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VOL 39. ISSUE 43

Death for 11 in GoDhra train carnaGe

20 others get life imprisonment Asian Voice Correspondent

Panchal further said. On a question regarding observation of the court while giving punishment, Panchal said, “I cannot say anything at this juncture as the full text of the order is yet to come.” The 31 accused are punished under 23 charges, including murder, conspiracy, assault and unlawful assembly. The 20 accused has to undergo life imprisonment for 20 years, excluding the period that they have already spent in the jail.

Regarding the life sentence, Panchal said, “according to the Criminal Procedure Code the life sentence is of 20 years, but according to state and jail authority can limit the sentence for 14 years.”

The case of the 11 convicts, who were served death sentence, was sent to the Gujarat High Court for reference as according to the statute, the death penal-

ty has to be confirmed by the high court. Meanwhile, the defence counsel I M Panchal said that they would appeal against the judgement since the order was not proper."

On February 22, the court had convicted all the 31 while accepting the prosecution's contention that there was a conspiracy behind the incident and convicted 31 under various sections of Indian Penal Code (IPC) like 302 (murder), 307 (attempt to murder) and 120B (criminal conspiracy).They were also convicted under IPC section 147, 148 (rioting with deadly weapons), 323, 324,325,326 (causing hurt), 153A (promoting enmity between different groups on religious grounds), various sections of the Indian Railways Act, Prevention of Damages to Public Property Act and Bombay Police Act. Continued on page 26

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Racial abuse drives teacher to hell and back

Foreign investors can have access to Indian Mutual Funds Indian economy is expected to grow at 9% during the financial year 2011-12, says finance minister Pranab Mukherjee while unveiling the budget proposals for the next fiscal year. He said the growth rate for the current fiscal year was projected at 8.5%.

He said inflation would decrease over the next fiscal year from the current rate of 8.4%. But food price inflation, at 17%, "remains a concern".

Mr Mukherjee promised action on food security and pledged an increase in social spending. "The country has carried for long enough the burden of hunger and malnutrition," he said. The finance minister said a food security bill, which will guarantee cheap food to the poor, would be introduced into parliament soon. He also announced a substantial increase in funds for education and health. Social spending funds are also set to increase by 17%.

'Mixed' performance Funds for health and education have risen to $5.9bn (£3.7 bn) and Rs 520 billion respectively.

The budget deficit has reduced to 5.1% of GDP this fiscal year, down from more than 6%. The plan is to cut this to 4.6% next year.

Mr Mukherjee also announced a $22m fund to help the struggling micro finance industry which is facing a liquidity crisis

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Sikh businessman murdered in burning car boot

after borrowers in parts of India stopped repaying loans. He said the government's performance in handling the economy was mixed.

"While we succeeded in making good progress in addressing many areas of our concern, we could have done better in some others," Mr Mukherjee said.

"Fiscal consolidation has been impressive. This year has also seen significant progress in those critical institutional reforms that will pave the way for double digit growth in the near future."

Mr Mukherjee said the economy had shown "remarkable resilience" despite the food inflation and a current account deficit.

India's prime minister has already warned that India's rapid growth is under serious threat from inflation. Alluding to recent alleged corruption scandals plaguing the government, Mr Mukherjee said an impression may have been created that there is "drift" in the government.

Continued on page 26

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5th March to 11th March 2011

Indian budget eyes 9 % growth

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Ruling that the Godhra train carnage was a rarest of the rare case, special designated court judge P R Patel on Tuesday awarded death penalty to 11 of the 31convicted in the case.

The court also sentenced the remaining 20 to life imprisonment.

Fifty nine people, most of them kar sewaks (volunteers) were killed when the S 6 coach of the Sabarmati Express was targeted at the Godhra station on 27th February 2002. The incident sparked off one of the worst ever communal riots in the country with about 1,200 people losing their lives.

While delivering the quantum of sentence against the 31 convicted, the court upheld the conspiracy charges and delivered the sentence. “Court has awarded death penalty to 11 accused and life imprisonment to 20 out of 31 accused who were held guilty on February 22 last,” said J M Panchal, Special Public Prosecutor of the case. “The court has awarded death penalty to the accused looking to their ‘active role’ in the hatching conspiracy and execution by setting S 6 coach of the Sabarmati Express train on fire,”

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Father and son die after wall collapses

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International Women’s Day celebration in Britain- Interviews and Comments

Lady Desai See Page -6,13-15

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UK

Asian Voice - Saturday 5th March 2011

one to one Keith Vaz MP with

4. What achieve?

Rt. Hon Andrew Mitchell MP, Secretary of State for International Development Andrew Mitchell MP is Member of Parliament for Sutton Coldfield and Secretary of State for International Development.

He was educated at Rugby School and Cambridge University, where he studied history and was elected as President of the Cambridge Union in 1978. Andrew served in the Army (Royal Tank Regiment) before joining Lazard where he worked with British companies seeking large-scale overseas contracts.

He was the Member of Parliament for Gedling from 1987 to 1997. During this period he held office as a Government Whip and as Minister for Social Security. He also served as a ViceChairman of the Conservative Party from 1992 to 1993.

In 2001 he was re-elected to Parliament as MP for Sutton Coldfield. In November 2003, he was appointed Shadow Minister for Economic Affairs. From September 2004 until the end of the Parliamentary term, he was Shadow Minister for Home Affairs. Following the General Election in May 2005 Andrew joined the Shadow Cabinet and was appointed Shadow Secretary of State for International Development. Following the 2010 General Election Andrew was appointed Secretary of State for International Development.

1. What made you enter politics?

I have seen first-hand the impact that deprivation, conflict and oppression have on the lives of ordinary people around the world. Having served as a UN peacekeeper in Cyprus in the 1970s, I went on to work and travel extensively in Africa and Asia. These experiences have stayed with me throughout my time as an MP. 2. How many times have you visited India?

I have had the privilege of visiting India many times, most recently in November last year when I visited Delhi and Madhya Pradesh. I have always been deeply humbled by the warm and generous welcome I have been given in India.

3. You are announcing a review of aid policies this week. What is you approach to delivering aid?

My first act as the Secretary of State for I n t e r n a t i o n a l Development was to instigate a review of all

United Kingdom is leading the way on aid transparency, and I am encouraging others to join us in this effort. will

this

Over the next four years British aid will make a real difference to millions more lives.

We will vaccinate more children against preventable diseases than there are people in the whole of England; we will save the lives of 50,000 women in pregnancy and childbirth; we will stop 250,000 newborn babies from dying needlessly; we will secure schooling for 11 million children more than we educate in the UK but at 2.5% of the cost and we will provide access to safe drinking water and improved sanitation to more people than there are in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

5. What about aid to India, which has been criticised for spending money on defence?

our aid around the world.

That review has looked at where we spend our money, how aid is delivered, and the results we achieve.

Around the world, we will work with fewer countries, where we believe our assistance can have the greatest impact.

We will do more to provide the building blocks of a better life: sufficient food, clean drinking water, basic healthcare, and education. We will do more to create economic growth and jobs, working with the private sector to create opportunity.

We will tackle poverty and insecurity in some of the world's most unstable

places. Development can help tackle the root causes of global problems such as disease, drugs, migration, terrorism, and climate change, which matter to all of us.

Above all, we will be relentless in providing value for money and achieving results. That matters because we need to be able to show our taxpayers that we are delivering with their money, and because we need to ensure that every pound of our aid has the maximum impact for the people we are trying to help. That is why I have introduced a new Aid Transparency Guarantee, and set up an independent aid watchdog. I believe that the

Over 300 million of the world's poorest people live in India. More than half of girls in Madhya Pradesh don't yet go to secondary school; more than half of the young children in Bihar are undernourished.

The fact is that our aid is transforming people's lives. I have seen for myself the difference our support can make. My Department is working with the Government of India on a new approach. We will target aid at India's three poorest states and at the poorest people. We will help these States to unlock more funds from the private sector and reinforce the impact of India's own programmes.

People ■

Labour's Candidate for Mayor, Ken Livingstone has raised the prospect that the Olympics in 2020

Ken Livingstone

should be held in New Delhi. He says he will reopen the London office in the Indian capital if he is reelected.

■

Rajan Singh ex of Star TV celebrated the 10th Anniversary of the leading Asian TV Channel on Saturday night. Rajan has made a seamless transition from Sony.

■ Vascroft Contractors have just completed the building of some spanking new flats in Mayfair just behind the Nehru Centre. Although the Indian High Commission was impressed there are no plans to move Narin Suri in.

■ New peer Lord "LaLa" Loomba was quoted by the BBC as being astonished at the late night sittings of the Lords. Sources close to the Woolsack suggest that he is mulling over asking the Lib Dems for his money back

Asian Voice is the Voice of

British Asians

Shingadias on Royal wedding guest list Kate Middleton has invited the local butcher, the local convenience store owner, the postman and pub landlord from her village in Berkshire to her wedding to Prince William in April.

Kate, the would be princess, may tie a Royal knot soon, but she has not forgotten where she belongs. Prince William, the future king remains cordial to his subjects as well.

Hasmukh Jethabhai Shingadia (Hash) and Chandrika Shingadia (Chan), who run the local convenience store, have already accepted their invitation.

The Indian-born couple said Miss Middleton “pops in two or three times a week” when she is in Bucklebury, sometimes accompanied by the Prince.

Hasmukhbhai who is from Kenya, has been running this store for the last 12 years. Kate has been visiting this shop for

Hasmukh and Chandrika Shingadia thrilled to be invited to the Royal wedding

the last 5 years. He told Asian Voice, “We’ve really got to know Kate. She is really caring.

She is like a human being, not a celebrity, and she is always a good customer. Whenever Kate comes to the shop she always asks about our 11 years old daughter Maya and 21 years old Meera. We have also known Kate's parents. They are lovely.

The whole family is very courteous and warm. I have met William 4 times. He is also very warm and down to earth."

"On their engagement Chandrika had sent a bouquet of flower. When Kate came back home, she came by to thank us.

She had a long conversation with Chandrika about the engagement. She showed her the ring as well! We are delighted to be invited by them."

Hasmukh and Chandrika have become so familiar with the couple’s tastes that they ensure they are always stocked up on Haribo sweets, which they both like, and mint Vienetta, which is the Prince’s favourite icecream.

Similarly, Prince Charles had invited the owner of Bombay Tiffinbites, Meera Sayal and Sanjeev Bhaskar for his wedding with Princess Camillia.

On Kate and Will’s wedding besides Hash and Chan, a select handful of Bucklebury residents will also rub shoulders with royalty and celebrities such as David and Victoria Beckham after receiving a goldembossed invitation from the couple.

Martin Fidler, the butcher, and his wife Sue are also said to be delighted to be on the guest list. Ryan Naylor, the village postman, is also on the list, along with John Haley, landlord of the Old Boot Inn where the couple sometimes enjoy a quiet drink.

Miss Middleton and Prince William are keen for their guest list to reflect their private mix of friends and acquaintances as well as fellow royals, celebrities and foreign dignitaries.

The wedding will take place on April 29.

Prince William and Kate Middleton

Asian Voice - Saturday 5th March 2011

COMMENT

Sensex rises 500 points as Budget revealed Budget day sets the adrenaline flowing. Captains of industry and finance are glued to their television sets or radios as well as laptopps and I-pods absorbing the facts as they roll out, trying to make sense of them with the aid of commentators who hear the Finance Minister's speech, and read between the lines to achieve a holistic understanding of the exercise.

The overview of Pranab Mukherjee's Budget estimates for 2011-12 projects Rs 9,32, 440 crore – an increase of 24 per cent. Expenditure for the financial year is estimated to increase by 13 per cent. The Revenue deficit has been fixed at 2.3 per cent in revised estimates for 2010-11 and 1.8 per cent for 2011-12. Inflation, particular food inflation, was a continuing concern for the government, said Mr Mukherjee, who drew some comfort, however, in the decline of food prices in January to 9 per cent from the earlier 20 per cent.

Grants to the farming community to boost agriculture – which grew this year by a significant 5.4 per cent as opposed to last year's 0.4 per cent – has been designed to ensure the country's long-term food security. The social sector, which includes health and education, received particular attention, with the former getting a 20 per cent increase in expenditure, while the latter's share rising by 24 per cent.

No change in tax slabs were proposed. The tax exemption limit has been raised for yearly earnings from Rs 160,000 to 180,000. For senior citizens, the tax exemption age has been reduced from 65 to 60. Their tax exemption limit will be Rs 250,000.

For those above 80 years of age the tax limit will be Rs 500,000. The surcharge for companies has been reduced to 5 per cent from the previous 7.5 per cent.

Finally, defence spending has been increased by 11 per cent, amounting approximately to $36 billion. In the light of the fraught security situation in India's neighbourhood, this allocation would be increased if required. Capital expenditure for the acquisition of big ticket military hardware, which included the $10-11 billion contract for 126 new fighter aircraft, was given a special category. Taken together with present running costs, the overall defence expenditure would appear to have risen substantially.

Framing a national budget is no easy task since every section of society has a special claim to a share of the nation's wealth. This requires a tradeoff between competing demands, amounting in the end to the considered judgement of the Finance Minister and his senior cabinet colleagues. That the Sensex rose by 500 points when Mr Mukherjee had completed his presentation was surely a sign of industry's general approval of its priorities and balance.

This is important as the global economy is likely to be hit by turbulence following the Libyan oil crisis. The reduction of Libyan oil production, Libya being one one of the largest producers in the cartel, is bound to result in a steep rise in international oil prices. How high will this be? We can only guess at this stage. But should prices go through the roof and reach the $100-150 a barrel mark and more the implications will be deadly serious. The world's major economies, including those of the emerging nations such as India, will surely have to bear the shocks. The US and UK seem to be gearing up for some sort of military intervention in Libya in a bid to ward off the hard times that lie ahead, giving rise to serious concerns in every quarter.

Libya in a shambles The anti-Gaddafi Libyan uprising in its overall Arab context resembles a forest fire. The flames spread and defeat every attempt to stamp them out.

Few would have bet that the upsurge in little Tunisia would move to densely populated Egypt, the epicentre of the Arab world, and end the reign of its autocratic president Hosni Mubarak. Now, the future of Muammar Gadaffi, who has ruled Libya for 41 years with little to show except a burgeoning oil wealth, is at stake. Gadaffi has been a capricious tyrant given to inebriating fantasies of his place in the Arab world and Africa. For much of his time in office he was cast outside the pale because of his support for insurgencies in distant corners of the world, including Ireland, where he contributed generously to the coffers of the Provisional IRA. The invasion of Iraq by America and Britain and the consequent fall of Saddam Hussein in Baghdad forced him to taker pause and rethink his position. He duly made his peace with Messrs George Bush and Tony Blair by aborting projects for the production of nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction involving chemical and biological agents. Colonel Gadaffi was thereupon welcomed into the fraternity of 'moderate' Islamic states sponsored and sustained by the United States and Britain and their Western allies.

The British media take on the man and his country adjusted smoothly to the new reality. Both were given a fresh identity in keeping with the requirements of an enlightened, pluralist image.

Professor Anthony Giddens, a former director of the world famous London School of Economics (LSE) and mentor to Tony Blair, visited Libya in

Blair's footsteps, and came back with a favourable view of the country and its leader. As British prime minister Blair helped broker oil deals with Colonel Gadaffi. The Anglo-Libyan romance blossomed with Gaddai's son Saif al-Islam enrolling at the LSE's Centre for Global Governance (run at the time by Professor Lord Megnad Desai) as a Ph.D student. He submitted his doctoral thesis in due course, his external examiner, by all accounts., the self-same Lord Desai. Saif Gadaffi was awarded a Ph.D degree in 2008.

Saif Gadaffi's English, on present showing, would be adequate for a shopping expedition to Tesco, a Ph.D thesis is a different matter. BBC Newsnight programme, following some careful investigation by one of its reporters, came up with an intriguing answer.The Gadaffis, father and son, had hired a London consultancy firm named Monitor, to spruce up their country's image in the British media through articles and visits by UK luminaries. Apparently, Monitor took a hand in the composition of Gadaffi junior's doctoral dissertation. The murky affair appears to get murkier by the day. The Gadaffi bequest of ￡1.5 to the LSE has left this august institution, whose annals boasted names like Harold Laski, R.H.Tawney, Ralph Miliband, Beatrice and Sidney Webb et al squirming with embarrassment.

British and American policy in the Middle East is a cause of national shame. Double talk about democracy and human rights has been leavened by double think on regional dictators and their role in maintaining political stability in the West's interest.

Such subterfuge is bound to exact a high price in the fullness of time. They never learn, do they?

Another Islamist terrorist nailed Rajib Karim, who recently arrived in Britain from Bangladesh to get medical treatment for his son from the NHS, was arrested by the police and brought to trial on terrorist charges. He pleaded guilty and will be sentenced later. It's a riveting tale of conspiracy and planning, whose goal was to bomb a civilian aircraft destined for America and bring death to innocent passengers.

Rajib Karim worked for British Airways in its IT centre, and tried to use a cabin crew strike to get a job on a plane in order to launch a terrorist attack on a flight to the United States. MI5 discovered his plans after investigating the British links of Anwar al-Awlaki, the Yemenbased al-Qaeda figure behind an airplane attack 14 months ago. Karim maintained close contact with al-Awlaki and took instructions from him.

Newcastle-based Karim used a complex encryption to try and put investigators off his trail. One senior Metropolitan Police counterterrorism officer said that Karim's effort was “one of the most sophisticated encryptions ever seen in international terrorism.”

The chickens are coming home to roost. For years, the US and UK followed a policy of indulgence toward Islamism and its militants in the fanciful belief that they would have their uses in the Cold War against the USSR. They treated the Pakistani authorities with similar indulgence despite the links of the country's military-intelligence links to terrorist groups working to destabilise India. The attack on India's parliament on December 13, 2001 and the assault on Mumbai on November 26, 2008 were all of a piece.

There are lessons to learn.

www.abplgroup.com

Thought for the Week When you would have a cordial for your spirits, think of the good qualities of your friends.

- "Meditations" by the Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius (AD 121-180)

Sarah Teather MP Liberal Democrat MP for Brent Central and Minister of State for Children and Families

Change is sweeping through the Middle East In 1960, the British Prime Minster Harold Macmillan delivered a famous speech in South Africa in which he described the ‘wind of change’ that was blowing through the African continent – promising a new era of popular, democratic government after decades of colonial rule. His remarks poetically summed up what many felt was a hugely important moment in Africa’s modern history.

As we watch the momentous events unfolding in the Middle East today – helped by riveting 24 hour news coverage – it is hard not to feel like we are watching history unfold in a similar way.

One of the most inspiring moments for me was seeing a picture of Tahrir Square in Cairo, Egypt where amongst the rubble and violence a group of nonMuslims stood with linked arms to protect their Muslim countrymen as they prayed.

For me, this represents the very best of the protest movements that we have seen across the Middle East: men and women united by a common feeling that together they can make things better. A refusal to believe that religion or race should stand in the way of demands for a new type of social order. And this reaction hasn’t just been confined to the countries experiencing protests – ordinary citizens of countries around the world, including in Britain, have been vocal in their support for democratic and economic rights for people thousands of miles away. I think it’s important not to forget these examples of bravery, solidarity and good will, even as we as a country do all we can to try and minimise bloodshed across the Middle East.

However, as we have seen in the past, these pivotal moments are all too often accompanied by appalling levels of violence. This has sadly

been a feature of the responses to protests in many countries over the last few weeks, most notably in the distressing violence that continues to threaten those in Libya.

Scenes like this give us in Britain a moral obligation to do what we can to help. I am clear that the most important goal should be the establishment of important democratic rights for the Libyan people, but this must not come at the expense of innocent lives. This is why we are working with the international community to hold the Libyan authorities to account and have made it clear that those responsible will be brought to justice.

Britain has already taken a lead in this pushing through the United Nations a Security Council resolution - passed with unanimous support - referring what has happened in Libya to the prosecutor of the International Criminal Court and imposing a travel ban on Qadhafi and his household. We have also been the driving force behind the isolation of Qadhafi regime working with the UN and the EU to impose strict sanctions including an arms embargo on Libya, extensive asset freezes on Qadhafi and key members of his government as well as working to put in place a no fly zone over the country.

At the same time I think it is important that we continue to press the positive message that we support the Libyan people 100% as they express their views and that should be able to do this free from the threat of assassination, beatings, rape and intimidation. Believing in democracy means defending it wherever we find it. In Libya as elsewhere, people are fighting against a past where not having a say has become the norm; their future must be one of their own choosing.

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LEICESTER/UK

Asian Voice - Saturday 5th March 2011

Racial abuse drives teacher to 'hell and back' Teachers around the UK from the minority community are constantly falling prey to racial harassment and these incidents are bundling up at a tremendous pace. In yet another incident of abuse due to race differences, teaching assistant Khalid Akram has claimed he has been a victim of severe racial abuse by teenage pupils several times at Burnley's The Rose School.

He has claimed that the intensity of these acts are getting stronger every time as recently he was punched, racially abused and attacked with a compass. Even though he was left bleeding, he claims head teacher Nicola Jennings refused to let him go to the hospital to take a Tetanus jab.

According to Khalid, this is not the first time he has been a victim of racial harassment as even a 13year-old girl punched Khalid in the face after screaming at him 'F*** off, you P*** b******.' In another incident in April

Leicester plans for City of Culture Title

Diversity, vibrancy and history present in Leicester can be the right mixture for City of Culture title.

Khalid Akram extends the list of teachers victimized of racial abuse

2009, a pupil said 'I am going to rape your P*** wife and kids' and kicked him on the wrist. Khalid Akram says he even received a death threat from a teenage pupil at the school, but nothing was done despite him filing dozens of complaints to the bosses.

Khalid has claimed that he 'felt like jumping in front of a bus' after constantly being victimized of racial abuse. He was left

CCTV footage apparently shows one pupil trying to kick Khalid in a school corridor

with post-traumatic stress disorder following the Rose School's failure to deal with the abuse, and is now set to go to tribunal alleging unfair dismissal.

Khalid described that 'I've been to hell and back over this. I've been degraded and treated worse than an animal but no one was there to help me. From Day One I was kicked punched, spat at and called things like P*** b****** and Bin Laden.'

As part of his case, CCTV images will be used, including scenes in which a 13-year-old boy is held back by other staff after he head-butts a teacher who is trying to stop him attack Khalid.

The teenager then lets fly a high kick and spits at the shocked teaching assistant. A fortnight later, Khalid claims that the student said 'I am going to 'get you and your family'.

SOUTH LONDON

Sikh businessman murdered in burning car boot A successful young businessman was murdered and his body found in the boot of a car which had been set alight in what is understood to be revenge for his alleged attempts to seduce a woman.

The body of Gagandip Singh was found on Saturday morning in the boot of his sister's Mercedes car which was burning on a quiet lane on the edge of Greenwich Park Gagandip Singh, 21 (pictured), the president of the British Sikh Student Federation and one of the owners of Sikh TV, a fledgling broadcaster, was said to be a leading light in the Sikh community and a "politician in the making".

Neighbours have linked Mr Singh's death to the murder of his father, Charanjit Singh, who died in a contract killing in India two years ago, although police are understood to doubt this is the case.

The body of the Mr Singh, who was keen on karate and football, was found shortly after 2am on Saturday morning.

It was found in the boot of his sister's blue Mercedes C-class car which was burning when police found it on a quiet lane off a dual carriageway on the edge of Greenwich Park in south east London. Mr Singh had borrowed the car earlier after his white BMW got a flat tyre.

Cause of head injuries to Gagandip Singh is clear but police is still unaware about the cause of his death. Post mortem results on his remains proved inconclusive and detectives are awaiting the out-

come of further tests. Police have yet to determine whether he was still alive when the car was set on fire.

Mr Singh's mother, Tajinder, 44, was briefly admitted to hospital due to her reaction at the news.

She and Mr Singh's sister Amandeep, 19, were too upset to speak at their cream-coloured home in Bexleyheath. The young man is understood to have been in the process of arranging a marriage for his sister.

A family friend, who did not wish to be named, said: "This was brutal. Absolutely brutal, the way he was killed. To be put in a boot and it to be set on fire is terrifying and horrific.

"Since the killing of his father the family have had CCTV put around the house and they were

worried about security.

"Gagandip was very influential and very prominent in the Sikh community. When his father died he had to pick everything up.

Maybe he was killed because he was so successful, out of jealousy or spite, but he was really well respected in the community.

"The entire family is 110 per cent distraught. Now she has to deal with the death of her son as well. It is terrible."

A spokesman for the Metropolitan Police told Asian Voice, "A 19 year old woman and a 19 year old man have been arrested on suspicion of murder and are currently in custody. Mundill Mahil (female) (19 yrs) of Chatham, Kent and Harvinder Singh Shoker (19 yrs) of Charlton SE7 appeared at Greenwich Magistrates' Court on 28th February morning. They are understood not to be related to Mr Singh nor each other. They have been remanded in custody to appear for a PCMH at the Old Bailey on 6 June.

Charanjit Singh was shot in the head outside a hotel in the Punjab region in 2009. Police in India believe that the wealthy businessman was the victim of a contract killing after he had travelled to the subcontinent for a wedding.

Det Ch Insp Damian Allain, who is leading the investigation, appealed for witnesses to come forward, adding: "We don't believe that this was a random killing, and are exploring the line of enquiry that this was a targeted attack against our victim."

Leicester is likely to launch a campaign to bid for the 2017 City of Culture title. In May, a group representatives will present a report on the prospect and areas that needs to be focused on, to the newly-elected mayor.

This group of representatives includes delegates from the Chamber of Commerce, L e i c e s t e r s h i r e Promotions, De Montfort University and Ramada Jarvis. They took part in a fact-finding and evaluating trip around the town to get ideas for their bid.

The aim is to highlight the diverse but yet united society that prevails in Leicester and make a new

history through this culture title bid. The team hopes to encourage artists, musicians and performers of the city to boost its chances of claiming the title. Also, the tourism will receive a major boost if Leicester makes a strong bid and bring about cultural enhancement around the city.

