Desi today aug 2016 web

Vol. 7 | Issue 4 | Aug- Sept 2016

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India’s inspiring daughters

8 must do’s in Surrey Why I Love Surrey

Meet first Sikh beauty queen of US

MEET YOUR CITY COUNCILLOR

Tom Gill

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For the community, by the community

Tom Gill

Features 8

Little India called Surrey

12 Mayor’s message to the community 14 Tom Gill’s interview

22 Top 8 must See in Surrey

Beauty & Entertainment

24 Why I love Surrey

65 Shiamak Davar on dance films

26 The true story of Surrey

67 Priyanka Chopra’s Baywatch experience

28 Surrey’s new chief librarian

68 Anushka Sharma’s take on Social media

30 Kid’s activities in Surrey

70 Upcoming movies

32 3 times a hero

72 Melissa Maccarthy’s Bollywood dreams

18 As smart as it gets 20 Let’s talk business

34 Breaking beauty Stereotypes

Life & Etc.

38 Sikhs and world war

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Health & Wellness

46 Drugs Kill

54 Do you need a Fitbit

50 Keep young minds active

56 Yoga for kids

52 Pokemon go

58 Myths about E-cigarettes

74 Punjabi pop voice of Dalits

60 Magical foods for boosting immunity

78 Inspiring daughters of Ludhiana

62 Eat fruits during pregnancy

80 Sania Mirza’s battle with media

48 Truth about India relationships

Publishers Sanjeev Katyal Rakesh Gupta Writers Surbhi Gogia Dhiraj Khatri Deepak Gill Suresh Kurl Amrita Lit Harman S Pandher Photos by Jay Mahi Photo Studio Surya Photo Studio Chandra Bodalia

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portrays it every day? If it is such an unsafe place to live, why is it that every month 1000 new residents make it their home? Why is it that this city is one of Canada’s fastest growing metropolitan cities and second largest in BC? There has to be another side of the coin. In this issue we bring to you this another side of the city which is flourishing, developing and making a difference. Surrey’s Mayor Linda Hepner shares her vision for Surrey in this issue. Also read City Councillor Tom Gill`s interview about the major development projects the city has taken to boost its economy. In his interview he informs about Surrey`s effort to become best in sports and recreation facilities.

Did you know Surrey is known as the city of parks or it was named as one of the most intelligent communities of the world in 2015? Read some of the lesser known facts about the city. As the communities grow their need for education and healthy life too becomes a priority.

The new chief Librarian of the Surry libraries, Surinder Bhogal, in an interview talks about these needs.

Along with Bhogal, there are other women too who are stepping out and making a difference in the world. Read how a Sikh girl from

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FEATURE

By Vinder Sandhu

Little India CALLED

Surrey

Surrey is known in the world for its array of speciality shopping malls offering everything that is Indian especially Punjabi be it clothes, food, accessories or the style Surrey was a farming community back in the seventies and eighties. Many South

Guildford, Newton, South Surrey and Whalley (now known as City Centre.)

sion Festival highlights it perfectly.

Though just like any other metropolitan

Asian families residing in Vancouver had

We have South Asians and Somali peo-

city it has its challenges, but unlike main-

never heard or visited Surrey. It felt like a

ple in Newton, the Chinese in Guildford

stream media’s portrayal, the city is not just

city somewhere far, far away.

and South Surrey areas, and Koreans in

about gangs and gun violence.

But now diverse, multicultural, youthful,

Fraser Heights, with Arabic speaking people

Surrey is a well known Indian shopping

and still growing, this urbanized, spread-out

in Guildford and lastly a high population of

destination for people across Canada and

city has come a long way from its early agri-

Filipinos sprinkled all over. Of course, Cau-

North America.

cultural roots. In the 20th century, six major

casians are still the majority of the popula-

The South Asian community of Surrey

town centres emerged in Surrey: Cloverdale,

tion. So yeah, we are multicultural; our Fu-

has collectively put it on the world map;

8

AUG/SEPT 2016 News With A DESi View

through the hugely successful Nagar Kir-

points for clothes and jewellery is one of the

tan held every April, in Punjabi movies and

main reasons people shop here.

songs, and lastly, with our dedicated Indian shopping complex!

While the York Centre and Punjab Cloth House continue to anchor 80th Avenue,

Little India or Little Punjab are the two

properties along the busy 128th Street are a

names the area around 128 Street and 80

mix of industrial buildings and small retail

Avenue is known as in Surrey. This area has

stores. The Payal Centre remains the core of

become a hub of high end shopping for the

the commercial area. One of the first com-

South Asian community, and an area where

plexes to be built solely to cater to the In-

many services from photography to cell

dian market was York Center back in early

phone providers are conducted in Punjabi,

2000. Many didn’t think successful Vancou-

Urdu and Hindi languages. South Asians

ver based businesses will leave their estab-

come from as far away as California, Alberta

lished Main Street neighbourhood to open

and even, Saskatchewan to do their shop-

up shops here in Surrey. The few new shops

ping here. In fact, some store owners share

that had opened on 120st/Scott Road didn’t

how international travellers have heard of

seem to be interested either in moving to a

this area and come specifically to shop here,

more expansive location in a complex. Also,

to take that obligatory suit home. The avail-

many felt a shop on a busy street provided

ability of a variety of choices in many price

free advertisement.

I was anxious, but also optimistic since our community was growing so fast, the demand for such shopping places would go up...

- MONA ARORA As this center started to fill up with shops and service oriented business, some smart developers realized there is a demand for another such complex. Payal Centre came to be. It took more than two years after presale before ground was broken to build Payal Centre’s first building. Starting at $175 dollars a square foot, businesses now can’t find space at over $500 dollars a square foot!

One of the first investors was Mona Arora, Realtor with Remax Performance Realty.

Mona shared how she was skeptical in the beginning, but being someone who had a vi-

WORLD’S BIGGEST VAISAKHI PARADE OUTSIDE INDIA Surrey streets saw more than 350,000 people for the 18th annual Vaisakhi parade — one of the largest celebrations outside of India, said event organizers who added that this year’s attendance is a new record for the event. In 2015, 300,000 people attended. Featuring about twenty floats, the Vaisakhi Parade in Surrey begins at the Gurdwara Dashmesh Darbar Temple, at 12885 85th Avenue.

The procession starts at about 9:30 am and finishing by about 4 pm.

www.desitoday.ca

sion, she took the plunge and bought over 2000 square feet of space in the first building.

AUG/SEPT 2016 News With A DESi View

9

FEATURE for over 40 years, we had many devoted cus-

So, for all those who want a bit of Bol-

tomers who appreciated our quality prod-

lywood in their life all they need to do is go

ucts and the choices we provided them.

here, to this Indian commerce area, where

Unfortunately, as Vancouver became more

they can shop for trendy Indian clothes, ac-

expansive to live in, and people started

cessorize glamorously and lastly, walk over

moving here, it became imperative for us to

to one of the many beautiful banquet halls

move as well.”

for a fun Indian evening!

He says he understands customers

The owner Polly shared similar reason

might find it difficult to trek to Vancouver

for selecting this location for her business

for 1 or 2 items and that they might make a

--one stop shop for all your needs, especially

Unfortunately, as Vancouver became more expansive to live in, and people started moving here, it became imperative for us to move as well...

special visit only if they had more to buy. By

for great big fat Indian wedding. However,

moving their store here, to the heart of Sur-

as the demand for South Asian consumer

rey’s Indian community, he gave his custom-

goods

ers a reason to come to his store each and ev-

more such complexes too is going up. Situ-

ery time, regardless of the amount they may

ated on 128 street and 80th Avenue, Little

want to buy. He says now he has retained

India is getting ready to open its doors. . As

his long term customers and has added new

the website mentions Little India Plaza will

ones from the growing population here.

comprise a mix of services and retail target-

Another proprietor, a newcomer to Cana-

ed at South Asian residents and visitors. The

da, Sardar Shoes and Accessories owner Bal-

development by Wales McLelland Construc-

- SUNNY KHURANA

winder Singh, informed he came to Canada

tion and Northwest Development is set on

two years ago specifically to start a business.

a triangular lot and will have five buildings.

go up, the demand for more and

“I was anxious, but also optimistic since

His family is in the shoe business so he came

The total project value is mentioned as un-

our community was growing so fast, the

out here to see if there is a need his business

der 12 million.

demand for such shopping places would go

could fill. His research directed him to Payal

Business owners are a bit sceptical about

up,” says Mona. She wasn’t a realtor at the

Centre where he is happily selling women’s,

new developments. Polly says as new com-

time and with this savvy investment, she

men’s and children’s party and traditional

plexes are built the old ones are abandoned

was able to profit nicely years later. Mona

shoes, and accessories.

by the occupants. “Look at Khalsa Center. It

goes on to say now as a realtor, she is com-

Another business catering to South

is now not as full as it used to be. Maybe if

peting with many other buyers trying to get

Asian needs is Red Carpet Events & Red Car-

businesses stay where there are we would

into this complex.

pet Ready. It is a place you go to when you

then know how big our community is really

are looking to glamorize your home for wed-

getting.”

She explains the reason for this demand, “Take a drive through Payal Centre and

ding or party.

That is food for thought.

see for yourself how busy it is at any given time,” was Mona’s answer.

She’s right. On any given day finding parking is a challenge around the popular shops. There are many businesses that only cater to one type of product. There are shoes only stores, costume jewellery stores, wedding themed stores and of course, the several banquet halls. Along with these businesses, fringe services like tailors, beauty parlours and photography services are also present here.

One of the last businesses from Main Street to open a store here in Surrey is Guru Bazaar. Guru Bazaar’s proprietor Sunny sums it up perfectly to why he moved his iconic store from Vancouver.

“To make it easier for our long term customers to access us and to find new customers.”

Sunny goes on to explain it was a clear choice, “In Vancouver, where we have been 10

AUG/SEPT 2016 News With A DESi View

“Take a drive through Payal Centre and see for yourself how busy it is at any given time.” www.desitoday.ca

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11

FEATURE

liveable, sustainable SURREY

FOR A

Surrey’s mayor shares her vision for the city FROM MAYOR LINDA HEPNER

As Mayor, I am steadfastly committed to building a city for smart, sustainable growth not just for the present but also for the future. It is not an understatement when I say that Surrey is a city rich with exciting opportunities.

With a diverse and vibrant population of over 530,000 people, the City of Surrey is evolving and establishing itself as the leading metropolitan centre South of the Fraser.

We are attracting 2,000 new companies each year including regional headquarters, as well as national and multinational companies looking to set up shop. In 2015, Surrey recorded the second-highest value in development in the city’s history with $1.46 billion in construction – second only to 2007, when there was $1.49 billion in development.

We are attracting 2,000 new companies each year including regional headquarters, as well as national and multinational companies looking to set up shop 12

AUG/SEPT 2016 News With A DESi View

www.desitoday.ca

As our city continues to grow and expand, it is more important than ever that we ensure we have the transportation infrastructure to move our people and businesses around in a timely and efficient manner. That is why I have made it a top priority to bring Light Rail Transit to Surrey and South of the Fraser. Both the Fed-

In 2015, Surrey recorded the second-highest value in development in the city’s history with $1.46 billion in construction – second only to 2007

eral and Provincial Governments are on board in significant and creative ways that help make the financial numbers work. In

a thoughtful and relevant way. A measure of

munity leaders, Surrey is destined for a

addition, while we’ve been waiting for the

our success can be seen by the connections

bright and prosperous future. As we con-

final go ahead, we haven’t been sitting idle.

between our neighbourhoods, businesses,

tinue the forward momentum of Surrey, we

Design, planning and costing have all been

town centres and most importantly, our

must always be looking for opportunities to

going on diligently behind the scenes as we

people. Together, we are all part of some-

intelligently innovate and put the best tech-

work towards the green light to begin con-

thing truly special as we work collectively

nologies to work in our city. Council and I

struction on the project.

to achieve great outcomes for the Surrey of

take tremendous pride in what we do, and

today and the Surrey of the future.

we remain firmly committed to building a

We are always looking on how we can best develop and implement public policy

With the collective hard work and sup-

initiatives to ensure we continue to grow in

port of our residents, businesses, and com-

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13

DESI TODAY

EXCLUSIVE

For the community, by the community

Tom Gill

BY SURBHI GOGIA

14

AUG/SEPT 2016 News With A DESi View

Be the change you wish to see in the world. The famous quote by Mahatma Gandhi suits no one better than Surrey City Councillor, Tom Gill. The City of Surrey is home to one of the largest South Asian communities in Canada that has worked exceptionally hard to earn a unique financial and cultural identity in the world. But the community has been so busy flourishing that it forgot about representing its needs at the municipal levelfrom September 1993 when Surrey officially became a city.

It was only in 2005, one man stepped out of the comfort zone to fill-in-the-blank and take this challenging role. That was Tom Gill. Gill became the first non-Caucasian Councillor to be part of the leadership for Surrey City Council. A Chartered Professional Accountant by profession, Gill decided to take the plunge and run for a Councillor. “They said no South Asian is going to be a City Councillor. I accepted the challenge.”

He not only won, but worked hard for 10 years to maintain his position. In 2014, he was re-elected with highest vote counts. He now serves as theChair of the City’s Finance Committee and Transportation &Infrastructure committee.

Recalling his more than a decade long journey as a Councillor, he says his ability to communicate with the South Asians especially Punjabi community of Surrey, has given him a deeper appreciation oftheir needs.

He is proud that he and his colleagues onCouncil have listened to these community members and recognized the need for South Asian Sports. Under him, many projects were accomplished like hockey turf fields, cricket grounds, Kabbaddi grounds and expanding Newton Athletic Park to include more parking spots etc.

Gill continued to serve as the Chief Financial Officer for Coast Mental Health, the largest non-profit mental health agency in B.C., after becoming the City Councillor.

After 10 years of balancing both duties, he decided to retire from Coast Mental Health and continue serving the community as a Councillor. “People must recognize being a city Councillor is not a lucrative job.

I worked as a CFO for 24 years. But as you grow you recognize your passion and where you can make positive changes, I found my role as a Councillor fulfilled these needs.

In an exclusive interview with Desi Today, he talks about his journey as a City www.desitoday.ca

Councillor, his contributions towards Surrey and some unique aspects of the city, he calls his home for 25 years. He and his wife are residents of Surrey’s Fraser Heights neighbourhood raising three young children.

Here are the excerpts:

Tell us something about your family and growing up days?

My mom and dad moved from Punjab to Canada. I was born and raised in Kamloops.

I moved to Surrey in 1986. It was a huge transition for me. During my days in Kamloops, I didn’t realize the uniqueness of our community. I missed out on cultural components, particularly music. I also noticed, there was a significance dominance of our community in Surrey as compared to Kamloops. For example, it wasn’t quite culturally acceptable for one to leave the home in your Indian outfits. But when I came to this city I noted that people were so comfortable in their Indian outfits on roads. I think the credit goes towards pioneers who really worked hard to have that acceptance. In the beginning many new immigrants had to take off their turbans and shave their beards just to get a job, which is not the case now.

What more can you tell us about the growth and contribution of the Punjabi community here.

There is no question this community has made huge strides. It has grown in every field but predominantly in construction.

Construction in itself has secondary impact on every other business like finance, furniture etc. The community has done well in these areas too.

I think the city too has played a major role in the growth of the community. There is no big city that permits small developers to construct, but this city is rare. It promoted small developers and they have been successful particularly the South Asian developers.

I was the first non-Caucasian to be elected in the city council. This too shows acceptance of the South Asian community into the mainstream. During my tenure on Council, we have legalized secondary suites and removed the house size cap on the RF zone for single family homes. I feel it shows that we recognize many unique family dynamics and are meeting those needs.

However there are two major areas that www.desitoday.ca

our community needs to put more importance -- education and giving back to the community. Not to suggest that Punjabi community doesn’t contribute. But more people have to come forward for the philanthropy.

The first generation came to this country with great values. There was a time when someone new came, people opened their doors to help them settle, get jobs. I don’t see that happening anymore. People have to grow accustomed that this community belongs to us and we need to be able to go back to the roots that we belong to.

We also at one time valued education.

But we are not encouraging our youth to go and get fully educated. Some of it I attribute to being successful in businesses. When people become multi-millionaire sometimes they lose sight of value for better education.

We have legalized secondary suites and removed the house size cap on the RF zone for single family homes. I feel it shows that we recognize many unique family dynamics and are meeting those needs.

Why do you think the community is losing its core values?

Spending too much time earning money and making it a priority is the main reason.

Money is important but so is spending time and energy around the kids. It is because of this, the incidents of youth getting into gangs and drug violence happen more in the South Asian community.

But it is disheartening to see that such a small fraction, a minority percentage makes the trouble and the same brush is painted against the entire community.

Same goes with the city of Surrey. Only because of few bad people the entire city is stereotyped as city of gangs and guns. How do you feel?

It is disheartening. I have travelled to many cities and countries but I feel Surrey is one of the best cities to live in. It has best quality of air, best water and lots of greenery. There is so much of wildlife and so many creeks.

We have made tremendous efforts to showcase that Surrey is a great city. We want to ensure that we make it sustainable as well by having more parks, walk ways etc.

Surrey is recognized in many places as having best facilities like ice rinks, recreational centers, pools.

The city also has lowest residential taxes as compared to any other cities in the Lower Mainland which is quite some achievement.

We will continue to grow. Only bigger

and better things are expected to happen. I am very optimistic that we do have exceptionally great future.

What are some other unique aspects of the city?

Its significantly growing youth population.

