pictures Š sipra das
PHOTO GALLERY
President Pranab Mukherjee arrives for Beating Retreat at Vijay Chowk on January 29
President Mukherjee at Mughal Gardens inside Rashtrapati Bhavan surveying fresh flowers in bloom
Chief Guest at the PBD 2017, Portuguese Prime Minister Anthony D’Costa, receives the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award from President Mukherjee in Bengaluru
Ms Nisha Desai Biswal, former Assistant Secretary of State, US Government, receives the PBSA from President Mukherjee
A Fijian group in traditional Sulu dress at the PBD
Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on the day of the Budget
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india empire | February 2017
DIASPORA NEWS
cover story: INDo-Us reLAtIoNs
Modi-TruMp can
U
S President Donald Trump’s mantra of “Buy American” and Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ‘Make in India’ are not mutually exclusive because trade need not be a zero sum game, according to Shalabh Kumar, an Indian American Republican leader and the founder of the Republican Hindu Coalition (RHC). A harder line by Trump to stem the huge trade surplus with China and correct Beijing’s unequal terms of trade will 8
india empire | February 2017
provide India with an opportunity to fill the void by exporting more manufactured goods, Kumar has said. “Increasing trade between the United States and India is my passion,” he said and asserted that balanced trade can help both countries increase their exports to each other and create jobs and boost investments. He said that he expects the trade between India and the US that is over $100 billion now to rise to at least $300 billion by the end of Trump’s current term and to $1 trillion
boosT one anoTher By arul Louis
in the four years after that in “Trump’s second term”. The policies of Trump and Modi to give priority to their respective country’s job growth and investment does not mean a freeze or a shutout of trade with the other nation, Kumar said. Both countries have mutual needs and the US can increase exports of equipment in the defence, energy, nuclear and technology areas and India can grow its exports of services and manufactured products. If trade increases bilaterally, it will create more jobs in the
US and in India, he said. A big donor, Kumar personally gave $898,000 to the Trump Victory fund, a joint programme of the Trump campaign, the Republican National Committee and state organisations to help his election effort. He is on Trump’s transition committee for finance and the inaugural committee. Kumar was the prime mover of the RHC rally in October at which Trump campaigned on a promise of being February 2017 | india empire
9
cover story: INDo-Us reLAtIoNs
a friend of Indian Americans and Hindus and praised ior White House positions showed his commitment to keepNarendra Modi. He is close to former Speaker Newt ing his word that that the community would have a friend in Gingrich, who mentored the RHC and serves as its hon- him in the White House, Kumar said. orary chairman. For the first time, an Indian American, UN AmbassaAt the Candlelight Dinner held last week on the occa- dor Nikki Haley, was appointed to a cabinet-level position. sion of the presidential inauguration for major donors and Ajit Pai was made the chairman of the Federal CommuniVIPs, Trump spent 20 minutes with the Kumar family and cation Commission and Seema Verma the head of the govRHC members, Kumar said. The highernment health insurance programmes, level event was the main inaugural eve Medicare and Medicaid. The policies of Trump event and took place at the same time Trump has appointed lawyer Uttam as the more general Asian Pacific AmerDhillon as his special assistant and asand Modi to give ican Presidential Inaugural Gala. sociate counsel, and Raj Shah as his priority to their Anika Arora, a co-founder of the deputy assistant and research director. RHC, said that when Trump met them Kumar said that Trump’s transition respective country’s at the dinner, he thanked the organiteam had asked the RHC for resumes job growth and saiton for mobilising voters, especially of suitable candidates for it to review investment does not in the crucial swing states, resulting in as it goes about filling the hundreds of the “great culmination” of the camjobs in the new administration. He said mean a freeze or a paign with his election. “He acknowlthat he is scouting for talent and with shutout of trade with edged our efforts in getting the better organisation and resume-matchcommunity to turn out in large numbers ing a many more Indian Americans can the other nation, to vote for him,” she said. find positions in an administration that Kumar said Trump also introduced the RHC to is open to the community. his cabinet nominees and told them In the US each administration can about the role of its leadership to get the vote out for him, make political appointment for the duration of the term to she added. For the Inauguration Welcome Concert held ear- better implement its policies. The administrations ask suplier, RHC arranged for a Bollywood performance led by the porters to make recommendations. actress and supermodel Manasvi Mamgai at which Mika It is estimated that there about 4,000 political positions Singh made a special appearance. are open and of them about 1,200, including ambassadorTrump’s three high-level appointments of Indian Amer- ships, need Senate approval; about 475 are in the White icans and Hindus to the administration and two to the sen- House, and 750 are at the senior executive level. ❐ 10 india empire | February 2017
INDIAN DIAsPorA IN NortH cALIForNIA
Gurdwaras help Yuba ciTY
evacuees Several gurdwaras in Sacramento, California’s capital city, have come forward to offer meals and shelter to the evacuees of Yuba City, which consists of a sizable number of IndianAmericans, following fears of Oroville Dam collapsing. Some 188,000 residents, including around 20,000 Indian-Americans, in the River Valley below the Lake Oroville Dam, 65 miles or about 104 km north of Sacramento, were ordered to move away from their homes in mid-February when one of two damaged spillways appeared in danger of imminent collapse from severe erosion, American Bazaar online reported. Yuba City has an estimated population of 13 per cent Punjabi-Americans and evacuation was ordered for parts of Yuba County, including Hallwood, Marysville, Olivehurst, Linda and Plumas Lake. Yuba County Office of Emergency Services posted an evacuation order on Facebook: “Yes, an evacuation has been ordered. All Yuba County on the valley floor. The auxiliary spillway is close to failing. Please travel safely. Contact family and friends. Help the elderly. Take only routes to the east, south, or west. DO NOT TRAVEL NORTH TOWARD OROVILLE!!!!!” Operators of the dam prepared to shore up a crumbling emergency spillway with bags of rock while bleeding off excess water from the rain-swollen Oroville Lake to ease the threat of inundating the northern California communities under evacuation orders downstream. Several hours later, the situation appeared less dire as water levels subsided behind the dam, which ranks as the tallest in the US, and the weakened unpaved hillside spillway beside it remained largely intact. “Sikh temples in Sacramento offering Food & Shelter. They are open for ALL people evacuated from Yuba City #OrovilleDam #OrovilleSpillway,” tweeted social activist Harjinder S. Kukreja. Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg tweeted that people could take shelter in Gurdwaras situated around the area and there are arrangements for meals too. Dr Gurtej Singh Cheema, a physician and a local Sikh activist, said that they were prepared to help the residents evacuating the Yuva County area. “We’re well prepared,” Cheema told the Huffington Post. The Gurdwara is one of the closest for residents leaving Yuba City. “We have meals, shelter. We can accommodate at least 50 people here,” he said. Cheema said that they have already received three families and several ❐ more called to apprise of their arrival. February 2017 | india empire
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UNIteD NAtIoNs
NiKKi HALEY TAKEs OvER As Us ENvOY TO UN By Arul louis
N
Nikki Haley formally took over as United States Ambassador to the UN on Friday with a tough message from the US of “new strength” and “new vision” and a warning about doing away with “anything that is not working.” The first Indian American to hold the cabinet-level position, Haley presented her credentials to Secretary-General Antonio Guterres as an air of uncertainty hung over the future of relations between the global organisation and the world power that pays 25 percent of its budget. She will be the second person of the Indian diaspora currently representing a nation other than India at the UN. Mauritius’ Permanent Representative is Jagdish Dharamchand Koonjul. There have been many diaspora Indians representing their countries at the UN in the past, incuding Assissi Chullikatt, who was Vatican’s ambassador till 2014. Currently scores of people of Indian ori-
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Nikki Haley, the first Indian American to hold the cabinet level position of United States Ambassador to the United Nations, presented her credentials to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in January 2017 (Photo: UN/via IANS)
gin serve in UN missions of countries from around the world. Speaking to reporters before she went to present her credentials, Haley spelled out how her mission would fit in with US President Donald Trump’s tough worldview. “We value the UN and the way we show value is to show our strength, our voice,” she said. Haley who had been the South Carolina governor and had no previous experience in diplomacy or foreign relations, that she would bring “fresh eyes” to the UN. Amid calls by Trump to cut contributions to international organisations - a move backed by a majority in the US Congress, especially when it comes to the UN, she said: “This administration is prepared to have me go in, look at the UN.” She added that she would want do away with anything that is not working. She also had a mes-
sage for US allies and other nations. “Those who don’t have our backs,” can expect a response from the Washington. During the Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearings earlier this month, Haley had said that she would seek reforms at the UN, especially in the peacekeeping operations. She said that she was against a “slash and burn” and would prefer targeted cuts to specific agencies like the Human Rights Council. With Guterres, new Secretary-General starting out at the UN this month, spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said: “The UN and United States are in a period of transition” and that Guterres looked forward to “beginning a solid and meaningful dialogue with the incoming US Administration. The United States has been engaged with the United Nations, regardless of who or which party has had the upper hand in Washington,” he added. ❐ February 2017 | india empire 13
PArLIAMeNt WAtcH
PANEL RAPS DELAY IN
EMIGRATION ACT By anjali Ojha
A
parliamentary panel has pulled up the government for delaying a new emigration policy that would keep with the changing times, and expressed displeasure over a bill being put in abeyance for long years. India’s current emigration act was formulated in 1983 and amended in 2009. The Emigration Management Bill, which is to replace the act, was formulated by the Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs in 2009 and updated in 2010 and 2011. However, it never saw the light of day in Parliament. The Parliamentary Standing Committee on External Affairs, headed by Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, in an earlier report had been tough on the government, questioning the delay in introducing a new emigration bill “that was reflective of the changed international as well as domestic situation”. “The Committee was disheartened to note that the Draft Emigration Bill stated to replace the Emigration Act, 1983, had been put in abeyance since 2011 and the ministry had once again failed to adhere to the deadline for introducing the bill during the monsoon session of Parliament last year,” the panel said in its 11th report that was tabled in May 2016. The External Affairs Ministry in its reply said it is “conscious of the need to modernise the legislative framework prescribed by the Emigration Act, 1983, and the Emigration Rules that governs emigration of Indians for overseas employment”. It also stated that the Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs, which was merged with the Ministry of External Affairs in January 2016, had also held consultations over the draft Emigration Management Bill, but it was felt that wider consultations were needed. The government also pointed out the measures like e-migrate platform, 24X7 Helpline “MADAD” for online lodging and redressal of grievances of the emigrants, mandatory Pravasi Bharatiya Bima Yojana, and the Indian Community Welfare Fund in Missions and Posts abroad as some measures. The panel, however, rapped the government over the delay and said the ministry has “broadly reproduced the same reply as it had furnished in the previous year”. The Parliamentary Committee said it is not convinced with the ministry’s arguments of the other measures taken. “The Committee would reiterate that a new framework for emigration is needed and in the absence of a firm legal backing, these administrative measures are likely to prove insufficient,” the report said. “The Committee, in the strongest possible terms, recom14 india empire | February 2017
