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Vol 44 | Issue 29

28th November to 4th December 2015

Let noble thoughts come to us from every side

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lenges: economic uncertainties, political turmoil and security threats," Modi said. "We have excellent bilateral cooperation with Asean members and we should see how we can enhance our cooperation at the regional and international level, including through support for adoption of a Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism," he said.

Describing terrorism as

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Unite against UNITE AGAINST terrorism: Modi TERRORISM: MODI During his address at the 13th Asean (Association of Southeast Asian Nations)-India Summit at Kuala Lumpur Modi also sought enhanced cooperation from Asean to fight the scourge of terrorism while saying that India and the southeast Asian regional grouping remained the two bright spots of optimism in these troubled global times. "We meet at a time of multiple global chal-

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Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged the world to speak in one voice against terrorism and said that countries must be held accountable for sanctuaries and support to terror.

"Terrorism does not just take a toll on lives, but can derail economies," Modi said at the 37th Singapore Lecture. "We must delink terrorism from religion and assert the human value that defines every faith," he said.

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the biggest threat to the world, he said it was important to ensure that no country supported terror. Addressing the Indian diaspora in Kuala Lumpur, Modi also said terror must be delinked from religion. “Terrorism knows no boundaries. It uses the name of religion to draw people to its cause but kills people of all faiths,'' Modi said.

CONTINUED ON P 26

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Handwritten Indian passports declared invalid Indian citizens living in the UK, India or abroad have been advised to urgently replace their handwritten passports with machine readable counterparts, to ensure hassle free travel. This passport rule is also applicable to other c o u n tries, including Bangladesh, Pakistan and other South Asian countries.

The International Civil

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8

Aviation Organization (IACO) set a deadline of the 24th November 2015 for globally phasing out of all non-machine Readable Passports (MRPs).

Thereafter, other countries hold the rights to deny visa or entry to any person travelling on a n o n machine readable passport.

The Government of India has been issuing Machine Readable Passports since 2001. The Passports, However, issued before 2001 and particularly those issued during mid 1990s with a validity of 20 years will fall in this category. By the end of October 2015, it is estimated that there are approximately Continued on page 13

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ONE ONE with Keith Vaz, MP

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Asian Voice | 28th November 2015

to

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(Unity Campaign), campaigning for the right to land, forest and water of tribal communities in central India.

In the course of his work, P V Rajagopal has mobilised thousands and thousands of villages, helping to change the lives of thousands of voiceless communities

Tom Palakudiyil

Tom Palakudiyil is the Interim Director for Operational Programmes at WaterAid UK which promotes global access to water, sanitation and hygiene. Prior to that, he was currently the Head of South Asia Region at WaterAid. In that role he led and coordinated WaterAid’s work in Bangladesh, India, Nepal and Pakistan.

He has over 20 years’ experience in the development sector. Prior to joining WaterAid, he worked for Christian Aid, first as Country Director for India, and subsequently as Regional Manager for South Asia.

Tom has a PhD in Development Economics from the University of East Anglia, Norwich, and has taught at postgraduate level for over 10 years, including 5 years at the Institute of Rural Management, Anand (IRMA), India. He is the author of Facing Up to the Storm: how local communities can cope with disasters.

1. What is your current position?

I am currently the Interim Director of International Programmes at WaterAid UK. Until recently I was Head of Region for South Asia, managing WaterAid’s programmes in Bangladesh, India, Nepal and Pakistan.

2. What are your proudest achievements?

Being part of the collective effort that has brought safe water, san-

itation and hygiene to millions of people in South Asia, and continuing to contribute to similar achievements across other WaterAid programmes in other regions; for example, in Africa.

3. What inspires you?

The knowledge that all individuals, including myself, can be a force for change and have the power to help transform lives of the most marginalised people so that they can empower themselves.

4. Biggest obstacle in career?

Managing the social dynamics in regions where transformations are being tried can be very challenging. Changes require collective action, and building consensus where different interest groups clash is not easy.

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

P V Rajagopal, a Gandhian activist, who has been leading a people’s movement in India called Ekta called Ekta Parishad

24-year-old Ilford lad wins a trip to space 24-year-old fundraiser and Hussain YouTuber, Manawer, from Ilford, has beaten applicants from 90 other countries to be announced as One Young World and Kruger Cowne's Rising Star. He has won a once-in-a-lifetime flight into space.

Hussain Manawer, whose father is the owner of Masala Hut restaurant, was declared as the winner on Saturday, at the One Young World Summit, in Bangkok, Thailand.

In 2018, the 24-yearold will be travelling out of the Earth's atmosphere, 62 miles above sea level, in the XCOR Lynx spacecraft.

Hussain Manawer wins a trip to space

After winning the contest, Hussain Manawer expressed, “I'll be the first ever British Muslim, youngest European and the first Pakistani person ever into space and it

means a lot more than the experience alone. It shows people from all ages and backgrounds that anything is possible with hard work and passion.”

Before embarking on his journey to space, Manawer will be making more altruistic trips. He will be making a cyber bullying school tour, in December, where he will talk to students on how they can stay safe on the internet.

He also intends to make a visit to Greece's refugee camps. He said, “I'll be providing baby nappies, food and milk to the camps this winter with fundraising money.”

Being bilingual could help you recover from a stroke It has been suggested that those who are bilingual, or know a know a foreign language are more likely of recovering brain functions after a stroke. This study was published in the journal Stroke.

Learning a foreign language from the age of 80 could also reinforce the “cognitive reserve” that aids them in coping with brain damage.

Scientists from the University of Edinburgh found that being bilingual could increase the chances of a stroke patient keeping their cognitive function unimpaired. Those who learned another language at a later stage seemed to be doing even better.

Dr Thomas Bak, one of the lead researchers, along with his colleagues had analysed the record of 608 stroke patients in Hyderabad, India, where an estimated two thirds of the population speak two or more languages.

The researchers found that 41% of those who were bilingual had their mental functions intact, while it was only 20% for those who spoke only one language. However, those who spoke one language as well as those who were multilingual were both equally likely to suffer from the condition known

as aphasia (when the patient loses the ability to speak). Dr Bak said, “What people have found is that there is not a oneon-one correspondence between what we see in neural imaging and what we see in real life. If you have two people who have the same level of atrophy because of dementia- the same loss of neurons- in an MRI scanner, one might be much better in terms of mental function than the other.”

He added, “People who are very active, do

6. What is the best aspect of your current role?

The opportunity to help bring about changes in the lives of the most poor and disadvantaged sections of society.

7. And the worst?

The scope of the global water, sanitation and hygiene challenge is huge. Despite the progress made, there are still so many without basic access. 663 million people globally are still without access to safe water.

2.4bn are still without access to adequate sanitation. The global community still has a lot of work to do!

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8. What are your long term goals?

My goal is to help ensure that people everywhere can live with dignity and freedom, including freedom from WASH poverty – living without water, toilets or hygiene.

9. If you were PM, what one aspect would you change?

I would prioritise water, sanitation and hygiene as a policy area.

Not only is access to these three things basic needs and human rights- but also critical for successes in other areas, such global education and global health.

Accountability, in the forming and implementing policy is also very important.

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

Oscar Romero, the Archbishop of San Salvador, who stood by the poor and the oppressed; championed their cause and spoke passionately and courageously for their rights. The example of Romero's courageous life and ultimately death is a huge inspiration for all working for human dignity and justice.

Judges say English language test could lead to human right breaches The Supreme Court has ruled that immigrants would not have to take an English language test prior to coming to the UK if it seems “impracticable” for them to do so.

The current law requires the spouses of immigrants, who already reside in the UK, to be able to speak English before coming to the UK. However, five judges in the Supreme Court found that how the rules were operated could, in some cases, lead to the violation of the right to a private and family life, under Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights.

The judges also unanimously dismissed a challenge against the rule by two women who are British citizens. Their husbands, who are of for-

eign nationalities, wish to join them in the UK. They cannot speak English and it is said it would not be practicable for them to pass the English language test.

Mrs Saiqa Bibi, from the West Midlands, whose husband is a national of Yemen, and Mrs Saffana Ali, whose husband is a resident of Pakistan, have

claimed that the pre-entry procedure breaches their right to a private and family life, under Article 8.

Mr Ali is described as having no formal education. It was stated that Mr Bibi's nearest approved test centres are 71 miles and 88 miles away from his residence. Both of the men would also have to learn computer skills.

Hindus have commended international London Luton Airport (LLA) in UK for launching a “prayer room”. The room that is near departure gate 20, helps infuse spirituality into the atmosphere of this important airport.

However Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, President of Universal Society of Hinduism said that the

Hindus would appreciate if a corner of this “prayer room” had murtis (statues) of popular deities, copies of sacred scriptures, a traditional bell and recorded devotional music; and once-a-week kirtan and arti session.

He also urged all major airports across the world to make a provision for sacred space in the shape of

“prayer room” and a “yoga room”. Many airports reportedly already do have multi-faith prayer-rooms.

Over one million people flew through LLA in October, which is currently undergoing a £110m development project. Nick Barton is CEO of LLA, fifth largest passenger airport of United Kingdom which opened in 1938.

physical exercise, but also do a lot of mental activity tend to perform better, so if your body and mind are

active you're able to cope better with potential damage that diseases can bring... In fact, we found

bigger effects in people who were older than in people who were younger.”

Supreme Court, London

Hindus laud UK’s Luton Airport for “prayer room”

COMMENTS

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Asian Voice | 28th November 2015

Paris burns: US-led coalition in wilderness Our foremost thoughts are with the people of Paris, our concerns are for the well-being of France. The French contribution to the Universal Civilization, of which India is a part, has been extraordinary. Prime Minister Narendra Modi issued a ringing call to the international community to close ranks in the face of the jihadi terrorist threat. Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia, the eminent exponent of Indian classical music, gave voice to India’s civil society by announcing that his forthcoming concert in the French capital would take place as scheduled. The show must go on, he said.

Such expressions of solidarity, however, should not obscure the dark reality that jihadi terrorism like Frankenstein’s monster is now stalking its creator. Our sympathies should extend to the people of Lebanon as they cope with frequent ISIL bombings; we must not forget the people of Nigeria who have been, and are, routinely subjected to Boko Haram bombings, rapes of kidnapped young women and their subsequent conversion to Islam and their sale to willing bidders from among the faithful. Mali is now in the jihadi firing line.

Indians readily recall the jihadi assaults on Mumbai in March 1993 and November 2008, and the numerous outrages across the country, and the tepid Western respose. Jihadi terrorism was incubated initially in Afghanistan with the active connivance of the United States. Hosting a reception for jihadi leaders in the White House in 1985, President Ronald Reagan introduced his guests with the following words: ‘These gentlemen are the moral equivalents of America’s Founding Fathers.’ Former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton admitted, in 2010 ,that the venture, had been an error of judgment. Have any lessons been learned? The answer, alas, must be few if any. The US partnered (and still does so) Pakistan’s Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) directorate. The ISI trains, arms and funds the Laskar-e- Taiba and kindred groups for cross-border strikes in India. These have not ceased, but US financial and military aid to Pakistan goes on regardless, despite the discovery of Osama bin Laden’s hideout in Pakistan.

Saudi Arabia and the Gulf sheikhdoms also fund and arm jihadi groups, most notably the Islamic State, which carried out the Paris bombings. Russia’s President Vladimir Putin declared at the G20 Summit, that around 40 states worldwide were funding ISIL, of whom four were sitting across the table. Russia’s formidable intelligence service had all the data it required.

Not surprisingly, his words evoked embarrassed silence. As alarming, is the revelation by officials of the Kuwait security service that ISIL had acquired weapons from Ukraine The Western media’s grim satisfaction at the Beslan massacre of 330 Russian children and the Moscow bombings over a decade ago is an enduring monument to shamelessness, even for a fourth estate long reduced to fourth-rate status. Fictive demarcations between ‘moderate’ and ‘extremist’ enable Syrian jihadis fit the bill in columns of the Western press. The US went easy on its bombing campaign against ISIL oil depots in Syria, source of revenue for the terror group. Russian warplanes carried more sorties in six weeks then the US-led coalition had achieved in 15 months, a likely game changer in Syria.

French President Francois Hollande has been described in Le Monde Diplomatique as a faithful follower of German Chancellor Angela Merkel on matters European, who cleaves to Obama on matters international. Hollande was a bombing enthusiast on Libya and Francophone Africa, but the jihadi assault on Paris and its political fallout – his political ratings in his country are derisory – has forced the frightened and harassed President to take pause and read the runes.

Having done so, he is winging his way to Moscow in search of a closer alignment with Russia. President Putin, with studied nonchalance, has asked his military to treat the French as allies. The awesome display of Russian military power has a carried a jolting wake-up call to the US and its Nato allies much given to sabre rattling diplomacy, or its cruder substitute. The image of Russia as a Potemkin village propagated by the US State Department and Pentagon has had its day.

British media not on message The British media coverage of Prime Minister Modi’s visit to the UK was remarkable only for its insolence.

Diatribes and insults followed his every step.

Newspapers and the BBC were apparently more impressed by demonstrators with jihadi sympathies, by Khalistani vocalists and Nepali quartets. The Wembley extravaganza, with Prime Minister David Cameron and his wife Samantha in close attendance, was perceived as a side show. Mr Cameron, a shrewd politician, has been reading the Indian signs more wisely. Whatever its trials and tribulations, the uncoiling of Indian economic and military power – still in its infancy – is destined surely to attain wider significance. Balanced criticism of Modi and his government is legitimate and carries no offence; insults and vituperation are another matter. He is democratically elected, the process impeccably transparent, and the result vindicated by the numbers. Insulting his person is insulting his country and its people. The eminent Indian economist Amartya Sen has never concealed his opposition to Mr Modi. But when asked whether it would be appropriate for the British Government to receive him, he answered with a

resounding Yes, because he, was the elected leader of his country, therefore, it was right and proper that he be invited and accorded the courtesies befitting his office.

The British across the spectrum of the left-right divide, are wedded to viewing Indians as hewers of wood and drawers of water, lavatory cleaners at Heathrow, bowing and scraping in corner shop counters. Old habits may die hard, but they had better change, sooner rather than later. The image of the standard Indian immigrant of a bygone era has been giving way with ever greater momentum to an emergent middle class of business executives, entrepreneurs, academics and the like.

The new reality is a creditable reflection of British values and Britain’s level playing field. But the Indian achievement also bespeaks hard work, appreciation of education as a tool of upward mobility and much else.

There is less recourse to the grievance industry for which papers like the radical chic Guardian and the BBC have an enduring affection because it belongs to their patronizing comfort zone. The time for such condescension is past; the time to grapple with the present is upon us.

UK IT interns with Tata India’s largest IT company Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) will train 1,000 UK university graduates over the coming years at its innovation labs and software development centres across India through a new partnership between the British Council and TCS. British Council Chief Executive Sir Claran Devane said: ‘India is emerging as a global superpower and the initiatives such as this will enable the next generation in both countries to engage, learn and grow with each other.’

N. Chandrasekeran, Managing Director and CEO, TCS, explained: ‘By providing 1,000 British graduates with the opportunity to work and train with TCS, we hope to address this skills shortage and give UK employers access to the digital expertise they will need to compete and succeed in the hyper-connected digital economy.’

The interns will travel to India from 2016-2020, the flow to be regulated jointly by the British Council and TCS. Each intern will work for a year as a TCS employee, training in the technical and commercial

skills needed for a career in software development and global consulting business-process management.

This new commitment is part of the wider TCS investment in the training of its 100,000 global workforce in emerging digital technologies.

The TCS, presence the UK reaches back to 1975.

Today it works with some of the biggest businesses in the country, including 33 of the FTSE 100. It is also one of the largest digital employers, with more than 11,000 UK employees at 30 locations across the country, from London, Edinburgh, Manchester, Leeds, Ipswich, Norwich, Peterborough to Swindon, Redhill and Liverpool.

TCS’s partnership with the British Council is the most recent in a number of TCS skills initiatives with the UK. As part of its IT Futures programme , TCS is working with UK schools and universities and the not-for-profit sector to encourage young people to pursue a career in Information Technology. The British media would do well to awaken from their slumbers.

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Not all those who wander are lost.

- J R R Tolkien

Rishi Sunak MP

Richmond (Yorks)

Our country's special relationship promises to be bright Last week, sitting in the stands of Wembley Stadium, I was fortunate enough to see Prime Minister Narendra Modi greeted by the cheers of more than 55,000 British-Indian voices.

The crowd was the largest the Indian Prime Minister has attracted outside of his home country.

That the head of the world's largest democracy received such a warm welcome in Britain should, of course, hardly come as a surprise. The UK, after all, is home to the second largest Indian population outside of Asia (beaten to the top spot only by the USA).

Not only is our Indian community a large one but it is also thriving. Since 2010, the numbers of British Indian students studying the core academic subjects at GCSE has increased by over 70 per cent.

The bond that these 1.5 million BritishIndians - and the central role they play in our society - create with the world's second most populous nation is immensely strong.

Indeed, few cultures in the world have embraced each other's traditions as Britain and India have done. What, after all, could be more British than a Chicken Tikka, or more Indian than a game of cricket?

In our politics too, Britain and India have a special relationship to be proud of, both in our shared love of democracy and in 2015 General Election that saw more British-Indian MPs elected to Westminster than ever before. As our own Prime Minister told the Wembley crowd in his exceptionally warm welcome to Mr Modi: "it won't be long before

there is a British Indian Prime Minister in Downing Street".

Perhaps the opportunity that Prime Minister Modi's visit embodies most vividly, however, is the importance of India's economic relationship with the UK. In India, 1 in every 20 private sector jobs is created by a British Company. The UK, meanwhile, attracts more investment from Indian companies than the rest of the EU put together.

Given that India is predicted to be the world's fastest growing major economy in 2016 (outstripping even China) as well as its most populous country by 2028, the relationship between our countries will be of huge importance to the future of Britain's prosperity.

Already, Indian owned companies like Jaguar-Land Rover and Tetley employ thousands of workers in the UK and if David Cameron can fulfil his desire to create a trading relationship between our countries that matches investment, those jobs will only multiply.

Britain, of course, has much it can offer India in turn: whether in working to secure the permanent seat on the UN Security Council to which a country of India's stature is surely entitled, or in providing the expertise to create the digital economy and up-skilled workforce to which Mr Modi aspires.

One in six human beings is a citizen of India, a country with which we are fortunate enough to share a long history. If Mr Modi's reception is anything to go by, our country's special relationship promises to be just as bright.

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Inauguration of the new BAPS Swaminarayan Mandir Preston celebrated The inauguration of the new BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in Preston, UK was celebrated over the weekend of 7-8 November 2015 in the presence of Sadguru Pujya Swayamprakash Swami (Doctor Swami) and sadhus from India and the UK. The Mandir marks the steady growth of Satsang activities in Preston over the years since His Holiness Pramukh Swami Maharaj first visited Preston in 1974.

The first BAPS Swaminarayan Mandir in Preston was established in 1984, in a disused synagogue. With the rise in the number of worshippers, the need for a larger facility arose. A property was acquired in the heart of the city with fundraising activities to support the project lasting over five years. The long-awaited opening of the new Mandir is the fruition of tireless efforts of the local Hindu community.

The two-day Mandir Mahotsav began with a special mahapuja where devotees and well-wishers offered their prayers for peace and well-being to prevail throughout the local community. The murtis (sacred images) to be consecrated in the Mandir travelled through the heart of Preston in a colourful Nagar Yatra (literally, ‘City

Procession’) to bless the city and inhabitants of the Mandir’s new home. The streets were filled with peo-

ple who had gathered to enjoy the procession of beautifully decorated floats, traditional dances and the sounds of joyous devotional music.

The murtis were infused with the divine presence of God by Pramukh Swami Maharaj in Sarangpur, India on 29 June 2015. On the morning

of Sunday 8 November, the murtis were ceremonially consecrated in their respective shrines by

Doctor Swami amid Vedic chanting and rituals.

Neetal Parekh, a volunteer at the Mandir, shared, “The consecration of the murtis was incredibly emotional. It is something which is only witnessed once in a lifetime in your home city, and I am privileged to have been a part of this historical event.”

The auspicious occasion was marked with a vibrant kirtan-bhakti programme at the University of Central Lancashire where sadhus and youths sang bhajans to the accompaniment of an array of musical instruments.

On Sunday, a colourful dedication assembly took place in the same auditorium in the presence of guests, civic leaders and various community representatives.

Mark Hendrick, Member of Parliament for Preston, said in his address: “I would like to extend my warmest congratulations to everyone at the Preston Mandir. I would like to congratulate all the individuals who have no doubt worked extremely hard over the last few years to get this ambitious project completed.”

Local resident Jamie Goodwin added, “It’s wonderful to have such a beautiful place of worship nearby where there is such a strong sense of community spirit. I am delighted to see such a diverse and multicultural community within the city of Preston.”

The new Mandir will serve as the hub of spiritual, community and charity services for BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha in Preston and the wider Lancashire area.

UK's 3 leading cinemas refuse to show C of E advert A 60-second advert by the Church of England, featuring the Lord's Prayer, has allegedly been refused to be shown by the UK's three leading cinema chains, Cineworld, Odeon and Vue, due to fears that it could offend people.

The advert was to be shown before the film, Star Wars: the Force Awakens, which is to release on 18th December 2015.

The advert was made to promote a new Church of England website, JustPray.uk, which encourages people to pray.

The Cinema Advertising Authority, as well as the British Board of Film Classification has cleared the advert; however, the three cinema chains allegedly refused to show it as they believe it “carries

the risk of upsetting, or offending, audience”.

Cineworld, Odeon and Vue control 80% of screens around the country.

Director of communications for the Church of England, Arun Arora said, “The prospect of a multigenerational cultural event offered by the release of Star Wars: the Force

Awakens on 18 December – a week before Christmas Day – was too good an opportunity to miss and we are bewildered by the decision of the cinemas. The Lord’s Prayer is prayed by billions of people across the globe every day and in this country has been part of everyday life for centuries.

Prayer permeates every

aspect of our culture from pop songs and requiems to daily assemblies and national commemorations.

For millions of people in the United Kingdom, prayer is a constant part of their lives whether as part thanksgiving and praise, or as a companion through their darkest hours.”

He further stated, “In one way the decision of the cinemas is just plain silly but the fact that they have insisted upon it makes it rather chilling in terms of limiting free speech. There is still time for the cinemas to change their mind and we would certainly welcome that... People should visit the site, see the film themselves and make their own minds as to whether they are upset or offended by it.”

Lutfur Rahman declared bankrupt

Lutfur Rahman

The former executive mayor of Tower Hamlets, Lutfur Rahman, has been declared the bankrupt, a week before High Court hearing into his assets.

The hearing is regarding the legals costs which are said that not been paid since Rahman was prohibited from office in

In Brief AsianVoiceNews

Asian Voice | 28th November 2015

April. He was declared bankrupt on 18th November 2015, by the Insolvency Service.

Rahman was disqualified seven months ago for corruption and election malpractice, and is due to return to court for a threeday hearing soon.

Earlier in 2015, judges

had expelled Rahman for five years after his discredited reelection in 2014. The original cost was said to be £250,000, however, it has increased after two more court hearings.

Lutfur Rahman is listed as “currently unemployed”.

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Family businesses scoop accolades Dhiren Katwa

Country Court Care, a care homes business, has been crowned Fastest Growing Family Business. Country Court Care, which has branches across the UK, scooped the accolade at the Midlands Family Business Awards.

Held at Leicester’s Athena, the round-table, black-tie ceremony brought together around 300 guests, including 44 finalists. Lincolnshire egg producer and packer LJ Fairburn & Son was crowned Midlands Family Business of the Year.

Teamwork: Winners of the Fastest Growing Family Business

Accepting the trophy on stage, Mr Fairburn Senior’s grandson said: “We buried my grandfather today. It’s a great honour for him.”

Other winners included: (International Development) Birmingham-based Crofts & Assinder; (Environmental Sustainability) Shredall; (Retail Excellence) Rutland Cycling; (Manufacturing Excellence) Glossop Cartons; (Service excellence) Cradley Heath-based Chapmans Electrical.

Ian Fisher of Nottingham-based Bonnington Plastics was crowned Director of the Year. The evening also featured a selfie competition. Guests were encouraged to tweet images, some of which were screened with an overall winner. Now in their sixth year, the awards are run by third generation family business The Wilson Organisation and are the Midlands’ only independent, not-for-profit initiative to recognise and celebrate the work, achievements, innovation, growth and performance of family businesses.

A representative from consulting firm PwC told guests: ‘These awards are better run than our own national awards’. Since their launch in 2010, the awards have raised around £20,000 for charities supporting young people and enterprise. The awards are hosted each year by sisters Annabel Prow and Charlotte Perkins, celebrities in their own right, of The Wilson Organisation.

Sponsors included Barclays, PCMS Group, Yu Energy, PwC, RSA and Royal London. To see the full list of finalists and winners, and to find out more visit www.familybusinessawards.co.uk

Want a house? Earn £100,000

Your dream of buying your first home may just be too difficult to fulfil. Research reveals that first-time buyers who are trying to buy one of the government's new starter homes will have to have an income of £100,000, as well as raise a deposit of £96,000 in many areas of London.

The study noticed 11 boroughs in the capital where starter homes were out of most young families' reach.

It is said that the cost of the homes out of the capital will be £250,000, while costing £450,000 in London.

The Commons library figured out that in order for a family to purchased a £450,000 property, they will need an annual salary of £100,000 in order to afford the mortgage payments, as well as save for a deposit of nearly the same value.

Bacon consumption linked to bowel cancer risk

The World Health Organisation suggested that processed pork was linked to cancer, which has consequently led to the sales of bacon and sausages to fall.

It was suggested that eating a few sausages, a ham sandwich or two rashers of bacon would increase the risk of bowel cancer.

Additionally, students have been giving junk food and ready-made meals for healthier options, adapting a healthier approach to life.

