India in New York - December 26, 2014

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SPECIAL A CONVERSATION WITH AKHIL SHARMA www.rediff.com (Nasdaq: REDF)

VOL. XVIII NO. 27

India in New York A GUIDE TO EVENTS AND ENTERTAINMENT FROM INDIA ABROAD FRIDAY, DECEMBER 26, 2014

Making STRAVINSKY proud Prakash Bhargava and Vijay Iyer’s unique homage to the Rite of Spring

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Cover Story INDIA IN NEW YORK DECEMBER 26, 2014

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Making

Stravinsky proud Radhe, Radhe director Prashant Bhargava and jazz genius Vijay Iyer’s collaboration to commemorate the Russian composer’s Rite of Spring, is one of the best Indian-American art performances to ever play in New York City, says Aseem Chhabra

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s the lights dimmed in the Harvey Theater at the Brooklyn Academy of Music, the screen started to play a silent film, quiet images of a rural part of North India waking up. The villagers, animals, birds and their rituals as a late winter morning fog slowly lifted up. The film was directed and partly shot by the Chicago-based filmmaker Prashant Bhargava, who sometimes makes New York City his home.

And in the open space in front of the screen the 15-member International Contemporary Ensemble started to play music — conducted by Steven Schick and composed by the Grammy-nominated jazz pianist Vijay Iyer. Using western instruments, the ensemble produced very universal sounds that complimented the images on the screen.

This was Radhe, Radhe, Iyer and Bhargava’s collaboration to bring the sense of Holi — the festival of spring in North India — to America.

The show premiered last year in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, and has been traveling to major American cities for about a month. December 18-20 it came to Brooklyn, playing at BAM’s historic, 120-year-old Harvey Theater.

Iyer was commissioned — along with 10 other major artists, including cellist Yo Yo Ma, and Martha Graham’s dance company — by the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill to produce a work that would be homage to Igor Stravinsky’s 1913 composition Rite of Spring, set to the ballet choreographed by Vaslav Nijinsky.

Radhe, Radhe premiered in 2013 during the 100th

anniversary year of Rite of Spring.

Both Stravinsky and Nijinsky were Russian artists living in exile in France. Iyer and Bhargava are artists of Indian origin born and brought up in the United States.

Iyer, a winner of the MacArthur ‘genius’ grant last year, thought the best way for him and Bhargava to celebrate spring was to bring the magic of Holi from its place of birth — Braj, the Vrindavan-Mathura region in modernday Uttar Pradesh, where the Radha-Krishna legend emerged.

In an interview last month before the shows started rolling in other cities, Iyer said he liked collaborating with people outside music.

“It helps me to hear things freshly, from a different perspective,” he said.

“I didn’t want to do something that was just fantasy,” Iyer said as he talked about why he picked Holi. “I wanted to something real with a real rite of spring.”

Iyer was also assured of Bhargava’s work as a filmmaker, having seen his feature film Patang in which the director fully immersed himself in Uttarayan, the kite-flying festival in Ahmedabad.

“He (was) able to capture the grandeur and beauty of it (Uttarayan) and its saturating energy,” Iyer said about

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INDIA IN NEW YORK DECEMBER 26, 2014

Making Stravinsky proud for me to edit was going deeper and deeper into what the devotees’ relationship was with Radha.”

And all of those emotions play in the Radhe, Radhe show alongside Iyer’s composition.

The 35-minute show — timed to match the original Rite of Spring collaboration between Stravinsky and Nijinsky — is spectacular, one of the best Indian-American art performances to ever play in New York City.

Bhargava’s camera captures so much in such a short period of time. Iyer’s music, with the violins, piano, percussions, flute, oboe and other instruments, transports us to a time and place quite far from Brooklyn.

Radhe, Radhe is a magical journey, with Radha (played

by New York-based actress Anna George) dressed in her fineries, watching the street activities from her window while waiting for her lover, the blue God, to arrive.

Finally, after what seems like a long wait, Radha meets the blue-armed man, whose face is never shown. Their

Snapshots from the making of Radhe, Radhe, by Vijay Iyer and Prashant Bhargava, above.

f PAGE 2 Bhargava’s Patang, which received a glowing review from the legendary critic Roger Ebert. “But he was also able to be very intimate with people and tell very human stories.”

“It seemed a clear fit to me to be able to work with someone I trust as a person and as an artist who could get into the heart of a festival like Holi, get intimate with it and capture its energy,” Iyer added.

Eight days in Braj and Bhargava with a small team — including the actor Nawazuddin Siddiqui, who makes a brief appearance in the film dancing in a frenzy like a devotee — captured the energy of Holi, the color, dance, celebration, and even sexual tensions and violence that follow the madness.

Bhargava described the experience in Braj as “crazy!”

“It was very primal and chaotic, sexual, violent, celebration — all of it,” he said.

“And I liked going right in the midst of the madness and shoot.”

Bhargava did have his share of challenges. He had 30 hours of footage shot during the eight days. He watched a few versions of the Rite of Spring on YouTube, including a classic piece choreographed by the German dancer Pina Bausch. And he kept his narrative of Holi in Braj in line with the structure of the original ballet.

In editing the film, Bhargava soon realized the element of devotion that seemed to important for the film Radhe, Radhe.

“The thing that was really profound was what the celebration actually meant,” Bhargava said. “To complete this piece I had to myself become a devotee of Radha and Krishna. I fell in love with the experience but I also went through the whole mythology of discovering. The only way

relationship is consummated while outside the world goes into a Holi frenzy.

A lot of bright colors are thrown on the streets and compounds below Radha’s window. Men women and children, there bodies drenched in colored water, dance, celebrate and for a brief while becoming one with God. Such is the power of the eight-day Holi celebration in Braj.

A couple of weeks ago at a performance in San Francisco, Bhargava was asked how he could show the relationship of Krishna and Radha and explore some of the violent parts of the Holi celebration.

‘I come from a very deep sense of faith,’ he responded.

‘It’s not to break down the institution or question it. There are many, many poems I have read or seen images in miniature paintings that goes far beyond than what I have shown. I am not trying to incite people. It is a sincere, contemporary effort of praising Radha and Krishna.’

And as Bhargava earlier said, the two words that constantly come out from the lips of the devotees are Radhe, Radhe, whether they greet people, or accidentally bump into each other in the crowded gatherings.

No wonder the show at BAM started with the musicians all chanting the two words in unison.

Special

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INDIA IN NEW YORK DECEMBER 26, 2014

A novel that is irresistible That is what Akhil Sharma wanted from Family Life. With the novel being hailed as one of the best books of 2014, Arthur J Pais recollects a conversation with the author at Central Park

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he spare but haunting story of an immigrant family in New Jersey struggling to cope with a devastating accident, which leaves one of its two young sons brain damaged, Family Life, has been declared one of the 10 books of the year by The New York Times.

The story was based on author Akhil Sharma’s life.

In choosing the novel, The Times wrote, ‘This book, deeply unnerving and gorgeously tender at its core, charts the young life of Ajay Mishra as he struggles to grow within a family shattered by loss and disoriented by a recent move from India to America.’

It added: ‘Sharma’s previous novel, An Obedient Father, was a remorseless, forceful tale of a corrupt Indian civil servant who molests his daughter and ruins lives, including his own. Family Life, while also about domestic torment, is gentler and of an altogether different quality.’

Slightly built and self effacing, Sharma emerged in the late 1990s with prize-winning short stories and then a 2001 debut novel, An Obedient Father, which won the PEN/Hemingway award.

But it did not get even a quarter of the attention of his latest work.

The intervening 13 years of silence — although Sharma was on Granta’s 2007 list of best young American writers — were not easy.

“You may think I was forgotten and you won’t be wrong,” Sharma, who lives in Manhattan and had met me at Central Park soon after the book released earlier this year, had said. “I was working on this book, but I wasn’t sure how it would be shaping. I was bored with my job. I applied for all kinds of jobs and fellowships. But nothing was happening. Nobody knew who I was.”

When we met, the book by the bankerturned-literature-professor’s (at Rutgers University) — “I didn’t like banking and I loved books. I like earning money, but I don’t care about money tremendously,” he had said — was already an Editors’ Pick at The Times and on its way to becoming one of the most acclaimed novels of 2014.

But even then nobody had expected it — a novel that began as a short story in The New Yorker — to be crowned among the best of the year.

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harma would not discuss which part of the novel was fiction or real.

“Let the readers guess it,” he said, but quickly added that unlike the father in the book, his father is not alcoholic.

Akhil Sharma onstage during the Vulture Festival presented

by New York Magazine in New York City in May. CRAIG BARRITT/GETTY IMAGES

The dedication read ‘To my brave and faithful parents.’

“They were brave in that they did an enormously difficult thing,” he told me.

“They took care of my brother for 30 years; he died only two years ago. To take care of a sick child for so long requires enormous fortitude. It also requires a faith in trying to do the right thing.”

Since this novel is substantially grown out of his own life, was he ever tempted to make this into a memoir?

“I thought about this, of course,” he said.

“I don’t really know how to write a memoir while I do know how to write a novel. For example, in a memoir I wouldn’t be able to use dialogue since I don’t remember what people said 20 years ago, whereas in a novel I can. Also, a memoir, to me, must meet the standards of objective truth. I can’t use composite characters. I need to include things which don’t interest me, but which were important parts of my experience as a child… A lot of my childhood was spent being bored and I don’t have any interest in trying to represent boredom.”

He said, “A book needs to be full of variety. It also needs to contain hope and joy.

If that isn’t the case, the reader begins to want to turn away from the narrative.

Also, it is important to remember that every day includes some joy and if that joy is not being included then the book is in some way fundamentally untrue.”

Sharma wrote almost every day of the 12-and-a-half years that he worked on this book.

“I would write with a stopwatch,” he said.

“My goal was to write for five hours. If the phone rang and I answered it, I would stop the stopwatch. If I checked my e-mail, I would stop the stopwatch.”