One third of the city’s population is under the age of 19 which not common in any other city. As the youth grow they would get into secondary education, businesses and jobs. We see it as an opportunity. We are working with SFU and other universities to invite more education institutes for providing adequate post secondary education.

We want to create employment opportunities within Surrey so that residents don’t have to travel to Vancouver. We want companies to set their head offices here Already there are businesses that want to relocate to Surrey because their employees live here.

Campbell Heights Business park is one such example. It has become a huge employment generator.

We want to be recognized as the new metropolitan city at South of the Fraser.

Recently the City hall was relocated for the purpose of developing a busy city centre. It has been a great honor to participate in creating a new downtown core, a legacy for many future generations to come. Many AUG/SEPT 2016 News With A DESi View

15

developers didn’t have enough confidence coming into Whalley. We stepped in to take leadership and show confidence in this area.

After the relocation some incredible investments have been made. More towers are being built.Surrey never had a hotel greater than four star. Now for the first time a four and a half star hotel is coming up in this area.

There have been great investments around Surrey Memorial Hospital the area around it is to be recognized as high end research hub.

The city’s effort in terms of infrastructure development have been commendable, but when it comes to crime prevention and transportation, the public seems to be unhappy about the Municipality’s efforts.

What do you have to say, being chair of the transportation and infrastructure commi ee?

We need a robust transportation system for one of the fastest growing population in this City. But the City of Surrey doesn’t control Translink. Translink is an entity in itself. Translink has been encouraging us to get the densities that we need to support the rapid transit. On our part are trying to make sure that we have the right number of people to use the transit so that when the Light Rail comes it will be successful.

We have been working at some of the major network of roads and significant improvements on north-south east-west transit routes.

City hall was relocated for the purpose of developing a busy city centre. It has been a great honor to participate in creating a new downtown core, a legacy for many future generations to come.

To address the crime, we hired unprecedented 100 police officers. It has never happened in the past. When it comes to public safety that is one of the most important steps.

Another strategy for crime prevention is to keep the youth engaged and busy. We need to make sure that they have the right 16

AUG/SEPT 2016 News With A DESi View

Tom Gill with his wife and kids amenities to use whether it is hockey, swimming or soccer. The city has done some major investments in public amenities.

You have been a great advocate of promoting healthy activities for young families. Can you elaborate more on your contribution?

Prior to me being on council, there were individuals that didn’t recognize the South Asian sports,though the demand and desire to have such amenities has always been there. I facilitated some of those conversations. Now there is no other municipality that has cricket fields. We have also worked with the wrestling group to help them get the right equipment.

We also opened grass hockey fields in Surrey. There were doubts these fields would not be successful since there would not be enough people to use it. But after my conversations with the community, I knew from the beginning they would be used. After the first one, we opened the second one and now the third turf field is coming soon.

My contribution to Surrey has been Newton Athletic Park. Over the last 10 years it has been my pet project. I have been advocate of getting that park to where it is today.

The Whitecaps junior team has expressed its desire to play there because of the amenities. We have marvellous turf fields, made improvements to drainage, fixed up the tennis courts, added basketball courts, water park, creating seniors room and cricket lounge.

What are some of the other unique features of Surrey’s sports amenities?

We had the B.C. summer games in Surrey two years ago. The participants were amazed by the quality of city’s infrastructure .

The city has been able to recognize and work towards the needs of different communities. For example we are now concentrating on putting several sheets of ice, something that hockey community has been pushing. We are putting two more in Cloverdale and two more in Bridgeview.

These are very expensive investments. But we recognize the demand.

We are the only city in North America to have a Kabbaddi park.

What are some of the upcoming projects?

The big projects we are looking at are the pools. We just finished constructing one in South Surrey (Grandview Aquatics Centre) and another in Guildford, both are over $50 million projects.

We have made significant expansion in City Hall, Libraries and the Cloverdale Museum.

We are also working with YMCA in creating more recreational and health facilities.

City is at great pace with residential development projects. But there have been concerns about overcrowding of schools. What is your take on that.

It is a huge concern. My job is to approve land for development. But the responsibility of schools is not on my shoulders. It is a provincial mandate.

I am a great fan of the Liberal government and it has done great investments here but I fail to understand why it has been www.desitoday.ca

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The conundrum that I face is, I realize we need more schools yet I cannot slowdown on investment just because one group is not doing its job. I cannot stop approving the land for development if a developer approaches with a plan that is close to what we need. I have to make sure that people who want to invest in this city continue to invest.

Since I am an accountant, I calculated some numbers. Just based upon our residential development not including commercial or industrial, we generate enough money in property purchase tax plus PST to easily fund two schools every year. If we stop residential development we will not generate enough money. Someone at provincial level needs to recognize we need to continue to have positive investment atmosphere. www.desitoday.ca

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FEATURE

AS

SMART AS IT GETS SOME LESSER KNOWN FACTS ABOUT SURREY

Surrey was named one of seven most intelligent communities in the world in 2015 by the Intelligent Community Forum (ICF) of New York City. The communities were evaluated based on five Intelligent Community Indicators. They are defined as communities that “understand the enormous challenges of the Broadband Economy, and have taken conscious steps to create an economy capable of prospering in it.” The Broadband Economy is the product of the build-out of low-cost, high-speed communications and information technology on both the global and local levels.

Surrey is a city in transition from a suburban past to a sustainable urban future. On this road, it seeks to leave behind a reputation for sprawl, crime and limited economic potential. Home to some of the richest and poorest neighborhoods in the region, Surrey is building an innovation-based knowledge economy offering a much broader range of local opportunity.

Surrey’s Innovation Boulevard project was highlighted in the rankings as sourcing the city’s development and partnerships between higher education and local business to improve health technology, clean tech and advanced manufacturing.

There is no lack of potential in Surrey: it 18

AUG/SEPT 2016 News With A DESi View

is Canada’s third fastest-growing city, which welcomes 1,000 new residents each month and where residential construction is a major industry. It is part of the growing metropolitan area of Vancouver, from which it derives most of its economic energy today.

To gain greater control over its destiny, Surrey has developed a diversification strategy calling for deepening the partnership between its institutions of higher learning and local business. Development is focused on an Innovation Boulevard project, where the city, universities and business are building clusters in health technology, clean tech and advanced manufacturing. Overseeing the project is the Mayor’s Health Technology Working Group, comprised of 50 representatives from universities, a health authority, nonprofits, business associations, government and developers. Ten new health technology firms have already moved in, attracted in part by the availability of five new advanced laboratory spaces. It is one component of a master plan to create several dense and walkable city centers supporting

a mix of residential and commercial space linked by light rail.

“I am psyched about visiting Surrey for the first time. It is another of the ‘no-name’ cities that people may have fixed opinions about until they realize that they are innovating and working hard to enable the place they call ‘home’ a re-energized place. I love the fighters in our awards program, and Surrey seems to be one of them,” said Louis Zacharilla, ICF Co-Founder.

Surrey’s Fusion festival Experiencing the vibrant cultures of foreign cities and tasting authentic cuisines seems to be on everyone’s bucket list. While travelling the world in two days is pretty much impossible, Surrey’s Fusion Festival makes the unthinkable a reality! This exciting two-day festival celebrates the community’s rich culture and diversity. And it’s no coincidence Surrey has been named the cultural capital of Canada in the past. As a creative culture centre, Surrey’s Fusion Fes-

www.desitoday.ca

tival proudly showcases multiculturalism at its finest through music, food, and culture.

The award-winning festival hosts over 40 international pavilions, ranging from Taiwan to Jamaica. Nestled in Holland Park on July 23rd and 24th, you can get a plate of nachos from Mexico and pierogis from Russia, all a stones throw away. You can also learn how to tie a sari or a turban, or learn how to make mouth watering Portuguese food! A visit to each pavilion guarantees an educational experience through food, art, music and cultural activities. If the food doesn’t entice you, come for the entertainment! There are three stages that showcase more than 50 recording artists and performers.

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Top employer for young people The city of Surrey is being recognized as Canada’s top employers for young people.

In partnership with Simon Fraser University, the City of Surrey organized “Youth Employment Dialogue” to provide youth and employers with an opportunity to network and share stories as well as articulate challenges they face in finding employment. The city manages a work experience program for high school students, allowing them to work regular business hours for up to 6 weeks -- students may also job shadow in an area of interest. IT also created a Future Leaders Program to help young people between the ages of 14 and 21 develop the relevant skills and knowledge to become successful recreation leaders -- participants must complete an Instructor internship program to receive a reference letter and certificate. www.desitoday.ca

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19

FEATURE

LET’S TALK BUSINESS! The Surrey Board of Trade (SBOT) has been playing a major role in building the city as a major business hub. The Board’s CEO Anita Huberman in a quick Q&A points out the Board’s role and Surrey as a developing business hub

What is the role of Surrey Board of Trade?

We are a not-for-profit organization operating in Surrey for almost 100 years. Our mandate is to support businesses and bring more business into Surrey. It represents 6,000 member contacts, and over 60,000 employees, representing 2,200 businesses. We offer value in terms of providing support services for existing businesses to increase their client base. We are also a government advocacy lobbier. We try to get amendments in legislation, create new legislation to make sure that the economic climate to do businesses is improved. We are an innovative public policy solution provider and a destination for networking with other members of Surrey’s regional business community. Its association with a network of Chambers of Commerce and Boards of Trade around the world – in this 450 year old industry – gives us a uniquely credible voice.

What is the major contribution of Surrey Board of Trade towards businesses over the past few years?

I think two -- the Board has really focused on enhancing business connections locally and internationally. The second achievement is that we are known for our ability to help create by-laws to instigate change.

Surrey is a growing business community but every time it hits the media headlines for all the bad reasons, how do you feel?

I really don’t like how the media portrays us mainly as a crime city. Crime is borderless. It happens in all the big cities. Every city has its good and bad side but media continually focuses on Surrey at front page with shootings and gang violence. Vancouver’s Eastside 20

AUG/SEPT 2016 News With A DESi View

never hits the headline this way. There are so many fantastic things happening in Surrey around infrastructure, technology, innovation and industrial development.

Does this stereotypical image creates hurdles in the brand image?

It does especially when we are trying to attract businesses in the city. There are challenges but I think we have done amazing work to build the city. We want to bring in more quality jobs. Our strategic plan is to create cohesive focus on branding and attracting business to this city.

How have the businesses grown over the past few years?

The city has developed industry clusters, especially in the past five years, around clean technology, manufacturing, health and education. These hubs have helped in creating innovation and entrepreneurs that did not exist before. The industry cluster around universities is helping to promote entrepreneurial efforts by our youth.

What has been the contribution of the South Asian community towards business growth?

A third of Surrey’s population is South Asian. I am South Asian too. Really in a way they are very entrepreneurial. They have done a lot in building the community. They are involved in the city at political and municipal level to get things done.

What are some unique aspects of the city of Surrey for businesses?

We are a border city. We have two access points to the US. We also have an international docking facility where we bring in goods from all over the world and people can also export things manufactured here

The industry cluster around universities is helping to promote entrepreneurial efforts by our youth.

- ANITA HUBERMAN locally. A third of its population is under 19 -that is where the human capital is in terms of skilled labour or labour to be trained. It is a multicultural city where people speak more than one language beyond English.

That in itself brings different creative ideas.

Is Surrey recognized as a business destination in international markets?

The brand itself is Vancouver in international markets. When we go internationally they still don’t know what Surrey is. It is an opportunity and a challenge for us at the same time. That is why we are really focused on the whole regional and economic development. But we have to do a better job in promoting Surrey as a destination in international trade market.

What’s the strategy?

We are in the midst of finalizing our next global trip to increase that awareness especially with their Chambers of commerce and boards.

- Courtesy Discover Surrey www.desitoday.ca

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FEATURE

1

TOP 8

MUST SEE AND DO IN SURREY

Crescent Beach: Staycation Oasis

The low-key and relaxed atmosphere at Crescent Beach makes it a fantastic place to spend a sunny summer day. Stroll along the shoreline trail, swim in the ocean, work on your kite-flying, jump off the pier, and grab some ice cream. For a fun evening check out the Beecher Street Café and their live music on Wednesday evenings

With so much to see and do, it can feel like an overwhelming task to experience all that Surrey has to offer. Surrey is a big city with a lot to offer, so whether your interests lie inside or outside, on a trail or in a spa, Surrey has something for everyone.

Courtesy Discover Surrey

2

Cloverdale Rodeo: The start of it all…

in Surrey’s past. Home to rotating exhibits, interactive displays, First Nations Artifacts and an orientation theatre, the museum highlights Surrey’s history in a way that is fun for history buffs and the whole family.

Cloverdale was established as the first town centre of Surrey in the 1900s, making it the historic centre of Surrey. Home to popular summer events, such as the Cloverdale Rodeo and Canada Day Celebrations, the Surrey Museum and Archives, and Fraser Downs, it’s a must visit in Surrey. Cloverdale is also the home of the popular TV series Smallville!

3

Surrey Museum: Where History Comes to Life

The Surrey Museum is located in historic Cloverdale. The museum along with the Surrey Archives is a great place to get lost 22

AUG/SEPT 2016 News With A DESi View

highlights include Redwood Park and Bear Creek Park. Redwood Park is home to more than 32 species of trees, including the largest stand of Giant Redwoods north of the 49th parallel. The park is also home to the infamous tree house that was once home to the former owners of the park David and Peter Brown. Bear Creek Park is home to mini golf, a train ride, beautiful gardens, a water park and playground for the kids and the Surrey Arts Centre.

5

4

Lose Yourself in Surrey’s Natural Surroundings

Previously known as the City of Parks, Surrey is home to 200 different parks and over 7 beautiful gardens. A couple of the park

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Surrey is home to seven exceptional golf courses, three par 3 courses, and two great practice facilities for players of all abilities. Our most challenging course is Northview Golf & Country Club. They have two courses, host many large scale tournaments, and have been a stop of the PGA tour for consecutive years.

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23

FEATURE

What these famous community personalities have to say about their favourite city they call their home

SURREY MERI JAAN I have lived in Surrey for over 25 years.

When I moved from Mumbai to Canada, Surrey welcomed me with open arms. I embraced it with ease, making this city the first choice for my family, my home and my medical practice.

Surrey is one of the most multicultural city with ethnic diversity. It taught me reading and writing Punjabi.

It is the city of culture, music, art and languages. Surrey’s Fusion festival is another avenue to get exposed to different ethnicities and languages. Also it gives an opportunity to explore different cuisines. Surrey has been also called an ‘Intelligent City’.

This Place has given me a lot -- fresh air, fresh water, safe food, safe accommodation and a place to practice my medical profession, for which I will be always thankful. This is the reason I give back a lot to the community by enhancing the Youth Programs here. There are numerous Parks and Open Space to Connect with Nature. The Biggest Khalsa day Parade (Nagar Kirtan) outside Punjab in April puts Surrey on Global map with a congregation of over 375,000.

Surrey will continue to grow healthy to show the rest of the World about peaceful co existence with love, tolerance, respect, kindness, brotherhood and compassion.

Let us all collectively build this great city together.

- Dr Pargat Singh Bhurji (Pediatrician)

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AUG/SEPT 2016 News With A DESi View

e v o I L ey r r Su “I love Surrey because it is a City of Parks, Festivals, Diverse People, and the City of the Future! You find the best Indian food and Bollywood and Bhangra Banquet Hall Parties in Surrey. Surrey has affordable ‘newly built’ housing and jobs of all sorts with major employers.

The new City Hall and Central City Library in the new civic square are beautiful iconic buildings. And only in Surrey can you find a shopping mall attached to a major university (SFU). What a brilliant idea to add to the vibrancy of the downtown core. I love Surrey. “ - Alex Sangha, Award winning author, social worker, and human rights activist

Surrey is the place that kept Punjabi and music alive in me. If it was’nt my Punjabi language, who knows I could have been an all together different guy. I always tell kids don’t be ashamed of your own language be it Hindi, Urdu or Punjabi. It is due to Punjabi language, I am getting into the StarWalk honor. I am a proud Punjabi Canadian. I sing about Surrey in my songs. Surrey’s unique Punjabi and Canadian culture played a big role in making me who I am. It is this dichotomy between my funky pop star looks and my core Punjabi accent that makes my fans go crazy .

- Jazzy B, Singer and 2016 BC Entertainment Hall of Fame StarWalk inductee

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It is easy to navigate through the city and access various infrastructures for shopping, business, and other resources. The City of Surrey is home to the largest RCMP Detachment in Canada as well as E Division Headquarters, and I’m very proud to live, work, and raise my family here.

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AUG/SEPT 2016 News With A DESi View

25

FEATURE

THE

‘TRUE STORY’ OF SURREY ...IS BEAUTIFUL AND UNIQUE

BY SURBHI GOGIA

“Behind every new discovery is a story – a journey, an experience, the start of something special… We’re proud to be telling Surrey’s story.”

26

AUG/SEPT 2016 News With A DESi View

Yes the time has arrived the world gets to know what true Surrey is. Like every other big city it has its challenges with crime, but many are unaware of its treasure. Just a stone’ throw from downtown Vancouver but miles away from congested roads and rush hour traffic, BC’s second-largest city Surrey, caters to those seeking natural retreats and state-of-the art urban amenities. The city has more than 600 parks and greenbelts, golf courses, and sports facilities. With more than 2300ha/5680ac of designated parkland, Surrey has earned the nickname of “The City of Parks.” Over the past few years, city’s boost towards development has witnessed a spurt in tourists too. Like the city itself, the tourism department of Surrey is undergoing some major changes to bring together everything that Surrey has to offer its visitors. Discover Surrey is the new brand name.

