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Vol 46 | Issue 29

MAKE BETTER CHANCES FOR WOMEN: IVANKA 2nd December to 8th December 2017

Gujarat is my mother, and I am her son: Modi Prime Minister Narendra Modi has launched aggressive campaigning for his party in Gujarat.

The BJP seems to have found newfound strength with the leader's entry in the arena.

Videos are being circulated more often, and radio jingles of the PM's meeting are being played more frequently.

Listeners are urged to “come and watch the son of Gujarat”. In the state on Monday, Modi held public meetings in Bhuj, Jasdan and Dhari in Saurashtra, and Kadodara in Surat.

However sources of the Bharatiya Janta Party said the party is concerned with the scale of the audience in Saurashtra. The CID said there were only about 7000 people in Jasdhan, and 10,000 in Dhari, gathered two watch the charismatic leader speak.

BJP sources said the two regions are dominated by the Patel caste and is the main point of the Patel quota movement.

The low turnout was nothing but a minor inconvenience as Modi garnered over 40,000 people each in his rallies in Bhuj and Kamrej. The leader made steady and stingy remarks at the Congress, accusing it of being anti-poor. “The Congress dislikes me because I come from a poor background. Yes, a person from a poor family has become PM. They do not fail to hide their contempt for this fact.

Continued on page 26

R

Let noble thoughts come to us from every side

Prince Harry to wed in May 2018

Prime Minister Narendra Modi meeting Ivanka Trump in Hyderabad

Adviser to the White House, businesswoman, and eldest daughter of US President Donald Trump, Ivanka Trump kickstarted a global business summit in Hyderabad on Tuesday, making a call for better opportunities for women entrepreneurs. Speaking at the US-backed Global Entrepreneurship Summit (GES), she said, “Women still face steep obstacles to starting, owning, and growing their businesses.

We must ensure women entrepreneurs have access to capital, access to networks and mentors,” she said to loud cheers. The 36

“I want to applaud Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his firm belief that 'the progress of humanity is incomplete without the empowerment of women'.” year old said 70 per cent of women-owned smaller businesses were being denied access to capital in developing countries, resulting in a near $300 billion annual credit

deficit for them.

The brainchild of former US President Barack Obama, the GES has been previously held in the USA and Turkey. This was the first time the three-day event was held in India.

This year's theme of the conference is 'Women First, Prosperity for All'.

Over half the participants at the summit are women.

Countries like Afghanistan, Israel and Saudi Arabia have sent allfemale delegations to represent the countries.

Dressed in a bright green floral dress, Continued on page 26

The amorous couple: Prince Harry and Meghan Markle to wed in spring 2018

Prince Harry has swept the nation along with one beautiful young lady off her feet after he got down on one knee and proposed to the love of his life. The 33year-old prince proposed to Meghan Markle, 36, while they were preparing roast chicken for dinner at Kensington Palace. They plan to marry in May 2018.

It is to be believed that on his wedding day, Prince Harry may possibly be offered the title of Duke of Sussex, making Meghan the Duchess of Sussex.

The engagement ring is extremely special as it comprises of diamonds that belong to Prince Harry's late mother, Diana, Princess of Wales. In their first television interview together, the couple spoke about Diana and how happy she would have been.

Continued on page 16

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Asian Voice | 2nd December 2017

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to ASHISH MEHTA, is regarded as one of the Gulf's leading lawyers. He is qualified to practice law in India in 1992 and the United Kingdom since 2000 and in the United Arab Emirates including before the Courts of Dubai International Financial Centre.

ASHISH, who has been practicing as a legal professional since more than 24 years, is the founder and managing partner of Ashish Mehta Associates, a multi-jurisdictional law practice, providing analysis and counseling on complex legal documents and policies including but not limited to corporate matters, commercial transactions, banking and finance, securitization, property and construction, real estate acquisitions, mergers and acquisitions, financial restructuring for distressed assets, arbitration, mediation and litigation, intellectual property, advising, creating and managing offshore structures for wealth management, family matters, general crime and litigation issues.

1) Which place, or city or country do you most feel at home in?

Home is where the heart is! I was born in New Delhi and moved to Dubai for work in 1989 at an age of 23 years. I now have lived in Dubai for 28 years (longer than I have lived in India, the country of my birth) and therefore feel more at home in Dubai and the UAE. Although I regularly travel to London and India for work as have offices there.

2) What proudest

are your achieve-

ments?

Obtaining a practicing certificate from the Solicitors Regulatory Authority, England and Wales, after completing my law degree, to practice as a solicitor in England and Wales was one of my proudest achievements.

3) What inspires you?

In my professional life successfully resolving the legal issues / challenges faced by clients inspires me the most. Recognition of the good work done by my law firm for our clients and acknowledgment of this good work by

with

Keith Vaz, MP Ashish Mehta

our clients inspires me.

This acts as a big morale booster and enhances the levels of positive energy.

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

One of the biggest obstacles in my career is to judge if a client or a potential client is making full and frank disclosures to me and is not concealing facts which may or may not affect them whether adversely or otherwise.

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

The current Ruler of Dubai and the current Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi are two living legends who greatly influence. I am greatly impressed by their hard work, vision, leadership, and ongoing efforts to spread the message of tolerance in society and help particularly helping improve the lives of the under privileged persons globally with their philanthropic and humanitarian work. They are truly humble.

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

The Crown explores the jealous side of Her Majesty

Queen Elizabeth II is the embodiment of grace and strength, but could you imagine Her Majesty being jealous? The makers of the new series, The Crown will be depicting the allegedly tension between the Queen and Jackie Kennedy, which was concealed behind a smile.

The series will show the Kennedy’s visiting the Royal couple for dinner at Buckingham Palace in 1961. It is alleged that the Duke of Edinburgh informed the Queen that Mrs Kennedy had asked him to give her a private

tour of the palace. The Queen responded firmly stating, “It is my house, so I’ll do it.”

Seeing this side of the Queen on the show is surely a sight not to be missed.

The potential to excel in the practice of law is limitless. There is never a dull moment with the multitude of challenges that are unique to each situation.

As a member of the student’s council in school and as an office bearer of the student’s outfit of a political party in the university, I actively participated in learning about the grievances of my fellow students and resolving their issues.

Subsequently, I developed an interest in assisting others to resolve their grievances and enjoyed public dealings since that time. I chose law as a profession as it synchronises with my persona. After knowledge of the law, the second most important ingredient in the practice of law is interaction with people from different spheres of life. I thoroughly enjoy interacting with people and participating in affairs affecting common people.

The practice of law provides the opportunity to come across and deal with different types of legal issues each day where facts vary from one matter to another matter, interact and liase with people from different cul-

tural, religious, ethnic and educational backgrounds.

Each day is a learning process.

Generally speak-

ing, I enjoy the challenges and ever-changing complexities experienced in the practice of law.

7) And the worst?

At time, it is a thankless job – this is an observation; not a complaint.

8) What are your longterm goals?

Continue to successfully serve the clients of my firm, at the minimum cost to clients and do more pro-bono work for those who can’t afford to engage professional services of qualified lawyers.

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

If I am the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, I will set up a Ministry for Happiness as it has been

successfully set up by the government of the United Arab Emirates. As a Prime Minister, it will also be my responsibility to introduce initiatives and take measures to ensure people are happy. No happiness – No life.

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

Queen Elizabeth – who is still alive. She is a living encyclopaedia full of rich knowledge and experiences on international affairs as she has seen it all during the last several decades. I want her to share with me her journey as a queen, her greatest achievements, what she wanted but could not do as a queen as I would like to write a book on her experience of life.

Two young Brit-Asian men lose life in air collision Police have identified the four men who died in the mid-air collision in Buckinghamshire on Friday 17th November 2017; two of them were young British Asian men.

18-year-old student Saavan Mundae was on a training flight with his instructor, Jaspal Barha, 27, who worked at Booker Aviation flight training firm in High Wycombe died when their Cessna 152 aircraft collided with a helicopter near Baron Ferdinand de Rothschild’s Buckinghamshire estate.

Captain Michael

Oxford Street incident not terror related

Black Friday certainly created havoc for one and all at Oxford Streets as terrified shoppers fled after armed police cleared the streets, due to potential terror attacks, which were later ruled out as they found no evidence.

On 24th November, the Metropolitan Police received many calls of alleged gun shots being heard at Oxford Circus Station, however, there has been no evidence that any weapons were fired. In

AsianVoiceNewsweekly

Transport Police carried out an urgent search of the area. No causalities, evidence of any shots fired or any suspects were located by police." people Sixteen were injured when trying to escape during the chaotic stampede at the station.

The police are in search of two men Police arrived at the scene after receiving several calls regarding "gun shots" at Oxford Circus Station after an altercation “erupted” at the sta"Officers working with the statement, a tion. colleagues from British Metropolitan Police said,

18-year-old student Saavan Mundae (L) whose Cessna 152 collided with helicopter which was piloted by Captain Michael Green (R)

Green, who worked for Helicopter Services Flying School in Aylesbury, had been flying the helicopter, taking passenger Nguyen Thanh Trung, a Vietnamese national and a pilot himself, on a sightseeing tour.

It is said that the crash took place about 15 minutes after the aircraft took off from Wycombe Air Park. After the crash, five fire engines and thirty firefighters had rushed to the scene.

Saavan Mundae was a first-year student at Buckinghamshire New University, studying BSc (Hons) Air Transport with

Commercial Pilot Training and had only been flying for nine weeks.

In a statement from his university which was released upon his death said: “Saavan's tutors describe him as a young man who was respected by his peers and very considerate of others. He was a thoughtful student with a keen interest in his degree.

Saavan made a very positive contribution during his time with us at Buckinghamshire New University. We offer our sincere sympathy to Saavan's family, friends and fellow students at this difficult time.”

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COMMENTS

Evaluating China’s true power The Indian media is apt to walk on Western crutches when evaluating the reality of Chinese power or grasping the essence of Great Power politics. One reason for this failure is the insufficient appreciation of the geographical pivot of history. America’s rise was facilitated by its geography: the Pacific Ocean to the west and the Atlantic to the east constituted formidable moats that no state in Europe or Asia had the capacity to surmount in the nineteenth century and much of twentieth. By this time American naval strength in the Pacific and Atlantic basins had attained a level beyond the reach of any other power save the former Soviet Union. Trade duly followed the flag and with it came American commercial power. It was no surprise that the United States became the dominant force in Europe and in Asia.

Likewise, on the Eurasian continent, Russian power swept eastward until it, too, reached the Pacific.

However, there was no protective barrier in the west, whence came the invasions of Russia from Napoleonic France and Hitler’s Germany. To the south the threat of Ottoman expansion was contained with relative ease.

The Soviet Union may have disappeared but its successor, the Russian Federation, is larger than Canada and the United States combined. No country can match the scale and variety of Russia’s natural resources. Its military might is the principal deterrent to that of the United States. Russia’s military intervention in Syria and its regional diplomacy have brought in Turkey and Iran as partners. Turkey, the second-largest contributor to Nato threatens to leave the organization, such is the fraught relationship between Turkey and the western allies.

This present-day realties and their historical landscape must surely be factored into any analysis of the relations between the United States, Russia and China. Kanwal Sibal, a former Indian ambassador in Moscow, and subsequently Indian foreign secretary, writes knowledgeably, as one would expect, on India’s foreign policy and its ties with the United States, Russia and China. Those dealing with the US are basically sound but narrowly focused: a bilateral relationship cannot be confined to the two partners, but must be taken with their respective ties with numerous other parties. For instance, the US sees Iran as a disturber of regional peace, an exporter of terrorism and a nuclear state in the foreseeable future.

India’s take is the polar opposite: Iran is a trustworthy partner with common interests in Afghanistan. Even

starker is the nadir in US-Russian relations: again, India’s relations with Russia have been close over decades past, and must not change, avers Mr Sibal. In contrast, the Sino-Soviet Alliance of 14 February 1950, designed to last 30 years collapsed within ten.

When it comes to China, one detects some loss of nerve. China’s military and economic power and its adroit diplomacy appear to unnerve Mr Sibal.

President Xi Jinping’s high octane declarations of intent at the recent Communist Party Congress to create an invincible military allied to uncompromising pursuit of the country’s strategic goals was in line with those once expressed by the German Kaiser prior to World War 1, and by Adolf Hitler, before and during World War II. The geographical obstacles to their fulfilment were formidable; allied to the political and military impediments, these became insurmountable.

Mr Sibal, in common with most Indian media pundits, appears to imply that Russia occupies a subordinate position in its ties with China. There is not the slightest evidence that this so. They do. of course, cooperate against US pressures, but these are immeasurably greater on Russia than they are on China – US economic sanction are directed at Moscow, not Beijing. As the latter is the largest holder of American debt, lender and borrower are tied by an umbilical cord. Chinese economic strength may not be quite as formidable as is widely imagined.

The following passage from David Shambaugh [China’s Future] – one of the foremost authorities on contemporary China – is telling: ‘China’s own contemporary leaders have evinced their deep concerns. In 2007 former premier Wen Jiabao bluntly described the nation’s economy as characterized by the four ”uns:” “unstable, unbalanced, uncoordinated and unsustainable.” His successor, Premier Le Keqiang, also offered a fairly dire assessment in 2015: “China’s economic growth model remains inefficient; our capacity for innovation is insufficient; overcapacity is a pronounced problem; and the foundations of agriculture are weak.”

Edward Luttwak [The Rise of China vs. the Logic of Strategy] is dismissive of Chinese diplomacy. Also worth reading is Jeanne Marie Gescher’s , Becoming China: The Story Behind the State.

The mainstream China narrative is frayed from overuse. The less familiar counter-narrative is best consulted while there is still time.

The release of Hafiz Saeed, mastermind of the jihadi terror attack on Mumbai (26/11/2008) which claimed 167 lives was released by the Lahore High Court from house arrest. The Pakistan government had placed him under detention was under a public order act and not for indulging in terrorism. Following ten months under detention, it was the perfect excuse to set him free since he no longer posed a threat to the public. Such subterfuge will not wash anymore. The United States, having placed a reward of $10 million for information leading to his capture, appears to be taking this case seriously, if its statement calling for Saeed’s immediate arrest, is anything to go by. This is clearly not going to happen. What will Washington propose to do in face of such defiance? More warnings followed by talks? That would be a replay of a bad film from the Obama era.

Strong words must be followed with stronger and more purposeful deeds. There must be a suspension of financial and military aid to the Pakistan government and military. Speaking with two voices on terrorism have had its day. If Pakistan pleads shortage of funds for development let China pick up the bill, since Beijing has defended its ‘all-weather’ friend against aiding and abetting terrorism across the border in

Afghanistan and India. Hallucinating in his jihadi fool’s paradise, Hafiz Saeed has spoken of his intention to help his brethren wrest Kashmir from Indian control. Playing with fire is a dangerous pastime. Using Kashmiri jihadis as pawns is heartless and pointless.

The losses of jihadi lives in encounters with Indian security grows by the hour and day. Those who wantonly take up the sword shall perish by the sword.

The people of India have empowered their elected government to take all measures necessary to crush the jihadi insurgency in Kashmir.

And if Saeed imagines that Islamabad will call on China to help, he must think again, and think hard.

There is a new spirit abroad in India. No Indian will quail at the mention of China. The latest Indian interservices drill in the Nicobar and Andaman Islands is a signal that India is up for any challenge posed on land, air or sea. China, is wise enough and will keep away from a military entanglement in which has little relevance for Chinese security. Saeed and his ilk do not live in the real world and hence have scarcely any coher ent conception of of its ways. Hopefully they won’t have to learn the hardest way.

Pakistan displays jihadi face

Absurdities of Indian cricket

Does the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) have any consideration for the wear and tear of constant international cricket? Apparently not. That such punishing demands on the mind and body will tire out the players is seemingly beyond their comprehension. Workers in factories, farmers in the fields and professional classes in their offices need holidays for rest and recuperation. Cricketers are no exception to the general rule. They are sportsmen, and not cash machines for the board and its top dogs. Its ways have for long been a public concern. Eventually,

the Supreme Court of India had to take a hand in the interests of natural justice and probity. However, it takes time to clean up the Augean Stables. The ancient regime is putting up a stiff fight to retain sufficient control of its bailiwick for reasons too self-evident to mention. Things have to come to such a pass the India’s cricket captain and megastar, Virat Kohli spoke publicly on television and condemned the punishing routine inflicted on him and his colleagues with so much non-stop cricket, with burn-out a likely possibility.

Asian Voice | 2nd December 2017

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The will to win, the desire to succeed, the urge to reach your full potential... these are the keys that will unlock the door to personal excellence.

- Confucius

Alpesh Patel

How Brexit Has Wrecked the British Economy It’s awful. I’ve been looking at my Pension plan and the broader market. The devastation is killing me.

Over the past 6 months some companies are only up 50% - like KAZ, Ferrexpo, Evraz.

Of course, with performance like that the London Stock Exchange will move to Berlin.

I am being selective. The FTSE 100 is up a 16% since Brexit (I don’t mean the low point on 24th June, I mean from 23rd June). Pah. Pathetic. Those blasted British companies are finding it easier to export because the Pound collapsed, swooned, dove, plummeted. We shouldn’t count such gains obviously to the national economy.

Anyway, who owns these companies? Rich hedge funds in the Cayman Islands I bet. Actually, they are listed on the London Stock Exchange and your pension fund invests into them, even if you have a small pension fund because the evil government wants to keep you poor and is hugely incompetent/corrupt/classist/racist (please delete based on your childhood issues).

Can’t understand what those pharmaceutical companies were thinking creating jobs in the UK. Surely some mistake. Probably got lost on the way to Paris and ended up at Kings Cross.

And what is Google thinking with their massive HQ in London? Well that’s that company down the loo then.

No investment coming into the UK, honest.

None. Except all of these and many more that I keep mentioning. What’s wrong with these people?

Well they are all coming into London aren’t they? Ummm…yeah, am sure this website from Leeds gets no hits at all: http://www.investleedscityregion.com/ Am sure when Sky expanded in Leeds, or Perform or Google – they got lost on the way to Amsterdam.

What now? Panic. Even Americans are flooding Britain, getting married to Brits, emigrating here – worse still they are ethnic minorities. For god’s sake I thought Brexit was meant to stop all these foreigners coming here.

I know, lots of miserable news. Am sure you have a list of it yourself. All the job losses, the homelessness, the food banks, NHS about to collapse (oh, they did an amazing job on my dad’s kidney transplant last week).

Yes, in all seriousness, there is a lot to worry about. Debt for one. Standard of living. And to be honest, screw pension funds, when there are children living in poverty.

Let’s start with that. I’ve never looked at Government to have the answers – I’ve met them, that helps. I’ve looked at my fellow citizen. I tend to be a donor than a doer as a social worker or some like. I was gifted with a body and personality suited to a desk job in a quiet office. So I prefer donating.

But those amazing souls running the organisation, which I wish did not exist, like Shelter, well they are the ones who run Britain. And they ain’t stopping because of Brexit. God bless them. Support them.

Editor: CB Patel

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Direct Air India flights to Amritsar Court to sentence thug who threw from Birmingham launching soon acid on aspiring model People living in Birmingham who plan to travel to Amritsar can finally rejoice as Birmingham Airport and Air India have announced the launch of direct flights to Amritsar from Birmingham.

Preet Kaur Gill, MP Birmingham Edgbaston, and the Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group for British Sikhs stated, “The establishment of direct flights between Birmingham and Amritsar, which both the late Lord King of West Bromwich, and myself lobbied in favour for many years, is fantastic news.”

She continued: “These flights will not only make it easier for Punjabi’s in the area to travel to Amritsar, but also provides a great opportunity for local and regional busi-

Aspiring model and student at Manchester Met University, Resham Khan was out celebrating her 21st birthday with her cousin, Jameel Muhktar, 37, when John Tomlin, 25, had hurled corrosive fluid at them while they sat in their car at a red light in East London, on 21st June at around 9am.

L to R: Pankaj Srivastav, Air India Commercial Director; Preet Kaur Gill MP; Vivashtav, Head of Air India UK

nesses to both deepen existing ties and create new ones.”

The launch will be taking place in the new year and will make Birmingham airport the only UK airport to operate non-stop services on this route.

Air India director Pankaj Srivastava said the new service recognised

consumer demand from the Midlands to Amritsar.

"Air India is always very sensitive to the needs of the consumer and is pleased to be connecting the two cities thereby adding a new city pairing for Air India’s expanding global network with the only non-stop UK Amritsar service.”

Trainee dentist accused of planning terror attack

A 24-year-old dental student from Huddersfield, whose brother was allegedly a suicide bomber, is accused of planning a terror attack in the UK. Sheffield University student, Mohammed Awan was arrested after he bought 500 ball bearings online.

Sheffield Crown Court heard that the police had allegedly found “significant volume” of extremist material, including jihadist manuals on how to be a “sleeper cell”. The police had raided his address on 1st June 2017 after he bought 500 ball bearings on 29th May 2017. It is said that the police also found 11 mobile phone, 16 memory sticks and nearly 60 SIM

Mohammed Awan was trainee dentist at Sheffield University

cards that contained terrorism related information. One memory stick is suggested to have a document titled “How to Survive in the West”, as well as other files linked to his university assignments. However, Awan has claimed that the memory stick belonged to his deceased brother and that he kept it for emotional reasons.

Prosecutor Simon Davis told Awan in court, “You put all that together, it is the acceleration what was going on, we say, purely from the mind set to the practical.”

Awan denies three terror-related charges and one count of engaging in conduct in preparation of terrorist acts or assisting others to commit such acts.

Avatar helps schizophrenia A trial conducted on 150 participants revealed that people with schizophrenia who talk about their hallucinations to an avatar are more likely to improve quicker compared to those who are offered ordinary counselling.

Patients were given

in January, and could be given the maximum sentence of life imprisonment.

Judge Canavan has ordered a report on further details of the injuries Resham Khan and Jameel Muhktar had suffered.

She said, “I also need to know the prognosis of the injuries suffered at the

their usual treatment alongside the experimental treatment for six weeks and results suggested that a there was a reduction in the number of hallucinations patients experienced 12 weeks later.

The trial, on 150 people, is published in The

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Lancet Psychiatry journal. It follows a much smaller pilot study in 2013.

Resham Khan before and after the horrific attack on 21st June

Tomlin, who had previously admitted to causing grievous bodily harm has now admitted the charge of causing grievous bodily harm with intent.

Tomlin, who has previous convictions of violence, changed his plea before the jury were sworn at Snaresbrook Crown Court.

He is due to be sentenced

time. This is no way disrespectful to the victims; they well understand what their injuries are but they might not be able to assist me with what the prognosis is.”

Khan suffered severe life changing facial scarring. She had a skin graft and her eyesight is permanently damaged. Muhktar

John Tomlin to be sentenced for horrific acid attack

was burnt severely and had to be put in an induced coma. His right eye is damaged, and was left deaf in one ear, while also having extensive burns on his upper body, face, neck, back and arms.

In a blog, Khan expressed how this attack has left her “too petrified to walk to my local shop”.

This incident has caused a lot of damage to Muhktar, not only physically but to his selfesteem as well. He stated, “I'm embarrassed to even talk to people. I don't go outside anymore. I can't even look at myself in the mirror.”

Tomlin is being kept in remand and will be sentenced on 26th January 2018.

Tragedy as 18-year-old Manchester Arena bomb survivor dies suddenly A university student who had been at the Ariana Grande concert on the night of the Manchester Arena terror attack has died after complications with diabetes. Young music fan Zara Ahmed, 18, escaped unhurt from the May 22 attack on the indoor stadium but was left deeply affected by the tragedy.

Following the tragedy, her family say the university student was determined to live life to the full and show the world the positive aspects of her Muslim faith. But she died tragically young after passing away at her halls of residence at Liverpool’s John Moores University, where she was studying forensic science.

Her family say the

devoted Ariana Grande fan, from Kinmel Bay in Wales, “held onto her faith and never hid it from others.”

The Daily Post reported their tribute, which said: “She was always smiling and nothing made her happier than sitting back and singing along with her favourite singer, Ariana Grande. In May 2017 Zara was attending the Ariana Grande concert at Manchester Arena when it was attacked by a suicide bomber. The family said having an ongoing medical condition never prevented Zara from “embracing life and everything that went with it.”

Zara, secured a place at Liverpool John Moores University studying sciences with a view to realis-

Zara Ahmed

ing her ambition of becoming a forensic scientist. A Liverpool John Moores University spokesman said: “Zara was only at the university for a short time, but had already made a positive impression with her enthusiasm and excitement for her studies. All of her programme team and fellow students are deeply saddened by this tragic loss and our thoughts are with Zara’s family.”

Car worker who drove up to 70mph during police chase jailed A Jaguar Land Rover worker who drove up to 70mph and went through five red lights during a police chase has been jailed.

Kashif Khan also swerved to stop a police car overtaking him and forced a pedestrian to run out of the way as he was pursued for 15 minutes through residential streets in Birmingham.

On October 8 this year, at around 9.30pm, police sent to the Ward End area on an unrelated matter, saw Khan at the wheel of a Peugeot in Coleshill Road.

They attempted to force the uninsured driver to stop by blocking him in but he got round them and then sped away going round a roundabout on the wrong side of the road. He accelerated to up to 60mph on a road with a 30mph limit, slowed down at a junction but still went through a red light.

Khan then increased his speed to 50mph on Bradford Road driving on the wrong side of keep left bollards.

He then went on the wrong side of the road

again causing cars coming in the opposite direction to slow or stop to avoid a collision, said Sally Cairns, prosecuting at Birmingham Crown Court.

She said he then dropped his speed to between 50 and 60mph as he went over speed calming bumps.

Khan then went on the wrong side of keep left bollards again and through a series of lights showing red.

At one point the pursuing police car tried to get in front of the Peugeot but

Kashif Khan

the defendant “swerved in the driver’s path” to stop him.

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Asian Voice |

2nd December 2017

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Asian Voice | 2nd December 2017

Zaki Cooper is on the Advisory Council of the Indian Jewish Association.

Narendra Modi's historical visit to Israel When Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Israel July, it was a truly historic visit. It was the first time an Indian Prime Minister had visited the Jewish state.

On his three day tour of the country, he was accompanied by Israel’s PM Benjamin Netanyahu throughout. It included a visit to the country’s Holocaust Museum Yad Vashem, a rally for the country’s Indian Jews Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi pictured with Israeli and a relaxed stroll along Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during his three day the beach by both PMs. tour of Israel Modi was impressed world, but are forced to defend themby the welcome, saying: “Israel is a real selves against aggression. Israel has friend. I have really felt that feeling of made peace deals with Egypt and kinship. I feel absolutely at home here.”

Jordan, but a peace deal with the The visit officially marked the 25th Palestinians remains elusive (despite a anniversary of full diplomatic relations, number of overtures, including withbut also symbolised in a very public way drawal from the Gaza strip in 2005). the intense friendship and cooperation The relationship between India and between India and Israel.

Israel has taken a while to warm up.

In the last article of my series, I’d While India officially recognised the like to talk about two great nations, State of Israel in 1950, in this period, India and Israel, and the relationship Indian governments tended to prioritise between them. On the surface, they good relations with Arab states. A big seem very different. India with its popustep-changed occurred in 1992 when the lation of over a billion is a demographic two countries established full diplomatgiant, compared with Israel’s 8.5 milic relations. lion. Geographically India has over 150 Since then, the relationship has times the land mass of Israel. blossomed, particularly in the spheres of But there are remarkable similaritechnology and defence cooperation. ties. As Netanyahu said on welcoming Israel is thought to be the secondModi: "We love India. We admire your largest defence supplier to India after culture, we admire your history, your Russia. Such is the technological knowdemocracy, your commitment to how of the two peoples that it's said that progress. We view you as kindred spirits Hindi and Hebrew are the two most in our common quest to provide a better common languages in Silicon Valley. future for our peoples and for our The cooperation between the two world." governments is matched by the mood on Both India and Israel had to fight for the street. An international poll carried their independence and freedom against out in 2009 showed 58% of Indians the same British colonial power. Their expressed sympathy with Israel, more independence days are less than a year than the equivalent figure for Americans apart (in the case of India, 15 August (56%), seen as Israel's primary ally.

1947 and Israel, 14 May 1948). They The 100,000 Israelis of India descent went through a difficult process of partiare a human bridge between the countion with refugees and displacement of tries, whilst many Israelis end up spendpopulation. ing a "gap year" in India after their miliSeventy years on, each country has tary service. achieved a massive amount. They are The political, economic and people vibrant, strong democracies that chamconnections are strong, and the Indiapion rule of law. India is the world’s Israel relationship looks set to continue largest democracy and Israel is the to develop and grow. As a British Jew, I biggest democracy in the Middle East. have a special connection with Israel, They have open economies ready to be the only Jewish state. But as someone on the global marketplace that embrace also with Indian Jewish heritage, I also free trade and welcome talent. They are feel a particular kinship and affection particularly strong in science and techfor India, the homeland of my mother's nology. family.

For one, Israel has been called the It's been a privilege to write this "start-up" nation. Israel has the most fortnightly column for the last three non-U.S. companies listed on Nasdaq months. It's been a reflection of the after Canada and China. Over 250 multigoodwill I feel towards the vibrant, nationals have research and developremarkable Indian community in ment centres in Israel, 80 of them Britain. Britain would be a lesser place Fortune 500 companies. without your many contributions. I Israel's high levels of innovation believe that Jews and Indians have much have led to technological and medical in common, and hope that the friendbreakthroughs. Its pharmaceutical secship between our two communities goes tor is particularly strong so that one in from strength to strength. seven prescriptions on the NHS come In fact, we have a charity dedicated from Israeli medicines. to promoting and growing this friendBoth India and Israel are also united ship, the Indian Jewish Association. in having to deal with the scourge of terLong may it play a role in cementing the rorism. They seek peace with their friendship between our two peoples. neighbours and a more harmonious

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Mistranslation makes Bolly fans chuckle Getting lost in translation and leaving your “nonsense” behind can certainly be bewildering. A notice in Hindi on a sign post in Dorset have left many Bollywood fans chuckling at the failed translation attempt.

A sign on Durdle Door, Dorset asks people not to leave their rubbish behind in languages including Polish and Spanish.

However, there has been a mistranslation of the word 'rubbish' in the Hindi message. The Hindi translation reads: “Samundar tat par bakwaas mat chodo”. It seems like this “nonsense” is due to an online translation mode.

