Desi today june 2016 web

Vol. 7 | Issue 3 | June- July 2016

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Surrey Youth beyond Gangs & Guns

JACK UPPAL:

The South Asian Legend

PUNJAB ELECTIONS: What’s Hot

Surrey’s 25 Young Achievers

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8 10 12 16 22 24 26 27 28 30 34 36 40 42 44 46

A tribute to Jack Uppal Surrey youth: Beyond gangs and guns The good, the bad and Surrey Jazzy B Lights, camera and shooting in Surrey Black and blue bruises Trump an outcome of the Bush world disorder How the Brexit vote could impact Canadian With Elections in mind, Akali Dal becomes religious AAPka Punjab The Unsung Yogi of Pakistan They mean business My life as a Surrey youth Culturally sanctioned discrimination ‘Greatest of All’ : Muhammad Ali The benign origins of ISIS until it rose to catastrophic heights

Business & Career 48 App for your beer 50 High stakes of digital security

Health & Wellness 52 54 55 58 57

Joti’s advice column Don’t forbid your kids access to Internet Relax, Texting or phone calls at dinner time is Okay Walk to have a healthy life Think before selecting your sunscreen

Fashion & Business 56 Try a new ethnic look 57 Preserve your wedding attire for life 58 Shahnaz Husain’s Tips for glowing skin

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FROM A SURREY BOY TO

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58 Tips to Whiten Nails 59 Papaya, tomato, honey help remove skin tan during summer

Beauty & Entertainment 60 Bored of saris, anarkalis on special occasions?

Innovate your ethnic look 61 Tricks to preserve wedding attire 62 Daayans’, ‘makhis’ not regressive content on TV Dipika Kakar 62 Big B lists disadvantages of fame 63 ‘Udta Punjab: Redemption and enlightenment 64 Ileana D’Cruz: Akshay is a superstar 66 More romantic films now: Irrfan Khan 67 I was avoided by all on ‘Udta Punjab’ set: Alia Bhatt 68 Bollywood Girls: Before and after 78 Highway 5: A new genre in Punjabi cinema 70 Upcoming Movies 72 Bollywood needs to get rid of mediocrity

Life & Etc. 74 Around town 75 Europe without Britain 76 Namaste, Sat Shri Akal and Jambo Indian experience in Africa: Indian experience in Africa 78 Highway 5’: A new turn in Punjabi cinema 81 Food for thaught

Publishers Sanjeev Katyal Rakesh Gupta Writers Surbhi Gogia Dhiraj Khatri Joti (Navjeet) Bajwa Suresh Kurl Layout & Graphic Design Mohammed Ahmed

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Surrey is a young city. A quarter of Surrey’s population is under 19 years, and it has the largest number of youth of all BC municipalities.

But when majority thinks about its young population, the first image that comes to mind is gangs and drugs violence. The young population from this city has much brighter side to it and thriving at every end. In this issue we celebrate the achievements of the Surrey youth.

If some are progressing in business, some have achieved academic excellence. They have made their city proud. The Surrey Board of Trade recently awarded 25 achievers who are not even 25 year old but have achieved so much to be the leaders of tomorrow. Read in their own words where they got their inspiration. There is one more personality from Surrey who was inducted in BC’s Entertainment Hall of Fame Jazzy B -- the Crown Prince of Bhangra. Read his exclusive interview how he became the Bhangra King.

We also bring to you achievements of other South Asians who made their community proud with their hard work and dedication to serve humanity. Jack Uppal was one of them. The City of Vancouver recently names a street after him.

The summer is finally here. It is the time to be out and get your body in shape again. We bring to you expert advice on getting a healthy lifestyle with just one step – walking. We also answer the

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It is not hot in Canada only. The scene in Punjab politics too is heating up with less than one year for the assembly elections. Read how all the political parties are playing their cards to woo voters especially the Aam Admi Party seems to be the front runner.

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FEATURE

WALKING THE

Jack Uppal

WAY

Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson (far left) with Cindy Bains, daughter of the late Jack Uppal, and other Uppal family members.

The city of Vancouver recently named a street after legendry Punjabi community member Late Mr Jagat ‘Jack’ Uppal, making him an unforgettable part of Vancouver’s history and culture

BY SURBHI GOGIA

In literal sense it is easy to walk on Jack Uppal way. Go to South Vancouver and a new street that runs between East Kent Avenue North and Sawmill Crescent, is named after this famous Sikh pioneer and the successful businessman. Anyone and everyone can take a walk on this historic road that strives to reflect BC’s rich sawmill culture.

However, there will only be a handful of 8

JUNE/JULY 2016 News With A DEsi View

those who will follow the symbolic way this incredible community member took when he was alive. It was the path of love, humanity and hard work.

Uppal was conferred an honorary degree by the Simon Fraser University in 2012. In his memorable speech he said, “My love for humanity is the essence of my being…and I want to infect you with the same desire to do for others as you would do for yourself.”

Uppal dedicated a major part of his life helping those in need. Since his early life was surrounded by struggle and hardships as an immigrant, he never wanted his fellow community members to suffer the same way. If his early years were dedicated to build a good life for his family, his later life was truly dedicated to build a respectful life for the coming generations of the Punjabi community.

Jagat (Jack) Uppal was born Feb. 27, 1925, in Punjab. His father Dalip Singh was among the first wave of Sikhs who came to Canada in 1906. Uppal came to BC in 1926 with his mother, when he was just an infant.

His father played a major role in providing food for those who were stuck on Komagata Maru. “The urge to help others and fight for the rights of our community ran in our blood,” says Cindy Bains, proud daughter of Uppal.

Uppal’s father used to recite verses from the Guru Granth Sahib. These early teachings had a profound effect on his life. In his convocation address, he recalled that unable to attend the day school he went to the night school. He was one of the first Sikhs in those days to attend public school in Vancouver.

One day the teacher asked students to deliver impromptu speech in the class. When it was his turn, the teacher asked about the topic of young Uppal’s speech. His answer www.desitoday.ca

was, “love.”

He said, “love is a many splendored thing.

Love comes in many forms... But the love I’m going to talk about today is love for humanity. How you deal with your fellow human beings in your everyday life whether good or bad is going to be judged in the eyes of God, not by the colour of your skin, or the garments you wear because they do not affect your inner self.”

Uppal left school when he was in Grade 8. He and his brother worked nonstop to support for the family after their father’s death. He worked at B.C. sawmills. He also had a short stint as a bus driver. The early years and fight for his rights helped build character, and throughout his life, Uppal spoke out for the disadvantaged. As a young activist, he helped lobby for voting rights for South Asians, granted in 1947.

After years working in the lumber industry, he started his own in 1971, establishing Goldwood Industries on nearby Mitchell Island. The mill is located on the north arm of the Fraser River. The choice to commemorate Uppal in the River District not only reflects its rich history and culture, it celebrates his legacy and achievements as an early activist for human rights in Vancouver’s South Asian Community. The area had one of the oldest sawmills operated by H.R. Macmillan. Jack helped many new immigrants settling in their new homeland by employing them in his own mill, as well as helping find them employment in sawmills throughout B.C. in places like Prince Rupert, Prince George, Williams Lake, Golden and Vancouver Island.

Whether it was helping as president of Khalsa Diwan Society or helping people for immigration, someone to get a refrigerator, to get a job or filing income tax, Uppal was

always willing. His daughter remembers how his father involved the entire family in this. “Me and my brothers and sisters all contributed. My dad would ask us to take people around, helping them buy things and help them any way we could.”

Uppal was also instrumental in establishing the Ross St. Sikh Temple when he joined others in the community to purchase the site.

Uppal died at the age of 89 in 2014 leaving a legacy of love, respect and recognition for his community. Bains says her father’s wish for the community was education. “He wanted our people to get more education.

He was proud of our culture and heritage but he wanted that we gain good things of Canadian culture too.”

And now a street named the “Jack Uppal”.

“I am delighted to honour Jack Uppal’s legacy as an extraordinary leader in our City,” said Mayor Gregor Robertson. “Mr. Uppal dedicated his life to standing up for equal rights and opportunities. He was at the forefront of paving the way for a more equal Vancouver, free from racism and discrimination.”

“Naming a street in celebration of my father shows how much respect the City of Vancouver and the Canadian Society has for him. My father would have been thrilled and honoured that a street was named for his accomplishments,” says Bains.

“He, along with other elders in the South Asian community, set the foundation to stand up to racism and discrimination, and it is our responsibility to honour their hardships. Future generations can learn from their legacy that hard work, humbleness and service to the civic life contribute to a thriving and inclusive community.”

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9

FEATURE

SURREY YOUTH: The brighter side of the Surrey youth hardly gets any attention due to the stereotypical image that has dominated media headlines for decades

By Surbhi Gogia

BEYOND GANGS AND GUNS

Gangs, drugs and gun violence is the that this could not be the only reality of the Jubilee Medal for running an entreprefirst and sometimes only image that domiyouth that lived in this city. neurship initiative Math4me, a mentoring nates the mind of the majority of CanaAs a person who was not born and organization which helps young Canadians dians when they think of the young genbrought up in Canada, I used to wonder achieve academic and personal excellence. eration from Surrey, the suburban city of what went through the mind of the larger A er him it became a routine to meet Metro Vancouver area. Since these sensachunk of the young generation that does young achievers from Surrey. Another tional issues have made media headlines not associate itself with gangs? Were they soulful meeting was with Safeer Jivraj, for decades, they have created stereotypes affected by these stereotypes? Were they a 19-year-old boy with Down syndrome. for Surrey youth, especially the South struggling to defend themselves Safeer’s story was an inAsian male. from stereotypes or were they spiration for those who With enough exposure to a stereotype, aspiring high just like any other are born with physical society may come to view it as a reality youth generation around the disabilities. He counrather than a chosen representation. The world? tered his physical limitamedia can be a powerful tool in creating Thanks to my profession that tions, become a basketor reinforcing stereotypes. An example is gave me an opportunity to interball coach. He earned the the public perception that youth crime in act with a lot of youngsters over 2013 Duke of Edinburgh’s Surrey is on the rise, or out of control. This these years, here is what came Award – BC and Yukon impression has been created across through Division. largely through media covmy discussions Another meeting KULPREET SINGH erage of alarming stories and meetings that touched my heart about shootings and inciwith the Surrey was with two brothdents involving so-called youth. ers, Sahil, 11, and Armaan 7, who lost their youth gangs.

Many of the youth I met mother to cancer. They raised more than When I moved to Surrey were achievers in academ$30,000 for the Canadian Cancer Society, five years ago from India, ics, sports, art, business or a er collecting empty cans. just like any outsider my even volunteering. Each Kulpreet Singh, 31, a marketing properceptions about Surrey one of them is making a fessional, who founded the South Asian youth too were broadly indifference in their commuMental Health Alliance (SAMHAA), a fluenced by the mass media nity at such a young age. My group spreading mental health awareness IVNEET BAINS images. I knew that gangs first interaction was with a amongst South Asians, is yet another exand gun violence was a serimathematic whiz kid Ivneet ample. He was inspired to start this organious issue affecting the young population.

Bains, who in his early 20’s has acquired zation, a er he himself was diagnosed with But as a media person, I knew how stereocountless scholarships and awards. He a ention deficit hyperactivity disorder types could be deceptive. I was convinced received the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond (ADHD).

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JUNE/JULY 2016 News With A DEsi View

www.desitoday.ca

These are just a few examples of the youth from Surrey who are doing exceptionally well in their lives and the community they live in.

The everyday interactions with the youth from Surrey were also thoughtprovoking. If on the one hand they feel concerned about youth gun violence, they are also fed up with the comments people leave about their beloved city. It doesn’t just hurt, it is disrespectful.

One student in an email to his instructor wrote a er a classroom discussion, “I was ge ing so annoyed about people talking trash about our city when they haven’t even been here ... now one of my options is to become a journalist who travels around the world since one of my goals is to travel.

Or a humanitarian and write about it to spread awareness.”

Manvir Sidhu, a BCIT student, too shared the same view. He said whenever he goes to Burnaby, people pass comments about Surrey being an unsafe place to live. Comments like ‘Oh from Surrey’, ‘I don’t want to go to Surrey,’ or ‘It is very unsafe place,’ upset him. He says just beMANVIR SIDHU cause of a few bad guys the city is being labelled as unsafe. “Surrey is not a bad place. It is beautiful. It has lot of sports programs and I find it safe.”

Sidhu feels concerned about the gangs’ problem. He says, “Lot of us are aware that we can fall into the trap, but we know how to draw boundaries.” He says that there are more issues that the youth is grappling with, than just talking about gangs. “We have our own goals. We want to be big in life. These days a lot of youth is stressed out about securing and keeping a job in this economically unstable time.”

The issues are endless and it is high time that we also start a discussion about Surrey youth’s everyday problems beyond gangs and guns and highlight their achievements and encourage them to create leaders of tomorrow.

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FEATURE Deepak Gill

What the community fails to see is the larger population that is doing great things, working hard, and making a difference.

Born and raised in Victoria, BC, my experience as a youth was quite different than the youth in Surrey B.C. I did not have the need to defend the city in which I lived. Victoria did not receive the negative attention that caused me to feel embarrassed saying I was from there.

Now forward several years I arrived in Surrey to complete my post-secondary education and begin my work as a Probation Officer. The city of Surrey, which I chose to live and work in had a completely different image which unfortunately is a negative one that is perpetuated in how media portrays

The Good, the Bad and Surrey

it. Like most people, I am not immune to the negative comments that often follow when I inform others that I reside in Surrey, however the effects that these comments have on our youth are much more damaging.

Today’s youth are inundated with pressures and rather than focus their energy towards education and other areas that have the ability to assist and help them to grow, our youth are facing issues of self-image, violence, bullying, cyber-bullying, discrimination and the need to belong; just to name a few. These stressors and facing the negativity of belonging to the city of Surrey add to the list of issues they face.

Deepak Gill, Probation Officer at Surrey East Community Corrections, moved from Victoria to Surrey.

She shares how a larger chunk of Surrey youth which is bright and sensitive is carrying the burden of few bad guys involved in gang violence

It is not surprising that many of us obtain our information form media which often times informs our perceptions, decisions and beliefs. Headlines that depict words such as youth, gangs and violence receive mass amounts of attention as the language used is carefully considered and executed to attract the attention of their audience. What the community fails to see is the larger pop-

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JUNE/JULY 2016 News With A DEsi View

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ulation that is doing great things, working hard, and making a difference.

It is disheartening that majority of our youth go unnoticed but the small percentage who are unfortunately entangled in violent lifestyles often are the ones gaining

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we have a collective responsibility to provide our youth with space to have their voices heard and I encourage everyone to listen

the attention which further perpetuates the negative image of this city.

Hundreds of youth are going unnoticed in Surrey, the negative images that are portrayed give one story and there are always dangers to one story as they create stereotypes (Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie). This single story represents an entire city of a small number of individuals that are unfortunately entangled in a difficult lifestyle.

The remainder of the youth that make up

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the majority are burdened by this negative portrayal which overshadows the powerful voice of Surrey youth.

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of issues that affect each one of us and used their voice to tell these stories. They unpacked issues that many wish to ignore.

I feel that we have a collective responsibility to provide our youth with space to have their voices heard and I encourage everyone to listen. The issues that our city deals with need attention through appropriate dialogue. I hope our youth who are portrayed in a negative light will eventually be seen and heard and feel empowered to continue the impressive ways in which they contribute to this city. www.desitoday.ca

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DESI TODAY

EXCLUSIVE

The Interview Recently you have been selected by the BC Entertainment Hall of Fame.

Congratulations. What was your reaction?

I felt really wonderful. I grew up in Surrey just as a normal kid who went to school and sang songs. I never expected this. I wasn’t even aware that two dear friends of mine Bobby Nagra and R Paul Dhillon have nominated me for this honour. Even when they got the confirmation that I have been selected they didn’t tell me on phone. They called me personally and broke the news. I couldn’t believe it.

Please take us down the memory lane. How did you develop your interest in music and singing?

It all started in India when I was just 4-year-old. Ustad Kuldeep Manak came to our Pind (village) Durgapur in Punjab. I saw him perform there. I was on my uncle’s shoulder watching his performance. At that time the li le Jaswinder dreamt of becoming a singer. I came to Canada when I was five-year old and continued my life as a normal kid. But I had a passion for singing.

I would sing in shower, with friends, a er

How did your family react?

Everyone

best for you.

including

my

fam-

ily and friends were thrilled with the news.

school but no one took me seriously until I was in high school.

Even my fans around the world have been

I used to work as a part time construc-

tweeting about this. I am happy that I could

tion worker with Tarlok Singh Kooner. He

make my community proud of my achieve-

was the first one to notice that there was

ment to become the first South Asian to be

something a ractive about my voice. He

inducted in StarWalk.

told me to do my own album even though

My mom and dad up there must be re-

I wasn’t trained. I would always be thankful

ally proud and thinking, “Sadda munda

to him. He was the one who spent 5000 dol-

kuch ban gaya (Our son has achieved some-

lars on my first album. If he wasn’t there I

thing in life.) Like all parents they had their

would not be who I am today.

doubts about my choice of career when I

He took me to Manmohan Waris’s broth-

started since I do not come from a family of

er. Then in 1993 my first album was released.

musicians or singers. But when I told them I

Sukshinder Shinda played the rhythm on

was serious about my singing, they support-

that album. He reproduced Gugiyan da Jor-

ed me through out and even my decision

ra track. We took it to different companies.

to move to England. It was hard for both of

But nobody wanted to release it. Then I met

us. A 20 year old kid, who had never li ed

Inderjit Bains who released my album with

a plate or cup a er eating, had to do every-

the help of Bobby Nagra. The album hit the

thing on his own plus struggle for career too.

market and then it was great to listen to my

But staying away from family teaches you

song in parties and weddings. Slowly people

its importance. You should never take them

started following my music in England.

for granted.

I would say this to the kids now. Always take your parents advice seriously. Your parents will never guide you wrong. And when you think 10 years down the line, you would realise that your parents always said what’s 16

JUNE/JULY 2016 News With A DESI View

How difficult was it to for you to crack the competitive England’s Bhangra industry and the music industry in India since you had no family background or formal training in music?

I moved to England in 1994. Sukhshinwww.desitoday.ca

DESI TODAY EXCLUSIVE

FROM A SURREY BOY TO

BHANGRA KING You can take Jazzy B out of Surrey, but you can never take Surrey out of Jazzy B. The Crown Prince of Bhangra, who recently became the first South Asian to be among this year’s StarWalk inductees chosen by BC Entertainment Hall of Fame, feels he owes a lot to Surrey’s unique Punjabi and Canadian culture that played a big role in making him who he is. It is this dichotomy between his funky pop star looks and his core Punjabi accent that makes his fans around the world go crazy for him.

Desi Today had one-on-one with him recently to discuss his most recent and past achievements, but the dominant sentiment of the interview was his love and concern for the city and its youth. He feels due to certain bad people, the entire city is bearing the brunt of media. “It is not the city that is bad, it is the people who make it bad,” he says during the interview. His message to the youth is to work hard and value their roots.

Jazzy’s life is one such example. If there was no Punjabi language in his life, who knows, “I would have been a lost youth,” says the very humble Jazzy. He worked towards his passion for music and made a name for himself. He asks youth to engage their energy in constructive activities like sports or music to save themselves from bad company and violence.

