India Herald

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VOL . 20 NO. 25 • WEDNESDAY, JUNE 18, 2014 • P.O. BOX 623 • SUGAR LAND, TX 77487 • PERIODICAL PERMIT USPS 017-699 25 Cents

Triggers Colt Cricket League takes shape

BAPS Charities host community walk

Young cricketers from New Territory, Sugar Land.

With its ever increasing global fan base, many play and enjoy cricket, but the game is seemingly out of reach for many of its enthusiastic little fans – children in America.

While many children in cricket playing nations are able to learn and play the game easily, such opportunities are very limited for youngsters in America.

To address this need in Houston, the Triggers Cricket Club (TCC) a 501(c) (3) nonprofit organization has initiated plans to develop a Triggers Colts Cricket League (TCCL) in Houston, aimed at giving young children an opportunity to formally learn and play Cricket in a fun-loving environment of camaraderie, respect and sportsmanship.

To achieve this goal, the TCC has organized the inaugural 8-12 age group TCC Colts Summer Tournament held over 10 weeks from May to July,

2014.

There was an overwhelming response to the invitation to join the TCCL, with 70 children coming forward to learn the game, and leading to the formation of five teams named the Cubs, WildCats, Knight Riders (Katy), Super Kings (Katy) and New Territory (Sugar Land).

The children participate in weekly practice sessions which also include mock games together with their team-mates.

The Grand Finale to crown the TCC Colts Summer Champions of 2014 of this inaugural season concludes on July 19th at Matzke Park and is intended to be a not-to-be-missed spectacle celebrating the arrival of a TCC Colts Cricket League in Houston over an evening of fun conducted in the format of a huge family picnic.

While these finals signal an end to TCCL’s inaugural SumSee CRICKET, Page 7

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Runners kick-off the BAPS Charities 15th annual walkathon in Sugar Land on June 8.

At the age of 92, Kanu Patel or lovingly known as Kanudada completed the BAPS Charities 15th annual walkathon on Sunday, June 8th at the Sugar Land Town Squarer.

After the walk Kanudada smiles and says, “my inspiration were the young ones that are here on a Sunday morning

and it’s such a great feeling to see them raise awareness for these great beneficiaries, ADA (American Diabetes Association) and Stafford MSD (Stafford Municipal School District Education Foundation).”

By 9 a.m. a crowd of 900 participants ranging from

young children at the age of 2 to seniors at the age of 92 were ready to kick off the walkathon.

The walk was launched with a prayer for world peace followed by inspiring words from the Commissioner of Precinct 2 of Fort Bend County, Grady Prestage. Commissioner See WALK, Page 13

Chandrababu Naidu urges Swami Ramdev to establish Yoga Centre in Tirupati Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu has offered all possible assistance to Baba Ramdev in establishing a world class herbal park in Tirumala and a spiritual center in Tirupati for yoga, herbal medicine, naturopathy and ayurved.

It is only fitting that the center is opened in Tirumala, the abode of Kaliyuga Venkateshwara, which attracts Hindus from all over the world, Naidu said.

Naidu paid rich compliments to Baba Ramdev, for not only spreading yoga, but for serving the cause of the nation, for a corruption free India, and for striving to make the country number one in the world.

See YOGA, Page 7

Baba Ramdev congratulates Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu in Hyderabad on June 10.

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COMMUNITY NEWS Art of Living conference on optimum health The Art of Living Retreat center in Boone, NC, USA will host an international conference – “Ayurveda and Yoga for Optimum Health” from July 4-6 2014. This conference is being organized by AAPNA – Association of Ayurvedic Professionals of North America with the support of The Art of Living Foundation. The conference will give a great opportunity to understand both these sciences from many renowned speakers and legends of this field.

This 3-day conference will be inaugurated by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, a humanitarian and spiritual leader and an ambassador of peace and human values. He is the founder of one of the largest non-profit organization - The Art of Living foundation which has its reach in more than 150 countries.

As a spiritual teacher, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar has rekindled the traditions of yoga, meditation and Ayurveda and offered them to suit the modern world. He has made pioneering contribution since many years to preserve these two these sciences.

Beyond reviving ancient wisdom, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar has also created novel techniques for enhancing personal and social development through various modalities that he has harnessed from Ancient India. As an outcome of Sri Sri Ravi Shankar’s efforts, the Art of Living foundation established a world class Ayurveda College and Hospital in Bangalore in Southern India that has the state of the art

medical facilities and highly renowned doctors (vaidyas). Recently it has also established Sri Sri University in Odhisha, India which will introduce courses in Yoga and Naturopathy starting from August 2014.

Combining Yoga and Ayurveda offers a complete system of wellbeing for body, mind and consciousness, which perhaps has no parallel anywhere else in the world. It can become the prime force of universal healing that is so much needed today.

The other eminent Ayurvedic and Yogic scholars and their presentations at the conference include – Dr. David Frawley (The Interrelationship and Continuity of Veda, Raja Yoga and Ayurveda), Yogini Shambhavi (Yogic Art of Restorative Healing), Mother Maya Tiwari (Women’s Health & Spirituality: The Role of Ahimsa in Ayurveda and Yoga), Yogi Amrit

Desai (Yogic Healing), Shunya Pratichi Mathur (Ayurveda Psychology – Invitation to Self-Mastery and Self Transformation), Dr. Suhas Kshirsagar (Ayurveda & Yoga for Blissful Mind), Dr. Vivek Shanbhag (Ayurveda & Yoga User’s Manual), etc.

To register for the conference: http://aapna.org/conferences/11thconference-july-2014-boone-nc Just after the conference, the retreat will also host auspicious Guru Purnima- a celebration to honor the tradition of the great teachers (Gurus). The highlight of this celebration will be “Weeklong Silence Retreat” (July 6-13) in peaceful presence of Sri Sri, who will be personally guiding some of the mediations.

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PAGE 4 • INDIA HERALD • WEDNESDAY, JUNE 18, 2014

VOICES Achhe din ayenge, we hope Now that India has everything it ever wanted, let’s see what happens next.

We were eager to see the Congress chucked out. They have been.

We wanted the Gandhis in sackcloth and ashes. That too has happened, almost. Internal dissent in the Congress is growing louder by the day and, who knows, we may yet see the end of dynastic politics.

We were dying for a strong leader. We have one now. We wanted him to lead from the front. Narendra Modi looks quite happy to do that.

We wanted coalition politics out and single party rule. We have it.

The 29-party NDA is just for show. The BJP is in no mood to listen to anyone and Modi is very clear as to what he wants. He is not exactly looking for second opinions. The Shiv Sena, the BJP’s oldest and biggest ally, has got just one minister in the Cabinet.

The only thing holding Modi back from absolute power is his current lack of control over the Rajya Sabha. So there are a few things he can’t push through without making that special effort to convince others. Will that hold him back? Unlikely, given that the Congress (and its few bickering allies) is despised and rudderless, its leaders are the butt of jokes. Regional leaders Jayalalitha, Mamata, Naveen Patnaik could strike covert deals with Modi and support him from the outside.

Now the task, Modi’s real task, will be to deliver on his promises. At this stage, even if he sets the agenda right, it should see him through the first year. For many things actually change on their own when a popular regime assumes power. Modi is yet to announce specific policy changes. But even before he was elected, on the anticipation of a Congress rout, things started improving. The rupee got stronger. The stock markets ran up. The foreign investment climate vastly improved.

More is now likely to happen. Sri Lanka and Pakistan have, on their own, released a clutch of Indians prisoners held without trial. Vodafone has offered to withdraw its international arbitration case in the hope that retro taxes will be withdrawn. Many genuine projects held up for want of clearance may now get past the red tape. The wheels of industry are slowly moving again, in the belief that the new regime will be more supportive of those who create wealth. More voices are being raised against our tax moneys being wasted on hare-brained schemes claiming to uplift the poor but actually benefiting the corrupt.

Rajiv Gandhi claimed that Rs 15 of every Rs 100 spent on such schemes ever reach the poor. By the time UPA2 ended, this figure was perhaps closer to Re 1.

What will Modi now do? Frankly, I have no clue. He is his own man and keeps his strategy close to his 56 inch chest. And I, for one, have no claims to advising him on what to do. But it may be a good time to reiterate what India wants. There are things that do not correct themselves like the rupee or the stock markets. They need physical intervention.

The first task is to beat corruption. Inflation must be tamed, prices brought down. Taxes must return to reason. Entrepreneurship must be encouraged. New jobs, created. Doing business in India must become a lot easier, for Indians as well as foreigners. Corporate laws ought to be simpler. Foreign capital should be welcomed. The Inspector Raj must end. That’s it. And, O yes, the State must stop seeing the citizen as someone to harass, bully, extort and terrorize. If the new regime does this much, the rest we can take care of ourselves.

In the age of social media, we all know what’s going on. And no one knows this better than Modi himself who led the biggest social media onslaught in recent history. So once the rules of the game are reset, the rest will happen by default. We will see better growth. Money will come in, chasing opportunity. Talent will flourish. A new work culture will emerge where people will want to achieve things, not stop others from doing so. India will change on its own.

All Modi needs to do is unshackle us. The rest is our job.

And yes, we all want to see is the end of privilege. No beacon lights for anyone. No holding up of traffic for VIP movements. In fact, the word VIP should be expunged from our political lexicon. Everyone, barring perhaps the President, the PM, the Chief of our Armed Forces and the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court must be frisked at airports.

Security can’t be a status symbol. Ministers and bureaucrats, like elsewhere in the civilized world, must be treated like you and me. Free first class travel for MPs must end. So must lush accommodation on tax payer’s money. The era of pomp and splendour is over. Our leaders must now know they are one of us, not our masters.

The day Modi can do this, by persuasion or the whip, India will change. — Pritish Nandy

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TOPIC OF THE WEEK Tharoor-Aiyer sparring is just ‘time pass’

By Swapan Dasgupta There are some clever phrases that stick in your mind for eternity. More than three decades ago, I heard the West Indian-born British academic Stuart Hall at a meeting in a dingy, disused church in Oxford in an abstruse discussion on Marxist politics. Referring to the twists and turns of Comintern policy that contributed to an unending series of purges and expulsions of those who deviated from the ‘party line’, Hall mocked the pretence that the deity called the “Party” was never wrong: It merely blundered from “correctness to correctness.”

As far as I am aware, my college mate Shashi Tharoor, one of the distinguished survivors of the May 16 massacre of the Congress Party, has never remotely flirted with Left-wing politics. As such, he may only have a nodding acquaintance with the hoary political tradition that maintains that the “party” can never err in its political judgement. Only lesser mortals let the side down on account of their various sins ranging from revisionism, individualism, splittism, adventurism, capitalistroadism, etc.

Tharoor, is very unlike fellow Stephanian Mani Shankar Aiyar who will remain the last Communist standing, even after the two Communist parties have opted for voluntary dissolution. Aiyar may frequent the AICC headquarters at Akbar Road rather than the grim offices in AKG Bhavan and Ajoy Bhavan but that is only a matter of detail. In real life, he has merely replaced the portraits of Stalin, Mao and (hopefully) Kim-Il-Sung with that of Nehrus and his heirs.

And he has substituted ‘dynasty’ for the ‘party’.

A clash between Tharoor and Aiyar is a classic example of political ‘time-pass’: Seemingly a relief from post-election boredom but ultimately totally irrelevant.

Tharoor has maintained that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has allayed his worst fears, made an encouraging start with his “inclusive” approach and that the Congress would be “churlish” to say otherwise. Aiyar, whose electoral drubbing was far more conclusive than Tharoor’s victory by a whisker, is, quite predictably, unimpressed. The man, who announced in an article penned on the night of May 16 that fascism had arrived in Lutyens’ Delhi, believes that Tharoor is politically wet behind the ears and too impressionable.

I will not go into interesting theories explaining why Tharoor wrote and said what he did and why Aiyar felt compelled to express his disappointment that his “intelligent” colleague in the Congress Parliamentary Party (remember that Aiyar is a man nominated by the President of India to the Rajya Sabha) thought as he did. My only suggestion is that Tharoor should choose a more widely-read forum than the Huffington Post if he is anxious to address India rather than the US. On closer scrutiny, however,

Mani Shankar Aiyer

Shashi Tharoor

this clash of the Stepha-nians seems to be more in the nature of a friendly match rather than a disagreement over fundamentals.

Let’s first examine the context. Sha-shi Tharoor’s expedient endorsement of the new PM comes at a time when, apart from the Congress candidates themselves and the functionaries of the party, no well-heeled and well-connected individual in Delhi is willing to admit they voted for the Congress and rooted for that party till the afternoon of May 16. Judging by the social conversation, it would seem that every member of the middle class had decided that the future of India would be safe only in the hands of NaMo. It is a feature of India that everyone wants to be seen to have backed the winner.

Second, not for a moment has Tharoor ever said that his entire reading of India’s present predicament and his understanding of the Gujarat leader was flawed. Till the very last day of the campaign, as befits a spokesperson of the Congress, Tharoor had mouthed the usual platitudes about inclusiveness, divisiveness and of course, the “idea of India”. Intellectual pride prevents him from admitting that the alarmism over Modi was contrived and didn’t resonate with an electorate that wanted change and believed that the record of the Gujarat Government over the past 12 years was inspiring. At the same time, common sense couldn’t get him to endorse Aiyar’s crass comments about either Modi’s self-made status or the bizarre parallels with the Germany of 1933.

To escape this self-created labyrinth Tharoor has fallen back on a clever debating technique. He has neatly divided the PM into two compartments: The bad Modi 1.0 and the promising (if not good) Modi 2.0. This clever-clever approach is premised on the belief that he was never wrong and that, after his victory, Modi has embraced the politics of the vanquished and appropriated this as his own.

The main fallacy of this schizoid Modi theory is that it is insufficiently mindful of the realities of the so-called Modi 1.0. Those who have observed Modi’s record as an administrator will recognise that his maniacal hard work, fanatical attention to detail, his insistence on delivery and accountability and the functional autonomy to the bureaucracy are all carry-overs from his Gandhinagar days. Alas, and despite, three election defeats in Gujarat, the Congress chose to see Modi differently and cast him as an ogre. No wonder this demonology didn’t cut ice with the voters.

Today, a section of the Congress is humbled by its worst showing ever. They are beginning to ask uncomfortable questions to which dynasty die-hards have no credible answer. Another section has fallen back on old certitudes and is busy examining the minutiae of Nazi history for unlikely parallels. In their own ways, Tharoor and Aiyar are guilty of intellectual self-abuse. Both are trying hard to appear credible and consistent.

This is a game that isn’t being played by two loquacious Congress supporters. The past three weeks have witnessed a whole lot of people, not least in the media, journeying from “correctness to correctness”.

The commies of yore called it ‘dialectics’; the simpler description is expediency. — The Pioneer

THE LIGHTER SIDE

INDIA HERALD • WEDNESDAY, JUNE 18, 2014 • PAGE 5

COMMUNITY NEWS Children from North South Foundation won 4 Academic Super Bowls in 2014 “Arise, awake, and sleep not until the goal is reached” – Swami Vivekananda said, and Dr. Ratnam Chitturi took it to his heart and initiated a journey to provide financial help in the college education of economically backward students in India.

To achieve this goal, North South Foundation (NSF) was founded and later became a platform for more than a hundred thousand children of Indian origin to compete in different areas of academics in more than 85 centers from coast to coast in United States and more than 25 centers in India.

Dr. Murali Gavini founded the Spelling and Vocabulary Bees at NSF during 1993-94. Over the years, the contests were expanded to include Math, Science, Geography, Brain Bee, Essay Writing and Public Speaking.

