AV 27th April 2024

The first phase of polling for 102 Lok Sabha seats across 21 states and Union Territories witnessed an encouraging turnout of 63 5%, while remaining largely smooth and peaceful even in vulnerable a r e a s l i k e t h e N a x a l - h i t B a s t a r region and West Bengal that witnessed violence in the run-up. Continued on page 25

Participants reflect on London Marathon experience

Ahead of Local Council and Mayoral Elections, while everyone anticipates Sadiq Khan's victory, a pivotal moment awaits PM Rishi Sunak and the Conservatives

Metropolitan Police

two apologies after an off icer referred to

(C

A ) ,

"openly Jewish " The incident occurred on April 13 when Mr Falter, who was w e a r i n g a k i p p a h , w a s threatened with arrest and informed by the police that his presence constituted a "breach of peace " Mr Falter has since called for the resignation of the Met's commissioner

On the other hand, Mr Falter has reiterated his criticisms of the Metropolitan Police, stating that he has not been offered a meeting

with Sir Mark Rowley Sir Rowley and London Mayor Sadiq Khan have met with r e p r e s e n t a t i v e s f r o m London’s Jewish communit y, s u c h a s t h e B o a r d o f Deputies of British Jews, the London Jewish Forum, and t h e C o m m u n i t y S a fe t y Trust

Adding to the controversy, Sir Rowley commended t h e o f f i c e r w h o s t o p p e d Falter Speaking with The Gu a r d i a n , R o w l e y s t a t e d

that the off icer would not face any disciplinar y actions

P r e v i o u s l y, A s s i s t a n t Commissioner Matt Twist of the Met Police reached out to Mr Falter, offering a private meeting to personally apologise and to discuss further actions the Met can take to ensure the safety of Jewish Londoners

D o w n i n g St re e t s t a t e d that the Prime Minister had viewed the footage of the i n c i d e n t a n d s h a r e d t h e public's shock at the off icer’s

c o m m e n t s T h e P r i m e

M i n i s t e r e x p e c t s t h e Me t

C o m m i s s i o n e r t o e x p l a i n how the incident occurred

a n d t o d e t a i l s t e p s t o

e n h a n c e s a fe t y fo r Je w

d d i t i o n a l l y, h e e x p e c t s Sadiq Khan, the Mayor of London, to fulf il his responsibilities in overseeing the Me t r o p o l i t a n Po l i c e ’ s actions

Rwanda Bill finally approved

Head criticises Braverman for politicising school prayer ban

Th e headteacher w ho succ es s fu l ly d efe nd e d h e r school's ban on prayer rituals in a High Court case has criticised Suella Brav erman for politicising the issue

The former home secretar y had publicly supported

M i c h a e l a C o m m u n i t y S c h o o l i n B r e n t , No r t h London, after it faced a lawsuit from a student alleging that the school's policy discriminated against her religious freedoms

Suella Braverman, who co-founded the school with i t s c u r r e n t h e a d t e a c h e r Katherine Birbalsingh and chaired its board of govern o r s u n t i l 2 0 1 8 , l a u d e d B i r b a l s i n g h r e c e n t l y S h e attributed the school's succ e s s t o t h e C o n s e r v a t i v e Party's Free School policy, describing Michaela as "one of the best schools in the countr y "

However, in a post on X, Bi r b a l s i n g h e x p re s s e d d i sc o n t e n t w i t h B r a v e r m a n using the school's legal victor y to bolster her political image and also criticised the BBC’s portrayal of the case She wrote, I really am not h a p p y w i t h Su e l l a Braverman using our school a s a p o l i t i c a l fo o t b a l l t o enhance her political career It is as unacceptable as the B B C d o i n g t h e i r b e s t t o smear us Ever yone seems to h a v e a n a g e n d a B o t h Braverman and the BBC can take a hike " Braverman has not yet r e s p o n d e d t o t h e s e c o mments

Home Office employee arrested for selling UK residency

P arl ia ment i n B rit ai n h a s ap pro ved a law allowi ng for the depo rtatio n of asylum s e eker s t o Rwa nd a wh il e their app lications are pendi ng, despite facing signif ic a nt o p p o s i t io n wi t h i n P ri m e M i ni s t er R is h i S un ak's o wn Con ser vative Party Su n a k , d e t e r m i n e d t o p r o c e e d w i t h d e p o r t a t i o n f l i g h t s d e s p i t e c h a l l e n g e s , hailed the passage of the legislation as a transformat i v e m o m e n t i n g l o b a l migration policy The passing of this historic legislat i o n m a r k s a s i g n i f i c a n t shift in how migration is a d d r e s s e d w o r l d w i d e , " Sunak declared Following t h e b i l l 's a p p r o v a l , t h e Un i t e d Na t i o n s u r g e d B r i t a i n t o r e c o n s i d e r i t s deportation plans, cautioning that such actions could undermine the rule of law and establish a dangerous precedent on a global scale

lenges In November of the p r e v i o u s y e a r, t h e U K Su p re m e Co u r t r u le d t h e deportation policy unlawful Sunak aims for the new legislation to address legal concerns and advance his c o m m i t m e n t t o c u r b i n g a r r i v a l s v i a s m a l l b o a t s across the English Channel

The proposal to deport asylum seekers to Rwanda, introduced by former Prime Minister Boris Johnson in 2 0 2 2 , h a s b e e n m e t w i t h controversy and legal chal-

A l t h o u g h B r i t a i n h a s already allocated £240 million to Rwanda for this purp o s e , Rw a n d a's c u r r e n t capacity can accommodate f a r fe w e r t h a n t h e t h o us a n d s B r i t a i n h o p e s t o deport

UK wealth not from privilege: Kemi Badenoch

Kem i Ba d eno ch , th e U K 's business and trade minister, h as stated that attributing the UK's econo mic pro sp erity and wealth to its colonial p a st o r r ac i al p ri v i leg e i s inaccurate

Speaking to leaders in the f inancial ser vices industr y at TheCityUK’s internat i o n a l c o n fe r e n c e i n L o n d o n , B a d e n o c h d i smissed the notion that the countr y's economic success is due to historical exploitation or oppression

She expressed concern over the common narrative

t h a t l i n k s U K p r o s p e r i t y with colonialism, imperiali s m , o r w h i t e p r i v i l e g e

I n s t e a d , B a d e n o c h h i g hlighted the signif icance of the Glorious Revolution of 1 6 8 8 i n e s t a b l i s h i n g e c onomic stability that spurred t h e I n d u s t r i a l Re v o l u t i o n , setting a foundational path for the countr y's growth Badenoch warned that misattributing the causes of the UK's economic developm e n t c o u l d u n d e r m i n e efforts to boost growth both d o m e s t i c a l l y a n d i n t e r n ationally She emphasised the

importance of understanding the real drivers behind Western prosperity, particularly for developing nations aiming to replicate this success

The minister also discussed the implications of these perceptions in her role as Trade Secretar y, particularly at international forums l i ke t h e Wo r l d Tr a d e O r g a n i s a t i o n c o n fe r e n c e T h e r e , d i s c u s s i

believes could hinder global economic cooperation and growth

Her remarks align with

t e r R i s h i Su n a k 's p o s i t i o n l a s t y e a r when he declined to apologise for Britain's role in the slave

A Ho m e O ff ic e em p lo yee has been arrested on charg es of attem pting to sell UK residency to an asylum seeker in Northern Ireland , according to BBC News NI The case worker allegedly demanded £2,000 from a vulnerable man to approve h i s r e f u g e e a p p l i c a t i o n , r e p o r t e d l y u s i n g s e n s i t i v e Home Off ice documents in the scam The Home Off ice has suspended the employee a n d s t a t e d t h a t w h i l e i t upholds the highest stan-

dards from its staff, it would refrain from further comment due to the ongoing p o l i c e i n v e s t i g a t i o n Me a n w h i l e , L a b o u r 's S h a d o w I m m i g r a t i o n Minister Stephen Kinnock described the allegations as "d e e p l y c o n c e r n i n g " a n d criticised the Conser vative government for losing control of the asylum system Lancashire Police conf irmed the arrest of the man in his 30s for misconduct in public off ice, money laund e r i n g , b r i b e r y, a n d c o mputer misuse offences The a r r e s t o c c u r r e d i n t h e R a m s g r e a v e a r e a o f Bl a c k b u r n , c o n d u c t e d b y L a n c a s h i r e C o n s t a b u l a r y w i t h s u p p o r t f r o m t h e Home Off ice The investigation is still in its early stages, with ongoing inquiries

It r e m a i n s u n c l e a r i f other individuals were simil a r l y s o l i c i t e d i f a ny p ayments were made, or if any applications were approved under these circumstances

Downing Street expects Tory MPs to reject smoking ban

Th e gov ernm ent is preparing for the possibility that nu m ero u s C o n se r v at iv e MPs w ill not suppo rt Rishi Sunak's p ro pos ed sm oking ban when it com es before the House of Comm ons on Tuesday

The Tobacco and Vapes Bill, set for its second read-

i n g , p r o p o s e s a p l a n t o incrementally increase the legal age for cigarette purchases each year until it is

ultimately illegal for anyone

c u r r e n t l y 1 5 y e a r s o l d o r younger to buy cigarettes

T h i s g r a d u a l a g e i n c re a s e will continue annually until tobacco sales are effectively phased out, contingent on

c o n t i n u e d p a r l i a m e n t a r y consent

The initiative, unveiled

b y Su n a k a t t h e p re v io u s Conser vative party conference in Manchester, is a sign i f i c a n t m a t t e r fo r t h e

Prime Minister, who views it as a crucial aspect of his p o l i t i c a l l e g a c y " T h i s i s Rishi's thing He feels ver y strongly about this, a former secretar y of state commented

Su n a k 's o f f i c i a l spokesperson recently advoc a t e d fo r t h e b i l l , u r g i n g M Ps t o a c k n o w l e d g e i t s potential substantial benef its for the nation's health and economy

addressing China's threat to UK health data

data, accordin g to a leaked letter f rom C abi net Off ice min iste r John Glen T h i s a c t i o n fo l l o w s alarms over the activities of C h i n e s e g e n o m i c s f i r m

Despite these controversies, BGI had previously secured an £11 million con-

t r a c t w i t h t h e N H S I n r e s p o n s e t o i n q u i r i e s b y C o n s e r v a t i v e M P He n r y Smith about the perceived threats, Glen emphasised in correspondence seen by the PA news agency, that substantial national security measures are under way to mitigate any risks associated with foreign partnerships in sensitive sectors

B G I a n d i t s a f f i l i a t e , s p a r ke d b y w i t h d r a w n c l a i m s i n Pa r l i a m e n t o f hacking attempts on the G e n o m i c s E n g l a n d database During a session in March 2023, accusations o f h a c k i n g w e re i n i t i a l l y voiced but quickly retracted, although BGI has cons i s t e n t l y d e n i e d a n y wrongdoing

P r e v i o u s l y, G e o r g e Freeman, the then-science minister, stated in a debate t h a

B G I h a d f

N H S d

t a r

t o r e , a c l a i m h e l a t e r retracted and corrected in t h e o f f i c i a l Pa r l i a m e n t record, Hansard, asserting there was no evidence of such attacks in 2014 BGI has rebutted the a l le g a t io n s a s u n fo u n d e d and emphasised its commitment to high data protection standards, including compliance with GDPR a n d t h e I S O 2 7 0 0 1 s t a ndard The f irm continues to promote open scientif ic c o l l a b o r a t i o n g l

Rishi Sunak

Katherine Birbalsingh Suella Braverman

Who will bring Britain back to its feet?

As the general election nears, Labour is leading in the polls, sparking debates about public sentiment Despite their significant polling advantage over Miliband's Labour in 2014, underlying data reveals enduring concerns

The perception of Labour's capability to govern and the quality of its leadership team has dwindled since 2014 In contrast, Conservative support has drastically declined, particularly in perceptions of leadership and competence This decline offers Labour an opportunity, despite lingering doubts about Starmer's leadership

Although Keir Starmer's negative net satisfaction rating trails historical opposition leaders, his relative performance against Sunak remains pivotal Labour's consistent lead since 2022 suggests the potential for a majority government, bolstered by public trust in economic management

Rishi Sunak's premiership began in stark contrast to Liz Truss' tax-cut-driven fiscal policies, marked by economic turmoil Despite navigating challenges like inflation and interest rate hikes, Sunak s sensible policies stabilised the UK economy, notably improving UK-EU relations and boosting capital investment incentives

He did a great deal of good by banning disposable vapes as part of plans to tackle the rising number of young people taking up vaping which was especially being marketed to children and to target underage sales

In another instance, showing his confidence in Met Police chief Sir Mark Rowley after criticism over how a Jewish man was treated at a pro-Palestinian march But the prime minister said Sir Mark still needs to work to rebuild the trust of the Jewish community However, Sunak is still vulnerable to heavy criticism, almost at the cost of being thrown under the bus by critics and party-men, likewise

The Partygate scandal and Liz Truss' mishandling of fiscal policy have fueled Conservative unpopularity, overshadowing reservations about Labour's leadership As electoral pressure mounts, calls for tax cuts may challenge Sunak's principles, testing his resolve in the face of populist demands and the ongoing economic recovery

Experts have cited that this election's focus is on competence over policy, where Labour's acceptability as an alternative government contrasts with the current administration's shortcomings While Labour may lack enthusiasm, they emerge as a credi b l e o p t i o n a m i d w i d e s p r e a d d i s i l l u s i o n m e n t w i t h t h e Conservatives, positioning them favourably for electoral success

As Labour faces persistent doubts, they stand as a viable choice amidst broader dissatisfaction with the Conservatives The electoral landscape reflects a shift in focus towards competence, where Labour's acceptability as an alternative to the incumbent government resonates with the public

Despite this, the local elections will be a key test of whether Starmer’s party can convert its high opinion poll lead into gains in an actual election When the seats up for grabs this year were last fought in 2021, the Conservatives won 40% of the projected national vote with Labour on just 30% All eyes will be on whether Labour’s vote share this time around reaches the mid-high 40% level that would translate into a sizeable majority in the coming general election

The future of Britain, both locally and at a national level heavily rests upon the voting patterns, especially young voters who must come out to cast their vote While a party ruling for the last decade is under serious pressure, the opposition isn’t a lost friend either The larger question remains, who will bring Britain back to its feet? The upcoming local council elections will show us the mirror

Shattering dreams for Indians in the US

The dream of settling in America and obtaining a green card is one shared by many However, for some, it can feel like an unattainable goal According to US government data, over one million Indians are currently stuck in employment-based immigration backlogs Highly skilled Indian professionals are experiencing potentially decadeslong waits for permanent residency, or green cards, due to per-country limits and low annual quotas, as revealed by the US Citizenship and Immigration Services NFAP analysed the data and estimated the backlog in the top three e m p l o y m e n t - b a s e d i m m i g r a t i o n c a t e g o r i e s ( e x c l u d i n g "other workers") by calculating the dependents

According to the latest Congressional report, 65,960 Indians recently became US citizens, positioning India as the second-largest source country for new citizens in America, following Mexico However, despite India's substantial presence, as of 2023, approximately 42% of Indiaborn foreign nationals in the US remained ineligible for citizenship The contribution of Indians to the American economy is significant Indians, particularly Gujaratis, form the backbone of the American motel industry, while Indian startups are fueling economic growth Despite the indispensable role skilled Indians play in sectors like IT, medicine, and engineering, US authorities have yet to take concrete steps to address green card delays These prolonged waiting periods create stress and uncertainty for individuals and their families and could hinder the US's ability to attract and retain talented workers from India

The lengthy wait for green cards stems from two pri-

mary factors in US law: the annual cap on job-based green cards, set at 140,000, and the provision that restricts any single country from receiving more than 7% of these green cards This disproportionately affects skilled workers from p o p u l o u s c o u n t r i e s s u c h a s I n d i a , C h i n a , a n d t h e Philippines Unless the current system undergoes reforms, the backlog is projected to persist and potentially worsen

Meanwhile, the United States remains a top destination for Indian students seeking education opportunities According to the Open Doors Report, the United States r e m a i n s t h e m o s t c o v e t e d d e s t i n a t i o n f o r e d u c a t i o n a m o n g I n d i a n s t u d e n t s W i t h a p p r o x i m a t e l y 2 7 5 , 0 0 0

Indian-origin students accounting for a quarter of all foreign students, their presence contributes significantly, bringing in an estimated $9 billion annually in fees and expenses However, recent spikes in the deaths of Indian and Indian-origin students have raised grave concerns in America The loss of eleven individuals from the diaspora has sparked fear and prompted scrutiny into the underlying causes

Reasons behind these deaths include gun crimes, kidnapping, possible hate crimes and drug overdose The US administration has pledged to diligently address these attacks on Indian students US Ambassador to India, Eric Garcetti, has urged students to remain vigilant and adopt necessary safety measures Emphasising the importance of staying connected with peers and utilising campus safety resources, the envoy highlights the need for heightened awareness and preparedness among students

Indian women voters influencing political norms

As of January 10, 2024, the United Nations reports that 28 women currently serve as Heads of State and/or Government across 26 countries At the present rate of progress, gender parity in the highest echelons of political power won't be achieved for another 130 years

Further illustrating this disparity, a recent Guardian analysis of 42 upcoming elections both presidential and parliamentary reveals that only 18 feature women as potential leaders Despite the involvement of over two billion people in the electoral processes of major democracies like the US, Indonesia, and India, none of these nations show women as frontrunners

In India, the representation of women in politics remains particularly low In the first phase of the Lok Sabha elections on April 19, only 8% of the candidates were women Although this may see a slight increase by the end of the election cycle, it reflects only a marginal improvement from the 9% representation in the 2019 elections, where the success rate for women candidates was just over 10% This data is definitely not a good reflection of a country that has upheld women ’ s right to vote ever since it gained independence

Also, these figures stand in stark contrast to the rising number of women voters In the 2019 general election in India, a notable shift occurred as the long-standing gap in voter turnout between men and women was eliminated for the first time The Election Commission of India reported that 67 18% of eligible female voters participated, slightly surpassing the 67 01% turnout among male voters This trend is

expected to continue into the 2024 general elections, according to forecasts Furthermore, a report from the State Bank of India predicts that the number of female voters will exceed male voters starting in 2029

The substantial turnout of women voters could also play a crucial role in determining the re-election of Narendra Modi’s BJP According to voter surveys by Lokniti-CSDS (Centre for the Study of Developing Societies), women showed a stronger preference for the BJP over other national parties in the previous general elections

While the representation of women in politics is an important discussion, voter responsibility is another thing that needs to be highlighted The first phase of the current Lok Sabha (LS) elections witnessed a decrease in voter turnout, recording 65 5% across 102 seats, down 4 4% from 69 9% in the same seats in 2019 based on provisional figures Among these, 93 seats saw a reduction in voter numbers Bihar, a pivotal state with 40 seats, experienced the lowest turnout at about 49% Notably, Nagaland observed a zero voter turnout in 6 districts despite polling officials waiting for nine hours

Although it's speculative, there's a notable possibility that a government might be re-elected in the event of low voter turnout Citizens must recognise the importance of exercising their voting rights and actively participating in shaping the future of their country If individuals abstain from voting, they forfeit the right to criticise political leaders for not fulfilling their responsibilities

Political Sketchbook

Alpesh Patel

The Critics of PM Modi and India are Correct…Except…

The crit ics are coming out in for ce, fr om Channel 4 t o the Guar dian to Financial Times There is Dr Mulilika Bannerji of t he London School of Economics, then t her e is Dr Audr ey Tr uschke an d H annah El lisP et e r s e n of t he G ua r di a n Ed w ar d L uc e of t h e F inancial Times went ‘full shrill’ w it h “Wil l this be India’s last democr at ic election ?” OMG is the kids on social media who use cl ickbait so well say He didn’t say it, but maybe he means t hat the Constitution will be changed (needing a 2/3r d major it y in the Lok Sabha ie 363 seats) which the BJP will achieve

T h e c r i t i c i s m s e e m s r i c h w h e n y o u c o n s i d e r changing the UK constitution eg Brexit, you only need a simple majority of over 50%! But India by requiring a super majority is less democratic?

Of course then there are the Professors The academics from America and UK They’re all correct, except, every time I look more closely at their arguments I find these tiny problems with their criticisms:

1 Lack of Originality: The video does not contribute new knowledge or insights to the field; it merely replicates previous views without adding substantive new findings

2 Methodological Flaws: The methods used to gather and analyze data are inappropriate and not robust enough, leading to unreliable results This includes poor design, inadequate sample size, and improper statistical techniques

3 Weak Theoretical Framework: The views lack a strong theoretical foundation and fail to connect clearly to existing theories and literature

4 Inadequate Literature Review: Lack of review of existing literature suggests that the professor is not fully aware of the current state of research in the area

5 U n c o n v i n c i n g A r g u m e n t s : T h e c o n c l u s i o n s drawn are not well-supported by the data and analysis presented This includes over-generalizations and assertions that go beyond what the data can support

6 Lack of Clarity: The views are poorly expressed, making it difficult to follow the argument or understand key points

7 Ethical Issues: The views exhibit ethical shortcomings, including biases that were not adequately addressed

8 Data Issues: Problems related to the data itself, such as missing data, data inconsistency, and lack of transparency about data sources and their limitations

9 Poor Presentation of Results: The results are not presented clearly or effectively Including a lack of necessary detail to understand the findings, and missing information that is critical for interpreting the data

10 Inadequate Consideration of Alternatives: The views do not sufficiently consider alternative interpretations of the data, nor does it critically evaluate the limitations of the study’s approach and findings

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Rupanjana Dutta

T h e P r im e M i ni st er h osted a Vaisakh i celebration at 10 Downing Street o n Wed nesday 17 A pril

Attended by almost 140 people from the community, were joined by the children from Nishkam Primary School in Birmingham, who sang prayers

I n a t t e n d a n c e a m o n g g u e s t s w e r e C l l r R e e n a

R a n g e r O B E , M a n i s h T i w a r i , J a s v i r S i n g h C B E

a m S i n g h

D r M o h a n Kaul, Ranjit Baxi, Amarjeet S i n g h B h a m r a t o n a m e a few P r i m e M i n i s t e r R i s h i Sunak who was hosting the event and was attending in person, welcomed the audience with a traditional Sikh p r a y e r , “ W a h e g u r u j i k a k h a l s a , W a h e g u r u j i k i fateh”, which was joined by all in chorus

“This giving and this service to society is embodied by Nagar Kirtans, bringing communities together And over the past year, I've been proud to meet some incredible exemplars of those great values – Preet Chandi, who n o t o n l y s e r v e d i n t h e British Army, but it's now the fastest woman to the South Pole, Rajinder Singh D h a t t , a v e t e r a n o f t h e S e c o n d W o r l d W a r , a n d found the undivided Indian

In his speech, Mr Sunak spoke about his grandpare n t s w h o h a i l e d f r o m

P u n j a b a n d t h e f a b u l o u s practice of langar, which he called “that lovely tradition of serving food to all regardless of gender, faith or background ” H e s a i d , “ I t ' s a g r e a t pleasure to welcome you all to Downing Street My own d a d a j i , d a d i j i , n a n a j i a n d naaniji hailed from Punjab So it feels particularly spec i a l t h a t w e ' r e h o s t i n g a r e c e p t i o n i n N u m b e r 1 0 And it's a chance for me to

p a r t i c u l a r l y s h a r e t h a t Vaisakhi spirit, the idea of service to one's community that we see in towns and cities across Britain

“Now, I ve always particularly love the ‘kada prasad’ growing up It's extraordin a r y t h o u g h t o t h i n k o f V a i s a k h i d a t i n g b a c k t o 1699 Its origins in celebrating the harvest, the birth of Khalsa, and flourishing for g e n e r a t i o n s s p r e a d i n g t h e Guru Granth Sahib, a message of truth, compassion, equality, humility, and service

next Service Association and also Navjot Sawhney, who is in America right now, raising money, millions in fact, f r o m t h e W h i r l p o o l Foundation Money, which will go towards 10,000 of t h e m a n u a l w a s h i n g machines that he created to help people in low income c o m m u n i t i e s , w h o m i g h t o t h e r w i s e b e w a s h i n g clothes by hand And speaking of extraordinary people, w e a l s o n o w h a v e F a u j a S i n g h , t h e w o r l d s o l d e s t marathon runners

“I will say that there are many more incredible people living those values day in day out in our police, our armed forces, in business, e d u c a t i o n , h e a l t h a n d s o much more

“So let me just end with a p e r s o n a l t h a n k y o u t o everyone here and to Sikh f a m i l i e s a c r o s s B r i t a i n I wish you all peace, joy, prosperity, this Vaisakhi ”

av era g e o f £ 1 , 2 8 5 p e r mo nth, a £ 107 increase In L o n d o n, r ent s s u rg ed b y 1 1 2% , r eac h i ng £ 2 , 0 5 5 mo nthly D e s p i t e t h e Westminster government's r

c e n t m e a s u r e s , t e n a n t s face challenges in keeping up with rising costs The Renters Reform Bill is cruc i a l f o r p r o v i d i n g r e n t e r s w i t h s e c u r i t y , y e t i t s progress remains uncertain Affordability remains a sign i f i c a n t c o n c e r n , w i t h renters spending a substantial portion of their income on housing The shortage of affordable housing exacerbates the situation, with the private rental sector bearing the brunt While some hope for a decline in rents, factors

l i k e l a n d l o r d e x o d u s a n d w a g e s t a g n a t i o n s u g g e s t rents may continue to rise, p o s i n g a s i g n i f i c a n t c h a llenge for policymakers to address

W i t h i n E n g l a n d , London faced the highest rent inflation at 11 2%, while t h e N o r t h E a s t w i t n e s s e d the lowest at 6 1% Notably, K e n s i n g t o n a n d C h e l s e a boasted the highest average rent at £3,305, contrasting w i t h D u m f r i e s a n d Galloway's lowest at £475 in G r e a t B r i t a i n M e a n w h i l e , U K h o u s e p r i c e s e x p e r ienced a marginal decrease of 0 2% in the year leading to February 2024, marking a shift from the revised 1 3% d e c r e a s e r e c o r d e d i n

January 2024

Priv y to legal issues

Bh av ini K alaria, Partner in Dispute Reso lution and I nt ern ati o na l t eam a t Harold Benjamin S olicitors told Asian V oice, “The trend

of rising rent prices alongside a more stabilised housing market can lead to several legal issues Rising rents have historically been linked t o a n i n c r e a s e i n l a n d l o r d / t e n a n t d i s p u t e s , particularly if tenants cannot keep up with higher rent demands This can lead to issues with rent arrears and an increase in eviction processes Where rents are out

of step with wage increases, political and social pressures for regulation of the rental market are also often more acute We have seen some a t t e m p t s a t d e a l i n g w i t h t e n a n t s e c u r i t y i n r e c e n t years On the other hand, i n v e s t o r l a n d l o r d s m u s t navigate meeting their obligations from increased regulation around rental housing, and the higher costs of b o r r o w i n g , a n d b e i n g unable to cover these costs f o r t h e r e a s o n s s e t o u t a b o v e T h e O N S r e p o r t shows that access to housi n g a n d l a c k o f h o u s i n g r e m a i n s a n o n g o i n g , k e y issue for tenants and landlords ” Tenants staying for a third longer, accord ing to The DP S

A c c o r d i n g t o r e s e a r c h shared with the newsweekly by The Deposit Protection Service (The DPS), renters a r e n o w s t a y i n g i n t h e i r properties for approximately a third longer than four years ago, with the average tenancy lasting 924 days, up from 706 days in 2020 This increase of 218 days marks a 30 87% rise Matt Trevett, Managing Director at The DPS, attributes this trend to factors like high rents, com-

p e t i t i o n f o r r e n t a l s , f i n a n c i a l c o n s t

a l s o r e v e a l s t h a t t h e difficulty of moving has increased, with more respondents facing challenges in securing r e n t a l p r o p e r t i e s , m a k i n g financial sacrifices, and paying higher rents to secure accommodation

The surge in UK rent p r i c e s p o s e s s i g n i f i c a n t c h a l l e n g e s f o r t e n a n t s , exacerbated by a shortage

o f a f f o r d a b l e h o u s i n g Despite recent government

m e a s u r e s , s u c h a s t h e Renters Reform Bill, uncertainty looms over renters security and affordability T h e d i s p a r i t y i n r e n t i n c r e a s e s a c r o s s r e g i o n s u n d e r s c o r e s t h e c o m p l e x nature of the housing market, with London experie n c i n g t h e h i g h e s t i n f l ation Additionally, tenants a r e s t a y i n g i n p r o p e r t i e s longer, reflecting the diffic u l t i e s i n s e c u r i n g n e w a c c o m m o d a t i o n s a m i d s t r i s i n g c o s t s L e g a l i s s u e s , including disputes and eviction processes, are on the rise, highlighting the need for comprehensive regulatory frameworks As tenants grapple with financial constraints and increased competition, policymakers face mounting pressure to a d d r e s s t h e r o o t c a u s e s d r i v i n g r e n t h i k e s a n d e n s u r e a c c e s s i b l e a n d secure housing for all

Rishi Sunak announces £500m military aid for Ukraine

Rishi Sunak is set to unveil a £ 5 0 0 m i l li o n m i l it ary ai d package to sup port Ukraine in its co nflict against Russia,

m a rki n g th e U K ' s l ar g es t p ro v isio n of m u ni ti ons to date

The package comprises 400 vehicles, 60 boats, 1,600 strike and air defence miss i l e s , a n d f o u r m i l l i o n rounds of ammunition

T h e a n n o u n c e m e n t comes amid a downturn for Ukraine as Russian forces

h a v e g a i n e d g r o u n d i n

r e c e n t w e e k s M o s c o w seized the eastern Ukrainian

t o w n o f A v d i i v k a o n February 17th and has since advanced, occupying additional villages

L a s t m o n t h , R u s s i a launched an airstrike into Ukraine's western region of Lviv, near Poland's border, which saw one cruise missile

b r i e f l y f l y i n t o P o l i s h a i r s p a c e , a c c o r d i n g t o Warsaw

The Prime Minister will journey to Poland to deliver the announcement, marking the UK s commitment to provide £3 billion in military aid to Ukraine for this financial year

Photo credit: Picture by Simon Dawson / No 10 Downing Street

Rishi Sunak

Bhavini Kalaria

Younger, minority ethnic groups face more GP visits pre-cancer diagnosis

A ccord ing to a new analysis

o f NHS cancer data released to d ay by Qu alityWatch , a c ollabo rati on betw een th e

N u ff i el d T ru s t a nd t h e H ea lt h F o u nd a ti o n, t h e n u m be r o f GP v i si ts r eq u ir ed be fo re a c an ce r d iagnosis can v ary sig nificantly based o n an indiv idua l' s ag e , eth n i ci ty , an d socioeconomic statu s

The study indicates that people from Mixed, Black, and Asian backgrounds, as well as younger individuals aged 16-24, generally need m o r e i n t e r a c t i o n s w i t h healthcare professionals at GP practices before receiving a cancer diagnosis comp a r e d t o o t h e r g r o u p s S p e c i f i c a l l y , h a l f o f t h e y o u n g p e o p l e n e e d e d a t l e a s t t h r e e c o n s u l t a t i o n s , a n d 2 0 % r e q u i r e d f i v e o r m o r e , a l t h o u g h t h e y a r e more likely to be diagnosed at an earlier stage of cancer

For one in three individ-

u a l s o f M i x e d , B l a c k , o r Asian descent, at least three

G P v i s i t s w e r e n e c e s s a r y

b e f o r e d i a g n o s i s I n c o ntrast, across the entire population, one in five people had three or more GP interactions before being diagn o s e d T h e a n a l y s i s a l s o highlights a significant disp a r i t y i n u r g e n t c a n c e r referrals, with people from the most deprived areas in England 21% less likely to be r e f e r r e d t h a n t h o s e f r o m less deprived areas

C o n c e r n s w e r e a l s o raised about the clarity of communication following a diagnosis, with 60% of 1624-year-olds feeling that the reasons for their diagnostic t e s t s w e r e n o t c l e a r l y explained T h e r e p o r t c a l l s f o r i n c r e a s e d i n v e s t m e n t t o address the high demand for c a n c e r d i a g n o s t i c s e r v i c e s and enhance access to general practice

Akshata Murty to receive multimillion pound infosys payout

A ks h at a M u rty i s s et to receive nearly £ 10 5 million as a div idend from Info sys, an IT serv ices comp any cofounded by her father T h i s p a y m e n t s t e m s from both a regular dividend of 20 rupees per share a n d a n a d d i t i o n a l s p e c i a l dividend of eight rupees per s h a r e a n n o u n c e d d u r i n g I n f o s y s ' a n n u a l f i n a n c i a l results Murty, who holds a 0 94 percent stake in the company, had received £13 5 million the previous year

Her financial dealings, p a r t i c u l a r l y h o w t h e y a r e t a x e d , h a v e c o m e u n d e r public scrutiny Murty prev i o u s l y c l a i m e d n o n - d o m s t a t u s , w h i c h m e a n t s h e only paid UK tax on her UK earnings However, in 2022, she announced she would start paying UK tax on all her global income, including dividends and capital gains Controversy also arose f r o m h e r i n v e s t m e n t s i n B r i t i s h s t a r t u p s t h r o u g h Catamaran Ventures UK, a f i r m s h e e s t a b l i s h e d w i t h her husband in 2013 It was noted that some of these startups benefited from government financial support p r o g r a m s l i k e t h e F u t u r e Fund and Innovate UK, raisi n g q u e s t i o n s a b o u t c o nflicts of interest Last year, she decided to close down C a t a m a r a n V e n t u r e s U K amidst this scrutiny

Ofsted warns schools teaching too many religions

O fst ed has issued a warn ing t hat religious educat ion (RE) in man y schools is becoming t oo d ilute d as it att empt s to c o v e r t o o m a n y r e lig i o n s, lea ding to a lack of dept h in st uden ts' und ersta ndin g T h e w a t c h d o g ' s r e c e n t report on RE teaching across E n g l a n d h i g h l i g h t s t h a t a "superficially broad curriculum" often results in pupils retaining very little, with the material covered lacking the substance needed for pupils to navigate a complex world effectively

T h e f i n d i n g s , d e r i v e d f r o m v i s i t s t o 5 0 s c h o o l s , indicate that non-examined RE in secondary schools is p a r t i c u l a r l y l i m i t e d a n d often of poor quality Ofsted

Trader masterminded £1.44 billion tax fraud, UK court hears

A London court heard on Monday that British trader Sanjay Shah and his hed ge fund S olo C ap ital m astermind ed most of a purported £1 44 billion ($1 8 billio n) fraud ag ainst Danish taxpayers

The Copenhagen tax authority's lawyer, Laurence Rabinowitz, stated that Solo Capital's "cum-ex" dividend trading scheme was primarily used to illicitly draw funds from Denmark's tax agency, Skatteforvaltningen (SKAT), under the guise of tax refunds Rabinowitz emphasised that Solo's activities accounted for approximately three-quar-

ters of SKAT's total claims in a year-long civil lawsuit now underway

Shah, extradited from Dubai in December for separate criminal proceedings in Copenhagen, maintains his innocence, asserting that the tax refunds were legitimate at the time and that Danish equities were valid targets He also disputes claims that the scheme was orchestrated with a few associates, according to court documents

Sanjay Shah

This civil case in London coincides with ongoing legal actions in Copenhagen, the U S , and Malaysia, as countries like Germany and Denmark seek to recover billions of euros lost in similar fraudulent schemes following the 2008 financial crisis SKAT alleges that between 2012 and 2015, Shah and his asso-

ciates engaged in coordinated trades to secure tax rebates without owning any shares in the involved Danish companies or receiving dividends

Despite these allegations, Shah contends that he employed a team of highly qualified professionals, including traders, IT experts, lawyers, and compliance officers, to manage Solo Custodians and associated firms, demonstrating the operational legitimacy of his businesses

criticises these curricula for sometimes normalising the m o s t e x t r e m e o r u n u s u a l religious traditions, and for promoting misconceptions, s u c h a s m i s u n d e r s t a n d i n g the celebration of Christmas or misrepresenting attitudes within Christianity towards LGBTQ+ issues

Additionally, the report p o i n t s o u t t h a t m a n y s c h o o l s f a i l t o m e e t t h e s t a t u t o r y r e q u i r e m e n t t o teach RE to all pupils at all k e y s t a g e s I n r e s p o n s e , Ofsted is urging the government to urgently revise the guidance for schools on RE t o c l a r i f y w h a t s h o u l d b e taught and ensure compliance with statutory expectations

Akshata Murty

Tory donor's £14.3m assets frozen in fraud case

A T ory dono r who funded P ri m e M i ni s t er R is h i S u nak's pri vate jet travels h as h a d h is g lo b al as s et s frozen amid acc usatio ns o f fraud A k h i l T r i p a t h i , a n e n t r e p r e n e u r k n o w n f o r developing an anti-snoring d e v i c e , i s c u r r e n t l y embroiled in several legal d i s p u t e s i n v o l v i n g a l l e g at i o n s o f f r a u d u l e n t s h a r e dealings Tripathi, who previously contributed £38,500 f o r S u n a k ' s j e t t r a v e l t o Conservative Party events in April, is also a notable donor to the party, having contributed over £150,000 since

2021

c o u r t d e c i s i o n w h e r e a group of investors obtained

a n i n j u n c t i o n t o f r e e z e Tripathi’s assets worldwide, totalling £14 3 million

The court order came

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

Children used as 'guinea pigs' in infected blood trials

BBC News h as uncovered d ocuments th at rev eal a tro ubling history of m ed ical trials in the UK d uring th e 1970s and 80 s, where infected blood p rod ucts w ere used on children

brief WARNING ISSUED FOR '100-DAY COUGH'

T h e c o n t r o v e r s y extends beyond the political donations, as Tripathi faces m u l t i p l e H i g h C o u r t actions These include lawsuits from former business partners and another case involving the sale of shares

T r i p a t h i m i s l e d i n v e s t o r s into purchasing £3 5 million worth of shares, supposedly on behalf of another share-

h o l d e r , S i l v i e K e n t T h e

c l a i m a n t s a r g u e t h a t T r i p a t h i d e c e i v e d t h e m about the true beneficiary of the share sale

t o h i s s i s t e r d u r i n g h i s tenure as chief executive of S i g n i f i e r M e d i c a l T e c h n o l o g i e s ( S M T ) Recently, a new legal action r e s u l t e d i n a s i g n i f i c a n t

These trials, which prioritised research objectives over patient welfare, continued for over 15 years, involving hundreds of individuals and resulted in most contracting hepatitis C and HIV The documents highlight a secretive environment of unsafe clinical testing, particularly involving children w i t h b l o o d c l o t t i n g d i s o r d e r s , m a n y o f whom were enrolled without family consent Tragically, the majority of these children have since passed away

T h i s d e v e l o p m e n t h a s prompted further scrutiny of Sunak, with the Labour

P a r t y r a i s i n g q u e s t i o n s regarding the nature of his association with Tripathi

Fourth man jailed in accountant kidnap

On the ev ening of October 1 0, 20 22, while h eading to h is car, a man was intercepted by four men wh o forced h im into a v an in dow ntown W o lv e rh a m p to n No w , a fourth m an h as been impriso ned in the case

M a n i n d e r S i n g h , 3 7 , f r o m B r a d m o r e , Wolverhampton, was sentenced to 13 years and three months at Wolverhampton Crown Court for conspiracy to kidnap and blackmail His t h r e e a c c o m p l i c e s a r e a l r e a d y s e r v i n g s e n t e n c e s ranging from 13 to 16 years, having been convicted last July

The victim was left in a van in Coseley, which the perpetrators later claimed to have been stolen He eventually escaped and contacted the police Using CCTV a n d A N P R t e c h n o l o g y , a l o n g w i t h m o b i l e p h o n e data, police pieced together the events

They discovered a group chat named ‘Robbers Gang’

The assailants tied and blindfolded the victim, then transported him to a shop in Coseley where they threatened him with violence and held a gun to his head He was held captive for about seven hours and was only released after his kidnappers c o e r c e d a c o w o r k e r i n t o leaving a ransom of £19,000 in a bag at a bus stop

o n o n e o f t h e s u s p e c t ’ s phones, which was created just days before the kidnapping

Mother accused of daughter’s murder remains silent in court

T h e mo ther c harg ed wi th the mu rder of her 10-yearo l d d a ug h ter m ad e an appearance in court

Jaskirat Kaur, 33, faced charges of killing Shay Kang in the Black Country and appeared via video link at W o l v e r h a m p t o n C r o w n C o u r t W e a r i n g a b l u e jumper, Kaur confirmed her

identity and acknowledged u n d e r s t a n d i n g t h e c o u r t proceedings during the brief session

CNHC is seeking two Lay Board Members

Are you interested in setting standards in the public interest?

