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Canadian climber Shriya Shah-Klorfine died in Everest ‘death zone’ !!!

For report see page 23

VOL 41. ISSUE 4

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Let noble thoughts come to us from every side

First & Foremost Asian Weekly in Europe

Controversies plague Indian Premiere League

Shah Rukh Khan argues with security at Wankhede stadium

were manhandled, MCA chief Vilasrao Deshmukh said, "We have no such complaint from him. He can also file a police complaint like we did." "There was a proposal of a lifetime ban, but we wanted to send a message that this is not how one should behave, so we decided on a 5-year ban," Deshmukh added.

Deshmukh claimed that more than 50 per cent of the MCA officials were present at the time of the brawl.

Aussie player accused of molesting woman Yet another controversy hit the IPL when an Australian player Luke Pomersbach was arrested on a charge of molesting

an American woman and

attacking her fiance but his team owners attempted a cover-up seeking to question the character of the victim. The 27-yearold right-handed batsman, who plays for Royal Challengers Bangalore in IPL and has had a history of brawls and brush with police in his country, was arrested on a complaint by the woman who claimed he had invited himself for drinks in her room in a five-star hotel last week Continued on page 26

Lanka releases former army chief Fonseka The former chief of Sri Lanka's army has been freed from prison after serving only a part of his sentence. His presidential pardon comes amid US pressure to release him as a political prisoner. He was released after spending more than two years in prison following his challenge to Mahinda Rajapaksa’s re-election in 2010.

"I am free. I will devote my life for my people," Fonseka shouted after leaving the Welikada prison in Colombo. His release came by order of Rajapaksa, who granted

Damian Green

The David Cameron government and its revenue has finally been hit, due to the frequent alterations in the visa rules. The British universities have reported a significant fall in applications for courses from India for the forthcoming academic year starting September-October.

The actual scale of fall in students from India and other nonEU countries will be clear by September, when students arrive to start their courses, but lesser

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the pardon before leaving on an official visit to Qatar on Saturday night.

The 61-year-old Fonseka, who led an army victory over separatist Tamil Tiger rebels three years ago, was arrested after unsuccessfully challenging Rajapaksa in presidential elections in January 2010.

Continued on page 26

Foreign students shun UK due to visa restrictions

#&#-1

Into its fifth season, the Indian Premier League has been plagued with controversies ranging from molestation allegations to superstar scuffles. The IPL has come under clouds of controversies ever since it was conceived and is neckdip in criticisms and allegations. IPL has always been about three Cs - Cash, Cricket and Controversies.

Ever since it started in 2008, there has been an abundance of all three.

While cash and cricket were the essence, controversies just happened. Lots of them. Here are the top controversies in IPL 5.

Shah Rukh Khan banned from entering Wankhede stadium for 5 years Actor and Kolkata Knight Riders co-owner Shah Rukh Khan has been banned for five years from entering the Wankhede Stadium over the alleged scuffle with the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) officials and the security staff. This came even as Shah Rukh claimed that it was the MCA officials who started the scuffle by manhandling children at the stadium. When asked whether the children

26th May to 1st June 2012

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number of applications received

by April-May suggests that international students may be looking elsewhere.

Britain faces stiff competition mainly from Canada and Australia to attract high fee-paying international students. The challenge has increased as changes to the student visa regime in the UK - particularly due to the closure of the post Continued on page 13

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UK

Asian Voice - Saturday 26th May 2012

one to one Keith Vaz MP with

Farhad Riahi M.D., Head of Healthcare Systems, Novartis Farhad Riahi, M.D., was born in Iran, and lived there and in France before moving to Canada for university.

He completed his medical training in Canada and the US. As part of his medical practice in Canada, he worked with First Nations populations in northern Quebec, where the prevalence of diabetes and related complications is among the highest in the world. He then worked as a management consultant with McKinsey & Co., where he focused on helping healthcare systems in developed countries improve outcomes in chronic diseases, and on global public health challenges in Africa. He joined Novartis in September 2011 to head the new Healthcare Systems Group, which was established to help Novartis become a trusted partner to healthcare systems for improving patient outcomes and for increasing healthcare system productivity.

1) Please tell us about the work you are currently doing for diabetes?

We have just completed an international of review of different healthcare systems’ performance in diabetes: who achieves the best outcomes for patients, and who delivers good care in a cost-effective way? How do they do it? What can we and others learn from this? We are presenting the results with colleagues in healthcare systems across the world who are

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

Quite a few people, but if I had to name just one it would be my father, who showed me what taking good care of patients looks like. To this day, he remains surprised that my work has moved away from clinical medicine, which just goes to show how you can’t predict the consequences of your influence!

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

Make the healthcare system give citizens better information on the quality and cost of care available to them.

That would help more people get involved in the design and delivery of their care.

7) And the worst?

Distance: to take this role, which is based in Switzerland, my partner and I have to live apart for a year or so – she’s in Singapore now, which is a long way away.

Luckily, my role is global and does take me to Asia from time to time. whom I’ve worked.

3) Please tell us about your current position?

Our goal at Novartis is to become a trusted partner to healthcare systems for improving patient outcomes and for increasing healthcare system productivity.

I lead the Healthcare Systems Group for Novartis, where we are building the knowledge base and skill set for

helping the organization reach this goal.

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

“This is the right thing to do, but...”, “This has been tried before and it failed...”, “It’s not the right time to try this...”

The number of times I’ve heard these things! ...and then found some people to work with and prove them

Bhumi pujan ceremony held at Anoopam Mission UK The ‘bhumi pujan’ – ground breaking ceremony of Anoopam Mission UK’s new temple and community centre took place in the divine presence of Guruvarya Param Pujya Sahebji, on the morning of 17th May. This was the auspicious day of Brahmaswaroop Yogiji Maharaj’s 121st birthday. Yajmaan, devotees and dignitaries were all present in large numbers, and offered their prayers in the Mahapuja conducted by Pujya Himat Swamiji.

Shri Surendrabhai Patel, Shri Nandaji (Bharitya Vidya Bhavan), Shri C.B. Patel (Gujarat Samachar), Shri V.C.Patel, Shri Yogendrabhai Patel, Shri Ashwin Popat, Shri Satishbhai Chatwani were all present, together with Santo, Param Pujya Shantibhai, Harshadbhai and Himat Swamiji who inspired joy and enthusiasm in all. On this occasion, Kiren Patel, was also present and received Guruvarya Sahebji’s blessings, as he will be doing a sponsored

a few years ago).

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

People: I get to work with people both in Novartis and outside who really want to deliver great healthcare.

interested in doing better for patients.

2) What are your proudest achievements?

Situations where I’ve been able to use my medical and business experience together to bring together patients, clinicians, and managers in different countries and help them work together to improve how care is delivered. I’m proud of my contribution and of what we’ve achieved together, but also humbled by the thoughtfulness, commitment, and energy of the people with

wrong.

8) What are your long term goals?

Keep contributing to making healthcare work better for patients and citizens, and keep learning what it takes to do this and where I can best help. The specific opportunities for doing so are hard to predict and plan for (...I never thought I’d have the role that I now have; it didn’t even exist

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

People I could spend an eternity listening to and learning from. I have no idea how well the following would get along with each other, but if I’m allowed to be selfish, I’d have: l Hafez, arguably our greatest Persian poet. l Joseph Campbell, who showed how much belief systems in different cultures have in common, and has fantastic stories from traditions all over the world. l Richard Dawkins, who makes me wish I could talk about healthcare as clearly as he explains science, l And Douglas Adams, who would doubtless come up with some insightful and funny ways of pulling it all together.

Home office approved immigration adviser jailed

Vijay Sorthia (left) and his wife Bhawana

Pujya Sahebji with CB Patel, Satishbhai Chatwani, Shantibhai Patel, Yogendrabhai Patel, Pujya Himat Swamiji, Kiran Patel with others

Marathon run, and will donate the entire proceeds towards Anoopam Mission’s new community centre.

Shri Surendrabhai, Shri C.B. Patel and Param Pujya

Shantibhai also spoke on this occasion, followed by Guruvarya Sahebji’s blessings : “This temple will become an international hub. Here, Shri Akshar Purushottam

Maharaj will take his seat.

Every devotee’s resolutions will be fulfilled.

Whoever performs seva here will please Maharaj, and will attain the soul’s true joy.”

A Home Office-approved adviser and his wife who made more than 1million helping scores of immigrants illegally remain in Britain as part of a visa scam were jailed last week.

When police raided the family home of Vijay and Bhawna Sorthia, they found bundles of cash totalling 330,000 hidden in a cupboard as well as documents relating to

dozens of individuals they had unlawfully assisted.

Mr Sorthia, 35, who ran immigration advisory service Migration Gurus from a small office in North West London, was imprisoned for 10 years for his part in the lucrative plot.

A confiscation hearing to recover any money the couple made from the scam will take place later this year.

Young bride kidnapped for breaking arranged marriage A young bride was drugged, placed into a car and kidnapped by her family because she broke off an arranged marriage to her first cousin and had secretly married another man, a jury was told last week.

Naila Afsar, 23, was slapped in the face by an elder brother who threatened to kill her unless she obeyed the family’s demands to fall into line and marry the man her parents had chosen for her, the court heard.

She was given a milky, hot drink which allegedly contained a prescription-only sedative to disable her so she can be taken back to the family home in Bradford, and kept apart from her new husband.

The jury at Preston Crown Court was told that the alleged plot fell apart when police intercepted the vehicle at a petrol station on the outskirts of Accrington, Lancashire.

The trial continues.

Asian Voice - Saturday 26th May 2012

COMMENT

G-8, Nato summits fail to make much headway US President Barack Obama and leaders of Japan, Britain, Germany, France, Italy, Canada and Russia (G-8) last week declared that their governments must both spark growth and cut the debt that has crippled the European continent and put investors worldwide on edge. "There's now an emerging consensus that more must be done to promote growth and job creation right now," Obama said after hosting G-8 economic talks at Camp David and later at the Nato summit in Chicago. Yet there were no bold prescriptions at hand. Instead, leaders seemed intent on trying to inspire confidence by agreeing on a broad strategy no matter their differences. With all of them facing their own difficult political realities, they built some sovereign wiggle room into their pledge to take all necessary steps, saying "the right measures are not the same for each of us."

Later speaking at the end of the two-day Nato meeting, Obama admitted that Afghanistan would not be a stable country after the Nato-led troops had pulled out but he insisted the withdrawal timetable of December 31, 2014 was an “appropriate strategy.”

Obama said US and other troops had been in Afghanistan for 10 years, which had caused a strain “not only on our folks” but also for the Afghans worried about their own sovereignty. “So the timetable is responsible and sound,” he said. He warned that there would be risks, and he predicted some “bad moments” in the next two years.

His admission that the troop withdrawal programme involved risk was echoed by a senior adviser to David Cameron who warned that Afghanistan could continue to pose a terrorist threat after 2014, with al-Qaeda taking control of ungovernable areas.

“It is unrealistic to assume that Afghanistan is going

to be completely secure and there is no possibility of a terrorist threat re-emerging,” the official said. The Chicago meeting agreed to bring the whole campaign to a close by December 31, 2014, and said this commitment was “irreversible”.

But by mid-2013, the plan is for the Afghans to take the lead on security. When the Nato forces withdraw, Afghanistan could have relied on India for support but Pakistan is using threats to ruin the relationship between the two countries. In fact India was the main donor of Afghanistan. Now both Delhi and Kabul have to be careful not to antagonize Pakistan because it can play a crucial role in disturbing peace in Afghanistan because of its influence on the troublemaker Taliban.

Later about 15,000-20,000 Nato forces will be stationed in Afghanistan on an advisory capacity. In spite of his bullish tone, Obama knows that Pakistan is a key player in any final political settlement in Afghanistan but US hopes of a deal with Zardari failed to materialise. Obama refused to meet Zardari, which the Pakistan government will see as a snub.

Obama's refusal is mainly because Zardari is demanding an apology and much higher fees for re-opening the supply lines between Pakistan and Afghanistan, which were closed in protest at drone strikes and the killing of two dozen Pakistani troops in November in a US air strike.

Obama had hoped to use the Nato summit to announce a political settlement between the Karzai government and the Taliban, but that too fell apart when the Taliban left secret talks in March. The summit, in spite of the positive wording of the communique, only served to highlight the problems facing Nato as it begins its withdrawal.

Baroness Warsi criticizes Pak men for sexual grooming Baroness Sayeeda Warsi, Britain’s most senior Muslim politician, criticizes the behaviour of some Pakistani men for their racist and sexiest views and called on mosques and community leaders to condemn their actions. It is a welcome step on her part.

But she as the senior most Muslim politician in the government, should call a conference of the mullahs, community leaders etc and urge them to isolate these misguided man so that in future this type of behaviour will not occur. She should also make it clear to others that they cannot tarnish the image of Asians for the behaviour of some misguided Pakistani Muslim man.

She should tell the Muslim leaders that they cannot close their eyes and look to the other way to the happenings in their community. They should take bold steps to prevent the repetition of such heinous crimes against the fair sex. She should remind the Muslim leaders of their responsibility cleanse the community of such anti-social elements.

Baroness Warsi said, “There is a small minority of Pakistani men who believe that white girls are fair game.” Her comments came after the horrific Rochdale sexual grooming case, in which a gang of Pakistani men preyed on young white girls. Lady Warsi said that the racist and misogynistic attitudes in

sections of the community were partly responsible for what happened. “This small minority who see women as second class citizens, and white women probably as third class citizens, are to be spoken out against,” she said. Baroness Warsi decided to break her silence on the controversy to encourage other leaders of the community to speak up and change attitudes. “In mosque after mosque after mosque, this should be raised as an issue so that anybody who is remotely involved should start to feel that the community is turning on them,” she said. “Communities have a responsibility to stand up and say, ‘This is wrong, this will not be tolerated’.”

Some critics insist the vulnerability of the girls themselves was more critical than race in the Rochdale case. Keith Vaz, chairman of the Commons Home Affairs committee, said it was important not to “stigmatise a whole community”, adding: “I do not believe it is a race issue.” However, Lady Warsi said both race and misogyny played a part. She said: “These were grown men, some of them religious teachers, or running businesses, with young families of their own. They knew this was wrong. Whether or not these girls were easy prey, they knew it was wrong.”

Sarath Fonseka finally walks free from prison Sri Lankan president Mahinda Rajapaksa finally succumbed to international pressure and ordered the release of war hero Sarath Fonseka. He walked free from prison after spending two years behind bars for crossing swords with the powerful president and dabbling into politics. The former Army Chief went on from being a war hero to a presidential challenger to a convict in a short span of time. India, US and other western powers played a major role in pressurizing Rajapaksa to order the release of Fonseka. This is a welcome step on the part of Lankan president. But he has to do more to earn the confidence of the world leaders and order an impartial inquiry by an international agency into the last stages of the war in which scores of innocent Tamil people and LTTE cadres were killed.

The inquiry can fix the responsibility for the genocide and cold-blooded murder of surrendered and unarmed people. Many are still languishing in prison with out any charge and many more are still missing. Even the former army chief Fonseka who was in charge of the operation has blamed the authorities for the murder of innocent people. The purpose of hoisting of false cases against Fonseka and putting him behind bars was to prevent the truth from coming out.

Fonseka declared that he had been the victim of a “vendetta” as he finally walked free from prison. “I will sacrifice my life to serve the people of this country,” he told crowds as firecrackers erupted. “My

courage will not be shattered even if they detain me for 10 years and I will not stop performing my duty.

Fonseka, the man credited with leading the Sri Lankan Army to victory over the LTTE was under detention since February 2010, just two weeks after he unsuccessfully challenged Rajapaksa in the presidential election. A military court found him guilty for adopting wrong procedure as the head of the Army's tender board and sentenced to a 30 month jail term.

Thereafter he faced two more court cases. He was condemned to a 3-year jail term in the 'white flag case' where he was charged with causing public disaffection against the state for saying that the defence establishment had ordered the killings of LTTE cadres who had surrendered with white flags. He was facing the third case in which he was charged for harbouring military deserters. The US State Department's 2011 human rights report branded Fonseka, who is a US green card holder, as a 'political prisoner'.

Now India and other world leaders have to put more pressure on Rajapaksa for ordering an impartial inquiry into the massacre of Tamils and its aftermath.

The Tamil people are continued to suffer and their plight is pathetic. Rajapaksa should be forced to act so that the condition of the Tamils could improve. The fear of the reprisal may prevent the Tamils from fighting for their legitimate rights but you cannot the suppressed for a long time. It would be better for the government and the majority Sinhalese population to reconcile with the Tamils and live peacefully.

www.abplgroup.com

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Thought for the Week

Sow a thought, reap a deed; sow a deed, reap a habit; sow a habit, reap a lifestyle; sow a lifestyle, reap a destiny - Charles Reed

Political Sketchbook Alpesh Patel’s

Indian threatens Indian don’t protest at Olympics It is claimed Indians don’t help Indians. That the pinnacle of this was how 200,000 British soldiers could control and hold dominion over 300m Indians. True today?

I’ve been privy to some emails between a UK government representative and a major Hindu network over the Olympics and Bhopal. I will specifically not name them for now as it would be unfair given they did not know I would be writing on this subject – although could probably guess I would!

At an Advisory Board Meeting of the City Hindu Network I was informed that sadly, so many don’t even know of what happened at Bhopal – how thousands died an agonising, painful death from a chemical leak at the Indian subsidiary of a US firm in the early 80s – that compensation for the victims was pitiful and took years.

So why should we protest against Dow Chemicals who years later bought the company? Why should we protest at the Olympics where Dow are a supplier?

Why not against all customers of Dow? Why protest when the Indian Government is actively participating?

Political protest without publicity is pointless. Yes I would respect all those that did protest and boycott – even if they did without publicity. What we can learn from the greatest political protestor since Christ – Mahatma Gandhi – is that without publicity, without correct timing, you only injure yourself, not bring victory closer for your cause.

But anyone taking a stand on principal would have my support. What worries me however is not this. What worries me is that in the emails I saw the Government representative (well he portrayed himself as such – I don’t know him) suggested that his role was to ensure that the torch would be pictured against the backdrop of Hindu temples, but if there were protests this could not happen ‘for security concerns’ and he even went further to copy into the email a prominent member of the Conservative party who is also of Indian origin.

Now such ‘political’ pressure is crass. It uses three classic, but ineffectual strategic moves, which shows me he is a political operative, but not quite top tier. But it is a lesson in how not to do things.

His strategic move was firstly Imperial (get the Indian to turn on his own people – ie he is Indian, rope in another Indian from the Party to add pressure on the Hindu organisation).

Second the age old ‘divide and conquer’. His implicit threat being that should presumably this one Hindu organisation protest, then the torch would not be near other mandirs and other Hindu groups would be upset at it for spoiling their day in the sun.

Now this ‘carrot and stick’ approach does not work.

In essence his crass political tactics lacked credibility – despite his ‘name-dropping’ about who in Number 10 and the London Mayor’s Office he represents. They lacked credibility for several reasons. One was the typos in his email. Second the torch will be going throughout the UK – to think there would be protests everywhere outside temples is ridiculous. Third why would Indians protest outside temples?

Continued on page 13

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Asian Voice - Saturday 26th May 2012

Leicester Voice Email: majithia.meera@gmail.com

In brief

Indecent assault in Leicester

Officers from the city are appealing for witnesses after a 32-year-old woman was indecently assaulted in Leicester. The incident took place at about 4.25pm on Sunday May 6 when the victim was approached from behind by a man as she was walking along in the Highfield Street and St Peter’s Road area. The man touched the victim inappropriately before he walked off towards Welland Street and Severn Street.

The suspect has been described as being an Asian man, 17-23 years-old, of slim build, about 5’2” tall, with short dark hair and a full beard. He was wearing a blue tracksuit top. Detective Constable Sukhi Obhi is investigating the incident, he said: “This was a distressing incident for the victim and we need to catch the person responsible.

“There may have been people in the area around the time of the incident who could possibly have witnessed the incident or saw the man walking away, if you can help with any aspect of the investigation then we would urge you to get in touch.”

Anyone with any information is asked to contact DC 575 Sukhi Obhi on 101, identification number 0575, or contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

By Meera Majithia

Bollywood star comes to the city for charitable cause Bollywood superstar and India’s first Miss Universe, Sushmita Sen, was in Leicester last week to support diabetes charity Silver Star.

The charity’s founder-patron Leicester East MP Keith Vaz, who was diagnosed with diabetes 5 years ago, had invited her to the city on Thursday, May 17th to kick-start his anniversary appeal for Silver Star at the Belgrave Neighbourhood Centre.

The appeal is designed to raise funds for further mobile diabetes testing units in Mumbai and the Midlands. So far Silver Star units have tested 25,000 people in schools, communities, businesses and villages for free resulting in diabetes caught early and many lives and limbs saved.

Her visit culminated in the hotlyanticipated launch of Silver Star’s raffle prize, a new Kia Picanto at the Sandicliff Kia’s Red Cube dealership in Leicester. For just £1, participants will have the chance to take delivery of the £8,000 car in October this year. The unique car was signed by Ms Sen and will be signed by Bollywood legend Amitabh Bachchan when he visits the city in June.

Ms Sen also launched the inaugural Silver Star Fun Run, which will take place on July 25 and will raise awareness of the importance of an active and healthy lifestyle in preventing obesity and linked conditions such as diabetes. Thousands are expected to take part.

Sushmita has a personal interest

Fifth person charged for people trafficking

in diabetes, with her grandmother having lost her life to it and was delighted to be able to release silver and purple balloons representing the

charity’s achievements into the Leicester skies.

Keith Vaz MP said:“I am delight-

ed to be marking my 25 years as Leicester East’s representative in Parliament with an appeal for this extremely important cause.

Sushmita is the first of a number of special guests who will be visiting Leicester to support the appeal. If only I was aware of what could be done with diet and exercise to prevent diabetes, I might never have developed it. With 850,000 people in the UK living with undiagnosed diabetes, Silver Star’s work is vital.”

Dr Modhwadia, Chairman of Silver Star said: “It is a privilege for us to have Sushmita give up her valuable time to our worthy cause. It is only through celebrities like her that we are able to remind people of the importance of being tested for diabetes. From its small beginnings in Leicester, the Silver Star operation now spans 3 continents and has tested tens of thousands of people.”

‘Slum Tourism’ project is launched A new study is to investigate whether the growing phenomenon of slum tourism in countries like India, is merely a cynical form of entertainment for the rich - or whether it can help to tackle global inequalities and injustices.

Research at the University of Leicester will analyse the growth in tours of areas of urban poverty, often called slums, favelas or townships.

The project is funded by the European Union through a prestigious Marie Curie post-doctoral fellowship awarded to Dr Fabian Frenzel.

Dr Frenzel, a lecturer in the Political Economy of Organisation at the School of Management, University of Leicester, said: “This form of tourism might seem unusual but in recent years more and more visitors have taken tours in slums, predominantly in South Africa, Brazil and India, but increasingly also in other cities across the world.

“Curiosity to visit slums is often considered morally problematic, particularly as tourism is associated with fun and entertainment. Many people would argue that it is voyeuristic to watch people in their poor living conditions.

“My research will place slum tourism in the context of social and political questions over global equity and the eradication of poverty. The investigation will look at a variety of case studies, interviewing participating tourists, locals and tour operators. The big question is whether

slum tourism is merely some cynical form of entertainment for the rich or a practice that can help tackle the global inequalities and injustices we live with.”

Dr Frenzel, who has edited a book on the subject published this month by Routledge, said slum tourism is not a new phenomenon.

“These sites of squalor have long enticed popular imagination.

Many people experienced poverty not in literal tours, but in literary ways, for example in the writing of Charles Dickens. Today this convergence of literal and literary slumming continues.

“The recent fascination with films like District 9, City of God and Slumdog Millionaire shows that these desires are still with us. Indeed in today’s ‘planet of slums’, slum-

tourism flourishes.”

Recent figures from Rio de Janeiro show, that favelas have become on of the main tourist attractions in the city, on par with top sights like Christ the Redeemer Statue and the Sugar Loaf. In South Africa as well as Brazil, slum tourism has developed into a mass tourism phenomenon, and includes the provision of hospitality for tourists in the slums.

Dr Frenzel’s study will particularly reflect on the boundaries of what we consider as tourism. Slums are visited by a variety of different people, including volunteers in charity organisations, professional aid workers, pop stars, philanthropists and academics. Such professional slummers contribute to the growth of slum tourism.

Police have charged a fifth person as part of an investigation into people trafficking in Leicester.

Officers executed warrants at two properties in Lyme Road and New Parks Road, Leicester, on Tuesday April 10 and arrested six people.

The following day three men, aged 19, 26 and 28, and a woman, aged 31, were charged with trafficking people into the United Kingdom and later appeared in court. On Friday, May 18, a 36-year-old man was charged with trafficking people into the United Kingdom and management of a brothel.

He is due to appear Leicester Magistrates Court in June 6, 2012. Four women who were found at the addresses continue to be provided with support from specialist officers.

Medical students win national award

A team of medical students from the University of Leicester have walked away with top prize in a national competition for their finger puppet video.

The team from the University took part in the inaugural Box Office Bioethics competition run by the Nuffield Council on Bioethics. The competition invited teams of students in three age categories (school years 11 and below, years 12 and 13, and undergraduates) to submit short videos on a bioethical theme. The University of Leicester’s team, consisting of Sunjay Parmar, Dhawal Patel, Lewis Peake, Charlie Strachan and Jamie Thomson came first in the undergraduate category for their film about Ethics and Public Health.

Using a combination of knitted finger puppets, vox pop interviews and questions via twitter, the students constructed their video around a current affairs programme called “Ethical debates”. Using this engaging format they tackled the ethics of public health interventions, such as the offering of financial incentives to smokers to help them quit and whether it is ever appropriate to make vaccination compulsory. The video was originally produced in 2011 as an assessed task for the second year module Targeting Biochemical Knowledge to Medical Problems. The module is core for Medical Biochemists as well as being offered as an optional Student Selected Component (SSC) for medics. Dr Chris Willmott, convenor of the module, introduced the video production task in 2008. He said: “We wanted an assessed activity that would offer more opportunity for students to express their creativity than was afforded by more traditional essay writing.0

Free Olympic celebration to be held at Abbey Park A celebration event is being held at Abbey Park to mark the arrival of the Olympic torch to Leicester on July 2nd The free event, run by the city council, will take place from 4pm to 8pm. The highlight of the evening will be the lighting of the Celebration Cauldron by the torchbearer who will carry the Olympic flame into the park at 6.50pm.

