India in New York - July 18, 2014

COMMUNITY MUNICIPAL ID FOR ALL SPORTS A TEST OF UNLIKELY RECORDS

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VOL. XVIII NO. 4

India in New York A GUIDE TO EVENTS AND ENTERTAINMENT FROM INDIA ABROAD FRIDAY, JULY 18, 2014

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DANCE OF PRIDE

India in New York

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INDIA IN NEW YORK is published every Friday by India Abroad Publications, Inc. 42 Broadway, 18th floor, New York, NY 10004.

Community INDIA IN NEW YORK JULY 18, 2014

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Mayor Bill de Blasio at the bill signing in Brooklyn, July 10.

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City creates ID card for all Mayor Bill de Blasio signs municipal ID bill. George Joseph reports

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ayor Bill de Blasio signed into law a bill July 10, creating a municipal identification card for residents, regardless of immigration status and even if they are here illegally.

‘This is about normalizing and improving people’s lives,’ the mayor said, explaining it would help illegal immigrants, numbered about 500,000 in New York City, get better access to a range of services like opening a bank account, getting a lease on a property, or even filling a prescription.

Usually, the driver’s license is used as an ID, but in New York, 46 percent of the residents are unlicensed, according to the mayor.

The new card will also be useful for homeless people, those just getting out of prison, and transsexuals who will be allowed to choose which sex is marked.

‘The message is that the city belongs to everyone, regardless of who you are,’ Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito said before the heavily Democratic City Council passed the measure 43-3 back in June.

The new card will be available starting January and will be free for the first year. Applicants need only to furnish proof of identity and residency in New York.

City officials said they had yet to finalize the list of documents needed to apply for the ID. They said it was likely to include documents like a utility bill, or a document stating the person has a child enrolled in a public school, and a kind of photo-identification like a foreign passport.

The mayor’s office said the municipal ID would meet federal rules, saying the city would not accept expired documents, for example, and would provide a unique number for each card holder.

No questions will be asked about immigration status.

Nisha Agarwal, commissioner, Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs, which is rolling out the program, said, ‘It’s not going to be a card that’s a telltale sign of immigration status. The information is going to be very secure.’

She said the program would be run by the Human Resources Administration, the agency that handles the city’s welfare caseload and the sensitive personal information needed to get public benefits.

Among the safeguards is a requirement that the information submitted in applications for the ID must be destroyed after two years.

However, the ID comes with some serious concerns.

Local and federal law enforcement agencies can request these documents without having to show probable cause. If they are requested, the city has no obligation to even notify the person so they might be able to defend their privacy. Also the police won’t be required to accept the card, potentially limiting its utility.

Pointing out these factors, the New York Civil Liberties Union declined to back the final version of the bill passed by the City Council last month, saying it could backfire — leaving illegal immigrants’ personal information accessible to law enforcement.

‘While the ID will likely have great benefits for many New Yorkers, it is ultimately an invitation to gamble with the stakes as high as prosecution or even deportation,’ said Donna Lieberman, executive director, New York Civil Liberties Union.

The card will be useful, only if more people, other than illegals, sign up for it.

Agarwal said they had spoken to city officials who had launched municipal ID cards elsewhere to avoid pitfalls.

Municipal ID cards already exist in several cities, including Los Angeles, San Francisco and Washington.

City officials are pushing large banks to allow the cards to be used to open accounts, making it useful for illegal immigrants who often don’t have accounts and are sometimes targeted by criminals because they tend to carry large amounts of cash.

The administration, City Hall said in a statement, is also working towards ‘connecting the ID with stores, restaurants, cultural institutions, discounts and other incentive programs.

The City will continue to expand and improve upon the municipal ID card program and benefits after the launch date.’

‘To ensure broad and easy accessibility,’ it added, ‘the City will establish walk-in enrollment centers in trusted community institutions around the boroughs, and will post the application online for applicants to complete it prior to visiting a walk-in center. In addition, the City will create mobile enrollment units that can travel to neighborhoods that do not have walk-in centers.’

‘The City will also ensure that the outreach and application processes are accessible to people with limited English proficiency and people with disabilities.’

When rolled out in 2015, the city’s ID system will be the largest program of its kind in the US, offering a photo identification card with less stringent documentation standards than driver’s licenses or state IDs.

Community

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INDIA IN NEW YORK JULY 18, 2014

Rabbi’s comment about illegals in Edison sparks battle with Sapana Shah GEORGE JOSEPH

ogizing. ‘I apologize if my remarks were misunderstood,’ he wrote, The Star Ledger reported.

‘I meant no disrespect to a particular demographic, but was sharing my experiences with Jim Kukor, who was conAt a community event cerned that the problem in Edison, New Jersey. of illegals was costing Inset, Sapana Shah.

Edison a lot of money and would eventually hurt Edison taxpayers.’

The rabbi added that he regretted focus- one to help everybody,’ Rosenberg, who lost ing on Oak Tree Road and using the word family members in the Holocaust, told the illegals, but insisted he was just pointing newspaper.

Shah, who didn’t respond to the e-mail, out what he had witnessed himself and told the newspaper that she’d been hearing what police officers had told him was true.

‘Follow the mattresses,’ he told The Star about incitement of tensions along ethnic Ledger, referring to his stand that in past lines in Edison.

‘The fact that somebody felt comfortable years when some Indian restaurants in town had requested he carry out kosher cer- enough to say it in a public forum worried tification, he had found their basements them. That he had the gumption to say something like that. Are there people who ‘full of mattresses.’

Rosenberg also pointed out his good rela- are going to act on that? I think there’s that tions with the Indian community and that fear.’

Shah told India in New York that she he was honored by the South Asian Community Outreach organization for his never expected unjustified accusations against the community, that too from a clerwork in social justice last year.

“I’m very sensitive when I hear anything gyman, in a township where 30 percent of dealing with the word racism. I’m the first the population is Indian.

PARESH GANDHI

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he community has rallied behind Edison Councilwoman Sapana Shah, who spoke up against comments attacking desis in the township.

It started with a proposal to raise taxes by the township council. A meeting was held June 25 to solicit public comment.

Opposing the proposal, Rabbi Bernhard Rosenberg of the Congregation Beth-El said the local school district’s tax woes were made worse by large groups of people living in basements along Oak Tree Road, and students in Edison schools who did not belong there.

Oak Tree Road has a large population of Indians and businesses owned by them.

Shah, an attorney, countered it, saying that Rosenberg was using coded language to unfairly stigmatize South Asians and Indians.

Rosenberg said, in discussing an effort he and a fellow activist undertook 10 years ago, ‘(We) made it our business to find out illegals in this town. It was real simple. We found a lot of them in basements on Oak Tree Road. They were illegals... A lot of illegals are being thrown out? That means there are illegals. And I can tell you they haven’t all been thrown out. And that’s one of the biggest problems that we have.’

Shah countered, ‘I know there was a target of illegal immigrants, or whatever it is, on Oak Tree Road. I hope it wasn’t targeted at any ethnic group. I know there’s a lot of race relations that go on in Edison. I’ve said my piece and I hope we can all get along.

I’m sure if there are illegals, we’ll track them down, but I don’t think they’re targeted on Oak Tree Road.’

Shah later told The Star Ledger, ‘Oak Tree Road is a vibrant economic community, and you are telling me we are going to call them something derogatory? I was just shocked it was said in a public forum... They vote, they pay taxes, it doesn’t mean they have to live as foreigners in their own city.’

Rosenberg later sent Shah an email apol-

Several Indian Americans have spoken up for Shah in the media. Activist Sathish Poondi told India in New York, “We complain when our elected officials fail to advocate for South Asian Americans. However, it is equally important that we recognize and commend the courageous actions of those who do.’

‘The speaker blamed South Asian Americans living on Oak Tree Road as the reason for Edison’s budget problems.

Notwithstanding that these remarks were both illogical and without merit, they were nonetheless derogatory, hurtful, and unfairly aimed at our community. Sapana had the courage to confront the speaker, illustrate the flaws in his argument, and defend our community.”

Justice Ling-Cohan asks Asians to apply for court officer positions GEORGE JOSEPH

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ustice Doris Ling-Cohan, an Appellate Term Justice of the Supreme Court, First Department, and a Commissioner of the Franklin H Williams Judicial Commission, asked Asians to apply for New York State court officer positions.

‘I highly encourage the community to apply and represent the diversity of the state within the New York court system,’ she said at a press conference to discuss opportunities for

becoming New York State Court Officers.

Given New York’s diversity, minorities are still not well represented among those employed within the state’s court system.

Tony Walters, director of the New York State Unified Court System Office of Workforce Diversity, and Captain Sam Lam, a long-serving officer at the Court Officer’s Academy were present at the press conference.

‘It is important that Asians are represented in Court Officer positions,’ Captain Lam said, ‘I could have retired

many years but I love my job so much I decided to stay.’

The filing period for applications is open through August 14 and applicants must apply online (www.nycourts.gov/ courtofficer-recruit) to take the exam.

Upcoming examination dates are October 18 and December 13.

Applicants must be a US citizen, a New York State resident, possess a high school diploma or GED, be at least 18 years of age, and possess a valid New York State Driver’s License at the time of hire.

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INDIA IN NEW YORK JULY 18, 2014

Chaya Babu discovers how the SALGA float went from struggling to get people to show up to being one of the most vibrant contingents at the NYC Pride Parade

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fter many years of absence, I braved the Pride March,’ Sarah Schulman’s Facebook status read June 30. ‘The aesthetics of the parade are appalling. What was once the most creative and expressive community is riddled with repetition and banality. Most contingents looked the same — noted exception: SALGA and The Caribbean Queers.’

The previous day, the colors of SALGA twirled down Fifth Avenue in the Village before turning onto West 9th toward Christopher Street. It was the 45th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots, violent demonstrations staged by New York’s gay community and sparked by a police raid in 1969, marking what is considered to be the most significant catalyst to the Gay Rights Movement.

Every year at this time, the LGBT community in New York gathers to march in the Pride Parade, commemorating that historical moment, celebrating the progress that has been since, and simply taking joy in making itself visible to the public — a particularly symbolic gesture for a group that has long been forced into the closet.

For the South Asian queer community, this has been the case even more so, and thus its presence in the parade and other Pride events has an added layer of significance.

“I think it’s important to understand that any mainstream queer pride parade tends to be pretty white gay male dominated, but then it becomes that much more important for us to make sure we’re representing all of our colors, all of our cultures, all of our various gender and sexual identities, all of us,” Navid Ladha, outgoing president of SALGA NYC, the desi queer association in New York told India in New York. “So just because it is white gay male dominated, that doesn’t mean there isn’t an opportu-

nity to create space for others. I think that’s what SALGA is doing in a way.”