CNHC is the independent regulatory body for complementary healthcare practitioners. The Board meets for a half-day four times a year. Meetings are held in London. There is no remuneration for attendance at Board meetings, but travel costs are reimbursed.

The court has provisionally set the trial for October, w i t h H i g h C o u r t J u d g e Michael Chambers KC presiding Kaur did not enter a p l e a , a n d a n o t h e r c o u r t appearance is scheduled for A u g u s t S h a y w a s f o u n d severely injured at a home in Robin Close, Rowley Regis, and was pronounced dead at the scene around 12:10 pm on Monday, March 4 An initial inquest reported she died from a stab wound to the chest

More information and application packs are available at: www.cnhc.org.uk/board_vacancies

Deadline for applications: 5pm on 8 May 2024. Interviews will be held on 19 and 20 June 2024.

For more information about CNHC visit www.cnhc.org.uk

F o l l o w i n g h e r t r a g i c d e a t h , t h e c o m m u n i t y remembered Shay as a 'funloving' girl and a GoFundMe page set up in her memory

h a s r a i s e d o v e r £ 8 , 7 5 0 t o cover funeral costs, a heads t o n e , a n d c h a r i t y d o n at i o n s , a l o n g w i t h f u n d i n g for community benches and tree planting

Additionally, despite widespread awareness of potential contamination, doctors across haemophilia centres in the country continued to use these blood products The UK's shortage of blood products during this period led to imports from the US, sourced from high-risk donors such as prisoners and drug addicts, consequently infected with life-threatening viruses like hepatitis C and HIV One such product, Factor VIII, was effective in stopping bleeding but was also known to be contaminated

A public inquiry into this scandal is currently underway, with a final report expected in May

Seema Misra claims Post Office jailed her over £15,000

Former sub-postmistress S eema Misra has claimed th at the Po st Office's d ecision to avoid a £15,0 00 exp ense for cru cial d ata led to her wrong ful im prisonment

In 2010, while eight weeks pregnant, Misra was sentenced to 15 months for false accounting and theft She had managed a post office in West Byfleet, Surrey, for less than three years, during which discrepancies amounting to £74,600 were found in her accounts, which were later attributed to the Post Office's faulty Horizon software

Misra's ordeal included a two-year investigation and over four months in prison

During the ongoing inquiry into the Post Office scandal, it emerged that her legal team had requested five years ’ worth of Horizon data before her trial, which might have exonerated her However, the Post Office did not comply, citing the costs estimated to exceed £15,000

J o n L o n g m a n , a f o r m e r P o s t O f f i c e i n v e s t i g a t o r i n v o l v e d i n M i s r a ’ s c a s e , defended the decision, maintaining that he would not have managed the initial investig a t i o n d i f f e r e n t l y d e s p i t e k n o w i n g t h e implications of withholding the data The inquiry also exposed internal communications about Misra's defence team's disclosure requests, with Longman acknowledging the financial burden of meeting the data

requests

Moreover, it was disclosed that there were annual limits on the number of audit record queries (ARQs), with data sometimes taking up to three years to become available following a request Misra has called for justice against those responsible, asserting that "nobody's above the law "

Recent statistics indicate a significant 40% increase in cases of the '100-day cough in just one week Up to April 14, a total of 824 individuals in the UK were reported to have contracted the bacterial infection a rise from 595 cases the previous week According to a report, the infection rates are elevated across all regions of England and Wales, with children in the South West being particularly vulnerable However, separate data on confirmed cases also points to an alarming increase in incidents of the disease In the first two months of 2024 alone, there were 1 468 confirmed cases in England and Wales nearly double the 858 cases recorded during the same period in 2023 as per UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) figures The last significant outbreak was in 2016 which saw 5 949 cases in England Experts suggest that a decline in population immunity possibly due to decreased vaccine uptake, is likely contributing to this surge in cases

MAYFAIR BAR SELLS BRITAIN'S PRICIEST COFFEE

A coffee shop in Mayfair is offering what may be Britain's most expensive cup of coffee, priced at a staggering £265 According to the Telegraph, the specialty coffee bar Shot serves this premium brew using rare Japanese typica beans sourced from the island of Okinawa, renowned for its scenic beauty and the longevity of its residents The beans have been cultivated there since 2015 This luxurious coffee is just one of the shop s exotic offerings Other notable items include the £70 Savannah Zombie made with beans from Haiti s Thiotte region and the £32 St Helena produced from beans grown on the Wrangham Estate on St Helena Island Maxwell Colonna-Dashwood a three-time UK barista champion, suggests that the high price of this particular coffee can be attributed to the scarcity of coffee grown in Japan

LEICESTER REPORTS

SECOND-HIGHEST TUBERCULOSIS RATES

Leicester has been identified as having the second highest tuberculosis (TB) rate among all council areas in the UK, according to the city s director of public health, Rob Howard Speaking to the Leicester City Council s public health committee, Howard noted that the city had experienced "a couple of hundred cases" of TB in the last year, though exact figures were not disclosed Published documents for the committee meeting highlighted that Leicester's average TB infection rate over the past three years (2020-2022) was significantly above the

there has been a general decline since that peak, recent years have seen a slight increase in cases The UK Health Security Agency has indicated that TB infections are now higher than pre-pandemic levels, signallingx a continued public health challenge

37-year-old arrested for alleged slavery offences

A 37- year-ol d man was arrested in Leic ester o n s usp ic io n o f m odern slavery o ffences as p art o f an extensive inves tigation by Su ffo lk P olice

The arrest occurred on Thursday, April 11, following a police raid at his residence He is suspected of engaging i n s l a v e r y , s e r v i t u d e , a n d forced or compulsory labour, in violation of the Modern S l a v e r y A c t T h i s a r r e s t i s linked to a broader probe into m o d e r n s l a v e r y p r a c t i c e s within the Suffolk region On the same day, police also carr i e d o u t a w a r r a n t a t t h e S u m m e r H e a l t h C h i n e s e M a s s a g e a n d B e a u t y i n S t O l a v e s P r e c i n c t , B u r y S t Edmunds, due to concerns about potential modern slavery activities At this location, authorities encountered two female foreign nationals; they were s a f e g

authorities in Bury St Edmunds on Thursday, July 11, as the investigation

Akhil Tripathi

Maninder Singh

Shay Kang

Points of Light recipient Himanshu Jain's journey in community building

Anusha Singh

P rim e Minister Rishi Sunak

h as ho noured a L ondon resid ent of Asian descent for h is contributions to cricket and positive impact o n the S o u t h A s i an c o m m u n it y Him anshu Jain, co -fou nd er o f a charity cricket comm unity fo r South Asian men, w as bestow ed with the d aily P o ints o f L ig h t aw ard o n A pril 10 th

H im ans hu estab lis hed th e club to offer op portunities for ov er 1 ,00 0 S outh A sian m en from Barking, Su tton, K ent, and Sou th end comm unities to eng ag e in cricket, rang ing from begi nner sessions to p articipation in p ro fessi onal leag ues Since its form al inception in 2021, the club has expand ed its scop e to include training for w omen and children, as well a s h o st i ng t h e ‘ B h ar at P remier Leagu e ’ and minit o u rna m en ts e v er y w e ekend Here, Himanshu shares h i s e l a t i o n o n b e i n g bestowed with the honour and his community work

How d oes it feel to be recognised for your effo rts in prom oting cricket and m aking a p o s i ti v e i m p ac t o n th e S outh Asian comm unity?

I t f e e l s i n c r e d i b l y rewarding to be recognised f o r o u r e f f o r t s w i t h t h e Bharat Cricket Community This acknowledgement not only validates the hard work and dedication of our entire team but also shines a light on the importance of comm u n i t y i n t e g r a t i o n a n d h e a l t h y l i v i n g T h r o u g h cricket, we ’ ve been able to b r i n g t o g e t h e r i n d i v i d u a l s from diverse backgrounds, fostering a sense of unity and camaraderie among the South Asian community in the UK Seeing the positive i m p a c t o n o u r m e m b e r s ’ lives, from increased physic a l a c t i v i t y t o e n h a n c e d s o c i a l c o n n e c t i o n s , t r u l y underscores the significance of our mission It motivates us to continue our work and explore new ways to enrich our community further

C an you tell us more about t h e i ns p i ra ti o n b eh i nd founding the charity cricket com munity for S outh A sian m en? Wh at mo tivated you to start th is initiativ e?

T h e B h a r a t C r i c k e t C o m m u n i t y b e g a n i n f o rmally among friends who shared a love for cricket but soon evolved into a formal charity as more individuals s h o w e d i n t e r e s t F o u n d e d o n t h e b e l i e f i n c r i c k e t ' s power to unite cultures, particularly within the South Asian community, and driven by a desire to address social isolation and health d i s p a r i t i e s a m o n g S o u t h Asian men in the UK, the initiative aims to promote

i n t e g r a t i o n , a n d c u l t u r a l exchange Secondly, recognising the challenges that S o u t h A s i a n m e n f a c e i n terms of social isolation and health disparities in the UK, I was motivated to create a platform that not only promoted physical well-being through sport but also facilitated social integration and cultural exchange By providing a space for these men and their families to come together for cricket, learn-

i n g , a n d c o m p e t i t i o n , t h e community seeks to foster b e l o n g i n g a n d s t r e n g t h e n multicultural bonds

What, according to yo u, is the im portance of community engagement and giv ing back?

C o m m u n i t y e n g a g ement and giving back are fundamental to building a s t r o n g , s u p p o r t i v e , a n d resilient society In my view, these activities are not just a b o u t h e l p i n g o t h e r s , b u t about creating an interconn e c t e d c o m m u n i t y w h e r e each member feels valued, s u p p o r t e d , a n d p a r t o f a l a r g e r w h o l e M o r e o v e r , community engagement is crucial for personal development It allows individuals to gain new skills, build networks, and develop empathy For our community at t h e B h a r a t C r i c k e t C o m m u n i t y , v o l u n t e e r i n g h a s b e e n a g a t e w a y t o understanding and addressing broader societal issues, e n h a n c i n g o u r m e m b e r s ' awareness and their ability to contribute positively It’s about nurturing a culture of mutual support and continuous engagement, which is essential for the vitality of any community

What are you r future plans a nd as p ir ati o n s fo r th e Bharat Cricket Com munity?

Do you have any new initiat iv es or p ro j ec ts in th e p ipeline?

As we look to the future, our vision for the Bharat C r i c k e t C o m m u n i t y i s t o s i g n i f i c a n t l y e x p a n d o u r r e a c h a n d d e e p e n o u r i m p a c t W e a r e a c t i v e l y working to extend membership to an even broader segment of South Asian men

a c r o s s t h e c o u n t r y , a l o n g with a concerted effort to enhance our women's and

children's cricket programs

We are also initiating supp o r t s t r u c t u r e s f o r S o u t h Asian students and workers w h o a r e n e w t o t h e U K

These structures aim to help t h e m n a v i g a t e t h e c h a llenges of settling into a new c o u n t r y , p r o v i d i n g a s u pportive community through our network Additionally, we plan to increase our volunteering efforts, with new opportunities for our members to give back to the community in meaningful ways And lastly, we are exploring p a r t n e r s h i p s w i t h e d u c ational institutions to integrate sports into educational achievements and personal development

Wh at m ess age wo u ld you like to conv ey to other indiv iduals wh o are p assionate abo ut m aking a d ifference in their comm unities?

To everyone driven to make a difference in their communities, my message is one of encouragement and resilience: Start small but dream big, and believe in the power of grassroots movements Your passion is the key ingredient in initiating change Focus on what matters most to you, remembering that every small effort counts Listen, adapt, and be open to learning every community, every initiative, a n d e v e r y i n d i v i d u a l y o u m e e t c a n o f f e r i n v a l u a b l e insights

Moreover, don’t hesitate to collaborate with others P a r t n e r s h i p s c a n s i g n i f icantly amplify your impact, b r i n g i n g d i v e r s e p e r s p e ct i v e s a n d r e s o u r c e s t h a t might otherwise be inaccessible Reach out to existing o r g a n i s a t i o n s , c o m m u n i t y l e a d e r s , a n d o t h e r l i k eminded individuals Finally, celebrate every success, no matter how small, and use these achievements as fuel

t o k e e p p u s h i n g f o r w a r d

R e m a i n c o m m i t t e d a n d patient, as change doesn’t happen overnight and challenges are inevitable

What are some of the o ther initiativ es you v olu nteer for?

I s p e a r h e a d s e v e r a l impactful initiatives, includi n g t h e L e p r o s y C o n t r o l P r o g r a m m e t a r g e t i n g l e prosy in India, focusing on early detection and vaccination advocacy Additionally, I c o n t r i b u t e t o J a i n p e d i a , p r e s e r v i n g a n d d i g i t i s i n g ancient Jain manuscripts for g l o b a l a c c e s s L o l a ’ s H o m e l e s s L a d d e r , w h i c h supports over 500 homeless individuals weekly in East London, is another project

I ' m d e e p l y i n v o l v e d i n Moreover, I'm honoured to s e r v e a s t h e i n c o m i n g District Governor for Rotary in London for the year 202425, where I will lead community service projects in line with Rotary's mission of service above self

Study highlights success of NHS online weight loss programme

New research p ublished in Th e Obesity Journal today hig hlights th e success of the NH S Di g i t al We i g h t M a nag em e nt P ro g ram m e, rev ealing that patients who com pleted the service lost an average of 8 59 pounds

In its inaugural year, the program saw 63,937 referrals, with half of these individuals enrolling and 14,268 completing the 12-week reg-

who did not complete the program

t e n s i o n , o r b o t h

Participants are sorted into three levels of intervention based on their risk, ranging from self-guided digital content to up to 100 minutes of one-on-one coaching

i m e n f r o m A p r i l 2 0 2 1 t o March 2022

The program

o f f e r s a n o n l i n e 1 2 - w e e k plan accessible via an app or w e b s i t e , p r o v i d i n g d i e t a r y and exercise guidance along w i t h l i f e s t y l e s u p p o r t Participants on average lost 4 85 pounds, including those

The data shows significant engagement from individuals from Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic backg r o u n d s , i l l u s t r a t i n g i t s effectiveness in supporting those from deprived comm u n i t i e s a n d t h o s e a t greater risk of obesity-relate d h e a l t h i s s u e s W o m e n constituted 57% of the referrals, with the average partici p a n t a g e b e i n g 5 7 M o s t r e f e r r a l s ( 7 7 % ) w e r e a g e d between 40 and 69

Eligibility for the program requires a BMI of 30 or above, or 27 5 for those from minority ethnicities, with a diagnosis of diabetes, hyper-

This digital approach to w e i g h t m a n a g e m e n t h a s shown potential to broaden reach and improve effectiveness, leading to over 358,000 referrals by March 2024 The program forms part of the NHS's broader strategy to combat type 2 diabetes and o b e s i t y , w h i c h i n c l u d e s i n n o v a t i v e i n i t i a t i v e s l i k e the type 2 diabetes prevent i o n p r o g r a m a n d d i e t s aimed at remission of newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes

Ealing mum faints as thieves steal £25k jewellery

A W e s t L o nd o n m o t h e r s u f f e r e d a s e v e r e s h o ck , f ainti ng a fte r thi eve s stole £ 2 5, 0 0 0 wo r t h of g o l d f rom he r car T he inci de nt occurre d sh ortly afte r 1:20

P M o n Ap r i l 2 , wh e n Pa ramjit Kau r, 45, wa s misle d by a d istra cti on sch eme i n th e car pa rk of Sout hall

Me tro Bank on Uxbrid ge Road

A m a n p o s i n g a s a Good Samaritan tapped on her window, claiming she had dropped cash outside her car As Kaur stepped o u t t o i n s p e c t , a n o t h e r a c c o m p l i c e s e i z e d t h e m o m e n t t o s n a t c h h e r handbag from the passenger seat The bag contained not only her valuable jewellery, which she had just r e t r i e v e d f r o m a s a f e t y deposit box at the bank but a l s o f a m i l y p h o t o g r a p h s and the deposit box key, the replacement of which costs around £350

The quick escape of the thieves in a getaway van

was witnessed by a bank employee, who attempted t o i n t e r v e n e b y a l e r t i n g Kaur Overwhelmed by the s i t u a t i o n , K a u r ' s b l o o d pressure soared, leading to her collapse shortly after speaking with the police who arrived ten minutes later This theft has left her m e n t a l l y a n d p h y s i c a l l y distressed, afraid to leave her house, highlighting not only the monetary loss but also the deep sentimental value of the stolen items

Himanshu Jain

Ram Navami celebrated by Lohana Community North London in spiritual splendour

L o h ana C o m m u n it y N o rth L o n d o n ( LCNL), co mmemorated the ausp icio us o c c as i o n o f R am Na v am i U ts av o n Wednesday 17 A pril 2024 Su pported by the esteemed Yajm ans of the family of L ate S hre e Hi rji bh ai T h akrar, be ing P r ak as h bh a i, R aj u bh ai , Bh a rat bh a i, S anjaybhai & the Thakrar Pariv ar, who h av e been at the forefront o f th is celebratory ev ent for the past five years

The celebration resonated with the spirit of unity and devotion, especially this year in keeping with the opening of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya (India)

Drawing parallels between the legendary Raghuvanshi the event highlighted the timeless virtues of kindness, c o m p a s s i o n , h u m i l i t y , a n d j u s t i c e embodied by Lord Ram Ram Navami Utsav holds immense significance for the Lohana community, symbolising the triumph of good over

evil and the eternal values upheld by Lord Ram The event at The Dhamecha Lohana Centre was transformed into a vibrant spectacle reminiscent of mini Ayodhya, with the melodious rendition

of bhajans by the talented music group comprising Nikesh Parmar, Rajvi Raja and their ensemble of musicians

Welcoming the guests on behalf of LCNL President Meenaben Jasani and the entire Executive Committee, compere Sanjay Rughani invited the Thakrar Family along with some of the Committee members to light the Diyas Captivating decorations set

o u t b y P r a f u l a b e n C h o t a i a n d

M a h e s h w a r i b e n K o t e c h a A l a r g e

LED screen backdrop mesmerised

a t t e n d e e s w i t h s c e n i c d e p i c t i o n s from the epic Ramayan In a poignant moment, it was noted that just as in Ayodhya where Lord Ram graced after 500 years, in Dhamecha Lohana Centre, his divine presence was felt, by the audience of a full house Distinguished guests in attendance

Community and friends who graced the occasion, adding to the jubilant atmosphere The event saw an impressive t u r n o u t o f 8 0 0 - p l u s g u e s t s , w h o

immersed themselves in the spiritual ambience and festive cheer

Do you feel the pressure of success?

In sports, winning a title may be challenging, but retaining it is even m ore daunting A marath oner wh o clinches a victory often strugg les m ore in defending th eir title during th e next race This is true for bo xing and other ind ivid ual sp orts, as well as in team sp orts Th e m ain challenge lies in the immense pressu re to perform, which stems from prev io us successes

Once athletes achiev e a certain level of success, exp ectations rise for th em to maintain or exceed th eir past p erfo rmances This continuing expectation becomes difficult to su stain as the dynamics of sports constantly evo lv e

This scenario extends beyond sports into everyday life

For successful individuals, whether they are business professionals, artists, or others who have proven their abilities, expectations are significantly higher compared to those at the beginning of their careers Achievement sets a benchmark, and any deviation is often considered a failure

Sometimes, despite absolute improvements in performance, if someone else outperforms them, they are still seen as having failed

Corporations that consistently report profits face similar judgments based on their growth rates In the stock market, for instance, it’s not uncommon to see shares of a profitable company declining if there’s even a slight dip in their growth rate These companies are not only expected to remain profitable but also to increase their growth percentages, which become increasingly challenging due to a higher base each year Thus, the pressure to perform multifolds every year

i n c l u d e d H a r r o w M a y o r R a m j i Chauhan, Mayoress Meena Chauhan

a c c o m p a n i e d b y C o u n c i l l o r A n j a n a Patel, along with members of the LCNL

The social team, led by Asst Social Secretary Paragbhai Thacker with dedicated volunteers, served Prashadi, symbolising the spirit of sharing and friendship that defines the Lohana community

The vote of thanks was given by Vice President Ronak Paw

A beacon of kindness: Paresh Rughani

Subhash V Thakrar

P aresh Rug hani is a m an of h umble origins with a v ast v ocabulary and a profound r es p ec t fo r o th er s T h i s award -winning international m o ti v at io n al s p ea ker em b od i es s im p li ci ty and a p o w erf u l c o m m i tm e nt t o u plifting those around him

A l t h o u g h a q u a l i f i e d accountant, Paresh has been f o l l o w i n g h i s p a s s i o n f o r p u b l i c s p e a k i n g w i t h t h i s s k i l l , h e h a s h e l p e d m a n y corporations and their senior e m p l o y e e s g e t e m p o w e r e d with motivation to progress, p e r s e v e r e a n d s u c c e e d Paresh comes on the stage in an unassuming demeanour often initially misleading the audience but when he gets started with his humour and series of acronyms, he leaves the listeners mesmerised

He has spoken or shall I say performed at numerous e v e n t s w h i c h i n c l u d e t h e

British Parliament and BAPs Mandir and Princes Trust

His audience has included P r i m e M i n i s t e r s , C E O s , Bollywood stars, sports dign i t a r i e s a n d s e n i o r p e o p l e from the voluntary sector In these difficult times, speakers like Paresh bring hope and feel-good factor to their listeners This is a powerful gift of kindness

P a r e s h h a s r e c e i v e d numerous awards in recognition of his contributions

These include Pride of India, Stardust Global Icon, Jewel of India, Global Citizen, and GOPIO International just to

name a few This was recent-

l y a n d m o s t a p p r o p r i a t e l y

t o p p e d b y t h e a w a r d o f

A m b a s s a d o r f o r K i n d n e s s

A w a r d c o n f e r r e d b y S u s t a i n a b l e D e v e l o p m e n t

Goals which is the initiative

i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h t h e

U n i t e d N a t i o n s , t h e Government of India and the Commonwealth

Indeed 13th November is World Kindness Day and so this recognition of Paresh is so very relevant Kindness is a value that focuses on positive power and often it is this common sense of kindness that binds us It is a fundam e n t a l h u m a n c o n d i t i o n which bridges the divides of race, religion, politics, gender and postcodes In many ways, Paresh, with his pres e n t a t i o n s , c u t s t h r o u g h such differences in society by becoming that catalyst that e n a b l e s p e o p l e ’ s m i n d s t o rise above such differences

by motivating them to think positively

S o m e t i m e s i n o n e ' s career, you might tumble on what you might be more passionate about than your curr e n t a c t i v i t y P a r e s h h a s shown that following your passion for something can bring rich rewards There lies a great lesson for many of us Paresh has also shown that h u m i l i t y b r i n g s v a l u a b l e recognition One does not need to self-praise If you g i v e f r e e l y , y o u w i l l g e t rewarded without asking P e r h a p s t h i s m a n ’ s h u m i l i t y a n d k i n d n e s s emanate from the teachings of his Guru and father like m e , t h e l a t e P u j y a S h r e e Pramukh Swami whose most f a m o u s t e a c h i n g w a s ‘ I n serving others is my seva ’

Words of total Kindness

We shall read and hear m o r e a b o u t t h i s M r Motivator in time to come

Annual event honouring Indian WWI soldiers in Brighton

Brighton council has g iven the green light to host an ann u al m u lt i- f ai th ev e nt starting th is October to h ono ur th e c o nt ri bu t io n o f

In d i an so l d i ers i n b o th Wo rld Wars at the tow n's Ind ia Gate memo rial

The India Gate was gifte d t o t h e r e s i d e n t s o f Brighton by the "princes and people of India" as an expression of gratitude for the care extended by the town s hospitals It is dedicated to the u s e o f B r i g h t o n ' s i n h a b itants

Unveiled on October 26, 1 9 2 1 , b y t h e M a h a r a j a o f Patiala, Bhupinder Singh, the India Gate stands proudly at the southern entrance of the Royal Pavilion This historic m o n u m e n t c o m m e m o r a t e s the soldiers from undivided India who were treated at B r i g h t o n ' s b a s e h o s p i t a l s during the two world wars These soldiers hailed from present-day India, Pakistan, B a n g l a d e s h ,

Such pressure persists despite changing circumstances and increasing competition People do not put into perspective all these scenarios while making assessment of the success There is simple binary judgement which creates expectations from those who have succeeded earlier to repeat the same Remember the pressure on the Indian cricket team to perform in the final match of the world cup this year, because they had consistently performed excellently till semi-finals? But the team crumbled under such pressure, and was badly defeated by Australia which played much professionally and systematically Captain Rohit Sharma admitted, "We were not good enough today We tried everything, but it didn't work " Clear sign of pressure on him and the team

Success brings expectations, which in turn result in performance pressure This can impact the actual input in any field, be it sports, arts, or professional life Have you also experienced such pressure? If so, how did you manage under it?

(Expressed opinions are personal)

MBE for Jayshree Rajkotia

Jaysh ree Rajkotia, T rustee

a nd V i c e C h ai r o f th e B h ara ti ya V i d y a Bh a v an U K, was honoured w ith an M BE for her co ntributio ns to Ind ian culture

With over four decades o f a s s o c i a t i o n w i t h T h e B h a v a n , J a y s h r e e j i h a s played a vital role on the Drama Committee, Special P r o j e c t s C o m m i t t e e , a n d M a r k e t i n g C o m m i t t e e

Throughout her tenure, she has facilitated the presentation of numerous Gujarati plays and has produced various dance ballets as the C h a i r m a n o f t h e S p e c i a l

Projects Committee These p r o d u c t i o n s h a v e b e e n showcased in and around London through different organisations, significantly e x t e n d i n g T h e B h a v a n ' s o u t r e a c h a n d p r o v i d i n g s u b s t a n t i a l f i n a n c i a l s u pport to the institution

Rohit Vadhwana

Photo Credit: Bhupendra Jethwa

Paresh Rughani

Jayshree Rajkotia

30 years of ISKCON Pandava Sena: Empowering youth spirituality

Paarthvi Savalia

F o r th r ee d ec ad es , th e

I S K C O N P an d av a S en a youth group has been a beac o n o f i n sp i ra ti o n an d e m p o w er m en t f o r yo u n g d ev otees aro und the world

F o u n d ed o n p ri nc ip les o f s e rv i c e, c o m m un i ty, an d sp iritu al growth, this dynamic org anization has played a p ivotal role in nurturing th e next g eneratio n of leaders

w it h in th e In te rna ti o nal

S o c i et y f o r K r is h n a C onscio usness ( IS KCON)

W i t h t h e i r h u m b l e beginnings of sacrifice and resilience, protesting on the s t r e e t s o f L o n d o n i n t h e 1990s, Pandava Sena looks b a c k a t t h e i r a c c o m p l i s hments with a series of grand celebrations this year The f i r s t e v e n t o f m a n y t o o k place on the 13th of April, at the very temple they were fighting to keep open: the B h a k t i v e d a n t a M a n o r Generations of Pandava Sena members gathered to reflect on all of the organisation’s m i l e s t o n e s o v e r t h e years through commemorative speeches delivered by past presidents, n o s t a l g i c m o v i e s f r o m previous festivals and a rivetingly hilarious performance directed and a c t e d b y s o m e o f t h e p i o n e e r s o f P a n d a v a Sena B e i n g i n s p i r e d b y t h e heroism and virtue of the Mahabharata’s Pandavas, the g r o u p a i m e d t o e n g a g e young devotees of ages 16 to 35 and instil in them similar values of courage, integrity, a n d d e v o t i o n T h e y h a v e s i n c e s i g n i f i c a n t l y e v o l v e d from a small local initiative to a global movement with projects and activities spanning across continents

N a m i n g j u s t a f e w a c c o m p l i s h m e n t s , t h e s e members have set up several charitable funds, karma-free r e s t a u r a n t s , y o g a s p a c e s open to the public, music l a b e l s , r e t r e a t c e n t r e s a n d s c h o o l s a c r o s s t h e U K A h u g e l y i n s p i r i n g i n i t i a t i v e , the organisation has provided a platform to thousands o f y o u t h t o c o n n e c t w i t h spirituality, develop leadership skills that set them apart from society and foster life-

tual seekers Pandava Sena r e m a i n s t r u e t o i t s n a m e with its devotion to guiding t h e f u t u r e o f t h e y o u t h across the globe

K C S O C i s o n e s u c h thriving branch of Pandava Sena representing the true essence of the goal of the e s t a b l i s h m e n t S h o r t f o r , K r i s h n a C o n s c i o u s n e s s S o c i e t y , t h e o r g a n i s a t i o n stands as a vibrant hub of spirituality, culture and community on college campuses

long friendships through festivals, retreats, seminars and social service projects

Shivkrupanand Swami, reforming lives with ancient Himalayan Samarpan Dhyanyog

Bridges between other religious and spiritual comm u n i t i e s h a v e b e e n b u i l t , t r a n s f o r m a t i v e p r o g r a m s a n d i n i t i a t i v e s h a v e b e e n established, and many alumn i o f P a n d a v a S e n a h a v e gone to become outstanding leaders within ISKCON and b e y o n d T h e s e p r o m i n e n t f i g u r e s h a v e g o n e o n t o b e c o m e s o m e o f t h e b e s t hedge-fund traders globally, w o r l d - r e n o w n e d d o c t o r s , influential CEO’s, authors, and even household name c e l e b r i t i e s T h e s e d e v o t e e s m a i n t a i n t h e e v e r - l a s t i n g purpose to carry forward the torch of spiritual consciousness and service that they cultivated in Pandava Sena

No matter how unique or externally dissimilar these projects are, their core principles lie the same: are to b u i l d s p i r i t u a l a w a r e n e s s that is grounded in the deep u n d e r s t a n d i n g s o f V a i s h n a v i s m , B h a k t i Y o g a a n d V e d i c P h i l o s o p h y , t o serve the community based on the principle of seva (selfless service), to empower the youth both in spiritual life and in society, and to upkeep the indelible legacy of ISKCON Pandava Sena

It stands as a testament, as we celebrate 30 years, to the enduring power of the y o u t h a n d c o m m u n i t y engagement as the organisation continues to inspire the next generation of devotees to make a positive, impactful d i f f e r e n c e i n t h e w o r l d through spiritual growth and further ambitious projects

In an ever-changing society, the timeless wisdom of Bhakti yoga and teachings of the Bhagavad Gita continue to resonate with young spiri-

g l o b a l l y K C S O C p r ovides a welcoming space for students to explore Vedic knowledge, cultivate meaningful knowledge and engage in seva (selfless service) for the community

T h e s o c i e t y e m b r a c e s d i v e r s i t y , engaging students of all backgrounds and belief syst e m s a n d u n i t e s t h e m through meditation sessions, w o r k s h o p s , p h i l o s o p h i c a l d i s c u s s i o n s a n d s c r i p t u r e study groups Students have the opportunity to delve into the spiritual consciousness a n d e x p l o r e t h e u n f a i l i n g truths about the nature of t h e s e l f a n d t h e u n i v e r s e explained in Vedic texts

As more and more young p e o p l e s e e k p u r p o s e a n d meaningful connection in a f a s t - p a c e d w o r l d , K C S O C proves the timelessness of V e d i c k n o w l e d g e , c o m p a ss i o n , a n d s e l f l e s s n e s s t o inspire others to live in the mood of service and devotion

As 30 years have passed, Pandava Sena continues to grow and demonstrate the p o w e r o f I n d i a n h e r i t a g e , s p i r i t u a l i t y a n d c o m m i tment The community aims to engage as many youth as possible who are driven, who seek reason and who wish to stay grounded in the hustle a n d b u s t l e o f s o c i e t y , y e

Experience an 800-year-old Himalayan meditation

H i m al aya n Y o g i an d reno w ned Ind i an sp i ritu al leader Shree Sh ivkrup anand S w a m i w i ll b e o n t h ei r mu ch -aw aited U K visit from 26 April to 8 M ay 2024 T he d i s co u rs e d u ri ng h is v is i t could explore how we can fo ster greater und erstandi ng and co l lab o ra ti o n throu gh the field of meditation and spiritual p ractices wh ich are essential in these globally challeng ing times

H i s H o l i n e s s i s a

H i m a l a y a n Y o g i i n 1 9 9 4 founded what has become one of the fastest growing meditation practices in the w o r l d S a m a r p a n

M e d i t a t i o n i s a n a n c i e n t

Himalayan practice that is open to all, free of charge and not bound by religion, gender or age It develops positive spiritual values and creates inner peace through j u s t 3 0 m i n u t e s o f d a i l y m e d i t a t i o n S a m a r p a n

Meditation is represented in 65 countries on every continent Worldwide there are more than 200,000 meditators with 13 Trusts and 26

A s h r a m s / r e t r e a t c e n t r e s including in the UK

The spiritual master and f o u n d e r o f S h r e e S h i v k r u p a n a n d S w a m i Foundation, Shivkrupanand Swami has been known for w o r k i n g a n d p r o m o t i n g ancient meditation practices

t h a t c a n i m p r o v e m e n t a l

health, create positivity and reduce the stress that is concurrent in the current digital lifestyle His work has been b u i l t a r o u n d u n d e r t a k i n g research and bringing out ideas that were proven and could help shape the world

A devoted practitioner

o f m e d i t a t i o n , Shivkrupanand Swami has mastered yoga for eighteen y e a r s b y l i v i n g i n t h e H i m a l a y a s a n d h a s b e e n serving a mission bestowed upon him by his holy masters for the last 30 years

Himalayan meditation is a n 8 0 0 - y e a r - o l d s a n s k a a r which is simple and can be easily practised by all irres p e c t i v e o f t h e i r r e l i g i o n

Unlike the other techniques

o f m e d i t a t i o n , i t d o e s n ’ t involve any complex breathi n g t e c h n i q u e s o r y o g a S i n c e i t s i n c e p t i o n , G u r u Tattva has been sharing this divine wisdom and experience with the world for free

Himalayan Yogi on UK visit

26 April 2024

House of Lords

27 April 2024

Jain Centre London

28 April 2024

Navnat Event : 3 pm to 6 pm

29 April 2024 till

3 May 2024

Samarpan Meditation Yog

5 May to 8 May 2024 Ireland Meditation Discourse

Nottingham attacker's sentence review set for May 8

The re vie w date for t he se nten ce of Valdo Ca loca ne, t he perpet rator of the Nottingham att ack s, has been set

Emma Webber, the mother of victim Barnaby Webber, revealed that the families were notified on April 19th about the hearing scheduled for May 8th, according to BBC reports

The Royal Courts of Justice in London will oversee the review of Calocane’s indefinite hospital order

Calocane received a sentence of detention in a high-security hospital after admitting to manslaughter due to diminished responsibility During sentencing, the judge informed the 31-year-old Calocane that he would likely remain in the high-security hospital for life

Celebrating 30 years of Pandava Sena event From left to right: Neel Madhav Das, President of Bhaktivedanta Manor Her Grace Visakha Dasi, SB Keshava Swami, Vrajabihari Das, Atmanivedan Swami, CB Patel Mahesh Liloriya Pranbandhu Das Ananda Vigraha Devi Dasi

CB Patel, Vishnu, Raam and Nityesh Gor

Seated: Pushpa Mulji and Uma Gor Standing L to R: Mahesh Liloriya Atmanivedan Swami Nilamani Gor Nityesh Gor CB Patel Prenbandhu Das Pandava Sena with SB Keshava Swami

Guiding the youth towards culture

Let me start by saying a big thank you on behalf of the Preston community for engaging us in the Soneri Sangat Zoom programme Asian Voice and Gujarat Samachar have always played a major role in community development throughout the UK

We at Preston are very fortunate to have such a close relationship with CB Patel and the team of Asian Voice It was a privilege for us to present our success story to the wider community and be an inspiration for others

Hindu Communities & temples up and down the country are not functioning to their full capacity We hope that reading this article in Asian Voice will inspire them to engage young people to run its day-to-day activities like youth clubs, Gujarati school, Balkunj, Bhajan groups & classical/traditional dance Gujarat Hindu Society would like to congratulate you and your team for the excellent work you do through Asian Voice and Gujarat Samachar in engaging communities at the grassroots level

We pray to Lord Krishna, Lord Shiva, goddess Amba and Ramdarbar to bless you, your family and the team at Asian Voice for continued success

Ishwerbhai, Dashrathbhai and m anag em ent committee, Preston Hindu T emple

Is the Gaza war a prime example of the United Nations’ dismal failure?

