British Tamils

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3-CB Comment_A4 Temp 10/08/2012 16:15 Page 3

A salute to the torchbearers of the community ritish Tamils are, after all, recently-arrived “new Britons”, who were given shelter and support by Great Britain as they do for people in distress, irrespective of colour or creed. Great Britain – the name itself implies something different, special, better and inspiring. This country has been generous and supportive, besides being tolerant and a welcoming welfare state with equal opportunities. Like other recent immigrants, British Tamils also have appreciated this welcome and are engaged in utilising the opportunities in all aspects of life e.g. education, professions, business, commerce as well as other avenues for personal progress.

In 1983, with the burning of Jaffna Library, the Sri Lankan Tamils suffered more systematic discrimination, violence and with the advent of the activities of the Tamil Tigers, a Civil War ensued with loss of thousands of lives and other untold miseries and damages. Those who were able to reach a place of peace and welcome, like Great Britain, are doing their utmost to settle in their new, challenging and positive environment.

The first generation of British Tamils have endured enormous hardship and challenges and have sacrificed their present wellbeing for the benefit of the future generations. The younger members of the British Tamil Community are showing excellence in the traditional pursuit of education and professions.

Tamils are also a trading community, like the Gujaratis and Punjabis.

Napoleon once described England as a 'nation of traders'. He was right, to a certain extent only. But Britain is not just a “nation of traders”, it is much more than that. It is a vibrant democracy committed to pride and self respect. It has given ample opportunity to the British Tamils to flourish like all other migrants, who preceded them such as the Huguenots, Jews, Gujaratis, Punjabis, Pakistanis, Bangladeshis, Afro-Caribbeans, Somalians etc.

The British Tamil community in the UK consists of Tamils from India, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Singapore and many other countries. The trauma of their forced departure from Sri Lanka still haunts. Systematic torture and oppression in the dying days of the Civil War, a huge number of people in detention camps and the military strong arm tactics of the present regime in Sri Lanka have also had an impact on the mindset of these people.

These painful days are also going to change. It is inevitable! There is so much more to achieve.

The British Tamils have a very important responsibility as well as opportunity, to be the role models for those back home as well as for the future generations. This edition of British Tamils highlights predominantly those from India and other countries. There are quite a few informative and useful articles.

This is not an exhaustive list on the present state of the community but surely, it is a humble effort to salute those who are doing their utmost in the most difficult circumstances and who are capable of being torchbearers for future generations. I would also like to appreciate the efforts of ABPL team and while I have all appreciation for the first generation of Tamils, I am very optimistic about the potential of generations to come.

B

C B Patel Publisher/Editor

Asian Voice & Gujarat Samachar - 2012

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4-Timms Messages_A4 Temp 10/08/2012 14:55 Page 4

Best compliments to the British Tamil community

I have been the Member of Parliament for East Ham for eighteen years, and lived in the area for over thirty years. My first neighbours in Manor Park in 1978 were from the Tamil community, and I am proud that the area has become home to so many Tamil families since - including many fleeing violence back home. As MP I have enjoyed working closely with the Tamil community. I have been impressed by the remarkable contribution, not only to Newham, but to East London as a whole.

When I came to Newham, High Street North in Manor Park was a drab and declining shopping street. Now it is home to a large number of Tamil-owned businesses and individual Tamil entrepreneurs. It is lively and colourful, and is seen by many as the heart of the diaspora community in Europe. And many who have started out in businesses like that are now making an impact on British society, not least through business success and in the professions.

I am delighted to join everyone in paying a warm tribute to British Tamils this evening.

With all best wishes,

Rt Hon Stephen Timms, MP East Ham

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5-History_A4 Temp 10/08/2012 14:57 Page 5

Tamil Diaspora – Full of heritage ■ Spriha Srivastava he British Tamils is one of the largest diasporas in the UK. As per statistics, a total of 150,000 Tamils lived in the UK as of 2008. The number has definitely gone up to more than 250,000 at this point, reports suggest. The migration of Tamils from Tamil Nadu of India and Eelam of Sri Lanka is not of recent origin. At the moment, there are close to seventy million Tamils spread in over fifty countries of the world.

Migration of significant numbers of Tamils to the UK started with labour migrants in the 1940s. These were then joined by students moving to UK for education in the 1970s and then by those feeling the Sri Lankan Civil War in the 1980’s and 1990s. The Tamil diaspora in the UK is a growing togetherness of more than 150,000 to 200,000 people which is rooted in ancient heritage, a rich language and literature.

V. Sivasupramaniam in his article on history of Tamils says, “Their passion for and the love of their language and culture which has a cherished heritage is the one that binds the Tamil diaspora world wide and their coherence and unity is fast growing to be recognized as an international force.

According to Father Heras, "Tamil is the oldest of the present languages." Tamil, one of the powerful Dravidian languages is perhaps the only example of an ancient language which has survived as a spoken language for more than 2500 years with its basic structure almost unchanged. The name Tamil is itself unique meaning "sweetness" and "coolness". Language and culture are two facets of the same identity, and language is a major cultural element. Culture is everything which is socially learned and shared by members of a society; it is an organized system of behaviour and said to be normative because it defines standards of conduct. According to Edward Burnett Tylor an Anthropologist "it is that complex whole which includes knowledge, belief, art, morals, customs and any other capabilities acquired by man as a member of a society."

A huge number of Tamils came into UK after the ethnic cleansing operations

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forced against Eelam Tamils in Sri Lanka in 1985. Countries that received refugees of Eelam Tamils include the UK, West Europe, Canada, Australia and India. Now among the entire Tamil diaspora of the UK, Eelam Tamils are the majority which comprises of more than ninety percent. As per a Human Rights watch report, in 2006, a total of 110,000 Sri Lankan Tamils were living in Britain.

