INDIA EMPIRE June 2014

CONTENTS

june 2014

REALTY CHECK ........................................... 06-10 Investors in India need to look deeply at the multiple risks, and not just the gains INVESTMENT AND TRADE ........................ 14-23 INVEST IN RAJASTHAN: The tourism sector beckons NABA: Contesting the European Paan “ban” EY ATTRACTIVENESS SURVEY: Where India stands AAI: Solar plants at Indian airports DIASPORA BODIES ..................................... 26-31 GOPIO’s 25th Anniversary: Show of strength at Trinidad and Tobago WE: How overseas Indian entrepreneurs cope in the U.K. DIASPORA STORIES ................................... 32-38 TANZANIAN DIARY: The struggles of freedom fighter and Parliamentarian Kantilal Zhaveri

06 KENYAN CELEBRATIONS: The joy of Narendra Modi’s victory SPREADING WINGS: OFBJP opens up in Baltic and Ukraine PCS CHICAGO: Punjabi Youth Awards KEY INTERVIEWS ........................................ 40-43 Sanjay Puri, Chairman, USINPAC Anjalika Bardalai, Senior Analyst at Eurasia Group

Mail from the Reader I refer to your write up on Minister for Overseas Indian Affairs, Mrs Sushma Swaraj and her quote ...”I want to improve the conditions for my people settled abroad” ….

The most important “my people” are those who have to work under the most atrocious slave-like conditions, living in most unsuitable conditions, worse than the horse stables of their masters that exist in Dubai. They live in thoroughly inhuman and equally demeaning conditions. While they may earn, they do not have to surrender their dignity to those whose only concern in life and in the world is garnering of wealth at any cost to the rest of the Human Race. Even the lowliest worker is entitled to his / her dignity.

May I respectfully suggest to Minister Swaraj to make the plight of these Indian workers in Dubai, her urgent and first engagement. Besides, by and large the Indian diaspora globally is well settled, and not in any need for aid, or other support from India, in respect of their livelihood or daily lives. Furthermore, those who 'have settled' are nationals of the countries of their residence. They remit personal large monies to India to support their kith and kin, and thus indirectly giving a leg up to the Indian Government. They do not really need life support from the Indian Government, though a cultural link is more in the line of such contact.

I was most shocked when my appeal in this matter to the previous Indian Foreign Minister, did not even merit a reply.

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Personally, I have from long ago, boycotted any interaction with this dastardly state, built on human carnage, blood, and even death.

Sir, I shall be most grateful if you would please forward this to the Minister Swaraj.

With thanks.

—Kersi Rustomji, Planet Earth. Ex-Kenya. Now in Australia. ***** A great and very timely issue. Also, enjoyed reading your interview with Sushma Swaraj. Congratulations and keep up the great work.

—Harsh Bhargava, Washington. ***** Thank you for the new edition of India Empire. It was truly refreshing especially with NaMo being the New PM of India. He was the chief guest at our college Golden Jubilee celebrations in Belgaum which I had attended on December 21, 2013. NaMo got an outstanding ovation, the kinds accorded to cinema stars and his speech was spectacular.

—Kamalanathan Sappani, Malaysia

COVER STORY—REAL ESTATE

REALTY MESS The home buyer is today at a risk. The tall claims of leading developers notwithstanding, projects are delayed by months and years. Litigations between builders and owners, or state players, are hidden from public glare while advertising the projects. Real estate may be giving good returns, but the pangs of suffering unscrupulous builders if far greater than the joy of owning a home or office

By Yogesh Sood

Today, the real estate industry is one of the most flourishing industries in India. The Sector is unique because the target group is categorized in unique ways-----people invest to buy homes for themselves or to make money, by renting them, or selling at a higher price. In such a scenario, the demand for residential and commercial property is increasing constantly and so are the number of builders and developers who offer special features to attract prospective buyers.

Without checking the credentials of the mushrooming developers especially in Delhi- NCR region, hordes of NRIs and other investors have been depositing the initial 10 % deposit money for booking their homes with these lesser known and lacking-in-credibility developers. Very often, buyers find themselves locked into buying defective properties or paying for things they don't need. Worse, they might be shelling out more to fund fines levied on builders.

Unfortunately, India's real estate industry is notorious for lack of transparency. In most of the cases, the greedy developers cheat their customers of their hard-earned life savings promising the moon through the hoardings around the city and full page newspaper color advertisements.

They also profusely use the electronic media and SMSes, e-mails claiming they would ensure 12 per cent assured returns on their investment in residential as well as commercial properties. Some developers who have recently mushroomed on the Indian realty scene have started calling themselves ‘PROPERTY GURUS’. They have the dubious distinction of buying awards from organizations whose existence itself is in question. Big newspaper advertisements and hoardings around the city are put up by these developers to fleece the gullible investors in their residential and commercial projects.

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All constructions in the country have to be done according to the National Building Code. Though all good developers get their plans cleared by the authorities, some do not strictly adhere to them. In some cases, the building is not built according to the plan submitted to the governing body and the poor buyers of the property have to pay dearly. The violations range from the height of the building to margins namely the open spaces. The two classic cases are Mumbai’s Campa Cola compound and Noida’s Supertech’s two under-construction 40-storey towers----Apex and Ceyane. It is no secret that in both the cases, the poor home buyers have been the victims. Their dream of having their own property has shattered. The message in both the cases is loud and clear: customers have to be vigilant before buying a flat (see box on buyers’ checklist).

CAMPA COLA and SUPTERTECH Also a real estate regulator is the crying need of the hour. While in the case of Campa Cola compound, the owners of illegal flats of Campa Cola compound would have to find alternative accommodation as the apex court made it clear that they have to leave their flats.

In Supertech’s case, there is still some hope for the customers. All is not lost for them as R K Arora, the Managing Director of the company, has promised that the interests of the customers will be looked after and they (company) would challenge the verdict of Allahabad high court. The company has filed a special leave petition against the high court order in the Supreme Court, and the demolition has been stayed. It may be recalled that Supertech was allotted a 48,263 sq mt. plot in Noida’s Sector 93A in 2004 for constructing Emerald Court Group Housing Society, which was

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COVER STORY—REAL ESTATE

Former union minister M. Deora expressing solidarity with the flat owners at Campa Cola Apartments, Worli, Mumbai

to have 15 towers with 11 floors each. These apartments were completed in 2010. In both the cases the developer had violated rules, thinking that their buildings will be regularised by urban local bodies. It has built more floors than permitted.

The two towers are at an advanced stage of construction. More than 21 floors have been built in Apex and 17 in Ceyane. The towers were to have 14 flats on each floor besides a penthouse each. The builder had concealed the fact that there was an ongoing litigation for the past three years.

And talking about Campa Cola compound, what is really shocking is that those who would lose their roof got bank loans. Banks after due diligence were satisfied with the documents and loans were sanctioned by nationalized banks.

What a pity, now the buyers will be suffering mental agony, emotional and financial loss for the wrongs committed by the developers. It is time that such developers be hanged without any trial, says an industry analyst.

What's worse, in some townships / projects that promise a grand lifestyle, developers do not transfer ownership of facilities with commercial value, such as club house, gymnasium and tennis court, to resident associations. Builders retain rights over such facilities in the builder-buyer agreement and profit from it. In such an arrangement, residents end up paying for maintenance while the builder enjoys ownership rights.

GREY SALABLE AREA Another bone of contention between the developers and buyers is the salable area. In a building, the maximum built-up area is linked to the plot size. The ratio of built-up floor area to plot size is called the Floor Space Index (FSI) 8

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or Floor Area Ratio (FAR). It is different for different localities. Some spaces, such as balconies, terraces, voids, open parking lots and circulation areas, are not included in the FSI calculation. This is because these cannot be monetized.

However, in many cases, once the layout has been approved, developers convert these into habitable spaces through 'creative construction' and charge based on the super built-up area, that is, the total area of the apartment plus its share of common spaces, including all open spaces. It is difficult for buyers to calculate the super built-up area.

Developers have to pay external development charges, or EDC, to the Government for civic amenities such as roads, water, electricity supply, sewerage and drainage. The EDC is fixed by the local authorities and is passed on to buyers in proportion to the built-up area of their properties. The EDC is clearly mentioned in the agreement. In the normal course, this should not be a problem, as builders deposit the money collected under EDC with the local authorities. But there have been cases of projects running into trouble as developers did not pay the amount collected under EDC to the authorities. If EDC is not deposited on time, a penalty is imposed. Some developers pass on the penalty to buyers. This is wrong. A developer cannot pass on the extra cost to buyers if the penalty has been levied because of its own fault.

You can check the EDC rates by visiting the local town planning authority. "Builders are not allowed to charge more than the Government-approved rate.

PROJECTS IMPACTED Another problem is related to the clearance certificates.

For new constructions, developers have to seek clearance from the local authorities. Projects of more than 45 devel-

COVER STORY—REAL ESTATE

PAINFUL FACTOIDS

BUYERS’ CHECKLIST

❖ Lifetime savings gone.

❖ Verify original documents of property. ❖ Title report of last few years must be searched. ❖ Builder should have non-agricultural permission from local collector.

❖ Pressure of bank EMIs goes up, even though possession is indefinitely delayed.

❖ Verify development agreement between land owner and builder.

❖ Builders seldom provide compensation for delays.

❖ Seek copy of order under the Urban Land Ceiling Act. ❖ Check building plans, approved carpet area, including balconies sanctioned by competent authority.

❖ No regulator in property industry. ❖ Buyers at mercy of top builders.

❖ Prior litigations of builders are hidden during marketing and national advertising of projects.

❖ ❖ ❖ ❖

Check commence certificate by local corporation.

Check completion certificate during possession.

Check building bye-laws to verify side setback, height.

Confirm transfer fees, stamp duty, registration charges, other outgoings to be paid.