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22-year-old activist found naked in MP's bed

BRITAIN: A 22-year-old Tory activist has claimed that she woke up naked from the bed of a Tory MP with no recollection of the previous night. A source explained to The Daily Telegraph, “All she remembers is that she woke up naked and doesn't remember getting undressed.”

It is also said that the party campaigner is frightened that the incident could ruin her career.

Over-55s more likely to fall preys to scam

BRITAIN: According to a survey, people over the age of 55 are less careful about scams. It is said that 86% of people aged 55 and over always check whether they have locked their house before leaving. Over 70% makes sure that they are not given the wrong changed in shops.

On the other hand, one in five people think that they have been a target of scams in the last 12 months, mostly by email. One in four have even admitted of not checking online bank accounts for unused payments, and a third have given personal details over the phone. Banks are offering advice in branches to warn customers of new and elaborate scams that they have identified.

Archbishop of Canterbury admits doubting the presence of God

BRITAIN: The Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, has stated that he was left doubting the presence of God during the massacre in Paris. He was left questioning God's whereabouts when the French victims were in great need of his help. He admits that this has put a “chink in his armour”.

The Archbishop of Canterbury said, “... I was out and as I was walking I was praying and saying: 'God why- why is this happening? Where are you in all this?' and then engaging and talking to God. Yes, I doubt.”

Soldiers being offered support branch roles

BRITAIN: Commanders are in need of an extra 200 military clerks per year to deal with problems with troops' pay and allowance. Soldiers are being offered a bonus of £4,000 to withdraw from frontline duties and become a clerk in the army. Those who accept the money must then work in the staff and personnel support branch for a minimum of two years.

Asian Voice | 28th November 2015

5

Woman faces racial abuse on train in Newcastle A woman in hijab has been victim of racial abuse in the Newcastle metro when a thug shouted she was going to ‘bomb the train’ and demanded she get off.

Ruhi Rahman was sitting quietly with her sister, but the man wouldn’t leave them alone he kept saying it was ‘my country’ – and even accused her of plotting a bomb threat.

Travellers on the train from Newcastle to Whitley Bay, many of them football fans, were disgusted by the man’s behaviour and rushed to Ruhi’s defence, demanding he leave her alone before forcing him off the Metro. As he left the train in shame, other passengers cheered and

Ruhi Rahman

clapped. Ms Rehman has thanked her co-passengers who stepped in for her.

Sharon Kelly, managing director at DB Regio Tyne and Wear, which operates the Metro on behalf of Nexus, said: ‘We urge anyone with infor-

mation about this incident to contact the police.

Anyone with information is asked to contact police on 101 ext 69191 quoting reference number 191 23/11/15.

Increasing Islamophobia in the UK Muslims in the UK have reportedly suffered more than 100 racial attacks since the terrorist atrocities in Paris, figures prepared for ministers reveal.

A report to the Government's working group on anti-Muslim hatred, as seen by the newspaper The Independent, has shown a spike in Islamophobic

hate crime of more than 300%, to 115, in the week following the killings on November 13 in France.

The victims are mainly girls and women aged from 14 to 45 in traditional Islamic dress (or hijabs). The perpetrators were mainly white males aged from 15 to 35.

The figures were compiled by the Tell Mama helpline, which records incidents of verbal and physical attacks on Muslims and mosques in the UK. They are likely to be a significant underestimate of the total, as it is believed that many victims are too frightened to contact police or community groups.

McDonald's stops man from buying homeless woman food A man who wanted to buy a cup of tea and a burger for a homeless woman was allegedly refused by McDonald's staff.

Anil Barber, 38, said he was allegedly told by staff that they didn’t want to encourage begging. He finally left the homeless woman with the cash instead.

H o w e v e r McDonald’s said the woman has been banned from the restaurant in China Gardens, Bolton, for the interests of customer and staff safety, but denied it had anything to do with her being homeless.

A McDonald’s spokesman reportedly said: “There is no policy

of banning homeless people at McDonald’s.

“The circumstances surrounding this individual’s ban have no link to her being homeless and our restaurant team acted in the interests of the safety of our customers and employees.

“We apologise if this was not made clear at the time.”

Anil Barber

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Asian Voice | 28th November 2015

Motion passed in The Parliament in support of Basaveshwara statue The longest serving Indian origin MP of The British Parliament Rt Hon Keith Vaz passed an early day motion in the British Parliament.

This motion welcomed the unveiling of Basaveshwara statue by the Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi.

A special tribute was paid to Basaveshwara for propagating democratic ideals and gender equality in the 12th century.

The statue of the 12th

PM Modi paying his respect at statue of the 12th century Indian Philosopher Basaveshwara, in London

CB Patel (right), Publisher/Editor of Asian Voice/Gujarat Samachar, with Kamal Rao (left), News Editor of Gujarat Samachar, present Asian Lambeth.

The Prime Minister Voice/Gujarat Samachar special expressed his special Diwali magazine to Priti Patel (Centre)

From left: Keith Vaz MP, John Bercow MP, Steve Reed MP, Priti Patel MP and Lord Jeffrey Archer

century Indian Philosopher Basaveshwara, who pioneered the idea of democracy, was unveiled

by Narendra Modi, on the 14th November 2015, on the Bank of River Thames, London Borough of

tribute to the 12th century philosopher for propagating democratic ideals and social reforms. He said Basveshwara stood for civil liberties even before

Magna carta was signed and preached the idea of democracy 700 years before Abraham Lincoln.

Photo courtesy: Raj D Bakrania, Prmediapix

Shocking: Isis sympathisers exist in the UK According to an opinion poll in which 1,000 British Muslims were surveyed, one in five Muslims have sympathy for those who chose to leave Britain to become a fighter in Syria. The survey showed that 19% felt some or a lot of sympathy for the young Muslims who went to Syria. The poll was published in The Sun newspaper.

This poll has led to a group of 200 Islamic scholars to write a letter in which they showed unity and stated that “so-called Islamic State... are an evil and fundamental threat to the peace and harmony in any society”.

They also stated how “deeply saddening that this violence is being committed in the name of Islam”.

Regarding this poll, a researcher at the Islamic Human Rights Commission, Arzu Merali said, “There is a feeling within the Muslim community against increasing intervention as there has always been a lack of consistency in Western foreign policy when it comes to these things. It's not surprising or a contradiction for Muslims to be against 'Daesh' [a term Isis is also referred as] and against intervention, as military interventions simply escalate the violence and the community is well aware that fighting will not solve anything.”

Sadiq Khan, MP for Tooting, and Labour's

Mohammed Rehman and Sana Ahmed Khan

London Mayoral candidate, spoke to The Sun stating, “It is clear that Britain needs to take its head out of the sand and act to tackle extremism and radicalisation at home.

Tackling extremism is a challenge for everyone but I believe British Muslims have a special role to play.”

Although many have condemned the recent terror attacks which have taken place, we cannot neglect the fact that home-grown terrorists have become very prevalent over the years.

Why would one want to sabotage and ruin a place where they were born in, a place where they grew up and called home? It is their mindset that everyone seems to be baffled about and we seem to not comprehend why one would turn against the country that had given them unlimited freedom.

One such example of alleged suspected terrorists who were born and bred in the UK are Mohammed Rehman (25), and his “secret” wife, Sana Ahmed Khan (24), who were both

from Reading.

It is said that a hunting knife was reportedly seized from the couple, who were said to have planned to carry out an alleged terror attack on 7th July, which marked the 10th anniversary of the bombings in London.

It has also been reported that police had confiscated chemicals for a large bomb, which may have caused “multiple fatalities”.

The couple deny the allegations against them and the trial continues.

One does wonder why would someone be lured to live a life of atrocity? Where is Britain going wrong?

What can be done to prevent further UK-born terrorists to emerge? These are some questions that run in most people's minds, and this is certainly something that the British Government can contemplate and work on. Even if a minor group of people sympathise with Isis, it is still astonishing and something that needs to be reflected on.

AsianVoiceNewsweekly

HRH The Earl of Wessex opens new Peace Garden in memory of Muslim war heroes

Distinguished guests observe a one minute silence

On Thursday 12th November 2015, in an act of remembrance, His Royal Highness, The Earl of Wessex KG GCVO, Prince Edward, officially opened a new Peace Garden, at the site of a beautifully restored Muslim Burial Ground in Woking, Surrey.

The site was the final resting place of 19 Muslims soldiers in the Great War, as well as a further eight casualties of World War II. It has now been restored to its former glory to create a lasting legacy for the 27 servicemen who sacrificed their lives while defending Britain.

The four-year restoration project of this Grade II listed structure forms part of Woking’s centenary commemorations of the Great War and celebrates the Borough’s relationship with the Shah Jahan Mosque, the first purposebuilt mosque in the UK. Located on the south east corner of Horsell Common, a short distance from the Mosque, the site was purchased by the War Office, and a Muslim Burial Ground was commissioned in 1915 to ensure Muslim soldiers

could be buried accord- HRH Prince Edward, and Zafar ing to their religious Iqbal, Project Lead at Woking rights.

Borough Council, observe a one minute silence Although the bodies of the 27 servicemen laid Peace Garden, The Rt Hon to rest at the site were later Earl Howe PC, Defence reinterred at the larger Minister, said, “It is vital Brookwood Military that we keep alive the Cemetery in 1969, the memory of all those who Muslim Burial Ground have fought to protect the remained sacred and freedoms we now enjoy in untouched. Funding from the UK, including the the Muslim community enormous contribution of and public bodies includMuslims who came to our ing Historic England, the aid when we needed it Armed Forces Covenant most. The MOD is delightGrant Scheme, and the ed to celebrate the Department for achievements of past Communities and Local Muslim personnel, and Government, has led to the those currently serving in transformation of the site Armed Forces operations, into a befitting Islamic from conflicts to humaniinspired Peace Garden. tarian efforts.

The Earl of Wessex Speaking at the recepwas accompanied on a tion that followed at the tour of the national and Shah Jahan Mosque, internationally significant PAE Major General heritage site by project Nanson CBE – leader, Dr Zafar Iqbal Commandant The Royal from Woking Borough Military Academy Council, where the Earl Sandhurst said, “The Army was introduced to repreis incredibly proud of the sentatives from the organistrong links it has with our sations that have supportMuslim communities. The ed the project and family ceremony this morning members of the servicehas presented us with a men formerly buried unique opportunity to there. remember the vast sacriAmong the civic dignifice Muslim soldiers and taries attending the openofficers have made, and ing ceremony of the continue to make, on Muslim Burial Ground behalf of our Country.”

Hindu leaders urge climate change action Over 60 Hindu leaders and organisations have signed the Hindu Declaration on Climate Change issued on Monday 23 November, calling for action from the world's 900 million Hindus and the 196 governments meeting in Paris from 30 November to 11 December at the 21st Conference of Contracting Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP 21).

This Declaration (www.hinduclimatedeclaration2015.org) follows similar documents issued

by Islamic leaders (18 August), 154 Christian and other religious leaders (22 October), Presidents of Regional Catholic Bishops´Conferences (26

October), and Buddhist leaders (29 October) that followed the Pope's Encyclical of 18 June calling for massive global action to slow climate change and deal with its impacts. (Faith declarations are to be formally presented to the COP 21 presidency and participants under arrangements to be announced shortly.)

The Declaration is an initiative of the Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies/Bhumi Project, in partnership with the Hindu American Foundation the interfaith environmental organisation GreenFaith and the interfaith campaign for climate action OurVoices.

Signatories from India,

EU and North America include the renowned scientist and activist Vandana Shiva, and spiritual leader Sri Sri Ravi Shankar. The Declaration asks the world's 900 million Hindus to transition to using clean energy, adopt a plant-based diet, and lead lives in harmony with the natural world.

The Declaration quotes the Mahabharata (109.10) which states "Dharma exists for the welfare of all beings. Hence, that by which the welfare of all living beings is sustained, that for sure is dharma" and calls on all Hindus to expand their conception of dharma so as to consider impacts of personal actions on all other beings.

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Asian Voice | 28th November 2015

Seven Indian women listed on BBC 100 Women 2015 list

Sania Mirza

Asha Bhosle

Mumtaz Shaikh

Rimppi Kumari

The BBC have released their 100 Women 2015 list, and seven aspiration Indian women have made it to the list, including the melodious legendary singer, Asha Bhosle (82).

The other Indian ladies who have made the list includes the veteran Hindi Kamini film actress, Kaushal (88), who is most remembered for her role as Manoj Kumar's mother in films such as Upkar (1967), and Purab aur Paschim (1970). Her film, Neecha Nagar, in which she was the lead actress, won the best film in Cannes, in 1946becoming the first Indian film to do so. The Indian professional tennis player, Sania Mirza (29), who has been ranked as world num-

Kamini Kaushal

Kanika Tekriwal

ber 1 in women's doubles, also made it to the list.

Rimppi Kumari (32), Smriti Nagpal (25), Mumtaz Shaikh (33), and Kanika Tekriwal (27), are the other four women who were named in the BBC 100 Women 2015 list.

Rimppi Kumari is a farmer who took over a 32acre farm, along with her sister, in Rajasthan, after their father passed away.

Smriti Nagpal, an entrepreneur, who was inspired by her work as a sign language interpreter in India, which has the largest deaf population in the world, to set up Atulyakala. The organisation sells products such as wallets, mugs, bags and journals which have been designed by deaf

Smriti Nagpal

designers.

Mumtaz Shaikh, a campaigner, who succeeded in providing free facilities for women through the 'Right to Pee' network. In India, women were charged to use urinals while it was free for men. She ensured that 96 toilets were free for women to use in Mumbai, as well as made the government set 50 million rupees aside (that's approximately £500,000) in order to build female-only urinals around the city. Kanika Tekriwal, is an entrepreneur who established India's first and only marketplace for helicopter charters and private jet. She was determined to make her mark after she was diagnosed with cancer, in her early 20s.

Indo UK Healthcare Private Ltd to develop Kings College Hospital, New Chandigarh Healthcare UK, a joint initiative of the Department of Health (DH), UK Trade and Investment (UKTI) and NHS England, is supporting Indo UK Healthcare Private Limited, a consortium of UK and India-based promoters to develop a chain of 11 Indo UK Institutes of Health across which aim to bring the UK’s finest NHS Hospitals, educational institutions and universities to India. The first of the Indo UK Institutes of Health – called King’s College Hospital, New Chandigarh is to come up in Punjab.

Prime Ministers David Cameron and Narendra Modi, welcomed the agreement signed between Kings College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and Indo UK Healthcare Private Ltd to develop Kings College Hospital, New Chandigarh. This is the first of a proposed eleven new Indo-UK

Dr Ajay Ranjan Gupta greets PM Modi and PM Cameron

Healthcare Private Limited said, “This project is all about bringing the ‘best of British’ healthcare to India- 'NHS in India'.

Our aim is to provide access to this unique service to as many of my fellow Indians as possible through the eleven IndoUK Institutes of Health (IUIH) to deliver world class accountable healthcare which is ‘Affordable to All’.”

Institutes for Health that will be developed across India which, when fully implemented, would amount to a £1bn investment into India’s healthcare system, accompanied by strategic clinical and training partnerships with the UK’s finest NHS organisations, universities and private sector companies.

Dr Ajay Rajan Gupta, Director Indo UK

The Queen's extravagant 90th birthday Queen Her Majesty, Elizabeth II, the longest reigning British monarch, will be celebrating her 90th birthday on 21st April 2016, and the tickets are now on sale.

The celebrations will be “queen-size” and elaborate, with 900 horses and 1,500 performers which include dancers, musicians, choirs, as well as well-known artists and actors.

The birthday celebra-

tions will be taking place on 12th-15th May 2016, in Home Park, Windsor castle. Tickets for the celebrations on 12th, 13th and 14th May are from £55 to £165. The cost for tickets on 15th May is £75 to £195.

The Queen will be atending the celebrations on 15th May and it will be broadcast live on ITV. Indeed, a spectacular event to look out for.

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Democracy depends upon Free Press As I See It

Media is called the Fourth Estate after the Legislature, Executive and Judiciary. Nearly 100 countries got Independence since 1945. India is the only large country which has remained democratic and in the last 68 years, 16 General Elections for the Parliament and hundreds of State Assembly elections have been conducted, and judged as free and fair.

Indian media, especially print media, has also played a pivotal role in the development and nurturing of democratic norms. But some times some misleading reports do creep in, for example, a well-known Gujarati daily carried a report “PM Modi's Wembley Show was full of lies: Congress” which was published on 14th November.

Mr Nishit Vyas, Secretary General and Spokesperson of Gujarat Congress, has claimed that Congress national leader Ahmed Patel and the then Central Minister Dinsha Patel proposed direct flight between London and Ahmedabad which was started by UPA Government and was stopped in 2009 because of heavy losses.

Both statements are utter lies In the same report, the Congress is reported to have alleged that thousands of supporters were bought to cheer Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Wembley Stadium.

Also, it claims that £100 million was spent to provide food, transportation and other such expenses.

It is alleged in the report that the audience at the historic meeting was a rented crowd.

Well, the facts are totally different.

Europe India Forum had organised the event. The cost of this extensive venue comes to around £700,000.

Other expenses like setting up the stage, administrative expenses and security apparatus are additional.

As I understand, the total cost was £2 million which was entirely raised from Indian entrepreneurs without any contribution from British or Indian governments.

Such reports based on complete untruth illustrate the nadir of Gujarat Congress which has lost power in the State of Gujarat since 1990. To regain the trust and confidence of the electorate, the party has to first put its house in order and refrain from making such wild accusations against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP. On the direct flight, let me elaborate more. When Chief Minister Narendra Modi visited the United Kingdom in 2003, I myself with the help of Manoj Ladwa and a few others made a very detailed and wellresearched presentation to the CM on the need for a direct flight between London and Ahmedabad.

Gujarat was developing rapidly, and about 700,000 British Indians of Gujarati origin as well as increasing number of businessmen and others needed a direct connection between the two cities – not only the passengers to and from Gujarat but also from western Madhya Pradesh and southern Rajasthan.

After consulting over 20 major travel agents, we had prepared some statistics of the traffic flow. Indian High Commission was issuing some

7,000 visas per week to visit India.

From our study it was revealed that some 3,000 passengers travel between the UK and Gujarat per week. Lack of direct flight means passengers had to change the plane at Mumbai or Delhi (if they travel by Air India) or at Dubai, Abu Dhabi or Qatar, amongst others, in the Gulf.

Pregnant women, elderly persons, passengers with disabilities and especially women with young children, had to face severe hardships to disembark, then embark from one aircraft to another with all hand luggage and some times all luggage, wait in the lounge for 2 or 3 or more hours and, above all, most of the flights were in the middle of the night.

CM Narendra Modi understood the problems and on his return presented this case to the PM, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, and to the Civil Aviation minister. Very promptly a direct flight was started with one flight per week and the frequency increased to four flights per week.

When the UPA Government came to power, all of a sudden without any consultation or advance notice, the direct flight service was stopped. We also came to gather that some private airlines were given two or more slots as a result of the discontinuation of the Air India flights.

Again, we presented our case to Praful Patel, the then civil aviation minister in the UPA Government, with a petition signed by over 20,000 people, but to no avail.

A committee called “All Party Committee for Direct Flight, UK, was formed to look into the matter.

A similar committee was formed in India.

Praful Patel had promised on 4th July 2010 during the inauguration of Terminal 2 of Ahmedabad International Airport that the flight service will restart during the winter.

But it turned out to be a false promise Congress cannot take credit on the matter. As a matter of fact, the Congress-led UPA Government stopped the flights, which put passengers to lot of inconvenience, damaged the finances of Air India and made other airlines more prosperous and popular.

Now, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 13th November at Wembley Stadium announced the resumption of the direct flight between Ahmedabad and London. The service will take off from December 15.

I am happy that the new direct flight will have a stopover at Mumbai to and from London and Ahmedabad. This will solve the problem of the crew and their working hours as well as bring additional traffic between London and Mumbai, and between Mumbai and Ahmedabad for those who are not flying out of the country.

I had met the Air India bosses at Mumbai and Birmingham airports

In Brief AsianVoiceNews

Asian Voice | 28th November 2015

CB Patel

AsianVoiceNewsweekly

Duchess of Cambridge says children should be given "space"

and presented them with this schedule which is practical and acceptable.

Sadly, an English language daily in India on November 18 carried a report “Air India may not be able to start direct Ahmedabad-London flight from December 15”, which is misleading.

This information is confusing passengers and damaging the interest of Air India and India as well.

I have also conveyed to the authorities that Air India should not charge £50 or any extra sum from passengers for the direct flight as was done previously. Such extra charges would discourage them to take the direct flight, or else they will be forced to prefer the hardships of the transit in order to save money.

Some Middle East airlines could cut the price further which attracted the cost-conscious passengers.

The duty-free airports in the Gulf can also be more attractive for passengers who wish to shop.

There is one more issue to remember for India that not only to provide a level-playing field but will also give bumper publicity to make people in the UK aware as has been done on 14th November in some Gujarati media in Gujarat.

For most of the British Indians, Air India is a national airline and the symbol of Maharaja has its own pride and appeal. With the advantage of Indian cuisine, dietary satisfaction and language of the crew, this direct flight can over a period become viable as well as help in Indo-British cooperation and relations.

BRITAIN: Children should be encouraged to be imaginative and let them learn for themselves, in order to grow and be confident when they are older.

In a recent speech, the Duchess of Cambridge reminisced about her own childhood and said that she had a “wonderful and secure” one.

The Duchess also urged parents and teachers to provide children with some “space” as their “heads are too full”. The speech was intended to stress upon the need to intervene with vulnerable young people at a very early stage, in order to stop problems from happening at a later stage.

Why Her Majesty The Queen greeted PM Modi without gloves?

BRITAIN: Two sisters, who had claimed over £5,000 on travel expenses to visit their father in his care home, but visited him only three times have now lost control of their father's finances. He suffers from dementia.

The pair had claimed that they had made a 20-mile round taxi trip to visit their father, and claimed £5,400 expenses over a year's period.

Maybe Prime Minister Narendra Modi – a teetotaller, a non-smoker and total vegetarian, committed to yoga, health and discipline, able to work relentlessly and remaining focused in spite of several chal-

Scientists say viagra can help with diabetes

BRITAIN: Who would have thought that viagra has more benefit than one?! Scientists have stated that the erectile dysfunction drug could also be used to prevent diabetes, as well as help with early signs of kidney and heart disease.

The importance to insulin is an important step in the development of diabetes. People who were identified as having prediabetes were given viagra for three months.

The results showed that their insulin sensitivity had risen.

Prediabetes affect a third of adult Britons. It is also said that in a year, between 5 and 10% of people with prediabetes will develop type 2 diabetes.

About 500 stillbirths could be saved

BRITAIN: A national audit has found that more than half of stillbirths in Britain could be avoided if midwives acted on warnings from parents, or stopped making basic errors.

In the developed world, the UK has been ranked as 33rd out of 35 for stillbirths, which has led to ministers calling for “urgent change”.

The study also suggest that if Britain handled the issues in care, about 500 lives could be saved. This indicated that Britain allegedly has one of the worst safety records amongst developed nations.

Women claimed £5,400 travel expense to visit father in care home

Business dinners "not very inclusive" for career women with families

BRITAIN: Carolyn Fairbairn, the first woman to lead the Confederation of British Industry (CBI), has stated that business dinners are “not very inclusive” for career women with families.

Black-tie dinners are considered as integral networking events for careers. However, Fairbairn said that she could rarely attend an evening event as she was raising three children. Additionally, she also mentioned that there were also sporting events which were predominantly attended by men. PM Cameron announces "strike brigades" to fight terrorists Prime Minister, David Cameron, has announced that the British army is to be reconstructed to form two “strike brigades” of 5,000 soldiers. These soldiers could be deployed at any moment to fight terrorists and combat others who are threatening the country.

Pet crematorium gives customers random ashes of animals

lenges – is so harmless that her Majesty did not wear gloves. So shaking hands with somebody so healthy and energetic could be very stimulating.

STAFFORDSHIRE: It has been alleged that a pet crematorium owner in Staffordshire, cheated customers by taking their pet cats and dogs but giving them ashes of other animals.

52-year-old Swan Pit Pet Crematorium owner, Allan McMasters, was allegedly exposed when several chest freezers was stacked with dead animals, which were found by the trading standards officers.

Cannock Magistrates' Court ordered McMasters to carry 200 hours of unpaid work as part of a 12-month community order. He was also ordered to pay £6,435 in costs and compensation, which included £500 for each of four known victims. District Judge Jack McGarva stated, “It's horrible and far from your customers would have expected you to have done.”

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Leading Lights

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Rani Singh, Special Assignments Editor

An Artist with Hindu Mythology, Animals, Japanese and French American influences Artist Jagannath Panda was born in 1970 in Bhubaneswar, India. He received a Master of Fine Arts degree in sculpture from the Royal College of Art, in London, and has also been a visiting researcher at the Fukuoka University in Japan.

His work has been exhibited widely, with solo gallery shows in Tokyo, London, Berlin and San Francisco as well as frequent exhibitions in New Delhi and Mumbai. His work is in the collections of the Asian Art Museum, Fukuoka; the Mori art Museum, Tokyo; the Fine Art Museum, Chandigarh; the National Gallery of Modern Art, New Delhi and the Dairy Centre, London. He has won India’s Lalit Kala Akademi Award and the All India Fine Arts and Crafts Society Award.

Jagannath's work is often picked up by Christie's and it is interesting as he comments on the

Jagannath Panda

social landscape around him. One of his pieces is a snake made out of dark plastic pipes, with flowers and snails on it. This work was based on his feelings about where he lives in Gurgaon.

"Next to my studio there are a lot of housing developments happening,"

he said. The plumbing is a kind of metaphor. They use plastic pipes inside the ground. Flowers are coming out. It was taken from real life experience in India. If you’re passing by; you see a water pipe, pipe links, natural fountains.

People consume water and from there another life

Asian Voice | 28th November 2015 grows up around it. Each material I work with has the power to transform itself into something else.”