SALGA, formed over 20 years ago, is a non-profit volunteer organization, but less formally it’s a space for anyone who identifies as South Asian and queer. Pride is a time when those in the community can join together with the larger queer community in New York, and make themselves known loudly and proudly; Ladha explained that when registering for the parade, the group requests to be in the people of color contingent.

“We make sure that we’re aligned with Q-Wave, QPIMNY, Audre Lorde Project, the Indo-Caribbean Alliance, whatever the other participating POC organizations are,” he said.

“And that’s important because then we really make a cultural impact at this event.”

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ALGA has been marching in the Pride Parade since its inception, but the last few years have seen its presence grow in size and vibrancy with the birth of the SALGA Dance Team, which led the float through the procession in the Sunday afternoon sun.

SALGA hosts and partakes in many events throughout the week, including Trans Day of Action, brunch at Dhaba, the Desilicious Hot Pink Pride party at Pacha nightclub, and the Color Me Queer party, which is a continued postparade celebration. They even have a gathering where parents are invited, creating an intentional space where people can share and discuss the experience of having a queer family member.

Still, the Manhattan parade is the biggest, most anticipated and publicized event in Pride.

Ladha described the evolu-

tion of SALGA’s involvement, saying that at one time it was simply about getting people to show up in numbers.

“I know that there have been struggles in the community in terms of having people appear on a float or marching because that’s pretty much saying you’re out, and that might have been an issue in years past,” he said. “I think now, a lot of people show up, and if they do that means they’re out, they’re comfortable, they’re okay with having their pictures taken there, they’re okay with being seen on TV or in newspapers. It takes a certain amount of comfort with being out to be featured in the media that way. I think we see that more and more now — there’s such a sense of community.”

“I think it’s like you find your chosen family, and when you live in a place like New York where you have such a vibrant desi queer world, everyone kind of comes together.”

Piali Mukherjee, who has been marching with SALGA since 1996, mentioned that one of the most positive changes she has seen in recent years is the increased presence of gay women and trans people showing up, signifying the further breaking down of taboos.

And SALGA is taking things a step further.

In an approximately three-and-a-half minute performance, 18 dancers, decked out in shiny Gujarati outfits in colors that reflect the pink and orange SALGA logo, busted a move on Fifth Avenue.

“I think it makes the connection between being queer and South Asian — people see us on the float and hear Bollywood music and are like, ‘Okay, I get it,’” Ladha said.

“And then having the dance team come out and showcase the creativity really gets people excited and into it.”

To a sequence that combined Beyoncé’s Partition, Ang Laga De from Goliyon Ki Rasleela Ram Leela, and a mash up of Nagada Sang Dhol and Tattad Tattad also from Ram Leela, the troupe did a number that featured Bollywood moves, bits of other classical Indian dance forms, and some hip-hop and modern dance

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PRIDE

The SALGA float at the NYC Pride Parade June 29.

COURTESY: SALGA

Dance of

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INDIA IN NEW YORK JULY 18, 2014

Dance of

PRIDE 18 dancers led the float down Fifth Avenue.

COURTESY: PIALI MUKHERJEE

SALGA also marched at the the Pride Parades in Brooklyn, pictured here, and Queens.

COURTESY: SALGA

influences as well.

“This year we sort of played on two very strong points: Sexuality and a play on masculinity and femininity or gender roles in general,” said Rohan Sheth, the choreographer.

“The Beyoncé piece has a certain notion of the whole traditional gender binary and things like that and having men get into that, especially in the South Asian community, is not something you see every day.”

“The reason we picked Ang Laga De is because that song is really full of sexuality and sensuality, and by being able to dance to that with a South Asian choreography that is based in forms like Bharata Natyam and do it in pairs that were same sex, we felt like we did something really cool with that. We had some super stereotypical Bollywood hip shaking, but at the same time we were pushing the envelope a little bit.”

The SALGA Dance Team, which has grown from 12 last year and even smaller numbers in years prior, did a coordinated, synchronized, rhythmic “dance-march,” as Sheth called it, throughout the parade, and then had 30 seconds to give their all in

COURTESY: SALGA

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front of a panel of judges.

“When were done, the announcer said, ‘You guys put the wood in Bollywood…’ it was very cute,” Sheth laughed.

They will find out if they won any kind of award next month. Either way, he said, both the dancers and the others on the float had a blast, soaking up the energy and spirit of unity that was palpable at Pride.

Nearly 50 people were on the float, which was decorated with pink, orange, green, and white balloons and co-sponsored by Sholay Productions, a queer South Asian event management group. Prominent SALGA signage covered the sides, and smiling desi faces beamed from the top of it.

“We used to just have a pickup truck with some speakers in the back with a DJ mix, not an actual DJ,” Mukerjee said.

“Sometimes there would be a drag queen on top to add some color, but it’s been the past few years we’ve had the float, and that’s been great. I think there’s more accessibility in some ways for (the parade) to be quirkier. I feel like — and this is my view as I’m getting older — it used to be much more just everybody gathering together, like there was more of a sense of a movement, and now it feels more like a party.”

Ladha said when he came on a few years ago to help out he decided it was time to up the effort that went into the The troupe performed a sequence that combined Beyoncé’s Partition, Ang Laga De from Goliyon Ki Rasleela Ram Leela, and a mash up of Nagada Sang Dhol and Tattad Tattad also from Ram Leela.

float’s appearance.

“That’s when we really started paying attention to graphics and posters and having a voice, versus just slapping a bunch of Indian flashy fabrics onto the float,” said Tariq Fiaz, who works in fashion and was brought on to design the float because of his creative eye.

Fiaz started planning for the float in March to ensure that the look and theme were reflective of the community and something that people would recognize and connect to SALGA. But the real team effort of putting it together happened quickly on the morning of the parade and through the power in numbers — in a matter of 25 minutes, about 20 SALGA members made it happen.

The dance preparation, however, was a different story.

The Dance Team started practicing months ago, getting together once a week for two to four hours to get the routine down right. Along with the funds raised for the float materials and costumes, which came to a total of about $5,000, SALGA also paid for the dance practice space.

Sheth explained that having the team come together regularly throughout the year, not solely for the purpose of rehearsing for the parade, was a meaningful outlet of artistic expression for queer desis because of the emphasis on music and dance in the culture. The goal was to offer a space for them to make art that somehow evoked their identities and to create more visibility for South Asians in the gay world and for gays in the South Asian world, he said.

The dance team will use the number they put together for the parade at other events and functions, and they also had a chance to perform it on stage at the Queens Pride, which took place just weeks earlier.

Sheth said, “Being a queer person of color and being able to represent yourself is really important so people know that we’re here, we’re doing what we do, this is how we do it.

When it comes to the desi community, there are still a lot of barriers, stereotypes, things people have to go through to be accepted. In a lot of ways the dance team bridges a cultural divide between people feeling like ‘I have my gay life and I have my South Asian life and they’re separate.’ Because we’re creating some play on being South Asian — through the music and moves and whatever we do — and also on being gay by just physically being in a space of queer South Asians, the pieces that we do have some sort of connection to our sexuality.”

“I think when we present this to broader audiences, and we do it with as much passion and precision as we do, it’s automatically bringing to the fore that yes, we’re gay, but we’re still South Asian. We still love our culture.’”

Desi View

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INDIA IN NEW YORK JULY 18, 2014

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or a Maharashtrian born in Madurai, Tamil Nadu, coming from a family involved in agriculture, business and with little educational advantages, I have had it lucky: I got to study mechanical engineering in India, work in top firms in the United States, such as Wal-mart, Bank of America, etc and, thanks to how things work in the Tristate area, also become a model.

Though I’ve done some modeling in India, I never thought I could make it here.

It began while I was sitting with a friend in a nice New York bar, beer in hand, watching a fashion show on the television.

We began debating about my chances of modeling in New York.

My friend laughed and said, “Prakash, do you even know what your waist size is — 38! You, and modeling? No way.’ The argument turned a little passionate, so I said I would be in the New York Fashion Week the same season.

I meant to do it, but I should have known it would not be easy.

I quit my full time IT job (paying 10k per month), lost 35 pounds in 12 weeks with a consistent workout and a well-planned diet. I even gave up my favored Kolhapuri and south Indian dishes and got down to eating food with no rice, salt or oil to ensure I tipped the weigh scales just right.

I was encouraged by what I saw around me, but I overdid it a bit, fainting once in the gym because my diet demanded I burn twice the calories that I took in.

I lived in Journal Square in Jersey City, New Jersey, a desi hub, and commuted every day to Manhattan for auditions.

Though the culture in the Tristate area is more open than one might expect, I still endured a lot of criticism, discouragement and outright insults. I had hoped to get some encouragement from my roommates, but they too were bewildered by my transformation.

But there’s something about the streets of New York City, the crowds that keep briskly moving in the face of and around every obstacle that tells you to try, try, try, try again.

I kept front and center my goal to become a model, waking up for early morning workouts in the gym and then getting out to network.

The city is kind, providing Central Park benches that acted as fine tables where I could work on my lunch box and water bottle, the street artistes for entertainment. I also learned how to survive on $4 a day, an unlikely feat in any other American city.

I should have known that it would not be easy working my way in. I did run into two well-known agencies that took $3,000 off me, promising acting and modeling auditions that somehow did not work out.

One casting agent even said I was a silly rabbit roaming on the streets of New York City seeking an audition.

It was getting difficult for me as phone and Internet bills piled up.

And then I got my first audition.

The casting director took one look at my pictures and

had a chance.

My first show in American was at the Asia American Festival, held in Somerset, New Jersey.

Juhi, an amazing person, made me her show-stopper without even a preliminary audition. My first step on the runway as model in the US boosted my self-confidence manifold. I can never thank Juhi enough for that.

But it takes more than a new portfolio and one show to get things going. In fact, one organizer asked me to sell tickets to be in the show as a model. Since none of my friends were interested in buying tickets, I paid $120 to be on the show.

I didn’t care. I used to literally beg people in the fashion world to give me a chance to walk in their shows. It could get humiliating. Many turned me down, unfriended me on Facebook or plain blocked me.

Then one day Davina Reichman Schuck, founder and managing director, NYC Fashion Runway, saw me at an audition and made me the showstopper for two designers. It worked.

Pearl Naidoo made me her showstopper for her jewelry collection. I was finally on the New York Fashion red carpet — and more than 250 photographers, videographers, press and media were around me.

‘You’re an Indian model. How do you feel being in the US,’ I was asked.

My eyes couldn’t stop tearing up. I was unable to see properly with the camera flashes and media mikes all around me.

The same day, I met my friend who challenged me. I just hugged him and said, ‘Thank you very much for making me a Prakash Patil is sure that had he not model.’ We both had tears and went back lived in the Tristate area and found the energy of New York City he to the same bar again. wouldn’t be a model and actor today.