The stage show will feature a variety of acts ranging from an international circus troupe and high-energy dance show,

to up-and-coming Indie band Morning Parade, who are being brought to Leicester by one of the Olympic sponsors.

All of the action will be broadcast on two giant screens, which will be erected on the park.

Other activities include a parade of Leicester swimming teams to commemorate the 100-year anniversary of Leicester-born Jenny Fletcher winning Olympic gold in 1912.

The park will open at 4pm when visitors will be able will

be able to take part in a range of activities set in five themed zones. Based around the themes of sport, health, play, culture, and with a showcase of projects from the Inspire Leicestershire team, the zones will feature displays, demonstrations and activities visitors can get involved in.

Deputy City Mayor Cllr Rory Palmer said: “The Olympic torch will arrive in London on Friday and begin its journey around the UK. The Abbey Park event will be a

fantastic opportunity to welcome it to the city in July.

Tickets will be required for entry to the park. They will be free and limited to eight per household. People are being invited to complete a registration form for a ticket – either online or in named city venues – between Monday, May 21 to Sunday, June 3.

Successful applicants will be contacted by email or phone and their tickets will be available for collection on Friday, June 8. To register online go to www.leicester.gov.uk/olympictorchevent

Asian Voice - Saturday 26th May 2012

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UK

Asian Voice - Saturday 26th May 2012

Kapil’s

KHICHADI

By Spriha Srivastava

by Kapil Dudakia - email: kapil@abplgroup.com

Cornelia Sorabji remembered On Monday, at Lincoln’s Inn, a bust was unveiled in the memory a remarkable Indian woman who faced many hardships to achieve her dream.

Cornelia Sorabji – a name often heard in the context of participation of women in law, was the first female barrister from India. She was a social reformer and a writer.

She was also the first female graduate from the Bombay University, and the first woman to study law at Oxford University.

The event organised

by Dr. Kusoom Vadgama, an Optometrist by profession focussed on the life of Cornelia Sorabji and Dr. Vadgama’s latest work entitled “An Indian Portia” that has reprints of selected writings of Cornelia Sorabji (18661954).

Cornelia Sorabji was born in 1866 in Nashik received her education both at home, with her missionary father, and at mission schools. In 1892, she was given special permission by Congregational Decree, due in large part to the petitions of her English friends, to take the Bachelor of Civil Laws exam at Oxford University, becoming the first woman to ever do so.

In 1894, Sorabji became involved in social and advisory work on behalf of the purdahnashins, women who, according to Hindu law, were forbidden to communicate with the outside male world. In many cases, these women owned considerable property, yet had no access to the necessary legal expertise to defend it. Sorabji was given special permission to enter pleas on the behalf of the purdahnashins before British agents of Kathiawar and Indore principalities, but she was unable to defend them in court since, as a woman, she did not hold professional standing in the Indian legal system.

In the hopes of remedying that, Sorabji presented herself for the LLB examination of Bombay University in 1897 and pleader’s examination of Allahabad high court in 1899. Yet, despite her successes, Sorabji would not be recognized as a barrister until the law which barred women from practicing was changed in 1924.

Sorabji began petitioning the India Office as early as 1902 to provide for a female legal advisor to represent women and minors in provincial courts. In 1904, she was appointed Lady Assistant to the

A bust of Cornelia Sorabji

Court of Wards of Bengal and by 1907, due to the need for such representation, Sorabji was working in the provinces of Bengal, Bihar, Orissa, and Assam.

In the next 20 years of service, it is estimated that Sorabji helped over 600 women and orphans fight legal battles, sometimes at no charge. She would later write about many of these cases in her work Between the Twilights and her two

Women. For her services to the Indian nation, she was awarded the Kaiseri-Hind gold medal in 1909.

Although an Anglophile, Sorabji had no desire to see “the wholesale imposition of a British legal system on Indian society any more than she sought the transplantation of other Western values.

Sorabji’s life and work have been very nicely depicted in Dr. Vadgama’s book and the amount of research she has undergone to bring Sorabji’s life to public is commendable. The busy truly depicts Sorabji’s personality. Her nephew Prof. Richard Sorabji brought the attention of those present there to two aspects of the bust.

One, Cornelia wore blouses with embroidery which was famous at that time in India. Secondly, her style of wearing the saree was inspired by the Parsis. In fact, in Dr. Vadgama’s book, there is a letter published that Cornelia had written to one of her sisters instructing how to wear a saree.

Cornelia’s life is an example for several young women today who are not able to make a career for themselves due

British Hindus: What a Sham(e) !

Regular readers of AV will no doubt know that I have been writing on issues affecting the Hindu community and the state of our lead national organisations for many years.

First let me be very clear, there are some very good honest hard working people giving up their valuable time each and every day who serve our communities well. To those people, I salute you and I commend your dedication in serving our community. However one cannot forever turn a blind eye to those who either for personal gain, kudos, name, fame, honours or just plain corrupt practices, have destroyed our organisations to be ridiculed by most in Government, as well as by other faith organisations.

For example, the Hindu Council UK (HCUK) have taken a leaf out of Jedward and have metamorphosed into two organisations. One led by Anil Bhanot and Sanjay Jagatia that controls HCUK a ‘company’ listed at Companies House. And the other led by Dr V P Narayan Rao and Satya Minhas which is registered with the Charities Commission. Of course historically there was only ever one HCUK but it seems that one group has high-jacked part of the organisation and its identity.

And folks they do this on the national stage. Can you imagine what Ministers, Civil servants and other faith communities think of Hindus? As they laugh at us in their private moments, the only sentiment expressed is that of silent contempt.

So what about the National Council of Hindu Temples (NCHT) led by Brij Mohan Gupta and Dr. Raj Pandit Sharma? They are doing a slightly better job, however recently I was abused via email and twitter by the son of one of the office bearers. When I asked the leadership to investigate the matter and ensure that such episodes do not occur again, I was astonished to find that they ignored all my communications.

Then you have the Hindu Forum of Britain (HFB), an organisation when it started that was doing some sterling work. Even it has now lost its way.

So what is this all about? Is it that I have gone nuts and want to have a KK ranting episode at these organisations?

Those who know me, will know all too well that I don’t raise such issues lightly.

A crisis point is arriving from whence we

will either grow as a community, or regress into a role of insignificance.

Folks, the choice is for you to make.

Let’s flip the coin and see what else is happening that shows an aspect of how our community behaves that we need to recognise and change soon. In the recent Mayoral elections good old blondie, Mayor Boris won – just. The small margin was a surprise given Ken had publicly stated he was looking at making London a beacon for Islam. I am sure Ken must have meant well but it sent shockwaves throughout the various faith communities. Lord Sugar came out publicly and asked people not to vote for Ken. Please note, Lord Sugar being of Jewish faith thought of his community first, before his party, his politics or his personal gain. So how many of our esteemed Lords came out to protect the interest of their communities?

Further analysis of the voting pattern suggests that, for example, in Ealing and Southall where there is a significant proportion from the Sikh & Punjabi community, they in fact voted for Ken. We see this pattern repeated also for the Hindu community in places like Harrow and Brent. So what does this tell us?

Either our communities are content to vote for Ken, blindly. Or maybe they voted for Labour, blindly. Or maybe they just don’t take politics seriously enough.

What is even worse, less than 20% of our community voted – so what were the other 80% doing? Singing Bhajans whilst London was burning?

What is happening to people in positions of responsibility who coward their principles for personal or political gain?

For example, recently a Pakistani gang was found guilty of abusing ‘white’ girls systematically. However our own Keith Vaz was unable to come out and say it, as it was. It took Baroness Warsi several days (and some prompting from her father) before she came out and said a “small minority” of Pakistani men see white girls as “fair game”.

Our communities need to rise up and recognise their plight before it is too late.

It is time our national organisations served their communities better, and not resort to pampering their egos. Is it now not time we took stock of our place in British society and become effective champions for the very future of our children?

Vinoo Sachania, Jagruti Dekevadia Advocate from Ahemadabad, Author Dr Kusumben Vadgama, Vinoo Vadgama and Sakuben Vadgama

autobiographies.

In 1924, the legal profession was opened to women in India, and Sorabji began practicing in Calcutta.

However, due to male bias and discrimination, she was confined to preparing opinions on cases, rather than pleading them before the court.

Sorabji was also actively involved in social reforms. She was associated with the Bengal branch of the National Council for Women in India, the Federation of University Women, and the Bengal League of Social Service for

to certain hardships. It teaches us that if we are determined to do something, nothing can prevent us from doing so.

Also present at the event were Dr. Rajesh Prasad, Deputy High Commissioner to the UK, Baroness Hale of Richmond, the most senior and the only female judge in the history of UK, Professor Richard Sorabji, Professor Emeritus of Kind’s College, London and Cornelia Sorabji’s nephew, Zerbanoo Gifford, Founder of the Asha Foundation among others.

Let us know what you think.

Email Spriha at aveditorial@abplgroup.com

Accused Dewani murderer to plead ‘not guilty’

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Two of the men accused of killing honeymoon bride Anni Dewani intend pleading not guilty when their trial starts in July in the Western Cape High Court.

Xolile Mngeni and Mziwamadoda Qwabe appeared in court on last Friday for the last leg of their pre-trial conference.

Anni’s husband, Shrien Dewani has also been accused of her murder. The State recently said it would only add him as an accused once he was mentally fit. Anni, 28, was shot dead in an apparent car hijacking while she and her husband were on honeymoon in Cape Town in November 2010.

UK

Asian Voice - Saturday 26th May 2012

Afternoon tea at the House of Commons to raise awareness for St Wilfrid's Romil Patel On Monday 14 May 2012 people from all walks of life gathered at the House of Commons to raise awareness for St. Wilfrid’s Centre, a charity which aims “to support the homeless, the vulnerable and those who are socially excluded.”

Simrin Choudhrie, Patron of the St. Wilfrid’s centre arranged the event which was hosted by the Rt Hon Keith Vaz, MP, Chairman, Home Affairs Committee. As the afternoon progressed, it became abundantly clear that the charity is one which is close to Simrin Choudhrie’s heart and justifiably so.

In the winter of 2010 Choudhrie participated in the popular Channel 4 programme, ‘The Secret Millionaire.’ Over the course of eight days,

Simrin Choudhrie – Patron

many – including Simrin Choudhrie – as “a model to society” whereby people who suffer from mental illness and various other conditions can find the confidence to get through their daily lives.

Speaking of St. Wilfird’s in her address to the congregation, Choudhrie said that “it acts as a safe haven that

vulnerable person that came through the door was addressed as a client which I thought immediately reinstated his sense of long lost dignity,” Choudhrie said.

At St. Wilfrid’s, clients can eat hot, freshly cooked meals for a mere charge of £1.50.

“This charge was not put in place for the benefit of the centre but for the client as it gave him a sense of self-worth by being able to pay for his own meals,” explained Choudhrie.

The afternoon saw overwhelming support for St. Wilfrid’s from football managers to players to local MPs from Sheffield, Rotherham and Chesterfield.

Kevin Bradley, Director of St. Wilfrid’s Centre gave a passionate request to all those present for support and he subse-

Sister of murdered teenager witnesses against parents

Shafilea Ahmed

The sister of murdered teenager Shafilea Ahmed told police she saw her parents kill her by forcing a bag into her mouth and suffocating her, a court heard on Tuesday.

Iftikhar and Farzana Ahmed are accused of killing their 17-year-old daughter Shafilea in the family home in Warrington in September, 2003.

The murder was allegedly witnessed by Shafilea’s younger sister Alesha, now 23, who kept the secret for seven years.

Shafilea’s decomposed remains were discovered in Cumbria in February 2004 but it was not until 2010 that her sister Alesha provided the ‘final piece of the puzzle’ about her death,

Iftikhar and Farzana Ahmed

the court has heard.

Mr Edis told the jury that Alesha was arrested in 2010 for involvement in a robbery at her parents’ home, in which three masked men tied up her mother, two sisters and brother.

Six days later she alleged to police that her parents killed Shafilea, he said.

Mr Edis added that Alesha was either telling the truth about the death of her sister ‘which she has kept under wraps for years for reasons of family loyalty’ or for other reasons because her relationship with her parents ‘became toxic’. Alesha is on witness protection.

The case continues.

L-R: Lord Tim Clement-Jones CBE, Keith Vaz MP, Belinda Barber – volunteer, Clive Betts MP, Helen Lowry – PA to the Director of St Wilfrid’s, Paul Blomfield MP, Helen Coates – Welfare Manager at St Wilfrid’s, Paul Russell – Deputy Director of St Wilfrid’s, Kevin Bradley – Director of St Wilfrid’s, Simrin Choudhrie – Patron, John Healey MP

Choudhrie lived in Burngreave, Sheffield where she experienced life with less privileged members of society.

Choudhrie’s journey led her to St. Wilfrid’s centre, a charity which embraces all people. Indeed it is here “where homeless and vulnerable people can find understanding, practical assistance, a sense of belonging and the support to regain their self-esteem” and it has been hailed by

quently outlined plans to raise £1.8m which will enable the charity to erect a residential unit which will house 52 clients. After spending two years in the residential project, clients will have gained confidence and vital social skills which will enable them to get through their daily lives without fear.

(For more information on St Wildrid’s visit http://www.stwilfridscentre.org/)

provides a strong sense of security and belonging.

After having spent much time in centres similar to St. Wilfrid’s around the UK, I think it is safe to say that there is no other centre that compares to St. Wilfrid’s. They have found the secret.”

The poor treatment of vulnerable people by carers is an alarming issue but at St. Wilfrid’s, people are treated as human beings.

“I loved the fact that any

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Dee Katwa

Asian Voice - Saturday 26th May 2012

Midland Voice Contact: Dhiren on 07970 911 386 or dhiren.katwa@abplgroup.com

Britain fizzing with Asian female dynamism

Murder: Man charged

Congratulation to Salma Bi, the first and only Muslim woman to play for Worcestershire County Cricket Club, who scooped the inaugural Asian Women of Achievement in Sport 2012 award.

Salma, from Birmingham, who is now employed by the England Cricket Board as a cricket coach, was honoured, alongside eight other Asian women – from a shortlist of 52 - at a prestigious ceremony at London’s Hilton Hotel last Wednesday.

Other winners included Farida Gibbs, CEO and founder of Europe’s fastest-growing IT staffing and consulting business GibbsS3, who scooped the Entrepreneur Award; BBC news correspondent Sangita Myska,who was involved in the secret filming of Bulgarian child traffickers and a key reporter from last year’s London riots, was named Asian Woman of Achievement in Media.

The Arts and Culture Award went to Indhu Rubasingham, artistic director, The Tricycle Theatre, for her “astounding achievements”in theatre. Vicky Shu, lead project engineer, Shell UK, was crowned Business Woman of the Year for her delivery of groundbreaking projects in the

News in Brief A 24-year-old man has been charged with the murder of Shashpal Singh Bahra. Mr Bahra, 46, was attacked on Thorp Street, near the Hippodrome Theatre in Birmingham on May 12. Paramedics were unable to save him. Mr Bahra died in hospital as a result of multiple stab wounds, a post mortem revealed.

Bleak view on business

AWA Winners 2012

Triumphant: Salma Bi

offshore gas industry and her support for young female engineers entering the industry.

The Social and Humanitarian Award was presented to Rena Amin, head of medicine management, Greenwich PCT. Rena, who attributed her accolade to her spiritual guru, His Holiness Pramukh Swami Maharaj, got another surprise when she saw her mother Sharmisthaben and sister-in-law Shilpaben, who had flown in from the Kenyan capital Nairobi to be at the awards.

Jia-Yan Gu, researcher, BT Group was crowned Young Achiever. She was recognised for her input into global scientific research projects, also for her charity work sup-

porting female victims of sexual abuse.

The Professional of the Year trophy went to solicitor and actress Tasmina Ahmed-Sheikh. Tasmina provides legal services to ethnic minority women and aspires to be Scotland’s first Asian female MP. Mei Sim Lai, who runs her accountancy practice in London was presented with the Public Service award, while IT giant Cisco took the Community Award for making a difference in the community through their academies and teaching schemes.

Two Global Empowerment Awards were presented on the night to Farah Pandith and Princess Azizah of Pahang. The latter is the daughter of the Sultan of Johor and wife of the Crown Prince of Pahang, Malaysia.

Farah was appointed by Hilary Clinton in 2009 as special

representative to Muslim communities.

The Chairman’s Award, the most prestigious accolade honouring exceptional work and dedication, went to Sung-Joo Kim, CEO of MCM Holdings, a luxury fashion firm.

The event, now in its 13th year, was hosted by the ‘I am something’ BBC London news presenter Riz Lateef. Special guests included awards patron Cherie Blair, Home Secretary Theresa May, ‘Olympics Champion’ and ex-Culture Secretary Tessa Jowell and Princess Badiya bint El Hassan of Jordan.

Founded and chaired by author and entrepreneur Pinky Lilani, and supported this year by The Royal Bank of Scotland, the AWAs champion the contribution made by Asian women across British business, sports, public, cultural, community and political life.

White favouritism, again?

Newspaper boss resigns

Sir Albert Bore, the new leader at Birmingham City Council, seems not as genuinely committed to diversity as I had thought. There I was singing his praises in this column last week.

Whoops! Some readers tell me I slipped up in my usually sharp judgement. Did I? I hadn’t realised but Sir Albert’s new cabinet has only one ethnic minority member – Tahir Ali – of the eight-strong team. Tahir,pictured, who represents Nechells ward, will be responsible for the Development, Jobs and Skills portfolio. In addition, there is only one woman on the top table, Brigid Jones (Selly Oak), who will be in charge of children and families. The line-up appears to contravene the Labour group rules which state that the cabinet should reflect the ethnic shape of Birmingham. Oh dear. This has left Labour open to the same allegations of white favouritism that were leveled against the outgoing Tory-Lib Dem cabinet.

But does Sir Albert really care? Well, Asian Voice has requested a meeting with him to discuss. Watch this space.

As vice-chair of the National Union of Journalists’ Equality Council, I add my congratulation to the Trinity Mirror Group (TMG) Chapel for its campaign against boardroom greed which culminated in the resignation of Sly Bailey.

Her ten-year tenure as chief executive was marked by relentless cost-cutting that sacrificed hundreds of journalists’ job while she amassed more than £14 million in pay and bonuses – a gross distortion that eventually led to shareholders controlling 100 million company shares deciding this year not to back the directors’ remuneration report. An NUJ spokesperson said: “Huge rewards for failure and the destruction of journalism must not be allowed again.” TMG is one of the UK’s largest newspaper publishers. Its Midland titles include Birmingham Post and Mail and Coventry Telegraph. The only TMG board member, of a total 10, from a non-white background is its media-coy Finance Director, Vijay Vaghela, pictured, a Hindu Gujarati, originally from East Africa.

Jail officer ‘had sex with inmate’ A woman prisoner has been charged with misconduct in public office after allegations that she had sex with an inmate while he was out on day release at Birmingham’s Malmaison Hotel, reports the Sunday Mercury. Jodie Pugh, 30, who worked at HMP Hewell in Redditch, Worcestershire, is also alleged to have smuggled a phone into the prison for use by prisoners.

Pugh is currently suspended pending court proceedings.

Drugs pair to repay £234k The son of a former Tory councillor and his ex-business partner have been ordered to pay back a total of £234,000 for their part in a drugs empire. Ali Munir, pictured, whose father is former Walsall councillor Mohammed Munir, and Shazad Ali were both jailed for five-and-ahalf years at Wolverhampton Crown Court in February last year. Both have now been ordered to pay £116,000 each or serve an extra two years behind bars.

Business owners and managers in the West Midlands are among the least confident in the UK about the trading year ahead, according to new research. A total of 27% said they believed the economy would not recover until 2017.

Workers ‘steal’ from work More than two-thirds of British office workers have taken stationary from work, a survey reveals. The most common items pilfered are Post-it notes, sellotape, scissors, loo roll and photocopier paper. But one in 20 owned up to taking valuable items.

Drop in bankruptcy numbers The number of people declared insolvent in the West Midlands has dropped. In Birmingham, there were 1,860 insolvencies last year, the lowest since 2008, with a rate of 23.6 per 10,000 adults. The rate was 20.8 in Coventry, 23.6 in Dudley, 27.3 in Sandwell, 23.4 in Solihull, 36.9 in Walsall and 31.6 in Wolverhampton.

New BOPIO Committee The Midlands branch of BOPIO, which stands for British Organisation of People of Indian Origin, has announced a new Steering Committee. The 12-strong team includes President Dr Rakesh Sachdev, joint Vice Presidents Resham Singh Sandhu and Sanjay Jagatia. In addition, four sub-committees have been formed which include Media Handling and Funding and Government Interaction. To find out more visit www.bopio.org.uk

Temple to open kids playground A new toddler’s play area will be officially opened at the Shri Balaji Temple in Tividale (B69 3DU) as part of the Diamond Jubilee events. The 11am – 8pm programme on June 4 will feature cultural performances, kids’ activities, competitions, a variety of stalls, a flaghoisting ceremony and much more. “Everyone is welcome. The more the merrier,” said Kunwar Raghava, an active and tireless volunteer at the temple.

Thumbs up to drug on NHS Abiraterone, the prostate cancer drug, has been approved for use on the NHS, thanks to a campaign led by Manchester MP John Leech.

Some 32,500 men are diagnosed and 10,000 men die from prostate cancer each year in England and Wales. Photo: John Leech MP, left, and Owen Sharp, Chief Executive of Prostate Cancer Charity.

Research into pre-eclampsia A major study into which genes cause pre-eclampsia - the potentially fatal condition which kills up to 40,000 women and almost one million babies every year worldwide - has been launched at Nottingham University. Findings from the EU-funded four-and-ahalf year InterPregGen project, will help to identify women who are at highest risk of developing the condition during their pregnancy. The condition affects around 5% of pregnancies, developing in the second half of pregnancy, often without warning signs, and is detected when the mother is found to have high blood pressure and protein in her urine.

UK

Asian Voice - Saturday 26th May 2012

IJA hosts welcome dinner for the Indian High Commissioner The Indian Journalist association hosted a welcome dinner for the High Commissioner Dr Jaimini Bhagwati and wife Rita Bhagwati at Chakra, an Indian restaurant at Notting Hill. Very well organised dinner was attended by Lord Swaraj Paul, Indian Deputy High Commissioner Shri Rajesh N Prasad, Mr C Rajasekhar, Minister, Press and Information, Mrs Padmaja, First Secretary, Press and Information, journalists and other guests.

While Mrs Rita Bhagwati mesmerised the audience, especially the female journalists with her spectacularly beautiful saree and elegance, Dr Bhagwati spoke about the growing relationship

Indian High Commissioner Dr Jaimini Bhagwati addressing the IJA journalists and guests, as Deputy High Commissioner Rajesh N Prasad looks on

between India and the UK and the requirement to strengthen it further. He politely requested to the Indian journalists to bring any issues that need urgent attention concerning the community to the embassy’s notice without fail. He urged the journalists to help the mission to improve their efforts to

serve the Indian diaspora better in Britain.

The restaurant Chakra made excellent efforts to provide a fantastic dinner and best hospitality to the present guests. Heartiest congratulation to them and the IJA for organising such a successful dinner.

Well done.

Sheargold awarded with the Business Excellence Awards 2012 On 17 May 2012, Sheargold was awarded with the Business Excellence Awards 2012 at a gala event, which was held at the Shendish Manor, Hemel Hempstead. The Business Excellence Awards were established to encourage and recognise businesses who have made exceptional contributions and a clear difference in the community.

Upon speaking to the Managing Director of Sheargold he went on to Asian Voice “Achieving this award motivates the Sheargold Team to continue providing the highest level of service on a very personal level”. The award was overseen and organised by BDO, one of the largest accountancy firm.

In the past Sheargold

L to R: Krishnan Guru-Murthy (Channel Four News), Hemal Mehta (Sheargold Procurement Officer), Nitin Mehta (Sheargold Managing Director), Jackie Withey (Partner at Alliots, sponsor of the awards), Amar Shah (Sheargold Director)

were winners of Watford and North West London Business Awards, Business Excellence Award for International Trade and Export.

Sheargold were also

Cabinet Minister calls on the community to condemn ‘sexual predators’

CB with actress Sushmita Sen

Sushmita Sen, the Bollywood actress and former Miss Universe was visiting UK to launch silver star diabetes fun run as part of the celebrations for 25 years of Rt Hon Keith Vaz as an MP (details on page 4). A dinner was hosted on 16th May at the House of Commons, which was attended by many dignitaries including our Publisher/Editor CB Patel.

The Cabinet Minister and Tory co-chairman Baroness Warsi said some Pakistani men believe “white girls are fair game” for sexual abuse.

In an exclusive interview Sayeeda Warsi (pictured), Britain’s most senior Muslim politician, called on mosques and community leaders to condemn “a small minority” of their members with racist and sexist views.

“There is a small minority of Pakistani men who believe that white girls are fair game,” she told the Evening

9

Standard. “And we have to be prepared to say that.

You can only start solving a problem if you acknowledge it first.”

Her comments actually followed after the horrific Rochdale sexual grooming case, in which a gang of Pakistani men preyed on young white girls. Lady

Warsi is the most senior political leader to say publicly that racist and misogynistic attitudes in sections of the community were partly responsible for what happened.

Keith Vaz, chairman of the Commons Home Affairs committee, said it was important not to “stigmatise a whole community”, adding: “I do not believe it is a race issue.”

However, Lady Warsi, who grew up in a Pakistani community in Yorkshire, said both race and misogyny played a part.

included in the Sunday Times International Track 100 as Britain’s 92nd Fastest Growing Private Company in the International Sales Category.

Whitehall official secures job at EBRD A leading Whitehall official has secured the top job at the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, making him the first Briton to win the post.

In a diplomatic victory for Britain, Sir Suma Chakrabarti, pictured, who serves as the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Justice, will lead the EBRD for the next four years.

