Desi Express Magazine October 2014

OCTOBER 2014

WWW.DESIEXPRESSUSA.COM

®

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi In America ... 12

One on One: Fawad Khan Actor From Pakistan ... 24

Bollywood Buzz: Marriage Is A Man Made Custom ... 54

Desi Express In Your Play / APP Store Technology: Selfie Addiction May Lead To Low Esteem ... 18

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CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Akbar Kassam Girish Modi Nivedita Indo-Asian News Service

CONTRIBUTING IMAGES/PHOTOGRAPHS Girish Modi Shutterstock

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contents PM Narendra Modi In America … 12

FASHION TRENDS: Virtual Vivaah … 20

THE FOODIE : Your Festive Treats … 26

LOVE PRESCRIPTION: Happy Wife & Life … 30

BEAUTY SECRETS: Cracker Facial … 34

INVESTMENT NEWS: Re‐ tirement Planning … 36

UPCOMING EVENT: Miss India Florida … 40

AROUND TOWN: Ekal makes Waves … 42

CHAI LOUNGE: India Mars Mission … 46

MOVIE BUZZ: Happy New Year (Oct 2nd) … 52

BOLLYWOOD BUZZ: Aamir about PK … 54

ASTROLOGY: KNOW YOUR FORCASTS … 56

#MODIINAMERICA

New York (IANS) Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi connected with thousands of rapturously cheering Indian Diaspora at Madison Square Garden, promising them he would deliver on the electoral promise of a resurgent India and urged them to join in the mass movement to work for their country of origin.

“WILL BUILD INDIA OF YOUR DREAMS, JOIN IN OUR EFFORT� : MODI TO INDIANS IN AMERICA Addressing a 20,000-strong crowd at the venue that has seen former US presidents and rock stars take to the stage but never an Indian politician - and also thousands watching the event live outside on giant screens, and millions back home and around the world on TV and internet, Modi announced relief measures for the diaspora, including lifelong visas for Persons of Indian Origin cardholders and the merger of the PIO and Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI) schemes with a new scheme to be announced soon.

Speaking in his chatty style in Hindi for almost an hour, and attired in cream kurta-pyjama and a light orange jacket, Modi praised the Indian Diaspora for its contribution to IT, saying India was no longer considered a land of snake charmers but of software wizards.

As the crowd chanted "Modi, Modi" throughout his speech, the prime minister said his government will not leave any stone unturned to fulfil the expectations of the people.

He said India is at an opportune cusp of circumstances, blessed with a vibrant democracy, with 65 percent of its people under the age of 35, and a market of 1.25 billion people and will scale new heights in the near future. "These three things are present in one country, this is not there anywhere else in the world.

And on the basis of this India will cross new heights it is my belief," said Modi as the crowd chanted, clapped and cheered every time the prime minister

"Our forefathers maybe would play with snakes, but we play with the mouse (computer mouse)," he said, to wild cheers.

Referring to the elections that swept him to power in May, Modi thanked the diaspora for their support and said he has not taken even a 15-minute vacation since becoming prime minister.

"Winning elections is not for sitting on a seat, it is a responsibility. And I have not taken even a 15-minute vacation since becoming PM," he said.

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#MODIINAMERICA New York (IANS) PIO card holders will get lifelong visas, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced Saturday to thousands of cheering Indian diaspora at Madison Square Garden here.

"Happy?" he asked as the crowd cheered his announcement with chants of "Modi, Modi".

"There is even more to come," he said smilingly.

Referring to the ageing populace across the world, he said that India is blessed with the youngest population and the largest workforce in the world. "India can supply the workforce to the world," he said, suggesting that India should export its trained teachers and nurses across the world.

He also proposed that the diaspora should join in the efforts to rebuild the country, a "vikas jan andolan" or a mass movement for development - in helping in any way they could. Referring to the skill development that his government has launched for the youth, he said his government has created a skill development ministry and would invite other countries to join in the effort. He also referred to the Make in India campaign the government launched ahead of his US visit to invite investments and to manufacture in India as also the sanitation campaign to make a Clean India, a movement which he said would gladden the hearts of Indian abroad who often get turned away by India's pervasive squalor.

He announced that NRIs staying in India for long had to visit the police station, and "there is no need for them to do that anymore".

Modi said the government will join the People of Indian Origin (PIO) and Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI) schemes for the diaspora and a new scheme would be announced soon.

He also said the Indian missions in the US would grant long term visas to US citizens and US tourists would get visa on arrival in India.

He asked the Indian Diaspora to connect with him directly online and also asked them to join in the endeavour to clean the Ganga river. Modi also announced visa-free arrival for US tourists in India and that Indian missions in the US would grant long term visas to US citizens, which was widely welcomed by the Indian Americans. Ahead of the address, for which tickets were sold out days in advance, there were some performances by Gujarati and Rajasthani folk dancers and a song by noted singer Kavita Krishnamoorthy, who also rendered the Indian national anthem.

