump administration's 90-day pause on increased tariffs looming, Vance pressures India to make concessions, particularly in opening its agricultural and dairy markets

• Defence and Technology: He advocates for expanded U S defence sales and co-production agreements, such as Javelin missiles and Stryker vehicles, aligning with U S economic and strategic interests

• Immigration Polic ies: Addressing concerns over H1B visa allocations, Vance seeks to balance domestic immigration policies with the needs of U S tech companies reliant on Indian talent

Vance's visit, accompanied by his Indian-origin wife and children, adds a personal dimension to the diplomacy, potentially softening negotiations

Modi's Counterstrategy: Chanakya's Timeless Wisdom P r i m e M i n i s t e r M o d i , d r a w i n g f

teachings, employs a multifaceted strategy:

• Strategic Concessi ons: India signals willingness to reduce tariffs on over half of its U S imports, aiming to avert the threatened 26% tariffs and maintain favourable trade relations

• Diversified Alli anc es: By strengthening ties with other global partners and emphasizing the 'Make in India' initiative, Modi reduces reliance on any single nation, thereby enhancing India's bargaining position

• Cultural D iplomacy: Hosting Vance's family and showcasing India's rich heritage serves to build goodwill and potentially influence negotiations favourably

• Immigration Reci procity: Modi may leverage coope

exchange for stable or increased H-1B visa allocations, a

Indian diaspora

Overall you ’ re going to see a different Vance to the one who visited Europe or Zelensky met This Vance will be polite and simply say, “ open your markets to US goods, buy more American defence ” India will say, “ sure but then make American defence cheaper or lend us money on favourable terms to buy it As for buying your oil, we can pick it up cheaper from the Russians Make us a deal ” Vance is negotiating with a Gujarati America could learn from India on how to use tariffs to protect domestic industries and still have near 10% growth and have a healthy economy America is too large and open to be able to do it America made China As they now point out, they created a country that uses American money to build weapons pointed at America America needs India to counter China It also has a friend in India which is friends with all countries in the Middle East Think of it It also is a friend to Russia which guarantees a veto in the UN Security Council on issues around Kashmir No Western nation is so reliable as Russia on this Vance will not seek India to choose sides, as indeed America has not chosen sides either India will not be vocal against China There is no point It will do what it has to quietly

Intelligence was in Delhi last month You can expect more crackdowns on those on India’s terror list in

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MIDLANDS/NORTH

Protest erupts over legal definition of ‘woman’

T ho usa n ds of t r an s r ig ht s suppor ter s ga ther ed in ce nt ra l London just da ys afte r t he UK Supre me C ourt rule d t hat the le gal de fin ition of “ woma n ” re fe rs to someon e

b or n bio lo gi ca lly fe m a le

e x cl ud i n g t r a n s g e n d e r wom en from tha t definition

An "emergency demon-

s t r a t i o n " i n P a r l i a m e n t Square saw protesters waving trans pride flags and calling for “trans rights now ”

B r i t a i n ' s h i g h e s t c o u r t has mandated that all organisations reassess their equality policies following its ruling that trans women are

n o t l e g a l l y r e c o g n i s e d a s women under the Equality

A c t O n A p r i l 1 8 , t h e

S u p r e m e C o u r t r e s o l v e d years of ambiguity by confirming that the definition of a woman in the Equality Act is based on biological

x W o m

y , c a l l i n g f o r immediate action to overturn policies that had permitted biological men into female-designated spaces

The ruling means that hospitals, prisons, businesses, and other organisations must now review their policies, with legal backing to p r o t e c t s i n g l e - s e x s p a c e s , including changing rooms, toilets, and women ’ s shelters, based on biological sex

The decision also put the G e n d e r R e c o g n i t i o n A c t

C r e d i : X / @ L e a n n e S t a p

under scrutiny, as it could render the law, which allows individuals to change their

uments, effectively obsolete

The ruling ended a long l

group For Women Scotland a n d t h e S c o t t i s h g o v

r nment over the interpretation o f t h

women who hold a gender-

(GRC) are not entitled to

such as spaces reserved for women However, the judgment did not remove protec-

against discrimination P

Starmer no longer believes

official spokesman While in 2022 he stated that "trans

Supreme Court ruling clarifies that under the Equality Act, "a woman is a biological

women-only spaces or services The spokesman added that Starmer has consistently said "a woman is an adult female "

Human Rights Commission, called the recent court rul-

that those born male cannot compete in women ’ s sports She urged sports bodies to review the decision for guidance Falkner also said the ruling clarified that single-sex

biological sex “If a male is

facility, it becomes mixed,” she said, noting providers can still offer unisex options

“The law is clear: if a serv

women should not be using that space, ” she added

Sadiq Khan aims to boost jobs and economy

M ayo r o f L o n d o n S ad i q

K han has u nv eiled plans to

d riv e econo mic growth by h e lp in g L o nd o ners s ecu re " good jobs "

This initiative is part of a

£ 2 7 m i l l i o n s k i l l s p r o -

g r a m m e f u n d e d b y t h e Department for Education, designed to enhance productivity across the capital

The initiative, called Skills Bootcamps, will offer flexible courses for individuals aged 19 and older, focusing on sectors like hospitality, h e a l t h c a r e , c o n s t r u c t i o n , and creative industries

The courses will range f r o m t w o w e e k s t o t h r e e months and involve employers such as Tesco, Transport for London, and Hackney Council The new wave of the programme will see a 2 5 % a n n u a l i n c r e a s e i n funding, helping over 7,700 new learners In the 2023/24 financial year, 55% of partic-

ipants who completed the training secured a good job outcome, including career progression or new roles

The programme aims to address skill gaps by recruiti n g d i v e r s e t a

nearly 75% of learners in the previous wave coming from

o u n d s C i t y H a

s o offers financial support to employers, covering up to 90% of training costs for s m a l l a n d m

u m e n t e rprises Khan emphasised the programme ’ s importance in tackling the high cost of living and boosting productivity across London

Slough man jailed for assault, fleeing UK

A man who left a woman w i th l i fe - c h a n g i n g in juries so s evere her l eg had to be amputated has b een jail ed for 1 1 years

Khurram Hussain, 28, o f S t o k e R o a d , S l o u g h , was sentenced at Reading Crown Court on April 17 after a jury unanimously found him guilty following a seven-day trial The attack happened on June

1 8 , 2 0 2 3 , w h e n H u s s a i n a r r i v e d o n W i n d m i l l R o a d , S l o u g h , w i t h a group

A n a l t e r c a t i o n b r o k e out involving a man in his 20s, which quickly escalated into violence with w e a p o n s b e i n g u s e d Hearing the commotion,

Supreme Court allows naming doctors in end-of-life cases

The Suprem e Court has ruled that the doctors in volved i n two controversia l e nd-of- life ca ses can now be publi cly n amed, followin g a long legal battle led b y the paren ts of two chi ldren who di ed in 2018 and 2019

The cases of Isaiah Haastrup, aged 12 months, and Zainab Abbasi, six, were at the centre of disputes over life-support treatment, with court orders initially preventing the naming of the doctors involved In 2023, t h e p a r

Rashid Abbasi, Zainab's parents successfully appealed to have the clinicians named However, the two NHS trusts involved, one in London and one in Newcastle, challenged this decision

appeal, dismissing the trusts' claims that the doctors' identities should remain protected Lord Reed, President of the Supreme Court, stated that restrictions on free speech must be convincingly justified, and in this case, the NHS trusts failed to do so

The judgment emphasised that the treatment of patients in public hospitals is a matter of public interest, and medical professionals in such settings are considered public figures While recognising the importance of protecting staff from unfounded accusations, the court ruled that the parents' right to “tell their story” outweighed the doctors' privacy concerns

Dr Abbasi, speaking after the ruling, described the shock of witnessing the treatment his daughter received and the battle to have their voices heard, reflecting on the emotional and legal fight that led to the landmark ruling

I N B R I E F RAF JETS SCRAMBLE TO DEFEND NATO AIRSPACE

British fighter jets have intercepted Russian aircraft three times in as many days, as tensions in European airspace continue to rise These interceptions mark the RAF’s first missions under Operation Chessman, a new NATO initiative aimed at strengthening European air defences Defence Minister Luke Pollard said the deployments demonstrate Britain’s “unshakeable commitment” to NATO as Russian aerial activity intensifies The UK has stationed six Typhoons and nearly 200 personnel in Poland expanding its role in NATO’s air policing following similar missions in Romania and Iceland last year Russia s air provocations have sharply increased since the invasion of Ukraine

COUNCILS ACCUSED OF DISCRIMINATION

Councils and universities have come under criticism for hiring practices that critics say discriminate against white candidates in the name of promoting diversity Some local authorities have reportedly adjusted interview shortlists to guarantee the inclusion of black and ethnic minority candidates These practices fall under “positive action,” which is permitted by the 2010 Equality Act Westminster City Council adopted “Rooney Rule,” requiring at least one ethnic minority candidate on interview shortlists The council insists it selects on merit and that all-white shortlists have been allowed through Birmingham City Council previously used the rule to address ethnic and gender imbalances, though it has since been dropped Shadow Justice Secretary Robert Jenrick called the policies discriminatory, arguing public roles should be awarded purely on merit not identity

A&E WAITING LIST INCREASE 70-FOLD

The number of patients waiting over 24 hours in A&E corridors has soared to more than 70 times pre-pandemic levels, new analysis reveals In 2019, just 689 people faced such delays, but by last year the figure had risen to 49,000 Older adults were hit hardest, with nearly 70% of those enduring 24-hour waits aged over 65 amounting to 33,000 people left waiting on trolleys for a hospital bed The Liberal Democrats who conducted the analysis, called the findings “harrowing and a stark reflection of the NHS s growing pressures The figures were based on freedom of information data from 54 NHS trusts

woman in her 50s, rushed t o d e f

, b u

Hussain used the car he had arrived in to repeatedly ram her, crushing her against a parked vehicle Hussain fled the scene a n d b o o k e d f l i g h t s t o Pakistan just hours later, w h e r e h e r e m a i n e d f o r s e v e n m o n t h s O n h i s return to the UK, he evaded police for weeks before finally handing himself in on February 7, 2024, when h e w a s a r r e s t e d a n d

c h a r g e d T h e w o m a n ’ s injuries led to the amputation of her leg, while her

s o n w a s a l s o s e r i o u s l y h u r t B o t h h a v e s i n c e

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

C r e d i T V P

hospital

T h r e e o t h e r m e n , H a m m a d A z i z , 2 1 , Mohammad Jamshad, 23, and Talhah Muhammad, 22, all from Slough, were

c h a r g e d i n c o n n e c t i o n with the attack but were acquitted by the jury

Celebrating the spirit of Gujarat and Maharashtra

May 1 marks the foundation day of both Gujarat and Maharashtra

To celebrate this special occasion, a dedicated episode of ‘S O N E R

has been organised, honouring the rich cultural heritage and vibrant traditions of both states.

We warmly invite readers of Gujarat Samachar and Asian Voice to nominate members of the Gujarati community who have lived in the UK for over 50 years and have made remarkable contributions to society Please share their name, photograph and a brief summary of their service to the community Email us at : support@abplgroup com

In this special episode, we will honour the remarkable individuals who have dedicated themselves to community service Those who continue to serve will be recognised for their ongoing efforts, while heartfelt tributes will be paid to those who are no longer with us

Join us in celebrating the spirit of selfless service and acknowledging the invaluable contributions of our community members during this memorable *Soneri Sangat* Zoom programme on Thursday, 1st May (See page no 9)

Sadiq Khan

L-R: Aliya Abbasi, Rashid Abbasi and Lanre Haastrup

Khurram Hussain

Teaching unions warn of school closures as pay disputes escalate

Concerns over rising misogynistic and racist behaviour, online extremism, and increasing violence in schools also highlighted

A s e c o nd m a jo r t e a c hi n g

un io n in E ng l a n d ha s announced plans to strike if the gove rnment fails t o fully compensate s chools f or next year ’ s teac her s ’ pay award

The NASUWT union’s annual conference voted to reject any government pay offer that does not include a d d i

spending review If the nece

l immediately ballot its members for industrial action

This move means that both the NASUWT and the National Education Union (NEU), which together represent a significant portion

o f t h e c o u n t

s t e a c h i n g workforce, are prepared to strike if Education Secretary

B r i d g e t P h i l l i p s o n c a n n o t

s e c u r e e x t r a f u n d i n g t o meet the pay award for the 2 0 2 5 - 2 6 p e r i o d T h e f i n a l pay decisions will depend

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

Body (STRB), but these have yet to be published T h e D e p a

Education has proposed a 2 8 % w a g e i n c r

teachers However, both the NASUWT and NEU are calling for an above-inflation pay rise and full compensation for schools, so that any pay increases do not force cuts in other areas If the spending review does not

summer, potentially leading

autumn

During the same conference, teachers raised concerns about an alarming rise in misogynistic and racist behaviour among students, which they believe is being fuelled by exposure to social media, online gaming, and

Trump and Andrew Tate

A survey by NASUWT found that most teachers

behaviour, with female staff disproportionately targeted Teachers shared troubling stories, including incidents

views, refused to speak to

behaviour towards women

students consuming violent and extreme online content, which they believe undermines respect for teachers and harms students’ attention spans The Department

edged the issue, highlight-

online safety through the new Online Safety Act and

review to help children navigate the digital world

However, teachers also reported rising violence in schools, with nearly 40% of

physically attacked in the past year, including incidents involving knives and f

teachers reported experiencing physical aggression,

kicked, or threatened with weapons

Free breakfast clubs at school to save parents 100 hours

Tens o f tho usands o f working families are set to benefit from a m ajor expansio n of free breakfast clubs, as the g overnment d elivers o n its pledge to offer 3 0 m inutes o f free childcare ev ery school day Th e first wave of the rollout beg an this week, w i th 7 50 sc h o o ls a cr o ss Eng land now offering free breakfasts to pupils

The move, timed as children return from the Easter holidays, is expected to ease the morning rush for parents, saving them as much as £450 a year and freeing up valuable time, equivalent to around 95 hours annually Government research shows more than half of parents would use the extra time to b a l a n c e w o r k , t r a i n i n g o r study alongside their family commitments

The initiative forms part of a broader package of support designed to ease the cost of living for parents

the new breakfast clubs as “at the heart of our Plan for Change,” highlighting their r o l e i n s u p p o r t i n g b o t h working families and children’s early development “ F r o m T y n e s i d e t o

Truro, England is one of the first countries in Europe to open universal free breakfast clubs, saving parents up to £450 per year and making sure every child starts school ready to learn,” Phillipson

VAT on school fees causing staff crisis

Priva te schools in the UK ar e fa ci n g a c cu s a t i o n s of ex ploitin g staff, especially in light of VA T be ing add ed to fees

The National Education Union (NEU) claims teachers, particularly in boarding schools, are being asked to w

g evenings and weekends The union's annual conference in Harrogate voted to campaign against independent s c h o o l s v i o

time regulations

35,000 staff across 1,700 private schools and highlighted

the use of outdated employm e n t p r a c t

a s vague contracts with no set working hours, leading to teachers being on call "as the h

Daniel Kebede, the union's general secretary, stated that the increased workload for staff was largely due to cost-

added VAT, alongside rising national insurance costs

The union criticised the breach of the 1998 Working Time Regulations, claiming many independent schools

weekends without adequate r

N E U a l s o expressed concerns over the use of non-disclosure agreements to silence staff who

breaches

The union is launching a campaign to educate teachers in private schools about their rights and ensure they receive compensatory time

private schools, stating they take their legal responsibilities seriously and strive to create great workplaces for teachers

OU partnership champions inclusive leadership growth

The Open Un iver sit y (O U) a n d

Char ity ha ve join ed forces to

Ethnic ba ckgr oun ds

This partnership builds o n t h e O U ’ s C e n t r e f o r Voluntary Sector Leadership (CVSL), part of its Business S c h o o l , w h i c h c h a m p i o n s leadership and collaboration within the voluntary sector With over £200,000 in funding from the Henry Smith Charity, the new Minority

E t h n i c L e a d e r s h i p Programme (MELP) expands on the success of last year ’ s

pilot the Black Leadership a n d E m p o w e r m e n t Programme (BLEP) which s u p p o r t e d l e a r n e r s i n Manchester T h e n e w l y l a

learning hubs across the UK i n G l a s g o w , B e l f a s t , Cardiff, Liverpool, Bristol, and London welcoming 55 participants to a blended l e a r n i n g e x p

c e T h e programme offers 150 hours of free learning via the OU’s O p e n L e a r n p l a t f o r m , including two custom leadership courses and a creditb

from in-person workshops,

the

, Interim Vice-Chancellor at the OU, on the other hand, echoed the importance of the partnership, underlining the transformative power of

in leadership

and

including a cap on school uniform costs and an expan-

under-fives to 30 hours a week

The rollout has also won b a c k i n g f r o

U K employers, including British A

a n d Rigby Group, who say the p o l i c y w i l l h e l p p a r e n t s work more flexibly and productively

Bridget Phillipson described

A l o n g s i d e t h e b r e a k f a s t clubs, the government has i n t r o d u c e d m e a s

delivering on our promises to working parents, rolling

, school-based nurseries, and giving every child across the c

n life ”

Schools already running breakfast clubs have reported positive effects on pupil a

expansion will help tackle

lenges

Parents face tough smartphone choices

P arents must be willing to make tough decisions abo ut t

being

D ame Rach el de Sou za

Writing in The Sunday

the importance of leading by example, urging parents t o r

screen habits She acknowl-

edged the real struggle parents face when tempted to

long-term wellbeing must come first

“You are not meant to be your child’s friend,”

parents to balance love and support with firm guidance,

rise A recent YouGov poll revealed nearly a quarter of 8–15-year-olds in England spend over four hours daily on digital devices

She also urged parents to hold open, honest con-

content and its impact

Bridget Phillipson

Last month, former

addressed questions about h

Political Thinking with Nick R

course, I’m English

I w a s b o r n h

e a n d brought up here ” He also d i s m i s s e d t h e s o - c a l l e d ‘Tebbit Test’, which judged i m m i g r a n t s ' l o y a l t y b y w h i c h c r i c k e t t e a m t h e y supported as “ a ridiculous idea ” (Refer Asian Voice-15 March issue, page 1) F o l l o w i n g t h i s i n t e r -

v i e w , t h e c o n v e r s a t i o n around what it means to be “English” for second- and

t h i r d - g e n e r a t i o n S o u t h

A s i a n s g a i n e d r e n e w e d momentum

E v e n L o n d o n M a y o r Sadiq Khan weighed in on the debate around English identity during an interview with LBC Radio He said, “Rishi Sunak is our coun-

t r y ’ s f i r s t H i n d u P r i m e Minister and will be a role

m o d e l f o r y o u n g p e o p l e from all backgrounds If you close your eyes and listen to h i m , h e ’ s l i k e J e e v e s a n d W o o s t e r , q u i n t e s s e n t i a l l y English He went to Oxford, w o r k e d i n b a n k i n g , a n d

b e c a m e a C o n s e r v a t i v e MP what more does he

n e e d t o d o t o p r o v e h i s Englishness? The real question is, how many generations of Khans or Sunaks d o e s i t t a k e b e f o r e w e ’ r e seen as English? Are we saying that because our skin will never be pale, we can never be truly English?”

T o e x p e c t t o c h o o s e between being ‘English or Desi’ also comes with a hint

o f p o s t - c o l o n i a l h a n g o v e r and racism Embracing both cultures allows for a richer,

WE STILL BELONG!

more inclusive experience Instead of viewing multiculturalism with scepticism, it is evident that it should be celebrated

M a n y S o u t h A s i a n s s p

u t t

e x p e r ience to Asian Voice about p r o v i n g E n g l i s h n e s s , embracing both their Desi a n d E n g l i s h i d

n t i t y a n d much more Family, faith and fitting in with th e Des i persp ectives

D r Ma np reet D h uf farP o t ti wa l, Ch ar te re d

P s yc h o lo g i st , w h o s e research explores multigenerational living and intergenerational trauma among British South Asians, said, “ M u l t i g e n e r a t i o n a l h o u s eholds provide a space where second and third generation i n d i v i d u a l s b l e n d B r i t i s h identity with cultural heritage Many British Indians adopt British norms, such as career goals, while valuing traditions like language and f e s t i v a l s C o l o n i a l h i s t o r y i n f l u e n c e s t h i s d y n a m i c , with British Indians often finding assimilation easier, w h i l e P a k i s t a n i a n d Bangladeshi families resist c u l t u r a l d i l u t i o n d u e t o ongoing marginalisation

“ U n d e r s t a n d i n g i n t e rgenerational trauma, emotional pain inherited from parents who faced migration challenges, racism, or loss, helps younger generations empathise with strict f a m i l y e x p e c t a t i o n s F o r instance, a p arent’s insis -

t e n c e o n c u r f e w s m a y reflect fears of displacement

r a t h e r t h a n c o n t r o l T h i s awareness opens up conversations about identity, with many British South Asians blending customs like cele-

b r a t i n g D i w a l i a n d Christmas to create a hybrid identity In doing so, they are reshaping Englishness as inclusive and fluid, embracing dual cultural identities ”

M a n p r e e t n o t e d t h a t

o l d e r g e n e r a t i o n s o f t e n view mental health strugg l e s a s w e a k n e s s , w h i l e y o u n g e r B r i t i s h S o u t h Asians reframe therapy as “self-care” to avoid stigma She said, “For men, multig e n e r a t i o n a l l i v i n g m e a n s juggling British masculinity, like pub outings, with silent r

O n e m a n s h a r

, ‘ M y friends don’t know I share a r o o m w i t h m y d

n d kids it’s exhausting, but I c

CHANGE OF NAME

SAIMINABEN MOHAMMAD SAHILBHAI VAHORA

Residing at 16, Dawlish drive,IG3 9ED, Ilford UK. Hereby give a notice of intention to change my name to SAIMINABEN VAHORA

So relinquished to the intent that I may hereafter be called known and identified by my new name SAIMINABEN VAHORA

piety” a cultural value of i n t e r g e n e r a t i o n

Women often face a “split self,” praised at work but judged at home “Many hide caregiving duties to appear ‘professional ’

She added, “In collec-

s can seem selfish A matriarch might say, ‘We survived by ignoring our needs ’ But y o u n g e r w

n n o w s e e boundaries as sustainability, asking, and ‘If I’m burnt out, who’ll care for everyone?’”

reshaping identity by blending “desi” and “English” valu

awareness

that multigenerational living can heighten pressure to hide cultural differences in

traditions like living with grandparents to avoid seeming ‘too foreign’ at work or school This often mirrors imposter syndrome overachieving to mask insecurities about fitting in One

Manpreet to Mani and now back to Manpreet as part of my journey to decolonise ” She added, “Parents’ stories of racism can fuel the need to ‘ prove ’ belonging through success But a shift is underway Younger Brits are reclaiming pride in their

n g Ayurveda in wellness spaces

assimilation means erasing

home, not British enough

both identities, not hiding

Exchange at th e University

o f B righ ton said, “Second and third generation British South Asians often experience multiple, and sometimes conflicting, pressures to conform to the norms, values, and expectations of British society, their ethnic heritage, and their religion

T h e s e d e m a n d s

e n o t always perceived as compatible, leading to internal con-

flict and a sense of not fully b e l o n g i n g e i t h e r t o t h e national British identity or to their ethnic and religious c o m m u n i t i e s O n e o f t h e most significant barriers to f e e l i n g t r u l y B r i t i s h i s

racism While society has m a d e n o t a b l e p r o g r e s s , r

c i s m h a s n o t d i s a pp e a r e d i t h a s s i m p l y become more subtle, often m

a l

a s s u m p t i o n s , d i s p a r a g i n g remarks about one ’ s culture, o r s e e m i n g l y i n n o c u o u s questions like, 'Where are you really from?' Such experiences send a clear mes-

s a g e : y o u a r e n o t f u l l y accepted

“ U l t i m a t e l y , t h e w a y Britishness is defined plays a crucial role If it is framed in terms of ethnic origin as it still is by some it will i n e v i t a b l y e x c l u d e t h o s e who do not fit that mould

However, if Britishness is defined in civic terms, rooted in shared values and citi z e n s h i p , i t b e c o m e s f a r m o r e i n c l u s i v e

S t r e n g t h e n i n g t h i s c i v i c d e f i n i t i o n i s e s s e n t i a l t o fostering a genuine sense of belonging among British

S o u t h A s i a n s a n d i t i s entirely within our reach,” he added

“I am in cred ibly proud to be Engli sh, b ut equa lly proud of my In dian heri ta ge ”

W h i l e s o m e S o u t h

Asians in Britain have strugg l e d t o j u s t i f y t h e i r

E n g l i s h n e s s , o f t e n f a c i n g questions about belonging or identity, others have confidently embraced both their E n g l i s h a n d S o u t h A s i a n roots For many, this dual identity has not only shaped their sense of self but also empowered them to navigate and enrich both cultures

P ra nav Bh a no t M BE , Founder of WYN L egal, said, “I was born and raised in the United Kingdom, particularly in England, and have only ever known what it’s like to be someone of Indian origin

I p r o u d l y s e e m y s e l f a s English, with a strong sense o f b e l o n g i n g t o t h e U K While I take pride in my ancestors’ roots from India and the South East Asian continent, my identity first and foremost is shaped by England I’ve only experienced life as an Englishman, with only a brief glimpse of

what it would be like living i n I n

equally proud of my Indian heritage I take great pride in wearing an English suit and s p e a k i n g w

t h a n E n g l i s h dialect, while also embracing the richness of Indian culture I can participate in c u l t u r a l a c t i v i t i e s t h a t reflect both my English and Indian roots While I don’t feel the need to prove my Englishness, it’s clear that I have been born and bred in England, and I am deeply proud of that However, this d o e s n o t d i m i n i s h t h e i m p o r t a n c e o f m y I n d i a n origins, which continue to influence who I am ” Pranav shared that people of his generation, and p e r h a p s y o u n g e r g e n e r ations, embrace the dual concept of being both English a n d o f I n d i a n o r i g i n H e explained, “I think this is p a r t l y b e c a u s e w h e n w e were growing up, we had the o p p o r t u n i t y t o e x p e r i e n c e B o l l y w o o d f i l m s , N o r t h Indian music like Bhangra, and visit India frequently H o w e v e r , I ’ m n o t s u r e i f y o u n g e r g e n e r a t i o n s h a v e t h e s a m e e x p o s u r e t o Bollywood music, TV, and f i l m s , o r N o r t h I n d i a n music That being said, there

"Parents’ stories of racism can fuel the need to ‘prove’ belonging through success."

is such a rich and vibrant culture coming from India that I would be surprised if it didn't influence the new and younger generations ” R aj ee b D ey M B E , Fo

f Learnerbly, reflected on his experience of identity growing up in the UK He said, “I was born and brought up here, so I sound as English as anyone else who isn’t from a South Asian background If you just heard me speak, you probably wouldn’t guess my e

there’s a template for what Englishness looks or sounds like anymore If the UK’s most popular dish is curry and cities like London are

surely Englishness is evolving

that this

always the

degree ”

Asian Voice poll unpacks identity challenges

Asian Voice co nd ucted a so cial media p oll to explo re how second and third g eneration So uth Asians in E ng land experience the need to justify their " Eng lishness" in everyday life be it at school, in the workplace, or in social settings

Hundreds of people took part in the poll, which included seven insightful questions ranging from whether they feel the need to prove their Englishness to how societal perceptions and expectations affect their sense of identity The responses shed light on the complexities of dual identity and how cultural belonging is often challenged or questioned in subtle yet significant ways

Over half (57 per cent) said they feel the need to “ prove ” their Englishness, while 43 per cent said they do not An overwhelming 96 per cent believe that a person ’ s accent or name influences how “English” they are perceived to be Additionally, 69 per cent feel that the definition of Englishness needs to evolve to be more inclusive

While 62 per cent of respondents said they feel comfortable embracing both their South Asian heritage and English identity, 32 per cent admitted that the dual identity can feel complicated A striking 89 per cent have been asked the question, “But where are you really from?” Only 11 per cent said they had never been asked

Most notably, 76 per cent believe that second- and third-generation South Asians are still not fully seen as English by wider society, and 82 per cent agree that the expectation to "justify" one ’ s English identity should come to an end

Rajeeb Dey MBE

Rusi Jaspal

Pranav Bhanot MBE

Dr Manpreet Dhuffar-Pottiwal

Children with cancer left in limbo as Brexit drives up costs and delays clinical trials

Shefali Saxena

Children battling cancer in the UK

a r e am on g t hos e b e in g d en i ed ac cess to life-saving drugs due to the mounting cos ts and bureauc ratic hurdles triggered by Brexit, ac cording to a confidenti al report s een by The Guardian The report reveals a growing human toll as research trials vi tal for advancing c ancer treatment are being slowed or derailed entirely