❖ Classic Examples of Harassments: Campa Cola Apartments by Pure Drinks Ltd, Worli, Mumbai and Apex and Cayene by Supertech Ltd., Noida Expressway.

❖ Scrutinize sale agreement in detail. ❖ Ensure property stamp duty has been paid by builder.

opers including Jaypee, Amrapali, ATS, Logix and Ajnara have been impacted, with buyers demanding penalty from them for the delay. Builders in Noida are unable to hand over more than 30,000 completed homes to their buyers, because of a National Green Tribunal order forbidding the Noida Authority from giving completion certificates to projects within a 10-kilometre radius of the Okhla bird sanctuary. Developers in Noida say they have in the past seven months since the tribunal's order lost close to Rs 1,000 crore as they have been holding on the flats, paying interest on their loans as well as penalty to home buyers.

When the state government has recommended 100 metres around the sanctuary as the eco-sensitive zone then why doesn't NGT (National Green Tribunal) allow the authority to give us completion certificates," asks Getambar Anand, managing director of ATS Infrastructure and also the president of the Confederation of Real Estate Developers Association of India (Credai). “Such a lot of stock has been put at jeopardy because of the decision, notwithstanding the fact that all of us have environment clearances for our projects.” A senior executive at Amrapali Developers said the company has 5,000 apartments ready for possession but it can't offer physical possession to buyers. “We have sent them intimation for possession sometime back but we can't give them their homes,” he said on the condition of anonymity.

"We are finding it difficult to launch new projects in the vicinity of the sanctuary because investors and banks are reluctant to fund such projects till there is clarity on the matter," said Shakti Nath, managing director of the Logix group, which has put three of its mixed-use projects on the backburner due to the issue.

In October last year, the tribunal had directed the Noida Authority to stop all construction activity within 10 kilometres of the sanctuary and asked the central government to fix the rules on the distance to be kept for such developments from wildlife sanctuaries.

The Centre then asked state governments to suggest

rules for sanctuaries depending on how fragile they were. In February this year, the Uttar Pradesh Government sent its recommendation for deeming 100 metres as the eco-sensitive zone. "We should be given instructions about who to go to rather than dealing with multiple authorities," said Anand of ATS Infrastructures. When the building is ready, the local authority awards a completion certificate stating that the approved plan has been followed. This is mandatory for getting basic amenities such as water and power. But this certificate alone does not give occupation rights. One also needs an occupancy certificate, which is awarded after authorities check that the rules for fire safety, elevators, electrical wiring, water supply and waste disposal have been followed.

To tackle the problems, the government is planning to set up a regulator, with a Bill on this already cleared by the Union cabinet. Until the regulator becomes a reality, buying property remains a risky task. Buyers often find themselves stuck with properties that are on the wrong side of law or paying for things they don't need. To avoid this, knowledge of common tricks property developers use can come in handy.

With the Narendra Modi-led NDA Government taking charge at the Centre, there is a surge in consumer sentiment as the “affordable housing for everyone” is among the prime agendas for the new Government. The real estate players believe that essential bottlenecks like clearances, land acquisition, funding, delay in decision making should be addressed by the new Government and affirmative agendas are placed across the table. Since the sentiment is positive, analysts believe that this should push up demand from the consumer side. The sector has been under the reel of consistent slowdown over the last one and half years. Coupled with this, high inflation, rupee devaluation, lack of one window policy has not only delayed many real estate projects, but also the existing properties have suffered a debacle from the judiciary end. For the consumers, finally a Real Estate regulator will put their grievances into the fore and help ❐ them get justice.

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SOuTh IndIAn PROPERTY

Is Chennai’s OMR Str Tracing Property Demand along Old Mahabalipuram Road

By AS Sivaramakrishnan The 50 km-long stretch along Chennai’s Old Mahabalipuram Road (OMR), or Rajiv Gandhi Salai, extends between the Madhya Kailash Junction at Adyar, Chennai, and the temple town of Mahabalipuram. It may be segmented into three sections—(i) Madhya Kailash–Shollinganallur, (ii) Semmencherry–Kelambakkam, and (iii) Kelambakkam–Mahabalipuram. The stretch developed as a designated IT/ITeS corridor over the last decade, in a city which is the second highest exporter of information technology in India. The growth of any industry in such a vast scale, typically paves the way for the growth of other businesses too; and consequently, a large IT workforce has fuelled real estate activity in the region. Even about five years back, reasonable property prices made this micro-market a desirable destination—but not anymore. The region has been increasingly losing its sheen among Chennai’s home buyers.

The notable micro-markets located along the initial stretch include Taramani, Perungudi, Thoraipakkam, Karapakkam, and Shollinganallur. Although this is the stretch where most of the city’s IT Parks, IT SEZs, and major IT campus development are located, it is also home to several residential projects that mainly cater to the IT workforce and the catchment populace. In the absence of large land parcels, a number of residential developments are currently under various stages of construction in this area. A few notable examples being Jain Housing’s ‘Pebble Brook’, India Bulls’ ‘Greens’, and the Embassy Group’s ‘Residency’ project.

The 200-feet road connecting Thoraipakkam and

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Pallavaram offers a fair amount of land parcels, where close to a thousand residential units already exist. This road has been the prime focus of development firms, with social infrastructure (viz. hospitals, malls, education institutions, etc.) being in place too. Recent entrants in the micro-market include Ramanyam, Mantri Developers and Agni Estates, who are coming up with prominent residential projects.

It is the second section between Semmencherry and Kelambakkam that has seen significant residential growth over the past 5–6 years. SIPCOT at Siruseri, where close to 50,000 people work, has been a major catchment. With large parcels of land being available here, developers have been offering gated communities and township projects targeted at the IT crowd. A few such large-scale projects that are currently under construction include ‘Upscale’ (Hiranandani), ‘Swanlake’ (Puravankara), ‘Ouranya Bay’ (True Value Homes), and ‘Aurum’ (Pacifica).

The third stretch of the OMR is where developers have been able to acquire large land parcels at cheaper rates, leading to more reasonably priced housing units in comparison to other parts of city. The Rs. 3,500crore Japanese township spread over 1,500 acres (signed between the Tamil Nadu industrial investment facilitating agency, the Guidance Bureau, Ascendas, and a Japan consortium comprising Mizuho Corporate Bank and JGC Corporation) adds more value to this stretch, besides offering more than 200,000 employment opportunities. Notable townships along this stretch are ‘PBEL City’(PBEL) with integrated sports facilities,

etch Losing Its Sheen?

‘The Village’(Phoenix Hodu) with fully furnished apartments, and the ’Prime Hub’(Divyashree) with ‘villaments’ and plotted developments. In addition, a number of local and national developers have also been acquiring large land parcels here for future projects.

Some notable developers with significant land holdings in the region include Vijayshanthi Developers, Marg, Akshaya Homes, and Hiranandani Developers.

The connecting road between Kelambakkam and Vandallur has especially been attracting residential projects as a long-term investment option. With the state government planning to acquire 66 acres at Vandallur for a mofussil bus terminus, this stretch looks more promising than ever for property investments.

As far as connectivity goes, over the years the OMR has developed various link roads connecting it to the GST (Grand Southern Trunk Road or NH 45), providing added development opportunities for available land parcels in the region. With the elevated highway set to come up soon, the last stretch of the micro-market looks particularly promising in terms of property investment options. The possible spillover of IT activity beyond Siruseri, along with lower land prices in this part of the area are expected to drive organized real estate development in this region. Furthermore, the expansion of the OMR stretch between Siruseri and Mahabalipuram into a six-lane expressway is also likely to amplify organized real estate activity in the long-term.

Despite all such real estate activity, however, the OMR stretch has been losing it sheen with home buyers

in recent times. Apart from the general subdued economic climate, it has primarily been the property pricing progression in this micro-market that has dampened demand. Consider the fact that between 2010 and 2014, price points rose by about 60–80%, especially along the first two sections of the area—and it becomes clear why an area that was primarily desired for its affordability, should now be leaving the average home buyer cold.

Even areas like Medavakkom, located off-Shollinganallur and recognized as one of the top 10 property locations in the country, have become comparatively unaffordable for the city’s general home buyer over the past couple of years due to climbing price points.

Add the fact that social infrastructure along the OMR is yet to fall in line with the price range of products on offer, and it becomes even clearer what it is that has been plaguing the micro-market of late. The ground reality is that affordable property today has shifted towards the peripheral stretches of OMR, beyond Padur, which is a good 35–40 km from Adyar.

And despite social infrastructure along this last stretch having much left to be desired, home buyers have little choice but to invest here. Having said that, residential property along the OMR will continue to attract demand in the long run because of the large IT workforce that the region caters to. But till such time that property prices climb down, the region would have lost some of its erstwhile demand from the average home buyer in Chennai. ❐ —The author is Head–India Retail Services, CBRE South Asia Pvt. Ltd.

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InVESTMEnT In IndIAn STATES

SPECIAL FOCuS: RAJASThAn

TOURISM IS KEY Rajasthan is the state that symbolises royalty, gallantry, resplendence, festivals and the barren yet striking Thar Desert. Its culture, festivals, customs and even cuisines are deeply associated with the ancient Indian culture. Its diverse landscape attracts tourists from all over the world. Rajasthan constitutes 23 per cent of the NCR, second largest urban agglomeration in the world. Rajasthan houses 322 industrial areas comprising 4 agro parks, 3EPIPs and SEZs. The EPIP in Jaipur is the largest in North India while IT SEZ in the state capital is the largest in the country. With 252 mines currently in operation, Rajasthan accounts for the entire production of lead and zinc concentrates of India

Investment in Tourism Sector—Overview The State of Rajasthan is one of the most favored destinations of tourists in India for both domestic and international traffic. Its desert dotted with rugged forts and beautiful palaces, lakes, wildlife and bird sanctuaries, charming cities, fairs and festivals, and colorful culture form the most fascinating and unique basket of attractions for any tourist. Tourism accounts for over 14 per cent of the state's economy in 2010 - 2011.

