Darpan sept oct 2017

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2017

REFLECTING THE SOUTH ASIAN LIFESTYLE

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ello readers, we are all set to present DARPAN’s Extraordinary Achievement Awards 2017 that takes place on September 15. It will be yet another memorable night where 10 renowned individuals within the South Asian community will be honoured for their remarkable achievements in their respective fields.

Adding more shine to the event is our September-October issue which showcases success stories of South Asians from all age groups, perfectly complimenting the themes of excellence and achievement the Awards night resonates. On the cover is Ravi Singh, founder and CEO of Khalsa Aid Organization, and Keynote Speaker at the Awards. Khalsa Aid is an UK-based international NGO with the aim to provide humanitarian aid in disaster areas and civil conflict zones around the world. Starting with the first mission in Kosovo, Singh has worked in war-hit zones like Syria and Yemen; helped multiple countries struck with disaster like the Nepal earthquake, famine in Kenya, and Indonesia Tsunami; and aided refugee camps in Greece, Lebanon and Congo, among many others. We are proud to honour this selfless humanitarian with DARPAN’s International Sensation Award 2017.

The issue highlights three young achievers in the Spotlight section – 18-year-old Team Canada boxer Eric Basran; 17-year-old 2017 Schulich Leader Scholarship winner Jasmine Rai; and 13-year-old coding prodigy Tanmay Bakshi. These three youngsters, through their dedication and diligence, have already created a career path for themselves in their respective fields. Another individual that needs a special mention is Mohammed Rezwan. This 2012 WISE Award recipient has created floating schools in Bangladesh’s flood prone districts to combat school dropout rates and facilitate communities with health and agricultural services. Besides these, the issue is filled with interesting lifestyle articles you will love to read.

We hope you enjoy this inspiring issue and keep supporting us always.

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DARPAN Magazine is published by DARPAN PUBLICATION LTD. DARPAN is a bi-monthly magazine. Any reproduction of the magazine, editorial content, images or advertisement cannot be reproduced or reprinted in any form, without prior written permission of the Publishers. The views expressed by the writers in this publication are not necessarily the views of the Publishers. The Publishers assume no responsibility for errors or omissions. Copyright 2017 DARPAN Publication Ltd. All rights reserved. Publications sales agreement no. 41116014 PHOTOGRAPHY A Master Media AAA movies Pardeep Singh Photography Aziz Ladha Varsola Visuals Amrit Photography COVER CREDITS Photo: Courtesy Tedx Chandigarh 2017/ Simarpreet Singh ADVERTISING AND SALES Gurvinder S. Hundal Ramneek S. Dhillon CONTACT Tel: 604-572-0199 Email: info@darpanmagazine.com 340-8140, 128 St. Surrey BC. V3W-1R1

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CONTENTS

46

SEPTEMBER | OCTOBER

2017

ENTERTAINMENT 136 BOLLYWOOD

24

COVER STORY

138

Bollywood Diary

138 HOLLYWOOD Never Say Die

LIFESTYLE

100 BEAUTY

Ethical Beauty in Focus

66 TECH

104 FITNESS

Back to School Tech Accessories

Get the most out of your Gym

106 HEALTH

74 RECIPES

Debunking Diabetes Myths

Chef Surjan Singh Jolly

IN EVERY ISSUE 8 READER’S REACTION 10 DARPAN’S 10 Andrew Scheer

BUSINESS PROFILE 38 The Frazer Landmark 54 McQuarrie: Untangling the Law 56 Paul Boparai and Alex Chan

96 STYLE

Accessorize It!

12

46 SALUTES

12 SPOTLIGHTS

34

Floating Schools of Bangladesh

Eric Basran Tanmay Bakshi Jasmine Rai

100

88 FASHION PAGES

58 NEWS IN PICTURES 142 GLOBAL INDIANS

62 YOUTH COLUMN

Deborah Dawson

Public Speaking: When Nightmares Come True

84

144 HOROSCOPE 146 CANADIAN IMMIGRANTS

Well-Read, Well-Designed & Well-Styled

114 WEDDING

Meet the Dutta Family

Rimple and Vick

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42

110 HOME

118 ACTIVITIES It’s Halloween Time!

120 TRAVEL

Fall in Love with New Zealand

AUTO 124 Lexus GS 350 AWD 128 Mazda CX-9 130 Porsche Cayman 718

FEATURES 36 EXCLUSIVE

134 MINI John Cooper S Countryman

BC Premier John Horgan

42 FEATURE

Rally against Racism

50 OPINION Where is the BC Liberal Party Heading?

68 FEATURE

80 FEATURE

Don’t Skip the Date

When it All Comes Crashing Down

70 FEATURE

82 EXCLUSIVE

Bring Back the Dirt

Abu Jani and Sandeep Khosla

64 FEATURE

Teaching Kids Personal Finance

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eadeaectironss R

LIKE • SHARE • SUBSCRIBE

Write to us: editor@darpanmagazine.com

Spotlights I really enjoy reading the articles on our youngsters and how they are excelling in their sports, projects or studies. Thank you Darpan for publishing their stories. – Tara Ray

Re: Hello Tara, DARPAN believes

in these young talents and will keep promoting their inspiring story among the readers. If you know of other deserving students or young adults, please share it with us. – Editor

FROM OUR SOCIAL FEED

Cycling Congrats to @hellosatnam for making the cover of @darpanmagazine! (sic) - Hoopistani/Twitter Nice article in @darpanmagazine about @sukhjotbains_25 He's having a great training camp so far in Wisconsin....(sic) - AthElite Basketball/Twitter

Satinder Sartaaj This looks amazing!!! Thank you so much for sharing it with us. Makes an amazing read. – Priti Dey

Captain Underpants visited Guildford for the launch of @SRC2017 #SRC2017. Thanks @darpanmagazine for the lovely article! (sic) - Surrey Libraries/Twitter

Re: Thank you for the kind words Priti. Satinder

Sartaaj’s story as a debut actor and as a singer is inspiring to many. We wish him success in his future endeavours. – Editor

This is one of the best articles that has captured the soul of the million donor project. Great writing.

Thanks @SanjeevKapoor @Radiowalla (sic) - Gift of Life Drive/Twitter

– Ryan Dhaliwal

Re: Yes Ryan, cycling is indeed a great mode of transport and we encourage people to take up this fun habit.

Thank you for sharing your thoughts with us. – Editor

Many thanks to Darpan Magazine for a very nice profile! Life and success so far have been a team effort. Heartfelt gratitude towards Joe Segal, @FionaMacfarlane, John Montalbano, Bev Briscoe, Janet Austin and others, whose guidance, generosity and wisdom over the years has meant a lot! Thank you!! (sic) - Maninder Dhaliwal/Facebook

Movie previews

Praise for Satnam Singh: Sounds very humble and looks like he is working very hard to achieve his goal.

The kid had his head on straight. Good luck to you (sic) - Rana-Sukhi Dhillon/Facebook

Re: Hi Esha, thank you for sharing your

Serving Surrey & Delta

I’m always waiting to read your Bollywood and Hollywood columns. It’s a great simple guide to know the latest movies and which ones to watch or miss. Thanks. – Esha Virk

thoughts with us. I hope you enjoy movie previews in this issue. Keep supporting us always! – Editor

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of the country?

1 When and why did you consider taking up the role of leader of the Conservative Party of Canada? What is your vision as leader?

The Conservative Party is deeply disappointed with the Omar Khadr payout. We believe that it is one thing to acknowledge alleged mistreatments and another to secretly award convicted terrorists that have committed real crime. Justin Trudeau was not instructed by the Supreme Court of Canada to give money to Mr. Khadr. The only required remedy was repatriation, as ruled by the Supreme Court in 2010, and that is exactly why the previous Conservative government brought Mr. Khadr back to Canada. This payout was nothing but our Prime Minister’s choice and it was the wrong one.

One of the reasons that I wanted to run for the Conservative Party of Canada leadership was because I believed that Conservatives have a positive story to tell. First of all, our party is united. My colleagues are passionate about what they believe in and we have many hardworking individuals from all over the country – representing a wide diversity of backgrounds and experiences. My vision is to show Canadians our positive Conservative vision based on the fundamental desire to see the quality of life improve for all Canadians.

2 How are you preparing for the next federal election in 2019? What are the key issues you will be focusing on?

I have spent this summer travelling across the country to meet and talk with as many Canadians as I can. It is the Conservative Party’s role to help give voice to the questions that matter to people across this country and to champion better ideas and better results.

The Conservative Party will focus on advocating for policies that help grow the economy and create prosperity so that we can create more opportunities for future generations.

3 What positive changes can voters expect

from the party?

I want Canadians to know the Conservative Party as a principled, compassionate, thoughtful party; one that makes a difference in the lives of everyday Canadians. We want a government that doesn’t make future generations pay for today’s reckless spending. We want a government that promotes policies that put more money back in the pockets of hardworking Canadians, so that it’s easier to afford that vacation and parents are able to send their children to university or college.

4 The recent violence 4 in Charlottesville has

created a buzz on the topic of racism. As the leader of the party, how will you promote inclusivity within the party and among the public?

Conservatives condemn all types of hatred and racism. We are proud to be an open and inclusive party, where we have representation of many faiths and backgrounds. We were the first party to have a Muslim Member of Parliament, Chinese Member of Parliament, Filipino Senator, Korean Senator and Pakistani Senator. We welcome all candidates of all faiths and ethnicities with open arms.

5 You have pledged to cut funding to universities that do not protect the right of free speech on campuses. How will you protect and promote free speech?

All Canadians can agree that the current

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ANDREW

SCHEER LEADER OF THE CONSERVATIVE PARTY OF CANADA situation on campuses is untenable. Students groups shouldn’t be prevented from forming organizations around religious beliefs, and events that have already been sanctioned by a university shouldn’t be shut down because of pressure by a vocal minority. I am committed to working with university administrations, professors and students to find the best way to promote greater free speech on campuses across the country.

6 The refugee issue, as well as illegal border crossing, is still going on. Is the Canadian government handling it well?

Conservatives want an immigration and asylum system that is compassionate, and above all, efficiently works to protect the world’s most vulnerable. Justin Trudeau asked Canadians to trust the immigration system. He broke the system when he tweeted that everyone is welcome, giving false hope to thousands of people.

For months, Conservatives have been demanding that Trudeau come up with a plan to stop these illegal crossings. Canadians haven’t heard one. But Justin Trudeau has several options available to him. He could: Extend the law dealing with American asylum seekers to the entire border, not just specific points of entry, like the Windsor border crossing; or Establish legal points of entry at the crossings in Manitoba and Quebec.

7 What do you have to say about the Omar Khadr settlement? Liberals have stated that the Conservatives should have settled this in the past. Was the decision in the best interests TM

8 What are the top crucial issues Canada is facing currently? How will you deal with them when you are elected, especially climate change?

Conservatives want to put more money back in the pockets of hardworking Canadians. Life is quickly becoming unaffordable thanks to Justin Trudeau.

Conservatives want to encourage growth and investment, so that every family can benefit from what the country has to offer. Canada needs to address the environmental challenges we face here at home, and with our allies around the world.

The previous Conservative government took important steps to protect the environment not just nationally but at a community level, through the National Conservation Program that helped protect ecologically-sensitive lands and supported the restoration of wetlands. What we do not believe is that the solution to Canada’s environmental challenges is a carbon tax that will only make life more expensive for families and local businesses.

9 This year, Canada celebrates 150 years, what are the things that can be improved on for the growth of the country?

Canadians want a competent government with a vision on how they are going to create and secure jobs, not only for today’s Canadians, but for the generations to come. We must make it easier for job creators to hire and expand. The Liberal plan to hike taxes on local businesses, farmers, and doctors is absolutely the wrong strategy – these are the people we need to help reinvest in their own businesses so they can grow and hire more young people. We also need to end the practice of giving billion-dollar payouts to big corporations – that money belongs to the taxpayers who work every day for it, not special interests.

10 What is your message to the residents of Canada with regards to the 2019 Election?

In 2019, Canadians will have a choice – a choice between a Liberal agenda for higher taxes backed up by reckless spending, and a Conservative government that will help make life more affordable for every Canadian while supporting job growth and prosperity. Conservatives are ready to form government and lead the country.

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DARPAN SPOTLIGHT

BY SHANEL KHALIQ

BY HARJAN PADDA

At the age of 11, Basran started learning boxing as a sport. He soon realized that boxing was his true love.

It was at this point that he officially started his journey that would one day lead him towards representing Canada in the sport.

Y

ERIC BASRAN

oungsters from the South Asian community are excelling incredibly in sports. One among these youngsters is Eric Basran, an 18-year-old Team Canada boxer, who despite his young age has already proved his capabilities to the world. Â At the age of 11, Basran started learning boxing as a sport. He soon realized that boxing was his true love. It was at this point that he officially started his journey that would one day lead him towards representing Canada in the sport.

When asked what aspect of boxing he finds the most endearing, Basran says that he thrives on the mentally as well as physically challenging nature of boxing.

As a Team Canada boxer, he recently won both his matches at the Ken Goff Memorial Boxing Classic in May against Cuba; a team that holds a world ranking and has

The Unbeatable Boxing Champ 12

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DARPAN SPOTLIGHT PHOTOS: A MASTER MEDIA PHOTOGRAPHY, COURTESY ERIC BASRAN

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been at its best lately. “It was really amazing that I got to fight Cuba for my first international fight. I had been in only 30 fights and my opponent had been in 200,” shares Basran, who is the fifth boxer in the history of Canada to win against Cuba.

Up until the beginning of the year, Basran was playing for the Queensborough Boxing Club and represented Team BC. The next step forward was to win a spot in Canada’s national team.

He achieved this by defeating his rival from Quebec, in the 56-kg elite male category, at the Canadian Senior Championship in May 2017.

Back in 2015, Basran competed in the Ringside World Championships in Kansas City, Missouri. He was only 16 years old at the time but competed against opponents who were senior to him in both age and experience. Nonetheless, to face an international opponent with a winning track record did not come without pressure. “I was thinking about all the hard work and all the hours I put in, when I walked into the ring,” he recalls.

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Jerry Veerasamy, Basran’s coach, has faith in the young boxer's skills but believes that he will have to put in the hard work necessary to beat much more experienced opponents.

Basran is cognizant of this and knows that he has to be diligent in his preparation for a fight. This includes not only eating clean but also working on his stamina and working out.

“If I have a fight coming up, I’ll go for a run in the morning for about two hours and then in the evening for about three hours,” says Baran, who enjoys playing basketball and listening to rap music in his spare time.

In addition to this, his day will include workouts such as skipping and hitting pads, along with following a strict diet without carbohydrates.

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“It was really amzing that I got to fight Cuba for my first international fight. I had been in only 30 fights and my opponent had been in 200.”

With the support of his coach and parents, and own hardwork, Basran has managed to achieve a prominent spot in the boxing world. Baran’s mother, Vicky, is immensely proud of her son and credits her husband for taking out time all through his childhood to help him train.

“It feels as if all the time and energy invested paid off,” she says.

Beyond boxing, Basran is a student at Frank Hurt Secondary School in Surrey. Boxing Canada, the national governing body for the sport of boxing in Canada, will put aside one year of

education for him. Though the boxing champ states that it is hard to balance time between studies and boxing, he is confident that he will complete his education while maintaining a successful boxing career.

Basran is currently in Montreal training for the upcoming Continental Championships. He is all set to fight in the Northern Alberta Gold Glove Championships. For the future, he has his eyes set on the 2020 Olympics and is racking up international fights on the go in order to achieve his dream.

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DARPAN SPOTLIGHT  At only nine, Bakshi's tTables app which helps children learn multiplication was accepted by the Apple App store. (Photo: Katie Daubs/TorontoStar)

TANMAY BAKSHI:

THE 13-YEAR-OLD CODING

PRODIGY

BY GARIMA GOSWAMI

T

Team member of a crucial artificial intelligence project at Darwin Ecosystem.

Keynote speaker at Apple and IBM. Coding guru to 20,000 plus beginner coders. And yes, only 13 years old.

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anmay Bakshi wasn’t even a teenager and had already earned a list of titles – Software/ Cognitive Developer, Algorithmist, Author and Keynote Speaker. Now, 13 years old, Bakshi is striding ahead of individuals well beyond his age group by doing what he enjoys most – coding and programming. “I also get to do what I love to do the most – and that is to learn, develop, and share my knowledge through many different media [platforms],” says Bakshi who TM

recently collaborated with Darwin Ecosystem, an artificial intelligence (AI) design firm, on a project called ‘The Cognitive Story’.

The project, aiming to equip individuals with limited communication abilities with artificial communication tools, is described as “ground-breaking” by Darwin Ecosystem as it sets to make a drastic difference in the life of a quadriplegic girl residing in Northern Ontario named Boo. “Our goal is to partially restore that (communication) ability via a custom system which uses EEG (electroencephalogram) brainwave data. It’s then my part to use deep learning algorithms that I design and implement, to try and understand what Boo is communicating,” explains the home-schooled ninth grader.

For Bakshi, the youngest member on ‘The Cognitive Story’ team, the project webs a fantastic opportunity to not only make a difference in lives of people like Boo, but also allows him to work with geniuses such as Timothy Duncan, an IBM Bluemix representative, and AI-Guru, Thierry Hubert, who is the CEO at Darwin Ecosystem. “I was inducted into the team as an Algorithmist for ‘The Cognitive Story’ project, and we are going to

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DARPAN SPOTLIGHT

“I’ll keep working towards my goal of reaching out to and helping 100,000 aspiring coders in their journey of learning. I wish to continue working towards

 In 2012, when Bakshi created his own YouTube channel, Tanmay Teaches, he laid the foundation of his goal to train 100,000 children around the world with coding skills.

advancing machine use that technology in fields like healthcare to not only save, but also augment human life.”

expand this to many other projects as well!” he finishes excitedly.

Contributing to the larger society seems a motive Bakshi has grown up nurturing. In 2012, when he created his own YouTube channel, Tanmay Teaches, he laid the foundation of his goal to train 100,000 children around the world with cod-

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ing skills. More than 22,000 subscribers learn coding directly from Bakshi. His viewers also send him challenges they face in their practice, sometimes in foreign languages. “Sometimes I get questions in different languages that I am not familiar with, for example, Italian and Chinese, so I then go ahead and use a translator to understand the question and translate my answer back.

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Of course, it’s completely worth it because helping people feels really great! Another question that I get often, which I find challenging in this mission, is if I can provide the resources (e.g. the actual hardware or computers) for them to start programming.”

Bakshi was only five years old when he started writing codes.

Attentively, he would watch his father insert codes on the screen and be amazed seeing the computer react magically. In 2013, when he was only nine, Apple accepted his application, tTables, in their App store. The app helps children learn multiplication and comes armed with sounds effects that either applaud a correct answer or hiss a bee buzz for an incorrect response.

A major breakthrough came in 2015 when Bakshi released his first Watson video, talking about

‘Retrieve and Rank Service’. “I then went ahead and created ‘AskTanmay’ the very first Watson project of mine that got noticed

by IBM.” In fact, AskTanmay is the world’s first web-based NLQA (Natural Language QuestionAnswering) system to be powered by IBM Watson.

In 2016, IBM invited Bakshi as one of their Keynote Speakers and had him demonstrate AskTanmay at InterConnect 2016, making the entire experience his most defining moment so far.

The tech giant was the first company to involve Bakshi on significant projects and continues to do so.

With strong family support and mentors such as Hubert and Duncan, there is hardly anything that can dawdle the pace of this young and focused genius. “I’ll keep working towards my goal of reaching out to and helping 100,000 aspiring coders in their journey of learning. I wish to continue working towards advancing machine learning algorithms, and use that technology in fields like healthcare to not only save, but also augment human life,” Bakshi exclaims confidently.

PHOTOS: TANMAY BAKSHI/TWITTER, DARWIN ECOSYSTEM/ TWITTER, @ED-DISRUPTED

learning algorithms, and

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DARPAN SPOTLIGHT

Rai was recently awarded the prestigious 2017 Schulich Leader Scholarship of $80,000 towards her studies at Simon Fraser University.

JASMINE RAI

ACHIEVING ACADEMIC

EXCELLENCE

BY SHANEL KHALIQ

A

t first glance, Jasmine Rai is like any other 17-year-old. Besides being a diligent student with immense passion for computer science, she loves to read, write, tutor and volunteer. In her free time, she enjoys playing badminton and video games with her brother; gardening with her father; and participating in Zumba fitness sessions with her mother. But this young lady has already creat-

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ed her career path in the world. Rai was recently awarded the prestigious 2017 Schulich Leader Scholarship of $80,000 towards her studies at Simon Fraser University.

Launched in 2012, Schulich Leader program funds 50 undergraduate scholarships each year, across top Canadian universities. Through this scholarship, Schulich Leaders can pursue their dreams and become the

next global pioneers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). Rai was nominated by her school to be considered for this scholarship and was chosen from among 1,300 nominees for her outstanding academic and extra-curricular achievements.

Growing up, Rai had diverse interests. Her curious mind was always asking questions about the human body and technological gadgets. By grade seven, she had assembled her own computer using off the shelf components. In grade 10, she was a member of her high school NASA Club that worked on a seven-month project and qualified for the International Space Settlement Design Competition at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center.

“I enrolled in courses such as electronics and computer programming.

My experiences in these classes were eye-opening. I enjoyed the logical and problem-solving aspect that was interwoven with these technical, applied-science courses,” says the math and science genius, who realized that computer science was a good fit for her.

Sharing her passion for the subject, she says, “I love the versatility of computer science and the way in which computer science coalesces multiple disciplines and introduces a new way of thinking and approaching various problems and finding solutions.”

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Her goal is to continue towards setting an example for girls by promoting the wide range of opportunities in this rapidly advancing field. “I draw inspiration from the idea of being able to make an impact in the community not only through advocacy but also through following my passion and committing to a career that I find self-rewarding and impactful.”

In addition to her hard work, she credits her parents and teachers for providing support throughout. “I feel very fortunate for having so many inspiring mentors in my life. My parents have always offered me guidance whenever I seemed lost and unsure. The teachers that I have had the privilege of learning from over the past few years have fostered my learning by helping me explore my interests,” she shares.

Rai is looking forward to a successful future in her field of study. “Computer science is a fast-growing and dynamic field as there are many emerging disciplines that are revolutionizing the tech industry such as IoT (Internet of Things), artificial intelligence, machine learning, AR/VR (augmented/ virtual reality), big data and bioinformatics. The opportunities are endless!”