The Tamil diaspora in the UK can be divided into various groups. There is the first group which I refer to as Veterans. These are well-established professionals present in the mainstream in UK. This group consists of politicians, bankers, doctors, lawyers, professors, entrepreneurs, artists and others who have secured a respectable position in the professional circles. These people are extremely well-established and also have a say in the policy making. There is a second group that consists of new entrants in the industry. Young Tamils who move to UK from India & Sri Lanka in search of a better career and are spread across various sectors of UK and contributing to the UK economy in a great deal.

Then there are refugees, particularly from Sri Lanka. These are people who have faced a lot of trauma during the civil war and are disturbed by their experiences. This group includes middle-aged people and sometimes youth who are still trying to come out of their traumatic experiences.

The final group consists of second or third generation British Tamils who are born and brought up in the UK and are extremely well-versed with the UK culture. This group of young Tamils has grown up with a sense of social diversity and multi-cultural existence. They understand their roots but have also learnt to live with people of different origins.

The Tamil community as a whole is contributing enormously to the British economy. Be it in the service industry with more than 350-400 restaurants around the UK, or in the field of medicine, law, finance, culture, the Tamil community is one of the most versatile communities in the world.

With such a deep rooted culture, this community will continue to preserve its heritage even by being far away from their homeland.

Spriha Srivastava

Asian Voice & Gujarat Samachar - 2012

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Tamil community –

a cultural delight

■ Spriha Srivastava he Tamil community is one of the most culturally rich communities in the world. The Tamil culture is rooted in the arts and ways of life of Tamils in India, Sri Lanka and other countries. Britain has over 250,000 Tamils from both Tamil Nadu of India and Eelam of Sri Lanka. Members of this community have preserved their cultural heritage, traditions for many many years.

The Tamil Community is spread across the UK with a strong presence in London. The community comes together to celebrate a number of festivals. These are sometimes organised by various Tamil groups spread across UK. For instance, the London Tamil Sangam is one of the oldest Tamil organisations in UK. It was founded in 1936 by Dr. Dr. R. K. Shanmugam Chettiar, the first finance minister of Independent India and Mr. K.T.K. Thangamani, a veteran Communist leader.

A more recent one is the Northern Tamil Association which was founded by a group of enthusiastic Tamils in 1986. The main aim of this organization is to promote Tamil language and Tamil culture in UK and to encourage talents among the Tamil people - music, dance, drama and other spheres. It also aims to be a social venue for all Tamil people to meet and exchange and aims to teach their children the rich traditions of Tamil culture through the celebrations and activities.

The two associations mentioned above along with a number of other associations here organise a number of activities from time to time in order to bring the community together. Hari Iyer, a journalist in the City has been away from India for over 10 years now but he says he has never felt detached from his culture.

“I have been away for over a decade and initially I used to feel extremely sad about being away because I have grown up in a culturally rich atmosphere. We pray everyday, we sit on the floor and eat, my mom prepares such delicious kuzambu (curry), the celebrations and so on. These are things you take for granted when at home but I started missing all this when I moved away from home. And so I got in touch with a number of Tamil associations here and started attending their events on a regular basis. I go to east ham almost once or twice a week for food and to visit the temple. And frankly, I have never felt like I am away from home,” he said.

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Asked whether he would want to inculcate similar values in his children, he said, “I am already doing that.

My wife and I are extremely aware of the challenges of raising children in a foreign land and we are doing everything to ensure that our son is as close to the cultural values that I am. We purposely celebrate every festival at home, light the lamp every day in front of God so that he grows up seeing all this. But he is still very young and the bigger challenge will be when he becomes a teenager,” he smiled and said.

The Tamil community in the UK celebrate a number of festivals. For instance, a few months back the Tamil and Malyalee community in the UK came together to celebrate Vishu. The celebration of Vishu marks the New Year in accordance with the Malayalam calendar, known as the Kolla Varsha.

In UK, Vishu was celebrated by Harrogate Malyalees Association at St. Aelreds Parish Hall. Apart from this, the East Midland Hindu Samajam organized Vishu celebrations in Nottingham.

The event was held at the Derby Hindu Temple in Derby. Celebrations also took place in Cambridge, organized by the Cambridge Hindu Samajam and went on for the entire day. In Kent, the Kent Hindu Samajam celebrated Vishu in Gillingham Kent.

The community also comes together to celebrate the Ganesh Chaturthi. Last year I attended the celebrations at Shree Ganpathy Temple near Wimbledon. A South-Indian temple, it celebrated Vinayagar Chaturthi in a very grand fashion. There were many people and the atmosphere was extremely electrifying. The priests carried the idol of Lord Ganesha around the temple while everyone followed them in a circle. There were modaks and laddos and not even for a moment it felt like I was in London.

Come this September, the Tamil community will again come together to celebrate Ganesh Chaturthi in a grand manner.

Another aspect of the Tamil culture that is extremely popular in the UK is the cuisine. From a number of smaller restaurants in East Ham to more classy restaurants in the West-end, the cuisine is extremely popular among both Europeans and Non-Europeans.

The Tamil community in UK has a lot to boast about.

To start with, for preserving their cultural heritage, for contributing to the British society in innumerable ways and for inculcating the same values in their children so that they are rooted with their culture even while growing up in the UK. The community has a lot to teach us and we must take this moment to learn.