In an exclusive interview with Desi Today, Jane Stark, marketing manager, Discover Surrey, explains the vision behind this new approach.

Q How has the tourism industry in

Surrey grown over the past few years?

We have seen major growth in Surrey in general over the past few years. With over 1200 new residents per year moving to Surrey it is bound to make an impact on tourism.

We are seeing many new and innovative businesses open their doors, expanding the product offering and enhancing the experience this city offers.

The City of Surrey has been very focused on development with the creation of Innovation Boulevard and 3 Civic Plaza up www.desitoday.ca

in North Surrey and the significant investment they have made throughout the community into facilities for residents and visitors. Surrey offers some of the best sports facilities in the lower mainland and as a result we have seen a significant increase in our sport tourism market.

Finally, I would say that while Surrey receives its fair share of negative press, it is not unlike any other city in that it has it’s challenging areas but it also has some incredible spots and things to do for both residents and visitors from near and far. We are starting to see this positive story be told.

There’s so much that Surrey offers: the eclectic mix of urban development and rural farmland, the multicultural culinary scene, the golf, the parks… but what really sets Surrey apart is the people.

People who are proud, diverse and authentic.

Q What are some of the unique

features of tourism in Surrey?

There’s so much that Surrey offers: the eclectic mix of urban development and rural farmland, the multicultural culinary scene, the golf, the parks… but what really sets Surrey apart is the people. People who are proud, diverse and authentic.

Q What are some of the strategies

board would be adopting to promote the city as a tourist destination nationally and internationally

Q How many tourists nationally

and internationally does Surrey attract annually? Approximately how much revenue does it generate annually as compared to other Lower Mainland cities?

Our mission as the official destination marketing organization (DMO) for Surrey is to increase overnight stays and spend within the community. As each community is different in the way they are funded, the markets they attract and the product they have, we don’t benchmark against them as much as we look at our own growth. We have continued to see significant year over year increases (in the 7-8% range) for occupancy in the community for the past three years.

Q Tourism Surrey has recently been

brand is malleable, identifiable and reflects our brand promise and over the next few weeks we’ll make the transition from ‘Tourism Surrey’ to ‘Discover Surrey’.

Behind every new discovery is a story – a journey, an experience, the start of something special… We’re proud to be telling Surrey’s story. It’s one we’re excited about, because it’s constantly growing and evolving. Now, we’re inviting our visitors (and our residents) to be a part of Surrey’s story, and to tell their own. They can use #TrueSurrey and share their story today on any of our social channels.

Maybe you’re here on a weekend getaway with the family, a trip with your sports team or here for a conference. Maybe you’ve just moved to the city, anticipating the start of an exciting new chapter. The one thing every story has in common is that it takes place in Surrey. Our big, burgeoning city is the starting point for something special.

We’ve traded ‘corporate’ for ‘approachable’ and ‘bland’ for ‘authentic’, and created something that visitors and residents can identify with. It’s a brand that ‘connects the dots’ by bringing Tourism Surrey’s programs together with one style and one purpose – to encourage people to visit Surrey. The new

We just completed a new five-year strategic plan that will be adopted in 2017. A couple of highlights include; a continued and expanded focus on Sport Tourism. There would be an even heavier focus on digital marketing and metrics and finding the right mix of online and offline marketing. In the next few years we will have the opportunity to shift some of our focus to international markets by speaking to the many guests of Surrey residents that come to visit family from afar.

It is a clearly a multicultural destination and it has so much to offer along those lines that many regions do not. As we strengthen our hold in current markets we definitely see this as a new opportunity.

focusing on rebranding. Can you elaborate more on why this action?

It was time. Surrey has changed, evolved and grown up as a community and we needed to do the same. So, we set out with intent of creating a fresh and engaging brand that would more accurately reflect the community that Surrey has evolved into. We are currently undergoing a full website redevelopment project and will be launching a completely updated website this fall that will be the next iteration of the new Discover Surrey brand. In the meantime we have updated our logo on our current site. www.desitoday.ca

AUG/SEPT 2016 News With A DESi View

27

FEATURE

Surrey’s libraries go beyond the traditional role of serving as a place for books. They are important part of community building says Surrey’s new chief librarian Surinder Bhogal

“To build up a library is to create a life. It’s never just a random collection of books,” says a famous journalist Carlos María Domínguez.

Surinder Bhogal, Surrey’s new chief librarian’s journey to this position is a live example of this quote. Her passion to help people acquire lifelong learning attracted her towards libraries. She started working in an inner-city college library in London, England in early 90’s where she saw the importance of library beyond books.

“I saw how vital the library was to the students – having the space, resources, and skilled librarians to be able to assist them with assignments; or for some who were new to the country – helping improve their reading skills. I love being able to help people to make a difference in their lives, whether it’s learning a new skill like how to use a computer, or sharing with a parent the importance of reading to their babies.”

Bhogal was born in Tanzania and grew up in Kenya until age eight, when her family moved to the UK. After completing her bachelor of Science in Management from the University of Manchester and later a masters degree in Library and Information Studies from University College London, she moved to Canada in 1996, one of her first jobs was at a Chapters store. She started her journey to the world of city libraries from there.

After 20 years, she is heading all the nine libraries of Surrey.

During these 20 years she has made enormous contribution in every position. She was instrumental in the planning and opening of both Strawberry Hill and City Centre Libraries. She says all 9 branches of Surrey libraries are “as varied and unique as the neighbourhoods they are located in” ranging from a 77,000 square foot library at City Centre to a 1,200 square foot branch

in Port Kells.

Pointing at some of the other unique aspects of Surrey libraries she says, “The Cloverdale Library has the best genealogical collection in Western Canada. Strawberry Hill and Newton have strong collections focused on South Asian heritage and books in Punjabi, Hindi & Urdu. We also offer computer classes in Punjabi at Strawberry Hill and a Punjabi discussion book club at Fleetwood. Most of our branches have affordable meeting rooms for the public and local businesses to rent. There’s something for everyone at their local Surrey Library.”

According to Bhogal public libraries are the last democratic place. They are neutral, noncommercial and they welcome all members of the community regardless of social or economic standing. She says libraries are vital community resources and the City of Surrey is a strong supporter. “Ninety five percent of library funding comes from the municipal government and we work together to promote the value of literacy, lifelong learning and connections that the public library offers.”

Bhogal is quiet opposed to the view that libraries are losing their relevance in this rapidly changing world of technology. A world where everything is available at the touch of a finger, how difficult is it be to convince young generation for a visit to library?

She feels just the opposite. She says the internet and e-books have not replaced libraries – quite the opposite. Surrey Libraries welcomed 2.5 million people in 2015 and we are one of the most used community services in the city, according to her. “Our libraries touch the lives of a wide range and large number of people – whether pre-schoolers, seniors, people with disabilities,

BEYOND THE WRITTEN

WORD

BY SURBHI GOGIA

28

AUG/SEPT 2016 News With A DESi View

www.desitoday.ca

business people, job seekers, new Canadians or someone who loves fiction by South Asian authors – the library provides service to them. We help people navigate and make sense of the information on the internet. We still teach many people basic computer literacy skills – the library is an equalizer when it comes to digital literacy as many people cannot afford computers, broadband or expensive data plans. Libraries will continue to play a role in connecting people to lifelong learning, information and ideas.”

Convinced that public library is one of the most important aspects of developing and involving a community, Bhogal became a great force behind the city centre library project that was launched in 2009. It opened in September 2009. She says, “The City Centre Library served as a catalyst to economic development in the Surrey downtown core. The previous small library in that area did not meet the needs to the growing community. The city wanted to build a downtown core in North Surrey, and the library was a vital part of creating that civic hub.”

The design was awarded to Bing Thom Architects. A $36 million project and LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Gold certified, the four storey library is spread across 78,000 sq ft of usable space.

The central library has 100,000-item collection of print materials which is modest for a large urban library, it is focused on community services such as language programs for Surrey’s large immigrant population, youth and adult programs, and computer access. It features nontraditional facilities like a cafe, an iPad station for children, a meditation room (which also serves as a prayer room), and bookable study room spaces.

Before taking the position of chief librarian, Bhogal was deputy chief librarian of the central library. She brings with her long experience and understanding in community outreach and partnership building. Her next project is -- Clayton Library. This project includes a recreation and arts centre along with the library – and to be built in one of the fastest growing communities in Canada. “Opening is projected to be in 2019, so the next 2 years our staff will be busy working on designing and planning on this project.”

While sharing her vision for the Surrey libraries, she says, “ I am excited I would also like to see Surrey Libraries keep up with the growth in the City, to ensure that all neighbourhoods are served by a library – or at least people do not have to drive far to reach a library. I would like to increase awareness of our services – many Surrey residents are newcomers, some from where public libraries do not exist. My mission is to ensure as many people as possible understand that a public library has something for them – to expand their horizons, learn a new skill, meet a friend, access resources to help their families and themselves succeed.” www.desitoday.ca

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31

FEATURE

Three Times a Hero ONE WOMAN WHO’S ALWAYS READY TO ASSIST

BY HARMAN S. PANDHER

The first week of September signifies the start of another school year. And after two months of trying to keep kids busy, the arrival of the back-to-school season feels like a lifesaver for many adults.

But for Surrey School District Educational Assistant Shamseeda Ali, the start of September inevitably brings her back to the time when she really did save a life.

It was September 8, 2010 when Shamseeda and her family were attending Eidul Fitr celebrations at a home in Surrey.

Amongst the guests was 63-year-old California resident, Anwar Ali. Shamseeda, Anwar and the other guests ate dinner together and chatted.

What transpired next was literally a matter of life and death.

Anwar suddenly fell backwards in his chair. Another guest was luckily able to grasp him as he fell. Someone suggested that Anwar had a stroke. But Shamseeda saw the signs of a heart attack – gasping for air and loss of consciousness – something she had witnessed with her own father, a heart patient, who had his first heart attack at age 45.

Amidst the chaos and confusion at the dinner party, Shamseeda took charge.

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AUG/SEPT 2016 News With A DESi View

“I received my CPR training from St. John Ambulance in 2003 while I was completing my Delta Teacher Assistant Certificate,” says Shamseeda, who is currently an Educational Assistant at Beaver Creek Elementary in Surrey.

With the assistance of her husband, Shahadat, who tilted Anwar’s head back and lifted his chin, and her sister-in-law, Sabra Afzal Khan, who checked his pulse, Shamseeda performed CPR until the paramedics arrived. Anwar was taken to Royal Columbian Hospital where he was in an induced coma for six days.

“If anything had happened to him, I’d never forgive myself. I prayed every day for him to live,” remembers Shamseeda. In the meantime, Anwar’s family arrived from the U.S. to be at his bedside. Ten days after his heart attack, he was flown back to Stockton, California by air-ambulance.

Shamseeda recalls the family’s gratitude.

“They came to my home to thank me for saving Anwar’s life. For me, it was no big deal.

I would do it again in a heartbeat!” Shamseeda and Anwar did reconnect eventually.

“I have no recollection of anything,” Anwar told her. “But thank you for saving my life!”

What makes Shamseeda’s personal story

even more amazing is that she was also involved in two other life-saving situations in Surrey, where she’s been living since 1995 after having immigrated to Canada from Fiji in 1991.

“A year after my CPR certification in 2003, I was visiting family in Surrey and a three-year-old girl was choking on some hard candy. Everyone there got into a panic but I immediately put her face down on my lap and patted her back and the candy dropped out of her mouth.”

In 2014, Shamseeda was driving on 126th Street when an elderly man in an SUV in front of her made a right turn onto 72ndAvenue. A Kwantlen Polytechnic University student stepped off of the curb at that very moment and he fell. His foot got stuck underneath the right front tire of the SUV. “The student was screaming but the driver didn’t see him,” recounts Shamseeda.

“I jumped out of my van and ran out and banged on the window of the SUV and told him to stop. I screamed out for someone to call 911 and by then a lot of people had gathered around to help.”

So to what does Shamseeda attribute her ability to rise to the occasion in such emergencies?

“I’m always vigilant about my surroundings and other people. You never know who’ll need you!”

Shamseeda has a long history of helping others in many ways. As an Educational Assistant, Shamseeda has been working with students with special needs for the past 13 years (I’ve gotten to know her well as a colleague in my time as a teacher at Beaver Creek Elementary). In 2012, Shamseeda, along with her fellow directors on the Canadian Society of Fiji Muslims, was awarded a certificate for excellent service to her community by MLA Sue Hammell. And for the past two years, she has been doing behavior intervention and life-skills for special needs children through the Ministry of Children and Families.

But Shamseeda refuses to boast about her acts of heroism.

“I have no medical background. It’s all just part of showing your humanity. That’s the way I think about it.”

By Harman S. Pandher Harman S. Pandher is Teacher at Surrey School District and Vice-Chair, Burnaby Board of Education

www.desitoday.ca

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AUG/SEPT 2016 News With A DESi View

33

FEATURE

Miss Colorado Serene Singh

BREAKING BEAUTY STEREOTYPES GB Singh, a Sikh in 1970’s took an off-beat path to join American Army as a dentist and broke the stereotypical image of Sikh Community in the U.S. Who knew that 30 years later his daughter would follow his footsteps. Meet Serene Singh, the 19-year-old, first ever Sikh woman to win Miss Colorado teen pageant. A political science, journalism and leadership student, Singh decided to enter beauty regime to challenge the stereotypical image people have towards pageantry and its participants.

Singh, a proud Sikh American woman-- born and raised in Colorado, feels that her decision to enter pageantry has also taught her to challenge the misconceptions her own Sikh community has towards beauty contests. In an interview with Desi Today she says, “We need our young Kaur’s to be comfortable and confident with who they are - pageant or no pageant - because too often, the world around us will break us down.”

Read on to more about her life and her decision to enter pageants.

Tell us about your family, background and education.

Both my parents were born and brought up in India. My father from Punjab and my mother from New Delhi. When my parents came to America, my father, a periodontist, actually became the first turbaned Sikh man to join the US Army. My mother has served in the medical, real estate, and education sectors through various jobs over the years- now she is a full-time pageant mom.

Q

Belonging to a Punjabi family, how di cult was it for you to get into an o eat path like a beauty contest?

How did your family react?

We, as a community, see

Q

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AUG/SEPT 2016 News With A DESi View

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pageant girl scandals on TV and watch pageant fails or mess ups and immediately slap labels onto women who enter in any pageant- dumb, fake, egotistical, etc. But it was only then that it dawned on me...I used to think the exact same way. Perhaps my entire family did too at one point.

When I first joined pageantry, I did so purely independently because I knew I never gave pageantry a fair chance for myself. Sure, I understood that society purported pageant girls to be “dumb” or “fake,” but I knew that my parents have always raised me to be open-minded and equipped to survey new arenas of life for myself, and not to take anyone’s predisposed outlooks or opinions as fact.

Deciding to give pageantry a chance is the best decision I have ever made.

If I could say one thing to those who believe pageants girls are all “physical” and “not Punjabi enough”-- I would tell them this: What I personally got out of pageantry is not “how to be beautiful”- we are all beautiful. Pageants have taught me to be unapologetically confident about my own personal and unique beauty. I want people to remember that Sikhs, Punjabis, South Asians -- all of us--are Americans.

We are as American as any other American of any other background. We can and will continue to do what other Americans do. Pageants have given me this platform from which I can stand on and represent my community in America- this time, in a pre y sick way. Clever, I know.

When did you discover that you had the qualities to be in a beauty contest?

Well, I think I wanted to join National American Miss because I did not think I had the qualities that the girls who won did. Now obviously, I had spent many years in Speech and Debate and won various championships before I even looked into pageants. However, I do not think I would be able to come onto a stage and capture an entire audience with my elegance, poise, and presence four years ago. Today, I can confidently say that I have never been more confident with the woman I have become. I know I can carry myself anywhere and among anyone with a sense of obvious confidence because of National American Miss.

Pageants have been around for almost two centuries. In times of depression, oppression, and repressions, women common-

Q

As a means to combat the unequal societal standards, pageants showcased the confident and proud women in every community When girls compete together in pageants, they call each other “sisters.” In pageants, you join a sisterhood of women who will walk right beside you not just for your year of reign but for the rest of your life.

Currently, I am the only Sikh and/or Indian woman to have ever won this title in Colorado-- which is something I am really proud of.

How was your experience during the contest?

Having been born and brought up in Colorado, I think I really have grown to embrace my unique South Asian culture and visage. National American Miss has always embraced my differences wholeheartedly.

Whenever I have performed Bhangra for the talent competition, I have always felt welcomed and truly treasured- never once out of place.

“Pageantland,” in my experience, is one of camaraderie. Pageants began as a way to build up and empower all women. In pageants, girls really do want to build friendships and they seek to learn from those around them. I am close friends with every single previous Colorado Teen Queen who reigned ever since I began four years ago. That -- is such a beautiful aspect of National American Miss and of pageants, in general. This notion of amity is best displayed by the concept of “sisterhood.”

Q

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35

FEATURE ly lost their say in much of what was going on. As a means to combat the unequal societal standards, pageants showcased the confident and proud women in every community. When women win pageants, they typically serve and assist women-rights activist groups while simultaneously giving back to the coming generation of girls.

Before the competition had commenced, I caught something from the State Director that I have always heard, but for the first time...I really listened. She said, “Our job and our goal is to teach all you young women how to speak, appear, and truly be your best selves. We give the crown and the sash and the trophies because we know you all would not come if we didn’t!” I could not have said it any be er.