O n e o f t h e m o s t s t r i k i n g examples involves the eSMART clinical trial, which is testing new, targeted drugs and chemotherapy for children, teenagers, and young adults with relapsed or treatmentresistant cancer Originally a joint i n i t i a t i v e b e

w e e n P a r i s a n d Birmingham, the cost of importing trial drugs into the UK has soared from €52,000 to €205,000 (£175,000) since Brexit took effect These costs are primarily due to additional legal, regulatory, and logistical requirements for packaging, licensing, and importation

Moreover, because the UK is no longer part of the EU, trial sponsors were required to appoint

n a d d

s o n (QP) to certify drugs before they could be used in Britain The delay in securing this certification created significant setbacks, effectively halting the trial’s UK arm while it continued in the EU This left British children without access to p o t e n

ment

Dr Lynley Marshall, the UK

lead for the eSMART trial and a paediatric oncology consultant at the Royal Marsden Hospital, said that Brexit had made it far harder to open innovative cancer trials in the UK “Children and young people with cancer cannot wait,” she said, stressing that delays not only a f

globally, as data from UK trials c

improvements worldwide

UK participation in the trial was eventually salvaged only after Cancer Research UK stepped in with a £92,000 funding lifeline H

Britain’s role in global medical research

A second trial, Add Aspirin, which investigates whether daily aspirin can prevent cancer recurrence, is also facing a post-Brexit financial squeeze The study - a

Ireland, and India has incurred additional certification and shipping costs of up to £50,000 Drugs

Germany and packaged in Spain, now require bespoke logistics to bypass the UK when shipping to Irish sites, driving costs up tenfold

The findings come amid the worst UK medicine shortages in four years, with Brexit identified as a key factor Experts and clini-

measures are taken, the country

research and clinical innovation

stark reality: Britain’s exit from the EU is not just an economic or political issue it’s one with very real consequences for patients,

whose futures depend on swift

increasing red tape, the urgency to resolve these systemic challenges has never been greater Speaking to Asian Voice, Dr

Orthopaedics/Sarcoma Surgeon,

“Governments of various political leanings in the past have priori-

including cancer care Research into the causes and treatment of various cancers, including childhood leukaemia, has significantly improved survival rates Clinical trials play a vital role in identifying new and effective treatment options

The political choice of Brexit by the British public has led to many changes, some of them negative If true, reports that funding for cancer research is being cut are deeply concerning Such cuts could restrict access to life-saving drugs and hinder progress toward finding cures for childhood cancers, potentially impacting many children in need It is crucial to

cancer research I sincerely hope that any proposal to reduce such support is carefully reconsidered and reversed ”

Streeting looks to Japan for NHS reform blueprint

Health Secretary Wes Streeting is drawing inspiration from Japan as he seeks to reshape the way Britons are cared for by the NHS

Streeting has expressed interest in introducing "health MOTs" for older patients a concept similar to Japan’s personalised medical planning for its ageing population In Japan, health strategies combine genomics and AI-driven analysis to create tailored prevention plans, helping to detect and tackle illnesses before they become serious

Describing the approach as a potential "game-changer" for the UK, Streeting said it could play a key role in his forthcoming 10-year strategy for the NHS, due later this y e a r T h e h e a l t h s e c r e t

y h a s repeatedly stressed his ambition to shift the NHS away from its tradit i o n a l f o c u s o n h o s p i t a l - b a s e d treatment and instead expand preventive care in local communities, aiming to reduce the reliance on emergency interventions and cut long-term healthcare costs

A step in this direction was trialled last year, when NHS England announced that patients aged over 65, or those living with frailty-related conditions, would be offered health assessments outside of A&E departments to reduce unnecess a r y a d m i s s i o n s T h e s e c h e c k s included monitoring blood pressure, heart health, and mobility S p e a k i n g t o T h e T e l e g r a p h ,

Streeting highlighted Japan as an "interesting" model to study, given its experience managing the pressures of an ageing society He also confirmed he had been briefed by a former Japanese health official on the country's advanced medical programmes

W h i l e a c k n o w l e d g i n g t h e enormous challenges facing the NHS, Streeting said he was optim i s t i c a b o u t t h e p o t e n t i a l o f emerging technologies especially artificial intelligence to transform healthcare delivery

He added that he hopes, over time, personalised prevention programmes similar to those used in Japan could become available to patients across the UK

Wes Streeting

King Charles calls for unity in Easter message

King C harles III and Queen

Chapel, Windsor C astle

The Duke of York and several other senior royals were also present, although the Prince and Princess of W a l e s a n d t h e i r c h i l d r e n were notably absent, having spent the holiday weekend in Norfolk The service, held

in the 15th-century chapel, has long been a centrepiece of the Royal Family’s Easter c

s gathered outside to greet the King and Queen after t

n Camilla receiving a bouquet from a young girl

The service came after the King’s Easter message, which reflected on the con-

both cruelty and kindness, and highlighted the efforts

o f t h o s e o f f e r i n g a i d i n times of war and disaster

"One of the puzzles of our h

capable of both great cruelty and great kindness," the K

n g humanitarian workers who risk their lives in war-torn regions

He also underlined the shared values found across

religious traditions, includ-

, and Islam, describing them

a s r o o t e d i n a c o m m o n desire to serve and protect others

The King also took part i n t h e a n c i e n t R o y a l

Maundy Service at Durham

C a t h e d r a l , w h e r e h e p r e

service to the community

h e reminded listeners of the enduring relevance of faith, hope, and love, concluding h

blessings

Easter wishes, paying trib-

praising churches across the UK for their charitable and c

y w o r k H e described Easter as an inspiration for unity and renewal

Devotional celebration of Lord Mahavir’s Janma Kalyanak at Navnat Hall

Jyotsna Shah

N avnat Hall in Hayes was fi lled with devoti

April

A large number of devotees attended the event The stage was beautifully deco-

details

Vatsalya Navnat’s enthusia s t i c w o m e n , g u i d e d b y c h o r e o g r a p h e r K a l p a n a

Bhatt, performed a beautiful d a n c e s h o w i n g M a t a Trishala’s fourteen dreams, touching everyone ’ s hearts

The hall echoed with joyful chants of “Trishalanandan Laalki, Jai Bolo Mahavir Ki!”

The Most Important Person in a Conversation Is Not You

Rohit Vadhwana

We often forg et a simp le but essential truth: the most imp ortant person in a co nv ersation is not ourselves It's th e other p erson

When we focus only on ourselves our stories, our opinions, our experiences we risk losing the interest of the very person we're trying to connect with After all, why would anyone stay engaged in a conversation where only one person seems to matter and it’s not them?

This is why many people struggle to build strong friendships, close deals, or even maintain engaging social interactions The root cause? An inability to truly engage the other person And that often comes from a common human trait: we all like to talk about ourselves We enjoy hearing our names, being acknowledged, and feeling important There’s nothing wrong with that it’s natural But problems arise when we forget that the other person feels the same way

Think about your recent conversations After the usual “hello” and “how are you, ” how often did you shift the focus entirely to yourself? If your dialogue is filled with “I,” “ me, ” and “myself,” you ’ re likely pushing the other person away Speaking more than 40% of the time means you ’ re dominating the conversation Go over 50%, and the other person probably feels ignored Push it further, and it starts to feel one-sided even arrogant

So, ho w do we fix this?

One of the most effective lessons I’ve learned through life coaching after earning my certification and having numerous sessions with coachee is this: ask more questions and keep your responses short and focused Avoid lengthy monologues Instead, aim for concise statements and curious questions You can still share stories, but let them be brief and relevant Use them to spark interest, not to hijack the conversation

Here’s the key: let the other person do more of the talking Invite them to open up, to elaborate You may occasionally find their stories long or dull, but that’s the perfect moment to reflect: how might others feel when you go on too long?

For your next conversation, remember this simple shift: make the other person feel like the most important person amongst you Ask more Talk less And watch the magic unfold

(Expressed opinions are personal)

n g r e - e n a c t m e n t o f

L o r d M a h a v i r ’ s J a n m a

Kalyanak As Lord Mahavir’s g r a n d p r o c e s s i o n e n t e r e d the hall, along with a display

A respected scholar from London, Dr Saurabh Shah led the Snatra Puja and a t o u c h

Birmingham Museums secures British South Asian art archive

The South Asian D iaspora Arts Archi ve (SADAA) showc as es the work of B ri tis h

S ou th A s i a n a rt i s ts w ho arrived in the UK post-partit i on f ro m 1 9 47 , c ov er i n g vis ual art, mus ic, literature, dance, and theatre

T h e S A D A A

e encompasses a rich variety of materials, including fiction, poetry, photographs, m

music scores The collection

G o p a l p h o t o g r a p h s , e a r l y career material from Najma

k e

S a m e n a R a n a a n d A m a l

G h o s h a r e a l s o f e a t u r e d , with recent donations from storyteller Vayu Naidu

Founded in 1999 as SALIDAA, SADAA was created to preserve South Asian cultural works Now housed at Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery, its formal acquisi-

t i o n e n s u r e s i t s o n g o i n g preservation and expansion

S a r a W a j i d , c o - c h i e f e x e c u t i v e o f B i r m i n g h a m Museums Trust, said, “This collection is vital to Britain’s h i s t o r y , p r e s e r v i n g t h e South Asian contribution to modern British art

Built out of a passion to save works that might otherwise be lost, this acquisition is especially meaningful to me as a former member of the SADAA project team ” Shyama Perera, author and chair of SADAA, added, “We’ve celebrated the work of the first generation, but now, with this collection, we can explore their influence, creativity, and legacy

Their work offers valuable insight into subsequent generations’ creative focus

B i r m i n g h a m M u s e u m s i s the perfect place for this collection to be shared with the diverse communities of the West Midlands ”

of the fourteen auspicious dreams, the atmosphere was f u l l o f j o y a n d d e v o t i o n

Jatin and Nitida Gandhi and their family had the honour o f p e r f o r m i n g t h e S n a t r a Puja and hosting the Swami

A s p e r t r a d i t i o n , t h e kitchen committee, led by Shaku Sheth, lovingly prepared and served tasty hot food to all attendees With the support of many dedic a t e d a n d h e l p f u l v o l u nteers, the event proved to be a great success

Petition seeks to preserve Veeraswamy, London’s iconic eatery

A p e t i t i o n

Bri tain’s olde st curry house, V e e r a sw a m y

be e n a ddre ssed to King Charles, a s the resta urant fa ce s closure j ust bef ore it s 100th a nnive rsary ove r a di spute i nvolv ing a small space

The petition urges the King and the landlord to renew the lease, honour its history, and “let common sense prevail ” Since 1926, Veeraswamy has been housed in Victory

Circus However, its future is now in jeopardy due to

building The Crown Estate has informed MW Eat, the restaurant’s owner, that it will not renew the lease, which expired in June

The Crown Estate plans to reclaim the space for a 12-month refurbishment of Victory House, expanding the ground-floor reception to serve upper-floor offices

would be unable to operate,

Since opening, Veeraswamy has hosted notable figures, i

Lord Cameron, and King Abdullah of Jordan R a n

owner of MW Eat, said the news came as a surprise, especially after the Crown E

additional space the previo

declined

He believes the Estate now wants to replace the r e s t

s Mathrani warned that if the restaurant is forced to close without an alternative, it could lead to redundancies

Community turns out for health and

wellbeing fair

Over 500 people attended the Health Mela, or ganised by the Natio nal Fo rum fo r Health & Wellbeing in partnership w ith GHS , the Uni versity, and Lancashi re Teaching Hospi tal on S aturday, 12th April

The Chief Guest was Dr Mumtaz Patel, Vice President of the Royal College of Physicians Both she and the Mayor were warmly welcomed with a vibrant dance performance by the Fylde Coast Hindu Society The chairman praised

The event featured more than 60 healthrelated stalls, offering valuable information and services Attendees also had the opportunity to receive a free Health MOT, with over 150 people taking part

the collaborative effort behind the event, highlighting its vital role in early illness prevention It was a successful and enjoyable day for the community, marked by a positive and friendly atmosphere

Queen Camilla receives a bouquet of flowers from a young girl outside St George’s Chapel, as King Charles looks on

King Charles III at the service

Community members at the event

The ceremony of Janma Kalyanak: On the left seated are Shri Vijay Sheth and Dr Saurabh Shah, while standing in the centre from left are Jatin, Bachu Mehta and Kalpana Bhatt To the right, standing is Nitida along with other artists

Sikh culture and community spirit evoked in London

Thousands gather in Trafalgar Square to mark Vaisakhi with music, martial arts, and community spirit

Anisa Khan wins big despite ‘Apprentice’ loss

‘ T h e A p p r ent ic e ’ fi n ali s t

Square came alive on April

Square celebrated Sikh cult

founding of the Khalsa in a vibrant day-long festival

The free, family-friendly event, which ran until 6

across the city, offering a rich blend of tradition, his-

Sikh identity

H o s t e d

entrepreneur and disability a

and artist Sukhi Bart, the event showcased the diversity and depth of Sikh cul-

ences

The day featured soulful kirtan performances by Qi Rattan and Taren Kaur, a l o n g w i t h i m p r e

tory, with a special exhibition highlighting the life

a n d l e g a c y o f M a h a r a j a

Ranjit Singh and the form a t i o n o f t h e K h a l s a i n 1699 A live podcast record-

i n g f u r t

audiences with stories of Sikh resilience and leadership I n k e e p i n g w i t h t h e spirit of Langar - the Sikh t

sharing - attendees were invited to enjoy free vegetarian food and traditional Indian tea throughout the day M a y

Sadiq Khan also extended

A nisa Khan has rev ealed her rem arkable success d espite missing out on Lord S ugar ’ s £250, 000 inv estment

A f t e r a t e n s e f i n a l

a g a i n s t a i r c o n d i t i o n i n g

b u s i n e s s o w n e r D e a n Franklin, the pizza restaurat e u r d i d n ’ t w i n t h e t o p p r i z e b u t h a s s i n c e r e c e i v e d

ment offers

Anisa competed over 12 w e e k s a g a i n s t 1 6 entrepreneurs, making it to the final in hopes of becoming Lord Sugar’s next business partner

After narrowly missing

o u t o n L o r d S u g a r ’ s £250,000 investment in ‘The A p p r e n t i c e ’ f i n a l , A n i s a Khan has seen her business, Bombay Pizza, soar “Over

the last three days, we ’ ve hit five figures that used to be my monthly income,” she said, following the “mental” response to her interview episode

T h o u g h d i s a p p o i n t e d ,

Anisa remains positive: “My b u s i n

people are already reaching out to invest The show gave me

successful ” Over 12 weeks, she led tasks and stayed calm under

pitch impressed the panel “They only aired 20 seconds,

Retired judge appointed to lead public inquiry into attacks

Coate s were fatal ly stab bed by Val do Ca locan e on 13 June 2023

The deaths sparked criticism from the victims' families over the authorities' hand

n s o f g a t k a , the traditional Sikh martial art Visitors also enjoyed turban-tying sessions, took part in the Sikh Games a lively celebration of sport, strength, and communityand explored creative activities at the children’s marq u e e , h o s t e d b y S i k h Colouring

p h o t o g r a p h s f r o m t h e event on social media On Instagram, he wrote, “Sikh a n d P u n j a b i L o n d o n e r s make a huge contribution to the spirit and success of our city “ G r e a t t o s e e

This year ’ s Vaisakhi on the Square also offered a deeper look into Sikh his-

L o n d o n e r s o f a l l b a c kgrounds come together in Trafalgar Square today to celebrate Vaisakhi ”

Banned driver rams police cars in attempted escape

M o h am m e d S h ah ee b, alread y banned from d riving, rammed m ultiple po lice cars and injured three officers wh ile trying to escape

H e w a s d i s c o v e r e d seemingly asleep behind the wheel of a parked car on M o n t p e l l i e r S t , Birmingham, at 09:30 GMT on October 5

When officers attempted to wake him, Shaheeb reversed and tried to flee, crashing into three police cars and a civilian vehicle,

according to West Midlands Police T h e 3 9

pleaded guilty to dangerous driving, possessing tools for theft, and several other driving offenses at Birmingham

Crown Court He was sen-

prison and given a five-year driving ban, in addition to his existing ban until March 2027

Shaheeb's attempt to escape

Moseley Road, only to be blocked by two police vehicles As a Taser was aimed at him, he crashed into four cars, forcing an officer to jump out of the way

Police found his number p

, along with two sets of pliers, fake plates, and scissors in the car

WTTC blames government for tourism decline

T he gov ernment has been accused of "sabotaging" the

U K’s tourism ind ustry after fig ures revealed international visitors spent £ 2bn less in 20 24 compared to pre-p and em ic levels

The WTTC found that spending dropped 5 3% from 2 0 1 9 ,

0 3 b

, blaming government policies like the removal of tax-

travel authorisations for

ating "barriers to travel

president, criticised the UK government for neglecting the tourism sector, which contributes 10% to GDP and

while global tourism recovers, the UK continues to fall behind

Simpson, a former adviser to Tony Blair, called the g

cised the removal of VAT tax breaks, which she said put the UK at a “competitive dis-

also slammed a 44% budget

cut to VisitBritain, arguing it further undermines the sector On 1 April, VisitBritain’s budget for promoting UK tourism was cut to £10 57m from £18 85m, alongside a rise in air passenger duty and the introduction of a £10 electronic travel authorisation (ETA) for European visitors, later increased to £16 Julia Simpson of the WTTC emphasised the need to promote cultural icons

Austen, and Richard III to attract tourists

Mahmood announced that the inquiry would be led by r

judge at Southwark Crown Court Mahmood described T

d , s e n i o r j u d g e a n d confirmed she would meet with the victims' families

T h e J u s t i c e S e c r e t a r y

s t a t e d t h e i n q u i r y w o

work "at pace" and provide

findings "as quickly as possible The statutory inquiry, with the power to compel witnesses, will ensure a thorough investigation The full terms of reference will be shared with both Houses at the earliest opportunity

After the announcement, Mr Webber’s mother, Emma, said it was not a moment of c e l e b r a t i o n b u t h o p e d i t marked the start of "reckoning" and the pursuit of truth, justice, and accountability

Coates's

hospital order in January 2024 after admitting manslaughter and attempted murder Mrs Webber stated "true justice has not been served "

Anisa Khan

Barnaby Webber, Grace

Ian Coates Barnaby Webber and Grace O Malley-Kumar (victims)

Veganism: One of the fastest lifestyle movements in the UK

Growing awareness about the cruelty to animals and the devastating impact of meat production on the planet is persuading millions of people to adopt a Vegan diet The fastest growth is amongst young women In 2023 almost a million people became Vegan in the UK

A record one in three British people now drink plantbased milk One in four coffees sold by the major chains is made of Oat milk An organisation called the Plant Based Treaty is urging individuals, groups, businesses and cities to endorse a call to action and put pressure on national governments to negotiate an international Plant Based Treaty The treaty wants a urgent adoption of a Vegan diet by Human beings

Due to major health issues associated with meat consumption, Dr Shireen Kassam, Founder and Director of Plant-Based Health Professionals has demanded that the government stop promoting meat and dairy Shireen is a recipient of our Mahaveer Award

More than 650 academics have also called on British universities to commit to 100% plant-based diet The student unions' at Birmingham, University College London, Stirling, and Queen Mary universities have voted to phase in 100% plant-based menus Similar votes have also been passed at Cambridge, Kent and London Metropolitan universities

A m o n g s t t h e C o u n c i l s , L a m b e t h , S p e l t h o r n e , Hertfordshire, Taunton and Cambridge city councils have all initiated campaigns that urge residents to switch to vegetarian or vegan diets By the end of 2025 around 7 8 million people in Britain would have a meat-free diet Half of generation Z (50%) and over a third of millennials (36%) plan to follow a meat free diet

At a Croydon Council meeting on 15 April 2025 on behalf of Plant Based Treaty I proposed that only plant based food should be served at all its events A full discussion is scheduled to take place next month

For over 40 years we have campaigned for people to adopt a Vegetarian and Vegan lifestyle

It is nice to see the change today

RIP Pope Francis

Nitin M ehta

Born as Jorge Mario Bergoglio in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Pope Francis made history as the first Jesuit and the first Latin American to become Pope He was elected as the Pope on March 13, 2013 at the age of 76 after Pope Benedict XVI resigned He became known for focusing on humility, helping those in need, and fairness

He earned the nickname "the pope of the slums" for his deep commitment to the poor and the marginalised Throughout his ministry, he regularly visited impoverished communities, advocating for social justice and the Church’s role as a refuge for the overlooked and oppressed During his tenure as Pope, he made various changes within the Vatican to improve financial transparency and address clerical abuse issues

He inherited a Church that was under attack over a child sex abuse scandal and torn by infighting in the Vatican bureaucracy, and was elected with a clear mandate to restore order He is best known for his humility, his strong emphasis on God's mercy, his global visibility, and his commitment to social justice and interreligious dialogue He is also recognized for his advocacy for the poor, his openness, and his simplified approach to the papacy, choosing to live in a guesthouse rather than at the papal residence

He chose the name 'Francis' in honour of St Francis of Assisi, a figure known for his love of the poor and of nature His death on April 21 due to prolonged illness is a loss to the Catholic Church the world over In his 12 years of papacy, he suffered various ailments, and underwent respiratory therapy many times

He also changed the Catholic Church’s teaching in areas such as the death penalty and nuclear weapons, upheld it in others such as abortion, and made inroads with Muslims and believers who long felt marginalized

He is a global figure who is admired and respected by people of all faiths and backgrounds He has a significant influence on the world stage, particularly in diplomatic and cultural matters His leadership has fostered a renewed sense of purpose and service within the Church, especially among the younger generation Jubel D'Cru z

A call to embrace reading

On this World Book Day, let's inspire a culture of reading, particularly of biographies and success stories that illuminate paths to achievement Each book holds valuable lessons and diverse perspectives, nurturing both the mind and spirit Encourage our community to share and celebrate these narratives, transforming lives through knowledge Remember, reading a few pages a day will keep many problems away Let’s turn the pages to a brighter future together!

T S Karth ik

America’s imperial past and the politics of Trump

The United States has long cast itself as a global saviour, champion of democracy and liberator of the oppressed But history tells us a different story: one of conquest, coercion and calculated self-interest

F o u

enslaved African labour, the U S rose not through noble ideals but through systemic exploitation From orchestrating coups in Latin America to propping up dictatorships in the Middle East, its foreign policy has served corporate and

strikes, sanctions, and covert operations are echoes of that same imperial logic

This mind set hasn’t vanished It is rebranded Enter Donald Trump: not the cause, but the symptom His “America First and Make America Great Again” rhetoric didn’t invent exceptionalism; it exposed it Trump reduced global politics to insults, ultimatums, and transactional deals His tantrums, from trying to overturn legitimate elections to pampering autocrats and fuelling division aren’t isolated outbursts They are the latest flare-ups of a deeper, unresolved national identity crisis

Still, resistance has always existed within Civil rights movements, anti-war protests and whistle-blowers have long challenged the empire from inside, reminding us that America is not monolithic and neither is its story

Trump’s chaos reveals a superpower unable to reconcile myth with reality Addicted to dominance, allergic to

empire’s ego has simply been laid bare

Dr Narsibh ai Maganlal Patel

Celebrating Shri Vallabhacharya’s legacy

Shri Vallabhacharya was a Vedic sage and one of the most revered yoga teachers He is credited with developing the philosophy of Ashtanga Yoga, which is considered the foundation of modern-day yoga Vallabhacharya’s teachings have helped millions of people worldwide to create strong discipline and focus, which is why his work is so revered

Vallabhacharya Jayanti is celebrated as the day of Lord K

Shrinathji form It falls on the Magha Shukla Paksha Pratipada and is one of the most dedicated festivals among Hindus Lord Krishna is the Supreme God, whose blessings make it possible for any human being to attain salvation or Moksha The worshipping of Lord Shrinathji on this day is a popular culture among the saints belonging to the Vaishnava sect Therefore, Vallabhacharya Jayanti is celebrated with great devotion and zeal by the devotees of Lord Krishna and Sant Shri Vallabhacharya

He was born in Varanasi into a Telugu Brahmin family in 1479 A D As a youngster, he contemplated the Vedas and Upanishads and believed that anybody could accomplish salvation or Moksha by veneering Lord Krishna

Vallabhacharya is the founding of the Krishna-centred Pushti sect of Vaishnavism in the Brij region of India

We wish a Divine, Holy, and Happy Mahaprabhuji Jayanti Birth Anniversary to all, and pray for his blessings for a healthy, happy, and peaceful life ahead

Please stay safe and healthy God bless all

Suresh and Bhavna Patel

Cybercrime is shared responsibility

Cybercrime, a global human rights issue (AV dated 19-25 April 2025), clearly shows the disaster ahead if appropriate steps are not taken by everyone quickly To control cybercrime, support and constant efforts are required not only from the government bodies but also from everyone, starting from giant companies to every individual

Since the criminals are based in different countries, it is very difficult to trace and track them This problem is not confined to a country or region, but all countries are suffering to some extent People who have limited knowledge of IT and other sophisticated software are the most vulnerable and can be easily trapped by the gangs

Tech companies and the governments of different countries will do their best to control cybercrime, but it is not advisable to keep on blaming them Prevention is better than a cure here Prompt action is required to control the damage

I think education and precautions are required Children in the school should be taught about both sides of the technology so they can assess the risks involved in sharing personal information with anyone People should provide just “the need-based information” instead of sharing too much to show off One should resist sharing/updating status all the time and providing real-time information about the movement Do not try to impress people, just share what is required Any sensitive information shared on social media can easily be misused by criminal gangs

Hitesh H in gu

K A P I L’S K H I C H A D I Vance - Testing Waters in India

It’s Ea ster Mon day a nd the Vice Pres ide nt lan ds in Ind ia wi th his I ndi an w ife Us ha Ba la Chi lukuri For Us ha it’s comin g home to her ances tral ori gin s from K rishn a districts of An dhra P rades h

Trump is using Vance in quite a clever way Whilst the US administration have Marco Rubio as their Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Trump seems to have concluded that he needs a hard hitter to go out into the world, ruffle up a few feathers, shake down a few trees and put a marker down for future more detailed discussions on partnerships

Most of the time these trips are not technically official or formal and tend to get classified as semi-personal with an eye on doing some official business Of course, being the Vice President means he is still treated with many of the trimmings of a state visit, but without the obligations of having to follow official norms And in the case of Vance, who tends to ignore these norms anyway, it works out perfectly for his agenda

The relationship between the US and India has never been good After all, most US administrations chose to support the terrorist state of Pakistan over India There is now an opportunity for both nations to explore a new partnership that looks at the future And when it comes to the future, India holds many of its own cards

As far as America is concerned, of the three giants of India, Russia and China, it stands a better chance of getting something more tangible and agreeable done with India, than any of the other two The arrival of Vance is to set the scene for a major state visit by Trump in due course

Getting a trade deal is a high priority for both nations However, that is often easier said than done For America they want unfettered access to global markets, or else For India, an emerging giant that is still developing, it needs to protect the green shoots of economic and industrial growth Getting the balance right, and the targeted use of agreeable tariffs will be quite a challenge Currently the trade between the two nations is around $200 billion, but it is their collective hope to increase this dramatically to some $500 billion within the next 5 years

You should also know that there is the Quad, which is comprised of the U S , India, Japan and Australia – set up as a counter to the growing influence of China They are all set to meet in a summit to be held in India soon

Do remember that the US Director of National Intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard, was also in India recently On Good Friday news came out that PM Modi was in discussions with Elon Musk, CEO of SpaceX, and of course the key adviser to Trump There is a clear message emanating from the US with these high-profile visits and discussions that it wants to, nay, it needs to garner the friendship of India in a world that is in chaos

Vance being in India for 4 days is quite a statement Whilst we will see Usha fronting some of the cultural ties and a connect with her heritage, we will see Vance presented as the American jamai

India will sweeten discussions with a promise to buy more oil, energy and defence equipment (fifth-generation stealth fighter jets might be a high priority) which will help American exports and jobs It will somehow have to navigate the US away from demanding access to India’s food market For Indiaprotecting jobs of the masses is important whilst it develops other forms of employment

T h e

a r y f

n d w i l l includemeetingPM Modi for dinner followed by a formal meeting, tour of Jaipur with a visit to Amer Fort, Hawa Mahal, Jantar Mantar and other locations, attend a special program at the Rajasthan International Centre, a n d t h e c u s t o m a r y t r i p t o A g r

l , a n d Shilpgram (a market known for Indian art and crafts) I am sure they will throw in a few last-minute surprises also

Vance will be testing the waters in India, and he’ll be using his secret weapon, Usha His aim is to get a feel for the red lines that the US need to avoid with India For the US, if they play this wrong, they have much more to lose The US cannot pick a fight with the whole world, make an enemy of China, and at the same time fall out with India For India, it will need to give a bit back, but I sense maybe this time round they are better equipped to take on the US and secure a reasonable trade deal Keeping the US, Russia, Israel and the EU all happy requires the magic touch of a gujju!