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8-BT Local Government_A4 Temp 10/08/2012 14:58 Page 8

British Tamils in Local Government Councillor Paul Sathianesan (Labour) Councillor Paul Sathianesan arrived as a refugee in May 1985 and has gone a long way since then. He is one of the most politically active Tamils in the UK and has won local council elections four times with the highest votes among all the Councillors. He was the first Tamil appointed by the British Refugee Council to advice and look after the Tamils in the UK and since then he has received great respect from wider community in the UK and Internationally.

He won two national awards "Taking a Stand Award" for crime and anti social behaviour and "Volunteer of the Year". He has also received “Honorary Degree” from University of East London for life long achievement award for contributions he made. UNHCR has recognised him as a positive contributor and person behind the headlines in their web site.

He was invited by then Prime Minister Rt. Hon. Tony Blair to No.10 Downing Street and personally thanked him for his service and contributions to the UK. He had arrived in UK with a small Kodak bag which is now owned by Museum of London as part of their belonging exhibition.

He was appointed by the Home office to the National Integration Policy Forum which was chaired by the Home Office Minister. Paul was the founder of the Tamil Chamber of Commerce in UK, founder member of the Tamil Refugee Housing Association which is now known as Tamil Community Housing; the very first ethnic minority housing association within Europe.

He is the current chair of European Tamil Research and Documentation Centre, European Tamil Chemozhi Sangam, International Tamil Refugee Network and Black Neighbourhood Renewal & Regeneration Network (BNRRN), Board member of YMCA College and involved in many voluntary, community and faith organisations.

Councillor Krishna Suresh (Labour) Councillor Krishna Suresh was born in Point Pedro in the North of Sri Lanka, and moved to the UK in 1983. He graduated as a Bachelor of Arts from Middlesex University and later joined the Labour Party in 1997. He won the London Borough of Harrow council seat for Rayners Lane in May 2010, becoming the first Labour councillor to hold that seat in 30 years. He is currently the Secretary of Harrow Council’s Labour Group, as well as Ethnic Minority Officer and Campaign Officer for Harrow West Labour Party. He is also an executive member of the Harrow Asian Multicultural Association and a member of the Fabian Society.

Councillor Sasikala Suresh (Labour) Sasikala Suresh was born in Neervely in the North of Sri Lanka, and moved to the UK in 1980. Having joined the Labour Party in 1997, she won the London Borough of Harrow council seat of

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Asian Voice & Gujarat Samachar - 2012

Headstone South in 2006 and was re- elected in 2010.

She is the Deputy Chief Whip of Harrow Council Labour Group and a member of the Fabian Society. She has been a local activist since 1997 and has also been a fund raiser for various charities including the Sri Lankan Tsunami Fund and the Pakistan Flood Appeal.

Councillor Thavathuray Jeyaranjan (Labour) Councillor Thavathuray Jeyaranjan, popularly known as Jey, has lived in Newbury for 24 years and is the councilor for Newbury ward of Redbridge. An engineering graduate from South Bank University, he has also worked for many years for London Underground. Jey is an active member of the Transport Union and has a passionate interest in transport issues. Jey recently set up a local Neighbourhood Watch, of which he is the co-ordinator, and is a nationally known member of the Tamil community in the UK. Councillor Logie Lohendran (Conservative) Councillor Logie Lohendran immigrated to United Kingdom in 1967 and completed BSc Hons Degree in Mechanical Engineering. In 1974, he got employed by London Underground at various capacities and also as a Project Manager for Metronet carrying out various Station refurbishments works. Lohendran took an early retirement in 2006 after 31years service and ventured into Politics. In 2009 February he became a member of the Conservative Party. Later that year, after standing in the Local Election in May 2010, he was elected as the first Tamil Conservative Councillor for Cannon Hill Ward. He has laid high attention on addressing Mental health and Domestic Violence in the Tamil Community.

Some other Tamil Councillors who were elected at the May 2012 Local Council Election: Councillor Kanapathipillai Naheerathan (Labour) – Queensbury, Brent Councillor Mike Selva (Labour) – Broad Green, Croydon Councillor Manoharan Dharmarajah (Labour) – Roxbourne, Harrow Councillor Nizam Alavi Ismail (Labour) – Queensbury, Harrow Councillor Thayapara Idaikkadar (Labour) – Roxeth, Harrow Councillor Kairul Kareema Marikar (Labour) – West Harrow, Harrow Councillor Yoganathan Yogan (Liberal Dem) – St Mark's, Kingston Councillor Eliza Packia Devi Mann (Liberal Dem) Riverside, Southwark (This is not an exhaustive list)

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Some Popular British Tamils in the world Journalists and Broadcasters

Music

George Alagiah

Siva Kaneswaran

George Alagiah is a British journalist, newsreaders and television presenter.

He joined the BBC in 1989 after seven years in print journalism with South Magazine. Before he became one of the head newsreaders, Alagiah was a reporter who covered many significant events during his time. In 2000, Alagiah was part of the BBC team which won a BAFTA award for its coverage of the Kosovo conflict. Individually, he has also won several awards himself such as Best International Report and Amnesty International's Best TV Journalist.

Siva Kaneswaran is a member of the boy-band The Wanted. He grew up in Ireland with his six other siblings.

Kaneswaran started modeling at 16 and landed a contract with Storm Model Management.

He has made a number of televised appearances such as on Rock Rivals and on one episode of Uncle Max. Kaneswaran was spotted through his modeling campaigns and recruited as a result for the band. As a member of the band, Kaneswaran's popularity has rapidly increased and continues to increase as the Band attracts more followers.

Darshini David Darshini David is a broadcaster and economist. She joined the BBC in 2000 as an economics and business reporter. She worked on BBC News 24 as well as on its international counterpart BBC World. She has also presented on BBC's series Panorama, BBC One news and British National Radio.