Every year, the top scorers among all the local chapters come together for the national finals at a major University. Starting from the first grade, the contests lay a strong foundation for children to improve their learning skills and compete in the mainstream major league competitions designed for middle school children in the United States.

NSF children have created success stories. They have achieved a 7-year winning streak at the Scripps National Spelling Bee and a two-year winning streak at the National Geographic Bee. As the

Abhijeet Sambangi and Snigdha Allaparthi, members of the number one team at the 2014 Middle School Science Bowl

Foundation celebrates its 25th Anniversary, children made 2014 a signature year by garnering championships in four major national competitions: Spelling Bee, MATHCOUNTS, Geography Bee and Science Bowl.

Sriram Hathwar became the co-champion at the Scripps National Spelling Bee by breaking the record of 52 years where Scripps Officials ran out of Championship words.

Eighth grader Swapnil Garg emerged as the victor in the 2014 Raytheon MATHCOUNTS National Competition in early May. Swapnil is the first NSF participant to claim the MATHCOUNTS National championship.

NSF participants Akhil Rekulapelli, an 8th grader, and Ameya Mujumdar, a 5th grader,

captured 1st and 2nd places respectively, in the 2014 National Geographic Bee. NSF participants were part of the team that won the 2014 Middle School National Science Bowl Competition conducted annually by the U.S. Department of Energy. Snigdha Allaparthi and Abhijeet Sampangi of Massachusetts captained their team to 1st place, winning round after round and showing off their thorough scientific expertise in a variety of categories.

What a gift to an organization in its Silver Jubilee year! Wow – This looks like a plan on the part of all contestants.

North South Foundation (NSF), a non-profit organization established in 1989, provides a model for excellence in education like second to none in the country. It

is an all-volunteer organization run by and for Indian Origin Americans.

It serves two main functions. The first is to offer spelling, vocabulary, math, science, geography, brain, and other bees to Indian Origin American youngsters. It is no secret that Indian Origin Americans have come to dominate the Scripps National Spelling Bee. The second function is to encourage academic excellence among the financially challenged by providing college scholarships in India.

NSF wants to eliminate money as a barrier for higher education, especially for those who excel in academics.

Starting with one scholarship in 1989, NSF gave more than 2,500 scholarships during the 2013-14 academic year exceeding a cumulative number of over 10,000 scholarships to date.

It provides $250 per year per student, totaling $1,000 dollars to complete a 4-year undergraduate college, indeed a small amount compared to what it costs in the USA, but it meets the annual tuition fee charged in most government colleges in India.

It is heartening to know that using the pay forward concept, one of the students from the first batch in 1990 started his own trust in 2002 to dish out scholarships to financially challenged students. In total, he managed to give out hundreds of scholarships.

Given that NSF is an all-volunteer-run organization, it is able to keep expenses very low. One volunteer in the US said, “I had the opportunity to volunteer at a NSF competition. I saw a multitude of dedicated adults stapling and organizing papers, directing families to proper rooms, reading out instructions and words, grading work and tallying scores, and more. And that does not include all the work that took place before the day’s event.

“Many of these adults did not even have children participating in the competition; they assisted because they care about the organization and its goals. This in turn means that more scholarship money is able to go directly to the recipients in India.”

Now NSF has increased its impact back on India. Since 2011 it has opened three contest centers in Hyderabad and offered spelling, vocabulary, math, and science bee competitions to 1,500 participants.

This is a direct instance of Indian-Americans serving as a bridge between American learning platforms and India.

Chitturi says, “So far the experience has been quite positive, and we hope to expand to more centers as we get more volunteers.” Drop by Drop makes an Ocean.

For more information, please visit www.northsouth.org or contact Dr. Ratnam Chitturi at chitturi9@gmail.com

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India’s Finest Sitarist — Ustad Shahid Pervez Khan

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Ustad Shahid Parvez Khan comes from six generations of sitarists. He is one of the leading exponents of the Etawah Gharana. He was trained by his father and guru, Ustad Aziz Khan.

He is one of India’s most celebrated musicians, praised especially for the vocalistic phrasing of his raga improvisations.

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IMS Programs are partially funded by a grant from Houston Arts Alliance.

Programs are subject to change for reasons beyond the control of Indian Music Society of Houston.

PAGE 6 • INDIA HERALD • WEDNESDAY, JUNE 18, 2014

INDIANS ABROAD HSS holds annual Hindu Sangathan Divas conference

HSS activist Vijay Simha

By Sanchali Basu The Houston chapter of Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh USA (HSS) held its ninth annual Hindu Sangathan Divas conference on Saturday, June 14, at the Sri Ashtalakshmi Temple in Sugar Land. Representatives of over 40 Hindu organizations from the Houston area attended the conference.

Hindu Sangathan Divas offered representatives of Houston area Hindu organizations the opportunity to network with each other with the goal of synergizing the work of different Hindu organizations. Because these organizations serve the Hindu and mainstream community with a common purpose, they could exchange ideas, share material and resources, and learn from each other’s experiences and mistakes, while at the same time maintaining their au-

tonomy.

After an introduction session, representatives attended one of three parallel breakout sessions, covering “Increasing American Hindu Identity and Awareness,” “Synergizing Sewa Activities in Houston Hindu Organizations,” and “Creating Second Generation Hindu Youth Leadership.” Each breakout session included a presentation from an experienced panel followed by discussion.

The first group developed the general consensus that organizing the Hindu Sangathan Divas conference itself took a large, positive step toward bringing the Houston area Hindu community together. The panelists raised the need for a Hindu-American identity and the challenges facing it.

Attendees agreed that well formulated action plans, focusing on more cohesive, smaller groups and

appropriate execution would be the key to reaching out to more people.

The second group concurred that one should put service above self and more community involvement with sewa related activities could increase awareness. Also, if different organizations collaborated and coordinated sewa related activities, it would have a greater impact. They also discussed sewa activities to address the needs and challenges of Hindu senior citizens, the Hindu Bhutanese refugee community, and Hindu families as well as how to engage and motivate volunteers.

The third group comprising mainly of young individuals considered several issues including the need for second-generation leadership and the challenges that they are facing. As a threshold

matter, second-generation Hindus have to self-identify as Hindu. For second-generation Hindus to serve a leaders in Hindu organizations, the present leaders must engage and mentor them. Organizations should also consider sponsoring different programming tailored for different age groups to keep second-generation Hindu involved.

Following the breakout sessions, attendees heard the keynote address delivered by Vijay Simha, National Assistant Executive Director for HSS. Simha emphasized that Hindu organizations should seek to promote the ideal of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam – viewing the world as one family – by coming together with shraddha and vishwas. He notes that if conference attendees maintain a healthy dialogue among Hindu organizations, without ego and self-interest, they will serve the interests of not only the larger Hindu community but also the rest of the world – “Hindu jage to Vishwa jagega.”

The hall was filled to capacity with very excited, enthusiastic members from all participating organizations, youth volunteers, priests of the Sri Ashtalakshmi Temple, and all left fulfilled with big smiles on their faces enjoying the day’s activities. The conference provided an excellent platform for the organizations to network, get to know and learn from each other.

HSS conducts a structured values education program through its 150 chapters nationwide to develop strong character and teamwork and leadership skills and to organize a dynamic and flourishing HinduAmerican community. For more information, visit www.hssus.org.

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INDIA HERALD • WEDNESDAY, JUNE 18, 2014 • PAGE 7

COMMUNITY NEWS Yoga From Page 1 Because of Baba Ramdev’s relentless campaign, the Congress Party disappeared without an address in recent elections, Naidu said.

Ramdev called on the chief minister in Hyderabad on June 10 to congratulate him on his election and becoming the chief minister.

During their meeting, Naidu asked Baba Ramdev to set up a major yoga centre in the temple town of Tirupati along with a nursery of medicinal plants at Tirumala. Naidu wanted it to be the “world’s best herbal park.� “We will consider his proposal to set up the yoga center through our Patanjali Trust,� Ramdev said. “I respect Chandrababu

Naidu as my elder brother. He has kept the country’s interests first. He has the ability to combine both prosperity and spirituality. People of Andhra have given him a massive mandate. Hence I came here to congratulate him on his victory,� said Ramdev. “Whether it is making India a world power or bringing back black money he stood behind us. We want to use yoga for character building.

In Tirupati, which is a heaven on earth, a program is in the pipeline, which if initiated

by Chandrababu Naidu, will find our support. It will make Andhra Pradesh a famous place in yoga, naturopathy with a herbal garden of world standard,� he added.

Ramdev also posted on the Twitter, that he has asked Naidu to include “Yog and Spiritual knowledge in the education

curriculum in Andhra Pradesh and he agreed to the same.�

Shekhar Agrawal of Patanjali Yogpeeth (USA) Trust in Houston said “I am extremely happy that Hon. Chandrababu Naidu has asked Yogrishi Swami Ramdevji to build a world class Yoga Center in the temple town of Tirupati. We also hope to make faster progress in spreading the message of Yoga and Naturopathy in USA this year as Swami ji is expected to visit USA in the next three or four months.�

Swami has been compared to Shivaji’s guru Swami Ramdas, even with King Chandragupta Maurya teacher, philosopher, and royal advisor Chanakya.

This modern-day monk saw the rot that had set in in the administration of the Congressled UPA government and took up the task of cleansing the

system.

Swami Ramdev’s contribution in India’s recent epochal election, which brought Narendra Modi and the Bharatiya Janata Party to power, cannot be minimized.

In 2009, he established the Bharat Swabhiman Trust with a view to instilling pride in India’s rich heritage and a commitment to work for a better India. Swamiji started a road journey to awaken the masses with goal of liberating the nation from UPA rule.

The Congress government tried everything to discredit him, filing several cases of fraud and arresting his trusted assistant. The worst and most draconian action against Ramdev came on the night of June 3/4, 2011 when the government unleashed a batonwielding police force to evict Ramdev and 100,000 followers

who were participating in a peaceful protest against corruption in the Ram Lila Maidan in Delhi.

Ramdev also was the first to suggest Narendra Modi for Prime Minister at a rally in Haridwar on April 26, 2013 and later in August of the same year he said he had no doubt that Modi would tackle India’s problems earnestly and decisively.

On January 5, 2014, Modi joined Swami Ramdev in celebrating the 5th anniversary of the Bharat Swabhiman Trust.

Modi, along with several high ranking BJP leaders, like Arun Jaitley and BJP President Rajnath Singh have publicly acknowledged his contribution in making the elections a national movement.

Cricket From Page 1 mer Tournament, the club intends to build on this enthusiastic beginning with exciting plans for consolidation and expansion. Their vision is to identify and groom talented youngsters toward more competitive forms of the game including National Level participation, while simultaneously introducing the game to children at the entry level.

Formal training will be available for all children by dedicated coaches, and advanced training will be include coaches with international experience such as Rajeshwari Antani (former player of the Indian Women’s International Cricket team) and Sushil Nadkarni (Current player in the US International Cricket team).

TCCL intends to work in collaboration with the children’s parents who will coordinate these efforts and be actively involved in their children’s progress. The TCCL will also have a dedicated website to keep everyone informed, motivated and connected. The exciting news is that TCCL is now planning to continue this momentum with a Winter 2014 TCCL Tournament to be hosted September – November with 5 teams, and expand to two tournaments in 2015 with 8 participating teams playing in 4 grounds.

An effort of this magnitude requires support, and Nanda Kumar (President TCC) and Surya Saladi (Program Director, TCCL) thank Wells Fargo and KPIT for their generous support for the inaugural TCCL tournament, and invite additional sponsors to come forward and support children’s cricket in Houston.

Junior Cricket has arrived in Houston - let the games begin!

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PAGE 8 • INDIA HERALD • WEDNESDAY, JUNE 18, 2014

COMMUNITY CALENDAR Bhagavath Saptah June 25-July6 First anniversary celebration of Govindaji Gaudiya Math temple, 16628 Keith Harrow Blvd.

Bhagavat Katha by Sripad B.V. Tirth Maharaj from June 25 to July 1. Anniversary celebration on July 4 and 5. For info, call 832-4644686 or www.sggm.org

IA Chamber gala Sat., Sept 27 @ 6 p.m.

Fifteenth annual gala of the Indo-American Chamber of Commerce of Greater Houston. At Hilton Americas Hotel, 1600 Lamar St. U.S. Senator John Cornyn is the keynote speaker. For info, call 713-624731 or info@iaccgh.com

Arya Samaj Satsang Weekly Havan Satsang every Sunday from 10 a.m. to 12 noon.

DAV Sanskriti School Sundays 10 a.m. to 12 noon. - Havan, Hindi and Naitik Shiksha classes. DAV Montessori School for ages 2 to 7 years. Call Arti Khanna 281-7593286. Free Yoga classes on Sat. Sanskrit & Upanishad classes Tue. 6-8 p.m. At 14375 Schiller Rd. (bet Westpark & Bellaire off Hwy 6).

281-752-0100.

Chinmaya Mission Summer schedule One Session from 6/15 to 8/24; No classes in July. Sunday satsanga for adults and Bala Vihar (PreK to Grade 11) from 10:50 AM to 12:30 PM at Chinmaya Prabha, 10353 Synott Road, Sugar Land, TX77498. Enrolling for new Bala Vihar year. New members visit welcome desk 10:15-10:45 a.m. Visit www.chinmayahous ton.org or call Bharati Sutaria 281933-0233

Vedanta Society Vedanta Society of Greater Houston, 14809 Lindita Drive (77083) has classes every Sunday from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna, 1st & 3rd Sunday; Bhagavad Gita, 2nd Sunday; on works of Swami Vivekananda, 4th Sunday; Holy Mother Sarada’s Gospel, 5th Sunday. Swamis of Ramakrishna Order visit to conduct retreats and talks. www.houstonvedanta.org or 281-584-0488.

Durga Bari Temple Durga Bari temple is open from 9 to 11 a.m. and 4 to 7 p.m. Mon. thru Sat. Sandhya aarti at 6:30 p.m. Temple closes at 7 p.m. Sunday special from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Puja services - Priest Bishnupada Goswami 281-597-8100 Temple

is located at 13944 Schiller Rd (off Hwy 6 bet. Bellaire & Westpark).

Call Ganesh Mandal at 713-7979057 / 832-423-8541.

Telugu Fellowship Telugu Christian Fellowship meets every third Saturday of the month at Triumph Church, 10555 W. Airport Blvd., Stafford TX 77477 at 6:30 p.m. Join us for a time of praise, worship and fellowship. Worship is in English.

Call Chris Gantela 281-344-0707, or Rev. V. Gurrala 281-997-0757.

Sahaj Marg Meditation Sahaj Marg (Natural Path) Meditation and Spirituality (www. sahajmarg.org) A natural, simple system of Raja Yoga meditation and spiritual practice. Weekly satsangs held in the Houston area.

Email Radheshyam Miryala, MD at meditate_ houston@yahoo. com or meditate.galveston @gmail. com.

Heritage Classes Ashirwad’s Heritage Classes in Katy, Cypress and Sugar Land for kids 4 to 18 yrs - meditation, Yoga, slokas, stories from scriptures, Vishnu Sahasranam, bhajans, competitions and fun activities. Adult meditation classes by appointment only. Register at www.ashirwad ablessing.org or Sri Ravula 281-995-0930.