Kapil Dudakia

Rising crime causes concern for Londoners

Crime rates in London, particularly violent offenses, remain high, prompting many to consider relocating However, officials are taking action, with increased policing and community initiatives aimed at improving safety Anusha Singh

Th anu had always felt at

hom e in L ond on It was a city she knew w ell, a place wh ere she felt both fam iliar and safe But a recent incident shattered th at sense o f secu rity

After a shopping trip, Thanu parked her car out-

s i d e t h e T o w n H a l l a n d went inside to attend a Tai

C h i c l a s s W h e n s h e

r e t u r n e d , s h e d i s c o v e r e d that someone had broken into her car Her handbag

a n d s h o p p i n g b a g s w e r e gone, but thankfully, her phone was still with her The street was well-lit and

h a d d e c e n t f o o t t r a f f i c , with a bus route passing

t h r o u g h , w h i c h g a v e h e r some reassurance

T h a n u i m m e d i a t e l y called the police, but the system was automated, and no one answered She was instructed to file an online report if it wasn’t an emergency Frustrated, she said,

“I was not in a state to go through a series of multi-

p l e - c h o i c e q u e s t i o n s ; I

w o u l d h a v e p r e f e r r e d t o speak to someone directly

Even though I knew deep down they probably couldn’t do much, I still wanted to talk to someone ”

Despite the frustration, she filled out the online form and took immediate steps to limit the damage

She cancelled all her cards

a n d f r o z e h e r b a n k account As she waited for her husband to arrive, the full extent of the violation hit her Not only had the thief stolen her belongings,

b u t t h e y a l s o n o w h a d

a c c e s s t o h e r h o m e a n d office keys, business cards, and personal information

What was once her secure car now felt like an invaded space

L a t e r , T h a n u d i s c o vered from her bank statem e n t t h a t t h e t h i e f h a d used her card at a local convenience store She reported this to the police, but it seemed no further action

w a s t a k e n F o r t u n a t e l y , s o m e g o o d S a m a r i t a n s f o u n d h e r h a n d b a g i n a nearby park and returned most of the items, except h e r w a l l e t a n d d r i v i n g license

S i n c e t h e i n c i d e n t , Thanu has become more cautious, constantly checking her surroundings and q u e s t i o n i n g w h e t h e r s h e locked the car or left anyt h i n g b e h i n d W h i l e s h e has never thought of leaving London, she does feel somewhat unsafe in certain areas like Oxford Circus, Piccadilly, and even on the trains

T h i s s t o r y r e s o n a t e s with a growing number of

Londoners Recently, there

h a v e b e e n i n c r e a s i n g

r e p o r t s o f c r i m e s l i k e s h o p l i f t i n g , g r o o m

Many members of ethnic minority communities feel p a r t i c u l a r l y v u

, especially with the rise of far-right activity

A growing sense o f v ulnerability among Lo nd oners as officials act

R e c e n t s u r v e y s s h o w that a significant number of Londoners are consideri

areas A YouGov poll for Q u e e n M a r y U n i v e r s i t y f o u n d t h a t 2 8 % o f Londoners plan to move within the next five years, with safety being a key reason

L o n d o n ’ s c r i m e r a t e stands at 132 6 crimes per 1,000 people, roughly 85%

o f t h e n a t i o n a l a v e r a g e

V i o l e n t c r i m e m a k e s u p about 22 1% of all reported crimes, totalling approximately 254,000 incidents

W h i l e t h i s r e p r e s e n t s a 4 7% decrease from the previous year, London’s crime

r a t e f o r v i o l e n t o f f e n s e s r e m a i n s n o t a b l y h i g h , a t 501% of the national average

Despite these concerns, o f f i c i a l s a r e a s s u r i n g t h e public that steps are being t a k e n t o i m p r o v e s a f e t y Deputy Mayor for Policing and C rime, Kaya Co merSchw artz, told Asian Voice, “Nothing is more important to the Mayor and I t h a n k e e p i n g L o n d o n e r s safe, and we are committed to doing all we can to help reduce crime and violence in our city

“ S a d i q h a s i n v e s t e d record amounts in neighbourhood policing, funded 1,300 additional police officers, and has led a public health approach to tackling violence through England’s f i r s t V i o l e n c e R e d u c t i o n U n i t , w h i c h h a s h e l p e d c o n t r i b u t e t

o p p o r t u n i t i e s f o r y o u n g

Londoners

“Thanks to the Mayor’s proactivity, homicides, gun

c r i m e l e t h a l b a r r e l d i scharges and the number of young people being injured with knives have all fallen

in London since 2016 Last y e a r t h e r e w e r e f e w e

homicides of people under25 in London than any year since 2003 But we are far f

n d there’s much more to do C i t y H a l

c o n t i n u e working closely with the Commissioner and the new Government to ensure we build on the progress being m a d e , t o b u i l d a s a f e r London for everyone ”

A Spokesperson for the M e t p o li c e s a i d , “

theft and robbery can have on victims, they are invasive and sometimes violent crimes, which we ’ re tackling as we make the capital safer through our New Met for London Plan

“Met officers are targeting hotspot areas with increased patrols and plain

continue to use data and technology to build intelli-

items to target offenders ”

Building a safer, m ore trustw orthy police force

M e t P o l i c e h a s a l s o unveiled a transformative

p l a n A N e w M e t f o r London based on insights from over 10,000 interactions with Londoners and c

While progress has already been made, this initiative represents the next step in building a safer, more connected city where residents play an active role in shaping their local policing

First, Community Crime-

specialised resources More

hoods to tackle crime and

, responding to the priorities voiced by the people they serve

r e Change aims to instil values of fairness, inclusivity, and high standards across the Met The force is com-

homophobia while reflecting London’s diversity F

Expert suggests dating coaches can rehabilitate incels

Incels sho uld be o ffered dating and relationship co aching to help them overcom e m i s o g yn i st ic b eli e fs an d reinteg rate into soc iety, a leading acad em ic has suggested

A n d r e w T h o m a s , a senior lecturer at Swansea University and author of the l a r g e s t g l o b a l s t u d y i n t o incels for the Commission f o r C o u n t e r E x t r

training could play

worldviews T h e “

involuntary celibate, subculture is largely built around r e s e n t m

women, driven by feelings of rejection and isolation Many within the community subscribe to the so-called “black pill” ideology, believi

romantic failure and blaming women for their strugg

teaching social and relationship skills, through tools like dating

Van driver high on coke kills toddler in crash

Palm isano, kno wn as Lulu, in a crash had co nsum ed "at least 20 lines of cocaine," a court heard Rawal Rehman, 35, from Lambton Road, Manchester, struck Lulu while she was walking with her parents on Mosley Street at around 10 a m on February 22, before fleeing the scene Lulu later succumbed to her injuries

death by dangerous driving Prosecutor Rachel Shenton t o l d M a n c h e s t e r C r o w n

C o u r t t h a t R e h m a n h a d spent seven hours visiting two massage parlours and u s i n g c o c a i n e b e f o r e t h e collision Judge Alan Conrad KC was told that Rehman s drug u

Rehman ignored stop signs and gave the tram driver no chance to react, causing the tram to collide with the van, w h i c h t h e n m o u n t e d t h e pavement A

crown prosecutor for CPS N

, "Rehman's driving was far

competent driver He failed to take responsibility, fleeing the scene in a taxi and denying dangerous driving, only admitting guilt on his third court appearance He must now face the conseq u e n c

y avoidable tragedy " R e h

n 2017 for conspiracy to pervert the course of justice after burning a car involved i n a f a t a l h i t - a n d - r u n i n Chorlton, which killed a 25year-old man He remains in custody ahead of sentencing on 27 May

maintaining public trust

Children Strategy will also guide how officers interact with young people, ensuring their welfare and safety

Kaya Comer-Schwartz

Louisa 'Lulu' Palmisano (victim)

Biting Point: Road rage meets social reality

Anusha Singh

In a time when the world seems increasingly polarised, theatre company

Middle Child is bringing a bold and timely production to audiences across the North of England ‘Biting Point’ explores race, anger, and the unpredictable ways ordinary lives can collide

S e t a g a i n s t t h e b a c kdrop of a fateful road accident between two strangers

J o h n , a w h i t e B r i t i s h delivery driver, and Anita, a British South Asian propert y m a n a g e r t h e p l a y examines the heat-of-them o m e n t r e a c t i o n s t h a t reveal deep personal and s o c i a l t e n s i o n s T h e p r oduction is staged with an innovative twist: audiences gather in car parks, seated around the set of the crash

s c e n e , w i t h h e a d p h o n e s t u n i n g t h e m i n t o t h e unfolding drama

A h e a d o f t h e p l a y ’ s North England tour from 10 May to 22 June, Asian Voice spoke to Sid Sagar, the writer of this unique p r o d u c t i o n , a b o u t t h e i n s p i r a t i o n b e h i n d B i t i n g Point, the complexities of w r i t i n g a b o u t r a c e a n d anger, and why car parks might just be the perfect s e t t i n g f o r c o n v e r s a t i o n s we often avoid

Why did you choose a road accident as the focal point for Biting Point? What does it symbolise in the larger context of the play?

I’ve worked as a delivery driver and was fascinated by the way this role lends itself to stories and people:

t h e c o n s t a n t m o v e m e n t f r o m p l a c e t o p l a c e , t h e e n d l e s s i n t e r a c t i o n s w i t h strangers That’s fairly rare

in the modern world What is unfortunately more com-

tnesses on British roads So a r a n d o m c o l l i s i o n t h a t brings people who might ordinarily never cross paths

t o g e t h e r , f e l t l i k e a n e x c i t i n g o p p o r t u n

o tackle broader social issues

The collision between John and Anita explores more than just road rage What were you hoping to highlight through their encounter?

J o h n ’ s a w h i t e m a n from Hull who works as a delivery driver for a superm a r k e t A n i t a ’ s a n A s i a n woman from Grimsby who works as a property manager In the lead up to their c o l l i s i o n , w e l e a r n a b o u t the things that are weighi n g t h e m d o w n : t h e r e ’ s family illness, job stress, a horrible hangover, a diffic u l t e x - p a r t n e r , a y o u n g daughter who needs love and care Their encounter releases something buried d e e p w i t h i n J o h n a n d i t t u r n s b o t h t h e i r w o r l d s upside down I wonder if audiences can find compas-

sion amongst the darkness I want audiences to sit up, to lean in, to feel Anita’s pain, to understand John’s p a s t , t o e n g a g e w i t h uncomfortable questions

Whatwas behind the decision to stage

Biting Point in the everyday, open-air spaces of car parks?

We’ve been fortunate to receive support and fund-

This intervention in particu

i n k about how the play might make the biggest impact as both a piece of art, and as a means of connecting with people who might not feel l i k e t h e a t r e i s

Sometimes, this can happen in the most unusual of spaces Middle Child excels in telling stories in unex-

Point will, hopefully, continue to build on this tradition

Site-specific theatre like this often breaks down barriers between performer and audience What kind of connection or experience are you hoping audiences will walk away with that they might not get from a theatre seat?

The audience will be in

confronted with challenging questions Their connection with the performers will be immediate and active, in a way that is simply not possible in more

traditional spaces in which t h e a c t i o n t a k e s p l a c e behind the “fourth wall” As both a writer and a regular theatre-goer, I think this k i n d o f i n v o l v

m e n t i s hugely exciting

You’ve just been cast in Mrs Warren’s Profession at the Garrick. How are you balancing your work as a performer and a playwright right now?

Juggling these commitments can be tricky, but they can also be inspiring: m y w o r k a s a n a c t o r informs the work I want to write, and vice versa Mrs W a r r e n ’ s P r o f e s s i o n w a s written by George Bernard Shaw in the late nineteenth c e n t u r y I t ’ s e n t e r t a i n i n g

a n d p r o v o c a t i v e , a s k i n g insightful questions about c a p i t a l i s m a n d a b o u t

w o m e n ’ s p l a c e i n a n

e x p l o i t a t i v e w o r l d o r d e r

And in this production in London’s West End in 2025, t h e p l a y s t a r s I m e l d a

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

r e a l - l i f e d a u g h t e r B e s s i e Carter, with direction by D o m i n i c C o o k e , f o r m e r

A r t i s t i c D i r e c t o r o f t h e Royal Court Biting Point, meanwhile, is a new play about road rage, race and c l a s s , p r e m i e r i n g i n t h e North East in the shadow of the 2024 riots Both projects offer me (and audiences) something different But they are an important r e m i n d e r t h a t w h i l e c r eative work can be fulfilling and varied, it also comes with social responsibility: to connect with as diverse an audience as possible and speak truth to power

Royal art exhibit showcases 40 years of King Charles' tours

F orty years ago, the Prince o f Wales invited artist Joh n Ward to Italy as an official tour artist, allow ing h im to d raw o r p ai nt w h at ev e r inspired him Since then, 42 artists have followed, visiting 95 countries o n 69 tours T heir work is now being disp l ay ed at Bu c ki ng h am P alace

This summer, visitors to t h e S

works, many on public display for the first time John W a

d a camera, captured moments like ‘From the Afterdeck of HMY Britannia’, offering a peaceful contrast to the busy

tour Susannah Fiennes also

watercolour, depicting royal yachtsmen during the 1997 Hong Kong handover tour, t h e y a c h t ' s f i n a l j o u r n e y before decommissioning

During the 2000 tour to T r i n i d a d a n d T o b a g o , Guyana, and Jamaica, Mary Anne Aytoun Ellis requested to visit the Kaieteur Falls in Guyana, which had only 15 minutes allocated for royal viewing In 2009, Richard F o s t e r c a p t u r e d t h e t h e n Prince Charles and Duchess of Cornwall on a visit to the

Lisa Nandy to join global creative leaders in India

Lisa Nand y, the Secretary of State for C ulture, M ed ia and S p o rt o f th e U n it ed Kingd om, is head ing to Ind ia for the WA VE Summ it

The summit will bring together media CEOs, entertainment icons and creative

Ashwini Vaishnaw hailed the importance of the summit, stating, "This summit will bring together the world's

tainment, creativity, and culture like never before,"

"India is laying the foundation for becoming the cre-

world," he said

The WAVES summit is being positioned by the gov-

event for the entertainment sector to what Davos is for

the economic sector

The summit will spotlight advancements in animation, gaming, entertain-

cinema, fostering collaborations and setting the stage for India's creative economy to shine globally

Ahead of her upcoming visit , Lisa Nandy, alongside H

India, will host

reception celebrating UK-India bilater-

Buckingham Gate

Nandy, the Manchesterborn daughter of Calcuttaborn academic Dipak Nandy was appointed to the cabinet in July and is the first mixedr a

h o l d office at the Department of Culture, Media and Sport Her father was well-known for his work in the field of race relations in Britain

Studios

F r o m 7– 1 1 M a y , d i r e ct or

Git ika Butt oo and write r-story te ller a sfha n d’souza -odhi w ill le a d t h e

choices that shape the show,

Rather than a polished performance, the Takeover is a living process an open invitation to feel, question, and rethink the systems around us

u n i n

island of North Seymour Exhibition curator Kate Heard said, "This collection reflects 40 years of official travel and artistic patronage, with each artist capturing a personal impression of the countries visited The varie t y o f

studies, and still lifes show-

engagement with and sup-

years "

An accompanying public

illustrations sharing behindthe-scenes stories from the tours

South Asian artists Director Gitika Buttoo and writer-storyteller afshan d’souza-lodhi

f o r t h e f o u r t h A r t i s t

Takeover at Aviva Studios

Chosen through an open call, the duo will use the space to e x p l o r e a n d e x p a n d t h e i r practice through a live art p e r f o r m a n c e - m e e t s - s o c i a l experiment that sees tension and disagreement as creative opportunities

The immersive, sensoryled experience invites audiences on a journey through space and sensation, explori n

among strangers Far from

Gitika Buttoo and asfhan d'souza-odhi said: “As South Asian creatives from Greater

Sid Sagar

Marc Graham and Katie Singh in Biting Point

Breaking barriers with a solo row across the Atlantic

Subhasini Naicker

First Indian-origin woman president for Royal College

Ananya Prasad, a 34 -yearold , m ad

Ananya

the

She added, “The technical side was just as impor-

rowing you have to learn

Speaking to Asian Voice about making history as the first woman of colour to s

Atlantic, Ananya said, “For

holding the title of being a woman of colour It was more about creating repre-

your background shouldn’t limit your ability to pursue something The focus was on encouraging others and breaking down the invisible

b a r r i e r s t h a t o f t e n h o l d

p e o p l e b a c k

Representation itself is a complex topic There are many reasons why people

h e s i t a t e t o t a k e c e r t a i n paths, but seeing someone you relate to can make all the difference That was my motivation, to show that it’s possible, and to make the path a little easier for those who come next ”

A n a n y a e m p h a s i s e d that preparing for the chal-

l e n g e i n v o l v e d t h r e e k e y areas: physical, mental, and t e c h n i c a l “ P h y s i c a l l y , around 80% of my training was steady-state rowing on a machine two to three hours at low to medium intensity The other 20% focused on strength work, like barbell squats, dead-

l i f t s , b e n c h p r e s s e s , a n d

r e s i s t a n c e t r a i n i n g , ” s h e said “For mental prep, I worked with a performance coach on breathing exercises and visualisation tech-

n i q u e s t o s t a y c

n d focused under pressure ”

plete a certain number of t

attempt the crossing

S p

biggest challenge she faced, Ananya said, “One of the hardest parts was overcoming my fear of deep water

Every 10 days, I had to get into the ocean to clean the hull terrifying, but necessary, as barnacles slow the boat down I had to stay

h moment was when the rudder broke off in rough conditions Fixing it in huge w a v e s a n d s t r o n g w i n d s was incredibly technical In t h o s

m e down to grit, you do what needs to be done because quitting isn’t an option On the most draining days, I reminded myself why I was

"For me, it was never about holding the title of being a woman of colour It was more about creating representation, showing that your background shouldn’t limit your ability to pursue something."

out there: fundraising for

Foundation and breaking barriers as the first woman of colour to take on this

what it could mean for others

magic the night sky, bio-

orcas On bad days, remembering that rare beauty and privilege kept me going,” she added

Emphasising how institutions and communities

empower women to take

y depends on the challenge, but in general, the more people who participate in something, the more nor-

becomes, and that can be

Seeing people from diverse

others That’s why representation is so important It

have to define your poten-

and most powerful step is simply deciding to try, to say, ‘I can do this, regardless of where I come from ’”

Ananya said her journey is a reminder that we ’ re a l l c

, mentally and physically

I didn’t come from a sailing,

shared “So if I can take on a challenge like this and suc-

shouldn’t be

barrier I was the only woman in the solo category, and I came second It surprised a lot of people, but it shows what’s possible ”

Women in Capital Markets face ongoing discrimination

navigate visibility, leverage sponsors, and pick battles

varying depending on workplace culture

Mumtaz Patel, a secondgeneration Britis h I ndi an woman, has made history by bein g elected the 123rd pres ident of the Royal College of Physic ians (R CP)

This is a significant milestone, as in over 500 years since the RCP’s founding in 1518, only three women have previously held the position Patel, who served as acting president last year, is not only the fourth woman to assume this role but also the first of Indian descent

A consultant nephrologist based in Manchester, Patel has previously held the roles of senior censor and vice president for education and training at the RCP Patel's election was marked by the highest voter turnout in over 20 years, with 2,239 votes out of 5,151 cast in her favour, securing her a victory by a margin of 682 votes Raised in the UK by parents who immigrated from India in the 1960s, Patel remains deeply connected to her Indian roots

In her presidential address, Patel emphasised her commitment to

promoting diversity and inclusion within medicine

A graduate of the University of Manchester in 1996, she specialised in renal medicine and earned a doctorate in lupus nephritis genetics in 2006

After becoming a consultant nephrologist, Patel served as the RCP’s Global Vice President from 2020 to 2023, where she played a key role in shaping the college’s educational strategies and supporting early career doctors

Patel has also made significant contributions to global health initiatives

She hosted a solidarity event in 2022 for Myanmar, supporting RCP Global’s efforts for

members affected by the military coup

Furthermore, she played a pivotal role in the Medical Support Worker Scheme for Refugee Doctors, which has greatly benefited Myanmar's medical professionals

As RCP President, Patel is set to continue her work in diversifying the RCP's global strategy, empowering women in healthcare, and advocating for better training and support for international doctors Her leadership has earned her recognition, including the Outstanding Leader Award at the Global Women in Healthcare Awards

opportunities, and increased support for women returning from maternity leave H

remain Career progression

inconsistent, and gendered expectations still shape perc e p t i

Women in leadership roles o

report presents a framework for action, focusing on four

Markets

Ananya Prasad

Mumtaz Patel

Sunetra Senior

Sujaan Das: On Bioscientific Breakthrough

We have com e a long way in th e field of biosciences w h i ch h as ad v a nc ed i n increasing ly nuanced ways

Ra ng i ng f ro m b re akth roug hs in v accine developm ent to the regeneration of lim bs and cell and g ene

th er ap i es , s ci en ti sts h a v e been able to mo ve beyond ev en e arl i er as to ni s h i ng concept such as the editing of g enes to determine one ’ s eye c ol o ur o r g r ow i ng a hum an ear up on a mou se

C o - fo u nd e r an d C T O o f

Crane Biosciences, Sujaan, spoke to us about his spe-

c if i c co n tri bu t io n to th e

c o nte m p o rar y la nd s c ap e : th e enh anced efficiency o f th e treatm ent of d ifficult p hys ic al d is eases su ch as cancer and Alzheimer’s v ia th e re fi ne m en t o f R NA deliv ery o r nanotechnology The pioneer comm ented : “throug h our research, w e d i s co v ere d th at m os t gene therapies fail in clinical trials not because the th erapy itself is flawed, but because of issues w ith the deliv ery vehicle Gene therap y has tw o essential parts: th e therapeutic instruction (DNA or RNA) , and a d elivery system typ ically v iru ses or synthetic p articles th at carries th e payload to targ et cells Th e problem is th at th e im m u ne sys tem o ft en r ec o g ni z es t h es e deliv ery v ehicles as foreign, la u nc h i ng an i m m u n e response that destroys the th e rap y o r, i n ex tre m e cases, even causes patient deaths We quickly id entified d elivery as the prim ary bottleneck in gene therapy

SUJAAN DAS

t i c l e s f r o m r e d b l o o d cells the most abundant

c e l l t y p e i n t h e h u m a n

body These nanoparticles

c l o s e l y m i m i c n a t u r a l extracellular vesicles (EVs), which cells naturally use to communicate by packaging a n d s e n d i n g m o l e c u l a r

at the prestigious Francis Crick Institute, and been a w a r d e d a M a r i e C u r i e Fellowship

However, Sujaan’s shift towards gene therapy was intimately catalysed by the passing of one of his “closest friends due to a genetic disease with no cure during the COVID lockdowns: this was also an unusual time that offered space to think outside the traditional academic box That loss made me determined to apply my k n o w l e d g e t o a n a r e a where it could make a realworld impact ” Much of the s c i e n t i s t ’ s w o r k t h e n i s i n s p i r e d b y d w e

amenably in the underlying mechanism of life “From a young age, I’ve been fascinated by nature,” he stated: “to me, science is simply the curiosity to understand nature and all its wonders

"I believe the most impactful technology is the kind that most closely resembles nature and works in harmony with it”

d ev elop ment To confirm this, we s poke w ith ov er 100 experts across pharm a an d b i o tec h , and th e y unanim o usly ec ho ed th at deliv ery remains one of the biggest pain p oints ” ***

S u j a a n , t o g e t h e r w i t h his co-founder, Luca, had approached Entrepreneurs

F i r s t , a n a c c e l e r a t o r f o r s t a r t - u p s , t o r e c e i v e t h e f u n d i n g t h a t f a c i l i t a t e d these remarkable findings, which they were later able

t o o f f i c i a l l y s o l v e i n t h e form of Crane Biosciences

“For context: nanoparticles

a r e t i n y o b j e c t s i n t h e

n a n o m e t e r s c a l e t h i s i s the same scale as viruses or cellular components and so they can interact directly with biological systems At

o u r w o r k p l a c e , w e ’ r e inspired predominantly by nature: we ’ ve developed a method to create nanopar-

messages Our particles can carry therapeutic DNA or RNA and deliver them safe-

l y t o t a r g e t e d o r g a n s : what’s exciting is that our n a n o p a r t i c l e s h a v e a n unmatched safety profile

They're stable at room temperature, are not detected as foreign by the immune system, and have demonstrated the ability to deliver payloads to high-value targets like the brain That opens the door to tackling d i s e a s e s l i k e A l z h e i m e r ’ s , Parkinson’s, and brain cancer at their root cause

s o m e t h i n g t h a t ’ s b e e n i n c r e d i b l y d i f f i c u l t u n t i l now ” Here, the precision of Sujaan’s nanotechnology is also invaluably unique The CTO has built on his own independent work in academia, which “focussed on how malaria parasites

i n v a d e r e d b l o o d c e l l s , ” having completed his PhD

Scotland passes landmark motion against Hinduphobia

In a l andmark de cision, the S co t t is h P a r l i a me n t h a s pa sse d Motion S6M-17089, be coming the first in UK hist or y t o officia l l y con de mn Hinduphobia

I n t r o d u c e d b y A s h Regan, MSP for Edinburgh Eastern and member of the A

received cross-party backing

serious discrimination faced by Scotland’s Hindu commu-

r o u g h t t h e s e issues to light and called for meaningful action

“Scotland’s diversity is its strength,” stated Ash Regan during her address “But we c a n ' t t r u l y c e l e b r a t e t h a t

d i v e r s i t y w h i l e i g n o r i n g those harmed by prejudice This motion is not just sym-

b o l i c i t ’ s a c a l l f o r r e a l change ”

At the core of this historic moment is a groundb

Understanding, Addressing, and Overcoming Prejudice’

C o - a u t h o r e d b y D h r u v a Kumar, Anuranjan Jha, Sukhi Bains, Ajit Trivedi, and Neil Lal, it stands as the first UK p a r l i a m e n t

crimination

“This motion sets a pow-

Dhruva Kumar, GPS General Secretary and lead author of the report “Religious harmony must be actively pursued In standing for justice, S

h e soul of its nation ”

data, personal accounts, and testimonies to expose troubling realities: hate crimes, temple vandalism, workplace

impacting Scotland’s 30,000strong Hindu community

slurs, it’s not just Hindus under attack it’s Scotland’s

“This report holds a mirror to our society ”

“Gandhiji taught us that

fronting ignorance,” added co-authors Jha and Kumar “

East London Indian restaurant fined £100K for mouse infestation

I’m grateful to have spent 15 years studying fundamental biology before transi-

ence what we call ‘technology’ I believe the most impactful technology is the

a n d works in harmony with it ” The warm-hearted innovat o r g r e w u p i n I n d i a ,

a t t e n d i n g s c h o o l i n Kolkata, and completed the first part of his higher educ a t i o n a c r o s s D e l h i a n d Mumbai He moved to the UK to pursue his studies after being granted a scholarship by the EU Today, Crane Biosciences “teams

companies and other startups that already have therapeutic payloads and want to deliver them safely to a specific organ for a respect

f C T O m e a n s c o n s t a n t l y w o r k i n g o n s

g cell-targeted delivery and reducing off-target effects, in a way that is beneficially patient-focussed ” Finally, Sujaan shows us the awes o m e p o w e r o f a l t r u i s

i c tech to not only positively reclaim the world around us, but further truly revolutionise it

W: https://cranebio com/ https://uk linkedin com/in /sujaandas

An Indian restaurant in Ea st L on do n ha s b e e n f in e d o ve r £100,000 aft er heal th inspect or s discovere d a n “ un co n t r o l l e d ” mouse infe st ation H u n d r e d s o f droppings were found near chopping boards, cooking utensils, and food items, including lettuce and tinned sardines, during a visit to Le Madison Kitchen in Whitechapel last April Inspectors found electric a l w i r e s s m e a r e d w i t h mouse droppings, likely used by rodents to access higher s h e l v e s T o w e r H a m

Council said the restaurant failed to address the infestation, endangering both customers and staff A closure n o t i c e p o s t e d l a s t y e a r warned of “ an uncontrolled mouse infestation posing an imminent risk to health ” Despite boasting on its

“the

Ahmed said: “Residents and visitors deserve high stan-

safety when dining out This prosecution shows we will take firm action against any business that fails to meet those standards Food safety is non-negotiable ”

Gatwick named UK’s most delayed airport

Lo n d o n G a t w i ck w a s t h e

UK’s worst airpor t for flight delays in 20 24 , with d eparture s a ver agin g over 23 m inut es late , official da ta fr om the Civil Av iation Aut hority shows

G a t w i c k r e c o r d e d t h e

UK’s worst flight delays for t h e s e c o n d y e a r r u n n i n g , despite improving from a 27minute average in 2023 to 23 minutes in 2024 Staff shorta g e s a t N a t s , w h i c h r u n s

G a t w i c k ’ s c o n t r o l t o w e r , were a key factor, though

now resolved Birmingham a n d M a n c h e s t e r f o l l o w e d with average delays of 21 and 20 minutes

A Gatwick spokesperson

s a i d t h e

Easter disruption despite a strike and is working with airlines on plans to improve punctuality in 2025, though European air traffic control

i s s u e s c o n t i n u e t o

delays PA’s analysis of 22 major UK airports showed

had the best punctuality in

the drop in delays, noting the sector is still recovering

drink, or compensation for delays over three hours

ASBIs lead to jail for sleeping rough, feeding birds

Sinc e 2020, nearly 250 p eop le have been jailed for breach ing antiso cial behaviour injunctio ns (ASBI s), inclu ding fo r s l ee p i ng r o u g h , b eg gi ng , f ee di ng b ir ds , a nd m ak in g no is e An analysis of 242 cases

f r o m 2 0 2 0 - 2 0 2 4 f o u n d 7 2 i m p r i s o n m e n t s f o r g e n e r a l nuisance, 61 for abusive language, and 51 for noise The study also revealed that 57% of those jailed lacked legal representation at their breach hearings

P r o f C a r o l i n e H u n t e r from York Law School criticised the lack of proper representation for people impris-

oned for breaching antisocial b e h a v i o u r i n j u n c t i o n s ( A S B I s ) , h i g h l i g h t i n g t h a t many have underlying issues that prison doesn t address

A S B I s ( A n t i - S o c i a l B e h a v i o r I n j u n c t i o n s ) a n d c i v i l i n j u n c t i o n s , i s s u e d t o anyone aged 10 or older, lead t o i m p r i s o n m e n t f o r c o ntempt if breached Research by Hunter and Rona Epstein from Coventry Law School reveals that those who are homeless, destitute, or have mental health or learning disabilities are disproportionatel

d T h e y also highlighted the case of Floyd Carruthers, who was j

schizophrenia and later died of sepsis Epstein emphasised that many individuals imprisoned for ASBI breaches strugg l e w i t h a d d i c t i o n , m e n t a l health issues, or grief, and argued that imprisonment is not an effective solution, noting the lack of public oversight on these cases

i k e Nicholas, jailed for 15 weeks for feeding pigeons on his balcony a ritual helping him cope with grief and maintain sobriety Despite his solicitor s mental health defense, t h e

Dhruva Kumar and Ash Regan

Young monk brings ancient wisdom to the race

Subhasini Naicker

Ayoung British female monk, clad in yellow robes, is going to participate in this year’s iconic London Marathon, not just as a physical challenge, but as a spiritual journey.