In 2008, David joined Tesco as broadcasting manager but soon announced she would be joining Sky News as a business correspondent, a year later.

Tim Kash Tim Kash is a television presenter best known for presenting on Top of the Pops in the UK, and MTV News . He was born in Kingston-Upon-Thames in England in 1982 to a Sri Lankan Tamil family. Kash was hired by Top of the Pops in 2003 because he was edgy and extremely talented. In 2006, Kash was hired by MTV UK and later moved to the US MTV station. Apart from presenting, Kash is a keen supporter of charities, and has been an Ambassador for the Prince's Trust for the last four years.

M.I.A Mathangi Arulpragasam or M.I.A. Is an English recording artist and songwriter of Sri Lankan Tamil descent. Her music style combines elements of electronic, dance, hip hop and world music. M.I.A began her career in 2000 as a visual artist, filmmaker and designer but quickly launched her recording career two years later. She has had many hit singles such as “Sunshowers”, “Galang” and “Paper Planes”, which peaked in the top 20 worldwide and reached number four on the Billboard Hot 100.

Susheela Raman Susheela Raman is a highly acclaimed British Tamil musician. She started her music career in 1997, after she was inspired by a song that her partner and guitarist/producer Sam Mills had made. In 2002, Raman released her first album titled Salt Rain. Immediately, the song went gold in France and was shortlisted for the Mercury Music Prize. She also won Best Newcomer Award from BBC Radio 3. Since 2001, Raman has released 5 albums.

Asian Voice & Gujarat Samachar - 2012

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Empowering Communities through integrated projects and working towards a stronger Tamil Business Network orld Tamil Organisation (UK) is a registered charity organisation (CC Registration Number: 1116624). It was established in the year 2005 with the aim of promoting the welfare of the Tamil community in several aspects especially in arts, culture and business in the United Kingdom. Mr. Jacob Ravibalan is the President of World Tamil Organisation.

One of WTO's (World Tamil Organisation) important objectives is to provide relief work for the deprived and needy people not only during times of natural disasters, but also helping persons affected by poverty, sickness and distress in the UK and abroad through a regular programme of financial assistance and voluntary relief work.

W

WTO aims to run regular programmes for the Tamil community, such as evening training class for practical IT skills, Tamil classical music Bharathanatyam and extra educational support for school children and old age Tamil community people. WTO provides advice and support to disadvantaged community members to access government services and career assistance.

WTO organised and hosted several communal events in London to coincide with festivals such as Pongal, Tamil New Year, Eid, Christmas, Diwali, summer sports and other festive occasions. WTO's goals are to bring in all the global Tamil business community and all UK Tamil organisations under one place. One of WTO aims is to channel aid and monetary efforts towards the remedy of people in need in developing countries, as WTO did during the Tsunami disaster. WTO conducted many events in the last 8 years, notably in April 2012 WTO

arranged "International Seminar on Investment Opportunities in Tamil Nadu State & United Kingdom and Business Developmental issues" where Tamil delegates/business men from all over the world participated which was one of the successful events. WTO also aims to bring all Tamil community organisations within the UK under one banner.

WTO currently supports more than 250 orphans in India by providing food for all of them 365days a year. WTO helps many Tamil charity organisations for old age and orphans. WTO supports young Tamil community for their educational needs and guides the Tamil community who comes to the UK in terms of identifying a place to stay, where and how to apply for a job, legal advice, student advice and more. In the last 8 years WTO helped to send the dead-bodies to the relatives of 14 people from the Tamil community died in the UK. WTO is helping the Tamil community by joining hands with South India Business Chamber of Commerce. President of WTO Mr. Jacob Ravibalan is also one of the directors of BSICC. BSICC and WTO along with UKTI recently conducted â&#x20AC;&#x153;UK South India Business Meet 2012â&#x20AC;? at the British Parliament. WTO has been invited by the World Tamil Economic Forum held at Dubai last year and FETNA (Federation of Tamil Sangams of North America) to attend their conferences.

WTO's key people in the organisation are Senthir Ramanathan, Mujee Aukhan, Abdul Razak, Esther Mathew and many volunteers.

Jacob Ravibalan

Asian Voice & Gujarat Samachar - 2012

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12-13 HSFCx2_A4 Temp 10/08/2012 15:10 Page 12

Where the priority is you ■ Romil Patel ith over fifteen years of experience in various fertility clinics around Harley Street, Dr Geetha Venkat is a prominent and renowned figure in the world of fertility treatment and now has her own practice known as the Harley Street Fertility Clinic and she regularly presents her work in conferences.

The Harley Street Fertility Clinic boasts impressive figures. With a 50% success rate, rising to 63% for women under 37, Dr Venkat’s Harley Street clinic has the highest success rate in London.

Dr Venkat is an active member of the British Tamil community and indeed the wider Asian community. She has given lectures on infertility, women's issues, general health and obesity and her clientele includes Asians from various countries including France, Switzerland, and the Netherlands.

So why are people from the Tamil and global community prepared to cross borders in order to seek her help? Dr Venkat opines that “they feel at home talking to me. First, it's the language and people often like to talk to a female gynecologist mainly because it's the female who is involved in the treatment. They feel free and very happy to talk to me.”