Hare Krishna Dham Houston’s original Vedic temple, ISKCON of Houston. At 1320 W 34th St. (77018). Daily Darshan & Arati Times: 4.30am, 7am, 8.30am, 12noon, 4.30pm, 7pm, 9pm. Sunday Festival: 5.30 pm to 7.30 pm. Weekly Gita classes for adults; 281-433-1635 or harekrishna dham@gmail.com

Gandhi Library Mahatma Gandhi Library Book Club: Meets 2nd Sunday of each month; 12:30 PM at Arya Samaj Greater Houston, 13475 Schiller Rd. Join the discussion of the great man’s autobiography – The Story of My Experiments with Truth. Call Manish Wani 713-829-6979.

Saumyakasi Sivalaya Sri Saumyakasi Sivalaya is located at Chinmaya Prabha, 10353 Synott Road, Sugar Land, TX 77478. Temple timings: Monday to Friday: 9:00 AM - 12:00 Noon and 5:00 - 8:00 PM Saturday and Sunday: 8:30-2:00 PM and 5:00 8:00 PM. Contact Bharti Sutaria 281-568-1690 or Jay Deshmukh 832-541-0059 or visit www.saum yakasi.org.

Veerashaiva Samaja VSNA Houston is a group of

Chandra & David Courtney Tabla and Vocal

Classes now ongoing Visit www.chandrakantha.com

or call for info.

(713) 665-4665

Classes in Houston, Mission Bend, & Sugar Land

families who believe in Veerashaiva dharma (Basava dharma).

Monthly Mahamane program for prayer and discussion on Vachana Sahitya followed by Prasada. Contact: vsnahouston@gmail.com or Jagadeesh Halyal 832-744-4166.

Shiv Shakti Mandir Sanatan Shiv Shakti Mandir, 6640 Harwin. Open daily 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. All major festivals, as well as birthdays, naam karan, engagement and other ceremonies. Call Pandit Virat Mehta 713-278-9099 or Hardik Raval 361-243-6539 for puja or other ceremonies.

Houston Namadwaar A prayer house where the Hare Rama Hare Krishna Maha-mantra is continuously chanted. Weekends: 8-11 AM & 4-7 PM, Weekdays: 7-8 AM & 6-7 PM. Weekly “Gopa Kuteeram” children’s heritage classes and Srimad Bhagavatam classes. Call 281402-6585; visit www.godivinity.org (Global Organization for Divinity).

Mar Thoma Church Trinity Mar Thoma Church every Sunday at 5810 Almeda Genoa Rd. Sunday School at 9:15 a.m.

Malayalam service at 9:30 a.m. on 1st & 3rd Sunday. Adult Bible class at 9:30 a.m. English service at 10:30 a.m. on 2nd & 4th Sunday. Call 713-991-1557 or 281261-4603.

Guruvayurappan Temple Hours: Mon to Fri 6 a.m. -8 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

Weekends & Holidays: 6 a.m. to noon and 5:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

Bhajans Saturdays 7 p.m. to 8 p.m.; Sundays 9 a.m. to 1 a.m.

Special poojas (weekends and holidays) Choroon (Annaprasam) for kids, Thulabharam, Vahana Pooja, Nirapara. Temple is located at 11620 Ormandy St (77035) Tel: 713-729-8994 email: temple@ guruvayur.us

Arsha Vidya Bharati Sanskrit classes and special worship sessions for all ages. At 2918 Renoir, Sugar Land, TX 77479.Call 281-606-5607 or AVB.Houston@gmail.com.

Web-site: https://sites.google.com/ site/avbtexas/classes

Preksha Meditation New facilities of JVB Preksha Meditation Center. Classes for Yoga and Meditation under guidance by Samani jis and discourses.

Located at 14102 Schiller Road (off Hwy 6 bet Bellaire and Westpark - 77082). Tel 281-5969642.

Patanjali Yogpeeth Free Yoga Classes every Sat/ Sun at Arya Samaj from 8 am to 9:30 a.m. Call Anil 281-579-9433.

For other free classes, call Indra 281-537-0018. For Yoga/Herbal products, call Shekhar 281-2425000. Web: www.pyptusa.org and www.DivyaProducts.com.

Gaudiya Math Sri Govindaji Gaudiya Matha at 16628 Kieth Harrow Blvd., Houston 77084. Satsang every Sunday

5 to 7 pm. Mantra meditation, kirtan and classes on Sanatan Dharma.

Vedic Education and Hindi classes for kids 5-14 yrs. Gita classes noon - 1:30 pm Wednesdays. Hanuman Chalisa and Ramcharit Manas on Tuesdays 7:30–8:30 p.m. info@sggm. org or 281-499-3347

Sathya Sai centers Sunday program held at two locations (North Houston: 12127 Louetta Rd, Houston, TX 77070, South Houston: 246 Fluor Daniel Drive, Sugarland, TX, 77479) from 3:00 pm to 5:30 pm. Sai Spiritual Education classes for children; study circle for adults. Service programs - food distribution & food drives; nursing home visits, tutoring at schools etc. Contact Sanjay Gupta (North) 832-687-6766 or Sondip Mathur (South) 832-215-8675 www.sairegion10.org.

Sadhu Vaswani Center Sadhu Vaswani Center of Houston holds regular Satsang on 3rd Thursday of the month and daily Arti at 7.30 p.m. Call 281 463 0379 or e.mail ramolaj@ aol.com

Sanatana Dharma Discussions on confusion between Sanatna Dharma and religion.

To protect, preserve and promote the wisdom of Dharma, the eternal, universal and natural tradition. Call 832 868 5656 (cell).

Dr Kulkarni wins Fullbright scholarship Anil Kulkarni, MSc, Ph.D., professor in the Department of Surgery at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth) Medical School, was awarded a highly competitive Fulbright-Nehru Scholarship Award for Academic and Professional Experience to travel to India this fall to teach immunonutrition and functional foods in the global health era.

Fulbright grant recipients are chosen by the J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board, a 12member group appointed by the president. Grants are made possible through funds appropriated by the U.S. Congress and by contributions from partner countries and the private sector.

“Immunonutrition may be a modern term, but through the ages humans and animals have learned how to maintain and restore good health by modifying food intake that could enhance the body’s defense system,” Kulkarni explained.

On his Fulbright fellowship, Kulkarni will work with four universities in India: Sikkim Manipal University Institute of Medical Sciences, Amrita University Institute of Medical Sciences in Kochi, Deccan Education Soci-

Dr Anil Kulkarni

ety affiliated Pune’ University and its Fergusson College, and Haffkine Institute in Mumbai affiliated with the University of Mumbai.

Moving to the United States in 1970 to pursue his education and career, Kulkarni joined the UTHealth Medical School faculty in 1999. Kulkarni said India is ripe for study and educational opportunity in this field.

“Because of the social and economic inequality in India, public health issues vary widely. The country faces numerous problems arising from poverty - malnourishment and infectious diseases, as well as problems in the wealthy obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases,” he said.

FEEDBACK About-face by India’s secularists Dear Editor: This refers to Gadfly's opinion piece " India's secularists are changing their tune" (India Herald, 28 May 14). Gadfly is indeed right. While it is true that many of the 'secularists' and 'secular' press of India have changed their headlines and suddenly became 'supporters' of the people of India, you have to read in between the lines to see their sorrow and disappointment that the 'secularists' lost.

The 'secularist' press could not hide that it bemoans the loss of its constituency. How many times have I seen comments like “Congratulations, Modi, but ...!”

The very Indian Express which Gadfly mentioned in his piece, published an opinion piece after the election results were announced and the country went jubilant, which said 'centrist, secular and progressive' forces have lost in this election..

That is the 'secular's' and 'secular' press's underlying theme, in spite of their superficial words of congratulations. Its erstwhile editor, Shekhar Gupta, in his farewell piece only felt sorry for annoying his readers, and not for his and his 'journal of courage's consistent support of the Sonia brand of 'secularism'.

Is he one of those anti-NaMo journalists shown the door, as per the "words of the (foul) mouth"? There was no mention in that piece. It would be interesting to see his new stance, wherever he might surface!

Prabhu Narumanchi Houston, TX

INDIA HERALD • WEDNESDAY, JUNE 18, 2014 • PAGE 9

INDIA 40 Indians abducted in Iraq; nurses stranded India ranked 143 in peace index NEW DELHI: India has confirmed that 40 of its citizens have been kidnapped in the violencehit Iraqi city of Mosul.

The men were construction workers, a ministry of external affairs spokesman said. India had not received any ransom demand, he added.

A 24-hour helpline has been set up for the families and a special envoy is being sent to Baghdad.

On Tuesday, the government said it was in touch with 46 Indian nurses stranded in a hospital in Tikrit.

Tikrit and Mosul are under the control of the militant Sunni group ISIS. They are among a number of Iraqi towns and cities seized in the past week.

"Forty Indian workers of the Tariq Noor Al Huda company in Mosul have been kidnapped," foreign ministry spokesman Syed Akbaruddin told reporters in Delhi.

"We have not received any calls of any nature asking for ransom... and it is not known where they are being held," he added.

The workers are mostly from northern India.

Earlier on Wednesday, India had said it was unable to contact

the men, leading to speculation that they had been abducted.

Meanwhile, the nurses stranded in Tikrit have told BBC Hindi that they are safe, but a new management which has now taken over the hospital has refused to pay their salary arrears that have been pending for two to four months.

The nurses said they were confined to a dormitory within the hospital and had had no work for the last few days because only the emergency department at the hospital was working.

With concern rising back home for their safety, Indian nurses in Tikrit say they have not been able to leave the paediatric hospital where they work, but are safe and have provisions for the moment.

“So far we are safe, but don’t know what could happen anytime,” one of 46 nurses in the town told The Hindu on the phone. “Our families want us to return, but we don’t want to leave without our salary,” she said. “We heard firing at the beginning, a few days ago, now it seems to be better.”

The nurses stranded in a paediatric hospital in Tikrit in Iraq took turns keeping in touch with the

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Indian Ambassador in Baghdad, who had helped them, through the Iraqi government, get food supplies and phone recharge coupons to call home.

The nurses belong to two batches: 33 of them who have been in Tikrit for a year and another 13 who arrived four months ago, a nurse in the latter group told The Hindu over the phone.

“We were told we would be paid after three months; so we are torn. We have come here with a lot of problems, taken loans, and if we go back to Kerala, it will be very difficult for our families,” she said. The nurse seemed to be aware of the concern their situation has generated in India, saying: “Please pray for us….pray that we are safe, and that we get to keep our jobs.”

While a group of 14 nurses want to return home, the others say they want to work in other safer parts of Iraq. India says it is in contact with the Red Crescent and the United Nations, but it is safer for the nurses to stay put in the hospital since it is not safe to travel by road at the moment.

India has issued a travel advisory telling its citizens to not travel to Iraq, and those already there to leave.

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The RJD on Wednesday decided to support the JD(U) in the Rajya Sabha elections for two seats. After a series of meetings with party legislators and senior leaders, RJD president Lalu Prasad said his party MLAs would vote for the two official candidates of the JD(U) in the RS polls on Thursday.

“The RJD will support the two candidates of the JD(U) in the RS polls. Our party has taken the decision in the interest of Bihar,” Lalu Prasad Yadav said.

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The Institute for Economics and Peace has termed the Maoist movement as one of the biggest threats to India's internal security.

The Maoist movement was one of the biggest threats to India’s internal security, says a global body which has ranked it as low as 143 among 162 countries in its peace index.

At the same time, the report by Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP) also said sporadic conflict with its neighbours threatens its external security.

The country’s diverse population and the recent emergence of Telangana have also resulted in several “pockets of ethnic conflict”, it said, adding India scores poorly on the Political Terror Scale – scoring “4 out of 5? (with 5 representing total state of suppression) thus further nurturing the ground for “political strife”.

“The economic impact of containing and dealing with the consequences of India’s levels of violence was estimated to cost the national economy USD177 billion in 2013. This is equivalent to 3.6 per cent of India’s GDP, or USD145 per person,” a Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP) report said.

“Corruption is rampant in Indian politics – as indicated by India’s low rank of 143 out of 162 on the Global Peace Index (GPI),” it said, adding India has seen no significant change in peace since last year and it has fallen in its rank by two places in this year’s index.

“It has also come to light that the Maoist insurgency movement which boasts about 20,000 armed rebels is one of the strongest internal threats to India with attacks being carried out on security officers and civilians alike. In concurrence, India is ranked number 4 out of 159 countries in the Global Terrorism Index,” said the study.

Noting that India’s spending on defence was amongst the highest in the world, the report attributed this spending mainly on strained relations between India and its neighbours – Pakistan, China and Bangladesh.

“If India could improve its overall levels of peace, the dividend that would flow from this would substantially improve the country’s economic growth rates.

“This can be achieved by a renewed government focus on building the underlying qualities that create and sustain peaceful societies such as low levels of corruption, well-functioning government and equitable distribution of resources,” said Steve Killelea, IEP founder and Executive Chairman.

ID cards for citizens a priority NEW DELHI: The issue of national identity cards for citizens has been prioritised by the government which on Wednesday asked officials to bring proposals in this regard for approval at the earliest.

This will enable the National Population Register project be brought to logical conclusion, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh said.

Singh gave the directions after meeting C. Chandramouli, Registrar General of Citizen Registration, who gave a presentation on the project outlining its importance for national security.

“The present status of the project and further course of action were also discussed. The Home Minister directed that effective steps be taken to take the project to its logical conclusion which is the creation of the National Register of Indian Citizens,” a Home Ministry statement said.

It said the minister instructed that all necessary proposals including the updating of the database through linkages with the birth and death registration system and the issuance of national identity cards to citizens be brought for approval at the earliest.

Minister of State for Home Affairs Kiren Rijiju and Home Secretary Anil Goswami attended the discussions.

BJP leader Yashwant Sinha gets bail Senior BJP leader Yashwant Sinha was on Wednesday granted bail by a lower court. He was accused in connection with the alleged assault on a senior government official on June 2.

Sinha was produced in a local court on June 3 and subsequently sent to judicial custody after he refused to furnish a bail bond. He along with 54 of his supporters were sent to jail for allegedly assaulting general manager of Hazaribagh branch of Jharkhand State Electricity Board.

Earlier, BJP veteran L K Advani on Tuesday met party colleague Yashwant Sinha in jail in Hazaribagh and asked him to secure bail and lead the party in the Jharkhand Assembly elections later this year, describing him as the “right person” for the chief minister’s post.

PAGE 10 • INDIA HERALD • WEDNESDAY, JUNE 18, 2014

INDIANS ABROAD New English law to deter forced marriages LONDON: A new law in England and Wales, making it a criminal offence to force people into marriage, sends “a powerful message”, campaigners have said.

After June 16, 2014, when the law came into effect, parents who force their children to marry can be punished by up to seven years in prison. Previously, courts have only been able to issue civil orders to prevent victims being forced into marriage.

Ministers say the law will give victims the confidence to come forward and protect thousands of people each year.

It will apply if people are forced into marriage in England and Wales, as well as to UK nationals at risk of being forced into marriage abroad.

Last year, the government’s Forced Marriage Unit dealt with 1,302 cases. Some 82% of victims were female and 18% male while 15% were under the age of 15.

The cases involved 74 different countries with 43% relating to Pakistan, 11% to India and 10% to Bangladesh.

Home Secretary Theresa May said the practice was “a tragedy for each and every victim”.

She said the criminalisation - under the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 - was “a further move by the government to ensure victims are protected by the law and that they have the confidence, safety and the freedom to choose”.

Aneeta Prem, founder of Freedom Charity, which educates young people about forced marriage, said the law sent out a “powerful message that this indefensible abuse of human rights will not be tolerated”.

Jasvinder Sanghera of the Karma Nirvana charity said it was a “historical day and the right move” and that it was important for victims to report any abuse.