Brahmacharini Shripriya

Chaitanya, a resident Hindu monk at Chinmaya Mission UK, embodies a unique blend of ancient wisdom and modern resilience Her story goes beyond the race itself, it's a testament to how spiritual practice can offer inner strength and clarity in today’s fast-paced world

In an interview with Asian Voice, Brahmacharini Shripriya shares what inspired her to run the marathon, how her spiritual training has shaped her preparation, and the deeper lessons she hopes to carry with her through the experience What inspired you to take on th e challeng e of ru nning the L ondon Maratho n? Was there a specific mo ment or influence th at led you to this decisio n?

This year holds particular significance as we approach a series of major milestones that celebrate the legacy of Chinmaya Mission: CHYK's (our dynamic youth wing) 50th

anniversary in 2025, Chinmaya Mission's 75th in 2026, and the auspicious 108th Gurudev Jayanti (celebrating the life of Swami Chinmayananda) in 2024 Running this marathon is my way to celebrate these momentous occasions and honour all that Chinmaya Mission has been able to provide to our community Also, the inspiration to run the London Marathon stems from respect for our Chinmaya Mission volunteers (sevaks) who dedicate themselves to this challenge each year

Running a m arathon requires imm ense d ed icatio n and perseverance How do your spiritual p ractices and faith g uide you through both training and the race itself?

Running a marathon demands immense dedication and perseverance, and my spiritual practices serve as a guiding light throughout the training process and when it comes to the race itself Spirituality, at its core, is about cultivating a deep awareness and understanding of the mind While the marathon is undeniably a physical challenge, it ultimately becomes a profound mental battle My spiritual

foundation provides the inner strength, resilience, and focus needed to overcome obstacles, push past perceived limitations, and connects me to a sense of purpose needed to overcome obstacles

Can you share any teaching s or personal reflectio ns th at help you stay focused and motivated wh en the journey g ets tough either du ring training or in life?

When the journey gets tough, I draw strength from the immense challenges

Pujya Swami Chinmayananda endured to share life-changing Vedantic wisdom His tireless efforts and sacrifices inspire me to see this marathon as a humble offering of gratitude It keeps me focused and

motivated, reminding me of the deeper purpose to honour His legacy and share this timeless wisdom with others

Would you say that spiritual self-discipline and athletic discipline are connected ? If so, ho w do they reinfo rce each other in your daily ro utine?

Spiritual self-discipline and athletic discipline are deeply connected Both require an understanding of oneself, a commitment to consistent effort, and the ability to overcome mental and physical limitations They reinforce each other by cultivating a holistic sense of self-awareness and control, enhancing anyone ’ s ability to navigate daily life with intention and purpose Understanding and mastering the mind, however, is key to both In your experience, how can ancient V ed ic or spiritual teach ing s be app lied to mod ern-d ay challenges like stress, anxiety, or burno ut?

Ancient Vedic and spiritual teachings offer timeless wisdom that can be directly applied to modernday challenges These teachings guide us towards self-understanding and provide a framework for living a balanced and purposeful life By understanding the secret to work, which is selfless dedicated action (Karma Yoga), discovering our unique purpose, and learning to manage our minds effectively, we can navigate the complexities of modern life and find lasting relief from stress, anxiety, and burnout

Do you believe th at your particip ation in ev ents like th e Londo n Marathon can help break d own stereotypes and open up space for g reater ap preciation o f d iverse cultures and belief systems?

I hope that by running the London Marathon I can help break down stereotypes and foster a

"I hope that by running the London Marathon I can help break down stereotypes and foster a greater appreciation for diverse cultures and belief systems."

greater appreciation for diverse cultures and belief systems By demonstrating that ancient wisdom and modern challenges can coexist harmoniously, I aim to challenge preconceived notions and open up space for a more nuanced understanding of what it means to be a Hindu or a Brahmacharini

Ho w do you see your journey, com bining ancient wisdom with modern challenges as part of a larg er mov em ent toward holistic well-being and global und erstand ing ?

I see my journey as part of a global shift towards holistic well-being and deeper understanding

There's a growing awareness, especially among younger generations, of the need to nurture mind, body, and spirit Ancient wisdom offers proven ways to achieve this balance, and Chinmaya Mission is committed to personal and societal growth Through programs like Bala Vihar for children, CHYK for youth, adult study groups, and service initiatives in healthcare and education, the Mission offers accessible, transformative learning that promotes selfawareness, ethical living, and a deeper connection to the world

Brahmacharini

Shripriya Chaitanya

As i an V o i ce an d Gu j ara t

Samachar ho sted a sp ecial reception on A pril 15, 20 25, at

S an g at A d v i c e C en tr e i n Harrow Despite light d rizzle, th e ev ent d rew a d i v e rs e group of attendees, including members of the d iaspora, and comm unity leaders

country

The event also celebrated t h e s h a r e d j o u r n e y s a n d future possibilities, highlighting the strength of the diaspora, their contributions, and t h e i m p o r t a n c e o f s t a y i n g connected to one ’ s heritage As Mr Trivedi beautifully

T h e y g a t h e r e d t o h e a r f r o m t h e g u e s t s p e a k e r

Dinesh Trivedi and acknowledge the longstanding leaders h i p o f C B P a t e l , P u b l i s h e r / E d i t o r o f A s i a n Voice and Gujarat Samachar

The evening began with a welcome address from Pooja Raval, of Asian Voice followed by CB Patel’s remarks that set a warm and engaging tone Highlight of the evening was the individual recognition of a l l 6 0 + a t t e n d e e s f o r t h e i r community contributions

K e y g u e s t s i n c l u d e d

Deputy Mayor of Hertsmere Cllr Parveen Rani, Cllr Tushar Kumar, Cllr Anjana Patel, VK Vanzara from Malawi, Trupti Patel of HFB, Ketan Mehta, K a n t i N a g d a M B E a m o n g

others

Inspiring reflectio ns from Dinesh Trivedi

D i n e s h T r i v e d i ’ s c o r e message in his speech emphasised on aspects of resilience, i n c l u s i v i t y , a n d t h e I n d i a n d i a s p o r a ' s q u i e t c o n t r i b utions

He said, “As a community, w e h a v e c o n t r i b u t e d t o knowledge and society without causing disruption Our strength lies in integration, not isolation ”

T r i v e d i u r g e d y o u n g a t t e n d e e s t o e n t e r p o l i t i c s , promising his personal support: “I want to see you all in Parliament, and I’ll be happy t o c a m p a i g n f o r y o u , ” h e added His messages echoed far beyond politics they

Bridging communities and cultures at a London reception honouring former Minister Dinesh Trivedi

“When you come to London and do not meet CB, you haven’t visited anything in London,” remarked former Railway Minister of India, Dinesh Trivedi, echoing the iconic Gujarat tourism tagline by Amitabh Bachchan. The sentiment was clear: this gathering was not just an event but a cultural statement.

cial? It can be created, yes, but only by real intelligence ” Th e Scientist ‘behind ’ th e Minister

An unexpected highlight was the presence of Meenal

T r i v e d i , M r T r i v e d i ’ s w i f e , who offered a different but equally inspiring perspective

I n a c o n v e r s a t i o n , s h e revealed her scientific back-

g r o u n d , w h o w o r k e d w i t h human embryonic stem cells in IVF clinics, handling comp l e x g e n

a r c h S h e described the work as deeply f u l f i l l i n g u n t i l t h e g o v e r nment imposed a six-year ban on such research

remains vivid “Now I enjoy a slower pace and try to be by Dinesh’s side when I can My son and my husband they are my world,” she said A mom ent of leg acy: Two major announcem ents Amid the celebration, CB a n n o u n c e d t w o u p c o m i n g events to mark the relevance of Gujarat Samachar: 1 L a u n c h o f ‘ S o n e r i Smruti Granth – A Timeless Treasure’

The bilingual commemorative souvenir this publication will capture migration stories, rare photographs, and heartfelt reflections from the

H e r j o u r n e y , f r o m g r o u n d - b r e a k i n g l a b

blindly we ask, seek, and learn Even with concepts like artificial intelligence how can intelligence ever be artifi-

graceful retirement, demonstrated resilience in a different realm Though no longer working in a lab, her passion f

Samachar: Scheduled for 10th May 2025, celebrating five decades of community journalism c o n n e c

diaspora Slated for release in July 2025, it aims to serve as a historical record and legacy piece, chronicling shared cultural and emotional journeys 2 The 53rd Anniversary c e l e b

i n g c o n t i n

s , championing causes, and giving voice to the unheard CB Patel reflected on the journey, n o t i n g t h e p u b l i c a t i o n ' s unique role in bridging India, the UK, and global diaspora t h r o u g h s t o r i e s , a d v o c a c y , and unwavering community

spirit Voices from the comm unity

The event organised for Mr Trivedi was more than just a gathering it kicked off conversations about identity, politics, representation, and unity Several attendees offered personal insights Trupti Patel, President of the Hindu Forum of Britain said, “This event showcased

Dinesh Trivedi

Kanti Nagda MBE

Meenal Trivedi

L-R: Cllr Parveen Rani - Deputy Mayor of Hertsmere, Meenal Trivedi, Dinesh Trivedi, Jaswant Doshi and CB Patel

Dinesh Trivedi felicitated by Ranjan Manek

Meenal Trivedi being welcomed by Kalpana Patel

L-R: Jaswant Doshi, Cllr Tushar Kumar, Er Trupti Patel, Cllr Parveen Rani, Rashmi Patel CB Patel and Surendra Patel (seated)

L-R: Kishor Parmar, Vikesh Vanzara, Dr Amrutlal Shah, Dhiru Lambha, Vimalji Odedra, Kanti Nagda MBE, Jayraj Patel, CB Patel, Navin Nanda and Deepak Patel

Meenal Trivedi welcomed by Manjit Singh Khinda

Trump set for second State visit to UK in September

Do n al d T r u m p h a s anno unced p lans fo r a second st ate v i si t to th e U K i n September, with King Ch arles set to host him and the First Lady

T h e v i s i t a i m s t o strengthen transatlantic ties following Trump's tariffs on t r a d i n g p a

Castle is expected to be the venue, and the visit was discussed in a recent phone call

Starmer

T r u m p s u g g

e d Buckingham Palace is setting a date for his second state visit in September Speaking to reporters, he called it an "

Charles and his family, saying, “I have great respect for C

, a n d t h e family ” He also referred to the visit as a “fest,” marking the first time such an event has been held for one person due to his two separate terms

in office

Starmer has focused on

Washington, choosing not to retaliate against Trump's tariffs on UK goods Instead, he offered concessions in areas like digital taxes and agricult

Vance expressed confidence that a mutually beneficial USUK trade deal is within reach

have called for Donald Trump to be barred from addressing P

U K visit, citing his remarks about the UK, democracy, NATO, and Ukraine While past US presidents like Obama and C l i n t o n

p o k e a t Westminster, some argue it would be “inappropriate” for Trump The effort is being led

minister under Tony Blair

how Asian Voice and Gujarat

S a m a c h a r u n i t e u s T h e younger generation needs to engage politically Our community has always supported women across groups, from T a m i l s t o M u s l i m s T h a t kind of cross-cultural female e

VK Vanzara, said, “This

Parveen Rani said, “Seeing G

tions was inspiring People like CB Patel are phenomenal

building connections globally I saw so many women

into leadership with grace We worship Goddess Durga for a reason that strength is in every woman ” C l l r T u

and must keep this fire burning Together, we will succeed ” Vinod Thakrar, Trustee, L o h

, “It’s truly exciting to be here at this event, organised by CB Patel, in such a short period of time So many people from various communities are present, and I look forward to

believe it’s the inspiration of C B

together ”

Photo courtesy: Raj D Bakrania, PrMediapix

Guest sends best wishes in absence

v Pradipbhai Dhamecha

v Lord Dolar Popat

v Lord Krish Raval

v Lord Jitesh Gadhia

v Lord Bhikhu Parekh

v Lord Rami Ranger

v Subhash Thakrar OBE

v Ameet Jogia MBE

v Navinbhai Shah

v Rekhaben shah

v HE Nimisha Madhvani

v MP Bob Blackman

v Krupesh Hirani, London

Assembly Member for Brent and Harrow

v Cllr Ramji Chauhan

added, “Shri Dinesh Trivedi’s focus on integrity struck me deeply as a young politician His journey of switching parties when values no longer aligned showed real courage

v Cllr Hitesh

v Harshad Kothari

v Kaushik Desai

v Krishna Pujara

v Amit shah, Maharaj

foods

v Mr Kishore Shah, Citibond Travel

v Kapil Dudakia

v Veljibhai Vekaria

v Dr Harsha Jani

v Shilpi Verma, Walfinch

care

v Divya Gudka

v Chandani Vora

v Nirmala Patel, Hindu Council Brent

v Dhiren Katwa

Gen Z students in Manchester to learn essential soft skills

Thousands of Gen Z students in Greater M anch ester w ill particip ate in a U K-first trial fo c u s ed o n t eac h i ng " s o ft skills" like emp athy and time management

The programme aims to e q u i p y o u n g p e o p l e w i t h essential tools for the workp

, a d d r e s s i n g c o n c e r n s from employers that "digital natives" struggle with phone conversations and job interviews

Prof Sandeep Ranote, a leading child psychiatrist, said G e n Z , b o r n b e t w e e n t h e mid-1990s and early 2010s, faces unique challenges that h a v e i m p a c t e d t h e i r s o c i a l skills She calls these challenges the "five Cs": Covid,

climate change, cost of living, cyberspace, and conflict The Skills 4 Living programme, launched this week in Greater Manchester by the Unescop a r t n e r n o n - p r o f i t H i g h e r Health, aims to address these gaps, marking its first expansion outside Africa

The curriculum, delivered mostly online with in-person a s s e s s m e n t s , c o v e r s t o p i c s like fake news, online safety, d i s c r i m

, g

g a w a r e n e s s , a n d a v o i d i n g scams It aims to reach 10,000 y o u n g

Manchester by September, in partnership with universities s u c h a s t h e U n i v e r s i t y o f Manchester After a summer pilot, the program plans to

expand to 16- to 25-year-olds,

emphasised the importance of preparing young people for

Manchester as the first in the UK

Mazars launched a course on social skills, including phone etiquette and client meetings

Ethnic minority support growing for Nigel Farage’s Reform UK

Research

even a death threat, but I’ll

Forhad, a Reform UK candi-

ware business owner is part of a growing group of minority ethnic voters backing Nigel Farage’s party

Reform UK fielded 17 ethnic minority candidates in the 2024 general election, aiming to win over voters traditionally loyal to Labour, particularly Black and Asian communities in major cities

The May 1st local elections, along with the Runcorn byelection and mayoral races, are a key test for Reform UK

prise, education, family, and faith into votes for the 2026

London elections “London is

branch chair

Raj Forhad, standing in Hainault’s Redbridge council byelection, previously ran in Ilford South, where he was

Reform He joined the party for its policies on the NHS and immigration, particularly i

moving from Bangladesh in 2010

Neville Watson, Reform’s E

ports managed immigration

f l e c t i n g h i s Windrush roots A community activist, Watson also advoc a t e s f o r e c o n o m i c r e p a r ations for slavery and joined Reform for its alignment with h i

stance, and unapologetic val-

ues

Navtaij Sangha, a former British Army bursar, and Raj F

Sangha, a management con-

race, drives inequality, while F

m Bangladesh in 2010, credits the UK for his success and rejects claims that Reform is racist

Both focus on local issues like potholes, policing, and U L E

voter loyalty and advocates for open debates on immigration Watson acknowledged R

opportunities to learn, stressing that actions speak louder than words and that Reform is committed to policies benefiting all Britons

tailor

CB Patel

Cecil Soans

Cllr Anjana Patel, Deputy Mayor of Harrow

Pooja Raval

Vimalji Odedra

L-R: Rajesh Mehta, Dinesh Trivedi and Atul Sangani

L-R: Vinod Thakrar, Vijay Tanna, Dinesh Trivedi and Paras Meisheri

L-R: Niraj Sutaria, Dinesh Trivedi and Mukesh Kapashi

Keir Starmer with US President Donald Trump

Raising awareness, saving lives

A llergy S af ety We ek 202 5

h i gh l i gh t s ri s i ng al le rg y

risks i n th e UK, urgi ng better awareness, early diagno -

s i s , c l ea r l ab e ll i ng , an d emergency prep aredness to p ro tect lives at h ome and beyond

As Allergy Safety Week 2025 begins, campaigners, medical experts, and communities across the UK are joining forces to spotlight the growing importance of allergy awareness, prevention, and preparedness

O r g a n i s e d a n n u a l l y ,

Allergy Safety Week aims to educate the public on the risks associated with severe

a l l e r g i c r e a c t i o n s a n d empower people to create safer spaces whether at h o m e , s c h o o l , w o r k , o r while dining out

Allergies affect millions

i n t h e U K A c c o r d i n g t o

A l l e r g y U K , o n e i n t h r e e people will experience an

a l l e r g y a t s o m e p o i n t i n their lives, with around 21 million adults and children currently managing allergic

c o n d i t i o n s r a n g i n g f r o m hay fever and food allergies to asthma and severe anaphylaxis Worryingly, hospital admissions for allergic reactions have more than doubled over the past 20

y e a r s I n 2 0 2 4 a l o n e , t h e NHS recorded over 26,000 admissions for allergic reac-

t i o n s , w i t h c h i l d r e n a n d young adults making up a significant portion of cases

F o o d a l l e r g i e s r e m a i n one of the most common and dangerous triggers An estimated 2 million people in the UK live with food allergies, including around 8% of children Common

c u l p r i t s i n c l u d e p e a n u t s , tree nuts, milk, eggs, shellfish, and sesame but even

t r a c e a m o u n t s c a n p r o v e life-threatening for some

T h e N a t a s h a A l l e r g y

R e s e a r c h F o u n d a t i o n , s e t up in memory of Natasha

E d n a n - L a p e r o u s e , c o n t i nues to advocate for stronger food labelling and awaren e s s f o l l o w i n g h e r t r a g i c death in 2016

T h i s y e a r ’ s A l l e r g y

S a f e t y W e e k c a m p a i g n i s

themed “I Wish I Knew ” which focuses on improving early diagnosis, ensuri n g a c c u r a t e l a b e l l i n g i n retail and hospitality, raising awareness in schools, a n d e n c o u r a g i n g w o r kplaces to implement allergy-friendly practices

The campaign has been developed by Allergy UK, in

response to rising allergy cases, with 1 in 2 people in Europe estimated to be living with an allergy in 2026 It also highlights the importance of training in recognising and responding to anaphylaxis, including the u s e o f a d r e n a l i n e a u t oinjectors like EpiPens

The campaign will begin by highlighting three things it is important for everyone to know about allergy duri n g A l l e r g y A w a r e n e s s Week These are: allergies c a n d e v e l o p a t a n y a g e , a l l e

g i e s c a n e x a c e r b a t e o t h e r h e a l t h c o n d i t i o n s such as asthma, and getting an allergy diagnosis is crucial – it’s the key to accessing the right care and support

S i m o ne M i le s , C h i e f E x e cu ti ve o f Al le rgy U K , s

i d , “ A l l e r g y A w a r e n e s s Week 2025 is an important opportunity to raise aware-

ness about the experiences of people living with allergies Our healthcare system is not optimised to provide adequate care for allergic conditions, so it’s important anyone who is newly experiencing allergy symptoms is able to recognise the red flags to seek support

“Early intervention can even change the course of an allergy and people need to be empowered with the right information to enable them to take advantage of this

“ A n a l l e r g y d i a g n o s i s isn’t just a label, it’s the key t o m a n a g i n g s y m p t o m s , preventing severe reactions a n d c o m p l

d improving quality of life It can open the door to appropriate treatment pathways plus information about how to live safely with an allergy

“If new persistent symptoms appear or an existing condition worsens without a clear cause, allergy could be the missing piece of the puzzle ”

Allergy charities are calling on both individuals and i

y approach to allergy safety, recognising that even simple actions like checking labels, asking about allergies, and knowing how to respond in an emergency can save lives

W i t h t h e n u m b e r o f allergy cases rising globally and no cure yet in sight, Allergy Safety Week 2025 serves as a vital reminder: awareness, preparation, and c o m p a s s

b e s t tools we have to protect the growing number of people living with allergies

Daily peanut doses help desensitise allergic reaction

pe an uts wit hout re acting

The Grown Up Peanut Immunotherapy (GUPI) trial is the first to focus on adults with severe peanut allergies, testing whether daily supervised doses can be safely tolerated

Oral immunotherapy, a method shown to work in i n f a n t s a

adults with peanut allergies

s f r o m K i n g ’ s College London and Guy’s a n d S t T h o m a s ’ N H S Foundation Trust, funded by the NIHR Professor Stephen Till, Chief Investigator at King’s College London, said that while strict avoidance and a d r e n a l i n e a r e s t a n d a r d treatments for peanut allergies, this trial shows adults can be desensitised, improving their quality of life Over the course of the trial, the a v e r a g e t o l e r a t e d p e a n u t dose increased 100-fold T h e P h a s e I I t r i a l involved 21 adults, aged 18 to 40, with confirmed peanut a l l e r g i e s a t G u y ’ s a n d S t Thomas’ NHS Foundation T r u s t P

“There needs to be ongoing and diligent processes in place to keep the allergy community safe”

Anusha Singh

AsAllergy Awareness Week 2025 puts the spotlight on the growing allergy crisis, personal stories like those of Rheia Walia and Lakshmi Kaul offer a sobering reminder of the very real dangers allergies present and the urgent need for stronger laws, better awareness, and a more compassionate, informed society. R

the age of one She is allergic to nuts, coconut, kiwi, grapefruit, aubergine, and prawns, and also suffers from oral

lack of public awareness My early experiences taught me to trust my own intuition I know my body best, I know what I can and cannot have, and I will always rely on that knowledge ” The dangers of allergies b e c a m e d e v a s t a t i n g l y r e a l f o r a

Lakshmi Kaul’s nine-yearo l d d a u g h t e r , N a i n i k a , passed away after an allergic reaction to blueberries hidden in a dairy-free pancake

who suffered a fatal anaphy-

d d

sesame seeds baked into the d

chased from Pret A Manger, became a defining moment for Rheia Motivated by her o w n e x p e r i e n c e s a n d

Natasha’s story, Rheia, now a L a w g r a d u a t e f r o m t h e University of Dundee with a Master’s in Medical Law and Ethics from the University of Durham, turned her personal struggle into a mission for change She became an allergy awareness campaigner, a c a u s e s h e b e l i e v e s h e l p e d shape her legal career

Natasha’s death exposed critical gaps in food safety

l e g i s l a t i o n a n d , f o r R h e i a , was a painful reminder of the urgent need for reform

Speaking to Asian Voice, Rheia reflected on her life with allergies stating, “How I dealt with my allergies, and my mindset around them, has evolved from childhood into adulthood Living with severe allergies has become s e c o n d n a t u r e t o m e I ’ m constantly aware of everything I touch and eat, as well as what others around me are handling I never leave home without my medication

i c i p a n

r t e d with doses of peanut flour ( 0 8 m g , 1 5 m g , a n d 3 m g ) , with those who tolerated the d o s e s c o n t i n u i n g d a i l y a t home for two weeks, equivalent to 0 5-1% of a whole peanut

Professor Lucy Chappell, Chief Scientific Adviser at the DHSC and CEO of the NIHR, said, "These results represent a key milestone in allergy treatment, offering hope to adults with peanut allergies The NIHR-funded r e s e a r c h a i m s t o i m p r o v e patient outcomes, providing a path toward greater safety and a better quality of life for those living with the daily fear of accidental exposure "

“ S e v e r e a l l e r g i e s a r e both a disability and a longterm health condition, but they are not always treated with the respect or understanding they deserve This is often due to misconceptions about allergies and a

A f t e r t a k i n g j u s t o n e bite, Nainika turned completely blue and collapsed H e r f a t h e r i m m e d i a t e l y a d m i n i

n E p i p e n , and paramedics arrived at their Harrow home within seven minutes Despite their efforts, Nainika suffered a c a r d i a c a r r e s t a n d p a s s e d away days later, after her family made the heartbreaking decision to withdraw life support Lakshmi described the experience as a nightmare we will live and relive every single moment of our lives remaining " Writing on a JustGiving page created to fund allergy research in her d a u g h t e r ’ s m e m o r y , s h e added, “We knew she was allergic to dairy and she had asthma, so we looked after that for the last nine years ” Since Nainika’s passing, Lakshmi has dedicated herself to raising awareness and supporting allergy research in her personal capacity

B o t h L a k s h m i a n d Rheia’s stories highlight the deep impact of severe allergies on individuals and families, as well as the urgent n e e d f o r b e t t e r p u b l i c awareness, safety education, a n d s t r o n g e r p r o t e c t i o n s The call for change, whether t h r o u g h l a w , p o l i c y , o r e v e r

never been more critical

R h e i a r e i t e r a t e s t h e s a m e , s t a t i n g , “ F o l l o w i n

thing I have repeatedly said

and will continue to do so is that in current legislations and public policy, all measures are reactive to deaths rather than proactive