YOUR VOICE

10

Asian Voice - Saturday 26th May 2012

Misuse of term Asian

Helping the poor

Misuse of term Asian to hide Muslim and Pakistani criminals is debated in “Your Voice” and in “Political Sketchbook”.

Other communities are hurt by implication that they must share the guilt for crimes committed by Muslims as proven in court. How many British or Europeans share guilt for Jalinwala Bag massacre, Tragedy at Bhopal, Holocaust, or dropping atom bomb on Hiroshima and Nagasaki?

Alpesh ji is wrong to defend criminals on basis that as our ancestors committed misogynist crimes, we must share guilt today, for no fault of ours that ancestors of present day were converted Muslims.

It is impossible to remove indiscriminate use of old term Asian, our fight must be sustained against misuse of the term Asian, resorting to Chanakya’s methods of penalty, bully, segregation and money.

Status quo after pacification of emotions is counterproductive.

Campaigners must realign term Asian to highlight virtues of Asian communities; emphasise that criminals in a single composite community are a negligible fraction, thus spreading guilt to whole Asian community is vicious mischief.

Please sublimate term Asian to empower and motivate communities to be proud of the epithet. Our fight must be to enhance image of various communities under the umbrella term Asian.

I am at heart and by origin proud of my Indian heritage, so helping poor Indians in any way I can is what I like doing, I visit India every year and do my bit, then I come across charities like “Milana” in Bangalore a charity helping poor Indians normally Hindu women with aids, and its partner is an bigger charity called Action Aid which advertises in the UK asking us to sponsor a starving child usually African or Asian on UK TV. Action Aid also partners with Women Thrive, and its president is Ritu Sharma.

Interestingly Ritu an American of Punjabi origin who is also serves on the board of a body called, the “US Global Leadership Coalition” the website states, its mission is to “support a smart power approach of elevating diplomacy and development alongside defence in order to build a better, safer world” that’s in the interests of the US presumably. So my rule is any organisation promoting Women’s empowerment, dalits, child poverty have lots of money are to be vetted carefully that they are not linked to the US state or US Christian mission, with a hidden agenda other then just alleviating poverty in India.

Ramesh Jhalla Via Email

Sachin may be novice in politics but then again everybody is so in their new profession. Sachin is an intelligent adult who can make his own decision. There is no reason why he should stop partying and socialising just because he became the Rajya Sabha member.

Sachin has so far managed his private and public life with great dignity and I am sure he will do the same in his new role.

Let us wish him a good luck and strength to prove himself.

United Nations Organization Time has come to break up the United Nations Organization into 5 Regional Nations Organizations [RNO]: America, Europe, Asia, Africa and Middle East and 5 regional currencies. BRIC countries have already decided to trade only in their own currencies between themselves. International Monetary Fund and World Bank should also be closed and 5 similar regional bodies formed. British media, politicians and economists view that the entire European Project and the Euro Currency were ill conceived and was all going to fail is Anglo-Saxon wishful thinking.

The 16 EURO countries represent 22% [$12.3 trillion] of world output [$58 trillion] and 29% of world exports with only 5% of world population. Combined Greece, Portugal and Ireland only make up 6% of EURO output. Let due process of democracy there decide Greece’s fate.

If one or more countries leave the Euro currency, other countries are no fools to give up free flow of goods, services, capital and labour. Also many others are waiting to join. United Nations has not been a success neither in the political sense or nor in the economic sense. Out of 100 biggest economies, 40 are not countries but multinational companies where huge profits are made on purely speculative trading activities. Let them find their own equilibrium without government bailouts.

Nagindas Khajuria Via Email

Jayesh A Patel Wimbledon

Sachin’s new innings

Hari Thakrar Kent

Angolan workers

Politically Naive Indian Community The Indian Diaspora world wide has shown their naivety time and again and as a result they have been politically marginalised, economically sidelined and culturally annihilated throughout the world.

This is in sharp contrast to the Jewish community who assert their influence well beyond their tiny numerical strength. The recent Mayoral election in London is the stark example of our apathy, ignorance and selfishness that could have cost us dearly. In view of Ken’s famous words to turn London into a “Beacon for Islam” most British Indians (Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Indian Christians) grudgingly admitted that a win for Ken may not be in our best interest. Yet miserly 20% Indians turned out to vote, against 49% Muslims and 70% Jews who voted almost to a person for Ken and Boris respectively. Southall, a borough dominated by Sikhs, was painted solid Red with 7 to 1 voting in favour of Ken, although Boris has a close family connection with the Sikh community.

It was not much different in Harrow and Brent with high percentage of Hindu voters. It seems Hindus are falling in the working class Labour voting pattern established over a long time whereby they traditionally vote Labour irrespective of the merits of the candidate, the party or the policy. Boris triumph is in spite of our apathy, as Muslim voters failed to reach the 60% target and Jewish vote excelled.

The main reason for Hindu apathy is the failure of our religious establishment to instruct and educate their flocks, as is the norm in Muslim and Jewish communities. Would any Labour Hindu Lord come out so openly against Ken as Lord Sugar?

Appeasement is our second nature. It would be interesting to read the voting pattern in AV borough by borough, as I feel AV/GS should take the lead in educating and informing Indian voters, as AV/GS are the most widely read weeklies in UK. Bhupendra M Gandhi Via Email

Being British Indian

I read the front page article about 1200 Angolan workers being held hostage. I have always have had issues regarding people going abroad to work through recruitment agencies in India.

The cruise that sank in Italy had hundreds of Indians working on it and some of them died trying to save the passengers.

It is perfect to go abroad to earn money, but sometimes people get misled by agencies who later do nothing to save if those people are in trouble.

I think it is inhumanly to imprison employees because they protested.

Whatever promises have to be complied with. And if not, it is a gross misconduct.

I think the UN should intervene to save these people who are being captivated in factories in the name of employment.

Anand Mukherjee Via Email

I read Alpesh’s political sketchbook (page 13, AV 19 May) with much interest. I completely agree with him. It is not about who you are now, but what matters is that we were part of the same country one day. Whatever separated India and Pakistan is history. These men are sexual predators and they are inhuman to do what they have done. It is immaterial where they come from. Yes there is a pattern in this whole grooming case. The partners in crime are in real life family members. So they are by default part of the same community, but I do not believe it’s just about being Pakistani.

However we must look into the disintegrating British society where children are taking recourse to alcohol and drug to forget about the broken family they come from. It is worrying and we must get our acts together before some other group of men target their vulnerability!

Seema Vajpayee Manchester

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Brand ‘Gujarat’ – which is equated with Guangdong of China, he invited Chinese business community and public enterprises to participate in the Vibrant Gujarat Global Investors’ Summit- 2013.

He highlights Gujarat’s special investment regions as areas where Chinese companies could invest. He called on China to invest in infrastructure and power projects in the state, wooing potential investors with a sales pitch that showcased Gujarat as a state with levels of “governance, transparency and stability” that they could not find elsewhere in India. He declared that “the two great countries will make Asia the centrestage of the global economy.”

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A new theory says that any physical activity for 15 minutes every day is a good insurance against a plethora of health problems, be it related to the heart, the brain or even cancer.

A study published in The Lancet, a British medical journal, said that just a quarter-hour of physical exertion a day could reduce a person's risk of death by 14% and increase life expectancy by three years compared to inactive people.

Incidentally, another theory published in a different British journal said daily TV-viewing for six hours could take

away five years from your life.

Adding and subtracting years from your life has never before been quantified in such medical terms, say doctors.

The 15-minute short-cut to good health, in fact, changes the most fundamental rule that was approved by the World Health Organizationthat 150 minutes of activity a week is needed to stay healthy. )(.#(/

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E-mail: support@abplgroup.com

The general public reacted with dismay and anger to the news that civil servants will be allowed to work from home during the Olympic Games, saying that it sent out the wrong message that Britain would close down for almost two months. The special dispensation, which is supposed to limit transport chaos in London, will extend from 21 July – six days before the Games’ opening ceremony – until the end of the para olympic games on 9 September. One hopes that this is justified as the tubes and buses will be packed during this period and allowing people to work from home will go some way towards relieving pressure on public transport. This move could also be justified in this age of information technology and computers when it will be possible to log into ones office computers from home and deal with their e-mails and projects on laptops.

However this privilege could be misused. During my days at work in the civil service, some lucky staff were allowed to work from home for a couple of days a week to look after young children.

However, this meant that others in the team were lumbered with their work and were not very happy. People afforded this facility had to provide us with a telephone number in order to contact them if and when needed. In some instances when we tried to contact them by phone, they would not be available and we would joke that the person had gone out shopping during official time. This sort of advantage was also taken by people when, during tube or train strikes, some were allowed to work from home rather than having to struggle to work by buses or having to walk long distances to work.

Similarly, in this instance, people could take wrong advantage of this dispensation and could spend office time watching the Games from the comfort of their homes.

Dinesh Sheth Newbury Park, Ilford

The orbit tower London’s orbit tower looks ugly. I read in Asian Voice how it will be open to public soon, but I think Mittal should have spent this money rightly. He at least should have checked what was happening to all that steel he was sponsoring along with money to create this Olympic icon.

The organisers must understand that the tower is a representative of the art and perhaps culture Anish Kapoor or India in a way stands for. Mittal to begin with has spent millions to make this red eyed monster and it looks really off putting. If this was meant to be a copy of the Eiffel Tower, I must say it is a very bad copy or amateurish. Spending £22.7mn on it seems a complete waste of money and resources. I would have appreciated if Mittal rather gave that money to the poor in India or replaced Dow as a sponsor.

Aditya Misra London

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In a rare gesture, China’s top leadership hosted his delegation at Great Hall of People and had a free and frank discussion and exchange of ideas on a range of subjects including trade, industry, socioeconomic development, investment, and prevailing global economic scenario. Modi emphasized about the shared heritage of India and China, and common vision for improved quality of lives of their people.

In his meeting with the Mr Wang Gang, Vice Chairman of the China People’s Political

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EDUCATION / COUNCIL VOICE

Asian Voice - Saturday 26th May 2012

What has become of India’s villages?

Alice Tilche A major research project hosted by the School of Oriental and African Studies in London and funded by the UK’s Economic and Social Science Research Council is to explore the changing role of the village in India.

In 1950, the children of newly-independent India were born into a world where there was no refrigeration, television or internet. There was no electricity for most. Villagers could expect to live an average of forty years.

Metalled roads, combustion engines and plastics were rare. Daily life was largely ordered by caste, religion and tradition.

Since then, Nehru’s vision, has given way to an era of (neo)-liberalisation and globalisation. Political devolution has passed some responsibility for economic development, social justice and taxation to the village level.

Affirmative action has ushered in caste-specific and gendered ‘reservations’. Land-reforms and new technologies have transformed agriculture, whilst public health programmes enhanced children’s chances of survival.

Alice Tilche

Parts of India have begun to boom.

Around the world, images of India’s cities are now commonplace.

Surprisingly little however is known about the conditions of daily life in India’s half-a-million villages today. The research project will examine what village life is like today, comparing it with well-known sociological accounts written at around the time of Independence. The villages selected for the study are in Orissa, Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat.

The Gujarat section of the research will be conducted in Charotar, with a particular focus on Sundarana, Dharmaj and neighbouring villages.

Charotar villages are

transnational villages and clearly not the same as they were 50 or more years ago. If you have memories of growing up in these villages – or have particular insights into how life there has changed over the years, then the researchers would love to hear from you.

To contribute with your stories please contact Dr. Alice Tilche (a.tilche@soas.ac.uk), the researcher working in Gujarat, or the project leader Dr Edward Simpson (es7@soas.ac.uk).

To know more about the project visit: http://www.soas.ac.uk/ant hropology/rural-changeand-anthropologicalknowledge-in-post-colonial-india/

COUNCIL NEWS

Ealing's Youth Mayor promises to tackle homelessness Sagar Ghelani, pictured, 16, from Southall, has been elected as Ealing’s fourth Youth Mayor. He competed against 10 other candidates during a twoweek campaign which saw them visit schools, youth centres, projects and special schools to rally support and persuade youngsters to give them their vote.

In total, 2749 young people from across the borough went to polling booths or voted online for their favourite candidate.

The five with the most votes at the end of the fortnight were put forward to a final hustings at Westside Young People’s Centre on Tuesday 8 May

where they gave speeches and presented their manifestos before the next Youth Mayor was selected.

Sagar’s priorities for the coming year are to encourage more youngsters to become involved in the borough’s decision making, help to make them more aware of some of Ealing’s major issues, such as homelessness, and help make young people more aware of the impact of racism.

Sagar said: “I am delighted to be elected Ealing’s Youth Mayor. The other candidates were amazing so this is a great honour. I want to thank everyone for their support and I’m looking forward

to representing Ealing’s young people.”

During his year of office, Sagar will represent young people from across the borough at official events and champion young people's issues and causes.

School records 'too crude for super-diverse UK ' Schools should keep detailed records of the languages spoken by ethnic minority pupils, according to a report.

Researchers from London Metropolitan University say simply to record pupils' ethnicity is too imprecise a measure as Britain becomes more diverse.

The study is the first analysis of the achievements of linguistic minorities in English schools.

The government said it was developing new ethnicity standards that would help schools collect detailed information.

The researchers, from London Metropolitan's Institute for Policy Studies in Education set out to identify which linguistic minorities struggle in education in England and where they are located.

The government's ethnic categories are inadequate for recording pupils' attainment, the report claims

Previous studies have suggested that pupils with English as an additional language do better than the national average at GCSE. But the researchers found that while this was true in inner London it was not the case in other regions.

They also found that in some regions the data being collected about

pupils' first languages and ethnicity was imprecise.

Report author Ayo Mansaray said: "Britain is becoming more ethnically and linguistically diverse every day, beyond London and urban areas typically associated with multi-ethnic populations. But the statistics being collected and the research being done are not keeping up with this diversity."

Childcare needs to be more affordable UK childcare needs to be overhauled to make it more affordable, a report for think tank Centreforum has suggested.

The average family spends more than a quarter (27%) of income on childcare, according to Elizabeth Truss's report.

The Conservative MP argued regulation should be simplified and child-

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minders allowed to care for more children at a time, to attract higher-paid staff.

Critics said this could put the quality of childcare at risk. The government said it had been cutting bureaucracy. In her report, Ms Truss said recent studies had shown widespread problems with quality, price and availability.

The figure spent on childcare in the UK is

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higher than every country in the world except Switzerland, according to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.

Ms Truss, MP for South West Norfolk, said the number of nursery places had increased since 1996 but childminder places had dropped drastically in the same period to 245,000 in 2010.

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Newham Young Mayor pledges to rid the roads of rubbish Hundreds of young people have already pledged to keep the borough clean following the launch of the Young Mayor, Abraham Male's campaign to tidy up Newham.

Abraham was fed up with young people getting the blame for making the borough a mess, not only does litter make the area untidy but it creates an impression of an area that is neglected, so he made cleaning up their act one of his priorities.

He has asked all young people to pledge not to litter

the borough. With the pledges still in Newham's schools and colleges, hundreds more are poised to sign up and offer their support for the campaign.

Youth councillors across schools and colleges will be speaking to young people and asking them to sign the pledge or show their support by tweeting '#keepnewhamclean' to @ym_newham.

As part of Abraham's plan to rid the borough of the rubbish on our roads, 15 youngsters took part in a clean up challenge on

Prince Regent Lane (On Wednesday 16 May).

The youths were joined

by Cllr Ian Corbett, executive member for environment and infrastructure and Cllr Neil Wilson, executive member for equalities and social inclusion.

Dressed in high-visibility vests and armed with litter pickers, the group cleared the road of chicken boxes, sweet wrappers and drinks bottles. With the support of the council's cleansing, waste and recycling team, they managed to collect a van load of rubbish.

11

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MEDIA WATCH

Asian Voice - Saturday 26th May 2012

Scrutator’s There was much national satisfaction at the 60th anniversary of the establishment of India’s Parliament. The Constituent Assembly oversaw the transfer of power from British colonial rule in August 1947.

The new Indian Constitution and the country’s first general election based universal adult suffrage led to the arrival of its Parliament.

Much against the dire predictions of British and American doomsayers that the experiment in parliamentary democracy was unsuited to the political and social realities of India, the country stubbornly confounded these critics.

India may have been a weak country in the 1950s, but its national leaders were men and women of extraordinary stature and vision.

Their respect for moral and political decencies underpinned an indomitable to uphold parliamentary norms involving dignity, courtesy toward opponents and an unflinching resolve for reasoned and civilized discourse. Times have changed – very much for the worse. The ritual scenes of disorder and mayhem in today’s Parliament are carried across the nation by a multitude of television channels. The Hindu newspaper’s front-page report (May 14) was headlined “At 60, Parliament worried over frequent disruption”. The paper’s editorial, entitled “The comic republic, was robust in its analysis of the current malaise. It began thus: “Bhakti in religion may be a road to the salvation of the soul,” quoting B.R. Ambedkar in a famous speech on November 23 1949 to the Constituent Assembly. “But in politics, Bhakti or hero-worship is a sure road to degeneration and to eventual dictatorship.”

The editorial expanded the theme: “If only the parliamentarians who vented their anger against a 1949 cartoon last week were to read and understand the hero in whose unnecessary defence they sprang up Indian democracy would have been spared the degrading spectacle of the government banishing a sixty-year-old sketch from the classroom.”Mob rule prevailed and cowardice had the last word.

The Times of India’s editorial (May 14), “Loony Toons”, contained the following strip line: “Games in competitive intolerance divert Parliament from issues affecting Indians”. Quite so. India’s legislators appear to be blissfully unaware that their perks and salaries are funded by the country’s citizenry including the poor on whose behalf these unworthy representative are given to shedding crocodiles as part of a public performance.

Power minus responsibility What is particularly distressing about the functioning of India’s parliament is the absence of a general Opposition understanding that on issues of national interest a bipartisan approach reflects democratic maturity.

Limits to opportunism To attack the government on anything and everything irrespective of the merits of a case is base egotism. This frequently leads to untenable positions such as when the rightwing BJP chose to square the circle by aligning itself with the Communist Party of India (CPM) on the Indo-US nuclear accord of 2008.

The Communists didn’t have the numbers, but the BJP leadership calculated, no doubt, that the government wouldn’t survive a vote of confidence, thus guaranteeing BJP octogenarians the shortest and least inconvenient route to high office.

This was all of a piece when the same two parties in 1990 (for reasons of their own) kept the V.P. Singh regime afloat while it went about crafting its infamous Mandalisation, whose consequences for the country are felt to this day. India deserves better.

Issue that matters An issue of vital importance to all Indians was highlighted recently in the media. The Times of India set out the problem succinctly (May 15).

“The Food Corporation of India (FCI) has warned that, unless the government can distribute 750 lakh (7.5 million)

tonnes of foodgrain , there is no storage space left for the bumper harvest being currently procured….The crisis of plenty has been engaging the government for a while as it is under pressure to distribute the foodgrain to the poor…..By the first week of June there would be no space to store 12 million tonnes of foodgrain that is being procured with high minimum price and bonus offered by states, boosting procurement to record levels.”

The crisis of abundance is clearly preferable to a crisis of scarcity, but it is a crisis and it needs to be tackled with appropriate urgency. To leave foodgrain to rot would be a crime, considering that certain areas in the world are on the brink of famine. A worthy suggestion doing the rounds is to export part of this surplus to countries in need.

ITC food plan for Bengal

ITC, the biggest corporate house in eastern India and one of the country’s foremost conglomerates “is betting big on West Bengal. It has giant plans to set up five manufacturing hubs for its foods in the state through the biggest financial outlay there in years. If it materializes, say industry experts, this could set the pace for industrialization in West Bengal after decades of stagnation.

Kurush Grant, the Executive Director of ITC, told a Times of India reporter (May 15): “We shall have most of the units within 50-60 square kilometers of Kolkata. Bengal is an ideal place for investment in the food business. It has most of the raw materials as well as goods market. This is the entry point to the northeast.” However, the Bengal Chamber of Commerce warns

that the state still has an image problem with investors.

SCO as a full participant including in its war games – “massive air-ground offensives against entrenched irregular military formations…..India is also prepared for greater involvement in SCO’s routine round-the-year activities such trade ministers’ meetings” (The Hindu May 15). Eventually, with Russian support, India’s full SCO membership seems assured.

Economic Slowdown There are unmistakable signs that all is not well with the Indian economy. However, it is far from the “Greek tragedy” of the overblown headline of a national broadsheet, but a crisis looms. The rupee is in free fall and capital investment has declined significantly in the face of the Reserve Bank of India’s continuing high interest rate to control inflationary pressures.

The anticipated lowering of the interest rate has clearly been put on hold. The dire straits of the Greek economy and the economies of southern Europe and their effects on the future of the Eurozone are impacting the rest of the world including India.

It is the darker side of globalization. Be that as it may, India is faced with stark choices, as Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee has stated in the Rajya Sabha.”This is a difficult world….Some sort of austerity measures (have to be taken) to convey the signal that we are responding ….but I do not want to press the panic button,” he said.

This will surely entail a cut in oil subsidies, to go no further.

The price of petrol, gadgets and cars are likely to rise. The minister must bite the bullet, sooner rather than later. Why not make a start by selling of profligate Air India. “Air India is not India” was the appropriate headline of an article on the edit pager of The Times of India (May 15).

That would convey the best signal to the market that the government means business and the country is ready for business.

Positives Consider this: Britain has decided, for commercial reasons, to open two new deputy high commission offices in India, one in Chandigarh in the north, the other in Hyderabad in the south.

Why would the most cost cutting British government in recent memory devote substantial sums of money to an enterprise in a country with an economy going nowhere? Work that out.

On another tack, the editorin-chief of The Harvard Business Review, Adi Ignatius, asked by an Indian magazine what it was that struck him most being in India, replied: “The traffic. And the energy - the productive economic activity going on here. I’ve been here four or five times before.” All is not lost.

Adi Ignatius

the ‘licence raj’ is replaced with ‘clearance regime’, where both the private and public sectors had to wade through unending numbers of [agonizing] clearances before projects actually take off,” is something that is constantly articulated by industrialists, chambers of commerce and the media. Actions not words are the need of the hour.

The proof of the pudding will be in the eating.

India for active SCO role

Threat to Paris Embassy Finally, according to the French newspaper Le Monde, Mohammed Merah, the Algerian terrorist responsible for the deaths of seven French citizens in Toulouse in late March, was instructed by his Taliban and al Qaeda handlers in Pakistan - where Merah received his training - to attack the Indian Embassy in Paris. Le Monde’s source was the Central Directorate of International Intelligence. Mohammed Merah was shot dead by French Special Forces in a 32-hour siege.

Heads of the six member countries of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO)

China and Russia are the twin poles of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) around which are gathered a cluster of former Soviet republics such as Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikstan and Kyrgzstan etc. Beyond this core are states like Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan and India who enjoy associate SCO status. Beijing was never enthusiastic about bringing India into the body and neither, initially, was New Delhi, which viewed it as a Chinese contrivance. It was in response to a Russian appeal to join that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh relented, saying India couldn’t refuse a request from a close friend and partner.

Today India has a vital geostrategic stake in a stable Afghanistan in view of the impending departure of US and Nato forces from the country.

India is thus keen to join the

The Hindu (May 19) reported that French intelligence had passed on this critically sensitive information to India. That India is now a primary target for Islamist terror groups is a worrying development.

Khan ban High profile Bollywood celebrity Shah Rukh Khan has been slapped with a five-year ban from Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium by the Mumbai Cricket Association cricket for an alleged brawl with the local police at the Mumbai IndiansKolkata Knight Riders IPL match, which the latter won handsomely, much to jubilation of KKR owner Shah Rukh Khan. “Sour grapes,” commented West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. In Mumbai many saw it differently. Sifting fact from fiction is never an easy task, even at the best of times.

Investment boost on anvil The hopeful news is that the Indian Prime Minister’s Office, worried at the disturbing trends, “has proposed the setting up of a special purpose vehicle (CPV) for accelerating investments in infrastructure, mineral resources and oil and gas exploration sectors,” according to The Hindu’s front-page report (May 16). It continued: “Acknowledging that

Shah Rukh Khan appearing furious with the police officer

UK

Asian Voice - Saturday 26th May 2012

Foreign students shun UK due to visa restrictions Continued from page 1 study work visa - have been reported widely in countries such as India and Nigeria.

According to a report published in The Sunday Times, universities are seeing falls of more than 30 per cent in applications from India "in the first signs that foreign students are being put off coming to Britain by the government's crackdown on migration". No jobs or very less opportunities post UK recession also may be a reason.

Last week Eric Thomas, vice-chancellor of Bristol University and president of Universities UK, wrote to David Cameron warning that changes to visa rules, including tight restrictions on the ability of foreign students and graduates to work in Britain, could cost the UK much of the £5 billion that students pay in tuition fees.

Thomas said in his letter that in China and India, Britain was increasingly seen as “putting up barriers to entry” and added: “The UK seems to be telling the world it doesn’t welcome international students.”

He acknowledges the government has a manifesto commitment to meet, but has called for students to be excluded from the migration target.

Britain is second only to America in the world higher education market but is slipping as other countries free up their rules for student visas. Although undergraduate applications from outside the EU have increased this year when postgraduate numbers are also included, some universities have already seen falls.

Julia King, vice-chancellor of Aston University in Birmingham, told a national daily it had experienced a “dramatic” slump in applications from India, which were usually about 1,000 a year but have fallen to

Migrants to be compulsorily screened for TB Migrants will need to be screened for tuberculosis before being issued with a visa to enter the UK. Immigration Minister Damian Green claimed the pre-entry TB screening programme will slash more than £40million from hospital and airport security bills, as well as saving hundreds of lives.

The move comes as levels of the deadly disease in the UK have hit a 30-year high.

Under the scheme, all migrants coming to the UK for more than six months from 67 nations identified as having a high incidence of TB by the World Health Organisation will need to be screened before being granted a visa. They must have a certificate from their home country before they can apply for a UK entry visa.

650 for 2012. King reportedly warned there was a risk of foreign students feeling “ostracised” by the lengths to which universities now have to go to keep track of them.