“Nobody is going to be forcing you to prosecute or criminalise your parents. Reporting is the first thing you have to do and it will be your choice to pursue a criminal justice process.”

Under the new law, breaching a forced marriage protection order - which can be issued by courts to prevent people being married against their will has also been criminalised.

It now carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison.

Mak Chishty, from the Association of Chief Police Officers, said the new law would make the police’s job easier.

“It’s a very important step because for the first time it gives us a definition of what forced marriage is and gives us the ability to take people to court and get a criminal conviction and that is a very powerful message to deter people in the future,” he said.

The Home Office says a forced marriage “is one in which one or both spouses do not consent to the marriage but are coerced into it” by means

including “physical, psychological, financial, sexual and emotional pressure”.

It says that “in the cases of vulnerable adults who lack the capacity to consent to marriage, coercion is not required for a marriage to be forced”.

One woman, who wishes to remain anonymous, told the BBC she was duped into travelling to Pakistan to marry her first cousin. She escaped and her family have now disowned her.

“I was 17 years old. I was told we were going on a family holiday abroad. Two weeks into the holiday my family informed me that I wasn’t going back to London and I was going to remain away to be forced into a marriage.

“I hadn’t met him before.

Didn’t know him, didn’t know his name or anything about him. I demanded that I come back and finish off my studies.

“I begged them and I begged them but they said no, I had to stay and be married off. Their view of it all was that they felt I was going to become far too Westernised and bring shame onto the family and therefore they felt, in their eyes, it was the best thing to do.

“The marriage was absolutely horrendous. All the types of abuse you can think of - sexual, verbal, physical. I wouldn’t wish it on my worst enemy; it was quite vile.

“I wasn’t allowed out at all, I was more or less a prisoner in their house. I was treated like a slave. I wasn’t allowed to

do anything, my ex-husband’s mum used to say to me the only reason I was there was to cook and clean and be a slave for her son at night.”

In another case, Alexander Khan said he was sent to get married by his step family who had received several thousands pounds and some land.

“When I was 13 they sent me to north-west Pakistan, and what they told me to do was sit beside this girl who was nine years old,” he said. “Unbeknown to me, that was an arranged marriage and I didn’t know what was happening. A lot of it is cultural and - in my case - money. It was definitely to do with greed and money.”

The new law will be introduced in Scotland at a later date after MSPs voted for legislation in January.

Forced Marriage Protection Orders, which can be issued to prevent people being married against their will, were brought into Scottish law three years ago.

However, there have been

no prosecutions over forced marriage since then, the BBC has learned. Aisha Gill of the University of Roehampton, who helped draft the new legislation, said there would be “challenges” implementing it.

“As with any law introduced, it may have unintended consequences. What we have to do is make sure victims are supported from the moment they report such an abuse, right the way through the court process, and post-court process, in terms of the outcome of a criminal prosecution,” she said.

The challenges are in terms of giving evidence, particularly where the perpetrators may be those who are close to them i.e. family members, and the coercion and pressure that they may be subjected to in terms of withdrawing [the complaint]. The new law will not apply to Northern Ireland but ministers there will be able to introduce their own legislation, the Home Office said.

Rajat Gupta begins serving jail term NEW YORK: Former Goldman Sachs Group Inc director Rajat Gupta on Tuesday began serving his two-year prison term for insider trading, and lost his challenge to a $13.9 million civil penalty and permanent ban from acting as a public company officer.

Gupta, 65, reported to FMC Devens, a medical facility and satellite camp in Ayer, Massachusetts about 40 miles (64 km) northwest of Boston, a spokesman for the Federal Bureau of Prisons said. The former global managing director of the McKinsey & Co consulting firm began his term as the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals separately rejected his claim that the fine and officer ban imposed in a separate U.S. Securities and Exchange Commision civil case was excessive.

A three-judge panel of that court concluded that U.S. District Judge Jed Rakoff, who oversaw the criminal and civil cases, acted within his discretion in imposing that punishment.

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INDIA HERALD • WEDNESDAY, JUNE 18, 2014 • PAGE 11

COMMUNITY NEWS

Exploring the essence of Bharatanatyam Learning Bharatanatyam can be arduous, taxing, and not immediately rewarding.

Many dance students go through the motions of learning the art form without ever fully appreciating its breadth and depth.

To help young dance students enjoy, appreciate, and be involved and immersed in their arts education, Silambam Houston has developed a format to engage and involve young dancers, with the RASA event, held this year for the second time.

RASA 2014 packed several dimensions of arts education into one whirlwind, intense week.

At the RASA 2014 dance intensive, held from June 9th to 13th at the Sri Meenakshi temple in Pearland, 15 Houston dance students were given the chance to interact with and practice alongside two virtuosos in the field - Nadanamamani Smt. Priya Murle and Aacharya Choodamani Smt. Roja Kannan.

The all-day, all-week camp focused on honing various skills required by this demanding art form, and included technical skills boot camp, abhinaya workshop, choreography exercises, theory lessons, discussions on dance history, tradition, and culture, dance video viewings, improv storytelling through abhinaya, research assignments, and much more.

Students were also taught fundamental techniques such as finding and maintaining focus, core strength, stretches, and meditation, which would help them in dance as well as in daily life. In addition, the students

also learnt pieces to perform at the showcase on Saturday June 14th.

On June 14th, at the Evelyn Rubenstein Jewish Community Center, RASA 2014 offered another set of diverse experiences for the Houston dance community.

The afternoon began with Bharatanatyam Jeopardy! – a fun team event modeled after the game show – in which students tested their knowledge of natya history, theory, gestures, and general knowledge.

Conducted by young, dynamic US-born dancer Preethi Ramaprasad, with able assistance from another young dancer recently arrived to the Houston arts scene, Anusha Venkatramani, Bharatanatyam Jeopardy was an instant hit, and showcased the impressive knowledge of young dancers from various Houston dance schools, including the Anjali Center, Abhinaya School, Silambam Houston, Darshi School of Dance, and students of Sandhya Raghuraman.

The quiz was followed by a thought-provoking panel discussion on experiences in teaching and performing Bharatanatyam in the US and India, moderated

by Dr. Lavanya Rajagopalan (Founder and Artistic Director, Silambam Houston) and featuring Houston dance gurus Rathna Kumar, Padmini Chari, and Indrani Parthasarathy, and the visiting gurus from Chennai Priya Murle and Roja Kannan.

The final competition of the afternoon was a lively Abhinaya Charades, in which senior dance students attempted to convey to the audience – through Abhina-

ya – the concept, title, or story of popular books and movies, such as Harry Potter, or Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, or a given contemporary situation.

After the competitions was a short performance by Shri K Shanmugasundaram, a senior disciple of Smt. KJ Sarasa.

From the opening Pushpanjali in Gambheeranattai, to the beautiful Thulasidas bhajan Shri Ramachandra Kripalu Bhajamana, to the final number Shankarashrigiri in praise of Lord Shiva, Shri Shanmughasundaram exhibited an effortless power in his dancing that made it a pleasure to watch.

Following this was the evening’s feature performance by Smt. Priya Murle and Smt. Roja Kannan, who graciously shared their stage with their camp participants for an evening of outstanding artistry.

Beginning with a Mallari, in which the artistes were joined by all the camp students, the performance continued with a Subrahmanya Kauthuvam, performed by the senior camp participants. The piece de resistance, the varnam, was performed beautifully and touchingly by the visiting artistes and extolled the concept of the

Guru, or mentor. Through the stories of Muruga expounding the meaning of the syllable ‘Om’ to his father, Shiva, of Krishna explaining the concept of duty and righteousness to a confused Arjuna, of Ekalavya who gave up his right thumb at his teacher’s request, and of Swami Vivekananda who realized a divine vision at the touch of his teacher, Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa, the varnam brought to life the sacred Guru-Shishya parampara that is a hallmark of the Indian culture. The mesmerizing abhinaya continued through the

padam Enthati Kulukke by Roja Kannan, and the javali Samayam Idhuvallavo by Priya Murle. A lighthearted kummi (folk number) by the younger camp participants was followed by a Thillana in Ragam Hindolam, performed by the visiting artistes along with the three senior-most camp students and Dr. Lavanya Rajagopalan.

The event concluded with an awards ceremony where the camp participants as well as the quiz, abhinaya, essay and drawing competition winners were recognized and awarded certificates and medals.

(.$/ 9,'<$/$<$ )281'$7,21 2) 86$ Congratulates Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi

and thanks him for his strong focus on rural developement, emphasis on girl’s education, economic growth, health initiation and social empowerment, the four cornerstones of Ekal Vidyalaya.

Ekal Vidyalya also salutes the citizens of India for making a history by participating in the world’s largest democracy exercise.

Narendra Damodardas Modi Ekal Vidyalaya is a non profit charity organisation with a mission to eradicate illiteracy from tribal and rural India.

Ekal operates in over 53,000 schools in almost every state in India and educates over 1.6 million children.

Your annual donation of $365 supports one school of 30-40 children, for the entire year.

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Ekal National Office: 1712 Hwy. 6 South, Suite A Houston, TX 77077 Tel: 1-855-EKAL-USA Fax: (281) 668-5251

www.ekal.org

PAGE 12 • INDIA HERALD • WEDNESDAY, JUNE 18, 2014

COMMUNITY NEWS

Graduation ceremony at Chinmaya Mission Houston

Chinmaya Mission Houston’s 2014 Balavihar graduates with Acharyas Gaurang Nanavaty and Darshanaben Nanavaty.— Photo by Nilesh Shah.

By Shalini Konde heralded the 2014 graduation from class of 2014 congreJune 8th, a beautiful morn- day of Chinmaya Mission gated early in Smrti Hall with ing of joy, hope and goodwill, Bala Vihar. The 27 children their families and friends and

the day began with photo sessions for the graduating class arrayed in bright colors.

The graduation ceremony commenced in an auspicious manner in Sri Saumyakasi Sivalaya with the priest Sri Ganeshji conducting a puja for the well-being of the youngsters ready to make the big transition in their lives from High school to diverse paths of higher education. As the children led by the Acharyas, returned from the temple, the Smrti Hall echoed with the beautiful melody of “Bhumi Mangalam” sung by Smt. Jamuna Murali and Sri Chirantan Vaidya. This song is an invocation for peace in earth, water, fire, and air, the sun, moon, and planet, in all living beings, in body, mind and heart. The assembled gathering prayed for harmony and peace in everyone and every-

where. The Chinmaya Orchestra continued the beautiful strains with Guru bhajanas.

On entering the Chinmaya Smrti foyer, the students placed flowers at the lotus feet of Pujya Gurudev, Swami Chinmayananda, before entering the Smrti Hall. Many parents in the assembled audience watched misty-eyed as the students took their place in the Hall and the Pujya Acharyas were seated. This was the big day to honor the culmination of hard work and dedication that point to bright future prospects. But above all, for the Bala Vihar class of 2014, this was a day of deep gratitude and recognition of the strong spiritual education received in Bala Vihar. For over 13 years this was made possible with the blessings of Pujya Gurudev, the love and guidance of Acharyas at the Mission and the commitment of Bala Vihar teachers.

In the words of Pujya Gurudev – “Success or achievement is not the final goal. It is the ‘spirit’ in which you act that puts the seal of beauty upon your life.” To encourage the children with words of wisdom from the ancient vedic scriptures, Pujya Acharya Sri Gaurang Nanavaty gave a befitting discourse based on Taittiriya Upanisad wherein the preceptor gives clear instructions to the aspirants on character building and imparts to them rules of right conduct and right living.

The students were then treated to a message from a Chinmaya Bala Vihar alumnus Tarak Makecha. His words of encouragement and advice were well received by parents and students alike.

Following this, the Acharyas of the Mission ascended the stage for the ceremonial lighting of the lamp. The next section of the graduation ceremony was the presentation of the graduates. Siblings of graduating class did the honors of introducing the class of 2014 and each graduate offered a lamp to Pujya Gurudev and received an award of recognition from the Acharyas Smt Darshana Nanavaty and Sri Gaurang Nanavaty.

Signifying the completion of Bala Vihar education and as a mark of their deep gratitude for spiritual education received, the students offered Guru Daksina to the Acharyas. As the students lined up in their array of resplendent traditional clothing in front of the audience, the beautiful ceremony drew to a close in Smrti Hall with the resonance of ‘Abhinandanam’ – hearty congratulations to the aspirants.

For more information on Chinmaya Mission Houston and its activities visit www. chinmayahouston.org or Jay Deshmukh 832 541 0059 or Bharati Sutaria 281-933-0233.

INDIA HERALD • WEDNESDAY, JUNE 18, 2014 • PAGE 13

COMMUNTIY NEWS

Fort Bend County Commissioner Grady Prestage starts the walkathon with his brief remarks.

Walk From Page 1 Prestage said with excitement that, “15 years of this BAPS (Charities) walk is amazing and I look forward to another 15 years!”

As part of the walk this year a special run was set for those who chose to run the route.

Although Kanudada did not participate in the special 5k run, he smiled as the runners sprinted passed him.

With amazement a wheel chaired bound individual, Justin Scott won first place in this year’s 5k run. Second place winner Hinal Patel was amazed, “I can’t believe how fast he was with the wheel chair, if that is not an inspiration then I don’t know what can be.”

Along with Kanudada, volunteers of BAPS Charities brought sponsors like Piping Technology & Products, SDB Group, Forge USA, 4th Dimension, Akshar/ Shriji Properties, Pref-Tech, Genetec, Minute Maid, Sam’s

Club, Bharat Patel and many others to contribute to this year’s walkathon.

Narayan Bhargava of SDB Group commented, “We are proud to be a sponsor for all the good things that BAPS Charities continues to do.”

BAPS Charities undertakes many such charitable events throughout the year to support local communities.

BAPS Charities’ projects are inspired by Pramukh Swami Maharaj’s motto, “In the joy of others, lies our own”. Through this motto, Pramukh Swami Maharaj selflessly serves society through a variety of social projects and inspires thousands of others to do the same.

In addition to the 40 such annual walkathons hosted across North America this year, BAPS Charities hosts a variety of programs to support healthy living, environmental awareness and education initiatives around the world.

BAPS Charities sincerely serves the community, by improving the quality of life of individuals and families.

Over 900 people of all ages joined in the walkathon.

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PAGE 14 • INDIA HERALD • WEDNESDAY, JUNE 18, 2014

COMMUNTIY NEWS IACAN hosts seminar on cancer of the cervix

IACAN officers and invited speakers: V.K. Durai, Meena Agrawal, Rachana Bhala, Terri Pustilnik, Sewa Legha, Indu Gosar, Sarvesh Bhavaraju and Sanjay Sethi.

—PHOTO BIJAY DIXIT

The Indian American Cancer Network (IACAN) held a discussion on cancer of the cervix, the only cancer that can be prevented with a vaccine, at the India House on Sunday, June 15.

IACAN, the five-year-old support group for the cancer afflicted, their family members and caregivers, aims to educate Indian Americans about reducing the risk of cancer by following a healthy lifestyle and to make sure that no Indian American travels the cancer journey alone, Kanchan Kabad, IACAN president, said in her welcoming remarks.

The seminar featured three cancer specialists — Dr Sanjay Sethi, a medical oncologist with Texas Oncology; Dr Rachana Bhala, obstetrician & gynecologist with Methodist Hospital, and Dr Terri Pustil-

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nik, a gynecologic oncologist.

In his introduction, Dr Sewa Legha, IACAN board member and himself a medical oncologist, said cancer of the cervix, that is caused by a virus, is more prevalent among women in India. But it need not be so, he said, as advances in medical research have led to a vaccine that will nearly eliminate the risk of cervical cancer. Dr Legha said the incidence of cervical cancer in the U.S. is about one-tenth that of developing countries.

