INDIA EMPIRE May 2014

CONTENTS

may 2014

Mr PriMe Minister ............................. 08 The start for the NaMo era, what overseas Indians think not Yet Forgotten ......................... 22 Fans are still trying to unearth the Netaji mystery Book on exodus ............................... 32 When Uganda threw out Asians Mango diPloMacY ............................ 34 Pressure groups work to get EU ban on Alphonso lifted

22

eY attractiveness rePort ............ 42 India remains top priority swaMi vivekananda ......................... 18 The Saint who inspired Modi iMProving india’s HealtHcare .... 40 An NRI’s perspective

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Cover story

Mr PriMe Minister The people of India have spoken strongly. They wanted change. They have got the change they wished to see in India

By Sayantan Chakravarty

The spectacle of the great Indian elections is over. At the end of the count, there is one man standing. An Incredible Indian, riding on the crest of a majestic wave named NaMo, has changed the course of history, and with it, ushered in an era of new hope and expectation.

He’s India’s new Prime Minister, Mr Narendra Modi.

Not since the 1984 elections has a single party secured an absolute majority in the Lower House of Parliament—the Lok Sabha. Those who watched the countdown, were witness to history being made. The Congress under Sonia and Rahul Gandhi was reduced to a mere 44 seats, its lowest ever tally.

One son had fallen, and with few words left to say on the debacle, returned home quietly with his mother. The world had slipped away from under his feet.

Another son had risen. Having campaigned tirelessly and having ensured victory, he returned home to his mother. Blessed by 90-year-old Hiraben, Narendra Modi prepared to embrace his new responsibility, his new role, and his new opportunities. The world was at his feet.

Given the shrill political hyperbole, the media’s 24/7 high-decibel razzmatazz, and the enormous scale of voting that took place, this was by far the mother of all political battles India had witnessed. Nearly 553.8 million people had black ink to show on their left index fingers, which means 66.48 per cent of the 833 million electorate had turned up to cast its vote, an all-time national record.

1984, and now 2014 Back in 1984 it needed the assassination of his mother for Rajiv Gandhi of the Congress Party to completely sweep the general elections in India that immediately followed.

Thirty years down the line, it needed another assassination—that of the rule of law under the regime of the Congress-led UPA coalition—for Narendra Modi to make the 2014 Indian general elections his own. In an India that had become somewhat too accustomed to the perils and shenanigans of decades of coalition politics, the results of May 16 was quite clear—absolute majority to the BJP, and to the National Democratic Alliance. People voted for change. They wanted stability for five years. They received it.

Modi stands head and shoulders above everyone else. Most of his opponents had been swiftly punched out by the electorate. Several of them lay in ruins, completely routed from the very turf they had made their own. Narendra Modi may have majorly played the development card during the elections, but the backing of the RSS from whose cadres he once rose to political stardom, certainly helped. Purveyors of appeasement and caste were 8

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Mr Modi campaigns in Varanasi, and mesmerizes India

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Cover story

Paying homage to Mahatma Gandhi at Raj Ghat before taking oath

the biggest losers. Narendra Modi had altered the rules of the game, perhaps forever.

Yet, no efforts had been spared, sometimes collectively, to decimate Modi. Almost no conceivable political sword had been left undrawn from its scabbard, no verbal rock had remained too heavy to be left unhurled, and no bold accusation had ever been tempered with euphemisms in these elections to keep Modi from taking wings. All that the Election Commission which was tasked to manage the most bitterly contested and talked about elections in the world’s largest democracy could do was to fire salvo upon disciplinary salvo upon the accusers, but to no avail.

THE CHALLENGES All through the period that he campaigned, Modi addressed the crowds like a leader-in-waiting. He was part of the crowd, its centre of attention, and yet managed to rise above it time and time again, practicing perhaps what former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher famously said, “Being prime minister is a lonely job…you cannot lead from the crowd.” He was preparing for the aloneness to follow at the top, some-

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thing he has not been unused to in his earlier role as chief minister of Gujarat.

With his historic win, 1.3 billion expectations have gone up in the air. From now on, questions will be repeatedly asked about whether he will lead India into a new, glorious dawn? Whether he will create more jobs?

Will India become the toast of the world and regain its glory of a thousand years ago? Can the country shed its corrupt tag, and find its place once again as an ethical superpower? Will India find more time for Spirituality and less for hatred? Suggestions and advise will pour in copiously, some of which cannot be ignored.

Modi’s job is cut out, but he needs to be careful at every step. Amid the expectations, he has to keep delivering on all that he has promised during his 1,000 plus rallies. “A prime minister must not promise things that can’t be fulfilled,” said former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert. Or as Japanese PM, Shinzo Abe, says, “What is important, I believe, is that I really act on promises that I make, and leave results.”

Promises are something that Narendra Modi has learnt to fulfill and deliver upon during his stint as chief minister of Gujarat. But Gujarat would have

Cover story

The PM at his office on his first day at work

Praying just before entering Parliament

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been a walk in the park, compared to the enormity of what lies before him—the task of being prime minister of the nation. India is a diverse country, and there are states that have rulers from opposition parties. Some of them like U.P., Bihar and Bengal, will bitterly try and stave off Modi’s growing influence, and will not play along with his policies. But eventually, he will have to carry everyone along, if India is to move forward. He has to keep the ball rolling much like what Goh Chok Tong, Singapore’s former PM said: “My main mission when I became Prime Minister was to keep Singapore going.

And Singapore has been kept going.” There is no other way but for India to keep going.

One of the greatest concerns that Narendra Modi will have to address and continuously deal with is both India’s external and internal security. Only a secure people can work towards progress, and a climate of security can pull in the best brains from across the globe to propel India forward.

Modi knows that there are many anti-national elements that will do their best to destroy the country’s tolerant fabric, and they are not necessarily sitting within the boundaries of India.

Olmert of Israel knew a thing or two about security. “Every prime minister … has the responsibility to provide security for his people… also he has to keep a balance when dealing with sensitive issues.”

The challenges ahead are vast: ensuring economic security, food security and internal security will take up much of Modi’s first five years as Prime Minister. But then as his track record shows he has never been the one to shy away from challenges. In the man with the self-confessed 56-inch chest, ❐ India may well have found its 21st century hero.

Cover story

TOP NRI LEADERS BJP's stunning victory augurs well for India and for the global Indian diaspora. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has a decisive mandate to initiate reforms to reshape India's economy. There is no doubt he will give top priority to address the problems of the poor.

As for foreign policy, I believe he will proceed cautiously to claim India's rightful place on the international stage. I expect him to take a more assertive stand on India's territorial and national sovereignty issues.

At a personal level,I would like to see India extend its sphere of influence in the Pacific region by stepping up its diplomatic and foreign aid initiatives.

I also expect India to stand up in defence of the civil, political and human rights of people of Indian origin wherever these are threatened or denied.

Mahendra Chaudhry Former Prime Minister, Fiji (Fiji, Pacific Ocean) ***** India has won, as mentioned by the new PM of India, Sri Narendra Bhai Modi. First of all, I would like to congratulate India for completing the biggest elections ever in the world without bloodshed or major incidents.

This just goes to prove the strength of Indian democracy and the maturity of Indian voters. He has demonstrated that in India anyone can rise from the lowest point to the highest level. The people of India were looking for a change and a Government free from corruption and scandals. Mr Modi is the right person to deliver such Government to the people of India. I am very optimistic that the new government will be con-

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SPEAK TO INDIA EMPIRE MAGAZINE scious of the aspirations of people and deliver a growth-led Government free from corruption.

Dr Rami Ranger, MBE Chairman, Sun Mark Ltd., U.K. (London, U.K.) ***** "With so many priorities to attend to, I would strongly hope that Mr Modi picks one or two most important ones and shows results soon so that he can continue to have national and international confidence that he can deliver. To me the biggest priority is creating productive jobs for the youth. India will have nearly 125 million young people join the job market in the next 10 years—and if they are not put into gainful employment, India will lose a oncein-a- life time chance to become a truly global economic super power it deserves to be.

Most importantly, we have to create an entrepreneurial ecosystem that helps create millions of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs).

Our experience around over 75 countries around the world shows that MSMEs create as much as 80 per cent of the jobs in country after country. The World Bank ranking for Ease of Doing business in India is in the low 120s out of 183 countries. So there is much to be done at policy level, process and system level, and micro level to turn things around. We have to expand our education system, skills training programs to provide the youth entrepreneurship skills training, create a change in their mindset and encourage them to consider entrepreneurship as a career option.

