India Empire July 2015

CONTENTS 38

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SPIRITuAl AMBASSADOR Indian High Commissioner Gauri Shankar Gupta writes for India Empire

july 2015

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FROM THE lAND OF MAPlE lEAF An interview with Canada’s High Commissioner to India

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A-MINuS TROuBlES uS Ambassador recalls a slight blip in his report card

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jOlly GOOD COMMuNICATOR

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NRIs were joining the OFBjP in large numbers when jolly was convenor

Ny TO HIMAlAyAS The story of the Seeker

18 MEDICAl NEGlIGENCE Dr Kunal Saha says the war not yet over

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NOT HyPHENATED AMERICANS Bobby jindal says that he is American, not Indian American

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NIKKI uNFlAGS SECESSIONISTS Nikki Haley wants slavery era Confederate flag removed

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16 RIGHTS uPHElD Sikhs can joint uS Army sporting beard

COVER INTERVIEW: CANADIAN HIGH COMMISSIONER TO INDIA

“Our relationship has been taken to a new high after PM Modi’s visit” In an interview in which he articulated a range of bilateral issues with a great degree of fluency, Canada’s High Commissioner to India, Mr Nadir Patel, opens up to India Empire’s Editor and Publisher Sayantan Chakravarty, and Assistant Editor Misha Singh. Mr Patel who is of Indian origin says that he looks forward to what is an exciting period in Canada-India relationships. In the past he has served as Canada’s Consul General in Shanghai between 2009 and 2011. He was also part of the team that helped launch the Commission of Inquiry into the bombing of Air India Flight 182. In an earlier capacity as Canada’s Chief Air Negotiator, Mr Patel travelled to 35 countries over three years and negotiated 43 international airspace treaties

It is indeed interesting that the Government of Canada chose to appoint an Indian origin diplomat as the country’s High Commissioner to India. At a time when the Indian Prime Minister’s engagement with the Indian Diaspora across the world, including in Canada, has been very vigorous and focused, we see this appointment as a very strategic one. Your comments please My appointment here was first and foremost because I am Canadian and I am a diplomat. Being of Indian heritage and speaking the language are assets, and I think they reflect Canada’s diversity and multiculturalism. There are things that Canada and India have in common. In India we have a diverse geography, we are multiethnic, multi linguistic, we have different faiths within a single country. Canada is very much like that. Having the diversity in Canada is an asset, we can leverage that. You do not have to be a part of the Indian Diaspora in Canada to do an excellent job here as High Commissioner.

My predecessors have done a superb job. But if there is an opportunity to leverage language, knowledge of culture and the country as an asset to further advance relationships, then why not. So from that perspective, it has been very strategic, not necessarily by design. But certainly it is an asset.

The other element is being part of the community. When my appointment was announced there was an overwhelming level of support from the community itself. I appreciate that very much.

But it also brings one additional level of responsibility. Responsibility to succeed not only as a High Commissioner for Canada which is my first and foremost focus, but also the responsibility to succeed as someone who has an Indian heritage and does a really good job and helps to alleviate the relationship even further.

In my view, every one that has links to India whether it is a business person, Government official or a member of the diaspora— they are also ambassadors in this relationship between Canada and India. So as much as I am an ambassador, I am also an ambassador in a different line as well, and I would like to use this op6

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portunity to step up and alleviate things.

What are the priority areas for Canada in India?

Would they take into account the much publicized Make in India programme?

Our priorities include an ongoing focus on trade and investment. Within trade and investment there are a lot of areas of focus including education, innovation around science and technology, energy, clean energy, renewable energy to name just a few. Make in India campaign is something that we fully support. The idea of economic reforms to revitalize the manufacturing sector, attract foreign investment, bolster the output using a labour force that is young with low cost as a competitive advantage—that is something we are very much in sync with. There are a couple of things that link up to Canada. First of all, we have about 600 Canadian companies doing business in India or with India out of which 300 of them have some kind of a physical presence here, including manufacturing operation and job creation as a result of that.

We are feeding into the Make in India initiative and we are working with Canadian companies to invest more here, just as we are working with Indian companies to invest in Canada as well. We are also negotiating a Free Trade Agreement between India and Canada which I think has the potential to further support the Make in India programme. It will provide an opportunity for goods to be manufactured at lower cost and then exported back to Canada at lower cost through that Free Trade Agreement. We are also negotiating an Investment Protection Agreement that also feeds directly into the Make in India campaign because it is an opportunity for private additional investment in India’s manufacturing sector in support of Make in India. So, we want Canadian companies to open up new plants here to take advantage of the Make in India campaign. Having this investment agreement will stimulate new investment here, so that will be very important.

PhotograPhs Š siPra Das

And then lastly, it is great to have the Make in India campaign which is about creating new jobs through manufacturing. But one of the areas that you have to support is a skilled workforce. So, in addition to Make in India, we are also supporting Skilling India through very extensive educational linkages, including Indian technical vocational skills that support the Make in India jobs that will be created through additional investment. So, we are fully supportive.

We are engaged at different levels.

And we see the growth potential quite significantly.

HC Patel wants Canadian companies to take advantage of the Make in India campaign

When engaging with India, what role do Canadian stakeholders such as provinces and territories, as well as civil society, play along with the Government of Canada?

We work very closely with our partners and stakeholders. For example if you take the provinces and the provincial Governments, we actually have representatives of the province of Alberta, Ontario, Quebec and British Columbia here in India. Some of them are co-located at our embassy. So we work very much together to promote trade and investment and other linkages. So that’s very important.

In terms of civil society, we work with other organizations, associations and stakeholders whether it is trade, or beyond trade, like arts and culture, and sports to name a few. So we work very closely and hand-in-hand. You talk about priorities. We focus on trade and investment but what we are trying to do is also ramp up other areas of the relationship. The people-topeople linkages are created through art and culture, film and television, sports and other things like that. I think it is very critical to have a balanced relationship and we work with partners and stakeholders quite extensively that help advance other areas as well.

During the visit of Prime Minister Modi to Canada in April 2015, the two sides july 2015 | india empire

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COVER INTERVIEW: CANADIAN HIGH COMMISSIONER TO INDIA

Indian origin—that is almost 4 per cent of our population is of Indian origin—then on a per capita basis it is more than the US, the UK and others as well. So, when you bring all this together, we are already at a new level of collaboration because of all these linkages and strategic partnership. I think it reflects closeness, importance, trust and mutual interest in helping each country grow whether it is in terms of jobs, economic prosperity, and cooperation in multilateral forums.

Several MoUs were signed between Canada and India during PM Modi’s visit. Kindly elaborate on some of the key ones…

Thirteen MoUs were signed between colleges and universities and the National Skills Development Corporation here.

These MoUs would allow community colleges and universities to work with NSDC here or Indian companies or Indian edEditor Chakravarty ucational partners to develop a specific program to skill youth, presents a book on and those in the workforce. The ways we would do that are Indian Diaspora very flexible. Some of them allow for training trainers where published by India the faculty comes from Canada to train the faculties in colEmpire to High leges here. There is an opportunity for joint partnerships— Commissioner between colleges and private sector companies—where for example you have an auto parts manufacturer that has some agreed to elevate the bilateral relations to a strategic part- unique engineering knowledge required just for that sector. nership. Your comments.

You can have the Canadian college or university work with Well, there are two things. First of all the visit of Prime the company here and NSDC would help navigate those relaMinister Modi was a resounding success. It was the first bilat- tionships. So there is a lot of flexibility built in. eral visit of an Indian Prime Minister in 43 years which in itThere was a MoU signed on Aviation Security Cooperaself was substantial. The two prime ministers clearly built a tion. Canada is home to the International Civil Aviation Orvery strong relationship and see very much eye to eye in terms ganisation (ICAO) and we have a very robust result. In aviation of economic realizations and seeking security of individuals. and aerospace ecosystem, we have companies like Bombardier Some of the common objectives are very similar. So I think and CAE where we train pilots, so there was a cooperation in that was a big success. And then, of course, Government to aviation that was signed between our relevant departments.

Government cooperation and MoUs, all of that was very suc- There was also a MoU for cooperating in the rail sector. We cessful. A number of announcehave a very extensive engagement ments were made on the here in India through Bombardier commercial side as well. Prime Minand through different companies The two PMs clearly built a ister Modi and his statement to the that are involved in train cars, metro very strong relationship and see press at that time essentially said cars and signal link system. So the very much eye to eye in terms that this is a new era in the relaMoU was signed for greater comof economic realizations tionship. Prime Minister Harper remercial cooperation and regulatory iterated the same thing. If you look cooperation in that sector as well. at the uranium deal as an example, There is an opportunity for joint this visit reaffirmed the trust that Do you see an increase in partnerships—between colleges both countries have in each other.

Canadian investments in India, and private sector companies The general mindset that I believe and Indian investments in Canada strongly is that we can do more toin the coming future? gether as partners than we can as First of all, there is more Indian individual countries. So strategic partnership is a reflection of investment in Canada right now than there is Canadian inthe relationship in my view and is now at an all time high and vestment in India and we are trying to address that. One of has been taken to new heights as a result of the visit of Prime the things holding them back is the fact that we don’t actually Minister Modi. We have a very strong mandate to build on yet have a concluded Investment Protection Agreement. We trade and investment linkages. We are negotiating a Free Trade call it the FIPA—that is the Foreign Investment Protection Agreement and an Investment Agreement, looking at new Agreement. Negotiations at the top level in both Governtrade and investment opportunities, looking at some of the ments are underway. They are very close to concluding. They other elements. We also have the largest Indian diaspora pop- are still apart on a few issues and they are looking for some ulation around the world, anywhere, on a per capita basis. So flexibility. On the Canadian side it is the International Trade what that means is when you have 34 million Canadians as a Ministry that is involved, while on the Indian side it is the Mintotal population, and 1.2 million of those individuals are of istry of Finance. We certainly encourage the Government to

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make that an ongoing priority as it will help in boosting in- in India. The reason for this is that we would like to bring that vestments. Right now we have many investors in Canada that capacity and technology right across any smart city that is inare interested in this market. Large pension funds for exam- terested or that we could partner with or look at. ple. There are over 700 billion dollars in pension funds money A lot of what Canada has is not well known. So for examin Canada looking for investments here. FIPA will stimulate ple, people do not know that we have this extensive smart cities investment when it is concluded, so we are hoping that is done infrastructure in Canada. People do not know that we have the soon. Regardless of that, there is already increased investment largest per capita Indian diaspora in the world on percentage interest and tangible investment that we are seeing here. For basis. Also, people do not know that 600-700 of the metro cars example Canada Pension Plan which is a very large—almost are made in Canada by Bombardier. People don’t realize that 35 300 billion dollars in assets—just announced opening an of- per cent of all the peas and lentils imported into India are comfice in Mumbai and they have invested around 1.5 to 2 billion ing from Canada and when you equate that with what’s grown dollars. Fairfax Financial headed by in India, almost 10 per cent of all another very prominent diaspora peas and lentils in India are from person, Mr Prem Watsa, a very imCanada. They are many things that Economist Intelligence Unit pressive business leader in Canada, people don’t realize and one of announced that 3 of the top 5 just announced a 1 billion dollar inthese things that we need to do betIntelligent Cities in the World vestment just for India and they ter of course is ‘market’ and brand are actually in Canada have already made some commitCanada in India. ments here as well. Brookfield Asset Management has well over a Canada is home to over 1.2 We want Canadian companies billion invested here and is explormillion Persons of Indian Origin to open up new plants here to ing some additional opportunities (PIOs) who comprise more than very soon as well. We are already 3 per cent of the country’s poputake advantage of the Make in seeing investments come but we are lation. Do you agree that this India campaign. under what the potential is. As highly educated, affluent and insoon as we have the FIPA condustrious Indo-Canadian comcluded, we shall see that number increasing. munity, one of the largest immigrant groups in Canada, serves as a strong bridge between the two nations?