Is beauty and looks only quality that you need to win a contest?

Absolutely not. I can definitely admit that pageants have prompted me to always look

Q

who knows- I might just become the first beauty pageant titleholder, rapper-enthusiast US Supreme Court Justice!

Sikhs, Punjabis, South Asians -- all of us--are Americans. We are as American as any other American of any other background. presentable and graceful. National American Miss is largely focussed on speaking and intellect, as well as presentation. Discussing who I am and what I am proud of is not only a large part of my overall score in the competition, but an essential life-skill to have.

We are all beautiful -- accepting your own unique beauty is what pageants have taught me to do. We need our young women to be comfortable and confident with who they are-- -pageant or no pageant. And until we are open-minded about exploring the beautiful opportunities that surround us in America, we will continue to miss out on life-changing experiences.

What are your plans for future?

I wish I knew! I am pursuing my degree in Political Science and Journalism at the University of Colorado right now. Currently I am working at the US Senate for the summer and it has been an unbelievable experience. Having been in DC for a couple of months, I know one day I want to end up out here and continue to be a public servant--hopefully as a Judge.

But, I am going to make sure I keep my options open. Maybe I will try wrestling next?

Jokes aside, I aspire to ultimately become a Supreme Court Justice so

Q

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AUG/SEPT 2016 News With A DESi View

Where does a beauty regime fit in with Political Science, Journalism, Leadership Studies and your ambition to become a Supreme Court Justice?

It is actually pre y common for me to get asked this question. I think only a er being in D.C., the center of all things political for an entire summer have I gathered how much pageantry has enhanced my love and passion for public service. I am actually in the process of writing an article explaining how Donald Trump would do at a pageant like National American Miss. Shocker... he would not do so well. While that might appear to be a “no-brainer,” there is truly a lot more overlay in pageantry and in politics than we might notice at face-value.

Pageants have prompted me to always look presentable and graceful. Having been in D.C. this summer, I have unfailingly seen Congressional members, their staffs, and all those in the D.C. hub look nothing but fresh and professional on all occurrences.

It is irrelevant that many of us spend almost the entire day at the computer in a small room -- we still are always ready to appear on the camera or give a speech at that request if need be.

Q

What was with winning question and answer?

During Interview, I spoke individually to each judge on the esteemed panel. One of the most notable moments for me was when Kathryn Dunn posed a question.

Kathryn asked something along the lines of “What is the most important quality we should be judging on this competition: public speaking, personality, or presentation?”

For me, the question was expressly remarkable because I have always branded myself as a public speaker because of Speech and Debate. While I will always identify as a public speaker with a bubbly personality, I answered with presentation.

I said, “A er being a 3-time State Champion in Speech and Debate, it is safe to say Speech and Debate has taught me how to use my voice to command any room.

However, pageants taught me how to use my presence and do the same thing-- this time, without saying a word. I don’t need to speak to show my personality. Personality can speak for itself the minute I come onto a stage. And that is a beautiful skill that is hard to come by.

Q

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FEATURE

SIKHS AND WORLD WAR Website to preserve history of World war I sikh soldiers As the world marks the centenary of the

“The endeavour by the UK Punjab Heri-

tabase that will be used to collect and share

Battle of the Somme, one of the bloodiest

tage Association (UKPHA) represents a ma-

previously untold accounts of Sikh soldiers.

battles in human history, hitherto unknown

jor shift of emphasis from institutional or

Significantly, in order to create as complete

tales of Sikhs during The Great War (1914-

historian-led research and interpretation

a picture as possible of the Sikh experience

18) are being captured for the first time us-

to a community-focused drive to tell a story

of the war, the database will also include

ing the latest in mapping technology and a

that would otherwise remain a footnote in

details of those alongside whom the Sikhs

crowd-sourcing initiative to preserve family

history,” said Amandeep Madra, the UKPHA

fought, the families that they left behind

stories that were at risk of being lost forever.

chair.

and those in the community who opposed the conflict.

Thanks to the launch of a website titled

Despite accounting for less than one per

‘Empire, Faith & War: The Sikhs and World

cent of the population of India at that time,

The results will be displayed on an in-

War One’ (empirefaithwar.com), funded

Sikhs made up nearly 20 per cent of Brit-

teractive ‘Soldier Map’, created using Google

in the main by a grant of 448,500 pounds

ish Indian armed forces at the outbreak of

Maps technology. Records are pinpointed to

($583,000/Rs 4 crore) from the Heritage Lot-

hostilities. Indian troops overall comprised

a soldier’s place of birth -- inevitably some-

tery Fund (HLF), the remarkable contribu-

one in every six of Britain’s wartime forces.

where in or near the undivided Punjab --

tion of Sikhs to the First World War will be

It’s not surprising, therefore, that many Sikh

rather than to where they may have fought

placed within the wider narrative of how

families in Britain have a wartime connec-

or died.

the first global conflict in history pulled in

tion but their stories -- including those of

“Crucially, this approach has the poten-

men, money and materials from around the

turbaned Sikh cavalrymen at the Somme --

tial to generate a strong emotional pull for

world -- most notably for the British Empire,

have mostly remained hidden and undocu-

British Sikhs through their connections to

from India, and in particular the northern

mented until now.

familial villages and towns. It is hoped that

state of Punjab.

38

AUG/SEPT 2016 News With A DESi View

At the heart of the website is a new da-

by engaging with the Soldier Map, members www.desitoday.ca

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39

FEATURE of the public will be able to discover unknown connections to their ancestral heritage, the aim being to encourage a sense of ownership of, and connection with, those who fought and endured the ‘War to end all wars’,” Madra said.

So far, nearly 8,000 records of Sikhs killed in action -- taken from the Commonwealth War Graves Commission’s (CWGC) casualty database -- have been pinned on the map. The striking geographical picture that emerges reveals patterns of recruitment into the British Indian Army a century ago, reflecting the fact that recruits from the state of Punjab represented around half of its wartime strength.

memories and memorabilia with archival

The map and database represent the cul-

records, this collectively curated community

mination of UKPHA’s three-year-long ‘Em-

endeavour will create a unique, definitive,

pire, Faith & War’ (EFW) project, which has

database of the Sikh experience of WW1 for

already inspired over 200 families to tell the

families, researchers and historians to freely

story of their ancestors. Such accounts were

access, add to and make use of,” Madra said.

at risk of being lost forever as older genera-

Also presented for the first time on the

tions passed away.

website are the voices of two veterans in the

The association is calling out to Sikhs

form of revelatory audio interviews record-

and non-Sikhs alike to step forward as

ed over 30 years ago by historian and author

Citizen Historians and help create a virtual

Charles Allen.

memorial and legacy. “By combining family

The first is with John (Jackie) Smyth

.QVLQVO ;MVQWZ 0W][QVO KIV JM KWUXTM` J]\ Q\ LWM[V¼\ PI^M \W JM

The Sikhs did not turn even their noses. they were keen for the fight, and where one man fell, another from behind stood in his place. and we took pleasure in the battle... until now god has preserved us, but there is no hope of any one of us returning to india. this is no war, but the destruction of the world.

- A letter by a Sikh cavalry soldier at Marseilles sent by hand to India, 15 February 1915

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of the skies, (Honorary) Flight Lieutenant Hardit Singh Malik. This extraordinary Sikh was the first Indian pilot to fly for the Royal Flying Corps and the only one to survive the War. He faced the Red Baron’s Flying Circus during the Battle of Passchendaele and miraculously survived an encounter in which

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his plane was riddled by over 400 bullets.

“To enable the public, researchers and educators alike become involved, learn about and teach this forgotten aspect of British wartime history, the EFW website

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LIFE & ETC

ONE WAY OR OTHER

DRUGS

BY DR. SURESH KURL

I have worked with individuals involved in drug culture. They would barter their grocery bags for drugs, rather than taking them home to feed their hungry children and then would return the next day to plead for money claiming their cash was stolen.

As Registrar of an Appeal Board I was once threatened with an injection of HIV/ Aids contaminated blood and other time with a call threatening to blow me away if I did not deal with his appeal favourably right away.

As Member of the National Parole Board, I came in contact with thieves, counterfeiters, bank robbers, drug traffickers, rapists, paedophiles and murderers. Skilled in deflecting issues, justifying unacceptable behaviour, expressing self-serving guilt and remorse, they gave me a crash course on drugs and violence.

Reading their case histories was like entering a mine of tangled psychological and psychiatric details, medical, family and social history. They were the horoscopes of crimes and their contributing factors, and lengthy court judgements. Here I would focus only on the relationship between drugs and violence.

Mostly, an offender justifies his/her socially unacceptable behaviour for a variety 46

AUG/SEPT 2016 News With A DESi View

KILL of reasons, especially when he is under the influence of intoxicants. The ingestion of substance causes its consumers to become irrational, irritable and over confident. He is easily provoked, feels challenged or threatened when questioned. Intoxicants freeze his most valuable human asset – his Conscience.

DRUNK DRIVERS They are dime a dozen. They are a category of criminals, who object to being identified as criminals. Sometimes, this category even

includes those who are out on the streets to protect you and me from other drunk drivers. I had several occasions to interview these offenders. I used to tell them that when they drive under the influence they do not drive a vehicle. They drive a loaded missile without a navigational map.

DRUG-ALCOHOL ADDICTS Many times I heard from parole applicants that the next morning when they woken up they found one of their friends, they had partied with the night before, lying in a pool www.desitoday.ca

of blood. They did not have the clue what happened to him. Who killed him and why?

The fact was that they knew everything about their friend’s death, but were unwilling to tell the investigating police about it.

For the fear of being accused, being tried and convicted, they chose to plead black outs – too drunk to remember. Nevertheless, a life was lost.

Experts call it “Psycho-pharmacological violence.”

An individual commits violent crimes, not necessarily to commit murders, but to obtain money to feed their addiction. In such cases, a theft or bank robbery is preplanned. He goes out to commit a break in or rob a bank armed. He would carry a tool to open the doors or intimidate, not to kill.

When the sound of breaking in wakes up the owner of the house, a screwdriver or a fake gun becomes a weapon to intimidate and force the owner into submission.

If the homeowner is a woman a sexual assault could occur resulting in several offences, back to back – unlawful entry, commit a burglary, assault with a weapon and a sexual assault. At this point the primary objective to rob takes a turn. He does not feel like running away without eliminating the witness to his crimes. Once again a life is lost.

Experts call it, “Economic compulsive violence.”

The category of “get-rich-quick-schemes” through the sale and purchase of drugs involve violence, as a basic ingredient of doing business. Threat, intimidation and physical assault are tools of conflict resolution, and loss of life is collateral damage.

Experts call it, “The systemic violence.”

The category of counterfeiters is not supposed to include violence. It is paper work – print dollar bills and launder. Murders do occur in this business, but only when it is necessary to silent a squeaky partner. Let us note that individuals, who use drugs, are not necessarily violent, and those who are violent are necessarily not user. Violence for professional assassins is a control weapon to be handled without contamination by intoxicants. Targets missed due to shaky hands or blurred vision could be a fatal mistake. Such cases distinguish between cases of criminal negligence, manslaughter, second degree murder, and the murders that are pre-planned and well executed.

Also note that the relationship between www.desitoday.ca

Let us note that individuals, who use drugs, are not necessarily violent, and those who are violent are necessarily not user intoxicants and violence is not the same as between gasoline and fire. For intoxicants to trigger violence we need a few extra ingredients to stimulate the transition. We need to brew intoxicants with certain personality traits such as, poor self esteem, low tolerance for frustration, a high sense of entitlement and demand for instant gratification etc.

The question is how do we develop these traits? The answer could be in certain types of growth deficits.

Gender Conditioning Charity begins at home. Our parents and guardians play an active role in shaping gender identity by telling and demonstrating that males are supposed to be strong, dominant and leaders, whereas females are supposed to be nurturing, weak, passive and submissive.

Domestic Violence A child traumatised by parental violence in his family is likely to grow up to be a violent or a very timid adult.

Child Abuse I recall spending a lot of time explaining to my clients the difference between “Child Abuse” and “Child Discipline”. What was discipline to them was abuse in Canada. A majority of the inmates I remember were victimised by their parents, step-parents, and the weekly changing partners of their parents.

An inmate told me how his mother behaved towards him when he told her that her boyfriend had been sexually abusing him. He said she hit him for lying and began to cry.

Exposure to Social Violence Social Violence is an everyday occurrence in our lives through television, movies, print media, computer games, even music.

Role-Modeling Aggressive behaviour is viewed as an effective means of dealing with frustration or as a means to problem solving and therefore adopted and applied by children/siblings as a method in their own conflict resolution.

Peer Pressure A need to belong to a club, team, group, or gang among young people in particular remains a constant pressure on them. These organisations provide status; build selfesteem and gratification though gangs provide something extra. They provide money and drugs, and DEATH.

Poor education or no education Lack of education not only contributes to a low level of standard of living, anxieties and low self-esteem.

Unemployment It could happen for a number of reasons, especially in a culturally and linguistically different society. All of these factors contribute to growth deficits. And this is what Hillary Clinton means by, “It takes a village to raise a child.”

By Dr Suresh Kurl Dr. Suresh Kurl is a South Asian Community Activist, a former university professor, retired Registrar of the BC Benefits Appeal Board (Govt. of B.C.) a former-Member of the National Parole Board (Govt. of Canada), a writer and public speaker.

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LIFE & ETC I’ve been in a relationship ever since chingy was the number one artist in the world of Hip Hop and R&B. My signi cant other and I skipped school together, grew our own identities - yet managed to remain close, and formed a roller coaster of a life including a hoot of a three-year marriage and a rambunctious li le one year old.

Every now and then I come across someone who tells me how so very lucky I am to have a husband. As if it’s a rare jackpot of a scenario to nd and marry someone you can actually stand (for the most part).

When I ask these subtly glum individuals if they’re seeing anyone or ge ing married soon (since they’re typically my peers or slightly younger) - they simply respond that “there’s no good (guys or girls) le out there.”

I usually can’t comprehend exactly what this means. “Good” meaning they do their own dishes and mind their p’s and q’s? Or good as in meet their checklist of standards for their dream signi cant other? Then I’m usually forced to listen to their horror stories of past relationship failures and cringe worthy stories of the dating world (aka club scene) in Vancouver.

I just can’t help but wonder, where have all the good girls and guys gone to hideaway?

If there’s a seemingly equal amount of guys and girls on the prowl, who are all looking to se le down with smart, a ractive, and successful individuals, then why can’t they seem to simply make their way to one another?

Here’s my theory...(and you all knew there had to be one). The reason more and more individuals are delaying marriage, and an increased amount of engagements and relationships are being called o , is because people have built up an unrealistic ideal of what it means to be in a relationship. We grow up watching television programs and movies which depict relationships amongst people of a complete di erent background and upbringing than us.

Not to mention the fact that in current day, social media makes it appear like those of us married with kids or simply in a relationship are absolutely perfectly happy on and o the screen. Here’s the cold hard truth though, ain’t nobody pulling out chairs for us and showering us with bouquets unexpected flowers. Just sit there and smile as you sip your Mc Donald’s coke on “date night.” That’s about as 48

AUG/SEPT 2016 News With A DESi View

much wining and dining you’re going to get honey.

Our men (the Indo-Canadian ones) simply haven’t been raised in the manner to be these respectful chivalrous gentlemen which we have so pine-fully dreamt of our entire adolescent years. This ideal image we have created of what our perfect mate should be like is much too una ainable for the simple fact that - they don’t exist.

Now I like to keep things fairly unbiased and impartial so I don’t want to seem like I’m bashing all apnay (Indian) men here. I’ve heard plenty of guys complain about the fact there aren’t any “good” girls out there either. Well to you all I’ve got to say - where are ya’ll looking? Because if it’s in the lineup to the ever popular local nightclub Caprice (is that still a club?), then you best get your bu enrolled in a post-secondary institute of some sort and begin your hunt for a good wife there.

Book smarts tend to equal a well rounded

individual - for the most part. So shape up your expectations and start looking in the right places. What you surround yourself with, and how you behave, is what you will a ract.

Be the man you’d want your sister to be with, and be the woman you’d expect your daughter to be - and maybe, just maybe, you’ll come across that special someone, get married, and then bitch about the fact they’re nothing, nothing at all like Ryan Gosling or even Prince Adam from the li le mermaid for that ma er.

Perhaps I’m being overly pessimistic.

Maybe those holding out for “the one” do have the right idea. But if you’re nding yourself time and time again always a bridesmaid never a bride, it might be time to accept that there’s only one way to get married - by lowering your standards and expectations and just se ling for a secure and comfortable life.

BY AMRITA LIT

Happily After

Never The truth about Indian relationships

www.desitoday.ca

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49

LIFE & ETC When school year comes to a close, the task of filling long, summer days lies ahead.

To keep young minds alert and engaged, parents may be tempted to hand out worksheets and flashcards, but UBC education professors say there are better ways to nurture children’s learning over the summer.

KEEP YOUNG MINDS ACTIVE

Foster literacy skills You can infuse literacy into children’s summer activities, and it doesn’t have to involve a lot of money; for example, following recipes, making lists for a camping trip, and reading trail maps and star charts. You can get kids involved in planning family excursions. Most local libraries have summer reading programs, and various branches have Lego, Minecraft and other “maker” activities scheduled as well.

Have a family games night where games can involve literacy, depending on the game being played. Go on a bird walk and use a field guide to make sense of what you’re seeing or hearing. Grow vegetables and follow instructions on how to nurture them. Visit local museums. And keep a summer adventure journal; for young kids this can be a visual journal and for older kids it can involve more writing.