Harsh Bhargava President, Bankworld (Washington, USA) *****

My congratulations and best wishes to Shri Narendra Modi for becoming next Prime Minister of India and the Bharatiya Janata party for winning a majority vote in India’s Lok Sabha. This election was an extraordinary achievement for the 550 million Indians who voted over the course of six weeks in some 930,000 polling locations. I look forward to working with Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi in improving the health care sector in India. AAPI, with its knowledge network, will love to partner with Government during his tenure to improve lives of Indian patients. AAPI's goal is to provide Accesible, Affordable and Quality health care throughout the world. AAPI members are looking forward to Shri Narendra Modi's live video stream address of 510 minutes during our AAPI convention from June 25-29, 2014 (www.aapiconvention.org) At personal level, I am happy that India will have stable Government under dynamic leadership of Shri Narendra Modi, I had opportunity to meet him personally on several occasions and I am impressed with his simplistic life style and passion for India. India will become progressive country, one that is corruption-free under his leadership.

Dr Jayesh Shah,MD President, American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI) (San Antonio, Texas, USA) ***** “This has been a watershed election. I am very happy that the next Government in New Delhi comes with an unambiguous mandate. After nearly two decades of coalition governments, it is a relief to think that there will be a stable Government that can take serious

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Cover story

TOP NRI LEADERS SPEAK decisions. I think people of India have decided that a decisive leader like Narendra Modi must be given a decisive mandate. Mr. Modi has asked for it and he got it. Now he must deliver. Contrary to naysayers, I’m very confident he will deliver for all Indians, irrespective of caste, religion color or creed.”

Dr Sudhir M. Parikh Chairman and Publisher of Parikh Worldwide Media Inc. (New Jersey, USA)

ness agenda, and above all, stop rishwat khori. For NRIs, we would like speedy settlement of court cases, modification of laws to stop illegal property grabbing, and better rules to get quicker visa for visiting India.

Inder Singh Chairman Global Organization of People of Indian Origin (GOPIO) (Los Angeles, USA)

***** ***** “Single majority party comes with a lot of hope for the NRI who feels very connected to India in more ways than one. As a majority party, BJP has the mandate to take important and pertinent decisions on both domestic and foreign policy that have far reaching consequences both in India, and abroad, and that affects us. Looking to a strong, effective, and powerful India that influences the NRIs’ status globally. It is now time for a 5,000year-old civilization to claim its rightful place under the sun.”

Priya Tandon, Board of Directors, San Fransisco – Bangalore Sister City Initiative ***** I am enthused that after many years, a single party has emerged to make government in India. In a coalition government, it becomes difficult to carry forward the vision and agenda of the majority party. During the last over 20 years, small regional parties have stood in the way of country moving forward. During the last two-three years, coalition partners have badly hurt India's economy, weakened India's image, and prevented decision making on several major issues of importance. Modi may have to depend on coalition partners to get his agenda through Rajya Sabha. But he can stop decline in economic growth which the Congress Government failed to do.

My expectation from the new Government is the same as that of common man in India. I hope that Modi government can manage bureaucracy as well as he is reputed to have done in Gujarat, eliminate or at least reduce, red tape, implement a pro-busi-

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Narendra Modi is a symbol of prosperity in India—this is what carried him to a landslide victory. The country is looking at him for opportunities for all and the expectation is enormous. He has to spread all over India the abundance of success he created in his home state. With varied political philosophies in certain states, Mr. Modi needs to be very innovative in reaching them for the benefits of all. India is a highest tier partner in maintaining the stable Global economy and that will need Mr Modi to pay serious and immediate attention to developing relationship and understanding with the international community, particularly the superpowers. I have met him few times in New Delhi and Ahmedabad and what I have seen in him is his vision and experience, combined with dedication, that will certainly place India in a very respectable position.

Nirmal Sinha Recipient of Ellis Island Medal of Honour (Columbus, Ohio, USA) ***** Visiting India for over past 7 years regularly to attend PBD and promoting India for business in Australia and New Zealand, I noticed that there was no leadership and vision for India in Congress Government.

Every week reading about the scams and corruption scandals made us worried about India's future.

Now after witnessing the landslide victory by BJP and having a leader like Mr Narendra Modi as the Prime Minister, we are very confident that India will progress in right direction and our youths will have

TO INDIA EMPIRE MAGAZINE a great future. Mr Modi addressed us at PBD regularly and he understands the strength and talents of NRIs and OCIs living abroad. He will utilize and support the needs of Overseas Indian community. We expect Mr Modi will invite new industries to India and get our youths trained in technical fields. India should look at Africa and Asia for its growth.

Sunil Gurram Honorary Business Ambassador of City of Brisbane and Ipswich (Queensland, Australia) ***** The recent election results saw a drastic and positive shift in the voting pattern in India.

This gives the new Government the ability to govern firmly without political undercurrents and to make the changes the country needs badly but swiftly. The Prime Minister can now make India a country where one does not have to look both ways before crossing the roads and where Indians grow in stature because of the Government and not despite a Government.

For the Indian diaspora, we hope it is a country where business is probably easier with less beauracracy and more public private initiatives. We need to give time for these new ideas to be implemented and for the results to be seen. We feel a new thrill factor with excitement but hope for the Government to make effective medium and long term changes which will transform the lives of its citizens and its future generations. Most importantly the Government should go straight into the business of governing and not governing into business. The key words should be Competency, Accountability and Transparency.

Tan Sri Datuk Dr Mohan Swami Executive Chairman Chase Perdana, and Turiya Berhad (Malaysia) ***** Congratulations to Mr Modi and to decisive India which once again proved that Indian masses—literate or not—are the smartest in the world, and more than capable of running the largest democracy. I look forward

to a truly global India to emerge; disentangling itself from Macaulian syndromei; a reformed agile bureaucracy formed not out of "service" but from patriotic talents from all parts of society; new look diplomatic missions all over the world which will be "embassy of India" and not "embassy of Government of India" catering mainly to interest of India and not to "ministries"; to restore a clean, proud, strong functional and responsive Government.

Mridul Pathak Co-Chairman, Indo-American Global Chamber of Commerce New York, USA ***** If Mr Modi downsizes Government, I hope they does not forget Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs. It is a lifeline for us, especially those of us from the 4th generation or more PIO community that is constantly striving to maintain our roots and ancestral relations with India, in spite of all odds Jean Regis Ramsamy Journalist and Author Reunion Islands, France ***** We believe that we can hit the restart button in relationship between the two countries with one-on-one contacts between the law makers in Washington and in New Delhi.

Sanjay Puri Chairman US India Political Action Committee (USINPAC) USA ***** The election has clearly been a significant one. It is too early to tell what the implications of the BJP's win will mean. There are significant aspects to U.S.-India cooperation in the realm of foreign policy that are likely to continue.

Leela Fernandes Professor of Political Science, University of Michigan (Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA) may 2014 | india empire 17

spirituality

NARENDRA’S TRyST wITh When he was a young boy, Narendra Modi had visited Belurmath to be a part of the Ramakrishna Order founded by Swami Vivekananda in 1897. But the then president had advised him to concentrate on his education. He was also below the minimum age required to join the Math. Later, Modi had gone to the Rama Krishna Mission at Almora, where too his request to joined the order had been turned down.

The president of the Rama Krishna Math at Belur, Swami Atmasthanand Maharaj who had imparted Spiritual teachings to Narendra Modi during his early years, has invited the PM to the organization’s headquarters in Belur. In a letter to Modi, he says, “I am eagerly looking forward to your visit to Belurmath as the Prime Minister of India. I am happy to learn that you have got a thumping majority. Sri Ramakrishna has given you the opportunity to serve the people of India … I pray to Sri Ramakrishna to give you the right understanding in hours of crisis.”

In 2013, Gujarat under the chief ministership of Narendra Modi, celebrated the 150th birth anniversary of Swami Vivekanada by holding a series of programmes and focused initiatives.

As he now prepares to run India, some of Swami

Vivekananda’s teachings and messages that will find resonance with Narendra Modi, more than ever before, are here: “Him I call a Mahatman (great soul) whose heart bleeds for the poor, otherwise he is a Duratman (wicked soul). Let us unite our wills in continued prayer for their good. We may die unknown, unpitied, unbewailed, without accomplishing anything—but not one thought will be lost. It will take effect, sooner or later.”

“Nothing shall be done in haste. Purity, patience, and perseverance are the three essentials to success and, above all, love . All time is yours, there is no indecent haste. Everything will come right if you are pure and sincere. We want hundreds like you bursting upon society and bringing new life and vigour of the Spirit wherever they go.”