Mr V.K. Singh
mend that the Ministry should adhere to a time-frame to complete the consultation process to evolve a comprehensive emigration management framework and ensure that it comprises a comprehensive legislative framework delineating the rules governing emigration law by replacing the obsolete Emigration Act, 1983,” it said. Before the merger of the Ministry of Overseas Affairs with the External Affairs Ministry, the then Minister of State for Overseas Affairs V.K. Singh in a written reply in Lok Sabha had said salient features of the proposed bill include transforming emigration into a simple, transparent, efficient, and humane economic process with emphasis on management of migration that includes facilitating legal migration and preventing illegal migration. It will also enable ethical recruitment practices, enhance the protection and welfare of emigrants and matters connected therewith, the minister had said. In another reply to the Lok Sabha in July 2014, V.K. Singh had said the bill was at the stage of inter-ministerial consultations and no time limit could be given for it. The bill proposes constitution of an Emigration Management Authority, which will manage and regulate recruitment and enrolment agencies, accreditation of employees, registration of emigrants and obtaining intimation from students going abroad. ❐
FAsHIoN
Badiani at NY Fashion Week
I
ndia-born US-based designer tal awareness that believes caring Premal Badiani will showcase about the planet is not a seasonal Indian fashion at New York choice but needs to be done all year Fashion Week. She says it round, she added. “Through this colcould open an avenue for Inlection, the brand wants to promote dian textile makers. sustainable fashion in the luxury marBadiani’s latest collection ‘Root ket,” Badiani said. Cause’ is based on soft and fluid silThe designer feels showcasing houettes in warm shades of maroon. this line at the New York Fashion Week will bring more opportunities The earthy undertones of the fabric to Indian textile makers. “This opare further complemented with the portunity will open an avenue not green and gold embroidery that enonly for me and other designers, but dorses ‘green awareness’. also for the entire community of In“The inspiration behind this coldian textile makers and handloom lection is to bring awareness of the weavers to get their craft noticed and human impact on environment and acknowledged in the international to promote social responsibility by Designer Premal Badiani fashion industry,” said Badiani. Her adopting sustainable fashion as a label Premal Badiani has creations which are marked by laylifestyle choice,” Badiani said in a statement. “The priering, embellishments, intricate draping and attention to demary fabric used is made from natural cellulosic fibres tails. Her show at the New York Fashion Week is on and produced from wood pulp, a natural renewable resource,” she said. February 14. Another Indian name to showcase at the gala This highlights the brand’s philosophy of environmen- is Vaishali Shadangule. ❐ February 2017 | india empire 15
MeA WAtcH
INDIAN DEATHS IN US, UAE, JAMAICA—CLOSE MONITORING BY SUSHMA SWARAJ
T
he man who killed an Indian youth in early February in California has been arrested, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj has said.”I have got a report from our Consulate in San Francisco. The report says Vamshi was killed by a drug addict at Milpitas,” Sushma Swaraj tweeted. “The culprit has been arrested,” she stated, adding that the Consulate was in touch with the victim’s family and assuring all help. V. Vamshi Reddy, 27, was killed near his apartment, according to information reaching his family in Warangal Urban district. Reddy’s friends informed his family about the incident over telephone. The youth, who had gone to the US in 2015, recently completed his MS and was looking for a job.
UAE Sushma Swaraj also sought a report from the Indian consulate in Dubai regarding three Indians who reportedly suffocated to death in diesel tanks in the Gulf nation. “@cgidubai has informed me about the unfortunate death of three Indian nationals Kishan Singh, Mohan Singh and Ujendra Singh all employees of Al-Ameer Used Oil Trading in a diesel tank in Sharjah. It appears the cause of death is suffocation,” Sushma Swaraj tweeted. “I have asked our mission to follow up investigation by the Police,” she added. Khaleej Times on Sunday reported: “Sharjah Police are investigating the death of three Indians whose bodies were found in diesel tanks in Al Saja’a area in Sharjah. After receiving an alert, Police dispatched their team, an ambulance and forensic experts.” “The bodies were removed and transferred to forensic laboratory for autopsy to determine the cause of the
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death,” report said. “The Police launched an investigation to rule out criminal acts behind their death,” the report added. Offering her condolences to the bereaved families, Sushma Swaraj said: “Our mission will provide them all help and assistance.” JAMAICA Sushma Swaraj assured help to the family of an Indian national who was shot dead during an armed robbery in Jamaica in February. “Talreja family - I am sorry to know about this tragedy. My heartfelt condolences,” Sushma Swaraj tweeted. “Indian High Commission in Jamaica will follow up this case with the police and help you in all possible manner,” she said. According to reports, armed robbers entered the home of 25-year-old Rakesh Talreja, hailing from Vasai in Maharashtra, which he shared with two other Indians, in Jamaica’s capital Kingston in early February. After snatching cash and cell phones from his roommates at gunpoint, they entered Talreja’s bedroom on the first floor of the house. After snatching his cell phone, they shot Talreja in the back three times. They also shot at his roommates before fleeing from the house. Talreja was rushed to a hospital but was declared dead before admission. His two roommates, who sustained injuries on their legs, are undergoing treatment at the hospital. Talreja worked as a salesperson at Caribbean Jewellers in Kingston and his employer used to ask his employees to take some amount of cash home everyday to avoid theft in the shop, according to the reports. Seeking a detailed report about the incident, Sushma Swaraj directed the High Commission to “ensure best possible treatment to the injured Indian nationals and coordinate ❐ with the affected families”.