Puneet Sharma had taken a photograph of the sign. He stated, "During a visit to the beach I saw this board and noticed the Hindi script - it was quite hilarious."

Durdle Door has become extremely popular with Bollywood fans as a place to visit in the UK after the film Housefull 3 was shot there. The famous limestone arch, owned by the Lulworth Estate in Dorset have apol-

The famous limestone arch in Dorset appears in Housefull 3

The funny Hindi sign asking people not to litter their "nonsense"

ogised for this error in translation. Spokeswoman Caroline Sharpe expressed, “It is embarrassing but you have to see the funny side. I can only apologise if anyone has taken offence. The signs are currently being corrected.”

She goes on to add, “It was an honest mistake and hopefully it can shine a

light on the issues we experience all-seasonlong litter. If you saw how much is actually dropped you would be amazed. It's shocking.”

Looks like in order to keep the environment clean, one must ensure not to leave rubbish behind, as well as remember to take their nonsense along with them.

of violent sexual crimes.

Rather they show to what extent such crimes are reported to and recorded by police. Therefore the

variation between countries is influenced by general awareness and attitudes to sexual violence offences.”

Figures show rapes in England and Wales highest in EU

According to official figures, the number of rapes recorded by police in England and Wales is the highest in the European Union. It is said that the results showed three times more rapes were recorded compared to France who had the second highest number.

The figures from Eurostat, the official statistics organisation of the European Union revealed that there were 35,798 rapes in England and Wale in 2015, whereas there were 12,956 in France, 7,022 in Germany, and 5,544 in Sweden.

A spokesperson from Eurostat said, “It should be borne in mind that the figures do not necessarily reflect the actual number

Straight-A student attempts becoming suicide bomber The Old Bailey heard that a former student from Challney High School for boys, touted as being a straight-A student had allegedly planned a suicide attack in the UK, after he became obsessed with “martyrdom” from online Isil propaganda.

Mubashir Jamil, 22, from Luton had allegedly told an undercover police officer who posed as an Islamic State of Iraq and

the Level (Isil) recruiter, that he would wear the suicide vest and “press the button on the same day”, but would prefer joining the jihadi group in Syria.

Jamil denied preparing acts of terror, however, he has been sentenced to six-years imprisonment.

Judge Peter Rook QC revealed that he had considered whether to send

Jamil to prison or to give him a hospital order as her suffers from a schizoaffective disorder. Jamil was handed a “hybrid order” by the judge which will allow him to be treated in a secure hospital until he is well enough to go to prison.

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25 years of TiE Fostering 2017 marks 25 years of TiE fostering entrepreneurship and championing education and collaboration across the globe. 300 people will be at the Jumeirah Carlton Tower in Knightsbridge on the 6th December to celebrate the 25th Anniversary and the end of an exciting year for TiE London.

Over the past 3 years, President Dinesh Dhamija has grown the London Chapter of TiE into a flourishing, exciting Membership offering for London Entrepreneurs.

TiE London has hosted prestigious events, investment competitions and offered extraordinary network-

Dinesh Dhamija

ing opportunities for it’s members throughout Dinesh’s presidency.

Over the past year alone TiE London’s Charter Members have had speakers that include; Manish Madhvani,

Co-Founder and Managing partner of Unicorn Hunters, GP BullhoundNikhil Rathi, CEO of The London Stock ExchangeKathryn Jacob, CEO of Pearl & Dean and previously The Daily Telegraph and Virgin Radio.

Due to a continued commitment to highquality events, new initiatives and an active Board, Membership has more than doubled over

Nina Amin

Dinesh’s Presidency and we have welcomed two large corporate sponsors on board, BDO and Investec Bank.

However, It is now time for a new President, Nina Amin, to take the helm.

Having served on the TiE London Board for the last two years, Nina will take up the Presidency in January 2018. She brings with her exciting new endeavours, some of which are already afoot including a new membership for London’s next generation of entrepreneur, TYE (TiE Young Entrepreneurs), an upped events schedule and a continued focus on both mentoring and Women’s events. Nina is passionate about supporting and building the network for the women and next generation of entrepreneurs.

Over the next two years, Nina hopes to build on what Dinesh

has achieved, upping the membership further and continuing to create a rich and diverse learning and networking experience for TiE London’s Charter members.

TiE London Charter Membership is ideal for anyone looking for a tight-knit, high-end environment in which to network, learn and build fruitful business relationships.

7

Asian Voice | 2nd December 2017

UK launches 16 days of activism to end gender based violence 16 days of activism to end gender based violence have been launched by the UK’s Department for I n t e r n a t i o n a l Development (DFID) funded AAWAZ programme.

During this campaign, collective voices will be raised from union council level to district level for strengthening local, national, regional and international networks to empower women in Pakistan. The launch event also showed solidarity with the worldwide movement to end violence against women by highlighting innovative strategies.

The 16 Days Campaign is an international campaign that started in 1991 originating from the first Women’s Global Leadership Institute. The dates between November 25 (International Day on Violence against Women [VAW])and December 10 (International Human Rights Day) were decided to symbolically link violence against women and human rights and to emphasise that such violence is a violation of

human rights of women.

This year this campaign continues the theme of “Leave No One Behind; End Violence against Women and girls”.

On 24th November, women from 45 districts of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa gathered in Islamabad to share their inspirational stories of change. These women were made-up of social workers working to reduce gender-based violence, or those who have faced gender-based violence.

Momentum generated during these 16 days will be gathered and a national joint convention of women assembly will be organised at the end of this cam-

paign. The convention will present the pledges and commitments gathered during the campaign and present its vision to engage with other likeminded groups and seek institutional commitment to end violence against women.

Commenting on the launch event, Head of DFID Pakistan, Joanna Reid said that: “Violence against women and girls must stop. How can it ever be justified? Not only is stopping it an essential human right – it will reduce poverty. Girls who experience violence are less likely to complete their education, they are at greater risk of dying in

childbirth and their ability to earn a living is put at risk. I’m so glad that we’ve launched these 16 days of activism to talk about all these issues. It’s the first step towards change.”

Mr. Naeem Mirza of Aurat Foundations said that: “International day of ending violence against women is announced by the UN to commemorate Marable or butterfly Sisters’ struggle for women’s rights against a dictator and 16 days of activism campaign is also started from this day.

There is dire need to timely pursue and ensure implementation of pro women laws by state departments.”

Royal Enfield riding its way back to the UK

The sleek and suave Royal Enfield motorcycle, first produced in the United Kingdom in 1901, had been riding slow only a decade ago until Siddhartha Lal applied his magic touch which helped the company to speedily roar uphill.

Siddhartha Lal was born in Delhi in 1973 and graduated in economics from St Stephen's College, Delhi. In 1997, he obtained a postgraduate engineering diploma from Cranfield University, and a Masters degree in automotive engineering at the University of Leeds.

Prior to Lal's term as the Royal Enfield Boss, there had been a slow growth in sale. In 2007, Royal Enfield sold 32,000 units, however, after Lal took over, the company's luck, as well as the share price of its parent compa-

All set for global domination: Siddhartha Lal

ny Eicher Motors flourish.

It has now been touted that Royal Enfield are expected to sell 800,000 motorcycles in India. Now the company plans to return to its roots in the UK by opening a new R&D facility in Leicestershire, while they enthusiastically plan to expand internationally as well.

Lal recalls the early struggles of attempting to revive the brand. “It was still a very fragile brand in 2007. Selling every motorcycle was a struggle.

Convincing dealers to spend time and energy, going to suppliers; they'd treat us like... well, not so well. Let's put it that way.”

Eicher Motors Group

was founded by Siddhartha Lal's father Vikram Lal, and he took over as the Chief Operating Officer (COO) in 2004. He had joined Eicher Group in 1999 and became CEO of Royal Enfield in 2000. Out of the company's 15 brands, they sold off 13 and kept the Royal Enfield and truck manufacturer Eicher as he believed that these two could go on to prosper. Lal said, “Our ambition was to sell 100,000 units [per year].

Then the virtuous cycle starts; dealers start making a bit more money, suppliers start paying more attention. That 100,000 units didn't come until 2012. But this year, we'll sell than 800,000. That was absolutely inconceivable. I thought we'd be a stable company, but not as big a sensation as we are in India now.”

Islamophobia award “genuinely dangerous” According to Trevor Phillips, the former equalities chief, the annual Islamaphobia awards are “genuinely dangerous”. He has been nominated for a controversial and satiric award from the Islamic Human Rights Commission (IHRC).

Phillips expressed

that the “Islamophobe” tag “painted a target on the back of people on the list”. He said, “Defining myself or anybody else as an Islamophobe is offering a licence to do us harm. They will say that it is just verbal and political. They

know that in this world right now this is not the way some people see it. It really isn't a joke. It is genuinely dangerous. These campaigns are all part of an attempt to intimidate public figures from saying anything at all about integration into our society.”

Trevor Phillips

8

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Asian Voice | 2nd December 2017

CB Patel

Reservation for Patels? Not in My Name

The upcoming Gujarat state elections have once again woken up demons of casteism, and political opportunism. Over the years, reservation in higher education and government jobs have proven to be completely false, misguided and ironically discriminatory. Like all Patels, I am audaciously proud of my history and heritage.

The present debate is full of emotions and for the sake of clarity, requires a historical perspective of who Patels are, how they migrated to various parts of India, what challenges they faced and how they have reached present status in all walks of life.

Origin of the Patel community Patels of Gujarat, normally termed Patidars emigrated originally from Punjab in about 1180 AD. There are extensively documented records tracing their origin and migration to other parts of India, especially Gujarat.

'Kurmi' were originally mentioned in the Rigveda and Atharvaveda. In the agricultural society of the bygone times, the leader of a family or 'kutumb' was called Kutumbin, who then became 'kumbi', then 'kunbi' and by the 17th century, 'kanbi'.

The migration of Patels saw them leave Punjab and travel to various areas across India like, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Nepal in one direction, southward towards Rajasthan, Gujarat, then some parts of Madhya Pradesh into Maharashtra and Karnataka as well. By 15th century, their expertise in agriculture and agro-related businesses gave the Patels a distinct identity and fame.

Patels of Gujarat The earliest large settlement of Patidars in Gujarat has been recorded at Adalaj near Gandhinagar, prior to the establishment of Ahmedabad by Sultan Ahmed Shah in 1411 AD. During the reign of Rajputs or Sultans, or the Mughal period, Patels became to be well-known for being successful in farming, resulting in various other kings approaching and inviting them to settle in their kingdoms to develop their economies.

First Step Towards Ascension A turning point came in 1703 AD. At that time, Patels were predominantly farming lands as lease holders. They had no rights to own land and claim any of their own.

Sultans and the Mughal period had a system of revenue collection where a monopoly was granted in each geographical areas; could be a district or taluka.

'Ijardars' were appointed to collect revenue and then send it to the rulers.

Todarmal, the finance minister of Mughal Emperor Akbar, made major changes in this revenue collection which yielded positive results.

Patels, especially in central Gujarat soon became more prosperous and influential. Bahadur Shah, son of Aurangzeb, was Subah (Governor) of Gujarat. At the end of the 16th century, one Vasandas Patel was able to establish direct link with Bahadur Shah. A man with no formal education, he was very good at playing chess and had a knack for identifying and valuing diamonds and other precious stones.

In 1703 AD, Vasandas by this time called Vir Vasandas, organised a special gathering of thousands of Patels in a village called Pipalav (Kheda district) in the presence of Bahadur Shah who decreed that 'kanbis' will henceforth be called 'Patidars' (Pati- Land, Dar- Owner). There on, they were entitled to own land. This elevation and right enabled them to achieve rapid progress.

Fall Seven Times, Stand up Eight Along with agriculture, people of the community became money lenders and were carting contractors, employing oxen

carts. They also engaged in several other businesses in rural areas including producing indigo and other products.

Overseas migration of Patels In the second half of the 19th century and the first half of the 20th century, during British time, Patidars began large-scale migration to countries outside India, especially to Fiji, South Africa, East Africa, Aden, Southeast Asia, etc. By this time, Patels had settled in various parts of India and Burma (present-day Myanmar) already.

With the advent of independence, the Bombay State government introduced two Acts which were originally recommended

by Mahatma Gandhi in the independence movement. One was called Tillers Act and the second, Money Lenders Act. Yesteryear's landless labourers (mainly Patels) had become landlords and very often, land was cultivated by other landless farmers who paid certain amount of produce as rent. The Tillers Act was aimed to make the system more fair and equitable. But it created massive problems for the Patel community. In rural Gujarat, a large number of Patel landlords lost their lands to tiller farmers.

Equally in some of the areas of Gujarat, in the rural areas, Patels and other moneylenders were forced to forfeit the amount especially if it was adjudged as excessive interest on the original amount of loan.

This was a challenging period for Patels who had worked hard for generations to reach a point of success at that time. They however accepted the legislation which was well-intended and focused their minds on diversifying into various other economic activities. Education, professions, industry, commerce, became the main attractions. Patels traditionally are known for focus and hard-work, and their perseverance enabled them to acquire greater success in larger number of economic fields.

Reservation and Quota Mahatma Gandhi, during freedom struggle had noticed that Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribes, suffered untold discrimination and had to face unfair practices due to the casteism and particularly the practice of untouchability. It needs to be known that such age-old customs were never religious, and were in fact, only bad traditions. Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar played a leading role in drafting Indian constitution. Sardar Patel, Pandit Nehru and others, were keen to promote the policy of positive discrimination to help persons of deprived communities and reach a better level of social and economic development.

If one looks at the debates in the Constitutional Assembly, Babasaheb Ambedkar who was well-versed in economics and law, was not in favour of such “social” engineering. Eventually, with a compromise, a policy of reservation in higher education and government jobs was introduced for ten years, beginning from January 1, on the first Republic Day. But the facts are two-fold. Very few members of the communities which were to gain advantage, were able to avail benefits of the policy, for several reasons.

Even those who were able to reach higher level of jobs in the civil service were always looked down upon by general population, assuming that they were not properly qualified and only got the job because of the policy of reservation.

I myself know of one capable and senior civil servant in Gujarat, an IAS cadre officer who changed his name to Patel. Curious, I asked him why and he replied, 'First of all, I was selected not because of my caste qualification, but

because of my educational achievement.

Even so, many assumed that I must have benefited primarily from the quota system.' I can see his point. Not only does the system deprive the children of Patels, Brahmins, Lohanas, Baniyas- so called “high castes”, but even those who were supposed to be helped, have not genuinely enjoyed benefits of the policy.

There is another informative article in this issue from Mr Hasmukh Vasava and I wish to avoid duplicating several points.

Even without reservation or the quota system, Patels have succeeded to maintain their momentum on progress; both in India and abroad. Overseas Patels have touched greater heights in various sectors like hospitality, medicine, accountancy, industry, trading, and others. It is remarkable that a community that is relatively so small, has managed to prosper many times over its size.

Let us be very clear. How many Patels would be willing to be classed as members of OBC? It is illogical and unnecessary.

What is the Congress playing at?

Hardik Patel is not totally wrong to highlight the growing resentment of young generation Patels who have to join a queue for medicine, engineering, or any other specialist courses, and/or government jobs face discrimination. But as Mr Vasava points out, he is misguided.

Congress party lead by Rahul Gandhi, is fishing for any support in Gujarat without remembering the history or the validity of their pronouncements. Patidars are involved in almost all political parties and are present in various sects or sampradays of Hinduism. I do not believe that they will ever became a vote bank like other groups who have the misfortune of having been exploited by the Congress over the decades.

One more important point is about the KHAM policy. KHAM- short for Kshatriya, Harijan, Adivasi, and Muslim was a selfish campaign propounded by Madhavsinh Solanki, the Congress chief minister in the 1980s, to create a vote bank for the party which was outright casteist and divisive. It failed miserably and due to the riots in 1985, Madhavsinh was forced to resign by Rajiv Gandhi. Now, Rahul Gandhi and his party is yet again bent upon making another casteist alliance with the Patidars, Thakores, Dalits, along with Muslims and Adivasis. How does he expect to convince the voters of Gujarat, especially Patels and other people of high castes?

Congress has not yet made concrete proposals of revised quota for all his alliances, in the future administration.

Who is trying to hoodwink whom? Let's remember one more fact. Congress, especially after the departure of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, has become notorious for stabbing allies in the back in the pursuit of power. In Gujarat itself, it has happened several times.

Another example of just how unprepared Rahul Gandhi and his groupies is that 50 per cent is the maximum quota possible since the 1992 decision of the Supreme Court. With them catering to three diverse groups, each with its eye on the fruit, how does the Gandhi prodigy expect to divide the seats? Also, the tragedy of their chosen communities, the Thakores, Patels, and Dalits are not known to get along well and have contradictory claims within the reservation policy. I don't see the Congress getting any sort of advantage trying to appease to all three groups at the same time. Patels are wellaware of the past misdeeds of opportunistic and divisive policies and are a clever lot. They are least likely to entertain RaGa's games.

AsianVoiceNewsweekly

Priti Patel criticises UK Brexit strategy Priti Patel laments Brexit divorce bill

The former Cabinet minster who resigned from her post as International Development Secretary in November, Priti Patel has expressed her displeasure over the Government's Brexit Strategy.

She believes that the Government has been “ill-equipped” for the Brexit negotiations.

Priti Patel said, “The Government has been ill-equipped in terms of preparations for the negotiations. It's not an ideal state at all.

Patel spoke about her opinions on the EU's financial expectations from the UK at an event in London hosted by The Spectator magazine. She expressed, “My views on money are pretty clear, I don't like spending money so I would have told the EU in particular to sod off with their excessive financial demands. One of the failings is we have not set out that vision, what is that vision of Britain going to look like post-Brexit? What are the economic opportunities for the City of London and for many other businesses and sectors in terms of leading out in the world and potentially trading with countries we have simply not been engaged with for not just years but for decades.”

Young Muslim Writers Award confirms Peshawar massacre survivor as keynote speaker A young school boy who was shot four times by the Taliban whilst helping his fellow classmates in the 2014 Peshawar school massacre, has been confirmed as a keynote speaker at the Young Muslim Writers Awards, a Muslim Hands event held in association with the Yusuf Islam Foundation, on Saturday 9th December.

Muhammad Ibrahim, a campaigner for education in developing countries, will deliver a speech and will also receive a Special Recognition Award on behalf of the survivors and those who were killed, to commemorate the 2014 Peshawar school massacre.

144 people, mostly children, were shot dead when gunmen open fired at Peshawar’s Army Public School.

Muhammad Ibrahim was one of the survivors who was shot four times and was paralysed from the waist down when he was trying to help his friend. He was told by the doctors in Pakistan that he would not be able to walk again as there was no treatment for him. After campaigning and appealing for help on Pakistani TV, Ibrahim’s family gained the support of cricketer turned politician Imran Khan.

With the support of property developer Malik Riaz Hussain, the family were able to raise funds to bring Muhammad Ibrahim to the UK for treatment at The Harley Street Clinic in London. Since his treatment, he is able to walk again and has settled in London where he also attends school. Chairman of Muslim Hands, Syed Lakhte Hassanain said, “We are honoured to be able to present the Muslim Hands’ Special Recognition Award to Muhammad Ibrahim Khan. This young man is committed to making a change around the world by encouraging everyone to strive to get a good education as it is a right for all. With this award we remember the victims and all survivors of this attack on children who were simply exercising their right to receive an education.”

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9

Asian Voice | 2nd December 2017

Rani Singh, Special Assignments Editor

Kathak Dancer, Vidya Patel, in “The Troth” for UK-India Year of Culture Birmingham. I was in awe of the beauty of it as well as the power needed to deliver the form. I was equally fascinated by other classical dance styles too, such as Bharatnatyam which was the first Indian classical dance form I was introduced to. I still enjoy watching them. My parents would always take my sisters and I to watch different dance performances. A lot of passion stemmed from my parents’ interests. They wanted us to feel connected to Indian culture and found dance to be the best way to inform us of our heritage.

Vidya is still part of a rare breed in the UK, doing Kathak professionally full time

The UK-India Year of Culture has seen participants from different disciplines.

A Kathak Dancer and the British Army are two unlikely companions.

Vidya Patel is a Kathak Dancer from Birmingham.

She represented the South Asian Category in the Grand Finals of competition BBC Young Dancer 2015 at Sadler’s Wells. Vidya will be seen performing western contemporary choreography in The Troth.

Vidya’s movements are informed by her strong foundational training in Kathak.

Vidya is playing the female lead, Lila, in Akademi's upcoming production- ‘The Troth- Usne Kaha Tha’ choreographed

by Gary Clarke that is due to tour India and the UK from January to March 2018, as part of the UKIndia Year of Culture.

“The Troth” has its world premiere in Jaipur on 26 January 2018 and its UK premiere at Curve, Leicester on 21 February.

The show uses archive and new silent film footage, an evocative soundscore and powerful dance to tell a 100-yearold Hindi short story from World War I. It is based on Chandradhar Sharma Guleri’s story, Usne Kaha Tha, which is considered to be the first Hindi short story.

About Vidya and her Kathak training Vidya Patel defines Kathak as a North Indian classical art form which has mathematical compositions translated by the rhythmic slapping of the feet, intri-

She gives us her reasons.

“There’s been many factors that encouraged me to take dance as a full time freelancer.

Auditioning and being

Vidya Patel

cate nuances of gestures and expression, fluid upper body movements and sharp pirouettes.

She explains, “Kathak is a North Indian classical dance form derived from the Sanskrit word ‘Katha’ which means story.

Traditionally the art form was used by Kathakaars who would travel and use the art form to tell and share stories. When the Mughals invaded India the form was performed with great grandeur to the emperors and this is when the finesse and technique of the form developed further.”

How Kathak differs from other Indian dance forms

“Kathak has improvisation within the art form.

It is known that senior artists and Kathak legends would improvise with the ‘tabla’ players and decide what different Kathak compositions they want to perform. This not only creates suspense and excitement for the performer and musician but amongst the audience too. This improvisation can only be done when a deeper and greater understanding of the art form has been learnt.”

How Vidya got her passion for Kathak “When I was younger my parents enrolled me in the local Kathak classes. I would watch different artists visiting

Brave young stroke survivor speaks out after learning to speak and walk again

A brave young stroke survivor has spoken about life after forgetting how to speak - and not being able to even remember the word "Hello".

Former primary school teacher Alisha Malhotra, 28, from Harrow, is one of the thousands of people living with communication difficulties after a stroke.

She had a severe stroke in 2016 which left her initially unable to read, write, speak or walk and hospitalised for five months.

She added: "I had no idea what had happened to me, and I don’t think I realised in hospital just how serious it was. I smiled and nodded to nurses and doctors, and everyone would tell me how well I looked.

"They didn’t realise just how much I was hiding behind my smile; I remember being so confused by everything going on around me.

"I have a head full of ideas and things I want to say, sometimes I think I can’t fit much more in there. Having aphasia is like being in a bubble, you feel trapped in yourself.

"It’s all I think about, day in and day out. I even have dreams at night where I think when I wake up everything will be as before."

Alisha now attends the Stroke Association’s support group at Harrow Arts Centre, and has speech and language therapy twice a week.

She said: "Speech and language therapy has been

Alisha Malhotra

a huge help to my recovery, but it’s really hard work. I’ve had to completely start from scratch.

"I’m so passionate to help raise awareness of stroke and aphasia now. I really want to help other people who are going through what I am, and to support the charity in raising awareness of this difficult condition.

"I am a fighter and I know I will get better, and I will fulfil all my dreams."

selected to be part of the Centre of Advanced Dance Training South Asian Strand at Birmingham DanceXchange played a

Dance is something I enjoy, watching, doing and being part of part in my training. I joined in the pilot year 2008 and graduated in 2014. This was where I was introduced to my current Guruji- Sujata Banerjee who was my Kathak subject tutor at CADT. Her approach to teaching and creativity found inspirational, and started travelling to London regularly to learn from her after graduating from the pro-

gramme. During my early trips to London my father would drive me down weekly straight from school and we’d return close to midnight. This is only one example, but I know it would’ve been tremendously hard without this.

Dance is something I enjoy, watching, doing and being part of -if I wasn’t connected to it in some way I know I would feel like I’m missing out on something great!”

How Vidya Patel plans to use Kathak in future “I would like more young people who are training in the art form to take it up professionally but also provide more opportunities through future work for those who do take it up as a profession. The complexity of the art form is so rich I hope to create and perform work which is part of the larger dance industry.”

Reservation quota for Patidars in Gujarat Hardik Patel is an immature and ill-informed person and has absolutely no idea as to why there is unemployment among patels in general and Gujarati in particular. He has garnered support of his community purely on emotive issue rather than looking at the root cause of unemployment among his community or for that matter among Gujarati youth in particular. Even if patels are accorded OBC status it is not going to help solve the problem of unemployment because there are only handful of govt jobs in Gujarat.

As regards admission to educational institutions still large number of seats go unfilled.

There are basically four main reasons why unemployment rate is high among Gujarati youth. l Inability of Gujarati youth to crack competitive exams l Lack of proficiency in English l Lack of soft skills especially communications skills and l Lack of mobility Time has now come to have a relook at the reservation policy so as to include economic criteria i.e. to give reservation for economically poor candidates from communities which are not already in reservation list be it from any religion or caste sub-

ject of course to the overall reservation limit of 50% set by the Supreme Court of India. If it exceeds 50% without doubt it will be struck down by Supreme Court.

As regards Patels specifically, I do not think majority of Patels want themselves to be called as backward class.

Patels are very well to do and dominant community in Gujarat. The reasons are: Patels are largest agril land owners in Gujarat.

Maximum doctors in Gujarat are Patels.

Maximum engineers in Gujarat are Patels.

Maximum number of industrialists/small businesses belong to Patels.

Maximum of diamond merchants in Surat are Patels.

Maximum politicians belong to Patel community.

Maximum Gujarat chief ministers and other ministers have been Patels.

Heads of statutory and public bodies posts in Gujarat have been/are being held by Patels Maximum state govt. employees/officers are Patels.

So on what kind of social equity justice basis that Hardik is seeking reservation for patidars in Gujarat? No wonder political parties are taking him for a ride and in turn he is hoodwinking

his community. If patidars are promised reservations quota within the ceiling of 50% which means halving of OBCs list which the OBCs are not going take lying down. If that were to happen one can expect the kind of anti-reservation stir violence reminiscent of mid 1980s. I do not think Gujarat wants that peace to be disturbed however check it out for yourself on 18 December.

Hasmukh Vasava (58) a former senior banker and presently a member of senior management team of Multinational Corporation at London, is political analyst and freelancer. He regularly writes in social media expressing his views on variety of topics. He hails from a tribal community in Gujarat and is considered an authority on reservations matters having dealt with the subject extensively during his tenure with the premier public sector bank in India.

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READERS’ VOICE

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The Future Of India Is In Gujarat

The election campaign in Gujarat is extensively covered on the Indian TV channels, digital editiions of newspapers, online at Asian Voice and Gujarat Samachar as well as extensively on social media.

Modern technology has given us the advantage of having almost up-to-date coverage of what is going in the elections and on our phones too.

I have heard not only Rahul Gandhi along with some other leaders of the Congress Party completely deny that development took place in Gujarat in the last twenty two years under BJP rule at all.

I have been going to Gujarat almost every year for the last thirty odd years, sometimes with my children or even grandchildren. I have seen the transformation on all fronts, be it in transport, electricity supply, commerce, industry, you name it Gujarat today is not only much more developed economically and socially but compared to other states both in the North and Western India Gujarat is, without any hesistation, as good as any. For Rahul Gandhi to deny what is there for anybody to see is mind boggling.

Back home in the UK I live in an area with a substantial number of British Gujaratis of Muslim faith in Bolton and other parts of Lancashire. Several of them travel frequently to Gujarat and especially South Gujarat. Without any exception on one issue they all agree that since 2002 Gujarat has not seen any communal violence and surprisingly the Muslim voters in Gujarat now have sympathetic ears for the BJP’s message.

Democracy is sometimes very dangerous when it becames more about mobocracy which is dependent on false and unfounded accusations and mud slinging. I would like to say one thing. The voters in India, especially in Gujarat are not only very intelligent but have better judgement than others.

Mahendra Raval Manchester

Priti Patel Is Our Person

Your coverage on Priti Patel in Asian Voice of 18th November, both in the front page news story and in the ‘As I See It’ column was both appropriate and necessary.

Initially I was of the opinion that maybe due to caste allegiance CB Patel the Editor had taking this view but having read the national media and other ehtnic media I thought that your observations were correct and desirable.

Priti Patel is, and always will be, a very active, even proactive, politician. We may or may not agree but much was made out of her so called private meetings whilst she was on a family holiday in Israel.

Israel is after all a close ally of Britain and in principle as well as in practice Priti Patel was promoting the interest of the country.

John Rodricks London

An Epic Voyage

My fellow contributors and readers may be wondering why there has been no input to this column from me for the last few weeks.

Well, I have been on a three weeks cruise of the southern tip of South America. Thirty members of my local voluntary organisation for retired elderly people, Redbridge Asian Mandal (RAM), where I am a member on the executive committee and editor of the newsletter, went on a three weeks’ cruise on board the SS Zaandam.

We flew to Rio de Janeiro, where, after visiting the huge statue of Christ the Redeemer, which could be reached by cable car and cog train, we boarded the ship and cruised round the southern tip of South America, paying whistle stop visits to Uruguay, Buenos Aires, Montevideo, Falkland Islands, Cape Horn, Ushuaia (nicknamed the end of the world), Glacier Alley, Beagle Channel, Cockburn Channel, Punta Arinas, Strait of Magellan, Chilean Fjords, Pureto Montt and much more.

We returned from Santiago in Chile. Along the way, we walked on the snow of Andes mountains, passed the point where the two oceans, Atlantic and Pacific, meet, and saw many glaciers floating on the sea.

It was a long and adventourous voyage for our group where most of us are elderly, retired people. We availed ourselves of the many facilities available on board viz swimming, sauna and fitness classes. We played cards and participated in antakshri.

It was a long and interesting trip, and a holiday of a lifetime.

Dinesh Sheth Newbury Park, Ilford

Bollywood Fraternity

Today on 26-11, when whole nation is observing silence to pay tribute to victims of terrorist attack on Mumbai, ungrateful Bollywood fraternity will be observing fifteen minutes works blackout to counter the protest against film “Padmavati”. To Bollywood fraternity, defending the film is more important than denouncing attack on Mumbai.