“The great national sin is the neglect of the masses, and that is one of the causes of our downfall. No amount of politics would be of any avail until the masses in India are once more well educated, well fed, and well cared for.”

“The greatest force is derived from the power of thought. The finer the element, the more powerful it is.

The silent power of thought influences people even at a distance, because mind is one as well as many. The universe is a cobweb; minds are spiders.”

Prime Minister Modi

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“Out of the fullness of the heart the mouth speaketh, and out of the fullness of the heart the hand worketh also. Action will come. Fill yourselves with the ideal; whatever you do, think well on it. All your actions will be magnified, transformed, deified, by the very power of the thought.”

SwAMI VIVEKANANDA “It is our privilege to be allowed to be charitable, for only so can we grow. The poor man suffers that we may be helped; let the giver kneel down and give thanks, let the receiver stand up and permit.”

“Where is fate, and who is fate? We reap what we sow.

We are the makers of our own fate. None else has the blame, none has the praise. We make our own destiny.”

“Take up one idea. Make that one idea your life—think of it, dream of it, live on that idea. Let the brain, muscles, nerves, every part of your body, be full of that idea, and just leave every other idea alone. This is the way to success, that is the way great spiritual giants are produced.”

“Be obedient and eternally faithful to the cause of truth, humanity, and your country, and you will move the world. Remember it is the person, the life, which is the secret of power—nothing else.”

“The whole secret of existence is to have no fear. Never fear what will become of you, depend on no one. Only the moment you reject all help are you free. The full sponge can absorb no more.”

Swami Vivekananda

It is the same India which has withstood the shocks of centuries, of hundreds of foreign invasions of hundreds of upheavals of manners and customs. It is the same land which stands firmer than any rock in the world, with its undying vigour, indestructible life. Its life is of the same nature as the soul, without beginning and without end, immortal; and we are the children of ❐ such a country.”

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interview of the Month

Mrs Sushma Swaraj Minister for External Affairs and Minister for Overseas Indian Affairs

“MOiA is a smaller ministry, but more important for me than even MeA” Mrs Sushma Swaraj, Minister for External Affairs and Minister for Overseas Indian Affairs, speaks to India Empire’s Editor and Publisher Sayantan Chakravarty minutes after assuming office You are now helming two ministries—External Affairs and Overseas Indian Affairs. Does it mean that now we can expect India’s foreign policy to look towards Indian diaspora in a more aggressive way?

I have taken charge of the Ministry of External Affairs today morning. And now in the afternoon I have just taken charge of the Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs. MEA is a big ministry. MOIA is a smaller one. But for me the importance of the MOIA is even more than that of the MEA. But the MOIA is one Ministry whose interactions are directly with the people. At the MEA I have to undertake journeys to meet leaders from different countries, some of them big. I have to talk about the strengths of our country before those leaders, and improve relations. But here at the MOIA, my own people are settled overseas, for whom there are no caretakers, no one to inquire about their plight.

I want to improve their condition, and for that I have been entrusted this ministry. The satisfaction that I will receive from this ministry is far greater than anything else.

You will be working closely with the missions…

With these two ministries remaining with one minister, the biggest work will be—and I was just sharing this with the secretary and others—to sensitize the missions. Whatever work needs to be done will have to be done through the missions. There are various schemes which the MOIA has that are running through missions. The missions also should feel that the Government has changed. And there is someone who wants to ask about them. I am very happy, therefore, that the Ministry may be small, but from the point of view of importance, it is very big.

The diaspora is very diverse. How will you address this diversity?

I have made this decision today itself that I would first get a list of Indian states from where maximum emigration has taken place. I will subsequently invite the MPs of those states, and ask each one of them about the exact problems faced by the people who have migrated from their states.

As leaders and representatives of the people, they would directly be in the know of such problems.

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Mrs Swaraj takes oath as Cabinet Minister

In the first week itself we would be writing to these Parliamentarians from whose states maximum emigration has taken place. Each one has different problems. Those going from Punjab have problems different from those going from Andhra Pradesh. Those going from Kerala have different problems, the ones that have gone to the Gulf, their problems are different. Ones who have gone to developed countries, their problems are different. I will talk directly to the people’s representatives, identify the problems, and then work out how best we can deal with those problems through the MOIA.

First day in office as Minister for External Affairs

The Pravasi Bharatiya Divas needs to be scaled up.

It was started by the BJP Government. It is time once more to ensure that the numbers that attended the first PBD, about 4,500, are restored. Over time, those attending the PBD have come down…

It is a matter of taste and liking. Numbers have dwindled since those people have not been able to get a taste and liking for the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas. They did not feel like coming. They felt there is very little use for them at such an event. They come, listen to lectures for three days, meet one another and go away. Now we will tell people that PBD has a big role, and big benefits. Also, if someone is attracted, he comes. If there is no attraction, he stops coming. Now, they will once again feel the essence of what the initial PBD had provided. They will be there in large numbers. You will see how many more people attend the PBD. It will be a very purposeful meet.

You said there will be more people attending the next PBD. Now Gandhi Ji, once a Pravasi Bharatiya, returned from South Africa to India in 2015. January 9 will mark the centennial of Gandhiji’s return to India.

He landed in Bombay, but he is from Gujarat. Where do you think the PBD will be held?

We have yet to decide. But there is a possibility that it can be held in Gujarat.

Next year in Gujarat one will also have the Vibrant

Gujarat function…

That is different. Let’s not mix Vibrant Gujarat with the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas. Vibrant Gujarat is a state-specific event. MoUs are signed with businesses that relate to the state. It relates to those who want to invest, set up industry and businesses in Gujarat. The PBD is different. This time it will be well thought out.

So you are assuring that this time PBD will be on a very large scale…

It is definitely going to be so. There has been an air of expectation for many years. They have been expecting this Government to come, and then they have been waiting to renew their engagement with India with fresh energy, and vigour.

How much time you will be able to dedicate to this Ministry, given that you will holding the position of Minister for External Affairs as well, and will be on the move…

I will be here regularly. I will be sitting here. It is not as though I will be sitting in the Foreign Ministry and doing the work of this ministry from there. I will come here. I will be meeting the MPs here only. That ministry has its own importance, as I said earlier. We have to meet leaders and improve relations with other countries. I will have to travel for that. But it does not mean that I will, in any way, be ignoring this ministry. This ministry will be given due importance. This subject is close to my heart. There will be no deviation from this. This Ministry is for our people who are overseas. ❐ may 2014 | india empire 21

indian history

“One individual may die for an idea; but that idea will, after his death, incarnate itself in a thousand lives. That is how the wheel of evolution moves on an the ideas and dreams of one nation are bequeathed to the next” —Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose

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NETAjI SubhAS ChANDRA bOSE

NOT yET FORGOTTEN Nearly sixty nine years after his disappearance, Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, the man who caught the imagination of India’s freedom-loving youth, remains a very alluring and timeless mystery. Author Anuj Dhar who’s extensively researched Netaji and has now filed a case in court to reopen investigations into Netaji’s disappearance, speaks with Assistant Editor Misha Singh

You have filed a case on Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose in a court in Faizabad. What is the basic petition before the court?

In April Netaji’s grandnieces Jayanti Rakhit and Tapti Ghosh, Chandrachur Ghose, who runs www.subhaschandrabose.org, Amiya Rakhit, Jayanti’s husband, and myself visited Lucknow, Faizabad and around with a view to understand more about the Bhagwanji angle to the Netaji mystery. For a background, I would like to recount that there lived a mysterious mostly unseen holy man in several parts of UP from 1955 to 1985 by the name of Bhagwanji.

He has now come to be known as Gumnami baba. After he was reported dead in 1985 controversy about his identity hit headlines. Consequently, Lalita Bose, a niece of Subhas Bose, filed a writ petition in the Lucknow Bench of the Allahabad High Court. In January last year the court gave a decision on a case file by the person on whose house Bhagwanji stayed as a tenant from 1983 to 85. Late Lalita Bose’s case was also clubbed with it. The court observed that "there appears to be no room of doubt that there was substantial oral and documentary evidence which prima facie makes out a case for scientific investigation with regard to identity of late Gumnami Baba". The court therefore ordered that the belongings left by the holy man, mostly books and correspondence, should be secured and displayed at a local museum. It also suggested that the UP state government should set up a commission of inquiry

to figure out who Bhagwanji really was.