Mrs Sushma Swaraj
February 2017 | india empire 17
NBA—INDIAN PreseNce
“Care for sports stars Must” By sugandha rawal
H
e is the first Indian to turn out in the elite US National Basketball Association (NBA) league and has represented the country on foreign shores. But there is one thing that Satnam Singh Bhamara rues—no one from the Indian government ever called him to appreciate his work or congratulate him for his achievements. He said there’s a need for the Indian government to provide monetary help for building sports infrastructure in the country. “The government needs to think about them (the country’s sportspersons) or else they will think there is no life in
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India. Talking about supporting and motivating talent in the country, the government or any minister from India has never called to appreciate my work,” Bhamara, who plays for the Texas Legends in the NBA Development League, told an agency in an email interview from Dallas. “I have played with so many players in India, none of them ever called or sent a text to appreciate or congratulate me for my work. It is about the respect for the game and not about anything else. I want other players to promote the game in India as much as they can and get the attention it receives,” he added. The 7’ 2” Bhamara, who
hails from Barnala in Punjab, created history in 2015 by becoming the first Indian to get drafted into an NBA side. A documentary titled “One in a Billion” chronicles his journey to become the first Indian-born basketball player drafted into NBA. Bhamara felt the government should provide monetary help for sports infrastructure and promote the game in India. “I will continue to do my bit for promoting sports in India but the government’s support will be an added benefit. It should work towards providing better opportunities to kids,” he said. Hailing from a small village, Bhamara had to go through much turbulence, like the language barrier, to make a name for himself in sports. Looking back at his journey from Barnala to Texas, Bhamara said: “I faced a lot of difficulty initially, especially in terms of studies. When I was in India, I didn’t know the importance of studies. “I used to go to the farm with my father or used to play. When I got a scholarship and came to the US, I understood how important it is to study. I saw players giving interviews and interacting with the coaches in English. Coming here from Punjab, I had to study English from scratch. I was lucky enough to receive help from coaches and teachers.” And he has not forgotten his “desi” roots. Bhamara hopes to open a basketball academy in India, and wants Indian children to master the English language. “Whenever I get the chance to come back to India, I would like to open an academy in my name for poor kids not just for basketball but for other games also. It will have all the facilities that my academy has here in the US,” he said. Bhamara also said it will “have an English medium school, good teachers, coaches and basketball players”. “Kids will be allowed to stay and study in the academy itself. I will also try and get opportunities for them to go abroad for further studies and sports training.” After making his dream a reality, he now wants to fulfill his father’s dream. “I remember telling my father that we will have a big house one day. I wish to make them proud and fulfil everything that my family wishes for. It is my father’s dream to travel by air, which will happen soon when he comes ❐ to the US,” he added.
Satnam Singh Bhamara
February 2017 | india empire 23
FocUs oN cArIBBeAN
“Let go of Privy Council” By Paras Ramoutar
E
minent Indian jurist B.N. Srikrishna has urged Trinidad and Tobago to fully adopt the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) as its final court of appeal rather than the Privy Council in London. “What are you waiting for,” asked Justice Srikrishna, a retired judge of the Supreme Court, at a symposium hosted by the Law Association of Trinidad and Tobago that was aimed at encouraging the Government to suitably amend the Constitution to elevate the CCJ as the final court of appeal. Noting that India had replaced the Privy Council as its final court of appeal by the Federal Court of India -- now the Supreme Court of India -- just two years after gaining independence from Britain in 1947, Justice Srikrishna asked: “Why should a sovereign state allow its former master to be the final arbitrator?” For several years now, there have been strong calls for the government of Trinidad and Tobago to disqualify itself from the Privy Council. This, however, requires consensus in parliament, which is not forthcoming. Justice Srikrishna, then a relatively junior judge of the Bombay High Court, had come into the limelight when a panel headed by him painstakingly probed the 1993 serial blasts that rocked the city. On his retirement from the Supreme Court in 2006, he headed the Sixth Pay Commission that revised the salaries and allowances of government servants, headed the probe into the violent incidents in the Madras High Court in 2009 and chaired a committee that studied the feasibility of carving a separate state of Telangana from Andhra Pradesh. Speaking at the event, Jamaica-born Judge Patrick Robinson, now a member of the International Court of Justice at The Hague, said: “Our colonial legacy has brainwashed us to believe we are not good. But the CCJ is as good as or better, and can fulfill all the needs of the region. The Privy Council must be weary of people from the
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Mr B.N. Srikrishna
Commonwealth.” Justice Robinson said that the Caribbean people that should not doubt “the greatness of our region”. “Why would anyone doubt that a region has produced Hugh Wooding, Norman Manley, Telford Georges, three Nobel laureates -- Arthur Lewis for economics, Derek Walcott and Vidia Naipaul for literature; Elsa Goveia, CLR James, Bob Marley, Usain Bolt and Trinidad Carnival -why would anyone doubt that a region with such a tradition of culture and greatness could produce a final appellate body that meets at the highest international standards of competence, independence and impartiality,” he asked. Judge Robinson said that the CCJ was efficient in determining matters before it, pointing out that of 192 matters filed, 180 of them had been disposed of within one year. He noted its accessibility to Caribbean citizens, the majority of whom cannot afford the 5,000 mile trip to the Privy Council which is, “utilised by those who are relatively well off and those accused of murder who receive pro bono representation from English lawyers”. The Jamaican continued that the best way to express sovereignty is through identity and self image. “By far, the worst relic of enslavement, indentureship and colonialism is that they have left Caribbean people with a muddled sense of identity. We must not wait for others to liberate us from this complex. Marcus Garvey, a Pan African freedom fighter was right when he said, ‘None but ourselves can free our minds’.” “If the Privy Council has served Trinidad and Tobago well, the CCJ will serve it better,” Judge Robinson quipped. Out of a population of 1.3 million in the country, some 44 per cent are of East Indian extraction, whose forefathers were sourced from India (principally from what is now Uttar Pradesh and Bihar between 1845 and 1917) to work on enhancing the agricultural capacity of ❐ the then colonial country.