Popular tourist destinations in the state include historic cities (Jaipur, Udaipur), wildlife sanctuaries (Sariska, Ranthambore) and desert locations (Jodhpur, Jaisalmer).

The State runs famous luxury tourist trains—Royal Rajasthan on Wheels and Palace on Wheels—that connect some of the important tourist destinations of Rajasthan with Delhi and Agra (in Uttar Pradesh). This year Jantar Mantar, Jaipur has been included in the list of World Heritage Sites of UNESCO. During the calendar year 2011, up to December, the number of tourist arrivals in the State was 284.89 Lacs (271.37 Lacs domestic and 13.52 Lacs foreign). Rajasthan accounted for 21.49 per cent of total foreign tourists arrival in India in 2011.

Rajasthan ranks 5th in the country in number of domestic tourists arrival (3.9 per cent of total domestic tourists) and 6th in number of foreign tourists arrival (7.8 per cent of total foreign tourists).

Rajasthan has a developed tourism infrastructure, with over 6,000 hotel rooms in more than 150 hotels. Of these, over 1,400 rooms (54 hotels) belong to the heritage category.

Why Locate in Rajasthan Rajasthan has a large number of heritage properties in various districts. The owners of these heritage properties 14 india empire | June 2014

have indicated their willingness to enter into contract with private parties.

Explore more business opportunities at rajasthantourism.gov.in.

An arrangement wherein private heritage properties (forts, fortresses, palaces and havelis) can be taken up by investors in a joint venture or on management contract. The Government is in the process of identifying government properties of heritage value, which would be given out on lease arrangements. ❖ Rajasthan Tourism Units Policy 2007 is in place which provides various incentives to various units. ❖ A package of incentives is also available for new tourism units under the Rajasthan Investment Promotion Scheme 2010. ❖ Easy establishment of Tourist Units has launched an innovative scheme of Land Bank. ❖ Rajasthan is easily accessible to other states in India through air and rail. The two major tourist destinations in India, Delhi and Agra are in close proximity to the State. ❖ Delhi - 265 kms from Jaipur. Jaipur, Jodhpur and Udaipur are connected by daily service of Air, Train and Bus and motorable super highway. ❖ Agra - Daily train and bus service and a motorable super highway connect 240 kms to Jaipur.

Policies Rajasthan Tourism Units Policy 2007 The policy, already in place, covers Hotels, as well as all other units such as Heritage Hotels, Camping Sites, Holiday Resorts, Health Spas, etc. ❖ The minimum and maximum area for land to be auctioned from the land bank has been prescribed. The minimum area in the 2007 policy is the maximum area

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in the policy of 2006.

The cost of land has been differentiated with the budget and 4-star hotels base price fixed at less than 50 per cent of the commercial reserve price.

Rule 8 of the Rajasthan Land Revenue Rules 2007 (conversion of agricultural land for non agricultural purpose in rural areas), a proviso has been added exempting from conversion charges all those desirous of establishing hotels or any other tourism unit on the land held by them.

Regarding conversion of residential land and heritage properties into hotels and other tourism units, a proviso has been added to the Rajasthan Municipal Corporation Rules 2000 (land utilization conversion), where heritage property owners would not have to pay 40 per cent of residential reserve price for conversion of the property into a heritage hotel, with the rider that the property has been constructed prior to 1950 and should have a minimum of 10 rooms.

In JDA and other Urban Areas, the existing FAR of 1.75 has been doubled in new developed and new township areas subject to the condition that the overall FAR of the Township shall not exceed 1 (one). Floor Area Ratio (FAR) of existing hotels should be increased from 1.75 to 2, to allow construction of an additional floor. However, the land coverage area shall be similar to previous permissible area. The additional floor would only be used for rooms.

Key Players Prominent tourism industry players with strong presence in Rajasthan include: ❖ The Indian Hotels Company (IHC): IHC is the hospi-

tality arm of the Tata Group, India's largest private sector business group. In Rajasthan, IHC operates six hotels and resorts in Jaipur, Udaipur, Jodhpur and Ranthambore National Park, with over 400 rooms. IHC had a consolidated income of over USD 220 million for the year ending 31 March 2004. The Taj Group has been active in converting former royal palaces in India into world class luxury hotels such as the Taj Lake Palace in Udaipur, the Rambagh Palace in Jaipur and Umaid Bhawan Palace in Jodhpur.

PPP Projects Opportunities The state envisions mega investments in the infrastructure sector for its economic growth. Requirement of funds to meet all the infrastructural needs of the state cannot solely be met by budgetary resources of the government.

To attract private investment and to encourage its efficiency, to provide quality infrastructure and services at an optimal cost, an enabling policy and institutional mechanism would be developed.

The focus sectors where PPP may be contemplated include Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution Projects, Roads Bridges and Bypasses, Water Supply Treatment and Distribution, Airports and Heliports, Inland Container Depots and Logistics Hubs, Information Technology, Land Reclamation, Industrial/Knowledge Parks and Townships, urban utility services, Tourism, Education, Healthcare, Convention Centres and Urban Transport Systems.

PDCOR Limited: PDCOR is a dedicated project development company set up in association with IL&FS with a mandate to structure and attracts private sector investment into various infrastructure projects in the State. ❐

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TOuRISM

“Plans to restore India’s image as a safe destination” The Minister of Tourism and Culture will have the whole hearted cooperation Shripad Yesso Naik has said that his Minfrom the private sector partners to take istry would soon work out a PR Plan and tourism to new heights. It is time to now strategy to bring back the image of India as scale up our operations in the international a safe destination. Speaking at the IATO inmarket. teraction in June, Shri Naik said the issue of I am aware of the fact that the tourism safety and security of tourists, especially industry in India today is concerned about women tourists, is Government’s utmost the issue of safety and security of tourists concern. He said, the Government recogespecially the women tourists. I would like nises the role tourism and hospitality can to assure that it is our utmost concern too. play as a foreign exchange earner and their We will soon work out a PR Plan and stratShripad Yesso Naik ability to create millions of jobs every year egy to bring back the image of India as a Minister of Tourism and and therefore, it is important that both the safe destination.

Culture Government and Private Sector are in same Plans are on to harness technology for tangent so as to achieve the goals set. growth and development of tourism.

Excerpts from what Mr Naik said: I am also keen that the Electronic Travel Authoriza“It is my great pleasure to be amongst the members of tion (ETA) becomes operational at the earliest. This will India Association of Tour Operators, which is the largest provide a great push to the inbound tourism as we will be association of the travel trade service providers and which able to tap the last minute traveller, the sponsors of busidirectly deals with the inbound tourism in the country. It ness travellers and executives attending conferences. is important that both Government and Private Sector are The subject of seamless travel of tourist vehicles bein same tangent so as to achieve the goals set for us. tween the States has been a long pending demand and I As you are all aware, in our election manifesto our party know that this is of utmost importance. I will indeed make had identified tourism as a key sector to drive socio-eco- sincere efforts to resolve this in consultation with the Minnomic progress and earn foreign exchange for the country. ister of surface transport.

We had announced, I quote, “BJP recognises the role We have also initiated a programme to train the exectourism and hospitality can play as a foreign exchange utives of members of IATO in spoken Chinese language. earner and their ability to create millions of jobs every year. This programme is scheduled to begin around end of This is my first formal meeting with IATO after my as- June. This has been initiated as per your request and would suming charge and I am glad that this will give us an op- help to ease the demand of Chinese Speaking Guides. portunity to exchange ideas while the new government is I look forward to a very positive and fruitful associaon the path of setting its agenda for various segments of tion with you in the coming days and seek your whole the economy including tourism. Tourism is one of the top hearted cooperation in making India the most preferred ❐ priority sectors for my government and I am sure that I destination in the region.”

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BETEL LEAVES undER SCAnnER

EU NOW TARGETS PAAN

U

day Dholakia Chairman of the National Asian Business Association has expressed serious concerns in the manner many of the fruit and vegetable imports for the British Asian communities are coming under stringent regulatory scrutiny.

Mr Dholakia has said “The European Commission issued a statement stating that since August 2011 a high proportion of consignments of paan leaves imported into the UK from India have tested positive for salmonella. Salmonella causes severe diarrhoea and vomiting. The EU's Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF) has said "continuous reports notified by UK have led to the setting up of reinforced checks for paan leaves from India. An important source of RASFF notifications on pathogens are fruits and vegetables," it said. "The main pathogen referred through RASFF is salmonella. The high reason for salmonella contamination since 2011 is paan leaves."

“The UK Food Standards Agency (FSA) “said Uday Dholakia “has earlier issued a warning to consumers about the risk of salmonella food poisoning from paan leaves. The FSA has asked authorities at UK ports and airports to sample and test all consignments of paan leaves presented for import, especially those coming from India and Thailand” Uday Dholakia, previously a Non-Executive Director of Local Better Regulation Office, part of the UK Government’s Department of Business Innovation and Skills said “during my tenure at LBRO, I facilitated a major research report on the Impacts of Regulation on Diverse Commu-

nitiesand actively highlighted the plight of British Asian importers. The research came in late and wasn’t up to our expectations, hence NABA has taken the lead in this partnership with the UK regulators”. NABA is now working with all the three political parties in the UK via Alok Sharma from the Conservatives, Seema Malhotra from the Labour Party and Zuffar Huq from the Lib-Dems.