Capping two days eventful in New York, Modi travels to Washington Monday for summit talks with President Barack Obama, his top cabinet colleagues and Congressional leaders to renew and revive a bilateral dialogue and strategic partnership that seemed to have run into uncertain weather in recent times. His address to the Indian Diaspora comes a day after he enthralled a 65,000-strong youthful crowd at Central Park, unveiling to them his vision of a clean India with toilets for all, and ending with the iconic words "May the force be with you" from the evergreen hit Star Wars films.

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TECHNOLOGY

It seems that some people simply can't stop turning the camera their way for that perfect social media photo, and now psychologists say taking selfies can turn into an addiction for people. It is hard not to get swept up in the selfie craze. It is fun, easy and with one click your picture is posted for all to see.

Is Samsung ready with its first selfie phone?

London (IANS) At a time when the world is going crazy over the selfie phenomena, Samsung is rumored to have developed its first selfie-centric Smartphone. The Galaxy Grand Prime reportedly has a 5MP front-facing camera fit for clicking a great self-portrait.

It has a five inch, high definition quality (540 x 960 pixels) display, a 1.2 GHz quad-core Snapdragon 400 processor and 1 GB of RAM, Vietnamese website thegioididong.com reported. The 'selfie' phone runs Android 4.4 KitKat and is said to be equipped with an 8MP main camera which can record video in 1080p.

It also has 8 GB of built-in storage, a microSD card slot and a 2600 mAh battery. According to the website, it will be priced at approximately $236 (Rs.14,000).

Selfie addiction may lead to low self-esteem London (IANS) Those who are habitual selfie takers are prone to having low self-esteem, says a study.

The research, conducted by money-saving app VoucherCloud, found that over half of young people take selfies at least once a week.

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Nearly 60 percent of youngsters admitted that behind their smile is a low self-esteem. Only 13 percent said they felt “confident in my own skin”.

“A selfie is subject to lighting, Photoshop and a whole host of other factors so often people actually look very little like they do in real life,” Matthew Wood, managing director of vouchercloud.com was quoted as saying in media reports. The study involved 2,071 British men and women aged 18-30. It revealed that 39 percent preferred taking pictures of themselves rather than their family, partner or pets.

“It seems as if the selfie trend is just growing more and more. This is a phenomenon which will be around for some time,” Wood FOR ADVERTISING CALL 404-246-3256

FASHION TRENDS

Madhura Kakkad, an MBA, said, “It was so romantic to paste our love story on our marriage homepage.

We narrated every single moment that brought us closer. Friends were so excited to read about it as me and my husband had kept relationship closed before announcing our engagement.”

With the advancement of technology, marriage ceremonies have become virtual. The 21st generation which remains glued to the mouse and keyboard for most of the time has come out with an idea of sharing the joy of bonding via the web.

Internet-savvy couples can create their wedding page on the web and send the link to their friends and relatives who live far away. The website can provide updated information on the wedding preparation, the guests. This can be done by uploading photographs and videos. When a wedding or a particular ceremony is on, there can be updates about who has come, what is happening and so on.

Wedding websites are innovative.

They are a creative and innovative way of keeping people updated

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about one’s wedding.

There are a number of themes which help to make the website look colorful. The couple can narrow down the look of their page to their liking.

Personal wedding websites is a new phenomenon that has taken the wedding world by storm. A personal wedding website is the easiest, most attractive, fastest and colorful way to share all the minute details of a marriage ceremony. It is so trendy that you just have to SMS or e-mail the domain name asking your relatives to keep a follow up.

The facility provides one with a space for putting up photographs and video clips. Couples enjoy creating slide shows of wedding photos and posting them on their our wedding site.

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ONE ON ONE The actor, who plays Vikram Singh Rathod, a serious no-nonsense kind of guy in “Khoobsurat”, a remake of Hrishikesh Mukherjee's directorial venture, clarifies that there is no similarity between him and his character in the fun-filled drama. He said: "I am not at all a boring and quiet person in real life, something that my character has been depicted as in the film.”

Would like to do roles like '3 Idiots', 'Munnabhai' (Interview) Fawad Khan, one of the most sought after actors in Pakistan, says he would love to take up roles like 3 Idiots” or Munnabhai” in future.

The 32-year-old actor has a huge female-fan following in Pakistan and now in India thanks to his TV shows like 'Zindagi Gulzar Hai' and Humsafar'.

New Delhi, (IANS) A fine actor, he has carved a niche for himself in his homeland with his performance in movies like “Khuda Kay Liye” and successful TV shows such as “Humsafar” and “Zindagi Gulzar Hai”.