Protests over alleged distortion of history in film “Padmavati” have caught world attention. Though furious protesters have gone bit overboard, by threatening safety of director S. L. Bhanushali and offering bounty for head of actress Dipika Padukone. Furious elements must note that these are dancing to tune of money, like organ grinders’ monkey. Therefore such inane fury has been rightly denounced by Bollywood, the press and media. The main objective of protest is now diverted from public sentiment to violence.

Protesters are not earning any sympathy or support.

But Bollywood fraternity is guilty too. Over past few years, many films have hurt civic and religious feelings of the viewers. Some films have attracted protests and some have been banned. Notable notorious films are: Bajirao Mastani hurt Peshwas; Jodha Akbar, opposed by Rajputs; Mangal Pandey-protests

by B.J.P.; Asoka, by questioned by historians; Rangoon(Re:Netaji Subhash Bose) ; Forgotten Hero, Legend of Bhagat Singh. Films “Kissa kursika” and “Aandhi” were banned outright.

One Maharani has alleged that dance “Ghoomar” did not exist during times of Rani Padma. Thus distortion cannot be denied.

Yet, Bollywood fraternity insists on producing disputable films. Their excuses are democracy, right of expression, artists’ license, aesthetic gratification.

Copies of pro Muslim films which may be good for Britain, America, Mediterranean, Islamic countries, Pakistan market, must NOT be exhibited in Hindustan.

Ramesh Jhalla By email

Should Voting Age Be Reduced To 16?

There is clamour among Labour supporters to reduce voting age to 16. Argument in favour is that if 16 year old can get married, join army, then why deprive them of voting? Unfortunately it is not that simple. One can join army but they are never posted on frontline.

Army educates, trains youngsters to become engineers, pilots, medics, laying foundation for fruitful army career, kind of apprenticeship.

Remembering my youth, I vividly remember how my political thinking changed over the years, how venerable I was to political propaganda with burning desire to change the world. My childhood hobby was stamp collecting that lead to having pen-palls all over the world, especially in iron curtain countries. Sitting on the beach in Dar in late fifties, we were mesmerised watching Russian sputniks sailing by in clear sky.

Socialism was byword in politics and Soviet Union was role-model. I had a charming penfriend in East Germany who used to write lovely, knowledgeable letters in perfect English. I was even offered scholarship to study medicine in mystic Leipzig, city full of eastern charm that Berlin and Munich could not provide.

Living in British colony, my parents would not allow me to go to Communist East Germany, as I may not be allowed to return to Dar. Moreover learning German language was another obstacle. Now looking back, I realize my so called charming female penfriend may be put-up job by State controlled “Friendship Bureau”, engaged in influencing young, ambitious people world over!

At least my stamp collection hobby paid handsome dividend when I recently sold it on popular BBC programme “Cash in the Attic”, raising money for noble cause. But I can’t help wondering where I would be today if I had taken-up the scholarship!

Bhupendra M. Gandhi By email

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Child poverty

It is saddening to see child poverty still existing in UK in the 21st century. There are currently 3.7 million children living in poverty in the UK. That’s over a quarter of all children with 1.7 million of these children living in severe poverty. In the UK 63% of children living in poverty are in a family where someone works. the day to day lives of families.

Poverty affects one in four children in the UK today. When kids grow up poor they miss out – and so do the rest of us. They miss out on the things most children take for granted: warm clothes, school trips, having friends over for tea. They do less well at school and earn less as adults. Any family can fall on hard times and find it difficult to make ends meet. But poverty isn’t inevitable. With the right policies every child can have the opportunity to do well in life, and we all share the rewards of having a stronger economy and a healthier, fairer society.

UK is the 6th largest economy of the world and regular contributor of foreign aid to other countries, yet in its own backyard poverty is rampant. This situation is untenable and has to be fixed first, before UK taxpayers money is diverted elsewhere. First we must put our house in order before fixing others. It is time for the Government to tap the magic tree to release funds in alleviating child poverty in UK. It is a crying shame that developed countries have child poverty in their midst in this day and age. Yet they have billions to spend in fighting wars in foreign countries who are no threat to them.

Recent data showed that nearly half of single-parent children are poor, with a noticeable surge in poverty over the past year among children of lone parents who work full-time. About 67% of the UK’s poor children are from working families.

Poverty in UK is jeopardising children’s health, lowers living standards and promotes inequality.

Child poverty will increase due to benefit cuts and austerity policies.

Baldev Sharma Rayners Lane, Harrow.

Is Christmas Becoming Too Commercial?

The “Black Friday” has invaded these shores with vengeance, undesirable America import. Friday online sales crossed £2 billion mark, people shopping as if there is no tomorrow! While commercial importance, exploitation of Christmas is increasing by leaps and bounds, religious, cultural and social importance is decreasing, only tiny fraction of the population attending early morning Mass during this festive season.

Worse aspect of this mindless spending is that people buy on impulse, items they do not need, could not afford and one in three item purchased is returned when reality sinks in. Yet many people are lumbered with credit card debts for months.

This is in sharp contrast to America where this festive season has maintained its religious significance. It is being celebrated with panache, devotion, a family occasion, where commercialism goes hand in hand with religious sentiments. Those who travel to America will readily admit, realise the vast gulf between our two countries when it comes to celebrating Christmas.

The first time we spent Christmas in the “Sunshine State” of Florida, I was pleasantly surprised to see practically every house with expertly decorated “Christmas Tree” proudly displayed near the front window for all to see. Most houses even had colourful lights outside, even on front garden trees, creating festive atmosphere!

“Shopping Malls” were equally well decorated with sweet music, Christmas carols sung by volunteers, including children and Santa Clause in most shops who would entertain not only children but also adults, overseas visitors getting special attention! In America, Christmas is national event, celebrated by all, irrespective of caste, colour, creed, religion or social orientation, like 4th of July, American Independence Day, unlike here where some section of the community unable, unwilling to immerse themselves in Christmas spirit!

Kumudini Valambia By email

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Brexit and beyond

Giving Indian professionals in the UK a voice Making sure the voice of Indian professionals in the UK is heard as the UK government takes important decisions on Brexit and after is the objective of a new network, the Indian Professionals Forum (IPF) that met at Chatham House, London, for the first time on Wednesday 22nd November.

Keynote addresses at the Indian Professionals Forum event were given by Liberal Democrats Leader The Rt Hon Sir Vince Cable and the Indian High Commissioner to the UK His Excellency Y K Sinha.

HE Y K Sinha, High Commissioner of India to UK

This was followed by a panel discussion featuring Chatham House’s Asia Programme Head Dr Champa Patel, ICICI Bank UK CEO Sudhir Dole, Herbert Smith Freehills LLP’s India Practice Chair Chris Parsons, Centre for Economics & Business Research Deputy Chairman Douglas McWilliams and Red Ribbon Asset Management PLC Founder Suchit Punnose.

Links between the two countries are strong. The 2011 Census for England and Wales showed Indian was the third largest ethnic group with 1.4 million people (2.5% of the population). Roughly half the UK’s 2 million Indians are highly skilled professionals, working in business, government, healthcare, education, technology and other sectors.

Trade and investment between the two nations is vital now and for the future.

The UK is the single largest G20 investor in

Rt Hon Sir Vince Cable MP, leader of Liberal Democrat party

India, and supports close to 800,000 jobs, according to the CBI’s second Sterling Assets India report.

Between 2000 and 2016, the UK invested $24.07 billion in India – increasing its investment by $1.87 billion between 2015 and 2016 – representing 8% of all foreign direct investment (FDI) into the country.

Meanwhile, India is the third largest investor in UK creating thousands of new jobs, employing 110,000 people in 800 Indian companies with a turnover of 47.5 billion pounds in

important partners in diverse fields like innovation, IT and IT-enables services, R&D, fintech, science and technology, skill development, health, environment, aerospace and so on. Brexit provides an opportunity to further expand the scale and scope of our vibrant and robust collaboration. Indian professionals in the UK are already playing a hugely important role in these and other areas, contributing to strengthening this winning partnership. I am sanguine the newly formed Indian Professionals Forum can contribute significantly in enhancing our mutually beneficial cooperation and at the same time collaborate in developing cutting edge and niche technology.”

IPF President Dr Mohan Kaul said: “The Indian Professionals Forum provides a powerful platform for the Indian diaspora to shape the debate on issues that affect them and the Nation. The future provides enormous opportu-

Panel discussion at the Indian Professionals Forum (IPF)

2016.

Sir Vince Cable said: “India is now a major economic power – on some measures the third largest in the world after China and the US. It is very much in Britain’s long-term interest to welcome Indian investment, students and professionals, and to have a stronger, deeper relationship with India.”

Indian High Commissioner to the UK His Excellency Y K Sinha said: “UK and India are

nities for Indian professionals to participate in the development of both countries. IPF will also act as a focus for the important issues and a catalyst for exchanges of ideas for the future of partnerships between our two great nations. IPF particularly aims to harness the intellectual capital of the diaspora to find stimulating ideas and credible solutions to the challenges faced by India.”

Computer science GCSE in disarray after tasks leaked online The new computer science GCSE has been thrown into disarray after programming tasks worth a fifth of the total marks were leaked repeatedly online.

Exams regulator Ofqual plans to pull this chunk of the qualification from the overall marks as it has been seen by thousands of people.

Ofqual said the nonexam assessment may

have been leaked by teachers as well as students who had completed the task. The breach affects two year groups.

The first will sit the exam in summer 2018.

Last year 70,000 students were entered for computer science GCSE. A quick internet search reveals numerous posts about the the nonexam assessment, with questions and potential

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answers.

There are even posts from one of the exam boards reminding students that they are monitoring certain websites.

The regulator is running a short consultation on how to proceed. Its preferred option would keep the non-exam assessment task, but to change it so it no longer contributes to the overall mark.

Lecturer delivers keynote speech at Parliament to mark Guru Nanak birth anniversary

On 22nd November, Dr Opinderjit Kaur Takhar, a University of Wolverhampton lecturer delivered a keynote speech in Parliament to mark the birth anniversary of Guru Nanak, the first Guru of the Sikhs. Dr Opinderjit Kaur Takhar, Senior Lecturer in Religious Studies in the University's Faculty of Arts, is an internationally recognised researcher in Sikh Studies.

Dr Thakar visited the Parliament to mark the anniversary of the birth of Guru Nanak, born in 1469 CE. She said, “It was an honour for me to deliver the Keynote Speech on Guru

Dr Opinderjit Kaur Takhar

Nanak, one of the most inspiring and influential thinkers of the fifteenth century. Guru Nanak's teachings were not simply confined to the metaphysi-

cal or spiritual realm, his message was one of practical efforts which reached out to the ordinary people of society. Guru Nanak was a pioneer in interfaith dialogue. He was also a feminist and believed in the total equality of all human beings.”

She adds, “I was delighted to have been invited to speak about the egalitarian teachings of Guru Nanak which very much emphasise female empowerment. The response to my keynote has been phenomenal, and I thank the All Party Parliamentary Group for British Sikhs for giving me this opportunity.”

Ofsted find misogynistic content in Islamic schools Ofsted has come across the worst examples of sexism and discrimination in Islamic schools.

Inspectors have allegedly found library books filled with misogyny, urging women to be more submissive to their husbands.

Other books in the library allegedly insisted that in a Muslim marriage “the wife is not allowed to refuse sex to her hus-

band” or “leave the house where she lives without his permission”, while children were also taught that “the man by way of correction can also beat her” and that a woman's duty is “only to bear children and bring up Muslims.”

Ofsted Chief Inspector, Amanda Spielman, pictured, stated, “Some schools are teaching a segregated

way of life and misogyny, and the government isn't taking enough of a stand.

The Department for Education turns a blind eye and hopes that Ofsted will deal with the problem. It's all in the 'too difficult' box.”

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MEDIA WATCH

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Asian Voice | 2nd December 2017

The Modi government received two quick shots in the arm: the first from the recent World Bank assessment on ease of doing business, which improved India’s rating by 30 places in a year, from 130 to 100; the second was the international rating agency Moody’s decision to upgrade the Indian economy from stable to positive. The upgrade is the first in 14 years, with a member of prominent Indian voices in industry and banking suggesting that this should rightly have come a year earlier: ‘tis better late than never.

Bangladeshi Jihadis held Two Bangladeshi members of the Ansarullah Bangla Team were arrested by intelligence officers in Kolkata collecting information on suitable targets for the group to attack. Riazul Islam and Samsad Mia entered India in July 2016 and set up base in Hyderabad working In a meat factory. Months later they moved to Belgaum in Karnataks, then to Pune, before journeying to Justice Dalveel Bhandari of the Kolkata. Riaz and Samsad International Court of Justice were working to Moody’s announcement was instructions from their handler received with something akin to in Bangladesh. The arrested men euphoria, particularly on the were well educated with domestic stock exchanges, where engineering degrees. One of this was rightly perceives as a their associates was arrested in vote of confidence in the Dhaka. Their Indian accomplice government’s ongoing economic Monotosh Dey, also arrested, will reforms. Coupled with these appear in court with Riaz and striking successes was the Samsad later this week diplomatic coup of Justice (Telegraph November 23).

Dalveer Bhandari’s election by an overwhelming majority of the Hafiz Saeed walks free United Nations General Assembly and the United Pakistani jihadi and one of the Nations Security Council to a masterminds of the terrorist permanent seat at the attack on Mumbai on November International Court of Justice at 26, 2008, which resulted in the the Hague. Britain withdrew its deaths of 167 people, is freed candidate Christopher from house arrest by the Lahore Greenwood following many rounds of voting, with India’s nominee winning 183 votes to 10 in the General Assembly every time, the sticking point being the Security Council deadlock on the required confirmation, but the tide here turned in Justice Bhandari’s favour. Britain read the signs and gave way. Prime Minister Modi congratulated External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and her team for their tireless efforts on behalf of Dalveer Bhandari.

Syed Akbaruddin, India’s permanent representative at the United Nation received special mention for his work.

Significance The significance of the outcome was not lost on the Indian media. For the first time in 70 years (since the Second World War) a Great Power had failed to win this prestigious appointment against a Third World candidate. The British withdrawal was acknowledgement of the ground realities in the emerging global order. According to certain British sources including the Economist, the result of the ICJ election was less important than the trade deal that the UK hoped to sign with India in the aftermath of Brexit (Hindu, Times of India, Business Line, Mint November 18, 22).

Hafiz Saeed

High Court. Saeed carries a US bounty of $10 million. Indian officials reacted with anger at the court’s decision. The Pakistan government had withdrawn terrorism charges against Saeed and detained him under Maintenance of Public Order Act, paving the way for his release (Hindu, Times of India November 23) See page 3.

Anti-terror drive in Kashmir to continue There is to be no let-up in antiterror operations in Kashmir.

The message is loud and clear in face of terrorist attacks: the mailed fist will be the response to every jihadi attack. With Indian security forces having killed over 200 terrorists in Kashmir this year – the highest such tally in eight years – there is no inclination to forego a strategy that has brought dramatic results. In the past week alone 11 terrorists have been killed. However. The government’s peace interlocutor Dineshwar Sharma will continue to open a dialogue with the separatist Hurriyat leaders, who, thus far, have spurned his overtures (Times of India November 22).

BrahMos air-launched missile on target India has test-fired its first airlaunched supersonic BrahMos missile – an India - Russia joint venture - from a Sukhoi-30MKI

Sukhoi-30 MKI

aircraft of the Indian Air Force in the Bay of Bengal. The target, a ship, disappeared on impact of its kinetic force. The IAF will now join the Army and Navy in having its special version of this lethal force multiplier. Weighing 2.5 tonnes, the Sukhoi aircraft had to u n d e r g o modifications before the missile could be fitted onto its fuselage.

Complex skills ‘This success not only bolsters the combat effectiveness of the of the IAF but also demonstrates the capabilities of of indigenous onboard avionics with innovative algorithms developed by DRDO,’ [Defence Research & Development Organization] said Dr G. Satheesh Reddy, Scientific Advisor to the to the Defence Minister and Director General Missiles and Strategic Systems. The integration of the missile on board the aircraft was a complex undertaking involving mechanical, electrical and software modifications. The original 290km range of the BrahMos has been increased to 450kms and will be extended to then 600km (Hindu November 23).

Growth hub for analytics NICE Systems, headquartered in Israel, is a global provider of both cloud and on-premises enterprise software solutions that empower organizations to make smarter decisions based on advanced analytics of structured and unstructured data. The analytics industry in India is is currently estimated to be $2.03 billion annually in revenue, which is growing at a healthy compounded annual growth rate of 23.8 per cent. ‘India is definitely emerging as a growing hub for analytics,’ said Sanjay Gupta, Managing Director, South Asia and Middle East , NICE Systems (Business Line November 22).

Taiwan bullet train makes waves ‘Fast, efficient, clean and profitable’ is how a reporter described his Taiwan-made bullet train experience. “It provides an excellent model for the bullet train that India plans to build’, It covered the 350km between Kolkata and Malda in 90 minutes.

The Kolkata Metro makes a rupee profit everyRs 3 it spends.

The Taiwan bullet train service makes a healthy profit, and its timekeeping is excellent Telegraph November 21).

Mahindra’s Detroit launch India’s Mahindra & Mahindra, one of the country’s largest a u t o m o b i l e manufacturers has made Detroit, once America’s principal hub with an investment of $230 million and now largely derelict, its base for the production for its SUVs with an eye to the North American market. The company already exports tractors to this market, hence is familiar with market practices. The Mahindra facility will employ local labour in keeping with President Trumps ‘Make in America’ slogan (Times of India November November 21).

Xiaomi’s $1 billion plan for Indian start-ups Chinese phone and appliances company Xiaomi Corp is to invest $1 billion in 100 Indian start-ups over the next five years., said Lei Jun, the company’s founder and chief executive. He explained: ‘In China, in the past four years, we have invested $ 4 billion in 300 start-ups. In the next five years, we will invest $1 billion in 100

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companies in India. We will replicate the most successful ecosystem business model of China in India….If the company meets its investment target, it would become one of the most prolific internert investors in India.’ (Mint November 20).

Tata Motors takes coastal sea route Tata Motors shipped 240 trucks to Bangladesh in a bid to find a hassle-free sea route to a major market for the Indian commercial vehicles. The roads are usually clogged with traffic and hence speed is restricted and progress slow. The trucks were loaded at Kolkata and will reach Mongla Port in Bangladesh. in two days. Bulk exports are expected to reduce costs over time. Kolkata port authorities are hoping to persuade Indian carmakers to the costal route to Bangladesh (Business Line November 24).

Sikkim Assembly to be enlarged The number of seats in the Sikkim Assembly is set to increase from 32 to 40. This measure – the first since its accession to India in 1975 – will facilitate greater representation to the Limboo and Tamang communities, along with Bhutias and Lepchas (Hindu November 24).

No to full transfer of defence technology Lockheed Martin, the makers of the F-16 warplane, looks to the Indian Air Force to keep its production lines going since these have been wound up in the United States, will not agree to the full transfer of defence

F-16 aircraft

technology, says Keith Webster, Senior Vice President of the USIndia Partnership Forum. “billions of dollars are spent over decades to make military-grade engines unique to the world is hot-sectioned technology and codings and those are crown jewels technologies.’

The candour is refreshing (Business Line November 22).

China, Djibouti in strategic ties Chinese President I Jinping and visiting Djibouti leader Omar Ismail Guellelh reaffirmed their strategic ties. China has a naval base in Djibouti at the aperture from the Gulf od Aden to the Red Sea, Suez Canal and the Mediterranean Sea Hindu November 24).

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Chambers recognition for Match Solicitors

ing for both SEN pupils Match Solicitors, a repand teaching professionutable law firm specialisals, Match is particularly ing in Education Law, has renowned for its specialbeen awarded both Band ist representation of 1 and Band 2 recognition within the 2018 edition of Chambers UK. Chambers UK is an esteemed annual publication by Chambers and Partners that since 1990 has ranked the world's finest law firms. It is a leading guide to the best and Salima Mawji and Anita Chopra, most accomplished Directors, Match Solicitors legal practices and practitioners across the higher education stuglobe. dents.”

According to The boutique law firm Chambers UK, “Match located in Fleet Street, London has received the Solicitors is a highly following three honours: regarded boutique pracl Band 1 recognition in tice offering the full spectrum of education law the UK category of advice. In routinely actEducation: Individuals

for Match Solicitors. l Band 2 recognition for notable practitioners, and the firm's partners, Anita Chopra and Salima Mawji. l Recognition as a Star Associate for Chris Barnett.

A message to Asian Voice from the Directors of Match Solicitors, Salima Mawji and Anita Chopra read: “We are humbled and absolutely thrilled at the recognition awarded to us in Chambers UK. We have always aspired and worked hard as a team to reach Band 1 in this prestigious directory and we are absolutely delighted that this has happened this year.”

Air India, Fly quiet and clean Heathrow’s new “Fly Quiet and Clean” report shows airlines are increasingly using the quietest, cleanest aircraft in their routes to Britain’s Hub airport.

The report ranks the 50 busiest airlines operating at Heathrow from April to June this year, based on seven noise and emissions metrics. The League report shows Air India has climbed an astounding 37 places to place 5th this quarter, in part because of their use of Boeing Dreamliners at Heathrow, an aircraft that has 20-25% fewer C02 emissions and a smaller noise effect than the airplanes it replaces.

Early phase out of the noisiest planes is a key

Little Miss Inventor joins Mr Men and Little Miss line-up A new character is joining the Mr Men and Little Miss series - a female engineer. Little Miss Inventor has been created as a "positive role model" for girls, its author and illustrator Adam Hargreaves said. She will be the 36th Little Miss character and joins the likes of Little Miss Sunshine and Little Miss Magic. The character, with pencils and a spanner in her hair, is described as "intelligent, ingenious and inventive". The book blurb says "her brain is full of ideas, which she turns into extraordinary inventions in a shed at the bottom of her garden". Those inventions include a backpacksnack-attack fridge for Mr Greedy and a chatter-natter hat for Little Miss Chatterbox.

part of Heathrow’s Noise Blueprint. Heathrow is on track to become the first large European airport to be completely free of “Chapter 3” aircraft, the oldest and noisiest classification, due in part to the heavy fees airlines pay to land these planes at Heathrow. On average, airlines pay ten times more to fly Chapter 3 planes to Heathrow than they pay for the quietest aircraft, like Dreamliners. Air India

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has also improved its score because of its exemplary “track keeping” – the ability to adhere to the Government-set noise preferential routes in the skies around Heathrow – this quarter. Track keeping winners this quarter also include Singapore Airlines, jumping up 21 places to rank 12th, and Lufthansa, Austrian, SN Brussels which are all up by more than 10 places compared to last quarter.

VACANCY

Funeral Director

Parliamentary debates over human rights in Kashmir On 21st November, Lord Qurban Hussain from the Liberal Democrat party raised a question in the Parliamentary debate in the House of Lords regarding Kashmir. He asked Her Majesty's Government, “What is their assessment of the human rights situation in Indian-held Kashmir?” Many Lords have shown their concern on the matter raised and stated that “any human rights abuses must be investigated thoroughly, promptly and transparently”. Agreed that investigation of human rights violation must take place, however, is it fair to covertly, if not overtly, lament India as a land filled with human rights violation?

Lord Hussain went on to stress and discuss the situation in Kashmir in the Parliamentary debate. He said, “For decades, the Indian army has been reported for illegal detentions, torture, rape and murder in Kashmir. Last year, it started to use pellet guns on civilians in the region, often blinding them… What will Her Majesty’s Government do to get those human rights abuses investigated independently and impartially?”

With the accusation of

Lord Gadhia questions the debate on Kashmir in the House of Lords

human rights violation, as well as questioning India’s position in the UN, one could also raise questions on the current scenario in Pakistan and on the issue of home-grown terrorists who inflict harm on innocent civilians. If questioning one nation on accusation of human rights violation and ignoring the grandness in threat that has been evoked from one nation, then the argument and debate lacks credibility and is not an impartial analysis.

India has proved itself, and continues to prove itself as a strong, evolving nation, competing shoulder-to-shoulder with 1st world nations.

But focussing on the negatives of the nation could covertly imply to the supremacy in trying to disregard and undermine India’s position

and achievements. Amid this debate in the House of Lords, only one noble Lord took it up upon himself to defend India’s name by questioning Lord Hussain on the atrocity occurring in Pakistan. Lord Jitesh Gadhia (not affiliated to any party) stated, “My Lords, does the Minster agree that we should be cautious in lecturing the world’s largest democracy on human rights, which are enshrined in its constitution, protected by a wellestablished legal system and accountable to an independent judiciary- not to mention a large and vibrant investigative media and an active civil society? In the meantime, we should support our ally, India, to combat cross-border terrorism sponsored by Pakistan and Pakistani infiltrators, who are the real threat to peace, stability and human rights in that region.”

It is quite concerning that there are many Lords of Indian origin who did not comment on this matter. Additionally, there are many pressing issues that need to be addressed in Parliament, rather than utilising this opportunity to outrightly lament a particular nation.

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Asian Voice | 2nd December 2017

How do Hindu charities compare to other faithbased charities in the UK?

Pratik Dattani

There are more than 50,000 faith-based charities in England and Wales, with a combined income of more than £16 billion. That’s nearly a quarter of the income of all charities in the country. These are the findings of a recent study into the sector.

But such studies often focus on Christian, Jewish and Muslim charities, and tend to underrepresent Hindu, Sikh, Jain and related charities.

This article will help you understand how Hindu charities compare to other faith-based charities in the UK and how the operations of such charitable organizations determine what they achieve.

There are more than 50,000 faith-based charities in England and Wales, with a combined income of more than £16 billion. That’s nearly a quarter of the income of all charities in the country. These are the findings of a recent study into the sector. But such studies often focus on Christian, Jewish and Muslim charities, and tend to underrepresent Hindu, Sikh, Jain and related charities. This article will help you understand how Hindu charities compare to other faith-based charities in the UK and how the operations of such charitable organizations determine what they achieve.

The majority of the faith-based charities are Christian, but the data points to some interesting trends. According to the 2011 Census, 4.8% of the country is Muslim, yet 23.2% of faith-based charities are Muslim.

Only 0.8% of the population is Jewish, but 4.6% of faith-based charities are Jewish.

Hindus and Sikhs make up 1% and 0.7% of the population, respectively, and had 1.5% and 0.8% of all faith-based

charities, but with only 0.5% and 0.4% of charitable income. Christian charities are the richest by far, with Jewish charities having 6.2% of the income and Muslim charities with 3.3%.

The report, by leading charity consultancy NPC, is likely to underestimate the number of Hindu and Sikh charities, but there are still some clear conclusions.

First, there are a small number of very wealthy Jewish charities, and Jews have the most impressive charitable giving in the country.

There are a lot of Muslim charities, but most are small. According to the Office of National Statistics, Christians and Muslims have the lowest economic activity in the country, whereas Hindus have the highest.

Considering this alongside the research, it shows that Hindus are richer than others but are significantly less generous than other communities.

This may appear counterintuitive given Hinduism has a proud tradition of sewa. But because other faiths specifically encourage charitable giving as a defined proportion of their income, they are more likely to give money.

Research that I had led a few years ago found that (after taking out young people under 20 years of age) Jewish people donated ten times more to Jewish causes than Hindu people donated to Hindu causes.

Muslims donated twice as much as Hindus.

This trend is quite evident when comparing the umbrella bodies for each religion in the country. For the latest available year, the Board of Deputies for British Jews had an income of £1.2m and reserves of more than three years of income. The Zoroastrian Trust Funds of Europe had income of £489,000 and reserves of over a year’s income, the Muslim Council of Britain (which has shrunk in recent years) had income of £58,000 and reserves for nearly three years, and the British Sikh Council had income of £169,000 with reserves of around six months. But the Hindu Forum of Britain has an income of just over £10,000, and equally low

reserves.

Umbrella or secular organisations in the Hindu community struggle for recognition. In the academic sector for example, Oxford has three faith-based research centres, for Hindu Studies, Hebrew and Jewish Studies, and Islamic Studies.

Respectively, their annual income is £278,000, £1.4m and £5.4m.

The sampradaya, guruparampara or related Hindu charities find it easier to build revenue.

The BAPS Sanstha has an annual income of over £10m, ISKCON has around £9.5m, the Brahma Kumaris around £2m. A report by the think tank the Henry Jackson Society assessed the impact of faith communities on public life by analysing all articles in three major newspapers from across the political spectrum. It identified 3,945 articles in the period 2000-2010 where faith communities were quoted. Hindus were the least represented, and Jews the best. One of the major findings was that Hindu claims were often much more specific to an issue (the death of Shambo the cow and removing Hindu deities from Royal Mail Christmas stamps), not about wider society.

Contribution to public life from Hindu faithbased organisations has undoubtedly increased since then (such as the uproar about the use of animal-based tallow in new £5 notes). But broadly speaking, organisations such as the Bhumi Project, which have an important intellectual voice in global conversations around sustainability, are in a minority in the British Hindu community.

Does this matter?

Perhaps not – Hindus in Britain are an affluent community with increasing political, media and civic representation. But it does put the sewa that the community does do into context –other large faith communities do it better. And for issues of national and international importance, it is important to have an intellectual, policy voice that can reach across the religious spectrum.

If you want to find out more about us, please email us at contact@charityclarity.o rg.uk. or visit www.charityclarity.org.uk

AsianVoiceNewsweekly

Whiz Kids Corner

Asian Voice is starting a new children's section, Whiz Kid Corner to entertain and interact with your young ones.

THOUGHT OF THE WEEK believes Behind Every Young Child who ed first. in himself is a parent who believ - Matthew Jacobson

FACTS YOU DIDN’T KNOW... l l l l l l l l

It is impossible for most people to lick their own elbow. (try it!)

A crocodile cannot stick its tongue out.

A shrimp's heart is in its head.

It is physically impossible for pigs to look up into the sky.

If you sneeze too hard, you could fracture a rib.

Like fingerprints, everyone's tongue print is different.

A shark is the only known fish that can blink with both eyes.

Los Angeles' full name is "El Pueblo de Nuestra Senora la Reina de los Angeles de Porciuncula"

FIND THESE COUNTRIES AND CAPITALS England

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T Q P P R S K G P J

Joke of the week

The children were lined up in the school canteen of the Elementary school for lunch.

At the head of the table was a large pile of apples.

The teacher made a note, and stuck it on the apple tray, "Take only one, God is watching."

Moving further along the lunch line, at the other end of the table was a large pile of chocolate chip cookies.

One child whispered to another, "Take all you want.

God is watching the apples."