Over the years, Dr Venkat has dealt with an array of medically complicated cases and she has worked in one of

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Dr Geetha Venkat

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Asian Voice & Gujarat Samachar - 2012

London's high profile clinics under the stewardship of Professor Ian Craft, who she describes as “a pioneer in the field” of IVF (in vitro fertilisation) treatment. Dr Venkat formed part of the team which made many IVF milestones. Despite of these astonishing achievements, Dr Venkat remains a humble and graceful figure who routinely attributes her success to “luck, circumstances, attention to detail and the grace of God.” Infertility can often be a deeply sensitive and emotive issue and figures show that it is particularly prevalent in the Asian community. It is bewildering, then, that this issue is often swept under the rug as opposed to being openly addressed and Dr Venkat urges those affected not to hide their problems as a solution may arise out of dialogue.

“These days, techniques are available,” Dr Venkat added. “Technology has improved so much. There is a solution or treatment for every problem and it can be resolved and if you end up having a baby, your life can change.”

In the Asian community it is often the case that “people still view infertility as a stigma and they don't think that it is a medical problem” and the female is frequently castigated for the inability to conceive by natural means. Dr Venkat notes that the oldfashioned attitudes towards IVF and infertility are gradually changing amongst the younger generation and at the start of 2011, she launched a British Asian Support Group to help couples who are subject to “mental agony” due to their inability to have children.

“I feel that I am able to help our community and as we all have a soft corner for our own communities, I feel very happy to talk to them and to help them. They also respond very well and they are happy to come and see me,” she said.

Today Dr Venkat is a highly successful British Tamil who contributes vastly to the community but her journey to reach the top has involved struggle and sacrifice. “Of course there are obstacles at every stage,” she remarked.

12-13 HSFCx2_A4 Temp 10/08/2012 15:10 Page 13

“Financially it was a strain because I am from an average lower-middle class family.” When Dr Venkat arrived in the UK, she had to juggle night duties with studies not to mention the dedication required to raise a child simultaneously. With perseverance and hard work, Dr Venkat has proved that one can propel themselves to the top of any profession regardless of age, creed or gender.

So what is next on the radar for the Harley Street Doctor? “The plan is to expand our business. Now that business is picking up, we want to have our own lab, theatre and facilities” she revealed. “In the next five years we want to establish a large clinic and the main motto is: 'the patients.' Business is secondary.” Dr Venkat genuinely has the interest of her patients at heart. For example, she keeps her practice open beyond the late afternoon in order to cater for the busy schedules of her clients, which avoids additional stress. “We want to focus on the patients. We want to have a large clinic which is ethical, has very high standards and good success rates.”

It is clear that Dr Venkat is a shining light on what would otherwise be a hidden issue that people would classify as a taboo subject not to be breached but instead to ostracise women. She should be recognised not only for her medical feats but also for her extremely important contribution to educating society.

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13

14-Venkatraman_A4 Temp 10/08/2012 15:11 Page 14

S Venkatraman- serving the community for three decades ■ Rupanjana Dutta riginally from Chennai, Mr S Venkataraman came to London about one year back as the CEO of the State Bank of India London Main Branch. Mr Venkataraman joined the banking world 29 years back when there was no IT boom. Under the leadership of Mr Venkataraman the bank has progressed by leaps and bounds in UK. State Bank of India is the largest banking and financial services company in India by revenue, assets and market capitalisation wise. It is a state-owned corporation and as of March 2012, it had assets of US$360 billion with over 14,000 outlets including 173 overseas offices globally.

O

Mr S Venkataraman

The bank traces its ancestry to British India, through the Imperial Bank of India, to the founding in 1806 of the Bank of Calcutta, making it the oldest commercial bank in the Indian Subcontinent.

Bank of Madras merged into the other two Presidency banks—Bank of Calcutta and Bank of Bombay—to form the Imperial Bank of India, which in turn became the State Bank of India through an act of Parliament in 1955.

SBI has been ranked 285th in the Fortune Global 500 rankings of the world's biggest corporates for the year 2012.

Asking about the bank’s contribution to the Asian community in particular, Mr Venkatraman told Asian Voice, “We have expanded the network of the bank. We currently have 10 branches in the UK, with 5 branches in London itself. We have branches in Leicester, Manchester,

14

Asian Voice & Gujarat Samachar - 2012

Coventry, Birmingham and Wolverhampton. In London we have branches in East Ham, Southall, Golders Green and Harrow. All these places are prominent residential areas for Asians. In addition to these nine branches we have London Main Branch situated at King Street. This branch was opened in the year 1921. London main branch has both retail operations and Whole sale banking or in other words large value loans to the big companies situated in Europe, Asia, Africa almost all parts of the world.”

“Our doors are not only open to Asians or Indians; they are open to any British citizen also. In fact, we have many clients of non-Asian background, because they are enamoured by the schemes we offer. We have revamped all the branches and are at par with any high street bankambience wise. We are trying to match the services as well. So we have introduced many support systems, and complying with regulatory requirements, we have established a good footprint in the UK.” Talking about expansions in mainland Europe, he added, “We have branches in Mainland Europe.

We are present in Paris, Antwerp & Frankfurt with established branches; we have offices in Russia, Turkey & Milan as well.

SBI not only offers basic banking facilities to individuals, but also offers several schemes like Instant Access Savings Account, SBI Premier, Fixed deposits and NRI Services. SBI also offers loans for businesses, both short term and long term.

Speaking of SBI and its useful schemes, Venkataraman added, “We are an active partner in funding Jaguar Land Rover & Corus takeover in the UK. Deals like this enable Indian Corporates to expand in the UK and Europe through corporate acquisitions.”

When asked about the principle characteristics that make SBI unique, Mr Venkataraman added with much conviction, “We are here in the UK for 90-91 years and we are the oldest bank serving the Asian community in the UK.” He thanked all the customers of SBI here in UK for their overwhelming response to the recent schemes of the bank.

Though Mr Venkatraman holds the Tamil culture, language and all the nitty gritty close to his heart, he has not had the chance to mingle with the Tamil community here.