Encourage math and science skills Like reading books together, mathematical stories, math art, math games and math puzzles can be shared by families on a summer afternoon, at the dinner table after a meal or as a bedtime story. Mathematics is the study of patterns and patterns-of-patterns, including those that come up in nature, in visual arts, in music and in language. Notice patterns in birdsong, waves on the beach, tree branches, leaves and flowers. Take a walk outside with sketchbook and pencil or a camera, and focus on beautiful natural mathematical patterns Experiment making mathematically interesting art and crafts (www.georgehart. com/MathematicalImpressions/ activities.html and mathcraft. wonderhowto.com are good starting points). Mathematical games and puzzles offer mindexpanding challenges that are fun for kids and adults, and do not necessarily involve any calculations—or even numbers!

Games like Rush Hour/Unblock Me, 2048, Sudoku, Tetris, Tangrams, logic puzzles and many 50

AUG/SEPT 2016 News With A DESi View

others can be played on a smartphone or tablet, or as pencil-and-paper or board games. A good starting resource is mathpickle.com. Check out cut-the-knot.org for math magic, and http://kasmana.people. cofc.edu/MATHFICT/ for math stories for high school students and adults.

Outdoors matters for child development Current literature is finding that time spent outdoors improves academic performance in a variety of ways. Experiential learning heightens and engages learners in a particular topic. We can see this most clearly in science, where we can observe a garden over time or watch animals give birth and raise their babies. Students can then relate to con-

cepts like reproduction or nutrition.

We tend to think that going on big adventures is the way to do outdoor learning, but these often happen infrequently.

Instead, try taking regular outdoor outings in and around where you live. Visit the Vancouver Biennale art sculptures, do the seawall by bicycle, or explore the trails in Pacific Spirit Park. UBC’s Nitobe Gardens and Botanical Garden are great places for an adventure. Even spending time in your local park and getting to know it better has real educational value.

We live in a risk-averse culture, but children still need opportunities to develop their self-reliance, to be resilient and take healthy risks, and assess what’s too much and too little. Start to develop opportunities for learning that encourage children to have some risky play where you are not necessarily with them all the time. Have them walk over to the park at the corner and collect something to bring back to you.

Getting your kids on bikes is a fabulous way to increase physical activity and increase the roaming range of the children.

Activities that encourage a sense of community and familiarity with their space are very important. www.desitoday.ca

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LIFE & ETC Since Pokemon GO has been making headlines for several weeks already, many may have assumed that it had launched in a majority of the world’s biggest markets. Surprisingly, this wasn’t the case, as the app’s developer, Niantic, has slowly been rolling out the game across various regions in order to keep its servers in check. As a result, Canadian fans were left waiting for the title for quite some time – or, at least that was the situation before just now.

After much anticipation, Nintendo and Niantic have finally launched Pokemon GO in Canada for iOS and Android devices. The country is just the latest to join the Pocket Monster madness in recent weeks – with Italy, Spain, and Portugal gaining official access to Pokemon GO just prior to this launch – and there are sure to be more areas on the receiving end of the app as July plays out.

WHAT IS POKÉMON GO AND WHY IS EVERYBODY TALKING ABOUT IT?

I’ve heard of Pokemon. Is it a thing again?

Yes - Pokemon Go is an augmented reality game on smartphones.

It uses your GPS. You play by walking around the real world catching cutesy little virtual monsters like Pikachu and Jigglypuff in places near your phone location and training them to fight each other.

The monsters in it were first popular in the 1990s when they started on the Nintendo Game Boy. Trading cards were a huge hit in school playgrounds well before Minecraft, but after yoyos and, well, marbles.

Pokemon has been out on Game Boy and

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DS, it’s been a cartoon programme and it’s been a low-tech trading card game, but this is the first time it’s been a smartphone game.

Here are some game features: •

POKEMON = pocket monster

•

POKESTOP = landmark

•

POKEBALL = a supply that you can throw to capture Pokemon for training

•

GYM = a location where Pokemon battle each other

•

PIKACHU = the most famous Pokemon and an icon of Japanese culture

How can I get my hands on the game?

On the App Store (iPhone) or Google Play (Android). It’s free but as with other free games, there are things to buy with real money once you’re in the game.

So many people have been using it that the servers have been crashing. That’s why the makers Niantic Inc - a spin-off of Google’s parent company Alphabet Inc - are holding off on rolling it out all across the world for now.

www.desitoday.ca

Although the company, as of now, is not imposing harsher punishments or bans, some rumors claim that Niantic could completely block players after a certain number of temporary bans.

Play the game the right way. Gotta catch ‘em all!

Should I worry about my privacy?

If you’re playing Pokémon GO, then forget about your privacy. Since this augmented reality game requires your GPS location and a data connection (either WiFi or cellular data), you can not expect your privacy to be secured while playing this game.

Some people have pointed out that because it works in real time, if you are close to another player in the game you can probably see them in real life.

When you sign up to play, you allow Niantic Labs to use your location and share it through the app.

This is similar to what all social networking apps ask for, but while you can turn the location functionality off with the likes of Facebook and Twitter, doing the same for Pokemon Go is going to make you less able to actually play the game.

Also, don’t use your personal Gmail account to log in, as this links your personal information including your GPS location and Pokémon GO activity. Either use a burner Google account.

For this, create an all new Google account, with nothing in it, and use this account to sign into Pokémon GO as well as other apps that you may find doubtful.

Although the security hole has been patched, previous versions of Pokémon GO app required extensive permissions to your Google account, so make sure your app is up to date.

Beware of Pokémon GOthemed Malicious Apps on Google Play Store Yes, malicious Pokémon Go apps have even made their ways into the official Google Play Store.

Researchers from popular antivirus firm ESET have spotted at least three fake Pokémon Go apps on the Google Play Store. Of them, the one titled “Pokemon Go Ultimate” posed the biggest threat to Android users.

Pokemon Go Ultimate renames itself “PI Network” and deliberately locks the screen of the victims’ devices immediately after being installed, rending the devices unusable.

www.desitoday.ca

The only ways to get the infected phone unlocked are to remove the device’s battery or reboot the device via the Android Device Manager.

Even after restarting the device, the app removes itself from the device’s app menu, but still continues to run in the background and silently clicks on porn advertisements in an attempt to generate ad revenue for its creators.

Pokémon GO Cheats, Hacks, Punishment and Bans Since Pokémon GO has taken the world by storm with gamers of all ages joining in with the Pokémon catching fun, players are making use of Pokémon hack and cheats to catch Pokémons with fewer efforts.

This augmented reality game requires gamers to walk around homes, parks and local surroundings to find new Pokémon, as well as achieve goals like hatching incubating eggs.

One can find the most common Pokémon in the distance of 2km eggs, with the rarest ones in the 10km eggs. This means you are required to walk a lot if you want to advance in the game.

So, players are using tricks like placing their phones on a record player or tieing their phones with a fan in order to increase their walking distance in no time at all.

In fact, tech-savvy players are spoofing their GPS locations with rooted and jailbroken devices, so that they can catch Pokémon without physically going to locations where the imaginary characters are actually located.

However, before using these cheats, players should be aware of the fact that they can be banned for up to five hours from playing the game.

Even worse, cheaters are being punished by encountering wild Pokémon characters, which runs away from them.

What’s the weirdest thing that’s happened someone playing it?

Oh, take your pick...

An American woman found a dead body while she was looking for a Pokemon in a river near her home. Police said the man had died within the last 24 hours and no foul play was suspected.

Four people were arrested after they used the game to lure players to remote places and then rob them at gunpoint. In response, the makers of Pokemon Go have said people should “play with friends when going to new or unfamiliar places” and “remember to be safe and alert at all times”.

The anti-gay Westboro Baptist Church in the US is the location of a gym in the game, and players planted a pink “Clefairy” Pokemon called Love is Love there. The church has responded with a series of social media posts calling the Pokemon a sodomite.

There have also been plenty of reports of people falling over and grazing or cutting themselves because they’re not paying attention to what’s in front of them while they play.

Here’re some important points that players must keep in their minds: •

• •

•

•

Do not use the Pokémon GO app when you are operating a motor vehicle or bicycle.

Do not trespass onto private property when trying to catch a Pokemon.

Be aware of your surroundings when searching for Pokémon and do not just stare your phone without knowing hazards around you, like roadways, dropoffs, and waterways.

Always use caution when sharing your locations — strangers can see your location data.

Travel in groups in public/well lit areas.

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53

HEALTH & WELLNESS

FITBIT:

DOES IT FIT YOUR LIFESTYLE? Gone are the days when fitness was assessed on the basis of stamina, flexibility, exhaustion, rate of perceived exertion and mood. If someone was working longer with no physical complaint and leading a happy life, he used to be considered fit enough.

Gradually technology started invading our daily lives. We need fitness trackers to know about our health. Initially it was a sportsman’s need to use the gadgets to improve their performance based on data’s collected and activity’s tracked.

But now go to a park in the morning and you will find people following their mobile screens or looking after the straps on their wrists. See we are slaved by the use of technology, be it fitness trackers like Fitbit or other activity trackers or Samsung, apple smart watches or your mobile application letting you know about your daily movement.

Let’s discuss how some of these gadgets work.

Fitbit: A famous gadget marketed for common man to use this gadget to track activities like step counts,calories counts, heart rate monitoring and even how sound did you sleep.

Smartwatches Apple /Samsung: It’s the era of android and these smart watches are real smart which can give you a frequent reminder to get up of your ass and move.

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Google apps: There are thousands of apps which tell you how much did you moved, how was the intensity, even a reminder to eat and drink as well. Taking an example of a new android game launched by name of Pokemon Go people are using it as a tool to move their butt. God forbid I see future will be all in these apps.

With Fitbits starting at $60 and Apple Watches selling for $550 and up, prices are varied enough that Americans from all income levels are dipping into their pockets for the gadgets. IDC estimates that 72.1 million wearable devices will be shipped worldwide in 2015, and expects 155.7 million units to be shipped in 2019.Its multimillion dollar industry investing on research of these fancy gadgets but none or very less of these spend penny’s on educating a common man to live a healthy life, change the mind set or behaviour.

Let’s discuss some pros and cons of using the wearable technology how good or bad is it PROS: 1. Since we live in the world where doing a bit more physical activity is an achievement, these gadgets helps a lazy man to move around giving a target of step counts and at least make him move.

2. Considering the basic purpose of invent-

Do you need a fitness tracker to keep you healthy or it is just a marketing gimmick

By Dhiraj Khatri ing these gadgets was to improve athletic performance and yes giving a data and tracking the activity makes it easier for athletes to enhance their performance and help getting them a better plan.

3. Helping a busy man to keep a healthy life by giving frequent reminders for timely food, regular physical activity and logging the data to keep them motivated.

4. Great tools for fitness enthusiast as this artificial intelligence helps a person to plan and implement the work to keep up the track and helps them to improve performance in recreational activities.

5. Most of these are apps inexpensive and these gadgets are fairly prized which overall helps to improve the fitness level of a common man and make them accountable to their fitness regime.

CONS: 1. Do we really need a gadget to be fit or move or eat well? To be healthy all you need is a discipline life with a good eating habit and moderate regular physical activity; no gadget or app can make you move until you wish to do so.

2. Counting steps limits a person to move more and overall health is not just about counting steps,it’s about maintaining the balance of proper nutrition, stress less life and a good sound sleep and I personally feel no app or gadget can make you stress free or let you sleep peacefully.

3. Most of the consumers buy these stuff with enthusiasm and excitement to www.desitoday.ca

maintain a healthy lifestyle but it’s sad they couldn’t keep it up and at the end your hard earned money is going to these big manufacture’s pocket.A gadget can never make you accountable or change your lifestyle yes it helps to take a step to change the behaviour but it’s you who changes it.

4. Marketking and social gimmicks make these fancy gadgets to be bought but unfortunately not many people know how to even use all the features of these products and at the end it is only a social symbol or a Facebook update for many of us.

5. An abstract from The New York times November 16 2015: Factors beyond pure calories-in/calories-out can affect a person’s weight. Some have reported online that wearing a fitness tracker was counterproductive, resulting in weight gain instead of loss. Korie Mulholland, a 24-year-old tutor in Chicago, wrote that “since I was walking 10 to 15 miles a day at my stand-up desk, it told me I could eat 2,200 to 2,400 calories a day.” But instead of losing weight, she gained, and after six months she abandoned the tracker.

Average more than 20% of Americans use wearable technology an online survey

by Forrester found.

Every coin has two sides, considering the same about technology the inventions are done to make our life easier but not dependent. Activity done willingly help not only body but the mind as well, you don’t have to track it until unless you have to use analytics. The world has to come out of the obsession of social media and stop enriching their hollow egos. We are coming to back to Paleo’s diet as finally we got it that humans aren’t made to eat processed foods same will definitely come for the technology where once again we will have to use our limbs which ages ago our ancestors developed for the purpose and the purpose is to move and move willingly. Being fit needs your state of mind not the state of applications stored in your gadget. Live disciplined life, eat well ,move more and be Fit.

Dhiraj Khatri is a certified personal trainer (Canfitpro) specializing in weight lose and strength conditioning.

He coaches people to understand and live a healthy life www.desitoday.ca

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HEALTH & WELLNESS

m e h t h c Cat ! g n u o Y Yoga provides a holistic approach to the growth and development of kids. Its foundation teaches good decision making rather than resorting to impulsive behaviour and risk taking

BY DEEPAK GILL 56

AUG/SEPT 2016 News With A DESi View

Mind, body and soul; is the essence of yoga. Although centuries old, there are several questions that continue to linger about yoga and most importantly its benefits.

Firstly, it is important to understand that yoga is for everyone. It does not discriminate against age, fitness level or any other pertinent factors that one may think will preclude them from being able to practice.

Yoga has been a part of my life for over 13 years for which I have personally sought both the physical and mental benefits through daily practice. It has provided me with skills and tools to effectively balance the many different roles and aspects within my life.

The challenges faced by our young people today in both the school and familial setting undoubtedly play a significant role in their development not only on an academic level but also socially. I feel that children starting in the elementary levels are in need of such programming that will allow them a safe and healthy environment, where they can learn skills and tools to assist in their daily routine that require minimal effort but will provide lasting positive and healthy effects. Engaging in the practice of yoga provides just that.

Yoga encompasses a wide array of areas providing a holistic approach to the growth and development for all persons involved.

Its foundation teaches good decision making rather than resorting to impulsive behaviour and risk taking. This is taught through selfregulation, self-awareness and mindfulness, a mind-body connection, leading the way to a healthier learning environment. My hope is that regular practice of yoga will assist in developing these skills and the individual will then be able to apply them to their everyday lives as they grow mentally, physically, socially, emotionally and spiritually.

Teaching our children self-regulation, the idea of control, at the elementary level has found higher levels of social and academic success. A study by Syracuse University in 2013 evaluated the effectiveness of a mindfulness-based yoga intervention in promoting self-regulation among preschool children (3–5 years old). Results indicated that the children who were most at risk of self-regulation dysfunction benefited the most from the intervention.

Furthermore, research has shown that yoga deactivates the sympathetic division, which prepares the body for action placing it into a fight or flight situation and stimulates the parasympathetic system, which slows down the heart rate resulting in a sense of calm, emotional balance, tranquility, and increased concentration. Through these experiences and practices, yoga assists in developwww.desitoday.ca

ing and maintaining healthy relations with others.

Not only does yoga promote health, by building confidence and reducing stress levels, it has known to improve several common illnesses such as depression, high blood pressure, digestive issues, and increasing metabolism. Furthermore, benefits provide flexibility, improved posture, balance, strength, building stamina, endurance, while toning muscles. Yoga detoxifies the body, stretches your muscles and joints while massaging various organs. There is no particular recommended age to begin yoga as there different forms are available which offer safe and effective postures for everyone.In addition to this, yoga provides a type of activity that is gender neutral and does not discriminate against mental or physical disabilities, as the postures can be modified to fit the needs of each and every person.

Yoga is a union that shapes the mind, body and spirit, shaping the emotions, thoughts and attitudes of an individual. For many of us, our minds wander continuously.

If we aren’t thinking about the future, we are often times thinking about the past but very rarely do we remember to think and live in the present. Yoga helps in the discipline that is required to do just this. Through the practice of yoga and being mindful of remaining in the present during practice is one of the biggest challenges a student encounters and at times I do as well. Finding the discipline to focus and remain in the mode of absolute concentration is demanding but through regular practice and awareness, the rewards are high as we all need self-control in our lives to achieve our goals and desires.

More than ever before, our lives have become fast paced and for many individuals, slowing down to reflect on ourselves is an option that is not available, or at least we don’t think it is. However we must be aware that each one of us holds power in creating and managing ourselves and we need to rememberin order to care for others and be effective in our many roles, we must care for ourselves first. It is a challenge for us to unplug and understand that we are not being selfish in taking time for ourselves. I know its hard work, but if we practice patience and take a risk, we will surprise ourselves of what we are capable of!

Deepak is a certified Bikram Yoga Instructor, and teaches at studios across the Lower Mainland and Vancouver Island. She has been practicing Bikram Hatha Yoga for over 13 years.

www.desitoday.ca

MALE AND FEMALE BRAINS REACT

differently TO STRESS Offering new evidence to show that male and female brains are wired differently, new research has found that a brain region involved with stress and keeping heart rate and blood pressure high work differently in men and women.

While measuring brain activity with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) during blood pressure trials, the researchers found that men and women had opposite responses in the right front of the insular cortex, a part of the brain integral to the experience of emotions, blood pressure control and self-awareness.