Earlier this month, an exhibition of new works by Jagannath Panda called The Trance Narratives went on show at the Halcyon Gallery in London.

The solo exhibition, his first at the gallery, sees the artist juxtapose mythology and spirituality with the harsh realities of globalisation and rapid development in his home country.

The show description reads, “In twelve large mixed media paintings and two sculptures, nature collides and coalesces with the manmade.”

As well as being deeply affected by the traditional culture of Odisha in India, Panda says “The Japanese conceptual artist On Kawara and the FrenchAmerican artist Louise Bourgeois are influential in my densely figurative work.” In his earliest works, he experimented with different media on paper, mixing collage and drawing techniques to explore the role of iconography in communication and to comment upon socio-political situations in contemporary India. His signature technique, used in both painting and sculpture, is to incorporate tra-

suitcase. The displacement ditional brocade fabrics of animals is a common into their surfaces, often feature in Panda’s work becoming the skins of and is an allegory, reprebeasts, the bark of trees, or senting the displacement the garments of mythologiof both people and nature cal figures. On both paper as the country becomes and canvas, his detailed increasingly monopolised drawings recall the palmby corporate interests. The leaf manuscripts of Odisha, painting can also be read as while the characters in his an autobiographical selfworks are often lifted portrait; the objects and directly from the epic sagas scenes in the background of the Ramayana and the almost all relate to Western Mahabharata. He disart traditions, possibly cussed the effect his home inspired by the artist’s time environment had on him. spent on a scholarship at “In 2005 I moved to the Royal College of Art Gurgaon – which was a between 2000-2002. really surprising space for Jagannath Panda me. When I had conversaoften uses animal tions with my neighforms in his bours I realised that “Each paintings. He they all come from and a different material I paints sculpts aniutopia, and that everybody has work with has mals with an their own ideas the power to iwnonno dc ee nr t, of living life. In transform u s u a l l y my works, embellishing through the itself into their surfaces landscape I try something with metallic to create a human fabrics or shimspace. We live else.” mering colours, as together but you if to amplify their don’t know your neighinherent magical powers. bours. You don’t meet/talk Panda’s animals function with them. I play with all as icons, albeit those we these ideas together, but recognize from Hindu rather than giving a serious mythology which constantmeaning to them I enjoy ly transmogrify, in their them,” says Jagannath. In infinite form and variety.

Panda’s Immortalise, the The exhibition literafigure of the owl - a recurture included an essay by ring symbol in Jagannath the prominent Indian art Panda’s most recent work writer and curator Deeksha is displaced from its natuNath. ral habitat, perched on a

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Asian Voice | 28th November 2015

Media vs Politicians?

Irresponsible, warmongers, leaders of the west and the media are adding fuel to the Jihadis crisis etc.

Gurkhas and others did sacrifice the cream part of their lives unselfishly, in two bloody great and other wars for our tomorrow.

But the warmongers of the west is creating further hatred and violence across the globe and adding salt to the wounds of our war heroes,bombing indiscriminately in Iraq, Libya for oil and creating refugee crisis, destroying their homes, dignity and making them "Limbo & Illusion" in the 21st century.

Wish these leaders from the so-called civilised society of the west had used their heads before bombing.

Yam Gurung Via Email

He came, he saw, he conquered Who would have thought that the son of a tea vendor at Vadnagar railway station in Gujarat will one day dine with the British Queen and address a crowd of 60,000 people at Wembley Stadium? Narendra Modi, the Indian prime minister, did just that. True to his words and in response to the orchestrated campaign mounted by AV and GS, he announced the start of direct flights between London and Ahmedabad from next month. I am sure that I heard him rightly, when at that point in his speech, he referred to CB as his friend.

He also announced a revamp of current the visa system.

Narendrabhai has also promised to eradicate India of corruption, nepotism, violence against women, poverty and many such vices that are at present endemic in India. We sincerely hope that he will now fulfill these promises too.

Dinesh Sheth Newbury Park, Ilford

Unprofessional Air India?

Modiji's announcement in Wembley Stadium amid some 60000 strong attendees; the great news of direct flight from UK to Ahmedabad on 15.12.2015, was met with loud applaud and cheers. An eagerly awaited confirmation by all concerned was indeed a very welcome news. Undoubtedly, the direct flight resumption is the result of a 14 year long, untiring campaign, initiated by C.B. Patel and supported by large number of Gujarati Diaspora including some dignitaries. It must be proud moment for C.B. that his meeting with Modiji whilst he was a Chief Minister of Gujarat regarding direct flight issue was acknowledged by Modiji himself in his grand speech.

However, it is a matter of regret that Air India has not acted in a professional and responsible manner during the whole campaign. I wish the authority had shown courtesy to inform directly in confidence of the great news to CB with an explanation for the long delay for resumption of direct flight. This would have been much of a business-like manner.

Niranjan Vasant London

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Vijay JoshiBy Via email

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Can the world live in 7th and 21st centuries at the same time?

The position in the world today, reminds us of the profound words of Abraham Lincoln on 16th June 1858. viz. “A house divided against itself cannot stand. I believe this government cannot endure permanently, half slave and half free”.

Presently, the world is in the same situation as the USA was in Lincoln’s time. Half of the world is stuck in the 7th century closed mind and the other half in the 21st century with gender equality and open mind to explore life, existence and physical reality.

We hear from Hollande, Obama, Putin, and many other leaders that they will eliminate closed minded groups like IS, Boko Haram, El Qaeda, etc. and will make the world free from terror.

Unfortunately, our leaders cannot see the reality or do not want to see it.

Will the leaders tackle the parents? We, mere mortals, have to await our leaders’ possible enlightenment about reality. We will see either humanity will end up to live permanently in the 7th century without the inquiring mind and without the gender equality or in 21st century and beyond where it preserves human dignity, continues to search for the Higgs Boson to establish the roots of our physical universe and proceeds in search of intelligent life on other planets in our Milky Way galaxy.

Modi and Air-India

I refer to Mr Vaidyanathan's letter in AV, Vol 44,Issue 28. He writes about Mr Modi's address to the House of Parliament as being the first person to address the House of Parliament.

I take this opportunity to correct his statement by saying that Mr Modi did not address the House of Parliament, as the House was in recess at the time. He addressed the invited MPs in one of the halls in the Palace of Westminster. It was not even a joint session. Moreover, Mr Modi is not the first person to address the House of Parliament.

There have been many PMs and Heads of State who have addressed there before Mr Modi. I stand to be corrected on these facts.

May I also take this opportunity to congratulate and offer my gratitude to Shree CB on his great work regarding his achievement to re-start London Amadavad Air India flights. He has done and fulfilled his task that he had undertaken on behalf of the wider Indian Diaspora. We all know about the problems of Air India as to its punctuality, cleanliness of the aircrafts, behavior of its staff and operational attitude. The onus will be on Air India to improve on these factors and prove to the travelling public. The government of India will also have to open this route to other airlines so that there is healthy competition between them.

Mukesh Patel Croydon

India’s parallel faiths

Ramesh Jhalla has done well highlighting the reasons for the declining number of Hindus historically in India. The question is how we Hindus should stop this.

Mr. Jhalla is perfectly right to say that renegade Hindus made sure India does not have any official religion and all other religions are treated in the same level in spite of 85 per cent of population being Hindus In the West the word secularism implies three things: freedom of religion, equal citizenship for all regardless of religion and race and the separation of religion and the state.

In France everybody has to go to the same school irrespective of religion, race or creed. In India the India government is pouring money on religious schools such as Madrasas, Missionaries or any other schools that creates division which is against true secularism. No financial support should be given to any religious groups.

India is not a secular state, as the word secularism is widely understood in Western world and it is rather a strategy for political goals which has resulted in separating people on the basis of religion.

Arun Vaidyanathan Via Email

Congratulation

It was a great honour that our Prime Minister Modiji in his Wembley speech- mentioned CB Patel's name. Certainly a very rare honour and pride for the Gujarati community worldwide. Prime Minister who meets so many dignitaries did not forget the shining star of the Gujarati literary world. Certainly a sweet memory to cherish for ever for all diaspora. Many congrats to CB. Sudhir Jatania OCI Assistance

Endorse their views

Bhupendra Gandhi laments poor show by BJP’s in Bihar elections. Losing election is disappointing, wide margin is heartrending. I believe that Modiji and BJP indulged in over confidence to expect repetition of 2014 National elections. Under such euphoria , they fell prey to psuedo-secular, communal, caste and beef imbroglio. Thus proLaloo-(Yadavs), pro-Nitish-(Koormis) and all Muslims-swayed by Dadri murder-voted for grand alliance.

RSS did not organize door to door campaign to garner votes, leaving Modiji and Amit Shah to their charisma and resources, to face treachery by grand alliance. Low turnout is not new to India’s electorate and should have been included in campaign mathematics. Hindu fanatic godmen and leaders knew very well that Bihar has about 20% Muslim population. Yet they boldly uttered anti-Muslim and anti-Pakistan statements which hurt BJP. This was aggravated by prolonged silence by P.M. on murders of writers, returning of Awards, communal murders and beef politics. Grand alliance took maximum advantage of this silence.

BJP must take urgent steps to see that this is not replicated in Gujarat-(2017) elections, and National-(2019) elections. Energies of RSS, old BJP members and Muslims must be harnessed to win future elections.

Ramesh Jhalla Via email

Narsibhai Patel New Malden

Continued on page 11

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Long wait well worth

It was long wait to read Kapil’s column but well worth, as he chose Modiji’s tremendous successful visit to London, exposing Labour’s unfriendly, hostile attitude towards Modiji who captured hearts and minds of 60K people thronging Wembley Stadium on bitterly cold winter day. Surprisingly Kapil was not invited to join welcoming party serving fiduciary interest!

It was most successful visit by any politician, only Pope could attract such crowd, enthusiasm. Glaring lack of civility on part of Labour will cost Labour dearly at Mayoral election, as British Indians may vote enmasse for Conservative candidate Goldsmith.

Now that the visit is over, I would like to urge British Indians to concentrate on winning Gujarat, sending thousands of volunteers to make sure BJP keeps its hold on Gujarat from where Modiji cemented his political career. Opposition is gearing to unite under Nitish Kumar after his Bihar triumph.

In this topsy-turvy world where terrorism is gaining upper-hand, India and the world needs Modiji, as Britain needed Churchill during WW2. Let us make it our life mission to get Modiji re-elected as PM of vibrant India for second term! That will be our legacy to younger generation.

Bhupendra M. Gandhi Via Email

Diwali magazine

I am writing this review the Diwali issue of Asian Voice and Gujarat Samachar. I liked that the magazine has a detailed page on what Deepavali is. It's informative for people in Britain. The magazine has used children's opinion on Diwali, how they celebrate it and enjoy the festival which makes it a wonderful read. The magazine is also very colourful and an easy read. Since it is bilingual, anyone who does not have good command over English, can still have an advantage. As a youngster, I found this magazine informative and very exciting.

Aditya Anand, 11 years London

Asian Voice | 28th November 2015

11

Oxford's 1920s-themed Cambridge drops historian summer balls allegedly from funding campaign implied as racist Two Oxford colleges are being accused of planning to host summer balls that may effect and upset women and ethnic minorities by reminding them of an era where there was less equality.

Magdalen and Lincoln colleges were planning to host summer balls based on New Orleans and The Great Gatsby in the 1920s.

Although Lincoln's College's New Orlean ball promised to have “something for everyone”, the university's Campaign for Racial Awareness and Equality suggested that the event displayed a “nostalgia for an era of history steeped in racism”.

A law student at the college. Arushi Garg, stated that the event would cause people to remember a college “devoid of women and people of colour”. On the event's Facebook page, Garg commented, “What a place to be! Can't wait to go back in time!!!”

Furthermore, while speaking the university's newspaper, Cherwell, Arushi Garg said, “1926 at Magdalen was a time when people of colour and

Law student, Arushi Garg

women were entirely absent... I felt uncomfortable with the advertising.

Obviously my demographic makes me less likely than others to uncritically long for a past privileged some more than others... if we were living re-living the past, the corridors of institutional spaces like Magdalen/Oxford is definitely not where you would find people of my gender, race and nationality. I wrote to the Magdalen organisers and they engaged quite respectfully with me.”

The Magdalen Commemoration Ball's committee stated that they were not expecting people

The British historian, David Starkey, was dropped by the University of Cambridge from a 3minute video campaign called, Dear World...

Yours, Cambridge, after academics and students labelled him as sexist and racist.

The video also featured Sir Ian McKellen and Stephen Hawking, who are also the university's alumni; a video made in attempt to raise £2 billion.

The University of Cambridge removed the video from the internet on Wednesday 18th November, after student union officials and lecturers had signed an open letter which stated that many were “deeply offended”

with Starkey's inclusion in the video. They also described him as being “a man who has a well-documented and undeniable history of racism and sexism”.

School inspectors visited a private school in North Yorkshire, and have raise concerns about the welfare of students after discovering 700 CCTV there.

Pupils at Queen

Ethelburga's College, claimed that the cameras were used to catch them “kissing or queue jumping”. The school admitted to having installed over 500 cameras.

to be wearing outfits from the 1920s, they aimed to provide an “experience” for people. On the other hand, Lincoln College's organis-

ing committee said that the theme for the ball was based on a scholar's article with “significant reputations on race relations”.

Historian David Starkey was removed from a funding video by the University of Cambridge

700 cameras installed in a private school

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Civilization as we have known it for many millennia hovers on the brink of an abyss. The unfolding tragedy in Paris and the resultant tremors across France and Europe are a warning of the looming darkness that threatens to envelop us all.

ISIL’s tentacles, like those of a monstrous octopus straddles continents, which demonstrates its capability to strike where it wishes and at any time of its choosing. Prior to its murderous attacks in Paris, it had blown out of the sky a Russian passenger aircraft over Sinai, in Egypt, killing all 224 men, women and children on board, families returning to St Petersburg following a holiday in the sun: a time to cherish when the harsh winter back home set in. Little did these innocents realize the terrible fate awaiting them.

political reach with geo-strategic goals.

He said: ‘China has increased its economic and military ties with all our neighbours.

Rapid infrastructure development is taking place in Tibet, with the world’s highest airfield at Daocheng Yading, the highest railway line from Xinjiang, Chinghai to Lhasa, the development of the Gwadar port and the economic corridor through Pakistan, the development of roads leading to Indian border.’

The aim was to box India in within the confines of the Subcontinent.

US, China bolster Pakistan

Air Chief Marshal Raha pointed to the understanding between the United States and China in bolstering Pakistan with significant amounts of financial and military aid. Pakistan’s gambit of running with the hares and hunting with the hounds’ had paid off handsomely, he said. There were links between the internal security situation and external challenges facing the Indian Air Force (Indian Express online) Hundreds gathered near Bataclan to observe a Europe-wide minute of silence to honor the victims of the attacks in Paris. see comment page 3

India’s Home Minister Rajnath Singh said that India was alert to the ISIL threat in the wake of an advisory warning of possible attacks on Indian soil. The advisory said: ‘Though Islamic State has not been able to establish any significant presence in India, its success in radicalizing some youth, attracting certain sections of the local population or the Indian diaspora to physically participate in its activities or the possibility of piggy-backing on terrorist groups operating in India… ..opening up the possibility of ISsponsored terrorist action on Indian territory.’ (Times of India November 18)

ISI agent held

The warning was timely. An agent, Zafar Khan by name, believed to be an agent of Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) directorate of Pakistan was caught in Kolkata and been remanded to police custody by a city magistrate. His brother Akhtar Khan had been arrested by the same Special Task Force a few days earlier, also on the charge of working for the ISI. Reports say that 150 Indians are on the terror watch list (Hindu November 17, Times of India November 18)

Astra readied

India’s ‘missile power’ received a boost with the upcoming induction of Astra, the long range air to air missile with a range of 44 to 60 kilometres. Having undergone nine successful tests, its electronic systems are to be tested next month before it is fitted into the country’s most lethal warplane, the Sukhoi-30MKI. When that is done, India will join a handful of countries such as the US, Russia, France and Israel wit this capability. Dr S. Christophe, head of the Defence Research &

Development Organization (DRDO) explained Astra’s destructive power. It is 3.8 metres long and travels at four times the speed of sound at mach 4.5 (about 3,200 miles per hour).

The test of the ‘electronic loop’ will ensure that the missile’s brain with ‘target lock-on and destroy’ capability is functional as per requirement. The matching of brawn and brain gives Astra its formidable power (Times of India November 6)

Surface to Air Missile test

The Long range surface-to-Air missile is to be tested at any time from a warship, according to senior naval sources. LR-SAM, also known as Barak NG has been developed by India’s DDRDO and Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), has a target range of 80 kilometres. It will replace the Barack I, currently with the Indian Navy, whose range is 10 km (Hindu November 17)

Air chief’s take on China

Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha, addressing the Subroto Mukerjee Seminar at the Centre of Air Power Studies, underscored China’s growing

China behind Pakistan bomb

‘How China helped Pakistan build the bomb’ was the title of The Telegraph’s serialize extract from Andre Small’s book, ‘The China-Pakistan Axis: Asia’s New Geopolitics’ The work reveals in startling detail the understanding between the two countries for the transfer of Chinese nuclear technology to Pakistan for the manufacture of the bomb as part of their common goal to contain India. Western technology was purloined by a rogue Pakistani metallurgist, Abdul Qadir Khan, working at a Dutch nuclear facility. The Reagan administration prevented his arrest. The knowledge he acquired was duly passed on to China as a quid pro quo.

(Telegraph November 15)

Poseidon aids Navy’s air power

The Indian variant of Boeing’s Poseidon Long Range Maritime Patrol aircraft has been inducted for service at INS Rajaji, Arakkonam, India’s premier Air Station, seventy km from Chennai. The P81 is an advanced variant of the P8A. Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar said that the aircraft would provide the Indian Navy with the necessary reach and flexibility to undertake extensive surveillance and to respond to contingencies as and when required. The acquisition will augment the navy’s capability in the Andaman and Nicobar Archipelago within range of the South China Sea. (Times of India November 14).

Australia ratifies India nuclear deal

Arup Raha

India will be the first country to buy Australian uranium, following the ratification of the deal by Parliament in Canberra. ‘ We expect the commercial agreements to begin soon….The sup-

plies begin in 2016,’ said a senior Indian official (Business Line November 17)

Internet user base expands

The number of internet users in India is expected to reach 402 million by December 295, a 49 per cent jump over last year, making India home to the online data base the third after China and the United States. However, India will overtake the US in the coming weeks to take second spot in the world. (Mint November 18)

Computer engineering

A survey on trends in engineering has revealed that computer oriented streams continue to attract the most placements in Indian colleges and universities. The survey, conducted by the UKbased Institution of Engineering covered 187 institutions across India including the Indian Institutes of Technology.

According to the report 81per cent of all such institutions offer computer engineering courses, the availability for placements accounting for their popularity with students and parents (Hindu October 1)

Elite paratrooper killed in Kashmir

Colonel Santosh Mahadik of the elite Para Special Forces was killed in Kashmir during an antiterrorist operation in Kashmir.

He was skilled for such encounters and was decorated with the Sena Medal for gallantry during Operation Rhino in northern Kashmir. He volunteered for command of a battalion of the Rashtriya Rifles, the Indian Army’s specialized counter-insurgency force in Jammu &Kashmir (Times vof India November 18)

BRICS Bank Summit

Meeting in Antalya, Turkey, on the eve of the G20 Summit, the leaders of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa (BRICS) Presidents Putin, Xi Xinping, Djlma Roussef, Jacob Zuma and Prime Minister Narendra Modi

AsianVoiceNewsweekly

great work done by other members. The theme of India’s BRICS Chairmanship will be ‘Building Responsive, Inclusive and Collective Solutions’ which, in short, will be BRICS. It aptly describes the ethos of our group.’

(Business Line November 16)

Headley charged in Mumbai court

A special court in Mumbai has accepted the prosecution plea to make David Coleman Headley, the Pakistan-born American terrorist and US FBI agent to be accused in the 26/11/2008 Mumbai case at which Laskar-e-

David Coleman Headley

Taiba operative Syed Zabiuddin alias Abu Jindal is standing trial for offences committed with Headley. Headley will appear before the court via video conference from a US jail, where is serving a 35 year jail sentence for terrorism passed by an American court in 2013.

Nehru lauded

Not before time, the BJP leadership rose above party politics to laud India’s first prime minister, Jawaharlal Nehru.

Home Minister Rajnath Singh added cubits to his stature by saluting him as the architect of Indian democracy and its institutions.

He also lauded Nehru’s enduring legacy of Nehru’s policy of nonalignment.

Minister of State Sanjeev Balyan echoed the tribute. That Nehru was a Congressman didn’t affect the party’s judgment of him. ‘Was Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel not a Congressman? Was Mahatma Gandhi not a Congressman.’ These are refreshing words, not heard from the BJP since Atal Bihari Vajpayee

Narendra Modi at BRICS Summit in Turkey

held constructive talks on the needs of emerging nations and the BRICS Bank’s plans to meet their demands. Prime Minister Modi said: ‘India attaches the highest importance to BRICS. We are honoured to assume the Chairmanship of BRICS from January 1 2016 and build on the

was in his pomp. Few who were present will forget Vajpayee’s eloquent tribute to Nehru at Londoin’s Victoria and Albert Museum before an assembly of the great and good of Britain and India. (Times of India November 15).

UK

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Asian Voice | 28th November 2015

13

Roadshow organised to promote Vibrant Saurashtra in the UK Where Are All The Fundamentalists Wembley – Part II When the Jews were persecuted by the Romans, they found home in India, and have stayed ever since; when the Christians were persecuted, St Thomas landed on the shores of India, and they've stayed ever since.

When the Parsees were persecuted in Persia, they found home and thrived in India. When India is home to the largest population of Muslims under the oldest Democratic umbrella anywhere in the world, and the home of Buddhism, and the only home Sikhs has ever known, and the birthplace of the man who said, 'I am a Hindu, a Christian, a Jew, a Muslim' Mahatma Gandhi - can we please put an end to laughable fake protests about 'intolerant India'. India with her Muslim Presidents, and her Christian Defense Ministers.

Blaming the PM for the actions of every village idiot when the Constitution guarantees freedom of expression, religion, is like blaming the British PM for the every racist bumkin in Britain. You insult our motherland, our heritage, and our intelligence. Yes India can be greater than she is - educating bumkins will help, and sometimes those bumkins are academics, and writers and actors, and journalists.

It's really simple, all we Indians ever wanted was a leader that made us feel 12 foot tall, that told the world we too are a great civilisation, we too are proud of all we are and can be, we too are an amazing people who cherish freedom and we hold the destiny of all humanity because one in six of humanity is us. That we should not

be ashamed for being poor because we are actually incredibly rich.

We should not be ashamed of proclaiming our religion because every religion on earth is proudly found under an Indian sky. Today we got that leader who gets it. Some call that nationalism. It's not.

It's just pride. It's not chauvinism if you refuse to be subservient because you know the truth of all the humiliations your people have endured. We have the right to be proud as Indians.

Or as my sister, Sunaina Patel put it, ‘For a pretty normal Millennial female mum like me he made me think about humanity and the strength of diversity not religion and asked for our blessings to give him strength. Highlights- He wishes for a better future for our people in India, not charity but to speak on the same level.

Humanitarianism was key to his speech.

Education - Girl child toilets at every school which was a reason for drop outs so that girls could go to school. His story of Imran Khan the child in Hariyanna who developed 50 educational apps and shared for free amongst schools was touching and shows Technology is key. He has given himself a 1000 days to ensure every village has electricity but taking global warming into account by harnessing the power of solar (surya) energy to do this. India does not enjoy being poor anymore. He's trying and that's what counts.’

Today we are being told that for once by the leader of the motherland.

And that's why he's a rock star. He is us.

Tauseef Akhtar dazzles the audience with ghazals

Reshma Trilochun

Vibrant Saurashtra roadshow in Leicester

Vibrant Saurashtra Expo & Summit 2016 (VSES16 ) is scheduled from 8 to 10 January 2016. It is organised by Octagon Communications & Global Network and co organised

by Rajkot Chamber of Commerce & Industry, in association with IndextB Government of Gujarat.

The focus of the summit is Trade, Investment, Tourism, Education & culture. The theme of the summit is Make in India, Clean India, Smart India, Digital India & Smart (cities) India.

To promote Vibrant

Saurashtra 2016 in UK, a roadshow was organized in London on Saturday 21 November at Montcalm Hotel. The Chief guest was Deputy Indian High Commissioner Dr Virander Paul. On 22 November in Leicester a similar roadshow was organised by Indo British Trade Council (IBTC) & Air India. Consul General of India to Birmingham Mr. Jitendra Kumar Sharma was the chief guest. The welcome address was given by Chairman of Indo British Trade Council (IBTC) Mr. Uday Dholakia

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On Saturday 21st November 2015, the ghazal maestro, Tauseef Akhtar, performed live to a fullhouse auditorium, in London.

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Gwyneth Glyn with Tauseef Akhtar The show was hosted by Anushka Arora

This ghazal night was hosted by the gorgeous radio presenter and event compere, Anushka Arora.

He performed an array of ghazal songs from many singers, such as Jagjit Singh, as well as rendered his own songs. He also collaborated with two Welsh artists, one being Gwyneth

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As a tribute to the ghazal singer, Keith Vaz presented Tauseef Akhtar a trophy of a golden microphone.

Handwritten Indian passports declared invalid Continued from page 1 250,000 handwritten passports are still in circulation. Approximately 6.2 million Indians hold valid passports.

Indian citizens residing in UK, India or abroad and holding such passports

Dr Virander Paul addressing the audience at the roadshow in London

with validity beyond the 24th November 2015 should apply for re-issue of their passports in order to avoid any inconvenience in obtaining valid visa or international travel.