“ T h e r e n e e d s t o b e ongoing and diligent processes in place to keep the allergy community safe and prevent allergy deaths We deserve that dignity before d e a t h a n d n o m e a s u r e should be implemented as a result of a tragic death In my opinion, not enough is being done until that is the c a s e T h

a r e a s o f m o s t i m p r o v e m

e e d t o b e restaurant policies, they are not strict enough and not all institutions follow them at a high enough level In addition to that, allergy awareness needs to increase: without an influx in awareness how can anything change I strive to be that awareness and I strive to make that change “I know firsthand how debilitating and dangerous allergies can be and no one should have to go through life not knowing if something is safe or not Allergies do not define you but they are a part of our life and something that needs to be a d a p t e d f o r b y t h e w i d e r community At the end of the day it’s between life and death and that should be e n

h f o r c h a n g e , b u t sadly it isn’t ” A s A l l e r g y A w a r e n e s s Week 2025 unfolds, stories like these remind us that awareness must be followed b y a c t i o n W h e t h e r i t ’ s checking a label, asking a question, changing a policy, or fostering compassion in the community, every small s t e p m a t t e r s U n t i l s a f e t y becomes second nature for everyone, not just those living with allergies, the work is far from over

Pupils miss 3mn school days due to allergies

C hild ren across the UK lo st more th an three million scho ol d ays in one year d ue to allergy-related issues, new research has rev ealed Th e data hig hlights the profo und im pact allergy m ism anagem ent has on ed ucation, with some pupils missing month s of scho ol The statistics come from the Benedict

B l y

h e

c t r e p o r t , which analysed Freedom of Information r e q u e s t s s e n t t o o v e r 2

, 0 0 0 s c h o o l s between October 2023 and January 2024 It found that, on average, pupils with allergies lost 4 5 school days each year One in three parents reported that their child missed six or more days, while more than half said their child had to leave school early due to an

allergic reaction While fatal anaphylaxis remains rare, the report noted that about 25% of first-time a

c h o o l s Alarmingly, nearly half of schools do not have a spare adrenaline auto-injector available The report also revealed that one in three schools lacked an allergy policy, more than 70% of schools did not train staff on allergy awareness, and around 60% offered no allergy training for school trips T h e s e

need for better allergy management and training in schools, highlighting the real risks faced by children with allergies in educational settings

Rheia Walia

Lakshmi Kaul with her daughter Nainika

Simone Miles

Dear Financial Voice Reader, Alpesh Patel

The abilit y t o hold me anin gful cash r eser ves wit hin a Se lf-

Inv este d Pe rsonal Pe nsion (SIPP) ha s be come a cr itical tool for ret ireme nt save rs na viga ting volatile ma rk ets Unlike t rad it ional pensions, SIPPs e mpower in vestor s t o t actically a djust cash a lloca tions a flex ibilit y t hat prov ed in valuable dur ing the 2022 ma rke t downt urn an d rema ins r eleva nt a mid on going e con omic uncer tain ty This isn’t about mark et timin g; it’s about pruden t risk man age ment a nd preser ving opt ionality

Cash as a Defensive Anchor

When interest rates surged from historic lows to over 5% between 2021-2023, cash transformed from a near-zeroyielding afterthought into a legitimate income-generating asset For SIPPs, this shift allowed savers to shelter portions of their pension from equity market declines while still earning returns a dual advantage absent in traditional pension structures During 2022 ’ s market rout, those holding cash avoided the worst of the sell-off, preserving capital to reinvest when valuations improved

Breaking Free from Institutional Constraints

Most managed pension funds restrict cash holdings to 2-10% of assets, forcing investors to remain fully exposed during downturns SIPPs eliminate this constraint, allowing savers to dynamically adjust allocations based on personal risk tolerance This proved crucial in 2022 when even professional fund managers, hamstrung by mandates, watched helplessly as markets fell

Practical Advantages

Liquidity for Opportunities: Cash reserves enable quick action during market dislocations When quality assets become undervalued, SIPP holders can deploy cash without selling existing holdings at a loss

income can use cash buffers to avoid selling depreciated assets during downturns, mitigating long-term portfolio damage

FSCS Protection: By spreading cash across multiple banks (up to £85,000 per institution), SIPP holders maximize safety without sacrificing growth potential

Avoiding the Traps

While cash offers stability, overexposure risks missing market recoveries The key lies in strategic allocation holding enough cash to weather volatility while maintaining growth-oriented investments This balance is particularly vital as interest rates fluctuate, requiring regular portfolio reassessment

The Bottom Line

SIPPs with robust cash management features provide a middle ground between passive investing and high-risk trading In an era of concentrated market gains and unpredictable shocks, controlling cash allocations isn’t just about defence it’s about maintaining agency over your financial future For long-term retirement savers, this flexibility could mean the difference between watching helplessly as markets tumble and positioning strategically for recovery I am presently largely in cash and sleeping easy

Majority of UK kids dream of entrepreneurship

A new stud y reveals th at mo st U K children dream of launching their own bu siness one d ay, and many want sch ools to teach them the skills to succeed

Research involving 1,000 children aged 9 to 11, commissioned by Virgin Money, found that 83% hope to start a business in the future, while 71% want entrepreneurship included in school lessons The study also highlighted strong financial awareness among children, with 88% having saved for something specific, setting aside an average of £57

Despite the digital shift, cash remains central to their habits, with nearly half (47%) storing savings in piggy banks and 44% still using cash for purchases Parents remain the top source of financial guidance, as 82% of children said they learn about money management at home, and 92% regularly discuss finances with their families The findings also show a forward-thinking attitude, with 64% saying they d prefer to invest £5 to grow it rather than spend it Virgin Money’s Make £5 Grow programme, which has reached over 200,000 pupils, gives children the chance to develop business ideas using a £5 loan Schools keep profits once loans are repaid, helping pupils learn entrepreneurial and money skills

Yhangry's recipe for scaling success

Anusha Singh In a world where convenience and memorable experiences are increasingly intertwined, yhangry is redefining how people gather and dine

startup is making private

offering people the chance to book professional chefs

dinners at home to large c

luxury price tag

What started as a clever

their own homes has since grown into a fast-scaling

sands of customers across the UK With its growing network of chefs, seamless

yhangry is helping to trans-

into something special all while offering hosts the ultimate stress-free dining experience

Asian Voice spoke with Siddhi Mittal, co-founder of yhangry, to learn more

behind the company, how the platform works, and her perspective on the future of

and scaling a startup in the UK

Yhangry started as a side hustle. When did you realise it had the potential to become a full-time business?

expe cted to be

London , Oslo, a nd Brussels on April 28, a n India n official sa id

The visit aims to further strengthen India’s trade and

with the UK, Norway, and

official added

The proposed India-UK Free Trade Agreement (FTA) is progressing steadily, with t

accelerated pace A new full r

when we noticed a signifi-

perceived as unaffordable W

could serve a three-course meal cheaper than a restaur

markup This idea seemed ludicrous until we proved

Yhangry had the potential to be more than just a side project

What is the difference between how the company operated in the first year of its inception and how it operates now? What strategies have been most effective in growing the business?

In our first year, opera-

invaluable mentorship and exposure, and focusing on f

chefs, offering an average of £60 per hour compared to the industry average of £13 33

What are some of the key trends you see in the private dining space, and how is Yhangry adapting?

the rise of at-home dining

m a n a g e d b o o k i n g s a n d

c o o

Now, we've scaled significantly, with a tech-driven p l a t f o r m t h a t a u t o m a t e s matching clients with over 3,000 chefs across the UK Key strategies that fuelled our growth include participating in Y Combinator in

unlikely, as the discussions a r e a d v a n c i n g r a p i d l y F o u r t e e n r o u n d s h a v e a l r e a d y b e e n c o m p l e t e d , sources have confirmed The p u s h c o m e s a m i d s h i f t i n g g l o b a l t r a d e d y n a m i c s , a s c o u n t r i e s s e e k t o e x p a n d

Parents make six-figure deposits to bypass inheritance tax

The re ’ s bee n a sharp r ise in pa re nts an d g r a n d p a r e n t s g if t i n g la r g e s u m s o f m oney to help the ir childr en on to the p roper ty la dder ofte n a s a wa y t o r educe futur e inher itan ce ta x bills

N e w f i g u r e s f r o m t e c h f i r m

Twenty7tec show that 110,325 buyers received at least £100,000 from family last year, up 8% from 2023 Experts say the trend has accelerated following changes announced in last October’s Budget, which will see pensions counted as part of an individual’s taxable estate from April 2027 Legal specialists say many families are now opting to transfer wealth during their lifetime, especially through house deposits, rather than risk leaving relatives with a heavy tax bill later Gifts given more than seven years before

death are typically exempt from inheritance tax Lawyers and estate agents alike are reporting growing numbers of parents and grandparents stepping in not just to help first-time buyers but also to support “second steppers” aiming to upsize Savills estimates family g i f t s a n d l o a n s f o r h

s reached £9 3 billion in 2024, almost double the £5 billion seen in 2019

experiences for staycation guests We've already established 100 partnerships and h

potential collaborations You’ve successfully raised investment when, according to statistics, women-led businesses are less likely to secure funding What was that experience like, and what advice would you give to female founders looking to raise capital in the tech and hospitality space?

female founder presented its challenges, but perseverance and a clear vision were c

accelerator programs like Y

build credibility and con-

advice to female founders is

statistics; instead, use them as motivation to break barriers

What’s your ultimate vision for Yhangry, and how do you see it evolving in the next 5-10 years?

Our vision is to revolutionise the way people dine

l l y i n holiday rentals People are s e e k i n g t h e l u x u r y o f restaurant-quality meals in the comfort of their homes or vacation properties To adapt, Yhangry is partnering with short-term rental property owners, aiming to p

rentals globally We aim to expand our presence and this includes a significant push into the US market B

make Yhangry a household

luxury and convenience

market access in response to evolving US trade policies

G o y a l a n d t h e U K

S e c r e t a r y o f S t a t e f o r

B u s i n e s s a n d T r a d e , J o n a t h a n R e y n o l d s , h a d j o i n t l y a n n o u n c e d t h e resumption of FTA talks in

F e b r u a r y , f o l l o w i n g a n

e i g h t - m o n t h p a u s e T h e t r a d e t a l k s , o r i g i n a l l y launched in January 2022, have since regained traction

A l o n g s i d e t h e F T A , I n d i a and the UK are also working t o f i n a l i s e a B i l a t e r a l Investment Treaty (BIT) and a D o u b l e T a x a t i o n Avoidance Agreement The

F i n a n c e M i n i s t r y i s s p e a r h e a d i n g t h e B I T n e g o t i a t i o n s , w i t h Sitharaman’s recent UK visit focusing on this agenda

Siddhi Mittal

Piyush Goyal

Nirmala Sitharaman with Rachel Reeves

Gold price almost hits Rs 100,000 mark in India

Gold prices in Delhi surg ed close to Rs 1 00, 000 m ark, d riv en by a w eakened dollar and ongo ing US-C hina tariff

tensions A ccording to the A ll Ind ia Sarafa A ssociation, g old of 99 9 per cent purity

w as priced at Rs 99,80 0 p er

1 0 gram s on Monday T his follows a decline w here the

p rice closed at Rs 98 ,150 p er

1 0 g ram s last F ri day T he

f lu c tu a ti ng g o ld p ri ce s

u n d er sc o re th e p e rs is te nt

v o lat i li ty i n th e

c om mo d ities m arket am id

b ro a d er e co n o m i c

u ncertainties

Meanwhile, 99 5% pure

d a significant rise, jumping Rs 1,600 to reach a new high of R s 9 9 , 3 0 0 p e r 1 0 g r a m s ,

following a slight dip to Rs 97,700 per 10 grams at the previous market close Since the beginning of the year, the price of gold has surged by Rs 20,850, reflecting a remarkable 26 41% increase per 10 grams from the close of last year

I n a d d i t i o n t o g o l d , s i l v e r

uptick, rising Rs 500 to Rs 98,500 per kg, having traded at a stable Rs 98,000 per kg

on Friday

At 3.3%, retail inflation lowest since Aug 2019

new high of Rs 96,875 per 10 grams

record peak of USD 3,397 18

retreating to USD 3,393 49 per ounce

On a global scale, gold futures broke through the s

threshold for the first time,

ounce, which

per cent rise

Adani Ports to buy Australian terminal Abbot

A dan i Ports and Special

E c o n om i c Z o n e L td ( APSEZ), the ports arm of

t h e A d a n i G ro u p , h as approved th e ac quisition

o f A b b o t P o i n t P or t H oldin gs P te Ltd ( APPH ),

S i n g a p o re , i n

Retail inf lat ion slowed to a mo re th an 5-year low in M a r c h o n t h e b ac k o f sh ar p ly m oder at ing f o o d pr ices, p av ing the way f or th e Reserv e Bank of India (RBI) to cu t interest rates in th e m o nth s ah ead t o s u p p o r t g r o w t h a g ai ns t t h e b ac k dr o p o f g l o b al uncertainty

D a t a r e l e a s e d b y t h e National Statistical Office ( N S O ) s h o w e d r e t a i l inflation, as measured by the consumer price index (CPI), rose an annual 3 3% in March, slower than the previous month’s 3 6% and below the 4 9% in March last year The food price index slowed to 2 7% in M a r c h , l o w e r t h

3 8% in Feb and below the 8 5% in March last year

Rural inflation was at 3 3% in Feb while urban was at 3 4%

The data showed that t h e r e i s a d e c l i n e o f 2 7 b a s i s p o i n t s i n h e a d l i n e i n f l a t

compared to Feb and

inflation after Aug, 2019 There was a sharp decline of 106 basis points in food i n f l a t i o n i

compared to Feb and the food inflation during the month is the lowest after Nov, 2021

The decline in headline

month of March, 2025

ArcelorMittal Nippon Steel to invest £26bn to up capacity

A ustral ian $3 975 b il lion APPH owns the North Q u e e n s l a n d E x p o r t T e r m i n a

n e two rk i ng ch i p h e ad S achin Katti to be its c hief tec hn olo gy o ffi cer and AI

c h ie f , ac c o r di n g to a n i n te rn a l m em o T h e elevation comes at a time when Intel’s new CE O LipB u T a n i s f la tt en i ng t h e firm’s leadersh ip team

B e f o r e j o i n i n g I n t e l ,

K a t t i f o u n d e d U h a n a , a startup working on bringing

r e a l - t i m e A I t o m o b i l e n e t w o r k s , w h i c h w a s a c q u i r e d b y V m w a r e A t

I n t e l , K a t t i s e r v e d a s t h e SVP and general manager of network and edge group In this role, he led initiatives to advance product excellence

a c r o s s n e t w o r k i n f r a s t r u c t u r e a n d intelligent edge solutions

Starlink

P iyush Goyal and officials fro m the telec om m ini stry, to b ri ef them about the com pany ’ s p lans for India

that met Goyal included

technology platform, their

( N Q X T ) , a 5 0 MTPA facility at the Port of Abbot Point, about 25 km north of Bowen on Australia’s east coast The a s s e t i s s t r a t e g i c a l l y located on the East-West trade corridor and is a key a d d i t i o n t o A P S E Z ’ s i n t e r n a t i o n a l p o r t f o l i o ,

the company said The acquisition will be executed on a non-cash basis, with APSEZ issuing 143 8mn equity shares to Carmichael Rail and Port Singapore Holdings Pte Ltd (CRPSHPL), a related p a r t y , i n e x c h a n g e f o r 1 0 0 % o w n e r s h i p o f APPH

Being bullish on gro wth in infrastru cture d ev elopm ent and the auto mobile sector, th e A rc el o rM i tt al N i p p o n Steel (AM -NS) joint venture will invest around £ 26bn in India ov er th e next decad e to grow its steel production capacity more than fourfold to around 40 million tonnes per annum (MT PA), a top official said

The Belagavi boy, who w a s b o r n i n a f a m i l y o f doctors, is based in the US with his wife, Seema, and t h e i r t w o c h i l d r e n A f t e r g r a d u a t i n g f r o m I I TBombay in 2003, Katti went o n t o M a s s a c h u s e t t s I n s t i t u t e o f T e c h n o l o g y (MIT), where he obtained his MS and PhD degrees “ O n e o f o u r s c h o o l principals inspired a bunch of students to pursue their h i g h e r e d u c a t i o n a t I I T s , and Sachin set his mind on this goal while studying in the sixth grade He is also p a s s i o n a t e a b o u t c r i c k e t and football,” his brother Amit Katti, a urologist, said

O v e r a d e c a d e a g o , K a t t i a l s o c o - f o u n d e d K u m u N e t w o r k s , w h i c h

d future investment plans in India,” Goyal said T

ministry of commerce as well as key functionaries from the department of telecom, who a r e i n c h a r g e o f t e l e c o m m a t t e r s S t a r l i n k i s understood to have assuaged g o v t ’ s c o n c e r n s - r a i s e d mainly by the home ministry - a r o u n d s e c u

y , w h i l e briefing about its investment plans in the country The company has been trying to get a licence to begin satcom s e r v i c e s i n I n d i a o v

with

Sachin Katti

specialised in advanced fulld u p l e x r a d i o t e c h n o l o g y He, along with his graduate s t u d e n t s , s h o w e d t h e feasibility of implementing

d u p l e x r a d i o s , w h i c h c a n transmit and receive signals

o n i d e n t i c a l f r e q u e n c i e s K a t t i b u i l t t h

x radios globally and raised $45 million

The company said that at around 94 kg, per capita steel consumption in India remains significantly lower than in other markets, such as China (660-670 kg), the U S ( 6 0 0 - 7 0 0 k g ) , J a p a n ( 8 0 0 - 9 0 0 k g ) , a n d S o u t h Korea (1,100 kg) “There is a strong headroom for growth here,” Ranjan Dhar, director & VP (sales & marketing), s a i d w h e n a s k e d a b o u t

reasons for expansion

A M - N S , a

: 4 0 J V , started business in India in 2019 when it acquired the o p e r a

E s s a r S

I n d i a t h r o u g h t h e Insolvency and Bankruptcy C

suspension or shutdown of communications services in sensitive and troubled areas,

establishment has specified

which currently has

steel production capacity of 9 6 MTPA, will expand this to 15 6 MTPA by the close of this fiscal at an investment of £6bn “Govt is pushing for massive investments as part

PhonePe, Razorpay planning to go public in India

A c c o r d i n g t o a c o m p a n y s p o k e s p e r s o n , t h e m o v e begins the process of public company compliance well in

a d v

w o y e a r s , ensuring timely adoption of governance protocols Both companies are preparing to a c c e s s I n d i a n c a p i t a l markets

T h e p r o s p e c t o f a P h o n e P e l i s t i n g w a s f i r s t confirmed by Walmart CEO

D o u g M c M i l l o n i n

Fintech un icorns Phone Pe and R a z orp a y h a v e tr a n si t i on e d in to public limi te d com pa nie s, si gna lli ng a ste p forwa rd in the ir lon g-te rm pla ns to g o public i n Indi a T h e r e c e n t r e g u l a t o r y filings showed that PhonePe approved its conversion on April 3 The process includes c h a n g i n g t h e c o m p a n y ’ s name from PhonePe Private Limited to PhonePe Limited, t h o u g h i t s t i l l a w a i t s s h a r e h o l d e r a p p r o v a l a n d clearance from the Ministry of Corporate Affairs Razorpay, also based in B e n g a l u r u , c o n f i r m e d i t s t r a n s i t i o n t o a p u b l i c s t r u c t u r e , r e l a t i n g t o i t s efforts to re-domicile from the United States to India

Walmart signs deal to open second office space in Chennai

INDIAN STUDENT KILLED BY STRAY BULLET IN CANADA

A 21-year-old Indian student was killed in Canada after a stray bullet struck her She was waiting at a bus stop on her way to work when the shots were fired by a car occupant Harsimrat Randhawa was a student at Mohawk College in Hamilton, Ontario Hamilton police are investigating the homicide that happened last week, saying Randhawa was an innocent bystander The Consulate General of India in Toronto said in a post on X "We are deeply saddened by the tragic death of Indian student Harsimrat Randhawa in Hamilton, Ontario "

PRO-KHALISTANIS DEFACE GURDWARA IN VANCOUVER

A prominent gurdwara in Canada s Vancouver was vandalised with pro-Khalistan graffiti Khalsa Diwan Society which runs Ross Street Gurdwara shared images on its official X showing the word ‘Khalistan zindabad’ spray painted in several locations along the wall surrounding the parking lot The vandalism came to light when Surrey hosted what is considered the largest Baisakhi parade in the world Vancouver Police department spokesperson Sgt Steve Addison said they were investigating the incident, but have yet to zero on suspects Khalsa Diwan Society said “This act is part of an ongoing campaign by extremist forces to instill fear and division within Canadian Sikh community

INDIAN ORIGIN FINED FOR SMUGGLING PUPPY

An Indian origin Malaysian man, who concealed a puppy in a laundry bag while smuggling it into Singapore from Malaysia, was sentenced to eight weeks jail and fined SGD2,500 Mahentharan Ganesan, 43, pleaded guilty to three charges – one count of importing an animal without a licence and two counts of breaching his duty of care as an animal owner Immigration & Checkpoints Authority officers at Tuas checkpoint in Malaysia detected one live puppy concealed in a laundry bag and hidden in the spare tyre compartment of Mahentharan s vehicle during an inspection

PAKISTANI KILLS TWO INDIANS IN DUBAI

Two men from Telangana lost their lives, and another was injured in a Dubai bakery attack

The assailant reportedly a Pakistani national allegedly shouted religious slogans during the incident Ashtapu Premsagar 35 from Soan village in Nirmal district was one of the deceased according to his uncle A Poshetty The second victim was identified as Srinivas from Nizamabad district A third individual Sagar sustained injuries and is currently hospitalised Union Minister G Kishan Reddy expressed sorrow over the incident and has communicated with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar for assistance in returning the bodies to India

GUNMAN OPENS FIRE AT LANKA CHURCH

A gunman fired at a church in Sri Lanka police said, with the country on high alert six years since Easter Sunday bombings killed hundreds The gunman opened fire at a church in Manampitiya, 160 km northeast of the capital Colombo The shooting damaged windows and no one was hurt, while a suspect has been arrested “Initial investigations suggest that the suspect had targeted the church due to a personal enmity with the pastor ” the statement said Armed police and troops have been deployed to nearly all churches nationwide during Easter celebrations In 2019, suicide bombers killed 279 people at three churches and three hotels

D H A

Hindu leader abducted, beaten to death in Bangladesh

nent Hi ndu co

upazila of Dinajpur, Banglad esh, was allegedly abd ucted from h is hom e and beaten to death The victim, Bhabesh C hand ra Roy, 58, served as the vice-p resident

p an Parishad and w as a w ell-known fig ure in the local Hind u com

munity, locals said

Shantana Roy, Bhabesh was at home when he received a phone call around 4 30 pm She said the call was made by the perpetrators to confirm his presence at home About 30 minutes later, four men reportedly arrived on two motorcycles and abducted him Quoting eyewitnesses, the

Daily Star reported that Bhabesh was taken to Narabari village, where he was brutally assaulted

attackers allegedly brought back

home on a van Family members, aided by locals, rushed him to the Biral U

was later transferred to Dinajpur Medical College Hospital, where doctors declared him dead on arrival His body was sent for autopsy

Dhaka dismisses India's claims Meanwhile, Bangladesh has dismissed India’s allegation of

minorities as “baseless”, follow-

Responding to India’s ministry of external affairs reaction on

Hindu minister attacked in Pak during protest

IS L AM A BAD : A Pak ist an i Hin du minister of st ate wa s at ta ck ed in Sindh by pr otestor s opposing the fed era l gov t’s contr over sia l irr igation cana l projects on t he pret ex t that it would re duce t he downwa rd flow of rive rs ke y for ir rigat ion in t he southe rn province Khea l Das Kohist ani, stat e min ist er for r elig ious a ffa ir s in t he Shehbaz Shar ifhea ded g ovt, wa s d riving t hrough Tha tta district of the pr ovince whe n his mot orcade was pelt ed wit h t omat oes a nd pot atoe s

Officials said Kohistani remained unharmed in the attack Sindh Taraqi Pasand party’s Syed Jalal Shah was arrested for his involvement in the attack An FIR named several other members of his party

Shehbaz strongly condemned the attack on Kohistani and promised a thorough investigation “The attack on the public representatives is unacceptable The persons involved in the incident would be given exemplary punishment ” Minister for information Atta Tarar sought details of the incident from Sindh inspector general of police Ghulam Nabi Memon and a report from the federal interior secretary Sindh CM Syed Murad Ali Shah said that no one had the right to take the law into their own hands He directed police to immediately arrest the miscreants involved in the attack and submit a report

Diamond markets 'ground to a halt' by Trump's

tariffs

Di amo nd traders are warning that the $82bn industry has “ ground to a halt” becaus e o f Donald Trump’s tariff s and th e global trade war, with shi pments throu gh th e gem-trad ing h ub of A ntwerp do wn to about oneseventh of usual levels

Trump’s sweeping tariffs include a 10 per cent levy on diamond imports as well as proposed variable “retaliatory” duties by country of origin, even though many other minerals, such as gold and copper, are excluded from the measures

The US is the world’s largest diamond consumer, accounting for about half of global demand, but it has to import all of them as it has no domestic diamond mines Although the White House has “paused” the so-called retaliatory tariffs for 90 days, the baseline 10 per cent tariff is already in effect and remains in place The uncertain outlook has had a chilling effect on gemstone traders, as well as on India’s vast polishing industry Diamond shipments out of Antwerp, one of the world’s busiest centres for the stones alongside Dubai, came to a “standstill” after Trump announced the new global tariffs this month, according to Karen Rentmeesters, chief executive of the Antwerp World Diamond Centre

Musk wants a ‘legion’ of children

WA S H ING TO N: E lo n M usk w ants to hire surrog ates to carry enoug h of his children to w ard o ff an “apocalypse” , accord ing to the mother of one of his sons

Ashley St Clair, a conservative influencer and journalist, said the Tesla and SpaceX owner calls his ospring the “legion” - a reference to the military units that could contain thousands of soldiers deployed to expand the reach of the Roman Empire Musk, 53, has previously espoused so-called pronatalist beliefs, warning that “civilisation is going to crumble” if people do not start having more children Pronatalism, literally meaning probirth, is a broad ideological movement driven by concern that the world is no longer producing enough children

The world’s richest man is believed to have had 14 children with at least four women, but reporting by The Wall Street Journal suggests he may have “far more ” than has been disclosed

St Clair, 26, who shares Musk’s views on reversing the declining birthrate, revealed that while she was pregnant Musk asked that they bring in other women to have more children

Reshma Kewalramani among Time’s 100 Most Influential People of 2025

N E W Y O RK : Re s

Ph arm ac euticals, has been nam ed one of Time m agazine’s 100 Mo st I

medicine

In the Time profile written by Jason Kelly - co-founder and C E O o f G i n k g o B i o w o r k sKewalramani’s story is celebrated as the embodiment of the A m e r i c a n d r e a m : “ R e s h m a K e w a l r a m a n i ’ s j o u r n e y t o become the first female CEO of a large, public US biotechnology company after immigrating from India at age 11 embodies w h a t m a k e s A m e r i c a g r e a t , ” Kelly writes Kewalramani’s rise has been nothing short of groundbreaking After moving to the US from Mumbai, she completed Boston University’s prestigious seven-year liberal arts and medical education program in 1998, followed by a nephrology fell o w s h i p a t M a s s a c h u s e t t s General Hospital and Brigham

later earned a credential from H a

d B u s i n e s s S c h o o l ’ s General Management Program in 2015, rounding out her medical expertise with sharp business acumen

Beginning her career as a physician, Kewalramani served a t r

before transitioning into the biopharma industry She spent more than 12 years at Amgen before joining Vertex in 2017 Within a year, she became the c

e d i c a l Officer - and by 2020, President and CEO

Rina Gandhi vs Trump: Attorney leads charge over a wrongful deportation

NE W YORK: Rina Gandhi is the at torney behind one of t he m os t hi gh-pr ofi le i nt er na tion al le ga

ipp in g Was hington - the f ight to bring b

a M ar y l

n d f a t he r un l a wf u l l y deported to E l Salvador The cas e has bec om e a flas hpoint in the b r o ad e r l e g al r ec ko n in g wit h Trump-era imm igration pol ic ies and its def iance of s everal c ourt r ulings against it, and Gandhi is l eading the charge f or ac countab il ity On April 15, US District Judge Paula Xinis slammed the Trump administration for doing “nothing” to comply with the court’s m a n d a t e G a n d h i d i d n ’ t h o l d back either and told the media, “This is about the government

admitting to unlawfully removing a man from his home, his children, and then doing absolutely nothing to fix it,” she said after the hearing “We haven’t brought Kilmar home yet - but we will ” Gandhi, a senior partner at Murray Osorio PLLC, is no stranger to standing up to power For over a decade, she has been at t h e f o r e f r o n

o f i m m i g r a t i o n advocacy, blending legal expertise with a deep commitment to human rights

She leads the Maryland office of her firm, where she supervises t e a m

d petitions, asylum, humanitarian cases, and complex waivers for clients facing allegations of fraud, unlawful presence, or criminal convictions