We understand Canada will play an important role in Absolutely, I touched on this earlier. The terminology I India’s future space programmes through the ISRO and use for this is that I am not the only ambassador for Canada Antrix. Is our understanding correct? in India relations, each and every one of those 1.2 million inIt is very important that one thing people realize is that co- dividuals are ambassadors, or a brand, because they speak operation in the realm of space has been going on for a very about cultural linkages, business linkages, Government-tolong time, since the 1960s if I am not mistaken. Right now we Government linkages, student linkages. Majority of the time, are looking to work with India for the launch of Canadian satel- experiences have been very positive, so they play a very imlites. I think there is one planned for later this year probably in portant role in helping advance relationships. The diaspora as September. So, Indian space agency is actually launching Cana- I have already pointed out are diverse in business, Governdian satellites. And this cooperation is increasing even more. In ment, academics, entrepreneurship, science and technology. addition to that we have a very robust space sector in Canada, so And so they are significant contributors not only to Canadian we create the Canada arm for the space shuttle programme in the society but also Indian society at some point or through inUnited States. There is a company called MDA that has very ex- teractions back and forth. So, they are a very important part tensive capacity in building satellites and they are looking at bid- of the formula to advancing relationships closely and strongly. ding on the satellites that are going to be built here in India as well. This is an area that also came up during the visit of Prime What role do you see for both Canadian and Indian Minister Modi to Canada. chambers of commerce in this renewed engagement between the two nations?

Canada is also likely to be a key partner in developing I met the PHD Chamber of Commerce recently. We have a Smart Cities in India. Have we made progress in this di- very good relation with the CII and very good relationship with rection so far?

FICCI. In Canada we have the Canada India Business Council, Canada brings a very extensive capacity in smart cities. In we have Indo-Canada Chamber of Commerce and India Canada fact, Economist Intelligence Unit very recently announced that Business Chamber based in India. My view is that these associ3 of the top 5 Intelligent Cities in the World are actually in ations are essential partners because we could do only so much Canada—Toronto, Vancouver and Calgary. We bring a lot of as diplomats and as trade commissioners but when we work capacity around urban planning, architectural design, ICT, Pub- closely with the chambers, we are able to amplify our own efforts lic Private Partnerships for everything from airports to railway and multiply the impact that we can have. So, we see these orstations and highways to road transport networks. So right now ganizations as essential partners. We cannot do our job without what we are doing is that we are actively bringing that capacity them and we are looking for ways in which we can collaborate to India. There have been some MOUs signed. What we have even more and this is why I have had a number of meetings re❐ not done is that we have not agreed to adopt one or two cities cently with the top officials of the different chambers.

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DIASPORA—AMERICAN PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN

de-hyphenated

JindaL By arun Kumar

L

ouisiana’s Indian-American Governor Piyush “Bobby” Jindal launched a historic bid for the US presidency recalling his parents’ journey to the land of “real opportunities” yet seeking to distance himself from his heritage. His dad, who grew up in a house without electricity or running water and was the only person in his family to get past the 5th grade and mom came to Louisiana because they believed in America, said Mr Jindal while announcing his bid for Republican nomination.

“And when they got here they found that the legend was true,” said Mr Jindal, 44, who became America’s youngest Governor when elected to his first term in 2007, standing before a before a giant American flag at an event centre in the New Orleans suburb of Kenner as supporters waved “Geaux Bobby” ( Go in French) signs. “And they found that America is indeed the land of the free and home of the brave,” he said painting himself as a doer among a crowd of talkers as he became the first Indian-American and the 13th Republican to join the 2016 White House race.

“The guy in the White House today is a great talker, and we have a bunch of great talkers running for President,” said Mr Jindal referring to President Barack Obama and his rivals. “We’ve had enough of talkers, it is time for a doer. I am not running for president to be somebody, I am running for president to do something.”

But even as he talked about his immigrant parents from Punjab “coming to an idea...and that idea is America,” he set himself against immigrants. “We cannot allow people to immigrate to this country so that they can use our freedoms to undermine our freedoms. That is exactly what has happened in Europe, where they have 2nd and 3rd generations of immigrants who refuse to embrace the values and culture of the countries they have moved into,” Mr Jindal said. “We must not let that happen here.”

And accusing Democratic frontrunner Ms Hillary Clinton of “already trying to divide us by ethnicity, by gender, and by economic status,” Mr Jindal said: “As for me, I am sick and tired of people dividing Americans. And I am done with all this talk about hyphenated Americans. We are not Indian-Americans, Irish-Americans, African-Americans, rich Americans, or poor Americans - we are all Americans,” he said returning to a now familiar campaign theme.

Mr Jindal’s pronouncement came as a surprise to the over three million strong Indian-American community, which gave enthusiastic support to his congressional and gubernatorial campaigns, but now feels alienated with such talk. As Mr Pearson Cross, a political science professor at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette who 10 india empire | july 2015

Mr Jindal’s pronouncement came as a surprise to the over three million strong Indian-American community, which gave enthusiastic support to his congressional and gubernatorial campaigns, but now feels alienated with such talk

Mr Bobby Jindal

is writing a book on him told the Washington Post: “There’s not much Indian left in Bobby Jindal.” Once considered a rising star of the Republican party, he has lost support within his own party too which he once chided to stop being the “stupid party”. In his announcement, he also took a swipe at Mr Jeb Bush suggesting that the Republican frontrunner was “saying that we need to hide our conservative ideals. But the truth is, if we go down that road again, we will lose again.”

Mr Jindal’s entry into the race came two days after a Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll found him sharing the bottom of a list of 16 candidates with zero per cent of Republican pri-

mary voters picking him as their top choice against Mr Jeb Bush’s 22 per cent. So much so that he faces the danger of being eliminated from presidential primary debates starting August 6 as Fox News and CNN are limiting the first two major debates to the top 10.

Time magazine suggested Mr Jindal faced an “uphill climb to the nomination”, the New York said “his bid appears to be a long shot”, while the Washington Post in an editorial said Mr Jindal had “lost his way” and Republican primary voters seeking a winner would be “more interested in a governor with a stronger record.” ❐ july 2015 | india empire

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DIASPORA—USA

Call fOr

‘seCessiOnist’ By arun Kumar

flag remOval

O

ne hundred and fifty years after the end of the American civil war, South Carolina’s Indian-American governor Nikki Haley finally added her powerful voice to growing demands for removing the rebel Confederate flag from the State Capitol. Public pressure to remove the red flag with a blue diagonal cross with 13 white stars representing the secessionist states breaking away from the American Union over the issue of slavery peaked after the horrific massacre in a historic black church in Charleston last week.

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Hundreds marched in South Carolina over the weekend seeking removal of the Confederate flag from its perch after Dylan Roof. The 21-year-old white man who allegedly came to the church “to shoot black people” and “start a race war”, was seen in photographs with a gun waving the flag. “Today we are here in a moment of unity in our state without ill will to say it is time to remove the flag from our capitol grounds,” said Ms Haley, daughter of Sikh immigrant parents from India and the state’s first non-white governor. “This flag, while an integral part of our past, does not represent

the future of our great state,” said the two-term chief executive of the state that had led the way out of the Union on December 20, 1860, six weeks after the election of Abraham Lincoln as president.

By March 1861, emboldened by South Carolina’s example, six more states—Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, and Texas— also seceded to form the Confederate States of America or the Confederacy. The flag once flew atop the State Capitol, but by a 2000 compromise it was moved to its location in front of the state legislature. The flag can only be removed from there with the approval of two-thirds of the General Assembly. Ms Haley said if the legislature doesn’t convene on the matter in this last week of the legislative year, she would call up lawmakers to the capital “under extraordinary measures.”

South Carolina’s two Republican senators Mr Lindsey Graham and Mr Tim Scott, were also alongside Ms Haley at the announcement. Though they did not speak there, they both backed the governor’s call. Mr Graham, who is seeking the Republican presidential nomination, said in a statement that “after the tragic, hate-filled shooting in Charleston, it is only appropriate that we deal once and for all with the issue of the flag.” The Republican House speaker of Mississippi also unexpectedly declared in a statement Monday night that the Mississippi state flag, which includes the Confederate banner, “has become a point of offense that needs to be removed.” Most Republican presidential candidates had earlier hesitated to weigh in on the flag issue as South Carolina is an early and crucial primary state.

But Ms Haley’s decision helped them cut their tacit support of the Confederate Ms Nikki Haley flag.

Former Florida Governor Mr Jeb Bush and Ohio Governor Mr John Kasich quickly expressed their support for Ms Haley, hailing her calls for the flag’s removal as the right decision. Walmart, the country’s largest retailer, removed items bearing the Confederate flag from its stores and stopped selling them online. Sears Holdings also followed the same.

Calling the Confederate flag a “Symbol of Hatred”, the New York Times said Ms Haley had “acted in the interest of her state and the nation” with her call to remove the flag from the State Capitol grounds. Saying “the Confederate battle flag is not worthy of respect”, the Washington Post said the “symbol of secession and opposition to civil rights should be removed.”

Haley has come in for praise from civil rights leader Al Sharpton too after he met her for the first time and shared a hug at the funeral services for the Charleston shooting victims. In clips Sharpton aired on his MSNBC show, the reverend said at the services that he spoke to Haley one-on-one, as opposed to how “she usually sees me out the window marching on her”.

“If you were protesting outside my window”, the governor replied when it was her turn to speak, “if you would have come inside and held out your hand, I would have hugged you”. Sharpton quickly responded: “I’ll hug you back.” Shortly thereafter, the two hugged each other and Sharpton, looking back on it, said: “It’s a step in the right direction.” ❐

Obama praises Haley

Mr Barack Obama President Barack Obama praised South Carolina’s Indian-American governor Ms Nikki Haley for calling for the removal of slavery era Confederate flag from the State Capitol grounds 150 years after the end of the US Civil War. “For too long, we were blind to the pain that the Confederate flag stirred in too many of our citizens,” he said delivering a touching eulogy at the funeral on June 26 of the pastor of a historic black church in Charleston, South Carolina, where a white man gunned down nine people a week before.

“It’s true, a flag did not cause these murders,” he said turning his eulogy into a rousing political speech and a thoughtful discourse on race in America. “But as people from all walks of life, Republicans and Democrats, now acknowledge—including Governor (Nikki) Haley, whose recent eloquence on the subject is worthy of praise as we all have to acknowledge, the flag has always represented more than just ancestral pride,” President Obama said.

“For many, black and white, that flag was a reminder of systemic oppression and racial subjugation. We see that now. Removing the flag from this state’s capitol would not be an act of political correctness; it would not be an insult to the valour of Confederate soldiers. It would simply be an acknowledgment that the cause for which they fought—the cause of slavery—was wrong—the imposition of Jim Crow after the Civil War, the resistance to civil rights for all people was wrong,” he said amid applause.

“It would be one step in an honest accounting of America’s history; a modest but meaningful balm for so many unhealed wounds.” At the end of speech, President Obama to the surprise of the mourners launched into a solo of “Amazing Grace”. It brought the audience to their feet as they joined him in the song.