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14

COMMUNITY

www.asian-voice.com AsianVoiceNews

Asian Voice | 28th November 2015

An Enlightening Diwali Celebration for the City Hindus Network

The host Lord Popat with CHN Executive Members, Dipti Vyas, Shefali Davda, Prinal Nathwani and Cllr Ameet Jogia

ful.” grounds but never comThe Diwali spirit continTushar spoke of the promise on core issues. ued in Westminster on increasing challenges of For me one of those core Friday (20th November) getting the work/life balvalues is integrity. It can as 130 young professionals ance right, saying “People and two fantastic speakers spend more time at work attended the City Hindus than anywhere else, so it’s Network Annual Diwali important you get it right” Dinner in the House of telling the young profesLords. sionals “Success is measThe Lord Popat of ured in more ways than Harrow hosted the dinner your career” and “You in the ‘Mother of all need to work out what balParliaments’ as the guests ance you want to have.” were treated to a tour of Rounding off the the Commons and the evening was the vote of Lords before a drinks thanks from two memreception and three course Tushar Morzaria, Group bers of the City Hindus dinner on the Terrace Finance Director for Barclays Network Executive speaking at the dinner overlooking the Thames.

Committee, Dipti Vyas Following a traditional and Shefali Davda. They take years to build integriprayer to start the thanked both speakers for ty but one small slip and evening, Lord Popat comtheir unique and inspirait’s gone. A major error of menced the proceedings. tional insights into their judgement can be forgiven He explained that the professional lives, as well – a lapse of integrity night was about inspiring as thanking Lord Popat never.” and empowering the next for his generosity in hostLater in the evening generation of British ing the event. the keynote address was Indians to go as far as they Speaking after the given by Tushar Morzaria, can go. event, Harrow Councillor the Group Finance Lord Popat said “I am Ameet Jogia said “this Director of Barclays. After very excited to have you all was a truly inspiring and receiving an extremely here […] because the fun evening. It’s very rare warm welcome from the members of the City to get a chance to hear audience, Tushar gave an Hindus Network - those of from someyou who are one like seated in this T u s h a r room – are about how our future. t h e y ’ v e And by ‘our’, made such a I don’t just success of mean the themselves, Hindu comand it’s fanmunity, or tastic that the British he’s so humIndian comble.

That munity, I the event mean our was aimed country’s Manish Chande, Senior Partner at Clearbell Capital at my age future.” addressing the audience group really The first of helped to make it releinsight into what life is the night’s principal vant.” like at the top in a major speakers was Manish Chande, a Senior Partner Speaking to Asian City firm, and how he’d Voice after the event, encourage others to get at Clearbell Capital and a Lord Popat said “it was a there. He spoke of the hugely respected figure in real honour to have importance of passion for the real estate community.

Tushar and Manish there your career: “The day you He told the inspiring tale with so many members of wake up in the morning of his background and the CHN. The number of and you struggle to get up how he felt he’d managed positive comments peomeans you need to change to achieve so much. ple made about the your career” and the need Amongst a list of ‘do’s evening was fantastic and to “Do something that you and don’ts’, he told the I look forward to working are prepared to give your young professionals to with the CHN again in time to, make you read “Respect each other’s difthe future.” more, make you successferent views and back-

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Armed Forces Hindu Network celebrates Diwali Rani Singh The Armed Forces Hindu Network marked Diwali with a party bringing together key figures from the Hindu community, Government and Ministry of Defence.

Naval Reserve base HMS President was transformed into a Hindu delight, and the event was marked with prayers, the lighting of diyas and traditional Hindu dancers. The evening ended with a traditional communal meal.

Warrant Officer Class 1 Ashok Kumar Chauhan MBE, famous as one of the faces of the military’s civil engagement, generously welcomed the Asian Voice and gave us a glimpse of the breathtaking view straight out onto the Thames from the room where we would later eat.

The armed forces have always encouraged personnel to observe the customs of their faith. Spiritual advisors serve with most units, offering help and guidance to personnel at home and overseas. A Hindu chaplain was present to lead prayers rather movingly that Hindus in the audience joined in with. It was noticeable that the senior British naval officers and many others

men who defend our nation's interests at home and abroad, especially those in more recent conflicts and who are on military Operations today, at sea, on the land or in the air - away from their families during this family festival.”

Surgeon Lieutenant Commander Manish Tayal, Chair of the Armed Forces Hindu Network, recalled his first experience of Diwali in the Royal Navy.

Rear Admiral Graham McKay addressing the audience

“During the first phase of training at BRNC Dartmouth, you're not allowed out of the College.

Diwali fell during this period, and I'd never before been away from home on Diwali, so I asked if I could visit my family for the day to celebrate with them. I was (rightly) told no, I understood but was a bit

Surgeon Lieutenant Commander Manish Tayal, Chair of the Armed Forces Hindu Network sharing his story

that Diwali celebrations consisted of orange, lights, food and music/dance our Assistant Divisional Officers bought the tea lights, food and drink from town, one of the group had lots of Indian music from a previous trip to India for a friend's wedding, and the orange was the plastic sheets we'd all been issued as part of our kit for training. So I explained the story of Diwali and its message to the group, and we had a great party.

“Today we are here at HMS President at a Tri Service Diwali Celebration organized and hosted by the Armed Forces Hindu Network.”

After the event, at an exclusive interview, Rear Admiral Graham McKay told Asian Voice, “The

The Armed Force members at the Diwali celebration with journalists and performers

present closed their eyes and were highly respectful during the prayers in Hindi.

Speaking at the event, the Armed Forces Hindu Network Champion, Rear Admiral Graham McKay said: “I am delighted to be involved with the Armed Forces Hindu Network as their senior champion, and to support this flourishing partnership between the Armed Forces and the Hindu community. Our message is that the Armed Forces includes people from all faiths and backgrounds, and all make a vital contribution to protecting the UK’s security.

As their champion, I am particularly proud of the Hindu sailors, soldiers, air-

upset about it, nothing more was said.

On Diwali day, we had our usual schedule of serials. Returning from one of our sessions, I went into my cabin (which I shared with 4 others) and found 24 trainees plus our 3 Assistant Divisional Officers in the cabin. The cabin was draped in orange, rows of tea lights, along with onion bhajis, samosas, Bombay mix, and drinks, and Indian music playing from a laptop.

“The group shouted "Happy Diwali" and explained they'd noticed how upset I was about not being able to celebrate, so arranged a surprise Diwali party for me. They'd looked on the internet and found

Hindu community and the armed forces are very similar. We look at courage, commitment, determination, respect, integrity and duty, which sit at the heart of the Hindu community in Britain. It is the same as the talent we look for in the armed services.”

When asked about how more Hindus can enter the armed services the Rear Admiral said, “We are very keen and we want to include Hindus. A society in which we serve the British Hindu community is important. We are keen on engineers and technically talented people from the Hindu community to come and join and have a wonderful time in the armed services.”

SP

AsianVoiceNews

AsianVoiceNewsweekly

Sophia: Suffragette Princess Reshma Trilochun The Suffragette movement is an integral part of the British history which has formulated the political and ethical liberty of women in this current age. It would not be farfetched to state that if it was not for these brave women who fought to get their voices heard, woman may still not have had the right to vote, or live a life of their choice.

Princess Sophia Duleep Singh While everyone is Photo credit: Museum of London aware of the formidable ure who got women the Emmeline Pankhurst, right to vote. who led the Suffragette The documentary dismovement; not many are cusses about her frivolous aware of the prominent past, as well as her ancespresence of a "brown" try, as well as depicts how woman, Sophia, who her visit to India reformed fought equally for the her, and made her the revrights of women. She was olutionary fighter which no mere woman; she was she later went on to be Princess Sophia Duleep known as.

Singh, a descendent of Anita Anand is also Sikh Royalty, and the the biographer of Sophia Goddaughter of Queen Duleep Singh, and spent Victoria who then became five years researching a pioneering suffragette. about her and uncovering In a new half-hour Sophia's life. documentary, Sophia: This documentary is Suffragette Princess, not only informative, but which airs on BBC One, is also eye-opening as we on Sunday 22nd realise that there is more November 2015, BBC to history than we know; Political Journalist, Anita there is still a lot that we Anand, takes us through are to learn, especially in the journey of the bold terms of the vast contriand fearless Princess butions of Indians in creSophia, who was instruating British history. mental and a pivotal fig-

Lord Dholakia speaks about the youth in custody and the Arbitration and Mediation Services Bill tody is used for Lord Navnit younger offendDholakia, who ers only when it is also the is absolutely President of the essential and N a t i o n a l that custodial Association of regimes can Care and provide young Resettlement of people with Offenders care, support (NACRO), has and rehabilitalent his support tion which takes to the recomaccount of the mendations particular needs made by Lord Lord Dholakia of this age group.

Harris and his The Government should team, in their report on adopt the same approaches self-inflicting deaths by for young adult offenders young people in custody. aged 18 to 24 as those The young people conwhich have produced a sigcerned often have a combinificant fall in recent years nation of problems and in the number of juvenile experiences which can offenders aged under 18 in include physical abuse, custody.” He gave an examfamily conflict, sexual ple how the Sentencing abuse, traumatic loss, Council could be asked to parental neglect, drug and produce a set of alcohol misuse, exclusion Overarching Principles for from school and mental sentencing young adults, health problems. similar to the principles for Lord Dholakia stated, sentencing juveniles which “We need to ensure that were produced by the forvulnerable young people mer Sentencing Guidelines have diverted from the Council. criminal justice system wherever possible, that cusContinued on page 30

TLIGHT

Kalpesh Mistry

www.asian-voice.com

Asian Voice | 5th December 2015

Winner of the C u r i o u s Dukes Gallery’s Public Choice Award 2015, an arts competition that was decided by the wider community, Kalpesh, or ‘Mister Mistry’, represents a new and stirring type of urban art. “I would say it’s all-encompassing” Mistry said of his style, “I’ll mix spray paints, markers and pencil drawings, and use both elegant and street-style approaches. Usually it’s one form or the other.” A youth worker helping teenagers with special needs at Haringey Sixth Form Centre in Tottenham, and until now, has run his own business, airbrushing T-shirts and phone cases to public murals and clients’ bedroom walls, Mistry has a grass-roots connection to city experience, elevating his graphic talent to a place of social statement.

Summed up in the colloquial, yet sincere heart-shape made between the aristocratic King and Queen of Hearts in his winning entry (pictured), the artist smudges the line between high-culture and pop art; the everyday and the luxurious; and finally the subjective and the universal. The sensation of love can make two teenagers feel golden, and the most accomplished of couples feel playful again. With no boundaries in his imagination then, Mistry breaks free of social divides to highlight life as the individual’s prerogative. As the young, artist himself pointed out “from a basic point of view, art is actually there for every person to create their story; it asks them to take control of the narrative”. The philosophy is only confirmed by the immense success of Mistry’s first solo artshow, named one of the top 5 exhibitions in London.

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Brushing the Boundaries

Sunetra Senior

Tell me more about the Public Choice Award?

Well, I’d entered competitions before, and just thought why not? It was a mixed media competition, which accepted the medium of sculpture work too. I already had the King/Queen piece prepared, and it was my newest piece at the time so I went with that. I received roughly 1,200 votes over a month and took first place. I started off doing graffiti- style, customised work for clothes, for example people’s names and superheroes they liked as a way of getting my art out there, but I wanted to start doing that with my own ideas too.

Your winning piece was very striking indeed, and part of that was because I couldn’t quite put my finger on it…

Yes, I’m not afraid to come out of the box. I think that’s why I’m approached by clients. I like to use different types of

I'll combine the surreal with the typically urban

art tools and styles together. A lot of graffiti artists are old-school and just stick to street art, but I’ll combine something more surreal with the typically urban; whatever is will take the piece to the next level.

Were you always interested in drawing?

When I was younger, I used to love comic books: I’d not even read them.

I’d just copy the images of heroes and show it to my parents. But I gave it up for a bit after that. I had the usual, traditional family who encouraged me to go to college and get a job as opposed to finding myself an ageing artist who just got attention after they died! But then later, 10 years down the line, after being in a 9-5 job for a while, I thought there’s got to be more to life than this too. So I started doing customised business work, managed to start connecting with my passions that way, and I hope to keep breaking the boundaries with that.

I have thoroughly enjoyed the the chance for gallery work.

You’ve said your work differs from a lot of nineties graffiti

art?

Yea, actually working outside the typical standard has been an issue for me as an artist. The art was so unique that galleries couldn’t fit me in with them.

Your work is no good if no one can see it

Do you ever have a theme in mind when you work?

I’ll have a story, but the rest is people’s interpretation. For example another piece out of the 20 that were exhibited in my solo show was of a skull man in a suit holding a woman in an embrace.

It was a contribution with Cancer Research’s Race for Life in mind.

That’s called immortal passion, and there’s no solid theme but people might look at it and think outside of that; maybe that ‘love will never die’.

Who are some of your favourite contemporary artists?

Van Gogh and Andy Warhol, but it’s more about their journeys rather than the art itself.

Finally, what would your advice be to other visual creatives trying to make it in the field?

Practice as much as you can; be different; show people your work. Social media makes it easier to get it out there. Your work is no good if no one can see. That is hard for up and coming artists, but that’s where your resolve needs to kick in.

W

www.mistermistry.com

Instagram: @mistermistry Twitter: @mister_mistry

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MODI SPECIAL

www.asian-voice.com

It's India's turn now to make its bit for Asia: Modi AsianVoiceNews

Asian Voice | 28th November 2015

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said now it was the turn of India to make 21st century an Asian century as most Asean economies have done their bit for Asia's resurgence.

"India and Asean (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) are natural partners. Our ties date back to ancient times," Modi said while addressing the Asean business and investment summit in Kuala Lumpur.

"I have been saying that the 21st century belongs to Asia. I say this because of the track record of Asean countries," PM Modi said amid loud applause. Prime Minister Modi said there was increased confidence about India.

He said India was doing well in almost every economic indicator. "By almost every economic indicator, India is doing better than we (NDA government) took office 18 months ago," Modi said.

PM Modi with other leaders in the family photo during the 13th ASEAN-India Summit, in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia "The IMF and World Bank have expressed even better hope for our economy this year and after," Modi said. "India is a land of immense opportunities," he said. "Our democratic values and an alert judicial system ensure the safety of your investments.

We have set the tone of

governance with a long term vision and an open mind. We are particularly working to make India the easiest place to do business."

"And we know that our time has come. We are at a take-off stage. I invite you to come and see the winds of change in India," he

Malay Indians roll red carpet for Modi

PM Modi meeting the MPs and MLAs of Indian origin, in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Murli Selvam does not speak a word of Hindi and barely manages English.

Yet, he came to listen to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at a gathering that had the most diverse diaspora ever coming together to felicitate him overseas. At the Malaysian International Exhibition and Convention Centre (MIECC) in KL, Selvam, and many other like him from the Tamil Sangam, broke into roaring chants of `Modi,' intermittently, while watching best local talent of Malaysia put up a mosaic of cross cultural show.

PM Modi on his part, with an elaborate welcome in Tamil, followed by “India resides in every Indian,” in one sweep got the 15,000-strong crowd deeply engaged into his speech. Interestingly, he reaffirmed the ethnic

Indians here as `Malay Indians' and largely devoted his speech to their contributions in building ties with India and upholding the Indian heritage and culture in their day to day lives. Unlike the civic receptions in UK, US, Dubai, where the audience comprised of NRIs who have a pan Indian identity, no language barriers and are actively connected with growth story of India, the Malay Indians are aspiring to get enabled. And they see PM Modi as one leader who will get them access to better economic prospects.

Kavita Palissimye, a student, came to hear Modi announce some newer partnerships in the educational and professional field. “I would like to work in India as it is growing rapidly, and work opportunities are increasing,” she said.

On the theme of India

offering opportunities, PM Modi mentioned that Malaysia has been one of the strongest partners in trade from the South East Asian region but he was expecting more. In this regard, he revealed he will be asking Malaysian PM Najib to recognise more universities and encourage Malay Indians to not just acquire medicine degrees from India but more.

Citing historical ties with Malaysia, PM Modi profusely thanked the earlier generations of Malay Indians for lending a hand to Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose's freedom struggle against the British. He paid glowing tributes to the unknown soldiers of Indian descent who fought valiantly in World War II and offered to set up, along with the help of Malaysian government, a war memorial in Perak, in North West of the country.

said.

With slew of measures putting back the economy on track, Prime Minister Modi said reforms were "just a way station" to transforming India and vowed to provide a transparent and predictable tax regime.

"Reform is not an end

in itself. Reform for me is just a way station on the long journey to the destination. The destination is the transformation of India," he said. When the BJP-led government took office in May 2014, the economy faced serious challenges in high fiscal and current account

AsianVoiceNewsweekly

deficit, stalled infrastructure projects and persistent inflation.

"It was obvious that reforms were needed. We asked ourselves the question - Reforms for what?

What is the aim of reform?

Is it just to increase the measured rate of GDP growth? Or is it to bring about a transformation in society? My answer is clear: we must 'reform to transform'," he said.

India committed to protect IPRs India is committed to protect intellectual property rights of all innovators, Modi said. "IIP (Index of Industrial Production) in current year shows a distinct improvement over the last year. We are working in all ways to make India global manufacturing hub," he said. "Going further, I want to assure you that India is committed to protect the intellectual property rights of all innovators," Modi said.

India, Singapore to enhance cooperation India and Singapore signed a joint declaration on strategic partnership and nine bilateral accords on Tuesday, the second day of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to this city state.

Modi and Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong signed the joint declaration on strategic partnership to elevate bilateral relations to a "strategic partnership to deepen and broaden engagement in existing areas of cooperation and catalyse new ones ranging from political, defence and security cooperation to economic, cultural and people to people contact", an official statement said.

"The strategic partnership is also a framework to contribute to greater regional stability and growth," it added.

Besides this, two agreements on defence cooperation and loan of artifacts from India to Singapore, two executive programme/operationalisation documents on arts and culture, and whiteshipping, and five memorandums of agreement (MoUs) on cyber security, civil aviation, knowledge exchange in the field of planning, urban planning, and combating drug trafficking were also signed.

The agreement on defence cooperation enhances cooperation in the field by providing for defence ministers' dialogue, joint exercises between armed forces, and cooperation between defence industries to iden-

tify areas of co-production and co-development, the statement said.

The second agreement "extends the loan of Indian artifacts to the Asian Civilisations Museum of Singapore".

The operationalisation document on arts and culture is on an "executive programme on cooperation in the fields of the arts, heritage, archives and library" between the Indian and Singaporean governments for the years 2015-2018.

The second operationalisation document has been signed following the technical agreement on sharing white-shipping or commercial shipping information about movement of cargo ships between the Indian and Singapore navies signed on July 21, 2015.

"Following the signing of technical agreement between the two navies on sharing white-shipping information in July 2015, both navies have established a two-way linkage.

This has enhanced bilateral cooperation in the area of maritime security," the statement said.

The MoU on cyber security was signed between the Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERTIn) and the Singapore Computer Emergency Response Team (SingCERT), "The MoU promotes closer cooperation and exchange of information pertaining to cyber security between the computer

emergency response teams of the two countries by establishment of a broader framework for future dialogue; exchange of information on cyber-attacks; research collaboration in smart technologies; exchange of information on prevalent cyber security policies and best practices as well as professional exchanges," the statement said.

The MoU on civil aviation "facilitates mutual cooperation in a number of mutually agreed areas of civil aviation services and airport management beginning with Jaipur and Ahmedabad airports".

The third MoU promotes knowledge and information exchange in areas such as urban planning, waste water management, solid waste management and public-private partnerships between India's NITI Aayog and the Singapore Cooperation Enterprise (SCE).

The MoU on combating drug "facilitates and enhances cooperation by exchange of information on trends in the illicit manufacture and those arrested on drug trafficking charges and establishes direct contact points" between the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) of India and the Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) of Singapore.

"Capacity building, skill upgrading and knowledge development are also identified as areas of cooperation," the statement said.

MODI SPECIAL

www.asian-voice.com

17

Insulting Modi equivalent to insulting India AsianVoiceNews

AsianVoiceNewsweekly

Asian Voice | 28th November 2015

Rupanjana Dutta

The British media gave very wide coverage to the Indian Prime Minister Modi's visit to London. Never in history has Wembley Stadium been booked for 60,000 Indians to meet and greet a Prime Minister, elected as the leader of the world's largest democracy. I was there in the Wembley Stadium on 13th November. Sitting with the audience, gauging their mood, I cannot deny that Modi is anything short of a celebrity, a rock star.

Before Modi reached the stadium, he was asked by a BBC reporter on why India was becoming increasingly intolerant, to which Modi said, “India does not accept intolerance even if it is one or two or three incidents.

For a country of 1.25 billion people, whether it is significant or not, it does not matter. For us, every incident is serious. We do not tolerate it.”

A reporter from The Guardian newspaper asked Cameron how ‘comfortable’ he was receiving Modi given that during his first tenure as British Prime Minister, Modi was ‘not permitted’ to visit the UK because of his record as the Gujarat Chief Minister. The reporter then asked Modi about the protests against him on the streets of London.

To this, Cameron replied: “I am pleased to

Pro-Modi supporters from Indian Ladies in the UK group cheering for Narendra Modi with 'blanket of unity' outside Whitehall welcome Mr Modi. He comes here with an enormous and historic mandate.

As far as the other issue is concerned, there were legal proceedings. Earlier today, he was received by the British government and I discussed with him how the two countries can work together.”

Modi, on his part, said “I want to set the record straight” about the “other issue” raised by the reporter.

“In 2003 when I came here, I got an enthusiastic reception even then. The UK never barred me from coming here. There was no bar.

It is a wrong perception. I want to set it right.”

The Guardian made it their mission to criticise and

attack Mr Modi over and over again- reiterating and reinstating how Mr Modi is not fit to be the head of a state and how Britain should have refrained from making any close alliance with him. The fact remains, it's not their place to make that comment. Not only their unsolicited and unproven allegations harm the Indo-British relationship, but also shock the diaspora largely, who remain an integral and important part of this country.

Well reputed British media, like the Guardian and a few others highlighted on the protesters outside Downing Street or the Wembley Stadium. It's a

democratic country. People are allowed to voice their opinion, and media is allowed to report on it.

However sensationalizing it, is stooping too low. And evidently the difference in numbers inside and outside the stadium showed where the balance rested. The same media missed to report on representatives from a 4500+ member group called Indian Ladies in the UK, who cheered for Mr Modi outside the Downing Street and handed over a 'blanket of unity' (a hand woven crochet blanket, each square woven by an individual as their symbol of faith) to the Prime Minister. Surely the gesture speaks volume?

Narendra Modi was democratically elected as the Prime Minister by Indian citizens who were aware of his past and the unproven allegations. The election process was impeccably transparent and the turn out was astonishing.

Insulting Mr Modi is insulting the people of his country and their choices. And this does not only mean Indians in India, but also those who live here and contribute largely to the British economy. As the elected leader of India, it was right and proper that he got invited by another country's Prime Minister and it was his courtesy to take up on that invitation, befitting his office.

India's democracy is much more complex than what the British understand of it. This is a country who had Abdul Kalam as the President, has Shahrukh, Salman and Aamir Khan as their top film stars, and had Mohammed Azharuddin as their cricket team captain.

It's a country where temples and mosques often share walls, Hindus celebrate Iftar as much as Muslims celebrate Diwali.

The Gujarat riot was not the first 'communal violence' that India faced, and as the British media raises their fingers at India's Prime Minister, one could demand an answer for all those British atrocities that

PM Modi unveils Basaveshwara’s statue at Vauxhall Pleasure Gardens Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the South Bank during his visit to unveil the statue of a well-known 12th century political philosopher, statesman and poet Basaveshwara of Karnataka at Vauxhall Pleasure Gardens on Albert Embankment in London. Prime Minister Modi himself chanted “Basaveshwaraji Amar Raho” and “Basaveshwara Zindabad” while unveiling this statue in a bid to pay rich tribute to this great soul.

The Indian Prime Minister was given a traditional welcome on his arrival at the venue. On this occasion, Modi said he was blessed to have been given this opportunity to unveil the statue of Basaveshwara on the land of England. Recalling Basaveshwara’s incredible contribution, Modi said, “It was Basaveshwara who not only advocated the ideals of democracy but also had them rightly put into practice much before the Magna Carta. He is the one behind forming what we call it today as ‘parliament’. “He persistently

Asian Voice, Gujarat Samachar publisher/editor CB Patel with Narendra Modi

Narendra Modi at unveiling of Basaveshwara statue in London fought against evil forces, caste systems and similarly encouraged women empowerment,” Modi added.

"When I was with David Cameron he showed me Magna Carta.

But it was Basaveshwara

who gave the principles of democracy long before Magna Carta," Modi said.

“He surely did advocate for equality even during those times. When it comes to democracy, we recall Abraham Lincoln but it was again

Basaveshwara who had endorsed the same idea of democracy well before 700 years of Lincoln,” Modi added.

D e s c r i b i n g Basaveshwara as a Karma Yogi, Modi said that he spread the message of 'work is worship' for he believed in this principle.

The Indian Prime Minister further underscored that it was a matter of pride for every Indian to see Basaveshwara statue on foreign land and this would surely be an inspiration for the devotees of democracy. “He is the one who initiated democratic

values at the grass root level,” expounded Modi.

Modi lauded Basaveshwara for his great deeds and offered him his prayer saying that India is proud to give birth to such a great soul and the world will forever respect and admire him for enlightening democratic values.

British Parliament Speaker John Bercow, Member of Parliament for Leicester East Keith Vaz, Member of Parliament for Croydon North Steve Reed and other dignitaries, including a large number of Indians, were present during the function.

took thousands of lives in the name of business, by the rogue traders- the East India Company, consistently over 200 years. The tragedy of 2002 began with burning claim of 59 Hindu pilgrims (mainly women and children) in a train compartment. Some 650 Muslims became victims of the violence by the Hindu crowd and some 400 Hindus were mainly shot dead by Security Forces. On the other hand, Jallianwala Bagh massacre in 1919 resulted to around 1500 lives lost, and the 1947 Partition riots led to at least one million civilian deaths.

