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VOL 44. ISSUE 4

Let noble thoughts come to us from every side

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No place for middlemen, lobbyists now: Modi

Rupanjana Dutta

Up to a million ethnic minority, especially Indian votes have helped put David Cameron back into Downing Street- the highest share Tory party has ever enjoyed from an electoral group, which it failed to connect with in the past.

The British Future poll suggests around 49% of the Hindu votes went to the Conservative Party while 41% of Hindu votes went to Labour.

The carefully planned Conservative strategy to target Hindu and Sikh voters helped them to sweep into power. His frequent visits to Indian temples and Sikh Gurdwaras and promises of giving the country its first PM of Asian origin in the near future reaped rich results. He also promised that if he returns as PM, he would pay a visit to the Akshardham temple in Delhi and said that

Narendra Modi with Hema Malini during a rally in Mathura

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday hit out at his critics saying if the NDA government had not come to

Samantha and David Cameron at Shree Swaminarayan Temple, Neasden

Britain needs to take inspiration from Hinduism if it wants to become better. Samantha Cameron with her collection of beautiful saris, salwar kameezes and impeccable dressing, have added a feather to her husband's cap.

Moreover PM's regular Vaisakhi, Eid and Diwali parties at his residence, have had wide range of attendees from the community, all across the nation- which has inevitably helped to spread his popularity amongst the community.

The Conservative press team has also made sure to keep the communication alive with the BME media, something that the Labour party increasingly failed to achieve in the last election.

Continued on page 8

power, the country would have slipped into “bure din” (gloomy days) with Continued on page 26

Indians are the biggest spenders in Britain A data released by the City Mayor's office has shown that Indians are among the biggest spenders while holidaying in London. As many as 213,000 Indians have visited London over nine months from January to September

2014 spent £172 million.

London has welcomed 17.4 million international visitors for tourism in 2014, up 3.5% from the previous record of 16.8 million visits in 2013. It is ranked 17th in terms of Continued on page 8

2

UK

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 30th May 2015

Sharron Wallace Sharron Wallace was born and raised in Tower Hamlets joining the local schools Devons Rd and St Paul’s Way. After leaving Barking College of Technology Sharron took her next career step and decided to join the work force. Spending 4 years in Pro Photo labs Sharron knew this was not enough and that it was time to rekindle her dream of becoming a photographer. Sharron contacted The Jamaican Gleaner, West Indian News and the Voice Newspaper intended to step out into a career as a freelance photographer. However her plans for a freelance career were short lived when she was offered a full time post as Picture Editor Photographer for the Voice Newspaper. After 10 years at the Voice newspaper, Sharron moved on to establish her freelance career. Her rich career as a photographer has included photographing Queen Elizabeth, Prince Charles, Lady Diana, Gordon Brown, Tony Blair, Sir John Major, Margaret Thatcher, Reverend Jesse Jackson, Reverend Al Sharpton numerous MP and Ministers including Jack Straw, David Blunkett, Jackie Smith and Peter Mandleson. Her international portfolio includes photographs of Maya Angelou, Michael Jackson. 8 years ago Sharron expanded her photographic business and purchased a photographic franchise in the heart of South London employing 5 people. A second franchise purchased a few years later is currently managed by a family member giving her time to focus on her passion as a photographer. Sharron is now commissioned by a range of public and private sector organisations and government departments including Imperial College, Chase Farm Hospital, The Beazley Insurance Group, Arhag Housing Trust, The Federation for Small Businesses, The Windsor Fellowship. Her work has been published in the Guardian, The Times Education, The Times, The Voice, Time out to name a few. Sharron specialises in portraits and event photography and is regularly commissioned for annual reports, conferences and staff and team profile shots. Sharron works in partnership with Ruby design a web and graphic design company bringing you’re photographic and design needs to your doorstep.

1) What is your current position?

I currently run a new franchise business Mail Boxes Etc. Bromley, which is in its start up stages. It is very challenging but this is something I am used to in business. For 11 years I ran a successful Snappy Snap franchise in South West London. I loved the pace and diversity of running a shop in the heart of the community and offering a range of services. I got to know many of my customers some of whom are still friends

today. It really felt more than a business. I was able to house a photographic studio at the back of the shop, which meant I could continue to run my professional business as a Press and portrait photographer. I worked as a Press photographer for over twenty years. I still run my photographic business covering events and press assignments with a small amount of private work for individuals.

2) What are your proudest achievements?

My proudest achievement to date is running three businesses successfully at the same time, Snappy Snaps, Sharron Wallace Photography & Molly Maid cleaning service.

3) What inspires you?

I really do enjoy photographing people and I love the challenge of capturing a good shot. One never knows what image or scene you will capture at the click of a shutter.

Everything can change in a second and you have to be constantly on alert and ready to respond in an instant.

Photography is about relationship. It is satisfying when you send someone a photograph and they come back and say how much they like it. It’s like reading a good book, you don’t want to finish or

this in the current market place is challenging.

finding an outfit you both feel and look good in.

Photos are personal and in a way taking a great shot of someone is like giving them back a piece of themselves.

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

Meeting my business objectives and selling customers what they want. I like the buzz of doing business but sometimes getting customers to buy your services takes a lot of hard work.

The Internet is the obvious competitor and takes away a huge share of the customer market without having the overheads that small businesses like mine have. I like the personal nature of connecting with customers, which often leads to new sales, or future use of the business, but securing

5) Who has been the b i g g e s t influence on your career to date?

My Mum. We had wonderful relationship and were really close.

I inherited a lot of my M u m ’ s many wonderful qualities.

She was a fantastic cook and a great gardener. She could turn a plot that looked like nothing would grow there into a plot full of blooming flowers. My close friends and family love my cooking and I have tended and grown a lovely garden here where I live in South London.

You really don’t realize how much rubs off on you.

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

Having to be creative and think about ways to make money in my new business.

Franchise in Bromley allows me to offer the best international shipping deals anywhere in the world with couriers such as FedEx, UPS & DHL. Mail Boxes ETC Bromley also have graphic design on-site and printing service that is fast and easy to use.

7) And the worst?

Not making enough sales when you know you have a good product to sell.

Location is a determining factor.

8) What are your longterm goals?

My long-term goal is to open a second franchise and operate them both. I would like to retire early in another 12-13 years but still work and travel the world. I have a wide range of interests like walking, camping. I’d love to retire in my mid sixties, perhaps have a home abroad where I could live several months of the year and have friends and family come visit me.

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

If I were the Prime Minister I’d have a longterm plan for a manufactory industry in the UK. I’d abolish business rates for small business with a turnover of £500,000 or less.

I’d pass legislation whereby large retail global companies must pay the living wage.

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

I’d really love to spend my time on a desert Island with my Mum Valerie for all the reasons I mentioned earlier. She sadly passed away in 2001 from cancer. It would be wonderful to see her again and smile.

Children can overcome dyslexia through nursery rhymes and music A leading neuroscientist, Usha Goswami, Prof. Of Cognitive Developmental Neuroscience at Cambridge has suggested that children can overcome dyslexia by learning nursery rhymes, singing and dancing, as the condition is caused by the lack of rhythm in the brain.

Dyslexia is said to be one of the most common learning difficulties. Up to 1 in every 10 people in the UK are estimated to have a certain degree of dyslexia.

Additionally, Britain has one

of the worst rates as the language is proving to be very difficult for them to learn.

Usha Goswami has spent 10 years testing youngsters' brains to figure out what was urging the learning obstacle. She found that dyslexia is not caused by children reading words incorrectly; instead, it was their inability to hear the rhythm of words when they are being spoken.

Goswami stated, “We realised that children are struggling in tasks which are

not related to learning or reading but are related to rhythm. So we began to think that rhythm and these problems found in children with dyslexia might be related.”

Prof Goswami endorses clapping games, music, nursery rhymes and marching to The Grand Old Duke of York in order to help children with dyslexia. “All kinds of rhythmic experiences can be helpful, nursery rhymes, dancing and music as long as the beat is

matched to language.

Playground clapping and games may be very important to stopping dyslexia.

You could start to remediate it before children even start school.”

Goswami further stated, “If children keep it up they will learn to read. It will definitely happen. The brain just needs more training.

These children need to know that their brain just works a bit differently and reading is going to be harder for them.”

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 30th May 2015

COMMENT

Modi defines India’s strategic autonomy

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent visits to China, Mongolia and South Korea are to be followed in early July by a sweep through Russia and the Central Asian states of Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan, an itinerary last seen in June 1955, when India’s first prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru left his country’s footprint in these distant parts. Then, and now, this tour d’horizon brings with it a significant message: that India’s strategic autonomy is an article of faith in an emergent world of uncertainties compounded by Western ambitions to craft a unipolar global order. Incessant chatter about democracy and human rights, selectively applied, is the velvet glove concealing the cloven hoof of military and economic might. Mr Modi’s circular tour will include BRICS and Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO)summits in Russia. India’s present SCO observer status will be elevated to full membership. More of this later.

What can be readily assessed are the Indian Prime Minister’s visits to China, Mongolia and South Korea. He was received in all three countries with considerable warmth. In China, he addressed a university audience on the possibilities of an Asian century in the making. But the pitfalls of arbitrary behavior and muscle-flexing could cloud the project with mistrust and eventually derail it, he warned.

Taking up this theme, what sense does it make for China to accept the ground reality of the 1914 McMahon Line with Burma (now Myanmar), yet refuse to accept its validity for the border with India?

The likely answer is that Beijing wants India to expel the Dalai Lama, whose existence in the proximity of Tibet appears to be a recurring nightmare for China’s rulers. But they must understand that India is not a tributary state ready and willing to kowtow to Chinese diktat. Using Pakistan as a pressure point against India is an exercise in futility. Mr Modi made an honest appeal to the Chinese leadership to resolve the contentious border issue sooner rather than later.

China needs to rethink its heavy-handed policies in the South China Sea, which have alienated the Philippines and Vietnam and farther afield, Japan as well. Japan’s decision to spend $110 billion on Asian infrastructure projects over the next five years throws down the gauntlet to China’s projected Asian Development Bank, designed for a similar purpose.

China has much to gain from regional peace and stability. Economic cooperation is the best bet, at least for now, in taking Sino-Indian ties forward. The expanding Indian market is surely invitation enough to Chinese companies to invest in its future growth and prosperity.

Sparsely populated Mongolia, rich in minerals, is haunted by the memory of its subjugation by the old Chinese Empire, something Mongolian people share with their ethnic kin in Tibet, whose Buddhism is a shared heritage. Wary of a thrusting neighbor to the east, Mongolia has reached out to India in a bid to diversify its relationships in Asia.

India has given Mongolia a $1billion line of credit

that should lead to a more visible Indian presence in the country’s economic development.

India’s strong relationship with South Korea received a significant fillip with Mr Modi’s visit to Seoul (See Media Watch, page 12). The emergence of South Korea as an industrial player with a global reach is one of the miracles of our age. A ruined heap at the end of the devastating Korean War of the early 1950s, South Korea rose, phoenix-like, from the ashes as an economic power of note. The country’s industrial skills and wide experience in shipbuilding and automotive manufacturing have valuable lessons for India.

We return to Russia and the Central Asian nations that were once part of the former Soviet Union. Relations between Delhi and Moscow are close and time-tested.

President Pranab Mukherjee’s recent visit to the Russian capital for the 70th anniversary of the country’s victory over Nazi Germany in Second World War and the presence of an Indian Army contingent in the military parade were much appreciated by the hosts.

President Putin telephoned Prime Minister Modi to thank him for “the high level representation.” A Kremlin statement said “Mr Putin and Mr Modi discussed steps to further develop the privileged strategic partnership between Russia and India, as well as several and economic projects.” This will be capped with a one-to-one meeting on the sidelines of the BRICS summit to deepen India-Russia ties, which have crested on a surge of goodwill. The signs are promising. According to an Economic Times report (May 22), the Anil Ambani Defence Group is in talks with a Russian partner for the joint production of six nuclear powered submarines and stealth warships at the Pipavav port in Gujarat, in which Ambani is a stakeholder Mr Modi’s tour of the oil-rich, natural gas-rich Central Asian states is significant in its own right.

These states border China and are recipients of Beijing’s financial aid. Beefing up India’s presence there is proof of intent to build new relationships in a strategic corner of Eurasia. The Central Asian states, for their part, are looking for reliable, suspicion-free partners. Historians may see such activity as the latest permutation of Kipling’s Great Game in the 19th century. Whatever the preferred description, India is spreading its wings, mostly through soft power, in this emergent arc of possibility.

However, the strength of foreign policy can only be underwritten by economic strength, scientific and technological innovation and cultural inclusiveness.

Bonding on this platform guarantees the future. No disquisition on the regional chessboard can be complete without contextualizing the larger canvas. The disastrous interventions of the United States and its NATO allies in the Middle East and Greater Middle East have set off a tsunami of violence of global proportions. India is compelled to protect its national interests in a period of critical international disorder.

According to data released by the Mayor’s business and promotion firm, London and Partners, Indian companies have created 504 jobs in the London area in the current financial year (starting April 1) – second only to 1983 jobs created by American companies. The Indian figures have been rising steadily over the past few years: 404 jobs in 2012, 429 in 2013, 438 in 2014. A surge of 270 foreign firms have recently entered London or set up their headquarters in the British capital. They have ensured employment for a workforce numbering 5,000. A decade ago, there were only 26 technology firms in the city, now the number has expanded to 108.

Twenty-eight new Indian companies have come to

London in 2015. London and Partners stated: “Companies from India, China, Japan, Australia, Spain and France are key investors, creating many jobs in technology, financial and business services and the life science industry.” Pity is that the numbers of Indian students pursuing higher education studies in the UK have declined substantially between 2010 and 2012, according to statistics released by Nicola Dandridge, Chief Executive of Universities UK. She says, “A number of worrying signs remain – not least the decline in Indian students – almost by a remarkable 49 per cent between 2010 and 2012.” Britain’s loss is America’s, Canada’s and Australia’s gain.

If the child be the father of the man, then 11 yearold Tanashq Abraham’s dream of becoming president of the United States may well come to pass. Or, by the time he is old enough to stand for office, he may well have changed his mind, as there could be bigger and better fish to fry. His other preferred option, to win the Nobel prize in medicine will likely stand him in better stead. Whatever his future, Tanishq Abraham is atop the pinnacle of the here and now, having graduated recently with three associate degrees in mathematics, science and foreign language studies from American River College in Sacramento, California. Around him at the commencement ceremony were students twice his age, whom the pint -sized cheeky chappie said, “ looked

slightly intimidated.” He plans to move to Stanford University, where he is certain to intimidate many more.

Tanishq is the son of software engineer Bijou Abraham and his veterinary doctor wife Taji, who have educated Tanishq and his 9 year-old sister Tiara, also a prodigy, at home after Tanishq had complained that school “bored” him. At six, Tanishq took online high school and college level courses in chemistry, biology and geology. At seven, he enrolled at American River College. His astonishing accomplishments earned Tanishq a congratulatory letter from President Obama. “I love to learn.

So I just followed my passion of learning, and that’s how I ended here,” said Tanishq Abraham.

Indian companies bring jobs to London

Indian American prodigy embraces the future

3 Indulge yourself by being generous - help someone out, perform an act of kindness, offer a compliment. The person who will feel most uplifted by you having done so is you - Paul Wilson (1996)

Sadiq Khan

Mayor of London Candidate MP for Tooting

Join me in my campaign I grew up on a council estate in Tooting, South London. It’s where my mum, my siblings and I still live now, it’s where my children go to school, and it’s the place I am proud to call home.

When I was growing up my dad worked every hour of overtime he could get as a London bus driver, and my mum worked as a seamstress.

They taught me that if I wanted to succeed in this country, I would have to work twice as hard as my white friends and neighbours. They also taught me the importance of learning about my faith, culture, traditions and language.

“Money is not everything” was a frequent refrain.

That’s why I’m so proud to say that I’m running to be the next Mayor of London. For someone from my background, I couldn’t have dreamed of this when I was growing up.

I would guess that my family background and upbringing is not dissimilar to many people reading this column.

However, there has been a tendency for the media to lump all “Asians” together, regardless of our ethnicity or background. Yes it’s convenient, but it’s ridiculous to think that all communities from a continent four times the size of Europe have the same cultures and beliefs.

So when my Hindu friends say to me they want to be referred to as British Hindus, or British Indians, or as British Gujaratis, Punjabis, Tamils, Muslims or Sikhs, I say yes! I believe we have to work to help communities celebrate their own identities within a diverse, open, liberal multi-cultural Britain.

We can and must be positive about our differences. That’s what makes London the great city it is today My surname is Khan, and it evokes all sorts of reactions from different people. From the BBC comedy Citizen Khan, to Bollywood stars, famous cricketers, and even, sadly, for some, thoughts of extremism and terrorism. I don’t have the looks of Shah Rukh Khan or the skills of Imran Khan, and I certainly don’t subscribe to the views or actions of extremists. In fact I have spent my whole life fighting against intolerance and discrimination in whatever forms it raises its head.

As Mayor, I will never allow a small fringe of extremists to spoil it for the rest of us, nor will I simply allow these issues to be swept under the carpet.

Imagine the message to send to the rest of the world to see a Mayor who is a Muslim leading the fight against terrorism and extremism in our city.

I respect the immense potential of the Indian sub-continent, particularly as a trading partner for London’s businesses, but here again, I believe I speak for the overwhelming majority when I say that we must not let the politics of the sub-continent dictate our discourse in Britain.

I want to be the most pro-business Mayor London has ever had. I would be the first Mayor to have run their own business. I took my law firm from just two partners to employing over fifty people. I know the things that concern businesses: Continued on pag 6

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4

MIDLANDS VOICE

Family announces reward to bring missing father home The heartbroken and distraught family of Ranjit Singh Power from Wolverhampton, who went missing in India, have raised and are willing to offer £25,000 as a reward for their father's safe return to the UK. The 54 year old hotelier and owner of the Grade II-listed Ramada Park Hall Hotel went to India on a business trip on 7 May. Normally Mr Power would contact the family twice or thrice a day, but they had not heard from him at all since he called his partner Angela Bir on May 7, after landing in Amritsar. Ms Bir said he sounded fine when she spoke to him and seemed 'totally happy'. He was due to return to UK on 14 May but failing to do so, the concerned family reported to police.

Fears for Mr Power's safety have been growing by the day, with concerns he may have been kidnapped or killed. His daughter Emma Power, aged 26, said: "Obviously we just want our dad back. Just anything that can help that really, we're helpless."

Miss Power said this weekend they had been giving lengthy statements to Wolverhampton police of anything that may help the investigation.

Indian media have reported that Punjab Police are planning to seek the assistance of Interpol, hoping to locate a man they want to speak to in relation to kidnapping Mr Power. However, the family said they have not had any updates like this on the investigation from English police. The family had seen the media reports, which suggested Indian police had questioned a few people in relation to their father's disappearance, but they did 'not know how accurate it actually is'.

This incident has also prompted the British Media to question safety of people travelling to India for

Son Gian and daughter Emma Power, Inset: Mr Ranjit Singh Power

tourism or business purposes.

Every week 4000-7000 people fly to India from the UK. Such unfortunate case of kidnapping of an overseas national is rare, though not totally unheard of, motive being mostly financial or revenge driven.

It is also mostly orchestrated by people the victim and family know closely, and are residing in Britain.

While Britons are naturally speculating on the efficiency of Indian police, in 2013 they had proved to be instrumental in sending a kidnapped British Tamil businessman and his wife home safe.

Sri Lankan Tamil origin Mr Kanapathipillai Thavarajah and his wife Salajah from Edgware were in Chennai for a 10 day temple pilgrimage. They were kidnapped and held hostage in a village called Mandharakuppam in Cuddalore District, 100 miles from Chennai.

Their daughter Dharshini received a call for a £300,000 ransom, and reported it to the Scotland Yard.

She sent Chennai police a voice recording of the conversation, from where they traced the hostage loca-

tion and led to the arrest of 13 persons. On information from Chennai police, the Kidnap and Special Crime Unit of Scotland Yard had arrested the masterminds in UK- Ajanthan and Ramesh Sornalingam, who worked in Thavarajah's business centre. They were sentenced to imprisonment for nine and seven-and-a-half years respectively in the Croydon Crown Court later.

While Mr Thavarajah's case ended on a happy note, such was not the fate of British student Suraj Patel, who went missing in 2008.

In January 2008 he migrated to Gujarat and took admission at a University in Vadodara but went missing in September 2008.

Believed to have gone to Goa and never returned, his grandfather Pushottam Patel from London went looking for him with no answers. The police had made some potential arrests in India when a friend sold Suraj's phone, but the trail went cold, after the suspects never turned up for lie detection test.

Murdered man a witness to father's life-changing attack A murdered man whose body was found in a shed was previously a victim and witness of a terrifying attack, that left his father brain damaged.

Dil Nawaz, then aged 66, was beaten-up with cricket bats and golf clubs after a car driven by Zafran Nawaz overturned in Yardley Green Road, Bordesley Green, on August 1, 2010.

The pensioner as a result suffered extreme memory loss and was unable to read or process new information. The Birmingham Crown Court heard was the result of a “decade-long feud”.

The Birmingham Mail has revealed Eleven people – including two 15-yearold schoolboys – were arrested on suspicion of murder after 34-year-old Zafran Nawaz’s remains were discovered at an address in Carlton Road, Bordesley Green, at 11.30pm on Friday. He was reported missing last Thursday afternoon. His car, a white Toyota Yaris, was discovered a mile

Zafran Nawaz

away from Carlton Road in Adderley Road on Friday.

Previously four men and a youth were jailed for a total of 45 years in 2011 for attacking Mr Nawaz’s father. The thugs involved all admitted wounding with intent. Speaking after the sentencing, Mr Nawaz, who also had

two nephews with him in the car, said he feared he and his relatives would all die.

West Midlands Police said it was working on a number of lines of enquiry in connection with Mr Nawaz’s death. Anyone with information should call police on 101 or Crimestoppers, in confidence, on 0800 555 111.

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 30th May 2015

Photo released of Brit-Asian man who drowned in Malta

A picture has been released that of Lyace Ali, the Solihull dentist, who drowned along with his practice partner on a bank holiday trip to Malta.

Lyace Ali and Mohammad Kamran Shabir, both aged 35, worked with each other at Bhandal Dental practice in Sheldon. A third man, Hussein Ahmed, also got into trouble in the water but survived. The three men were partners.

The Birmingham Mail reported that Maltese police say the men got into difficulties while swimming at the Blue Lagoon, in Comino. The crystal clear Blue Lagoon is popular with holidaymakers but locals have warned that dangerous undercurrents can make it unsafe for swimmers.

Volunteer lifeguards patrol usually do not start until June.

One of them was airlifted to hospital while the other was taken by boat but they were both later declared dead.

Mr Ali lived with his wife Ruhila and three young children at their home in Rothwell Drive.

His family were too

Lyace Ali

upset to talk about the tragedy.

Mr Shabir was believed to be married and lived in Acocks Green.

A spokesman for Malta’s police force reportedly said: “Members from the Armed Forces of Malta went to assist the two persons.

“One person was taken by a private boat to Imgarr whilst the other person was airlifted to the Gozo General Hospital by a helicopter.

“Unfortunately they were both certified dead.”

A spokesman for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office reportedly added: “We can confirm the death of two British nationals in Malta.”

Indian doctor reattaches head to spine to save patient's life 29-year old Tony Cowan, suffered a horrific car accident in which his head was ripped from his spine.

His survival is considered as a miracle after an Indian-origin doctor performed a rare operation on Cowan to save his life.

Tony Cowan, from Newcastle met with an accident in September 2014. His car hit a speedbump and spun out of control before colliding with a telephone pole.

The accident caused Cowan's heart to stop and he had to be resuscitated by the paramedics before being rushed to the hospital.

He had received a C2 fracture to his neck and complete spinal cord injury.

The medics described the injury as almost “unsurvivable”.

Scans showed that he had no brain activity, which led to his partner, Karen Dawson and mother, Pepsi Cowan, to come

to the decision of turning off his life support machine. However, Tony Cowan, opened his eyes and showed that he was determined to live.

Consultant neuro-surgeon, Anant Kamat, who completed his MBBS from the University of Mumbai in 1987, reattached Cowan's skull to his spine with a metal plate and bolts in a rare operation.

His mother said, "The consultants had to make the decision to reattach his skull to his spine with a metal plate and bolts, they had never done an operation like it before and we were informed Tony would probably not survive- but again he pulled through.”

However, Tony Cowan is unlikely to ever work again; though, he has learned to communicate by blinking his eyes, mumbling a few words, as well as using a communication electric board.

Manchester wants to join Scotland

The murder scene at Carlton Road

More than 12,000 people have signed a petition demanding that north of England break away from London-centric south and join a new Scotland.

The petition has elaborated that northern English cities feel far greater affinity towards Scottish counterparts such as Glasgow and Edinburgh than London and therefore demands secession from the UK. Signatures to the

Change.org petition were rising rapidly on Thursday before a visit to Manchester by George Osborne, the chancellor, and the only MP in the new Conservative cabinet with a northern English constituency. Osborne, MP for Tatton in Cheshire, is expected to set out his plans to offer northern cities more powers if they accept elected mayors as part of his “northern powerhouse” vision.

5

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 30th May 2015

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6

UK

Uttoradhikaar

A tale of identity, roots and love Eastern Thespians Ltd presents Uttoradhikaar (The inheritance), a story of identity, roots and love.

1958, Goa - Margarita De Cunha, Portuguese by descent and Goan by birth, struggles to save her estate amidst political turbulence as India and Portugal wrangle over Goa’s ownership, thus raising questions on identity, roots and love.

The play is set against a backdrop of two seismic moments in the history of Goa - almost five hundred years apart - when established orders changed, the play uses the Pirandellian interplay of reality and illusion to explore the complex issues of identity and roots, of being and

belonging seen through characters caught in the shifting sands of human displacement.

In the summer of 2012, a few doctors, lawyers and IT professionals in London decided to give their passion for theatre a platform for expression and formed Eastern Thespians Ltd. Despite their professional demands, over the next 3 years, the group produced an original, new play every year. Eastern Thespians brings live theatre that is vital, thought provoking and engaging.

Their productions in Bengali are subtitled in English to make them available to a wider audience.

Drawing on the rich resources of both eastern and western life, thought, philosophy and art forms, Eastern Thespians explores various genres of theatre and brings forth productions that have wide appeal to the country's multilingual and multicultural population.

Their previous productions, Artho (The Meaning of Wealth) and Mook (The Unspoken) have been performed in various venues in London and attracted both critical and public acclaim.

Uttoradhikaar is written and directed by Debasish Banerjee He is also part of the cast with Chandrayee Sengupta, Suchira Roy, Samrat Sengupta, Shiblu Chowdhury and Chandan MMH.

