AV 31st August 2024

For the love of cows! (P-08)

Community holds UK-wide peaceful demonstrations for ‘Abhaya’ (P-13)

British Indian students achieve remarkable GCSE results (P-15)

Independence Day enthusiasm (P-17)

Modi, Biden discuss

Madhapur in Bhuj is Asia's richest village (P-26)

'Game of Thrones' star

Iain Glen joins Anupam Kher s 'Tanvi The Great' (P-31)

Stars encourage kids from diverse backgrounds to play cricket (P-32)

India's travel evolution attracting the UK and world

Anusha Singh

India's economic rise has lifted millions out o f p o v e r t y a n d

y s geopolitical influence Less evident however, is the impact of its growing consumer class on global tourism

Between 2009 and 2019, international departures from India more than doubled to 27 million Overseas spending by Indian travellers tripled between 2010 and 2023, reaching $33 billion, with forecasts predicting it will jump to $45 billion next year This surge is driven by a mix of demographic shifts and economic growth People aged 25 to 34 are the most enthusiastic travellers, and a fifth of the population will soon enter this age group

PM MODI’S HISTORIC POLAND-UKRAINE VISIT

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Poland and Ukraine continues Delhi's oftenoverlooked effort to elevate Europe s role in India's foreign policy over the past decade. It was noted that no Indian Prime Minister had visited Poland in the past 45 years or Ukraine in the past 31 years The timing of these visits, amid the ongoing two-and-a-half-year old Russia-Ukraine war, heightened the complexity and stakes for all involved, particularly for Indian policymakers

Krishna's joyful birth: Temples light up with devotion

Subhasini Naicker

Continued on page 27

First Indian Premier to visit Poland in 45 years, marking a new era of friendship

PM Modi with Poland Prime Minister Donald Tusk at Warsaw in Poland

PM Modi with Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at Kiev in Ukraine

PM

Ukraine, safety of Hindus in Bangladesh (P-25)

Janmashtami celebration at Bhaktivedanta Manor

Janmashtami celebration at the BAPS Swaminarayan Temple in Neasden

Labour donor who gets No 10 pass

S i r Ke i r S tar m er ’

p ersonal d ono

Lo rd A lli,

h as been g ranted an exclusiv e pass to Downing Street,

p rov i d ing h im w ith u nrestricted access to the Prime M inister's resid ence

Lord Alli, a millionaire T

d Labour’s fundraising efforts for the general election and o r g a

reception in the Downing

St

donors This decision has raised eyebrows among col-

party’s relationship with its donors A Whitehall source n o t e d

a l e behind granting Alli a pass remains unclear to most in

Downing Street, except for A l l i a n

authorised it

Wa h e e d A l l i , w h o became the f irst openly gay and youngest member of the House of Lords in 1998, has

under Starmer Alli chaired

efforts before the election and has been a major donor, c o n t

,

Labour since 2020 He has also personally donated to Starmer, including £16,200 for “work clothing” (likely s

mu lt i ple pairs of glasses, and £36,400 for private off ice costs and accommodation during the election campaign

Alli played a key role in Labour’s fundraising, helping the party outspend the Conser vatives by over £18 million in the year leading up to the election He is also close to Sue Gray, Starmer’s chief of staff, and has been a trusted advisor on sensitive issues, including ministerial appointments

Starmer urges honest talks with Chinese leader

P M Ke i r S t a r me r h a s e xpres sed hope for "ope n, f rank , an d hone st" di scus-

s i o n s w i t h C h i n a ’ s

Pre sid ent X i Jinpi ng durin g the ir f ir st off icial call

T h i s c o n v e r s a t i o n m a r ke d t h e f i r s t d i r e c t interaction between Xi and a B r i t i s h p r i m

M a r c h 2 0 2 2 D u r i n g t h e call, the leaders explored potential areas of cooperation, including trade, the e c o n o my, a n d e d u c a t io n , a c c o r d i n g t o a No 1 0 spokesperson

T h e y e m p h a s i s e d t h e importance of close collabo r a t i o n o n g l o b a l i s s u e s such as climate change and security, and agreed on the necessity of maintaining a stable and consistent UK-

C h i n a r e l a t i o n s h i p w i t h ongoing dialogue between their foreign and domestic ministers China's embassy

i n t h e U K n o t e d t h a t

President Xi congratulated Starmer on his new role and underscored the need for both countries to "view their relations from a longterm and strategic perspec-

t i v e " T h e s t a t e m e n t emphasised China’s commitment to national rejuv

UK to adopt an "objective

China Fo

Lammy recently met

ASEAN gathering in Laos, where he called for China t

reaff irmed the UK’s strong commitment to Ukraine

Starmer's call with Xi comes amid strained UKChina relations over espio n

n d China's increased control over Hong Kong, a former British colony

Half a million children face holiday hunger

C harities are warning th at o ver h alf a million children

c o u ld g o h u ng r y d u ri ng s c h o o l h o li d ay s s tar ti ng w ith the October half-term if the gov ernm ent d oes not renew the £ 1 billi on local w elfare crisis fund, w hich is set to expire in six weeks

In the past year, English councils allocated £370 million from their Household Support Fund (HSF) to provide holiday food vouchers fo

councils have indicated that this support may end if the fund is discontinued

The potential loss of the H S F c o u l d

impact an already fragile crisis safety net that supports thousands of families at risk o

, food parcels, fuel vouchers, clothing, beds, cookers, and other essentials

that ending the HSF with-

ment could plunge millions into deeper f inancial hards h i p , e x a c e r b a t e p o v e r t y, and increase costs for public s e r v i c e s T h e c h a r i t y ’ s report, based on nearly complete freedom of information returns from councils, reveals that England’s local c

lacking any support

The removal of councilr u n l o c

could affect nearly a third of E n

No

Slough, and Stoke-on-Trent

This would also strain local food banks, many of which rely on HSF cash grants to manage heightened demand d r i v e

Yvette Cooper plans deportation 'surge'

e C O V I D-19 pandemic and the cost of living crisis T

, 0 0 0 migrants by the end of this year, according to sources at the Daily Express Home Secretar y Yv

e r security," expressed her goal to achieve the highest rate of removals in a sixmonth period since 2018 Cooper has called for a "surge in immigration enforcement and returns activity," focusing on migrants who have overstayed their visas and failed asylum seekers from countries with lower approval rates, such as Albania, Iraq, Turkey, Nigeria, and Pakistan

Additionally, the National Crime Agency (NCA) will recruit 100 more intelligence and investigation off icers to combat Channel migrant smuggling gangs These teams will

agencies to disrupt the criminal smuggling gangs responsible for dangerous boat crossings that jeopardise border security and lives Cooper stated, "We are taking strong and clear steps to boost our border security and ensure the rules are respected and enforced " Cooper emphasised that by enhancing enforcement capabilities and deportations, the government aims to replace the current chaotic system with one that is better controlled and managed Employers who hire illegal migrants risk losing their businesses, facing f ines, or even prosecution under an

Migrants themselves will be detained and deported

The Home Off ice intends to build on the success of nine deportation flights carried out in the past six weeks, including the largest-ever chartered return flight Details of this operation have not been disclosed to avoid criticism from the receiving countr y

Police drop election betting scandal

S ev eral Co ns erv ativ e po li tic ians , o ff ic ials , and police off icers based around Parliam ent faced scru tiny over allegations o f betting on the timing o f July's v ote before it was publicly anno u nced by th en-P rim e M i nis ter Ri sh i Sunak, casting a sh ad ow o ver the party's campaign

The Metropolitan Police has now conf irmed that after investigating a "small number of cases" which could have led to charges of misconduct in public off ice, none met the "high bar" required for a court case, and the investigation was being closed

Despite this, the Met warned that the G a m b l i n g C o m m i s s i o n i s s t i l l r e v i e w i n g whether the incidents violated section 42 of the Gambling Act 2005, concerning cheating The Commission has "statutor y prosecutorial power," and those found guilty could face up t o t w o y e a r s i n p r i s o n D e t e c t i v e

Superintendent Katherine Goodwin stated, These allegations signif icantly undermined public conf idence during the election campaign, and it was crucial to investigate all potential offences " S h e e m ph a s i s e d t h a t wh i le t h e Me t 's involvement in the criminal investigation is ending, it should not be seen as a clearance fo r t h o s e i n v e s t i g a t e d T h e G a m b l i n g Commission will continue to assess potential violations of the Gambling Act, leveraging its specialised expertise

Goodwin also noted that seven police off icers are among those still under scrutiny by the Commission and remain the subject of a n o n g o i n g i n v e s t i g a t i o n

Directorate of Professional Standards

I N B R I E F

GOVERNMENT AI TOOLS FACE CRITICISM

Central government ’s AI and algorithmic tools will soon be listed on a public register after concerns about bias and secrecy These tools, used for detecting sham marriages and fraud in benefit claims will be named following campaigners’ warnings about entrenched racism and bias Campaigners see the move as a win addressing concerns over AI use in central government ahead of its expected expansion in the public sector Caroline Selman a senior research fellow at the Public Law Project highlighted the previous lack of transparency regarding these systems She emphasised the need for public bodies to disclose details about these tools to ensure they are lawful, fair, and non- discriminatory

CONSERVATIVE MEMBERSHIP DECLINES

New figures indicate a significant decline in Conservative Party membership over the past two years The party s income from memberships fell from £1 97 million in 2022 to £1 5 million last year, according to accounts published by the Electoral Commission This 25% drop, following the last leadership election, suggests the party's membership base may have hit a record low The Conservative Party does not disclose its membership figures, but financial accounts hint at a decline in support Estimates from 2022 suggested around 172 ,000 members with nearly 142 ,000 participating in that summer ’s leadership contest between Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak A 25% drop since then would indicate a current membership of about 130 000 However the actual number might be lower Standard membership costs £39 annually with reduced rates for Armed Forces personnel (£25) and those under 26 (£10)

TOP ACADEMICS CRITICISE LABOUR

Ministers including Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson face criticism from leading academic s for abandoning plans to protect free speech in universities Phillipson suspended the legislation set to start this month, arguing it was not fit for purpose and could expose students to harmful and hateful speech In a letter to Bridget Phillipson over 500 academic s have urged her to reconsider her decision, warning that failing to act would lead to staff and students being “hounded, censured, and silenced” for holding lawful, legitimate views Signatories include renowned biologist Richard Dawkins, philosopher Kathleen Stock , and historian Niall Ferguson, each of whom has faced controversy for their views

RSM INTRODUCES AESTHETIC MEDICINE

The Royal Society of Medicine is incorporating aesthetic medicine into its curriculum to enhance the quality and safety of cosmetic surgery and nonsurgical treatments This addition will bring the total number of specialised programmes, or "sections," to 56 Aesthetic medicine will be the first new section in 35 years, joining the existing 55 programs which range from anaesthesia to urology and are each managed by a council to advance training in their respective fields Dr Christopher Rowland Payne a dermatologist and chairman of the European Academy of Dermatovenerology s cosmetic dermatology task force has been appointed as the first president of the Royal Society of Medicine s new aesthetic medicine section While some of the society s 20,000 members may be opposed, others view the addition as a necessary step to address the growing field of cosmetic treatments Society President Gillian Leng emphasised the goal of delivering evidence -based care and raising professional standards in aesthetic s

Lord Waheed Alli

PM Keir Starmer Xi Jinping

Yvette Cooper

A culture of denial?

Institutional racism in the Metropolitan Police has hit a new low, as a Black officer described being treated like "an animal" by White colleagues and condemned the force's lenient punishments for racist behaviour He is one of the ten Black and ethnic minority officers who last week told the BBC that racism is worsening in Britain's largest police force The officer said, "They keep putting you down until you break," and noted that penalties for racist comments, such as learning through reflection," are insufficient and fail to send a strong message of intolerance

Assistant Commissioner Pippa Mills expressed deep concern and apologised, acknowledging the ongoing challenges A South Asian officer shared a similar experience, recounting racist remarks about his appearance and smell, and noting that racism is often "swept under the carpet " The officers accused Met Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley of not doing enough to combat discrimination, despite his claims of progress Although Met Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley acknowledged the report’s findings and issued an apology, he refused to label the Met as "institutional" in its discrimination, arguing that the term was politicised and ambiguous This stance reflects past scandals that have significantly eroded public trust in the Met Gavin Stephens, head of Britain’s National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC), has also acknowledged that UK policing is institutionally racist, sexist, and homophobic He emphasises the need for a comprehensive overhaul of national policies and practices to address these issues

Following the damning 2023 report by Baroness Louise Casey, which found the Met guilty of institutional racism, misogyny, and homophobia, officers say the situation has deteriorated further The National Black Police Association recently withdrew its support for the national race action

plan, citing a toxic environment and lack of meaningful change within the Met

The United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) has sharply criticised the UK for ongoing issues with hate crimes and xenophobia, worsened by

Metropolitan Police (Met), which has been found institutionally racist, sexist, and homophobic by Baroness Louise Casey s damning report

A

Baroness Casey has warned of a "culture of denial" within the Metropolitan Police (Met), where predatory and unacceptable behaviour is allowed to persist The lack of recruitment from ethnic minorities to safeguard the multicultural society in Britain remains a grave concern as the disengagement between the community and police due to diminishing trust grows However, in a measure back in 2023, the Mayor of London allocated £900,000 to the Met for community outreach and funded 500 additional Police Community Support Officers, 41% of whom are from Black, Asian, or Minority Ethnic backgrounds Without tackling the deep-seated issues and lack of diversity within the force, these measures may be insufficient A diverse police force is crucial for maintaining peace and ensuring that all citizens feel respected and protected under the law

Homophobic, racist, sexist - when the police are accused of these misconducts, without eradicating the internal corruption, bias, and misconduct within its ranks, the Met cannot effectively protect and serve the public, especially in a diverse society

Will the Met regain public trust and fulfill its duty as the world's most trusted police service? They could start by eliminating the culture of denial and embracing acceptance

Modi’s call for dialogue and diplomacy

For decades, India has positioned itself as a leading example of liberal democracy in the developing world Under PM Modi's regime, New Delhi has highlighted India's syncretic, multi-religious culture and its capacity to embrace diversity, especially as its neighbours have faced civil wars and communal strife

However, on key global issues such as the wars in Ukraine and Gaza, and tensions involving Iran and Taiwan India has often refrained from taking a clear stance When New Delhi has spoken out, it has primarily defended its right to remain silent and neutral PM Modi’s recent visits to Poland and Ukraine have significantly expanded the scope of Indian diplomacy

Modi’s visit to Kyiv marked what many perceived as a major shift in India’s foreign policy, arriving in Ukraine amid Western calls for him to do so since the onset of the Russia-Ukraine war The visit drew significant attention, focusing on India’s stance on the conflict During the visit, PM Modi, invited by President V

Ukrainian leader on different approaches to achieving a peaceful resolution to the ongoing conflict

India, with its robust diplomatic ties to both Russia and Ukraine, is uniquely positioned to mediate in the ongoing conflict By leveraging its neutral stance and commitment to dialogue, India could facilitate negotiations and play a crucial role in promoting a peaceful resolution and regional stability While India maintains strong relations with Russia, Ukraine hopes that India can use its influence to encourage Russia to reconsider its position and work towards ending the war Volodymyr Zelenskyy also stated that India can be a “key” in the global diplomatic efforts to end the war between Ukraine and Russia

Modi's visit to Kyiv presents a key opportunity for India to explore new avenues of cooperation with Ukraine One potential area of collaboration is the formation of joint ventures in India, where Ukrainian and Indian technicians could work together on manufacturing projects Bharat Forge's recent acquisition of a 51% stake in Zorya's Indian subsidiary could serve as a foundation for this partnership The Indian government has consistently promoted dialogue and diplomacy to address the issue The Ministry of External Affairs emphasises that India's relations with both Ukraine and Russia are independent and substantial, not a zero-sum game

While peace talks between Ukraine and Russia continue, significant issues are arising in the Middle East The escalating conflict in Iran and Israel has led airlines such as Singapore Airlines, British Airways, and Lufthansa to reroute flights over

Afghanistan and air traffic control services suspended, this poses a serious concern for the safety of passengers and pilots

During his visit to Poland, PM Modi emphasised the message that this is "not an era of war " He highlighted the importance of dialogue and diplomacy in resolving international disputes, expressing deep concern over Russia's war on Ukraine and the escalating military tensions between Iran and Israel in West Asia His visit clearly demonstrates India’s strategic autonomy, and it countered the perception regarding India’s relationship with Russia while revealing the balance in its foreign policy

There is no doubt that common interests will continue to guide international relations

Indian tourists, the new VIPs of global tourism

Indian culture, cuisine, and diversity have long captivated visitors worldwide, and in recent years, India has rapidly become a significant player in outbound tourism Indian travellers are making an increasingly noticeable impact on the global tourism market, a trend largely fuelled by the country’s robust economic growth This progress has lifted millions out of poverty, expanded the middle class, and strengthened India’s global influence

From 2010 to 2023, spending by Indian travellers tripled, reaching $33 billion, with projections suggesting it will rise to $45 billion next year The number of Indian passports has also seen a significant increase, from 52 million a decade ago to 93 million this year This upward trend is driven by a combination of d e m o g r a p h i c s a n d e c o n o m i c s , p a

g Indians aged 25 to 34 who are eager to travel Unlike their parents and grandparents, who prioritised saving and financial stability, today’s young Indians are more interested in exploring new places and cultures, valuing experiences over material wealth This shift in mindset is fuelling the rise in outbound tourism

Indian tourists are increasingly choosing destinations that offer unique experiences and easy access The ease of obtaining visas plays a crucial role in their travel decisions, with countries that streamline visa processes or offer visa-free entry seeing a surge in Indian visitors For example, Middle Eastern and Southeast Asian countries, such as Thailand and Malaysia, have been quick to attract Indian tourists by suspending visa requirements For instance, in 2014, around 1 million Indians visited Thailand annually, a number reached in just the first half of 2024 Thailand’s tourism ministry estimates that Indian tourists contributed 63 billion baht ($1 8 billion) to the Thai economy in 2023, approximately 0 4% of its GDP

These tourists bring substantial economic benefits to host countries, impacting various sectors The hospitality and accommodation industry benefits from their spending on hotels and resorts, while the aviation sector sees increased revenue due to the growing demand for international travel Retail businesses thrive as Indian travellers are known for their significant shopping expenditures, and the food and beverage industry profits from their appreciation for both Indian cuisine and diverse dining experiences Tourism and leisure activities, including sightseeing and adventure sports, flourish w

Additionally, some Indian tourists invest in real estate abroad, boosting property markets in popular destinations

India is also seeing a rise as a tourism destination, driven by demand for niche experiences Spiritual tourism, medical tourism, wellness retreats, ecotourism, and even virtual reality experiences are gaining popularity, and India is at the forefront of these trends These trends position India as not only a sought-after destination for international visitors but also as a country with tourists eager to explore unique experiences abroad

Travelling the world is no longer a privilege reserved for India’s elite With rising incomes, better connectivity, and more affordable travel options, a broader segment of the Indian population can now explore international destinations The world is opening up for Indians, and more people are seizing the opportunity to discover what lies beyond their borders

As this trend continues, the global tourism market will increasingly cater to the preferences and needs of Indian travellers, further solidifying India’s role as a dominant force in outbound tourism

"The trouble is, you think you have time

- Gautam Buddha

Political Sketchbook

Alpesh Patel

What’s in a Hug?

The recent gesture by India's Prime Minis ter, Narendra Modi, who emb raced Russian Presi dent Vladimir Putin and then Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, has sparked significant discussion on the global s tage W hile some have ques tioned the appropriateness of hugging a leader like Putin amidst the ongoing conflic t i n Ukrai ne, a deeper exploration into the c ultural, psychological, and diplomatic contexts offers a more nuanced understanding of the act

Ps ychological and Academic Perspectives on Hugging

including hugging, is a powerful non-verbal form of communication It conveys warmth, empathy, and solidarity, often transcending verbal communication Research in psychology suggests that hugs can lower stress, reduce feelings of isolation, and create a sense of trust between individuals For leaders, this kind of physical gesture can be a tool to bridge divides, humanize political relationships, and express nuanced stances that might be difficult to articulate in words alone

Academically, non-verbal communication, including gestures like hugging, is studied extensively in the field of psychology and international relations It is seen as an

, where every gesture is loaded with meaning In this light, Prime Minister Modi’s hug can be interpreted as a calculated diplomatic move, rather than a simple act of camaraderie It could be intended to show that despite geopolit

human connection and seeks peaceful resolutions to conflicts

Cultural and Traditional Background in India

In the Indian cultural context, hugging is a common and accepted form of greeting, especially among friends and family It signifies respect, affection, and a willingness t o c o n n e c

"Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam," a Sanskrit phrase meaning the world is one family, is deeply rooted in Indian ethos This philosophy suggests that all human beings are interconnected, and hence, a gesture like hugging transcends mere physical contact it symbolizes the breaking of barriers and the fostering of universal brotherhood

In India, the act of hugging also has spiritual undertones It is often seen as a gesture that transfers positive energy and goodwill In diplomatic contexts, this cultural background can play a significant role When an Indian leader hugs a foreign dignitary, it is not just an expression of personal warmth but also an extension of India’s inclusive and holistic worldview

Religious H indu Context

I n H i n d u i s m , t h e c o n c e p t o f " N a m a s t e " o r

"Namaskar," a gesture of joining hands, is more commonly associated with greeting, especially in formal settings However, hugging is not uncommon and carries its own religious and spiritual significance Hindu philosophy emphasizes the oneness of all beings and the importance of connecting on a spiritual level The act of embracing another person can be seen as an acknowledgment of this spiritual unity

In religious contexts, hugs are often seen as a way of sharing divine love, with some Hindu traditions viewing physical touch as a means of transmitting blessings or positive energy For example, in many Hindu rituals, blessings are often imparted through touch, and hugs can be a more intimate extension of this practice This perspective aligns with the idea that a hug is more than just a physical act; it is a spiritual exchange that fosters unity and understanding

When applied to international diplomacy, this religious context adds another layer of meaning to Modi’s actions The hug, in this sense, could be seen as an extension of Hindu values embracing even those with whom there are disagreements or tensions, in the hope of transcending conflict and achieving greater harmony This is consistent with the Hindu belief in "Ahimsa" (non-violence) and the pursuit of peace through understanding and mutual respect

abplgroup

Gang jailed after £1.6m cash and 400 kg cocaine seized

Essex

Other members of the

g a n

Mohammed Usman collected wheels and tyres in the West Midlands and drove

were based in Birmingham, Wolverhampton, Sandwell, Walsall, South Staffordshire, and London, were arrested

Inspector Pete Cooke from West Midlands ROCU stated, "This extensive investi-

W e s t M i d l a n d s P o l i c e seized 400 kg of cocaine and £1 6m in cash as they dismantled a drug smuggling

o

the drugs hidden in pallets

o f r a w c h i c k e n O f f i c e r s arrested Maninder Dosanjh

a n d A m a n d e e p R i s h i i n

B i r m i n g h a m , u n c o v e r i n g over 150 kg of cocaine con-

c e a l e d i n f r o z e n c h i c k e n

them to London, where they were handed over to Sayed Hasheman in a residential area T

£500,000 in cash In another incident, officers recovered over £1 million hidden in a compartment of an air compressor in one of the gang's vans Within a 10-day period in July 2020, all 10 men, who

gation uncovered the gang ’ s complex operations involving the importation, exportation, and wholesale distribution of cocaine, as well as m

used a network of trusted individuals and vans with hidden compartments We estimate they imported over a tonne of cocaine, generating more than £10 million in cash "

London's slave trade memorial design unveiled

selected from six finalists by a panel of art and public r

a l m e x p e r t s , f o l l o w i n g public consultations

Dockland

Funded with £500,000 from Mayor Sadiq Khan, the memorial aims to acknowledge London’s role in the slave trade It is set to be unveiled in summer 2026

Brooks said, "We are our history – it shows us our p a s t , p r e s e n t , a n d f u t u r e direction 'The Wake' honours the victims of the trade and reflects on our progress and need for social change I

belonging, hope, and care, and I am deeply honoured to c

London "

Mr Khan said: “Khaleb’s work is a stark reminder of

caused by transatlantic slavery and the role the UK and London played

and memorials reflect

Londoners of the capital’s role in this terrible treatment of human beings “It will also honour the achievements of descendant communities, as we continue to build a better and fairer London for everyone ”

British-Kashmiri activist attacked in London

L o nd o n: Ka sh m ir i a cti v is t Mu zzamm il A yyub Thakur was attacked by three men shouting anti-Muslim slurs after giv ing a lecture on the I nd i a n o cc u p at io n o f Kashmir in Lo nd on O n t h e e v e n i n g o f

August 9 in Euston, Thakur was attacked by Indian men who punched, kicked, and h u r l e d H i n d i s l u r s l i k e " K a s h m i r i t e r r o r i s t " a n d "Muslim terrorist " Thakur fended off the attackers but sustained fractured ribs and bruising I n a s t a t e m e n t , M r

T h a k u r d e s c r i b e d t h e

August 9 attack: “After my l e c t u r e o n K a s h m i r i n Euston, I approached my car and was confronted by three men One tried to hit me,

a n d I b l o c k e d a n o t h e r p u n c h w h i l e a s k i n g w h a t t h e y w a n t e d T h e y t h e n attacked and kicked me I suffered a fractured rib and, i n s e l f - d e f e n c e , m a y h a v e broken one attacker’s nose a n d a n o t h e r ’ s j a w T h e y called me a ‘Muslim terrorist’ and ‘Kashmiri terrorist,’ shouting ‘Long live India’ and other insults in Hindi ” M

the attack as pre-planned, n o t i n

appeared to film the incid

" him “One of the assailants w a s r e c o r d i n g t h

a c k , likely to release footage of me being beaten However, I doubt they will, given their o w n h u m i l i

known for his strong criticism of the Indian occupation of Jammu & Kashmir He also directs The Justice F

Man charged with wounding in city stabbing

B i r m i n g h a m : A m a n h a s been charged with woundi n g f ol l ow i n g a s t a b b i n g in cident i n B irmingham T h e p o l i c e r e p o r t e d that a man in his 40s was i n j u r e d o n D u d l e y R o a d just before 01:30 BST on Saturday Reasha Geddes, 34, has also been charged with possession of a knife

She has been remanded in c u s t o d y a

B i r m i n g h a m o n M o n d a y , a c c o r d i n g t o t h e W e s t Midlands Police

The police clarified that the injured man was pushing a trolley of belongings a n d t h a t s o c i a l m e d i a claims suggesting he was with a baby in a pushchair are false They also noted that video footage of the i n c i d e n t i s p a r t o f t h e i r investigation A spokesperson for the p o l i c e s t a t e d , " D e t e c t i v e s are not currently seeking a n y a d d i t i o n a l s u s p e c t s , and the incident is being treated as isolated "

Family says reckless driver 'devastated' crash victim

North London : The family of Dexter Ch arles, a father of fou r who suffered sev ere brain damage in a trag ic car ac c i d en t, h as s p o ke n o u t abou t the d ev astating consequ ences of reckless and dangerous d riv ing

They expressed that he h a s b e e n “ s t r i p p e d o f h i s i n d e p e n d e n c e ” f o l l o w i n g the crash Dexter, 54, was a p a s s e n g e r i n a B M W involved in a high-speed col-

lision that killed pedestrian Ahmed Moneer while trave l i n g a

crashing into a house The driver, Ali Xhaferri, 43, who was disqualified from driving, was sentenced to ten and a half years in prison at the Old Bailey earlier this month after pleading guilty to causing death and serious injury by dangerous driving

Following the accident in 2022, Charles

skull, and lung damage He now relies

CHANGE OF NAME

Maninder Kaur daughter of Malkit Singh Residing at Flat 3, 366-370 Uxbridge Road, Hayes UB4 0SE London - U. K, Formerly residing at Rampur Jagir, Tehsil Sultanpur Lodhi Dist Kapurthala Pin Code 144626 Punjab India, Hereby give notice of my intention to change my name to Kaur Maninder, so relinquished to the intent that I may hereafter be called /known and identified the new name of Kaur Maninder

(TOP ROW) Maninder Dosanjh, Amandeep Rishi, Mohammad Usman, Rizwan Ali, Kamran Hussain (BOTTOM ROW) Peter Masih Mandeep Singh Mithab Hussain Ashtiaq Ahmed and Sayeed Hashemyan

Muzzammil Ayyub Thakur

Driver Ali Xhaferri, left, and injured passenger Dexter Charles

Community sharing can reduce the cost of living pressures

Shefali Saxena

Human Appeal, a leading humanitari an ai d c harity, has releas ed a s urvey highlighting how c ommunity sharing can alleviate fi nancial pressures during the ongoing cos t of living cris is Conduc ted by Y ouGov, the research reveals that almost twothirds of UK households are overdue for decluttering, with many holding onto unused items

Nearly three-quarters of respondents expressed a willingness to donate these items for free to benefit others locally, demonstrating strong potential for communitydriven solutions to financial and environmental challenges

We exclusively interviewed Owais Khan, Deputy CEO of Human Appeal about it

1How can ethnic minority communities specifically benefit from communitysharing initiatives during the cost of living crisis?

Community sharing initiatives serve to support those in our local areas who are facing financial difficulty by donating items we no longer use As of May

2024, research by Trust for London found that 34% of ethnic minorities surveyed were experiencing poverty compared with 17% of those who identify as white, so community sharing offers the opportunity to reduce this number among these groups by donating items that are sitting idle in our homes Community sharing also benefits all ethnic groups by bolstering community ties In the UK we have incredibly diverse communities, and community sharing facilitates increased social cohesion by bringing different ethnicities together

2What strategies can be implemented to encourage ethnic minority groups to share in the community, especially in areas where trust and closeknit relationships are crucial?

Concerning community sharing, the first thing any community can do is to establish strong ties between ethnic groups to build trust and relationships between members of the community To do this will require a deep understanding of these different groups ’ needs and concerns Community

events are a positive way to bring different ethnic groups together, begin a dialogue, and lay the foundations for long-term relationships Close-knit relationships are the bedrock of any community, and by extending this kindness to all ethnic groups in our local areas have the potential to facilitate strong, longlasting sharing networks across the country

3In what ways can local leaders and organisations within ethnic minority communities facilitate the creation and growth of these sharing networks?

Local leaders and organisations have a key role to play in creating sharing networks Their stature in local communities means that they have a unique opportunity to build trust, as well as the means to engage all ethnic groups and facilitate this cohesion Whether by organising charitable events, local cultural celebrations - for example of food, art and culture - or partnering with local schools or businesses in ethnic communities to announce the creation of a sharing network, local

leaders can speed up the process of bringing diverse groups together and using their platform to reach all members of the community

4How can cultural differences be acknowledged and respected in promoting community sharing, ensuring that the needs and preferences of ethnic minorities are met?

Respecting cultural differences is vital not only for community sharing but for stronger local bonds Engaging with those around us who have different views, experiences and beliefs encourages us to practise this respect By listening to and learning from individuals or groups whose life differs from our own, we gain a deeper understanding of another human’s views, which is a vital element of personal growth This bears specific relevance for ethnic minorities whose traditions and history are often the subject of prejudice, so a greater understanding of and respect for these practices on a local level from the wider community can help ensure that the needs and preferences of all members are heard and

acknowledged

5What role does Human Appeal envision in supporting ethnic minorities to engage in community sharing, and how does it plan to measure the success of these initiatives?