I met some of amazing people in the Tristate area who believed in me and supported my journey as a model. People who neglected me initially and then apologized and who I welcomed back as I strongly believe that God resides in the heart of every human being.

I went on to become a showstopper at Couture New York Fashion, participated in the Mecedes Benz Fashion Week, the New Jersey Fashion Week, etc, and have been featured in a couple of magazines, too.

Vinay Pujara, a director who met me at a New Jersey show, asked me if I could act in films. After he mentored me, sending me through a series of acting workshops, he gave me a role in his film, The Other Side of New York. threw them in my face, saying, ‘I don’t see a model in the If I did not live in the Tristate area I wouldn’t be a pictures, but I can see a great personality in you. You need model and actor today. Better still, it has given me a parala good photographer, baby.’ lel IT career. That happened after Transfast, where I work I invested couple of hundreds dollars more and hired a now, initially hired me as a model. I found their work culfamous photographer to build me a new portfolio. Since ture impressive and approached the management and photo shoots are done early in the morning and late at asked about job openings. night, I survived on the plentiful protein bars available.

NYC reminds me of Mumbai as I travel in the subway I got pictures taken in Brookyln, Edison, Times Square, and on the PATH trains, though, admittedly, services are and parts of Queens. But I particularly loved it when a lady told me, ‘Son, I don’t know who you are. But I can see bad on the weekends. It makes me feel at home with its lovely entertainment and nightlife. It’s always busy and passion and an X factor in your eyes. God bless you.’ you can smell the fragrance of competition.

I didn’t have a car — and I would have been handicapped if it had not been for the trains and buses that crisscross Prakash Patil is an engineer-turned-model who found his the Tristate area. If I had been in another town — with fewer opportunities and bad transport — I would not have calling in New York City.

COURTESY: PRAKASH PATIL

PRAKASH PATIL

The streets of New York City tell you to try again

Aseem in New York

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INDIA IN NEW YORK JULY 18, 2014

A new book, an old murder B

ina Ramani – socialite, celebrity, and businesswoman — was in New York last week for the US launch of her memoir Bird in a Banyan Tree. The event – packed with Ramani’s friends, some bigger celebrities than she is — was organized by the Indo American Art Council at the Aicon Gallery in Greenwich Village.

Ramani spoke about her failed marriage, the physical abuse she experienced and her turnaround as she became an entrepreneur – designer, restaurateur, and the fact that she was the first to open a boutique in New Delhi’s trendy Hauz Khas Village.

Much of the time was spent in discussions related to the April l999 murder of model and bartender Jessica Lal at Ramani’s Tamarind Court bar and restaurant in Delhi. Ramani read passages from the book that related to the murder and her

subsequent 11-day imprisonment, first in police custody and later in Tihar Jail.

Among the people in the audience who seemed most curious about Ramani’s arrest was her friend, celebrity journalist Tina Brown. In reply to a question by Brown, Ramani spoke about the day when her sister, daughter and driver came to see her in police custody. “My driver had tears running down her face,” she said.

One American woman in the audience asked Ramani about the Bollywood film No One Killed Jessica. This woman had watched the film a day earlier, in preparation for the Ramani reading. Ramani said the film did not reflect well on her and her family, although she thought it was well made.

Bina Ramani, left, and Aroon Shivdasani of the IAAC at the Aicon Gallery.

ASEEM CHHABRA

Ai Weiwei: According to What? runs until August 10

L

ast Wednesday I took a trip to the Brooklyn Museum to see the works of Ai Weiwei, the iconic Chinese artist and activist, who has been prominently featured in exhibitions around the world and been the focus of a few documentaries.

Ai’s fame continues to grow despite the efforts by the Chinese authorizes to curtail his work, which included an 81-day imprisonment for him in 2011.

While I had been reading about Ai over the years, my first introduction to the man and the artist was through Alison Klayman’s much celebrated 2012 film Ai Weiwei: Never Sorry.

A lot of what the film portrays can be seen at the Brooklyn Museum show Ai Weiwei: According to What?

The show takes us through his early years, his life in New York City (1981 to 1993) where he was first a student and then well known in celebrity circles, befriending iconic figures including Allen Ginsburg.

It includes some of Ai’s most important work of activism – collecting the names of over 5,000 school children who died in the May 2008 earthquake in China’s Sichuan province.

One huge room in the museum is dedicated to this specific work with all the names pasted on a large wall, and iron beams from the destroyed schools – where the children died – spread over the floor.

It is a rare, powerful, show, worth a trip all the way to Brooklyn. Ai Weiwei: According to What? runs until August 10.

O

n Friday evening I drove with a friend to the Middlesex County College in Edison, NJ. We were there for a concert by the Assamese singer Angaraag Mahanta, popularly known by his nickname Papon. Performing with Papon was his band, the East India Company.

Papon has gained national fame in India by appearing on MTV’s Coke Studio show. In recent years he has sung some hit Bollywood songs – Kyon (from Barfi), Maula Sun Le Re (from Madras Café) and Tu (from the recent Bobby Jasoos). Lately, he has also sung for Bengali and other regional language films.

Papon has a terrific voice and he is a highly ener-

At the Papon concert.

ASEEM CHHABRA

gized performer, at all times connecting with the audience. He was willing to take audience requests – while singing all of his hits and a number of Assamese folk songs that had many women in the audience dancing.

Towards the end of the show Papon invited the women to dance on stage.

The concert was a tribute to three great Indian singers – Bhupen Hazarika, Jagjit Singh and Manna De. To the delight of the audience, Papon sang a few songs by each of these singers.

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INDIA IN NEW YORK JULY 18, 2014

Zohra Sehgal died of a cardiac arrest, July 10. She had celebrated her 102nd birthday in April.

Dharti Ke Lal, 1946

Set against the famine in Bengal during 1943 and its dreadful repercussions on farmers, writer-filmmaker Khwaja Ahmed Abbas wove a gritty, unrelenting drama to direct his first film for IPTA. Noted for its powerful content and realistic filmmaking, it introduced Sehgal, in a brief role, to the silver screen.

Neecha Nagar, 1946

Her second outing, again by IPTA, featured her in a bit role as Bhabhi in Chetan Anand’s Neecha Nagar. Although the role wasn’t the focal point of the story observing the disparity between the social classes, it proved to be a landmark nevertheless, winning the prestigious Grand Prix du Festival International du Film, now known as the Palm d’Or, at the Cannes Film Festival in 1946.

Baazi, 1951

Her credentials as an established dancer resulted in choreographing Dev Anand starrers like Baazi, CID and Nau Do Gyarah. Especially notable are her glitzy steps for Geeta Bali in the songs Taqdeer Se Bigdi Hua and Suno Gajar Kya.

Sukanya Verma pays tribute to the grand old lady of Bollywood

L

Zohra Sehgal, a celebration of life

ike most memorable stories, this one too, begins long, long ago.

On April 27, 1912, to be precise, when a naughty little girl was born. She loved to climb trees and engage in all sorts of antics to amuse herself and anyone who’d bother to watch in her hometown of Rampur, Uttar Pradesh. Although she was one among six other siblings and her parents were fiercely conservative, her vivacity, candour, wit and spark made her both — unique and agreeable.

The one and only Zohra Begum Mumtaz-Ullah Khan.

Over the years, even while India was yet to acquire independence, she evolved into a liberated individual while attending college in Queen Mary’s, Lahore. Back then, when girls were single-mindedly conditioned for marriage and motherhood, she decided to have neither and pursue a career in acting. She decided to make a trip to England in order to do so, but changed her mind enrolling for a course in Modern Dance in Dresden, Germany.

Following an inspirational viewing of legendary dancer/choreographer Uday Shankar’s ballet, she made up her mind to become a part of the troupe. During this stint, she met her future husband, Kameshwar Sehgal, a scientist-cum-dancer and later art director.

Though almost a decade younger, Sehgal could simply not resist her free-spirited personality and zany humour.

She too couldn’t help but give in. And despite all their socially-frowned upon differences — age, religion, the two got married and she became the legendary Zohra Sehgal.

Meanwhile, her original plan to act was realised after she joined Prithviraj Kapoor’s theatre group (Prithvi Theatres), where her sister Uzra Butt was already a recognized face. Under Kapoor’s (whom she fondly refers to as Papaji) keen guidance and inspiring professionalism, she learned some valuable lessons about art and life.

Around the same time, she took the opportunity to portray secondary roles in acclaimed endeavors by the Indian People’s Theatre Association as well as choreograph stars like Dev Anand in hits like CID, Baazi and Nau Do Gyarah.

Her husband’s tragic demise (he committed suicide unable to deal with a disappointing career) marked a grim chapter in the ever blithe actress’ existence.

But the journey had to continue even in the face of lowest lows as the determined Pathan single-handedly raised her two children — Kiran and Pavan. Sehgal shifted base to England after she received a drama scholarship in England, but things looked bleak in the hand-to-mouth existence in London until a break in the Merchant-Ivory docudrama A Courtesan In Bombay happened.

It was followed by important appearances in British television series like A Jewel In The Crown, Tandoori Nights and independent features like Gurinder Chadha’s Bhaji On The Beach.

After living in the UK for nearly 25 years, the 80-something veteran decided it was time to return to India for good. And good, it undoubtedly, turned out to be. Her silver-haired wisdom, twinkling eyes, delightfully crinkly smile and a warmth that permeates the screen made her an ideal candidate to play a picture-perfect grandmother or frothy ingredient in a variety of films.

Besides which she continued her love for the stage through plays like Ek Thi Naani and The Spirit Of Anne Frank. A recipient of prestigious honors like the Sangeet Natak Akademi and Padma Vibhushan, Zohra Sehgal penned her fascinating journey in befittingly titled memoirs, Stages: The Art and Adventures of Zohra Sehgal.

Her joie de vivre and uncompromised stance of living life on her own terms made her a celebration of life itself.

As a tribute to that spectacular life we revisit her most memorable onscreen avatars.

The Jewel In The Crown and Tandoori Nights, 1984-1985

During her stay in the UK, Sehgal worked on ITV Network’s adaptation of Paul Scott’s novel. Her portrayal of the proud and poised noble figure, Lady Lili Chaterjee, in the series, which gained huge popularity, featuring on BFI’s list of 100 Greatest British Television Programmes, made the actress a recognizable face following it up with an animated delivery as Gran in the restaurant rivalry sitcom, Tandoori Nights co-starring Saeed Jaffrey.

Bhaji on the Beach, 1993

Gurinder Chadha’s promising debut as director is a light-hearted take on different generations of British women of South Asian origin with the identity issues and social/domestic troubles that plague them. Sehgal plays the eldest member of this motley bunch with highly prudent and conservative views that often provide comical relief to its sweet-sour story.

Dil Se, 1998

As Shah Rukh Khan’s adorable granny enjoying the upcoming wedding preparations in the family, Sehgal is a picture of tenderness and charm in Mani Ratnam’s otherwise intense Dil Se. During the Jiya Jale sequence, she even breaks into an impromptu jig lest you forget what a gifted dancer she is.

Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam, 1999

She endears herself as the doting grandmother yet again in Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s eye-catching love triangle, Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam. As the romantic elderly figure who enjoys narrating her love story to the younger members of the family, Sehgal exudes effortless verve.

Dillagi, 1999

Trust Sehgal to make clichéd characters like Dillagi’s Beeji rank among one of the most appealing aspects of a film.

In Sunny Deol’s directorial debut, she plays the quintessential grandmom in a typical Punjabi household overeager to welcome a ‘Bahu’ in the family, but her fun-loving impulses, effervescence and emotionality in even the most banal scenes makes it much more precious than it is designed to be.

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HUMPTY SHARMA AND HIS DULHANIA UNPLUGGED Alia Bhatt talks films, friends and what’s in store for her with Rajul Hegde Varun Dhawan speaks to Rajul Hegde about his latest film and why he is maturing as an actor

V

arun Dhawan says his new film Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhania, released July 11, is a tribute to Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge.

The actor, who reunites with his Student Of The Year co-star Alia Bhatt talks to India in New York about films, his co-star and why he is not dating anyone at the moment.

Alia is your good friend. How does the equation change when you act in a film together?

Alia has grown as an actress. She has done amazing work. It was great getting back with her.

In my first film Student Of The Year, we didn’t have much scope for romance. This time around I had to flirt with her in a lot of scenes. She would call me cheap or laugh at me. It was fun.

I think the energy of our real life chemistry (love and hate friendship) has translated nicely on screen.

Do you see yourself as a romantic or an action hero? Is rom-com your favorite genre?

I don’t think of myself as a hero at all. I look at myself as an actor.

And I wouldn’t call Mein Tera Hero a rom-com because I don’t feel the love track was given much attention.

Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhaniya is an out-and-out love story.

Nowadays people think I am funny on-screen because of Mein Tera Hero.

Do you think you will be able to pull off a role like Siddharth Malhotra’s in Ek Villain?

May be, if I got it. But I don’t want to do something like that at the

moment because my face doesn’t suit it.

I think I need to mature more. If I shave and sit next to Alia, I will look younger than her.

Siddharth, Sushant Singh, Ranveer Singh and Arjun Kapoor are all older than I am. I am probably the youngest actor apart from Tiger (Shroff).

It’s an advantage and disadvantage because you grow up near the audience. The amount of time I have stayed in college I don’t think anyone else has. This is my third film and finally I will graduate in this film and leave college (smiles).

Please continue…

But I am doing other stuff. I am doing a thriller film, Badlapur, with Sriram Raghavan, which is not a commercial masala but a little twisted. A thriller has to be very intelligent and I don’t want to dumb it down.

What’s the status of Badlapur?

We have shot the first half in an unknown area near Pune where nobody gets to see the look of the film.

Does Alia having a dominating effect on her co-stars due to her overpowering screen presence?

Not on me, but yes, she dominates other actors.

That’s what others have said when I have met them, but she doesn’t do that with me.

I know the real Alia and also I know how to push her buttons and make her cry.

I just have to say one thing and next minute she will start crying. She cries at least once or twice a day (smiles).

Do you share a better rapport with

Alia than other actresses you have worked with?

Yes, I am probably closer to her. I think the film is in a space between friendship and love and the space we are in also.

There are rumors of you dating Natasha Dalal, an upcoming fashion designer.

I have a lot of friends from school and childhood who are girls and I am still friends with them. As far as a romantic liaison is concerned, I genuinely don’t have the time right now.

At the moment I am single.

Your film is apparently inspired by the film Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayange.

It’s a modern day tribute to DDLJ. I am not playing Raj, nor Alia, Simran. But there are a few scenes in the film that will remind people of that film.

What kind of dulhania (bride) do you want in real life?

She should be very helpful, protective and ambitious. She should be beautiful and intelligent. Also, you need a person in your life who pushes you to do something.

How do you stay grounded?

My brother criticizes me too much.

He points out my mistakes and also motivates me to be better. You need to realize that I live with two directors who are the actual stars because they make the films.

Are you undergoing any training for Remo D’ Souza’s ABCD 2?

It’s a patriotic film. The shooting is yet to start. We are undergoing lots of training because of different forms of dancing.

One dance has six songs and everybody is finding it difficult, including the professional dancers.

A

lia Bhatt may be just four-films-old, but she’s clearly riding on the wave of success.

Following her debut with Student Of The Year, she floored naysayers with Imtiaz Ali’s Highway, Abhishek Varman’s 2 States and now Shashank Khaitan’s Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhania, which saw her reunite with her SOTY costar Varun Dhawan.

Alia opens up about expectations, comparisons and coping with being a star at age 21.

How was it to work with Varun again?

We had more scenes together in this one.

Unlike our first film, we weren’t worried or confused about how to approach it. We brought a lot of variations to our dialogues and added energy to our scenes.

We had a great time shooting for the film. The dialogues were so effortless and organic that we would sometimes continue speaking like our characters even after they said ‘cut.’ That’s probably because we are very comfortable with each other.

What’s your equation with him in real life?

He is one of my closest friends. We have known each other even before we became actors.

How difficult was it to portray the character Kavya in Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhaniya?

Each film comes with its own challenges. While Highway was the most challenging film for me, the character of Kavya is a typical Punjabi girl from Ambala. To get her body language, the accent, and her aggression right was a big challenge.

Are you going to be choosy while selecting a script from now on since all your films have done well? Do you feel the pressure to do better?

I will always be choosy. I wouldn’t do a film for the sake of doing a film. It has to have a connect or interest me on a different level altogether.

Yes, there is lot of pressure and that makes you work more. For that you have to go beyond people’s expectations and constantly surprise them. I

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f PAGE 8

The Mystic Masseur, 2001

Having worked with Merchant-Ivory productions on The Courtesans Of Bombay, Sehgal united with filmmaker Ismail Merchant again over the film adaptation of V S Naipaul’s novel, The Mystic Masseur.

Playing The Great Belch and aunt to the protagonist, Ganesh Ramseyor (Aasif Mandvi) the actress didn’t have any qualms about portraying a silly character and evoked the laughs.

Bend it like Beckham, 2002

Shaheen Khan and Sehgal collaborated with Chadha again on the international hit; Bend It Like Beckham, about a British teenage girl of Indian origin, struggling to convince her family that it’s

Cheeni Kum, 2007

Zohra Sehgal, a celebration of life

football and not aloo gobhi that makes her world go round. Sehgal graces a few reels as the affectionate Beeji in a short but sweet role.

Chalo Ishq Ladaye, 2002

While some of you may dismiss this as a mindless comedy squandering away the talents of Govinda and Rani Mukerji, Sehgal has another theory to offer. In a television interview, she reveals it is her role as the perennially slapping grandmother of Chi Chi in this loosely inspired

HUMPTY SHARMA AND HIS DULHANIA UNPLUGGED

version of Hollywood’s Throw Momma From Train that truly made her a household name.

Veer Zaara, 2004

Yash Chopra’s cross-border romance starring Shah Rukh Khan and Preity Zinta has Sehgal essaying the latter’s, why of course, grandmother. But if that translates to watching her slurping down a stick of Malai Kulfi with the enthusiasm of a five-year-old, why not?

Alia Bhatt

f PAGE 9 need to give the audience as much variety as possible.

Who do you take advice from when it comes to films?

I seek advice from Karan (Johar). He is like my mentor. He knows what is good and bad for me.

You said recently that it’s scary when people compare you with Kareena Kapoor Khan and Kajol.

I take it as a compliment. But it’s unfair to compare me with them because they have a huge body of work to their credit while I am just four films old. It scares me because I have been in the industry for just two years and it’s not like you can match up to them so early, may be after 40 films.

Kareena has been in the industry for 14 years and Kajol even longer.

People now think that your role model has changed from Kareena Kapoor to Aishwarya Rai Bachchan.

I have always loved Kareena, Kajol and Ash. What I mentioned was that I have learnt a lot from Aishwarya as a dancer. She is a superb dancer, the kind of finesse she has is amazing. A lot of times before shooting a song, I just look at all her videos back to back to get some

kind of inspiration. Then you kind of remember these things while giving a shot because I always run through all my steps. In that sense, I find her a great inspiration.

Do you see yourself taking music seriously since you have sung a song in Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhaniya?

Yes, but not now. I will try and get a formal training in

After years of playing granny, Sehgal lapped up the opportunity to play a reprimanding mommy to a bad-tempered, aloof, 60-something chef played by Amitabh Bachchan in R Balki’s rom-com about celebrating age differences. But it’s her addiction to wrestling shows that is quite easily one Cheeni Kum’s drollest aspects.

Saawariya, 2007

Even though Saawariya is impossible to savor what with its pompous show of pretentious artistry, it does bring together Sehgal with her beloved Papaji’s great grandson Ranbir Kapoor in the latter’s debut as actor. Although their track is clearly inspired by Raj Kapoor and Lalita Pawar’s camaraderie in Anari and doesn’t do our lady any favors, it is significant by virtue of being her most recent appearance on screen.

music, but my dad feels that I don’t need to train. I will learn the piano to get a sense of music though.

How was your experience of working with Siddharth Shukla, who is making his film debut with Humpty Sharma...?

Siddharth is talented and a professional actor.

He is very sarcastic too. As I spent more time with him, I got to know that he is really funny. It was great fun working with him.

How have you evolved as an actor/person in the last few years?

I have changed a lot as a person because since I started working at 17. I have become much more secure and balanced; there is no facade in my life.

As an actor, I have had the privilege of working with directors like Imtiaz (Ali, Highway), Abhishek (Varman, 2 States) and Shashank (Kaitan, Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhaniya). I learnt a lot from all of them. I would like to believe that I have grown as an actor from my first film and hope to continue to do so.

How do you respond to jokes about your general knowledge on social media?

They are funny and I appreciate jokes. As long as I am in people’s minds, it’s okay (grins).

Who are your best friends in the industry?

Arjun Kapoor, Varun and Abshishek (Varman) are close friends.

How was it shooting for Anupam Kher’s talk show Kuch Bhi Ho Sakta Hai? It was lovely.

When my dad and Anupam Kher talk, it’s never-ending. And he has been a regular fixture at our house for a very long time —they live next to each other. So for me being on his show was special.

What’s your personal style like?

At the moment, since I have hurt my foot, I’m wearing shoes a lot. I have got five pairs of new shoes and I’m currently styling my looks according to my shoes.

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M

inutes before the inauguration of the Bimal Roy exhibition Life and Times of Bimal Roy July 7 at the Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya, in south Mumbai, a deluge hit the city.

But it failed to dampen the crowds attending this unique display of memorabilia on public view for the first time in history.