Now, the UP government has acted on the first part of the order but is dodging on the second. Hence, Netaji’s family and we friends who go by the name of Mission Netaji have decided to approach the court. Our petition, which is being worked out, would seek an inquiry by a Special Investigative Team under the supervision of court. When it comes to Netaji, you cannot trust the authorities in India.

Going by your books and from your interviews and articles it is clear that you are completely disenchanted by the UPA Government’s policy of keeping Netaji a National Secret…

Who wouldn’t be? In 1999 the Government of ours was compelled to form a commission of inquiry into Netaji’s fate following an order of the Calcutta High Court.

By 2005 the inquiry, headed by a reputed former Supreme Court judge, had concluded what had so far been dismissed out of hand as a conspiracy theory: that Bose’s reported death in an air crash at the close of WWII was actually a ruse to allow him to escape to Soviet Russia. The Government dismissed this report without assigning any reasons, mocking all democratic norms. Thereafter, Mission Netaji filed Right to Information applications to dig out the truth. The results were bewildering. The Prime Minister’s Office, Ministry of External Affairs, Ministry of Home Affairs admitted that they were holding several may 2014 | india empire 23

indian history

classified records about Bose’s fate, but refused to make the records public citing national security clauses. The Ministry of External Affairs admitted that there had been some correspondence between India and Russia but wouldn’t make it available under the Right to Information Act, which has its limitations. The Home Ministry, at the prodding of the Central Information Commission, stated that releasing some Top Secret records about Bose’s fate would lead to “law and order problem across the country, especially West Bengal”.

You do know that there are a number of files with the Government of India and the West Bengal Government that have classified information on Netaji. Do you believe that they establish that he did not die in an air crash at Taipei?

There are two types of secret files. One those whose existence is accepted and the second ones are those whose very existence is denied. According to an estimate made by me on the basis of information made available under the Right to Information Act and other means, some 150 odd

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files are with different departments in New Delhi.

Bulk of these files concern the controversy surrounding Bose’s reported death. I am also sure that apart from these files, there is much more information available with our government, especially with our intelligence agencies which work beyond the peripheries of law. But even taking the extant “admitted” files into consideration, I do feel that their full disclosure will explode the myth that Bose died in 1945.

Your contention that Netaji lived in Faizabad but never came out in the open needs to be explained elaborately. Do you think you have enough evidence to tell the Indian public your side of the story?

I have simply narrated the facts as they are in my book India’s biggest cover-up and drawn conclusions that are obvious. There are but just three theories explaining what really happened to Bose. The first of course is the air crash theory. The second holds that Bose was in Soviet Russia after his death and he met his end there. It is commonplace in India for people to allege in private talks that Bose’s end had something to do with his political rival and the man who harvested the fruit of his struggle, Jawaharlal Nehru. The third theory puts Bose in India as a holy man in disguise. Some people opinion that Bose was always mystic and others say that it had something to do with his having been branded a war criminal.

I don’t think the air crash theory is true. There’s a lot going against it. Even the Americans, who first looked into the matter, stated that there was “no direct evidence” of Bose’s death, though his Japanese benefactors claimed that he had indeed died as he was flying to Tokyo. But Japanese hid from the world that Bose was actually on his way to Soviet Russia where he hoped to get a sanctuary.

Records declassified in the 1990s have filled in lot of details in this regard. Bose had foreseen the onset of the Cold War and had written to the Soviet ambassador in Tokyo for help. Months and probably years before the war came to end, he knew that the Axis were losing. He had to continue fighting in the interest of India.

As a journalist, I am convinced that Bose was in Soviet Russia after his death. But if you ask me for evidence as defined in the Indian Evidence Act, I am afraid, there is none. We can only say that the story of the air crash was planted, a Japanese soldier’s body was passed off as that of Bose and Bose flew towards Russia. Russian experts have been saying in private conversations and in media report that Russian intelligence organizations are holding relevant records but the same cannot be released unless the Government of India seeks access at the highest level. The Government of India

has neither shown any interest nor inclination to do so. It to freedom which was being denied to India.

Bhagwanji said that his post-1945 activities were the has made the best of public apathy in this regard.

On the face of it, the third theory appears preposter- reasons why he could not surface. If all he said was right, ous, but it is backed by evidence, some of which is ad- the Russians, the Chinese, the Vietnamese and the Americans would have records about him. The CIA, we learnt missible under the Indian Evidence Act. For starters, Bhagwanji angle doesn’t not rule out the this year, received reports about Bose as late as 1964.

Russian theory. It just negates that “he” was killed there. When the news of Bhagwanji's death came in 1985, the The holy man has left quite a few interesting details, in- Foreign Broadcast Information Service (FBIS)—an open cluding how “he” escaped after “concocted” news of air source intelligence gathering component of the CIA crash was planted. He spoke about his time in a central which is now called Open Source Center—took a small Siberian gulag much before the world read The Gulag ar- note of it.

Bhagwanji would say “my coming out is not in India’s chipelago by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn. Many details left by interest” and “India would face him gives one goose bumps. He sanctions from the world powers said that war crimes charges and Tum Mujhe Khoon Do Main if I emerged”. To best of my unIndia’s becoming a part of derstanding from late 1960s the Commonwealth prevented him Tumhein Aazadi Dunga authorities in India were aware from returning to India and tak—Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose of Bhagwanji and maintained seing his “rightful place”. From cret contact with him.

1949 onwards, much as he disWell this may sound like a plot from a movie, but then liked communists, he became part of Russian and Chinese covert operations to undermine the hegemony of the I always like to quote a dialogue from the movie Tinker TaiAnglo-Americans that this man, whoever he was, came to lor Soldier Spy which depicts the hunt for a Russian mole in oppose because they had run down his efforts in the Sec- the highest echelons of MI6. "Things aren't always what ond World War in the aid of Indian freedom. Well, Netaji they seem!"

One has to explain how come not one or two but more never got along well with the Americans, who sided with the colonial British never mind the American commitment than a dozen or more people of integrity, those with close may 2014 | india empire 25

indian history

connection to Bose, came to accept Bhagwanji as Bose.

None of them publicised their belief and nor gained anything out of their conviction. And how come Bhagwanji’s handwriting in English and Bangla matched with Bose’s? I have demonstrated in my books that the DNA tests carried out in Government lab on the teeth assumed to be of Bhagwanji’s and blood samples provided by Netaji’s family members were fudged.

In this context one has to appreciate that the Allahabad High Court in its January 2013 accepted a link between Bose and Bhagwanji. Why would the court seek an inquiry if there was no substance in the Bhagwanji theory?

All the same, since the whole Bhagwanji saga is a very complicated, entails far too many details and is devoid of clear cut photographic evidence as the holy man did not allow anyone to take his pictures nor record his booming voice, anyone going through sketchy details about it would find it incredible.

But anyone who has gone through my book would agree that Bhagwanji angle is the most formidable of all theories attempting to explain what happened to Bose. To get at the truth one would need declassification and a final inquiry, which I propose should be carried out under the court supervision. In the last few years Indians have brought heaven and earth together in their quest to get facts about the deaths of gangsters, terror suspects and people dying or getting killed 26 india empire | may 2014

because of love affairs or sleaze. The same level of attention in Netaji case would be sufficient to establish the truth.

Why did political leaders who you claim met Netaji never admit having met him, even after all these years?

Whoever Bhagwanji was he was secretly visited by several famous people, the names of some of which I can tell.

There are many more that I don’t know. Dr Sampoornand, the chief minister of UP in 1955, someone who had known Bose since 1920’s. His successor in the 60’s Charan Singh was a favorite of Bhagwanji’s. According to rumours and claims by Bhagwanji’s followers, Indira Gandhi also came and so did her ministers, some of whom are still alive. Ma Anandamayee Ma and Sitram Onkarnath Thakur were among some reputed saints who were secretly maintaining contact with Bhagwanji. Madhav Golwalkar, RSS chief and the guru of the entire current top BJP and RSS top brass knew Bhagwanji and so did some “Aulia sahib” whose identity is not known to me. Bhagwanji often talked about matters relating to military and intelligence affairs and appeared to have inside knowledge. He seems to know things that were then classified.

Local journalists I met spoke of intelligence officials hovering around the places Bhagwanji stayed. From Kolkata, several of Bose’s close aides, most prominently Leela Roy, maintained links with Bhagwanji. Leela Roy’s follower Professor Samar Guha went on to agitate in Parliament about the need to find out the truth about Bose. It

reveal that the INA treasure, the war chest Bose had created with the help of expat Indians, was looted. The worse thing is that the looters were not only not touched, one of them got a promotion in government job. Secret files also show that over the years India has been paying some money to Renkoji temple, where the so-called ashes of Netaji have been enshrined. Also, the government of ours has not been able to answer a question why it ratified a UN treaty concerning war criminal in 1971. There’s much more. The Watergate scandal was marked by obstruction of justice, destruction of incrementing material, misuse of intelligence agencies, spying on journalists and others.