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COVER STORY

Singh, founder of international non-profit aid and relief organization Khalsa Aid, has taken it upon himself to create a world that believes in equality and charity. Through Khalsa Aid, he has been reaching out to various corners of the earth helping those in need and in turn rekindling people’s trust in humanity.

Reigniting Faith in humanity

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BY PETRINA D’SOUZA

I

n today’s intolerant world where judgements are made based on one’s race, religion and beliefs, the crucial need of the hour is the promotion of love and revivement of our faith in mankind. Though this change in attitude cannot happen overnight, even simple acts of kindness can go a long way in attaining a world that believes in equality and charity.

Ravi Singh, founder and CEO of Khalsa Aid, an international non-profit aid and relief organization, has taken it upon himself to achieve this world vision. Through Khalsa Aid, he has been reaching out to various

corners of the earth helping those in need and in turn rekindling people’s trust in humanity.

The idea of taking the concept of langar aka Sikh community kitchen to people or regions that needed it the most gave birth to Khalsa Aid organization in 1999 in London, United Kingdom. Singh recalls the moment vividly as it was the during that time that a vicious civil war was taking place in Kosovo, a disputed territory and partially recognized state in Southeast Europe. Thousands of Kosovo residents, who fled the war zone to take refuge in neighbouring states, were homeless and without basic necessities such as food and water.

You can’t get more fulfilment in life than in helping others.

When you or anybody becomes a symbol of hope for people, then you have achieved your goal because materialism can’t get you the love and respect from other people.”

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COVER STORY COVER STORY

humanity. “That we don’t hate or judge any faith; we respect and get along with everyone.”

Starting with the first mission in Kosovo, Khalsa Aid has worked in war-hit zones like Syria and Yemen; helped multiple countries struck with disaster like the Nepal earthquake, famine in Kenya, and Indonesia Tsunami; and aided refugee camps in Greece, Lebanon and Congo, among many others.

“We have attended almost every disaster. We don’t do just bits and pieces. [With] each operation we are spending more, learning more, and utilizing local groups,” says Singh proudly. In India, Khalsa Aid has

“In April 1999 so many refugees in the border were fighting for a piece of bread. That year Sikhs were celebrating 200 years of the Khalsa as an identity,” adds Singh who began questioning himself and the community on the concept of langar and its purpose.

The fact that there wasn’t any method of taking langar to where it is needed most disturbed him immensely.

“Each gurudwara has four doors which means anybody from four corners of the world can eat in the gurudwara.

So why haven’t we gone out into the four corners to those who can’t reach us?” he wondered. This triggered in Singh the need to take the real meaning of langar to where it is required – to reach out to those

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who had no access to it. This materialized with the formation of Khalsa Aid. Today, Khalsa Aid is globally known as an international NGO with the aim to provide humanitarian aid in disaster areas and civil conflict zones around the world. The organization is based upon the Sikh principle to ‘Recognise the whole human race as one’. Sharing the origin of the name, Singh says that it was chosen because the word ‘Khalsa’ is driven by

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Courage comes from my faith and my faith drives me to work without implementing or putting conditions on me. We are told that we are here not for ourselves but for our humanity.”

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You change lives by reaching out.

People like me, we have seen a lot of destruction, and you never lose hope in humanity. You always help people and never give up.” idea on language, cultures and sensitivities of the region. “Once in the country, the team spends days or months working with the local groups to make sure that what they do is effective. We share our experiences on aid work to enhance it.”

Funding comes mainly from the Sikh community; Khalsa Aid does not receive any government funding. “About 98 percent is funded by the Sikh community from around the world. If it is a major disaster, then the gurudwaras step forward as well,” says Singh, adding that the organization has had a lot of non-Sikh supporters from UK in the past couple of years.

Khalsa Aid does not work with larger organizations for two main reasons –

PHOTOS: RAVI SINGH, KHALSA AID ORGANIZATION, JASMEET SINGH PHOTOGRAPHY, COURTESY TEDX CHANDIGARH 2017/ SIMARPREET SINGH

played a prominent role in providing relief to various areas hit by natural calamities like the Vishakhapatnam cyclone, floods in Jammu and Kashmir, and Gujarat earthquake, among others. “Over the last three to four years, we have developed a fantastic team in India,” says Singh.

Though Khalsa Aid is a small organization, with the backing of a large group of volunteers and generous donors, it has organized aid missions all over the world. Singh provides a basic idea on how the missions work: Each mission comprises of a volunteer group or aid workers who undergo risk assessments to ensure they are safe when they are travelling. The organization gets access to local contacts like churches or mosques to get a clearer

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S E P T E M B E R / O C TO B E R Reflecting The South-Asian Lifestyle

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COVER STORY

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one, to keep away from corruption, and two, to avoid disrupting the economy of the country they are helping. Corruption apparently is existent even when one is selflessly helping those in need. “I have seen in the last 18 years how corruption works in these countries. We work with a Rotary Club, a Lion’s Club, mosque, church, or temple because you get a lot of volunteers at grassroots levels who have the passion of serving the people but don’t have funding. So we provide the funding, they provide the knowledge on the crisis, and we work together,” explains Singh. Elaborating on the second reason, he says that when a disaster happens, many countries and large aid agencies use the local services like hiring trucks without negotiating. “This ruins the local economy as the local businesses that need the services can’t afford it. I don’t believe in that, I believe that when we work with local organizations, churches or Rotary Clubs, we get the best discounted prices and we don’t affect the local economy.”

Besides corruption, Singh points out that hindrance from authorities while organizing the charity missions is also quite common. Surprisingly, the Indian-origin CEO says “the biggest obstacle we have or the most harassment we get is in India.

Our office in India is continuously under watch by the intelligent services and the police.” In fact, he reveals that Iraq is so far the best country he has worked in. “The Kurdish regional government never harass us. We have several check points and armed police everywhere yet we don’t get harassed, we are welcomed.”

His biggest obstacle? “The most difficult issue which we still face is mistaken identity,” declares Singh, recalling an incident that took place in Congo in 2003 post the 9/11 US attacks. A Christian village

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2 1

5

3

4

Pictures as numbered: Ravi Singh providing aid: (1) during UK floods 2014, (2) during Gujarat earthquake 2001, (3) during Haiti earthquake 2010, (4) at a Mosul Camp, (5) for Somalia clean water project

“Build bridges not walls, reach out without having any issues on faith, race or religion and be the humanitarian we are meant to be.” wouldn’t let the team help them assuming they belonged to a terrorist group. “We said number one, we are here to help, and number two, we have nothing to do with the Middle East,” adds the Sikh charity worker, who is cautious when working in Middle Eastern countries. “Most locals will look at you and would want to know who you are; our fear is the foreign forces as the western forces in the country might think we are ISIS. So we [are]

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always careful in the way we act in these countries.”

Singh believes that mistaken identity, especially due to the turban, even today is playing a very negative role towards the Sikh community. He specifically mentions his experiences at airport security when travelling to various countries. “If I am going to Iraq, I am more fearful and nervous being at the airport than in Iraq. When we work aboard we are okay but when we are going through

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the airports, we feel that we are targeted,” expresses Singh, calling it the worst part of the job. The solution to get rid of this perception, he says, is by educating people and raising awareness. “The only way to deal with it is to educate and the better you can educate, it will be more [aid] work around the world. To be more visible, reach out to people even if they have never heard of you and do your work. I think we should keep carrying on being a

humanitarian.”

For Singh and his team, every mission is a learning experience to become better. Even though he has been to some of the most dangerous and life-threatening regions, the response he has received from people in return has been worth the risk. “The most positive thing is that it changes you for the better. You can’t get more fulfilment in life than in helping others. When you or anybody becomes a symbol of hope for people, then you have achieved your goal because materialism can’t get you the love and respect from other people. So much warmth that you get from people you are helping, you can’t get that anywhere. You can’t buy it,” says the good Samaritan.

Through his work and actions, Singh has become a symbol of hope and humanity for people who are gravely affected and broken. He narrates a touching incident that happened a few months ago in Iraq: “One of our lady coordinators from Iraq called and said that a woman,

COVER STORY who was being held hostage with her husband and children by ISIS, has come back. One of our team members helped her with food and other necessities. Two days later, the coordinator called and said that she just found out that the day we helped the woman, that night she was going to kill herself with her children because she was so broke and nobody helped her.” He recounts another one of his experiences helping out in a town in Bosnia during the floods in 2014. “Members of the town would cook for us, they would ask us to eat with them and there was so much love,” says Singh who fondly remembers his relationship with an elder who treated him like his son. “He said you are always invited to my house. I will never forget that man. The whole town of Bosnia was so loving.

Each mission, we leave behind good friends, we leave pieces of our heart behind.”

Positive episodes such as these have encouraged Singh and his team to keep going and be advocates for humanity. “You change lives by reaching out.

People like me, we have seen a lot of destruction, and you never lose hope in humanity. You always help people and never give up. We never stop believing in humanity because then you spread more love in the world. It makes you driven to do more,” he emphasizes.

I ask him how he gets the courage to visit these dangerous areas and selflessly help the people in need, and Singh confidently answers that the motivating factor is his faith and identity.

“Courage comes from my faith and my faith drives me to work without implementing or putting conditions on me. We are told that we are here not for ourselves but for our humanity,” asserts Singh who is deeply moved by the values his Sikh faith has taught him. “The message we have from the gurus is Sarbat Da Bhala – well-being of all. Sikhs are always praying for the well-being of the whole world, not just Sikhs. Also Vand Ke Chakna – which means share what you have. This is what we are, we are here to help and the major contribution is your faith.” Furthermore, his vision for the world has given him the courage to keep going.

“When you have a vision, you automatically create your own courage because no matter what happens you have blinkers on and you are focussed on one thing. You are establishing that vision and you don’t care what happens to you,” affirms Singh.

But does he not get affected by all the suffering he sees during these missions? “It does affect you but it makes you stronger that you want to do more,” answers Singh, who does experience sleepless nights the first couple of days he is back home. “When you see suffering, it rips your

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heart out. It motivates you to do more for them; to tell them that they can trust you. Anything that you witness makes you more human, keeps you in check and tells your brain why you are doing it and inspires people like me to do more.”

At present, Khalsa Aid is carrying out multiple projects simultaneously around the world. The operation in Turkey for the Syrian refugees is ongoing since last year. The nine operations in Haiti during the earthquake in 2010 are still on. Khalsa Aid is helping with educational needs for refugee children in Lebanon. The organization has provided water pumps and water sanitization programs in Malawi and is installing water pumps in rural Malawi which is one of the poorest countries in the world. “Our biggest projects are in Punjab. We are looking after 250 families who are in deep poverty; we support them every month with welfare pensions. We are running two free schools for the underprivileged in Punjab; we have got four free tuition centres in different parts of Punjab for those students who are bright but can’t afford education. We have a medical program in Punjab where we are funding emergency medical care/ operations for those who are in poverty,” says Singh.

Word is spreading fast on Singh’s courageous acts and the many initiatives of Khalsa Aid. “Life has changed because it is a complete turn around from normal life. It is 24/7; we have people calling from all around the world day and night,” says Singh who jokes that his beard has turned completely white with the change. In 2016, BBC made a documentary around Singh’s work in Northern Iraq titled The Selfless Sikh: Faith on the Frontlines. The film follows Singh’s journey as he provides aid to Yazidi families who have fled their homes to escape the brutality of Islamic State. “The work continues and has been going on since 2014 when I first went to Iraq. It is something that was a challenge in the beginning because we were

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COVER STORY “Our biggest projects are in Punjab. We are looking after 250 families who are in deep poverty; we support them every month with welfare pensions. We are running two free schools for the underprivileged in Punjab.” working at about 20-30 kilometres from a live battle going on in Mosul – headquarters of ISIS in Iraq.

The risks and attacks we heard were real. It is one of the most important projects we are doing at the moment,” says Singh about his relief work in Iraq.

Besides positive media support and promotion, Singh is elated about the huge volume of volunteer emails Khalsa Aid gets each day. “The greatest achievement for myself is that we got a whole young generation who grew up watching the work of Khalsa Aid and most of them want to get involved helping people around the world. It is amazing that they want to share the love and they want to do that without judging or any prejudice against race or colour or faith.”

In the next five years, Khalsa Aid aims to develop a larger team of staff and train more individuals and aid workers to do more operations. “Especially longer terms operations in development and education in places like Africa and Asia. What I would like to do in India is health clinics for women and children so that women have the most basic health care. And in Africa, sanitization and water.” Khalsa Aid will be setting up a registered organization in Canada and America soon. “We have more than 400 volunteers from all over the country. Khalsa Aid has reached many hearts of non-Sikhs. Our growth continues but there is much more we can do. Our growth won’t be just based on monetary funds but will come from many more projects we do in the coming years,” says Singh humbly.

In conclusion the selfless Sikh wants “people to follow in the footpath of Khalsa Aid so that we build something around the world and give something to the next generation. Build bridges not walls, reach out without having any issues on faith, race or religion and be the humanitarian we are meant to be.”

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I believe a strong economy is when everyone is doing better. Where life gets a little easier each month, not harder.

And I’m going to work hard to make sure our economy works for everyone.”

hough it has been just a few weeks that NDP Party leader John Horgan has taken on the new role as BC Premier, he has already started working on implementing his campaign promises. The Premier recently announced that effective September 1 the government will eliminate the tolls on the Port Mann and Golden Ears bridges – making good on a campaign promise he made during the May 2017 election. This first step has raised people’s expectations on Premier Horgan as he step-bystep builds a province that works for the betterment of its people.

In an exclusive interview, he shares with DARPAN his strategies to deal with the crucial issues affecting the province, and the major changes BC residents can expect in the coming years.

Excerpts from the interview:

Q:

You created a gender-balanced BC Cabinet. How has this decision encouraged gender equality in the country?

I believe our province needs a government that not only works for everyone, but also reflects the values and diversity of our province. And for the first time in

“Ready to work for everyone in B.C.”

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HORGAN

BY PETRINA D’SOUZA

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history, we now have an equal number of women and men in [BC] cabinet.

Equity and equal rights are at the core of my values, and having a gender balanced cabinet is just a first step in helping encourage gender equity in B.C. and Canada.

Q:

How was your recent meeting with PM Trudeau? What were the crucial BC issues discussed?

The Prime Minister and I have met several times in the past weeks and we’ve developed a positive and productive relationship.

We’ve talked about some of the urgent issues facing people in B.C. – from childcare to affordable housing to public infrastructure to the opioid crisis. The federal government quickly stepped up to help with the wildfire crisis in B.C. and Prime Minister Trudeau and I toured some of the hardest hit areas of the interior together.

We’ve also spoken about the softwood lumber dispute, which is so crucial to our province. B.C. is ready to do its part. I made it clear to the Prime Minister that I will fight for the thousands of British Columbians whose jobs depend on softwood and on trade.

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Q:

The B.C. government announced the increase of the minimum wage from $10.85 to $11.35 per hour in September and to $15 by 2021. What obstacles do you see yourself facing to meet the four-year deadline?

British Columbia’s lowest-paid workers need a raise.

Moving, over time, to a $15 an hour minimum wage is long overdue and will make life affordable for more people. The action we’re taking will make life better for working parents, seniors, new Canadians, student and more. These are people struggling to get by.

We’ve listened to business owners, who have told us gradual, predictable increases are the way to go.

And they recognize that the move to a $15 minimum wage is good for staff retention, and good for the B.C. economy. I know some in the business community still have questions, which is why we will be bringing in a Fair Wages Commission to get B.C. to $15 an hour along a planned, responsible path.

Q:

Do you have any specific plans to reduce unemployment or create more jobs?

For 16 years, the BC Liberals made life harder and less affordable. British Columbians were working harder but falling behind while costs went up and wages were stagnant. But because the wealthiest British Columbians were doing just fine, the BC Liberals said that we had a strong economy. That’s not what I believe. I believe a strong economy is when everyone is doing better. Where life gets a little easier each month, not harder. And I’m going to work hard to make sure our economy works for everyone.

We’ll follow through on our plans to create 96,000 construction jobs while building hospitals, housing, schools, roads and public transit. We’re going to work to build a sustainable economy and protect our environment while creating jobs in the tech, energy, manufacturing and tourism sectors.

We’re going to help small businesses succeed and grow by reducing the small business tax rate and creating a small business task force. And we’re going to fight to bring back and protect the 30,000 good, family-supporting jobs in the forestry industry lost under the BC Liberals.

PHOTOS: CONTRIBUTED

Q:

Affordable housing is still a prominent issue, especially in Vancouver and surrounding regions. What measures will the BC government implement to curb this issue?

B.C. is a great place to live, work and raise a family, but so many people are struggling with housing costs

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DARPAN EXCLUSIVE “We’re going to give renters a break with an annual renter’s rebate of $400 dollars.

We’re going to address speculation, tax fraud and money laundering in the housing market. And we will develop a homelessness action plan to reduce the homeless population through permanent housing and services.” that were ignored for so long that they became a crisis under the BC Liberals. There are some great ideas out there about how to fix this, but there has been a missing piece at the provincial level. I’ve tasked the new minister of housing to take that leadership step and follow through on our promises to make housing more affordable for people.

The new BC NDP government will build 114,000 units of affordable market rental, non-profit, co-op, supported social housing and owner-purchase housing. We’ll amend the Residential Tenancy Act to provide stronger protections for renters, and provide additional resources to the Residential Tenancy Branch. We’re going to give renters a break with an annual renter’s rebate of $400 dollars. We’re going to address speculation, tax fraud and money laundering in the housing market. And we will develop a homelessness action plan to reduce the homeless population through permanent housing and services.

Q:

What changes by the NDP government do you believe will have the biggest impact on the future of the province?

We are going to work to make life more affordable for people here again. By eliminating unfair tolls and fees, by bringing in affordable childcare, by addressing the cost of housing – we’re going to make sure people have more money in their pockets and more opportunities in front of them. I think this is going to make a huge difference for families in B.C.

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This is your government. We are ready to work for everyone in B.C. We are going to take real action to make your life more affordable. We’re going to work hard to improve the services you count on. We’ll deliver quality health care where you need it, when you need it, and we’ll fix our education system, investing in student success from kindergarten to graduate school. And finally, we’re going to build a sustainable economy, with good jobs, that works for everyone.

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RALLYAGAINST

RACISM By ashley stephens

PHOTOS: COUTESY OF JAG NAGRA, STAND UP TO RACISM METRO VANCOUVER/ FACEBOOK, ISTOCK

C

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harlottesville, Virginia. A picturesque city of less than 50,000. Home of the University of Virginia. Former home of two United States Presidents.

Unfortunately, the events of a fateful August day put the American city on the map for much more as a result of the hate, horror, racism and radicalism that took centre stage and sparked an outcry all around the world.

A white nationalist ‘Unite the Right’ rally turned ugly after a car plowed into a group of counter protesters, leaving one dead and over 30 injured. Anger over the removal of

unfortunate

Confederate monuments has caused outrage in many U.S. cities with reports of race-fueled violence and white supremacy on the rise even before the

Standing up to hate may be the only way to shut it down.

S E P T E M B E R / O C TO B E R Reflecting The South-Asian Lifestyle

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events in Charlottesville.

From Boston to Vancouver and Barcelona to Quebec City, attacks, rallies, and counter protests have been popping up across the globe with racism seemingly at the center of it all.

Days after the incident in Virginia, Vancouverites took to the streets to have their voices heard. A march organized by Worldwide Coalition Against Islam and the Cultural Action Party at City Hall was met with strong opposition as part of a counter rally organized by Stand Up to Racism Metro Vancouver.

With over 4,000 protestors in attendance in support of tolerance and against xenophobia, the far-right and anti-Islamic protestors were more than outnumbered and overpowered, prompting support from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who tweeted his praise for the city, and Mayor Gregor Robertson, who had encouraging words for the large crowd. “There’s lots of problems around the world…,” Robertson said at the event. “We’ve got to take care of home base and make sure we’re the beacon of that positive love and respect.”

Large groups touting love and the support of

DARPAN FEATURE

“There’s lots of problems around the world…

We’ve got to take care of home base and make sure we’re the beacon of that positive love and respect.”

- Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson Canadian political figures are encouraging for a city that welcomes citizens of all racial and ethnic backgrounds but shouldn’t overshadow the fact that a racist event was even planned for the city; one among many across the world. Why, in the most ethnically diverse province in the country, did it happen? Why are these events happening now?

“Unfortunately, the question is not why now but why did people not care until now,” says Annie Ohana, a member of Stand Up To Racism Metro Vancouver. “Speaking to those who belong to the BIPOC [Black, Indigenous, People of colour] community and any other marginalized group, it is very clear that racism, rallies and attacks are nothing new.”

Ohana believes the recent uptick in violent events stemming from racial bigotry is a result of outspoken politicians who equate minorities with derogatory terms, making the discriminatory behaviour acceptable.

“It seems as the pressure builds due to refugee realities the world over, and globalization brings more and more people to work from around the world, we still have yet to deal with Eurocentric ideologies that result in us thinking that anyone not white is “less than”/problematic.”

If certain world leaders and high-powered politicians are demonstrating this attitude as acceptable, it is up to anyone in opposition to speak up and show them otherwise. While a counter protest isn’t necessarily going to stop racist behaviour, showing solidarity with those marginalized is certainly part of the solution.

“We cannot let the hateful vitriol of white supremacy gain any traction in our city,” Isabelle RoweCodner, one of several organizers of Vancouver’s counter rally, told the Daily Hive. “If they go unopposed, what message would that be sending to our Muslim, immigrant, and otherwise affected neighbours?”

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“We need to identify common roots in all religions, we need to abide by our Charter of Rights and Freedoms and realize that those laws stand above all, and that any power dynamics that marginalize, are quite simply wrong,” says Annie Ohana, a member of Stand Up To Racism Metro Vancouver.

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Ohana had a similar sentiment when asked why it is so important for anti-racism groups to be heard.

“Speaking up about human and civil rights should never be considered special. We are all deserving of those rights, and when they are attacked, [we] must stand in a loud and clear way. It is also clear that whether you are “white”, Sikh, Muslim, BIPOC – that we all are connected to the systemic discrimination in our world, and that we standing together have the solution.”

And that solution is both easy and complicated. “We cannot let a single resident of Canada feel that they don’t receive the full complement of human and civil rights.” A message from Ohana that seems simple enough and overtly obvious and yet necessary in light of recent rallies.