Born on April 1, 1975, in Punjab, India, Jaswinder Singh Bains aka Jazzy B moved to Canada with his family when he was just 5. He attended Princess Margret High School in Surrey. With no formal training in music, he made his way up the music industry and became transatlantic star with his Bhangra grooves. Jazzy B who moved to England to explore passion for music in mid 90’s now juggles between Canada, UK and India.

Since his debut album Gugian da Jorra in 1993, he has become one of the most important names in the Punjabi music world of modern times. He got titles of the Original Folkster, the Canadian Sensation and the Crown Prince of Bhangra as he continues revival of Bhangra in a big way. The New York Times dubbed him as, “Michael Jackson of India.”

Now a real feather in his cap comes after he was named as a StarWalk honoree along with four others including Burnaby-raised Hollywood star Michael J. Fox, singer Marcus Mosely, music producer Hal Beckett, and D.O.A. frontman Joe Keithley. In addition to earning Hollywood-style sidewalk stars, the StarWalk honorees—all recognized for “enhancing the province’s cultural profile”—will have their photo displayed in the StarWall gallery in the historic Orpheum Theatre upper lobby. www.desitoday.ca

i

By Surbh

Gogia

JUNE/JULY 2016 News With A DESI View

17

DESI TODAY

EXCLUSIVE

der Shinda told me if

when I went to England I got a chance to

I was serious about

perform on stage. Stars like Apache Indian

music I need to

and Bally Sagoo were present there. A er

move to England.

my performance Bally Sagoo came on stage

One day I just

and told me that I would be a star one day.

went upto my par-

Then slowly I started ge ing calls. It was

decision to discontinue

when I released Londono Patola that hit the

with

college

since

my

heart was with music and go to England. I stayed with six guys in one small room. All day it was just about music. We would cook, eat, do daily chores and the music was always there in the background. Those were the struggling days.

There was contrast between what I sang and how I looked. I think that’s what a racted the world towards my singing. I was raised here so my looks were very funky but from inside I was very much Punjabi. When I would go on stage people would be guessing whether I would sing in English or in broken Punjabi.

But when I sang they liked my raw Punjabi accent. I remember 18

JUNE/JULY 2016 News With A DESI View

That’s how it started.

ents and told them my

chartbuster. I guess in those days they sold 20,000 copies.

You were born in India, brought up in Surrey -- a city which is now always in news for bad reasons. How do you feel about it?

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 ge ing into the StarWalk honor. I am a proud Punjabi Canadian. I sing about Surrey in my songs. A lot of people say bad things about the city due to gun violence. Every city and every country has its own set of problems. It is not the culture, it’s the people who create trouble.

I agree there is a lot of crime here. There www.desitoday.ca

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was a lot of crime back then when I was growing up. But at that time there were no guns. Times have changed now. We didn’t have much money at our disposal. Youngsters want easy money now and they get into gangs.

I always tell kids that slow and steady wins the race. You can never earn name and fame overnight. It’s a shame that a lot of kids are taking the easy way out. But kids, making your parents feel proud is more important than making money. This is what I tell the youth when I a end any event.

Tell us more about the community work you are doing?

I love sports and I am a great hockey fan. I still pick up a hockey stick and play on streets. I love ge ing involved in anything to do with sports. I feel sports is one way to channelize youth energy in a constructive way. It keeps kids away from hanging around, ge ing into bad company. I am invited to a lot of soccer tournaments many charity gigs to promote the sport side of our generation.

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What are your plans for Bollywood?

I go to Mumbai. But to be more involved www.desitoday.ca

JUNE/JULY 2016 News With A DESI View

19

EXCLUSIVE

ronto. There was a crowd of 80,000 people.

DESI TODAY

And I was told we broke Michal Jackson’s record. That concert went for hours.

What is the major difference between Canadian and England’s Bhangra industry?

England is the hub of Bhangra. Now Canada too is gaining important place since lot of Canadian artists are moving to India.

But England is musically a hub. Every kid knows how to play a musical instrument.

Over there when a kid is born they give him a dhol. I think we need to generate more musicians here.

What is your message to your fans?

Just want to say thanks to all my fans around the world especially Surrey and Canada. To them I have always been their guy (Sadda Munda).

It is a wonderful feeling when grandparents come to me and say their grandkids love my music. I feel proud even if I am able to make a little difference in their lives. I am a proud Surrey boy and will always be a Surrey boy.

What’s your next project?

The next project will be Folk and Funky 2 by the end of the year. Sukhshinder Shinda is doing the music. We are trying to get the old sounds. Now the sounds have changed. There used to be more keyboard and live sounds. Shinda is searching his old key boards. Even the vocabulary has changed. In every song there are Englsih words. But back in the days it was Theth Punjabi. I am getting the feedback that my fans want the old Jazzy B. This album is for my fans who grew up on my music. The new generation might not like it but I am hoping they will like it since they have never heard that kind of music.

Who is your favourite Bollywood singer both male and female?

Sunidhi chauhan is brilliant and Sukh-

in Bollywood you have to live there. I am

just don’t want to ruin it by doing couple of

busy with my concerts around the world.

tacky tracks. To me Jazzy B is more impor-

Bollywood music industry is very much

tant.

commercialised. When we do a song we do it from heart and it takes time to release one album. But in Bollywood they want to release a song in one day. I tell them that I will produce the song and give it to them.

It took me 20 years to create Jazzy B style ...

20

JUNE/JULY 2016 News With A DEsi View

winder Singh.

Your favourite actors Bollywood and Hollywood.

Where do you enjoy performing most?

Male it is Ranvir Singh he reminds me of old Akshay Kumar when he came to the

Where ever the crowd enjoys. I get my

scene and female t is Deepika Padukone. In

energy from the crowd. England’s crowd is

Hollywood it is my all time favourite Denzel

great. I love performing there. But my big-

Washington.

gest show was in 2006 for Wonderland To-

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FEATURE

LIGHTS, CAMERA AND ‘SHOOTING’ IN SURREY Young students from Surrey fed up with media stereotypes have shot powerful films about their real lives

By Surbhi Gogia

Thirteen students from Princess Mar-

rey are stereotypical. They reduce everyday

too was completely opposite of what media

gret High School have redefined the word

life in Surrey to gang violence, youth victim-

portrays about Surrey youth. Every par-

‘shooting’ in context of Surrey. It is has

ization, and cultural and religious conflicts,”

ticipant made a 5-minutes film about what

nothing to do with gangs, guns and drugs. It

said Katie Warfield, director of the Visual

concerns them most. Each work is a highly

is related to lights, camera and action. The

Media Workshop and faculty at KPU’s jour-

introspective piece talking about various

young students were trained for months as

nalism department. “This is not the every-

issues of youth representation, and explo-

part of University (KPU) DigitalLENS story-

day reality of the youth we are working

rations of gender, body image, racism and

telling project to shoot short films on daily

with. Their lives are rich and vibrant and

artistic expression.

youth life in Surrey.

they have incredible stories to tell.”

“Mass media images of youth life in Sur22

JUNE/JULY 2016 News With A DEsi View

What they captured through their lens

On May 13 these stories were screened at KPU Surrey Conference Centre. Harleen

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Warfield says that the idea to involve young students came from their classroom

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and how frustrated they were about the representation of youth life in Surrey. If you are young and live in Surrey your life is all about guns and gang violence.”

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but must think of it as learning to read and write through photos, video, sound, music, animation and interactivity.”

The digital skills learned today by these young students will be useful ten years down the line once they will move from school into the shifting workforce, she says.

The project was suggested by Warfield and directed by her, Deepak Gill who works with Surrey East Community Corrections, Aisha Amijee and Surya Govende, of the Golden Thread Stories were part of the project as instructors. www.desitoday.ca

JUNE/JULY 2016 News With A DEsi View

23

FEATURE

THE BLACK AND BLUE BRUISES Domestic violence is an epidemic that leaves no community unaffected; one in every four women will experience domestic violence in their lifetime, observes Kamal Dhillon, a survivor of severe domestic violence. Dhillon, a courageous Langley citizen, was recently awarded the province’s newest honour, the Medal of Good Citizenship, by Environment Minister Mary Polak on behalf of Premier Christy Clark.

Dhillon was honoured with the medal for her courage to transcend her suffering from domestic violence to bring a power-

KAMAL DHILLON 24

JUNE/JULY 2016 News With A DEsi View

ful message to the public about domestic violence, offer hope to other victims, and to advocate for changes in laws.

Dhillon said, “For so long I was damaged, I was broken, I was left for dead, and I had huge trust issues. But I have learned to forgive and moved beyond the losses, abuse, betrayal, injustice and misfortune. I will not let my past define me. I came this far not to give up. I am determined to overcome and be a change agent. Thank you for bestowing this huge honour of Medal of Good Citizenship. It makes me even more determined to continue my work.”

Dhillon is an author, an inspirational speaker and a domestic violence counselor.

Her personal story, told in her book Black and Blue Sari, has raised the issue on the international front and helped those on the front line to better recognize domestic abuse and provide victims with the support they need.

The book is a harrowing autobiography of the abuse and torment she suffered through by the hands of her husband after her marriage. Her story and message is one that will affect you, disturb you, enrage you and will open your eyes to the reality and severity of domestic violence.

After an arranged marriage into an influ-

ential and wealthy family, the life of a young South Asian girl is drastically changed for the worse. Married in her late teens into a very wealthy and influential family, Kamal dreamed of a life as a princess. This dream soon faded and Kamal realized the harsh reality of her new life. With promises of a fairy tale life echoing in her ears, she is thrown into a world of abuse, violence and torture. Afraid for the lives of her family and children, she constantly looked death in the face but survived to tell her story.

The book is a true story about the cost of leaving a toxic relationship and how the transition can empower you and those around you.

Although Dhillon still has residual suffering from her injuries, she remains a tireless advocate for changes in laws, better services for victims, and training for police, social workers, educators and others who may see evidence of someone being abused.

In particular she lobbied for the federal government to bring in the Zero Tolerance for Barbaric Cultural Practices Act and today would still like those laws to be toughened.

Launched in July 2015 by Clark, the prestigious Medal of Good Citizenship recognizes individuals who, through exceptional long-term service, have made outstanding www.desitoday.ca

contributions to their communities without expectation of remuneration or reward. The medal reflects their generosity, service, acts of selflessness and contributions to community life. Nominations for the Medal of Good Citizenship are accepted year-round.

Her service to community and countless hours of volunteering include support to victims of domestic violence and willingness to travel to conferences and communities where she brings awareness of the devastation exacted by domestic violence to classrooms, police departments, business and community organizaions, and churches.

Whether speaking to officials at the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, or a local group of educators, her inspirational message brings understanding to the complex issue, and hope to victims of domestic violence.

Clark noted: “Kamal Dhillon has worked tirelessly to support women who, like herself, have been victims of domestic violence.

Her courage to speak publically about the challenges victims face helps better prepare front-line workers and ensures vulnerable women get the support and protection they need.”

Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training Minister Shirley Bond, who is the Chair of the Medal of Good Citizenship selection committee, said: “There are many people who generously volunteer their time, effort and skills to make their community better and this honour acknowledges their excellence, achievement and service. The time spent reviewing nominations was inspiring, and it reinforced to me that we live in a province, where each and every day, citizens can make a difference through their generosity and selflessness.”

Polak, who is the MLA for Langley, said: “The work that Kamal Dhillon has done to support women who have been abused puts the spotlight on the issue both here at home and in many other jurisdictions. Despite ongoing health challenges, she has steadfastedly envisioned a society where women are valued and treated with respect, and laws and services are there to protect them.”

Kamal is a mother of four and has two grandchildren. She has been described as an individual with powerhouse ability to encourage men and women. She shares her story both locally and abroad. She continues to be a voice to the voiceless. Through her presentations she hopes to empower men, women and children to live life to the fullest potential.

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JUNE/JULY 2016 News With A DEsi View

25

FEATURE

|

DESI TODAY POLITICS

|

TRUMP

AN OUTCOME OF THE

BUSH WORLD DISORDER

By SAEED NAQVI

A senior commentator on political and diplomatic affairs,

It would be almost spiteful to walk upto the US ambassador and say: “Congratulations, you have Donald Trump as president.” Which way would he look? Secretary of State John Kerry has already said it. He is profoundly embarrassed when foreign statesmen confront him with: “What is happening in your country?”

Should he become president in November, Trump will have George W. Bush to thank. He is a product of the chaotic world order left behind by Bush and which Barack Obama failed to contain.

Détente in the 1970s was going badly for the West - Vietnam, Angola, Mozambique, Ethiopia, Nicaragua, Italian communist leader Enrico Berlingure on the cover of Time Magazine, Afghan communist parties in Kabul and so on. It was advantage Soviet Union all the way.

Came the Ronald Reagan-Margaret Thatcher counter punch which rattled the Soviet Union. George Bush senior and Thatcher stamped the post Soviet order by launching Operation Desert Storm in Iraq, but sensibly, stopped short of dislodging Saddam Hussain.

It fell to the lot of George W. Bush to build a new global architecture. He surrounded himself with bad company - Dick Cheney, Donald Rumsfeld, Paul Wolfowitz, 26

JUNE/JULY 2016 News With A DEsi View

even Condoleezza Rice. Deluded by notions of full spectrum global dominance, they botched up the sole superpower moment.

Unbridled chaos was let loose in the guise of the global war on terror. Geraldo Rivera of Fox News actually whipped out a gun on live TV. He would “shoot Osama bin Laden” if he saw him.

Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage threatened Pakistan with dire consequences should General Pervez Musharraf not join the war against the Afghan jihadis that Pakistan, Saudis and the US had helped train to expel the Soviets. To this day, Pakistan and possibly the world, is paying the price for that turnaround.

There was no limit to American power. In awe and in admiration, the world fell in line.

Two party systems were reinforced, clasping corporate hands. Corporates, linked to international finance, made for a tidy model. The global media and a Murdochized press was to underpin this arrangement.

The economic downturn of 2008 and the declining credibility of the global media began to erode this world order. The latter needs some explanation.

In wartime, the first casualty generally is the truth. Since media is part of all war efforts, it becomes a credible source of propaganda. But during the Bush and Obama

years, the US and the West in general have been involved in so many wars, big and small, that the media was kept mobilized for continuous propaganda. The media’s credibility has therefore plummeted.

During the Libyan operation, the Saudis had to make peace with the Qataris for the benefit of Al Jazeera’s residual credibility.

No one was believing Christiane Amanpour, Lyse Doucet and Thomas Friedman and their support staff.

With crony capitalism gnawing at the vitals, two party systems were in gradual disrepair. The suffocated voter was breaking out in new directions.

In an Elia Kazan movie, a small car on a highway is dwarfed by giant trailers on either side. In a manner of speaking the tyres of these trailers are being punctured one by one.

Greece, Spain, Portugal, Ireland, Canada, Iceland, Indonesia have all discarded traditional parties and veered to the left. Likewise, Denmark, Sweden, Poland, indeed the European Parliament, have shifted right.

French President Francois Hollande and former president Nicolas Sarkozy, sworn enemies, had to desperately come together to ward off the challenge from the Far Right: Marine Le Pen, leader of the National Front.

Meanwhile, French Economy Minister Emwww.desitoday.ca

| manuel Macron’s new political movement has seized the French imagination.

Former British prime minister Tony Blair flailed his arms in vain against Jeremy Corbyn, a Labour leader more with the heart of a Michael Foot, a former Labour party leader.

And now Prime Minister David Cameron is on sixes and sevens over the Brexit referendum. Britain’s exit from the European Union will almost certainly bring Europe closer to Russia, much to American discomfort.

Most recently, a promoter of vigilante groups, who promises to toss criminals into the sea, Rodrigo Duterte nicknamed “Digong”, is the president-elect of the Philippines. He must get along well with Trump: they speak the same language - sink them in the sea or build a wall to keep Mexicans out, or don’t allow Muslims to enter the US or no harm being seen with the Ku Klux Klan and so on.

The tamasha in the US gets even more intriguing if you consider the establishment darling, Hillary Clinton’s, electability. A New York Times report talks of the “soaring levels of unpopularity” of Trump and Clinton.

“Nearly two-thirds of voters, for example, say that Mr. Trump is not honest and trustworthy. Just as many say the same of Mrs. Clinton.”

There is no evidence of Senator Bernie Sanders attracting such invective. And yet the Democratic Party establishment finds itself bound by rules not to nominate him - the popular surge is for Sanders, though.

Because he is a “socialist” which outside the US means Left of Centre.

So, people are trying to break out of established party structures. They are neither for Tweeledum nor Tweedledee, just as in India and Pakistan where they have experimented with Arvind Kejriwal’s Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in Delhi and Imran Khan’s Tehreek-e-Insaf across the border.

When people were switching loyalties in the 1970s, the Soviet Union was the beneficiary.

Today, new faces that emerge represent disgust with that which is. There is a splintering of the world order. And in its place what will be, will be.

“Rau mein hai rakhsh e umr, kahan dekhiye thamey; nay haath bag par hai, na paa hei rakaab mein.”

(The horse is on full gallop, no one knows where it will stop. The rider’s hands are not on the reins, nor his feet in the stirrups.

Ghalib) www.desitoday.ca

DESI TODAY POLITICS

|

How the Brexit vote could impact Canadian travellers While stock markets are expected to react negatively to a “leave” vote, Britain’s exit from the European Union could also affect the plans of Canadian travellers who were hoping to visit the U.K. – or anywhere in Europe this summer.

Some travel sites have already seen a decline in the number of searches for flights from Canada to the U.K. since the referendum was first announced in February.

Cheapflights.ca, for example, has had an average six per cent weekly decline in searches during March, April and May, according to the site’s managing director, Andrew Shelton “We see this as less a case of Canadians falling out of love with destinations on that side of the pond, and more that they’re choosing to wait and see the result of the vote,” he told BNN in an email.

Another popular travel site, Expedia. ca, has seen consistently strong growth for standalone flights from Canada to the U.K. year-over-year, but has noticed a slowdown in bookings over the past week, according to Expedia Canada’s brand marketing director, Adam Francis.

“While Expedia.ca has noticed a slowdown for U.K. flight bookings over the past week compared to the previous 28 days, Expedia.ca cannot attribute or pinpoint this to the recent Brexit news,” Francis told BNN in a written statement.

A vote to leave could also impact the value of currencies, including the Canadian dollar, according to Alfonso Esparza, senior market analyst at Oanda. The uncertainty around the vote alone has caused currencies to react.

“No one really knows what’s going to happen if Britain really does leave and that means that they [investors] are flocking to the stronger currency,” he told BNN in an

interview.

“So we see the [U.S.] dollar rising, we see the yen and the Swiss Franc rising. And the Canadian dollar is losing those flows because people are preferring currencies other than the Canadian dollar.”

Shelton echoed Esparza’s sentiments and said that the effects of Thursday’s outcome -- everything from the cost of foreign exchange rates to flight prices -- is almost impossible to predict.

“The only certainty in the event of a ‘leave’ vote is that those in the travel industry across Europe will be working hard to protect what is an extremely valuable and established tourism market to and from the U.K.,” he said.