INDIAN IN AUstrALIA
never imagined
nomination By arundhuti Banerjee
T
he heart-warming, real-life story of Indian-Australian businessman Saroo Brierley is being celebrated globally through the film “Lion”, that has been winning awards and has earned several Oscar and BAFTA nominations. He says the success of the homecoming story is unimaginable and wants it to bring hope to those who may be going through what he did. “I am humbled and touched that the film has been chosen for six Oscar nominations. I never imagined my story would get that (an Oscar nomination),” Saroo has said. “For me, more than winning awards, I want the film to penetrate as much as it can for those kids and parents who are going through the same situation. I want those kids to be motivated and inspired, who are vulnerable, not knowing where they are coming from, who their parents are,” he added. Born in Madhya Pradesh, Saroo got separated from his poor family—mother, two brothers and sister—and was adopted by an Australian couple from a Kolkata orphanage. While his Australian parents gave him all the love and privilege to lead a good life, he kept on searching for his birth mother and, finally, using Google Earth, met her at Khandwa after 25 years. Asked what made him persist with the search, Saroo said: “I think the love and bonding I share with my real family, affection of my mother, love and bonding with siblings, drove me to continue the search. I used to think that my brother Guddu is still screaming my name.” However, once he was taken to Australia, he gradually got accustomed to Western culture and forgot his native language 28 india empire | February 2017
Hindi. “You see, I was just five years old then (when I got separated from my biological family), and had never been to school as we were living in a slum and my mother had no money to send us to school. So, my vocabulary was underdeveloped anyway. “When I went to school, in the beginning, for some time I did not understand the language, but slowly I adapted. I was a happy child then,” recalled Saroo. “I was quite popular in my school as I was good in sports. I played a lot of games and, as a kid, I never lived in a shelter. Rather, I openly mingled with other kids. So I was quite a normal child in school and never faced any racism.” Once he met his birth mother after 25 years, he wrote a book, “A Long Way Home”, and then director Garth Davis made the film “Lion” based on the story. When asked about the transformation of the story from his memories in the book to film, Saroo said: “I relived those days through the film all over again.” Born with a Muslim name Sheru Munshi Khan that changed to Saroo Brierley after his adoption, he says he does not follow any religion. “I was never introduced to any religion from my childhood. Later, when I was adopted, since my Australian parents were not religious, I did not follow any religion. Nevertheless, I believe in the power of the universe. I am thankful to the universe that curved my path to an incredible journey of my life. Without that positive energy (of the universe), I would not be still around,” Saroo said. ❐ “Lion” will release in India on February 24. Saroo Brierley Young
pictures © sipra das
PHOTO GALLERY
WOMEN MPs: BJP’s Roopa Ganguly and Congress’ Renuka Chowdhury (above left), Minister of State (IC) for Commerce and Industry (above right) and Rekha (below left)
RELAXED WALK: Cabinet Ministers (from left) Narendra Singh Tomar, Harsimrat Kaur Badal, Nitin Gadkari and Arun Jaitley after attending a cabinet meeting in Parliament
AERO INDIA: Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar (centre) flanked by Minister for Civil Aviation Ashok Gajapathi Raju (5th from left) and Minister of State for Civil Aviation Jayant Sinha (5th from right) at the Aero India 2017 in Bengaluru
32 india empire | February 2017
sPecIAL coLUMN
GsT ROUND UP GST Council meeting: States allowed to tweak taxpayer division after consulting Centre Minutes of the 9th meeting of ficial and the corresponding modalthe GST Council, held on January ities of audit of such refunds. Also, 16, 2017 record that the states have after consultation with the law minbeen given a leeway to tweak the criistry, the GST Council agreed for teria for division of taxpayers after cross empowerment of powers consultation with Centre in respect under the Integrated GST (IGST) of the proposed Goods and ServAct in line with Central GST ices Tax (GST). This concession is (CGST) and State GST (SGST) over and above the agreed upon Acts, with the exception that the 90:10 division of tax assessees Centre alone will have the power to below the annual turnover threshold adjudicate a case where the disof Rs 1.5 crore between states and puted issue relates to place of supCentre, respectively, and an equal diply, or issue relating to vision of assessees for a turnover import/export of goods and servabove Rs 1.5 crore. ices, or when an affected state re“…states wanting a different quests that the case be adjudicated basis of division could do so in conby the CGST authority. sultation with the Centre; the diviThe arrangement between the sion of taxpayers in each state shall Centre and the states in the ninth be done by computer at the state GST Council meeting to break Mr K K Anand level based in stratified random samthe deadlock on division of conpling and could also take into account the geographical lo- trol has been seen as a compromise on part of the Cencation and type of the taxpayers, as may be mutually tre, as it has lost out on the maximum share of agreed,” the minutes stated. taxpayers under the threshold of Rs 1.5 crore. The division of taxpayers will be switched between the Currently, 93 per cent of service tax assessees and 85 Centre and the states at regular intervals as per the deci- per cent of the VAT taxpayers have a turnover below Rs 1.5 sion of the Council. For new registrants, the Council has crore. Under the proposed GST, taxpayers having a agreed to do equal division between the Centre and the turnover of over Rs 1.5 crore are estimated to contribute states. almost 90 per cent of the revenue. During the course of the discussions, states such as The fine print pertaining to the division will be disWest Bengal and Kerala supported the demand for exclu- cussed in the tenth GST Council meeting on Saturday, sive control by states on taxpayers below the Rs 1.5 crore wherein states and Centre will finalise the legally vetted turnover threshold, while Gujarat and Maharashtra stated draft GST bills, following which the Centre is likely to intheir preference for vertical division with control of