When you go through the murky details of the cover-up of the Netaji issue you’d come across all of that.

is because of late Guha that today Indian state accords some honour to Bose and the matter has reached this stage.

Even the CIA declassifies information on sensitive subjects, such as the Watergate issue, after a few decades. What prevents the Government of India from declassifying information on him, especially after three commissions have tried to unearth the truth about his mysterious death?

Cover-up is resorted to only by those who want to hide. If my government had nothing to hide it wouldn’t have resorted to gratuitous secrecy and machinations to prevent the truth from becoming known. The Netaji mystery, make no mistake, is a political issue and it won’t be resolved till such time a prime minister has mustered the courage to open the proverbial Pandora’s Box. What does the Government of India gain by withholding classified information? What kind of secrets will topple out of the cupboards?

The cover-up in the Netaji matter, I repeat, involves many details and concerns many people since the establishment as a whole saw to it that the people do not know the truth. I think someone at one point in time made a wrong decision and the same was carried forward to coverup the original mistake. The political masters dictated their stand and bureaucrats carried it out. As to how bitter the truth would be, secret files available to our government

You claim that the chief reason for the British to leave India was not Gandhiji’s non-cooperation and non-violence, but the threat from Netaji. How do you back up this claim?

No one can deny the wonders Gandhiji did for India or his contribution to the freedom struggle. But to say that the Quit India movement led to the British departure in 1947 is stretching it too far. The movement was crushed within months of its launch and there was no trace of it in subsequent years. On the other hand, declassified records and observations made by those who knew the best, including the then Intelligence Bureau Director, make it clear the British left India because the war had weakened them considerably and Bose’s INA had caused much turmoil in the Indian Army, the tool that had enabled them to keep a strong grip on India. In February 1946, Prime Minister Clement Attlee was told by a delegation of British MPs that "we should arrange to get out" or "we should wait to be driven out" as "the loyalty of the Indian Army is open to question". Ten years later Attlee visited India and admitted that Gandhi’s tactics had “minimal” impact on his decision to grant India freedom. At the same time, Dr BR Ambedkar too opined that it was the impact of Bose’s INA on the Indian Army not Gandhi’s ahimsa that brought freedom. In the 80s would be governor Lt Gen SK Sinha, one of the three Indian officers in British dominated Directorate of Military Operations of 1946, disclosed that the colonial rulers concluded "that the Indian Army could no longer be relied upon to remain a loyal instrument for maintaining British rule over India".

Do you expect a Government other than one led by the Congress to declassify information on Netaji, and tell the nation the truth as it was uncovered?

No. I am somewhat hopeful about Narendra Modi.

That’s why I have sent him several feelers in past and he is aware of the issue, though not in detail. Netaji’s family members also met him and he seemed quiet interested. In January this year the BJP president Rajnath Singh announced that when the BJP is in power it will settle the mystery. Well, in view of BJP’s own not to so sterling role in past and other complications, it won’t be that simple.

But then there is a hope. ❐ may 2014 | india empire 27

ofBJp launChes

BJP OPens uP in russiA And LithuAniA

OFBJP Global Convenor Vijay Jolly speaking at the OFBJP Russia launch program at Moscow In May, the Global Convenor of BJP Overseas Affairs Mr. Vijay Jolly launched with great fanfare the new OFBJP Chapters in Russia and Lithuania recently. BJP National Secretary Ms Arti Mehra accompanied him as the Special Guest of Honor. Special announcements were made for Convenor OFBJP Russia Mr. Sammy Kotwani and Convenor OFBJP Lithuania Wing Commander (Retd.-IAF) Mr. Rajinder K. Chaudhary, VSM. Good wishes from senior BJP leaders Rajnath Singh, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Lal Krishan Advani, Narendra Modi, Sushma Swaraj , Arun Jaitley, Murli Manohar Joshi, Venkaiyah Naidu, Nitin Gadkari, Ram Lal, Ananth Kumar, Ravi Shankar Prasad, JP Nadda, Murlidhar Rao, Amit Shah, M.A. Naqvi, Shah Nawaz Hussain, Piyush Goyal, Smriti Irani, Vasundhra Raje Scindia, Shiv Raj Singh Chauhan & Raman Singh, Co-Convenors OFBJP Rajni Sarin, Amit Thaker & Raj Purohit etc. were conveyed to NRI & PIO community overseas by Mr. Jolly and Ms. Mehra.

At an overcrowded public program organized at Business and Industry Chamber of Commerce in central Moscow, OFBJP Russia chapter was launched with Mr. Sammy Kotwani as Convenor along with his team of office-bearers. Currently Mr Kotwani is President of Indian Business Alliance Russia, a prominent group of Indian 28 india empire | may 2014

Russian artists performing Kathak dance at OFBJP Russia Launch program at Moscow business houses and leaders with commerce and business background. He owns the famous"Imperial Tailoring Co." in Moscow and is credited to have tailored an executive suit for Hon'ble President of Russia Mr. Valdmir Putin.

The new OFBJP Convenor Lithuania Wing Commander (Retd. –IAF) Mr. Rajinder K. Chaudhary, VSM is the ExHonorary Consul General of India in Lithuania, appointed

by President of India on November 18, 2007. He is the proud owner of the best known Indian restaurant “Sues Indian Raja”in the capital city of Vilnius.

OFBJP Russia launch program (L-R) Lubna Asif, Arti Mehra, Sammy Kotwani, Vijay Jolly and Mukesh Gupta at Moscow

BJP Leaders at United Russia Political Party headquarter of President Putin and meeting Russiam MP Andrey Klimov

The Russia trip started with a scintillating five hours "Moscow River Trip" on boat organized by Indian Spiritual and Yoga Guru Swami Pranab Roy along with his Russian disciples and Cosmo Travels Owner Mr Rajiv Gupta, Russian Helicopters Director Int'nl Mr. Maxim Emelenko, prominent Russian Attorney Mr Ruslan Yakupov and Mckinsey and Co. Russia Principal Associate Mr. Dmitry Garanin and others.

LITHUANIA TRIP The Lithuania trip started with a rousing welcome at Vilnius airport accorded by Wing Commander (Retd. -IAF) Mr Rajinder Kumar Chaudhry, VSM along with Ms Zivile Juonyte, Diplomat Latin America, Asia and Pacific Division in Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Republic of Lithuania.

A 45 minutes radio and television interview by state run television show anchored by International News Editor of LRT, TV namely Mr. Karolis Kaupin with OFBJP Leader Mr. Vijay Jolly was a grand success. A meeting with Current Leader of opposition and ex Prime Minister of Lithuania Mr Andrius Kubilius kicked off at his Parliament office with the good wishes of BJP leaders Mr Rajnath Singh and Mr Narendra Modi. It was attended by former foreign minister and MP Mr Audronius Azubalis.

Mr. Jolly personally praised the active role of Lithuanian Ambassador in India, Mr. Laimonas Talat – Kelpsa and Ms. Diana Mickevičienė (Minister Counselor). There after followed a series of official meetings with Adviser to Prime Minister Mr. Audrius Bruzga at the Lithuania PMO, lunch hosted by Vice Minister Foreign Affairs Mr. Neris Germanas along with Ambassador Ms. Ina Marciulionyte ( Director MEA Lithuania ) and Ms. Ginte Damusis (Director Lithuanians Living Abroad, MEA, Lithuania) at a downtown hotel “Narutis” in Vilnius.

A special visit to Vilnius University conducted by Director of Indian, Oriental and Buddhist Studies Prof.

Habil. Dr. Audrius Beinorius, Sanskrit speaking lecturer Mr. Vytis Vidunas, Prof. Valdas Jaskunas (Dy. Director Indian Studies) along with fluent Hindi speaking lecturer Ms. Kristina Dolinina and Ms. Gerda Melnik (Student of Hindi & Oriental Studies) were the surprise highlights of University visit.