The bidding will start in about 2014 with the winner announced in 2017. Once the newly elected Mayor is presented with the campaign, the group who has taken the lead hopes to establish an official committee once they have the backing of the city council.

Father and son die after wall collapses A father and son lost their lives, as they tried to break a wall of concrete outbuilding in their garden.

Mr Singh, 45, and his son Jason, 21, were using sledgehammers to break down the walls. But the building became unstable trapping the pair as the walls tumbled and concrete slabs rained down on top of them.

Neighbour Daniel Sage, 32, told a national daily: ‘I heard a crash but thought nothing of it because they had been banging about and working on the house all day.

‘But when I saw a paramedic, I went into the back garden and saw them trapped underneath massive bits of concrete.

There was nothing I could do – the slabs were huge.

‘The fire service worked really hard but I guess it was too late. I rushed my wife and kids out of the house because I didn’t want them to see anything. We can’t believe it. They were really lively chaps and nice people.’

Firefighters using specialist lifting equipment arrived within minutes of the collapse in Oadby,

Leicester, and managed to free the pair.

However, Mr Singh, known locally as Dale, and his son were pronounced dead on their arrival at hospital.

Jason Singh

They owned and renovated a number of houses in the area and friends and colleagues have paid tribute to the ‘brilliant and bubbly’ men who died in the accident.

A Facebook message for Jason read: ‘You’re gone but not from the heart.’

Health and safety chiefs have yet to decide whether to launch an inquiry.

UK

Asian Voice - Saturday 5th March 2011

British Airways employee plotted to put bomb on plane A British Airways worker inspired by an al-Qaeda cleric was convicted on Monday of plotting to blow up a passenger plane and attempting to financially ravage his employers by attacking its IT installations.

Rajib Karim, pictured, who used the most complex computer encryption that UK anti-terrorist officers had ever encountered to communicate with his fellow jihadists, is facing decades in prison after his conviction on nine terrorism charges.

Karim, 31, who has two children and lives in Newcastle, was at the centre of a web of Bangladeshi nationals, including family members, who were transferring money to terrorist organisations and arranging to travel for jihad around the world.

Last year he made contact with a Yemen-based cleric, Anwar al-Awlaki, who has been implicated in a number of plots. The cleric’s internet sermons the British inspired Muslim Roshonara Choudhry to stab her MP, Stephen Timms, and alAwlaki has also mentored a number of would-be air-

line bombers. Karim was arrested in February last year after British security services began taking a closer interest in al-Awlaki and alQaeda in the A r a b i a n Peninsula.

Al-Awlaki, who is in hiding in Yemen, asked Karim to explore whether he could put a bomb or a person with explosives on a BA flight to the United States their “number-one target”.

After the verdict, the Metropolitan Police’s Deputy Assistant Commissioner, Stuart Osborne, paid tribute to the “painstaking” work to decipher Karim’s computer messages. “It was the most sophisticated decryption task of its kind ever undertaken by the Met’s Counter Terrorism Command,” he said.

Karim had already pleaded guilty to several terrorism-related charges.

He was found guilty of gaining a UK job to exploit terrorist purposes, sharing information of use to hate groups, offering to help financial or disruptive attacks on BA and plotting to blow up a plane. He is due to be sentenced on March 18.

SA waits for Shrien Dewani A South African court has delayed the trial of two men accused of killing the wife of British businessman Shrien Dewani until the next phase in extradition proceedings.

Mziwamadoda Qwabe, 25, and Xolile Mngeni, 23, were told to return for trial at Wynberg regional court near Cape Town on 1 June.

Dewani, a 31-year-old businessman from Westbury-on-Trym, is fighting a bid by South Africa to have him returned to the country to stand trial.

His wife, Anni Hindocha, a 28year-old Swedish engineer, was found shot dead on 13 November in the Cape township of Khayelitsha after an apparent car hijacking while they were on their honeymoon. Soon after the murder, the couple's driver, Zola Tongo, entered into a plea bargain deal and named Dewani as the instigator of the crime.

Tongo, who is serving an 18year sentence for his role in the crime, claimed to have recruited Qwabe and Mngeni to kill Hindocha at Dewani's behest.

The prosecutor, Rodney de Kock, told Wynberg regional court that the police investigation into the shooting is "largely finalised''.

A bail application for Qwabe was turned down on last Friday.

The magistrate berated Qwabe's lawyer, Thabo Ngomane, for failing to substantiate claims he made in the media that Qwabe had an alibi and that police obtained his confession through torture.

Mr Dewani, 31, looking tired and gaunt, appeared at an extradi-

A tired looking Shrien, leaving the court last week

tion hearing last week in London, where it was claimed that he had tried to kill himself. A family spokesman said: 'Shrien had a reaction to his sleeping tablets on Sunday and was taken to hospital as a precaution.

'They allowed him to sleep it off without any other treatment.'

He added: 'There was no intention to kill himself. He continues to suffer from severe severe post-

traumatic stress disorder under the most extreme pressures from South Africa.'

Mr Dewani broke down in tears as the judge ruled that he could remain on bail, rejecting an application by lawyers for the South African Government to have him held in custody because he was a risk to himself.

Mr Dewani’s father, Prakash, a pharmacist and Justice of the Peace, told the court: “We will do everything as a family to keep him safe and prove he is innocent to the South Africans.”

District Judge Howard Riddle granted bail and ordered that Mr Dewani be monitored around the clock.

Mr Dewani vehemently denies being involved in his wife’s murder.

He is next due before City of Westminster magistrates on 23 March and three days have been set aside for his extradition hearing from 3 May. He is fighting extradition because South Africa does not have trial by jury, and the heads of both the police and equivalent of the Crown Prosecution Service have made highly prejudicial remarks, implying that they have already decided that he is guilty.

Cape Times reported Anni Dewani’s father, Vinod Hindocha, was in court last week and said he was pleased with the way the case was being handled. He and his wife, Nilam, are in Cape Town and plan to visit Gugulethu, where the newlyweds were allegedly hijacked, and Khayelitsha, where Anni’s body was found.

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UK

Asian Voice - Saturday 5th March 2011

By Spriha Srivastava

It’s all about women (International Women’s Day 8th March 2011) Every year on Women’s Day, we sit back and think of all the women around us and respect their efforts in making this world a better place to live. But sometimes I wonder, why do we need a special day to remind us of the efforts a woman makes not only at home but in work place and everywhere else that she is present. I spoke to a banker, a lawyer, a movie director, a writer and an entrepreneur to find out their experience of working in London as an Indian woman.

Angana Jacob , an investment banker at Deutsche Bank in London feels that even though there are fewer women in investment banking, a lot of it is to do with the kind of work and their individual choices.

“It’s true that there aren't many women in investment banking and the number decreases as you go higher up in the organisation. But that could be due to the nature of the work and personal choices - so far in my 2.5 years here, I have found this place to be only meritocratic and women-friendly. On a day to day basis I'm hardly conscious of either my gender or nationality.”

Meanwhile, famous writer Kishwar Desai, who recently won an award for her book “Witness by the Night”, feels happy that the issue of gendercide that her book focuses upon is now widely discussed and being a woman she feels close to the topic.

“Winning the Costa Award for the best first novel published in the UK and Ireland is a huge honour for me.

Since the award is open to both men and women, it was even more significant because my book deals with gendercide, which a few years ago would have been dismissed as a 'women's issue'...”

For some Indian women, London has been the place where they tasted the fruits of success. For Sangeeta

gives me a chance to constantly learn. But when talking to people about my business I have occasionally come across the attitude of "oh you work from home, is it a hobby?"

This can make you feel that you are not being taken seriously. I used to let this get me down once upon a time until I realised that the biggest stumbling block in making my small business a success was me! If you do your job right you will be taken seriously.”

However still in many fields women need to be judged on the basis of her merits and performances than her gender or ethnic origins. Aarti Rao, a lawyer at Clifford Chance believes that large law firms have come around to the fact that India is an important market and Sangeeta Datta the director of they realise that an Life Goes On Indian woman brings with her certain I moved to England, it values that are crucial gave me a lot of confito the firm’s success. dence or and did not make me feel in a male “A very important dominated world. I felt testament to a law firm's commitment to gender Bollywood is a patriarequality is the elevation chal world. Whether of women of Indian oriCinema or theatre my gin to partnership. work has been gender Although it can't be said inflicted. It gave me that female partners energy of enterprise and (whether of Indian orithus I got set up my gin or not) form a sigown arts company nificant number of partwhich would have been ners in major firms, the tough in India. What I promotion of women of love most is that I can Indian origin to partnerinspire younger world ship shows that with who are coming into the right qualities, a this Diaspora world.” woman of Indian origin But life is tough can even be a partner at when you are starting out, especially when a Magic Circle firm- that your creative ideas consky is the limit. It would vert the four walls of be even better to see more women make it to your home into your the top.” office. For Shalini Sinha Whether it’s London Austin, an entrepreneur or India, it is high time by profession and the we except that we don’t owner of “Jewellery by need a special day to Shalini,” a collection of remind us of how signifhand-crafted semi preicant women are to this cious gemstones, beads world or to take a stock and pearl jewellery, it of how successful they was initially tough but are in the present day she did not let the hurworld. We have examdles get in her way. ples everywhere around “I have been self us and it is only for the employed most of my world to except it and working life, first in India and then for the move ahead. last 10 years in England.

(Please see page 13-15 I enjoy the freedom and for more on flexibility of being my International Women's Day) own boss because it Datta, director of the movie “Life Goes On,” London gave her the confidence she needed to start her own venture.

“I have grown up with the women’s movement in India. Gender has always in every way influenced my thinking and thus I have always enjoyed writing or talking about women. When

Let us know what you think.

Email Spriha at spriha@abplgroup.com

Alpesh Patel’s Political Sketchbook:

Multiculturalism II Grievous bodily harm. They caused grievous bodily harm on a teacher.

GBH. They caused grievous bodily harm on a teacher for teaching about religions other than their own. They waited until he was alone and cut his face and beat him and caused grievous bodily harm. A school teacher. An imparter of knowledge. A guru. A teacher teaching about God and religion. No, not in Tehran, or in Damascus or Baghdad or Kabul or Islamabad. It was in London.

Not Londonistan, Iraq or Londonabad, Iran. But London, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

That is why David Cameron says multiculturalism is dead.

The teacher’s name was Gary Smith.

His crime was to teach world religions to a group of girls. Muslim girls. Their muslim ‘brothers’ did not like it. I can see their point. After all God said unto Moses, ‘Thou shalt not have any other God before me.’ He burnt it onto stone tablets and called it a Commandment.

But I tell you, the Jews, they’re in trouble, because they don’t kill enough school teachers in Britain for teaching world religions.

And if God revealed to you His word and Commandment, you should follow it. But following it is not enough, you should practice it. But practicing is not enough, you should tell others about it.

But telling others is not enough, you should advice them to follow it. But advising them to follow it is not enough, you should make sure they practice it.

But what if they don’t practice it? What if they don’t do God’s Commandment?

Then they don’t deserve to live. You should kill them, or at least cause grievous bodily harm to them. It is God’s Commandment. (Forget the other one about though shalt not kill).

Oh and rejoice for multiculturalism and try to understand their different cultural ways. My liberal heart doth blead for these poor boys whose different culture is not respected. No. Multiculturalism is dead. You don’t know multiculturalism means? You don’t know what is English or British culture? You don’t know how far back in history to take what is British? Is it Scottish? Is it eating Haggis? So you think anything goes? I can tell you what British culture is not.

It is not permissible to attack teachers for teaching the national curriculum.

For teaching about other faiths. In this country where we will build temple next to synagogue next to church next to mosque. Look out of the window, the architecture should have given you a clue about what is British culture.

Oh, and any time you need someone at that school where this teacher was attacked– or any school in Britain – to teach the world’s religions – I’ll do it.

Give me a call. I passed my O’level in Religious Studies with an A’grade at the age of 14, purely examined on the Bible. I went to an English school called Christ Church. I am a Hindu. If you want me to teach Christian teachings to any class, any time you let me know. I can teach the Holy Koran too. You know why? Because in Britain I can buy it and study it. That’s British culture too.

And it is great for it.

And you want to know what the Holy Koran taught me? That God is indeed great and in His greatness he does not want you attacking school teachers. He would much rather like the great followers of that great faith, that you undertook great acts of caring and generosity and charity. Islam, like in most religions, means to submit to the will of God. So boys leave it to God, instead of taking it into your own hand in His name. As the Old Testament says ‘the Lord said vengeance is mine’. When you try to be an instrument of God, you’re actually just being a tool. I’m pretty sure He doesn’t need you to fight His battles for him. Fight the ones against poverty and injustice instead.

I am a Hindu. I am British. I am Indian.

Boy the attackers must be sharpening their knives for me. I embody everything they hate. You could have killed three birds with one stone if you’d attacked me. Come and get me, make me the precious martyr you seek to make of yourselves and I promise you that the friends of democracy and decency and Britishness will rise up and raise an army against your ways and destroy you and those who act like you wherever you are in the world.

No wait, they’ve already been doing it.

So the next time you wonder why people like you – who kill in the name of religion – are being bombed off the face of the earth – now you know why.

You’re just plain lucky they don’t sing ‘onward Christian soldiers’ as they do it and lucky that they do believe in multiculturalism – because their armies are a hell of a lot bigger than yours. Enjoy prison boys and learn about who God was speaking to before He started speaking exclusively to you – and maybe wonder why He managed to get round to all of us. We’re all his children.

And there is a little piece of Him in us all. You just killed a little bit of God. Pray on that in prison.

Man dies after inhaling fumes A man has died following a blaze at a flat in John Perrin Place, Kenton, last Thursday.

His family reveals the name as Bhupendra Mulji Jeraj, brother of Krishna Pujara, Secretary General of BIA. She told Asian Voice, "A post mortem took place this morning and I have been informed that he died at 10.57pm with inhalation of Fumes. The funneral is arranged on this Thursday - 3rd March at Hendon Crematorium at 4pm For further information - people can call me (Krishna Pujara) on 07931 708028" Bhupendra was born in Mwanza in March 1955 and has lived in London since 1976.

Asian Voice and Gujarat Samachar have organised the launch of the British Tamils magazine on 3rd March at the House of Lords from 7pm onwards.

This magazine is a tribute to the British Tamils present in the UK and the contributions they have made to the prosperity of Britain.

UK

Asian Voice - Saturday 5th March 2011

Ethnic community do not get fair representation Councillor Rabi Martins MBA of Liberal Democrats revealed the lack of representation of Asians and other ethnic communities in the Parliament in an one to one with Asian Voice.

Cllr Rabi Martins is from Goa and came to England in 1970. He describes the discrimination that prevailed at that time to be horrific as he still remembers loud racist adverts that said, 'No Blacks, Asians, Irish or Dogs'.

Since then he has been engaged with various local communities to fight this discrimination. He helped to establish Goan Overseas Association, London in 1971 and since then held all the positions from Member, Secretary, President to Chairman.

He joined Labour party in mid 1970s but left it with four other ministers in 1980 as they felt it had moved far too left. He then became a founder member for Social Democratic Party (SDP) in 1981 and stood for social democ-

racy, social justice and most importantly social equality. He was also elected as Councillor for Watford in 1994.

But according to Cllr Martins, after Coalition, Lib Dems have lost some of the freedoms to campaign for things they believe in and are in danger of compromising too much for fear of damaging Coalition government. Also, he is majorly disappointed with the representation he witnesses within his party in the parliament as he states, “Dadabhai Nairoji was the first Asian in the British Parliament and he was a Liberal elected over a hundred years ago.

Today there are just 27 BME MPs (20 Asian) none of them Liberal Democrats.

There is clearly a massive ethnic deficit in Parliament which cannot be good for democracy. I would like to see the Asian community use its significant political collateral to compel the political parties to address this problem of under representation "

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Ray of hope for Sai Baba Hindu Temple The campaign to save Shirdi Sai Baba Temple (pictured) from shutting down has gained momentum and seems to be on the right track.

After Asian Voice and Gujarat Samachar raised their concerns, the Officers of Brent Council Planning Committee met the temple Trustees on Tuesday, 1st March to decide the fate of Shirdi Saibaba Temple, Ealing Road.

The meeting was fruitful as it was reported that the key issues were addressed and various ways to reach mutually acceptable terms were discussed. Trustees are asked to provide Legal documentation of D1 and once done the following negotiations will be discussed in details as the supporters await the withdrawal of enforcement.

The conditions are as follows: l Shirdi Sai Baba Temple Association of London (SHITAL) should remove the extensions.

(Which they already have in November 2010.) l The level of use needs to be reduced. (For this purpose four temples in Hounslow, Kenton, East London and Milton Keynes centres have already opened.) l SHITAL & Brent Council both will need to agree not to pursue associated appeal costs. (Trustees are ready to accept this only after enforcement is withdrawn.) l SHITAL understands that the expediency of considering the need to re-issue an enforcement notice will be linked to the nature of any continuing problems l Temple needs to seek Council's

advice on the issue of use, weather its D1 or not. (Trustees are ready to accept this after enforcement is withdrawn.)

The next meeting will be held by the end of next week. Asian Voice has continuously maintained the need that settlement should be fair from all perspectives i.e. Sai Baba Supporters, residents and the planning regulations.

On 23rd February protest against the enforcement went on for hours before the Planning Committee sat at 7pm at Brent Town Hall. More than 200 Sai Baba supporters were present to raise their concerns.

Leader of the Labour party in Brent Council, Cllr Ann John was stormed by ethical and legal questions at the entrance of the Council.

Questions were raised by people on why Councillors like Jayesh Mistry who voted for reconsideration of application was removed from the Planning Committee. As the Planning Committee was ready to sit and discuss the agendas for the day, all the supporters filled up the room, eagerly waiting for the Council to withdraw the enforcement.

But rather Cllr Ramesh Patel informed the crowd that they would not be discussing about the temple as the applicants themselves had withdrawn the application of extension and hence requested them to leave.

Supporters left the room but waited right outside for the planning committee to finish their meeting, though it took hours.

The thunderous support for the temple that planning committee witnessed on that day surely made a huge impact in heading towards a mutually accepted meeting later on.

Cllr Ann John was asked to comment on behalf of the Brent Council but she said, “It is not in my hands and I do not have any details.

Planning committee will decide the best solution."

She added, "People are wrongly making a planning issue- a faith issue.”

In a letter dated 24 February by the Hindu Forum of Britain addressed to the Brent Councillors, Secretary Bharti Tailor, President Arjan Vekaria and Vice President (East) Rickie Sehgal wrote Continued on page 23

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Asian Voice - Saturday 5th March 2011

Dee Katwa

Midland Voice Contact: Dhiren on 07970 911 386 or dhiren.katwa@abplgroup.com

Tougher funding criteria prompt charity to widen participation Crimestoppers is desperate to connect with people, particularly those from ‘hard-to-reach’ backgrounds.

An event to discuss this challenge was held in Birmingham last week.

Attended by over 40 delegates, the Asian and Muslim Forum was led by Crimestoppers’ Chief Executive Michael Laurie CBE and Dr Mirza Ahmad, Birmingham City Council’s highest-ranking legal officer.

Despite the charity’s several targeted campaigns in recent years, there’s still a lack of awareness, and appreciation, among certain sections of society. That is the view of these two gents who pitched for help from delegates, many of whom represented faith and religious communities and specialist markets, in particular ethnic media.

The event began with beverages, followed by introductions and the story so far. Then, a short film featuring ambassadors encouraging viewers to support their charity was screened. In addition, there was a brief presentation from Chief Inspector Neil Hobson, of West Midlands Police.

During Q & A, several questions were asked of Mr Laurie and Mr Ahmad.

One was this: why the need to label the forum Asian Muslim.

Are Muslims not Asian? In response, Mr Laurie said there were Muslims who were not from Asia, hence the title. But his straighttalking colleague, Mubina Khan, National

preaches in terms of actively engaging with diverse communities to raise awareness of fire safety, told delegates: “Nothing is hard to reach.

It’s all in the mind.”

Another question was this: what are the crimes

Dr Mirza Ahmad

Michael Laurie CBE

Community Affairs Manager, quickly stood up and admitted that the title had been an issue and amending it was being discussed.

Adding to the embarrassment, Dr Ahmad repeatedly slipped in “sounds good”, “very valid” and “excellent contribution”, after almost every sentence of each delegate posing his, or her question, or making their comment. The fact this was done in haste, suggested the consultation was more a PR exercise.

Adam Harper, Faith Education Officer at West Midlands Fire Service (WMFS), who continues to practice what he

affecting Asian communities? The list included hate crime, honour killings, forced marriages, sheesha dens, benefit fraud and unisex domestic violence.

In a nutshell, if Crimestoppers is to actively and genuinely engage with people from diverse backgrounds, it should: (1) adopt an inclusive model on community engagement which has been effective, and share best practice – as proved by WMFS (2) get to understand diverse cultures and ways of life by going into places of worship, community centres and so on (3) be prepared

Highs and lows of Exporting Around 60 delegates attended a breakfast event, entitled Exporting: The Challenges and Opportunities, in Birmingham central last Thursday.

In addition to international partnering as still a major challenge, other obstacles facing exporting include distance, location, customs clearance, duties and taxes. The joint event was organised by the Midlands branch of the British American Business Council and Midlands World Trade Forum.

Wealth creators in the making A new global study which captures insight from 1,800 high-net worth individuals who are on the fasttrack to generating wealth has been launched. In addition, the study, entitled Futurewealth Report: The Essence of Success, identifies what it takes to be financially successful. To find out more visit www.scorpiopartnership.com

The Ultimate Challenge A charity, Envision, is inviting teenagers to take part in the Ultimate Challenge, a series of fun tasks around the city centre next Saturday (Mar 12).

Envision, now in its 11th year, helps 13-19 year-olds design and run social action projects on issues such as street crime and climate change. To find out more visit www.envision.org.uk

to be challenged and to accept constructive criticism, which would probably not result in a quickfix in time to tick boxes on a funding application but it may prove to be effective and universally beneficial in the longer term (4) attempt to build trust with communities by being open, honest and transparent. Credit must be given to brave bride-tobe Mubina for her ongoing tireless efforts in c h a m p i o n i n g Crimestoppers, despite her role hanging in the balance due to funding cuts.

Crimestoppers, set up in 1988 by Lord Ashcroft, is an independent charity that helps law enforcers to find criminals and solve crimes. As a result of information given to the charity: every day 21 people are arrested and charged; one person is charged with murder every nine days; and every days 27 cases are cleared up.

Crimestoppers has around 500 official volunteers nationally. 62 of those are located in the West Midlands, of which around a quarter are from a BME background.

Anyone wishing to become a volunteer with Crimestoppers, or to find out more visit w w w. c r i m e s t o p p e r s uk.org

World Kidney Day Next Thursday (Mar 10) marks World Kidney Day. This year’s theme is: Protect your kidneys, save your heart. That’s also the message being conveyed far and wide by six-year-old Uzayh Haider, who is on dialysis. Brave, talented and hopeful Uzayh is on the transplant waiting list, and has been for some time. His story has touched the hearts and minds of many, and continues to do so. In the UK, kidney disease affects up to three million people and sadly, one person a day will die whilst waiting for a kidney. Kidneys remove toxins and excess water from our blood and help to control our blood pressure. The Kidney Alliance, a group representing patients and organisations in the UK, and striving for early detection and treatment, is encouraging readers to spare some thought for those who are less fortunate. Photo: Uzayh with mum Shafina and dad Ijaz. To find out more visit www.worldkidneyday.co.uk

Women against poverty Shabana Mahmood, pictured, the Labour MP for Ladywood, Birmingham, will speak about how faith has influenced her own activism and pursuit for global justice as part of the ‘Women’s Voices against Global Poverty’ workshop. The free womenonly event, organised by Jubilee Debt Campaign, will take place next Thursday (Mar 10) at West Midlands Fire Service HQ (B7 4HW) from 6pm-9pm. To reserve your place email jubileedebt@blueyonder.co.uk or telephone Audrey on 0121 471 4175.

News in Brief Axe to fall on homeowners Nearly 3,500 homes will be repossessed in the West Midlands this year, making the region one of the hardest hit in the UK. The forecast was produced by finance outsourcing company HML and is based on a sample of 320,000 mortgages.

Call for new mums New mothers are needed for a study in Birmingham into whether exercise can reduce postnatal depression. About ten per cent of new mothers develop postnatal depression after giving birth. To take part contact Ruth Blamey on 0121 414 6891.

Top pink firms The Co-operative is officially the UK’s best company for lesbian, gay and bisexual inclusive advertising and marketing. In second place was Absolut, followed by Ikea, Lloyds TSB, Pepsi and Thomson, respectively, according to a social media poll by Stonewall, the gay equality charity.

Premier party A party was thrown by Marc Reeves, editor of TheBusinessDesk.com, and his team to celebrate the portal’s first anniversary. The event, at Harvey Nichols in The Mailbox in Birmingham brought together leading businessmen and women from across the Midlands.

Chimp meat on sale Dead chimpanzees are being sold as food in Midland restaurants and market stalls, a Trading Standards investigation has revealed. It is claimed that a 4kg monkey would cost around £85 from smugglers in France, whereas the price would be as little as £4 in Africa.

Man divorces pest wife An Indian husband has won a divorce on the grounds of marital cruelty because his wife wore “skimpy” outfits and woke him at 4am for sex. The man told a court in Delhi: “She did not do any housework or listen to me.”

Cuts to consultants’ spend The bill for hiring expensive consultants at Birmingham City Council has been slashed by almost half, but still totals £36 million a year. Most of the experts are working for Service Birmingham, the arms-length company run by outsourcing firm Capita.

Some of the best rewarded consultants are believed to be paid more than £1,000 a day.

Double award for IT firm Congratulations to Kamal Parekh, director of Birmingham-based Silent Computing Limited, on scooping two of the three trophies presented at the Institute of Asian Businesses’ annual awards ceremony a fortnight ago. Silent Computing was crowned Outstanding Business of the Year, also Outstanding Innovation of the Year.