If your child has a good joke, poem or any suggestions they would like to share please email us with the name, Age and school.

Email:- support@abplgroup.com

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UK

Scrumptious "Little Kolkata"

Prabir Chattopadhyay

Like any other Bengali child from a modest upbringing, Prabir Chattopadhyay grew up seeing his mother cook various Bengali dishes for the family and for the temple. The yearning to learn cooking began early and he and his little sister would watch their MAA for hours, sometimes helping and relishing the different aromas that arose, at different stages of the cooking process. Years later in 2016, Prabir officially launched “Little Kolkata”.

Prabir began his journey out of home at the age of 18 with a scholarship to train as a marine engineer working for Maersk. Prabir began travelling countries, getting acquainted with various cultures and their cuisines.

After travelling 11 countries, he decided to pursue something more homebound.

He moved to the UK in 2006 to complete his Masters in Operations and Supply Chain. As a student, he started working as a kitchen porter with Pizza Express and within a short stint worked his way through to becoming an

assistant manager for Bella Italia. This helped him to experience and acquire a robust first-hand understanding of the operations within the food hospitality industry.

“Little Kolkata” includes recipes from his grandmother’s kitchen, street food and delicacies inspired from the Mughal and British invasion of Calcutta, and the age old Kolkata patisseries in the likes of Flurys.

The launch of his brand Little Kolkata was a huge success with raving reviews from renowned bloggers, industry influencers and critics. He has already been invited by various pop-up organisers to be part of bigger food festivals. By launching Little Kolkata, Prabir plans to gradually reintegrate traditional Bengali cuisine into the British culture across different cities.

The Brand and Prabir were recently nominated for two prestigious awards by the UKBCCI- Business and Entrepreneur Excellence Awards. The nominations were for the “Best New Business in UK” and “Young Entrepreneur of the Year” and Prabir managed to beat thousands of very capable contenders to be selected as one of the three finalists in both the categories.

Little Kolkata will be holding its next supper club event on 10th December in Borough High Street.

Mosques introduce airport-style security after threats Airport-style security have been implemented at mosques after receiving threats from other Muslims around the country.

The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community UK (AMC), has introduced walk-in metal detectors, bag searches and identity checks at its mosques after group members and their leader Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad, received threats. The AMC represents about 30,000 Ahmadis in the UK. Ahmadis make up 1% of the UK's 3 million Muslims. It is said that Ahmadis have been persecuted for years in nations such as Pakistan. For their

belief that Muhammad was not the last Muslim prophet Sunni and Shi'ite Muslims consider this belief as blasphemy.

The majority of these threats have been sent through social media and text messages. Some of the AMC's mosques have also been labelled as “kaffir”, which means nonbeliever or infidel.

Spokesman for AMC, Farooq Aftab said, “People who don't think we are Muslims are entitled to their own point of view, but a line must be drawn because violence cannot be justified. We can disagree, but we have a right to freedom of religion.”

Islam in Britain 300,000+ Shi'ite Muslims Predominantly of Indian, Pakistani and Iraqi origin.

They represent 10% of the Muslim population 2.7 million + Sunni Muslims Sunni Muslims represent 90% of British Muslims and are predominantly Pakistani and Bangladeshi. The largest number of Sunni's live in Tower Hamlets, East London 30,000 Ahmadi Muslims The majority of Ahmadis in the UK are of South Asian origin, mostly from Pakistan. 15,000 Ahmadis live in London

Asian Voice | 2nd December 2017

ADIB CHOWDHURY TALKS EXCLUSIVELY ON ROHINGYA CRISIS

SP

15

TLIGHT

Adib Chowdury

Sunetra Senior

Asian Voice spoke with intrepid photojournalist, Adib Chowdhury, shortly after his return from South Asia, where he had spent several weeks uniquely documenting the accounts of some of the thousands of Rohingya refugees recently driven - in a massive military-led attack by the Myanmar (formerly Burma) government – from their indigenous homeland. Adib travTranslation: 'The Burmese military burnt elled from Myanmar across the border my house down and then told me that to Bangladesh, the young journalist’s Burma is not my country...' country of origin, alongside the fleein Brussels in foreign policy. Though ing Rohingya people who are not it can be frustrating, I understand that recognised as citizens in the Buddhist in order to help in crises like these, majority Myanmar. “What I saw was As soon as I heard what was happenyou need that government to be horrific,” Adib stated. “I was there on ing this August, I flew straight out receptive and have to tow a careful the 7th of September just after the and eventually ended up submitting balance when condemning to keep Myanmar army began what they work to Agence France Presse (AFP). open channels of dialogue which can claimed to be a counter-terrorist The UN figures at the start of result in viable solutions. clearance operation. At this point September were roughly 260,000 Incidentally, I do now work with a there weren’t that many journalists refugees when in fact it was initially non-profit organisation called Iguacu on the ground. There were streams of considerably more. Currently the fig(named after a waterfall in people as far as the eye could see ure is over 800,000 as Rohingya have Argentina) as a disaster response coming across the border: coming continued to escape.” But Adib’s specialist. We independently help over with gunshot wounds, lost legs reporting aimed to go beyond flat advise on the urgency of particular limbs blown up by mines. People were statistics: “I wanted to go to humanitarian crises. We also advise carrying their relatives. You could see Bangladesh to not only cover an the public on the best charities to the villages burning along the horiunderreported atrocity but to humangive donations to so that aid may zon. There were plumes of smoke risise the Rohingya refugees. I had been reach the right people at the right ing up to the sky. I’ll never forget the in Greece to cover the Syrian crisis, time. sight of parents having to bury their and didn’t feel that the refugees’ voicchildren; shot, drowned. This was es had been captured enough through What’s a particular sentiment clearly genocide.” Though this incijust my shots. I wanted to show that that has stayed with you dent is being viewed by many as the the Rohingya people are not just pasthrough your journey? worst and “final push”, with Al sive victims; I did this by producing a As a British and Bangladeshi indiJazeera reporting it to be ‘the world’s portrait series wherein I asked vidual, I noticed the difference biggest forced exodus this year’, Adib refugees whom I interviewed to give between the responses to the made sure to emphasise that “the handwritten messages (pictured) to European migrant crisis which fell warning signs for ethnic the international community, to prone to xenophobic discourse. In cleansing have been there the Myanmar army and to the Bangladesh ordinary Bangladeshi for a long time. I even current leader: Aung San There were farmers were giving so much despite remember giving a Suu Kyi. One of the most not having much themselves. There streams of people presentation disnotable aspects of this was much willingness and solidarity cussing the sort of was the fact that there as far as the eye to the crisis which was touching to discourse and was much catharsis as could see; coming see. damning rhetoric they expressed themover with gunshot the Myanmar leadselves and recounted wounds, limbs What’s special about photoership were using. their ordeals. It was very journalism? blown up by That was back when I personal and humbling to It can say so much more than was completing my MA mines take these interviews and writing. It conveys raw emotions. in International Conflict witness them write and speak Time is suspended enabling the viewstudies at LSE. It always shocks about the terrible violence they er to see the situation more clearly: I me how little people seem to pay endured. I used an old medium format think that’s why I enjoy black and attention, including the UK’s mainfilm camera that took time to comwhite photography. You can tell a lot stream press. It was the same with the pose and shoot. This enabled me to more by the way someone is looking; Syrian refugee crisis and with interact and spend longer with each how the light is shining, focus on the Rwanda. This was targeted killing.” person to establish a more genuine fine details, all this from taking away With the Rohingya villages being connection.” Adib’s life-giving, evocathe distraction of colour. I think powburned to the ground and the people tive work comes to the fore at a signiferful pieces of photojournalism are being assaulted and raped, and disicant time. With a Repatriation deal in protest pieces. They make people placed into refugee camps which have motion, the stakes are high in securstand up and feel strongly about an been “described as tantamount to ing the safety of the Rohingya. issue and want to delve further. When prison” since 2012, the media over“There’s no point in discussing the you complement photos with words sight is an undeniable fact. In addition return of this minority to their land and audio, it’s altogether more powerto other tell-tale signs, experts have when there is no guarantee that they ful. I have always been fascinated by also speculated growing economic will be treated democratically, or even the dynamics of power and how conincentives for destroying property to have a home!” Thus, Adib not onlyflict arises from this. free up land for foreign investment. tangibly fights for the future of the *** “David Miliband actually suggested a trade embargo on the country by way of counteracting escalating hostility in 2007 by the military towards protestors: why is this not be doing done for a clearly documented case of genocide?” Adib elaborated. “It is shocking that the urgency diminished.

Rohingya but for turning the “recurring cycles of genocide” into the shadows of a global past.

Do you think UN policy needs to be reformed to help prevent large-scale atrocities such as this?

Yes, one does need to have a firm line, but I also understand the predicament. I have actually interned

Finally, what does it take to be a good photojournalist?

Determination and grit. You have to feel passionate because you are going to face obstacle after obstacle.

Stories I’ve half-heartedly covered have never been successful. www.adibphotography.com/ www.instagram.com/adibchow/

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Asian Voice | 2nd December 2017

£10k per month lifetime lotto prize- but is it worth it?

Reshma Trilochun Amid declining ticket sales, Camelot, the organiser of the National Lottery is said to be launching a £10,000 (tax-free) per month lifetime prize. It is said that this move has been made in order to sell more tickets, as well as make the lottery appealing to “modern Britain”. As enticing as this new game may appear, there is no denying that this is gambling. And as much as this game has the ability to make your life, it can also destroy you in a jiffy.

The game is being revamped as it is alleged that some previous winners of large sums have been struggling with depression, feeling isolated from friends, and some have even gone a step forward by saying that they wished they had never played the game in the first place. The CEO at Camelot, Nigel Railton said, “We want to get new people into the game and our research tells us that more people these days want financial security. The younger generation are finding it difficult to get on the housing ladder and they want prizes that help with this.”

As well as changing the reward for the game, Camelot are making plans to sell their lottery tickets at self-service checkouts at discounted supermarkets, such as Lidl and Aldi, and are said to be introducing a Tuesday Thunderball draw in 2018.

headaches, stomach aches, irritability and anxiety, as well as stress-related symptoms. A mere game can become a habit, and before you know it, you've become an addict and the game that you so fondly played is now playing with your mind and soul.

Undeniably, the prospect of winning £10,000 per month until death seems like a fabulous deal. No doubt, if a young person wins this prize, they will not have to struggle getting on the property ladder and can live a very comfortable life in this expensive contemporary day and age. Yet, what are the chances of someone actually getting this prize? One in 45 million? Is it really worth the effort? Maybe it would be useful to save the

AsianVoiceNews

Talking about HIV to get rid of the taboo at an alarming pace in the European Region, mostly in its eastern part, which is home to almost 80% of the 160,000 new HIV diagnoses.

This is the highest number of new cases ever recorded in one year. If this trend persists, we will not be able to achieve the Sustainable Development Goal target of ending the HIV epidemic by 2030. Testing people late, particularly those at higher risk of infection, results in late treatment and further contributes to the o n g o i n g spread of HIV. The later people are diagnosed, the more likely they are to develop AIDS, thus leading to more suffering and death. On World AIDS Day, I

portal that provides knowledge on HIV and AIDS, India has the third largest HIV 1st December commemoepidemic in the world due rates World AIDS Day, to its large population size. which was founded in 1988.

On the other hand, comIt gives people across the globe the opportunity to pared to neighbouring come together to fight countries, India has made against HIV, show solidarity commendable progress in with those living with HIV, reducing the infection by as well as to remember half since 2001. It was those who died. 1988 World reported that new infecAIDS Day was the first ever tions in India were global health day, yet in 80,000 in 2016, 2017, there is still a stigma compared to 2005 in society regarding this illwhen there were ness, to the extent that 150,000 new case. some people refuse to be in Speaking to the sister of someone livthe presence of those living ing with HIV, Madhu* with HIV and refusing to shares her insight on her touch them in case they brother's situation. “It's very catch the disease. As silly as disheartening at times seethis may sound to you and I, ing people treating my but unfortunately, such people exist who believe the brother unfairly. I somemyths and disregard the times see people from my facts of living with HIV. own community who refuse How can one educate peoto come in breathing space ple regarding this illness? with him; some don't even Currently, there are shake his hand. But my over 100,000 people livbrother is a fighter. ing with HIV in the UK, Regardless of their You can get HIV by being around and there are an estinegative behaviour, he HIV positive people: mated 36.7 million peokeeps positive.”

Education is prime ple globally. There have MYTH. HIV is transmitted when been scientific advances infected material, such as blood, in combatting and dein the treatment for HIV semen, vaginal fluid and breast milk stigmatising the issue. and there are laws to comes in direct contact with a mucous Young people, as well even protect people liv- membrane, such as mouth, anus and as those who may not ing with the condition. vagina; HIV can also be transmitted know how you can get However, people who are when injected directly into the blood- infected need to be HIV positive are still dis- stream. Kissing, hugging, sneezing or educated. The lack of criminated, and many coughing, sharing food and drink, and knowledge, or the people are unaware of touching DOES NOT spread HIV. unwillingness to learn how to protect themabout the dangers of selves and others from. the virus can be life HIV leads to death: According to the world Apart MYTH. 30 years ago, due to the threatening.

Health Organisation lack of knowledge on how it should be from that, more aware(WHO) Europe is the treated, many people died. However, ness must be raised only region across the treatments are now much better. For regarding AIDS and globe where the number people with HIV, taking one pill a day HIV. It should not be of new HIV infections can possibly manage the virus. People such a hush-hush are rising. Their statis- with HIV can now live a much longer topic where most peotics reveal that over and healthier life following treatment ple prefer to avoid having any discussion on 160,000 people were and medications. this matter. Talking, newly diagnosed with learning, discussing HIV, including over I can tell if someone is HIV positive 29,000 new cases in the MYTH. You cannot tell whether and hearing about European Union and someone is HIV positive by looking at people's experience European Economic them. There are many times when and knowledge will Area (EU/EEA). What is those suffering from HIV are unaware educate you on this alarming is that half of that they have the virus. Someone's matter and help to these cases (51%) were behaviour does not imply whether make you see the facts diagnosed in the late they have HIV. of the virus, rather stages of the infection. than believing in Dr Zsuzsanna Jakab, urge all countries to take myths.

WHO Regional Director of action now to reverse the *Name has been Europe shared, “The HIV HIV epidemic in Europe.” changed to protect their epidemic continues to rise According to Avert, the identity.

Kiran D Patel is the Principal of Albury Associates Limited, Chartered

F

Accountants. For specific advice, please contact Kiran D Patel on 020 3586 4295 or e-mail him at kiran@alburyassociates.com.

Meghan with her mother, Doria Ragland

l First-time buyers of residential property outside of Scotland will pay no stamp duty land tax on the first £300,000 of the purchase price for a home, provided the total value does not exceed £500,000. l The personal allowance rises to £11,850 and the higher rate tax threshold for the UK (excluding non-savings, non-dividend income in Scotland) will rise to £46,350 for 2018/2019. l The pension lifetime allowance will increase from £1 million to £1.03 million from April 2018.

There will be no change to the

l An obsession with gambling and the loss of interest in other hobbies or activities l Increase the amount of gambles to repay lost bets, or to experience the same thrill l Negative impact on relationships with near and dear ones l Hiding the amount of money and time spent betting from family membership l Stealing money to gamble l Denying that there's a problem l Can lead to physical symptoms such as, headaches, stomach aches and stress-related symptoms general well-being. Yet, excessive gambling can lead to mental health issues and also cause chaos within your family life, ultimately making you feel alienated or isolated from your loved ones. They can also lead to physical symptoms, such as

money you would have used to play the lottery. It may seem measly initially, but when you calculate the amount at the end of every year, you would definitely see a good amount of money being saved which could be put to good use.

Prince Harry to wed in May 2018 Continued from page 1

Myths about HIV

Main budget highlights

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will be living in Nottingham Cottage, at Kensington Palace apartments after marriage

Meghan with her father, Thomas Markle

including Prince William and Kate Middleton's wedding, had very little impact on the economy.

On the other hand, Prince Charles and Princess Diana's wedding in 1981 had boosted the British travel industry, as well as the rest of Britain's economy. Further on, there seems to be no plans for a wedding bank holiday on this occasion.

Asian Voice | 2nd December 2017

BUDGET

Low key affair to avoid disruption

Hollywood. Meghan is extremely close to her mother, Doria Ragland, 60, whose father was an antique dealer and mother was a nurse.

Following the engagement, Meghan's parents expressed in a statement issued

by Kensington Palace, “We are incredibly happy for Meghan and Harry. Our daughter has always been a kind and loving person. To see her union with Harry, who shares the same qualities, is a source of great joy for us as parents. We wish them a lifetime of happiness and are very excited for their future together.”

Although the royal wedding is an affair to look forward to, it seems rather unlikely that it will do wonders in boosting the British economy. Recent royal weddings,

Symptoms of gambling addition:

17

November 2017 Budget

De-stigmatising AIDS Reshma Trilochun

AsianVoiceNewsweekly

ollowing a general election, the first budget of the new parliament is traditionally a dramatic event, one in which the Chancellor dispenses with a whole host of tax increases, usually because they are at the furthest point from the next general election.

However, for a number of reasons, Mr Hammond did not follow the norm. It was far from it. Rather than increasing the Exchequer’s income, the budget revealed a net giveaway of just under £1.6 billion in the coming tax year.

The main highlight was the move to give first-time buyers an exemption from stamp duty land tax for the first £300,000 of the amount paid for properties bought for up to £500,000. It was commonly predicted that some form of move would take place, when it comes to incentivising first-time buyers to jump onto the property market.

On the income tax front, the Chancellor was substantially less generous, increasing both the personal allowance and the higher rate threshold by 3%, in line with inflation. He gave nothing away to individual savings account (ISA), with a freeze in the main ISA and lifetime ISA investment limits. Pension savers were luckier, with an increase in the lifetime allowance, the first since 2010 and no changes to the annual allowance.

Venture Capital Schemes and Enterprise Investment Schemes were again targeted for a tightening of the screws. The Chancellor introduced a raft of measures designed to introduce a greater emphasis on risk investment for Venture Capital Trusts, Enterprise Investment Schemes and Seed Enterprise Investment Schemes. However, he did not take any action on the inheritance tax business relief, which was widely expected.

A number of commentators have suggested that this was both a dull and steady-as-she-goes budget. Mr Hammond will probably be very pleased with the suggestions, as broadly speaking a neutral budget was likely to be his goal, given the issues that arose after his national insurance U-turn following the March budget.

One might think that playing a line on the lottery is merely a game and won't cause any harm. However, excessiveness of any habit can become detrimental.

Gambling can be as destructive as taking drugs. Of course, being addicted to drugs is more life-threatening and extremely dangerous to one's mental and

Prince Harry expressed, “I think she would be over the moon, jumping up and down, so excited for me, but then, she would have probably been best friends with Meghan. You know, it is days like today I really miss having her around and miss being able to share the happy news. But, you know, with the ring and with everything else that's going on, I'm sure she's with us.

The engagement ring Born as Rachel has diamonds Meghan Markle on belonging to his 4th August 1981, mother, Princess Diana she grew up in Los Angeles and is an actress by profession.

Born to a white father and a black mother, Meghan was previously married to a NewYork based film and TV producer, Trevor Engleson, 41. They were married for two years before parting ways in 2013. Her exhusband is currently working on a show about a man whose wife runs off with a prince.

Meghan's father, Thomas Markle, 72, worked as a lighting director in

BUDGET SPECIAL

annual allowance. l Venture Capital Trusts, Enterprise Investment Schemes and Seed Enterprise Investment Schemes will be required to focus more on companies where there is a real risk of investment. l The supplement applied to company cars that run on diesel will increase from 3% to 4% from April 2018. l Marketplaces will become jointly and severally liable for unpaid VAT of UK and overseas traders. l There are a number of changes to business rates.

PERSONAL TAXATION Income Tax There were no major changes in this area, other than the personal allowance increasing to £11,850 and the high rate threshold rising to £46,350 for 2018/2019.

In reality, this means that a higher rate taxpayer earning £60,000 per annum is likely to have an increase of £340 in the year (excluding any national insurance contribution changes).

This amounts to an additional amount of £28.33 each month.

The table below shows how this will be affected: Details

Pre Budget £ Total Income 60,000 Less Personal Allowance 11,500 Taxable Income 48,500

Tax Payable Basic Rate Higher Rate Net Pay

6,700 6,000 12,700

47,300

Private Sector Off Payroll Working In April 2017, the government made a number of changes to the payroll working rules for public sector engagements.

The Chancellor has announced that he will be extending this to the private sector. This means, in reality, that a number of individuals, especially in the IT industry, who operate through individual corporate entities, but in reality only have a single source of income, will have to account for the tax and national insurance contributions on their earnings at source. (IR35).

National Insurance Contributions There were no significant changes to these. The government has indicated that it will delay the implementation of any reforms by one year.

Taxation of Benefits in Kind and Employee Business Expenses The Chancellor has announced that from April 2018, there will be no benefit in kind tax charge on electricity that employers provide employees recharging their personally owned electrical hybrid vehicles

at their workplace. In reality, it is very difficult to assess how this particular benefit in kind charge was or is being implemented. The government have merely taken away a burden of administration.

The Chancellor did announce a number of changes to the taxation of employee expenses: – l The government to consult on extending the scope of tax relief available to employees and the self-employed for work-related training costs. l From April 2019, employers will not have to check receipts when reimbursing employees for subsistence using scale rates.

BUSINESS TAXES Mr Hammond did announce a number of technical changes to business taxes. The more relevant ones of which are as follows: Company Taxation The rate of tax credit available for research and development expenditure will rise from 11% to 12% with effect from 1 January 2018. The government also announced that a new advanced clearance service will be piloted for claims for research and development expenditure credit, to provide a pre-filing agreement for three years. This means that businesses Post Budget will be able to agree the £ technical details of the 60,000 research and develop11,850 ment expenditure in 48,150 advance so that they have a greater chance of success in ensuring that 6,900 the claims are accept5,460 able.

12,360 Share reconstruction rules have been amend47,640 ed to in order to avoid any unintentional chargeable gains being triggered where a UK company incorporates foreign branch assets in exchange for shares in an overseas company.

Partnership Taxation Partnerships do tend to cause a significant amount of uncertainty and are never clear in their structure, especially where no agreement exists. In order to counteract this, the government has announced that it will introduce legislation with effect from 2018/2019 to clarify the circumstances where, under the current rules, the partnerships are seen to be creating uncertainty. This will reduce the scope for noncompliant taxpayers to avoid or delay paying tax. The government did draft legislation in September 2017, and this has now been revised to be more compatible with commercial arrangements for allocating profit, and to avoid any additional administrative burdens.

Disincorporation Relief Disincorporation relief is given to owners of companies who would benefit from no longer holding the shares and trading as sole practitioners or in

2017

a partnership. Over the recent years, as the rate of corporation tax has reduced and with the introduction of the taxation of dividends, the beneficial aspects of trading through a corporate entity are significantly reducing.

This can be illustrated by way of an example: Details

Profit Before Taxation Company Tax At 19% Profit After Taxation Dividends Reservesq

Personal Taxation Gross Income Less Personal Allowance Taxable Income

al investors such as pension funds.

Taxation of Non-Resident Companies – UK Property Income and Gains Non-resident companies that generate an income from UK property will be chargeable to corporation tax Company Personal rather than income £ £ tax with effect from 6 60,000 60,000 April 2020.

11,400 Additionally, from 48,600 60,000 the same date, gains 48,600 that arise to non-res60,000 ident companies on the disposal of UK property will be 48,600 60,000 charged to corpora11,850 11,850 tion tax rather than 36,750 48,150 Capital Gains Tax.

Tax Payable Dividned Taxat 7.5% on £34,500 2,587.50 Dividned Tax at 32.5% ob £2,250 731.25 Personal Tax at 20% on £34,500 6,900.00 Personal Tax at 40% on £13,650 5,460.00 3,318.75 12,360.00 Add Corporation Tax 11,400.00 14,718.7512,360.00

General Mr Hammond introduced a whole host of other measures that, at this stage, have not been covered within the scope of this article.

These include Saving by disincorporation of business 2,358.75 (but are not limited to) the following: Mileage Rates for Landlords l New gift aid donor benefit Retrospective legislation has rules that apply to charities that been introduced with effect from claim gift aid relief on donations.

6 April 2017 and individuals l Consultation in respect of how operating unincorporated propto make the taxation of trusts erty businesses can opt to use a simpler, fairer and more transfixed rate deduction for every parent. mile they travel for business jourl The introduction of the 30 day neys by car, motorcycle or goods payment window between a capivehicles. tal gain arising on residential property and the payment of the PROPERTY TAXES relevant capital gains tax has Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) been deferred until April 2020.

A new relief from SDLT will l Businesses occupying more raise the price at which a properthan one floor in a building that ty becomes liable for SDLT to have been affected by the “stair£300,000 for first-time buyers. case tax” will be able to get their Those claiming the relief will pay valuations recalculated so that no SDLT on the first £300,000 of they are based on previous practhe consideration. No relief will tice backdated to April 2010. This be available where the total conwill include those who lost small sideration is more than £500,000. business rate relief.

Relief applies to transactions Although the budget was with effect from 22 to November seemingly a low key affair, there 2017. are a whole host of measures that Where the consideration is were introduced that cannot form £500,000 or less, SDLT at a rate of part of this article. Outlined 5% will apply to any amount over above are what are considered to £300,000. be the main points affecting the Early indications are that the everyday lives of the readership. definition of a first-time buyer is The information above should an individual who has never not be relied upon on its own. In owned a property, or land before.

Gains by Non-Residents on the detailed tax planning for UK Properties individuals or businesses, there Currently, gains achieved by are many factors that need carenon-residents disposal of UK ful consideration and research, property are not subject to both by yourself and your profesCapital Gains Tax. The governsional advisers, that, if done corment has announced that any rectly, should pay handsome divgains accruing from April 2019 by idends. Please get professional non-resident owners who dispose advise prior to taking any action. property in the UK, will be The proposals mentioned in this brought into the scope of UK taxarticle may be subject to amendation. There will be certain tarment. geted exemptions for institution-

16

UK

www.asian-voice.com

Asian Voice | 2nd December 2017

£10k per month lifetime lotto prize- but is it worth it?

Reshma Trilochun Amid declining ticket sales, Camelot, the organiser of the National Lottery is said to be launching a £10,000 (tax-free) per month lifetime prize. It is said that this move has been made in order to sell more tickets, as well as make the lottery appealing to “modern Britain”. As enticing as this new game may appear, there is no denying that this is gambling. And as much as this game has the ability to make your life, it can also destroy you in a jiffy.

The game is being revamped as it is alleged that some previous winners of large sums have been struggling with depression, feeling isolated from friends, and some have even gone a step forward by saying that they wished they had never played the game in the first place. The CEO at Camelot, Nigel Railton said, “We want to get new people into the game and our research tells us that more people these days want financial security. The younger generation are finding it difficult to get on the housing ladder and they want prizes that help with this.”

As well as changing the reward for the game, Camelot are making plans to sell their lottery tickets at self-service checkouts at discounted supermarkets, such as Lidl and Aldi, and are said to be introducing a Tuesday Thunderball draw in 2018.

headaches, stomach aches, irritability and anxiety, as well as stress-related symptoms. A mere game can become a habit, and before you know it, you've become an addict and the game that you so fondly played is now playing with your mind and soul.

Undeniably, the prospect of winning £10,000 per month until death seems like a fabulous deal. No doubt, if a young person wins this prize, they will not have to struggle getting on the property ladder and can live a very comfortable life in this expensive contemporary day and age. Yet, what are the chances of someone actually getting this prize? One in 45 million? Is it really worth the effort? Maybe it would be useful to save the

AsianVoiceNews

Talking about HIV to get rid of the taboo at an alarming pace in the European Region, mostly in its eastern part, which is home to almost 80% of the 160,000 new HIV diagnoses.

This is the highest number of new cases ever recorded in one year. If this trend persists, we will not be able to achieve the Sustainable Development Goal target of ending the HIV epidemic by 2030. Testing people late, particularly those at higher risk of infection, results in late treatment and further contributes to the o n g o i n g spread of HIV. The later people are diagnosed, the more likely they are to develop AIDS, thus leading to more suffering and death. On World AIDS Day, I

portal that provides knowledge on HIV and AIDS, India has the third largest HIV 1st December commemoepidemic in the world due rates World AIDS Day, to its large population size. which was founded in 1988.

On the other hand, comIt gives people across the globe the opportunity to pared to neighbouring come together to fight countries, India has made against HIV, show solidarity commendable progress in with those living with HIV, reducing the infection by as well as to remember half since 2001. It was those who died. 1988 World reported that new infecAIDS Day was the first ever tions in India were global health day, yet in 80,000 in 2016, 2017, there is still a stigma compared to 2005 in society regarding this illwhen there were ness, to the extent that 150,000 new case. some people refuse to be in Speaking to the sister of someone livthe presence of those living ing with HIV, Madhu* with HIV and refusing to shares her insight on her touch them in case they brother's situation. “It's very catch the disease. As silly as disheartening at times seethis may sound to you and I, ing people treating my but unfortunately, such people exist who believe the brother unfairly. I somemyths and disregard the times see people from my facts of living with HIV. own community who refuse How can one educate peoto come in breathing space ple regarding this illness? with him; some don't even Currently, there are shake his hand. But my over 100,000 people livbrother is a fighter. ing with HIV in the UK, Regardless of their You can get HIV by being around and there are an estinegative behaviour, he HIV positive people: mated 36.7 million peokeeps positive.”

Education is prime ple globally. There have MYTH. HIV is transmitted when been scientific advances infected material, such as blood, in combatting and dein the treatment for HIV semen, vaginal fluid and breast milk stigmatising the issue. and there are laws to comes in direct contact with a mucous Young people, as well even protect people liv- membrane, such as mouth, anus and as those who may not ing with the condition. vagina; HIV can also be transmitted know how you can get However, people who are when injected directly into the blood- infected need to be HIV positive are still dis- stream. Kissing, hugging, sneezing or educated. The lack of criminated, and many coughing, sharing food and drink, and knowledge, or the people are unaware of touching DOES NOT spread HIV. unwillingness to learn how to protect themabout the dangers of selves and others from. the virus can be life HIV leads to death: According to the world Apart MYTH. 30 years ago, due to the threatening.