Dr Sethi said there are 530,000 new cases of cervical cancer every year of which 120,000 are in India versus 12,000 in the U.S. The mortality rate in India is 52 percent (30 percent in the U.S.). He flagged the risk factors as: HPV infection which is almost always transmitted sexually, early onset of sexual activity, multiple sexual partners and prolonged use of oral contraceptives.

Dr Rachana Bhala said cancer of the cervix is one cancer that is preventible with a vaccine and tha hope is that everyone - boys and girls - are vaccinated against the HPV (Human papillomavirus). She also dismissed concerns that it would be a license to indulge in promiscuity and stressed that the goal is to prevent cervical cancer.

Her suggested ways to prevent the cancer include annual checkups, pap smears, abstinence, knowing your sexual partner, keeping a healthy diet, getting vaccinated against HPV before starting sexual activity.

She said a pap smear test was essential before the age of 21 or no later than 3 years after start of sexual activity. Dr Bhala said the vaccine is not very expensive with insurance and forthose without insurance there is the vaccine for children program where it is available free.

Dr Terri Pustilnik, who said all her three boys have been vaccinated against the HPV, said that cervical cancer was the number one killer of young women in the developing countries. She said every family physician should talk about the risks of HPV with parents of young boys and girls and there should be education about it in schools.

Dr Pustilnik said early detection of cervical cancer can be corrected with surgery. Later stage detection could require radiation and chemotherapy.

She demonstrated on video an instance of robotic surgery on a patient. She stressed the need for annual wel woman exams.

The Indian American Cancer Network holds regular educational seminars on cancer prevention, addressed by experts, with emphasis on awareness of prevention, diagnosis and treatment options.

For more information, visit www.iacannetwork.org — R.G.

• WEDNESDAY, JUNE 18, 2014 • P O Box 623 • SUGAR LAND, TX 77487 • TEL: 281-980-6746

• PERIODICAL PERMIT USPS 017-699 • PAGE 15

INDIA HERALD Extra BOLL YW OOD • SPOR TS • HUMOR • RELIGION • RECIPES BOLLYW YWOOD SPORTS

Preity Zinta alleges molestation by ex-beau Ness Anil Kapoor goes ‘underground’

Preity Zinta with former boyfriend Ness Wadia

Bollywood actor Preity Zinta, who is also co-owner of the Kings XI Punjab IPL team, registered an FIR against her former boyfriend Ness Wadia, alleging that he molested, abused and threatened her inside Wankhede stadium in Mumbai.

Zinta, in her six-page complaint lodged with the Marine Drive police, said, "I have known Ness Wadia for the last ten years and had a relationship with him. We ended our relationship some time back.

Although we are co-owners of Kings XI Punjab, we only talk for professional reasons."

"We have not been talking to each other for awhile. In between, once or twice, we had a few heated arguments regarding work and he tried to abuse me, he also used extremely derogatory language and tried to behave in such a manner where I was put to shame in front of my colleagues, friends and family. I warned him and told him that I was not comfortable with such behavior," Zinta said in her complaint.

Zinta also added that during the IPL auction in Bangalore, Ness insisted that she sit beside him and when she didn't comply, turned "rude and angry" and used foul language and fought with her in public.

Zinta alleged that he said, "Who the hell do you think you are? I am the owner of Wadia group and you are nobody."

She said that she was "really shocked" by his behavior as she never expected him to behave like that at an event. The CEO of IPL intervened and told the two of them to remain quiet and she too told him that she would report his behavior to the police after which he calmed down, Zinta said in her complaint.

The incident that Zinta mentioned allegedly occurred on May 30 at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium where their team was playing a match.

Zinta said that Wadia was also yelling at the team staff and she asked him to calm down and enjoy the match.

"For no reason he started abusing and screaming at me, grabbed

Aditya and Shraddha plan secret vacation Following in the footsteps of their seniors and the hottest couple of B-Town: Ranbir Kapoor-Katrina Kaif, Aditya Roy Kapoor and Shraddha Kapoor are going for a vacation too.

A source reveals the alleged lovebirds are planning a secret vacation and will go as soon as Shraddha wraps up promotions for her upcoming movie Ek Villain.

Though the couple have not officially accepted their relationship in public, they are often spotted together.

In fact, Aditya's sister-in-law Vidya Balan has also given her approval to Aditya's choice. When asked about the alleged relationship between Aditya and Shraddha, Vidya said 'bless them'.

This news of their secret vacation comes a day after an alleged tiff between former friends Aditya and Sidharth Malhotra. It was reported that Shraddha's proximity to her co-star Sidharth was the reason of their fight at casting director Mukesh Chhabra's party.

my arm and tried to pull me," she said. She left for her seat as she "did not want to create a scene".

"He came up to me and used "foul language" in front of everyone which was demeaning to my reputation and character," Zinta added.

"Ness Wadia has gone to the extent of threatening me with dire consequences and intimidating me by boasting of his political clout and connections. On May 30, during the IPL match at Wankhede he intimidated me by saying he could make me disappear as I was a nobody and only an actress and that he is a powerful person," her FIR stated. "I have tried to be very normal and nice to him as I wanted peace in my life, but the recent incident at Wankhede has left me shattered and in fear for my life."

Zinta said she immediately had lodged a verbal complaint with the BCCI officials that day.

She said his "constant" abusing and intimidation has caused her "a lot of mental and physical distress" and made her "feel unsafe and ashamed as a woman."

The FIR has four IPC sections including that of criminal intimidation, molestation, insulting a person to breach public peace and words used to offend a woman's dignity. All four sections are bailable and the police need not arrest Wadia said lawyers.

"I am shocked and dismayed.

The allegations are totally false and baseless," Wadia told Times of India. He also added that he was 'disgusted' to know that Preity Zinta could "stoop to such a level".

Wadia also told TV channels that it was impossible for him to assault Zinta as she is always 'surrounded by bouncers'.

Ness Wadia is currently the Managing Director of the Bombay Burmah Trading Corporation, a company which has holdings in most of the Wadia Group subsidiaries, including an indirect majority stake in Britannia Industries.

He was the Joint Managing Director of Bombay Dyeing, the flagship company of the Wadia Group, till March 2011 when he stepped down from the post.

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Actors can go to great lengths to ensure that their upcoming on-screen looks remain under wraps. This time around, it is Anil Kapoor, who will be seen in a new avatar in film-maker Zoya Akhtar’s next film that also stars Priyanka Chopra, Farhan Akhtar, Anushka Sharma and Ranveer Singh.

While other actors in the film have been posting pictures of themselves from the sets of the film on Instagram and Twitter, Anil has not uploaded even one picture.

Interestingly, Ranveer Singh posted a picture on Facebook with Anil Kapoor, asking fans to caption it.

In the film, Anil plays the father of Priyanka Chopra and Ranveer Singh. It’s a mature character — something he hasn’t essayed on the big screen before. (Celebrity hairstylist) Adhuna Akhtar has given him a new haircut to look the part. Apparently the make-up artistes had to do a lot of work on making Anil look older for this role, because in real life, he looks much younger and is physically very fit, too.

The unit is currently shooting for the film on a cruise ship. Reports are that once the actor gets into his look, he apparently gets on his guard. “Anil doesn’t get down at ports when he is in that look. He feels that the suspense about his look should be maintained,” says a unit insider.

Kick trailer gets over 4 million views The first trailer of Salman Khan's Kick, which also stars Randeep Hooda, Jacqueline Fernandes and Nawazuddin Siddiqui, is setting its own record of sorts.

Released on YouTube on June 15, the film's first trailer has already crossed the 4 million hits in just two days -- 4.3 million to be exact. The film marks the directorial debut of producer Sajid Nadiadwala and will hit theatres this Eid. Even superstar Amitabh Bachchan seems to be impressed with the film and compared it to Hollywood films in a twitter post on Monday. "Did you see the trailer of Kick .... baaadooom!! Compares with anything that the other 'wood' brings out from their high end films!" he tweeted.

Earlier reports suggested that international teams were hired to work on VFX for Kick that has been shot in Delhi, Dubai and Poland.

Alia on crutches after calf muscle injury Actress Alia Bhatt is walking on crutches these days due to a calf muscle injury, but that's not stopping her from promoting Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhania.

"For all those asking, thank you!

It's a calf muscle injury... I will be back to normal in no time,” she tweeted on Saturday. The actress was spotted on crutches when she stepped out to take a metro ride with her co-star Varun Dhawan.

Alia reportedly was injured while shooting a song. Varun helped her get to the metro, but her photographs ended up leaving her fans

worried, leading her to update them about her health.

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PAGE 16 • INDIA HERALD • WEDNESDAY, JUNE 18, 2014

REVIEW/PREVIEW Fugly: Good concept, but poor execution

Cast: Jimmy Shergill, Mohit Marwah, Kiara Advani, Vijender Singh, Arfi Lamba, Anshuman Jha The setting is Delhi, there are four friends, one of them is politically connected, the mustached cop speaking in a thick Haryanavi accent is the villain, politicians dance around item girls at a party, our protagonists need a huge sum of money to get out of trouble, a pinch of patriotism is thrown in for good measure.

Sounds familiar? It has to. The film will have you thinking back to Shaitan, Delhi Belly, Fukrey and even Rang De Basanti. A blend of these with a generous helping of other “Delhi movies”, Fugly is vastly unoriginal to begin with.

Then, it attempts to bring in elements from ALL the films mentioned above. The film pours in too much, with the execution struggling to juggle them all.

Our four protagonists — Dev (Mohit Marwah), Devi (Kiara Advani), Aditya (Arfi Lamba) and Gaurav (boxing champ Vijender Singh) — call their lives “easy” and “on speed”; we then proceed to see how their life turns, borrowing from the title, fugly. It begins with a middle-aged leery shopkeeper molesting Devi.

She talks about how the world is turning fugly for women, and the gang takes it upon themselves to teach the molester a lesson.

That’s when they meet the cop — Chautala (Jimmy Shergill, superb) — and things turn unexpectedly. They find themselves in such a big mess, that even Gaurav with his political connections cannot help them.

There are some moments that really work. The time when the girl slaps the molester shopkeeper, with people choosing to believe the shopkeeper’s version is heartrending.

Gaurav’s disillusion with the politically motivated ways of his family is also touching. The comical portion where a politician accidently loses his seat is amusing.

The film relies heavily on the viewer connecting with the characters, and the characterization is not at par. Dev, the central protagonist who takes a drastic step to set things right, disappointingly has the weakest characterization.

In fact, apart from the nervous Aditya and the feisty Devi, you don’t quite know much about the characters of the four friends.

As far as the antagonist is concerned, Chautala appears to operate out of a vacuum. He

doesn’t seem to have seniors to answer to, intends on becoming Commissioner without going through the ranks, and commits the most outrageous crimes without any fear. Is a Delhi cop really that powerful? That he can evade the rest of the police force, politicians and the media?

But things get even more ludicrous towards the second half, including a journalist interviewing a burn victim on his story, as the docs struggle to keep him alive.

For “comedy” you have a nosy reporter asking a burn victim, “Aap ko jal ke jaisa lag raha hai?”

And the gang bullying their friend by calling him shithead, because he has a family business of commodes.

Then there is ‘misplaced comedy’, where humour is insinuated in situations where it looks miserably incongruous. Like a do-ordie situation when a character is trying to escape; hardly the time when a viewer would want to laugh.

The only portion that works is

the ghoonghat-clad prospective bride of one of the friends, who turns out to be quite a firecracker.

And of course, the one with the grandmother misleading an income-tax official.

The Delhi lingo is omnipresent with words like thulla (cop) and lines like, “sorry le le” (I am sorry).

As far as the crass dialogue and portions are concerned, it seems insinuated into the film without context.

Writer-director Kabir Sadanand (Tum Milo Toh Sahi, Popcorn Khao Mast Ho Jao) takes up an interesting concept – that of four youngsters in the grip of a cop on a diabolical mission, but the execution falters. There is none of the edge-of-the-seat thrills, that this story warrants. The characterization isn’t strong enough. The performances are uneven.

The only actor, among the younger cast, leaving an impression is Kiara Advani who plays Devi.

Eventually we struggle to understand what the film is trying to say (how you wish they hadn’t mixed in patriotism, and kept it simple). The film’s politics are also muddled as it makes a statement about how women are harassed, but sexualize the film’s heroine in the songs, and add a risque item song later. No walking the talk, eh? And there are some really embarrassing homophobic portions involving a gay prostitute.

The film starts as an arresting concept, but that sadly hasn’t been realized to its potential.

Chal Bhag: Another good concept wasted Cast: Deepak Dobriyal, Varun Mehra, Tarun Bajaj, Keeya Khanna. Direction: Prakash Saini Three small-time crooks are falsely framed for the murder of an MLA. Can truth prevail?

Razor-wielding Munna Supari (Deepak Dobriyal) aspires to be a well-known henchman of a crime lord.

Angry young man Daler Singh (Varun Mehra) is a nononsense guy, madly in love with Kajari (Keeya Khanna), pickpocket Bunty (Tarun Bajaj) is happy doing his thing. All hell breaks loose when the crooks are charged with the murder of an MLA - a crime they haven't committed. Can they prove their innocence to the cops?

Chal Bhaag attempts to shed light on a serious issue like the police's fake encounters. While the motive and twists in the story are interesting, the comic execution ruins it. You don't see any humour in the situations or the characters.

It's tragic, in fact, and the film would have still worked had it been a black comedy.

The gravity of the situation comes across in a light-hearted manner initially but the randomness of it all, introduction of multiple characters, inconsequential dialogues, etc., convolutes the paper-thin plot. Item numbers further make the formulaic film for-

gettable. Drawbacks can be overlooked if the film manages to hold your attention. Here, it partially does but the forced humor doesn't help. Deepak Dobriyal is wasted as is a good concept.

Naan Than Bala: Priest befriends a killer

Cast: Vivek, Venkatraj, Swetha. Director: Kannan Troubles arise when a Brahmin priest befriends a killer. In Naan Than Bala, Vivek plays the eponymous character, a priest who lives in an agraharam in Kumbakonam. He refuses to move elsewhere as his aged parents live with him. When a priest in the U.S. invites him over, Bala refuses.

He says that our parents took care of us when we were children, and now, when they are like children, we must take care of them. He isn’t averse to a glass of water from the house of a lower-caste acquaintance. We’re all God’s people, he says, as the film cuts to Ambedkar’s picture.

Then, in Kanchipuram, we meet his future love interest, Vaishali (Swetha), whose orthodox father says he doesn’t mind her working because men and women are equal, and only by hard work can one understand the value of money. Staple these scenes together and you have a fifth standard Moral Science textbook. The filmmaking is all broad strokes. Subtlety is as hard to find.

But slowly, something strange happens. Bala is labelled by one character as a mahaan, by another as thayir saadham. He is all this and more — self-righteous, painfully principled, and ridiculously learned, capable of whipping out a line of scripture for every occasion.

But he’s also a good friend to Poochi (Venkatraj), a killer, and he speaks a casual mixture of Tamil and English — he’s not one of those caricatures we see in the movies, whose every utterance is deep-fried in Brahminical dialect.

And when it’s time to make a forceful point — for instance, when he’s cornered by Vaishali and her family and issued an ulti-

Amitabh works on song for Shamitabh Amitabh Bachchan is working on a new song he is set to lend his voice to for Balki’s upcoming movie Shamitabh. “Oh and yes another session with Aadesh (Shrivastava) at his music studio last night did result in another song that I had to sing for ‘Shamitabh’..the finest quality of music from the genius of Ilayaraja, the magician from Chennai,” Big B posted on his blog.