The primary aim of creating the institute of the UN back in 1945 was the promotion of peace and avoidance of conflict and subsequent disastrous wars between the world nations One cannot find a single example where the UN has proactively performed its primary duty

Yes, it has provided a peacekeeper role after the war events and humanitarian aid to the affected populations

The Gaza puzzle has been sizzling since 1948 and the UN has done nothing to resolve it for 76 years They have been an obstacle to its natural resolution

The reasons for their failure are many but the single most consequential one is the UN Security Council where a handful of nations with conflicting interests has a veto power The veto-holding powers (USA, UK, France, Russia and China) were the victorious nations in WW II, except for China The total population of the four victorious nations is about 613 million (2022 estimate) While India with 1400 million people has no say in the UNSC, this does not make any sense democratically or in any other way

It is high time for a drastic structural reform of the UN or it should go the League of Nations way to make room for a new institute fit for 21st century world order requirements

Na rsibha i P ate l Workers' plight

Every year on May 1, people across the globe, including our very own country, celebrate Labour Day as a public holiday But has any one of us done something of value for the labour class or tried to resolve their problems?

There are numerous problems which are being faced by our labourers every day such as poverty, illiteracy, food and water crisis A vast majority of them, including daily-wage workers, remain outside the field of labour laws, which means that they have no paid holidays, no job security, no medical coverage, no pension, no provident fund, and no limit on working hours

In India, there is also an issue of child labour, which is a complex problem with its roots in the socio-economic environment of the country Although India has laws prohibiting child labour, the practice continues unabated throughout much of the country This is a major problem for us because children who are compelled to work are unable to attain an education, driving illiteracy and many other social problems

Every child has a fundamental right to an education and the government is bound to provide education to all children and end the practice of child labour India is in dire need of educated children, not child workers There should be strict action against people who use child labour and bonded labour

Labourers are the most important and valuable members of our society They work tirelessly in the agricultural and industrial sectors besides other fields and make great contributions towards the development of the country May 1 is celebrated as ‘International Labour Day’ every year Although the world has progressed quite a lot and bravely fought against the nuisance of forced labour, there are still cases where labourers are exploited and are not treated with dignity and respect

I n t e r n a t i o n a l L a b o u r D a y s h o u l d n o t o n l y b e s p e n t remembering past events but there must also be a plan to help labourers fight for their basic rights It is unfortunately quite common in India and elsewhere in the world that labourers are paid below the minimum wage (or their contracts are drafted in such a manner that they end up accepting strict working conditions with nominal pay)

Their salaries are insufficient, and they can barely meet the basic needs of their families It is our responsibility to raise a voice for them and ensure that they are paid decent wages, keeping in view the current rate of inflation

Out About & Upcoming show

This weekend's OUT & ABOUT showcases "Chal Kahin Dur Nikal Jaye," a musical concert at Nagrecha Hall in East London, offering a nostalgic journey through the golden oldies of Bollywood music.

Watch the programme Sunday 28th April, 6.00 PM BST, only on Zee Tv

Sky 707 Virgin 809

Indian history in doldrums

Bhupendra M Gandhi

I refer to Shri Jadeja’s letter in last week’s AV dated 20th April 2024 Before I proceed, I would like to apologize if my writings have caused him or anyone else offence It is neither my intention nor my desire to make anyone feel uncomfortable while reading my articles

I feel my language is at least much more polite, civilized and friendly than that of most contributors, does not include words like verbal diarrhoea or sleeping with the enemy or on the spoiled mattress! The world is already a cruel place, especially for less able; disabled people, no need to add more to their misery

As a profound, popular writer, author and journalist, my books Olive Grove and Ivory Tower, published in America, are widely read and discussed in papers and radio It is unavoidable not to walk on someone ’ s toe or hurt someone ’ s feelings unintentionally, especially those who are kind and caring with a sensitive nature My online profile, put by Google, will be of help to understand my writings

I always read with interest any letter that comments on my writings, whether in praise or criticism! After all, no one can be in the good book of readers all the time I did not know that Shri Jadaja has sacrificed his home and garden for a worthy cause, if so, he deserves our grateful thanks

It seems Indian history has little place in our minds or hearts and we always take the easy way out, blaming the British and Moguls for any shortfalls we have experienced Of course, there were some brave and patriotic Indian Kings, Rulers or Maharajas that came from every walk of life, every part of the great nation, one and only Bharat

A patriotic name that readily springs to my mind is that of Maharana Pratap, my childhood hero, born as a prince in the prosperous kingdom of Marwar but spent most of his adult life in the forest and mountain hideouts, trying to remain one step ahead, out of the crutches of one of the cruellest Moghul emperors, Aurangzeb

Maharana Pratap never allowed Aurangzeb to colonize Rajasthan, freeing the forts and lands conquered by the Moghul Emperor, as soon as Aurangzeb moved on Maharana Pratap was defeated only once on the battlefield, the battle of Hacdighati on 18 June 1576 when Akbar’s army was led by mighty warrior Man Singh, King of Amber, who else!

Akbar did not have enough manpower to permanently occupy and protect conquered lands by his mainly Moghul army drawn from Outer Mongolian nations but led by Rajput warriors most of the time

These few patriotic heroes, thorn in Moghul conquest, were mainly patriotic Rajput kings But to ignore the contributions of others is a narrow-minded distortion of Indian history

Ashok is considered one of the greatest, noblest rulers in world history; even textbooks written by Western historians a c k n o w l e d g e i t ( H i s t o r y o f t h e W o r l d b y P l a n t a g e n e t Somerset Fry, 1972) He is the only king who ruled his kingdom on the principle of non-violence, a great achievement at a time when violence was the order of the day

There are many other fields whereby we can and do contribute to the freedom, prosperity, prestige and well-being of a nation Just look at the contribution of great, patriotic m e m b e r s o f t h e I n d i a n c o m m u n i t y a t l a r g e , l i k e Rabindranath Tagore, Noble Poet, Subash Chandra Bose, invisible warrior, fearless Bhagat Singh, Mahatma Gandhi and one and only Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel who united India, persuading, threatening and even bribing several rulers to join the Indian Union! This is a unique achievement without parallel in Indian, world history

Then there was Chatrapati Shivaji, a brave and patriotic Maratha king, although he would like us to remember him as a Hindu king So often these patriotic kings and rulers were betrayed by our own kith and kin Who could not remember Shivaji Maharajah who was delivered in chains to Aurangzeb by Jaichand! This is history that cannot be changed or altered by anyone

Fortunately, in PM Narendra Modi, India has at last found another patriotic ruler, free of corruption, honest to a fault who has kept his family members out of politics, unlike Sonia Gandhi and Nehru family who behaves as if they have birth-right to govern the nation!

Kapil Dudakia K

I C H A D I The Greatest Democracy on Earth

The largest and th e m ost comp lex elections have star ted in India (Bh ar at) They commenced on 19 Ap ril and will cont inue until 1 Ju ne 2024 and will t ake place in seven p hases And t his m assiv e endeav our g al vanised t o elect 543 member s of the Indian P ar liament , th e Lok S abha The vo tes will be cou nted, and th e resu lts wil l be decl ared l iv e on 4 June 2024 Mar k t hat day in your diary, I f or o ne will have my masal a chai r eady, with l ots of samosa and kach ori to keep my streng th up , and t hen of co urse, ladoo s ready to celebr ate the r esul t wh ich o f cour se will be a third co nsecutive ter m for P M Modi

Just so we all get a feel for the magnitude of what is now taking place in India, we are looking at some 970 million people who are eligible to vote In practice

I calculate around 650 million people will go to the ballot boxes based on previous voter turnout Again, let me put this in context of our elections in the UK In the British 2019 elections, around 32 5 million people voted The election in India is twenty (20) times that of what we had in 2019 Just imagine, if you can, the sheer magnitude of the Indian elections, the logistics necessary to conduct them in a systematic and safe way, the number of voting booths required, the number of people required to manage the election, the level of security required, the list is endless No matter which element you look to, it dwarfs all elections anywhere on this planet

Now for even more data Some 2600 political parties are registered to take part More than 15 million workers will be deployed by the Indian Election Commission to oversee the elections More than 1 million polling stations erected or set up to ensure all voters are within easy of casting that all important vote The cost of conducting these elections? More than £10 billion

This exercise in national voting is truly a testament to the greatest democracy in the world I say so because there is nothing comparable anywhere on this planet

Many left leaning western entities have en masse already started their spiteful attempts to undermine the Indian elections

The left, the socialists, the wokery, the appeasers of Islamists and Khalistanis, are all terrified of yet another term by PM Modi and his BJP party The enemies of India have tried everything over the past decade to destroy PM Modi and India All their attempts have failed since the Indian electorate has now become more knowledgeable They differentiate the between the antics of INC (Congress) and their anti-India partners from around the world, and the BJP that has driven change and positive development right across the nation

As PM Modi said, ‘It is a measure of your trust and support that we could take several historic and major decisions like implementation of GST, abrogation of Article 370, new law on Triple Talaq, Nari Shakti Vandan Act to enhance women's participation in the Parliament, the inauguration of a new Parliament building and strong steps against terrorism and LeftWing Extremism’

I can list all the datasets of developments and achievements of PM Modi, but that is not needed Mainly because after 10 years of governance, I am confident that the people of India, the only voice that matters, will elect PM Modi for his third term Not only that, but they will also elect him with an increased majority Think about it, whilst the international norm for most governments is to lose votes and seats in consecutive elections, PM Modi has increased votes and seat share at each election

Leaders of nations across the world all know that in PM Modi they face a phenomenon He is more than just a force of nature; he has become the very essence of new Bharat A champion of and for the ordinary person on the street Jai Hind

We are grateful to all letter writers for more and more versatile letters well within word limit

Please keep contributing as always.

If you are new, then write to Anusha at anusha.singh@abplgroup.com

M ental health issues hav e long been a p revalent concern in so ciety In response t o th i s p re ss i ng is s u e, M anasi Gupta, founder of ' Hu e so f th e m i nd , ' l ea d s a y o u th - d ri v e n no n p r o fi t organisatio n aimed at destigm atising mental health t h ro u g h o p e n c o n v ers ations and awareness initiatives Throug h the foundation, Gupta has imp acted ov er 50, 000 liv es through inno vativ e cam paigns, projects, and ev ents held globally S he recently receiv ed the Diana A ward in recogn it i o n o f h er i m p ac tf u l w ork I n a n i n t e r v i e w w i t h A s i a n V o i c e , M a n a s i d i sc u s s e d h e r o r g a n i s a t i o n promoting mental health, receiving Diana award and more

1Can you tell us about the inspiration behind starting ‘Huesofthemind’ and what motivated you to address mental health issues?

At around the age of 19, I embarked on a journey s p u r r e d b y a r e a l i s a t i o n : many of us navigating that p i v o t a l p h a s e o f l i f e e n c o u n t e r o v e r w h e l m i n g u n c e r t a i n t y , l e a d i n g t o stress and anxiety It struck me that amidst these challenges, there's often a lack o f g u i d a n c e o n c o p i n g m e c h a n i s m s I n s p i r e d b y c o n v e r s a t i o n s w i t h p e e r s facing similar struggles, I f e l t c o m p e l l e d t o t a k e action I launched a comm u n i t y i n i t i a t i v e w i t h a twofold mission: to make a positive impact on society and to challenge the stigma surrounding mental health This platform served as a s a f e s p a c e f o r p e o p l e t o share their stories openly, fostering unity and mutual e n c o u r a g e m e n t T h a t ’ s h o w H u e s o f t h e m i n d w a s born an online platform where individuals bravely shared their experiences of mental health battles and life's trials

2How does 'Huesofthemind' tackle mental health stigma and promote understanding and acceptance?

A t t h e c o r e o f o u r organisation's approach to mental health care lies a c o m m i t m e n t t o h o l i s t i c support Our fundamental

v a l u e s o f e m p a t h y a n d compassion permeate every

Accepting award from Prince Williams

aspect of our work We've d e v e l o p e d a t h r e e - p i l l a r model to guide our efforts: e d u c a t i o n , c o m m u n i t y engagement, and empowerment through innovative initiatives

Firstly, in prev e n t i o n , w e c o l l a b o r a t e w i t h s c h o o l s , c o l l e g e s , NGOs, and other groups to t a i l o r e d u c a t i o n a l c a mp a i g n s , r a i s i n g a w a r e n e s s about mental health care

S e c o n d l y , c o m m u n i t y engagement involves utilising various platforms such as social media, newsletters, podcasts, and publications to connect with and i n f o r m o u r c o m m u n i t y L a s t l y , e m p o w e r m e n t f o c u s e s o n p r o v i d i n g resources and connecting individuals with the support they need, whether it's therapy or other forms of a s s i s t a n c e , o f t e n a t s u bsidised costs

3How was the experience of receiving the Diana Legacy award?

The word that encapsulates my experience is "surreal " I'm immensely grateful for the opportunity presented to me What struck me most was the remarkable diversity among the a w a r d e e s a n d t h e c a u s e s t h e y c h a m p i o n e d T h i s d i v e r s i t y c o n t i n u e s t o inspire me, showcasing the vast potential for impactful work across the globe The Diana Award team orchest r a t e d a f l a w l e s s e x p e r ie n c e , p r o v i d i n g a m p l e o p p o r t u n i t i e s t o c o n n e c t with fellow changemakers a n d m e n t o r s w o r l d w i d e Engaging in conversations

w i t h P r i n c e W i l l i a m a n d Prince Harry was incredibly motivating they encouraged us to persevere despite t h e c h a l l e n g e s w e m a y encounter as social impact change-makers This experience will always hold a special place in my heart

4How does ‘Huesofthemind’ ensure that its initiatives are inclusive and accessible to everyone who may need support or education regarding mental health?

India's rich diversity in ethnicity, religion, and lang u a g e u n d e r s c o r e s t h e complexity of our mission We prioritise accessibility by offering free services to nonprofits and schools, tailoring campaigns in many Indian languages Ensuring i n c l u s i v i t

instance, we collaborated with a Kannada-speaking

m e m b e r t o e n g a g e w i t h t e a c h e r s i n g o v e r n m e n t schools Our commitment is to raise awareness about mental well-being and pro-

v i d e t a i l o r e d s u p p o r t t o d i v e r s e p o p u l a t i o n s , i n c l u d i n g l o w - i n c o m e

c o m m u n i t i e s i n u r b a n slums

O u r f i r s t i n - p e r s o n w o r k s h o p t o o k p l a c e i n M a n c h e s t e r a t t h e O n e Y o u n g W o r l d s u m m i t , a r e m a r k a b l e p l a t f o r m f o r y o u n g c h a n g e m a k e r s I t was an honour to share the s t a g e w i t h r e n o w n e d organisations like Deloitte, M c K i n s e y , a n d Government organisations

As a member organisation o f t h e U n i t e d N a t i o n s SDSN Youth, we've gained v a l u a b l e g l o b a l e x p o s u r e , collaborating with communities and countries to raise awareness and forge partnerships with international g o v e r n m e n t s W e ' v e a l s o observed varying levels of o p e n n e s s t o d i s c u s s i n g mental health across different countries, underscoring the need for tailored a p p r o a c h e s D u r i n g m y visit to Manchester, I was inspired by the emphasis

o n e m o t i o n a l w e l l - b e i n g r e s o u r c e s f o r c h i l d r e n , a practice not widely seen in South Asia While there's still progress to be made, I'm confident that change is on the horizon

5Looking ahead, what are some of the key goals and aspirations you have for ‘Huesofthemind’?

At an individual level, I ' m c u r r e n t l y p u r s u i n g a master's in psychology and c o m p l e t i n g a c o u r s e i n e x p r e s s i v e a r t s t h e r a p y

Drawing from these experiences, I'm passionate about a d v o c a t i n g f o r a h o l i s t i c approach to mental health

c a r e F i r s t l y , I a i m t o enhance our repository of mental health professionals and extend our reach to

I n d i a a n d b e y o n d Secondly, I emphasise the i m p o r t a n c e o f i n - p e r s o n interaction in our services, i n c o r p o r a t i n g g r o u p s e ssions, expressive arts therapy, and somatic therapies to offer diverse experiences

b e y o n d t r a d i t i o n a l t a l k therapy Thirdly, our focus r e m a i n s o n i n n o v a t i o n , p a r t i c u l a r

o f p r o o f , which is 'on the balance of p r o b a b i l i t i e s ' , r a t h e r t h a n the stricter criminal standard This adjustment aims to facilitate actions in cases

that often rely on one pers o n ’ s t e s t i m o n y a g a i n s t another's

I n t r o d u c e d i n 2 0 1 9 , SPOs are designed to curb stalking early on by restricting perpetrators from entering certain areas, contacting v i c t i m s , a n d i m p o r t a n t l y , p r o h i b i t i n g t h e m f r o m recording the victims

Smoking rises 25% among middle-class women

Research ind icates a 25 p er c en t i n cr eas e i n s m o ki ng am o ng yo u ng er m i d d leclass wom en over the past decad e, despite it being the leading cause of prev entable death in the UK , responsible for 76,0 00 d eaths annually

A study by UCL, funded by Cancer Research UK and published in BMC Medicine, analysed data from nearly 200,000 adults in England's

S m o k i n g T o o l k i t S t u d y , f o c u s i n g o n o v e r 4 4 , 0 0 0 women aged 18-45 While o v e r

o m h i g h e r s o c i o e c o n o m i c g r o u p s w h o s m o k e d increased from 12% to 15% In contrast, smoking among less advantaged women of t h e s a m e a g e g r o u p decreased from 29% to 22%

The study also found a s h i f t t o w a r d s h a n d - r o l l e d c i g a r e t t e s , w i t h 5 4 % o f smokers of all ages now predominantly using roll-ups, up from 42% in 2013 This

trend was especially significant among women aged 18 t o 4 5 , w h e r e h a n d - r o l l e d c i g a r e t t e u s a g e r o s e f r o m 41% to 61%

The authors suggest that financial strains, heightened by job losses during the pandemic and increased domest i c r e s p o n s i b i l i t i e s , m a y have exacerbated the smoking rates among economically impacted women, leading them to switch to more a f f o r d a b l e h a n d - r o l l e d cigarettes

Female doctors linked to lower patient mortality

New research sugg ests th at patients treated by female do ctors have low er m ortality rates in h ospitals A d d i t i o n a l l y , f e m a l e patients treated by female physicians are less likely to b e r e a d m i t t e d w i t h i n 3 0 days after discharge

The study, which analy s e d 8 0 0 , 0 0 0 p a t i e n t s , r e v e a l e d t h a t a l l p a t i e n t s b e n e f i t e d f r o m h a v i n g a

female physician, with the most significant difference observed in female patients

This led the scientists from UCLA to suggest that the difference could be due to male doctors underestimating the severity of their female patients’ illnesses, as previous research has shown that male doctors underestimate pain levels, gastrointestinal and cardiovascular

symptoms, and stroke risk

Dr Yusuke Tsugawa, the senior author of the study and an associate professor at the David Geffen School of M e d i c i n e a t U C L A , s a i d : “What our findings indicate i s t h a t f e m a l e a n d m a l e p h y s i c i a n s p r a c t i s e m e d i c i n e d i f f e r e n t l y , a n d t h e s e d i f f e r e n c e s h a v e a m e a n i n g f u l i m p a c t o n patient’s health outcomes

Subhasini Naicker

Manasi Gupta

A c c o r d i n g t o d a t a s h a r e d i n a YouGov poll, Zoe Garbett of the Green Party stands with 9% of the vote, followed by Lib Dem Rob Blackie at 8%, and Howard Cox of Reform UK at 6% Labour maint a i n s a s i g n i f i c a n t l e a d i n Westminster voting intention at 55%, reflecting overall support for the party in the capital

D e s p i t e K h a n ' s l e a d , 5 3 % o f L o n d o n e r s r e m a i n u n d e c i d e d about Susan Hall, indicating a lack of visibility and awareness of the Conservative candidate Of those familiar with Hall, only 18% hold a favourable opinion Sadiq Khan is e n j o y i n g a 3 9 % a p p r o v a l r a t i n g , while 49% view him negatively In contrast, Susan Hall is struggling to gain approval among voters, highlighting the Conservatives' challenge in presenting a viable alternative

While Khan maintains a lead, only 36% of Londoners believe he has performed well as mayor, with 52% expressing dissatisfaction The cost of living emerges as a significant factor influencing voter decisions, cited by 59% of respondents O t h e r i m p o r t a n t i s s u e s i n c l u d e crime and policing (41%) and housing (34%)

Expectations regarding Khan's impact on key issues vary, with m a n y a n t i c i p a t i n g n e g a t i v e o u tc o m e s , p a r t i c u l a r l y r e g a r d i n g transport costs and crime rates

The expansion of the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) remains a d i v i s i v e i s s u e , w i t h 4 2 % o f Londoners supporting the change a n d 4 4 % o p p o s e d W h i l e K h a n maintains a lead in the polls, concerns over key issues and dissatisfaction with his performance suggest that the mayoral election outcome remains uncertain

Ke y factors influe ncing vot er s

This year, voters will not only have to carry their voter ID cards, but also carry identity proof such as a passport, driving licence, Older or Disabled Person's bus passes, and O y s t e r 6 0 + c a r d s a m o n g s t 2 2 options provided by the government

I n t h e r e c e n t I p s o s P o l i t i c a l

Pulse survey conducted from April 21st to 24th, English voters were asked about the key factors influe n c i n g t h e i r d e c i s i o n s i n t h e upcoming local elections 42% of respondents emphasise the significance of local council performance in their voting decisions, while 41% prioritise promises made by local parties National issues, including party policies and government performance, are also deemed import a n t b y 3 3 % a n d 3 1 % o f v o t e r s , respectively

Top Concerns include the cost of living (52%) and the state of the NHS (45%) are the primary concerns for voters, followed by the condition of infrastructure (38%) a n d c r i m e p r e v e n t i o n ( 3 8 % )

However, there are notable differe n c e s a c r o s s a g e g r o u p s , w i t h y o u n g e r v o t e r s p r i o r i t i s i n g e c onomic and healthcare issues, while older voters focus more on infrastructure and crime

Regarding party expectations, the public anticipates a shift in local council seats, with 55% predicting losses for the Conservatives a n d 4 5 % e x p e c t i n g g a i n s f o r

Labour Labour is perceived as outperforming the Conservatives in various local priorities, including listening to residents (24% vs 13%), delivering value for money (22% vs

AN UPHILL BATTLE FOR THE TORIES?

14%), and improving local quality of life (22% vs 15%)

P o l l i n g d a t a f r o m S a v a n t a ' s recent survey for the Centre for London earlier last month showed that more than half (58 per cent) of Londoners questioned think that Khan has done badly at dealing with knife crime and gangs These f i g u r e s w e r e m o r e p r o n o u n c e d among older respondents and people who had voted Conservative in 2019

According to the data, 47 per cent of 18 – 34-year-olds think that Khan has done badly on this metric, compared to 78 per cent of those over the age of 55 Among those who voted Tory at the last general election the number was 71 per cent, compared to 55 per cent who voted Labour Commun ity spea ks over voting a nd policie s Dr C h a m u K u pp u s wa my o f

H e r t f o r d s h i r e U n i v e r s i t y ,

C on v e n or o f t he E nv i r on m en t a l Law an d Bio-law Inte re st Gr oups at the Eur opean Socie ty Int ern at ion al a t t he Eu r o p e a n S oc i e t y o f I n t e r n a t i on a l L a w t o l d t h e newsweekly, “This should be an interesting election to watch, for the obvious reasons that they are a h a r b i n g e r o f w h a t i s t o c o m e nationally I am certainly putting Environmental issues on the top, air pollution and remedial measures like the ULEZ need to be enhanced Much more should be done urgently to tackle pollution and climate change I would like to see action on climate change as an i m p o r t a n t i s s u e i n t h e n a t i o n a l elections, we cannot afford to take our eyes off the ball while focusing on the cost of living crisis and wars, I will be closely watching what the key national parties will have to offer on this, given that the govern-

ment has been disappointing in delivering on climate change ”

Pr e si d e n t Hi n d u Fo r u m o f Br i t a i n & T r u st e e o f t h e HF B C ha r it y, Tr u pt i Pa t e l t old A si an Vo i ce , “ R e p r e s e n t i n g t h e H i n d u community, we expect our political r e p r e s e n t a t i v e s t o h a v e a c l e a n track record in values incorporati n g e q u a l i t y , j u s t p o l i c i e s , n o appeasement towards single faith or community and build the nation

towards 'Ram Rajya' In Greater London along with ULEZ, the safety and security of residents from serious crimes like knife attacks and persistent hate crimes towards Hindus will play a major role in the H i n d u c o m m u n i t y a s t o w h o stands with them, who raises their c o n c e r n t o t h e a u t h o r i t i e s a n d chooses accordingly as their representative Although the cost of living will also be a major factor in choosing a member of parliament, depending on what Political Parties are proposing to combat it, people will need to assess as to 'do I vote for a short-term gain or help in longer run to keep building the nation towards more stable and safe country’ In conclusion, we will vote for the candidates by their credentials ”

Surge in women can didat es for Local Election s

A record number of women candidates are vying for positions in the upcoming local elections, signalling a notable shift in political p a r t i c i p a t i o n A s o f n o w , 5 6 2 women have registered to contest the elections, marking a significant increase from previous years This figure exceeds the total number of women candidates from the previous election cycle, with three weeks

r e m a i n i n g u n t i l t h e n o m i n a t i o n deadline

Data compiled by Maynooth

U n i v e r s i t y l e c t u r e r D r A d r i a n Kavanagh reveals that the current tally of women candidates stands at 33 2% of all declared candidates, totalling 1,695 individuals thus far This surge reflects a growing trend of female engagement in local politics For context, the number of w o m e n c o n t e s t i n g e l e c t i o n s h a s steadily increased over the years, from 314 in 2009 to 561 in 2019

Despite the absence of gender q u o t a s f o r l o c a l e l e c t i o n c a n d idates, there is a notable push for gender balance in political representation The upcoming general election mandates that 40% of candidates must be women, highlighting the importance of gender diversity in political decision-making

The rise in women candidates can be attributed to various factors, including increased awareness of the impact of local and national policies on communities, especially amidst the backdrop of the Covid-

1 9 p a n d e m i c M a n y w o m e n a r e actively seeking avenues to con-

t r i b u t e t o d e c i s i o n - m a k i n g p r ocesses and address issues affecting their localities

However, despite the positive momentum, gender disparities persist in local government representation Currently, only one in four councillors are women, and 41 local

substantial losses, particularly in critical mayoral races like those in t h e W e s t M i d l a n d s a n d T e e s Valley "If we lose 500 seats and both mayoralties, he’s in trouble," remarked one prominent Tory figure, highlighting the severity of the s i t u a t i o n A n o t h e r a d d e d t h a t while Sunak might survive such a challenge, his authority would be severely weakened

The Conservative Party's electoral prospects appear grim compared to their performance in 2021 w h e n t h e y s e c u r e d a n a t i o n a l e q u i v a l e n t v o t e s h a r e o f 4 0 %

Recent polls, however, indicate a significant drop, with the Financial Times election poll tracker showing the Tories at 23 6% With hundreds of seats potentially at risk, the party faces a challenging electoral landscape

authority areas lack any female representation This underscores the ongoing need for efforts to prom o t e g e n d e r e q u i t y i n p o l i t i c a l leadership roles

The big pictur e

The upcoming local elections on 2 May feature contests for 2,660 council seats across 107 areas, with both Labour and the Conservatives defending nearly 1,000 seats each While politicians focus on local issues like bins and potholes, these e l e c t i o n s a l s o s e r v e a s n a t i o n a l indicators, setting the stage for the next general election Many local election results will be announced overnight into Friday 3 May, with more expected to follow througho u t t h e d a y , a n d a f e w t o b e a n n o u n c e d o v e r t h e w e e k e n d Mayoral results will be declared on Friday and Saturday 4 May The L o n d o n A s s e m b l y e l e c t i o n s w i l l also be declared on Saturday

Recent national polls suggest p o t e n t i a l l o s s e s f o r t h e Conservatives in local seats, chall e n g i n g t h e i r 2 0 2 1 s u c c e s s e s

k s f

h e r gains in councils like Bristol and Norwich Reform UK presents a wildcard element, contesting seats i n B o l t o n a n d H a r t l e p o o l E a c h party faces unique challenges and opportunities, shaping the landscape of the upcoming local elections and potentially influencing future parliamentary aspirations

Pivota l momen t for Sunak

R i s h i S u n a k f a c e s a p i v o t a l moment on May 2 as voters in England and Wales participate in s i g n i f i c a n t l o c a l e l e c t i o n s , w i t h polls indicating a potential landslide defeat for his Conservative P a r t y T h e r e ' s a p r e v a i l i n g f e a r among some Tory MPs that Prime Minister Sunak could face a vote of no-confidence if the party suffers

Meanwhile, Labour has seen a resurgence in polling, with their n a t i o n a l v o t e s h a r e a v e r a g i n g 43 5%, a stark improvement from t h e i r 3 0 % p e r f o r m a n c e i n 2 0 2 1 when questions lingered about Sir Keir Starmer's leadership Labour is defending 933 seats, positioning them as a formidable opponent in these elections

The outcome of these elections

c o u l d s p e l l t r o u b l e f o r S u n a k ' s leadership if Labour secures victories in key areas like London, West

Midlands, and Tees Valley A loss of 500 seats coupled with defeat in t h e m a y o r a l t i e s w o u l d i n t e n s i f y calls for a leadership change within t h e C o n s e r v a t i v e P a r t y Y e t , Sunak's allies hint at the possibility of a snap general election in June t o m i t i g a t e i n t e r n a l d i v i s i o n s , underscoring the high stakes of these local contests

Will Labou r clinch v ictory in all metro mayo r elections?

Labour's incumbents, includi n g A n d y B u r n h a m , S t e v e R o t h e r a m , T r a c y B r a b i n , O l i v e r Coppard, and Sadiq Khan, are likel y t o r e t a i n t h e i r p o s i t i o n s H o w e v e r , C o n s e r v a t i v e m a y o r s Andy Street and Ben Houchen face c h a l l e n g e s a m i d l o w e r p a r t y polling A Labour clean sweep is improbable, but successful candidates will push for further regional investment

P r e d i c t i o n s s u g g e s t t h a t Londoners will cast their votes for mayor, with Sadiq Khan aiming for a third term, alongside the memb e r s o f t h e L o n d o n a s s e m b l y

"Everyone anticipates Sadiq Khan's v i c t o r y , a n d t h e r e ' s l i t t l e d o u b t a b o u t i t , " r e m a r k e d T w y m a n

"However, if the margin is narrower than expected, it could offer some shielding for Rishi Sunak " Strategists from both sides will s c r u t i n i s e t h e o u t c o m e s i n t h e c o m m u t e r b e l t s u r r o u n d i n g London, dubbed the "doughnut," where the Conservatives hope to l e v e r a g e d i s s

Dr Chamu Kuppuswamy

Susan Hall

Sadiq Khan

Trupti Patel

Gujarat will be celebrating its formation day on May 1, marking the anniversary of its establishment as a distinct state in 1960 following the division of the former state of Bombay into Gujarat and Maharashtra This division was made to accommodate linguistic preferences under the Bombay Reorganisation Act of 1960

When celebrating Gujarat, it's important to acknowledge the sign i f i c a n t G u j a r a t i d i a s p o r a T h e United Kingdom is home to the t h i r d - l a r g e s t o v e r s e a s G u j a r a t i p o p u l a t i o n , n u m b e r i n g a r o u n d 800,000, which accounts for more than half of the UK's total Indian p o p u l a t i o n o f 1 5 m i l l i o n I n Britain, Gujaratis are regarded as affluent middle-class individuals w h o h a v e e f f e c t i v e l y i n t e g r a t e d into society They are especially recognised for revolutionising the corner shop sector and boosting the British economy, leading to significant changes in the country's retail laws

The migration of the Gujarati community to the UK began in 1956, initially involving students and later expanding to economic migrants The influx of Gujaratis from East Africa starting in 1968 b r o u g h t s i g n i f i c a n t c h a l l e n g e s , including racism, which made it d i f f i c u l t t o s e c u r e h o u s i n g a n d employment This situation deteriorated further with the arrival of Asians from Uganda in 1972, escalating racial tensions and exacerbating the housing crisis Despite these obstacles, Gujaratis placed a strong emphasis on their children's education and frequently took up jobs in corner shops, working tirelessly to support their families Instead of forming a unified pressure group to address community

c o n c e r n s w i t h t h e g o v e r n m e n t , Gujaratis often established separate caste-based organisations

In 1986, recognising the divis i o n s w i t h i n t h e i r c o m m u n i t y , v i s i o n a r y e l d e r s f o u n d e d t h e N a t i o n a l C o n g r e s s o f G u j a r a t i Organisations UK to foster unity

T h i s o r g a n i s a t i o n l a t e r e v o l v e d i n t o t h e N a t i o n a l C o u n c i l o f G u j a r a t i O r g a n i s a t i o n s U K (NCGO(UK)), attracting numerous Gujarati groups as members History, achievements and role in supporting the Gujarati community in the UK

U n d e r t h e g u i d a n c e o f C B Patel and with the strong support from his newsweeklies Asian Voice and Gujarat Samachar, NCGO(UK)

has successfully campaigned for direct flights between London and Ahmedabad As an organisation

dedicated to representing Gujarati rights, it maintains robust connections with all political parties in the UK Historically, it has convened meetings in central London with candidates from all three parties to discuss their proposals for t h e G u j a r a t i c o m m u n i t y T h e organisation has also held Gujarat Day at the Parliament House with Priti Patel during her tenure as Home Minister and presented the interests of the Gujarati community to various UK MPs and Lords

A d d i t i o n a l l y , N C G O ( U K ) keeps strong ties with political repr e s e n t a t i v e s f r o m G u j a r a t S t a t e and Delhi, advocating for the welfare of Gujaratis in the UK The organisation works towards identifying and analysing the cultural, religious, social, educational, linguistic, and economic needs of all sections of the Gujarati community, and promoting projects and solutions to meet these needs It also aims to encourage and assist i n e s t a b l i s h i n g l o c a l G u j a r a t i organisations in areas where they are absent

T h e o r g a n i s a t i o n r e p r e s e n t s the interests of the Gujarati community to government organisations at both national and international levels and conducts seminars on significant issues It plays a p i v o t a l r o l e i n s u p p o r t i n g t h e rights of the UK Gujarati community, advocating on various matters such as obtaining Indian visas and Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI) It collaborates closely with local UK authorities to assist with

housing and grants for member organisations, aiming to empower the UK Gujarati community and ensure their voices are heard on significant issues

During a Gujarat Day celebrat i o n , N C G O ( U K ) w e l c o m e d P a r s h o t t a m b h a i R u p a l a , w i t h patron CB and its EC members, a n d r e c e i v e d a n i n v i t a t i o n t o Wembley during a visit by India s c u r r e n t P r i m e M i n i s t e r , S h r i Narendra Modi The organisation has also hosted other dignitaries from Gujarat and Delhi, such as the former CM Vijaybhai Rupani, d u r i n g t h e i r v i s i t s t o t h e U K M o r e o v e r , t h e o r g a n i s a t i o n h a s cooperated with HCI for Pravasi B h a r a t i y a D i v a s - 2 0 2 3 h e l d i n I n d o r e , d u r i n g w h i c h C B P a t e l r e c e i v e d t h e P r a v a s i B h a r a t i y a Samman Awards

The organisation functions as an official service to help resolve grievances and disputes within the Gujarati community It endeavo u r s t o p r o m o t e h a r m o n y a n d understanding within the Gujarati community and foster good relat i o n s b e t w e e n d i f f e r e n t r a c i a l groups for the benefit of the community

Championing cultural preservation and community engagement

N C G O ( U K ) h a s g a r n e r e d unwavering support in promoting and preserving Gujarati culture, language, and traditions With this help, significant milestones have been achieved, making a notable impact within the Gujarati com-

When it comes to the involvement of the community, NCGO(UK) seeks active involvement to enhance its effectiveness and impact, with non-affiliated organisations encouraged to join to help unify and strengthen the community's voice These organisations can assist by relaying the concerns of their members to NCGO(UK) and disseminating its messages to their members Additionally, the business community is invited to support the organisation either through direct financial contributions or by sponsoring its events and urged to promote and participate in the events actively. Furthermore, organisations are requested to seek nominations at the AGM for individuals who desire and ability to contribute to NCGO(UK)’s mission While NCGO(UK) can raise issues independently, substantial

How can the community help?

support could enable it to play a more significant role

Strengthening NCGO(UK) with in-house talent, capability, and financial power is crucial for the future of the Gujarati community, especially in protecting and nurturing the prospects of the youth Therefore, NCGO(UK) continues to urge affiliation and active participation from all Gujarati organisations in its initiatives to safeguard and enhance the community’s future

NCGO(UK) invites everyone to join in their efforts to build a brighter future for the Gujarati community. Through active participation and continued support, the organisation believes in achieving greater heights.