two- troduce them in the second half of the Budget session of third taxpayers with states and one-third of the assessees the Parliament. The government intends to rollout the inwith the Centre. direct tax regime from July 1 this year. The government is CBEC chairman Najib Shah was of the view that nei- constitutionally mandated as per the Constitution (One ther the Central nor state tax administration should be com- Hundred and First Amendment) Act, 2016, passed by Parpletely ousted from any part of the value chain in order to liament last year, to roll out the indirect tax regime by Sepensure proper checks and balances. During the discussions, tember 16 this year. he also stated that there could be cross empowerment for granting tax refund subject to agreement by the accounting HEALTH GROUPS ON BIDI PRODUCTS authorities. Several public health groups, including the Voluntary For the process of refund, the states and the Centre did Health Association of India, have urged Finance Minister not converge on cross empowerment as there were legal is- Arun Jaitley to ensure that all tobacco products, especially sues relating to Consolidated Fund of India being operated bidis, are taxed at uniformly high rates under the new GST by a state government official and a central government of- framework. The public group, which also includes Tata Me36 india empire | February 2017
The Union Minister for Finance and Corporate Affairs, Mr Arun Jaitley chairing the 9th GST Council Meeting, in New Delhi on January 16, 2017
morial Hospital, says that the total tax burden currently is at 53 per cent, 19.5 per cent and 56 per cent respectively for cigarettes, bidis and smokeless tobacco in India. It is much lower than the level recommended by the WHO, which stands at 75 per cent of the tobacco retail price. Stating that even the Union Budget 2017-18 did not address the issue, with an effective tax increase of 6 per cent, lower than at least the 10 per cent increase witnessed in previous budgets. It said the government’s taxation policies in the tobacco sector have left public health concerns unaddressed. “There is no need to give tax subsidy to a product that carries a product warning that it kills. In fact, it is the cheapest and unregulated poison currently available in the market. With current tax pattern, consumer and the nation are losers, whereas handful of business families (bidi and chewing tobacco industry owners) are making vulgar profits by selling this weapon of mass destruction,” said Pankaj Chaturvedi, Oncologist at Tata Memorial Hospital. “The tobacco industry knows how to exploit its consumers and this is why it increases prices much more than the tax increases that the government proposes every year,” says Rijo John, Assistant Professor, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Jodhpur. The total direct and indirect cost of diseases attributable to tobacco use is a staggering Rs 1.04 lakh crore ($17 billion) in 2011 or 1.16% of India’s GDP. SOLAR TARIFFS Solar tariffs in India may rise by nearly 10 per cent if current tax exemptions are curtailed under the proposed Goods and Services Tax (GST) regime, a local think-tank dealing with energy and environment issues has said. “India’s emerging solar sector could see tariffs rise by nearly 10 per cent if current tax exemptions were curtailed in the roll out of the GST,” the Delhi-based Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW) said, citing its study. This comes in the backdrop of solar tariffs falling to record lows last week when major players, including foreign firms, won separate contracts for building a 750 MW solar plant in Rewa, Madhya Pradesh, with bids to supply power at less
than Rs 3 per unit. “GST could also impact the pace of the second phase of solar park development for additional 20,000 MW capacity announced in the recent budget,” it said. “The increase in solar tariffs would also vary across states; higher for states such as Rajasthan where VAT and Entry Tax exemptions are currently provided for solar equipment, as opposed to Andhra Pradesh and Gujarat where VAT and Entry Tax exemptions are not provided,” it added. AC prices likely to go up Air conditioner prices are expected to rise by 5-7 per cent in July-September due to growing raw material prices and the possible implementation of the Goods and Services Tax, an industry expert has said. “Raw material prices like copper, aluminium and steel have been steadily rising for the last few quarters. The proposed GST bracket for us would be 28 per cent, which is disappointing for the industry. All these could lead to a price hike by up to 5-7 per cent in July-September,” said Blue Star Ltd Joint Managing Director B. Thiagarajan. GST’s tax collection at source will hurt sellers: E-commerce players Admitting that the proposed Goods and Services Tax (GST) is a key reform which will simplify the tax compliance, e-commerce players, however, said the proposed tax collection at source will hurt lakhs of small sellers by making online sales expensive and cumbersome for them. “GST is a key tax reform, which will simplify the tax compliance burden for the entire economy. However, the proposal of tax collection at source, directed only at e-commerce marketplaces, in the Draft Model GST Law, will hurt lakhs of small sellers by making online sales expensive and cumbersome for them,” said Kunal Bahl, co-founder and CEO of ❐ Snapdeal. —The author is Founding and Managing Partner of Anand Law Practice. He can be reached at KamalKAnand@yahoo.com, kkanand_6@yahoo.co.in February 2017 | india empire 37
MIND AND BoDy
Facilitating 21st century research in psychiatry: the establishment of a global peer network of researchers, patients, and philanthropists thOMas G. schuLze
By Thomas G. Schulze and Marcella Rietschel
P