What India glimpses now are aberrations - stand alone experiences- it’s not a national trait. The country has a population of 1.25bn.

It is home to at least 7 global religions- many of which has primary roots in Indian soil. It has 29 states, that speak different languages or dialects and have their own representative local government- that may or may not be of the same party as the Central government.

Britain to that standard is a much simpler system- simple enough to have an unwritten constitution over centuries. Of course the British tolerance and diversity in this day and era are incredibly praise worthy, but if Modi is answerable for Godhra, so are the British for Partition.

Swami Vivekananda statue unveiled Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday unveiled a statue of Swami Vivekananda and paid a floral tribute at Ramakrishna Mission in Petaling Jaya, Malaysia.

Speaking on the occasion, Modi said that Vivekananda was a representation of India's ancient culture and the soul of India. He added that India's cultural tradition is very rich and ancient, from the Vedas to Vivekananda.

"Narendra (Swami Vivekananda) was not out looking for a guru or any kind of religion, what he was in search of was the truth. If we are able to maintain the true identity of who we are (as Indians), then we will be able to instil values of Swami Vivekananda in ourselves," Modi said.

Modi pointed out that like Vivekananda, R a m a k r i s h n a Paramahansa was also not looking for a disciple, he was searching for truth.

"One was dedicated to the truth, while the other was searching for it. It is this quest that brought them together," Modi said.

18

ASIANBUSINESS

Asian Voice | 28th November 2015

Consultant Editor Financial Voice

Alpesh Patel

Dear Financial Voice Reader, I was asked recently by my trading apprentices who use my trading indicator to summarise my top tips for financial success from the markets. I produced a slideshow for them. But these are the essence of that: Always start small – you never risk all or any of your money on a new trade, or new venture. You toe dip. Big riches are rarely made by big bets. They are made with small bets, which can be increased over time.

So I show my apprentices how we start with a demo risk free account.

Always make sure you know the reason for entering a trade. Be very clear why you think it will make money and also therefore when will you know you are wrong. Without a plan, you are likely to suffer losses.

The point you know you are wrong, you exit.

Make sure it is a small loss because you bet a small amount, and also because you could find out quickly. Any trade where that is not the case, or any business deal, do not get locked into indefinite losses. If it looks like that – don’t do the deal. It’s not a good deal. You will have to rely on hope too much. Hope is not a business plan, a trading plan, a life plan.

When things go your way, and they will only do that 20% of the time, then be in a position to add more money to the trade. This is how you skew the odds in your favour. Small losses, and ability to add to wins.

Manage your trading and money making expectations. 80% of your trading will result in either small victories or small losses. So you have to make sure to make money, to be a winner and not a loser in trading or in life you do two critical things. You never suffer big losses, because you cut those losses quick and are in a trade where you can. And secondly you add to your wins on the rare 20% they happen.

Simple. You know why most people lose? They don’t like taking losses, so the losses get big. The credit crunch happened because of that.

Most people also lose because they don’t appreciate they wont be big winners only 20% of the time, they think it will be 80% of the time. So they start with big bets, instead of making big bets once they know they are in the 20% winning bets, and then only trading with profits already made.

China turns up heat on money launderers, underground banks China is tightening the screws on those involved in underground banking as authorities have arrested hundreds of suspects involved in money laundering and illegal money transfers. Since April police have cracked 170 cases of illegal fund transfers and money laundering involving over Rmb800bn ($125bn), according to the People's Daily, the official mouthpiece of the ruling Communist Party of China.

Beijing is very concerned about its money illegally flowing out of its leaky borders as, according to the newspaper, it is not only affecting China's foreign exchange management system but also disturbing its financial and capital markets order.

The crackdown has been carried out by China's police in association with the foreign exchange regulator and the central bank.

About Rmb410bn was transferred overseas using hundreds of bank accounts in southern China and the territory of Hong Kong, which is outside the country's capital controls. This was the biggest illegal money transfer scheme yet discovered in China.

The campaign against underground banks was ramped up following the August 11 devaluation and exchange rate reform as the government tried to block the flow of billions of dollars moving out of the country and the renminbi.

Chinese law bans its citizens from buying overseas properties and stocks, and limits the money they can transfer abroad to $50,000 a year.

Underground banking presents a threat to China's financial security, encompassing issues from financing for drugs and terrorism to tax fraud.

www.asian-voice.com

Dragon Oil supports $10bn Turkmenistan-India gas link AsianVoiceNews

Well, it seems all is well with the TAPI natural gas pipeline project. Dubaiowned Dragon Oil may oil the wheels of the muchdelayed project to deliver natural gas from Turkmenistan to India.

Dragon Oil is in talks to invest in the $10bn pipeline, a big boost to the project after several western oil companies failed to secure a role.

TAPI stands for T u r k m e n i s t a n Afghanistan-PakistanIndia Natural Gas Pipeline project. Faisal Rabee Al Awadhi, general manager for Dragon Oil in Turkmenistan, said: “Discussions on TAPI project have been going on for long. But now it's very serious, things have been

signed between the countries. That's why we have shown our interest to go i n . ” C u r r e n t l y , Turkmenistan's state company, Turkmengas, which has been named the project leader owns 85% stake in the project. Afghanistan, Pakistan and India own 5% each in the project.

The project has been under discussion since the

1990s. It will start seeking financing in 2016.

All these years building a pipeline across the wartorn Afghanistan was a huge challenge, and this was one of the many building blocks that came in the way. However, the project is gaining momentum as Turkmenistan is seeking new customers for its natural gas after facing a plunge

AsianVoiceNewsweekly

in revenues due to the oil price fall.

Turkmen officials told a conference last week that construction will begin next month.

Muhammetnur Halylov, oil and gas minister, said TAPI project would “significantly expand export capacity and strengthen economic stability in the region”.

Other investors could include Japanese and Korean companies.

Mohammed Fazil Saifi, Kabul's ambassador to Ashgabat, said the 25,000 jobs the project would generate in Afghanistan would guarantee its security.

Dragon Oil produces around 100,000 barrels a day of oil from an offshore field in Turkmenistan

Bank of Baroda made a victim of fraud in India Rupanjana Dutta The Central Bureau of Investigation and Enforcement Directorate, is probing one of the biggest trade based money laundering, also referred to as 'banking-hawala scandal'.

It is believed that it started in May, when lowincome citizens were used by exporters/importers to send their illegal money to foreign countries.

Businessmen Gurcharan Singh, Chandan Bhatia, Sanjay Aggarwal and many others allegedly were behind the transfers to Hong Kong and Dubai, after apparently scheming with the Bank of Baroda Ashok Vihar two branch officials- S K Garg, Assistant General Manager and Jainish Dubey, Head of Foreign Exchange division (arrested by the CBI).

The drivers, vendors etc were allegedly asked to provide their voter ID cards against Rs 10-15,000 (£100-150) per month.

Against those IDs, then current accounts were opened by the accused in the name of fake companies. An investigative officer clarified that some names in these

companies- Directors and partners- were almost the same and companies were shown registered at fake addresses.

Once the accounts were opened, the process of transferring money through dummy companies belonging to exporters/importers started.

Rs 6172 crore (£616,582,800) was deposited in 59 accounts between August 2014-2015, mostly as forex remittances and transfers through other banks. The suspects used another set of persons in this transfers. On noticing the unusual transactions, the Bank’s Internal Audit conducted an investigation and brought out the full details. Having established a branch in the UK in 1957 the BoB is one of the most popular among the diaspora. Speaking exclusively to Asian Voice, clarifying the credibility of the bank worldwide, Mr Dhimant Trivedi, the Chief Executive, European Operations of Bank of Baroda, said: “It was reported that our Ashok Vihar, New Delhi, India Branch opened some Current Accounts during the period between May 2014 to June 2015, through

which large foreign exchange remittance transactions were done.

“During the period May 2014 to August 2015, some outward foreign exchange remittances transactions for the purpose of “Advance remittance for imports” and for other purposes have been remitted through different current accounts to various overseas parties, mainly based in Hong kong.

“Out of the total amount involved, 90% have been received by the Bank through RTGS/ NEFT from various other Banks.

“In those accounts where heavy cash transactions (deposits) took place, regular cash transaction reports (CTRs) were generated and mailed to Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU). “The matter came to the notice of the Bank in the middle of July 2015 and the Bank ordered internal investigation, the report of which was submitted on 31.08.2015 at Regional Office level and matter was escalated to Corporate Office, who ordered detailed investigation by Bank’s Internal Audit Division, which was commenced on 22.09.2015.

“The matter was reported to investigating Agencies i.e. Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), Enforcement Directorate (ED) on 24.09.2015 and also to Ministry of Finance & subsequently to Reserve Bank of India.

“There is no significant financial loss to the Bank due to the incident.

“It is pertinent to note that Bank of Baroda brought out the suspicious transaction overboard through its internal process and is not a perpetrator of the fraud, but a victim.

“We further clarify that the Bank’s UK operations are not affected by the dealings of the Ashok Vihar Branch. The UK operations are also regulated by the UK local regulators.”

The Bank was established in India in 1908 in the Princely State of Baroda, Gujarat by Maharaja of Baroda, H. H. Sir Sayajirao Gaekwad III. Based on 2014 data, it is ranked 801 on Forbes Global 2000 list. BoB has total assets in excess of Rs 3.58 trillion (around £35 billion), a network of 5307 branches in India and abroad.

Open accounts to earn more returns Want more returns on your hard-earned money? Do some prudent banking. A new wave of current accounts can fetch you high levels of interest plus you get cashback on your spending as well.

Telegraph Money has devised a system using a combination of five bank accounts. The system will return around 3.6% on savings for basic-rate taxpayers and around 3.36% for higher-rate payers.

Moreover, the system generates a £450 tax-free payment in the form of cash-

back £330-£366 once annual account fees are deducted. The system is designed for an individual, but a couple could each work their own. This involves £8,500 of initial deposits, with a £2,500 monthly income.

Open all of the accounts yourself aside from First Direct and M&S, as you need to use their switching services to get the cash bonuses.

Make the initial deposits – Nationwide: Up to £2,500; Santander: Minimum £3,000; TSB:

Up to £2,000; First Direct: £1,000; M&S: Minimum to open account, or £250 to go straight into the regular saver.

Nationwide FlexDirect pays 5% on balances up to £2,500 for the first year if you pay in £1,000 a month.

Satander 123 pays 3% on balances between £3,000 and £20,000, as well as up to 3% cashback on bills.

TSB Classic Plus pays 5% on balances of up to £2,000, and 5% cashback on the first £100 of contactless spending each month. You need to pay in

£500 monthly. In First Direct 1stAccount, you get a £100 reward for switching and another £100 payment if you choose to close the account between 6 and 12 months later. A linked account pays 6% for regular savings of up to £300 per month. In M&S current account, you get £100 cash to spend in store for opening the account; you can save up to £250 per month into a regular saver account paying 6%.

Use this method to cash in on high interest rates and other perks.

REALESTATEVOICE

www.asian-voice.com AsianVoiceNews

Killing the Golden Goose

AsianVoiceNewsweekly

Asian Voice | 28th November 2015

Here is an example which illustrates the point: NOW Your buy-to-let earns £20,000 a year and the interest-only mortgage costs £13,000 a year. Tax is due on the difference or profit. So you pay tax on £7,000, meaning £2,800 for HMRC and £4,200 for you.

2020 Tax is now due on your full rental income of £20,000, less a tax credit equivalent to basic-rate tax on the interest. So you pay 40% tax on £20,000 (i.e. £8,000), less the 20% credit (20% of £13,000 = £2,600), meaning £5,400 for HMRC and £1,600 for you. Your tax bill has therefore gone up by 93%.

Now, say the Bank Rate – and in turn your mortgage rate – rises by a small fraction, lifting your mortgage cost to £15,000, while your rent remains at £20,000, you will have to pay £5,000 tax in this scenario, so you make no profit at all.

There are still some items you can still claim off your rent, irrespective of the tax. They are: Letting agent fees If you choose to employ an agent to find a tenant or manage your property, you’ll probably pay between 10% and 15% of the monthly rental income in fees.

Buildings and contents insurance premiums Specialist landlord insurance will cover the building, your liability as a landlord and loss of rent. You can also add contents cover, home emergency, legal expenses and rent guarantee insurance. Cover for a typical low-risk buy-to-let property costs around £200 a year.

Maintenance and repairs Any money you spend keeping the property in a good state of repair is tax deductible. While you cannot claim for renovations, extensions or improvements that add value to the property, you can offset expenses to correct wear and tear.

Property repairs can include mending broken windows and doors, repairing broken cookers, white goods, furniture or guttering, painting and decorating and replacing or fixing the roof.

Furniture The rules here are changing. If the property is furnished, you can currently choose to claim back either a general “wear and tear” allowance or the exact cost of replacing individual items.

The wear and tear allowance is 10% of the rent annually, minus any costs you pay on behalf of the tenant such as council tax. You do not have to have spent any money replacing or repairing the furniture in a given year to claim this allowance.

Ground rent and service If you are a leaseholder, you will usually pay ground rent to the freeholder. Service charges are common in blocks of flats and can vary greatly.

Basic charges cover cleaning, maintenance, heating and lighting for common areas, but other costs could include security or concierge staff. You can also claim back any on-site services such as gardening and electrical costs.

Council tax and utility bills If you pay any council tax or utility bills that a tenant would normally pay, you can claim the whole cost. You can also claim these costs during void periods, when there is no tenant living in the property.

Others Other direct costs of letting the property such as phone calls, stationery and the costs of travelling between different properties for the purposes of the rental business are also claimable expenses.

Before you submit a tax return As a landlord you must submit a self-assessment tax return each year.

If an accountant prepares this for you the fees are tax deductible.

Interestingly this tax will not affect properties which are held in a company. In this scenario you are able to offset the interest element off the rental income as before.

Clearly from this point of view it makes sense to buy in the vehicle of a company for any new properties to be purchased, however this entails its own problem. Mortgages for limited companies are restricted, more cumbersome and more expensive; and there is the added hassle and expense of running a company.

We are working with some professionals to see what will be the best way to work around this new rule, before it hits, so the issue is dealt with from a proactive way rather than a reactive one.

There are clouds in the horizon for the Buy To Let market in the UK. The government is proposing to withdraw the benefit of offsetting the interest element of the mortgage from the rental Income.

For most BTL landlords this will have the effect of increasing their taxable income, as most BTL landlords have a mortgage in place.

Suresh Vagjiani

Sow & Reap A Property Investment Company

Property is a golden goose in the UK both for the economy and the government. In terms of the economy it acts as a global magnet to attract inward investment from all around the world. It is one of the reasons we as a property company exist in London. It far surpasses even New York in its ability to attract global investment. New York Real Estate attracted $24.4bn since 2014 and London Property $60.3bn over the same period. This puts into perspective the attractiveness of London property which is all the more impressive given the relatively small size of London in comparison to New York.

This ludicrous tax boils down to the government being on the prowl for cash the only way it knows how - through taxation. Property remains one of the few industries available for satisfying the government’s seemingly insatiable appetite for squeezing money by almost any means necessary. To fill a hole which is ultimately unfillable.

The danger is instead of the government collecting the golden eggs, in terms of stamp duty, capital gains tax, and the income tax from the professionals who make all of this happen, there exists a danger of killing the golden goose.

The property market has already been hit with two rounds of stamp duty hikes, the last one admittedly more sensible than the first, at least in the way it is applied. Meaning stamp duty is applied in slabs rather than one fixed percentage which applies to the whole amount.

Previously the system used to be if you had a property worth £250,000 you would pay 3% on this amount in stamp duty when purchasing, which comes to £7,500 and only 1% on the property if its purchase price was £249,999 which comes to only £2,500. A difference of £5,000 in stamp duty in which only £1 could be the difference in price. This created an artificial chink in the market and caused distortion. Under the current system this is no longer the case.

The proposed tax like the previous Stamp Duty is unintuitive, below are some of the issues it will bring up: 1. Someone could be earning no money on the property and still be expected to pay the tax.

2. No business pays tax on turnover rather than on profits.

3. How will this be implemented for example where will the money come from in a situation where the person liable for the tax pay simply doesn’t have the money to pay the additional tax.

The tax increase, on which there was no consultation, will be phased in from 2017 and fully implemented by 2020.

Very wealthy landlords who do not need mortgages are untouched.

In effect, the Chancellor wants to tax landlords on their turnover rather than their profit, meaning that tax will be payable on non-existent income. This explains why tax rates will, for some, exceed 100%: landlords will have to pay all of their profit in tax, and then pay more tax still.

Many have turned to online forums to vent their dismay. Some are writing to their MPs and directly to Mr Osborne. Many thousands have signed an online petition calling for the tax to be withdrawn.

The Real Deal

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19

SowandReapProperties

Tips of the Week

l Don't be emotional with property investments, invest in the RIGHT LOCATION. Your money will work for you, without you doing much, if you invest in the RIGHT LOCATION.

l Decision making and speed are two characteristics which separate the investors who make money and those who do not.

More people lose money by not making a decision than making the wrong decisions when investing in property.

20

WORLD

Asian Voice | 28th November 2015

Give and become rich The measure of life is not its duration, but its donation. No one has ever become poor by giving.

You too can donate, and it is not easier said than done.

Ask Frederick Mulder.

Born in Canada, Mulder has been an art dealer in Britain since 1971.

He gives a six-figure sum every year. Sometimes even more than £1m. He likes to donate at least 10% of his income to charity each year and, if possible, even more.

“I have always enjoyed giving. Having the chance to make a difference in this way is a huge privilege,” says 72-year-old Mulder.

“When I was young I belonged to a church that practised tithing, so I grew up being used to giving a portion of my income for a purpose outside myself.”

Mulder is encouraging the same attitude in his three children.

When it comes to giving, Britain is right there at the top, second only to America for seven-figure donations. According to the latest Million Pound Donors report by the private bank Coutts, the number of people giving £1m plus rose from 73 in 2011 to

150 in Britain last year.

The report was produced with Kent University's Centre for Philanthropy.

There were 298 donations of £1m or more last year, the highest figure since Coutts started recording the data in 2008.

The average size was £5.3m, up from £4.6m the previous year.

Another big name in donation is 61-year-old Rory Brooks. He is the cofounder of private equity group MML Capital Partners. He has given away about £500,000 a year for the past decade.

“Philanthropy in the UK is definitely in a better place than it was 10 years ago,” he says.

Also, if you donate assets like shares, land and property, you can avoid capital gains tax if their value has grown. Besides the joy it gives, donation is less taxing. You can reduce your income tax liabilities as well, which is the icing on the cake.

Indian billionaire Azim Premji donated $2.2 billion or a 12% stake in his IT outsourcer Wipro to a trust to fund his educationfocused Azim Premji Foundation.

Indian student invents low-cost baby incubator Malav Sanghavi, studying for his innovation design engineering (IDE) master’s dual degree course at Imperial College London and Royal College of Art, has given new life to millions of newborns worldwide. His invention also won third prize for his BabyLifeBox in a start-up competition held at St James’ Palace in London.

This is a great news for India and for millions who are deprived of basic grass roots-level infrastructure and facilities for neonatal care of premature and underweight infants as Malav has developed a lowcost cardboard baby incubator that could help save millions of lives.

For those who are new to the word incubation, incubation is the process of keeping something at the right temperature and under the right conditions so it can develop.

“BabyLifeBox is a lowcost baby incubator that provides basic neonatal care at grassroots-level.

India has highest number of babies dying within the first 24 hours of their birth in the world, more than 300,000 a year,” Sanghavi said.

“According to our initial research, we found that India’s healthcare service has facilities to deal with a standard birth at sub-cen-

tres, primary health centres and community health centres but it lacks infrastructure for neonatal care of premature and underweight infants,” explained Sanghavi, a graduate from the National Institute of Design (NID) in Ahmedabad.

The idea for the innovation took birth in his mind when his cousin’s daughter had to be kept alive in an incubator a few years ago. It’s sad that before him, no one realized the importance of such very basic facilities devoid of which so many children have to die inoffensively.

Life saving innovation: Made from cardboard, the bottom part of the incubator can be given to the parent of the child after birth as a make-shift cot. “Three hundred million children die every year, just in their first week of life.

BabyLifeBox provides basic facilities – like warmth, monitoring and a germ free environment – to provide essential neonatal care at a grassroots level in places where these facilities might otherwise not be available.”

www.asian-voice.com

PM Modi opens Ambedkar memorial in London AsianVoiceNews

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently inaugurated a memorial dedicated to B R Ambedkar two months after India acquired the bungalow where the dalit icon and architect of India’s Constitution lived as a student in the 1920s.

Modi visited the house where Ambedkar lived in 1921-22 during his student days at London School of Economics (LSE) and said the dalit icon’s message of equality and justice continues to resonate.

Maharashtra had acquired the three-storey 2,050 sq ft house at 10 King Henry’s Road, in northwest London, in August for an estimated cost of £3.2 to 4 million which the state government had borne.

Mr Modi, who was accompanied by Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, paid floral tributes to Ambedkar’s bust at the house. Modi was greeted at the new memorial, referred

as Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Museum, by Fadnavis and Rajkumar Badole, Maharashtra’s minister of social justice and special assistance.

“There are some very special documents and letters related to Babasaheb on display, including some of his writings. My personal highlight is a letter he wrote in German to Bonn University. It just shows the wide intellect of the great man,” Fadnavis said.

“We hope this memorial

will be an inspiration to young students and others from around the world,” he said. The six-room memorial is still under renovation but one of the floors which Modi explored was opened to the public until November 20. It was then shut for further repairs and renovations and is expected to be open again in the new year.

The main floor that had been hurriedly spruced up for Modi’s visit includes a selection of black and white

AsianVoiceNewsweekly

photographs, Ambedkar’s famous quotes and a room dedicated to bound copies of his writings as well as a large wall painting of the preamble of the Indian Constitution. “Plans are still in discussion. We hope to also open it up for some Indian students who come to study at London School of Economics as an interim accommodation in due course. Indian high commission in London will be taking care of it,” Badole said.

1 mn dads working part-time for quality life The attitude of men is changing for the better.

Spending more time with family and kids is a priority for many Britons. Men need not be the major breadwinner in a household in 21St century if figures from the Office for National Statistics are anything to go by.

For many British men a “good job” is always welcome, but spending entire life into it is not worth it.

For them full-time devotion

to a “good job” increases the bank balance, but then one loses out on the essence of life. As a result, many are cutting down their working hours so that they can enjoy the best of both worlds.

Over a million British men are now choosing to work part-time, so that they can spend more time with their children and have a better quality life.

“The underlying longterm trend is towards an increased proportion of

men working part-time,” says Peter Glover, the senior research manager at the UK Commission for Employment and Skills.

“Working less is to balance caring responsibilities.”

According to the Office for National Statistics figures, the number of men who did not want a fulltime job reached one million at the start of the year and is rising. And the figure has more than tripled since 1992.

Caroline Gatrell, professor of management studies at Lancaster University Management School, says: “While breadwinning is still important to the fathers' identity, they are balancing career advancement with being engaged fathers.”

She says this trend is here to stay. Employers will have to be more flexible.

“Men are rethinking their career trajectory as they want to spend more time with their children.”

27 US states shut door on refugees Washington: After authorities revealed one of the suspects behind the Paris terror attacks to have entered Europe along with the wave of Syrian refugees, governors of 27 American states, mostly Republican, have decided on slamming the door on the asylum seekers' faces. Identified as Syrian named Ahmad al Muhammad, the terrorist was allowed to enter Greece in early

October. Governors of half the states in the US have voiced their opinions and are strictly against letting Syrian migrants into their states.

The final word, over the issue, however, lies with the federal government.

Some of them either said they oppose taking in any Syrian refugees being relocated as part of a national programme or asked that they be

particularly scrutinized as potential security threats.

In announcing that his state would not accept any Syrian refugees, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott tweeted on his personal account, “I demand the U.S. act similarly,” he said.

“Security comes first.” In a letter to US President Barack Obama, he wrote, “American humanitarian compassion could be exploited to expose

Americans to similar deadly danger,” referring to the deadly attacks in Paris.

More than 250,000 people have died since the violence broke out in Syria in 2011, and at least 11 million people in the country of 22 million have fled their homes. Syrians are now the world's largest refugee population, as per the United Nations.

Less favoured child fares better in life, finds study You may have come across many sibling rivalry stories. But does anyone know what happens when one sibling is favoured over the other?

A recent study published in the Journal of Gerontology: Social Sciences concluded that it is the less favoured child who fares better.

Surprisingly, those who are considered the favourite child are at an increased risk of depression.

Professor Jill Suitor from Purdue University in Indiana, the study leader, says: “There is a cost for those who perceive they are the closest emotionally to their mothers, and these children report higher depressive symptoms. This cost comes from higher sibling tension experienced by adult children who are favoured for emotional closeness.”

The study also said that children who have been

favoured find it hard to build relationships with their brothers and sisters.

This maybe because they feel guilty or overwhelmed by the close bonding they have with their parent.

Also, 65% of mothers and 70% of fathers demonstrated a preference for one of their children over their siblings, according to a study done by the University of California in 2005.

Being the favoured

child can also have dangerous consequences.

Psychotherapist Tara Saglio says: “If a child feels favoured over his or her siblings, it puts an unhealthy burden on them and they feel that they can't live up to their parents' unrealistic expectations. It can also set up a rivalry and envy between siblings and make some have murderous feelings towards the favoured one.”

CURRENCYVOICE

www.asian-voice.com AsianVoiceNews

Asian Voice | 28th November 2015

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

Inflation figures effects the Pound

The UK's inflation rate remained at -0.1% in October meaning this will further dampen expectations of a rise in interest rates any time soon. The ONS added that the Retail Prices Index, a separate measure that includes housing costs, fell to 0.7% in October from 0.8% in September. This is the lowest RPI rate since November 2009.