“We need to show that extremism does not pay off, that any truly successful country, where every person is safe, free, and successful, only happens when we come together,” says Ohana. “Specifically, we need to identify common roots in all religions, we need to abide by our Charter of Rights and Freedoms and realize that those laws stand above all, and that any power dynamics that marginalize, are quite simply wrong. We must teach that refugees are not a scourge, that Islam is not a violent religion, that concepts such as race and “white” are in fact man made constructs made to put others down.”

Standing up to hate may be the only way to shut it down.

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DARPAN SALUTES

Mohammed Rezwan created floating

OF

schools in Bangladesh’s flood prone districts to combat school dropout rates and facilitate com-

FLOATING SCHOOLS BANGLADESH

munities with health

By GARIMA GOSWAMI

and agricultural services.

W

hen Mohammed Rezwan completed his architecture degree, he knew he was one of the few fortunate ones from Bangladesh’s flood prone districts to have achieved a milestone. For families living in Bangladesh’s riverside communities, the arrival of monsoon can wreck lives severely, sometimes for a lifetime.

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Not only are residents exposed to life-threatening situations but are also ripped off of fundamental necessities such as health care, security, food, and education.

Rezwan gives us a glimpse of the situation by sharing his own experience as a child. “All roads went under water. It becomes very difficult for children to go to school and many of my relatives and friends could not attend school at that time.”

Rezwan’s solar-powered floating school, launched in 2002, aims to resolve struggles of floodprone communities by bringing education, healthcare clinics, agriculture, and training centres directly to their homes.

This award-winning module has been replicated in more than eight countries through the United Nations and this includes India, Pakistan, Nepal, Philippines and Zambia.

“There is a lot of potential with these kind of activities,” points out Rezwan, who grew up in

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DARPAN SALUTES

We have a plan to scale up. Right now we are working in three districts in north western Bangladesh.

We are working and looking for resources to scale up to people in

Photos: Abir Abdullah, Shidhulai Swanirvar Sangstha, Mohammed Rezwan

southern Bangladesh and other flood affected communities,” says Mohammed Rezwan.

a riverside community exposed to frequent floods. Because his family owned a boat, Rezwan was able to sustain his education, but the privileges were not accessible to all families and this deeply disturbed Rezwan.

“I always had the idea of a floating community but I did not find anyone to invest on the ideas. I started working on my own.”

Rezwan had $500 USD from his scholarship and other savings and he used that to establish a non-profit, Shidhulai Swanirvar

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Sangstha (SSS) in 1998.

Initially, the school was run on local boats but that didn’t seem feasible, so Rezwan designed a specialized plan and gave it to local boat builders. The organization now runs 22 boat schools across three rivers, reaching out to 2,000 students in four districts. Rezwan ensures involvement of the local community to sustain the solarpowered boats’ efficiency. This is done by building boats locally, and training

TM

community members in the upkeep of solar panels. “The people who are working here are from the local community and we have more than 200 full-time and part-time staff and more than 300 volunteers who are involved in different types of activities,” states Rezwan.

The infrastructure of floating schools is similar to a regular school – boats are equipped with tables, chairs, black board and multimedia gear. A central library housing over 50,000 books and more than 100 computers provide training material for not only students but also adults. Classes are held until Grade 4, after which students are required to enroll in a public school. Students who excel in their exams are awarded solar lanterns as scholarships, and this is a huge bonus because a majority of students live in houses without electricity. “We thought of introducing solar system on the boat and when we did that we found surplus energy on the boat. I thought of sharing the surplus energy with the community,” explains the 2012 WISE Award recipient.

For Rezwan’s organization, social responsibility anchors as a major thrust and he addresses this in multiple ways. To boost agricultural activities in the region, the school holds classes on sustainable farming techniques in the boat; floating clinics accommodate onboard medical checkups and provide free nutritional supplements to all patients; climate change, like other elements, is also given a holistic approach, for example, an alphabet book written by Rezwan, associates environmental issues with each alphabet to explain environmental challenges to children.

According to a 2015 analysis by World Resources Institute (WRI), over 50 per cent of the world’s population that is exposed to floods lives in five nations in South Asia, and Bangladesh is one of them. The approach and flexibility of the floating school makes it an ideal solution for communities in these regions. “We have a plan to scale up. Right now we are working in three districts in north western Bangladesh. We are working and looking for resources to scale up to people in southern Bangladesh and other flood affected communities.”

To learn more about Rezwan’s initiative and support his cause, visit Shidhulai Swanirvar Sangstha online.

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DARPAN OP-ED

BY DR. SHINDER PUREWAL An ex-citizenship judge of BC and Yukon region, Dr. Shinder Purewal teaches Political Science at Kwantlen Polytechnic University.

WHERE IS THE

BC LIBERAL PARTY HEADING? Race begins for next BC Liberal leader as Christy Clark retires from politics All indicators of provincial economy pointed towards a robust economy with BC Liberals being praised as prudent managers.

Photo: BC Liberals

Yet the results of

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May election did not reflect this trust of the people in BC Liberal Party.

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hristy Clark did everything possible, and even tried the art of impossible, to stay in power as Premier and as leader of the BC Liberals; however, the strategy and tactics she adopted to stay in power became reasons for her departure from public life. Every election strategy school teaches the impact of one key element on results: ‘It’s economy, stupid!’

All indicators of provincial economy pointed towards a robust economy with BC Liberals being praised as prudent managers. Yet the results of May election did not reflect this trust of the people in BC Liberal Party. The analysts and the

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TM

party insiders were quick to point their fingers at the Premier and the leader of the BC Liberal Party – Christy Clark.

A small clique that ran the party and the government with open access to big money overshadowed all the achievements of BC Liberals. It is reported that the Premier received a stipend of $50,000 on top of her salary of $191,000. The big money’s large contributions came in smaller portion of $50,000 to Premier’s bank account. This created a huge problem of perception. Perception in politics is everything. Clark’s government became a ‘government of the rich, for the rich and by the

rich’; at least in the popular perception. The result was a failure to form a majority government in Victoria.

This failure was followed by the use of every ‘convention’ or ‘custom’ of parliamentary form of government to stay in power a few days longer with the hope of another election. Clark became infamous for saying one thing one day and doing another the second day. She created a drama of swearing-in the new cabinet, albeit for a few days.

She adopted NDP-Green platforms to deliver the throne speech. The final nail in her public life’s coffin came with her request from the Lieutenant-Governor to dissolve the assembly. Had her Excellency Judith Guichon accepted the Premier’s recommendations, the BC Liberals would have witnessed the repeat of 2001 election, but this time they would have been at the receiving end with NDP gaining the momentum.

After annoying the base of the BC Liberal coalition, the federal Liberals and federal Conservatives, the choices for Clark were very limited. She was stuck in a cul-desac of BC politics with only one way out, and she took the opportunity to exit. How long will she be out of public life? It’s a question for tabloid columnists.

This exit has opened the doors for the BC Liberals to come back to power as the NDP-Green coalition struggles to create history. The rules of leadership race have become

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to the regional issues. The loss of power to elect their own party candidates had demoralized the rank and file of BC Liberals in the south of the Fraser region.

fairer to all the regions of the province. Unlike Clark, the future leader of the BC Liberals would not be able to rely on Surrey-Newton to capture the leader’s position. All 87 constituencies have hundred points each with a preferential ballot voting. The winner has to secure 50 per cent plus one. The new leader also has other important challenges.

For the past seven decades, the BC center-right coalition of free-enterprise politicians has provided fairly stable pro-development governments in Victoria with four exceptions: 1972, 1991, 1996 and 2017. The new BC Liberal leader must maintain this center-right prodevelopment coalition with a socially progressive agenda.

Provided the new coalition government is able to govern for a few months, one sure welcome change would be the reduced role of big money either from the business community or trade unions. Thus, a new leader must make the party more responsible to its membership for policy and fund-raising activities. The era of clique rule with the help of multi-millionaire donors must come to an end.

The loss of four seats in Surrey-Delta alone must be studied in the context. The new leader must allow local party members to select their own candidates and pay attention to the regional issues. The loss of power to elect their own party candidates had demoralized the rank and file of BC Liberals in the south of the Fraser region. With none of the local issues on the party platform, they found no reason to volunteer their time and money to support candidates hand-picked by Victoria.

The BC Liberals are temporarily out of power. A new leader with right strategy and will power can bring the party back to power. John Horgan’s temporary ‘marriage of convenience’ with the Green Party is not going to live a full-term.

(The views expressed by the writer are not necessarily the views of the publishers or the DARPAN team.)

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What you should look for in a law firm

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Whether you are a business owner lost in a mire of a commercial contract, stumbling your way through a heart-wrenching divorce, or seeking long-term guidance on a personal injury claim, choosing the right law firm can help you avoid a minefield of stress and financial ruin.

Studies consistently show that many individuals and businesses don’t consult lawyers when they need them the most; and of those that do seek counsel, many often end up with a sole-practitioner instead of a team of legal experts.

The law is complex and ever-evolving,” said Tako van Popta, Managing Partner at McQuarrie Hunter LLP. “There's no way one lawyer can know everything they need to know.”

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“The law is complex and everevolving,” said Tako van Popta, Managing Partner at McQuarrie Hunter LLP. “There's no way one lawyer can know everything they need to know.”

The value of a team As B.C.’s largest law firm outside of Vancouver, McQuarrie leverages its team of 30 lawyers, 60 paralegals and legal assistants, providing a tailored comprehensive suite of legal practices.

Top young lawyers from across the country seek mentorship from larger firms like McQuarrie. A team of diverse lawyers with multiple specialities and experience provides value for the client. “I work at a senior level, during the earlier planning stage,” said Van Popta. “I don't necessarily know how to do the work my paralegal does – she knows the computer programs, who to call, and who at city hall is the right person to contact.”

Van Popta has decades of legal experience and regularly works on large commercial deals reaching upwards of 100 million. Smaller deals such as a restaurant lease negotiation are assigned to a junior lawyer with assistance as to provide better value to a client. “In situations like this, I sit down with the team, give them a template to help draft a good purchase agreement and guide them through the franchise agreement,” said Van Popta.

“You can’t pull that kind of talent together in a smaller firm.”

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On a recent file with a trial date looming, we had a second senior trial lawyer attend mediation with the handling lawyer. The message to ICBC was clear — if they did not pay fair compensation to our client, our personal injury team would proceed to trial,” said Kevin Hyde, one of McQuarrie’s partners at the firm.

Trust in times of personal crisis When families fall apart emotions often run high, and certain cases require more discretion than others.

While you will want a firm that can strike the right balance between empathy and determination, remember even family lawyers need to remain objective. That way they can focus on your rights, obligations and the best options for you and your family.

“Teamwork in the family law department is slightly different than in other areas of law,” said Senior Lawyer and Partner David Halkett. “Given the personal nature of this area of law, people often do not want to have their matters shared with other lawyers.

However, when a case heads to trial, good family lawyers will work as a team to leverage each other's litigation expertise and communicate to the client what to expect before the trial starts. Much of the relationship between client and counsel depends on an honest and clear line of communication.”

One way to measure the integrity of a firm is to look at its reputation in the community.

McQuarrie, who recently celebrated fifty years of operation, has spent decades serving on community organizations and providing charitable donations to important organizations such as the Surrey Memorial and Royal Columbian hospital foundations.

McQuarrie’s lawyers are encouraged to support the community which has led lawyers to taking active roles on the Surrey Board of Trade as well as fostering relationships by sponsoring, supporting, and being active in numerous cultural events in the Indo-Canadian Community.

“We recognize that as lawyers we have unique expertise and knowledge about process and procedure, and the way organizations operate,” said Van Popta. “We don’t want to just throw money at a good charitable cause, we want to be involved with them.”

Expensive trials call for robust firms Going to court can be stressful.

Not only is it expensive and time-consuming, you never know if you will win. For that reason,

Given the personal nature of family law, people often do not want to have their matters shared with other lawyers. Much of the relationship between client and counsel depends on an honest and clear line of communication,” said Senior Lawyer and Partner David Halkett. most lawyers advise their clients to settle. Take the example of personal injury, where a case can go on for two or three years and cost tens of thousands of dollars.

“On a recent file with a trial date looming, we had a second senior trial lawyer attend mediation with the handling lawyer,” said Kevin Hyde, one of McQuarrie’s partners at the firm. “The message to ICBC was clear – if they did not pay fair compensation to our client, our personal injury team would proceed to trial.”

ICBC backed down, fully aware that the McQuarrie personal injury team has a long track record of success in the B.C. Supreme Court.

Many smaller firms boast highly competent lawyers but lack the actual resources and experience to follow through on drawn out cases, preferring instead to settle, even if it’s against your best interests. “We like to settle, but we're not afraid to fight,” said Van Popta.

Finding your firm Finding the right law firm can literally save your business and ensure a personal crisis doesn’t transform into a financial nightmare.

Consider whether the firm has an experienced team of lawyers, each member adding another layer of perspective and protection.

You can spot a trustworthy firm through the way it behaves in the community. If a firm really cares about philanthropic work, you can trust it handles its clients with integrity.

Finally, size does matter: two heads are better than one, and a team is better than an individual.

Larger firms give you the value and experience of a strong team through a deep pool of resources, and have the capacity and breadth of knowledge to protect your business or life during times of need.

McQuarrie Hunter LLP provides comprehensive legal services for businesses, individuals and institutions in the Lower Mainland and throughout B.C. For more information visit mcquarrie.com.

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“We don’t have our own products so we are truly independent and it is unbiased advice. We run the numbers through all the companies to see which solution fits the client best; it’s in their best interest.”

PAUL BOPARAI & ALEX CHAN

PROMISING YOU A COMFORTABLE

FUTURE

- Paul Boparai

I

n today’s unpredictable world, life insurance is a crucial need. Finding a plan that suits your current and future needs is of utmost importance. For successful self-employed individuals or business owners, a tax-effective life insurance plan that ensures a comfortable retirement is ideal. Alex Chan and Paul Boparai, leading financial planners in BC, declare that such a plan exists – it’s called the corporate insured pension program.

Chan and Boparai, certified financial planners (CFP) and chartered life underwriters (CLU), are industry experts that specialize in life insurance for corporations, small businesses, medical professionals, and home developers.

“Our area of focus is corporate insured pen-

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sions. We show our clients how to pull money out of their companies on a tax-effective basis through the use of a properly-structured life insurance. We help them unlock corporate surplus or retained earnings, and recommend solutions,” shares Chan, who has been in the financial service industry for over 30 years.

The corporate insured pension program is highly beneficial for the self-employed who have retained earnings. “They have to decide what to invest in or what is the best way to use this money. That’s when we come in,” says Boparai, who has been part of the industry for over 15 years. Boparai and Chan state that investing excess money in a corporate insured pension provides the client life insurance protection TM

paid for by the company and also a comfortable retirement in the future. “So we are just trying to get the most tax-effective way of structuring the retirement,” adds Boparai.

Chan points out that on average the corporate insured pension they set up can provide the client anywhere between $2-$8 million dollars of life insurance paid for by their company. “Another benefit is taking their corporate surplus or corporate retained earnings and investing it inside the corporate-owned life insurance so that they can grow tax-free.”

The team is focussed on helping their clients have a comfortable retirement. “We work hard on their portfolio and we make sure it is welldiversified,” states Boparai, further sharing the

What Clients Say! Our area of focus is corporate insured pensions. We show our clients how to pull money out of their companies on a tax-effective basis through the use of a properly-structured life insurance.

We help them unlock corporate surplus or retained earnings, and recommend solutions.”

- Alex Chan

Chan makes a recommendation for clients and consumers in general to ask of their advisors:

1

Are you a Certified Financial Planner (CFP) and a Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU)?

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How many years of experience do you have?

Can you provide the names of some of your clients and will they provide a testimonial for your corporate planning services?

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Do you have access to all the products and services available in the marketplace?

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Which professional associations are you a member of ?

purpose of the retirement plan. “We make sure that later on when they sell their practise or property, all their taxes are properly covered and they can give it to the next generation. We want to make sure it is given [to the next generation] in the most tax-effective way.”

Catering to a very unique and niche market with not many advisors working in this space, Boparai and Chan have become the sought-after duo by businessmen and top professionals alike.

Being associated with IDC Worldsource Insurance Network Inc., one of Canada’s largest life insurance managing general agencies, they have access to all the products and services available in the marketplace – making them the go-to team for advice on retirement plans for corporations. “We deal with over 20 different carriers. We don’t have our own products so we are truly independent and it is unbiased advice. We run the numbers through all

“Alex & Paul have provided professional and diligent follow up to our firm’s clients whenever there is a need or questions about Corporate Owned Life Insurance. Whether it be funding a Buy Sell Agreement or providing solutions to invest corporate surplus…we have no hesitations to refer our clients to Alex & Paul.”

“Alex and Paul assisted me with my Corporate Insured Pension and the process was very smooth and efficient. This plan provides me coverage today for my family and business and will also supplement my retirement income. I feel confident in referring Alex and Paul to my colleagues.”

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Dr. Kapil Bhagirath – Cardiologist

“We have received sound advice from Paul and Alex for a number of years. They structured our Buy Sell Life Insurance and created a lucrative Corporate Insured Pension that we will enjoy in our retirement. Their recommendations are unbiased, and after searching the market for the best performing products and rates, they customized a plan for our needs. We highly recommend Paul and Alex to the physicians that we work with.”

Paul Sweeney & Onkar Rai, Founding Partners/Owners – Coastal Sleep

the companies to see which solution fits the client best; it’s in their best interest,” says Boparai.

The partners take pride in themselves for being members of all the professional associations in their field such as Advocis and IFB. The pair works towards providing the client with the best pension plan. To ensure that, they bestow undivided attention on each client and work closely with their lawyers and accountants.

“We only bring on maybe 20-25 new clients every year to provide each one with good service,” declares Chan. They also have access to top lawyers and accountants, tax specialists, underwriting specialists, banks, and credit unions, among other professionals. “We have built a really good relationship in the community within the last 15-20 years. We know who to send our clients to, we give them the advice on where they should go,” says Boparai, who is a licensed mortgage broker and can also provide services on private lending for new and existing projects.

Boparai and Chan’s partnership has been a huge success. Their vast experience in the

insurance industry has earned them the trust of community members and a loyal clientele. In fact, Boparai mentions that they have had repeat clients and most of their clients come through referrals. “Last year alone Paul and I successfully closed over $1 million in corporate insured pension premiums,” adds Chan, whose older clients often regret not investing more on the plan back in the early days. “My clients are older in their late 50s and 60s. What I hear from them time and again is that they should have done more of this corporate insured pension because it has turned out to be one of their best investments,” explains Chan, further asserting that the plan is a success “because what we do is not dependent on the equity or real estate market or on the world economy. What we do is conservative and stands the test of time.”

Chan and Boparai have their offices located in Langley and downtown Vancouver, and will open a new branch in Surrey this fall. Contact the power team today to secure a stress-free, relaxed future.

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Sharry Mann Live in Vancouver Balraj Mann Hosts BBQ Party BM Group’s Balraj Mann hosted a fun-filled barbecue event which was attended by many individuals from the South Asian community. Guests had a great time socializing and enjoyed the delicious food and various activities offered.

With a sold out crowd, Sharry Mann Live in Vancouver took place on August 19, a tour organized by Gur Narwal. Sharry had the entire audience on their feet singing and dancing. With hits such as 3 Pegg, Hostel and much more, he entertained his fans for over two hours. The event was hosted by Weddings Vancouver Directory.

Photos: Snapshot Obsessions

‘Jewels of Punjab’ Coffee-table book launch A coffee-table book, Jewels of Punjab – Leading Global Punjabi Personalities, by Maneesh Media was released on August 14 in Delhi, India. Former Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh was the Guest of Honour at the book launch. The event was graced by some of the top personalities featured in the book, from around 15 nations. Daljit Thind CEO of Thind Properties, who is featured in the book, was honoured at the event.

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Zindagi De Rubroo Arts and Music Evening Presented by Basant Motors, Zindagi De Rubroo comprised of an evening filled with music, poetry, drama and entertainment.

The event featured some talented artists on stage like Rana Ranbir, well-known Punjabi actor, stand-up comedian, and writer; renowned Punjabi poet-writer Jaswant Singh Zafar; music director Tejwant Kittu; and young singer Gurmehak.

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Akhand Path at PICS Assisted Living Management, staff and residents of Progressive Intercultural Community Services (PICS) Society Assisted Living organized their annual Akhand Path from August 4 to August 6. The occasion was graced by many people from the community including MPs Sukh Dhaliwal and John Aldag; Ministers Adrian Dix, Harry Bains, Jinny Sims, and Parliamentary Secretary Ravi Kahlon; MLAs Rachna Singh, Jagrup Brar, Garry Begg and Raj Chouhan.

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PICS Mega Job Fair and Business Expo in Surrey More than 4,000 people and 111 exhibitors participated in the PICS 10th Mega Job Fair and Business Expo organized yearly by PICS. Some of the employers this year included Ikea, Canada Post, RCMP, Royal Bank of Canada, Parq Vancouver, and many others. Local MPs, MLAs and provincial ministers were present at the opening ceremony.

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Independence Day Celebration at the Vancouver Consulate

Monsoon Festival of Performing Arts

The 71st Independence Day of India was celebrated with great fervour and enthusiasm at the Consulate General of India, Vancouver. The event began with the unfurling of the National Flag by Consul General Abhilasha Joshi followed by the singing of the National Anthem. Attended by Jinny Sims, BC Minister for Citizen Services, and Raj Chauhan, MLA and Deputy Speaker of the BC Assembly. A group of Ex-servicemen of Indian armed forces, members of the Indian diaspora among others.

Monsoon Arts Festival took place from August 6-13 in Vancouver and Surrey. Festival highlights included a critically acclaimed, one-woman play, Burq Off! (New York), and an Indian classical dance drama, Malavika, performed in Hindi and presented in partnership with dance troupe Nrityenakatha.

Photos: Gurp Sian, Joe Carlson

Steps for SIDS Walk-a-thon MP Randeep Sarai’s Community BBQ Surrey Centre MP Randeep Sarai recently organized the 2nd Annual Summer Community BBQ where he spent a pleasant afternoon with constituents, friends and family. The event was a great success as many community members enjoyed it.

Photos: Aziz Ladha

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Hundreds of walkers and supporters joined event organizers, Rob and Tanya Gill, at the Steps for SIDS walk-a-thon to collectively bring awareness on SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome). Funds raised will be donated to the pathology research clinic at BC Children’s Hospital Foundation to help find a cure.