The insular cortex has five main parts called gyri serving different roles.

The researchers found that the blood pressure response in the front right gyrus showed an opposite pattern in men and women, with men showing a greater rightsided activation in the area while the women showed a lower response.

“This is such a critical brain area and we hadn’t expected to find such strong differences between men and women’s brains,” said the study’s lead author Paul Macey from University of California, Los Angeles.

This region, the front-right insula, is involved with stress and keeping heart rate and blood pressure high.

“It’s possible the women had already activated this region because of psychological stress, so that when they did the physical test in the study, the brain region could not activate any more. However, it’s also possible that this region is wired differently in men and women,” Macey noted.

The study was published in the journal Frontiers in Neurology.

“We have always thought that the ‘normal’ pattern was for this right-front insula region to activate more than other areas, during a task that raises blood pressure,” added Macey.

“However, since most earlier studies were in men or male animals, it looks like this ‘normal’ response was only in men. The healthy response in women seems to be a lower right-sided activation,” he noted.

“We believe that differences in the structure and function of the insula in men and women might contribute to different clinical symptoms in some medical disorders,” Macey said.

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HEALTH & WELLNESS

4 MYTHS ABOUT

E-CIGARETTES

Advocates tout the e-cigarette as a clean alternative to old-fashioned tobacco, one that can even help people quit smoking. But although the companies making these largely unregulated products promote e-cigarettes as safe and pure, the reality is a little more complicated. Here are four common misconceptions about e-cigarettes, and the scientific evidence against them.

MYTH 1: Vapor from e-cigs is pure.

The liquid “vaped” in an e-cigarette contains nicotine, water and a solvent (usually glycerine or propylene glycol). It may also contain flavoring agents, such as oil of wintergreen. Although this mixture may sound pure enough, neither the liquid (called the e-liquid) nor the device’s delivery system are regulated; this means e-cigarettes could produce harmful chemicals.

In fact, recent studies have identified impurities ranging from formaldehyde to heavy metals in e-cig vapor. And vaporized 58

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propylene glycol is a known eye and respiratory irritant.

One recent study found formaldehyde, acetaldehyde and acetone in the vapor of several different e-cigarette models and liquid nicotine products found formaldehyde, acetaldehyde and acetone. “We found nicotine, of course, but we also found some potentially dangerous compounds,” said study researcher Maciej Goniewicz, an assistant professor of oncology at Roswell Park Cancer Center in Buffalo, New York.

What’s more, users can amp up the voltage of an e-cig delivery device, resulting in a denser, more nicotine-rich vapor. Goniewicz and his team found that at a higher voltage and hotter temperature, levels of harmful chemicals increased, too.

The vapor had a lower chemical content than tobacco smoke, but there was “huge variability” among the products tested, Goniewicz told Live Science. “It doesn’t mean that each product will expose users to high levels of formaldehyde, but there is a risk for sure,” he said.

MYTH 2: E-cigs are safe.

In addition to potential toxicity from chemical byproducts, which could harm users over the long term, e-cigs carry another safety risk. Liquid nicotine is extremely toxic when swallowed, and in some case reports, infants and children have accidentally ingested the substance.

The chances of this happening may increase with flavored liquid nicotine, which may come in enticing-looking packages and can smell tempting, according to new research.

“It mistakenly has this reputation for being safe because it’s purchased over the counter, but it easily can be fatal if it’s taken in high doses,” said Dr. Robert A. Bassett, a medical toxicologist and emergency medicine physician at Einstein Medical Center in Philadelphia. Bassett and his colleagues reported a case of liquid nicotine poisoning in a 10-month-old infant in the May 7 issue of JAMA. www.desitoday.ca

E-cigarettes can cut mortality rate by 21 per cent: Study Usage of e-cigarettes has led to a 21 per cent reduction in smoking-attributable deaths as well as a 20 per cent decrease in years lost due to premature mortality, says a study.

Evidence has suggested that increased use of e-cigarette can dramatically decrease cigarette smoking among youth and young adults, the researchers said, adding that vaping is likely to provide positive health benefits that outweigh the harm.

“E-cigarettes can provide the potential to reduce harm and also improve the public health if used as an alternative to cigarette smoking,” said lead author David Levy, Professor at Georgetown University in Washington, US. However, these e-cigarettes can also increase the harm if people become smokers as a direct consequence of first trying e-cigarettes, the researchers warned.

The “recent claims by some scientists that e-cigarettes are likely to act as a gateway to the use of tobacco products are overstated,” Levy added.

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has recently banned the use of e-cigarettes by youth younger than 18, said the paper published in the journal Nicotine & Tobacco Research.

“We want to discourage use of all nicotine and cigarette products,” Levy said, supporting the move.

Despite the estimates of an overall public health benefit from e-cigarettes, use of these products in youths needs to be continuously monitored, since use patterns are likely to change as the product and awareness about the product changes, the researchers concluded. www.desitoday.ca

The boy recovered within a few hours, but nicotine poisoning could easily be fatal, Bassett said. A teaspoon of standard liquid nicotine would be enough to kill a person who weighs 200 pounds (90 kilograms), Bassett and his colleagues noted in their report.

MYTH 3: E-cigs can help you quit smoking The few studies looking at whether or not using e-cigs helps people kick the habit have had mixed results. Some studies have found people who tried e-cigs wound up smoking fewer regular cigarettes, but they were no more likely to give up smoking entirely.

Overall, the authors of a recent scientific review conclude, “studies that reflect realworld e-cigarette use found that e-cigarette use is not associated with successful quitting ... Taken together, the studies suggest that e-cigarettes are not associated with successful quitting in general population-based samples of smokers.”

And there is even some evidence that e-cigs may get non-smokers hooked on nicotine. Studies have found as many as one-

third of young e-cigarette users have never tried conventional cigarettes.

MYTH 4: E-cigs don’t produce harmful second-hand smoke A main selling point of e-cigs is that they can be used anywhere, because they don’t produce toxic smoke that puts others at risk. But breathing in second-hand vapor, also known as “passive vaping,” may not be harmless. In fact, experts say although The level of toxic chemicals in second-hand vapor is smaller than that in second-hand smoke. But experts say e-cig smoke contains a similar amount of tiny particles of heavy metals and other substances that can damage the lungs.

The Food and Drug Administration has proposed a rule that would permit the agency to regulate e-cigarettes and similarproducts. If the proposal becomes final, the agency said, it will be able to use regulatory tools, such as age restrictions and rigorous scientific review of new tobacco products and claims to reduce tobacco-related disease and death.

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HEALTH & WELLNESS

4 Magical Foods That Could Help Boost Your Immunity The onset of monsoon season brings about a host of infections, allergies, cold and flu with it. The body is most susceptible to infection if it is weak and in a state of imbalance. Hard to digest foods or unhealthy eating habits compromise immunity and health. Building a healthy immune system is not rocket science, in fact, a lot of it is common sense.

So how do we support robust immunity? Here are some essential tips to remember -

• HEALTHY LIFESTYLE : Your first line of defense is to choose a healthy lifestyle.

• DO NOT COMPROMISE ON SLEEP: Sleep is absolutely essential to the immune system. Sleep deprivation severely compromises immunity. Studies show that sleep deprived animals suffer total loss of their immune function. It is the same with humans. Follow a regular sleep pattern, try going to bed and getting up at the same time each day. It’s important to have a restful sleep for 7-8 hours each night.

• MANAGE STRESS: Stress was not a part of our vocabulary in past generations. Life was slower, more relaxed.

Now it’s an integral part of our lives. Excess stress completely depletes our immune response because stress hormones very effectively suppress the immune system. If stress is persistent, you have to reprogram your response to stressful situations. Over time, a daily meditation practice can truly re-pattern the brain. Yoga also helps to dissipate tension, clear stagnation and encourage fluidity throughout the tissues.

Immunity Boosting Foods

helps rid the body of toxins. A study showed that the growth of several bacteria types was inhabited when black pepper was introduced. It was concluded that black pepper may contain not only anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-bacterial and fever reducing actions but immune system enhancing properties as well.

2. GINGER GARLIC SHOTS Ginger and garlic are like an elixir for our body. Their super anti-inflammatory properties bring relief to those horrid body aches.

They help soothe away nausea too.

Juice a thumb sized piece of ginger, one lemon, 2-4 cloves of garlic and one carrot. Try

Here are few herbs, spices and other foods that support the immune system:

1. BLACK PEPPER Available whole, crushed or ground into powder, most Indian homes use black pepper for a reason. This healing pepper is carminative; it discourages intestinal gas, and warms the body so it promotes sweating, which 60

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these shots to strengthen the immune system, because this juice has antiseptic, antifungal and nutritive properties.

3. Tulsi Our very own basil provides immense relief from respiratory disorders, fever, asthma

and lung disorders. It is no doubt then, that tulsi has been worshiped for its endless miraculous and medicinal value. A few leaves dropped in drinking water can help purify it and kill certain germs within it. Tulsi is so powerful that even smelling it has healing properties, thus it being used in aromatherapy.

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The immune system is not a single entity. To function well, it requires balance and harmony. We are self-healing organisms.

Healthy immune system warriors only need good regular nourishment, sleep, exercise and meditation to block the release of stress hormones and increase immune function. www.desitoday.ca

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61

HEALTH & WELLNESS

‘Eat fruits during pregnancy to have smarter kids’ Would-be-mothers please listen! The more fruits you eat during pregnancy, the higher would be your kid’s IQ levels, reveals a study.

The results showed that if pregnant mothers ate six or seven servings of fruit or fruit juice a day on average, their infants placed six or seven points higher on the IQ scale at one year of age.

“We found that one of the biggest predictors of cognitive development was how much fruit moms consumed during pregnancy. The more fruit moms had, the higher their child’s cognitive development,” said lead study author Piush Mandhane from University of Alberta in Canada The team examined data from 688 children and controlled for factors that would normally affect a child’s learning and development such as family income, paternal and maternal education and the gestational age of the child.

The mothers who consumed more fruit during pregnancy gave birth to children who performed better on developmental testing at age one.

“We know that the longer a child is in the womb, the further they develop -- and having one more serving of fruit per day in a mother’s diet provides her baby with the same benefit as being born a whole week later,” Mandhane stated in the paper published in the journal EbioMedicine.

To further build on the findings, Mandhane teamed with co-author Francois Bolduc who researches the genetic basis of cognition in humans and fruit flies.

“Flies are very different from humans but, surprisingly, they have 85 percent of the genes involved in human brain function, making them a great model to study the genetics of memory,” Bolduc stated.

The findings indicated that flies born after being fed increased prenatal fruit juice had significantly better memory ability, similar to the results shown

by Mandhane with one-year-old infants.

one of the biggest predictors of cognitive development was how much fruit moms consumed during pregnancy. The more fruit moms had, the higher their child’s cognitive development

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Jewel care tips for monsoon Pay extra a ention to silver jewellery

Keep separate jewellery holders for each jewellery type

Silver jewellery is prone to corrosion due to its physical properties and it requires timely cleaning. Silver easily loses its sheen in humid temperature. Therefore, it should be kept in a moisture resistant container to maintain its lustre and glow.

Avoid common storage of silver, gold, diamond, and pearl in the same container or zip-lock bags can make you cry. There are chances of getting scratched if they rub each other. Silver jewellery can also get tarnished like other gold and copper. Keeping them in one place can also increase the chances of entanglement. You can use different zip-lock bags as you can fold and place them amid your clothing items inside the closet to keep rings from being broken off and necklaces.

Extra care to pearl and coral jewellery Pearl and coral jewellery need extra attention as a direct contact with hair sprays or perfumes may also damage them. Pearls are delicate and if not stored properly may get nicks and scratches very easily. You can put them in soft pouches or in plastic wrappers after the use. It will protect them from possible frictions.

Your jewels needs extra care during the rainy season. Keep them in separate jewellery holders and don’t use paper tissues to clean them, says an expert. Pritesh Goyal, Director and Jewellery Designer of SLG Jewellers, shares some tips to help you protect your ornaments in monsoon!

Prefer a jewellery box with so interior and hard exterior It is good if you have a sturdy jewellery box that provides adequate protection to your prized possessions. The sturdy exterior should be able to protect against the outer pressure and a soft interior saves the articles from being scratched and preserves the original lustre. Make sure that the jewellery box contains different sections for keeping a variety of jewellery. www.desitoday.ca

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BEAUTY & ENTERTAINMENT

Shiamak Davar DANCE FILMS PROMOTE GENRE IN PLACES WITH LIMITED REACH He has made Bollywood stalwarts like Shah Rukh Khan, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Kareena Kapoor Khan and Hollywood stars Kevin Spacey and John Travolta sway to his steps. Now, National Award-winning choreographer Shiamak Davar is more than happy that dance-based films are creating waves in India as they help in promoting the genre in places where the reach is limited.

Films like “ABCD: Any Body Can Dance” and its sequel, “ABCD 2”, directed by choreographer-director Remo D’Souza, have gained popularity among the youth for their focus on western dance forms.

Giving a thumbs up to this trend, Davar told IANS in an email interview from Vancouver: “It is great that is happening because it exposes more people to dance in places where the reach is limited. There are many different films that are remakes or take inspiration from Hollywood.”

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However, unlike D’Souza, Davar isn’t keen on making a dance film yet.

“That’s true! (I don’t wish to direct a film).

But never say never. There is a lot of things close to my heart that I would like to express through cinema; so let’s see. Right now, directing movies isn’t my focus though,” Davar said.

“I am happy spreading the joy of dance via my schools,” he added.

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country, Davar said: “Every era is defined by a style. The youth loves hip-hop; so that is what is ruling the music and dance scene currently in terms of its influence on Bollywood cinema.”

Amidst the popularity of western dance styles in Bollywood, does he think that the film industry is not focusing on Indian dance forms?

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and the film that defines the dance style,” said the 54-year-old, who is known for his enchanting smile.

Davar, who has choreographed dance sequences in films like “Dil To Pagal Hai”, “Taal”, “Bunty Aur Babli” and “Dhoom 2”, feels cho-

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“Running around trees more than dance was an interpretation of romance back in the good old days... Now it’s different, choreography is more lyrical or to the accents rather than only an interpretation of emotions,” Davar noted.

Davar, who worked with Big B in the 2005 film “Bunty Aur Babli”, said the 73-year-old thespian exudes “inspiring” professionalism.

“Legends are legends. The professionalism that Mr. Bachchan has is inspiring. Most of the new lot is also very hard working.

With me, they have all been great, always

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on time for rehearsals, prepared before they come and hard working,” he said.

According to Davar, “competition helps actors strive for their best, which helps push their limits to make them perform even better”.

DURGA CHAKRAVARTY, IANS www.desitoday.ca

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BEAUTY & ENTERTAINMENT Actress Sonam Kapoor says her father and actor Anil Kapoor had cut her off when she turned 18, compelling her to take her own decision in her personal as well professional life.

She added that “every misstep and every triumph” in her journey in the showbiz has been her own.

When asked about what it was like being the daughter of an actor in terms of privileges and perks when she entered the industry, Sonam said: “My father cut me off when I was 18... He said you want to become an adult, become an adult.

“I had to take responsibility and I did ... and it is one of the best things anybody has ever done for me. You know he said that I never want to make a decision for you. I can tell you what is right or what is wrong but at the end you have to make your own decision.”

The actress, who had her share of setbacks in the industry -- be it with “Saawariya” or “Mausam”, also shares that she loves her father for taking this firm decision.

She said: “I love it, because I can attribute a lot to my father ... but every decision that I made in my career, every misstep and every triumph has all been my own.”

Sonam, who earned applause for films like “Raanjhanaa” and “Neerja”, opened up about how it is being a star kid while talking to actress Tara Sharma in her “The Tara Sharma Show”, read a statement.

The episode of the fourth season will air on Star World and Star World HD on Sunday.

About her career, the “Khoobsurat” star said that even though she aspired to be like her father, she never really wanted to be an actor initially.

She also mentioned how she would like to start a family some day, but isn’t looking to settle down any time soon.

WANT TO BECOME A BIG MUSIC DIRECTOR HARD KAUR

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MY FATHER CUT ME OFF WHEN I WAS 18 SONAM KAPOOR

Singer-rapper Hard Kaur, who has lent her voice to numerous hit songs, says she wants to become a big music director.

“As people weren’t listening to me, I myself became a music director.

And now my songs have come in four films, and more are coming as well.

I am working on it. I wish to become a very big music director,” she said.

Hard Kaur, who is popular for her songs like “Char Baj Gaye” and “Move Your Body”, is coming up with a new single titled “Sherni”, the teaser of which is already out. She is producing the song under her own label Future Records.

About deciding to produce this song, she said: “I wanted to do something different and I obviously am financing it. This is not a party song, so there is a problem for investment as peopleo think that such songs don’t sell. This song is very personal and was important as it is a full-on girl power song.”

She had created the song four years ago and decided to bring it out only after her friends urged her to.

About the decision to come up with the song so late, she said: “I didn’t know whether people are ready or not. I thought, ‘I want to bring it out, I want to do real hip-hop. Why did I start music?’ I had started music to do real hip-hop. Now I have established my name and in the history, my name will go as the first Indian female rapper all over the world.

“I made my mother’s and India’s name proud. But am I happy or not?

No, because I am not making the music I want to make... I have been waiting since nine years to do such a song. First thing was to educate the country about hip-hop, rap. Today, everybody knows what is rap, all sing it, so now it is to take it to the next level, like what exactly is rap.” www.desitoday.ca

Being bad is like an addiction, because we don’t get to do that in real life Actress Priyanka Chopra says being able to play a character with shades of grey is the best part about her Hollywood debut venture “Baywatch”.