So picking the perfect time to book that flight or purchase your foreign cash may be tricky.

Britain will decide whether to stay or remain in the European Union on June 23.

And as the referendum approaches, there has been widespread speculation on how a vote to leave might impact the global economy.

The euro, the British pound and the Canadian dollar were all down last week due to worries about a possible Brexit, but were up so far this week after weekend polls suggested that more Britons were in favour of staying with the EU than leaving it.

The U.K. is one of the most popular destinations that Canadians travel to. About 740,000 Canadian residents visited the U.K. in 2013, a six per cent increase from the previous year, according to the World Tourism Organization.

A report from cheapflights.ca released last month revealed that London, U.K. was the fifth most searched travel destination for Canadians between May 1, 2015, to April 30, 2016.

JUNE/JULY 2016 News With A DEsi View

27

FEATURE

|

DESI TODAY POLITICS

|

With

Elections in mind,

The Akali Dal has been exposed in the way it has used religion to hide its wrong deeds like corruption, vested interests in Sikh bodies like SGPC, goondagardi.

- Aam Aadmi Party

Akali Dal

becomes religious Having been in power for nearly 10 years at a stretch may have given a lot of political

JUNE/JULY 2016 News With A DEsi View

crore.

and administrative experience to Punjab’s

The scheme, being implemented with

ruling Shiromani Akali Dal, but the outfit

political and religious fanfare, was approved

seems to be becoming ‘religious minded’ as

by the Punjab cabinet in November 2015.

People are being taken on special trains

the state’s assembly polls draw closer.

The party’s government in the state is al-

and buses for pilgrimage to locations like

ready in the middle of a major exercise to of-

Nanded Sahib (Maharashtra), Varanasi, Ka-

fer religious junkets to nearly 125,000 people.

tra (Mata Vaishno Devi) and Ajmer Sharif.

Yatra

“Under the scheme, 1,050 people from

Scheme’ (Chief Minister’s Pilgrimage

each of Punjab’s 117 assembly constituencies

scheme) for providing free pilgrimage

are being offered this facility of free travel

to various sacred places across India

to these pilgrimage centres. Food and lodg-

The

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will cost the Punjab exchequer nearly Rs.190

‘Mukh

Mantri

Tirath

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ing needs are also being taken care of,” a senior officer in Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal’s office told IANS. Last month, Punjab deputy chief minister and Akali Dal president Sukhbir Singh Badal, in a clear move to appease radical and religious leaders, offered prayers at the ‘Bluestar’ memorial inside the Golden Temple complex. The Akali Dal, its leadership and the Punjab government had, so far, kept itself away from the controversial memorial built by radicals to commemorate “martyrs” in the Army’s ‘Operation Bluestar’ in 1984.

Separatist leaders Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale who was killed in the army operation and others are listed as “martyrs” at the memorial.

While All-India Sikh Students Federation (AISSF) president Karnail Singh Peermohammed welcomed the move, radical Sikh organisation Dal Khalsa saw a political motive behind it.

“This appears to be an attempt to woo Sikh hardliners ahead of the 2017 assembly polls. Sukhbir Badal wants to prove his Panthic credentials,” Dal Khalsa leader Kanwarpal Singh said.

The opposition Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) -- which is posing a serious challenge to the Akali-BJP alliance and the Congress, ahead of the assembly polls -

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are accusing the Akali Dal of using religion, especially the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), for its political interests.

“The Akali Dal has been exposed in the way it has used religion to hide its wrong deeds like corruption, vested interests in Sikh bodies like SGPC, goondagardi,” AAP

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leader Sanjay Singh told IANS. The Akali Dal has full control over the SGPC, the mini-parliament of Sikh religion which manages Sikh shrines, including the Golden Temple complex. The SGPC has an annual budget of Rs. 1,200 crore.

The Badal government faced testing

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times last year in August-September when a series of incidents of desecration of the Guru Granth Sahib led to protests and violence in different parts of Punjab.

The Akali Dal leadership blamed it on anti-Panthic (anti-Sikh community) forces and religious prayers were started across the state to defuse the situation.

By Jaideep Sarin

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AAPka Punjab With less than a year for elections to the 117-member Assembly in the key farm state of Punjab, the Arvind Kejriwal-led party is leaving no stone unturned to woo voters With less than a year before Punjab goes for polls, after the landslide victory in the Delhi Assembly elections in early 2015, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) had set its eyes on Punjab.

The AAP had entered the Punjab assembly poll arena with a bang in January this year when party leader and Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal addressed a hugely successful rally on the occasion of Maghi Mela . The party has been hunting hard to look for issues to corner the ruling SAD-BJP alliance in the state.

AAP raised issues The AAP toyed with several issues. The party spoke in favour of the farmers, highlighting agriculture distress leading to suicides.

It also launched itself back into the slot of the hot favourites through a mega protest march to the chief minister’s residence on the issue of an alleged Rs 12,000 crore food grain scam. Though its own wavering response on division of river waters with Haryana and the Sutlej-Yamuna Link (SYL) canal dulled the initial dazzle it had created.

HuffPost-CVoter Survey An exclusive HuffPost-CVoter tracking poll also projected Delhi-like landslide victory 30

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for AAP. Conducted in February 2016, the survey shows a consolidation of favourable sentiment in favour of AAP from the same time last year.

AAP is set to bag 94-100 out of the 117 seats in the Punjab Legislative Assembly, up from the 83-89 projection of the CVoter poll from April, 2015.

“This is not coming as a shock because AAP’s upswing was noticed in late 2013 and early 2014. It has further consolidated,” said Yashwant Deshmukh, founder of CVoter.

The latest CVoter-HuffPost poll has the Congress Party trailing in the second position with 8-14 seats in the Assembly, down from the 12-18 seats projection, last year. The SAD-BJP alliance comes in third with 6-12 seats, down from 13-19 seats, last year.

The timings of Udta Punjab release Out of all the issues that total up to the overwhelming anti-incumbency that the SAD-BJP combine is facing, rampant drug abuse is at the top. In the past three years, the shift in public perception with respect to drug abuse has gone entirely against the SAD. What was considered to be a matter of “personal choice” for the drug user and explained away as “bad luck” by the user’s family, has come to be a seen as a fault of the government, not just in terms of the police-

peddler nexus, but also direct blame being shifted to politicians for their alleged facilitation of drug smugglers.

The AAP, aiming to emerge as a key challenger in the poll sweepstakes, has gone all out and hit the SAD where it hurts the most.

Its leaders have even repeatedly accused state revenue minister Bikram Singh Majithia of “promoting” narcotics. Majithia had reacted by slapping criminal defamation cases against AAP leaders, including Kejriwal, and party state in-charge Sanjay Singh.

“For the AAP, the biggest issue in Punjab is drugs. Under Majithia’s patronage, the drugs racket is flourishing. We will stop it completely once our government is formed and will rehabilitate those addicted. Under the Akali Dal government, the land mafia, sand mafia, cable mafia and transport mafia have flourished,” said Sanjay Singh in an interview.

While the AAP has been aggressively harping on the drug issue, the Punjab Congress led by Captain Amarinder Singh, has given a virtual clean chit to the government on the issue. It now suits the AAP if a film which focuses on the severity of the problem gets a national attention. If AAP leaders, two of who are actors/stand-up comedians themselves, are able to scale up the issue, riding on the strong voices emerging from Bollywood in support of the film, and revive the debate on drug abuse in Punjab, the iswww.desitoday.ca

sue has the potential to emerge as a key factor in the poll-bound state, much to the discomfort of the Akalis.

Flyover in Delhi to be named after Baba Banda Singh Bahadur The party in Delhi has put out advertisements in prominent national dailies to announce that it was naming the Barapulla flyover in the city after Baba Banda Singh Bahadur, a Sikh icon who wields influence among both Sikhs and Hindus. The move was made by the government in commemoration of the 300th anniversary of his martyrdom day.

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Baba Banda Singh Bahadur, who was initially a Hindu ascetic and later converted to Sikhism after coming in contact with the tenth Sikh Guru Gobind Singh, is revered by both the Hindu and Sikh communities living in Punjab and other parts of the country.

Introducing Punjabi as third language in Delhi schools AAP also launched a special campaign declaring that Punjabi will be taught in all government schools in Delhi. In a public advertisement printed in many Hindi dailies along with few national English dailies, the Delhi government ad declared that in order www.desitoday.ca

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FEATURE to ‘boost Punjabi language’ in the National Capital, Punjabi has been made compulsory in all government schools in the city. The ad further said every school will have at least one Punjabi teacher and that their salary has been raised.

though the elections are scheduled in February next year.

“We have a process for selection of candidates. Everyone has to go through that process. People who are joining AAP have not been promised seats. They will also come through the same process. The first list (of candidates) will be out by May-end or June first week. By July we will finalise all candidates,” he said.

“The kind of support we are ge ing, be it from intellectuals, farmers, women, youth, all categories are giving big support to the AAP,” he asserted.

NRI support “In order to boost Punjabi language, Delhi government’s important decisions: a) Now, every government school must have at least one Punjabi language teacher. b) Salary of Punjabi language teachers raised,” the add read.

AAP against Grand Alliance AAP is fighting the “Mahagatbandhan” (Grand Alliance) of the ruling Akali Dal-BJP combine and the Congress in Punjab. “We are fighting the ‘Mahagatbandhan’ of Akali Dal-BJP and Congress. They are all together,” senior AAP leader Sanjay Singh, the party in-charge for Punjab, told in an interview.

“The people will wipe out the dirty politics of Punjab. The cloud (Badal) of corruption will be cleared from Punjab,” he asserted.

“The Congress, Akali Dal, BJP are all targeting us. All have a common agenda that AAP should not come (to power). They have been sharing power for five years each and have looted Punjab. Now they are together to ensure that, under no circumstances, the AAP comes to power here,” Sanjay Singh said.

The Akali Dal-BJP and the Congress are not targeting each other as much as they are targeting the AAP. “If the AAP comes (to power), their gundagardi, corruption and mafia rule will end. We will put such people behind the bars. Whatever ‘dhanda’ (illegal activities) they were running so far, AAP is emerging as the people’s first choice to end all this mess,” Sanjay Singh said.

That the AAP is taking the Punjab election very seriously can be seen from the fact that it is ready to finalise its candidate for the 117 assembly seats by July this year 32

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Much to the frustration of the Akali Dal and the Congress, the AAP is drawing major support from Punjab’s huge NRI (Non Resident Indian) community.

“The NRIs are giving big support to AAP to save Punjab. NRIs did calling campaign for AAP even during the Lok Sabha polls.

The NRIs want be er law and order and a progressive No. 1 Punjab,” Sanjay Singh said.

Listing the issues and concerns of NRIs, Singh said: “The Akali Dal land mafia has forcibly occupied properties of scores of NRIs. When the AAP government comes, we will ensure that these properties and land are given back to NRIs within six months a er ge ing them vacated from the mafia.

“We will act against the Akali land mafia. Drugs, corruption and mafia rule will be wiped out.”

Kamal Nath controversy Congress appointed its senior leader Kamal

Nath as its general secretary in charge of Punjab.

AAP’s HS Phoolka resurrected allegations that Nath was involved in Delhi’s anti-Sikh riots a er former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was assassinated on October 31, 1984. He presented at a press conference, an affidavit that he said was signed by the senior Congress leader acknowledging before a commission of inquiry his presence outside a Delhi gurdwara which was attacked and where two people were killed on November 1, 1984.

“He says he was trying to save people that he was sent by Rajiv Gandhi...If Kamal Nath was trying to save people, why did he let two Sikhs burn to death,” said Phoolka, who has led a campaign for years demanding justice for the victims of the 1984 riots.

Kamal Nath has linked AAPs a ack to what he called a fading campaign in Punjab.

“For the last 21yrs there has been nothing wrong, no one made any allegations. I had a clean chit from the Nanavati Commission appointed by a BJP government,” the Congress leader said, adding, “Arvind Kejriwal is raising this issue because he is losing out in Punjab...we will fight this politically.”

The allegations against Kamal Nath were examined by the Nanawati Commission of Inquiry and the US-based Sikhs for Justice had filed a complaint against Mr Nath demanding that he be prosecuted when he visited Switzerland in 2013.

His appointment to manage the party’s affairs through the Punjab elections came a day before Congress vice president landed in the state and a acked the Akali Dal-BJP government over the growing problem of drug abuse.

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FEATURE

THE UNSUNG YOGI OF PAKISTAN

Top Ulma are sitting in yoga session and some r sitting on chairs.

Shamshad Haider Yoga Session in Pakistan

In the world of yoga, Pakistan has produced an unsung yogi: Shamshad Haider, popularly known as Yogi Haider.

In a country where Islamic rightwingers very often call the shots, Haider, 47, has quietly succeeded in attracting tens of thousands to yoga, achieving a feat that once seemed near impossible.

On June 21, when the world celebrated the second International Day of Yoga, Haider did yogic asanas along with his 20,000 yoga students across Pakistan -- but minus media publicity.

While others around the world got plenty of publicity, Haider’s success went unnoticed.

“We are also practising in yoga in a nice way in Pakistan but without beating the drums,” the modest Haider.

If Haider is to be believed, Pakistanis celebrated the International Yoga Day in almost all major towns and cities including Islamabad.

Born in Pakistani Punjab, Haider is emphatic - in contrast to what many Muslims think - that yoga has nothing to do with 34

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the Hindu religion and should be accepted by people of all faiths.

Muslims, he suggests, should do at least five minutes of meditation - a key component of yoga - after every “’Fajar Nimaz” or early morning prayer.

“Yoga helps to gain mental stability, peace, balanced living. Moreover, it teaches us discipline which is vital in Islam and all religions.” What does he say about critics who link yoga with religion? “Agar ache cheez be burey hathoon mai aajaye, tho woh cheez be kharab hoti hai (Even if bad people touch good things, the good too become bad),” is his stock reply.

Rightwing fanatics in Pakistan insist yoga is a Hindu ritual.

“Yoga belongs to humanity in the form of a pure science and is not the sole entity of India,” he said, speaking in Urdu. “While Indian Hindus and Muslims fight over its origin and practice, our clubs have people from all sects of Muslims, Christians and Hindus who have made it a part of their life to reap its health benefits,” Haider said.

Among the over 50 yoga clubs in Pakistan, Haider oversees the major ones in Islamabad, Lahore and Rawalpindi. Even some Islamic clerics come to the centres to learn and practise yoga and meditation.

“I have top clerics of (Islamabad) as my students. They are happy about it and they

encourage others to join.”

Haider, who sports a flowing beard, is an eternal optimist. “I want yoga in every school, every community in Pakistan.”

The man married recently one of his students who came to him with various health issues after being denied treatment by many doctors and hospitals. “She came for yoga sessions. By the grace of God, she is doing absolutely fine now.”

Haider has some 60 trainers. His wife, Shumaila, looks after the female students.

He says his inspiration and role model was the late S.N. Goenka, the Myanmarborn master of Vipassana meditation.

“He taught me meditation when I travelled to India. That changed my life. After that I started yoga sessions in Pakistan. He was my hero.”

When he was in Saudi Arabia early on, Haider suffered pain in appendix and was suggested an operation. He refused and instead went on to read books on Mind Science by a Somalian decent doctor.

“After reading the books, I started feeling visible changes in my life. Then I dug more and that led me to learn yoga,” said Haider, who travelled to China, Tibet, India and Nepal to learn the ancient science.

Haider holds both free and paid sessions.

The Pakistani government has granted him permission to hold yoga camps on its land and has also allowed him to promote yoga.

By Aadil Mir www.desitoday.ca

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FEATURE

They mean Meet the Surrey youth that is young, innovative and sensitive to bring change with their passion, leadership and love to serve community Teens and early 20s are the years full of fun, frolic and friends. These are the years when most youngsters are just exploring their lives and start contemplating what they want to achieve. However, there are a few bright minds who by this time not only achieve their goals but become a role model for their community.

The Surrey Board of Trade, recently awarded such talent from Surrey in its sixth annual Surrey’s Top 25

under 25 event. These are the best of these individuals however we and brightest who decided to get honour all the 25 achievers who started early on the quest to be sucmade the city proud of their cessful and address a unique need. achievements. Read in their own Often time we come up with great words what inspired them to chose ideas but most of the time we think the field they are in and what made “nah! that’s just me day dreaming” them successful. Are you ready to or “what am I thinking? Someone’s grab a handful of inspiration?! probably already doing that.” Well the truth is, sometimes it might be like that, but it’s people like Sukhman Bajwa, 16 the ones on this list who took DESIGNATION: their chances who prove us Founder Unified for Change wrong if we go out thinking this way.

I am currently a Desi Today is featuring a few

Name: Pratap Sandhu, 21 DESIGNATION: Marketing Director at Prabu Foods I am currently the Marketing Director at Prabu Foods; a family-owned venture that has expanded from a small retail sweet shop into a 9,000 square foot Canadian Food Inspection Agency and U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved facility in Surrey. My company is providing frozen ethnic products to Save On Foods, Buy-Low Foods and is currently in talk with Loblaws and Wal-Mart.

I played a critical role in this expansion, as it was my idea to sell the family’s products in a retail space and expand the market further to give consumers a taste of ethnic Indian food. I am also a Junior Director of “the Pacific Club” in Vancouver, an organization that gives young business professionals an opportunity to connect and learn from industry leaders. I have the honour of being the youngest individual on the board and have successfully hosted conferences that featured business leaders like Chip Wilson and Vikram Vij. I am currently completing my Marketing Diploma at BCIT School of Business and preparing for Masters in Business Administration at the University of Liverpool. I am a die-hard soccer fan, I had the privilege of playing soccer in six different countries overseas.

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grade 11 student at Tamanawis Secondary. I received the Top Academic Student of The Year Award and the Top All-Round Student of The Year Award at my school. Unified 4 Change, a non-profit organization, is an organization I founded at the age of 15.

Unified 4 Change has clubs at SFU and UBC and supports local homeless shelters every week. I didn’t have to look very far for inspiration. There is so much work that needs to be done in our community and I thought it was my responsibility to take the initiative and do something about it. Ten years from now, I have no idea what my career will be, however, I see myself continuing to change people’s lives for the be er. My parents are my biggest inspiration in my life. They are the testament of hard work and have always supported me in all my endeavours. www.desitoday.ca

Raveena Oberoi, 22 DESIGNATION:

Owner of Just Cakes I am the owner of a custom cake company called Just Cakes. I completed my B.A. in Psychology (UBC Grad 2015); Certificate in Pastry Arts from Ecole Gastronomique Bellouet Conseil (Paris, France). I have the pleasure of creating edible works of arts for all sorts of occasions – weddings, birthday,

anniversaries, you name it. As an active member in community-service driven organizations, I have started to use my business as a platform to give back to the community. Doing so has opened up so many new doors, for my business as well as personally, and the journey has been so rewarding.

Starting my own company has always been a dream of mine. My parents are business owners, I’ve seen the blood, sweat, and tears that goes in to running your own business. It’s something I can call my very own at the end of the day, something I literally started from the ground up. There is something so beautiful in creating something from nothing.