Footballer, 36, dead F o r m e r Wo l v e rh a m p t o n Wanderers defender Dean Richards has died. He was 36. Richards, pictured, had been battling illness, believed to be cancer, and leaves behind his wife and two young children. He died last Saturday, shortly after being admitted to a hospice in Leeds.

Asian Voice - Saturday 5th March 2011

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YOUR VOICE

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Asian Voice - Saturday 5th March 2011

Budget to Council

Too Choosy By Far?

Harrow’s Labour administration will bring its budget to Council on 10th March, but Harrow residents currently in receipt of discretionary disabled Freedom Passes won’t know their fate until a consultation period concludes at the end of April.

However, having seen the initial consultation document that was sent to those in receipt of Freedom Passes, I sincerely hope that the so-called ‘full consultation’ phase currently underway will be more thorough. In the document I saw, residents were asked just three questions on discretionary disabled Freedom Passes, which essentially boiled down to asking them to pick which they found least unsavoury from a list of options that would all in some way reduce the provision of the Passes.

Of course, ‘full consultation’ suggests residents will now be asked to provide more detail, but I don’t think it’s unreasonable to ask why, if the administration is really interested in the views of Freedom Pass holders, they haven’t done this process the other way around. Surely if you find out first how many residents really depend on their Passes, or if they themselves have ideas on how the system could be streamlined and made more efficient, you could then present them with a more informed and useful list of options?

Labour continues to insist they haven’t made a final decision on Freedom Passes (and other schemes such as Taxicard), and that the consultation process really will make a difference. I sincerely hope this is the case, as it’s bad enough to even contemplate taking these Passes away from some of Harrow’s most vulnerable residents – especially as it clearly flies in the face of one of Harrow Council’s new priorities of ‘supporting and protecting people who are most in need’. To do so after legitimising it with a lacklustre consultation exercise would be even more inexcusable.

I came across a good quote from the Brahma Kumaris recently: 'How often do we feel that we want to change choices others make? Sometimes we need to bite our lip and respect their choices and remember the following: 1) People have good reasons for the choices they make.

2) Each person learns about life at their own pace, through their own experiences and the lessons they need to learn are theirs and not ours. 3) We cannot change anyone, but ourselves.'

I am sure there are few for whom nothing but the Holy Grail will do, but the majority of 'older' single Indians get to this stage through unforeseen circumstances and not choice.

Anyway who is to say that marrying earlier guarantees the best in life, considering the number of divorces seen nowadays even when done through traditional matchmaking? For some, marrying later can mean they have a much better worklife balance and bring more into the marriage as they have had time to 'discover' themselves and life. The community should learn to support them and admire their courage.

Cllr. Stanley Sheinwald Hatch End Ward Harrow Council

Lack of support I am perturbed by the unjust and lack of support from the Cllr. Ramesh Patel.

He probably got elected by the Brent Hindu peaceful community. He certainly should not be re-elected and be marked for what he is!

I will write to my local MP but I feel we need to root out mischievous personalities if we are to have a political say! I am encouraged by Asian Voice and Gujarat Samachar for the stand and support and hope we go from strength to strength!

Ramesh M Ruparelia Via Email

ASIAN VOICE is published by Asian Business Publications Ltd , Karma Yoga House, 12 Hoxton Market, (Off Coronet Street) London N1 6HW. Tel: 020 7749 4080 Fax: 020 7749 4081 Email: aveditorial@abplgroup.com www: abplgroup.com © Asian Business Publications

S Patel Via Email

Brent Hindu Temple I am not surprised by Brent Council's threat to close the Sai Baba temple down.

Hindus have been struggling with this kind of unequal treatment from various councils for years. If there is a church and a mosque in the area,they cannot shut down the Sai Baba temple; because it discriminates against Sai Baba worshippers.

All residents should have equal access to places of worship.

What about the noise is caused by church goers, Muslim worshippers and shoppers. The council should prove that the temple goers are increasing the noise level. If they can't prove it, they are discriminating. They should also prove that changing from a function hall to a temple is also going to increase the noise level.

The other thing that irks me is the council's removal of grant for Navratri.

Most of Brent's Asian population is Gujarati. For them, Navratri is an important festival. Navratri Dance is not only good fun, but also a good form of physical exercise.

They should cut that part of the Diwali grant and keep it for Navratri. I think all the Hindu organisations should show solidarity in this respect and fight for re- instatement of the Navratri grant.

Miss Shah Via Email

Disclaimer Asian Business Publications Ltd (ABPL) is not in any way responsible for the goods and services rendered by its advertisers. The ABPL management accepts all advertisements in good faith and it is entirely up to readers to verify advertisers’ products and services, should they feel the need to do so.

Female quotas would target the wrong Women David Cameroon said on Thursday 24 Feb that he wanted all boards of big companies 25% female by 2015. Lucy Kellaway writes in the FT on 28 Feb on page 16 that such a move may be counter productive. She has been a non-executive director in a FTSE 100 company for the past 4 years.

The board there consists of 9 men and 2 women, that is 18.181818% female.

The overall average is 12.5%.

She argues that the pleasure of having another woman to accompany her on a 'comfort break' to the loo is a pleasure that should not be underrated.

However, she says, the two of them, by virtue of their sex, have had no tangible effect on shareholder value in their four years in the job.

"The hot debate should not be about executive, or non-executive directors at all, nor should it be about voluntary code of conduct. What matters are the women on the staff, and making sure that the good ones get to the top", she argues.

In her experience, gender is less important than profession: a male journalist and a male accountant probably take more sharply opposing positions on business issues than do, say, a male accountant and a female accountant.

It is the job of the board as a whole to act in the interest of the shareholders.

Many boards did not do so during the past 30 years.

That gave a gap in the market that investment banks have now filled by mergers, acquisitions, asset stripping, etc, making billions in bank fees and bonuses that would not have happened in hindsight.

Nagindas Khajuria Via Email

Best of Both Worlds Last Sunday, I was put in a great dilemma. India was playing England in cricket world cup match. Which team should I support? Which team should I pray to win? It was Norman Tebbit, Employment Secretary in his hey days, who had said to the effect that you could test the loyalty of Indians living in the UK by the team they support in cricket matches. He had challenged the loyalty of ethnic minority by saying that a large population of Asians fail to pass the cricket test. Which side do they cheer for? Do they still hark back to where they came from or where they are?

We are originally Indians living in this country and have adopted England as our home. Last Sunday it was the first battle between the two giants. There will be other such encounters before the world cup is hopefully won by one or the other of our original or adopted countries. How should we react? It would appear that we are enjoying the best of both worlds. If India wins we will be happy but we should also feel happy if England wins. In the event, last Sunday’s match was a tie.

So we won both ways. “Aare wah cricket”!

Dinesh Sheth Newbury Park, Ilford

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Thank you ABPL We, the Board of Trustees at the Shirdi Sai Baba Temple, London would like to extend our heartfelt gratitude to Gujarat Samachar and Asian Voice for all your, kindness, support and guidance at a critical time like this, especially to Mr. C B Patel for enabling this to happen.

We would like to thank Nikhil Gor for all his arduous efforts, not forgetting to mention Rupanjana and Kartik for the editorial about our Temple.

The campaign was intended to voice our concerns about the way we at the Shirdi Sai Baba Temple have been misled into making applications for the change of use of our premises which was not required as it was already in place, thereby making a statement to the planning committee and all parties concerned.

Since, The 23rd February evening, we have had a lot of progress, and now the Head of planning, Mr. Weeks, and other relevant officers have requested a meeting to negotiate further on Tuesday 1st march 2011 at the Brent offices.

This progress would have not been possible without your ongoing support and we are very grateful for the same.

Our Battle remains unfinished until the wrongly issued enforcement has been lifted, by which we are able to operate as a Temple “a Place of worship”.

The Board of Trustees Shirdi Sai Baba Temple, London

Ignorance of immigration officials beyond belief I was shocked and in disbelief when I first read the story, with photo in AV and then letter from Dharam Sahdev in last week’s AV. She has already lost her daughter and husband, presumably murdered.

Under Taliban, all Non Muslims were obliged to wear a yellow band when they go out. The present president is trying to build a new, liberal Afghanistan but he is losing the battle, as even the capital Kabul is not a safe place; that is even before America has withdrawn any troops.

I wonder how her MP is handling this case, helping this family who will face a certain death if returned to a war torn country. Let Hindu community unite for a worthy cause and seek help and support from all ethnic organisations, including the Jewish and Muslim organisations, most of whom will be more than willing to support Kumar family.

If their endeavour to remain in this country fails, then they should seek temporary shelter in a temple or a church where police may hesitate to enter and apply to go to India, Canada, Mauritius and such liberal countries that may be willing to give shelter to this deserving family if Britain is obstinate and heartless.

Bhupendra M Gandhi Via Email

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‘Smile Pinky’ too gets the Oscar Boyle says Mumbai dwarfed the statuette

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Cricket crazy Indians for the first time was seen so euphoric on Monday morning, as they expected a couple of Oscars. British Indians in the UK, Dharavi slums, the shanty township of Mumbai, a village in Uttar Pradesh and almost the entire Bollywood waited in expectation, glued to their TV sets. They burst into celebrations as one by one, their heroes, the actors of the British Indian film and the music maestro, A R Rahman bagged the top awards in the world of entertainment.

British actress Kate Winslett also won the Oscar after having missed it almost five times earlier.

‘Smile Pinki’, a short documentary on a cleft-lipped Indian girl in Uttar Pradesh directed

by American director Megan Mylan, won the Oscar for the Best Documentary (Short).

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11

Asian Voice - Saturday 5th March 2011

The census in England and Wales is run by the Office for National Statistics (ONS)

We’re helping shape our family’s future Because every penny counts, it’s important that you let us know what your community really needs by filling in your census when it arrives in March.

© Crown Copyright 2011 PR05

12

MEDIA WATCH

Asian Voice - Saturday 5th March 2011

Scrutator’s India's Finance Minster Pranab Mukherjee will have been heartened by the news that Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL) have forged what could turn out to be a rewarding partnership with British oil giant BP. BP will pay $7.2 billion for 30 per cent stake in 23 of RIL's oil and gas fields in the Bay of Bengal off the Andhra Pradesh coast.

Reliance Industries Chairman and Managing Director Mukesh Ambani (left) and BP Group Chief Executive Bob Dudley signing the transactional agreements in the Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne’s office in 11 Downing Street, London

The Hindustan Times (February 22) quoted Mukesh Ambani, RIL Chairman and Managing Director, as saying that that BP's combined investment value could rise to $20 billion in the nest few years. Be that as it may, the Reliance-BP as it stands would result in the largest single inflow of Direct Foreign Investment (FDI). “This is not only the single largest FDI in India's history but also the largest investment by BP in a single basin anywhere in the world,” Mr Ambani told a press conference in London.

Besides the $7.2 billion RIL, India's biggest private sector company, will get $1.8 billion more as “performance payments” from BP based on the success of commercial discoveries in RIL's 23 fields, said Mr Ambani. He went on to tell of a RIL-BP plan to pool skills for the exploration of more hydrocarbons off India's deep water blocks, the success of which would “significantly contribute to India's energy security.

Besides the stake transfer, the two firms have a 50:50 joint venture for sourcing and marketing gas. This would involve additional investments in laying pipelines to transport oil and gas from the 23 (RIL) blocks and setting up gas (LNG) terminals to handle imports.

Experts say that the RIL-BP deal differs from the VedantaCairn deal, which involves the acquisition and management by Vedanta of the Cairn oil fields in Rajasthan.

BP take on deal According to The Hindu (February 22), “RIL will retain operational control of all the 23 blocks. It now produces about 50-52 million standard cubic metres of natural gas a day from its mainstay KG-DG fields off the Andhra coast.” The paper quotes BP Chairman Henrik Svanburg as saying: “This partnership meets BP's strategy of forming alliances with strong national partners, taking material positions in significant hydrocarbon basins and increasing our exposure to growing energy markets.”

BP Chief Executive Bob Dudley, who signed the deal with Mukesh Ambani in London, said: “India is one of the fastest growing economies in the world. By allying ourselves with RIL , we will access the most prolific gas basin in India and secure a place in the fast growing Indian gas markets, creating a genuinely distinctive BP position”. Mr `Dudley said that technical experts from BP had spent 4-5 months analyzing the data and

studying it in Mumbai and London.

Reporter Raghuvir Srinivasan writes: “The deal gives Reliance access to some desperately needed technology to not just shore up the falling output but also raise it to a higher level.”

FT's caution The Financial Times gave (February 22) ample coverage to the Reliance-BP partnership but was less enthused by it than were the two parties. India, for the FT, has never been as exciting as China, and possibly, never will. Consider the following title to the Ed Crooks piece: “India's politics mark a risk as BP goes south.”

The sceptical Mr Crook writers: “The deal with Reliance in many ways follows the pattern the $16 billion share swap and joint venture with Rosneft of Russia, announced in January,: It is a strategic partnership with one of the 'Bric' countries, that involves frontier exploration in an area that has huge

promise and a few challenges.....However, BP's big move into India shares some less welcome charateristics. with the Rosneft deal.

“At a price of $7.2 billion....it (BP) could end up in highly expensive but unsuccessful exploration. If successful, there could be another $1.8 billion to pay.....The deal could also embroil BP in India's politics, which have emerged as a serious concern in recent months as a result of Vedanta Resources “problems with an agreement to pay up to $9.6 billion for a stake in Cairn India.”

The FT's special pleading for Vedanta is a reminder of its support for Enron's ambitions in India. Once an energy giant, the US company collapsed in a notorious scam. Jack Lay the Enron chief died of a sudden heart attack while awaiting a jail sentence for fraud. There is no suggestion of a likeness between Vedanta and Enron, but the Indian government is duty bound to adhere to due diligence before it accepts the Vedanta-Cairns arrangement.

Shifting focus

UK's BP will buy 30 pct stake in Reliance Industries' 23 oil and gas blocks for $7.2 bn.

our dependence on the US for several reasons.Europe spends as much as the US on IT and we want to make sure that our revenues mirror that IT spend'” He also cited a “real shortage of talent [in the US]. It's not just us – most of the companies we work with say the same thing. “ he said. “We are aiming to recruit 1,000 people a year in the US, but most of the skills we want in mobile technology and cloud computing are just not there. It's a huge challenge.”

to-air missile system to be fitted on some 200 jets, according to P.S. Subramanya, Director of India's Aeronautical Development Agency, which is developing Tejas.

Airport to city centre The express train from Indira Gandhi International Airport to Connaught Place marked a further milestone in Delhi's urban transport system. A journey which normally took an hour and more by taxi or coach was accomplished in 18 minutes.

This is clearly a boon to passengers on domestic and international flights, as they told the Hindustan Times (February 24) of their relief and joy at the service.

The high speed trains, boasting world class technology and comfort, began their journey from two terminal stations, Connaught Place and Dwarka Section-21 in mid-afternoon without any formal inauguration.

An earlier FT report (February 3) by James Fontenella Khan in Israeli deals and Francesco Mumbai Guerrera and Gillian Tett in Defense Update (February 12) New York told of the shifting told of Israel Aerospace focus of India tech groups from Industries' (IAI) determination the US. Their report stated: to expand its presence in India, “Indian information technology despite its Pavilion at Aero companies intend to reduce India 2011 being the biggest on their dependence on a US marview. On display were full-scale ket they regards as 'protectionmodels of UAVs, EO payloads, ist', citing a decision to increase electronic intelligence and visa fees for skilled workers that COMINT payloads, ground will raise their personnel costs control stations for UAVs, loiby up to $250 million a year. tering weapons and much else.

Tata Consultancy Services and India is one of IAIs strategic Infosys, the two largest Indian markets. outsourcing firms [said] that Redeeming humanity IAI and India's Defence while the US would remain an Research & Development important market, they wanted If India is a more corrupt than Organisation (DRDO) are on to boost revenues in Europe and we would like, it also displays course to integrate Israel's emerging markets. The IT comredeeming humanity in which Barak-8 missile on the Indian panies ' negative stance towards the US highlights the challenges Barack Obama's administration faces to create jobs in the tech sector as part of its effort to reduce high unemployment.”

N.Chandrasekaran, the TCS executive, said plans to scale up operations in the US had slowed due to domestic hurdles in the market, while business in Latin America and Asia had grown at a much faster pace.

Unemployment remains high so the protectionist measures they introduced are still there and this causes concern to us,” New Metro rail-link from Delhi’s Indira Gandhi Airport to Connaught he said.

Place in the city centre T.K. Kurien, Chief Executive of Wipro, we can take pride. Rotary India Navy's warships in 2012.

India's third-largest IT compaHumanity Foundation in Bharat-Rakshak online ny, remarked caustically: “The Kolkata, an arm of Rotary (February 13) reported that west preached liberaisation for International, has decided to Israel's Derby missile is the many years until they realised launch a scheme to finance weapon of choice for India's they were being hurt by liberali5,000 surgeries for under-priviTejas fighter aircraft. A contract sation and life changed.” leged children suffering heart is to be signed in March with Kris Gopalakrishnan, the diseases in the country. This Rafael Advanced Defence Infosys Chief Executive, said: shows a large heart.

Systems Ltd to supply the air“We are really trying to reduce

INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY

Asian Voice - Saturday 5th March 2011

13

Politics/Author

Baroness Shreela Flather, Author 'Woman: Acceptable Exploitation for Profit' 1. What inspired you to write the book on women labour force?

I spent 18 years visiting projects as my main interest was in development in the two areas I have focused on the Indian Subcontinent and Africa. I visited numerous projects and it became absolutely obvious to me that the way forward was to get women into paid work. In both the areas which I have mentioned women are not seen as part of the normal workforce which is amazing since they do most of the work anyway. They do the work but they earn no money. When women earn money first thing they do is to send their children to school and of course improve the health and diet of their own families. They become self aware and confident. I have seen this over and over again and all the talk we have about education is just nonsense because education cannot reach these poor women.

But they can be helped to earn money in numerous ways since they are hard working and competent.

2. Do you think women in developing countries face a better situation than the last decade?

I suppose at many levels women do face better situations than the last decade. But the poorest do not. Even those who are at the level where they are

educated and can perform sometimes better than the men are not as appreciated as the men.

Discrimination against women is endemic in the cultures of the Indian Subcontinent and Africa.

A woman is always equated with someone who "serves" the man and not as someone who can actually take charge.

We are still totally surprised when we hear of a woman heading a large corporation. The real change will be when we don't notice that.

3. Tell us more about your book.

My book is an attempt to get people firstly to see what is the condition of the poorest women in Africa and the Subcontinent.

When I talk about it sometimes my audience are so uncomfortable that they would rather not hear the reality of their lives.

Here everyone is so very comfortable and they take all they have for granted. In fact they never stop moaning. Compared to the people I am talking about this is heaven. How sad it is that people do not even want to know of the reality let alone think about doing something.

Firstly my book tells the reader what it is like to be a poor woman. What is the value of the

poor woman? She is a beast of burden but the beast of burden costs money and she doesn't. If she is sick then it is best that she dies as she can always be replaced by another one. Having said all that my book then goes on to talk about the solutions. I believe it is the first book which actually spells out what can be done by businesses. Charity is fine and good and good for the giver too but ultimately charity alone cannot change the world. Only if businesses start employing women the change will eventually come. Sadly the amazingly rich Indian businesses are not prone to do anything for anyone.

4.

Do you think Asian/Indian women in the Parliament (Britain and India) today, are represented fairly?

Women are not represented fairly anywhere and I am not even sure what fairly means.

After all India is ruled by a dynasty and two thirds of the MPs are sons and daughters of existing or former MPs. It seems to me that gradually it will be like the Willingdon Club in Mumbai where only relatives of existing members are considered for membership! Even in the panchayats where there is a reservation for women many of

Baroness Flather

them are put there by their husbands or brothers or fathers.

One woman, head of a panchayat in Punjab, was there on behalf of her son providing only the gender. Many women who reach high positions are not willing to face the reality of their sisters lives. I heard the Maharani of Patiala speak at a function in Delhi saying how good the conditions for women are and how the girl foetuses are no longer being aborted. I suppose it is comforting to live in fairyland.

5. Tell us about an unforgettable incident you have ever faced as a Director of Marie Stopes International.

I have been a director of Marie Stopes for 19 years and in 2002 I was sent by them to China to see how the Chinese were dealing with the one child

Paven Virk, Play/Screenplay Writer

Jasvir, Paven's mother in The Usual Auntijies

Belgrade Youth Theatre in Coventry.

From then on I knew this was what I wanted to do.

Talking about discriminations as women in the field of theatres, Paven said, "Like any profession there is still discrimination, but things are changing. I am working with the most amazing female producers and directors which really excites me, but at the same I have been put up Continued on page 15

6. Do you feel sex equality has at all increased in India resulting into less abortions?

I am not sure exactly what you mean by abortions, I suppose you mean abortions of female foetuses. I am afraid it is not leading to anything but a dearth of girls for marriage. As you already know that Punjab and Hariana are the worst offenders and sadly it is partially an unforeseen consequence of equal inheritance rights. None of the farmers want their farms split so it is better to kill the child before she's born. The imbalance is growing and where it will lead, who knows?

(Baroness Shreela Flather, is the senior most Asian peer in the House of Lords. She was appointed on the 11 June 1990)

TV Personality

Theatre

Paven Virk, a theatrical and a screenplay writer, was named as one of Screen International’s “Stars of Tomorrow” in 2010. At 17, Paven founded her own Second Generation Theatre Company and co-produced Girlie Talk and Boy Meets Girl with the Belgrade Theatre before taking a break and returning to writing full time two years ago. She completed a 10 week writing attachment with The National Theatre Studio in 2010 and is currently under commission to the Tricycle Theatre in London to write a new full length play.

Paven's parents came to Britain in the 1970s. Paven was born in Leicester and grew up in Coventry.

Paven's parents Bhajan Birk and Jasvir Kang are both writers of song, poetry and short stories. Her mother is also a radio presenter. She presents her own Punjabi radio show on Ambur radio in Walsall. Paven has two older siblings, one brother and one sister who both work in the arts.

Hardish Virk, her brother along with her mother Jasvir have both helped develop ‘The Usual Auntijies’ from workshops to production.

Paven says she gets her inspiration to write from her mother. "My parents are both powerful writers but my mother started writing whilst she was raising three children which I truly admire. She also felt there needed to be more Asian’s in the arts so when we were small she got us to attend classes at Slyvia Young Theatre school in London and the

policy and also to meet the minister who had come to London. I was treated incredibly well and I felt that I had made quite a lot of headway with the various officials that I had had meetings with. But I think my most unforgettable memory is when the minister said in Chinese that as long as he lives he will never forget me. I think so very unChinese and the Marie Stopes Chinese lady who was with me was completely taken aback by it, she said she had never heard such a thing from any official before!

for jobs without people knowing if I am a female writer (due to my name) and landed the job even if at times I felt the job may go to a man. For the South Asian community, some women due to exterior pressure- sacrifice a lot and may not enter the arts even if they believe they have the talent, which is a great shame, but there certainly are people wanting to produce work from all communities and organisations such as Sustained Theatre are proactive in wanting to keep issues relating to Black, Asian, and minority ethnic theatre alive.

When we asked about the Asian youth now, Paven added very excitedly, "Oh nowadays young people are much more involved in theatre and film and they seem to be encouraged by their parents which is a good sign. The confidence has increased I feel due to the great talent out there, they have role models in theatre and in Hollywood. I remember when I first watched ‘My Beautiful Laundrette’ I was moved and angered by the tale and proud of a slice of British Asian life being told in such a way and I’ve been a fan of Hanif Kureishi ever since. I would love to work with him.

From 5 to 26 March Coventry’s Belgrade Theatre will be staging a brand new comic drama by Paven Virk called The Usual Auntijies that tells the story of four South Asian women living in Coventry, whose lives are inextricably linked. To that Paven said, "Jasvir, my mother has been a writer of short stories and

Saira Khan Born in Nottingham and roots from Poonch district of Kashmir, Saira Khan is one of the most popular Television personality in the British Asian community. She came in the spotlight for the first time in 2005 when she became the runner up in the first UK series of reality showThe Apprentice.

Saira Khan who now lives in Oxford, has engaged herself in variety of TV shows since 2005.

She has done some exclusive documentaries and programs for BBC and ITV like Saira Khan's Pakistan Adventures, Children in Need, Saving Planet Earth, Comic Relief and many more.

Though she is usually linked with TV, Saira Khan has also been on BBC radio and also is an author for the book , 'P.U.S.H FOR SUCCESS'.

She is also a columnist for the Financial Mail Women's Forum where she writes on business. So practically she has been on all the mediums of communication possible and has made a great impact. She also writes for Baby London, Baby Surrey and Baby

Saira Khan

Hampshire, where she gives advice to mums wanting to start their own business. In 2006 she set up Miamoo, a range of skin care products which she plans to make it global.

Coming from Asian community, it is always hard for women to practice her abilities to the fullest. Saira Khan tells Asian Voice, “No matter whatever I do, it will be taken as a representation of my community which is not true. What I do represents me.”

She adds “there is tremendous scope for women to showcase their prowess in the society. All we need to do is to believe that we can achieve whatever we want.” Currently Saira Khan also presents the show 'Trade Your Way to the USA' on children's television channel CBBC.

14

INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY

Asian Voice - Saturday 5th March 2011

Audiology

Legal

Ranjna Iyer, Audiologist, NHS

Anuradha Mathur, Compliance and Risk Executive, Maybank

Ranjna is an Audiologist, who has worked for Siemens Hearing in Dubai and now works for the National Health Services (NHS) in Britain. Born in Dubai, Ranjna spent a considerable part of her formative years and beginning of her career in the UAE. She graduated from Sri Ramchandra Medical College in Chennai and then went on to complete her Masters in Audiology and Speech Pathology from the University of Southampton in 2007.