Health Organisation lack of knowledge on how it should be from that, more aware(WHO) Europe is the treated, many people died. However, ness must be raised only region across the treatments are now much better. For regarding AIDS and globe where the number people with HIV, taking one pill a day HIV. It should not be of new HIV infections can possibly manage the virus. People such a hush-hush are rising. Their statis- with HIV can now live a much longer topic where most peotics reveal that over and healthier life following treatment ple prefer to avoid having any discussion on 160,000 people were and medications. this matter. Talking, newly diagnosed with learning, discussing HIV, including over I can tell if someone is HIV positive 29,000 new cases in the MYTH. You cannot tell whether and hearing about European Union and someone is HIV positive by looking at people's experience European Economic them. There are many times when and knowledge will Area (EU/EEA). What is those suffering from HIV are unaware educate you on this alarming is that half of that they have the virus. Someone's matter and help to these cases (51%) were behaviour does not imply whether make you see the facts diagnosed in the late they have HIV. of the virus, rather stages of the infection. than believing in Dr Zsuzsanna Jakab, urge all countries to take myths.

WHO Regional Director of action now to reverse the *Name has been Europe shared, “The HIV HIV epidemic in Europe.” changed to protect their epidemic continues to rise According to Avert, the identity.

Kiran D Patel is the Principal of Albury Associates Limited, Chartered

F

Accountants. For specific advice, please contact Kiran D Patel on 020 3586 4295 or e-mail him at kiran@alburyassociates.com.

Meghan with her mother, Doria Ragland

l First-time buyers of residential property outside of Scotland will pay no stamp duty land tax on the first £300,000 of the purchase price for a home, provided the total value does not exceed £500,000. l The personal allowance rises to £11,850 and the higher rate tax threshold for the UK (excluding non-savings, non-dividend income in Scotland) will rise to £46,350 for 2018/2019. l The pension lifetime allowance will increase from £1 million to £1.03 million from April 2018.

There will be no change to the

l An obsession with gambling and the loss of interest in other hobbies or activities l Increase the amount of gambles to repay lost bets, or to experience the same thrill l Negative impact on relationships with near and dear ones l Hiding the amount of money and time spent betting from family membership l Stealing money to gamble l Denying that there's a problem l Can lead to physical symptoms such as, headaches, stomach aches and stress-related symptoms general well-being. Yet, excessive gambling can lead to mental health issues and also cause chaos within your family life, ultimately making you feel alienated or isolated from your loved ones. They can also lead to physical symptoms, such as

money you would have used to play the lottery. It may seem measly initially, but when you calculate the amount at the end of every year, you would definitely see a good amount of money being saved which could be put to good use.

Prince Harry to wed in May 2018 Continued from page 1

Myths about HIV

Main budget highlights

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will be living in Nottingham Cottage, at Kensington Palace apartments after marriage

Meghan with her father, Thomas Markle

including Prince William and Kate Middleton's wedding, had very little impact on the economy.

On the other hand, Prince Charles and Princess Diana's wedding in 1981 had boosted the British travel industry, as well as the rest of Britain's economy. Further on, there seems to be no plans for a wedding bank holiday on this occasion.

Asian Voice | 2nd December 2017

BUDGET

Low key affair to avoid disruption

Hollywood. Meghan is extremely close to her mother, Doria Ragland, 60, whose father was an antique dealer and mother was a nurse.

Following the engagement, Meghan's parents expressed in a statement issued

by Kensington Palace, “We are incredibly happy for Meghan and Harry. Our daughter has always been a kind and loving person. To see her union with Harry, who shares the same qualities, is a source of great joy for us as parents. We wish them a lifetime of happiness and are very excited for their future together.”

Although the royal wedding is an affair to look forward to, it seems rather unlikely that it will do wonders in boosting the British economy. Recent royal weddings,

Symptoms of gambling addition:

17

November 2017 Budget

De-stigmatising AIDS Reshma Trilochun

AsianVoiceNewsweekly

ollowing a general election, the first budget of the new parliament is traditionally a dramatic event, one in which the Chancellor dispenses with a whole host of tax increases, usually because they are at the furthest point from the next general election.

However, for a number of reasons, Mr Hammond did not follow the norm. It was far from it. Rather than increasing the Exchequer’s income, the budget revealed a net giveaway of just under £1.6 billion in the coming tax year.

The main highlight was the move to give first-time buyers an exemption from stamp duty land tax for the first £300,000 of the amount paid for properties bought for up to £500,000. It was commonly predicted that some form of move would take place, when it comes to incentivising first-time buyers to jump onto the property market.

On the income tax front, the Chancellor was substantially less generous, increasing both the personal allowance and the higher rate threshold by 3%, in line with inflation. He gave nothing away to individual savings account (ISA), with a freeze in the main ISA and lifetime ISA investment limits. Pension savers were luckier, with an increase in the lifetime allowance, the first since 2010 and no changes to the annual allowance.

Venture Capital Schemes and Enterprise Investment Schemes were again targeted for a tightening of the screws. The Chancellor introduced a raft of measures designed to introduce a greater emphasis on risk investment for Venture Capital Trusts, Enterprise Investment Schemes and Seed Enterprise Investment Schemes. However, he did not take any action on the inheritance tax business relief, which was widely expected.

A number of commentators have suggested that this was both a dull and steady-as-she-goes budget. Mr Hammond will probably be very pleased with the suggestions, as broadly speaking a neutral budget was likely to be his goal, given the issues that arose after his national insurance U-turn following the March budget.

One might think that playing a line on the lottery is merely a game and won't cause any harm. However, excessiveness of any habit can become detrimental.

Gambling can be as destructive as taking drugs. Of course, being addicted to drugs is more life-threatening and extremely dangerous to one's mental and

Prince Harry expressed, “I think she would be over the moon, jumping up and down, so excited for me, but then, she would have probably been best friends with Meghan. You know, it is days like today I really miss having her around and miss being able to share the happy news. But, you know, with the ring and with everything else that's going on, I'm sure she's with us.

The engagement ring Born as Rachel has diamonds Meghan Markle on belonging to his 4th August 1981, mother, Princess Diana she grew up in Los Angeles and is an actress by profession.

Born to a white father and a black mother, Meghan was previously married to a NewYork based film and TV producer, Trevor Engleson, 41. They were married for two years before parting ways in 2013. Her exhusband is currently working on a show about a man whose wife runs off with a prince.

Meghan's father, Thomas Markle, 72, worked as a lighting director in

BUDGET SPECIAL

annual allowance. l Venture Capital Trusts, Enterprise Investment Schemes and Seed Enterprise Investment Schemes will be required to focus more on companies where there is a real risk of investment. l The supplement applied to company cars that run on diesel will increase from 3% to 4% from April 2018. l Marketplaces will become jointly and severally liable for unpaid VAT of UK and overseas traders. l There are a number of changes to business rates.

PERSONAL TAXATION Income Tax There were no major changes in this area, other than the personal allowance increasing to £11,850 and the high rate threshold rising to £46,350 for 2018/2019.

In reality, this means that a higher rate taxpayer earning £60,000 per annum is likely to have an increase of £340 in the year (excluding any national insurance contribution changes).

This amounts to an additional amount of £28.33 each month.

The table below shows how this will be affected: Details

Pre Budget £ Total Income 60,000 Less Personal Allowance 11,500 Taxable Income 48,500

Tax Payable Basic Rate Higher Rate Net Pay

6,700 6,000 12,700

47,300

Private Sector Off Payroll Working In April 2017, the government made a number of changes to the payroll working rules for public sector engagements.

The Chancellor has announced that he will be extending this to the private sector. This means, in reality, that a number of individuals, especially in the IT industry, who operate through individual corporate entities, but in reality only have a single source of income, will have to account for the tax and national insurance contributions on their earnings at source. (IR35).

National Insurance Contributions There were no significant changes to these. The government has indicated that it will delay the implementation of any reforms by one year.

Taxation of Benefits in Kind and Employee Business Expenses The Chancellor has announced that from April 2018, there will be no benefit in kind tax charge on electricity that employers provide employees recharging their personally owned electrical hybrid vehicles

at their workplace. In reality, it is very difficult to assess how this particular benefit in kind charge was or is being implemented. The government have merely taken away a burden of administration.

The Chancellor did announce a number of changes to the taxation of employee expenses: – l The government to consult on extending the scope of tax relief available to employees and the self-employed for work-related training costs. l From April 2019, employers will not have to check receipts when reimbursing employees for subsistence using scale rates.

BUSINESS TAXES Mr Hammond did announce a number of technical changes to business taxes. The more relevant ones of which are as follows: Company Taxation The rate of tax credit available for research and development expenditure will rise from 11% to 12% with effect from 1 January 2018. The government also announced that a new advanced clearance service will be piloted for claims for research and development expenditure credit, to provide a pre-filing agreement for three years. This means that businesses Post Budget will be able to agree the £ technical details of the 60,000 research and develop11,850 ment expenditure in 48,150 advance so that they have a greater chance of success in ensuring that 6,900 the claims are accept5,460 able.

12,360 Share reconstruction rules have been amend47,640 ed to in order to avoid any unintentional chargeable gains being triggered where a UK company incorporates foreign branch assets in exchange for shares in an overseas company.

Partnership Taxation Partnerships do tend to cause a significant amount of uncertainty and are never clear in their structure, especially where no agreement exists. In order to counteract this, the government has announced that it will introduce legislation with effect from 2018/2019 to clarify the circumstances where, under the current rules, the partnerships are seen to be creating uncertainty. This will reduce the scope for noncompliant taxpayers to avoid or delay paying tax. The government did draft legislation in September 2017, and this has now been revised to be more compatible with commercial arrangements for allocating profit, and to avoid any additional administrative burdens.

Disincorporation Relief Disincorporation relief is given to owners of companies who would benefit from no longer holding the shares and trading as sole practitioners or in

2017

a partnership. Over the recent years, as the rate of corporation tax has reduced and with the introduction of the taxation of dividends, the beneficial aspects of trading through a corporate entity are significantly reducing.

This can be illustrated by way of an example: Details

Profit Before Taxation Company Tax At 19% Profit After Taxation Dividends Reservesq

Personal Taxation Gross Income Less Personal Allowance Taxable Income

al investors such as pension funds.

Taxation of Non-Resident Companies – UK Property Income and Gains Non-resident companies that generate an income from UK property will be chargeable to corporation tax Company Personal rather than income £ £ tax with effect from 6 60,000 60,000 April 2020.

11,400 Additionally, from 48,600 60,000 the same date, gains 48,600 that arise to non-res60,000 ident companies on the disposal of UK property will be 48,600 60,000 charged to corpora11,850 11,850 tion tax rather than 36,750 48,150 Capital Gains Tax.

Tax Payable Dividned Taxat 7.5% on £34,500 2,587.50 Dividned Tax at 32.5% ob £2,250 731.25 Personal Tax at 20% on £34,500 6,900.00 Personal Tax at 40% on £13,650 5,460.00 3,318.75 12,360.00 Add Corporation Tax 11,400.00 14,718.7512,360.00

General Mr Hammond introduced a whole host of other measures that, at this stage, have not been covered within the scope of this article.

These include Saving by disincorporation of business 2,358.75 (but are not limited to) the following: Mileage Rates for Landlords l New gift aid donor benefit Retrospective legislation has rules that apply to charities that been introduced with effect from claim gift aid relief on donations.

6 April 2017 and individuals l Consultation in respect of how operating unincorporated propto make the taxation of trusts erty businesses can opt to use a simpler, fairer and more transfixed rate deduction for every parent. mile they travel for business jourl The introduction of the 30 day neys by car, motorcycle or goods payment window between a capivehicles. tal gain arising on residential property and the payment of the PROPERTY TAXES relevant capital gains tax has Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) been deferred until April 2020.

A new relief from SDLT will l Businesses occupying more raise the price at which a properthan one floor in a building that ty becomes liable for SDLT to have been affected by the “stair£300,000 for first-time buyers. case tax” will be able to get their Those claiming the relief will pay valuations recalculated so that no SDLT on the first £300,000 of they are based on previous practhe consideration. No relief will tice backdated to April 2010. This be available where the total conwill include those who lost small sideration is more than £500,000. business rate relief.

Relief applies to transactions Although the budget was with effect from 22 to November seemingly a low key affair, there 2017. are a whole host of measures that Where the consideration is were introduced that cannot form £500,000 or less, SDLT at a rate of part of this article. Outlined 5% will apply to any amount over above are what are considered to £300,000. be the main points affecting the Early indications are that the everyday lives of the readership. definition of a first-time buyer is The information above should an individual who has never not be relied upon on its own. In owned a property, or land before.

Gains by Non-Residents on the detailed tax planning for UK Properties individuals or businesses, there Currently, gains achieved by are many factors that need carenon-residents disposal of UK ful consideration and research, property are not subject to both by yourself and your profesCapital Gains Tax. The governsional advisers, that, if done corment has announced that any rectly, should pay handsome divgains accruing from April 2019 by idends. Please get professional non-resident owners who dispose advise prior to taking any action. property in the UK, will be The proposals mentioned in this brought into the scope of UK taxarticle may be subject to amendation. There will be certain tarment. geted exemptions for institution-

18

FINANCIAL VOICE

www.asian-voice.com AsianVoiceNews

Asian Voice | 2nd December 2017

India begins review of tax, other norms for startups to make it attractive The government of India is currently reviewing startup regime to make it more attractive for entrepreneurs, especially on the tax front. Sources said the discussions are already underway and involve several ministries.

It was initiated ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's meeting with several start-ups and their CEOs in Hyderabad this week.

Blooming businesses or ideas have been a major push for the concurrent administration as they are seen to not just be creating jobs, but also encourage entrepreneurship.

Sources said a major chunk of the agenda involves minor changes in the taxation policy. There are however, concerns related to the taxation policy for a large number of angel investors, that face a levy on the capital gains.

Nasscom attributed a 53 per cent decline in angel funding recently during the first half of 2017 to complicated tax rules.

During this period, venture capital and angel funding put together increased by 167 per cent. “For the last two years the government has agreed that it needs to be done... There have been

some concerns about misuse (of the provisions). But the fear of misuse is there for any law,” said Nasscom president R Chandrashekhar.

There are also concerns over the rules for taxation of employee stock options, which have been flagged and the government is looking into it. An official said, “The idea is to make the regime as attractive as possible and the concerns are sought to be addressed at the earliest. The issue of start-ups being taxed on the investments received is far from over. While an exemption is provided to

investors registered with Sebi and to foreign investors, domestic investors in general have to still defend the valuation.

In fact, it continues to be common for companies to receive notices asking for a justification of the premium received,” said Abhishek Goenka, India Leader, Corporate and International Tax at consulting firm PwC. While the tax changes are unlikely before the budget, scheduled for February 1, some of the procedural issues can be fixed earlier if they only require change in rules through notifications.

Fresh SC bid to auction Sahara’s Aamby Valley The Supreme Court has appointed a receiver to manage Sahara's Aamby Valley properties, while directing its fresh auction after an attempt made earlier failed. It issued a warning that it would send Sahara Group chief Subrata Roy behind bars if he created any obstacles in the process. The appointment means that the Sahara Group would have control over the prized property. Bench consisting of chief justice Dipak Misra and Justices Ranjan Gogoi and AK Sikri have

BRICS bank OKs $400m loans to India, Russia

K V Kamath

The Shanghai-based BRICS New Development Bank (NDB) has approved two infrastructure and sustainable development projects in India and Russia with loans of $400 million. The loans will be used to rehabilitate the Indira Gandhi canal system in India and to build a toll transport corridor connecting Ufa city centre to the M-5 federal highway in Russia. "The NDB was established to mobilise resources for infrastructure and sustainable development in BRICS and other emerging economies and developing countries, and the two projects approved are fully in line with the bank's mandate and national development plans of our member countries," NDB President K V Kamath was quoted as saying.

Subrata Roy

entrusted the task to official receiver of the Bombay High Court to manage the properties after allegations were made that

Subrata Roy jeopardised the global auction of the asset by interfering in the process and some encroacher might take possession of the property which has been attached

by SC. The Aamby Valley is Sahara's most valuable property comprising luxury resorts, man-made lakes, and an airport.

Spread over 10,000 hectares near Pune, Maharashtra, it is a brilliantly planned city with world-class infrastructure and facilities. Sahara had

valued the property at £3.4 billion in January 2012, however, the liquidator pegged its worth at £4.3 billion.

The SC had on July 25 given green signal to official liquidator, appointed by it, to initiate proceedings for its auctioning by inviting bidders. Instead of monthly exercise of fixing the instalment to be paid by the Sahara Group, the apex court had decided to go the whole hog to fetch over £900 million which was still to be paid by the company to SEBI.

China's growth miracle has run out of steam, says expert

A Beijing-based economic theorist and financial strategist has said that growth of the gross domestic product (GDP) must not be considered as an insight of the Dragon's underlying economic performance. Michael Pettis, professor at Peking University and associate at the Carnegie Endowment Foundation said, “Piling up unsold and unsaleable goods or building empty airports may boost GDP in an economy whose financial system does not recognise bade debt, but it does not measure its performance.” He said it was wrong of analysts to “assume that changes in reported GDP reflect movements in living standards and productive capacity. In China, however, this is not the case.”

Pettis said that most economies have two mechanisms that force GDP data to conform to underlying economic performance. The first is hard budget constraints which set spending limits, drive companies that systematically waste investment out of business before they can substantially distort the economy, and the sec-

Michael Pettis

ond is a market-pricing factor in GDP accounting that when bad debts caused by wasted investment are written down, the value-added component of GDP and the overall level of reported growth is reduced. He said, “In China, however, neither mechanism works.

Bad debt is not written down and the government is not subject to hard budget constraints. It is the government sector that is mainly responsible for the investment misallocation that characterises so much recent Chinese growth.”

Pettis suggested that President Xi Jinping's new administration plans to rein in debt by abandoning the country's long-term economic targets and allowing gross domestic

product growth to fall may come unstuck because “GDP growth is not the same as economic growth.” In China, he said the reported GDP growth has been overstated.

“Were it correctly written down, by some estimates GDP growth would fall below 3 per cent.” He said that Japan too suffered from a very low consumption share of GDP and an over reliance on investment that, by the 1980s, turned into substantial misallocation.

Case in point are Japan and former USSR. The latter grew so rapidly after World War II that by the late-1960s it comprised 14 per cent of global GDP, similar to China today, and was widely expected to overtake the United States. Two decades later, its share of global GDP has, however, fallen by more than 70 per cent.

“The implications are clear. China's growth miracle has already run out of steam. It is only by allowing debt to surge that the country is able to meet its GDP targets. This may be why President Xi has been eager to stress more meaningful goals.”

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India awaiting formal response from Apple India's commerce and industry minister Suresh Prabhu has said the Centre would support US giant Apple to set up manufacturing unit in the country. Speaking in an interview, he said, “Let us get a good proposal from them... We will be very happy to receive Apple, one of the top brands in the world. We are willing to find out if there is any difficulty they may face.

We will be more than happy to resolve that difficulty. So we will await a formal proposal.” He said that the Centre was willing to call all state chief ministers who are willing to give them the best deal.

The iPhone and iPad manufacturer has asked for several concessions to set up manufacturing unit in the country. The Centre had sought investment and job creation details from the iPhone maker to facilitate setting up its proposed manufacturing facility in India. The then commerce and industry minister Nirmala Sitharaman had in March informed the Rajya Sabha that the government has not accepted 'most of the demands' of the company.

Apple India had sought concessions, including

duty exemption on manufacturing and repair units, components, capital equipment and consumables for smartphone manufacturing and service/repair for a period of 15 years. It also wants relaxation in the mandated 30 per cent local sourcing of components, besides reduction in customs duties on completely-knocked-down and semi-knocked-down units of devices that are to be assembled in the country.

The tech giant does not manufacture devices, gets the job done instead through contract manufacturers. It sells its products through companyowned retail stores in countries like China, Germany, the US, the UK, and France, along with others.

Task force reviewing India's direct tax law

The Central government has announced a review of direct taxes, following an overhaul of indirect taxes, in a move that may impact one's tax rates and exemptions in coming years. The review came months after Prime Minister Narendra Modi observed that the income tax law was drafted 56 years ago and needed to be re-drafted. In a statement, the Finance Ministry said, “Accordingly, in order to review the Act and to draft a new Direct Tax Law in consonance with economic needs of the country, the government has constituted a task force.”

This team will be lead

by Arbind Modi, memberlegislation in CBDT. Along with Modi, other members of the panel will include chief economic advisor Arvind Subramanian as a permanent special invitee,

along with GC Srivastava, former IRS officer and advocate, Rajiv Memani, chairman and regional MD at consulting firm Ernst & Young, chartered accountant Girish Ahuja, tax lawyer Mukesh Patel, Mansi Kedia, consultant of think tank ICRIER. The task force has six months to submit its report. It is mandated to draft a law that is in line with tax laws prevalent in other countries and that incorporates international best practices. “This steadfast focus will enhance India's competitiveness and make the country future ready,” said Memani. Tax experts said the focus should be on ways to reduce litigation by making the tax regime more predictable, while reducing the rates along with exemptions, especially for corporate sector.

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HALF KNOWLEDGE IS A DANGEROUS THING AsianVoiceNews

AsianVoiceNewsweekly

In business and life, we are often reliant on experts’ opinion and advice. This is because we cannot know everything about everything. We are limited in our knowledge and perception; after all, according to science, we can only see less than 1% of what actually exists.

Suresh Vagjiani

Sow & Reap London Property Investment

Fundamentally, we are flawed, even within the 1% in our range of perception there are many contradictory opinions, not always fueled by the right intentions.

Currently, we are in a live situation where one planner’s opinion is contradicting another. An investor who is reliant upon the instruction of others, will often be led totally by their opinion.

This is an unwise stance to take, many professionals are not commercially minded. They often do not know how to quantify and take risks. This is

why they do what they do.

More often than not, they take the more conservative option, which is if there is any element of risk then to advise the client not to do the deal.

This way they protect themselves from any future liability. In principle, inaction is better than action; it’s the safer option.

A few years ago, when we were purchasing a block in Kilburn consisting of 23 units, an hour before the exchange deadline the lawyer pointed out a flaw in the building. There were some illegal works that had been done to the property, which would affect the ability of a lender to lend. Also, this meant we were risking action both from the council and the freeholder.

We had to take a call as we were in a contract race, and we expected if the deal was not exchanged

AGONY AGENT IS HERE TO HELP! Q: My tenant signed an agreement for six months, and paid a two month deposit. However, I forgot to register the deposit.

He then signed another agreement for 12 months, but then changed his mind and served notice to vacate. In that notice, he asks for me to use the deposit to pay for the last two months. He now wants to claim back the deposit plus council tax as otherwise his solicitor will take me to court for 3 times the deposit. Would you please advise me in this matter?

A: I’m afraid I have bad news for you; not protect-

ing the deposit makes you liable for the penalty for noncompliance with the regulations. Under the Housing Act 2004, a judge has to make an order for the penalty payment if the tenant applies to the court requesting this, if you have failed to protect the deposit within the 30 day period. The thing which triggers the liability for the penalty is failing to protect a deposit within 30 days of payment. Even if the deposit ‘did not exist’ at a later date, this does not cancel your liability. As soon as the 30th day after the deposit payment has passed, you are liable to

BUY TO LET OPPORTUNITY Sussex Square, London, W2 Purchase Price: £999,000

Specialists in Central London Property Sourcing

having the order to pay the penalty made against you – there is NOTHING you can do to change this.

NO exceptions.

The judge does not have the legal power to refuse to order the penalty, all she or he can do is decide whether the penalty should be 1, 2 or 3 x the deposit sum. Many landlords find this hard to accept, but that is the law and there are no exceptions.

It may get worse in your scenario, as if the deposit carried over to the second fixed term it is possible that the tenant may be

on the Friday evening, over the weekend the competing party will have lined up their ducks and would be in a position to exchange first thing on Monday morning. Often having another party in the race makes One laser focused, despite dragging One’s feet previously for several months. Our investor, understanding the risk involved, took the call to do the deal, and consequently made 40% per annum on their investment. Not all calls have been successful in recent years, there have been some losses as well.

This is the nature of investment.

Going back to our live situation, our planner and team who have been involved in this site are extremely confident of getting planning for over one hundred units. The investor considering the deal has got his planner to double check the conclusion. His planner has

REAL ESTATE VOICE

19

Asian Voice | 2nd December 2017

done a very prima facie analysis and concluded not to do the deal.

This advice, if incorrect, will cause the investor to potentially lose about £12m in profit. There are many flaws in his planner’s analysis. Firstly, he is not qualified in terms of his experience, his experience seems to be focused in London, the piece of land in question is well outside London.

Secondly, he has not taken the time to look into the detail, choosing

instead to ride off headlines. When the deal is this lucrative One needs to get into the nitty gritty, or be confident someone else has done so on One’s behalf.

So, what’s the conclusion?

Professionals are there to give their advice and opinions, keeping in mind they will always be looking to cover their behinds.

One needs to ensure they are holding the reins to take the final decision, and that the decision is not clouded by fear.

entitled to TWO awards, if you did not protect the deposit within 30 days of the start of the second tenancy and serve the prescribed information.

This may make you liable for up to six times the deposit sum, however, this would be at the discretion of the judge.

The Act also says that the judge should order the landlord to refund the deposit money (or pay it into a scheme), but if you can prove that the deposit was offset against the arrears with the tenant’s consent, this should not apply to you.

However, in the circumstances, it may be best to let this tenant go as he wishes, and make sure

that all deposits taken in future are protected promptly within the time limit.

If you had a Non-Housing Act tenancy, you would not have a requirement to protect the deposit, but you may wish to anyway, so you can sleep tight

should any change come into effect in the distant future.

For further advice on such matters please feel free to get in touch.

Richard Bond Lettings Manager Sow & Reap

l Comprising of four spacious bedrooms, a large double reception room, breakfast room, two bathrooms and a shower room l In an extremely popular 1960s purpose built block l Lift, porter and access to a private garden for residents only l Conveniently located just a short walk from Lancaster Gate tube station l After minor refurbishment, expected resale is £2.2M Call us now for more information!

0207 993 0103

info@sowandreap.co.uk www.sowandreap.co.uk 27 Gloucester Place, London, W1U 8HU SowandReapProperties

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Turning land into cash Get in touch about our land opportunities

20

FINANCIAL VOICE

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Asian Voice | 2nd December 2017

Consultant Editor Financial Voice Alpesh Patel Dear Financial Voice Reader, I know many of you want me to look at your portfolios for you. That’s not what I do. As an asset manager, I don’t advise. My hedge fund and my private equity fund manage, not advise. However, in this column, I can talk about the things that interest you.

The first place I always start in answering what are good stocks is my own investment algorithms in my own software. I created this over 12 years ago and commercialised it and it has outperformed every fund manager investing in UK companies over that period.

I should have billions managing peoples money right?

I agree. I agree.

Want proof? www.sharescope.co.uk/alpesh Anyway, for now, you get my views from my software. The algorithms I ran for this article are based on a 12 month outlook examining the companies’ data on profits, growth, share price among many other data points.

Of the 350 largest UK companies the ones highest rated at DS Smith, Smurfit, 888, Bellway, Booker, Greggs, SuperGroup. Notice how I look at the data. I do not care what the companies do. You can make your reasons up why those companies will do well, but I let the accounts do the talking.

I use my algorithms and software robots deep dive into every part of the accounts to find, measure, weigh, analyse, calculate and compute the likely future for the companies.

What about the stinkers? Balfour Beatty, Centrica, Mitie, Nostrum Oil and Gas, AA, Coca Cola, Serco.

I am sure I will have upset a few people. Sorry.

This doesn’t mean I am always correct. Let me explain how trading works. I am not saying the poorest companies will not turnaround, after all, they could. In one sense I am playing the odds, the trends.

Equally the good companies could become complacent. However, it’s just that this does not tend to happen.

Equally I am not saying all the companies I have mentioned will be the best performers. It’s just that as a collective, the highest rated ones tend to outperform all fund managers – and have done so for over a decade now. So I am fairly confident they will do it again.

You see people wrongly think trading is about insider tips. It is not, it is about a sound process.

They wrongly think it is about picking the very best companies. It is not. A group of mediocre returns outperforms the promising one that burns out and crashes.

People also think that investing is about constantly finding the most innovative companies. It is not. It is about finding undervalued companies delivering growth in sales, dividends, profits.

Sure, there are many loss making shooting stars.

That is not our approach. It is too hit and miss.

Alpesh Patel Alpesh Patel and Juventus Football Club are Official Partners of 24Option.com brokers.

Alpesh.patel@tradermind.com

Mittals pledge £700 mn to philanthropy The Bharti family has pledged 10% of its wealth, or around £700 million, to philanthropy and announced its plan to set up a new university to offer free education to underprivileged. The commitment includes 3% stake it holds in Bharti Airtel, group chairman Sunil Mittal said. Mittal said talks have been initiated for a partnership of Bharti Foundation with global leaders such as Mark Zuckerberg and Softbank’s Masayoshi Son, among others, for tieups, although the details are yet to be worked out.

While £100 million will be used to build the university campus, a sizeable chunk will be allocated to meet the annual requirement for around 10,000 students. A part of the funds will be allocated for scaling up the existing Satya Bharti School Programme, said Rakesh Mittal, vice-chairman of Bharti Enterprises and co-chairman of Bharti Foundation. With funds earmarked for Bharti Foundation, the group is working out the details, involving some restructuring. Mittals’ announcement came days after Infosys co-founder Nandan Nilekani and his wife Rohini Nilekani committed half their wealth to philanthropy by joining the ‘The Giving Pledge’, a movement spearheaded by Bill Gates and Warren Buffett.

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ThyssenKrupp kicks off talks with union on Tata Steel merger The managers and labour leaders at multinational steel manufacturer ThyssenKrupp are set to reconcile as they look forward to resolve a dispute over job cuts resulting from a planned merger of its steel operations with those of India's Tata Steel.

The de-escalation came after 8,000 steel workers protested last week, the day the Essen-based company announced improved annual results and a record order book, demanding guarantees to preserve jobs and production sites for 10 years. “The negotiations started in a matter-of-fact atmosphere,” a company spokesman said after a working group held a first round of talks. A spokesman for the IG Metall trade union said the two

sides had agreed on two of its demands - for an independent appraisal of the deal, as well a study of the risks arising from Tata Steel’s pension obligations to its British workers.

Managers from both companies will inspect each

other’s production sites over the next two weeks to examine their respective operational fitness.