Kushan Banerjee, 26, from Calcutta, who has just finished a master’s course in marketing at Birmingham University, is now working as a data analyst in the city to pay off his debts. He told a national daily, “As of April the post-study work visa has gone. I was lucky, I applied in 2010. If I would have been in India and had heard they had stopped the poststudy visa then I would not have applied and come here. Any student taking a bank loan can only pay it back if they have a proper job, not a job at a chippy. It’s never going to attract students now.”

He added: “We are running the economy by paying £12,000 a year and it makes me laugh when they were moaning about the £3,000 fee going up.

I’m very happy they have increased it.”

Sumana Singh, a prospective international student from India told Asian Voice, "I wanted to go to the UK to study. But now I do not feel that makes sense.

First because after taking thousands of rupees loan to study abroad I will have no scope of international exposure in the job market. Even if I manage to

get a work permit, who wants to work in a country that will never grant you residence? Especially after paying hefty taxes. I think the Cameron government has completely lost the plot."

Aditya Bhatnagar, a keen graduate student told Asian Voice, "Who wants to go through so much of grill? I want to go study, have a good time, earn some money for two years and come home. But UK- where my whole family got educated, is the least preferred destination for my education now. I am going to Australia.

There will be sun and funboth along with plenty of opportunities!

Why should I waste my time trying to reach England, when I can get better scopes elsewhere?"

However, keen to attract students from India, China and other countries, a leading Italian university has decided to teach its courses exclusively in the English language, signifying a major shift in Italy's higher education sector.

This shows given a chance Europe will grab the chance to earn revenue through this route, while Britain loses out on the chance to make the most of it.

Damian Green, the immigration minister, said: “There is no limit on the number of genuine students who can come to the UK and our reforms are not stopping them.”

Indian threatens Indian – don’t protest at Olympics Continued from page 3 We are allowed in other parts of the country you know.

But worse of all, lost in all of this, in his email – was the tragedy that these people in Bhopal – the poorest, the destitute, died without anyone with power who could have helped doing so.

Including now, this Indian man in Number 10 and the Mayor’s office. He could at least have acknowledged the tragedy, that he would again take the issue up – that he would represent the views of his community. But instead, he came across, to me at least, as a just another in a long line of self-serving political operatives without the political will to do anything for the weakest.

In the words of Voltaire, ‘every man is guilty of all the good he didn’t do.’ I am sure this political operative is telling his masters how he averted protests on the torch route. So I remind him of the words

of a follower of Gandhiji, Desmond Tutu, ‘If you are neutral on situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor.’ And yet another follower of Gandhiji, Albert Einstein, ‘Those you have the privilege to know have the duty to act.’ To this political operative with access at Downing St and the Mayor’s office, when many years from now, you breathe your last breath, whether or not you believed in the injustice to the victims of Bhopal, know you will not leave this earth as a Conservative or a Liberal or a Labour supporter, you will not leave it by the colour of your passport or the nationality on it, but that you will leave it as a Hindu and as an Indian –all else will perish. You let down your race, your creed and your faith. Your ancestors weep today for you wasted all they worked for to put you where you are.

Alpesh Patel www.PoliticalAnimal.me

13

Councillor escapes jail A married former Tory councillor who married second time after convincing a GP that he was divorced has escaped jail despite being convicted of bigamy.

Pervez Choudhry, 54, was caught out when his new wife hired a private detective to investigate him after a remark from a relative aroused her suspicions.

Dr Zabina Shahian, a GP, discovered that when Choudhry married her in Pakistan in December 2010 he had been legally married to his first cousin Hameda Daulat since 1986.

The career politician, former leader of Slough borough council’s Conservative Party, had told Dr Shahian about his first wife, but had convinced her that he was no longer married by show-

Choudhry, 54, with Hameda Daulat, his first cousin he married in 1986

ing her court papers about custody hearings regarding their three children, Reading Crown Court heard.

The disgraced politician was fined 750 on last Friday and ordered to pay £4,000 compensa-

tion to Dr Shahian.

Choudhry said he had lodged an appeal at the High Court against his conviction, having pleaded guilty following a ruling by the judge on the validity of the marriage in Pakistan.

Swraj Paul insists he is ‘not guilty’ Hitting back at those behind his brief suspension from the House of Lords in 2010, prominent Indianorigin industrialist Swraj Paul has insisted that he did not do anything wrong.

Speaking to a national newspaper, Paul, chairman of UK-based Caparo Group reportedly said: “Let me tell you one thing. In the financial year 2010 alone, I have given 1 million pounds to charity. Does

anybody think that for bloody 41,000 pounds I’d loot the country?”

Paul said that he would have no problem if he felt sanctions had been applied consistently, but he is convinced that was far from the case. He points out that the Lords subcommittee chose to look at only four of 20 cases brought to its attention.

Denying that he was embarrassed by the

episode, Paul said: “I couldn’t care less. I feel so strongly that wrong has been done, that I have done nothing to be ashamed of. If they had accepted the money and that had been the end of it, I would have been more embarrassed because, yes, I might have made a mistake. But after the treatment... I feel that they decided to take an action, and that was it.”

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14

CULTURE

Asian Voice - Saturday 26th May 2012

British Sikh Association celebrates Vaisakhi The British Sikh Association celebrated Vaisakhi by hosting a dinner at the Rembrandt Hotel, Knightsbridge on Friday 11th May 2012.

The dinner was organised by the women members of the committee under the leadership of its Patron, Mrs Jasbir Vohra, ably assisted by Mrs Beant K Vig, Mrs Valveer K Pandher, Mrs Indy Aujla and Mrs Ranie Johal. The Guest of Honour was Mr Sukhdev Singh Sidhu, Minister Co-ordination at the High Commission of India, London. The function was attended by a number of elite guests and dignitaries Mrs Indy Aujla welcomed the guests and introduced 11 year old Harleen Kaur who gave her thoughts on Vaisakhi and its importance to her as a young Sikh growing up in Britain.

the British Sikh Association gave a background on the festival of Vaisakhi. He said that we must live up to the ideals of our Gurus; a life of high morals to benefit mankind. He gave a vivid description of the supreme sacrifices our Gurus paid for our liberty.

Dr. Rami Ranger MBE, FRSA, Chairman of the British Sikh Association, praised Mrs Vohra and the members of her team for delivering a memorable event. He said that if people did not like Sikhs, then there could only be one of three reasons. 1st: Our faith had not been explained properly to the general public.

Therefore, it was paramount for us to explain our faith to others and the rationale behind the turban, the most visible symbol of our faith. 2nd: That a Sikh had committed an

by Rani Singh

Special Assignments Editor

Vishwanath Madhugiri, 48

Mr Sukhdev Singh Sidhu, Minister Co-ordination at the High Commission of India

about our culture from the people in the UK. The vote of thanks was given by Mrs Jasbir K Vohra, Patron of the British Sikh Association.

She thanked her team for their hard work in hosting such a magnificent event.

She also thanked the Chairman and Executive Committee for their com-

Miss Harleen Kaur BSA dinner organisers

Mrs Suman Walia, who works in the counter terrorism wing at the Metropolitan Police, spoke about her experience as an Asian Member of the force and how it had changed for the better from the days she joined as a young officer. She said it was difficult in the beginning as she had to prove herself every step of the way. She was proud to be a Sikh playing a vital role in fighting against terrorism and said she found her work rewarding.

Dr. Sukhbir S. Kapoor OBE, General Secretary of A team of 13 took part in the London 2 Brighton Challenge – walking 100KM through day and night on 12-13 May 2012 in aid of Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity. For most of those who had already hung their walking boots this was a real test of endurance, strength and mental resolve – completing the challenge inside 30hours. All this for a great cause and to improve health and treatment for children with complex and life threatening conditions- those not only from the UK but also from across the globe.

If you wish to donate, please see www.justgiving.com/kiboko

abominable act which had appalled the public. 3rd: That we had stopped following the teachings of our Gurus and instead, started following self-proclaimed leaders who had their own selfish agendas.

Mr Sukhdev Singh Sidhu, Minister Co-ordination at the High Commission of India said he was very proud to see how the Indian community in Britain was preserving its culture and links with mother India. He added that at times he felt that the people back home could learn a great deal

Leading Lights

mitment in working tirelessly to educate the British public about Sikhism. She spoke of her appreciation for Mr Sukhdev Sidhu, Minister Co-ordination at the High Commission of India, London for sparing the time out of his busy schedule to grace the function with his presence.

She also thanked the dancers from KSPARK for their performances, Ritzy for providing the music and The Rembrandt Hotel, Knightsbridge for the delicious food and superb arrangements. She ended by thanking the guests for attending and making it a memorable occasion.

Vishwanath Madhugiri is the Associate Vice President and Head-Business Development and Innovation at JK Technosoft (UK) Limited. Earlier, he was the General Manager and Head of Commercial Research Collaborations at Infosys Technologies Limited. He has a BSc and an MSc in Applied Physics from Jabalpur University and an MBA from Kolhapur University. Vishwanath has 23 years of experience in software, automotive and financial services, and was identified by Dataquest magazine as one of the global Indians who has made an innovative contribution to the software industry. He is sometimes described as a thought leader and has partnered with leading universities and companies globally.

Q Where is your family from?

I was born in Jabalpur in Madhya Pradesh, and have lived in India and the UK. My family is originally from Karnataka.

Q Sometimes your area of work can seem mysterious and full of jargon. Tell me what is interesting about it.

My work has to do with applying innovation to the way business is done and creating value for customers.

For example, learnings from natural evolution and how ants behave can be converted into software programmes that are applied to making road traffic more smooth, designing jet engine turbine blades, running a supply chain more efficiently, improving logistics and routing telephone communication more effectively. The inspiration behind some of these processes comes from how ants find the shortest and most efficient route to a food source from their ant colonies. These are being used to create innovative solutions for both traditional and new business problems. Areas like making software testing more effective and making sense of the large amount of data generated by organizations are also very interesting.

Q What other innovative work have you done?

One breakthrough example from my projects is to do with how software programmes help to predict the route taken by gritter trucks that have to grit the road with salt before the snow settles down. Taking into account various factors like the road surface temperatures, the weather conditions as well as the different sizes and salt-

carrying capacities of gritter trucks, a program guides a driver to take the best possible route to ensure that all the roads get properly gritted with salt.

I have led teams that have created intellectual property in software programmes. I have also established important technical collaborations with world-leading technology innovation universities like the ETHSwiss Federal Institute of Technology, Switzerland and the University Of Cambridge, UK. Learnings from natural evolution and how ants behave can be converted into software programmes that are applied to making road traffic more smooth, designing jet engine turbine blades, or running a supply chain more efficiently I have spoken about my ideas and solutions at the Judge Business School, the University of Cambridge, UK, Imperial College, London, the London Business School and I interact with UK Members of Parliament. I was an innovation leader at the Economist Innovation Awards & Summit in October 2011 and was invited to join the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) India Business Forum UK. I have presented a coauthored paper called Academia – Industry Collaboration: The Changing Contours, at the Academy of Management Annual Conference in Chicago in 2009, which won the prestigious Emerald Best I n t e r n a t i o n a l Symposium Award.

Q You did some interesting work with companies like Tesco.

Understanding how customers shop, what

InternatIonal subscrIbers

Standing: Mukesh Shah, Dipak Shah, Dhimant Shah, Nila Gosrani, Kumar Hindocha, Chandu Halai Sitting: Viren Hindocha, Amit Shah, Neha Hindocha, Manju Pindolia, Gita Hindocha, Jyoti Patel & Varsha Shah

Due to some technical difficulties, our International subscribers might get their copies of the newspaper late this week.

We are trying to fix the problem and are hopeful to resolve it before the next issue.

Apologies for any inconvenience.

- Asian Voice

Vishwanath Madhugiri

kinds of products they like to purchase and what are the preferences of the old, the young and the middle-aged is always important for retail companies like Tesco, Sainsbury’s etc. For example, redesigning and making retail shelf-space more efficient in superstores is a science in itself. Every couple of years or so, retail giants redesign their stores. At this time, they use software to redesign shelf space so that it is easier for customers to shop and find the products they need quickly. One example is when a young parent is asked by his partner to buy nappies for their daughter, he might then also like to buy a beer bottle for himself. So the store might use this research insight to design a program to place the shelves stocking nappies and beer closer to each other.

Q What are your future plans?

I am thinking of getting into the area of clean energy and energy efficiency solutions, where I see huge potential in addressing some of the issues we are facing today in terms of clean water, the scarcity of energy supply and looking at the energy needs of developing countries. I am also thinking in terms of a think-tank that can address some of these issues from a global perspective.

TO ALL READERS Advance notice: All readers of Asian Voice might get their 9th June issue later than usual, due to postal delays during the Queen's Jubilee celebration.

We are sorry for the inconvenience that it may cause and appreciate your patience.

- Asian Voice

UK

Asian Voice - Saturday 26th May 2012

f ashionista

by Debasree Ghosh

15

Be a Fashionista, Be You! If you have any questions or a story or a new style to share with us, please write to Shree at aveditorial@abplgroup.com

What to wear at a wedding (other than a sari) I never get invited to weddings. It’s weird. And the few that I do get invited to are usually on another continent or something. This year however, is bringing me social flare and I have no less than six nuptials to witness. Much as people worry about what to wear at weddings, I tend to think they're actually a place where you can get away with almost anything. Bar a long white dress (a la Lindsay Lohan at Kim Kardashian's wedding, accessorised with a cleavage the depth of the Thames) or anything too "me me me", this is a chance to wear something quite fun.

Nobody's looking at you.

Seriously. Nobody cares – go wild. Here are the Do’s.

Do wear something with pockets: The good thing about pockets, at weddings, is that you can nick stuff off the tables. Candles and things.

Little parcels of almonds.

Nice forks. You get the drift.

Do go print happy: I can, will and have bored people for hours about the semantics of prints. Cartoonish print is for girls, not women. Animal print is divorcee chic, vintagelook fruits is costume, bitchy, expensive print is perfect for affairs and elegant, muted garden flowers is for understated showing off. The kind

you'll want to do at a wedding, drink in hand, laughing sparklingly.

Do wear the trousers: Ladylike chic has it’s moment. So does a fierce pair of pants as they say stateside.

Make it silky, slinky and expensive. It calls out for a Bianca Jagger style hat and skyscraping heels. With differ-

ent accessories you can easily eek three weddings out of this.

Do if you like, ignore the previous paragraph and wear a pencil skirt: I have what is politely known as a prominent backside, which essentially means that full, flouncy skirty-type dresses are tricky. The pencil shape from the waist down is flattering, and while black is possibly a controversial choice for a wedding, the times..they are a-changing.

Do cover up: If you're a D-cup or over, the top half of dresses can always be tricky. Although the temptation is to show off your assets, good coverage and a flattering dress shape will always look more sophisticated. Opt for a dress with an empire-line shape and you can emphasize your curvy figure without having to worry about "falling out" of your top half.

When it comes to buying a dress to wear to a wedding, I have two approaches. Firstly, my good intentions are to get either a sale bargain (never works) or something from high street – usually from Reiss, as I know their dresses

fit me really well. When this approach fails, I panic and throw money at the problem and scour net-a-porter. I'm most likely to opt for a floral dress for a wedding – unless it's a winter wedding, for which I'd choose a plain colour in a dark tone. I'd never wear a jersey fabric – too beachy . Accessorise with your nicest clutch bag – I always trot out the same Chanel I’ve had for ages or the Zara sparkly number with the broken chain. My shape is fairly "big bust but bigger hips", but have a small waist, so I’m always wearing something fitted in that area and I am happy to get my legs out so I'll always wear heels.

Places I'd head to buy a dress for a wedding would be Topshop, Zara and Jaeger – or if money was no object I'd probably get an Issa dress, as they're cut well for curves.

But money is always a huge object.

While on the topic of weddings, my own is next weekend (yay!)..after which I shall go off for honeymoon and try to look glamorous in kaftans and stuff. You won’t hear from me for a few weeks. But I’ll be back and maybe persuade the editor to print a picture of me in my wedding garb. Toodles y’all.

Vishvawara Patel

Vishvawara Patel is a young girl of 14 years from Ahmedabad, visiting London. Passionate painter, her theme of painting is currently ‘Sivam Sundaram’, while she relies on colours such as green, blue, black, red mostly to express her inner artist.

While we admired the ‘matured’ painting of a teenager, she told Asian Voice, “I paint from my heart and I always tell art lovers to do so. I want to be an international painter when I grow up.”

16

Asian Voice - Saturday 26th May 2012

Asian Voice - Saturday 26th May 2012

Asin and Vikram to act together?

Nandita Das as a fisherwoman

Though director Shankar or circles close to him are not ready to give any confirmation about his next project, it is learnt that the director's forthcoming film is with Vikram and Asin will play the female lead in it. "Shankar wants to make it as a pan-Indian film in all aspects, like how he made ‘Enthiran.’ Hence he wants a heroine who is popular in the south and the north. And he finds Asin as the right choice," say sources. "There was initially an idea to cast Priyanka Chopra. But chances are bright for Asin now," they say. If this happens, this will be second time for Vikram and Asin to share the screen space together, after 'Maja' in 2005.

Nandita Das, who is making a comeback in Kollywood with 'Neerparavai', is playing a fisherwoman in the movie. Directed by Seenu Ramasamy, the film is being produced by Udhayanidhi Stalin's Red Giant Movies.

"I was initially hesitant to accept the project since my son is too young. But Seenu Ramasamy was not ready to leave me. He kept on asking my consent and I was convinced finally. It is a very good script I must say," the actress says. She adds: "I am doing the character of a fisherwoman and there are some emotional scenes. Even the director was full of tears while narrating a couple of crucial scenes to me. We are shooting in the coastal areas of Tamil Nadu."

Nayantara not ready for 'Dirty Picture' remake Nayantara has refuted rumors that the makers of the original 'The Dirty Picture' approached her for the Tamil Telugu remake and that she has given her consent for the project. "I loved watching ‘The Dirty Picture’ but I won't be comfortable doing it in the south. Media seems to love me this season. But no, none have approached me and even if they approach I will not be working on it", says the actress who is back after a brief hiatus. It was reported that Nayantara quoted a whooping price for acting in this movie and that the makers asked her to gain a few pounds to get into the skin of the character she will be donning.

Hot Garam masala Katrina extremely possessive about Khans Katrina Kaif is currently working with Bollywood's three leading Khans - Aamir, Shah Rukh and Salman - in three different projects. So possessive is the actress about them that given the chance, she won't let anyone else work with them. But she was reticent on who her favourite Khan was. "This doesn't make sense to me. It is unfair," Katrina said when asked to pick her favourite Khan. Everyone is different. All three of them are icons and legends in their own way. I am fortunate enough to work with them. It's been great so far. "If I had the chance, I would not allow anyone to work with them. But that is not possible as you cannot stop anyone from working with them," she added.

Shilpa Shetty delivers baby boy Shilpa Shetty delivered a baby boy on Monday at a Mumbai hospital.

Says a source close to Shilpa, "The baby and mother are doing fine.

Shilpa's husband Raj Kundra was

by Shilpa's side from the beginning till her delivery. Raj and his family and Shilpa's entire family, including mother Sunanda and sister Shamita, were present at the hospital.

Poonam wants to strip for SRK This hottie is quite a tease. A strip tease, that is.

Even after facing brickbats for her stripping attempts, Poonam Pandey's back at it, and this time, she wants to bare it all for the baadshah! Don't believe us? Here' the story: When quizzed about it, Poonam said, "I'm cautious of making any announcements; you never know who will slap me with a legal notice. The last time I said I'd strip, I thought it's a democratic country with freedom of expression, but I guess not." When probed whether she'd re-do her gutsy act for a particular team, she quipped, "Well, I'm a big SRK fan and am following the ongoing tournament. I hope his team wins, and if he asks me to strip for his team, I'll definitely do it, provided he gets me a permission letter."

source.

“Kahaani,” however has already become a franchise in demand. The film has been sold to Endemol for a Telugu and Tamil remake. The production house that has so far been making television shows will make its debut into the filmmaking business with these projects.

The project, to be co-produced by Sujoy Ghosh, is slated to begin this September and the films may release in January 2013. And now, Adi Chopra, who had worked on the script of “Kahaani” has claimed the English remake rights.

Aishwarya Rai, the ideal mom Aishwarya Rai Bachchan has the habit of emerging the best in whatever she does. Now a survey has rated the gorgeous diva as the best celebrity mother. On the occasion of Mother's Day, a popular matrimonial portal conducted the survey to find out the Bollywood diva who has the qualities of being an ideal mother. Aishwarya has topped the list of being the 'Ideal Celebrity Mom,' with 54 per cent respondents voting for her followed

by Karishma Kapoor with 27 per cent. Malika Arora Khan (11 per cent) and Lara Dutta (eight per cent) were the other contenders in the survey. The survey further reveals that Indians feel Priyanka Chopra would make an ideal mother once she attains motherhood.

I am ready to When Sonakshi don a bikini: was called Shantilal...

Parineeti Chopra After the success of her latest film “Ishaqzaade,” Parineeti Chopra is basking in the glory and says she is ready to don a bikini. She started her career with “Ladies vs Ricky Bahl” in 2011 and said she has set no limitations for herself as an actress and will also do intimate scenes if script demands.

Even in Ishaqzaade, there are few intimate scenes between her and co-star Arjun Kapoor. "When I was reading this (Ishaqzaade) script, I did not think of love making or kissing scene. The placement of the scene in the movie is right and it is not that it has been put for fun or for everyone to enjoy.

"If you like the script for what it is... if the intention of the writer is to have a lovemaking scene, or kissing scene or bikini or dance or whatever, I will do it. I feel as an actor one must not have any inhibition," she said.

“Ishaqzaade” is a romantic drama directed

by Habib Faisal and produced by Aditya Chopra of Yash Raj Films. While the film is the launch pad for Arjun, it is the second outing for Faisal as a director after “Do Dooni Chaar.” The film which was released on May 11 is doing well at the box office.

Aditya Chopra plans to remake 'Kahaani' in English The Vidya Balan starrer “Kahaani” directed by Sujoy Ghosh did more than simply thrill the audience. And now, Aditya Chopra seems to have set his eyes on the film. A few days back, Yash Raj Films entered into discussion with co-producers Jayantilal Gada and Sujoy Ghosh to obtain the rights of “Kahaani.”

It is learnt that Chopra is planning to make the 2012 hit in English now.

A source close to the development said that a final decision was yet to be taken.

"It could even be under the YRF banner also. But Aditya surely wants the film. It's a gripping script," said the

17

Karan Johar’s birthday celebrations have always been a gala affair but this time around, it promises to be even bigger and very special. As his 40th birthday comes on May 25 the preparations for a lavish party in Mumbai are on in full swing. Designer and close friend Manish Malhotra is helming the party that will be held at the Taj Land's End, Bandra, and according to a source, Malhotra is devoting all the time to make it an event to remember. "From the decor to the invites that are being made in Delhi, Malhotra is supervising the overall look for the party," it is learnt.

The guest list is ready and the dress code for the bash is strictly formal. Given Johar's clout in the industry, tinsel town's who's who are expected to attend the celebrations.

His close friends have made changes in their work schedules and travel plans to be in town for his birthday.

It will be a black-tie evening. While his guests are already fussing over their wardrobes for KJo's party, Johar hasn't selected his own attire for the event. "He could wear either a Manish Malhotra creation, an outfit by Varun Bahl (with whom he partners on a menswear brand) or put together something of his own," says a source.

Johar is kicked about the party.

"According to him, since he won't ever have a

Karan Johar plans grand birthday party

wedding, turning 40 is a big event in his life.

He wants to celebrate his birthday with the same grandeur that's associated with weddings. The lavish decorations aside, the food will be multi-cuisine and will include Johar's favourite - sushi. A DJ from Delhi is being flown down especially for the do and there will be a sprawling dance floor for the guests to let their hair down," quips a KJo associate.

Amitabh Bachchan turns 'Natsamrat'!

Amitabh Bachchan has given the green signal to his career's first ever screen adaptation of Marathi literature.

The actor will play the role of an aging Shakespearean actor in the adaptation of V V Shirwadkar's Marathi literary masterpiece “Natsamrat.” It is learnt that director Mahesh Manjrekar, who had been scripting the screen version of the celebrated play for more than a year, finally took the screenplay to Big B for approval last week.

According to reports, the actor will begin shooting for the film soon after he returns from a medical check up abroad. When contacted Manjrekar said, "Mr Bachchan has done it all. When he read ‘Natsamrat,’ the character of the protagonist just grabbed him. This is the kind of challenge he's looking for at this stage of his career."

'Rowdy' season is in... Prabhu Deva's forthcoming directorial “Rowdy Rathore” is the flavour of the month. Be it in the way of colourful dressing or the way you showoff your tapori lingo... Rowdy istyle is being enjoyed these days, thanks to Akshay Kumar's new avatar for his film.

Explaining the meaning of 'Rowdy', Akshay said - It means mastikhor (mischievous), badmaashi (being naughty), ched-chaadi (teasing), chori chakari (stealing). But at the same time masti also means being good at heart and to see no one gets hurt in the process. When his co-star Sonakshi Sinha was asked about the 'rowdy'ism Akki did to her, she replied, "He is very sharif (gentleman).

But sometimes he used to start calling me with different names. Whenever he doesn't remember my name, he used to call me Sudarshan, sometimes Feroz..., sometimes Shantilal... This is the most rowdy thing Akshay has done...." On this Akshay quipped in, "I've even called her as Sonakshi bhaisaab." 'Rowdy Rathore' releases on 1st June 2012. Let’s see if Sonakshi is really rowdy in the film or what?

I am going to be choosy: Lara Dutta Actress Lara Dutta, who recently gave birth to a baby girl, is all set to return to the silver screen in August but insists that she would be extremely choosy in doing movies. "I intend to get back to work by August this year. I am ready to jump in...it would be finalised soon. Since I have a daughter, the kind of movies I would do now will be different. I will be choosy...I will not do anything that would require me to be away from her for days," Lara said without revealing anything about her upcoming film. "Actresses not working after having kids is an outdated thing.

We have Sridevi making a comeback after 15 years, then we have recently seen Karisma Kapoor, Konkana will also be seen in movies...that time has gone," she said.