Uday Dholakia todays called for three immediate actions: 1) “That the British Government recognise there is a serious food supply chain and security issues affecting the British Asian Businesses, consumers and manufacturesand request all the National Regulators to engage with NABA to develop forward plans for best practice. The Food Allergen legislation arriving in October 2014, the Food Labelling are two urgent challenges” 2) “That the new Prime Minister in India put better regulation for food and drink exports at the top of the political and administrative agenda to enhance the reputation of Indian exporters and support British importers and supply chain manufactures, the retailers, and ultimately the consumers” 3) “Via European Members of Parliament like the Midlands Neena Gill MEP open up a three way dialogues between the UK and EU regulators and NABA.” “The potential ban on betel leaf “said Uday Dholakia “is also a spiritual setback for many British Asians who use the leaf as part of their worship”. ❐

June 2014 | india empire 17

InVESTIng In IndIA

For the investor, stability and an enabling environment are key decision-making factors. From indications already coming in, several investors are poised to engage vigorously with new state Governments and the central Government in terms of investments across sectors. In the coming pages find excerpts from the India Attractiveness Survey, prepared by Ernst and Young and shared with Invest India and FICCI. In January 2014, India Empire had partnered Invest India and FICCI to put together a day long investment summit known as the Global Indian Business Conference

18 india empire | June 2014

www.EY.COM/ATTRACTIVEnESS

June 2014 | india empire 19

InVESTIng In IndIA

20 india empire | June 2014

www.EY.COM/ATTRACTIVEnESS

June 2014 | india empire 21

AIRPORTS AuThORITY OF IndIA

TAPPiNG SOLAR

ENERGY AT AAi

AiRPORTS

As part of the series of efforts of AAI in tapping alternative sources of energy, AAI is going to establish solar power plants at its airports to meet not only its own requirements but also to feed the surplus power generated to the local grid. An MoU between AAI and Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) was signed in May in the august presence of Shri Ashok Lavasa, Secretary, Civil Aviation and Shri Alok Sinha, Joint Secretary, MoCA & Chairman,

22 india empire | June 2014

AAI and Shri Rajendra Nimje, MD, Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) for establishment of Solar Power Plants at AAI Airports. The MoU was signed

by Shri Sudhir Raheja, Member (Planning), AAI and Shri Rakesh Kumar, Director, SECI, SECI, at Rajiv Gandhi Bhawan, Safdarjung Airport, New Delhi.

Senior Officers of AAI and SECI were also present on this occasion.

On this occasion, Shri Ashok Lavasa, Secretary,

Civil Aviation, highlighted the importance of tapping solar energy through various outlets including storage of power generated in rechargeable batteries. He also emphasized to use the full potential of roof top surfaces as large areas are available at airports. He stated that utilization of stored energy in an efficient and effective manner is very important and as such AAI shall identify the outlets where the tapped energy can be channelized.

These would be implemented for other applications of renewable energy for various establishments at airports. Secretary, Civil Aviation directed that projects shall be accomplished in a timebound manner and the airport-wise specific time lines shall be worked out and followed up for effective implementation.

Setting up of Solar plants will not only achieve significant savings in power bills over a period of time but also result in relief in significant saving in carbon emissions apart from making airports selfsustainable so far as energy requirement is concerned.

AAI’s plans include installations of 50 MW capacity plants (cumulative capacity in Phase I) which will be enhanced to 150 MW (cumulative) over a period of time. The plants will be installed on surplus land available with AAI and at large roof tops of AAI’s structures. In all about 30 Airports have been identified by AAI for establishment of Solar Power Plants.

Shri Ashok Lavasa, Secretary (Civil Aviation) and Shri Alok Sinha, Joint Secretary, MoCA & Chairman, AAI immediately after signing of MoU for establishment of Solar Power Plants at Airports; in all Solar Plants of 50 MW cumulative capacity are envisaged to be set up at 30 airports in the country

AAi has taken up many initiatives towards sustainable development. Some are: ❖ Use of all electrical appliances conforming to

Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) with rating 4 star and above. ❖ Occupancy sensors, timers to shut off lights au-

tomatically. ❖ Building Management System (BMS) being im-

plemented in new projects where in new terminals have been constructed / are under progress. ❖ Energy Efficient Chillers and Variable Speed

Drives are being used to improve mechanical efficiency of air-conditioning plants, air-handling units, pumps. ❖ Energy efficient fluorescent lamps (T5) are

being used. For indoor lighting use of LED lamps, which is more energy efficient and has

longer life, is proposed for new projects. ❖ Automatic sliding doors and air curtains are

being used to reduce air-conditioning loss. ❖ Machine Room less elevators are used at air-

ports which conserve approximately 40 per cent energy as compared to conventional elevators. ❖ Escalators are provided at Airports with sen-

sors to save energy. ❖ Replacement of taxi way and apron edge lights

with LED lights at Indore, Guwahati and Jaipur Airports. ❖ Baggage Conveyor System with sensor for Bag-

gage location and occupancy provided for automatic stopping of baggage system.

June 2014 | india empire 23

dIASPORA ORgAnIZATIOn gOPIO

SiLVER JUBiLEE The Global Organization of People of Indian Origin (GOPIO International) concluded its 25th Anniversary (Jubilee) Convention 2014 in Port of Spain in Trinidad and Tobago, with a memorable and highly successful celebration from 27th May through 30th May, 2014 coinciding with the 169th anniversary of Indian Arrival Day commemoration in Trinidad & Tobago. The convention theme was “Indian Diaspora Today and Tomorrow”.

The convention was an historic event in the Indian Diaspora attended by delegates from several countries where GOPIO is prominent and where persons of Indian origin reside in substantial numbers and many from countries with fewer than 10% of the population. Countries include: Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, Malaysia, Mauritius, Sri Lanka, India, Reunion Island, Mauritius, South Africa, Netherlands and other countries of the European Union (EU), United Kingdom, Canada, USA, the Caribbean region: Guyana, Trinidad & Tobago, Suriname, Belize, St. Vincent, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Jamaica, Grenada and St Lucia.

Among the many events of the convention, some of the notable highlights include: An elaborate welcome reception at the Diplomatic Centre residence of Hon. Kamla

Persad-Bissessar, Prime Minister of Trinidad & Tobago, GOPIO’s elections for new officers, GOPIO International Council Meetings; an all-day academic conference based on the convention theme of “Indian Diaspora Today & Tomorrow”; GOPIO delegates as special guests at cultural performances held at National Cultural of Indian Culture (NCIC), and unveiling of a historic arrival monument at Waterloo-by-the-Sea marking the first arrivals of indentured Indian laborers in Trinidad on 30th May 1845.

GOPIO Executive Council Elections and New Team Elections were held by GOPIO International Council for several positions in GOPIO’ Executive Council. The following officials were elected by unanimous vote for the next 2-year term beginning May 28, 2014: ❖ President - Ashook Ramsaran ❖ Executive Vice President - Sunny Kulathakal ❖ Senior Vice President - Dr. Piyush Agrawal ❖ International Coordinator North America - Dr. Renuka Misra ❖ International Coordinator Caribbean. - Dr. Arnold Thomas

GOPIO Chairman Inder Singh, President Ashook Ramsaran, Executive Vice President Sunny Kulathakal, Senior Vice President Dr. Piyush Agrawal, International Coordinator North America, Dr. Renuka Misra, and International Coordinator Caribbean, Dr. Arnold Thomas 26 india empire | June 2014

GOPIO Jubilee Recognition Recipients with GOPIO officials, Indian High Commissioner G. Gupta, with Trinidad & Tobago’s Minister Dr. Vasant Bharath MP and Minister Ramona Ramdial MP ❖

Chairman GOPIO International, Inder Singh, was elected for another term.

Reception at Prime Minister’s Residence A significant highlight of GOPIO’s 25th Anniversary Jubilee Convention 2014 was the special welcome reception of all GOPIO delegates at the Diplomatic Centre residence of the HE Prime Minister Kamla Persad Bissessar on 28th May. The reception was hosted by Ministry of National Diversity and Social Integration with Minister Dr Roger Samuel making the initial remarks after a welcome prayer by Brother Harripersad Maharaj, followed by remarks by GOPIO International president Ashook Ramsaran and presentation of gifts. Hon Prime Minister Kamla Persad Bissessar formally welcomed GOPIO’s delegates, recounted GOPIO’s special reception/dinner during the visit to the Kolkata Memorial on 12th January, 2012 and thanked GOPIO for “holding its 25th Anniversary Jubilee Convention in the twin islands of Trinidad & Tobago”.

GOPIO made presentations of gifts and books to HE Prime Minister Kamla Persad Bissessar: Special Kashmiri shawl by Kedar N. Gupta (India); GOPIO 25th Anniversary Jubilee Souvenir Brochure by Ramesh Kalicharan, editor (USA); portrait and tribute to late Nelson Mandela by Rita Abraham (South Africa); books by Dr. Mahin Gosine (USA); Dr Jagat Motwani (USA); Balkrishna Naipaul (Canada); GOPIO 1st convention stamp by Dr. Thomas Abraham (USA); and book presentation by Dr C. Baidjnath Misier (Netherlands).

Business-to-Business Seminar On 28th May, a Business-to-Business seminar featuring

prominent scholars and business leaders was held at the Radisson Hotel. It was sponsored by Trinidad & Tobago’s Ministry of Trade & Investment with focus to highlight the many economic opportunities of the Caribbean region at this convention.

Academic Conference: “Indian Diaspora Today & Tomorrow” The Academic Conference segment of the convention was a full 1-day event held on 29th May at the Radisson Hotel. There were several sessions designed round the convention theme of “Indian Diaspora Today & Tomorrow” The chief guest at the Inaugural Session was Indian High Commissioner HE Gauri Gupta and the keynote speaker Dr Mahin Gosine, Professor of Sociology and Anthropology at State University of New York, USA. Dr. Kumar Mahabir, Assistant Professor at University of Trinidad and Tobago, concluded the session.