Talking of the veteran Ilaiyaraaja, Big B added: “How many years have passed since his emergence and how till today his prominence continues. The veteran, the master, who nurtured some very special musicians.”

Ilaiyaraaja has composed music for over 900 films in his career.

Currently, he’s busy composing for Shamitabh, which also stars Dhanush and marks the Bollywood debut of southern superstar actor Kamal Haasan’s daughter Akshara.

matum — he makes it silently.

It’s a testament to Vivek’s sincerity and how this part is written that we come to care about this man who’s an anachronism in most ways.

The film itself is something of an anachronism. It’s a morality play that harks back to our myths — to people like Karna who stood by a friend even though he knew the man was pure evil. If a man who does bad things shows you only his good side, then does he become a good man?

This question comes up as Bala befriends Poochi, and this befriending itself is presented like an act of God. Bala needs funds to save his father, but no one in his community will help him.

So he goes to the temple and seeks God’s help. Poochi, who happens to be there, gives him the money. And then we realise that the name isn’t accidental. God works in mysterious ways, sometimes through an insect.

This insect, meanwhile, is about to be exterminated by members of the family of one of his targets.

And he faces a different dilemma, centred on his lord and master, who adopted him when he was ten and treats him like a son.

What does he owe this man, who, instead, of giving him a book, taught him how to wield a knife?

And will Poochi’s friendship with Bala, who’s his opposite in every imaginable way, change him?

With all this, Naan Than Bala should have been shattering drama. That it isn’t is a function of the usual problems of our cinema — sketchy performances in the supporting parts, flavourless romance (though it’s a nice touch that Vaishali’s family is Saurashtrian), comedy that constantly undermines the film’s seriousness, lazy contrivances, mood-killing songs and an overthe-top ending.

We don’t quite see how someone like Poochi would welcome someone like Bala into his life.

His donation of money at the temple was an impulsive act, but surely a calculating killer cannot wear his heart on his sleeve all the time.

Still, you must hand it to director Kannan for going where Tamil cinema rarely goes. In a culture where the hero is God, he has made a movie with a man of God as the hero.

Hardly subtle, but equally hard to dismiss.

INDIA HERALD • WEDNESDAY, JUNE 18, 2014 • PAGE 17

The Story of Mahatma Gandhi - I

A carefree and happy childhood in Porbandar This is the story of a man born more than 144 years ago.

As a boy, he looked no different from the millions of other children born in India. Yet this was no ordinary child. He was to fight and overcome a great empire and, without taking to arms, set his country free. He was to be called the Mahatma, the Great Soul. Having led his people to freedom, he was to lay down his life for their sake. India Herald will bring to you over the next several weeks, the story of this remarkable man who is still an inspiration to millions of oppressed people around the world.

In a small, white-washed house“in Porbandar, on the coast of Kathiawad in the western Indian state of Gujarat, Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi was born on October 2,1869. His father was Karamchand Gandhi and mother Putlibai.“Porbandar is an old seaport, a little distance from the Barda Hills. Even in ancient days ships from far-off lands arrived there to trade. It was the ancestral home of the Gandhi family.

The grandfather and father of“Mohandas were famous for their ability and for their upright character.

Grandfather Uttamchand Gandhi, who belonged to a humble family of merchants, became the Dewan of Porbandar. He was succeeded by his son, Karamchand Gandhi, popularly known as Kaba Gandhi.

Karamchand had very little formal education, but his knowledge and experience of“state affairs made him a good administrator. He was brave and“generous. He had, however, one fault - a bad temper. Putlibai, Karamchand Gandhi’s wife, was a deeply religious, lovable and strong-willed woman.

She was widely respected for her wisdom and good sense.

People often sought her advice on various matters. Mohandas was the youngest of“the six children of Karamchand and Putlibai Gandhi. He was the favorite child of the family and was called ‘Moniya’ by his parents and their friends. Moniya adored his mother. He loved his father too, but he was a“little afraid of him.

As a child, Moniya seldom liked to stay at home. He would go home for his meals and then run away again to“play outside.

If one of his brothers teased him or playfully pulled his ears, he would run home to complain to his mother. “Why didn’t you hit him?” she would ask. “How can you teach me to hit people, mother?

Why should I hit my brother? Why should I hit anyone?” would be Moniya’s reply.

His mother would wonder where her little son got such ideas.

Moniya was just seven years old when his father left Porbandar with the family for Rajkot where he became the Dewan.

Moniya missed Porbandar, and he missed the blue sea and the ships in the harbor. At Rajkot he was sent to a primary school. He was shy and did not mix easily with

Mohandas Gandhi as a child and (below) as a student in London

the other children. Every morning he went to school in time, and ran back home as soon as school was over. His books were his sole companions and he spent all his free time alone reading. He had one friend, however; a boy named Uka. Uka was a sweeper boy and an untouchable.

One day Moniya, was given some sweets. He ran at once to Uka to share them with him.

Don’t come near me little master,” said Uka. “Why not?” asked Moniya, greatly surprised. Why can’t I come near you?”

“I am an untouchable, master,” Uka replied. Moniya took hold of Uka’s hands and filled them with sweets. His mother saw this from a window, and she ordered Moniya to come in at once.

“Don’t you know that a highcaste Hindu should never touch an untouchable?” she asked sternly.

“But why not, mother?” asked Moniya.

“Because our Hindu custom forbids it,” she said.

“I don’t agree with you, mother.

I find nothing wrong in touching Uka. He is not different from me, is he?”

His mother had no answer. She angrily told him to go, have a bath and say his prayers.

Karamchand Gandhi loved all his sons, but he was especially fond of the youngest. He often said to him: “You must go to high school and college and take up a profession.”

Moniya worked hard, and did his lessons carefully. But he did not like learning by heart and was therefore weak in Sanskrit. Geometry was his favorite subject because it involved reasoning.

Once Moniya happened to read the story of Shravana.

Shravana’s parents were old and blind, and he always carried them with him in two baskets slung on a yoke. Moniya was deeply touched by Shravana’s devotion to his old parents. Moniya’s brother had a friend named

Sheikh. He was tall and strong.

Sheikh was a meat-eater and he often told Mohandas that if he ate meat he would also grow tall and strong.

There was also at that time a reform movement for a change in the orthodox beliefs and practices of Hindus. Mohandas himself had heard that many well-todo people had started eating meat, so he, too, tried meat. He did not like the taste of meat but as time went on he started to like meat curries. Whenever Mohandas had a meat meal outside, he had to give his mother some excuse for not eating his dinner. He knew that his parents would not forgive him if they knew he had eaten meat.

He was not against eating meat then, but he was against telling a lie to his mother. This feeling was gnawing at his heart and finally he decided not to touch meat again.

Mohandas had also taken to smoking with Sheikh, his brother, and another relative. He had to pilfer small amounts of money here and there with which to buy cigarettes. One day, in order to pay off a debt which his brother had incurred, Mohandas stole a piece of gold jewelry. He knew stealing was a great sin and that he had committed a great crime.

He resolved never in his life to steal again. He wrote down a confession of his crime and handed the paper to his ailing father.

Karamchand Gandhi read the confession. He tore up the paper without saying a word. The bits of paper fell to the floor. He sank back on his bed with a sigh.

Mohandas left the room, tears streaming down his face.

From that day, Mohandas loved his father more and more. Every day he hurried home from school to wait on him. His father’s condition grew worse and at length he died. The house was filled with sorrow. Mohandas was only sixteen when his father died.

After passing his high school examination, Mohandas joined the Samaldas College at Bhavnagar.

He did not find the classes interesting and returned home after the first ten days. A big surprise awaited him at home. His eldest brother and a family friend suggested that Mohandas should go to England to study and become a barrister.

Mohandas was thrilled. Here was a chance to see the world.

But his mother did not like the idea. She did not want her youngest son to stay away from her.

There was also the problem of money and she feared that

SPORT Life ban on Pak bowler Arif Seam bowler Naved Arif has been banned from cricket for life, a month after he was charged with match-fixing by the England and Wales Cricket Board [ECB].

Arif, 32, admitted six breaches of the ECB anti-corruption code in relation to when he was playing for Sussex in 2011.

"Today's announcement sends out a very clear message that the ECB has a zero tolerance approach to corruption," said ECB chief executive David Collier.

"It will root out and punish those who pose a threat to the game's integrity."

Sussex chief executive Zac Toumazi told BBC Radio 5 live sports extra: "It closes one very unfortunate chapter. It's been awful for everyone."

The Sussex match under scrutiny was a 40-over game at Hove in August 2011, which Kent won by 14 runs.

Pakistan-born Arif played for Sussex in 2011 and 2012, qualifying as a non-overseas player through his Danish wife, and represented Pakistan A, but never featured at full international level.

The ban prevents Arif from playing, coaching or participating in any form of cricket which is recognised or sanctioned by the ECB, the International Cricket Council or any other national cricket federation.

Arif expressed his regret and apologised for his actions in a statement through his lawyers.

"He is deeply ashamed of his actions and, consequently, bringing the game of cricket into disrepute," the statement read. "These actions were unacceptable and Mr Arif has no excuses."

Arif's former Sussex team-mate, Lou Vincent, was also charged last month with 14 offences under the anti-corruption code.

Vincent's charges arose from the same CB40 game against Kent, and a Twenty20 contest against Lancashire in the same month.

The 35-year-old former New Zealand Test batsman is reported to have provided evidence to the ICC of fixing involving 12 matches around the world between 2008 and 2012.

He has since agreed to co-operate with the game's authorities.

Murali to demystify ‘doosra’in Australia Former Sri Lanka spin great Muttiah Muralitharan has gone from longtime adversary of Australia to a coach of its national team.

Cricket Australia said Wednesday that Muralitharan, who finished with a record 800 test wickets, would help prepare Australia’s batsmen for a two-test series against Pakistan in the United Arab Emirates in October and early November.

One of his tasks will be to familiarize Australians with the ‘doosra’ delivery, which has baffled them in the past and is part of the armory of Pakistan’s Saeed Ajmal.

“Ajmal bowls a little bit similar to me so perhaps if I can bowl to the Australian batsman it might help a little bit and give them some tips.”

Muralitharan said in a statement.

Muralitharan, who made his test debut against Australia in 1992, has had a checkered history in Australia because of a suspect bowling action caused by a mild arm deformity. A scientific analysis ordered by the International Cricket Council determined that his bent arm caused an optical illusion of throwing and he was cleared to continue bowling in international cricket.

But extensive tests with Australian biomechanical experts, and the ICC’s decision to revise rules on how much a bowler can bend his arm, cleared Muralitharan’s action.

Mohandas would lose his caste if he crossed the ocean (an age-old taboo against overseas travel among the high caste Hindus).

The family friend assured her that there would be no such difficulty and everything would be all right. But his mother was still opposed to the idea. “I know many reasons why it is dangerous for a Hindu to leave India,” she explained to him.

“You will have to eat meat. They drink alcohol there and you will be tempted to drink it. Then you might fall into bad company and there are many other temptations which may spoil you.” “No, mother,” said Mohandas. “I am no longer a child. I can look after myself.” He pleaded with her to allow him to go, and he took a vow not to eat meat, not to drink, and not to touch a woman. — To be continued

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PAGE 18 • INDIA HERALD • WEDNESDAY, JUNE 18, 2014

INDIA Narendra Modi’s first foreign trip in Bhutan

Prime Minister Narendra Modi with Bhutan’s King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck and Queen Jetsun Pema during a ceremonial reception at the Royal Palace.

India and Bhutan on Monday decided to scale up their bilateral relations with Prime Minister Narendra Modi asserting that a “strong” and “prosperous” India can help smaller countries in the region.

Concluding his two-day visit to the Himalayan Kingdom, Modi gave an assurance that a change of government in Delhi will not affect their ties and past commitments will be fulfilled.

Thimphu, on its part, promised not to allow its territory to be used against India, an assurance that comes against the backdrop of militants from northeast taking shelter there.

Just before winding up his visit, Prime Minister Modi, who was given a rare honour of addressing the joint session of Bhutan’s Parliament, agreed with Speaker of the National Assembly Jigme Zangpo that stronger India is, the better it is for Bhutan.

Referring to the welcome remarks by Mr. Zangpo, Mr. Modi said the entire region, especially the SAARC countries, could benefit if India is prosperous. “Only a strong, prosperous India can help alleviate the problems that its neighbours face,” he said.

Meanwhile, Bhutan Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay thanked India for the allocation of Rs. 45 billion for the 11th Five Year Plan and Rs. 5 billion for the economic stimulus plan of Bhutan.

Modi also reiterated India’s commitment to support Bhutan for the successful implementation of the 11th Five Year Plan and continue with capacity building especially in the education and IT sectors.

The two sides acknowledged the importance of cooperation and mutual benefit arising from the hydropower sector between them and expressed satisfaction on the progress being made.

They reiterated their commitment to achieving the 10,000 MW target.

Even as Modi and the Indian delegation received much positive coverage in the Indian and Bhutanese media, slips by the PM and the External Affairs Minister also made their mark on the social media.

In his speech to the Joint session of Bhutan’s parliament Modi said, “I want to begin with a tribute to the Nepal...Bhutan royal family that ensured democratic values and protected people's

rights”. p The use of Nepal instead of Bhutan is ironic, as Bhutan has always had uneasy relations with Nepal over the problem of exiled Nepali refugees.

Later in the speech Modi also referred to “Ladakh” instead of Bhutan, leading to some on twitter draw parallels to S. M.

Krishna’s reading of the wrong country’s speech at the UNGA, while others referred to Modi’s mistakenly referring to Takshashila in Bihar during his election campaign. When asked, officials dismissed it as a “twitter controversy”.

Speaking to the media in Thimphu, Swaraj also drew some laughs when she was asked if her upcoming Bangladesh visit could rival the success of the Bhutan visit, and she replied it would be “Bhutan se bhi achcha” (better than Bhutan). Fortunately her Bhutanese hosts didn’t seem to mind the comparison.

However the catch-phrase of the PM’s maiden state visit was certainly B4B - the phrase that Ms. Swaraj called a “quotable quote” by Modi who said B4B referred to “Bharat for Bhutan” and “Bhutan for Bharat.” Visually, the image of the Prime Minister leaving his motorcade and security to personally greet crowds who had lined up for him will perhaps be remembered as well.

Governors in no hurry to quit

2 cops gunned down in U.P. LUCKNOW: With the law and order situation in Uttar Pradesh worsening, and two policemen being gunned down in Firozabad, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh said on Monday that he was “closely monitoring the situation” in the State. The State unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party also piled up pressure on the Samajwadi Party government, demanding imposition of President’s Rule.

The killings in Firozabad, which is represented in the Lok Sabha by Akshay Yadav, nephew of Samajwadi Party president Mulayam Singh, not only left the State Government dazed, but also spawned violent reaction from the kin of the deceased policemen and the villagers of Sailai Puliya and Nagla Bari.

Firozabad is without an SP and the district is manned by an officer of the rank of Additional SP. The DIG of Agra Range, Vijay Singh Meena, sustained head injuries in the heavy stone pelting by the angry villagers on Monday, who were demanding the arrest of the culprits and the suspension of the station in charge of Ramgarh police station. Four stitches were applied to the DIG, the State IG (Law and Order), Amrendra Kumar Sengar said in Lucknow.

The national highway 2 was blocked for several hours at Subhash trisection in Firozabad resulting in traffic chaos.

The two policemen, who were gunned down in Firozabad early on Monday morning, June 16, had found themselves hopelessly outnumbered by the criminals.