18

Asian Voice - Saturday 26th May 2012

Vedanta nears end of investment plan

Dear Financial Voice Reader, People confuse value and price. In fact most people simply don’t know how to tell value – of a share. So it is that Facebook – the largest technology IPO in history hit the market at $38 and at the time of writing is at $34. Why is this important? Because a lot of people will have bought at $38. Because a lot of people will not have known that the investment banks that brought the stock to the market will have bought it as I showed on my blog, to push the price higher.

How is that fair? How is it that people will happily risk so much money, thinking they know what they are doing in the markets. So concerned am I about this I have started giving free educational webinars over the internet – in my own time!

How do you value stocks? Make no mistake second to second it is all probably noise and supply and demand. Over the longer term of over a year, things tend sooner or later to gravitate to how much cash a company can generate after all expenses.

Why did I so precisely say ‘cash after all expenses’ and not profits? Because as an accountant will tell you , what is profit is often opinion. What is cash, rarely is opinion. But also because value to you as a shareholder owning shares in a company is really about the cash the company you own has left over after spending all its money on all expenses – including investments into capital expenditures like plant and machinery.

But that does not help most people. So we end up when looking at prices under 12 months on supply and demand. So if someone asks me is Barclays worth buying, and I know they are asking about a 2 month perspective, I look at the price chart and even the trend of the price. Is it downwards? In a way over such small periods its ability to generate cash is irrelevant.

It is this strange interplay of short and longer term that confuses most people. What about the assets in a company. Surely even a company generating no cash is worth something? It’s assets can be resold? It has ‘book value’ the cost to replace those assets. This is true. And when academics have tested this theory they’ve noted companies share prices have tended to reflect at very worst that ‘book value’.

But what about you dear reader? What will the Nifty do over the next month? Well I see based on recent price trends it to continue lower. What about Barclays?

It really looks like it will drop from around 200p to 150p.

Is this the Spanish, Greek effect? Yes, in part. In part it is that the bonuses have been paid and the bank executives no longer need to try to talk up the price to investment managers for a while.

You see – all aspects of the market are deceptive – no wonder private investors often stay clear.

Alpesh Patel (alpesh.patel@tradermind.com) www.InvestingBetterBlog.com and www.alpeshpatel.com

Vedanta Resources has reached an “inflection point,” according to its chairman, after years of heavy investment and the $9 bn deal to take control of Cairn India. “Our capital expenditure plan is nearing completion,” Anil Agarwal, founder and executive chairman of the UK-listed Indian natural resources group said, at a time when global mining groups are pruning ambitious spending plans amid a flattening outlook for commodities.

“We are the only natural resources group out of India that is fully diversified,” added Mr Agarwal, as Vedanta reported earn-

ings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation of $4 bn for the year to March, up 13 per cent. “We have created this company, we are making money to de-lever the balance sheet and pay a dividend and we are looking forward to balancing the company.”

After the Cairn buy – among the largest to date by an Indian company – investors hope Vedanta will make good on pledges to sweat its assets for production growth, cash flows and debt reduction.

The shares, down more than 50 per cent in the

GXG and William Albert to focus on high growth SME firms from India William Albert Securities (WAS) has signed an MoU with GXG Markets in an exclusive arrangement to introduce companies of Indian origin to list on GXG. WAS and GXG are interested in high growth SME companies adhering to the highest quality standards. Hence both parties see the value of a process whereby companies of Indian origin that are to list on GXG go through a rigorous Due Diligence by a SEBI and/or FSA authorised advisor.

GXG operates a European Regulated Market as well as an MTF whose services and operations are authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authorities of Denmark and fall under the European MiFID directive.

WAS offer corporate advisory within the UK

Todor Todorov

and is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority in the UK. WAS works in India with Corporate Professionals Capital, SEBI registered merchant banker.

Mr Samrat Bhandari, CEO of William Albert Group, believes that this will allow William Albert Securities to act as a bridge between European Capital Markets and high growth, good quality companies from India, which is one of the world’s fastest growing

Facebook shares lose $10 bn on first day of trading Indian gold touches `29,000 level Facebook shares

Gold prices in India regained the crucial level of Rs 29,000 per 10 gram, shooting up by Rs 700 - its biggest single day gain this year - in the bullion market last week on strong cues from overseas market. Silver prices too spurted by Rs 1,400 to Rs 54,000 per kg on increased off take by industrial units and coin makers. Traders said sentiment turned bullish after gold rose by 0.9% to $1,587.85 in

London as concerns over deepening eurozone debt crisis spurred the demand for the metal as a protection of wealth. Silver prices also rose by 1.2% to $28.38 an ounce in London.

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past year, fell another 3.5 per cent on Thursday last to 990p after losses in aluminium, interest costs and one-off items pushed pretax profits down from $2.68 bn to $1.75 bn.

However, the company increased its dividend from 52.5 cents to 55 cents, payable from earnings per share of 21.9 cents.

Dogged by investor complaints about its complex structure, the company in February said it would reorganise, consoli-

slumped to more than 10 per cent below their float price over the first hour of trading, as shareholders scrambled to sell shares in what had been pitched as the greatest growth story of the decade.

Over 10 billion dollars was wiped off Facebook's value on its first full day as a public company.

The company's founder saw the value of his fortune drop by more than 2 billion dollars to just under 17 billion dollars, as the shares closed down 11pc, at 34.03 dollars.

Brian Wieser, an analyst at Pivotal Research Group pointed out that the 'the market is now collectively reflecting the real risks around Facebook.'

"The danger for Facebook, is that when you price it very high, the

risks to that price now become the overarching narrative for the company," Wieser said.

The much vaunted 104 billion dollars flotation, the largest ever by a US technology company, is rapidly turning into a major embarrassment for the social networking site and Wall Street.

Technical glitches suffered by Nasdaq delayed the opening on Friday. The company's main banking adviser Morgan Stanley reportedly bought up shares in significant volumes to support Facebook's stock after the lacklustre float last week.

Samrat Bandari

Liam McGrattans

economies.

William Albert Group will be organising a road show in Delhi and Mumbai in India later this year.

dating several subsidiaries into Sesa Sterlite, a new operating company created by a merger of its iron ore and metals units.

The rejig, expected to be finalised later this year, should also address another of shareholders’ concerns, shifting about $5.9 bn of debt down to the operating company and reducing the burden held by its parent.

Tarun Jain, Vedanta’s director of finance, said the company’s $10.1bn of net debt was “comfortable.” “We are below our peak target gearing of 35 per cent and we have no major new [capital spending] planned,” he added.

Withdrawals at Santander UK amid Spain fears Customers with large deposits have started withdrawing cash from Santander, the bank has admitted, as it tried to reassure concerned members of the public that their money is safe.

The high street bank also saw an increase in enquiries by worried savers to its call centres and in its 1,380 branches across Britain. Customers are worried that the bank will be dragged into the eurozone crisis because it is owned by Spain’s Banco Santander.

On Thursday, Banco Santander, its UK subsidiary and 15 other Spanish banks had their credit ratings downgraded due to their exposure to the struggling Spanish economy. The Spanish banks were hit with more bad news, as official figures showed bad debts had risen to their highest level in 18 years.

Rupee hits all-time low against dollar The rupee hit an all-time low against the dollar for the fifth successive trading day on Tuesday amid concern about slowing domestic growth and continuing global uncertainty.

The Indian unit fell to 55.20, below its previous record low of 55.05 a day earlier, as demand for the US currency grew.

The partially-convertible rupee opened on Tuesday slightly higher on improved global risk appetite, but steady dollar buying pushed the Indian currency down.

While Europe's debt crisis is a major concern, the rupee has also been affected by several domestic problems, including India's widening trade and current account deficits and declining foreign fund inflows.

There has also been pressure from oil importers, who exchange rupees for dollars when they buy crude for energy-

scarce India, which imports four-fifths of its crude oil needs.

Many analysts and traders predict the rupee may fall further in the coming days with riskaversion hitting global markets and sentiment souring over India due to its gaping deficits and poor economic data.

The Indian economy is predicted to have grown 6.9 per cent in the last fiscal year to March - the slowest pace since the 2008 global financial crisis.

On Tuesday, there was no immediate sign of fresh central bank intervention

FINANCIAL VOICE

Asian Voice - Saturday 26th May 2012

19

Analysis or Paralysis

Suresh Vagjiani Sow & Reap A Property Investment Company

This weekend I attended a Tony Robbins seminar. You might say so what? What’s this to do with property? The answer is everything.

Top sports personalities and top business people call upon his talents, and these don’t come cheap. His consultancy fee is $1 million, for a one to one, one hour a month, over a year.

Tony Robbins deals with the fundamentals of what drives a person.

Underpinning all human activity is emotion. We are emotional creatures. Intellect is not what controls you, we only use the intellect to fuel and justify what we already feel, to give it a ‘story’. An intellectual person is likely to have a more sophisticated ‘story’, but the fundamentals are the same.

The reason why most people do not invest in property is not because they have other better alternatives, or see something wrong in what’s being presented. It is very easy to check what is being presented. One can confirm property data within 1/2 hour with the help of the internet and a phone.

So then the reasons cannot be these.

Th e re ason is fear. P eople are d riven by this. Most human act ivity is d riven by avoid in g pain o r seek in g pleasu re. The avo id an ce of pain is stronge r than t he nee d to g ain pleasure , t his hold s them behind in all sphe res o f life .

It stops them from making decisions. In property people lose more money from not making a decision than making the wrong decision.

The word decision comes form the latin word to cut off, so this means to cut off your past and move forward.

It can take many years for someone to decide to invest in property.

A client of mine who came to the seminar with me, came to us about seven years ago looking for a mortgage. He later admitted to me that he chose us over another broker because he thought as we were Indian we were likely to be more astute with property related matters. He also wasn’t looking just for mortgage deals, he wanted someone who would look after his finances long term. He had done very well through sheer hard work, running his father’s businesses and he had picked up a few BTL properties around where he lived. There was a lot of equity in these few BTL properties he had. I encouraged him to refinance and purchase more properties.

He kept hesitating, and procrastinating, and being too busy running his businesses. One property we offered him was a freehold property minutes away from Baker St station and Marylebone station. This property was generating £63,000 per annum and we could get this property for £700,000. The property was fully on the market with two agents, and to be truthful I thought I was missing something because it looked to good to be true so I kept scratching my head wondering what was wrong with it. The answer was this: it had been on the market too long, that was simply it. It had a couple of failed sales and this made the

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property lose its shine, nothing more.

At this time you could still get 85% mortgage deals so the deposit required was only £100,000. He missed out on this property and it was sold in December of 2005 to another one of our clients. It was later resold by that client in February of 2011 for £1.15m, so there was a gain of £450,000 over a five year period, so about £90k per annum, not to mention the rental income every month.

After it was sold, predictably the client who missed out kicked himself. A few years later in March 2009 he purchased a property through us blind. It was a studio flat in W2 for £214,000. The property now is worth £365,000. Now he keeps buying without any hesitation.

There was another client of mine, a pharmacist, who for years would call me up and ask about properties we were advertising, he would find out everything, speak to his wife, and then do nothing.... Until I met him at a seminar, and then I told him not only was he wasting my time but more importantly his. Make a decision or leave it alone! He argued about being forced to make a decision quickly.

The reason for h aving to mak e a q uick decision on these pro perties is t hat t hey are deals and if you don ’t purc hase th em, someo ne else will ve ry q uickly.

So I explained that this is the reason the why you need to move fast, nothing else. So this was the final trigger for him and he signed up and purchased a two bedroom ex council property in Hallfield Estate for £315,000, the property was promptly rented for £550pw. It was purchased in February last year and in August it was valued at £375,000.

What people fail to realise is by doing nothing they are losing money.

Doing nothing is not an option anymore. Your cash in the bank is being eroded day by day. The times we are facing will not get better, the government will not be able to look after you in retirement, or medically, or educate your children. You need to take ownership of your finances.

Of course all stories are not so straight forward, inevitably we have had some ‘not so great’ scenarios, often to do with the tenants. When the rental yield for ex council properties were very high one investor picked up a few three bedroom properties. The purchase prices were around the £300-£350k mark, and the expected weekly rentals were £720-800pw giving in excess of a 10% yield.

However just after the credit crunch, council tenants were not interested in renting ex council flats, with a budget of £800pw they had their eyes on bigger things. During this time bankers disappeared from the rental market. You had a scenario where ex council tenants were renting penthouse apartments with three bedrooms and three bathrooms worth close to £1m. Consequently the expected yields for this particular investor didn’t materialise, but his properties did get rented at lower amounts. This was a yield problem, however the bulk of the money in property is not made here but on the capital growth of a property. And the overriding factor in the growth of a property is its location.

Even allowing for hiccups property is still a safe investment, otherwise the banks wouldn’t give you the majority of the funds, even during current times.

We provide a turnkey solution. Contact us now:

Specialists in Central London Property Sourcing

0207 313 4595 Westbourne House, 14-16 Westbourne Grove, London, W2 5RH

Tips of the Week l Try to take emotions out of the purchase and look at it purely as an investment. For some reason people tend to get more emotional regarding buying a property and not whenputting their investment in a product. l The bulk of the money in property is made in capital growth, don't sacrifice this for rental yields as this is only a fraction of the return.

20

financial VoICE

Asian Voice - Saturday 26th May 2012

Amit Patel has over 15 years experience in the field of Leadership and Human Resource Management

A Promise to an Unborn Child

maria@abplgroup.com

Maria Fernandes

The scandal of colleges: Are the UKBA complicit in his?

Committee Chairs and the press concentrate on abuse of the system by students. Whilst students are demonised, very little attention is paid to institutions and their practices or opportunities depending on which way you look at this.

Take College A, which has Highly Trusted status which issued a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) to a student and pocketed an annual fee of over £4000 for an MBA course. A student adviser wrongly advised the applicant about the application with the result that his application was refused.

In order to make a fresh application the student needs a fresh CAS. However the College now want a further £1500 to issue a further CAS or intend to forfeit his fee.

College B, again in the highly trusted range, issued a CAS to a student who paid £3000 for the year’s fee despite the fact that the institution knew or should have known that the Student was studying below degree

colleges get up to in term so abuse of the student.

Surely they must know by now the scams that are being operated by using or abusing the UKBA rules. They choose to close their eyes to this.

The law states that those who are reckless as to the consequences are as guilty as the actual perpetrators.

We intend to keep a register of our own to name and shame colleges that abuse their position.

It would be useful to hear from student with experiences similar to those described above so that we can ascertain the scale of the problem. In the meantime we hope that the UKBA will do something to address this fullscale abuse that appears to be going on.

Maria Fernandes has been in practice exclusively in immigration for the past 25 years.

Fernandes Vaz is based at 87 Wembley Hill Road Wembley in Wembley and can be contacted by telephone on 02087330123, by email on info@fernandesvaz.com.

level and therefore could stay in this category for a maximum of 3 years. She has been refused. She has been told by the college that she is not entitled to any of her fees back.

The Colleges when contacted do not want to discuss this and are not unduly worried that the student will issue proceedings or complain to the UKBA as they know that the UKBA are not concerned about this and that the student’s immediate concern is to resolve their status or leave the country. There are stiff penalties issued to colleges if they do not report various activities of the student for example failing to report the fact that the student has not turned up to classes.

However the Colleges can, with impunity, forfeit fees in this way. They are free to abuse the system.

The system in effect criminalizes students for minor breaches whilst allowing colleges to make loads of cash for doing nothing. A nice little earner. The UKBA are not interested in what the

Bank of England downgrades UK growth forecast The Bank of England has trimmed its growth forecast for the UK economy and warned that inflation will remain above target for another year assuming the country isn't knocked off course by turmoil in the eurozone.

In its quarterly inflation report, the Bank's Monetary Policy Committee reduced its growth forecast for this year from 1 per cent just three months ago to 0.8

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per cent. It also abandoned a longstanding hope that consumer price inflation, now 3.5 per cent, will fall back to the official 2 per cent target by the end of the year.

Bank Governor Mervyn King says he now expects inflation to return to target in the second half of next year, and insisted the economy is broadly on course to recover despite sliding back into recession between October and

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March. The Bank still expects annual growth of 2.7 per cent next year, compared to 3 per cent in the February report.

“Given the Bank's overly rosy view on inflation in the past, many will see the 2013 growth outlook as too optimistic,'' said Chris Williamson, chief economist at financial data company Markit.

King said the bigger picture “is of a gradual recovery in output, and of subdued domestic cost pressures meaning that inflation is likely to fall back as external influences fade.''

Unemployment figures support that view, he said.

Britain's unemployment rate dropped to 8.2 per cent in the first quarter, down from 8.4 per cent in the last three months of 2011. The latest figure beat the market consensus of 8.3 per cent.

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Many of you will have watched the TV documentary Satyameva Jayate. In the very first episode Aamir Khan decided to discuss the controversial, yet age old problem of female infanticide. Some may claim that this is endemic of a society in which a vast number of people are still uneducated and poor. However, as he pointed out in the show, there are many ‘professional’ and well off families who will readily kill to fulfil their desire for a son. Irrespective of what the motives of these child killers are, there was one poignant fact stated on the show.

Two journalists who have been investigating this issue pointed out that the President of India, Pratibha Patil and the Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh both swore an oath that they would ensure that female infanticide would be tackled and eradicated in India. Astonishingly, even after exposing over 100 doctors who were complicit in this crime, not a single one had even been suspended, never mind

sentenced to imprisonment. It does make one wonder that if Bollywood stars can come to the UK and perform before packed audiences; if swanky exhibitions can be held in five star hotels to invite investment into India; then why is so little being done for mothers who have been robbed of their daughters? For the helpless souls silenced before they can even open their eyes?

We are so ready to tell others how proud we are of our ancestral land and to promote the riches of her culture and the wisdom of her scriptures. We shout to the world how great India is, yet we can barely manage a whisper in defiance of this terrible crime.

Actually, the murder of baby daughters is a practice going back hundreds of years. The fact that it still happens today implicates us all. We may be more educated but not more enlightened, we may be wealthier but not worthier, we may have more status but no more dignity.

So what can we do? If we promise our vote or

By Amit Patel

investment in return for prosperity and wealth in the form of economic growth and a better standard of living, then these will be the promises governments will focus on first. Politicians may be in charge, but theirs is a power bestowed by us.

But they cannot hear what we do not speak. So I say again, they will keep the promises we ask them to keep in return for the promise of our vote or our investment. If we make a collective promise to be the voice for these helpless and exploited women, we can make those in power fulfil their promise to use their authority to uphold justice and equality.

Amit Patel has over 15 years experience in the field of Personal Development and Human Resource Management.

He has delivered speeches on People Management and Development throughout Europe, North America, and Asia. To contact Amit, email amitpatelmail@gmail.com

Britain’s top jeweller relies on 20 big spenders for his revenue Britain’s top jeweller relies on only 20 high-rollers for almost half of its $755m (£477m) annual sales, according to a pre-float update from Graff Diamonds.

The jeweller, founded by self-made billionaire Laurence Graff, is set to float in Hong Kong next month with a $4 billion valuation. However, a filing to the Hong Kong exchange last week threatened to take the shine off the market debut by exposing the fragility of Graff’s business model.

In the past three years, one customer has accounted for 15.8%, 12.1% and 13.2% of Graff’s revenues.

The high-roller’s identity is closely guarded by Graff, but his customers include Oprah Winfrey, Donald Trump and the sultan and queen of Brunei.

Over the same threeyear period the company’s top 20 spenders con-

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two minutes.

Graff has risen from the streets of Stepney in London’s East End to become Britain’s “king of bling”. He is one of the country’s wealthiest people - the Sunday Times Rich List estimates his fortune at about £3.3 billion.

The 73-year-old started out in 1953 as an apprentice in Hatton Garden, the historic centre of London’s jewel trade. He went on to set up Graff Diamonds in 1960, before opening his first two shops in London in 1962.

He now heads a jewellery empire that notched up pre-tax profits of $147.4m last year on revenues of $755.6m.

Graff plans to sell a 25% stake in the Hong Kong float, raising about $1billion. About 85% of the shares being sold are new. Some 15% are existing shares being sold by Graff and his family.

tributed 43%, 42% and 43% to group sales.

The Hong Kong filing gives a fascinating insight into the jeweller, which is controlled through a British Virgin Islands company that is 60% owned by the founder and 40% by his wife, Anne-Marie. It reveals that: • Laurence Graff has banked $91m in dividends from the group in the past three years.

• He has set aside $50m for five family members for “estate planning” purposes.

• He is buying back a collection of artworks from the group valued at $8.2m, including the Portrait of Cézanne by Camille Pissarro, which is on loan to the National Gallery.

• The company’s insurers paid out $9m after the 2009 robbery at its New Bond Street store, Britain’s biggest jewellery heist, in which £40m of diamonds was stolen in

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financial VOICE

Asian Voice - Saturday 26th May 2012

21

Foreign Exchange Paresh Davdra is the Dealing Director of RationalFX, Currency Specialists.

Eurobonds to top EU summit agenda on Wednesday?

Angela Merkel and Francois Hollande Head for Debt Showdown!

Heated discussions are expected to take place in the Eurozone on Wednesday as the proposed summit will concentrate on Eurobonds and meeting austerity measures. EU officials including French President Francois Hollande, Italian PM Mario Monti and British PM David Cameron are all backing the need for the Eurozone to continue talks on creating further Eurobonds even though they will face pressure from German chancellor Angela Merkel to cease her opposition in regards to the matter. Eurobonds will be at the forefront of discussions for Wednesday as many officials believe it is the main focus to combat the crisis and regain market confidence despite Greece woes.

Greece officials are hoping that they can remain in the Eurozone and will do their utmost to meet strict conditions imposed, which seem ever distant in reaching so far. Greece has created major concerns for the Euro with Monday seeing record lows of around 1.2750 a downwards trend seen over the last week also.

Saturday saw the G8 countries meeting and to the surprise of many in Europe there was no real urgency or any real strategies proposed to battle the crisis with the Euro. What was made apparent was the agreement there is a need for balancing austerity measures with growth, in order to fight the crisis more effectively. EU officials are surprised by the calmness around these meetings and how the uproar with the Euro has not taken centre stage in discussions.

Concerns with the Euro are that Greece is on the verge of being forced to exit and the worries do not end there as financial worries are surrounding major players including Italy and Spain. The focus will now be on the outcome of the meeting this Wednesday.

Exports lift UK car production rose by 9.3 percent on the year in April, boosted by strong export demand, and suggesting the industry can provide some support to Britain's flagging

economy. The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Car Traders said car production totalled 94,352 units in April, with exports accounting for 80,936 of the total, up almost 10 percent on the year.

Business leaders have suggested a single 30% rate of tax be introduced in the UK, in what is the latest piece of advice to help boost the nation's struggling economy. The reforms would see national insurance contributions and stamp duty abolished, and the introduction of single, flat rate and the report claims that a two-earner household with an income of ÂŁ28,000 would save ÂŁ3,400 a year in tax.

Britons' household finances worsened at their fastest rate in

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four months in May as some mortgage holders grappled with higher repayments, while worries about jobs and rising living costs also increased.

Household finance index fell to 36.6 in May from 37.0 in April, well below the 50 level which would mark no change in finances, showing the sharpest deterioration in household finances since January.

"May's survey shows another intensification of the household finance downturn, with the trend moving into full-scale reverse after some encouraging signs earlier in the year."

Manufacturers probably received more orders in April and home sales rose, a sign that the U.S. expansion is still on track. Factory bookings for longlasting goods rose 0.3 percent last month after falling 3.9 percent in March. Meanwhile housing will probably benefit from record-low mortgage rates that are making properties more affordable. However the economy is growing, but it’s just not growing at an inspiring pace.

Weekly Currencies As of Tuesday 22nd May 2012 @ 3pm GBP - INR = 87.33 USD - INR = 55.34 EUR - INR = 70.62 GBP - USD = 1.58 GBP - EUR = 1.24 EUR - USD = 1.28 GBP - AED = 5.79 GBP - CAD = 1.61 GBP - NZD = 2.07 GBP - AUD = 1.60 GBP - ZAR = 13.02 GBP - HUF = 366.70

www.rationalfx.com Information provided by RationalFX. None of the information on this page constitutes, nor should be construed as financial advice. The exchange rates used are the commercial foreign exchange rates provided by RationalFX. For a live quote or to find out more about how RationalFX can help you, call us on 0207 220 8181.

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B OE OP IJ EEFO D PT U T

22

Pakistan-Bangladesh-sri lanka

Asian Voice - Saturday 26th May 2012

Obama snubs Zardari over Afghan supply routes In Focus Chicago: In an unmistakable snub, US President Barack Obama left Pakistan off a list of nations he thanked for help getting war supplies into Afghanistan.

The omission speaks to the prolonged slump in US relations with Pakistan that clouded a Nato summit where nations were eyeing the exits in Afghanistan.

Obama readily acknowledged that the tensions raise questions about whether Pakistan will help or hurt the goal of a stable Afghanistan.

Continued mistrust between the United States and Pakistan also threaten cooperation to eliminate al-Qaida sanctuaries and could undermine US confidence in the security of Pakistan's growing nuclear arsenal.

"We need to work through some of the tensions that have inevitably arisen after 10 years of our military pres-

ence in that region," Obama said on Monday. "I don't want to paper over real challenges there."

Pakistan is not a Nato member but was invited to the summit on Sunday and Monday because of its influence in next-door Afghanistan and its role until last year as the major supply route to landlocked Nato forces there. Pakistan closed those routes after a US attack on the Pakistani side of the border killed 24 Pakistani soldiers in November.

The last-minute invitation

from Nato to join the Chicago talks was a sign of hope that the rift had healed.

But it hasn't. And Obama's dealings with Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari made that clear on Monday.

Zardari came to Obama's home town expecting a separate meeting with the US leader like the one accorded to Afghan President Hamid Karzai. But without a final deal to reopen the supply lines, no such meeting was to occur.

Obama, along with Karzai, did speak briefly with Zardari on the sidelines of a large group meeting on Monday. Karzai dismissed the encounter in an interview with CNN as a "three-way photograph taking ... just a photo opportunity."

That was after Zardari had to sit by as Obama opened Monday's session with public thanks only to

Afghan troops and Taliban in pact to loot Nato convoys

Kabul: The two men should be sworn enemies. One is a Taliban commander waging what he says is a holy war against foreign soldiers in Afghanistan and the other is an Afghan army officer trained and paid by Nato to fight the Taliban.