Jubilee Recognition Awards Gala The Jubilee Recognition Gala was another highlight of GOPIO’s 25th Anniversary (Jubilee) Convention 2014, held on 29th May, 2014 in the Grand Ballroom at the Radisson Hotel in Port of Spain. In attendance was Indian High Commissioner to Trinidad & Tobago, HE Gauri Gupta; Trinidad & Tobago’s Minister of Trade & Investment, Dr. Vasant Bharath; and Min. Ramona Ramdial, Minister in the Ministry of Environment & Water Resources.

The event was emceed by prominent radio and television host Zelisa Boodoosingh and was broadcast live courtesy of Dr Hans Hanoomansingh (Heritage Radio).

GOPIO’s Jubilee Recognition for outstanding achieveJune 2014 | india empire 27

Some of the Legacy Generation Residents of Trinidad & Tobago with GOPIO officials, Indian High Commissioner HE Gauri Gupta, With Trinidad & Tobago’s Min. Dr. Suruj Rambachan, Min. Ramona Ramdial, Counselors Abdool & Seepersad, Couva Regional Chairman Henry Awong. Unveiling of Indian Arrival Monument at Waterloo-by-the-Sea ments in selected categories were accorded to several persons “who contributed to the betterment of people of the Indian Diaspora. The Jubilee Recognition recipients achieved significant and prominent levels of stature and recognition in their respective fields of endeavor and have served interests of people in their respective countries of domicile and others as well, in addition to generating pride and respect among the Indian Diaspora and others in country of birth or domicile”. Each GOPIO’s Jubilee Recognition awardee (or representative for posthumous recognition) was presented with a well designed GOPIO Jubilee award.

Posthumous Recognition: Henri Sidambaron (Guadeloupe); Dr. Najma Sultana (USA); Baleshwar Agrawal (India); Lall Paladee (Trinidad & Tobago); Dr Cheddi Jagan (Guyana).

Friends of GOPIO: HE Dr. Ralph Gonsalves, Prime Minister of St. Vincent & Grenadines; Hon Albert Ramdin, Deputy Secretary General of Organization of American States (USA); Hon. Chandrikapersad Santokhi Chairman of Progressive Reform Party (Suriname).

Professional, Civic, Culture, Entrepreneurship, Media, Philanthropy: National Indian Cultural Centre – NCIC (Trinidad & Tobago); John Barath (Trinidad & Tobago); Brenda Gopeesingh (Trinidad & Tobago); Dr. Hans Hanoomansingh (Trinidad & Tobago); Sattaur Gafoor (Guyana); Dr Yesu Persaud (Guyana); Chancellor of Judiciary & Chief Justice Carl Singh (Guyana); Dr C. Baidjnath Misier (Netherlands); Dr. Lakshmi Persaud (United Kingdom); Ishwar Ramlutchman (South Africa); Nicole Vaitylingon (Guadeloupe); Kamaludin Mohammed (Trinidad & Tobago); Dr. Vivian Rambihar (Canada); Ashok Motwani (India); Dr. Parmatma Saran (USA); Dr. Sudhir Parikh (USA); TV Asia H R Shah (USA); India Abroad (USA); Kedar N. Gupta (India); Israel Khan 28 india empire | June 2014

(Trinidad & Tobago).

In addition to recognition of those who contributed to GOPIO’s formation in 1989 as well as all previous life members, GOPIO recognized the newest life members since 6th January, 2014 in attendance with suitably designed plaques and new life membership lapel pins: Yamonee Barbaro (USA); Balkrishna Naipaul (Canada); Deo Gosine (Trinidad & Tobago); Sasenarine Sankar (Guyana); Claude Sheikboudhou (Guadeloupe); Elie Shitalou (Guadeloupe); Shaji SM Alex (India); Shaji Baby John (India).

Special recognition was accorded to GOPIO’s 25th Anniversary (Jubilee) Convention 2014 grand patrons: Surichange Bank NV (Dr C. Baidjnath Misier, Netherlands) and Labidco Port Services Ltd (Deo Gosine, Trinidad & Tobago).

Indian Arrival Monument at Waterloo-by-the-Sea The Indian Arrival Monument at Waterloo-by-the-Sea was unveiled on 30th May 2014, the 169th anniversary of Indian Arrival Day in Trinidad & Tobago, another significant and historic marker of the journey of Indian migration to other lands for better livelihood. The monument is another commemorative milestone marker in honored tribute and well deserved recognition of the first arrivals of indentured Indian laborers in Trinidad & Tobago. This project was initiated by GOPIO president Ashook Ramsaran in similar manner as with the Kolkata Memorial in India (2011) and Indian Arrival Monument in Guyana (2013). It was supported by the Indian High Commission of Trinidad & Tobago and the Ministry of Local Government - Couva/Tabaquite/Talparo Regional Corporation.

The site at Waterloo-by-the-Sea was selected as an appropriate setting for the tribute to first arrivals of Indian in❐ dentured laborers to the sores of Trinidad & Tobago.

dIASPORA In u.K.

HOW TO HAVE

YOUR VOicE

HEARd T

hursday June 5 saw the latest event held by Women Empowered. The theme for the night was on how one could harness the power of the internet and social media and posed the question that in a world on 7 billion people can one person really have their voice heard?

Reena Ranger welcomed the guests and explained the rationale of the evening’s event by saying “When we first pictured this event it was through the somewhat naive and narrow lens of how social media has transformed people's ability to start ventures from home or anywhere and how it can be used to differentiate and market those ventures to a wider audience at a relatively low cost and with relative ease. Enterprises can now tap into markets and geographical locations they may have never heard of and reach more people than they could ever have imagined all with the touch of a button. But recent events in India, Pakistan, Syria and Sudan have really shown us what people power and social media can do. It can bring worldwide attention to causes and events that have been taking place for decades but just have been unspoken and or unseen by the world because there was no way to get the message out to so many, so quickly. But social media has now changed that – our eyes and ears can now be opened in realtime.

The speakers for the evening were Rupa Ganatra who is the co-founder of Men's e-commerce site Yes-Sir.com and brandussocial.com, which organises Social Media and Digital conferences for the fashion and beauty industry, Farzana Baduel is the founder and managing director, Curzon PR, a Londonbased strategic public relations and digital communications agency and Sunny Hundal, author, journalist, blogger and academic. He is best known as the former editor for the UK's most popular centre-left blog 'Liberal Conspiracy'.

Rupa Ganatra talked about the use of social media in the recent electoral campaign of Narendra Modi in India and how he was engaging and having a conversation with millions of people every day through its use. She emphasised how one must engage with their clients and customers; always using relevant interesting content and ensuring 80% of your post was content and 20% a sales pitch. From banker to internet entrepreneur she spoke about how she ensured that content was fun, applicable and interesting on her sites and that people should take advantage of analytical tools available to them and how 30 india empire | June 2014

Standing: Mona Remtulla, Reena Ranger Sitting: Rupa Ganatra, Farzana Baduel, Sunny Hundal

Guests at the Event

many are inbuilt into many sites free for consumption.

Farzana Baduel provided a full and insightful talk into social media and the benefits to the business. She said that often for certain businesses social media may not generate leads or revenue, but it is a medium for communication with your clients. There are other avenues to generate credible sales leads such as Search Engine optimisation and one should not be put off or afraid of utilising them. She went on to say that in her opinion twitter is like having a baby.

You cannot have it and leave it, it is a long term relationship with a huge learning curve. She herself had gone full circle from disliking and not understanding the platform to loving it! Farzana specialises in social media for her company as well as for her clients in an interesting, applicable and with a tailored view and each campaign must be seen with fresh eyes and looked at in an imaginative way to maximise effect.

Sunny Hundal talked about social media and his journey. How told the audience how he started as a blogger after feeing constrained by mainstream media. He shared tips on blogging learnt from his own experiences and mentioned that blogs should be short and interesting. He also spoke about ensuring content on social media should be

applicable and relevant and went on to advise on what should be avoided when posting on sites. He went on to speak about how the internet and social media can be extremely useful in making a name for yourself or promoting your cause.

Special thanks was given to Sriram Sivasankaran for the pictures taken at the event and stall holders Raishma Islam of Raishma Ready to Wear, Preema Verma of Reesa Rocks, Parita of Uniflora and Sukhi Bhogal a Nikken Wellness Consultant.

Mona Remtulla, co-founder of Women Empowered, closed the evenings proceedings by adding, “We hope that today will inspire you to harness your own inner media centre and through the journeys, advice and wisdom of Rupa, Farzana and Sunny, navigate your own way through the world wide web to make your own mark and have a voice that can be heard whether it is for a cause or your businessâ€? she went on to add that Women Empowered itself had seen the power of social media in highlighting causes and how one person really can have a voice that can be heard. She referred to a campaign to engage more ethnic minority donors started online which had captured the imagination of the Women Empowered team. â??

June 2014 | india empire 31

dIASPORA In EAST AFRICA

After India, Jhaveri Fought for Freedom in Tanzania To pay tribute to an outstanding freedom fighter, Kantilal Zhaveri, his widow, Urmila, returns to Tanzania from India this week to donate his papers and documents to the national archives and also launch her memoirs of the women's struggle in this East African country, report Kul Bhushan and Sultan Jessa After fighting against the British rule in India and Tanzania, a distinguished lawyer Kantilal Jhaveri, made his mark as an elected member of parliament in Tanzania and returned to India. At the end of a long and illustrious career of public service, Kantilal Jhaveri who was born in Rajkot, Gujarat in 1921, died early this year in Delhi aged 93.

As a young, daring student Jhaveri joined the Quit India Movement started by Mahatma Gandhi to rid India of the British rule. He organized a strike in his college. He was arrested and jailed in Rajkot in 1942. After his release, he proceeded to obtain his law degree from Poona Law College.