Reshma Kewalramani

Pope Francis dies at 88

As the world mourns Popes’ passing, tributes and condolences pour in from all around the world

VaTiCan CiTY : Pope fran cis, t he first latin america n l eade r of t he roman Catholic Church, passed away on april 21 at t he a ge of 88 rev ered a cross t he w o r l d fo r hi s h u mi l it y , compa ssion , and refor mist zeal , his passing ma rks the end of a n

e r a for t he C a t h ol ic Ch ur ch D espite a recent recovery from d o ub l e p n e u mo n ia a n d a

h o pe f ul pu b l i c a pp e a r a n c e

d u r in g e a st e r S u n da y cel ebra tion s, the pontiff's dea th came unexpectedl y as preparations begin for the conclave to elect his successor, global attention has turned to the 135 cardinals eligible to vote

a m o n g t h e m a r e f o u r i n d i a n

cardinals: Cardinal filipe neri ferrão (72), archbishop of Goa and Daman; Cardinal Baselios Cleemis (64), Major archbishop-

C a t h o l i c o s o f t h e S y r oM a l a n k a r a C a t h o l i c C

M e t r o p o l i t a n a r c h b i s h o p o f Hyderabad and india’s first Dalit

c a r d i n a l a n d C a r d i n a l G e o r g e Jacob Koovakad (51), a Vatican diplomat and archbishop in the Syro-Malabar Church

i n d i a n P r i m e M i n i s t e r narendra Modi expressed deep

c o n d o l e n c e s , d e s c r i b i n g P o p e f r a n c i s a s “ a b e a c o n o f

recalled his meeting with the Pope during the G7 summit in italy The Government of india has declared a three-day state mourning to honour the Pope’s life and legacy W

Charles iii, and Vladimir Putin joined in mourning the pontiff’s passing in his tribute, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the P

powerful reminder of “his call to c

nations, and beliefs

King Charles iii posted his condolences on X, writing, “His Holiness will be remembered for his compassion, his concern for the unity of the Church, and his

common causes of all people of faith and goodwill The Queen and i remember with particular affection our meetings with His Holiness over the years, and we were greatly moved to have been

month

Condolences from Faith Communities

Maharaj sent a letter on behalf of

community The letter read, “on behalf of the worldwide BaPS

passing of His Holiness Pope

profound loss to the Catholic

around the world

community and other religious

mourning, we stand in solidarity

w i t h y o u W e s h a r e i n y o u r

sorrow and pray to God and all the divine energies that you find c o m f o r t i n t h e l e g a c y o f simplicity and compassion that Pope francis strove to promote May his vision of a more just and harmonious world continue to inspire us all ” Pujya Brahmavihari Swami and the BaPS Hindu Mandir in a b u D h a b i a l s o s h a r e d t h e i r s y m p a t h i e s T r u p t i P a t e l ,

President of the Hindu forum of Britain and Trustee of the HfB Charity, said, “With the passing of Pope francis, the world has l o s t a t r u e f a i t h l e a d e r w h o b e l i e v e d d

We pray for eternal peace for his soul and hope his commitment t

will continue to inspire future generations ” The funeral is set to take place on Saturday, 26 april at 10:00 local time (09:00 BST) in f

expected

leaders have confirmed their a t

, i n c

d i n g t h e Prince of Wales, US President Donald Trump, British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, and f r e n c h P r e s i d e n t e m m a n u e l

5 promising Indian climate researchers win Inflection Awards

r ecognize t he 30 most outsta nding young scie ntist s wor king on bre akthrough solutions

t o combat cl imat e change The awards were pr ese nted at a special cere mony in Par is, the b ir th pla ce of t he in t er na tio na l Tr e at y on Cl ima te Change

T h e i n f l e c t i o n a w a r d s , o r g a n i s e d b y Marble - a european climate-tech venture

s t u d i o - a n d s u p p o r t e d b y B r e a k t h r o u g h energy fellows and the Quadrature Climate foundation, celebrate early-career scientists

w h o a r e a d d r e s s i n g o n e o f h u m a n i t y ’ s greatest challenges

C h o s e n f r o m h u n d r e d s o f a p p l i c a n t s worldwide, the 30 awardees were selected for

their scientific excellence, innovation, and potential to drive real-world environmental change among them, five indian scientists stood out for their groundbreaking work in c l e a n e

capture, and environmental engineering: e s h a a n P a t h e r i a

chemistry at Caltech, is developing low-cost,

cathodes Passionate about energy equity, Garima raheja, a PhD candidate at Columbia University, works at the intersection of air q

contributed to climate policy at the White House, worked with naSa, and served as a US climate diplomat Mahendra Patel, a PhD student at ePfl, S

photoelectrochemical device that converts sunlight, water, and Co₂ into sustainable fuels His innovations could one day power vehicles and aircraft with clean energy Dr Monali Priyadarshini, an assistant Professor at ViT Vellore and iiT Kharagpur alumna, specializes in wastewater treatment u

multiple awards, she’s also an editor for major scientific journals like Scientific reports and Discover Water Vikas Dhamu, a PhD student at the national University of Singapore, is pioneering methods to store Co₂ in deep-sea sediments as clathrate hydrates - a potentially g a m e - c h a n g i n g

sequestration and reducing global emissions

GANDHI'S BUST UNVEILED IN SOUTH AFRICA

A larger-than-life bust of Mahatma Gandhi has been unveiled at the Anglo-Boer War Museum in the Free State province of South Africa where apartheid legislation had banned Indians for over a century The bust in bronze by Padma Bhushan Awardee Ram Vangi Sutar was donated to the museum by the Indian Council for Cultural Relations It was unveiled by Indian High Commissioner Prabhat Kumar alongside a documentary and a book on the hitherto untold story of the Indian involvement in the AngloBoer War of 1899-1902 Until Nelson Mandela was elected the first democratic president of South Africa in 1994, the province, previously known as Orange Free State debarred Indians by statute Even those travelling through the province to reach the coastal city of Durban, where their forebears first landed as sugarcane farm indentured labourers, had to secure advance permits

AHMADI MAN LYNCHED IN PAK, SEVERAL ARRESTED

The death of Laeeq Cheema a 47-year-old Ahmadi businessman killed by a mob for praying in a Karachi worship hall has ignited outrage exposing the relentless persecution of Pakistan’s Ahmadiyya community The attack was led by activists of far-right Tehreek-e Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) enraged over Cheema allegedly filming them A TLPaffiliated union council chairman and over a dozen others were arrested over the killing, but justice remains doubtful Human Rights Commission of Pakistan condemned police for taking 25 Ahmadis into “protective custody , calling it state-enabled persecution Posts on X labelled it as “religious apartheid”

ATTACKS ON PAKISTAN KFC OUTLETS

Police have arrested close to 200 people in Pakistan in recent weeks after more than 10 group attacks on outlets of the United States-based fast-food chain KFC sparked by anti-US sentiment, unconditional US backing for Washington’s close ally Israel and opposition to Israel’s war in Gaza, officials say The fast-food chain has become a target of protest and boycott calls by Islamist parties since the start of the war in Gaza as they link the brand to US support for Israel

DHAKA HALTS YARN IMPORTS FROM INDIA

r t h a k a r a Ś r e y ā ś a n ā t h a en d ow m e n t fo r Pr ofe ssor ship in Veg an and anima l advocacy St udies, ma de possible through a ge ner ous $1 m illio n g ift fr om Dr s Ja sva nt a nd Me er a M od i -pion ee ring philan thr opist s adva ncing g lobal Jain educat ion - a nd Dr na mrat a P ate l, a n a d v o c a t e f o r co m p a s si o n a n d n onv iolen ce studies

a r i h a n t a i n s t i t u t e h a s l a u n c h e d t h e

V e g a n S t u d i e s i n i t i a t i v e ( V S i ) , p r o m o t i n g veganism and animal advocacy as expressions of compassion and non-violence “The VSi empowers individuals to embody empathy in e v e r y d a y l i f e , ” s a i d D r J a s v a n t M o d i , supporting its mission to promote a vegan lifestyle and Jain education

VSi is now a key pillar of arihanta’s educational programs “Kindness to animals is a fundamental human value,” said Prem Jain, Chair of the fundraising Committee a major milestone is the establishment of the T

Professorship in Vegan and animal advocacy

S t u d i e s - a r i h a n t a ’ s f i

s t e n d o w e d professorship “our mission is to democratize e n

research, and scholarship in compassion and

ahimsā,” said founder and Ceo

Dr Parveen Jain

CST and Jain community celebrate landmark moment in interfaith education

loS anGeleS: in a historic ceremony at the Jain Center of S

C S C ) , CST announced the creation of The Bhagwan Chandraprabha endowed Professorship in Jain

Studies - a major milestone in

Jain academic engagement

Bangladesh’s National Board of Revenue (NBR) has suspended import of yarn from India through land ports Import of yarn through the Benapole Bhomra, Sonamasjid, Banglabandha and Burimari land ports will no longer be permitted These ports were the primary entry points for yarn imports from India A notification in this regard was issued with immediate effect Earlier India had withdrawn transshipment facility for Bangladesh The transshipment facility extended to Bangladesh had over a period of time resulted in significant congestion at our airports and ports, ministry of external affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said recently

L -R: Dr Brianne Donaldson, Dr Venu Mehta, Dr Nitin Shah, Dr Sulekh Jain, Ravi Jain, Rev Patricia Farris, Bishop Grant Hagiya, Kinna Gandhi, Valentine Toh, Dr Kah-Jin Jeffrey Kuan

The event, attended by over 100 guests

community, highlighted the longstanding

partnership between CST and Jains, dating

speakers included Dr nitin Shah (Chair of Jaina’s academic liaison Committee), Dr Jasvant Modi (lead donor), rev Patricia

President emeritus Dr Jeffrey Kuan

President Grant Hagiya praised the Jain

emphasis on forgiveness and compassion

“in today’s divided world, these values are vital,” he said The endowment was made possible by

along with support from CST’s leadership

UNHAPPY BNP MEETS YUNUS OVER ELECTION TIMETABLE

A delegation of Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), widely tipped to win next national elections, met chief adviser Muhammad Yunus in a “fruitless effort” to press him on the poll timetable Reacting to Yunus’s reiteration during the meeting that polls would be held between Dec and June next year, BNP’s Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said: “We are not at all satisfied if the election is not held by Dec political, economic and social situation will take a turn for the worse ” A member of Yunus administration said govt is committed to putting on trial members of Hasina’s govt for killing of protesters in the weeks before its toppling and implementing some key reforms before polls take place

L-R: Dr Jasvant Modi, Dr Parveen Jain, Dr Namrata Patel and Nagib Tharani

Global Lohana Business Convention concludes successfully in Dubai

D U B A I : T h e Lo h a n a

I n t e rn a t i o n a l B u s i n e s s Fo r um ( LI BF) c on cl ude d i ts l an dm ark

con ven tion , L IB F G C C Ca llin g

202 5, held at Hotel M ovenpi ck, Duba i from A pril 13 to 16, 202 5 With ov er 700 de lega tes from m o re th a n 18 c o u n tr i e s , t h e three -day summi t prove d to b e one of the most si gn ific ant glob al g at h e ri n gs of Lo h a n

industriali sts, and youth

The convention was inaugurated by His Excellency Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, followed by a dynamic series of plenary sessions focused on busin e s s o p p o r

s i n D u

a i , Saudi Arabia (Vision 2030), and

t h e b r o a d e r G C C r e g i o n K e y highlights included:

• Buyers -Sellers M eet ( Apri l 13) : Offering dedicated tables for exhibitors and delegates, facilitating focused B2B networking and collaboration

• Youth N etworki ng Evenings at Le M éri dien Dub ai on April 13

( B e e r T e r r a c e ) a n d A p r i l 1 4 (Warehouse) - vibrant platforms for next-gen Lohanas to connect and collaborate

• G lob al Con nect Loun ge : A d

investors from the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and GCC markets

• Sectoral Lounges: Curated sessions on real estate, technology, legal, finance, health, education, lifestyle, and more

• Cultural Even ings: A soulful Middle Eastern Night on April 14, and a grand Bollywood Musical Night on April 15, headlined by Divya Kumar, offering entertainment and celebration

A spiritual highlight of the convention was the visit to the BAPS Swaminarayan Mandir in Abu Dhabi, where delegates were

Shri Ashokbhai Kotecha for their

industrial visit to Fujairah also

had a meaningful experience

Chairman of LIBF and President of Shree Lohana Mahaparishad,

ED chargesheets Sonia, Rahul for money laundering in Herald case

Pav in g the way for fr amin g of criminal charg es a gainst fo rm er Con gr e ss pr esi de nt Sonia Gan dhi and l eader of o p po si t io n i n Lo k S a b ha R ahul Gandhi a nd their trial i n t h e Na t i o n a l H e r a l d money launder in g case, t he E n fo r ce m e n t D ir e c t or a t e

f il e d a p r o se cu t io n c omp la in t (cha rg eshe e t) in the case in volvin g all ege d proc e e d s o f cr i me wo r t h £5 00mn

T h e s p e c i a l M P / M L A court fixed April 25 as the next date of hearing of the case to decide on taking cognizance of the chargesheet in what marks a major turn in the case against the Gandhis and their close ones Sonia and Rahul, accused number

o n e a n d t w o r e s p e c t i v e l y , who unsuccessfully moved courts to get ED's proceedings quashed, are on bail Sources said five individuals and two companies have been named accused in the

c h a r g e s h e e t , i n c l u d i n g Sonia, Rahul and two other close family friends, besides Young Indian (YI), a compan y i n w h i c h t h e G a n d h i s h a v e c o n t r o l l i n g s t a k e Y I allegedly acquired all assets of Associated Journals Ltd (AJL) for a paltry sum of Rs 50,00,000 to settle the loan

i t ( A J L ) h a d t a k e n f r o m

C o n g r e s s a n d f a i l e d t o r e t u r n A J L , a C o n g r e s sowned company that pub-

l i s h e d p a r t y m o u t h p i e c e National Herald and associ-

a t e d p u b l i c a t i o n s , o w n s property worth, by a conservative estimate, millions of

rupees

The ED's case rests on the argument that Congress h a d a d v a n c e d t h e l o a n t o AJL, and not Young Indian, a “ n o n - p r o f i t ” i n w h i c h t h e Gandhis hold 76% stake, and therefore the party was the rightful owner of all of AJL’s assets ED set to turn up heat on Vadra Enforcement Directorate i s l i k e l y t o s o o n f i l e p r o s e c u t i o n c o m p l a i n t s (chargesheets) against Robert Vadra in at least three money laundering cases, including in the Gurgaon land deal case in which he was questioned for three days, officials aware of the probe said S o u r c e s i n d i c a t e d t h a t t h

expressed heartfelt gratitude to the entire Lohana community, sponsors, and volunteers

business convention

minds, hearts, and opportunities across borders The overwhelming response reaffirms our collective potential to shape the future together

whose generous support made this convention possible: •

Sponsor

• Vinmart Group – Presenting Sponsor

• APM Capital – Powered By Sponsor

India slams Pak for its army chief’s remarks on Kashmir

charges are framed against V a d

s i m u l t a n

s l y T h e o t h e r two pertain to his alleged links with fugitive arms dealer Sanjay Bhandari, who had a c

ceeds of crime from defence d e

deal case Vadra’s questioning by ED came within days o f t h e a

r g e s h e e t a g a i n s t S o n i a and Rahul in the National

H e r a l d m o n e y l a u n d e r i n g case Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi

Pa kistan ar my chief Ge n A sim M un ir spar ke d a contr over sy wit h a spee ch empha sising the n eed to in stil the ‘two-n ation the ory ’ , which led to the count ry's part ition along re ligious lines in 1947, in future ge ner at ion s Mun ir urg ed Pa kistan is t o share the count ry 's histor y with the ir childre n, str essin g tha t Muslims a nd Hin dus ha d dist inct re ligions, cust oms, t radit ions, thought s a nd am bitions Munir made the provocative address at t h e O v e r s e a s P a k i s t a n i s C o n v e n t i o n i n Islamabad In his speech, interspersed with references to what experts here called Islamic e x c e p t i o n a l i s m , M u n i r c a l l e d K a s h m i r Pakistan’s “jugular vein" and promised unwavering support for Kashmiris, stating, “We will not leave our Kashmiri brothers in their heroic struggle ” T h e I n d i a n g o v t b r u s h e d a s i d e t h e remarks, with the MEA spokesperson wondering how anything foreign could be there in a jugular vein “This is a Union Territory of

India Its only relationship with Pakistan is the vacation of illegally occupied territories by that country,” Randhir Jaiswal said The Indian intelligence establishment saw the toxic rhetoric as a calculated move to repair Pakistan army's faltering public image i n t h e w a k e o f a w o r s e n i n g c o n f l i c t i n Balochistan and a spate of killings in Karachi and other places The escalation of conflict with Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and Islamic State has only worsened its situation, with TTP frustrating Pakistan army's longheld ambition of using Afghanistan as a colony whose role was supposed to be limited to providing ‘strategic depth’ in the event of a full-scale confrontation with India Sources suspected that the timing, coinciding with the Waqf Act amendment, could be an attempt to instigate Indian Muslims besides motivating Pakistan based terrorist groups to regroup and attempt to create unrest

5 killed as rain ravages J&K’s Ramban and Reasi

Ramb an and Reasi districts , killing five people, f lattening

crops, s weeping away vehicl es, and b loc king highways

and Mohd Saqib, both 14,

when a cloudburst flattened

Seri Bagna village, Ramban

h t n i n g s t r i k e i n R e a s i ’ s

Dharhote village Around 50 sheep and goats also perished Flash floods damaged 40

h o u s e s - 1 0 o f t h e m c o mpletely -in Ramban Security

f o r c e s r e s c u e d 1 0 0 p e o p l e trapped in collapsed houses amid incessant rain, which also triggered landslides at n e a r l y a d o z e n l o c a t i o n s between Nashri and Banihal along Jammu-Srinagar NH, disrupting traffic “ S e v e r a l v e h i c l e s w e r e s w e p t a w a y i n t h e f l a s h flood A portion of JammuSrinagar NH near Panthial in Ramban-Banihal sector was

washed away, ” police said “Rescued people have been shifted to a nearby govt school We are monitoring the situation, and an assessment will be carried out later to provide help to the affected Our p r i o r i t y i s t o s a f e g u a r d human lives,” Ramban DC said

Union minister Jitendra S i n g h s a i d , “ A l l f o r m

s n o t t

c Together, we shall overcome t

another incident, over 100

partial damage after

through Kalakote in Rajouri

district 16 kille d in UP Heavy rain and thunderstorms have lashed parts of Uttar Pradesh, claiming at least 16 lives across six districts According to the data provided by govt, 11 of the deceased were women while

n Maximum six deaths were reported from Ayodhya, followed by five in Barabanki, two in Amethi and one each

d Bahraich While two deaths were caused by lightning, the

accidents due to high-velocity winds and intense rain, which included the collapse of tin sheds, walls, electric poles, trees and ceilings

Award winners with committee members and dignitaries at LIBF Convention

Lohana Mahaparishad President Satish Vithalani (second right) and other dignitaries at the LIBF Convention

Subhash V Thakrar OBE, receiving blessings from HH Brahmavihari Das Swami

File FIR against TN minister, Madras HC tells police

CH ENNAI: The Madr as high

c ou r t d i r e ct e d t he Ta m i l

Na du pol ice to file an FIR

a g a i n st fo r e st m in i st e r K Ponmudy for his derogat or y

c om m e n t s on w om e n , Shaivites, and Vaishna vites

Justice Anand Venkatesh called for advocate general

P S R a m a n , d u r i n g t h e hearing of a suo moto revision petition taken up in 2023 against the acquittal of P o n m u d y f r o m a d i s p

n a

e assets case The judge observed that the video of Ponmudy’s speech is still in public domain and it cannot be brushed aside though the minister has offered an apology The judge granted the AG

against the minister by the police, and posted further hearing of the suo motu proceedings to April 23

“Don’t register multiple FIRs Just register one FIR and proceed with it Law is for everybody When the Govt takes others’ hate speeches seriously, the same must be done when a Minister himself makes it,” the justice said in his oral remarks

A d v o c a t e g e n e r a l P S R a

will investigate and register an FIR The judge said, “If they don’t register FIR, I will initiate suo motu contempt

Now, the court has taken

Even If they do not have a complaint, register a case and proceed

added The judge further said that the incriminating video was in the public domain “We do not know when it will flare up There was no escape from this The police need not register multiple FIRs, one FIR was enough,” the judge added

Previously, the Madras High Court

December 2023 which had led to his immediate disqualification as a MLA and as minister for Tamil Nadu’s higher

conviction and four-year jail sentence in a disproportionate assets (DA) case Following this, he was inducted again into the Stalin-led cabinet

Court allows Karnataka Lokayukta to continue Muda scam probe

r epre sent at iv es direct ed Loka yuk ta police

con tinue in vestiga tions int o t he Mysore Urban Deve lopme nt A ut hority (Muda) alte rna tive site a llotme nt sca m and submit a fin al repor t

The Bengaluru court was passing its order reserved on protest petitions filed by Mysuru complainantactivist Snehamayi Krishna and the ED against the closure report in case by Lokayukta police

“The Lokayukta is permitted to conduct further

conclusive final report on or before the next date of hearing (May 7, 2025) Further, ED is considered as aggrieved person for a limited extent The question of considering the acceptance or rejection of ‘B’ final report filed by the investigating agency is kept pending

investigating agency, ” special judge Santosh Gajanana Bhat observed

preliminary report giving a clean chit to the four accused - CM Siddaramaiah, wife Parvathi, her elder brother Mallikarjuna Swamy, and landowner Devarajsaying there was no evidence against them in the alleged scam The alleged scam was exposed in 2024 when Krishna petitioned the special court stating that there were largescale irregularities in the allotment of alternative sites, particularly 14 sites allotted to the CM’s wife, Parvathi Accordingly, the special court directed Mysuru Lokayukta police wing to register a case The four accused and others were named in the FIR registered by Lokayukta police on Sept 27

2 held for 'planning' attacks on Amit Shah, Bittu and Majithia

CH A N D IG A R H : Pun jab P olice h a v e a r r e st e d

c on n e c t io n wi t h a W h a t sA pp gr oup a lle gedly supporting jailed M P A m

it S

B J P M P R a v n e e t Singh Bittu, an d Shiromani Akali

D a l l e a d e r B ik r a m S i n gh

Majithia

The plot was uncovered after leaked screenshots of the group chat surfaced on social media,

i s

NORTH-EAST

Storm batters

Tripura, 445 houses damaged

At least 445 houses were damaged as heavy rain and storm hit Tripura Two people were injured as the roof of a house collapsed on them Many electric poles were damaged and many trees were uprooted A

Mohanpur sub-division of West District witnessed massive destruction, followed by

stated that in Mohanpur sub division of West District, 261 houses were damaged, including 65 severely and 196 partially In Karbook, 158 houses were damaged - 26

district, 7 houses were damaged In Jirania sub-division under West District, 3 houses were damaged partially In Teliamura subdivision under Khowai district, 16 houses

district, two persons were injured, 14 trees were uprooted, and 22 electric poles were damaged In Udaipur sub-division, 10 trees were uprooted, and 27 electric poles were damaged

CONG LEADER SLAMS ASSAM CM'S 'LUNGI' REMARK

i s P u n j a b D e T e a m ’ , i s believed to be linked to antinational activities and reportedly included over 600 members T h e C y b e r C r i m e P o l i c e Station in Moga registered an FIR under multiple sections of the Indian Penal Code, Unlawful

S a r d a r g a r h , f r o m B

Sections 61(2)(a), 113(3), 152, 353 of

(BNS)

t h i n d a , Balkar Singh, from New Model Town, Khanna and Pawandeep Singh, from Khote, Moga Of the t h r e e , B a l k a r a n d P a w a n d e e p have been arrested

The accused are alleged to have incited unrest by opposing

Mamata warns people indulging in violence over Waqf law

K O L K A T A : Pe op le w a n ti n g t o protest agai nst the new W aqf law

s h ou ld go to D el h i an d s ee k appointments with the PM and the P r es i d e nt i n s t ea d o f ri o ti n g i n B engal, CM Mamata B anerjee said w hil e ann ounc in g com pens ati on of Rs 10,00,000 each to the families o f th e t hr e e p e opl e ki l l ed i n Murshidab ad

“Those trying to fish in muddy waters, irrespective of religion and stature, won’t be spared I will not let Bengal boil,” Mamata told a gathering of imams and muezzins

a t N e t a j i I n d o o r S t a d i u m

“Remember, I am here to support y o u T h e B h a n g a r i n c i d e n t w a s u n n e c e s s a r y G o v t p r o p e r t y w a s damaged, cars were torched ”

The CM said she had received video messages from people of the a f f e c t e d a r e a s a b o u t “ o u t s i d e r s ” s t o k i n g t r o u b l e “ H i n d u s a n d Muslims there live in harmony

B a r e f o o t o u t s i d e r s i n B S F - l i k e uniform entered the area, just like in Nandigram I will probe all of this The fight is not just yours but

also to protect the Constitution and our country ”

Mamata warned that indulging in violence over the Waqf law was tantamount to “cutting yourself with an axe and helping BJP”

“If you get agitated, they will win If you stay calm, you will win If there is a crisis, you have to overcome it,” she said The CM u r g e d M

protest “Contact everyone across the states We will be with you If BJP is instigating, challenge them

she said

Besides compensation for the families of the deceased, the CM

their houses in mob violence would get new dwellings under the state’s Banglar Bari scheme She said the Trinamool Congress govt would a

affected by the violence “We don’t see religious identities of victims but their pain,” Mamata said

the extension of Amritpal Singh’s d e t e n t i o n u n d e r t h e N a t i o n a l Security Act (NSA) They also r e p o r t e d l y d i s c u s s e d a c t s o f violence targeting political and religious figures, including Amit S h a h , R a v n e e t S i n g h B i t t u , Bikram Majithia, and Parminder Singh Talwara - an aide to the l a t e D e e p S i d h u , f o u n d e r o f ‘Waris Punjab De’ P o l i c e s o u r c e s c l a i m t h e group chat included discussions o n f o r e i g n f u n d i n g , a r m s procurement, and the circulation of inflammatory content online S e c u r i t y a g e n c i e s a t b o t h t h e state and national levels have t a k e n n o t e o f t h e c h a t s , a n d security for the targeted leaders has been heightened

SC lets ‘untainted’ Bengal teachers work till Dec 31

NEW DE L HI : A fortnigh t after quash ing the appointm ent of 25,0 00-o dd teachers and non-teach ing staff and terming the recruitm ent process “ irreparably v itiated”, Sup reme Co urt ag ree d to West B eng al g o v t’s p lea to allo w ‘ u ntainted cand idates’ to continue as teachers till Dec 3 1 With the Mamata Banerjee-led TMC govt climbing down from its confrontational stance immediately after SC’s April 3 verdict and moving a fervent plea to let the ‘untainted’ candidates continue to fill the shortfall in teaching staff for Classes 9-12, a bench of CJI Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Sanjay Kumar said, “We are inclined to accept the prayer to ensure that the studies of students do not suffer ” The court clarified that continuance of such candidates would not give them any additional weightage in the fresh recruitment process, which would start with the publication of advertisements on v a

n d

instrumentalities to file an affidavit before May 31 detailing how it would complete the recruitment process by Dec 31 Failure to publish the ad would enable the court to recall its order allowing ‘untainted’ candidates to continue and impose cost on the govt,” the SC said The bench flatly rejected the united plea of the state govt, the education board and the school service commission, through senior advocates Kapil Sibal, Rakesh Dwivedi, Neeraj K Kaul and Jaideep Gupta, to allow the ‘untainted’ among non-teaching staff to a l s o c o n t i n u e

completed

“We are not accepting the plea for non-teaching staff as the proportion of tainted candidates in this category is very high,” the bench said

In a fiery exchange of political barbs, Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) President Bhupen Borah has lashed out at Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma over his recent comment suggesting that the Congress party should replace its traditional hand symbol with a lungi Borah retorted by suggesting that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) should consider adopting the gun used by Nathuram Godse Mahatma Gandhi's assassin as their party symbol Addressing the media Borah criticised Sarma's remarks as disrespectful and unbecoming of a leader occupying a position once held by Bharat Ratna Gopinath Bordoloi He emphasised that the Congress party had been instrumental in Sarma s political rise, questioning the Chief Minister s apparent forgetfulness of his roots Borah highlighted the inclusive nature of the Congress party, stating, "For us, lungi, dhoti, pyjama – all are equal I wear all of them Our perspective is inclusive " Taking a sharp dig at the BJP's ideological roots, Borah remarked, "If BJP can dictate our party symbol, then by that logic, the gun with which Nathuram Godse assassinated Mahatma Gandhi should be the BJP’s symbol BJP-RSS politics began with Godse’s bullet "