Thyssenkrupp and Tata Steel in September announced plans for a joint venture that would create Europe’s second-largest

steelmaker after ArcelorMittal. The merger would result in up to 4,000 job cuts, although workers fear the toll could end up higher. Chief Executive Heinrich Hiesinger has said the deal actually offers the best chance to preserve jobs as ThyssenKrupp, which employs 27,000 people in its steel division, seeks to diversify into more promising businesses like hightech elevators and car components.

“Everything that will be negotiated and possibly agreed will depend on our judgement of these appraisals,” IG Metall said.

“The same applies: If (the merger) is not economically viable it doesn’t represent a concept that IG Metall can support.”

mote policy stability and compromise, and also underpin the ratings," the ratings agency said in a statement.

"These strengths are balanced against vulnerabilities stemming from the country's low per capita income and relatively high general government debt stock," it added. Department of Economic Affairs (DEA)

Secretary Subhash Chandra Garg said that the global agency chose to play cautious by keeping India's ratings unchanged and hoped that it would change its outlook next year.

The Narendra Modi government was hopeful that S&P would upgrade its rankings for India, proving a double booster shot to sentiment, close on the heels of the Moody's upgrade last week, which came after a gap of 14 years.

S&P had last changed India's rating in January 2007, to BBB-, which is the lowest.

The outlook assigned then was 'stable'. It changed the outlook to 'neg-

ative' in 2009 and raised it to 'stable' in 2010.

In 2012, S&P again lowered the outlook to 'negative', which it raised to 'stable' soon after the Modi government assumed office in 2014. The rating, however, remained unchanged at BBB- and it stays the same for now. Last week, Moody's revised the country's sovereign ratings to Baa2 from Baa3, citing the implementation of several reforms like the GST rollout, the insolvency act and demonetisation.

The Moody's ratings of Baa2 is an investment grade rating and marginally better than S&P's current assessment.

Standard & Poor’s maintains status quo on India's ratings

Global agency Standard & Poor's (S&P) maintained status quo on India's sovereign ratings but said that stable outlook reflects that growth will remain strong over the next two years. It kept India's outlook 'stable' in its latest ratings.

S&P said India would maintain its sound external accounts position and fiscal deficits would remain broadly in line with expectations.

"The ratings on India reflect the country's strong GDP growth, sound external profile, and improving monetary credibility. India's strong democratic institutions and its free press pro-

Rcom’s land in Navi Mumbai gets 8 bidders

Reliance Communications (RCom) has received interest for its 125-acre land bank in Mumbai, and reportedly finalised eight bidders for its development and sale.

Sources said the company is majorly dependent on proceeds from the land monetisation as it can provide immediate cash to clear pending dues. The Dhirubhai Ambani Knowledge Centre (DAKC) campus can be used to develop 20 million sq ft for IT, commercial, and residential space.

Sources said, “Parties include Canada's Brookfield, real-estate companies Wadhwa

Group, Raheja and Panchshil, office-space developer RMZ, privateequity players KKR and Blackstone.” HDFC is the independent valuer for the land bank and it is estimated that its value can be in “billions of rupees”. There is, however, no independent confirmation over the exact evaluation numbers. The Mumbai deal is of much importance to the debtladen company which

will shut down its 2G and 3G voice operations by end of this month over recurring losses.

RCom faced a series of setbacks over the past few months after its attempt to strike a merger deal with Aircel fell through. Completion of the deal would have enabled the company to bring down its debt by nearly £1.40 billion. The end of the Aircel deal saw put a plug on the company's tower deal, from which it was expecting to receive £1.10 billion by selling a 51 per cent share. The company is now negotiating fresh deal with other companies.

Modi govt okays new finance commission Setting up of the 15th Finance Commission has been approved by the union Cabinet to decide on the new formula to share resources between the Centre and the states. The new commission will have a heavier agenda, given major changes following introduction of GST. The committee on amendments to the fiscal responsibility law headed by former Planning Commission member NK Singh had also sought a detailed examination of its proposal by the new finance commission to cap state debt at 20 per cent of GDP, while capping overall government debt at 60 per cent of GDP. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said members of the finance commission and its terms of reference will be notified in due course of time. The recommendations will have to be in place before April 1, 2020. “Normally, it takes two years for finance commission to give its recommendations.” The 14th Finance Commission headed by former RBI governor YV Reddy had prompted the government to introduce major changes in the way spending took place.

WORLD - PAKISTAN, BANGLADESH

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Islamists end protest after Pak law minister quits

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan's law minister Zahid Hamid resigned on Sunday to bring the country "out of a state of crisis" after weeks-long protests by Islamists. The Islamists ended their threeweek-long protests after Hamid's resignation. The Pakistani government and the protesters had earlier agreed the latter would end the protests if he resigned.

"Our main demand has been accepted," said Ejaz Ashrafi, spokesman of the Tahreeke-Labaik Islamist group.

"Government will announce the law minister 's resignation and we will end our sitin today," he added.

The hardline protesters wanted Hamid to resign for what they said was a deliberate modification to the oath of office taken by politicians. They said the change amounted to blasphemy.

The modification was called a "clerical error" and immediately removed but that didn't satisfy the hardline Muslim fundamentalists. "I made the decision to resign in a personal capacity," Hamid was quoted as saying by government sources.

The government's agreement with the hardliners followed a two-day face-off

at Faizabad Interchange gateway between the twin Pakistani cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad and other parts of the country between protesters and security forces that saw at least six people killed and hundreds injured.

On Sunday, the hardliners clashed with security forces in Pakistan's capital

and other cities officials said, paralysing Islamabad a day after a failed clearing operation killed several people and wounded some 150.

The religious activists burned several vehicles outside the capital before withdrawing in an uneasy standoff at a protest camp they have occupied for two weeks, police said. Despite the government asking the army to help restore order, no military troops were at the scene around the protest camp in Faizabad, on the outskirts of the capital, witnesses said.

The military's press department did not respond to queries about the government's order. On Sunday evening, Interior Minister Ahsan Iqabal said the paramilitary Rangers force would be authorised to handle the demonstrations.

UK Minister pledges fiscal aid for Bangladesh, Rohingyas DHAKA: The United Kingdom's International Development Secretary, Penny Mordaunt, pledged the support of her government to stranded Rohingya refugees and the Government of Bangladesh.

Britain has announced an aid-related support of 12 million pounds that will help around 750,000 Rohingya women and girls globally over the next three years.

Mordaunt, according reports, has also pledged to help increase protection for Rohingya women and girls against sexual violence and exploitation. The UK's total support is now 59 million pounds since 25 August 2017, a British High Commission statement

Penny Mordaunt

issued in Dhaka said.

Mordaunt recently visited the refugee camp in Cox's Bazar, but had then warned that global funds for the Rohingya crisis would be drying up in 100 days.

Mordaunt praised the Bangladesh government and local communities for their continued generosity in

helping the Rohingya people. She also urged other countries to follow the UK's lead by promising longerterm support to avert disaster.

"We cannot turn our backs on those trapped in crisis. Other countries must follow our lead and do even more to help children overcome the trauma of war, reunite them with their families and give a future to the next generation," she said.

She met some of the 624,000 innocent men, women and children on November 25 who have been tragically driven from their homes in Myanmar and forced to make the treacherous journey to Bangladesh, relying on aid to survive and

heard harrowing stories of brutal abuse. She also met UK experts delivering lifesaving treatment, including medical, counselling and psychosocial support to female survivors.

She said the UK is absolutely determined to eliminate all forms of violence against women and girls and we are increasing protection for Rohingya women and girls against sexual violence and exploitation.

Mordaunt also met Bangladesh Minister for Foreign Affairs Md Shahriar Alam and praised the role of Bangladesh government in dealing the Rohingya crisis and appreciated the generous approach of Bangladeshi people towards the Rohingya people.

Bangladesh, Myanmar agree to begin Rohingya return BANGKOK: Myanmar and Bangladesh signed an agreement last week covering the return of Rohingya Muslims who fled across their mutual border to escape violence in Myanmar’s Rakhine state.

Myanmar announced the agreement but provided no details on how many Rohingya refugees would be allowed to return home.

Bangladesh said the repatriations are to begin within two months.

More than 6,20,000 Rohingya have fled from Myanmar into Bangladesh since August 25, when the army began what it called “clearance operations” following an attack on police posts by a group of Rohingya insurgents. Refugees arriving in Bangladesh said their homes were set on fire by

soldiers and Buddhist mobs, and some reported being shot at by security forces.

The office of Myanmar civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi said the agreement “on the return of displaced persons from Rakhine state” was signed by Cabinet officials in Naypyitaw,

21

Myanmar’s capital. It said the pact follows a formula set in a 1992 repatriation agreement signed by the two nations after an earlier spasm of violence. Under that agreement, Rohingya were required to present residency documents, which few have, before being

allowed to return to Myanmar.

“We’re continuing our bilateral talks with Myanmar so that these Myanmar nationals (Rohingya) could return to their country,” Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina was quoted as saying.

“It’s my call to Myanmar to start taking back soon their nationals from Bangladesh.”

Rohingya at a refugee camp in Bangladesh expressed deep doubts about the agreement.

“They burned our houses, they took our land and cows - will they give us these things back?” asked Abdul Hamid from Hoyakong. “I’m not happy at all. First, I need to know if they are going to accept us with the Rohingya identity,” said Sayed Alom, also from Hoyakong.

Pak finance minister relieved of duties

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan's Finance Minister Ishaq Dar has been relieved of his duties after his "leave of absence" was approved by Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi. Dar has been relieved of his three roles, including his portfolio in the finance ministry and has been informed of the decision. Abbasi has discussed the issue with former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. He would remain a federal minister and a leave of absence of three months has been granted to Dar. Dar, who is undergoing medical treatment in London for a heart condition, has been issued with an arrest warrant after he missed multiple court appearances on charges that he had amassed wealth beyond his known sources of income. An accountability court in Islamabad had earlier declared the minister a proclaimed offender, rejecting his plea for exemption from appearance.

Pak SC slams govt for its failure to save temple pond

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Supreme Court has criticised the government for failing to protect the sacred pond in the historic Katas Raj temple complex in Chakwal district of Punjab and ordered to fill it with water. The water in the pond is receding as the underground aquifer feeding it is under stress due to industrial activity. “The pond should be filled in a week even if water has to be carried in water-skins to fill it,” Chief Justice Saqib Nisar said in an order directed to the government and the Chakwal district administration. The issue was taken up by the court on the basis of media reports that the pond was drying up because cement factories nearby were drawing large amount of water through a number of borewells..

HC summons Sharif, Maryam for misusing official protocol

LAHORE: The Lahore High Court has summoned ousted prime minister Nawaz Sharif and his daughter Maryam Nawaz for allegedly misusing official protocol. The court reportedly took a decision to summon Sharif and his daughter during the hearing of plea seeking to retract official protocol from the former prime minister and his family. The petition was filed by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Andleeb Abbas. Sharif, his sons Hasan and Hussain, daughter Maryam, son-in-law Capt (retd) Mohammad Safdar and finance minister Ishaq Dar were facing multiple corruption references in the accountability court.

Bangladesh HC upholds death for 139 BDR soldiers

DHAKA: The Bangladesh High Court has upheld the death sentence of 139 soldiers and the life imprisonment of 146 convicted soldiers of the then Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) over the killing of 74 people, including 57 Army officers, during the 2009 mutiny. The carnage took place between February 25 and 26 that year. The BDR jawans had been accused of masterminding the mutiny plots, torturing and killing their officers, looting their belongings or keeping their family members captive during the rebellion. They had also killed eight civilians, eight fellow BDR soldiers who apparently were opposed to the revolt and an army soldier apart from the 57 military officers.

Lanka PM warns UNP MPs against criticizing President

COLOMBO: Sri Lanka's Prime Minister and the leader of the United National Party (UNP) Ranil Wickremesinghe has warned his party's parliamentarians against criticizing President Maithripala Sirisena. He had given these instructions when he met the UNP parliamentary group at Parliamentary complex. According to media reports, the Premier has asked the UNP Parliamentary Group to refrain from criticizing the President and refrain from making any statement in public which would harm the consensus of the unity government. The Premier has focused on recent statements made to media by some UNP parliamentarians regarding the President's commission inquiring bond issue while the Prime Minister was away on an official visit to India.

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WORLD -SRI LANKA , AFRICA

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Asian Voice | 2nd December 2017

Mnangagwa takes over as Zimbabwe President

HARARE: Emmerson Mnangagwa was sworn in as Zimbabwe's president last week, marking the final chapter of a political drama that toppled his predecessor Robert Mugabe after a military takeover.

Mnangagwa, until recently one of Mugabe's closest allies, took the oath of office at the national sports stadium on the outskirts of Harare before thousands of supporters, dignitaries and foreign diplomats.

The man known as "The Crocodile" wore a dark suit, red tie and matching handkerchief, and a row of medals on his chest for the ceremony. "We are excited and expecting a lot from Mnangagwa. We have been under a dictatorship for a very long time," 23-year-

old Sharon Mauyakufa said, referring to Mugabe.

The former president, who ruled the southern African country for 37 autocratic years, was ousted from office when the military intervened after he had sacked Mnangagwa as vice president.

Mnangagwa "assured Mugabe and his family maximum security and welfare" for their future as private citizens, the staterun Herald news site reported.

Mnangagwa, 75, said that Zimbabweans were witnessing "a new and unfolding full democracy", though critics say he is a ZANU-PF hardliner who gained power in a de facto military coup. He is known as "The Crocodile" for his ruthlessness and is accused

Emmerson Mnangagwa

of overseeing ethnic massacres by the army in the 1980s and the 2008 election violence when Mugabe was at risk of losing the vote.

Mugabe granted immunity As part of a deal

Mugabe was granted immunity from prosecution and assured that his safety would be protected in his home country.

Mugabe, who had led Zimbabwe from independence in 1980, stepped down after the army seized power and the ruling party turned against him. A government source said Mugabe, who is 93, told negotiators he wanted to die in Zimbabwe and had no plans to live in exile.

Mugabe resigned as parliament began a process to impeach him, sparking celebrations in the streets. His rapid downfall after 37 years in power was triggered by a battle to succeed him that pitted Mnangagwa against Mugabe’s much younger wife Grace.

Kenyatta sworn in as Kenya president for second time NAIROBI: Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta was sworn-in for a second five-year term as riot police sealed off an area where the opposition planned a rival gathering and tear-gassed people trying to reach it.

Kenyatta won a repeat presidential election on Oct. 26 that was boycotted by opposition leader Raila Odinga, who said it was not free and fair.

The Supreme Court of Kenya had earlier nullified the first presidential election, in August, over irregularities. The Supreme Court

Lanka local polls - a crucial test for president COLOMBO: Sri Lanka began preparing for long-delayed local elections seen as a key popularity test of embattled President Maithripala Sirisena, whose coalition government is embroiled in bitter infighting. Sirisena's allies say the president has deliberately stalled local council polls to buy time as he tries to heal rifts within his own party, an accusation he denies.

The local vote, likely to be in early February, is seen as a crucial mid-term test for Sirisena, who has struggled to hold the raucous ruling alliance together since his election in 2015. Rajith Keerthi Tennakoon from the non-profit Campaign for Free and Fair Elections said voters were no longer considering this a small local election.

"People felt they were being deprived of their vote for a long time," Tennakoon said. "This could be a test of the president's popularity."

Uhuru Kenyatta

later upheld the results of a presidential re-run held in

October declaring President Kenyatta as the winner, paving the way for his swearing-in. Six judges determined that two petitions against Kenyatta's reelection lacked merit and therefore were dismissed, saying the President was validly elected.

The extended election season has divided Kenya and blunted growth in East Africa's richest economy.

Odinga's supporters, many drawn from poorer parts of the country, feel locked out of power and the patronage.

Heads of state from

Somalia, Rwanda, Uganda, South Sudan, Ethiopia, Djibouti, Zambia and other nations were present during the swearing-in ceremony.

Odinga supporters say talk of unity is tantamount to surrender. They accuse the ruling party of stealing the election, rampant corruption, directing abuse by the security forces and neglecting vast swathes of the country, including Odinga's heartland in the west. At least 37 people were killed and hundreds injured in clashes during the August election.

Defying ban, Tamils celebrate Prabhakaran's birthday VELVETTITURAI (SRI LANKA): Leaders of a proTamil party celebrated the 63rd birth anniversary of the slain LTTE chief Velupillai Prabakaran in his home town in northern Sri Lanka, defying the government ban.

Member of Northern Provincial Council M K Shivajilingam of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) led the commemoration event held at Velvettiturai, where the LTTE leader's house was originally located prior to the end of the civil war in 2009, Tamil sources said.

The participants cut a cake at a function which was attended by some TNA leaders and public, they said. Prabakaran's death in 2009 signalled the end to the three decade-long armed struggle by his organisation, the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).

Velupillai Prabakaran

During the civil war days, Prabhakaran used to deliver speech on the LTTE's annual policy on November 27. Meanwhile, the government announced that it was illegal to commemorate Prabhakaran's birth anniversary.

"The LTTE is a banned organisation and remembering Prabakaran, who caused a lot of misery to

even Tamil people should not be celebrated," Deputy minister of power and energy Ajith P Perera said.

The government has also initiated a probe into the use of funds from the state's decentralised budget to renovate a cemetery for slain LTTE cadres. State minister of national policies and economic affairs Niroshan Perera said that a probe was launched following reports that TNA MP S Sridharan had allocated Rs 4 million out of his decentralised budget to renovate the LTTE heroes cemetery in Kilinochchi.

He said Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe had been informed about the move and an investigation has now been launched. He said that there are certain guidelines which need to be followed when utilising funds from the decentralised budget.

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Lanka arrests over 500 army deserters

COLOMBO: Sri Lanka law enforcement authorities have arrested 556 Army personnel who are Absent Without Leave after a monthlong General Amnesty declared by the Ministry of Defence expired on 23 November. The authorities arrested 555 army officers including 23 female officers and one Cadet Officer. During the amnesty period declared from 23rd October to 22nd November 2017, a total of 11,232 Army deserters, including 15 Officers, 9 Officer Cadets and 11,208 other rank personnel had reported to their respective Regimental Centers seeking legal discharge, the ministry said. Originally the General Amnesty period was scheduled to end on the 15th (November) but was extended till the 22nd (November) in response to numerous requests made to the Army. With the end of amnesty, law enforcement authorities began operations to apprehend absconding deserters.

22 Lankans arrested for trying to go to Australia by boat

COLOMBO: Sri Lankan police say they've arrested 22 people who were attempting to illegally migrate to Australia by boat. According to police spokesman Ruwan Gunasekara, the suspects were arrested following a tip at the coastal town of Puttalam. Sri Lankan and Australian authorities are cooperating with each other to combat human smuggling. No Sri Lankan asylum seekers have reached Australia by boat since 2013. But Sri Lankans, Iranians and Afghans are the largest national groups among more than 2,000 asylum seekers living on the Pacific island nations of Nauru and Papua New Guinea. Australia pays those countries to house them, but refuses to resettle any of them.

305 killed in Egypt mosque attack

CAIRO: Militants killed more than 305 people at a mosque in North Sinai last week, detonating a bomb and gunning down worshippers in the deadliest such attack of Egypt’s modern history, state media and witnesses said. No group claimed responsibility, but since 2013 Egyptian security forces have battled a stubborn Islamic State terror group affiliate in the mainly desert region, and militants have killed hundreds of police and soldiers. The attack took place inside the Al Rawdah mosque in Bir al-Abed, west of El Arish, the main city in North Sinai. Worshippers were finishing Friday prayers at the mosque when a bomb exploded, witnesses said. Around 40 gunmen set up positions outside the mosque with jeeps and opened fire from different directions as people tried to escape.

Khamenei is ‘new Hitler’, says Saudi crown prince

RIYADH: Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has denounced Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei as the “new Hitler of the Middle East”, as tensions simmer between the regional rivals. Saudi Arabia and arch-rival Iran have traded a bitter war of words after a missile fired from Yemen was intercepted near Riyadh airport on November 4. The missile was claimed

by Yemen’s Tehran-backed Houthi rebels. Iran’s “supreme leader is the new Hitler of the Middle East,” Prince Mohammed said. “We learned from Europe that appeasement doesn’t work. We don’t want the new Hitler in Iran to repeat what happened in Europe in the Middle East.”

Unrepentant Mladic sentenced to life for Bosnia atrocities

THE HAGUE: An unrepentant Ratko Mladic, the bullish Bosnian Serb general whose forces rained shells and snipers' bullets on Sarajevo and carried out the worst massacre in Europe since World War II, was convicted of genocide and other crimes and sentenced to spend the rest of his life behind bars.

Defiant to the last, Mladic was ejected from a courtroom at the United Nations' Yugoslav war crimes tribunal after yelling at judges: "Everything you said is pure lies. Shame on you!" He was dispatched to a neighbouring room to watch on a TV screen as Presiding Judge Alphons Orie pronounced him guilty of 10 counts that also included war crimes and crimes against humanity.

Human-rights organizations hailed the convictions as proof that even top military brass long considered untouchable cannot evade justice forever.

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Irish deputy PM under pressure to quit and avoid election DUBLIN: Irish Deputy Prime Minister Frances Fitzgerald was under pressure from her own party to resign to avoid a snap election, a crisis that is casting a shadow over next month's Brexit summit. Opposition party Fianna Fail, which has been propping up the Fine Gael minority government, said the deputy prime minister's refusal to quit would force the country to the polls in December.

Ireland will play a major role in the Brexit summit, telling European Union leaders whether it believes sufficient progress has been made on the future of the border between EU-member Ireland and the British province of Northern Ireland.

Frances Fitzgerald

In public, Fitzgerald's ministerial colleagues continued to back her.

She had resisted calls to go following the release of fresh documents about her disputed handling of a police whistleblower who alleged corruption in the force. "There is certainly not a need for her to resign, the position of

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Fine Gael remains the same and the position of the Taoiseach (prime minister) remains the same," Simon Harris told reporters. A spokesman for Prime Minister Leo Varadkar, whom analysts say risks being badly damaged by the affair, said the government stood behind her. But a journalist said on Twitter that he was told Varadkar had asked Fitzgerald to consider the matter overnight.

One minister, who spoke on condition of anonymity said Fitzgerald was coming under serious pressure from within the party to resign and would have to go. National broadcaster RTE quoted Fine Gael backbencher Hildegarde Naughton as saying it will be difficult

for Fitzgerald to stay.

Another journalist quoted an Independent Alliance source as saying: "They're not backing her, she needs to go. We will make our views known to the Taoiseach at cabinet," the Independent Alliance group's Finian McGrath told reporters, refusing to comment on Fitzgerald's position.

Fianna Fail, whose backing Varadkar requires from the opposition benches to keep his government functioning, has said it would move a motion of no confidence in Fitzgerald unless she quits. A senior Fianna Fail lawmaker said he was hopeful Fitzgerald would resign or that Varadkar would "address the matter" before the confidence motion is tabled.

PM Modi to inaugurate SGVP hospital in Ahmedabad

The brand new Shree Jogi Swami S G V P Holistic Hospital will be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra modi on December 3. He will dedicate the noble project to the people. Built in the divine memory of P P Shree Jogi Swami, the hospital is located on Shree Swaminarayan Gurukul Vishwavidya Pratishthanam in

Chharodi, Ahmedabad.

The inauguration will be presided by HDH Madhavpriyadasji Swami.

Also expected to be present are revered saints, renowned doctors, vaidyas and other dignitaries. The mission was commenced with a mission of well being for all living beings and is expected to offer state-ofthe-art facilities.

Masterji's celebrated photographs

Indian-American pleads guilty in money laundering conspiracy WASHINGTON: Another India-American has pleaded guilty to liquidating and laundering money in the US through Indiabased call centres, becoming the seventh person of Indian-origin to admit his role in the massive telephone impersonation fraud. Using information obtained from data brokers and other sources, call centre operators targeted victims who were threatened with arrest, imprisonment, fines or deportation if they did not pay alleged monies owed to the US government.

Miteshkumar Patel, 42, resident of Illinois, joined six other defendants who recently pleaded guilty to conspiracy charges in the scam. The scam defrauded American residents of hundreds of millions of dollars, the

Justice Department said.

Sunny Joshi of Texas, Jagdish Kumar Chaudhari of Alabama and Rajesh Bhatt of Texas each pleaded guilty to one count of money laundering conspiracy. Raman Patel of Arizona, Praful Patel of Florida and Jerry Norris of California, each pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit fraud and money laundering offences.

The pleas were entered before US district court Judge David Hittner

People of Indian origin need not link their bank accounts and other services with Aadhaar, the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) said while instructing various implementation agencies to work out a mechanism to verify the status of such individuals. It said the Prevention of Money laundering Rules 2017 and the Income Tax Act clearly stipulate that the linking of bank accounts and PAN

respectively, "is for those persons who are eligible to enrol for Aadhaar."

It said all central ministries and departments, state governments and other implementing agencies should bear in mind that Aadhaar as an identity document can be sought only from those eligible for it under Aadhaar Act and that most NRIs/PIOs/ OCIs may not be eligible for its enrolment.

The Aadhaar-issuing

of the southern District of Texas between September 22 and November 13, except for Raman Patel’s plea, which was entered before US district Court Judge Michelle Burns in the district of Arizona on November 6. Six of the men have been in federal custody since their arrests in October 2016 and will remain detained until their pending sentencing dates, the Department of Justice said.

According to admis-

sions made in connection with their pleas, the accused perpetrated a complex scheme in which individuals from call centres located in Ahmedabad, impersonated officials from the Internal Revenue Service and US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). Using information obtained from data brokers and other sources, call centre operators targeted US victims who were threatened with arrest, imprisonment, fines or deportation if they did not pay alleged monies owed to the government.

Victims who agreed to pay the scammers were instructed how to provide payment, including by purchasing general purpose reloadable (GPR) cards or wiring money.

Expats need not link bank a/c with PAN, Aadhaar body said several representations had been received about problems faced by Non-Resident Indians (NRIs), Person of Indian Origin (PIOs) and Overseas Citizens of India (OCI) where Aadhaar was being demanded with regard to various services and benefits.

It said that some departments and implementing agencies were asking NRIs/OCIs/PIOs to submit or link their

Aadhaar for availing services and benefits, despite the fact that they were not entitled to the 12-digit biometric identifier.

"The laws regarding submitting/linking of Aadhaar for availing the services/benefits apply to the residents as per the Aadhaar Act 2016... Most of the NRIs/PIOs/OCIs may not be eligible for Aadhaar enrolment as per Aadhaar Act...," the UIDAI said in a note.

A book featuring the best work of one of Coventry’s most celebrated photographers, Maganbhai Patel was launched on Tuesday at St Mary's Guildhall.

Known as Masterji, the artist's book will be a collection of 66 photos taken by him in the span of his career. The release comes a year after the successful 'Masterji Coventry' exhibition in The Box at Fargo Village. His work has been showcased in Mumbai and New York.

The 95 year old has been photographed South Asian immigrants in the city since the 1950s, however, has only recently found recognition.

The book has been written and compiled Maganbhai's daughter Tarla Patel, and Photo Archives Miners. It also includes an introduction

by Dr Mark Sealy highlighting the importance of the photographs that mark the transitional moment in both, British

and Indian history.

“Masterji gives a voice to those forgotten in the past, at a time when people were facing adversity in jobs, education and housing because of their colour. This book shows proud people, determined and confident in who they are,” Tarla said.

Mark Cook of the Photo Archive Miners said, “The book is very much a celebration of Masterji's photography, it lets the photographs tell their own story and features an introduction from the man himself. To hold the launch at a unique historic location in the city is brilliant, it really proves the city wants to celebrate Masterji's success and the following he has developed in the last year. We think it is a wonderful story for the city and for his family, something that really excites us and deserves to be told.”

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INDIA-NORTH, SOUTH, EAST

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RK Nagar by-election on Dec 21

CHENNAI: R K Nagar, the constituency of former chief minister J Jayalalithaa, will vote for a new representative on December 21. The result will be declared on December 24. The dates were announced three days after the Madras High Court gave a December 31 deadline for the election of a new lawmaker for the constituency. The polls were cancelled following allegations of distribution of massive amount of cash and other bribes among voters. Following the alle-

gation, the Election Commission has cancelled the by-election.

Tussle over candidate Meanwhile, the differences between Chief Minister E K Palaniswami and O Panneerselvam camps are likely to get accentuated over deciding the candidate for the seat.

E Madhusudhanan, a senior leader in the Panneerselvam camp, is reportedly lobbying strongly against the choices of Palaniswami and his ministers.

Madhusudhanan is a former party secretary of north Chennai region and was the candidate for R K Nagar last April for the Panneerselvam faction.

Many supporting Madhusudhanan hoped that he would get the seat as he “deserves” it, considering his “age and fight for the party”.

However, D Jayakumar, a senior minister in the Palaniswami camp, could complicate matters.

“Jayakumar, with a sizeable clout in north Chennai and his own

choice of candidates, has told the party that ministers will not support if Madhusudhanan is allowed to contest.

Also, Palaniswami doesn’t want to give a chance to the Panneerselvam faction as this election is likely to favour the AIADMK,” said a senior AIADMK leader.

Jayalalithaa's death has pushed the ruling AIADMK into turmoil and infighting as Amma loyalist O Panneerselvam who had taken over as chief minister after her death, rebelled against VK Sasikala.

EPS-OPS faction gets 'Two leaves' symbol NEW DELHI: The Election Commission has allotted the AIADMK's official 'two leaves' symbol to the PanneerselvamPalaniswami combine, considering its majority in the party's legislative and organisational wings. In an end to an year-long dispute between two warring factions of the party, the Commission said it was of the view that “the petitioners group led by E Madhusudhanan, O Panneerselvam (OPS), and S Semmalai, and also supported presently by the impleading applicant EK Palaniswami (EPS), present Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, enjoys support of majority members

in the legislative and organisational wings.”

P a l a n i s w a m i announced the news, leading to celebrations in the party headquarters in Royapettah, Chennai. “Our side had more supporters and legislators. We did not win because of the BJP; we did so because our arguments were better. We provided sufficient evidence: 90% of the party cadre

were with us,” he said.

Former chief minister Jayalalithaa's death had lead to a serious power struggle within the group.

The party symbol was frozen by the EC on March 22, disallowing its use in the RK Nagar by-election in Chennai. The step was taken after OPS and VK Sasikala factions staked claims to the symbol. Both factions were asked to furnish affidavits in their support by April 15, only for the dates to be extended to June 16 on request.