My dream is to own a bakery storefront; I want Just Cakes to be a local household name. I also want to compete on a televising baking/ cake decorating show. The respect and support that my family has given me is remarkable. We have always been encouraged to do what we love, to find our passions, and to work hard. Perseverance and dedication is in my blood, and every time I feel like giving up, I look at all of the faith and support my family has given me and that is more than enough to keep me going. That’s what inspires me and fuels my passion every single day.

Jeevanjot Sethi, 17 FOUNDER:

Panorama Ridge Global Initiative I am a Grade 12 student who was inspired to start this organization in lieu of the Syrian Crisis in 2013. I led a team of ten volunteers in a fundraising bottle drive, so they could make a small contribution to this large scale relief effort. This inaugural event was immensely successful and since then I have been motivated to mentor my peers to support developing communities across the globe.

Recently I led a team of six students who traveled to Guatemala to construct community housing. They were able to raise over $10,000 to purchase building supplies for this project and support a learning center in this developing community. I designed numerous projects to achieve this goal and was able to make meaningful strides by volunteering in this community.

I have always been inspired by my grandfather to keep taking initiative in my community and be in active pursuit of selfless service. I plan on accomplishing this by combining my passion for science and volunteerism into a professional career, aspiring to be employed by Doctors without Borders one day. www.desitoday.ca

Jaspreet Dayal, 25 DESIGNATION:

Architectural technologist AIBC I work as an Architectural Technologist designing residential and commercial projects ranging from houses and townhomes to medical clinics and restaurants. Having designed homes for clients, I wanted complete autonomy over the design and construction of a home where I could control everything from start to finish. This inspired me to start my own development business and in 2013 I founded Knightridge Development Ltd. Since then I have had the opportunity to work on projects ranging from homes to residential subdivisions. In the coming years I plan on working towards becoming a registered architect and growing my business. My biggest inspiration is my parents, from an early age they gave me the tools and encouragement to pursue my dreams and worked hard to give me the opportunity to be where I am today.

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FEATURE

Parabjot Kaur Singh, 23 DESIGNATION: Board Member of Punjabi Language Education Association (PLEA)

Amit Sandhu, 21 OWNER: EasyWeb Solutions

Coming from a family that is putting its heart and soul to promote Punjabi Language in B.C., I too decided to follow the same path. My biggest inspiration is my paternal grandfather Jarnail S. Sekha who is a Canadian-Punjabi novelist. He introduced me to Canadian-Punjabi literature and continues to guide me through my educational journey.

My unconditional love for languages and literature inspired me to participate in PLEA’s Punjabi Speech Competitions in grades 11 and 12 where I recited Punjabi poetry related to the Punjabi language. When I became one of the board members, I volunteered my time by organizing the function every year. PLEA’s aim is to promote the Punjabi language in BC. Because Punjabi is the second most spoken language in BC, I think it is the community`s responsibility to preserve it. Since 1994, PLEA has been putting in their most effort to implement Punjabi language classes and courses in BC

I did doing my B.A. in Economics from Simon Fraser University. I help businesses grow their marketing base, increase their revenues with more sales, and building corporate relations. I deal with companies which have a weak or no business strategy, and help create and/or manage a strategic plan that will drive more sales. I’ve always enjoyed public speaking, sales, and finance, so I knew my path was here. My background in economics also helps me analyze and track my own revenues, costs, profits, etc.

I also wanted to work for Sukhjiven Kaur Gill. 22 years myself, and build something on my own that I can look I am a Graduate of Bachelor of Business Administraback on in the future. This tion in Accounting with co-op option. I came from motivated me to start my own India as an international student after completion of company EasyWeb Solutions. high school in India. I graduated from Kwantlen BBA My dream is to run a in Accounting/co-op program with Dean’s Honour Roll Venture Capital firm which and Distinction status in April 2016. I won approxiinvests in all different kinds mately $10,000 in various awards over the past 2 years. of start-up businesses. I I also completed five co-op work terms to gain real life enjoy seeing the creativity business experience. that some start-up founders I have also participated in three levels of trainhave in their technology or ing to become a Master Tutor and focused on helping products. hundreds of students increase their potential for sucMy biggest inspiration is cess. In fact, I contributed 256 hours over three years of my mom. She is hands down tutoring between 2012 and 2016. the hardest working, most I was inspired by multiple individuals who made passionate and caring person a positive difference in my professional development I know. I look up to her when and personal growth as an international student. My I think about how important instructors, peers, mentors, and family members have and how far passion and hard contributed to my success. work can get you when it It takes great dedication to study abroad while staycomes to determining success. ing at the top of your graduating class.

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public schools and universities.

While studying English literature at KPU, I also began to explore CanadianPunjabi literature at home. Punjabi literature deeply connected me with the Punjabi language. Ten years down the line, I want teach at the post-secondary level as a language instructor. I also want to pursue a PhD in language, literature, or education in the future as well.

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39

FEATURE Do you think that there is much brighter side of the Surrey youth that is being ignored?

MY LIFE AS A SURREY YOUTH

Parabjot Kaur Singh, Board Member of Punjabi Language Education Association, was brought up in Surrey. In an email interview with Surbhi Gogia she talks about her growing up days and the bias people have towards the city she loves How was it to be born and growing up in Surrey - a city that has always been target of media due to gangs and gun violence?

There were more positive than negative moments while growing up in Surrey because majority of Surrey’s youth is doing exceptionally well and living good lives. Growing up in Surrey did have its cons such as Punjabi male adolescents following the wrong path, fearful parents disallowing their children to go out after dark, and relatives dis40

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cussing about how difficult it has become to trust young kids nowadays. However, most of my life was surrounded by positive vibes that took place in our very own city, Surrey.

Have you ever faced bias belonging to the city?

I have faced bias due to the city of Surrey itself, but I don’t think I’ve had a moment where I have been directly labeled as a “Surrey girl.” I can recall a moment when people have rated Surrey more unsafe than other cities in BC’s lower mainland.

During a group discussion in one of my classes, we discussed about the cities in which we grew up. A couple of the group members began to compare the cities and all of them agreed and rated Surrey as the worst city to grow up and live in. I was the only one from Surrey in the group. I didn’t agree with their opinion, but respected it nonetheless. Even though their argument was based on statistics, the generalization did not reflect the majority of Surrey’s youth.

Bright young people are everywhere in Surrey. We just have to reflect on the positive side of our city and it is much bigger than the negativity that we hear about Surrey.

What are the dreams and aspirations the youth?

The youth of Surrey dreams and aspires about similar things as the rest of youth from other places. We want good careers, safety in the city, role models, and opportunities to thrive in our lives.

What do you think society should do to correct this stereotypical image?

Being human, we tend to focus on the negative aspects of almost everything. Society needs to focus on the positive along with the negative. If we only focus on the negative aspects, we will recall negative aspects of our city. This is why we have this stereotypical image of gang violence flooding in our minds about Surrey. We must not forget that majority of Surrey’s youth are doing amazing things with their lives. For example, high school students give back to the community through organizing fundraising events such as bottle drives, blood drives, taking care of the environment and much more.

We need to put in more effort to recognize these individuals and lend them a helping hand in any way we can. Furthermore, healthy communication between parents and children must take place in the home every day, especially in the evenings. It is extremely important for parents to be rolemodels for their children.

Healthy communication leads to forming a strong bond between parents and children as well. Children and adolescents sometimes find it difficult to discuss their problems with their parents. We need more mental health facilities that they can easily access. It is really important that teachers, parents and other adults recognize any unhealthy emotional symptoms in young people before they become a bigger problem. It is usually unresolved emotional problems that lead young people into entering the wrong path. These are a few of the many steps that we can take as a society to break the stereotypical image of Surrey. www.desitoday.ca

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FEATURE

We have been undermining the dignity and importance of women in society for generations

Culturally Sanctioned Gender Discrimination

By Dr. Suresh Kurl

Cultures are complex and packed with contradictions, and generally beyond reproach. If I question the judgement of Lord Rama, the Lord of morality personified (maryada-purushotam), I know my community will boycott me.

However, I cannot help it when my conscience revolts. “How could a culture that groomed my young mind to equate family homes with the abode of gods, where wom42

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en are venerated, “yatra naryastu poojayantey ramante tatra devata” (Manusmriti 3-56”), allow to breed repression and injustice against them?

My conscience has stains on it; stains of goddess Sita’s (Ramayana; 400 B.C.); queen Draupadi’s (Mahabharata; 200 B.C.) and Princess Mira’s (15th century A.D.) sufferings.

Sita, the daughter of the goddess Earth, was found, abandoned in an agricultural field

by King Janaka. She grew up as a princess in his family and married Rama, the son of Dhashratha.

In a palace-coup, schemed by Rama’s second step mother, Rama, his younger brother Lakshmana and Sita ended up being exiled for fourteen years. That was just the beginning of Sita’s troubles. There, while living in a forest, a demon named Ravana kidnapped her and kept her imprisoned in his palace www.desitoday.ca

Hindus do not have a monopoly over gender discrimination. Digambara Jain holy men, who live thread naked, a sign of their renunciation, believe that women can never achieve Moksha. How so? Because, they think, women are easy to succumb to seductions. Jewish men thank God for not making them women “shelo asani ishah” in the traditional morning prayers. The Fundamentalist Christians claim “The Husband Is the Head of the Household.” These three examples spell religions that foster such arrogance seem bankrupt of spirituality. gardens until Rama rescued her. However, before Rama allowed her to join him, she had to prove her chastity by going through a fire ordeal or Rama could not accept her.

Sita passed the test. She came out of the flames alive.

As incarnations -- Rama of Lord Vishnu and Sita of goddess Lakshmi -- knew who they were, and what they had incarnated to do. Rama knew Sita would come out of those flames without harm, but the ordinary subjects did not. Therefore, in my view, Rama set a very dangerous example for the people he was going to govern. They could have started demanding their spouses to go through Rama’s chastity test? Could their spouses have come out alive? Hell, no, never.

After completing the fourteen years of their banishment, Rama, Sita and Lakshmana returned to Ayoddhya, to their home and Rama took over the responsibilities of governing his father’s kingdom. His subjects were happy, listened to and cared for. But as always, there were some self-righteous and judgemental individuals living among them.

One day, a spy brought Rama a sad news about a woman who killed herself because her husband kicked her out of their home.

The spy said, “she had spent a night out of her home without her husband’s permission” adding that her husband was also heard saying that he was no Rama, who accepted Sita, who had spent so many nights in Ravana’s palace garden. Other citizens seemed to express the same opinion.

Rama could not believe his ears. He felt compelled to verify the public opinion. I wish he had called the husband first and investigated the reasons contributing to stay out of her home. He did not. Instead, he disguised himself and visited some public places, and finding the public opinion to be true, he returned and asked his younger brother to drive and abandon Sita in the wilwww.desitoday.ca

derness. His brother left his pregnant and defenceless sister-in-law in the forest. Here again, I see Rama failing to keep his promise he must have given, in front of the holy fire, to Sita at their wedding ceremony, that he would protect her; always.

Back to the forest, a holy Sage Valmiki living in that forest adopted Sita and raised and educated her twin boys. When they grew older, Valmiki attempted to introduce them to their father, but Rama refused to accept them as his sons. He asked the Sage to give proof of him being the father of those boys, or their mother go through the fire ordeal in front of the citizens of his kingdom as proof of her chastity. Only then he would accept the boys as his sons.

Rama’s demands not only injured the dignity of the Sage, but the honour of Sita as well, once again. She invoked her mother to rescue her from her on going humiliation.

The earth cracked open and Sita vanished leaving her children behind.

We find both mythological (Kauravas and Queen Draupadi, in the Mahabharata, Gautama Rishi, his wife Ahilya and Indra) and historical (Alaudddeen Khilji and Padmavati and many more) references of male members riding the rights of women frequently.

We have been undermining the dignity and importance of women in society for generations. Even before the impregnation ceremony (garbhadan samskar) takes place, new brides are blessed with “May you be the mother of sons;” (putra-vati bhava). In the internationally acclaimed epic the Mahabharata, Bhishm Pitamaha blesses queen Gandhari with, “May you birth one hundred sons;” (shat putra-vati bhava). There are references in ancient scriptures of performing fire sacrifices -- putreshthi-yagyas for sons, though I have never heard of any one blessing a newly wed to have daughters.

Sons out rank daughters in Indian culture, always. They outrank because sons are deemed as insurance for Moksha; saviours from hell. The Sanskrit word “putra” (put = hell + tra = saviour) one who saves his parents and ancestors from going to hell. Parents could only be saved from hell if their sons perform a ceremony by making offerings for the departed souls of their ancestors. But what about parents’ and their ancestors’ own karma? Does their karma have no role in obtaining them freedom from the cycle of births and deaths?

Hindus do not have a monopoly over gender discrimination. Digambara Jain holy men, who live thread naked, a sign of their renunciation, believe that women can never achieve Moksha. How so? Because, they think, women are easy to succumb to seductions. Jewish men thank God for not making them women “shelo asani ishah” in the traditional morning prayers. The Fundamentalist Christians claim “The Husband Is the Head of the Household.” These three examples spell religions that foster such arrogance seem bankrupt of spirituality.

Allah does not dispatch ready-made mothers to the earth. He sends them in the form of teeny tiny baby girls. Those, who love Allah the Merciful, raise them with His love and nurse them to become mothers.

Paradise is at the feet of those teeny tiny baby girls. They need our protection from Sex Selective Abortions, Sexual and Acid Assaults and Honour Killings.

(The views expressed here are solely that of the author)

By Dr Suresh Kurl Dr. Suresh Kurl is a former university professor; a retired Registrar of the BC Benefits Appeal Board and a former Member of the National Parole Board.

JUNE/JULY 2016 News With A DEsi View

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FEATURE

‘GREATEST OF ALL’ MUHAMMAD ALI

Fans threw flowers at the hearse, rose petals were scattered along the road and stirring tributes were paid as heavyweight champion Muhammad Ali was laid to rest at a memorial service in his home city of Louisville, Kentucky. The fleet-footed, trashtalking, butterfly-floating, bee-stinging “Greatest of All” and rights activist died last Friday, aged 74.

Muslim, Christian, Jewish and other speakers paid rich tributes and spoke about Ali’s fight for civil rights, while a message from President Barack Obama praised his originality. The interfaith event took place hours after his coffin passed through the city streets.

The procession passed through important spots in Ali’s life before heading to the ceremony for the private burial.

In one neighbourhood, several young men ran alongside the hearse carrying a placard which read: “Ali is the greatest, thanks 4 all the memories”. They threw flowers on the coffin as it went by.

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JUNE/JULY 2016 News With A DEsi View

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“Muhammad Ali shook up the world.

And the world is better for it.” — President Obama Muhammad Ali was not just a champion in the ring - he was a champion of civil rights, and a role model for so many people. - David Cameron You’ll always be The Greatest for more than just what you did in the ring. A champion to so many people in so many ways. — Tiger Woods The ceremony started with a Quran reading in Arabic.

Imam Hamzah Abdul Malik recited chapter Fosselat, which includes the words: “Truly those who say our Lord is God and are righteous, the angels will descend upon them saying have neither fear nor sadness but rather rejoice in this paradise that you have been promised.”

Ali’s wife Lonnie told the crowd: “If Muhammad did not like the rules, he rewrote them. His religion, his beliefs, his name were his fashion, no matter what the cost. Muhammad wants young people of every background to see his life as proof that adversity can make you stronger. It cannot rob you of the power to dream, and to reach your dreams.”

Former US President Bill Clinton, who was present at the ceremony, described Ali as “a free man of faith”.

“I think he decided very young to write his own life story. I think he decided that he would not be ever disempowered. Not his race, not his place, not the expectations of others whether positive or negative would strip from him the power to write his own story,” he said.

Valerie Jarrett, an aide to President Barack Obama who knew the boxer personally, read a letter from the President describing Ali as “bigger, brighter and more influential than just about anyone in his era...

Muhammad Ali was America. Muhammad Ali will always be America. What a man.”

The president was not there, as he was attending his eldest daughter Malia’s graduawww.desitoday.ca

tion ceremony.

A two-day funeral ceremony began on Thursday at the Freedom Hall arena where Ali had some of the best bouts at the dawn of his distinguished boxing career. Some 14,000 free tickets were issued to attend the funeral.

In 1964, Ali famously converted to Islam, changing his name from Cassius Clay, which he called his “slave name”.

He first joined the Nation of Islam, a controversial black separatist movement, before converting to mainstream Islam.

In his boxing career, he fought a total of 61 times as a professional, losing five times and winning 37 bouts by knockout.

He first tried on boxing gloves at the age of 12 and six years later he won gold at the 1960 Rome Olympics in the light heavyweight category. He was also the only threetime lineal World Heavyweight Champion, having won the titles in 1964, 1974 and 1978.

He reigned as the undisputed Heavyweight World Champion between February 25 and September 19, 1964, while Sports Illustrated magazine named him “Sportsman of the Century” and BBC called him “Sports Personality of the Century”.

Soon after he retired, rumours began to circulate about the state of his health.

Parkinson’s Syndrome was eventually diagnosed but Ali continued to make public appearances, receiving warm welcomes wherever he travelled. He lit the Olympic cauldron at the 1996 Games in Atlanta and carried the Olympic flag at the opening ceremony for the 2012 Games in London.

God came for his champion. So long great one. — Mike Tyson Remembering the good old days with Ali. RIP my brother I will never forget you. — Evander Holyfield This was 1 of the strongest & sweetest men I ever met. He elevated the sport of boxing & there will never be another. — Halle Berry He will always be an inspiration. He will always be my idol. He will always be the greatest. — Arnold Schwarzenegger Goodbye my friend. You were Great in so many ways. Bill Clinton Paul on the passing of Muhammad Ali. — Paul McCartney Mohammed Ali the greatest ever ! A gentleman and learned mind ! He not just fought in the ring but outside it as well ! And WON ! — Amitabh Bachchan Float like a butterfly , sting like a bee” sad sad sad day. — John Abraham If your dreams don’t scare you, they aren’t big enough. — Muhammad Ali. Mahesh Bhatt Thank you for the strength. My childhood would have been incomplete without your inspiration. — Dia Mirza JUNE/JULY 2016 News With A DEsi View

45

FEATURE

The benign origins of ISIS until it rose to catastrophic heights

BY SAEED NAQVI Every Joint Secretary’s room in the Ministry of External affairs had a neatly folded copy of the International Herald Tribune on the coffee table. This was the pattern in the 70s and 80s. In mid 90s, after economic liberalization and the birth of the global live media following Operation Desert Storm, TV sets appeared in South Block. BBC and CNN became fashionable.

Nationalism, that hopelessly limiting sentiment, surfaces when one is away from home. Since I had spent time with newspapers in the UK and the US in the 70s, I found

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JUNE/JULY 2016 News With A DEsi View

it demeaning that the Indian establishment should be passive recipients of news and analysis doled out from London, Atlanta or New York. If information is power, then those who wield this power control the drift of international discourse. Chinese, Russians, Iranians are not classical democracies but have learnt this lesson. We, in our ignorance or obsequiousness, have not.

Since 1991 the West has been involved in wars, big and small, almost continuously.

What have been our sources of information on, say, Darfur, or Kunduz, Helmand, Kosovo,

Yemen and the running battlefields of Iraq, Libya, Syria or Yemen - and scores of other theatres? Oh, we do not care. Then why would anyone need us the High Table? In most instances our sources have been the same - either the US media or, in a roundabout way, Western intelligence.