The actress, who also features in American TV show “Quantico”, feels being bad is like an addiction as “we don’t get to do that in real life”.

“The best part of working on ‘Baywatch’ is to be the villain of the movie. I don’t think The Rock aka Dwayne Johnson has ever had anyone who’s been mean to him. He’s a great guy but Victoria is a bitch,” Priyanka said .

The actress spoke about her maiden Hollywood project in an interview to Flare Magazine, a Canadian fashion magazine.

The “Baywatch” movie is based on the hugely popular 1990s TV series of the same name. And Priyanka essays Victoria Leeds in it.

Priyanka says Victoria “is mean and patronising and evil just because she can be and I don’t know if Dwayne’s ever had that”.

“So to me that was the best part of doing ‘Baywatch’ and getting on my high high heels and on my tippy toes and doing mean things and getting away with it. I enjoyed it way more than I should.

Being bad is like an addiction, because we don’t get to do that in real life,” she added.

The actress is now busy shooting season two of “Quantico”, which will return in September. The first season of the show will be back in India from the mid-season break on Star World and Star World HD next month.

In the show, Priyanka plays Alex Parrish, an FBI recruit who becomes a suspect of terrorist bombing of New York’s Grand Central Station. The show’s storytelling prism shifts between the present day with Parrish navigating her way through a class of FBI new agent trainees to the near future as the truth and repercussions of the attack emerge.

The actress says one can “definitely expect Alex to be completely out of her element” in season two.

“I mean we are so used to Alex being the tough girl who has the situation under control and she fixes things. Here she is just completely out of her league, completely out of her element with what happens to her in season 2 and she just can’t get a grip on anything. It’ll be very exciting for me to play and you to watch,” said the former Miss World. www.desitoday.ca

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BEAUTY & ENTERTAINMENT

I WANT TO BE FIT LIKE SYLVESTER STALLONE SONU SOOD Bollywood actor Sonu Sood, who has shot for “Kungfu Yoga” with international icon Jackie Chan, says he idolises Hollywood biggie Sylvester Stallone when it comes to fitness.

At 42, Sonu has maintained a chiselled physique and follows a strict diet and workout regime.

“I started working out after watching ‘Rocky’. I wanted to be fit like Sylvester Stallone. Fitness is my life,” Sonu, who has been appointed as the brand ambassador of the Dabang Delhi Kabaddi Club (DDKC) of the Pro Kabaddi League, told IANS here.

Actors are often seen building up their body and working on their abs for movie projects. But Sonu feels that “making a fit body only for a film is not a big thing”.

“You have to keep that in you for life. We pass it to the next generation. I feel that fitness is something that can only be achieved over years... It’s not a oneday task,” he said, adding that if one is physically fit, they are mentally strong too.

The actor, who has featured in movies like “Dabangg” and “Happy New Year”, says it helps if celebrities promote a sport or fitness.

“Common public often has a tendency to follow celebrities considering them as their idols. When these sports are promoted by these stars, they somehow inspire and motivate them to get into this field,” said Sonu, who was an ardent cricket fan and used to even play kabaddi.

In fact, he said that he always wanted to represent India on the cricket field.

He rued how the present-day generation is more involved with indoor games nowadays rather than being outdoors, and said: “I am concerned about today’s generation who are completely involved in the games on playstations and smartphones. The outdoor games we played during our childhood are not played by them.

“It’s high time to provide awareness and shift them by bringing them into the field of outdoor sports like kabaddi and cricket.”

Sonu feels every person has the “jazbaa” (passion) of a sportsperson, and that platforms like Pro Kabaddi League, Celebrity Cricket League, Indian Super League and Indian Premier League are wonderful avenues for actors and film celebrities to explore their interest in sports. Shah Rukh Khan, Abhishek Bachchan and John Abraham are some examples.

Also, Sonu is more than willing to take up a role in a film based on kabaddi if he is approached for it.

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BEAUTY & ENTERTAINMENT Actress Anushka Sharma, who has been a victim to social media trolls several times, says it doesn’t bother her anymore.

Kohli’s side during the ICC Cricket World

that trollers who go after actresses just

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want to feel better by calling them “dumb or

Does she get affected?

stupid”.

Anushka has been criticised on social

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telligent. So, I think it’s something that is

with Test cricket captain Virat Kohli. She

times and it doesn’t affect me anymore,”

very sad and which reflects their social up-

has faced it all. She was also once called a

Anushka told IANS over phone.

bringing and their personalities,” she said.

“bad omen” for being by her rumoured beau

The “Band Baaja Baaraat” star, 28, says

But Anushka, who is currently riding high on the success of her latest release film “Sultan” starring Salman Khan, says she prefers not to respond to trolls.

“One cannot respond to these things seriously because it’s just a person from who is writing something because one must have had a bad day, is pissed off, had a fight with the girlfriend or maybe got dumped... The easy way to act out is to strike somebody who wouldn’t probably answer back to you and wouldn’t fall down to you level,” she said.

The “NH10” star finds it really sad that the trollers usually attack girls “thinking she is a softer target”.

Recently, filmmaker Vikram Bhatt took it upon himself to slam actor Kamaal R. Khan for his derogatory tweets against actresses.

Social media trolls don’t affect me anymore A N U S H K A S H A R M A

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BEAUTY & ENTERTAINMENT

UPCOMING MANMARZIYAN 23 September,2016 Manmarziyan is Associate in Nursing coming Indian 2016 movie industry romantic film directed by Sameer Sharma. Ayushmann Khurrana and Bhumi Pednekar are in lead roles. The film will be a love story set in Punjab, where Bhumi will be playing the role of a Punjabi girl, while Ayushmann will play a Punjabi Munda in the movie. The film also will be starring Vicky Kaushal of the Masaan fame, who plays the third lead in this love triangle where he will be seen romancing Bhumi.

RAAZ REBOOT

BEIIMAAN LOVE

| 30 September, 2016 BEIIMAAN LOVE is a dark love story exposing the ‘beiimaani’ (betrayal) of love in current times. The story revolves around today’s strong independent woman and deals with human relationships and values of life. Sunny Leone plays the role of a young, ambitious, hardworking girl whose world suddenly comes crashing down due to deceit and harsh realities of life. She reinvents herself and returns with vengeance as a business tycoon in a new avatar! This time around though, the tables have turned, with a new twist leading to an unpredictable, hard-hitting culmination!

PINK

16 September, 2016 ‘Raaz’ series has always been captivating with its uncanny concept and characters.

And yet again, the Bhatts are back with a reboot of their successful franchise. The idea was to cash in on the success of some movies, by repeating the skeleton of the original film, only improvising on the cast and the plot here and there. Emraan Hashmi, Kriti Kharbanda and Gaurav Arora will be seen in scary appearance. Raaz Rebooted is the fourth instalment of the horror franchise of Raaz. It’s a horror-cum-love story.

| 16 September, 2016

Shoojit Sircar’s PINK is a social thriller film from the makers of Vicky Donor, Madras Café and Piku. Directed by Aniruddha Roy Chowdhury (National Award Director) and starring Amitabh Bachchan, Taapsee Pannu, Angad Bedi, Kirti Kulhari and Andrea Taring as the pivotal characters, the film narrates the story of three Delhi-based girls, and a yesteryear’s’ big league lawyer, and how their paths cross. The film also explores the dubious morals of today’s times.

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www.desitoday.ca

MOVIES KICKBOXER: VENGEANCE

| September 2nd, 2016 David and Kurt Sloan are the descendants of a well-known Venice, California dynasty of champions. Both are top-notch fighters and athletes in the prime of their lives. When David wins the Karate World Championship, a promoter lures him to Hong Kong despite Kurt’s protests that the man is a crook. Not soon after, Kurt receives a letter from David and heads to Thailand to meet him. When he arrives, he discovers his brother is dead. The man responsible is the viscous Tong Po. Desperate to seek revenge, Kurt turns to Xian Chow, his brother’s former mentor. To defeat the man who killed his brother, Kurt must look within himself to find the strength and courage of a champion.

THE WILD LIFE

SNOWDEN

| September 16th, 2016 The story of Edward Snowden is well-known by now. The young federal government contractor took off for Hong Kong in 2013 with a huge trove of government documents, which he soon leaked to a group of journalists, exposing numerous U.S. government secrets related to national security and surveillance. The moment Snowden met in Hong Kong with those journalists was chronicled in Laura Poitras’ Oscar-winning 2014 documentary CitizenFour.

| Sept 9 From the over-exuberant parrot Tuesday to the snack-obsessed tapir Rosie, from the persnickety echidna Epi to the acrobatic pangolin Pango, from the ditzy goat Scrubby to the commonsensical kingfisher Kiki and the always-cool chameleon Carmello, things are larger than life on a tropical isle that is pure wild animal paradise. Then Robinson Crusoe, a marooned human, arrives in the midst of a furious storm, and their lives are forever changed by this bewildering new “creature.”

No matter their differences, castaway human and quirky animals embark on an hilarious new adventure, building the island’s first tree house and surviving together. But when two conniving members of the animal kingdom—the savage cats Mal and May—pounce into a battle for control of the island, Crusoe and his animal posse must uncover the true power of friendship against all odds (even savage cats).

SKIPTRACE

| September 2, 2016 Skiptrace is the Hong Kong- Chinese- American movie starring Chinese superstar Jackie Chan in lead role along with American co star Johnny Knoxville. Jackie Chan is portraying a character of a Hong Kong detective who is forced to team up with Knoxville when his niece portrayed by Fan Bingbing finds herself in trouble with a criminal act of notorious Chinese delinquent. The movie is full of Action and Comedy sequences depicted by the versatile actor Chan in a run chase to free Knoxville niece.

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OMG! I’D LOVE TO WORK IN BOLLYWOOD

MELISSA MCCARTHY She finds Indian cinema “truly incredible” for its ability to make viewers switch out of reality and then get back to it. And it is for this reason that American actress Melissa McCarthy says she would love to work in Bollywood.

McCarthy shared her eagerness to bring her talent to India by working in a Bollywood project with this IANS correspondent during a press meet here for her film “Ghostbusters”, directed by Paul Feig.

“Oh my god, I would love to work in Bollywood. I love the whole vibe. I love the story and I love the spontaneous moment of breaking out. It is like a world within a world,” McCarthy told on being asked if she fancies doing an Indian project.

Indian films are essentially looked at by the western world as offering music hoopla and dance revelry interspersed with the entertainment quotient.

McCarthy loves it all.

“I love when the change happens. You can switch off from the reality and then come back to it,” she said with her eyes sparkling in excitement.

The Los Angeles-based actress has earlier shared screen space with Indian actress Nargis Fakhri in “Spy”. She says she has watched a number of Bollywood films, but admitted that she had trouble recalling the titles.

She says: “I have seen (the films) with Paul’s wife. She is my gateway to them as she loves watching Bollywood films.”

Mccarthy was in India to talk about “Ghostbusters” at a press event organised

by Sony Pictures Entertainment for select media from across Asia.

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In the film, she is seen with Kristen Wiig, Leslie Jones, Kate McKinnon and Chris Hemsworth.

Feig’s version of the famous 1984 eponymous American supernatural horror comedy comes with a twist. He picked an all-female cast as ghostbusters to narrate his vision of classic film. It has released in India in July.

McCarthy remembers watching the original film at a theatre.

She saved her allowance and did extra chores around the house so that she could afford to see the movie several times.

“I did not go back to see a movie very often, but that one, I did. I probably saw it four times in the theatre,” recounted the actress, who has carved a place for herself on the big screen as well as small screen with shows like “Gilmore Girls” and “Mike & Molly”.

McCarthy has proved her mettle in showbiz with hit films like “Bridesmaids”, “The Heat”, “Identity Thief” and “The Boss”.

The actress, who is married to actor Ben Falcone, asserts that the formula for a hit is a good script with the right amount of acting and improvisation.

She said: “I think you can improvise off an incredibly well written script. I think if you are trying to fake a story or something, you are never going to like that. But if you have a really tight, concise and perfect script, then in the next take you say that or change a couple of words or the intention.

“And that way you end up getting something spontaneous in each take.”

By Sugandha Rawal, IANS

www.desitoday.ca

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LIFE & ETC

GINNI MAHI

PUNJABI POP VOICE OF DALIT RIGHTS

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Have you heard Chamar Pop? If not, Ginni Mahi is a good place to start. Gurkanwal Bharti, popularly known as Ginni Mahi is 18-year-old singer from Punjab, who proudly identifies as Dalit as much as Punjabi, Ginni’s been reversing the pop music trend with her songs. Mahi’s music, though catchy, comprises of revamped shabads (devotional songs) and songs about Dalit pride.

With thousands of followers on Facebook and YouTube, Mahi has arrived. And this is rather interesting in the times of Punjabi hip-hop. Mahi’s music is earthy, sprinkled with Punjabi folk unlike brand Yo Yo or Badshah. Her songs are rooted in Punjabi folk tunes and extol the virtues of BR Ambedkar and Sant Ravidass, both powerful Dalit icons. Mahi’s family belongs to the Ravidassia faith, founded out of Sikh-

ism, that believes in the oneness of God. The teachings of Ravidassias are compiled in the Amritbani Guru Ravidass Ji, the community’s holy book. Mahi’s songs are, for the most part, shabads or hymns written in praise of her Guru.

Born to Rakesh Chandra Mahi and Paramjeet Kaur Mahi in Jalandhar, Punjab, Mahi realised that she wanted to be a singer at a very young age. She remembers going up to her father and saying, “Papa, ek gaana sunau? (Papa, shall I sing you a song?)” Her doting father, who changed his children’s surnames from Mahi to Bharti because he says he wanted them to be remembered for being Indian above all else, thought there was an element of magic in her voice and endeavoured to take her to every music producer he knew. They eventually found a champion in Amarjeet Singh of Amar Audio, who has produced both of Mahi’s albums, Guran di Deewani and Gurpurab hai Kanshi Wale Da. Surrounding Mahi is a team of family members committed to turning her dream into a reality. Her team consists of members of her joint family, especially her mother, father and chachi (aunt), who listen to hundred of songs before deciding which ones Mahi should sing. The team has focused exclusively on songs with Dalit pride messages so far, but Mahi’s father says that they aren’t restricting themselves to devotional songs.

He says, “Thodi pehchaan banane ke liye humne devotional songs chune (We chose devotional songs to cultivate her identity).

Her videos, though not of high quality, are a treat to watch. In ‘Danger Chamar’, we see Mahi, dressed like the girl next door, challenging the mainstream ‘Punjabi swag’ www.desitoday.ca

with her confident singing and Hulk-like men in the background, who do nothing but flex muscles. Way to be subversive.

And what does Ginni Mahi sing while men flex their ‘doley-sholey’? About the ‘Danger’ that is a ‘Chamar’, of course. About growing up with the constant reminder that chamars are dangerous - the kind of otherisation Dalits constantly face. Instead of being a victim, Mahi decided to make a song about it that’s so catchy and absurd all at once that you begin to see the point.

As a devout Ravidassia - follower of the Sant Ravidass school of Sikhism - Ginni Mahi’s music has strong religious undertones. She sings in praise of her Guru Sant Ravidass, who like her other hero Dr BR Ambedkar, is also a Dalit icon. However, unlike devotional music at large, Mahi incorporates dance beats that make her music youth-friendly.

One of her songs called ‘Fan Baba Sahib Ki’ goes, “Main thi Babasaheb di, jine likheya si samvidhaan” (I’m Ambedkar’s daughter, the man who wrote the Constitution). She goes on to sing about the significance of her identity and how she, as a young Dalit woman, needs to be heard.

In her track ‘Haq’, she sings about fighting for rights and how Babaseheb has taught Dalits to speak up.

Mahi considers her songs to be extremely important in reminding her community to remember their Guru. “Unhone apni taraf se sirf Dalit samaj ke liye nahin, par pure world ke liye kaha tha ki mein aisa raj chahta hoon ki jahan par kissi tarah ka bhi bhed-bhav na ho. Equality sabhi ko mile (From his side he [Guru Ravidass] did not just talk for the Dalit community, he said it for the whole world that I want a dispensation without caste discrimination, where everyone is equal),” she adds. In her song Danger 2 she repeats this message. She takes the unpleasantness usually associated with her caste name (Chamar), often used as a slur, and turns it into something empowering, a tag of pride. She’s mindful of the support she’s received from her community and says that her songs are a way of promoting her “Dalit samaj” and religion.

She recently cleared her class 12 examinations with an aggregate of 77 percent and is now beginning her first year at college.

Her family is adamant that she complete her education, even as she dreams of conquering the hearts of millions of Indians with her singing. Budding playback singer she may be, but for now, Mahi also has college to worry about. www.desitoday.ca

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LIFE & ETC

What can happen, if you don’t kill a girl child Indian women have proved and earned their metals in Olympics after wrestler Sakshi Malik clinching a bronze in the Women’s Freestyle 58kg category and PV Sindhu winning a silver medal at the badminton final. This display of extraordinary talent of Indian women was big a slap on the face of those who criticize Indian athletes for their non-performance. Days before Shobhaa De, famous author had tweeted that all team India is doing at Rio Olympics is clicking selfies and not winning any medals. She went on to say that it’s a waste of opportunity and money. “Goal of Team India at the Olympics: Rio jao. Selfies lo. Khaali haat wapas aao.

What a waste of money and opportunity,” she tweeted. She was slammed for her comments by the country. Cricketer Virender Sehwag, took the lead in taking on De on Twitter.