Sabyasachi Mukherjee, director general at the museum, paid an eloquent tribute to the celebrated filmmaker, speaking of the social values portrayed in timeless classics like Do Beegha Zameen, Sujata and Bandini.

His sentiments were repeated by veteran actor Dilip Kumar in his interview for the documentary Silent Thunder, shown at the opening.

‘I miss him,’ said the great star, ‘there is not another director with his all round proficiency. We had no film institutes to teach us acting. I learnt it from working with directors like him. I put Bimal Roy head and shoulders above his contemporaries.’

Filmmaker Hansal Mehta, who inaugurated the festival, echoed this.

“Whatever I learnt about filmmaking is from watching these black and white classics of the golden era,” he said.

Roy’s overwhelmed daughter Rinki Roy Bhattacharya said, “For me, July 7, 2014, will remain a memorable date. I always sensed my father deserved this unique distinction. However, had it not been for Mr Mukherjee’s vision to recognize that cinema had its unique place in the rich cultural heritage of a society, this event was impossible.”

She added, “Cinematic works such as my father’s should be given the status of national treasure. These works must be seen more often, especially by younger generations to whom Bimal Roy is just a name. More importantly, cinema MUST have a museum of its own.”

A date with the master

Revisiting the Life and Times of Bimal Roy Photographs: Hitesh Harisinghani

Visitors take in the Life and Times of Bimal Roy. The exhibition in Mumbai displays rare photographs and posters of the filmmaker’s most celebrated works.

Bottom left, Bimal Roy’s clothes.

Bottom right, costumes from the films Bandini, Sujata and Madhumati.

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Bollywood INDIA IN NEW YORK JULY 18, 2014

From left, actors Ajay Devgn and Kareena Kapoor with filmmaker Rohit Shetty at the trailer launch of Singham Returns.

ALL THAT GLITTERS

A PEEK INTO THE WEEK’S GLITZIEST TINSEL TOWN EVENTS

Actors Aditya Roy Kapoor and Parineeti Chopra promote their upcoming film Dawat-e-Ishq.

PHOTOGRAPHS: PRADEEP BANDEKAR

Left, filmmaker Vishal Bhardwaj at the first look of Haider.

Above, actor Shahid Kapoor with a fan.

Right, actresses Shraddha Kapoor and Tabu.

The film’s trailer has earned rave reviews, including from critic Raja Sen, who wrote: “Deep at the heart of this first incendiary glimpse of Haider — the third of Vishal Bhardwaj’s Shakespeare adapted dramas, his Hamlet after Omkara (Othello) and Maqbool (Macbeth) — lies a bassline thudding with menace.

We see Shahid Kapoor, bearded and out for vengeance.

We see Tabu, intense, ethereal and basking in the glory of her part.

We see Kashmir, striking and vaguely unfamiliar.

We see Shradha Kapoor as Ophelia, fumbling with her English but with eyes afire.

We see familiar scenes staged in odd environments.

And we see — as the visuals are cut faster and the words are thrown at us with increasing violence — wrapped in that ominous bassline, the promise of doom.

Bhardwaj has always handled the Bard with masterful flair, and, at first glance, you’d be forgiven for bouncing with joy.

Haider hits theatres October 2. To see or not to see? With Bhardwaj at the helm, that was never in question.

India in New York July 11, 2014

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Bollywood INDIA IN NEW YORK JULY 18, 2014

Hansal Mehta sniffs political conspiracy as Hansal Mehta’s highlyacclaimed Shahid taken off as W the opening film at the recently-

concluded National Film Festival because of the change of guard in India?

When Mehta’s film won the National Award for Best Film, the Congress government was in power. Shahid is about the real-life slain Muslim lawyer Shahid Azmi who fought cases on behalf of TADA detainees.

Mehta says, “I don’t want to sound persecuted. Nor do I wish to make an issue of the fact that Shahid was yanked out of being screened as the inaugural film for the National Film Festival.

I’ve heard it said that my film was given the National Award because it spoke in favour of a particular Hansal Mehta community. But my film spoke about inequality and not about any community.”

Hansal was informed May 15 that Shahid would be the opening film at the festival.

“I confirmed my presence saying that I would be honoured.

Soon afterwards, the decision seems to have been reversed and I learnt about this only through the Internet,” he said. “I am constrained to believe that there are reasons beyond cinema for this sudden change and having a protagonist named Shahid is perhaps one of the causes.”

He said, “I was opposed to the hypocritical appeasement politics practised by the previous government and Shahid clearly demonstrates my stand on the matter. I am also vehemently opposed to the chauvinistic ‘majorityism’

that looms large over the change promised by the new setup. My only appeal is that keep your political compulsions out of cinema.”

He added, “I will continue to express myself through films and such discriminatory practices only strengthen my resolve. I hope I am wrong in judging the decision in this manner, but somehow my logical mind does not allow me to believe otherwise. I also wish to put on record that I am not passing any judgement on Astu, which was chosen over my film. I am only expressing my sadness that films made with passion should become pawns in an unseemly, petty game.”

An official associated with the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, who doesn’t want to be named, denied that the film was pulled out for political reasons.

“Mehta is just imagining things,” he said. “We chose to schedule Astu instead of Shahid as the inaugural film because the cast and crew of Astu, including Dr Mohan Agashe (co-producer and the lead actor) were present.”

Mehta is not convinced. “I was told Shahid was removed as the inaugural film because it would not get a sizable audience,” he said. “I want to know who decides what the audience wants to see. I was given the impractical slot of 4.45 pm on Monday and we had a full house. So, am I imagining a conspiracy? Or would it be correct to think that if the former government practised the politics of appeasement the current government believes in the politics of chauvinism?”

— Subhash K Jha

angna Ranaut has finished her course at the New York Film Academy and returned to India, reports K Hindustan Times.

The actress had taken a break from films in January this year to pursue a film-making and screenplay-writing course The newspaper reported that Kangana took all her batchmates and professors out for dinner to express gratitude for their support.

She was quoted as saying, ‘Going to a film school was like a dream come true.’

Jugal Hansraj

Kangna finishes film school

Jugal Hansraj weds ctor Jugal Hansraj tied the knot with his partner Jasmine in a private ceremony A in Michigan.

The 42-year-old actor’s friend Uday Chopra took to twitter to congratulate the newly weds: ‘My friend Jugal Hansraj just got married yesterday in Oakland, Michigan to Jasmine... Wish the couple a very happy married life.’

Kangna Ranaut

I was not rude or arrogant; I was disappointed: Sreesanth ormer Indian pacer Sreesanth kicked up a bit of controversy on the sets of Jhalak Dikhhla F Jaa when he landed among the bottom two per-

formers of the week and had to head into a face off with Pooja Banerjee.

The face off saw him get eliminated from the dance reality show, to which he reacted badly.

Sreesanth tried to clear the air later.

“I was performing with a martial arts weapon in the elimination round,” he said. “As I swung it around, it hit my back very hard. I was in a lot of pain for the next 45 seconds of the act. Since the show was being shot live, I didn’t know if I should stop the performance or carry on. There were these thoughts in my head and it showed.

May be if I had got a five-minute break I could have performed better. I have to accept it as the contract says that you have to leave when you are eliminated.”

Sreesanth wasn’t expecting to be placed among the bottom two performers of the week. He said, “I was not all there and really didn’t mean to behave that way or upset anybody. I respect all the three judges very much. It’s because of the pain that I wanted to get out of the set.”

He said that after he got relief from medication he immediately sent a text to one of the judges, choreographer Remo D’Souza: “I told him I didn’t mean to behave that way and asked him to communicate my message to Karan (Johar) sir and Madhuri (Dixit) ma’am too. I was not rude or arrogant, but I was disappointed as I could not pull off my act especially during the face off.”

He added that he was still hoping to return to the show: “I really wanted to win this show or at least be in the top three. Despite injuries, I performed and I never spoke about my injuries.

Even now, I hope I get a chance through wildcard entry.”

He is also looking forward to being involved in films. He is working on a Tamil-Telugu bilingual, Anbukkum Azhage where he debuts as a music composer.

— Rajul Hegde

Food

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INDIA IN NEW YORK JULY 18, 2014

For a healthy Ramzan

Vermicelli Kheer

5 low-calorie recipes from Carlyne Remedios the fasting season, it’s important to plan your meals in advance.

DI’veuring kept in mind that before Fajr (the dawn prayer) it’s

wise to eat hot home-made breakfast, which is also power packed with calories to last you through the day. Whole wheat bread, loaded with carbohydrates and fibre is a good option. It helps sustains your energy levels through the day.

I would also suggest eggs as it gives you a significant amount of protein, which the body needs.

During Iftar most people gorge on heavily fried foods. I suggest adding grilled low calorie foods with Stevia to your diet. Stevia is a natural sweetener and is easily available at most chemist shops.

Having skimmed milk helps you cut down on the calories while raisins will add the much essential natural sweetness to your food.

Stewed Fruit with Vanilla Yoghurt (Pre-dawn meal) Stewed Fruit with Vanilla Yoghurt

Calories: 250KCal Serves: Two Ingredients 1 apple 1 pear ½ cup lemon juice Low fat vanilla yoghurt Method Peel and slice the fruits.

Heat 1 cup water and add lemon juice

to it Add the fruits and cook till they become soft.

Remove from heat and serve with a dollop of vanilla yoghurt.

Healthy Pita Pockets (Pre-dawn Meal)

Calories: 483KCal Serves: Two to three 1 cup chicken breast ¼ cup chicken broth Healthy Pita 1 small onion Pockets 1 cup broccoli 1 cup bell peppers 2-3 pita bread Hummus 1 tsp garlic Red chili flakes, oregano 2 tsp oil Method Heat oil in a pan. Sauté garlic, onion, carrots and broccoli Add in the chicken, chicken broth, red chili flakes and oregano. Cook on a medium flame till chicken is tender.

Spread hummus in the pita pockets.

Generously stuff the pita pockets with the chicken and veggie mix.

Relish it hot.

Poached Eggs on Toast (Pre-Dawn Meal)

Calories: 365KCal Ingredients Poached Eggs on Toast 2 eggs 2 tsp white vinegar 2 slices whole wheat/multi-grain bread 1 ½ to 2 cups button mushrooms 1 tsp olive oil ½ tsp garlic, minced Method In a shallow saucepan, bring water to a boil When it’s almost boiling, add vinegar Crack egg in another cup and slowly drop it into the saucepan Nudge the egg whites toward the yolk so that it holds well together Turn off the heat, and cover for up to four minutes until eggs are cooked Remove gently and place atop whole wheat bread Cooking the mushrooms Trim stems off mushroom and slice thinly In a pan, add oil and sauté mushroom until they are tender. Add garlic and sauté.

Remove from heat, garnish with coriander leaves and add salt and pepper to taste Enjoy this healthy meal with a side of fresh fruit and a glass of low-fat milk.