He added with a nod, “I am of course rooted to my mother tongue, I love my sambar and curd rice, my community, the literature, music and so much more. I do agree that with our people migrating to various parts of the world, our language is changing, but I am also confident that the popularity of Tamil as a foreign language will increase in the UK, especially with times to come.”

7-10-15 Advert pages_A4 Temp 10/08/2012 15:24 Page 15

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15

16-Madhura Rasaratnam_A4 Temp 10/08/2012 15:13 Page 16

Do what you are good at and enjoy ■ Romil Patel ince their migration to the United Kingdom, the Tamil community has offered vast contributions to British society and working life in fields such as medicine, finance, law and accounting.

Clearly gifted with talented minds, it is striking that few choose to pursue a career in academia.

In spite of this, Madura Rasaratnam, a female British Tamil has confronted the academic discipline head on. Having grown up in the United Kingdom, Rasaratnam followed the prescribed route for most British Tamils by going on to higher education. She gained an Undergraduate degree in Politics from The School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS). Recently, Rasaratnam has been working towards a PhD in Comparative Politics and she has just submitted her work to the London School of Economics (LSE).

The Sri Lankan Civil War was a bloody and brutal conflict which claimed thousands of lives and as a British Tamil from Sri Lanka Rasaratnam was keen to examine the issues of ethnicity, nationalism and conflict. More specifically, she is using Tamils in India and Sri Lanka as case studies. Asked what it was about this topic that drew her in, Rasaratnam said: “I’ve always been interested in current affairs and politics. I’d follow the news, talk about it, read it and discuss it at school with friends and visitors at our house. I’m also a Tamil from Sri Lanka so my life has been shaped by the politics there.

I’m keen and motivated to understand and explain political dynamics. Why Sri Lanka has this conflict that not many others have.”

On the subject of Tamil integration in the UK, Rasaratnam was keen to pay tribute to Britain as well as the Tamil society who

S Madura Rasaratnam

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Asian Voice & Gujarat Samachar - 2012

has seen much success in this part of the world. “Britain gives opportunities which are denied in other countries,” she noted. “Like the success of Ugandan Asians, the British Tamils established themselves in smaller and medium sized businesses and now they are in lucrative industries such as hotels and wedding venues. It is astonishing to see how much the community has diversified over the years and this comes hand in hand with integration."

“British Tamils are politically mobilised.

They have made links with the British media and political parties and used these to try and improve the lives of friends and relatives back in Sri Lanka. Even by owning a small business, important links are forged with the community.”

In August 2012 Rasaratnam had her work being published in a journal entitled Conflict, Security and Development and it is precisely this that she hopes to carry on. “I need to do it to build an academic career and it is also a way of explaining processes in Sri Lanka,” she said. “The point of this is to understand and explain so that we know better how to resolve and address these issues.”

Of course like many migrants Rasaratnam has had to face challenges, indeed writing a PhD is a huge task in itself!

She explained that when she made her decision to study Politics a decade ago, few people from the community understood her choice of subject as financial security was not assured in this field.

Rasaratnam’s rationale however, is extremely clear: “The thing that I have learnt is that ideally what you should in life is something which you enjoy and something you’re good at. If you’re lucky enough to find both then seize it!”

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17-Siraj Dean _A4 Temp 10/08/2012 15:14 Page 17

Real happiness lies in imparting education and knowledge ■ Rupanjana Dutta riginally from Madukkarai, near Pondicherry (Tamil Nadu, India), Siraj Dean came to London when he was a teenager. After studying Engineering at the Queen Mary College, University of London, he moved to Florida to be a commercial pilot. After being with the Delta airline in Stanford for a short while, Siraj returned to London to join his brother's business. Ten years down the line, he now owns 5 post offices, various commercial properties across the UK and a few cake shops around East London.

Speaking of his business Siraj adds with a glee, “When I came back to London, my brother was running a single countered post office. I expanded it to five post offices within two years. Over these years I have learnt how to control a team with as many as 70 people, how to go about targets, sales, customer services etc- and so much more.”

Having excelled in the service industry, Siraj is now keen to expand his property businesses further. “Property businesses are always very profitable. But that is not why we are in the market. As far as I know the difference between us and other developers, is that they will not do A-Z services.

We at Dean Brothers Limited do complete service, from start to end, including finding a plot, plying for planning, architecture, developing, selling etc. All that you have to do is invest and get back worth the money.

That's where I feel I am different. I like treating customer with utmost value.”

“We speak to our customers before we go ahead with anything. We tell them what is the best way forward. It is about the 'tailor made' opportunities that we offer 'exclusively'. We are doing about four projects at the moment and the response is very good.”

The mantra being 'tailor-made', the question lingers on, how to keep it cost effective.

“If it is tailor made, and for your own use, you will not look for a cost. It is what you want for your money- size, material, sustenance etc. You may end up spending more to get things the way you want. For

O

personal use, money is never an issue,” says Siraj.

Aware of the real 'ingredients' to success, Siraj adds, “I am not really a risk taker. But I believe if you do your homework properly, I do not see what challenges you ought to face. Everything including businesses involve a distinct acumen, some ground work, thorough researches and analysis. And we all must to do it, ” he tells AV. But of course nothing is beyond challenges. With a nod of determination and experience Siraj adds, “Inflation, fuel prices, material cost, uncertainty of banks cumulatively pose a threat to the property market in Britain. But it cannot bog us down. We are here to make a mark and we are working very hard towards it.”

That is not all. Siraj has achieved a lot in his young life, and believes he must extend a helping hand to those 'have nots'.