sychiatric illness is as old as mankind and affects a third of the world’s population at some point in their life time. Despite this, the causes of mental illness remain unclear. As a result, treatment and prevention are suboptimal and mental illness continues to represent a major cause of human suffering and socioeconomic burden across the world. Research into the causes of mental illness is therefore essential. Available research indicates that mental illness is complex, and results from the interplay of environmental and genetic factors. Various environmental factors have been implicated in psychiatric illness, and over the past decade, researchers have identified a large number of genes with a possible involvement in mental illness. These insights may lead to breakthroughs in our understanding and treatment of mental illness. To optimize psychiatric research in the 21st century, we are of the opinion that the following seven prerequisites must be realized: 1. Accounting for patient individuality: Each patient is unique in terms of their genetic make-up, experiences, and coping strategies. To determine how genetic and environmental factors interact to produce mental illness, these individual factors must be taken into account. 2. Accounting for ethnic diversity: Current research focuses predominantly on the investigation of selected ethnicities from the so-called developed world. As a result, a large proportion of the world’s psychiatrically ill population, with all their biological and cultural differences, is excluded from the research process. Future psychiatric research must include patients from all ethnicities if all relevant factors are to be identified. 3. Ending the use of traditional disease classification: Because the causes of mental illness remain unknown, mental illness is diagnosed and classified according to what the patient says and how s/he behaves, rather than on the basis of blood tests or other objective physical evidence. Reliance on this traditional and non-biological method of classification is unsatisfactory, and must be replaced with consideration of specific symptoms. 4. Studying disease course: Two patients with the 38 india empire | February 2017
MarceLLa rietscheL
same diagnosis may experience a very different course of illness. For example, one patient may experience a single episode with full recovery, while the other may suffer recurring bouts of illness or chronic symptoms with a loss of normal day-to- day functioning. Current research approaches tend not to account for this, as they typically study patients at one time-point only. Future research should follow up patients across the lifespan in order to identify those factors which determine outcome. 5. Partnering with biotechnology: The application of biotechnology has the potential to expedite psychiatric research by allowing the more precise and ambulatory assessment of symptoms. Furthermore, the provision of ITbased feedback to research participants will foster patient autonomy and facilitate routine clinical management, as this will allow patients to monitor - and potentially control their psychiatric symptom 6. Recruitment of large samples of patients: Detailed research requires large samples of patients, and this cannot be achieved solely by researchers in academia. We therefore aim to establish a global peer network, which will involve clinical researchers, basic scientists, patients and their families, and decision-makers. 7. Calling upon philanthropy: National and/or philanthropic funding is essential, as the inclusion of those large groups of the world population that have so far been excluded from research will require vast resources and time, whereas current public research funding is limited and aims at short-term success. To achieve our goals, long-term commitment and an entrepreneurial spirit are essential. We therefore propose to establish a global peer network of researchers, psychiatrists, patients, and philanthropists, which will be embedded in a framework of mutual learning and empowerment. To expedite our approach, we intend to pool our existing resources with those of like-minded peers, while making ❐ efforts to secure funding from new external sources. —Thomas G. Schulze; Chair, WPA Section on Genetics in Psychiatry; — Marcella Rietschel: Past Vice President, International Society of Psychiatric Genetics (ISPG)
BUSINESS AND GOVERNANCE
BUsINess AND goverNANce
Mukesh Ambani’s 5-point advice Mr Mukesh Ambani
Counselling a five-point tip-sheet for budding entrepreneurs and potential start-up founders, Reliance Industries Chairman Mukesh Ambani in February said
it is essential to find a passion for solving a problem without focusing primarily on financial returns. “First, you have to figure out what you want to do. As an entrepreneur, it is important to find a passion... a problem to solve... it is not finding the solution that is so important as finding a problem to solve,” Ambani said at an interactive session at the Nasscom India Leadership Forum 2017 here. “If you focus on financial results the chances are you would not become great and solve a problem,” he said. Exhorting enterpreneurs never to get disheartened by failure, he said they should regard themselves as custodians of investors’ money. “Treat investor money even more carefully than your own,” he said. Moreover, align your team to your passion. An entrepreneur should always be positive... be an optimist,” he added.
Airbus to set up Skill Development Centre
European aerospace major Airbus on Wednesday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Telangana government, the National Skill Development Corporation and Aerocampus France to set up an aerospace skill development centre in Hyderabad. The MoU was signed in the presence of Rajiv Pratap Rudy, Union Minister of State for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, and K. Taraka Rama Rao, Telangana’s Minister for Industries and Commerce. “This first of its kind centre of excellence aims to enhance the employability of young aspirants by imparting the required skills to them,” Rudy was quoted as saying in a statement issued here. The centre, likely to come up at the Begumpet Airport, Hyderabad, will provide short and long term Certificate and Diploma courses on aircraft manufacturing, logistics, maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO), ground handling and special aviation processes. “The centre will not only provide training
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on aircraft maintenance but also on aerospace manufacturing and assembling,” he added. Rao said the state had taken a lead in setting up India’s first centre of excellence in aerospace manufacturing. “We understand the importance of skill development in creating a comprehensive and successful aerospace ecosystem,” he said. He also said the Central Government will “up-skill the local youth as per international norms”. Ashish Saraf, Vice President and Make in India officer for Airbus, asserted that the company was sensitive to India’s ambition to have a “thriving indigenous aerospace industry”. “This centre will play a role in translating this ambition into reality by feeding the industry with a trained talent pool,” Saraf said. Telangana Government will provide space and the initial seed fund for the project, the release said. The National Skill Development Corporation will channelize the candidates to the training centre.
