Indian Abroad August 1-15, 2021, Vol 1 Issue 12 by IndianAbroad

Vol 1, Issue 12, Aug 1 -15, 2021

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Mirabai wins silver in women's I want to go for the gold: Lovlina Borgohain 49kg weightlifting Photo Courtesy: IANS

Photo Courtesy: The Indian Express

Sheba Nandkeolyar- A woman of substance epitomizing excellence -Page 5

Kargil Vijay Diwas commemorated across NE India -Page 6

Tokyo, July 24: Saikhom Mirabai Chanu won India's first medal in the Tokyo Olympics on Saturday, claiming silver in the women's 49kg weightlifting. Rotary Club of Brisbane elects new President -Page 9

Mirabai had a total lift of 202kg 87kg in snatch and 115kg in clean and jerk as she finished second behind China's Hou Zihui 210kg (94 & 116) who set an Olympic record in

Olympics: Atanu Das crashes out as archery campaign ends on disappointing note Photo Courtesy: Sportslumo

A flower offering -Page 24

Tokyo, July 31: Atanu Das failed to keep his nerve when it mattered most after making a good comeback against Japan's Takaharu Furukawa, losing the Men's Individual Roundof-16 Elimination duel 6-4 at the Tokyo Olympics on Saturday. After losing the first set 25-27, Das came back strongly to tie the scores in the second with a superb 10 on the first arrow, putting pressure on the Japanese as he had to score a 10 on the final arrow to tie scores 28-28. Continued on page 27

snatch. Indonesia's Aisah Windy Cantika took the bronze medal with an aggregate of 194kg.

Tokyo, July 30: Indian boxer Lovlina Borgohain has firmed her sights on going beyond a bronze medal at the Tokyo Olympics. The 23-yearold was assured of bagging a medal after defeating former world champion Chen Nien-Chin of Chinese Tai-

Food & Cusine: Chana dal & Aaloo Palak Ki Subzi -Page 28

‘Roof of the World’ no more an enigma now! -Page 31

Improve your daily disposition with fragrances! -Page 33

New York, July 31: President Joe Biden has nominated an Indian-American, Rashad Hussain, as the Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom, and if approved by the Senate he will be the first Muslim to head US diplomacy for advancing religious liberties. Making the announcement on Friday, the White House said that Biden is appointing a Pakistani American Khizr Khan to be a member of the US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USICRF), along with two others. The USICRF publishes the annual

report of religious freedom around the world as it advocates for religious freedom around the world and designates violators of religious liberties. Hussain is the Director for Partnerships and Global Engagement at the National Security Council has worked as a Senior Counsel in the Justice Department's National Security Division. Like many Biden appointees, Hussain is an alumnus of President Barack Obama's administration in which he served as the US special envoy to the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and the US special envoy for Strategic Counterterrorism Communications. "Rashad also spearheaded efforts on countering antisemitism and protecting religious minorities in Muslim-majority countries," the White House said. Hussain, who has a law degree from Yale University and a master's in Arabic and Islamic Studies from Harvard University, has also worked with the House of Representatives Judiciary Committee. Continued on page 11

Continued on page 27

University of Newcastle develops world’s first needle-free diabetes test

he University of Newcastle is all set to launch the first-ever painless, needle-free test for diabetes, even as funds worth $ 6.3 million have been invested to build a manufacturing facility for the device. The team consisting of physicists, engineers, chemists and biologists is being led by Professor Paul Dastoor. Indian-origin physicist Dr Pankaj Kapoor is also a part of the project. Using his extensive knowledge about organic semiconductors, he proved instrumental in developing non-invasive glucose biosensors for diabetic patients, at the Centre of Electronics (COE)at the University of Newcastle.

Biden nominates Indian-American to be first Muslim envoy for religious freedom Photo Courtesy: IANS

pei 4-1 to enter the semifinals of the welterweight category. She is now in line to become the third Indian boxer after Vijender Singh and Mary Kom to win an Olympic medal.