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DIASPORA—USA

remembering

CHurCH sHOOting

viCtims s

ikh Religious Society Palatine, Illinois organized prayer service and a candle light vigil in remembrance of the nine victims of the shooting at the historical Emanuel Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, South Carolina on June 17, 2015. The 21 year old Dylan Roof, a white supremacist was captured by police a couple of hundred miles away in North Carolina. He admitted shooting at the African American parishioners. Sikhs encountered a similar incident of a shooting at the Oak Creek, Wisconsin Sikh Temple nearly 3 year ago. Hearing of the Charleston shooting opened up a wound still healing for the Sikh community. More than 200 Sikhs, neighbors and guests attended this vigil at Palatine, Illinois Gurdwara on June 24. The event started with Ardaas (Sikh Prayers) by Manpriya Kaur and singing of a Sikh hymn by Sahibnoor Kaur.

Nine candles were lit for the nine victims who lost their lives during this shooting in Charleston, while their names were read by Jaspreet Singh and Amrit Kaur Thind. Ms Natasha Kaur explained the importance of this event to show solidarity against hate. “We know, deeply and profoundly, what the pain of hate violence means. We want to show that love, prayer and unity far outweighs hate. We invite communities to unite and heal with prayer for the nine victims and

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PhotograPhs © inDermohan singh

all of humanity,” said Ms Natasha Kaur.

“We are all connected in sorrow and determination to end racial and hate violence in our communities,” said Mr Satnaam Singh Mago emphasizing, through his poem, why we all need to be activists against hate crimes so that tragedies like this are not repeated. “The origins of Sikhism were based on activism against tyranny and standing up for truth and justice, not only for themselves, but also for others,” he added. The society president, Dr. Jasbir Kaur Saluja, thanked all the guests, participants and the organizers. “We, the Sikh American Community, are shaken to the core seeing hate crime raising its ugly head again. It will be three years in August 2015, when we saw the same fire of racial hatred in the eyes of another white supremacist, who killed six worshippers at the Sikh Gurudwara in Oak Creek, Wisconsin. We want to convey to the worshippers at the Charleston’s Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church that we, with the Nation behind us, are more than ever determined to preserve the delicate fabric of American Togetherness that has been built by the sacrifices of pilgrims of past and present. Any such acts of hate will double our determination to bring unity and peace for one and all.”

All the participants of the event were invited to share langar, the community kitchen vegetarian meal. The attendees mourned the loss by sharing stories during the fellowship hour. The event was coordinated by Jasvir Kaur Singh, Satnaam Singh Mago, Natasha Kaur Sandhu, Manpriya Kaur, Jaspreet Singh, Simaren Kaur Sandhu, and Davinder Singh. ❐

ChurCh Shooting Shock and anger engulfed America as police nabbed a white young man who killed nine people at a historic black church in Charleston in South Carolina, saying he was there “to shoot black people”.

Police arrested the suspect identified as Dylann Roof, 21, of Lexington, South Carolina in Shelby, North Carolina, a town east of Charlotte and just north of the South Carolina state line after a massive manhunt on June 16. Charleston officials said that the FBI and the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives helped with the investigation, which was categorised as a “hate crime”. The Justice Department is also opened a parallel hate crime review into the case.

Roof spent an hour in a prayer meeting at the church on the night of June 15 before he opened fire, CNN reported citing Charleston Police Chief Greg Mullen. Among those killed were Rev. Clementa Pinckney, the church’s pastor and a state senator. Other victims in the Charleston church shooting were six women and two men. Dylann Roof, spoke of his motive as he confessed to horrific mass shooting at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston South Carolina. He said that he wanted to start a ‘race war’. Roof, has been charged with nine counts of murder in connection with the attack. He was also charged with one count of possession of a firearm during the commission of a violent crime.

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DIASPORA—USA

SIkh rIghTS UPhEld By arun Kumar A Sikh college student will be able to join the US Army, without being forced to cut his hair, shave his beard or stop wearing his turban thanks to a Washington court ruling. District Court Judge Amy Berman Jackson ruled last week that the Army violated Hofstra University student Iknoor Singh’s rights when it refused to let him compete for a spot as a contracted member of his college’s Reserve Officer Training Corps programme.

“The court finds that defendants have failed to show that the application of the Army’s regulations to this plaintiff and the denial of the particular religious accommodation he seeks further a compelling government interest by the least restrictive means,” the judge wrote. She added that the Army’s refusal to permit Singh to enrol while adhering to “articles of faith” that include his hair and turban “cannot survive the strict scrutiny” of the federal law.

The Army has given “tens of thousands of exceptions” to its grooming and uniform policies, the judge wrote, and made “successful accommodation of observant Sikhs in the past,” noting several who have served with distinction, receiving commendations. Ms Jackson said that the Army’s own research contradicted deputy chief of staff Lt. Gen. James C. McConville’s opinion in denying Singh’s enrolment request.

Mr McConville and other Army officials had contended the articles of faith would have an adverse impact on unit cohesion and morale, discipline and health and

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safety. Mr Singh, a resident of Queens in New York, who plans to enrol in the ROTC programme in autumn. In a phone interview with Newsday, Mr Singh said “Being told ‘no’ a handful of times, I didn’t give up. I had faith and let things play out,” he was quoted as saying. “I’ll be going on weekend field exercises, which I wasn’t previously able to do. I’m very excited about that.”

The American Civil Liberties Union and advocacy group United Sikhs filed the lawsuit in November, saying the Army’s denial violated the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, which gives protections for religious-based exercises. Army spokeswoman Ms Cynthia O. Smith in a statement said, “The Army is currently examining the court’s ruling. The Army takes pride in sustaining a culture where all personnel are treated with dignity and respect and not discriminated against based on race, colour, religion, gender and national origin.”

The Army last year rejected Singh’s request to enrol in the ROTC programme, saying the student had to comply with the service’s grooming and uniform policies before they would consider his request, according to the judge’s ruling. Hofstra, in a statement, said it supports “Singh’s desire to serve his country, as well as his right to religious expression and practice. We are pleased that the courts have affirmed that he can do both as a member of the ROTC.” ❐

DIASPORA: MEDICO-LEGAL ACTION

“Yet to win war against negligence” his relentless fight might have taken away the ‘untouchable shield’ from doctors guilty of medical negligence, but Indian American doctor Mr kunal Saha insists there are miles to go to cleanse the Indian healthcare system—plagued by corruption and inefficiency

By Anurag Dey

Dr Kunal Saha

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Having lost his wife in 1998 to faulty medical treatment, Mr Saha’s unrelenting pursuit for justice bore fruit 15 years later when the Supreme Court in October 2013 directed Kolkata’s AMRI Hospital and three of its doctors to pay the highest-ever compensation of Rs. 11.5 crore (nearly USD 2 million).

Shuttling between the US and Kolkata, veering from one court to another and taking on the might of a corrupt administration and battling his own occupational fraternity, Mr Saha’s fight for his beloved wife Ms Anuradha is the stuff of a Bollywood film where justice eventually pervades over all evil.

But Mr Saha, often hailed as a ‘one man army’, insists the war is yet to be won.

“Our fight surely has instilled some degree of trepidation in the minds of the hitherto ‘untouchable’ negligent and unscrupulous medicos. But we still have a long, long way to go before winning our battle for establishing a standard and corruption-free healthcare delivery system for all patients of India,” the Columbus (Ohio)-based Mr Saha said in an interview.

While the medico-legal scenario in India may have undergone a change since Ms Anuradha’s fateful death, Mr Saha says it was yet not adept enough to counter medical negligence that has been assuming alarming proportions in the country.

“We have moved ahead from the days of medico-legal cases being virtually non-existent, but most cases of medical malpractice are dismissed by the consumer courts primarily due to the lack of supporting opinions from medical experts.

“In order to maintain their ‘untouchable’ status, doctors in India are reluctant to come forward and truthfully testify against their errant medical colleagues, unlike in the Western countries,” said Mr Saha.

Besides the high costs involved in legal proceedings, Mr Saha points to the paltry amount of compensation awarded against the errant medicos which fail to have any deterrent effect.

“How can a precious human life be worth even less than a second-hand car in India,” Mr Saha wondered.

The professor and private consultant in HIV/AIDS squarely blames the Medical Council of India (MCI) and its state bodies for the ‘plummeting standards’ of the Indian healthcare system, despite being a highly profitable venture.

“Corruption has been the biggest bane but the worst role in this regard is played by the MCI and state medical councils. They function more to shield their errant medical colleagues. Hardly any doctor is found guilty by them despite continuous horrific stories of innocent patients dying from medical negligence,” alleged Mr Saha.

He also expressed alarm over the mushrooming private medical colleges, mostly with inadequate infrastructure and faculty.

“The sheer number of private medical colleges is glaring evidence that money, not merit, has taken over the medical education system in India. In lieu of capitation fees, these colleges are churning out poorly-trained doctors every year by the hundreds,” said Mr Saha, squarely blaming the MCI for the state of affairs.

“The Indian government must wake up and stem the rot in the present medical system. All medical councils must be reformed with honest and competent doctors who would not hesitate to revoke the medical licences of unskilled and untrained doctors in order to protect the vulnerable patients,” Mr Saha insisted.

In order to promote a corruption-free healthcare and support victims of medical negligence fight for justice, Mr Saha has set up the Kolkata-headquartered People for Better Treatment (PBT), which now has branches in a number of cities like Delhi, Ahmedabad, Lucknow and Bangalore.

The PBT now has a long list of victims of medical negligence including the likes of movie stars, singers, sportspersons, lawyers and even political leaders.

It’s the PBT public interest litigation that led the Supreme Court to introduce two new provi-

sions in the MCI Code of Ethics and Regulations.

The new provisions mandate the state councils to decide a complaint against a doctor within six months and empower a victim of alleged medical negligence to file an appeal with the MCI against the decision of the state medical council.

“PBT has not been able to reach much of the remote corners of India despite our best intention and untiring work by numerous altruistic volunteers, many of whom are victims of medical malpractice themselves,” said Mr Saha.

Talking about his seemingly impossible fight that even forced him to file for bankruptcy, Mr Saha asserts his battle is not against doctors.

“This was a seemingly impossible battle where I had suffered many setbacks. I had to pay an enormous price, personally, professionally and financially, in order to win this almost impossible battle for medical justice in India. In fact, I had to file for bankruptcy in 2010 and also had to foreclose my home in Ohio in 2011.

“But it was and still is a true crusade for me.

This battle is not against the doctors. My fight is not only for my wife but for the countless Anuradhas who are dying needlessly in hospitals ❐ across India every day,” Mr Saha asserted.

Dr Saha with wife Anuradha Saha who died in 1998 during the faulty medical treatment in Kolkata

july 2015 | india empire 19

DIASPORA-DIPLOMACy IN AUSTRALIA

UP SWIngIng

rElATIOnS

By Kul Bhushan and S. K. Gupta

HE Mr Navdeep Suri

20 india empire | july 2015

T

he Indian Diaspora leaders in Melbourne welcomed the newly appointed High Commissioner to Australia, Mr Navdeep Suri, at a gala dinner in June.

During his address, Mr Suri said, “Ever since the visit of Prime Minister Modi to Australia, I and my staff have been extremely busy in following up all the different issues of bilateral cooperation between the two countries.” In fact, the mission has been very busy ever since PM Modi took over; he added giving the reason for not interaction more with the community.