Members are encouraged to engage in upcoming events, share ideas, and contribute to community betterment, which benefits both individual members and the community as a whole

m u n i t y L o o k i n g a h e a d , NCGO(UK) is excited to introduce

s e v e r a l i n n o v a t i v e i n i t i a t i v e s aimed at growth and delivering unparalleled value for its members

The organisation is dedicated

t o e n h a n c i n g t h e m e m b e r s h i p experience, with plans to make it even more rewarding in the comi n g m o n t h s A d d i t i o n a l l y , a vibrant lineup of cultural events is scheduled to celebrate the rich Gujarati heritage through festivals and language programs, aiming to preserve and promote the culture in all its glory

A major concern has been the formation of the British GujaratiA P P G ( A l l - P a r t y P a r l i a m e n t a r y Group), which NCGO(UK) firmly opposes due to its lack of proper consultation with the community

T

language as fundamental to identity, the organisation is also committed to language preservation with efforts underway to provide resources for Gujarati language classes to ensure that future generations remain connected to their roots

Feedback is always welcome, and members are encouraged to reach out to President Vimalji Odedra on 07718 539 114 or Secretary General Sanjaybhai Odedra on 07956 332 916 with any suggestions or concerns NCGO(UK) remains committed to overcoming challenges together and building a stronger, united Gujarati community

76th Independence Day celebration by HCI in 2023

Minister of Co-ordination, HCI (High Commission of India) Deepak Chaudhary was invited by NCGO UK for a discussion on Visa & OCI problems

Performers at the Rangeelu Gujarat-2023 event in West London

NCGO UK, AGM-2023 at the Sangat Advice Centre

On behalf of NCGO UK, President Vimalji Odedra honouring Gujarat CM, Bhupendra Patel

Bally Gill shares insights on latest role in Richard Molloy's comedy

Subhasini Naicker

H am p st ead D o w ns ta ir s announced the world p rem iere of Richard Mo llo y ’ s T he Harm ony Test from 1 7 M ay t o 22 J u ne Ri ch ard M olloy's uproarious comed y, " T h e H ar m o ny T es t, " d irected by A lice Hamilton, H am p st ead T h e at re s A ss o c ia te Di re ct o r, d e lv e s into life's hig hs and lows, f ro m s t art in g fa m i li es to ending m arriages It marks th eir s ec ond co llaborati on f o ll o w i ng t h e a cc la i m ed " Ev ery Da y I M a ke Greatness Hap pen," nom inated for an Olivier Aw ard A s i a n V o i c e s p o k e t o Bally Gill, a member of the play's lead cast, renowned for his award-winning portrayal of Romeo in the Royal S h a k e s p e a r e C o m p a n y ' s ' R o m e o a n d J u l i e t ' H i s r e c e n t c r e d i t s i n c l u d e appearing in 'A Midsummer N i g h t ' s D r e a m ' w i t h t h e R S C a n d s t a r r i n g i n t h e acclaimed film Allelujah C an you tell us a bit about th e c h aracter y ou w ill be p ortraying?

The play is a comedy It explores the life, positives a n d n e g a t i v e s f r o m , l i k e starting a family to the end of a marriage and everything that comes in between The character I'm portraying is K a s h , a 3 0 t o 3 3 - y e a r - o l d actor residing in London, who is eager to begin a family with his wife, Zoe The play intricately explores the journey of first-time parenth o o d , i n c l u d i n g t h e t r i a l s and tribulations of trying to conceive It also navigates the complications that arise during pregnancy and the challenges of balancing acti n g c a r e e r r e s p o n s i b i l i t i e s with familial duties As an actor myself, I find the portrayal of Kash particularly intriguing as it mirrors conversations I've had with my own partner

What drew you to this p articular role or script?

R i c h a r d M o l l o y , t h e writer, has crafted an exceptionally original and intelligent narrative His characters are not only witty but also deeply relatable, as their conversations echo real-life e x p e r i e n c e s F o r m e , t h e timing of encountering this play couldn't have been better; it resonated with pers o n a l c o n v e r s a t i o n s a n d

Bally Gill

moments from my own life

Upon reading the script and m e e t i n g w i t h A l e x Hamilton, the director, I felt an immediate connection to t h e m a t e r i a l T h e p l a y ' s humour and its exploration of diverse journeys, particul a r l y t h e c o m p l e x i t i e s o f relationships and embarking on the next life chapter, captivated me The character I portray undergoes significant growth throughout the story, evolving from a y o u t h f u l f i g u r e i n t o a mature, responsible partner This transformation deeply a p p e a l e d t o m e Furthermore, the opportun i t y t o w o r k a t t h e H a m p s t e a d T h e a t r e , a venue I ve long admired but never had the chance to perform at due to scheduling conflicts, adds an extra layer o f e x c i t e m e n t I ' m t r u l y thrilled to be part of this production T he play likely involves collaboration with oth er actors W h at' s yo u r ap p r o ac h to w o rkin g w ith yo u r fell ow cast members?

During our first week of r e h e a r s a l s , w e ' v e b e e n immersing ourselves in the script by reading through scenes and engaging in ind e p t h d i s c u s s i o n s a b o u t c h a r a c t e r d e v e l o p m e n t T h e s e c o n v e r s a t i o n s h a v e b e e n p a r t i c u l a r l y f r u i t f u l w i t h m y c o - s t a r , P e a r l C h a n d a , w h o p l a y s Z o e

We've been grappling with questions like when did our characters get married, or where did they attend university, in order to infuse o u r p e r f o r m a n c e s w i t h d e p t h a n d a u t h e n t i c i t y Recently, we've begun incorp o r a t i n g i m p r o v i s a t i o n s into our process, exploring w h a t h a p p e n s b e f o r e t h e scenes to establish a rich

backstory By delving into the relationships and conn e c t i o n s b e t w e e n c h a r a cters, we re building a solid foundation for our performances It's an exciting process of discovery as we bring the world of the play to life How do es this role com pare to others you h av e played in the past? Is there anything unique abo ut it?

T h i s r o l e i s d i f f e r e n t from my usual portrayals of young lovers and romantic l e a d s I t ' s r e f r e s h i n g t o embody a character who is closer to my own age and stage in life What's remarkable about this part is how well-written it is; Richard Molloy has crafted a charact e r t h a t f e e l s e f f o r t l e s s l y n a t u r a l t o i n h a b i t I t ' s unique from the roles I've p l a y e d b e f o r e , b u t i n t h e best possible way This character brings out a different aspect of my acting abilities, allowing me to explore comedy, which I relish, amidst the emotional depth of the story While I typically gravitate towards more serious roles, this play strikes a perf e c t b a l a n c e b e t w e e n h u m o u r a n d h e a r t f e l t moments It's a delight to be part of a production that o f f e r s b o t h l a u g h t e r a n d poignant insights into the c h a r a c t e r s ' j o u r n e y s I ' m t r u l y e a g e r t o s h a r e t h i s experience with audiences W h at d o y o u h o p e a ud iences w ill take away from the p erfo rmance?

I h o p e a u d i e n c e s f i n d the play funny as well The experiences depicted, particularly those of being in a couple, whether younger or slightly older, may resonate deeply with some viewers Going through those stages of life and relationships can be incredibly recognisable Additionally, the dynamics of the other relationship in the play, where the couple is in their 40s and navigating the breakdown of their relationship after their daughter leaves for university, offer a d i f f e r e n t p e r s p e c t i v e I t explores how having a child c a n i m p a c t a r e l a t i o n s h i p and the challenges of maintaining love and connection over time Ultimately, the play delves into the comp l e x i t i e s o f r e l a t i o n s h i p s and family, showcasing the trials and tribulations that come with them

Inaugural Khushwant Singh LitFest at Cambridge

Raj

Bajaj discusses portraying Changez in RSC adaptation of “The Buddha of Suburbia"

Amidst the socio-economic challenges of late seventies South London high unemployment, inflation, food shortages, and strikes, 17-year-old Karim stands on the cusp of a transformative journey

Royal Shakespeare Company’s Emma Rice, in collaboration with Hanif Kureishi, breathes life into the plot of the celebrated 1990 novel, "The Buddha of Suburbia," in a dynamic stage adaptation Against a backdrop of societal flux, the play delves into themes of family, friendship, identity, and belonging with captivating allure and emotional resonance

Dee Ahluwalia, renowned for his perf o r m a n c e s i n " O u r G e n e r a t i o n " a t t h e N a t i o n a l T h e a t r e a n d " S e x E d u c a t i o n , " embodies the protagonist, Karim, while Ankur Bahl, acclaimed for roles in "The Father and The Assassin" at the National T h e a t r e a n d " A M i d s u m m e r N i g h t ' s Dream" at Shakespeare's Globe, assumes t h e r o l e o f K a r i m ' s f a t h e r , H a r o o n

Additionally, Raj Bajaj, known for his work in "The Merchant of Venice" and "The Djinns of Eidgah," takes on the character of Changez

T h e p r o d u c t i o n , w h i c h d e b u t e d o n April 18, will run at the Swan Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon until June 11

In an interview with Asian Voice, Raj Bajaj discusses his character and it’s complexities

Can you share some insights into your character, Changez, and his role in the play? What excites you the most about bringing his story to life on stage?

Changez is Jamila's husband He's thirty years old and though he came highly recommended by one of Anwar's cousins in Bombay, Changez defies all expectations

While Anwar wants a strapping young man

capable of working in his grocery store and p r o v i d i n g h i m w i t h g r a n d c h i l d r e n , Changez doesn't care to work, and Jamila refuses to have sex with him Despite all of this, Changez is generally cheerful He s p e n d s h i s d a y s r e a d i n g a n d w a l k i n g around London with Karim He and Karim soon become good friends One of his many roles in the play is to bring joy, naivety love

In the original novel, Changez's character undergoes one of the most complex arcs and relationships Which elements of his journey resonate with you, and how do you form an emotional connection with the character?

He's loyal, open-hearted and has a curious nature I'm very excited to have the opportunity to stage this

I think love as an emotion is extremely universal and something that resonates with me deeply Life s experiences have taught me that I'm not always able to get what I want despite how desperate I am These all help me in finding a true emotional connection with the Changez

I think audiences will enjoy Changez He's warm, lovable and determined Love is a powerful thing!

What do you think makes Changez’s story relevant to contemporary audiences?

His story is relevant because it's an immigration story Lots of Indians came to the UK in the 70s and went through many of the difficulties he faced Trying to fit in, survive and find your place in society, that's still prevalent today

UK council funding crisis prompting art sell-offs?

Numerou s lo cal councils in E ng lan d , g r ap p l in g w i th financial insolv ency du e to si g nifi cant c uts in c entral g o v ern m en t g r an ts , m a y soon be comp elled to sell off their art collectio ns

T h e K h u s h w a nt S i ng h L i ter ary F es ti v al is s et to expand beyo nd its L ond on roots to C am bridg e, marki n g i ts d eb u t at C h ri s t' s C ollege, Cambridge This expansion will see t h e f e s t i v a l r u n i n Cambridge for the first time, while continuing its tradition in London for the sixth y e a r T h e m e d " H e a l t h e World," the festival's timely focus resonates with current

g l o b a l s e n t i m e n t s P i p p a R a n n B o o k s , w h i c h m a naged the bookstall at last y e a r ’ s L o n d o n e v e n t , w i l l again supply books for both the London and Cambridge venues

The festival offers free admission, with registration a v a i l a b l e o n E v e n t b r i t e Attendees are encouraged to stay tuned for the upcoming program details

A survey conducted by the New Statesman, which included responses from 528 councils, revealed that one in four councils anticipate bankruptcy In Nottingham, facing its financial crisis, the c i t y c o u n c i l a n n o u n c e d plans in November 2023 to s l a s h f u n d i n g t o c u l t u r a l i n s t i t u t i o n s , r e d u c e t h e museum budget, and reevaluate library services while maintaining support for the theatre and concert hall

Local governments are significant public funders of the arts, essential for urban regeneration and economic contribution

I n r e s p o n s e t o t h e s e f i n a n c i a l c h a l l e n g e s , t h e central government has allocated emergency funds to s o m e l o c a l a u t h o r i t i e s , mainly through its "levelling up" scheme

L a s t N o v e m b e r , £ 1 0 0 million was earmarked for c u l t u r a l e x p e n d i t u r e s F o r instance, Harlow Council in Essex recently secured £20 million to develop a new arts and culture hub featuring a gallery and pavilion

M e a n w h i l e , A C E p l a n s t o invest around £640 million annually in arts organisations until 2026

u s

According to Arts Council England (ACE), t h e c r e a t i v e i n d u s t r i e s account for approximately 5 9% of the UK's GDP and s u p p o r t 2 2 m i l l i o n j o b s , growing four times faster than the overall economy before the pandemic

d e d t

H o w e v e r , t h e r e c e n t g o v e r n m e n t b u d g e t i n d icates that further unspecified cuts may be necessary unless there is an economic u p t u r n a n d i n c r e a s e d t a x revenue

With museums reducing operating hours and instituting entry fees, their survival may increasingly rely on private donations, corporate sponsorships, and official contributions

I n d i r e c i r c u m s t a n c e s , l o c a l a u t h o r i t i e s m i g h t resort to deaccessioning selling artworks from council museum collections a measure that is as practical as it is controversial

p r epandemic levels, and since 2 0 1 5 , e x h i b i t i o n t a x r e l i e f has supported the development of both temporary and p e r m a n e n t e x h i b i t i o n s , among other tax relief initiatives

Rehearsal still: Raj Bajaj

Fathima Zahra: On Her Performance Poetry

There is a meditative mellifluousness in Fath ima’s v oice: fitting ly reflective of her beautiful yet mov ing, p ro found verse One line from the p oem , Purgatory, written during lockd own, for examp le, reads: ‘Before the fear of sm all spaces/ Before this ache for o thers’ hands and bodies/ I imagined ballroo ms into th e cramped cu pboard ’ Fathima is a notable perform ance poet, and is a Barbican Y oung P o e t a nd a Ro u nd h o u se P o e try C ollective alumna Sh e has perform ed at esteemed urban venues in London such as Café Oto in East London and T he Rou nd house in Chalk Farm Her w o r k h as w o n th e B ri d p o r t P r i ze, Wells Fest Young Poets Prize and the A sia Hou se P oetry Slam She is a winner in the M oon Poetry and Go ld en S hovel C hallenges

She has been compared to British war-time poets, and there is even a hint of Flaubert’s Madame Bovary evident in the emotion However, with her fearless modern embrace of complex subjectivity, Fathima emerges as her own brand of literary posterity We sat down to talk on the evening prec e d i n g E i d : “ I t h a s b e e n a g o o d Ramadan,” Fathima shared “I’ve been able to spend it with family There is much more to the month for me and the community: it is a time about much more than giving up food and water where one is given the opportunity to look inwards Once you get used to the physical sensations of fasting, there is a phase of being reflective You get used to the difficulty and there is a lot of mental clarity Growing up, it was easy to go through the motions: turn up at t h e t a b l e , w a k e u p before sunrise and sit with loved ones It wasn’t until I was a t e e n a g e r t h a t I b e g a n e n g a g i n g d e e p l y w i t h m y faith and thought d i f f e r e n t l y a b o u t life ”

As well as the celebration of cultural tradition then there is an underlying lamenting of personal repression that creates her distinctively fiery yet v u l n e r a b l e t o n e S e n t i m e n t a l i t y i s fused with a type of domestic claustrophobia Fathima commented on the paradox: “Much of my writing is a stand against silence and a lot of the situations growing up where I was not heard A lot of poems revolve around

other – there is something stirring in holding onto what defines you not matter how challenging that is Even though we have moved countries, I always feel as if I am living in two places at once – there is a looking back and desire to honour the memory of these places It exists in the heart as even if we went back it wouldn’t be the same!” Finally, Fathima’s poetry goes beyond an exploration of contemporary Islamic identity to commemorate the cadence of cosmopolitanism itself

What have been some of your favourite venues to perform e g I really love Cafe Oto for the intimate vibe?

I l o v e r e a d i n g s i n b o o k s h o p s because they are a very safe space – I enjoy being able to browse The venue is intimate just by the very fact of being smaller In terms of memorable p e r f o r m a n c e , I h a v e e n j o y e d t h e R o u n d h o u s e a n d d o i n g t h e p o e t r y s l a m t h e r e I t w a s a w e - i n s p i r i n g : incredible bands have performed in a place with such history The people there were so warm and really took care of the artists

Shefali Saxena

The Big Garba was celebrated on 14 A pril and 21 April and is also planned for 1st M ay o n th e o c c as i on o f Gu j ar at D ay in C en tra l London

T o C e l e b r a t e t h e UNESCO Status of Garba, B r i t i s h W o m e n i n S a r e e s

( D r D i p t i J a i n , C h a i r p e r s o n ) i n c o l l a b o r ation with Inspiring Indian Women ( Founder and CEO

It was also a part of an Educational Project to bring communities other than the G u j a r a t i s t o e x p l o r e t h i s u n i q u e d a n c e s t y l e a n d m a n y o f t h e p a r t i c i p a n t s through this event were able to experience for the first t i m e w e h a d p a r t i c i p a n t s from all states of India settled in the United Kingdom

“I see this reckoning with a sense of belonging across a lot of poets of different diasporas"

I n d e e d , m u c h o f F a t h i m a ’ s w o r k c e n t r e s on the conflict of modern and shifting identity, especially t h r o u g h t h e l e n s o f c r o s s - c u l t u r a l experience, and ultimately, interestingly, the ubiquity of patriarchy Her debut pamphlet, ‘Sargam / Swargam’ (2021), which is a collection of poems described as consisting of ‘recurring obsessions including belonging, girlhood and relationships which touch on themes of shame, desire and an u n e a s y b u r g e o n i n g i n t o m a t u r i t y ”

This is evident in the verse entitled, London Aquatics Centre, Stratford, where a line reads: ‘The first time you wear a bikini in/public, it’s ladies’ hour at the local/pool, your mother’s disapproving brows follow you The changing room is filled with the ghosts of/ middle-school girls’ staccato laugh ’ In a n o t h e r p o e m , R a m a d a n 2 0 1 9 , Fathima writes: ‘We stalk the moon all month round, lick/our lips, till the Adhan goes off on our phones/dig our teeth into the soft flesh of dates, wash ’

things that have happened to me or fictionalised versions of what women a r o u n d m e w e r e e x p e r i e n c i n g M y world was one of a matriarchal family and spaces When you don’t speak, what you do write really stands out As a child, I was quite shy and not outspok e n a n d e v e n w h e n I a m a r o u n d women today with whom I am comfortable, I don’t always share deep experiences I don’t know if this is necessarily an expression o f c u l t u r a l c o nf l i c t o r t o d o w i t h b a c kg r o u n d –rather an individual observation of a common thread living in a patriarchal society and trying to resist the w a y s i n w h i c h i t manifests as a woman ”

C o n s e q u e n t l y p e r f o r m i n g h e r poetry has been an organic amplification of this resilient voice “I have always enjoyed being on stage – when it came to having a little push, I absolutely loved the limelight – the aspect of the open mic really excites me ” Fathima has also moved a lot in her life which has enhanced her appreciation of intimate tradition even as she seeks to interrogate the wider gendered construct: “I see this reckoning with sense of belonging across a lot of poets of different diasporas I am from India, but grew up across Saudi Arabia and then moved to England in my twenties You need to learn to adapt but also carve out an understanding for what your culture and identity means in a different place That sense of pride and individuality comes from preserving cultural tradition It will be the last day of Ramadan soon and we will dress up and put Mehendi on each

What are some of the poetic devices you enjoy exploring?

Use of metaphors and repetition, even when I wrote short stories and prose I enjoyed working with different poetic forms There is something i n s u b v e r t i n g t r a d i t i o n e g t h e Petrarchan sonnet There is a patriarchal allusion as to why the sonnet came about in that it was written as a love poem where the woman was not necessarily expected to speak back I enjoy reclaiming it through my tradition

What, in your opinion, does it take to be a strong performance poet?

Authenticity Over the years, the performers that have stood out are the ones in which the poet is being themselves and are not necessarily imitating other styles that may be more successful or popular When you are reading out a poem, it is important to consider what feels natural: do you want to dramatize every line or be quiet? Figure that and stay true to yourself Also, watching and learning from other spoken word performers helps affirm for yourself that there are many ways to approach the form

Finally, who have been some literary influences?

It changes over time, but there h a v e b e e n c o n s t a n t s s u c h a s S a f i a Elhillo, Tishani Doshi and Raymond Antrobus – my favourite poets are those who expand my thinking about language and belonging and the world in general

To read more of Fathima’s work, please see W: https://shop brookes ac uk/product-catalogue/faculty-of-humanitiessocial-sciences/poetrypamphlets/sargam-swargam-by-fathima-zahra

This event has sent a strong message of our varied and rich cultural heritage and enjoyed by many

R a s h m i M i s h r a ) a n d N a t i o n a l C o u n c i l o f Gujarati organisations with the support of 70 organisations brought together 250 Dancers from all walks of Life all ages Professionals to participate in this beautiful f o r m o f D a n c e a n d p e rformed on unique venues like London Tower Bridge, K i n g ’ s C r o s s s t a t i o n a n d other iconic places

Garba is a dance that honours, worships, and celebrates the feminine form

o f d i v i n i t y T h e w o r d

" g a r b a " c o m e s f r o m t h e S a n s k r i t w o r d g a r b h a , m e a n i n g " w o m b "

Traditionally, the dance is performed by women in a circle around a clay lantern with a light inside, called a garbha deep ("womb lamp")

Garba is performed in a c i r c l e r e p r e s e n t i n g t h e H i n d u v i e w o f t i m e I n Hinduism, time is cyclical As the cycle of time revolves, from birth to life to death to rebirth, the only constant

t h i n g i s t h e G o d d e s s , a n u n m o v i n g s y m b o l i n t h e midst of all of this unending and infinite movement

The dance symbolises that God, r e p r e s e n t e d i n f e m i n i n e form in this case, is the only t h i n g t h a t r e m a i n s unchanging in a constantly changing universe (jagat)

o t h e r c o m m u n i t i e s a n d n a t i o n a l i t i e s w h o e n j o y e d and danced with us and will take home the images of c o l o u r f u l c e l e b r a t i o n s o f India

One of the participants, A k a n s h a S h u k l a t o l d t h e newsweekly, "Garba isn't just a dance; it's a tapestry of tradition woven with every step C h o r e o g r a p h i n g t h e g a r b a event for the Gujarati comm u n i t y a t T h e S c o o p , London is a journey of pres e r v i n g h e r i t a g e w h i l e e m b r a c i n g t h e s p i r i t o f t o g e t h e r n e s s a n d f e s t i v i t y Each swirl of the steps and every rhythm resonates with the rich cultural essence of Gujarat, creating an unforgettable experience for performers and spectators alike " "The BIG Garba was truly a n i m m e r s i v e e x p e r i e n c e B e i n g a T a m i l g i r l f r o m Chennai, I felt overwhelmed not only to be a part of this huge event, I was honoured to help the team with the simple choreography up to m y k n o w l e d g e o f G a r b a With just the virtual practice s e s s i o n s t h e o u t c o m e t h a t y o u a l l w i t n e s s e d

Nadanalaya, a Bharatnatyam dance school, Reading

Sunetra Senior

FATHIMA ZAHRA

FATHIMA PERFORMING

Is Britain suffering from a “sicknote culture”?

Shefali Saxena

P M R i sh i S u na k rec e ntl y claim ed Britain was suffering from a “sicknote culture” as h e warned o f th e risk o f “ ov er-m ed icalising” no rm al w orries by diagnosing them as mental health co nd itions

In a speech on how to reduce people being signed o f f s i c k f r o m w o r k , t h e prime minister said the gove r n m e n t w a s p l a n n i n g t o t r i a l g e t t i n g “ w o r k a n d h e a l t h p r o f e s s i o n a l s ” t o issue fit notes, shifting away from GPs carrying out this role

Sunak said he was concerned about the increase in long-term sickness since the pandemic, largely driven by m e n t a l h e a l t h c o n d i t i o n s with 2 8 million people then “economically inactive”

C o n c e r n i n g m e n t a l h e a l t h , h e s a i d h e w o u l d “ never dismiss or downplay the illnesses people have”, but also argued that there was a need to be “ more honest about the risk of overm e d i c a l i z i n g t h e e v e r y d a y c h a l l e n g e s a n d w o r r i e s o f life”

As part of a new drive to overhaul the system, Sunak s a i d o n e p l a n k o f t h e r e f o r m s w o u l d b e t e s t i n g w h e t h e r r e s p o n s i b i l i t y f o r issuing sicknotes should be shifted from “overstretched” GPs to “specialist work and h e a l t h p r o f e s s i o n a l s w h o had the dedicated time to provide an objective assessment of someone ’ s ability to work and the tailored support they needed to do so ” T h e l a w w a s c h a n g e d last year to allow fit notes to b e i s s u e d b y a n y d o c t o r , nurse, pharmacist, physiot h e r a p i s t o r o c c u p a t i o n a l therapist in addition to GPs, who had traditionally overseen the system No 10 last n i g h t w o u l d n o t c l a r i f y w h e t h e r t h e g o v e r n m e n t was planning to widen the c r i t e r i a f u r t h e r t o a l l o w n o n - m e d i c a l p r o f e s s i o n a l s to issue or change fit notes as well

Sunak suggested in his speech that GPs were signing people off sick for work “ b y d e f a u l t ” , w i t h 1 1 m f i t n o t e s i s s u e d l a s t y e a r , o f which 94% assessed people as “not fit for work” No 10 claimed that the fit note system had “opened the floodgates for millions of people to be written off work and into welfare without getting

Run for Modi in London

O v e r s e a s F r i e n d s o f

BJP UK (UP Chapter) are organising Run for Modi

e v e n t i n L o n d o n , o n

Sunday , April 28 12:00 PM at Westminster Tube Station - Exit 1 to show support in large numbers for the ongoing elections in India More informa-

t i o n i s a v a i l a b l e o n ofbjpuk4up@gmail com

https://bit ly/4dohVKT

the right support and treatment they might need to help them stay in work”

However, extracts of the speech released to the media on Thursday night did not address the issue of NHS mental health capacity, with NHS bosses warning “ overwhelmed” services had been unable to cope with a big post-Covid increase in people needing help

P oorly co nceived measures will erode dignity in the workplace

Dr Ind ranil Chakravorty MBE, C onsultant Physician i n G en era l I nt ern al M ed ic i ne an d Re sp i ra to ry M e d i ci ne a t S t Ge o rg e' s University Hospital, London to ld Asian Voice, “In the UK,

d a t a f r o m t h e O f f i c e o f

N a t i o n a l S t a t i s t i c s r e p o r t t h a t t h e s i c k n e s s a b s e n c e rate rose to 2 6% in 2022, the highest since 2004 An estimated 186 million working d a y s , a m o u n t i n g t o j u s t under 6 days per worker,

w i t h m i n o r i l l n e s s e s accounting for less than a t h i r d o f o c c u r r e n c e s W o m e n , o l d e r w o r k e r s , those with long-term health

c o n d i t i o n s , w o r k i n g p a r ttime, and people working in care, leisure, or other service o c c u p a t i o n s a r e a f f e c t e d m o r e t h a n o t h e r c o h o r t s T h e r e i s e v i d e n c e t h a t w o m e n a n d m e m b e r s o f racial/ethnic minorities are more likely to feel excluded and that exclusion is linked t o j o b d i s s a t i s f a c t i o n , a l o w e r s e n s e o f w e l l - b e i n g and higher rates of absenteeism ”

He also feels that the current government’s proposed measures to reduce this ‘sick note culture’ by e m p l o y i n g p r o f e s s i o n a l s other than doctors (primarily General Practitioners) is not novel It suggests a misperception that doctors are likely to be too lenient or e r r i n g i n f a v o u r o f t h e i r patients

A c c o r d i n g t o Chakravorty, this argument has fundamental fallacies, as much of the close relationship between doctors and patients has been eroded in

r e c e n t t i m e s H i s t o r i c a l l y , similar measures introduced

t o r e d u c e d i s a b i l i t y l i v i n g allowance payments by the u s e o f ‘ i n d e p e n d e n t t r i -

b u n a l s ’ w e r e s u c c e s s f u l l y challenged and overturned at appeal in 70% of cases, and it fails to recognise the i n v i s i b l e d i s a b i l i t y o f t h e impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the mental health of the nation

“ H o w e v e r , d o c t o r s a r e alarmed at introducing such measures, as these demonstrate signs of falling soci-

e t a l r e s p o n s i b i l i t y t o w a r d c i t i z e n s s u f f e r i n g f r o m d i v e r s e i n c a p a c i t y o r i m p a i r e d w o r k i n g a b i l i t y and independence The misjudged push towards presenteeism not only disproportionately affects women and workers from minority backgrounds but also aggrav a t e s i l l n e s s e s , p r o m o t e s long-term conditions, and m u l t i p l i e s t h e e c o n o m i c costs of presenteeism, which are 5–10 times higher than those associated with absenteeism

At the BAPIO Institute for Health Research, we are concerned that such poorly c o n c e i v e d m e a s u r e s w i l l erode dignity in the workp l a c e a n d p s y c h o l o g i c a l safety They will aggravate t h e r e l a t i o n s h i p b e t w e e n w o r k p l a c e d i v e r s i t y a n d inclusion and employee performance, leading to socioe c o n o m i c l o s s H o w e v e r , measures that support trusted doctor-patient relationships will promote healthy living We urge the government to consider recognising workplace diversity and inclusion, which will provide for dignity and wellbeing, rather than mistakenly tackling the so-called ‘sick note culture’,” he added Dr Sarw ar C howd hury, a Senior Occupational Health Physician told Asian Voice, “ A l m o s t 9 5 % o f f i t n o t e s given by GPs indicate the patient is ‘not fit’ without o f f e r i n g a d v i c e o r a d j u s tments, so the statistic of 2 8 million people being unfit to work due to ill health (ONS) is not unsurprising and the l e a d i n g c a u s e i s m e n t a l health With only 50% of employees having access to

O c c u p a t i o n a l H e a l t h , t h e evidenced-based benefits of w o r k w i t h r o u t i n e , s o c i a l i n t e r a c t i o n , p u r p o s e a n d workplace support are often missed More support from t h e g o v e r n m e n t a n d P M Rishi Sunak is required to help outline the barriers to work, support/adjustments

a v a i l a b l e a n d f a c i l i t a t e a return to work for sustained employment for those with r e c o g n i s e d m e n t a l h e a l t h a n d w e l l b e i n g c o n c e r n s T h i s s h o u l d b e b a l a n c e d a g a i n s t ‘ d e - m e d i c a l i s i n g ’ mental health and caution is needed to reduce the risk of discrimination for patients and workers ” Dr Alka P atel, Found er of The L ong ev ity Concierge, C EO of L ifestyle First and Lifestyle Medicine Physician and Lo ng ev ity Expert told

us, “By implying that a 'sick note culture' exists, there is also a risk of stigmatising illn e s s , p a r t i c u l a r l y m e n t a l health issues, and suggesting a lack of legitimacy to the claims of those genuinely unable to work The narrative around 'sick note culture' can be reframed positively: it's not about questioning the validity of illness but promoting a culture of recovery and active engagement in one's own health journey In this light, the P r i m e M i n i s t e r ' s i n i t i a t i v e could be seen as an attempt to empower patients, helping them to get back into the workforce more efficiently, w h i c h b e n e f i t s b o t h t h e e c o n o m y a n d i n d i v i d u a l well-being ”

Labour pledges support for European Court

Labo ur's shadow jus tic e s ecretary, Shabana Mahm ood, has emph asised the impo rtance of the UK' s membership in the Eu r op e an C ou r t of Hum an Rights , calling it a p rivil ege t h at h a s s a f e gu a r de d t h e rights o f numerou s British citiz ens th ro ugho ut the years

Mahmood acknowledged that not everyone may agree w i t h a l l o f t h e E u r o p e a n Court of Human Rights' judgments However, she argued that it would be challenging to dispute the significant ben-

efits Britain has derived from its membership, including its role in supporting the Good Friday Agreement, a cornerstone of the Northern Ireland peace process

Over 50 trade suppliers and 150 retailers attend The Fed Trade Show

NHS increasingly outsourcing treatment to private firms

Pr i va t e he a lt hc a r e pr ov i de r s a r e a s s um i n g more NHS services like eye s ur ge r i es a n d A D H D assessments as health trus ts aim to alleviate the bac klog in waiting li sts Government data indicates that in 2024, NHS services have been contracted o u t t o 2 , 4 9 5 l o c a t i o n s , a notable increase from the 2,000 sites recorded for the entire year of 2022, as per f i n d i n g s b y t h e a d v o c a c y organisation EveryDoctor

C e r t a i n p r o c e d u r e s have experienced a notable s u r g e , w i t h o v e r 5 0 % o f NHS cataract surgeries now being conducted by private providers, a stark increase f r o m l e s s t h a n 2 5 % f i v e years ago

NHS England acknowledges the vital role of the i n d e p e n d e n t s e c t o r i n reducing the longest waits for care

S h a d o w H e a l t h Secretary Wes Streeting has said he wants to use the c a p a c i t y o f t h e p r i v a t e health sector to help cut the N H S b a c k l o g , a d d i n g h i s

longer-term ambition was for the health service not to rely on private care at all Patients have embraced the initiative, noting that it has expedited their access t o c a r e a m i d s t e x t e n s i v e p o s t - p a n d e m i c w a i t i n g lists, with 7 5 million treatments pending – a decrease from the peak of 7 8 million in December

B u t s o m e d o c t o r s claimed private firms are potentially putting patients at risk as they are “cherry picking” more straightforward cases

Analysis by the Centre for Health and the Public I n t e r e s t r e v e a l s t h a t t h e proportion of NHS cataract surgeries conducted by the private sector surged from 24% in 2018/19 to 55% in 2022/23

The Centre for Health a n d t h e P u b l i c I n t e r e s t (CHPI) discovered that over the same period, the NHS p a i d t h e p r i v a t e s e c t o r approximately £700 million based on data from the 42 N H S I n t e g r a t e d C a r e Boards in England

Soneri Sangat

Last Thursday, April 18, 2024, marked a deeply spiritual evening as 'Soneri Sangat' celebrated Shree Ram Navami, Shree Swaminarayan Jayanti, Shri Mahavir Jayanti, and Hanuman Jayanti

Mahmood highlighted the ECHR's pivotal role in lifting the ban on gay individuals serving in the armed forces and overturning an injunction that prevented the press from reporting on the thalidomide scandal in 1979

H o w e v e r , s o m e

C o n s e r v a t i v e M P s h a v e pushed for the UK's departure from the ECHR, arguing that it could expedite the deportation process for asylum seeke r s c r o s s i n g t h e E n g l i s h Channel in small boats

Meenaben Jasani, President of LCNL, VijaySheth from the Jain Network, Niraj Sutaria, President of Mahavir Foundation, Padmashri Dr Kumarpal Desai, and Paresh Rughani, an International Motivational Speaker and devotee of Shri Swaminarayan Sanstha-BAPS, graced the virtual platform as guest speakers

T h e e v e n t f e a t u r e d prayers, engaging discussions on the significance and traditions of each festival led by the guest speakers and community members

For those who m issed it, catch u p on this ev ent and previou s episod es by v isiting our YouTube ch annel @abplgro up8772 S tay tuned for more exciting content coming your w ay!