Fruit Salad with Custard (For Iftar) Calories: 253KCal Ingredients 1 to 2 cups fruits of your choice (peaches, apples, kiwi, banana) For the custard 1 cup low fat milk 2 tsp vanilla custard powder 1 tsp sugar Method Mix custard powder in ¼ cup milk and keep aside Boil remaining milk with the sugar, add custard powder mixture and cook over a slow flame till the custard coats the back of a spoon Cool and keep aside Cut fruits into cubes Put in serving bowls and refrigerate Serve with chilled custard Carlyne Remedios is nutritionist with a masters in clinical dietetics from Deakin University, Melbourne.

Vermicelli Kheer (For Iftar)

Calories: 450KCal Serves: Two to three Ingredients 1 cup vermicelli 500 ml low-fat milk 2 tsp cooking oil Stevia sweetener 5 to 6 almonds, chopped 1 tsp raisins Method Heat oil in a pan. Shallow fry vermicelli until it turns golden brown.

Add water and milk while stirring continuously and bring them to boil.

Cover the pan and let it cook on a medium flame.

Take it off the flame and add Stevia sweetener.

Garnish with chopped almonds and raisins and serve hot.

Fruit Salad with Custard (For Iftar)

16

Special INDIA IN NEW YORK JULY 18, 2014

Competent, but not a breakout Budget It is within limits. It is even modest. It is some more of the same.

Mohan Guruswamy on the Modi government’s much-awaited first budget

Arun Jaitley, center, as he leaves his office to present the first Budget of the Narendra Modi government, July 10.

T

his was not to be yet another Budget speech. It came in the wake of a regime change where the electorate signalled its unhappiness with the direction of the country, the manner in which it was being led, and with the deep morass in which the majority of the people found themselves stranded despite unprecedented economic growth.

The promise of achche din aane wale hain (happy days are coming) was not just about our immediate well being, but also the promise of a new vision.

The people of India, particularly the youth and more specifically the first-time voters, reacted enthusiastically to this promise and responded by brutally casting out the Congress regime and its way of doing things and rejecting the notion of a Rahul Gandhi government. It literally threw out the baby with the bathwater.

India’s predicament stated in a few sentences is just this.

We need to create 12 million jobs each year for the new entrants to the workforce. We haven’t been doing so for quite sometime now. United Progressive Alliance’s growth was mostly a jobless one. Regional disparities were growing, so were income inequalities.

The fact that while agriculture contributes to a mere 18 percent of the gross domestic product almost 60 percent are still dependent on it, very simply tells us that the majority gets less and less. The Modi promise was that all this would be attended to.

Bharatiya Janata Party’s election manifesto unrolled a very clearly articulated vision. Infrastructure was to drive our breakout growth.

A hundred new cities, a brand new high-speed railway network, the interlinking of rivers, non-stop power supply

to every home in India, and a home for every Indian family before 2020 were some of its more exciting promises.

In short they created the expectations of a new prosperous, equitable and modernized India.

Instead of a new roadmap towards this vision we got another business-as-usual Budget. As budgets go, it is a competent and even good Budget. It does its job quite well.

It doesn’t promise much and doesn’t rock the boat either.

On the other hand we have a few lollies to keep our mouths sweet and immediate appetites whetted. The deductions for house loan interest and investments have been increased.

A taxpayer could benefit by as much as Rs 7,000-8,000 ($116 to 133) a year on this. The IT limits for ordinary taxpayers and senior citizens have been raised by Rs 50, 000 ($830) each.

A taxpayer could benefit by up to Rs 15,000 per year ($250). This is good news indeed. The expected sharp cut in subsidies was not announced.

Households all over will heave a sigh of relief that the subsidy on LPG will continue to be over Rs 450 ($7) per cylinder. We all, the readers and this writer, benefit by this and can’t be complaining. We should indeed be happy.

There are some provisions for the farm sector that should also appeal. National bank for Agriculture and Rural Development will now be required to extend credit to halfa-million landless farmers, hitherto unable to get credit due to lack of any land as collateral.

Agricultural credit exposure is to be expanded to Rs 8 trillon ($133.08 billion) and a 4 percent rebate on the timely repayment of farm loans attracting an already concessional 7 percent will be welcome and incentivize repayment.

The Budget also provides a fund of Rs 50 billion ($831.38

million) for building new farm logistics such as cold storages and grain silos.

There are other good ideas as well. New power projects will get a 10-year tax holiday. There will be no recourse to retrospective taxation, something which will make the foreign institutional investors’ lobby very happy.

There are increases in foreign direct investment limits for critical sectors like infrastructure, housing, insurance and defense.

More foreign direct investment will be brought through the automatic route.

MNREGA (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Gurantee Act) is to be linked to specific projects and purposes. Over Rs 520 billion ($8.64 billion) is to be invested in roads and highways, including Rs 143.89 billion ($2.39 billion) for rural roads.

There is also a special venture capital fund of Rs 100 billion ($1.66 billion).

These are all welcome.

To pay for all this, in addition to all that is already in the pipeline, the government hopes to increase revenue by 19.2 percent, while the GDP growth is expected to be between 5.4-5.9 percent.

What does this suggest? Will we have a higher inflation?

Or is tax collection going to get better by that much?

One clear indication is the FM’s announcement of a Settlement Commission to realize a good part of the Rs 8.1 trillion ($134.74 billion) now stuck in litigation and disputes.

But there is no comment on how the government plans to recover the Rs 464 million ($7.71 million) of state-owned banks now stuck up as non-performing assets. One can only wish them well.

This budget comes against the backdrop of two looming crises. The entire rain-fed region in India, over 60 percent of the cropped area, is now stricken by inadequate rainfall or drought.

We will need to provide for this. But the FM clearly hopes on the weather God coming good.

The war in Iraq threatens to jack up oil prices. The oil trade deficit now is about $110 billion. If prices go up, the burgeoning domestic demand will further stress the current account deficit. Maybe he is hoping on diplomacy and good sense to prevail in the Middle East?

The problem with this budget is that it could be another Chidambaram Budget as well. Only Chidambaram would have written a shorter speech and have been more eloquent.

Interestingly enough Chidambaram’s Interim Budget for 2014-15 indicated total revenue of Rs 17.63 trillion ($293.22 billion), while Jaitely’s Budget hopes for revenue of Rs 17.94 trillion ($298.35 billion). It would seem that for just another Rs 310 billion ($5.15 billion) Arun Jaitely went on and on for 2 hours and 10 minutes.

Let alone people like me sitting in distant television studios, even his Cabinet colleagues possibly found it tedious and taxing. Ashok Gajapathi Raju was seen yawning and Piyush Goyal was catnapping.

Given this modest Budget, I have little doubt that Jaitely will competently manage it. It is within limits. It is even modest. It is some more of the same.

But that is not the promise of the Modi sarkar.

In the run up to the elections Narendra Modi kept telling us achche din aane wale hain. Far from that, it just seems to be more of the wohi raat aur wohi din (same day and same night)!

Mohan Guruswamy heads the Center for Policy Alternatives, New Delhi.

Special INDIA IN NEW YORK JULY 18, 2014

Competent, but not a breakout Budget Highlights of India’s Budget 2014

17

The Week That Was

18

INDIA IN NEW YORK JULY 18, 2014

ON MODI’S TRAIL Deputy Secretary of State William Joseph Burns, center left, meets Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, center right, in New Delhi July 10. At the meeting were India’s Foreign Secretary Sujatha Singh, right, and India’s National Security Advisor Ajit Kumar Doval, second from right.

The State Department team included Nisha Desai Biswal, second from left, Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs.

Burns had met Singh earlier to chalk out the path to the forthcoming Strategic Dialogue and Modi’s’s meeting with President Barack Obama in September. The President extended a formal invitation to Modi July 11 for a visit to the US, and expressed keenness to work with him to make the bilateral relations a ‘defining partnership.’

Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping, who arrived almost at the same time in Fortaleza July 14 to attend the BRICS Summit, engaged shortly thereafter for what was described as a ‘good discussions and good meeting.’

The meeting was scheduled for 40 minutes, but went on for 80 as the freewheeling discussion covered various issues, including the need to resolve the boundary question in an amicable manner.

In a significant development, China has invited India to attend a summit of Asia and Pacific leaders.

PHOTOGRAPHS: PRESS INFORMATION BUREAU

Luis Lopes, right, Chief BRICS Coordinator in the Brazilian Foreign Affairs Ministry, receives Modi at the Fortaliza International Airport in Brazil where the prime minister arrived to attend the sixth BRICS Summit July 14.

Amit Shah is new BJP president Amit Shah, who delivered crucial Uttar Pradesh to the Bharatiya Janata Party in the Lok Sabha elections, was appointed party president July 9. A close and controversial aide of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he replaced Rajnath Singh, now the home minister.

Low intensity blast in Pune Three persons, including a constable, were injured when an explosive device kept in a motorcycle in the parking lot of a police station went off in Pune, July 10.

Ball bearings and nails were recovered from the spot and the police said the explosive used was yet to be identified.

The blast occurred close to the Dagdusheth Ganesh temple, which is said to be on the terrorists’ radar.

Blackbuck case: Court notice to Salman Khan The Supreme Court issued a notice to actor Salman Khan July 9 on the Rajasthan government’s plea challenging a high court decision that had stayed his conviction in a blackbuck hunting case. Khan was sentenced to a five-year jail term by a trial court.

Over 10,000 foreigners arrested in 2013 for immigration rule violation Over 10,000 foreigners were arrested by Indian security agencies last year for violating provisions of the Foreigners Act and immigration control rules, the government told Parliament July 9. The corresponding figures for the years 2012 and 2011 stood at 7,484 and 7,345 respectively.

Bill Clinton arrives in Jaipur

764 firms polluting Ganga; 48 told to shut down

Former President Bill Clinton arrived in Jaipur July 14 on a tour during which he will visit a kitchen being run for schoolchildren by the NGO Akshaya Patra.

He will also visit a school and community centre in Lucknow, according to the Clinton Foundation.

Clinton is touring the Asia/Pacific to take stock of the work of the Clinton Foundation.

Directions have been issued to about 48 industrial units polluting the Ganga to close down, the Rajya Sabha, the Upper House of the Indian Parliament, was informed July 14.

The Ministry of Environment & Forests has also identified 764 grossly polluting industries discharging waste water into the river.

NRI charged for posting Goa minister’s morphed photo A United States-based Non Resident Indian has been charged for allegedly posting a morphed picture of Goa’s Minister Sudin Dhavalikar in a bikini on Facebook. Dhavalikar had stoked a controversy by saying that ‘wearing bikinis should be banned on Goa’s beaches.’

The report was filed following a complaint by a local man against the Goa-born NRI.