The event was hosted by Mr Vasan Srinivasan, Founder Chair, Confederation of Indian Australian Associations Inc. and member of Australian Multicultural Council who invited the Indian community leaders. “After Prime Minister Modi’s visit, our relations with Australia have really grown and we are struggling to cope with it. We have a large bilateral agenda.” he said. The bilateral relations have increased and intensified in many areas. A major visit by the Indian Navy with the Chief of Eastern Command took place recently, discussions are going on to hold a joint naval warship exercise in the Bay of Bengal, a defence policy dialogue is coming up, talks on countering terrorism in Sydney with experts from India are scheduled, a meeting of a Joint Working Group on Resources and Minerals chaired by a federal cabinet minister Ian Macfarlane is coming up, among other engagements such as an Australia Leadership Forum. Thus he and all his staff are hard pressed. In the last two rounds of the Joint Free Trade Agreement, we have made progress and agreed on 1800 line items, he added.

Mr Srinivasan added that he was happy that the first-generation Indians have done well here. He explained the cases of UK and USA where second and

YOgA dAY PrEAMblE Get to know the sage who created Yoga through Osho

HE Mr Navdeep Suri with Mr S.K. Gupta

third generation NRIs built upon the platform created by the first generation.

The dinner started with a cultural programme of traditional Indian music and dance. Commenting on this performance, he said that after watching cultural performances he is confident that future generations will be well connected to India. He was drawing on his experience as an Indian envoy in Cairo, Damascus, Washington, Dar es Salaam and London and as India’s Consul General in Johannesburg.

A number of Australian leaders, including an Australian MP Mr Hong Lim spoke about the cordial bilateral relations between the two countries enhanced by Mr Modi’s visit and multi-culturalism.

Indian community leaders were invited to present their views. One of them, Mr Dinesh Parikh, who migrated to Melbourne about 50 years ago, has established a huge museum on India art and artefacts. He spoke about his struggle and how set up the museum of his vast and valuable collection to promote Indian heritage. A second year student, Mr Charan Naidoo, spoke of the disconnect between the Indian and the Australian youth which needs attention by the Indian mission.

Mr Suri was accompanied by his wife Mani who has a degree in economics and is now an accomplished graphic designer and potter. They have two daughters, a journalist and an avid environmentalist. Mr Suri’s innovative use of social media in public diplomacy has received extensive recognition and two prestigious awards. Born in Amritsar, he belongs to a very literary family as his grandfather Mr Nanak Singh who wrote many novels including Pavitra Paapi, later made into a film with Balraj Sahni. ❐

As the first United Nations International Yoga Day is celebrated round the world, Osho’s matchless discourses on the founder of Yoga, Sage Patanjali, need to be remembered.

For 5,000 years, nobody could improve on Patanjali and for 5,000 years nobody has explained, elaborated and examined Patanjali as Osho has done.

Osho is unmatched in his comments because the unique combination of his insight is impossible. He says of Patanjali, to have a scientific attitude and to enter into inner space is impossible. Thus Patanjali will remain and remains the last word on Yoga. So does Osho because Osho combines the wisdom of the spirit with the situations of today and tomorrow. These Osho talks originally entitled, Yoga: The Alpha and The Omega on the sutras of Patanjali enable the modern person to understand and appreciate him.

“Meditation is the ultimate yoga,” says Osho, “All that is known in the name of yoga is just introductory. Those body postures, asanas, breathing techniques; they are just to prepare the body. But many get lost in that; they think ‘This is all’, and their whole life is simply wasted in a kind of gymnastics. Good in itself, nothing wrong in it—health-giving, vitality-giving, prolongs the life—but ultimately it is meaningless.”

“Patanjali—I call him the scientist of the religious world, the mathematician of mysticism, the logician of the illogical. Two opposites meet in him. If a scientist reads Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras he will understand immediately,” says Osho explaining the duality of the great sage who gave us Yoga as we know it.

All these asanas—postures—lead to meditation. These are the preparation for meditation. Let this be never forgotten.

—Swami Anand Kul Bhushan

july 2015 | india empire 21

DIASPORA—DIPLOMACy

‘a minus’

I

troubLes

22 india empire | july 2015

HE Mr Richard Verma

ndian-origin US envoy Richard Verma expressed gratitude to the values of education and service that his India-educated parents instilled in him, including once of his parents spending days reviewing why their son got an ‘A minus’ in his report card when the other five were As. Addressing the convocation at Ashoka University here, Mr Verma said, “For me, I am extremely humbled that my path has led me from a modest upbringing in Western Pennsylvania to become ambassador -- the first Indian American ambassador -- to the country my parents called home.”

Mr Verma said his father graduated from DAV College in Jalandhar, Punjab, over 60 years ago, before migrating to the US to teach. “My mother was also a teacher. I am certain I don’t need to tell you all what it’s like to be the son of two Indian teachers! I remember coming home in the 9th grade with a report card of five As and one A minus. Yes, you guessed it, we spent the next day’s reviewing what happened, and what could have caused this A minus!” he said.

“But as an adult, I am ever grateful for the important values of education and service that they instilled in me. I also know that from the alley-way of the Basti-Sheikh neighbourhood of Jalandhar where my family grew up to the road leading to the US embassy is not a likely path or one easily traversed - not without a lot of help, a lot of friends, teachers and mentors and a dedicated family. I am also very mindful of the extra obligation we all have to help others who today may be living down that path or alleyway like we did, but who also dream of what the future holds. So, leadership is also not forgetting where you come from and not forgetting about those who may have been left behind,” Mr Verma said.

Touching on India-US ties, Mr Verma said that the relations were “soaring forward” following two very successful meetings between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Barack Obama. He said both sides were working together on over 80 initiatives and addressing all sorts of challenges. Mr Verma said that both sides were working on challenges like exploring the solar system and improving the quality of the air.

Mr Verma also said, “I think it is fair to say that progress on our agenda may in many cases define and enrich the lives of generations to come. The bilateral relationship is about more than just programmes and initiatives. It is about looking closely at the full expanse of our people-to-people, strategic, and economic ties and asking essentially, ‘where do we go next?’.”

“It is a relationship where, as PM Modi has recognised, the US and India should not be looking only at what we can do together, but also reaching further and aiming higher, looking at what we can do for the world. And as we define what those next steps can be, we are finding many areas where it is possible for both of our countries to become stronger together,” Mr Verma said, according to a text of his speech pro❐ vided by the US embassy.

july 2015 | india empire 23

OVERSEAS INDIAN FACILITATION CENTRE

OIFC MEET T

he 14th Meeting of the Governing Council of Overseas Indian Facilitation Centre (OIFC) was held on July 2, 2015 in New Delhi cochaired by Mr Anil Kumar Agarwal, Secretary, Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs (MOIA) and Mr Chandrajit Banerjee, Director General, Confederation of Indian Industry (CII). Honourable Minister for Overseas Indian Affairs, Ms Sushma Swaraj interacted briefly with members of the GC. OIFC is a not-for-profit Trust set-up by MOIA in 2007, in partnership with CII, to promote economic and knowledge engagement of Indian Diaspora with India. Reviewing OIFC’s Action Plan for 2015-16, the Governing Council directed OIFC to undertake enhanced and sustained engagement with Overseas Indians in a proactive manner.

14th Meeting of the Governing Council of Overseas Indian Facilitation Centre in progress

24 india empire | july 2015

OIFC’s role and activities will therefore be expanded to include - focused dialogues with overseas Indians; new programmes and initiatives to strengthen outreach towards young overseas Indians; and active engagement with the State Governments to offer their investment projects to the overseas Indians. Some of these are:

●

●

Recognising overseas Indians as important stakeholders in India’s economic growth and development, OIFC will hold “Investor Connect meets” in select foreign countries with prominent overseas Indians; Indian Diaspora corporate leaders and decision makers to focus their attention on the Indian market.

OIFC will organise visits to India by business delegations led by overseas Indians from small and medium

(L to R) Mr Chandrajit Banerjee, Co-chairman, OIFC and Director General, Confederation of Indian Industry, Ms Sushma Swaraj, Hon’ble Minister of Overseas Indian Affairs and Mr A K Agarwal, Chairman, OIFC and Secretary, Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs; at the 14th meeting of OIFC Governing Council

●

●

●

●

enterprises to connect them with business partners and relevant stakeholders in Central and State Governments.

OIFC will offer Diaspora investors an opportunity to invest in social and development enterprises in India.

OIFC will also launch a Know Indian Economy or “Indonomy” programme which will provide young Diaspora Entrepreneurs an insight into the Indian economy, market and business environment.

An India Corporate Internship programme will be introduced for final year MBA students of Indian-origin, to provide them an opportunity of work experience in India’s premier corporate organisations.

Another OIFC initiative “Knowledge Reconnect” will invite eminent scholars, researchers and academicians among overseas Indians to engage in capacity building of India’s MSMEs, faculty and researchers, start-ups and incubators management.

The participants of the Governing Council meeting included prominent overseas Indians; Indian industry CEOs, and senior officials from Government of India Ministries and 12 state Governments. ❐ july 2015 | india empire 25

INTERVIEW

“The diaspora is engaging, coming forward, shaking hands with India” Mr Vijay Jolly, president of the Delhi Study Group, was until recently the global convenor of the Overseas Friends of the Bharatiya Janata Party (OFBJP). An ex-MLA from Delhi, he managed to put in the hard yards, and crisscross continents in order to expand the overseas chapters of his political party. Having travelled extensively across the world, he has interacted with a very large number of NRIs individually and in groups and associations. From the Americas to Europe, from the Asia-Pacific to the Gulf, NRIs came in droves to attend the OFBJP programmes, and later teamed up to support the BJP before the general elections of May 2014 in India. India Empire’s Editor Sayantan Chakravarty and Consulting Editor Yogesh Sood caught up with Mr Jolly at his residence. His photographs were later taken at the Vijay Chowk near Parliament by Consulting Editor Sipra Das

You have extensively travelled around the world promoting the BJP. After the formation of the Modi Government what is your impression of the Indian Diaspora?

The Indian diaspora overseas is more than enlightened. The Indian diaspora looks with great expectation at the Modi-led BJP Government at the centre. It feels that here at last is a Prime Minister who understands their problems, and who is sincerely into the mode of addressing those problems as soon as possible.

I say this with confidence because just before he travelled to the USA last year and addressed the sellout gathering at the Madison Square Garden in New York, I had the occasion to travel across the USA. I was travelling with Mr Rajyavardhan Rathore, then an MP and now a Union Minister. We touched base with NRIs, and each time we addressed them, we felt their enthusiasm and goodwill for India and our Prime Minister.

Kindly expand on the role of the OFBJP prior to Mr Modi’s visit to the USA in 2014…

I played the part of a small screw and nut, the full credit goes to Mr Modi and his team. I would also wish to place on record the role of Mr Ram Madhav. Out of 100 marks, I would like to lay claim to just 2 marks towards the efforts put in by me. But we did make some significant progress, and a small difference, during the preparations. In a matter of about 10 days the OFBJP unit travelled to Vancouver and unfurled the Indian tri-colours on the 68th Independence Day of the country with the Indian Consul General in attendance. It was the same city where the Indian flag had been burnt many years ago by pro-Khalistani elements. I travelled to Los Angeles, Dallas, Houston, Atlanta, Chicago, New York, New Jersey, Washington DC, Maryland, addressing sizeable gathering after gather26 india empire | july 2015

ing, and motivating the Indian diaspora to come in large numbers to attend Mr Modi’s speech at the Madison Square Garden. The diaspora did not disappoint, and we all know that they filled up the venue completely.

You held a successful OFBJP meet in January 2014.