Continued on page 7

Shishir Sangeet concert held in Brisbane Q

ueensland Sangeet Mela Association (QSMA) continued their series of mini Sangeet Melas with their event “Shishir Sangeet”, an evening of beautiful Hindustani classical music featuring vocal, surbahar and sitar, at Finnish Hall on 26 June to mark the transition to winter. In a time of rapid changes and event cancellations, live music from top local artists was enjoyed by those present. The evening opened with the delightful voice of Dr Mansey Kinarivala Gandhi, accompanied on tabla by Shen Flindell and on harmonium by Joseph Nand. Mansey presented raga abhogi in jhaptaal (10 matras) and teentaal (16 matras), followed by a tarana and raga mala. Continued on page 8

Jacqueline flaunts ‘sexy back’ -Page 34

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Vol 1, Issue 12, Aug 1 -15, 2021

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Vol 1, Issue 12, Aug 1 -15, 2021

COVID IN INDIA

Covid vaccination coverage crosses 43 crore Photo Courtesy: Daily Pioneer

New July 25: India's cumulative Covid vaccine coverage has crossed the 43 crore mark, the Union Health and Family Welfare Ministry announced on Sunday. Cumulatively, 43,31,50,864 doses

have been administered through 52,72,431 sessions, the Ministry said in a statement, adding that 51,18,210 shots were administered in the last 24 hours. Noting a new phase of universali-

sation of Covid-19 vaccination was commenced from June 21, it said that the government is committed to accelerating the pace and expanding the scope of Covid-19 vaccination throughout the country. It also said that out of the people infected since the beginning of the pandemic, 3,05,43,138 have already recovered, including 39,972 in the last 24 hours. This constitutes an overall recovery rate of 97.36 per cent. It said that India has reported 39,742 daily new cases in the last 24 hours, and less than 50,000 daily cases have been reported for 28 continuous days now. The number of active cases stands at 4,08,212, or 1.30 per cent of the total cases so far. With substantially ramped-up testing capacity across the country, a total of 17,18,756 tests were conducted in the last 24 hours. Cumulatively, India has conducted over 45.62 crore (45,62,89,567) tests so far, the statement said. Weekly positivity rate is currently at 2.24 per cent and the daily positivity rate stands at 2.31 per cent - remaining below 3 per cent for 34 consecutive days, below 5 per cent for 48 consecutive days now, it said.

TN to micromanage 11 districts with higher Covid caseload

Photo Courtesy: IANS

Chennai, July 27: Tamil Nadu health minister, Ma Subramanian has directed the state health department to immediately start micromanaging operations in the 11 districts of the state that have detected slight increase in fresh Covid cases. The minister has already directed the state health secretary, Dr Radhakrishnan, to immediately take action and a high-level meeting of district administrators, health officials, revenue and police officials will be held online on Tuesday to take the stock of the situation in these 11 districts. While Tenkasi, Thanjavur, and Vil-

lupuram were reporting a marginal increase since the past three days and the government is launching special drives at these places to curb the rise of fresh Covid cases. However, Tamil Nadu as a whole reported fall in fresh Covid cases and the total number on Monday was 1,785 while it was 1,808 on Sunday. Except for Coimbatore (164), Chennai (122), Thanjavur (103), Erode (127) and Salem (102), all other districts reported fewer than 100 fresh cases. This, according to the health officials is a good signal and that the number of cases is declining. Subramanian told IANS, "It is indeed

worrisome that some districts are reporting fresh cases while the rest of the state is showing drop in cases. A high-level virtual meet will be conducted and strategies will be adopted for micro level management in these districts so that things don't turn worse." Tamil Nadu has been in the forefront of increasing the volume of testing as well as increase in vaccinations against Covid-19. The vaccine awareness programmes, produced by the health department roping in Tamil actors and celebrity cricketers and widely circulated through social media platforms, have tuned into a major hit leading to a reduction in hesitancy factor for the people. A large number of people including tribal population had been vaccinated in the state following the awareness programmes as hesitancy was rampant among the rural population at the time of the commencement of the vaccination drive. The state government has also knocked on the doors of the central government to immediately replenish the vaccine stocks as soon as it gets exhausted. In several areas of Coimbatore and Erode, there were protests from the people for not getting the required vaccines even after standing in overnight queues. This showed the drive of the state health department has been successful, the minister said.