Dr Sarwar Chowdhury

Dr Indranil Chakravorty MBE

Dr Alka Patel

The Federation of Independent Retailers (The Fed) hosted a trade show at The City Pavilion on 10 April 2024 Over 50 trade suppliers and over 150 retailers attended marking it very successful The next NFRN North London trade show will be

Shabana Mahmood

Subhasini Naicker

South Asian participants reflect on London Marathon experience

The London Marathon stands as one of the mos t i conic a nd celeb r a t e d lo n g - d i s t a n c e ru n n i n g e v e n t s w or l d w i d e , c a p t i v a ti n g the hearts of athletes and s pectators alik e

t a c k l e d t h e 2 6 2 - m i l e c o u r s e through the capital, marking a s i g n i f i c a n t m i l e s t o n e i n t h e event's history

A l o n g s i d e t h e r e m a r k a b l e f u n d r a i s i n g a c h i e v e m e n t , t h e marathon witnessed the break-

O r g a n i s e r s o f t h e L o n d o n Marathon proudly announced a new world record for the largest one-day fundraising event, with over £67 million raised this year More than 53,000 participants

Representing my community as a participant was a tremendous honour

Holistic Dating & Relationship Expert, Ami t Sodha participation in

the London Marathon was inspired by his brother-in-law, Akash who passed away due to cancer He said, “In honour of Akash's memory and the incredible care he received at the Royal Marsden Hospital during h i s i l l n e s s , I c h o s e t o r u n t h e m a r a t h o n i n s u p p o r t o f t h i s remarkable institution The Royal Marsden Hospital holds a special place in our hearts, not only for the exceptional medical care they provided to Akash but also for the compassion and support they offered to our entire family throughout his j o u r n e y A k a s h ' s l e g a c y l i v e s o n through the funds raised for the Royal Marsden Hospital, and I am grateful for the opportunity to honour his memory in this meaningful way I dedicate this one, my third London Marathon to Akash, my incredible wife Niyati, and Fatherin-Law Harish

Speaking about the atmosphere of the London Marathon, he said, “The spectators' support was truly remarkable From witty banners to offering sweets and sliced oranges, their encouragement was a continuous boost It seemed as though the entire city had gathered to cheer us on, creating a powerful atmosphere of unity and solidarity among the runners A memorable moment of t h e d a y w a s m e e t i n g c o m e d i a n R o m e s h R a n g a n a t h a n , w h o w a s also participating in the marathon It felt surreal to connect with someone I admire and snap a quick selfie amidst the race day excitement

“Representing my community as a participant was a tremendous honour Knowing that I was running alongside thousands of others, each with their own story and reason for being there, filled me with a profound sense of connection and belonging The London Marathon is more than just a race – it's a celebration of the human spirit and a testament to what we can achieve when we come together as a community,” he added

i n g o f 4 4 G u i n n e s s W o r l d

Records, highlighting the diverse and spirited nature of the race

O l y m p i c c h a m p i o n P e r e s Jepchirchir of Kenya stormed to victory in a women's only worldrecord time of two hours 16 min-

u t e s a n d 1 6 s e c o n d s i n t h e

L o n d o n M a r a t h o n A m a t e u r runners also set records of their

My dream is for my mum to recover so we can run a marathon together as a family

M i nr ee t K a ur and h er father

R a j in d e r Si n g h w h o i s a l s o w e l l

known as Skipping Sikh MBE participated in the marathon to raise awareness and fundraise for Blood Cancer UK She said, “We prepared for the marathon through regular park runs, then going out for a longer run, long walks and also running and walking long distances I had limited time to train as I am caring for my mum who has myeloma and rare blood cancer and so I couldn’t train as much as I would have liked too My dad regularly runs, he volunteers at the local park which is about 3-4 miles away so he will run there and back He also walks extensively throughout the week, covering many miles For me, mental strength came from knowing we were running for a meaningful cause to raise awareness for my m u m A s S i k h s , w e b e l i e v e i n approaching everything with a positive mindset, known as 'chardi kala,' a n d d o i n g e v e r y t h i n g f r o m t h e heart ”

Speaking about the memorable moment from the marathon, she said, “Running with my father at m i l e 1 7 , w h e r e m y m u m f a c e d s e v e r e c r a m p s l a s t y e a r , w a s a n e m o t i o n a l m o m e n t W e r a n t h e marathon together last year as a family, and this time, we returned to honour my mum Despite getting split up during the race, the atmo-

s p h e r e a n d s u p p o r t f r o m t h e

c r o w d s w e r e i n c r e d i b l e W h i l e I

s t r u g g l e d w i t h f a t i g u e a n d b a c k

p a i n , t h e e n c o u r a g e m e n t f r o m spectators kept me going Crossing the finish line separately was disapp o i n t i n g , b u t s e e i n g m y m u m ' s pride made it all worthwhile The marathon is tough, but with training and determination, anyone can participate It's about being part of

s o m e t h i n g s p e c i a l , r e g a r d l e s s o f time or pace My dream is for my mum to recover fully so we can run a marathon together as a family ”

own, from the fastest marathon d r e s s e d a s a s c i e n t i s t t o t h e fastest for someone with multiple sclerosis (MS) According to data provided by the London Marathon, a total o f 3 , 8 2 4 B r i t i s h A s i a n s / A s i a n s completed the marathon, showcasing the continued participation and representation of the South Asian community in the event

Running marathon is both an individual journey and collective experience

D e p u t y M e d i c a l D i r e c t o r a t NHS North Central London ICB, Dr Sonali Kin ra feels the marathon

as an opportunity to push herself out of comfort zone As a South Asian participant in the marathon, she felt immensely happy to see other people from the community as well She said, “As an Indian, repr e s e n t i n g m y h e r i t a g e h o l d s immense significance in shaping my personal identity Upon discovering that there were only four S o n a l i ’ s p a r t i c i p a t i n g i n t h e Marathon among over 50,000 runners, I realised the potential impact of my participation I believe that b y d e m o n s t r a t i n g m y a b i l i t y t o overcome challenges and pursue my goals, I can inspire others who share my name or heritage to strive f o r t h e i r o w n a c h i e v e m e n t s Ultimately, my aim is to lead by example and encourage others to embrace their potential and pursue their dreams ”

S p e a k i n g f r o m p e r s o n a l insights for the marathon, she said, “Running the marathon is both an individual journey and a collective experience The sense of community is palpable, with everyone fully invested in the cause Whether you walk, run, or don a costume, the a t m o s p h e r e i s e l e c t r i f y i n g , w i t h strangers cheering you on and giving you a much-needed boost If y o u ' r e c o n s i d e r i n g p a r t i c i p a t i n g , start with a Couch to 5k program or join a local park run or walking group Don't hesitate to apply for the ballot or secure a charity place to make a meaningful contribution

t o s o c i e t y w h i l e p u r s u i n g y o u r goal ”

Asian Voice spoke to British Asians who participated in the marathon on behalf of the charit y o r g a n i s a t i o n h i g h l i g h t i n g training and fitness regime, representation of South Asian comm u n i t y i n t h e m a r a t h o n a n d much more

Don't fixate on speed or distance, consistency is key

Dean of Royal College of Psychiatrists, Dr Subodh Dave participated in many m a r a t h o n s s u c h a s Gloucester Half Marathon, W a r w i c k H a l f M a r a t h o n and many more to raise a w a r e n e s s a n d f u n d r a i s e about the charity organisation Doctors in Distress Subodh emphasised on the gaining traction of South Asian people in marathons, he said, “When I started running 16 years ago, it was uncommon to see South Asians participating in marathons I often found myself as the only non-white face in cross country races However, the landscape is changing Major marathons are now multicultural and multi-ethnic events, with the inclusion of Asian bands, including Bhangra bands, adding vibrancy to the courses This trend is encouraging as physical activity can improve both physical and mental health It's vital to promote running not just for physical fitness but also for mental and social well-being ”

Giving advice on participating in the marathon, he said, “Don't fixate on speed or distance; consistency is key Embrace the identity of a runner, regardless of pace or body shape Whether you complete a marathon in seven hours or finish a Couch to 5k program, what matters is sustaining your effort and building your runner identity over time ”

Events like London Marathon brings people together

Sej al Maji thia Ja isw al, t r a v e l c o u n s e l l o r f r o m t h e U K h a d c o m p l e t e d the Edinburgh Marathon

i n 2 0 1 5 a n d U g a n d a Marathon in 2018 She

s a i d , “ I h a d s w o r n o f f

f r o m r u n n i n g t h e m a r a t h o n H o w e v e r , a f a m i l y t r a g e d y c h a n g e d my perspective When my oldest brother was diagnosed with a brain tumour in December 2022, I felt compelled to raise awareness about neurological conditions Despite previous foot issues hindering my exercise routine, I was determined to make a difference

Brain Research UK offered me a place in the London Marathon to raise funds and awareness, motivating me to embark on this journey for a cause close to my heart ”

Speaking about one of the memorable moments from the marathon, Sejal said, “One of the highlights of the marathon was seeing my husband and friends cheering for me at mile six and a half, near the Cutty Sark Throughout the race, I was uplifted by the support of family and friends at various points What touched me deeply was hearing strangers cheer my name, "Sejal," written on my top, despite it not being a common name Their encouragement, even from those unfamiliar with the name, was truly heartwarming Events like the London Marathon showcase the best of humanity, bringing people together in a spirit of camaraderie and support Amidst the negativity often portrayed in the news, the marathon serves as a powerful reminder of the kindness and solidarity present within society ”

Amit Sodha

Rajinder Singh and Minreet Kaur

Sonali Kinra Subodh Dave

Sejal Majithia Jaiswal with her elder brother

Dear Financial Voice Reader, Alpesh

After gains since January 2023 of 75%-150% plus in stocks from Microsoft to Meta, the market looks like it may dip

The objective of this article is to provide a step-by-step guide for managing a portfolio and mitigating risks using specific rules

K ey Step s: 1 Rule 1: 12 Months o r 25 % Drop fro m E ntry

• My original rule from 2004 states that you should not look at your portfolio stock for 12 months or until it drops 25% from the entry price

• This rule aims to demonstrate the effectiveness of an easy algorithm in outperforming fund managers

• Cautionary Note: This rule may not be suitable for all individuals, as it requires not looking at the market for a long period of time

2 Rul e 2: 25 % Drop fro m th e P eak

• To avoid missing out on potential gains and to adapt to market conditions, the rule has been amended to 25% off the peak of the stock since the entry

• This rule allows for more flexibility and takes into account market fluctuations

3 Ris k Avers ion and Imp licatio ns

• If you become risk-averse and do not want to exit a stock that has dropped 25%, there are implications to consider

• The risk is that you may lose more of your gains, but you also gain more headroom for the stock to recover

• Some individuals may choose to exit the stock even if it drops slightly, while others may wait for a 25% drop from the high

• Tips for Efficiency: Determine your risk appetite and set specific exit points based on your comfort level

4 Monitoring and W eekly Up dates

• Stay updated with my weekly market updates on Telegram – see www alpeshpatel com/links

• Watch for the monthly MACD indicator to determine the trend of the stock – this is more advance and taught on my free online education at www investing-champions com

• Pay attention to the weekly and monthly MACD movements to assess short-term and long-term price trends

• Tips for Efficiency: Take note of the specific stocks mentioned in the weekly updates and monitor their performance

5 Risk Mitigation C hecklist

• Use a risk mitigation checklist to assess your portfolio and make informed decisions

• Consider factors such as volatility, drawdown depth, duration of past uptrend drawdowns for specific stocks You can use Yahoo finance free for stock charts

• Adjust your portfolio composition based on your risk tolerance and the market conditions eg add more stocks and therefore less money in each to reduce risk I wouldn’t do more than 40 stocks however

• Tips for Efficiency: Monitor the MACD movements

6 Perso nal ization and F lexibility

• Personalize your portfolio management approach based on your individual circumstances and preferences

• You can modify the rules and exit points to align with your risk appetite and market outlook

• However, avoid setting extreme exit points or holding stocks when the monthly MACD is falling below its own average

• Tips for Efficiency: Regularly review fortnightly and reassess your portfolio based on market conditions and your risk tolerance

C autionary N otes:

• It is important to understand the risks and rewards of the portfolio management rules

• Avoid making drastic changes to the rules during a financial crisis or market downturn

• Consider the broader market conditions and the specific indicators of each stock before making decisions

Interest rates to stick at 3.5% as IMF offers Sunak mixed news

T he International Monetary F und (IM F) h as cautioned that UK interest rates are u nlikely to d ro p below 3 5 p er cent for the next four years at least

According to the IMF, B r i t a i n i s e x p e c t e d t o achieve its inflation target

o f 2 p e r c e n t s o o n , w i t h GDP growth ranking among t h e h i g h e s t a m o n g m a j o r W e s t e r n e c o n o m i e s T h e I M F a l s o p r e d i c t e d t h a t GDP per capita in the UK

w o u l d e x p e r i e n c e s l o w e r growth, attributed to a rapid population increase fuelled

Tories set to implement the largest tax rise in the UK

for Fiscal Studies,

a n e c o n o m i c t h i n k t a n k , government revenues as a p r o p o r t i o n o f n a t i o n a l i n c o m e a r e p r o j e c t e d t o experience the most significant increase between 2019 and 2029 compared to 37 similar countries

T h e U K ' s t a x b u r d e n , compared to the G7 average, is projected to decrease significantly under the governm e n t ' s f i s c a l p l a n s According to the IFS study, the difference is expected to n e a r l y h a l v e f r o m 5 3 % i n 2001 to 2 8% lower in 2029

b y i m m i g r a t i o n

Additionally, the IMF's late s t W o r l d E c o n o m i c Outlook forecasts a decline in interest rates from the current 5 25 per cent level over the next year

According to the fund, interest rates will stabilise at 3 5 p e r c e n t , s i g n i f i c a n t l y higher than pre-2021 levels, u n t i l a t l e a s t t h e e n d o f 2028 The UK's economy is forecasted to grow by 0 5 per cent this year and 1 5 per cent next year, outpacing

m o s t o t h e r G 7 m e m b e r states

D e s p i t e t h e s i g n i f i c a n t increase in government revenues, the tax burden in the U K h a s s t a y e d b e l o w t h e averages of both the G7 and c o m p a r a b l e c o u n t r i e s Meanwhile, public spending has continued to rise steadily The Institute for Fiscal Studies notes that government spending is expected to converge with the average of the 37 countries in the mediu m t e r m A c h i e v i n g t h i s alignment would necessitate further tax increases to stabilise the public finances

Thames Water nationalisation plan could shift to £15bn debt state

The gove rnment is cont empl a t i n g r a d i ca l pl a n s t ha t coul d invol ve de nat ional isin g Thames Wat er , potentiall y transferring the majorit y of it s £15 6 billion debt t o the public pur se This informa tion has been uncovered by the media

Whitehall is in advanced s t a g e s o f d r a f t i n g a p l a n , dubbed Project Timber, to convert Thames Water into a p u b l i c l y o w n e d e n t i t y

U n d e r t h i s b l u e p r i n t , Britain s largest water company would operate at arm's length from the government

S o m e l e n d e r s t o i t s c o r e o p e r a t i n g c o m p a n y c o u l d face losses of up to 40%

This contingency plann i n g u n d e r s c o r e s Whitehall's significant conc e r n s o v e r t h e c o m p a n y ' s c o n d i t i o n , e m b l e m a t i c o f privatisation failures in publ i c u t i l i t i e s I n t e r e s t i n g l y , w h e n T h a m e s W a t e r w a s removed from public ownership in 1989, it had no debt

T h e D e p a r t m e n t f o r E n v i r o n m e n t , F o o d a n d Rural Affairs (Defra) and the T r e a s u r y a r e s p e a r h e a d i n g t h e b l u e p r i n t P l a n s f o r a s p e c i a l a d m i n i s t r a t i o n o f T h a m e s W a t e r h i n g e o n K e m b l e b e i n g w i p e d o u t , w i t h i t s l e n d e r s , o w e d approximately £3 billion, not c o m p e n s a t e d f r o m p u b l i c funds

Additionally, bondholders for the operating compan y , w i t h i n a r e g u l a t o r y r i n g f e n c e , m a y w i t n e s s reductions of up to 35%-40% in the value of their loans, as p e r f i g u r e s s u p p o r t i n g p o t e n t i a l n a t i o n a l i s a t i o n , seen by the Guardian

In April, the media disc l o s e d T h a m e s W a t e r ' s intentions to seek additional funding from bond markets, despite existing bondholders expressing significant appreh e n s i o n a b o u t p o t e n t i a l write-downs on their current loans to the company's operating arm

T h e f o r e c a s t i n d i c a t e s that government revenues as a p e r c e n t a g e o f n a t i o n a l income within the comparab l e g r o u p a r e e x p e c t e d t o d e c l i n e o v e r t h e m e d i u m

term However, despite the UK's comparatively lower tax burden and the anticipation of a larger role for the state, the government would still n e e d t o i m p l e m e n t t a x increases amounting to £43 billion to reach the average of t h e c o m p a r a b l e g r o u p , according to the IFS

Additionally, the Office f o r B u d g e t R e s p o n s i b i l i t y projects that the tax burden will escalate to nearly reach a post-Second World War high of 37 1% in 2029

£12bn more 'headroom' for Hunt

to cut national insurance, says IFS

Leading economists sug gest that Jeremy Hunt may co nsider cu tting another 2p off Nati onal Insu ranc e, as h e has £1 2 billion more in " fiscal headroom "

The Institute for Fiscal Studies noted that the state of public finances entering the new fiscal year 2024/25, coupled with future projec-

t i o n s , s u g g e s t s t h a t t h e C h a n c e l l o r c o u l d i m p l ement a third 2p reduction to N a t i o n a l I n s u r a n c e T h i s m o v e m i g h t o c c u r j u s t before an autumn general election, while still adhering to one of his key rules

The Institute explained that with the onset of the new tax year on 6 April, the U K s f o r e c a s t h o r i z o n extended by a year

C o n s e q u e n t l y , t h e G o v e r n m e n t ' s f i s c a l m a nd a t e , w h i c h d e m a n d s a decrease in debt as a propor-

t i o n o f n a t i o n a l i n c o m e between the fourth and fifth years of the forecast period,

Jeremy Hunt

now extends an additional year into the future

The IFS estimated that this "mechanical rolling forward" of the forecast could, "all else equal," potentially i n c r e a s e t h e C h a n c e l l o r ' s fiscal "headroom" by around £12 billion against his fiscal m a n d a t e L e a d i n g e c o n o m i s t s e m p h a s i s e d that, "on the face of it," this adjustment could pave the way for a third 2p cut to National Insurance as part of a pre-election giveaway H o w e v e r , t h e y a r g u e d against “immediate and permanent tax cuts” especially given that the Government’s economic plans are based on “large, unspecified spending cuts in the next Parliament”

Zuber Issa discussing sale of Asda stake

Zu ber Issa, the 51-year-old p etr o l st ati o n s ty co o n , is nearing the sale of h is 22 5% st ake in A sd a to T D R Capital

This deal, as reported by B l o o m b e r g , w o u l d s i g n i f ic a n t l y b o l s t e r t h e p r i v a t e equity firm's control over Britain's third-largest supermarket chain, with TDR's stake potentially rising to around two-thirds Zuber,

o i n e d f o r c e s with TDR in the £6 8 billion

of the company

I n

it

a peak of £995 This surge in motor premiums over the last two years is attributed to the e s c a l a t i n g p r i c e s o f s p a r e parts, second-hand vehicles, and repair shop labour, all c o n t r i b u t i n g t o h i g h e r c l a i m s c o s t s f o r i n s u r e r s This inflation in claims is fuelling concerns about the affordability of car insurance for many individuals, p r o m p t i n g t h e C o m m o n s Treasury select committee to launch an investigation into the issue

D u r i n g a c o m m i t t e e hearing to investigate the surge in premiums, David Mendes da Costa, a princip a l p o l i c y m a n a g e r a t Citizens Advice, highlighted "a clear rise in the number of people who are seeking our assistance due to being unable to afford insurance "

He noted that the proportion of Citizens Advice a d v i s e r s i n d i c a t i n g t h a t clients had terminated their c a r i n s u r a n c e h a d s u r g e d from 5% in 2022 to more than 50% last year He further emphasised that elevated premiums were leading to "impossible choices" for s o m e i n d i v i d u a l s , a s t h e y were compelled to drive to w o r k , m a n a g e t h

IMF raises India’s growth forecast to 6.8 per cent

i t r o s e T h e j o u r n e y h a s b e e n e v e n t f u l , starting with supply-

c h a i n d i s r u p t i o n s i n the aftermath of the pandemic, an energy

a n d f o o d

14 4 megawatts The added c a p a c i t y p r o v i d e s a l o c a l solution to power Apple’s offices, its two retail stores

i n t h e c o u n t r y a n d o t h e r o p e r a t i o n s i n I n d i a , ” the company said as part of i t s e n v i r o n m e n t a n n o u n c e m e n t a r o u n d sustainability

water needs and improving climate resilience of watersheds M o d e l l e d a f t e

In recent weeks, several agencies have increased the growth projection for India, i n c l u d i n g t h e A s i a n D e v e l o p m e n t B a n k a n d global ratings agencies S&P and Moody’s W h i l e t h e g l o b a l e c o n o m y i s e x p e c t e d t o grow at 3 2% this year, the s a m e a s t h e p r e v i o u s e s t i m a t e , t h e C h i n e s e e c o n o m y i s p r o j e c t e d t o expand 4 6% and Asean-5 at 4 5 % , t h e l a t e s t W o r l d Economic Outlook said

Highlighting its work in advancing water security in p l a c e s i n T e l a n g a n a a n d Maharashtra, the company said it takes such initiatives in places where its business

“ D e s p i t e g l o o m y p r e d i c t i o n s , t h e g l o b a l e c o n o m y r e m a i n s remarkably resilient, with steady growth and inflation slowing almost as quickly as

Adanis infuse £833 mn in Ambuja, stake hits 70%

A mbuja Cements, r

si ng th ei r s take i n th e c o m p a ny t o 70 3 % fr o m 66 7% T h i s m a r k s t h e l a s t t r a n c h e o f t h e £ 2 b n investment the family had planned to infuse in Ambuja Cements after buying the company from Switzerland’s Holcim in 2022 Adanis had a c q u i r e d a b o u t 6 3 2 % o f Ambuja Cements in 2022

In March this year, they had infused £666 1 mn in t h e c o m p a n y a n d i n O c t 2022, they had put in £500 mn Ambuja Cements said that Harmonia Trade and I n v e s t m e n t , a m e m b e r o f t h e p r o m o t e r g r o u p , h a s c o n v e r t e d £ 2 6 5 m n warrants into equity shares at the rate of Rs 416 9 apiece

v e s t i n a portfolio of six rooftop solar projects with a total size of

prov idin g comfort to the C en tre to close the y ear w i t h h e a l t hi e r t h a n e xpected f iscal d eficit T h e C e n t r e h a s a l r e a d y s u

d a t a d u e t o b e released

T h e c a p i t a l i n f u s i o n (and a cash flow of £500 mn in FY24) will fortify Ambuja Cement’s financial position, h e l p i n g i t t o p u r s u e i t s g r o w t h p l a n s a s w e l l a s c a p i t a l i s e o n e m e r g i n g o p p o r t u n i t i e s i n t h e industry, the company said Ambuja Cements plans to accomplish a capacity of 140 million tonnes by 2028 from 78 9 million tonnes

Last week, it had announced the purchase of a 1 5 milliontonne cement grinding unit i n T a m i l N a d u f r o m M y Home Group for £41 4 mn

I n t h e r e v i s e d estimates, the Centre had accounted for net direct tax

c o l l e c t i o n s , c o m p r i s i n g income tax, corporation tax and securities transaction tax of £195 bn According to p r o v i s i o n a l n u m b e r s r e l e a s e d b y t h e C e n t r a l B o a r d o f D i r e c t T a x e s , collections were estimated

a t a s h a d e u n d e r £234 bn, a growth

o f 1 8 5 % D u r i n g t h e y e a r , r e f u n d

p a y m e n t s r o s e 22 7% to £38 bn, an

o f f i c i a l s t a t e m e n t said

I t a l s o p e g g e d t h e g r o s s

c o r p o r a t i o n t a x mop-up at £113 bn, 1 3 % h i g h e r t h a n t h e previous year, while on a net basis it went up 10 3% to £91 bn Gross personal

i n c o m e t a x c o l l e c t i o n s , i n c l u d i n g S T T , w e r e estimated 24 3% higher at just over £120 bn while on a net basis it was £104 bn, rising 25 2% compared to the previous year

Motors to make JLR cars at new TN plant

T a ta M o t or s w i ll m anu f ac tu r e J ag u ar L an d Rov er (JL R) luxu ry cars at a $ 1 bi ll io n p lant th at i t i s p l an ni ng to b u i ld in th e s o u th e rn s ta te o f T am il Nadu, sources said The plan w ould mark the first time that JLR-brand ed cars w ould b e m an u fa ct ur ed fr o m scratch in Ind ia T he cars w ould be sold dom estically and also exported, according to one of the sources

T a t a M o t o r s , w h i c h

a c q u i r e d J L R i n 2 0 0 8 , d e c l i n e d t o c o m m e n t o n what it called speculation It a n n o u n c e d p l a n s f o r t h e Tamil Nadu plant in March but did not disclose what v e h i c l e s w o u l d b e manufactured there or the plant’s intended production capacity JLR has three car factories in Britain and also builds cars in China, Brazil and Slovakia

In India, where it sells cars such as the Range Rover

E v o q u e , D i s c o v e r y S p o r t and Jaguar F-Pace, it is still very much a niche brand The models that are sold in I n d i a a r e e x p o r t e d f r o m

Britain as fully built vehicles

o r i n p a r t s t h a t a r e t h e n assembled at a plant near Pune city JLR contributes a b o u t t w o t h i r d s o f T a t a Motors’ revenue and in the financial year ended March 2023, the Indian company

r e a c h e s T h e e f f o r t s a r e done by collaboration across

m a n u f a c t u r i n g s u p p l y c h a i n , f o r g i n g l o n g t e r m p a r t n e r s h i p s t o r e s t

At 1.4%, Infosys sees lowest growth in its 43-year history

Infosys re porte d t he lowest a nnua l r eve nue gr owth at 1 4% since it was foun ded in 1981

The IT gia nt’ s con stan t curr en cy r eve nue gr ew 1 4% in fina ncial ye ar 20 23 -24, na rrowly missing it s own for ecast, as clien ts cont in ued t o cut spen ds afte r a pa nde mic boom An d in a sig n tha t pa in in t he IT sect or is fa r from ove r, In fosys said it ex pects r eve nue t o grow 1-3% in the cur ren t fin an cia l ye ar t oo

The lacklustre revenue forecast for FY25 comes amid heightened uncertainty in the macro-economic environment This includes the US Fed’s rate cuts being pushed amid high inflation, lower discretionary spending and a political turmoil The company ’ s worst growth in the past 15 years was during the global financial crisis in 2009-10 when the figure fell to 3% It has, however, retained its operating margin guidance at 20-22% for FY25

RIL’s

“As we look at the start of FY25, we see t h e d i s c r e t i o n a r y s p e n d i n g a n d d i g i t a l transformation work at the same level, and we see the focus on cost efficiency and consolidation continuing The guidance for FY25 as a band is higher than where we finished last year While the difference is small, it’s still a little higher from where we finished last year There are some put and takes in terms of different industries and given the outlook on discretionary spend and digital work remaining the same and more focus on cost efficiency and consolidation, w e h a v e c r e a t e d t h a t r e v e n u e g r o w t h guidance,” said Infosys CEO Salil Parekh

Infosys’s headcount declined for the first time in over 20 years, with a reduction of 25,994 employees compared to the previous year, bringing the total to 310,000 employees at the end of FY24

Q4 profit flat at £2.1 bn; revenue rises 11% to £24 bn

R e l i a n ce I n d us t r ie s p os t e d a n e a r -f l a t quar terl y profit on Monday , while its r evenue gr ew 11% t o £24 bn , be nefiting from the stren gth of its oil & gas a nd oil -to-che mical (O2C) businesses as wel l as its fast-growing

r eta il a nd digit al se rv ice s (Jio) b usin esses

Profit stood a t £2 12 bn in Q4 FY24

O p e r a t i n g p r o f i t , a y a r d s t i c k f o r underlying business performance, increased about 12% to £4 50 bn Expenses climbed 11% to £22 bn For the entire fiscal 2024, RIL’s profit grew 7% to £7 90 bn and revenue increased marginally by nearly 3% to £91 bn

“It is heartening to note that all segments have posted robust financial and operating performance This has helped the company achieve multiple milestones I am happy to share that this year, Reliance became the first

Indian company to cross the £10 bn threshold in pre-tax profits,” said chairman and MD Mukesh Ambani

Operating profit of digital (Jio) climbed 9% to £1 46 bn due to strong revenue growth

H o w e v e r , J i o ’ s a v e r a g e r e v e n u e p e r u s e r (ARPU) - a key metric that influences income

- was at Rs 182 in Q4 FY24, up just about 2%

ARPU is the total revenue of the telecom operator divided by the number of users on its net work Launched in 2016, Jio has about 482 million customers as of March 31, 2024 and saw data and voice traffic growth of 35% and 10% on its network Operating profit of the retail business jumped 18% to £582 9 mn, led by growth in consumer electronics and fashion & lifestyle verticals Reliance Retail has 18,836 outlets as of March 31, 2024

Big win for President Muizzu's party in Maldives poll

M A LE : In w hat could potentiall y h a rd e n M a ld i v e s p res i d en t M oh am ed M uizzu's p ro -Ch ina stance, his p arty, th e People s National C ong ress (PNC ), h as scored a thum ping v ictory in th e i s la nd nat io n 's p a rl ia m en tar y election h eld on Su nd ay Th e P NC , which contested 90 out of the 93 seats in Mald ivian parliam ent Majlis, has won 66 ou t of the 8 6 seats for which results h ad been declared This is more than a two -third majority in th e Hou se

T h i s r e s u l t w i l l e n a b l e President Muizzu, seen as antiIndia, to push policies through the parliament The seat tally is a c a u s e f o r c o n c e r n f o r N e w Delhi, which has been watching Male's tilt towards Beijing ever s i n c e P r e s i d e n t M u i z z u w a s elected to the top post last year

The Majlis exercises supervisory powers over the Maldivian executive and can hold up presi-

d e n t i a l d e c i s i o n s B e f o r e t h i s election, PNC was part of an alliance that was in the minority in the House This meant that even though Muizzu was president, he did not have the political muscle to push through policies

The Majlis was then dominated by Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), led by Muizzu s pro-India predecessor Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, with 41 members MDP is headed for a humil-

iating defeat this time, with wins in just a dozen seats

E a r l i e r , w h i l e t h e M D Pdominated House blocked many of Muizzu's plans, members of the Opposition publicly flagged

a n d c r i t i c i s e d h i s a n t i - I n d i a

p o s i t i o n A s e n i o r a i d e o f

M u i z z u s a i d e a r l i e r , " H e (Muizzu) came to power on a p r o m i s e t o s e n d b a c k I n d i a n troops, and he is working on it

The parliament has not been c o o p e r a t i n g " T h i s r e s u l t changes that

This election was seen as a test for Muizzu's plans to boost

e c o n o m i c c o o p e r a t i o n w i t h

China Since taking over, the p r e s i d e n t h a s a w a r d e d m a j o r i n f r a s t r u c t u r e c o n t r a c t s t o C h i n e s e s t a t e - o w n e d c o m p anies His party's electoral victory is set to clear most obstacles for him

Ever since he was elected in t h e p r e s i d e n t i a l e l e c t i o n l a s t

y e a r , M u i z z u s t e p p e d u p t h e island s outreach to Beijing, a d e v e l o p m e n t N e w D e l h i h a s w a t c h e d w i t h c o n c e r n S o o n after his election, Muizzu visited Beijing and met Chinese president Xi Jinping On his return, he said, "We may be small, but t h i s d o e s n ' t g i v e t h e m t h e licence to bully us " While he did n o t n a m e a n y c o u n t r y , t h e remark was seen as a swipe at India

P r e s i d e n t M u i z z u a l s o pushed for the exit of 80-odd Indian soldiers who were stationed on the island for humanitarian work

L a s t m o n t h , h o w e v e r , Muizzu appeared to be extending an olive branch when he acknowledged India's financial support to Male and said "India will remain the Maldives closest ally At the close of last year, the M a l d i v e s o w e s I n d i a a r o u n d $400 9 million

Chaos in Dubai after UAE’s record rains; 18 dead in Oman

DU BA I : The Arabian peninsula w as hit by unp reced ented rainfall and floods, shutting scho ols a nd g ro u nd in g f li g h t s o n Wednesday last, with parts of the desert nation United Arab Em irates receiving 10 inch es of rain in 24 hours

In Oman, at least 18 people have died in recent days because of the severe weather, the count r y ' s N a t i o n a l C o m m i t t e e f o r E m e r g e n c y M a n a g e m e n t s a i d The storms swamped roadways and created dangerous conditions across the region, a normally arid part of the world that is unaccustomed to intense rain and flash flooding

Dubai's airport advised pas-

sengers not to travel to the airport unless "absolutely necessary" and major airline Emirates said it was suspending check-in for all passengers Dubai s major i n t e r n a t i o n a l a i r p o r t d i v e r t e d s c o r e s o f i n c o m i n g f l i g h t s Videos showed the tarmac in Dubai inundated, with airplanes skimming through floodwaters and support vehicles nearly submerged

T h e N a t i o n a l C e n t e r o f Meteorology in Abu Dhabi said the rain in the UAE surpassed anything since records began in 1949, when the area was still a British protectorate and before the discovery of oil

The Khatm Al Shakla area

Iran prez pledges to strengthen bilateral ties with Pak

IS LA M ABA D: Ir ania n Pr ez Ebr ahim R aisi an nounce d on Monda y durin g a join t pr ess con fe re nce wit h Pak ist an ’ s PM Shehbaz Shar if in Islamabad tha t t he t wo n ation s have re solve d t o incre ase their tr ade v olume t o $10 billion, sta ting t he curre nt leve l a s “ una cce ptable ” Raisi is on a three-day visit, the first by any foreign head of state since Pakistan’s controversial Feb 8 polls This also comes in the backdrop of Iran’s recent attack on Israel, involving over 300 drones and missiles The visit is closely watched amid ongoing tensions with Israel, and US sanctions

“We are committed to strengthening relations at high levels We have decided to increase economic, commercial, and cultural relations,” Raisi said Sharif echoed the sentiment “We have to keep this relationship strong despite the challenges we face,” he said, commending Iran for its firm stand on the humanitarian situation in Gaza and urging for an immediate cessation of hostilities Pakistan and Iran share a 900km border, which is susceptible to unlawful crossings, smuggling, and militant infiltration Both nations accuse each other of failing to prevent terrorist outfits from seeking refuge on their territory and conducting cross-border assaults Last Jan, Iran launched missile strikes against anti-Iranian militant hideouts in Pakistan’s Balochistan province, prompting Islamabad to retaliate with strikes on bases of anti-Pakistan militants operating from Iranian soil The exchange of strikes raised concerns about larger conflicts and regional instability

outside the city of Al Ain, near the border with Oman, received 10 inches of rain in less than 24 hours The meteorology center called it an exceptional event in the UAE’s climate history since the start of recording climate data

T h e U A E ’ s N a t i o n a l Emergency Crisis and Disaster M a n a g e m e n t A u t h o r i t y u r g e d people to stay indoors, saying that cars should be parked in “ s a f e a n d e l e v a t e d l o c a t i o n s , ” a w a y f r o m f l o o d - p r o n e a r e a s a n d p l a c e s w h e r e w a t e r c a n accumulate Reg ular flights resume Emirates, the largest foreign airline operating to and from

India, resumed regular flights f r o m S a t u r d a y a f t e r u n p r e c edented rainfall and flooding hit UAE earlier this week “As of this m o r n i n g , o u r r e g u l a r f l i g h t schedules have been restored Passengers previously stranded in the airport transit area have been rebooked and are en route to their destinations We have assembled a task force to sort, r e c o n c i l e , a n d d e l i v e r s o m e 30,000 pieces of left-behind baggage to their owners It will take us some more days to clear the backlog of rebooked passengers and bags, and we ask for our cust o m e r s ’ p a t i e n c e a n d u n d e rstanding,” said Emirates president Tim Clark in an open letter

Pakistan’s Punjab police book man for torturing his Indian wife

L A H O R E: Pol ice in Pak ista n ’ s Punjab province hav e booked a man for al legedl y t or tur in g his Indian wife in La hore , an officia l said “We have reg ister ed a n FIR against Mirza Yousuf Elahi on the compla in t of his Indian wife Farzana Begum for all egedl y torturing her , se izing her pa sspor t, hurling thre ats and ill egal confi n e me n t , ” sa i d p o l ic e of fic e r

M uh a mm a d A b b a s of t h e F a ct o r y A r e a p ol i ce s t a t io n Shie khupura Road

Hailing from Cheeta Camp Mumbai, Farzana moved to Abu Dhabi, UAE, in 2006 for a job at a s a l o n S h e w a s e a r n i n g 5 , 0 0 0 dirhams per month In 2015, she

Heavy rains, lightning in Pakistan kill at least 50 people

IS L A M A BA D : At least 50 people have been killed in heav y rains and lig htning across Pakistan in the p as t th re e d ay s, of fi c ia ls sa id , as au th o ri ti es declared a state of emerg ency in some regions

Farmers harvesting wheat died after being struck by lightning Rains caused dozens of houses to collapse in the northwest and in eastern Punjab province Arfan Kathia, a spokesman for the provincial disaster management authority, said 21 people had died in Punjab, where more rains were expected this week

Khursheed Anwar, a spokesman for the disast e r m a n a g e m e n t a u t h o r i t y i n n o r t h w e s t e r n

K h y b e r P a k h t u n k h w a p r o v i n c e b o r d e r i n g Afghanistan, said 21 people died there

T o r r e n t i a l r a i n s a l s o l a s h e d t h e c a p i t a l , Islamabad, and killed seven people in southwestern Baluchistan province Streets flooded in the northwestern city of Peshawar and Quetta, the Baluchistan capital

Rafay Alam, a Pakistani environmental expert, said such heavy rainfall in April was unusual “Two years ago, Pakistan witnessed a heatwave in March and April and now we are witnessing rains and it is all of because of climate change, which had caused heavy flooding in 2022, ” he said