What was the thinking in the diaspora at that time, because the UPA was still in the Central Government?

I vividly remember that 158 PIOs from 32 nations attended the Overseas Friends of BJP meet in January 2014. I was then the global convenor of the OFBJP, a position to which I had been appointed in 2011 by then BJP president Mr Nitin Gadkari. I knew then that their presence was critical and would transform into millions of connections when they went back to their respective countries. They would connect through families, colleagues and friends using modern day telecommunication and information technology channels. They would also directly or indirectly be enthused to seek votes for BJP during the April – May 2014 general elections.

What is the party’s message that you carry during your visits?

You see the party’s message is always to reach out and reassure the NRIs in these countries that they are important to the motherland. We tell them that we look towards them, and expect them to support India politically, industrially, diplomatically, and in terms of understanding, friendship and connectivity. We are also happy that NRIs have been granted online voting rights. This will save millions of dollars in travel, time, stay, efforts and energy, especially for those who have gone overseas in quest of employment and education. The message is loud and clear that “India is with NRI, and NRI is with India.”

PhotograPhs Š siPra Das

GLOBE-TROTTER: Mr Jolly has gone around the world establishing OFBJP chapters in the past

India has a large population of PIOs in Malaysia.

After your visit to this South-east Asian country you mentioned that the Lotus is ready to bloom in Malaysia. Why did you say so?

I visited Malaysia in 2014, a country where we were able to indeed bloom the Lotus flower. When I went to meet the CM of Putrajaya he said that he was impressed by my work for I had managed to expand 2 overseas BJP chapters to 46 chapters across the world. He said in 40 years his political party had not been able to establish a single global chapter. We are with the

cause of Hindus in their struggles in Malaysia. We keep in touch with them. We only say shun violence, protest through peaceful means, we are with you. Malaysia is a saga of modernity, infrastructural growth, but it has a lot to answer in terms of human rights. The OFBJP meet in Malaysia was attended by ambassadors of 42 countries, and please allow me to show you their visiting cards which we exchanged so that you know that I am not talking in thin air. Though we did not wish to politicize our visit, we connected with our Hindu and Tamil brothers, and the message was clear, that their rights would not be july 2015 | india empire 27

INTERVIEW

ignored any longer by India.

What is your experience with OFBJP in the Gulf ?

Indians and especially those from south Indian states like Kerala, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh are present in the Gulf in large numbers, perhaps due to the proximity factor. We get many messages that they are ill-treated on arrival there, by their companies, by agents. In 2012 we opened the first ever OFBJP chapter in the UAE. We interact extensively with our missions and force them to act at lightning speed in order to alleviate problems.

In northern Europe you travelled to Russia, Ireland and Norway…

In July 2012, soon after I was given full charge as OFBJP’s global convenor, I was able to hold large meetings in the Scandanavian peninsula. We opened our Norway unit and was introduced to their leader of opposition in Parliament at the time who happens to be the Norwegian Prime Minister today. She has come here and increased our connectivity with Norway. In Ireland, I was able to galvanize NRIs, mostly from Punjab and Rajasthan. Our community outreach in Ireland led to connectivity in the Baltic states like Latvia and Lithuania, and also in Poland. In Russia we managed to address a group of 600 people. It was a big step since Indians in Russia had remained alienated from the BJP radar for the past several years. Let me add that in Ukraine too we developed connectivity with several In-

dians. Though the numbers were relatively small, about 80, at a dinner in Kiev, I do not bother with numbers. I know that these people will spread the word, and once they see that our efforts are genuine, they will always connect with India. Of course, Prime Minister Modi’s larger-than-life image will always be looming before them when they choose to do so.

Do you think the diaspora is ready to engage with India now, or it is still waiting and watching?

I think the waiting and watching is over. This is a period when they are engaging, coming forward, shaking hands. They are getting to understand the ethos of Government of India’s various measures. They also understand that things will not work overnight and that for expectations to fructify into action and results, it will take time. But they also realize that the people of India have given a clear five year mandate with full majority to the Narendra Modi Government, and they know that he will not fail them.

You have been a Delhi politician. Why did BJP lose so badly to AAP, nine months after winning all Lok Sabha constituencies?

I do not wish to comment on that. As a loyal BJP foot soldier in the capital, as a Swyamsevak associated with the BJP for 38 years since 1977, all I can say is that we have never met such a Waterloo. I am very sad, but we are not out. ❐

PhotograPh © siPra Das

PEtroFED AWArDS

Seen from left to right are Mr A.K. Arora, Director General, PetroFed, Mr B. Ashok, Chairman, Indian Oil and Chairman, PetroFed, Mr Dharmendra Pradhan, Minister of State (IC), Petroleum and Natural Gas, Mr Eric Gay, Regional Director, The Oil and Gas Year, Mr Kapil Dev Tripathi, Secretary, Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, Mr P Raghavendran, Vice Chairman, PetroFed and President (Refinery Business), Reliance Industries Limited

28 india empire | july 2015

DIASPORA IN TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO

THE DIVALI NAGAR

By Paras ramoutar

T

he National Council of Indian Culture (NCIC), Trinidad and the Caribbean’s premier cultural organization on Friday launched its publication, “Culture Persistence” before a large audience at Divali Nagar, Chaguanas, Central Trinidad.

The book highlights the NCIC’s 50th anniversary, 19642014, in the promotion and enhancement of Indian culture—songs, music, dance, art and exhibition.

But its flagship activity is the annual Divali Nagar which has now become a major cultural and religious landmark here, the Caribbean and worldwide, as far as India itself.

Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, in her message to mark the NCIC’s 50th anniversary applauded the organization as a seat of learning, where members of the East Indian community and the wider society may educate themselves on various aspects of East Indian life—-from language to dance to a deeper knowledge of religion and spirituality.

“Your signature event, the Divali Nagar, is now worldrenowned as a biggest celebration of the Festival of Divali on an amazing showcase of East Indian cultural traditions.

It has always been one of the proudest moments of my life to have been invited by the NCIC as Chief Guest of the Nagar in 1996,” the Prime minister said.

Ms Kamla Persad, who is the country’s first woman/East Indian Prime Minister and whose forefathers came here from Bihar in the 19 century, said that Divali 30 india empire | july 2015

Nagar has consistently provided a space for young East Indian artistes to showcase their talents. “For many of these young people, to perform at the Nagar is a rite of passage…badge of honour…an opportunity to share their talents with family and friends”, she noted.

“Divali presents a visual treat for onlookers and is one of significant events that highlight Trinidad and Tobago as a multi-ethnic and multi-religious society. It was brought to the country by Indian indentured immigrants from India in 1845 and is usually celebrated during October/November each year.”

One of the highlights of the proceedings was the announcement by its President, Dr Deokienanan Sharma that the NCIC will open a digital research centre soon and it would opened for scholars, writers, researchers and thinkers from across the globe to do their writings and research. Dr Hansley Hanoomansingh who originally conceptualised Divali Nagar and who is now the Honorary Life President, in a nail-biting dissertation, pronounced that in the midst of the resistance, the Indian community persisted but at the same time contributed in large measure to the evolution of the society and to a model multi-cultural society.

“For the most part, the NCIC has captured the spirit of our ancestors who in the transition from barracks to communities revealed the ideal concept of jahajibhai…brother reaching out to brother. That mobilization of volunteers responding to an idea has resulted in a permanent home for Divali Nagar, the first Hindu theme park anywhere in the world,” Dr Hanoomansingh writes.

Public Relations Officer of the NCIC, Mr Surujdeo Mangaroo aptly describes the NICIC as, “the new vehicle which emerged in the sixth decade of the 20thcentury as having given a new clout, a new impetus, a new vision for the Indian diaspora, and without it the Indian diaspora would be found wanting through no fault of theirs because the state had remained adverse to the diaspora cause. However, it has changed and changed profusely.”

Indian High Commissioner, Shri Gauri Shankar Gupta, noted that the NCIC has also contributed enormously to the cultural landscape of Trinidad and Tobago by hosting and staging performances of the cultural troupes coming from India over the years. These activities have further ce❐ mented historic cultural bonds with India.

t&t general

elections

G

eneral elections will be held on September 7 in the Caribbean nation of Trinidad and Tobago, home to a huge ethnic Indian population, Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar has said. Ms Persad-Bissessar, who is of Indian origin, made the announcement at the final sitting of the 41-member House of Representatives on June 12.

On May 24, 2010, Ms Persad-Bissessar became the first Hindu woman to sit on the prime minister’s chair of this Caribbean nation. During the announcement, she advised the president to dissolve parliament at midnight of June 17.

Ms Persad-Bissessar formed the People’s Partnership coalition Government with her United National Congress (UNC), the Congress of the People (COP), the Movement for Social Justice (MSJ), the National Joint Action Committee (NJAC) and the Tobago Organisation of People (TOP).

Several social issues, infrastructural matters and political matters are projected to be aired on the political platforms during the 87-day campaign for the September 7 elections,

the 10th in the country. For several weeks now, the opposition People’s National Movement (PNM), led by Mr Keith Rowley, has been campaigning prior to announcement by the Prime Minister.

This is the first time that a large number of opinion polls have been done with television and radio stations also caught in the process. The latest opinion poll shows the People’s Partnership coalition getting 21 seats and the PNM 20 seats or vice versa. Elections in this twin-island republic are based on the ethnic composition of the one million plus voters. All persons 18 years and over are eligible to vote.

This country has a population of 44 per cent of East Indian extraction whose forefathers were sourced from India between 1845 and 1917 to work on the agricultural plantations of the then British colony of Trinidad and Tobago. Observers contend that the elections this year will be tough.

Trinidad and Tobago, like India, is a member of the Commonwealth. ❐ —Paras Ramoutar

PhotograPh © siPra Das

DELhi goVErnMEnt

Delhi Government Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia address the Media july 2015 | india empire 31

DIASPORA NEWS

Blood donors’ dataBase

Britain’s expulsion rule

A diplomat with the Indian consulate in Dubai has developed an online database of blood donors in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Consul (Economic and Education) Tiju Thomas who developed the web portal blooddonors.ae, officially unveiled the website on International Yoga Day. “The Indian community has the largest number of blood donors in the UAE. I would like this to be considered as a gift of the Indian community to the UAE,” Mr Thomas said. “We have a huge database.

I will consider my whole work rewarded if at least one person’s life can be saved through this,” he added, urging donors with rare groups to be more forthcoming to register with the site.

Name, age, blood group, last donated date, mobile number of donors and their emirate will be listed on the website, which includes an emiratewise blood group search facility, and carries the details of all blood donation centres in the UAE. The UAE has been honoured by the World Health Organisation (WHO) for being among the top five countries with the best blood transfusion services.

As many as 30,000 overseas nurses will be facing the axe under British Prime Minister David Cameron’s new immigration laws. According to Mr Cameron’s new immigration laws, workers recruited from outside of the European Union (EU) since 2011 and earning less than 35,000 pounds annually (USD 55,503) even after six years of employment will have to return home. The laws will be enforced from 2017.

Indian staff nurse, Mr Sandeep Duggani, 29, is also a victim of the new immigration laws, the Mirror online reported. Mr Duggani, who started working in an Intensive Care Unit at the National Health Services (NHS) in 2011, gets 25,000 pounds annually. Mr Duggani did a nursing degree in Belgaum city, in the Indian state of Karnataka, and will be on his way home in 2017. His wife Ms Pratika, also a qualified nurse from India, is just starting her NHS career and would be hit by the new rules in 2021. He said it would be impossible to increase his pay to 35,000 pounds before the cut-off date.