And instead of revising, he rewrote, starting on a blank document for every draft “so that I am forced to only put down the things, which are so important that they are unforgettable.”

“To me, one of the tests of a good book is that the book can be shaken and nothing falls out,” he said. “What I want is a novel that is irresistible. For me, that is the primary goal: A novel that is irresistible. I want people who don’t normally read to pick up the book and become so intensely curious that they will keep reading. The other thing that I want is that I want the characters and situations to be full of life. I want the characters to feel real. I want the rooms and streets to feel real.”

He ended up writing 7,000 pages over the course of a dozen years.

Sharma said, “One thing that writing this book did was that it made me so unhappy over so many years that I decided that whenever there was an opportunity for happiness I would grab it.”

As for final outcome of the long writing and revising period, he said, “I had a difficult childhood, but I am not living in my childhood now. Right now, I have a wonderful life. I have a nice home. I have a wife who loves me. I am glad my parents are as healthy as elderly people can be.

Being angry is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die.”

Aseem in New York

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INDIA IN NEW YORK DECEMBER 26, 2014

The Mighty Salgado

Last week I saw Salgado’s new show at the International Center of Photography located in midtown Manhattan. The stunning show with nearly 200 black and white images is called Genesis and Salgado shows works from his travels in remote corners of the world.

In the various large galleries at at the International Center of Photography, taking up two floors, the viewer is escorted on a guided tour by Salgado of a wide range of places: The Arctic Circle in Siberia, Mitsio Island in Madagascar, West Papua in Indonesia, Monument Valley and the Bryce

By Sebastião Salgado: Chinstrap penguins (Pygoscelis antarctica) on icebergs located between Zavodovski and Visokoi islands. South Sandwich Islands, 2009.

Canyon National Park — both in Utah, the Galapagos Islands, Patagonia in Argentina, looking at the penguins on the South Sandwich Islands, and a number of African counties, including

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SEBASTIÃO SALGADO/AMAZONAS IMAGES-CONTACT PRESS IMAGES

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ebastião Salgado is the worldrenowned Brazilian photographer who has spent a substantial part of his adult life taking images — mostly in black and white, of people living in harsh conditions and of natural locations in remote parts of the world. His shows are packed and his coffee tables sell out for huge sums of money.

The money he makes goes towards all sorts of charitable causes, including a not-for-profit self-sustaining organic farm that he runs in Brazil with his wife. His message is always the same: Photography alone cannot change things, but it can create social concerns, so that we can save our forests, rivers, glaciers from the disasters of climate change.

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Aseem in New York INDIA IN NEW YORK DECEMBER 26, 2014

The Mighty Salgado

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Zambia, Namibia and Botswana.

This major exhibition requires a lot of focus from the visitor, but it is a very enriching experience and satisfying for the soul. I want to visit the show one more time.

The show runs until January 11 and it is a must-see for adults as well as children, especially teenagers. Friday evenings at the International Center of Photography galleries are open and free.

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PHOTOGRAPHS: SEBASTIÃO SALGADO/AMAZONAS IMAGES-CONTACT PRESS IMAGES

Typically, the women in the Zo’é village of Towari Ypy use the “urucum” (Bixa orellana) red fruit to color their bodies. Brazil, 2009.

View of the junction of the Colorado and the Little Colorado from the Navajo territory.

The Grand Canyon National Park begins after this junction. Arizona, USA, 2010.

TV arranged for a press screening of Raj Kumar Hirani’s PK on December 18 night. That was a surprise since the distribution house did not hold any screenings in India. Alas the same night I had plans to see the Radhe, Radhe show in Brooklyn. And so I went to see PK on the opening day.

The theater was quite full for the afternoon show, given that Friday was not a holiday. In the audience I saw quite a few Tibetan families, parents with children. They laughed quite a bit, although by the second half they were mostly quiet. A few even applauded when PK ended.

My sense of PK was the same as that of the rest of the audience. The first hour is especially refreshing. Aamir Khan gives a spirited performance as an alien (no spoiler here since all reviews have already given this secret out) who is trying to make sense of our world. He is very funny and he works really well with Hirani’s dialogues.

All the wit and humor start to fade when Khan’s PK sets out to expose the hypocrisy of godmen and organized religion.

By the second half, PK feels labored and desperate to make its point that is somewhat lost in the crazy unreal scenarios.

Some of the songs are lovely. I especially liked Chaar Kadam, for its lyrical music, playful energy and the beautiful locations in Bruges, a city I visited in 2009.

And some of the supporting cast is good. I especially liked Sushant Singh Rajput even though he has a very brief role.

I was very disappointed that a film that started with so much promise became rudderless as it progressed and its two-and-a-half hours felt very long.

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n Sunday afternoon, I was at the Museum of Moving Image to introduce an animation film, Sita Sings the Blues, a feminist take on the Ramayana by Nina Paley.

In the film Paley takes the story of Sita, and finds a parallel with her own marriage and then divorce.

The museum, located in Astoria, has a regular series called See it Big, where they give members and others the chance to see classic films on the big screen, often in 35 mm prints.

Currently the See it Big program is focused on animation films, for children and adults. This weekend was more focused on animations for adults, including the Iranian film Persepolis and Waltz With Bashir from Israel.

I have a personal connection with Sita Sings the Blues, since I did the voiceover for one of the characters in the film.

I often introduce the film to audiences, combining my interests in cinema and journalism. And it is always fun to sit in the theater, observing audiences as they react to the film.

As always, the audience at MoMI had very similar reactions to the film, laughing at times and also shocked when they learn about Paley’s personal life. Overall, it was a fun afternoon, revisiting one of my favorite animation films.

Bollywood

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INDIA IN NEW YORK DECEMBER 26, 2014

IN THE HEADLINES

harm me directly or indirectly in the future,’ said Zinta at the time, explaining her police complaint as a very necessary step.

Dutt, 55, is currently at Yerwada Jail and — provided his jail term is not shortened — will be 58 when released in 2017.

Rani Mukerji-Aditya Chopra wedding

The famous picture from Arpita Khan’s wedding.

SRK-Salman patch-up

Salman has fended off queries about his own marriage for what seems like forever, but at his sister Arpita’s wedding the megastar pulled out all the stops to ensure it was the glitziest, most star-studded affair of them all. A picture of him and Shah Rukh Khan kissing Arpita fondly (and burying their rivalry) went viral in the best way.

For years, Rani Mukerji kept up an exasperatingly coy facade about her relationship with producer Aditya Chopra, but it pulled the rug out from under everyone’s feet when we learnt that the duo had gotten married in a private ceremony, completely off the radar.

The wedding — in the South of Italy — was a family affair.

Rani Mukerji and Aditya Chopra

#IstandwithDeepikaPadukone

Actress Gauahar Khan was hosting an episode of the reality show India’s Raw Star in Mumbai when an audience member, provoked to apparent and bizarre fury by Khan’s short dress, slapped her.

The slapper, Mohammed Akil Mallick, 24, had the gall to blame Khan for arousing him with these outfits and claimed that as a Muslim man he had the right to punish a Muslim woman.

Gauhar Khan

HITESH HARISINGHANI

The Gauahar Khan incident

Bollywood newsmakers of 2014

1,000 weeks of Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge

Aditya Chopra’s Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge must be the greatest directorial debut of them all, having outlasted

The Times Of India came under the line of fire this year when Deepika Padukone hit out at them for going on about her cleavage. The star wrote a long letter explaining

Hrithik-Sussanne split

ABHIJIT MHAMUNKAR

One of the film industry’s most attractive couples, Hrithik Roshan and Sussanne Khan announced their separation in 2014 citing irreconcilable differences. The couple were married for 14 years and their divorce was formally finalised this Hrithik Roshan and November.

Sussanne Khan

Kajol and Shah Rukh Khan at the Maratha Mandir event in Mumbai.

Anushka-Virat relationship

Anushka Sharma made a lot of headlines this year for an unflattering lip-enhancement job and a consequent appearance on a talk show, but the bigger story this year was the star coming out in the open about her relationship with Virat Kohli and Anushka Sharma cricketing wonder-boy Virat Kohli. The two have finally admitted to being an item.

Sanjay Dutt sentenced to jail

We got to see Sanjay Dutt in Rajkumar Hirani’s PK, but the actor’s been in prison since this summer where he was sentenced to serve out the remaining 33 months of his original conviction.

many a classic and still continuing to enjoy a regular daily show at Mumbai’s Maratha Mandir theatre 19 years since it first hit the screen.

As the film completed the 1000-week landmark, stars Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol celebrated its triumph.

And, we lost..

Deepika Padukone her justifiable disgust against this primitive sexism and these kind of exploitative headlines, and the hashtag #IstandwithDeepikaPadukone rang loud and proud across Twitter for a fair few days.

Preity Zinta complains about Ness Wadia

Sanjay Dutt

Earlier this year, Preity Zinta accused her former boyfriend Ness Wadia of physically abusing and intimidating her during an IPL match featuring the team they both own, Kings XI Punjab. ‘I am genuinely paranoid that he will try to

Preity Zinta and Ness Wadia

This is the year we lost the eternally energetic Zohra Sehgal, who left us at the age of 102.

Seventies superstar Nanda also passed away this year at the age of 75.

Over in Bengal, the iconic Suchitra Sen passed away this January; she was 82.

Sadashiv Amrapurkar shocked us with his early death at age 64; his appearance in last year’s Bombay Talkies must serve as his unexpected epitaph.

Most recently, Zohra Sehgal funny-man Deven Varma passed away following a heart attack and kidney failure. He was 77.

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Bollywood INDIA IN NEW YORK DECEMBER 26, 2014

Inside Sansui Clolors Stardust Awards in Mumbai, December 14.