UP Covid recovery rate goes up to 99%

he Covid-19 recovery rate in Uttar Pradesh has climbed up to a remarkable 99 per cent, with one more district crushing the resurgence of the virus. As active and fresh Covid infections have declined to zero in the eight districts of Aligarh, Balrampur, Hathras, Basti, Mahoba, Shravasti, Etah and Fatehpur, Uttar Pradesh is now moving fast towards being coronavirus-free. The eight districts have given a major boost to the state's fight against the virus. According to a state government spokesman, Uttar Pradesh's Covid response has been much superior and it has brought down the transmission levels by curbing the emergence of new cases to below 50 for the second consecutive day, and below 100 for over two weeks now. Out of the 2,50,406 samples tested in the past 24 hours, only 43 tested positive. In a sharp contrast to Uttar Pradesh, states like Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Kerala that opted for strict lockdown measures to curb the spread of the virus, have failed to register any decline in the number of fresh

Photo Courtesy: IANS

infections. The active caseload in Uttar Pradesh now stands at 868 which has been brought down by a remarkable 99.6 per cent from its peak capped at 3,10,783 cases on April 30. Implementing measures such as the intensive 'Trace, Test & Treat' and prevention through vaccination and partial corona curfews to decimate the pandemic, the Uttar Pradesh government worked with

With 66 new Covid cases, Delhi set to open completely New Delhi, July 25: With only 66 new Covid cases and two deaths reported on Sunday, Delhi is all set to open completely from Monday. While, theatres and multiplexes will open with 50 per cent occupancy, full seating capacity is allowed in public transport buses and the Delhi Metro from Monday. With continued improvement in Covid situation in the national capital, Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) has permitted multiplexes and spas to run from July 26. After facing complete lockdown restrictions for over one and a half months due to the lethal second wave of the Covid pandemic, Delhi started unlocking phase-wise from June 7, the day on which it reported 231 new Covid cases and 36 deaths. Since then, the Delhi's Covid management authority in its phase-wise (week-wise) unlock process has been permitting one after another business and public activities after a gap of one or two weeks, however, cinema halls, theatres and multiplexes were not allowed to function, so far. With more ease in restrictions from Monday, the commuters in public transport will find a much needed relief as public buses will be allowed to carry 100 per cent seating passen-

Photo Courtesy: India TV

gers. However, standing passengers will not be allowed in both DTC buses and metro rail. In its latest guidelines issued regarding Covid management in the national capital, the administration has also allowed full gathering in wedding events and funerals. All auditoriums and assembly halls have been permitted to open from Monday at 50 per cent seating capacity. "All visitors/clients shall sign a declaration form to the effect that they have not contracted Covid-19 and if they have, they have tested negative.

The establishments are permitted to take written consent from accepting the risks that may be involved for clients/visitors," DDMA order issued on Saturday stated. Delhi Rail Metro Corporation (DMRC) said on Sunday that train services will now run with full seating capacity from July 26, "but there will still be no provision for standing travel for commuters." "DMRC is running maximum trains, performing over 5,100 trips with highest frequency daily as was available during pre-Covid time," officials said on Sunday.