“It was always my dream when I came to this country to work in the NHS. My father is really very proud that I work in the NHS, because in India, the NHS is very famous,” Mr Duggani said adding that, despite the new rules, NHS trusts are still recruiting nurses from India. “It is very sad. I have done all these training courses and now, after six years, I have to go back. But it’s not just me. There are thousands of nurses going to be affected by this,” he added.

indo-aMericans in rlsc Ahead of the 2015-2016 election cycle, the Republican Party has included two Indian-Americans state legislators on a project to recruit, train, and elect Republican candidates from diverse communities on the state level. Mr Niraj Antani and Mr Janak Joshi, State Representatives in Ohio and Colorado Houses respectively, are part of the leadership team of Republican State Leadership Committee’s (RSLC) Future Majority Project (FMP).

Headed by former Oklahoma Speaker of the House and Republican National Committee member T.W. Shannon the project seeks to get elected Republican candidates “who better represent the full diversity of America.”

In 2013-2014, FMP recruited hundreds of new candidates and elected 43 new leaders to office. This cycle, FMP aims to recruit 250 new, diverse candidates and see 50 of those candidates appointed or elected to office, the party said. “As someone who has served in the trenches of state government, I understand the importance of recruiting the right candidates with the right message in every district and state across the country,” said Shannon.

The 2015-2016 Future Majority Project also plans to spend at least USD 7 million on women and diverse candidates.

32 india empire | july 2015

Migrating to new Zealand New Zealand’s annual migration rose to a new annual record as more students from India and China arrived, a statistics agency said. The annual permanent and long-term migration showed a record net gain of 57,800 migrants in May, the 10th straight month of annual records, the New Zealand Herald reported. Migrant arrivals rose 15 per cent from the year earlier, while departures slipped to 10 per cent. The increase in migrant arrivals in May was led by India, Australia, the Philippines, China and France.

Indian arrivals doubled to a net gain of 12,100 on an annual basis, from 6,585 arrivals a year earlier to be the biggest group, while the number of people arriving from China increased 22 per cent to a net gain of 7,745 people.

SPIRITUALITy

New York to Himalayas

By Kavita Bajeli-Datt

Mr Karan Bajaj

34 india empire | july 2015

h

e left his cushy job as a top executive in a New York firm to search for that elusive answer about death and suffering. After a year-long sabbatical through a Buddhist retreat in the Scottish highlands to the rugged terrain of the Himalayas, writer Karan Bajaj says he has just “scratched the surface” and “one lifetime will not be enough” for his quest. But the outcome of his soul searching journey is his third novel, “The Seeker”.

Published worldwide by Penguin Random House India and released in India in June, “The Seeker” is the story of an investment banker in New York who embarks on a journey to become a yogi in the Himalayas. In an interview, Mr Bajaj, 35, whose first novel ‘Keep off the Grass’ was a bestseller which is now being turned into a movie, said he is trying to live like a “yogi”. Even after returning to New York and joining another firm as an executive, he is trying to work with complete “selflessness and honesty”.

Asked why he chose the unconventional path of leaving everything in search of answers, Mr Bajaj said, “The Bhagavad Gita says that each man’s soul cries for the infinite in the finite world, hence that indescribable feeling of something missing from one’s grasp even in moments of deep achievement.”

“We all hear that call. I think it was less courage and more necessity that made me answer it. My mother’s young, untimely death from cancer unsettled me quite a bit and forced me to confront the questions about the cause of suffering and death that had been in the back of my mind for years,” said Mr Bajaj, who spent his childhood almost like a nomad changing 12 schools in as many years as his father was in the Indian Army.

So, did he find the answers after his rollercoaster journey in which his wife Kerry was also a partner? “I ask myself that question often. I think I came back because I still feel a need to push myself more in the man-made world before I opt out of it,” Mr Bajaj said. He is a believer in the Yoga Sutras ethos that “man’s purpose is first evolution, then involution: an eagle in perfect rhythm flaps its wings high, then brings them down gracefully. If it kept flapping higher, its wings would break. If it always kept its wings down, it would never experience flight”.

Mr Bajaj, who was a Top 10 bestselling Indian novelist in 2008 (“Keep off the Grass”) and 2010 (“Johnny Gone Down”), said that we must first push ourselves to stretch, grow and experience the world, then detach from it. “I’m still in the growth

phase and want to push myself more in my writing and my career. If I enter the detachment phase, my choices may become different,” said Bajaj, who graduated from the Indian Institute of Management-Bangalore in 2002 after obtaining an engineering degree from the Birla Institute of Technology, Ranchi, in 2000.

Recounting his year-long spiritual and creative sabbatical, Mr Bajaj said he and his wife first went to a Buddhist retreat in the Scottish Highlands, then traveled from Europe to India by road in buses, trains and ferries and also hiked, with no particular destination in mind.

Once in India, they stayed at the Sivananda Ashram in South India and learnt to become yoga teachers, then lived in the Himalayas, learning meditation and hiking. Thereafter, en route to the US, they spent three months in an artist’s residency in Portugal, researching and writing.

So how much of his journeys are reflected in his third novel?

The protagonist Max’s rugged external adventure from the “dark underbelly of New York to a world of hidden ashrams, surreal night markets, and remote caves in India” is partially inspired by his journey, said Mr Bajaj, who was selected as one of the top 10 young business leaders of India by the Aditya Birla Foundation and has worked in the Philippines, Singapore and the US, as also in Europe. He has of course fictionalised it to “make it much more pulsating and interesting”.

The couple’s sabbatical did change them - so much so that they now have stopped drinking alcohol and try not to waste time in superficial chatter. Even their friends’ circle has changed. “We got rid of our TV. We’re reading books much more selectively than before so as to keep our ideas pure. Every day, something changes,” explained Bajaj, who practices yoga and mediates every day as he feels it is “crucial” to his well-being.

Also, in his quest to live like a yogi, he said he is trying to imbibe the yogic ethos of dissolving narrow sense of self and becoming a mere medium for consciousness to express itself. “The Buddha said that there are three phases of learning - reading, reflection and experience. I think I’ve gotten most of my answers from reading and reflecting. Experience wise, I’ve barely scratched the surface. I don’t think one lifetime will be ❐ enough,” Mr Bajaj said. july 2015 | india empire 35

INTERVIEW

Dr Dharmendra Kumar, Director pandit Deendayal upadhyaya institute for physically Handicapped

“disabled persons must be integrated into mainstream society”

PhotograPh © siPra Das

Dr Dharmendra Kumar: Tirelessly striving for the disabled

of rehabilitation. Physical rehabilitation involves physiotherapy, occupational therapy, aids and appliances, artificial limbs, wheelchairs, crutches, tricycle, canes. We want the person to be mobile. Social counseling is very crucial. We want both the family and the person to accept the disability. It is important to integrate them into society. We run an integrated primary school till class V and we integrate them with mainstream schools. We have vocational rehabilitation where we ensure skill development. We hold job fairs for placements. All these comprehensive services carried out at headquarters are extended to regional, district and satellite centres, and to the camps.

Kindly elaborate on rehabilitation services for persons of locomotor disabilities…

The idea is to help the disabled person to move himself, including the upper extremity and lower limbs. To move other things, upper extremity has to work, for instance if they want to pick a book and place it somewhere else.

Please let us know about the programmes run by this prestigious Institute…

The primary objective through our programmes is human resource development. Towards this end, we run three bachelor degree programmes in physiotherapy, occupational therapy, and prosthetics and orthotics. The respective intake capacity in each of these is 54, 54 and 31, which means 139 are admitted to the institute each year. We are now also in a position to run a PG programme. Inspections by a Delhi University team have been carried out, and they have found us suitable. Recommendations have been made to the University Academic Council and to the Faculty of Science, under whose aegis we run these programmes. We are hoping that this year we would be able to start a delayed PG programme. Also the regulating body, the Delhi Council of Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy is to inspect. Once cleared, we will be able to run their programmes. We also are in a position to run a Masters programme in Prosthetics and Orthotics. We are awaiting a letter from the Delhi University. We have the approval from the Rehabilitation Council of India.

We understand that these programmes are run in a comprehensive manner, taking into account social and economic factors…

Yes. Comprehensive rehabilitation involves physical, mental, economic and educational rehabilitation----the four pillars 36 india empire | july 2015

What are the overall aims and objectives of the Institute, and what is the vision of the Management?

Our aim is to basically empower the person of disability and integrate him in the mainstream, including his family. We want to make such persons realize their full potential. The long term vision of the institute is that it should become a Centre of Excellence in the area of locomotor disability. As such we are targeting three groups, the leprosy-cured, ones with cerebral palsy, and the elderly, especially those with osteoarthritis.

We are focused on stroke cases also which are on the rise, especially among the young due to lifestyle disorders. For congenital defects and anomalies we have manipulation therapy.

We try and work on early identification and intervention for children. Earlier the problem is identified, better the outcome of our treatment.

Please let us know about the R and D programmes of the Institute…

Research and development is mainly in physiotherapy, mobility and occupational therapy. Recently we are looking at manipulation therapy and what could be effective in stroke cases.

We are also looking at mirror-based therapy, where a person is required to look into a mirror and do activities that a normal person would do. We are looking at working with affected extremity. In prosthetics and orthotics, we are looking at artificial limbs research, for instance what kind of socket is more adaptable, which limb is better for walking, what should be the weight of the limb, how to reduce energy consumption. We are also looking at social research. ❐

SPIRITUALITy

Her Holiness Mata Amritanandamayi, also called Amma, is revered as a Saint. She has a huge following in India and overseas. She spent time in Malaysia earlier this year on her way to Australia and beyond. Since 2006, whenever in Malaysia, her entourage is hosted by Tan Sri Datuk Dr Mohan Swami, Chairman of the Board of Governors at Perdana University.

Here are snapshots of the following she receives, and her “Divine Hug� which heals, and brings inexplicable peace and understanding.

july 2015 | india empire 37

SPECIAL COLUMN

dEfininG God A VEdic intErprEtAtion

By Gauri Shankar Gupta

E

HE Gauri Shankar Gupta High Commissioner of India

xistence of the Universe with all its diverse facets and millions of life forms has been the greatest puzzle of all times.

The mysteries surrounding its origin, nature and the functioning have been a subject of immense curiosity and fascination since antiquity. Despite unprecedented advances in sciences, we still ask ourselves whether the Universe had an origin or a beginning. How did it come into existence? If it does have a beginning, what existed before the Universe came into existence? If nothing existed before its origin, how did it come into existence out of nothing? Will it come to an end one day and if so, then how? If it does come to an end where will it disappear? Is there a creator and if so who created the creator? Who regulates the functioning of this vast entity? These are mind boggling questions that have been agitating the minds of the humanity since times immemorial.

Most intelligent as well as ordinary mortals have

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all engaged themselves in the pursuit of unraveling these mysteries of creation.

Several scriptures and religious texts address these questions in some form. The most profound and detailed explanations can be found in the Vedic writings particularly the Upanishads.

In fact these puzzles of creation constitute the core of most Upanishads. Nevertheless, the readers might ask me as to why am I digressing by addressing these issues in an article titled ‘Defining God’. It is because the Vedic definition of God is inter-twined with these puzzles of our existence. Finding answers to these puzzles is almost synonymous to defining the God. In Vedic parlance God is not a Super Human sitting somewhere out there regulating the Universe, creating stars and planets, regulating birth and death and rewarding and punishing people sending them to the Heaven and the Hell. Instead the Vedas state that the Universe is merely a physical manifestation of God in various names and forms.