Uproar in Parliament over journalist meeting Lashkar terrorist The meeting of a journalist considered close to yoga guru Ramdev, a Bharatiya Janata

PAGE 19

g

The Week That Was

19

INDIA IN NEW YORK JULY 18, 2014

f PAGE 18 Party supporter, with Lashkar-e-Tayiba founder and 26/11 mastermind Mohammad Saeed generated heat in Parliament.

Though the government clarified it had nothing to do with this meeting, Congress party members in both Houses sought a detailed statement from the government on the ‘purpose and motive behind the meeting with India’s most wanted terrorist.’

The journalist, Ved Pratap Vaidik, told Rediff.com, “I am a journalist of repute and have a right to meet anyone I want. It is laughable when people say that that the meeting was held at the behest of someone in the Indian government. That is not correct.”

Soldiers get special shoes for border closing parade Soldiers participating in Beating the Retreat ceremony at the Attari Indo-Pak border in Amritsar have been provided with special shoes to help them perform the ceremony in comfort. Jawans had complained of severe back and knee problems while performing the aggressive parade during the border closing ceremony that takes place every evening.

The spectacle of the ceremony attracts many visitors from both sides of the border, as well as international tourists.

Bird-hit Air India plane with 313 on-board lands safely An Air India Boeing 777 flight carrying 313 people on board returned to Newark airport in New Jersey, soon after take off, following a bird hit that damaged its left engine. No one was injured in the incident.

Ashok Chavan found guilty of fudging election expenses In fresh trouble for former Maharashtra chief minister Ashok Chavan, the Election Commission slapped a showcause notice on him July 13 for failing to lodge his election expenses as per law in a paid news case and asked him why he should not be disqualified.

The commission set a 20-day deadline to respond to the notice.

If Chavan is disqualified by the EC, it may have an impact on his Lok Sabha membership also though the issue relates to his contesting the assembly polls.

Indian American pleads guilty to funding Al Qaeda A 31-year-old Indian American, caught in a Federal Bureau of Investigation sting operation, faces up to 15 years in prison after pleading guilty to providing thousands of dollars in material support to three terror groups operating under Al Qaeda in war-torn Syria and Somalia.

Gufran Ahmed Kauser Mohammed was arrested last year in a Miami-based terrorism investigation. He will be sentenced in a Miami federal court in October.

Ridiculous recommendations by Indian lawmakers pile up Following Goa minister Sudin Dhavalikar’s demand that girls be barred from going to pubs and bikinis be banned on Goa’s beaches, more Indian lawmakers have jumped on the bandwagon.

Karnataka’s Legislature Committee on Women and Child Welfare has proposed a ban on

Muzaffarnagar: An 18-year-old girl was allegedly raped by a youth at gunpoint in Bhensaheri village here.

Bokaro: A 10-year-old girl was allegedly raped by her 25-year-old neighbor on the diktat of a Panchayat chief in Bokaro district, Jharkhand, the police said. The accused had allegedly entered the victim’s house in an inebriated state and tried to molest her mother. But her father beat him up and drove him out. The panchayat chief allegedly directed the rape of the daughter to avenge the assault, the police said. The accused and Panchayat chief were arrested.

Mumbai: Actress Preity Zinta has submitted four photographs to the Mumbai police showing bruises on her hand to back her

Peace over possession

Demonstrators hold placards and shout slogans during a protest rally against Israel’s attacks on Gaza, outside the Israeli embassy in New Delhi, July 13.

mobile phones in schools and colleges as a step to curb incidents like rape.

Bihar’s Minister for Art, Culture and Youth Affairs Vinay Bihari blamed a non-vegetarian diet and the mobile phone, which he said was used to watch pornographic films, for the rise in violence against women.

Parents pressure Goa school to kick out 13 HIV+ students Impasse over continuation of 13-odd HIV positive students in a South Goa school has deepened with more parents now resolving to withdraw their wards from the school in protest against the management’s decision to not cancel admission of these children.

The school has so far turned down the demand of parents.

Manmohan Singh still enjoys immunity: Justice Dept Former Indian prime minister Manmohan Singh continues to enjoy immunity in an alleged human rights violation case filed against him in a United States court even though he is no longer the head of government, the Department of Justice informed a Washington court July 10 in response to a petition filed by the New York-based Sikh for Justice.

SFJ had argued that since Singh was no longer the prime minister of India, the immunity clause no longer applied in the alleged human rights violations case they filed against him.

Crimes against women claim of criminal assault against her exboyfriend Ness Wadia, police said July 9.

Zinta had accused Wadia of molesting, abusing and threatening her during an Indian Premier League match between Kings XI Punjab and Chennai Super Kings May 30 at Mumbai’s Wankhede stadium.

Ghaziabad: A 22-year-old woman was allegedly kidnapped and raped by four men in a moving car in Ghaziabad, the police said July 9. The accused fled from the spot, but one of the accused was allegedly in a relationship with the victim.

ADNAN ABIDI /REUTERS

Badaun: In a new twist to the rape and murder of two girls in Badaun in Uttar Pradesh, the Central Bureau of Investigation has decided to exhume the bodies of the victims for a fresh autopsy as the probe agency feels that proper procedure was not followed while conducting the post-mortem. Meanwhile, three minor Dalit girls were allegedly assaulted and gangraped by seven men for opposing eve-teasing in Singauli village in Badaun, the police said July 8. Three of the accused have been arrested and efforts are on to nab the

remaining accused, police said.

Jind: Addressing a farmers’ rally in Jind, Haryana, Bharatiya Janata Party leader O P Dhankar asked the gathering to strengthen the party in the state and promised them brides from Bihar in return. Haryana is infamous for its skewed sex ratio of 879 girls per 1,000 males, according to the 2011 census.

Raigad: A 14-year-old girl who was gangraped allegedly by two youth earlier this month in Maharashtra’s Raigad district, was also molested by a city level Nationalist Congress Party leader, Santosh Mandavkar, on the same day of the incident, the police said. The police have launched a manhunt to nab him.

20

Sports INDIA IN NEW YORK JULY 18, 2014

he was only the second number nine to reach 50 in each innings in a Test, matching Australian Peter Siddle’s record against India in Delhi last year.

Kumar also shared in a 111 partnership with number 11 Mohammed Shami in India’s first innings — a last-wicket record for India against England.

Even Cook had a bowl, much to the delight of the home crowd, and he was allowed a smile with the wicket of Ishant Sharma (13) when he edged to Prior.

As stumps were drawn all eyes moved to the home of cricket next week.

The visitors have not played a five-match Test series on English soil since 1959 and are in search of their first away win since 2011, while England are chasing their first victory under coach Peter Moores’ second spell in charge.

A first Test of unlikely records

A

first Test of unlikely batting records fizzled out into a draw as India declared on 391 for nine late on the fifth day against England in the five-match Investec Test in Trent Bridge, July 13.

India recovered from losing three wickets early on the final day, which briefly gave the hosts a glimpse of victory. Test debutant Stuart Binny and tail-ender Bhuvneshwar Kumar both scored half centuries to snuff out the danger.

The Nottingham ground had not hosted a drawn Test since 2002, when India were also the visitors, but despite both teams suffering mid-innings mini collapses in their first innings, bowling proved a slog on a flat pitch.

India would have hoped to have been bowling for victory July 13, but an all-time Test record 10th-wicket stand of 198 between Joe Root and James Anderson the previous day meant they had work to do just to ensure the draw.

The tourists began the day on 167 for three, a lead of 128 runs, but under gloomy skies, which aided swing bowling, England’s attack made early inroads.

In the second over of the day Stuart Broad got the ball to reverse swing and Virat Kohli

(8), widely considered India’s most dangerous batsman, was trapped leg before.

Broad claimed his second victim soon after when Ajinkya Rahane fell for 24 after edging a swinging delivery to wicketkeeper Matt Prior.

India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni (11) was dropped by his England counterpart Alastair Cook off Broad, but failed to make the most of his luck when Liam Plunkett sent his stumps cartwheeling out of the ground with a full delivery.

At that stage an England victory was possible, but Ravindra Jadeja stemmed the tide with a labored 31 before edging an Anderson delivery to Prior shortly after lunch.

As the match idled towards a draw, under-pressure England captain Cook, who has not enjoyed a win in nine Tests, decided to rest his four-man seam attack ahead of the second Test at Lord’s July 17 and introduced part-time spinners Moeen Ali and Joe Root.

Ali followed his two wickets from the previous day when he trapped Binny lbw, but not before the batsman had reached a maiden Test half century — 78 off 114 balls.

In a Test of milestones Kumar’s half-century, following his first innings 58, meant

GARETH COPLEY/GETTY IMAGES

STU FORSTER/GETTY IMAGES

Indian batsmen Mohammed Shami, right, and Bhuvneshwar Kumar celebrate their 100 run partnership the 1st Investec Test between England and India at Trent Bridge, Nottingham, England, July 10.

Stuart Binny July 13.

THE TALLY

w Bhuvneshwar Kumar became the first No 9 batsman to record a 50 in each innings (58 and 63 not out) besides taking five wickets (5/82) in an innings in a Test. He also became the fourth Indian allrounder to record a 50 in each innings apart from claiming five wickets in an innings in the same Test. w Stuart Binny’s splendid 78 off 114 balls is the second highest by a number eight batsman for India on Test debut; Deepak Shodhan had posted 110 in the first innings vs Pakistan at Kolkata in 1952-1953. Binny’s match aggregate of 79 (1 and 78) is the third highest by a number eight Indian batsman on Test debut.

Shodhan’s 110 (110) and C D Gopinath’s 92 (50 not out + 42) vs England at Brabourne Stadium, Mumbai in 1951-1952 are the leading run-scorers as number eight batsmen on debut for India. w Binny and Kumar were involved in a stand of 91 — India’s highest eighth wicket partnership against England at Trent Bridge in 1982.

India’s total of 391 for nine wickets declared is their second highest in the second innings of the Trent Bridge Test behind the 424 for eight wickets declared in 2002. w The 2014 Nottingham Test is the third drawn game between the two countries. The previous ten Tests had produced results at this venue. The last drawn Test at this venue was played between India and England in 2002. w Number nine to 11 batsmen have amassed 325 runs (average 54.16) in the 2014 Trent Bridge Test — the second highest tally in a Test match — the highest being 329 in England-West Indies Test at The Oval in 1966.

Sports

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INDIA IN NEW YORK JULY 18, 2014

Virat Kohli

Kohli retains rank in ICC ODI Rankings

India stuns China in basketball

W

hile India was focussed on the Soccer World Cup final and the leftover attention went to India’s Test series against England, India created basketball history in Wuhan, China, July 13 beating China 65-58 in the 5th FIBA Asia Cup. This was India’s first-ever win over the mighty Chinese.

‘India went into the game as underdogs and China obviously the overwhelming favourites especially after their superb win against Iran, but things on court were a complete contrast,’ said a FIBA Asia news report.