"As a young lawyer, he was always interested in human rights issues and freedom," said Urmila Jhaveri, his widow who worked as a women's community leader in Tanzania. "After arriving in Tanganyika to begin a new life, he got involved in the political struggle wholeheartedly."

Her parents, Labhuben and Tarachand Gandhi, migrated to Zanzibar Island in early 1920s where her father joined the Sultan of Zanzibar's government as a customs officer. She was born on the nearby Island of Pemba in 1931, grew up in Dar-es-Salaam, the capital of Tanganyika in the harsh Colonial era.

During World War II, she sailed from Dar-esSalaam to Jamnagar in a traditional Indian boat called a dhow, avoiding German warships and surviving a severe storm. "We survived the long treacherous journey and did well in spite of the colonial masters, and many physical and financial constraints," she recalls. Urmila has just published her memoirs in a fascinating book, Dancing with Destiny, in which the chapter of this voyage by dhow makes for exciting reading. In Rajkot, she was engaged to Kantibhai, got married in 1948 and returned with her husband after the war was over.

When Jhaveri arrived in Tanganyika, the country was starting its freedom struggle and he wasted no time in getting deeply involved in this campaign.

"This opened up a whole new window for me as well," said Urmila. "After our marriage, we took part together in rallies and meetings in heady pre-inde32 india empire | June 2014

A couple who dedicated their lives to Tanzania: Kantilal and Urmila Zhaveri

pendence days in Tanganyika."

Urmila was also deeply committed to social work under the National Women's Organization. "My best moments came when I visited remote villages, shared problems, meals and songs, dancing with women, holding hands of almost naked mad men or listening to the witches' call at night. I went to these villages with my fellow African women's leaders and we stayed overnight in many of these villages to know their problems and issues and provided solutions."

"It was scary sometimes as the dancing stopped and loud voices of witches were heard late in the night," she said, "My other problem was vegetarian food which they made especially for me," she said.

After working closely with the most prominent leader, Julius Nyerere, Jhaveri contested and easily won a seat in the country's Parliament from Dar-es-Salaam Constituency. He served as an MP before and after the country won its independence. Jhaveri also served as the President of Tanganyika Law Society for 15 years and chaired many important committees, commissions and social welfare organisations. Jhaveri was a member of the team of lawyers who defended Nyerere in the libel case of 1958. He later wrote,

dIASPORA In EAST AFRICA

Smiling Urmila Zhaveri in conversation with the former President of India, Dr. S Radhakrishnan, during his visit to Tanzania

"Marching with Nyerere," a book on Tanzania's founding father and it's first President. This book mainly deals with the freedom struggle and challenges faced by the new nation.

In the late 19th century, Imperial Germany conquered the region now called Tanzania. Following World War II, it became a British Mandate. After a relatively peaceful struggle, Tanganyika became independent in 1961. Tanganyika and Zanzibar, after a violent revolution, merged in 1964 to form Tanzania. In 1967, Nyerere issued the Arusha Declaration which brought in socialism and self-reliance. Under this Declaration, all private properties and businesses were nationalized.

While in Tanzania, the couple witnessed these dramatic and historic events: the violent revolution in Zanzibar, a mutiny by the army, the mass nationalization of banks and businesses which compelled many Asians to flee the country in search of better lives in other parts of the globe. The Jhaveri family owned two homes but lost them during nationalization. The lawyer never made any effort to recover the seized property.

After he retired from legal practice and active politics due to ill health, the couple decided to move to Delhi in 2009 to be with the rest of family. And to keep herself mentally busy, Urmila started to write her memoirs, 'Dancing with Destiny'. "I felt that very few women have ventured out in this men's domain," she said, "I wanted to write my experiences before it gets lost in the sands of time. I feel that my story is about all of us who made East Africa our home and deserves to be told. This also presents the contribution of the Indians to Tanzania."

She is travelling to Tanzania to present all historical papers and reference materials to the Tanzanian national archives and to launch her book in Dar-es-Salaam. â??

34 india empire | June 2014

Kantilal Jhaveri presents his book, ‘Marching with Nyerere’, to the former President of India, Dr Abdul Kalam

Urmila Zhaveri talking to Mrs. Indira Gandhi who visited Tanzania as the President of the Congress party; also seen is the first President of Tanzania, Mwalimu Julius Nyerere (with walking stick)

dIASPORA In KEnYA

MOdi’S VicTORY

cELEBRATiONS

BJP supporters under the leadership of Shantibhai Shah, activist of the Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh, held a celebration on the evening of May 23 in honour of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The event took place at Jamhur High School where BJP supporters have bee meeting for 43 years. About 200 people partcipated

June 2014 | india empire 35

OFBJP

SPREADING BJP IN BALTIC AND UKRAINE A whirlwind 4-nation tour for opening OFBJP chapters OFBJP Convener BJP Overseas Affairs Shri. Vijay Jolly under took a whirlwind tour of Poland, Latvia, Lithuania and Ukraine for exploring new OFBJP chapters in Europe.

BJP supporters greeted OFBJP leader Mr Jolly with great enthusiasm in Warsaw (Poland), Riga (Latvia), Vilnius (Lithuania) and in Kiev (Ukraine). The historic victory of BJP and the charismatic leadership of Hon’ble Prime Minister of India Shri. Narendra Modi were roundly applauded everywhere.

OFBJP leader Vijay Jolly was greeted by the Indian Ambassador in Poland Mrs. Monika Mohta and OFBJP Poland Convenor Mr. J.J. Singh. Prominent young Polish Member of Parliament Mr. Michael Szczerba greeted BJP leader Mr. Jolly at the Sejm (Polish Parliament). The Indian community greeted Mr. Jolly on his visit to the historic Hindu temple in Warsaw by temple President & prominent businessman Mr. Rajesh Bojwani. A grand reception was organized in down town “Bollywood Lounge”

by OFBJP Poland leaders to celebrate BJP and Mr. Modi ji’s historic victory in Indian Parliamentary polls.

Indian Ambassador in Ukraine Mr. Rajiv K. Chander briefed OFBJP leader Mr. Jolly on the safety and security

(L-R) OFBJP leader Vijay Mehta, Mrs. Mayor, Vilnius Mayor A. Zuokas, OFBJP Convenor Vijay Jolly

Mayor of Vilnius Arturas Zuokas, Indian Ambsdr Mrs. Monika along with OFBJP Convener Vijay Jolly at a public reception in Lithuania 36 india empire | June 2014

OFBJP Convenor Vijay Jolly with Indian Ambassador in Poland Smt. Monika Mohta at Warsaw of Indian students, their evacuation and journey back home to India. Nearly 4200 Indian nationals including 3700 students have been evacuated from the violence torn towns and cities of Ukraine successfully by the Indian Embassy and ably assisted by the NRIs. It was specially pointed out by Ambassador Chander that nearly 1100 Indian medical students alone were evacuated from the Lucan city in Ukraine where bloodshed occurred.

A lunch reception in honor of visiting OFBJP leader Mr. Jolly was organized at the India House in Kiev by the Indian Ambassador. It was attended by prominent businessmen and NRIs. BJP supporters and well wishers in Ukraine led by Indian association leader Mr. S. Thamarai Pandian separately organized a grand dinner reception at the well decorated “Sutra Restaurant” in Kiev to celebrate the victory of Mr. Modi and BJP. Famous Ukraine TV face Dr. Mridula Ghosh along with Mohan Yadav, Dr. Joydeep Majumdar, Dr. Suresh Singh, Arvind Kumar, Ram Dange, Ravi Rakheja, TS Jhulka, Dr. Shailesh, Dr. Shashidharan, Sardar Tarvinder Singh, Venkata Ramana, Sanjay Kumar, Vijay R. Badekar attended the program.

In Latvia, OFBJP leader Mr. Jolly was accorded a warm welcome on arrival at Riga Airport. The Indian Ambassador to Stockholm (Sweden) and accredited to Latvia Mrs. Banashri B. Harrison met Mr. Jolly at Radisson Blu Hotel at Elizabeth Street in Riga. A half an hour long meeting exchanged views on “People to People Diplomacy” of OFBJP and business opportunities in Latvia. Mr. Sumit Chakravarty, CEO of a prominent Cargo Company was nominated as the OFBJP Convener in this European nation by Mr. Jolly at a dinner reception organized in “Indian Raja” restaurant in Riga.

BJP leader Mr. Jolly had a chance meeting with Pakistan Punjab (Lahore) Governor Mohammad Sarwar along with handsome popular Pakistani singer Waris Baig in Riga. Warm greetings were exchanged. To Mr. Jolly’s surprise, Hon’ble Mr. Modi ji’s popularity was echoed by the visiting Pakistani Governor, who is a close associate of Pakistan PM Shri. Nawaz Sharif. BJP Leader Mr. Jolly received an instant invitation to visit Pakistan by the Hon’ble

(L-R) Indian Ambassador to Sweden Mrs. Banashri with OFBJP Convenor Vijay Jolly in Latvia

OFBJP Convenor Vijay Jolly greeting Indian Ambassador in Ukraine Mr. Rajiv K. Chander at Kiev

OFBJP Convenor Vijay Jolly welcomed at Riga, Latvia a Pak Governor Mr. Sarwar who previously served as a British Labor Party MP in Glasgow from 1997 to 2010.