Whatever exists in the Universe is nothing but self projection of God into the conditions of Time and Space. It is something like the ocean and the waves. Waves have no separate existence of their own. They arise from the ocean and then dissolve into the same ocean and cannot exist independent of the ocean. On the other hand; reward and punishment is the outcome of human actions something like the law of action and reaction. In Vedic writings this Ultimate Reality - the God or the Almighty - has been referred to as ‘Brahman’ (ब्रह्म). Therefore in order to define ‘God’ in Vedic parlance let us first understand the concept of ‘Brahman’.

BRAHMAN Vedic writings define Brahman as eternal, most subtle and all pervasive supreme reality which is the primeval cause and source of all

that exists. Whatever appears in the manifested form emanates from Brahman and with time dissolves back into Brahman. It is like constant flow of thoughts appearing from human mind and then dissolving back into the same mind. Thoughts and mind cannot exist independent of each other neither could the waves and the ocean as stated earlier. Similarly take the phenomenon of dream and the dreamer. During the course of the dream thousands of objects are projected on the mind by the same mind creating a dreamer and a dream world. During this state one fibre of mind becomes dreamer while the another one becomes dream objects. Once the dream state is over the dreamer and the dream dissolve into one and the same; completely wiping out the duality created during the dream state. However this truth cannot be realized so long as we are in dream-state. The moment we wake up we realize the truth. Another example given in the Vedic literature is that of a spider. A spider spreads a web around itself, lives in the web and then withdraws it back. Similarly the manifested world emanates from the Brahman and dissolves back into the same Brahman. However the Brahman remains undiminished and unaffected in the same way as the ocean despite projection of infinite number of waves and the mind despite projection of infinite number of thoughts and dream objects.

Linguistically, the word Brahman has been derived from the Sanskrit root ‘brih’ which means ‘to grow great, to enlarge or to spread like a net’.

Hence Brahman literally means; the one who has the power to grow infinitely without any limitations.

According to the Taittiriyopanishad, whatever reality is in existence by which all the rest subsists, is Brahman. He is an eternal behind all instabilities and a constant which supports all mutations. He is hidden in all appearances and forms. Although I have used the word He, Brahman has no gender. He is neither male nor female. Since He is hidden in all appearances and forms, He is male in a male, female in a female, child in a child, bird in a bird and animal in an animal. In this sense Brahman is akin to space which turns into a house, a playground, a shopping mall, a factory, a theatre or a stadium depending on the structure and use. Space exists in all these forms as well as outside of these forms. Similarly, Brahman exists in all forms and appearances as well as outside of them.

Vedic writings define Brahman in a variety of indicative ways. These definitions are useful in understanding the overall nature of the Brahman.

Each of these definitions serves like an arc used in geometry to arrive at an unknown point with help of known points. Let us now have a look at some of these definitions that are spread over several

Vedic texts.

Ishopanishad Om that is infinite, this is infinite; Infinite has come out of infinite; Take away infinite from infinite; What remains is also infinite.

(Preamble to Ishopanishad) Whatever conscious and non-conscious that exists in this universe, is nothing but a manifestation of Brahman and is owned by Him. Keeping this in mind continue to live and enjoy in the spirit of renounced detachment. Since nothing belongs to you, do not have lust and attachment.

(Verse 1) He is one and static, still He is swifter than the mind. He is primeval and the source of all knowledge. Even the gods (meaning devata or sectoral powers like the Sun, the Wind etc.) could not understand Him. While static, He overtakes all those running. He controls those who supply the air and rain. He surpasses all in excellence.

(Verse 4) He does not move still He moves. He is nearest to you still He is far away. He resides in everybody and everything still He is beyond the entire creation.

(Verse 5) Mundaka Upanishad He is beyond intellect and understanding and beyond grasp. He has no color, no attributes, no eyes, no ears, no hands and no legs. He is eternal, omnipresent, the subtlest of subtle, imperishable, primeval and source of all beings.

(1/1/6) As the spider sends forth and spreads its web and then withdraws it back, as a large variety of plants and herbs grow on the Earth, as from every living human innumerable hairs spring forth from head and body, the same way everything arises in the Universe from the Brahman, the indestructible.

(1/1/7) The immortal Brahman is in the front; that same Brahman is behind. The Brahman is on the left and the right as also above and below. The entire creation is Brahman alone. He is the best.

(2/2/11) Shvetashvatara Upanishad Brahman supports all this creation; the perishable nature and the non-perishable soul. He supports both the manifested and the nonmanifested. The human soul is bound by the fruits of sense gratification; however, once the soul realizes the nature of Brahman, it is freed from all the fetters.

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SPECIAL COLUMN

Vedic writings define brahman as eternal, most subtle and all pervasive supreme reality which is the primeval cause and source of all that exists.

Whatever appears in the manifested form emanates from brahman and with time dissolves back into brahman

His feet and hands are everywhere. His eyes, head and mouth are everywhere. His ears are everywhere. He stands encompassing the entire universe.

(3/16) He is the cause of each and everything; He is the quality and form of all the elements. He transforms all these elements into various forms and shapes and He alone rules and resides in all of them.

(5/5) He first created the perishable nature, then the nonperishable spirit. Thereafter through the combination of the two He created the entire universe, time and the subtle individual soul.

(6/3)

know It not, nor do we know how to teach one about It. Different It is from all that are known and is beyond the unknown as well.

That which makes the tongue speak, but which cannot be spoken by the tongue. That which makes the mind think, but which cannot be thought by the mind. That which makes the eyes see, but which cannot be seen by the eyes.

That which makes the ears hear but cannot be heard by the ears.

That makes the breath breathe but cannot be breathed by breath.

He is Ear of the ear, Mind of the mind, Eye of the eye, Speech of the speech and Breath of the breath.

(Summary Version of Part I of Kenopanishad)

Mandukyopanishad He can be felt neither inside nor outside. He is beyond intellect. He cannot be transacted, nor can He be seen, nor touched. He has no attribute, nor can He be subject of thought or imagination. He cannot be explained nor can He be described. He is eternal, always calm, benevolent, allpervasive and without any parallel. One can only experience His power through the Self. He is Brahman whom one should know.

(Verse 7) Kathopanishad Although air exists everywhere in the Universe, it takes the shape of different spaces and also exists outside those spaces; likewise Brahman takes the shape of different creations and also exists outside those creations.

(2/2/10) Brahman is like a tree whose root is upwards and branches downwards. He is pure and imperishable. The entire creation is dependent on Him and no one could go against His order.

(2/3/1) Kenopanishad There goes neither the eye nor speech nor mind; we

Srimad Bhagavatam He has no beginning, no end and no middle. He has no inside or outside. He is absent from the dualities. The manifested Universe emanates from Him. Therefore He is the ultimate truth and He is complete in greatness.

(8/1/12) He is the Absolute Truth, who has millions of names and unlimited potencies. He is the entire cosmic manifestation. He is self-effulgent, unborn and changeless.

He is the beginning of everything, but He has no beginning.

Because He has created this cosmic manifestation by His external energy, the Universe appears to be created, maintained and annihilated by Him. Nonetheless, He remains inactive in His spiritual energy and is untouched by the activities of the material energy.

(8/1/13) Bhagvad Gita With hands and feet everywhere; with eyes, heads, and mouth everywhere; with ears everywhere in the Universe – He exists pervading all.

(13/13)

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—To be continued...

COLUMN: yOGI ASHWINI

MIND AND BODy

TrUE MESSAgE OF YOgA

By Yogi Ashwini Yogi ashwini

Y

oga is the sum total of creation. A para-subject, which has in its ambit all the other subjects and sciences, rightly called as the final frontier. Recently, the leaders of the country have taken up the challenge putting to fore this amazing heritage of the Bharatvarsha on an international platform and much has been done to achieve it as well. However, the move towards an international yoga day, brings in its wake an even greater challenge…of putting across the true message of yoga, yoga as it was handed down by the rishis of the yore. For while yoga is phenomenal science, how many actually know what it really is?

Majority of the population understands yoga as twisting oneself into knots or breathing abnormally, erroneously termed as asanas and pranayamas. If you switch on the television, there will be enough people calling themselves yoga gurus, in beautiful flowing beards and wearing fancy robes, jumping around trees, breathing like animals, calling it yoga and claiming to rid you of all your life problems, of course, at a price. And if you look around, there are countless people who go to these people and empty out their pockets hoping to get a solution.

I get mails from all over the world. One gentleman for instance wrote to me asking about shri vidya. He said he had learnt it from a person who calls himself an avdhoot and holds shivirs all over the world. This gentleman was hoping to improve his business, he was assured that this vidya would help him grow, of course, he was charged a handsome fee. Two months into the practice, his business crashed, his family broke down and he was in a state of complete mess. He wrote to me to check if he was practicing it right…This is the reality of the world out there.

Sri Vidya or any of the Yogic sciences are extremely potent practices but they have to be channelized through a Guru who has its siddhi, only then they are effective. A person who is busy travelling all over the world to grow his business would have no time for sadhna and obviously no siddhi.

Another lady wrote to me recently. She was troubled because of her daughter not getting married. A colleague told her to visit a Shakti temple and offer coconuts there.

Desperate, the lady went there. When she asked the priest, he directed her to a woman who claimed to have Ma Adi

Shakti residing in her and assured the lady that her problems will be solved if she worships her feet, and asked for a fee of about 1000 rupees for the said puja! The lady wrote to me asking if she should go ahead…This is a serious issue.

Quoted above are just two real life examples. To think that people like these will be representing our culture and science of yoga is disturbing. Had the woman said vice versa, that is she resides in Adi Shakti, it could have been a fact but to claim Adi Shakti resides in her is nothing but foolishness. These people do not have even an iota of idea of what the science is or what these shaktis are.

Gods and goddesses don’t reside in you, person resides in the gods and goddesses, when one realizes the bliss of residing in them, he/she leaves the realm of business.

Then he/she does not sell but gives it away willingly for self-growth. Law of karma says, it is in giving that you receive, something which was reiterated by Saint Francis of Assisi.

Yoga is not tying yourself in knots or breathing funny.

Asanas and Pranayamas are only one-fourth of yoga. And as detailed by Rishi Patanjali, Asan is a posture in which you are comfortable and still, Pranayama is natural cessation of breath. These are not to help you lose weight or rid you of your ailments but to prepare your body for the journey beyond. Good health is a by-product, not the main product.

There are no diets, lifestyles or rituals in yoga. It is a science of self-experience under the sanidhya of a Guru. And Guru is someone who exudes the glow of yoga, what he/she thinks manifests, what he/she says happens, when he/she chants the atmosphere changes, his/her gaze is healing, touch is energizing, he/she does not promise miracle cures but gives you the experience of subtler worlds and does not charge you a fee. A yogi is sthir in the five yamas of Ashtang Yoga, the first of which is satya (truth). Anyone who makes tall claims of curing your problems slips in the very first yama of truth.

So my suggestion is, look for a Guru. No amount of television shows or books or jumping around the trees can grant you the experience of yoga. And experience you must…for the pleasure of that experience is limitless. ❐ —The writer Yogi Ashwini Ji is the head of Dhyan Foundation, Delhi. For details contact: ashwiniyogi@yahoo.co.in

july 2015 | india empire 41

HONOURS AND RECOGNITIONS

indian honoured in duBai Doha Bank’s India-born chief executive R. Seetharaman has been conferred with the lifetime achievement award at the Banker Middle East Industry Awards in Dubai, the bank said. Highlighting Qatar’s largest private commercial bank’s key initiatives leading to its expansion in the region, Mr Seetharman said winning major corporates and providing value advantage to customers were rewarding, as they led to economic development of the Gulf Cooperation Council in the region. “Sustainable development mission should aim for poverty eradication, environmental sustainability, sustainable consumption and production. Our bank advocates and practices green banking as one of its core philosophies,” the official said.