MANIPUR POLICE ARREST 8 MILITANTS, RESCUE WOMEN

Manipur police have arrested eight militants associated with the Kangleipak Communist Party (People’s War Group) and rescued four individuals, including three women, officials confirmed Earlier, police and other security personnel raided a militant hideout in Heirok, Thoubal district, arresting seven hardcore cadres of the KCP (PWG) faction A separate operation in Wangoi, Imphal West district, led to the capture of another KCP (PWG) militant The confiscated arms include two INSAS rifles, one INSAS Light Machine Gun, one carbine, an MK-11 rifle approximately 170 rounds of various ammunition, a radio handset, a twowheeler a car, multiple identity cards, and other incriminating materials In another operation police rescued four individuals including three women who were unlawfully detained in a house in Langol Laimanai under the Imphal Municipal Council Three suspects members of the group Amour of Manipur were arrested in connection with the illegal confinement The group had allegedly demanded ₹500,000 from the victims over an elopement-related dispute

WEST BENGAL

Amit Shah, Bikram Singh Majithia and Amritpal Singh

K Ponmudy

Govt to keep contentions provisions of waqf law on hold

T h e U n i o n g ov t p r e- em p t ed a

loom ing Supreme Court stay o n certain contentious prov isions of

t h e r ec en tly en ac te d W aqf ( Amendment) Act by assuring that it will make no app ointments to

t h e C e ntr al W aqf

C o u nc i l an d

A uqaf Board s and m aintain status quo on waqfs, includ ing ‘waqf by u ser ’ , already registered or declared u nd er the Waqf A ct, 1 995

A c c e p t i n g

refraining from ordering interim stay on certain provisions of the Act, a bench of Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna and Justices Sanjay Kumar and K V Viswanathan asked the Centre, states and all waqf boards to file their responses to the over 150 petitions within seven days

The SG’s assurance came after the CJI observed, “We had said there were some positive things in the

law We have also stated that there cannot be a complete stay At the same time, we also don't want the situation to change from what is prevailing now ” The CJI flagged the ‘waqf by user ’ provision and the stipulation that a person had to be practising Islam for five years to be eligible to be a waqif but did not elaborate further

The court asked the petitioners, who have challenged the constitutional validity of the changes made to the Waqf Act, 1995, on the

religion, to file rejoinders in five days after the Centre, states and waqf boards file their responses It posted further hearing on May 5

Gujarati man sentenced to 8 years in US prison for fraud

A Gu jarat orig in m an, who entered the U S on a v isitor

v isa, has been sentenced to 90 mo nths in prison for his r o le i n a fr au d ta rg e ti ng s e ni o r A m er ic a n ci ti z ens

P ratik Patel, aged around 40 years, plead ed guilty to w ire fraud charg es in Jan after being arrested for co llecting $80 ,00 0 from a 7 5-year-o ld v ic ti m i n F ai rbo r n, O h io F ollowing his p rison term,

P atel f aces three years o f sup ervised release and p ossible deportatio n According to court documents, Patel was part of a sophisticated scam, suspect-

ed to have been operated from India, which targeted elderly victims across multiple states including Ohio, C

Texas and Virginia

The fraud came to light w

resident reported receiving calls from individuals posing as Amazon representatives

the victim’s social security number was linked to suspicious banking activities and

multiple cash transfers P

Feb 7, 2024 - the same day his US visa expired - while attempting to collect another box containing $40,000

During interrogation, Patel claimed he was working for a n i n d i v i d u a l n a m e d J a c k who provided addresses and instructions via WhatsApp P a t e l a d m i t t e d r e c e i v i n g between $500 to $1,500 per collection, stating he needed money to send his family back to India Four to five Gujaratis have been arrested in similar scams in the US

India becomes one of world's leading recipients of remittances

India has e me rged as one of

t he wor l d’ s l e a din g r ecip i-

e n t s of r e m it t a n c e s, wi t h inflows more t han doubl in g f r om U S$ 5 5 6 b il l io n in 2010-11 to US$ 118 7 bill ion in

2 0 23 -2 4, a cc or d i n g t o t he R ese rve Ba nk of India’s (RBI)

l a t e st R e mi t t a n ce s S ur v e y 2025

I n F Y 2 4 , o v e r h a l f o f

I n d i a ’ s r e m i t t a n c e s c a m e from advanced economies, including the United States

o f A m e r i c a , U n i t e d

K i n g d o m , S i n g a p o r e , Canada, and Australia, signalling a shift in the global remittance landscape

On the contrary, the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, known to be primary sources of remittances

t o I n d i a h i s t o r i c a l l y , h a v e shown significant decline

The US emerged as the l a r g e s t s o u r c e , a c c o u

, u p from 23 4 per cent in FY21

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) followed as the second-largest source, though its share fell to 19 2 per cent in FY24 from 27 per cent in FY17 Despite this longerterm decline, the UAE’s contribution has seen a modest

FY21 This contrast between the US and UAE highlights

employed in blue-collar jobs

- the US workforce largely comprises white-collar professionals As a result, even with fewer migrants, the US

higher share of remittances

share since FY17, accounting

from 5 5 per cent in FY17

India’s top 10 inward remittance sources in FY24 are: United States 27 7%; U n i t e d A

i r a t e s 19 2%; United Kingdom 10 8%; Saudi Arabia 6 7%; Singapore 6 6%; Qatar 4 15; Kuwait 3 9%; Canada 3 8%; Oman 2 5% and Australia 2 3%

Bhagavad Gita, Natyashastra added to UNESCO’s heritage list

Th e B ha g av a d Gi t a an d Bharat Muni’s Natyas has tra ha v e be e n in s c r i b ed in U NE S CO ’ s pr e s t i gi ou s M e m o r y of t he Wor l d

Re gis t e r, r ec og niz in g the ir endur ing cul tura l and philos ophica l s ignif ic ance

P r i m e M i n i s t e r

N a r e n d r a M o d i e x p r e s s e d his joy on the achievement, saying, “A proud moment for e

world! The inclusion of the G i t a a n d N a

i n UNESCO’s Memory of the World Register is a global recognition of our timeless w i s d o m a n d r i c h c u l t u r e These works have nurtured civilisation and consciousness for centuries, and continue to inspire the world ”

UNESCO announced on April 17 that 74 new entries h

As CJI Khanna retires on May 13, it is to be seen whether he will hear the petitions or assign these to another bench

S i n

Council has been defunct for the last three years, assurances made by Mehta not to make any appointment to the council appears to be of little consequence to the Union govt The petitioners have questioned the provision for nomination of two non-Muslims to the council and boards as interference in the Muslim community’s fundamental right under Article 26

The SG clarified that if states n

q a f Boards, most of which are continuing as their remaining tenure is protected by the Act, in the next two weeks when the SC is seized of the matter, it would be termed void The assurance to preserve the

sanctity of waqfs and ‘waqfs by user ’ already registered or notified under the Waqf Act, 1995, is part of the amended Act, which says, “ existing ‘waqf by user ’ properties registered on or before the comm e n c e m e n t o f t h e W a q f (Amendment) Act, 2025, as ‘waqf by user ’ will remain as waqf properties except that the property, wholly or in part, is in dispute or is a government property”

What the assurance means is that the govt may not reopen ‘waqf

amended Act, even if there is a dispute about the property being govt land This was one of the major concerns of the petitioners who said the validity of old waqf properties could be reopened by creating a dispute about these being govt properties

IMD predicts above normal monsoon for most of India

I n d i a w i l l mo s t l i k e l y r e ce i v e ‘ a b o v e - n o rm a l ’ s ou th we s t mo ns o on ov er the country as a whole th is ye ar, wi th the met de partment say in g that there is a s trong probab ility (59%) of t ha t “Qu an t i ta ti v e ly , t he s eas onal r ain fall ov er the coun try as a whole is lik ely to be 10 5% of the long perio d a v e ra g e (LP A ) w i th a model e rror of ± 5 %,” s aid M Ravi chan dran , secretary , min istry of ea rth sci ences , w h il e re l ea s i n g t h e f o recast

If IMD’s forecast comes true, this will be the second

consecutive year of ‘abovenormal’ monsoon rainfall

Records show that the met d e p a r t m e n t ’ s f o r e c a s t comes quite close to the actual rainfall and the marg i n o f e r r o r h a s b e e n r e d u c e d s u b s t a n t i a l l y i n the past four years

“Average absolute error during the last four years (2021-24) was 2 3% of LPA compared to 7 5% of LPA during the previous four years (2017-20),” said IMD chief M Mohapatra

The LPA (1971-2020) of t h e s e a s o n a l ( J u n e - S e p t ) rainfall over the country as

a whole is 87cm It means the country may overall get more than 91cm of rainfall during the rainy season

Last year, IMD predicted monsoon rainfall to the extent of 106% of the LPA, whereas the actual one figured at 108% Similarly, the actual rainfall was 94% of the LPA in 2023 against the forecast of 96%

T h o u g h n o r t h e a s t India, Tamil Nadu and a few parts of Bihar are likely to receive ‘below-normal’ rainfall, most other parts of t h e c o u n t r y , m a y g e t ‘above-normal’ rainfall

Indian students account for 50 per cent of US visa cancellations

Th e U nited States governm ent’s recent crackdown on international stu dents has dis pro port io n a te l y im p a c t ed I n dia n na t io n al s , w h o make u p the larges t sh are o f visa revo catio ns

Ac c o rd in g to a r e p o r t b y t h e A m er ic a n I m m i gr a ti o n La w y e rs A s s o c ia t io n (AI LA) , I ndian stu dents acc ount fo r 50% of th e 327 recent vis a cancellations doc umented by th e o rganiz ation

The AILA report, titled “The Scope of I m m i g r a t i o n E n f o r c e m e n t A c t i o n s A g a i n s t International Students,” also shows that students from China represent 14% of the cases, followed by individuals from South Korea, Nepal, and Bangladesh However, Indian students remain the most affected by far

P a r t i c u l a r l y h a r d - h i t a r e s t u d e n t s o n

Optional Practical Training (OPT), a program that allows F-1 students to work in the US for up to 12 months after graduation Half of the affected students were participating in OPT at

, California, New York, Michigan, and Arizona seeing the highest numbers of impacted students Over the past four months, the US State Department and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) have intensified scrutiny of foreign students - examining not only visa status but also alleged involvement in activism

Some reports suggest that artificial intelligence tools are being used to flag students, raising concerns about the possibility of inaccurate targeting, including individuals with no criminal records or links to campus protests India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has taken note MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated, “We are aware that several Indian students have received communication from the US government regarding their F-1 visa status We are looking into the matter Our Embassy and consulates are in touch with the students ”

India lashes out at Dhaka for its remarks on Bengal violence

d Register this year, bringing the total number of regis-

entries span a wide spectrum of global heritage, including s c i e n t i f i c m a n u s c

archives highlighting promi-

records on the memory of

documents of international

Fo llo win g Ban g la d es h’s re m ar k s on W est Beng al v iolen ce, the In dian govt hit out a t the int er im gov t in Dha ka say ing it sh ould focus on pr ot ectin g t he right s of it s own minor it ies inst ead of indulging in v ir tue sign alling

The Indian govt also said that the criminal perpetrators of violence against minorities in Bangladesh continued to roam free “ W e r e j e c t t h e r e m a r k s m a d e b y t h e Bangladesh side with regard to the incidents in West Bengal This is a barely disguised and disingenuous attempt to draw a parallel with India’s concerns over the ongoing persecution of minorities in Bangladesh where the criminal perpetrators of such acts continue

Randhir Jaiswal

“Instead of making unwarranted com-

Bangladesh would do better to focus on protecting the rights of its own minorities,’’ he

Bangladesh officials on the developments in West Bengal Shafiqul Alam, the press secretary to Bangladesh chief adviser Muhammad Yunus, called on New Delhi to

Significant progress made in trade talks, say India and US after Modi, Vance meet

U S Vice Presid ent J D Vance met

Ind ian P rim e Minister Narendra

M odi on Monday 21 Ap ril and both

s i d es “ w el co m ed t he si g ni

p rog ress ” in negotiations to wards an India-US bilateral trade pact, fram ing it as a “ new and mod ern trade ag reem ent ” Vance, on a four-day visit, met Modi amid the backdrop of the sweeping tariff regime announced by Trump - which has been paused

countries, including India

beneficial India-US Bilateral Trade Agreement focused on the welfare of the people of the two countries,” the Prime Minister’s Office said in a statement

Echoing this was the White H

Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA) a

t h e T e r m s o f R e f e r e n c e f o r t h e n e g o t i a t i o n s , laying down a roadmap for further d i s c u s s i o n s a b o u t o u r s

economic priorities ”

The White House statement

s a i d t h a t t h e B T A i s a n opportunity to negotiate a “ new a n d m o d e r n t r a d e a g r e e m e n t focused on promoting job creation

a n d c i t i z e n w e l l - b e i n g i n b o t h c o u n t r i e s , w i t h t h e g o a l o f e n h a n c i n g b i l a t e r a l t r a d e a n d

s u p p l y - c h a i n i n t e g r a t i o n i n a balanced and mutually beneficial manner ”

I t a d d e d : “ G u i d e d b y t h e i r respective visions of ‘Amrit Kaal for I n d i a ’ a n d ‘ G o l d e n A g e f o r America,’ BTA is expected to create new opportunities of growth for w o r k e r s , f a r m e r s , a n d entrepreneurs in both countries ”

This push at the highest level

comes right before a three-day US visit by Indian negotiators, under the leadership of Rajesh Agrawal

( A d d i t i o n a l S

Commerce Ministry), on April 23 to d r

issues, including tariffs, non-tariff barriers, and services

“The Terms of Reference (ToR) have been finalised and will be further developed with the aim of

within the 90-day pause window N

negotiation, covering areas such as tariffs, non-tariff barriers, rules of origin, and customs facilitation,”

said Besides the trade agreement, the Indian statement also noted “

enhancing cooperation in energy, defence, strategic technologies and other areas ” “ T h

dialogue and diplomacy as the way forward,” it said, while referring to the conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East

Both sides referred to the PMT r u m p

review the progress achieved in

implementation of the outcomes of the India-US Joint Statement issued on 13 February 2025 ” A

d i n g t o t h e P M O statement, the PM “fondly recalled his visit to Washington and his fruitful discussions with President

leveraging the strengths of Make America Great Again (MAGA) and Viksit Bharat 2047 ” The White House statement s

extended “his sincere gratitude to Prime Minister Modi for being such a gracious host to Second Lady Usha Vance, their children,

and productive visit to India”

expanded one with members of each country’s delegation The PM h

n Second Lady Usha Vance and their three children Ewan, Vivek and Mirabel over dinner at his 7 Lok Kalyan Marg residence after the talks

26 killed in brutal terror attack on tourists in J&K

Continued from page 1

Surat man among v ictims

Shailesh Kalathiya from Surat lost his life in the terrorist attack Meanwhile, an elderly man named Vinubhai Dabhi from Bhavnagar was shot in the hand and has been taken for treatment A group of 20 people from Bhavnagar had gone to attend Morari Bapu’s Katha, out of which 3 people are missing Around 16 members of the group are safe Following the incident, Morari Bapu has cut short his Ramkatha In addition, another

Parmar (son)- are still missing

among the 12 injured A lert in Delhi, Mum bai

Following the terrorist attack in Pahalgam, an alert has been issued in both Delhi and Mumbai Delhi Police have been instructed to remain vigilant at tourist spots a n d o t h e r i m p o r t

(Deputy Commissioners of Police)

t o s t a y o n h i g h a l e r t i n t h e i r respective areas

Lashkar-e-Taiba claims responsibility

Lashkar-e-Taiba has claimed r

e attack The investigation into the attack has been handed over to the NIA (National Investigation Agency)

J a m m u a n d K

s h m i r C M Omar Abdullah condemned the a t t a c k , d e

i b i n g i t a

a n “abomination” He said the details of the death toll are still being ascertained, and called the attack “much larger than anything we ’ ve seen in recent years ” People from all political parties were united in condemning the attack

Modi cuts short visit P r i m e M i n i s t e r N

a Modi, who arrived in Saudi Arabia on a two-day visit on Tuesday, has cut short his trip following the t e r

Kashmir The Prime Minister is

JD Vance and family explore India’s rich heritage on first visit US Vice President JD Vance, accompanied by his wife Usha and their three children Ewan, Vivek, a

i t e d t h e S w a m i n a r a y a n A k s h a r d h a m Mandir in New Delhi during their f o u r - d a y t r i p t o I n d i a U p o n arriving in Delhi, the family went straight from the airport to the Mandir There, they explored the site’s rich art, architecture, and cultural heritage In the guest book, US Vice President JD Vance expressed his gratitude, “Thank you for your warm hospitality in welcoming my family and me to this beautiful place It's a true credit to India that such a stunning temple was built with such precision and care Our kids especially loved it God bless ” T h e n e x t d a y , h e w a s accompanied by his family, visited Amer Fort in Jaipur Arriving by jeep, they were welcomed by two elephants at Jaleb Chowk, while folk artists performed traditional d a n c e s l i k e K u t c h h i G h o d i , Ghummar, and Kalbeliya Chief M i n i s t e r B h a j a n

family Vance

expected to arrive early on Wednesday Earlier, Modi held a telephone call with Home Minister Amit Shah

incident Shah has left for Srinagar to hold an urgent

with all the agencies

PDP leader Mehbooba Mufti

unite in solidarity to support the

Putin expressed condolences to Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the tragic terrorist attack in Kashmir US Vice President JD Vance who is in India on a four

condemned the Pahalgam terror

extend our condolences to the victims of the devastating terrorist attack in Pahalgam, India ” US President Donald Trump

Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, and offered America's full support in bringing the perpetrators to justice

Ganesh Pol, Mansingh Mahal, and

daughter the views from all sides

Rambagh Palace

During their Jaipur visit, Usha Vance shared, “This is JD Vance and the kids' first visit to India, and it’s been truly special India is growing, young, and vibrant, and he’s been very impressed by its culture and trajectory ” She continued, “This is a trip of a lifetime I’ve been to India before, but I wanted to share this

recalling the colourful Rajasthani

elephants, Chanda and Puja S

International Centre, attended by

emphasised future collaboration between the US and India, saying, “ W

Javelin to Stryker combat vehicles, weapons, and ammunition, and develop new tech innovations to

Musk confirms India visit after talks with PM Modi

E lo n M u sk , th e w o rld ’ s r ic h es t man, has confirmed th at h e’ll be visiting Ind ia later this year In a post on social media, the Tesla and SpaceX C EO also shared that it was an ho nour to speak wi th P ri me Minister Narendra M odi, hinting at exciting d ev elopm ents ahead

E l o n M u s k m a d e t h e a n n o u n c e m e n t a f t e r a teleconference with Prime Minister Modi last week Modi said they

talked about shared interests in areas like technology, innovation, space, and mobility M u s k , w h o h e a d s T e s l a a n d SpaceX, called the conversation an honor He hinted at growing ties between India and his companies Talking about his call with Musk, PM Modi shared on X that they discussed several topics, including those from their earlier meeting in Washington DC

Khalistani terrorist Harpreet Singh arrested by FBI

The Fed era l Bur eau of Inv estiga tion has ar reste d Ha rpre et Sing h, also kn own as Happy Pa ssia, in Sacra men to Singh, a fug itive wan ted for orche st rat ing mult iple t err or att acks in In dia, wa s ta ke n in to cust ody by t he FBI in coordin ation wit h En for ce men t an d Re moval Oper ation s

According to the FBI, Singh entered the US illegally and had been evading authorities using burner phones and encrypted messaging platforms The FBI has linked Singh to Pakistan’s intelligence agency, ISI, and the pro-Khalistan terrorist outfit Babbar Khalsa International In a public statement, the bureau emphasized the significance of Singh’s collaboration with both ISI and BKI, stating it demonstrates a troubling connection between Pakistanbased networks and extremist Khalistani elements

“This case reinforces the importance of international cooperation in a p p r e h e

acknowledging the assistance of its legal attaché office in New Delhi Indian authorities had earlier informed US counterparts that Singh was implicated in at least 16 terrorist incidents across Punjab between late 2024 and early 2025, including 14 grenade attacks, an IED blast, and an RPG strike targeting police personnel and infrastructure

PM Modi meets the Vice President of the United States, Mr JD Vance, Second Lady Usha Vance and their children at his residence, in 7 Lok Kalyan Marg, New Delhi

US Vice President JD Vance with his family at Swaminarayan Akshardham Mandir New Delhi

Tourists injured during the terror attack

Born: 18/10/1928

In Loving Memory

Died: 13/04/2025

Mrs Nirmala Shukla (Pandit) ç¾.ĴЪ¸¯Ъ ╙³¸↓»Ц ¿ЬŬЦ (´є╙¬¯)

It is with deep sadness that we announce the passing away of our beloved Mother, Mrs Nirmala Shukla (Pandit). She passed away peacefully in her sleep on Sunday morning, 13th April, 2025, at Aashna House, where she had been living for over ten years. Mum was born on the 18th October, 1928, into the Pandit family who had migrated from Morbi, Gujarat. She came to England as a young mother in 1954 and settled in Brighton, Sussex, where she lived for over 70 years. Mum was a devoted wife, a loving Mother, a grandmother and a great, great-grandmother and a cherished friend who touched the lives of all who knew her. Mum was known for her unwavering affection, kindness, warmth, caring nature and her ability to make everyone welcome and valued, which was a gift she shared with everyone. Mum’s wisdom and love will forever be missed by her family, friends and all who were fortunate to have known her. We find comfort in knowing that her love will live on in the hearts of those who loved her the most. We now celebrate her long life well-lived.

Om shanti: shanti: shanti Ambe Ambe Jay Ambe

Sudha Mehta (Daughter)Vinay Mehta (Son-in-law)

Rajendra Shukla (Son)Arvinda Shukla (Daughter-in-law)

Bina Riglesford (Daughter)Antony Riglesford (Son-in-law)

Sudhir Shukla (Son)Suzana Shukla (Daughter-in-law)

Grand children and Family

Meenal Willshire, Andrew Willshire, Sanjay Mehta, Seema Mehta, Kiren Shukla, Neel Shukla, Kael Riglesford, Maxwell Shukla, Hanna Shukla, Jackson Shukla

Great Grand children

Rikku Willshire, Cai Willshire Anand Mehta, Deven Mehta Contact

Sudha Mehta (M) 0772 404 8860

Jay Gayatri Mata

Jay Ambamata

Shree Satya Saibaba

The growing appeal of Indian tea

Tea remains the UK’s favourite hot drink, with over 100 million cups enjoyed every day.

As the UK celebrates National Tea Day on April 21st, it's clear that Britain's love affair with tea is as strong as ever though the flavours are more diverse than before

English brews, teas from India are gaining a firm place in British cups From the bold and spicy masala

warmth I

trendy tea bars across the

i t e ,

o f f e r i n g a b l e n d o f nostalgia, wellness, and a vibrant kick of spice

T h i s g r o w i n g popularity is not just about taste, it's a reflection of the UK’s evolving tea culture and deepening connection with South Asian heritage

S p e a k i n g t o A s i a n

V o i c e , M i ra M an e k f o un de r of c ha i b r an d ‘ Chai by Mira’ and author o f ‘ Th e B o ok of Ch ai ’ emphasised that tea fosters cross-cultural connections “Chai is more than just a drink, it’s an emotion, a

m o m e n t t o p a u s e , ” s h e said “It’s a ritual that slows you down, warms the body with spices, awakens the s e n s e s , a n d e v o k e s

m e m o r i e s F o r m a n y Indians, chai is ‘home’, a

l i n k t o f a m i l y , t r a d i t i o n , and belonging As I wrote ‘The Book of Chai’, I saw how this humble cup has

t r a v e l l e d a c r o s s b o r d e r s , c a r r y i n g s t o r i e s o f m i g r a t i o n a n d i d e n t i t y W h e t h e r s i p p e d i n b u s y

I n d i a n t r a i n s t a t i o n s o r quiet kitchens abroad, chai

b e c o m e s a s h a r e d language, one that sparks curiosity, storytelling, and c o n n e c t i o n a c r o s s cultures ”

Mira also highlighted how Indian tea culture

p a r t i c u l a r l y c h a i h a s i n f l u e n c e d W e s t e r n c a f é h a b i t s “ W h a t w a s o n c e unfamiliar is now a staple

Chai lattes are a regular feature on café and hotel menus across the West,” s h e s a i d “ W h i l e interpretations vary, their p o p u l a r i t y s h o w s a growing appreciation for Indian flavours and spices Interestingly, in the West, ‘ c h a i ’ o f t e n r e f e r s specifically to spiced tea, e v e n w i t h o u t t h e a c t u a l tea!”