Image from the production Uttoradhikaar (The Inheritance)

Debasish Bannerjee is an experienced actor and scriptwriter in theatre, television and film. He has worked as an actor in the renowned Open Theatre group in Kolkata, India, having performed in, amongst other plays,

adaptations of plays by Luigi Pirandello, Bertolt Brecht and musicals, Man of La Mancha and West Side Story. Debasish has worked as an actor and

scriptwriter for various Indian television channels. He has acted in Roland Joffe’s City of Joy. Suchira Ray has recently joined the Thespians and Uttoradhikar will be her first performance. At a young age she trained in the Indian classical dance form of Kathak from Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, London and in Ballet.

Chandrayee Sengupta is trained in Indian classical dance forms of Bharatnatyam and Kathakali and has performed in India and the UK. She has directed a television documentary on Rabindranath Tagore, the Nobel Laureate Indian poet. She has brought her stage experience to theatre as an actor in Artho and her work as a production manager has been instrumental in building the team.

Shiblu Chowdhury has over 18 years of theatre experience as an actor having performed in over 25 plays and over 300 stage performances in Bangladesh and the UK. Chowdhury practices method acting influenced by the Constantin Stanislavski school. He has experience in script writing- few to name are Osprishya (The Untouchable), and Ekti Rat Ekti Golpo (A Story of a Night). He is a wellknown host on Bengali TV channels in the UK. Chandan MMH started theatre activity at college with Dhaka Little Theatre. Ora Kodom Ali, Rupkotha Churanabbai, Kofin and Venice Soudagor (Merchant of Venice) were the major plays in which he performed more than 40 shows. .Chandan was involved with alternative film movement in Dhaka

and participated in making of a number of documentary films. Few to mention are The Dreaming Vendor, on human trafficking and Rana Plaza, a documentary on industrial building collapse.

Samrat Sengupta worked in theatre and television serials in Kolkata, prior to arriving in the UK in 1994 to act in a theatre festival, organised by Manchester City of Drama. His career spans over two decades in the UK, acting in theatre, television adverts, professional role plays and museums as a story teller.

This 110 minutes long play will be held at Chelsea Theatre, London, on Saturday 13th June 2015, 6;30 pm. They will also be featuring at the Edfringe Festival, Edinburgh during the bank holiday weekend of

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 30th May 2015

Nobody should be above the rule of law

Human Rights. That phrase is one of the most important in the modern English language.

It recognises that there are basic universal principles which apply to all people at all times, fundamental rights which give humankind dignity and respect.

In the aftermath of the Second World War, Europe was trying to find ways of enshrining basic human rights and preventing the atrocities committed by the Nazis from ever happening again. One way of dong this was by signing of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) in 1950. Britain's role in drafting the ECHR was pivotal, and it set the standard for treaties regarding civil liberties around the world.

There was, however, one major problem. The only way to use the ECHR to challenge British legislation was by taking a case to the European Court of Human Rights. It was an extremely costly and cumbersome affair, with matters taking years in the lower courts before reaching Europe.

The Human Rights Act 1998 changed all of

that. A very simple piece of legislation in itself, it enabled the rights protected by the ECHR to be enforced by the British courts rather than having to go to Europe to fight a case. The legal process was streamlined, and the British public were the ones that benefited most.

Britain's legal system had to modernise so that it better reflected British society, and in doing so, the Human Rights Act dramatically improved access to justice. The right to privacy, the rights of prisoners, protection from discrimination – all have the Act to thank for the sensible and appropriate way in which the British courts have dealt with them.

The courts have helped set the trends which the Government has followed, such as appropriate healthcare provisions for prisoners, anti-discrimination legislation, and the expansion of privacy laws.

Sikhs have benefited from the application of the Human Rights Act in all facets of our lives, just as much as everybody else. From the right to a fair trial to the right to a family life, the Act chal-

Jasvir Singh Chair - City Sikhs

lenges public bodies to ensure that everyone is treated with fairness and equality at every opportunity. Its very purpose is to make the Government feel uncomfortable and remind them that all legislation is subject to the same basic rights for all.

As Sikhs, we have a moral duty to ensure that the rights of everybody in society are looked after, especially the most vulnerable. The Human Rights Act has done that for the last 15 years in ways that we would never have thought possible, and it is a piece of legislation that we should be proud of.

Human rights are not an optional extra in a democratic society. They are fundamental in ensuring that we treat each other as equals, especially when some people feel that others do not 'deserve' to be treated as such.

Britain should be celebrating the successes of the Human Rights Act, not condemning it to history. In a democracy, nobody should be above the rule of law, not even the law makers.

Women are at risk of losing the ability of giving birth In a new book by a leading obstetrician who pioneered the use use of birthing pools in hospital, Michel Odent states that women risk being unable to give birth naturally or to breastfeed their babies in the future.

In the book, Do We Need Midwives?, Michel Odent disputes that childbirth has become overly medicalised. There are large numbers of expecting mothers who are given drugs and surgery in labour. This ultimately put women at risk of being able to give birth without any aid or relief.

Odent also provides evidence that women taking longer in labour, compared to 50 years ago.

Michel Ordent also cites research which display how women who gave birth between 2002 and 2008 took 2 ½ hours longer in the first stage of labour, in comparison to those who gave birth during 1959 to 1966.

August; Friday 28th August to Monday 31st August 2015.

For ticket booking enquiries, please visit www.easternthespians.co m/tickets For more information, contact Chandrayee Sengupta at info@easternthespians.com

Mothers are at risk of losing the ability to give birth naturally or breastfeeding their baby.

Join me in my campaign

Continued from page 3

finding skilled staff, access to finance and having the right infrastructure in place, from transport, to housing and high speed broadband. I want to make London the best city in the world to start a business.

Part of that will involve tackling the threats London’s business face; the European referendum and the clamp down on skilled immigration. As Mayor, I will lead the campaign to stay in the European Union, working with business to make the strongest possible case to the British people. I will also challenge the Government on their immigration cap, which means London’s businesses can’t get the employees they need. It’s a total disgrace that the number of

Indian students studying in British Universities has fallen by 36 per cent.

But my ambition for London doesn’t end there.

I want to build more affordable homes so that our children can get onto the housing ladder and make renting more affordable and secure. I want to fight for better wages for those at the bottom and more high skilled jobs. I want to tackle the shortage of school places, reduce the cost of childcare and make London a safer, greener and better city to live in.

I hope you will join me in the campaign. I want to build a movement to improve our city. And you don’t have to be a Labour Party member to get involved. To sign up just go to http://www.sadiq.london/.

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 30th May 2015

Kerala origin councillor gets re-elected, while Harrow gets a new Mayor

The community is celebrating the victory of Kerala origin Councillor Tom Aditya, who has been re elected from Bradley Stoke in South Glouceshtershire.

Aditya is a social campaigner and management consultant living near Bristol. He also serves as the Advisory Board Vice Chairman of the Avon & Somerset Police, which covers the Bristol City and the West of England districts. He is the first person of Kerala origin outside London metropolitan region to be elected Councillor and the first South Indian elected as Conservative councillor.

He is also the first Indian and first Asian elected in the South Gloucestershire County. His continuous success in 2011 and 2015 demonstrated his popular support.

Harrow's new mayor, of Sri Lankan origin is an actor with an internation-

Cllr Krishna Suresh

Tom Aditya

al following. Cllr Krishna Suresh was elected as the new Mayor for 2015/6 with 32 votes, and accepted the Mayoral robe, chain and medallion of office before signing the Declaration of Acceptance.

Councillors Graham Henson and Barry Kendler nominated him to replace outgoing mayor Councillor Ajay Maru.

Cllr Suresh was born in Jaffna, Sri Lanka and is known as London Baba to his fans.

Cllr Henson reportedly said: “I am proud to support Krishna as being the Mayor of Harrow, as he has been a hard working community member in Harrow for more than 20 years.

“I can’t recall him moaning or groaning about anything – he has a positive, can-do attitude and always looks for the positive in everything.”

He added, Cllr Suresh has "championed the community he served" in Rayners Lane.

A 13-year-old girl was raped on the bank of river Thames in South West London, after agreeing to meet with her attacker.

The police are in search of the culprit.

Scotland Yard has revealed that police officers are appealing for help, in order to trace a man who is said to be in his late teens or early 20s, following the incident on a green area near Barge Walk in Kingston-uponThames at around 10.45pm on 17th May 2015.

The Police said that

the victim did not require hospital treatment after the attack but was taken to a Haven sexual assault referral centre.

It is said that the girl has met with the suspect 24 hours previously in Camden. They had then arranged to meet the next day again. The suspect has been described by the police as an Asian man wearing blue jeans and dark leather jacket. The police have launched their appeal for possible witnesses to come forward.

The girl recalls a young couple passing by shortly

after the incident. The police are particularly keen to trace them. A spokesperson said,"The couple were walking in the opposite direction, towards Hampton Court.

The woman, who checked on the girl's welfare, is described as around 25years-old with fair skin, a blonde bob and wearing a denim jacket."

Anyone with information is urged to call the police incident room on 020 8721 4251 or via 101.

To remain anonymous call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Police search culprit after teenager raped by the Thames

Muslim group declaring online Jihad against ISIS recruitment A leading Muslim organisation Minhaj-ul-Quran UK has published a book to declare Jihad against ISIS and similar terrorist groups titled “The Supreme Jihad” authored

by Dr Muhammad Tahirul-Qadri. Unfortunately British University campuses and UK prisons are fertile breeding grounds for radicalising young and vulnerable Muslims. There is an over representation of Muslims in prison constituting more than 14% which is over 12,000 Muslim prisoners in Britain’s jails. This book will provide training material for youth to conduct "online Jihad" against extremism and radicalist recruitment and is part of a series of books to be published in the next few weeks.

Minhaj-ul-Quran will also provide training to its youth to tackle ISIS recruitment and conduct

“online Jihad” against radicalization and extremism to be ready for June massive announcement.

The organization is planning an huge anti-terror event in June in central London in which one of the largest anti-extremism announcement will be made by its founder Dr Muhammad Tahir-ulQadri.

Muslim Council of Britain writes to MPS for comments on Radicalisation Following comments over the weekend by a senior Metropolitan Police officer who suggested that signs of increased religiosity and an aversion to the store Marks & Spencers could be signs of extremism, the Muslim Council of Britain has written to the Metropolitan Police Commissioner stating that such comments 'demonstrate a startling disconnect between the police and Muslim communities'.

In the letter to Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe, the Muslim Council of Britain's Secretary General Dr Shuja Shafi wrote: "The vast majority of the Muslim community who abhor terrorism are equally anxious to find the right answers to tackle terrorism. In this regard, we think deeper dialogue with the police and Muslim communities is crucial to ensure that measures proposed are effective.

“We are in clear agreement about the need to prevent terrorism, as is the case with all crimes. We are also concerned about conflating religious conservatism with violent extremism. It seems this is not the case for some of your officers who are charged with community engagement. We would like to also understand whether your view aligns

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Brit-Indian Corrie star paid damages by Mirror Group British Indian actress Shobna Gulati has been awarded a payout from Mirror Group amongst the eight people whose phones were hacked by Mirror Group journalists writing celebrity stories.

Ms Gulati, Coronation Street's Sunita Alahan, was awarded £117,500, while actress Sadie Frost won £260,000 and ex-footballer Paul Gascoigne £188,250.

Ms phone was hacked from 2003, two years after she joined the soap opera. The TOI reported that Gulati, who is a single mother, had told the court earlier that her son ran away from home when he was 11-year-old after an article about how she was dumped both by her lover and bosses at Coronation Street came out, following the phone hack.

She reportedly said, "My mother had also been seriously ill that year and, given I'm a single parent, my son was really concerned who

Shobna Gulati

was going to look after him if I was going into the jungle." Her son was also extensively bullied in school following the revelations in the Mirror owned papers.

The scale of damages reflected the invasions of privacy being "so serious and so prolonged", the judge said.

Justice Mann added:

"The length, degree and frequency of all this conduct explains why the sums I have awarded are so much greater than historical awards.

The High Court heard the hacking took place at various periods between 1999 and 2009. After the figures w e r e announced, Mr Mann was told that about 70 other claims were outstanding, and that a further 10 had settled.

The Mirror Group reportedly said it would consider whether to seek permission to appeal against the size of the damages. It has increased the amount from £12m to £28m to deal with phone hacking claims.

Golden Sip restaurant holds fundraiser for Nepal The staff members at the Nepalese Golden Sip Restaurant, in South Harrow have been accumulating and packing boxes of food, clothes and cash donated by customers. Crates of dried and tinned food, medicine, clothing and blankets have been collected by the restaurant in the aftermath of the two horrific earthquakes in Nepal.

The restaurant owners, Sanat Gurung and his wife, Sajani have appealed for help after the first earthquake, which killed more than 8,000 people in Nepal. They experienced the traumatising event first-hand as they were in Nepal, visiting family when the first earthquake struck. They described the horror of finding bodies which laid unclaimed in

hospital corridors.

They organised and held a “collectathon” for goods and cash at the restaurant, in collaboration with the South Harrow Traders Association, for the appeal on 12th May 2015.

It was followed by a charity meal held on 13th May. All donations will be taken to Nepal by Sanat

Gurung, and his brother, Deb Gurung, to ensure that the proceeds reach those who are the most in need of them.

During the charity meal, they raised a total of £8,000 from the diners' donations. In addition, the Golden Sip management added a personal donation of £2,000, taking the night’s total collection to £10,000.

with that of Commander Mak Chishty who is reported to have said over the weekend that the police need to move into the "private space" of Muslims to see if they are becoming extremist.

“Mr Chishty uses examples such as increased religiosity (e.g., aversion or abstaining from alcohol), children not celebrating Christmas and avoiding Marks & Spencer - all of which are hugely worrying.

Such comments, if true, demonstrate a startling disconnect between the police and Muslim communities. It underscores our mutual goal to deepen dialogue between Muslim communities beyond the grip of privileged interlocutors."

Omar Hussain (28), a Muslim extremist was permitted to leave the UK to join Islamic State after reporting to police because he was on the sex offenders’ register.

Omar Hussain is a former security guard at Morrison’s supermarket.

At the age of 21, he was convicted of sexual assault after he was caught on CCTV, cycling up to a woman and groping her breasts, in High Wycombe.

P r e v i o u s l y , Mohammed Abdul Saboor (25), was convicted of devising to send a

pair of ballistic glasses to Omar Hussain, who told him the glasses were for a man who was a sniper.

Abdul Saboor was jailed for 21 months after a jury were told that the glasses were actually for Omar Hussain, who could see virtually nothing without them.

Earthquake survivor, Sanat Gurung (fourth from the left), with brother and business partner, Deb Gurung (far right)

Sex offending jihadist was permitted to leave the UK

8

UK

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 30th May 2015

Indians put Cameron back in No 10

Continued from page 1

Sunder Katwala, director of British Future, said: “This research shows that ethnic minority votes are more ‘up for grabs’ than ever before. Minority voters still prefer Labour to the Conservatives. But where Labour once held on to these voters when they became more affluent, through an appeal to fairness and solidarity, that may now have broken down.

the House of Commons post the May 2015 general election - 41 non-white MPs compared to 27 in 2010.

Kenney plan playing a role?

James Kirkup in The Daily Telegraph analysed how David Cameron could have won a higher vote amongst the minority, than before.

“David Cameron's Conservatives took the Kenney plan to heart,” he writes. Jason

understanding was to talk to them regularly and often!

However according to the survey Labour still remains ahead with minority voters on 52%.

Though what is remarkable is that the gap is shrinking between the two main parties. 33% of 3 million non white voters this year have opted for the Conservatives- a significant swing, from predicted 24% before election.

Traditionally the Tories David Cameron and Samantha at a Gurdwara before GE2015

a natural home for nonwhite voters? There may be cultural, socio economic limits to its use. David Goodhart, a writer on immigration pointed out that Canada is more relaxed about immigration. David Cameron and Home Secretary Theresa May's latest stand on immigration has left a bitter taste in the mouth of those, who have created jobs for Britons.

Graph source: British Future as printed in The Daily Telegraph

“If it presents itself only as a party of the underdog, Labour may send a message to aspirational ethnic minority voters that, if you get on in British society, you ‘trade up’ to the Tories – just as C2s did for Margaret Thatcher.”

With approximately one in 10 voters are nonwhite, the House of Commons too has now started to open up to a diverse reality. A record number of ethnic minority MPs have been elected to

Kenney was the Canadian immigration Minister and his plan to win over the non-white voters were outlined in a seminar last year at London's Policy Exchange, a think tank that still often serves as an idea lab for British Conservatives. Broadly Kenney plan had two steps: First 'talk about values': Conservatives have long emphasised how their values are similar to Asian values and the second was 'engagement'. The only way to win their trust and

have lost the game hands down to labour party, but now evidence suggests that the table is turning.

Still it is an election that the Conservatives have failed to win amongst the ethnic minority community as a whole. There is work to bedone and much to be decided. A bigger poll by Ipsos Mori gives the Tories only a 23% of ethnic minority vote against 65% for Labour.

The bigger question that remains: will this Kenney Plan make Britain

Albeit restriction on visas, international students feel welcomed in the UK

According to a study carried out PriceWaterHouseCoopers and the lobbying group London First, acompelling majority of non-EU international students in Britain say they feel welcome and would recommend Britain as a place for higher education, despite increasingly complex visa rules. Results from the study showed that there was more than 310,000 students from outside the European Union studying at Higher Education insti-

tutes across the UK – more than 67,000 of them in London.

76% of the students surveyed revealed that they felt welcome in Britain and more than 90% of those said they would recommend studying in Britain to a friend or relative. On the other hand, more than half of international students said that the complication of visa regulations and fees had negatively impacted on their experience of studying in the UK. Furthermore, according

to the survey, other troublesome areas for international students include the controversial closure of the Post Study Work visa.

The broadly positive feel about studying in the UK comes in spite of the previous coalition government inflictingstern restrictions on student visas for non-EU students. The restrictions on student visas have led to a massive fall in the number of students from South Asia studying in the UK.

Indians second largest job creators in Britain According to latest data released by London and

Partners on Tuesday showed that Indians have become the second biggest job creators in London in 2015. Indian companies have already created 504 new jobs this year in London alone - second only to the Americans who created 1983 jobs, the Times of India reported.

China which is investing heavily in UK created only 277 jobs so far this year.

The number of jobs being created by Indian companies for Londoners has been increasing with

every passing year. In 2012, India created 404 jobs in London followed by 429 in 2013 and 438 in 2014. A record 270 companies, creating nearly 5,000 jobs, have set up or grown significantly in 2014, according to the Mayor's business and promotional company.

As far as new companies are concerned, 28 new Indian companies set up shop in London in 2015 - four higher than the Chinese and second only to America. Global giants like Pfizer, Greenland Group and Tata Elxsi have all expanded or created new headquarters in London. A decade ago just 26 tech companies came to London but last financial year there were a record 108.

Factors affecting Britain's minority Canada's minorities are better educated and often more professionally successful than their white counterparts. The same is partly true in Britain.

Census data showed that 43% of Chinese origin and 42% Indians have a degree compared to 26% of white British.

Research from centre of Dynamics of Ethnicity in Manchester suggests non-white Britons are significantly less likely than their white counterparts to move into a higher socio-economic class than their fathers.

Mr Cameron's promise of a 'blue collar Conservatism' is often appealing to white men, but if it is to mean anything to non whites, it has

to be more fair representation in universities and then in professions. Sajid Javid and Priti Patel are treated as ideals, their journeys as exceptional, but Conservatives need to work for a day when such journeys will be nothing remarkable, it will be common and the story of many Asians in high posts.

Some analysts found that politics is very different for different ethnicities. Integration and clustering among ethnic minorities have greater impacts. Britons who live in areas dominated people of he same ethnicities tend to be poorer than average and much likely to vote for Labour.

Identity matters too.

Non white people are just as patriotic, but are much likely to identify themselves as “British” than “English”. That could be a problem for Conservative party as they often flirt with English nationalism as they try to capitalise on English anxieties over Scottish National Party (SNP).

Whatever be the correct strategy, Britain's demography is changing very fast. Another Policy Exchange report suggested that the ethnic minority population could rise from around 15% in 2015 to 30% in 2050. The policy was written by Rishi Sunak, now a Conservative MP and then a fund manager turned to a think tanker. He is also the son in law of Indian tycoon N R Narayana Murthy CBE, the founder of Infosys, a Bangalore based IT Company.

Indians are the biggest spenders in Britain

Continued from page 1 countries for the number of visitors to London during the first three quarters of 2014, seventh for number of nights spent in the capital and 16th for the amount of money spend.

The increasing visitors to UK since the 2012 Olympic Games has been welcomed by businesses as international visitors are spending more in the city's restaurants, hotels and attractions than ever before. In 2014, visitors boosted London's economy by £11.8 billion compared to £11.5 billion in 2013, an increase of 3%.

In the 12 months to September 2012, London welcomed 235,000 visitors from India. But in the same period to September 2013, the number of

Indian increased to 245,000, a 4.4% increase.

However it was the amount of money Indians spent that set them apart. In the 12 months to September 2012, Indian visitors spent £159 million in London alone. This saw a 40% rise to £220 million in one year to Sept 2013. London Mayor Boris Johnson said, "These terrific new figures confirm that record numbers of tourists are spending record amounts of dosh in our amazing city. Our status as the number one destination in the world is surely beyond any doubt, and with incredible attractions like the Rugby World Cup heading our way we look forward to welcoming many thousands more visitors to London."

UK

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 30th May 2015

Rani Singh, Special Assignments Editor

The British Indian Director Working with Sundog Pictures- In India Sundog Pictures Sundog Pictures recently chose award-winning producer director Ashok Prasad to work in India. The work was commissioned by Virgin Group and its Partner responsible for original content, Nick Fox. The rapidly-growing Sundog Pictures company was founded by Sam Branson. Some senior Sundog creative team members involved with the shoot are; Sam, a social entrepreneur, adventurer and philanthropist, Johnny Webb, Co-Founder and Sundog MD, and Iris Maor, Director of Production and Operations.

Sundog makes many programmes across the world, including India. It is already acclaimed as a company that dares to be different -successfully.

Sam Branson said, “We believe in the power of television, film, and digital to tell stories that matter, and bring

Ashok Prasad

new audiences to important subjects. That’s why Johnny Webb and I founded Sundog Pictures in 2012.

And because the digital world is such a great way for storytellers to disrupt the way people think, act, share and engage, we wanted to create a different kind of production company; One based on ‘social production’, where engagement and ‘shareability’ were hardwired into the way

we tell our stories. We want to change the way people watch- and share.”

In 2012 Sundog delivered its first terrestrial commission, “Turtle Boy,” for National Geographic USA and Channel 4. The combination of sensitive film-making and social media increased engagement C4’s UK slot average by 75%. Sundog has gone on to make many more series and shows that have earned plaudits.

Ashok Prasad Ashok Prasad has made documentaries for international broadcasters for the past twenty years. Ashok specialises in social documentaries, historical films and current affairs programmes. He has made more than twenty films for the BBC and C4 and films for other broadcasters.

Recent credits for BBC include Welcome to India (about grass roots entrepreneurs), The Sun Says Sorry and Other Tales of Forgiveness and The Blair Years – which involved filming Tony Blair’s last three months in office including meetings with Bush, Gadaffi and Mandela. Credits for C4 include A Little Bit OCD with comedian Jon Richardson and The Twins Who Share a Body (about a pair of conjoined twins in Amritsar).

Earlier in his career, Ashok worked on the Emmy-award winning historical series The Cuban Missile Crisis and has since twice been nominated for an RTS award for best network documentary. As well as a director, Ashok is an accomplished camera operator and often shoots his own films.

A former Further Education teacher, Ashok is passionate about media training. He has worked with several leading charities and public institutions including Oxfam, BBC

Get up to

Persian TV and the BBC World Service Trust. He is on the advisory committee for the Sheffield Documentary Festival.

Before working in media he took an Electrical Engineering at Sheffield degree University and then worked as a Maths and Physics teacher.

Sundog Pictures has a bright and rosy future and will continue to provide directorproducers like Ashok Prasad with interesting projects to work on Ashok has been to India, sent there by Sundog Pictures. He said, “I try to do a mixture of films in India and in other parts of the world.

That includes the UK. I try not to just do Indian films, otherwise there is a danger that you get typecast.

I pick and choose my stories. Most of the projects I do are already commissioned by channels, and then I am asked to make the films. Most of what I do is observational, people-based stories; quite intimate. To do with individuals and their lives.”

Ashok felt the heat in the capital city. He compared filming in the UK with filming in India.

“At the moment it's 44

9

degrees in Delhi, a temperature never reached in the UK. In some ways shooting in India is easier, because you don't have the same level of red tape.

If you are away from the big cities, people are not cynical about being filmed in the way they are in Britain. They are much more open about telling you about their lives. As long as you approach them with some humility and sensitivity, people are quite happy to share their stories.

The difficulty is logistical; distances, the heat, communication.

The equipment is sometimes not so readily available so if you have a problem with your equipment, you may not be able to get it so easily repaired.”

Ashok has lots of ideas he would like to film, but he chose one from his wish list.

“I'm very interested in the revival of Buddhism in India. I would like to do a film that traces the spread of India to the surrounding countries; Tibet, Burma, where Buddhism is more ingrained into the culture and look at how Buddhism is returning to India.”

Sundog Pictures clearly has a bright and rosy future and will continue to provide director-producers like Ashok Prasad with interesting projects to work on.

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www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 30th May 2015

First year for Modiji

First year of Modi Govt

Modiji’s promise

Hindus and Conservatives

In a short period of twelve months Modiji has achieved a corruption and major scam free governance, no major communal clashes, very high image of Bharat in international affairs, stronger economy and rise in balance of payment.

Quite a good successful year for Prime Minister who had no experience in central government administration.

The last Indian election surprised everyone just as the recent one in Britain. No one could imagine in their wildest imagination that the BJP would be victorious let alone with an absolute majority like the Conservative win in the UK. Both elections caught pollsters and pundits by surprise. They had predicted hung Parliaments in both the countries with no party enjoying an absolute majority. The electorate proved them wrong on both occasions. We can safely say that both victories were the result of the charismatic leadership of Mr Modi in India and Mr Cameron in the UK. In the first year the Modi Govt. has demonstrated that it is an outward looking government wishing to play an important role on the global stage. Soon after taking office, Mr Modi visited numerous countries from tiny ones in the Indian ocean to giants like Canada, USA, Germany, China, Japan and so on to connect with the people and governments of those countries as well as to infuse pride in the Indian population settled there in numbers. The effect has proved electric.