Talking about her early years Ranjna says, "Though I was born and brought up in Dubai, I never felt away from India since the culture at home was quite traditional. Not to say that we had any restrictions either but my parents gave us the right blend of modern and traditional upbringing. Living in Dubai, Chennai and Southampton have been completely different experiences. Despite living in a foreign country, we had a very protective environment at Dubai while in Chennai, I learnt to be on my own and take my own decisions. Studying in a multi-cultural environment in Southampton was an even greater experience. It gave me an exposure that broadened my horizons beyond expectations.”

Ranjna, who deals with people with speech and hearing disabilities from different age groups, finds her profession quite challenging but equally satisfying. After series of tests and aids, it’s really very satisfying to see a smile on a little girl’s pretty face or be blessed by an elderly person when they are able to hear again. It humbles you as a person and makes you feel grateful to God. A strong believer in women empowerment, Ranjna believes that women have a great role play in shaping the society. Be it as a mother or a daughter, a home-maker or a career woman, they contribute to the society to make it more robust and resilient.

Deriving her inspiration from her mother who was married at an early age of 19, Ranjna developed her inclination for therapy observing her mother, a qualified teacher for children with special needs.

Sharing about her parents with

1. How is it being a full time mother, a dotted wife and a city lawyer?

There are good days and bad days, but I am grateful to have the opportunity and option to be a working mom.

pride and paying tribute to her mother on Women’s Day, Ranjna feels grateful to her mother who encouraged her to develop and acquire various forms of art. Like any other daughter she has had a special relationship with her father from whom she has learnt to help people without a motive or reason. Ranjna is a trained Carnatic and light music singer and also an accomplished keyboard player. She enjoys singing a bhajan and a classical song with equal aplomb. She feels highly fortunate to be wedded into a family that has a great ear for music and incessantly encourages her to pursue her passion for music. “My in-laws in particular would never allow me to sign off a video chat session without listening to a few classical songs. They motivate me tremendously. Thanks to technology that has made the world better connected and a much closer place to live.”

When asked about the discrimination towards women in her field, Ranjna believes that times are changing for good and people are evolving for better. She shares, “As far as I have seen and experienced, cases of discrimination against women be it in my educational institutions or places of work have been far and few. I have always enjoyed a very encouraging study life in Dubai, India and Britain and continue to enjoy an equally free and encouraging work environment at my workplace here. End of the day everybody realises that a woman is the full circle. Within her is the power to create, nurture and transform.”

2. Do you think in our community in Britain prejudices still exist against a woman in profession?

In any profession, unfortunately, businesses tend to think in short term and for them hiring a woman professional is a larger investment than hiring a man. This changes for those who think long term and believe in developing a workforce loyal and more in tune with organisational ethics. Historically, there is lesser attrition rate amongst women than men which make them better for an organisation in the long run. So I believe that the manner and expression of discrimination against a woman might differ, but sadly, it does exist in most societies.

3. Tell us a little about your growing up.

My parents are doctors and growing up they were working for the government in India. My parents encouraged me to adopt the line of studies which interested me the most and I did take quite a roundabout route to get to Law, starting with sciences at school, commerce at college and finally deciding to do a second undergraduate degree in law. My parents were always extremely supportive of my choices, but I suspect that was because they wanted me to learn from my own mistakes! Whatever I am today, I owe it to them.

4. You have been in the US, Britain and India- as a woman professionalwhich country do you think had more room for Asian women?

Britain recognises family and partnership within the framework of regulation.

This offers a good platform for immigrant families to look for opportunities.

India does not have that regulatory burden that an Indian woman has to overcome. In the US the requirement is to possess an independent visa status (i,e, independent of your spouse) which can be a significant deterrent for a professional. The social support framework in terms

Anuradha with son Kabir

of childcare and domestic help is prolific in India which is of tremendous help to a working woman. This is much more expensive (but well regulated) in the UK and US. Between US and UK, the difference, in my opinion, lies in the manner in which businesses perceive families as a unit of society- I notice more respect for family life in the UK than in the US or even India, manifested in the working hours a woman worker is expected to put in. The support offered to women workers in the UK (maternity leave and flexitime) are also manifestations of this respect for family life. The flip side of this regulatory structure is that businesses view women as a burden/ potential burden. However, overall, in my experience, it is easier for a working woman to establish herself in the UK, once she has her foot in the door.

5. Do you think your son Kabir would get the best of cultural values- growing up as a British?

I am proud of my Indian roots and cultural heritage. There is an emphasis on imparting that to my son. Having said that, I do believe we get a filtered version of our culture in India. Being in the UK allows him the opportunity to experience other cultures and learn from the good in them. So definitely, his British exposure should enable him to be a well rounded individual.

IT

Neha Garg, Head of Support- Europe, Meltwater Group Why did you take up IT as your profession?

I work at Meltwater Group as Head of Support - Europe. I took up IT originally, specially the support role, as I quite enjoy being social and interacting with people in addition to looking behind stuff to see what makes it tick. In the IT support role, I combine my love for technology with my love of being around people.

old). Considering that, it is pretty amazing how alike these two religions and their teachings actually are. In addition, my mother's family are spread all over the world. Germany, Mexico, France, Italy, America etc This multi-religion and multi-cultural environment taught me tolerance and patience for all peoples.

On a happier note, I learned a new language without even trying.

2. Tell us a little about growing up.

I grew up in a small town called Muzaffarnagar in UP, India. I had quite an exposure to life outside India as all of my maternal family lives outside India and we visited them often. I like to think that I have had the best of both worlds by living the simpler mindsets and lives of small towners and by having exposure to the world at large.

3. Since your mother is from Iran and father from India- how was growing up in a cross national ambience?

Growing up as an Iraninan-Indian combination was pretty awesome. The

Neha Garg

Hindu religion is one of the oldest in the world (5000 years old) and the Bahai religion is one of the newest (150 years

4. Do you think amongst Asians here, esp. within your own communityprejudices still exist?

There aren't prejudices against the kind of jobs women can or cannot do. In my community people believe that women can do anything men can.

However, there still are prejudices against women working at all. Even among the urban population, there are still people who believe that women should stay at home and do house-work and men are the bread-winners of the family.

5. What is your opinion about women who don't raise their voice

against forced marriages, domestic violence etc?

There are only two kinds of women who would do that. Women who think very highly of their or their family's "image" within society and are scared of hurting it. Or women who are not strong enough to raise a voice. Either way, it is wrong. I pity them but it is my belief that if women have the support of their parents or immediate family, they shall be strong enough and will be able to say something against such brutalities.

6. Do you think Britain can ever have a British Asian Woman PM? Definitely. Britain already has Asian people on their cricket team. Of all the different countries I have been to and people I have known, I think Britain is one of the most culturally tolerant. This however, is true of the multi-cultural cities and towns of Britain. Smaller areas still need to stop living in stereo-types. A friend of mine for example, was asked if she knows this Indian woman living in the next village just because my friend happens to be an Indian.

INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY

Asian Voice - Saturday 5th March 2011

Marketing

15

Sport-Cricket

Bhairavi Tarkas, Central College London Isa Guha, England National Team Bhairavi Tarkas was born in Patan, Gujarat on Women's Day and maybe that is the reason that from her childhood itself she had revolutionary concepts about men and women equality. However, she hardly stayed in Patan as she grew up in IIT Powai, Mumbai.

Even as a teenager she read Sanskrit books like 'Kadambri' and 'Shakuntala', Hindi books like 'Nirmala' and 'Gora', Gujarati books like 'Parth Ne Kaho Have Chadave Baan' and 'Krishnaavtaar', English readings like 'Dolls House' and 'Pillars of the Society' and so on. These books very much describe the nurturing she had received and the environment she grew in. She tells Asian Voice, “The best I liked was Gandhi’s autobiography. I was amused with his books reading and unique way of thinking. It inspired me a lot. He is my hero.”

She accredits her positive belief towards life to the very good childhood her parents provided. She holds three Bachelors degree namely in Education, Business Management and Law. She also holds two Master degrees above that.

Today, Bhairavi Tarkas works with Central College London as a Marketing Manager. She describes, “Though it was a challenge to take up Marketing as a career, the tough competition has made me a seasoned Marketer.” She simultaneously also works as an independent consultant for new and established colleges getting them approvals, accreditations and collaborative partners.

She is pro active on issues concerning

women around the world. She has worked with Meera Verma, A s s i s t a n t Commissioner of Police (Gujarat Branch) on Women's Aid project where she came across tremendous amount of injustice carried out on women. She adds “Even in London, many Indian/Asian middle class women are struggling for basic rights. There is a big vacuum and a lot needs to be done on that front. Women stay under hypocrisy and the real truth is not revealed.”

However, she believes the change needs to start from home as there needs to be an equality between one's own son and daughter. She said, “My ideas are too feministic. I know it sounds unbalancing towards men, but I had revolutionary concepts about men and women equality since my childhood. May be that’s the reason I was born on women’s day. On International Women's Day I would like to ask all the Women to be strong, work towards financial independence and remember that Women is supposed to be Women's best friend.”

Asian Voice asked Bhairavi Tarkas one gift that she would like to receive on Women's Day and she replied, “Smile on every woman’s face in the world. Can you get me that?

Social Service

Vijey Ratan, founder of the charity “Nari Shakti”

By Aekta Mahajan Vijey Ratan, born on 14th April 1940 in Punjab, India; founded the charity “Nari Shakti”, which translates to the term “women’s strength” over 30 years ago. Following her personal encounters with women in her local town suffering from domestic violence and other forms of prejudice, Vijey decided to took a proactive role to help these women to realise their strength and fight for themselves.

She was only 16 when she begun this inspirational journey and was encouraged by her family to preserve throughout her teens. She migrated to Kenya shortly after marriage, followed by her emigration to UK in 1972 with her husband.

Now aged 70, Vijey continues to fight for women in London, particularly for Asian women from the Enfield region and has won 27 awards in the process. From being voted “woman of the year” from the European Parliament in 1997, Millennium charity jubilee award in 1990 to being invited to the House of Commons by David Burrowes (Mayor of Enfield) in 2007; Vijey’s achievements have been recognised widely across the UK and India.

Although Vijey’s charity, Nari Shaki

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has been operational for over 30 years, it was recognised as an official charity in the UK 7 years ago and is managed by a team of 10 elected management committee members. Vijey has been awarded grants from the lottery in the past and is currently funded primarily by the Enfield Council.

The charity proactively seeks to find victims that they can help and others approach the charity directly through their strong community ties. The victims they support can range from those suffering from domestic abuse, unmarried girls in India facing high dowry demands from British Asian families to the elderly community suffering from neglect and financial abuse. Vijey also works with the police in the Racial Equality Center and attends several conferences to raise awareness of women’s causes.

Through the support of her husband and family members, Vijey continues to fight for women’s issues and does not let her health constraints prohibit her from continuing her remarkable work. Vijey is in the process of writing a book to capture this remarkable journey and is currently seeking a suitable sponsor. She is a truly inspiring woman and her charitable efforts over the last 50 years cannot be applauded enough.

Can you tell me about your birthplace and your family roots?

I was born in High Wycombe, England while my parents came from Kolkata.

Where did you study and what?

I studied Biochemistry at UCL and I am currently doing a parttime PhD in Neuroscience What got you passionate about cricket?

From an early age coming from an asian background I watched a lot of cricket on television and my parents would tell me stories about Indian greats that they used to watch, the likes of Kapil Dev and Sunil Gavaskar.

I started when I was 8 for a boys team when my parents took me down to the local club at High Wycombe.

They saw my interest when I used to chase after the ball while my brother was practicing in the back garden. Things have changed since then and there are lot more girls clubs around although I think girl's should train with boys at a young age.

Is it the Indian blood within you that influenced your decision to make a career in cricket?

My parents supported me in all the extra-curricular activities that I took part in-badminton, hockey, ballet and tap.

However, I excelled at cricket and they realised my potential so they have continued to support me throughout my cricket career. It is true that I wouldn't have been able to get where I am without them.

When I was 11 I met Charlotte Edwards who was the next big thing at the age of 17 and that's when I realised that I wanted to play for England.

Any setbacks you have had in your professional life.

Women's cricket is only semi-professional so as well as having to train for our sport we all maintain jobs which has become harder due to the continually increasing demands of the women's game.

Saying that it is great we are able to compete at the highest level on a regular basis and more teams are competing with each other. The women are becoming fitter and stronger…the girls can hit the ball harder, bowlers are bowling quicker and fielding has improved a lot in the last 4 years.

I believe you made your International debut against India. What was the feeling?

There is nothing that can describe the feeling when you make your debut. For me it was a whirlwind experience as I was drafted into the team at short notice.

Before I knew it I was playing the first game and opening the bowling. I had a lot of support from the rest of the players which allowed me to just play as I had been doing in domestic cricket.

Have you ever felt any prejudice or injustice that is targeted on women?

I was always respected in the boys teams when I was younger. As I got older I realised the prejudice towards women's sport. As cricket is a male dominated sport it is harder to make people realise that they are two very different games. I definitely believe that the games we are playing now are exciting and make for good viewing with more games coming down to the last ball but it's just about changing people's perception of 'It isn't as good as the men'.

If you wanted to pass on one message to women around the world on International Women's Day. What will that be?

Be strong and speak out if you want something. Men are very quick to make a point when they are not happy but women sit back and just deal with it. If we want more equality then we must speak out but also realise that we are certainly valued within society. You can achieve anything if you put your mind to it.

Paven Virk, Play/Screenplay Writer Continued from page 13 poetry in Punjabi since the 1980’s and she was a handful of South Asian female poets who would be invited to South Asian literature events that would in the whole attract mainly South Asian men as audiences and artists.

On many occasions Jasvir would be heckled by the male dominated audience when she spoke about subjects such as domestic violence and forced marriages

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as there seemed to be a reluctance to accept that these incidences took place within the South Asian communities or that they should be aired within a public space. Jasvir would continue her readings over the shouting coming from the audience and then leave the stage with her head held high. No matter how challenging and sometimes abusive the situation became, Jasvir continued with a spirit that is captured in the play. A spirit of hope, change and solidarity."

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Bollywood

16 Asian Voice Saturday 5th March 2011

Bipasha in trouble over a Twitter picture Surya’s ‘7 Aum Arivu’ set for grand audio Tamil actor Surya’s upcoming movie ‘7 Aum Arivu’ is heading for a grand audio launch in March. The shooting of the film is in final stages and sources say that it will be completed by the second week of March.

The makers of the film are planning to organize a gala event on the eve of March 28 at Nehru Stadium, Chennai. Reports say that Surya is going to entertain the audience by performing some mind blowing acrobatics at the audio release function.

The ‘7 Aum Arivu’ starring Surya and Shruti

Hassan has Harris Jayaraj’s music. It will hit the screens in mid-June.

The movie is directed by A R Murugadoss and produced by Udhayanidhi.

In his new mass avatar, Arun Vijay, in combination with FeatherTouch Entertainment, has churned out two hit flicks: Malai Malai and Maanja Velu.

Both movies were targeted at the B and C centres and both hit the bull’s eye. In terms of acting and action, Arun Vijay has proved that he can do both with ease!

Following the success of these two movies, Dr

Mohan and M Hemanth of F e a t h e r To u c h Entertainment have begun work on their next project. Not wanting to go stale in the eyes of the viewer, this time they are making an action thriller starring their blueeyed boy Arun Vijay.

“We’ve roped in a very young team and decided to target the A centres this time,” gushes Arun. “The direction will be by Magil Thirumeni, Gautham Menon’s former associate. Cinematography will be handled by Sukumar of Mynaa fame. Art direction is by Prabhakar, music by Thaman, lyrics by Thamarai. And for editing we’re going with Praveen and Srikanth,” said Arun.

Arun Vijay is back in action!

Gautam Menon ropes in Telugu actor for his next Gautham Menon’s movies hit headlines even before it’s official launch and his next Tamil movie is also not an exception.

The director’s confession on his next Tamil venture has created various ifs and buts on cast, crew and film. Now, we bring you the first official news on the film.

Gautham Menon has reportedly signed Telugu actor Ram Pothineni. The news is official announced by actor himself on twitter. On the occasion of the director’s birthday, Ram wished Gautham and tweeted, “Here’s my wishing soon 2 b dir Gautam Menon sir, a very Happy B’day! ” The project is expected to take-off in July. The movie will be simultaneously made in Tamil and Telugu. Other details are under wraps. However, the director will kick-start his Hindi version of Vinnaithaandi Varuvaayaa in April. Meanwhile, Ram is busy in his upcoming Telugu film Kandireega.

Bipasha Basu has landed in trouble over a snapshot she has posted on her Twitter page.

The picture shows two little girls bending over her feet and tying shoelaces. The picture has met with overwhelming outrage. Basu says of the girls in question, one's a sister, the other a friend. But nobody is willing to buy her argument.

She wrote, "I need to learn to tie shoe laces ASAP! Embarrassed that I can't! No patience.. grrrrr! Promise I am not spoilt! Will learn soon," and tagged it with the picture.

This was followed by a barrage of comments about child labour. Under fire, Bips hastily deleted the tweet but forgot to erase the picture. It was only later that the photo went missing from her micro-blogging site.

'Sorry y'all!'

She later tweeted, "Well the people helping me in the pix are my friend and sister, who I help often with the same! So am sorry if it hurt anyone's sentiments!"

But since when did Bips have such a small girl as her sister. She has two sisters who are grown-up " Bijoyeeta is married

with a kid while the other Bidisha is studying abroad.

Bipasha Basu could face serious charges. The Indian Child Labour act says law breakers could face one month to 12 months in jail. According to Article

24 of the Indian constitution, "No child below the age of 14 years shall be employed to work."

The responses that Bipasha's snap evoked...

"No child labour."

"Are they two kids ? I think it's child labour??"

"Awww..didn't expect this from you people follow you for ur good work" "Oh God, people should just chill out. Like you guys wouldn't do her laces! I god damn would!

Lol." "Look at those children. You should be shameful for supporting her" "What are you trying to tell us from this. I never thought you were such a....I admired you I should slap myself" "Bipasha should be arrested for this act. Only then these film studios will not do any child labour" "Disgraceful Bips.... cannot believe you are dumb enough to add this photo on Twitter!"

"Miss Basu it looks like child labour even though I suppose not.."

"Inform the child labour protection act?... LOL, I guess Bips went to school on slippers"

Dismal viewer ratings for SRK show The Shah Rukh Khan hosted “Zor Ka Jhatka” opened with dismal viewer ratings and has been dipping steadily every week.

It has now achieved the distinction of having the lowest TRPs ever for a show hosted by a Bollywood star! Even a Rakhi Sawant anchored show attracts more eyeballs than King Khan's latest outing on the small screen.

And Rakhi has not been mincing any words on her popularity ratings. "My Rakhi Ka Insaaf on the same channel (Imagine) had more viewership than Zor Ka Jhatka."

And in her characteristic candour she declares, "Ek dum Zor Ka Jhatka laga hai!"

ZKJ opened with a 2.6 TVR but could not manage to attract audience in the second week and its average rating dropped to 1.7 to 1.4 TVR. Rakhi Sawant's Rakhi Ka Swayamvar opened with a rat-

ing of 4.12 TVR and maintained an average rating of 3.04 TVR. Ever since ZKJ went on air on February 1, there has been furore over SRK's decision to host Zor Ka Jhatka. The desi version of the international reality show “Total Wipeout” has lived up to its name. King Khan has been under the scanner for taking up the small screen assignment that has turned out to be a damp squib just like its contestants who get dunked in pools of water.

B-Town buzz is that Shah Rukh Khan was paid Rs 200 million for the show. Insiders state that he agreed to do the show as it involved a huge sum for a few days of work.

King Khan didn't even travel to Argentina with the contestants where the show was shot because of threat to his life.

Madhuri says no to star in Rajnikant's 'Rana' Bollywood diva Madhuri Dixit has rejected the offer to star in a Tamil film along with Southern superstar Rajnikant because it was not the "right role" for her.

The 43-year-old actress was offered a role in Rajnikant's upcoming film 'Rana'.

"Would have loved to do a film with Rajnikanth but the role was that of his sister... need to wait for the right role," Madhuri posted on micro-blogging site Twitter.

'Rana', a Tamil historical action film to be directed by K S Ravikumar stars Rajinikant, Deepika Padukone and Sonu Sood. The film will be jointly produced by Ocher Picture Productions and Eros International.

Madhuri has worked with the 61-year-old veteran in 'Uttar Dakshin' in 1987.

Asian Voice - Saturday 5th March 2011

17

Akshay is the new face of IIFA in Canada Akshay Kumar, the tourism ambassador of Canada, will promote International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) event, touted as the "Oscars of Bollywood", which will be held in Toronto this year.

Amitabh Bachchan was the face of IIFA for the last 11 year, but because of some rift with the organisers, he is no longer promoting the event. The organizers were searching for a new face and it seems that Akki is set to carry forward the baton.

"Akshay will promote IIFA this year in Toronto as he has a huge fan following there. As far as being the IIFA brand ambassador is concerned, nothing has been finalised yet," said a source close to the actor.

Bachchan and IIFA had a fall-out when the 68-year-old actor failed to participate in the IIFA Weekend in Sri Lanka last year.

Kumar, 43, who was

Yeh Faasley

in Delhi to promote Canada Tourism said that he was delighted to be the face of the North American country in India.

"Canada is a beautiful country and I often recommend it as a shooting destination to directors.

Bollywood has a huge fan following there and it is a charming place," said Akshay.

Enquired about the role of Canada in the

award ceremony, Derek Galcin, managing director, Canada Tourism said, "We are working very closely with IIFA to make it a success and we also have Akshay who is a huge star in both countries helping us promote the event."

IIFA organisers are also reportedly in talks with 'Dabbang' star Salman Khan to become the event's new ambassador.

Nandita Das opts out of ‘Midnight’s Children’ After her marriage and the birth of her first child, Nandita Das finds it difficult to cope up with her duties as an actress and as a mother.

So, in order to be with little son, she has opted out of her old friend Deepa Mehta’s film ‘Midnight’s Children.”

"I am not doing the film! With little Vihaan, who is six months old now, I don’t think I would be able to do justice to both the roles and would have felt quite torn," said Nandita who is married to Mumbaibased businessman Subodh Maskara.

"Pity, but as Deepa says, there is Komagata Maru, where I am play-

ing the female lead and as I say, there is a time

for everything," added the 41-year-old who is known for powerful performances in movies like “Bawandar” and “Maati Maay.” “ M i d n i g h t ` s Children” is screen adap-

tation of Salman Rushdie`s multi awardwinning international bestselling novel of the same name.

The multiple awardwinning actress is the latest in a long line of actors who have existed from Canada-based Indian filmmaker Mehta`s new epic. Amitabh Bachchan, Abhishek Bachchan, Om Puri, Kangana Ranaut have all at one point or another been part of the film.

Nandita, who has earlier worked with Mehta in the controversial “Fire” and “Earth,” was also supposed to do the third part of Mehta`s elemental trilogy “Water.”

Devinder Devilal Dua is one of the biggest builders in the town and wants his daughter Arunima, who has returned home after completing her studies, to live as freely as possible. Though he can sometimes be boastful, he is still a nice man as he helps people as is the case with her best friends (Nisha's) marriage. Life was all well for Arunima but she missed her mother who died some time ago.

But one day to her surprise, Arunima finds a "will" written by her mother. Why would a woman who died in a car accident and that too at an early age of 28, leave a will for Arunima. The presence and the essence of the will raises a few questions in Arunima's mind. Upon inquiry with the father, it seems that the father is not very comfortable.

Arunima further chances upon a few things from the past and it is a revelation for her that her mother’s personality was very different to what her father narrates. She further meets an old friend of her mother,

New Hindi movies releasing this week 1. Yeh Faasley

Prateik Babbar becomes a top actor

Sridevi all set to make a comeback

Prateik Babbar, the son of late Bollywood actress Smita Patil, is steadily becoming one of Bollywood's top talents. He has bagged a number of films during his short career.

A look at Prateik's films gives an idea into his growing clout. After his debut in “Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na,” Prateik received immense praise for his act in the recently released film “Dhobi Ghaat.” Now, his upcoming movies include Sanajy Leela Bhansali's “My Friend Pinto,” Prakash Jha's “Aakarshan” and Gautham Menon's “Prem Katha.”

Recently, while shooting for Prakash Jha's film, Big B and Prateik had a learning encounter with the former sharing some tips with the young actor.

According to reliable sources, "Big B and Prateik were seen sharing some great chemistry on the sets of “Aakarshan”recently. The two not only spoke about films, but Big B got nostalgic and recalled how Prateik's mom (Smita Patel) used to be one of the finest actors of her era. Big B was also seen sharing a few tips with the young actor who was quite kicked about bonding with Big B."

Sridevi, the mother of two, is all set to make a comeback to Bollywood. Contrary to the expectations, she is not making her comeback with Boney Kapoor's film, instead she will star in R Balki's next. The film will be produced R Balki (of Paa fame) and will be directed by Balki’s wife Gauri Shinde.

Sridevi plays a woman who does not understand English but gets married to a very upwardly mobile man. The story revolves around the repercussions of this marriage and how she over comes the problems.

"Balki and Gauri have worked very hard on this subject for the past few months and are now ready to roll. She (Sridevi) loved Balki and Gauri's film offer. She requested all her friends and relatives to keep it under wraps," a source said.

"Sridevi is very excited about her comeback. She has hit the gym and is regularly going to a nutritionist to get into shape," added the source. Reportedly, three years ago Boney Kapoor didn't let her work in a Yash Chopra's film opposite Amitabh Bachchan, arguing that he wanted her to make a grand return in his home-production. But it seems that plan didn't work out.

Diggy and a few people from the past who tell stories that her mother was not a happy as long as she lasted.

Arunima is at a loss, as everything that she is learning about the past is in complete contradiction to what she knew and the man she loves the most, her father, has so many shades that she is not even aware of.

Arunima is torn between love for her father and the truth.. But she is even more guilty as.