Yet rather than do battle, the two men have forged a secret alliance. In the area of Ghazni province where both are based, just an hour’s drive south of Kabul, they collaborate to loot Nato supply convoys, dividing up the proceeds. They even share intelligence about military operations.

“We lost seven men in an ambush when I first arrived at the base,” explained Afghan army lieutenant Mohammad Wali, who commands 18 men. “So I thought, why risk my life when there’s another way?”

These are the security forces on which Nato strategy depends as world leaders gather in Chicago to set in motion an end to the alliance’s biggest military

operation - if not an end to the war itself.

The drawdown - officials avoid the word withdrawal is based on handing over security to an Afghan army able to prevent Afghanistan from plunging into civil war when most of the 130,000strong Nato-led force pulls out in 2014.

Last week, the alliance announced the transfer of another chunk of territory to Afghan control and soon three-quarters of the Afghan population will come under the protection of the Afghan security forces (ANSF).

In its latest report to the US Congress, the Pentagon claims 40% of operations are already led by Afghans. But Michael O’Hanlon, a defence expert at the Brookings Institution, who visited Afghanistan last week, said almost all were simple operations.

Revelations of secret ceasefire agreements between Taliban insurgents and Natotrained Afghan soldiers appear to undermine Nato’s

confidence that the latter can hold the line.

Nato handed over control of Ghazni city, the provincial capital, to Afghan security forces at the end of last year.

Last month the Taliban closed down 100 schools in the province.

Wali said he had been approached by the local Taliban commander six months ago. Meeting in a bazaar, the pair agreed a ceasefire and a plan to ambush Nato supply convoys on the Kabul-Kandahar highway, which passes through the province.

“The plan is simple,” said Wali. “When the Taliban attack the convoys we stay in our bases. If the Taliban capture something valuable then they share it with us later.”

Mohammad Hassan, the local Taliban commander, said he had attacked dozens of convoys this way, capturing fuel, ammunition, vehicles, laptops and water bound for Nato troops. A good haul can earn as much as $30,000 (£19,000).

the nations north of Afghanistan who allowed expanded supply shipments to transit their territory to compensate for the closed Pakistani border gates.

"I want to welcome the presence of President Karzai, as well as officials from central Asia and Russia - nations that have an important perspective and that continue to provide critical transit for ISAF supplies," Obama said, referring to the International Security Assistance Force that is fighting the war.

Pakistani officials played down the snub: "The supply route on Pakistan's side has been suspended for the last six months," Zardari's spokesman Farhatullah Babar told reporters. "There was really no expectation from our side that the US president would appreciate and admire the suspension of the Nato supply lines."

New York polytechnic honours Sam Pitroda New York: Polytechnic Institute of New York University, America's secondoldest private engineering school, has conferred an honorary degree of Doctor of Engineering on Sam Pitroda, adviser to Indian Prime Minster Manmohan Singh.

Delivering the keynote address at the school's 157th Commencement, Pitroda urged the class of 2012 to recognize technology as the key to social change and inclusive growth, not only economic prosperity.

"How do we use connectivity to address the challenges of the 21st century" he asked and himself answered: "India has been growing at a rate of 8-9 per cent and everywhere, I see technology as the key driver. To me, technology is a great social leveller." Technology is the key in the 21st century. The challenge of today is inclusive growth, access and equity," said Pitroda, who grew up in the small village of Titlagarh in the Indian state of Orissa without electricity.

US Congressman calls Pakistan 'black hole’

Washington: Congressman Gary Ackerman, during a committee session to debate US assistance and foreign policy in South Asia, has dubbed Pakistan a "black hole for US aid".

Ackerman said their aid, professionals, diplomats, prayers and hopes go into Pakistan, "but nothing good comes out." He added that it was hard to imagine a more dysfunctional relationship, reports The Express Tribune.

Ackerman said Pakistan continues to pursue its own national interest at the US' expense, adding that money goes into Pakistan and emerges in bank accounts in the Gulf.

Congressman Dana Rohrabacher, in his remarks, said billions of dollars in aid have been given to Pakistan, however, they have "terrorised their neighbours, and

their own people", citing the example of the people of Balochistan.

"We should cut Pakistan off of every cent because it is being used for evil purposes," he added.

Congressman Bob Turner said that in light of the recent tensions between Pakistan and the United States, the US should re-evaluate the nature of its foreign policy and see what is beneficial to the US. Sanctions on Taliban and Haqqani leaders: Meanwhile, the US has imposed sanctions on two individuals linked with the Taliban and the Haqqani network, the US Department of Treasury has said. Bakht Gul, a Haqqani Network communications official, has been designated for acting for or on behalf of Badruddin Haqqani.

Abdul Baqi Bari, a Taliban financier, is being designated for providing financial support

for or financial services to, the Taliban, Adam Szubin, Director of Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control said. "By designating these individuals, Treasury is taking another step to ensure all those who perpetuate ongoing violence and terrorist activities in Afghanistan and Pakistan will continue to be marginalized and cut off from the international financial system, and they will find it increasingly difficult to carry out their objectives," Szubin said.

As a result of the action, all property in the US or in the possession or control of US persons in which Bakht Gul or Abdul Baqi Bari has an interest is blocked, and US persons are prohibited from engaging in transactions with them. The Treasury said Bakht Gul has been a key Haqqani Network communi-

cations official since at least 2009.

Gul works directly for senior Haqqani Network leader Badruddin Haqqani and has served as a gatekeeper for Badruddin. "Gul's responsibilities include relaying reports from commanders in Afghanistan to senior Haqqani Network officials, Taliban media officials, and legitimate media outlets in Afghanistan," he said.

Gul also works with Haqqani Network officials to coordinate the movement of Haqqani insurgents, foreign fighters, and weapons. "As of 2010, Gul relayed operational orders from Badruddin Haqqani to fighters in Afghanistan," the Treasury said adding that Gul distributed money to Haqqani Network sub-commanders travelling into Afghanistan in late 2009.

Four pilots killed as two Pak trainer planes collide

Islamabad: Four pilots were killed when two Pakistan Air Force (PAF) trainer planes collided in the country's northwest. The accident took place when two trainer planes slammed into one another while on a routine training flight over the Rashakai area of Nowshera, a district some 100 km northwest of Pakistan's capital of Islamabad.

One plane crashed into a field while another fell on a house in a residential area of Rashakai in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.

Eyewitnesses said a huge fire erupted after a plane crashed into the residential area.

The two planes had taken off from an air base in Resalpur, a town to the north of Nowshera.

Gilani's son involved in brawl on board PIA flight

Islamabad: A brawl occurred between Pakistan International Airlines crew members and Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani's son Ali Musa on a flight from Lahore to Karachi. Ali Musa, a parliamentarian, insisted that his guard, who had an economy class ticket, would sit with him in the business class. The matter was resolved when the captain of the flight intervened and told the premier's son that he would turn the aircraft back to Lahore if he persisted with his demand, which was against the rules. The threat by the captain worked and Ali Musa gave up his demand, following which the flight continued and landed at Karachi.

Gorakhnath temple in Pakistan vandalized

Peshawar: A historic Hindu temple in Peshawar city of northwest Pakistan, which was re-opened on the orders of a court last year, has been vandalised by unidentified men in the third such attack on the shrine in the past two months. The attackers burnt pictures inside the temple and took away idols from the shrine located within an archaeological complex in Gor Gathri area on Sunday, leaders of the Hindu community said. The shrine’s custodian told the media that this was the third attack on the temple in the past two months. Police officers visited the temple to probe the incident. Hindu leaders urged police to put in place better security measures to prevent such incidents. The 160-year-old temple was re-opened last year on the orders of the Peshawar High Court. It had been closed since partition.

Pak to test-fire nuclear missile

Islamabad: Pakistan will test fire a new nuclear-capable missile by the end of this month. As reported that the surface-to-surface 'Nasr' missile has a 180-km range and a high degree of accuracy. The army has completed preparations for it. Pakistan on April 25 successfully test-fired an intermediate range nuclear-capable missile, less than a week after India tested a 5,000-km range missile. The missile was capable of carrying nuclear and conventional warheads. Pakistan's missile repertory includes Hatf ballistic missiles and its variants, Ghaznavi short-range ballistic missile, Ghauri and Shaheen medium and intermediate range ballistic missiles, Babur cruise missiles and Baktar-Shikan anti-tank guided missile, most of which have been developed with China's help.

Hafiz Saeed sues scribes, seeks Rs 100 mn in damages

Lahore: LeT founder Hafiz Mohammad Saeed has served legal notices on two Pakistani journalists for allegedly concocting a report about his secret meeting with US envoy Cameron Munter, seeking Rs 100 million as damages. The notices were served on columnist Nazir Naji and reporter Amir Mir by Saeed's lawyer A K Dogar.

They contended that Naji's column in the Urdu daily Jang on May 9 and Mir's report in the Asia Times Online website on May 12 were aimed at tarnishing Saeed's image.

Dogar said Saeed did not want to meet the envoy of a country that he claims is the "murderer of millions of Muslims and an enemy of Pakistan."

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Asian Voice - Saturday 26th May 2012

Canadian climber Shriya Shah-Klorfine died in Everest ‘death zone’ Kathmandu: A Canadian woman has died pursuing her dream of scaling Mount Everest.

Shriya Shah-Klorfine, of Toronto, was among three people who died while descending from the summit Saturday in what are being described as overcrowded conditions.

“My wife was someone who lived life to its fullest, with irrepressible energy and vitality,” her husband Bruce Klorfine said in a statement emailed to The Canadian Press.

“She died in the pursuit of her dreams, and with the satisfaction of having achieved them.”Shah-Klorfine was believed to be the first South Asian woman from Canada to make the attempt to raise the Canadian flag at the top of the world’s highest peak.

“Her ambition is to become Canada’s 4th Canadian woman to make the climb and encouraging

the youth and helping SickKids hospital” said a statement on a website dedicated to Shah-Klorfine’s Everest expedition. The three climbers who died were believed to have suffered exhaustion and altitude sickness, Nepali mountaineering official Gyanendra Shrestha said.

Two others were missing as officials were still gathering details from descending climbers. The death toll raised concerns about overcrowding in what’s known as the “death zone” at the top of Everest.

An estimated 150 climbers tried to reach the top Friday and Saturday as they rushed to use a brief window of good weather in an otherwise troubled climbing season. Many had been waiting at a staging camp for several days for their chance to head to the summit.

The two other victims were identified as German doctor Eberhard Schaaf

In Focus Obama teases David Beckham over his underwear ads Washington: US President Barack Obama poked fun at David Beckham and said that the British soccer player had a knack for combining athletic prowess with commercial appeal. The quip came as the President congratulated Beckham and his teammates of the Los Angeles Galaxy, who defeated the Houston Dynamo last November to clinch the 2011 Major League Soccer Cup. "It is a rare man who can be that tough on the field and also have his own line of underwear," Obama said with a smile to laughter from the audience. Beckham's fame transcends the soccer field. Obama joked about the veteran soccer player's age. "I have to say I gave David a hard time - I said half his teammates could be his kids," the President said. "We're getting old David, although you're holding up better than me."

Bomber kills 100 soldiers in Yemen Sanaa: A suicide bomber killed nearly 100 people at a military parade rehearsal in the Yemeni capital Sanaa on Monday, an attack which will alarm Washington as its involvement in the front-line state deepens. Militant group Ansar al-Sharia, which is affiliated to al-Qaida, claimed responsibility for suicide attack, saying it was in response to the "crimes" of the security forces, who are fighting to dislodge militants from their strongholds in Abyan. Yemeni President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi, facing a growing campaign by an al-Qaida affiliate in the country, said security forces would become "tougher and more determined in pursuing terrorist elements."

Jackie Chan retires as action hero London: Martial arts superstar Jackie Chan has announced his retirement as an action star, saying he is too old for stunts and the world is too full of violence. The 58-year-old actor, who has done 100 action films so far and will be seen in the new production ‘Chinese Zodiac,’ said increasing violence in the world, had put him off from action. “I am not young any more. I am really, really tired.

The world is too violent right now. It’s a dilemma - I love fighting, I like action, but I don’t like violence,” he said. “I don’t just want to be an action star; I want to be a true actor. I want to get rid of my image. I want the audience to know also I’m not only a comedian. I can act. I’m going to show you the real Jackie Chan,” he added. Chan began his career as a stuntman working with Bruce Lee in the films ‘Fist of Fury.’

and South Korean mountaineer Song Won-bin. The missing climbers are a Chinese national and his Nepalese Sherpa guide.

“There was a traffic jam on the mountain on Saturday. Climbers were still heading to the summit as late as 2:30 p.m., which is quite dangerous,” Shrestha said.

Climbers normally are advised not to try for the summit after 11 a.m. The area above the last camp at the South Col is nicknamed the “death zone”

because of the steep icy slope, treacherous conditions and low oxygen level.

“With the traffic jam, climbers had a longer wait for their chance to go up the trail and spent too much time at higher altitude. Many of them are believed to be carrying a limited amount of oxygen, not anticipating the extra time spent,” Shrestha said.

Born in Kathmandu, Nepal, the 33-year-old Shah-Klorfine grew up in Mumbai, India and moved to Canada to be with her

Eight Indian-Americans get medal for community service New York: Eight IndianAmericans are among the recipients of this year's Ellis Island Medal of Honour presented to more than 100 immigrants for their community service.

The eight, Peter Bheddah, Ravishankar Bhooplapur, Dr Sanjiv Chopra, Dr Leena N Doshi, Dr Surendra V Jain, Hasu P Shah, Rajendra Singh and Dr John P Thomas were presented the medal at a ceremony on the island in New York.

Instituted in 1986 by the National Ethnic Coalition of Organizations to recognize the contributions made by immigrants, the medals are named after Ellis Island, the gateway through which more than 12 million early immigrants passed. Beddah, who immigrated from Kutch, Gujarat, in 1960, has been helping the less fortunate through the India Association of Long Island and the Interfaith Nutrition Network since 1994.

Bhooplapur is president of Xavier University School of Medicine and founder and chairman of Gift of Life. He contributes to several humanitarian causes.

Chopra, a professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and a senior consultant at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Centre in Boston, is the author of five books, including "The Ten Tenets of Leadership." Mumbai-born Doshi with a medical degree from Bombay University started a radiology practice in 1985 after completing her residency in radiology at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York.

Her family runs a number of radiology centres in New York and Florida. Jain is founding partner and chief medical officer of Buena Park, Californiabased AppleCare Medical Management LLC, a medical management services organization that manages AppleCare Medical Group and AppleCare Hospitalists Group.

husband and start an import business, SOS Splash of Style Inc. Her adopted country soon became central to her convictions as she involved herself in social and political groups, including the Conservative Party of Canada, where she was on the board of directors as secretary to the party’s Toronto-Davenport riding association.

Her desire to climb Mount Everest was also intermingled with her patriotism. “This is my dream and passion, and (I) want to do something for my country,” Shah-Klorfine wrote on her website.

“Nothing is impossible in this world, even the word ’impossible’ says ’I M POSSIBLE’!”

The climbing season on Everest runs from late March to the first week in June, and the Nepalese government places no limits on how many climbers can be on the 8,850-metre

mountain. The season’s first clear conditions were on Friday and Saturday, but that window already was closing by Saturday afternoon with a windstorm at higher altitudes, Shrestha said.

Ang Tshering, an Everest expert and former president of the Nepal Mountaineering Association, said the government should impose schedules so that scores of climbers are not trying to head for the summit on the same day. Tshering said the race to the summit on Saturday meant that climbers likely expended all their energy on the way up and had little left for the descent.

The deadliest day on Everest was May 10, 1996, when eight people were killed. The main reason was said to be that climbers who started their ascent late in the day were caught in a snowstorm in the afternoon.

Sikhs in turbans can now serve Washington police Washington: Sikh police officers in the American capital will be allowed to wear turbans, beards and other religious items while on the job.

The new uniform policy announced by Washington DC police Chief Cathy Lanier makes it the first major metropolitan police department in the US to permit Sikhs to maintain their articles of faith.

Developed with the Sikh American Legal Defence and Education Fund (SALDEF), the new police policy states that Sikh officers can wear turbans that are the same colour as the uniform that they would otherwise be required to wear, with the department badge that is normally on hats pinned to the front of the turban. Male Sikh officers will also be able to wear beards that are neatly kept. Other officers are allowed to grow beards if they get a waiver from the department. Lanier said that it is hard to find qualified police officers, so it is practical to

accommodate candidates who would otherwise be fit for the job. "This is a common-sense decision," she said.

There are no known observant Sikhs among Washington's roughly 3,800 officers. However, the new policy was motivated in part because a Sikh who will graduate from the police academy in August and plans to become a reserve officer, has requested the accommodation, Lanier said. "This first of a kind guidance by one of the nation's premier law enforcement agencies serves as a model for other agencies across the country." said Jasjit Singh, Executive Director of SALDEF.

Minorities now surpass whites in US births

Washington: For the first time, racial and ethnic minorities make up more than half the children born in the US, capping decades of heady immigration growth that is now slowing. New 2011 census estimates highlight sweeping changes in the nation's racial makeup and the prolonged impact of a weak economy, which is now resulting in fewer Hispanics entering the US. "This is an important landmark," said Roderick Harrison, a former chief of racial statistics at the Census Bureau who is now a sociologist at Howard University.

"This generation is growing up much more accustomed to diversity than its elders." The report comes as the Supreme Court prepares to rule on the

legality of a strict immigration law in Arizona, with many states weighing similar get-tough measures.

"We remain in a dangerous period where those appealing to anti-immigration elements are fueling a divisiveness and hostility that might take decades to overcome," Harrison said. As a whole, the nation's minority population continues to rise, following a higher-thanexpected Hispanic count in the 2010 census. Minorities increased 1.9 per cent to 114.1 million, or 36.6 per cent of the total U.S. population, lifted by prior waves of immigration that brought in young families and boosted the number of Hispanic women in their prime childbearing years.

But a recent slowdown in the growth of the Hispanic and Asian populations is shifting notions on when the tipping point in US diversity will come - the time when non-Hispanic whites become a minority. After 2010 census results suggested a crossover as early as 2040, demographers now believe the pivotal moment may be pushed back several years when new projections are released in December.

The annual growth rates for Hispanics and Asians fell sharply last year to just over 2 per cent, roughly half the rates in 2000 and the lowest in more than a decade. The black growth rate stayed flat at 1 per cent.

Minorities made up roughly 2.02 million, or 50.4 percent of U.S. births in the

12-month period ending July 2011. That compares with 37 percent in 1990. In all, 348 of the nation's 3,143 counties, or 1 in 9, have minority populations across all age groups that total more than 50 percent. In a sign of future U.S. race and ethnic change, the number of counties reaching the tipping point increases to more than 690, or nearly 1 in 4, when looking only at the under age 5 population.

According to the latest data, the percentage growth of Hispanics slowed from 4.2 percent in 2001 to 2.5 percent last year. Their population growth would have been even lower if it weren't for their relatively high fertility rates - seven births for every death. The median age of U.S. Hispanics is 27.6 years.

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INDIA

Asian Voice - Saturday 26th May 2012

Gujarat govt agrees to raise subsidy to Akshayapatra The Gujarat government has agreed to increase the subsidy to Akshayapatra for providing mid-day meals to students, a statement issued by the Foundation in UK said. Each meal costs about Rs 6.44 on an average, depending on state. Akshayapatra programme is conducted in partnership with the various state governments and central government. All of these governments provide a subsidy to support about 56 per cent of the running costs.

The central Government support is routed through the respective state governments.

Industry houses, foundations, individuals and philanthropists provide financial support for the balance of the running costs.

Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi on learn-

ing about Akshayapatra's rapid progress in the state congratulated the team in Ahmedabad and Vadodara and offered support to the programme. On learning that out of the 1.3 million children being fed across India, 200,000 are in Gujarat and that three new kitchens are being planned (Anand, Surat, Rajkot), Modi asked the team to increase the number from 200,000 to one million in the state itself.

Based on the annual cost per meal of £10, the foundation has to raise £10 million in Gujarat alone.

Akshayapatra is planning

to feed five million children every day across India by 2020.

Akshaya patra is delighted the level of encouragement it receives from Modi, Morari Bapu and other philanthropists.

Harin Thaker, chairman of Akshayapatra in UK said, "NRIs around the world now accept that it is up to the community to reach out to discharge (not their obligations but) their responsibilities as has often been stated. If we can create a sustainable pipe line of human capital -well nourished and well educated, we will leave a lasting legacy of having destroyed the vicious cycle of poverty not only in India but shared the innovation with nations fighting to tackle the similar problems elsewhere."

Man pulls two aircraft by his hands

People were amazed by the feat of a 37-year-old lanky man, who simultaneously pulled two aircraft standing face to face to each other for a distance of 100 metre to have their noses meet at airstrip in Mehsana. Dragon Lee pulled the aircraft with the weight of their two pilots for nearly 20 minutes. "Each aircraft weighs 1,200 kg," sources said. He hopes this feat would be acknowledged by Guinness Book of World Records and Limca Book of Records. He hails from Bangalore and at present residing in Hong Kong. On 20th July, he is planning to do air pull-ups at height of 25,000 feet.

Modi replays development tune, now for NRIs

Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday appealed to Non-Resident Indians from Gujarat based in North America to “learn” to “love” the state and to “teach others” to do so while inviting them to take advantage of Gujarat’s “development”.

He said this while addressing a gathering of NRIs in the US and Canada through video-conferencing from Gandhinagar.

In his early-morning speech that lasted for nearly an hour, Modi asked NRIs to come to Gujarat and be part of its success while highlighting the initiatives taken by his government. He said that during his tenure as the Chief Minister since 2001, the government has adopted a balanced approach towards development while giving equal importance to agriculture, industry and service sectors. The government has taken important initiatives in the fields of tourism, education, environment and food among others, Modi added.

The CM said the state has achieved a unique feat of giving employment to

Narendra Modi

65,000 people in a single week recently, adding that in the last five years, 78 per cent of the total employment generated in the country was done from Gujarat. He also boasted that even after so much of industrial growth, there is no “strike” or “labour unrest” in the state, which he cited as the land of “peace”, “sadbhavana” and “aspirations”. The speech was webcast live in 12 cities of North America. The programme was organised on the request of Indian/Gujarati Samuday of North America to celebrate the 52nd Gujarat Day

Dragon Lee

25 killed in Andhra train accident At least 25 people were killed, at least 16 of them charred to death, and more than 40 others injured when the driver of the Bangalore-bound Hampi Express apparently overshot the signal and rammed into the rear of a stationary goods train in Anantapur district in the wee hours on Tuesday.

The impact of the collision that took place at Penukonda railway station in Andhra Pradesh was such that four bogies of the express train derailed and one of them caught fire.

"At least 16 persons were charred to death, mostly women passengers, when one of the bogies caught fire after the express train collided with the stationary goods trains" Charu Sinha, Deputy Inspector General of police (Anantapur range), said.

Twenty-five passengers have died and the injured have been admitted to nearby hospitals at Penukonda, Hindupur and Anantapur, she said. The DIG said the rescue and relief operations are in full swing and most of the fire services of the district have been deployed at the accident site.

In divine light

By Rajen Vakil

Story of Bhima and Hanuman - Part 3 Hanuman recounts the story of Rama In the last issue, we saw that Bhima started lifting the monkey’s tail. In his mind, Bhima thought that he would grab the tail of the weak and sick monkey and send him to Yama’s abode. Smiling sarcastically, Bhima tried to lift the tail with his left hand, but try as he would he could not move the tail an inch. He then tried to move it with both his hands and was still unsuccessful.

Bhima started perspiring profusely, his eyebrows moved high into his forehead and his eyes became red with anger. He tried with all his strength, yet the tail was unmoved.

Bhima was suddenly overcome with shame and stood helplessly in front of the monkey. He folded his palms and bowing to the monkey said, “O foremost among monkeys, please be happy. Please forgive me for the harsh words I spoke to you. With the intention of knowing your true form, I beg you to tell me who you really are. I am your disciple and I surrender to you.”

The monkey who was Hanuman said, “O destroyer of enemies, O son of Pandu, you want to know my reality then please listen carefully. I was born through the

womb of the wife of the monkey called Kesari and begotten by the wind or vayu, the symbol of the age of the universe. I am the monkey called Hanuman. All the great monkeys paid homage to two lords, one was the son of the Sun god called Sugriva and the other, the son of Indra called Vali, but I had a

special love for Sugriva.”

“For some reason Vali forcibly made Sugriva leave the monkey kingdom and so both of us started living on the top of the mountain called Rushyamukha. At the same time, the son of Dashratha, the king of Ayodhya, walked upon the earth. He was the best among archers, not only strong and powerful but he was the essence of Lord Vishnu in human form. To please and obey his father, Lord Rama,

All past articles on the Mahabharata can be accessed from http://epaper.asianvoice.com or from http://www.3stepbreath.com/mahabharata.html

Bihar farmer’s 12-year-old son cracks IIT-JEE

A child prodigy from Bhojpur district in Bihar has created history by cracking the IIT-JEE 2012 at the age of 12 years and nine months.

Satyam Kumar of Bakhorapur village under Barahara block in Bhojpur district got allIndia rank (AIR) 8,137 in the prestigious competition.

He qualified from Mumbai zone, and is still awaiting his plus two results.

Born on July 20, 1999, in an illiterate farmer's family, he showed his talent from childhood itself. His father Sidhnath Singh and mother Pramila Singh recognized his talent and he was admitted to Central Public School, Patna, in Standard IX at a tender age. But he left his study there midway and went to Kota in Rajasthan to join a coaching institute there.

The institute's director, R K Verma, himself took his test and found latent genius in him. Verma helped finance his studies from Standard 9 to class 12, that resulted in his success in the one of the

together with his wife Sita and younger brother Laxman, were staying in the forest called the Dandakaranya. The king of the demons, Ravana, was enamoured by Rama’s wife and using cunningness and deceit, he kidnapped her. Ravana had taken the help of the demon called Mareecha who assumed the form of a golden deer studded with precious stones. He lured Rama away while Ravana kidnapped Sita.”