The world is looking to India as a partner capable of playing an important role in global politics to bring economic stability and also growth. Mr Modi has already signed an agreement with China worth $22 billion. South Korea has pledged $10 billion for infrastructure projects in India. Japan will invest $35 billion over the period of five years.

I hope the next year will be dedicated to empowering people in India by building roads, rail and air network to improve travel and transport which is essential if the economy is to grow. The task ahead is a huge one but I am optimistic that Prime Minister Modi will change India and the psyche of Indians for good. I wish the Modi Govt. every success in making India a force for good in the world.

Narendra Modi had promised the citizens of India that he would bring down corruption within 100 days of his coming to power. He had also promised the people that he would be bringing back black money from Swiss banks that have been invested by some corrupt politicians. A year has passed, but our Prime Minister has still not kept his promise. People have got carried away by his sweet talks.

The promises made by Narendra Modi at the time of elections seem to be completely forgotten. Why did he make such tall promises when he knew he couldn’t fulfill them? The common man has lost faith in the BJP government.

Ever since the NDA government has taken over our country, Christians are being targeted and nuns are being molested. The government should be aware that today they are ruling the country is just because of the minority communities (Christians and Muslims) who willingly supported them.

Just because we Christians are peaceloving people and do not retaliate, it does not mean that the government can take an upper hand of us. Churches are being burnt and desecrated. And the police are not taking any action with those involved in these dastardly acts. We did a mistake by voting for Narendra Modi. The Congress was a better government indeed.

Christians are being defamed in the name of ‘Ghar Wapsi’ (Home Coming) and Muslims in the name of ‘Love Jihaad’. This was the reason why Indian’s National Flower, the lotus was cleaned by the broom by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the national capital a few months back. It is high time that the BJP thought about the minority communities (Christians, Muslims, Sikhs and Parsees) or they will be swept away from the country soon.

In your paper recently you have reported that the House of Lord’s will discuss the greater support received by the Conservative party from the Hindu voters.

May I tell you, that Hindus (not Indians as such) were greatly disappointed with the Labour party because of their meddling in the Indian and Hindu affairs on two counts.

First, they were fully supporting Pakistan on Kashmir issue. Second, Labour interfered with Hindu personal law regarding our caste system which was stemmed by the Conservatives. Same on Kashmir. The Conservative party became our natural preference for the above reasons. And, also Hindu culture of entrepreneurship and business is in line with the Conservative party.

Let me also add another phenomenon. We run a “Hindu Heritage Forum; with 60 members of highly intellectual group of Hindus comprising of many doctors, engineers, accountants, lawyers, barristers, directors and partners in the City of London, etc. Many of our members went door to door canvassing for the Conservatives.

Hindus and the Conservative party have the same culture of entrepreneurship, free trade, democratic way of life, freedom to worship, etc.

I would say quite candidly that our small Hindu unit has a clout of over a thousand voters who voted en masse for the Conservatives. And perhaps will do so as long as we Hindus are looked after equally well.

Dr Rami Ranger MBE By email

Jubel D’Cruz, Mumbai, India

Lalubhai Parekh Chairman Overseas Friends of BJP

A real treat

I have never been interested in any aspect of real estate but this does not stop me from devouring the excellent column by Suresh Vagjiani in Asian Voice every week. If you find yourself turning over his page headed “Real Estate Voice” without reading it you are missing a real treat.

Suresh is a concise, no-nonsense writer and his enthusiasm for his subject illuminates the entire page. It is like drawing up a chair and sitting alongside him at his desk as he discusses the various case studies in front of him, giving readers the benefit of his vast real estate knowledge and experience coupled with large helpings of commonsense.

What’s more, he provides “Tips of the Week” for those involved in real estate.

This guy is a real star!

Rudy Otter By email

Indian politics

It seems that the coming few weeks will be very turbulent in Indian politics.

Presently there are two very hot issues circulating in the electronic media.

One issue is that of Delhi chief Minister Mr. Kejriwal's confrontation with the Lt.Governor of Union Territory of Delhi Mr. Jung.

The second and most sensational, in my opinion, is the controversial comment made by PM Narendra Modi about Indians living abroad who are ashamed of being born in India.

I ask the PM if he ever felt ashamed of being the son of a very poor tea vendor. If not then how come a person belonging to the biggest democracy in the world feel ashamed to be an Indian when his forefathers were Indian as well!

Yes we feel ashamed now whilst living in the UK, some people ask me about the deteriorating law and order situation during the past one year in India.

Yes we feel ashamed when someone asks how people with criminal records are in the Indian Parliament and how a person could fight the election whilst in prison on serious charges of murder and extortion.

Yes we feel ashamed when we are told that our leaders made false promises to bring reforms during their election campaign which they do not fulfil even after a year of their being elected to govern the country.

Rohingyas

Appeal by Burjor Avari, Zarin Avari and Dr. George Gheverghese Joseph for compassion towards suffering by Rohingyas of Burma is noteworthy. If India makes rescue efforts, it would definitely praiseworthy. But it must investigate why government of Burma suddenly chooses to persecute Rohingyas, if they have been living peacefully till now.

On the other hand, why these three and many others are silent at sufferings

by Hindus in Kashmir, Pakistan and Bangladesh? Muslims blatantly practiced Hindu ethnic cleansing in Kashmir valley.

No power in the world appealed for mercy towards Hindus. Massive reduction of Hindu population in Pakistan and Bangladesh is also known to all those who plead for pity to non Hindu sufferers in India and elsewhere.

Historically, India has given shelter to many persecuted in their own homelands e.g. Parsees, Christians, Bahai, Tibetan Budhhists, illegal Bangladeshi migrants, etc. But in view of current political and other factors, rescue to Rohingyas could turn out to be a thankless and futile prac-

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tice. But why only India should meddle in internal matter of Burma? Hasty compassion must not be at the cost of good relations with Burma. There are other nations too which are nearer than India.

Ramesh Jhalla By email

IMF’s 2014

As per the IMF's 2014 Report BJP Govt. has inherited 3rd largest strong economy from Congress!

By big talks in India and many foreign visits Narendrabhai Modi has inspired high hopes and confidence both in India and overseas. Also splashing money in crores abroad in projects and help, also criticising Congress has not done anything in last 65 years!

BJP MPs haven't worked for weeks and months, not attending Parliament, but to ask Manmohan Singh to resign on practically each and every issue!

Congress did help farmers by excusing Rs. 60000 crores and asked banks to give loans.

First he must appoint Commissions

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1. Clean Bharat, separate dust Bins for Metal, Plastic, Paper, grass and non-recycling material cited everywhere.

2. Clean Ganga.

3. supply of Water, Electricity, Gas. 4. How much Money reaching to Poor people's bank Accounts?

5.Law and Order: Security to stop abuse of children and Women, also against Robbery, Murder, Violence,etc 6. Progress of Ministers on Ideal Villages they are creating.

7. Education.

8.Railways and other Transport.

9. Health, Medicines and Hospitals.

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Roads, Bridges and other Infrastructures.

11 Help for the Poor and Farmers.

12 Testing and advice on soil 13 Building houses for the Poor Families 14. Toilets Everywhere Upendra Kapadia By email

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Amitabh Bachchan, Oxford, and Me EDUCATION/COUNCIL VOICE

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 30th May 2015

Nirav Amin

I was embarrassed to be learning about my own religion in a classroom, shouldn’t I already know?

I was nineteen when I began to look for a deeper and academic understanding of my own faith and it was the Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies (OCHS) Continuing Education courses that afforded me the opportunity to pursue my interest. These courses were open to anyone who wanted to learn. Tutors gave new insights into Hindu Identity, the Vedas, Upanishads and the Mahabharata which inspired me.

Later, I went on to study Medicine, but still had a persistent interest from the stimulating experiences the Oxford tutors gave me. Driven by this early experience, I studied for a Masters degree at Oxford University as an OCHS student, and discovered why this Centre is so important to the study of Hinduism.

The OCHS is dedicated to preserving and promoting India’s cultural and intellectual heritage through a programme of world class education, publishing, and research.

It is recognised globally as a leading independent and non-sectarian academy for the study of Hindu culture, society, philosophies, and language. It publishes with Oxford University Press and Routledge and hosts international confer-

ences that attract the world’s best scholars of Hinduism.

The OCHS, as the major provider of teaching in Hinduism at Oxford University follows a scholarly, objective approach to Hindu studies. OCHS Director, Shaunaka Rishi Das, refers to the Centre as allowing “critical analysis in a sympathetic environment”. This truly encompasses what OCHS achieves; a unique centre where Hindu thought is promoted yet taught and analysed amongst the highest academic standards in the world.

The Centre is rooted in the heart of Oxford’s dreaming spires, but its reach extends far beyond this historic city. Widening access to Hindu thought involves a “cradle to pyre” approach, which sees education as a lifelong mission. The OCHS regularly

According to freedom of information responses, ten families have claimed over £400,000 in housing benefit in two London boroughs.

Since 2006, nine claimants have been paid over £400,000 in Westminster while a family living in a four-bedroom house in Kensington and Chelsea received £476,635.

Furthermore, it has been reported that family of three who live in a flat, has been paid up to

£46,000 a year in housing benefit for 11 years.

It is said that they have received high payments due to the price of accommodating families in elite areas of London. To this, Mark Field, the Conservative MP for Cities of London and Westminster expressed that people who are never going to be in paid employment should not live in Central London.

In 2014, a report predicted that in 2008, the cost of housing benefit

provides speakers who give a Hindu perspective on global events in the media and runs a range of adult-education courses online at ced.ochs.org.uk.

The teachings offered to students are complementary to teachings in temples, but remain independent from focusing on any one sect’s beliefs.

Another important OCHS outreach is the Bhumi Project – facilitating a worldwide Hindu response to the environmental issues facing our planet. This project had its international launches at Windsor Castle and the White House and is backed by the UN Development Programme.

It is the Oxford-OCHS combination that has allowed these projects and many more to take root and succeed – however, success has not been an easy feat. This is evident

Families who received up £400,000 in housing benefit

MP Mark Field

would rise from £17 billion a year to £27 billion by 2018, by which time 1.2 million people would be claiming benefits.

Children aged 0-5 are costing parents £35,000 Babies are considered as a gift from God and as a bundle of joy. As well as bringing immense happiness and new experiences into your life, it also burns a big hole into your pockets. New surveys have suggested that parents spend an average of £35,000 on their kids by the time they are five years old. This includes £5,000 on babysitting or childminding.

The survey revealed that children in London cost their parents the

a year. The cost includes the basics, such as nappies and clothes, as well as toys, games, days out and activities and also including sports Classes such as Ballet lessons are costing and music parents about £40 per month. c l a s s e s .

Classes such most; they cost about as Ballet lessons are cost£10,000 a year, where as ing parents about £40 per the average cost across month.

Britain is said to be £7,000

in the financial constraints the centre works with.

Today the small dedicated OCHS team continues its impressive objective to provide the best resources and facilities to scholars, students, and the wider Hindu community in the UK and internationally on a surprisingly small budget.

Even more surprising is that the OCHS operates independently of government and University budgets and is entirely funded by public subscription. Mr Rishi Das says “we are still as poor as temple mice and fret about scant resources. Yet nothing gives me more satisfaction than seeing the smiling faces of students we

serve”. Friends of the centre, many of whom have imbibed the OCHS ethos through Continuing Education courses, have taken it upon themselves to help the Centre reach financial maturity. These friends groups in places like Birmingham, London, and Leicester hold regular events based on their very strong sense of appreciation and commitment to the centre and its purpose as an articulate, coherent Hindu voice.

One of the main goals of the Centre and its supporters is to find a new home for the OCHS. A result of its success has been to outgrow its current space, and a new, permanent home is required for which a fund-raising campaign is underway.

This voice has been heard increasingly by wellknown individuals such as Amitabh Bachchan who hosted by the OCHS on his visit to Oxford stated 'I was very surprised that we have a centre like this in Oxford that goes into the study of Hindu philosophy. I am overwhelmed that there are people here in England that have taken it upon themselves academically to go into the subject and prepare students that will go back to their own countries and be able to educate others in

11

the deeper meanings of this philosophy. To have such an institute in England is absolutely fantastic.' Sir Mark Tully, renowned BBC correspondent in India, also stated how “the OCHS is the only Centre of its kind in the world. We benefit from the highest standards of academic excellence and provide all of Oxford University's teaching in Hinduism.” Even the corporate bodies of Barclays, Deloitte, and Ernst and Young have increasingly requested the OCHS to conduct lectures and seminars based on Indian sources.

The OCHS provides an academic basis for Hindu studies, which in my own personal experience has allowed an environment of stimulating, scholarly rigour in a field that I am intensely interested in. I will never forget this education. It continues to shape my thinking, beliefs and appreciation of Hinduism. I am totally in debt for this gift of knowledge. Hindus, whichever sect, are able to unite in their support for OCHS, which can provide a voice of coherency, scholarship, and knowledge.

For more information on the OCHS and its activities, please visit www.ochs.org.uk

12

MEDIA WATCH

Not everything is right with India. Not by a long chalk. There is much that is wrong, seriously wrong, that needs to be fixed.

In the early hours of May 19, Aruna Shaubang, the Mumbai nurse who was in a coma for 42 years after her brutal rape by a ward boy, died of pneumonia-related complications, days short of her 67th birthday. She passed away at the King Edward Memorial Hospital, where she had worked and been subjected to a horrific sexual assault, cared to the last by her fellow nurses and their successors. Aged 25, on 27November 1973, the time of her tragic ordeal, inflicted by partial strangulation with a dog leash, Aruna was reduced to a vegetative state from which she never recovered.

Aruna Shaubang

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 30th May 2015

India-Israel missile system

2017 (May 21, 22)

India and Israel are closing in on a mega deal on the joint development of a medium range surfaceto-air missile system for the Army. India’s DRDO will partner Israel’s Aerospace Industries. Bharat Dynamics Ltd, a public sector company, will undertake the bulk production of the system. The DRDOIAI-BDL model is identical to the current model for the development SAMJ model for the Indian Navy and Air Force.

These are area defence weapons to locate, track and destroy incoming hostile aircraft, drones, missiles and helicopters (Times of India May 21)

Anti-sub vessel launched

Last rites for Nurse Aruna Shaubang

She became the subject of an impassioned debate between those who argued for euthanasia and those opposed. The nurses fought to keep her alive, but Pinki Virani, Aruna’s biographer, moved the Supreme Court to permit mercy killing. In March 2011, the court issued a landmark judgment in favour of passive euthanasia – under strict conditions of supervision – but supported the nurses in their bid to keep Aruna alive. The contending sides, acting from the highest motives, cannot be faulted. The problem lay with a law drafted in an earlier age of moral certainties, when medical science, and science in general, carried less weight in society. The time for change has surely arrived. Government and legislators must put their heads together, consult the best medial minds and draft a new law based on common sense and the highest standards of human compassion.

Procrastination in the present circumstances of knowledge and awareness is a perpetuation of cruelty and moral turpitude.

There is no time to waste. The wheels of justice grind slow but they must grind exceeding well (The Telegraph, Times of India, Hindu, Mint May 19)

derision. The Prime Minister’s approval rating across the India stood at a healthy 74 per cent, Gandhi’s is best left to the imagination.

Government’s first year

Astra missiles tested

The BJP-led NDA government’s first year in office received a broad approval rating in the media. While there was no game changing exercises, there had been significant progress in reviving India’s stalled economic growth. That was all that could be rightfully expected for an economy as large and complex as that of India. Assessments of what needed to be done, and where, required careful calibration. That said, some papers like Mint and The Times of India advocated a bolder free market approach, others were more cautious. Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi’s rating of the Modi government’s performance with a zero out of a possible 10 marks was dismissed with quiet

India’s beyond visual range airto-air Astra missile was successfully thrice launched last week from a Sukhoi 30MKI warplane over the Bay of Bengal. In the first test the supersonic missile was fired when the aircraft was performing a “very high-g manoeuvre.” In the second trial, the g-manoeuvre was performed at a higher altitude. A Defence Research & Defence Organization (DRDO) scientist revealed the both tests were conducted under simulated extreme conditions. In the third test, the 3.8 metre long Astra, which can carry a warhead weighing 15 kg, climbed to an altitude of 25kilometres. Eight test have been conducted so far, with a few more to come before Astra is inducted into the Air Force sometime in

Sino-Indian conundrum

Prime Minister Modi’s hyped visit to China is history. In its after-glow the accounting has begun.

Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) between Indian and Chinese companies on infrastructure projects in India amounted to a healthy $22 billion. MoUs are expressions of intent; the final assessment can only be made after these are translated into contracts. With the party over, the first cautious judgments have begun to appear.

A front-page report in The Hindu (May 21) preferring not to beat about the bush, said India had been “forthright in airing concerns” to the Chinese leadership on the contentious border issue, and Chinese activities in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

Without an equitable resolution, the Sino-Indian relationship, far from achieving its true potential, would be plagued by doubt and mistrust. (See page 3 for comment)

Garden Reach Shipyards and Engineers (GRSE) launched the fourth and last Kamorta-class anti-submarine corvette from its base in Kolkata. Its induction strengthens the Navy (Times of

Prime Minister Narendra Modi with Korean President Park Geun-hye

special panel to fast-track South Korean investments in India, which will reach a promised $10 billion. On the last leg of his East Asian journey in Seoul, South Korean President, Park Geun-hye, in wide-ranging talks, pledged $10 billion for India’s infrastructure projects, with particular reference to priority sectors such as smart cities, railways, power generation and transmission. (Mint May 19)

ISISL jihadi arrested

The National Investigation A g e n c y (NIA)has filed charges against 23 year-old Areeb Majeed for alleged links with the terrorist Islamic State of Iraq, Syria and Lebanon (ISISL), six months after his arrest, with INS Kamorta launch three accomplices, Fahad Sheikh, Aman India May 20) Tandel Shaheem Tankiat Kalyan Wipro presence in in the Thane district of Maharashtra. Majeed, an engiSilicon Valley neering student, and his friends joined ISISL in Syria and were Indian IT major, Wipro, will arrested on their return to India. open a technology innovation Following intensive interrogacentre in Mountain View Silicon tion and investigation which Valley, California later this year, revealed a mass of incriminating as it seeks to build automation evidence charges were pressed. products and artificial intelli(Hindu May 21) gence technologies in partnership with innovative start-ups, thereby strengthening its global ISIL links presence. Wipro’s new facility – the first outside its Bangalore NIA said that the interrogations headquarters – will be competof the suspects had yielded ing for talent with established information that the arrested software giants such as Google men had undergone intensive and Facebook (Mint May 18) training military training in Syria in a grand design to launch terrorist attacks in India in colAuto exports at laboration with other jihadi record high groups. Two women, Tahira Bhatt and Abu Fatima have also How times change. South been arrested and charged them Korean carmaker Hyundai, with aiding and abetting their which set up shop in Chennai in

activities (Times of India May 22)

Parrikar firm on terrorists

Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar was unequivocal in his determination to neutralize anyone seeking to infiltrate India’s borders for the purpose of engaging in terrorist attacks. “A terrorist who comes with a gun cannot be lectured on human rights… .My message is very clear, neutralize terrorists without fear but take precautions that there is no collateral damage,” he said during a television panel discussion.

The country had to make sure that events such as the 26/11 terror attack on Mumbai never occurred again (Hindu May 22)

Strike corps

Apropos of the raising of a strike corps on the Chinese border, his downsizing of the plan, he explained, was a temporary measure and not a cancellation of the project. The financial aspect has not been thought through by the previous government. (Times of India May 23)

Injustice to Muslim jobseeker

A young Muslim jobseeker with a MBA degree had his application for a job at a well known Mumbai-based diamond exporting firm turned down because of his faith. The letter of rejection made this explicitly clear. A public uproar ensued, and the Maharashtra state government has promised a quick and full enquiry into the incident.

Meanwhile, the firm claimed that the letter of rejection had been sent out by a trainee who had since left. Two fellow students of the aggrieved Muslim jobseeker withdrew their applications for employment with the firm as a mark of solidarity with their wronged friend (Hindu 22, 23).

1996, now exports to 119 countries, shipping over 190,000 cars in 2014-15. Exports of cars, utility vehicles, commercial vehicles and two-wheelers have grown exponentially since 2000.

Exports to Europe flow from the company’s new sites in Turkey and the Czech Republic, but India remains the hub for exports to Asia, Latin America and Australia. Hyundai blazed a trail in India for Volkswagen, Nissan, Ford et al (Mint May 21)

Fast-tracking South Korea

Prime Minister Modi has announced the setting up of a

President of Mongolia Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj met with Prime Minister of India Shri Narendra Modi.

See comment page 3

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 30th May 2015

Western Women Will Have To Save The World

‘Western women will have to save the world’ is a quote by the Dalai Lama. But will women help them do it, or will they talk a lot about it, but not actually help them? Will men? Some of us will help.

I’m looking for funding for a woman entrepreneur I’ve known for 15 years.

She’s British. She is not a start-up and needs a small cash-flow sum. Of course there are lenders and she will get the money. What I wanted to know is are their women’s groups that foster and invest in other women. I spoke to a couple of prominent women advocates, but they were not able to help. They don’t organise such things at their events. So maybe there is no need for such special treatment for women?

When I wrote my book about women entrepreneurs, ‘Our Turn’, little did I know just how many advantages men have thanks to women (and other men blocking women).

Dear Women of the World,

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you for making it so much easier for us men. You are willing to undervalue your work, and so of course we are happy to pay you less than a man for it. What you think we’re stupid? Well, most of us are not.

You are willing to work longer for the same pay as a man, research proves it.

Thank you. It makes it easier to pick a man to promote – heck I’m hardly about to move someone up who works the longest hours am I to do the same work?

Of course you have rights and should

have more rights. But guess what - nothing of value was ever granted for free out of the generosity of good grace – and especially not to women…not by other women either by the way.

And the next time you say, ‘I’m just a housewife or I’m just a mom’ know that as you value yourself, so do others – and your entire gender too.

And it’s unfortunate because the world needs more women entrepreneurs than ever. It needs more women in business because statistically they are more likely to succeed. It needs more women running top companies FTSE companies, because statistically their share prices do better. It needs more women at heads of Government, because statistically it leads to less wars. It needs more women managing household finances, because statistically it leads to less personal insolvencies.

But if you want all this…come and get it….out of my cold steely grip.

And finally, to all of you who whinge about the fricking glass ceiling, and it all being unfair – I have only four words to say to you – they’re not even in English.

Those words are: ‘Ang San Suu Kyi’.

Generals, in Burma, she stood up to.

Generals. So shut up and stop defeating yourself before we men, and false women friends, even get the chance to do it for you.

A Man

(Written, with irony, by Alpesh Patel)

6,000 pupils think Muslims are taking over Britain

A major survey conducted in Britain suggested that nearly a third of schoolchildren think that Muslims are “taking over our country”.

Almost 6,000 children from the age of 10 to 16 from across England participated in the survey.

The results showed the negative attitudes towards Muslims and migrants among schoolchildren.

The survey was by the charity, Show Racism the Red Card (SRTRC), who sent out questionnaires to more than 60 schools across the UK between 2012 and 2014. They found that 60% of children who were questioned believed that “asylum seekers and immigrants are stealing our jobs”.

SRTRC chief executive, Ged Grabby said the results indicated that more needed to be done to contest far-right extremism and admonished what message younger people were taking from the media.

Ged Grabby stated, “This survey shows that this is fuelled by a totally distorted view of the number of immigrants and Muslims living in the UK.”

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British citizen accused of being source to Bin Laden's assassination British citizen, Retired Brigadier Usman Khalid, has been accused of being the informer of the CIA, whose information led to the assassination of Osama Bin Laden in 2011.

Usman Khalid was living in London for 35 years until he passed away from cancer a year ago, at the age of 79. His family have expressed their anger, due to him being publicly identified as the source of the leak of information.

His family members have denied Khalid's involvement and have stated that he was not responsible for anything.

Deliberation regarding the identification of the unnamed source has been abundant after the publication of an article by Seymour Hersh, the Pulitzer Prize-winning US journalist, in the London Review of Books earlier this month.

Seymour Hersh suggested that the unnamed senior officer in the Pakistani army was the “walk-in” who provided information of the secret hideout, in exchange for a hefty amount of a $25

Retired Brigadier Usman Khalid

million premium.

Additionally, Hersh also states that the informer was supposed to also be rewarded with US citizenship and to be alive and well in America.

However, Khalid's family have lambasted these allegations. Usman Khalid's son, Abid Khalid said, “It simply doesn’t make sense. At the time that this was supposed to have happened, he was suffering from cancer and in and out of hospital. My father hadn’t visited the USA since 1976 and had lived in the UK since 1979, so there was no question of him or his family getting American citizenship. He had no

contact with the CIA and knew nothing about Osama Bin Laden, other than what he read in the newspapers, just like everyone else. He was politically very vocal, so he was an easy target.”

In his father's defence, he further stated, “My father was an honourable and patriotic man. He was also a caring, family man and would be horrified to be linked to the fake polio vaccination programme. He would have been devastated to have been linked to anything which would put the lives of innocent people, especially children at risk, especially in the country he loved.”

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• Typing and setting up documents such as letters and reports • Filing and record keeping • Ability to multitask • Provide secretarial services

Hours: Full-time, Monday to Friday and weekends when necessary

Skills and qualities required: • An organised approach and excellent time management skills • Good communication skills • The ability to work well as part of a team • Computer literacy and good typing skills • A good level of English spelling and grammar • Accuracy and attention to detail • The ability to use your own initiative but also know when matters need to be referred to a supervisor.

Selected candidate will receive a competitive salary.

Send you resume with a covering letter to: Mr L George on george@abplgroup.com or post to Asian Business Publication Ltd 12 Hoxton Market, London N1 6HW

UK

Barracuda hosts AWAs: Empowering Asian Asian Extravaganza Women to reach the Skies

14

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 30th May 2015

Thursday April 30th Grosvenor Casino, Barracuda at Number 1, Baker Street hosted an Asian Extravaganza with Bollywood Dancers from Desi Rascals, a show that appears on Sky Living.

Cast members attending included Owais Khan, Anj Baig, Moses Baig, Shmoyel Siddiqui, Shreena Vara, Prakash Vara, Jo Shah, Natalie Shah, Rishi Ravalia, Raj Ravalia, Ravi Gurtata, Amita Patel , Yasmin Akhtar Karimi , Kavita Sodha , Anu Patel , Rita Siddiqui, Sabrina Siddiqui, Sunjay Vara, Charlotte Jacomelli, Anita

Vara and Jay Vara. In addition there was Pavan, who holds the Guinness World Record for the fastest Henna Tattooing, and Magic Singh, aptly named since he is a magician.

There were tasty Indian bites handed round by glamorous ladies in saris.

Even the Regional Sales Manager for Grosvenor Casinos, Anne Marie Hackett, was dressed in Indian.