At Human Appeal, our motto is ‘here for every human’, and community is ingrained at the heart of all of our projects both across the UK and around the world In the UK for example, our yearly winter project, Wrap Up, encourages all members of local communities in UK cities to donate items of clothing they no longer need, which we distribute alongside our partners to the most vulnerable Now in its 9th year and running across 7 UK cities, Wrap Up brings all ethnic groups together with the goal of helping the less fortunate This is all the more pressing during the winter months and is heightened by the ongoing cost of living crisis

Top 10 restaurants shortlisted for ARTA 2024

The A sian Res taura nt & Tak eaway A wards (ARTA ) c elebrate the fines t in UK

As ian cuis ine, honouring ex cellenc e, creativi ty, and outstandi ng tas te across a ran ge of prestigi ous regi on al and national c ategori es

Speaking about the upcoming ARTA 2024, Mohammed Munim, Founder Member and CEO of ARTA, emphasised the vital role Asian restaurants and takeaways have played in the UK economy, both historically and in recent years

To further support the flourishing Asian restaurant industry in Britain, ARTA underscores the importance of these establishments within the broader culinary scene "Each nominee is a deserving winner, and we eagerly anticipate celebrating their achievements at the awards ceremony on 6th October," Munim said

Owais Khan

Crack down on disability stereotypes

Indian and UK activists share their thoughts following Indian Supreme Court’s landmark ruling which mandates accurate portrayal of disability in media, challenging stereotypes

Anusha Singh

Last month, the Indian Supreme Court Bench led by Chief Justice of India, DY Chandrachud ruled that visual media and films must avoid stereotyping differently-abled individuals, emphasising that creators should offer accurate representations of disabilities rather than mocking or mythologising them.

The court stressed the importance of understanding disability as a complex, i n d i v i d u a l i s e d e x p e r i e n c e rather than applying a “ one-

s i z e - f i t s - a l l ” p e r s p e c t i v e

T h i s j u d g m e n t w a s d e l i vered in response to a peti-

t i o n b y a c t i v i s t Ni p u n

M alh o tra, c h a l l e n g i n g t h e insensitive portrayal of differently-abled people in the film ‘Aankh Micholi,’ produced by Sony Pictures

Sharing what prompted

t h i s a c t i o n , N i p u n t o l d Asian Voice, “I've been frustrated for a long time with how disability is portrayed in many Indian movies and this movie is not the first time I've seen disability misrepresented in mass media

“Movies have the power to either perpetuate harmful

s t e r e o t y p e s o r t r a n s f o r m society by challenging them

U n f o r t u n a t e l y , d e g r a d i n g and mocking portrayals of disability are all too common in Indian cinema After watching ‘Aankh Micholi’, I felt that something needed to be done to stop this ”

Nipun initially took the i s s u e t o t h e D e l h i H i g h

C o u r t w h e r e h i s p e t i t i o n

was dismissed in January

“We then appealed to the

S u p r e m e C o u r t , a n d I ’ m grateful to the honourable Supreme Court and Chief

J u s t i c e o f I n d i a , D Y

C h a n d r a c h u d , f o r i s s u i n g guidelines for the future and broadening the scope of this judgment to cover all forms

o f v i s u a l m e d i a I t r u l y believe this ruling will be a game-changer ”

Kamran Mallick, C EO of D i sa bi l it y R i g h ts U K a l s o thinks that this landmark judgement is a significant step forward in recognising the power of media to shape s o c i e t a l a t t i t u d e s a n d t h e importance of how disabled individuals are portrayed "I have seen the stereotypical way that Bollywood has portrayed Disabled people in m o v i e s f o r f a r t o o l o n g

G r o w i n g u p , I w a t c h e d m o v i e s t h a t m y p a r e n t s enjoyed, movies which only s t r e n g t h e n e d t h e n e g a t i v e perceptions of disabled people Given this, I look forward to the impact of the

S u p r e m e C o u r t o f I n d i a ’ s recent guidelines addressing the harmful stereotyping of d i s a b l e d c h a r a c t e r s i n Bollywood films”, he said N i p u n a l s o d i s c u s s e d this negative perception of d i s a b i l i t y , n o t j u s t i n t h e media but society He said, “There is stigma rooted in the belief that their condition is due to bad karma or punishment for past wrong-

d o i n g s , e i t h e r b y t h e m -

s e l v e s , t h e i r p a r e n t s , o r

s o m e o n e i n t h e i r f a m i l y

This mindset is even reflected in movies For example, in the classic film ‘Sholay’, there s a scene where the character Gabbar Singh cuts o f f t h e h a n d s o f T h a k u r , portraying it being a greater p u n i s h m e n t t h a n k i l l i n g him This reinforces the idea

that disability is a form of punishment ” H e v e r y r i g h t l y expressed that the world is richer when it respects and includes everyone, recognis-

i n g t h a t t h e d i s t i n c t i o n

b e t w

abled' is temporary anyone is just an injury away from e

“There's an important distinction between 'disability

faced by persons with disabilities can raise awareness

, but it's never acceptable to make fun of the disability

Supreme Court articulated this beautifully during the

, stating that while disability humour is okay, disabling humour is not The difference, though subtle, is significant", he said

Mr Mallick also shared his opinion on representing disability stating that it matt

n g i n g societal perceptions but also for disabled people themselves He said, “For disabled

p e o p l e , e s p

c

l l y y o u n g people, seeing authentic and positive reflections of their experiences in the media is c r u c i a l f o r b u i l d

n g s e l festeem, identity and a sense

a c t o r s m u s t b e g i v e n t h e opportunity to play disabled characters and then to play roles that are not centred around our impairments

"This brings authenticity to the roles and challenges the industry’s tendency to overlook disabled talent We don’t just want to play in s t o r i e s t h a t f o c u s o n o u r experience as disabled people but be a wider part of the narrative When we are portrayed with complexity, dignity, and humanity, it sends a powerful message that our lives are valued and our stories worth telling ”

NHS overseas nurses struggling

Overseas NHS nurses are facing sev ere financial hard ship d ue to a policy that denies many of them access to welfare benefits for fiv e years after th eir arriv al in the U K

According to a report from the Royal College of Nursing (RCN), these nurses are being pushed into poverty, often resorting to borrowing money, accumulating credit card debt, and going without food to make ends meet

The issue stems from the “ no recourse to public funds” rule applied to nurses on temporary visas, which prevents them from claiming child benefit, housing benefit, and universal credit until they are eligible to apply for indefinite leave to remain Despite contributing to the UK through income tax and national insurance, these nurses are excluded from essential support

The RCN's report, based on a survey of over 3,000 foreign nurses, highlights that this policy not only penalises those who come to work in the UK but also risks a significant departure of international nursing staff from an already understaffed health service, which currently has around 40,000 nurse vacancies

Recently, the United Nations also called for the removal of this rule, recommending that the UK government revise it to prevent migrant households from facing increased poverty and instability

121 years later, a postcard arrives

A postcard has finally reached its i ntended rec ipient over 12 1 years af ter i t was f irst mailed

The Christmas-themed card, originally s e n t i n 1 9 0 3 , w a s d e l i v e r e d t o S w a n s e a Building Society’s Cradock Street branch last week remarkably late but still making its way home Staff are now attempting to trace the relatives of Miss Lydia Davies, the original addressee, to reunite her family with the long-delayed card The Royal Mail suggests the postcard was likely re-entered into the postal system rather than lost for a century

Written by a man named Ewart, the postcard expresses his regret for not being able to pick up a "pair" of an unspecified item Ewart also mentions having "about 10 shillings in pocket money" and conveys his hopes that Lydia is enjoying herself at home

He concludes with a warm request to "remember me to Gilbert and John, with love to all "

Oxford author wins prestigious international Hindi award

Dr P adm esh Gupta, Director o f Oxfo rd Business Co lleg e and a celebrated auth or and poet, has b ee n a w ar d ed th e p re st i g i ou s 'International Hind i Aw ard' by the Prim e Minister of Mauritius, P ravind Kum ar Jugnau th The award was presented on August 9, 2024, at the Mahatma G a n d h

International Hindi Conference

CUSTOMER HIT WITH £400 BILL FOR 2 LIMES

Asda has sparked outrage after a customer appeared to be charged £394 50 for two limes

A user on X, formerly Twitter shared screenshots of her sister's online order, revealing the exorbitant price for two loose limes and calling the supermarket "insane " Additionally the screenshots showed Asda rejecting the refund request Shesgonestella said "Asda charged my sister £394 50 for TWO LIMES and then refused to refund it After hours of calls they finally agreed to process the refund within 48 hours Who has £400 to spare for limes especially during a cost of living crisis? Insane @asda She added, "Thanks! I'll be muting this now, as many people don t understand how online food shopping works or are just looking to criticise Asda won t date you "

TFL FINES LONDON PASSENGER

A London Underground passenger has been billed nearly £1,800 by Transport for London (TfL) for repeatedly using a card with insufficient funds Additionally, officials identified a customer who owed £1 200 in fares due to nearly 200 instances of incorrect card validation Committee documents also reveal that payment methods for Tube travel are continuously changing The rise in contactless payments has made it easier for staff to track individuals trying to evade travel payments

According to a report by TfL's commissioner, Andy Lord, published this summer contactless card usage increased by 15 percent on the London Underground and 11 percent on buses over the past financial year This growth has been a key focus in investigating irregular travel patterns Last year TfL's investigations uncovered 414 individuals who consistently avoided paying for part or all of their journeys resulting in over £363 000 in unpaid fares

BUS LANE THAT FINED 125,000 DRIVERS AXED

Coventry City Council will permanently remove a restricted bus lane on Warwick Road that has penalised over 125 000 drivers The bus gate which restricts access to buses bicycles hackney carriages, and private hire vehicles, will be dismantled as part of new traffic plans for the city centre ANPR cameras currently enforce the rules, with fines of £70 subject to adjustments based on payment timing A new bus gate will be installed on Greyfriars Road between Sheriffs Orchard and Warwick Road Coventry City Council stated that removing the bus gate would help alleviate traffic in the area In 2022, it was reported that 125,127 motorists had been fined by this bus gate over seven years, making it the most problematic in the city The new bus gate will be part of a revamped road layout, which includes removing the roundabout and altering the central reserve The plans also feature a new red route for the city centre and updated waiting restrictions affecting over 60 roads

ISLE OF MAN PREPARES FOR MPOX

This honour acknowledges Dr Gupta’s significant contributions to advancing the Hindi language and literature in the UK As the founder of the

in 1990, he has been instrumental in cultivating and promoting

younger generations His recent collection, "Dead End," launched at the London Book Fair earlier

widespread

Conference, held at the World Hindi Secretariat in Mauritius

notable authors and artists from around the world Dr Gupta also c h a

a s e s s

" T h e Contribution of Entrepreneurs in Driving Change," highlighting his dual impact in literature and business

In his acceptance speech, Dr Gupta expressed his profound gratitude, saying, "Receiving this international award is not just a recognition of my work but a celebration of the collective effort and passion that drives us all to create and inspire The power of words knows no boundaries "

Isle of Man residents are advised to stay alert for symptoms of mpox as a dangerous strain spreads Public health officials on the island are "planning and preparing" for potential cases though they maintain the risk to residents remains "low " Thailand has confirmed its first suspected case of the new clade 1b mpox variant prompting immediate action from regional health authorities In response to this potentially more dangerous strain, countries across Asia are strengthening their defences The rapid spread of the variant in Africa led the World Health Organisation to declare a public health emergency last week The UK is also preparing for potential cases, following Europe’s first detection of the new strain in Sweden

Nipun Malhotra

Kamran Mallick

Dr Padmesh Gupta and Pravind Kumar Jugnauth

BEING AT THE OPEN UNIVERSITY

FELT LIKE HOME

Anushree’s journey into space exploration is one fuelled by passion and nurtured by The Open University community.

Anushree was pursuing her undergraduate degree while also preparing for civil service examinations back in India when the Columbia space shuttle disaster occurred. Although devastating, this event marked her initial exposure to space exploration, prompting her to contemplate the possibility of humans venturing into space for scientific research.

Today, having successfully completed her PhD in Astrobiology from The Open University, she now has a successful career in planetary science and is a member of Mars 2020 Perseverance rover’s SHERLOC science and operations team.

While the Columbia space shuttle mishap was the initial spark, Anushree’s curiosity about the field of space research deepened while studying for the civil service exams. It was during this time that she first encountered the term “space biology” and the idea of merging space and biology fascinated her greatly.

“Despite continuing to prepare for the civil service, the idea of space exploration kept lingering in my mind”, she said.

She began dedicating time towards researching more about Space Biology and discovered that there were no such programmes in India and moving abroad would be imminent.

This realisation set off a whirlwind in Anushree’s mind, as she found herself caught between her family’s dream of her working in the civil service and her growing fascination in a newly growing field, Astrobiology.

Coming from a small town of Basti in the northern part of India, pursuing a field that no one around her knew much about was a daunting prospect. “As an Arts student with no scientific background, pursuing Astrobiology seemed beyond my reach. I had a clear

vision of what I wanted but no idea how to achieve it, and I had no guidance or resources. We didn’t even have a computer at home, so I spent hours at cyber cafes searching online for different opportunities. Seeing my passion and determination, my father eventually got a computer for our home, which greatly aided my efforts and things began to fall into place.

“The journey wasn’t easy, but I didn’t feel the difficulties at the time because I was driven by passion and a kind of madness. When you’re that immersed, you don’t feel the challenges, even though they are enormous.”

Anushree’s parents were also uncertain about her decision because they had no familiarity with what she was talking about. The concept of Astrobiology was entirely beyond their understanding and experience, as no one in the family had pursued science, let alone considered space exploration. Anushree’s choice of Astrobiology came as a complete surprise to them.

However, she eventually chose to follow her dream and her parents, who still found it all daunting, stood by her decision.

In 2016, while completing her Master of Science in Biotechnology, Anushree met her future PhD supervisor, Professor Karen Olsson-Francis, the Director of AstrobiologyOU and this encounter proved fortuitous as it led to an invitation to apply for a fully funded PhD position at The Open University.

Choosing to pursue a PhD was a tough decision, especially since she was also offered a significant position at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center with Mars Curiosity team, working with Dr Paul Mahaffy. Despite the allure of a prestigious opportunity, she opted for the PhD as it would add depth to her career, and she was even more sure of her decision

to choose The Open University.

“I never doubted my decision because The Open University has a strong legacy in space exploration, Mars studies, and planetary science. When I was working with NASA initially, many people there were also aware of The Open University’s contributions to these fields. I was confident that I was heading to a good place.”

Throughout her time at the OU, Anushree found herself immersed in a supportive and intellectually stimulating environment. The AstrobiologyOU group, comprising of 5060 researchers, offered a diverse and interdisciplinary community where she could engage with experts from various scientific disciplines. Describing her experience, she said, “The experience was great. It felt like home because I spent about four years doing research and interacting with a fantastic community.”

Anushree has nothing but praise for Prof. Karen Olsson-Francis and Dr. Victoria Pearson, her supervisors at The Open University along with Prof. Susanne Schwenzer, noting that despite their stature, they remained remarkably

humble and always encouraging the younger generation. “They genuinely want to see others succeed and grow. I am a product of their goodwill and unwavering support, and I am deeply grateful for that,” she said.

The Open University is ideal for anyone seeking to learn with the flexibility to study around a busy life, all while receiving robust support. It was the perfect choice for Anushree, providing the flexibility needed for the demands of a PhD and enabling her to volunteer in the field, deepening her knowledge of Astrobiology.

This exposure not only broadened her understanding of Astrobiology but also fostered collaborations and mentorships that were instrumental in her development as a scientist. She said, “The people at AstrobiologyOU were kind and created an environment that, frankly, spoiled me. When I was there,

everything was so wellorganised, unlike what I experienced elsewhere.”

In her second year at the OU, Anushree was faced with unprecedented challenges as the Covid-19 pandemic changed the day-to-day lives of many in the world. Despite the challenges, the faculty at AstrobiologyOU supported her in every way possible.

“While the pandemic halted lab work for several months, my supervisors were understanding, supportive, and appreciative of my efforts. It was a tough period, especially for a lab-based project like mine, but their kindness and flexibility made a significant difference”, she shared.

She further shared how the faculty at The Open University went above and beyond the academic space to support her during a challenging period.

“My mum contracted Covid-19 during that time, adding to the emotional strain. I found it difficult to focus on my studies, and I remember breaking down while talking to my supervisor. She listened to me without judgment or concern for my PhD progress—she was simply there for me personally.”

“Having that kind of support is invaluable. I feel incredibly fortunate to have met such compassionate individuals who made a challenging time more bearable. Without their support, navigating through those difficulties would have been much harder.”

“Leaving was hard—I was literally crying. That is how much I enjoyed my time and how at home I felt being there.”

In hindsight, Anushree would have chosen to pursue her undergraduate studies at The Open University, placing her trust

in them from the very start. “If I believe in something, I pursue it without preconceptions, happily convinced,” she says. She also feels that her journey is a testament for those contemplating their future with The Open University. She shared her emotion, stating, “I think the kind of journey I’ve lived and where I am now, coming back to be part of one of NASA’s biggest missions after graduating from The Open University, says it all. It truly does. The work I’m doing now, to be honest, is something many students and people dream about. I feel incredibly blessed and fortunate to have met such good, supportive people at The Open University who have always propelled me forward.

“As I pursue my postdoctoral position with Dr Andrew Steelie, at Carnegie Institution for Science, Washington DC, my supervisor spoke to mentors I worked with at The Open University, and they vouched for me based on their positive experience and belief in my abilities. That, to me, speaks volumes of the support system I have.” Ultimately, Anushree’s experience at The Open University was more than just academic—it was a transformative journey that shaped her professional trajectory and personal growth, exemplifying how a supportive academic environment can empower individuals to overcome barriers and achieve their aspirations in even the most specialised and challenging fields like Astrobiology.

The Open University has pioneered distance learning for over 50 years, delivering exceptional teaching and outstanding support to students across the world with the mission to make learning accessible to all. With dedicated tutor support and the latest in learning technology, the institution has already helped over 2 million students like Anushree realise their ambitions.

With the OU, there is no limit to what you can achieve. Whether you are interested in a short course, a degree or a postgraduate qualification, the OU provides opportunities and support, regardless of your past educational experiences and where you would like to go next.

Anusha Singh

For the love of cows!

Anusha Singh Grahame Barrit, also kno wn as Gaura, has been caring for co ws fo r 23 years, a j ourney that began wh en h e was just si xteen

At that age, he became a vegetarian and developed a deep curiosity about God

He was given a Bhagavad Gita, which answered all his

q u e s t i o n s H e j o i n e d

I S K C O N a n d e v e n t u a l l y managed their cow shelter

Although he left ISKCON at around 25, he found that he missed the cows deeply

A few years later, when he found himself living on a property with available land, he decided to get two cows

F r o m t h e r e , h i s c o m m i tment to caring for cows continued to grow Today, he has 12 cows in his care He rescues them whenever possible if someone offers him a cow, he takes it in, and sometimes farmers give him their favourite cows because they don't want to part with them His love for cows is profound; he sees them as

i n n o c e n t , g e n t l e b e i n g s , much like children

I n a n i n t e r v i e w w i t h

Asian Voice, Gaura shares his profound love for cows and his unwavering faith in Hinduism

Could you tell us more about cow therapy? How does it help people?

The cows also enjoy the interaction They love being petted This practice of cow-

h u g g i n g t h e r a p y h a s b e e n happening in several countries, like in Holland, where farmers open their farms to the public to meet the cows

T h a t ' s w h e r e t h e c o n c e p t originated Cows are naturally very calm and peaceful,

a n d w h e n y o u s t r o k e o r

Grahame Barrit

share affection with them, you can experience that gentleness and calmness yourself This interaction can be i n c r e d i b l y s o o t h i n g , e s p ecially for people who come f r o m b u s y c i t y e n v i r o nments Spending time with t h e c o w s a l l o w s

pace again

For the past two years, we've opened our sanctuary to the public People come from all over the country to meet the cows, stroke them, and some even hug them We've had visitors from all o v e r , i n c l u d i n g S c o t l a n d , Cornwall, and even as far as South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand We’ve found t h a t m a n y p e o p l e i n t h i s country have always loved cows but had no safe place to connect with them By welcoming visitors, we also supp o r t o u r s a n c t u a r y W e charge a small fee, which goes towards the upkeep of the cows

Whathas inspired you to hold on to your trust and faith in Sri Krishna despite difficulties?

My path has not always been straightforward There have been times when I've wavered, but through these e x p e r i e n c

that following Dharma and d

Krishna is what truly brings me happiness and satisfaction When I made mistakes, they revealed what I didn't

desire to devote my life to Sri K

needed to care for them will

proven true in my experience My guru, Sri Raman Bihari Das Babaji Maharaj, who leads the Sri Sri Radha

G

n Vrindavan, has been a great source of support and guidance His advice has been instrumental in helping me stay on this path

Whathave been the most rewarding moments in your journey over the years of working with Sri Lakshmi Gaushala?

I s t a r t e d t h i s

n e y without any money or land of my own I've never owned land; we've always rented I've placed my trust in the grace of Krishna, believing t

out While we've faced diffic

needed has always come to us One of the most rewarding aspects for me is the cow cuddling and meeting hundreds of people who truly love cows It's incredibly fulfilling to see them leave feel-

cows That, for me, is the

who hope to keep pet cows in the future, and I believe, the cow will increasingly be recognised as a beloved pet as well

Leicester cancels Diwali lights switch-on due to rising costs

Leicester's traditio nal Diwali lights switch -on event has been canc elled for 2024 due to rising co sts T he city co uncil will instead combine the celebratio ns into a single event on Diwali Day

The decision follows a dramatic increase in costs for staging the dual events, which rose from £189,000 in 2018 to £250,000 last year Leicester City Council cited "unprecedented pressures" on their budget, stating that the two-day format had become entirely unsustainable

The council consulted with several stakeholders before making the decision Assistant City Mayor for Culture, Councillor Vi Dempster, explained: "We are facing unprecedented budget pressures, and continuing with two events would have required finding alternative substantial funding Unfortunately, we were unable to secure this funding "

The cancellation of the Diwali switch-on comes amid ongoing concerns about Leicester City Council's financial stability, despite the council having spent less than anticipated last year The combined celebration is now scheduled featuring an evening of activities and entertainment on Belgrave Road and Cossington Street The Golden Mile will continue to be adorned with 6,000 decorative lights throughout the festival

10th anniversary of Shree Swaminarayan Temple, Kingsbury celebrated

The 10th anniversary of Shree Swaminarayan Tem ple, K ing sbury, London was celebrated with pom p and g aiety

Under the leadership of Acharya, Gnan Mahodadhi Acharya Shree Jitendriyapriyadasji Swamiji Maharaj of the Shree Swaminarayan Gadi Sansthan, the world's first eco-friendly Shree Swaminarayan Mandir in Kingsbury, London, constructed by the fifth heir of Shree Swaminarayan gadi Sansthan, Ved Ratna Acharya Shree Purushottampriyadasji Swamishree Maharaj, celebrated its 10th anniversary As part of the celebrations, a donation of around £79,025 07 was presented to Neel Radia Trustee of St Luke's Hospice, London, by Patron Lord Dolar Popat, to support their charitable

activities

With a message of peace and a prayer for the cessation of wars around the world and the honouring of the eternal sentiment of 'Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam' (the world is one family), a dove was released, and a World Peace Nagar Yatra (city procession) was held on the streets of London

During the yatra, the Shree Muktajeevan Swamibapa Scottish Pipe Band from London and Bolton played

melodies of world peace

During the 10thanniversary celebrations of Shree Swaminarayan Mandir in Kingsbury, a blood donation camp was

celebration

The Honourable Prime Minister of the UK, Keir Starmer, the Honourable Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, and the

organised, stem cell registrations for cancer patients were conducted, and the writing of 40 million Shree Swaminarayan Mahamantras took place Devotees from five continents gathered to participate in the Kingsbury Mandir's decade-long

Celebrating life’s ever-changing seasons

Chief Minister of Gujarat, Bhupendra Patel, each extended their warmest wishes

Trustees Ashok Patel, Lalit Dabasiya, Dr Mahesh Varsani, along with other dignitaries and volunteers, actively took part in the service

While acceptance of change is

harmony with nature, it comes only by observance

Observing the transformations occurring around us and appreciating them is a method through which we develop our ability to accept them In Japan, there is a concept called Hanami which means flower viewing Hanami is a traditional practice of enjoying the beauty of flowers, especially cherry blossoms, during spring The practice of Hanami represents the appreciation of nature's fleeting beauty and the joy of seasonal celebrations

Japan is famous for its cherry blossom which occurs for a short time every year and presents stunningly beautiful views around for which tourists from all over the world visit Japan This seasonal practice has embedded a high appreciation of cyclical change and beauty of the nature in Japanese culture While in India also we have a number of festivals celebrated in synchronisation with nature, we need to remind ourselves of the benefit of accepting changes Sankranti celebrates the transit of the sun towards the north, and Holi celebrates the arrival of spring and the end of winter While celebrating these festivals in India, our focus has shifted towards traditions and festivities attached to them, but like Hanami, we need to develop a habit of observing nature and the transition happening around us to appreciate the cycle of life This underlying philosophical message coming from nature is very significant for our life lessons of change management and adaptation

Even if we are not in Japan, we can imbibe the practice of Hanami, observing the changes in nature as per suitability in our geographical area And through this, we can remind ourselves how transitory the world is, and how important change is in our lives and universe Hanami would remind us to observe these changes and appreciate them

(Expressed opinions are personal)

Community champion dies after cancer battle

loss, describing her as “utterly devoted” to helping others Charu, a Conservative member, was first elected to Elmbridge Borough Council i

G e o r g e ’ s H i l l w a r d i n

Weybridge She was known a s a “ g r e a t c o m m u n i t y champion,” instrumental in s e t t i n g u p W e y b r i d g e i n Bloom, which revitalised the Monument Hill landscape During the pandemic, Charu o r g a n i s e d a s e w i n g g r o u p t h a t p r o d u c e d o v e r 2 0 0 scrubs and raised £4,000 for a local domestic abuse charit y t h r o u g h f a c e

sales Conservative group leader for Elmbridge, Cllr John Cope, paid tribute to Charu, saying, "Charu was the best of us her kindness and self-

She felt like a second mother to me, and I will deeply miss her wisdom Our thoughts are with her husband and daughters during this difficult time " S

Mayor MP for Runnymede & Weybridge Dr Ben Spencer h

"the embodiment of a

community champion," ensuring her contributions will be preserved in Hansard

Rohit Vadhwana

A dove being released with the message of peace and honouring of the eternal sentiment of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam'

A donation of around £79 025 07 was presented to Neel Radia Trustee of St Luke's Hospice London by Patron Lord Dolar Popat, to support their charitable activities

Cllr Charu Sood

Asian Achievers Awards 2024 shortlist announced

The shortlist for the 2 2nd

As ian Achievers Awards , the UK’s leading c eleb ration of British Asian exc ellence, has been ann ounced

The awards, set to take place on Friday, 20th September 2024, at the prestigious London Hilton on Park Lane, will bring together nearly 600 guests, including celebrities, business leaders, and global stars

This year, over 500 nominations were received across various categories, including Arts and Culture, Business Person of the Year, Community Service, Entrepreneur of the Year, Lifetime Achievement, Media, Professional of the Year, Sports Personality of the Year, and Woman of the Year The judging panel, representing a wide cross-

section of society, includes Cmd Umer Khan OBE, Dinesh Dhamija, Lubna Shuja, Myles Stacey OBE, Priya Aggarwal-Shah, and Aashni Shah

Among the shortlisted nominees are prominent figures such as Neeraj Kanwar, Vice Chairman and Managing Director of Apollo Tyres, the founders of Chaiiwala, Divia Thani of Condé Nast, Rishi Bhuchar, Global Co-Head of Real Estate at Jeffries, Naak Nam founder Satpal

Singh, actor Nikesh Patel, cricketer Adil Rashid, and women ’ s health specialist Dr Nighat Arif

This year ’ s event, organized by global advisory firm EPG, is supported by partners including Andaria, Forest Essentials, Indri Single Malt, LycaRadio, Asian Voice, and Gujarat Samachar The evening is expected to raise over £150,000 for the charity partner, The Leprosy Mission

Tilda teams up with Ladies of Virtue Outreach to empower women

T

( LOVO),

emp owering wom en

L a d i e s o f V i r t u e Outreach CIC (LOVO) is at the forefront of community

e m p o w e r m e n t , t a c k l i n g challenges such as poverty, unemployment, and domestic violence LOVO nurtures individual potential through its core pillars: Community, G r o w t h , G r a t i t u d e , S e l f -

Care, and Wisdom A cornerstone of LOVO’s mission is their weekly global lunch in Peckham, where women from diverse cultural backgrounds come together to s h a r e t r a d i t i o n a l d i s h e s Given that rice is a common ingredient in these meals, Tilda’s support aligns perfectly with LOVO’s celebration of cultural diversity and unity

T h e £ 1 0 , 0 0 0 d o n a t i o n f r o m T i l d a w i l l f u n d

L O V O ’ s E n g l i s h l a n g u a g e programmes and the weekly g l o b a l l u n c h e s f o r 1 2

m o n t h s , e x p a n d i n g t h e i r ability to reach and support more women in need “This

partnership with Tilda is a significant step forward for our organisation,” said Ola Olive Stephen, Founder & D i r e c t o r o f L O V O “ T h e funds will enable us to reach more women and provide t h e m w i t h t h e t o o l s a n d support they need to overcome their challenges and lead fulfilling lives ” In addition to financial support, the Tilda x LOVO collaboration will include a series of community events in 2024, engaging local comm u n i t i e s a n d p r o v i d i n g v a l u a b l e s u p p o r t a n d r e s o u r c e s T h e f i r s t j o i n t e v e n t i

e a t u r e d a vibrant community gathering in Peckham, with activities such as a Zumba class, a nutritionist talk, and a wellb e i n g s e s s i o n L o o k i n g ahead, the partnership will c o n t i n u e w i t h a s e c o n d major event in September, promising to further amplify the impact of this collaboration

“We are honoured to partner with LOVO on its mission to empower women now and in the future,” said J e a n P h i l l i p e , M a n a g i n g Director of Tilda “At Tilda, we are committed to supporting initiatives that align with our belief in the importance of strengthening our c o m m u n i t y a n d c u l t u r a l diversity ”

Tilda’s B Corp certification in 2023 underscores its c o m m i t m e n t t o m e e t i n g high standards of social and environmental responsibility This partnership marks

contribute positively to society by supporting organisations championing diversity Together with LOVO, Tilda looks forward to making a

lives of women and their families, creating a future where life in all its flavours can thrive

Jean-Philippe Laborde Managing Director of Tilda (2nd Left) and Nikhil Deshpande, Brand Lead (1st Left) present a donation to the LOVO founder, Ola Olive Stephen and the volunteer team

Understanding menopause

I recently read the interview with Dr Shirin Lakhani on menopause, and I found it both insightful and much needed As a woman who has navigated menopause, I appreciated the focus on often-overlooked symptoms like mental health challenges, hair loss, and urinary tract issues These topics are rarely discussed, leaving many of us feeling isolated during an already challenging time

The discussion around menopause is crucial, especially as stress and lifestyle factors in today s world seem to be contributing to early-stage menopause It's alarming to see how many women, myself included, may delay pregnancy, thinking they can conceive after they have settled well in their careers or personal lives This belief, however, could be a warning bell Menopause, with its unpredictability, can sometimes arrive earlier than expected, potentially hindering these dreams The lack of awareness and support around this issue is concerning

While it's encouraging to hear about advancements in intimate health and menopause management, it's disappointing that many of these options are only available privately I hope this article encourages more women to seek h e l p a n d s p

menopause care

World Coconut Day

Shalini Bh atia

Every year ‘World Coconut Day’ is celebrated on September 2 in major coconut-producing countries, including India This special day was initiated by the Asian and Pacific Coconut Community This day aims to raise awareness about the use and benefits of coconuts across various industries

The day is about coconut as a nutritious fruit, a crucial raw material and a significant crop India is among the top coconut-producing nations in the world, with states like Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Goa being the leading contributors It is an occasion marked by farmers, experts, and business people to raise awareness about coconut production to help the industry grow It also helps the farmers get the right price for their produce in the market

Experts and business owners talk about the advantages of increased coconut production, and various activities are organised for people to understand the countless advantages of coconuts These can be used in a variety of ways and can do miracles to our overall health

The theme for this year's 'World Coconut Day' is "Coconut for a Circular Economy: Building Partnership for Maximum Value'

Ju bel D’C ruz

Shoplifting rises as penalties drop

With recent news highlighting the rise in shoplifting, I am deeply concerned about the significant drop in penalties for such offenses The decrease in fines and cautions means thieves are increasingly targeting stores, which puts a heavy financial and emotional burden on shop owners like me Organised gangs are making it even harder for small businesses to survive The lack of serious consequences not only impacts our finances but also compromises our safety We need the police to address shoplifting with greater urgency to protect our businesses and maintain order Sometimes, teenagers engage in theft for fun, but they often overlook the serious financial impact it can have on individuals who might already be struggling What starts as a thrill can quickly turn into a regular, harmful behaviour

Akash P alrecha

Soneri Sangat

Last week on Soneri Sangat, we hosted a compelling discussion on the American elections We were joined by prominent dignitaries from the USA - Prof Chandrakant Patel, Nilesh Patel- Prominent Hotelier, Mahendra PatelFounder of MHO Hotels, Ram Gadhvi- distinguished social worker, Kalpesh Joshi- Prominent Hotelier, provided valuable insights into the current political climate in America The programme offered a deep dive into the various facets of the elections, sparking lively debates and thought-provoking conversations The diverse perspectives shared by our guests enriched the discussion, making it an informative and engaging experience for all participants

For those who missed it, catch up on this event and previous episodes b y visiting our YouTube channel @abplgroup87 72

Stay tuned for more excitin g content comin g your way!