Of course, there have been excellent ambassadors, like V.P. Haran in Damascus when Syrian troubles began. He had independent sources of information on the battlefield.

Are there many others? Without having our own global network, we make ourselves

www.desitoday.ca

pathetically dependent on others for information. In the absence of information, one sided discourse on world affairs is launched which we, willy nilly, have to adopt as our own.

Let me give you an example where I saw conventional wisdom being forged on information which was patently false. The pulling down of Saddam Hussain’s statue in front of Palestine Hotel in Baghdad has been marketed as the fall of a tyrant which led to a popular upsurge and that this would not have been possible without the US occupation of Iraq in April 2003. Since the CNN amplified this symbolic triumph of “democracy over tyranny”, a clip of the toppled statue has been committed to posterity as a CNN blurb.

What really happened was what I saw.

And it was quite different.

On April 3, the US troops had entered Baghdad. The CNN and BBC coverage of the troops entering Baghdad was riveting. Obviously, Vice President Dick Cheney, a mastermind of the Iraq operation, also found the TV coverage heady.

He, and his cohorts, must have realized that this high pitch excitement could not be sustained forever. An event had to be televised which signalled American victory.

What could be more telegenic than the pulling down of Saddam Hussain’s statue in Baghdad’s Firdous square?

The message would be uplifting. Freed by the Americans, a people, groaning under a tyrant’s yoke have risen and torn down the iconic statue. But, in implementing the idea, Americans sensed a problem. People, it turned out, had not arisen. How could victory then be choreographed without the peoples’ participation? Baathist control over the people in Baghdad was iron clad. That was one reason for people not celebrating Saddam’s fall.

The other, deeper reason surfaced when the Americans, without any long term vision, replaced the Baathist power structure in Baghdad with a Shia one. People who were really “freed” by Saddam’s removal were the Shias in the South and East - 65 percent of Iraq.

US officials in Iraq did some quick think-

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Across Iraq, senior religious leaders have come forward urging their followers to support our coalition, another sure sign that Saddam Hussain’s regime is clearly doomed. ing. Shia clerics like Ayatullah Baqar al Hakeem and Muqtada Sadr were urgently contacted. Sadr, scion of a respected clerical order, had mesmeric control on the large Shia ghetto on the outskirts of Baghdad known as Saddam city. Shia refugees from the south had been settled here after an uprising in 1992 which was brutally crushed by Saddam Hussain. Surely, this lot would have reasons to celebrate Saddam’s fall.

When Baghdad citizens did not come out to help bring down Saddam’s statue, requests went out to the Shia clerics to mobilize crowds. A two-pronged strategy was devised: a US armoured carrier would help pull down the statue with the help of a rope around the statue’s neck. Footage, from a low angle, would make the hotel staff, journalists, hangers on look like a burgeoning crowd. But that would not amount to jeering mobs? Well, they would have to be driven from the Shia ghetto.

Overnight, the ghetto was renamed Sadr city in gratitude to Muqtada Sadr. That is when Shia crowds came onto the streets of Baghdad, beating Saddam Hussain’s photographs with shoes. “Tabarrah” or cursing the enemy is a old Shia tradition.

The choreography for the event was devised in the following fashion.

Dick Cheney will, in a live telecast to the American Society of News Editors, “Salute US troops in Iraq”. In the meanwhile, Saddam’s statue will have been pulled down by the Marines. Camera will occasionally cut to the statue dangling from its pedestal.

Commentary will establish it as the work of angry, anti-Saddam crowds. For crowd scenes, cameras will position themselves

outside Sadr city where crowds will trample Saddam’s photographs and spit on it. Commentary will never identify these as Shia crowds. The scene has to be marketed as a popular upheaval.

Cheney’s speech would be spliced in.

“Across Iraq, senior religious leaders have come forward urging their followers to support our coalition, another sure sign that Saddam Hussain’s regime is clearly doomed.”

The clerics Cheney is thanking are Shias from Sadr city to Najaf and Karbala.

The “doomed” regime are the Baathists.

Later, senior American columnists even recommended Ayatullah Sistani for the Nobel Peace Prize. Shias were the allies. An alarmed Saudi Arabia saw Iranian influence at their border with Iraq.

In Iraq who could blame simmering Sunni anger: From beneath the Baathist skins, the second layer of the “Sunni” had broke through.

This Sunni impulse of the erstwhile Baathists, having been in the drill for governance under Saddam Hussain, came in handy for the Americans to teach Shias like Prime Minister Nouri al Maliki a lesson.

Maliki had the temerity to deny the Americans the US Status of Forces agreement in 2011, which would protect Americans in Iraq from local laws.

It was a worrying scenario.

A Shia Iraq having a 1,500 km border with Iran, which then was on the brink of a major breakthrough with the US, was a source of great anxiety to two steadfast US allies - Israel and Saudi Arabia.

Thomas Friedman of the New York Times asked President Obama in August 2014 why the US Air Force had not attacked the ISIS when it first reared its head. By his response, Obama gave the game away: “That we did not just start taking a bunch of air strikes all across Iraq as soon as ISIL came in was because we would have taken the pressure off Nouri al Maliki.” The ISIS was an asset then.

Nouri al Maliki was shown the door in September 2014 and a US handpicked Prime Minister, Haider al Abadi, was ushered in.

By this time ISIS had acquired a life of its own.

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47

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In this scorching heat, chilled beer is what comes to your rescue but what if it has gone stale, threatening to spoil your party?

No worries as now there is a smartphone app that can tell you if your beer is fresh to be gulped down tonight.

Chemists from the Complutense University of Madrid have developed a method that allows brewers to measure the freshness of beer by using a polymer sensor that changes colour upon detecting furfural - a compound that appears when this beverage ages and gives it a stale flavour.

The sensor can be controlled from a smartphone app.

Depending on the beer type and its storage conditions, its flavour may be altered as a result of changes in the chemical composition produced during beer that, unlike what occurs in wines, has a negative effect on the quality of the flavour.

Now, the researchers Elena Benito-Pena and Maria Cruz Moreno-Bondi developed a simple, low-cost method capable of measuring whether or not beer has gone stale.

Until now, brewers have measured furfural and other freshness indicators using methods based on chromatography techniques.

“But these methods involve the use of expensive equipment and sample preparation is very time-consuming,” said Benito-Pena.

The new method consists of sensor discs

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that detect the presence of furfural in beer.

These sensors, made from a polymer similar to the one used to manufacture contact lenses, have been designed to change colour (from yellow to pink) when they come into contact with a beer containing furfural.

“We have incorporated a derivative into the sensor material which reacts with the furfural and produces a pink cyanine derivative that allows us to identify the presence of the marker in the sample,” the chemists explained.

“The intensity of the colour increases as the concentration of furfural in the beer rises and, thus, as more time passes since the beer was produced,” they added in a paper published in the journal Analytical Chemistry.

The team has also created a mobile app for Android smartphones that, by taking a picture of the sensor disc, allows for the identification of the amount of furfural present in the beer.

With this data, the degree of freshness can be determined.

The app is available as open source and any programmer can utilise and modify it to be used on other platforms.

It will also be available for Apple IOS devices soon.

www.desitoday.ca

JUNE/JULY 2016 News With A DESI View

49

BUSINESS & CAREER

“Internet of Things”

and the high stakes of digital security

As the popularity of mobile apps and social media sites spread, consumers have become increasingly accustomed to sharing their private information online, says Hasan Cavusoglu, associate professor of management information systems at UBC Sauder School of Business, and expert on information security and privacy.— either because they are unaware of the potential ramifications, or because they choose to ignore them.

“The challenge is that the value of these new technologies is immediate — you get likes and you create engagement — but the potential damage is in the distant future,” he explains, adding that people regularly click “agree” when companies ask to collect their data, even though it’s rarely made clear how that data will be used. “And from psychology research in other contexts, we know that people tend to ignore the future and don’t do very good risk calculation.”

Also, people’s online movements are being carefully tracked, explains Cavusoglu.

These days, if you search for something online — polka dotted socks, say — you’ll often see similar items popping up in your social media feeds and other online travels.

Companies will get better and better at tracking consumers through aggregated information from a variety of sources — and it may not work to the buyer’s advantage, predicts Cavusoglu. For example, if BMW discovers that you are set on buying one of their automobiles, you may not get as good a 50

JUNE/JULY 2016 News With A DEsi View

price as someone who is undecided.

But even more concerning, he says, is how ever-increasing connectedness is creating a host of potential hazards — and in the future, they will go well beyond basic credit card fraud.

For example, hackers could interrupt the operation of internet-enabled cars, and suddenly switch off the ignition or immobilize the brakes; or, using home automation technology, thieves could conceivably open doors or control other functions in people’s homes. On a larger scale, entire organiza-

policy-makers, because too much restriction can impede innovation and reduce competitiveness; but too few regulations can put the public at risk.

“Policy-makers should work with organizations to find common ground that ensures a sufficient level of privacy and security for the general public and the country, but balances the needs of organizations to access high-end technologies and leverage the information they collect,” he says. “Otherwise organizations will just keep pushing the boundaries.”

tions and city systems could be brought to a grinding halt.

“Right now it’s only viewed as a threat to data or personal information,” says Cavusoglu. “But with the connected nature of technology, the Internet of Things and the cloud, the spectrum of threats will be totally different.” Cavusoglu argues that a consensus needs to be reached between businesses and

Consumers, too, need to be better informed — not only about who is accessing their information, but how it will be used — and understand that their privacy is worth protecting.

“As technology evolves, the dangers will be much greater than what we have seen so far,” warns Cavusoglu. “This really is just the beginning.” www.desitoday.ca

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HEALTH & WELLNESS

t e e M s ’ t e “L for Coffee” Joti’s Advice Column We’ve all had a problem or two (or seven) that we just need to get off our chest.

And what do we say when we have these overly stressful, life-altering situations that we must to talk over? Let’s meet for coffee! I now welcome you to my virtual coffee shop. Here I will answer some of your most pressing questions about life, love and anything in between.

ABOUT ME:

I’m a psychology and counselling student that’s not an expert, just a friend. I read about peoples’ problems every day, all day. Now I want to hear about yours. Ask me anything!

Dear Joti, My parents are planning on going out of town on the weekend, leaving me in charge.

Normally this would be my ticket to party but my younger siblings have me stressed out to the max. I am the oldest of the three with me being 23 and my twin sisters being 17. They are planning on throwing a party at our house behind our parents’ with booze included! They have hinted that they want me to buy it for them. I don’t think this is a good idea at all but it’s difficult because I already feel le out of their relationship by being older and not a twin. I feel like I’m damned if I tell on them and damned if I don’t.

Nip this party in the bud because it’s time to grow up and be the big sister. Not only are they all going to be underage and all the friends that they would bring will be underage but also the risks to your house could be immense. We all know how brown parties work. You invite Ricky who then invites his brothers, his friends, brothers’ friends, and his uncles. You name it. They all come.

Not to mention if the party gets busted you will be responsible for providing underage teens with alcohol. You cannot tolerate your underage siblings drinking let alone under your supervision. Let them hate you; at least 52

JUNE/JULY DEC / JAN 2016 News With A DEsi View

t

By Navjee

they’ll be safe.

You’ll only be damned if you don’t because anything that happens will be on you because you are in charge. Not your sisters.

They may think you’re “super lame” but they’re still young. When they get a little older they’ll understand your reasoning and will respect you for it. Choose to become the role model versus the “cool older sister that boots”. Choose the righteous path otherwise when your parents get back this could become a horror story.

Wish you the best, xo Joti.

Dear Joti, I’m an aspiring doctor and I’m starting to get the feeling that my boyfriend is using this to brag about me to his friends, family and even strangers. Many times he will say, “This is [name omi ed] she’s studying to be a doctor.” I get really embarrassed and I am beginning to think this is a red flag.

While I understand that telling his parents your future career would matter, it’s totally uncalled for to mention it to total strangers. The fact that he’s bragging about your accomplishments to others for selfflattery leaves a bad taste in my mouth. The best thing to do is take one-step back and examine your relationship and how it began.

Did he become increasingly interested after you told him about your career aspirations?

Did he support you from the beginning even when you didn’t know what you wanted to do with your life? These are the types of questions you need to ask yourself and you also definitely need to tell him that it embarrasses you.

Wish you the best, xo Joti.

Dear Joti, I’ve been dating this guy for about six months and I recently noticed that he doesn’t put any pictures of us on his social media: there are none on his Instagram, Facebook, or anything. I made a comment

a (Joti) Bajw

about it and he sort of made a joke and said it wasn’t on purpose. A month later (a er we had taken pictures together at a few events) he still didn’t put any pictures up. The worst part is, I know he used to put pictures of him and his ex-girlfriend all the time. Should I be concerned?

I was on your boyfriend’s side until you mentioned that he previously put up pictures of an ex. I was thinking maybe he has family that follows him and that he’s avoiding marriage rumours. The best thing to do is ask him what’s up. No jokes nothing have a serious conversation about it because this can be a sign of something concerning. Is he hiding you from his other girlfriend? Don’t let him skirt around the issue.

Wish you the best, xo Joti.

Dear Joti, I’m single and all my friends are ge ing married. All we talk about when we hang out are weddings, bridal showers and outfits. I’m beginning to feel really le out and I find myself not even wanting to hang out with them while this whole phase is going on. I want to know how I should handle the next couple of months.

I definitely sympathize with you. On one hand it’s not the greatest feeling to be left out on not having your own wedding to plan but on the other hand your friends are understandably excited and preoccupied with wedding planning. They have every right to be excited and you have your right to feel left out about that. It is good to recognize why you’re feeling this way and then take steps to improve it. Recognize that it isn’t your friends that are annoying you, its constantly being reminded that you don’t exactly relate to it. It will be difficult but try to be excited and help them plan so you feel involved in your own way. If or when it’s your turn you will also want your smiling and supportive friends around you.

Wish you the best, xo Joti. www.desitoday.ca

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Offers end June 20, 2016. Available within network coverage areas available from Bell Mobility; see bell.ca/coverage. One-time connection charge ($15) may apply. 9-1-1 government monthly fee in NL: $0.75, NS: $0.43, PE: $0.70, NB: $0.53, AB: $0.44, SK: $0.62, QC: $0.40. Taxes extra. Other conditions apply. If you end your Commitment Period early, a Cancellation Fee applies; see your Agreement for details. Subject to change without notice, not combinable with other offers. (1) Supported by PCMag and other third parties. Reprinted from http://www.pcmag.com with permission. ©2016 Ziff Davis, LLC. All rights reserved. (2) Based on total sq kms on the shared LTE network from Bell vs. Rogers’ LTE network. See bell.ca/LTE for details. (3) With new activations or upgrades on the following plans: In AB, BC, NB, NL, NT, NS, NU, ON, PE, YT: $80/mo. ($60/mo. plan + $20/mo. for 500 MB data). In SK: $50/mo. ($45/mo. plan + $5/mo. for 1 GB data). In MB: $55/mo. ($45/mo. plan + $10/mo. for 2 GB data).In QC: $75/mo. ($55/mo. plan + $20/mo. for 4 GB data). Visit bell.ca/rateplans for details. Plus get an additional $200 trade-in rebate. Trade-in conditions: At participating locations. Must be 18 yrs or older and legal owner of the phone traded in. Max. 1 phone per trade-in. Rebate applies at the time of purchase on the price of the device in-store after taxes. Amount of rebate depends on the value of the phone; not all phones will get a rebate. See bell.ca/tradein for details. (4) With new activations or upgrades on the following plans: In AB, BC, NB, NL, NT, NS, NU, ON, PE, YT: $80/mo. ($60/mo. plan + $20/mo. for 500 MB data). In SK: $50/mo. ($45/mo. plan + $5/mo. for 1 GB data). In MB: $55/mo. ($45/mo. plan + $10/mo. for 2 GB data). In QC: $75/mo. ($55/mo. plan + $20/mo. for 4 GB data). Visit bell.ca/rateplans for details. (5) With new activations or upgrades on the following plans: In AB, BC, NB, NL, NT, NS, NU, ON, PE, YT: $80/mo. ($60/mo. plan + $20/mo. for 500 MB data). In SK: $50/mo. ($45/mo. plan + $5/mo. for 1 GB data). In MB: $55/mo. ($45/mo. plan + $10/mo. for 2 GB data). In QC: $75/mo. ($55/mo. plan + $20/mo. for 4 GB data). Visit bell.ca/rateplans for details. Plus get an additional $230 trade-in rebate. Trade-in conditions: At participating locations. Must be 18 yrs or older and legal owner of the phone traded JUNE/JULY 2016 in. Max. 1 phone per trade-in. Rebate applies at the time of purchase on the price of the device in-store after taxes. Amount of rebate depends on the value of the phone; not all phones will get a rebate. See bell.ca/tradein for details. (6) Purchase a Samsung Galaxy S7 and receive a bonus News With A DEsi View Samsung Level ON. While quantities last. MSRP for the Samsung Level ON is $279.99. Samsung Galaxy S7 edge, Galaxy Note5, and Galaxy S7 are trademarks of Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., used in Canada under license.

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53

HEALTH & WELLNESS

Forbidding Internet USE IS not good WHY

FOR YOUR KID

No one can stop the technology progress rate and we have to move with it in spite of forbidding it for our children. Parenting is not an easy job at all, but

Parents may please take note! The online world is full of risky situations for teenagers, but allowing them to gradually build their own coping strategies may be a better parental route than forbidding internet use, researchers say.

Avoiding the internet is not a realistic option for most teenagers, said Pamela Wisniewski, assistant professor in computer science at University of Central Florida in the US.

parents should learn that change is the only constant thing in the world, so no wise parents can raise their kids in modern worlds by playing old rules.

Putting rigid restrictions about not using the smart phone is not helping to grow better children, it only makes them more willing to have one.

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JUNE/JULY 2016 News With A DEsi View

The researchers recruited 68 teenagers, aged 13 to 17 years old, to enter first-hand accounts of their online experiences in a webbased diary.

During the two-month study, the teenagers reported they encountered 207 risky events, including sexual solicitations and online harassment, Wisniewski noted.

However, in many cases, the teenagers were able to resolve the issues on their own.

While the media may continue to focus on cases of online risk that had tragic consequences, the diary entries showed that many teenagers routinely handle some risky situations on their own.

“Focusing on the more positive interactions dealing with online risk flips this debate on its head and turns the conversation from one of parents trying to keep their teens safe to maybe there’s more we can do to teach teens how to keep themselves safe,” Wisniewski said.

Teenagers, in fact, did not see much of a difference between online risks and the risks they encounter in real-life social settings, she added.

“As adults we see these online situations as problems, as negative risk experiences, but teenagers see them as par-for-thecourse experiences,” Wisniewski said.

The researchers suggest that teenagers may be better off gradually acclimating to online risk and building resilience by overcoming lower risk situations, rather than avoiding exposure to risks, which is a more commonly recommended tactic today.

Parents and caretakers can act as guides in the process.

The findings were presented Association for Computing Machinery’s conference on human factors in computing in San Jose, California. www.desitoday.ca

HEALTH & WELLNESS

Relax!