She noted that while café-made chai lattes often d i f f e r f r o m t r a d i t i o n a l masala chai, especially in how they’re brewed, they serve as an introduction

“ B r e w i n g i s e s s e n t i a l t o masala chai: the tea, spices, and sugar must blend fully

M a n y c a f é v e r s i o n s a r e overly sweet or lack depth,

b u t s o m e b r a n d s a r e getting the balance right

C h a i l a t t e s a r e t h e

invitation; homemade chai

i s t h e f u l l c o n v e r s a t i o n

And now, more cafés are r e c o g n i s i n g t h e d e m a n d f o r a u t h e n t i c , s p i c e d blends, reflecting evolving c u s t o m e r t a s t e s , ” s h e added

P ra n a v C ho pr a, fo un d er of N E MI Te as , highlighted masala chai’s j o u r n e y t o b e c o m i n g a global phenomenon and its growing popularity in the West He said, “The exotic and aromatic spice blend, t y p i c a l l y c a r d a m o m , cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and black pepper, offers a d i s t i n c t i v e f l a v o u r t h a t stands out from traditional Western teas and coffees The rise of the chai latte, popularised by chains like S t a r b u c k s , i n t r o d u c e d a s w e e t e r , m i l k i e r v e r s i o n tailored to Western tastes, m a k i n g i t a n e a s y e n t r y point There's also growing interest in global cuisines

and wellness trends, which has brought attention to the health benefits of chai

warm, comforting drink in winter or a refreshing iced beverage in summer, has f u r t h e r e x p a n d e d i t s appeal The story of masala c h a i a

conscious drink has clearly played a role in its global success ”

On National Tea Day,

blend of robust black tea a

, embodies India's culinary heritage and its spirit of

appeal Darjeeling, known

legacy Its delicate, floral notes have captivated tea

producer of high-quality, distinctive teas Together,

diversity and richness of India’s tea culture As we celebrate National Tea Day

allure of Indian teas, which continue to connect and w

How to brew the perfect cup of tea

To celebrate National Tea Day in style, Katie Kippax,

brew has revealed her top tips for making the perfect cuppa “Everyone has their own tea ritual, but there are

Yorkshire Tea-style

starting with fresh water,

bring out the best flavour so it should only be boiled once She advises warming

temperature just right for steeping The teabag should be left to brew for four to five minutes to allow the

When removing the teabag, it should be gently squeezed o

squeezing can make the tea taste bitter These simple steps, she says, make all the difference

In rare medical miracle, this baby in UK was 'born twice'

In a rare medical miracle, a baby in the UK was "born twice " At 20 weeks pregnant, teacher Lucy Isaac from Oxford underwent a 5-hour operation to remove ovarian cancer, during which surgeons temporarily removed her womb, containing her son After the cancer treatment, Rafferty Isaac was returned to the womb and was delivered at full term in late January Lucy and Rafferty recently visited the John Radcliffe Hospital weeks after the surgery to thank surgeon Soleymani Majd He described the experience as rare and emotional, feeling a sense of familiarity with the baby

Notably, when Lucy, 32, was 12 weeks pregnant, she received a shocking ovarian cancer diagnosis Doctors at the John Radcliffe hospital believed delaying treatment until after birth would allow the cancer to spread, putting her life at risk A team of doctors led by Dr Soleymani Majd then proposed a rare and complex procedure to remove the cancerous cells while keeping the unborn child, Rafferty, in the womb during the surgery This high-risk operation, performed only a handful of times globally, involved temporarily removing Lucy's womb, containing Rafferty to access and treat the cancer Despite the risks, Lucy and her husband Adam trusted the medical team and underwent the procedure in October

Broken flower pot found in UK sells for Rs 56,00,000

A damaged flower pot has been sold for Rs 56,00,000 at an auction in the UK after it was revealed to be a "lost" masterpiece of an avant-garde 19th-century artist The 4ft pot, found abandoned in a garden, was created by Hans Coper, who fled to the UK from Germany in 1939 while he was teaching at the Camberwell School of Arts in south London in 1964 Chiswick Auctions in London initially pegged the flower pot to fetch anywhere between Rs 670,000 to 11,00,000, but the interest from several parties led to an auction war with a US-based bidder emerging victorious "Everyone is thrilled The vendor didn t expect the vessel to achieve its estimate so they are over the moon There was a bidding war involving a bidder from America, Denmark and a lady in the room, Maxine Winning, head of design at Chiswick, was quoted as saying The stoneware was created by Coper in 1964 after being commissioned by an unnamed female client

Elderly man's response leaves internet emotional

Kindness and empathy are essential human qualities that foster deeper connections, understanding, and compassion Recently, a heartwarming story went viral on social media, captivating the hearts of internet users A Reddit user shared a touching post about giving up their seat to an elderly man on a crowded bus The elderly man's response was so profound that it left the user deep in thought The user recounted their exhausting commute home from work on a crowded bus, where they initially occupied an empty seat However, when an elderly man boarded, looking tired and struggling to stand, the user instinctively gave up their seat As they exchanged small talk, the elderly man revealed he'd gone four days without speaking to anyone and desperately needed someone to listen Moved by this, the user listened attentively until the man got off the bus, struck by the profound impact of their simple act of kindness "That really affected me I couldn't respond, but I just listened until he got off I realised how small gestures can make a big difference in someone's day Have you ever had a small moment like this that made your day different?", the user added

‘Dead’ ex-soldier back after 16 years to reclaim

identity

“I have never died,” Surinder Singh, an ex-Army soldier from Himachal’s Kangra district announced, stunning officials and family alike when he recently walked into a courtroom in Punjab’s Pathankot after vanishing 16 years ago Singh had allegedly fled due to harassment following dowry-related charges filed by his wife, Meena Kumari, a resident of Gho village in Pathankot With Singh declared “dead” in Army records, she began receiving his family pension as a widow The Army’s 32 Medium Regiment and its intelligence wing have now launched a probe to determine the circumstances of his disappearance - and whether it was a genuine case of desertion or part of a broader conspiracy A few months ago, Singh surrendered before court seeking to reclaim his identity “ My wife had slapped a case of dowry harassment against me and my parents She used to insult me, ” he said

Zomato delivery agent's internship application is a hit

A Zomato delivery agent's unconventional approach to securing a marketing internship has gone viral on LinkedIn It all started after a customer shared a photograph of a handwritten note received with the food order The note, written by the delivery partner, read, “I am a college student looking for a summer internship in marketing (NOT sales) Do contact me 6261724837 (Only WhatsApp) ” On the reverse side of the paper, the delivery agent had added an apology for the “terrible handwriting ” The note was shared by an employee at shopflo, a technology company The person had placed the order during a late work shift “Along with the food came a handwritten letter from the delivery partner,” the post read The user added, “That note hit me Amid the hustle of deliveries, this person still took a shot at reaching out - handwritten, bold, and hopeful ” The delivery agent's request, which was directed specifically towards marketing opportunities and not sales roles, stood out for its clarity The user added, “It reminded me how opportunities don't always come through formal channels - sometimes, they're scribbled on paper in the middle of a delivery run ” The post concluded with a message of encouragement for the delivery partner, stating, “If someone from the marketing space comes across this and sees potential in him, I truly hope this note finds the right eyes ” Rape accused thrashed, paraded naked in UP

A man booked for rape was allegedly tied to a bullock cart, assaulted and paraded naked by locals in the Visheshwarganj area of this Uttar Pradesh district Police registered a case after a video of the incident became widely circulated The video purports to show the 22-year-old man, with his lower body stripped, tied to a bullock cart Men and women can be heard, with some also being heard inciting a dog to attack him A voice can be heard saying, “Let it go, what if he dies?” After the video was circulated, the victim’s family filed a complaint ASP Ramanand Prasad Kushwaha said the man had been booked in a rape case The incident occurred in early April but the complaint was filed several days later He had been absconding since the FIR was registered

Pranav Chopra

Mira Manek

Jaideep Ahlawat

on

Irrfan Khan comparisons: "A huge sense of responsibility"

Bollywood actor Jaideep Ahlawat, known for his roles in ‘Paatal Lok’, ‘Raazi’, ‘Raees’, and ‘Jaane Jaan’, is gearing up for his upcoming heist thriller, ‘Jewel Thief’ Frequently compared to the late Irrfan Khan by fans, Jaideep recently addressed these comparisons in an interview

shared, It s a personal feeling There s a huge sense of responsibility, and I m deeply honored that people appreciate my work so much It keeps me on my

filmmaking as an art form not just acting, but the whole process If I d o n ’ t e x p l o r e ,

explore with me

r o

n ‘ K h a t t a M

h a ’ , f o l l o w e d b y a b r i e f a p p e a r a n c e i n ‘ A a k r o s h ’

Kashyap's ‘Gangs of Wasseypur’ that marked a turning point in his career

His fame grew with performances in ‘Raazi’ and ‘Raees’, and he received widespread acclaim for his portrayal of Hathi Ram Chaudhary in the web series ‘Paatal Lok’

The late Irrfan Khan s cinematic l e g a c y i s d e

l performances and versatile roles, from B o l l y w o o d h

g h Tomar’ to international successes like ‘Life of Pi’ He passed away in 2020 after a battle with a neuroendocrine tumour

Jaideep will next star in the Netflix film ‘Jewel Thief: The Heist Begins’, directed by Robbie Grewal and Kookie Gulati The film, also starring Saif Ali K

Dutta, will be released on April 25

Athiya Shetty and KL Rahul reveal baby daughter's name, share first

photo

OnKL Rahul’s birthday, Athiya Shetty shared the first glimpse of their baby girl and revealed her name Evaarah.

Marking a special milestone, the actor and cricketer delighted fans with the heartwarming photo and name announcement The post was met with an outpouring of love and congratulations from fans and well-wishers

Evaarah/इवारा

Gift of God " Bollywood celebrities, including Anushka Sharma, a close friend of Athiya, posted heart emojis in response Sobhita Dhulipala commented, “This is everything,” while Samantha Ruth Prabhu shared a string of heart emojis Fans also flooded the post with blessings, with one writing, “God give special gift for klaassy man ” and another calling it a “priceless moment ”

On March 24, 2025, Athiya Shetty and KL Rahul shared a heart-warming Instagram post to announce the arrival of their baby girl The couple posted a painting of two swans with the message, “Blessed with a baby girl,” revealing their daughter’s birth on that Monday The post featured a baby emoji with a halo and wings, but no caption

KL Rahul and Athiya Shetty met in January 2019 through a mutual friend and quickly formed a strong connection Their relationship blossomed over the years, culminating in their wedding in 2023, which was a private ceremony at Suniel Shetty’s farmhouse in Khandala, attended only by close family and friends

Shoojit Sircar slams Bollywood stars over high fees

The start of 2025 has been tough for Bollywood, with several big-budget films underperforming, including Salman Khan's ‘Sikandar’, which fell short of Eid release expectations Director Shoojit Sircar weighed in, saying one key issue is the industry's reluctance to take risks in storytelling

Shoojit Sircar highlighted two key issues affecting Bollywood “First, filmmakers and producers aren't taking enough creative risks You can’t keep repeating old stories you need to bring fresh, insightful subjects, regardless of genre, ” he said He also pointed to the rising fees of popular actors, noting that some may need to rethink their charges “I won’t comment on entourages or exact numbers, but if actors don’t lower their fees, directors may stop approaching them altogether,” he warned

Sircar also shared how his production house, Rising Sun Films, manages to keep costs under control by collaborating with actors who respect budget constraints “We’ve always ensured our films stay within budget, which is why we ’ ve had fewer complaints We work with actors who understand they’re part of a Rising Sun project with me, and that means keeping costs reasonable,” he explained

Anurag

Kashyap apologises amid ‘Phule’ row, urges trolls to spare his family

After

an apology note on

colleagues have received rape and death threats While he stood by his original post, he clarified that the apology was for a single line that was "taken out of context " He wrote, “No action or speech is worth your daughter, family, friends, and colleagues getting rape and death threats from the kingpins of sanskar (cultural values) ”

Anurag Kashyap, facing backlash over his comments on the CBFC and Brahmins amid the ‘Phule’ censorship row, posted a clarifying note on Instagram He said people are free to abuse him, but his family should be left out of it “What I said can’t be taken back, and I won’t take it back But if you want an apology, this is it Brahmins, spare the women such values exist in scriptures too, not just in manuwaad Decide what kind of Brahmin you are, ” he wrote, adding that his family had said nothing and should not be targeted He captioned the post: “Apology for the Manuwaadis and Brahmins without values ”

An advocate has filed a complaint in Mumbai against Anurag Kashyap, urging police action over his remarks, calling them a threat to public order It s unclear if an FIR has been registered Meanwhile, the CBFC granted a ‘U’ certificate to ‘Phule’ on April 7, requesting several changes, including the removal of terms like 'Mang', 'Mahar', and 'Peshwai', and modifying the phrase “ 3,000 saal purani ghulami” to “kai saal purani ghulami”, which director Ananth Mahadevan confirmed were made

criticising the CBFC and Brahmins over the censorship row surrounding ‘Phule’, filmmaker Anurag Kashyap has issued

Instagram

AR Rahman calls ‘Thug Life’ a forwardthinking film, different from ‘Nayakan’

Film promotions offer a rare glimpse into the real personalities of celebrities, and this was evident at the recent audio launch of ‘Thug Life’’s first single, ‘Jinguchaa’ At the ‘Thug Life’ audio launch, A R R a h m a n r e v e a l e d o n e o f h i s biggest challenges in working on the film was composing music that could match Kamal Haasan’s powerful performances “Every time I was composing for a scene, it felt like Kamal ji was challenging me to match his performance with my music,” Rahman shared

He also noted that ‘Thug Life’ would not mirror their earlier collabo r a t i o n i n ‘ N a y a k a n ’ , c a l l i n g i t a " c o m p l e t e l y d i f f e r e n t b e a s t " Rahman described the film as “ very forward-thinking, especially in terms of its music ” During the same event, Kamal Haasan praised Rahman, saying, “We both love cinema, and the biggest thing I’ve learned from both Mani and Rahman is that we should only speak what’s needed and when it is needed ”

Aamir Khan to cameo in ‘Coolie’, confirms Kannada actor

Upendra Rao

In today’s world of constant leaks, keeping a movie’s surprise under wraps is nearly impossible especially when it involves a major celebrity cameo

Rumours had been swirling about a star appearance in Lokesh Kanagaraj’s ‘Coolie’, with many guessing it was Aamir Khan While the team stayed silent, Kannada actor Upendra Rao has now confirmed the speculation Upendra, who stars alongside Rajinikanth and Nagarjuna, revealed that Aamir Khan is indeed part of the film and that they even share a scene together

Speaking after the teaser launch of his film ‘ 45 ’ , Upendra Rao shared his admiration for Rajinikanth, calling him his “Dronacharya” and saying, “If I’m Ekalavya, he’s my guru Others get entertainment from him, I get enlightenment ” He said he didn’t hesitate to accept the role in ‘Coolie’ when director Lokesh Kanagaraj narrated the story

Upendra also confirmed that he has combination scenes with both Nagarjuna and Aamir Khan in ‘Coolie’ Rajinikanth and Aamir previously acted together in ‘Aatank Hi Aatank’ (1995) Besides the star trio, the film also features Soubin Shahir, Sathyaraj, and Shruti Haasan Tentatively titled ‘Thalaivar 171 ’ , the film is a standalone action thriller from Lokesh, produced by Sun Pictures, with music by Anirudh Ravichander

Upendra, last seen in his directorial ‘UI’, is gearing up for the release of both ‘Coolie’ and ‘ 45 ’ Directed by Arjun Janya, ‘ 45 ’ also stars Shiva Rajkumar, Raj B Shetty, Chethan Kumar, and Jagapathi Babu The film hits screens on August 15, a day after ‘Coolie’'s worldwide release

Director Nag Ashwin says ‘Inception’ trailer left him depressed

Close on the heels of Rajkumar Hirani, ‘Kalki 2898 AD’ director Nag Ashwin has also claimed he once had an idea similar to Christopher Nolan’s ‘Inception’ During a recent college event in Hyderabad, Ashwin spoke about the process of creating highconcept films and how such ideas often emerge independently across the world

Talking about how ideas evolve, ‘Kalki 2898 AD’ director Nag Ashwin reflected on the universality of creative thought and how similar concepts can emerge independently “I had written something like ‘Inception’ back in 2008 While Nolan’s film was about dreams, mine revolved around memories When I saw the trailer of ‘Inception’, I went into a week-long depression,”

ty “Originality is often beyond your control, and that’s okay What’s more important is to bring sincerity and depth to your work ” Ashwin also shared his admiration for ‘Khaleja’, directed by Trivikram Srinivas, when asked if there’s a film he wished he had w o r k e d o n “ I w o u l d n ’ t h a v e d i r e c t e d ‘Khaleja’, but I always felt it would have been really cool to be the editor,” he said, also naming ‘Dear Comrade’ as another film he would have loved to edit

On the directorial front, Nag Ashwin is reportedly deep into pre-production for the sequel to ‘Kalki 2898 AD’, which boasts a stellar cast including Amitabh Bachchan, K a m a l H a a s a n , P r a b h a s , a n d D e e p i k a Padukone Meanwhile, speculation is rife that he's also in early talks with Alia Bhatt

R a h m a n s h a r e d a m e m o r a b l e message from Kamal Haasan that gave him deep insight into the actor’s dedication “One day, he called me and said, ‘I need you to be in full form,’” Rahman recalled, emphasisi n g K a m a l ' s d r i v e f o r e x c e l l e n c e Kamal quickly added, “It’s not that Rahman is ever not in full form, I just wanted to remind him that we ’ re all in this together, striving for the best ” Produced by Red Giant Movies, Raaj Kamal Film International, and Madras Talkies, ‘Thug Life’ is set to release on June 5, featuring a starstudded cast including Silambarasan TR, Trisha, Abhirami, Ashok Selvan, Joju George, and Nasser Suriya

talks about second chances: "You will get more opportunities"

With the release of ‘Retro’ just days away, Suriya and director Karthik Subbaraj hosted a grand trailer launch event in Chennai

During the event, Suriya highlighted the film's focus on the concept of purpose He also spoke about his NGO, Agaram Foundation, which has been s u p p o r t

for nearly two decades “I was an average student, failing most exams except my boards But I had the chance to create change, leading to nearly 7,0008,000 graduates shaping the future,” he shared

Suriya, who has experienced both hits and misses in his acting career, spoke about the importance of embracing life’s beauty and not being weighed down by failures "Life is beautiful, and it offers many opportunities You’ll get second, even third chances make the most of them," he said He encouraged young people to

Youngsters should be

Rasha Thadani reveals ho mom Raveena Tandon trained her for ‘Uyi Amma

Raveena Tandon’s daughter Rasha Thadani made her acting debut this year in ‘Azaad’ opposite Ajay Devgn’s nephew Aaman Devgan

Though the film underperformed at the box office, it gained love on OTT, with Rasha’s expressions and her dance in Uyi Amma receiving special praise The star kid has now revealed that it was her mother who trained her for the performance Rasha Thadani shared, “Even before I started working on the film, my mom somehow knew I was going to pursue acting She would make me sit and watch performances by Rekha ji, Saroj ji, and Sadhana ji She’d break them down for me, saying, ‘Look at her expression here it’s happy, but notice how she uses her eyes and lips ’ That’s how she trained me, by helping me understand the nuances of expression ” Rasha added, “She would really break things down and teach me the craft, not just watch for fun I remember watching ‘Jhumka Gira Re’ with Sadhana ji, and I was in awe ” Watching Sadhana’s grace and expressions made Rasha dream of achieving that level of elegance someday Audiences already see her as a promising newcomer, with many comparing her to fellow star kids like Ibrahim Ali Khan and Khushi Kapoor some even calling her one of the best of the new generation It’s clear she has a bright future ahead in Bollywood

Amazon cancels Samantha-Varun's ‘Citadel:Honey Bunny’

Despite the hype surrounding the 2023 launch of Priyanka Chopra and Richard Madden's ‘Citadel’, its troubled production led to the cancellation of the Indian and Italian spin-offs, ‘Citadel: Honey Bunny’ and ‘Citadel: Diana’, originally planned to expand the franchise. Amazon MGM Studios also announced that the second season of the main show, previously set for 2025, will now release in 2026.

Vernon Sanders, head of television at Amazon MGM Studios, confirmed that the storylines of ‘Citadel: Honey Bunny’ and ‘Citadel: Diana’ will be integrated into the second season of ‘Citadel’ He added that these spin ff ill t continue as individual series but second season will be the "most Filming for the second season h wrapped, and it will premiere th debut season

‘Citadel: Diana’ and ‘Citadel failed to make an impact globall had been uncertain since their 2 Production of other spin-offs, in Mexico’, has been put on hold R the makers are dissatisfied with and the show’s future has been i the departure of Jennifer Salke, Head of Amazon MGM Studios Bond franchise now part of Ama seems unlikely they’ll continue pushing ‘Citadel’ as their own ve of James Bond

The first season of ‘Citadel’ faced numerous challenges befo its 2023 debut, including multip reshoots, changes in showrunners, and other production issues These setbacks drove the budget to ove $200 million for just six episode making it one of the most expen shows ever produced

Sparsh Shrivastava shares thoughts on pressure and good scripts

Sparsh Shrivastava rose to fame with his stellar performance in ‘Laapataa Ladies’ and earlier impressed audiences in ‘Jamtara’ and ‘Dupahiya’ Following the success of Kiran Rao’s film, the actor shared that he now feels a greater sense of responsibility

Sparsh Shrivastava expressed that he feels a responsibility to choose meaningful scripts, with the primary goal of entertaining audiences "If a project can deliver a good message, great! Otherwise, it should at least bring a smile and offer some relief from life's stresses " he said h to personally I ched to fell lling on it strong k Dhum While the potential erience don’t come my learning he said n Prime a heartland e crime-free dakpur, won ver with its e humor and able rs Featuring ao, Renuka e, and others, s has been for a second on

Bhumi Pednekar on rejecting hit OTT shows: “I just didn’t connect”

Afternearly a decade in the industry, Bhumi Pednekar is set to make her streaming debut with Netflix’s upcoming series ‘The Royals’, premiering next month. Bhumi shared why she finally said yes to OTT and how ‘The Royals’ stood out from previous offers.

Bhumi Pednekar revealed that while she was previously offered several web shows that later became big hits, she chose to pass on them “I read some phenomenal scripts, but I didn’t connect with them the way I did with ‘The Royals’ It also depended on the kind of work I was seeking at the time,” she said

What drew her to ‘The Royals’ was not just the script but the genre “Rom-com is hands down my favourite I don't think we make enough of them I grew up reading *Mills & Boon* that’s why I love Korean dramas, there’s so much romance, ” Bhumi shared Recalling how she first read the script while hospitalised with dengue, she added, “It’s my favourite genre, and I couldn’t stop reading Plus, my last Netflix film ‘Bhakshak’ was a huge success, so it was an immediate yes for me ”

In ‘The Royals’, Bhumi Pednekar plays a corporate bigshot who gets drawn into the world of India’s former royalty, with Ishaan Khatter as her royal love interest “This role is unlike anything I’ve done before,” she says “I’ve never explored urban glamour the way I have in this show While it’s visually striking and rooted in romance, it also delves into themes of sisterhood, friendship, and universal love there’s something for everyone ”

IPL: Gujarat Titans thrash Kolkata

In a nother case of meek surr ender, Kolk ata Knight Rid ers suffe red b ack- to-back de fea ts in this IPL as they went down t o Guja rat Titan s by 39 runs at the Eden Gar dens This was the Knights’ third l oss in their fourt h home match

Table-toppers GT’s top three continued

Sudharsan and Jos Buttler once again got the runs to help the side put up 198/3 after KKR skipper Ajinkya Rahane won the toss and elected to field first The KKR chase never got off as they lost openers Rahmanullah Gurbaz, coming in for Quinton de Kock, and Sunil Narine early to get to 45 for two in the Powerplay Both Rahane and Venkatesh Iyer found it difficult to keep the scoreboard moving as they failed to find a boundary in 34 balls between the fifth and 11th over Mumbai drown Chennai

Chennai Super Kings by nine wickets in an IPL match on Sunday Chasing 177, Rohit (76 not out ) and Suryakumar (68 not out) shared an unbeaten 114-run stand for the second wicket to take MI home with ease Ravindra Jadeja (1/18) was the lone wicket-taker for CSK Earlier, Shivam Dube and Ravindra Jadeja struck vital half-centuries while 17year-old debutant Ayush Mhatre dazzled to guide Chennai Super Kings to 176 for five Kohli, Padikkal power Bengaluru

Virat Kohli and Devdutt Padikkal hit h

Bengaluru (RCB) to a seven-wicket win over Punjab Kings in the IPL on Sunday Chasing 158 for victory, Bengaluru were propelled by a 103-run second-wicket stand between Kohli, who made an unbeaten 73, and Padikkal to reach their target with seven balls to spare at

avenged their loss to Punjab at home on Friday and the two teams, both seeking their first IPL title, are level on points

LSG beat RR by 2 runs

Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) defeated Rajasthan Royals (RR) by two runs in their IPL match at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur Avesh Khan and Prince Yadav held their nerve in the final two overs of the match as LSG defended 20 runs off the last two overs Avesh was the pick of the bowlers, picking three wickets as well as defending nine runs off the last over Yashasvi Jaiswal was the top run-scorer for RR, accumulating 74 runs off 52 balls The match also witnessed history as Vaibhav Suryavanshi became the youngest debutant in IPL history aged 14 years and 23 days Suryavanshi smashed 34 runs off 20 balls in a knock comprising two

capabilities

Delhi win Super Over

Nine runs needed, six wickets in hand - it s

Rajasthan Royals (RR) against Delhi Capitals (DC) in IPL 2025 But Mitchell Starc flipped the script, delivering five pinpoint yorkers in a sensational final over Dhruv Jurel couldn't find two runs off the last ball, and Starc dragged the game into a Super Over RR

imploded in the Super Over, lasting just five b

Yashasvi Jaiswal to run outs DC chased down the 12-run target in just four deliveries With DC needing 5 off 3, Tristan Stubbs pulled Sandeep Sharma for six to seal DC's fifth win in six games Stubbs had earlier contributed a vital unbeaten 18-ball 34 in regulation time to help DC score 42 off the last three overs

Punjab stun Kolkata

Proving once again that low-scoring T20 games can be gripping - the Punjab Kings bounced back gallantly after being shot out for just 111 in 15 3 overs to skittle Kolkata Knight Riders for a mere 95 in 15 1 overs The result: a sensational 16-run win that set a new record for the lowest total ever defended in IPL history at the Mullanpur Stadium The heroes

Yuzvendra Chahal (4/28 in 4 overs) and South African left-arm pacer Marco Jansen (3/17 in 3 1 overs) Though no longer in Team India’s setup, Chahal served a stern reminder to the national selectors, showcasing his immense skill and temperament yet again

in brief

WOMEN IN FOOTBALL SEEKS NEW EEDI ADVISORY GROUP

Women in Football (WIF) is looking for knowledgeable and experienced professionals to join a vital new group which will guide and challenge WIF to become more inclusive, representative and impactful in the football industry Members of the new Equity, Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EEDI) Advisory Group will contribute lived experience and professional expertise and insight to help shape and support WIF's internal and external strategies on EEDI The role includes remuneration for taking part in quarterly meetings and offers a chance to take part in task groups and initiatives which will drive particular aspects of the strategies WIF is especially keen to receive applications from people who come from Black Asian and minority ethnic communities LGBT+ people people with disabilities and people from disadvantaged socio-economic backgrounds

The key responsibilities of the role are to provide strategic guidance to the Women in Football board and team on the development and implementation of WIF’s EEDI strategy; offer diverse perspectives that reflect underrepresented voices within and beyond football; constructively challenge and hold WIF accountable on its inclusive ambitions and commitments; collaborate with WIF’s Membership Committee to help foster a sense of belonging and accessibility; support the development of an inclusive internal culture and provide into best practices in workforce well-being and representation

BCCI sacks India coaches Nayar and Dilip

m e m b e r s of T e a m In

s coaching st aff - assista nt coach

A b h i sh e k N a y a r a n d fi e l d in g

coach T D il ip The BCCI has al so

d e c id e d t o p a r t w a y s w it h str ength and condit ioning coach

S o ha m D e s a i, w ho w il l b e r eplaced by Adrian Le Roux, who is set for his second stint with the Indian team Le Roux is cur rent ly par t of the Punja b Kings’ support sta ff in IPL 2025

According to reports, BCCI made the call following a review

m e e t i n g h e l d o n J a n 1 1 i n M u m b a i i n t h e a f t e r m a t h o f India’s Test series defeats - a 0-3 whitewash at home against New

South African men ’ s side From 2008 to 2019, he was with the K

l k a t a K n i g h t R i d

Contribute ideas and insights into key areas including: inclusive hiring practices; communications and marketing; policy influence; events and educational initiatives The closing date for applications is Friday 16 May 2025

NEERAJ BEGINS SEASON WITH 84 52M THROW

Z e a l a n d a n d a 1 - 3 l o s s i n A u s t r a l i a I n d i a ’ s C h a m p i o n s Trophy triumph in March in the UAE wasn’t enough to save the ousted support staff Nayar, a former India and Mumbai allrounder, was brought into the setup last year at the behest of head coach Gautam

over

G a m b h i r , w h o h a d b e e n impressed with Nayar’s work at Kolkata Knight Riders, the IPL 2024 champions D i l i p , I

Le Roux, a South African, was the strength and conditioning coach of the Indian team during John Wright’s tenure in the early

, b e f o r e moving to the Punjab Kings “ L e R o u x ’ s a p p o i n t m e n t could have been at the behest of chief selector Ajit Agarkar, who was part of the Indian team when the South African served as the trainer Nayar’s contract runs till May 31 He, Dilip and Desai will not be with the Indian team from the England tour onwards All three have been informed of the decision by BCCI,” a source said Nayar’s position appeared to be in jeopardy after the debacle in t h e A u s t r a l i a s e r i e s , e s p e c i a l l y with BCCI appointing Sitanshu Kotak as the new batting coach Still, the board’s decision to sack Nayar is surprising as he hasn’t even completed a year in the role

Shreyas, Ishan Kishan back in BCCI central contracts list

The Board of Control for Cricket i n In d

3 0, 2 025 Tes t and ODI c apt ain

Rohit Sharm a, Virat K ohli, and a llrounder Ravindra Jadeja - have

r etaine d t heir A+ grade contrac ts

Saikia said, “Our selectors keep a close eye on all players Their performances in international as

contracts list after being excluded last year for skipping domestic

Kishan, BCCI secretary Devajit

monitored closely You’ve seen the result of that ” On Kohli, Rohit, and Jadeja receiving A+ category contracts

despite their T20I retirements, Saikia said, “All the parameters

players were accordingly placed in their appropriate categories

promising youngsters, including allrounder Nitish Kumar Reddy, pacer Harshit Rana, aggressive

Chakaravarthy, have earned their first central contracts, joining in G

promote youngsters and future prospects,” Saikia added

Star Indian javelin thrower and two-time Olympic medalist Neeraj Chopra has started his new season on a high as he secured the gold medal at the NWU Potch Invitational in South Africa with a brilliant 84 52m throw Neeraj s top effort was enough to place him ahead of South Africa’s Douw Smit (82 44m) and Duncan Robertson (71 22m) The event marked Neeraj’s first competition of 2025 and served as a tuneup ahead of his participation in more highprofile meets later in the season Neeraj s next major assignment will be the Doha Diamond League scheduled exactly a month from now Doha has often been a key stop in the global athletics calendar and will likely feature a highquality field of throwers The meet will provide Neeraj a more competitive environment to test his form under pressure Chopra s 84 52m throw has now overtaken the previous Indian best for 2025 which belonged to Sachin Yadav who had thrown 84 39m earlier this year Rohit Yadav, another national contender, is listed with a best of 80 47m in the World Athletics top list for the season Neeraj s strong start adds momentum to what is expected to be a packed and competitive year for Indian javelin The 2025 season also marks a coaching transition for Chopra After a successful partnership with Klaus Bartonietz which yielded Olympic gold (Tokyo), silver (Paris), and medals at the Asian Games Commonwealth Games and World Championships, Neeraj has now teamed up with Jan Zelezny - the javelin world record holder and a legend of the sport Zelezny brings a wealth of experience to the table having coached Czech throwers who famously finished behind Neeraj at the Tokyo Games This new collaboration is being closely watched as India’s biggest track and field star gears up for another potentially historic season

Abhishek Nayar and T Dilip

Shreyas Iyer

Ishan Kishan