BMA urges action to curb vaping epidemic

Th e B r i

l Associ ation (BM A) is urging the Governmen t to address wh

d e s c r i

s a "growing e pi demic " of va pe us e in the U K

The BMA’s latest report reveals that vape use among children and young people has surged almost six-fold over the past decade A significant factor driving this increase is the widespread

vapes In its report, "Taking Our Breath Away: Why We Need Stronger Regulation of Vapes," the BMA outlines several key recommendations to combat rising vape

smoked T h e r e p o r t a d v o c a t e s for a ban on the commercial sale of all disposable vapes, citing their disproportionate and harmful use

by younger individuals and their negative environmental impact Additionally, the BMA recommends banning a l l n o n - t o b a c c o v a p e f l a v o

the use of imagery, colouring, and branding on both vape packaging and devices, s i m i

s placed on cigarette advertising The BMA also calls for t i g h t e

advertising and marketing, s u g g e s t i n g t h a t v a p e s should be kept behind the c o u n t

played openly in retail outlets Furthermore, it urges the Government to launch educational campaigns to r a

about the dangers of vapi n

children and young people to diminish the appeal of these products

Lisa Nandy criticised over union-funded hotel accommodation

and Sport, Ms Nandy was

During a debate on the

Question Time, she stated,

BMA wins landmark judgment for disabled doctors

achieve

favour of

sign ifican

gal

who

tment by t he

(RCGP) re garding it s exam attempts pol icy

The BMA supported the GP in challenging the legalit y o f t h e R C G P ’ s p o l i c y through judicial review proceedings The case cantered on the RCGP’s policy, which permits only four attempts at the AKT/RCA exams, crucial for completing GP training, with a rare exception for a fifth attempt According to t h i s p o l i c y , n o a d d i t i o n a l attempts are allowed even if a candidate later discovers they have a disability that would have warranted "reasonable adjustments," such as extra time for the exam,

had it been known earlier C o m m e n t i n g o n t h e l a n d m a r k j u d g m e n t , P r o f e s s o r P h i l B a n f i e l d ,

Chair of the BMA Council, stated, “The ruling not only validates that the treatment of the disabled candidate in this case was unlawful but a l s o m a n d a t e s t h a t t h e R C G P ’ s p o l i c y o n t h e A p p l i e d K n o w l e d g e T e s t , w h i c h a f f e c t s a l l d i s a b l e d candidates, be quashed and revised

“The court found that the College failed to provide a coherent justification for its policy and noted that the legal principles applied in this case are relevant to all c a n d i d a t e s s e e k i n g m e mbership This decision aligns with the BMA’s long-standing position that the RCGP’s p o l i c y o n e x a m a t t e m p t s w a s b o t h u n l a w f u l a n d unfair to disabled trainees ”

Access to GPs after hours falls short in

the UK

Pa tients in B ritain st ruggle more to a ccess doct or s during evenings and wee kends compared t o t hose in nea rly a ll ot he r ma jor Wester n nations, a ccor ding t o a study

The Health Foundation, an independent charity, compared healthcare systems across ten countries, including the U K , t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s , A u s t r

Germany

The UK fell behind other countries on nearly all metrics, including hospital waiting times and access to GPs and dentists The report noted that the decline in NHS performance had caused the UK to drop from being one of the top-performing nations in 2013 to one of the worst last year

Britain performed particularly poorly in out-of-hours care, with just 19 percent of patients finding it “ easy ” to see a doctor during evenings, weekends, and holidays without visiting A&E Only Sweden scored worse in this area, while the US and Australia ranked highest Health Secretary Wes Streeting has pledged to offer NHS staff overtime to cover evenings and weekends He has also shown interest in adopting an Australian model that features GP hubs, allowing patients to walk in for care during evenings and weekends

"backlash " Labour has been accused of being influenced b y u n i o n s s

m e o f i t s biggest donors with more threats of strikes if pay raises are not granted Details of her stay at an undisclosed hotel were listed in the latest

conference The entry doesn’t specify if the booking was for multiple people or rooms, but if it was for one, it would be £380 per night The CWU is one of the largest UK trade unions, representing around 185,000 postal workers

Solicitor suspended following counterclaim defeat

T h e So l i c it o r s R e gu l a t io n

Au th o ri ty h as su s p e nded a sol icitor, jus t a m onth after a ju d ge r u l ed t h at s h e h ad deliberately del ayed a claim for unpaid fees

The regulator indicated that there is reason to suspect Sadhana Soni of dishonesty in relation to her work at the central London firm Denning

S o t o m a y o r L t d T h e r e a r e also concerns that Soni may have breached SRA principles and accounts rules

As a result, Soni has been suspended from practice, and both Denning Sotomayor and h e r n e w f i r m , J a o i m L t d , located at the same Berkeley

S q u a r e a d d r e s s , h a v e b e e n shut down by the SRA

Soni, a corporate transact

S h

founding director of Jaiom L

to her LinkedIn profile, she has been with the firm for 18

She was named as a defendant in a legal case initiated by a property company where she had previously served inhouse The claimant sought an interim injunction to prevent her from representing a specific client, alleging that she breached confidentiality obligations

UN urges UK to tackle rise in racist hate speech by public figures

A UN body ha s urge d the UK to addre ss a significant rise in r a ci st h a t e sp e e ch b y B r it i sh p o l it i ci a n s a n d prominen t publ ic figure s The UN Committee on t h e E l i m i n a t i o n o f R a c i a l Discrimination has called on m i n i s t e r s t o i m p l e m e n t comprehensive measures to deter and address racist hate s p e e c h a n d x e n o p h o b i c remarks by political and public figures The committee, w h i l e n o t n a m i n g s p e c i

numerous credible reports of r a c i s t c

t s b y h i g h

p r o f i l e f i g u r e s , i n d i c a t i n g that the issue is significant in the UK

In a four-year review of t h e U K ’ s e f f o r t s a g a i n s t r a c i a l d i s c r i m i n a t i o n , t h e c o m m i t t e e r e p o r t e d “ v e r y t r o u b l i n g ” i n s t a n c e s o f racism, including concerns a b o u t r a c i a l p r o f i l i n g i n s t o p - a n d - s e a r c h p r a c t i c e s and excessive use of force by police They expressed part i c u l a r a l a r m a t t h e h i g h number of strip-searches of children, especially those of A f r i c a n d e s c e n t , a n d t h e growing police presence in schools with a high proportion of

children It also highlighted

Lisa Nandy

A new MP’s vision for UK-India collaboration

Subhasini Naicker

J e ev u n S a nd h er al w ay s aspired to h av e a career in p olitics, but he realised he need ed to und erstand how

t o c r eat e m ea ni ng f u l

c h a ng e T h i s le d h i m to become an economist, with the g oal o f imp rov ing lives in th e U K

H e b e c a m

’ s Ministry of Finance, helping to combat extreme poverty

Later, at HM Treasury, he

a

and led briefings on inequality He also worked for the

D

Loughborough

I

Asian Voice, Jeevun discusses about initial thoughts on becoming MP for the first time, APPG India and more

Being elected as MP for the first time Can you share your initial thoughts and emotions as you take on this significant role?

I find it incredibly excit-

i n g a n d c o n s i d e r i t t h e greatest honour, privilege, and responsibility of my lifetime It offers us the chance

to transform this country f o r t h e b e t t e r , c r e a t

n g a nation where everyone can thrive We must address our

c u r r e n t d o m e s t i c c r i s e s , tackle climate change, and ensure a sustainable future

f o r g e n e r a t i o n s t o c o m e

While the country faces sign i f i c a n t c h a l l e n g e s t o d a y , our focus should be on what we can achieve, and I am confident that we will rise to the occasion

You are also involved with the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) India Could you share your vision for the future of UKIndia relations?

T h e A P P G h a s b e e n established for some time, but the UK and India have close ties due to our shared history and vibrant diaspora

Our goal is to strengthen

this relationship further in the coming years We aim to e n h a n c e c o l l a b o r a t i o n between the UK and India, focusing on mutual benefits and parliamentary support

This includes discussing the UK-India trade deal, facilitating business interactions

t h r o u g h p a r l i a m e n t a r i a n s , celebrating cultural ties, and aligning our democratic values and security strategies

Our objective is to ensure t h a t b o t h n a t i o n s w o r k t o g e t h e r e f f e c t i v e l y a n

advance our shared interests, which is the core mission of the APPG

WithIndia’s growing economic power and global influence, how do you envision the UK-India partnership evolving in the next decade?

I envision an even closer p a r t n e r s h i p b e t w e e n o u r nations, benefiting both the UK and India Our Foreign Secretaries and key figures like Johnny Reynolds have actively engaged with India, highlighting the importance of this relationship The UKI n d i a S u m m i t l a s t y e

ment, and it remains a priority for us

I n d i a ' s g r o w t h a s a regional and global power will benefit its citizens, the r e g i o n , a n d t h e w o r l d India’s progress in eliminati n g

y impacting global well-being When my father was born in I n d i a , p o v e r t y w a s widespread, but significant s t r i d e s h a v e b e e n m a d e since then

Culturally, our nation's influence each other in prof o u n d w a y s I

U K , Indian culture is celebrated through popular cuisine and entertainment, while Indian cinema often reflects British

exchange enriches both cultures and strengthens our bond

In terms of strategy and security, we face a more perilous world today, arguably the most dangerous since W

played crucial roles in pre-

more trade and collaboration, we can ensure mutual

India, as the world’s largest

and continues to thrive I am excited to see how our partnership will evolve and grow in the coming years

Assomeone born in the UK with Indian heritage, how do you view India's current development and its role on the global stage?

India's progress over my lifetime I take immense pride in being British and in my Indian heritage I am just a

rural poverty in India, and I understand the challenges that came with it When I was younger, I used to visit India every year before my grandmother passed away, and it's difficult to convey how different it was back then compared to now The t

able, from improvements in i n f r a s t r u c t u r e t o t h e w a y people are thriving India’s p r o g

i d

n d impressive, and I am genuinely pleased to see how far it has come Looking ahead, I am confident that India will continue to grow and p r o s p e r , a c h i e v i n g e v e n greater success in the years to come

Successful Brighton Beach cleanup campaign by Vishv Umiya Foundation CIC UK

T he ench anting sh o res o f Brig hto n Beach receiv ed a th o r o u g h c lea ni ng w h en v olunteers from th e Vishv U miya F ound ation gath ered for a beach clean-u p campaign T he ev ent was o rg ani s ed t o p ro m o t e e nv i ro nmental aw areness and p reserv e the natu ral beauty of Brig hto n's coastline, eng aging th e co m m unity in an en er g eti c an d m ea ni ng fu l way

V i s h v U m i y a

Foundation CIC UK, known for its commitment to social a n d c o m m u n i t y w e l f a r e , s p e a r h e a d e d t

n - u p drive as part of its environmental contribution More than 100 volunteers, including families, students, and l o c a l c o m m u n i t y l e a d e r s , enthusiastically participated in the event, all united with the same goal of keeping Brighton Beach clean and pollution-free

In the early hours of the morning, the volunteers set to work with gloves, garbage b a g s , a n d o t h e r h y g i e n e equipment provided by the f o u n d a t i o n T h e y c l e a n e d up plastic bottles, discarded fishing gear, and other waste to preserve the beauty of the b e a c h , c o l l e c t i n g l a r g e amounts of garbage that can b e h a r m f u l t o m a r i n e ecosystems

A spokesperson for the

V i s h v U m i y a F o u n d a t i o n CIC UK thanked the community for their generous support and said, "We are delighted to see such supp o r t f o r t h i s i m p o r t a n t work Brighton Beach is a beloved part of our community, and we share a responsibility to keep it clean and safe Reaching this stage of success would not have been possible without the contrib u t i o n s o

l l o u r v o l u nteers " D u r i n g t h e e v e n t , t h e f

teers and beachgoers about the environmental impact of

Following the comple-

paign, volunteers gathered to celebrate their efforts and express their commitment to maintaining the cleanliness of Brighton Beach in the future T

Foundation is planning to hold similar programmes in other locations,

participate in environmental conservation This campaign is one of the foundation s many efforts towards

future

arl y- s tag e A lz h ei m e r ’ s , L ec ane m ab , w i ll no t be available th roug h the NHS in Eng land d ue to a decision by NIC E, the health assessm ent bo d y, w h ic h s ta te d th at th e benefits " are to o sm all to justify the costs " Licensed for use in Great B r i t a i n b y t h e M H R A , Lecanemab can still be pres c r i b e d p r i v a t e l y C l i n i c a l trials showed that the drug slowed cognitive decline by about 25% in patients with early-stage Alzheimer’s over

a n 1 8 - m o n t h p e r i o d However, in its draft guid-

ance, NICE highlighted the h i g h

monitoring for side effects and bi-weekly hospital visits for patients

A l z h e i m e r ’ s R e s e a r c h U K e x p r e s s e d d i s a p p o i n tment, calling the situation " a b i t t e r s w e e t

" David Thomas, the charity’s head of policy, noted that while Lecanemab’s approval is a significant milestone, N I C E ’ s

approve

for the NHS is "deeply disappointing "

explained that the body con-

ducted a thorough evaluation of the evidence, including the potential benefits for carers, but emphasised that treatments must "offer good

A final decision from NICE is expected later this year after a public consultation

Lecanemab treatment NHS England stated that a dedicated team is reviewing 27 other Alzheimer’s drugs

Jeevun Sandher

Elevating Vinyasa flow yoga in the heart of Kew Gardens

An

India's travel evolution attracting the UK and world

Continued from page 1

By 2047, the middle class is expected to double in size, and the number of valid Indian passports has already grown from 52 million a decade ago to 93 million this year

their minds, and experience true relaxation It’s about moving beyond just physical exercise to truly embodying and reconnecting with oneself

Yourteaching emphasises Vinyasa Flow Yoga. Can you explain what Vinyasa Flow Yoga is and how it differs from other styles of yoga?

In an interview with Asian Voice, she spoke about her practising Yoga in the nature, teaching at Kew Gardens and much more What inspired you to start practising yoga, and what motivated you to pursue teaching it?

My motivation for yoga began at a young age, rooted in my Indian heritage I started attending classes regularly and quickly fell in love with the practice I think due to early exposure, combined with my love for fitness and sports, naturally led me to yoga My spiritual inclination led me to yoga, where I found a way to blend this with physical practice I pursued teacher training to share the holistic benefits of yoga for mind, body, and spirit My journey expanded with workshops and retreats abroad, further deepening my commitment to teaching yoga

How has your yoga practice evolved over the past 18 years, and what key lessons have you learned along the way?

I live a deeply spiritual life, and for me, yoga is about connecting with my body on a profound level It’s an embodied practice that helps me feel more present and grounded Although I initially taught in gyms and health clubs, which often focus on aesthetics and workouts, I found that yoga offers something more internal and meaningful While my experiences in those environments were valuable, especially for understanding injuries and fitness levels, yoga allows me to teach somatically, helping people return to their bodies, calm

All forms of yoga are rooted in Hatha Yoga, which includes poses and asanas that can be modified and expanded upon Vinyasa flow, for example, coordinates breath with movement, creating a rhythmic, dance-like flow from one posture to the next While traditional Vinyasa is often fast and dynamic, my approach focuses on a slower, more somatic practice By moving slowly and deeply, I emphasise presence and engagement with the body, allowing students to experience a more profound connection and challenge Gyms often emphasise high-intensity workouts with loud music, but yoga offers a different experience My students sometimes struggle with holding poses longer and moving slowly, yet this slower pace fosters deep selfdiscovery and mindfulness In noisy settings with distractions, I ve learned to remain inwardly focused, staying calm despite external chaos Initially, students may find the noise challenging, but with practice, they develop the skill to stay grounded and peaceful, finding serenity regardless of their surroundings

How did the opportunity to teach yoga at Kew Gardens come about, and what do you find unique about this setting?

I began teaching yoga in health clubs like LA Fitness in Isleworth right after my teacher training One of my students, a scientist from Kew Gardens, invited me to teach corporate classes there Initially, I hesitated but eventually started teaching weekly sessions for Kew's herbarium staff Through word of mouth, I began getting requests for events, workshops, and festivals In 2019, Kew's Temperate House team approached me about offering yoga sessions there Though the plan was delayed by the pandemic, we launched in 2021, right when wellness became a priority The sessions quickly became popular and sold out Now, we're entering our fourth year of successful classes at the Temperate House, which has exceeded my initial expectations

By 2040, international departures from India could reach 80 to 90 million, according to McKinsey, a consultancy This is not far off from the 104 million Chinese who t

Chinese travellers are increasingly

travellers are eager to explore the world

The driving forces behind th e surge

This upward trend in Indian travel is fuelled by a combination of demographic and economic fac-

Indians aged 25 to 34 Unlike previ-

today’s young Indians value experiences and are eager to explore new

shift in mindset is driving the rise in outbound tourism

Srinjoy Sen, who co-found ed

compa

Pvt Ltd in India after traveling to 50 countries by the age of 25, highlights other reasons for this trend

"Across India, disposable incomes are steadily increasing, allowing people to save specifically for travel Many are planning and saving well in advance Travel companies, including ours, offer travel packages with equated monthly instalments (EMI) For example, a package costing five lakh rupees per person can be paid in EMIs over three, six, or 12 months, or even longer "

Sen also notes that travel has become a significant priority in people's lives, particularly among t h e y o u n g e r g e n e r a t i o n , w h o embrace the idea of working hard to travel further Social media plays a

seeking out destinations that will look great on Instagram "I frequently get calls from clients who s p e c

that will look good on Instagram

S o c i

interest and demand in the travel industry "

t h e f a c t t h a t I n d i a n tourists increasingly favour destinations that offer unique experiences and easy access The ease of obtaining visas is a crucial factor in their travel decisions, with countries that streamline visa processes or offer visa-free entry seeing a s u r g e i n I n d i a n v i s i t o r s F o r instance, the UK visa process is rela t i v e l y s t r a i g h t f o r w a r d , w i t h options for two-year, five-year, or even ten-year visas, making it easie r f o r I n d i a n s t o v i s i t m u l t i p l e times

According to Sen, key trends in Indian travel today include a growing preference for curated, personalised holidays and a willingness to invest in premium experiences and services This travel boom could benefit the global travel ecosystem if managed and channelled properly T he enduring appeal of th e U K

F o r m a n y I n d i a n s , L o n d o n remains a dream destination, making the UK a top choice for travellers The UK's appeal is partly due to historical ties from the British

Raj In 2022, there were 517,000 visits from India to the UK, according to VFS Global In Europe, the UK is currently the most visited destination for I n

VisitBritain The organisation is actively courting Indian holidaym

Indians spend longer in the UK than most tourists (an average of 18 days compared to one week) and spend around a third more than the average visitor in 2022: £1,088 compared to £696

Anirudh S ing h, C OO of VFS Global, adds, "The India-UK relationship continues to be one of the world’s strongest In 2023, the UK welcomed 604,000 tourists from I n

accounted for more than a quarter (26%) of visitor visas granted, an increase of 22% from the previous year While the tourism industry’s

downturn has contributed to this increase, modern visa application processes undoubtedly help facilitate travel

VFS Global, for example, operates visa application centres across India that enable travellers to book appointments at the time and location of their choice Additionally, dedicated staff can travel to an applicant’s home to collect biometr

more seamless for the traveller "

Man jailed for boasting about Kent mosque attack

Prosecution Service (CPS) successfully sought an increased sentence due to the hate crime nature of his offense Edwards was ultimately sentenced to six months in prison at Maidstone Crown Court Chief C r o w n P

K

“current civil unrest” and that it was “difficult to imagine how his actions could be more distressing to the Muslim community

rights, expected within the party’s

statement to reporters, Starmer’s spokesperson said, “A culture of presenteeism can be damaging to

i s Venkatasami from the CPS South East stated, “This was a deeply distressing attack on a mosque, particularly upsetting for our local Muslim community amid recent national tensions Edwards arrogantly believed he would escape justice, but within five days, he was identified, conv

productivity It’s about striking the right balance between maximising the benefits of flexible working practices, which emerged during the pandemic, and ensuring that arrangements are in place to keep people productive ” The spokesperson noted that decisions about office attendance w i l l b e l e f t t o i n d i v i d u a

employers, as roles and needs vary C

outlined specific expectations for c

tough prison term, following the CPS’s successful hate crime uplift a p p l i c

a t those who seek to spread hate and prejudice will face the full force of the law ”

mentioned earlier this month that

“The government is committed t

businesses in working in ways that suit their specific circumstances,” Gould added “While terms and conditions regarding work hours a r e m

departments, the civil service must ensure it delivers value for money to the public ”

Anil Jangi

Anirudh Singh Srinjoy Sen

Marcus Edwards

Asian Voice – The voice that connects us

As we recently celebrated the 78th Independence Day, Asian Voice and Gujarat Samachar take pride in having served the British Asian Community through our publishing activities for over 52 years We are truly fortunate to receive your ongoing love and support Over the decades, Asian Voice and Gujarat Samachar have evolved and p r o g

e s s e d ,

supporters, and well-wishers like you

As a token of our appreciation, we are excited to offer a special service for our subscribers You are invited to send us a brief text (50 w o r d s ) a n d a p h

occasions such as births, weddings, marriages, or your child’s achievements and we will publish it at no cost Likewise, you may also submit a short obituary note for a loved one who has passed away, along with a photograph Please send your write-up and photograph to pooja raval@abplgroup com

If you or your organisation, be it a community group or charity, have any reports or photographs from recent or upcoming events, feedback or expectations regarding our content, write to us at: aveditorial@abplgroup com For any other queries, feel free to call us at 020 7749 4080

- Pooja Raval, Business Development Manager

Trainee solicitor awarded £100k over headscarf comments

A Musl im tra in ee so lic

b

af ter a ma le colleague sugges ted s he w ould “attract

he s toppe d we arin g her heads ca rf

Forida Kaiser reported feeling

Ahmed, a fellow Muslim lawyer

a

s h e w a s employed She believed Ahmed implied that she would struggle to find a husband if she continued to wear her headscarf Kaiser

s u c c e s s f u l l y s u

based law firm Khans Solicitors

a n d w a s g r a n t e d m o r e t h a n £ 1 0 9 , 0 0 0 i n c o m p e n s a t i o n

D u r i n g t h e t r i b u n a l , K a i s e r revealed that she joined the firm as a paralegal in 2019, following a bankruptcy during her divorce

T h e t r i b u n a l l e a r n e d t h a t Ahmed, a conveyancing special-

ist, had seen a photograph of

Kaiser without her headscarf and told her that not wearing it might help her “attract men ” This comment led Kaiser to feel deeply insulted and embarrassed, as she believed it suggested she would be unable to find a husband while wearing her scarf The tribunal noted that Ahmed was aware of Kaiser’s recent divorce Kaiser also shared with the tribunal that she suffers from several medical conditions, including glaucoma and fibromyalgia, and had requested various workplace adjustments that were all denied

J u d g e J u l i a J o n e s r u l e d i n favour of Kaiser, stating that as a p r a c t i c i n

modesty in dress is important to his colleague

Female doctors face 76% higher suicide risk

Su icide r isk is significantl y higher among f em ale do ct ors compared to t he g eneral p opu lat ion, acco rding to an analysis of dat a f rom 20 countr ies The study, published in the BMJ journal, found that while suicide rates among doctors have generally declined over time, and risk levels vary by country and region, there remains a pressing need for ongoing research and p r e v e n t i v e m e a s u r e s P r e v i o u s estimates suggest that one doctor dies every 10 days in the UK,

but data on physician suicide rates vary across countries

To address the

observational studies published between 1960 and 2024, comparing suicide rates among doctors with those in the general popula-

Community holds UK-wide peaceful demonstrations for ‘Abhaya’

Rupanjana Dutta

Lo n d on , B ir m i n gh a m , M il t on

Ke yne s, Gla sgow wer e among 16 pl aces in the UK, t ha t witn essed pe ace ful demonstrat ions and vigil at 7pm on 22 August

These were hosted by Indian men and women especially doctors, in solidarity with junior doctors in

Abhaya, who was brutally killed at R G Kar Medical College and Hospital

in Kolkata

About 200 people gathered at the foot of the Gandhi statue in P

London, with loud slogans such as “ we want justice”, holding lit candles, placards, India’s flag, raising concerns for women ’ s safety in general Singers joined the protest, as

ground using candles and lay down white roses F

anthem, the crowd broke out in patriotic songs in Bengali like Amra korbo joy', 'Ekla Cholo Re', 'Utho go B h a r a t

around the Parliament square holding banners and candles

Dr Dipti Jain at the helm of M e d i c o s W o m e n C h a r i t y Organisation said, “We have also set up a digital protest tool to collect support capturing the whole cross section of the community, so that all voices are heard We would s

, C h i e f Minister of West Bengal, Indian Prime Minister and the President

tion Their review included 39 studies from 20 countries The f i n d i n g s

l increase in suicide risk for male doctors compared to the general p o p u

doctors face a significantly higher suicide risk 76% greater than that of the general population, as reported by the BMJ

Although there was no overall increase in suicide risk among male doctors relative to the general public, a separate analysis showed that male doctors have a higher suicide risk compared to other professional groups with similar socioeconomic status

The study also indicated a decline in suicide rates over time for both male and female doctors, comparing data from the 10

research

Bengalis and Indians have gathered at Glasgow today, thinking of the R G Kar incident that has happened thousands of miles away in our City of Joy

“Women’s safety and security are under threat globally I came to Britain in 1967 Today’s Britain is not the same as what it used to be I can feel that the security here for women has drastically reduced as

W e w o u l d c o n t i n u e t h i s d i g i t a l protest in the future so that our cumulative and unified voices can herald long overdue changes in the system

In Birmingham, people gathered at the Victoria Square, where o r g a n i s e r S o h i n i B i s w a s s p o k e about how the protests in India are not just about one woman She reportedly said, “Almost everyone w e k n o w h a s b e e n

t e d , harassed or faced some form of sexism and misogyny That's why we're here Not just to show solidarity with the victim and her family, but also to advocate that we need better education, better policies and betters laws around how we deal with sexual violence "

In Milton Keynes a total of 60 people, mainly women and some men and children gathered outside t h e t r a i n s t a t i o n w i t h p l a c a r d s demanding justice

In Glasgow, at George Square, people gathered in silent protestand also discussed issues like workplace safety in India

Dr Santanu Acharya said, “We

well, despite being a multicultural country " Madhumita who just returned t o t h e U K f r o m I n d i a s a i d , “ A s quintessential members of the society our duty is to raise our boys in a way, so that they learn to respect women from childhood - whether in the family, among friends or strangers

O r g a n i s e r

g i

i n Glasgow, Sukanya, said, “We are gathered here but we are all from different professions This incident in R G Kar has affected us all Being a female professional and a mother of a four year old daughter, when we hea

crime in Kolkata, where we have grown up, where there is so much delay in delivery of justice, it affects our conscience We want a change i n

S

m

n y v i g i l s , protests give me hope that we will be able to change the system I have full faith in our judiciary " Arnab, a male protester, who joined the vigil added, “We need a s p

justice denied "

Banker wins sexism claim

An “ ambitiou

promotion

Nazia Lawrence was found to h

male boss despite being recognised as an “excellent performer” with “high potential ” Following a partial victory at an employment tribunal, Lawrence’s lawyer criticised “ poor practices” among banks in L o n d o n T h e c o n f l i c t b e g a n i n 2021 when Lawrence informed her managers that personal issues prevented her from prioritising promotion at that time However, the tribunal concluded that her statement was related to temporary pri-

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

L a t e r t h a t y e a r , Lawrence felt “betrayed” upon discovering that a male colleague received a p r o m o t i o n w i t h i n t h e same London office She r a i s e d c o n c e r n s a b o u t “unequal opportunities” and alleged “discriminat i o n , i n j u s t i c e , i n e q u a l i

filed a grievance and claimed victimisation D u r i n

Protest at Parliament Square in London in front of the Gandhi statue

Protest outside Milton Keynes train station

Protest in George Square Glasgow

Nazia Lawrence

Anusha Singh

Starting October 5, the Barbican will showcase ‘The Imaginary Institution of India: Art 1975-1998’, the world’s first exhibition to explore and chart a transformative period in Indian cultural and political history

F e a t u r i n g n e a r l y 1 5 0

w o r k s a c r o s s p a i n t i n g ,

s c u l p t u r e , p h o t o g r a p h y , installation, and film, this

l a n d m a r k g r o u p s h o w

e x a m i n e s h o w 3 0 a r t i s t s

h a v e c a p t u r e d k e y moments of the late 20th century and reflected on personal experiences of the

t i m e A c c o m p a n y i n g t h e

e x h i b i t i o n i s a s p e c i a l l y

c u r a t e d f i l m s e a s o n , ‘ R e w r i t i n g t h e R u l e s :

Pioneering Indian Cinema after 1970 ’ I n a n i n t e r v i e w w i t h

A s i a n V o i c e , S h a n a y

Jhaveri, Head of Visual Arts

a t t h e B a r b i c a n , s h a r e d insights into the exhibition and its significance

About the specific period you focused on, why did you choose to cover the time frame from 1975 to 1998?

T h e e x h i b i t i o n i s f r a m e d b y t w o m a j o r

e v e n t s i n p o s t - i n d e p e ndent India's recent history: 1975, when civil liberties were suspended, and the Emergency was declared by then Prime Minister Indira

G a n d h i , a n d 1 9 9 8 , w h e n India asserted itself as a n u c l e a r p o w e r F o r m e , these two events represent

s i g n i f i c a n t m o m e n t s o f reckoning with some of the i d e a l s o n w h i c h I n d

democracy, the Emergency marked the first time since 1947 that the nation collectively confronted the suspension of those freedoms,

often overlooked point in our history With Pokhran and the nuclear tests, on the other hand, India was making a bold assertion on the global stage, but this w

contrasting with the nonviolent ideals on which our

marks a significant shift in how we define ourselves as a nation It coincides with a time of political change, seven years after our economy was opened to global investment, and amid the divisive communal politics and violence of the 1990s

What is the story behind the title 'The Imaginary Institution of India' ?