Texting or phone calls at dinner time is

you think that using smartphone at the dinner table is killing conversations and ruining relationships, just relax. A quick text or even attending a phone call from your boss may be okay but not playing Candy Crush or chatting on Facebook.

According to the researchers, not all phone use is perceived at meal time as bad.

For example, texting and answering a phone call are both considered more appropriate than being on social media.

“These results are interesting because they challenge the idea that using your phone during a shared meal is categorically inappropriate. What we find is that attitudes are much more nuanced than that,” said Carol Moser, doctoral student at University of Michigan’s school of information.

“A quick text or even phone call with your boss might be okay. Watching someone across the table thumb through their Facewww.desitoday.ca

Okay

book feed, that’s different,” Moser added.

To reach this conclusion, the team surveyed 1,163 people between ages eight and 88 in English-speaking countries around the world.

The survey revealed that people’s attitudes about whether or not you should be using a mobile phone at mealtimes depends heavily on what you are doing, and who else is at the table.

The researchers think this might be because texting and talking on the phone are both brief activities whereas using social media can take much longer.

This was at least true for adults. However, children texting is rated as less appropriate, probably because children are perceived to be largely socialising with their friends and they do it a lot more than adults.

Regardless of activity, the study found that the older the participant, the more appropriate they perceive using mobile phones at meals to be but this peaks by the mid-20s.

Above that age, perceived appropriateness of use declines with age.

However, both adults and children generally agree that it is more appropriate for adults to use a phone at meals than for children to.

In fact, the mere presence of a child at a meal decreases the perceived appropriateness of adults using their phones.

“People have done other activities during meals like reading a newspaper or watching the television for years. But smartphones introduce a new challenge,” noted co-author Sarita Schoenebeck, assistant professor of information.

“You can’t tell what someone else is doing on their smartphone, so you have no idea if they’re ignoring you in order to reply to an urgent email or to play Candy Crush Saga,” she added.

The researchers suggest that smartphone developers might build more visibility into the devices.

For example, a phone might be able to detect that a user is at a meal and ask her if the activity is important to finish now or if she would like to wait until after the meal.

JUNE/JULY 2016 News With A DEsi View

55

HEALTH & WELLNESS At a time when you are not sure about timely intake of daily meals, devoting time for physical activity seems a distant dream.

You are grappling to prove your worth, but at the cost of your precious health.

The fast paced life leaves you with no time to concentrate on your health. Every new year, you make a resolution to start exercising or join the gym but within few months it becomes a distant dream due to work and family priorities In such a tight schedule even a 30 minute walk can work wonders for you – compared to not indulging in any physical activ-

ity at all. Yes, I said WALKING and it is the only activity which you don’t need to learn or need any specific equipment, all you need is your will.

Scientists at the US National Cancer Institute found that just 10 minutes of walking (or any other physical activity) can add 1.8 years more to your life!

For the study, the researchers considered 650,000 men and women – both aged 40 and older in Sweden and the US, who reported their activity levels. It showed that even as little as 75 minutes of walk a week extended life expectancy by nearly two years.

Walking is the basic and the best exercise. Besides benefitting your heart and lungs, brief walking takes care of your joints since body tends to move in coordination with the joints and nerves. If you wish to cherish good health, take out time for a short walk.

In addition, it was also found that brisk walking for 450 minutes a week, which is just over an hour each day, allows you to stay for 4.5 years more. Do it on a regular basis if you wish to get results. Opting it once or twice a week will not be so beneficial.

Now when I say walking 30 minutes a day means it should be a walk a continuous rhythmic walk. It should not be spilt during the day -- like 10 minutes in morning , 10 in the afternoon or during lunchtime or five minutes to car parking, that’s your daily activity which your body has been adapted to.

Your body needs a bigger challenge other than the daily activities. Your body will find it difficult to even walk for that long for a few days or weeks. But the good news is it starts getting easier. That’s just because human body is so adaptive, in order to keep on getting benefits you need to give further challenge like increase in speed or less rest or longer duration. All you need is to keep on moving. Our body is made to move, our joints are made to be loaded, our muscles are made to work and all together life is all about moving. “I often say the more you walk and the less you age. “ Be it morning or evening– whenever you feel take a quick walk, just go for it!

CONSIDER YOUR TECHNIQUE

HEALTHY LIFE:

Just a cake ‘walk’

Turning your normal walk into a fitness stride requires good posture and purposeful movements. Ideally, here’s how you’ll look when you’re walking: •

Your head is up. You’re looking forward, not at the ground.

•

Your neck, shoulders and back are relaxed, not stiffly upright.

•

You’re swinging your arms freely with a slight bend in your elbows. A little pumping with your arms is OK.

•

Your stomach muscles are slightly tightened and your back is straight, not arched forward or backward.

•

You’re walking smoothly, rolling your foot from heel to toe.

By Dhiraj Khatri

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JUNE/JULY 2016 News With A DEsi View

www.desitoday.ca

HEALTH & WELLNESS skin. Checking the sunscreen label will tell you whether it’s a mineral or chemical sunscreen.

What are some common mistakes people make when using sunscreen?

SUNIL KALIA

How to PICK the right sunscreen and USE IT properly

Most people don’t apply enough sunscreen, nor do they apply it as frequently as they should. It should be a teaspoon each on the face and neck, each leg, arms, front, and back. The reality is that most people might apply half that amount, which gives half the protection. In addition, sunscreen tends to come off as people perspire. That’s why I recommend an SPF of 60 when individuals will be out in the sun for a prolonged period of time. And it should be reapplied every two hours.

What is the difference between UVA and UVB rays?

The acute effects of UVB rays are sunburns, whereas UVA is linked with tanning. Historically, we thought that skin cancer was

When it comes to sunscreen, the average consumer could be forgiven for feeling overwhelmed by the array of choices in the drugstore aisle. UBC assistant professor of dermatology and skin science Sunil Kalia sheds light on how to choose the best sunscreen, and most importantly, how to use it.

Recently consumer groups such as the Environmental Working Group (EWG) have cautioned against chemical sunscreens.

What are the concerns about?

The science behind the EWG recommendations is not rigorous. They say to avoid sunscreens that contain a retinol or vitamin A agent. However, this is based on one study in which hairless rats were given extremely high UV exposure rates that aren’t comparable to regular sun exposure. In addition, the study didn’t demonstrate a causal link between retinol and skin cancer.

Currently, vitamin A agents are used commonly in over-the-counter skin products. As clinicians, we use oral retinoids in transplant patients to decrease skin cancer, and the topical form helps prevent photo aging. Another chemical that gets discussed is oxybenzone, with concerns raised that it can have hormonal effects. But the evidence we have so far has not shown it to have any clinical effects in humans.

What is the difference between a www.desitoday.ca

chemical and mineral sunscreen?

Both chemical and mineral sunscreens prevent UV light from penetrating the skin.

Both types of sunscreen absorb ultraviolet energy to some extent. Mineral sunscreens usually contain titanium dioxide or zinc oxide, and they also block incoming radiation by reflecting it. These sunscreens appear white because light is being reflected in the visible spectrum. Chemical sunscreens primarily work by absorbing UV rays, converting them to heat, and releasing it from the

primarily caused by UVB, however there is increasing evidence that UVA exposure also plays a role.

The SPF number on a sunscreen tells you how much UVB protection it provides, but it does not tell you anything about UVA protection. More work needs to be done to quantify UVA protection in sunscreens.

Consumers should look for broad-spectrum coverage on sunscreen labels, which is currently the best method Health Canada recommends to ensure both UVB and UVA protection.

JUNE/JULY 2016 News With A DEsi View

57

HEALTH & WELLNESS

Shahnaz Husain’s Tips for glowing skin in

sc

rching heat

Tone the skin daily with chilled

wash off with water. Sesame seeds actually

rose water, using cotton wool pads.

have sun protective properties and also

Wipe and stroke the skin with

soothe sun-damaged skin.

them. Then, pat briskly with the rosewater-

Cucumber juice (or pulp) and wa-

soaked cotton wool pads.

termelon fruit can be mixed with

Exfoliating the skin twice a week

two tablespoons powdered milk.

works wonders, removing dead

You can put the ingredients in a blender, for

cells and brightening the skin. Mix

a smooth paste. Apply on face and neck and

ground almonds with yogurt and pinch of

rinse off with water after half an hour. Adds

turmeric. Rub gently, with small circular

a glow and also removes tan.

movements, washing off with water.

Take sesame seeds (til), dried mint

Take half a cup of water and bring it to a boil. Put green tea leaves in a

(pudina) leaves and honey. Crush

ceramic bowl. Pour the hot water

the sesame seeds coarsely and

over it and keep for two minutes. Strain and

powder the dried mint leaves. Mix them

cool the liquid in the refrigerator. Apply on

with a little honey and apply on the skin.

face with cotton wool to tone the skin.

Leave on for five minutes. Rub gently and

58

JUNE/JULY 2016 News With A DEsi View

TIPS TO

Whiten Nails Stained or yellow nails are appealing.

Prepare a mixture of glycerine, rose water and lemon juice, eat well and more to get white nails, says an expert. Bharti Taneja, a beauty expert, aesthetician and cosmetologist and founder-director of ALPS, suggests how: • For turning your nails bright and white, try this super home remedy. Prepare a mixture containing equal amount of glycerine, rose water and lemon juice and apply this concoction on your nails after thoroughly washing it. Leave it for three to five minutes and wash it off.

• Massage your nails for 10 minutes after dipping them in almond oil every night before bed to make them stronger from within. The almond oil will nourish your talons; preventing brittleness, boosting nail growth and adding whiteness.

• Healthy nails are always white - so aim for maintaining optimum health of nails by eating right. These made up of keratin- a hard protein, therefore, it becomes important to have a wholesome diet containing necessary vitamins, especially, B-complex, vitamin-E; for boosting the keratin formation and keep your nails healthy. This will not only nourish, but boost the growth of nails too. So, aim for long and strong talons, by consuming Bcomplex enriched foods such as; fish, egg, beans, broccoli, milk and milk products, potatoes, red meat and more.

• Go for some eye-catching shades of nail paints. Also, very-in these days are that soak off nail-paints that last for 20 days and is very useful for those who complain of chipping nail polishes.

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HEALTH & WELLNESS

Tomato, yogurt and lemon juice face pack This helps in removing dark spots and pigmentation from the tanned skin.Take three table spoon of tomato pulp, one tablespoon of lemon juice and one tablespoon of yogurt.

Mix them well and apply. Let it dry for 30 minutes and wash after words.

Milk powder, honey and almond oil face pack Almond oil is also used for skin whereas milk powder moisturise the skin and impart clear tone and texture to skin. Mix two tablespoon of milk powder one tablespoon of honey and few drops of almond oil and apply the pack, leaves for 20 minutes and wash off.

Sandal wood and coconut water pack

PAPAYA, TOMATO, HONEY HELP

remove skin tan DURING SUMMER

Use cucumber and rose water to remove the unwanted tan or opt for a tomato, yogurt and lemon juice face pack to get a glowing skin during the summer season, says an expert. Pankaj Agagrwal, senior hoemoepath at Agrawal Homoeo Clinic has shared tips for those who face skin tan problems in the summer season.

cells. Add two tablespoon of besan and a pinch of turmeric. Mix it with a one tablespoon of milk and a spoon full of crushed orange peel. Mix with cold rose water and apply. Leave it for 20 minutes.

Cucumber, rose water and lemon juice pack

The enzymes present in papaya lightens your skin tone and reduce the visibility of scars and blemishes.

Honey moisturises and softens the skin. Mix half cup of ripe and mashed papaya add one tablespoon of honey and apply the pack.

Rinse with water.

One of the best home remedies for removing tan is cucumber and lemon. Lemon gives you skin lightening whereas cucumber and rose water soothes the skin. Mix the three ingrediant together and apply with cotton.

Wash after 10 minutes with cold water. Apply the pack everyday.

Sandalwood powder works as a natural skin cleanser and remove impurities and dead cells and blemishes the skin. Mix one tablespoon of sandal powder with coconut water and add few drops of almond oil, apply for 20 minutes and wash after words.

Saffron and fresh cream face pack Saffron helps in removing tan, brightening skin, and fight pimples and acne. Soak few strands of saffron and two tablespoon of milk cream overnight, blend both and apply them on face with the help of your finger. Wait for 20 minutes and rinse off with water.

Papaya and honey face pack

Besan and turmeric face pack This is a combination of bleaching and scrubbing. Turmeric powder adds glow to the skin and reduces tan. Besan works as natural scrub and it also removes dead www.desitoday.ca

JUNE/JULY 2016 News With A DEsi View

59

BEAUTY & ENTERTAINMENT Go for pre-stitched saris in western silhouettes over traditional drape and try shararas with straight cut kurtas over anarkalis for an innovative look during special occasions if you’re tired of the tried-and-tested, says an expert.

Designer Divya Gupta says one can break the conventionalism in fashion by opting for designs that look bold yet traditional. From flared palazzos and shararas, to opting for fabrics like chiffon and moonga silk, here are a few tips on how one can innovate with a traditional look:

Silhouettes: The monotony of anarkalis has given way to straighter yet detailed, modern silhouettes teamed with the flared palazzos and skirts that accentuate the curvy Indian figure. Body hugging shararas in innovative lycra fabrics teamed with capes has become a key trend in Indian fashion.

Minimalist dressing has taken over the Indian fashion industry as well, with saris becoming essentially minimalist and young; making it truly modern yet close to its roots.

The form has become non-conventional with stitched saris taking over the orthodox drape.

Saris teamed with capes is also a modern take on the typical Indian wear for special occasions.

Fabric:

The extensive amalgamation of modern silhouettes with the traditional handloom fabric makes the current day occasion wear essentially rooted to Indian heritage. Silks in varied textures and patterns is ideal for special occasions.

Interesting use of lycra is gaining popularity in the sense of comfort for shararas.

The silhouettes are transforming, but the fabrics largely remain conventional with silk handloom fabrics in captivating patterns. Towards the end of the year, velvet in intriguing colours will be all the rage.

Bored of saris, anarkalis on special occasions?

Innovate

your ethnic look

Colours:

There’s a transition from bright tones to more subdued tones in the colour palette. The colours, well suited for the Indian skin tone, range from sage, gold, chrome yellow, steel, burnt orange, scarlet with undertones of grey and brown.

The festive season shall see deep, rich colours with muted undertones ranging from plum, teal, henna, to brown. Rich, alluring colours with extensive embroidery shall be the flavour of the season.

Accessorise and styling:

A look for special occasions is incomplete without jewellery.

Indian outfits radiate grandeur when teamed with polki jewellery. Long polki necklaces with studs and low buns exude regality.

2016 60 JUNE/JULY News With A DEsi View

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Dry clean your wedding outfit right after your marriage ceremony is over, cover it in a clean muslin sheet and more to maintain it, says an expert.

Designer Lalit Dalmia suggests how: *

* *

*

*

*

*

Don’t store your bridal outfit in an area where change in temperature or humidity occurs.

Cover it in a clean muslin sheet to protect it from light and dust.

Don’t hang your outfit by the shoulder straps, instead hang it by the loops located inside. By using loops, you can avoid stretching of the look of the outfit.

Dry clean it immediately after your wedding to avoid staining and discolouration.

Don’t store your footwear with it as fumes from the leather and glue may cause damage and discoloration.

Cover key areas of your wedding dress with uncoloured, acid-free tissue paper while travelling. You can wrap the folds with tissue paper to avoid wrinkling.

Before placing your wedding dress in the acid-free and archival-quality wedding chest, always look for an expert to inspect your wedding outfit.

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BEAUTY & ENTERTAINMENT

The show, which went on the air on Colors in 2011, began by telling the tale of two sisters who get married in the same family, and their life at their in-laws’ place.

It seemed like a regular saas-bahu saga, and over time, the story shifted the focus to their trials, tribulations and friction. Gradually, a ‘naagin’ (snakewoman) was introduced to the plot, after which Simar’s character was made into a ‘daayan’ (witch).

To top it all, now the character is shown as a fly.

The 29-year-old actress says it’s all a part of reflecting various shades of Simar’s characters -- be it her love for her family, her sacrificing nature or her fierceness to protect the family.

Justifying it, Dipika said: “Fictitious

characters like that of a ‘daayan’ or a ‘fly’ are just a manifestation of Simar’s character being portrayed in an interesting manner at different instances to enhance the entertainment value.”

Also, drawing a comparison with how international shows engage viewers with supernatural elements in their plots, Dipika said: “Even internationally, there have been shows like ‘Vampire Dairies’ and ‘Werewolf’, showcasing concepts that do not exist in real life, and yet they are hugely appreciated and accepted by global audiences.”

“Our show delves deep into the world of fantasy and folklore. Tales of good triumphing over evil and stories of adventures have always been the bedrock of all our bedtime stories. By introducing supernatural elements or characters in the show, it gives the audience a chance to relive their childhood memories,” she said.

For Dipika, her journey in “Sasural Simar Ka” -- produced by Rashmi Sharma Telefilms Limited -- has been an experience of a lifetime. She credits the show’s creative team.

“An actor’s prerogative is to essay the character undertaken to the best of his/her ability, and with conviction. While I provide inputs pertaining to the character, decisions pertaining to the show and its storyline are taken by the creative team and I completely trust their judgement,” she added.

One wonders if it’s essential to keep introducing such twists and turns to keep the audience engaged, rather than work on stronger content. Dipika said: “Variety is the spice of life, and characters displaying mysticism definitely add different flavours to the show, making it an interesting watch for the audience.”

Just a day after getting embroiled in a tax evasion case, megastar Amitabh Bachchan pointed out how fame and success “has the capacity to garner hostility, revenge, envy jealousy and allied attributes”.

The Supreme Court upheld a plea by income tax authorities challenging a Bombay High Court order that permitted Amitabh tax relief in earnings made from “Kaun Banega Crorepati” (KBC).

But according to the chartered accountants and the legal advisory team of Amitabh, the case had no relation to the KBC case. It further said that the Supreme Court had given Amitabh the right to appeal against the re-assessment order.

The 73-year-old took to his official blog to

express his views.

He posted: “Prominence in any form attracts attention... fame, celebrity, eminence, pre-eminence, importance, distinction, greatness, note, notability, prestige, stature, standing, position, rank, renown, repute, illustriousness, acclaim, influence, account, consequence, visibility.

“All the above can fit in beautifully in ‘prominence’ but the argument or debate that could be centered around it would have to be distracted by a million different interpretations of it ; not necessarily sympathetic ..It has the capacity to garner hostility, revenge, envy jealousy and allied attributes.”

On the professional front, Amitabh is awaiting the release of “TE3N” and “Pink”.

‘Daayans’, ‘makhis’ not regressive content on TV - Dipika Kakar

By Durga Chakravarty

When Simar Bharadwaj, a popular character from the small screen’s “Sasural Simar Ka”, turned into a ‘makhi’ (fly) following a ‘shraap’ (curse), it not just led to an outburst of memes on social media but also left critics wondering where content on Indian TV is heading. But actress Dipika Kakar, who has undergone the transformation, defends it by saying that it’s “mystical, not regressive”.

“The concept of ‘naagins’, ‘daayans’ or ‘makhi’ does not fall into the regressive space. It is more mystical in nature. The Indian audience has always been privy to the stories of these mystical characters and continue to enjoy them because these transport them to a world of fantasy far beyond their imagination,” Dipika told IANS in an interview.