Clockwise from top left, Madhuri Dixit, Shah Rukh Khan bows to Amitabh Bachchan, the hosts for the evening Saif Ali Khan and Karan Johar, Riteish Deshmukh dances to the Nashik dhol, Heropanti actor Tiger Shroff receives the New Talent Award Superstar of Tomorrow from his father Jackie Shroff and Gulshan Grover gives away the Best Dream Director award to Happy New Year director Farah Khan.

RACE FOR

THE TROPHIES This year’s award season kicks off with the Sansui Colors Stardust Awards

Bollywood

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INDIA IN NEW YORK DECEMBER 26, 2014

Inside the Big Star Entertainment Awards Snapshots from the Big Star Entertainment Awards in Mumbai, December 18. Clockwise from top, Sonal Chauhan chats with Salman Khan, Sonakshi Sinha, Alia Bhatt, Tabu, Shahid Kapoor, Amitabh Bachchan with Priyanka Chopra, Siddharth Malhotra with producer Siddharth Roy Kapur, and Arjun Kapoor.

PHOTOGRPAHS: PRADEEP BANDEKAR

RACE FOR THE TROPHIES

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Bollywood INDIA IN NEW YORK DECEMBER 26, 2014

Today it is a studio being held to ransom, tomorrow it will be a government, an entire nation,’ says Suparn Verma

The poster for the film The Interview, which Sony Pictures has withdrawn from release.

Below, the climax, which has an actor playing North Korean ruler Kim Jong-un being blown up.

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appening’ where 4chan hackers broke into iCloud and released extremely personal photographs and videos of American celebrities, actors, models, pop stars, athletes and socialites. The content went viral and once it is out on the Internet there is no coming back. No hacker was arrested. The women whose personal content were stolen are picking up their lives and trying to move on with no justice in sight.

A few weeks later, ‘The Snappening’ struck in which case 90 GB of pictures and videos of Snapchat users was leaked online. This time it was the everyday common citizen, who used the safety of a service, where personal pictures and videos get destroyed within seconds of viewing, were affected. No arrests were made. The content is still out there.

A little over a week ago a nightmare began unfolding for Sony Pictures. Supposedly ‘North Korean’ hackers calling themselves Guardians of Peace first leaked five films, some unreleased on Blu-ray, DVD and VOD, like the Brad Pitt starrer Fury to others like Annie, Still Alive which have not even released theatrically. This was in retaliation to Sony Pictures producing the Seth Rogen-James Franco starrer comedy The Interview in which they end up killing North Korean despot Kim Jong-un.

Then the hackers announced they had stolen confidential data going back a decade to as recent as a week ago from Sony servers, including passwords, social security numbers, scripts, personal correspondence... for lack of a better word let us just say they stripped Sony Pictures bare and leaked it online. The media has been having a field day going over documents and leaking them as news.

Amy Pascal, chair, Sony Pictures Entertainment versus big-shot producer Scott Rudin versus Angelina Jolie versus American President President Barack Obama versus Will Smith’s kids versus David Fincher versus Aaron Sorkin versus Leonardo DiCaprio versus Michael Lynton, chief executive officer, Sony Pictures Entertainment... the list is endless.

It all makes for great gossip.

Decades of carefully built relationships and reputations destroyed within moments for our reading pleasure in the name of news. Then the hackers went a step ahead. They threatened an attack on theatres screening The Interview.

Today Sony Pictures blinked and has put the film in cold storage. The Interview will never be released on any medium. The ramifications of what has just happened are going to cascade and haunt us for a long time to come.

And today a major Hollywood studio has surrendered to the demand of hackers who threatened the lives of cinemagoers.

‘America does not deal with terrorists’ is a phrase we have often heard. It is not the case today and it is precisely the message that has gone across the world to every terrorist, hacker, fundamentalist, bigot out there.

I have seen intolerance first hand as a journalist. Deepa Mehta’s shoot of Water, which was disrupted again and again in Varanasi by the Hindu Right claiming it would destroy the very fabric of Indian culture, till the shoot was shifted to Sri Lanka.

The same thing happened during the release of Deepa Mehta’s Fire starring Shabana Azmi and Nandita Das, the characters were called Radha and Sita. Effigies were burnt, protests were made. Indian culture was under threat.

McDonald’s entry into India was vehemently opposed, the livelihood of local vendors threatened, Indian culture was

HACKERS AND THE RISE OF DIGITAL TERRORISM

going to get an American makeover.

Kissing and hand holding was banned, rock concerts were screened for lyrics, dress codes and crowd behavior codes.

The films released. Multi National Company food chains have opened. Indian culture is still standing, local vendors are still there, all those nameless groups protesting have since vanished.

Putting a gun to the head of anyone in the name of intolerance has never worked and never will. But bending to the will of hackers opens a door.

Tomorrow no writer or filmmaker can think of making anything remotely political because of ramifications like the one that Sony Pictures suffered. There are also those who say that American filmmakers should not have made The Interview because it offends a section of people.

I say that is a load of crap! Satire, spoof or political films by their very nature are built upon political incorrectness. It has been happening for years and we have all had a good time. If this genre did not exist, we would not have a The Dictator or The Great Dictator, Hot Shots duex, Inglorious Bastards, VHS, Wag the Dog, In the Loop, Dr Strangelove,

Death of the President, Bananas, Underground and countless others.

The climax of The Interview, which has an actor playing North Korean ruler Kim Jong-un being blown to smithereens had incensed the North Korean government.

The very nature of art is to engage, to create a debate, to stir up feelings. You can agree or disagree with it, but you cannot hold a gun to someone’s head to push your view.

Suppressing the voice of an artist is sad enough, but the enormity of what has happened today is so much worse.

We live in a digital age. Our world revolves around our mobile phones, laptops, ipads, each loaded with apps. These apps contain extremely personal information right down to our very locations. Apple just launched Wallet for all your credit and debit cards to make payments digital.

Imagine being held hostage by a bunch of faceless people who control your entire life and make you slaves to their diktat. That is exactly what is happening right now.

Today it is one film studio, tomorrow it could be every film studio being told what they can or cannot make.

News agencies covering these events with such glee would be next! One expose about any despotic regime and the hackers would hold the lives of the journalists and their sources in their hands, simply by hacking their laptops and mobile phones.

What would they do then? Will rival publications publish this data in the guise of news? Or fear they would be next?

This dangerous precedent has just began and digital terrorism is only shown the tip of its ugly head. Today it is a studio being held to ransom, tomorrow it will be a government, an entire nation. I don’t see anyone laughing when that happens.

Suparn Verma is a film director.

Bollywood

11

INDIA IN NEW YORK DECEMBER 26, 2014

PHOTOGRPAHS: PRADEEP BANDEKAR

ALL THAT GLITTERS

A PEEK INTO THE WEEK’S GLITZIEST TINSEL TOWN EVENTS

Actor Richa Chaddha, above, recently threw a party to celebrate her success in the movies.

Her friends, clockwise from above, Swara Bhaskar, Nimrat Kaur, filmmaker Kunal Kohli and Sudhir Mishra were in attendance.

Film producer Ali Morani’s daughter Shirin and Uday Singh’s wedding, above left, held in Mumbai over the weekend, saw several celebrities.

Clockwise from above, father-son duo Rishi and Ranbir Kapoor, Juhi Chawla, Priyanka Chopra, Aishwarya Rai with a guest, Malaika Arora Khan and Sunil Gavaskar, extreme right, were spotted at the do.

Bollywood

12

INDIA IN NEW YORK DECEMBER 26, 2014

‘I am an actor because he made me one’

K

Ranbir Kapoor is back

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lory be, Ranbir Kapoor is back.

Though it remains to be seen exactly how much of the actor we’re going to see in Roy. This isn’t because there is less of him in the trailer. To the contrary, Roy is coasting on Ranbir’s shoulders, using him as the protagonist or antagonist, the driving force of the film and

the one meant to hold all our interest.

Nope, it’s because Ranbir’s name appears with a an explanation that his is a ‘dynamic appearance.’ It is an odd new term, possibly one that means it’s yet another cameo but he’s been paid enough to let the Roy makers promote the film as if it were one of his.

Who knows?

For now Roy throws up enough slickness and swooshy sounds to make it look like a Bhatt camp thriller made by a Farhan Akhtar fan.

Arjun Rampal, with stubble and a fedora, looks good but delivers dialogues with his traditional woodenness. He looks to be a movie director besotted by Jacqueline Fernandes who, looks appropriately fetching as she dazzles both men.

Kapoor smirks as he tells her he’s ‘a tourist’ because the trailer depicts something else entirely: Art thief, assassin, secret agent, fictional character made up by Rampal... Roy could be all of these things and more.

While the trailer doesn’t look very enticing, it’s good to see Kapoor back.

—Raja Sen

Actor Shah Rukh Khan recently met with a group of students from the Stanford Graduate School of Business in Mumbai.They were in the city to meet public figures who’d done well in their chosen careers. Khan shared his life experiences during the interaction.

W

ith a nearly $26 million gross from 22 territories, including India, Rajkumar Hirani’s PK was No 4 film in the world over the weekend.

A powerful $3.4 million from that came from North America where it is being shown on some 270 screens.

In North America, PK was the 10th highest grossing film over the weekend.

With excellent word-ofmouth and positive reviews, and the lucrative holiday period, PK could eclipse the $25 million overseas record of Hirani’s 3 Idiots.

Released five years ago, 3 Idiots opened with $1.6 million and played at its widest in 150 theaters in North America.

PK is the first film in India tracked by the international agency Rentrak, which collects its data directly from the theaters daily.

The highest grossing film worldwide over the weekend was Hobbit: The Battle of Five Armies, which grossed $161 million from some 70 territories. But more amazing was the success of Chinese actiondrama Gone With The Bullets, which debuted in China to a rousing $36 million, per Rentrak.

UTV Motion Pictures will

S

alman Khan will not be able to host Bigg Boss 8 till the end.