A gala dinner was hosted by Wing Commander Rajinder K. Chaudhary in honor of the visiting BJP leaders at

BJP leaders in Lithuania (L-R) Ex. Foreign Minister and MP Audronius Azubalis, diplomat Miss Zivile, Arti Mehra, Vijay Jolly, LOP and Ex. PM Andrius Kubilius and Mukesh Gupta

BJP Leaders Jolly, Mehra & Gupta with Vice Foreign Minister Neris Germanas flanked (L-R) Ms. Ginte and Ambassador Ms. Ina at Vilnius his “Sue’s Indian Raja” restaurant. It was attended by Mr. and Mrs. J.K. Malik Director General of Indo Rama Company, Prof. Raj Shekhar Basu (visiting Prof. of ICCR), Mr. Emil William (student of technology), senior diplomats of Ministry of External Affairs Lithuania, media persons, businessman, academicians.

There Global Convenor BJP Overseas Affairs Mr. Vijay Jolly presented a lotus scarf along with BJP election manifesto to the newly appointed OFBJP Convenor in Lithuania Wing Commander Mr. Chaudhary. “INDIA ASPIRES” a book by Mr. Nitin Gadkari, former President BJP was presented to Mr. Chaudhary. ❐ may 2014 | india empire 29

university of MiChigan study

UP’s POWER AND POLITICS

About a third of India's electricity is lost each year. It just never gets billed. Some is stolen or disappears because of technical problems. It's enough power to light up all of Italy for a year.

The problem gets especially bad during elections when electricity is used to win votes, a new University of Michigan study shows. The research focused on state elections in Uttar Pradesh—the country's largest state—and found that power losses increased by three percentage points just before the polls.

"Our paper offers a political explanation on electricity loss and why it persists in plain sight," said Brian Min, assistant professor of political science. "In short, elected political leaders benefit at the polls when their constituents receive more electricity."

The study highlights two big challenges in the world's most populous democracy: rampant corruption and wobbly infrastructure. Both are frequently blamed for the recent slowdown in India's economy—a major issue in the general elections that wrapped up May 12.

Min said the study shows that incumbent candidates are more likely to win re-election in areas where power losses are allowed to increase.

"Political factors affect line losses in ways that technical and economic factors alone cannot explain," said Min, who analyzed data from the 2002 and 2007 elections in Uttar Pradesh.

Min said that because power companies such as Uttar Pradesh Power Corporation Ltd. are state-owned, they are

30 india empire | may 2014

beholden to the interests of elected officials.

In Uttar Pradesh, 29 percent of all power sent out from 1970 to 2010 was unbilled. Moreover, rates of line loss in Uttar Pradesh are higher today than they were in the 1970s, despite numerous policy interventions, regulatory reforms and increased efforts to prosecute power theft.

Line losses were highest in western Uttar Pradesh, home to strong political families. In the Hathras and Mainpuri districts, 50 percent of the power is being lost or not billed. In contrast, the lowest line loss was in Gautam Buddha Nagar at 13.6 percent, which includes Noida, a commercial area with many multinational company offices.

According to the study, the immediate need to win votes overlooks the systematic challenges that take money and time to solve.

"Politicians focus on getting their constituents electricity," Min said. "But the Government has not been able to address the investments needed to build new power plants that might alleviate the power crisis."

Rural areas don't have meters and usually pay a flat rate for electricity. The study suggests that meters should be used in the countryside because that might reduce the partisan manipulation of the energy sector. Before elections, many villages are limited to 12 hours of electricity per day.

But during the vote, the supply goes up to 18 hours or more without any change in revenue.

"The biggest concern of many Indians is basic dayto-day welfare," Min said. "Elections in India are about bijli, sadak, paani (electricity, roads and water)." ❐

asians in uganda

BOOK ON

A Kenyan Asian economist has spent seven years compiling the history of Asians in Uganda and especially their expulsion, prosperity in new lands and return to Uganda in a monumental book reports Kul Bhushan

After working for seven long years away from his family, Dr. Vali Jamal, an economist, has almost completed his magnum opus – Uganda Asians: Then and Now, Here and There. This book is has 1.2 million words spread over 1,656 pages with thousands of historical photographs, illustrations and tables. It contains personal stories of 444 Ugandan Asians expelled by the dictator Idi Amin.

Of these Dr. Jamal interviewed 155, received 155 by mail and researched the remaining on the web. In all, 2,222 people have been mentioned in this book.

Born in Kenya and brought up in Uganda, Dr. Jamal obtained his degree in economics from Trinity College, Cambridge. After graduation, he worked in Uganda Ministry of Commerce and Industry (1964-67), but left to go to Stanford for his doctorate. In 1972, he came to Uganda to collect 32 india empire | may 2014

data for his dissertation (The Role of Cotton and Coffee in Uganda’s Economic Development).

Then the expulsion happened.

He helped his parents and sisters with visas to leave Uganda and kept notes of the historic happening. After he completed his dissertation, he was recruited into UN-International Labour Organization. On an ILO mission to Kenya in 1982, he visited Uganda and did so every two years after.

He was the first to chronicle the post-expulsion decline of the economy in economic journals.

On his retirement from the ILO in 2001, he spent three weeks at the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) researching on Uganda Asians. In 2005, he returned to Uganda to open a restaurant with disastrous results. After several publishing ventures, he embarked on writing this book.

Talking about his book, Dr Jamal said, “There were some ten thousand households in Uganda at that time. I have covered at the most a thousand families. I had to be comprehensive of all communities, classes and towns. That’s where the length came in from, but it’s not just quantity, it’s also quality, and that’s why it took so long, apart from the length.”

About its content, he said, “The core consists of how people coped with the expulsion, where did they go and what are they doing now. To provide a context the stories of our pioneers are told.

If we had to cope the 90 days of the expulsion, they had to cope years of mosquitoes, man-eating lions, and unsanitary conditions. They are the joint heroes of my book. I also record the stories of our pioneers to Canada and UK from the early 1960s.”

The book has not been launched but has generated great interest. He said, “Many people have sponsored this work. Ugandan President Museveni has endorsed it and agreed to launch it in July.

Many Ugandan leaders have commented it while Asians have welcomed it. ‘The book is a national asset in Uganda's commercial diplomacy’, said President Museveni.”

In recognition of this contribution to Uganda, the Ugandan government honoured him with a Presidential Medal on 9 October 2012, the golden jubilee of independence. He was among the 42 Uganda Asian recipients decorated by the President. He recalled, “I was in the academic category.

In the full list, two-thirds are posthumous, showing an acknowledgment of Asian contribution throughout Uganda’s history. It was a unique event that Uganda honoured so many members of a minority that was once expelled from the country.

Was it a kind of atonement? Certainly President Museveni has shown lots of inclination towards the Asians. It was under him that properties were restored to the expelled Asians. Kenya celebrated its Golden jubilee in December 2013; no awards were given out for the even greater contribution of Asians to that country.”

There were 80,000 Uganda Asians world-wide in 1972; 60,000 or so in Uganda at the expulsion.

He said, “I was the first (and only person) to show the economic basis for the expulsion. A headline in one of my published papers from my dissertation said that we were one percent of the population (then 8 million) but garnered two-thirds of the nonfood GDP. The economy was based on Africans as cotton and coffee farmers, Asians as ginners and hullers, and Europeans as exporters.

“We had arrogant ways to go along with that, like coming out on Sundays to flash our best linen shirts and silk saris and Mercedes-Benzes, he said, “President Amin got caught up one Sunday in the traffic jam. Says he to an aide: “Where are we?

Bombay?” And the expulsion happened. Amin had a dream and he was commanded by the Almighty to expel the Asians - right? Well, we had it coming since almost the start of the Uganda ❐ Protectorate. may 2014 | india empire 33

Mango eXports

u.K.-INDIAN ChAMbERS DISCuSS MANGO bAN

i

n May, Lord de Mauley, the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Natural Environment and Science hosted a round table meeting at the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs with representatives of mango and vegetable importers and exporters from the UK and India, National Asian Business Association, Confederation of Indian Industry, Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce, Fresh Produce Consortium, Dr Virendra Paul - Deputy Indian High Commissioner, University of Huddersfield and senior regulators from Defra and Food and Environment Research Agency (Fera).

The discussion focused around the sudden ban on Indian Alphonso mangoes and other items of fresh produce by the European Union on May 26, 2014, effective from May 1, 2014.

Defra discussed the increasing levels of infestation and interventions that took place in 2013 and discussed the requirements from the Indian export supply chain and regulatory authorities for improving phytosanitary certification.

It was indicated that the ban was put in place as the EU did not find sufficient improvement in phytosanitary certification and regulatory measures by the end of 2013.

The industry representatives, led by Monica Bhandari of Fruity Fresh (Western) Ltd highlighted the sudden nature of the ban and the impact it has had SME’s in the UK and in India, from the growers and farmers, to exporters and importers and small high street retailers.