The story behind the title is that I have great respect and admiration for the scholar Sudipta Kaviraj, who wrote an essay called 'The Imaginary Institution of India ' In it, he explores the complexities of creating a narrative for such a diverse country, from the colonial period through to independence I was drawn t o t h e t i t l e b e c a u s e i t s poetic and captures one of t h e m a j o r c h a l l e n g e s w e face as a nation: the coexist e n c e o f m u l t i p l e n a r r atives within India For different groups, India means something very different, and to suggest a singular notion of India is something that needs to be carefully considered and questioned The text proposes t h i s i d e a , a n d t h e t i t l e

C o v en try U n iv ers i ty i

m ents from the

o d ecades following Ind ia’ s P artition

a collaboration will bring to life a remarkable collection housed at Hamilton Studios in Mumbai, spanning nearly a century of Indian history and featuring over 600,000 o b j e c t s T h e

digitisation project is on the years 1947 to 1967, a pivotal e

geopolitical event that concluded nearly two centuries of British colonial rule and split the Indian subcontin e n t i n t o I n d i a a n d Pakistan

B e n K y n e s w o o d , A s s o c i a

project in collaboration with Hamilton Studios and the

Midlands’ Just Naach makes comeback

Decades of change

India’s art odyssey at the Barbican

reflects the reality that for different communities and constituencies, the idea of I n d i a i s d i s t i n c t a n d unique

Whatwere some of the challenges you faced in curating this exhibition and how did you ensure that every perspective shines through?"

I was very conscious of the challenge I faced I was i n t e r e s t e d i n e x p l o r i n g gender and sexuality, the growing interest and connections with indigenous communities, urbanisation a n d t h e c h a n g i n g c l a s s structure, and of course, communal politics and violence These were the four key themes that I distilled from this timeframe From t h e r e , I s o u g h t o u t a r t practices that were engag-

n o exhibition, no matter how ambitious, can be entirely comprehensive This exhibition doesn't claim to be c

d o e s n ' t r e p r e s e n t e v e r y type of art practice happening in India during that time Instead, it focuses on

and the artists most directly connected to them In this way, the voices of the artists remain consistent, almost like a refrain that g u i d e s y

we have six works by Vivan Sundaram, six by Sudhir Patwardhan, four by Arpita Singh, and two by Gulam Mohammed Sheikh This w

employed to guide visitors t

ple works by each artist to

themes

UK-India project to preserve post-Partition history

Coventry Digital a repository with over 70,000 local images, videos, and documents this project aims to preserve these endangered archives for community use

Dhiren

Katwa

F i na li s ts h av e b ee n announced for the return o f W

v e rh am p to n G ran d Th eatre’s South A sian d ance c o m p et it i o n, J u s t Na ac h , w h i c h w i

Septem ber 15

H o l y h e a d D i S h a a n ,

Natyalaya Dance Company, Riya and Diya, Roshini Pink, The Vault Studios, Ultimate Bhangra and NilaKshi’s Bells and Seats who will all compete on the Grand Theatre s t a g e t o b e c r o w n e d W o l v e r h a m p t o n ’ s S o u t h

Asian Dance Champion of 2024

T h r o u g h o u t t h e evening, the audience will also get to see exciting professional acts who will also perform - the line- up features JK, Deesh Sandhu and Dhol Frequency

J K i s a s i n g e r h a i l i n g from the Midlands, a tourde-force vocalist who is a regular in the UK mela and performance circuit

The live celebration of South Asian Dance in the West Midlands, hosted by R a d i o X L p r e s e n t e r Manpreet Darroch will be judged by Amber Sandhu,

Kumari and Virdi Mazaria

afternoon and reports for Sky Sports News across their Premier League coverage

unapologetic Gujarati queer dancemaker and one of the leading voices in amplifying

narratives, on the UK and

landscape Jaivant's artistic journey seeks to authentically assimilate Kathak into a creative practice, complimenting his contemporary dance background The winning performer or group will win 50 tickets to the pantomime Beauty

Theatre in January 2025 as well as a winner’s trophy

Full cast announced for "Brace Brace" at the Royal Court

T h e Ro yal C o u rt T h eatr e announced the full cast for Oli Forsyth’s upcom ing p lay ‘ B rac e Bra ce ’ , d i re cte d b y Daniel Raggett, known for ‘ A c c i d en tal D ea th o f A n A narchist’

The production will feat u r e P h i l D u n s t e r ( ‘ T e d Lasso’), Craige Els (‘Just For O n e D a y ’ ) , a n d A n j a n a Vasan (‘We Are Lady Parts’) ‘Brace Brace’ will run at the J e r w o o d T h e a t r e U p s t a i r s from Thursday, 3 October to Saturday, 2 November 2024 The play centres around the harrowing experience of a plane hijacking and the fallout for survivors Ray and Sylvia as they grapple with the psychological aftermath

The narrative delves into the c o m p l e x i t i e s o f h u m a n behaviour in the wake of catastrophe, exploring how t r a g e d y c a n f r a c t u r e r e l ationships and alter identities

Anjana Vasan expressed her enthusiasm for the project: “I’m so excited to start r e h e a r s i n g O l i F o r s y t h ’ s brilliant and surprising play with this incredibly talented

team I love the Royal Court, e s p e c i a l l y t h e m a g i c a l

“Coventry Digital has shown how digital technology can

share cultural narratives I am excited to extend this success to the preservation of India s cultural heritage, ensuring future generations

epic goes bilingual

Gieve Patel, Two Men with Handcart 1979 Peabody Essex Museum Salem Massachusetts

Shanay Jhaveri

(L-R) Phil Dunster, Craige Els and Anjana Vasan

Nadarajah as Cleopatra and John Hollingworth as Mark Antony in Antony & Cleopatra

John Lyon students excel in GCSEs, earning places in Sixth Form

J o h n L y o n p u p il s h a v e

a chie ve d outsta ndin g G CSE r esult s, e ar ning the m a pla ce

i n o u r p r e s t i g i ou s S ix t h

For m A s they a dvan ce t o the U pper Sixt h, t hey will join our co-ed S ix th For m, wit h g irls star ting in t he Lower S ix th in Se ptember 2025

T h e s e e x c e p t i o n a l results reflect their achievements both inside and outside the classroom Students

i

tently excel in their exams year after year Abdul-Kareem achieved

straight 9s in all subjects and an A in the Higher Project Q u a l i f i c a t i o n ( H P Q ) A n Academic Scholar and member of the School's 1st XI hockey team, he received the G o l d h a w k S c h o l a r s h i p f o r Sixth Form Abdul-Kareem said, “I’m thrilled with my results! The School’s support has been outstanding I’m grateful to my teachers and f a m i l y I ’ l l b e s t u d y i n g

M a t h e m a t i c s , F u r t h e r Mathematics, Physics, and

C h e m i s t r y a t J o h n L y o n ’ s Sixth Form and aiming for a f u t u r e i n A e r o s p a c e Engineering ” Madisan achieved nine 9s, one 8, and an A* in HPQ

A s a n A c a d e m i c S c h o l a r , public speaker, and active

m e m b e r o f t h e C C F , h e earned the Goldhawk Award f o r S i x t h F o r m M a d i s a n

said, “I’m grateful for these results and the support from my teachers I’m excited to use this achievement as a springboard for my A-Levels and future studies at John Lyon’s Sixth Form ” Ravi earned nine 9s and

one 8 A Grade 8 pianist, he has completed work experie n c e i n B i o c h e m i s t r y a n d M e d i c i n e a t p r e s t i g i o u s institutions and is actively i

S

J o h n Ambulance, the Chemistry Club, and the CCF Awarded the Goldhawk Award, Ravi said, “I’m thrilled with my results and grateful for my teachers’ support I’m excited to start my A-Levels at John Lyon ” Nikhil secured eight 9s and one 8 A key player in our 16A cricket team, he has been awarded a John Lyon S i x t h F o r m S c h o l a r

pleased with my grades I’ll b e s t u d y i n g M a t h e m a t i c s , Economics, and Geography and aiming for a future in Economics or Finance I’m excited to return for my ALevels ”

Hemang achieved seven 9s, two 8s, and one 7 He

e a

n e e r i n g Scholarship, one of the UK’s top awards, after a rigorous selection process As a member of the Pride of Lyons choir and a key player in r o b o t i c s , H e m a n g h e l p e d lead his team to victory at the 2022 VEX IQ competition and qualified for the W o r l d C h a m p i o n s h i p s i n Dallas, where John Lyon was t h e t o p U K i n d e p e n d e n t school team Hemang said, “I’m grateful for my teache r s ’ s u p p o r t a

ties at John Lyon, which I

tions ”

Improved

GCSE outcomes marked by persisting regional and gender gaps

G CSE r esult s a re n ow a vaila ble, re vea lin g how st uden ts ha ve fa red in the ir e xam s This ye ar ’ s outcome s r efle ct t he culmin at ion of y ea rs of ha rd work and d edicat ion

S c h o o l s a n d s t u d e n t s across the country are celebrating impressive achievements, with many expressing pride in their results and excitement for the next academic steps

For many, it’s an emotional time as they secure the grades they have worked hard for, or are disappointed to have just missed out

S i n c e 2 0 1 7 , t h e w a y

G C S E s a r e g r a d e d i n

England has been different

Whereas before they were given letter grades the same as A-Levels, ranging from A* to G, they are now given a number ranging from 9 to 1

A s G C S E r e s u l t s a r e released for over a million s t u d e n t s , t h e r e ’ s g r o w i n g concern about rising numbers of young people aged 16 to 24 who are not in education, employment, or traini n g R e c e n t O N S f i g u r e s s h o w a n i n c r e a s e i n t h i s demographic, with the number of disengaged youths rising to 872,000 in April to June 2024, up from 798,000 in the same period of 2023 This equates to 12 2% of all young people

Speaking about the initial thoughts on this year ’ s

G C S E r e s u l t s , R a j e s h w a r i

I y e r , c o - f o u n d e r , C E O o f

sAInaptic stated that, “Given this was the first year with a b s o l u t e l y n o a d d i t i o n a l h e l p f r o m e x a m b o a r d s , good to see that there was

no fall in performance In fact we saw an increase of 0 9% in top grades awarded w h i l e t h e o v e r a l l r e s u l t s were 0 1% higher than last year

”

“It’s still dis-heartening to see that some gaps are not closing – for e g boys continue to outperform girls in maths, physics and statistic a l s u b j e c t s , e v e n t h o u g h

o v e r a l l , g i r l s o u t p e r f o r m

b o y s a c r o s s a l l s u b j e c t s

Disturbing trend is seeing an increase in the number of students failing English and maths Contributing factors could be an increase in the population within this subg r o u p a n d a l s o b e c a u s e grades have now settled back t o p r e - c o v i d l e v e l s , ” s h e added

Reflecting on the current state of education and a s s e s s m e n t i n t h e U K , Rajeshwari highlighted areas

o f c o n c e r n a n d n e e d e d i m p r o v e m e n t s S

b

e n

e s t o r i n g e x a m r e s u l t s t o p r e - C o v i d l e v e l

h i s year ’ s results show that the assessments and their marki n g w e r e c o n d u c t e d f a i r l y and consistently across the country No additional aids w e r e g i v e n t o s t u d e n t s ,

ensuring a level playing field

The completion of government tutoring programs also contributed to these results, reflecting the overall effect i v e n e s s o f t h e c u r r e n t approach "

“To close the gender gap in engineering and maths, we need to engage girls from a younger age The government should focus on introducing experts into primary e d u c a t i o n L o n d o n ' s h i g h grades are partly due to state grammar and independent schools with qualified teache r s ,

and innovative tools like AI, which give these schools an edge in exam preparation

Regional differences in education stem from deep-seated socio-economic gaps, and change will take time With t h e n

tary's promise to tackle these disparities, we hope disadvantaged areas will receive t

improve However, this dis-

leading to continued regional inequalities in job opportunities,” she added

Offering advice to stu-

Embrace every opportunity and remember that alternative paths can also lead to success There’s no need to fear many have found success through their Plan B ”

British Indian students achieve remarkable GCSE results

Parents and well-wishers of high-achieving GCSE students from the community share their stories and sentiments with Asian Voice, highlighting their pride and support for the students' success.

S E sc h o o l topp ers, tw ins Sh ivan and A ryan, cleared their exam s and got 1 0 A stars w i th ou t an

felt w hen th ey saw their final g rades, A ryan exp ressed his pride, saying , " I felt incredibly pro ud and excite

had fina

"

Shivan echoed similar sentiments: "I was thrilled to see the results of all my long-term hard work and dedication Holding my achievements in my hands for the first time made me feel immensely proud "

Shivan reflected on the benefits of studying without a tutor: “Not having a tutor was actually advantageous It allowed us to focus on what worked best for us without added pressure, giving us the freedom to manage our own study and perform at our best ”

Aryan agreed, adding, “Sometimes, having a tutor can be confusing, as their methods might d i f f e r f r o m t h o s e o f y o u r s c h o o l o r o n l i n e resources Managing everything on my own made revision clearer and more straightforward ” For A levels, Shivan plans to choose Physics, Maths, and Chemistry, with the aim of pursuing engineering at university and a career in STEM Aryan is considering A level English Literature, Maths, and History, with aspirations of studying law in the future

ture

Currently interning at an architecture firm, she shared her exam preparation strategy that helped her in her GCSE exams: "I focused on

papers, and extensively reading and working through questions from workbooks I also made my own notes and reviewed concepts to ensure a thorough understanding " Ritika Shah shared her approach to managing exam stress, noting that stress is a natural part of the process, even if one tries to downplay it She admitted feeling overwhelmed at times but found relief through simple strategies She would talk to friends or take short walks She emphasised that taking breaks, even brief ones, i s c r u c

n d avoiding burnout, highlighting the importance of balancing study with relaxation

Reflecting on the support she received, she said, “My teachers, friends, and family were all crucial to my success Teachers answered my endless questions patiently, while my parents motivated me on tough days ”

for

His decision paid off remarkably, earning him a top grade of 9 in the GCSE Gujarati exam as an achievement He will be giving his GCSE next year

Speaking about how he feels about performance in the GCSE Gujarati exam, he said,

“I'm thrilled with my Gujarati GCSE results, especially since this was my first time taking a GCSE exam Achieving a grade nine was an incredibly proud and joyful moment for me, and I feel these results have far exceeded my expectations ”

Believing that it’s important for young people to learn and excel in their mother

i n c r e d i b l y important for young people to not only learn and excel in languages like Gujarati but also in their mother tongue Mastering multiple languages is a valuable skill that offers numerous benefits for the future Additionally, being able to communicate with friends and family in your mother tongue is essential for maintaining cultural connections and fostering strong relationships ”

Achieving A’s in A levels, Eshita has secured a place at her first choice university King's College London, where she will be

Management

Eshita s success at A-Level follows her outstanding performance a

straight A*s across all her subjects

Beyond academics, Eshita has also been leading many clubs at her school including Bollywood dance club, Economics Society and Debate Club showcasing her wellrounded abilities and leadership skills M

God’s grace and the blessings of

ments as all her

work has paid off and wish her continued s

beyond

Abdul-Kareem

Madisan

Ravi with his family member

Nikhil with his family

Hemang

Rajeshwari Iyer

Shivan and Aryan

Eshita Soni

Ritika Shah

Darsh Patel

Navnat Vadil Mandal celebrates India's Independence Day in a grand way

On Frid ay 16 A ugust 2024, Navnat Vad il Mandal celebrated Ind ia's Ind ependence Day w ith g reat enthusiasm

at th e Navnat Hall, wh ich w as transformed into a tricolor spectacle for th e occasion The C hief Guest, C B P atel, shared the fond m emo ries of the establish ment of N av n at H e rem i n is c ed about a tim e w hen, at his E dgw are residence, p rom in ent fi g u res l ik e P ra nal al S e th , Na v ne et S

M eh ta, Vinod Udani, Pankaj

V ora, and others g athered to d is c u ss th e c rea

Navnat

In his speech, CB praised the Navnat community for

noting that the vast buildi n g , s p r e a d o v e r 1 8

e s w i t h a m p l e p a r k i n g , h a s become a hub for hosting social, cultural, and religious events

The programme began promptly at 11:30 am with p r a y e r s l e d b y N a v n a t President Jashwant Doshi, V a d i l M a n d a l P r e s i d e n t N a t u b h a i S h a h a n d C B

Following the prayers, Vadil

M a n d a l S e c r e t a r y N i t i n

S a v a d i a i n v i t e d P r e s i d e n t

Natubhai to extend a warm welcome to all attendees

was paid to India

martyrs, with CB leading a tricolor p

Kalpana Bhatt further elevated the patriotic spirit by

Tricolor

cious meal prepared by the Navnat kitchen committee, the second phase of the pro-

The event was expertly c o o r d i n a t e d b y B a n s r i Rupani and Jagdish Sangani, who ensured everything ran s m o o t h l y T h e m u s

l group, Marina and Melody

r s Marina, Sujata, and Anjan, i n f u s e d t h e a t m o s p h e r

h melodious patriotic songs, culminating in the Indian

Krishna's

S h r i K ri s h na Bh a g w a n, a belov ed deity fo r millions of H i nd u s w o rl d w i d e, m a nifested on the Hindu calend rical d ay of Shrav an Vad 8 T h i s y e a r , t h e f e s t i v a l celebrating his divine birth fell on Monday, August 26, 2024, and was marked with a variety of devotional festivities Celebrations at Aylesbu ry Hindu T emp le T h e K r i s h n a Janmashtami celebration at A y l e s b u r y H i n d u T e m p l e was a resounding success, attracting over 200 community members for an evening filled with devotion and cult u r a l v i b r a n c y T h e e v e n t saw participation from all age groups, from toddlers to elders in their 80s, creating a truly inclusive atmosphere

A l i v e l y t o k r

d Bal Krishna over their heads, was one of the highlights of

joyful

Sangani had beautifully decorated the hall, transforming it into a mini India for

Mira, adding a personal and heartfelt touch to the celebration

Flavours of Navnat Cooking: The 'Navras'

Cookery Book

Priceless Gift of the Golden Jubilee Year

Th e launch of the 'Nav ras' cookery book, a collabora-

and Navnat Vadil Mand al, marked a sig nificant milesto ne du ring their Golden Jubilee year

team for their dedication in bringing this book to life Born out of the challenging

the demand for a cookbook culminated in this publicat i o n F e a t u r i n g o v e r 1 0 0

m o u t h - w a t e r i n g G u j a r a t i recipes, each accompanied by vibrant illustrations, this captivating book is balanced to be a treasured resource for the new generation The

r e c i p e s w e r e c r a f t e d w i t h t h e h e l p o f c o m m u n i t y m e m b e r s , i n c l u d i n g t h e d e d i c a t e d s i s t e r s o f t h e kitchen committee

T h e b o o k p u b l i s h i n g t e a m , c o n s i s t i n g o f

D a r s h a n a B a j a r i a , N i t i n

M e h t a , K e v i n M i t h a n i , C h a n d r a k a n t S h a h ,

S h a k u n t a l a S e t h , N a l i n Udani, and Saroj Waria, was commended for their efforts in creating such a beautifully presented work

I n a n i n t e r v i e w w i t h

J y o t s n a S h a h , C o n s u l t i n g Editor of Gujarat Samachar,

D a r s h a n a B a j a r i a s h a r e d insights into the journey of p u b l i s h i n g t h i s b o o k S h e explained, "I have worked tirelessly on this project for t h e l a s t t h r e e y e a r s I t i s t r u l y a ' L a b o u r o f L o v e '

Every dish was meticulously

s e l e c t e d , m e a s u r e d , a n d

c o n v e r t e d i n t o g r a m s t o ensure the younger generation could easily follow the

r e c i p e s W e p r e p a r e d t h e

d i s h e s a t h o m e , p h otographed them, and strived to make the presentation as p r o f e s s i o n a l a s p o s s i b l e " T h e r e s p o n s e e x c e e d e d expectations, with all 400 copies sold within four days o f t h e l a u n c h , p r o m p t i n g the preparation of a second e d i t i o n T h e t h o u g h t f u l planning, leadership, vision, and teamwork behind this project made the book an instant success

O r i g i n a l l y f r o m G o a , Darshana Bajaria moved to London in 1980 after marryi n g D e e p a k B a j a r i a S h e worked as an accountant for 1 3 y e a r s a t T h e C r o w n Estate, a company associated with the Queen Despite not being part of any com-

mittee, her unique insight and leadership were instrumental in bringing this project to completion

T h e b o o k f e a t u r e s a wide range of dishes, including starters, main courses, s w e e t s

pickles, drinks, and a comp

Gujarati thali dishes Special

ences N

edged the efforts of everyone involved in the creation of this book, its title, and its contributors As a part of the Golden Jubilee Year celebra-

to the

committee sisters It offers a deep understanding of Indian spices, variations of dishes, and helpful tips The pre-launch ceremony was conducted by Bharti Vora, who remarked, "This book represents a triple confluence of the tradition of our elders, the inspiration of our youth, and the talent of

the event continued with a selection of patriotic songs

birth: Temples light up with devotion

the evening Thames Valley Police representatives also j o i n e d

reflecting the event’s community spirit

T r a d i t i o n a l g

m e s l i k e matka phod and tug-of-war brought out the playful spirit of Krishna, with enthusia

around Krishna’s life were

and open to all, concluded

community shared a meal and reflected on the joy and unity of the day Krish na Janmashtami at Neasd en Temple

A t B A P S S h r i S w a m i n a r a y a n M a n d i r i n L o n d o n , a l s o k n o w n a s Neasden Temple, the birth

o f B

offered prayers and gently s w u n g t h e i m a g e o f S h r i Krishna Bhagwan placed on a ceremonial birth cradle A g r a n d o f f e r i n g o f f o o d ( ‘ a n n a k u t ’ ) w a s a r r a n g e d b e f o r e t h e s h r i n e s i n t h e upper sanctum as part of the t r a d i t i o n D u r i n g t h e e v e n i n g a s s e m b l y , s w a m i s spoke about the divine life

a n d t i m e l e s s t e a c h i n g s o f S h r i K r i s h n a B h a g w a n , relating them to modernday scenarios The festivities concluded with the janmotsav arti

T h e J a n m a s h t a m i

F e s t i v a l a t B h a k t i v e d a n t a Manor also attracted over

5 0 , 0 0 0 v i s i t o r s o v e r t w o

d a y s , s h o w c a s i n g t h e w i d e s p r e a d d e v o t i o n a n d enthusiasm for celebrating

S h r i K r i s h n a B h a g w a n ’ s birth Navnat Janmashtami Mela

T h e N a v n a t V a n i k Association hosted a vibrant

J a n m a s h t a m i M e l a o n

A u g u s t 1 8 , 2 0 2 4 , d r a w i n g o v e r 1 , 6 0 0 a t t e n d e e s t h r o u g h o u t t h e d a y T h e event, which was free and open to all, featured more t h a n 6 6 s t a l l s o f f e r i n g a diverse range of products and services including trave l , e

Offering prayers from left to right are, Program Coordinator Jagdish Sangani, President Natu Mehta, CB Patel and Coordinator Bansari Rupani

L-R: Nalin Udani, Bhupendra Shah, Meena Sangani, CB Patel

In the first row of the assembly hall,

L-R: Pallavi and NatuMehta- President of Valdil Mandal CB Patel Bharati Vora Jashwant Doshi- Presidentof Navnat Kalpana Doshi, and Nalin Udani

Production team of the Cookery book 'Navras'

Members of the Navnat Vanik Association at Navnat Janmasthami Mela

Thames Valley Police representatives at the Aylesbury Hindu temple festivities

AS I SEE IT

CB Patel

Spirit of India in the heart of London

Indian High Commission creates a 'little India' in London

On Saturday 24 A ugust

2024 , I h ad th e priv i-

leg e of attending the Ind ian Independence Day celebration at the Navnat C entre

in Hayes, a place that h old s

a sp ec i al s i g ni

T h e N a v n a t C e n

, with its expansive 18-acre venue and ample parking, is a perfect spot for such a g

Although the weather fore-

c a s t h a d p r e d i c t e d h e a v y rain for the day, it could not dampen the spirit of the event and its participants

The atmosphere was filled with excitement and pride, as people arrived in vibrant

W

regions of India Gujarat, Punjab, Tamilnadu, Assam, Bengal, and beyond, arrived in their traditional attire, h

mances It was a beautiful

s i g h t , a s t h e t a p e s t

f India’s rich cultural diversity was on display in the heart of London

I r e a c h e d t h e v e n u e

a r o u n d 1 0 A M , a n d although the ground was wet and it was still drizzling, I could feel the visitors’ enthusiasm

Navnat Centre is surrounded by a large British Indian community It felt as

House, a short walk from Lincoln Inn, where I registered as a local student and paid my fees for Bar-at-Law studies and the University of London for my LLB

My journey in this new country began with a stop a t a n I t a l i a n c a

n e a r Russell Square I remember it well the warmth of the place on a chilly November morning, the cup of tea and a

d , which cost me 1 shilling and 9 p

House Back then, it had a

ground floor, offering delicious Indian food at highly subsidised rates It was

Nitin Mehta MBE

On Saturday 24 August, the Indian diaspora celebrated India's Independence day with great pomp and ceremony at Navnat Centre, H ayes Ins pite of the rain thousands of people turned up After a rousi ng s peech by the Indian High Commissioner HE Vikram D oraiswami and the si nging of the national anthem, there were dances from various states of India

Meanwhile different States of India were ready to serve their traditional vegetarian dishes States of Bengal, Haryana, Kerala, Goa, Karnataka, Telangana,Uttar Pradesh and many others were lovingly serving their food

National Patidar Samaj representing Gujarat served Bhel, Dhokri, Papdi No Lot and Gulab Jamun - that were going like hot cakes! My favourite was Bengali Kichdi It really was like a pub crawl

know very little about Maharastra s culture It was wonderful to see their Lazim dance I got talking to a gentleman from Assam I asked his name and he said it was Babulal! It was such a Gujarati name! And yet here was a man from Assam, who had the same name People from Kerala, Tamil Nadu also have the same first names as Gujaratis

Examples are Dilip, Prakash and many more

highfliers, holding leading positions in many professions And yet they are so proud of their culture and Dharma We have in London a little India made up of India's many States A history is being made in our very presence The Mandirs and community centres created by East African Indians are increasingly being run by Indians who are from India They have brought their energy and enthusiasm for our Dharma It is a perfect set up

n

The High Commissioner of India to the UK, HE Vikram

D o r a i s w a m i , w a s t a s k e d with raising the tricolor A

m o m e n t a r y m a l f u n c t i o n during the hoisting did not faze him; he remained comp o s e d , e m b o d y i n g t h e r e s i l i e n c e a n d s p i r i t t h a t this day represents I also n o t i c e d S h r i D e e p a k

C h o u d h a r y , t h e M i n i s t e r ( C o o r d i n a t i o n ) , a l o n g s i d e t h e H i g h

t h o u g h t h e e n t i r e n e i g hborhood had come together to honour this day - a testament to the deep connection that many of us feel with our Motherland, no matter where we are in the world

As I stood alongside Dr

N a n d a k u m a r a j i f r o m

B h a v a n , w e w a t c h e d t h e f l a

C o m m i s s i o n e r , both full of energy as they visited each

s t a l l , m e e t i n g a n d g r e e t i n g e v e r y o n e w i t h w a r m t h a n d enthusiasm It was h e a r t e n i n g t o s e e familiar faces, especially Ravi Sharma a n d o t h e r d i g n itaries, all of whom were graciously welcomed

M y c o n n e c t i o n w i t h

India House runs deep I h a v e h a d t h e h o n o u r o f

m e e t i n g s e v e r a l H i g h Commissioners of India to the UK, starting from the day I first set my foot in this country on 19 November 1966 I landed at Heathrow

A i r p o r t f r o m D a r - e sSalaam I first visited India

could walk in without the security concerns of today I remember my first meal there vividly a large size

v

a , a n Indian sweet, and a mug of tea (all for 2 shillings) served with a warmth that made me feel at home in t h i s n e w c o u n t r y I n d i a House, with its welcoming atmosphere and the comf o r t o f f a m i l i a r f o o d , became a sanctuary for me and many others like me

That sense of belonging has never left me Over the years, I’ve seen India House evolve, but its role as a beacon for Indians in the UK, remains unchanged and it continues to be a cornerstone of the Indian community in the UK

A s I l e f t t h e N a v n a t Centre, on Saturday, I felt a d e e p s e n s e o f p r i d e a n d nostalgia The event was a touching reminder of the j o u r n e y I h a v e b e e n o n since 1966 It showed how, even with all the changes and challenges, our comm

v e n t s keep us connected to our r o o t s a n d h i g h l i g h t t h e enduring spirit of India and its people, no matter where we are in the world (T o be continued )

Many of us do not know much about the other States of India except our own For example we

Here we are in 2024 London where East African Indians are now a minority Indians, coming directly from India are now the majority They are

This event is an eyeopener as you soon find out that we really are one people!