The constables were on night patrol duty on their motorcycle when they received information that criminals were moving from Nagla Bari to Sailai Pulia. On reaching Nagla Bari, under the Ramgarh police station area, at around 1.30 am on Monday, they suddenly came under fire from the criminals.

The policemen returned the fire, but were out numbered. While constable Giriraj Kishore died on the spot, Dinesh Pratap Singh died on way to Agra where he was taken for treatment, Sengar said. The assailants fled under the cover of darkness.

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NEW DELHI: With several Congress appointees in no hurry to step down as Governors, the NDA government’s attempts to have its own nominees in Raj Bhavans could lead to a full-blown confrontation with the principal Opposition party.

Uttar Pradesh Governor B.L. Joshi resigned on Tuesday, taking the hint from the Union government, but the Governors of Kerala (Sheila Dikshit), Assam (J.B. Patnaik) and Karnataka (H.R. Bhardwaj) made it clear that they would not quit.

Patnaik and Bhardwaj, who met President Pranab Mukherjee, asserted that they were not resigning. “If there is a rumor about my resignation, I cannot help it,” Patnaik said. Uttarakhand Governor Aziz Qureshi has been given additional charge of Uttar Pradesh.

On Tuesday, Rajasthan Governor Margaret Alva called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and later met the President. Her term ends in August. The PMO described the meeting as a “courtesy call.”

While BJP sources maintained that the Governors appointed by the previous government must quit, or face the possibility of being removed or transferred, the Congress cited a 2010 Supreme Court judgment that said the Centre had no powers to sack them without “compelling” reasons.

Though there was no official word, Home Ministry sources said other Governors who may face the axe include M.K. Narayanan (West Bengal) and Kamla Beniwal (Gujarat). Delhi’s Lt. Governor Najib Jung may be transferred.

Union Home Secretary Anil Goswami had called some Governors and conveyed the government’s desire that they step down.

The Congress said that the NDA government was indulging in “political vendetta” by asking Governors appointed by the UPA government to resign. The CPI(M) called it “unconstitutional” and “unethical.” The BJP shot back saying the UPA government in 2004 had done precisely the same by removing four Governors appointed by the Vajpayee government.

Court okays searches under ‘Kuberan’ KOCHI: A Division Bench of the Kerala High Court on Tuesday, June 17, observed that it could not find fault with the searches conducted by the police under Operation Kuberan, a drive against unauthorised moneylenders. The Bench comprising Chief Justice Manjula Chellur and Justice P.R. Ramachandra Menon made the observation while dismissing a batch of petitions complaining about police harassment under “the guise of ‘Operation Kuberan’.

The court said nothing prohibited the police from conducting a search in accordance with the procedures. The Bench added that it could not find fault with the police as they had followed the procedure before conducting the searches. The court also observed that the searches could be carried out without requiring the police to inform the persons before conducting searches at the office or premises.

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INDIA HERALD • WEDNESDAY, JUNE 18, 2014 • PAGE 19

INDIA Woman charges minister with rape JAIPUR: The woman allegedly raped

by Union minister Nihal Chand Meghwal on Tuesday asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to remove him.

Addressing a press conference along with her relatives at Rajasthan's Sriganganagar which is in Meghwal's constituency, the woman said, "We all know that Narendra Modi is a good person and highlights women rights. I don't think a person like Meghwal should be allowed to conNihal Chand Meghwal tinue as a minister. I will try to meet the PM and request him first to remove Meghwal and also help me in get justice."

“It all depends on whether I get to meet the PM but I will certainly go to Delhi," she added.

The woman held the press conference a day after a private TV channel made a sting operation claim that she had said that Meghwal was not an accused in the rape case. "I condemn whatever the news channel has shown. I firmly say that Nihal Chand is equally responsible for my rape that took place for months in Jaipur at various places.

The sting operation shown by the private television channel could have used some decoy. It was not me," she said.

The woman had filed a complaint against Nihal Chand Meghwal in 2011. The woman said she was getting threats through SMS and phone calls where the anonymous people told her to take money and not utter Meghwal's name.

"Some are even offering me job and cash if I keep mum. I am living in fear and changing places almost everyday. I will demand adequate police security from the SPs of Sirsa and Jaipur as I fear these influential people can be a threat to me," she said. "His (Meghwal's) statement won't change the truth. I clearly remember what he did to me along with others."

Faster rollout of Nirbhaya fund sought NEW DELHI: Home minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday instructed his ministry officials to expedite a key project sanctioned under the Nirbhaya Fund, envisaging speedy police assistance in response to distress calls by women.

The project, for which Rs 321 crore would be disbursed from the Nirbhaya Fund, is proposed to be implemented over nine months in 114 identified cities.

Approved by the Cabinet in February 2014, the project will enable a woman in distress to generate an alarm to the police control room by pressing a button on her mobile phone. Using GPS-based tracking, the police will be able to pinpoint the location of the victim and dispatch a PCR van to the spot to assist her.

Now, BJP goes to bat for e-rickshaw drivers NEW DELHI: A rally organised by e-rickshaw unions turned into a BJP event on Tuesday with Union transport Minister Nitin Gadkari announcing a Deen Dayal e-rickshaw scheme.

The scheme aims to legalise the operation of e-rickshaws in Delhi, with Gadkari even assuring erickshaw drivers that they would no longer be fined by the Delhi Police, the Indian Express reported.

“The Deen Dayal e-rickshaw scheme will provide livelihood to two crore people,” he said.

E-rickshaws were rendered illegal by a notification from the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) on April 24, before Gadkari assumed office. In recent weeks, the Delhi Transport department and police had initiated a crackdown on such vehicles.

On Tuesday, Gadkari also announced a slew of measures to help the nearly one lakh e-rickshaw drivers, including loans, registration and easing of norms.

Gadkari said e-rickshaws with motor power up to 650W would now be considered ‘nonmotorised vehicles’ and will not come under the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988.

“E-rickshaws having motor power up to 650W will now be regarded as non-motorised vehicles. Transport department and traffic police can not challan them from tomorrow,” claimed Gadkari.

BJP MPs Ramesh Bidhuri, Meenakshi Lekhi and Manoj Tiwari were also present at the rally.

“Amendments will have to be

made in the Motor Vehicles Act through an ordinance if the new rules have to come into effect immediately,” a source said.

Transport department and traffic police said they have not received any orders in this regard.

Stressing that Modi’s directive was to rid the country of poverty, Gadkari said, “We will ensure employment to eradicate poverty, as poor is just poor and not from a particular caste or religion, such as Hindu, Muslim or Dalit. I have written to PM Narendra Modi and Finance Minister Arun Jaitley requesting that e-rickshaw owners should get credit at three per cent interest without guarantee.”

However, Gadkari failed to mention how he would ensure adherence to quality standards as far as e-rickshaws are concerned.

“I request you people not to buy poor quality e-rickshaws to ensure safety of people who will commute in these rickshaws. In many states, e-rickshaws could not take off and I was informed by officials that it was because of quality standard testing required as per Motor Vehicles Act. But now you don’t need to carry out any testing,” Gadkari said.

“Four people can sit in an e-rickshaw and 25-50 kg of luggage can be transported on these battery-operated vehicles. You no longer need to go to the state or Central government for registration which will not be carried out by the municipal corporations on payment of Rs 100.

The municipal corporations will issue identity cards for e-rickshaw drivers,” he said.

The AAP had also tried to mobilise support of auto unions in Delhi before the Assembly elections and were successful in making them a significant part of their vote base. AAP, in fact, had tried to take up the cause of e-rickshaw owners with the Lt-Governor on Monday, but without much success.

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PAGE 20 • INDIA HERALD • WEDNESDAY, JUNE 18, 2014

BANGLADESH / SRI LANKA Bangladesh reports first case of MERS virus

Undeterred by the spread of the MERS virus in Saudi Arabia, Muslim pilgrims wear masks on their way to Islam’s holiest shrine, the Kaaba, in the Grand Mosque of Mecca on May 27.

DHAKA: Bangladesh on Sunday, June 15, reported its first case of the deadly MERS virus after a Bangladesh-born US resident was admitted to hospital days after returning to his homeland via Abu Dhabi.

The condition of the unidentified 53-year-old man had improved but he was still in intensive care in a Dhaka clinic, Mahmudur Rahman, the director of the Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research,

told AFP. “He is Bangladesh-born but lives in the US. He came to the country on June 4 and became sick two days later. Most probably he contracted the virus during the three hours at Abu Dhabi airport or in the plane,” he said.

“After a series of tests we got confirmation yesterday that he was suffering from MERS coronavirus.”

It was the first known MERS case in Bangladesh. The country has become the 22nd nation to report a case of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS), according to Rahman.

Other countries including Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Iran, the Netherlands, the United Arab

Emirates, the United States and Algeria have also recorded cases, mostly in people who had been to Saudi Arabia.

MERS has killed 284 people in Saudi Arabia since it first emerged in 2012, and hundreds more have been infected.

It is considered a deadlier but less transmissible cousin of the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome virus that appeared in Asia in 2003 and killed hundreds of people, mostly in China.

Like SARS, it appears to cause a lung infection, with patients suffering coughing, breathing difficulties and a temperature. But MERS differs in that it also causes rapid kidney failure.

Muslim pilgrims from around the world are pouring into the holy city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia, undeterred by the spread of the deadly virus.

Research has suggested that the virus has been quite common in camels for at least 20 years.

Last week, researchers said they had found the first direct evidence that MERS jumps directly from camels to humans.

Rahman said it was only a matter of time before MERS arrived in Bangladesh. Some three million Bangladeshis work in the Middle East, more than two-thirds of them in Saudi Arabia.

17 accused over disaster factory reconstruction

EU alarmed by anti-Muslim violence in Sri Lanka COLOMBO: The European Union expressed alarm Wednesday at recent violence against Muslims in Sri Lanka in which three people died and more than 50 were injured, and urged the government to ensure that the rule of law is upheld.

“Incitement of communal violence and hatred can only be counterproductive to Sri Lanka’s stability,” the EU delegation in Colombo said in a statement.

Hard-line Buddhists hurled gasoline bombs and looted homes and businesses in attacks Sunday evening in several towns in southwestern Sri Lanka. The attacks were led by a mob from Bodu Bala Sena, or Buddhist Power Force, which rails against the country’s Muslim minority.

The group has been gaining followers and is believed to enjoy state support. Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, Sri Lanka’s powerful defense secretary and the president’s brother, once made a public appearance supporting the group’s cause.

Muslim residents say armed mobs broke into their houses and burned them after stealing jewelry and money.

Associated Press journalists who visited the attacked towns saw dozens of shops gutted, and motorbikes and bicycles piled up and set on fire. Residents said mosques were also defaced.

A curfew imposed on the towns after the violence was lifted Wednesday. Galagoda Atte Gnanasara, the leader of Bodu Bala Sena, said the Buddhists were angry over an alleged attack on the driver of a Buddhist monk.

Sri Lanka is still deeply scarred by its 1983-2009 civil war between the Buddhist Sinhalese majority and ethnic Tamil rebels, who are largely Hindu, but Buddhist-Muslim violence has been relatively rare.

The U.S. Embassy in Colombo on Monday condemned the violence and urged restraint by all sides.

Rajapaksa: War was not against Tamils COLOMBO: President Mahinda Rajapaksa said the war in Sri Lanka was never against the Tamil community but against terrorism.

The president said this when he met Asian Development Bank (ADB) president here, Xinhua quoted Rajapaksa’s office as saying.

Rajapaksa briefed Nakao on Sri Lanka’s development after it militarily crushed the Tamil Tigers in 2009.

The president explained how the government immediately attended to the resettlement of the thousands of Tamils displaced from their homes because of the war between the government and the Tamil Tigers. “The war was never against the Tamil community, it was against terrorism,” Rajapaksa said.

Rajapaksa provided Nakao details on the development projects the government undertook after the war to develop the war-ravaged Northern Province, the main war theatre. “You must go and see the development yourself,” the president told Nakao.

ADB as a founding member in 1966, has provided $6.17 billion in lending and $358 million in grants until the end of last year.

HEMALATHA VIJAYAN, M.D. Board Certified in Internal Medicine

We Specialize in Treating: Relatives of missing garment workers take part in a protest marking the first anniversary of the Rana Plaza building collapse in Dhaka in April.

Bangladesh’s anti-graft agency Sunday filed cases against 17 people for “illegally” transforming a planned shopping mall into the garment factory complex which collapsed last year, killing more than 1,100 people.

The Anti-Corruption Commission filed cases against two owners of the nine-storey Rana Plaza in Savar town outside the capital and three garment manufacturers, as well as against architects, engineers and local government officials who approved the construction.

“Rana Plaza was originally approved for a six-storey shopping complex on April 10, 2006 by Savar municipal authorities. But its owners later unlawfully got an approval to transform it into a 10-storey building,” commission spokesman Pranab Bhattacharjee told AFP. “The mayor of Savar, local government officials, architects and the owners did not abide by any of the country’s construction rules to extend the floors or transform it into a garment factory complex laden with heavy machinery such as generators,” he added.

Investigators probing the collapse have earlier said the building caved in under the weight of the extra floors and of the generators and heavy machinery in the garment factories.

A court is expected to bring charges later against the 17. They face a maximum seven years in jail for violating the construction code and “abusing power” to approve the building illegally, the spokesman said.

The case is separate from the murder charges expected to be filed by police against around 40 people. Murder is punishable by death.

Sohel Rana, another owner after whom the building was named, is the main accused in the murder case. He has been left out of the current case as his name was not found in any of the papers needed for approval of the building.

“We’ve filed cases against his father and mother because they are the original owners of the building and they signed all the documents related to the building,” Bhattacharjee said.

Police have accused Rana, a former ruling party official, of forcing thousands of employees to go to work even though big cracks appeared in the building a day before.

The complex housing five garment factories collapsed on April 24 last year, killing 1,138 people, injuring more than 2,000 and highlighting appalling safety problems in Bangladesh’s $22 billion garment industry.

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INDIA HERALD • WEDNESDAY, JUNE 18, 2014 • PAGE 21

PAKISTAN Jets pound tribal N. Waziristan

The remote mountain areas along the Afghan border are a Taliban stronghold

MIRAMSHAH: Fighter jets are reported to have carried out fresh air strikes against militants based in the north-west tribal area of North Waziristan. The army says at least 160 militants have been killed since the start of the offensive, called Zarb-e-Azb, BBC new reported. The army, said six of its soldiers died in a bomb blast.

Monday is the fourth day of curfew imposed by security forces in Miramshah, North Waziristan. Residents are not allowed to leave their homes, and reports are surfacing of a shortage of food and other rations.

Locals have been told to either register at IDP camps in FR Bannu Baka Khel or leave with relatives moving out of the tribal agency.

The operation was launched against foreign and local terrorists hiding in sanctuaries in North Waziristan, a week after a brazen insurgent attack on the country's busiest airport in Karachi.

On Sunday, the government proclaimed that Abu Abdul Rehman al-Maani, an Uzbek believed to have helped organise the Karachi airport assault, was among those killed in the offensive in the mountainous area bordering Afghanistan.

There is no independent media access to the area and no way of confirming the casualty figures, BBC said. These latest strikes are said to have targeted the thickly forested Shawal Valley, an area with few roads where the army says the Taliban are known to have hideouts.

Authorities say they are setting up "surrender points" for the militants, but the army has been given the task of "eliminating" those who will not give themselves up.

The long-awaited military sweep in North Waziristan follows a spike in militant violence. It also comes after a major split in the TTP group of Pakistani Taliban which many believe was engineered by Pakistani intelligence.