October marked the first time the Consumer Prices Index has fallen on an annual basis for two months in a row since the index was created in 1997. The price of clothing rose last month, but this was offset by a fall in food, alcohol and tobacco. The report showed fuel prices fell by 14% on an annual basis, while food and drink prices fell by 2.7% in October and energy costs were also 4.1% lower.

The inflation figures continued to have an effect on the Pound. The Bank of England has said it expects inflation to remain close to zero for the rest of this year with the continued supermarket price wars and subdued oil prices. Reinforcing expectations that interest rates will remain pegged at record lows well into 2016.

UK Retail Sales, including

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Foreign Exchange

AsianVoiceNewsweekly

and excluding fuel, came out weaker than expected yesterday.

The UK CBI Industrial Trends Survey was better than last month (-11 vs October’s -18), but the negative reading conveys negative sentiment in absolute terms.

Osborne will update the nation on his economic policies which include cuts to departmental budgets but he apparently faces a struggle to meet the £10bn surplus forecast target.

Osborne has refused to deny that his goal to end two decades of budget deficits with a £10bn surplus by 2020 was sliding out of reach, amid increased spending on counter-terrorism and the NHS, as well as roadblocks in the House of Lords for his £4.4bn welfare cut.

The European Central Bank sees a risk that investors and consumers will lose faith in policy makers’ projections for reviving inflation, Executive Board member Peter Praet said. Eight months into its 1.1 trillion-euro bond-buying program, the ECB is considering stepping up stimulus as the euro area’s sluggish recovery fails to lift consumer prices clear of the deflation danger zone.

While some policy makers have said there’s little need for more

action just yet, Praet said the institution is concerned about persistent miscalculation of how long it’ll take to return inflation toward its goal.

Praet continued that while measures of financial conditions haven’t worsened, it’s partly because of investor expectations of more monetary stimulus. Even so, he rejected the suggestion that ECB policy is overly influenced by markets.

Price inflation in the Eurozone grew slightly more than originally estimated but remained well below the European Central Bank’s target.

The final reading on consumer price index for October, showed CPI grew 0.1% year-onyear last month, compared with a previous estimate indicating stagnant growth and with analysts’ expectations for an unchanged reading. Meanwhile, the core CPI, which strips out volatile items such as food and energy prices, rose 1.1% year-onyear, compared with an initial reading of 1% and with analysts’ expectations for a 1% gain.

The ECB is expected to expand its quantitative easing program and possibly cut rates further into negative territory at

its December meeting. The Euro remains under pressure with growing concerns that the terrorist attacks in Paris could undermine the already fragile economic recovery in the euro zone.

Construction Output figures were also released for the month of September; they came in at 0.4% from a previous reading of 0.2%. Construction output yearly figures were also released and they came in at 1.8%, previous reading being -6.0%.

The US consumer prices index rose in October which is a sign that inflation may be picking up again. The figures, along with the strong employment numbers last month, increase speculation that the Federal Reserve will raise interest rates in December. The Consumer Price Index (CPI) increased by 0.2% in October, after two months of declines.

Prices were pushed up by the rising cost of electricity and resurgence in petrol prices.

Furthermore, the FOMC minutes made firm reference to a December “lift-off” for rates and, as a consequence, the futures market, as indicated by Federal Funds Futures Contracts, now place a 72% chance of the Fed raising rates next month.

Weekly Currencies As of Tuesday 24th November 2015 @ 5pm

GBP - INR = 99.87

USD - INR = 66.32 EUR - INR = 70.62 GBP - USD = 1.51 GBP - EUR = 1.41

EUR - USD = 1.06 GBP - AED = 5.53

GBP - CAD = 2.01

GBP - NZD = 2.30

GBP - AUD = 2.08

GBP - ZAR = 21.08

GBP - HUF = 440.98

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WORLD

In Brief

Asian Voice | 28th November 2015

91-year-old held on drug trafficking charge

SYDNEY: Victor Paul Bernard Twartz, a 91-year-old a retired oral surgeon, was arrested at Sydney airport in July while he was returning to Australia from a trip to India. If convicted he would become the world's oldest drug trafficker. Police told a Sydney court that they had found about 10lb of cocaine encased in 27 bars of coloured soap in his suitcase. He said he was against any drug. Police said that he had told them that the soap bars were handed to him by people he met in India and he had no idea that he was carrying drugs. He said that he spent five days in New Delhi, where he met a man in a hotel room who gave him the bags of soap as “gifts” for someone back in Australia. The judge set the trial for February.

Indian-origin student bags presidential scholarship in US

NEW YORK: An Indian-origin student has been awarded a presidential scholarship in a US college for outstanding academic merit and an exceptional commitment to the field of culinary arts. Kendall College School of Culinary Arts in Chicago awarded Aashrit Abhinav Sundar the scholarship recently following a final interview with college president, Emily Williams Knight, a statement said. “Throughout his life, Aashrit has demonstrated a passion for the hospitality and culinary industry and a drive to build a remarkable career in the field of baking and pastry,” Knight said.“Having completed his hospitality management degree in India, Aashrit now wants to take his love for baking and pastry and attend one of the best programmes in the US,” she added. Sundar began classes at the institution in October 2015 and is pursuing an “Associate of Applied Science in Baking and Pastry”.

The scholarship will cover 50% of the programme’s total cost.

www.asian-voice.com

Bangladesh hangs 2 top opposition leaders for 1971 war crimes AsianVoiceNews

DHAKA: Bangladeshi hanged two top opposition leaders for war crimes committed during the 1971 war of independence against Pakistan after the country's President rejected their last-ditch mercy petitions to escape the gallows.

Fundamentalist Jamaat-e-Islami SecretaryGeneral Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mujahid, 67, and BNP leader Salahuddin Quader Chowdhury, 66, were hanged at Dhaka Central jail, a senior jail official who witnessed the execution said.

With Mujahid and Chowdhury's execution, Bangladesh has hanged four war crimes convicts so

far.

Jail sources said a seven-member team of hangmen comprising prison inmates carried out the executions.

President Abdul Hamid rejected the mercy petitions of the two top opposition leaders, hours after they had sought presidential clemency in a last-ditch attempt to escape the gallows. They had sought presidential clemency admitting their guilt.

The prison authorities had called the close relatives of Chowdhury and Mujaheed to see them for the last time. Bangladesh is on high alert and a huge contingent of security forces has been deployed

G20 Leaders Summit: Turkey issues stamp in Modi's honour

around the prison.

Paramilitary Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), elite anti-crime Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), armed police and jail guards erected a severaltier security system stopping vehicular movements in thoroughfares around the prison complex.

Earlier, Bangladesh's Supreme Court upheld the death sentences against Chowdhury and Mujahid, who were convicted in 2013 on charges, including genocide, rape and torture during the war. Mujaheed, the second most senior member of Jamaat, was found to be a key mastermind of the massacre of the country's top intelligentsia

AsianVoiceNewsweekly

just ahead of the December 16, 1971 independence war victory.

Chowdhury, a top aide to BNP chief Khaleda Zia, carried out atrocities at his home district of southeastern Chittagong, leading a violent campaign against the Hindus. After news of the execution broke, supporters of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's Awami League took to the streets to celebrate and also unfurled national flags near the prison. There were fears that the executions could spark fresh unrest in the nation, which is reeling from a string of killings of secular bloggers as well as the murders of two foreigners in recent months.

Jindal drops out of US presidential race

Narendra Modi

Lucara Diamond finds 1,111 carats diamond in Botswana

GABORONE: Lucara Diamond has found a 1,111 carats diamond from its Karowe project in Botswana recently.

The discovery would be the second-biggest diamond ever found since the Cullinan diamond was unearthed in 1905.

It is difficult to forecast how much the unnamed 1,111carat stone will fetch, partly because there are no recent precedents and partly because colour, cut, clarity and rarity have a part to play. The colour of the big stone has been assessed only by eye because it is too large to fit into the machine that is used to do the job. Most of the values cited so far have fallen between $35 million to $80 million. William Lamb, the chief executive of Lucara, said that the stone might be sold uncut: “It’s beautiful as it is at the moment - why would you want to cut it?” He reckons that there would be significant interest from billionaires in oil-rich countries such as Qatar and Saudi Arabia.

Top biotech analyst suspended

LONDON: Cenkos Securities has suspended Navid Malik, head of life sciences research since 2012. The firm terminated his services on November 4, according to a Financial Conduct Authority register. Cenkos has not accused Malik of wrongdoing. His suspension is to give the broker time to investigate the allegations made against him, sources close to Malik said. The 46-year-old, who has been feted as one of the top stockpickers in Europe, is also a non-executive director at Northwest Biotherapeutics, a Maryland-based biotech company backed by star fund manager Neil Woodford. In 2010, when Malik was head of life sciences research at Matrix Corporate Capital in London, he published a bullish, 40page report on Northwest. Nearly two years later, in April 2012, he was appointed to its board of directors.

100 killed in landslide at Myanmar jade mine

YANGON: Nearly 100 bodies have been pulled from a landslide near a jade mine in Myanmar's northern Kachin State and an estimated 100 people are still missing, a rescue official said. The landslide happened in the early hours of Saturday in Hpakant, an area that produces some of the world's highest-quality jade, but the mines and dump sites for debris are rife with hazards and landslides are not uncommon, though rarely this deadly.

Workers, many of them migrants from other parts of the country, toil long hours for little pay. According to reports the landslide occurred when many of the miners were sleeping in huts. An official with the Hpakant Township Fire Brigade said that 99 bodies had been recovered so far and that this number was likely to rise. “We are sure the death toll will go up since many are still missing,” he said.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi leaves his stamp wherever he goes.

Turkish government issued a personalised postage stamp featuring Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in remembrance of the recent G20 Leaders' Summit in Antalya.

Modi had attended the meeting on November 15 and 16.

The stamp of 2.80 Turkish lira has a picture of Modi and the Tricolour. It has 'Narendra Modi - Prime Minister of Republic of India' written at the bottom.

Personalised stamps of G20 Turkey Summit Leaders were presented by

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in remembrance of G20 Turkey Leaders Summit, the official twitter handle of G20 Turkey Leaders Summit tweeted.

Other leaders featured include US President Barack Obama, Russian President Vladimir Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping, UK Prime Minister David Cameroon, Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, Brazilian President Dilma Roussef, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Japanese Prime Minister Sinzo Abe and European Council President Donald Tusk.

A new study suggests that through practices, such as meditation, it is possible to physically grow a happier brain.

Scientists as Kyoto University 51 volunteers to rate their own happiness levels. They then scanned their brains in order to see whether they could notice any difference between the positive individuals and their sad counterparts.

The scientists discovered that those who were happier, had an area of the brain called precuneus, which was much larger.

Previous studies have shown that doing regular meditation can boost the precuneus. This could also explain why those who meditate, usually state experiencing feelings of being happy in general, as well as bliss.

WASHINGTON: Governor Bobby Jindal of Louisiana, a one-time rising Republican star whose popularity has plummeted in his own state, abruptly dropped out of the presidential race, conceding that he was unable to find any traction. "This is not my time," he said.

Jindal unveiled a series of policy proposals, ferociously attacked Donald J. Trump and spent considerable time courting Conservatives in Iowa, which begins the presidential nominating process.

None of it worked. He raised little money, did not rise high enough in the polls to appear on the prime-time debate stage and was overshadowed by

unconventional candidates such as Trump and Ben Carson.

In withdrawing, Jindal alluded to his parents' emigration to the United States from India 45 years ago. "I don't think in a million years they would have ever imagined that I'd be governor or one day I'd be running for president of the United States," he said.

But, he said, "I've come to the realization this is not my time."

Jindal's withdrawal comes days before a runoff election in the Louisiana governor's race, a contest in which the candidates in both parties have intermittently criticized the once-popular incumbent.

Men with low fertility more Meditation can "physically likely to get testicular grow a happier brain" cancer, study suggests According to research by the University of Utah, men with low fertility are more likely to develop testicular cancer. It is said that men with an unusually low sperm count in their semen are ten times as likely to get testicular cancer as fertile men.

In October, a British study had found that women with fertility problems were at a greater risk

of ovarian cancer, by 60%.

In the study by the University of Utah, researchers compared the risk of cancer in 20,433 men who asked for medical help for infertility, with the equal number of men who were fertile. The study found that those who had sought help for infertility had three times the risk of developing testicular cancer.

WORLD

www.asian-voice.com

23

Suu Kyi's party wins 77 pc of Cameron offers help to Hollande seats in Myanmar election AsianVoiceNews

NAYPYITAW (MYANMAR): Nobel peace prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy (NLD) party has won 77% of seats in Myanmar’s landmark polls this month, according to final results released by the election commission.

Myanmar voted on November 8 but results took days to arrive in the capital from remote corners of the country, wending their way from villages in dense jungle and townships in several regions beset by active conflict.

Election workers carried ballots by foot from some mountainous areas and then loaded them into helicopters that were used to transport the sealed boxes to the capital Naypyitaw where the official Union Election Commission would count them.

So cut-off are some villages in northern Myanmar that their inhabitants have more contact with their Chinese neighbours than with the central government. Five days after the polls and Suu Kyi’s party had won a majority in parliament, ending half a century of dominance by the military. But votes from 11 constituencies in the northern Kachin State were only counted late last week, finally allowing the commission to announce the results for all 1,150 contested seats.

The NLD won 887 seats, or 77.1%, providing Suu Kyi with a majority in both houses of parliament. The military-aligned Union Solidarity and Development Party won only 117 or 10% of the seats and the army reserves a quarter of all seats in parliament.

Although Aung San Suu Kyi is banned from the presidency under an army-drafted constitution, her party will now be able to push through legislation, form a government and handpick a president. Suu Kyi, who spent years under house arrest, has said that a triumph for the NLD would place her “above the president”.

The new members of parliament will not take their seats until February.

AsianVoiceNewsweekly

They will then appoint a president. Suu Kyi has not signalled who she will choose as her president, although it is likely to be a loyal ally. The 70-year-old leader has invited the army chief and current President Thein Sein to discuss a national reconciliation government she wants to form.

Last week, she met with Myanmar’s influential parliamentary speaker and former general Shwe Mann.

There are concerns over a smooth change of leadership in the next few months.

In 1990, the NLD also won an election but the generals annulled the result, imprisoned her colleagues and placed her under house

Asian Voice | 28th November 2015

arrest. But the military and its allies in government have repeatedly and publicly stated they will abide the results. An opinion article in the state-run Global New Light of Myanmar newspaper on Monday reiterated that sentiment and even criticised military supremacy in government, a huge shift in tone for a country ruled since the 1960s by army generals. “The idea that a country can be united through its military might is a false one,” it said. “Military might alone cannot unite people and may even lead to war and bloodshed. It is time for Myanmar to exert efforts for genuine national reconciliation.”

LONDON: British Prime Minister David Cameron has offered all possible help to French President Francois Hollande to win a Commons vote to bomb IS terrorists in Syria. Hollande has been repeating that his country was “at war” with the IS after the Paris carnage, has found a new ally in Cameron. Besides increased sharing of data and airline records, Cameron has offered Hollande use of Britain's Akrotiri military base in Cyprus to aid the fight, including refuelling.

The British PM said: “It was his firm conviction that Britain should join attacks alongside America, France and Russia. It is clear that the world is coming together to tackle this evil terrorist threat.”

Cameron, who was in Paris this week for talks with the French leader, said: “I firmly support the decisive action taken by President Hollande to strike ISIL in Syria, it is my firm belief that we should do so too.”

Cameron and Hollande visited the Bataclan theatre, where IS terrorists wreaked havoc on November 13 gunning down 89 innocent people watching an American rock band. Altogether, 130 people were killed in a series of IS attacks on that day.

The mastermind behind the

Paris attack was British, trained by British clerics. He was killed during an action

by French police.

Hollande is making trips to US and Russia to garner stronger international support to combat the IS menace. He is also meeting German chancellor Angela Merkel and Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi in this connection.

Hollande said: “We will intensify our strikes, choosing targets that will do the most damage possible to this army of terrorists."

Lockdown in Brussels Resentment has been building in Brussels as the government has ordered the closure of schools, shops and the city’s underground transport system as an emergency measure to meet the “imminent” terrorism threat in the city. “The threat level is the same,” said Charles Michel, the prime minister, on Monday night.

After three days of lockdown in the capital police are no closer to arresting Salah Abdeslam, one of the key suspects in the Paris attacks who is still on the run, or to breaking up a terrorist cell said to be active in the country. The emergency measures was in place until Monday, although schools and the underground train system were to be opened from Tuesday.

Police arrested 21 people in raids across Belgium, but no weapons or explosives were seized - leading many to question emergency measures that are

unprecedented since the Second World War. Three of those arrested are still in custody, Seventeen have been freed, and one man has been charged for his alleged role in the Paris massacre, bringing the total to four.

Their names have not been released.

Indian-American among 22 killed in Mali In a Paris style attack Islamic militants stormed a luxury hotel in Mali's capital and killed 22 people, includ-

Anita Ashok Datar ing an Indian-American health worker Anita Ashok Datar, 41, last week. Twenty captured Indians were safely evacuated. Nine hours after the siege of the Radisson Blu hotel in Mali's capital by extremists owing allegiance to al-Qaida, Malian security minister Salif Traore announced the end of the hostage crisis after two gunmen were killed. French forces from Burkina Faso were in the hotel and participated in the operations alongside Malian soldiers.

Though there was no direct link between Friday's strike with the Paris attack, Mali has been at the centre of French military operations against Islamists in Africa.

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INDIA

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Jaya case: SC to conduct day-to-day hearing on pleas Asian Voice | 28th November 2015

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court of India has agreed to conduct day-today hearing on appeals filed against the Karnataka High Court judgment acquitting Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa and three others in a disproportionate assets case.

A bench, comprising justices PC Ghose and RK Agrawal, which while admitting the appeals in July this year had not gone into the issue of staying the high court order, asked the

Jayalalithaa parties concerned to give it the list of issues, which as per them, needed to be decided in the case on January 8.

"Both of you (parties) settle among yourselves and give us the issues need to be decided by us, so that it can

be heard quickly and disposed of at the earliest," the bench said, adding it would hear the matter on "day-today basis". The bench said the preliminary issues, which need to be decided, be given to it soon. On July 27, the top court had issued notices on Karnataka government's appeal seeking stay of the high court judgment, to Jayalalithaa, her close aide Sasikala and two of her relatives, VN Sudhakaran and Elavarasi, and asked them to file their

replies within eight weeks.

Meanwhile, the bench which has allowed an intervention application by BJP leader Subramanian Swamy in the matter, also asked him to file issues he wished to press before them. The Karnataka high court order had on May 11 ruled that the AIADMK supremo's conviction by the special court suffered from infirmity and was not sustainable in law, clearing the decks for her return as Tamil Nadu Chief Minister.

Turkey deports 2 IS Centre gives £9.39 sympathisers to TN mn aid to flood-hit TN CHENNAI: Two young men from Tamil Nadu were under surveillance of Indian intelligence agencies after they were deported from Turkey while attempting to get in touch with the Islamic State in Syria a fortnight ago.

Sources said that one of them, a 23-year-old B Com graduate, hails from Chennai, while the other is a 22-year-old school dropout from Karur.

Officials, who repeatedly interviewed the men after their return, did not give away much on how the men got attracted to the terror group.

“They spent long hours on the internet to find out how to get to Syria to join IS,” an official said.

Someone guided them online, and they took a flight from Bengaluru to Dubai in August, and from there to Turkey where they

were picked up for suspicious movements a fortnight ago.

The men had told their families they were going to Bengaluru in search of a job. Ten days ago, they were sent back on a flight to Bengaluru since that was the city from where they boarded their first international flight. As soon as they landed there, central and state intelligence officials interviewed them at an undisclosed spot.

The Chennai man told police that he was inspired to join IS as he believed “they were going to rule the world.” Sources said the men were adamant till cops brought their families. “On seeing them, the men broke down,” said a TN intelligence officer.“We let them go with their families, but they will remain under close surveillance.”

Avoid defecating in open for Haryana govt jobs CHANDIGARH: To give a boost to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Swacch Bharat campaign, the Haryana government has decided to recruit only those people who don't defecate in the open.

Advertisements issued by the District Rural Development Agency (DRDA) Kurukshetra stated that for the post of block coordinators, preference will be given to candidates "not defecating in the open". Similar conditions have been prescribed for the post of cluster motivators in the same advertisement. To ensure that the selected candidates do not violate the stipulated conditions, they will have to give a written undertaking that they use toilets and don't defecate in the open, officials said. They will then work under the central government's Clean India Mission.

Prabhjot Singh, addi-

tional deputy commissioner-cum-chief executive officer of DRDA Kurukshetra said the state government put in the toilet condition after guidelines were received for the Clean India Mission from the central government.

"Conditions in the advertisement are just reproduction of the Centre's guidelines," he said.

According to the 2011 census, Haryana has 47.18 lakh households of which 69% have toilets while nearly 30% people defecate in the open. Just about 1% households depend on public toilets.

This is for the first time that the Manohar Lal Khattar government has put such a condition for government jobs. Earlier, the state government had amended the Haryana Panchayati Raj Act and made toilet-at-home condition mandatory for those contesting panchayat polls.

CHENNAI: A few hours after Tamil Nadu chief minister J Jayalalithaa sought £200 million for flood relief work, the Central government has released a financial aid of £9.39 million. Based on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's instructions, £9.39 million would be released immediately to Tamil Nadu to assist it in dealing with the flood situation, a release from the Union home ministry said.

"The fund was sanctioned in response to the request of the Tamil Nadu government. A central team is also being deputed to Tamil Nadu to assess the damage. Further action will be taken after the team submits its report," the release said.

"Earlier, a letter from the chief minister enclosing a detailed memorandum on flood damage was

sent to the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) by a delegation led by special representative of Tamil Nadu S T K Jakkayan," said the release.

Earlier, Jayalalithaa apprised union home minister Rajnath Singh about unprecedented rain and floods, especially in Chennai, Tiruvallur, Kancheepuram and Cuddalore districts.

Jayalalithaa called up Rajnath and requested him to depute a central team to the state to make an on the spot assessment of the rain damage in the state.

The Union home minister told Jayalalithaa that a central team would be sent to Tamil Nadu on receipt of the memorandum from the state government. "The chief minister detailed the precautionary measures taken by the government.

Badal govt approves life term for sacrilege CHANDIGARH: The Punjab government has approved a new amendment to the Indian Penal Code to provide life imprisonment to those involved in sacrilege of Guru Granth Sahib. At present sacrilege is punishable by three-year imprisonment. "This step would act as a deterrent to prevent the recurrence of such unfortunate incidents (sacrilege) in future," deputy chief minister Sukhbir Badal said.

The move follows over a dozen cases of Guru Granth Sahib desecrations in the past couple of months which triggered violent protests. Two protesters were killed when police fired on protesters in Faridkot last month.

The BJP welcomed the move, but added the government should seek a similar punishment for disrespect to Hindu idols in temples where prana pratishta (idol consecra-

In Brief AsianVoiceNews

AsianVoiceNewsweekly

First woman mayor of Chittoor shot dead

TIRUPATI (ANDHRA PRADESH): Five assailants barged into Chittoor Municipal Corporation office and shot dead mayor Katari Anuradha, 41, from point blank range. She was Chittoor's first woman mayor, whose husband, Katari Mohan, was critically wounded in the attack.

She had assumed office last year after Andhra Pradesh's ruling TDP won municipal polls. Personal enmity was said to be the motive behind the assault, but police were investigating other angles including political rivalry as well.

“The investigation is open. We are probing the case from various aspects,“ said Chittoor district police superintendent G Srinivas.

Maoists release abducted TRS leaders

HYDERABAD: The Maoists have released six leaders of Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) unharmed after their abduction four days ago. The abduction came to light after the TRS leaders did not return home from the remote village where they had gone to meet some people. The family members of the leaders spent some anxious days as there was no word of their safety. The Maoists had released a letter, making three demands, including an immediate halt to 'fake encounters' and combing operations. The outfit had threatened to target TRS leaders if their demands were not met.

Ragging drives engineering student to commit suicide

CHENNAI: Ragging by a third year student of Satyabhama Engineering College in Chennai allegedly drove his junior Krishna Chaitanya to commit suicide at his house at Nizampet in Hyderabad. Chaitanya, a second year engineering student, stated that his senior Shekhar had been ragging and harassing him for past several days.

“The victim mentioned in the diary that Shekhar used to draw money using the former’s bank debit card and once beat him up for using a pen drive,” police inspector V Sreekanth Goud said. A case of ragging and abatement to suicide was registered against Shekhar.

Sukhbir accuses Cong of having links with ISI

NEW DELHI: Punjab deputy chief minister Sukhbir Singh Badal has accused Congress Party of being an 'antinational' organisation and having links with terrorist organisations like Pakistan's ISI just for the sake of political gains. Badal said that the militancy of the 80s was a creation of the Congress to fight Akali Dal. “The Congress encouraged certain elements which then went out of control and that led to full 15 years of disturbance in Punjab which even threatened the nation's integrity. Today, Congress under the leadership of Rahul Gandhi is trying to create the same environment in the state of Punjab," Badal said. "The Congress is showing its true colours and it is an anti-national party," he said.

SAD’s Amritsar chief, aides rejoin party Sukhbir Badal tion) is followed even as one of the party's ministers attended the cabinet meeting.

"The Akali Dal must understand that Hindu gods are equally important to devotees and the faithful in Punjab. The same law must include disrespect at temples as well," said BJP national secretary Tarun Chugh.

The cabinet's decision coincided with Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi meeting with President Pranab Mukherjee to submit a memorandum seeking a Supreme Court probe into the killing of two protesters on October 14.

AMRITSAR: The SAD (Urban) Amritsar district chief, Upkar Singh Sandhu, who had resigned from all party posts, rejoined the party in the same capacity. Sandhu had resigned on October 24 citing his disappointment over Takht Jathedars’ decision to exonerate Sirsa dera head. He had termed the move “politically influenced” which had humiliated the Sikhs world over. Following him, many of his supporters too had submitted resignations from local party posts. Sandhu now said he had realised that under the prevailing disturbed circumstances, some anti-panthic parties and individuals had been gaining political mileage.