Independence Day enthusiasm

Anirban Mukhopadhyay of Heritage Bengal Global at their stall with Ashok Kumar Chauhan MBE from the British Army and Shiv Chand from the Royal Air Force

Representatives of Met Police in the festive spirit

HE Vikram Doraiswami, High Commissioner of India to the UK hoisting the tricolour at Navnat Centre

Nitin Mehta MBE at Navnat Centre

The Indian Diaspora in the UK enthusiastically celebrated the 78th Independence Day of India at Navnat Centre, Hayes, London The Indian community brilliantly showcased the vibrant cultural tapestry of India Cultural performances and stalls by various organisations highlighted the rich traditions and diverse cuisines from every corner of the country

HE Vikram Doraiswami addressing the crowd, as Lord Rami Ranger, Virendra Sharma, Dr M N Nandakumara and other dignitaries look on

Cllr Parveen Rani and Cllr Tushar Kumar

Apurva Sharma and CB Patel

CB Patel with NCGO team and members of its associated organisations

Former MP Virendra Sharma with ABPL team members Tanisha Gujarathi (L) and Pooja Raval (R)

Bengali folk song dancers Garba and Dandiya performers

Dear Financial Voice Reader, Alpesh Patel

Dear Financi al Voi ce Reader,

Beating the S&P 500: Why DIY Investing Can Outperform Managed Funds

The age-old debate between passive investing and active m

investors can outperform the market, particularly benchmarks like the S&P 500 However, with the right strategy and a disciplined approach, managing your own portfolio of about 20 carefully selected stocks can potentially outperform not just the S&P 500 but also the returns offered by managed funds The recent data suggests a compelling case for DIY ( D o

Financial Advisers (IFAs) who typically spread investments across multiple funds with hundreds of stocks

Th e Current Land scape: A Su rge i n Outperforming Stocks

The chart above indicates a significant increase in the number of S&P 500 stocks outperforming the index in recent quarters, reaching a peak of 296 in the third quarter of 2024 This surge highlights that an increasing number of stocks are capable of delivering superior returns compared to the broader index, suggesting fertile ground for astute stock-picking This environment favors a DIY investor who is willing to invest time in research and portfolio management

Wh y a Smaller, Focu sed P ortfoli o Outp erfo rms

Concentration of Capital: By managing your own portfolio of around 20 stocks, you can concentrate your capital into your best ideas This concentration allows you to benefit more significantly from the appreciation of those stocks In contrast, when funds hold hundreds of stocks, the impact of any single stock s performance is diluted, making it difficult for the overall fund to outperform the index significantly

Personalized Strategy: DIY investors have the flexibility to craft a personalized investment strategy that aligns with their specific risk tolerance, investment horizon, and market outlook This could include focusing on sectors or themes that are poised for growth or avoiding areas with expected underperformance Managed funds, on the other hand, often follow broader mandates, limiting their flexibility to capitalize on specific opportunities

Lower Costs: DIY investing typically incurs lower fees compared to the management fees and other costs associated with mutual funds or ETFs Over time, these cost savings can significantly boost net returns Additionally, funds managed by IFAs often involve multiple layers of fees – both from the IFA and the fund itself – which can erode returns

Active Management Risks: While IFAs might claim to provide value through diversification across multiple funds, this often leads to over-diversification, reducing the chances of achieving alpha When funds are spread across 100 stocks in 4-5 different funds, the performance of the best stocks can be easily offset by underperformers, leading to mediocre returns T he Advantage of Stock -Picking in a H ig h- Performing Market

The current market environment, as highlighted in the chart, shows a high proportion of stocks outperforming the S&P 500 index This suggests that with careful selection, a DIY investor has a reasonable chance to pick stocks that can beat the index In contrast, fund managers are often bound by the need to adhere to specific benchmarks and diversification rules, which can prevent them from capitalizing on the best opportunities

Moreover, the data implies that the trend of outperformance among a larger number of stocks is gaining momentum This can be a boon for individual investors who are selective and strategic in their stock choices, enabling them to outperform broader funds that are spread too thin across the market

How Prem Barthasarathy is shaping the UK-India tech scene

Anusha Singh

Prem Bartha

athy is

e Managing Partner a

Po ntaq, the fir

U K-Ind ia Innovation Fund d ed icated to investing in early-st

chnolo

es acro ss sectors

Under Prem’s leadership, Pontaq has forged partnerships with numerous private organisations and Indian state governments to enhance innovation exchange between the UK and these states Additionally, Prem successfully launched the first UK-India Tech Hub in the UK, and Pontaq has been recognised as one of the six key companies in the UK-India corridor by the British High Commission He also sits on the FICCI UK board

In an interview with Asian Voice,

advice for businesses looking to make it in the UK

How do collaborations with state governments in India positively impact the UK-India dialogue?

demand dynamic at play, and interestingly, it operates both ways Initially, the demand in India was primarily for

manufacturing and other areas over the past 10-15 years However, India has now become a significant consumer of these technologies as well, leading to an inward infusion of intellectual prop-

Initiatives like the 'Startup India' and 'Make in India' movements have fostered a thriving entrepreneurial environment and Indian founders are now solving global problems at a faster pace and at more competitive costs, creating o

India The UK also faces its own set of challenges as a developed nation, making this a demand-supply equation that benefits both sides

How do you see India evolving further and how do you envision the India-UK relationship developing in the coming years?

In my view, the next 15 years are pivotal for India Thanks to the stability

changes we ve seen, along with the real

Additionally, India has become a much more expansive economy, with a rising per capita GDP This creates a virtuous cycle where increased demand drives the need for more supply Now, if we look at the India-UK relationship, with India in 3rd and the UK in 4th position in the Global Unicorn Index, I believe this is the right time for collaboration between India and the UK, particularly in the technology sector With China taking a backseat and the US being quite far ahead, there s a significant opportunity for these two markets to work together Collaboration between India and the UK will not only facilitate technology transfer within these two economies but also drive value for the rest of the world This is something we ve witnessed across multiple companies in our portfolio How can FICCI assist startups and other businesses?

S t a r t u p s t y p i c a l l y n e e d c a p i t a l , market access, and opportunities for joint IP creation Market access can be divided into several aspects, including supply chain partnerships and go-tomarket strategies In my view, FICCI can play a crucial role by establishing partnerships with key players in these areas It's not just about one-off delegations; instead, FICCI focuses on creating an ecosystem of players within specific sectors of interest, such as health o r t e c h n o l o g y T h i s e c o s y s t e m approach facilitates proper matchmak-

ing and allows for meaningful connections and collaborations Delegations should not be the starting point; rather, they should serve as a way to close deals and showcase success stories By fostering these relationships and building a robust network, FICCI can significantly support the growth and innovation of startups and businesses " What advice would you give to startups and businesses looking to establish themselves in the UK market?

establishing themselves in the UK for several reasons The cost of setting up a c

more economical compared to other regions Additionally, the UK boasts a

acceptance in the UK, it opens doors to acceptance in other Commonwealth

Founders should recognise that it’s not just about the 70 million people in the UK; it’s also about how that population serves as a gateway to the rest of the world Furthermore, in specific sectors like healthcare, obtaining approvals in the UK is generally more straightforward than navigating the lengthy FDA approval processes in the US Success in the UK can even enhance a startup’s case for FDA approval in the US What factors have set Pontaq apart from others in the industry?

Pontaq's success is driven by our commitment to innovation With nearly a decade of entrepreneurial experience, I’ve learned that leading through innovation is crucial We invest in companies that offer either product or business model innovations, we treat every opportunity as if we ’ re pitching to ourselves, refining our business strategies and our focus on the UK-India corridor and strategic investments have fuelled o

key we identified an opportunity and pursued it with dedication I’m proud of our leadership role and encourage o

ecosystem

mark et sha

has hit

new low, with sa les plumme ting this summe

translating to over £2 billion in lost annual revenue This decline makes Asda the only member of the traditional big four supermarkets to experience a drop in sales, according to NIQ analysts A

points to just 11 8%, placing it slightly ahead of Aldi in fourth position

This downturn is exac-

Mohsin Issa, who has faced criticism from the chain’s chairman, Lord Stuart Rose, w

ment over the performance Issa is anticipated to step

which paint

grimmer picture than data from Kantar, reveal a 6% sales decline at Asda for the three months ending August 4, reducing its share of the UK grocery market to 12 6%, the lowest in over a decade

A

Small businesses fear bankruptcy from Rayner’s sick pay

sector He emphasised that

should be accompanied by a rebate for small employers, similar to measures secured during the COVID-19 pandemic

The concern is amplified by a

keep pace with larger competitors Tesco, Sainsbury’s, and Morrisons, as well as the rapidly growing Lidl, which saw sales increases ranging from 2 1% to 9 6% Following a challenging period and a £6 8 billion acquisition by the Issa brothers and private equity firm TDR Capital in October 2020, Asda is now searching for a new CEO T h e G M B u n i o n h a s urged Asda’s owners to take urgent action to safeguard jobs, warning that the supermarket appears to be "in a fight for survival "

Prem Barthasarathy

Mohsin Issa

Angela Rayner

Harnessing AI

for

UK-India

economic growth and global solutions

Dr Param Shah

As India celebrates its 78th Independence Day, the world observes its journey from being one of the oldest civilisations to becoming a modern and dynamic nation

Over the last seven decades, post-independence, India has evolved into a tech powerhouse, particularly in artificial intelligence (AI), which is expected to contribute more than $500 billion to the country's GDP by 2025 AI's rapid growth is transforming industries and offering new opportunities for collaboration with the UK, a natural ally with a rich history of innovation and a strong AI infrastructure Together, the UK and India are exploring how AI can drive economic growth and address global challenges in areas like security and the environment

AI’s Impact on Key Sectors in UK-India Collaboration

AI has been instrumental in transforming the financial services sector in both the UK and India In India, AI has powered the fintech revolution, enhancing digital payments, improving risk management, and delivering personalised financial services Startups like Winvesta are revolutionising cross-border payments, simplifying international transactions for small businesses and freelancers in both countries Similarly, UK financial institutions have adopted

collaborations that foster innovation, create jobs, and improve access to credit in both developed and emerging markets

Healthcare in India has also seen considerable progress with AI From telemedicine

institutions are partnering with Indian hospitals and startups to develop cutting-edge AI technologies For example, CleverTap, an AI-powered customer lifecycle management

pharmaceutical companies to accelerate drug discovery exemplify how AI is advancing healthcare while creating new jobs in research, development, and healthcare delivery

In manufacturing, AI is propelling India’s transition to Industry 4 0 AI-powered

productivity crucial for India’s ambition to become a global manufacturing hub Joint ventures such as Ribbon, a financial services platform focused on the UK-India corridor, leverage AI for predictive maintenance and operational efficiency in sectors like automotive and textiles While AI automates routine tasks, it also creates demand for new jobs in data analytics and AI management, reshaping India’s labour market and addressing employment shortages The AI-driven technology revolution in India, combined with its vast pool of engineering talent, has attracted UK investors AI is now a key driver of innovation across sectors from agriculture to space exploration The UK-India Tech Partnership fosters collaboration in AI research and development, with innovation hubs acting as incubators for new ideas UK startup Prowler io is working with Indian businesses to optimise decisionmaking through AI, further strengthening ties between the two nations

Opportunities for UK-India AI Collaboration

AI holds tremendous potential for adding value to India’s economy by driving innovation, boosting productivity, and improving services across industries Estimates suggest AI could create millions of new jobs in technology, finance, healthcare, and education Although concerns about job displacement due to automation remain, AI is also driving demand for roles requiring creativity, problem-solving, and advanced technical skills

The UK and India can collaborate to tackle critical challenges like employment shortages and skill deficits AI education and skill development programs are already emerging from these collaborations For example, CreditEnable, an AI-powered lending platform, connects SMEs in India and the UK with financing opportunities, highlighting how AI can help both countries meet their economic goals Joint research and skill development initiatives will help India realise its AI ambitions while creating sustainable employment for its growing workforce

While AI could replace low-skilled jobs, it offers immense potential for job creation India’s highly skilled workforce can benefit by focusing on AI-related skill development in areas like data science, machine learning, and AI ethics UK companies, which face labour shortages in AI, can tap into India’s vast talent pool, creating a mutually beneficial relationship between the two nations By jointly championing workforce transformation initiatives, the UK and India can promote policies focused on upskilling and reskilling This will help ensure that AI-driven disruption in the job market leads to more fulfilling jobs and better remuneration for workers in both countries

Collaborating on Global Challenges: Security, Environment, and More

Beyond traditional industries, the UK and India are using AI to address global challenges in security and sustainability AI-driven innovations in cybersecurity and defence technologies are helping both countries enhance national security At the same time, AI is playing a crucial role in climate modelling, renewable energy optimisation, and environmental monitoring, contributing to global sustainability efforts

Joint AI projects are helping the UK and India develop smart city technologies that improve energy efficiency, reduce pollution, and enhance urban infrastructure Companies like Winvesta, Ribbon, and CreditEnable are creating platforms that not only facilitate crossborder economic transactions but also contribute to broader sustainability goals These collaborations are strengthening economic ties while supporting global efforts to combat climate change and ensure security in an increasingly digital world

Challenges to Address

As AI becomes more integrated into various sectors, regulatory frameworks in the UK and India must evolve to address ethical concerns such as data privacy, algorithmic bias, and cybersecurity Developing aligned AI governance frameworks will enable smoother crossborder collaborations and reduce regulatory friction, promoting greater AI adoption and innovation Upskilling the workforce is critical to supporting AI’s growth India’s education system must pivot to include AI-related training at all levels, and the UK can play a key role in helping India bridge the skill gap Joint educational programs, research exchanges, and AIfocused degree courses will prepare the workforce for the AI-driven future

Navigating cultural and business differences will remain a challenge, but with the right frameworks in place, these differences can be effectively managed Cross-cultural training and open communication channels will be essential to ensuring successful AI partnerships between UK and Indian businesses

As the world emerges from the Covid-19 pandemic, the UK and India are poised to redefine their partnership through AI India’s rapid AI adoption, combined with its strong talent base and entrepreneurial spirit, positions it as a global leader in AI By collaborating, the UK and India can tackle challenges in security, environmental sustainability, and economic inequality, with AI at the heart of their partnership Together, they can build a secure, sustainable, and prosperous future while strengthening economic ties and contributing to global development * * *

Disclaimer: The views expressed herein constitute the sole prerogative of the author They neither imply nor suggest the orientation, views, current thinking, or position of FICCI FICCI is not responsible for the accuracy of any of the information supplied by the author

F o rei g n d i rec t i n v es tm en t (FDI) in Indi a surged by 26 4

p er ce n t, re ac h i n g $ 22 4

b i ll i o n , d u ri n g t h e p er i o d from April to June, refl ecting the stron ges t g rowth i n ov er fi ve quarters Key sectors such as m an u fa ct ur i n g , fi n a n ci al services, communi cation , an d

e n erg y d r ew si g n i f i c an t i nterest, wi th Si ngapore, the US, M auri ti us, an d B elg ium amon g the top con tributors

N e t f o r e i g n d i r e c t investment (FDI) in April to J u n e o f t h e c u r r e n t f i s c a l y e a r ( F Y

$6 9 billion, up from $4 7

b i l l i o n d u r i n g t h e s a m e period the previous year, as p e r t h e R e s e r v e B a n k o f I n d i a ' s l a t e s t r e p o r t T h i s rise was fueled by a 26 4 per cent year-on-year growth in g r o s s i n w a r d F D I , w h i c h

totaled $22 5 billion in Q1 of 2024-25

D e s p i t e t h e o v e r a l l decline in FDI over the past two years, gross inflows had already shown a 23 per cent increase in the prior quarter, supported by strengthening g l o b a l c r o s s - b o r d e r i n v e s

inflows rose by 37

per cent, though this was lower than

month

The RBI’s bulletin noted t

these FDI inflows went into the manufacturing, financial

t h t h e s e c u r i t i e s m a r k e t A d d i t i o n a l l y , t h e r e g u l a t o r b a r r e d R e l i a n c e H o m e Finance from the securities market for six months and fined it Rs 600,000 In its order, Sebi revealed that Ambani and RHFL's top e x e c u t i v e s o r c h e s t r a t e d a fraudulent scheme to divert funds from RHFL under the g u i s e o f l o a n s t o e n t i t i e s connected to him

Despite the RHFL Board o f D i r e c t o r s i s s u i n g f i r m d i r e c t i v e s t o h a l t s u c h l e n d i n g p r a c t i c e s , t h e m a n a g e m e n t d i s r e g a r d e d t h e s e i n s t r u c t i o n s S e b i c o n c l u d e d t h a t t h e f r a u d u l e n t s c h e m e w a s executed by Ambani and the KMPs of RHFL, funnelling f

u n w o

n d u i t borrowers, all of whom were linked to Ambani himself S e b i n o t e d t h a t l o a n s w o r t h m i l l i o n s w e r e approved for companies with little to no assets Most of t h e s e b

Tata Sons, t he holding e ntity of t he Tata Group, has repaid over £2 b n of debt to remain an unl isted compa ny as it pl ans to give up it s cert ifica te of r egist ration to the Reserve B ank of India, reports said The strategic move will allow Tata Sons t o r e m a i n a s a c l o s e l y - h e l d c o m p a n y sidestepping the need to list its shares, which w o u l d h a v

R B I guidelines if the debt remained In April this year, Tata Group had approached the RBI

c

resulting in RHFL's own debt d e

R

I Framework This left public shareholders, including over 9 0 0 , 0 0 0 i n v e s t o

restrained entities, including former RHFL officials Amit Bapna, Ambani reviews lega l options M e a n w

A m b a n i , who has been banned by Sebi from accessing the securities market for five years on fund d i v e r s i o n c h a r g e s , i s reviewing legal options, his

reviewing the order and will

legally advised

seeking a waiver in order to avoid listing its holding company and non-banking finance firm, Tata Sons

revised regulations under which large nonbanking finance companies (NBFCs) were asked to list their shares on a stock exchange

conglomerate needed to thereby be listed by September 2025 at the latest in order to comply with this regulation

Adani set to hire global audit firm in office revamp

Gautam Ad ani plans to ap point auditors fro m a top g lo bal firm and hir

cutiv

for his

listed comp anies repo rted

The founders of the mining-to-media conglomerate are talking to two of the big six accounting firms to audit the family offices’ accounts, the sources said

The moves aim to bring transparency in h

person, valued at $105 4 billion, is managed and underscores the lessons from last year

s short-seller attack

The first-generation entrepreneur faced i n t

Hindenburg Research on multiple issues, including the opacity in how the group

operates and controls its listed entities Hiring is under way for a team of about five people, led by a chief executive and a chief investment officer, that will initially report to the group chief financial officer, Jugeshinder Singh, and eventually to the billionaire founder, the people said A d a n i ' s f a

until now, run informally with the help of group firms’ chief financial officers W h i l e

wealth offices is not uncommon, especially for billionaires who are still actively running their businesses, efforts to appoint a global audit

rather rare initiative and in sharp contrast to most of the family offices, where discretion and secrecy are preferred

Anil Ambani

Have patience, efforts on to overcome challenges: Yunus

into their hands by attacking p e o p l e b e i n g t a k e n t o t h e courts The glory and potential to build a new Bangladesh will fade because of these things, Yunus said He said they have started various reforms and through discussion they can get a clear direction “But the final decis i o n i s a p o l i t i c a l d e c i s i o n

“I’ll

rnig ht , ” he said in a tele-

v ised sp eech, his second to th e nation since his appo intm ent as chief adviser on Aug 8

Yunus urged the people to stop trying to force all demands to be met right away, to stop putting individuals at risk by

entering institutions, and to cease trying to take the law

Political decisions will come from political discussions,” he said “I assure you that we will not raise any question of extension of time from our side We ask for your prayers, ” he said Y u n u s e m p h a s i s e d t h e importance of both domestic a n d r e g i o n a l c o o p e r a t i o n t o tackle such crises in the future “We are one family We have one goal,” he said, adding, “We are committed to fulfilling the aspirations of our youth, and we are ready to take on this c h a l l e n g e ” H e a l s o r e v e a l e

plans to establish a “July Mass Killing Memorial Foundation”

Gunmen kill 39 in multiple attacks in southwestern Pakistan

BA LO CH IS TA N: Separat ist militant s kill ed a t l east 39 people in "coordina ted" attacks in s ou t h we s t e r n Pa k i st a n on M on d a y t h a t l arge ly targe ted ethnic Punjabis, govern me nt officia ls said In one of the at tacks, dozens of mil itan ts st opped ve hicl es tra vel l in g on a highway through Bal ochist an province and shot 23 pe opl e d ead - on e of the worst shootings in t he region in the past se veral year s

The Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), the most active militant separatist group in the p r o v i n c e , c l a i m e d r e s p o n s i b i l i t y f o r a n overnight operation Government officials have reported deadly attacks in at least three districts in impoverished Balochistan, where security forces are battling sectarian, ethnic and separatist violence

"We have confirmed 39 people killed in several coordinated attacks carried out by the BLA terrorists," Shahid Rind, a spokesman for the Balochistan provincial government, said In Musakhail district, between 30 and 40 gunmen stopped 22 buses, vans and trucks one after the other on a highway connecting P u n j a b w i t h B a l o c h i s t a n , s e n i o r o f f i c i a l Najibullah Kakar said

"Vehicles travelling to and from Punjab were inspected, and individuals from Punjab were identified and shot," he said In its statement, the BLA said it had launched an operation "on highways across Balochistan", claiming to have targeted only security personnel

Militants also blew up a railway bridge in nearby Bolan district on a track that connects the province to Punjab and Sindh, with six dead bodies found nearby, said Javed Baloch, a senior government official in the district

Ten people were also killed in Kalat district, including four paramilitary officers and o n e p o l i c e m a n r e s p o n d i n g t o i n c i d e n t s , provincial government spokesman Rind said

dite Hasina Bangladesh's main opposition party BNP urged India to

Hasinato face trial in murder

against her since she took flight on Aug 5 in the face of a studentled uprising

“It is our call to you that you should hand her over to the govt of Bangladesh in a legal way The

given the decision for her trial Let her face that trial,” BNP sec-

Islam Alamgir said in Dhaka Bangladesh and India have

which they are required to hand over people against whom proceedings have been initiated in

crime,” he said

BNP chairperson and ex-PM Khaleda Zia said the murder and

ditable” category Worried over security, Indian env oy India has reiterated its com-

aspirations” of the peoples of India and Bangladesh for “ peace, security and development” but e

the safety and security of Indian establishments and minorities in Bangladesh, including its high commission in Dhaka Indian high commissioner to B a n

flagged these concerns during his introductory meeting with Yunus The issue of safety of minorities also came up during the meeting, with Yunus reassuring the Indian high commissioner that the interim administration was committed to prot e c t i n g a l l i t s c i t i z e n s

“Bangladesh is a big family and they are all brothers and sisters and remain together,” said the chief adviser

Lanka announces visa-free access to Indians from Oct 31

C O LO M BO : The Sri Lan kan gove rnme nt has ann ounced visa-free a cce ss for citizen s of 35 countr ies, in cluding India, for six months

The Ca bine t ma de th e d ecisio n a nd will come into e ffect from Oct ober 1

The policy is aimed at attracting more tourists to the island nation, said Harin F e r n a n d o , A d v i

Tourism Countries on the list include major e

a p a n , France, and Canada have also made the list apart from several West Asian nations such as Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Qatar

The decision comes after the controversy surrounding the increased fees for on-arrival visas in Sri Lanka, which were being handled by a foreign company

In October last year, Sri Lanka introduced a pilot project offering free visas to t r a v e l l e r s f r o m I n d i a , C h i n a , R u s s i a , Malaysia, Japan, Indonesia and Thailand The project expired in March 2024 and has now been expanded to include more countries

The travellers in the pilot project were given dual entry status on arrival and the visa validity would be limited to 30 days' stay in t h e i s l a n d n a t i o n S r i L a n k a n F o r e i g n

Minister Ali Sabry spoke about the signific a n c e o f h i s c o u n t r y ' s r e l a t i o n s h i p w i t h India, calling it "one of the most important in our foreign policy " India has historically been Sri Lanka s primary source of inbound tourism, with over 30,000 Indian arrivals in September alone, comprising 26 per cent of the total

70 Pakistanis killed in three different accidents

IS LA M ABA D: At lea st 70 pe ople we re k illed and ma ny ot hers injure d in thre e diffe ren t accide nt s inv olvin g Pa kista ni reside nts In the fir st acciden t, a t lea st 28 Pa kistan i Shia pilgr im s we re k illed a nd 23 injur ed aft er t heir bus, on its wa y to Iraq, over turn ed in Ira n, Pa k i st a n ’ s a m ba ssa d o r t o I r a n, M u dd a si r Tipu, said The y were on the ir way to Karbala to ta ke par t in t he ‘A rbaee n ’ pilgrima ge The accide nt was caused by a d efect in the ve hicle ’ s br ak ing syste m

Unfortunately, 11 women and 17 men lost their lives in this accident Seven of the injured people are in critical condition and six injured people have now left the hospital," the crisis management director general of Yazd province told state TV

Millions of Shi'ite Muslims are currently partaking in the Arbaeen pilgrimage in Iraq's Karbala Governorate

In the other accidents, 42 people were killed and dozens injured in Pakistan’s north-

Sunday Thirteen people were killed and 32 others were injured in an accident in the Makran coastal highway when the brakes of a bus carrying Shia pilgrims returning from I

through Lasbela district in Balochistan Four people remained trapped inside the coach, and a crane was ordered to extricate them,

deceased hailed from Lahore and Gujranwala cities in Pakistan Punjab

In the other accident, 25 people were killed when a passenger bus traveling from Haveli Kahuta in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir to Rawalpindi fell into a ravine, police and officials said The interior ministry, however, s a i d 2 9 h a d d i e d i n t h a t c r a s h S a r d a r Waheed, a senior govt official, said heavy machinery was needed to lift the wreckage and ensure no one was trapped underneath

Nepal PM Oli lifts ban on China's TikTok

KAT H MA ND U : The new PM of Nepal, K P Sharma Oli, overturned a ban on TikTok that his predec essor imposed in Nov, an apparent si gn that the veteran poli ti cian intended to s trengthen the country’ s relations with China, its northern neighbour The popular social media app, which is owned by Chinese

harmony

At the time, Nepali

resorted to the ban after TikTok

expressed satisfaction with the move, saying, “We’re excited to be able to continue enabling Nepali voices and creativity ” T

f that, amid the geopolitical bickering between China and India, Nepal’s neighbour to the south that also banned the app, the Himalayan country was better off aligning with China

T i k T o k a n

n y o t h e r Chinese apps have been banned in India since 2020, amid hist o r i c a l

s between the two countries and more recent efforts to dominate

in brief KAPURTHALA YOUTH DROWNS

IN US POOL

A youth from Maseetan village in Sultanpur Lodhi subdivision of Kapurthala district drowned in a pool in the US Sahilpreet Singh (21) had moved to the US some years ago in the hope of earning a better livelihood One of three siblings, Sahil was the eldest and the key bread winner of the family Sahil died while trying to save a friend who also drowned As per family Sahil along with another friend from Punjab had gone to celebrate the friend’s recently acquired permanent citizenship of the US at a swimming pool in Florida Venturing into the deeper part of the pool area Sahil tried to rescue his friend when he slipped But both drowned in the pool

COURT REJECTS HINDU FOUNDATION'S ARGUMENT

A federal court in California dismissed the Hindu American Foundation’s attempt to portray legal action against caste-based discrimination as a violation of religious freedom The legal dispute goes back to 2020 when the California Civil Rights Department filed a lawsuit against tech giant Cisco Systems The CRD alleged that the company engaged in caste-based discrimination against an employee of Indian descent HAF took up the case and in September 2023 filed an amended complaint, adding 12 plaintiffs including three who remained anonymous, stating that the lawsuit against Cisco would infringe on their religious freedom

INDIAN ORIGIN DOCTOR PLACED ON PROBATION

Dr Ishwari Prasad, an 84-year-old gastroenterologist in Tampa has been placed on probation by the Florida Board of Medicine following two botched colonoscopy procedures at the Tampa Ambulatory Surgery Center last year, according to a report by USA Today In one of the incidents, Prasad, who was not wearing his hearing aids, failed to hear a patient s screams of pain during a colonoscopy The patient had not been fully sedated, and Prasad reportedly continued the procedure despite the patient’s cries The complaint also revealed that Prasad had “improperly delegated” medical tasks to a surgical technician who was not licensed to practice medicine

POLICE CONVOY IN PAK ATTACKED, 12 KILLED

The death toll in a rocket attack on police vans by dacoits in Pakistan’s Punjab province rose to 12 after one of the wounded officers died in a hospital, as police pursued suspects in Punjab province, officials said Two vehicles carrying around 22 policemen were on their way back from a police camp in riverine area Rahim Yar Khan district, some 400 km from Lahore, when the vans stuck in a muddy road at Machah point A group of dacoits reached there and attacked them with rockets and also opened fire on the police team At least 11 cops were killed in the attack on the spot

BANGLADESH FLOODS LEAVE 5 MILLION STRANDED

the South Asian region

N e p a l e s e g o v t s p o k e s p e r s o n , said TikTok would now have to abide by certain directives, such as naming a point of contact in the country “We have set a few conditions such as TikTok to be u s e d f o r p r o m o t i n g N e p a l i tourism, supporting us for digital safety, digital literacy and digital education and curb hate content,” he said

About five million people in Bangladesh were stranded by floods in low-lying areas, as strong currents washed away river embankments The death toll rose to 15 as at least five rivers in the country faced the severest flooding since 2018 according to government data Eleven districts were affected The devastating floods are the latest setback for the country of 170 million people, recently besieged with deadly political protests “These are the worst floods we have seen in three decades, Liakath Ali, director of climate change at non-governmental organization BRAC said Ali said entire villages all of the families and everything they owned have been washed away The govt is rushing food and

and

Muhammad Yunus

in brief HINDU PRIEST LEADS VEDIC PRAYERS AT DNC

A Hindu priest opened the third day of the Democratic National Convention (DNC) with a traditional Vedic prayer, seeking blessings for a united country Rakesh Bhatt, a senior priest at the Sri Siva Vishnu Temple in Maryland, chanted "Om Shanti Shanti" and urged the nation to choose a leader who embodies the ancient Vedic principle of 'Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam - the whole world is one family Rakesh Bhatt was born into a traditional Madhwa Brahmin family in Bengaluru Karnataka He pursued his academic studies with a strong focus on religious texts and languages

DOCTOR SHOT DEAD IN US

Dr Ramesh Babu Peramsetty, the founder and medical director of the Crimson Care Network, was shot and killed in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, on August 23 The network, which manages several local clinics, confirmed his passing in a Facebook post and requested privacy for the Peramsetty family Further details about the incident and the ongoing investigation have yet to be released Originally from Tirupati in Andhra Pradesh Peramsetty was pronounced dead at the scene by emergency responders He was a well-known figure in the medical community with nearly four decades of experience He gained significant recognition during the Covid-19 pandemic when his clinics were among the first to offer testing, vaccinations, and monoclonal antibody treatments

INDIAN HELD AMID CHARGES OF HIDING WIFE’S BODY

In a tense courtroom, a judge ruled that Naresh Bhatt, 37, be held without bond following his arrest last week The judge cited concerns that Bhatt posed both a flight risk and a danger to the community The decision comes in the wake of disturbing revelations surrounding the disappearance of Bhatt’s wife Mamta Kafle Bhatt 28 who has been missing for over three weeks Court documents from Bhatt’s arraignment reveal that police found significant digital and forensic evidence suggesting that Mamta was murdered in their Manassas Park home, and that Bhatt attempted to cover it up

FORMER POLICE OFFICER GETS 15 YEAR SENTENCE

Amitoj Oberoi a 31-year-old former Edison Township police officer, was sentenced to 15 years in state prison for a high-speed, drunken driving crash that claimed the lives of two passengers The crash occurred in August 2023 The Somerset County Superior Court judge handed down the sentence which includes two concurrent 15-year terms for firstdegree vehicular homicide Oberoi must serve 85% of his sentence before becoming eligible for parole The vehicle veered off the road, striking trees, lamp posts, and a utility pole before coming to a stop

INDIAN DOCTOR CHARGED WITH MULTIPLE SEX CRIMES

Oumair Aejaz a 40-year-old physician from Rochester Hills has been charged with multiple sex crimes involving both adults and children The charges against Aejaz include one count of child sexually abusive activity, four counts of capturing an image of an unclothed person, five additional counts of child sexually abusive activity, and five counts of using a computer to commit a crime Aejaz is an Indian citizen who has been in the US since 2011 and is accused of secretly recording individuals at various locations, including his home, places of employment and a swim club

Kamala Harris pledges 'new way forward'

Kamala Harris pled ged a "new way forward" fo r all Americans as s h e fo rm all

D

president, d elivering a m essag e of unity and urging voters to reject Donald Trump N

chance to "move past the bitterness, cynicism and divisive battles of the past , she said, bringing her party s convention in Chicago to a close as balloons rained down and supporters cheered Harris's speech capped off a four-day spectacle designed to highlight her backstory and shape the contours of what remains a vague policy agenda She made history as the first b

woman to lead a major party's presidential ticket

The 59-year-old officially

became the Democratic nominee after a fast-moving few

President Joe Biden stepping aside in the White House race Polls suggest she is now in a tight race with Trump, who

appearance as it unfolded

Harris used her nearly-45-

important speech of her political career, to reintroduce her-

self to the nation She shared

working-class neighbourhood" as the daughter of Jamaican and Indian immigrants

And she argued that her background as a prosecutor - a detail she avoided emphasising during her 2020 run

ing a $82 million surge during the party convention last week, her campaign announced One-third of the donations during convention week came from first-time contributors, the campaign said, with teachers and nurses among the most c

made

defeat Trump and serve in the Oval Office, as did her record as vice-president under Biden

Harris also dedicated several minutes of her speech to how her late mother, Shyamala Gopalan Harris, shaped her life and political career Re co rd’ $54 0 mn ra ised in a month