According to reports, the reality show has been given a month’s extension, from its

PK could shatter 3 Idiots’ record

From left, Aamir Khan, filmmaker Vidhu Vinod Chopra, Anushka Sharma and filmmaker Rajkumar Hirani at the premiere of the film in Mumbai.

continue PK on the same number of screens in North America in its second week, expecting a smaller than the 60

SALMAN OUT OF BIGG BOSS 8

PRADEEP BANDEKAR

Balachander, who introduced superstars like Rajinikanth and Kamal Haasan to the movies, died in a Chennai hospital.

Balachander, 84, is survived by his wife, son and daughter. Another son, Kailasam, died in August.

Haasan, who is currently in Los Angeles working on his film Uttama Villain, says, “Balachandersaab is my guru, mentor and guide. I am an actor because he made me one.”

K Balachander, center, with Kamal Haasan, Kamal Haasan started his career as left and Rajinikanth. a clapper boy on Balachander’s sets Se Dil Takraaye,” Haasan laughs. and grew into a formidable actor Haasan played himself in under the director’s attention.

Balachander’s Paarthale Paravasam, “Our bond goes far beyond the starring Madhavan. “When usual director-actor relationship. We Balachandersaab visited me on the are guru and shishya. A lot of what I sets of Abhay in Chennai, everyone in have learnt about filmmaking comes from Balachandersaab. He is a tower- my crew was agog,” the actor recalls.

“Why had the master come to the ing institution for all of us,” he said. pupil? The minute he asked me to In 1973, this prolific director make a guest appearance in his hunoffered Haasan a walk-on part in his dredth film, I said yes. How could I Tamil film Arangentram and its not be part of such a historic event in Hindi version Aaina. They later colthe life of a person who means so laborated on several Tamil and much to me? It was a very comic Telugu hits like Apoorva Ragangal, Maro Charithra and its Hindi version sequence where in a public gathering my toupee flies off.... The best roles Ek Duuje Ke Liye, which marked and opportunities in my career came Haasan’s debut in Hindi cinema. from Balachandersaab.”

“If you look carefully in Aaina, you will see me as the thin clapper boy in —Subhash K Jha the song Jaane Kya Ho Jaaye Jab Dil

percent decline for Bollywood films in their second week.

— Arthur J Pais original closing date of January 4. Salman has to bow out as he has to start shooting for Kabir Khan’s Bajrangi Bhaijaan.

Farah Khan will replace him.

13

India in New York December 26, 2014

ANNOUNCEMENT

4 honored as AAPI of Queens and Long Island celebrates 19th anniversary About 700 people from across the country came together to celebrate the contributions, achievements and growth of the American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI) of Queens and Long Island during the 19th annual convention here at the Hilton Huntington, in Melville, New York.

This was for the first time ever that AAPI-QLI has held a two day convention.

In his presidential address, Dr. Ajay Lodha, President of AAPI-QLI and Vice President of national AAPI, describing the convention as a historic event, gave an overview of the organization and its growth over the past 19 years to become one of the most powerful ethnic Physician organizations in the country.

“AAPI-QLI is fortunate to have a strong foundation made by its founding members,” he said.

“Nineteen years ago a handful of physicians sowed the seed of this organization and today it has grown to be a huge tree.”

AAPIQ-LI represents more than 750 physicians from Queens, Nassau and Suffolk counties, Dr Lodha said. These practicing physicians are dedicated to provide highest quality of care to their patients and are also serving in prominent positions at their medical institutions, including administrative, program directors, heads of department, and teaching. These leaders are making decisions about medical and pharmaceutical products, devices and equipment and practice related services in hospitals, medical school, outpatient centers, and other health care facilities.

“The annual convention is the show case of our organization,” Dr. Lodha said. “It is attended by more than 600 guests, including physicians, their families, and several dignitaries, including chiefs of the health care facilities, hospitals, and

presidents of local organizations and several news media.”

AAPI-QLI has been actively involved in many charitable activities, Dr Lodha said. “With the cooperation of Nassau county, we are in the process of opening a charitable health clinic.” The announcement was met with prolonged applause.

He went on discuss AAPI-QLI's work as part of AAPI's larger effort to address childhood obesity.

Dr Lodha said, “The goal for AAPI-QLI is to expand our reach to all parts of the state and improve the educational and charitable experience of our members. We want to create a strong relationship with various organizations within our community that reflect our vision and mission.”

He said that in this new era, AAPI-QLI will discover its own potential to shape the health of each patient with a focus on health maintenance in addition to disease intervention.

Dr Ganesh Bhat, a director at the Kidney Care Council, a Washington DC-based industry group working with the government to improve quality of care for patients on kidney dialysis, and as

Chancellor of Xavier University School of Medicine in Oranjestad, Aruba in 2008, was recognized for his long and dedicated service to the people of New York State, especially in his role as a member of the prestigious New York State Public Health Council.

Dr Uma Mysorekar, a retired obstetrician/gynecologist who is also the president of the Hindu Temple Society of North America in Flushing, NY, was honored for her dedication to the Indian-American community.

Dr Samin K Sharma, who performs over 1,500 complex coronary interventions every year – the highest in the country while having an extremely low rate of post-operative complications – was also honored.

Dr Ashok Shaha, an attending surgeon at the Head and Neck Service at the Memorial SloanKettering Cancer Center, and currently the Jatin P Shah Chair in Head and Neck Surgery, and Professor of Surgery at Cornell University, was another doctor honored on the occasion.

In his felicitation of AAPIQLI, Dr Ravi Jaha-

girdar, president of the national AAPI, described AAPIQLI as the most vibrant and powerful subchapter of national AAPI, which represents more than 100,000 physicians and more than 20,000 resident and fellows of Indian subcontinent.

“My friends, you do not know your own power. When AAPI speaks, people in Washington listen. AAPI has been in the forefront in shaping legislation in a number of complex challenges confronting the medical/healthcare system,” he said. He highlighted the lead role AAPI had played in Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to New York recently, and the work the AAPI leadership had done with key senators to have Dr Vivek Murthy confirmed as the next US surgeon general.

Ambassador Dnyaneshwar M Mulay, India's consul general in New York, while complimenting the Indian-American physicians for their achievements and contributions, said, “There is a fascinating trajectory of Indo-US relations, especially with the appointment of Richard Rahul Verma, the first-ever Indian to be the US ambassador to India and the upcoming confirmation of Dr Vivek Murthy as the US surgeon general.”

He lauded the contributions of AAPI, and urged it to take on an “upgraded role.”

Nassau County Executive, Edward Mangano, in his felicitation address, said, “Indian-American physicians have earned the admiration and respect of those in their community, working diligently to provide vital programs and services that contribute to the quality of life in Queens, Nassau and Suffolk Counties in New York.”

The event came to a close with dinner and a live musical performance by Bappi Lahiri and his troupe.

2014 Varli Cook Off shows business moguls can make excellent chefs

ANNOUNCEMENT

The 2014 Varli Cook Off, organized in association with Ricky Food Service Distribution, was held at The Castle in Roselle, New Jersey December 2.

Chef Hari Nayak and restaurateur Roni Mazumdar were hosts for at the event, held in a beautiful setting.

The event provided a new twist on traditional cooking competitions. Rather than chefs facing off, it was successful restaurateurs who competed in the kitchen for the title of 'Varli Staf Chef.' Ultimately, Raja Jhanjee and Vicky Vij of Bukhara Grill took home the prestigious title, with Amin Himani of the Nanking restaurant group snagging the runner-up position.

The contestant line-up also included

Kamal Arora and Payal Mehta of the Arora Hospitality Group and Moghul Caterers; Sati Sharman of Brick Lane Curry House; and Paratha Junction, Munish Narula of Tashan and Tiffin; and Vishal Bakshi of Chand Palace Caterers.

While these contestants weren’t your typical chefs, their passion for food and culinary skill was evident throughout the

event. The basic format of the competition involved each restaurateur, along with their sous-chef, creating a two-course unique and creative plated Indian meal.

The first round was an appetizer using shrimp & scallions, and the entrée had to include minced chicken and methi. Each contestant was also given one mystery ingredient for each round to incorporate

into their dish, making the competition even more exciting.

The panel of judges included celebrity Master Chef Sanjeev Kapoor, the most recognized name in the Indian culinary industry, Fox News anchor Kelly Wright, and K N Vinod of the Washington DCbased Indique. While contestants were judged based on the taste, creativity, organization, presentation, and appearance of their work, the end result was that every restaurateur proved that their abilities in the kitchen rivaled their skills in the office.

The public will soon able to see all the action for themselves when the 2014 Varli Cook Off is broadcast on TV Asia, the title sponsor for the event.

Bollywood

14

INDIA IN NEW YORK DECEMBER 26, 2014

ÂI am going to miss being ShivaÊ Mohit Raina talks to Rajul Hegde about the role that made him a household name, and life after Mahadev

A

fter a three-year run, Life OK’s hugely popular show Devon Ke Dev... Mahadev went off air December 14. The drama series, based on the legends of Lord Shiva, will be replaced by the mythological thriller Mahakumbh.

Mohit Raina, who played Mahadev, tells us about all about life after the show.

Will you miss acting in Devon Ke Dev... Mahadev, which made you so popular?

Definitely. I am going to miss being Shiva. It has been part of my life for three years.

It was a lifetime opportunity for an actor to get such a vast plat-

form and play the sexiest and most powerful God. The response has been amazing.

How much has playing the character of Shiva changed you as a person?

Being a Kashmiri Brahmin, I have always been close to Shiva. After doing such a vast series, I feel closer and more attached to him. I feel his hand is on me.

The show’s ratings have gone down in the last few months. Is that one of the reasons for ending it?

We have covered all the stories and chapters of Lord Shiva narrated in the Shiv Maha Puran. There were certain stories that didn’t connect that well with viewers.

Do you want to do films now?

I get calls. I have met a lot of people. I always told them my first priority was Mahadev.