In Vilnius, OFBJP Convener (Lithuania) Wing Commander (Retd) Rajinder Kumar Chaudhary (VSM) welcomed BJP leader Mr. Jolly along. A Lithuania Business Forum meeting, cultural evening hosted by popular Mayor of Vilnius, Hon’ble Arturas Zuokas, meeting Ambassador at Large Mr. Igors Apokins (now appointed as next Ambassador to Pakistan) at the Parliament and visit to the Vilnius city municipal Government were the main highlights of the brief Lithuania trip. ❐ June 2014 | india empire 37

dIASPORA In uSA

CHICAGO’S PUNJABI

YOUTH NIGHT In June, the Punjabi Cultural Society of Chicago (PCS) hosted the 14th annual Punjabi Youth Graduation and Scholarships Awards Night. Over 250 attended

On June 8 at the Viceroy of India Banquet Hall, Lombard in Illinois, the Punjabi Cultural Society of Chicago (PCS) hosted its fourteenth annual “Punjabi Youth Graduation and Scholarships Awards Night. Graduates from the Class of 2014 were honoured, PCS scholarships awarded. The Rangla Punjab 2014 cultural program that followed was appreciated by over 250 guests that attended. The guests of honour were about 25 Class of 2014 graduates from the Punjabi community.

The celebration included keynote address by Dr. Birinder Singh Marwah, Chief of Geriatrics at Advocate Masonic Medical Center and also Chief Medical Officer for Symphony Health Care, Administrative Director of Seasons Hospice, past president of I.M.A. (India Medical Association) and Past Chairman of PCS (Punjabi Cultural Society of Chicago). Dr. Marwaha was an inspiring speaker who spoke from the heart with memorable teaching moments he experienced in his own personal life. His eight point thoughtful and inspiring speech hit home with the young graduates and the other audience alike.

The motivational student speaker was Dr. Jaswinder Pal Singh who is completing his residency in Neurology at the Loyola University Medical Center and will be joining a fellowship in Clinical Neurology starting July 2014. His key message was persistence and resilience, never to give up in adversity and eventually success will kiss your feet. “You graduate with every movement. Graduation is like moving a step ahead in life, preparing oneself to do better, learn and apply the newly gained knowledge,” said Dr. Jaswinder Pal Singh. ❐

38 india empire | June 2014

dIASPORA In uSA

“US and India relationship have a trajectory of its own” For more than a decade, Sanjay Puri as the Chairman of the U.S. India Political Action Committee (USINPAC), has worked with an objective to present a unified voice to the Congress and impact policies that affect the Indian American community in the United States. The USINPACE was founded in the year 2003 and is based in Washington D.C. It works intimately with other Indian-American organisations to uphold unprejudiced policies, and support Indian Americans in being a part of the political process. Sanjay Suri has been working on various important issues that are of significance to the Indian community in the US. He is also the Chairman of Optimos and the Founder and President of the Alliance for US India Business Alliance (AUSIB). AUSIB works towards strengthening economic ties between the US and India and Optimos is an IT solutions firm which is also among the top firms providing IT solutions to the Government agencies in the US. Sanjay is a passionate reader, entrepreneur and a representative of over 2.7 million Indian Americans. In an Interview with India Empire’s Assistant Editor Misha Singh, Sanjay Puri talks about the vision and role of USINPAC

What is the role of USINPAC in US politics?

Since the inception of USINPAC over 10 years ago it has played a great role in educating US members of congress, governors in various states and the US administration about the issues that are important to the Indian American community. The issue like US-India relations and immigration issues of concern to the community have always been put forward by USINPAC. We have also supported the community by educating them about why political engagement is important for the Indian American community. USINPAC also provides financial support and infrastructure to deserving Indian American candidates running for office at the federal, state and local level.

What kind of the congressional support does USINPAC have?

USINPAC has been instrumental in increasing the US House of Representatives India caucus to close to 200 members and the US senate to close to 40. Both of them 40 india empire | June 2014

Mr Sanjay Puri

are the largest caucus in the house and the senate.

USINPAC claims to represent 2.7 million Indians.

How do you reach out to such large number of people? Do you have a newsletter, magazine or newspaper?

We have various touch points: we have chapters in several states that interface with local members and support events and activities in various states. We also have a newsletter and member alerts that go to the all the members of USINPAC and it covers the largest database of the Indian American community.

What is your vision and mission to better the India-US ties?

The relationship is at a level that it does not now matter what government is in power in the US and India. It has a trajectory of its own. It is based on shared values but also it should grow based on shared interests of trade and security. Energy, education and defense sectors will

play a key role in bettering this relationship in the future.

Does USINPAC play a role in ensuring more of Indian participation in the US? Yes, absolutely, we do play a key role by educating Indian Americans on why their involvement is important in the political process of US and also support them when they run for office. We also help the Indian Americans in getting in Capitol Hill as interns and in key positions in the administration.

Is USINPAC consulted in the Obama decisions on India?

We have provided our opinions whenever asked for by the legislative and executive branch on India-US relationship.

What kind of backgrounds do the USINPAC members come from?

There is no bar of backdrop for the members; they come from a wide

variety of backgrounds like technology, medicine, education, business, professionals, students, homemakers and every other field.

Do you think the ties between India and US will be affected if Narendra Modi comes to power?

As I have mentioned earlier this is a relationship based on shared values but also will grow based on shared interests of trade and security. We believe that no matter who comes to power both US and India will realise the benefits of the relationship and work towards that. â??

June 2014 | india empire 41

InVESTMEnT

“Indian property remains a strong draw for NRIs” Anjalika Bardalai, is the Senior Analyst at Eurasia Group. She focuses on South Asian international relations and the economic and trade policies of India and Pakistan with a particular emphasis on fiscal and monetary policy. Bardalai holds a MBA degree from Imperial College Business School and has also done a B.A (honors) in Politics from New York University. Before joining Eurasia’s London headquarters, Bardalai worked at its New York office managing country finance, which covers financial institutions and financing methods in 45 countries. Anjalika’s sectoral expertise includes India’s information technology, property and financial-services industries. Prior to joining Eurasia Group, she worked with the Economist Intelligence Unit for 12 years where she held a number of different analytical and managerial roles. Bardalai not only led EIU’s economic and political forecasting and analysis for India, Pakistan and Afghanistan but she was also the manager of EIU’s Country Reports where she was responsible for producing Country by Country, the company’s annual forecasting guide. Anjalika has chaired and presented at various conferences around the world. She is well versed in English, Hindi, German and French giving her an edge over a lot of other professionals. In conversation with India Empire’s Assistant Editor Misha Singh, Anjalika Bardalai talks about the investment scenario, potential sectors and possible political risks involved

Ms Anjalika Bardalai

How did you end up choosing the field of risk analysis?

I would actually say that my job is broader than risk analysis – I tend to look at the intersection of politics, policy, and economics. Of course, doing that for a country as dynamic and complex as India, is very rewarding as it presents much more of a challenge, I believe, than looking at a more mature economy or a country with a more homogenous political system. I started my career looking more broadly at Asia through the lens of financial systems – this was in the wake of the 1997-98 Asian crisis. But I’ve been focused more specifically on South Asia for the past seven years.

Which new areas of the economy should the investors look forward to investing in for the future?

I expect that the new government will be relatively aggressive in terms of selling stakes in PSUs. Combined with more operational autonomy for these firms – even if they remain majority-owned by the Government – this could mean that some of the better-run PSUs could be good investment opportunities.

Sector-wise, infrastructure of course remains an immense investment opportunity, and we expect FDI re-

42 india empire | June 2014

strictions in the defence sector to be eased so there could be some good opportunities there as well.

According to your readings, what are the possible risks that the investors may face after the Government change?

I think the biggest risk comes from the fact that hopes and expectations are so high – possibly unrealistically high. The new government is strong and has already started trying to implement its policy of “maximum governance, minimum government”.

But there will still be some challenges to advancing economic reforms, like the BJP’s lack of majority in the Rajya Sabha and the fact that much policymaking and implementation is devolved to state governments. Also, we have to bear in mind that even though India’s economy is domestically-oriented, the country is still affected by international developments. So, international commodity price shocks and growth prospects in the developed world – things which the new Indian Government has no control over – could still affect growth in India and thus investment prospects.

You have been working in Europe and America for a long time but your focus has always been on Asia. Why? I started my career with the Economist Intelligence Unit, and at the time they hired me their need was for someone to work on Asia. So it started with a bit of serendipity, but given my Indian roots it has been a good fit. Some people ask whether it is good to focus on Asia while being based in the UK or US but I think it adds a lot of objectivity to the analysis – one doesn’t get caught up in some of the month-to-month extremes of optimism and pessimism that can happen when one is in-country. Of course, this distance has to be combined with good local contacts and frequent visits to get a proper sense of what is happening on the ground!

What do you think about predictability of Indian market?

The difficulty with assessing the Indian stock market is that it’s not all that liquid, and that there’s a very large element of speculation. The speculative aspect is quite pronounced compared to other markets. The fact that movements are driven mostly by foreign investors tends to add to market volatility since many of these investors tend to enter or exit the market at the same time.

What are booming sectors in Indian market currently?

In general, the sectors that are showing gains are the ones where there are indications or hopes that

reforms will have an impact. Prominent examples are coal and mining, oil and gas, and financials. In the current environment, where there is an expectation of faster economic growth in the months ahead, one might expect cyclically-oriented sectors like consumer goods to perform strongly as well.

Which sectors in India will be best for long term investment for NRIs? Property (real estate) remains a strong draw for NRIs; property has obvious advantages as an asset class in general, but for NRIs, Indian property has the additional potential benefit of exchange-rate benefits and, of course, of non-financial value as well in case of a desire to one day returns to India.

Given the high-interest-rate environment, simple ❐ deposit accounts are also a solid bet.