Photos: Aziz Ladha

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Surrey Officials provide update on public safety in the city The Surrey Board of Trade (SBOT) and South Asian Business Association (SABA) hosted an ‘Update on Current Public Safety’ event designed to understand the current situation in Surrey and how the business community can work collaboratively, proactively and reactively to situations in progress. Surrey Mayor Linda Hepner, Dwayne McDonald, Officer in Charge Surrey Detachment, and Terry Waterhouse, Director of Public Strategies for the City of Surrey, provided an update on the current public safety situation in Surrey.

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PUBLIC SPEAKING:

WHEN NIGHTMARES COME TRUE Public speaking is the reality not only of the classroom, but of the world.

I

t’s a new class. You frantically scan over the new syllabus, unraveling your fate as you reach the most critical part: Grading.

Alas, your gaze falls upon what will haunt you for the remainder of the semester. Class Presentation: 20% of final grade.

BY NAINA GREWAL Naina Grewal is a youth radio show host on Red FM and is pursuing a Business and Communication Joint Major at SFU as a student on the President’s and Dean’s Honor Roll. Recognized as SBOT’s Top 25 Under 25 2015, Naina is an engaged community volunteer, passionate about creating dialogue and stirring youth involvement.

To contribute to this column, email us: editor@darpanmagazine.com

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Public speaking is the reality not only of the classroom, but of the world. Some may seem to have the innate capacity to enthrall others with the power of charismatic words. Others are simply uneasy with the very idea of speaking to a daunting sea of faces. Ironically, it is sometimes solely the idea of public speaking in which the fear lies. The name of ‘public speaking’ itself sounds as if one is preparing to address a nation of warriors, which most probably (and hopefully) you will never have to do in this lifetime. Turns out, it’s all in the brain. The key to speaking in front of an audience lies in simply using the senses and the body to your advantage, not in a manipulative but in a tactical sense.

First and foremost, by human nature, we are judgemental beings, inevitably forming opinions by what we see. Recognizing the importance of such, it is very helpful to dress

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in something that makes you think you look good. You literally have to trick your brain into confidence by striking the perfect balance between comfort, professionalism and fashion. Ensure that your posture reflects authority and preparedness, but add emotion to your face as you speak.

A smile not only helps you relax but makes you seem approachable, resulting in people liking you (even if temporarily). Consequently, it is more likely that they will listen to you and accept what you say as reasonably true.

In terms of content, the beginning and the ending of your presentation are very decisive. Try not to start with ‘Hi, my name is …. and I will talk

about…’. Rather, surprise your audience. Capture them, because that’s really what your introduction should intend to do. Start with a story, quote, joke or question. They aren’t expecting that and now will be much more receptive to the rest of your content. When speaking, the wavelengths of the soundwaves you emit should not be identical; put variation in your tone and volume. As much as we love her, avoid sounding like Siri. Lace your delivery with supportive gestures, walk around if you can or at least keep you neck moving. Interact with your audience by making ‘wall contact’.

Wall contact – the act and art of tactfully creating the impression of eye contact when one is really just staring around at the walls to skillfully avoid potential distractions and panic attacks.

Note: This can be further enhanced if you wear glasses/ contact lenses. Casually forget to wear them and voila! You are now at an advantage for making eye-contact without actually making it. The worse the vision, the better!

Fine print: Any resulting injuries are the sole responsibility of the bearer.

On a more conclusive (and serious) note, keep your presentation short and sweet. If you mess up, move on. Nobody has read your notes; they can’t tell that you’ve just skipped a sentence. Finish on a high note and seal your presentation with an attention-grabbing ending. Much of public speaking is about impression, even if you have to fake it till you make it. Your presentation can do wonders into uplifting your content, much to the likeness of a fancy restaurant serving a lettuce leaf on a royal platter, with a French name on the menu. You have to say it right to weave the magic.

One last tip: Do not pull out the old trick of imagining that your audience is naked. Speaking from experience, it just doesn’t work – for obvious reasons.

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It’s important for parents to take charge and teach their children about money management.

Teaching Kids Personal

Finance

BY RENU SINGH-JOSEPH

PHOTOS: ISTOCK

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oney can often be a taboo subject to discuss, but it’s important for parents to take charge and teach their children about personal finance and money management.

When it comes to teaching your child about money, where do you start? According to the Financial Consumer Agency of Canada (FCAC), it is best “to start teaching children about money when they’re young. If you start early, you can build on their knowledge as they grow.”

“Children are sponges, soaking up every verbal and non-verbal interaction,” says Asa Don Brown, author, professor and clinician.

They have an enormous capacity to learn and absorb information, so parents can start to instill teachings about how to manage money S E P T E M B E R / O C TO B E R Reflecting The South-Asian Lifestyle

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at an early age, in addition to teaching them about the value of money.

According to Jeff Maskell, credit counsellor with the Credit Counselling Society, “parents often underestimate what their kids can handle being taught and at what age. Kids under 10 can easily grasp the ideas of budgeting or interest if you teach them simply, and the sooner they grasp the concept of “limited means, unlimited wants” the better.”

Maskell explains the concept of “limited means, unlimited wants” – from childhood to adulthood, individuals want an abundance of things, however it’s important to realize that we nearly always have a limited amount of income or savings. For most of us, most of the time, what we “want” exceeds our ability to pay (“means”).

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Parents often underestimate what their kids can handle being taught and at what age. Kids under 10 can easily grasp the ideas of budgeting or interest if you teach them simply, and the sooner they grasp the concept of “limited means, unlimited wants” the better,” says Jeff Maskell, credit counsellor with the Credit Counselling Society.

Parents need to discuss and help their kid understand the difference between needs versus wants. For example, parents can explain that money should be spent on things they need – housing, food and clothing, before the things they want – candy, toys and sporting gear.

Furthermore, make learning about money part of everyday life. For example, explain the concept of a budget and/or spending plan and why it’s important. “One way to engage kids in budgeting and finances is to make it fun. Turn budgeting for back-to-school or Christmas shopping into a game,” says Jennifer Schofield, credit counsellor with the Credit Counselling Society.

She adds, “Budgeting for anything can be turned into a game, explain that we have ‘x’ amount of dollars and this is the list of needed supplies.

The goal of the game/lesson for kids is to figure out the spending plan, and how that can be accomplished (with assistance from the parents depending on their age).”

How do you explain the concept of budget to a child?

According to MyMoneyCoach.ca, a personal finance educational website, “a budget is the process of creating a plan to spend your money. Creating this spending plan allows you to determine in advance whether you will have enough money to do the things you need to do or would like to do.”

It’s important for parents to talk to their children of all ages about the following five money principles from MyMoneyCoach.ca, which will not only guide them now, but well into their future as adults:

1. Money doesn’t grow on trees Explain this concept to your children so that they have a sense of reality when it comes to money in terms of needs versus wants. “If left unchecked, your kids could grow up with an entitlement attitude and not be able to make the connection between living within their means and making wise spending decisions.”

2. Let kids learn from their own mistakes

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Explain the pros and cons of a decision and let your kids make the decision, even if it’s wrong. This will teach them a “valuable lesson when they realize there are real consequences for the decisions they make.”

3. The importance of delayed gratification

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Help your kids set a financial goal and save towards that goal (e.g. buying a bike or an iPad). This will not only teach them the importance of saving money, but they will learn that hard work pays off and it is feasible to achieve a set goal.

4. Credit is not the same as money Explain to your child how credit works, the importance of a good credit rating, and when not to use credit to make impulse purchases. This is an important concept for teenagers to learn and understand.

5. Keeping up with the Joneses won’t make you happy In this digital era, kids are constantly inundated with the latest products and services plus peer pressure doesn’t help. “This is challenging for parents to overcome, reinforce what really matters; having friends and family that care about your kids for their values and who they are versus what stuff they have.”

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DARPAN TECH

By Benjamin Yong

NewerTech Wireless Aluminum Keypad

SJCAM SJ4000

Laptops have long provided an on-the-go computing solution for students and workers alike. One drawback, however, has been the lack of a separate numerical pad as found on some full-size desktop keyboards. Illinois’ NewerTech has designed an elegant and inexpensive solution in its wireless keypad. This svelte peripheral is made out of aluminum and features either white or black keys to match your existing gear. Powered by two AAA batteries, it connects via Bluetooth using just a few clicks, and the pairing process is the same as hooking up a wireless mouse or speaker.

If you’re using a modern external Apple keyboard, the box includes a bracket to attach the NewerTech pad.

Add a little pizazz to your next presentation by importing action cam footage. All the rage these days, these amazing pint-sized devices can get expensive, especially on a limited budget.

SJCAM has a whole range of cameras that are a great alternative to the GoPro lineup. As an example, the SJ4000 has a 12-megapixel rating, records in high-definition 1080p with a builtin time-lapse function, and supports remote WiFi operation via a companion smartphone app. As a bonus, consumers will find several accessories thrown in at no extra cost like a waterproof case and various mounts, which competitors often sell separately.

TO

T E C H ACCESSORIES

Now that fall is here, it’s time to switch our attention from kayaks and beach towels to accessories of a more back-toschool nature. Here is the hottest tech out right now to get you back into the educational mood.

OWC USB-C Dock Anyone that owns a more recently released MacBook knows this pain – conventional input ports have been deleted and all replaced by USB-C. While the latter is admittedly faster, more efficient and the way of the future, the problem is, in the interim most devices are still running legacy components and as such incompatible. Enter the OWC USB-C Dock.

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This handsome, compact piece of hardware boasts an incredible 10 ports: five USB (two high-power, two standard Type-A and one Type-C), one Gigabyte Ethernet, HDMI, one SD Card and one combo audio port for headphones or microphones. Finally,

a USB-C port connects the dock to the host machine. An 80-watt charger supplies juice to whatever is plugged in, including a dedicated 60 watts to keep laptop batteries topped up. Just like the MacBooks, the dock is available in space gray, gold, rose gold or silver.

OWC Envoy Pro mini In this data-driven age, one can never have too much digital storage. Technology has finally gotten to the point where people no longer have to carry around big chunky portable hard drives to store and retrieve files.

Other World Computing (OWC), a US-based company founded in 1988 manufacturing parts and accessories for Apple products, has launched a pocket-sized USB storage solution: the Envoy Pro mini.

Unlike standard smaller, slower thumb drives, this lightning-quick SSD unit is capable of transferring at speeds up to 427 MB per second – nearly twice as fast as normal, making it ideal for accessing large audio and video projects, installing software onto or even booting an operating system from. Finished in metallic silver and matching Mac computers perfectly (also compatible with PC), it comes in a choice of 120 or 240 GB capacity.

Photos: Courtesy of products featured, owcdigital.com, newertech.com, Best Buy Canada

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Tips for safe food storage

DON’T

1

Butter and eggs should be stored in their own container on the refrigerator shelf, where it’s coldest, not on the inside door. The refrigerator door is actually not the coldest part of the fridge.

SKIP THE

2

Fruits like apples, tomatoes and bananas, continue to ripen after they have been picked. This is because these fruits give off a gas called ethylene. Ethylene gas makes foods ripen faster. If vegetables are stored with fruits that give off ethylene, they will begin to ripen and may spoil faster. This is why fruits and vegetables should not be stored in the same part of the refrigerator.

3

Root vegetables such as potatoes and onions should be stored in a cool, dry place such as a cold cellar or cold room. Other vegetables should be refrigerated.

4

Frozen foods should be stored at temperatures below -18°C (0°F). To defrost frozen foods, always thaw in the refrigerator, not at room temperature.

5

Refrigerate leftovers as soon as possible after the foods have cooled. Cover with plastic wrap or store in a plastic container, with a label and date. Leftovers can also be frozen. For convenience you may want to freeze leftovers in small four to six portion sized containers.

- Inputs from EatRight Ontario

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any of us often tend to ignore expiration or best before dates on food items. In fact, we rely on our sensory organs, namely sight, taste and smell, to decide if the food is safe for consumption. What happens if food is eaten past the expiry date? Are there any health risks attached in doing so? Is expiry date different from best before date? These are questions you need to ask yourself the next time you look pass the date mentioned on the label. The right intake of food is crucial as it determines our overall health and well-being. This well-being can only be attained if the food we eat is accurately monitored.

Talking about food monitoring, there is always confusion between expiry date and best before date. Firstly, they are not the same thing. Health Canada defines expiration date as the “date up to which the food maintains its microbiological and physical stability and the nutrient content declared on the label.” In simpler terms, foods past the expiration date are not safe for consumption. Expiry dates are mentioned on selective food products like infant formula and nutri-

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DATE

A quick look at the difference between expiry date and best before date on food products and why they need to be followed.

BY PETRINA D’SOUZA

tional supplements, and need to be followed.

Health Canada states that a best before date tells you about the freshness and shelf life of the unopened food you are buying. “It is a way of expressing the durable life of a product. The durable life is described as the number of days (starting with the day the food is packaged) that the food will keep its

quality, taste and nutrition – as long as it’s stored properly,” clarifies Kate Comeau, dietitian and spokesperson for Dietitians of Canada. One can eat foods past the best before date, but it does not guarantee product safety.

“It measures the quality of the food – not the safety. If in doubt, throw it out!” advises Comeau. ​A simple trick to make food items with best before dates last longer is

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Photos: iStock

“One can eat foods past the best before date, but it does not guarantee product safety. “It measures the quality of the food – not the safety. If in doubt, throw it out!” advises Kate Comeau, dietitian and spokesperson for Dietitians of Canada. by freezing them. Health Canada mentions that freezing food invalidates the best before date. However, the length of time you can freeze items depends on the type of food you are freezing and its ingredients.

This brings us to the topic of storage. Proper storage of food can ensure that it lasts longer and is not contaminated. Comeau points out that cross contamination is a common issue that leads to people getting sick. “For example, after spreading sauce from a jar on chicken, if you put the dirty spoon back in the jar, the spoon could transfer salmonella from the chicken to the jar. The salmonella now in the jar could cause diarrhea, vomiting and even death,” she explains with an example.

Similarly, instructions for refrigeration should not be disregarded. “[If ] A product that is meant to be refrigerated is left out for a long period of time, [it] can cause you to be sick because bacteria multiply much more quickly in warmer temperatures,” cautions Comeau.

Lastly, to avoid food wastage, Comeau encourages families to create a meal plan as well as a grocery list each week. “At the end of the week, take a look at what is still left, which meals your family loved and which were less popular. You can use this information to plan for the next week. Children are more likely to eat what is served if they are participating in the planning and preparation of food.”

Keep track of what you eat and drink for a healthy present and future. Remember, your health is in your hands.

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Dr. Kyla Hildebrand, Investigator, BCCH and Clinical Assistant Professor, Division of Allergy & Immunology, Department of Pediatrics, at UBC

Bring Back

By GARIMA GOSWAMI

the

Dirt

We may be doing more harm than good by doing a really good job at keeping infants excessively clean.

G

ive them the healthiest and most appetizing dishes and yet infants would relish a random object resting on the floor or in most cases the floor itself. The mostly-unhygienic and not-so-polished eating habits of toddlers is one of the biggest concerns for parents as they race to clean and sanitize everything their child might come in contact with.

However, this practice of over-cleaning and maintaining a strictly hygienic surrounding might be doing more harm than good to your child’s immune system.

With more and more studies

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mune system.

“It comes down to the establishment of tolerance in the immune system. When we use the term ‘tolerance’ and ‘allergy’ we are really referring to the ability of the immune system to not mount every action against

S E P T E M B E R / O C TO B E R Reflecting The South-Asian Lifestyle

reinforcing the ‘hygiene hypothesis’ – a study released in 1980s claiming lack of early life exposure to microbes alters the early life immune system priming – it is time to become more aware and re-strategize parenting rules in order to boost a stronger im-

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The overall goal would be to let infants and young children play outside. Eating a variety of foods and not restricting the diet unnecessarily can also reduce the development of allergy particularly in young children and infants,” Dr. Hildebrand explains.

something that is considered to be foreign in the body. It is very much a balancing act,” says Dr. Kyla Hildebrand, Investigator, BCCH and Clinical Assistant Professor, Division of Allergy & Immunology, Department of Pediatrics, at UBC. Over the years, researchers have concluded that foreign organisms, such as bacteria and viruses that enter the body via dirt or foreign objects initiate the development of a healthy immune system. Lack of exposure to these external substances hinders the development of the immune system that is at a crucial formative stage during the early years of life. “We feel individuals and infants are born with tolerance and they loose it overtime or they fail to establish it from the beginning,” adds Dr. Hildebrand. This habit of a toddler playing in dirt and with unhygienic objects is the result of an evolutionary process that inducts maximum encounter of the body with alien substances.

To put it simply, when a toddler is putting dirt in his mouth or playing in the mud, he is exploring the environment and building up coping mechanisms

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against foreign microbes.

Multiple factors determine the risks an individual is exposed to during these formative years. Among other influences, these factors include a caesarean section birth, formula feeding, and growing up in an urban environment. “The overall goal would be to let infants and young children play outside. Eating a variety of foods and not restricting the diet unnecessarily can also reduce the development of allergy particularly in young children and infants,” Dr. Hildebrand explains.

The market is hoarded with disinfectant cleaning products, and although we have seen a spike of such products in the market, there has hardly been a reduction in allergy rates. A growing fetish with antibacterial products further deteriorates the catalogue of bacteria our body is build to guard us against. Taslim Jaffer, freelancer and writing coach and mother of three-kids, reflects on this by referring to her own childhood. “When I was a kid I was told to wash up before dinner but other than that, there weren’t extreme measures taken to make sure my environment was germ-free. I caught a lot of colds as a kid but that really declined in frequency when I was in high school.”

Does this mean parents should push their children into filthy settings? Not at all. Bacteria is everywhere, in us and around us. A typical human body contains around 90 trillion microbes. Most of the bacteria we encounter externally is harmless and generally essential to promote good health.

Parents can adapt simple measures to reduce risk of allergies in the younger ones. One of them is contact with more people. Contact with a pet is ideal.

“I often hear parents who worry about sending their young babies to daycare because of all the infections that they get. And although that’s true, they do get lots of infections and viruses, studies have shown that that likely protects them from developing allergies as older children,” Dr. Hildebrand briefs. A parent or sibling with a certain kind of allergy can also be a risk factor for developing allergy conditions therefore interaction with foreign sources is recommended.

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Another exercise that Dr. Hildebrand recommends is introduction of an overall diet as early as four to six months of life, for most babies or when a child is ready. This can be cow’s milk, soy, peanuts, tree nuts, wheat, sesame, and fish.

In the past two year’s, the Canadian Medical Association Journal and the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, US, have both backed this claim through journal reviews and publications. Once allergenic foods have been introduced, it is important to continue their consumption on a regular basis.

Another recommendation Dr. Hildebrand submits is consumption of antibiotics to treat bacterial infections only. “Antibiotics have no affect on viral infections. We know that frequent use of antibiotics can increase the risk of asthma and allergy when it is used unnecessarily or not for the right reason.”

In South Asians, the risk of developing allergies is particularly high for children born to immigrant parents in North America. Studies have indicated that children of immigrants who grew up in a different setting on an alternate diet have an increased risk of allergic diseases.

This is largely due to altered environment and diet. “It speaks towards how the environment does play a role in the development of allergy.”

How to Train Your Toddler’s Immune System: • Let infants and young children play outside. Let them roam around in the park barefoot.

• Encourage a complete diet in young children and infants, after consulting an allergist or immunologist.

• Avoid smoking. Smoke exposure increases risk of asthma and allergies in children.

• Not all mothers are able to breastfeed, but if you can, breastfeeding is recommended for the first six months for the baby.

• Early contact with higher number of people. This can be done by enrolling your baby in daycare or taking to the park regularly.

Disclaimer: Speak to your allergist or immunologist before following any recommendations mentioned in this article.

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DARPAN RECIPES

Chef Surjan Singh Jolly S

urjan Singh Jolly is the Director of Food & Beverage at the JW Marriott, Bengaluru. His love and passion for food has inspired him to travel on endless expeditions to explore the nuances of authentic and traditional cuisine. Chef Jolly’s longstanding career started at The Taj Palace, New Delhi, and he has ever since travelled and worked at some of the finest properties in the world and has organized several high profile dinners for personalities and at events.

He is a proud recipient of the prestigious Global Marriott Hotels & Resorts ‘Chef of the Year Award for Culinary Excellence’. He has been a member of several renowned programs such as

Regional Culinary Board for Marriott Asia Pacific, Culinary Board Worldwide Marriott, International Culinary Guild of Chefs UK, and Executive Committee member for Western Indian Culinary Association.

“One of my favourite baked yogurts; good for breakfast or even a quick dessert.”

Ingredients 400 g hung curd 400 g condensed milk

Baked Yogurt with Berries

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500 ml cooking cream 100 g blue berries

Method • Combine all the ingredients together and bake at 160 degree C for 10-12 minutes. Let it cool.

• Chill before serving. Top it up with the berry compote/sauce (optional).

“Enjoy the splash of goodness”

Flavored Milk with Almonds

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DARPAN RECIPES

Braised lamb/goat shanks in aromatic vetiver and whole spices sauce.

Chef Jolly’s signature recipe which was crafted after his culinary travels and cooking with Nawab Mehboob Alam Khan of Hyderabad.

Nalli Ka Khaasa Salan

By Chef Surjan Singh Jolly

Ingredients 3 lamb/goat shanks

de-seeded, boiled, pureed)

1 l lamb/goat stock

2 tbsp mustard oil, smoked and cooled

5 g cockscomb flower (mawal), dried and powdered A pinch of fennel powder A pinch of black cardamom seeds, crushed A small piece of cinnamon bark 2 cloves A tiny bit of peppercorns A pinch of dried ginger powder A pinch of turmeric 1 tbsp fried onion paste 1 tbsp garlic-ginger paste 2 tbsp waza chili paste (dried,

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5 g vetiver roots 2-3 sprigs of mint herb Salt and seasoning to taste

Method • Heat mustard oil in a thickbottomed pan; add cinnamon, cloves, black peppercorns, and black cardamoms. Temper till it crackles.

• Add lamb/goat shanks along with garlic-ginger paste and cook on medium heat for 10 minute, stirring constantly.

• Add onion paste, waza chili paste, turmeric, and ginger powder, and keep stirring it whilst adding a spoon full of stock in between to deglaze the pan.

• Stir constantly till lamb pieces turn an even reddish brown in colour. This will take 12 to 15 minutes.