In 2022, downpours swelled rivers and at one point inundated one-third of Pakistan, killing 1,739 people The floods also caused $30 bn in damage

INDIAN JAILED FOR SELLING CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE IN US

A 40-year-old Indian national has been sentenced to five years in prison for selling controlled substances on dark web marketplaces and ordered to forfeit approximately $ 150 million Banmeet Singh of Haldwani, was arrested in April 2019 in London at the request of the US He was extradited to the US in March 2023 In January he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances and conspiracy to commit money laundering

According to the court documents Banmeet created vendor marketing sites on dark web marketplaces to sell controlled substances including fentanyl, LSD, ecstasy, Xanax, ketamine, and tramadol From 2012 to 2017, Singh controlled at least eight distribution cells within the US including cells located in Ohio, Florida, North Carolina, Maryland, New York, North Dakota, and Washington, among other locations

AWAITING DEPORTATION

INDIAN DIES IN US HOSPITAL

Indian national Jaspal Singh, 57, awaiting deportation because of his illegal entry into the United States has died at a hospital in Atlanta, federal authorities said Singh died at a hospital in Atlanta on April 15 An autopsy is pending to determine the official cause of death Singh an Indian citizen, first entered the US legally on October 25, 1992 On January 21, 1998, an immigration judge ordered Singh's removal from the US and later Singh returned to India voluntarily On June 29, 2023, he was arrested by US Customs and Border Protection s Border Patrol officers while illegally reentering the United States at the US-Mexico Border Border Patrol transferred custody of Singh to Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Atlanta

2 INDIAN STUDENTS DIE IN US CAR ACCIDENT

met Mirza Yousuf Elahi during a g e t - t o g e t h e r w i t h h e r f r i e n d s The same year, both decided to marry Farzana and Elahi were both divorcees F a r z a n a h a d a s o n a n d a daughter from her first marriage while Elahi had six children from his first two wives and this was his fourth marriage For the first three years of their marriage, they stayed in the UAE and had two children In late 2018, the couple moved to Lahore, the capital of Pakistan’s Punjab province

“Our quarrels started when my husband bought a big house and a commercial plaza in the name of my children in Rehman Gardens Lahore as his daughters from his first wife were against this,” Farzana said and added subsequently, Elahi started torturing her and asked her to go back to her own country, India “Elahi even told local police that I was staying here illegally After that, a couple of policemen along with two others came to my house and took me forcibly to Wagah Border to deport me I protested and told the authorities at Wagah that my two children were there and my husband wanted to get rid of me On the intervention of some senior officials there, I was allowed to go home,” she said

Two students from Telangana were killed after their car collided head on with another vehicle in US state of Arizona While the duo - Goutham Kumar Parsi (19) and Mukka Nivesh (20) - died on the spot the person driving their Kia Forte and the sole occupant of the other vehicle, a Ford F150, escaped with injuries Cops did not disclose the identity of the two drivers, who have been discharged from hospital Goutham and Nivesh were pursuing BS in computers at Arizona State University While Goutham had joined the university in 2022, Nivesh took admission last year Goutham was planning to visit India and had booked his tickets for next month, according to reports The families of the two boys are working to repatriate their bodies to India

5 JAPANESE NATIONALS ESCAPE UNHURT IN PAK ATTACK

Five Japanese nationals working for Suzuki Motors had a lucky escape when their van was targeted by a suicide bomber and a gunman in a suicide attack in Pakistan’s port city of Karachi police said in the latest terrorist attack on foreign nationals in the country DIG East Azfar Mahesar said the terrorists attempted to hit the vehicle carrying Japanese nationals working with Pakistan Suzuki Motors All five Japanese remained safe, he said “The Japanese nationals were on the way to the Export Processing Zone from their residence in Zamzama, Clifton,” he said Jinnah Hospital officials said three people were brought to the facility in critical conditions One of the injured, a 45-year-old security guard, succumbed to his injuries while another injured was shifted to the ventilator, Geo News quoted the hospital administration as saying

Mohamed Muizzu

SUU KYI MOVED FROM PRISON TO HOUSE ARREST

Myanmar s jailed former leader Aung San Suu Kyi has been moved from prison to house arrest as a health measure due to a heat wave the military govt said as it freed more than 3,000 prisoners under an amnesty to mark this week s New Year holiday Suu Kyi, 78, and Win Myint, the 72-year-old former prez of her ousted govt, were among the elderly and infirm prisoners moved to house arrest because of the severe heat military spokesperson Maj Gen Zaw Min Tun told foreign media The move had not yet been publicly announced in Myanmar Suu Kyi’s transfer comes as the army has suffered a string of major defeats at the hands of prodemocracy resistance fighters and their allies in ethnic minority guerrilla forces

58 KILLED AFTER BOAT CAPSIZES IN CENTRAL AFRICA

At least 58 people going to a funeral died after their overloaded boat capsized in the Central African Republic s capital Bangui, the head of civil protection said “We were able to extract 58 lifeless bodies,” Thomas Djimasse told Radio Guira According to witnesses, the boat was carrying more than 300 people when it overturned on the Mpoko river on Friday

BAVARIA BANS SMOKING CANNABIS AT OKTOBERFEST

The southern German state of Bavaria will ban smoking cannabis at public festivals, inside beer gardens, and even at the Oktoberfest the world’s most popular beer festival, the state’s govt announced Local authorities in Bavaria will also be allowed to prohibit cannabis consumption in public areas such as outdoor swimming pools and leisure parks such as Munich s Englischer Garten, German news agency DPA reported “Our aim is to limit cannabis consumption in public spaces, said Bavarian health minister Judith Gerlach That is important for health protection and especially for protecting children and young people Bavaria s move comes after Germany legalised possession of small amounts of cannabis for recreational use

INDONESIA ON HIGH ALERT AFTER VOLCANO ERUPTS

Indonesian authorities closed an airport and residents left homes near an erupting volcano due to the dangers of spreading ash falling rocks hot volcanic clouds and the possibility of a tsunami Mount Ruang on the northern side of Sulawesi Island had at least five large eruptions last week causing the Centre for Volcanology and Geological Disaster Mitigation to issue its highest-level alert The crater emitted smoke continuously during the day, reaching more than 1,600 feet above the peak The volcanology centre noted the risks from the eruption include the possibility that part of the volcano could collapse into the sea and cause a tsunami

WOMAN WHEELS CORPSE INTO BANK TO SIGN FOR LOAN

A woman brought a 68-year-old man in a wheelchair into a bank branch and tried to get him to sign for a loan but he had been dead for hours Brazilian police said Erika Vieira Nunes wheeled the corpse into the bank in a Rio suburb and told the teller the man wanted a loan for 17 000 reais ($3 250) She held a pen and moved his hand forward to no response Uncle are you listening? You need to sign she said, according to the security video, suggesting she sign for him The bank staff became suspicious and they called the police who arrested the woman on the spot and charged her with fraud

Aj ay Bang a Among the notable Indians on the list is Ajay Banga, the current President of the World Bank Born in Pune, India, Banga graduated from St Stephen's College in Delhi before becoming a US citizen in 2007 His transformative leadership at the World Bank has been commended for its vision to eradicate poverty and address climate change challenges

Ali a Bha tt B o l l y w o o d a c t o r A l i a B h a t t , who holds British citizenship, was also recognised for her formidable talent" and philanthropic endeavours With over a decade of contributions to the Indian film industry, B h a t t ' s i n t e r n a t i o n a l d e b u t i n Netflix's "Heart of Stone" further solidified her global presence

Satya Nadella

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella secured his place on the list for the third time Nadella is lauded for his i n f l u e n t i a l r o l e i n s h a p i n g t h e future of artificial intelligence (AI)

H i s c o m m i t m e n t t o e t h i c a l A I development has positioned him as a s t e w a r d o f t e c h n o l o g i c a l progress

Sa kshi Ma lik

Sakshi Malik was honoured on the list as India's first and only female wrestler to win an Olympic medal She was also recognised for her courageous advocacy against s e x u a l h a r a s s m e n t i n s p o r t s Malik s vocal stance against mis-

c o n d u c t w

and attention

Dev Patel

British actor of Indian descent, Dev Patel, earned recognition for his impactful contributions to cinema, both as an actor and director P a t e l ' s d i r e c t o r i a l d e b u t i n "Monkey Man" showcased his versatility and commitment to story-

telling

P ri yamv ad a Natarajan

I n t h e r e a l m o f a c a d e m i a , Priyamvada Natarajan, a professor at Yale University, was acknowle d g e d f o r h e r g r o u n d b r e a k i n g research in astronomy, particular-

2 Indian-origin men among 6 arrested in Canada's biggest gold, cash heist

O TTA W A: At least two Indian-origin men are among si x people arrested in c onnection with a brazen multi - million dollar gold heis t at Toronto's main airport last year, the bigges t gold theft in Canada's history The Canadian authorities also iss ued warrants for three more people in the case, Peel Regi onal Police ( PRP) s ai d

On April 17, 2023, an air cargo container carrying more than 22 million Canadian dollars' worth of gold bars and foreign currency was stolen from a secure storage facility using fake paperwork, police say The gold and currency had just arrived on an Air Canada flight from Zurich, Switzerland

At least two former Air Canada employees allegedly helped in the audacious theft, police say One is now in custody and an

arrest warrant has been issued for the other

Two persons of Indian origin - Parmpal Sidhu, 54, and Amit Jalota, 40, both from Ontario, were arrested along with Ammad Chaudhary, 43, Ali Raza, 37, and Prasath Paramalingam, 35

The arrests were announced after a lengthy probe into the crime reported last year Parmpal Sidhu during the time of the crime was working with Air Canada

Besides, the police have issued Canadawide warrants for Simran Preet Panesar, 31, f r o m B r a m p t o n , w h o w a s a l s o a n A i r Canada employee at the time of the theft Air Canada spokesman Peter Fitzpatrick c o n f i r m e d P a r m p a l S i d h u a n d S i m r a n Panesar's employment with the national flag carrier

Indian national pleads guilty to participating in bank fraud in US

W A S H I N G T O N : A 5 2 -y ea r- o ld I nd ia n natio nal h as plead ed guilty to participating in a scheme to defraud a US bank in connection w ith a U SD 17 million secured line o f credit, US A ttorney Ph ilip R Selling er has anno unced

Nitin Vats, a former employee of a nowdefunct New Jersey-based marble and granite wholesaler, pleaded guilty before US District Judge Susan D Wigenton to one count of an indictment charging him with conspiracy to commit wire fraud affecting a f i n a n c i a l i n s t i t u t i o n , t h e D e p a r t m e n t o f Justice (DoJ) said

According to documents, from March 2016 through March 2018, an owner and employees of Lotus Exim International Inc (LEI), including Vats, conspired to obtain from the victim bank a USD 17 million line of credit by fraudulent means

The victim’s bank extended LEI the line of credit, believing it to have been secured in part by LEI’s accounts receivable In reality, the conspirators had fabricated and inflated many of the accounts receivable, ultimately leading to LEI defaulting on the line of credit, according to a DoJ press release

Federal prosecutors alleged that to conceal the lack of sufficient collateral, Vats created fake email addresses on behalf of LEI’s customers so that other LEI employees could

pose as those customers and answer the victim bank’s and outside auditor’s inquiries about the accounts receivable

The scheme involved numerous fraudulent accounts receivable where the outstanding balances were either inflated or entirely fabricated The scheme caused the victim bank losses of approximately USD 17 million, it said He faces a maximum potential penalty of 30 years in prison and a fine of USD 1 million His sentencing is scheduled for September 11

ly in the study of dark matter and dark energy Asma Kh an Asma Khan, a British restaurateur of Indian origin, was celebrated for her culinary prowess and innovative approach to cuisine at her renowned London restaurant, Darjeeling Express Khan's culinary journey is a celebration of culture, tradition, and innovation Born and raised in Kolkata, India, Khan's culinary r e p e r t o i r e d r a w s i n s p i r a t i o n from her cultural heritage and upbringing

She was recently featured in the 2024 edition of Asian Voice's British Asian Women magazine under the ‘ 20 most influential Asian women in Britain’ list

Jigar Shah

Jigar Shah, Director of the US D e p a r t m e n t o f E n e r g y ' s L o a n Programs Office, was recognised f o r h i s i n s t r u m e n t a l r o l e i n spearheading economic development initiatives on a global scale

Born in India and raised in the United States Shah leads one of the largest economic-development programs the world has ever seen

Iran signals no retaliation after Israel strikes its city

D U B A I / J E R U S A L E M : Ex pl os i on s ec h o ed o v e r an I rani an ci ty las t w ee k i n w h a t sou rces described as an Israeli attack, bu t T ehran p layed dow n the incident and indicated it had no plans for retaliation - a r es p o ns e th a t ap p e are d g a ug ed t ow a rd s averting region-wid e war

The limited scale of the attack and Iran's muted response appeared to signal a successful effort by diplomats who have been working to avert all-out war since an Iranian d r o n e a n d m i s s i l e a t t a c k o n I s r a e l earlier Iranian media and officials described a small number of explosions, which they said resulted from air defences hitting three drones over the city of Isfahan in central Iran

Notably, they referred to the incident as an attack by “infiltrators”, rather than by Israel, obviating the need for retaliation

A senior Iranian official said there were no plans to respond against Israel for the incident “The foreign source of the incident h a s n o t b e e n c o n f i r m e d W e h a v e n o t received any external attack, and the discussion leans more towards infiltration than attack,” the official said

Jonathan Lord, head of the Middle East security programme at the Center for a New American Security, a US think tank, said that “ seems to indicate that Iran is seeking to step down off the ledge, minimise the impact of the attack, and perhaps walk back down the escalation ladder from here”

Haley lands new job at conservative think-tank

WASHIN GTON : N ikki Haley, wh o was beaten back by Donald Trum p f or the Repu blic an p res idential nominatio n has l anded a new job at the Hudson Institute It’s a Was hingto n DC based, ul tra- co ns ervative think tank sp ecializing in f oreign p ol icy affairs

She will become the institute’s Walter P S t e r n c h a i r p e r s o n , a p o s t n a m e d f o r Hudson’s former chairperson who died in 2022 Haley is the fourth member of the Trump administration to join the Institute

O t h e r s a r e f o r m e r a t t o r n e y g e n e r a l

W i l l i a m B a r r , s e c r e t a r y o f s t a t e M i k e

P o m p e o a n d t r a n s p o r t a t i o n s e c r e t a r y

Elaine Chao, reports said

“When our policymakers fail to call out

our enemies or acknowledge the importance of our alliances, the world is less safe,” Haley said in a statement from Hudson announcing her appointment “That is why Hudson’s work is so critical

“ T h e y b e l i e v e t h e A m e r i c a n p e o p l e should have the facts and policymakers should have the solutions to support a secure, free, and prosperous future I look forward to partnering with them to defend the principles that make America the greatest country in the world ”

The statement did not say what Haley’s responsibilities will be, whether the position is paid, or if she will work from Washington

Ajay Banga Alia Bhatt

Priyamvada Natarajan Dev Patel Jigar Shah Satya Nade la Sakshi Malik Asma Khan

BJP candidate wins Surat seat

as candidature of Cong nominee rejected

A day after the nominatio n o f th e Co ngres s candidate from Surat was rejected, th e B J P ’ s M u k es h D a l al wa s d ec l ar ed el ec te d u ncontested from the Lo k S abh a seat, after the eight r em ai n i n g no m i ne e s withdrew one by one While four of them were I n d e p e n d e n t s , t h r e e b e l o n g e d t o l i t t l e - k n o w n p a r t i e s a n d o n e w a s a candidate of the BSP Surat City BSP president Satish Sonavne alleged the hand of the BJP in the withdrawal of its nominee, Pyarelal Bharti on Monday as the last day f o r w i t h d r a w a l o f nominations

It is rare for candidates to win uncontested in Lok Sabha elections, with only

2 3 s u c h k n o w n i n s t a n c e s b e f o r e t h i s s i n c e I n d e p e n d e n c e ( n o t counting bypolls) as per the E l e c t i o n C o m m i s s i o n website Of these, 10 won in the first two elections, 19511 9 5 2 a n d 1 9 5 7 , w h e n t h e p o o l o f c a n d i d a t e s w a s small Dalal is the first ever B J P

the INC, Suresh Padsala”

In all, 15 candidates had filed their nomination for

the Surat seat The papers of four were rejected earlier After papers of the Congress candidate and the party’s s u b s t i t u t e w e r e a l s o rejected, for “discrepancies in verification of signatures”

o f t h e i r p r o p o s e r s , a t a s p e c i a l h e a r i n g h e l d o n S u n d a y a t t h e C o l l e c t o r ’ s office, nine were left in the fray

Barring the BJP’s Dalal, eight candidates then gave in writing to the election

o f f i c e r t h a t t h e y d i d n o t w a n t t o c o n t e s t S u r a t D i s t r i c t E l e c t i o n O f f i c e r ( D E O ) a n d D i s t r i c t C o l l e c t o r S a u r a b h P a r g h i subsequently declared Dalal t h e w i n n e r S o o n a f t e r , Gujarat BJP president C R P a a t i l p o s t e d : “ S u r a t h a s presented the first Lotus to P r i m e M i n i s t e r N a r e n d r a Modi ”

BJP won't cross the 150-seat mark, says Rahul Gandhi

O n t he last da y of canv assing for t he first phase of India 's L ok Sa bha e le ct ions, se nior

C ongr ess Par ty lead er Ra hul

G an dhi and Sa majwa di Part y ( S P ) p r e s id e n t A k hi le sh

Ya da v sha r ed t he sta ge to d i sp la y t h e un i t y of t he i r a lli a n c e a n d s a i d bo t h p a r t i e s h a v e a co m m o n a gen da of defea ting t he BJP I n r e s p o n s e t o a question, while addressing t h e m e d i a i n G h a z i a b a d , about contesting only 17 out o f t h e 8 0 s e a t s i n U t t a r Pradesh (UP), Rahul Gandhi said, "We have decided the INDIA alliance will contest a n d w e h a v e d o n e s e a tsharing with an open mind

W e w a n t t o s h o w s o m e flexibility That is why we h a v e g i v e n s p a c e t o o u r partners but that should not be seen as any weakness of the Congress " Akhilesh said the INDIA alliance will defeat the BJP from Ghaziabad to Ghazipur

In Ghaziabad, the Congress i s c o n t e s t i n g w i t h t h e support of the SP Without predicting the number of seats which the Congress would win, Rahul said the BJP will be restricted to 150 s e a t s i n t h e L o k S a b h a elections 2024

Gandhi said the biggest i s s u e s i n t h e L o k S a b h a e l e c t i o n 2 0 2 4 a r e unemployment, inflation, and representation but the Bharatiya Janata Party tries to distract from these issues

O n t h e B J P ' s q u e s t i o n about how poverty will be eradicated in one go, Gandhi said, "No one is saying that poverty will be finished in

266 in the fray for 25 Lok Sabha seats in Gujarat

As m any as 266 cand idates remained in the fray for the 25 seats th at now rem ain for the L ok Sabha contest and 24 remained in the race for b y- p o ll s i n fi v e as s em b ly co nsti tuenc ies in Gu jarat This w as announced by the state chief election officer on M ond ay, th e last day to withdraw nom inatio ns

W i t h t h e S u r a t s e a t g o n e t o t h e B J P u n c o n t e s t e d , p o l l i n g w i l l n o w b e h e l d f o r 2 5 L o k S a b h a s e a t s a n d f i v e assembly seats on May 7, an official statement said This number of 266 this year is probably the lowest

s i n c e 2 0 0 9 a n d 2 8 % l e s s t h a n 2 0 1 9 T h i s y e a r , besides smaller parties, the m a i n c o n t e s t w i l l b e C o n g r e s s v e r s u s B J P , b a r r i n g B h a v n a g a r a n d Bharuch where it will be BJP versus AAP

At 18, the Ahmedabad East seat has the maximum

one go We are saying that poverty can be given a big b l o w N a r e n d r a M o d i h a s kept his entire focus on 22 to 25 individuals

Targeting the BJP over the electoral bond scheme, Yadav said that the electoral bond has exposed the BJP and the BJP has become a g o d o w n o f a l l c o r r u p t s Calling electoral bonds the w o r l d ' s b i g g e s t s c h e m e o f extortion, Rahul said all the explanations of the PM on the scheme were not going t o m a k e a n y d i f f e r e n c e "Because the entire nation k n o w s t h a t t h e P r i m e Minister is a champion of corruption," he said

Court rejects Kejriwal’s plea for daily doctor consultation

A D elhi court denied chie f m i n is t e r Ar v i n d Ke j r iw a l ' s r equest for con sult ation with a p r i va t e d o ct o r t hr o ug h v ide o confere ncing, agr eeing w i t h t he T i ha r J a i l a ut horities that he cann ot be t r e a t e d d iff e r e n t l y f r om other inmates a nd that the l aws a nd jail manual must a p p l y e q u a l l y t o a l l “ Th e r equest for privat e treat me nt can b e permitted onl y if the ja il authorities are un abl e to pr ovide the requisite medica l facilities,” it said in order

It also refused to accept

Kejriwal’s plea for insulin, o b s e r v i n g t h a t a p e r s o n s u f f e r i n g f r o m h y p e r g l y c a e m i a c a n n o t b e administered insulin on the b a s i s o f h i s r e q u e s t I t o r d e r e d c o n s t i t u t i o n o f a medical board by director, A I I M S , f o r t h e c h i e f minister’s treatment in jail

The board will have to submit its report to the court

o f s p e c i a l j u d g e K a v e r i

B a w e j a a t t h e e a r l i e s t specifying whether there is a n y r e q u i r e m e n t f o r a d m i n i s t e r i n g i n s u l i n t o

Kejriwal at this juncture If t h e r e i s a n e e d f o r a n y medical intervention by any

s p e c i a l i s t i n f u t u r e , t h e decision will be taken by the

j a i l a u t h o r i t i e s i n c o n s u l t a t i o n w i t h t h e m e d i c a l b o a r d , w h i c h w i l l h a v e a s e n i o r e n d o c r i n o l o g i s t a n d diabetologist

K e j r i w a l , t h r o u g h h i s counsels – senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi and s e n i o r a d v o c a t e R a m e s h

G u p t a – h a d s u b m i t t e d before the court that denial

o f i n s u l i n b y t h e j a i l a u t h o r i t i e s d e s p i t e h i s r e p e a t e d r e q u e s t s w a s a violation of his fundamental right to health and also a c a s e o f g r a v e m e d i c a l negligence

T h e c o u r t , h o w e v e r , pointed out that “from the response of ED and the jail a u t h o r i t i e s , i t h a s a l s o emerged that the applicant h a s n e v e r r e q u e s t e d f o r administering of insulin to him Rather, he is stated to have been off insulin since February,” said the court

DD logo colour change to ‘saffron’ sparks controversy

T h e v is ua l ma k e ov e r f or

D oo r d a r sh a n ’ s n e w s ch a n n e l s mar ked by a change in the col our of i t s l og o fr o m r e d t o or a n g e h a s s pa r k e d a co n t ro v e rs y , w it h W e st

B e n ga l ch i e f m i n is t e r M a

M a m a t a s l a m m e d t h e m o v e

c a l l i n g i t “ a b s o l u t e l y u n e t h i c a l , grossly illegal, and speaks loudly of t h e p r o - B J P b i a s o f t h e n a t i o n a l public broadcaster” and demanded t h e E l e c t i o n C o m m i s s i o n ’ s intervention

I & B m i n i s t e r A n u r a g T h a k u r , however, shrugged off the charge and suggested that Mamata’s stand was in k e e p i n g w i t h h e r r e s i s t a n c e t o “ a n y t h i n g s a f f r o n ” P r a s a r B h a r t i C E O G a u r a v D w i v e d i r e f u t e d t h e allegation and argued that the move was meant for visual enhancement and the colour that has raised hackles

is, in fact, orange and not saffron as being alleged

C o n g r e s s M P a n d f o r m e r I & B minister Manish Tiwari criticised the switch saying that it was a move to assert BJP govt’s control over the p u b l i c b r o a d c a s t e r “ T h i s i s a n a t t e m p t o n t h e p a r t o f t h e government to saffronise and capture the government institutions The said m o v e c l e a r l y u n d e r m i n e s t h e neutrality and credibility of India’s public broadcaster,” he wrote on X T M C M P J a w a h a r S i r c a r , w h o served as CEO of Prasar Bharati, also criticised the alleged saffronisation of the national broadcaster

n u m b e r o f c a n d i d a t e s , while the Bardoli seat has the least with just three For assembly by-polls, the Vijapur assembly seat h a s e i g h t c a n d i d a t e s , t h e highest, while Waghodiawith only two - has the least number of candidates It is worth recalling that former W a g h o d i a M L A M a d h u S r i v a s t a v a w h o h a d contested the 2022 poll as an independent, withdrew in support of Congress

Initially, 433 candidates were in the fray for Lok S a b h a s e a t s a n d 5 8 f o r Assembly seats, according to officials

D u r i n g s c r u t i n y , 1 0 5 forms for Lok Sabha and 27 f o r a s s e m b l y p o l l s w e r e r e j e c t e d O n M o n d a y , 6 2 withdrew their Lok Sabha n o m i n a t i o n s , l e a v i n g t h e final number at 266 Three i n d e p e n d e n t s - a l l f r o m Waghodia - withdrew from the assembly race

Brought hope in 2014, trust in ’19, guarantee in ’24: PM Modi

In his first e lect ion rally in t h e n or t h e a st , P r i me

M i n is t e r N a r e n d r a M o d i summed up t he t hree poll

c a m pa ig n s t h a t h e h a s ste ere d, say ing he brought with him hope for pe ople in 2 0 14 , t r us t i n 2 0 1 9 a n d ‘Modi k i g ua ra nte e ’ in 2024 “Modi ki guarantee’ is e c h o i n g t h r o u g h o u t t h e nation and the northeast is a t e s t a m e n t t o t h i s guarantee,” he said at a rally in Assam’s Nalbari, adding that under his leadership, the region has transformed into a land of possibilities from a region plagued by problems under Congress

Tearing into Congress

i n N a l b a r i a n d l a t e r i n Agartala, he said that while t h e o p p o s i t i o n p a r t y “fostered separatism in the northeast, we considered it an integral part of India and worked towards peace and s e c u r i t y i n t h e r e g i o n ” “ W h i l e C o n g r e s s h a d a d o p t e d t h e ‘ l o o t e a s t ’ policy, BJP changed it to ‘act east’ policy,” he said, adding t h a t A s s a m i s p o i s e d t o

e m e r g e a s a g l o b a l s e m i c o n d u c t o r h u b , m a r k i n g a h i s t o r i c a n d unexpected beginning that will accelerate the region’s development

Attacking Rahul Gandhi and highlighting the ‘cracks’ i n t h e I N D I A b l o c , M o d i said: “The Congress Yuvraj, who is critical over the use of investigative agencies, is now demanding the arrest o f t h e K e r a l a C M o v e r corruption charges ”

H i g h l i g h t i n g B J P ’ s commitment to ‘sabka saath sabka vikas’, the PM said there is no discrimination in NDA’s schemes which are designed to benefit all “All e l i g i b l e i n d i v i d u a l s , r e g a r d l e s s o f b a c k g r o u n d , will receive free ration for the next five years ” “A new atmosphere is p r e v a i l i n g i n t h e e n t i r e country as we celebrate the b i r t h a n n i v e r s a r y o f L o r d Ram in his own home after 5 0 0 y e a r s a n d t h i s i s a culmination of centuries of devotion and generations of sacrifice,” PM Modi said

ED attaches £9.8 mn Kundra assets in Pune bitcoin scam

En fo r ce m e n t D ir e c t or a t e ha s pr o v is io n a l l y a t t a c he d t h e prope rties of businessma n Ripu Su d a n K

d r a ( R a j K un d r a

cl uding a fl at in Juhu in the name of his a ctor wife Shilpa She tty, coll ect ive ly worth £9 7' 8 mn , in a money l aundering case co n ne ct e d t o a Pu n e b it c oi n ponzi scam The a gency is likel y t o s um mo n Sh i l pa f or h e r st atement A c c o r d i n g t o E D

,

K u n d r a had received 285 bitcoins from Amit Bhardwaj, the mastermind and promoter of Gain bitcoin ponzi scam, to set up a bitcoin mining farm in Ukraine “The said Bitcoins were sourced from the proceeds of crime collected by Amit Bhardwaj from gullible investors Since the deal didn’t materialize, Kundra is still in possession and enjoyment of 285 B i t c o i n s , w h i c h a r e p r e s e n t l y valued at more than £15 mn, ” said ED The attached properties also include a bungalow in Pune and equity shares in the name of Kundra

Rahul Gandhi

Musk postpones trip, aims to visit India later this year

project for

t

v

n tu r e

India, we will do everything to make it attractive for them to come and invest In that process, if there is anything to discuss, we will certainly discuss But whatever we have done, we have done it through policy ”

equally important for Musk too

H e i s e x p e c t e d t o f a c e t o u g h q u e s t i o n s f r o m a n a l y s t s a b o u t falling sales, rising competition from Chinese EV makers (such as BYD) and the fate of key future Tesla products

rlink Musk, who had just a few days ago announced his visit through a post on his X handle, informed on the same platform about the latest development “Unfortunately, v e r y h e a v y T e s l a o b l i g a t i o n s require that the visit to India be delayed, but I do very much look f o r w a r d t o v i s i t i n g l a t e r t h i s year, ” he said It is now expected that Musk will visit after elections

Asked about Musk’s decision, f i n a n c e m i n i s t e r N i r m a l a Sitharaman said, “When big companies show interest to come to

Reacting to Musk’s proposed v i s i t , P M M o d i h a d s a i d i n a r e c e n t i n t e r v i e w t h a t h e w e lcomed MNCs to India as they had the potential to generate jobs for locals The PM said he had met Musk recently in the US, and before that in 2015, and added that India’s potential in electric vehicles is attracting new companies to the country

A n n o u n c i n g a p r o j e c t i n a fast-developing market in India is

Kolkata to London: Couple's epic 64-day road trip adventure

Subhasini Naicker

Em barking on an extraord in ar y j o u rn ey , m e et th e intrepid couple setting out from Kolkata to L ond on by car With a sh ared p assion f o r a d v e ntu r e a nd e xp l or atio n , th ey' v e tra d ed th e com forts of hom e fo r the o p e n ro ad , f u ele d b y th e a llu re o f d i s tant h o riz o ns and the prom ise of unforg ettable experiences Kausik R ay a nd h i s w i fe D r Debanjali -businessman and a ne st h es io l o g i s t co u p l e T hey are also found ers of R o ad y s se y, a n e nd e av o u r that offers life-transform ing road trips and cross-bord er d riv es This 64 -day journey starting in Ko lkata is set to t ak e 1 5 tra v el b u ff s o n a cross-country road trip from A ugust 24 to October 25 D u r i n g t h e j o u r n e y , they are going to traverse the fascinating terrains of I n d i a , N e p a l , C h i n a , K y r g y z s t a n , U z b e k i s t a n , T u r k m e n i s t a n , I r a n , Armenia, Georgia, Turkey, G r e e c e , B u l g a r i a , S e r b i a , Hungary, Slovakia, Poland, Czechia, Germany, Austria, Liechtenstein, Switzerland, France, and culminate in the United Kingdom

S p e a k i n g a b o u t t h e inspiration behind the journ e y b e h i n d t h e c a r r i d e , Kausik said, “As a child, our family embarked on road trips from Kolkata to our G r a n d p a ' s p l a c e i n R a j a s t h a n d u r i n g s c h o o l holidays In those pre-internet days, navigating without Google Maps or mobile p h o n e s i n a f u l l y - l o a d e d Hindustan Ambassador car was a true adventure These e a r l y e x p e r i e n c e s i g n i t e d my passion for travel, leading me to explore India and neighbouring countries like Nepal and Bhutan by road w h e n e v e r p o s s i b l e T h e desire to journey even further lingered in my mind until 2018 when I decided t o b r e a k f r e e f r o m t h e m o n o t o n y o f d a i l y l i f e

With no fixed plan, my family and I embarked on a transformative journey covering over 42,000 kilometres in 8 months This experience profoundly changed

my perspective and altered the course of my life”

“To me, road trips are the best mode of travelling and to have a feel of the places The route we have chosen extremely carefully from the point of a wanderer soul We will be travelling through some of the most beautiful parts of Asia and Europe,” he added S p e a k i n g a b o u t t h e modifications or preparat i o n s f o r a l o n g j o u r n e y , Debanjali said, “For expedit i o n s l i k e t h i s , a r e l i a b l e SUV is essential to navigate varied terrains comfortably

Ensuring the vehicle is in t o p c o n d i t i o n , e s p e c i a l l y t h e t i r e s , i s c r u c i a l , w i t h extra spares recommended

M o d e r n v e h i c l e s t y p i c a l l y r e q u i r e n o m o d i f i c a t i o n s , but carrying extra fuel and some emergency supplies is w i s e A d d i t i o n a l l y , m a p s , radios for vehicle commun i c a t i o n , a n d a s a t e l l i t e device for connectivity in remote areas are indispensable In addition to vehicle p r e p a r a t i o n s , c o n d u c t i n g research about the destinations enhances the overall experience Staying physically fit is crucial regardless o f a g e , a n d o u r g r o u p includes individuals over 60 who are young at heart ” Speaking about the cul-

t u r a l e x p e r i e n c e s that he is looking forward to, Kausik said, “The journey

s p a n s a p p r o x imately 18,000 kilo-

m

e t r e s , s t a r t i n g from the plains of t h e G a n g e s a n d

c r o s s i n g m u l t i p l e countries Our first stop is K a t h m a n d u , N e p a l , f o ll o w e d b y T i b e t , C h i n a , home to the iconic Potala Palace We'll traverse the ancient Silk Route, exploring the diverse cultures of Central Asia Central and West Asia offer a fusion of Asian, Soviet, Persian, and E u r o p e a n i n f l u e n c e s , e v ident in their food and culture From East to West, each border crossing brings a shift in scenery, scent, and ambiance ”

S p e a k i n g w h a t h e ’ l l hope after the end of the journey, Kausik said, "Free m o b i l i t y o f f e r s n u m e r o u s benefits, including cultural and educational exchange, h e a l t h c a r e , a n d p o l i t i c a l d e v e l o p m e n t I t a l s o e n h a n c e s t o u r i s m a n d i m p r o v e s r o a d t r a n s p o r t systems, leading to multidim e n s i o n a l d e v e l o p m e n t T h e t h r i l l o f a d v e n t u r e drives us forward, and during our overland journey, w e e n c o u n t e r e d k i n dh e a r t e d i n d i v i d u a l s w h o r e s t o r e d o u r f a i t h i n humanity Each travel exper i e n c e s t r e n g t h e n e d o u r resolve to overcome chall e n g e s , r e f l e c t i n g t h e indomitable spirit of Indiaa land known for fostering peace, solidarity, and hospitality "

The deferment of his visit will c o m e a s a d i s a p p o i n t m e n t t o many as Musk - who runs several m u l t i - b i l l i o n - d o l l a r e n t e r p r i s e s such as Tesla, social media platform X (formerly Twitter), rocket and space company SpaceX, brain chip startup Neuralink, and tunnelling provider Boring Co - was e x p e c t e d t o m a k e a n n o u n c ements around the Tesla project

Tesla, which has been looking at India for the past few years as a

business opportunity, is expected t o a v a i l t h e p o l i c y a n d w o r k towards investing between $2 and $3 billion in the country The company had earlier told govt that it wants to make a budget EV in India, likely to be priced at Rs 25-30,00,000, and this would also be exported across some regions

And before the factory came up, t h e c o m p a n y w a s e x p e c t e d t o import some of its models to the country under a new subsidised import duty regime that has been promised in the new EV policy

Musk’s visit was also expected to hasten approval for his satcom venture Starlink which has been stuck in regulatory hurdles for the past three-and-a-half years

Indian woman on board ship seized by Iran returns home

T he I n di a n wo m an c r e w member on board the c ont ai n e r v es s e l , wh i c h wa s seiz ed by Iran for its links w i th I s ra e l, ha s b e en releas ed b y Iranian authorities The I ndi an embassy in Tehran is in touch with the remaining 16 Indian crew m e m be r s a nd i s h op ef u l t ha t t he y w i l l a ls o be releas ed s oon

“ W i t h t h e c o n c e r t e d efforts of Indian mission in T e h r a n a n d t h e I r a n i a n govt, Indian deck cadet Ms A n n T e s s a J o s e p h f r o m Thrissur, Kerala, who was a m o n g t h e I n d i a n c r e w members of container vessel MSC Aries, has landed s a f e l y a t t h e C o c h i n I n t e r n a t i o n a l A i r p o r t A t

t h e a i r p o r t , s h e w a s r e c e i v e d b y t h e R e g i o n a l Passport Officer , Cochin,” said the Indian govt in a statement

The Indian embassy in Tehran remains seized of the matter and is in touch w i t h t h e r e m a i n i n g 1 6 Indian crew members of the container vessel, it added The crew members are in good health and in contact with their family members in India, according to the govt Ann Tessa Joseph said that the Iranians behaved w e l l w i t h h e r a n d o t h e r crew members and they had no intention to harm them S h e a l s o s a i d t h a t t h e remaining 16 members are safe in the ship and they too

will be released soon

“There was no cruelty or ill treatment on the part of those who detained us on t h e s h i p W e w e r e g i v e n food We were allowed to use mobile phones for an hour,” she said Iran had earlier assured India that it will allow Indian officials access to the 17 Indian crew members “Indian mission is also in touch with the I r a n i a n a u t h o r i t i e s i n ensuring the well being of the remaining crew members of MSC Aries Earlier, external affairs minister, Dr S Jaishankar had spoken to his Iranian counterpart fore i g n m i n i s t e r A m i r Abdollahian on the matter,” said the government