There’s very big fish tank to see in the club and staff were particularly reassuring about the safe and welcoming environment created by the casino team. Anne-Marie and the staff smiled a warm welcome and made sure everyone was alright.

Walking round the casino and the five star restaurant, I noticed many ladies of different nationalities sitting comfortably playing at tables or eating delicious looking repasts.

Barracuda does not resemble the old, conventional idea of a casino at all.

General Manager Phil Nunn sat down for an interview to explain the club’s philosophy.

The club, he explained, is part of the Grosvenor Casinos and Rank Group PLC. With 55 clubs across the country and nine casi-

no licences in London, it is the biggest operator in the UK. He said: “The Barracuda, in Baker Street and the Park Tower Casino, in Knightsbridge are very popular with the

elite Asian market. We have lots of Asian and Middle Eastern customers. I do business trips to Delhi, Mumbai and Goa, along with Dubai to see new and old customers who do business

so we want to continue to build networks with them. Those who can afford to come to a casino are very successful business people; mainly second and third generation professionals based in the UK. The first generation still tends to base itself in homes spread across the whole of India.”

So given the economic climate, is spending up or down at Barracuda?

“There’s very much an increasing spend.”

When asked what's the average client spend, Mr Nunn was discretion personified.

“Best not say how much anyone spends,” he said, though he indicated that it varied.

“Everyone’s pound is important to them and we encourage customers to spend only what they can afford to spend, but that can vary considerably.”

there and who, over time, also become friends.

“We are very proud of our five-star restaurant.

We are laid back. It’s an a la carte offer to 3 am. You don’t find this sort of quality at that time in London. It’s a safe environment for ladies and if you fancy a flutter and want to go play the tables, the same quality service is on offer.”

Speaking about the changes over the last decade, he added. “Over 20 per cent of our membership is Asian/Indian

Perhaps the question on most people’s lips might be, in such an inviting, hospitable, comfortable and safe environment, can the smart punters really make money though their winnings?

Phil Nunn was reassuring, “It has been very well known on many occasions!” he replied with a giant smile.

Players wouldn’t come back if they didn’t win from time to time, so we quickly learn how to win and how to lose with good grace.

Dhiren Katwa

AWA Finalists with host Riz Lateef, centre

Again, for the 16th year, the Asian Women of Achievement Awards (AWAs) bestowed trophies on ten female ambassadors, each a role model in their respective professional sector.

Guests, resplendent in dazzling outfits, entered the Hilton Park Lane through its swivelling doors and headed up the stairs to the champagne reception, then to The Ballroom where the awards were presented.

The evening included a four-course meal and a performance by Diana Yukawa, violinist, songwriter and Arts & Culture nominee 2015.

Turkish author Elif Shafak, who wrote The Forty Rules of Love, received the global empowerment gong for her inspirational works about protest and human rights. The 43-year-old once faced court in her homeland for ‘insulting Turkishness’ in a book about the genocide of Armenians in the country a century ago. Shivvy Jervis, presenter and head of digital media at Telefonica, was presented with the Media Award.

The prestigious round-table event is the brainchild of Pinky Lilani OBE DL, a humble lady.

Donning a light-coloured sari on the night, Pinky described the 50 finalists as “dedicated and determined”. She added: “I feel proud to stand with this group of inspiring women.”

Pinky was sat on the top table along with HRH The Duchess of Gloucester, Home Secretary Theresa May and Shadow Foreign

West Bengal Chief Minister to visit London in July

West Bengal Chief Minister Smt Mamata Banerjee may visit London on 26 July for four days with a delegation to seek investment in West Bengal, a source

has revealed. This will be the Minister's first visit to London, and second international trip. Her earlier trip to Singapore included a business delegation of 40 CEOs.

Over three dozen CEOs of national and local renown are expected to accompany Ms Banerjee. Some of the eminent business honchos who have been

tapped to accompany Banerjee may include Sanjeev Goenka, Harsh Neotia, Jyotsna Suri, Y C Deveshwar, Adi Godrej, Y K Modi and Sumit Majumdar among

Photo courtesy: Erroll Jones, WeShootLondon

Rani Singh

Secretary MP Hilary Benn. Also sat on this table was Sir Nicholas Young, former CEO of the British Red Cross. Sir Young, wearing a cream and red sherwani and matching sehra, an Indian turban, he was liked as the Maharaja of Hyderabad. Sir Young was Chair of the judging panel which comprised of 23 judges, 12 male, 11 female, including Asda’s Diversity Manager Gabrielle McBride and Sodexo’s HR Director Harbhajan Brar.

Other winners included: Comedian, compere, writer and actor Sajeela Kershi (Arts & Culture).

Sajeela stars in BBC Radio Scotland’s multifaith family sitcom “Mixing It”; Sevasti Wong, MD, Accenture (Business). Sevasti started working for Accenture in 1999 and is also the company’s inclusion and diversity lead.

Founder of Curzon PR Farzana Baduel scooped the Entrepreneur Award. The Professions Award went to Nicky Jayesinghe, head of professional policy division, British Medical Association. The Public Service trophy was notched up by Daman Mulhi, PR Director, The UK Sepsis Trust. Daman is a fulltime NHS consultant and founding trustee of the UK Sepsis Trust – a national charity committed to saving 12,500 lives a year from sepsis.

The Social & Humanitarian Award went to Parmi Dheensa, Executive Director, Include Me Too, a national charity dedicated to supporting BAME disabled children and their

families. Annie Zaidi, youth engagement coach, Leicester City Football Club Community Trust beat three fellow finalists to clinch the Sport Award. Tanya Datta, store manager at a north London branch of Marks & Spencer was crowned Young Achiever. Sari-clad Tanya, in her address, thanked her family and colleagues. There was mass laughter when she said ‘tonight actually feels better than my wedding day’, to which the MC, newsreader Riz Latif, said, ‘that’s going to be an interesting conversation at home’.

The Community Award went to the University of East London, which has over 19,000 students from over 120 different countries. The University has Lord Gulam Noon as the Chancellor. Fifty-four per cent of its staff are female and 30 per cent are BAME. Representing the University on the night was Lord Kamlesh Patel of Bradford.

Jyoti Shah, consultant urological surgeon, Burton Hospital NHS Foundation Trust was recipient of the Chairman’s Award. Jyoti is an examiner at Leicester Medical School as well as an author, reviewer and teacher.

The awards took place last Tuesday (May 19). Its Patrons include Cherie, wife of former British PM Tony Blair, and HRH Princess Badiya bint El Hassan. A total £2,030 was raised on the night for the nominated charity, Tiffany’s Circle, British Red Cross For more information visit www.awaawards.com

others. Ms Banerjee is also trying to have an appointment with Prime Minister David Cameron, who is the only head of state to have visited Kolkata since Banerjee took over.

Dr Krishna Gupta, managing director of West Bengal Industrial D e v e l o p m e n t Corporation (WBIDC) was due to be in London from May 22-26 to do the ground work before the chief minister’s visit.

15

Vikesh Champaneri

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 30th May 2015

Sunetra Senior

Born to parents who emigrated from Kenya in the 1960s, Champaneri came to qualify for the semi-finals of the BBC’s talent program ‘The Voice UK’ (2014). We caught up with the young singer to talk about his passion, taking the western stage and what those vocal chords have been doing since. Feisty and forthcoming, talking with Champaneri was as much a treat as champagne. It is no wonder- a sparkly spectacle though it might have been – he had pop star Pink’s iconic hit ‘Get This Party Started’: How did you first get into singing, were you always drawn to musicality?

Well, I’ve been singing for almost twelve years now, and it’s always been a part of my life. I used to play the drums as a child so it’s always been an influence. It was a small Dhol-type thing that my dad got me; more a toy than an instrument, but an instrument none the less. I actually started singing when I was on a family holiday in India. We saw all these child superstars on stage and I said ‘dad, I want to sing like that.’ They were singing in Gujarati so in order to get it right I had to learn the language. This led to me build a repertoire of Bhajans as a hobby; something I loved. If I had any spare time, I would try and conquer songs that I found difficult. The western aspect in my music has only just entered over the last few years.

'I knew I belonged on stage, it was just a matter of which one'

'When Tom Jones calls you a "Stunner", you don't take that lightly'

Yes, tell me about your experience on the ‘The Voice’?

To be honest, I didn’t feel like I was given the exact opportunity I was hoping for. It does hurt a little. I felt I was made into a joke act at some point and I was supposed to be performing as a musician.

Both my acts had a theatrical, gimmicky sort of element imposed on them and I sometimes wonder if without that, I would have made it to the finals. They had a circus theme where I was placed in a hoop and lifted – practically flying- a few feet into the air and that distracted me from being able to focus on the singing. I can’t act to save my life! It wasn’t a cultural thing - Thank God, or I don’t know what I would have done. In that way maybe it wasn’t a bad thing being knocked out in the semi-finals. I now have the chance to reflect on myself as an artist. When I got on the show I was vocally perfect, but when I performed it was not the case.

When you start catapulting people and introducing flamboyant dance routines, you destroy talent.

Were you confident about applying to the show?

Very much so. On stage it was different for the reasons I’ve stated, but I’m naturally a very confident person. I knew I belonged on a stage, I just didn’t know which one. ‘Voice’ was the platform that helped me recognize my talent and it is because of them that I’m in a stable place. I’ve sung to thousands of people.

If you take into account the studio audience, that’s almost 5000 people altogether. So going on the show was more a confidence booster. At the end of the day, I may have been given the wrong routine, and songs that weren’t so ideal, but I’m still happy.

What have you been up to since?

I have a single coming out this year called ‘Feeling is Gold’. I’ll also be performing at Glastonbury festival. I’ve paid my dues in the music world and now is the time for me to shine. For me, it’s the chance for people to see exactly what my voice can do. There may be a little theatrical element like the odd confetti bomb, but I will be focusing on the songs.

How did it feel to get to the knock-out rounds?

Amazing! I didn’t expect to get through to the quarter finals of a national singing competition. Will-I-Am gave me that life-

line and when someone as iconic as Tom Jones calls you a ‘stunner’ you’re not going to take it lightly!

Were you driven by your cultural background at all?

I think lots of people are stopped from what they want to do. Parents say I don’t want my son or daughter being a singer.

I don’t like defying people and I am very respectful of my parents but when it comes to my career, it’s what I want to do so let me face the consequences by myself. I think with them it was more a question of ‘must you go?’ I had to prove it was going to be worth it. However I have also been taught a strong work ethic from them. I’m never lazy about my ambitions- well, I am at home with the house work, I’m not going to touch it!but with work I’ve been taught you will not get the rewards unless you do it. My parents are workaholics, and my father is really my backbone. It’s moving. He is an engineer for BT and he will tell everyone I was on television. My mum was my emotional support because when she became pregnant with myself, she suffered a stroke and lost her talent. So I really inherited the singing from her and sang for her. It’s emerged as a fairytale ending where everybody knows who I am and all the years of struggle have paid off.

What was your favourite part of singing live?

Well it was such a blur. I remember watching the performance and thinking where has all the time gone? Every occasion was memorable in itself, and it all meant one thing to me – that I was pursuing my dream. My blind audition for ‘The Voice’ was probably my first gig, and by the quarter finals I was actually getting somewhere! In addition to that, all of us went on the show to face rejection.

Be it by the judges or the UK public – you get the hate online, the odd horrendous comment - and it gives you a thicker skin. That’s what they taught us about: to never read the negative comments.

You can only make yourself better by reading and focusing on the good things.

What does music do for people?

In times of happiness or sorrow music is a good healer for anything that’s broken; not to say it repairs broken limbs – but it is always there as a confidante. It helps you get in touch with what you’re feeling.

Do you have a favourite Artist?

I have a few, and I believe Britain has some of the best artists in the industry. Sam Smith, for example, has

worked his way up from the bottom and I always have such admiration for people like that. It’s exactly the same for Adele.

Then there’s the cream of the soul such as James Brown. He was there through the racism in America, through the heartache and fighting, singing and pushing his dreams.

Finally, what is your vision for the future?

Personally I don’t like to picture it until it happens. The moment you say I want albums, and sell out arenas gigs, you’re inviting something that is out of your hands. I was a telephonist for a chauffeur company and still am. I’m a strong believer in luck and it’s just a case of waiting for something concrete to come along.

Vikesh will be performing at our Anand Mela over the 6-7 June weekend.

Motto

Don’t let anyone stop you from doing what you want because in the end you’ll regret it.

16

UK

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 30th May 2015

The joyous Anand Mela has been taking place for the past five years and once again, it now returns as an extravagant 2-day occasion on 6th and 7th June 2015, at Harrow Leisure Centre. It attracts around 5000 visitors and believed to be the best choice for a family day out.

This year, Asian Voice has chosen St Luke's Hospice as the Charity Partner. St Luke’s Hospice cares for people with incurable illnesses so that they can live well, know that their family and carers are supported, and when the time comes, die with dignity in the place of their choice. They offer all there services completely free of charge.

Headline sponsor for this year's event is WorldRemit.

They are a leading global online money remittance company that lets people send money to friends and family living abroad conveniently and at a low cost.

During this fun-filled 2-day event, you and your family will have the opportunity to shop, eat, dance and get entertained under one roof. There will be different stalls, ranging from beauty, fashion and wedding, property and investment, health and wellbeing, as well as food and drinks, plus many more. There will be consistent performances on stage throughout this two-day event by top-notch performers, as well as community organisations and school children.

There will be performanc-

T h e Affordable India Show 2015 is a part of Anand Mela and will showcase properties from all over India on 6 and 7 June, ensuring you do not travel far, bringing the developers near you. Last year the show had some reputable developers exhibiting I n d i a n properties including

es by Vikesh Champaneri (see interview on page 15), Honey’s Dance Academy (HDA), Meera's Dance Academy and AK Dance Academy, singers Navin Kundra, Kishan Amin, Hemina Shah, Taqueer Khan, Muhammed Fahad, Nalini Pattni and musician Alan Watts, tabla player Mehul Shivji, dhol player young artist Kivraj Gharyal as well as dancer, Manorma Joshi.

There will be many other performances from organisations and other upcoming artists, making the two day celebration totally exciting!

All the money made from ticket sales proceeds of Anand Mela will go to St Luke’s Hospice. Please visit the St Luke’s stall at the Mela and wear something purple at the event to show your support for the hospice. Tickets for Anand Mela are £2.50 and can easily be purchased at the door. Come and make the lively Anand Mela more memorable. Each one of you will surely make a big difference in ensuring St Luke's Hospice gets the sufficient help that we can provide them.

The Mela will be covered live by b4U and Sony tv.

Godrej, Raheja, Adani, Purvankara, Ruchi, Indiabulls, Wave Infratech, Ansal and many more.

Asset India and Investor Decode, India Property specialist who have brought together the Affordable India Show 2015 will actively help buyers with all assistance even after the show.

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 30th May 2015

NDA govt has restored pride of Prime Minister's Office: Amit Shah

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Amit Shah on Tuesday said the NDA government's first year in power has restored the pride of the Prime Minister's Office and removed the trust deficit that was earlier prevalent in the country.

"This has been a visible government, earlier the government needed to be found. I believe that the major achievement of the government is to remove the trust deficit (vishwas ka sankat) this country had," Shah said at a press conference at the BJP headquarters in Delhi.

"The world is acknowledging India's progress in every field. This government has restored the pride of the Prime Minister's Office," he added.

The BJP chief further said that every ministry is working freely without interference from a Group of Ministers and the government has "come out of policy paralysis". Shah also lauded the absence of any corruption allegations against the current government, saying more than Rs 2,000 billion has been added to the nation's treasury by transparent auction of 20 coal mines.

"I'm glad to inform you that even opposition could not impose any allegation of corruption on this government in the past one year. By just transparent auction of 20 coal mines, more than Rs 2,000 billion has been added to the nation's treasury," he added. He added that no government had worked to improve the federal structure of India more than the Modi government. "Despite the BJP

not having power in several states in eastern India, we worked for the development of the region as we had promised. Modi ji has put forth a new idea of Team India where the Centre and the states are part of the same team," Shah said.

The BJP chief also claimed that the country's growth rate falls whenever there is a Congress government and increases whenever the BJP comes to power.

"The fiscal deficit is under control, trade has grown, foreign investments are at their highest in 10 years and prices have been brought under control," he further added.

Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Modi had stated that his government's one year in power had been characterised by full transparency, quick reforms and strengthening of the Federal Structure.

The Prime Minister also expressed his happiness to see India on "the fast path of development", and added that the country's environment since the NDA government came to power last May is "suffused with a new enthusiasm."

As Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government completes one year in office, there are still some issues which require a lot of work even as people by and large are satisfied with his government.

According to a survey, there is concern in among those surveyed about job stagnation, rise in inflation, price rise and Land Acquisition Bill. But over 72% of the more than 20,000 people surveyed across 23 states covering more than 153 districts are satisfied with the performance of Modi government in the last one year.

Over 60% believe their economic condition has improved in the last one year while 55% feel corruption has either come down or remained the same.

There is still ambiguity over Modi's “Make In India” initiative even as Swachch Bharat campaign gets the support of over

85% of those polled. With Modi getting huge receptions in foreign countries and the Prime Minister making extra efforts to reach out to the major nations, the respondents feel that India’s image has improved globally. A majority also say Modi is an effective Prime Minister.

Over 60% believe their economic condition has improved in the last one year while 55% feel corruption has either come down or remained the same. But 32% contend corruption has been rising in the last one year.

Even as Modi has been the most active leader on social media, his interactions using the mainstream media have had the maximum impact. Modi's 'Mann Ki Baat' on All India Radio where he speaks on a chosen topic pips Twitter and Facebook as his most popular connecting tool.

Amit Shah

72% satisfied with govt

SPECIAL

17

World optimistic about India, says Modi on first anniversary of govt On the first anniversary of his government, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that the world was optimistic about India and was enthusiastic about exploring the opportunities India has to offer. Modi also expressed happiness to see India on "the fast path of development". He took to Twitter and wrote an open letter to the nation to highlight the achievements of one year of NDA rule.

"The last year has been characterized by full transparency, quick reforms and strengthening of our federal structure," Modi tweeted. Modi said the nation can be proud of the fact that it has an improved image on the international front and is determinedly marching forward to achieve its overall goal of providing welfare to the poor and lift the marginalized sections of society.

In the message, Prime Minister Modi described himself as a "Pradhan Sevak", and adds that he

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has reached out to people on social media and microblogging sites and sent 'personalized' message to all his followers, sharing details of his government's works in past 12 months, on first anniversary of his government on May 26.

In direct message (DM) to his 12.5 million followers on twitter, Modi said India was rapidly transforming under the NDA government. He also shared details of works through 20 info-graphs,

was fulfilling his responsibilities "with that bhakti".

"Antyodaya has been the principle of our political agenda. We have always kept in mind the welfare of the poor, marginalized, labourers and farmers. The Jan Dhan Yojana, opening a bank account for all families, PM Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana and the Atal Pension Fund are proof of this goal of Annandaata Sukhi Bhava. That is our supreme goal," he said.

"When our government was formed, the economy was in doldrums

and prices were rising.

I am happy to say that India is on the fast path to development.

The entire environment is suffused with a new enthusiasm. On the international front, India's image has i m p r o v e d .

Foreign investment has increased. Make in India and Skill India programmes are intended to create jobs for youth," he further stated in his message.

"Our goal is to change the way our villages are by working to provide basic facilities. Like, every family should have 24-hour electricity, clean drinking water, toilets, roads and internet connectivity, so that the quality of life improves in villages. We are doing the job of connecting - from the borders of the country to the ports of the country, through

roads and railways, and also through Digital India and connectivity," the Prime Minister's message stated.

"All chief ministers are also working with Team India to erase distances in the first year of this development journey. The country has found the faith it had lost in itself.

This is just the beginning.

The country is set to move forward. Come let us all resolve that our every step will be taken in the service of the nation," the message adds.

On farmers, Modi's message says, "Our farmers toil to give us food security.

PM Krishi Seenchai Yojana, Soil health, improving power situation for farmers, new urea programme are all aimed towards Krishi Vikas."

The message acknowledges the fact that farmers have faced difficulties due to unseasonal rains and hailstorms, but emphasizes that the government is with them.

ranging from outcome of his foreign trips to various decisions in social, economic, health, education and infrastructure sectors.

A web-link attached to his DM on twitter is also carrying a comparative (Then and Now) figures, highlighting how the initiatives, taken in first year, would lead India to a development path by breaking the policy paralysis phase of the previous regime.

Interestingly, his personalized 'signed' message uses different language for

different people while addressing them using first name. His choice of language to write first name of individual recipient depends on the location of his twitter followers.

The web-link (Saal Ek Shuruaat Anek) also has language choice for readers if they want to read the details of government's works in any of the recognized Indian languages or English.

Modi prefers to use his personal twitter handle (@narendramodi) to reach out to his followers. Since

he has more 'followers' on his personal twitter handle than the official one (@PMOIndia) of the Prime Minister's Office (PMO), his choice of his personal twitter handle to send personalized message will reach him out to more number of people both in India and outside the country.

His DM became instant hit on twitters as his followers started sharing it on social-media sites instantly, making his reach wider through this experiment in the digital age.

Modi sends 'personalized' messages to all his social media followers

200 rallies to mark 1 year of Modi govt

The BJP will celebrate Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s one year in office with a week-long campaign called “Jan Kalyan Parv” or “People’s Welfare Festival” aimed at countering a flood of charges that its policies are ‘pro-corporate’ and ‘anti-poor.’

The party will hold 200 rallies across India with Modi addressing the first meeting at Nagla Chandrabhan village in Mathura, the birthplace of Deendayal Upadhyaya, on May 25. As part of the festival, all Union Ministers, BJP MPs, party chief ministers and MLAs, besides Central and state office-bearers will travel across the country to highlight the government’s achievements.

Work will be assigned by order of seniority. Each Minister has been asked to be at a city to spearhead the campaign. Party

Narendra Modi waves to crowd as actress and BJP MP Hema Malini and other leaders look on during the Jan Kalyan Rally at Farah in Mathura district

MPs have been asked to spend a week in their respective constituencies describing their achievements. Each government department is also preparing a booklet and an ebooklet for the cadres.

Besides rallies, about 200 press conferences have also been planned to talk about the initiatives of the government.

A press conference will be addressed by BJP

chief Amit Shah addressed a press conference in Delhi on May 26, and also addressed a public rally at Karnal the same day. The next day, Shah will be in Surat and from there he will go to Panaji on May 28. He will address press conferences in the morning and public rallies in the evening at both the places.

“All Central Ministers, MPs, Chief Ministers and

Ministers in States and MLAs, besides officebearers at the Central and State level will address 200 big rallies and 5,000 ‘jan sabhas’ across the country till the tehsil level,” senior party leader and Union Minister Ananth Kumar had said.

He added that all Central Ministers will give three days to the exercise during which they will address three big rallies and three press conferences.

The massive outreach programme to mark the NDA government’s one year in office is similar in scale to Modi’s successful Lok Sabha election campaign during which he held 5,827 public meetings across India.

In the run-up to last year’s Lok Sabha elections, the BJP had claimed that Modi had reached out directly to between 50 million and 100 million people.

18

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 30th May 2015

Dear Financial Voice Reader, Let me blunt here: you will lose money when trading, we all lose and this is a fact. However this is an important thing to digest and it amounts to two principles essentially: first, if you can’t afford to lose any money from your trading account then you shouldn't risk that capital at all and secondly, if you can't get over the fact that you will be wrong numerous times and lose money as a result of that then maybe trading is not the right thing for you.

The first lesson should really go without saying but people sometimes don't understand the simple truth that losses are inevitable. And they will be frequent, that's inevitable too.

No one can be right all the time, not even more than 7-8 times out of 10 consistently. And usually when it comes to trading being able to be right just a bit more than you're wrong is enough and most times is the best you can hope for.

So if you can't afford any losses on your capital then that capital shouldn't be part of your trading account.

Find an amount of money that you be comfortable to put under risk and trade with that.

And secondly, don't ever think that you can trade profitably if what you're looking to get out of the markets is an ego boost, a confirmation that you can be right more times than not.

Losses are to be loved, losses teach us valuable lessons and improve our tactics, losses when cut to a sustainable amount prove to us that we're badly positioned in the markets and maybe we should reposition accordingly.

So losses are not to be feared or get stuck with, losses are to be loved and treated as helpful signs along the road. Find a reliable source of information, a website or a newsletter that can quickly and effectively let you know what the conditions of the market are and base your decisions on facts and not on instinct or luck.

There is an abundance of news and information sources out there, especially now in our technologically advanced era.

News and analysis websites like Bloomberg, Financial Times, Reuters can provide a stream of news 24/7, technical analysis and ideas websites can be found by the dozen and even social media platforms like Facebook, StockTwits or even Twitter can provide crucial insight on the social aspect of trading.

One should be mindful though of two potential pitfalls: one is the credibility of the source and the other whether this source has an agenda or not. More reputable and independent sources can mostly be relied upon whereas market-makers and/or brokers sometimes have their own goals in mind.

And secondly, one should also keep in mind that too much analysis leads to paralysis in the end, meaning that you should look to have as much information as necessary to make an informed decision but no more than that.

Keep it simple, find a source that you understand and suits your style and give it a fair chance. My site InvestingBetter.com offers a selection of amazing newsletters and reports, they are worth taking a look at.

India sets up panel to review minimum tax claims

India has constituted a committee headed by a former high court chief justice A P Shah to suggest ways to resolve a dispute with foreign investors over previously untaxed gains that has rattled businesses.

The tax department has been demanding that foreign firms pay a minimum alternative tax on profits. They did not pay it earlier because it was widely believed that it only applied to domestic investors until a court ruled otherwise in 2012.

The government said while the tax would not apply from April 1, 2015 onwards, past incomes would face the levy, a stand

challenged by foreign investors. Last week the finance ministry announced that a panel headed A P Shah would review the imposition of the minimum tax on transactions before April 1, 2015.

Other members of the panel are Ashok Lahiri, a former chief economic adviser to the federal government, and Girish Ahuja, a chartered accountant.

The tax department has imposed retrospective MAT tax claims totalling 6.02 billion rupees on companies.

Some firms have challenged the levy as well as the 2012 court ruling.

Black money has to be squeezed, Jaitley tells taxmen

India's finance minister Arun Jaitley asked taxmen to squeeze parallel economy in a fair manner, without being harsh, and assured that the honest taxpayers have nothing to fear about the new black money law.

"The parallel economy has to be squeezed...and (it) has to be done in very fair manner, not in a harsh manner. In doing so, as senior officers you have to ... maintain the highest standard of integrity," he said while addressing a conference of top officials of the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT).