Now he is all set to woo the movie buffs here with his first Bollywood film “Khoobsurat”, which hits screens Friday. Post that he wishes to play all rounder kind of characters on the big screen.

"I would want to depict roles that has everything, something that is called mainstream here. '3 Idiots' and 'Munnabhai' series are few examples of mainstream films and I would like to do such roles," Fawad told IANS.

"I When asked how did he prepare for the role, he thanked ace designer Raghavendra Rathore, who has royal lineage, and said: "My clothes in the film were made by him. So whenever he used to come, I used to observe him a lot. His mannerism, royalty, and the way he talks with people, helped me lot."

Also a singer, Fawad is open to collaborate with Indian filmmakers on music front. "I was asked to sing a song in 'Khoobsurat', but I denied the offer.

However, in future, I won't mind doing it," he said.

— By Nivedita

"I want to crossover completely and do every kind of roles," added the actor, who enjoys a huge fan following here too, thanks to his TV series, which are now beamed here.

His success mantra is to add perfection to his characters that he gets to play.

"My roles in all my TV shows had some kind of flaws. I never got a perfect role to play, but I tried to play all the imperfect roles perfectly and make it better," said the actor who was in town along with his co-stars Sonam Kapoor and Kirron Kher to promote “Khoobsurat”.

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THE FOODIE For Dough:  1 cup maida  1 tsp ghee (butter)  salt (pinch)  warm milk (for doughing) Dough Preparation  Mix 1 cup maida, 1 tbsp ghee, a pinch of salt and warm milk to prepare the dough, try to keep the dough a little hard.

Stuffing Preparation:  Roast coconut, maida in ghee  Mix all the above ingredients and mill them finely.

Karanji Preparation:  Roll small oval shaped puris from the hard dough.  Now place the prepared stuffing in the middle of it.  Stick both the corners of the puri by applying some water.  Deep fry it till it becomes brownish color.  Serve it hot/cold as you wish.

ANANAS KA MEETHA ACCORDING to Indian customs, offering sweets to a guest is a given. It gives the host a sense of gratitude as guests are considered to be god’s messengers. As far as Indian festivals go, there are plenty of different kinds of sweets that are available in the market, but making something with one’s own hands is special. This Dussera and Diwali, serve this one to win hearts.

You need  1 medium chopped pineapple  3tbsp ghee  2 cups khoya (grated)  1/4 cup sugar  1/4 cup sunflower seeds  1tsp green cardamom powder  15-20 cashew nuts Preparation  Heat 1 1/2tbsp of ghee in a wok and sauté the pineapple in it for five minutes.  Add sugar and stir till entirely dissolved, add green cardamom  In another pan, heat the remaining ghee and add sunflower seeds and cashew nuts.  Add to the pineapple, add khoya and cook till done.  Serve hot, garnished with cashew nuts.

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SUNDAL Enhanced with childhood memories, festive food always comes with the extra element of fun and blessings...

KARANJI Karanji, also known as Gujiya and pirikiya is a dish that is famous all over the country especially during Diwali. One major advantage of Karanji is that it can be stored for weeks and used as dessert as well as snacks.

You need  1 cup grated dry coconut  1 cup powdered sugar  1 pinch nutmeg powder  1 pinch dry ginger powder  4 elaichi  2 tsp maida  2 tbsp mixed dry fruit pieces

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SUNDAL is the traditional naivedyam (food for the Gods) prepared in South India, especially Tamil Nadu, before the puja.

You need  I cup Bengal gram  2tsp oil  1tsp mustard seeds  2tsp urad dal  2 red chilies  1 twig curry leaves  2tbsp coconut (small pieces)  Salt to taste  2 pinches asafoetida (hing) Preparation  Wash, soak and Pressure cook the gram with one cup water  Heat oil in a kadai, add mustard seeds. Add chilies and urad dal.  Add coconut and curry leaves.  Drain water from the cooked gram and add to the kadai.  Add salt, hing and stir.  Your sundal is ready

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LOVE PRESCRIPTION A HAPPY WIFE MEANS

New York, (IANS) To all the husbands out there: the key to a quality marital life is to keep your wife happy no matter what.

When it comes to a happy marriage, says an interesting study, the more content the wife is with the long-term union, the happier the husband is with his life no matter how he feels about their nuptials.

"I think it comes down to the fact that when a wife is satisfied with the marriage she tends to do a lot more for her husband, which has a positive effect on his life," explained Deborah Carr, a professor at the school of arts and science, Rutgers University.

"Men tend to be less vocal about their relationships and their level of marital unhappiness might not be translated to their wives," Carr added.

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A

HAPPY LIFE ...

Along with Vicki Freedman, a research professor at the University of Michigan's Institute for Social Research, Carr examined the personal feelings of both spouses to determine how these marital appraisals influence their psychological wellbeing.

They analyzed data of 394 couples who were part of a national study of income, health and disability in 2009 on older adults.