Right now, I want to spend some time with my family, which I haven’t done for the longest time. I also want to visit my hometown in Kashmir.

I know there are lots of expectations from me. Let’s see what will fall into my kitty.

Would you be willing to do another mythological role?

I am ready. Is there anybody bigger than Shiva? I don’t think so. I have already played a supreme power so, after that, if they come up with something with a great concept or a character of a god who is superior to him, I will think about it.

There are rumours that you are ready to participate in dance reality shows like Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa or Nach Baliye.

No, that’s not true. I am a private person, not a ‘reality’ person. I don’t connect with reality shows. I am a creative person and happy in my zone.

You have reportedly got a lot of marriage proposals?

Trust me, not even one; that’s only speculation. Till the time I don’t become a human being, they are not going to accept me. For that, I guess first I have to show my real self (smiles).

What about your link-up reports with actress Mouni Roy? I have always said that I am a private person and I want people to respect my privacy. As far as Mouni is concerned, it’s been blown out of proportion.

All is not well with Smriti Irani H

uman Resource and Development Minister Smriti Irani opted out of filmmaker Umesh Shukla's All is Well due to time constraints. The Abhishek Bachchan-Asin starrer featured Irani opposite industry veteran Rishi Kapoor.

Citing the decision to leave as mutual and amicable, Irani, who had commenced shooting for the film in November last year, said, ‘It is really sad but I have a larger role to play and have a duty towards our nation.’

The shoot could not be concluded within

the stipulated time frame although the actress-turned politician tried to work around her schedule but it did not work out.

‘I understand the team has to make accommodations due to my departure and for that I am extremely grateful to them,’ Irani said.

The film's producer Bhushan Kumar said she was generous enough to work out her schedule to shoot with us.

Fresh shooting for the film will commence from January next year and the film is scheduled for a release July 3, 2015.

Smriti Irani

Asha Bhosle and Lata Mangeshkar.

Lata, Asha collaborate again

L

egendary Bollywood singers Lata Mangeshkar and Asha Bhosle will come together for a song, but in an unexpected way. Lata’s music company LM Music will produce a song that Asha Bhosle has sung. The song Ae Hawa has also been rendered

by Shaan.

“It’s a pleasure to come together with my sister again,” says Mangeshkar. “I have always maintained she’s a very versatile and skilled singer. We have sung many songs together. It’s always a challenge to face the mike with my sister.”

The last song the sisters sang together was Mann Kyon Behka Ri Behka for the 1984 film Utsav.

Mangeshkar still recalls every detail of the song: “The makers of Utsav explained to me what had to be done. I was singing for Rekha while Asha sang for her friend, played by Anooradha Patel. The thing about the two of us coming together to sing is that we are very different singers. The music composer has to find the meetingpoint, and this isn’t easy.”

What brought on this new song?

“My niece Rachna’s brother-inlaw Rohan Shah has composed the number,” the legendary singer says.

“My sister Asha and Shaan sang it, so I decided my company LM Music along with Saregama-HMV will produce the song.’ The song released this month.

— Subhash K Jha

Health

15

INDIA IN NEW YORK DECEMBER 26, 2014

JON NAZCA/REUTERS

BE FIT, PARTY HARD Nutrionist Carlyne Remedios and trainer Jason Johal share a list of dos and don’ts to stay in shape

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his time of year for most can be a disaster in terms of gaining weight. Food and drink is in abundance and mentally we seem to allow ourselves to indulge with the justification of New Year’s resolutions. Most resolutions are broken within the first couple of weeks in January so it is important to find a balance at a time where we are the weakest.

This does not mean you can’t enjoy the treats on offer but you can make wiser choices and be tactically smart to keep the kilos off and the smile on.

Research proves that once a body reaches a set point, it is usually difficult to move that needle once your body has adapted a set point. So the team from Center of Obesity and Digestive Surgery which deals with obese people, nutrition and training shares a list of tips on what you can do to be smarter, wiser, happier and not feeling like you’re missing out. n Never arrive at a party starving. You are more likely to overeat if you are hungry. n Stay away from the food counters or the buffet table to avoid picking on food. Rather fill your plate with food once and for all instead of grabbing fistfuls every now and then. This way you can keep a check on the amount of food consumed. n Whether at a buffet or a party, avoid fried foodstuffs, dishes that are loaded with cream, sugar, cheese, butter. n Before going for that second helping, take a gap of at least 20 minutes. It takes that much time for your body to send signals to your brain to say ‘I am full.’ n Share your dessert to halve the calories. If making sweets or snacks at home, use low fat variety of milk and milk products. Use fruits/dry fruits, jaggery, honey or

artificial sweeteners instead of sugar. n Eat slowly, savor each bite. This will prevent you from overeating. n Balance it out! If you’ve eaten a heavy lunch, keep dinner light, with fresh salad and soup or simple cooked vegetables and dals. n Choose the diet varieties of drinks, that is, Nimbu Pani and coconut water instead of sugary cold drinks and aerated waters. n Choose wisely — there will be a variety of foods offered during the festive season, that doesn’t mean you eat everything — pick and choose what you want to eat.

Make healthy choices; opt for dry fruit, nuts or sweets made from the same. n Do not eat all the sweets and chocolates that you have been gifted all at once. Share them or give them away to the less fortunate. Last but not least, gift healthy; fresh fruit, dry fruits and nuts are better alternatives to mithai. n If you are planning on drinking alternate every alcoholic drink with a glass of water. n Limit liquid calories — alcoholic beverages are loaded with calories. Find calorie contents of some most common alcoholic drinks and choose wisely.

Standard Beer (375 ml): 138-145 calories Red and White Wines (100 ml): 65-70 calories Sweet dessert wines (60ml): 90 calories Spirits (30ml/1 nip): 65-70 calories + don’t forget the extra calories that will pile on with the mixers. So stick to plain soda water. n

Love cocktails? Here’s a guide to help you choose

wisely: Long Island iced tea (8 oz): 780 calories Pina Colada (6 oz): 378 calories White Russian (2 oz vodka, 1.5 oz coffee liqueur, 1.5 oz cream): 425 calories Coffee liqueur (3 ounces): 348 calories Mai Tai (6 oz) (1.5 oz rum, 1/2 oz cream de along, 1/2 oz triple sec, sour mix, pineapple juice): 350 calories Margarita (8 oz): 280 calories Mojito (8 oz): 214 calories Cosmopolitan (4 oz): 200 calories Mulled wine (5 oz): 200 calories Screwdriver (8 oz): 190 calories Port wine (3 oz):128 calories Martini (2.5 oz): 160 calories Champagne (5oz): 106-120 calories Mimosa (4 oz): 75 calories n Keep your metabolism going by doing some form of exercise every day. Exercise is not all about the gym and you can do some simple exercises at home or on the move. Spend 10 minutes in the morning doing two sets of push-ups (as many as you can and one minute rest), one minute of jumping squats, one minute of jogging on the spot (30 seconds high knees and 30 seconds back kicks), one minute plank and one minute leg raises.

If you have time left over, do a minute of burpees. After a shower you will feel great and will enjoy the party season even more. You may even end up making wiser or tactical food and drink choices as mentioned above. Who knows, you may end up losing weight and getting fitter during a time where most gain.

16

The Week That Was INDIA IN NEW YORK DECEMBER 26, 2014

BJP wins Jharkhand, fails to impress Kashmir

Students hold candles and placards for the victims of the December 16 attack at the Army Public School at Peshawar in Pakistan, during a candlelight march in Mumbai, December 22. Taliban gunmen broke into the school and opened fire, killing 141 students and nine staff members.

With counting still on at press time, the Bharatiya Janata Party seemed set to wrest power in Jharkhand while the prospect of a hung assembly loomed large in Jammu and Kashmir. The People’s Democratic Party was leading in 33 seats, the BJP in 26, the ruling National Conference in 11 and the Congress party in 10 seats in Jammu and Kashmir’s 87 seats. In Jharkhand, the BJP and its allies were leading in 40 of the 81 seats, the ruling Jharkhand Mukti Morcha was leading in 18, while the Congress party had eight.

Haryana: Govt fails to trace missing paper in Vadra case The Haryana state government has failed to trace the missing documents from the files pertaining to the Robert Vadra-DLF land deal, The Indian Express reported December 23. Earlier, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar had said the government had a copy of the missing documents.

The 13th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas, to be held in Gujarat from January 7 to January 9, will mark the centenary of Mahatma Gandhi’s homecoming from South Africa, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said last week. About 3,000 Diaspora Indians and chief ministers of 10 Indian states are expected to attend the event.

Make in India, Swachh Bharat, Namami Gange, skill development and other flagship programs of the government will be highlights while two separate sessions will be organized for Diaspora children and youth.

Punjab revenue minister summoned in drug case Punjab Revenue Minister Bikram Singh Majithia was summoned by the Enforcement Directorate December 19 in connection with a Rs 60 billion ($947.87 million) case synthetic drug racket case. Jagdish Singh Bhola, a dismissed deputy superintendent of police and international wrestler, has alleged Majithia assisted him in procuring synthetic chemicals and precursors from owners of pharmaceutical units in Punjab.

Conversions continue, as does the furor in Parliament As right-wing Hindu outfits continued converting minorities, a united Opposition stalled Parliament and demanded answers from the government.

The Vishwa Hindu Parishad converted nine families to Hinduism at a temple in Kanichanaloor, Kerala, December 21. A day earlier, the VHP had converted 100 Christian tribals at Arnai village of Gujarat’s Valsad district. Later, the organization claimed to have ‘reconverted’ — the Hindu right-wing believes every Indian is originally a Hindu — 900 people.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister M Venkaiah Naidu insisted the government does not support conversion or re-conversion and ‘if any individual does it, action has to be taken by the state government.’ An unimpressed Opposition continued to demand a statement from the prime minister.