Industrialist Yash Birla is among seven Indians whose names have been disclosed by Switzerland where officials are revealing bank account holders who are being investigated in their countries for alleged tax evasion. Those named have been given 30 days to file an appeal in a local court if they don't want the details of their accounts to be shared with India, as agreed upon in existing tax treaties.

The government, the minister said, has taken a host of measures to curb the menace of black money. These include passage of the black money law by Parliament and

introduction of Benami Transactions (Prohibition) bill to deal with unaccounted domestic wealth.

He further said that improvement in tax collection will increase the ability of the government to step up spending on social and infrastructure projects and provide relief to individual taxpayers. For the current financial year, the minister said, direct tax collection was likely to improve by 14-15 per cent and there was possibility of government improving upon the fiscal deficit target of 3.9 per cent.

However, he added

that the government would prefer to increase expenditure on social sector schemes instead of improving its fiscal deficit target. On the new black money law which seeks to bring back the illicit funds stashed abroad, Jaitley said, "no honest taxpayer has anything to fear. It's targeted only against those who have stashed assets abroad."

"Black money has to be squeezed", he said, adding only those who have defied the system in the past and intend to defy the compliance window to come clean have to worry.

Beside Birla, Gurjit Singh Kochar, the son-inlaw of late realty baron Ponty Chadha, and a Delhibased businesswoman, Ritika Sharma, have also been named, according to reports. The other Indians in the list are Sayed Mohamed Masood and his wife Chand Kauser Mohamed Masood, who are being investigated for a multi-crore ponzi scheme in Mumbai offering car rental services.

Sneh Lata Sawhney and Sangita Sawhney, linked to Sawhney Tyres, were named one day earlier.

None of the individuals listed in the document have commented so far on the developments. "This should give a sufficient indication to those who hold assets outside India," finance minister Arun Jaitley said.

In 2010, France gave India a list of nearly 600 Indians who allegedly held bank accounts at HSBC's

Geneva branch. The list doubled earlier this month, when fresh investigation of Falciani's data led to SwissLeaks, which revealed that HSBC in Geneva helped clients in more than 200 countries evade taxes on accounts containing $119 billion.

Late last year, Jaitley said 250 Indians on the HSBC list had admitted to holding foreign accounts but cautioned that not all of them were illicit.

GenX variant retains the ground clearance, wheelbase and the turning radius but is wider and longer than the existing Twist variant. The company has claimed the new model's interior space to have 4 per cent better shoulder room and 6 per cent better legroom.

Tata Motors back in 2013 had thought of positioning its brand, Nano, as a smart-car and added Bluetooth, a CD player cum radio with USB and AUX features along with digital information display to the new car to meet basic new generation expectations.

The company also stated to have included intrusion beams and anti-roll bar for effective safety.

India-based outsourcers bagged nearly 25 per cent of the top 100 IT deals in 2012-14, global market research firm International Data Corporation (IDC) said.

Analysis of outsourcing deals worldwide in the past three calendar years revealed that top five vendors captured 50 per cent of the total contract value as against 43 per cent in 2013.

The top five top vendors with captive units are IBM, which bagged deals worth $13.8 billion, followed by CGI with $2.8 billion, Cognizant with $2.7 billion, Capgemini with $2.6 billion and Wipro with $2.3 billion.

"We have also seen a shift in the deals to commercial/private sector from state-run enterprises (pubic sector) in 2014, while an average deal size continued to shrink with

fewer mega deals, IDC vice-president for outsourcing & offshore services David Tapper said in a statement.

Noting that Indiabased global vendors were making inroads into the global top 100 outsourcing deals, he said leveraging the offshore model, incorporating new service delivery, investing in analytics, social media and mobility and local capabilities have enabled them to compete with established players in the outsourcing industry.

The analysis of top 100 deals across IT outsourcing and BPO (business process outsourcing) services markets provides guidance to outsourcers and service providers looking to optimise potential opportunities in capturing deals that rank at the top of the outsourcing market.

Arun Jaitley

Tax evasion: Swiss authorities name 7 Indians

Tata Motors launches India-based vendors improved GenX Nano bag 25 pc of IT deals: IDC

The Tata Motors has launched the GenX Nano, amid expectations that it would have a technical edge over its parent brand, the Nano Twist. Based on the 'infinity design' theme, in which the wellsculpted front and rear bumpers come with an infinity motif grille, giving the car a solid and planted look, the company has perceived this 'feature rich' edge to help it boost its falling budgetcar sales.

While the company retained the engine capacity and power at 624 cc two-cylinder gasoline engine with two valves per cylinder producing 38 PS power and 51 Nm, compared to its preceding budget-car Nano Twist, the new one offers an automated manual transmission (AMT).

GenX with the AMT feature has also covered the sports mode for enhanced acceleration and "creep" feature for heavy traffic manoeuvrability and parking ease.

Over the car body, the

REAL ESTATE VOICE

Let the property work for you

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 30th May 2015

Suresh Vagjiani

Sow & Reap A Property Investment Company

19

This article was inspired by a friend of mine who has decided to leave London to set up base in Glastonbury. The move was prompted mostly by him not being able to afford to stay and set up a base in London; and partly by him being a hippy and not being able to fit into any of the ‘normal’ systems which you need to be part of to be able to breathe and survive in London, like wearing a shirt and suit and going to work on time.

We had a cursory look at the properties available in Glastonbury town centre, they were priced at around £140,000 for a freehold, and at the bottom end of the scale you could get a two bedroom end of terrace with a little garden for this amount. This was the asking price so with a little hunting and negotiation the price could be brought down to £130k or even £120k. This becomes in the realm of being affordable to the average person. In 2014 the average wage in the UK was £26,500, at this level this property becomes affordable.

Lending normally works at roughly five times your salary, applying this gives you a borrowing level of £130k which means if you can scrounge a deposit from somewhere you could get on to the housing ladder.

Th e statistics of Lon don prope rty price rise s are a litt le c razy, in the last ye ar th ey have gon e u p 11%, th e average price s st an ds at £498, 000. This mean s if you he ld o n to a property last year you would have made £55, 000.

The median wage for London stands at £34,473, this means half earn more than this and half earn less than this amount.

Chances are you would be better buying a property in London and going on holiday for the year than working. With a piece of property going up faster than what a person can earn, where is the motivation for studying and working?

And if you don’t jump on the property ladder quickly your purchasing power decreases, what you might be able to afford to buy this year you might not be able to afford the following year.

Of course not every year is a rise, but even if we take a five year period during the credit crunch from 2007 to 2011 London property prices still rose by 15%. It is safe to say prices medium to long term generally rise especially in London.

I’m no artist but I know who Picasso is, I also know he is regarded as a genius and a master, furthermore I also know he’s dead therefore he cannot paint any more pieces. Every piece he has done is one of a kind and will increase tremendously in value as time goes on.

One piece of work he did is known as the Women of Algiers which sold for £116m in New York in 1997, this painting has gone up by 462% in 18 years; roughly 25% per annum, you can understand this.

There is no comparison to this piece and with age it will increase in value.

According to Nationwide London property prices have increased by 334% during the same period this equates to an annual uplift of 18%.

You can borrow again st pieces o f art , I wou ld imagine th e rat e t o be highe r than t he lendin g rate ag ainst property. I wo uld also say it would be safe to assume the rate will be hig her and the loan to value lo wer g ive n the risks and the spe cialist k nowledg e in volved. There would no t be many len ders in this market, no t t o me ntion the cost of insurance which woul d be sky hig h.

Bearing these factors in mind from an investment point of view you would probably be better off investing £116m into London property than a piece of rare art.

The Real Deal

Hyde Park, London, W1 Purchase Price: £850k l A beautiful two bedroom flat in a very good location l Long lease l Low service charges l Properties in this location are being sold for around £1,500 per sq. ft. while this is coming in at around £1,150 per sq. ft. l Close to March Arch and Hyde Park l Very good buy and hold opportunity Call us now to reserve!

When you look at the rise in property prices in comparison to a rare piece of art it puts things into perspective and reveals the almost ridiculousness of the London property market.

Commentators and dooms sayers have been trying to point this out for decades, however the market doesn’t run on common sense.

Property prices have continued to climb upwards and onwards bucking the stamp duty increases.

What’s behind this?

I believe two main factors.

One is foreign money, about half of the demand comes from overseas. Recently in one year 25% of all transactions in Mayfair were done by Indians from India. There are few places in the world which compare to London.

The other is that London is considered a safe haven for laundered money, which comes in from all over and comes in via shell companies set up in offshore locations. There are still means and ways of achieving this.

There is al so the basic principle of mo ney which is cont in ually being print ed in huge amount s; du ring the credit crunch this was done in the name of saving the citizen s and rescuing the banks. This means t hat anyt hin g which is physical and limited increases in valu e as mon ey is printe d lit erally from thin air.

When property prices are rising in this way perhaps now is the point when we should be teaching the next generation not how to work for money, but how to make property go to work for you. Clearly the mechanics of the game have changed, and if you don’t own a piece of real estate in London you might be left high and dry in years to come.

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Tips of the Week l Buying at auction is a good way to pick up a good deal, provided you don't get carried away with the emotion of the auction itself.

Set yourself a limit and stick to it and don't get carried away with winning at any cost. l In an auction if the bidding doesn't reach the reserve price, try and negotiate with the seller afterwards. The property wouldn't be at an auction in the first place if they weren't very keen to sell.

20

BUSINESS

India's economic growth to surpass China's in 2015-16: UN

India's economic growth is projected to surpass that of China's in 2016 with the GDP expected to zoom by 7.7 per cent, according to a UN report which said India would help accelerate growth in South Asia.

The mid-year update of the UN World Economic Situation and Prospects (WESP), said India's economy is projected to grow by 7.6 per cent this year and 7.7 per cent in 2016, overtaking China.

China is projected to grow by 7 per cent in 2015 and 6.8 per cent next year.

The report termed South Asia's economic outlook as "largely favourable" since most economies are expected to experience a strengthening of growth in 2015-16 on the back of stronger domestic consumption and

India to become top coal importer in 2015

India is expected to overtake China as the world's top coal importer in 2015, faster than previously expected, traders and consultants said. India's coal imports should rise to around 200 million tonnes this year, from around 180 million tonnes in 2014, said Mayank Garg, managing director of consultancy Venerable Energy Solutions Managing Director.

"It's happened much faster than expected because Chinese imports have gone down and prices have gone down price plays a very important role in India."

Speaking at the IHS European coal conference, Garg said that Indian imports could rise to 250 million tonnes within three to four years if prices remained around current levels. Global coal prices have been depressed in recent years by a glut in supply.

"There's a possibility of exploding growth of imports... if logistical restraints can be managed then the market could explode," Garg said.

Meanwhile a fall in Chinese imports has been sharper than had been expected. A poll showed top coal consumer China's thermal coal imports are expected to drop by 52 million tonnes or around a quarter in 2015, as the country seeks to support its domestic producers and address environmental concerns.

International Energy Agency data showed China imported 229 million tonnes of thermal coal, including lignite, in 2014. "In India everyone has had steady growth, the drop in China was the surprise," a trader said.

investment, and a pick-up in exports.

The region's GDP is projected to grow by 6.7 per cent in 2015 and 6.9 per cent in 2016, up from an estimated 6.3 per cent in 2014 - a significant revision of the previous forecast. "This revision mostly reflects a higher growth trajectory in India," it said.

It said the growth prospects for Iran and Pakistan have also improved moderately,

although for both countries significant uncertainties remain. Across South Asia, the expansion is expected to be driven by buoyant household consumption and a gradual recovery in investment.

Private sector demand will be underpinned by a more benign macroeconomic environment, including considerably lower inflation.

In 2015, global consumer price inflation is

expected to average 2.5 per cent, the lowest level since 2009. With oil prices expected to recover slowly and global activity projected to pick up, average inflation is forecast to accelerate to 3 per cent in 2016. Average inflation in the region is also projected to fall to its lowest level in almost a decade, following the recent decline in oil and food prices.

As a result, monetary policy has become more expansionary in several countries, notably in India and Pakistan, it said.

However, despite the improved outlook, South Asia's economies face, to varying degrees, longstanding development challenges, including energy shortages, infrastructure deficits and political and social unrest.

China is likely to hold a 2530 per cent stake in the new Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) while India will be the second-biggest shareholder, delegates said after a threeday meeting of the bank's founding member-nations.

AIIB said in a statement that it expected to be operational by the end of the year. It said the meeting in Singapore finalised the articles of agreement, which are expected to be ready for signing by the end of June, but did not give details.

No details of the ownership structure were disclosed, but delegates said that China would likely take a 25-30 per cent stake in the bank, and India was likely to be the secondlargest shareholder. China's share in the $100 billion lender would be less than 30 per cent, an Asian delegate said. A second dele-

gate said India's share would be between 10 and 15 per cent.

In all, Asian countries are expected to own between 72 and 75 per cent of the bank, while European and other nations will own the rest.

Another delegate said each country representative would take the proposals back to their governments for a final decision. Some were sceptical of the timeline for the bank to start running, as each member will need to obtain cabinet and legislative approvals at home. "It is uncertain if we can start from early next year," said one of the delegates. "China hopes that members will get such approvals by year-end and the operations start from the next year. But I wonder if it is possible, given domestic political situations in each country."

A total of 57 countries

have joined AIIB as its prospective founding members, throwing together countries as diverse as Iran, Israel, Britain and Laos. The United States and Japan have stayed out of the institution, seen as a rival to the US-dominated World Bank and Japan-led Asian Development Bank, citing concerns about transparency and governance, although Tokyo for one is keeping its options open.

AIIB's launch is coming at a time when the space for infrastructure lending is already crowded due to the presence of major multilateral lenders and Japan's latest move to provide $110 billion for Asian infrastructure projects. The amount of Japanese funds, to be invested over five years, tops the expected $100 billion capitalisation of the AIIB.

China, India likely to be biggest shareholders in AIIB

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 30th May 2015

Jaitley promises better tax regime for companies

India's finance minister Arun Jaitley struck a conciliatory tone towards investors, promising to tax corporate profits at competitive rates and saying the government would do all in its power to implement a new goods and services tax (GST) on time.

Foreign portfolio investors have complained about surprise tax claims and, during a news conference to mark Prime Minister Narendra Modi's first year in power, Jaitley said a judicial resolution was in the works.

Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party had accused the previous Congress-led government of "tax terrorism". But having pledged to overhaul the tax regime, Modi's pro-business government was caught flat-footed in a row with foreign portfolio investors over demands they pay minimum alternate tax, for which they had not previously been liable.

Addressing those concerns, Jaitley said taxes should be applied fairly and promised to bring down the rate at which companies pay tax on profits, reiterating a budget pledge to cut the tax rate to 25 per cent from 30 per cent over four years.

"We must ... remove discretion, phase out exemptions and bring the effective rate down to global levels," Jaitley said.

He also told reporters he hoped that the upper house of parliament would "soon" pass an enabling amendment that would make it possible to implement on time a new goods and services tax that would unify Asia's No.3 economy into a common market.

The government failed to push through the GST legislation before the end of parliament's budget session and was referred to joint committee of both houses, creating concern that the measure would not take effect as planned on April 1, 2016.

Jaitley acknowledged

that there was a risk of "cutting it too fine" but said the government would "make every effort to ensure that there is no delay". Giving an upbeat assessment of the economy, Jaitley highlighted a 40 per cent increase in foreign direct investment in the government's first year and said that the ratio of bad loans on the balance sheets of Indian banks was falling.

In other comments, he said the government plans to sell stakes in state-run companies to strategic buyers to partly meet its budget target for raising revenues from asset sales. Of the total target of 690 billion rupees ($10.85 billion) in asset sales, deals worth 500 billion rupees were already "in the pipeline", Jaitley said.

Revenues and the fiscal deficit will improve this year, after provisional data showed that the budget gap came in at 4 per cent of gross domestic product in the fiscal year to March 31, better than an upwardly revised target of 4.1 per cent.

Jaitley said the government was in talks with the Reserve Bank of India on setting up an independent public debt management agency (PDMA). The comments came after the government last month withdrew proposals to set up the agency, with Jaitley adding then that the government would consult with the central bank and unveil a new roadmap.

RBI Governor Raghuram Rajan last week denied the central bank was against the idea of a public debt office, and said there was no difference of opinion between the central bank and the government on the issue.

Jaitley did say, however, that he would favour a cut in interest rates and that the value of the rupee should be market driven. The RBI, which has cut interest rates twice this year, holds its next policy meeting in early June.

Tata Group no longer interested in Air India

The Tata Group has virtually ruled out re-acquiring Air India when the government decides to divest in it. “That was 14 years ago (when Tatas were keen on buying back AI.) Not now,” Tata SonsSingapore Airlines (SIA) JV Vistara chairman Prasad Menon said.

“SIA always says they learnt from AI (of JRD Tata era). We can learn from AI and SIA both (for Vistara),” he added.

Menon, who has been

asking the government to make it easier for new airlines to fly abroad so that Indian airlines can get their rightful share of international traffic to and from India from foreign airlines. Tatas are now in both the full service space with Vistara and low-cost segment with

AirAsia India.

The Tatas and SIA had tied up in 2000 when the then BJP government had decided to divest 40% stake in Air India. A year later, SIA had walked out of that partnership due to

an “adverse climate” and intense opposition to the privatization of AI. AI was founded by JRD Tata in 1932 as Tata Airlines. The airline was later taken over by the government and has over the years fallen from its glory days under JRD's leadership. The UPA government had invited Ratan Tata to head an advisory board for AI. But, given the condition of the airline due to serious mismanagement by

successive governments, Ratan Tata had declined that offer.

The current NDA government is also struggling with AI and has so far not been able to find any radical solution to revive the airline. It has not even been able to find a chairman for the airline. The current CMD's threeyear-term ended last August and he has been given an extension for a year till a replacement is found.

CURRENCY VOICE

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 30th May 2015

21

Foreign Exchange

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

Interest rate likely to be gradual Bank holiday weekend has provided a relatively quiet start to the week for the pound. Friday 22nd May saw the public sector net borrowing figure come in at £6.038bn against a £7.9bn consensus, far better than expected.

A comment from Bank of England member Haldane stated that interest rates would likely be slow and gradual. Haldane went on to say that he sees inflation picking up towards the end of this year, however this alone will not be enough ammunition

Andrew G Haldane Chief Economist, Bank of England

for an interest rate hike.

Euro zone business growth was weaker than expected this

month but firms increased staffing levels at the fastest rate in four years, suggesting they were becoming increasingly optimistic. Any signs of growth, alongside the survey showing firms barely cut prices after reducing them for over three years, will cheer European Central Bank policymakers coming just two months after they launched a trillion-euro stimulus program.

Greece intends to make good on its debt obligations but needs aid urgently to be able to do so, the government said on Monday, after several senior officials insisted Athens had no money to pay a loan instalment falling due next week. Greek Interior Minister Voutsis stated on Sunday that Greece will not make repayments to the IMF of EUR1.6bn expected next month because they have run out of funds and are unable to meet pension and wage bills. However government spokesman Gabriel Sakellaridis was quick to deny this at a news conference later in the day, reiterating the governments’ official stance that it has the responsibility to pay all

Weekly Currencies As of Tuesday 26th May 2015 @ 6pm

GBP - INR = 98.40

USD - INR = 63.90 EUR - INR = 69.56 GBP - USD = 1.54 GBP - EUR = 1.41

EUR - USD = 1.09 GBP - AED = 5.65

GBP - CAD = 1.91 of these obligations. It must repay four loans totalling EUR1.6bn to the IMF next month, starting with a EUR300m payment on June 5th that is seen as the next crunch point for state coffers.

Sakellaridis also dismissed reports that the government would try to pay all its June obligations in one lump sum to the IMF. Friday 22nd May saw the release of US CPI, with core CPI being the highlight showing an increase of 0.3% against a 0.2% consensus month-onmonth, which did cause a rally of the dollar as we headed into

the bank holiday weekend. The Chair of the Federal Reserve Janet Yellen stated on Friday that a rate hike is appropriate at some point during the year, and once they lift rates ‘’tightening will be done in a gradual fashion’’ were her words, outlining that it would take several years to return to normal interest rates but that a rate hike is still on the cards at some point this year. Fed member Fischer said that he sees an argument for publishing the Fed’s rate path forecast but says that if they do so, the market must understand that the Fed has no obligation to stick to it.

GBP - NZD = 2.13

GBP - AUD = 1.99

GBP - ZAR = 18.60

GBP - HUF = 437.13

www.rationalfx.com

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

25th May 2015

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22

WORLD

Bobby Jindal testing ground for US presidential run

Washington: Setting his sights on the White House, Indian-American Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal has formed an exploratory committee to look into the possibility of mounting a credible challenge as a Republican nominee for the 2016 US presidential bid.

If Jindal, 43, announces going ahead with his plans, he would be the first ever Indian-American politician to run for a US presidential election. In doing so, he would join the already crowded Republican presidential aspirants.

Forming an exploratory committee is considered to be the first serious step toward a presidential bid.

The Republican Governor,

London: ISIS has used the latest issue of its propaganda magazine Dabiq to suggest the group is expanding so rapidly it could buy its first nuclear weapon within a year. The hyperbolic article, which the group attributes to the British hostage John Cantlie, claims ISIS has transcended its roots as "the most explosive Islamic 'group' in the modern world" to evolve into "the most explosive Islamic movement the modern world has ever seen" in less than 12 months. Photojournalist Cantlie is regularly used in the terror group's propaganda and has appeared in a number of videos, including a YouTube series called "Lend Me Your Ears". He has been held a hostage by ISIS for more than two years.

The piece, entitled "The Perfect Storm", describes militant Islamist

however, said he would make a final decision on a White House bid after his state's legislative session ends in mid-June.

"My parents came to this country over 40 years ago with nothing but the belief that America is the land of freedom and opportunity. They were right," Jindal said on his website announcing the formation

of the Bobby Jindal Exploratory Committee.

"We must fight to make sure the next generation is not the first generation to inherit fewer opportunities than their parents. Will you join me?" Jindal asked on the home page of the website with the headline 'Ready'.

Jindal said that if he runs, his candidacy would be based on the idea the American people "are ready to try a dramatically different direction."

Jindal, a former congressman who started his career in public service as Louisiana's health secretary, also tried to strike a difference between himself and other Republican leaders by describing policy

plans he has released on health care, defence, energy and education.

If Jindal decides to run, he has win first the Republican nomination in a field that is already packed with aspirants who have already declared their candidature. Among them are Senators Ted Cruz (Texas), Rand Paul (Kentucky) and Marco Rubio (Florida), former Governor Mike Huckabee of Arkansas, and former HP CEO Carly Fiorina.

Four other Republican governors have also formed exploratory committees to assess their chances -Jeb Bush (Florida), Chris Christie (New Jersey) John Kasich (Ohio), and Scott Walker (Wisconsin).

groups such as Boko Haram, which recently pledged allegiance to ISIS, uniting across the Middle East, Africa and Asia to create one global movement.

The article claims this alignment of groups has happened at the same time as ISIS militants have seized "tanks, rocket launchers, missile systems, anti-aircraft systems," from the US and Iran before turning to the subject of more extreme weapons the group is not in possession of - such as nuclear weapons.

"Let me throw a hypothetical operation onto the table," the article continues. "The Islamic State has billions of dollars in the bank, so they call on their wilayah in Pakistan to purchase a nuclear device through weapons dealers with links to corrupt officials in the region."

It admits that such a

scenario is "far-fetched" but warns: "It's the sum of all fears for Western intelligence agencies and it's infinitely more possible today than it was just one year ago. "And if not a nuke, what about a few thousand tons of ammonium nitrate explosive?

That's easy enough to make."

"They'll [ISIS] be looking to do something big, something that would make any past operation look like a squirrel shoot, and the more groups that pledge allegiance the more possible it becomes to pull off something truly epic.

Remember, all of this has happened in less than a year. How more dangerous will be the lines of communication and supply a year on from today?"

But ISIS is indeed a well funded group having secured a number of oilfields in Syria and Iraq.

The group also sells arte-

facts looted from historic areas seized during its insurgency, sometimes for six figure sums, as well as imposing taxes on civilians trapped in its selfdeclared caliphate and other methods of extortion. The finances of the group have been estimated by some to be in the $2 billion area, though it is impossible to verify how much money it actually has access to. The threats come against a mixed backdrop of successes and losses in both countries; the group has been driven out of Tikrit in Iraq but has overrun Ramaldi and the Syrian ancient city of Palmyra.

A recent call to arms from its leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi also appeared to suggest it may be overstretched in some areas, with his speech urging supporters from across the world to travel to its territories in the Middle East.

Bobby Jindal

ISIS claims it could buy its first nuke weapon in 12 months

US military aid better position Pak to wage war against India: Expert

Washington: The American military assistance to Pakistan, a latest list of which was recently put out by the independent Congressional Research Service (CRS), better position its military to wage a war against India and not to fight terrorists, a noted US expert on South Asia has said.

"This assistance better position Pakistan to wage war against India while doing nothing to shape Pakistan's will or capabilities to target terrorists and insurgents," Christine Fair, author of several wellresearched books on Pakistan and its military wrote in a recent article, days after the CRS in a report listed out the military hardware, including fighter jets that the US has

given to Pakistan.

"The items that Washington has conveyed to Pakistan have little utility in fighting insurgents and terrorists; rather, they enable Pakistan to better fight India, a democratic American partner that has long endured Pakistani predations," Fair said.

A new American policy towards Pakistan, rooted in sober realism, is long overdue, she argued in her recent piece in National Interest. Since 9/11, the United States has lavished Pakistan with nearly $8 bil-

lion in security assistance, $11 billion in economic assistance, and $13 billion in the lucrative programme known as Coalition Support Funds (CSF), she said referring to the CRS report.

Since then, Pakistan has availed of significant US weapons systems and armaments, including: a used Perryclass missile frigate; 18 new and 14 used nuclearcapable F-16s; an array of munitions (i.e 500 air-toair missiles, 1,450 2,000pound bombs); 1,600 kits that allow Pakistan to convert gravity bombs into laser-guided smarter bombs, 2,007 anti-armor missiles, 100 Harpoon anti-ship missiles, 500 Sidewinder air-to-air missiles, seven naval guns, 374 armoured personnel carri-

ers, and much more, she said. A transfer of 15 reconnaissance unmanned aerial vehicles is also under way. "This list suggests that Pakistan's insurgents have developed air, naval and ground-force capabilities," Fair said. According to the US author, Washington provides Pakistan access to these weapon systems even despite Pakistan's failures to comply with the numerous conditionalities which the US Congress has emplaced upon such assistance. "Currently, the US provides this assistance under various waivers. In doing so, Washington erodes its own credibility, demeans its own laws, and rewards Pakistan for engaging in the very activities that the United States seeks to curtail,� Fair said.