In order to assess marital quality, participants were asked several questions such as whether their spouse appreciates them, argues with them, understands their feelings or gets on their nerves.

Most of the participants rated their general life satisfaction high - with husbands rating their marriage slightly more positive than their wives.

"For both spouses being in a better-rated marriage was linked to greater life satisfaction and happiness," Carr noted. Researchers also found that while wives became less happy if their spouses became ill, the husbands' happiness level did not change or reflect the same outcome if their wives got sick.

"We know that when a partner is sick it is the wife that often does the care giving which can be a stressful experience. But often when a women gets sick it is not her husband she relies on but her daughter," Carr stated.

"The quality of a marriage is important because it helps couples manage difficult decisions regarding health and medical decision making," researchers concluded.

The paper was published in the Journal of Marriage and Family.

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BEAUTY SECRETS

Here are a few helpful tips: - Nourish your hair with coconut based hair oil, preferably a night before the festival. Wash it with a mild shampoo the next day. Dilute the shampoo with water to avoid using excessive shampoo.

- Use natural ingredients such as honey, yoghurt, strawberry and vinegar to make hair masks at home. The masks should be applied on hair for half an hour then wash it off with lukewarm water.

- It is advisable to avoid using too many styling products as they can make your hair rough.

Tips to make your skin glow While you spruce up your home and shop till you drop in these hectic days before Diwali, do spend some time on yourself too. Remember to drink water to keep your skin hydrated and stay away from heavy food for that flawless and glowing skin, say experts. Sachin Dhawan, director and consultant dermatologist emphasizes on adequate water intake and controlled consumption of fried food.

Crackers may not be good for health, but cracker facial helps to get a radiant skin.

Cracker facial, a two-hour relaxing treatment, includes the following steps: - The protein therapy: It's given keeping in mind various skin problems like tanning, blemishes and patchy skin.

- Massage: A 10 to 15 minutes gold gel massage is given to rejuvenate the skin.

- Pack: Chocolate pack is applied on those with dry skin and gold for oily skin.

To maintain the glow, moisturize your skin on a daily basis. The effect of the

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Facial will last up to a month if taken care of regularly.

Dal Makhni Diwali brings lot of smoke and pollution, thanks to crackers but an expert suggests that coconut, honey and less use of hair styling products can make hair strong during such occasions.

Rashmi Shetty, celebrity dermatologist from Marico, says that the smoke and pollution will damage hair so it is essential to protect hair by using natural ingredients.

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Do not forget to drink water People get so busy with the preparations that they forget to have water. That should not be the case. Drink at least 8 to 10 glasses of water every day.

It clears up your skin and gives a healthy glow. Skin gets dry and dull during the festive season. Therefore, don’t forget to moisturize your skin. Eating fried food promotes breakouts and dull skin.

So if you can’t resist, limit the intake.

Don’t forget the moisturizer At this time of the year skin care is important not just for the festival’s sake but also due to change in weather.

To nourish the skin, experts prescribe oil-based moisturizers and bathing oils.

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FINANCIAL NEWS

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UPCOMING EVENT November 14, 2014 at 7:00 PM Busch Gardens Tampa 10165 N Malcolm McKinley Dr. Tampa, FL 33612 www.missindiaflorida.us

A lot changes over the course of 35 years. But, beauty is timeless isn’t it? When Miss India New York started in 1980, few could have imagined it would grow into a mass movement with affiliates in over 40 countries.

Today, it is hailed as one of the most prestigious pageants in the country with a live webcast and broadcast that reaches an audience of over 300 million people.

The last time the Miss India pageant was in Tampa was held in 2005. Thousands of people gathered at the University of South Florida Sun Dome to watch the state’s most beautiful Indian women compete for the crown and title of Miss India Florida. The Bay area has without a doubt proven it can handle a heavy dose of Indian glitz and glamour. The economic impact of IIFA (International Indian Film Academy’s) Awards will be felt for years. So, it’s only fitting that the Miss India pageant returns to Tampa on November 14th at the Stanleyville Theater inside Busch Gardens. Mayor Bob Buckhorn, newly-inducted Buccaneers Hall of Famer Derrick Brooks, and Mike Alstott are just a few of the special guests who will be in attendance this year.

Tampa’s own Mrs. World April Lufriu will also be there as a judge.

and scholarships. Past winners have moved on to have successful careers in Hollywood and Bollywood. Others in television, law, medicine, lawyers...really the sky is the limit. The event provides a common platform for the international Indian community through pageantry. It also gives young Indian women from around the world the opportunity to showcase their Indian values, traditions, and culture. Quite apart from being functions of great social and cultural value, this pageant fulfills the underlying purpose of raising funds for charitable causes. This year’s charity of choice is Care India.