Gurdwara opened near Johannesburg

JOHANNESBURG: The Sikh community here have got its first gurdwara inaugurated after an eight-year-long legal battle with their South African neighbours who opposed to its construction. The 2,500 square metres gurdwara was officially opened in the suburb of Sandton, the economic hub of the country, by the country’s Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Maite Mashabane-Nkoane. “Every humble human being can now walk in and pray at any time, irrespective of colour or creed,” the Minister said as she conveyed congratulations on behalf of President Jacob Zuma and all South Africans to the Sikh community. Mashabane-Nkoane, a former High Commissioner to India, said she had been privileged to visit the Golden Temple in Amritsar, and was amazed at the Sikh community’s principles of caring for humanity.

INDIA

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25

Guru Nanak Jayanti marks birth anniversary of first Sikh guru AsianVoiceNews

Guru Nanak Jayanti or Gurpurab is one of the most sacred days observed by the Sikh community to glorify the tenets of Sikhism. The day commemorates the birth of Guru Nanak, the first Sikh Guru. The day is celebrated across the world by devout Sikhs with great fervour and collective spirit and effort, asserting the message of morality, hard work and truth inherent in the preachings of Guru Nanak.

Owing to the fact that Guru Nanak enlightened the world with his profound teachings, the day is also known as ‘Prakash Utsav.’

Rituals and ceremonies: A series of ceremonial rituals begin ahead of the actual day of celebrations. The first day's activities involve Akhand Paath, which refers to a 48-hour uninterrupted reading of the Sikh scripture Guru Granth Sahib two days before Guru Nanak Jayanti at Gurdwaras and even at homes. To mark the occasion, Gurudwaras are also decorated with flowers and lights.

On the second day, Prabhat Pheris, (prabhat meaning ‘early morning’ and pheris meaning rounds) are conducted.

Sikh devotees visit Gurdwaras early in the morning and start chanting hymns from the Guru Granth Sahib. A huge procession is organized which is also called ‘Nagar kirtan’ with five armed guards called ‘Panj Pyaras’ leading it. The devotees holding Sikh flags called ‘Nishan

AsianVoiceNewsweekly

Asian Voice | 28th November 2015

Priti Patel

Sahib’, march along with a decorated palanquin carrying the holy scripture of the Sikhs Guru Granth Sahib, as sacred quotes and hymns from the scripture fill the air amidst the resounding drum beats by local bands. As the procession heads towards the streets, people pay obeisance to the Guru Granth Sahib and partake of the blessed atmosphere. A team of Sikh people attired in traditional clothes, brandishing traditional weapons play ‘Gatka’ as they display their skills in sword fighting and martial arts. On the third day, that is, the actual day of Guru Nanak Jayanti, the festivities begin with the recital of Asa-di-Var (morning hymns). Poems, hyms and quotes are read out that uphold Guru Nanak’s exemplary life. This is followed by the ‘katha’ or

exposition of the Guru Granth Sahib, along with discourses and insightful lectures. Kirtan-Darbars or special assemblies are also conducted. After this, a ‘langar’ or community kitchen is organized wherein volunteers serve food with full devotion to people of the Sikh community as well as other communities also. A sweet ‘Karah Prasad’ is also served. Some Gurdwaras also hold night prayers or rehras.

Celebrations: Nankana Sahib, the birthplace of Guru Nanak becomes the hub of activity much before the auspicious day arrives.

Special arrangements are made with the support of the managing committee and the state government, as Sikh pilgrims arrives in huge numbers from India, Europe and the US to participate in the activities of the holy day and seek bless-

Nitish sworn in Bihar Chief Minister for 5th time

JD-U leader Nitish Kumar was sworn in Bihar Chief Minister for a fifth time last week at a grand event attended mostly by nonBJP leaders. The two sons of RJD chief Lalu Prasad Tejaswi and Tej Pratap and 26 others were also sworn in.

In the late-evening allocation of portfolios, Tejaswi Yadav, the younger son of Lalu Prasad, became Deputy Chief Minister. The elder son, Tej Pratap, was given charge of three important Ministries.

Apart from Nitish Kumar, 12 members each from the Janata Dal (United) and the Rashtriya

Janata Dal and four from the Congress were administered the oath of office.

After Kumar, Tejaswi Yadav and Tej Pratap took the oath. All the family members of Lalu Prasad were present at the glittering ceremony on Patna’s historic Gandhi Maidan.

The JD(U) members who took the oath are: Rajiv Ranjan Singh Lallan, Bijendra Prasad Yadav, Shrawan Kumar, Jay Kumar Singh, Maheshwar Hazari, Krishnandan Prasad Verma, Santosh Nirala, Khurshid alias Firoz Ahmad, Shailesh Kumar, Kumari Manju Varma, Madan Sahni and Kapildeo

Kamat.

Rajiv Ranjan Singh Lallan, Bijendra Yadav, Shrawan Kumar and Jay Kumar Singh were Ministers in the previous Nitish government.

Shailesh Kumar, Kumari Manju Verma, Madan Sahni and Kapildeo Kamat are first-timers.

Other RJD leaders who found a place in the new Cabinet are Abdul Bari Siddiqui, Abdul Gafoor, Vijay Prakash, Chandrika Rai, Alok Kumar Mehta, Ram Vichar Rai, Sheo Chander Ram, Muneshwar Chaudhary, Dr. Chandrashekhar and Anita Devi.

ings. During the Jayanti, the Golden Temple in Amritsar sees a constant stream of devotees from everywhere. It is lit up beautifully and offers a most awe-inspiring sight.

Gurudwaras in the Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh especially come alive with air of festivity and spirit of inner joy that emanates from the congregation.

Elaborate arrangements are made for ‘langar’ as millions of devotees are served food by volunteers and people who wish to immerse themselves in ‘seva’ or service to humanity. The distribution of

British Prime Minister’s Indian Diaspora Champion and Employment Minister Priti Patel, said: “At this most auspicious time, I would like send my best wishes to everyone celebrating the Gurpurab of the founder of Sikhism, Siri Guru Nanak Dev Ji. “This is a hugely important time for Sikhs across Britain and around the world and a chance for all to come together with friends and ‘Karah Prasad’ is also looked forward to by the people. Special programs are organized and religious music and kirtans keep a mystical and blessed atmosphere. After the langar, a prayer session takes place. Since Guru Nanak’s birth was after midnight, the celebrations also go on past midnight.

family to celebrate the birth of the first Guru who preached worship of one God, the equality of humanity, and introduced the distinctive Sikh communal free kitchen 'langar' where all could eat together whatever their caste or status.

“In the 160 years since the first Sikhs arrived in Britain, each and every one has more than made their mark here and contributed and enriched British culture, in business, in public services, in sport, culture, charity and beyond.

“We have a lot to learn from Siri Guru Nanak Dev Ji. He emphasised the importance of kindness, honesty and hard work, and these values continue to be prominent amongst the Sikh community in the UK.” Celebrations Abroad: In the UK, Canada and the US, members of the Sikh community visit the Gurudwaras which hold the programmes and prayer service. Devotees turn out in huge numbers to participate in all the ceremonies, reliving the values and paying homage to the teachings of Guru Nanak.

INDIA

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Asian Voice | 28th November 2015

AsianVoiceNewsweekly

Axis Bank UK Ltd Launches 48 pc voting in municipal corporation elections in Gujarat “AxisRemit UK” for remittance to India place on December 2.

Ahmedabad collector Rajkumar Beniwal said that 46.07% voting had taken place in the city. This voting percentage was by far the highest in more than two decades. Even the high-voltage civic poll campaign led by Narendra Modi in 2010 could ensure just a 44.08% voter turnout in Ahmedabad.

The highest voting was witnessed in the eastern part of the city.

There was massive mobilization of voters in Vastral, Amraiwadi, Indra puri, Nikol, Bapunagar, India Colony and Thakkarbapanagar and parts of Naroda as well.

The highest voting was witnessed in Danilimda ward which recorded 53.61% voting. The next highest voting percentage 53.55-was registered in Lambha. The lowest voting was in Navrangpura which registered 37.29% voter turnout.

Interestingly, Danilimda is among the worst wards insofar as amenities are concerned.

On the other hand Navrangpura, which saw lowest voting, is one of the poshest colonies of the city.

Patidar dominated areas in the six cities was not significantly higher than other wards, only results on December 2 will reveal if the Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS) convener Hardik Patel's oust-BJP call had any electoral impact. Congress is banking on the Patel factor

Nearly 48% voters exercised their franchise to seal the fate of 1,856 candidates in the six municipal corporations in Gujarat that went to polls on Sunday.

The turnout was marginally higher compared to 2010 municipal corporations when then chief minister Narendra Modi's aggressive campaign resulted in complete annihilation of the Congress.

The outcome of these elections is seen as a precursor to the 2017 assembly elections as the six municipal corporations account for nearly 50 seats, mostly held by the BJP. The elections this time were widely perceived to be a Patidars vs BJP duel in wake of the fourmonth-long agitation by the community to demand reservation under the OBC quota.

While Patidars in violence-hit areas of Ahmedabad voted with vengeance, in Surat, surprisingly, the pre-poll threats of en masse antiBJP voting seemed hollow considering the lowerthan-average turnout in the five Patel-dominated areas. While voting in

to regain its political significance in Gujarat.

There were 1,856 candidates in the fray, while for the first time in Gujarat, as many as 50 per cent of the seats were reserved for women. The second phase of balloting will be held on November 29 to elect 327 municipalities, taluka panchayats and district panchayats, covering a mix of urban and rural voters.

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Axis Bank UK Ltd, announced the launch of a new remittance service through a mobile App “AxisRemit UK”, that enables account holders to transfer funds to any account in India using beneficiary account details or simply their mobile number.

Anyone with a UK Bank account and UK address can now download the “AxisRemit UK” app on their Android and iOS smartphones, and within minutes, set themselves up as remitters. Sender can register beneficiary by

using his account details or select the phone number of their intended receiver in India. Subsequent transfers can be carried out through the bank’s mobile app at the click of a button with funds credited to any bank account in India.

The sender will also have an option to ask the beneficiary to map his mobile number with bank account by providing details through secured web access.

Managing Director and CEO, Mr Rajendra Adsul mentioned, “Axis Bank UK is the first Indian Bank in

the UK to provide a mobile App of its kind for transferring funds to India. This will enable NRIs to remit funds on the go without the need to have an account with the Bank.”

Founder and CEO of Empays, Ravi Rajagopalan said, “We are delighted to partner with Axis Bank UK to provide this service to its UK-based customers. Our digital payments platform, Empays Payment Cloud (EPC), connects banks across the globe to enable remittances to be made between mobile phones instantly and securely.”

India to phase out corporate tax exemptions India has unveiled details of its plan to phase out some tax exemptions for companies as the government looks to simplify tax laws and make them transparent before it lowers the tax rate.

Over four years, the government plans to lower the corporate tax rate to 25 per cent from 30 per cent, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said in his budget speech in February. During that period, exemptions and deductions will be

phased out. Profit-linked, investment-linked and area-based deductions will be phased out for both corporate and non-corporate tax payers, according to a document posted on the tax office's website. For tax incentives with no set date of termination, the government will set March 31, 2017 as the so-called sunset date, the tax office said.

This will apply to development, operation and maintenance of infrastruc-

ture facilities, development of special economic zones as well as commercial production of natural gas and mineral blocks, according to the document. In addition, in several areas the sunset clause for a tax benefit would be advanced, while in segments where there is no deadline, the terminal date would be fixed as March 2017 either for commencement of activity or for claiming the benefit.

CONTINUED FROM P1 “We have to delink religion from terror. The only distinction is between those who believe in humanity and those who do not. We also have to work within the society, specially the youth,'' he said. Pitching for a united global fight against terrorism, Modi said it must be ensured that “no country promotes terrorism, there is no sanctuary, there are no funds and no arms.”

In his speech at the Malaysia International Exhibition and Convention Centre, Modi said it was important to ensure that the internet did not become a recruiting ground for terrorism.“We can strengthen intelligence cooperation.

We can use military force.

We can make the international legal system for cooperation stronger,'' he said.

“But we also have to work within our societies and with our youth. We need the support of parents, communities and religions scholars. And, we have to make sure that internet does not become a recruiting ground,'' he added.

Speaking earlier at the East Asia Summit, Modi said terrorism was no longer a “peripheral problem“ for Southeast Asia and called for newer strategies to combat the menace.

Excellent relationship with Singapore: Talking about India's relationship with Singapore Modi said: "Today Singapore is one of our most important part-

ners in World, it's a relationship which is as strategic as it is wide-ranging."

"Singapore teaches us many things. The size of a nation is no barrier to the scale of its achievements. And the lack of resources is no constraint for inspiration, imagination and innovation," he said. "It has inspired this region's progress and led in its integration," Modi said, adding, "Singapore's success became an aspiration for Indians. And, in turn, India became the hope for a more peaceful, balanced and stable world."

Noting that India and Singapore have been together at many crossroads of time, Modi said, "We stood together at the dawn of freedom ... Singapore success has become India's springboard to the world and gateway to the East."

"We have comprehensive defence and security cooperation. Singapore is the biggest investment source," Modi said. Starting from the first IT park in Bengaluru, the partnership has now moved to the newest city of Amaravathi, the new capital of Andhra Pradesh, he noted.

Fruitful olds talks with Asean leaders: On IndiaChina relations, Modi said, "India and China will engage constructively across the complexity of their relationship as two self-assured and confident nations, aware of their interests and responsibili-

ties." "Just as China's rise has driven the global economy, the world looks to China to help advance global and regional peace and stability," he said.

Noting that India and China constitute two-fifth of humanity and two of the world's fastest growing major economies, Modi said, "China's economic transformation is an inspiration for us." On ties with Japan, PM Modi said, "There are few partnerships that enjoy so much goodwill in India as our relations with Japan." Modi said that after a temporary decline, trade between India and the Asean countries increased to about $76.5 billion in 2014-15. "Asean block remains the largest investment partner both for inward and outward flows," he said. He, however, said that much of the potential for economic partnership between the two sides remained untapped. "I am confident that our trade and investment will expand, as our economies grow."

Talking to the diaspora about his government's work, Modi said, “The wheels of change have begun to move. And, they are gathering speed now.

And, it is showing in numbers.” He said India is today the fastest growing major economy in the world. “I know you feel proud about it. We are running at 7.5% per year, but will grow even faster in the coming years,“ he said.

Unite against terrorism: Modi

AsianVoiceNews

HEALTH&WELLNESS

The Indian spices that help prevent cancer C FOOD

ayenne Pepper /Capsaicin (Chilli peppers): A promising spice with anti-cancer properties, but overdose of chilli peppers should be avoided.

Capsaicin induces the process of apoptosis that destroys potential cancer cells and reduces the size of leukemia tumour cells considerably. It can be concluded that apart from setting our tongues on fire, chilli peppers can scare cancer pathogens off too.

Ginger: This humble spice boasts of medicinal qualities that help lowering cholesterol, boost metabolism and kill cancer cells. Easily added to vegetable dishes, ginger enhances the flavour in cooking. Chew on fresh parsley if the odour bothers you.

Oregano: More than a pizza or pasta topping, oregano confirms its worth as a potential agent against prostate cancer. Consisting of anti-microbial compounds, just one teaspoon of oregano has the power of two cups of red grapes!

Phyto-chemical 'Quercetin' present in oregano restricts growth of malignant cells in the body and acts like a drug against cancer-centric diseases.

Cinnamon: It takes not more than a half teaspoon

FITNESS

The best time to eat!

ating f o o d m a y sound very simple in itself but it's the simple mistakes we make that make a huge difference. It is important to know that when it comes to eating, the timing of meals is the key.

How often do you delay your breakfast or skip your meal after a heavy workout?

How often do you eat right before bedtime? Do you have long gaps between meals? The best times to eat can be a tricky question to answer.

BREAKFAST: Eat within 30 minutes of waking up; Ideal time to have breakfast is 7am; Do not delay breakfast later than 10am; Make

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To Our Readers

We are publishing these items in good faith, kindly consult your Doctor before you try to implement it. We do not hold any responsibility for its efficacy...

AsianVoiceNewsweekly | Asian Voice | 28th November 2015

LIFESTYLE

www.asian-voice.com

Lack of sleep can cause diabetes

ack of sleep can cause you diabetes.

A classic example is the case of call centre employee Komal, who was very careful about her health. When diabetes struck, it came as a shock to her since she didn't have a family history of diabetes and had been working out on the treadmill daily to keep her weight under control. The villain in her case was lack of sleep.

With the change in the nature of work, involving night shifts and a rise in levels of stress, she suffered sleep deprivation. This made her vulnerable to Type-2 diabetes. “Skimping on sleep can increase your chances of getting Type-2 diabetes, a disease once believed to be caused primarily by being overweight.

Almost 30% to 35% of Type-2 diabetics have sleep disorders,” said a leading diabetologist. It is essential to get a minimum of 7 to 8 hours of sleep every day.

However, most people hardly manage five hours,

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of cinnamon powder every day to keep cancer risk away. A natural food preservative, cinnamon is a source of iron and calcium.

Useful in reducing tumour growth, it blocks the formation of new vessels in the human body.

Cumin: Yes, it aids digestion and probably that is why we like chewing a handful of cumin seeds at the end of every meal.

However, its health benefits go beyond. A portent herb with anti-oxidant characteristics, cumin seeds contain a compound called 'Thymoquinone' that checks proliferation of cells responsible for prostate cancer.

Saffron: A natural

carotenoid dicarboxylic acid called 'Crocetin' is the primary cancer-fighting element that saffron contains. It not only inhibits the progression of the disease but also decreases the size of the tumour by half, guaranteeing a complete goodbye to cancer. Though it is the most expensive spice in the world for it is derived from around 250,000 flower stigmas (saffron crocus) that make just about half a kilo, a few saffron threads come loaded with benefits you won't regret paying for.

Fennel: Armed with phyto-nutrients and antioxidants, cancer cells have nothing but to accept defeat when the spice is

fennel. 'Anethole', a major constituent of fennel resists and restricts the adhesive and invasive activities of cancer cells. It suppresses the enzymatic regulated activities behind cancer cell multiplication.

Turmeric/Curcumin: This is the king of spices when it comes to dealing with cancer diseases, besides it adding a zesty colour to our food on the platter. Turmeric contains the powerful polyphenol Curcumin that has been clinically proven to retard the growth of cancer cells causing prostrate cancer, melanoma, breast cancer, brain tumour, pancreatic cancer and leukaemia amongst a host of others.

Avoid energy drinks to escape brain injury

recent study has found that energy drinks can cause traumatic brain injury (TBI) in teens. The study found that teens who reported traumatic brain injury in the past year were seven times more likely to have consumed at least five energy drinks in the past week than those without a history of TBI. Researchers also found that teens who reported sustaining a TBI within the past year were at least twice as likely to have consumed energy drinks mixed with alcohol than teens who reported sustaining a TBI more than a year previously.

Neurosurgeon Michael Cusimano of St. Michael’s Hospital said that this is significant because energy drinks have previously been associated with general injuries, but not specifically with TBI. Cusimano said energy drink consumption could interfere with recovery efforts for teens who have sustained a TBI. Energy drinks contain high levels of caffeine and change the

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sure you have protein in your breakfast LUNCH: Ideal time to have lunch is 12.45pm; Try and keep a gap of 4 hours between your breakfast and lunch; Do not delay lunch later than 4pm.

DINNER: The ideal time to have dinner is before 7pm; You should keep a gap of 3 hours between your dinner and bedtime; Do not delay dinner later than 10pm; Eating close to bedtime can interfere with the quality of sleep WORKOUT MEALS: Never workout (especially weight training) on empty stomach; The right preworkout meal could be protein sandwich, protein shake, whole wheat bread, peanut butter sandwich etc.

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chemical state of the body, which can prevent people from getting back on track after a TBI. He added that brain injuries among adolescents are particularly concerning because their brains are still developing.

At a time when energy drink consumption is rising among teens in Canada and the United States, the study also suggests that the caffeinated drinks are particularly linked with those who play sports.

According to the new study, a better understanding of the link between TBI and energy drinks could help medical professionals, parents, teachers and coaches understand how to better prevent, diagnose and treat brain injuries.

piling up a huge sleep debt behind them. Sleep deprivation can affect hormones and metabolism which can trigger diabetes. Lack of sleep eventually leads to impairment of glucose tolerance, which further affects blood sugar levels, leading to diabetes. “Our lifestyles have undergone a major shift as have our work schedules. Our lives are governed by a mad rush to meet deadlines and long hours spent travelling to work. While we can't compromise on our work, we tend to negotiate with sleep.

This bargain has posed an increased risk of diabetes,” said another expert.

He said: “Chronic sleep deprivation also elevates levels of the stress hormone, cortisol. High levels of stress can further lead to insulin resistance, due to which the body fails to use insulin to transfer glucose to cells to provide energy.

This ultimately leads to diabetes. Insulin resistance can also harm organs such as eyes, kidneys or heart.”

Home remedies for tummy aches

ummy ache is a common complaint and affects people of all ages. The causes could be several - indigestion, menstrual cramps, irritable bowel syndrome or even gastritis. Simple home remedies might not cure you of your ailment but will definitely ease your symptoms and give you temporary relief. Here's what can help...

• When your tummy aches during your period, try sipping on a cup of hot chamomile tea. It will ease the cramps and lessen the spasms. Even a regular stomach ache can also be treated with chamomile tea.

Its anti-inflammatory properties will relax the muscles of your upper digestive track so that the contractions that thrust food in your system, will ease up and reduce cramps and soothe your stomach.

• A hot compress is also an effective way to treat a stomach ache. Use a hot water bag or an electric heat pad that will relax your abdominal muscles and

ease the discomfort.

• Drinking a cup of rice water will also help ease tummy aches. Instead of throwing away the water that is left after the rice is cooked, add some to a cup and sip on it. It is said to soothe inflammation and provide relief.

• A cup of warm peppermint tea is also said to work wonders when it comes to treating stomach aches. It ensures that your digestive tract works properly by making digestion an easy process.

• Add a few drops of lemon juice in a glass of hot water and drink it. This will help improve the production of hydrochloric acid, known to break down the food you consume and ensures easy digestion.

• Ginger tea is another good option. Simply add some ginger bits to a cup of hot tea and drink it. The chemicals present in ginger relax the stomach muscles and relieve cramps. You could also add ginger bits to honey and warm water and drink it.

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www.asian-voice.com

Amala Paul to make a comeback as heroine AsianVoiceNews

'OK Kanmani' to be remade in Bollywood Asian Voice | 28th November 2015

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Kadhal Kanmani’, the super hit romantic drama from the legendary director Mani Ratnam with Dulquer Salmaan and Nithya Menen in the lead turned out to be a super hit of this year. This film garnered a great deal of appreciation from critics as well as movie buffs. Now the film is going to be made in Bollywood. Shaad Ali, former assistant director of Mani Ratnam, will be remaking in Hindi with the 'Aashique 2' pair of

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Aditya Roy Kapoor and Shraddha Kapoor playing the lead roles.

Both the actors are well-known for their versatility and fantastic onscreen chemistry. Veteran P C Sreeram will crank the Camera and A R Rahman will be scoring music for this film. The shooting of the film will begin next year in Mumbai. The project will be cofunded by Mani Ratnam.

ctress Amala Paul has been acting in cameo roles after her marriage to long time beau and director Vijay.

She will be soon seen in 'Pasanga 2' opposite Suriya and she plays a small role in that film too.

However, the talented actress will be seen in a full-length role not in Tamil but in a Malayalam film. She will be acting as

the lead lady in the yet to be titled film to be directed by Boban Samuel.

Jayasuriya and Kunchacko Boban will be playing the male leads in the film. Interestingly the two leading actors of Mollywood act as guys trying to win over Amala's love in the film. The shooting is expected to begin in March 2016 at Koidaikkanal and move on to Kochi.

Prithviraj on his way to becoming a superstar

I need training as well, says Kamala Haasan

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ew years back actor Prithviraj was not terribly favoured in the Malayalam film industry. But a string of successful films were needed to get him back into his winning ways. Today, he is on his way to becoming a superstar. Of the six Malayalam releases this year, Prithviraj has had four hits: 'Picket 43', 'Ennu Ninte Moideen,' 'Amar Akbar Anthony' and recent release 'Anarkali.' Now, after completing the shooting of 'Paavada,' he has joined the sets of ' D a r w i n t e Parinamam.' He will start shooting for cinematographer Sujith Vaassudev’s directorial debut 'James & Alice' next.

Projects with Jeethu Joseph and Srinath Rajendran are lined up.

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ven after five and a half decade in cinema, superstar Kamals Haasan says that he still needs training. This Padma Shri and Padma Bhushan awardee was in Hyderabad to promote his upcoming Telugu film 'Chikati Rajyam' - the Tamil version is called 'Thoonga Vanam' and it is a remake of the French film 'Sleepless Nights' (Nuit Blanche).

"Sleepless Nights is a good film. I wanted to remake it as it is a thriller and one feels the depth of the characters in the story, Kamal explains and added that it was adopted to suit Indian sensibilities." Kamal has written the screenplay and his assistant Rajesh M Selva has directed it. Kamal said that training is necessary to hone one's skills. "Now we go to US for sound recording but in a few years, we will not need that. It will be made in India," he says, adding: "I need training as well. There is so much to learn. One needs to learn."