June 2014 | india empire 43

COLuMn: YOgI AShwInI

MInd And BOdY

diAMONdS ARE NOT FOR EVER

By Yogi Ashwini Yogi Ashwini

S

ome 3000 to 3500 years back, Rishi Atreya propounder of Samnkhya Philosophy, explained the concept of anu and paramanu, of cell division and multiplication. Our body from head to toe is comprised of small particles called anu. When a single param anu vibrates, it emits a sound and transfers it to another similar param anu that matches its frequency. This way all the param anus of similar sound frequency come together and make up an anu, this is the first stage of development of a cell. Each cell too has a sound of its own. As and when this changes, accordingly, different organs of the body develop. That is, every organ functions on a particular sound and is constituted by the cells emitting a specific frequency of sound. For example, the cell of liver has a specific sound which is distinct from that of the heart. The people who do yog sadhna, when they go in a state of antarmaun, they are able to hear the different sounds made by different organs, it is audible very clearly. However, these sounds are not audible to our ears, they can only be heard by the ones who are doing yog and it is these sounds that tell whether a part of the body is healthy or unhealthy. A disturbance in sound indicates an imbalance, whereas if it follows its natural rhythm it is indicative of health.

Just like the body, sounds are also emitted by the house you live in, your office, cars and even the stones that many people wear…It is said that stones, especially diamonds, should not be worn just like that. Do you know why? Let us figure out.

Whenever there is a problem in the house, the first thing that happens is diamonds are sold off. Take any war in history, when the plunderers come to a country, the first thing they do is loot the diamonds. So many murders, so many fights, so many deceits and treacheries have been committed for diamonds. A diamond has seen all that…

And how is a diamond made? It is made from coal, which is nothing but dead remains of bodies that lived many billions of years ago. The body is your body in which you reside. When a person dies, the body is either buried or cremated and whatever is left of the body starts getting deposited little by little inside the earth. Under extreme conditions of temperature and pressure within the earth over a period of lakhs of years, it gets converted into coal which again under pressure gets transformed into a diamond. Think of all the emotions that are 44 india empire | June 2014

packed inside that diamond - the emotions of the body, which during life would have gone through so many pains, disease and emotional turmoil on an everyday basis. All these emotions are carried by the cells when the body is alive, then the body perishes – the pain of leaving the body, too, getting stored in the cells. After years of heat and pressure, these cells become a diamond and go to someone’s house. Then when there is trouble in that person’s house, the diamond is resold adding to itself the pains and troubles of that house. Next it reaches someone else who is happy to have another diamond in his collection.

The diamonds in his house attract jealousy and envy of others.

A person who has too many diamonds, it means he has forcibly kept the share of other people with himself through fraud, lies, cheating etc. What happens to such a person, how do the diamonds leave his house? Stealing is a recent phenomenon. In olden times, invaders would come inside the houses and take away children, women and diamonds. And wherever they took these diamonds, they did not last there for long because all of these were nomadic tribes that kept fighting among each other and looting and killing the other for wealth and power. So a diamond has seen and collected all those heavy emotions for many lakhs of years.

When you have time and if you have diamonds at home put them against your ear and hear what sound they make. You will be surprised at what you hear. Describing those sounds here will amount to auto-suggestion, so I will not do it but those sounds will scare you…you will not want to wear diamonds again in your life. The sparkle of a diamond is the sparkle of extreme energy or force. The diamond is in fact related to the Sun. The energy of the sun causes carbon formation. So in effect the diamond is formed from the sun. As long as you are not in harmony with the sun’s rhythm, you should not even touch a diamond to your body. A perfect example is the exquisite Kohinoor, it is famous that whoever has worn that diamond has faced destruction. This is the reason why the British monarchs never wear it on their crown. They have kept it with them, but do not wear it. So all the people who like to buy big-big diamonds and show them off to others, must be careful because if one day a wrong diamond enters your house or touches your body, it will ❐ transmit its frequencies to you and pave way for your fall.

—The writer Yogi Ashwini Ji is the head of Dhyan Foundation, Delhi. For details contact: ashwiniyogi@yahoo.co.in

dIASPORA

Dr Shah Honoured The Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh (RCSEd) has recognized the achievements of a leading North American based head and neck cancer surgeon at a diploma ceremony held at the 500-year-old Edinburgh College.

Currently the Chief of Head and Neck Service at the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, as well as Chair of the Council of the International Academy of Oral Oncology (IAOO), Professor Jatin Shah is to receive the Honorary Fellowship from the RCSEd’s Faculty of Dental Surgery in recognition of the contribution he has made to medicine, particularly in the field of oral oncology.

Having received medical training in Baroda, India, Professor Shah undertook a research fellowship in Philadelphia, USA before moving in New York and undertaking a series of research and senior surgical positions, including most recently being appointed to the position of Professor of Surgery at the Weill Medical College of Cornell University, New York. In addition, he has over 400 peer reviewed publications to his name as well as Honorary Fellowships from the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh, England and Australia.

Explaining more about Professor Shah’s nomination to receive the RCSEd Honorary Fellowship in Dental Surgery, Dean of the RCSEd Dental Faculty, Professor Richard Ibbetson said: “Professor Shah is one of the most distinguished and leading figures worldwide in the field of oral oncology. His significant contribution to healthcare and education, particularly in the field of oral cancer, worldwide, deserves to be duly recognised and I am delighted to welcome him to Edinburgh to be awarded the Honorary FDS of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh.”

Established in 1505, and with a worldwide membership, The Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh is one of the world’s oldest and largest surgical establishments dedicated to the pursuit of excellence and advancement in surgical and dental practice, through its activities in education, training and examinations.

At the diploma ceremony, Professor Shah will join surgeons and dental professionals from around the globe who will travel to Edinburgh to receive Fellowship and Membership diplomas in recognition of their success in achieving the required standards of the rigorous dental and surgical examinations.

Commenting on receiving his RCSEd Faculty of Dental Surgery Honorary Fellowship from the College, Professor Shah said: “I am deeply humbled and sincerely g rateful to the RCSEd for bestowing this distinguished honour upon me.

Banker Returns Home

From left: Mr Jaspal Singh Minhas President of LABA, Mr Arya Mitter Gupta of Punjab National Bank and Bob Kullar Chairman of Kullar Group and a LABA Board Member

Mr Jaspal Singh Minhas President of LABA paid tribute to Mr Arya Mitter Gupta, the Bank Manager at Punjab National Bank in Leicester who is returning India to take up a new posting in Shimla.

“Mr Gupta has given the community in Leicester outstanding service” said Mr Minhas. “During his tenure he has been visible in the community seven days a week. He has amplified the bank’s business portfolio and deposit many times over. During the banking crisis, overseas bankers were the real back bone for the sustainability, resilience and survival of the many British Asian businesses. Guptaji is an outstanding and professional banker who has a humble personality and a very proficient ability to forge and maintain links with the communities and business. He will be greatly missed” Mr Minhas, on behalf of the LABA board and members took the opportunity to confirm an Honorary Membership of LABA to Mr Gupta for outstanding service to the Asian communities in Leicestershire and look forward to using his considered skills and knowledge to build trading and inward investment links with Punjab.

June 2014 | india empire 45

dIASPORA

NRI Undertakes Yatra Non-resident Indian, K K Sarachandra Bose, is undertaking an expedition, Bharat Yatra, to spread awareness about the need to eradicate caste system in our society.

The Dubai-based Bose, who appealed to the Government of India, to take firm steps to eradicate the caste system, reached here on Tuesday evening. Bose began his 40-day Bharat Yatra, which was flagged off in Thiruvananthapuram, on June 9.

Along with a team of 34 volunteers, the sexagenarian is addressing people across the States during the yathra before reaching Delhi mid-July, covering a distance of almost 14,000 km. Bose, who will travel to Chennai next, is yet to get the necessary permission for his yathra to enter TN. Stressing that he is confident that he would be given the nod, Bose said he was determined to go ahead as he was free to travel anywhere in the country as a citizen.

Interestingly, Bose served a notice on the Government of India for Constitutional reforms, to eradicate caste system in the country, by or before 31 December 2014.

Bose, who has been practicing law in the Gulf for threeand-a-half decades and is a member of the International Bar Association, has also authored a book ‘Caste Away!

India, Hinduism & Untouchability.’

Detailing his decision to undertake the Bharat Yatra, he said “The Supreme Court of India has ruled that the caste system conveyed the message ‘Divided We are - Come and

India to Assist Fiji

India has committed the provision of ten vehicles to Fiji to assist in the conduct of democratic elections to be held on 17 September, 2014. In addition, India will also provide indelible ink for the elections, besides training to election and Parliamentary officials.

High Commissioner, Vinod Kumar handed over eight Mahindra vehicles to the Fijian Elections Office on 16 June, 2014 in the presence of Attorney General and Minister for Elections Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum. The remaining two vehicles are expected to arrive from India in the next few weeks.

Attorney General and Supervisor of Elections Mohammed Saneem expressed Fiji’s gratitude to the Government of India for providing the vehicles and being supportive of Fiji as it holds "the first truly democratic elections”. They said that the vehicles would be used immediately for voter awareness programme.

46 india empire | June 2014

Rule Us’.

The caste system is a curse on the nation and the sooner it is destroyed the better, as the apex court has noted.” He claimed that the yathra, undertaken in vehicles, got overwhelming response.

Stressing that it’s time for change, he expressed confidence that PM Narendra Modi would work towards the eradication of the evil system.

Bose, who hails from a village in central Travancore of Kerala, is a partner of a leading legal consultancy firm in Dubai.

NRI Honoured Leading NRI industrialist Lord Swraj Paul has been honoured with the ‘Lifetime Achievement Award’ by a UK based business association for his outstanding contribution to the industry, education and philanthropy.

Mr Lord Paul’s daughter Ms Anjli received the award at the Black Country Asian Business Association’s annual awards dinner in June at Wednesbury in West Midlands as he was on a business trip to the US. In his acceptance speech read out by Ms Anjli, Mr Lord Paul, founder Chairman of the Caparo Group, recalled his ties to the Black Country when Caparo first began operations in the West Midlands under the banner of a small company called L K Industrial.

Appointment Ms Ruchi Ghanashyam, until now additional secretary in the Ministry of External Affairs has been appointed as the next High Commissioner of India to the Republic of South Africa. She will take up her assignment in the coming days.

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