Ms Ruchi Chaudhari-Mehra, Director of Ruchi Exports (India), who had specially flown in from Mumbai, presented information regarding the change in procedures by the Indian regulators that have been in place since April 1, 2014 for certification and the routing of the products through APEDA pack houses.

Lord de Mauley confirmed that “the British Government values the bilateral trade with India and is willing to support Indian Regulators and the exporters and importers with technical assistance and collaborations with British reg34 india empire | may 2014

ulators. The ability to overturn the ban is with the EU commission and such decision will be taken after the FVO visit to India in September 2014. The intention is to work with all the stakeholders to get the processes right so the ban sanctioned till December 2015 is lifted sooner.”

The round table resolved to action the following: 1. Defra will facilitate discussions between the European Commission and Indian regulators about the changes required to enable the ban to be lifted.

2. Defra could provide training and technical advice to the Indian authorities and exporters (if requested) in EU phytosanitary procedures and certification requirements, both in the short term as they prepare for the FVO visit in September and in the longer term.

Uday Dholakia Chairman of NABA said “between gold plating regulation and free for all, the United Kingdom ought to strive for intelligent regulation that encompassed all the stakeholders. I am most indebted to Lord de Mauley for the meeting and supporting the British Asian businesses

and kindly offering the support of UK regulators to closely partner with Indian regulators to develop best practice in preparation for the EU FVO visit in September 2014, and to offer a follow up roundtable meeting in London within two months”.

Prof Samir Dani said that 'the fresh fruit and vegetable supply chain between India and the UK is a unique supply chain as it includes mainly Asian companies on both sides.

Effective communication and training regarding EU phytosanitary requirements is necessary at the Indian export end to provide the necessary assurances to the EU commission'.

Dr Gunveena Chadha, Director and Head CII -UK said "EU authorities ban on imports of Indian mangoes without any meaningful official consultation with India has raised severe concerns in India. While the government authorities in India have already implemented a new system to improve certificates and standards and experts are looking at options of hot water dipping treatment to manage contamination of the fruit, the Industry is of the view that this treatment affects the taste of the fruit. Besides, the cost of

Lord de Mauley

Dr Virendra Paul

Uday Dholakia

Prof Samir Dani

Dr Gunveena Chadha

Sidharth Birla

infrastructure required for this treatment is prohibitive especially for small exporters. The Confederation of Indian Industry suggests bilateral consultation between EU and India as the way forward to work out a proper mechanism to deal with the problem”.

Sidharth Birla, President, FICCI said "The ban imposed by the EU on the import of selected fruits and vegetables from India was an unfortunate development. We welcome the talks with the UK government to deal with such a situation through discussion. In particular, we welcome the willingness to provide technical assistance to Indian exporters where required and put a renewed emphasis on clear communication channels."

Monica Bhandari of Fruity Fresh (Western) Ltd said “This meeting has been a positive step forward, with Lord de Mauley and his team agreeing to facilitate positive discussions and action on this issue. We hope that with the help of Fera and Defra and measures put in place by the Indian authorities, we will be able to achieve a successful FVO visit in September, minimal interceptions of goods coming into the EU and the common goal of the ban being lifted.” ❐ may 2014 | india empire 35

diaspora

INTERNATIONAL DIASPORA RECOGNITION Nirmal Sinha Honoured Dr Nirmal Sinha, Director of Business Development---Southeast Asia, Floyd Browne International and one of the founding members of the GOPIO International has received the Global Corporate Award 2014.

The Awards ceremony 2014 was held with great enthusiasm at Tampa, Florida on April 26, 2014 Saturday at 9 am at the prestigious University Club, the oldest and most prestigious club in Tampa, Florida. It was a by invitation only tuxedo event. Who’s Who of the Global Corporate World got recognized for their accomplishments.

The Global Corporate Awards is the prestigious and exclusive international platform to recognize and salute the achievers of the Global Corporate World.

The Global Corporate Awards is the exclusive platform which recognizes the corporate achievers worldwide by honoring them with prestigious awards. The Global Corporate Awards recognizes, applauds and salutes those achievers and leaders who have made their mark. Asian Indian Chamber of Commerce (AICC), USA, India Business Group (IBG), Sino European Commercial Center (SINO), Maharashtra Chamber of Commerce, Industry & Agriculture (MACCIA), Indo American Society, Ajay Bohora and Amit Bohora are the organizers of the Global Corporate Awards 2014.

The Global Corporate Awards, 2014 award winners include President of General Assembly of United Nations Mr. John Ashe, past Deputy Labor Secretary of the State of Florida, Corporate achievers from Merck Inc., Janssen (Johnson and Johnson) etc., The award winners travelled in from states of New York, New Jersey, Michigan, Wisconsin, Ohio and all the way from India.

Rami Ranger Honoured Dr Rami Ranger, MBE, Founder and Chairman of Sun Mark Ltd, won the Business Personality of the Year 2014 during the Asian Business Awards in London in May. The award was presented by U.K. Education Secretary, the Rt. Hon. Michael Gove, MP.

In the picture from L to R: Ms Priti Patel MP, H.E Ranjan Mathai, High Commissioner of India, Mr Ramniklal Solanki CBE, Editor in Chief of Garavi Gujarat and the founder of the Awards, The Rt. Hon Michael Gove MP, Secretary of State for Education, Mr T Ramachandran , CEO & Managing Director of Bristol Laboratories Ltd, Sponsor of the Award

36 india empire | may 2014

us iMMigration

US NRI expresses worry Says US Immigration Reform Bill S-744 is set to damage Indian business interests

Mr. Shalabh Kumar, Chairman Indian American Advisory Council of House of Republican Conference of US Parliament expressed grave concern over the US Immigration Reform Bill S-744 as a prominent NRI based in Chicago, US. The Border Security, Economic Opportunity and Immigration Modernization Act – 2013 or S744 is a bill drafted with the aim of reforming the immigration system in United States, Mr. Kumar who is also Chairman of the National Indian American Public Policy Institute (NIAPPI), has said.

Mr. Kumar stated that S744 was introduced in US Senate on April 16, 2013. This bill was prepared by a bipartisan group of eight senators known as “gang of eight” comprising Senator John McCain, Charles, Lindsey Graham, Richard Durbin, Marco Rubio, Robert Menendez, Jeff Flake and Michael Bennet. This bill was passed in the US Senate on June 27, 2013, which is controlled by Democratic Party headed by President Barack Obama. Now the bill is pending in US House of Representatives awaiting consideration.

Once it is approved, the bill will become a law.

38 india empire | may 2014

Mr. Kumar stated that this bill shall damage Indian business and IT industry in India. It shall affect around 500,000 engineers from India. This bill shall cause loss to the tune of Rs. 1,875 lakh crore in Indian exports to United States on a yearly basis. It shall have adverse restrictions on Indian H1B and L1 visa holders. It shall break the back bone of Indian export industry alleged.

If the bill is passed then Indian firms will be forced to cut down on sending their employees from India.

It shall reduce the GDP of India and its dollar reserves almost to the tune of 1 to 1.5 per cent of Indian GDP. Mr. Kumar termed this bill as a major challenge for the newly elected Indian Government.

He noted with appreciation the efforts of Mr. Vijay Jolly Convenor OFBJP Global Affairs for voicing the strong opposition of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on the anti Indian provisions of the bill. Mr. Jolly had recently written a letter to the US Ambassador in India demanding that US House of Representative should not approve the anti Indian S744 bill. ❐

healthCare

Lopsided healthcare in india

i

By Kamal Mahawar

s good health a fundamental human right? If it is, we in India have failed miserably at that. Let us face it. India is a poor country and the vast majority of people can't afford even the inefficient and generally inadequate public health system.

For those with some means, there is a flourishing private health sector, which will match in terms of quality and expertise with what is provided in Western countries. However, number of people who can afford care in these hospitals, though growing, is sadly, still very small. Insurance industry has made things slightly easier but what proportion of our population can really afford to have an insurance policy. In a country, where the vast majority of people are struggling to obtain food, clothes, proper sanitation, and shelter, is it really surprising that most people can't afford an insurance policy? Insurance funding is, by no means, without any evils either. It can inflate the costs of healthcare and can take the decision-making away from doctors and patients into the hands of powerful insurance industry. Moreover, countries like USA have shown us that poor suffer in a system over-reliant on insurance.