Kamala Harris’ prez campaign has raised a staggering

Democratic nominee, includ-

first-time donors were women,

Convention was

galvanizing moment for the Harris-Walz c

country, energizing and mobilizing volunteer and grassroots donors alike,” Campaign chair Jen O’Malley Dillon wrote in a memo, claiming the $540 million raised in a month is “ a record for any campaign in history ”

Iran-Israel conflict forces airlines to reroute, suspend service

attack from its so il on Israel

the weekend h as c om p licated fligh ts in one of the mo st densely traversed regions of the w orld, fo

to

length y d etours from cities like London or Paris to destinations in the P ersian Gulf or India S

countries including Jordan, Iraq and Lebanon temporarily closed their airspace over the weekend a

missiles Both Israel and Iran

also imposed restrictions on airline traffic, requiring airlines to rerout, thereby extending flight times and adding to fuel costs European airlines were taking a variety of approaches, with EasyJet Plc pausing operations to and from Israel’s Tel Aviv, while British Airways Plc is still operating flights to Israel and Jordan The carrier faced disruption over the weekend when a flight en route to Jordan was forced to turn around because of the airspace closures

Other carriers that have circ

i o n o r stopped service to places like Israel and Jordan include Qantas Airways Ltd , Singapore Airlines Ltd , Air France and Deutsche Lufthansa AG Air France said that it plans to restart flights to Beirut and to Tel Aviv, following the reopeni n g

e airspace However, it said journ

would see flight times increase

by as much as 45 minutes due to changes to the flight schedule

Dutch partner KLM said it had canceled flights to Tel Aviv on Monday Qatar Airways and Emirates r

airspaces reopened

E

against Hamas in Gaza, airlines faced scores of disruptions primarily centered on Tel Aviv, cancelling flights into or out of the country

NASA asks SpaceX to bring back astronauts stuck in space

H O U S T O N : The Two N

St arliner capsule wil l return to earth on a SpaceX vehic le earl y next ye ar, NASA c hief Bill Nel son said on Augus t 24, deeming iss ues with Sta rliner’s propuls ion sy stem too r is ky to c arry it s firs t crew home

The agency ’ s decision, tapping Boeing’s top space rival to

return the astronauts, is a blow to

o g r a m after years of development problems and over $1 6 billion in budget overruns since 2016 V

B u t c h W i l m o r e a n d S u n i Williams, both former military test pilots, became the first crew to ride Starliner on June 5 when they were launched to the ISS for what was expected to be an eight-

day test mission

B u t S t a r l i n e r ’ s p r o p u l s i o n system suffered a series of glitches beginning in the first 24 hours of its flight to the ISS, triggering months of cascading delays Five of its 28 thrusters failed, and it sprang several leaks of helium, which is used to pressurize the thrusters

I n a r a r e r e

h u f f l i n g o f NASA’s astronaut operations, the two astronauts are now expected to return in February 2025 on a

Texas gets 90 -foot- tall Hanuman murti

H O U S T O N ( T E X A S ) : A 9 0- f oo t -t a l l bronze m urti of Lord Hanuman, unveiled near Houst on, s ymbolising "a new milestone in the cul tura l and s piritual l andsc ape of Am erica," has be come the late st l a nd m

away , and the third tall est sc ul pture in the US

The Statue of Union, as it has been named, is one of the tallest statues in the world and holds several other distinctions: it is the tallest Hanuman murti outside India, the tallest in Texas, and the third tallest statue in the United States, surpassed only by the Statue of Liberty in New York (151 feet) and the Pegasus and Dragon in Hallandale Beach, Florida (110 feet), the organisers said

about 35-odd km from here, during a grand Prana Prathishta Mahotsavam ceremony from August 15 to 18, symbolises "selflessness, devotion, and unity," the

named so to "honour Hanuman's pivotal role in reuniting Lord Ram and Sita "This awe-inspiring structure is the

Holiness Sri Chinna Jeeyar Swamiji, a

Padma Bhushan awardee, and a renowned Vedic scholar, who envisioned the project as a spiritual epicentre for North America," the organiser said in a statement

SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft due to launch next month as part of a routine astronaut rotation m i s s i o n T w o o f t h e C

e w Dragon’s four astronaut seats will be kept empty for Wilmore and Williams “I know this is not the decision we had hoped for, but we stand ready to carry out the a c t i o n ’

Starliner chief Mark Nappi said in an email to company employees following NASA’s decision

Haley seeks more support for Taiwan

T A I P E I : For m er a mb a

do r t o th e U n i t ed Nations Ni kki H aley emphasised the “ moral clarity” of supporting Taiwan in i ts ongoing tensions with China during a meeting with President Lai Ching-te on August 22

Haley stressed the urgent need for moral clari t y i n g l o b

a f f a i r

I

d d r e s s a t t h e Presidential Office, Haley contrasted Taiwan’s values with China’s approach of “control and suppression,” a difference particularly evident during the Covid-19 pandemic Taiwan’s Central News Agency reported Haley’s critique of China’s handling of the outbreak, accusing it of concealing the virus’s origins and contributing to global suffering due to its “ arrogance ” She praised Taiwan for its efforts to warn the World Health Organization (WHO) about the virus despite facing international isolation due to Chinese pressure Haley reiterated that her visit is meant to show American support for Taiwan and to encourage a strong partnership across military, business, and academic domains Haley stressed the importance of addressing potential threats proactively, especially considering global conflicts such as the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the Israel-Hamas War “We can’t wait to see if China invades Taiwan; we need to get in front of the situation now, ” Haley said President Lai welcomed Haley on her first visit to Taiwan and thanked her for her support during her UN tenure

Kamala Harris

CBI files graft charges against former RG Kar hospital principal

and at least tw o vend ors T h e F I R a l s o n a m e s a

woman identified as Khoma Louha, who is married to a

m e m b e r o f t h e R G K a r

h o s p i t a l s t a f f , a n d t w o businesses – Ma Tara Traders and Eshan Café A CBI team scanned computers in the RG

K a r a d m i n i s t r a t i v e b l o c k

w h e r e f o r m e r m e d i c a l s u p e r i n t e n d e n t a n d

h a d a n o f f i c e T h e y questioned several hospital

o f f i c i a l s , i n c l u

Saptarshi Chatterjee

A m e m b e r o f t h e C B I team said the search yielded "a lot of things", but didn't

e l a

s

started when officers from t

h reached ex-principal Ghosh's four-storey home in central Kolkata's Beliaghata

G

knocks on his door and calls on his mobile phone, officials s a i d I t w

opened the door to let the team in, the agency said

Another CBI team visited the Vashisth's home in south Kolkata's Entally After they

some officers drove to his

interrogated by the special crime branch of the agency in the rape-murder case There was also a CBI search at the Kestopur home of Debashish

RG Kar Som, once known to be close to Ghosh, was later taken to CBI’s office Two

questioned, too In Howrah, a CBI team reached the office o

supplier Biplab Sinha, owner of Tara Ma Traders

Earlier, the Bengal govt

transferred RG Kar Medical

scrutiny since the Aug 9 rape murder of a junior doctor on

Ghosh resigned on Aug 13, makes way for the return of

headed from Sept 2023

The transfers capped

Crimes against women: PM Modi asks state govts to take strict action

including doctors marching from CBI’s office in Salt Lake

official who called the rapemurder victim's parents on Aug 9 and told them their daughter died by suicide

SC fl ags 14-hour de lay T

registering an FIR following the rape and murder of a doctor at Kolkata’s RG Kar hospital on Aug 9, Supreme Court peppered West Bengal

g

v t w i t h

g e o f q u e s t

n s : “ W h o w a s t h e principal in touch with to delay registering a complaint with police? What was he doing all these hours since the incident? Why did police take more than 12 hours to c o n v e r t t h e r e p o r t o f unnatural death into an FIR? Why was the crime scene secured only in the evening?”

£11.3mn spent on Ram Lalla consecration, says trust

A r ra ng e m en t s f o r t h e

c o ns e c r at i o n c er e m o ny o f Ram Lall a ido l in Ayodhya on Jan 22 th is year co st £11 3 mn, a cc ording t o the Shr i Ram Janmabho omi Teerth Ks hetra

T rust

D u r i n g i t s r e c e n t meeting, the trust disclosed that £180 mn has been spent i n t h e c o n s t r u c t i o n o f t h e t e m p l e s o f a r a n d a n additional £67 mn is expected to be spent on construction of the next two phases by the end of this year

The annual accounts for financial year 2023-24 were a l s o p r e s e n t e d b e f o r e t h e board of trustees The trust will file income tax return in Sept The trust said that in the past four years, devotees have donated approximately 20 kg of gold and 13 quintal of s i l v e r t o t h e t e m p l e A c c o r d i n g t o t r u s t g e n e r a l secretary Champat Rai, total p r o j e c t e d e x p e n d i t u r e between April 1, 2024, and Mar 31, 2025, would be £85 mn Out of this expenditure,

£67 mn has been allocated for t

m p l e c o n s t

c t i o n , w h i l e £18 mn has been earmarked for other expenses

The trust disclosed total expenditure of £67 6 mn in the financial year 2023-24, from April 1, 2023, to Mar 31, 2024 Of this amount, £54 m n w a s u s e d f o r t e m p l e c o n s t r u c t i o n , w h i l e

e x p e n d i t u r e i n c u r r e d o n the consecration ceremony

The total income for the

financial year 2023-24 was £36 33 mn, of which £20 4 m n c a m e t h r o u g h b a n k i n t e r e s t D e v o t e e s f r o m

contributed a total of £5 8 m

h a n d t h

h cheques at the trust’s office counter, £2 45 mn was put in the donation box, while £ 7 1 m n w a s r e c e i v e d t h r o u g h o n l i n e d e p o s i t s i n t o t h e t r u s t ’ s a c c o u n t

FCRA account

Air India fined Rs 9mn for flying with non-qualified crew

A viation reg ulator DGCA has imp osed

a penalty o f Rs 9 mn o n A ir Ind ia for

o perating a flight with non-qualified

crew members Besides, th e w atchdog

h as slapp ed fines of Rs 600, 000 and Rs

3 0 0 , 0 0 0 o n A i r I nd i a 's Di re ct o r o f Operations and Director of Training,

resp ectiv ely, for the lapse

I n a r e l e a s e , t h e D

General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) said the pilot concerned has been warned to

e x e r c i s e c a u t i o n t o p r e v

n

s u c h occurrences in future

"Air India Ltd operated a flight

i n c i d e n t h a v i

ramifications," the release said A

submitted by the airline on July 10, the regulator investigated the operations of the carrier, including examination of documentation and spot check of the scheduling facility

t h e r e a r e deficiencies and multiple violations of the regulatory provisions by several post holders and staff, which could significantly affect safety," the release said

D G C A a l s o s a i d t h e f l i g h t ' s commander and the post holders of the airline were provided an opportunity to explain their position through show cause notices issued on July 22 T h e r e p l y s u b m i t t e d b y t h e concerned entities failed to provide s a t i s f a c t o r y j u s

Crime s a gains t w ome n are “ u n p a rd o na b l e ” , P M Narendra M odi as serted and urged every state go vt to take strict action “T he s ecurity o f women is very impo rtant No t only mus t the c ulp rit be

s t er n l y p u n is h e d f o r comm itting s uch crimes , but all tho se wh o try to pro tect them mu st be dealt with an ir o n h a nd , ” h e s a i d a t a

‘Lakhp ati Didi’ convention in no rth Maharash tra’s Jalgaon

Although he didn’t refer

t o a n y s p e c i f i c c a s e , h i s

r e m a r k s h

resident doctor in Kolkata’s

RG Kar Medical College and the rape of two minor girls in M a h a r a s h t r a ’ s B a d l a p u r , b o t h o f w h i c h s p a r k e d nationwide outrage Modi expressed empathy for the anger and pain felt by women across the country

H e w a r n e d t h a t p o l i c e , d o c t o r s , a n d s c h o o l r e p r e s e n t a t i v e s p r o t e c t i n g culprits should not be spared “A message must go from top to bottom that such acts will not be tolerated,” he said M o d i a l s o u n d e r l i n e d the responsibility of state govts, political parties and s o c i e t y t o p r e v e n t c r i m e s against women “Govts will c o m e a n d g o b u t c r i m e a g a i n s t w o m e n m u s t b e tackled with an iron hand at all costs,” he said PM Modi assured that t h e C e n t r e i s r e a d y t o s u p p o r t s t a t e g o v t s i n addressing such crimes

The PM highlighted new provisions in the Bharatiya N a g a r i k S u r a k s h a S a n h i t a ( B N S S ) t h a t e n s u r e t o u g h penalties for crimes against women, including hanging and life imprisonment “In my mission of Viksit Bharat,

and hence, there is a need to further empower them But there is also a simultaneous need to ensure their safety and security,” the PM said T

Maharashtra govt honoured

govt’s Lakhpati Didi scheme,

group (SHG) members who earn an annual household

certificates to 11,00,000 new Lakhpati Didis and released

members Modi said the Lakhpati Didi scheme is designed to

stable “Compare the work done by the opposition in 60 years and the initiatives that our govt had taken in one decade Till 2014, the central govt had given bank

amounting to £2 5 bn In contrast, our govt has given bank loans of £90 bn,” he said

Two Bangladeshi diplomats in India dismissed amid Sheikh

Hasina suspense

T wo Bangl adesh i dip lo mats

s er v ing at t h e H ig h

C o mm iss ion in I ndia h ave been relieved of th eir duties

a s p er th e o rd er o f t h e

c ar e ta k er go ve r nm e nt in

Dh aka T he o rder came into ef fect on Augus t 17

S h a b a n M a h m u d , F i r s t Secretary (Press), was asked to relinquish his position at

t h e B a n g l a d e s h H i g h Commission in New Delhi

b e f o r e t h e e n d o f h i s contract

Ranjan Sen, also a First

Commission in Dhaka due to concerns over violence in the neighbouring country

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

Minister of Bangladesh and flee the country for India on August 5 She has been in India for nearly three weeks and faces the possibility of

c o m m a n d e d b y a n o n - t r a i n e r l i n e captain paired with a non-line-released first officer which has been viewed by the regulator as a serious scheduling

action in terms of provisions of the extant rules/regulations and imposed the above penalty, the watchdog noted K

B a s e d o n i n v e s t i g a t i

Dhanbad -bound train splits into 2 in UP, 8 bogies detached

In an unusual incid ent , 13 out of the 21 coa che s of the Kisa n Ex press we re le ft behin d as the tra in split int o two in Bijnor distr ict last wee k The Dhan

was travelling at

y station with eight coaches, while the remaining 13 coaches were left behind Both the railway rescue team and the police promptly arrived at the scene a n

individuals onboard According to a railway official source, the incident was attributed to the failure of the coupler i

resulted in the train's separation into two distinct parts

sustained injuries during the incident

He noted that approximately 150 aspirants on board were scheduled to appear for the Uttar Pradesh police constable examination in Moradabad and Bareilly and were understandably a n x i o u s a b o u t r e a c h i n g t h e i r destinations on time To address their concerns, the UPSRTC swiftly arranged four buses to transport the aspirants to their respective examination centres

S e c r e t a r y ( P r e s s ) a t t h e

B a n g l a d e s h i c o n s u l a t e i n

K o l k a t a , r e l i n q u i s h e d h i s charges last week Sen was a s k e d t o l e a v e b e f o r e t h e

c o m p l e t i o n o f h i s c o n t r a c t u a l t e n u r e , w h i c h was set to end in 2026 He had been re-appointed by the e r s t w h i l e S h e i k h H a s i n a government and may take some time before returning to Dhaka

This move comes amid tensions between India and Bangladesh following the fall of the Hasina government

E a r l i e r t h i s m o n t h , I n d i a

p u l l e d o u t " n o n - e s s e n t i a l "

s t a f f a n d t h e f a m i l i e s o f diplomats at the Indian High

Sandip Ghosh

Indian, Chinese warships dock in Colombo, send out ripples

The ‘ Gre at G ame ’ betwe en

In dia a nd Chin a for str ate gic

i n f lu e n c e in t h e In d i a n

O cean Reg ion (IO R) cont in -

u e s , w hi le t he ir t r oo p s r ema in locke d in a milita ry con fr on ta tion a lon g t he land borde rs

The docking of a frontline Indian warship, guided

m i s s i l e d e s t r o y e r I N S

M u m b a i , a t C o l o m b o o n Monday morning coincided with three Chinese warships doing the same, generating some waves in the neigh-

b o u

h o o d “ C h i n

w a rships, including those part of its anti-piracy escort forces, are now staying in the IOR for a much longer time than earlier,” an Indian defence establishment official said

“The expanding Chinese naval presence in the IOR, along with Beijing’s hunt for a d d i t i o n a l l o g i s t i c a l turnaround facilities in the region, has become a major c h a l l e n g e f o r I n d i a , ” h e added To be sure, the 140-

w a r s h i p I n d i a n N a v y c e rtainly needs adequate force-

l e v e l s t o “ t a k e c a r e ” o f Pakistan and “deter” China in the IOR

The Indian Navy closely tracked the three Chinese w a r

i , and landing platform docks ( a m p h i b i o u s s h i p s )

Wuzhishan and Qilianshan, w i t h a c o m b i n

d c r e w o f almost 1,500 personnel, right f r o m t h e m o m e n t t h e y entered the IOR till their d

c k i n g a t C

o n Monday morning Sri Lanka welcomed INS M u m b a i , w h i c h i s c o mmanded by Captain Sandeep Kumar with a crew of 410 s a i l o

Chinese warships “in comp

tions” INS Mumbai and the Chinese warships are scheduled to separately hold “ pass

departure, again coinciding on August 29

Having already lost out to Beijing in the Maldives, with the Mohamed Muizzu

govt signing a defence cooperation pact with China and forcing India to withdraw its military personnel operating a Dornier aircraft and two advanced light helicopters, the docking of Chinese warships at Colombo will obviously not go well down with

Colombo when it had per-

spy vessels and submarines to dock at Lankan ports

Amid this strategic tussle, all eyes are now on the Sri Lankan Presidential elections slated for Sept 21 For

Kumara Dissanayake of the N

which is perceived to be proChina

India surpasses China to become Russia’s top oil buyer

India o vertook Ch ina as the w orld’ s big gest im porter of R u ss i an o i l i n J u ly a s

C hinese refiners bou ght less because of lower pro fit marg ins from prod ucing fuels, a com parison of import d ata sh owed

Russian crude made up a record 44% of India’s overall imports last month, rising to a record 2 07 million barrels per day (bpd), 4 2% higher than in June and 12% more than a year ago, data on Indian shipments from trade and industry sources showed

That surpassed China’s July oil imports from Russia

o f 1 7 6 m i l l i o n b p d v i a p i p e l i n e s a n d s h i p m e n t s , based on Chinese customs data

I n d i a n r e f i n e r s h a v e

been gorging on Russian oil

s o l d a t d i s c o u n t s a f t e r

W e s t e r n n a t i o n s i m p o s e d sanctions against Moscow and curtailed their energy

p u r c h a s

Ukraine

“India’s requirement for Russian oil is going to go up as long as there are no fur-

tions,” an Indian refining

s

a d e with Russia has increased since Russia began its war against Ukraine in February 2022 mainly because of oil

a n d f e r t i l i z e r i m p o r t s , a move helping to keep a lid on global prices and controlling inflation

India’s rising purchases are changing the flow of Russian ESPO Blend crude f r o m t r a

buyers to South Asia ESPO imports to India jumped in July to 188,000 bpd as larger Suezmax vessels were used, according to the data R

because of their proximity, but their demand has fallen

demand

Iraq continued to be the second-largest oil supplier t

lowed by Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates

India’s crude purchases from the Middle East rose 4% in July, pushing up the

IAF airlifts 25 bodies of Nepal bus accident victims

A military transport aircraft of th e Indian Air Force (IAF) b ro u g h t to Ma h a ra s h tr a ’ s J a lg ao n t h e bo d i es o f 25

Indian p ilgri ms who died i n a tr ag i c bu s a c c id en t i n N ep al T h e a cc i

K athmandu

T h e p i l g r i m s w e r e among a group of 110 people f r o m s e v e r a l p a r t s o f Maharashtra who had gone to Nepal in two buses and o n e t r a v e l l e r v a n F o r t yeight of the pilgrims crossed

t h e l a n d b o r d e r t o

M a h a r a j g a n j i n U t t a r

Pradesh along with the bodies of the bus driver and his a s s i s t a n t , w h o w e r e f r o m the state

The pilgrims, who hail f r o m M a h a r a s h t r a , w i l l l e a v e o n a t r a i n f r o m

Gorakhpur for their journey back home, officials said “Responding swiftly to a call for crucial humanitaria n s u p p o r t , t h e # I A F deployed a C-130J aircraft to airlift the mortal remains of

25 Indian citizens who tragically lost their lives in a road accident in Nepal,” the IAF said in a post on ‘X’ “ T h e m

B h a r

Jalgaon (Maharashtra) The

# I A F

condolences to the bereaved families and wishes a swift recovery to those injured,” it said Union minister Raksha

K h a d s e , w h o w a s i n Kathmandu to oversee the return of the victims and survivors, said on X, “Special a r r a n g e m e n t s h a v e b e e n made for remaining passeng

m Gorakhpur to their home-

town Very much thankful to the Indian Railways for the swift response ” S i x t e e n

w e r e injured in the accident and

embassy in Nepal Vishnu Kesarwani, the

which provided three buses

tourists’ tour, said the passengers were on their way to Kathmandu from Pokhara

picked up from Prayagraj

Sonauli and Lumbini, and Pokhara in Nepal

PM Modi talks to Putin, confirms his readiness to attend BRICS summit

P r i me M i ni s t er N a re nd ra M o di h a s c o nf i rm e d to Russian Presi dent Vladimir P u ti n h i s re ad i ne s s to attend the BRICS Su mmit to be h eld in Kazan from October 2 2-24, wh ich will be th e first summit of the gr o u p i ng af te r i t s ex p ansio n

D u r i n g a t e l e p h o n i c conversation, the two leade r s a l s o d i s c u s s e d i m p l ementation of trade agreements reached during the P r i m e M i n i s t e r s v i s i t t o M o s c o w i n J u l y , s t a t eowned Tass news agency

r e p o r t e d T h e t w o s i d e s expressed satisfaction with B R I C S c o o p e r a t i o n a n d Prime Minister Modi "confirmed readiness to particip a t e i

O c t o b e r h e l d u n d e r Russia’s chairmanship," the

showed

Army drone on surveillance mission strays across LoC into Pak

PoK’ s Nikial sector A message has been sent to Pakistan Army over the hotline between the DGs of military operations seeking the return of the ‘Switch’ fixed-wing VTOL (vertical take-off and landing) UAV

Pakistan has shot down the “mini drone”

Both India and Pakistan regularly deploy small and large UAVs for surveillance along the 778-km long LoC,

as is also the practice

Control with China Pakistan for the last several years has also

and drugs to Punjab and J&K from across the border

An Indian officer said, “

when its control was lost d

agency said Putin and Modi agreed o

bilateral communication at various levels "The issues of practical implementation of agreements in the trade and economic area reached during the official visit of the Indian prime minister to Russia in July were discussed,” the report said

12 elected unopposed to Rajya Sabha, NDA touches majority mark

The ruli ng ND A re ached maj ority mark in the Rajya Sabha as n in e BJP members and tw o fr om allie s were elected un opposed in the b y - p o l l s f or t he u p p e r house Wi th the nin e, BJP's st re n gt h ha s re a che d 96 , taki ng NDA to 112 i n the uppe r hous e Amon g the three others to get e lected unopposed w ere on e each from NDA alli es NCP fa ction of Aji t P awar faction and Rashtri ya Lok Manch The rulin g allian ce a lso has the s upport of six n omi nated a n d on e i n de p en d e n t membe rs

O n e m e m b e r o f t h e Congress also got elected,

t a k i n g t h e O p p o s i t i o n n u m b e r s i n t h e U p p e r House to 85 R a j y a S a b h a h a s 2 4 5 s e a t s , t h o u g h c u r r e n t l y there are eight vacancies -f o u r f r o m J a m m u a n d Kashmir and four nomin a t e d W i t h t h e h o u s e ' s current strength of 237, the majority mark is 119

T h e B J P c a n d i d a t e s elected unopposed include d M i s s i o n R a n j a n D a s s and Rameshwar Teli from A s s a m , M a n a n K u m a r Mishra from Bihar, Kiran

C h a d h a r y f r o m H a r y a n a ,

G e o r g e K u r i e n f r o m M a d h y a P r a d e s h ,

Tripura C o n g r e s s ' s A b h i s h e k Manu Singhvi was

Narendra Modi & Vladimir Putin

NORTH-EAST

17 killed in chemical reactor blast at Andhra pharma unit

V I S A K H A P A T N A M : A t l ea st 1 7

w orkers were killed and 50 others injured , sev eral o f them serio usly, in a chemical reactor blast at Escientia

A dv anced S ciences at A tchu tapuram S EZ in Andhra Prad esh’s Anakap alli d istrict, last week

T h i s i s t h e b i g g e s t i n d u s t

a l accident in a decade in the state

The toll could rise as bodies are feared trapped in debris, with SDRF teams searching for survivors The plant was covered in a cloak of dense

s m o k e , m

difficult

A chemical reactor is a type of

e d o u t W h a t triggered the blast isn’t clear yet It is s u s p e c t e d t h

overflowed onto the floor may have come in contact with electric wires, leading to a fire and an explosion

The toll would’ve been higher had the blast not occurred during lunch break, when most workers were out

The explosion was so powerful that bodies were torn to pieces, with body parts hurled several metres from the site Authorities could not

SOUTH INDIA PUNJAB

later Police said the blast occurred during lunch hour on the ground floor of the factory building The explosion led to a major fire and thick smoke engulfed the area and n e a r b y

n caused the slab of the first floor to cave in, trapping several workers on the second and third floors Rescue t

workers

It is not clear how many workers were on duty when the chemical

Around 400 people work in two

which manufactures intermediate

pharmaceutical ingredients, began operations in April 2019 with an investment of £20 mn

The state govt has ordered an inquiry and CM N Chandrababu Naidu has directed officials to use air ambulances to shift the injured for better treatment The injured were taken to nearby hospitals, with 13 admitted to Pavan Sai hospital, 11 t o N T R H o s p i t

Prime Hospital

Karnataka cabinet seeks governor's nod to prosecute Kumaraswamy

B E NG ALUR U: K arnataka cab inet, l ed b y CM Sidda ram a iah, u

ge d governor Thaawar Chand Gehl ot

minis

ruges

Nir ani

“The Cabinet decided to advise governor under Article 163 (of the Constitution) to immediately act on pending cases, ” state law and parliamentary affairs minister HK Patil said after the meeting Patil emphasised that the cabinet’s recommendation was “not vendetta politics” but a response to public demand for accountability He explained that the cabinet’s role is to aid and advise the governor, reinforcing the constitutional basis

allegations of political retaliation following governor ’ s recent sanction to prosecute Siddaramaiah in connection with the M

allotment scam Sanction to proceed against Siddaramaiah was granted on Aug 17 and is currently being challenged in

parading Congress MLAs before President Droupadi Murmu to make the point that he enjoys the confidence of all Congress legislators

BJP, INLD want Haryana poll dates deferred

C H A N D I G A R H : B J P a n d IN LD ha v e ur g e d E l e c t io n Com miss ion in se parat e letters to c o ns id e r d e f e r ri n g t he Oc t 1 as sem bly poll s in Haryana for a bett er turnout

State BJP president Mohanlal B a d o l i a n d I N L D ’ s A b h a y

Chautala pointing out that many voters might give the election a miss because Oct 1 is part of an extended weekend, during which they might leave their city for a holiday This long break, Badoli wrote, might discourage people from returning to their respective constituencies just to cast their votes on Oct 1

Chautala apprehended a drop of 15% to 20% in turnout if the date is not changed

C o n g r e s s n e t a s a n d L o k S a b h a M P s D e e p e n d e r S i n g h

Hooda and Kumari Selja put out posts on X in which they attacked t h e B J P f o r s e e k i n g postponement as the latter feared

turnout concerns stem from the fact that most people who are likely to use the long weekend for a holiday are from urban areas, c o n s i d e r e d t h e p a r t y ’ s s t r o n g h o l d I n t h e g e n e r a l

e l e c t i o n e a r l i e r t h i s y e a r , B J P

The

bill cites concerns about

citizens, particularly in cases of child and

compulsory registration of marriages and divorces with the sub-registrar

calling it discriminatory and an attempt to polarise the populace for electoral gains Gauhati high court advocate AS Tapadar saw the move as part of a push towards implementing the uniform civil code (UCC) “In the guise of right to equality, Muslims are being forced to lose their own identity of religious practices,” he said, questioning the need for a new legislation when “there is already an anti-child marriage law in the country”

ASSAM’S BURIAL MOUNDS NOW A UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITE

d e f e a t i n t h e p o l l s “ S e n s i n g defeat, the ruling party is giving childish arguments Because it h a s n o i s s u e , n o w o r k o r achievement to tell the public and not enough candidates to field in 90 seats That is why BJP i s c o n s p i r i n

elections by making an excuse of holidays Voters of Haryana are very aware, ” Hooda wrote O b s e r v e r s b e l i e v e B J P ’ s

BJP calls for 'Bengal bandh' to protest police action against Nabanna marchers

K O L K A T A : T h e B h a r a t i y a Jan ata Party (BJP) has call ed for a 12-hour 'Beng al Ban dh' on Wedne sda y, August 28, to p r o t e st a g a in s t t h e p o l ic e a c t io n on t h o se w ho par ticipate d in the march to t he sta te se cre tariat , N abann a, on Tuesda y

The bandh, scheduled from 6 am to 6 pm, comes in response to what it describes as excessive police force used against protesters demanding the resignation of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee over the alleged rape and murder of a woman doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital

BJP state president Sukanta Majumdar

c r i t i c i s e d b

(TMC) and the Left, accusing the TMC of oppressing students and alleging that the Left tacitly supported the government's stance by not participating in the protests Majumdar urged the public to observe the bandh in solidarity with the victim and to

s t a n d a g a i n s t w h a t h e d e s c r i b

d a s t h e "politics of suppression" in Bengal

“We are compelled to call for this bandh as the state’s autocratic regime ignores the

justice for the deceased

protestors,” Majumdar said Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari condemned the police's response, describing

threatening to bring the state to a standstill

promising that all necessary measures will be taken to maintain normalcy

Responding to the BJP’s bandh call, senior

h accused the BJP of exploiting the situation to create disturbances “The Nabanna Abhijan was clearly backed by the BJP, which has used it to incite unrest,” Ghosh said, urging the public to thwart the BJP's plans

The police resorted to lathicharge and used water cannons and tear gas to stop

proceeding ahead towards the secretariat

suffered a dent in its vote share, with Congress bagging 5 of 10 seats in the state I n h i s l e t t e r , B a d o l i a l s o referred to ‘Aasoj Amavasya’ on Oct 2, a key event for Bishnoi community members who attend a fair in Bikaner in Rajasthan Since the fair attracts millions of devotees, many are likely to leave f o r B i k a n e r a d a y o r t w o i n a d v a n c e H e s a i d P u n j a b p o l l d a t e s w e r e a l s o p o s t p o n e d i n 2022 because of Ravidas Jayanti

SC sets aside Calcutta HC order advising adolescent girls

NE W DE L HI: Stro ng ly d isapp rov ing of th e sweep ing observations made by the Calcu tta High Cou rt, includ ing ad vising adolescent girls to contro l their sexual u rges instead of giv ing in to “ two minutes o f pleasure ” w hile d ecid ing a crim inal app eal, th e Sup reme

C ourt urged jud ges to d ecid e cases based on l aw an d fa c ts and no t to i n d u lg e in preaching or expressing perso nal opinio ns in ad judication