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Big B lists disadvantages of fame JUNE/JULY 2016 News With A DEsi View

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BEAUTY & ENTERTAINMENT

‘UDTA PUNJAB: REDEMPTION AND ENLIGHTENMENT

By Subhash K Jha “Udta Punjab” is a work of contemporary art so audaciously unprecedented in its vision and execution of a subject that is topical and timeless. You wonder if Bollywood, as we love and hate it, is finally growing up.

On the other hand, lest we forget, filmmakers in the past like Bimal Roy, Guru Dutt and Gulzar constantly prodded and pushed mainstream Hindi cinema into areas of darkness, not fearful of the unlit interiors of the human heart.

Director Abhishek Choubey takes forward to an altogether new high the politically empowered human drama of Bimal Roy’s “Do Bigha Zamin” (the migrant’s plight in the city, as played out by Alia Bhatt’s character) and Gulzar’s “Maachis” (Punjab, bloodied battered and wounded, no more romanticised).

I use the term “high” quite deliberately.

At least one of the film’s four protagonists -- the subversive rock star Tommy Singh -- is zonked out of his mind most of the time. So is the hauntingly persecuted Bihari migrant Pinky, the reluctant drug addict pumping her veins with dubious drugs to numb herself against constant violation.

Shahid Kapoor and Alia Bhatt are born again as they play the two traumatised characters journeying from the opposite directions of the moral scale. And yet their pained lives converge at one point in a strange unexpected and life-changing encounter. Both actors bleed brilliancy into their roles, bringing to the screen an electrifying authenticity with their sheer understanding of the www.desitoday.ca

complexities that define the drug politics of Punjab.

No actor in “Udta Punjab” plays his or her part in isolation. Everyone contributes persuasively and comprehensively to the director’s grand design whereby “reality” is transmuted into a kind of cinematic language which we have never experienced before.

And I don’t mean the profane dialogues, of which there is no dearth. Sure, the characters barring Kareena Kapoor Khan’s doctor Preet Sahani, who is immunized against the filth of moral debasement, talk dirty.

There is so much to appreciate in this amazing film, the unparliamentary language becomes the least of the take-aways.

Specially impressive are the Punjab locations and the way they are shot and fitted in with incidental music and sounds that appear to demolish and break down the distance between the director’s vision and the audiences’ perception.

Meghna Sen’s editing is razor-sharp. It allows the depraved disoriented people in Choubey’s film to open up their minds and emotions just enough for us to get a vivid glimpse into their troubled lives .

Though the playing-time clocks at 2 and a half hours, the burden of the duration is never felt by audience.

This time, the creator of the chaotic world of moral compromises takes full responsibility for his actions. Choubey looks at the wound-up characters in all their emotional nakedness, staring at their exposed

lived without pity anger or revulsion.

For the audience it is hard to look away from the realm of brutal self-interest built around the renegade characters. It’s specially heartbreaking to see what the script has in store of Alia’s character. But then, this is no country for the week and infirm. “Udta Punjab” is not only about Punjab and its drugged youth. It is also communicates with furious fluency a far-reaching statement on our wounded civilisation which thrives on inequality, injustice and exploitation.

The complete breakdown of the moral order and the subversion of law and order, are issues that govern the characters’ lives, twisting and changing their destiny in cruel ways.

Amongst all the devastation and decimation of humanism “Udta Punjab” gives us flash-moments of redemption and enlightenment. For the debauched rock star Tommy Singh it comes when thrown into jail for his obscene antics. There, he meets his fans, one of whom has just killed his mother when she refuses him money for drugs. The incident awakens Tommy’s conscience. He is ready for the change.

For the corrupt cop Sartaj Singh (played with persuasive sardonicism by Diljit Dosanjh) the moment of awakening comes when he meets the spiritually and well, just, literally beautiful Dr Preet Sahani.

Feral, frenetic, riveting, hypnotic, hallucinogenic and altogether incredible, we’ve never seen anything quite like “Udta Punjab” before.

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BEAUTY & ENTERTAINMENT

ILEANA D’CRUZ

AKSHAY IS A SUPERSTAR, BUT UNDERRATED ACTOR

Bollywood actress Ileana D’Cruz, who is all set to share screen space with superstar Akshay Kumar in the upcoming film “Rustom”, says she is “quite proud” of being a part of Tinu Suresh Desai’s directorial project.

“The film we have done is fictional... there is a lot of fiction involved. ‘Rustom’ is a very intense movie. It’s vintage no doubt...I hope people walk in and get immersed in the story. I am quite proud of (doing) this movie.”

The “Main Tera Hero” actress, who is 64

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gearing up for the release, is in a relationship with an Australian photographer named Andrew Kneebone. While she is not in favour of hiding facts about her personal life, but she won’t talk about it publicly either.

Asked how comfortable she is talking about her personal life, Ileana told IANS:

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person and it’s not fair to the other person.”

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be applicable to the other person.

“For now, I am not really keen on talking about it openly. It’s out there. I am not going to hide it. I am not going to have the person to come in from a separate entrance, but I just don’t want to talk about it,” said Ileana, who launched the Skechers Go Flex Walk range at an event in Mumbai.

Ileana says that she is just like any normal girl who loves shopping and picking glamorous pieces without running after brands and getting the best of bargains even if it is for grocery. “I am just like any

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normal girl. I love shopping and don’t think twice even if it is street shopping. I love bargaining and enjoy doing that while buying grocery too.”.

Asked about the experience of work-

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ing with Akshay, Ileana told: “It was really amazing to work with him... He’s one of

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the most underrated actors we have. He’s a superstar... Don’t get me wrong, but as an actor, people talk less about his acting capabilities than his superstardom.”

The “Barfi!” star says she was surprised as to how quickly the film got over and that she was upset when the film got wrapped.

“I normally don’t get emotional when a film gets over. I am actually excited. I was pretty upset when the film wrapped up, and that I couldn’t get back on the set to play the role opposite Akshay,” she said.

The actress says it was amazing working

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with the “Boss” star, with whom she felt a unique onscreen chemistry.

“The kind of scenes we have done together have immense amount of chemistry.

I haven’t experienced this chemistry with any other actor. There was this beautiful onscreen relationship we shared,” she said. www.desitoday.ca

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BEAUTY & ENTERTAINMENT

I’M TRYING TO DO MORE ROMANTIC FILMS NOW IRRFAN KHAN 66

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internationally acclaimed indian actor irrfan khan, who has carved out his own niche in the entertainment industry through hard-hitting, realistic and tough roles in films, says after the success of national award winning film “piku”, he next wants to explore more of the romantic genre. he also wishes to perform roles that are totally opposite to his onscreen image.

“Whatever roles i got, i did. i have played negative roles. i have played positive roles and even humorous ones. Whatever came in my way, i did that. in ‘piku’, i showed my romantic side. “right now i’m trying to explore more of romantic films, which i really didn’t get a chance to do earlier. i want to explore this genre,” irrfan told ians. asked about his married life, the national award-winning actor, who was earlier in the capital to launch detergent brand ariel matic’s “sharetheload” said: “if you can talk to somebody, if you can share your problems, if you can get frightened about somebody’s interaction -- that itself is a big help. “sutapa and i have been more of friends than anything else from our nsD (national school of Drama) days. For me, it was really important to have a relationship where i could communicate and that’s a primary thing for me to be in a relationship. “i should be able to interact with that person on all levels. sometimes you don’t have to talk about serious things. you can also share some lighter moments. irrfan has been married to screen writer sutapa sikdar for over 20 “successful years”. though he says that the “kind of a person” that his onscreen image has made him, he doesn’t considers himself suitable to “give any mantras for a successful married life”. irrfan said: “What i consider a healthy relationship is where a relationship provides a ground to grow for each other. if i’m in a relationship and i provide a space to other person to grow and evolve, that is very important to me.” but he says, if a relationship becomes a burden “then it starts decaying and stars extracting from you”. irrfan, who is also famous in hollywood, says that despite his busy shooting schedules, he often tries to take time out for his personal life and share the house work load with his wife. “the way society is changing now, we can’t really depend on the stereotypes which have been made by people that women have to work in the house and men should go and work outside. now the roles are changing and it’s better for us to understand these roles and adapt accordingly to keep the relationship and life at home exciting,” irrfan said.

“When you are coming from a long schedule, you don’t really want to do anything. but once you are at home and you are free, you must be sensitive enough to help each other. there are so many things in a house which one can do and we should not take it for granted that it’s a women’s job,” he added.

Does he also feel that the perception of bollywood being a male-dominated industry is changing? “it’s changing with time. With films like ‘piku’ and ‘Queen’, the perception of bollywood being a male-dominated field is changing. Women today are playing the main lead of the story. so that change is happening for sure”. irrfan has films like “madari” and “inferno” in his kitty. he will also play a romantic role with pakistani actress sabah Qamar in an upcoming untitled film. by sandeep sharma www.desitoday.ca

BEAUTY & ENTERTAINMENT actress alia bhatt, who plays a migrant bihari labourer in abhishek Chaubey’s film “udta punjab”, says she was avoided on the sets of the film as she was unrecognizable in her look.

“When we started shooting, i walked on to the sets and i was avoided by all. nobody realised that it was me. suddenly when i spoke to Chaubey, everybody realised and took five steps back. they felt they had made a blunder,” said alia at the launch of the song “ikk kudi” from the film.

Composed by amit trivedi, “ikk kudi” is a slow punjabi song that directly touches the heart. the video of the track shows alia, who plays an aspiring hockey player, striving to get her first chance to display her talent and how she eventually gets one. speaking about her character, alia said: “if a character is angry or upset or distraught, alia doesn’t have anything to do with it because it is the character. i am comfortable doing whatever my character wants me to do.” actress alia bhatt, whose role of a bihari migrant has drawn mixed reactions, says people shouldn’t make assumptions before watching the film. after the trailer of “udta punjab” was released, actress neetu Chandra wrote an open letter criticising alia and abhishek Chaubey for carrying out typical bihari stereotypes through the former’s character in the film. “anybody who makes assumptions after watching the trailer, it is better to keep quiet for us. because whatever people are assuming, especially the person in question over here, could also possibly be untrue,” alia told reporters at the launch event of the film’s song “ekk kudi” here.

“We always make assumptions before seeing the full and final project. trailer is just a hint where film is the real content. after seeing the film, if people have the same thought then it is correct to justify. before that we want you to wait,” the “kapoor & sons” actress added. Chaubey also supported alia’s opinions. “udta punjab” is a neo-noir drama thriller. Co-produced by phantom Films and balaji motion pictures, the movie tells the story of substance abuse in the indian state of punjab. the film also features shahid kapoor, kareena kapoor and Diljit Dosanjh in the lead roles. “udta punjab” is slated for a june 17 release.

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I WAS AVOIDED

BY ALL ON ‘UDTA PUNJAB’ SET: ALIA BHATT

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BEAUTY & ENTERTAINMENT

bollywood girls Ever wonder what you’re favourite Bollywood stars look

Deepika paDukone

kareena kapoora

priyanka Chopra

katrina kaiF

sonakshi sinha 68

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- before & after without all the glitz and glamour? We revealed it for you!

alia bhatt

sunny leone

bipasha basu

rani mukherjee

kangana ranaut www.desitoday.ca

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BEAUTY & ENTERTAINMENT

UPCOMING mADARI

| July 15, 2016 the film is based on mumbai metro bridge collapse which took place in suburban marol in 2012. madaari is a story which could happen to anyone but the means may differ to meet the end. one fine day junaid loses everything he has in a man-made disaster, he starts the journey of seeking answers asking for accountability which leads him to a deadly path. the journey brings out the extraordinaire out of an ordinary man, it’s a saga of emotions in a thriller avatar. the film stars irrfan khan, jimmy shergill and tushar Dalvi in the main cast.

DISHOOM

sHORGUL

| July 1, 2016 shorgul focuses on political incidences and chaos which sets the city of uttarpradesh stormed by violence and disturbances. the relation of friendship between the two characters one being hindu boy and another muslim girl turns into a growing political discontent and escalates into the minefield which gives rise to major unrest in the city. the movie is based on true life incident which will bring out the reality in politics and power play having a solid message to give out.

| July 29, 2016 multi starred Dishoom movie is an action adventure film in which the audience will enjoy lots of fighting scenes. the artists to be a part of these confrontations are john abraham, Varun Dhawan, jacqueline Fernandez, akshaye khanna, rahul Dev, ram kapoor, kabir bedi, tarun khanna, nargis Fakhri, amrita puri, akshay kumar, arjun rampal. both Varun Dhawan and john abraham have amazing fitness and great muscular bodies. Dishoom is an expression in hindi language comes out when a punch is hit.

sULTAN

| July 6, 2016 sultan is an upcoming, most awaited 2016 indian sports-drama film directed by ali abbas Zafar. the film stars salman khan and anushka sharma in pivotal roles and centers around sultan ali khan (salman khan), a wrestler who has problems in his professional and personal life. From a small town wrestler in haryana, sultan achieves global fame winning bouts at the 2010 Commonwealth games in Delhi, the 2011 Fila Wrestling World Championships in istanbul and the 2012 london olympics.

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MOVIES iNDEPENDENCE DAY rESURGENCE

| June 24, 2016 We always knew they were coming back. after independence Day redefined the event movie genre, the next epic chapter delivers global spectacle on an unimaginable scale. using recovered alien technology, the nations of earth have collaborated on an immense defense program to protect the planet. but nothing can prepare us for the aliens’ advanced and unprecedented force. only the ingenuity of a few brave men and women can bring our world back from the brink of extinction.

bAD mOMS

tHE lEGEND OF tARZAN

| July 1, 2016 it has been years since the man once known as tarzan (skarsgård) left the jungles of africa behind for a gentrified life as john Clayton iii, lord greystoke, with his beloved wife, jane (robbie) at his side. now, he has been invited back to the Congo to serve as a trade emissary of parliament, unaware that he is a pawn in a deadly convergence of greed and revenge, masterminded by the belgian, Captain leon rom (Waltz). but those behind the murderous plot have no idea what they are about to unleash.

| July 29, 2016 amy mitchell (mila kunis) puts her family first, second, and third. but her man-child husband, high-maintenance kids and idiot boss are taking a toll. she gives and gives, and gives and gives, and then gives a little more, but it’s never enough. When the alpha moms (Christina applegate, annie mumolo and jada pinkett smith) at her kids’ school push her too far, amy finally snaps. good amy becomes bad amy really fast -- and she doesn’t go alone. teaming up with two other misfit moms (kathryn hahn, kristen bell), amy gets a jolt of freedom that shakes up her life and might even make her a better mom. so call a sitter, put on your comfy pants, and pour yourself a double Chardonnay, because these moms are about to get bad.

sTAR tREK bEYOND

| July 22, 2016 after stopping off at starbase earhart, a remote outpost on the fringes of Federation space, the uss enterprise, halfway into their five-year mission, is destroyed by a powerful, unstoppable wave of unknown aliens. With the crew stranded on a unknown planet and with no apparent means of rescue, they find themselves in conflict with a new ruthless enemy who has a well-earned hatred of the Federation and what it stands for.

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BEAUTY & ENTERTAINMENT Filmmaker anurag kashyap, who has helmed hard-hitting films like “black Friday” and “gangs of Wasseypur”, feels that the hindi film industry needs to pull up its socks as regional cinema is “threatening” the industry and even hollywood may “take over” the national market with its dubbed version of films. “the more regional cinema will threaten us, bollywood will work harder. We are threatened from everywhere because we are more mediocre as compared to everybody else. We have to get rid of our mediocrity and pull up our socks and make better films,” kashyap told. “apart from regional films, hollywood will definitely take over because they have started dubbing everything. We have to start making better content,” he added. regional cinema, which has always been high on content, has also now started to be a money spinner at the box office. With films like “sairat” (marathi), “thithi” (kannada) and “kammatti paadam” (malayalam) among others, it is coming into spotlight in a big way. kashyap also believes that unlike hollywood, bollywood is a star-driven market. “sometimes you need stars in the west... (but) when the idea is bigger, you go for a newcomer. in hollywood, they will go for a newcomer because they believe in the idea. here, when the idea is bigger, they go for the star because they don’t believe in the idea... it’s a star-driven market,” he said. the filmmaker also doesn’t “enjoy” controversy. “in this country, people can’t deal with honesty... i talk straight... i am not a person who looks for controversy. i don’t enjoy controversy so much. today, everybody has an opinion, and in a sea of opinions, it doesn’t matter,” the 43-year-old said. of late, kashyap said, he has become “very selfish”. “i want to live my life and my focus is on work and my family. i am 43 now and i have seen a lot in life. my entire focus is on my own happiness,” added the filmmaker, whose last directorial “bombay Velvet” failed to elicit the response he had expected. kashyap said his journey in the industry has been “quite a roller coaster ride”. “it feels good and i would not like to change anything about my journey. it’s quite satisfying if i get to do what i want to, i am happy. i am my own boss,” he added. he is currently busy promoting his film “raman raghav 2.0”, which narrates the 72

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BOLLYWOOD NEEDS TO GET RID OF MEDIOCRITY story of serial killer raman raghav, who went on a murder spree in mumbai in the 1960s. it features nawazuddin siddiqui as the notorious serial-killer alongside Vicky kaushal, who plays a police officer. kashyap also admitted his fascination with the crime genre.

“i enjoy making crime films. i, as a director, never left that space. i am fascinated by crime,” he said. the psychological-thriller, presented by reliance entertainment and a product of phantom Films, is set to hit theatres in june.

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DESI

Around Town

NDP MLAs Raj Chouhan (2nd from left) and Kathy Corrigan (3rd from left) with organizers of the 2016 Burnaby Hike for Hospice fundraiser.

In celebration of Police Week, Surrey RCMP hosted an open house at its main detachment located at 14355 57th Avenue. There were a raft of hands-on activities and informative displays, photo opportunities with police vehicles and members in red serge, and demonstrations. Surrey RCMP police officers, staff and volunteers were joined by Police Dog Services, RCMP Dive Team, Emergency Response Team, Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit, Forensic Identification Unit, and so on.

Janta Sewak Society and Mamta Foundation of Canada donated $10,000 to the Canadian Red Cross for the victims of Alberta’s Fort McMurray wildfire.

British Columbia Chapter of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) hosted a lunch for Nilesh Vikamsey, ICAI Vice President, who was in B.C., at Vancouver’s Salam Bombay Restaurant. Indian Consul General Rajiv Kumar Chander was also present.

Photos by Chandra Bodalia and Jay Mahi of Mahi Photo Studio

Kids Play Foundation, in cooperation with 14 Vancouver elementary schools, brought 60 teams and 700 youth to BC Place Stadium. Kal Dosanjh, Founder of Kids Play, says he designed this soccer program for youth who came from marginalized lower socio-economic backgrounds, based on his law enforcement experience in Downtown Eastside. Sports gives youth qualities such as self-respect and confidence, but most importantly, a sense of dignity.

Vancouver’s Akali Singh Sikh Society donated $25,000 to the Canadian Red Cross for the victims of Alberta’s Fort McMurray wildfire.

At the Surrey Board of Trade’s 7th Annual Surrey Industry Bus Tour Visit at Sunrise Kitchens on.