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 30th May 2015

In Brief

Mass graves of suspected trafficking victims found in Malaysia

Kuala Lumpur: Mass graves and suspected humantrafficking detention camps have been discovered by Malaysian police in towns and villages bordering Thailand, the country's home minister said. Home Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said officials are determining whether the graves were of humantrafficking victims, but did not say how many dead bodies were discovered. "This is still under investigation," he told reporters on the sidelines of an event in Kuala Lumpur. According to media reports, the mass graves were believed to contain the bodies of hundreds of migrants from Myanmar and Bangladesh.

Police discovered 30 large graves containing the remains of hundreds of people in two places in the northern state of Perlis, which borders Thailand, the Utusan Malaysia newspaper reported. The Star newspaper reported on its website that nearly 100 bodies were found in one grave on Friday. "I reckon it was a preliminary finding and eventually I think the number would be more than that," Ahmad Zahid said when asked about reports of the number of mass graves discovered. Ahmad Zahid said the camps identified are in the areas of Klian Intan and villages near the border. "They have been there for quite some time. I suspect the camps have been operating for at least five years," he said. A police spokeswoman declined to comment, saying a news conference on the issue would be held later. A police official who declined to be identified said police commandos and forensic experts from the capital, Kuala Lumpur, were at the site but it was unclear how many graves and bodies had been found. "Of course I believe that there are Malaysians involved," Ahmad Zahid said, when asked about possible involvement of locals in the incident.

Northern Malaysia is on a route for smugglers bringing people to Southeast Asia by boat from Myanmar, most of them Rohingyas, who say they are fleeing persecution, and people from Bangladesh seeking work. Smugglers have also used southern Thailand, and police believe the discovery had a connection to mass graves found on the Thai side of the border this month. Twenty-six bodies were exhumed from a grave in Thailand's Songkhla province, over the border from Perlis, near a camp with suspected links to human trafficking. More than 3,000 migrants, most of them from Myanmar and Bangladesh, have landed on boats in Malaysia and Indonesia this month after a crackdown on trafficking in Thailand.

Gabbard in '25 Most Influential Women in Congress'

Washington: Influential lawmaker Tulsi Gabbard has figured in the list of 25 most influential women in the US Congress. Gabbard, 33, the only Hindu member of the US Congress, was listed in CQ-Roll Call's new book, "Powerful Women: The 25 Most Influential Women in Congress" in the ranks of the most accomplished and influential female leaders in Congress. The book discusses that despite just two years in Congress, Congresswoman Gabbard has been able to work with Democrats and Republicans and become a leading voice on military and foreign affairs on both the House Armed Services Committee, and the House Foreign Affairs Committee. She is a US Democrat Congresswoman from Hawaii.

Sri Lanka police bust fake Indian currency racket

Colombo: Two persons have been arrested in Sri Lanka for printing fake Indian currency, police said.

Following information received by the Crime Investigation Department (CID), two people were arrested on Saturday, a spokesman said. The two from the Colombo suburbs of Ja-Ela and Wattala were found to be exchanging fake Indian currency notes with genuine notes, police said. Police have recovered 25 fake currency notes of Rs 1,000 denomination from the first person and another 156 fake currency notes of Rs 1,000 denomination from the second person.

John Nash, mathematician who inspired 'A Beautiful Mind,' killed in car crash

New Jersey: Mathematician John Nash, a Nobel Prize winner whose long time struggle with mental illness inspired the movie "A Beautiful Mind", was killed in a car crash along with his wife in New Jersey. The couple were in a taxi when the driver lost control, crashed into a guard rail and hit another car on the New Jersey Turnpike, said police. Nash, 86, and his wife, Alicia, 82, were thrown from the taxi and pronounced dead at the scene. Nash was awarded the Nobel Prize for economics in 1994 for his work on game theory and the mathematics of decision-making. The film "A Beautiful Mind" was loosely based on his battle with schizophrenia.

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 30th May 2015

In Brief

27 killed as Taliban and ISIS jihadists clash in Afghanistan

Kabul: Ongoing clashes between Taliban and Islamic State jihadists in western Afghanistan have left at least 27 insurgents dead and 20 other people injured, officials said. Afghan military spokesman Mohamad Hanif Rezaey specified that 15 ISIS jihadists and 12 from the Taliban were killed in fighting in three areas within Farah province's Khak-e-Safid district. Among the injured were 13 ISIS members and seven from Taliban ranks. "Taliban fighters captured alive 12 alleged ISIS members, including four women of foreign nationalities, however, their nationalities are still uncertain," the spokesperson explained, adding that Afghan security forces would not intervene unless civilians become involved. Armed feuds broke out just a few hours after Nato's mission in Afghanistan warned of the growing IS presence in the country, while the government has been at war with the Taliban for 14 years.

29 militants killed in military operations in Balochistan

Islamabad: At least 29 militants, including those of the dreaded Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan, outfit have been killed in military operations in the country's restive Balochistan province during the past one month. The militants killed belonged to the outlawed Baloch insurgent groups and the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). They were targeted in different districts of the province. Balochistan home minister Sarfaraz Bugti and Brigadier Mohammad Tahir of Frontier Corps provided details of the operation against the militants and miscreants, the Express Tribune reported. "Frontier Corps (FC) killed 29 militants associated with the Baloch separatist groups and the TTP, including two suicide bombers, during the search operation in the province," they said. Bugti said TTP militants were sneaking into Balochistan from North Waziristan where 'Zarb-e-Azb' operation is in its decisive phase, but they were not allowed by the FC to set up camps in the province.

Mob storms Christian colony in Pakistan, attempts to torch Church

Lahore: A mob rampaged through a Christian locality in this eastern Pakistani city and attempted to torch a Church after looting several houses following reports that a Christian man had allegedly committed blasphemy. The mob vandalised the thickly-populated Sanda locality of the after police arrested a Christian man, Humayun Faisal Masih, under the blasphemy law on a complaint. On the reports that police have arrested a suspected blasphemer, a number of people gathered outside the Ravi Road police station and demanded handing over the accused to them. The police, however, refused and dispersed the mob which then headed to Masih's house in Sanda and looted his house and several other Christian houses. "The Christians left their houses on the information that the mob was heading towards them. The mob looted several houses and torched the furniture and other household items. It also tried to torch a Church in the locality," Christian leader Aslam Pervaiz Sahotra said.

3 dead in attack targeting Pakistan President's son

Quetta: Three people were killed and four others injured when Baluch separatists targeted a convoy carrying the Pakistani president's son in the southwestern province of Baluchistan. "An explosive laden motorbike parked at a roadside was blown up with a remote control device when the convoy of President Mamnoon Hussain's son, Salman Mamnoon was passing in Hub Industrial Zone near the border with Karachi," local police official said. He said the president's son was unharmed as his vehicle had already passed the spot where the device exploded hitting a rickshaw and the last vehicle of the convoy.

"The rickshaw driver, a 12-year-old child in the rickshaw and a passer-by died at the spot while four police personnel of the security squad received minor injuries," he said.

Suicide bomber kills 21 at Saudi Shi'ite mosque

Dubai: A suicide bomber killed 21 worshippers in a packed Shi'ite mosque in eastern Saudi Arabia, residents and the health minister said, the first attack in the kingdom to be claimed by Islamic State militants. It was one of the deadliest assaults in recent years in the largest Gulf Arab country, where sectarian tensions have been aggravated by nearly two months of Saudi-led air strikes on Shi'ite Houthi rebels in neighbouring Yemen. More than 150 people were praying when the huge explosion ripped through the Imam Ali mosque in the village of al-Qadeeh, witnesses said.

US woman jailed for shoving Indian to death

New York: A 33-year-old American woman has been sentenced to 24 years in prison for pushing an Indian man to death in front of a subway train in an attack apparently motivated by her hatred for “Hindus and Muslims”.

Erika Menendez had pleaded guilty in March before Queens Supreme Court Justice Gregory Lasak for shoving Sunando Sen, 46 to his death as the subway train entered the station on the night of December 27, 2012.

Menendez however insisted that she could not remember why she had pushed Sen onto the path of an approaching train. A report in the New York Post said judge Lasak expressed his outrage over Sen’s death before sentencing her.

“For whatever reason, when you gave your statement to police after you were arrested, you said, “I hate Muslims and the Hindus.” Do you remember that?” the judge asked. Menendez replied she did not. “You picked out Sen, who was on that platform and you stood behind him and you followed him,” the judge said.

“This was a particularly brutal homicide. I can only imagine his final thoughts. That’s a horrible, horrible way to die,” Lasak said adding that Menendez’s act terrorised

behind and had no chance to defend himself.

Ac c o r d i n g to the criminal complaint, Menendez was observed talking to herself and pacing back and forth on the subway p l a t f o r m around 8 p.m. on December 27, 2012. Sen was on the platErika Menendez form waiting for the train’s the whole city. arrival when suddenly “Millions of people Menendez approached take the trains every day him from behind and in New York City to go to shoved him onto the work or to go to school or tracks as the train came other destinations, and into the station. Sen was they want to feel safe,” struck by the train and judge Lasak said. “And died of multiple blunt this put a chilling effect on force trauma. all the ridership.”

Menendez had later Sen, an immigrant told authorities that her from India, had lived in hatred for “Hindus and Queens for years and had Muslims” prompted her to opened his own printing push Sen off the subway and copying business near platform. She had also Columbia University. He said that even though the was unmarried and his attack on Sen was too parents were dead, accordsudden, he had still tried ing to roommates who to save himself briefly lived with him in a small before he fell onto the apartment. tracks.

Following Menendez’s Menendez had said guilty plea, Queens she did not like Muslims District Attorney Richard and in a jailhouse interBrown had said she comview after the attack had mitted “what is every subsaid that she “just wanted way commuter’s worst to hurt Muslims and nightmare - being suddenHindus ever since ly and senselessly pushed [9/11]... I’ve been beating into the path of an oncomup Muslims and Hindus ing train.” He had said for a long time.”

Sen was shoved from

Malaysia, Indonesia to let 'boat people' come ashore temporarily

Kuala Lumpur: Malaysia and Indonesia said they would offer shelter to 7,000 "boat people" adrift at sea in rickety boats but, anxious not to encourage a fresh influx, made clear that their assistance was temporary and they would take no more.

More than 3,000 migrants have landed so far this month in Malaysia and Indonesia. Together with Thailand, they have opted for a "not-in-mybackyard" policy in response, pushing away many boats that approached their shores despite appeals from the United Nations to take them in. While the latest statement signalled a shift in policy by Malaysia and Indonesia that would allow the migrants to come ashore, they underlined that the international community also had a responsibility to help them deal with the crisis.

The migrants are Rohingya Muslims from Myanmar and Bangladeshis men, women and children who fled persecution and poverty at home or were

WORLD

abducted by traffickers, and now face sickness and starvation at sea.

"What we have clearly stated is that we will take in only those people in the high sea," Malaysian Foreign Minister Anifah Aman said. "But under no circumstances would we be expected to take each one of them if there is an influx of others."

Malaysia and Indonesia said in a joint statement in Kuala Lumpur that they would offer "resettlement and repatriation", a process that would be "done in a year by the international community".

Thailand opts out: A man said temporary shelters would be set up, but not in Thailand, a favoured transit point for the migrants who try to make their way to work illegally in Malaysia. Thai officials have said authorities will check on migrants at sea and will allow the sick to come to shore for medical attention, but the government has stopped short of saying whether it would allow other migrants to disembark.

23

Indian man shot dead in Florida

Washington: An Indian man, who was working as a clerk at a convenience store in the US state of Florida, has been shot dead by a teenager in an apparent robbery attempt, the second such incident in just over a month.

Manav Deshi, who was in his 30s, was shot in the face by a 16-year-old teenager in St Augustine.

The incident has sent shockwaves among the small but vibrant IndianAmerican community in Florida Deshi, who along with his fiance recently moved to St Augustine in Florida from North Carolina, died instantly inside the store after he was shot by the teenager who had covered his face with a handkerchief.

The accused along with his accomplice has been arrested by the police after a long high-speed chase. They face multiple charges. Deshi had moved to Florida only two months ago and was excited for his upcoming wedding, media reports said.

Deshi's parents were on their way to Florida from India. In April, 39-year-old Sanjay Patel was shot dead by two masked men during an apparent robbery attempt at a gas station in Connecticut.

Patel, who worked as a clerk at a gas station in New Haven, was shot three times in the chest and once in the hand by two masked men.

SEEKING CONTRIBUTORS FOR THE LOHANA MAGAZINE Asian Voice has set up an editorial board (Chairman Subhash Thakrar, Partner, CBW Blackstone Franks LLP) to produce an original account of the Lohana Community. The Lohanas have a unique history not matched by other Gujarati communities. Their origination is from the borders of present day Uzbekistan and Afghanistan. They were the warrior class or Kshatriyas. The present day Lohanas are noticeably successful business people and philanthropists. Lohanas also have unique physical features. Notable Lohanas include the Madhvanis, late Nanji Kalidas Mehta, Jalarambapa, Guru Nanak, Mohamed Ali Zina and others.

The editorial board plans to produce an authentic and original report on the Lohana community with well researched articles, original historic and present day al The fin ay photographs as well as facts and m t outpu ok, figures.

We wish to create a legacy for the next generation of Lohanas so that the new generation are proud of their heritage.

o be a b and e t i webs D C a

We are seeking contributors in all areas including people who can provide original photos, articles, letters, an account of their own experience, articles etc. We are also looking for competent persons who can help with the research and write articles.

If you feel you can help with this historic project, kindly write to L. George Asian Voice/Gujarat Samachar Asian Business Publication Ltd 12 Hoxton Market, London N1 6HW

24

INDIA

Jayalalithaa is Tamil Nadu CM again

Chennai: AIADMK general secretary Jayalalithaa was on Saturday sworn in as the chief minister of Tamil Nadu for the fifth time. In a well attended ceremony at the Centenary Auditorium of the University of Madras, she and her cabinet colleagues took oath in the presence of Tamil Nadu Governor K Rosaiah.

Amid speculation over top Bharatiya Janata Party leaders attending the event, Union Minister of State for Shipping Pon. Radhakrishnan was seen sitting in the front row.

Actor Rajinikanth was also spotted among a host of celebrities seen at the

Jayalalithaa

venue.

Jayalalithaa now matches the record with DMK leader M Karunanidhi of being CM five times, though the AIADMK leader did it twice after she was forced to resign from the post following court verdicts that

Heat wave kills over 800 in AP, Telangana

Hyderabad: The heatwave sweeping through Telangana and Andhra Pradesh claimed 90 more lives in the two states, taking the toll to over 800.

While 55 people succumbed to sunstroke in Andhra Pradesh, 35 were killed in Telangana.

Andhra Pradesh's deputy chief minister N Chinna Rajappa on Tuesday said 551 people died till Monday while disaster management officials in Telangana confirmed 215 deaths. The deaths reported on Tuesday have not yet been confirmed by officials.

Though there was slight drop in day temperature in Telangana, the state continued to be in the grip of heatwave due to the dry winds from northwesterly direction. The highest temperature of 45-degrees celsius was recorded in

Hanamkonda, Khammam, Nalgonda and Ramagundem. The temperature in most of the Telangana towns was above 42-degrees celsius.

The mercury remained two to six degrees above average in the two states.

Coastal Andhra continued to reel under severe heatwave conditions.

Jangamaheswara Puram in Guntur district sizzled at 47-degrees celsius.

Most places in coastal Andhra recorded above 43-degrees celsius. Parts of Rayalaseema also registered high temperature.

Guntur district bore the brunt with 104 deaths, East Godavari accounted for 90 deaths, Visakhapatnam 84, Vijayanagaram 61, Prakasam 57, Nellore 39, Srikakulam 25, Chittoor 20, Kadapa 13, Anantapur 11 and Kurnool 8.

US envoy Verma walks down memory lane in Punjab

Jalandhar: It was a trip down memory lane for US Ambassador Richard R Verma, whose visit to his maternal grandmother's house in Punjab turned emotional. As he stepped in the house in the narrow lane of Basti Sheikh in old Jalandhar, now owned by couple Rakesh Gupta and Priya Gupta, his immediate response was: "Wow." Later, he met the occupants of the house, where Verma's grandmother Maya Devi grew up. It was purchased by the Guptas three decades ago.

"We were really excited when we met the dignitary.

He was quite polite and seemed down to earth. He stayed with us for almost 20 minutes," Priya Gupta, house owner, told reporters.

The ambassador interacted with the grocery shop owner Shri Ram, 82,

Richard R Verma who had helped him in locating his grandmother's house. Verma had visited the locality once in his childhood also.

The ambassador was accorded a lively reception by the locals on the second day of his Punjab visit.

The ambassador later visited Apara village, some 50 km from the district headquarters, where his father K D Verma hails.

Verma later offered prayers at the Golden Temple in Amritsar. He also visited the Jallianwala Bagh in the city and paid tribute to martyrs.

disqualified her. The Madras university auditorium was swelling with over 3,500 special invitees. Seated on the first row, among senior AIADMK leaders and special invitees was Sasikalaa who, like Jayalalithaa, was clad in a green saree.

Superstar Rajnikanth sat next to actor and All India Samathuva Makkal Katchi leader Sarath Kumar.

Representing the industry were India Cements managing director N Srinivasan and A C Muthaiah of SPIC. Hundreds of party men from far off places thronged the venue since morning to get a glimpse

of the leader, who is returning to the state government after eight months. Hundreds waited outside Jaya's Poes Garden residence since early morning. When she came out, women offered 'aarti' and showered flower petals on her vehicle.

Party functionaries bowed, some prostrated on the road as her cavalcade passed.

The acquittal of AIADMK chief by Karnataka High Court in the disproportionate wealth case on May 11, had AIADMK MLAs electing Jayalalithaa as the leader of the legislature party on Friday.

New Delhi: The Congress is preparing to move the Supreme Court against the acquittal of Jayalalithaa in the corruption case.

According to reports, Karnataka government has around three months to file the review, a reason why the Congress and the state government have not rushed into taking the decision despite the anxiety around.

A move for judicial review is unlikely to please Jayalalithaa given that it would introduce fresh uncertainty in her politics which took off again on Saturday with her assuming the CM's post after a break of eight months. The implications of review are immense in the cut-throat coalition politics in which AIADMK, with a strong contingent of 37 MPs in Lok Sabha and 11 in Rajya Sabha, is a key player. A

Congress bid to discomfit Jayalalithaa, given that the appeal is set to be seen as a political decision, would mean the opposition party would tie up with the DMK in state elections.

Also, it could push AIADMK further close to the Modi regime; the ruling Tamil Nadu outfit has been positively disposed towards the BJP regime at the Centre. This would mean a big relief for the BJP since the Centre's lack of a majority in the Upper House is a hurdle in its bid to push through its legislative agenda.

The Karnataka high court on May 12 overturned the trial court's conviction of Jayalalithaa in the disproportionate assets case, discharging her and three others. The conviction had forced her to resign as CM and install a caretaker CM.

Cong preparing to appeal against Jaya's acquittal

Moga case: HC notice to Punjab Dy CM, his wife

Chandigarh: Punjab and Haryana High Court issued notices to deputy chief minister Sukhbir Badal, his wife and Union minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal and the CBI on a plea seeking CBI inquiry into the Moga molestation case. A bench comprising justices Hemant Gupta and Lisa Gill sought their response by May 27 along with shareholding details of all operators owning more than 10 state carriage buses from Punjab government as well the balance sheet of last five years of Orbit Aviation.

It was hearing a plea filed by advocate Jasdeep Singh Bains for a CBI inquiry into the incident in which a teenage girl died after being molested and thrown off a running bus belonging to Orbit Aviation, a transport company owned by the Badals.

The girl's mother had survived the attack.

The court also asked the state to inform the

Sukhbir Badal and Harsimrat Kaur Badal court on the number of cases registered against bus operators in the state in past one year.

The bench also directed the Advocate General, Punjab, to produce FIR No 62 dated April 30, 2015 registered at Police Station Baghapurana in Moga district and also disclose the criminal cases registered against the carriage permit holders in the last one year.

Earlier last week, the state government had provided details of buses owned by the state owned Punjab Roadways and PRTC and also the private operators. In its reply, the state told the high court that there were 2,508 state owned buses and 3,543 private buses.

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 30th May 2015

South Brief

Woman burns husband, 6 of his kin to death in TN

Madurai (Tamil Nadu): Enraged that her husband was planning to remarry, a woman allegedly torched him to death along with six members of his family at a village in Madurai district of Tamil Nadu. Police said the woman, Pandeeswari, 25, along with her mother and brother, doused the sleeping members of the family with kerosene, threw a burning torch, locked up the house and fled. The woman, her 50-year-old mother and 27year-old brother have been arrested. Police said Pandeeswari got married to Kannan, 27, about three years ago. But, the couple had been living separately for the last one year due to differences. They said the woman had been threatening to kill his family if he did not come back to live with her.

Karnataka lottery scam: senior police officer suspended

Bengaluru: Alok Kumar, additional commissioner of police, has been suspended in connection with his alleged link with lottery scam kingpin Pari Rajan. Kumar was allegedly to had telephonic conversations and meetings with Rajan. Rajan is currently in police custody.

The action was taken on the basis a recommendation by the DGP, who said "it is unbecoming of senior officer to assist in illegal activities of the accused." Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah said that action was taken on the basis of the interim report submitted by the CID.

Sasikalaa now cleared in Fera case

Chennai: A week after being acquitted of all charges along with AIADMK supremo J Jayalalithaa in the disproportionate assets case, her friend N Sasikalaa has scored yet another court victory by getting discharged from an 18-year-old case filed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED). Sasikalaa was discharged from the Bharani Beach Resorts case in which she had been charged with transferring $19,91,610 (about Rs 30 million).

North Brief

Attari station renamed as 'Attari Sham Singh' railway station

Chandigarh: Punjab government has renamed Attari railway station in Amritsar as "Attari Sham Singh" railway station in a tribute to the great Sikh General.

The railway station was renamed after General Sham Singh Attariwala who joined the Sikh military in 1817 and during the Afghan-Sikh wars, he participated in the Battle of Attock, Battle of Multan, Battle of Peshawar and the 1819 Kashmir expedition, an official spokesman said. The name of the railways station was changed by the state government after getting no objection from Government of India, he said.

Man injured as Haryana CM's cavalcade runs over his foot

Chandigarh: A man was injured as a vehicle at the tail end of the cavalcade of Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar ran over his foot while leaving Safidon town of Jind district on Sunday. Hoshiar Singh, a resident of Jind and an employee of public health department, was rushed to Safidon civil hospital for treatment. According to doctors, his condition was stable. The incident occurred when Khattar had left the venue after addressing the public in Safidon.

Punjab govt gives Rs 100,000 cash prize for boxer

Chandigarh: The Punjab government extended warm welcome to the Junior World Champion Mandeep Kaur Sandhu on her arrival here, besides announcing a Rs 100,000 cash prize for the boxer.

The boxer, who was on her way back to village Chakar (district Ludhiana), landed at Chandigarh Airport after winning the coveted title of Junior World Championship at Taipei. Punjab education minister Daljit Singh Cheema announced a cash prize to her.

The prize would be conferred during a function to be held at Guru Nanak Bhawan in Ludhiana on May 27.

Blistering heat sweeps Haryana, Punjab

Chandigarh: Haryana and Punjab were swept by blistering heat, with temperature soaring past 44 degrees Celsius at Hisar. Hisar in Haryana was the hottest place in the two states, recording a high of 44.5 degrees Celsius, which was four notches above normal. Bhiwani also sizzled at 43.4 degrees, while Ambala recorded 41.8 degrees, four degrees above normal. In Punjab, sweltering heat prevailed in Amritsar which recorded 42.3 degrees, up three notches.

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 30th May 2015

Baxi elected as the new President of the world recycling body

At the 2015 General Assembly of the Bureau of International Recycling on Tuesday, 19 May 2015 in Dubai, the world recycling body elected its new President, Mr Ranjit Singh Baxi of J & H Sales (International) Ltd. A long-standing member of the organisation, Mr Baxi was approved by the General Assembly for a first 2-year mandate, which can be extended once.

In 2011 Mr Baxi was appointed Treasurer of the Bureau of International Recycling (BIR), prior to which he was President of the Paper Division from 2007 to 2013. He is now the Honorary President of the Paper Division. At the BIR Miami Convention in 2014, Mr Baxi launched his book – “Recycling our Future – A Global Strategy”. Mr Baxi also speaks at international conferences and contributes regularly to many trade journals and publications.

Ranjit Singh Baxi is Founder Chairman of J & H Sales (International) Ltd, one of Europe’s lead-

ing exporters of recovered fibre to the Far East. The company also exports plastic and metal scrap. J & H Sales received the Queen’s Award for Enterprise (International Trade) in 2001 and amongst many personal awards; Mr Baxi was voted ‘Asian of The Year’ in 2008. He was also awarded “The Propeller Award for Innovation” at the TVE Global Sustainability film awards 2013 hosted by Propeller TV, China. Mr Baxi is a Trustee of Northwick Park Institute of Medical Research, London, and is also Co-Chairman of Conservative Friends of India. Mr Baxi has held a number of key non-execu-

tive directorships including the Olympic Park Legacy Company (ensuring there is a lasting legacy of the Olympic venues in London), Think London Ltd and Gateway to London Ltd (companies promoting inward investments into London).

Mr Baxi was also a Governor at the University of East London and a Member of British Prime Ministers Trade Delegation to India. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts (FRSA), holds a Bachelor of Science (BSc) degree and is a Master of Business Administration (MBA).

In his opening address, Mr Baxi thanked his predecessor Björn Grufman for his excellent work during the past four years and expressed his gratitude to be at the head of such an important international organisation. “BIR has profiled itself as the sole truly international recycling federation. I am honoured to be serving its 800plus member companies and national recycling federations in the coming years.”

While immigration remains the most divisive political issue in Britain, Prime Minister David Cameron on last Thursday has yet again announced plans to crack down on illegal immigration and tighten Britain's borders.

New official figures showed a significant rise in the number of migrants surging to roughly 318,000 in 2014, up from 209,000 the year before, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) reported. PM Cameron further announced for all banks in the UK to check their bank accounts against databases to confirm that their clients are not in UK illegally.

He also announced a new immigration bill which will be the major talking point of the May 27 Queen's Speech at the House of

Lords.

It will now become mandatory for landlords to check whether their tenants are in the country legally.

He also announced a new mandatory licensing regime to punish unscrupulous landlords who cram houses full of illegal migrants and "deport first, appeal later" policy, which means that many immigrants may soon face deportation before being able to appeal against it.

Ahead of the Queen’s speech which is expected to announce government’s plans to introduce a new immigration bill, director of Migrants Rights Network, Don Flynn said, “Remarkably the government is promising a new Immigration Act, whilst the ink still dries on its 2014 one,

which isn’t even fully implemented yet.