In SC, govt praises Manmohan, Rao for opening up economy

BJP-led NDA g ovt last w eek p raised fo rmer PM Narasim ha Rao and h is then finance m i ni s ter M an m o h an S in g h i n S u p re m e Co urt fo r pio neering econom ic liberalisation in 1991 to end ‘licence raj’ while taking care to ensure that overarch ing control ov er any industry remained with the gov t in ord er to deal with exig encies Solicitor general Tushar Mehta told a n i n e - j u d g e b e n c h l e d b y C J I D Y C h a n d r a c h u d t h a t w h i l e p o s t - e c o n o m i c reforms ushered in by Rao and Singh liberalised many laws, including company law and MRTP Act, govts headed by different political dispensations over the next three decades did not consider it necessary to a m e n d t h e I n d u s t r y ( D e v e l o p m e n t a n d Regulation) Act, 1951

He was responding to a question from t h e b e n c h , a l s o c o m p r i s i n g J u s t i c e s Hrishikesh Roy, A S Oka, B V Nagarathna, J B Pardiwala, Manoj Misra, Ujjal Bhuyan, Satish C Sharma and Augustine G Masih, which had sharply criticised IDRA, 1951, say-

ing the archaic legislation appeared regressive and reflective of licence raj days Mehta said winds of change did not touch IDRA, giving the Centre overarching control over t h e e n t i r e s p e c t r u m o f i n d u s t r i e s , e v e n though with passage of time, the Union govt gave up regulating most of them But the Centre relinquishing control over industries did not mean it did not have the power to regulate them, he added

This regulating control was retained by the Centre in national interest and to meet exigencies like the Covid pandemic If the Union govt did not have the power to regulate industrial alcohol and direct most of it to be utilised to produce hand sanitisers during Covid and had to wait for permission from states, the robust response to the pandemic would have suffered, Mehta said

“The Centre retains its regulatory power over industries, though it may not exercise it, to meet unforeseen exigencies arising from situations not within contemplation right now, ” he added

How Yogendra Yadav saved Tiger Hill despite 15 bullet wounds

T h e Ka r g il w a r o f 1 9 99 r e m a i n s

et ched in history a s a t esta men t t o India 's valour an d sa cr ifice O n July 26, 1999, In dia mark ed its victor y in this wa r, hoist ing the tricolor pr oudly atop the pe aks of Kar gil with the brav ery and r esilie nce of it s sold ie rs

Among the numerous heroes of t h e K a r g i l w a r s t a n d s Y o g e n d r a Singh Yadav, the youngest recipient of the Param Vir Chakra, India's h i g h e s t m i l i t a r y h o n o u r Y a d a v ' s valorous act of leading the assault on Tiger Hill, despite sustaining 15 bullets, earned him the title of the "Hero of Tiger Hill "

After completing his army training, Yadav was thrust into the heart of the Kargil conflict As part of the 18 Grenadiers, he was tasked with c a p t u r i n g T i g e r H i l l , a s t r a t e g i c p o i n t e n t r e n c h e d b y P a k i s t a n i forces Yadav recounted the harrowing night of 3-4 July Under the cover of darkness, Yadav and his comrades ascended towards Tiger Hill, encountering fierce resistance f r o m t h e e n e m y D e s p i t e f a c i n g odds, Yadav and his fellow soldiers pressed forward with unwavering r e s o l v e A s t h e b a t t l e r a g e d o n , Yadav witnessed the sacrifice of his comrades, each falling in the line of d u t y D e s p i t e s u s t a i n i n g s e v e r e injuries, including being shot three times and suffering a broken arm and leg, Yadav refused to yield His a c t o f h u r l i n g a g r e n a d e a t t h e enemy, despite his critical condition, confused the Pakistani soldiers, buying precious time for reinf o r c e m e n t s f r o m b e l o w Y a d a v ' s r e s i l i e n c e a n d s t r a t e g i c t h i n k i n g turned the tide of the battle

Elon Musk

Kausik Ray with his wife Dr Debanjali

Yogendra Yadav

SOUTH INDIA

PM Modi jabs Congress over Bengaluru water crisis

BE NGA L URU : Pr ime Mi ni ste r N a r e n d r a M o d i l a u n ch e d a s t ro n g a tt a c k o n B e n g a l u r u' s i n f r a s t r u ct u r e cr i s i s a s t he r e s ul t o f t h e C o n g r e s s ' s m i s m a n a g e m e n t o f t h e c i t y Refe rrin g to the w ater cri si s in pa rts of Be ngaluru that had led to r ationi ng of wate r and even p en al ty f or usi n g w ate r o the r tha n for b as ic ne eds , PM Modi in a rally in Ben galuru s aid , "The C on g r e s s g o v e r n m e n t i n K arnata ka ha s turn ed the tech city into a tank er city, and left i t to the tan ker maf ia " "The Congress is anti-private sector, anti-tax payer, and antiwealth creator the (Opposition bloc) INDIA s focus is on Modi, b u t m y f o c u s i s o n I n d i a ' s development, its global image," he said

"In these elections, the leaders of INDIA alliance are roaming a r o u n d w i t h a w o r n o u t t a p e recorder Meanwhile, Modi and his partners are walking around with their track record, and that's w h y w e h a v e c o m e h e r e i n Bengaluru to seek your blessings," PM Modi said BJP MPs Tejasvi Surya and PC

Former Karnataka deputy CM Eshwarappa sacked from BJP

B E N G A L U R U : T he

Kar nat aka BJP unit expell ed for me r d ep ut y c hi e f mi ni s t e r K S E s hw a r a ppa fr om the par ty for six years

Th e ex pul s ion c ame a ft e r

Es hw a r a pp a fi l e d h is n omi n at ion a s a n Independent candidate from Shivamogga against sit tin g BJP MP and par ty nominee B

Y R a gh av e nd r a , s on o f for mer chief minister B S Yediyurappa Raghavendra is al s o t he b r ot he r o f

Kar nat aka B JP unit chief B Y Vijayendra

In a letter addressed to

with alliance partner Janata Dal (Secular), or JD(S)

PM Modi held mega rallies in Kalaburagi and Shivamogga last month On April 14, he addressed a rally in Mysuru, during which he shared the dais with Gowda, and later held a roadshow in the coastal town Mangaluru

V o t i n g i n K a r n a t a k a i s scheduled in two phases; the first is on April 26, and the second on May 7

E s h w a r a p p a , 7 5 , B J P s t a t e d i s c i p l i n a r y c o m m i t t e e p r e s i d e n t L i n g a r a j a P a t i l said, “Ignoring the orders of the party, you are contesting as a rebel candidate from S h i v a m o g g a L o k S a b h a c o n s t i t u e n c y T h i s h a s

c a u s e d e m b a r r a s s m e n t t o the party and has violated

t h e d i s c i p l i n a r y c o d e

Starting from now, you have

b e e n v a c a t e d f r o m a l l

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

BJP'S 'RANSOM' CHARGE AGAINST SHIVAKUMAR

However, Eshwarappa also said that he has filed a caveat in a local court stating that he should not be stopped from using PM Modi’s photo

d u r i n g e l e c t i o n e e r i n g a s “Modi is our leader”

R e a c t i n g t o t h e d e v e l o p m e n t , o n e o f E s h w a r a p p a ’ s c l o s e a i d e s said they were expecting the e x p u l s i o n E s h w a r a p p a himself did not respond to the order but said he would hold a press meeting soon

According to sources, the B J P t r i e d t o p a c i f y Eshwarappa multiple times b u t w i t h o u t s u c c e s s Vijayendra in one of his poll

c a m p a i g n s i n S h i v a m o g g a d i s t r i c t h a d e v e n c l a i m e d that he and his brother had t h e ‘ b l e s s i n g s ’ o f Eshwarappa

b e e n s u s p e n d e d f r o m t h e party for six years ” The BJP has also objected t o E s h w a r a p p a u s i n g t h e i m a g e o f P r i m e M i n i s t e r N a r e n d r a M o d i i n h i s c a m p a i g n T h e p a r t y h a s filed a complaint with the Election Commission (EC)

Trains cancelled as farmers squat on tracks in Ambala-Amritsar

BJP leader Amit Malviya accused Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar of "brazen abuse of power" after a video of him seeking votes from the residents of a housing society in Bengaluru Rural Lok Sabha segment was shared widely on social media platforms In the video clip, Shivakumar was purportedly heard saying that he had come for a "business deal" and if the 2,510 houses in the housing society - 6,424 votes - go to his candidate - his brother D K Suresh is seeking re-election from Bangalore Rural in the coming elections - then he assured them that their major issues concerning supply of Cauvery river water and need for a civic amenity site would be resolved by him within three months Sharing the video clip Malviya the BJP IT department head attacked Shivakumar the state Congress chief and said that irrespective of who the people choose to vote for it is his responsibility as a minister to provide amenities to the people

CHINA-MADE DRONE SEIZED NEAR INDIA-PAK BORDER IN PUNJAB

The Border Security Force (BSF) said it has seized a China-made drone near the IndiaPakistan border in Punjab's Amritsar district along with a packet of 500 gm of heroin Acting on a tip off, the BSF troops carried out an extensive search operation in the suspected area The troops were successful in recovering one drone along with one packet of suspected heroin of 500 gm, the BSF Punjab Frontier said The recovery took place in fields adjacent to Nestha village, nearly 300 km from Chandigarh The recovered drone is a Chinamade DJI Mavic 3 Classic

A M BA L A : As many as 73 trains o n the Am bala-Am ritsar route w e re c anc e lle d as f arm ers continued to squat on tracks at the S ham bhu railw ay station in P unjab's P atiala district for th e fifth day, officials said T h e p r o t e s t o r s h a v e b e e n demanding the release of three farmers arrested by the Haryana Police during the ongoing stir A total of 73 trains were cancelled on Sunday, the railway officials said The cancellation of trains o v e r t h e l a s t f i v e d a y s w a s causing financial losses, besides i n c o n v e n i e n c i n g p a s s e n g e r s , they said Many trains were also b e i n g d i v e r t e d d u e t o t h e f a r m e r s ' p r o t e s t , t h e y a d d e d T h e f a r m e r s h a v e b e e n protesting under the banner of t h e S a m y u k t a K i s a n M o r c h a ( n o n - p o l i t i c a l ) a n d K i s a n M a z d o o r M o r c h a ( K M M ) i n Patiala district's Shambhu Farm leaders said the protest w i l l c o n t i n u e u n t i l t h e t h r e e farmers are released Farmers’ stir also hits goods train traffic on eastern freight corridor

WEST BENGAL

T h o u g h f a r m e r s h a v e n o t blocked the tracks of the freight corridor, taking precautionary measures as the rail lines of the freight corridor are just about 25 metre away from the blocked site, goods trains have also been stopped on this section under

the Ambala unit of Dedicated Freight Corridor Corporation of India Limited (DFCCIL)

T h e 1 8 2 - k m P i l k h a n iSahnewal section of the corridor was inaugurated last month At least 40 goods trains a day were being operated on this route

Due to the agitation, around 100 km section of the 175 km main l i n e i s l y i n g u n u s e d b e t w e e n Kalanaur to Sarai Banjara and the remaining 75 km section is being used

A n o f f i c i a l s a i d d u r i n g a previous agitation when farmers h a d b l o c k e d t h e t r a c k s o f N o r t h e r n R a i l w a y , s o m e p r o t e s t e r s h a d c o m e o n t h e tracks of the freight corridor too

r e t u r n t h e e n t i r e s a l a r y i n f o u r w e e k s , ”

Shamim added

s c h o o ls

n

st Be ng a l, s ai d lawyers associated with cases in the alleged bribe-for-job case The bench directed the West Bengal School Service Commission to initiate a fresh appointment process The alleged case is being probed by the Central

of I n v e s t i g a t i o n ( C B I ) a n d E n f o r c e m e n t Directorate (ED) The order was passed by the division bench of justice Debangsu Basak and justice Md Shabbar Rashidi “The court cancelled the entire panel of 2016 Those who lost jobs include secondary (class 9 and 10) and higher secondary (class 11 and 12) teachers as well as Group C and Group D s t a f f , ” l a w y e r F i r d o u s S h a m i m , w h o i s representing victims of the alleged case, said “ T h e c o u r t h a s o r d e r e d t h a t a f r e s h recruitment process should start after the Lok Sabha polls are over, ” he said “The court also ordered that people who were recruited by the state government after expiry of the time frame of the 2016 panel will have to

The alleged case came to light when ED arrested former education minister Partha C h a t t e r j e e a n d h i s c l o s e a i d e A r p i t a Mukherjee in July 2022 In its first charge sheet filed in September 2022, ED said it t r a c e d c a s h , j e w e l l e r y a n d i m m o v a b l e property worth £10 31 mn linked to the duo

In May 2022, the then Calcutta high court judge Abhijit Gangopadhyay ordered the CBI to probe the appointment of nonteaching staff (Group C and D) and teaching staff by the West Bengal School Service C o m m i s s i o n a n d W e s t B e n g a l B o a r d o f S e c o n d a r y E d u c a t i o n b e t w e e n 2 0 1 4 a n d

2021 The appointees allegedly paid bribes in the range of Rs 5 to 15,00,000 to get jobs after failing the selection tests

The Bengal government challenged this order and moved the Supreme Court which directed the Calcutta high court to hear the case TMC state general secretary Kunal Ghosh said, “We never denied that some irregularities took place and a few people

i n d u l g e d i n c o r r u p t i o n T h a t i s b e i n g probed

cancelling all jobs cannot solve the

”

after spotting a goods train He said, “To avoid such a situation, it has been decided to keep the traffic suspended on the route

a n d u s e a l t e r n a t i v e r o u t e s t o operate goods trains ” M e a n w h i l e , t h e p a s s e n g e r t r a i n t r a f f i c r e m a i n s a f f e c t e d w i t h c a n c e l l a t i o n s , d i v e r s i o n s and short termination of trains

M a n d e e p S i n g h B h a t i a , D i v i s i o n a l R a i l w a y M a n a g e r (DRM), Ambala Division, said, “Around 115 trains were affected due to the agitation All efforts are being made to reduce train

c a n c e l l a t i o n s a n d k

TMC TAKES OUT RAM NAVAMI RALLY IN BENGAL

Trinamool Congress rolled out Ram Navami processions in Bengal last week, appearing to take BJP by surprise a day after CM Mamata Banerjee publicly sounded a warning about the saffron party’s alleged ploy to “engineer riots” on the sidelines of the celebration As candidate after candidate from TMC marched to the chants of “Jai Shri Ram”, a chorus that has had Mamata in a flap on several occasions, BJP s Suvendu Adhikari termed the party s Ram Navami overdrive a sign of fear and not devotion” Some BJP functionaries admitted they didn’t expect TMC to organise a celebration of this scale The rallies were taken out in Howrah, Belur and Kolkata s BurrabazarJorasanko belt

Rajnath Singh trains guns on Mamata for opposing CAA, UCC

S I L I G U R I : U ni o n d ef en ce

m i ni s te r Raj n ath S i ng h tr ai ne d g u n s o n c h i ef

m i ni st er M a m ata Ban erj ee for opposing the Citizensh ip A mendm ent Act (C AA ) and th e U ni f o rm C iv il C o d e (U CC ) w hile criticising the law and ord er situation of Bengal

S i n g h , w h o s p o k e a t t h r e e p u b l i c m e e t i n g s i n M u r s h i d a b a d , M a l d a a n d

S i l i g u r i , e m p h a s i s e d t h a t t h e B J P w a s determined to implement the CAA and the UCC across the country “We don’t have any difference in our words and deeds We had promised CAA and UCC and have done both Here in Bengal, Mamata Banerjee is saying that she will not allow CAA in the state I want to ask her why

s h e i s m i s l e a d i n g p e o p l e L e t m e unequivocally assert that no one can stop the implementation of CAA,” Singh said at a public meeting in Siliguri Singh’s assertion comes at a time when M a m a t a , h e r h e i r - a p p a r e n t A b h i s h e k Banerjee and other Trinamool leaders have openly said they would not let the Centre

implement the CAA and the UCC The move is seen as an a t t e m p t b y t h e r u l i n g d i s p e n s a t i o n i n B e n g a l t o consolidate minority votes, which constitute around 28 per cent of the total votes in the state

A d d r e s s i n g p u b l i c meetings in South Dinajpur in support of Trinamool nominee Biplab Mitra, who is contesting from Balurghat against state BJP chief Sukanta Majumdar, Mamata said: “We will not let CAA and NRC be implemented in Bengal Also, once UCC is implemented, it will snatch religious and c u l t u r a l f r e e d o m f r o m d i f f e r e n t communities and we are against it ” Singh, on the other hand, doubled down on the resolve to implement UCC “We are putting impetus on UCC This will end the injustice meted out to women of a specific c o m m u n i t y f o r d e c a d e s , ” h e s a i d i n Murshidabad, a district with around 70 per cent minority population

He also raked up the Sandeshkhali issue and questioned the alleged silence of the TMC government

Narendra Modi

Rajnath Singh

PM Modi inaugurates Bhagwan

Mahaveer Nirvan Mahotsav

P r i m e M i n is t e r N a r e n d r a M o d i i n a u g ur

r a l

st

le a s e d a comme morat ive sta mp and coin on t he occa sion Addressing the gathering, PM Modi remarked that t h e B h a r a t M a n d a p a m i s w i t n e s s t o t h e 2 5 5 0 t h Bhagwan Mahaveer Nirvan Mahotsav Referring to the d a n c e d r a m a , t h e P r i m e Minister said that the dedication and commitment of the youth towards the values of Bhagwan Mahaveer is a sign of the nation moving forward in the right direct i o n H e a l s o m e n t i o n e d releasing a commemorative

stamp and coin on the occasion and thanked the Jain community for their guidance and blessings Modi

b o w e d b e f o r e t h e s a i n t s f r o m t h e J a i n c o m m u n i t y and conveyed his best wishes to all citizens on the occas i o n T h e P r i m e M i n i s t e r paid tributes to Acharya Shri V i d y a s a g a r j i M a h a r a j a n d recalled his recent meeting with the Acharya and said that his blessings are still guiding us T h e P r i m e M i n i s t e r

'Surya Tilak' illuminates Ram Lalla idol's forehead on Ram Navami

emphasized the signifi-

c a n c e o f t h e 2 5 5 0 t h

N i r v a n M a h o t s a v a n d

n o t e d v a r i o u s h a p p y

c o i n c i d e n c e s s u c h a s the initial phase of the

A m r i t K a a l w h e n t h e

n a t i o n w a s w o r k i n g towards a golden century of independence He also noted the 75th year of the Constitution and the festival of democracy that will decide the future direction of the nation

P r i m e M i n i s t e r M o d i underlined that the idea of Amrit Kaal is not merely a r e s o l u t i o n b u t a s p i r i t u a l inspiration that allows us to l i v e t h r o u g h i m m o r t a l i t y and eternity “We are celebrating Bhagwan Mahaveer’s N i r v a n D i w a s e v e n a f t e r 2500 years and I’m sure that the nation will continue to c e l e b r a t e t h e v a l u e s o f B h a g w a n M a h a v e e r f o r thousands of years to come ” , the Prime Minister said

'Project Life' helps Panasada village school to undergo major change

Th anks to the efforts of Rajkot based 'Project Life', th e elem entary school in Panasad a v illag e in Gujarat has undergo ne m ajor transformation The p roject serves as a beacon o f ho pe for und erprivileged ch ild ren, thanks to th e p h il an th ro p i c ef fo rt s o f Ha rs h ad Lakhani and fam ily The dedication ceremony of th e refurbished school was p erfo rmed by H ars had L akhani, i n the p resence o f J yots ana S hah , th e C o nsu lting E d ito r o f Gujarat Samachar, Lo nd on

This event was also attended by the next generation of the Lakhani family - Tony and Mrs Vibha Lakhani Subraj, Mrs Shubha Lakhani and Bingham Scott from the USA, and Devi Parekh from the UK

Jyotsana Shah along with Mrs Bina and David Holden, Executive Committee (EC)

64%

Continued From page1

m e m b e r o f N V A , U K , S h a k u b e n S h e t h , Deviben Parekh, Ushaben Shah, Roshanben a n d V i n o d b h a i M a l a v i y a , U K a n d Kundanben Doshi, Kenya, also visited the headquarters of Project 'Life' and it’s interv e n t i o n , L i f e B l o o d C e n t r e , L i f e Thalassaemia Prevention Centre and Life Greenfield Centre

Jyotsana said, after a visit to the annivers a r y c e l e b r a t i o n o f N a v n a t U K P r i m a r y School, Jabalpur, along with Mrs Bina and David Holden and Deviben Parekh, they were impressed by the joy and excitement of the students 'Enthusiasm of the students confirmed our belief in the importance of the continued support and investment in Smart Class initiative and the provision of educational tablets,' she added

turnout in first phase of Lok Sabha poll

Incidents of violence were reported in Manipur which s t i l l m a n a g e d t o l o g a turnout of 70 8%

The overall turnout for these seats in 2019 was 66%, b a r r i n g d e l i m i t e d s e a t s i n Assam and Outer Manipur, a f e w a s s e m b l y s e g m e n t s o f which went to the polls in the first phase this time D e f y i n g s u m m e r h e a t almost all over the country and rain in J&K’s Udhampur, p e o p l e c a m e o u t i n l a r g e numbers despite talk of a low-key campaign

“ E l e c t i o n C o m m i s s i o n has worked extremely hard over the past couple of years to make a smooth and peaceful Lok Sabha election a reality The first phase turnout is very encouraging and should enthuse voters to come out in even higher numbers in t h e r e m a i n i n g p h a s e s , ” a senior EC functionary said West Bengal, which has a history of poll violence and clashes between rival party

w o r k e r s , s a w p e a c e f u l polling barring stray altercations in Cooch Behar EC said none of these incidents had any effect on polling, as e v i d e n t f r o m t h e 7 9 4 % turnout recorded across the t h r e e p a r l i a m e n t a r y c o ns t i t u e n c i e s o f A l i p u r d u a r s , Cooch Behar and Jalpaiguri

and Bihar, which have traditionally been lowto-moderate turnout states, maintained the trend with 6 0 3 % a n d 4 8 9 % v o t i n g respectively Rajasthan too had lower turnout than the national average at 57 3%, as did Maharashtra at 61 2%,

N a g a l a n d ( 5 6 9 % ) a n d Mizoram (56 6%)

'Surya Tilak' (Sun’s rays) illum i na te d L o rd Ra m L all a ido l's foreh ead at A yod hya Temple on the occasion o f Ram Navami Th e ' S urya tilak' of the deity was m ad e p o s s ib le by an el ab o rat e m echanis m i nvo lvi ng mi rrors and lenses T he system was tested by the scientists earlier

This was the first Ram Navami since the consecration of the Ram idol at the Ayodhya temple, inaugurate d b y P r i m e M i n i s t e r Narendra Modi on January 22 According to a senior scie n t i s t o f t h e C o u n c i l o f S c i e n t i f i c a n d I n d u s t r i a l R e s e a r c h ( C S I R ) - C e n t r a l Building Research Institute ( C B R I ) , R o o r k e e , t h e p l a n n e d t i l a k s i z e w a s 5 8 m m T h e e x a c t p e r i o d o f tilak on the forehead centre was about three to threea n d - a - h a l f m i n u t e s , w i t h two minutes of full illumination, he said Even as Ram Lalla was to be anointed with the Surya T i l a k , P r i m e M i n i s t e r Narendra Modi made a reference to the historic occasion at his election rally at A s s a m ' s N a l b a r i A m i d chants of ‘Jai Siyavar Ram’, the PM said “Today is the h i s t o r i c o c c a s i o n o f R a m Navami After waiting for 5 0 0 y e a r s , L o r d R a m h a s b e e n s e a t e d i n h i s g r a n d

t e m p l e N o w a f t e r a f e w minutes, by applying Surya Tilak to Lord Ram, his birth anniversary will be celebrate d i n t h e h o l y c i t y o f A y o d h y a , i n t h e R a m Temple ”

The Ram Janmabhoomi for the second time is witnessing a grand celebration, after the magnificent cerem o n y o f p r a n p r a t i s h t h a Ram Navami is being celebrated with great pomp at Ram Mandir with offerings of 56 types of bhog, prasad and panjiri

Acharya Satyendra Das, c h i e f p r i e s t o f R a m Janmabhoomi Temple, said all the arrangements for the celebration were being managed by the Trust and the occasion of Ram Navami is being celebrated with great enthusiasm

Supreme Court grills Ramdev, Balkrishna

H e a r i n g t h e m i s l e a d i ng a ds ca se a gai nst P atanjali

A y u r v e d , t h e S u p r e m e Court toda y a sked if the size of an apo logy i t put ou t i n newspa pe rs t od ay was simi lar to i ts fu ll-p age a dve rtiseme nts of its pro du c t s S e n i o r Ad v o c a t e Mukul Ro hatg i, a ppe ari ng f o r P a t a n ja l i f o u nd e r s R a m d e v a n d B a l kr i sh n a , sai d the y hav e fi led a fre sh set of ap ologi es be fore the court

The bench asked why the apologies were filed on Monday and that it should h a v e b e e n d o n e e a r l i e r Rohatgi said the apology was published in 67 newsp a p e r s a t a c o s t o f ₹ 10,00,000 "Has the apology been published prominently? Same font and size as your earlier advertise-

m e n t s ? " J u s t i c e H i m a Kohli asked When Rohatgi s a i d t h e c o m p a n y h a d s p e n t l a k h s , t h e c o u r t replied, "We are not bothered " The court noted that it has received an application s e e k i n g a £ 1 0 0 m n f i n e against the Indian Medical Association (IMA) for its case against Patanjali "Is it a proxy plea? We suspect," the bench said, as Rohatgi s t r e s s e d h i s c l i e n t s h a v e nothing to do with it

T h e S u p r e m e C o u r t adjourned the matter for a week after Ramdev said he will publish a bigger apology in newspapers

J u s t i c e K o h l i s a i d , "Please cut out the ads and then supply it to us Do not enlarge them and supply it to us We want to see the

a c t u a l s i z e T h i s i s o u r direction we want to see that when you issue an ad, it does not mean we have to see it by a microscope "

H o u r s a h e a d o f t h e S u p r e m e C o u r t h e a r i n g , Patanjali Ayurved put out a n a p o l o g y i n n a t i o n a l dailies, stressing that they h a v e u t m o s t r e s p e c t f o r the court and that their m i s t a k e s w i l l n o t b e repeated

In an ad, Patanjali said it has utmost respect for the Supreme Court's statue "We tender our heartfelt apology for the mistakes committed in publ i s h i n g a d s a n d h o l d i n g press conferences despite t h e a s s u r a n c e s b y o u r counsel We are committed not to repeat this mistake," the ad read

(19 July 1945 - 22 April 2024)

Vinubhai Nagrecha has passed away, leaving behind a remarkable legacy of love, compassion and achievement

A community stalwart, philanthropist a n d r e n o w n e d b u s i n e s s m a n V i n o d r a i Bachubhai Nagrecha (78) passed away on Monday 22 April 2024 He has left behind a legacy of love, compassion and achievements t h a t w i l l f

e v e r b e r e m e m b e r e d T h e Nagrecha family has lost a hero, who has been a loving husband, brother, uncle, and a special friend to many

A kind-hearted Vinubhai helped worthwhile causes not only in the UK but in Africa and India too He showed his commitment to strengthening the community, culture and values by organising various cultural and musical get-togethers He was a prominent figure in the Ugandan Asian community in the UK He was a respected family man, a pivotal leader, a mentor, an entrepreneur and a great community supporter His lifelong dedication and significant contributions have left a lasting impact in the UK, on Indian and Ugandan communities

Son of Late Bachubhai and Late Hariben Nagrecha, Vinodrai aka Vinubhai was born on 19 July 1945 He was husband to Neelamben Nagrecha, Brother to Hasmukhbhai, C h a n d u b h a i , J a y a b e n C h a n d a r a n a , U s h a b e n T h a k k a r ( K a r i a ) , U m i b e n R a d i a a n d

Pannaben Lakhani

The Prathna will be held at Hariben Bachubhai Nagrecha Hall 202-204 Leyton Road, London, E15 1DT on Thursday 25 April 2024 from 7:00 pm - 9:30 pm The family also welcomes personal condolences at their home, Hari Nivas, 8 Grove Park, Wanstead, London, E11 2DL, on April 26 from 7:00pm to 8:30pm

The funeral ceremony will be at the City of London Cemetery and Crematorium, Aldersbrook Road, London E12 5DQ on Sunday 28 April 2024 at 11 45am

PM paid tribute to Bhagwan Mahaveer s Murti

B reakfas t for m any typicall y c ons ists of butt ered toas t and f ruits or f ruit juice However, heal th-consc ious individuals m a y re c ons ider , as ex per ts c aut ion agains t star ting the day with fruit s, honey, and b i s c u it s d ue t o po t e nt i a l b l o od s ug a r f l u c t ua t io ns c aus ed by horm ona l c hanges e arly in the m orning This a dvice was highl ighted in a r e el s har ed on t he H ea l th

Hat ch Instagram page

Not only fruits, honey, a n d b i s c u i t s , b u t e v e n breads, toast, khari, and fruit j u i c e c a n a d v e r s e l y a f f e c t

b l o o d s u g a r l e v e l s a n d should be avoided Dr Niti A Patel, a diabetologist, thyroid specialist, and certified o b e s i t y p h y s i c i a n a t A c e O r t h o - D i a b e t o C a r e i n M u m b a i , e m p h a s i s e d t h a t foods with a high glycemic index, which release sugar rapidly, should be avoided on an empty stomach as they can spike blood sugar levels and disrupt sugar control

According to Dr Patel, c e r t a i n f o o d s s h o u l d b e avoided on an empty stoma c h d u e t o t h e i r h i g h glycemic index and lack of

‘Worst’ foods to have on an empty stomach if you have diabetes or pre-diabetes Post-surgery

nutrients White or whole bread, which are highly processed and lacking in nutrients and fibre, have a high G I i n d e x S i m i l a r l y , f r u i t j u i c e s , w h e t h e r f r e s h o r packaged, are rich in natural sugars and should be avoided on an empty stomach, although they contain vitamins, minerals, and fibre Dr P a t e l s u g g e s t s c o n s u m i n g whole fruit as a mid-meal s n a c k l a t e r i n t h e d a y A d d i t i o n a l l y , f o o d s l i k e cornflakes, cereal bars, and muesli may be marketed as p r o t e i n - r i c h o r s u g a r - f r e e , but it's crucial to scrutinise the ingredients list, as they often contain hidden sugars under different names W h o l e f r u i t s c o n t a i n fibre, but the juicing process removes it, leaving a c o n c e n t r a t e d s o u r c e o f sugar that can quickly spike blood sugar levels Dr Neeti Sharma, senior consultant in nutrition and dietetics, e x p l a i n s t h a t f r u i t j u i c e l a c k s f i b r e , w h i c h w o u l d otherwise slow down sugar absorption, leading to rapid i n c r e a s e s i n b l o o d s u g a r levels

Immunotherapy boosts Kidney Cancer survival

In a phase 3 random ised, pl acebo-cont rol led trial , adjuvant t herapy has been s hown to improve overall survival in kidney c ancer patients for the firs t t im e in 50 y ears

A review of findings from keynote-564 research reveals that administering pembrolizumab, an immunotherapy medication, to patients with clear-cell renal-cell carcinoma (ccRCC) at high risk of recurrence post-surgery significantly enhanced overall survival Pembrolizumab reduced the risk of death by 38% compared to a placebo

"We can now tell our patients that pembrolizumab after surgery not only delays recurrences but also helps them live longer," said the study's lead investigator Toni Choueiri, MD, of Dana-Farber Cancer Institute Choueiri, director of the Lank Center for Genitourinary Oncology at Dana-Farber, is the first author of the study published in the New England Journal of Medicine Choueiri previously presented the findings at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Genitourinary Cancer Symposium on January 27, 2024

The KEYNOTE-564 trial aimed to assess adjuvant pembrolizumab post-nephrectomy (kidney removal) within 12 weeks before randomization This double-blind, phase 3 study, conducted at numerous international sites, involved 994 patients randomised to receive pembrolizumab every three weeks for approximately a year or a placebo Pembrolizumab targets a molecular pathway that cancer cells commandeer to evade attack by the body's immune system By blocking this "checkpoint" pathway, the drug helps free the immune system's army of T cells to combat tumours

Stay hydrated with Watermelon

Watermelon is a hydrating fruit, with 92% water content, making it low in calories but filling. Its high water content helps combat dehydration, promotes cardiovascular health, and keeps the body cool in hot weather Additionally, staying hydrated aids in preventing dry mouth and supports healthy skin by cleansing the body

ng a s tr o ng

im m u ne s ystem i s cru ci al for o verall h ealth Facto rs like stress and poor diet can w eak en i t By ad d res s i ng these factors and ad opting im m u ne- b o o st in g s tra tegi es, w e can i m pro v e ou r well-being

O n e o f t h e f o r e m o s t signs of a poor immune syst e m i s c a t c h i n g r e g u l a r infections

F r e q u e n t c o l d s , p r ol o n g e d i n f e c t i o n s , s l o w

wound healing, and chronic fatigue can indicate a weake n e d i m m u n e s y s t e m

S t r e s s , a l l e r g i e s , d i g e s t i v e problems, and muscle pain are also signs of immune dysfunction

Tip s and strateg ies to achiev e a good imm une system :

F o r t u n a t e l y , a d o p t i n g various lifestyle changes and habits can enhance and support your immune system, leading to optimal health

1 Focus on consuming a balanced diet rich in nutrients, including fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and

p r o t e i n s , t o p r o v i d e y o u r

b o d y w i t h e s s e n t i a l v i t amins, minerals, and antioxidants crucial for supporting the immune system

2 Regular physical activity can enhance circulation, promote the production of immune cells, and improve o v e r a l l i m m u n e s y s t e m f u n c t i o n i n g S e t t i n g d a i l y goals for jogging, working out, or engaging in physical a c t i v i t y c a n b e b e n e f i c i a l Aim for a combination of a e r o b i c e x e r c i s e , s t r e n g t h training, and flexibility exercises for optimal results

3 C h r o n i c a n x i e t y , s t r e s s , a n d m e n t a l h e a l t h issues can negatively impact t h e i m m u n e s y s t e m Practising mindfulness exerc i s e s s u c h a s m e d i t a t i o n , y o g a , a n d d e e p

Climate change linked to surge in stroke cases: Study

A rec ent study suggests that changi ng c lima te pattern s could be associated with an in c re as e i n s t rok e- r ela te d dea ths an d di s ab i li ti e s i n di f f e re n t r e gi o n s wo rl dwi de Stroke is identified by th e W o rl d H e a lt h Organization (W HO) as the primary cause of disability gl ob a ll y a nd t he s e c on d leading cause of death, following heart disease

Published in the journal N e u r o l o g y , r e s e a r c h e r s conducted a study spanning t h r e e d e c a d e s , r e v e a l i n g that non-optimal temperatures whether excessively high or low were increasingly linked to stroke-related death and disability It's crucial to note that while t h e s t u d y h i g h l i g h t s a n

a s s o c i a t i o n b e t w e e n t e mp e r a t u r e f l u c t u a t i o n s a n d s t r o k e r i s k , i t d o e s n o t directly attribute strokes to c l i m a t e c h a n g e Additionally, the study did not investigate other risk factors such as high blood pressure and high cholesterol levels

Researchers found that most strokes occurred duri n g t e m p e r a t u r e s l o w e r than optimal, possibly due to blood vessel constriction and increased blood pressure However, the study did not specify the ideal t e m p e r a t u r e r a n g e f o r human health Conversely, higher temperatures were a l s o a s s o c i a t e d w i t h strokes, potentially because o f d e h y d r a t i o n a f f e c t i n g

Novartis’ Multiple Sclerosis drug is effective for up to six years, study reveals

Swiss ph armaceutical com pany Novartis has released fiveyear efficacy data on its monoclonal antibody fo r Multiple Sclerosis treatm ent T he data revealed a 4 4 per cent reduction in relapses, along with significant reductions in MRI lesions by 96 4 per cent and 82 7 per cent, respectiv ely Add itionally, there were 24 5 per cent and 21 6 per cent fewer 3- and 6- mo nth co nfirm ed d isabi lity wo rseni ng (C DW) ev ents, respectiv ely

As per the company's statement, a distinct examination of the entire ALITHIOS population exhibited comparable e f f i c a c y w i t h o n g o i n g K e s i m p t a t r e a t m e n t , w h i c h a l s o demonstrated consistent tolerability and safety over a period of up to six years

"Our analysis of treatment-naïve individuals recently diagnosed with relapsing multiple sclerosis revealed that initiating Kesimpta as a first-line treatment for up to six years yielded long-term benefits These benefits include reduced relapse rates, significantly suppressed MRI lesion activity, and fewer instances of disability worsening While patients who switched to Kesimpta later also showed improvements, the delay in irreversible disability worsening was not as pron o u n c e d c o m p a r e d t o t h o s e w h o i n i t i a l l y s t a r t e d o n Kesimpta This underscores the importance of early initiation of treatment," stated principal investigator Gabriel Pardo, MD, who serves as the Founding Director of the

c h o l e s t e r o l l e v e l s a n d blood flow

"Significant temper-

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

r e c e n t y e a r s h a v e impacted public health

a n d r a i s e d w i d e s p r e a d

c o n c e r n s O u r s t u d y suggests that these temperature changes may escalate the global burden of stroke, particularly affecting older populations and regions with healthcare disparities," said Lead author Quan Cheng, from Xiangya H o s p i t a l C e n t r a l S o u t h

o r a n g e j u i c e t h a t t a s t e s more sour than expected

One day, she explained that she added apple cider vinegar to improve my health

U n i v e r s i t y i n C h a n g s h a , China

Why dri nking a pple c ider

vin egar daily is n't as healthy as i t is c laimed

Each morning at breakfast, my partner gives me

A s a f o r m e r p r i m a r y school teacher she swears by the stuff She tells me she kept apple cider vinegar in the staff room so that when children became ill with diarrhoea and vomiting, she could take it immediately to protect her from the illness

Research uncovers new treatment path for lasting Lyme disease symptoms

Researchers at Tu lane University have unco vered a h opeful new app roach to ad dress lingering neurolog ical symptoms linked with Lyme disease This d iscov ery offers optimism to patients enduring persistent sym ptom s despite u nd ergoing antibiotic treatment for the bacterial infectio n

Lyme disease, caused by the bacteria Borrelia burgdorferi transmitted through tick bites, can lead to diverse symptoms, including neurological issues Although medication is often successful, some individuals experience ongoing symptoms, known as post-treatment Lyme disease syndrome

Geetha Parthasarathy, PhD, the principal investigator and assistant professor of microbiology and immunology at the Tulane National Primate Research Center, has found that fibroblast growth factor receptor inhibitors, previously explored in cancer research, can notably diminish inflammation and cell death in brain and nerve tissue samples infected with Borrelia burgdorferi

The discovery implies that focusing on FGFR pathways could present a promising new therapeutic avenue for managing persistent neuroinflammation in individuals with post-treatment Lyme disease syndrome

"Our findings open the door to new research approaches that can help us support patients suffering from the lasting effects of Lyme disease," Parthasarathy said

After Akshay Kumar, Kajal Aggarwal set to join film Kannappa

The Kannappa film team announced the inclusion of Bollywood star Akshay Kumar in this Telugu magnum opus Now, actor Kajal Aggarwal has also joined the cast, with an official announcement forthcoming Media reports suggest that Vishnu Manchu's film "Kannappa" is set to expand its scope

Telugu actor Vishnu Manchu, who is playing the lead role in Kannappa, posted on his official X page, “The #Kannappa journey just got more thrilling as we welcome the Superstar Mr Akshay Kumar to the Telugu Film Industry Thrilled to announce his debut in Telugu cinema with Kannappa Get ready for an unforgettable adventure!” He also posted pics of Khiladi Kumar meeting him and his father, the legendary Telugu star Mohan Babu.