‘China began the scoring for the game, but it was India all the way after that for the entire first half with their show all-round attack.’ India led by as many as 15 points at one stage in the second quarter.

The report added that Pratham Singh and Amjyot Singh shared the scoring honors for India with 13 points apiece and Vishesh Bhriguvanshi the bulwark of the Indian campaign added 10 points.

FIBA Asia quoted India coach Scott Fleming as saying, ‘I’m not surprised at all.

Full marks to the players for holding it together. I think it’s an overdue win for India and there’s no way anyone can take the credit away from the boys.’

China coach Wang Huaiyu told FIBA Asia, ‘They (India) really deserved the win because they certainly played better than us.’

At press time the Indian team was through to the quarterfinals of the FIBA Asia Cup, after crushing Indonesia in a 91-55 win.

I

ndia’s Virat Kohli may have flopped in the two innings of the first Test against England, but the star batsman has held on to his second spot in the latest ICC ODI rankings released July 13.

Kohli has company in South Africa’s Hashim Amla, who jumped two places to join forces at second place after the opener smashed two centuries in his teams’ first ODI series win in Sri Lanka.

South Africa ODI skipper AB de Villiers continued to top the batting chart as Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni maintained his sixth position while Shikhar Dhawan stayed on 10th.

De Villiers has been rewarded for his series aggregate of 212 runs by earning 13 ratings points, which have given him a career-best rating of 885.

Pakistan off-spinner Saeed Ajmal sat pretty at the top in the bowlers rankings while left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja was the only Indian in the top-10.

South African pacer Ryan McLaren and wrist spinner Imran Tahir have achieved career-best rankings.

McLaren, who was the most successful bowler in the recently concluded series against Sri Lanka with nine wickets, has broken into the top 10 in 10th position after jumping 10 places. Tahir, who claimed six wickets, has rocketed 32 places to occupy the 51st spot.

South Africa, as a team, also gained useful points after their 82-run win against Sri Lanka to clinch the three-match ODI series 2-1.

The rainbow nation entered the three-match series in fifth position on 109 ratings points, and has now joined Sri Lanka on 111 ratings points but is ranked behind Sri Lanka, in fourth position, when the ratings are calculated beyond the decimal point.

This gain of two ratings points means South Africa now trails No 1 ranked Australia by four ratings points and second-ranked India by one rating point.

T

hree-time World Cup Final silver medallist Deepika Kumari seems to have shaken off her erratic form. She made it to the Indian squad for the upcoming Archery World Cup and Asian Games July 13.

The rigorous two-phase selection trial at the SAAP Stadium in Gachibowli, Hyderabad, also saw Asian Games silver medalist Tarundeep Rai and Common-wealth Games gold winner Rahul BanerClockwise from above, Tarundeep Rai, Rahul Banerjee and Deepika Kumari at the London Olympics in 2012.

jee make the Incheon, South Korea, bound squad.

Deepika, the former world No 1, had failed to make the cut to the India team for the World Cup Stage I and III earlier this year.

‘Having slipped to No 16 in the world rankings,’ the Press Trust of India reported, ‘Deepika made amends to make the cut from a total of 32 archers.’

The World Cup Stage IV will be held in Wroclaw, Poland, from August 4 to 10, while the Asian Games will be held from September 19 to October 4.

PHOTOGRAPHS: PAUL GILHAM/GETTY IMAGES

SCOTT BARBOUR/GETTY IMAGES

Deepika, Tarundeep, Rahul in the Asian Games squad

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GORGEOUS OCEANVIEW ATLANTIC BEACH, NY Updated home, corner lot, conveniently located. 4000sq ft, 4 bedrooms, 4 full baths with 2 Jacuzzis, plus nanny suite with full bath. Sauna, beautiful IG heated pool, expansive deck.

Vaulted ceilings in large great room with grand stone fireplace.

Family room, formal dining room, kitchen with granite and built in Jenn air grill. 85'x100' Lot size.

A must see home! Price: $1,125,000 Call (516) 458-9481

House/Flat Sale/Lease:India

RESIDENTIAL lot for sale Bangalore, 5400 sqft Eagleton Golf resort.

Sureddy03@yahoo.com

FOR SPECIAL RATES & DISCOUNTS PLEASE CALL 800.822.3532

BUSINESS/SERVICES DIRECTORY Accountants / CPA

Construction (General)

JAIN ACCOUNTING & TAX SERVICES

AJEET CONSTRUCTION

40-03 170th St., Flushing, NY 11358 RELIABLE • DEPENDABLE • PROFESSIONAL FREE INITIAL CONSULTATION • New Business Set-Ups • Payroll & Sales Tax Returns • Computerized Accounting, Bookkeeping & Tax Services • Tax Returns for: Individuals, Corporations, Partnerships, Proprietorships.

CALL ASHOK JAIN, EA, ABA

Tel: (718) 961-1726 (917) 607-4923

ACCOUNTING AND TAX PREPARATION for Individual, Businesses. Singh & Shah, 270-01 Hillside Avenue, New Hyde Park, NY 11040 (718) 343.4343.

120514AY DEV M. KINI, MBA, CPA, CFP, Accounting, Auditing, Tax, Financial Planning, 21 West 38th St., 9th Floor, NY 10018; PH. (212) 947-6787; (732) 322-4971.

032715AY HARISH HATHIWALA, CPA Specializing in Small Businesses, Accounting, Auditing, Income Tax, New Business Set up Service.

NYC (212) 714-1988, NJ (201) 656-2000 051515AY

Architect

ARCHITECTURAL WORK, Residential, Commercial, Violation Removal, Filling, Permits, CO’s, Fire Sprinkler.

SINGH (516) 932-8093 030615Y

Astrology

BRINDAVAN DHAAM International famed astrologer Acharya Laxmikant Sharma. Any work possible by vedic pooja/right astrological consultation (201) 420-6750/6259.

092614AY

Construction (General)

APNA GHAR CONSTRUCTION INC. Extension, New Home, Dormer, Renovations, kitchen, bath, finish basement, roofing, siding, electric, plumbing AJ (516) 315-8000 080814A

Renovation, carpentry, roofing, concrete, plumbing, electrical, kitchens, bathrooms, doctor offices, stores, finished bsmts, tiling, flooring, siding, windows, exteriors, dormers, new homes. Fully insured NYC Lic # 0850530 Nass Lic # H18E0880000 Suff Lic # 32760-H

(718) 347-9118 / (C) (516) 924-2393

Computer/ IT service

020615AY

Matrimonial Bride

GNC VITAMIN Store (HOWARD 42 UNITS Motel in Cleveland, Ohio. BEACH). Articulate, sales help.

2 managers apartments, Owner Excellent English. (646) 361-1271.

Retiring. Call (216) 798-4765 RESTAURANT HELP: Cook, Tandoori Cook, Helper, Waiter. Call (716) 8370460. (716) 830-6432.

WEB SITE DESIGN, Point of Sale System & Software, Computer Services.

www.i2htech.com

Courier Services

Call: (347) 510-9393

091914A

Eastern Air Couriers, Inc 144 West 37 St., 4th Fl., New York, NY 10018

Tel. Nos.: (NYC) 212-575-8300 (LA) 187788EACNY www.EACny.com INDO

US

EXPRESS

Worldwide

Courier,

Forwarders, Delivery,

Freight

Domestic

Competitive

Phone:

INC.,

(212)

447

Rush Prices.

-

Video/Photo

Toll Free: 1 (800) 870-5845

SHRI

PHOTO

Professional

5720; 090514A

VIDEO

DJ:

Photography,

Video

filming, and music for your special occasions. Call Raja (516) 354-0909;

Wedding Service

www.shriproductions.com

SAI

PAAN

Jasmine Garlands,

&

082914AY

GARLAND.

Gajara,

Merrigold

Mandap,

Tulsi,.

Bananna leaves etc. Call Bhanu Shetty

(718)

446-6060,

(732) 549-6465.

112114AY

Closing Day for BUSINESS SERVICES DIRECTORY ADS Wednesday at 4.00pm Call: 646.432.6026

Place your ad online www.indiaabroad.com/classifieds

0 060515AY

CLASSIFIEDS

ESTABLISHED restaurant looking for South Indian chef/Asst chef, food runner. Contact: (502) 212-4321

India in New York July 18, 2014

050815AY

22

India in New York July 18, 2014

ASTROLOGY

SWAMI MANJITJI WORLD FAMOUS ASTROLOGER PALMIST & SPIRITUAL HEALER Consult Swami Manjitji for Accurate Horoscope Reading, Palm Reading and likelihood of Major Events of Life: Love, Marriage, Children, Employment, Health, Business, Immigration, Real Estate, and Court Cases.

Lucky Stones and Lucky Numbers. Horoscope Readings are much more Accurate than Computer Readings.

Swamiji Removes Black Magic, Gives Protection and Helps in Resolving Various Problems by Powerful Holy Mantras and Meditation on God. Doctors, Politicians and Bureaucrats also consult Him.

HELPING CLIENTS IN USA SINCE 1988

Excellent Results 2

12 1

3

11 10

4 5 6

9

7

8

718.358.2901/917.497.3212 146-31, 61 Road, Flushing, New York 11367 www.swamimanjit.com

NY INSTITUTE OF MEDICAL CAREERS

23

NURSE AIDE $589 EKG TECHNICIAN $399 PHLEBOTOMY TECHNICIAN $399 PHARMACY TECHNICIAN $749 EKG & PHLEBOTOMY $589 MEDICAL ASSISTANT $3500 • Open 7 Days • Easy Paymnet Plan • Job Placement Assistance • National and State Exams on premises Licensed by NYS Education Dept.

WE ACCEPT WORKFORCE VOUCHERS

Call: (718) 565-9500 (718) 406-9290/(718) 565-9501

T R AV E L

AT T O R N E Y FREE PHONE CONSULTATION

H 1 B 1 . co m IMMIGRATION Law Offices of

Ajay K. Arora, Esq.

Tel: 212.268.3580 Fax: 212.268.3582 Email: info@h1b1.com 1270 Broadway, Suite 510, New York, NY 10001

BEAUTY INSTITUTE

NY Flushing Beauty Institute NEW YORK STATE LICENCED BEAUTY SCHOOL • Cosmetology (Hairs) • Esthetics (Skin Care) • Nail Technology • Waxing

Knowledge is Power

WE PROVIDE THESE TUITIONS Nails, Skin Care, Cosmetology, Waxing

YES! You Can.

36-09 Main St., 6 FL, Flushing, NY 11354

718.461.5252

24

India in New York July 18, 2014

A sister’s love for her brother lasts longer than a day…

shouldn’t her Rakhi?

This Raksha Bandhan (Aug. 10th), give your brother a keepsake he will cherish FOREVER!

www.foreverrakhi.com