So Arunima sets out on a journey to find the truth about her mother’s and father’s past and more so how her mother died.

The movie is produced under the banner of Bhawani Pictures.

Omprakash Mittal is the producer of the film. Yogesh Mittal is the director.

The lead cast consists of Anupam Kher, Pawan Malhotra, Tena Desae, Kiran Kumar, Suhasini Mulay etc.

Manoj Muntashir is the lyricist, while the music is by Deepik Pandit.

Playback has been rendered by Rakesh Pandit, Shreya Ghoshal, Deepak Pandit and Sowmya Roah.

Top 5 Bollywood movies for the week No. Film Last Week Total Weeks 1 7 Khoon Maaf 1 2 2 Patiala House 2 3 3 Yeh Saali Zindagi 3 4 4 Dil Toh Baccha Hai Ji 3 4 5 Yamla Pagla Deevana 4 5

Kareena is Bollywood's sexiest woman Bollywood actress Kareena Kapoor has been named the sexiest woman by Stardust magazine.

Kareena beats actresses like Katrina Kaif, Deepika Padukone and Priyanka Chopra to win the title. The decision has been made on the basis of an extensive research and readers responses.

The latest issue of Stardust magazine features the list of top 10 sexiest women. Last year, it was Katrina who topped the list of sexiest women in Bollywood.

18

Asian Voice - Saturday 5th March 2011

Alpesh Patel Consultant Editor Financial Voice Dear Financial Voice Reader, I hate being repetitive. I hate being repetitive.

Sorry. Couldn’t help myself. I see no reason for oil not to reach $150 this year. Turmoil in the Middle East, prospects of war, and demand in India and China.

If you saw the Indian budget you saw that inflation is a problem. Figures in the UK also show inflation has been double that it was projected. Inflation is coming.

No wonder with the amount of money injected into the system to keep us all drugged up and merry and happy in the middle of the credit crunch. A lot of anything causes it’s value to fall. The value of money falls through inflation rising. Gold prices rise when inflation is coming. Buy gold. Gold will continue rallying.

Let me quote you from Warren Buffet’s recent annual letter to shareholders. ‘Money will always flow toward opportunity, and there is an abundance of that in America. Commentators today often talk of “great uncertainty.” But think back, for example, to December 6, 1941, October 18, 1987 and September 10, 2001.

No matter how serene today may be, tomorrow is always uncertain.’

This is the year the American markets will outperform the emerging ones. You know why? I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, so to repeat – do not bet against America. I’ve worked and studied there. I have studied their history and met their people. Do not bet against America.

Or as the world’s richest man puts it, ‘Throughout my lifetime, politicians and pundits have constantly moaned about terrifying problems facing America. Yet our citizens now live an astonishing six times better than when I was born. The prophets of doom have overlooked the all-important factor that is certain: Human potential is far from exhausted, and the American system for unleashing that potential – a system that has worked wonders for over two centuries despite frequent interruptions for recessions and even a Civil War – remains alive and effective.

We are not natively smarter than we were when our country was founded nor do we work harder. But look around you and see a world beyond the dreams of any colonial citizen. Now, as in 1776, 1861, 1932 and 1941, America’s best days lie ahead.’

Incidentally you know what makes him the world’s richest man, and also the world’s largest philanthropist at the same time. He knows what motivates people in business. Do you know what it is? Bet you don’t. In a new book called ‘Drive’ by an academic researcher, studies show that what motivates is not money. Sure, in the short term for monotonous tasks it does. But for quality creative work money is not the driver.

Experiments were done on humans, children and apes. Each given tasks they enjoyed without reward.

As soon as reward was offered, their performance dropped.

Find people who in the words of the richest man, ‘Many of our CEOs are independently wealthy and work only because they love what they do. They are volunteers, not mercenaries. Because no one can offer them a job they would enjoy more, they can’t be lured away.’

And that is why the world’s richest man, an American, is gonna stay that way. You can’t get at his people!

My blog is at www.alpeshblog.com and www.alpesh.tv you can see my latest TV commentary.

Investors pay hefty commissions and yet they don’t know They are being cheated and yet they don’t know.

Yes, we are talking about the investors who are being ripped off by nefarious financial advisers who charge exorbitant commissions and fees of up to 37.5pc.

According to a Daily Telegraph report , banks are among the worst offenders and that consumers are in dark over the fact that a hefty chunk of their savings is being eaten up in charges.

The Financial Blissful Ignorance Monitor, a new monthly index of savers' awareness, shows that one in two bank customers is unaware of what charges and commissions are being levied on their investment. Some of them think there are no charges whatsoever. One in five consumers who go to an independent financial adviser (IFA) are also ignorant about how much they pay.

The report cites the key features documents for some Scottish Widows products, which are sold

by Lloyds Banking Group.

They show that commission for a personal pension can amount to up to 37.5pc of the first 12 months' payments on a 25-year plan, while a lump sum in an investment bond will attract commission of 7pc.

Alan Steel of Alan Steel Asset Management, who commissioned the independent research car-

ried out by the British Population Survey, pointed out that the findings supported the claim that banks, in particular, were failing their customers in their regulatory duties.

Regulations from the Financial Services Authority (FSA) state that every authorised financial adviser must present prospective clients with a "key facts" document. This is "obviously" not happening, Mr Steel said.

He added: "Not only do these bank customers obviously not understand the charges and commissions they are paying but, even worse, they seem to be 'happy' in this state of blissful ignorance – 69pc of them confirmed they were 'satisfied' or 'very satisfied' with the value for money that they were receiving in respect of that advice.

"If they really knew they were paying 7pc of their hard-earned savings simply to be placed in an investment fund managed in another part of the same banking group, would they really think they were getting value for money?"

Mr Steel, an IFA, said it wasn't just banks that were at fault. "Around 19pc of IFA clients are also unaware of their charges," he added.

Critics have been arguing that commission paid by product providers to advisers can influence what they recommend to

investors – "commission bias" has been on the FSA's radar for many years. The FSA has moved to ban product providers from offering hefty commissions to advisers to generate sales, but the new rules are expected to come in force only in 2012.

David Black, an analyst at Defaqto, the research company, says "Advisers who sell investment bonds can receive up to 6pc-7pc or even 8pc initial commission. These high initial commissions are seen as the primary reason why unscrupulous advisers might recommend investment bonds when an alternative investment product may be just as good or even better.

"A good adviser will rebate some of their initial commission – particularly on large lump sums – to boost your investment.

Make sure you ask for this and get the rebated commission applied to your fund value."

James Daley, the editor of Which? Money, said it was crucial that savers checked how much they were on the hook for before investing their money.

"Commission and charges can wipe thousands of pounds off your investment over the long run.

It is not just investment bonds that come with excessive fees. Many of the unit trusts and funds sold by banks and

Gujarat to form aviation fuel trading co The Gujarat government would set up a new company called the Aviation Fuel Trading Company (AFTC) to supply fuel to aircraft at Gujarat’s major airports at cheaper rates without reducing value added tax. AFTC is part of the Gujarat government’s strategic move to woo airlines to operate

more flights from the state.

Gujarat State Aviation Company (GUJSAC), a public sector enterprise formed for building aviation infrastructure in the state, will tie up with Gujarat State Petroleum Corporation Ltd (GSPC) to procure, storage and import of

fuel, says a source in the state government.

The new company AFTC would not only procure fuel from Reliance, Essar and IOC refineries in Gujarat but also look for cheaper imports of aviation turbine fuel (ATF). Besides, the company would do hedging and keep track

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building societies can be picked up for a fraction of the cost via financial advisers who rebate the commission. Barclays, for instance, offers funds from a range of managers such as Fidelity and JP Morgan. However, you can pay a hefty 4pc upfront fee, while many of the funds the bank offers can be bought for no charge or from as little as 1pc elsewhere.

Any investor therefore must ask to his adviser following points: 1 Can you recommend products from the whole of the market or just a limited number of product providers?

2 How often will you review my investments?

3 What are the charges relating to your advice and ongoing service?

4 What do you do to justify your initial charges?

5 What do you do to justify your ongoing charges?

6 How often will you send me information about my investments?

7 What are your qualifications?

8 Are your recommended investments the most taxefficient possible?

9 How do you ensure that any recommended fund is suitable for my needs?

10 What is the track record of the recommended product?

Asian Voice is interviewing some financial advisers on the above story. We will publish it in the following weeks.

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on international prices of fuel. In Gujarat VAT on ATF is as high as 28%, compared to Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh where it is 4%. In Rajasthan it is 0%.

When contacted Ajay Chauhan, director GUJSAC confirming the development said, “We have calculated that the local companies are incurring around 23% overheads. If AFTC starts fuel trading the cost can be reduced 13 to 14%.

Besides, the company can save on transportation cost as all major refineries are situated in Gujarat.”

At Ahmedbad airport around 57 flights are coming in a day. Mostly aviation companies are looking for cheaper fuel, if Gujarat can provide competitive rates of the fuel, easily Ahmedabad would get advantage of better air connectivity through more flights. In fact, through AFTC, Gujarat is envisaging nearly 300 flights in a day, says an official at Ahmedabad airport.

FINANCIAL VOICE

Asian Voice - Saturday 5th March 2011

19

Going Solo...

Suresh Vagjiani Managing Director Sow & Reap A Property Investment & Financing company.

This week I was approached by a landlord local to the area. He had made his fortune by purchasing property locally. He would buy a one bedroom, put a plaster board up and then rent it as a two bedroom, and he would replicate this with studios, three bedrooms etc.

It’s a good formula whilst the council is renting from you and there’s a strong over supply of DSS tenants and little supply of properties.

His model was simply to purchase say a one bedroom at £240,000 then spend a few hundred pounds putting a plaster board in, turning it into a two bedroom. And then have it rented to the council for £500£550 per week and then refinance at £290-£300,000. Giving an instant equity of £50,000 and an average rent role of £27,000. This gives a 12% yield on a one bedroom property.

He heard through the grapevine that we were purchasing aggressively and came to see me to offload. I have seen the properties previously and knew of them. The figures are correct, and I am sure they will value up. Because we know the blocks it was apparent the sq footage did not match up to the bedroom size.

We do not want to be on the receiving end on one of these types of deals. Rather we would like to do these types of deals with our clients.

On another subject, a client of ours initially started the search with us for a property and we introduced him to a few, but then he decided to go solo and do this himself, eventually coming back for us for rental.

He liked the formula we have been promoting of instant cash flow underpinned by strong location.

It is said a litt le k nowledg e is a d an gerous th in g, it ce rtainly proved to be in this case.

What he ended up purchasing was a one bedroom property beautifully done up on an ex-council estate with the works: granite work tops, plasma etc. It had formally been a two bedroom and was being sold by an end user hence it was priced as a two bedroom at £290,000.

Great..........if you’re an end user, meaning you want to live in there. Not so good if you wanted a cash flow producing investment. As pretty as it is, it simply does not make sense to purchase as an investment. You are purchasing one bedroom for a two bedroom price. No one was going to pay £450pw rent for a one bedroom in this location. He would get the going rent of £350pw to £370pw. To redo this property will cost more than a dilapidated property because it involves ripping the whole flat out.

It did not make sense to redo this property as a two bedroom, as there has been too much money put in to make it into a pretty 1 bedroom.

The effect of this purchase is not felt in only renting the property but also in its resell. The market for resale will be restricted to an end user and investors will be put off.

The biggest beneficiary of this deal is the council tenant who has

Premier Location

occupied the property. I bet they did not dream they could live on benefit and live in a flat like this.

It does not make sense to be penny wise and pound foolish. The same can be said when choosing a solicitor. Most people go for the cheapest. They forget they are paying for a service and you get what you pay for. It is better to spend a few hundred more and get a professional dealing with your case, you will only realise this when something goes wrong and needs tweaking. A factory production type law firm will get stuck or give you the wrong advice. Indians generally are happy to pay for goods but generally don’t see the value in paying for professionalism and advice.

UK Launch of a new scheme in Sanand (Gujarat) Our new project is a great opportunity to invest in land in India. Sow & Reap have got involved in this project at a very early stage and negotiated a special price for its clients, which means that you can expect to double the value of your investment over the next 12 months.

Sow & Reap are proud to announce the launch of a fantastic plotting scheme in Sanand in Gujarat.

Unique two bedroom property in Baywater, close to Notting Hill Superb location and well maintained block Lots of greenery and play area in development Rental of £550 pw achievable in its current state: a 9% yield Off Market Deal No work required - we have tenants ready and waiting to rent this property Long 115 year lease Low service charges Deposit of 25% required to purchase this property We handle everything: purchase, finance and the rental etc Close to Whitley’s Shopping Centre and Bayswater station Purchase Price - £315,000

Location Just outside Ahmedabad, this project is on the Sanand-Nalsarovar Road, which has been declared as a Tourist Road (Pravasi Path) and Heritage Road by the Government of Gujarat The Project l Area : Approx 13,00,000 Square Yards l Residential plotting, with plots of 400, 600, 1000 & 1500 Sq yds l Ready to stay Cottages in 1000 and 1500 Sq.yd Plots Project attractions l Exotic Plantations and lush greenery. l A full-fledged club with all modern amenities. l Beautiful pre-made cottage zone.

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l Spa and beauty enhancement therapy center. l Conference Room, Banquet Hall and party lawn. l Only approx.40 minute drive from the ISKCON Circle, S.G. Road l Only 24 kms from Sanand. l In the prospering area of the TATA Nano Site. l 17 kms before Nalsarovar, The Bird Sanctuary Special launch offer First 5 people booking a plot get a £500 jewellery voucher (quote ref SRD/LA110226).

Tips of the Week l The less deposit the better for income yielding properties, borrow the deposit as you can offset the interest l Mortgages are still one of the cheapest forms of borrowing money, better to purchase more property than put a larger deposit down

20

finanCial voiCe

Asian Voice - Saturday 5th March 2011

Leadership Matters

By Amit Patel

Courage, Belief, Spirit and Resolve

Children have rights: The Supreme court lays down the law A recent case decided in the Supreme Court has emphasised the importance of taking account of a child’s interests and at the same time has reiterated the fundamental nature of British citizenship on the rights of the individual. A few weeks ago I reported on a case which was decided regarding the raising of the age of a spouse from 18 to 21. The Court of Appeal declared this provision to be unlawful. It noted that the distinguishing feature of the case was the fact that one of the parties of the marriage was a British Citizen.

Going back to the case involving the rights of the child the Supreme Court Lady Justice Hale asked the following question: In what circumstances is it permissible to remove or deport a non-citizen parent where the effect will be that a child who is a citizen of the United Kingdom will also have to leave?

She noted that if a non-citizen parent is compulsorily removed and agrees to take her children with her, the effect is that the children have little or no choice in the matter and that there is no machinery for consulting them or giving independent consideration to their views.

Of particular importance is whether a spouse or a child can reasonably be expected to follow the removed parent to the country of removal.

The Judges relied on a string of cases (both decided in the UK and European Court).There was a particular case which emphasised the importance of the best interests of a child caught up in a dilemma which is of her parents' and not of her own making.

International law contained in Article 3(1) of the Convention on the Rights of the Child 1989 (UNCRC) has been translated into our

Amit Patel has over 15 years experience in the field of Leadership and Human Resource Management be overwhelmed in the face of such powerful competitors, they kept faith in their abilities, they believed in their people and they took up the challenge. The results today the iPhone and the Wii the leaders of their respective markets.

Sometimes you just have to defy the odds, take on the challenge and fight the battle. The art of leadership is not just about results or balance sheets; it is about inspiring others to try harder, to be better and most importantly to believe in themselves. Leonides lost the battle (albeit because his army were betrayed by a traitor), but he motivated his country to defend itself and eventually, defeat Xerxes.

Leonides lost the battle, but Greece won the war.

Barclays tells small businesses to go for unsecured loans the ownership of the asset would be with the bank till the loan was on, the bank would not rely on the asset. Instead, they would be happy to lend without the security. That way, all the paperwork could be saved.

Mr Cooper said Barclays’ lease and hire purchase products were substandard, had not

Small businesses, having annual sales of less than £5 m a year should better go for an unsecured loan, feels Barclays head of business, Steve Cooper. He said the bank has stopped approvals of any new asset-backed lending to a majority of the bank’s small business customers.

He was of the view that in such cases, even though

caught on and would require significant investment to make them compliant with new regulations.

He said he had decided the capital could be better deployed for alternative small business lending.

“We were required to invest and to make changes for the consumer credit directive. Our systems were not compliant with it.

We were not top-tier in the space. In terms of market share and in terms of offer, I thought, 'I need to spend some money on regulation and money on improving it and we were not seeing the best commercial returns’.”

The change in policy was effected in November and December. Existing customers were not told about the change until their facilities expired and they tried to renew. “It could have been communicated better,” said Mr Cooper.

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ment, motivation, collaboration and communication. But what about courage, belief, spirit and resolve? Are these not essential qualities for any leader?

Today’s leadership theory would prescribe that Leonides should look for a ‘win-win’ solution. In fact Xerxes offered him just such a solution; by accepting Xerxes as the supreme ruler of Greece, Leonides would be allowed to rule as a prefect (and save his life in the process). Not a bad deal considering that the only alternative was total annihilation. Still Leonides declined and in doing so he demonstrated true leadership.

Let me put this into a more modern context.

When Microsoft was dominating the PC market and Apple was on the verge of oblivion, did Steve Jobs decide to sell his Apple stock and buy a mansion in the Bahamas?

Or when Sony and Microsoft were dominating the Gaming world with the PS3 and the Xbox, did Nintendo decide to diversify and make microwave ovens instead? No – rather than

In 480BC one of the greatest battles in ancient European history was fought at Thermopylae.

The powerful Persian King, Xerses led an army of over 100,000 on a conquest of Greece. In his way stood 3000 Greek warriors led by the Spartan King Leonides. In the face of such overwhelming force, one would expect the Greeks to have no will to fight.

Sensing this, Xerxes sent an ambassador to offer terms of surrender. When the Greeks refused to surrender the ambassador became more forceful and instructed the Greeks to surrender their arms.

Leonides’ response contained no element of fear or indecision, he simply said, ‘Come and get them’.

These were stirring words and they give an insight into the bravery of Leonides. But they seem more apt on the field of battle than in a boardroom. Would such bravado be appropriate today?

Modern leadership practice often focuses on implementing the best strategy to achieve goals and targets. Leadership courses teach key concepts such as engage-

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adapt to life in another country. That may well be so, particularly if she moves with both her parents to a country which they know well and where they can easily reintegrate in their own community. But it is very different in the case of children who have lived here all their lives and are being expected to move to a country which they do not know and will be separated from a parent whom they also know well”.

national law. It provides as follows: "In all actions concerning children, whether undertaken by public or private social welfare institutions, courts of law, administrative authorities or legislative bodies, the best interests of the child shall be a primary consideration."

In immigration cases, in response to this section 55 of the Borders, Citizenship and Immigration Act 2009 now provides that, in relation among other things to immigration, asylum or nationality, the Secretary of State must make arrangements for ensuring that those functions "are discharged having regard to the need to safeguard and promote the welfare of children who are in the United Kingdom". This Act is stated in all of the UKBA’s instructions to its staff . However so far it has been a vague statement that has not had an impact on children’s rights. This latest case is set to change that.

The Supreme Court has pointed out that it does not mean in that identifying their best interests would lead in all cases to a decision in favour of the child. The important thing is to consider those best interests first.

In this case the importance of the children being a British Citizen was emphasised.

Justice Hale said as follows: “They are British children; they are British, not just through the "accident" of being born here, but by descent from a British parent; they have an unqualified right of abode here; they have lived here all their lives; they are being educated here; they have other social links with the community here; they have a good relationship with their father here. It is not enough to say that a young child may readily

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The judgement goes on to state: “Nor should the intrinsic importance of citizenship be played down. As citizens these children have rights which they will not be able to exercise if they move to another country.

They will lose the advantages of growing up and being educated in their own country, their own culture and their own language. They will have lost all this when they come back as adults.”

The Court have also stressed the desirability of obtaining the views of the child themselves when this is possible and advised representatives to ensure that these views are adequately represented.

This case is the first bold step towards the recognition of the rights of children. It also establishes the importance of the child’s need to express their own view of their preferred place of residence. Finally it restates the fundamental importance of having the status of a British citizen.

Maria Fernandes has been in practice exclusively in immigration for the past 25 years and is accredited in Immigration Law by the Solicitors Regulation Authority. Fernandes Vaz is based at 87 Wembley Hill Road Wembley in Wembley and can be contacted by telephone on 020 8733 0123.

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FINANCIAL VOICE

Asian Voice - Saturday 5th March 2011

21

Foreign Exchange Rajesh Agrawal is the Chairman & CEO of RationalFX, Currency Specialists.

For any further information call 020 7220 8181 or e-mail info@rationalfx.com

Surging Oil Prices To Make another US Recession Possible There are no cast iron certainties in world economics; it is not a pure science, although ever since the early 1970’s when oil prices have risen by 80% or more the United States slips into recession.

The fact that the US Dollar is the reserve currency and the massive influence America has on the world economy it is worthy of note that the past five global recessions have all come after a sharp rise in the price of crude.

Last Thursday Brent Crude touched $120.00 a barrel up 17% in a week after settling at $112 a barrel. Only eight months ago oil was trading closer to $65 a barrel, if the price climbs back to $120.00 and above, as expected, and is able to maintain it’s price it would be the crucial 80% above where it traded in June 2010. This spike in prices, the sixth since the early 1970’s suggest that this would be followed by a recession in the U.S. This possibility is beginning to put Wall Street under pressure, the S&P 500 share index, which had been enjoying a

steady three weeks of sustained gains, fell by 2% last Tuesday alone which saw the sharpest weekly reversal for three months.

The fact that this downturn happened while surveys were saying that American consumer confidence was at it’s highest since early 2008 and suggested growth predictions issued by the Federal Reserve Bank saying the U.S. economy may expand as much as another 3.9% for 2011.

Asian stock Markets have also seen downturns in the last few days on fears that the spike in oil prices will de-rail the global economy. Japanese stocks fell

more than 3% across the board, with Toyota the biggest car manufacturer in the world losing almost 4% of it’s market value.

The oil price is of course being driven by the events in North Africa and the Middle East. These events coupled with the fears of investors and the general public alike that inevitable higher oil prices will plunge us all back into global recession.

The ousting of the President of Tunisia was at the vanguard of the recent sequence of extraordinary events, followed by the resignation of Egypt’s Mr. Mubarak. More recently the revolutionary scenes in Libya have driven oil prices even higher.

Libya accounts for almost 2% of the world’s oil production.

Gadaffi has promised to fight ‘until his last drop of blood’ the

longer this revolution goes on the more chaos will be expected with regard to the price of oil.

Even before this latest round of civil unrest had started the price of oil was steadily increasing, fuelled by ever-greater demand by the emerging manufacturing giants of China and India. Now lower supplies motivate the fears of higher oil prices.

China and India are home to a third of the world’s population and these Asian giants are growing at rates close to 10%. These countries are heavily investing in infrastructure development as they grow at such phenomenal rates, a process which is highly energy intensive. More and more citizens of these newly wealthy countries will require cars, refrigerators and air conditioning systems for the first time again adding to demand for oil that might start to outstrip supply.

Some predictions have said that oil prices may reach $220.00 per barrel that said the question we must ask is, what price the dollar?

Weekly Currencies As of Tuesday 1st March 2011 @ 1pm GBP - INR = 72.81 USD - INR = 44.73 EUR - INR = 61.90 GBP - USD = 1.62 GBP - EUR = 1.17 EUR - USD = 1.38 GBP - AED = 5.9804 GBP - CAD = 1.57 GBP - NZD = 2.1651 GBP - AUD = 1.59 GBP - ZAR = 11.313 GBP - HUF = 319.50

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

22

Pakistan-Bangladesh-sri Lanka

In focus 30 suspected US spies flee Pakistan Islamabad: At least 30 suspected covert US operatives have suspended their activities in Pakistan and 12 have left the country following the arrest of CIA contractor Raymond Davis late last month, a media report said on Monday. In the wake of Davis' arrest in Lahore on January 27 for gunning down two men, Pakistan's intelligence agencies began scrutinising records of Americans living in the country and discovered "several discrepancies" . This caused "many suspected US operatives to maintain a low profile and others to leave the country" , the Express Tribune newspaper quoted its sources as saying. The foreign ministry says there are 851 Americans with diplomatic immunity in Pakistan, of whom 297 are not working in a diplomatic capacity . Interior ministry sources said that the number of US non-diplomats is 414. The majority of these "special Americans" , as the interior ministry refers to them, are concentrated in Islamabad, while others live in Karachi, Lahore and Peshawar. Interior ministry records state most of the "special Americans" live in upscale neighbourhoods in Islamabad and Lahore, with smaller presences in Karachi and Peshawar , the report said. Most of these Americans are "suspected of being operatives of US intelligence agencies who are on covert missions in Pakistan" and report to the US Joint Special Operations Command, according to the sources.

Nawaz holds govt responsible for Pakistan’s crisis Islamabad: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), Nawaz Sharif last week blamed the government for the crisis faced by the country and reiterated that his party had experts to take the country out of troubles. Nawaz said while talking to his party workers in Model Town, Lahore that the president Zardari played his part to help convict him unfit through Justice Dogar’s court and then attacked Punjab with the Governor’s rule. ‘We waited patiently for three years even after getting wounded by Zardari,’ said Nawaz. Nawaz said that it was in people’s interest to bring ‘traitors of democracy’ to their ‘justified end.’

NoC for Pak actors, singers must for visiting India Islamabad: Pakistani actors and other artistes will have to get an NoC from their interior ministry before coming to India. The decision was taken in a high level meeting held with the interior minister Rehman Malik in Islamabad on Thursday. The meeting was attended by representatives of all ministries where it was decided that no artiste would be allowed to travel to India without an NoC after March 15. It maybe recalled here that Pakistani singer Rahat Fateh Ali Khan and his manager Maroof were charged under FEMA and customs act for carrying undeclared foreign currency of Rs 6,000,000.