• Add lamb/goat stock along with cockscomb flower, vetiver roots and mint, continue cooking covered till the shanks are tender and cooked through well.

• Remove the lamb shanks and pass the sauce through a sieve with mediumsized holes. Retain the sauce and re-heat the lamb shanks in it.

• Season it well before serving. Best had with steamed rice.

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DARPAN RECIPES

Ingredients 3 prawns 18-20 count/kg, peeled, deveined and tail on 3 gms mustard seeds 10 ml seasoned oil (rapeseed oil with sliced garlic, mustard seeds, curry leaves, and a pinch of turmeric) ½ fresh red chilli, washed and chopped ½ lemon, to season

Method

Tiger Prawns

with Mustard Seeds, Curry Leaves and Fresh Red Chilli Ingredients 90 gm pasteurized Blue Swimming crab meat 2 gm fresh lemon zest 5 gm ginger, finely chopped 5 gm banana shallot, finely chopped 5 gm celery, finely chopped 4 gm fresh coriander, finely chopped ¼ egg for binding 2 ml Worcester sauce

Method

Crab Cakes

with Mustard-Yogurt Reflecting The South-Asian Lifestyle

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• Season (salt and lemon juice) and add the chilli. Cook till prawns are done (make sure they do not get dried/ brown/ over-cooked/burnt or tough).

• Serve with salad/bread as an option.

TM

5 gm Dijon mustard 13 gm mayonnaise 1 gm mild red chilli, fresh finely chopped 5 ml lemon juice, for crab cake and sauce 2 gm garlic, finely chopped for sauce 10 ml rapeseed oil 10 gm mix baby greens ½ lemon, for plate 15 gm Greek yogurt 1 date, sliced for side salad 3 pecan nuts, toasted for side salad

• Sauté celery, shallots and chilly in rapeseed oil. Let it cool.

colour on both the sides or for a minute each and finish in the oven for four minutes at 180 degree C.

• Make a mixture of mayonnaise, using ¼ of the Dijon mustard, egg and Worcester sauce.

• Serve with greens – rocket leaves (arugula), beetroot leaves and pea shoots, and date and pecan nuts seasoning.

• Gently fold the above mixture with crab meat, mayo mixture, lemon zest, coriander, and ginger juice. Make cakes of this mixture by packing it lightly using fingers and palms and ensuring it is not tight.

• Also serve with half a lemon and the Dijon mustard-yogurt sauce (for the sauce; sauté the garlic, let it cool and mix with whisked yogurt, remaining half of the Dijon mustard, coriander, mayonnaise and lemon juice, check for seasoning).

• Sear the crab cake till golden brown in S E P T E M B E R / O C TO B E R

• Add prawns and cook till almost done (for five minutes or so).

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By Chef Surjan Singh Jolly

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• Heat the oil and add mustard seeds till it crackles followed by garlic, curry leaves, and a pinch of turmeric.

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WHEN IT ALL COMES

CRASHING

Jack Favilukis, professor at UBC’s Sauder School of Business

DOWN

BY ASHLEY STEPHENS

How would Vancouver react to a real estate meltdown?

T

he housing market has been the talk of the town around the Lower Mainland for years – and rightfully so. With housing prices hitting record highs and homes selling for millions more than their asking price, it’s been hard to have a conversation without referencing real estate.

But if the saying is true, and what goes up, must come down, is a drop in the market imminent?

And can the city survive a crash if it were to happen?

While potential buyers would be crossing their fingers hoping their chance to enter the highly competitive market is around the corner, experts are predicting that it’s not in the cards in the near future. “[There is] no sign of a slowdown in 2017,” says realtor Jes-

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between the next pricing bracket more attainable.”

Weatherby notes that as long as homeowners can afford their monthly payments, those who are able to wait it out until the market recovers have historically done well. “A market decrease will most-

sica Prasad P.R.E.C. from Re/ Max Sabre Realty. “Vancouver condos have been increasing at 2.2 per cent per month.

Townhouses are on fire this year, too.”

But what would happen if a drop were to occur? Prasad believes Vancouver would survive – with a strong economy and the draw of the area’s outdoor amenities and beauty, she believes people from all over the world will still be interested in and able to support the real estate industry.

“Historically the market has come up and gone down but the long term trajectory has been consistently upward,” notes Elise Weatherby, realtor with Keller Williams Black Diamond. “When we have seen corrections of a strong market

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[There is] no sign of a slowdown in 2017,” says realtor Jessica Prasad P.R.E.C. from Re/Max Sabre Realty.

“Vancouver condos have been increasing at 2.2 per cent per month.

Townhouses are on fire this year, too.” in the past, the Lower Mainland and Fraser Valley to date has always recovered and gone on to rise even further.”

“A drop in housing prices might not even be a bad thing, it would give buyers a chance to get into the market who have been priced out and forced to rent, and sellers a chance to sell without being subject to a feeding frenzy! There are also many current owners who would like to “buy up” but can’t.

A correction would reduce their current property value but it would also make the overall gap

ly negatively affect people that need to sell and will not be buying again in the same market,” she says.

While a drop over the next several years may not bring all bad news, a crash on the other hand could have serious long term affects for many throughout the province, and potentially the country, depending on the catalyst for such a substantial downturn.

“I think it would be pretty bad for the local economy,” says Tom Davidoff, an economist at UBC’s Sauder School of Business. “A lot of people are employed in real

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Favilukis says that if foreign investors pull out and locals have been “buying housing with the hope to sell it for more in a year and using short term financing – then these people will have no way to refinance and we will see mass defaults. This will affect the banks and can cascade to the rest of the economy.” estate and affiliated industries.”

“Locally the real estate industry is a huge support to the economy,” says Weatherby, noting its prominence over the province’s major exports in the forest industry. “We saw a small correction in the housing market in 2008; many other industries dependent on the real estate market were affected. The building and construction industry is the largest dependent on the housing market, from new home builders and their trades people to little local furniture shops; it’s shocking to think how many revenue streams are hinged on housing.”

Jack Favilukis, professor at UBC’s Sauder School of Business, says that a city’s reaction to a drop or crash in the housing market is as complicated as the reasoning behind it. “If the drop happens because foreigners pull out of the market, and if the locals haven’t been speculating and overleveraging themselves, then the drop won’t really have many negative consequences,” he says.

“Sure, some people will feel poorer, and some people won’t be able to borrow against their house to buy a new TV or car, but we would be unlikely to see mass defaults and spillovers to the rest of the economy (as we saw in the US in 2008).”

However, Favilukis says that if foreign investors pull out and locals have been “buying housing with the hope to sell it for more in a year and using short term financing – then these people will have no way to refinance and we will see mass defaults. This will affect the banks and can cascade to the rest of the economy.”

If Vancouver were to see a drop or crash in the near future, it could be a matter of waiting out the storm or expecting strategic intervention depending on the severity of the downturn.

There are risks to investors, the economy, and potential and existing homeowners but the past has proven that with the right tools in place, the market can and would recover.

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Designer Exclusive

Abu JANI

&

Sandeep

KHOSLA

BY GARIMA GOSWAMI

“The world outside and all that is in it casts myriad impressions upon the mind; the mind plays with these. Art is the resultant expression of the interplay or dance between the external world and the internal imagination and compulsion to create.”

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Designer Exclusive 84

Most luxe accessories and couture are embroidered in India today because our art and craft legacy is alive and kicking. We now need to go global with our creativity. There is no dearth of talent.

It needs funding to market its wares within and outside India.�

S E P T E M B E R / O C TO B E R Reflecting The South-Asian Lifestyle

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How is fashion in India evolving and influencing the global fashion scene?

There was no formalised industry when we began three decades ago. No fashion design institutes and it wasn’t considered a serious career choice for anyone. All of that has changed in three decades, it is wonderful to witness that evolution. To see the opening of opportunities for those inclined towards design to educate, train and create for an ever growing market. And to know that design has become not merely acceptable but a covetable career path makes us so happy.

India has always influenced art and creativity, and fashion is no exception. Whether it is the sari drape or the chudhidar or the bandgalla, these indigenous silhouettes have informed western design for decades in various forms; Indian textiles and embroideries

too. Most luxe accessories and couture are embroidered in India today because our art and craft legacy is alive and kicking. We now need to go global with our creativity. There is no dearth of talent. It needs funding to market its wares within and outside India.

What has been the most defining moment of your career so far?

There are far too many. Mentioning some means leaving out so many others, all of which has been inspiring and defining. We can instead focus on two which we think of as transformational – first, the decision to combine forces and create as one. There is an alchemy when we work together. We can say with absolute conviction that one plus one equals more than two. What a privilege and a gift that meeting was and how glad we are to have decided on impulse and instinct to work together.

Second, the fire that destroyed our home and studio. It was a crisis that wiped us out.

“There was no formalised industry when we began three decades ago. No fashion design institutes and it wasn’t considered a serious career choice for anyone. All of that has changed in three decades, it is wonderful to witness that evolution.”

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Designer Exclusive

“There is an alchemy when we work together.

We can say with absolute conviction that one plus one equals more than two. What a privilege and a gift that meeting was and how glad we are to have decided on impulse and instinct to work together.”

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S E P T E M B E R / O C TO B E R Reflecting The South-Asian Lifestyle

Did you know?

It was a test of resolve, of faith and dedication, such a terrible thing, such a priceless lesson – never give up, never give in.

What are you fascinated by at the moment and how does it feed into your designs?

Artists live in a state of perpetual fascination, even when it is a time of creative block, one is fully immersed in that vacuum and feeds off it. Everything is inspiration. The world outside and all that is in it casts myriad impressions upon the mind; the mind plays with these.

Art is the resultant expression of the interplay or dance between the external world and the internal imagination and compulsion to create.

Art, architecture, history, travel, culture, moods, emotions, all of these dance together.

Biggest fashion blunder any bride and groom can make?

To wear something that doesn’t thrill them, doesn’t represent their personal and unique sensibilities, aesthetics, sense of style and spirit.

DARPAN

TM

Together, Abu Jani and Sandeep Khosla launched a boutique, Mata Hari, in 1986.

They were one of the five designers included in Tarun Tahiliani’s multi-brand boutique, Ensemble, in 1987.

Their first celebrity client was Bollywood actress, Dimple Kapadia followed by other leading ladies such as Jaya Bachchan and Parmeshwar Godrej.

In 2002, Abu Jani and Sandeep Khosla were conferred with the National Film Award for Best Costume Design, for their work in Bollywood movie, Devdas.

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Frontier bridal boutique

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Photographer: A-MASTER MEDIA | Stylist: Kanika Sasan, Hair & Makeup: Make up by Fateh | Model: Natasha

(604) 325-4424 • 8140 120 St, Surrey, BC V3W 3N3

S E P T E M B E R / O C TO B E R Reflecting The South-Asian Lifestyle

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Frontier bridal boutique

Photographer: A-MASTER MEDIA | Stylist: Kanika Sasan, Hair & Makeup: Make up by Fateh | Model: Kirti Singh

(604) 325-4424 • 8140 120 St, Surrey, BC V3W 3N3

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Frontier bridal boutique

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Photographer: A-MASTER MEDIA | Stylist: Kanika Sasan, Hair & Makeup: Make up by Fateh | Model: Natasha

(604) 325-4424 • 8140 120 St, Surrey, BC V3W 3N3

Frontier bridal boutique

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Photographer: A-MASTER MEDIA | Stylist: Kanika Sasan, Hair & Makeup: Make up by Fateh | Model: Kirti Singh

(604) 325-4424 • 8140 120 St, Surrey, BC V3W 3N3

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Reflecting The South-Asian Lifestyle

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eeping your wardrobe up-todate with the ever-changing fashion trends can be a tad difficult, but there is one simple way to stay in vogue always without spending a bomb. Accessorize!

Yes, while your clothes do make up for the majority of your outfit, a few rightly-paired accessories can make wonders to your overall appearance.

The fact of the matter is – accessories matter as much as your clothing.

As fashion designer Michael Kors once said, “I’ve always thought of accessories as the exclamation point of an outfit.” Be it a belt, bag, sunglasses or a simple hat… right accessories can not only emphasize your personal taste but also turn you super stylish within seconds.

And thankfully, there are a plethora of options to choose from. We bring to you a list of some must-have fashion accessories you need this season to effortlessly slay. Read on.

Accessories not only emphasize your personal style but also help you to make some stunning headto-toe style statements. Check out the trending must-have fashion accessories for this season.

e z i r o s s e c c A It!

Statement Sunglasses

BY SHWETA KULKARNI

The simplest way to make a style statement this season is with a pair of stunning shades. Mirrored, two-toned, colourful, tinted, geometric frames, cat-eye, brow bar silhouettes… There are literally hundreds of options available in the market to accentuate your look.

Crowning Glory

Photos: iStock, courtesy Coachella 2015

Fancy headbands and clips are not just for little girls anymore. You can do wonders to your style and look instantly glamourous by simply decking up your coif with some hair accessories. Headbands, ponytail cuffs, bobby pins, vintage bands, slide clips, bejewelled and colourful clips, floral accessories, big bows, pretty ribbons, bandanas, scrunchies are the most trending hair accessories in the fashion circuit currently. If you want to skip the hair bauble, you can still make heads turn with statement hats. They can add an edge to your outfit and can be worn with cute dresses, skirts, trousers and cardigans.

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Waist Belts Belts without a doubt are the most important fashion accessory of this season and they are more stylish than ever. Be it belts with big buckle, corset belts, 80s style gypsy belts, or skinny belts, they are an important fashion tool to amp up your look. What’s more, you can even wear them with your traditional saree and effortlessly make heads turn.

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Certified Microblading & Eyelash Technician • Makeup Artist

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N Style DARPA

Bright Bags Pretty bags are a definite must-have for all women folks, and this season one can make some stunning style statements with some bright coloured bags in different shapes.

Stylish Scarves Scarves not only complement all kinds of clothing but also, if worn right, make you look absolutely elegant. This season, scarves have made a comeback in different shapes, sizes and forms.

So, you have the puffer scarves, which are ruling the fashion circuit at the moment.

Right from the runways to street style, they are unanimously a hit.

Fur scarves are in vogue too, they suit all occasions and are ideal if you want to look elegant and sophisticated.

Skinny scarves are also a fashion must-have this season; they can make any ensemble look chic in minutes.

Sole Talk Shoe trends reigning the fashion markets this season are bold and glittering. Sparkly shoes are certain to help you put your best and chic foot forward. Remember shiny and glittery are the key words and anything that is sparkling and shining is what you need to lay your hands on.

Ankle length boots and kitten heels are trending too.

For the Men Top Trending Men’s Fashion Accessories

W

Messenger bags

Images for representation only

hile accessories help women make some impeccable style statements, men too can succeed in making heads turn with some smart and suave accessorizing.

Here are a few fashion accessories for men that are sure to enhance their style and versatility.

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Messenger bags are not only perfect to throw in your daily essentials and carry them with ease but also make some stunning fashion statements at work and other social settings.

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Socks Socks are trending and how! They are available in different patterns and colours and are the simplest and the most inexpensive accessories to change the entire look of your outfit.

Sunnies Sunglasses are important accessories for men too, and like women there are myriads of styles available to choose from. We recommend wayfarers, aviators and penny round sunglasses to enhance your look.

Scarves Scarves are becoming a hit among men too. Checked, colour block, striped or failsafe black – take your pick and just throw them around your chinos or the good ol’ jeans to make some cool style statement.

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As people become more conscious of what they put into their bodies, they’re also becoming more discerning about what they put on their faces.

Ethical

Ethical beauty products have become increasingly popular in recent years, partly due to the attention brought about from this Urban Decay development.

Customers are now searching out beauty brands that are cruelty-free (no animal testing), vegetarian (no by-products from animal slaughter), and vegan (no animal ingredients at all).

While many countries around the world have done a thorough

job of banning animal testing on cosmetics, other countries, including Canada, still allow it.

Our policies are far more regulated than in the United States, but they’re not nearly as stringent as in the United Kingdom, for example.

This growing trend in ethical beauty parallels increased general food awareness. As people become more conscious of what they put into their bodies, they’re also becoming more discerning

Beauty In Focus

W

hen Urban Decay announced in June 2012 that it would begin selling its cosmetics in China, the public outcry was immediate and livid. The beloved cult, indie brand (before it was sold to MHLV in 2000 and then to L’Oreal in 2012) was known for its cruelty-free formulas, beautifully plush synthetic brushes, and overall identity as the anti-cosmetics company. It was recognized by the Coalition for Consumer Information on Cosmetics and the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) as one of the best cruelty-free beauty company and earned the Leaping Bunny logo.

Why the outcry? Because China’s regulations at that time demanded that all cosmetics sold on its soil needed to be tested on animals before being offered to consumers.

Immediately, PETA removed Urban Decay from its list of cruelty-free companies.

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The result? Urban Decay reversed its decision one month later. Getting a piece of China’s nearly $30 billion beauty market was understandable, but potentially could have cost them more in loss of sales from already devoted fans.

By Catherine Tse

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N A P R DA

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about what they put on their faces. Vegetarians and vegans in particular are seeking skincare and beauty items that match their ethical standpoints – and it’s all possible today.

Niche Beauty Because ethical beauty products are a subcategory of the overall cosmetics industry, it can be easier to find them through niche, indie brands.

A good place to start is your local health food store or independent drug store or salon. A few favourites:

AG Hair This is a Vancouver-based brand whose new Natural line is cruelty-free and vegan. The five products in this line are 98 per cent plant-based and naturally-derived. The Balance shampoo includes organic apple cider vinegar and organic argan oil for especially lustrous hair. And the Rosehip Balm is a must for frizzies.

Farmacy A classic farm-to-face brand, Farmacy products contain naturally-derived ingredients that are enhanced by science for optimal potency and efficacy. Their products are not tested on animals and are free of parabens, formaldehyde and artificial colouring. Must try: their Honey Potion Mask.

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Bite Beauty is best known for their lipsticks, which are made with foodgrade ingredients.

Makes sense since lipstick, as it wears off, is ingested.

Big Brand Beauty Of course, there are many well-known, established brands that are also ethical and cruelty-free.

Klorane Based in France, Klorane adheres to European laws that forbid any animal testing on cosmetics (since September 2004). Their dry shampoo with oat milk, in particular, is a stellar product: effective, light and full of hydration while absorbing oils and excess hair products.

Zorah Biocosmétiques This Quebec-brand is organic, ecofriendly, fair-trade, uses recyclable materials, and is certified cruelty-free

by PETA. Argan oil features in every single one of their produces. Their top selling products are Ora Eye Cream and C-Nature Anti-aging Complex.

Zoya

Bite Beauty Canadian and Leaping Bunny-approved, Bite Beauty is best known for their lipsticks, which are made with food-grade ingredients.

Makes sense since lipstick, as it wears off, is ingested. If you’ve never tried, their Amuse Bouche colour is a perennial top-seller.

Anastasia of Beverly Hills On their website, Anastasia of Beverly Hills says that when they roll out new products, they’re tested on people, not animals.

Cruelty-free and vegetarian, this brand has developed a cult following for their brow products, namely the Dipbrow Pomade (which is actually vegan).

While not officially certified as crueltyfree, Zoya is largely recognised in the industry as an animal-friendly and vegan-friendly brand. Zoya was the first nail polish to remove toxic ingredients such as toluene, camphor, formaldehyde, formaldehyde resin, and DBP (dibutyl phthalate) from its polishes.

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Chantecaille Luxury brand, Chantecaille, remains a private, family-owned brand that produces beauty products that are cruelty-free and nearly entirely vegan aside from their face mask and lip balm (they contain honey). Their skincare famously features rosewater that’s extracted from the famed Rose de Mai rose fields in Provence (the flowers bloom for only two weeks in May each year), which Chantecaille shares with Chanel, who uses these same flowers in the making of their Chanel No. 5 parfum.

Must try: their Pure Rosewater and Nano Gold Energizing Eye Cream.

Lierac As a French company, Lierac abides by European laws and absolutely does not test on animals. Their top three selling products in Canada are Premium The Voluptuous Cream, Premium Yeux, and Premium The Silky Cream.

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Hourglass Vegan and cruelty-free, Hourglass has managed to create a premium beauty line that adheres to impressive ethical standards. Nearly all their products are winners, but definitely try their Ambient Powders, Ambient Blushes, and Veil Mineral Primer.

PHOTOS: COURTESY OF BRANDS FEATURED

Ethical Stores If you prefer the convenience of doing all your skincare and beauty shopping under one roof without having to consult PETA with every new product, these stores have got you covered.

The Body Shop was the first global beauty brand to take a vocal stand against animal testing and continues to do so today. LUSH is best known for its fragrant, hand-made soaps and bath bombs and is also cruelty-free and 100 per cent vegetarian (80 per cent vegan). And for Vancouver-based shoppers, try independent beauty store, Kiss and Makeup, which only stocks cruelty-free brands, ranging from niche (Amaterasu, RMS and Ilia) to well-known brands (Coola, Tata Harper and Oribe).

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Catherine Tse is a Vancouver lifestyle writer with a love for travel, food, animals and all things beautiful. She has written for the National Post, Georgia Straight, Real Weddings and BC Living.

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Sometimes after taking a break from the gym, it can be hard to get back into the routine.

I find that it helps to ease back into it with a partner to help with motivation. Once it becomes a habit again, doing it solo becomes no problem.

GET THE MOST OUT OF

YOUR GYM

BY NICK HILDEN

N

ow that summer has passed and we’re meandering through fall and toward winter, the majority of fitness enthusiasts are bringing their workout to the safety and comfort of being indoors. For many, that means heading back to the gym.

So with this in mind, let’s take a moment to go through a few suggestions that will help you get the most out of your gym workout.

Remember that it’s not a competition When you are getting fit outdoors, it’s easy to feel free

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and uninhibited. But once you move things into the gym, all those prying eyes from other fit people can make you feel self-conscious. As a result, the tendency can be to go through your workout as a performance for the audience rather than focusing on doing it right.

This can cause a lot of problems. You lift heavier than you should, trading the perception of strength for good form, and therefore effectiveness. You skip over workouts that are challenging in favour of doing something easy.

Whatever the case,

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remember that no one is watching you, and it’s not a competition. The only person you’re there for is yourself.

Buy quality gear that lasts I know that it can be easy to go for the bargain rather than shelling out for the topshelf gear, but in the long run spending more on dependable gear will save you money.