The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh chief Mohan Bhagwat declared India a Hindu State and likened minorities to ‘stuff ’ stolen by thieves.

India stands with Pakistan, but warns against bail to brains behind 26/11

DANISH SIDDIQUI/REUTERS

Pravasi Bharatiya Diwas to honor Gandhi’s homecoming

India reacted strongly to a Pakistan anti-terror court granting bail to Lashkar-e-Tayiba operations commander Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi, one of the prime accused in the November 26, 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, even as the country mourned the schoolchildren killed in the Taliban attack on the Peshawar army school.

Following international outrage, a day later, the Pakistan government detained Lakhvi for three more months, though it failed to file a plea challenging Lakhvi’s bail, December 22.

‘India is not less saddened than Pakistan by what happened in Peshawar; there are tears in the eyes of every Indian,’ Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in Parliament. He also appealed to Indian schools to observe 2minute silence for the victims of the Peshawar attack. He also called up his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif, a move beyond the usual during such attacks.

Amartya Sen praises Modi Noted economist Amartya Sen last week praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his sanitation campaign and making people believe that things were moving.

‘I am critical of Modi,’ the Nobel laureate said at an event in New Delhi December 21, ‘but I have to say he has given a sense of faith to people that things can happen… I think it is quite an achievement. It is a compliment, but our differences on secularism and other things don’t go away.’

Modi a leader with a plan of action: Gabbard United States Representative Tulsi Gabbard (Democrat, Hawaii), on a visit to India on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s invitation, described the Indian premier as a man on a mission. ‘I think that many of the elected leaders who were there (at Madison Square Garden in New York where Modi addressed the Indian Diaspora) — and even those who didn’t go but heard about it later and wished that they had gone — they recognized that Prime Minister Modi has strong vision for where he would like to see India and the opportunity that is there,’ Gabbard said at a

National Association of Software and Services Companies event December 21. ‘He is a man on a mission and he has a plan of action — that was made very clear.’

Meanwhile, Narendra Modi has been placed at the second position, behind Chinese President Xi Jinping, in a list of 30 topperforming world leaders compiled by Tokyo-based GMO Research. The result of the survey, of more than 26,000 respondents, was published by Harvard Kennedy School’s Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation.

India may end support to Palestine: Report The government is considering altering India’s supporting vote for the Palestinian cause at the United Nations, The Hindu reported December 22. ‘Like other foreign policy issues, the Modi government is looking at India’s voting record at the United Nations on the Palestinian

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The Week That Was

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INDIA IN NEW YORK DECEMBER 26, 2014

f PAGE 16

high court to form a special bench for deciding her plea within three months.

A trial court in Bengaluru had convicted Jayalalithaa September 27 and sentenced her to four years in jail and Rs 1 billion ($15.85 million) fine in the 18-year-old case. She was granted conditional bail by the apex court October 17.

issue,’ a government source told the daily.

The change, another source said, only needs an administrative nod.

Khobragade put in diplomatic freezer Devyani Khobragade, who was in the eye of a diplomatic standoff between India and the United States after she was arrested in New York for allegedly underpaying her children’s nanny, was reportedly put on ‘compulsory wait’ — without any specific job responsibilities — after she spoke to the Indian media and after it was revealed that her children held US passports. Her father said there was no rule debarring diplomats from speaking out about injustice done to them.

Hindu Mahasabha wants Godse’s bust across India The Akhil Bharat Hindu Mahasabha wants to install Mahatma Gandhi’s murderer Nathuram Godse’s bust at public places in cities across India. ‘In India, we have named roads after Aurangzeb who killed so many Hindus,’ The Times of India quoted the far-right outfit’s national president Chandra Prakash Kaushik as saying December 18. ‘Why can’t we have Godse’s statues? If the government refuses, we will install the busts at Hindu Mahasabha bhavans in different states. There are 17-18 such bhavans.’

India launches its heaviest rocket yet The Indian Space Research Organization December 18 successfully launched its

Minorities from neighboring countries to get 5-year visa

All things merry!

AJAY VERMA/REUTERS

Students dressed as Santa Claus distribute sweets among children during a Christmas celebration at a school in Chandigarh, December 18.

heaviest and most powerful rocket, the 630-ton, three-stage Geo-Synchronous Satellite Vehicle Mark III, from the Satish Dhawan Space Center, Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh. The mission took India a step closer to sending astronauts to space.

SC upholds high court order staying quotas for Marathas The Supreme Court December 18 rejected the Maharashtra state government’s plea challenging the Bombay high court’s stay on 16 percent reservation for Marathis in state government jobs and educational institutions. The court allowed 5 percent quota to Muslims only in educational insti-

Legend meets leader

Bollywood actor Amitabh Bachchan met Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in New Delhi, December 20. Bachchan is the brand ambassador of Gujarat, the state which Modi represented as chief minister earlier.

tutions, not jobs.

Former railway minister’s killers get life The Delhi high court December 18 awarded life imprisonment to Ranjan Dwivedi, Santoshanand, Sudevanand and Gopalji, convicted for killing the then railway minister Lalit Narayan Mishra and two others in a blast in Bihar’s Samastipur railway station nearly 40 years ago.

100 acres land for Kalpana Chawla Medical University The Haryana state government has decided to establish a 100-acre medical university in Karnal in memory of late astronaut Kalpana Chawla, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar announced.

At least one medical college of 200 seats, a 750-1,000-bed hospital, a dental college and some medical institutes will be set up in coordination with the federal government, Khattar said. The college will start from the 2016-2017 session.

Students born abroad cannot take IIT entrance exam The Indian Institute of Technology administration last week made it clear that only students who are Indian citizens can take the entrance examination for admission in IITs in the country.

Jayalalithaa’s bail extended till April 2015

PRESS INFORMATION BUREAU

The Supreme Court December 18 extended the bail to former Tamil Nadu chief minister J Jayalalithaa till April 18, 2015 in a case relating to wealth disproportionate to income. The court also asked the Karnataka

Members of minority communities from Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh will be given five-year visas instead of one-year ones, India’s home ministry said December 17. Children from those communities, who are staying on long-term visa in India, can now take admission in schools, colleges, universities, technical and professional institutions without any specific permission from the local administration, the statement said.

Ministers on Reliance’s payroll, alleges AAP The Aam Aadmi Party December 19 demanded the resignation India’s Telecom Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, alleging a conflict of interest on his association with Reliance Industries Limited.

AAP leader Prashant Bhushan alleged Prasad of receiving payments from the corporate group ‘in the form of a retainership fee’ which ‘appears to be a token of gratification being offered,’ The Indian Express reported.

AAP also alleged former telecom minister Manish Tewari of being in a retainership agreement with Reliance during his tenure as a federal minister.

Assistant Secretary of State Nisha Desai Biswal to visit India United States Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Nisha Desai Biswal was to visit India December 18-20 to meet with government officials to discuss the full range of bilateral and regional issues, and participate in the sixth Trilateral Dialogue with India and Japan, and the seventh session of the US-India East Asia Consultations.

Pro-ISIS Twitter handle operator arrested in Bengaluru Mehdi Masroor Biswas, a Bengalurubased engineer who Britain’s Channel 4 News last week reported as the one operating the Islamic State’s Twitter handle @ShamiWitness, was arrested December 13. Biswas admitted to operating the account for years and was sent to five-day custody initially. His police remand was extended till January 2, 2015.

18

Sports INDIA IN NEW YORK DECEMBER 26, 2014

Team Atletico de Kolkata post the prize distribution ceremony.

Atletico de Kolkata win inaugural ISL title T

he Indian Super League trophy went to the traditional and most passionate home of soccer in the country as Atletico de Kolkata edged past Kerala Blasters 1-0 in the final in Navi Mumbai December 20, bringing the curtains down on what proved to be a successful inaugural event.

Mohammad Rafique scored the most important goal in the dying minutes to help Kolkata emerge triumphant at the D Y Patil Stadium.

It was an exciting finish to the new league as the two teams battled it out for 90 minutes before Rafique found the target in the fourth minute of added time.

Just when it looked like the match would enter into

extra time, substitute Rafique drove a header home in the last minute of stoppage time off a corner kick by Jakub Podany.

The winners became richer by Rs 80 million ($1.26 million), while the runners-up pocketed Rs 40 million ($666,667). League toppers Chennaiyin FC and FC Goa, the two semi-finalists, received a cash prize of Rs 15 million ($250,000) each.

The Hero of the League award went to Blasters’ Ian Hume, while the Golden Boot was won by Chennaiyin FC’s Brazilian recruit Elano Blumer. Sandesh Jinghan was named Emerging Player of the League while scorer of the title clash, Rafique, was declared Hero of the Match.

Both the team owners, Sourav Ganguly (Atletico de Kolkata) and Sachin Tendulkar (Kerala Blasters), came to cheer their teams along with spinner Harbhajan Singh and tennis veteran Leander Paes.

The first edition of the eight-team tournament with celebrity owners and a sprinkling of high-profile players proved to be quite a hit in an otherwise cricketcrazy country.

Bankrolled by India’s Reliance Industries, Rupert Murdoch’s Star India and sports management group IMG, ISL attracted players including Italian World Cup winners Alessandro Del Piero and Marco Materazzi and former Arsenal midfielder Robert Pires.

Johnson, Smith lift Australia to victory in Brisbane

A

ustralia made a meal of it but successfully chased down 128 for a four-wicket victory and an unassailable 2-0 series lead after dismissing India for 224 on the fourth day of the second Test at the Gabba in Brisbane, December 20.

Mitchell Marsh hit the winning runs after Indian paceman Ishant Sharma had given the hosts cause for some nerves by removing David Warner and Shane Watson cheaply and bringing an end to a solid innings of 55 from opener Chris Rogers.