“I support children who wants to study,” he adds. “If someone wants to grow, you must help them grow. It is worth spending a few pennies on that child. Once they are on their feet, they will want to help others in the same manner. It will not rectify the problems in the world, but will help at least a few people. I specifically want to help them to be 'self sufficient'. My charity is called 'Children in Education'.”

And how does this charity help these children? Siraj answers quietly, “During examinations children in rural South India put a lot of efforts to prepare. We help them buy notes that they need to refer to.

If someone is really keen on a degree and diploma, we even help them with their college fees. It's like a scholarship or fellowship. We often help youngsters with offering sports gears like volleyball nets etc.”

Before he signs off, Siraj tells Asian Voice, “I must say that inspite of my knack in properties, bakery and of course post offices, my real happiness lies in imparting education and knowledge to the needy.

The joy of being involved with a charity and someone's constructive growth is unmatchable. I want to do more for the community. And this is just a humble beginning.”

Siraj Dean

Asian Voice & Gujarat Samachar - 2012

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18-Susheela Raman_A4 Temp 10/08/2012 15:56 Page 18

Susheela Raman – Connecting with Different Musical Influences to Create a New Sound ■ Rani Singh Susheela Raman was born in London to Tamil parents and has established her place as one of the Indian diaspora's most creative musical talents.

The Financial Times described a recent sell-out performance as “electrifying.”

Tell me about your childhood, education and musical training.

Susheela Raman My parents came from Thanjavur in Tamilnadu to the UK in the sixties. I was born in London but when I was four they moved us to Australia.

They were both music lovers. They taught me the rudiments of classical music and found me teachers.

They were very keen that I would retain something of the Tamil culture they grew up with. My mother made me get up very early to practice every day. I began performing at community events in Sydney but when I was a teenager I was a bit of a rebel and wanted to sing rock and soul music. I started my own band and we played around the bar circuit in Sydney, which is a pretty tough school actually; if you can't deliver, the audience won't put up with you, so that is where I learned my stagecraft. When I hit my twenties my desire to reconnect with Indian music was reawakened and I started travelling to India to learn, something which I still do every year with different teachers. I moved to London in 1997 and met producer/guitarist Sam Mills who had been working with the Bengali singer Paban Das Baul, and who has a very natural but also highly original way of working with South Asian sounds. We have been working together ever since and have released our fifth album together, ‘VEL.' What are your musical influences?

Very mixed...singers from the subcontinent like Begum Akhtar, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan and my teacher, Kovai Kamla.

But also musicians like Bjork, Jimi Hendrix, Dylan, Lennon, Aretha Franklin, Bob Marley, Burning Spear, James Brown, Fela Kuti. I listened to a lot of music from Africa like the Ethiopian singer Mahoud Ahmed and the great Nigerian music-leader Fela Kuti which has helped shape my sound..music form Japan, Tibet, Mongolia...the list is endless!

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Asian Voice & Gujarat Samachar - 2012

Tell me about your visit to Pakistan with guitarist/producer Sam Mills. What do you think of Sufi music?

Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan was and is my great musical hero. What other singer comes close? Qawali is amazing music because it so full of life and the commitment of the singer is so intense. It has a deep spiritual dimension beyond being entertainment. I was lucky enough to do a couple of shows in Pakistan and got to meet the Mian Miri Qawwals. It was very moving to hear the music played in Lahore itself and to see their way of connecting with the audience. I think Sufi music is very special because it is very inclusive; it’s for everyone regardless of their background. I don't really believe in the fixed communal identities people use to describe themselves or others. I'm from a Tamil Brahmin background but this mystical sound coming from Muslim Sufi culture makes me feel ecstatic and glad to be alive, which is the best thing you can say about any music.

How do you compare performing at the South Bank Centre for the 2012 Alchemy festival, with Asia House - a different kind of venue?

At Asia House we were just talking about the collaboration and introducing the concept. It was a small unplugged performance.

The concert at the South Bank was very special. We had seven of the Mian Miri Qawwals as well as two great Rajasthani musicians and my regular London workmates Aref Durvesh on tabla and Sam Mills on guitar. It was a huge ball of energy that was unleashed and I think that everyone there felt it. The audience and the media reaction were amazing. It was also a great gig because the musicians were all really working together. Nobody was trying to grab the limelight for themselves. It was a moment of genuine collaboration.

You also performed as part of the Alchemy festival in the Queen Elizabeth Hall as part of a twoyear development project produced and supported

by Southbank Centre in partnership with the British Council. What are your plans for this project?

This is really the project of a lifetime. We hope to do more shows together and are talking already about playing in Australia this winter and in London at next year’s Alchemy festival. We are planning also to record the songs we do together mixing Qawwali with Tamil Bhakti repertoire from our recent album VEL and our own songs.

It’s a genuinely new sound and crosses a lot of boundaries. It feels like the most exciting intense and inspiring music I have ever been part of.

19-SN Jayabalan_A4 Temp 10/08/2012 15:16 Page 19

Work hard and be honest ■ Rupanjana Dutta

degree and appreciate the host culture “It is also vital that we and our children do not forget our cultural heritage.”

Being successful in his surgical work, Dr Jayabalan has also invested in three restaurants, and praises each for their good qualities: Chor Bazaar in Mayfair seems to attract celebrities, Tamarai in Covent Garden is probably for younger clientele interested in bars and dancing.

However it is also proud of its Pan-asian food and has recently opened a stand in Harrods’ famous food court.

Sitaray, also in Covent Garden, celebrates all things Bollywood and was inaugurated by the great Aiswaryarai Bachan. It specialises in kebabs and is great value'.

r S N Jayabalan came to England in 1976 from Coimbatore, (Tamil Nadu, India), with the initial intentions of going back. When he went back to India for a brief period, he realised that opportunities were much better in the UK and came back to settle in Britain.