The bank’s programmes like ‘Eco-school programme’ works with educational institutions in the region to build awareness of key environmental issues.

The bank’s eco-friendly initiatives like green credit card, green accounts, internet banking, SMS banking, phone banking, e-remittances and online bill pay-

Mr R. Seetharaman

ments promote the concept of paperless banking.

The bank recently opened its Sakhar Bhavan branch in Mumbai to serve the needs of about 600,000 Indians living and working in Qatar. The bank has two branches in India - one each in Mumbai and in Kochi, Kerala.

india’s agriculture laureate Mr R. Paul Singh, a distinguished professor emeritus at the University of California, Davis, has been named as the 2015 Global Confederation for Higher Education Associations for Agriculture and Life Sciences World Agriculture Prize laureate.

Mr Singh, an agricultural engineering graduate from India’s Punjab Agricultural University, has been recognized for a body of research in areas such as energy conservation, freezing preservation, postharvest technology and mass transfer in food processing. He has helped establish and evaluate food-engineering programmes at institutions throughout the world, including in Brazil, India, Peru, Portugal and Thailand.

As of June 2015, his 115 video tutorials have been viewed more than 150,000 times by individuals from 193 countries. “I am deeply humbled and honoured, upon receiving news of this award,” said Mr Singh.

“I’m also indebted to my UC Davis colleagues for their consistent support, which has allowed me to pursue my research and teaching activities in food engineering,” he said. The award was announced at the annual GCHERA conference, held at the Holy Spirit University of Kaslik, Jounieh, Lebanon, according to a post on UC Davis website. Formal presentation of

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the award will take place on September 20, during a ceremony at Nanjing Agricultural University, Jiangsu Province, China. Mr Singh earned a master’s degree and PhD at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and Michigan State University, respectively. He joined the UC Davis faculty one year later, in 1975.

“For over four decades, Professor Singh’s work as a pioneer in food engineering has been improving lives the world over,” said UC Davis Chancellor Linda P.B. Katehi. “This prestigious, and well-deMr R. Paul served, honour is a testament Singh to the importance of his research.”

Mr Singh’s research on airflow in complex systems helped design innovative systems for the rapid cooling of strawberries, and his studies on food freezing led to the development of computer software that is used to improve the energy efficiency of industrial freezers. Under a NASA contract, his research group created food-processing equipment for a manned mission to Mars. In recent years, his research focused on the physical mechanisms responsible for the digestion of foods in the human stomach, with an eye toward developing the next generation of foods for health.

—By Arun Kumar

pride of aMerica Four Indian-Americans are among 38 individuals being honoured for having “helped advance and enlighten our society, culture, and economy” as “Great Immigrants: The Pride of America” by Carnegie Corporation of New York. As a July 4th American Independence Day “Salute to Great Immigrants Who Help Make America Strong” and their accomplishments, the corporation for the tenth year is taking out a full-page public service ad in The New York Times.

In addition, the Corporation recognizes new citizens with a companion website at greatimmigrants.org, which includes the stories of many other naturalized citizens, video and audio recordings, and interactive quizzes. The four Indian-Americans being honoured are: Mr Preet Bharara US Attorney, Southern District of New York, Mr Rakesh Khurana Danoff Dean of Harvard College and Marvin Bower Professor of Leadership and Development, Ms Madhulika Sikka Vice President, Executive Editor, .Mic (India) and Mr Abraham Verghese, Physician, Professor, Author (India).

teaching the core Mr Darshan Jain, an Indian American teacher is one of the 108 teachers named by President Barack Obama as recipients of the prestigious Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching. Mr Jain, who has taught mathematics at Adlai E. Stevenson High School in Lincolnshire, Illinois for eight years where he currently serves as the director of mathematics, and other winners will receive a USD 10,000 award each from the National Science Foundation. The educators will receive their awards at a Washington, DC, event later this summer.

“These teachers are shaping America’s success through their passion for math and science,” President Obama said of the winners. “Their leadership and commitment empower our children to think critically and creatively about science, technology, engineering, and math. The work these teachers are doing in our classrooms today will help ensure that America stays on the cutting edge tomorrow,” he said.

The Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching is awarded annually to outstanding K-12 (kindergarten through 12th grades) science and mathematics teachers from across the country.

african diploMats honoured

Delhi Study Group organized a grand program to promote India – Africa relations led by Delhi Ex. MLA and President Vijay Jolly at Constitution Club, Rafi Marg, New Delhi.

Taking a cue from Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s foreign policy initiatives, Delhi Study Group honoured All African Head of Missions in India. The Chief Guest on the occasion was Ms Gennet Zewide, Dean of African Nations and Ambassador of Ethiopia. All African Head of Missions were presented flower bouquets and mementos. Present on the occasion was Patron DSG and Additional Solicitor General of India Ms Pinky Anand. To celebrate “International Yoga Day”, a special yoga performance was exhibited by Bal Yogi Sanjay Solanki for the assembled African diplomats.

This program stressed closer cooperation between India and Africa in stepping up trade, education, military assistance and economic development.

white house fellows finalists Three Indian Americans are among the national finalists for the ‘2015-16 White House Fellowship’ that offers exceptional Americans first-hand experience of working at the highest levels of Federal Government. Ms Luxme Hariharan, Ms Payal Patel and Mr Anil Yallapragada are among those representing “an accomplished and diverse cross-section of professionals from the private sector, academia, medicine, and armed services”.

Ms Hariharan from Madison is Paediatric Cataract, Glaucoma, Cornea and International Health Fellow, Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles, University of Southern California Eye Institute. Ms Patel from Houston, Texas, is Infectious Diseases Fellow, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Centre, Harvard Medical School. Mr Yallapragada from Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, is Medical Director, South Carolina Stroke Institute, Grand Strand Medical Centre.

july 2015 | india empire 43

SPIRITUALITy

our Hindu temples in Switzerland, Norway, Scotland and Germany solemnized their formal opening in the recent months, reports suggest. A warehouse in an industrial area was converted after renovation to Sri Navasakthi Vinayagar Hindu Temple in eastern Switzerland’s Zizers, which is known for Upper Castle and Lower Castle heritage sites. Kagendrasharma Nageswarakurukkal is the priest at the temple.

Vinayagar Ganesha Hindu Temple was consecrated with ancient Hindu rituals in Norway’s Alesund, a sea port known for its unique concentration of Art Nouveau architecture. This Temple, besides Hindus, also welcomes people of other religions. Edinburgh Hindu Mandir and Cultural Centre, whose tagline is “Promoting Unity Through Diversity”, was formally launched in Scotland’s capital recently, which was formerly a church. It opens everyday and can facilitate “16 samskaras”. Besides regular worship services, it also organizes festivals, cultural and art activities, children’s activities and heritage camps. The temple is also setting-up a library of Hinduism. Mr Malhar Patel is

44 india empire | july 2015

the President while Vrajvihari Sharan is the priest at the temple.

After detailed renovation, Sri Naagapoosani Ambaal Hindu Temple in Germany’s Krefeld reopened with a four-day festival, which included loud drums announcing the entrance of a cow who was lead to the hall. Krefeld in North Rhine-Westphalia, also called “Velvet and Silk City”, is known for Castle of Linn.

Meanwhile, Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, in a statement in Nevada (USA) applauded efforts of temple leaders and area communities for realizing these Hindu temple complexes in Europe. Mr Rajan Zed, who is President of Universal Society of Hinduism, further said that it was important to pass on Hindu spirituality, concepts and traditions to coming generations amidst so many distractions in the consumerist society and hoped that these temples would help in this direction. Zed stressed that instead of running after materialism; we should focus on inner search and realization of self and work towards achieving moksha (liberation), which was the goal of Hinduism. ❐

DIASPORA—yOUTH SUCCESS

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n India-born girl, Anusha Saha, has topped Trinidad and Tobago’s Secondary Entrance Examination.

Anusha was congratulated by Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, a person of Indian origin, and Minister of Education Tim Goopeesingh, both of whom visited her Grant Memorial Primary Presbyterian School in this country’s second city, San Fernando, on July 1.

Just over 18,300 students wrote the annual exams to gain entry to the secondary school system which is universally free—like kindergarten, primary and tertiary education here. Anusha was born in India and came here as a baby with her parents Mr Jayanta Saha, an engineer, and his wife Ms Kuntala Saha from Delhi. They have been living here for 15 years. The parents said they were extremely happy about their only child’s success.

Addressing her classmates, Anusha said she too was overjoyed. “I know I would not able to do this without all my teachers, my parents, especially my mom.” About her future plans, Anusha said she wanted to be a brain surgeon. “I like to do stuff like doctors, and I am interested in doctors and science and I want to work with them,” she said. Anusha will attend

one of the country’s most prestigious secondary schools for girls, the Naparima Girls’ High School. This school continues to be a high-profile one in the Caribbean Council Examination (CXC) and the Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE), both equivalent to the British General Certificate in Education and the Advanced Level exams.

Anusha’s principal Ms Gillian Mahabir said she was proud of the school’s achievements. “We believe in holistic development, we put God first,

then we have dedicated teachers and everybody works hard. Anusha got the best all-round girl’s prize because she not only excelled in academics, but also in chess, in music, in spelling,” Ms Mahabir said. Anusha, it is reported, scored 243 points out of a total of 245. Her parents plan to take her to the US this summer.

Anusha has become the talk of the country among educators, teachers, academics and politicians, especially since the country votes for a new government on September 7. ❐ july 2015 | india empire 45

CINEMA

Flourishing Bollywood By natalia ningthoujam

Mr Anupam Kher

Mr Anupam Kher is all praise for Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and “his colleagues”. The actor believes Indian cinema is doing well under his governance.

Speaking at the FICCI-IIFA Global Business Forum at the three-day International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) Weekend and Awards, Mr Kher said that the Indian film industry is flourishing. “Indian cinema is going through golden period under PM Modi. It’s flourishing. I have great faith in him and his colleagues, including my wife (BJP MP Kirron Kher),” Mr Kher said.

The actor, who has done over 450 films in 31 years, believes that Indian movies have managed to make “people happy worldwide”. “This is one job in which everyone puts life into it, including a lightboy. They have nothing to do with the film’s profit, still they put blood and sweat into it,” said the “Saaransh” actor.

46 india empire | july 2015

The 60-year-old also spoke about his acting school Actor Prepares. “Eleven years back I started the school. I had almost gone bankrupt as my dreams were bigger than reality. I started the school with 12 students and now there are 500. “It can be compared to any acting school. It’s the best thing I can offer to Malaysia,” said the actor, who hates using the term ‘Bollywood’ for the Hindi film industry.

He conjectured that the “Hindi film industry will take over any industry in the next 10 years. We have corporate support and infrastructure”. IIFA, organised by Wizcraft International Entertainment Pvt Ltd, is recognised across the world for its celebration of Indian cinema held in an exotic locale every year. While the glamour and the grandeur of the IIFA Weekend is spectacular, IIFA is also heavily invested in the promotion of businesses opportunities, trade relations and cinema opportunities between India and IIFA’s host nation. ❐