“With this new piece of legislation the government is revealing a gap in the understanding of what is driving migration to the UK today. It is unveiling a set of policies that will expose more people to the risks of lives on the margins of society and with reduced hope of protection from the law.

“But nothing in any of these pledges encourages the view that migration levels will come down as a consequence of the measures that will be adopted.

Instead of taking a step back to review why the harsher measures in the old Immigration Act did not reduce net migration as they had hoped, the government is launching headfirst into more of the same.”

Dr Imran Farooq and Muhammad Kashif Khan Kamran, 35, a Pakistani national who was in the UK between

early September 2010 and 16 September 2010.

Anyone who can assist should call the police incident room on +44 (0)20 7230 2717 or contact the police by email at S O 1 5 M a i l b o x .DrFarooqMurder@met.p olice.uk Any information provided will be dealt with sensitively by officers.

Alternatively anyone who wishes to remain anonymous can call Crimestoppers, on 0800 555111.

Ranjit Singh Baxi

Cameron pledges to tighten Britain's border further

Man released without charge in connection to Farooq murder

On Monday, 27 August 2014 the man arrested by MPS Counter Terrorism Command detectives investigating the murder of Dr Imran Farooq on suspicion of conspiracy to murder at an address in Waltham Forest has now been released without charge.

Two men wanted in connection with the murder are: Moshin Ali Syed, 30 a Pakistani national who was in the UK between February 2010 and 16 September 2010

INDIA - WORLD

25

Indian mother places ad for groom in newspaper for gay son

Homosexuality may still be a taboo and same-sex marriages illegal in India, but that didn't deter a mother, Padma Iyer from searching for a groom for her son, Harrish Iyer. It would not be farfetched to claim that her attempt would come across as a historical move in contemporary India.

Padma Iyer, from Mumbai placed a matrimonial advert in Mumbai's Mid-Day newspaper, searching for a groom for her son. This is the first gay matrimonial advert in India. She had previous approached three prominent newspapers before approaching Mid-Day. However, she was turned down as they believed publishing this advert could get them into legal trouble.

Harrish Iyer is a conspicuous and well-known LGBT (Lesbian, Gay Bisexual, Transgender) activist. He understands that like another other mother, his mother is also concerned about his wedding prospects, hence, the decision of placing the advert in the newspaper.

He stated, “It was an

Harrish Iyer with mother, Padma Iyer

innocent attempt by a mother to find a partner for her son. She did what any other would have done. I do not understand the controversy over this advert.”

He further states, “She is going through the proposals, she will draw a

sider homosexuality as a crime, even with the law ruling homosexual acts as criminalised offences.

There have also been religious groups who protest against LGBT as they sternly claim that homosexuality is “against

Indian culture.”

Furthermore, Padma Iyer has received some criticism for stating that she would prefer a groom from the Iyer caste- an upper-class Brahmin community from South India.

However, defending his mother, Harrish Iyer clarified, “Like most people my mother thought that a person from familiar surroundings would be better. But look at the ad, it says 'caste no bar'. Our family is multicultural.

My mother's sister is married to a Muslim.”

A Delhi-based activist, Monish Kabir Malhotra supports Iyer and the advert. He said, “It's Mr Iyer's right to place an ad in newspapers...

He placed an advert for a partner and it's perfectly normal. I understand that same-sex marriages are illegal in India, but then it's also a reality that thousands of LGBT people live in India. Are we going to pretend that gay people don't exist or kill them all?”

However, another activist, Anindya Hajra from Calcutta argues that this advert does not do much, nor reflect the gay community in India. “He [Harrish Iyer] lives in a big city and is a wellknown activist and can afford such an advert. But LGBT people living in other towns and cities cannot think about it.”

Yoga guru Ramdev, known for his closeness to the government, has sprung a surprise by praising Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi while describing Modi's ministers as "arrogant" and criticizing the government on issues related to farmers.

In an interview to mark one year of the Modi government, Ramdev praised the Prime Minister himself but stressed that some ministers in his government have become arrogant. To a pointed question on Rahul Gandhi's aggressive campaigns against government policies, Ramdev said Rahul had "given a lifeline to a virtually dead Congress. Such a big political house

(Congress) was bogged down by inertia. But it is back on its wheels now."

He said the Congress has succeeded in cornering the government on development and farmers' issues. "Now it's for the government to win back the confidence of farmers.

They will have to formulate a new farm policy," he said. Ramdev said the issue of land acquisition was relevant only in some areas.

"On a larger scale, it's the issue of providing farmers electricity, fertilizers and water for irrigation besides fixing the right minimum support price. It's unfortunate that farmers are treated like unskilled labourers," he said.

To a question on Rahul

Gandhi's "suit-boot ki sarkar" slogan against Modi, Ramdev retorted, "Suit boot pahanne se koi apradhi ho jaata hai kya (Does anyone become a criminal by wearing a suit)?" However, he added a perception should not go down that Dalits, backwards and the underprivileged who have worked for the success of the BJP did not have a representation in the party. "But the way they dress, most people in the BJP, even the backwards and Dalits, give the impression that they are moneyed. This perception should change. Jo hai wo dikhna bhi chahiye (The pro-poor should be reflected in the manner they dress)," he said.

Padma Iyer's advert for a groom for her son, published in Mid-Day newspaper

shortlist and tell me who to meet. I am looking forward to meet them. I am hoping to find a partner now.”

Padma Iyer has caused a controversy as many people in India still con-

Religious and political groups opposing decriminalising gay sex in India

Yoga guru Ramdev lauds Rahul, raps Modi’s ministers

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INDIA - WORLD

HC allows Salman to travel abroad

The Bombay High court has granted permission to actor Salman Khan to travel to Dubai for an event on May 29. Khan was convicted for culpable homicide not amounting to murder for the death of one person sleeping on the steps of a shop when his car rammed into a Bandra laundry in September 2002.

Salman Khan's plea was heard on Tuesday by a single judge of vacation bench of the Bombay High Court. Two days after his conviction, on May 8, the Bombay HC had admitted Khan's appeal against the conviction, suspended the sentence, and granted him bail. The HC, after hearing Khan's counsel Amit Desai and the public prosecutor S Shinde, had said that the charge of culpable homicide under section 304-II of Indian Penal Code needs consideration. But the HC had said that the actor would require to seek prior permission each time he wishes to travel abroad. Khan thus moved the HC for permission to go to Dubai.

The HC judge Justice Abhay Thipsay, while admitting his appeal had said, "This is not a case where in spite of the admission of the Appeal, the appellant should be kept in detention till the Appeal is decided.

Lanka rejects Indian proposal to solve fishing dispute

The Sri Lankan government on Tuesday said it has refused to agree to a proposal from India to allow Indian fishermen to catch fish in Sri Lankan waters.

Fisheries minister Mahinda Amaraweera said that India had requested Sri Lanka to allow Indians to catch fish for 65 days a year in Sri Lankan waters in an attempt to resolve the India-Sri Lanka fishing issue.

H o w e v e r , Amaraweera said he refused to agree to the proposal which had come through the Indian high commission in Colombo,

Xinhua news agency reported.

"Not 65 days, we will not agree for even 65 hours," the minister said.

He said Indian fishermen use bottom trawling and that method is harmful to Sri Lanka's fishing resources.

Sri Lanka and India have had several rounds of talks in an attempt to resolve the fishing issue but have failed to reach a

final solution.

However, hundreds of Indian fishermen have been arrested by the Sri Lankan navy over the years for allegedly poaching in Sri Lanka. Amaraweera said the navy has been instructed to continue arresting Indian fishermen who poach in Sri Lankan waters. He added that local fishermen are still using dynamite to catch fish at some locations.

Amaraweera said the ministry of defence has been instructed to initiate legal action against fishermen using explosives as it was against the law.

The merger move of Janata outfits may soon be junked formally with Samajwadi Party taking the stand that its six parties would retain their separate identities in an umbrella alliance.

Senior sources in Samajwadi Party which has been the driver for bringing together Janata offshoots -SP, RJD, JD(U), H D Devegowda's JD (S), O P Chautala's INLD indicated that the extinction of separate identities is not desirable. Instead, these parties would form an alliance like NDA and UPA, having common strategy and goals without shuttering themselves as independent outfits.

The “merger” project, announced by SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav as a done deal amid great fanfare, had run into the hurdle of inexplicable rethink on part of SP and RJD, and would not have been completed before the targeted deadline of Bihar polls set to be scheduled anytime after September.

But the fresh indications from SP suggest that the project itself may be abandoned.

Problems were evident when a last-gasp effort for the merger of JD(U) and RJD before Bihar elections failed to achieve much, with Bihar CM Nitish Kumar failing to persuade Samajwadi Party

boss Mulayam Singh to make a fresh effort to bring around RJD chief Lalu Prasad.

Sources familiar with the details of Nitish's conversation with Mulayam said while Mulayam, the putative head of Janata Parivar, claimed that he fully supported that the different offshoots of Janata Party merge into one to counter BJP, he did not seem to appreciate Bihar Chief Minister's urgency about the exercise. Nitish, apprehensive that a split in “secular,” especially Muslim votes will help BJP in the coming Bihar elections, wants the merger process to be over soon.

(keep working and walking) and this is what I do.”

He said the people had brought about the change by voting the BJP to power at the Centre. The work done by the NDA in the past one year can only be appreciated if it is compared with the previous government’s work. “Even 365 hours will not be enough for me to describe how my every moment was dedicated to a new decision and attempt to change things,’’ he asserted. “We have to think of from where we started,’’ he told the sizeable audience at the Deendayal Dham and mentioned the ``Commonwealth games, coal and 2G spectrum” scams. “For 60 years only their voice was heard but I will not allow any further loot of the country,’’ he said reiterating that he was the main custodian of public money.

He said he had decided to kick-start the rallies celebrating one year of his government from Nangla Chandrabhan and not any big city to take forward the idea of ``good governance’’ by his government which is dedicated to the poor. Ultimately the poor will be empowered to

become his “soldiers... in the fight against poverty,” he said. Modi took credit for arresting inflation and said in the last one year foreign investment had gone up eight times. More power had been generated in the last year than had been in 30 years, he claimed.

Modi said “dalals” had been chased out of government offices and would not make a return. “They are kicking and screaming but should know that their troubles have just begun,” Modi said.

Maintaining that he was not the “pradhan mantri but the pradhan santri” of the country, Modi said bad days were here for those who had looted the country all these years. “Kuch log pareshan hain ki sab logon ke acchhe din aa gaye hain par un sab ke bure din aa gaye hain (Some people are worried that despite good days for everybody, it is bad days for them),” Modi said. “Bure din have started for netaji's damaad, for netaji's son,” he said in a jibe at Congress chief Sonia Gandhi's son-in-law Robert Vadra.

Speaking against the

backdrop of charges of being pro-rich and antifarmer, Modi dwelt at length on the measures taken by his government for the benefit of the underprivileged and farmers even as he emphasized his focus on job creation for the youth.

Apart from graft, the concern for farmers clearly came through with Modi saying that his government's priority was to give a better life to agriculturists. Though there was no mention of the controversial land bill blocked by the opposition, Modi promised soil health cards to farmers in the next three years and 24x7 electricity in the next five years. Mentioning that 300,000 farmers had committed suicide in the last 60 years, Mod appealed to parties not to politicize the issue. “The need is to sit together and think why the condition of farmers is so bad,” he said.

Detailing the good work undertaken over the past year, Modi invoked Rajiv Gandhi and said the former PM used to say that only 15 paise out of every rupee released from Delhi reached the intended beneficiaries.

Janata merger move may be junked

No place for middlemen, lobbyists now: Modi

Continued from page 1

rampant corruption and nepotism.

He said his government had demolished traditional “power structures and circles” in the corridors of power. “There is no place for middle-men and lobbyists in Delhi now and that is hurting a lot of interests,’’ he said at a Jan Kalyan rally a day before the NDA government completes one year in office.

Hitting out at the previous UPA government, he said it was a government of scams and was run by “remote control.’’ He did not talk of his promised “acche din” (good days), but said the “bure din’’ of those who were unable to come to terms with the changed atmosphere had come in the first year of his government. That is why “they are shouting against the NDA government.”

The Prime Minister did not fail to invoke Lord Krishna and Pandit Deendayal Upadhaya at the rally in Mathura. The message of Lord Krishna, he said, was to do your karma while the message of Pandit Upadhyaya was “charaiveti charaiveti

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 30th May 2015

Happy11th 11 Birthday Happy Birthday

To our our Dearest DearestGranddaughter Granddaughter To Amber Alexandra Patel Amber Alexandra Patel DOB: 28 28 May May 2004 2004 DOB: Mother: Sarah Sarah Patel Patel Mother: Father: Merul Patel Father: Merul Patel Brother: Louis Louis Brother: There are 11 great great things things There are 11 about being ELEVAN about being ELEVAN At this this age age you're you're loved, loved, At happy, healthy, healthy, cool, cool, smart, smart, happy, funny, cute, unique, funny, cute, unique, exciting, imaginative imaginative and and exciting, most importantly importantly caring. caring. most We all all are are very very proud proud of of you you We that you have been awarded that you have been awarded first prize prize in in group group aa first running.

Keep up !!! !!! running. Keep itit up Lots of Love from Lots of Love from Mummy, Daddy, Daddy, Brother Brother Mummy, Louis, Grandma, Grandpa, Louis, Grandma, Grandpa, Dada, Baas, Foi, fua and and Dada, Baas, Foi, fua all your your Cousins.

Cousins. all

Amber with with her her Amber brother Louis Louis brother May God God Bless Bless You You May

Modi on two-day Bangladesh visit from June 6

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will undertake a two-day state visit to Bangladesh from June 6 to further bolster bilateral ties, the Bangladesh foreign ministry said on Tuesday. Modi would make his maiden visit to Bangladesh after being invited by his counterpart Sheikh Hasina following his election last year, the foreign ministry said in a statement. "The visit is expected to further strengthen the excellent relationship between the two countries," it said.

The statement said the two premiers would hold talks to review the "entire gamut of bilateral relations" while Modi will also make a courtesy call on President Abdul Hamid.

The statement came hours after Indian high commissioner in Dhaka Pankaj Saran joined a meeting with Bangladesh officials at the foreign ministry to finalize the protocols and other issues related to the visit.

Officials familiar with the meeting said besides the talks with Hasina and Hamid, Modi would join a function at premier Dhaka University, deliver a public lecture at Bangabandhu International Conference Hall in the capital and visit the National Memorial at suburban Savar to pay tributes to martyrs of 1971 Liberation War.

The fourth meeting of the board of trustees of India Development Foundation of Overseas Indians (IDF-OI) was held on May 23 in New Delhi. The meeting was chaired by minister for overseas Indian affairs Sushma Swaraj. IDF-OI is a not-for-profit trust set-up by MOIA in 2008 to serve as an avenue for overseas Indians to contribute to India’s social development efforts.

In its meeting, the board reviewed the functioning of IDF and its action plan for 2015-16. It decided to enhance engagement with overseas Indians and increase the number and variety of projects.

The board revised the mandate of IDF to seek contributions from overseas Indians for

the three flagship programmes of the Government of India – Namami Gange, Swachh Bharat and Swachh Vidyalaya.

Previously, IDF focussed mainly on philanthropy by overseas Indians to social and development projects in India which were selected by the donors.

The Board also decided that Indian Diaspora can also contribute through IDF, to projects identified by the state governments; and projects implemented by NGOs. The participants in the board meeting included prominent Indians and NRIs Yusuff Ali, Joginder Pal Sanger, Subhash Jindal, Dr. B K Agnihotri, Ashok Chowgule, Ritu Beri and Dr. Bindeshwar Pathak.

India Development Foundation of Overseas Indians holds meeting

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www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 30th May 2015

Super oils: what's tastiest and healthiest?

Forget expensive coffee or wine snobbery — nowadays it’s your choice of cooking oil that announces your social status.

Last week it was reported that sales of rapeseed oil are soaring, with many consumers opting for this home-grown product as an alternative to olive oil. But others advocate coconut oil and then there’s sunflower, avocado and more.

Grape seed oil: This pale yellow oil has recently been touted a hearthealthy cooking oil.

Taste: A relatively neutral flavour.

Benefits: If you’re trying to lose weight, grapeseed oil might be useful.

It creates a film more easily than other oils, so you can spread it thinly over a salad, meaning you use less oil. It’s less volatile than many others, with a moderately high smoke point of around 216c, so can also be used for frying.

It’s also quite high in vitamin E. Best for: Try adding herbs — such as rosemary — to your bottle for flavour and using it as a drizzle on salad.

Pumpkin seed oil: A distinctive dark-green oil whose colour gives it its nickname, ‘green gold’.

Taste: It has an intense nutty flavour.

Benefits: High in omega-3 and 6, it also contains useful levels of zinc, essential for a healthy immune and reproductive system.

Best for: Works well as a drizzle or dressing thanks to the strong colour and flavour.

Olive oil: You probably already have this on your kitchen shelf, but it wasn’t until writer Elizabeth David popularised the

Mediterranean diet in the 1960s that it became a UK staple.

Taste: Varies hugely, from strong grassy, green extravirgin versions to yellower, more processed, less pungent ones.

Benefits: Packed with monounsaturated fatty acids, it protects against heart disease, helping to

keep ‘bad’ (LDL) cholesterol levels in check and raising good (HDL) ones.

Also high in vitamin E, and extra-virgin oils contain lots of polyphenols — antioxidants that may help prevent cardiovascular disease.

Best for: Salad dressings.

Coconut oil: It is enjoying its moment in the sun, with a legion of health food bloggers and chefs singing its praises.

Taste: Coconutty! It’s delicious once you dispel all thoughts of Hawaiian Tropic suncream lotion.

Benefits: Slow to oxidise, so keeps fresh for as long as two years without spoiling. Myriad health benefits include it being rich in lauric acid, a fatty acid that improves metabolism and is said to reduce cholesterol. It also has a high ‘smoke point’, making it good for frying.

Best for: Alternative for frying, especially if re-using the oil. Or as a beauty product.

Rapeseed oil: Nigella’s a fan and increasing num-

Scientists discover mechanism that causes damage to the eyes Many diabetics could be saved from blindness after scientists found a way of preventing a sight-threatening disease that affects them.

One of the common complications of diabetes is diabetic retinopathy, which can cause blindness if left untreated.

Diabetic retinopathy occurs when high blood sugar levels damages the area at the back of the eye known as the retina.

Many diabetics could be saved from blindness, as scientists may have found a way of stopping diabetic retinopathy, a common complication of

the disease A delicate network of blood vessels supplies the retina with blood. But when these become blocked, leaky or grow haphazardly, the light-sensitive retina becomes damaged and is unable to work properly.

The new research found blocking two proteins which trigger the growth of blood vessels could prevent the disease.

bers of people are opting for this cheap, versatile oil — Waitrose and Tesco report a 30 per cent increase in sales in the past year.

Taste: A delicate nutty flavour.

Benefits: High in omega 3, 6 and 9, which are forms of fat that the body needs to maintain good skin and

brain health. Lower in saturated fat than other edible oils at 6 per cent. More vitamin E than olive oil and a higher smoking point, so that goodness isn’t lost as easily during cooking.

Best for: Baking and frying.

Sunflower oil: Cheap as chips, sunflower oil is what most of us used for frying before the market for cooking oils became so diverse.

Taste: It is known for having a clean taste that allows the flavour of the food to shine through.

Benefits: You can heat sunflower oil to 246c before it starts smoking, which makes it ideal for frying. It’s also a good source of vitamin E. Best for: Reserve sunflower oil for frying — but be aware that the higher the temperature the food is cooked at and the longer the food stays on the heat, the more nutrients you lose.

Flaxseed oil: The flax plant has two main uses. Its fibre can be turned into linen yarn and fabric,

while its seed (linseed) can be turned into oil.

Taste: Distinctive nutty taste considered a delicacy in parts of Europe.

Benefits: Good source of the omega-3 alphalinolenic acid, which can help prevent heart attacks and stroke. Also a very good source of omega-6 fatty acids.

Best for: Keep in the fridge and use as salad dressing, not in cooking.

Avocado oil: This versatile oil is popular with dermatologists and nutritionists, and is used for everything from makeup removal to hair conditioner.

Taste: Clean and mild with a hint of nuttiness.

Benefits: Has a higher smoke point than olive oil, so in theory good for cooking. High in useful monounsaturated fats and vitamin E. It enhances the absorption of carotenoids and other nutrients.

Best for: Originally extracted for cosmetic use because of its moisturising qualities. The oil for application in skin care products is usually refined, bleached and deodorised, resulting in an odourless yellow oil.

Peanut oil: Also called groundnut oil, it’s often used in Chinese cooking.

Taste: Mild-tasting and neutral unless you go for the roasted variety with a strong peanut flavour.

Benefits: Has a high smoke point so is commonly used for frying food. Also contains saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats in healthy proportions.

Best for: Frying food at higher temperatures. You wouldn’t want to drizzle this on anything.

New drug jab cuts cholesterol better than statins New drugs that lower cholesterol levels more effectively than statins may also halve patients' chances of suffering a heart attack and dying, according to new research.

The drugs, known as PCSK9 inhibitors, work by stopping a protein that raises levels of 'bad' LDL cholesterol.

By contrast, statins work by stopping the liver producing cholesterol in the first place. Another common drug, ezetimibe, works by reducing how much cholesterol is absorbed through the intestine and into the blood. Neither treatment

reduces cholesterol as much as the PCSK9s.

The drugs, known as PCSK9 inhibitors, work by stopping a protein that raises levels of 'bad' LDL cholesterol Previous research showed that the new drugs known as evolocumab, alirocumab and bococizumab, given by injection - lower LDL cholesterol by up to 70 per cent in some groups of patients.

Scientists peek inside healthy brains to find the cause of Alzheimer's

Scientists are scanning the brains of healthy elderly citizens as part of an ambitious new Alzheimer's treatment which hopes to discover the cause of the disease.

Previous research has identified two hallmarks of Alzheimer's - sticky brain plaque and tangles of a protein named tau that clog dying brain cells. Using the latest technology, experts can now spot these tangles in living brains - and they hope that extensive scanning of healthy subjects will provide clues to what triggers the debilitating disease.

The tau brain scans will be added to a new study in the U.S. that's testing if an experimental drug might help healthy but at-risk people stave off Alzheimer's.

Whether that medication works or not, it's the first drug study where scientists can track how both of Alzheimer's signature markers begin building up in older adults before memory ever slips. More than 35 million people worldwide have Alzheimer's or simi-

lar dementias, including about five million in the U.S. Those numbers are expected to rise rapidly as the baby boomers get older. There is no good treatment.

Today's medications only temporarily ease symptoms and attempts at new drugs, mostly targeted at sticky amyloid, have failed in recent years. Some believe treatment needs to start at an earlier stage.

Scientists now think Alzheimer's begins quietly ravaging the brain more than a decade before symptoms appear, much like heart disease is triggered by gradual cholesterol buildup.

Brain scans show many healthy older adults quietly harbour those sticky amyloid plaques, not a guarantee that they'll eventually get Alzheimer's but an increased risk.

Yet more recent research, including a large autopsy study from the Mayo Clinic, suggests that Alzheimer's other bad actor - that tangleforming tau protein - also plays a big role.

Nuts and seeds in the afternoon can help beat obesity Snacking on protein and soy-rich foods in the afternoon helps stave off hunger and could therefore help in the battle against obesity, new research has revealed.

While the benefits have been well-documented in adults, researchers have shown the same can now be said of children's diets.

Afternoon snacking, particularly on protein or soy-rich foods, reduces hunger pangs.

It also delays the need to eat while reducing the likelihood of gorging on unhealthy, fatty foods.

Dr Heather Leidy, from the University of Missouri, said: 'Our research showed that eating high-protein snacks in the afternoon helps teenagers improve the quality of their diets as

well as control appetite.

'Standard meals tend to go to the wayside for kids this age - particularly from mid-afternoon to late evening - and many of the convenient 'grab and go' snacks are high in fat and sugar.

'When kids eat highprotein snacks in the afternoon, they are less likely to eat unhealthy snacks later in the day, which is particularly important for kids who want to prevent unhealthy weight gain.'

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Amy to be seen in traditional attires in 'Gethu' R

ed Giant Movies p r o d u c e d “Gethu” is nearing completion and hero Udhayanidhi in an interview to a popular magazine shared some exciting tidbits about the film.

Udhayanidhi has changed his get up and appears in a new look in this crime thriller in which British beauty Amy Jackson is going to play a Brahmin girl who will be seen in traditional attires throughout the film.

Sathyaraj appears as Udhay’s father and Vikranth will play the main antagonist with Karunakaran taking care of comedy.

“Gethu” has music by Harris Jayaraj and is directed by Thirukumaran of “Maan Karate” fame.

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 30th May 2015

Parthiban turns villain for Nayanthara and Vignesh Sivan P arthiban has done quite a few characters with grey shades in the past, including his debut “Puthiya Paathai.” For the first time in his career the actor-director is doing a full fledged villain’s role in Dhanush’s upcoming production venture “ N a a n u m Rowdydhaan,” directed by V i g n e s h

Sivan, who is currently the darling of the media, after marriage rumours with Nayanthara surfaced. “Naanum Rowdydhaan” has Vijay Sethupathi and Nayanthara as the lead pair with

Shah Rukh as Villain for Rajinikanth?

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he latest buzz about the upcoming Rs 3 billion Magnum Opus from the Shankar-Rajini combo is that Bollywood Badshah Shah Rukh Khan has been approached to play the parallel lead. According to sources the scenario would be that Rajini will play the hero in Tamil while Shah Rukh will be the villain and

'Welcome to Karachi'

“Welcome to Karachi” is an upcoming Indian action comedy film, directed by Ashish R Mohan and produced by Vashu Bhagnani and Uzair Junejo.

The film stars Arshad Warsi and Jackky Bhagnani as pivotal leads. Music directors Jeet Ganguly and Rochak Kohli, have composed music for this film. The film has been shot in various parts of the United Kingdom including Bradford, Birmingham and Wales and sets were recreated to resemble Karachi. During the shooting of scenes in Wales, the lead actors were mistaken as real Taliban people and the shoot was halted by Scotland Yard authorities. The Bradford Bazaar was used as the backdrop of the film's shooting in Bradford.

During the shoot, the airport set from Birmingham was stolen by truckloaders. During this, Bhagnani suffered a loss to due to which shooting came to a halt.

in the Hindi version Shah Rukh would be the hero and Rajini the villain.

Earlier it was reported that Aamir Khan and Vikram had been offered the role but it now looks certain that the two Mega Stars of Indian Cinema, Shah Rukh and Rajinikanth will combine onscreen under Shankar's direction to give a world class movie for fans. Official announcement regarding this is expected early next week.