But analysts have long suggested Pakistan would secure its western borders ahead of Nato quitting Afghanistan. The immediate purpose of the operation appears to be to evict foreign and local "terrorists" from North Waziristan. They will take time to regroup.

It is not clear if the Haqqani network and the Hafiz Gul

Bahadur group - both of which are focused mainly on fighting in Afghanistan - fall within this definition.

Most "foreign" and TTP elements - who portray themselves as anti-Pakistan - took advantage of a two-week period when Pakistan reportedly pulled out forces from its side of the border. That was apparently aimed at avoiding ground battles with militants that could have been bloody at a time of delicate negotiations with other factions.

Sources believe that aircraft and artillery will form the basis of this offensive, the BBC's Mike Wooldridge reports from Islamabad.

There are already more than 60,000 troops in the region but reports say ground troops have not so far been involved in direct military action.

Our correspondent says that North Waziristan is effectively being sealed off, and Afghanistan has been asked to plug militant escape routes.

Reuters reports that the army has imposed an all-day curfew and switched off mobile phone services to stop militant communication. Arrangements are also being made for the evacuation of those civilians remaining in the region.

"We have packed up everything and are ready to leave as soon as the curfew is lifted," Reuters quotes Ethasham Khan as saying from the main town in North Waziristan, Miranshah.

Concerned about a militant backlash, the authorities are also stepping up security across the country.

The US has long pressed for an offensive in North Waziristan, one of the last areas in the restive north-west where a large-scale push against insurgents has not taken place.

A new report on the use of US drone strikes claims they contributed to an increase in violence around the country and caused large numbers of militants to move elsewhere in Pakistan to avoid attack.

The first drone strike this year was carried out in the tribal region after the Karachi attack.

A statement from Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's office said the government had tried to resolve the crisis through dialogue a reference to peace talks with the Pakistani Taliban that began earlier this year - but it had been frustrated by continued attacks.

Nawaz: Operation to continue ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, during a speech delivered in the National Assembly on Monday, justified the government's decision to initiate a full-scale operation in North Waziristan tribal region and said that the 'Zarb-e-Azb' operation would continue until terrorism is eliminated from the country.

Sharif added that the government had tried patiently to pursue peace talks but It was unfortunate that after four and a half months of trying peace, dialogue could not be fruitful.

He further said that the world knew that "On one hand we were pursuing dialogue, and on the other we were being targeted.We were pursuing talks, but from Islamabad courts to Karachi airport we were attacked."

He told Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, "Our places of worship and mosques were targeted, our schools were targeted. We will change the fate of this country and under no circumstances will the country be allowed to serve as a safe haven for terrorists."

Sharif said that all important decisions were taken with mutual agreement between civilian and military leadership. "Despite the sacrifices of our soldiers, we gave peace talks first priority but our efforts were rendered in vain, This operation will be the start of a peaceful beginning of the country," he added.

PTI chairman Imran Khan, in a core committee meeting in the capital, endorsed the army’s operation although he was not happy that the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government was not kept informed of the move.

Chief justice’s nephew kidnapped MULTAN: A nephew of Chief Justice of Pakistan Tassaduq Hussain Jilani, Umer Jilani, who was identified as a security official, was kidnapped on Monday by unidentified persons from Garden Town in Multan.

Multan Police officially confirmed the abduction of Umer Jillani and quoting eyewitnesses said that the abductee was en route to his office on his bike when four to five motorcycle-riding gunmen intercepted him in Garden area and kidnapped him.

Police further said that after receiving information on the incident, law enforcement agencies and police personals reached the spot and started a probe into the kidnapping.

Moreover, the city has been put on alert and a Joint Investigation Team was also constituted comprising of police and law enforcement agencies officers to work on this case.

Multan police was also directed to seal the city and to conduct an extensive search for the recovery of Umer Jillani.

Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif took notice of the incident and directed the Regional Police Officer Multan to make all-out efforts to rescue the victim.

8 dead as police clash with Qadri supporters LAHORE: At least eight people have been killed in clashes here between Pakistani police and supporters of a prominent Islamic scholar. Dozens more were injured as police fired shots and tear gas to disperse protesters at the offices of Tahirul Qadri. His supporters threw stones. Two women died in the riots, reports say.

Qadri, who is based in Canada, plans to return to Pakistan next week to lead a crusade against corrupt politicians.

He led a "long march" on Islamabad in January last year, but the protest fizzled with little result.

Qadri is seen by many as a political nuisance who lacks clout.

But he has the ability to gather supporters from his madrassas and is rumored to have ties with the powerful ISI intelligence agency.

Police in Lahore say clashes broke out after supporters of the Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT), which is led by Qadri, resisted attempts to clear barriers outside their leader's offices in the Model Town suburb on Monday night, June 16. When the police brought in reinforcements in the morning, the confrontation grew, although the police insist they showed restraint. A number of arrests have been made.

Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, has ordered a judicial inquiry. "I am deeply saddened over the killings," Sharif said. "If I am held responsible, I will immediately resign because I cannot even imagine using force against anyone," he added.

Officials at Lahore's Jinnah

Tahirul Qadri ... a political nuisance who lacks clout

Hospital said the bodies of those killed had bullet wounds.

Dr Abdul Rauf told the AFP news agency the hospital had "received 80 injured, 40 with bullet injuries and 40 with other wounds."

Some commentators have criticised the authorities for being heavy-handed in dealing with Qadri's supporters.

They say the barricades had been there for over four years, and had been erected with the consent of the area residents to improve security. Qadri held a news conference via videolink from Canada to condemn the police raid on his headquarters in Lahore.

He said he remained undaunted and would arrive at Islamabad airport on Monday as planned. He urged his followers to continue their peaceful protest.

"The revolution that was to take time in coming will now arrive more quickly," he said. "These deaths will lead to the end of this government."

Taliban to foreign firms: Get out!

PESHAWAR: The Pakistani Taliban on Monday, June 16, warned foreign firms to leave the country after thousands of troops launched a long-awaited offensive in a troubled tribal district along the Afghan border. "We warn all foreign investors, airlines and multinational corporations that they should immediately suspend their ongoing matters with Pakistan and prepare to leave Pakistan, otherwise they will be responsible for their own loss," said spokesman Shahidullah Shahid in a statement.

The Islamist group also vowed to take revenge on the government for the air strikes in North Waziristan. "We hold Nawaz Sharif's government and the Punjabi establishment responsible for the loss of tribal Muslims' life and property as a result of this operation," the statement said. "The retaliatory actions of the Mujahedeen will make you a cautionary tale in history."

Shahid added that the Taliban would "burn your palaces in Islamabad and Lahore" referring to the capital city and Sharif's hometown, from where he derives his support base. "Remember that you will once again crave for talks and peace, but then it would be too late," he added.

North Waziristan region until recently was harboring several groups of local and foreign militants, including Chechens, Uzbeks, Turkmen, Tajiks and Uighurs. Many insurgents had recently vacated the main towns of the region and fled towards the rugged mountains on the border with Afghanistan.

MQM withdraws mourning call on request KARACHI: The Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) on Tuesday retracted their earlier call to observe a country-wide day of mourning in the aftermath of the killing of Pakistan Awami Tehreek’s (PAT) supporters in Lahore. The party had taken the decision after at least seven PAT supporters were reportedly killed in a clash with police.

A statement, issued to the media, said that after going through the requests of transporters, traders and shop keepers, the party has decided to take back their call. “We appeal to the public to go about their businesses as usual,” it added.

The MQM’s Rabita Committee also appealed to the public to record their protest peacefully against the incident in Lahore by hoisting black flags and pray for the ‘departed’.

PAGE 18 • INDIA HERALD • WEDNESDAY, JUNE 18, 2014

RELIGION / SPIRITUALITY Guru Peyarchi Homam at Sri Meenakshi Temple Ask yourself what defines you

The Planet Jupiter is also known as Guru or Brihaspathi.

“Guru” is a Sanskrit word, and it literally means the remover of darkness and one who brings the light of knowledge.

In Indian Vedic Astrology Guru is considered to be a benefic planet. Guru is attributed to Good luck, favor and fortune. Performing special puja on Jupiter transition day – Guru Peyarchi is

considerd very auspicious, as invoking Brihaspathi’s blessings can give good effects.

The famous Navagraha Sthalam of Guru (Jupiter) in South India is the Apatsahayesvarar Temple at Alangudi in the Papanasam Taluk of Thanjavur district, Tamilnadu, a divine place where one could propitiate Jupiter. Lord Shiva is manifested here in the form of Lord Guru.

The fallback option in life

By Maulana Wahiduddin Khan Narendra Damodar Das Modi became the prime minister of India after winning the 16th general elections in the country.

During election campaigns, an instance was reported in the media that at an election rally held on May 5, 2014 at Amethi, Modi said, “Log kehte hain ki Modi haar jayega toh kahan jayega. Tum chinta mat karo. Meri chai banane ki ketli ka samaan tayyar hai!” (People ask where Modi would go if he loses the elections. They need not worry. My tea kettle is ready!)

One aspect of this utterance is that it shows the strength iin us wherein a man can reach the highest post having started from humble beginnings.

There is another aspect. Initially the above remark may have been considered a joke but in the extended sense, we can derive from it a wise formula of life!

And that formula is – if you lose the first option do not waste time in worrying; instead seek the second option.

Life is full of options. If you try to opt for the first choice and fail, then do not consider it as the end. It is a signal that there may be another, perhaps better option, waiting for you!

Jawaharlal Nehru, former prime minister, completed his Law degree from Trinity College, Cambridge. In 1912, he started his law career in Allahabad with his father Motilal Nehru, a successful lawyer. But after some time, he decided to shift to politics.

It is said that an Indian student studying Law was once asked what he would do after completing his course. He replied: “Chal gayi to Motilal, nahin chali to Jawaharlal.” – “If I succeed I would be like Motilal, and if I fail, then there is the example for me in Jawaharlal!”

This wise formula applies to both non-political and political spheres of life. This formula means that after losing the first chance, there still exists a possibility of achieving success.

Law of Nature is always with you! For example, in non-political life if you lose a job there might be the option of a second job! In political life, if you do not receive majority in the assembly, there exists an option of choosing the healthy role of opposition.

Life is full of uncertainties, then what to do? It is not possible that the result of a person’s striving is always in accordance with his wishes.

In such a situation, the best policy is that of adjustment.

This formula saves you from unnecessary stress; makes you wise enough to utilise your time and gives you a chance to re-plan your life.

It gives you unshakeable hope. It saves you from the killer psychology of complaints and protests.

Sri Dakshinamurthy is worshipped, as Guru Bhagwan here.

At Sri Meenakshi Temple Pearland, Guru Peyarchi Puja was conducted in an authentic ceremony over two days – the calendar Guru Peyarchi day on Friday June 13th with a Navagraha Abhishekam followed by Archana.

On Sunday, June 15, a more elaborate Homam was conducted, and followed with the Abhsishekam and Archana in the Navagraha sannadhi.

Over 100 devotees joined the two occasions to pray for good luck and fortune to the families and friends.

Sri Mannicka Sundara Bhattar expertly conducted the pujas with assistance from Sri Doraiswamy Bhattar and Sri Kalyana Sundaram.

Devotees participate enthusiastically in the puja, as it not only benefits the participants, but also it is believed to bring positive outcome to the whole community.

Once in a valley I saw rivulets cascading down from mountain peaks. I noticed the way each stream flowed till it arrived at a boulder. It did not try to break the rock in order to move ahead.

Rather, when it encountered the rock, it simply swerved to the left or to the right, around the sides of the rock, and continued its journey uninterrupted. This phenomenon has a great lesson. It teaches that nature adopts the second choice if the first choice is not workable.

When you fail to attain the first option, you need to instantly divert your energy to discover the second option.

Nature and history both give us a message: if you fail to achieve the first choice, try to avail the second choice that has existed all along! Follow Maulana Wahiduddin Khan at speakingtree.in; post your comments there.

Sanatan Shiv Shakti Mandir Rudrabhishek every Monday followed by Aarti and mahaprasad. Everyone is invited to join the puja.

Our prayer hall is large enough to accommodate up to 125 guests for your celebrations — birthdays, babyshowers, engagement or any other ceremony. Plenty of free parking

The life of 25-year-old Lizzie Velasquez changed when she saw herself at the age of 17 years in a YouTube video titled, “The world’s ugliest woman,” and there were comments like: “Do the world a favor and put a gun to your head.”

Lizzie Velasquez has a rare syndrome that makes it impossible for her to gain weight. She has never weighed more than 64 pounds and is blind in one eye. In December 2013, she inspired millions with her TED Talk and hopes to reach more through a documentary about her story. Here are some excerpts from her talk.

Born 4 weeks premature, doctors used a photo to show her to her mother for the first time. “I started crying inconsolably, but I asked them to bring her to me nevertheless,” said her mother. “I wanted to see her, hold her and love her.” Her parents have shown her the same love as they did her other 2 normal siblings, “They're the best parents in the entire world. From the moment I was born they showered me with love.They raised me and my siblings in the exact same way. Love, multiplied 3 times, is what brought me to where I am today.

"I was raised very normally, so when I started kindergarten, it was kind of a big slap because when I walked up to a little girl, I smiled at her, she looked up at me like I was a monster, like I was the scariest thing she had ever seen in her life.My reaction was, she is rude. I am a fun kid and she is the one missing out.

“I was bullied, too. I would go home and ask my parents, what’s wrong with me, why am I being bullied ? Why don’t they like me?

And they sat me and said, Lizzie the only thing that’s different about you, is that you are smaller than the other kids. You have this syndrome, but it’s not going to define who you are. They said, go to school, pick your head up, smile, continue to be yourself and people will see that you’re just like them.

And so that’s what I did."

"What is it that defines you?

For so long, I thought what defined me was my outer appearance. I thought I was disgusting.

I hated it when I was going to middle school and looking in the mirror getting ready and thinking can I just scrub this syndrome off.

I would wish, and pray, and hope and do whatever I could so that I wouldn’t have to deal with these struggles, I was disappointed.

"My life was put into my hands just like your lives are put into yours. You are the person in the front seat of your car. You are the

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one who decides whether your car goes down a bad path or a good path. You are the one that decides what defines you. I would just get so annoyed and frustrated, I didn't care what defined me till I was labelled the world’s ugliest woman. There were 4 million views to this video, 8 seconds long, no sound, thousands of comments — ‘Lizzie, please, please just do the world a favor, put a gun to your head and kill yourself.’

“I cried my eyes out and I was ready to kind of fight back; I started realizing that my life is in my hands. I could either make this really good or I can make this really bad. I could either be grateful and open my eyes and realize the things that I do have and make those the things that define me.

“So I told myself I’m going to work my butt off and do whatever I could to make myself better, because in my mind, the best way that I could get back at all those people who made fun of me, who teased me, who called me ugly, who called me a monster, was to make myself better and to show them you know what, tell those negative things, I’m going to turn them around and I’m going to use them as a ladder to climb up to my goals. That’s what I did.”

“I told myself I wanted to be a motivational speaker, I want to write a book, graduate college, have my own family, my career.

Eight years later, I’m standing in front of you still doing motivational speaking. I wanted to graduate college and I’ve just finished college. I’m getting a degree in communication studies from Texas State University in San Marcos.”

She concluded, “I used the people who were telling me that I couldn’t do this – to motivate me.

I used their negativity to light my fire to keep going, use that, use that negativity that you have in your life to make yourself better, because I guarantee you, guarantee you, you will win. Now I want to end with asking you again. Ask yourself, what defines you?

Thank you.”

INDIA HERALD • WEDNESDAY, JUNE 18, 2014 • PAGE 23

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