“On realising that someone had taken away his wife, Rama, together with Laxman, started looking for her all over the forest and on the mountain top Rama saw Sugriva.

Rama and Sugriva became friends and Rama killed Vali and made Sugriva the king of all the monkeys. Once he became king, Sugriva sent thousands of monkeys in all directions to look for Sita and I was one of them and went South. At that time the great eagle called Sampati told me that Sita had been taken

by Ravana and was across the sea in his kingdom called Lanka.”

To be continued…

toughest examinations in the country at such a tender age. Satyam had passed class X board examination from a Kota school.

Sidhnath Singh said his family members, Satyam's teachers and he himself always marvelled at his talent and they felt that the boy would do something extraordinary in his life one day. The success of his son had brought laurels to the family, which was till now in oblivion.

However, Satyam said though he was happy to crack IITJEE, he would not join IIT this year because of his poor rank. He would make another attempt next year for a good rank, and wanted to develop a software company. Meanwhile, the entire Bakhorapur village celebrated Satyam's success by bursting crackers.

4 workers return from Angola Four workers from the cement factory at Angola returned to India on Saturday. Vijay Valmik, who is from Petlad, has returned with tales of alleged harassment and extreme difficulties that the workers at the cement factory are facing. Valmik is the worker, who had been speaking to officials as well as relatives of other stranded workers from Angola over the phone.

He narrated what had transpired there and has vowed to work for those who are still facing problems in Angola. He said that he was among the fortunate few as he had resigned from the company way back on April 15.

“All those who resigned earlier were not targeted by the company and let them go. The others are stranded there. They have been asked to pay for damages that took place at the company during the agitation and their passports have been taken by the company,” Valmik said.

INDIA

Asian Voice - Saturday 26th May 2012

In Focus Mamata won't endorse Pranab Mukherjee for President

Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee has refused to endorse finance minister Pranab Mukherjee for the President's post, giving a twist to the race. Banerjee told a TV channel, "I love Meira Kumar, she is very soft spoken, Gopal Gandhi has done good work, Kalam was a good president. Pranab may be the son-of-the-world but if you ask me my choice, I will go with Kumar, Gandhi and Kalam. But if Congress wants to go with Pranab, its their choice." The comment puts a question mark on Mukherjee's bid to wade into the race. While Congress is still to announce its preference for the top post, there is also a section in Congress that feels Mukherjee cannot be spared for the for the President's post because he is crucial to the government. If the West Bengal CM vetoes the finance minister, it may be difficult for Congress to evolve a consensus around his name.

Karnataka whistleblower dies after attack

A senior Karnataka government official, who blew the lid off several scams in state housing cooperative societies, died on Sunday, five days after he was attacked by goons near a Bangalore hotel. S P Mahantesh was deputy director with the state’s directorate of cooperative audit. The 48-year-old sustained severe head injuries in the attack and was on life support since. Police are still scrambling for clues and no eyewitness has been found. Following statewide outrage, the home minister set up four police teams but there are no leads yet.

Krishna to visit Pak in July; trade, 26/11 on agenda

India’s foreign minister S M Krishna confirmed that he will visit Pakistan in the third week of July on a three-day trip. The visit will see Krishna meeting his counterpart Hina Rabbani Khar, during which the two sides will review all outstanding issues. He will also call on President Asif Ali Zardari and PM Yousuf Raza Gilani. “I will visit Islamabad in the third week of July for three days during which the two sides will discuss all issues,’’ Krishna said.

The most probable dates for the visit are July 20, 21 and 22. This is the first confirmation of Krishna’s schedule for his visit to Pakistan.

No more non-vegetarian food for Kasab

Pakistani gunman, Ajmal Kasab, has turned vegetarian in Arthur Road jail. Earlier, six police personnel who worked as cooks, provided him non-vegetarian fare occasionally.

However, following objections by the Mumbai Police, the cooks were removed from jail last month. So Kasab now eats food prepared by the inmates. "Kasab gets vegetarian food now since non-veg is not allowed in the jail.

Earlier, when food was being cooked for around a dozen police personnel and Kasab, the cooks would prepare non-veg at times.

But, today, Kasab gets what other petty criminals eat," said a jail official. Kasab, son of a Pakistani mutton seller, was convicted in 2010 for killing hundreds of people during the November 26, 2008, terror attack.

No compromise on nuclear safety: Manmohan

Strongly favouring nuclear power, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said there would be no compromise on safety of atomic plants and it would be harmful to close the additional source of energy. “It would be harmful for the country to pass an ordinance on denial of nuclear power,” Dr. Singh said replying to supplementaries during Question Hour in the Lok Sabha. He was replying to question by Anant Geete (Shiv Sena) on whether India would do a re-think on nuclear power in the post-Fukushima scenario in which Germany and Japan have announced that they would give up atomic energy. “We must keep the option of having nuclear power as an additional source of energy open,” Dr. Singh said.

He said there would be no compromise on the safety of nuclear power plants. Dr. Singh said after the Fukushima accident of March 2011, he had ordered a complete review of all the 20 operating nuclear power reactors across the country and none of them has reported any incident.

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Indian brands get 'halal' stamp Islamic branding is an idea whose time has come, as brands tracking a broader consumer base get accustomed to Muslim sensibilities. It's not just about halal food alone, for it's at the forefront of the branding repertoire that resonates deeply with Muslim consumers around the globe.

Homegrown brands like CavinKare, Daawat, Bikano, Goldwinner oil, Vadilal ice cream, Amrutanjan Health Care and Gujarat Ambuja Exports are embracing halalcertification to get a better foothold in markets like Singapore, Malaysia and Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC) countries. CavinKare has got a halal certification from Halal India, an apex body for halal certification, for three of its products - Fairever, Nyle herbal shampoo and Ruchi pickle - to expand its footprint in Singapore, Malaysia and GCC.

"The certification is a reason-to-belief for customers on quality parameters. The certification will also give an edge over our competitors," said R S Vijay Kumar, GM of international business at Cavin-Kare, a Chennai-based personal care company.

Nyle shampoo, for instance, cornered a 26.7% share in the Singapore halalcompliant market and 22% in Malaysia for the same segment last fiscal, he added.

The Rs 11 billion company expects its international business to touch the Rs 1 billion mark in the current fiscal from Rs 700 million earlier.

Bikano, the sweet and the namkeen brand from Bikanervala Foods, has seen a 30% jump in soan papdi and cookies sales in Malaysian market in the last one year, partly due to the halal certification that gave a higher visibility on retail shelves there.

"Halal signifies highest stan-

Arnold picks Punjab hulk as his brand ambassador

Growing up in a small, isolated village in Austria, Arnold Schwarzenegger took to bodybuilding for a better life.

Perhaps it is his own amazing rags to riches story that has made Schwarzenegger pick Jalandhar-based bodybuilder and Punjabi film actor Varinder Singh Ghumman as the brand ambassador of his health products and food supplements in Asia.

Schwarzenegger, who also served as the 38th Governor of California from 2003 until 2011, has tagged the 6 ft 3 Ghumman as "an amazing talent from India" on Facebook.

The Terminator has also tagged clips of Ghumman's upcoming movie 'Kabaddi Once Again'. Obviously, Ghumman considers it a great honour for Punjabi cinema coming straight from Hollywood. "It's a great thing for regional Punjabi cinema to be recognised by the Hollywood star. He appreciated my physique and was surprised to see that India was producing athletes of such big built. The contract is

in the final stages and will be signed soon. I hope to popularise bodybuilding in India," Ghumman said.

He will be acting in another Punjab film 'Fateh the victory' soon. The Gurdaspur-born bodybuilder had Salman Khan in awe two years back when his personal trainer introduced him to the celebrity on the sets of “Dabbang” near Pune, where Ghumman had attended a bodybuilding show as a chief guest. The strapping Punjab lad claims to be totally vegetarian and that struck a chord with Arnold during his meeting in 2010.

dards of quality and hygiene in ingredients, processes and products," said Sachin Anand, head (international business), Bikanervala Foods.

Amrutanjan has obtained a halal certificate for all its pain balm products exported to Singapore , Malaysia, West Indies and a few African markets. "Islam in many ways is a way of life. To that extent, Islamic branding is all about using brands as good deeds.

What starts with halal foods, can move on to halal practice in every industry, be it the pharmaceutical or the cosmetic industry.

Islamic branding can embrace broader pastures that cover business practices

too," said Harish Bijoor, CEO of Harish Bijoor Consults.

"With many brands embracing halal, Indian brands may look at an export market opportunity of about $200 billion in the next ten years," said Mohamed Jinna, CEO of Halal India. The halal stamp can be extended to those brands tuned into the principles of Shariah in faith, good practice and spirit. Globally, the halal market is worth a staggering $2.1 trillion a year, says a report by brand consultancy firm Ogilvy Noor. The market opportunity for halal products is still untapped in India, but brand consultants are not dismissing its potential in a country with 160 million Muslims. Paul Temporal, founder and MD of Temporal Brand Consulting, feels that there is a lot more room for brand managers to adapt these values for different markets and cultures, whether Islamic or not.

Discipline is armyman’s primary duty: Supreme Court A day after the May 10 incident at Nyoma in Jammu and Kashmir where Army soldiers allegedly assaulted officers, the Supreme Court ironically ruled that "primary obligation of a member of armed forces is to maintain discipline in all aspects".

This apex court judgment drew curtains over a litigation initiated 22 years ago by a major, who in 1991 had moved the Delhi High Court challenging the July 20, 1990 decision of the Army to cashier him from service and also award him imprisonment of six months for three counts of corruption.

The three incidents of corruption alleged against the major happened in 1988 and the general court martial found him guilty on all three counts on June 4, 1990 and punished him with cashiering and an imprisonment of five years. A month-and-ahalf later, the confirming authority upheld the major's cashiering but reduced the sentence to six months.

The Delhi HC, in its judgment of July 23, 1991,

declined to interfere with the Army's decision. But the case remained pending in the Supreme Court for 21 years before a bench of Justices P Sathasivam and Dipak Misra drew curtains over the twodecade-long litigation by dismissing the cashiered major's appeal.

Writing the judgment for the bench, Justice Misra said with the corruption charges proved against the major, "it is well nigh impossible to hold that the punishment was harsh or arbitrary".

When an Army officer gets cashiered, he or she is stripped of rank, privilege and responsibility, often in a very public and humiliating way.

"The appellant was a major in the Army and all the charges leveled against him fundamentally pertain to commission of illegal acts in fiscal sphere. The acts done by him were intended to gain pecuniary advantage. The primary obligation of a member of armed forces is to maintain discipline in all aspects," the bench said.

N D Tiwari told to give blood sample on May 26

Congress leader ND Tiwari was on Monday asked by the Delhi High Court to appear in person on May 26 before it to give blood sample for a DNA test to decide the paternity suit of a man claiming to be his son.

"Defendent number 1 (Tiwari) is directed to appear on May 26 at 12 noon along with his two photographs," Joint Registrar of Delhi High Court, Deepak Garg, said, adding that the court should not rush to take police assistance for enforcing its order.

The 86-year-old Tiwari "be given an opportunity to voluntarily comply with the order," Garg said and asked the medical chief of the dispensary, located inside the high court premises, to appoint a doctor for collecting the blood sample on May

26, the next date of hearing.

The court's direction came after it was informed that the requisite DNA kit has been received by the high court registry from Hyderabad-based lab Centre for DNA Fingerprinting and Diagnostics (CDFD).

Justice Reva Khetrapal of the high court had on May 16 ordered its registrar to take police assistance for bringing the defiant veteran Congress leader here for taking his blood sample to decide the paternity suit.

Justice Khetrapal had came down heavily on the counsel representing the Dehradun-based Congress leader, after he sought adjournment of hearing on the ground that a petition has been filed in the Supreme Court on the issue.

The court had said that considering the age of Tiwari, the order of taking the blood sample is required to be implemented "as expeditiously as possible otherwise an irreparable loss is bound to visit the plaintiff".

The court's directions came on the plea of 32-yearold Rohit Shekhar seeking to compel Tiwari to furnish his blood sample at the earliest to decide the four-year-old

paternity suit. He has sought a judicial declaration that Tiwari is his biological father.

The high court had on May 14 asked Tiwari to inform it within two days as to whether he wants to voluntarily give his blood sample for DNA test in the paternity suit or police force be used for obtaining it.

Justice Khetrapal had also told the counsel for Tiwari that his client will not leave India till he gives his blood sample for the requisite DNA test in the matter in the wake of orders of the Delhi High Court and the Supreme Court.

Tiwari, former Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand, was earlier directed by the high court and the apex court to furnish a blood sample for the DNA test.

26

INDIA

Asian Voice - Saturday 26th May 2012

Scams during Mayawati's rule worth `400 bn: Akhilesh Yadav Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav said that financial irregularities were all-pervasive during the five-year tenure of Mayawati and affected practically every segment of the society. Yadav said that over `400 billion were misappropriated in schemes ranging from eco parks to the NRHM. The government would soon set up a commission to bring the probes into various scams under a single investigating authority along with inquiries recommended by the Lok Ayukta against a number of ministers in the previous government, Yadav said.

People usually tend to take into account the money spent on a project as its net worth of the scam. But the actual cost of these projects turn out to be much higher, Akhilesh said. "When government makes such assessments, it includes the cost of land used, value of the existing structure razed to the ground for the new project, the repeated changes in design

and construction work all of this directly amounts to losses to the state exchequer," the chief minister said.

As per the government's estimates, the total worth of scams during the BSP rule is over `400 billion, which is almost equal to the annual outlay for the state during 2011 2012 and is nearly onefourth of the state's annual budget of `1,890 billion.

The major scams which had allegedly taken place during the Mayawati regime and are under the SP government's scanner are NRHM scam, toilet scam, elephant statues scam, Noida land scam, High Security Registration Plates (HSRP) tender scam, seed scam, etc.

Investigations and inquiries are under way in each of these scams and in 50% of the cases, arrests have also been made leaving hardly any scope of doubt over allegations of misappropriation. Though investigations into these scams have led to the arrest of bureaucrats and even senior ministers in

Akhilesh Yadav

the BSP government, the investigators are yet to establish a possible direct link between the misappropriations and the then chief minister Mayawati.

However, senior SP ministers have started accusing Mayawati of being directly involved in the scams. Health and family welfare minister Ahmed Hasan said: "Mayawati's name is also figuring in the NRHM scam." Another senior minister Azam Khan said that the allegations being levelled by the SP all these years are turning out to be true. Former UP chief min-

ister Rajnath Singh joined the chorus saying: "It is virtually impossible that such huge amounts were swindled and the then chief minister and Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati was neither aware nor involved in the whole thing. Such huge sums of money cannot be swindled without the consent and interest of the chief minister," Rajnath Singh said. But the BSP says that the accusations of scams were a mere political gimmick. Party's state president Swami Prasad Maurya said Mayawati had been the only chief minister till date to have taken stringent action against her own ministers and MLAs whenever they were found taking the law in their hand.

"Name me one chief minister to have done this?" he questioned. "All this hype about the scams is being cooked up only to cover-up the government's failure in controlling the crime situation in the state," the SP state president said.

Controversies plague Indian Premiere League Continued from page 1 and misbehaved with her.

When she objected and her fiance tried to protect her, Pomersbach allegedly landed punches on the fiance's head following which he has been admitted to a private hospital for treatment. The player was arrested and produced in a local court which granted him bail.

As the off-field incident stoked a huge storm over the already controversy-marred IPL, Siddharth Mallya, director of RCB and son of Vijay Mallya, sought to create doubts over the character of the woman. "She was all over me last night and asked for my BBM (Blackberry Messenger) pin, so if he was her fiance, she wasn't exactly behaving like a future wife," Siddharth said in his tweet. Unfazed by the criticism over his tweets, Siddharth refused to apologise for his comments claiming he was merely speaking the truth.

Preity Zinta reacted vigorously against Marsh's dismissal, IPL chief seeks report Indian Premier League chairman Rajiv Shukla has said that he had sought a report from the match referee over the incident involving Kings XI Punjab owner Preity Zinta during her side's IPL match against Kolkata Knight Riders in Mohali. Zinta was seen visibly agitated and reacting vigorously during the strategic time out period against the con-

Luke Pomersbach

troversial dismissal of Kings XI batsman Shaun Marsh.

Shukla said that he had asked the match referee Roshan Mahanama of Sri Lanka to submit a report to him at the earliest on the incident. "I have sought a report from the match referee on the entire issue. I will also take Preity Zinta's version on the incident," Shukla said.

It all started when Marsh was ruled out in a controversial manner in the 14th over. The left-hander under edged a Brett Lee delivery to KKR wicketkeeper Manvinder Bisla, who nodded that he had taken the catch cleanly even though TV replays suggested that there was a doubt with the decision. It took Kings XI captain Adam Gilchrist's invention to calm Zinta down after

she apparently had an exchange of words with the match officials.

Mumbai Police detains IPL players after rave party Over 100 people, including 38 women and 19 foreign nationals were arrested by Mumbai Police, who claim to have busted an alleged rave party in city's Oakwood Hotel in Juhu.

Two IPL players, Rahul Sharma of India and Wayne Parnell of South Africa, both of who play for Pune Warriors, were detained and questioned.

Doubts, however, remain whether they consumed drugs at the party. The party organizer, Vishesh Vijay Handa, has been arrested under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act. The police said they have recovered about 110 grams of cocaine, and maintained that a medical examination would confirm the guilty. All the detainees, including the cricketers, were taken to the Juhu police station and made to undergo medical tests, the results of which are awaited. The cricketers were later released on bonds.

SL player paid Rs 100m to fix IPL match: Bookie A Sri Lankan player was paid Rs 100 million for fixing an IPL match, a bookie named Sonu Yogendra Jalan alias Malad has told Mumbai police. In his statement, Sonu has claimed that some Indian cricketers were involved in

match-fixing. Sonu along with Devendra Kothari alias Bhaiyyaji, were arrested by the Mumbai police. They are believed to be a part of a bigger international betting racket. The betting network run by Kothari and Sonu Jalan is controlled by Choota Shakeel’s Pakistan-based gang of punters. Crime Branch officials said, they raided a betting den in Kandivali and seized 22 mobile phones, two laptops, two voice recorders, eight speakers and LCD TVs. “The accused were accepting bets on Indian Premier League matches,” said a Crime Branch officer.

Spot-fixing: BCCI suspends 5 uncapped players Five uncapped Indian players were earlier suspended with pending completion of an inquiry as a rattled BCCI cracked the whip on tainted cricketers in the wake of a television sting operation which claimed to have exposed corruption in IPL. The strong action to suspend Mohnish Mishra, Shalabh Srivastava, TP Sudhindra, Amit Yadav and Abhinav Bali was taken after a lengthy teleconference of top BCCI officials and members of the IPL's Governing Council. The BCCI decided to conduct a preliminary inquiry into the incident by Ravi Sawani, the former chief of the ICC's Anti-Corruption Unit who is now heading the BCCI's newly set-up AntiCorruption Unit.

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Railways may lease out 50 locos to Pak

As part of efforts to strengthen Indo-Pak trade ties, Railways is mulling to provide 50 diesel locomotives on hiring basis to Pakistan. As per the plan, railways is likely to give at an approximate rate of Rs 1500 per hour per locomotive of 3000 HP to Pakistan for leasing purpose. Besides leasing out, railways will also provide training facilities for Pakistan railwaymen to run Indian locomotives.

"The Ministry of External Affairs has already okayed the pro-

posal and now the modalities of supplying locomotives are being worked," said a senior Railway Ministry official. "If the supply takes place then it will be for the first time that Indian Railways will come to the aid of Pakistan," the official said. Though railways regularly supply locomotives to Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Myanmar, Mozambique, Tanzania and Ghana, it will be for the first time that railways will supply locomotives to Pakistan, said the official.

Lanka releases former army chief Fonseka Continued from page 1 He was detained on a charge of corruption relating to military procurements shortly after the elections and given a 30month jail sentence in September 2010.

In November 2011, he was sentenced to three more years in jail for saying that the president's brother, Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, who is defense secretary, had ordered the killing of Tiger rebels who had surrendered.

Fonseka also angered the government by saying he was ready to testify to any international tribunal investigating possible war crimes committed during the last months of Sri Lanka's decades-long civil war.

The United Nations says thousands of civilians were killed in this period,

a charge the Sri Lankan government denies. Up to 100,000 people died in ethnic bloodshed in Sri Lanka from 1972 to 2009.

Washington regarded Fonseka as a political prisoner and US officials had called repeatedly for his release. Fonseka himself also says his imprisonment was politically motivated.

Official sources say the present pardon only cancels out the sentence and that Fonseka may not be allowed to participate in elections for seven years after his release.

Government spokesmen have, however, hinted that a full pardon may yet be granted.

The party he founded to contest the 2010 general elections, the Democratic National Alliance (DNA), retains just three seats in the 225member parliament.

INDIA

Asian Voice - Saturday 26th May 2012

In Focus Indian student in US gets 30day jail for webcam spying An Indian-origin Rutgers student Dharun Ravi committed 'reprehensible' acts in setting up a webcam to spy on his roommate's gay relationship, but got a lighter sentence as a judge ruled that 'they did not reach the level of a hate crime'. Ravi, 20, who was convicted of hate crimes for using his webcam to view his roommate Tyler Clementi was sentenced to serve 30 days in jail. He was also sentenced to do 300 hours of community service and pay 10,000 dollars to assist bias-crime victims.

Baba Jai Gurudev, 116, passes away Spiritual guru Baba Jai Gurudev, who had millions of followers, passed away after prolonged illness. He was 116 years old. In his last moments, he was brought to Mathura in Uttar Pradesh from the Medanta City Hospital in Gurgaon. As news of his demise spread, thousands of devotees made a beeline to his ashram on the Agra-Delhi highway, weeping inconsolably. Respected for his simplicity and social service, Jai Gurudev had followers mostly in villages and small towns. He preached simple living. His devotees wore clothes made of jute and cotton. The Aligarh-born Baba Gurudev was arrested during the 1975-77 Emergency period for opposing then prime minister Indira Gandhi. He spent 21 months in jail.

In 1980, the Baba formed a political party, Doordarshi Party, and contested parliamentary election but lost.

Gujarat village that puts metros to shame Think of an Indian village and what comes to mind are images of mooing cows, open drains and children playing ants and frog games. But, Punsari, a motley village in Himmatnagar, Gujarat, talks about wi-fi and optical fiber broadband network, its children spend best of their times in air-conditioned classrooms with CCTV cameras. The village also boasts of its own mini-bus transport system and there are 25-odd CCTVs located on important junctions to spot litterbugs.

If you think this village is drenched in NRI funds, think

again. Not a single rupee has come from across the seven seas, instead the village managed its funds over the last five years that it received from central and state sponsored developmental schemes.

"The village panchayat pays an annual premium of Rs 2500,000 against insurance for each of the 6,000 villagers who have a cover of Rs 100,000 and a mediclaim policy of Rs 25,000. Our schools have zero dropout rates, CCTV cameras in classrooms help us keep watch on teachers in classrooms. Our reverse osmosis

Father hacks two kids to death in UP A 40-year-old mentally-ill man hacked his two children to death and critically injured the other two before shooting himself in Bhimnagar district of Uttar Pradesh. Police said the assailant had a "psychiatric record".

The man, identified as Kailsah, got up early in the morning and attacked his four sleeping children with a sharp farming tool. By the time his wife could overpower him, he had killed his daughter and son, aged 12 and 14. Two other children - 16-yearold Parveen and 14-year-old Dinesh - were critically injured in the assault.

Jharkhand assembly speaker for one-month jail A Ranchi court sentenced Jharkhand assembly speaker C.P. Singh to onemonth jail in a seven-year-old case related to a protest against the central government's decision to dissolve the Goa assembly in 2005.

Finding Singh guilty, the court of Judicial Magistrate Varun Mishra awarded one month simple imprisonment to him. The BJP leader was later granted bail at Rs 5,000 surety.

plant supplies 20-litre cans to houses for a token cost of Rs 4.

These are bare essentials for a standard life today and why should our village be behind," claims the village sarpanch Hemant Patel, 29.

The village panchayat had a capital of Rs 25,000 five years ago. Today, the deposits have

soared to Rs 7500,000. "The turn-around happened when we sold part of our grazing land as plotted schemes to various communities. The money is deposited in government coffers," says Patel. The village received rewards from the central government and the state governments recently.

District development officer Ravi Arora said, "There is not a single family in Punsari which has an NRI family member. The village has just managed its accounts well and villagers here agreed on a co-operative approach to development."

Presents

12th Asian Achievers Awards 14th September 2012 NOMINATION FORM *' 24'56+)+175 5+#0 %*+'8'45 9#4&5 +5 *156'& '8'4; ;'#4 $; <5 .'#&+0) 0'95 9''-.+'5 5+#0 1+%' #0& 7,#4#6 #/#%*#4 61 *10174 4+6+5* 5+#05 2#4 ':%'..'0%' ( 6*'4' +5 51/'10' ;17 -019 9*1 *#5 $41-'0 $170&#4+'5 #0& &'5'48'5 4'%1)0+6+10 (14 6*'+4 70+37' %1064+$76+10 61 6*' %1//70+6; #0& 6*' 0#6+10 6*'0 2.'#5' 01/+0#6' 6*'/ (14 10' 1( 6*' #9#4&5 .+56'& $'.19 #-' 574' 6*#6 ;17 (+.. +0 6*+5 #22.+%#6+10 (14/ #0& 5'0& +6 10 14 4 '14)' '. #: /#+. ### #$2.)4172 %1/ #&&4'55 +5 4 '14)' 4172 #4/# "1)# 175' 1:610 #4-'6 10&10

India to raise Hafiz Saeed issue during talks Union Home Secretary R K Singh said that India would raise the issue of 26/11 mastermind Hafiz Saeed at the secretary-level talks to be held later this month in Islamabad. Singh said that he would also raise the issue of criminals and militants, who have taken shelter in Pakistan. "This (Hafiz Saeed) is definitely on our agenda. Our agenda also includes talking about many criminals who have taken shelter in Pakistan and many terrorists who are also in Pakistan as per our information," he told the media. Saeed is the founder of militant group Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and the alleged mastermind of the 2008 Mumbai carnage. Singh is scheduled to visit Pakistan for parleys with his counterpart, Chaudhry Qamar Zaman, in Islamabad on May 24 and 25.