Sehwag also sent a serious message time.

He cited wrestler Malik’s bronze medal victory as a reminder of what can happen if you don’t kill a girl child. “Sakshi Malik is a reminder of what cn happn if u don’t kill a girl child. When d going gets tough, its our girls who get going &save our pride,” he said.

Naturally, Sehwag’s women empowering tweet went viral with over 10,000 retweets within 4 hours. The gritty woman wrestler ended India’s painful wait for a medal at the Rio Olympic Games.

The 23-year-old from Rohtak became only the fourth woman athlete from India to win an Olympic medal.

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Sehwag’s comment is particularly relevant because Malik’s home district of Rohtak in Haryana is one of 262 Indian districts and cities listed as “gender critical” areas where the sex ratio is below 900 females for every 1,000 males.

One of 17 Haryana districts classified as gender-critical, Rohtak has 867 females for every 1,000 males. This is an improvement over 847 in 2001. The sex ratio should ideally be between 940 and 980, according to various estimations.

The child sex ratio -- the proportion of female to male children under six years -- has also improved to 820 per 1,000 from 798. One reason could be the much-publicised rise of Haryana’s female wrestlers as role models, although both ratios continue to be critical.

Sehwag’s tweet set off a social-media debate on the relevance of Malik’s medal to female foeticide.

About 2,000 girls die -- aborted or starved, poisoned or otherwise killed after birth -- every day in India, according to Women and Child Development Minister Maneka Gandhi, who provided this data in April 2015, as IndiaSpend reported. The estimates of women missing range from two million to 25 million.

Not only do missing women take a toll in terms of fewer brides and increased trafficking of women, India loses workforce talent and diversity. For instance, economists have struggled to explain the fall in women in India’s workforce -- contrary to global trends

-- over the 2000s, despite a rise in industrialisation and prosperity.

Indeed, prosperity appears to worsen the sex ratio. Some of India’s most prosperous areas in its richest cities, including Mumbai and Delhi, have the country’s lowest sex ratios. Female foeticide increases with easy access to medical facilities, ability to pay doctors and the availability of good roads, which cut down travel time, according to demographer Ashish Bose in his book Sex-Selective Abortion in India, based on fieldwork in Punjab, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh.

A wealth of laws and programmes instituted to protect girls are failing them in India’s two most economically-developed states, Maharashtra and Gujarat, IndiaSpend reported in June 2015.

India’s child sex ratio, the ratio of male to female children under six years, is now the worst in the 70 years for which data are available. If it does not improve, by 2030, India will have 23 million fewer women (aged 29-40) than it should, according to a United Nations Population Fund projection.

India’s child sex ratio is 919 girls for every 1,000 boys, according to Census 2011, down from 927 in 2001, 945 in 1991 and 962 in 1981.

More male children tend to be born than female. But girls are hardier and tend to survive better than boys. So, the sex ratio at birth tends to mirror the child sex ratio, which should ideally be between 943 and 954 females for every 1,000 males.

“The decreasing sex ratio in this age group has a cascading effect on population over a period of time leading to diminishing sex ratio in the country,” according to a Census of India study, which warned that the imbalance at this early age is hard to remove and “would remain to haunt the population for a long time to come”. www.desitoday.ca

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BATTLED THE MEDIA MORE THAN TENNIS This Hollywood style movie will set new benchmarks

BOOK REVIEW

Title: Ace against Odds: Author: Sania Mirza with Imran Mirza and Shivani Gupta Publisher: Harper Collins Price: Rs 499 ($10) Pages: 238

Eulogised, feted, doubted and criticised -- Sania Mirza’s life is an example of how a girl with “Have a dream reached her goal after scaling all odds. a lot of respect The 29-year-old’s battle on court -- and with fringe elements off it -- is the stuff legends are made of. Whether an innocuous picture of Sania putting her leg up after a match, ... genuinely, I am telling a comment about pre-marital sex, the length of her skirt or even her marrying a Pakiyou there are no bigger achievstani cricketer, she has been at the receiving end. Taking on allegations over her irrevers than women in this world,”he erent behavior with the same strength of her killer forehand, Sania is an example of said, adding, “She (Sania) is the how an icon is trivialized into an object of public scrutiny.

In “Ace Against Odds”, Sania tells the readers of her bitter-sweet memories and ‘Rani (Queen)’ of racket.’” “Sania the struggles she overcame to achieve her dreams. has done more than anyone Propelled into the big league at a very young age, Sania was aware about what else to make our country she lacked and quickly learnt what she needed for sustaining herself on the tour. proud...,” From becoming India’s No.1 woman tennis player to being the World No.1 in the women’s doubles with Swiss legend Martina Hingis, controversy has dogged her caShah Rukh Khan reer.

Sania is candid in her admissions and open to speak her mind, a virtue that still makes her a youth icon in a cricket-crazy country. Ushering in a renewed interest in tennis among aficionados and fans, Sania was instrumental is bringing in the crowds to tennis matches.

Learning early in life that grit, determination and hard work bring laurels, she 78

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Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan launched the autobiography of Sania Mirza titled ‘Ace Against Odds’ in Hyderabad.

“Genuinely ... I feel that the more love we show to our girls ... the more love we show to our women and the more love and respect we show to our ladies ... believe me, we will have many more achievements which are world class like Sania’s,” the 50 year-old actor said.

quickly understood that people were uncompromising when it came to criticising icons -- may be a trait typical to a society short on tolerance and high on moralistic turpitude.

Her journey from a junior player to a Grand Slam winner is one strewn with pain and glory. Nagging injuries and the toll that the circuit took on her body forced her to quit the singles format in 2012.

More than the injuries, it was the media circus that hurt her the most. Thrust into fame at a very young age, Sania dealt with the glitz, lights and star-struck fans with ease, but when things got personal, the media was unrelenting in invading her privacy and pummelling her with innuendos.

Her bitter-sweet relationship with media and the constant tours left her with just a handful of friends, a group that backed her through thick and thin. But what gave her emotional strength was the rock solid backing from her father Imran Mirza and the innumerable sacrifices by her mother Nasima.

The entry of Shoaib Malik into her life brought a refreshing change and, of course, the media, which painted her an anti-national for picking a Pakistani cricketer. She www.desitoday.ca

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LIFE & ETC

People can’t achieve in three lifetimes what Sania did at 29 SALMAN KHAN

People don’t achieve even in three lifetimes what Sania Mirza has achieved at 29, said Salman Khan at the launch of tennis player’s autobiography “Ace Against Odds”.

“People dont achieve what Sania has achieved at 29 even in three lifetimes... I think she has lots to say, so before she forgets what she wanted to say she came up with a book. I think that was very wise, sensible decision for her to write her autobiography. And a er this there will be part 2,3,4 because she is an achiever and she is going to keep on achieving,” said the Bollywood actor at the event.

Sania, who is friends with several biggies in the industry, roped in Salman Khan as a chief guest to promote her first book, and the actor seemed quite happy to do so.

The book captures Sania’s journey of becoming World No.1 tennis player in women’s doubles and the roadblocks that she encountered while realising her dream.

Salman Khan said that he has known Sania for 14 years, they share an incredible 80

AUG/SEPT 2016 News With A DESI View

friendship and he truly believes that if Sania makes up her mind to enter the film industry, she will do wonders.

Talking about her biography Sania said, “’Ace Against Odds’, is my story of an amazing journey and I am delighted to share it with the world. I feel specially honoured and grateful that my friend Salmon took time out of his extremely busy schedule to officially launch my autobiography.”

“We all have to struggle. I don’t think anyone has made it without struggle. All the people, who have not made it, have never struggled. Most of them have not struggled as hard as the other person. Everyone thinks that they are the only one struggling but what they don’t realise is that the next person is struggling three times harder than you. So you need to be working ten times harder than what you actually think you’re working,” the “Sultan” actor expressed.

Salman Khan is currently enjoying the success of “Sultan” which has done well both critically and commercially.

and her family were virtually under house arrest as the media invaded every bit of privacy the family had.

What followed next changed her life forever. This excerpt narrates this event: “It would not be wrong to say that for almost two weeks the media went berserk.

About two hundred newsmen armed with cameras and microphones, files and pens, camped outside our house and hounded every guest and family member as they entered or le . A dozen satellite vans were parked in the lane, beaming inconsequential footage of the house and the visitors. Cameras were fixed at all angles and were recording round the clock. Camera crews had bagged strategic positions on buildings around the house to gain a 360-degree perspective. If a curtain at a window moved even an inch, exposing one of my family members or me doing mundane chores in the house, some news channel thought it important to telecast the image to viewers with super-imaginative interpretations. It was totally bizarre and unexpected!

“On one of those days, amidst all the madness, my father got a frantic call from a relative who sounded hysterical. ‘Is Sania wearing a green T-shirt?’ he questioned.

When my dad answered it in the affirmative, he almost screamed, ‘Draw your curtains!

There are cameras fixed on the next-door building that’s under construction and news channels are showing her live right now!’

“I did not see sunlight for about ten days. All the windows, even the small vents in the bathrooms, had to be covered. Even the smallest of peepholes were being used by the media to beam images. Going out to the balcony for a breather was asking for trouble.”

Thrust into the limelight, Mirza found benign support from another Indian tennis ace and mixed double’s partner, Mahesh Bhupathi. It was a er consultations with him that Sania decided to skip a WTA tournament at Bengaluru.

What followed was a trial by the media on the reasons of her pull-out. It was during this period that WTA chief executive Larry Sco arranged a special conference with Ari Fleischer to give Sania tips to handle media. And it was during her interaction with Fleischer that she found out that he was the one who handled US President George Bush’s poll campaign and later became the president’s first press secretary.

But the important question remains, would a male Indian tennis star have to go through such incongruous acrimony?

Should the media not draw an ethical line? www.desitoday.ca

LIFE & ETC Twelve years ago, world came crashing down on this 34-year-old entrepreneur from Ludhiana when her father died of brain haemorrhage. Creditors had started hounding her to clear debt of Rs 10 crore taken by her father’s company, Akal Springs Limited, and there was no hope in sight for her.

Featuring this week on the Facebook page launched by city administration — Inspiring Daughters of Ludhiana — is the story of Sandeep Riat alias Minnie who, with her sheer grit and determination, emerged as a winner against all odds.

She remembers the day her father died in 2004. The bank official had told her “Take 15 days to mourn and then clear your debt”, when 22-year-old Sandeep was sobbing near her father’s body.

Second among four siblings, Sandeep had just completed her graduation in business management, when she had to take over her father’s sick unit as managing director. It took her four years to clear the debt after which she started working on the unit.

But those years were very tough for her, as she faced the daunting task of dealing with umpteen court cases, bank recovery agents, and over 250 employees, who would ask for their salaries almost every day.

She managed to transform the sick unit, which manufactured truck suspensions, into a profit making venture, and today, her company receives orders from major vehicle manufacturers, including Tata Motors and Mahindra and Mahindra, in Jamshedpur, Lucknow for spare parts of trucks, and is also into exporting auto parts.

Recalling everything, she says, “There were more than 45 court cases against us, including many cheque bounce cases. I used to come to the plant and there used to be about 20 people waiting for me, asking for their money. One day there was a court case at Delhi, another at Chandigarh and the third at Ludhiana court and I was wondering which one to attend.”

“People used to advise me to run away, saying ‘nothing is going to happen’. Many a times, banks requested the DC to send police to our plant for taking it into possession.

My mother had undergone a heart surgery and we were completely shattered. But, I told myself that I am not going to run away from all of this,” she says.

Picking up the pieces, Sandeep took one thing at a time and what followed was ardent hard work.

“I requested the staff comprising a large number of migrant workers to have faith and continue for some time without wages. www.desitoday.ca

Inspiring Daughters of Ludhiana It is truly inspiring to read a story whose protagonist has beaten all odds to carve a niche of their own. Titled ‘Idol Inspiring Daughters of Ludhiana’, the administration has launched a Facebook page that features city women who have overcome numerous hurdles, social and financial both, to emerge successful in their endeavours. The page has been prepared by ADC (development) Apnit Ryat along with a city-based NGO Ehsaas They agreed. Then I took a major decision and sold off four-acre land of the plant and shifted entire machinery to the remaining two acres, that helped in getting rid of some debt,” she added.

For starting the work again, she needed money but seven nationalised banks refused to give her loan at that time.

“Nobody trusted us, banks used to say I am a woman, and how will I run an industrial unit? Only one bank showed faith and finally we managed to some loan and started the work all over again,” she said.

Using business tactics and opening another entity helped developed her business again.

“From a period of 2006 to 2008, I worked day and night and do not remember how these years flew by. I don’t even remember celebrating my birthday during these years,” she said.

The unit, managed single-handedly by Sandeep, is now raking in huge profits today.

Sandeep was awarded with Parman Patra award by Punjab chief minister Parkash Singh Badal in 2011. All contented with the company reaching new heights, Sandeep’s brother and sister have also joined the business. Recently, she married off her younger sister.

“I wish my father was alive to see this day,” she signs off, with moist eyes.

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LIFE & ETC

HOROSCOPE AUG-2016 Capricorn (Dec 22 - Jan 19)

Aries (Mar 21 - Apr 19)

This will be a lovely chance to get away for a romantic break. Your mind will be focused on your sexual activities and about as far-removed from the of�ice as it can be. It’s sensible to take a break from routine. This horoscope month will do you the world of good.

Aquarius (Jan 20 - Feb 18)

This looks like a lovely time for the sign of Aquarius. Your work will be going extremely well and time spent with your family will be both enjoyable and restful. Try to get outside as often as possible, whether to parks or forest areas. Take picnics which will be very popular with the youngsters in the family. You can especially enjoy the company of the youngsters who will pester you to tell those jokes that only you can explain.

Pisces (Feb 19 - Mar 20)

Watch your posture this horoscope month. Be sure to fully warm up your muscles and joints before you embark on any kind of physical exercise. This is the perfect month to indulge in love affairs and romance. You will relish the extra attention you are getting from members of the opposite sex. Someone may think you are very vulnerable and offer you protection from unwanted advances.

Packages Starting at Less Than

It can get somewhat confusing as you alternate between knowing what you want and being unsure if you can really get it. You might be feeling like the lighthearted fun in your life is slipping away and you will be left with heavy responsibilities and too much work. It’s a frightening proposition, especially if love feels harder to come by. Don’t fall into the trap of fear. You’ll be �ine. There is plenty of fun to go around. If you need to be serious for a spell, don’t worry. The good times will return by mid-month, but it’s up to you to learn how to relax and go with the �low.

Taurus (Apr 20 - May 20)

This place and time were meant for you.

You’re doing your best, enjoying yourself and attracting all the right people. Make it last by being god to everyone around you. You really love the summer and it shows. You can alternate between doing your outdoor yard work while you have the radio on so that you can sing along with your favorite tunes.

You are setting a very good example that it’s possible to play while work is getting accomplished. There is also great news on the horizon as a real-estate project that you have been working on really begins to pay off.

Gemini (May 21 - June 21)

You will need to be prepared for con�licts with loved ones and with colleagues in

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AUG/SEPT 2016 News With A DESi View

Cancer (June 22 - July 22)

Float a theory among people that love to think. Turning big ideas into hard reality is a real team effort. Who’s committing and who’s just along for the ride? Your desire to get more education and be around people that can help make a difference in your life is very strong now. Anyone who doesn’t support what you are trying to accomplish will just have to get out of your way.

Leo (July 23-Aug 22)

You’ll be drawn to someone who is amazingly attractive – and a bit dangerous.

Just be sure it’s only an image and not a fact before you sign up for the long haul. You enjoy a challenge, especially in the bedroom, so the more mysterious someone is the greater the attraction. Be careful of going overboard with your spending this month. You should be in a very good mood all month and may be feeling quite generous too. The �lame of passion burns high for you all month long.

Virgo (Aug 23-Sept 22)

Congratulations. You just talked yourself into a bigger slice of the pie. What you get now is what you wanted all along.

Memories of this glowing month will cheer you up forever. For the �irst half of August you may feel sluggish and just plain lazy, but that’s all right because everything is moving along in Divine Timing. By the time the sun goes into your sign on August 23rd, you will be more than ready to pick up steam and move ahead to where you want to be. Take some lessons from Leo the Lion and just lay around in the sun with a beautiful partner. Find a cozy beach and set up an umbrella.

Libra (Sept 23-Oct 22)

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the workplace Gemini. You will clash with someone on a personal level and with someone on a professional level. Don’t stand down. Stick to your guns! If you are armed with the facts, you can retaliate with evidence that can’t be argued with. Watch your opponents withdraw in a shame-faced way. Relations in work may be cool for a while.

This will be an extremely sociable interlude for Libran people, both romantically and with friends and families in social groups. Libran people are completely at ease with groups of people and there will be lots of talk and discussion as well as jokes and banter. Trust your intuition since it won’t let you down. This is the perfect time for a romantic weekend break. You could even negotiate a bargain.

Scorpio (Oct 23-Nov 21)

You may have to do a little creative accounting this month if you want to be able to afford all the things you’ve been putting on your wish list. Luck is with you, so if you want to invest, now is a good time. You have a good eye for investing in things that have long-term value and usually end up being worth much more in the long run. It’s important that you also invest in yourself!

Sagittarius (Nov 22-Dec 21)

You will want sex this month, much more than you want romantic attachment or anything so complicated. Try not to be too direct in your approach or you’ll end up on your own and frustrated. Your best focus will be on your career and you family and friends will come second best to your preoccupations with your professional life.

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