Why buy a new set of wireless headphones every three months when you can buy one pair that will last for years? Why get shorts that will be threadbare

and falling apart after a matter of weeks? Ditto on shoes, and lifting gloves, and more. The point – make an investment in comfortable, quality gear that will last.

Make a plan One of the biggest mistakes people make in the gym involves their lack of planning.

From workout schedules to fitness goals (whether that means fat loss or muscle gain), continue along your fitness journey with clear plans and intentions in mind.

When it comes to scheduling

your workouts, that not only means knowing what days and times you’ll be at the gym, but which muscle groups you’ll be working out for maximum effect. And while there are a variety of ways to navigate your weight loss/weight gain goals, I find that a calorie counter and workout tracking app helps keep me on track.

Don’t forget safety When you’re working out outside where you have to deal with cars, weather, and other uncertain circumstances, it’s easy to put safety first. But in the comfort of a gym it can be easy to become lulled into a sense of false security.

Keep in mind that it is entirely possible to injure yourself in the gym. Make sure you’re giving yourself proper rest days, stretching before and after workouts, using equipment correctly, and properly hydrating and fueling your body.

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Sometimes after taking a break from the gym, it can be hard to get back into the routine. I find that it helps to ease back into it with a partner to help with motivation. Once it becomes a habit again, doing it solo becomes no problem.

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Don’t forget variety It can be easy to get comfortable doing a specific series of moves and the same number of reps again and again, but if that’s what you’re doing then you’re limiting your potential.

By changing up your routine often and using a wide variety of motions, you’re ensuring that you’ll work out all of the little muscles that you can end up missing when you do the same thing again and again. And by adjusting your reps and sets, you keep your body from being able to anticipate what’s coming next, which makes it work harder.

And that’s what you’re at the gym for in the first place – to work hard and make progress.

About the Author Native to the Pacific Northwest region of the United States, Nick Hildenʼs career has spanned fiction, travel, advertising, journalism, biography, and more, and his work has appeared in publications such as the LA Times, Vice, LiveStrong, and Global Living Magazine. You can follow him on Twitter @LifeDoneWrite.

604.803.2487 adoredesignsbykanika@gmail.com

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Diabetes risk factors If you are over the age of 40, Diabetes Canada recommends you get checked every three years, and more frequently if you have any of these risk factors:

You have a parent or sibling with diabetes You are a member of an ethnic group at high risk for type 2 diabetes (African, Hispanic, Asian, South Asian, and Aboriginal) You are overweight You have high blood pressure or high cholesterol You have been diagnosed with prediabetes

DEBUNKING

DIABETES MYTHS

BY DR. JAN HUX

Myths about diabetes will always persist, and it’s important to separate fact from fiction.

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D

iabetes is a disease with many causes and no known cure. It’s a global issue, but the impact is felt in communities throughout Canada. If you don’t have diabetes, there is a very good chance someone in your family or circle of friends does.

Today, 11 million Canadians live with diabetes or prediabetes. The number of Canadians with diabetes has doubled in the last 12 years and that growth continues with another person diagnosed every three minutes.

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Diabetes is defined by higher than normal levels of glucose (sugar) in the blood and can lead to serious complications. The personal health burden is significant – diabetes costs five to 15 years of life expectancy; it contributes to 30 per cent of strokes, 40 per cent of heart attacks, and 70 per cent of all non-traumatic amputations as well as being a leading cause of blindness. It’s important that Canadians educate themselves about the disease to recognize if they are at risk.

Myths about diabetes will always persist, and it’s important to separate fact from fiction – your health could depend on it.

Myth #1: Diabetes is the fault of the person who has it, because of bad lifestyle choices or too much sugar.

The Fact: Type 2 diabetes is a complex problem with roots in genetics, the environment, and individual behaviour choices. It runs in families and few individuals diagnosed with type 2 diabetes do not have even one relative with it. It is also

DARPAN HEALTH more prevalent in certain population groups, most notably Aboriginal, South Asian, and AfroCaribbean peoples.

For some who carry a potent genetic risk for diabetes, no amount of physical fitness or healthy eating will protect them from developing the disease.

A second contributor to the diabetes epidemic is the environment in which we live – factors such as the walkability of neighbourhoods along with access to nutritious food and local health facilities and services.

For people at risk of diabetes, behaviour choices that promote obesity increase that risk. Improving diet and physical activity levels has been shown to reduce the risk by nearly 60 per cent. However, over-emphasizing weight reduction leads to unbalanced messaging around the causes of the disease, such as simply saying it is a result of eating too much sugar. To blame individual behaviour choices is a disservice to those with the disease and contributes to stigma.

Myth #2: You should eat more protein than carbohydrates.

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The Fact: This myth is based on the fact that some carb-rich foods contribute to a rise in blood sugar. In reality, substituting carbs with protein sources like meat, eggs and milk can lead to an imbalanced diet and weight gain. Follow Eating Well with Canada`s Food Guide to ensure you choose enough foods from all four food groups.

Myth #3:

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People with diabetes can’t eat white-coloured food.

The Fact: White-coloured foods almost always have a healthier alternative, think whole-grain rice or bread, but an occasional indulgence isn’t forbidden. As with most foods, the trick is moderation and portion control. Of course brightly-coloured fruits and vegetables should be a part of everyone’s daily routine. Consult with your health team for advice. You might be surprised at what you can and cannot eat.

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Myth #4: People with diabetes can’t eat their favourite foods.

The Fact: This is almost always untrue, but living with diabetes does mean being careful about your food choices. Choose smaller portions, and if you’re eating sweets, try substituting artificial sweeteners for added sugar. A little research into what you’re eating and portion control will allow you to enjoy most of your favourite treats in moderation, regardless of diabetes.

Types of Diabetes

Choose smaller portions, and if you’re eating sweets, try substituting artificial sweeteners for added sugar. A little research into what you’re eating and portion control will allow you to enjoy most of your favourite treats in moderation, regardless of diabetes.

Myth #5: People with diabetes can’t drink alcohol.

The Fact: Most people with diabetes can, but in moderation. One rule of thumb is to always stick to beer, dry wines or straight liquor, and steer clear of sugary mixed drinks and cocktails. Alcohol is loaded with empty calories, and can cause unwanted weight gain. Diabetes Canada recommends limiting alcohol to no more than 10 drinks a week for women, and 12 to 15 for men.

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Type 1 diabetes most commonly begins in childhood and occurs when the body is unable to produce insulin, a hormone that controls the level of sugar in the blood. Approximately 10 per cent of people with diabetes have type 1 diabetes.

Type 2 diabetes is the most common type, affecting about 90 per cent of Canadians with diabetes. It occurs when the pancreas does not produce enough insulin or when the body does not effectively use the insulin it produces. It usually develops in adulthood, although more children and adolescents are being diagnosed, especially those in high-risk populations, such as Aboriginal peoples and those of African, Asian, Hispanic or South Asian descent.

Gestational diabetes is a temporary condition that develops during pregnancy. Blood sugar levels usually return to normal following delivery, however both mother and child are at higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes later in life.

Prediabetes occurs when a person’s blood sugar levels are elevated, but not yet at a level high enough to be diagnosed as type 2 diabetes. About half of those with prediabetes will go onto develop type 2 diabetes.

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Myth #6:

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Having diabetes means you’re doomed.

The Fact: Far from it! Diabetes is a disease, and has to be treated seriously. Scheduled check-ups with your health-care team, watching your diet and medication, regular physical activity, and a positive outlook help you lead a long and happy life. In most cases, diabetes can be controlled, as long as you’re committed to staying healthy.

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Learn more about diabetes and you Early risk detection can help people change habits to prevent the onset of type 2 diabetes and reduce complications. Knowing the risk factors is key to prevention and early detection.

You cannot prevent type 1 diabetes, however, Diabetes Canada believes there are things we can do to reduce type 2 diabetes rates, including prevention activities that focus on healthy eating, physical activity, and stress reduction. If you are at risk for type 2 diabetes, you need to talk to your doctor and get tested.

If you have diabetes, work with your health-care team, including a certified diabetes educator, to keep your blood sugar levels in check and get tips to effectively manage your diabetes. Finally, learn everything you can; knowledge is the key to managing diabetes.

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About the Author Dr. Jan Hux is the Chief Science Officer at Diabetes Canada.

She holds an MD from the University of Toronto and a Masters in Epidemiology from Harvard. For 20 years, she held a variety of research and executive roles at the Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences (ICES) in Ontario, where she was responsible for developing and leading the diabetes health services research portfolio. Visit www.diabetes.ca for more information on diabetes.

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DARPAN HOME

Well-Read, Well-Designed & Well-Styled Take Pleasure in a Good Bookshelf

BY ASHLEY STEPHENS

A

good book can leave a lasting impression so why not let a shelf of books do the same thing?

While the idea of a bookshelf is to – yes, you guessed it – house your books, they are becoming more than just somewhere you leave your novels to collect dust.

Bookshelves are a finishing touch to an already furnished room but can bring a space from drab and disheveled to deliberate and well-designed.

“It’s all about layers,” says Kashmir Dhaliwal, senior certified property stager and partner of Fine Redesign Home Staging & Decor Inc. She describes how she starts styling her shelves with artwork

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and adds to them as she goes. “What you want to do is create small vignettes. It is all about layering other items in front; so the back being a piece of artwork, and at the front, I would probably do a stack of books. Next to that I would do a candle and maybe some greenery on top of the books – so you get that vignette style.”

Layering creates defined areas of visual interest. It looks clean and thoughtfully-organized, instead of crammed and cluttered. It allows you to add pieces with a purpose that add depth, bring balance and complement each other instead of competing for the attention of your eye.

“Don’t try and fill the whole thing,” TM

Dhaliwal warns. It’s a quick way to create a shelf that just looks jam packed she says. “Don’t go from one end to the other.”

Dhaliwal details what she has on her own bookshelves at home and it includes only a few pictures of her children paired with a handful of books and greenery. “A few things go a long way,” she says about styling shelves, one of her favourite things to do. “Just nice and simple.”

Once you’ve lined your shelves with some select artwork, add your books.

Keep in mind books don’t have to be lined up like you’re in a library. Try turning them on their side and stacking them horizontally to create different shapes throughout your shelves. This also allows them to act as a riser; a small sculpture or simple sign atop your pile creates height and adds variety.

If you’d rather not judge a book by its cover, Dhaliwal offers up one of her favourite tips, but cautions it may not be for everyone. “I like to use my books backwards. I like to use it so you can see the paper,” she says. “Because the paper is like a very neutral colour, I just find it more pleasing than looking at different titles and different colours.”

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Keep in mind books don’t have to be lined up like you’re in a library. Try turning them on their side and stacking them horizontally to create different shapes throughout your shelves.

This also allows them to act as a riser; a small sculpture or simple sign atop your pile creates height and adds variety.

If you have any books worthy of their own display, don’t be afraid to show them off as you would a piece of artwork. Use a plate stand or prop it up against the back of the shelf so its beauty isn’t lost between the other covers.

Work a collection of items or a few of your favourite things in amongst your books, artwork and other novelties.

You can create vignettes with a specific theme or spread your story throughout your shelves. A bookshelf can show off your personality if you pick artwork and accessories you like as opposed to picking them for their function.

Pick pieces of different shapes, textures, heights and finishes to add additional TM

layers to your space. If you’re not afraid to get a little crafty, a can of spray paint can add a designer touch and a minimalistic look to your bookshelves. Mismatched pieces, like vases, small boxes and animals figurines, can be coloured in gold, or any colour of your choosing, to unify a cluttered-looking collection.

Rainbow bookshelves can be a visually stunning way to display and organize your books. Not only can it make quite the impact but you may be more likely to remember the colour of a book as opposed to its title or author, making it easier to find when it does come time to read.

However, if your bookshelf is more for a collection of objects and less about storing your books, you might want to stay away from colour coding all your titles. “You want to make sure you use [colour] randomly and not everywhere,” says Dhaliwal. This will pull together the pieces of your shelves better if the darker and lighter books are scattered throughout as opposed to grouped all together.

While Dhaliwal prefers her bookshelves to be neutral, she acknowledges the variety of items available for bringing in colour, noting that colourful frames can pair well with artwork or prints.

If you’re unsure about your decorating style or skills, trying your hand at a bookshelf is a good place to start. The items are light enough to move frequently, you can easily get an idea of what is appealing to your eye, and it’s the perfect place to let your personality pop. Let your bookshelves tell your story.

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Q: How did you meet?

Rimple: We met in high school at David Thompson Secondary. Vick liked me for about two years before I finally decided to give him a chance (he was very persistent).

We started dating in 2003 in grade 10.

This September will be 14 years for us.

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Q: What do you love most about one another?

Vick: Her compassionate personality.

Rimple is truly a very selfless person and is very motivated by the greater good for this world – which explains her very ambitious and entrepreneurial personality which I am so proud of.

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83 Rimple: His genuine personality. Vick is one of the easiest people to get along with, he truly makes friends with strangers anywhere he goes. Furthermore, I love the bond he has created with my entire immediate family.

It’s truly something special.

Q: Could you share your proposal story?

She

Rimple: We got our closest family and friends together at the beautiful John M.S. Lecky UBC Boathouse in Richmond and held our engagement party there where Vick proposed to me. The date of the event was very significant and meaningful to us – September 15, which was our anniversary from when we first started dating 13 years prior to that.

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- Wedding - Kirtan - Wed - Kirt Q: Describe your wedding day- and Sri Akhand- SriPaA what was your favourite moment? or any other or aR We had been battling some bad weather on an incredibly late start to spring, however on the day of the wedding it all turned around with an absolutely warm gorgeous day. We

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DARPAN Weddings got married at Nanak Niwas Gurdwara in Richmond, one of our most favourite temples.

Rimple: My most favourite moment definitely was right after our laavaan (four hymns of Anand Karaj) as I was incredibly relieved that I managed to not fall. Phew!

Vick: I would have to say the

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park. You feel a sense of relief from all the stress prior to that moment. Now it was time to celebrate with my wife and our closest friends and family.

Q: Could you tell us about your reception?

It was absolutely extravagant, timeless and elegant; and beyond our expectations. We

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could not have been happier with how perfect everything turned out from the food, décor, and entertainment. Planning for a 1,000+ person party was not an easy task. However, our wonderful vendors made it happen.

Guests entered the venue through a beautiful white carpet entrance with crystal chandeliers dazzling above by Koncept Event Design. Cocktail hour presumed in the lobby and patio with refreshments and tapas, followed by a champagne entrance into the ballroom.

Shortly afterwards, we made our grand entrance down our custom chandelier walkway to ‘Part II (On the Run)’ by Jay Z and Beyoncé. It was magical.

Hollywood Harv was our MC for the night and surely

kept the crowd laughing away.

BC Cultural Bhangra Academy opened the night with their vibrant and heartfelt performance, followed by a beautiful custom aerial silks performance

by Inner Ring Circus. Next we cut our beautiful 5-tier fresh floral cake by Amazing Cakes and had our first dance to ‘Dangerously in Love’ by Beyoncé. All our beautiful guests joined for the second dance and the remainder of the night was history once DJ 808 of Decibel took over the dance floor.

Q: Can you describe your outfits?

Rimple: I wore a piece by Indian fashion designer Sabyasachi Mukherjee called the ‘Pale

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Pink Lavender Jaal Lehenga’. It was embellished with gold sequins and the techniques of embroideries used were aari and gota patti. I chose the full sleeve kedia blouse with it. Vick wore a Tarun Tahiliani sherwani in ivory, complemented with a black turban and black velvet shawl detailed with dabka embroidery by Wellgroomed.

For the reception, I wore Sabyasachi once again!

This was from his latest Spring Couture 2017 Udaipur Collection called the ‘Ivory Organza Lehenga’. It had silk hand-painted florals and a beautiful tulle blouse that was embellished with crystal beads.

Vick: For the reception, my entire outfit was from designer Tom Ford. The cocktail jacket was a handsewn design in black honeycomb, complemented with a tuxedo shirt and classic black bow-tie.

Q: What are the strengths of your marriage?

I think the fact that we never grow tired or bored of one another. We can hang out every day and look forward to it again the next day no matter what. When you are high school sweethearts like us, you end up spending almost half your life together upon marriage.

As a couple it teaches a lot of patience, value, love and respect for one another.

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Q: Where did you honeymoon?

No time to honeymoon just yet, however when we do get to make some time this fall we plan to tour the South of France and Dubai.

Q: What are your goals as a couple?

To simply live life to the fullest. We definitely believe in ‘work hard, play harder’. We want to hit those pinnacles in life and be able to say we got to enjoy the fruit of our labour.

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DARPAN ACTIVITIES

VISIT A HAUNTED VILLAGE The Burnaby Village Museum goes all out in October for a fantastic kid-friendly Halloween experience.

Running from October 27-30, expect spooky window displays, trick or treating stations, live entertainment, and costumed characters, as well as free carousel rides. Plus, it’s a great opportunity to test out those Halloween costumes before the big night! Tickets are available at the door, $14 for adults and youth; $9 for children 12 and under.

it's

Halloween

Time!

RIDE A HALLOWEEN TRAIN (OR TWO!) Stanley Park’s Ghost Train is a Halloween staple in Vancouver, and something even the older kids might enjoy. From October 13 to 31, you can journey through the woods on the miniature train for some fright-free fun – complete with spooky music, lights and more! Before or after your ride, you can stop by the plaza for other activities, such as a haunted maze and arts and craft stations.

Another alternative is the Pumpkin Express at Beer Creek Park in Surrey, which is open rain or shine. Children and their families can ride through a spooky decorated forest, from October 7-31, between 10 am to 4.30 pm. At the end of the ride, you’ll also go home with a small pumpkin!

BY TARANA RANA

Summon the spirit of this spooky holiday with some classic family-friendly events

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esides the crisp cool nights and gorgeous foliage, the approach of Halloween is a fall favourite in Vancouver! Despite the spooki-

ness of the holiday, there are a lot of fun activities that take place all over the Lower Mainland, geared especially for children. Check out the top five Halloween must-dos for some family-friendly fun!

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WATCH A HALLOWEEN PARADE An annual Vancouver favourite, the Halloween Parade takes place on Granville street, downtown on October 15 at 11 am and is another great Halloween event for families with smaller children. Most of the parade entries are superheroes, anime characters or zombies – ideal for getting into the spirit of the holiday without frightening the little ones.

STROLL IN A HALLOWEEN GARDEN

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A relatively new event to Vancouver, ‘Glow in the Garden’ takes place in the last week of October at VanDusen Botanical Garden. In this family-friendly event, the garden is transformed with ghoulish lights, skeletons galore, spooky music, and carved glowing pumpkins. Perfect for little children and the faint of heart!

ENJOY THE HALLOWEEN FIREWORKS DISPLAY For Vancouver’s largest Halloween fireworks display, Minoru Park in Richmond is the place at. Before the spectacular fireworks display, families can also enjoy the live entertainment such as fire juggling performances, magic show, clowns and other children’s activities.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Tarana Rana is a freelance writer in Vancouver, BC. In her spare time, she enjoys exploring the city and discovering some of its lesser-known haunts.

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DARPAN TRAVEL

Fall in Love with NEW ZEALAND

BY AHA CREATIVE

From lush landscapes to star-filled skies and the breathtaking beauty of some of the world’s most untouched natural wonders and pristine beaches, romance is never far away in New Zealand.

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ecluded beaches and exotic rainforests. Geothermal wonderlands and snow-capped mountains.

New Zealand’s landscapes are as romantic as they are varied. The country’s compact size lets you experience diverse experiences in stunning landscapes every day. For starry-eyed romantics, you will find a heavenly array of places to declare your love yearround.

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Start the trip off right with Air New Zealand’s direct nonstop flight departing from Vancouver several days a week in “cuddle class.” The airline’s Skycouch allows two people to share three economy seats, helping couples to arrive in Auckland rested and well-snuggled.

Appreciate the beauty of Auckland’s Waitemata Harbour from above in an amphibious plane. With the sea as your runway, these robust little machines taxi out through the wharves of Wynyard Quarter before soaring over the island jewels of the Hauraki Gulf. Auckland Seaplanes CEO Chris Sattler describes their most popular proposal package: “We fly the guests to magnificent Motuihe Island, then leave them on a deserted beach with a bottle of chilled bubbles. Returning some time

Appreciate the beauty of Auckland’s Waitemata Harbour from above in an amphibious plane. With the sea as your runway, these robust little machines taxi out through the wharves of Wynyard Quarter before soaring over the island jewels of the Hauraki Gulf. later, we fly the happy couple on to Waiheke for lunch, to enjoy the rest of the day or stay overnight. We’ve never had anyone say ‘no’ yet.”

If your sweetheart is an active type, before asking for their hand in marriage, you might want to take them to the Cape Brett Walkway in the Far North. This hearty 16km hike to an isolated lighthouse takes eight hours, unless you take the shortcut and charter a water taxi part of the way, which can slash the trip to a two-hour (5km) ramble. With plenty of stunning sites to declare your everlasting love, you’ll want to speak in a clear voice to be heard

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DARPAN TRAVEL

Photos: Auckland Seaplanes, Three Sixty Photography, Department of Conservation, iStock

If you are aiming for the stars, you’d be hard pressed to find a rival for the South Island’s phenomenal starscape at the Aoraki Mackenzie Dark Night Reserve. With a designated 4,300sq km light pollution-free zone, the only thing close to the sparkle of your love will be the glittering constellations up above. over the raucous tweets of native birds, the roar of the sea, and the wind in the branches of the manuka trees.

Gazing up at the heavens can often make a couple feel like they want this moment to last forever. If you are aiming for the stars, you’d be hard pressed to find a rival for the South Island’s phenomenal starscape at the Aoraki Mackenzie Dark Night Reserve. With a designated

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4,300sq km light pollution-free zone, the only thing close to the sparkle of your love will be the glittering constellations up above.

Once a bustling Central Otago gold-mining town, Clyde sits beside the Clutha River and is popular with history buffs, cycling enthusiasts and walkers. But the jewel in Clyde’s crown is surely the lovingly restored Olivers Lodge and Stables, an elegantly historic accommodation

complex that deserves every one of its five stars. Beautifully appointed with fabulous gardens, it’s no surprise that Olivers plays host to plenty of proposals. Featuring rooms with claw-foot baths and wide beds, not to mention the exquisite food, wine and service in their bakery, deli and brewery, this is a place you won’t want to leave.

A long walk with your loved one is a magical way to nurture a relationship, making the Te Araroa Trail an outstanding place to pop the question. Starting at the tip of the North Island and finishing in Bluff in the South, this journey takes 50-80 days per island to complete. If your relationship can withstand that, you’re a shoo-in for a lifelong commitment.