27

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Please tick the appropriate category Sports Personality of the Year............................................

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NOMINATION AND SELECTION PROCESS This is a unique event where readers nominate and an independent panel of judges comprising of eminent personalities selects the winner. Judgesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; decision is final. ABPL Group will not entertain any dialogue with members of the public regarding the judging process. In order to ensure a high degree of transparency and fairness, the management and members of the staff of Asian Voice and Gujarat Samachar will play no role in the nomination or judging process. You may use an additional sheet if the space provided is insufficient. The winners will be announced at the AAA Awards ceremony in 14th September, 2012. Asian Voice, Gujarat Samachar will publish the names of the short listed candidates and winners after the event. The winners names will also appear in our e-edition www.abplgroup.com You can nominate yourself if you wish to. Nominations and entries must follow the prescribed format. All nomination forms must reach our offices on or before 12th July, 2012

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28

travel & women

Asian Voice - Saturday 26th May 2012

women achievers Nayana Patel - the doctor who introduced surrogacy in India

By AV Correspondent

Salzburg and the Sound of Music Ragasudha Vinjamuri “Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens Bright copper kettles and warm woollen mittens Brown paper packages tied up with strings These are a few of my favourite things” “Do- a deer, a female deer Re- a drop of golden sun” These are the haunting songs which most of us hum or hear at some point of time or the other. From 1960s all-time musical hit “The Sound of Music” these popular melodies remain one of the unforgettable tunes even today.

Exploring the locations that were a setting to this world famous musical would certainly be interesting.

Yes, Salzburg. The city ranking among one of the most enchanting cities that gifted the world one of its finest composers- W A Mozart. Located on the banks of River Salzach, Salzburg has some stunning spots and scenery that takes your breath away.

Leopold’s Crown Palace: This ornate palace was built by Prince-Archbishop Leopold von Firmian in 1736 as a residence for himself. It was later owned by the King of Bavaria. In 1918, it was purchased by Max Reinhardt, co-founder of Salzburg Festivals. The palace was used as the backdrop to the scenes where

Maria and the children stood up in their boat and fell into the river.

The Glass Gazebo in the gardens of Hellbrunn Palace: The glass gazebo, or summer house, is where characters Rolf and Liesl sang “Sixteen Going on Seventeen,” and Maria and the Captain sang “Something Good.” It can also be reached by public transportation, bus no.

25.

Schloss Frohnburg: The former summer residence of the Prince-Archbishop, dating back to 1680, was used in the film as the von Trapp residence. Maria steps off the bus singing “I have confidence” and wades her way through the gates up to the door to ring the bell.

Mirabell Gardens: Several scenes, including the popular song “Do-Re-Mi,” were filmed in these magnificent gardens

of Mirabell Palace, one of the most beautiful public gardens in Salzburg today.

Incredible sculptures, central Fountain and a beautiful view of the city and one of the oldest fortresses of Europe make this place very enjoyable.

The Untersberg Mountain: The top of the breath-taking Untersberg was used as location to film the scenes of the von Trapp family hiking into the mountains dressed in traditional clothes.

The Lake District: Mondsee, Lake Wolfgang and Lake Fuschl are the crown jewels of the Salzburg Lake District, one of Austria’s loveliest and most impressive regions.

Mozart’s residence: The place where this prolific and excellently gifted composer of Symphonies and Operas lived has been historically important and a symbol of national heritage. A visit to Salzburg is not complete without seeing this place in Getreidegasse, just a stone’s throw from Mirabell Gardens.

Ryanair operates flights from London Stansted to Salzburg and to Linz, an hour’s journey from Salzburg.

There are several B&Bs, hotel and apartment accommodations available throughout the city. Don’t forget to try the yummy Apfelstrudel (apple pie) in any of its myriad food locales.

Munich is only a short journey by train from here.

Dr Nayana Patel, a name which is synonymous to the surrogacy in India is from Anand, Gujarat.

Akansha infertility and IVF clinic at “Kaival hospital ” in Anand has come in existence to give a helping hand with modern techniques to many infertile couples. The center is well established and has in recent years achieved some of the best result.

The center is now recognized internationally for its IVF and surrogacy services.

Dr Patel, medical director of this centre, has passed her MBBS and MD with five gold medals. She has attended the scientific programme and workshops at National University, Singapore in 1996, and has been to IVF centers in USA, South Korea, UK etc. She has received extensive training for all these techniques.

Life magazine at the end of the 20th century listed her as the most influential woman of the century. Dr Patel is also focused on clearing some of the misconceptions that surround what she does, and the surrogate mothers who carry a baby to gestation for someone else.

Responding to criticism that such women are mercenary, Dr Patel says surrogate mothers are motivated by other factors. "The woman feels happy that she is able to give happiness to a lonely couple," she said. "She

India okays pro-women divorce clause

Bowing to pressure from women activists, the government of India has made some crucial amendments to divorce laws, giving women half a share in the husband's residential property irrespective of whether it was acquired before or during the marriage. The amendment was cleared by the Union Cabinet. The wife's share in other assets owned by her husband - movable and immoveable property has been left to the discretion of the judge.

Another amendment cleared by the Cabinet allows for the six-month cooling period, required for divorce filed under mutual consent, to be waived off by the judge only if both husband and wife agree. In the original bill, the period could be waived off if even one of the parties sought it.

The amendments are part of the Marriage (Amendment) Bill that seeks to amend the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955 and the Special Marriage Act, 1954.

does it because a childless couple wants a child, and she is in a position to help.

The Indian woman gets ready to become a surrogate mother because she wants to help her own family, too."

Five years ago, surrogate motherhood was an alien concept in India. It is a measure of how Dr Patel has set up her operation that women will get to spend the period of her pregnancy in a fashion

that will be of use to her later in life. She will thus get to enroll in a basic computer course, and also a course on beauty therapies - both of which could translate into future employment.

Surrogate motherhood has created a cultural stir in India, with critics suggesting that a woman should not rent out her womb. Dr Patel has consistently ignored such criticism. In her hostel for

surrogate mothers, in Anand, over 55 women are currently in residence; each is pregnant with babies they are gestating for sums ranging from Rs 250,000 to Rs 300,000 ($6,323 to $7,588).

Dr Patel charges around Rs 100,000 ($2,529) for the IVF (In Vitro Fertilization) procedure, inclusive of all expenses. Foreigners are charged around $15,000 per couple; this sum covering her professional fees, the surrogate mother's charges and all medical expenses.

She directs her visitors' attention to one particular woman, who was living in a hut but who, thanks to having been a surrogate, has managed to buy an apartment now.

And though there is a financial side to the transaction, Dr Patel takes care to point out that every possible care is taken to ensure the health of the pregnant surrogate.

"Infertility is a global problem and we have its global solution," says Dr Patel. "This is not outsourcing. The issue is not even about black skin or white skin. Everyone's blood is red. There should not be any qualms about it.”

"The woman who comes to me needs a child," she continues, "and another woman needs money. A woman is helping a woman. What's wrong?" She called the phenomenon a “confirmation of just how close our countries can be.”

Rava Sheera

Rava sheera is very popular and easy to prepare dessert, often served in pooja. Semolina is roasted in ghee and cooked with sugar and milk till soft, garnished with sliced pistachios.

Ingredients: 1/3 Cup Ghee, 1/2 Cup Semolina (Rava), 3/4 Cup Warm Milk, 1/2 Cup Sugar, 1 Tablespoon Indian Raisins (Kismis), 1/2 Teaspoon Cardamom Powder.

To Garnish: 2 Tablespoon Pistachios (Pista), sliced, 10 to 12 Saffron (Kesar) Strands Method: Heat non stick pan over a medium flame, add ghee. Add rava (sooji) cook on low heat for 10 minutes or till it becomes golden in color, stirring continuously. Add warm milk and raisins, cook for 3 to 4 minutes or

till all the liquid is absorbed, stirring continuously. Add the sugar, cook till ghee separates, stirring occasionally. Add cardamom powder and mix well, turn off the heat. Garnish with sliced pistachios and saffron, serve warm.

Health benefits: Dry fruits are cholesterol-free and contain healthy, unsaturated fats, which help lower the risk of heart disease. The different active components in saffron bring about a positive effect on people with neurodegenerative disorders and memory impairment.

HeAltH WATCh

Asian Voice - Saturday 26th May 2012

29

Ayurvedic treatment of Osteoporosis The condition is regarded as thinning and increasing porosity or "emptiness" of the bone. Of the three doshas or energies in the body it is thought to be vata* that is the imbalanced energy. This usually occurs as a person is getting older. Sometimes the bone loss can be so much that weak spots develop in the skeletal bone structure. This can cause easy fracture of arms, hips or of the spine. A small fall or the body's own weight can cause the bones to crack.

Women suffer more from osteoporosis-possibly because of lack of the hormone oestrogen after menopause.

This is required for maintaining bone metabolism using calcium, magnesium zinc and other essential ingredients for bone building.

Men need oestrogen too but testosterone and secretions from the prostrate play an essential role too. Men may lose the mass of the bone due to taking steroids, heavy smoking or drinking.

Reducing these would be part of the treatment for men.

Lack of exercise can also cause a reduction in the mass of the bone. This is evidenced in people who have had to lie in bed for several weeks.

Treatment Exercise: Gentle exercises such as walking or swimming for 30 minutes five days a week would help building of bone.

Care does need to be taken in exercising so there is no injury to the bone.

Calcium: Take plenty of Calcium from foods such as soya milk, cheese, carrots and almond milk.

Soak ten almonds

overnight in water. Peel them in the morning and blend these with warm milk/ goat's milk or soya milk using a blender. Pour into a glass. Add a pinch of ginger and cardamom.

Drink this morning and night.

Add a handful of sesame seeds to your cereal or have them eat daily would give calcium too.

For those who would prefer a supplement take one that gives 1200mg calcium, 600mg magnesium and 60mg zinc for maximum absorption and effectiveness.

For more information on vata energy and foods that would help rebalance vata energy visit www.ayurvedainstitute.org This article is by Ravi Bhanot, Director of the Ayurveda Institute of Europe and Coolherbals ltd. For any questions or query email him on ravi@coolherbals.com or phone 02085979039 Or write to Ravi Bhanot, Hass House, 386 Green Lane, Ilford, Essex IG3 9JU

Any quest ions

write to mam ta@thin

By Mamta Saha kspalondon.com Psychologist

For My Parents

This weeks column is dedicated to my parents. I am writing them a letter because I would like to say thank you to them and those two words are just not enough so am using my column as an opportunity to share my gratitude to the two amazing individuals who brought me into the world. I hope this gives you food for thought. And so I begin.

Dear Mum and Dad. Thank you for being such hard working, sacrificing parents.

You always focused on the well-being and happiness of your children and I hope you feel that your efforts have paid of.

Every decision you have made has had us in mind and for that we are eternally grateful. You thought us that nothing would ever be achieved without sheer hard work and persistence. What I learnt from you both is what you put in you get out and the more effort you invest the more rewards will come. You thought us to always stay grounded.

'Respect everyone you meet and think about what they can teach you'. What I learnt was that everyone is equal and humility is a value that will serve me in life as long as I live.

Oranges are excellent source of vitamin C

Orange is known to have several benefits and is among the most popular fruits around the world.

Oranges can be had not only as a snack but also as a major recipe ingredient in various dishes.

Nowadays orange juice is an integral part of a healthy breakfast thus promoting a healthy start to the day. They're mainly available in two categories - sweet and bitter, with the former being the type most commonly consumed.

Benefits: Oranges are an excellent source of vitamin C. One orange supply 116.2 per cent of the daily value for vitamin C. Good intake of vitamin C is associated with a reduced risk of colon cancer as it helps to get of free radicals that cause damage to our DNA. Vitamin C, which is also vital for the proper function of a healthy immune system, is good for preventing colds and preventing recurrent ear infections.

Anti-oxidants in oranges help protect skin from free radical damage known to cause signs of aging. An orange a day can help you look young even at 50!

Oranges, being rich in Vitamins B6, help support the production of haemo-

globin and also help keep blood pressure under check due to the presence of magnesium.

According to a study

by US and Canadian researchers, a class of compounds found in citrus fruit peels called Polymethoxylated Flavones (PMFs) have the potential to lower cholesterol more effectively than some prescription drugs without side effects.

Fibres in oranges help by keeping blood sugar levels under control thereby making oranges a healthy snack for people with diabetes. The natural fruit sugar in oranges, fructose, can help keep blood sugar levels from rising too high after eating.

Consuming foods rich in beta-cryptoxanthin, an orange-red carotenoid found in highest amounts in oranges, corn and

I also learned that regardless of the job people have or don't we are all unique and have something to offer the world.

This is why I decided to study Psychology so that I could help people fulfil their potential. Can you see how your teachings have benefited so many others?

Other values you have taught me were to 'strive for excellence'. Even though you could see us (my brother and I) struggling with challenges at times, you encouraged us and always made us believe that we could do it, and we did.

You led and lead by example, you practice what you preach. Its not one rule for us and another for you. This taught me that there was authenticity in your advice and wisdom in your words. And it also proves to be a reminder when I may regress.

Family is important and so is the tradition of eating together when we can. I will never forget all the fun we had sitting around the table in the kitchen. Regardless of our rebellion you brought us in line and showed us the way. We are lucky and blessed that you did, thank you.

Nothing is ever too

much even if your eyes are so heavy from fatigue and your feet at saw from standing all day - you still wear a smile in the hope that we will too. As much as you want us to be happy - we want the same for you. As parents you have to know its ok to say your tired and to boss us around from time to time!

If I had a trophy I would give it to you mum and dad (Mr and Mrs C Bhatia).

Thank you through and through.

Readers, thank you for reading this letter. I hope you can draw something warm from it and know that it is always the right moment to tell someone that you care. After all we are humans, not robots!

And we certainly would not have the qualities we do if it wasn't for the role models around us.

For all the facebook users please 'like' think spa london. Follow me on twitter and email me if you are interested in attending this summers bootcamp in Central London - it will be a positive day you never forget.

An early bird discount applies with 50% off if you book by the end of May. I look forward to hearing from you. Wishing you happiness always, Mamta.

The truth about sugar

pumpkin may significantly lower one's risk of developing lung cancer.

Oranges like most citrus fruits, produce more juice when warmer - juice them when they are at room temperature. Rolling the orange under the palm of your hand on a flat surface will also help to extract more juice.

Vitamin C gets destroyed fast when exposed to air, so eat an orange quickly once cut up.

Sugar has earned a bad reputation as it is linked to various diseases like diabetes, obesity, heart disease and cancer. The truth is that sugar is not only important for your body, it is also important for your life. The sugar sold in grocery stores is an unnatural substance, i.e. it is produced by industrial processes mostly from sugar cane or sugar beets.

It is refined with chem-

use. It is interesting to note that 'raw sugar' which most people think is natural - is also refined.

Once the cane juice crystals are harvested, they are washed, boiled, filtered and dried. This process removes most of the fibre and nutrients existing in the original crystals.

Needless to say, artificial sweeteners are more harmful than refined sugar.

icals such as sulphur dioxide, phosphoric acid, calcium hydroxide, and activated carbon, and stripped of all the natural nutrition.

By refining it down to sucrose and stripping away the vitamins, minerals, proteins, enzymes and other beneficial nutrients, what is left is a concentrated unnatural substance that the human body is not able to handle, let alone

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UK

Asian Voice - Saturday 26th May 2012

CB Live is only a Gujarati programme in UK on MATV SKY 793 This week, Bhavishaben (a degree holder of Hindu Religion and Culture from Oxford University) will speak to Kiranbhai Patel, a renowned businessman who will be running 26 miles Marathon on Sunday, 27th May to raise fund for the new temple by Anoopam Mission.

Managing Editor of Gujarat Samachar Kokilaben Patel will be anchoring the show for the evening.

If you do not have a SKY, go to www.tvunetworks.com and watch CB Live on TVU Player Channel 75203

Sneh Joshi - 020 8518 5500 ARIES Mar 21 - Apr 20

You are in a brilliant period for increasing your earning power and you'll be busy taking charge of your finances. Achieving a sense of security becomes a priority. Although there is a lot of sorting out to be done in your relationship sector, it will not phase you as so many issues have already be dealt with.

7pm to 8pm Every Thursday

CB LIVE Every Thursday on MATV (SKY 793) 7pm to 8pm For more information email: cblive_matv@yahoo.co.uk or call Alka Shah on 07944 151 893

Coming Events l Vadilotsav, Maisefield Suit, Harrow Leisure Centre, London. On the 40th Anniversary of Gujarat Samachar and Asian Voice, we are planning a special celebratory event for the elderly (Vadilotsav) on 9th and 10th June, 2012 at Harrow Leisure Centre. It will include Arogyautsav (Health seminar), seminars / discussions for elderly people on relevant issues and Bhajan / dayro. Our target audience is above 50, but all are welcome. * Arogyautsav or Health seminar, 9th June: 10am-6 pm (Anand Mela Ticket Required) * Seminars for Elderly People, 10th June, 2012: 10am to 3-40pm (Anand Mela Ticket Required)- Seminars on legal issues such as inheritance, will writing, OCI-PIO & Visa, Care home arrangements, Financial planning etc. l Watch the film, Deewaar, that Danny Boyle credits as the inspiration behind Slumdog Millionaire followed bystreet-food, themed cocktails and Bollywood dancing finished off with DJ's Jungle Jim (Cargo, 93 Feet East, Vibe Bar) and DJ RPS, playing nu-disco, house and electronica with a retro Bollywood twist. Venue: Hotel Elephant Gallery, 77-85 Newington Causeway, SE1 6BD on Friday 25th May, 2012. Doors: 18:30, Film: 19:15, After party: 22:30 - 03:00. Contact: www.bollywoodbitesized.com l Chandra Sodha presents Gunj uthi awaz, Sunday 27 May, 5-7pm, The Studio, Harrow Arts Centre HA5 4EW l Queen's Diamond Jubilee Celebration, Saturday 2nd June, 3pm. Queen's Gardens, Croydon. Contact: Nitin Mehta 07910875908

Six people charged including butcher and optician Six people have been charged with crimes including raping, assaulting and threatening to kill an Indian woman allegedly trafficked into Britain.

The suspects, including a computer entrepreneur, a butcher, a supermarket manager and a female optician, are accused of a total of 17 offences.

The six, who are of Indian origin, are all charged with trafficking the 37-year-old woman into the UK for exploitation.

Shanaz Begum, 56, a shop worker, faces two counts. Her husband Enkarta Balapovi, a 53year-old butcher from St John’s Wood, is also accused of five counts of rape.

A second couple, Shashi Kala Obhrai, 53, an optician, and her husband Balram Kumar

Obhrai, 58, a computer entrepreneur, of Northwood in north-west London, are both also charged with threatening to kill the woman.

Mrs Obhrai faces a further charge of assault occasioning actual bodily harm on her. Aleemuddin Mohammed, 34, a supermarket manager from Harrow, is charged with sexual assault. His ex-wife Shamina Yousuf, a 32year-old secretary from Edgware, is charged with ABH. They will all appear at Westminster magistrates’ court on June 7.

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7749 4085

l Tribute to Dr Bhupen Hazarika at Nehru Centre on Tuesday, 26 June 2012 at 7:00pm. The Nehru, 8 South Audley Street, London W1K 1HF

GEMINI May 22 - June 22 It's an excellent period for increased energy and motivation, so that new endeavours, whether they are business or health-related, or personal, fare especially well. You are more decisive and forward-looking now, and you feel that your decisions are right. With Venus in your sign, love should be blossoming.

CANCER Jun 22 - Jul 22 Venus, Sun and Mercury transiting your solar 12th house create a lot of activity behind the scenes. This could be in the form of secret liaisons and also loose ends to tie up. You are likely to find tension in your family connections and experiences. Re-assessment for home improvements and renovations are also favoured.

LEO Jul 23 - Aug 23 Sun entering your solar eleventh house brings benefits and fresh energy to networking activities, long-term goals and organizations in your life. Achieving your goals tends to come more easily. Income from your business or career is likely to increase. You can rely on your friends for their help and support.

VIRGO Aug 24 - Sep 23 Sun and your ruling planet Mercury is transiting your solar tenth house of public recognition and professional success. This can be a time of career advancement, and success in business.

Your worldly or public status may change for the better.

Integrity, directness, and honesty will get you everywhere now.

LIBRA Sep 24 - Oct 23 Sun in Gemini is particularly beneficial for you, as it transits your solar ninth house. You may have opportunities to travel, study, expand your horizons, and meet people who are of diverse backgrounds. Business dealings, particularly long-distance ones and those involving publicity and promotion, are likely to be profitable now.

SCORPIO Oct 24- Nov 22 Sun is transiting your eighth house--joint finances, loans, taxes, sexuality, and psychological matters. This is a time of increased accumulation of wealth if you manage your resources well. In some cases, a significant tax refund, inheritance, or other such benefit might arrive during this transit.

l The Winning Mindset – 9th Young Jains UK Convention, Friday 20th to Sunday 22nd Jul 2012, Canons High School, Shaldon Road, Edgware, Middlesex, HA8 6AN l Lecture on Power of One by Mrs Jaya Row, Wednesday, 30 May, 7:30pm, Shree Sanatan Mandir, Leicester.

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TAURUS Apr 21 - May 21 Jupiter is transiting your sign and this is particularly beneficial and significant for you. This transit heightens your optimism and confidence. You are greeting life with a fresh and positive attitude. You have an altogether different perspective on life now, and are not fazed by anything. Furthering yourself comes easily during this transit.

SAGITTARIUS Nov 23 - Dec 21

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Sun is transiting your Solar seventh house of partnerships. You may enjoy benefits through marriage, business partnerships, negotiations, and/or contractual agreements. Financial benefits could possibly come through partnerships. The need for freedom in your social relationships is stronger than ever.

CAPRICORN Dec 22 - Jan 20

Sun enters the sign of Gemini, your work and health sector. You are likely to see benefits in these areas, as well as daily routines. Benefits may come through work itself, co-workers, or employees during this cycle. You might be especially interested in the healing arts during this cycle, such as massage or aromatherapy.

AQUARIUS Jan 21 - Feb 19

Sun enters your creative fifth house. Your willingness to enjoy yourself and explore your creativity now brings new opportunities.. Love and romance may come into your life or an existing romance is enhanced with good humour and warmth. Pregnancy or childbirth may occur during this transit.

PISCES Feb 20 - Mar 20

Sun is transiting your Solar 4th house of home and family. You are likely to find much joy and pleasure in your family connections and experiences during this transit. Opportunities to buy or sell real estate for financial gain may present themselves. Home improvements and renovations are also favoured.

Asian Voice - Saturday 26th May 2012

31

32

Action at a Glance Mary Kom qualifies for London Olympics

Five-time world champion M C Mary Kom (51kg) added another feather to her already crowded cap by becoming the only Indian woman boxer to qualify for the London Olympics despite being on the sidelines after losing in the quarterfinals of the World Championships here in China. The 29-year-old Manipuri, who came back to India without a medal from the mega-event for the first time since its inception in 2001, made the cut after her quarterfinal nemesis Nicola Adams of England defeated Russia's Elena Savelyeva 11-6 in the semifinals last week.

Flame for London Games arrives in Britain

The flame for the London Olympics burned brightly on British soil last week after David Beckham stepped off a special flight from the Games birthplace of Greece to light a cauldron with a golden torch. The British Airways 'Firefly' Flight 2012 from Athens landed on time at the Culdrose naval air station with Britain's Princess Anne, Games chairman Seb Coe and the former England soccer captain among the delegation. The flame started a 70-day torch relay around Britain on Saturday, with triple Olympic gold medallist sailor Ben Ainslie carrying it on the first leg from Land's End on the southwest tip of England.

Cook and Bell seal England win over Windies

Alastair Cook and Ian Bell led England to victory in the first Test against the West Indies at Lord's here on Monday. England, set a target of 191 to win, were faltering at 57 for four before lunch on the fifth and final day. But Cook (79) and Bell (63 not out) shared a fifthwicket partnership of 132 that saw England, the world's number one ranked Test side, to the brink of victory before left-handed opener Cook was out with two runs needed when caught in the gully off West Indies captain Darren Sammy.

Asian Voice - Saturday 26th May 2012

Kolkata in IPL final for the first time

Kolkata Knight Riders beats Delhi Daredevils for 162 for 4. On a pitch where the first ball of spin turned square, Delhi Daredevils stuck to their guns, playing three specialist fast bowlers. When Kolkata Knight Riders lumbered to 106 for 4 after 16 overs, the plan did not seem to have backfired.

But Yusuf Pathan, who had done almost nothing the entire season, and Laxmi Shukla, playing in place of an unfit Manoj Tiwary, carted the quicks for 56 off the final four overs, and 36 off the final two, as Knight Riders surged to 162. The total seemed even more intimidating considering Knight Riders had an army of spinners waiting to exploit the dry pitch.

Gautam Gambhir had once again given Knight Riders a strong start, taking the fast bowlers for several boundaries. He had sped to 32 off 16 deliv-

Yusuf Pathan powers one away during a handy cameo.

eries before he failed to make his ground to a direct hit from mid-off after having backed up too far. Not for the first time after Gambhir's departure, Knight Riders lost their way. Only 58 runs came off the next ten overs as

Pawan Negi, the left-arm spinner, and Irfan Pathan strangled the batsmen.

Just when it seemed Knight Riders had wasted Gambhir's efforts upfront, Yusuf and Shukla launched into the quicks, who did not let up on the

pace. Varun Aaron and Umesh Yadav kept bowling in the late 140s with Morne Morkel not far behind. But the faster they bowled, the ball only came on better on the slow pitch.

Yusuf began the assault in the 17th over, carting a Morkel length ball for a straight six. Yadav was swung for a couple of fours over midwicket in the 18th. Shukla took the lead in the 19th, making room to loft Morkel over extra cover for four and pulling him over deep square leg for six.

It was to get worse for Daredevils in the last over.

David Warner dropped Yusuf as he ran across from long-on and ended up parrying it for six. Yusuf cover-drove and flicked the last two deliveries for fours as Knight Riders surged to 162, a total which was difficult to achieve even for Virender Sehwag and David Warner.