'Tamasha'

AsianVoiceNewsweekly

Ranbir gearing up for Sanjay Dutt biopic

'Tamasha' is a romantic drama film directed by Imtiaz Ali and produced by Sajid Nadiadwala. It stars Ranbir Kapoor and Deepika Padukone in lead roles. Ranbir's character (as Ved Vardhan Sahni) is about a person who is enchanted by stories, who grows up hearing them and expresses himself by performing them. He plays a free spirited person who wants everybody around him to be happy. He is a nomad, going out of his way to please people. The film portrays Ranbir's life in three stages– as a 9-year-old child, a 19-year-old adolescent and a 30-year-old repatriate adult. Deepika (as Tara Maheshwari) is a quick, eloquent and emotionally agile girl who a gentle gait.

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ctor Ranbir Kapoor says he will try to imbibe qualities and personality of Sanjay Dutt for preparing for the upcoming biopic on the "Munnabhai" actor.

The biopic on Dutt will be directed by filmmaker Rajkumar Hirani. "When I'll start Rajkumar Hirani's biopic on Sanjay Dutt, I will try to be like him, get his body type... He had put on some weight too... I don't know how much weight I'll put on. When the discussions will begin regarding the film maybe then I'll decide," Ranbir said. The "Bombay Velvet" star will be seen doing a biopic for the first time and says physical transformation is very important for an actor.

Bhumika Chawla returning to Bollywood

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humika Chawla, who had shot to fame with Salman Khan's 'Tere Naam,' is returning to Bollywood.

After the success of the film, Bhumika had appeared in a handful of little-known films before disappearing from the big screen altogether. Now, nearly after a decade Chawla is all set to face the camera again. The actor is getting back to Bollywood with a meaty role in 'MS Dhoni The Untold Story. 'The Neeraj Pandeydirected biopic of former Indian skipper Dhoni will be Bhumika Chawla's re-entry to Bollywood. Confirming the news, the actor said, "Yes I'm doing the film. But I can't reveal anything about my role at this point.”

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www.asian-voice.com AsianVoiceNews

AsianVoiceNewsweekly

Sensational Shaan is about to take UK on a tour Reshma Trilochun

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he sensational, m e l o d i o u s Bollywood singer, Shaan, was in London on Monday 23rd November 2015, where he official launched his UK tour at a press conference, at the Montcalm Hotel, Marble Arch.

His 3-hour solo concert will be taking place on Friday 19th February 2016, at De Montford Hall, Leicester, and Sunday 21st February, At Eventim Apollo, Hammersmith, London.

Talking about the upcoming tour and how different it will be to his prior shows, the enigmatic singer said, “I usually keep it very spontaneous and not so preplanned. You want to go with what the audience is feeling at the moment... it reflects from the energies from the audience. Having said that, you can't come completely unplanned.

Every time you perform, you want to bring in some new elements, you want to create something new and different.

So, we are going to have different segments; we'll have like an unplugged section, we'll have a dance segment to it,

we'll have interactive bits to it. It's going to be very different from whatever has happened so far.”

While also answering questions from the media, he also crooned his recent hit number, 'Aaj Unse Milna Hai Humein', from the movie, Prem Ratan Dhan Paayo, mesmerising everyone present with his soulful voice.

On being asked about the dormant state of the pop scene, or nonBollywood songs in India, Shaan replied, “There's a re-emergence of singles again now.

The thing was, for a while, we as artists were very confused as how to market your music, because everything is on YouTube, or on the other video sharing sites.

There is so much going on there that it is difficult to stick your neck out. And people like to discover artist on YouTube; if you're already discovered and there for so long, there's nothing new for them to share.” Going one step further, Shaan announced that he'll be releasing his new single in February as well. He said, “I incidentally will

Farah Khan honoured at Cairo film festival

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irector Farah Khan, best known for films like 'Main Hoon Na,' 'Om Shanti Om' and 'Happy New Year,' has been honoured at the 37th Cairo International Film Festival and said that her visit to Egypt is a strong message for people that the country is safe. Farah was given a warm welcome by her Egyptian fans, and Bollywood cinema lovers. When asked about the places in Egypt she wants to shoot a film, she said that Sphinx, the Nile River are on the top of her list. The director expressed her happiness for being invited for Egypt's prestigious international festival. "It is a great honour for me to be here," said Khan, adding, she is happy to be honoured with the Faten Hamama Award for excellence in cinema at the CIFF.

be releasing my single.

It's a romantic single; it will be coming out in the month of February. It would even be a good way of showcasing that song.

It's called 'Musafir'.”

Shaan also mentioned about recently becoming a composer.

Along with his composing partners, Gaurav and Roshan, he has named themselves Superbia, which means pride in Italian- aptly summing up the meaning of the trio's names.

Speaking about the lifespan of a playback singer in Bollywood films, he said, “There was a time when there were artists like Mohammad Rafi Saab, Kishore Kumarji, Mukeshji, who almost sang as long as they were there. Their era only ended with them going; but their era is still onyou still listen to their music. Then of course, you've had shorter career spans but yet long enough. The trend now is moving very quickly.

What is happening is as soon as someone is getting popular, they are getting burnt out because they are getting to sing so much... At some point I thought, 'Am I singing every-

thing? What's going on here?' Say 2006, 2007, 2009, I was in every film and everywhere. And suddenly it all just stopped. It's a cycle. I don't know how much of this can come back, but if you keep yourself agile and fit, not just physically but with your voice, and you have a certain appeal when you perform and you entertain, then I think it doesn't really matter.” He further explained, “As long as you can perform, as long as you can bring in that same energy and you have people who are still following your music. The same goes for Udit Narayanji and Kumar Sanuji. They are performing every other weekends somewhere in the world. With them, their music stays. If you can't perform to that level and you cannot bring in that sort of magic... then there's trouble.”

Well, Shaan will definitely not be in trouble as his magnificent voice will resonate forever.

His upcoming tour will definitely create a stir amongst his fans in the UK, who without a doubt will flock in groups to get a glimpse of this sensational artist performing live on stage.

Indira Gandhi award for Juhi Chawla, Nawazuddin

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ollywood actors Juhi Chawla and Nawazuddin Siddiqui were among seven prominent personalities named for the prestigious Indira Gandhi Memorial Award 2015. The others in the list include international athlete Kavita Raut, Marathi editor Rahi Bhide, author Kavita Mahajan, academician Farida Lambay and industrialist Megha Phansalkar. Nawazuddin, who played the lead role in the film 'Manjhi - The Mountain Man,' is the only male selected in this year's list. They were honoured on Thursday last, Indira Gandhi's 98th birth anniversary.

Asian Voice | 28th November 2015

Feel the love with ‘Gerua’, Dilwale Ishtyle

R

ed Chillies Entertainments Pvt Ltd and Rohit Shetty Productions presented the love anthem of the year, ‘Gerua’, from their upcoming film Dilwale at a gala event at Maratha Mandir in Mumbai. Kajol and Shah Rukh Khan were present at the do along with Varun Dhawan and Kriti Sanon. ‘Gerua’ is featured on the iconic couple of Kajol-SRK in the film and has been sung by Arijit Singh and Antara Mitra. The lyrics have been penned by Amitabh Bhattacharya.

The evening began with Varun and Kriti performing to Gerua trying to reprise the legendary romantic pose of Kajol-SRK. Then they invited the evergreen onscreen couple on stage to teach the exact steps and the song was released to the audience comprising of media and fans. Rohit Shetty

said, "When you shoot with a couple who has been synonymous with romance on the big screen of our times, a director has an added responsibility of enhancing the grandeur that they carry.”

Shah Rukh Khan said “Since Kajol and I are coming back together on-screen after years, Rohit felt that we should try and make Gerua stand out better than all the other songs we have done earlier. We have done many beautiful songs and are really fortunate to have done those. But Rohit was very clear and precise about how he would like to shoot this one. He paid attention to every detail starting from choice of location, costumes and every other technicality because it was essential to him.”

The much awaited Bollywood film, Diwale, is all set to release on 18th December 2015.

T

was unavailable for comment. But sources close to him said the kissing content was reduced because the certification was U/A which allowed for the film to be screened to a wider theatrical audience and on TV. "We have to be careful with films that get U/A certificate because they can be shown on TV and to all audiences following parental guidance. The producers have accepted the cuts," the source said. Censor Board sources also said that the producers had asked for the edits.

James Bond has only half a licence to kiss

he Indian Censor Board has slashed the kissing scenes between James Bond and his girls, considering the length of the pecks "too excessive", in the latest spy flick, 'Spectre.' The film was released in India on November 20 and has received a U/A certificate.

Reports said the film received four cuts which included kisses between Daniel Craig and his costars, Monica Belluci and Lea Seydoux.

CBFC chief Pahlaj Nihalani

Priyanka Chopra to turn super woman?

Shahid, Kangana begin shooting for 'Rangoon'

F

P

riyanka Chopra, who is tasting success with her international TV series 'Quantico,' is set to play a superwoman in director Abhinay Deo's next flick.

According to sources, Abhinay, who is currently filming 'Force 2' and the second season of '24,' has approached the 33-year-old actress for his next film and the discussions are said to be on an advanced stage. Sources further revealed that it has not been decided yet what super powers will be given to the 'Bajirao Mastani' star.

ilmmaker Vishal Bhardwaj has begun shooting his period drama 'Rangoon,' which stars Shahid Kapoor, Saif Ali Khan and Kangana Ranaut. The movie is produced by Sajid Nadiadwala, whose wife Wardha shared the news on Twitter: The drama, set against the backdrop of World War II, will see Kangana as an actress, who is romantically involved with her mentor. The third lead character is that of a soldier. After 'Kaminey' and 'Haider,' this is Shahid's third film with the director while Saif and Bhardwaj are collaborating for the second time with this after 'Omkara.'

30

UK

www.asian-voice.com AsianVoiceNews

Asian Voice | 28th November 2015

Lovers have prison sentence reduced for killing daughter

Polly Chowdury

Ayesha Ali

Lesbian lovers who had battered eight-year-old Ayesha Ali to death, have prison sentences reduced.

The child, Choudhury's daughter, was found covered in more than 40 injuries including a bite mark

Kiki Muddar

and carpet burns.

Kiki Muddar, 44, and Polly Chowdhury, 36, who were jailed for 18 and 13 years respectively for manslaughter following the discovery of Ayesha Ali’s body at their home in Chadwell Heath in August 2013.

At the Court of Appeal, Muddar’s sentence was reduced to 15 years after appeal judges agreed the punishment was "manifestly excessive". Polly Chowdhury had her jail term cut to 10 years.

Christian convert has kneecap smashed in hate crime

A father of six, Nissar Hussain (49), a former Muslim who converted to Christianity, has had his knee broken in an alleged religious hate crime. It is said that group of thugs had attacked him outside his home in Bradford, hitting him 13 times with a pickaxe handle. He was also allegedly punched and kicked repeatedly and had his hand broken, as well as his kneecap.

Coming Events

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Lord Dholakia speaks about the youth in custody and the Arbitration and Mediation Services Bill

Continued from page 15

He stated how the Government could set targets for reducing first time entrants to the young adult criminal justice system similar to those which helped increase the diversion of juveniles from the youth justice process.

Lord Dholakia said, “Far too many young adults are still sent into custody for short sentences, which serve little purpose. They are too short for sustained rehabilitation programmes, but they are long enough for young people to lose jobs and accommodation and to weaken their family ties- all of which makes them more likely to reoffend.”

He also spoke about the Arbitration and Mediation Services (Equality) Bill, where he mentioned the

issues highlighted by Baroness Cox. He said, “The Noble Lady [Baroness Cox] has raised important issues affecting the rights and liberties of people in many parts of the world. She has travelled far and wide and at times to places which are hostile and unwelcoming, but this has not deterred her from speaking at first hand and with experience on matters which has often escaped public attention.”

Lord Dholakia also speaks about Article 111 of the Declaration of Human Rights (1948): “Everyone has a right to life, liberty and security of person.”

He mentioned, “We must not run away from the decline of ethical behaviour on one hand, and the growth of fundamentalism on the other hand.”

All-out doctors' strike to take place in December

Britain: The first all-out doctors' strike in the history of the NHS is likely to take place after the government and union refused to back down in a contract row. On Tuesday 1st December 2015, an emergency care-only strike has been planned to take place, followed by full walkouts on 8th and 16th December.

The Academy of Medical Royal Colleges

have requested doctors to “step back from the brink and re-enter negotiations in good faith.” While the chairman of the BMA council, Mark Porter stated, “It is the government's adamant insistence on imposing a contract that is unsafe for patients in the future, and unfair for doctors now and in the future, that has brought us to this point.”

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ARIES Mar 21 - Apr 20 If your ambitions have been undefined, don't worry as from now on, you understand exactly what kind of impact you need to make on the world. All those little details should run perfectly, without you constantly worrying. That means you can focus on matters that are important to you.

Healthwise you will be feeling fit.

TAURUS Apr 21 - May 21 It is a good time to get away from usual routines and seek a retreat for a few days. All the better if you are interested in such things as meditation, yoga and therapies that help you to get in closer touch with your inner self. This will have a beneficial effect on your physical and psychological well-being.

GEMINI May 22 - June 22 Whether you’re single or attached you’ll have to go through a lot, as deep psychological transformations are taking place in all types of relationships. Don’t be afraid to experiment, trust your hunches, go with your gut feeling. Solutions to minor problems should be considered very carefully.

At work sometimes a little upheaval and chaos is exactly what you need to set things right again.

There’s no need to be complacent: the time is now.

Unpredictable energies continue to influence your health sector, bringing erratic highs and lows. The key for you as always is to remain calm and collected.

CANCER Jun 22 - Jul 22

LEO Jul 23 - Aug 23 You know you’ve got no choice but to streamline and reassess your priorities before haphazardly saying yes to everything that smells like a potential opportunity. Try to create a balance between expansion and conservation. Jupiter in your financial sign makes you feel invincible, base your decisions on facts.

VIRGO Aug 24 - Sep 23

Charm will be your ally in this week' s activities. Others will be responsive to you and your ideas. You are extremely warm and affectionate as a person and you look for just as strong a response from your partner. You will achieve success by being responsible and diplomatic.

LIBRA Sep 24 - Oct 23 It’s all about communications, as they take centre stage this week. Regarding love there will be a struggle between devotion and freedom. You need to feel completely consumed by the passion of your lover, and yet you need personal space to explore your own thing.

SCORPIO Oct 24- Nov 22 You should enjoy a very popular phase in your life where everyone wants to invite you to parties. This will give you a chance to meet people and pursue any romantic liaisons that might present themselves. Your communications are extremely high making it easy to close those lucrative deals.

SAGITTARIUS Nov 23 - Dec 21

Anything or anyone that drains your time and energy should be re-evaluated. It’s time to use that creative imagination of yours to create grandeur in your life.

Don't get too carried away and lose sight of little things that mean a lot to you. There are a lot of opportunities around you.

CAPRICORN Dec 22 - Jan 20 This is a good time to appreciate what you have already created in your life.

Of course, there are still challenging issues on both a personal and practical level. To get here you may have overcome obstacles by making important decision and choices that set the direction of your life.

Aquarius Efforts to restructure and transform your lifestyle are more likely to meet with success. Experience you have built up in the past will now stand you in good stead. If you are thinking of investments, then this is an opportune time to go ahead with your plans. Co-operative ventures are likely to generate financial success

AQUARIUS Jan 21 - Feb 19

PISCES Feb 20 - Mar 20

If you are your own boss, then you can look forward to a fairly good week. You may find the next seven days a little frustrating, because this is a week where you will need personal space. You may be absorbing new ideas about how to create financial independence, others may not understand, so be careful.

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England beat Pak by 84 runs, clinch ODI series 3-1 AsianVoiceNews

Jos Buttler's record-breaking century helpedEngland beat Pakistan by 84 runs and clinch the 4match one-day international series by 3-1.

Captain Eoin Morgan opted to bat first after winning the toss at the Dubai International Stadium in Dubai. England were unchanged and Pakistan brought Ahmed Shehzad and Yasir Shah back in the team.

Jason Roy and Alex Hales gave England a dream start in the series decider as both were off to a flier. They both shared a 54-run stand before Hales departed.

Mohammad Irfan got the important wicket for Pakistan as England lost Hales after a good start.

In-form Joe Root was

AsianVoiceNewsweekly

the new batsman in and he didn't disappoint the visitors on the big day. Root made sure when runs were not coming through boundaries, rotating the strike will ease off the pressure. Roy responded well and soon cracked his 4 ODI 50 and the foundation was laid by the opener to get a big total. Root soon became the first interna-

tional wicket of Pakistan's skipper Azhar Ali. He was dismissed and the longstanding 140 runs partnership was broken.

The opener continued to play his natural strokeplay as he got to his maiden ton. The platform was set for the English team and swashbuckling Buttler was the new batsman on the crease after Root's

departure.

Then started the roller coaster ride where wicketkeeper batsman Buttler took Pakistan for a ride. He put a full stop to his run drought by bringing his first ODI 50 in 9 matches.

After the 50 came the next 50 in this manner 0, 4, 2, 4, 6, 6, 4, 1, 4, 2, 1, 0, 6, 2, 6, 6, 5wd, 0, 0nb, 4, 4, 2, 2.

Yes, it was the best thriller innings of the series which broke many records and successfully managed to put England on the driver's seat. Buttler broke his own record by scoring a 46-ball hundred which also became the fastest in the England's history.

He brought his 6th century in some style and Pakistan were demolished by his storm.

Lanka likely venue for Indo-Pak series Sri Lanka has emerged as the likely venue for the much-awaited Indo-Pak bilateral cricket series and an official announcement may be made on November 27. While BCCI made it clear that they will not play in the United Arab Emirates and the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) refusing to play in India, the only feasible option left was the island nation, which will act as the neutral venue.

With only a month's window available after India finish their Test series against South Africa on December 7, the series

is likely to be confined to three ODIs and two T20 Internationals instead of the original two Tests, five ODIs and two T20 Internationals, according to top BCCI sources.

The proceedings had been fast-tracked once BCCI president and current ICC chairman Shashank Manohar met PCB chairman Shaharyar Khan and senior official Najam Sethi in presence of ECB supremo and chairman of 'Pakistan Task Force' Giles Clarke.

Without divulging any details, both Sethi and Khan had said on Sunday

that the meeting with Manohar was "fruitful" giving an indication that the deadlock on the series was broken. "Since PCB will need the permission of Nawaz Sharif before going official, Shaharyar Khan will need to go back to Islamabad and seek the Prime Minister's permission. Once he gets the green light from the PM, he will again come back to Dubai and intimate his decision to Clarke. Clarke is likely to officially announce the series on November 27," a source said.

It has been learnt that

Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) has been approached by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and they seem to be keen to host the series. The two stadiums earmarked for the series are Khettarama (R Premadasa Stadium) and Pallekele (Kandy). While the receding monsoon has hit the island nation badly, the weather forecast for the last part of December looks good. While some T20 matches are scheduled at the Khettarama, the SLC will reschedule them at the first notice, once the official announcement is made.

SPORTWORLD

Asian Voice | 28th November 2015

31

Jadeja rises to 13th rank in ICC bowling chart

Riding on his superb showing against South Africa, Indian left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja jumped eight rungs to be placed on a career-high 13th spot in the ICC bowling rankings led by Proteas pacer Dale Steyn. In the latest chart following the conclusion of the Bengaluru and Perth Tests, retired Australian pacer Mitchell Johnson signed off with a ninth-placed finish.

But it was Jadeja who saw a significant rise after his eight wickets in the first Test and four scalps in the only innings possible during the rain-truncated second match at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium. The left-handed all-rounder has been in terrific form after bagging 38 wickets in four Ranji games which forced the selectors to bring him back into the international mix of things. Premier off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, who has also bagged 12 wickets in the series so far, maintained his fifth spot in the table to be the only Indian bowler in the top 10. In the batting chart, Murali Vijay is the highest-placed Indian at No.12 with South Africa’s AB de Villiers staying firm at the top of the heap.

Cheteshwar Pujara is 13th while Indian Test skipper Virat Kohli stays at the 17th spot. In the all-rounders list, Bangladesh’s Shakib al Hasan continues to lead with Ashwin at the second spot and Johnson finishes his career at the fifth position.

Chennai may not host India, SL T20 matches

Chennai's MA Chidambaram Stadium may not host any of the India matches when the ICC World Twenty20 is hosted in the country between March 11 and April 3 next year.

The famed Eden Gardens in Kolkata will host the final match of the tournament. There's no official reason been given yet over why Chennai could lose out on an India match but it is very likely that the stadium may be compensated with two World T20 matches not involving India. Apart from India matches, Chennai will also not host any of the matches involving Sri Lanka, given the political scenario in the state and the Tamil-Sinhala conflict. BCCI secretary Anurag Thakur admitted that there were problems with the stadium in Chennai because of which the listing of World T20 venues had to be kept pending. “We have not ruled out Chennai (as a venue).The only issue is which matches can be played in Chennai.

There are certain limitations - can't play Sri Lanka there, three stands are not complete and you can't keep Indian fans away from those stands,” said the BCCI secretary.

Thakur, however, did not go into the specifics of whether Chennai would get to host the Indian team.

Delhi's Aditi named Asian woman footballer of year in England

Delhi's Aditi Chauhan who became the first Indian to feature in FA Women's Premier League in England when she signed for West Ham Ladies was named Asian woman footballer of the year in England. The 23-year-old goalkeeper staved off competition from fellow Indian Tanvie Hans of Fulham FC Ladies, who was unable to play for India since she holds a British passport, Monica Sharma, also from Fulham and London Bari LFC captain Sabah Mahmoud.

An alumnus of Jesus and Mary College and

Amity International School, Aditi last represented India in the Asian Games in Incheon last year.

She is the first woman footballer from India to receive such a recognition.

“What is happening for the past few months has been surreal,” Aditi said.

“This has to be my best birthday ever till now,” she added. The ceremony was held at Wembley Stadium, still fresh from hosting a friendly match between England and France after the Paris attacks. The awards are supported by the English Football

Aditi Chauhan Association (FA) and the Asian Football Project to recognise the achievements of British Asians in English football.

Wales and Swansea

fullback Neil Taylor, who has an English father and Indian mother, won the Asian Footballer of the year Award while Aston Villa's 17-year-old defender Easah Suliman, who is of Pakistani heritage and captained England Under-17s, won the young player award.

Kidderminster Harriers striker Gurjit Singh, 24, is of Indian heritage and won the nonleague player gong.

Aditi was the hot favourite to win this award owing to her not having any connection with the United Kingdom before

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league for women. “I have gone through a lot. It was not easy to pursue a career in football. I am thankful to West Ham for their support,” she added. Aditi dedicated the award to her family who according to her have backed her against all odds.

So what next? “At the moment I don't want to take a step back. True that I am facing troubles with my visa right now, but I am very positive and won't stop playing football which has given me so much.

Probably I'll go to some other country.

coming here two years ago to study sports management at Lough borough University. Playing for the varsity team was how she got noticed by West Ham goalkeeping coach Julian.

“I had great expectations from tonight and was positive that I might just win it.

But when I actually got it, it was like a trance. You cannot dream of such a thing coming from India,” Aditi said. “It feels great now. It's all worth it. Getting this award at Wembley ...it's such a fairytale story for someone coming from a country where there is no

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Asian Voice | 28th November 2015

Indian colts thrash Pakistan, clinch Asia Cup www.asian-voice.com

Young drag-flicker Harmanpreet Singh enhanced his reputation by scoring four goals in the final of the junior Asia Cup, which helped India record an emphatic 6-2 win over Pakistan and clinch the title.

India started the match on a positive note by pressing hard since the opening minute of the first half. They were soon awarded with a penalty corner, which Harmanpreet converted the penalty corner to take his tally to 12 goals in the tournament and give India an early advantage of 1-0.

India were again awarded with back-toback penalty corners in the 13th and 14th minute.

Harmanpreet scored from one of them to take double India’s tally within 15 minutes of the game.

Pakistan regrouped and started to keep the possession. They were rewarded in the 28th minute when they successfully converted a penalty corner taken by Yaqoob Muhammad. However,

their mini-revival was put to rest by Harmanpreet two minutes later, who scored his 14th of the tournament with another powerful drag-flick.

Harmanpreet has been one of the standout performers in the junior team, finding the target consistently from penalty corners. While his finishing abilities ensured India had a two-goal cushion

going into half time, skipper Harjeet Singh was inspiration in his role. He dictated play with his precise passing and movements, creating majority of India’s chances.

His astute passing resulted in India scoring another goal in the second half, with Armaan Qureshi scoring in the 44th minute. Manpreet jr. scored the fifth goal for

India followed by another penalty corner goal by Harmanpreet making the score 6-1. Pakistan scored a consolation goal in the 68th minute through Dilber.

The match ended with India winning the trophy with a score line of 6-2.

Harmanpreet became the highest scorer with his four goals in the match taking his tournament

tally to 15 goals in the tournament.

Indian coach Harendra Singh applauded his side’s calmness on field. “It was an exciting final and the boys displayed immaculate passion and calmness on the field. We ended up as runners up in the 5th Sultan of Johor Cup which made it an even bigger win as we were hungry for the podium position. The support was immense and we felt we were playing in our own backyard. We only have to look forward from here and keep giving such excellent performances,” he said.

Seniors go down to Australia India failed to hold on to their early lead as they went down 1-2 against Australia in the second Test at the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Hockey Stadium at Raipur.

Coming into the game after a 1-1 draw in the first of the three match series, India went into the lead in the 23rd minute through a

Devender Walmiki strike.

But Australia struck backto-back goals in the last quarter through Jacob Whetton (47th) and Aran Zalewski (48th) to claim a well deserved victory. The Indian defenders and midfielders played good hockey to match the visitors’ for most part of the game.

But the strikers were guilty of not carrying off their finishing moves and the hosts also lacked in coming up with the decisive final pass. India though took the lead against the run of play in the second quarter when a counter-attack saw Amir Khan make a run down the left before picking out Walmiki inside the penalty circle. Walmiki made no mistake with a one-touch finish.

But India faced trouble in the fourth and final quarter with Australia scoring twice in two minutes. The frustration of the Indian players came to the fore when Manpreet Singh was shown a yellow card and handed a five minute penalty for a rough tackle.