Contestants will be asked to raise a certain amount of money for Care India, and a percentage of proceeds from sponsorships will also go to the charity. Care India is dedicated to fighting poverty and exclusion by empowering women and girls from the poor and marginalized communities. Support these brave young women. Help them achieve their dreams. Learn more about how you can become a sponsor, purchase tickets or even become a contestant by visiting http://www.missindiaflorida.us

All contestants will be judged on Indian wear and formal wear. Finalists will be judged on talent and the grand finale: the question and answer. Young Indian women between the ages of 17 to 27 can compete for the crown, but they must register by October 17th. The winner will represent our state in the Miss India USA pageant in New York, which has been called “the most glamorous Indian function in the country.” From there, she will have the chance to represent the United States in the Miss India Worldwide pageant in Goa, India.

Finalists also have the chance to win modeling contracts 40

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AROUND TOWN

EKAL MAKES WAVES WITH FIRST-EVER POWER OF EDUCATION FORUM IN ATLANTA

The EKAL Power of Education Forum was held at Impact Center, Global Mall on Sunday, September 7, 2014. Ekal, a 501(c) (3) tax-exempt non-profit entity has been working since 1986 in neglected rural and tribal areas to eradicate illiteracy.

It operates and supports innovative, One teacher-One Room non-formal schools for under-served communities, providing free basic education, healthcare, vocational training and empowering them.

Today, there are over 54,000 EKAL schools in India, with over 1.5 million children studying under this program.

Ekal’s first ever Power Of Education Forum in Atlanta brought together community leaders and prominent EKAL supporters to explore new opportunities and campaign ideas for Ekal. Promptly at noon the traditional Lamp Lighting Ceremony started by Panel members and Keynote speaker; Ekal Team led the chanting of Ganesh Vandana and attendees joined in. After this the SE region President of Ekal Vidyalaya Foundation, Mr. Chander Aggarwal was introduced, who has been a pillar of strength for EKAL Vidyalaya.

The Keynote address was by a stalwart- Prof. Jagdish Seth. He is an internationally recognized business consultant. Seth made observations on the key ingredient that has taken a society to prosperity. In that regard he emphasized that Education is an equalizer that can offset the disadvantages of one’s circumstances. He engaged the audience in his characteristic witty style endorsed EKAL’s mission of providing education to India’s under-served children.

Next, the well-known Atlanta Chapter President, Mr. Shiv Aggarwal delivered a speech on behalf of Mr. Mohan Kapur, a powerful leadership strategist and motivational speaker. He described the reasons why people give and urged all those present to give generously to EKAL. It is important to note that EKAL is not a charity; it is a nation building effort. What touched a chord was the beautiful way he weaved in the poem “Do It Anyway”. This left an impact so powerful that it goes even beyond that room or that afternoon.

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Dr. Indran Indrakrishnan is a G astroenterologist, a Professor and he is passionate about increasing awareness about colorectal cancer.

Despite all this, he is never too busy to give a helping hand. As a Panelist at the Forum, he spoke about his vision for EKAL and he asked a very loaded question - “How many in this room are born and educated here in the United States”? Not one person. His message was clear: EKAL’s support base must expand to include the next generation who will carry the torch forward. Dr. Indrakrishnan affirmed his support for EKAL and commended the strides made thus far. At the same time, he pointed out an opportunity to improve the website so that financial reports are easily accessible.

Mrs. Ranjani Saigal assured him that the new website is almost ready for launch and that this will be a lot easier to navigate.

Ms.Ranjani Saigal took a few questions from the audience about how to sponsor schools and how to sign up to visit an EKAL school in India. Mr. Shiv Aggarwal, Atlanta Chapter President took the floor and thanked the businesses and individuals that helped to make this happen - Ashiana Restaurant for the refreshments and the excellent spread for lunch, Mr. Vinod Karia for photography, Mr. Rahul Chandra from World Hindu Network, Houston TX. EKAL is very grateful to local media for their support and to all donors for their firm and long-standing commitment to Ekal.

Overall, it was a very inspiring event that brought together the brightest minds and the kindest hearts of Atlanta. The next step is for EKAL leaders to take a deep dive into each of these propositions to revolutionize the development of villages in India!

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CHAI LOUNGE INDIA’S MARS MISSION HAS MADE WORLD ‘TURN BACK AND SEE’ Chennai (IANS) Tamil Nadu Governor K. Rosaiah Wednesday said the success of India’s maiden Mars mission has made other nations “turn back and see”. In a statement here, he congratulated the Indian space scientists on the occasion. Rosaiah said: “Today India has made a history by becoming the first country in the world to make it to Mars in its maiden attempt, which has made the world to turn back and see.” “It is a matter of great pride for each and every citizen of this great nation which has once again proved that the days of India becoming a super power are not far off,” Rosaiah added. In her message, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa said: “It is a matter of great pride for the country that our scientific community has been able to successfully place ‘Mangalyaan’ in orbit around the planet Mars.”