A bench of Justices Abhay Soka and Ujjal Bhuyan not only set aside the high court’s r e m a r k s b u t a l s o i t s v e r d i c t i n 2 0 1 8 o f acquitting an accused who was in physical relationship with a 14-year old minor girl and out of which a child was born

The top court convicted him under the Pocso Act and said it would decide on the quantum of punishment It also directed West Bengal govt to form a committee of t h r e e e x p e r t s , i n c l u d i n g a c l i n i c a l p s y c h o l o g i s t a n d a s o c i a l

interact with the girl to help her make

continue to remain in the company of the accused or

The ‘Charaideo Maidam’, a 700-year-old mound-burial system of the Ahom dynasty in eastern Assam, has been included in the Unesco World Heritage site list under the ‘cultural property’ category The burial mounds made pyramid-like structures known as ‘Maidams’ which were used by the erstwhile Tai-Ahom dynasty that ruled Assam for around 600 years from 1228 The Charaideo Maidams enshrine the mortal remains of the Ahom royalty Previously the deceased were buried with their paraphernalia, but after the 18th century, the Ahom rulers adopted the Hindu method of cremation, later entombing the cremated bones and ashes in a Maidam at Charaideo It is the first time a site from the northeast has made it to the Unesco World Heritage list under the cultural category, and after Kaziranga and Manas National Parks, it is Assam’s third world heritage site

FLOOD CLAIMS 31 LIVES IN TRIPURA

Tripura is grappling with a devastating flood crisis as 31 people have lost their lives and over 100,000 residents are now living in relief camps The disaster has plunged the state into a dire situation, with heavy rainfall worsening the flooding The floods have affected 1 7 million and also caused extensive property damage, with losses estimated at £500 mn Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha visited the family of a victim who drowned while attempting to rescue a mother and her son in Indranagar During his visit he presented a cheque of 400 000 to the grieving parents and announced that the government would provide them with a house and enroll them in the state s social security scheme In response to the escalating crisis Prime Minister Narendra Modi has assured full support for Tripura The central government has allocated £4 mn for relief and rehabilitation efforts To address the flood's impact, Saha convened an all-party meeting where political leaders gathered to discuss and strategize on rebuilding efforts

Nayab Singh Saini Abhay Chautala

HD Kumaraswamy

PM Modi, Biden discuss Ukraine, safety of Hindus in Bangladesh

law and ord er, along with

th e need to ensure safety

and secu rity of m inorities, p articularly Hindus, according to an Ind ian read out

The conversation took

p l a c e a h e a d o f a p o s s i b l e

b i l a t e r a l m e e t i n g b e t w e e n them, and a proposed Quad summit, next month in New York on the sidelines of the

U N G A s e s s i o n M o d i a n d

B i d e n a l s o c o m m i t t e d t o boosting Quad cooperation

T h e r a r e m e n t i o n o f

s e c u r i t y f o r H i n d u s i n

Bangladesh in a talk with a foreign leader is in line with I n d i a ’ s s t a t e d p r i o r i t y o f ensuring their safety in the crisis-ridden country In his congratulatory message to

B

M u h a m m a d Y u n u s , M o d i had called for protection of t h e H i n d u c o m m u n i t y However, Yunus later told him over phone that reports

o f a t t a c k s o n m i n o r i t i e s were exaggerated “ W e h a d a d e t a i l e d exchange of views on vario u s r e g i o n a l a n d g l o b a l issues, including the situa-

tion in Ukraine I reiterated India’s full support for early return of peace and stability We also discussed the situat i o n i n B a n

r early restoration of normalcy, and ensuring the safety and security of minorities, e s p e c i a l l y H i n d u s , i n Bangladesh,” Modi said in a post on X

T a l k s o n t h e U k r a i n e issue are also significant as Modi’s visit to Kyiv followed an outrage in the western world, led by the US, over the timing of the trip The

US was upset that it was timed with the Nato summit in Washington That Modi c h o s e R u s s i a f o r h i s f i r s t bilateral visit in his third term, and that there was a R u s s i a n a t t a c k o n a c h i ldren’s hospital the day Modi l a n d e d i n M o s c o w , o n l y exacerbated this sentiment There was no dramatic shift in India’s position though as M o d i e x p r

V o l o d y m y r Z e l e n s k y b u t also told him he needed to

return of peace India main-

involve Russia for enduring

“potentially helpful”

tions and highlighted that t

i t i n g people of both countries as well as entire humanity

J&K assembly polls: NC to contest 51 seats, Cong settles for 32

A lli ance partners N ational Conference (NC) and Congress finalised a seat-s hari ng arrangement f or the J&K assembly e l ec t i o ns a f t er re s o l vi n g d i f f er enc e s , annou nci ng that the two p arti es will field candi dates i n 83 ou t of the 90 seats, leavi ng ro om fo r “ friend ly co ntests” in five co nsti tuenci es

N C w i l l c o n t e s t 5 1 s e a t s a n d

Congress 32, while one seat each has been left for INDIA partners CPM and J&K National Panthers Party

“There will be friendly contests on five seats in a cordial and disciplined

m a n n e r ,

K

r , t h e alliance did not identify the constituencies allocated to each party

BJP rel eases l is t of 44, prunes it to 15 af ter protest s BJP’s campaign for J&K elections got

off to an awkward start with the party having to prune the list of its candidates after protests over selections and omissions The party had released a list of 44 candidate, but withdrew it after a few minutes to come out with a shortened list of 15 names only for the seats which go to polls first in the three-phase polls on Sep 18 S

absence of key names like those of state BJP chief Ravinder Raina, former deputy C M N i

Kavinder Gupta and Sat Paul Sharma, also a former state president, who had won in 2014 from Jammu West seat, leading to retracing of steps In the now-withdrawn list, Satish Sharma was named the candidate for Jammu’s Billawar constituency in place of Nirmal Singh who had won the seat in

2014 Similarly, the withdrawn list had Narender Singh Rana as the candidate for RS Pora-Jammu South (it was called Gandhi Nagar before delimitation) in place of Kavinder Gupta, who won the seat in 2014 defeating Congress’s Raman Bhalla

The list also had Arvind Gupta in place of Sat Paul Sharma from Jammu West State chief Raina had won from Nowshera in Rajouri district in 2014 but was not retained in the seat, though sources said he might be fielded from one of the Jammu seats Among the new entrants who figured in the withdrawn list were Devender Singh Rana, former National Conference (NC) leader and b r o t h e

Shyam Lal Sharma; and former NC minister S S Salathia

Seven killed in rain-related incidents in Gujarat, over 6,000 relocated

A t least seven p eople hav e d ied in rainrelated incidents in different parts of Gujarat, and heavy showers continued

to pound the state for the third consecu tive day on T uesd ay, throwing no rm al life out o f gear and floo ding low -lying areas, officials said More than 6, 000 p eo ple have been relocated to safer p laces as water lev els in dams and riv ers rose amid incessant rainfall, they said

According to officials, seven people lost their lives in rain-related incidents on Monday Four persons were killed in wall collapse incidents in Gandhinagar, Kheda and Vadodara districts, while one person died after a tree fell on him and two others drowned in Anand district

T h e a d

P a n c h m a h a l , N a v s a r i , V a l s a d , V a d o d a r a , B h a r u c h , K h e d a , Gandhinagar, Botad and Aravali districts shifted hundreds of people to safer locations as a precautionary measure amid flooding in low-lying areas as water levels rose in rivers and dams

In Panchmahal, the district administration shifted around 2,000 people, w

Vadodara, 1,200 in Navsari, and 800 in Valsad, among other areas, officials said As per data shared by the State Emergency Operation Centre (SEOC), the state has received nearly 100 per cent of its average annual rainfall so far, w i t h K u t c h , S a u r a s h t r a a n d s o

Gujarat accounting for more than 100 per cent of their average annual rainfall this season T h e I n

Department (IMD) has forecast isolated extremely heavy rainfall in most parts of the state till Thursday Tankara taluka in Morbi district received 347 mm of rainfall in 24 hours

Majority of migrants living in India are Hindus, finds Pew study

The m ajority of m igrants liv ing in Ind ia are Hindu s, acco rding to a report by the United States-based think tank P ew Research C entre The stu dy, The Religious C omposition o f the World’s Mig rants, estimates that 61% of all mig rants living in Ind ia are Hindu s The co mmu nity makes up around 79% o f the co untry ’ s popu lation

In contrast, 19% of migrants living in India are Muslims The community accounts for about 15% of India’s population Most foreign-born residents living in India are from Bangladesh and Pakistan, according to Pew Research

The study also said that Muslims and Christians were more likely than others to have left India In 2020, about 41% of Indians who migrated to other countries were Hindus, according to Pew Research This figure was significantly lower than the overall share of Hindus in the country

In contrast, 33% of Indians who left the country in 2020 were Muslims and 16% were Christians The figures for both communities were significantly higher than their share in the country’s overall population

According to the 2011 Census, 14 2% of India’s population were Muslims and 2 3% were Christians The report said that the most “popular pathway” for Hindu migrants from around the world was to move from India to the United States “About 1 8 million Hindus have taken this route, making up 61% of all Indian immigrants in the US as of 2020, ” it said

The think thank said that if the members of the Gulf Cooperation Council – which comprises Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates –were considered a single destination, a move from India to these countries would be the most common for Hindus

“Roughly 3 million Hindus from India live in GCC countries, where foreign workers comprise half or more of the area ’ s workforce,” it said

Most Muslim migrants from India lived in Muslimmajority countries with job opportunities, including the United Arab Emirates with 1 8 million people from India, Saudi Arabia with 1 3 million and Oman with 7,20,000, the report said

The think tank said that migrants from India most commonly lived in the United Arab Emirates with 3 6 million residing there from the country, followed by the United States with 3 million, Saudi Arabia with 2 6 million, Pakistan with 1 6 million and Oman with 1 4 million

March 2026 target set to end Naxal violence in country,

says Shah

The time has come to dea l a “ r ut hl ess final bl ow ” to l eft -wing e xtre mism and liber ate the coun try from t his scour ge by Mar ch 2026, Union home min ister Amit Shah said in R aipur

Shah, who arrived here on a t w o - d a y t o u r t o r e v i e w s e c u r i t y operations and development strategy in Maoist-affected states, said:

ending at 6 am on Tuesday, the highest in the state, followed by Morva Hadaf in P a n c h m a h a l ( 3 4 6 m m ) , Nadiad in Kheda (327 mm), Borsad in Anand (318 mm), Vadodara taluka (316 mm) and Anand taluka (314 mm) A t l

talukas received more than 2 0 0 m m r a i n f a l l , a n d 9 1 talukas received more than 100 mm showers in 24 hours, the SEOC said A fresh spell of rainfall on Tuesday battered Rajkot city, inundating lowl y i n

Rajkot city alone received 142 mm of rainfall in four hours since 6 am, the SEOC data showed Apart from this, Surendranagar, Kheda, and Devbhumi Dwarka were also battered by rains in the morning hours

T h e s t a t e g o v e r n m e n t , i n a n update, said 96 reservoirs were flowing above danger marks, and a high alert was sounded for them A warning was issued for 19 reservoirs flowing near their danger marks

“Between 2019 and 2024, many states have been liberated of the LWE (left wing extremism) tag - Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Madhya Pradesh and, to an extent Maharashtra Only one district in Maharashtra is still affected This is a massive achievement for the Govt of India ” He said it was “particularly satisfying” to see Chhattisgarh home minister Vijay Sharma visiting Maoist commander Hidma’s village Puwarti in Sukma district and distributing Aadhaar cards and Ayushman Bharat cards to villagers

Due to PM Modi’s strategy, people in MP’s Chandameta village and six villages in Chhattisgarh’s Sukma could vote in the elections for the first time in 40 years, he said “This is a victory for security forces and for democracy Today, central forces are not only fighting Maoists but also monitoring development activities,” Shah added

He said that 189 Maoists have been “neutralised” in Chhattisgarh, which accounts for 90% of LWE-affected area, this year from January till date, adding that the setting up of police camps in areas where Maoists are still active helped fill the security vacuum

Chhattisgarh is the best performing state in tackling Maoists this year, he said while praising CM Vishnudeo Sai and his deputies Vijay Sharma and Arun Sao As many as 559 Maoists have been arrested this year so far while 540 surrendered He said that 47 special forces camps have been set up and 16 more will be set up in the coming months

The DGPs and chief secretaries of all states that share a border with Chhattisgarh are attending the review meeting with the home minister

Amit Shah

Narendra Modi & Joe Biden

PM Modi lauds Isro on National Space Day

Amid his busy t rip to Ukr ainian capital Kyiv, PM Na rendra Modi g reete d the n ation on India’s maiden National Space Da y t o ma rk t he first a nniversary of t he historic lan din g of

C

south pol e of the Moon on August 23 last y ear

2

Modi, who had himself declared August

successful mission, posted on X, “We recall with great pride our nation’s achievements in the space sector It is also a day to laud the contributions of our space scientists Our govt has taken a series of futuristic decisions relating to this sector and we will do even more in the times to come ” President Droupadi Murmu, who was the c

N

D

y function at Bharat Mandapam, in presence of

S

chairman S Somanath, said, “The progress of India's space sector is extraordinary Be it a successfully completed Mars mission with limited resources or the successful launch of more than a hundred satellites at once, we have made many impressive achievements ”

The National Space Day was conducted on the theme ‘Touching Lives While Touching the Moon: India's Space Saga’

Murmu, who a day before presented the Vigyan Team Award to Team Chandrayaan-3 in the field of Space, Science and Technology, appreciated Isro scientists for the “ wonderful journey and remarkable achievements”

After witnessing models of India's next-

Antarkish Station during a space exhibition, Murmu commended desi startup Agnikul Cosmos for successfully launching “ a singlep

powered rocket, the first such achievement” in the world

Madhapur in Bhuj is Asia's richest village

Villages acros s I ndia are marc hing tow ards p r o s p e r it y t h a nk s t o t h e go v e rn m e nt ' s develo pment sch emes The richest village in

As ia is no t in C hina, Japan, o r Sou th Korea; it's in o ur ow n c ountry A vill age in Gujarat’s Bh uj will c hange yo ur p erc eption of Indian vill ages fo rever

Madhapur - dubbed as Asia's richest village - is on the outskirts of Bhuj in Gujarat It has a population of around 32,000 people, and this population boasts of holding fixed deposits worth £700 mn The village's prosperity is attributed to its 65% NRI (non-resident Indian) population, who deposit millions every year in l o c a l b a n k s a n d p o s t o f f i c e s , w h i c h t h e y receive from family members as remittances

M a d h a p u r , w i t h a p p r o x i m a t e l y 2 0 , 0 0 0 houses, is a village of the Patel community

Think of any major public and private bank, and you will find its branch here The village boasts of 17 banks, including HDFC Bank, SBI, PNB, Axis Bank, ICICI Bank, and Union Bank

Several other public and private banks are interested in opening their branches in this village

You will be surprised to know that the significant deposits are primarily from NRI families who live in African countries where t h e y d o m i n a t e t h e c o n s t r u c t i o n b u s i n e s s

Many residents also reside in the US, UK, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand Despite living abroad, these people are still connected

to their roots and bring holistic changes to their village

"Though many villagers live and work abroad, they remain attached to their village and prefer parking their money in the banks here rather than where they live," according to Parulben Kara, former president of the District Panchayat

" T h e h u g e d e p o s i t s h a v e m a d e i t

prosperous It has all the basic facilities like w a t e r , s a n i t a t i o n , a n d r o a d s T h e r e a r e bungalows, both public and private schools, lakes, and temples," a branch manager of a nationalized bank in the village said

Madhapur has almost 20,000 houses, with approximately 1,200 families living abroad

The continuous inflow of remittances has enabled them to develop schools, colleges, health centres, dams, temples, and lakes in the v i l l a g e T h

intending to connect themselves and improve the image of their village abroad

Youth without political background keen to join politics: PM Modi

Ex pre ssing sa tisfa ct ion ove r the re spon se to h is r ece n t e x hor ta t ion fro m R ed For t to c o n n e c t o v e r 1 00 , 0 0 0 y ou t h w i t h o ut a political ped ig ree with politics, PM N are ndr a M od i, in his mont hly r adio ta lk ‘Ma nn Ki Ba a t’ on Sun d ay sa id a la rg e nu mber of y outh, ke en to join politics, were looking for t he rig ht opportun ity a nd guida nce

“I have also received letters from youth across the country on this subject Enormous response is being received on social media as well People have sent me many kinds of suggestions Some youth have written in their letters that it is truly inconceivable for t h e m O n a c c o u n t o f t h e a b s e n c e o f a p o l i t i c a l l e g a c y o n t h e p a r t o f t h e i r grandfather or parents they could not enter politics despite wanting to join,” the PM said Citing a few responses to his Red Fort call, Modi said some youth had written that they possessed good experience working at the ground level and, hence, they could help solve people’s problems

“ S o m e y o u t h h a v e a l s o w r i t t e n t h a t dynastic politics crushes new talent Some youth have mentioned that such efforts will lend more strength to our democracy I

Taxi

driver, cops save woman from falling into Arabian sea

A taxi driver and four traffic cops displayed remarkable alertness and agility to save a 56-year-old woman who was about to fall into the Arabian Sea from Atal Setu A visual of the dramatic rescue on the sea bridge, which connects south Mumbai to Navi Mumbai, has been widely shared on social media Around 7 pm, Mulund resident Reema Mukesh Patel reached Atal Setu in a taxi and stopped the vehicle on the Nhava Sheva side The official said she walked to the side crash barrier and sat on the railing In the viral video, the taxi driver can be seen standing close to her Just then, a police patrolling vehicle pulls over Seeing the cops, the woman seems to have lost her sitting position and falls The taxi driver grabs the falling woman by her hair in a split second As Patel hangs precariously, four traffic cops sprint and climb onto the railing, shows the video

High-earning techie chooses trains over flights

Air travel is often associated with convenience, speed, and status, so it is intriguing to consider why someone would opt for train travel, especially when they can afford to fly Recently, a chance encounter on a train left X user Chirag Deshmukh, surprised and delighted He shared the story on social media, revealing why a high-earning software developer chose train travel over flying In his post, Deshmukh revealed that the developer, who worked for a prominent company, earned an impressive ₹30,00,000 per annum When Deshmukh asked him the reason, the developer shared a touching story He said that after completing his education he was struggling to find a job However, during a train journey, he met a passenger who introduced him to his elder brother, leading to a referral that secured his first job Since then, he has decided to always travel by train - unless it's an emergency,' the post further read

CISF jawan saves passenger's life by giving CPR

A CISF personnel saved the life of a Srinagar-bound passenger who collapsed at the Indira Gandhi International Airport by promptly performing a cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) procedure on him, a spokesperson of the force said CPR is an emergency life-saving procedure that is performed when the heart stops beating The incident occurred on August 20 at the forecourt of the airport's terminal 2 The passenger, scheduled to travel to Srinagar on an Indigo flight, collapsed near the hand trolley stand, the spokesperson said A two-member quick reaction team (QRT) of the CISF saw the passenger collapsing and one of them immediately performed CPR on him, he said, adding the passenger was then rushed to the Safdarjung Hospital for further treatment

How a 10th pass Indian in US became a millionaire

The story of an Indian immigrant in the United States, who opened a restaurant and became a millionaire, is going viral on social media Taking to X, a user named Sunil shared the story of his Gujarati friend who migrated to the US, opened a Gujarati restaurant, and now lives a comfortable life In his post, the user comically spoke about his own master's degree and habit of listening to podcasts as he recounted the inspirational story of his friend, who despite studying only till 10th grade, managed to achieve success "Met a Patel friend who runs a restaurant in New Jersey I told him that Peter Thiel said that the worst business one can do is open a restaurant Very high failure rate and customers are very unpredictable When I mentioned Peter Thiel's name, he raised his eyebrows to think Sunil revealed that his friend believed that running a restaurant was a sure path to becoming a millionaire The friend explained that he has at least 50 families who are regular customers He dismissed Peter Thiel's opinion that restaurant customers are unpredictable, saying that minor issues do not deter patrons It sparked a discussion about the value of traditional education versus practical experience

Bengaluru landlord's acts of kindness

thank everyone for sending in suggestions on

collective efforts, youth who do not possess a political background will also be able to come forward in politics their experience and t h e i r f e

country,” Modi said

He recalled the freedom movement and s

background had come forward and took the plunge for the sake of India’s freedom “Once more, we require the same spirit to attain the goal of Viksit Bharat I shall urge all my y

c a m p a i g

transformative in terms of your future and the country’s future,” the PM said

He also hailed people for the success of ‘Har Ghar Tiranga’ campaign and said when people join hands to express a sentiment, it lends unparalleled glory to any campaign

Modi said on the website of ‘Har Ghar

T i r a n g a ’ , m

e posted, which showed the campaign wove t h e e n t i

togetherness and this exactly was what ‘Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat’ is

A tenant's heartwarming account of his positive experience with an elderly landlord in Bengaluru is going viral on social media Taking to Reddit, the tenant, who has been living in the landlord's building for the past five years, recounted a moment that left him smiling from ear to ear In his post, the user shared an incident that took place recently when his 65-year-old landlord arrived at his door with an unexpected gift - a dinner parcel This heartfelt gesture left the tenant deeply moved He remarked on the landlord's character, describing him as a fit and socially active individual who had not once requested an increase in rent during the entire period of his tenancy "He's 65 plus, and I have been staying in his building for the last five years Today, he showed up at my door just now with a parcel and said he bought me dinner I couldn't stop smiling Nobody of his age has been this kind to me ever," he said The tenant further noted that despite the five-year period, he had continued to pay the same rent as he did in 2018 He also shared that his landlord frequently engaged in conversations, often telling stories from his life and speaking proudly of his daughter Although the landlord occasionally offered the tenant a drink, which he politely declined, the gesture was always wellreceived "God bless this man," he added

Woman wears shorts to job interview, sent home

A woman claims she was sent home from a job interview for wearing shorts, which the recruiter deemed unprofessional However, the job-seeker, named Tyreshia, defended her outfit choice In a TikTok video, Tyreshia insisted she did nothing wrong by wearing black shorts to the interview and provided a full view of her outfit, stating she was "dress-coded " "The recruiter rejected me because of this!" she wrote in the text overlay, showing the outfit that led to her being sent home Although she was given the option to change and return, Tyreshia refused on principle "So, I just got dress-coded during an interview," she explained in the video "They decided to reschedule the interview for tomorrow But before that, the lady asked if I wanted to go change and come back I said no " Her video quickly went viral on TikTok and X, amassing 34 million views The consensus on X was that her outfit was inappropriate for a job interview, though a few people voiced their support "Office appropriate and interview appropriate is different She just learned that lesson," wrote one X user "Do not wear shorts to interview people What are we doing?" another said

PM Narendra Modi

PM MODI’S HISTORIC POLAND-UKRAINE VISIT

Continued from page 1

T h e y h a d t o n a v i g a t e both familiar and emerging challenges, as the conflict has become a central theme in the broader Russia-West struggle

The key objective for the

S o u t h B l o c k w a s t o

s t r e n g t h e n m u t u a l u n d e rstanding and enhance coop-

e r a t i o n w i t h t h e v i s i t e d countries while preserving t h e v a l u a b l e r e l a t i o n s h i p with Russia

After engaging with the eastern side of the European order, PM Modi shared his insights on the Ukraine conflict with Russian President

V l a d i m i r P u t i n H e a l s o

s p o k e U S P r e s i d e n t J o e Biden about the safety of Hindus in Bangladesh and his visit to Ukraine (Refer to page 25)

Modi's historic visit to Poland

During PM Modi's visit to Poland, the focus was on enhancing government relations, business ties, historic a l c o n n e c t i o n s , d i a s p o r a engagement, and people-topeople links

M o d i p r a i s e d P o l i s h P r i m e M i n i s t e r D o n a l d

T u s k , s a y i n g , “ Y o u h a v e been a good friend of India for a long time ” The joint statement from both leaders pledged to "realise the full potential of ties" between

I n d i a a n d P o l a n d a n d announced the creation of a

“ S t r a t e g i c P a r t n e r s h i p ” t o advance this goal

He paid his tributes at the memorials for the monument of the Jam Saheb of

N a w a n a g a r , k n o w n a f f e ctionately in Poland as 'Good M a h a r a j a ' , V a l i v a d e -

K o l h a p u r c a m p a n d t h e Monument to the Battle of Monte Cassino in Warsaw

In diplomatic terms, this g o e s b e y o n d a s t a n d a r d expression; it signifies the beginning of a comprehens i v e e f f o r t t o b o o s t exchanges, interactions, and cooperation across various sectors The aim is to "deepen bilateral, regional, and i n t e r n a t i o n a l c o o p e r a t i o n for a more stable, prosperous, and sustainable world "

Several key aspects stand out in the joint statement

Firstly, both nations called for a comprehensive, just, a n d l a s t i n g p e a c e i n Ukraine, aligned with the UN Charter’s principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity

Secondly, Poland joined India in supporting a “free, open, and rules-based IndoP a c i f i c , ” b o l s t e r i n g I n d i a ’ s a n d t h e Q u a d ’ s s t a n c e a

ness

T h i r d l y , t h e s t a t e m e n t e m p h a s i s e d e x p a n d i n g cooperation in culture, educ a t i o n , s c i e n c e , r e s e a r c h , and health Lastly, the leade r s i n t r o d u c e d a n A c t i o n P l a n f o r 2 0 2 4 – 2 0 2 8 , s i gnalling a push for tangible results and receiving positive feedback from Poland s g o v e r n m e n t a n d s t r a t e g i c community

During his visit, Prime

M i n i s t e r N a r e n d r a M o d i was warmly received by the I n d i a n c o m m u n i t y i n

Warsaw Modi emphasised the shared democratic valu e s b e t w e e n I n d i a a n d Poland and commended the I n d i a n D i a s p o r a f o r strengthening bilateral ties a n d t h e s u c c e s s o f

Operation Ganga

He encouraged the community to promote Indian tourism and announced the Jamsaheb Memorial Youth

E x c h a n g e P r o g r a m , w h i c h will annually bring 20 Polish youth to India

Visit ignites diaspora's enthusiasm in Poland

P M M o d i ’

d

immense excitement within the Indian diaspora, highlighting the growing optimism about future relations between India and Poland

The visit has energised the community, reflecting their e n t h u s i a s m f o r e n h a n c e d bilateral ties and increased cooperation

Speaking about the significance of PM Modi visit

t o P o l a n d , P a nc h ax ari L ax m es h w

“Poland, as a growing economy in Europe with strong industrial and agricultural sectors, offers opportunities for trade and investment As per my understanding, India aims to boost bilateral trade with Poland, focusing on IT, pharmaceuticals, and food processing, to enhance its p

Eastern Europe PM Modi

community's contributions and emphasised strengthening cultural and social ties

The visit underscores India's c

Poland as a key European

potential for increased eco-

encourages Polish businesses to explore opportunities in India, particularly under

India" and "Digital India

tributing to India's growth

Business Head of FLEX

“Poland has long served as a gateway for manufacturing

European Union, thanks to

policies However, Indians were initially not seen as

with the change in India's

Prime Minister Modi's visit

this shift Polish awareness

The diaspora is now more motivated to promote India, explore business opportunities, and act as brand ambassadors for the country The c o r e m e s s a g e w a s a b o u t c o n t r i b u t i n g e c o n o m i c a l l y and enhancing India’s global presence ” He added, “I had a brief e n c o u n

P

Jaishankar Ji as he was passi n g t h r o u g h t h e l o b b y W h i l e I d i d n ’ t h a v e a n extensive interaction, I had been closely involved with the event, including catering for the community gathering and working at various locations where he was stayi n g a n d w h e r e m e e t i n g s were held Even though our interaction was brief, shaki n g h a n d s w i t h h i m w a s memorable ”

A m i t L ath , C E O &

M a n a g i n g P a r t n e r , S h a r d a

G r o u p o f C o m p a n i e s a n d

Vice President, Indo-Polish Chamber of Commerce & I n d u s t r y , d e s c r i b e d t h e

a t m o s p h e r e d u r i n g P M Modi's event as truly breathtaking He was struck by the P r i m e M i n i s t e r ' s d y n a m i c

a n d i n s i g h t f u l r e m a r k s

a b o u t I n d i a , w h i c h m a n y found eye-opening He said, “ A k e y t a k e a w a y w a s t h e

c o n c e p t o f " H e a l w i t h

development has enhanced the prospects for the Indian community, though broader benefits remain to be fully realised

Prime Minister's speech was highly positive and inspir-

' s growth and future potential It created a strong sense of

pride and motivation within the diaspora He emphasised that the Indian community abroad plays a crucial role in building India’s image and contributing to its developm e n t A c c

s speech, we are not just repr

sadors of India, showcasing its progress and potential He also stressed the importance of supporting both the P o l i s h e c o n o m y a n d c o n -

I n d i a , " w h i c h r e s o n a t e d deeply, particularly as the P o l i s h g o v e r n m e n t h a s shown interest in this idea

T h i s i n i t i a t i v e c o u l d s e e

I n d i a n p r o f e s s i o n a l s c o ntributing their expertise in healthcare and other fields in Poland and beyond Lath suggested shifting from the "Make in India" slogan to "Make with India," emphasising collaboration wherever products are made - be it in Poland, Ukraine, or the US This approach aims to harness India's capabilities t h r o u g h m e a n i n g f u l p a r tnerships ”

A m i t h i g h l i g h t e d a

m e m o r a b l e m o m e n t f r o m the event, noting that the P r i m e M i n i s t e r ' s r e c o g n ition of the Indian diaspora's c r u c i a l r o l e d u r i n g

Operation Ganga was particularly impactful He said, “This recognition provides great motivation to community members and the diaspora, affirming their contributions During my interact i o n w i t h t h e P r i m e M i n i s t e r , t h e r e w a s a n impressive aura of positivity as he entered the room A group involved in Operation G a n g a w a s i n v i t e d f o r a p h o t o o p p o r t u n i t y , w h i c h served as a significant form of recognition The atmos p h e r e w a s f i l l e d w i t h enthusiasm, with chants of "Modi" and "Bharat Mata Ki

J a i " e c h o i n g a r o u n d

Another key takeaway was the emphasis on peace talks

f r o m t h e w o r l d ’ s l a r g e s t democracy The success of such initiatives in India suggests they could be effective in other countries as well ” Balancing peace and cooperation in Ukraine

F o l l o w i n g a 1 0 - h o u r train journey from Poland, PM Modi arrived in Kyiv, Ukraine's capital, prepared to approach the challenging d i p l o m a t i c m i s s i o n w i t h both sensitivity and clarity It was his 80th overseas visit and amongst his shortest, as he was there just for nine hours

His visit was strategically d e s i g n e d t o u n d e r s c o r e a message of peace, highlighting India's constructive role in a country severely impacte d b y t h e c o n f l i c t s i n c e Russia's invasion in February 2022

between Ukraine and Russia

W h i l e t h e I n d i a n P r i m e Minister publicly reiterated the need for peace through d i a l o g u e a n d d i p l o m a c y , u n d e r l y i n g d i f f

between Kyiv and New Delhi remained

Ukraine seeks high-level Indian participation, ideally at the Prime Ministerial level, in the next summit It views the joint communique on the Peace Framework, adopted at t h e p r e v i o u s s u m m

Switzerland, as a foundation for advancing efforts toward a just peace

However, India has reservations about this, holding firmly that peace talks must include both warring parties at the negotiation table I n h

was candid, urging India to halt its import of Russian oil "If you stop importing oil, it will create significant challenges for Mr Putin," he told Indian journalists He further

Prime Minister Modi desires peace more than Putin does " Z

keen interest in visiting India soon

The joint statement outlines cooperation in defence, economic, scientific, technical, cultural, and peoplet

U p o n a r r i v i n g i n K y i v from Poland, Prime Minister

M o d i w a s w e l c o m e d b y

U k r a i n i a n P r e s i d e n t Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the m u l t i m e d i a M a r t y r o l o g i s t Exposition on children, held at the National Museum of History of Ukraine

Following a handshake, M o d i e m b r a c e d Z e l e n s k y y warmly and, as they walked t o w a r d t h e m u l t i m e d i a Exposition, placed a supporti v e h a n d o n h i s s h o u l d e r , symbolising solidarity with the leader of the war-torn nation

After viewing the multimedia presentations, which detailed the deaths of many children during the conflict, Modi and Zelenskyy stood silently together in front of a wall-like structure adorned with numerous toys, serving as a tribute to the children

Discussions between the l e a d e r s r e s u l t e d i n w h a t a p p e a r s t o b e a c a r e f u l l y negotiated joint statement It r e c o r d s m u t u a l i n t e r e s t i n working towards “elevating b i l a t e r a l r e l a t i o n s f r o m a c o m p r e h e n s i v e p a r t n e r s h i p to a strategic partnership in the future ” T h e j o i n t s t a t e m e n t i s built on two key pillars The first focuses on the challenge of achieving a comprehensive, just, and lasting peace

that are generally non-

e substantial progress in these fields is likely contingent on the war's resolution, new initiatives may be launched in the coming months Notably, both sides agreed to explore opportunities for Indian companies to participate in Ukraine’s reconstruction and recovery "in a suitable mann e r , " s i g n a l l i n g a m u t u a l eagerness to advance in this area

Mediation talks

Leading up to and during the visits to both countries, I n d i a n a n d i n t e r n a t i o n a l media were abuzz with speculation about whether PM M o d i m i g h t b e i n v i t e d t o mediate the Russia-Ukraine c o n f l i c t a n d w h e t h e r h e would accept such an offer T

' s remarks neither confirmed nor ruled out the possibility of mediation but consistently emphasised its support for a swift resolution of the conflict through peaceful negot i a t i o n s I n

tained that the war affects not only the warring parties but also has global repercussions Peace negotiations must occur directly between Kyiv

M

nations can assist in the process PM Modi clearly stated that India, alongside other

pared to offer "all possible support" to help end the war quickly While some in India may harbour greater ambi-

Panchaxari Laxmeshwarmath

Pranav Nagar

Sundeep Saksena

Amit Lath (from left second last) and other members of 'Operation Ganga' with PM Modi

PM laying a wreath at Jam Saheb of Nawanagar Memorial

PM being welcomed by Indian Diaspora

Sprinkle your way to health with chia seeds!