China, Pak to enhance military ties Beijing: China and Pakistan have announced a packed military exchanges' schedule in 2011. This would include two joint military exercises, Chinese media quoted visiting Pakistan Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee chairman Gen Khalid Shameem Wynne as saying last week. The two countries would participate in a multinational naval drill in March besides two bilateral army and air force exercises. Chinese People's Liberation Army chief Gen Chen Bingde told the Pakistani general that China is willing to work with his country to develop the mechanism of defence and security talks, deepen strategic cooperation and contribute to the peace, stability and common development in the region and the world, the official Xinhua news agency reported. Gen Wynne said ties between the two countries are based on the principle that the China has a role in maintaining regional peace and stability. ``That's why we can move forward on joint efforts on the development of sophisticated weapon systems, including aircraft and tanks, and in the area of anti-terrorism,'' he said.

Two Lanka air force jets crash after mid-air collision Colombo: Two fighter jets crashed on the outskirts of Sri Lanka's capital on Tuesday after a mid-air collision during rehearsal for an air force celebration, a military spokesman said. One of the pilots was ejected safely, but there was no confirmation about the other pilot, the spokesman said. The crash occurred in the Yakkala area, 30 km east of the capital, during rehearsal for the 60th anniversary of the air force. The event on Wednesday was to include aerobatics and skydiving.

There were no immediate reports of any damage caused to any buildings or injuries to any people on the ground. The jets were used for attacks on Tamil rebel targets in the military operations that ended the civil war in May 2009.

Asian Voice - Saturday 5th March 2011

Davis refuses to sign chargesheet claiming diplomatic immunity Islamabad: CIA official Raymond Davis, charged with double murder after he shot dead two men on a busy Lahore street in December last, refused to sign a chargesheet last week, insisting that he had diplomatic immunity.

According to the chargesheet, Davis fired from inside his car at the two men, Fahim and Faizan, and then continued shooting from a Glock handgun with the bullets hitting Faizan in his back as he ran for cover.

The chargesheet mentions that Davis later took pictures of the two men from his mobile phone and called someone in the American embassy through a wireless set to retrieve him.

The hearing took place amid tight security in Lahore’s Kot Lakhpat jail where US consulate officials were also present.

Public prosecutor Abdul Samad told reporters that Davis refused to sign the chargesheet saying he be released as he enjoys diplomatic immunity. Guarded by hundreds of policemen,

US says no for swapping Davis

Washington has turned down Pakistan's proposal to swap US official Raymond Davis, who shot dead two men in Lahore, with Aafia Siddiqui, a Pakistani scientist who is serving a prison term in US for killing marines in Afghanistan, it was reported here.

Diplomatic Sources told the Dawn in Washington that Islamabad had taken up the proposal at "the highest level" in the Obama administration but was informed that this was "a non-starter". Washington told Islamabad that they would not trade Siddiqui with Davis as "these were two different cases".

Davis was produced handcuffed in the prison court.

The lawyer for the family of the deceased, Asad Manzoor Butt, too appeared in the court and rejected the American’s immunity claim. “We, too, have received copies of the charge-sheet. We’ll pursue this case as we want Davis to be punished. We believe he does not enjoy immunity,’’ Samad said.

The Davis issue continues to embarrass the Pakistan government.

While American authorities insist that Davis has diplomatic immunity, a section of vocal Pakistanis led by former foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi - he lost his job over the issue - says

he was told by his advisors that Davis was not covered by any blanket immunity.

The government has so far not declared Davis’s status. The court trying Davis has set a deadline of March 14 for the government to take a call on his immunity.

Given public hostility, media’s proactive role and uproar within the religious right, it’s hard to see how the government will resolve the issue.

“Davis’s case is not as simple as it is sometimes portrayed. It’s a complex case involving issues of national and international law as well as grave sensitivities that can’t be wished away,’’ said presidential spokesman

Raymond Davis

Farhatullah Babar.

Another American held A second American national was arrested on Friday, in Peshawar, on charges of being a spy, a development that is bound to hit United StatesPakistan relations already strained by the Raymond Davis affair. Without specifying his status, the American embassy said they are looking into the case. Aaron Mark Dehaven, known in Peshawar as Ahmed Haroon, is from West Virginia (US) and the law enforcement agencies say he is living illegally in Peshawar since his visa expired on October 23, 2010.

Pak all set to overtake Britain as world's fifth largest N-power London: Pakistan is all set to overtake Britain as the world's fifth largest nuclear power as it has increased its nuclear weapons stockpile by nearly 40 per cent in last two years, having more than 100 deployed weapons.

American intelligence agencies believe that Pakistan now has more than 100 deployed nuclear weapons, an increase of

nearly 40 per cent in two years. This makes Pakistan the fifth largest nuclear arsenal power behind the United States, Russia, France and China.

Four years ago, the Pakistani arsenal was estimated at 30 to 60 weapons. Based on the analysis done by the US recently, accelerated production of plutonium and highly enriched uranium, Islamabad may now have

an arsenal of up to 110 weapons, reports said.

Many of these have been miniaturised to be mounted on ballistic missiles with ranges of more than 1,245 miles bringing many Indian cities within reach. The weapons have been kept at depots all over Pakistan - some are said to be near the main air bases.

The revelation of the growing size of its nuclear

weapons will throw the spotlight on the massive aid packages given to Islamabad by the West, especially the US. The Pakistan military has said that it needs more nuclear weapons to counter and deter India's more conventional military might. The two countries conducted nuclear tests in 1998, and have fought three wars since partition and independence in 1947.

India, Lanka to discuss fishermen’s issue

New Delhi: The India-Sri Lanka joint working group on fisheries will meet next month to resolve issues relating to the Sri Lankan Navy's attacks on Indian fishermen, India’s External Affairs Minister S M Krishna said last week.

Incidents in the last two months had caused 'much consternation and concern' in India and the 'welfare, safety and security' of Indian fishermen would always the receive the highest priority,

Krishna said.

'Both our countries have agreed that the joint working group on fisheries will meet in March this year. We would also encourage the fishing associations of both countries to continue with their informal contacts since such contacts have proved to be mutually beneficial,' Krishna said.

He said two Indian fishermen were killed in the sea between India and Sri Lanka in January and another 136 fishermen

from Tamil Nadu were surrounded by Sri Lankan fishermen, who caught them and handed them over to the island nation's police earlier this month.

'The first fisherman was killed after being allegedly fired at by the Sri Lankan Navy and the second died after being allegedly strangled on the seas.

'In two recent but separate incidents this month, a total of 136 fishermen were surrounded

by Sri Lankan fishermen

at sea, apprehended and handed over to Sri Lankan police. Our fishermen had strayed into Sri Lankan waters close to Jaffna and Point Pedro. Some of our fishermen were injured in the skirmish at sea,' he said.

Krishna said India had already taken up these issues with Sri Lanka and had expressed its deep concern as also emphasised that resorting to firing or use of force in such situations had no justification.

Norway tightens financial control over SL projects Colombo: Norway is making an effort to tighten financial controls on Sri Lankan projects implemented through the government and NGOs. A senior embassy spokesman says action to thwart mismanagement of funds and ensure better control of its development funds is high on their agenda .

According to the Norwegian Agency for D e v e l o p m e n t Cooperation (NORAD),

the total Norwegian development cooperation with Sri Lanka amounted to approximately NOK 2.5 billion during the period 1997-2009. Of this amount, about NOK 100 million had been spent on the peace process, including the Sri Lankan government (Secretariat for Coordinating Peace Process) and the LTTE (Peace Secretariat).

Among the other recipients of Norwegian funds are the National

Peace Council, the Centre for Policy Alternatives and the Sri Lanka Press Council.

In the first phase (1997 to 1999), Sri Lanka and Norway agreed that the latter should support a negotiated settlement to the conflict. It was followed by the second bid in the period from 1999 to 2002, when Sri Lanka and the LTTE invited Norway to play the role of facilitator. The third phase (2002-2006) saw the par-

ties to the CFA agreeing to explore a federal solution, and in the fourth phase between 2006 and 2009, Norway made a series of abortive attempts to revive the peace process.

The Island raised several issues with the Norwegian embassy including the ongoing evaluation of the failed peace processes, spearheaded by successive Norwegian administrations.

UK

Asian Voice - Saturday 5th March 2011

A peep through the curtain

Is this the way the society works or is it a deja vu?

Kartik.S.Raval We live in a contemporary world where time flies at a super-sonic pace and issues, be it political, economic or social, changes with every tick of the clock.

But who would have thought that the issues we face today and the people who are making the headlines now are absolutely similar to those, 33 years back at the same time of the year.

Racial discrimination and intensity of the abuse faced by immigrants and minorities in the UK is seeming to be on a high as we witness shameful harassing and violent incidents with every passing day.

While the debate over multiculturalism ignited by PM David Cameron speech in Munich is still burning in the background, incidents like the Indian head teacher facing racial abuse as parents told school 'That bloody Indian woman should not be in charge of our children' are adding fuel to the fire. Asian Voice has reported numerous amount of these incidents in varying intensity all around the UK, week after week.

We might want to ask, where has the harmony in the British society gone and where did we take a wrong turn?

But if we take a look back, when Asian Voice had a different name, it was still the same ball game. Even then we made sincere attempts to eradicate racial discrimination from the society we live in and bring about a positive change in order to protect our brothers and sisters falling prey to various forms of abuse and harassment.

Coincidentally or not, Libyan President Colonel Muammar Ali Gadaffi who is making headlines across the world by dictating his terms and attempting to suppress an uprising of anti-government protesters using armed militias and hired mercenaries also made headlines in New Life on 3 March 1978.

Comparing the reason behind the two headlines struck by Gadaffi defines 'irony' at its

very best because this time 33 years back, public and political leaders of the UK got together in London to mark and discuss the newly published second part of 'Green Book', written by Colonel Gadaffi.

Although the Green Book was well received all over the world as a document structured with immense intelligence for the right transformation

o f Libya through the safe hands of Colonel Gadaffi, today after 33 years we witness the manipulation as the country goes up in flames.

3 March 1978 Ilford By-Election: Vote You Must In view of the Race Fuel that is being increasingly shoveled in the Thursday March 2nd's parliamentary byelection to the Ilford North constituency, NEW LIFE calls upon all members of minority communities, especially Asians, to make it a point to exercise their franchise.

'Only those candidates should be given your valuable votes who have pledged to defeat fascism and racism and agreed to work for the establishment of a genuine multi-racial society based on truth, justice, sanity and equality.'

Divide and Deprive I have also noticed a report on the implications of government proposals to withdraw child tax allowances and deny child benefits to immigrant parents whose dependent children live overseas.

The government has shown its ignorance in asserting that remittances are less than the tax allowances granted, has misused statistics in asserting that there is a high inci-

dence of fraudulent claims, has denied social justice and the right of workers to equal treatment and protection from discrimination.

'Discrimination by Tory clubs' Joining issue with Tory Boss Margaret Thatcher, even Conservative Clubs throughout Britain had been indulging more blatantly then subtly-in the prevailing racemuddle. Cases of nonwhites being ejected out of Tory Clubs were brought to light by a team of New Life investigative reporters.

Col Gadaffi's Green Book (Part 2) released at “a thought provoking function” To mark the publication of the second part on Libyan President Colonel Muammar Ali Gadaffi's Green Book, a public meeting was recently held in London. David Warkins MP, chairman of newly formed allparty British-Libyan Parliamentary Group, presided and introduced the two speakers – Dr. David Pool and Dr. Timothy Niblock.

"A thought provoking” exchange of various points of view followed the speeches of these distinguished speakers in which a number of intellectuals and journalists participated. The Green Book was well received all over the world as “a document of immense intelligence” on the transformation of Libya.

New Life Columnist wins a coveted British Press Award New Life Has done it again! The weekly's columnist Jad Adams was declared the Young Journalist of the Year by the British Press Awards (1977) judges for his “tough and uncompromising reporting on race problems in South London.” His brilliant pieces on these problems appeared in New Life time and again.

Jad Adams (23), was one of the team member who founded New Life in March 1977 after a year of preparation.

Jad Adams also wrote an outstanding book on Gandhi called, 'The Naked Ambition', which got published in March 2010.

23

Ray of hope for Sai Baba Hindu Temple Continued from page 7 "We would like to express our deep disappointment with the way this matter has been handled. Local Hindu community feel let down by the Council and the clear biases that exist towards other faiths.

No one will dispute that planning rules must be followed and local sensitivities be addressed. In that respect the temple trustees have openly committed to make changes to their application and have accepted recommendations put forward by the officers in a spirit of cooperation and collaboration. However, despite all their efforts it appears that there is latent desire to prevent the temple from being established by your offices.

We therefore call upon the councillors from Brent Council to engage positively or risk losing goodwill among the Hindu community locally. It is worth mentioning that the project has extensive support from other Hindu organisations and temples including local temples such as Sanatan Mandir (Ealing Road) BAPS Swaminarayan Mandir (Neasden) and Jalaram Mandir (Greenford) and many others outside the area."

In a letter to Asian Voice, Dilip Mehta, a local resident claims, 1.

Three Councillors (two of them Hindus) that included Ramesh Patel and Ketan Sheth were barred on spurious grounds from deciding the case of Sai Baba Temple by the power that may be at the helm of Brent Council.

2.

On the meeting held on 15 December Labour Councillor Dheeraj Kataria and Jayesh Mistry voted with three Lib Dem Councillors for the reconsideration of the application while four labour Councillors voted to close down the temple.

3.

It is understood that Jayesh

Mistry was removed as the first alternate to Ketan Seth at the January meeting of the council. Does it mean that those who supported the temple are replaced by those opposing the temple?

Mr. Mehta has also mentioned some other interesting points in his letter of 26th February.

In yet another letter to Asian Voice, Mr. Amrish Patel of Arpas Associates raises concerns about the non-cooperation from the local authorities to the Hare Krishna Temple near Watford, the problems faced by Neasden Temple in its long standing issue of temporary parking being removed by Brent Council and Milton Keynes Temple's planning problem. He is also concerned over the temples expected to seek costly legal advice and follow complicated procedures.

24

INDIA

Asian Voice - Saturday 5th March 2011

Meditation in Six Easy Steps

We all have to deal with different types of stress and worry these days – dealing with difficult people and situations, our health, our family, our jobs. The list can be endless and these obstacles and challenges can often feel like storms rampaging through our lives.

But, what can you do?

Run and hide? Watch TV and hope it all just goes away? There is a much more practical and lasting solution – and is much easier than you might think.

Meditation. It is a practise that was widespread throughout ancient India – but its relevance has never been stronger than today. It provides a very effective tool to help us deal with the many trials and tests of the everyday world – and it’s so simple to do!

Just like with TV, we also sit and watch in med-

itation, but it is a much more productive type of watching. By simply sitting and watching our own unique and wonderful inner world, we very quickly discover our many incredible and special qualities which provide our lives the strengths of calm, emotional stability and mental clarity.

So meditation is about switching our attention from our outer to our inner world by simply focusing on ourselves.

What could be easier!

It’s a bit like having a rummage in the attic and discovering stuff that you’d long forgotten. We just shake out the dust and cobwebs to re-emerge our long hidden but much needed treasures of peace and love and deep awareness.

Once recognised and revived and brought into the light of awareness, these powers dramatically

influence our life and relationships.

And meditation practice is the means to keep these active and dynamic, making sure we don’t forget and neglect them again.

So each day we view, hold and experience them and allow their energies to influence our thinking and interactions; There are 6 Easy Steps for Meditation: • Switch on the TV of the inner self.

• Go into the attic of the mind.

• Open the treasures chests of peace, love inner awareness.

• Hold and experience and enjoy each one.

• Don’t think too much but allow each power to influence you.

• Do this for 10 minutes each day Through this new energy and vibration you will become calm, soothed and peaceful Your mind clear and awake.

And your life empowered and meaningful.

So isn’t it worth spending a few minutes each day in meditation?

Jim Ryan has been a student and teacher of Raja Yoga Meditation with the Brahma Kumaris for over 30 years. For more information about meditation, visit: www.bkwsu.org/uk

In divine light

By Rajen Vakil

Burning of the Khandava Forest Part 6: Exposition of the Khandava creatures In our last article we saw how Indra and the gods were defeated in their battle against Arjuna. As a result, Agni was able to burn the Khandava forest to his heart’s content. We saw how all the animals, demons, and ghosts of the forest tried to escape but were burnt down. Here, Rishi Vyasa gives a vivid description of the havoc wrought by Sri Krishna’s Sudarshana Chakra. We also saw that Sudarshana means right observation. This is the stage of a student’s journey where the observation of his inner psychic nature has become so powerful that the very act of observation destroys the inner weaknesses and patterns which previously he had to struggle with.

Vyasa writes that in the burning of the forest were burnt Danavas and Rakshasas (demons and giants; pride and vanity being the biggest giants), snakes (accumulated desires), panthers, bears, elephants (drunk with vanity), tigers, lions (with flowing manes), deer, buffalos, and countless birds. The burning forest was filled with the screams of the animals and the sounds of burning fire; it seemed as if it were judgment day. Then with his chakra once more Sri Krishna went on a killing spree quelling thousands of birds, animals, demons and ghosts. As they died in the burning flames it seemed as if the spirits that left their bodies came and merged with the spirit of Sri Krishna. He took on a terrible form as if he were a dark cloud over masked light which was absorbing all the escaping spirits. This was his form of time or ‘Kala’. All of us have a time-body that survives after death where all our deeds are recorded as if they are happening right now.

Indra was worried about his friend Thakshak, the king of the snakes. A heavenly voice told him that Thakshak has not been burnt as he was in Kurukshetra, and not in the forest. Thakshak is the doer within us, the active ego. He is in Kurukshetra, or the field of doing. The ego or the self dissolves near the end of our journey and so it survives this burning of the animalistic memories in our Manipur

chakra. The voice also told Indra that there was no way the gods could beat Arjuna and Sri Krishna. In their past lives they were two great rishis called Nar and Narayan and had performed great austerities.

The heavenly voice symbolises contact with higher and divine centres within us. These centres were always there but we could not use or communicate with them. Now that the student’s emotional energy has been purified by the burning of the forest, he is free of negative emotions and so the emotional energy rises higher and awakens hidden powers and centres within. The voice also speaks of the previous birth of both, Sri Krishna and Arjuna. This implies that before we can reach the stage of final purification of our emotional energies, a great deal of preparation is essential.

The student must be very regular and sincere in his practices. Further the practices must be done with an attitude of joy and gratitude for grace can descend any time and for that the right mental posture is required. We do not have to become serious – there is a difference between sincerity and seriousness. In seriousness, we have to do it and in sincerity, we love to do it.

After hearing the heavenly voice, Indra and all the gods stopped fighting and started going back to the heavens or Indrapuri. Arjuna and Sri Krishna lifted their conches and blew the sound of a lion through them.

The Omkara is made of three and a half sounds. The first two sounds are ‘A’ and ‘U’.

These are the sounds made by the roar of a tiger or lion. This sound comes from the solar plexus area and is the sound of raw animal power. The other sounds in the Omkara are heavenly and lift the energy within us from the lower chakras to the higher ones. Up until now, every time the energies would rise from Muladhara to Swadhisthana and to Manipura, but the animal emotions there would bring them down again.

Now, with the burning of the forest all the animal cells have been transformed, so now the energy can flow up easily. This is what is represented by them blowing a roaring sound through their conch shells.

Agni was very happy; after a long time his flames rose high in the sky without any smoke.

If we burn wet wood it creates smoke, we have to let it dry. Similarly, we cannot burn all our suppressed desires without letting them mature.

Agni is now free of smoke saying that now the all the patterns and samskaras have been burnt, and at the right time. Agni danced creating different patterns and in different colours.

He was completely satiated by the blood, meat, and fat that Sri Krishna and Arjuna had offered him.

When Agni was dancing, a demon called Mai, who was hiding in Takshak’s palace, suddenly made a run for safety. Agni saw him running and made a loud sound signalling the two warriors to kill him. Sri Krishna saw him and readied to kill him. Mai saw that Sri Krishna was going to kill him so he fell at Arjuna’s feet and begged that he be spared. Arjuna was filled with compassion and told him not to be afraid, and spared his life.

Hearing Arjuna’s words, Sri Krishna also told Mai that he would not kill him. Mai was the architect of the demons.

We have seen that the emotional energy is purified and when this happens and the energy rises above the Manipura chakra, it brings a lot of artistic creativity in one’s life.

This is symbolised by the architect escaping.

Sri Krishna then asks Mai to build a palace for Yudhisthira.

Agni kept burning the forest for another fifteen days. In addition to Takshak’s son, Ashwasen (whose mother died saving him), Agni let Mai and four ‘sarang’ cranes live. In our next article, we will take the story of the four young sarang birds.

The author can be reached by emailing 3srb@live.com (Edited by Chintu Gandhi)

All past articles on the Mahabharata can be accessed from http://epaper.asianvoice.com or from http://www.3stepbreath.com/mahabharata.html

INDIA

Asian Voice - Saturday 5th March 2011

Archbishop of Canterbury hosts a Hindu-Christian gathering A meeting of two great religions took place at the historic venue of Lambeth Palace on the morning of 16th February. The meeting was a follow up visit of the Archbishop Dr Rowan Williams to Banglore where he had met heads of different Hindu denominations.

Amongst the religious heads he met were H.H. Sri Sri Sri Tridandi Srimannarayana Ramanuja Chinna Jeeyar Swamiji, HH 1008 Sri Sri Sugunendra Theertha Swamiji, Srimat Swami Harshanandaji, Sri Taralabalu Jagadguru Dr Shivamurthy Shivachaarya Mahaswamiji and Swami Paramananda Bharati.

The Archbishop shared his thoughts on the visit which he had found very enriching. Professor RamPrasad Chakravarthi who is a lecturer at the department of Politics, Philosophy and Religion, Lancaster University chaired the meeting and delved into some deep philosophical questions that arose from the Archbishop's visit. The Dvaita, Advaita philosophy's, the Lingayat's as well as the Vaishnava Bhakti movement espoused by Ramanujacharya were discussed.

Dr Sharada

Sugirthrajah on behalf of Hindu faith gave a talk and emphasised the need for more scholars within the faith and praised the work of the Oxford College of Hindu studies. Some of the colonial perceptions of the Hindu faith also needs to be challenged, she said.

The Ven. Richard Atkinson OBE, Archdeacon of Leicester spoke of the very positive interfaith work going on in Leicester and the need to continue a dialogue.

Jessica Frazier spoke of the national research project on Hindu - Christian Dialogue (sponsored by the Department for Communities and Local Government) that she has just completed.

She recorded many impressions of Hindus and Christians, conservative and pluralist, young and old, through extensive interviews in Leicester, Preston and London. She observed that young people, in particular, are quite comfortable with being of a faith and respecting those from other faiths.

This was followed by a question and answer session. I asked the following question: Your Holiness, ''Hinduism is a very tolerant religion which acknowledges other reli-

gions and believes that there are many paths to God. Persecuted faiths like Zoroastrianism and Baha'is have found a safe home in India and the Jewish people have also have never faced any persecution in India. Though Christianity believed in its supremacy and sought to convert the world in the past, today it acknowledges other faiths and gives them space to thrive, as the Hindus in UK have. The Hindus in return are loyal citizens of this country and have no problem with the Christian ethos of this country. There are some evangelical Christians who use wrong methods to convert Hindus in India. We Hindus also feel that the Abrahaminical religions seem to get more attention and the Dharmic faiths namely, Hinduism, Sikhism, Jainism and Buddhism do not get the same exposure''.

The Archbishop replied that India's constitution is a secular one in which all religions are acknowledged but none are allowed to dominate, as such it is a laudable position. Whilst, he understood the Hindu position that all paths lead to God the Archbishop expressed that as a Christian, he naturally

believes that faith in Jesus Christ leads one to God. Regarding conversion he said that if people's poverty or disadvantage is exploited to convert it is completely wrong and he would condemn it. However, if someone genuinely wants to change the faith then that privilege should be available. Regarding the Abrahaminical faiths he said that while he acknowledged that other faiths may not get the same exposure it remains a fact that the Abrahaminical faiths do have common roots and common history. There were many other questions after which more conversations continued over tea and coffee!

On the importance of a dialogue between faiths the Archbishop said, 'What happens in conversation is a certain act of faith. Faith that at a certain moment we will find convergence.

My faith is that all truth converges on Jesus Christ.

But during a conversation with someone from another faith I don't know how it will converge. It is important not to begin with a sense of superiority... but instead to trust the seriousness of the person you are talking to; to trust that they want something you can recognise.'

25

Rs 2 bn facelift for Gandhi Ashram

The Gandhi Ashram in Ahmedabad is being given a facelift.. The Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation has drawn up Rs 2 billion project for the purpose.

The project includes making a flyover to divert bulk of traffic from the Gandhi Ashram Road, opening an underground museum, clearing the effluents from the Chandrabhaga river.

The project also includes the beautification of the road near the RTO circle.

The municipal corporation plans to increase the footfalls in the Gandhi Ashram and its precinct by making the area from Dandi bridge to Abhay Ghat a vehicle free zone.

The proposed zone will have a walkway embellished with green canopy, information centre kiosks, traditional markets, public sitting areas etc. An official said, “Besides giving the ashram a facelift, the project will also ensure optimum utilisation of space. At present lots of land remain either unutilised or under utilised.” The civic body has also planned a theme garden based on Bapu’s life on the riverfront. The garden will have ‘milestone walk’, which will enumerate the various milestones in Gandhiji’s life.

Underground museum

The underground museum will come up between Gandhi Ashram and RTO circle, below the existing Ashram road. The museum will house plethora of information and personal belongings of the Mahatma.

The corporation has also proposed a flyover from Chandrabhaga Nala near Ashram road to 132 feet ringroad, to divert the traffic from Gandhi Ashram. A top AMC official said, “At present, we are working on design and feasibility of the flyover.”