“This is a historic achievement for India and the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO),” she added. Congratulating the space scientists, DMK president M. Karuananidhi said the scientific instruments in the Mars Orbiter will enable India to get details about the presence of minerals and water. He also praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the central government for the support extended to the Indian space agency.

CONSULATE GENERAL OF INDIA, ATLANTA CONSULAR SERVICES Consulate General of India, Atlanta provides Miscellaneous Services (such as Attestation of POA, issue of Birth Certificate, Attestation of Affidavit and various such other services listed on the website www.indianconsulateatlanta.org) at the Consulate.

It is open for public from 10.00 a.m. to 12.30 p.m. without any appointment, to render these services and also to listen and resolve any grievances [such as Visa, OCI, Passport, PIO, renunciation etc.].

Phone No. : (404) 963 5902 Email : contact@indianconsulateatlanta.org Cox & Kings (CKGS) : Visa/OCI/PIO/Renunciation Certificate Support services are provided through our outsource agency M/s Cox & Kings Global Services Private Limited (USA).

They can be contacted at: CKGS Application Centre Atlanta, Cox & Kings Global Services Private Limited (USA), 5883 Glenridge Drive,1st floor, Suite 180,Atlanta, Georgia 30328 Telephone: 516-206-1483/ 646-589-0088, Email ID: enquiriesusa@ckgs.com/ postal.atl@ckgs.com Website: http://www.in.ckgs.us

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CHAI LOUNGE US LAWMAKERS WANT DIWALI HOLIDAY IN NEW YORK SCHOOLS Washington (IANS) Noting that Diwali has been gaining increasing recognition in the US, six US lawmakers have urged New York City's education department to include the Indian festival of lights among new public school holidays.

Diwali is a festival of great significance to millions of Indians and Indian Americans and is widely celebrated amongst the three million-plus Indian-American community, as well as others, noted a media release.

DIWALI LAST YEAR: MICHELLE OBAMA CELEBRATED DIWALI WITH BOLLYWOOD MOVES Washington, (IANS) US First Lady Michelle Obama lit a 'diya' (lamp) in the East room to start White House Diwali celebrations after trying out some Bollywood dance moves with some local students in the State Dining Room. "We've celebrated this holiday here at the White House every year since (President) Barack (Obama) took office. And there's a reason why we've done that, and as we light the diya-the lamp-we recommit ourselves to the triumph of light over darkness, of good over evil," she said

CHOCOLATES HIGH IN DEMAND THIS DIWALI New Delhi, (IANS) Demand for chocolates as a gift item this festive season has increased by almost 40 percent due to reports of adulterated traditional sweets and highly priced dry-fruits, a survey said. Conducted by the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India, the survey said the demand and preference for sweets as a gift option has plummeted by 35 to 40 percent due to fear of adulteration.

"Growing acceptance of chocolates amid varied Indian palates, attractive packaging, consistency in quality, rising urban affluence amid youth with high disposable incomes etc. are the other factors behind the popularity of chocolates," said Rawat.

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MOVIE BUZZ

Happy New Year RELEASE DATE: OCTOBER 24, 2014 STARRING: KHAN, ABHISHEK BACHCHAN, DEEPIKA PADUKONE, SONU SOOD, BOMAN IRANI,VIVAAN SHAH If you thought that director Farah Khan's Happy New Year will be just another big-budget time pass movie-watching experience, you've got it dead wrong. Here is the real story.

Happy New Year is a musical heist with ensemble cast, the big budget multi-starrer is high on technology.

The movie is the ultimate underdog story where a team of 'losers', win the love of millions in their quest to pull off the biggest diamond heist ever!! Happy New Year will see the team of Farah Khan-Shahrukh Khan-Deepika Padukone reunite after the 2007 blockbuster Om Shanti Om.

Super Nani RELEASE DATE: OCTOBER 24, 2014 STARRING: REKHA, RANDHIR KAPOOR, SHARMAN JOSHI, ANUPAM KHER Mumbai (IANS) Bollywood's evergreen beauty Rekha has dressed a la Madhubala's character from "Mughal-e-Azam" for a song sequence in her upcoming movie "Super Nani", where she will also reprise the magic of ageless Bollywood tracks. Taking styling cues from iconic actresses like Madhubala and Waheeda, Rekha will dance to the tunes of various songs, like "Pyaar kiya toh darna kya", all entwined into one particular song for the movie.

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Bang Bang RELEASE DATE: OCTOBER 02, 2014 STARRING: HRITHIK ROSHAN, KATRINA KAIF, DANNY DENZONGPA, JAAVED JAFFREY New Delhi (IANS) Actor Hrithik Roshan says bits of his own self are part of every role he plays on screen, but while working on "Bang Bang", he discovered a complete similarity between his real and reel self. 'Bang Bang' is the first film in which instead of getting into the character, I discovered that I was the character.