The by-poll was later cancelled following rampant abuse of money power to influence voters and the symbol remained frozen.

The EC later issued fresh

notices to the parties to the dispute for resumption of proceedings following a Madras High Court order dated September 15.

By that time, OPS and EPS resolved their differences and arrived at an understanding, only to oust Sasikala and nephew Dhinakaran. The decision was later communicated to the Commission.

Meanwhile, Dhinakaran said that his faction would move the Supreme Court against the Election Commission's ruling. He alleged that the EC acted in a partisan manner and according to the Centre's wish while deciding the row over the party symbol.

Hooda, Khattar in verbal duel Union minister, INLD back over honouring Miss World Jat quota demand CHANDIGARH: Miss World, Manushi Chhillar who has returned to India after becoming the sixth Indian woman to win the honour. A native of Haryana, her victory has found her an endless stream of offers and gifts. It was, however, Bhupinder Singh Hooda's offer that ruffled a couple of feathers.

The former chief minister urged the state government to give the 21 year old £6,00,000 as a cash award and a residential plot for the achievement.

Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar did not take too fondly to the statement, and reacted by saying Hooda's thinking was “confined to plots and cash only” and asking him to think above all that.

Khattar, in his retaliation, accused his predecessor of “indulging in cheap politics,” and advised him to refrain from making personal comments.

“Although I did not raise my own family and have no son or daughter, I always remain deeply concerned about sons and daughters of the state, and considered them as my family. For me, whole Haryana is my family,” he said. Hooda was quick to lash back, saying “only those with daughters

Manushi Chhillar

can understand the importance of a daughter.”

To Hooda's comment, Khattar said it did not make any difference to him, but it did reflect his mindset. He said if the former CM was so concerned about the daughters, why he did not take any steps during his tenure to curb female foeticide, which was responsible for the imbalanced sex ratio in Haryana. He said the present government had not only been successful in addressing the problem of skewed sex ratio, but had also saved the lives of thousands of girls who were about to die in the wombs of their mothers. Khattar asserted that Hooda couldn't feel the pain of a father more than him.

Before the whole fiasco, Khattar had announced that his government would honour Chhillar after consultation with her.

ROHTAK (HARYANA): All India Jat Arakshan Sangharsh Samiti (AIJASS) president Yashpal Malik’s rally in Rohtak’s Jassia village got a major boost with INLD leader Abhay Chautala backing the community’s demand for quota and Union minister of steel Birender Singh sharing the dais at the venue.

The rally, which was organised to lay foundation stone of an education institute the AIJASS is constructing for the Jat community at Jassia, was given a miss by the Haryana Congress leaders, including former chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda.

The rally had Abhay Chautala and AIJASS’s Malik and Ashok Balhara bashing chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar and the BJP government for betraying the Jat community and planning largescale violence in Haryana, even as senior BJP leader Birender Singh watched in silence.

“CM Khattar says he wants to help Jats, but does nothing to grant reservation or withdraw cases against the Jat youths,” Abhay said.

Addressing the rally, Malik

warned the Jats will choke Delhi again with their tractors if Khattar did not fulfil their pending demands by December.

The INLD leader didn’t mince words and attacked Birender as well, asking him where he was when his government was killing innocent Jat youths last year. He also announced £1,00,000 donation for the educational institute and promised all Jat youths arrested in the quota violence cases will be out of jail within 36 hours of his party being voted back to power.

Birender, in his address, offered no defence for CM Khattar, the BJP government or even himself. He said he supported reservation for the Jat community and will ensure it is given at all cost. Being steel minister, he also promised to donate steel required in building the educational institute for Jats.

Earlier in the day, the National Highway-71 A (Rohtak-Panipat road) remained choked due to the rally. Around 3,500 police personnel were deployed to keep a check on the situation. The rally, however, passed off peacefully.

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Haryana BJP leader threatens to chop off Mamata's nose KOLKATA: Haryana's controversial BJP leader Suraj Pal Amu has threatened to chop off West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's nose for supporting Sanjay Leela Bhansali's film 'Padmavati.' Amu, Haryana BJP's chief media co-ordinator, who was censured by the top BJP leadership for his earlier controversial statements, told a gathering, "I have learnt that Mamata has welcomed Bhansali to Kolkata. And I want to tell her that this is the land of Lord Ram's brother, Lakshman. And I don't need to mention what Lakshman did to Surpanakha."

He also congratulated a Meerut youth for announcing £5,00,000 bounty for beheading Deepika and Bhansali. Amu had earlier promised a bounty of £1million on Bhansali.

Vivek Singh, Prasashanik

Mamata Banerjee

Sampark Pramukh of Hindu Jagran Manch (Kolkata) said, "We don't adhere to what Amu says. Since Mamata sought removal of certain portions of 'Zulifiqar' as it aggravated Muslim community, why is she playing double standards in this case? She should ask Bhansali to cut objectionable content and then release the film. If she can do it for Muslims, she must do it for Hindus as well."

Bengal BJP leader alleges tapping of his phone NEW DELHI: Delhi High Court is all set to hear the plea of West Bengal politician Mukul Roy of the Bharatiya Janta Party, who sought an investigation into his phones being allegedly tapped. The leader has alleged that while he was in West Bengal, he always found that the local police were monitoring his movements. He has accused his former party, the Trinamool Congress for the violation of privacy.

His plea sought directions to Roy's telecom service providers - MTNL and Vodafone to produce before the court orders , if any, issued by the Centre or the state government to intercept telegraphic messages originating from or received by the leader or any of his relatives. Advocate Kumar Dushyant Singh, who filed the petition on behalf of Roy, said the CBI should be asked to investigate the “interception of telegraphic messages originating from or received by the petitioner or any of his relatives.”

Mukul Roy

He said in case any such order was found to have been issued, the court should direct the Department of Te l e c o m m u n i c a t i o n s , Ministry of Communications and Telecom Regulatory Authority of India to investigate any violation of the 'License Agreement for Unified License' by Roy's mobile service providers.

This isn't the first time such reports have surged in the state. Union Minister of State for Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises Babul Supriyo had recently alleged that mobile phones of few political leaders were being tapped.

Bengal govt restrained from arresting GJM chief Bimal Gurung NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court has restrained the West Bengal government from arresting the Gorkha Janamukti Morcha chief, Bimal Gurung over growing unrest in Darjeeling. It said that no coercive action shall be taken against him and issued notices to the state and central government, asking them to hand over the probe to either the CBI or NIA. It will hear the case once again in two weeks. Gurun has been named in 31 FIRs as voices grow louder for an independent Gorkhaland.

The central committee

of his party suspended him for six months, last week.

His wife and GJM Mahila Morcha chief Asha, his close aide and party general secretary Roshan Giri, and seven others also faced the same fate. Gurung has been absconding since August after the state government lodged cases against him under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act for his alleged involvement in bomb blasts in hills in Darjeeling. The incident happened during a threemonth-long shutdown for a separate state.

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Asian Voice | 2nd December 2017

Dr. Hari Desai

The Indian Maharajas in Love Traps

Hari Singh was blackmailed to the tune of 45 lakhs of rupees Movements of Sayajirao Gaekwad III were under surveillance all the time We take up cases of at least two most important Maharajas of Princely States. One was the Maharaja of Jammu and Kashmir and another being the Maharaja of Baroda State. Both being well respected and loved by their subjects too...

N

ot that we intend to present a picture here to malign the Indian Maharajas, but the recorded history of some of the Maharajas by their own top officials in the memoirs exposing the love traps of pleasure seeking Princely rulers of British India cannot be ignored.

The Maharajas had come across such experiences and were blackmailed not only by the gangs and women who laid the traps but even by the British rulers of the time. We take up cases of at least two most important Maharajas of Princely States. One was the Maharaja of Jammu and Kashmir and another

Maharaja Hari Singh of Jammu and Kashmir

being the Maharaja of Baroda State. Both being well respected and loved by their subjects too. Both were trapped in London during their visits.

Both had to pay huge amounts as compensation to get rid of the court proceedings to save their prestige. And despite paying huge amount as compensation to the parties, both could not escape dis-

credit in the eyes of their own officials and family members.

Both the Maharajas were on firing range of the British officials as both did not toe the line of the British since they had sympathy for the nationalist elements and their own subjects. Both the Maharajas preferred to be at loggerheads with the English in India as they had direct rapport with the British Royalty. One of them was Maharaja Hari Singh and another was Maharaja Sayajirao Gaekwad III !

“During the time of Hari Singh’s uncle, Maharaja Pratap Singh, the British were supreme in Kashmir. It was wellknown that the British intervened in Kashmir and deposed Maharaja Pratap Singh as a result of the machinations of his brother (and Hari Singh’s father), Amar Singh.

Pratap Singh had no heirs and consequently the next in succession was his nephew, Hari Singh.

Unwilling to see the throne go to the latter, Pratap Singh adopted a distance Prince, but this was set aside in 1925 and Hari Singh installed in the gaddi.” This is recorded by K. M. Panikkar, who served the Maharaja between 1930 and 1935 as his Constitutional Advisor, in his Autobiography first published in 1954 when the Maharaja was still alive. Hari Singh died in 1961.

Panikkar writes further : “After 35 years of total British control, Kashmir came under Hari Singh’s rule, but he knew that although his title was exalted, his powers were greatly limited by the

Maharaja Sayajirao Gaekwad III of Baroda State

Resident’s right to intervene in many important matters…Hari Singh’s one ambition was to regain his sovereignty.. Two things stood in his way of his ambition. One was ‘his own background’; the other was the dominance of Muslims in the State.”

The background of course was the notorious ‘Mr. A’ case !

Ambassador Panikkar, who was also the Editor of The Hindustan Times in 1923, describes the plot to involve the young prince in a compromising situation with some woman and to blackmail him. “A few years before assuming his gaddi, Hari Singh made a journey to England. A gang of criminals in London

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plotted to defraud him of vast sums of money. The leader of the plot was a lawyer named Hobbs and he was abetted by an Englishman named Captain Arthur who was the Maharaja’s A.D.C… .The woman they used was Mrs. Robinson. Captain Arther helped to introduce her to Hari Singh as a rich widow. The prince enamoured of her and set out for Paris in her company.” The gang blackmailed the Maharaja to the tune of 45 lakhs of rupees. “When the thieves fell out, the plot was exposed and in 1924 it formed the basis of a lawsuit. The British government directed that the Maharaja should be spared of publicity and thus the

‘well known to the police’ victim was referred to as had pretended to be ‘Mr. A’ throughout the enamoured by him and proceedings. But as the may or may not have gone details of the story leaked to bed with him. At least out, the world’s curiosthere is no clear evidence ity was excited… that she had. Her husband, Ultimately the governErnest Emmanuel ment itself came out Statham, had pretended to with the statement be outraged and demandthat the heir apparent ed money from Sayajirao if of Kashmir, Raja Hari he did not want his name Singh, was ‘Mr. A’! Due to be mentioned in the to this bitter experipapers, as ‘one of the ence, the Maharaja lovers’ of his wife in the distrusted everyone. divorce suit he was going “Newspapers all over to file. Sayajirao consulted the world chronicled his lawyers and was his youthful indiscreadvised to ignore the tion and the prince threat.

There upon could not get over the Statham had filed his suit disgrace.” for divorce.” At a later The case of stage, the Maharaja preMaharaja Sayajirao ferred to pay her a big was mentioned by his amount as compensation great grandson, to save his skin from the M a h a r a j a damaging legal suit, Fatehsinghrao according to Dr. Mehta, Gaekwad as his “sex who left the job of Baroda scandal” in the biograState to join Gandhian phy he wrote. Of freedom movement. course, Sayajirao’s Today both the scandal was first Maharajas are rememexposed by his own bered as the rulers with medical officer, Dr. progressive, modern and Sumant Mehta, who reformist outlook for the accompanied him to betterment of their subEurope. Dr. Mehta had jects. Both were devoted to described “the oldremoval of untouchability man roaming around making necessary laws for with the young lady” the same. Both cared for and this led to a fricthe downtrodden. Both tion between the stressed on spreading eduMaharaja and the cation in their respective Maharani.

In States and even opening “Sayajirao of schools for the antyajs – Baroda: The Prince and dalits (scheduled Castes). the Man”, Fatesinghrao Both lived for the people notes : “Almost for the of their State but both had first time in his forty-eight to undergo miserable life years, he became involved so far as their own in a sex scandal. family tragedies It was no more than the conNext Column: e n c o u n t e r e d them at variventional trick employed by a Sardar Patel opts ous stages. It may be a for Partition husband-andcoincidence wife team to of India that both had to extort money face the love traps from a rich man, at London, had to face and indeed Indian the trauma and flush out princes who were unfamilhuge amount as compeniar with western norms of sation. Of course, despite morality were looked upon such sad encounters, both by such people as their are known as benevolent natural prey.”

The rulers.

Maharaja’s movements (The writer is a were under surveillance all Socio-political Historian. the time.

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Gujarat elections: BJP, Cong unveil final list The countdown has begun. Soon enough, it will be game, set, and match, for the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Congress as the Gujarat Assembly poll is around the corner. Eighty nine seats in Saurashtra and south Gujarat will go to polls in the first phase, while 93 seats in central and northern Gujarat will go to polls in the second phase. After releasing a list of 76 candidates on Sunday, Congress named its final 14 candidates Sl. No. 1. Abdasa 2. Mandvi 3. Bhuj 4. Anjar 5. Gandhidham 6. Rapar 7. Dasada 8. Limbdi 9. Vadhvan 10. Chotila 11. Dhrangadhra 12. Morbi 13. Tankara 14. Vankaner 15. Rajkot (East) 16. Rajkot (West) 17. Rajkot (South) 18. Rajkot (Gramya) 19. Jasdan 20. Gondal 21. Jetpur 22. Dhoraji 23. Kalavad 24. Jamnagar (Gramya) 25. Jamnagar (North) 26. Jamnagar (South) 27. JamJodhpur 28. Khambhaliya 29. Dwarka 30. Porbandar 31. Kutiyana 32. Manavdar 33. Junagadh 34. Vishavdar 35. Keshod 36. Mangrol 37. Gir-Somnath 38. Talala 39. Kodinar 40. Una 41. Dhari 42. Amreli 43. Lathi 44. Savarkundla 45. Rajula

on Monday. It has generously left two seats for allies and extended support to Dalit leader Jignesh Mevani who will contest as an independent from Vadgam.

Rahul Gandhi's party will not be fielding any candidate from that seat, in a gesture of support to Mevani.

The Congress has fielded Other Backward Classes (OBC) leader Alpesh Thakor from the Radhanpur constituency in Patan district. The seat, currently held

BJP Chhabil Patel Virendrasinh Jadeja Nimaben Acharya Vasanbhai Ahir Maltiben Maheshwari Pankaj Mehta Ramanlal Vora Kiritsinh Rana Dhanjibhai Patel Jinabhai Nazabhai Jayram Sonagra Kantibhai Amrutiya Raghavji Gadara Jitubhai Somani Arvind Raiyani Vijay Rupani Govindbhai Patel Lakhabhai Sagathiya Bharatbhai Boghera Gitaba Jadeja Jayesh Radadiya Hirabhai Patel Muljibhai Gaiyada Raghavjibhai Patel Dharmedrasinh Jadeja R. C. Faldu Chimanbhai Sapariya Kalubhai Chavda Pabubha Manek Babu Bokhiriya Lakshman Odedara Nitin Faldu Mahendra Mashru Kirit Patel Devabhai Maalam Bhawanji Kargathiya Jasa Barad Govind Parmar Dr. Ram Vadher Haribhai Solanki Dilip Sanghani Bavku Undhad Gopal Vastapara Kamlesh Kanani Hirabhai Solanki

Congress Pradyumansinh Jadeja Shaktisinh Gohil Adam Chaki V. K. Humbal Kishorbhai Pingol Santok Arethiya Nausadji Solanki Somabhai Patel Mohanbhai Patel Rutvik Makwana Purshottan Sabariya Brijesh Merja Lalit Kagathra Mo. Javed Pirzada Mitul Donga Indranil Rajyaguru Dinesh Chovtiya Vasrambhai Sagathiya Kunvarji Bavaliya Arjun Khatariya Ravi Ambaliya Lalit Vasoya Pravin Muchadiya Vallabh Dharadiya Jivan Kumbharvadiya Ashok Lal Chirag Kalariya Vikram Maadam Meraman Goraiya Arjun Modhvadiya Vejabhai Modedara Jawahar Chavda Bhikhabhai Joshi Harshad Ribadiya Jayeshkumar Ladani Babubhai Vaja Vimal Chudasma Bhagwan Barad Mohanbhai Vala Punjabhai Vansh J. V. Kakadiya Paresh Dhanani Virji Thummar Pratap Dudhat Amrish Dhar

by the BJP has a strong Thakor community presence. The party has left two seats in the second phase of Gujarat elections for its ally Bharatiya Tribal Party, led by former Janata Dal (United) legislator Chhotu Vasava.

The BJP meanwhile, also released its final list of 34 candidates, dropping five MLAs including former chief minister Anandiben Patel. The legislator from Ghatlodia seat, Ahmedabad, had earlier 46. Mahuva 47. Talaja 48. Gariyadhar 49. Palitana 50. Bhavnagar (Gramya) 51. Bhavnagar (East) 52. Bhavnagar (West) 53. Gadhda 54. Botad 55. Nandod 56. Dediyapada 57. Jambusar 58. Vagra 59. Zagadiya 60. Bharuch 61. Ankleshwar 62. Olapad 63. Mangrol 64. Mandvi 65. Kamrej 66. Surat (East) 67. Surat (North) 68. Varacha Road 69. Karanj 70. Limbayat 71. Majura 72. Katargam 73. Surat (West) 74. Choryasi 75. Bardoli 76. Mahuva 77. Vyara 78. Nizar 79. Dang 80. Jalalpor 81. Navsari 82. Gandevi 83. Vansda 84. Dharampur 85. Valsad 86. Pardi 87. Kaprada 88. Umargam

announced that she would not contest the polls. Also to be skipped is Rohit Patel from Anand seat, Nagarji Thakor, RM Patel, and Vinchhia Bhuria. Former BJP minister and spokesperson Jaynarayan Vyas will contest from Siddhpur, where he had faced a defeat in 2012.

Polls for the 182-member Assembly will take place on December 9 and 14.

Counting will take place on December 18.

Ravji Makwana Gautam Chauhan Keshubhai Nakrani Bhikhabhai Bareya Purshottam Solanki Vibhavariben Dave Jitubhai Waghani Amratram Parmar Saurabh Patel Shabdsharan Tadvi Motibhai Vasava Chatrasinh Mori Arunsinh Rana Ravjibhai Vasava Dushyant Patel Ishwarsinh Patel Mukeshbhai Patel Ganpatbhai Vasava Pravinbhai Chaudry V. D. Zalavadiya Arvind Rana Kanti Balar (Patel) Shiva Kanani Parvin Ghoghari Sangita Patil Harsh Sanghvi Vinubhai Moradiya Prunesh Modi Zankhnaben Patel Ishwar Parmar Mohanbhai Dhodiya Arvind Chaudry Kantibhai Gaamit Vijay Patel R. C. Patel Piyush Desai Naresh Patel Ganpat Mahala Arvind Patel Bharat Patel Kanubhai Desai Madhubhai Raut Raman Patkar

Vijay Baraiya Kanubhai Baraiya P. M. Kheni Pravin Rathod Kantibhai Chauhan Nitaben Rathod Dilipsinh Gohil Pravin Maru D. M. Patel Premsinh Vasava Mahesh Vasava Sanjay Solanki Suleman Patel Chhotu Vasava Jayesh Patel Anil Bhagat Yogesh Bakrola Uttam Vasava Anand Chaudry Ashok Jirawala Nitin Bharucha Dinesh Kachadiya Dhiru Gajera Bhavesh Bhubhaliya Ravindra Patil Ashok Kothari Jignesh Mevasa Iqbal Patel Yogesh Patel Tarunkumar Vagela Dr. Tushar Chaudry Punabhai Gaamit Sunil Gaamit Mangalbhai Gavit Parimal Patel Bhavnaben Patel Suresh Halpati Anantkumar Patel Ishwar Patel Narendra Tandel Bharatbhai Patel Jitubhai Chaudry Ashokbhai Patel

Note: Several other candidates will also contest in the constituencies mentioned above.

Only the main candidates have been listed.

Make better chances for women: Ivanka Gujarat is my mother, Continued from page1 Ivanka said fuelling the growth of women-owned businesses and closing the gender entrepreneurship gap could help expand global GDP by 2 per cent.

The fashion designer was quite generous on Modi in her keynote speech, and showered lavish praise on him.

Ivanka described him as one who is “doing to build India as a thriving economy, a beacon of democracy, and a symbol of hope to the world.” She added, “What you are achieving is truly extraordinary... from your childhood selling tea to election as India's Prime Minister.

Through your own enterprise, entrepreneurship and hard work, the people of India have lifted more than 130 million citizens out of poverty- a remarkable improvement, and one I know will continue to

grow under the leadership of Prime Minister. Here in India, I want to applaud Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his firm belief that 'the progress of humanity is incomplete without the empowerment of women'.”

The importance of her maiden official visit to the country was evident in the numerous billboards that dotted several parts of Hyderabad. The city is

home to major US firms and serves as an IT hub. A major clean-up drive was launched prior to her visit, with authorities taking beggars away from the streets. More than 10,000 police officials were deployed in the city and sniffer dogs along with spotters were on duty. On the sidelines of the meet, Ivanka held talks with Modi, assuring that the US wanted strong bilateral

relations with India. She also met Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj.

“This event not only connects the Silicon Valley with Hyderabad but also showcases the close ties between the United States of America and India. It underlines our shared commitment towards encouraging entrepreneurship and innovation,” Modi said. He talked about Atal innovation mission and Mentor India initiative, undertaken by the government to encourage innovation and enterprise among youth. “The power to think differently and ahead of the times for the betterment of mankind is what sets entrepreneurs apart. I see that power in India's young generation. I see 800 million potential entrepreneurs who can work towards making this world a better place,” he said

and I am her son: Modi

Continued from page1 Yes, I sold tea, but I did not sell the nation,” he said to roaring applause.

He lashed out at the Opposition, saying people of the state would not forgive those who are “insulting the son of Gujarat”. “You dare to come to Gujarat and say things against the son of Gujarat?

Will any Gujarati forgive people who make charges against the son of Gujarat? No Gujarati will

endure this insult. This is my mother and and I am its son. You (people) have helped me grow as its son. You have helped shape me. You gave strength and nurtured the good in me, the people of Gujarat and Gujarat my motherland,” he said in Bhuj.

Modi also paid respects to Kutch's local deity, Ma Ashapura, at her temple Mata no Madh.

The visit was symbolic for BJP's fortunes as the constituency of Abdasa is a Congress bastion.

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health lifestyle

Inspiring Indian Women to 'Speak Out' On Thursday 16th November, The High Commission of India (UK) with the support of Inspiring Indian Women (IIW) held a seminar on the topic of women and wellbeing was held for the first time, in effort to bring all related, including psychiatrist, healers, spiritual speakers, doctors, fitness experts, silent sufferers, activists, charities to one platform and an initiative to assert all to ‘speak out’! The seminar saw representation by socially active women members of the diaspora. This event created a huge buzz and had almost 100 attendees on a working day and just within a week of its announcement.

The seminar was hosted by Bhanu Sistla and Simi Arora, and had the

Virendra Sharma MP addressing the attendees (Photo courtesy: Pixl Loid)

honourable Virendra Sharma MP as the chief guest of the day; guest of honour were Mr A. S. Rajan Minister of Coordination from the High Commission, and Mrs Sasirekha. There were many special guests who attended the seminar, such as Trupti Patel the chairperson of Hindu Forum of Britain, Anita

Audience listening intently (Photo courtesy: Pixl Loid)

Ruparella from the National Congress of Gujarati Organisation (NCGO), Neena Bedia from the Asian Bereavement Service, Dr Harsha Jani the president of Param Shakti Peeth UK, plus many more.

IIW, a not for profit organisation was started with the vision to reach out and inspire each other with their success Virendra Sharma MP with stories. It not only aims to Trupti Patel (Photo courtesy: Pixl Loid) help and promote Indian self, love thy self, not be a culture across the globe silent sufferer, to speak to but also provide a healthy someonefamily or platform for our Indian online counsellors or women to motivate and helpline. Another very support others. important outcome was The seminar was sucto connect ladies from cessful in initiating a different backgrounds thought process that; and expertise to each depression is not a stigother. ma, one must look after

Qawali maestro Rahat becomes Barnado's ambassador A guy took his girlfriend to her first football game.

They had great seats right behind their team’s bench.

After the game, he asked her how she liked the experience.

"Oh, I really liked it," she replied, "especially the tight pants and all the big muscles, but I just couldn’t understand why they were killing each other over 25 cents."

Dumbfounded, her date asked, "What do you mean?"

"Well, they flipped a coin. One team got it, and then for the rest of the game, all they kept screaming was, ‘Get the quarter back! Get the quarter back!’ I’m like, Helloo-o? It’s only 25 cents!" *** High-school football coach Bob was called at home one night. His wife informed the kid on the other line that Bob wasn’t home. The kid became frantic and said he had to speak to the coach right away.

"Just calm down, and I’ll have him call you as soon as he gets home," the coach’s wife told him. "What’s your number?"

The flustered kid replied, "Three." *** Back at my high school for the tenth reunion, I met my old coach. Walking through the gym, we came upon a plaque on which I was still listed as the record holder for the longest softball throw.

Noticing my surprise, the coach said, "That record will stand forever."

I was about to make some modest disclaimer that records exist to be broken, when he added, "We stopped holding that event years ago." *** “Give me a sentence about a public servant,” the teacher instructed her second-grade student.

“The fireman came down the ladder pregnant,” he answered.

“Umm … Do you know what pregnant means?”

“Yes,” said the boy. “It means carrying a child.”

The legendary Qawali maestro, Rahat Fateh Ali Khan has been appointed as an international ambassador for the children's charity Barnado's.

He has become the second international ambassador to join Barnado's after Bollywood superstar Salman Khan pledged Barnardo’s international his support in September. ambassador Ustad Rahat Rahat Fateh Ali Khan Fateh Ali Khan receives his accepted the offer after certificate with Barnardo’s topping the bill at the sell- Chief Executive Javed Khan and Board of Trustees out Annual Gala Dinner at Chairman Tony Cohen London’s Dorchester Hotel for the UK’s South Asian agreed to become community to support Barnardo’s International Barnardo’s work with vulAmbassador. The maestro nerable children and comes from a 600 year old young people across the family heritage of Qawali UK. The singer was presinging and has a huge sented with his internaglobal following and influtional ambassador certifience. He was very generous cate by Barnardo’s Board of in his praise for Barnardo’s Trustees Chairman Tony work to help vulnerable Cohen. children and young people The gala raised funds for - last year alone we Barnardo’s and was put reached 272,000 children, together by live events speyoung people, carers and cialists PME with the theme parents.” of “It’s time to give back”, Rahat Fateh Ali Khan giving the UK’s South Asian said,“I’m honoured to community the chance to become an international support vulnerable chilambassador for Barnardo’s dren, young people and as I know how hard the families from all backcharity works to support grounds across the UK. vulnerable children, young Barnardo’s Chief people, carers and parents Executive Javed Khan said, of all backgrounds in the “It’s a huge honour that UK, including those with Rahat Fateh Ali Khan has South Asian roots. It was

Asian Voice | 2nd December 2017

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To Our Readers

We are publishing these items in good faith, kindly consult your Doctor before you try to implement any advice. We do not hold any responsibility for its efficacy...

How to combat winter this year As we enter the gruelling season of winter, we must now be extremely cautious of how we take care of our health to combat illnesses.

Here are five steps to help you keep the winter blues at bay this year.

1) Wash your hands: It is advised to wash your hands twice as often in winter. Hands are perhaps the most prevalent way of spreading winter viruses.

Ensure to wash your hands with warm water and soap.

2) Opt for hot foods: Try ditching your cold sandwiches for hot soup this season. Drinking warm liquids, such as tea, stew or soup, can help relieve cold and flu symptoms. It also helps loosen congestion and stimulate the flow of mucus.

3) Top up on vitamin D: Our levels of vitamin D drops during winter due to less hours of daylight, as well as people spending less time outdoors. It is recommended to eat foods that are rich in vitamin D. Plus, taking a vitamin D supplement during the

winter can be beneficial as well.

4) Keep your distance: As difficult as it may sound, but one must try keeping their distance form people coughing and sneezing.

This may seem difficult when travelling on buses and the tube, but keeping a sensible distance from infections can prevent you from falling ill as well.

5) Inhale fresh air: Undoubtedly, winters are cold and you'd rather snuggle up in your blanket than leave the comfort of your home to get some fresh air.

But going for a walk, away from the centralheated air at home can often help stop your sniffles. Plus, inhaling fresh air in better for your lungs than breathing in re-circulated air.

Kids who are physically active have greater brain power Children who are fitter have more brain power, according to new research.

A study of eight to 11year-olds found exercise boosted grey matter in nine different areas.

These were important for cognition, executive function and academic achievement, say scientists. It is the first time the dramatic effect of physical activity on the structure of the brain has been identified.

The Spanish team believe it will have an influence on their performance in exams and, consequently, future career sucwonderful to be able to perform in the intimate setting of the Dorchester Hotel and raise funds for Barnardo’s, and I’m looking forward to working with the charity so that more children who have experienced tough situations in the past can look forward to a better future.”

cess. A third of children in the UK are overweight or obese with a fifth afflicted even before they begin primary school.

Dr Francisco Ortega, of the University of Granada's Sport and Health Institute in Spain, said the findings add to evidence exercise protects older people against Alzheimer's disease.

Aerobic fitness is the capacity to do exercise for a long time and efficiently.

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Asian Voice | 2nd December 2017

AsianVoiceNewsweekly

UNICEF recognition for actress Trisha ‘'Brij Mohan Amar Rahe'’

A man is sentenced to death for his own murder!

Brijmohan fakes his own death to escape his humdrum life and nagging wife. He gets the money and the girl until the inevitable hand of Karma gets him sentenced to death for his own murder.

Rajamouli to reunite with these superstars?

A

cosy photo of SS Rajamouli, NTR Junior, and Ramcharan Teja shared on Twitter by the 'Baahubali' director has kicked some serious speculation about a collaboration. Rumours suggest that all three will begin their next together from February next year.

However, there are a few issues as schedules of the two actors do not give

them enough time for the project. If carried out, the project will most likely begin later in the year.