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EUROPE

WITHOUT BRITAIN

by their brexit vote, the people have administered a punch on the chin of the british establishment, leaving it rattled and dazed. britons have now joined electoral insurgencies elsewhere in europe and beyond, against two-party democracies being hijacked by crony capitalism and austerity policies. “global revolt against capitalism,” is the paraphrase of expressions used repeatedly by columnists, leaders of political parties and sundry pundits, on the high profile coverage of the referendum results, anchored by David Dimbleby on bbC-1.

Driving me from euston station to my hotel, the driver of london’s iconic black cab had announced the results hours before counting began. “there has been a relentless campaign by big international corporations to remain in the eu, but the people are not being bullied; they’re making up their own mind.” trust the cabbie, threatened by competition from uber and other minicabs, to get to the heart of the matter.

Chancellor of the exchequer, george osborne, threatened to break the back of the “eXiters” with a punitive, pro-austerity budget which, according to him, would become necessary if the remain lost. the great hedge fund genius and global finance manipulator, george soros, alarmed financial markets by his hyperbole: black Friday he threatened across page one banner headlines. the World bank, imF, Federal reserve, bank of england, anxious economists - all came out with menacing messages. the Day of judgement was nigh. threats were issued from every global pedestal of power, but the important point is this: the people remained unimpressed. they voted according to their own lights. there is a lesson here for establishments everywhere. their writ has diminished. tony blair’s notorious spin doctor, alastair Campbell, with new lines etched on www.desitoday.ca

his face as results poured in, blurted out in a rare moment of truth: there should not have been a referendum. in other words, the people should have been kept out. it is precisely this arrogant anti-people stance of establishments that is causing voters everywhere, to puncture holes in systems that suffocate them. in the din of the ferocious campaign, only some newspapers had the time to take note of the insurgent Five star movement in italy having wrested the mayorships of rome and turin from a dwindling establishment. the continent and democracies elsewhere are being tugged in different directions.

While the global ramifications of britain’s exit are chewed and digested, a more straightforward outcome is emerging in sharp silhouette in spain. on sunday, the left-leaning podemos is likely to be in a position to form a coalition government.

“Welcome immigrants” was the giant size placard, adorning the leftist mayor’s office in downtown madrid. young podemos leaders are optimistic for sunday’s vote on exactly this kind of platform. this is vastly at a variance from the vocabulary used in the referendum debate. the british campaign was marked by two distinct threats. the prime exiters, boris johnson, Conservative, nigel Farage uk independence party, painted lurid pictures of migrants flooding britain in the event of continued union with eu. the remain camp threatened economic doom in the alternative. neither had the sensitivity to realize that the people had had enough of experts and politicians. Further complications will emerge as people and establishments interpret the outcome according their respective visions. that David Cameron, the right Wing prime minister, and jeremy Corbyn la-

bour’s radical socialist leader, stood on the same platform was puzzling enough for the common man. sooner or later, the leaders will define their differences.

Corbyn fears england dominated by boris johnson and nigel Farage, with shrunken space for working class politics. scotland’s left leaning scottish national party is fiercely for remaining in the eu, edging out labour. against this backdrop, Corbyn’s vision to mobilize working classes across europe remains thwarted. already Corbyn is facing a mini revolt within the labour party for being slow off the block in supporting remain. the support Cameron received from president obama and the us establishment has a huge strategic sub text. a europe, minus britain will be more prone to seeking accommodation with russia.

Will eu now consolidate itself in the growing concert of a multipolar world? or will it begin to splinter? already marine le pen’s national Front in France is waylaying president Francois hollande from the right in French elections next spring. german elections in october 2017 will be riveting in the context of some real migration from the theatres in the middle east destroyed by the us, uk and French led military actions which have resulted in the greatest human migration since World War ii. much before the riveting polls in France and germany, november elections in the us must engage the attention of punters. if establishments are in such bad odour everywhere, will the darling of the us ruling elite, hillary Clinton, be exempt from people’s wrath? Donald trump thumbed his nose at her by turning up to inaugurate his exclusive golf course in scotland, almost indifferent to the troubling results that were to follow.

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LIFE & ETC

NAMASTE, SAT SHRI AKAL AND JAMBO

But it is not the only African country where there are Indians - and in quantity.

In Kenya itself, Punjabi singer Hazara Singh Ramta recounts in “Ramta Africa vich” that when he landed: “...mainu vi len si aayi Punjabi janta saari/ Nairobi aerodrome te si bheed bhadhake/Vaisakhi de mele vangna vajde si dhakke..”. Likewise in “Ugande”.

As reports of reprisals against Indians in Congo after the fatal assault on a Congolese student in New Delhi, and several personal examples show (for me, my sister Monika is in Kenya for over two decades now, her inlaws for over three generations - and in a curious coincidence, my great-grandfather Sardar Ishwar Singh Datta, a soldier, served in East Africa in the late 19th /early 20th cenA historic gurdwara in tury - details are unfortunate sketchy), InKenya’s Makindu town dians have been constant visitors/residents well over Africa.

Perhaps why this has not received enough focus is that they, unlike their compatriots elsewhere, have not many literary representations of their experiences - no one like V. S. Naipaul, Jhumpa Lahiri, Salman Rushdie or so. And neither have many Indian globetrotters concentrated on Africa - much.

But that is not to say that there is no writings by Indians on Africa or the Indian experience there. And ironically, some come from leading lights of another Indian diaspora - Sir Vidiadhar Surajprasad Naipaul himself, but also his late younger brother Shivadhar Srinivasa Naipaul (1945-85).

And while Sir Vidia is more famous, it is Shiva Naipaul who has written one of the finest works on Africa ever, but it unfortunately never received its due attention - maybe due to its uncomplimentary nature.

His wittily cynical, almost satirical “North of South: An African Journey” (1978) is about a trip through Kenya, Tanzania and Zambia in the mid-1970s, with special focus on South Asians and their relations with both Blacks and Whites. Naipaul doesn’t pull any punches in his trenchant observations on class, racism, government and colonialism/ post-colonialism, is scathing on the corruption, incompeV.S. Naipaul’s younger brother Shiva Former diplomat Madanjeet Singh’s tence (both well captured in Naipaul’s classic travelogue on Africa account of the last years of Idi Amin’s the shoe-polishing incident), rule in Uganda degeneration, and laziness, and in fact, on all Africa and

INDIAN EXPERIENCE IN AFRICA

Makindu town, on Kenya’s Nairobi-Mombassa Highway, is most known for its grand and immaculately-maintained gurdwara, which is a must stop for all travellers, not only Sikhs. Dating back to 1902 (though the present building only came up in 1926), the shrine is abiding testament to the over century-old and continuing - but less attentionreceiving - Indian presence in Africa.

Though any thoughts of the Indian diaspora veers mostly to the western world, and if this huge continent comes to mind, the focus is generally on South Africa - due to the sojourn there of a most famous Indian (though the Mahatma is sparing about his experiences in his autobiography).

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those involved in its affairs.

Meanwhile, the elder Naipaul has some perceptive views on then rule of Mobutu in then Zaire, and Ivory Coast’s first and longtime ruler Felix Houphouet-Boigny - though their legacies proved to be ephemeral. (Both in “The Writer and the World: Essays”, 2012, Picador). Then “Masque of Africa” (2010) , a trip from Uganda to South Africa, via Ghana and Nigeria, the Ivory Coast and Gabon, seeks to gauge the effect on “belief” on African civilisation.

A vivid portrait of another of Africa’s notorious ‘Big Men’ can be found in former Indian envoy to Uganda (1977-80) Madanjeet Singh’s “Culture of the Sepulchre: Idi Amin’s Monster Regime” (2012).

The author, says he was prompted to tell the story after a girl wrote to him 2011 to thank him for saving her parents in the violent chaos that followed Amin’s overthrow.

Not only does it recount Amin’s buffonish but nightmarish rule and its end and the author’s valiant but single-handed efforts to save South Asians, it also has some revealing anecdotes of the diaspora, including a pair of feuding Sikh businessmen in Kigali (Rwanda), and rich but miserly ones in Bujumburra (Burundi).

Though he deserves a separate post, mention must be made of Ranchi-born, Yaleeducated mathematician-turned-journalist Anjan Sundaram. “Stringer: A Reporter’s Journey in the Congo” (Penguin, 2013) is a stark account of his experiences - facing robbery, depression, civil war and unwelcome attentions of girls angling for an easy way out - while trying to steady his new career in the desperate and deprived post-Mobutu era.

“Bad News: Last Journalists in a Dictatorship” (Bloomsbury, 2016) is his equally unsettling account of post-genocide Rwanda.

But one frequent traveller through Africa is bureaucrat Prabhu Ghate, who in his “By Thumb, Hoof and Wheel: Travels in the Global South” (2015, Bloomsbury) recounts his singular experiences, especially of voyages now memories - a steamer up the Nile through Sudan or the weekly MombassaBombay ship - and also around the Horn of Africa - Ethiopia, Djibouti, Eritrea and Somalia - on way to Yemen.

Like Africa itself, this topic has much potential but has been ignored/under-utilised.

Hoping it will always not be thus always.

- By Vikas Datta

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HIGHWAY 5’: A NEW TURN IN PUNJABI CINEMA This Hollywood style movie will set new benchmarks Written and directed by multi-award winning Hollywood based filmmaker Kavi Raz, Highway 5 is all set to be released worldwide on July 22, 2016. One of its kind, the entire movie is shot on iconic Freeway 5 that spans through the West Coast from Canada, US to Mexico.

The movie is about the journey of three Canadian friends. What was meant to be a short sojourn across the border takes them down the Freeway 5. For the friends it becomes journey of a lifetime.

After a hard night of merriment and partying these friends come across the US border to buy milk -- a common practice among Canadians, in particular Indo-Canadian, to purchase cheaper groceries on the South side of the border. Joined by a fourth friend from Bellingham, they embark on an accidental and yet, life changing journey.

Their journey, takes on hilarious and at times heart wrenching overtones as old wounds resurface, relationships questioned, 78

JUNE/JULY 2016 News With A DEsi View

forgotten friends reconnected and a life examined.

The film stars Sunny Boparai, Raj Sandhu, Aman Dhaliwal, Baaz Lalia and Mannu Sandhu.

Raj Sandhu, a native of Hoshiarpur India, has been residing in Surrey, Canada for the last several years and has devoted his life to learning the craft of acting.

He divides his time between Mumbai and Los Angeles. In Mumbai he attended Kishore Namit Kapoor acting academy In Hollywood he continues to hone his acting chops under the tutelage of Kavi Raz. For Raj, acting is a serious business. He believes in learning and continually growing as an actor. He stays rooted to his Punjabi culture while continuing to pursue a career in Bollywood and one day Hollywood.

It was due to his love for Punjabi cinema, this movie was made possible. He says that the idea to make a film on Freeway came when he was in LA and discovered this

road that connects three countries. “I was referred to Kavi Raz by one of my friend.

When I met him, we discussed about using Kavi Raj’s Hollywood experience in Punjabi cinema.”

He says that Kavi Raz moved to North America when he was just 4. “He spent many decades in Hollywood and earned different accolades. We wanted him to use his Hollywood approach in a Punjabi movie. He agreed to do that.”

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Raj says that the entire script and production is done in Hollywood style and has many firsts. “It is the first road movie in Punjabi and first Punjabi film made by a Hollywood Studio. Shot by Hollywood crew in USA, Canada and Mexico, it is an allegorical film on an epic scale.”

He adds, “Once you will see the film, you will get the feel of a Hollywood movie and could make the difference in production, acting and script.”

Apart from acting, Raj Sandhu has also helped in production and music of the film.

Featuring music by Bollywood stars, Daler Mehndi, Raja Hasan, Labh Janjua and from super star Salman Khan’s film Prem Ra an Dhan Paeyo, Palak Mucchal, all the seven songs in the movie are wri en by Raj Sandhu.

The movie is produced by Jassy Boparai USA based businessman and cinema aficionado. “His love for his culture and language is what propelled him to produce this quality driven film and sign Kavi Raz to write and helm the project,” he says.

Kavi Raz is the first actor from South Asia/Middle East to appear as a regular on a Hollywood television series “St. Elsewhere.”

The award winning TV series aired on NBC and many other countries around the world in the early to mid-eighties.

Kavi Raz’s directorial debut film The Gold Bracelet has garnered much praise and a ention in Hollywood as well as other parts of the world. The film has won many awards at prestigious international film festivals.

Aaron C. Smith is the director of photography. www.desitoday.ca

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LIFE & ETC Celebrity chef Vikas Khanna has much more to offer than just tongue-tantalizing food. After holding kitchen spoons and pen, the Michelin starred Chef has entered into the arena of a film making.

After presenting his book titled “Utsav - A culinary epic of Indian festivals” at the Cannes Film Festival in 2015, the star chef unveiled his documentary “Kitchens of Gratitude” at the gala’s 69th edition this year.

The documentary is the chef’s ideology that food has always been the thread which brings people together and that it transcends all barriers of caste, creed, faith -- thus, encouraging people to share.

While researching on how food was cooked in the Harappan civilisation, Khanna discovered that daily cooking was a communal activity in those times and he did not find a single reference to the use of small cooking pots, which bears out this finding. The fact that everyone used to get together for cooking and eating asserts his belief that the “unifying power of food was stronger even before religion came into being.”

Khanna then created, directed and shot a 15 minute documentary which captures this belief. The documentary feature personalities like Dalai Lama, Deepak Chopra, Mata Amritanandmayi (spiritual leader) and Pastor Craig Mayes of the New York Mission among others. “‘Kitchens of Gratitude’ for me is solely about how food has always been the thread that brings people together encourage people to share. The documentary examines how shared food experiences help break the walls that divide people.

“I firmly believe that our children must know that every faith welcomes everyone. No faith ever promotes discrimination. It is food that binds us together, and it must continue that way,” Khanna said.

Khanna was raised in Amritsar, India where he grew up surrounded by large family feasts, the seasonal produce fresh from the fields of Punjab, and of course, his Grandmother’s traditional home cooking. It was at his grandmother’s side that he began to learn the intricacies of Indian cuisine.

He started his own banquet and catering business, Lawrence Gardens, at the age of 17.

Famous New York based Indian chef Vikas Khanna unveils his first documentary about true power of food and how it brings together humanity

His Excellency Dr Mohan Kumar, India’s Ambassador to France unveiled Utsav along with Mr. Raja Rajamannar, Chief Marketing Officer Mastercard, the gorgeous Bollywood actress Ms. Sonam Kapoor & the author, documentary film maker, philanthropist Chef Vikas Khanna

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LIFE & ETC

Know what your star says

HOROSCOPE JUNE-2016 WITH PANDIT SRI SRI RAM SURREY WALE Capricorn (Dec 22 - Jan 19)

Taurus (Apr 20 - May 20)

You will have to focus on your careers.

You had enough time to strategize your career plans and build your emotional strength suf�iciently. Now you can ensure that those plans take shape through hard work. Be ready for a few surprise dates with your loved one or an of�icial trip.

Proper use of social skills will boost your prospects in life. Now is not the time to think of your gains.

June will revive your interest in scholarly activities and you will make serious efforts to improve your communication skills.

Your emphasis should be on domestic issues and emotional stability as planetary strength has moved to the Southern sector of your horoscope towards the imum coeli. Your House of Family is dominant while your House of Career is weak. Career issues can be put on hold for the present and you can direct your energy to stabilize home affairs. Social activities will become more entertaining and pleasant during the month. You will be deeply involved in spiritual and religious activities along with your family members.

Domestic concerns and emotional aspects of your life will be dominant during the month. Your profession and business will not be a priority at the moment. In June, independence and aggression will be replaced by social collaboration and conciliation. Aquarians have to be persistent and should not be affected by the consequent delays in life. You should focus only on vital issues.

Horoscope forecasts that planetary positions in�luencing career are not benevolent. The focus for the Twins for the month will be on boosting the emotional strength and family harmony. Career growth should be built on emotional base rather than on personal ambition.

The Gemini zodiac people will want personal satisfaction and independence in everything they do.

Planetary aspects will make you very charming and you will be able to attract others easily in love. You will be lively and draw others to you by your wit and �inesse. Your self-assurance will be great and you can accomplish your goals without problems.

Aquarius (Jan 20 - Feb 18)

Pisces (Feb 19 - Mar 20)

Pisces indicates that family concerns and emotional stability will be vital this month.

Career cannot be overlooked and you have the support of a strong emotional personality during this period. You can work on the future of your professional growth and formulate the necessary course of action. In June you will need to be �lexible and adapt yourself to new situations and environments.

Aries (Mar 21 - Apr 19)

You should focus on home affairs along with inner stability. You should also strategize your career plans which can be executed at a later date. Spirituality will be important and should be used to stabilize family affairs. Success has to be achieved by collaboration and compromise. This is not the time to be assertive, but to be adaptable to situations. Benevolence of others will be necessary and the opinion of others will count if you want to overcome your challenges.

Gemini (May 21 - June 21)

Cancer (June 22 - July 22)

By end of the month psychological strength will be vital compared to career and professional aspects. Your personal objectives should have the emotional support if they have to succeed. You should review your career path and make necessary changes in your business plans. The Cancer personality will be ambitious and ready to go any extent to reach their goal. You are not dependent on others and by your success you can make others happy. But due to planetary retrogrades progress will be slow and obstacles are expected.

Leo (July 23-Aug 22)

Career and personal ambitions are predominant during the month. There might be some issues at home that will need your

attention. Relations between parents and children will need to be nurtured. Independence and personal interests will be important during June. Issues concerning other people will be in the back burner. As the power of Self is not powerful enough, social skills are still necessary to accomplish your targets.

Virgo (Aug 23-Sept 22)

Career issues will take up your time this month since planetary strength lies in the upper half of the horoscope towards the midheaven sign. Planetary positions are not favorable for home and family this month and domestic issues can be low key. You can chart out your own course in life, but it will be judicious to seek the support of your social circle in attaining your goals Your engagement in a large business venture will drain out your energy and you will have problem dealing with the various aspects of life affected by the hard work. This will affect both the physical and mental health of the Virgos.

Libra (Sept 23-Oct 22)

Career and professional issues will dominate this month. You are reaching your career high for the year.

Home and Family matters can rest for a while. This is the time to take independent actions. Personal progress can be achieved by following your own course and by self-assertion. This is not the period for collaboration or conciliation. You will have bulldoze your way which is against the Libra personality and you may feel very uncomfortable. Spirituality and religion will occupy your free time during the month.

Scorpio (Oct 23-Nov 21)

Career will become the overriding factor by the month. Planetary in�luence is highly bene�icial for business compared to family and home affairs. Personal ambitions and achievements will be on the radar. You have to be �lexible enough to adapt yourself to the changing environment. You will be seriously interested in �inding the deeper truth and more about your true inner self.

Interest in philanthropic activities will be enormous.

Sagittarius (Nov 22-Dec 21)

Your ambitions and accomplishments will dominate over family matters this month. House of Family is also powerful and domestic concerns will be vital. Planetary aspects are helpful for the spiritual development and emotional well-being. The Sagittarians can accomplish their objectives with the help of others and by being �lexible. Independence and aggression should be held back for a while.

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