It was self-discovery," Hrithik said. He believes that "it's a very fortunate moment for an actor" when his characters "become a platform to vent or channelize a similar emotion that you are going through in real life".

"I'm still trying to understand how? But, we're all born with certain gifts. Maybe I just look good when I dance but that's not good enough. Understanding your gifts and strengths is just not enough in life. You need to recognize them and then need to build a skill around them.

Haider

RELEASE DATE: OCTOBER 02, 2014 STARRING: SHAHID KAPOOR, SHRADDHA KAPOOR, TABU Haider is out and is already making waves for Shahid Kapoor's and Shraddha Kapoor's sparkling chemistry and Tabu's eye catching presence. Presenting Shahid Kapoor in a bald avatar, Haider runs high on expectations owing to its Kashmir connect and Shakespeare's story - Hamlet, on which the film is based. Haider may not just be an intriguing film on love and revenge but may offer much more of the Kashmir valley. Tabu was last seen in the Oscar winning film ‘Life of Pi’ and ‘Jai Ho’ and is now back with a bang as Shahid Kapoor’s step-mom in Haider.

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BOLLYWOOD BUZZ

AAMIR KHAN : VULGARITY IS NOT IN YOUR CLOTHES, IT’S IN YOUR MIND AND THE WAY YOU TALK….

It seems Aamir Khan is in the mood to drag his friend and colleague Salman Khan! The former dropped his pants for the poster of his forthcoming film PK and wonders would the latter ape him again? During Dhoom 3 Aamir’s cap caught people’s fancy, including Salman. “During ‘Dhoom 3′ my cap got very famous and Salman was wearing the cap on ‘Bigg Boss’, so, now I want to test his friendship. So let’s see can he do this he removed his shirt, now can he remove his pants?” Aamir asked, humorously.

“For me, this poster is not vulgar. Vulgarity is not in your clothes, it’s in your mind and the way you talk,” he added. Would you go nude if it’s the demand of the script?

“It’s too difficult, but over the years I have realized that nothing is impossible.

We can only do our work,” he replied.

GIRLS HAVE ABILITY TO HELP GROW INDIA’S ECONOMY: PRIYANKA CHOPRA Mumbai (IANS) Actress Priyanka Chopra says that “girls have the ability to transform their own lives and help grow India’s economy”. She feels that they should be given more opportunities to make a mark.

Building Young Futures aims to unlock the potential of young people from disadvantaged communities. She has been supporting UNICEF’s adolescent work in the country.

'CHANDNI BAR' CHANGED MY LIFE, SAYS MADHUR BHANDARKAR Mumbai, Sep 28 (IANS) Filmmaker Madhur Bhandarkar, who received National Award for “Chandni Bar”, says the 2001 film transformed his life.“13 years ago, on this day, CHANDNI BAR released & changed my life #Tabu @atul_kulkarni. An unforgettable experience!! (sic),” Bhandarkar tweeted Sunday. Bhandarkar, also known for helming films like "Fashion", "Page 3", and "Corporate", last directed the 2012 movie “Heroine” featuring Kareena Kapoor. He is now working on his new project "Calendar Girls." He earlier said that his endeavour with "Calendar Girls" is to offer purposeful entertainment to movie buffs.

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MARRIAGE MAN-MADE CUSTOM: SARA KHAN Mumbai (IANS) TV actress Sara Khan feels "According to me, marriage is a man-made custom, which ultimately gives acceptance to a relationship for the society. But for me, the moment you lose your heart to someone and you wholly and solely want to be with that person, that's marriage." The actress will be seen dealing with the issue of inter-caste marriage on TV show "Yeh Hai Aashiqui".

For Sara, who made headlines with her wedding stint with actor Ali Merchant in the fourth season of reality show "Bigg Boss", love comes before caste and creed.

NO ONE ELSE CAN PLAY THE ROLE: PARESH RAWAL ON MODI BIOPIC Mumbai (IANS) Versatile actor Paresh Rawal, who will soon start shooting for a biopic on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, says he is the right choice to play the role of the politician.

“I am confident about the film and no one else can play Narendra Modi other than me.

He is in a different league altogether and I am more than excited to play the role.

I am not allowed to talk much about the film but, yes, I will start shooting soon for this film,” said Paresh.

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WHAT’S YOUR RASHI? Aries: March 21 to April 20.

OCTOBER 2014 Libra: September 23 to October 22.

You and a partner or rival are finally putting your differences to rest. You also get to spend quite a bit of time together playing and having fun this month.

The area of your chart in charge of trust is helping your romantic and financial relationships to improve.

You can launch some new relationships or new projects involving love and money too. That old issue involving you and your professional path is back to bug you again, but you are used to it by now. Just keep working towards your goals and eventually things will stop being so difficult.