It is worth mentioning that Rajamouli's combination with both the actors have been successful and career-defining for them. While NTR has worked in three movies with the director, Ramcharan has worked in just one.

AR Rahman's favourite Tamil star

A

ctor Trisha Krishnan has been conferred the UNICEF celebrity advocate status, making her the first film actress from southern India to receive the recognition. She will voice the rights of children including adolescents and young people and lend support efforts for addressing anaemia, child marriage, child labour, and child abuse, faced by millions of chil-

dren, especially in Tamil Nadu and Kerala.

“I feel honoured with this recognition. I commit myself to create more awareness on health, education, nutrition and protection of children, especially the adolescents and young people in Tamil Nadu and Kerala. I would support the efforts of the government to make Tamil Nadu malnutritionfree and open defecation free,” Trisha said.

At the special function held to mark World Children’s Day, she interacted with over 50 children who were present at the function. Trisha stressed on education for girls. “If all girls attend school up to 18 years, we can eliminate child marriage and child labour. In long run, girls' education will also contribute to the reduction of maternal and infant mortality and malnutrition among chil-

dren,” she said. Having completed 10 years in the industry, the 'Khatta Meetha' actress feels it is time to shed her image as a heroine and claim the title of a performer.

Her new image makeover will begin with the film 'Rum' in which she has two other heroines for company. Trisha said that despite the other actresses' presence, her role will be centrally prominent.

There is no urgency to jump into politics: Rajinikanth

A

ce music maker AR Rahman has made countless fans for himself over the years. However, one wonders, who would the maestro be a fan of himself. In a recent interview, Rahman was asked if he was a classic Rajinikanth or a Kamal Haasan fan. “I am a Rajini fan, but I love Kamal! All these people have enriched our lives.

MGR, Sivaji, Rajini, and Kamal. Every generation has its own. Now, it is Ajith and Vijay.

Strangely, I watched 'Billa' in Thanjavur

around 1983-84. It was a strange memory I have of going to a small town to watch the movie. Of course, I have done music for 'Muthu', 'Padayappa', 'Sivaji' and all. There is also the art of taking energy from spirituality and reflecting it in your art; I think he does that beautifully.

He has been an inspiration to me!”

The 'Mozart of Madras' is all set to release a tribute for Shirdi Sai Baba, on his 100th death anniversary.

Titled 'Aao Sai', a teaser was released recently.

A

ddressing the Chennai airport last week, superstar Rajinikanth has clarified that he is in no hurry to “jump into the political scene immediately”. The 66 year old has hinted at a

possibility of joining politics in recent times. On an earlier occasion, while addressing his supporters, he had even urged them to be “ready for war” when the time came.

He had also said the “sys-

tem is rotten”. The superstar reportedly visited the Mantralayam temple in Andhra Pradesh, which is famous for the Brindavan of Shri Raghavendra Swami. As his Shankar directorial '2.0' gears up

for release, reports suggest he may be seen together in upcoming Marathi film 'Pasaayadan', with none other than Mammootty.

Both the actors had last come together onscreen for the first time in 1991 Tamil film 'Thalapathy' which fared extremely well with the fans. 'Pasaayadan' will also serve as their Marathi debut. Reports said the film is expected to go on the floors in February 2018, and will most likely be produced

by Balkrishna Surve.

Popularity of both the fans is so intense, when 'Thalapathy' released, makers had to shoot different climaxes so as to comply to the requirements and sentiments of the fans of the actors in Tamil Nadu and Kerala respectively.

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Shraddha recalls her struggles to join films

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SRK says he is 'shy' and 'scared' of women

Asian Voice | 2nd December 2017

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D

espite being born in a family of actors and singers, Shraddha Kapoor has said the industry has not been too easy on her.

Daughter of Shakti Kapoor, she is also related to legendary singers Lata Mangeshkar and Asha Bhosle, Shraddha said she faced a lot of struggle to get her first big break in the industry. She said, “I was very impatient to get into films. It was a loud voice inside me that said acting is the profession I want to join. A lot of people think if you are a son or daughter of an actor you don't need to audition, but that is not the case. I have gone through a lot of struggle to join films. I can't even count how many auditions I have given or how many times I have been replaced. It is not easy. My first two films didn't get noticed and it was tough.

But 'Aashiqui 2' changed things.” Following the film's success, she gave back-to-back successes.

Shraddha aimed to grow with every film she does.

“I wanted to act since I was a kid. Whenever I used to see my dad coming home after a shoot with a moustache, I became very curious about his job. I used to get fascinated with seeing him playing various roles. I am living my dream now, and I believe keep learning with your films. You grow with time and I hope I am growing,” she said.

Regarding the failure of her latest, 'Haseena Parkar', she said she wasn't disappointed by it.

“My aim is to try something different every time and failures will happen. But its ok. Films may not work always, but I am happy that people still love me. The affection I get from my fans is amazing and it keeps me going,” she said.

Sridevi, Gauri working on ‘English Vinglish’ sequel?

S

ridevi who had announced her comeback in 2012 with Gauri Shinde's 'English Vinglish', is allegedly in talks of a sequel. Reports suggest both, Sridevi and Gauri were expected to come together for a woman-centric, light-hearted flick after the 'Mom' actress shared a picture of them with a caption that read 'Coming Soon'. However, with the story not developed fully, they considered the idea of making a sequel to the 2012 hit.

Both the ladies have maintained a healthy relationship through the years, after becoming friends on the sets and would love to collaborate again. The sequel to 'English Vinglish' is expected to go on floors early next year. The original movie was about a homemaker who was subjected to ridicule because of her inability to converse in English. Sridevi will also reportedly make a cameo in daughter Janhvi Kapoor's 'Dhadak'.

t a recent event helmed by Farhan Akhtar, the king of charms, Shah Rukh Khan spoke about his camaraderie with women. He said he was “not ashamed” that he is a “little shy and scared of women.” The 'Jab Harry Met Sejal' actor is known for being respectful to not just his female colleagues, but also his fans. None of the leading ladies over the years have accused him of making them uncomfortable in any way.

The event was initiated by Akhtar's MARD, Population Foundation of India and film director Feroz Abbas Khan.

Speaking at 'Lalkaar', a music concert to support the social campaign to eradicate violence against women said women are superior to men and should be treated with equality. He also recited a poem penned by lyricist Javed Akhtar. Talking about the concept of being a “mard”, Khan said, “Since I and Farhan Akhtar, who is the founder of MARD, do not have

a moustache, which is also the logo, we are not considered as 'man'!

And that is true because we are gentle to women, we treat them with equality because they deserve that.”

“But I believe that women are superior to men in many levels and I am not ashamed of the fact that I am a little shy and scared of women whether she is my mother, wife, sister or friends. Women bring a quietude, a calm energy to the universe. So, any form of violence happening to any woman is the horrible thing can happen.”

Filmmakers condemn threats to Bhansali, Deepika

Jacqueline turns into a 'Yogini' on a pole

I

n a shocking event, a man was found hanging at Jaipur's famous Nahargarh fort, reportedly in a protest against Sanjay Leela Bhansali's 'Padmavati'.

Identified as Chetan Saini, a local jeweller, the walls beside his body had graffiti scribbled on it that read, 'Padmavati' ka virodh'. It also featured a threat that translated, 'We don't burn effigies, we hang them'. SLB's £19 million film featuring Deepika Padukone, Ranveer Singh, and Shahid Kapoor, has attracted the wrath of several fringe groups who claim it “distorts history”.

Even though they are yet to see the movie, leaders of the Karni Sena and other politicians say Rani Padmini has been disrespected by Bhansali merely for suggesting in his movie that she was romantically involved with Muslim invader Alauddin Khilji.

While the director himself has denied any such implications, several BJP-ruled states including Gujarat and Rajasthan, have banned the movie, declaring they will not permit it to screen even if it clears the censor board.

The Karni Sena has even threatened Bhansali and Deepika with

violence. Both the celebrities have currently been given state security. In Jaipur, Bhansali was assaulted by the group and his set vandalised in Jaipur in January.

Filmmakers and other celebrities of the industry have condemned the threats of violence the director and actor has been subjected to. Filmmaker Meghna Gulzar addressed the controversy, saying, “We want to protect a female historical character and maim a living female.

We don't like being labelled intolerant but would like a film banned without even knowing its content. We can openly threaten to behead and maim people on national television without any consequence and yet we have raging debates on freedom of speech. We're living in interesting times, aren't we?”

Milan Luthria said, “It's shocking in a country which has a culture of tolerance. History will always remain what it was and an artiste can only interpret it. I hope better sense prevails and people can learn to separate and respect the two.” Producers of the film, Viacom 19 has suggested a delay in the film's release.

'K

ick' actress Jacqueline Fernandez has without a doubt, one of the best bodies in the industry.

After brief look at her pole dancing skills during her last film 'A Gentleman', the Sri Lankan beauty surprised us yet again with another set of her pole skills. Jacky recently posted a picture of herself where she is seen striking a yoga position on the pole.

She captioned the image, “'Yogini' with @lanaroxy”. The actress' swoon-worthy curves are commendable and something she tries real hard to maintain.

The photo has however been turned into a meme, with many sharing it with hilarious captions. One read, “When the bus is crowded. So you make your own seat.” Another, “When you are too tired and don't get a seat in locals #Mumbai”. It also seems to have inspired her 'Judwaa 2' co-star Varun Dhawan who shared a picture of him on the pole with a caption that read, “Not as easy as it looks. Thanks @jacquelinef143 and @lanaroxy. Really helps build up core fitness and flexibility. You gotta keep mixing it up”.

One the work front, the actress is currently busy with her upcoming film 'Race 3', which has an ensemble cast comprising of Salman Khan, Bobby Deol, Saqib Saleem, along with others.

Vicky Kaushal

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Asian Voice | 2nd December 2017

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Kajol, Ajay Devgn becomes Karan tease each other AsianVoiceNews

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Johar’s favourite V icky Kaushal of 'Masaan' fame has wrapped up Meghna Gulzar's 'Raazi' opposite Alia Bhatt and has now confirmed a role in Karan Johar's 'Bombay Talkies 2.0'. He will be paired opposite Kiara Advani. Speaking about the role, he said, “I am thankful that filmmakers such as Raju sir and Karan sir are showing trust in me. It is a lot for this newcomer who is only just started. Just to be getting these opportunities means a lot to me.”

About the anthology movie, which will feature four short films, he said, “All the short films will be based on the theme of 'love and lust'.

It's got me, Kiara, and Neha Dhupia.

Though the theme is love and lust, it is also peppered with a lot of good situational comedy. Karan had experimented in the first film and he is also sort of experimenting this time, too but it won't be a serious film. I am excited and it's like a dream come true to be directed by him.”

Shooting of the film will be wrapped up in a week and it will go on floors in the first week of December. “It really was a pleasant surprise for me that he considered me for his film. That's why when someone asks me about my career I say that I feel like I am in a dream sequence. God has been really kind because whatever is happening in my life right now is way better than anything I had imagined when I started off. I feel lucky and blessed that these films are coming my way,” Kaushal said.

Aishwarya slams shutterbugs A

ctress Aishwarya Rai Bachchan had a meltdown recently at a charity event, when the media, despite requests to maintain silence, continued to click pictures.

To commemorate her late father's birthday, the actress went to an NGO with her mother, and daughter Aaradhya, to meet patients with cleft-lips. Aish has reportedly decided to sponsor the surgeries of 100 kids conceived with congenital fissures and palates.

The L'Oreal spokesperson was bombarded with camera flashes, that startled the kids.

Disappointed with the insensitive behaviour, she first urged the photographers to stop clicking her pictures as the kids were also around. However, the media wasn't one to yield, prompting the 'Ae Dil Hai

Mushkil' actress to burst into tears. The day was supposed to be a personal for the actress as she lost her father to cancer only in March this year. She reportedly found the media rather imprudent to invade her privacy. She also felt the kids present were not part of the glamour world and should not have been exposed to the

unwanted attention.

In consequences to Aishwarya's emotional meltdown, the Bachchan family has decided to keep the youngest in the family away from the paparazzi. A source revealed that Aaradhya has been told by her mother how to handle the swarm of reporters.

“Aaradhya has been taught by her mother Aishwarya to handle the paparazzi. Being so young, she already understands that she's part of a family that's constantly in the public domain, and she will be clicked wherever she goes. Aaradhya handles the cameras like a pro,” a source said. They added that the way the media has been treating, it is too much attention for a child of her age.

K

ajol and Ajay Devgn are two people who have managed to maintain privacy. They have kept their children Nysa and Yug away from the eye of the media, and stayed away from the internet for the most part. However, the lovable couple have been seen flirting and teasing each other on social media, and no, we are not complaining.

Kajol recently posted a selfie with her husband, with an adorable caption reading “Me: Let's take a selfie na... Ajay: again??” As cute as they looked in the picture, it was Ajay's trademark 'husband' response that had us in splits. “The things

we do for love... and... marriage!” With responses piling on the photo and even Nysa weighed in. “So cute mom”, she wrote. Kajol replied, “So familiar you mean!!” Ajay and Kajol have taken personal discussions to Twitter before too. During Devgn's recent Twitter chat with fans, his pretty wife wrote, “So, when are you coming for lunch? #AjayTalks” To this he replied, “On a diet! #AjayTalks”.

The actors' chemistry brings out hearts. In the same interaction, a fan asked Ajay who his favourite Bollywood actress was. His tongue-in-cheek reply was, “If I take any other name, I'll be beaten at home!”

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Grand 97th Birthday Celebrations of Brahmaswarup Pramukh Swami Maharaj in Anand

The grand 97th birthday celebration of Brahmswarup Pramukh Swami Maharaj was held in Anand, Gujarat in the presence of a mammoth gathering of over 200,000 devotees and well-wishers.

Devotees from all parts of India and from countries across the globe including USA, UK, France, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Hong Kong, Thailand, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, South Africa and the Middle East nations.

The three-hour programme comprised of a variety of devotional songs, traditional dances, video presentations and speeches by senior sadhus.

Total 30 sadhus and 200 volunteers had tirelessly worked to erect a 180 feet long, 100 feet wide and 60 feet high, ornate stage and backgrounds. Total 14 LED screens were deployed on the place. Remarkably, more than 15, 000 male and female BAPS volunteers served in 34 departments in this festivity.

P. Viveksagar Swami, a senior BAPS sadhu, shared incidents of selflessness from Pramukh Swami Maharaj’s life. Other senior sadguru sadhus of BAPS, P. Kothari Swami, P. Tyagvallabh Swami, P. Ishwarcharan Swami also shared divine inspirations from the life and work of Pramukh Swami Maharaj.

Many dignitaries also recollected their own personal memories with Pramukh Swami Maharaj and explained how such experiences have bettered their lives.

P. Doctor Swami, one of the senior sadguru sadhus of BAPS exclaimed that imbibing Pramukh Swami Maharaj’s divine virtues in one’s life and molding one’s self according to his wishes would be the best tribute to him.

In his blessings, HH Mahant Swami Maharaj stated to make one’s life spiritually centric. He propounded importance of spiritual understanding and awareness in every small act. He told that every act of offering devotion should be driven by singular aim of pleasing

Coming Events

l BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir Leicester celebrates the 97th Pramukh Swami Maharaj Janma Jayanti on December 2, Saturday, 6.00 pm onwards.

Sneh Joshi

ARIES Mar 21 - Apr 20 Mercury turns retrograde in

your ninth house of travel and adventure, slowing down your pace for the next three weeks. Your mental focus could be anywhere other than your normal routine - find a way to break up the monotony. Don't be afraid to take on extra responsibilities as it could lead to better prospects.

TAURUS Apr 21 - May 21 The planet Mercury turns

retrograde in your eighth house of joint resources, taxes, wills, legacies and alimony, creating confusion and complications for you during the next three weeks. Travel could also prove to be problematic, so make sure you have plenty of time to get where you need to go.

GEMINI May 22 - June 22 our closest relationships

come under scrutiny as Mercury, the planet of communications goes retrograde in your seventh house of marriage and partnerships.

There can be a lot of misunderstandings and confused signals. You'll need to listen carefully to what your partner is saying during the next three weeks.

CANCER Jun 22 - Jul 22 The next three weeks may bring confusion and misunderstandings at work and troubles with your health as Mercury turns retrograde in your sixth house. You'll need to pay more attention to detail and double check everything before finalising important matters. Close relationships need to be re-assessed.

31

God and Pramukh Swami Maharaj.

The celebration culminated in an ecstatic sight of hundreds and 200,000 lamps lighted together to perform arti.

On this occasion, PM

Shri Narendra Modi tweeted, ‘I join the lakhs of devotees from across the world and bow to HH Pramukh Swami Maharaj on his Jayanti. He was a remarkable soul whose exemplary service and humanitarian efforts positively impacted countless lives. My relation with HH Pramukh Swami Maharaj was a special one. The time I spent with him was memorable. I am fortunate to have been blessed by him. Here is what I had spoken about him in Sarangpur last year.’

On 26th Nov, 37 youth took saffron diksha from HH Mahant Swami Maharaj on the occasion of Brahmaswarup Pramukh Swami Maharaj’s birthday and a blood donation camp was organized, wherein total 361 units of blood were collected.

West London taxi drivers guilty of smuggling drugs

Abdul Shirzad

Two west London taxi drivers have been convicted of smuggling class B drugs between London and Plymouth on behalf of a Vietnamese "businessman".

Sunder Ahuja

Sunder Ahuja, a 47year-old taxi driver from Baird Avenue, Southall, was hired by Tam Tran, of no fixed abode, to make 48 round trips to a Plymouth garage over 18 months.

Young Singer to Appear on Michael McIntyre Show

This Saturday is a big day for 18 year-old singer Sanjna Vekaria who will be appearing on the Michael McIntyre’s show as his unexpected star on Sat 2nd Dec 2017 at 8.10pm. Daughter of Pravin and Chhaya Vekaria from Harrow always took part in choir groups at Preistmead Primary school. She first performed at a year end assembly which left the Head teacher Mr Robertson speechless.

Sanjna progressed to Claremont High School and with studies continued her passion for singing. Sanjna was one of the three winners ofClaremont’s got talent awards.

Sanjna is currently a 2nd year A level student at Uxbridge College. She is taking History Psychology and Sociology. Sanjna wishes to progress in her academic qualifications next year and study a Batchelor of science degree in Clinical psychology.

Her parents originally came from Sukhpur bhuj in India and grandparents were (late) Vishrambhai Vekaria & Veluben from India and Appearing at Plymouth Crown Court, Ahuja claimed he thought Tran was a "legitimate businessman" and didn't suspect he was actually carrying large bags of cannabis.

Last Tuesday (November 14), a jury unanimously convicted Ahuja and 48-year-old Abdul Shirzad of Redwood Estate, Hounslow, of con-

Nana Popatlal Devshi Wagjiani and Nani Pushpa Popatlal Wagjiani from Kingsbury UK. Unbeknownest to Sanjna her mum nominated her to be on Michael McIntyre’s Big Show. She appeared before a few judging levels including BBC judges and Michael himself before selection was made. She had no idea till the 17th September that she would be performing at Theatre Royal in front of 2000 people.

Speaking about her appearance on the show Sanjna said she was full of excitement about the show and the opportunity given from Michael McIntyre and Siobhan Lyons from BBC: “This is the best thing that could have ever happened to me.” spiracy to supply a class B drug between October 31 2015 and June 22 2017, reports the Plymouth Herald.

Another courier, Amrik Lamba, of Park Close Avenue, West Drayton, had already pleaded guilty after police found the Vietnamese man in the back of his car with £52,600 in cash at his feet.

020 8518 5500

LEO Jul 23 - Aug 23

The UK’s leading Vedic writer and TV personality

Mercury goes retrograde in your fifth house of romance for the next three weeks. This is a good time reflect and analyse current situations. Pressure begins to build as there will be a lot of demands in your daily work. Some of you will prefer to get away and seek solitude and avoid social events.

As Mercury turns retrograde in your fourth house, you need to watch out for extreme changes in peoples attitude and behaviour at home. Strong emotions may spill out with your loved ones, but it is alright to reveal your fears and insecurities sometimes. It's a cosmically testing time, so try not to tread on each other's toes.

VIRGO Aug 24 - Sep 23

Mercury turns retrograde in your third house of communication, making it difficult to express yourself clearly for the next three weeks. Misunderstandings and confusion could waste a lot of your time. This is also a good time to read into the unspoken rather than what is being said to make any sense.

LIBRA Sep 24 - Oct 23

You may need to take care as Mercury turns retrograde in your second house of finances. This is a good time to re-assess your money matters. In spite of that, all sorts of things could go wrong especially if people owe you money. Have patience as business matters move slowly or get delayed.

SCORPIO Oct 24- Nov 22

SAGITTARIUS Nov 23 - Dec 21

Mercury turns retrograde in your sign for the next three weeks. Normally we expect matters to be dealt with smoothly, but not while the planet Mercury in your sign, is moving backwards.

Confusion and frustration reign, so put your plans on hold. Curb your expenditure as you will spend unnecessarily.

CAPRICORN Dec 22 - Jan 20 Retrograde transit of Mercury occurs in your solar twelfth house this time, extra care should be exercised when it comes to private and personal matters. Be as non-judgemental as you can, but do keep an eye out for deceptiveness and falseness in others. Good time for yoga and meditation.

AQUARIUS Jan 21 - Feb 19 It's a lovely week for a romantic encounter, as Venus embraces your solar 11th house. Bear in mind that Mercury turns retrograde in your eleventh house of friends and associates as well.

The next three weeks would serve you well if you spend more time listening to other people's ideas rather than imposing your own.

Mercury turns retrograde in your tenth house of career and status, slowing down your progress at work. It is important for you to be steadfast and focused as misunderstandings and confusion reign. Stay as organized as possible while Mercury, the planet of communications does its best to trip you up.

PISCES Feb 20 - Mar 20

Sport 32

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INDIA CRUSH SRI LANKA BY INNINGS AND 239 RUNS

India crushed Sri Lanka by an innings and 239 runs in the second cricket Test for a 1-0 lead in the three-match series, in Nagpur on Monday. The victory margin is identical to India’s Test win over Bangladesh at Mirpur in 2007 when Rahul Dravid was captain.

O f f - s p i n n e r Ravichandran Ashwin (4/63) completed a coveted personal milestone of fastest 300 Test wickets in 54 games, beating Dennis Lillee’s previous record of 56 matches, as he took the last wicket of Sri Lanka, who were dismissed for a paltry 166 in their second innings.

Ashwin, who had a match-haul of 8 for 130, bowled Lahiru Gamage with a doosra to bring down curtains on one of the most lop-sided Test matches in recent times. The celebrations were very muted with teammates shaking hands with Ashwin before quietly walking off the field.

Skipper Dinesh Chandimal (61) was the only Sri Lankan batsman to show some resistance as others never matched up to what is required to play highest level of international crick-

et. The manner of abject surrender in this Test match would certainly hurt the island nation, which till few years back was a force to reckon in international cricket. Just like the Test matches in Sri Lanka, they lost the Test match well inside three and a half days.

Ishant Sharma (2/43) looked menacing as he bowled short and quick while Ravindra Jadeja (2/28) was the beneficiary of some sharp fielding from Murali Vijay and indiscretion from the part of opposition batsmen. Umesh Yadav (2/30) had a chance of completing his 100 wickets in Test but fell one short as the Tamil

Another Phogat girl wins medal After Geeta, Babita and Vinesh, another Phogat girl is making waves on the world stage.

And, according to brother Rahul, Ritu is the most Ritu Phogat ruthless of all six Phogat sisters on the mat. On Saturday, Ritu (22) won the silver in the 48kg category in the World U-23 Wrestling Championship in Bydgoscz, Poland.

This was India’s first medal in the prestigious meet. Before Ritu’s silver, Indian women wrestlers including the other Phogat sisters had at best managed to win a bronze in the championship. Ritu lost the final to Evin Demirhan of Turkey in a thrilling bout after being tied at 44 at the end of two rounds. But the Turkish girl was declared the winner since Ritu had a caution point against her name during the bout.

Ritu had received a walkover in the first round and straightaway got a place in the quarterfinals, where she defeated Miglena Georgieva Selishka of Bulgaria by a 4-2 margin.

In the semis, she defeated China’s Jiang Zhu 4-3 in a closely fought encounter. In 2016, Ritu had won gold at the Commonwealth Wrestling Championship in Singapore in the 48kg category. In May this year, she won a bronze at the Asian Wrestling Championship in New Delhi.

Nadu tweaker got to his milestone first.

Dimuth Karunaratne (18) was the first to get out when he tried to flick Jadeja and Murali Vijay standing at short leg had the ball jam into him. The Tamil Nadu player showed good reflexes as Karunaratne was left stunned.

Lahiru Thirimanne (23) stunned one and all when he chased a wide delivery from Umesh Yadav to hand Jadeja at point the simplest of catches. Former captain Angelo Mathews (10) was expected to show some responsibility while batting alongside Chandimal but his choice of shot also left a lot

to be desired.

Having hit Jadeja for a six over long-on, he tried the same shot over long-off but failed to clear Rohit Sharma at mid-off. Mathews used to look a fine player when Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara were around but post their retirement, he has not been able to find his mojo. During the first innings, Lanka batsmen were out scoring 205 runs.

Dinesh Chandimal 57 and Dimuth Karunaratne 51 were the only two to score valuable runs for Lanka. In reply India scored 610 for six. Virat Kohli 213, Murali Vijay 128, Cheteshwar Pujara 143 and Rahul Sharma 102 were the main contributors for India's massive total.

Brief scores: Sri Lanka 205 (Dinesh Chandimal 57, Dimuth Karunaratne 51; Ravichandran Ashwin 4-67, Ishant Sharma 3-37, Ravindra Jadeja 3-56) & 166 (Dinesh Chandimal 61; Ravichandran Ashwin 4-63) lost to India 610/6 (Virat Kohli 213, Murali Vijay 128, Cheteshwar Pujara 143, Rohit Sharma 102; Dilruwan Perera 1-157) by an innings and 239 runs.

Australia beat England by 10 wickets in 1st Test Australia beat England by 10-wickets to go one-up in the Ashes series in the opening Test at the Gabba on Monday. Openers David Warner and Cameron Bancroft added to England's agony by scoring the required runs without the loss of a wicket before lunch on the final day.

Warner finished unbeaten on 87 off 119 balls with newcomer Bancroft hitting the winning runs to remain 82 not out off 182 balls in Australia's 173 without loss.

In the process, they broke an 87-year-old Test record for the all-time highest unbeaten opening partnership in a successful Test chase. Australian captain Steve Smith said, “We had to show some really good character throughout.

Obviously losing the toss, and the wicket was a lot slower than we anticipated it would be. We had to work really hard."

The Australians only needed 56 runs on the final morning go one up after England imploded on Sunday's fourth day.

England captain Joe Root

said, "For three days we were excellent. Till Steve's knock we were right in it," he said. "It was good fun, to share a good partnership was nice. To get the win in the end was good," said Bancroft, who was allegedly headbutted by England wicketkeeper Jonny Bairstow in a late-night altercation in Perth earlier in the tour. Smith's unbeaten 141 over eightand-a-half hours to give Australia a 26-run innings lead and Josh Hazlewood's two late wickets on Saturday swung the momentum firmly in Australia's way.

England were knocked over for 195 off 71.4 overs, losing their last six wickets for 82, to set Australia an unthreatening target to

chase down in the remaining four sessions of play.

Australia stretched their unbeaten record at their Gabba fortress to 29 years since their last defeat to Viv Richards' West Indies team in 1988.

England have not won in Brisbane in 31 years, a stretch of eight Ashes Tests. The five-Test series heads to Adelaide Oval for the first-ever Ashes daynight Test, starting on Saturday.

England holds the Ashes after a 3-2 win at home in 2015, but was swept 5-0 on its last tour to Australia in 2013-14. After twice wiping out England's lower order in the match, and restricting the top order, the Australians are growing in confidence.

Kohli rested for Lanka ODIs, Rohit named skipper Indian skipper Virat Kohli has been rested for the ODI series against Sri Lanka and limitedovers vice-captain Rohit Sharma will take over as captain for the three 50over games starting from December 10.

Kohli will, however, Virat Kohli captain the Test side for the third game of the ongoing series against Sri Lanka.

Kohli, who had recently spoken about India's workload management, is the only Indian player to have played in excess of 100 matches across international formats since January 2015. Kohli has played 113 matches in the said period while Dhoni, who retired from Test cricket in December 2014, has played 92 matches since.

Hardik Pandya, who was rested for the Sri Lanka Tests, is part of the ODI squad which includes one newcomer in 27-year-old Punjab pacer Siddarth Kaul. Kaul, who recently featured in two one-day games for India A against New Zealand A, bagged a couple of three-wicket hauls and was the joint third-highest wicket-taker in the tri-series in South Africa. R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja yet again miss out on limited-overs selection with the MSK Prasad-led panel persisting with the trio of Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav and Axar Patel. Also missing out from the squad that was selected for the New Zealand ODIs is Shardul Thakur while his Mumbai team-mate Shreyas Iyer finds a place in the team for the 50-over games against Sri Lanka. KL Rahul, Mohammed Shami and Umesh Yadav, too, aren't part of the ODI set-up.

India squad for the ODI series: Rohit Sharma (Captain), Shikhar Dhawan, Ajinkya Rahane, Shreyas Iyer, Manish Pandey, Kedar Jadhav, Dinesh Karthik, MS Dhoni (WK), Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Jasprit Bumrah, Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Siddarth Kaul.

Ashwin becomes the fastest to take 300 Test wickets

Indian off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin not only helped India equal their largest win in terms of runs, he had reached the personal milestone of 300 wickets becoming the fastest to the mark in 54 matches, surpassing Dennis Lillee's record of 56 matches during the India Sri Lanka Test at Nagpur. Ashwin broke Lillee's record that was set 36 years ago. Ashwin returned with a match haul of eight wickets - 4 for 67 in the first innings and 4 for 63 in the second. Ashwin also completed 50 Test wickets in 2017 calendar year. After the match, Ashwin said that he would like to double the tally. Virat Kohli walked away with the Manof-the-Match award for his fifth Test double hundred.

Quickest to 300 wickets in terms of matches: Ravichandran Ashwin – 54; Dennis Lillee – 56; Muttiah Muralitharan – 58; Sir Richard Hadlee – 61; Malcolm Marshall – 61; Dale Steyn – 61; Shane Warne - 63