It has been 35 years since then, Dr Jayabalan is now an orthopaedic surgeon, lives in Rickmansworth, content with the proximity to London combined with a rural area.

Having gained postgraduate qualifications from the Royal Colleges of Edinburgh, Glasgow and London, Dr. Jayabalan practices as an orthopaedic surgeon specialising in knee and hip replacements as well as Sports Injuries. He finds this speciality to be especially satisfying and rewarding as he enjoys working with patients of all age groups.

Dr S N Jayabalan has worked with the Indian cricket team, as well as accompanying the English badminton team on a tour of China, and now works with football clubs in his local area. He is currently also working with Dance UK. As an orthopaedic surgeon, Dr Jayabalan cites lifestyle problems particularly in the Asian population in the UK. “Cases of Vitamin D deficiencies are more common in England than in India, because of the lack of exposure to sunshine, out- Dr Sidha Jayabalan FRCS Ortho, Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon (Bushey Spire Hospital, Bushey, Herts, UK) with family door activities and exercise along with diet.

Vitamin D is essential for healthy musculo His daughter Purnima and her husband Ketan are skeletal system.” local GPs. His son Prakash, also a medical doctor with a When asked about the growing cases of medical Phd in Sports Medicine and his wife Kara, a veterinary surtourism to India for knee and hip replacement operations, geon, are both practicing in America. He credits the raisDr Jayabalan said, “Yes, the NHS has waiting lists based ing of his children and his successful career to his wife, on need. But the NHS has never refused a patient due to Chitra, who resigned her glittering career of an IAS lack of funds. All users receive high quality care in the Officer in India for his sake!

NHS with excellent results due to meticulous care and folDr Jayabalan enjoys playing cricket and swimming, low up. Infection risk is very low with great quality control the latter being his favourite form of exercise. Acting is and audit in the U.K. However, when having such procealso a small passion, with the doctor participating in two dures overseas such as in India, though cutting down on dramas every year, in each of his associations. waiting time, one worries about infection and follow up.”

He supports the charity, BCTV (Be The Change He agrees that there are highly skilled medical personnel Volunteers).

An organisation following Gandhiji’s teachand hospitals in India. “Long term follow up and infections ing, it builds schools in many parts of the developing are the worries.’’

World This organisation was started by his dear friend, Dr A True Tamilian from the heart, he proudly told Jimi Cook, an Orthopaedic professor in America.

Asian Voice that he is delighted to be involved in the Tamil On a final note to Asian Voice, Dr Jayabalan community. As an active member of the Madras State expressed his appreciation for England for providing so Medical Association, he is a past President. He added many opportunities.

To the youngsters of today, he advis“Every year an event is held at a prestigous veunue in UK, es to work hard and to be honest, which will be appreciwhere the doctors re-establish their contacts, meet new ated by this country and will ensure a bright future for all. people and participate in cultural events.” He has also For Information on the charity please email SN been the President of the Association of Tamil Speaking Jayabalan on s.jayabalan@btinternet.com People. He feels it is important to assimilate to some

D

Asian Voice & Gujarat Samachar - 2012

19

20-21 Lyca x2_A4 Temp 10/08/2012 15:18 Page 20

SEEING GODLINESS IN POOR PEOPLE’S SMILE Mrs Ganambigai Allirajah Mrs Ganambigai Allirajah was born on 2nd June 1944 in Sandilipay Village at the Northern Province of Sri Lanka and is the daughter of Mr Pithamparam and Mrs Kamatchi. She was educated in Skandavarodaya College where she discovered her passion to help people in need and has since provided support to people living below the poverty line.

In 2010 Mr Subaskaran Allirajah, son of Mrs Ganambigai Allirajah and the chairman of Lycamobile, established ‘The Gnanam Foundation’, a charitable organisation built on the founding principles of his mother is long standing philanthropy.

The vision of the foundation is to invest over £10 million over several years to help people in need around the world. The Gnanam foundation’s mission is to providesupporttoorphanedchildren,widows,menwith disabilities and the elderly that have been abandoned without care.

Mr Subaskaran Allirajah, chairman of Lycamobile and The Gnanam Foundation pledged that the funds raised for the foundations will be used to boost the activities of the charity. The first instalment of £500,000 was made in 2011 and in February 2012 the foundation together with Lycamobile pledged £1 million to The British Asian Trust a charity founded by HRH the Prince of Wales whose remit it is to support disadvantaged people in the sub-continent. On 9th July 2012, first instalment of £250,000 was presented to the trust’s ambassador and Sri Lankan cricket legend Muttiah Muralitharan.

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Asian Voice & Gujarat Samachar - 2012

20-21 Lyca x2_A4 Temp 10/08/2012 15:18 Page 21

Mrs Ganambigai Allirajah is dedicated to doing charity work and has said that â&#x20AC;&#x153;I find God in bringing smiles to the disadvantaged peopleâ&#x20AC;?. Mrs Ganambigai Allirajah was married at the age of 21 and has successfully raised two sons and a daughter despite being a widow. Her elder son is Chairman of Vectone Telecommunication Company, and her younger son is Chairman of The Lycamobile group of companies.

She was an inspirational role model to her children who have become leading businessmen in Europe.

The British Tamil Magazine would like to wish Mrs Ganambigai Allirajah every success in her continued humanitarian activities with The Gnanam Foundation.

Asian Voice & Gujarat Samachar - 2012

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1-GS Coupon-2012_A4 Temp 09/08/2012 16:30 Page 29

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