Chia seeds h ave su rged in p op ularity in recent ye a rs , b ec o m i ng a stap le in many healthconscio us diets Th ese

ti n y, n u tr i en t- d en s e s ee ds bo as t a n imp ressi ve nu tri tio nal p r o fi l e an d o f fe r a

ra ng e o f h ea lt h benefits, making th em

a va lu ab le a dd i ti o n t o a balanced diet

Here’s listed out are the health benefits, nutritional facts, potential risks, and creative ways to incorporate them into your meals

I mp ro ve d d i ge s t i on :

Chia seeds are a rich source of dietary fibre, providing about 10 grams in just two t a b l e s p o o n s T h i s f i b r e promotes healthy digestion by supporting regular bowel movements, enhancing gut

h e a l t h , a n d b o o s t i n g t h e i m m u n e s y s t e m T h e soluble fibre in chia seeds,

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

n c

e a s i n g satiety

Low e r i n fl a m ma t i on :

Chia seeds are loaded with

o m e g a - 3 f a t t y a c i d s , particularly alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), which has antii n f l a m m a t o r y p r o p e r t i e s

Ham

R e s e a r c h s u g g e s t s t h a t t h e s e o m e g a - 3 s c a n h e l p reduce inflammation in the body, which is associated with chronic diseases like

c a r d i o v a s c u l a r d i s e a s e , d i a b e t e s , a n d c e r t a i n

cancers

Red uced risk of chronic

d i se as e: R i c h i n antioxidants, chia seeds help p r o t e c t t h e b o d y f r o m oxidative stress caused by free radicals The omega-3s

f o u n d i n c h i a s e e d s a l s o contribute to better heart

h e a l t h b y r e d u c i n g i n f l a m m a t i o n , l o w e r i n g

L D L ( " b a d " ) c h o l e s t e r o l

l e v e l s , a n d r a i s i n g H D L ("good") cholesterol levels

P a ck ed w i th es s ent i al nu tr ie nts : C h i a s e e d s

contain a variety of essential

m i c r o n u t r i e n t s i n c l u d i n g calcium, iron, magnesium, p h o s p h o r u s , p o t a s s i u m , z i n c , s e l e n i u m , f o l a t e , vitamin A, and B vitamins

sandwich

might

Soothing solution to cortisol chaos

P r

caffeine intake also matters; c o n s u

internal clock, peaking in the morning and gradually decreasing in the evening to prepare the body for sleep

levels Research shows that

cognitive function

and by adopting the given strategies, you can maintain healthy hormone levels and

stressRe duce caffeine int ake

five or six cups of coffee daily can elevate cortisol s

stressed can exacerbate its

e f f e c t s O n e s h o u l d w a i t u n t i l a f t e r m o r n i n g workout to have your first coffee, ideally around midmorning, before the body experiences a natural rise in cortisol around noon

M o d e r a t e e x e r c i se in ten sit y: A gentle morning jog is preferable to highi n t e n s i t y r u n n i n g o r i n t e r v a l t r a i n i n g f o r m a n a g i n g c o r t i s o l l e v e l s

R e s e a r c h b y P r o f e s s o r

F r e d r i k N y s t r o m o f

Linkoping University found that high-intensity running c a n s i g n i f i c a n t l y i n c r e a s e cortisol levels, with elevated levels persisting until the

n e x t m o r n i n g E a t i n g

b r e a k f a s t b e f o r e v i g o r o u s e x e r c i s e a n d a l t e r n a t i n g

h i g h - i n t e n s i t y w o r k o u t s with slower, less stressful

a c t i v i t i e s i s i d e a l l y

suggested

Main ta in r egular mea ls:

C o r t i s o l a n d o t h e r hormones thrive on regular meal patterns Intermittent

f a s t i n g c a n d i s r u p t hormone balance, including c o r t i s o l , l e a d i n g t o increased stress responses

a n d f a t a c c u m u l a t i o n , p a r t i c u l a r l y a r o u n d t h e a b d o m e n A v o i d i n g i r r e g u l a r f a s t i n g p a t t e r n s and maintaining a steady eating schedule is one way to maintain cortisol levels Tak e d aily na ture walks:

S p e n d i n g a t l e a s t 2 0 m i n u t e s o u t d o o r s , especially in green spaces, c a n h e l p r e d u c e h i g h c o r t i s o l l e v e l s R e s e a r c h f r o m t h e U n i v e r s i t y o f M i c h i g a n i n d i c a t e s t h a t n a t u r e w a l k s c a n significantly lower cortisol l e v e l s , w i t h e v e n g r e a t e r r e d u c t i o n s o b s e r v e d w i t h longer durations of nature immersion

workouts temporarily raise c

return to baseline within 24 hours Incorporate rest and gentler activities to avoid chronically elevated cortisol levels

Maintaining

regular sleep

fluctuates according to the body’s natural rhythm To improve sleep quality and

Workers seek sabbaticals in work-life balance shift

sweeten your diabetes risk Wo

C onsu ming a ham sand wich

d ai ly m i g h t inc

e yo ur risk of type 2 diabetes by 15 p ercent, according to a new study

h processed and unprocessed

r e d m e a t s s i g n i f i c a n t l y e l e v a t e t h e r i s k o f

d e v e l o p i n g t h e c o n d i t i o n over the next decade Eating just 50 grams of processed

m e a t d a i l y e q u i v a l e n t t o

t w o s l i c e s o f h a m w a s linked to a 15 percent higher risk of diabetes

S i m i l a r l y , d a i l y consumption of 100 grams of red meat, roughly a small steak, was associated with a 10 percent increase in risk

T h e s t u d y a l s o e x a m i n e d p o u l t r y c o n s u m p t i o n b u t

found its impact on diabetes

r i s k t o b e m i n i m a l w h e n adjusted for age, gender, and

h e a l t h b e h a v i o u r s l i k e s m o k i n g a n d a l c o h o

P

D i a b e t e s a n d

E n d o c r i n o l o g y ’ , t h i s research analysed data from 3 1 p r e v i o u s s t u d i e s Professor Nita Forouhi of t h e M e d i c a l R e s e a r c h C o u n c i l ( M R C )

E p i d e m i o l o g y U n i t a t t h e U n i v e r s i t y o f C a m b r i d g e , who co-authored the study, noted that it provides the m o s t c o m p r e h e n s i v e e v i d e n c e y e t o n t h i s association

Type 2 diabetes cases in Britain have doubled over the past 20 years, with 4 3 million people affected last year

Clean towel necessity

To ensure your towels stay clean and hygienic, wash personal towels once a week if used by only one person, but if someone is sick, wash them after each use Gym towels should be washed after every workout, and kitchen towels should be washed separately from underwear and bathroom towels Replace hand towels every few days or whenever you have guests, and always hang towels to air dry rather than reusing any that have been left in a heap on the floor.

offer sabbat

to combat burnout

work-life balance, acco rd ing to experts

Exclusive data from the

Institute reveals that more than half of managers (53%) r

(29%) say their companies

d o n o t M a n a g e r s i n t h e public or charity sectors are more likely to have access to s a b b a t i c a l s c o m p a r e d t o those in the private sector (62% vs 44%)

A n t h o n y P a i n t e r ,

D i r e c t o r o f P o l i c y a t t h e

N HS E n g la n d ha s an n ou n c e d th a t

n t a l health support will now be acces sible through the 111 ph on e l i n e , m a k i n g

En gl a nd on e of th e f i r s t c ou n t ri e s to o f f e r comprehensive 24/7 men ta l health c ri sis support via a single n um ber

T h i s n e w s e r v i c e i s available to individuals of all ages, including children, w h o a r e e x p e r i e n

calling 111 and selecting the a p p r o p

C h a r t e r e d M a n a g e m e n t I n s t i t u t e , h i g h l i g h t e d t h e dual benefits of sabbaticals

f o r b o t h e m p l o y e e s a n d e m p l o y e r s “ I n t o d a y ’ s

c o m p e t i t i v e j o b m a r k e t ,

c o m p a n i e s a r e e n h a n c i n g their efforts to retain staff,”

P a i n t e r e x p l a i n e d “Sabbaticals strike a balance

c o n s i d e r s a b b a t i c a l l e a v e important (80%

u l t i m a t e l y b e n e f i t s t h e employer The dynamics of t h e e m p l o y e r - e m p l o y e e r e l a t i o n s h i p h a v e e v o l v e d , b u t i t ’ s n o t a z e r o - s u m game ” The survey also found

t h a t y o u n g e r m a n a g e r s under 55 are more likely to

b e t w e e n e m p l o y e e w e l l b e i n g a n d s k i l l s d e v e l o p m e n t , w h i c h

professional The support staff will assist callers in navigating the right steps, i n

n

i n

to-face community support or directing them to crisis cafes or safe havens

Rajkummar Rao has issues with certain scenes in Ranbir Kapoor’s Animal

Sandeep Reddy Vanga's 2023 blockbuster ‘Animal’ sparked mixed reactions, similar to his 2019 debut ‘Kabir Singh’ While some praised the intense performances, others criticised the film for glorifying toxic masculinity In a podcast interview, actor Rajkummar Rao shared his thoughts on ‘Animal’, admitting he enjoyed the film but had some reservations about it.

R a j k u m

K a p o o

p e r f o r m a n c

n ‘ A n i m a l ’ , particularly his portrayal of Ranvijay S i n g h B a l b i r W h i l e h e t h o r o u g h l y enjoyed the film, he admitted to having some issues with a few scenes but still f o u n d t h

c e captivating and Ranbir’s performance "mind-blowing " Rajkummar Rao s mini-review of ‘ A n i m a l ’ c o m e s s h o r t l y a f t e r h i s comments on ‘Kabir Singh’ In a candid conversation, he revealed that he could never bring himself to slap a girl in a scene When asked if he would have taken on a role like Shahid Kapoor’s in ‘Kabir Singh’, where a controversial s l a p s p a r k e d n a t i o n w i d e d e b a t e , Rajkummar said he would have had e x t e n s i v e d i s c u s s i o n s w i t h t h e filmmaker to explore alternatives to that scene

On the work front, Rajkummar Rao is riding high on the success of his recent release, ‘Stree 2 ’ The horrorc o m e d y , a l s o s t a r r i n g S h r a d d h a Kapoor, has quickly become the fastest Bollywood film to cross the Rs 400 crore mark

Varun Dhawan joins ‘Border 2’, calls it a 'career highlight'

Actor Varun Dhawan will join Sunny Deol in the Bollywood war drama ‘Border 2’, where he will play a soldier Varun expressed that working with his childhood icon, Sunny, is a significant milestone in his career

The news was shared on social media by the film s team, including Sunny Deol

The update was announced via a video message in which Varun Dhawan delivers a powerful dialogue, concluding with the film's release date, January 23, 2026 Sunny Deol shared the video on X, writing, “Welcoming Fauji @varundvn to the Battalion of Border 2 ”

Accompanied by Sonu Nigam’s iconic song ‘Sandese Aate Hai’ from ‘Border’, Varun’s dialogue in the video includes: “Dushman ki har goli se Jai Hind bolke takrata hun Jab dharti maa bulati hai sab chodh ke aata hun Hindustan ka fauji hun main ” Varun Dhawan also shared the clip on Instagram, expressing that working on the project is a personal triumph “I was just a kid in fourth grade when I saw ‘Border’ at Chandan Cinema, and it left a profound impact on me I still remember the overwhelming sense of national pride we all felt in the theatre,” he said

The actor added, “I started admiring our armed forces after watching ‘Border’, and to this day, I salute their dedication to keeping us safe, whether on the borders or during natural disasters J P Dutta's war epic remains one of my all-time favourite films Being part of ‘Border 2 ’ , produced by J P Dutta and Bhushan Kumar, is a truly special moment in my career Working alongside Sunny Paaji, my hero, makes it even more meaningful ”

Imtiaz Ali reveals that Ranbir Kapoor

helped rewrite ‘Rockstar’ after script was lost

Filmmaker

Imtiaz Ali recently shared a fun fact about ‘Rockstar’ Despite knowing Ranbir Kapoor from ‘Love Aaj Kal’, where Ranbir’s late father Rishi Kapoor starred, and Deepika Padukone was his then-girlfriend, he and Ranbir had never met before working on ‘Rockstar’

“Although Ranbir knew of me through ‘Love Aaj Kal’ and Deepika Padukone, we hadn't met

different script with him, but he mentioned knowing about ‘Rockstar’ through a friend and inquired about the film’s story, asking if it was about a musician seeking tragedy ”

Imtiaz Ali revealed that he had lost the original ‘Rockstar’ script and had to rewrite it for Ranbir Kapoor While narrating the story to Ranbir, he realised, “He was perfect for the

project, and Imtiaz promised to rewrite the script and get it to him

Although ‘Rockstar’ initially faced criticism for Nargis Fakhri’s portrayal of Heer, with some viewers finding her too westernised, it has since been well-received Imtiaz Ali noted

about Nargis He explained, “Today’s audience is more accepting of characters like Nargis, who are more westernised and American ”

Filmmaker Anees Bazmee, known for hits like ‘Singh Is Kinng’, ‘No Entry’, ‘Welcome’, and ‘Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2’, has been sharing behind-the-scenes stories from his films

I n

highlighted the stark contrast between working with Salman Khan and Akshay

exceptionally punctual and always

Akshay's punctuality means the team has to wake up early and put in extra effort Akshay, who often mentions his preference for starting work at dawn to finish early, sets a demanding pace

In contrast, Bazmee shared that

arriving around

having lunch, and staying until the end of the day Bazmee, who trained under Raj Kapoor and is accustomed to working late into the night, actually prefers when the workday begins around 2 pm,

comfortable for him

Anees Bazmee shared that despite

routines, he enjoys working with both equally

He appreciates that each actor has their own unique style, making it fun to adapt to their schedules Bazmee has collaborated with Salman on films like

'Kalki

2898 AD' director Nag Ashwin

responds to Arshad Warsi's 'Joker' comment on Prabhas

Afew days after actor Arshad Warsi made a remark about Prabhas resembling a 'joker' in Kalki 2898 AD, the film's director, Nag Ashwin, has responded On X (formerly known as Twitter), a fan shared a clip from the sci-fi film featuring Prabhas, accompanied by the caption, "This one scene (greater than symbols) >>>> the entire Bollywood Kalki 2898 AD Prabhas "

In response, Nag Ashwin tweeted, "Let's not move backward no more north-south or Bollywood vs Tollywood divides let's focus on the bigger picture a united Indian film industry Arshad saab could have chosen his words more carefully, but it's alright sending Buji toys for his kids I'll work hard so that the tweets will say Prabhas was the best ever in ‘Kalki 2898 AD’ (flexed biceps emoji) "

On the ‘Unfiltered by Samdish’ podcast, Arshad Warsi expressed disappointment over Prabhas' appearance in ‘Kalki 2898 AD’, saying, "Amit ji was unbelievable but Prabhas looked like a joker Why? I wanted to see a 'Mad Max' vibe, like Mel Gibson What did they do to him? I just don't get it "

Samantha Ruth Prabhu stunned in a black crop top at the Anamika Khanna X H&M launch in Mumbai While her look was simple and elegant, fans expressed concern over her noticeable 'weight loss,' with some Reddit users commenting on her 'transformation' in a video from the event

A Redditor shared a clip of Samantha

Samantha fine? This transformation doesn't seem healthy " In 2022, Samantha took a break from work after being diagnosed with myositis, a rare autoimmune disease

Over the past few years, she has been sharing her health journey on social media and even launched a health podcast The recent Reddit post sparked concern among

Samantha? She looks different every time someone posts her pictures here "

keeps changing! I only realise it's Samantha from the captions " A third added, "How tall is she? She looks petite even in super high heels Plus, Samantha has lost a lot of weight due to her intense workout routine, but I think she s fine since she regularly posts about her deadlifts

"I don't want to direct only serious films," says Prasanth

Prasanth Pandiyaraj notes that Soori, like many, anticipated his next project would be similar to ‘Vilangu’, an investigative thriller

"He appreciated that the story I presented was different from what he expected Soori doesn't want to be typecast in serious roles, and I don't want to be known for only making serious films," Prasanth reveals

“The script is nearly complete, and we plan to start filming in December or January It will be a commercial film focusing on family emotions and disputes,” he adds

He elaborates, “The story is familiar, but our unique perspective gives it a fresh take While family dramas aren't new, our approach sets it apart ” Prasanth, who is also writing the second season of ‘Vilangu’, acknowledges the pressure of working with Soori given his current success in the industry

“Soori’s recent films, including ‘Viduthalai’, have been both commercially successful and performance-driven With his strong track record, I feel a great responsibility in making this film with him,” he concludes

Concern grows over Samantha Ruth Prabhu's weight loss: 'Is she fine?'

Malayalam film industry faces major shakeup over abuse claim

In Kerala's film industry, more male actors have been named in new sexual abuse allegations following the release of the Justice Hema committee report The Kerala governm

resigned from key film industry positions afte

against director Ranjith IPC Section 354 follow Bengali actress's comp about

highlights widespread sexual harassment and abus f

a c t o

reported to the media that she was abused by actor Baburaj, who so serves as the joint cretary of the

Artists (AMMA) M ohanlal resigns as AMM A presid ent, executiv e com mittee dissolved Actor Mohanlal has stepped down as president of the A

rtists (AMMA) amid owing criticism over e handling of sexual

The

AMMA executive committee has also resigned These ollow the Justice m a C o m m i t t e e ' s which uncovered e a d h a r a s s m e n t se of women in d

and

Sanya Malhotra was brought to tears after receiving a standing ovation for her film *Mrs* at the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne She shared a video of the emotional moment on her Instagram

In the video, Malhotra is seen visibly moved as the audience applauds her performance Following the screening, she discussed her preparation for the role of Richa, revealing that she consulted several women and worked closely with a friend who had similar experiences to those depicted in the film

Sanya Malhotra shared, "My friend graciously provided her

anger and sadness due to our close bond It pains

Ibrahim

Ali Khan's London shoot called off amidst UK unrest

Ibrahim Ali Khan, son of actor Saif Ali Khan, has been preparing for his Bollywood debut in Dinesh Vijan's ‘Diler’ Although there were plans to film a significant portion of the movie in London, recent reports indicate that these plans have been scrapped due to escalating tensions in the UK.

The UK has been facing unrest following the stabbing of three girls at a dance class in Southport, which has sparked widespread protests by immigrants

As a result, it reports that the London shoot for ‘Diler’ has been cancelled to prioritise safety The production team is now looking for alternative locations in Mumbai

“Around the end of July, the team conducted a location scout and look tests in London Director Kunal Deshmukh had planned a focused shoot schedule to film significant parts of the movie However, as the situation deteriorated, the producers decided it would be too costly to arrange extensive security Consequently, they cancelled the London shoot and instructed the team to explore domestic locations The director aims to start this new phase of filming in the first week of September,” a source said

accept them, and give up on their dreams "

Malhotra won the Best Actress award for her role in ‘Mrs’ at the New York Indian Film Festival 2024 The film,

*The Great Indian Kitchen* and explores the challenges and societal expectations faced by Sanya's character in her marital life

Sanya Malhotra moved to tears by standing ovation

for ‘Mrs’ in Melbourne

Vijay Sethupathi's

Vijay Sethupathi's ‘Maharaja’ has made a significant mark by becoming the

The cast includes Anurag Kashyap,

'Game of

Thrones' star

Iain Glen joins Anupam Kher's 'Tanvi The Great'

by Nithilan Saminathan, the film was released on June 14, 2024

Gopikumar, Singampuli, Aruldoss, Munishkanth, Sachana Namidass, Manikandan, and Bharathiraja

In an exciting twist that has delighted fans, ‘Game of Thrones’ star Iain Glen has joined the cast of Anupam Kher’s upcoming directorial, ‘Tanvi The Great’ The announcement followed the leak of a set photo online, which revealed Glen, known for his role as Ser Jorah Mormont in the HBO series, alongside Kher. Produced by Anupam Kher Studios, ‘Tanvi The Great’ is already generating considerable buzz thanks to its high-profile team Iain Glen’s involvement is expected to add an international dimension to the project, enhancing its global appeal His

role is anticipated to be significant, enriching the film's already intriguing narrative

The film also boasts collaborations with top industry talents MM Keeravani, the Oscar-winning composer renowned for ‘RRR’, is handling the music, while Resul Pookutty, who won an Academy Award for ‘Slumdog Millionaire’, is in charge of sound design

On March 7, 2024, Anupam Kher announced 'Tanvi The Great' on Instagram account and wrote, "TANVI THE GREAT: Today, on my birthday I proudly announce the name of the film I have decided to direct Some stories find their path and compel you to share it with the world! (sic) "

Stars encourage kids from diverse backgrounds to play cricket

Shefali Saxena

En gla nd sta rs an d school childr en ha ve joine d forces t o urg e more

k ids to pick up

c

g ard en, at school, in

k, in the st ree t, on the bea ch or at t heir loca

club

England captains Ben Stokes and Heather Knight feature in

wicket-taker Jimmy Anderson and

international Joel Harris In what is set to be a record year for kids’ p

appear alongside school children

r i n g even more children to take up the sport, by giving their perspectives on what cricket is to them, from playing in packed out stadiums to playing in the back garden with friends and family

2024 set to be a big year for ‘kids’ cricket

In 2023, a record 1 1 million

children were supported to play

programmes, and 2024 is now on track to surpass this

Women’s T20 World Cup and the 2030 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, more investment than ever will go i

maximise their impact to inspire the next generation The ECB already invests £4 million each year to support the free delivery of cricket in schools

via Chance to Shine and Lord's

children, and working with every

England and Wales

This number will now increase as, in April, following extensive

access to the sport within state

young people to play cricket over

Jay Shah set to replace Greg Barclay as ICC Chairman

T he Board o f Co ntrol for C ri ck et i n I n d i a ( BC C I) secretary Jay S hah is all set

t o rep lac e t h e i ncu m b ent

G re g B ar cl ay a s th e new

c h a ir m an o f th e

I n ter nat io n al C ri ck et C ouncil (IC C), sou rces said

B a r c l a y t o l d I C C directors, including Cricket Australia's chair Mike Baird, that he has no intention of running for the post, for the third term during a video

c o n f e r e n c e H i s d e c i s i o n comes after being informed of Jay Shah's intentions to replace him in November

S h a h h a s t h e b a c k i n g o f cricket boards from England

a n d A u s t r a l i a , a n d h e n c e , h a s t h e n u m b e r s t o b e crowned as the chief of the ICC

Jagmohan Dalmiya (1997

t o 2 0 0 0 ) , S h a r a d P a w a r (2010-2012) - as presidents -

and N Srinivasan (2014 to 2 0 1 5 ) a n d S h a s h a n k Manohar (2015 to 2020) - as c h a i r m e n - a r e t h e f o u r

d ICC in the past Shah will become the third to do so when he officially replaces Barclay in November

" C u r r e n t d i r e c t o r s a r e now required to put forward n

n

x t chair by 27 August 2024 and if there is more than one candidate, an election will be held with the term of the

new chair commencing on 1 December 2024 " A s p e r

comprises of 16 votes and now a simple majority of nine votes is required (51%) for the winner Earlier, to become the chairman, the incumbent needed to have two-third majority

S h a h e n j o y s a l o t o f goodwill with most of the 16 voting members Currently, Shah has another year left as the BCCI secretary before g o i n g o n a m a n d a t o r y cooling off period of three years from October, 2025

If Shah decides to move to ICC with a year of his

s

will have four years left in

chairman in the history of ICC

Dhawan retires from

comp etitiv e g am e w as in A pril, lead ing P unjab King s in IPL 2024 He retires with 24 hundred s (17 in ODIs and seven in Tests) across 269 international match es "It's important to turn the page to move forward in l i f e a n d t h a t ' s w h y I a m announcing my retirement f r o m i n t e r n a t i o n a l a n d domestic cricket," Dhawan said in a video message "I am leaving with peace in my heart that I played for so long for India I tell myself not to feel sad that you will not play for India anymore, but to feel happy that you

played for your country " Dhawan, who made his India debut in 2010, retires as one of only eight ODI batters with over 5,000 runs at a 40-plus average and a 9 0 - p l u s s t r i k e r a t e ( R o h i t Sharma and Virat Kohli are the other Indians in the list) In all, he scored 6,793 runs in 167 ODIs at an average of

the next five years Jos Buttler of England, who has shared how Somerset inspired

kickstarted their career told Asian Voice, “I first fell in love with the game playing with my brother and s

where the passion for the sport started

“At the 1999 home World Cup, I was inspired by watching some w

matches were taken to my home

hundreds against Sri Lanka had a profound impact on me I was inspired and thought I could do this when I grew up From that day on, I dreamt of playing cricket professionally “ F

worked hard and had a bit of luck along the way, but after winning two World Cups for England, the

highlight so far in my professional c

those warm summer days in the garden in Somerset or watching

That’s why this game is special

newsweekly about what inspired

kickstarted their career He said, “Cricket became my inspiration for living this life I lost my sight in 2017 and for the next two years, I couldn’t leave the house Playing cricket has changed my life and p

another level beyond my belief

“Playing for England is such a privilege and honour, and I still feel like I am living in my dream Every day I pray to God not to wake me from that when I go to sleep Today, through cricket, I am inspiring other people like me and showing them that having a visual impairment isn’t the end of your journey in sport ”

Neeraj Chopra bags silver in Lausanne Diamond League

N eer aj C h o pr a, I nd i a ’ s s ta r javeli n th rower , d eli vered a commend able performance at the 2024 Lausanne Di amond L eague, fini sh ing in s econd pl ace Hi s bes t throw o f the event came in th e fi nal rou nd , where h e regi stered a seaso nbest d istance of 89 49 meters

T h i s i m p r e s s i v e t h r o w secured him the silver medal in the competition, following c l o s e l y b e h i n d G r e n a d a ’ s

A n d e r s o n P e t e r s , w h o clinched the top spot with a throw of 90 61 meters in his final attempt

Chopra’s performance in Lausanne adds to his recent s u c c e s s a t t h e 2 0 2

secured

silver medal in the

Meanwhile, Anderson Peters, w h o t o p p

event, had earlier won the b

event at the Paris Olympics Chopra’s consistency and a b i l i t y t o p

pressure are evident from his results, making him one of t h e

n d

r s

n

h e global javelin throw circuit His efforts continue to make I

pushes the boundaries of his sport with each competition

Gujarat tennis player Aryan Shah in Davis Cup squad

Aryan Shah, a tennis pl ayer f r om Gu ja r a t , ha s m ad e his tory b y becoming the f irs t pl ayer from the stat e t o be sel ected f or the senior Indian Davis Cup team The team , c ap ta ine d b y Roh it R ajp al , will fac e Sweden on indoor ha r d c o ur t s i n St o c k hol m star ting from Septem ber 14 Th e s q u a d a l s o i nc l ud e s

44 11 and a strike rate of

2022 In 34 Tests, he scored 2,315 runs at an average of 40 61, and in 68 T20Is, 1,759 at a strike rate of 126 36 Dhawan's career hit the h

year, he made 1,162 runs in 26 ODIs at an average of 50 52 and a strike rate of 97 89 The icing on the cake

, including two centuries, in India's title-winning run at t

series after five forgettable o u t i n g s a c r o s s 2 0 1 0 a n d 2011

In d ia ’ s t o p- ra n k e d pl a y e r Su m it N a ga l , a l on g wi th R am k um a r Ra m an a t ha n , Sriram Balaji, Niki Poonacha, Sidhhart h V is hwakarm a, and Aryan Shah as a res erve

T h e B h u j - b o r n A r y a n expressed his happiness and e x c i t e m e n t a b o u t h i s

selection, stating, “I’m happy with the selection It was on expected lines To be part of t h e t e a m a s o n e o f i t s y o u n g e s t p l a y e r s i s something I’m really looking forward to ”Aryan teamed up a l o n g w i t h f o r m e r g r e a t Bjorn Borg’s son Leo Borg for a n I T F t o u r n a m e n t i n Kingston, Jamaica earlier this year

S h r i m a l B h a t t , t h e secretary of the Gujarat State Tennis Association (GSTA), emphasized the significance of Aryan’s achievement, not only for the player himself b u t a l s o f o r G u j a r a t a n d I n d i a n t e n

Bhatt also acknowledged the crucial role played by Aryan’s

,

n shaping the young player’s career At just 18 years old, Aryan boasts an ATP ranking of 657

highest-ranked Indian player

youngest player among the

tennis journey began in Bhuj,

England-India women’s Test to be the first at Lord’s

The Lor d’s will host its firs te v e r wo m e n ’ s Te s t t o b e p l a ye d b e tw e en In d ia a n d E ngl and in 2026, the Engl and a n d Wa l e s C r ic k e t Bo a r d (ECB) announced T h e E C B s a i d o n i t s website that after the fivematch T20I and three-match O D I s e r i e s b e t w e e n I n d i a and England from June 28 to July 22, 2025, the former will

return in 2026 for a one-off Test

India women will return in 2026 to take on England in the first-ever women ’ s Test match at Lord’s It will be a truly spe

one of real significance,” ECB CEO Richard Gould said “ E n

played white-ball matches at L

Jos Buttler Moshfique Ahmed

Jay Shah

Neeraj Chopra

Shikhar Dhawan