With so many picturesque spots, it’s hard to pick just one on-bended-knee moment, but it’s recommended to stop about halfway along on the Paekakariki Trail, just outside Wellington. Choose between the very top of the Devil’s Staircase with impressive views of the Kapiti Coast, or in the middle of one of the breathtaking swing bridges along the way.

From lush landscapes to star-filled skies and the breathtaking beauty of some of the world’s most untouched natural wonders and pristine beaches, romance is never far away in New Zealand.

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BY GLEN KONOROWSKI

2018

LEXUS

GS 350 AWD The adaptive variable front and rear suspension aids confident driving on highways as well as in periodic spirited driving.

I

f you are like me and want a quality car but would rather not stand out in the crowd, then the Lexus GS 350 all-wheel drive (AWD) should be of interest to you. This car has everything you want in a luxury car, all in a fairly compact package.

The GS 350 shares its platform with its larger engine sibling, the GS 450h. But the major difference, besides the larger engine in the GS 450, is the fact that the

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GS 350 is an AWD as compared to the rear-wheel drive GS 450.

So, if you like to head out to a ski spot like Whistler in the winter, the AWD is a better choice. Also wet weather traction is far superior as I encountered this while testing the car.

As GS 350 is a powerful car you tend to drive it a little more aggressively and that is where the AWD really comes into its own as the grip on the pavement is superb.

The adaptive variable front and rear suspension aids confident driving on highways as well as in periodic spirited driving. The optional 19-inch 235/40R19 tires also do an excellent job of gripping the road in both rain and dry pavement Allowing you all this power is a 3.5 litre double overhead cam V6 configuration with a variable valve timing feature. This allows the engine to give the driver constant power right through the range in-

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A QUALITY LUXURY CAR

ON-ROAD OFF-ROADCAPABILITY CAPABILITY ON-ROADPERFORMANCE PERFORMANCE AND OFF-ROAD ARE EXCLUSIVE. ARENO NOLONGER LONGER MUTUALLY MUTUALLY EXCLUSIVE. MASERATILEVANTE LEVANTEWELL-EQUIPPED WELL-EQUIPPED STARTING STARTING FROM MASERATI FROM $89,600* $89,600*

LEVANTE. THE MASERATI OF SUVs. DROP BY FOR A TEST DRIVE TODAY. The all-newTHE 2017MASERATI Levante goes OF far beyond limits BY of ordinary sports-car LEVANTE. SUVs.the DROP FOR A SUVs, TEST combining DRIVE TODAY.

performance and off-road capability with the luxury and exclusivity of a Maserati. The Levante Theand all-new 2017 Levante goes far Ferrari-built, beyond the limits of ordinary SUVs, combining sports-car Levante S feature a powerful 3.0-liter, twin-turbocharged V6 engine and performance and intelligent off-road capability with the for luxury and exclusivity Maserati.

Levante Maserati Q4 all-wheel drive sure-footed tractionofin avirtually all The conditions. adjusts within 3.0-liter, milliseconds for seamless drivingV6dynamics andStandard Levante five-way S featureaira suspension powerful Ferrari-built, twin-turbocharged engine onand and off-road.

Meanwhile, distinctive Italian styling, a luxurious interior and a unique exhaust note Maserati Q4 intelligent all-wheel drive for sure-footed traction in virtually all conditions. affirm its Maserati Go beyond limitsmilliseconds of ordinary and arrive at Levante.

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Standard five-way airheritage. suspension adjusts the within for seamless driving dynamics onand off-road. Meanwhile, distinctive Italian styling, a luxurious interior and a unique exhaust note affirm its MaseratiOF heritage.

Go beyond the limits of ordinary and arrive at Levante. By Maserati.

MASERATI VANCOUVER 1860 Burrard Street, Vancouver, BC V6J 3H1 / 604.215.8778 / www.MaseratiVancouver.com Schedule your testVANCOUVER drive: Jay Sidhu / 604.614.6028 / jsidhu@fmov.ca MASERATI OF

1860 Burrard Street, Vancouver, BC V6J 3H1 / 604.215.8778 / www.MaseratiVancouver.com *Maserati Levante MY2017 base MSRP $89,600; Maserati Levante S MY2017 base MSRP $98,600. Not including dealer prep and transportation. Actual selling price may vary. Taxes, title, license and registration Schedule your ©2016 test Maserati drive:North Jay Sidhu 604.614.6028 jsidhu@fmov.ca fees not included.

America, /Inc. All rights reserved. /Maserati and the Trident logo are registered trademarks of Maserati SpA. Maserati urges you to obey all posted speed limits.

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TM S E P T E M B E R / O C TO B E R *Maserati Levante MY2017 base MSRP $89,600; Maserati Levante S MY2017 base MSRP $98,600. Not including dealer prep and transportation. Actual selling price may vary. Taxes, title, license and registration Reflecting The South-Asian Lifestyle fees not included. ©2016 Maserati North America, Inc. All rights reserved. Maserati and the Trident logo are registered trademarks of Maserati SpA. Maserati urges you to obey all posted speed limits.

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HIGHLIGHTS

(AS TESTED)

MSRP: Base $60,071, as tested $70,671.25 Motor: 3.5-litre double overhead cam V6 Layout: Front engine, all-wheel drive Fuel economy: 12.4 L/100 km city and 9.2 L/100 km highway

On the practical side of things, the car is equipped with multiple strategically placed air-bags for collision safety as well as cruise control that detects a slower moving vehicle and lowers your speed to avoid a collision.

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stead of a more singular peek in cars without variable valve timing or turbos. All this amounts to a smooth 311 horsepower and 280 lb-ft of torque. In testing up hills like the Capilano Road in North Vancouver, the GS pulled well up the incline. On the open road, the car is quick but very stable, which I really liked. Transferring that power to the road is a sixspeed sport transmission that shifted and downshifted very well even when pulling up hills or on the highway.

As you might suspect with a Lexus, the car is well-appointed with excellent adjustable front seating as well as good rear seating with adequate leg room. The leather (optional F-Sport) seating surfaces seems soft but durable for the long run which can be a letdown a few years down the road. One feature I liked is the dual heating and cooling climate control for the front passengers

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as my wife and I never agree on a temperature when driving any distance. Back seat passengers are treated to heating ducts as well.

My test car was optioned with the F-Sport-2 package which added a few more features to the car. This included a rear power sunshade for backseat passengers and a top end 17-speaker Mark Levinson audio system just to name a few.

On the practical side of things, the car is equipped with multiple strategically placed air-bags for collision safety as well as cruise control that detects a slower moving vehicle and lowers your speed to avoid a collision. The truck has plenty of room to swallow an average family of fourâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s luggage or at least two sets of golf clubs.

My only criticism of the Lexus GS, or for that matter most of the line, is that they all basically look the same. But short of this, these cars have proven over the years to be solid and reliable vehicles. I was amazed at how many older Lexus models I still see on the road.

Someone who worked for Lexus/ Toyota said that they overbuild their cars so they will last and really please the owner. Seeing how wellequipped my test car was at $70,671, it is worth considering when looking for a quality luxury car.

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DARPAN AutoREVIEW

MAZDA CX-9 2017

MAZDA’S TOP OF THE LINE SUV

BY GLEN KONOROWSKI

It is by far one of the nicest looking interiors I have seen. I can honestly say it is at par with any high-end Italian SUV on the market.

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y connection with Mazda goes back to the 1970s when I was in college, where I raced on one of the first rotary coupes, the RX 100. From then on I have always loved the way a Mazda traversed no matter what the model, which brings us to the new CX-9 I recently tested.

Mazda has done a good job styling the vehicle to follow the

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theme of the rest of the company’s vehicles. The gentle curves are generally pleasing to the eye, at the same time being practical enough for the occupants to get in and out easily.

The CX-9 is a full seven-seater SUV that I have to say I really enjoyed driving, and I can’t say that about many of the larger SUVs I have tested in a while. The reason for this is the great handling and general performance of the CX-9. Getting in and about traffic was just a dream, as was acceleration onto the highway, with or without a load. I was lucky enough to have had the CX-9 on a track and I really put it through its paces and was not disappointed. In the short time period I experienced rain, I was impressed with how well the vehicle gripped the pavement, even when climbing steeper roads. Our test vehicle was

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equipped with 225/50R20 on all four wheels, good for spirited driving.

Starting with the performance end of things, first is the CX9’s 2.5 litre inline four-cylinder turbo that produces a healthy 250 horsepower on premium gas and slightly less on regular 87 octane. As this is a four-cylinder compared to many makers’ V6 models, the Mazda’s 2.5 litre is lighter, making the vehicle less front heavy and thus more nim-

ble. Even though this is a turbo, acceleration is effortless throughout the power band. Getting that power to the wheels is a smooth shifting six-speed automatic, the only transmission in the CX-9 models.

Like most press vehicles, my CX-9 was the top of the line signature model that combines great looking Nappa leather interior in an auburn colour with wood accents. It is by far one of the nicest looking interiors I have seen. I can

TOYOTA HIGHLIGHTS MSRP: $50,100 Motor: 2.5-litre four-cylinder turbo Horsepower: Maximum 250 at 5,000 rpm Torque (lb-ft): 310 at 2,000 rpm

FINANCING

Transmission: Six-speed automatic

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Fuel economy: 11.5 L/100 km city and 8.9 L/100 km highway honestly say it is at par with any high-end Italian SUV on the market. This high-end look continues on into the two rear rows of seats. Besides looking good, the seats are comfortable, and for the short time I spent in the back seat, they too were comfy. Mazda calls the CX-9 a seven-seater but I like to refer to it as more of a six-seater as the rear seats will accommodate three people but two people are better suited there. As for the three-row of seats, I think I would reserve those for smaller people like children or adults only for short trips.

Once in the driver’s seat all the controls are easily found and easy to reach. Like most new vehicles the centre touch screen houses all your communication, sound and navigation systems. My only beef with this was the radio controls, which always made the user hit a few controls before changing the stations on the radio. Short of that, the interior is a very pleasant place to be. The panoramic sunroof is a nice feature especially when travelling as passengers can get a great area view when heading north to places like Whistler.

With the third row of seats down, the CX-9 had ample space to put all you’re shopping in the back.

If even more space is needed, the second row seats easily fold to give the driver and passenger plenty of room for all types of items. If you do need to leave the third row of seats up, there is still enough room for small shopping needs.

If you enjoy driving and at the same time have to carry about family, children and all their related items, the CX-9 is well worth the considering. While you are doing this, the CX-9 signature model will carry you about in the ultimate style and comfort. At the price of $50,100, the Signature model packs a lot of value for your dollar.

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0% financing is available on all new 2017 Mazda 3 & 3 Sport for 36 months, 2016 CX5 for 48 months, 2017 Mazda 5 for 84 months. Finance example of $10,000, the cost of borrowing for a 36/48/84-month terms is $0, monthly payment is 277.77/208.33/119.05, total finance obligation is $10,000. Lease examples apply to 2017 Mazda3 GX (D4XK67 AA00)/ 2017 Mazda 3 Sport (D5XK67 AA00)/ 2016 CX-5 GX (NVXK66 AA50)/)/2017 CX-3 GX (HVXK87AA00) and bi-weekly payments of $104/$117/$129/$121 for 60 months, including down payment of $0/$0/$0/$0. $4500 cash rebate applies to 2017 MY Mazda5. Offers valid March 1st – September 30th, 2017, while supplies last. Prices & payments are plus taxes. No Charge Navigation or equivalent accessory credit applies to all new 2016/2017 MY Mazda’s. Pay off trade & lease termination negative equity to be applied to new purchase. $250 lease termination payment in form of service credit at Langley Mazda. All finance & lease offers to qualified buyers.

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*on selected models, call for details

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BY GLEN KONOROWSKI

2017

BY BENJAMIN YONG

A CAR WITH BEAUTY & BALANCE

PORSCHE CAYMAN 718

The way Porsche has made the car look so well-balanced with a motor and transmission sticking out the back is amazing.

I

will be the first to admit that the Cayman 718 for me has to be one of the best looking cars on the road. The way Porsche has made the car look so well-balanced with a motor and transmission sticking out the back is amazing. This love for its good looks was not just from me but my neighbours as well as they all came over and had their pictures taken beside the car.

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Some of you might be a little unfamiliar with the 718 designation, which means this Cayman is powered by a 2 litre flat or boxer engine with a turbo to give it more power that the old flat six-cylinder it replaced. This base model Porsche produces a very robust 300 horsepower giving it 0 to 100kph time of 5.1 seconds, which is pretty good for a car that weighs 1,335 kg. My test car was equipped with the six-speed manual, which as you would expect from Porsche, is firm but easy to shift. The only problem I had with the car was getting used to the clutch, which required a fair amount of slippage to get moving from a standstill.

If you are new to the world of manual transmissions, I suggest trying an automatic, especially if you live on a hilly street. The automatic is the Porsche Doppelkupplung

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DARPAN AutoREVIEW

HIGHLIGHTS

(AS TESTED)

MSRP: Base $62,30 Horsepower: 300 at 6,500 rpm Torque (lb-ft): 280 at 1,950 rpm Transmission: Six-speed manual or seven-speed automatic Fuel economy: 11 L/100 km city and 8.3 L/100 km highway

Inside you will find a comfortable interior with everything easy to get to and reach.

The tachometer, like in all Porsches, is front and centre with a digital speedometer and gear indicator.

dling of the Cayman is much more neutral so you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have to worry about the rear coming around in the long sweeping bends. Putting price and prestige aside, I much prefer the handling of the 718 with its smaller and lighter mid-engine four-cylinder arrangement.

The Cayman is not for those who golf or play hockey and need to carry their gear with them, as it is not the car to load gear into. The rear cargo area is small and not deep due to the fact that the transmission is

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PHOTOS: COURTESY OF CAR FEATURED

(PDK) seven-speed unit which I drove briefly and is very quick in shifting through the gears, and gets slightly better fuel consumption as well.

First off, I was generally impressed with the way the 718 manoeuvred around the city.

It was nimble enough to scoot about traffic. On the road and in twisty sections especially, the mid-engine came into its own. Unlike the 911, the han-

under it. The front on the other hand is not really too bad for a mid-engine car but is a little odd in shape, so soft luggage would be better suited for any trips where two people are involved.

Getting into the low slung Cayman might be a chore for the very tall. Once inside you will find a comfortable interior with everything easy to get to and reach. The tachometer, like in all Porsches, is front and centre with a digital speedom-

eter and gear indicator. You might ask why a gear indicator.

Well, the engine is quite and it is easy to forget what gear you are in. Believe me, I had to glace down on many occasions to remind myself I was in a higher gear. Design-wise, the interior is a very nice place to be in. If it were me buying I would probably opt for the sport seats as I found the lower seat cushion a little lacking in padding.

With any high-performance car like the Cayman 718, getting the car right for yourself is important, which means ordering the options that make you feel good in the car. The base price on my test vehicle was a very surprising $62,700 and my test car listed for about $73,000 with some practical and wise options.

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A BIGGER, VERSATILE OFFERING

2017

HIGHLIGHTS MSRP: $31,990 Motor: 2.0-litre four cylinder Horsepower: 192 @ 6,000 rpm Torque (lb-ft): 207 @ 1,350 rpm Gearbox: Six-speed manual transmission Layout: Front engine, all-wheel drive Fuel economy: 11.6 L/100 km mixed city/highway

BY BENJAMIN YONG

MINI JOHN COOPER S

COUNTRYMAN W

“The new MINI Countryman has essentially grown in size.

But it was still possible to retain the typical MINI proportions,” says Julius Schluppkotten, MINI Countryman project manager.

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hen MINI first launched the Countryman back in 2010, it was the brand’s first attempt at the subcompact crossover genre. Seven years later, the sophomore effort represents the biggest and most versatile offering in the line-up and is described as “a more distinctive and mature proposition than its predecessor.”

Does it live up to this bold statement? Read on.

MINI is really a misnomer,

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because measuring at 4,314 millimetres in length, 1,822 millimetres in width and 1,557 millimetres in height, it’s anything but miniature. That means the 2017 model is a full 200 mm longer and 30 mm wider than before. And rare for a performance vehicle, there is loads of cargo space, depending on how the back seats are configured.

“The new MINI Countryman has essentially grown in size.

But it was still possible to retain the typical MINI proportions,” says Julius Schluppkotten, MINI Countryman project manager.

The second-generation features a load of notable visual highlights, for example the contrasting “helmet roof” possessing the appearance of floating above blacked out A, B and C pillars. The grille now has a separate polished section within tracing the upper edges, and the headlights each contain a striking LED daytime running light ring. Additionally, the side turn signal indicators are encased in arrow-shaped surrounds.

Inside, occupants are treated to five full-sized seats and enlarged head, shoulder and legroom. The rear door openings are bigger for easier ingress and egress. And for those relaxing drives to the countryside, a “Picnic Bench” folds out of the luggage compartment, overtop of the rear bumper, providing open air seating for two. A nice touch is the power tailgate, not easily found in the micro SUV class, which can easily be operated in a manual fashion unlike other competitor units.

Where some vehicles on the market seem to be favouring

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the removal of cupholders and storage bins to achieve a tidier, more uniform look, the Countryman has increased the same. All door panels incorporate beverage pockets capable of fitting a one litre bottle, with two more cupholders in front of the gear lever. There is a generous storage compartment built into the centre console.

“The interior of the new MINI Countryman emphasises the car’s suitability for families and as a primary vehicle. The sense of quality in the interior has been significantly enhanced, too” says Schluppkotten, reiterating the versatile nature of the model.

The rest of the interior is classic MINI, revolving around the uniquely shaped infotainment system panel containing an 8.8-inch touchscreen display. A LED ring circles the panel and changes colour depending on mode, such as turning red as engine RPMs climb or glowing orange while approaching an object in reverse (part of the optional Excitement Package also including additional ambient lighting and side mirror puddle lighting).

The Cooper S variant of the Countryman DARPAN tested is driven by a 2.0-litre, fourcylinder engine receiving MINI TwinPower Turbo Technology and churning out 192 horsepower and 207 lb-ft of torque. For those seeking an even bigger kick in the pants, a gradetopping John Cooper Works edition pumps out 228 horsepower and 258 lb-ft of torque.

The powerplant is mated to a choice of a sixspeed standard transmission or an optional eight-speed Steptronic automatic gearbox only available to the S trim and above. The motor is peppy, and thanks to a slightly raised but taught suspension, the small crossover feels equally comfortable cornering at higher speeds as it is zooming down a muddy road. The ALL4 all-wheel drive system also helps with the latter.

Communicating with the onboard Dynamic Stability Control, ALL4 is able to react quickly to changing road surface conditions directing power to slipping wheels in order to optimize both traction and stability.

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Release date: September 22 Directed by: Omung Kumar Starring: Sanjay Dutt, Aditi Rao Hydari, Sidhant Gupta Sanjay Dutt’s comeback film – Bhoomi, is one of the most awaited films of the year. Directed by Omung Kumar, the film is believed to be based on a father-daughter relationship and will be a story of redemption. While Dutt will obviously be seen in the father’s role, Aditi Rao Hydari will play his daughter on screen in this revenge drama. Talking about the film, Dutt said, “Bhoomi has been an incredible journey. It has been great to face the cameras after a while.” Now which Bollywood movie buff wouldn’t want to see this one.

DARPAN BOX-OFFICE

BHOOMI

BOLLY WOOD

DIARY

BY SHWETA KULKARNI

M

ovie buffs have many reasons to rejoice as Bollywood has an irresistible and interesting line-up of films in the coming months. Right from period action thrillers and revenge dramas to pure comedies and quirky rom-coms – the spread is absolutely tantalizing. There is the action thriller Baadshaho, which boasts of a fantastic ensemble cast. Releasing on the same day is Shub Mangal Saavdhan, a quirky romantic comedy that promises to make you smile. Deols’ Poster Boys offers a variety of entertainment a week after. Then, of course, there is Sanjay Dutt’s comeback film Bhoomi, followed by the comic caper Golmaal Again.

BAADSHAHO Release date: September 1 Directed by: Milan Luthria Starring: Ajay Devgn, Emraan Hashmi, Vidyut Jammwal, Ileana D’Cruz, Esha Gupta Director Milan Luthria is back with Baadshaho, an upcoming action thriller set in the Emergency era of the 1970s. The film is not only packed with a brigade of powerful actors but also promises some powerful action sequences. Interestingly, the film was conceived on the sets of Luthria’s first film. Taking about it, the director said, “I got the story idea of Baadshaho on the sets of Kachche Dhaage when a friend dropped in on the sets and told me about what happened in various places during Emergency. The raids that were conducted on several royal families for non-declaration of wealth. How the wealth was taken away in truckloads and no one knew where it went. It felt just right for a larger than life film. I then got busy with other films but good stories never leave your mind.” Well, the star cast and the plot look extremely appealing and this film needs to be watched on first day first show.

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SHUBH MANGAL SAAVDHAN Releasing: September 1 Directed by: R.S. Prasanna Starring: Ayushmann Khurrana, Bhumi Pednekar The last time the duo got together they had won everyone’s heart with their adorable chemistry and now Ayushmann Khurrana and Bhumi Pednekar are back together in Shub Mangal Saavdhan, a quirky love story that deals with the topic of erectile dysfunction. Produced by Aanand L Rai, the film is a remake of the Tamil film Kalyana Samayal Saadham (KSS). However, director Prasanna ensured that the film is not a complete remake, he said, “I wouldn’t say it is a complete remake of KSS. It is an entirely new film with the same basic theme and soul.” Looks like the Dum Laga Ke Haisha jodi is all set to impress us again.

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POSTER BOYS Release date: September 8 Directed by: Shreyas Talpade Starring: Sunny Deol, Bobby Deol, Shreyas Talpade Directed by Shreyas Talpade, Poster Boys will bring back the powerhouse performers – Sunny and Bobby Deol. The movie is based on a true incident where three porters found their picture on a vasectomy advertisement. Sunny, who is playing one of the leads in the film said, “The script is very interesting and when it’s a great idea, the actor just wants to grab it. It gave me an opportunity to do something which I wouldn’t have done otherwise.”