You and a partner or rival are still arguing quite a bit.

The good news is that this is the end of it and you are probably going to find some kind of a resolution. It may or may not be the one you want, but you are definitely going to bring this bickering to a close. Someone among your social connections may be able to play mediator and help the two of you find common ground. You are also feeling very productive at home and you are able to rework your household budget in a way that helps you to make progress towards your financial goals.

Taurus: April 21 to May 20.

Sagittarius: November 23 to December 21.

The on-again/off-again battles you have been dealing with at work are finally coming to an end. These last episodes will be more argumentative than previous episodes, but they will also include more brainstorming, genius, and negotiations, so bite your tongue when you want to say something that is not smart and productive. Now, if we could just get everyone else to do the same! You and a partner are enjoying an excellent fresh start, new beginning, or launching of a project or goal together. The two of you are feeling adventurous, open-minded, and passionate about your relationship and what you could accomplish together.

Gemini: May 21 to June 20.

During the first two or three weeks of the month, you are quite the people person. You are getting along really well with everyone you know and they are also getting along with each other. That makes it so much easier for you to schedule events involving social, team, committee, community, neighborhood, and/or partnership oriented events. During the last part of the month, you begin focusing on something new at work and/or a new fitness goal. Either way, it looks like you are off to a great start.

Cancer: June 21 to July 22.

Despite the return of that old reoccurring battle between your partner or rival and your career, you have some excellent opportunities to accomplish a lot financially and professionally. This is a very good month for your professional progress. Quite often the good news within your career is having a positive impact on your home life too. You also get to finally start paying more attention to your playtime activities without your budget causing you to keep things tapped down.

Leo: July 23 to August 22.

This month, you are encouraged to have fun while broadening your horizons. Travel, learn about new cultures, religions, political views, etc., sign up to take college classes or just spend time getting to know exotic new people, and maybe even consider relocating to a fun new city if it would bring more joy into your life. If nothing else, study interesting new things from the comfort of your home or begin making plans for holiday travel.

Virgo: August 23 to September 22.

This may be your best month for holiday shopping and for having some fun creating homemade gifts. It is also a great time for spending time with loved ones and for losing yourself in your favorite hobbies and pastimes.

You and a romantic, social, or business partner could really enjoy some delightful date nights, fun business meetings, and/or play dates together.

This is an excellent time for you to laugh, play, dance, sing, paint, sculpt, goof off, fall in love, spend time with children, pets, lovers, hobbies, etc. It is also a good time for purchasing luxury items, going on vacation, or working in happiness-oriented industries (like music, theatre, fine dining, luxury sales, day care, pet shops, etc.). However, during the second half of the month, your financial goals and these same activities begin to clash. You will need to switch to inexpensive versions or maybe put the fun on hold for a while until you achieve your financial goals.

Capricorn: December 22 to January 19.

You have a great deal of positive energy flowing into your home and private life. Your career, finances, love life, and emotional well-being are all contributing to the lovely happy energy in your household. You are quite social and having a great time with professional networking, Internet activities, and just hanging out with good friends. If you have joined any clubs or teams, you could find that this is a busy and very happy time.

Aquarius: January 20 to February 20.

During the first half of the month, all three of your people oriented sectors are working together so that everyone you know is getting along and you are in a wonderful position to lead, inspire, motivate, entertain, persuade, barter, and trade with these people. Everyone is very loving, supportive, and happy to hang out with you and/ or to do business with you. You have a lot of positive events happening within your professional life that has nothing at all to do with your awesome social skills. Even your finances are receiving positive energy this month.

Pisces: February 19 to March 20.

This is your best month all year for professional and financial growth. Things just seem to click into place for you. It is not that you are simply lucky, but that you are also clever and hard working too. Your social life seems to be picking up, but it is not a good thing for your romantic or financial situation. One or both of these will be negatively affected by a friend, colleague, teammate, committee member, and/or someone you are dealing with over the Internet. You need to be cautious and have a professional check the fine print on your contracts involving any of these social groups. * All astrological predictions are to be considered friendly advice based on the author’s personal opinions and used for entertainment purposes only. These are not to be considered as promises, guarantees, or psychic predictions. They are simply potentials to be used at the reader’s own discretion.

For important decisions, consult your personal intuition, doctor, accountant, lawyer, educator, or clergy as needed.

It is best to be informed on all levels.

Scorpio: October 23 to November 22.

This is certainly your month to shine, Scorpio. You have some of the best professional and financial energies of the year working to help you succeed. You also have some excellent commercial and business opportunities. You might want to get a jumpstart on your holiday shopping, because this seems to be when you are the expert bargain hunter and negotiator.

You are not just smart and business savvy, but you are quite likeable at the same time.

People are happy to give you that special discount!

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