The nerves deepened when Shaun Marsh was caught behind off Umesh Yadav with Australia

1ST INNINGS

India 408-10

Murali Vijay 144 Josh Hazlewood 68-5

Australia 505-10 Steven Smith 133 2ND INNINGS

India 224-10

Shikhar Dhawan 81 Mitchell Johnson 61-4 BRADLEY KANARIS/ GETTY IMAGES

Mitchell Johnson Mitchell celebrates after taking the wicket of Ajinkya Rahane on Day 4 of the second Test at The Gabba, December 19.

Australia 130-6 Chris Rogers 55 Ishant Sharma 38-3

14 runs from their target before Steve Smith was run out for 28 and vice-captain Brad Haddin caught in the deep with victory in sight.

Injured all-rounder Mitchell Marsh (six not out) ushered Australia over the line with a cover drive for four and Mitchell Johnson finished with an unbeaten two.

The day had started with the match still in the balance but a magical spell of fast bowling from Johnson (4-61) in the first 20 minutes of play triggered an Indian collapse and the tourists lost their last nine wickets for 153 runs.

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Sports INDIA IN NEW YORK DECEMBER 26, 2014

ICC appoints Sachin Tendulkar as ambassador for 2015 World Cup I ndian cricket icon Sachin Tendulkar, who is the all-time leading run-getter in World Cup history, was named the event’s ambassador for the second successive edition.

‘The International Cricket Council announced Sachin Tendulkar as the World Cup 2015 Ambassador,’ the ICC said.

In his role as ambassador, Tendulkar will promote and support a variety of ICC initiatives to enhance the profile of the tournament, which is the third biggest sporting event in the world and will take place in Australia and New Zealand from February 14 to March 29.

Tendulkar retired from international cricket last year after representing India in 200 Tests, 463 one-dayers and one Twenty20 International. In a career spanning 24 years, the 41-year-old scored a total of 34,357 international runs and 100 centuries.

Tendulkar added the missing World Cup title to his long list of achievements in his sixth attempt in 2011. He is the all-time leading run-getter in World Cup history with 2,278 runs in 45 matches at an average of 56.95.

For his 673 runs in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2003, he was awarded player of the tournament as India finished runner-up to Australia.

‘I am delighted and honored to be appointed ICC Cricket World Cup Ambassador for the second successive time,’ Tendulkar said. ‘After playing in the

RITAM BANERJEE/GETTY IMAGES

last six editions, the upcoming World Cup will be a different experience as I will follow it from the sidelines. It could probably be comparable to the ICC Cricket World Cup 1987 where I was a ball boy, enthusi-

Sarita Devi thanks Tendulkar for supporting her

B

oxer L Sarita Devi expressed happiness over the International Boxing Association banning her for just one year. There had been speculation of a lifetime ban in boxing circles for Sarita, who had refused to wear the bronze medal after she was declared the loser on points in a lightweight category match she dominated at the Asian Games in Incheon, South Korea.

A weeping Sarita had left the medal at the presentation podium.

She also thanked Sachin Tendulkar, Boxing India and Sports Authority of India for supporting her during hard times.

‘I am very happy, I would like to thank the sports ministry, Sachin Tendulkar, Boxing India, SAI (Sports Authority of India) and the entire nation for supporting me,’ said Sarita. ‘Now that I will be able to participate in

astically cheering every ball.’

He added, ‘Lifting the World Cup is every international cricketer’s quest and the tournament brings out the best of individuals and competing teams. The image

the Olympics, I want to practice hard and bring glory to the nation. I had hoped that AIBA would be less severe on me considering my conduct during last 10-15 years.

I am hugely relieved.’

Tendulkar said, ‘We all wanted that she should get justice. The whole idea behind writing to AIBA was that for one mistake her career shouldn’t be jeopardized.’

Sarita had later apologized for her behavior on the podium, and Boxing India officials were happy that the 29-year-old escaped a life ban.

‘AIBA’s verdict on Sarita Devi comes as a relief,’ said Sandeep Jajodia, president, Boxing India.

Jajodia later told reporters Sarita had also been fined 1,000 Swiss francs ($1,038) while India’s Cuban coach B I Fernandez, who cried foul after the bout and criticized officials, was slapped with a two-year ban and fined 2,000 Swiss francs ($2,076).

of the champion team lifting the World Cup inspires many youngsters around the world and gives them a dream to chase — a dream which I fulfilled after 22 years of relentless pursuit by being part of the victorious Indian team in 2011.’

ICC Chief Executive David Richardson said Tendulkar is the perfect ambassador for the marquee event.

‘The ICC is delighted to once again have Sachin as an Ambassador for its biggest and most prestigious tournament,’ Richardson said. ‘Sachin is not only an inspiration to cricketers but to all sportspeople for his endurance, perseverance, talent, personality and commitment to the game.’

The 11th edition of the ICC Cricket World Cup will kick off in Christchurch on February 14 when co-hosts New Zealand take on former champion Sri Lanka.

On the same day at the picturesque Melbourne Cricket Ground, four-time world champion Australia will square-off against England, which reached the final the last time the event was staged in Australia/New Zealand in 1992.

A total of 49 matches will be played across 14 venues, seven in New Zealand (Auckland, Christchurch, Dunedin, Hamilton, Napier, Nelson and Wellington) and seven in Australia (Adelaide, Brisbane, Canberra, Hobart, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney).

The format of the tournament is the same as the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011, i.e. two groups of seven sides each, quarter-finals, semi-finals and final. All the knock-out stage matches will have reserve days.

Apart from the 10 Full Members, four qualifiers — Afghanistan, Ireland, Scotland and the United Arab Emirates — will take part in the tournament.

KIM KYUNG-HOON/REUTERS

A distraught Sarita Devi had refused to wear the bronze medal after she was declared the loser on points in a lightweight category match she dominated at the Asian Games in Incheon, South Korea.

21

India in New York December 26, 2014

IMMIGRATION NEWS

LET’S HOPE THAT’S WHAT IT MEANS: DOES EXECUTIVE INITIATIVE REALLY PROVIDE FOR EARLY ADJUSTMENT OF STATUS – PART ONE

by Gary Endelman* and Cyrus D. Mehta** Most of the commentary and attention on the recent blizzard of White House and DHS memoranda on immigration reform quite properly fell on executive initiatives to bring the undocumented and their parents in from the shadows. This is what the Administration clearly cares most about for logical political reasons. The White House perception, rightly or wrongly, is that the ever growing Hispanic constituency that the President wants to win over simply is not deeply concerned with having a more rational legal immigration system. Yet, there are a variety of positive steps that DHS Secretary Johnson outlined which do offer real benefits to workers and employers alike who know suffer from the sclerotic effects of chronic visa backlogs. The most promising innovation is the anticipated ability for the beneficiaries of approved I-140 petitions to apply for adjustment of status even in the absence of current priority dates.

That, we all enthused, was something to rally round.

Now that we have had a chance to exhale, a nagging doubt clouds this emerging optimism: Is early adjustment of status really what is contemplated? While White House briefings and talking points certainly suggested this was the case, a stubborn yet deliberate reading of the various memoranda uncovers no explicit mention of early adjustment, only an intention to foster clarity, predictability, and transferability once the USCIS has approved an employment-based immigrant visa petition, Form I-140.

DHS Secretary Johnson offers only the following: “ I direct that USCIS carefully consider other regulatory or policy changes to better assist and provide stability to the beneficiaries of approved employmentbased immigrant visa petitions. Specifically, USCIS should consider amending its regulations to ensure that approved, long-standing visa petitions remain valid in certain cases where they seek to change jobs or employers.”

Some doubting voices now raise up the possibility that the next step after I-140 approval will fall short of I-485 submission, perhaps only going so far as to allow for the granting of advance parole travel permission and issuance of employment authorization documents. We do not know if such doubts are justified but write now to explain why, if true, this is a very bad idea especially if it is offered without early I-485 submission as an alternative Let’s start with the reasons why allowing for early adjustment of status makes sense.

We acknowledge that INA § 245(a) (3) only allows the filing of an I-485 application when the visa is “immediately available” to the applicant. What may be less well known, though no less important, is the fact that the INA itself offers no clue as to what “visa availability” means. While it has always been linked to the monthly State Department Visa Bulletin, this is not the only definition that can be employed. Therefore, we propose a way for USCIS to allow for an I-485 filing before the priority date becomes current, and still be faithful to § 245(a)(3).

The only regulation that defines visa availability is 8 C.F.R. § 245.1(g) (1), which provides: An alien is ineligible for the benefits of section 245 of the Act unless an immigrant visa is immediately available to him or her at the time the application is filed. If the applicant is a preference alien, the current Department of State Bureau of Consular Affairs Visa Bulletin will be consulted to determine whether an immigrant visa is immediately available. An immigrant visa is considered available for accepting and processing the application Form I-485 [if] the preference category applicant has a priority date on the waiting list which is earlier than the date shown in the Bulletin (or the Bulletin shows that numbers for visa applicants in his or her category are current).

An immigrant visa is also considered immediately available if the applicant establishes eligibility for the benefits of Public Law 101-238. Information concerning the immediate availability of an immigrant visa may be obtained at any Service office. (to be continued next week)

* The views expressed by guest author, Gary Endelman, are his own and not of his firm, FosterQuan, LLP. ** Cyrus D. Mehta, a graduate of Cambridge University and Columbia Law School, is the Managing Member of Cyrus D. Mehta & Associates, PLLC in New York City.

He is the current Chair of AILA’s Ethics Committee and former Chair of AILA’s Pro Bono Committee. He is also the former Chair of the Board of Trustees of the American Immigration Council (2004–06) and Chair of the Committee on Immigration and Nationality Law (2000–03) of the New York City Bar Association. He is a frequent speaker and writer on various immigration-related issues, including on administrative remedies and ethics, and is also an adjunct associate professor of Law at Brooklyn Law School, where he teaches a course entitled “Immigration and Work.” Mr. Mehta received the AILA 2011 Michael Maggio Memorial Award for his outstanding efforts in providing pro bono representation in the immigration field.