I don't blame these people for then turning to chemists, quacks, or anybody who will give them any advice for their medical needs. Life is cheap here and education levels low. Little do they realize that this "cheap " advice can actually prove very expensive in the long term. They are desperate for some relief for their ailments and will turn to anybody, who will talk to them. Government on their part is quite happy to turn a blind eye to all this and does not care if these people get any medical treatment at all or not. I understand the anguish a qualified doctor may feel when s/he has to compete with quacks and chemists for "work". However, that is not my primary concern. Believe me, these patients haven't got anything to give you for your professional fee. Quacks are happy extorting them and chemists giving free (unqualified) advice. Medical profession is by and large struggling, as we don't have adequate resources in most of rural India for doctors to go and work in. We all are hence competing mainly with our qualified professional colleagues in the overcrowded urban areas.

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Can anybody really blame doctors for not wanting to live and work in rural areas where there are little support systems for a civic society (not that our cities have them all) and medical infrastructure next to non-existent? That is where government comes in, to provide us with something that markets have failed to. Isn't this why we have a state?

Yes, I have recently come from United Kingdom (and I am not saying National Health Service in UK is immune from all evils), but at least poor there get a quality healthcare, which is beyond the scope of even the middle classes in India. Whose responsibility is it to ensure our districts and villages have hospitals and doctors and nurses to work in them? How did British government solve the problem of a huge shortage of General Practitioners in the country?

They incentivized the role. They made it so lucrative to be a GP that many hospital consultants started wondering if they had made a wrong choice! Is it really rocket science? If government started paying doctors and nurses well, there will be no shortage of people wanting to work in rural areas.

However, all this will need investment in health and infrastructure from our corruption infested government and bureaucracy, where health is not even an agenda on national priority list.

One then wonders, whether private healthcare providers could do something instead. The answer to that is a flat NO. Rural India, just like their poor counterparts in urban areas, will not have enough resources to be able to afford a completely private healthcare, not in the near future. As a last resort, one hopes that the third sector (Non Governmental Charitable Organizations), which is really vibrant in India, will do something for it. Running charitable hospitals however is not easy and requires tremendous dedication and resources. Though there are some good local examples out there, it cannot solve all our healthcare needs. What then is the solution? Here is my take at it. ❖ There is little doubt that the poor in India cannot look after their health by themselves or through private insurance funding. However, this should not prevent government from trying to increase the reach of insurance by partially subsidizing it for the poor. That will surely bring more people under its umbrella. ❖ Completely state run hospitals are unable to rise above the challenges of inefficient bureaucracy and rampant corruption. The only answer there is to bring private efficiency into these systems through public-private partnerships, where a part of the healthcare could be completely free and the other part paid, depending on the patient's socio-economic class. ❖ Doctors, nurses and other professionals are incen-

tivized to work in these systems (not pressured through mandatory posting) so that they themselves want to work there. Such incentives will include adequate modern housing complexes equipped with all the amenities of basic living and financial compensations much more than what one earns in a city. It will provide employment and a good living standard to our doctors and nurses at home and prevent overcrowding and too much competition in overcrowded urban areas. ❖ All this will require considerable investment, but it is not beyond the reach of an economically growing India. These health townships, hospitals, and clinics can be funded through joint involvement of state, the profit seeking private sector, and the charitable organizations. ❖ We should work to increase charitable donations in the field of healthcare and medical researches to part fund these public-private hospitals/clinics and foster more research. There will be tough competition from religious establishments and "gods" but that doesn't mean we shouldn't try.

Access to basic healthcare is a basic human right and it is the responsibility of any civilized society to provide this to all its members. How long are we going to condone the current state of affairs in India? Poor access to healthcare in a society has implications that go much beyond health, and has the potential to damage the very fabric of our society.

Our medical and nursing colleges need not be the machineries to create work forces for developed western nations. People need this help here and they need it now. ❐ —The author is Chairman, Webmed Limited, Durham, UK may 2014 | india empire 41

investing in india

investMent Overseas Investors are now poised to invest in India, having watched closely the unfolding of the national elections and the new Government being sworn to power. There is now a platform of stability, and an environment of “Can Do”. Prime Minister Modi will no doubt lead India from the front, having done so for well over a decade in his home state of Gujarat.

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. After all, India with its solid domestic market, educated workforce and competitive labour costs is no doubt an attractive investment destination. The consumer products, industrials, technology, media and telecom (TIMT) and life-sciences sectors are set to drive India’s growth over the next two years.

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.

The findings of the survey, no doubt, will be useful to those readers who are looking for pointers on investment

42 india empire | may 2014

www.ey.CoM/attraCtiveness

may 2014 | india empire 43

investing in india

44 india empire | may 2014

www.ey.CoM/attraCtiveness

may 2014 | india empire 45

ColuMn: yogi ashwini

Mind and Body

A ThOuSAND NAMES OF LORD ShIV

By Yogi Ashwini Yogi Ashwini

M

ount Kailash is the source of shakti for the entire creation. At the time when vedic sciences were established, Mount Kailash corresponded to the northeast direction. With the change of yugs and the shift in the tilt of earth’s axis, it has assumed the north direction in present times. In the vedic times, directions were given by looking at and measuring the congruence of energies. Directions played a pivotal role in the process of creation. Even though now Earth’s axis has tilted, directions still play a determining role, of course according to the present position of various entities.

You must have observed that all auspicious tasks are performed in the northeast direction. This direction has been called Ishan in our ancient texts. Even when Muslims do namaz, they do it in a particular direction and time called Isha (indicating that all religions have similarity and our religious beliefs should not be a reason for intolerance towards others). Interestingly, Ishan is another name for Lord Shiv. In Vedic times there were only eight names of Lord Shiv— Sharva, Bhava, Rudra, Ugra, Bheem, Pashupati, Ishan and Mahadeva—representing various aspects and forces that play a pivotal role in running creation. Take for example, Rudra.

Rudra is the form of Shiv that is required for destruction.

There is a specific mantra ‘Rudra-Rudra-Maharudra’ which when practiced in the sanidhya of Guru, stops the effect of all adversities that are to happen. As one completes the sadhna of Rudra Jaap, the body develops the capacity to change anything. Then he can change the direction of anything coming towards him or anyone else. These, however, should not be done as the purpose of a tantric sadhna is evolution of the being, and not anything else. Similarly, Bheem represents the strength aspect of Shiv, strength not of the muscles but the strength needed to go from one dimension to the next. Pashupati epitomizes the abundance of nature, the flora and fauna. Pashupatinath temple was made for this purpose only but later corruption seeped in and they started the incorrect practice of performing ritualistic sacrifices.

This and other adulterations in the authentic vedic sciences have led us to completely forget our culture.

With the progression of times and change of yugs, men started losing touch with creation and became self-centered.

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As a result, the eight forms of Shiv were not enough for them. So newer names began to emerge, Mrityunjay being one of them. Earlier there was no mrityu but ‘iccha mrityu’, i.e. a person would leave the body at will. Therefore, there was no need for the name Mrityunjay. But when people started performing wrong acts, they started fearing death.

As a result, the name Mrityunjay originated. Similarly there were no jyorilingas or shaktipeeths in satyug because they were not required. Their need was felt when the civilization started its descent. Today, the condition of human beings has deteriorated to such an extent that he has moved on from the swaroop of Shiv to worship lower beings like rakshas, pishach, bhoot and pret. And with every passing day, the situation is becoming worse. Men can no longer see anything beyond themselves and things that are happening to them or their limited circle. And so we have today a thousand names of Lord Shiv. All these are readily available on a CD in every marketplace. People who play them think they are worshipping Lord Shiv unaware of the fact that Shiv has only eight names. Few years from now, the names of Shiv would multiply to such an extent that it would be difficult to contain them in a single CD… People keep asking me strange questions and at times I am just not able to understand in which direction to steer them. I try to take them north but they want to head south.

If I talk of something whereas your direction is some other, then you will get confused and not be able to reach anywhere, which is a failure for me. The thousand different names of Shiv pertain to different isht devas. Yog says that there is only one mantra, one asan, one mala, one isht deva and only one guru. If you make any of these two, then it is adultery in yog i.e. you are being unfaithful to the creation. And if you are unfaithful to creation then the creation will be unfaithful to you. So before embarking on the journey of the spirit, you need to be sure of what it is that you are seeking, only then can the path to achieve it be carved out by your Guru. If you don’t know what you want then we have a thousand names of Lord Shiv, you can start doing thousand ❐ sadhnas…where do you think you will reach?

—The writer Yogi Ashwini Ji is the head of Dhyan Foundation, Delhi.

For details contact: ashwiniyogi@yahoo.co.in