Reliance Defence, UAE firm ink MoU
R
eliance Defence Limited Domestic Product (GDP) to 64 per (RDL) and Strata Manucent by 2030. facturing PJSC (Strata) of Rajesh K. Dhingra, President, Rethe UAE have signed a liance Defence & Aerospace, said: Memorandum of Under“India’s composites industry is at a standing (MoU) to collaborate on adnascent stage and projected to reach vanced aerospace manufacturing four lakh tonnes by 2020. The project capabilities, it was announed in Februhas the potential to bring in significant ary. “The potential partnership, which foreign direct investment and cutting follows extensive discussions between edge technology in this niche comthe two companies, will look at opporposite aircraft manufacturing segment. tunities in the production of Carbon 3D Printing enables us to produce asFibre Composites Aerostructures, sembly and machining fixtures in onePrepegs as well as 3D printing of aeroquarter the time and at one-half the space components and airframe pancost as conventional machining.” Mr Anil Ambani els. This collaboration is in line with Badr Al Olama, CEO of Strata, Strata’s vision to become one of the said: “As an established player in the top aerospace companies globally,” a statement said. advanced manufacturing of aerostructures, we are keen to “The agreement continues to deepen the bilateral ties grow our capabilities globally with Reliance and expand our developed between the UAE and India at both political and operational footprint by capitalising on innovative, cost-efeconomic level,” the statement said. The Dhirubhai Am- fective solutions that can benefit our customers whilst enbani Aerospace Park, located at the Multi-modal Interna- hancing our financial performance.” tional Cargo Hub and Airport at Nagpur (MIHAN), is “The collaboration between the UAE and India has being considered by Reliance Defence Limited for a new been instrumental in promoting knowledge transfer and facility to support its aerospace ambitions, and forms part strengthening ties between businesses to jointly invest in of the emerging aerospace industry in India. developing world class products. Under the Memorandum “Working together with of Understanding, Strata Reliance, we see a signifiand Reliance will consider cant opportunity that can new opportunities in the lead to the creation of a commercial aerospace marnew tier-one global supket, address the emerging plier: designing, developing market for 3D printing of and manufacturing major aircraft components, address aircraft components—such obsolescence management as wings and empennages -and consider other areas of for the next generation of growth related to both the aircraft,” he added. Abu Dhabi Economic Vi“Material science and sion 2030 and Make in India 3D printing technology are initiative. The Abu Dhabi set to become industrial Economic Vision 2030 was created as a long term roadmap game changers with applications going beyond aerospace for economic progress for the Emirate of Abu Dhabi into the space and other manufacturing segments. It introthrough diversifying the economy away from oil and gas. duces innovation, it redefines processes and, more imporThe vision is based on several pillars with great emphasis tantly enhances competitiveness,” Al Olama said. RDL is a on establishing a knowledge-based economy and empow- wholly-owned subsidiary of Reliance Infrastructure Limering private sectors. It also aims to significantly increase ited. Strata is a wholly owned by Mubadala Development ❐ the contribution of non-oil sectors to Abu Dhabi’s Gross Company. February 2017 | india empire 41
coLUMN: yogI AsHWINI
MIND AND BoDy
CONTROL OF ANGER YOGi ashwini
i
n Gita, Krishna tells Arjuna, krodhaat bhavati sammohah sammohaat smritivibhramah | smritibhramshaat buddhinaasho buddhinaashaat pranashyati ||2-63|| From anger comes delusion, from delusion a lapse of memory, from lapse of memory there is destruction of buddhi, and from destruction of buddhi person is destroyed. Krishna in the battlefield of Kurukshetra, gives Arjuna the gyan of detachment (vairagya) from the fruits of war, to stay untouched from the attachments of anger, jealousy, resentment, grief etc, for the body is perishable, as it is one has to die…attachments only expedite the process of self-destruction. Whenever you do anything with extra passion or attachment, it is equivalent to anger, because body reacts in same way – the metabolic rate shoots up, resulting in faster pulse and rapid breathing. These are also the symptoms of a person who is dying. Says sanatan kriya, that cell which is the basic unit of life, comes with a limited force. Every time the cell divides during metabolism, new cells are born which are weaker than the previous cell. That is our batteries are not rechargeable and the process of ageing or destruction of body cannot be reversed. Anger and other hyper emotions increase the metabolic rate of cell leading to faster ageing. The key to health and longevity is in slowing down. Creation is a sum total of positive (devik) and negative (asurik) - positive that aids creation process, and negative that destroys it, both are necessary for movement of creation. Silence, stillness, stability, shanti are properties of positive forces, hyperactivity, unrest, anger etc of the asuric forces. A hyperactive body is in possession of the asuric forces which instil negative thoughts and tendencies paving way for destruction of the body and spiritual devolution. History abounds with examples of how asuric forces try to disrupt all processes of growth and evolution of an individual and community, asurs were known to cause hindrance in yagyas, kill innocent animals and beings and prevent acts of general good. When asuric forces (like anger) take possession of the
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By Yogi Ashwini
body, the person misses his/her spiritual goal and wastes his/her birth and life fast moving towards destruction. Influence of asuric forces cloud the mind and takes it away from spirituality/devik forces. If you notice people who are hyperactive are normally far away from spirituality and acts like yagyas and meditation and create a scene if member of family indulges in all this. The vedic seers were masters of creation, and thousands of years of ago, when according to western historians, world was inhabited by barbarians, gave us the concept of shanti (or peace) and balancing of chakras and various elements. Chakra santulan pranayama is an effective tool to maintain balance and peace, says Sanatan kriya. The vedic masters were well aware of the consequences of emotional arousal and hyperactivity, and also gave us the shanti path to stabilise not just each and every cell in the body but each and every aspect of creation, of which the body is a reflection. Whenever you are angry, just close your eyes and take ten deep breaths, follow this with the chant of shanti path. Om dehi shantih antariksham, shantirprithvi, shantiraapa, shantihi aushadhaya, shantirvanaspatayah, shantivishvavedah shantibrahma, shanti saama, shantirshantiriva dehi shantiredhi shanti sarvagyam shanti sarvagyam shanti sarvagyam om dehi shanti shanti shantih om Let there be peace in the universe, on earth, in waters, in herbs, in trees, in the eternal gyan of creation, in Brahma, Let there be peace in me and in everything. Let peace be everywhere. But be warned concept of shanti will not be understood by people with asuric bent of mind. Practice of Sanatan Kriya ensures this balance comes in the body of even people of ❐ asuric vrittis. —For questions to Yogiji write to info@dhyanfoundation.com