Besides this there will also be internal road network in the new Ashram plaza.

The area surrounding the Chandrabhaga Nala will be beautified and converted into a park. At present a major chunk of this area is lying in a state of disuse. Sewage water flows here from the surrounding areas. It is also used as a dump yard.

The historic Dandi bridge is in a deplorable condition at present. The structure will be revitalised under the project.

The bridge will have a decorated entrance, green space and will overlook the riverfront.

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26

INDIA

Asian Voice - Saturday 5th March 2011

Fourth special flight from Libya returns with 331 Indians Another batch of 331 Indians from strife-torn Libya arrived early on Tuesday, taking the total number of people evacuated by the four Air India special flights to 1083.

Air India flight AI-170 landed at the terminal-2 of Indira Gandhi International Airport here at around 4:30am, bringing 331 passengers, an airport official said. The plane took off from Tripoli airport at around 8:30pm IST. Earlier, minister for civil aviation Vayalar Ravi said the third special flight with 226 Indians on board arrived here at around 1:30am from Libya.

Ravi, also the minister

for overseas Indian affairs, received the passengers of the third special flight, an Airbus 330, at terminal-2 of the IGI Airport.

The AI-800 was originally a Jeddah-Mumbai flight, but it was converted into a special ferry aircraft and diverted to Tripoli to evacuate Indians who are stuck in the African nation, which is witnessing mass anti-government protests.

Three more planes two Boeing 747-400 and Airbus 330 left on Tuesday morning for Tripoli to airlift Indians who are still there.

Ravi said 1,100 people have been evacuated from Benghazi and ferried by a ship to Alexandria in Egypt.

"Out of 18,000 Indians, 10,000 are stranded in Tripoli," he said.

The first two special Air India planes had brought back 526 Indians.

While the first flight evacuated 291 Indians from Libya and brought them back here on Saturday night, another Air India plane carrying over 235 people landed in the wee hours of Sunday.

Ravi praised the efforts of Indian embassy officials in Libya for helping Indians in getting out of the country and said his ministries are working in co-ordination with other ministries for evacuating Indians from Libya.

Gujarat got 14 new trains in railway minister Mamata Banerjee’s populist budget which was presented last week. Last year, the state received 9 new trains. Of these five will start from Ahmedabad.

Gujarat also received a go ahead for several key projects, some of which include: Suburban railway project, introduction of double-decker AC trains, 23 rail connectivity surveys and a feasibility study to increase speed of passenger trains to 160-200 kmph.

Ahmedabad Railway Division officials opine

that the budget seems good from passengers’ point of view, but it does not translate into impressive revenue generation.

“We were hopeful they would make Sabarmati railway station the new terminal of Ahmedabad. It would have benefited people from western parts of the city,” an official said.

Lok Sabha MP Harin Pathak feels Gujarat has not been given due importance in the budget.

“Nearly 95 per cent of the lines under western railway are in Gujarat.

However, all rail based industries have been set up outside Gujarat,

depriving our citizens of employment opportunities,” he said.

Railway Users’ Association General Secretary Yogesh Mishra said: “She has increased the number of trains, but did not say anything about introducing pantry cars in long-distance trains.”

The budget proposed a daily Ahmedabad – Mumbai Duronto and seven express trains: Ahmedabad-Yesvantpur AC, Ahmedabad-Varanasi, Bhavnagar Kochuvelli, Bhuj-Dadar, PorbanderKochuveli, PuriGandhidham and Udaipur-Bandra.

Gujarat gets 14 new trains

Death for 11 in Godhra train carnage Continued from page 1 The Court had acquitted 63 others who were behind bars for nine years.

Those who were awarded capital punishment are: Bilal Ismail Abdul Majid Sujela alias Bilal Haji, Abdul Razak Mohammad Kurkur, Ramjani Binyamin Behra, Hasan Ahmed Charkha alias Lalu, Jabir Binyamin Behra, Mehboob Khalid Chanda, Salim alias Salman Yusuf Sattar Zarda, Siraj Mohammad Abdul Meda alias Bala, Irfan Abdul Majid Ganchi Kalandar alias Irfan Bhopo, Irfan Mhammad Hanifabdul Gani Pataliya and Mehbub Ahmed Yusuf Hasan alais Latiko.

Those who were given life imprisonment are: Suleman Ahmad Hussain alias Tiger, Abdul Rehman Abdul Majid Dhantiya alias Kankatto, Kasim Abdul Sattar alias Kasim Biryani Ghanchi, Irfan Siraj Pado Ghanchi, Anwar Mohammad Mehda alias Lala Shaikh, Siddik alias Matunga Abdullah Badam, Mehboob Yakub Mitha alias Popa, Soheb Yusuf

Ahmed Kalandar, Saukat alias Bhano Farook Abdul Sattar Pataliya, Abdul Sattar Ibrahim Gaddi Isa, Yunus Abdulhaq alias Ghadiyali, Ibrahim Abdul Razak Abdul Sattar Samol alias Bhano, Bhilal Bhuriya Abdul Sattar Ibrahim Musalman, Ayud Abdul Gani Ismail Pataliya, Saukat Abdulah Maulvi Ismail Badam, Mohammad Hanif alias Hani Abdullah Badam, Saukat Yusuf Ismail Mohan alias Bibino, Bilal Abdullah Ismail Badam Ghanchi and Siddik Mohammad Mora.

Meanwhile, fearing backlash from the family members of those who have been sentenced, business establishments and shops in Godhra remained closed for the day.

Radia helped Tatas get monetary benefits: Congress charges AV Correspondent

Mukesh is thought to be planning a raid on Anil’s assets, say Tom Burgis and James Fontanella-Khan Two engagements five days apart, one with anticorruption investigators in New Delhi, the other at Downing Street in London, highlight the divergent fortunes of Mukesh and Anil Ambani, the billionaire Indian brothers.

RCom denies any wrongdoing – and several other groups are under scrutiny – but Anil’s travails could hardly have been in starker contrast to the scene last Monday in London where Mukesh unveiled a $7.2bn tie-up with BP in the presence of George Osborne, UK finance minister.

The Gujarat assembly witnessed noisy scenes when Congress MLA from Porbandar Arjun Modhwadia alleged that it was because of corporate lobbyist Niira Radia that the Modi government gave benefits worth Rs 29,000 crore to Tata Motors when it set up the Nano plant in Sanand.

During an argument over providing employment in Ahmedabad district, Modhwadia alleged that even after the government gave special favours to Ratan Tata, he has not employed locals which is mandatory. State finance, labour and employment minister Vajubhai Vala reacted saying that 1,954 of the 2,549 employees in the Nano plant here are

The Election Commission of India on Tuesday announced the schedule for elections to five state assemblies. The states which will go to polls are West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Assam and Puducherry.

While West Bengal will see six-phase polls, Assam will have elections in two phases. The other states will see a single-phase poll, Chief Election Commissioner S.Y. Qureshi said.

The poll dates for

Bengal are as follows: April 18, 23, 27, May 3, 7 and 10. The poll dates for Assam are April 4 and 11.

Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Puducherry go to polls on April 13. The counting will take place on May 13, Qureshi said, adding, "With this the model code of conduct comes into force."

locals. The debate ended here, but after the question hour, state urban development minister Nitin Patel raised an objection and urged the assembly to remove the allegation of Rs 29,000 crore benefits to Tata Motors, from the records.

However, Modhwadia repeated that Tata got these favours only because of Radia. He went on to add that he had photographs and videos to prove his claim.

Vala and others objected to this and BJP MLAs started raising antiCongress slogans. Leader of opposition Shaktisinh Gohil took a dig at Nitin Patel and said that he had raised an issue that would give the Congress a chance to put several things, which were not said so far, on record.

Election for five states announced

Party position In West Bengal, the ruling Left front faces its toughest challenge from Mamata Banerjee-led

Trinamool Congress.

In Tamil Nadu, the ruling DMK has a fight on its hands with Jayalalithaaled AIADMK stitching a alliance with Vijayakanthled DMDK. In Assam, the peace talks with ULFA may give a boost to the Congress, which is in power for the last two terms.

While the Congress-led UDF is threatening the ruling LDF-led CPI(M) In Kerala, in Puducherry, the Congress would like to retain power.

Indian budget eyes 9 % growth

Continued from page 1 "Such an impression is misplaced ... Corruption is a problem [and we] must fight it collectively."

Maulana Umarji, who was accused of hatching a conspiracy by the prosecution, but the special court accuted him for want of evience.

Ambani brothers’ truce belies simmering rivalry

Foreign investors can have access to Indian Mutual Funds

Meanwhile, in a move that is expected to have a positive impact on the inward foreign investment flow, the Finance Minister has allowed fund houses to tap foreign nationals for investing in equity schemes.

“To liberalise the portfolio investment route, it has been decided to permit Sebi-registered mutual funds to accept subscriptions from foreign investors who meet the KYC (Know Your Customer) requirements for equity schemes,” Mukherjee said.“This would enable Indian mutual funds to have a direct access to foreign investors and widen the class of foreign investors in the Indian equity market, he added.

It is widely believed that the move would lead to a lot of mid-sized for-

eign funds and wealthy individuals looking at the Indian equity market more seriously. According to the current norms, foreign investors need to first register with the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) before investing in the domestic equity markets.

As a result, mid-sized and smaller funds which did not have a significant India allocation chose alternative investment avenues, including offshore funds and participatory notes (PNs). Going forward, they just need to comply with the KYC norms and start investing.

Experts feel the government’s initiative could prove to be a “gamechanger” for the Indian fund industry, as this would pave the way for large global investors to invest directly into mutual fund schemes.

A section of experts feel the decision, once implemented, will give fund houses owned by foreign entities an advantage over their domestic counterparts.

Even those wherein the majority stake is held by a foreign entity might find the going comparatively easy.

Global players like Franklin Templeton, Fidelity, DWS Investments, HSBC, JPMorgan, Morgan Stanley, Principal, Mirae Asset, ING and Pramerica run their own mutual fund houses in India.

Others like Blackrock, Robeco, Sun Life and Prudential have joint ventures with Indian companies.

“This means that foreign individual investors can now invest in Indian equity funds.

These investors were earlier coming through offshore India-focused funds and those looking for a direct exposure might consider this route,” says Harshendu Bindal, president, Franklin Templeton Investments (India).

Higher FII cap on infra bonds to help in long term

The government’s decision to increase the limit of foreign institutional investments in infrastructure bonds and flexibility in trading will bring positive changes, but only in the long term. It will not attract large flows in the short term, according to

bond market dealers.

The increase in the limit and permission to foreign institutional investors (FIIs) to trade in infra bonds amongst themselves even during a lock-in period conveys the government’s serious intent to attract overseas funds into the infrastructure sector. But more needs to be done to improve liquidity in the secondary bond market, said G A Tadas, managing director of IDBI Gilts Ltd, a public sector bond dealer.

FII investments in infrastructure bonds remain well below the present ceiling. The secondary market for corporate bonds to provide liquidity remains nascent.

Finance Minister raised the limit on investments in corporate bonds issued by companies in the infrastructure sector by $20 billion to $25 billion.

FIIs can invest in bonds with residual maturity of over five years issued by companies in infrastructure sector.

The increase in ceiling will raise the total limit available to the FIIs for investment in corporate bonds to $40 billion.

Women & hIsToRy

Asian Voice - saturday 5th March 2011

History Matters

By Dr Anil Mehta

George VI : The Reluctant King King George VI reluctantly acceded to the British throne without any preparation for the role, after his elder brother Edward 8’s sudden abdication in 1936. Yet he became a popular figurehead for the nation leading his country through WW II, and years of rapid transformation that followed, and thereby restoring the reputation and popularity of the monarchy after Edward’s abdication.

George VI (18951952) King of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (1936-52), and the Emperor of India (1936-47) was the second son of George V, known in the family as Bertie. From childhood he suffered frequent illness and a speech impediment (stammer) which made him intensely shy, withdrawn, and lacking self-confidence. He attended naval colleges and later qualified as a pilot with the Royal Naval Air Service. As a young midshipman, he saw action at the Battle of Jutland in 1916. In 1920 he was made Duke of York, the traditional title of the monarch’s second son. In 1923, George married Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon (later to become The Queen Mother). They became a model royal couple and devoted parents forming a close family unit with their two daughters Elizabeth and Margaret.

George’s stammer made public speaking an ordeal. From 1926, he was treated by Lionel Logue, an Australian speech therapist practicing in Harley Street, London, who over the years helped him become a more assured speaker. As the prince’s confidence increased his stutter decreased, although by no means disappeared.

George was appalled by the prospect of becoming king at short notice.

He never expected or wished to succeed to the throne. He was horrified of the responsibilities that were suddenly thrust upon him. However, in

King George VI, pictured with Queen Elizabeth and Winston Churchill

spite of his reluctance, he was crowned in 1937.

Now that he was made king, George worked hard to adapt to this unexpected role particularly during the difficult years of the war. He was greatly helped by his wife who gave him great moral support and self-confidence.

Both of them did wonders for nation’s morale during the Blitz (1940). They refused to leave London narrowly escaping death themselves when Buckingham Palace was hit several times. Instead, they toured devastated areas of London and other cities and met people sharing with them a sense of common danger and hardships and winning their respect and admiration. They also visited armament factories and shipyards. This helped boost both the reputation of the monarchy and national morale. The king was so much moved by the bravery of ordinary people during the war that he introduced the George Cross and George Medal for heroism to be awarded for civilian acts of gallantry.

In post-war years the king presided over farreaching changes at the domestic and colonial fronts introduced by the newly elected Labour government. For example, Britain was transformed into a Welfare State, India and Pakistan became independent (that took away his title of

Emperor), and Ireland became a republic. The British Empire became the Commonwealth of Nations of which he became the first symbolic head. Amongst his Prime Ministers, king was initially cool towards Churchill and Attlee but afterwards fully supported their wartime and post-war policies respectively.

The strains of war and post-war period took their toll on George’s health.

And being a worrier by nature, a heavy smoker with occasional flashes of temper did not help. From 1948 his health slowly deteriorated and he died of lung cancer in 1952 at the age of 56. He was succeeded by his elder daughter as Elizabeth II (the present queen).

Despite a retiring disposition and speech impediment, George VI proved to be an ideal monarch for his time gaining respect for the example he and his family set during the war. He performed his duties diligently and honourably, and succeeded in saving the monarchy from ruin.

Recently George VI is portrayed in an Oscar nominated film ‘King’s Speech’. The story centres round the king’s treatment for speech defect with splendid performances by Colin Firth (king), Helena Bonham Carter (queen) and Geoffrey Rush (speech therapist).

Canara bank CMD visits the UK

Canara bank CMD S Raman visited UK last week. A reception was held by him at the Washington Hotel on Feb 24th to greet and meet people. Canara Bank, one of the premier state owned banks of India is all set to expand its presence in UK. The bank has a branch in London, while a new

L to R: Surendra Patel, S V Pinto, S Raman (chairman & MD) Canara Bank, Joginder Sanger, Ashok Patel, Girish Sanger

branch has opened in Leicester recently.

Prior to taking up the position in Canara Bank, Mr Raman was an executive director with Union bank of India. S Raman is a vast and varied experience in the field of banking, having worked for Bank of India for 34 long years.

27

Talking Politics- Bhikhu Parekh In Conversation With Ramin Jahanbegloo

By Dr Varun Uberoi, Lecturer in Brunel University’s Department of Politics and History This short book is based on interviews that Ramin Jahanbegloo conducted with Professor Bhikhu Parekh who is one of Britain’s most important contemporary political philosophers and there is much in it that will be of interest for different types of readers. For those interested in how a boy from a small village in the Gujrat rose to be a Professor of Political Philosophy, a Fellow of the British Academy, and a member of the House of Lords, there is a personal story; and for students beginning to study multiculturalism, or Parekh’s thought on it, there is a summary of his views. But there is also much that will be of interest for the growing number of scholars interested in how Parekh conceives of political philosophy, his contribution to it, its public role and the limits of how it has often been practiced in the late twentieth century. In short, this book should appeal to scholars and non-scholars alike.

Divided into five chapters that focus on Parekh’s personal life, the nature and role of political philosophy and Parekh’s views on multiculturalism, Gandhi and India, the reader builds up a picture of the nature and origins of Parekh’s political thought. We thus learn about the kindness Parekh enjoyed after he was born because others donated food and clothes so that he might live and how his early encounters with the inequality suffered by others showed him that not all enjoy such kindness. An awareness of inequality is not the same as an understanding of equality, but the former helps to signify the importance of the latter and Parekh wrote a PhD on the idea of equality in Bentham, Godwin and Paine’s thought. Parekh’s early experiences thus helped to shape his intellectual interests and the training he sought for himself.

From his scholarly interests in India, his exposure to Western academia and Gandhi’s social and political thought we learn how intercultural dialogue became so central to Parekh’s philosophical system. Hence Parekh

acknowledges how being part of a ‘plural Indian civilisation’ in which heterogeneity not only exists but is often respected helped him to both accept and respect cultural difference also. But his training as a historian of ideas and as a philosopher enabled him to see the value of critically engaging with cultural diversity, probing the nature and structure of different cultural beliefs and traditions. This was further augmented by his study of Gandhi who whilst sharing certain Hindu metaphysical beliefs also criticised certain Hindu practices, translated one of Plato’s dialogues and drew on the teachings of Christianity, Buddhism as well the works of Tolstoy, Ruskin and others.

Discerning the importance of accepting, respecting, critically engaging with, and where appropriate, learning from cultural difference in his life and works long before he wrote Rethinking Multiculturalism, it is little wonder that in the latter Parekh is able to do what great philosophers like John Stuart Mill and John Rawls were unable to. Namely, explain why cultural diversity is valuable by noting how it can help us to see the unquestioned assumptions, foundations and limits of our own cultural beliefs as well as what we can learn from those of others. Helping to illuminate how these and other crucial insights emerged, this book of interviews helps us to understand how Parekh’s work on cultural diversity took the shape it did.

Yet it also helps to show why his work is so accessible. It shows how Parekh thinks and thus talks in propositions that sequentially follow from one another, hence he also writes that way.

His discussion of the initial racism that he encountered in Britain, his life in an ‘Indian ghetto’, as well as the difficulties of raising a family here and his need to rediscover his interests in India also help to explain why he is able to speak to the lives of minorities in a way that few since Dubois have been able to. In short, this book not only sheds light on the nature and origins of Parekh’s political thought, but also why it is so clear and appealing to cultural minorities as well.

Life style

Any ques tions w rite to mam ta@abplgroup.com

By Mamta Bhatia, Psychologist

Rules for Brilliance I coach brilliant people, lots of them. Most of the time, they don’t know their own brilliance.

They are more familiar with how they are not qualified than to find ways that they are. They wait patiently for someone to validate, promote or discover them.

Sounds familiar? Read on because Mamta is back and it is now time to step up and be the best, it is what you deserve.

Be your own bestfriend. No one else will be able to fulfil your dreams and understand

your goals to the extent that you do. You will meet many people that support you and will definitely encourage you, but this is your life, your game. Make a promise to be your own ‘cheerleader’ and dust those shoulders off when it all gets too much and carry on.

See your goal. What does your dream lifestyle or work look like to you? Drop any guilt you may feel for wanting this, feelings like this do not help you achieve what you desire. When you start to envision

what you want that is the beginning of having it.

Your homework is to practice the above.

Watch your thoughts and your words. Don’t ever put yourself down and remember that if you want something you have to believe it and see it. Keep me posted on your progress by emailing me at Mamta@thinkspalondon.com the first 10 people will receive a free place at my Mind and Body workshop, 11 – 4 pm 6th March 2011.

Good luck.

28

UK

Asian Voice - Saturday 5th March 2011

Managing Editor of Gujarat Samachar, Kokilaben Patel is back from her recent India trip. This week in CB Live she will talk about the health conscious Indians who do so much to improve their mind, health and life. She will also discuss how laughter is a medicine for good health.

Kokilaben will be joined by Bhanubhai Pandya who will present some hilarious jokes for the viewers.

If you do not have a tv, go to www.tvunetworks.com and watch CB Live on TVU Player Channel 75203

Sneh Joshi - 020 8518 5500

To ask questions please call on: 020 8963 1001

Don't miss !!!

For more information e-mail: cblive_matv@yahoo.co.uk

Taal at Bancroft's School

from 11 to 18, and the weeks and late nights dedicated to rehearsals really paid off as they played to a sell out audience, which included guest of honour the Deputy Mayor of Redbridge, Councillor

Asian Voice Summer Special

British Asian WomenThe Pinnacle of Success

British Asian Women make a vital contribution to the family, wealth, health and intellectual well being of Britain. With a huge number of honours for their endeavours, Asian Voice will be producing a special issue this May saluting these achievements and focussing on their successes The special issue - 'British Asian Women-The Pinnacle of Success' will profile some influential Asian Women who have accomplished their aspirations, despite various obstacles. The profiles will include women from various professions such as Banking, Law, IT, Politics, Medicine, Education, Recruitment, Retail, arts, culture, community service and other areas. If you are aware of any young and aspiring asian woman who deserves to be recognised for their achievement in their profession or contribution towards the community please contact us on 020 7749 4097 or email Rupanjana Dutta: rupanjana.dutta@abplgroup.com Jyotsna Shah: jyotsna.shah@abplgroup.com Kokila Patel: kokila.patel@abplgroup.com Alka Shah: Alka.shah@abplgroup.com Rovin George: rovin.george@abplgroup.com Editor: CB Patel Associate Editor: Rupanjana Dutta Tel: 020 7749 4098 - Email: rupanjana.dutta@abplgroup.com Senior News Editor: Dhiren Katwa Editorial Executive: Kartik Raval Freelance Correspondent: Rudy Otter Chief Financial Officer: Surendra Patel Tel: 020 7749 4093 - Mobile: 07875 229 220 Email: surendra.patel@abplgroup.com Accounts Executive: Akshay Desai Tel: 020 7749 4087 Email:accounts@abplgroup.com Advertising Managers: Alka Shah Tel: 020 7749 4002 - Mobile: 07944 151 893 Email: alka.shah@abplgroup.com Kishor Parmar Tel: 020 7749 4095 - Mobile: 07875 229 088 Email: kishor.parmar@abplgroup.com Media Consultant: Rovin John Goerge - Email: rovin.george@abplgroup.com Tel: 020 7749 4097 - Mobile: 07875 229 219 Business Development Managers: Urja Patel - Email: urja.patel@abplgroup.com Liji George Tel: 020 7749 4013 - Email: george@abplgroup.com Nikhil Gor - Email: nikhil.gor@abplgroup.com Tel: 020 7749 4009 - Mobile: 07875 229 200 Design and Layout: Harish Dahya & Ajay Kumar Tel: 020 7749 4086 Email: graphics@abplgroup.com Customer Service: Saroj Patel Tel: 020 7749 4080 - Email: support@abplgroup.com (BPO) AB Publication (India) Pvt. Ltd. 207 Shalibhadra Complex, Opp. Jain Derasar, Nr. Nehru Nagar

You will find added scope and greater incentive to push full steam ahead with your cherished aims.

You must be careful not to tread on other people's toes.

This is the right time to talk things over with your loved one - especially anything that has been worrrying you or making you feel insecure. .

TAURUS Apr 21 - May 21

Only on CB Live - MATV Sky 793 - Thursday 7:00pm to 8:00pm

The skies over Woodford Green in Essex were lit up with a firework display to mark the end of this year’s Taal extravaganza at Bancroft’s School. Produced by the members of the school’s Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist and Muslim Society, Taal is a show featuring drama, dance, fashion and music which embraces the vibrancy, colour and traditions associated with Asian culture.

It brought together around 80 pupils, aged

Expect everything to run smoothly and luck to attend your efforts. However, underneath this positive surface you may be plagued by a feeling of restlessness, an uneasy feeling that something is not quite right. Try to srike a balance between material and emotional affairs !

ARIES Mar 21 - Apr 20

Ruth Clark, together with her consort.

Sharlini Sathananthan, who directed Taal, and Ramiyaa Sretheran, who was responsible for much of the choreography and the fashion show, said that one of the most important things about Taal is the opportunity it gives for new friendships to devel-

op.

Now in its ninth successful year, Taal continues to raise large sums of money for charities based in the Indian sub-continent. It is hoped that this year’s efforts will raise over six thousand pounds which will be divided between The Meththa Foundation and Islamic Relief UK.

Coming Events l Friday 4th March, 18:30 onwards: Hindi Poetry in Cinema @ The Nehru Centre.

Contact: 020 7491 3567 l Sunday 6th March, 17:00 onwards: Confluence- National Orchestra for Indian Music @ Queen Elizabeth Hall, South Bank Centre.

Contact: 0844 847 9910 l Monday 7th March, 18:30 onwards: Women's Festival- Being an Asian Woman in Britain @ The Nehru Centre. Contact: 020 7491 3567 l Monday 7 March : 2nd Minority Ethnic Communities Health Fair @ City Hall, Cardiff.

Contact: 02920872386 l Sunday 20th March, 14.30 onwards: Gaura Purnima & Holi @ Hare Krishna Temple, Watford, WD25 8EZ. Contact: 01923 851000 l All Thursdays 19:00 - 20:00 : Jalaram Jyot @ Rapton Avenue, Sudbury HA0 3DW

There is a definite expansive trend where money is concerned, so do not be surprised if this turns out be a time of fortunate opportunities and lucky breaks. Keep your assertive inclination under control as conflict and disagreement could be sparked off by your short-sightedness. Think carefully about the implications of your actions.

GEMINI May 22 - June 22

It is essential that you adopt a very open attitude now for this is a time of lucky opportunity and a chance to greatly enrich your working life and at home. New windows on the world are about to open and this is bound to have a maturing effect on you from now into the future.

CANCER Jun 22 - Jul 22

It is a favourable time for dealing with financial interests with a long-term basis and all jointly held resources. There may be a certain amount of unfinished business to be dealt with. Therefore you will need to adopt a fairly flexible policy in order to accommodate the odd twists and turns of everyday life.