Sylvester Stallone may join Salman in action film

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ollywood actor Salman Khan and Hollywood's 'Rambo' Sylvester Stallone may now be seen together in an action film. After the “Dabangg” actor praised Stallone on Twitter calling him 'hero ka hero' while asking his fans to follow the action king, the latter thanked him for the praise and called Khan 'super talented Indian superstar' on Twitter. Not only this, he also expressed his wish to feature with Khan in an action film. Now with Rambo himself inviting Salman for an action film, the Kick actor might grab the opportunity and join him in new “Expendables.”

Jeevan, Radhika Sarathkumar, R J Balaji and Anandraj along with Parthiban in the cast. The Anirudh musical is presented by Wunderbar films and is fast nearing completion.

Balki's next is a love story

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irector Balki, who last made “Shamitabh” with Dhanush, Amitabh Bachchan and Akshara Haasan, is ready for his next.

It will be a love story and will have Arjun Kapoor and Kareena Kapoor Khan in the lead.

As in the past, this film of Balki too will have music by maestro Ilayaraja.

Balki had said that he would not make movies without the Isaignani's music.

"Shooting for the film will starts in July and plans are on to release it next year," sources said. Also, there seem to be plans to and dub and release the yet untitled movie in Tamil and Telugu too.

Shraddha's romantic dance with Varun Dhawan

S

h r a d d h a Kapoor seemed to be in a romantic mood, but unfortunately she didn't romance her alleged boyfriend Aditya Roy Kapur.

Shraddha rather held hands and broke into a romantic jig with the hot and handsome Varun Dhawan on the sets of Indian Idol Junior 2 where the two promoted their movie “ABCD 2.” While Shraddha looked her adorable self in a saree, Varun Dhawan also impressed in a Nehru jacket. They both looked absolutely adorable together! They are soon going to be seen in Remo D'Souza's “ABCD 2” which is slated for release on June 19, 2015.

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 30th May 2015

Aishwarya's breathtaking appearance at Cannes W

Azharuddin trains Emraan for biopic 'Azhar'

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ormer Indian cricket captain Mohammad Azharuddin finds Emraan Hashmi as the perfect fit to portray him in his biopic “Azhar,” while the actor says the cricketer is helping him learn the nuances of the game. "Emraan is very apt for the role. He has worked very hard. A lot of people asked me 'Why Emraan is doing my role in the film?' But Emraan is my favorite," Azharuddin said at the teaser launch of the biopic. "I have watched almost all his films, and I think he is apt for the role. After this film, he will be called Azhar most of the times," he added.

Directed by Tony D'Souza and produced

by Balaji Motion Pictures and MSM Motion Pictures, Azhar will be on the life of Azharuddin, who led the Indian cricket team for most of the 1990s.

hile we were still swooning over Aishwarya Rai Bachchan's Oscar De La Renta gown, the beauty queen made another breathtaking appearance on the Cannes red carpet as she attended the screening of 'Youth' is an enticing Ralph & Russo number. The monochromatic gown featured black and white ruffles and the 41-year-old swept us off our feet in one of her best look at Cannes in 14 years.

She was picture perfect from head to toe and made an arresting sight as she blew kisses at the lensmen. With the right bit of oomph, she made her most dramatic appearance ever in this architectural design. She totally nailed it and we couldn't have asked for more.

Motherhood helped me do 'Jazbaa' role more truthfully Speaking to the media on the sidelines of the festival while unveiling the first look of her film “Jazbaa, ” she said motherhood had helped her to do the film more truthfully. In response to a question if she knew someone whose child was kidnapped, she said fortunately she knew none like that and hoped it never happens to anyone. She can understand this better since she is a mother now. It's not that she has not done roles of mature women earlier, but she is more “familiar and familial” with such a role now and has been more truthful in its portrayal in “Jazbaa.” She plays the mother of a little girl in the film who gets kidnapped.

Kalki wants to be a commercially viable actress

P

roving her mettle in contentdriven films like “Margarita, With A Straw,” “Girl in Yellow Boots” and “Shaitan” is not enough for Kalki Koechlin as the actress says she is yet to become marketable enough for producers to risk their money on her. Kalki said though her latest film “Margarita, With A Straw” earned decent success at the boxoffice, she is yet to reach the stage where she can pick and choose her films. "Honestly, it takes at least a year after the film's release for people to even conceive that you are marketable. Right now it is too early to say," Kalki said when asked if the success of Margarita has helped her become commercially viable.

29

Music and dance are characters in a film, says 'ABCD2' composer duo Sachin-Jigar

Charusmita

B

iopics in Bollywood are often made on the lives of historic and contemporary cult figures and have never faded as a fad. Remo D’Souza, with his first sequel directorial venture - “ABCD2,” tells the real life story of Suresh and his troupe from Fictitious Dance Academy (Mumbai, India) who went on to win the Hip-Hop dance championship in Las Vegas all the way from the backstreets of a Mumbai suburb. The real Suresh also stars in the film but his character in the film is played by Varun Dhawan. The movie also features Shraddha Kapoor, who was praised by the filmmakers to be an extraordinary dance performer. Prabhu Deva returns from the original “ABCD” as Vishnu Sir. “ABCD2” too is a 3D dance film like its predecessor but with stunning international locales, foottapping music, and is Disney India’s first local franchise. Besides a feature film, the concept of “ABCD” is to be presented across a television show, a game and branded merchandise.

There has been a lot of discussion around the soundtrack of the film which has provided the base for the spectacular choreography.

As part of an exclusive one-toone with “Asian Voice,” the composer duo Sachin-Jigar revealed that they spent about a year immersing themselves in the sounds and tunes to come up with existing tracks. Two songs- ‘Sun Saathiya’ (a contemporary ballet) and ‘Bezubaan Phir Se’ have been taken from the original film. According to them, “Bezubaan signifies the theme and message of the film beautifully” and it has been revamped instrumentally to discover its more powerful version. The dance sequences in the film span across various genres and the compositions are a fusion and are lyric-driven.

Sachin-Jigar had set a benchmark for all dance based films in India with “ABCD” and are now raising their own bar with “ABCD2.” Their personal journey as composers is nothing short of incredible and echoes the same sentiment as the movie. As they

Karan Johar, Sanjay Leela Bhansali bury hatchet

K

aran Johar and Sanjay Leela Bhansali, who were caught up in a bitter fight over the casting of D e e p i k a Padukone and Ranveer Singh for their respective films, have kissed and made up, reports said. Last August, two of Bollywood's A-list filmmakers were embroiled in a bitter war of words. Karan was spitting venom because Sanjay, who pulled off a casting coup by roping in the lead pair of his last film, “Goliyon Ki Rasleela Ram Leela,” for his next film, “Bajirao Mastani.” Reportedly, the fight was because KJo had planned to cast the two stars in his film, “Shhuddhi,” after the original leads, Hrithik Roshan and Kareena Kapoor, dropped out, a fact that he denied.

But at a recent bash, the two hugged, kissed and sorted out their differences.

Sachin and Jigar

recall, “We were continuing our journey as music arrangers and Pritam Sir (noted Bollywood composer) sat us down and told us to take a plunge as composers. That, truly, was the biggest ‘second chance’ at life that we got”. Incidentally, the film’s tagline reads- “Life is all about a second chance”. Their own flight to fame was quite a depiction of the same.

One of the soundtracks to look forward to is the ‘Ganpati’ song in which the duo claims to have completely reinvented themselves. They have a message for all budding composers and choreographers in Bollywood - “This is the time. The reference points are new. There is a bold breed of directors. The audience is more receptive than ever before.

Bollywood is not about making music for yourself or being happy about playing some chords, it is almost like playing a character in the film”.

With such inspired performances, inventive soundtrack and astonishing choreography, this film is sure to move the audiences and reiterate the old adage of ‘following your heart’.

ABCD 2 releases internationally on 19th June 2015 via UTV Motion Pictures.

Salman wants to be brand ambassador of India

D

uring a press conference in Kashmir, the first one after his hit and run case verdict, Salman Khan said that he wants to become the brand ambassador of India. According to reports some political parties had approached Salman to become the brand ambassador of Jammu and Kashmir. When asked if he is considering the offer, Salman said, "Why only Kashmir? I want to become the brand ambassador of India." Salman is gearing up for his next film “Bajrangi Bhaijaan”which is shot in Jammu and Kashmir. Directed by Kabir Khan, it's scheduled to release this Eid.

30

UK

Female cyclist assaulted and pushed into Regent's Canal

Police in Tower Hamlets are appealing for information and witnesses after a female cyclist was pushed from a towpath into the Regent’s Canal.

Police were called on Thursday, 21 May at 19:30hrs to reports of a cyclist in the water between Commercial Road and Salmon Lane in Limehouse. It appears that the 33-year-old

woman had been riding north along the canal path when she noticed a group of teenagers walking towards her. She slowed down and as she tried to pass heard one shout out an order to push her in. A female member of the group then lunged forward and pushed at the victim’s upper torso, sending her into the water with her bike. As she attempted to

Coming Events

l Sanubari- Portraits in Motion- An exhibition of photographs from the book 'Fluid Lucidity' by Nirmala Karuppiah (Kuala Lumpur). Presented by BFLY WORKS. June 11- July 1, 2015 at MP Birla Millennium Art Gallery, The Bhavan, 4a Castletown Road, West Kensington, London W14 9HE. Tuesday- Sunday: 11am-7pm. Monday: closed.

Contact 020 7381 3086 or visit: www.bhavan.net l HDFC's India Homes Fair. Saturday 30thSunday 31st May, at 10am- 7pm. Hilton London Metropole Hotel. 225 Edgware Road, London W2 1JU. Contact: 020 7872 5542 l Anand Mela. Saturday 6th- Sunday 7th June, at 10am- 7pm. Harrow Leisure Centre, Christchurch Avenue, Harrow, HA3 5BD. l Inspired by Gandhi International Writing Competition. Last date for entries: Sunday 31st May. Visit: www.sampad.org.uk l Photography Exhibition by Harminder Negi.

Monday 1st June, 6:15pm. Awaken the Leader In You. Friday 5th June, 6:30pm. Photography Exhibition by Spriha Srivastava. Monday 8th Jun, 6:15pm. Mohiniyattam Recital: Ekaharya. Monday 8th June, 6:30pm. The High Commission of India.

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climb out of the canal the victim noticed the group of five or six teenagers running away along the towpath. They headed under the Commercial Road foot tunnel and over the Limehouse marine lock foot bridge towards Limehouse DLR station.

They were described as Asian, both male and female and aged between 16 and 18 years. The female who pushed the victim had long dark hair and was wearing dark sun

glasses. A passing jogger was able to rescue the female and retrieve her bike before alerting police.

She had suffered shock and grazing. Officers from the Met’s Marine Policing Unit (MPU) attended along with local officers from Tower Hamlets.

Anyone with information should call Tower Hamlet’s CID based at Limehouse police station on 020 7275 4546 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Congratulations

Last week, held a competition for one lucky reader to receive two tickets to see Arijit Singh live in concert. Thank you all for your participation. The correct answer was b) Tum Hi Ho. The lucky winner of this competition is Varsha Shah, from Surrey. Asian Voice hopes that you have a splendid time at the concert.

Children as young as five are being radicalised Britain's most senior Muslim police chief, Commander Mak Chishty, has said that children as young as five are being aimed by Islamist indoctrination.

Commander Chishty, of Scotland Yard, is calling for escalated monitoring to recognise the earliest signs of anti-western attitude among Muslim children. He said that it was crucial to “move into the private space” of Muslims to root out early radicalisation. Chishty believes young children are expressing hostility to

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 30th May 2015

Business partnerships are tested, some of them could challenge your authority. The more you live up to your own set of principles the more you will gain.

Now is the time to cultivate an easier relationship with life, get out and about, explore fresh possibilities. Once you set your mind on a goal you must go for it.

ARIES Mar 21 - Apr 20

TAURUS Apr 21 - May 21 You will continue to be in a restless mood for some time to come. This makes you impatient with restrictions and even more determined to cut your own path. Do not get over-anxious if everything seems to be in slow motion - it is time to pull a few strings. You are likely to experience some tension in close relationships.

Relationships are complex in the best of

but Saturn's GEMINI May 22 - June 22 times, motion can make things

even more complicated now. Misunderstandings can plague partnerships or potential romances - be more careful and forgiving. A good time for completing unfinished business and reassessing your future projects.

CANCER Jun 22 - Jul 22

You may find yourself hard at work behind the scenes, although that may not be apparent to others. You may find yourself caught up in a whirlwind of activity, with opportunities to advance on both the inner and outer level. There’s a sparkle to your social life and much enjoyment is to be had simply from being in touch with other people.

LEO Jul 23 - Aug 23

Jupiter, the planet of abundance, is transiting your personal sector. You have plenty of romantic options. Financially you are still not out of the woods as Saturn is still challenging you. At work you will experience a mixed atmosphere, therefore be on your guard as communications can be misinterpreted.

Christmas by labelling it as “haram”, or forbidden

by Islam. Some young people are also snubbing certain shops, such as Marks & Spencer out of the erroneous assumption that it is Jewish-owned.

VIRGO Aug 24 - Sep 23 At home, be at your diplomatic best and try not to tread on anyone's toes. Passions will run from hot to cold, and relationships may suffer. Even the most strong-willed Virgoans will be more open to compromise to keep the peace. All things considered, your health should be robust.

LIBRA Sep 24 - Oct 23

It would be unwise to take any risks, particularly in regard to joint interests and investments.

So be extra careful if you need to deal with complex legal matters and necessary red tape. If love has left you feeling rather dejected or cynical, it looks as though soon events will pull you out of this mood of despondency.

SCORPIO Oct 24- Nov 22 Decision making will prove to be a bit of a bind because of your wavering mind - seek professional advice and then steam ahead.

Be careful with your expenditure as you have a tendency to be extravagant. In relationships, sometimes it is a good idea to stand back and get a more objective view of the pattern of your life.

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SAGITTARIUS Nov 23 - Dec 21

It's a time of slow and steady progress that can set the stage for a long time to come. Of course, there are still challenging issues on both a personal and practical level. To get here you may have overcome obstacles by making important decision and choices. You will achieve a lot more, by motivating your own desires.

CAPRICORN Dec 22 - Jan 20

The planetary activity in your chart signals a time of mixed emotions as well as personal issues to be dealt with. The accent’s very much on relationships. The outlook remains optimistic, so don't be afraid to act if your instinct tells you it's time for change. Professional and financial pressures will begin to ease.

AQUARIUS Jan 21 - Feb 19 You’re likely to find yourself doing a lot of thinking about both new and existing partnerships, and maybe toing and froing in one relationship in particular. Home and family duties and responsibilities may weigh heavy on you.

In effect, you’re building a new foundation, so the work you put in now will pay off in the future.

You need to pay more attention than usual to your everyday work dairy. Meetings, work hours and organised breaks could play havoc, unless you're prepared to re-group on the spur of the moment. Try to be meticulous but flexible about your schedule.

Play your cards right and you can pull strings in you favour.

PISCES Feb 20 - Mar 20

Harbhajan makes comeback to Indian squad

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 30th May 2015

Out of favour for more than two years, veteran off-spinner Harbhajan Singh staged a comeback to India's squad for the one-off Test match against Bangladesh while the ODI team was also kept full strength for the short series. The 34-year-old Harbhajan, who has bowled well for Mumbai Indians in the Indian Premier League, was rewarded with a berth in the 15-member squad to be captained by Virat Kohli.

Barring Harbhajan, there were no major surprises in the squad announced by BCCI secretary Anurag Thakur after a meeting of a five-member selection committee. Allrounder Ravindra Jadeja was dropped from the Test squad while Mohammed Shami, who is recovering from a knee surgery, has been left out of the ODI side. Mumbai medium pacer Dhawal Kulkarni has replaced Shami in the ODI squad. Kulkarni has played only four ODIs so far and has taken 8 wickets.

Contrary to speculation about top players being rested, the panel headed by Sandeep Patil decided to go with full strength squads for both the one-off Test and the three ODIs starting June

Harbhajan Singh

10 in Fatullah. The three ODIs will be played on June 18, 21 and 24 in Mirpur.

"Harbhajan has been discussed earlier as well.

The selection committee has picked Harbhajan due to the strength of Bangladesh batting, especially the number of lefthanders they have. It was decided that Harbhajan should be there for these reasons. Captain Virat Kohli's opinion was also

taken on this," Patil told reporters.

Harbhajan last played a Test for India in March 2013 against Australia in a home series. The temperamental spinner is the third highest Test wicket-taker for India with 413 scalps to his credit in 101 matches.

The Test team has no place for veterans such as Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, Yuvraj Singh and Pragyan Ojha.

"There was no discussion on Yuvraj Singh. It will be difficult for me to say, who all were discussed. Whoever we felt, the captain and the selection committee, we discussed," Patil said.

"When we pick somebody, the selection committee represents each and every cricketer of the country. We don't have emotional angles, we don't have emotional attachments. We look for performance and the fitness and the combination.

Everybody reported fit except Mohammed Shami and he will be available after four weeks.

Otherwise everybody was available for selection," he

added.

Patil said none of the senior players sought exemption from the tour.

"We understand that our team has been playing continuous cricket. It's not only our team, all the other teams are also playing continuous cricket. If you look at the policy which the selection committee has followed, we have been giving rest to a couple of players and we have considered requests from the players side also.

Regarding this tour, there was no request from any player so we went ahead picking the bestpossible combination," he said.

Teams: Test Squad: Virat Kohli (C), Murali Vijay, Shikhar Dhawan , K L Rahul, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, Rohit Sharma, Wriddhiman Saha, R Ashwin, Harbhajan Singh, Karn Sharma, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Umesh Yadav, Varun Aaron, Ishant Sharma.

ODI Squad: MS Dhoni (C), Rohit Sharma, Ajinkya Rahane, Shikhar Dhawan, Virat Kohli, Suresh Raina, Ambati Rayudu, R Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Umesh Yadav, Mohit Sharma, Stuart Binny, Dhawal Kulkarni.

taking the job unless he is retained for a longer duration.

Ganguly has also told the board that he would only be interested in a BCCI position if given a longer duration. He wants to prepare a team for the 2019 World Cup. The Board is also keen to acknowledge Ravi Shastri's good work with Team India. So he is likely to be awarded with a position in the Cricket Advisory Committee. The Board Secretary is also waiting for one final chat with Sachin Tendulkar before they give final shape to the all-powerful committee.

It is understood that Sourav Ganguly was given the choice of becoming a Team Director or a High Performance Manager.

And though he would prefer the former, that would also mean giving up his CAB post. Some members within the Board have sent a message to the former India skipper that they would want him in both roles, hence he should choose the one that keeps him in CAB for at least six months a year.

With Sourav almost set to step into a dressing room of a few superstars and two captains, Indian cricket is headed for interesting times.

Ganguly set for new role with Team India

The BCCI's mandate is clear. They want to have a strategist who will help Team India boost its overseas record and for that they have turned to former captain Sourav Ganguly. According to sources, in the next couple of days the BCCI will unveil its new Cricket Advisory Committee and Ganguly will have a prominent role to play. He will either take charge as the Team Director or the High Performance Manager. The former India captain will most likely travel to Bangladesh with the team. Though some BCCI members are in favour of scrapping the

Sourav Ganguly

Team Director's position, it will be retained till at least the Zimbabwe tour.

However, Ravi Shastri is unlikely to hold onto his position. It is learnt that he wouldn't be keen on

SPORT WORLD

South Africa to tour India in Oct/Nov

Delhi, Ahmedabad, Bangalore and Nagpur will host the four-Test matches against South Africa when the Proteas tour the country in October and November.

The BCCI Tour Programme and Fixtures Committee, which met on Sunday, allocated the venues for the international matches. According to a BCCI media release, South Africa will be playing four Tests, five ODIs and three T20 Internationals while Sri Lanka play three T20 Internationals in India. With the ICC World T20 slated to be held next year, the BCCI has taken pains to schedule six T20 Internationals.

The five ODI venues for the South Africa matches will be Chennai, Kanpur, Rajkot and Mumbai with either Indore or Gwalior hosting one match. The Madhya Pradesh Cricket Association (MPCA) will take a call on it at a later stage.

The three T20 Internationals against South Africa will be held at Kolkata, Mohali and Dharamsala. The three T20 Internationals against Sri Lanka will be held in Pune, Visakhapatnam and Delhi.

India's T20 schedule Month Series July 2 T20s vs Zimbabwe in Zimbabwe September 3 T20s vs South Africa in India January 3 T20s vs Australia in Australia February 3 T20s vs Sri Lanka in India March Asia Cup (T20 format) in Bangladesh Contract system for women: The BCCI's women's cricket committee proposed, among other things, a contract system for women cricketers. "On the lines of men's cricket, a contract system for international women cricketers was proposed. It was also proposed to have more international fixtures for the Indian women's cricket team," BCCI secretary Anurag Thakur said.

Lanka women cricketers forced to perform sexual favours

Sri Lanka Sports Ministry in a shocking revelation said that according to an investigation evidence had been found that the members of Sri Lankan National Women’s team had been forced to perform sexual favours for the officials so that they could retain or find a place in the squad. Sri Lanka Cricket which is the official body that looks after cricketing matters of the country has now ordered a probe into the matter.

A committee consisting of three members had been set up, headed by retired Supreme Court judge Nimal Dissanayake, submitted its findings to the Sri Lankan Sport's Ministry. The official statement was, “The committee report found evidence of sexual harassment by members of the Sri Lanka cricket women's management team against several members of the Sri Lanka cricket women's team.”

"The (sports) minister intends to take disciplinary actions against those members where evidence has been found." However, the statement did not divulge any details as to what evidence was found, who were involved or what would be the course ahead.

There had been local media reports in late October wherein an anonymous senior female cricketer had claimed that officials selecting players had asked women players to have sex with them if they wanted to be selected. These allegations first appeared in a Sinhalese newspaper Divaina and the senior player was dropped after she refused to perform sexual favours.

Sri Lanka's women cricket team is ranked sixth in the world ICC rankings in one-day international games after Australia, South Africa, West Indies, Pakistan and England by the ICC. They just lost a four one-day match series against West Indies last week.

England beat New Zealand in dramatic finish to first test

Ben Stokes took two wickets in two balls to inspire England to victory over New Zealand by 124 runs on the final day of the first Test at Lord's on Tuesday morning. The fiery all-rounder dismissed Kane Williamson for 27 and Brendon McCullum for a duck before a defiant sixthwicket partnership of 107 between Corey Anderson and BJ Watling gave New Zealand hope of salvaging a draw.

But Mark Wood removed Watling for 59, Anderson was lbw to Joe

Root for 67 and England quickly got rid of Mark Craig and Tim Southee.

Last-wicket-pair Matt Henry and Trent Boult survived for eight overs

amid mounting tension before the latter was brilliantly caught at third man by a diving Moeen Ali off Stuart Broad as the Kiwis were bowled out for 220.

New Zealand, chasing 345 for victory, collapsed to 3 for 12 before lunch but Williamson and Watling dug in and took the score to 3 for 61.

Stokes, who struck the fastest Test century at the home of cricket on Monday, had the obdurate Williamson caught by Root in the slips for 27 before bowling captain McCullum with a venomous delivery that cut back sharply.

Anderson survived the hat-trick ball and immediately went on the attack, hitting Stokes for two

31

fours and a six, and he continued to play positively alongside the more circumspect Watling as New Zealand took tea on 5 for 134. Wood broke the partnership when Watling gloved a fast straight delivery to wicketkeeper Jos Buttler and Anderson was trapped by Root.

Stokes returned to bowl Craig for four with a rapid full-pitched delivery and Southee was caught and bowled by Moeen for 20.

Broad trapped Tom Latham lbw with his first delivery to reduce the touring side to 2 for 0 and

he also dismissed Ross Taylor in the same manner as New Zealand slumped to 3 for 12.

Earlier, Kiwi left-armer Boult picked up the last four wickets in under an hour as England were bowled out for 478. The hosts resumed on 429 for six and Boult had captain Alastair Cook caught by wicketkeeper Latham for 162 before bowling Broad for 10. Moeen was lbw for 43 and Anderson was bowled for nought to give Boult figures of 5 for 85 in the innings and nine wickets in the match.

32

SPORT

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 30th May 2015

Mumbai Indians outplay Chennai to lift IPL trophy

Mumbai Indians' love affair with Eden Gardens continued as they clinched their second IPL title following a crushing 41-run win over Chennai Super Kings in a lop-sided summit clash in Kolkata on Sunday.

Mumbai Indians posted an imposing 202 for five as skipper Rohit Sharma (50) and Lendl Simmons (68) rattled up a 119-run stand off just from 67 balls after being invited to bat.

The Mumbai captain, who has an ODI world record of 264 and also a debut Test hundred at the Eden Gardens, yet again exploded at his favourite venue. Sharma (6 fours, 2 sixes) and Simmons (8 fours 3 sixes) plundered 19 boundaries in their partnership. After Sharma and Pollard's dismissal in consecutive balls, burly West Indies batsman Kieron Pollard (36) and Ambati Rayudu (36 not out) led the side past 200.

Mumbai bowlers complimented the good work of the batsmen as they took the fizz out of

Chennai's chase with a very disciplined effort.

They straitjacketed the Chennai batsmen, restricting them to 161 for eight as seasoned spinner Harbhajan Singh took the key wickets of Dwayne Smith (57) and Suresh Raina (28) in two overs.

Kiwi pacer Mitchell McClenaghan (3/25) took three wickets while his Sri Lankan pace colleague Lasith Malinga (2/25) scalped two batsmen.

Mumbai had won their first title in 2013 at this very venue, defeating the same rivals. Chennai have

now lost four finals (2008, 2012, 2013, 2015) in six appearances.

Chasing the huge target, CSK opted to take it easy and concentrated on building a platform after losing Michael Hussey (4) early. Smith and Raina bided their time and

looked to consolidate but it meant that they managed only 31 runs from the first six overs. The required run-rate kept on going up and shot past 13 at the midway mark.

Smith completed his half-century in 45 balls but only to be trapped lbw

by Harbhajan in his penultimate over. Having made a grand comeback into the Bangladeshbound Test side, Harbhajan completed his spell in style by dismissing Raina.

Looking to step out, Raina was brilliantly deceived by the veteran off-spinner who bowled a wide ball and wicketkeeper Parthiv Patel did the rest behind the stumps.

With Hussey, Smith and Raina back in the pavilion, and skipper Dhoni not looking in his usual elements, it looked as good as over for the yellow brigade who choked in an IPL final for a fourth time.

Talk about Sharma and his sizzling love-affair at Eden Gardens, and he has done nothing wrong at the ground. A stunning 177 on Test debut, an ODI world record of mindboggling 264, an IPL century (60-ball 109) against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and an unbeaten 98 in the opening match of this season.