Akshay is in Hyderabad currently for the shooting of the film In a statement, Vishnu Manchu expressed excitement about collaborating with Akshay, stating, "Shooting the film's climax alongside Akshay Sir is a thrilling experience His presence adds immense value to 'Kannappa,' making it a truly Pan-Indian film "

Trisha says life has come ‘full circle’ with re-release of Ghilli

Ithas been a dry week for theatres in Tamil Nadu wi lined up. The makers of Dharani’s Ghilli, starring Vij the most of it by re-releasing a remastered 4K version o blockbuster in theatres in Tamil Nadu and a few other c France and Ireland, much to the delight of fans.

Ghilli is a remake of Gunasekhar’s 2003 Telugu f starred Mahesh Babu and Bhumika It is still conside Trisha's best films Trisha took to Instagram to shar and her from the film

She also shared videos of fans dancing along to t as she danced on-screen, writing, “If this is not comi know what is Woke up to FDFS BLOCKBUSTER

(infinity emoji) 2024 #ghilli #GhilliFDFS #GhilliReR

Prakash Raj, who plays the antagonist in the film a clicked with Vijay, writing, “Hai Chellam sssss We ar

Numerous fans have shared pictures and videos across the world while watching the film

First look of Amitabh Bachchan in sci-fi film 'Kalki 2898 AD’

Anticipation is mounting among fans for Nag Ashwin’s epic sci-fi dystopian film, "Kalki 2898 AD," starring Prabhas, Amitabh Bachchan, Kamal Haasan, Deepika Padukone, and Disha Patani in key roles. The film's makers have now revealed the first look of Amitabh Bachchan's character, signalling a major milestone toward the highly anticipated release of this year's biggest Indian film

The 21-second tease r c o m m e n c e s w i t h Bachchan, adorned in e a r t h y a t t i r e , s e a t e d within a cave, engrossed in prayer before a Shiva linga Against a backdrop

s e r e n e m u s i c , a c h i l d ' s v o i c e asking, "Can you not die? Are you divine? Who are you?"

A s t e n s i o n b u i l d s , B a c h c h a n ’ s deep voice asserts, “Since ancient times, I have awaited the arrival of the Avatar I am Guru Drona’s son Ashwatthama,” he declares firmly

Taking to X (formerly Twitter), Bachchan wrote, “It’s been an experi-

ence for me like no other The nd to think of such a product, the execution, the exposure to modern technology and above all the company of colleagues with stratospheric Super star presence ” A f e w m o n t h s b a c k , A s h w i n unveiled intriguing details about the e p i c s c i e n c e - f i c t i o n f i l m , a s s u r i n g f a n s t h a t " K a l k i 2 8 9 8 A D " w o u l d deliver an extraordinary visual spectacle

Shobana to share screen space with Mohanlal in Tharun

Moorthy’s L360

After a lengthy hiatus, Malayalam icons Shobana and Mohanlal are set to reunite on screen Regarded as one of Malayalam cinema's most successful pairings, they have collaborated on a remarkable 56 films Their upcoming project, tentatively titled "L360," marks their reunion after nearly two decades Shobana herself shared the news in a video posted on Instagram

“After many years, I am doing a Malayalam film, and I am super excite d T h e d i r e c t o r i s M r T h a r u n

Moorthy who has also scripted the film The producer of the movie is Sri Rajaputra Ranjith And can you guess w h o t h e h e r o i s ? Y e s ! I t i s S r i Mohanlal This is the 360th film of Lal Ji So, I like to wish him all the best And as our combination this is our 56th film together So, again, I am super excited And hope everybody loves the film,” Shobana said in the selfie video

known for films like "Operation Java" and "Saudi Vellakka," the upcoming movie brings together Shobana and Mohanlal, who last appeared togethe r i n " M a m b a z h a k k a l a m " ( 2 0 0 4 ) "L360" marks their reunion after two decades

It's been four years since Shobana starred in a Malayalam film, her last a p p e a r a n c e b e i n g i n " V a r a n e

A v a s h y a m u n d u ( 2 0 2 0 ) w h e r e s h e portrayed a single mother In the f i l m , s h e p l a y e d t h e m o t h e r o f

Kalyani Priyadarshan, portraying a c o m p l e x c h a r a c t e r t o r n b e t w e e n

romance and motherhood responsibilities

Lingusamy reflects on past differences with Mammootty

Lingusamy, renowned for blockbuster Tamil hits like "Run," "Sandakozhi," and "Paiyaa," recently discussed his past differences with Mammootty during his debut directorial venture, "Aanandham" (2001)

D u r i n g f i l m i n g , r u m o u r s h i n t e d a t t e n s i o n s between Lingusamy and Mammootty Lingusamy admitted fault, citing his inexperience and insistence on certain aspects He praised Mammootty's legendary status and regretted not heeding his advice Lingusamy attributed any conflicts to momentary frustrations rather than lasting animosity

L i n g u s a m y a d m i t t e d t h a t h e s t i l l s p e a k s t o

Mammootty at times about his films “I recently spoke to him after watching Bramayugam trailer Who can do a film like Kaathal: The Core? Even he asked me the same ‘Who will do the film there? Is there anyone who can do it?’ You know that ego drives them You need it Only if it’s there, he is Mammootty ”

During the interview, Lingusamy also expressed his disappointment with Kamal Haasan while producing his film Uttama Villain He claimed that the movie led to a huge financial loss for his production house While Haasan has promised to do a film with him to compensate for the loss, the project is yet to take off

“Vicky Donor literally conceived me as an actor": Ayushmann Khurrana

In 2012, Ayushmann Khurrana embarked on his cinematic journey with "Vicky Donor," a groundbreaking film challenging societal norms surrounding sperm donation and infertility This debut not only garnered widespread critical praise but also secured him his first Filmfare Award for Best Male Debut As the film marked its 12th anniversary, Ayushmann expressed gratitude to his fans for commemorating it in a uniquely creative manner

Celebrating its 12-year milestone, Shoojit Sircar's directorial venture, "Vicky Donor," starring Ayushmann Khurrana and Yami Gautam, received special recognition from fan pages They surprised Ayushmann with an anime edit showcasing memorable scenes from the film Ayushmann reshared the images on his Instagram handle along with a heartfelt note

Sharing the photos, he wrote, "12 years it's hard to believe how time flies! Vicky Donor literally conceived me as an actor/star And seeing you all celebrate its an anniversary with such creativity is heartwarming Here's to the magic you bring to my journey! Also, if Vicky Donor was an anime, what would you name it? Can't wait to see what you come up with #12YearsOfVickyDonor "

Following his breakthrough in "Vicky Donor," Ayushmann showcased his versatility in notable films such as "Dum Laga Ke Haisha," "Badhaai Ho," "Andhadhun," etc His latest appearance was in "Dream Girl 2," where he starred alongside Ananya Panday, Annu Kapoor, and Abhishek Banerjee

“My PR game sucks” : Parineeti Chopra on losing films to Bollywood lobbying

Parineeti Chopra is celebrating the success of her recent Netflix film "Amar Singh Chamkila." Hailed for her portrayal of Amarjot Kaur, the wife of singing icon Amar Singh Chamkila, in the movie, Parineeti recently discussed lobbying in Bollywood. She highlighted how actors who don't engage socially with other stars and producers often miss out on significant film opportunities during an interview with the media

She said, "Getting work in Bollywood doesn't only depend on merit or acting, you have to be in cliques and camps to get roles I am not present at the right place at the right time I am not getting papped every day ” She added, "My PR game sucks "

"I don't attend industry dinners, lunches, or parties where work opportunities are often discussed in Bollywood I prefer directors and producers to consider me solely based on my work ethic and dedication Despite winning a National Award for 'Ishaqzaade' a decade ago, I remain committed to d e l i v e r i n g q u a l i t y p e r f o r m a n c e s , " n o t e d t h e Ishaqzaade star

Talking about her choices in films, the Amar Singh Chamkila star said, “I want to be the voice for actors who aren't parts of cliques and camps I hope we break this system of lobbying in Bollywood because I want equal opportunities and work I may have done the wrong films, but I am the same actor who started 10 years ago and is in search of the right platform "

Aayush Sharma breaks silence on leaving Salman Khan's production house

Aayush Sharma, preparing for his forthcoming actionthriller "Ruslaan," frequently faces questions about his connection with Salman Khan Being married to Salman's younger sister, Arpita Khan, Aayush shares a close personal relationship with the star of "Tiger 3 " In a recent media interview, Aayush was questioned about his departure from Salman Khan Films

Manushi Chhillar opens up on 30 year age gap with her co-star Akshay Kumar

Manushi Chhillar appeared in her fourth film alongside Akshay Kumar and Tiger Shroff in "Bade Miyan Chote Miyan," released on April 11, 2024 This marks her second collaboration with Akshay since Chandraprakash Dwivedi's "Samrat Prithviraj " In a recent interview, Manushi responded to social media discussions regarding the age difference between her and Akshay.

On being quizzed over the debate on social media over the age-difference between herself and Akshay, the actor said, “Working with a superstar is good You get a certain amount of visibility If I talk about my first film, there was an age gap They wanted to play the whole thing

While interacting with the media, the Ruslaan actor clarified that there was no fallout between him and Salman He said, “It is not lik that, it is my hou No actor works with only one production house Honestly, it is very funny, but my choices have been in a lot of discussions There are many actors who have worked in their comfort zone, worked with a particular production house, then went out, then went back to the same production house I wanted to step out, my intention is to go out there ”

In this film, there was no pairing We did songs for marketing There had to be a way to put two people together for the songs, but that's pretty much it, which is fine I don't see it as something that was atrocious or something that shouldn't have been there It wasn't like a love story anyway ”

He further added, “I cannot keep working only in the family, in a closed set-up, because then my growth would also be stunted It was a conscious decision to move out of the family for some time to work outside It was important for me to grow, learn myself, evolve and be worthy enough to be called back ”

Following her Hindi film debut in the epic drama "Samrat Prithviraj," she ventured into Vijay Krishna Acharya's "The Great Indian Family”, collaborating with Vicky Kaushal in the social comedy-drama Up next, she is set to appear in Pawan Gopalan's political action-thriller "Tehran," sharing the screen with John Abraham and Neeru Bajwa in significant roles

Masaba Gupta, Satyadeep Misra expecting first child

Sonali Bendre on feeling like a "caricature" in her old film “Duplicate”

Sonali Bendre, known for her roles in blockbuster films like "Hum Saath-Saath Hain," "Naaraaz," "Sapoot," and "Tarazu," recently opened up about her experience with the media She revealed feeling like a "caricature" in her 1998 film "Duplicate," directed by Mahesh Bhatt and starring Shah Rukh Khan and Juhi Chawla in key roles.

R e f l e c t i n g o n t h e m o v i e , S o n a l i remarked, "There was a film I was doing at t h a t t i m e c a l l e d D u p l i c a t e w h e r e I w a s approached to play a grey character in some way It was very exciting and challenging for me to portray that character We started preparing for the role in that way and also started shooting it accordingly, but slowly, as things moved, I felt I became a caricature and not really the grey character I was supposed to play "

"Every time a song from 'Duplicate' plays and people mention the film, what stands out to me the most is how much a story can derail and deviate from its original intent It's been a significant learning experience for me Over time, you question whether you misinterpreted something or if it was the other way around But moving forward, I don't want to be confined to stereotypes In m y s e c o n d i n n i n g s , I a i m t o p o r t r a y characters that break these moulds," Sonali Bendre shared

Fashion designer and actor Masaba Gupta is expecting her first child She shared the joyous news in a joint post with her husband, Satyadeep Mishra

Adil Hussain stands firm amid Sandeep Reddy Vanga criticism

She shared pregnant emoji, heart eyes avatars of their faces and a picture of the two of them sitting on the floor, sharing a cuddle She wrote, “In other news - Two little feet are on their way to us! Please send love,blessings and banana chips ( plain salted ONLY) #babyonboard #mom&dad ”

Parineeti Chopra was among the first to congatulate Masaba “Congratsss mama, ” she wrote Roshni Chopra wrote, “Omg happy happy !!! Blessss xx ” Singer Sunidhi Chauhan wrote, “Congratulations ”

Neena Gupta shared Masaba's post on her own Instagram and wrote, "Humare bacchon ka baccha aane Wala hai Isse zyada Khushi ki baat Kya ho sakti hai (My children are about to have a child What could be a happier news?)

Masaba and Satyadeep got married in January 2023 Earlier, Masaba was married to Madhu Mantena while Satyadeep was married to Aditi Rao Hydari

Sandeep Reddy Vanga took to X (Formerly Twitter) to criticise actor Adil Hussain for his recent comments about the 2019 film "Kabir Singh " Adil, who had a minor role in the movie, expressed regret and embarrassment about his involvement in it.

During a conversation with a podcast channel, Adil revealed that he initially showed disinterest in the film and instructed his agent to quote a s u b s t a n t i a l f e e t o d i s s u a d e t h e p r o d u c t i o n house Surprisingly, they agreed, prompting him to reluctantly accept the offer Although the scene he filmed appeared promising, upon watching the movie, he found it unbearable and couldn't endure more than 20 minutes of it

S a n d e e p c h o s e t o m o c k A d i l ' s l o n g filmography of ‘art films’ in his tweet “Your 'belief' in 30 art films didn't get as much fame to you as your 'regret' of 1 BLOCKBUSTER film did I regret casting you, knowing that your greed is bigger than ur passion NOW I'll save you from the shame by replacing your face with AI help Now smile properly,” he wrote

Adil responded to Sandeep's reaction to his remarks, stating, "I'm currently in the US and haven't seen Sandeep's post, nor do I intend to W h a t I s a i d a b o u t ' K a b i r S i n g h ' w a s i n a n interview, not on social media I regret doing it and will not change my stance "

Raveena Tandon on 90s pay gap: "What male stars made in

a film, I made in 15"

Raveena Tandon, who garnered praise for her role in the legal drama film "Patna Shuklla," has been openly discussing her experiences in the film industry. In a recent interview with Jist, she addressed the gender pay gap prevalent in Bollywood during the 90s. Raveena Tandon reflected on the pay disparity between male and female actors in the 90s, stating, "Actresses didn't earn much back then Male stars earned significantly more What they made in one film, I made in about 15 films Male actors could afford to be selective with their projects, while actresses often worked with multiple co-stars Overall, the pay was much lower compared to today "

In a chat with the media, Raveena Tandon spoke about losing out on certain projects because she thought that the costumes or dance moves were inappropriate Raveena discussed that there were times when she said, “No, I am not going to do this step No, I am not going to wear this costume ” The star further added, “I have given up so many movies where I was not comfortable with the costumes that I was given to wear There were so many songs where I have said, ‘Sorry, but I don't think that this is appropriate and I have stood by that ' There have been times where I had to sacrifice a couple of movies and stuff for that But then, so be it But I had to live my life my way ”

Richa Chadha, who is gearing up for the upcoming series Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar, draws inspiration from Meena Kumari's iconic performances for her role as Lajjo Meena Kumari's portrayal in 'Pakeezah' shaped Richa's character as a captivating courtesan

Richa Chadha draws inspiration from Meena Kumari for Heeramandi

"Carefully observing, learning from and taking lessons from Meena Kumari ji's character in Pakeezah was a truly enriching and deeply transforming experience for me ahead of shooting for Heeramandi In the movie Pakezah, Meena Kumari's character has a certain tragic depth and complexity that resonated with Lajjo, the character that I play in the show I worked on the voice and diction, while studying Meenaji's work, to the point of imitation sometimes I felt like I was walking in the footsteps of a cinematic legend, and it was an honour to pay tribute to Meena Kumari ji through my portrayal of Lajjo," she said, according to a statement The trailer sets the stage for 'Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar,' a sweeping saga set amidst the Indian freedom struggle of the 1940s Promising an epic tale of love, power, revenge, and freedom, the series explores the cultural intricacies of Heeramandi through the lives of courtesans and their patrons

Priyanka Chopra confirms that she is not attending Met Gala this year

Priyanka Chopra recently confirmed her absence from the highly anticipated Met Gala, one of the year's premier fashion events.

During media interviews for the documentary film "Tiger," where she serves as the narrator, Priyanka disclosed that she won't be attending this year's Met Gala due to her ongoing filming commitments

During the interview, when Priyanka was asked about this year's Met Gala event and whether she is looking forward to anyone attending in particular, she said: “I don't even know who's going this year I’m definitely not attending this year because I’m filming, but I think I really do enjoy watching people's creativity during the Met Gala and I am really excited to see how it will turn out I actually have not read anything about who all is going this year ”

Upon learning that Euphoria actor Zendaya would be attending the event, Priyanka expressed admiration, stating, "She's amazing, so we're definitely looking forward to her presence "

Kunal Nayyar to lead Gurinder Chadha’s 'Christmas Karma'

Filmmaker Gurinder Chadha has officially unveiled her latest project, "Christmas Karma," a contemporary Bollywood musical Drawing inspiration from Charles Dickens' timeless classic "A Christmas Carol," the film promises to bring a fresh perspective to the beloved story

"The Big Bang Theory" alum Kunal Nayyar will portray the lead role of Scrooge in the movie, which also feature a star-studded cast of Eva Longoria, Billy Porter, Hugh

Aamir Khan launches ‘Papa Kehte Hai’ from ‘Srikanth’

Bonneville, Boy George, Leo Suter, Charithra Chandran, Pixie Lott, Danny Dyer, Bilal Hasna, Allan Corduner, Tracy-Ann Oberman, R u f u s J o n e s , E v e a n d N i t i n Ganatra

Chadha, best known "Bhaji on t h e B e a c h " , " B e n d I t L i k e Beckham", "Bride and Prejudice", " A n g u s , T h o n g s a n d P e r f e c t S n o g g i n g " , " I t ' s a W o n d e r f u l Afterlife" and "Viceroy's House", is also producing and writing the n e w m o v i e , w h i c h w i l l f e a t u r e music written by British singersongwriter Gary Barlow, Shaznay Lewis and Nitin Sawhney

W i t h " C h r i s t m a s K a r m a " ,

Chadha said, the aim is to create a festive classic for "our times and f o r g e n e r a t i o n s t o c o m e " " B y adapting one of history’s greatest n o v e l s - C h a r l e s D i c k e n s ’ 'Christmas Carol' - I am making a B r i t i s h f i l m f r o m m y u n i q u e , original point of view but one that resonates with Dickens’ masterful s t a t e m e n t o n t h e h u m a n condition

"I am blessed with such a great d i v e r s e c a s t a n d e c l e c t i c m u s i c t e a m - t h e s o u n d t r a c k w i l l b e b a n g i n g , i n f l u e n c e d b y G o s p e l , Bhangra, Carols and classic pop songs You will not be able to sit still," the 64-year-old director said in a statement

The second song from ‘SrikanthAa Raha Hai Sabki Aankhein Kholne’ - ‘Papa Kehte Hai’ was launched in a grand and unique way in Mumbai The song was performed live by a visually impaired band to a standing ovation, in the presence of the OG star of the song Aamir Khan along with the incredible cast Rajkummar Rao, Alaya F, Sharad Kelkar, director Tushar Hiranandani, music maestro Udit Narayan, and producer Nidhi Parmar Hiranandani. A a m i r K h a n , Rajkummar Rao and Udit N a r a y a n j o i n e d t h e l i v e chorus as well, creating a t r u l y h e a r t w a r m i n g moment This live performance from the band and s t a r s w a s l a u d e d a n d cheered for by the crowd a n d l e f t e v e r y o n e v e r y impressed T h e b a n d a l s o p e rf o r m e d a n o t h e r i c o n i c song of Aamir Khan, Ae Mere Humsafar Papa Kehte Hai 2 0 is s u n g b y U d i t N a r a y a n , music has been recreated by Aditya Dev, while the original music is given by Anand Milind The lyrics of the song are written by Majrooh Sultanpuri Rajkummar Rao port r a y s S r i k a n t h B o l l a , a v i s u a l l y - i m p a i r e d I n d i a n entrepreneur and founder of Bollant Industries, in h i s u

India's 17-year-old Gukesh wins candidates chess tournament

I nd i a' s 1 7-y e a r-ol d Gra nd m as ter D Guke sh scri pted history b y winn ing the Candida te s Chess Tourna men t to b ecome the younge st e ver cha lle nge r to the world title , be tte ring a record c re a te d b y th e l e g e n d a ry G a rr y Kaspa rov 40 ye ars ago

G u k e s h p l a y e d o u t a n e a s y d r a w w i t h A m e r i c a n H i k a r u Nakamura in the 14th and final round to finish with nine out of a p o s s i b l e 1 4 p o i n t s i n t h e tournament that is held to decide t h e c h a l l e n g e r t o t h e w o r l d champion

The triumph entitles Gukesh a c l a s h a g a i n s t r e i g n i n g w o r l d champion Ding Liren of China in the last quarter of the year

"So relieved and so happy I was following this crazy game (between F a b i o C a r u a n a a n d I a n Nepomniachtchi), and then I went for a walk with my second (Gregorz Gazevsky), I think that helped," Gukesh said after winning Gukesh also won a cash award o f 8 8 , 5 0 0 E u r o s ( a p p r o x R s 785,00,000) The total prize fund of t h e C a n d i d a t e s w a s 5 , 0 0 , 0 0 0

Euros He became only the second Indian after Viswanathan Anand to win the prestigious tournament

Five-time world champion Anand's triumph came in 2014

" C o n g r a t u l a t i o n s t o

@ D G u k e s h f o r b e c o m i n g t h e y o u n g e s t c h a l l e n g e r T h e @WacaChess family is so proud of what you have done I'm personally very proud of how you played and

h a n d l e d t o u g h s i t u a t i o n s E n j o y the moment," Anand posted on 'X' to congratulate the youngster, who like him, also hails from Chennai

N e e d i n g a t l e a s t a d r a w , G u k e s h g a v e n o t h i n g a w a y t o Nakamura, a clear signal that the teenager is ready for the big stage and is going to be the next biggest star in the chess world

Sandeep and Jaiswal shine for Royals

H avi ng end ured a l ean patch th at l a s te d s ev en o u ti ngs , Ya s h as v i Jaiswal fi nally struck fo rm wi th an u nbeaten 10 4 of f 60 bal ls, hi s second I PL hundred, as he gu ided R ajasthan R oyals to a nine-wic ket wi n over an u ni mp ress ive Mumbai Indi ans at the S awai Mans ingh Stadi um in Jai pur o n Mond ay The s tar batsman, who s truc k ni ne f ours and seven si xes, ensured the Royals’s chase of a 18 0run target was smo oth s ai ling The h osts fi ni shed the chase with ei ght balls remai ni ng Earli er, braving the p o t en t b o wl i n g a tt ac k of R o ya ls , you ngsters Ti lak Varma (65 o ff 45 balls) along wi th Neh al Wad hera (49 o ff 24 ball s) guid ed Mumbai to a respectable 179/9 i n 20 overs

KKR prevail over RCB by o ne run

Karn Sharma's last-over heroics of hitting Mitchell Starc for three sixes proved inadequate for Royal Challengers Bengaluru as they lost to Kolkata Knight Riders by one run in an IPL match at the Eden Gardens on Sunday The win was KKR’s fifth of the tournament, bringing them b a c k t o t h e s e c o n d s p o t R C B ’ s m i s e r y c o n t i n u e d d e s p i t e a n enthralling fightback as they firmly remain at the bottom of the table It seems 200 is the par score in the IPL now And, as it has been proven of late, even that may not be enough

KKR almost learnt it the hard way twice in a row Having failed to defend 223 a few days ago against Rajasthan Royals, they all but did a repeat act after scoring 222 for six on Sunday

Sai Kish ore, Tewati a star in Ti tans win

R Sai Kishore starred as Gujarat Titans tamed Punjab Kings by three

wickets for their fourth win in the 2024 IPL on Sunday The spin trio of Sai Kishore (4/ 33), Rashid Khan (1/15) and Noor Ahmed (2/20) exposed an ill-equipped Punjab Kings with their guile to dismiss them for a below-par 142 Liam Livingstone, who juggles b e t w e e n l e g - b r e a k a n d o f f - s p i n , struck twice in the middle overs to keep Punjab Kings alive in the game

H o w e v e r , h e d i d n o t g e t m u c h

s u p p o r t f r o m f e l l o w s p i n n e r Harpreet Brar, who leaked 35 in his four overs in a low-scoring affair

With 42 runs to get off 30 balls, T i t a n s e v e n t u a l l y r e c o r d e d a

c o m f o r t a b l e w i n i n 1 9 1 o v e r s courtesy a pressure releasing cameo from Rahul Tewatia (36 not out off 16) It was Gujarat Titans' fourth win in eight games while Punjab Kings s u f f e r e d t h e i r s i x t h l o s s i n e i g h t matches SRH beat Delhi by 67 runs

Sunrisers Hyderabad smashed the record books once again as they struck 266/7 before beating Delhi Capitals by 67 runs at the Arun

J a i t l e y S t a d i u m i n D e l h i o n S a t u r d a y L e d b y a m a r a u d i n g PowerPlay start from Travis Head (89) and Abhishek Sharma (46), SRH put on 125 in the first six overs

Despite the run flow, DC mounted a c o m e b a c k w i t h K u l d e e p Y a d a v bagging three wickets and Axar Patel

dismissing the dangerous Heinrich Klaasen by the 10th over However, Nitish Kumar and Shahbaz Ahmed powered SRH back into the hunt with sturdy cameos that took them over 250 again Both teams coming into the game with momentum on their side but it is Pant’s side that needs a win more than the visitors Lucknow beat C hennai

K L Rahul and Quinton de Kock brilliantly paced Lucknow Super G i a n t s ’ c h a s e t o b e a t C h e n n a i Super Kings with an over to spare in t h e I n d i a n P r e m i e r L e a g u e o n F r i d a y R a h u l ’ s a n d D e K o c k ’ s opening partnership of 134 runs set up Lucknow to reach 180-2 in reply to Chennai’s 176-6 and win by eight wickets Both teams have four wins from sevens games, but Chennai was third and Lucknow fifth on net run rate Skipper Rahul scored 82 off 53 balls with nine fours and three sixes He was out with only 16 runs needed De Kock scored 54 off 43 balls and fell in the 15th over They made full use of the power play, plundering 54 runs in the first six overs Their partnership reached 100 off only 65 balls

How th ey stand

Team M W L NRR PTS

England - Pakistan cricket series kicks off with tape ball event

To kick off the buil d-up to the joint men ’ s a nd women ’ s series b etween Engl and a nd Pak ista n, star ting a t Edgba st on on 11t h May, the En gland an d Wal es Cricket Board (ECB) mar ked the coun tdown by host in g a showcase t ape b all cricket even t full of vibran t music, enter tainment and food The event took place at a former gas works site in Digbeth, B ir mingham, the unique ven ue was tran sformed in to a festival of cricket an d South Asian cul ture

T h o s e i n a t t e n d a n c e w e r e t r e a t e d t o v i b r a n t B h a n g r a m u s i c , authentic South Asian cuisine and a local DJ, bringing to life the intensity and spectacle of the stadium experience this summer Heather Knight, Adil Rashid, Jamie Goodwin and Dawid Malan showed off their tape ball skills alongside special guests including women ’ s cricket fans Kate Lawler and Shazia Mirza, TV stars Kai Fagan and Jasmine Boatswain and England women ’ s rugby player Heather Fisher, in a celebrity invitational match

Heather Knight, England Women’s Captain said: “It’s massively important to us as players that entry into the game is as inclusive and accessible as possible, and tape ball is a fantastic way of opening up cricket to a wider audience of kids and adults alike who traditionally might not have had the chance to play cricket

“This summer is going to be next level, especially with Pakistan coming over, and the electric atmosphere both their and our fans create I can’t wait to get down to Edgbaston for our first match next month and kick off the summer of cricket on home soil ”

Adil Rashid, England Men’s world no1 T20 bowler said: “I used to play tape ball in the street with my brothers and it would get really competitive It’s such a great format of the game, can be played anywhere by anyone and that’s what cricket should be about It s brilliant that there's now a national tape ball competition It's really important give people across the country the opportunity to play

Women's team to join Warwickshire County Cricket Club

A pr ofessional B ears Women’s team will join Wa rwickshir e from ne xt season a fte r t he Cl ub won its b id for one of eight sides that will pla y in a ne w nat iona l st ructure

Earlier this year the England & Wales Cricket Board (ECB) announced a m u l t i - m i l l i o n p o u n d p l a n t o e x p a n d w o m e n ’ s c r i c k e t w i t h t h e introduction of a three-tier system featuring eight fully professional sides Clubs were invited to pitch for one of the eight Tier 1 teams – and the ECB has now revealed one of those will be based at Edgbaston

Chief Executive Stuart Cain said the move is an important milestone for women ’ s cricket nationally and in the region He added: “This is brilliant news and gives the region a top level women ’ s Bears team on a par with Aston Villa women in top level football More importantly, it will inspire future generations of girls to pursue a career in cricket and bring new fans to the sport “We’ve passionately supported women ’ s cricket for a number of years and seen some of the biggest crowds in women ’ s cricket at Edgbaston for last year ’ s Ashes and before that the Commonwealth Games “In fact, we go back even further, working with Wolverhampton’s Rachael Heyhoe-Flint to hold the first ever Women’s World Cup at Edgbaston in the 1970s

“We also brought together the first ever all-women grounds team for last year ’ s Ashes game as part of our Edgbaston for Everyone pledge”

“Not only is this an exciting move for existing players, but inspirational for girls in our county age groups They now have a clear path through our excellent youth and Academy systems into professional cricket and hopefully beyond to international cricket”

Olympics bodies slam track and field’s move to pay Paris gold winners

Impact-player rule under fire after Rohit Sharma's comment

IPL’s ‘impact player’ ru le is under fire after I ndia captain Ro hit Sh arma said it was imp eding th e growth o f d o me s ti c a ll - ro u n de rs N o w, f o rm er M u mb a i wicketkeeper S ulaksh an Kulkarni, who was th e h ead coach o f T amil Nadu las t seas on, has called for the scrap ping of the rule fro m the S yed Mush taq Ali T20 Trop hy to urnament for the same reason

“I was asked for a few suggestions to improve domestic cricket by the BCCI and I’ve recommended that the ‘impact-player’ rule should be scrapped from the Mushtaq Ali T20 trophy from next season, ”

K u l k a r n i s a i d “ I f t h i s r u l e i s n ’ t i n p l a c e i n international cricket, which means that it won’t be there in the T20 World Cup, why is it being used in the IPL?”

Explaining why he doesn’t approve of the rule, which allows for a player to be substituted by a 12th player - a bowler or a batter - at any stage of the match according to the situation, Kulkarni said: “It’s a rule which will ensure that we won’t develop all-rounders in domestic cricket Look at Shivam Dube He bowled a fair bit in the Ranji Trophy this season (12 wickets for Mumbai in 5 matches @ 12 08), but has not bowled a single ball in the IPL If he doesn’t bowl, how does he make a case to be picked for Team India in the T20 World Cup as an all-rounder? “Even the likes of Venkatesh Iyer and Riyan Parag are not getting to bowl The only Indian all-rounder who is bowling in the IPL is Hardik Pandya, and he is in poor form ”

Olympic sports bodies criticized World Athleti cs for promising to pay $ 50, 000 for each track and field gold medal won at the Paris Olympic s Last week’s move by the trac k body and its pres ident Se b as t i a n C oe b ro ke tr a di t i on b ec a us e t h e I nt e rn a ti o n al Olympic Committee does not pay prize money, though many state go ve r nm e n ts a n d n a ti o n al Olympic bodies do

“ F o r m a n y , t h i s m o v e u n d e r m i n e s t h e v a l u e s o f Olympism and the uniqueness of t h e g a m e s , ” t h e A s s o c i a t i o n o f S u m m e r O l y m p i c I n t e r n a t i o n a l

champion in the men ’

Kulkarni pointed out that the plethora of 200-plus scores in this IPL is directly due to this innovative rule, introduced by the BCCI last season

F e d e r a t i o n s , k n o w n b y t h e a c r o n y m A S O I F , s a i d I t a l s o fueled speculation about the IOC p r e s i d e n t i a l c o n t e s t n e x t y e a r when Thomas Bach's 12year limit expires However, his allies want the Olympic Charter changed to let him stay while Coe turns 68 this year and could be stopped by age limit rules

pledged $2 4 million - $50,000 for each of 48 gold medals in track and field - from his sport’s share of the IOC’s multi-billion dollar i n c o m e W A g o t a b o u t $ 3 9 5 m i l l i o n f r o m t h e I O C f o r t h e Tokyo Olympics held in 2021 Coe s a i d t h e m o n e y a c k n o w l e d g e d that “athletes are the stars of the show ” “ T h e r e h a s b e e n c o n s e n s u s that Olympic revenues should, at least for the more commercially s u c c e s s f u l a n d f i n a n c i a l l y independent IFs, be invested as a p r i o r i t y i n t o d e v e l o p m e n t a n d i n t e g r i t y m a t t e r s , ” s a i d A S O I F , based in the Olympic home city Lausanne, Switzerland

The timing of Coe’s pledge also surprised many as it came one d a y a f t e r t h e A S O I F a n n u a l meeting, held in Birmingham, and h e i s a m e m b e r o f i t s r u l i n g council

D Gukesh

Yashasvi Jaiswal

Jai Shree Krishna

In Loving Memory of

Vinodrai Bachubhai Nagrecha

Son of Late Bachubhai & Late Hariben Nagrecha

19-07-1945 – 22-04-2024

A family man, philanthropist and an esteemed business leader who passed away on Monday 22nd April 2024.He leaves behind a legacy of love, compassion, and achievement that will forever be remembered by those whose lives he touched. The Nagrecha family has lost a great legend, who was a loving husband, brother and uncle, and a special friend to many. We pray to Sai Baba to give his soul eternal peace. May his soul attain sadgathi. Contact:

Husband to Neelamben Nagrecha

Brother to Hasmukhbhai Bachubhai Nagrecha, Chandubhai Bachubhai Nagrecha, Jayaben Chandarana, Ushaben Thakkar (Karia), Umiben Radia, Pannaben Lakhani

Brother-in-law to Aartiben Nagrecha, Dawn Nagrecha, Surindrabhai Chandarana, Late Vasantbhai Lakhani, Late Subhashbhai Thakkar (Karia), Shashibhai Radia

Beloved Mama to Reena & Aashish, Sunil & Disha, Rishi & Zeenal, Amish & Tejal, Shyam & Priya, and Prishal

Beloved Adha to Krina, Simon and Nisha

Prathna will be held at Hariben Bachubhai Nagrecha Hall, 202 - 204 Leyton Road, London, E15 1DT on Thursday 25th April 2024, 7:00pm - 9:30pm (First half hour will be meet and greet)

For those who wish to pay their respects in person can do so at the family residence between 7.00pm and 8.30pm on: Friday 26th April 2024

At Hari Nivas, 8 Grove Park Wanstead, London E11 2DL

FUNERAL DETAILS: City of London Cemetery and Crematorium, Aldersbrook Road, London E12 5DQ

On Sunday 28th April 2024 at 11.45am