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22

Sports INDIA IN NEW YORK DECEMBER 26, 2014

Vijay Merchant, left, and Syed Mushtaq Ali walk out to bat on Day 1 of the Test against England at Old Trafford, July 25, 1936.

‘T

here was suppleness and a loose, easy grace which concealed power, as the feline silkiness conceals the strength of some jungle beauty of gleaming eyes and sharp fangs. At times his cricket was touched with genius and imagination,’ gushed the peerless Neville Cardus, in his generous and inimitable style, about Syed Mushtaq Ali, India’s first Test centurion overseas, who would have turned 100 December 17 had he not passed into the ages June 18, 2005.

‘He was the Errol Flynn of cricket. Dashing, flamboyant, swashbuckling and immensely popular wherever he played,’ wrote Keith Miller, himself not less handsome and loved.

The great Australia all-rounder, who later established himself as a professional journalist of repute, was only echoing the sentiments of many who saw Mushtaq in action and followed his chequered career closely. Mushtaq Ali’s dazzling popularity could be imagined and understood from one example.

In 1945, immediately after World War II, an Australian Services team, led by Lindsay Hassett, toured India. Mushtaq Ali was selected in the Indian team for the first Test in Bombay, but he could not play as he was indisposed. He was surprisingly dropped for the second Test in Calcutta despite being hale and hearty. This upset Calcutta cricket lovers so much that they aggressively protested and forced the selectors to change their decision.

‘Hundreds of my fans walked in protest to the Eden Gardens pavilion,’ he told me during a personal, emotional, interview at his home in Indore in 2000. ‘They were threatening the very Test with placards and slogans: ‘Bring Back Mushtaq’, ‘No Mushtaq, No Test’ and so on. Before anyone understood what was happening, they broke into the pavilion. Their intentions were visibly violent.

Some of them grabbed Kumar Shri Duleepsinghji, the chairman of the selectors, by his tie and began to manhandle him. Luckily, I was there to save him.

Otherwise his condition would have been very serious. I asked them not to be so rude and violent and assured them that I would definitely play.

Ultimately, the selectors were left with no other option but to select me.’

Though compelled to play him at Calcutta, the selectors remained skeptical. Yet he made another comeback in the third Test against the West Indies in 1948-1949 and essayed two delightful innings of 54 and 106 — again at the Eden Gardens.

The people of Calcutta have hardly or never shown such love and warmth for a non-Bengali cricketer. But, then, the luster of Mushtaq Ali’s sunshine cricket and his incredible fame and popularity had spread across Bengal, too. He had already scored a century, in the third Test against Lord Tennyson’s team in 19371938, at the Eden Gardens. So the dropping of their favorite batsman from the playing eleven was something Calcutta cricket lovers were just not prepared for.

Mushtaq Ali was out and out a people’s player. His nature, personality and approach to the game were such that he was just not for the statistical minded. With his thoroughly positive outlook and intent to entertain the paying public, he was like a lion, not a laborer, at the crease.

Attack was his defense and he would show no mercy on the bowlers. Aficionados all over the world have always taken such cricketers to their hearts, be it Mushtaq Ali, Virender Sehwag or David Warner.

They never curb their natural game, whatever the prevailing situation, and do not allow the bowlers to dominate, let alone torment, them. You would never find them

So bored was India’s captain, the Maharajkumar of Vizianagaram, better known as Vizzy, by Merchant’s slow batting on the 1936 tour of England that he was said to have promised Mushtaq Ali a gold watch to run out Merchant in the first Test at Lord’s. Vizzy had obviously approached the wrong man. A gentleman to the core on and off the field, Mushtaq Ali politely refused to obey his captain’s command. In the very next Test, at Old Trafford, Manchester, India started the second innings 368 runs behind. But, as if to convey a message to the spiteful Vizzy, Mushtaq (112) and Merchant (114) made history by putting on 203 runs for the first wicket in less than 160 minutes.

For a change, Merchant returned fire with fire and Mushtaq Ali, batting in cavalier fashion, repeatedly went down the track to upset the rhythm and confidence of fast bowlers, driving and pulling with lightening reflexes, and élan.

When he was four short of 100, an English player patted him on the back and said, ‘You need only four runs for a memorable hundred. Don’t throw it away.’

Mushtaq did not and became the first Indian to score a Test century abroad.

He was eventually out caught and bowled for 112 in a little over two hours and was presented a gold watch, in the presence of all, by Vizzy. More than the runs he made, it was the manner in which he played that made Mushtaq a darling of everyone present.

‘Ranji would have been the happiest man to witness your innings,’ an ecstatic C B Fry, no less, told him. Some praise.

The duo had salvaged some pride for their demoralized team on a difficult tour. So impressed was Cardus by Mushtaq and Merchant, who dashed England’s hopes of going 2-0 up in the series, that he called them ‘the poetry and prose’ of Indian cricket.

Mushtaq Ali was only 19 when he made his Test debut against England, at Calcutta in 1933-1934, as a right-hand batsman and orthodox left-arm spinner. He bowled 19 overs in England’s first innings and took the prized wicket of Douglas Jardine (61).

Interestingly, while Merchant batted at No 6, Mushtaq Ali batted at No 7, and made 9 runs, in India’s first essay. Merchant did not open in the second innings either, though Mushtaq Ali did and scored 18 before being consumed by fast bowler Stan Nicholas.

Those were early years of Indian cricket. India, which became a full member of the International Cricket Council in 1932, did not play too many Tests. Yet, a batsman of Mushtaq Ali’s class deserved to play more than mere 11 Tests. While World War II robbed him of opportunities, on a couple of occasions he was a victim of the petty politics that is rampant in Indian cricket since the Board of Control for Cricket in India came into being.

Mushtaq Ali was a pillar of the great Holkar side, among other teams, and was one of the few batsmen who accompanied the redoubtable Denis Compton at the other end when the Englishman scored his famous 249 not out against Bombay in the 1944-45 Ranji Trophy final at the Brabourne stadium.

In an era in Indian cricket dominated by the two stonewalling but heavy-scoring Vijays (Merchant and Hazare), Mushtaq Ali held his own with his spectacular batting and selfless love for the game. Like C K Nayudu, he was a true entertainer and amazing crowd-puller.

Mushtaq Ali, India’s first overseas Test ton scorer Haresh Pandya salutes the swashbuckling batsman who would have turned 100 December 17 labor or struggle for runs. Mushtaq Ali, as was his wont, always lived, though dangerously sometimes, like a king at the crease.

In spite of being an attacking player his batting was not all violence and savagery. There were artistry and elegance, as well as flashes of poetry and romance, in his shots which fascinated the cognoscenti and delighted the lay fans.

Tall, upright and athletic with an aura of sorts around him, he was one of the most natural batsmen. He possessed a wide range of shots and he executed them most attractively. He relished cutting, driving and pulling and was strong both on the back-foot and front-foot.

Mushtaq Ali and Vijay Merchant were India’s first notable and fairly successful opening pair. While Mushtaq Ali was an entertainer par excellence, Merchant was a stonewaller who, like Geoffrey Boycott was to say years later, believed that if you stayed at the wicket, runs would come automatically.

23

India in New York December 26, 2014

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INDEX .......................................A2

Letters to the Editor ..................A4 .....A44 People................................................. ...........A38 Immigration................................................

Business................................................ .......A32 Community..........................................................M1 Magazine................................................ .................A46 Sports................................................ ..........A37 41 Events................................................

Pages: 56+12=68

forMichael Bloomberg York Mayor of America When New into the Sports Museum dream transform mally inaugurated Ahuja saw a May 7, Sameer multivibrant reality. first and only interactive, proved an The nation's museum experience before its media all-sports people lining the street from across the street instant hit, with entrance, just get in. The building to 26, Broadway Liberty ferry, Company, the Statue of Standard Oil housed the had earlier D Rockefeller. the street, so he on founded by John spent all night be the first visitor "One person could museum," to enter the Ahuja, the Delhi-born Chief the museum's and its Operating Officer Philip with co-founder Schwalb, said. cele"The museum sports. all brates sports, millions of There are sports. fans for various houses The museum is no them all. There anythis place like Ahuja where," a proud lives said. The museum he gives billing the to up more than Sameer Ahuja it: It houses movies and 20 original AZIZ HANIFFA 1,100 photos, experience vari600 artifacts, Visitors get to through áå t~ëÜáåÖíçåI a` within 19 galleries.related memorabilia, end up and and week showous sports, presentations, histories of Security last memmultimedia of Homeland detailed interactive six foreign-born The Department studying the soldier, one of ceremony spending hours events. cased an India-born at a special naturalization out big-ticket sportsis unmissable: Tourists coming States. bers of the military, to Lady in the US of the United The museum after paying obeisance for new citizens Sandeep Singh, 23, a soldier Team, 24-foot phoColor Guard of Battery Park their tracks by stories athLudhiana-born Infantry Continentalto serve his adopted are stopped in Ruth, Babe Liberty legend desire the Army's 3rd US names from "followed his tographs of baseball of 9/11." said he had and other iconic 21 countries terrorist attacks lete Jesse Owens sport. nation after the 26 men and women from Allegiance by square feet museum annals of American He was among the Oath of range of the 100,000 and Immigration The interior seminal exhibits who were administered the sports fan; King's school report Sandeep Singh of the US Citizenship Mall. is manna for acting director Billie Jean the National historic these at icon on Scharfen, place tennis ceremony celebrating the from had taken Jonathan 'Jock' memorabilia of the DHS, in of varisuch an event card through event was part Page A8 US history that Service, an appendage museums; the third time in Recognition Week.

It was only the bounded by the Smithsonian of Public Service are Page A8 the celebration grounds, which connected with ous activities

Superstar India

India-born 9/11 inspires America soldier to defend

Author Shobhaa De celebrates a country whose time has come

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India in New York December 26, 2014