GOLMAAL AGAIN Release date: October 20 Directed by: Rohit Shetty Starring: Ajay Devgn, Tabu, Arshad Warsi, Kunal Khemu, Shreyas Talpade, Tusshar Kapoor, Neil Nitin Mukesh, Parineeti Chopra Director Rohit Shetty is all set to return with the fourth instalment to his Golmaal franchise – Golmaal Again. Besides the regular actors like Ajay Devgn, Arshad Warsi, Kunal Khemu, Tusshar Kapoor, and Shreyas Talpade, the film also has three new entrants – Neil Nitin Mukesh, Tabu, and Parineeti Chopra.

While not much is revealed about the plot, it is believed that Tabu will essay the role of an orphanage matron – an important character that holds the film together. Chopra said, “It is amazing to be a part of a film like this. It's a legacy (to take forward). Golmaal is a legendary series and Kareena has done two of them and now I am doing it. I hope I can do a good job.”

“A positive attitude causes a chain reaction of positive thoughts, events and outcomes. It is a catalyst and it sparks extraordinary results. ” - Wade Boggs

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BY JORGE IGNACIO CASTILLO

DARPAN HOLLYWOOD

NEVER SAY DIE HOLLYWOOD’S RELUCTANCE TO SPEND MONEY ON

UNTESTED MATERIAL MEANS PLENTY OF ANCIENT INTELLECTUAL PROPERTIES ARE GETTING A MAKEOVER. WHICH ONES WILL THRIVE THIS DECADE? HERE IS OUR EDUCATED GUESS.

CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND September 1 Thankfully, this is not a remake of the Steven Spielberg classic but a re-release to celebrate the film’s 40th anniversary. The sci-fi staple has been digitally remastered in 4K, an opportunity for new generations to experience how alien contact was imagined in the late 70s.

Will it succeed?: While special effects have come a long way since 1977, Spielberg’s narrative prowess remains unparalleled. It still looks impressive.

BATTLE OF THE SEXES September 22 This is the second time the match between Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs has been dramatized (the first time was for TV with Holly Hunter and Ron Silver in the lead roles): He was a retired veteran out to prove female tennis shouldn’t be taken seriously. She was the world’s top ranked player ready to demonstrate the opposite. This version starring Steve Carell and Emma Stone digs deeper on Riggs’ true motivations (he may have been on Billie Jean’s corner all along) and King’s struggle with her sexuality (she would go on becoming an LGBTQ activist).

Will it succeed?: Probably. Stone and Carell are likeable and the film is of the feel-good variety.

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IT September 8 The Stephen King classic about a group of kids facing a sinister force decimating the population of a small town was already made into a miniseries in 1990. Now the novel is getting a two-film adaptation, the first one set to pop in September. It looks suitably terrifying and may overcome the biggest obstacle of all: Beat Tim Curry as the dastardly clown Pennywise, the physical manifestation of the murderous demon.

Will it succeed?: The interest is through the roof and the trailers alone give you the heebie-jeebies. It’s a safe bet.

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DARPAN HOLLYWOOD

BLADE RUNNER 2049 October 6 When Blade Runner opened in 1982 it unapologetically bombed.

Since then, Ridley Scott’s sci-fi opus has gained a vast cult following (it has been reissued countless times), large enough to justify a sequel. Harrison Ford returns as the replicant hunter, who is forced back into action by the man who inherited his job (Ryan Gosling). The sequel (helmed by Canadian Denis Villeneuve) looks spectacular and should finally translate in a victory for the 13-time Oscar-nominated cinematographer (no wins) Roger Deakins.

Will it succeed?: Blade Runner has a captive audience itching for a follow-up. Plus, it’s about time to find out if Harrison Ford is himself a replicant or not.

JIGSAW FLATLINERS

Photos: Sony/Columbia, Lions Gate

October 27 Seven years after the last Saw movie, here comes a spinoff of sorts named after the saga’s lead villain. Never mind the fact the killer has been dead for over a decade, new victims start popping up all over. The modus operandi (life or death hangs on a moral decision) is the same, but, how could it be? The last few Saw movies were just short of awful, but new hires Michael and Peter Spierig (Daybreakers) have the competence required to resurrect the franchise.

September 29 A remake/sequel of the 1990 sleeper hit (that wasn’t any good to start with), this version of Flatliners should amp up the horror factor given the extreme cheesiness of the original. The premise remains the same: A group of medical students induce heart attacks on each other in order to explore firsthand the afterlife. Their research comes with supernatural side-effects. Kiefer Sutherland from the first Flatliners is at hand to give some cred to the proceedings.

Will it succeed?: Jigsaw opens right before Halloween against no other horror flick. It’s a pretty safe bet.

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Will it succeed?: Probably not. One would be hard pressed to remember anything about the original.

Also, none of the leads (Ellen Page, Diego Luna, Nina Dobrev) could be considered a draw.

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Popularly known as Deborah “La Caramelita”, she has mesmerized people worldwide with her graceful and passionate flamenco performances.

DAWSON

BY PETRINA D’SOUZA

F

or over 10 years, Deborah Dawson, popularly known as Deborah “La Caramelita”, has mesmerized people worldwide with her graceful and passionate performances. Based in France, Deborah is a professional flamenco dancer, an art form originating from Andalusia, Spain.

As a child, Deborah was always interested in dance and music.

At the age of 14, she was introduced to flamenco when she attended Byng Arts Mini School in Vancouver. “Flamenco Rosario was one of the groups that performed when I was a student there. I fell in love with the unique aesthetic of flamenco,” recalls Deborah who is still captivated by the sincerity found in the art form.

She became the youngest dancer to be accepted into Rosario Ancer’s professional training program.

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Her growing interest in flamenco further led her to Andalucia where she studied with notable dancers such as Juana Amaya, Carmen Ledesma, and Juan Polvillo, among others.

Today, Deborah is an international artist who has performed in countries like Portugal, Malaysia, Russia, France and Switzerland alongside renowned artists and music groups. “After years of studying and living in Spain I have found more profound reasons to continue dancing but it was the beauty that first ensnared me,” states

DARPAN

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Deborah of the crucial factor that paved her path towards flamenco.

Past productions she has participated in include the opening ceremony of the Rolex Trophy in Geneva, the festival and socialcultural project Pacha Uchuk in Ecuador, and the Western Canadian tour of Mis Hermanas.

Flamenco dancers express their emotions through fierce body movements and intense facial expressions. Deborah’s dance is inspired largely from her own personal struggle. “The cante (singing) is what guides the dancer, and many of the verses speak of loss and despair. I came to flamenco as an escape and it is still my escape from everyday life, as it was and still is for many gypsies in Spain.”

Deborah, who has roots in India and Malaysia, reveals that the Spanish gypsies are said to have come from Rajasthan. “You can see many aspects of Indian dance and music in flamenco today.”

In fact, Deborah’s dance movements give glimpses of her Indian origin. “I have often been told that naturally, my hand movements resemble Indian classical dance movements,” she adds.

Her next production focusses on her identity and how that influences her dance. “I will be in a creative residence in the fall in France to start putting the project together and in India in December to film parts of the show,” shares Deborah.

Talking about pro-

Q&A

What message do you try to relay through your dance?

The intensity of flamenco requires you to be honest and to come to terms with a lot of emotions, on and offstage, and audiences everywhere can relate to that. As an Indian flamenco dancer from Canada I was not born into the world of flamenco, but I do my best to dance sincerely and relay my own struggles and joys onstage.

Your most memorable performance till date?

It had always been a dream of mine to dance at the Vancouver Folk Festival.

Last summer, I was honoured to perform there with Les Noces Gitanes, a flamenco/Balkan/Moroccan fusion band. Being able to perform with this band that I have worked with for the last eight years in a setting like the folk fest was very rewarding and I got quite emotional performing in front of my friends and family.

ductions, this talented dancer is currently in the city to perform at the Vancouver International Flamenco Festival. “I’m looking forward to being a part of the festival, run by Rosario Ancer who inspired me to go to Spain in the first place,” she says with excitement. Deborah will be performing with Fin de Fiesta, a multi-cultural flamenco group based in Toronto and Sevilla. “We will be showcasing a mix of traditional, contemporary and original pieces. Each artist has their moment to shine during the show and there is a great dynamic onstage,” she discloses about the act.

Flamenco has had a major impact on Deborah’s life. Her passion for the dance form took her to Spain where she met her husband, flamenco singer Alejandro Mendía. It has taught her to be resourceful, to challenge herself, and to continue learning. “Flamenco is a never-ending journey and I look forward to the continuing inspiration and growth that it brings me,” says Deborah in conclusion.

Photos: thierrydubucphotographe.zenfolio.com, courtesy Deborah Dawson

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SE P T E M BER- O C T OBER

By georgia nichols

HOROSCOPE

ARIES (MARCH 21-APRIL 19)

LEO (JULY 23-AUG. 22)

SAGITTARIUS (NOV. 22-DEC. 21)

SEPTEMBER: This is the perfect month to buy wardrobe

SEPTEMBER: This is the only month all year when the

items because you like what you see in the mirror.

Meanwhile, September also sharpens your focus on money and earnings. You will work hard to earn money and work just as hard to spend it! Money is energy, a tool to use to make a difference in your world.

Sun is at high noon in your chart, which symbolizes that it is casting a flattering light on you. This means you impress everyone! Obviously, you can take this to the bank. Demand the advantage. Go after what you want. Grab every chance to travel for pleasure.

OCTOBER: Your life is now active with short trips, er-

OCTOBER: You will enjoy increased popularity this

rands, conversations with everyone, meetings, and increased demands from siblings and relatives. You’re on the go! (Gasp) But you will like this pace because it’s not just busy, it’s fun busy. Enjoy shopping for exciting treasures for yourself and others. Buy something dramatic that really pops!

month because everyone wants to see your face. You also make a great impression on bosses and authority figures, in large measure because your ambition is aroused. Fortunately, your aggression will not threaten anyone because Venus will soften your moves to take power. Yes, you are cloaked (A wolf in sheep’s clothing).

LUCKY DAYS: September 16, 17 October 13, 14

LUCKY DAYS: September 25, 26, 27 October 22, 23, 24

TAURUS (APRIL 20-MAY 20)

VIRGO (AUG. 23-SEPT. 22)

CAPRICORN (DEC. 22-JAN. 19)

SEPTEMBER: You are keen to entertain at home as

SEPTEMBER: This is your hour! Use this month to

SEPTEMBER: You need to get out of town this month

recharge your batteries for the rest of the year. You are pumped with energy; but more than that, you can attract opportunities and important people to you. Continue to look for ways to boost your income because they do exist.

because you’re hungry for adventure and a chance to learn something new. Why not take a course or get further education or training? Do something to make yourself feel alive and fully immersed in life! Meanwhile, favours, money and a financial advantage can come your way, so keep your pockets open.

SEPTEMBER: Oh wow, you are still in party mode!

This is why you must grab every chance to enjoy yourself, especially with playful activities with children as well as romantic rendezvous. Having said that, your primary focus will be to pull your act together so that you can work as efficiently and productively as possible. You have that back-toschool feeling and you want your life to run more smoothly.

OCTOBER: You will need more sleep this month because the Sun, your source of energy, is symbolically as far away from you as it gets all year. Nevertheless, you are pumped to work hard. Fortunately, coworkers will be supportive and appreciative of your efforts. As the month progresses, relations with those who are closest to you become sweeter and more rewarding.

LUCKY DAYS: September 7, 8, 9 October 5, 6

well as make your home more attractive and beautiful.

However, this is actually a playful month for you. Sports events, the arts, vacations, fun activities with children, and romance are tops on your agenda. Do take time to have fun. Be happy that you are alive!

OCTOBER: You can have it all this month because you’re keen to work hard and impress others with your achievements. And yet, at the same time, both Venus and Mars want you to play and enjoy vacations, romantic outings, fun activities with children, sports events, and the arts. Look for ways to improve your job or get a better job (You can do this).

LUCKY DAYS: September 12, 13 October 9, 10

GEMINI (MAY 21-JUNE 20) SEPTEMBER: Increased chaos and activity on the home front or within your family circle might create tension for some of you this month. Fortunately, Venus will sweeten your words and make your daily communications diplomatic and charming. Words carry a lot of power. Remember to be kind to others (Think how someone else’s words affect you).

OCTOBER: It’s fun city for Gemini! Slip away on a vacation if you can. If not, make every opportunity to enjoy good times with others, especially children. This is the perfect time to learn to appreciate and value your own creative talents.

Meanwhile, romance can blossom this month! Real estate and home entertainment are also favoured.

LUCKY DAYS: September 12, 13 October 9, 10

OCTOBER: This month your mind is on money and cash flow. This might be because of a major purchase. It could also be because you have a chance to boost your earnings.

Certainly, this is a great month to buy wardrobe items for yourself, do take note of this. Enjoy social interactions because you are particularly charming now (Kiss, kiss; hug, hug).

LUCKY DAYS: September 18, 19 October 15, 16, 17

LUCKY DAYS: September 1, 2, 28, 29 October 24, 25, 26

SEPTEMBER: This month it’s your turn to lie in the tall

AQUARIUS (JAN. 20-FEB. 18)

grass and keep a low profile. There are many reasons for this, but one of them is that some of you are involved in a secret love affair. Meanwhile, you will love socializing because Venus attracts friends, parties and fun gatherings into your world. Interaction with artistic types will particularly please you.

OCTOBER: It’s time to celebrate your birthday! Let’s hope the occasion is done with class in beautiful surroundings because you are sensitive to ambiance, colours, lighting and sound. (Hence, your carefully decorated home). If you can mange this solitude in beautiful surroundings, it will please you. Others will enjoy social moments but very privately. More chocolate??

LUCKY DAYS: September 18, 19 October 17, 18, 19

SCORPIO (OCT. 23-NOV. 21)

SEPTEMBER: Fasten your seatbelts because September

SEPTEMBER: A popular month! Enjoy schmoozing with

OCTOBER: You can make money from your words this month, which is good news for those of you who act, sell, write, market or teach. Relations with siblings will improve. In fact, your major focus will be on home, family and your private life. Many of you will enjoy cocooning at home and relaxing in familiar surroundings. Home decorating projects will delight.

S E P TDAYS: E M B ESeptember R / O C TO 12, B E R15 October 11, 12 144LUCKY DARPAN Reflecting The South-Asian Lifestyle

is at the top of your chart casting you the limelight. Furthermore, this light is flattering! This is why this is the time to ask for a raise or promotion or to go after what you want because you dazzle people. Meanwhile, try to travel for pleasure and explore further education because you will love this.

LIBRA (SEPT. 23-OCT. 22)

CANCER (JUNE 21-JULY 22) is a fast-paced month! In addition to a busy schedule, you will be unusually direct and forthright in all your communications with others, which makes this a wonderful time for those of you in sales, writing, marketing, teaching and acting. Meanwhile, you want to shop for beautiful goodies for yourself and loved ones. Ka-ching!

OCTOBER: This is the only month all year when the Sun

SEPTEMBER: This is an intense time. But it is also a strong time, which means you will defend your best interests with powerful energy, especially in financial matters and anything to do with inheritances or how to divide something or deal with shared property. Fortunately, Venus now sits opposite your sign, paving the way for warm negotiations with everyone.

OCTOBER: Please do whatever you can to expand your horizons this month. Give yourself a greater appreciation for life. Travel, study and mingle with people from other cultures because this will be fulfilling for you. It’s a busy time because your sexual energy is amped; plus you might have disputes about inheritances and shared property.

LUCKY DAYS: September 3, 4, 30 October 27, 28, 29

PISCES (FEB. 19-MARCH 20)

others, especially friends and members of groups. You might be in a competition with someone. This month others will ask for your creative advice about something. One thing is certain: Because you look wonderful in the eyes of bosses, parents and VIPs, this is a good time to ask for what you want. Do it.

SEPTEMBER: This month, you have an opportunity

OCTOBER: This month you are pulled in two directions.

OCTOBER: Did you know that patience is the antidote

In one way, you want to be low-key and private. However, both Venus and Mars will push you into social events and involvement with clubs, groups and associations. Competition with a friend might rev your engines (A friend might also become a lover).

to anger? It is. You need to be patient this month because with Mars opposite your sign, others might annoy you (And yes, they are annoying). Fortunately, Venus will soften this and with the help of some patience, you will have the skilful means to deal with everyone.

TMLUCKY DAYS: September 20, 21, 22 October 19, 20, 21

to learn more about your own personal style of relating to partners and close friends. Take advantage of this opportunity because this is an area where we can all improve; furthermore, this chance only comes once a year to you.

Meanwhile, a raise and praise at work can be yours.

LUCKY DAYS: September 5, 6 October 29, 30, 31

M

y journey towards a healthy lifestyle began back in April 2005 after I lost my granddad to diabetes.

This came as a massive shock to me because he was not just my role model but my best friend.

It was hard for me to talk to anybody about my feelings which led me to a depressed state of mind. I just wanted to be left alone. I was driving taxis at the time and this provided me relief as I was working with people I didn't know, which allowed me to vent without being judged.

In July 2007, I had a major health issue. My depression had caused me a 90 pound weight gain.

My cholesterol level was at 6.7 and I was at risk of developing other conditions such as high blood pressure, diabetes and heart disease. My doctor's advice was to take action before it's too late.

While I was getting deeper into depression thinking about my declining health, I received a call from one of my friends who was working for a well known cookware company in London, England. After chatting for a while and learning about my health issues, she asked if it was okay for her to cook me a free meal one evening. Being a bit of a foodie I couldn't turn down the offer. She came over and cooked me a three-course meal. I was pretty impressed with how she cooked without using any oil or water when cooking vegetables which was a big buying point for me considering

Suky Chander Managing Director www.nutrachefs.com

my current situation. Without any hesitation, I made the investment.

A few months later I noticed I was losing weight, feeling better and happier than I had in months.

I couldn't understand it because I wasn't going to the gym or making an effort to eat healthy.

Friends and families noticed the transformation as well, which motivated me to lose more weight. I went from 252 pounds down to a healthy 175 pounds and the best part is that the weight hasn't come back! I wish somebody had told me about this 20 years ago.

Now I have a clean bill of health and still enjoy being a foodie.

I regret not being able to save my granddad in 2005, as I didn't have the knowledge nor the tools I have gathered since 2007. My mission and passion is to save others who are in similar situations now. My move to Canada in 2013 gave birth to my passion www.nutrachefs.com.

The rest is history...

DARPAN

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BY PETRINA D'SOUZA

CANADIAN SHARE THEIR IMMIGRANTS STORIES

Biggest obstacle faced so far in Canada: Tom Dutta is the founder and CEO of KRE-AT

e Meet th

D U T TA y

Anna Dutta is the vice-president at KRE-AT and manager at Royal Bank of Canada

Famil

Tom and Anna have three children and one granddaughter

T

homas Ashok Harold Dutta, popularly known as Tom Dutta, migrated to Canada with his parents and older brother in December 1967. “We immigrated to Canada because my parents heard through family already here that it was a land of opportunity and a great place to raise children,” shares Tom, who had a maternal uncle and his wife living in Vancouver.

A few years later, Tom’s younger brother Glen was born.

Though it was a land of opportunities, the Duttas did face their share of challenges and obstacles. Tom’s father pumped gas at a gas station and went to night school to get his journeyman ticket to be an electrician. “He was in the IBEW Union and later became a teacher of Electrical Trades at BCIT,” adds Tom. His mother did odd menial jobs while raising three children.

During Tom’s high school years, he got straight A’s and won scholarships.

He eventually decided to pursue banking as a career. “My high school teachers said I had a gift and should go into business. But money and what it could do for others seemed to be of interest. Very quickly I climbed the corporate ladder holding roles such as bank teller, manag-

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S E P T E M B E R / O C TO B E R Reflecting The South-Asian Lifestyle

er, vice-president, president and CEO, and chairman of the board. I worked in five sectors (banking, IT, telecom, mental health, and manufacturing) and fell onto my natural instincts to find the way forward.”

Today, he is the CEO of KRE-AT, a motive leadership development company assisting corporations, business owners and executives in Canada and USA to develop their teams into leaders of the future.

It was during his banking days that he met his wife Anna when they both worked as bank managers at TD Bank.

Tom and Anna have been married for 21 years now and have a beautiful, culturally diverse family.

Coming back to KRE-AT, Tom plans to scale it to India in 2018 and then globally using virtual technology.

Describing his role, Tom says, “In particular I do one-to-one coaching and mentoring for top executives and also specialize in mentoring immigrant business leaders and their families who are navigating the same path I have taken.”

Tom is also the author of #1 International Bestseller The Way of the Quiet Warrior, which is a business tool that shares the blueprint to success. “My life

DARPAN

TM

work and personal journey was turned into a formula that I named The Way of the Quiet Warrior. It illustrates hidden stories of top leaders I have met, or perhaps even my own as an immigrant to Canada, and how in business we are on an unthinking treadmill but we all have greatness within and can accomplish an abundant entire life if we follow my unique process,” says the author, whose book royalties are being donated towards mental health and feeding hungry people through his foundation KRE-AT Smiles.

Tom foresees the next generation of leaders in business to be purposeful where young people from many cultures build the world with different sets of values and beliefs, making Canada more fun and a bigger leader on the world stage in the humanitarian and technology areas. “I see the gender gap lessening where more women will hold positions of power and influence. Entrepreneurs including CEOs of companies will be women and a larger segment of minorities. As the older generation retire, the new will change Canada to be even greater than it is today,” he concludes.

Photos: Courtesy Tom Dutta

The greatest obstacle since I have come to Canada is affordability and availability for housing as it relates to our children. We have the most expensive housing market in the country and the next generation are finding it hard to enter the market without double incomes, good down payment and job stability. In business, the biggest obstacle has been shifting from a 30 year career as a paid employee to a business owner where there is more risk and no stable paycheque but the rewards are unlimited.

Resolution made for your self or family: My wife Anna and I plan to take more risks and expand our leadership development company internationally, to reflect on what we have more and live in a state of gratitude every day and to leave a legacy by helping people find their true purpose and happiness in life. Our company, my books and our foundation KRE-AT Smiles will be our legacy to our family and those we have helped.

Advice for immigrants: These are my lessons learned and what I have dedicated my life to teaching others: Whatever your dreams are go for it and believe ‘IT IS POSSIBLE’. The future lies in our dreams and imagination, not in worrying about the past. Leave your limiting beliefs at home.

Stepping up without selling out: I have traditions and culture that I have preserved in my family but the picture of my family is what Canada truly is. In my family there is Italian blood, Indian blood, Fijian blood, and Japanese blood and in Canada we are all Canadians. Let your children make their own decisions for marriage and career so they will have no regrets.

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