LEO Jul 23 - Aug 23

Extra energy and drive will serve you well in getting things accomplished. There appears to be a more successful trend coming into effect. Amorous affairs continue to be highlighted - whether or not this leads to a lasting relationship depends much on your own personal maturity and circumstances.

VIRGO Aug 24 - Sep 23

This is a good time to get away from usual routines and seek a retreat for a few days. All the better if you are interested in such things as meditation, yoga and therapies that help you to get in closer touch with your inner self. This will have a beneficial effect on your physical and psychological well-being.

LIBRA Sep 24 - Oct 23

SCORPIO Oct 24- Nov 22 Don't be afraid to act forcefully if your instinct tells you it's time for change. This week the focus is your house of family and home. Besides spending more time tending to domestic affairs, the focus can be on cultivating and nourishing your inner foundations, so to speak.

Circle, Ambawadi, Ahmedabad Tel: +9179 2646 Fax: +9179 6061 Chief Executive Director: Kamlesh Amin Tel: +91 922 710 4308 Email: kamleshamin123@yahoo.co.in Editorial Co-Ordinator (BPO): Suresh Samani (M) +91 9898441330 Email: sureshsamani@yahoo.com Dy. Editorial Co-Ordinator (BPO): Nilesh Parmar (M) +919426636912 Consulting Editor (BPO): Bhupatbhai Parekh, Ahmedabad, Gujarat Tel: +91 79 2630 4142 Mumbai: Kanti Bhatt, Hemraj Shah (Jumbo Advertiser) Horizon Advertising & Marketing: 205 Shalibhadra Complex, Opp. Jain Derasar, Nr. Nehru Nagar Circle, Ambawadi, Ahmedabad Tel / Fax: +91 79 2646 5960 (M) +91 9913346487 Email: horizonadvt2009@yahoo.in Neeta Patel, (Advertising Manager) (M) +91 98255 11702 International Advertisement Representative: Jain Group(South India) Tel: +91 44 42041122/3/4 Fax: +91 44 25362973 Mumbai: +91 222471 4122 Email: jainmedia@eth.net

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Karma Yoga House, 12 Hoxton Market, (Off Coronet Street) London N1 6HW. Tel: 020 7749 4080, Fax: 020 7749 4081 www.abplgroup.com © Asian Business Publications

Asian Voice switchboard: 020 7749 4000 Gujarat Samachar switchboard: 020 7749 4080 Sales: 020 7749 4085

SAGITTARIUS Nov 23 - Dec 21 At home, be at your diplomatic best and try not to tread on anyone's toes. Passions will run from hot to cold, and relationships may suffer.

Even the most strong-willed Cancerians will be more open to compromise to keep the peace. Plan your spending and set sensible budgets to reach your financial goals.

Your communication sector is all-abuzz with planetary energies firing you up preventing you from sleeping properly. Give yourself plenty of physical outlets to drain off some of the excess mental stimulation. You feel like you can finally settle into a more grounded and steady routine instead of letting your schedule run you.

CAPRICORN Dec 22 - Jan 20

AQUARIUS Jan 21 - Feb 19 Charm will be your ally in this week' s activities. Others will be responsive to you and your ideas. You are extremely warm and affectionate as a person and you look for just as strong a response from your partner. You will achieve success by being responsible and diplomatic.

PISCES Feb 20 - Mar 20 Relationships are experiencing major transformations - those with shaky foundations should be extra careful. Financially, you have everything going for you. A good time to put lucrative plans into action and reap the benefits of sound investments. Be prudent and do not fritter away your good fortune.

HealtH Watch

Asian Voice - Saturday 5th March 2011

29

Keep socially active to avoid old age disability People who are very active socially stand better chances of keeping off disability in old age, a new study carried by a team at Rush University Medical Center has found out. It has been well known for long that social activity helps in keeping healthy even as people grow older, but now there is strong evidence to suggest that keeping active socially also helps in better everyday functioning and less disability in old age.

Higher levels of social activity decrease the risk of developing disability in old age, according to a new study at Rush University Medical Center.

Lead researcher Bryan James, postdoctoral fellow in the epidemiology of aging and dementia in the Rush Alzheimer's Disease Center said, “The findings are exciting because social activity is potentially a risk factor that can be modified to help older adults avoid the burdens of disability.”

The study included 954 older adults with a mean age of 82 who are participating in the Rush Memory and Aging Project, an ongoing longi-

tudinal study of common chronic conditions of aging. At the start of the investigation, none of the participants had any form of disability. They each underwent yearly evaluations that included a medical history and neurological and neuropsychological tests.

Social activity was measured based on a questionnaire that assessed whether, and how often, participants went to restaurants, sporting events or the teletract (offtrack betting) or played bingo; went on day trips or overnight trips; did volunteer work; visited relatives or friends; participated in groups or attended religious services.

To assess disability, participants were asked whether they could perform six activities of daily living without help: feeding, bathing, dressing, toi-

leting, transferring and walking across a small room. They were also asked whether they could perform three tasks that require mobility and strength: walking up and down a flight of stairs, walking a half mile and doing heavy housework. Finally, they were asked about their ability to perform what are referred to as "instrumental" activities of daily living, such as using the telephone, preparing meals and managing medications. Difficulties with household management and mobility are more common and represent less severe disability than difficulty with self-care tasks, so the measures represented a range of disability.

Results showed that a person who reported a high level of social activity was about twice as likely to remain free of a disability involving activities of daily living than a person with a low level of social activity, and about 1.5 times as likely to remain free of disability involving instrumental activities of daily living or mobility.

Cycling is biggest trigger of heart attack Contrary to earlier beliefs, a new study has claimed that cycling is literally one of the biggest triggers of heart attacks.

The study, which analysed 36 pieces of research, has revealed that the "final straw" in bringing on a heart attack is spending time in traffic as a driver, cyclist or commuter, the Lancet journal reported.

But of these, cyclists are in greatest danger because they are more heavily exposed to pollution and are subjecting themselves to another major heart attack trigger, exercise.

Traffic exposure was blamed for 7.4% of heart attacks, followed by physical exertion with 6.2%.

Over-all air pollution triggered between 5% and 7% of heart attacks, while drinking alcohol account-

ed 5%. Other risk factors included negative emotions (3.9%), anger (3.1%), eating a heavy meal (2.7%), positive emotions (2.4%) and sexual activity (2.2%). Cocaine was to blame for 0.9% of heart attacks, but this was because of limited exposure to the drug among the population. On an individual basis, taking cocaine was shown to raise a per-

son's risk of having a heart attack 23-fold , according to the study, led by Dr Tim Nawrot, from Hasselt University in Belgium. In comparison, air pollution led to a 5% extra risk, but since far more people are exposed to traffic fumes and factory emissions than cocaine, air quality is a far more important population-wide threat.

David Spiegelhalter, a risk expert from Cambridge University, said it was difficult to "disentangle" the risk factors in the study for certain situations, such as driving or cycling to work in heavy traffic. "A lot of other factors are contributing to the overall risk; air pollution, stress, physical exertion, even anger which is another well-known trigger for a heart attack."

Olive fruit and oil are a wonderful diet High levels of cholesterol and blood sugar are potentially common lifestyle health problems these days. Diet consciousness helps keep things in check to a great extent. In this quest for a health diet, olive fruit and olive oil is a wonderful option.

Olive oil helps keep cholesterol levels in check and controls the blood sugar. Further, as Olive oil is monounsaturated, it is one of the easiest to digest.

Drizzle some on top of a

vegetable salad or dip a slice of whole-grain bread in some and eat as a snack.

Olive oil can also be added to spicy dishes and acidic food items. Try adding them when making sauces and dressings.

Make a mix of olive oil with onions, herbs (oregano, thyme etc) and garlic for pasta sauces. Use olive oil to marinate your meat dishes as this allows better penetration of the flavour into the food. For sautéing or frying, it's best to use a combination of extra virgin and regular olive oil. Add flavour to olive oil by infusing the oil with sprigs of dried herbs.

It's best stored in a dark cool spot and in a tightly covered container.

By Radhika Madlani

Does success come at a cost?

might argue that your fessionally or otherwise, I recently had the privichildren will grow up lege of dining with one of you can continue to folthe Dragons from the tellow your passions whilst learning what it takes to evision show, Dragons living your life. follow their dreams and Den. Being from a simiI recall comments to expect that success lar culture, I was curious from friends and family comes through hard to see whether the sucwhen I first started writwork. If you are discicess he and his wife ing this column. Many plined and treat your enjoyed had come at a questioned my committime as a valuable asset, cost of some impact on ment and whether I your passions should in their two daughters. Like would find the time and theory have no impact on many parents who juggle whether I was taking on your children. I know a successful job whilst too much. I actually find many mothers who gave raising a young child, I that in writing this colup on their dreams only often wonder whether I umn, I research topics to sit in coffee shops and am spreading myself that affect children and playgroups just to pass quite thin by pursuing parents and in doing so I the time with their chilother passions. Do our am subconsciously giving dren. Isn’t a nursery myself the time to reflect therefore a better enviambitions have an impact on our children? ronment for a child to on parenting and that I was recently debatpractice their social skills can only be beneficial. ing this point with a and the time away from So, does success friend of mine who is a motherhood a better come at a cost? My conteacher by profession. landscape for the mothclusion is that everything She firmly insisted that ers to pursue their comes at a cost if you let in her experience, childreams? it. People often say that dren learn from what I was quietly someone was a victim of goes on around them. It impressed to find the their own success, what is no co-incidence that a daughters of the Dragon do they really mean? I doctors child often grows to be humble and accomthink that means someup to be a doctor and a plished individuals. One one let the success get to smokers child often is a recent graduate from their head and pressed grows up to be a smoker.

Oxford and is leading her the ‘self-destruct’ button.

Someone needs to break fathers foundation chariI would hate to raise the chain and inspire ty to build new schools children who are afraid of younger generation to and villages in Pakistan. success because of the This particular daughter explore their talents complications that may actually said she was rather than follow bring. I would rather through with ‘monkey have children that dream proud to have role modsee, monkey do’. We need of success, aspire towards els at home in her parents to be role models to our it and like the dragon I who balanced their paschildren. In following our met, lead by example in sion for life, work and dreams, we are in fact combining passion and their children equally and teaching our children to pursuit of their ambitions as a result led by examdo the same. with successfully raising ple. The very fact that It is erroneous to a family around them. A this dinner was happenthink that because purvaluable lesson learnt, for ing in the dragons home suit of your dreams has which I am grateful to the rather than in a restauan impact on your time, dragon and his family. rant was proof that sucthe lack of time with Quote: cess might come at a cost your children therefore "Success is a journey, if you neglect your family, will have a negative not a destination." Ben yet if you blend your famimpact on them. One Sweetland ily into what you do, proShould you have any comments or want to get in touch with me you can email on avmamaria@gmail.com

Quinoa grain is new health food fad Inca grain which grows in Andes for millennia has become a global star and is now being touted as the health food of the future.

Quinoa, a good crop for harsher climes as it prospers in semi-arid conditions and high altitudes where rivals struggle, has nutrition experts salivating as it is chock-full of protein and essential amino acids.

"We don't ever get sick, because we eat the quinoa we got from our ancestors," Agustin Flores, a third-generation farmer in Bolivia's southern highlands, said. "When we are tired, after the working day, we have a drink based on the quinoa grain and that picks us up."

But in the past 10-15 years, quinoa has made major inroads in Western cuisine and is often used as a substitute for pastas, risottos and gratins. Chefs

and nutritionists are beginning to take notice of the ancient grain.

"With its great nutritional profile quinoa has now become a food of the future," said Epifanio Murana, the head of the Quinoa Producers' Association. "Nasa has called it complete, and highly useful for astro-

nauts' needs," Murana said.

Ruben Ramiro Miranda, a researcher at the University of Oruro, also sang the praises of the ancient grain. Quinoa can prevent inflammation and hypertension and helps "in development of neurons, as well as healthy breast milk," he said.

30

Sport

Asian Voice - Saturday 5th March 2011

Pakistan proves better of Sri Lanka For the record Overcoming too many controversies surrounding its cricket and cricketers Pakistan finally proved itself better of Sri Lanka at Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on Saturday.

Misbah-ul-Haq and Shahid Afridi shone as Pakistan earned an 11-run World Cup Group A win over the host.

Misbah (83 not out) shared a fourth-wicket stand of 108 with Younus Khan (72) as Pakistan totalled 277-7. Openers Tillakaratne Dilshan and Upul Tharanga gave Sri Lanka a solid start, but when Afridi (4-34) removed Dilshan, they slipped from 76-0 to 96-4.

Chamara Silva (57) and Kumar Sangakkara (49) led the recovery, but one of the favorite title winners could only close on 266-9.

Both strong through the off-side, Dilshan (41) and Tharanga (33) looked to have Sri Lanka well placed to pull off what would have been the fifthhighest successful run

Pakistanis celebrate their victory in Colombo on Saturday.

chase in World Cup history.

But when Tharanga drove the off-spin of Mohammad Hafeez to Afridi at short extra cover, it began a collapse in which Sri Lanka lost four wickets for 20 runs and perhaps realistic hopes of winning the match.

Some late hitting from Nuwan Kulasekara and an acceleration from the previously subdued Silva took the hosts far closer to their total than had appeared likely but the recovery from the mini-collapse proved to

be just beyond them.

The chase had, though, appeared well set before Afridi, who took 5-16 in Pakistan's opening victory against Kenya, struck again to spark the downturn in Sri Lanka's fortunes.

Earlier, after winning the toss, Pakistan lost Shehzad (13) caught behind from a flat-footed waft at Perera before Hafeez and Kamran added 48 for the second wicket.

Younus and Misbah, the experienced duo, then took upon themselves to

'Brave' cricketer Davies reveals he is gay

Steven Davies said he wants be known as "a good cricketer, not a gay cricketer" after going public about his sexuality International cricketer Steven Davies has received the support of his England colleagues and team bosses after becoming the sport's first active professional player to announce that he is gay.Davies, a wicketkeeper-batsman with the county Surrey who has played in 13 limited-overs internationals for England, made his revelations in a newspaper interview with The Daily Telegraph published on Monday.

"I feel now is the right time to be open about my sexuality. Those close to me have known for a while and have been nothing but supportive and understanding," he told the England Wales and Cricket Board website.

Steven Davies

"I'd like to thank Surrey and the ECB, as well as the England players and coaching staff.

They have all offered me their full backing from the moment I told them.

"My focus now is to play the best cricket I can for Surrey and get back

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into the England side. I am still the same person and I want to be remembered as a good cricketer, not a gay cricketer.""This is something Steve chose to discuss with myself and the squad some time ago. I would like to make it very clear that Steve is first and foremost a very talented cricketer and a valued member of the England set-up," Flower said on the ECB website, which also featured a statement from its managing director Hugh Morris.The 24-yearold was not selected for the World Cup being played in India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, but told coach Andy Flower about his sexuality before the tournament started this month.

Flower added: "His private life is his own concern and has absolutely no bearing on his ability to excel at the very highest level in international sport and I have no doubt that he will continue to work hard to regain a place in the England squad.

"Steve has had and will continue to have the full respect and support of the entire squad and everyone involved in England cricket."

rebuild the innings and responded well to the task.

With boundaries hard to come by, the Pakistan pair settled for working the ball into the gaps and running well - their 100 partnership came up in 113 balls but featured only four fours.

Younus eventually fell after hitting four boundaries in his 76-ball effort, top-edging a sweep off Herath to short fine leg, to leave Pakistan without his services when they opted to take the batting powerplay.

With Muralitharan back into the attack and having Umar Akmal (10) caught at deep midwicket, Sri Lanka were able to exercise some control, with Pakistan adding 36 runs in the five overs of fielding restrictions, a total boosted

by Afridi's 16 from 12 balls.

But batting with a runner Misbah, who had accelerated after reaching a 65ball half-century, was still there at the end, guiding Pakistan to what a total that, while far from daunting, ultimately proved beyond Sri Lanka.

Djokovic crushes Federer Number two seed Novak Djokovic of Serbia beat the top seed Roger Federer in straight sets to clinch his third consecutive Dubai Tennis Championships title.

Djokovic, who recently beat the Swiss at the Australian Open 2011 semi-finals, outclassed him again in Dubai by beating him 6-3, 6-3.

After the match, an ecstatic Djokovic said, “I played really well here. It's a great challenge playing Roger Federer and I had to be at the top of my game if I was going to win. This is one of the better matches that I have played in a while. I had to be on the top of my game. I have had a good preparation and I am feeling good on the court and hopefully I can continue this momentum.” Federer had a career advantage of 13-7 over Djokovic and was up 3-2 against the Serb in finals, but the stats did not go in his favour as the Swiss lost to his Serbian opponent in straight sets.

Additionally, Federer will be taking a break before he travels to Indiana Wells.

Canada's Nitish Kumar Yongest ever in World Cup

Sixteen-year-old schoolboy Nitish Kumar made history on Monday when he became the youngest ever World Cup player.

The Ontario-born teenager, aged 16 years and 283 days, was named in the Canada team to face Zimbabwe in the Group A game.

Bangladesh's Talha Jubair, who was 17 years and 70 days old when he featured against the West Indies in the 2007 World Cup, had been the previous youngest player in the tournament.

Before the World Cup, Kumar, who opens the batting, had played five ODIs for Canada, making his debut against Afghanistan in Sharjah in February 2010.

Nicknamed 'Tendulkar', he was born in May 1994, four-and-a-half years after Sachin Tendulkar's international debut against Pakistan in 1989.

Canada have the oldest and youngest player in the tournament and both will bat at the same time as the oldest player is 40-year-old John Davison, who also opens the batting.

Roach records first hat-trick of 2011

West Indies pace bowler Kemar Roach recorded the first hattrick of the 2011 World Cup against the Netherlands in a Group B match on Monday.

He dismissed Pieter Seelaar, Bernard Loots and Berend Westdijk off the last three balls of the match to lead West Indies to a 215-run victory.

Record Run Tally in Cricket World Cup Group Match

India and England played out the fourth tie at the Cricket World Cup in a match that set the record for the most runs in a game at the tournament.

England fell one run short of chasing down the victory target after needing 14 from the final over in Bangalore last night. Both teams made 338 in the Group B encounter.. The total run tally of 676 went past the previous highest for a World Cup match of 671, when Australia beat South Africa by 83 runs in St. Kitts at the 2007 edition in the Caribbean.

Warne predicted A Tie 8 hours ago

Shane Warne was bang on target when before the start of the match he Tweeted saying "Looking forward to the game between India and England today.

My prediction... a tie." And the cracker of a contest which saw 676 runs being scored did actually end up in a tie, making Warne's prediction come true.

Sachin’s 47th ODI century

By scoring his 47th ODI century Sachin Tendulkar is a leading batsman in World Cup with five centuries to his credit. He is now 3 centuries away from century of centuries. He scored a brilliant century against the England team in the World Cup 2011 Group B match in Bangalore. on Sunday, Feb 27.

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Asian Voice - Saturday 5th March 2011

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Asian Voice - Saturday 5th March 2011

World Cup Results Pakistan beat Kenya by 205 runs in a Group A match at National Cricket Stadium in Hambantota, Sri Lanka on Wednesday, Feb 23. Pakistan 317 for 7: Kamran Akmal 55, Younus Khan 50, Misbah-ul-Haq 65, Odoyo 41-3..Kenya 112 all out, C. Obuya i 47, Shahid Afridi 5-16 South Africa beat West Indies by seven wickets in Group B match at the Feroz Shah Kotla Stadium in New Delhi on Thursday, Feb 24. West Indies 222 all out, Darren Bravo 73, Dwayne Bravo 40,. Tahir 4-41, Steyn 3-24. S. Africa 223 for 3, A.B. de Villiers 107 not out.

Bangladesh beat Ireland by 27 runs in Group B match at Shere Bangla National Staduim on Friday, Feb 25. [Bangladesh 205 all out, T. Iqubal 44, R. Hasan 38, Botha 3-32.]

Ireland 178 all out.: N O’Brien 38, K. O’Brien 37. Shafiul Islam 4-21 Australia beat New Zealand by 7 wickets at Nagpur on Friday Feb 25.

New Zealand 206 all out, N.Mc Cullum 52, Vettori 44, Tait 35-3, Johnson 33-4. Australia 207 for 3, S. Watson 62, Haddin 55, Bennet 63-2.

Zimbabwe beat Canada by 175 runs in Group A match at Nagpur on Monday, Feb 28. Zimbabwe 298-9, Taibu 98, C. Ervine 85, Khurram Chohan 2-44, Balaji rao 4-57. Canada 123 all out. Gunasekera 24, A Hanra 20, Price 3-16, Cremer 31-3 West Indies beat Netherlands by 215 runs in a Group B match at New Delhi on Monday,Feb 28. West Indies 330 for 8 wickets, D. Smith 53, C Gayle 80, Sarwan 49, Pollard 60.

Seelaar 3-45, Bukhari 2-65.

Netherlands 11 all out. Cooper 55 not out, Roach 6-27, Benn 28-3

EPL Matches this week Saturday, 5 March Birmingham v/s West Brom St. Andrews Ground 12:45 Arsenal v/s Sunderland Emirates Stadium 15:00 Bolton v/s Aston Villa Reebok Stadium 15:00 Fulham v/s Blackburn Craven Cottage 15:00 Newcastle v/s Everton St. James’ Park 15:00 West Ham v/s Stoke Boleyn Ground 15:00 Man City v/s Wigan City of Mcr. Stadium 17:30 Sunday, 6 March Liverpool v/s Man Utd Anfield 13:30 Wolverhampton v/s Tottenham Molineux 16:00 Monday, 7 March Blackpool v/s Chelsea Bloomfield Road 20:00 Wednesday, 9 March Everton v/s Birmingham Goodison Park 20:00

England-India tie lights up World Cup

By Dr. Premen Addy It was a game to savour, a spectacle fit for the gods. Spectators in Bangalore's Chinnaswamy Stadium were sated, having got their money's worth of entertainment and more, and carrying off memories designed to embroider many a conversation in days, months and years to come.

The tied Test match at Brisbane between Australia and West Indies in December 1960 is still a talking point among those who witnessed it and others who didn't but claimed they did, and the still more who were unborn and learned the facts on the knees of an older generation.

Likewise, Bangalore surely hosted the greatest game of cricket in its shortened form ever beheld by mortal eyes. Sceptics were given recently to talk of the death of the 50 over ODI. They will be foolish to continue in this vein. Two gems of ODI batsmanship from Sachin Tendulkar and Andrew Strauss respectively set the crowd alight. With India reaching a daunting 338 all out the match seemed as good as over. But a cricket match is never lost until it is won, as England showed so gloriously during their run chase.

Andrew Strauss as Captain Marvel started the England innings with a bang, with not the slightest hint of a whimper anywhere in sight. Kevin Petersen fell for 31, followed by Jonathan Trott who departed for 16. With Iain Bell partnering Strauss, the most productive stand of the entire match, 270, no less, took root and brought the visitors within easy distance of an improbable victory. Then came the first tantalising twist in an increasingly engrossing tale: Bell holed out to Zaheer Khan for 69, the batsmen having crossed Zaheer's next ball, a wicked inswinger, trapped Strauss plumb in front of his middle stump lbw for a truly magnificent 158, his highest ODI score in which he played

ICC probes AustraliaZimbabwe World Cup match

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has reportedly carried out a scrutiny of the Australia and Zimbabwe World Cup match played in Ahmedabad after Australian openers, Shane Watson and Brad Haddin allegedly batted slowly in the first 10 overs.

The two openers scored just 28 in 11 overs and 53 in 15 overs in a match that Australia eventually won comfortably but the slow rate of scoring in the first two overs was scrutinized by the ICC anti-corruption and security unit.

Ian Bell of England hits a six during the 2011 ICC World Cup Group B match between India and England at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium on February 27, 2011 in Bangalore, India.

every shot in the book to perfection. The door open, the Indian foot went in as wickets fell and hopes of an England victory receded. But the England tail rose to the occasion with some lusty hitting: two runs for a win off the final ball, but the strike went tamely to mid-off for a single and a tie ensued, the first ever in an ODI World Cup. There were thrills galore as the game swung to and fro. Neither side deserved to lose, but England was the more disappointed not to have won.

Earlier, Tendulkar, the jewel in India's crown, was in majestic form as he stroked 120 runs, hitting 5 sixes along the way.

Mahindra Singh's blighted captaincy gave England a sliver of hope, as he inexplicably relegated Virat Kohli, the centurion at Dhaka in No 4 position, to No7 for no

reason that can remotely be described as rational. The declining powers of Yuvraj Singh higher up the order became evident; there was wild slogging and wickets fell like ninepins. A likely Indian total of 350 plus collapsed in a heap with 338 runs on the board.

Michael Holding, the former West Indies bowling star, sitting in the commentary box, called for an improvement in Dhoni's shambolic leadership.

The first four names in India's batting lineup – Sehwag, Tendulkar, Gambhir and Kohli - are surely cast in stone.

Thereafter, Dhoni has the right to switch the order as and when he likes, depending on the state of the game. Gary Kirsten, the team coach, should have a wise and gentle word with his captain.

World Cup Cricket Points table (as on 1/3/11) Teams Sri Lanka Pakistan Australia New Zealand Zimbabwe Canada

Mat 3 2 2 2 2 2

Won 2 2 2 1 1 0

Teams India England West Indies South Africa Bangladesh Ireland

Mat 2 2 2 1 2 1

Won 1 1 1 1 1 0

Group Lost 1 0 0 1 1 2 Group Lost 0 0 1 0 1 1

A Tied 0 0 0 0 0 0 B Tied 1 1 0 0 0 0

N/R 0 0 0 0 0 0

Pts 4 4 4 2 2 0

Net RR +2.663 +2.160 +1.813 +1.507 +0.840 -3.850

N/R 0 0 0 0 0 0

Pts 3 3 2 2 2 0

Net RR +0.870 +0.126 +1.879 +0.766 -0.600 -0.540