from July 26 was taken as per the advice of the committee of health experts, which recommended easing Covid curbs in a calibrated manner to contain the virus spread," said Narayan. Narayan, a medical doctor by profession, holds portfolios of higher education, IT, BT and Science & Technology in the BJP-ruled government. "As per the standard operating procedures (SOP), students who took at least one dose of anti-Covid vaccine will be allowed to attend regular classes. The same norm applies to teachers and non-teaching staff," said Narayan. Students have to submit a consent letter from their parents in a prescribed format to attend classes in

colleges and universities. The Union Ministry of Home Affairs and the Union Ministry of Health have issued SOP and guidelines to comply by all the higher education institutions. "Wearing mask and physical distance between students are mandatory during class hours. Institutions have to take into account the number of students and class rooms available to ensure social distancing," the minister said. The students are given the option of attending online classes and contact classes will be held to facilitate for clarifying doubts. According to the state health department, 74 per cent students above 18 years of age have been vaccinated so far across the state. Institutions have also been advised to map with the nearest primary health centres for testing students and faculty if found with Covid symptoms. The colleges have to sanitise all areas, including furniture, laptops and computers to maintain hygiene. "Teachers should send content material of each period covering the syllabus for one month in advance through WhatsApp, e-mail or Telegram. The content can be in the form of video lectures, power-point presentations, e-notes, e-books, audio books and practice questions," added Narayan.

Karnataka colleges to reopen as Covid cases dip Photo Courtesy: IANS

Maha first state to fully vaccinate 1 crore people

Photo Courtesy: IANS

Mumbai, July 26: Notching a major milestone, Maharashtra became the

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first and only state, so far, to fully vaccinate more than one crore peo-

ple against Covid, a top official said on Monday. "A total of 1,00,64,308 were fully vaccinated with the two doses of Covid-19 vaccine here till 4 p.m. today (Monday)," said Additional Chief Secretary, Health, Pradeep Vyas. Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray and Health Minister Rajesh Tope lauded the Health Department's efforts culminating in the record figures of over one crore populace getting both the doses. Till date, 3,16,09,227 people in the state have got their first jabs and the state has administered a total of 4,13,19,105 vaccinations (first and second doses) till Sunday, said Tope. The state has been averaging roughly over 100,000 Covid-19 vaccination doses administered daily in the biggest inoculation drive at around 4,100 centres in 36 districts.

multipronged approach to minimise its devastating impact, as a result of which the positivity rate has slumped to 0.02 per cent, the lowest in the country. In another significant development, none of the 75 districts reported fresh infections in double-digits, indicating signs that the dangerous second wave of Covid has been nullified.

Bengaluru, July 26: With the pandemic's second wave subsiding, state-run and private colleges across Karnataka would resume classes from Monday, Deputy Chief Minister C.N. Ashwath Narayan said on Sunday. "All higher education institutions, including under-graduate and post-graduate, engineering and polytechnic colleges across the state will reopen on Monday to resume classes as per the guidelines to ensure Covid appropriate behaviour," Narayan said in a statement here. Regular classes in colleges and universities were suspended since mid-March as the pandemic's second wave began in the state and online classes were held to ensure continuity. "The decision to reopen colleges

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Vol 1, Issue 12, Aug 1 -15, 2021

Indo-US partnership will be of even greater significance in coming years: PM Modi

Photo Courtesy: The Indian Express

Chandrayaan-3 likely to be launched in second half of 2022 Photo Courtesy: PIB

New Delhi, July 28: Chandrayaan-3 is likely to be launched during third quarter of 2022 assuming normal workflow henceforth, the Parliament was told on Wednesday. "Realisation of Chandrayaan-3 is in progress. The realisation of Chandrayaan-3 involves various process including finalisation of configuration, subsystems realisation, integration, spacecraft level detailed testing and a number of special tests to evaluate the system performance on earth," Science & Technology Minister and Minister of State Atomic Energy and Space, Dr Jitendra Singh, told the Lok Sabha in a written reply. Noting that the realisation progress was hampered due to Covid-19 pandemic, he said that all works that were possible in work-from-home

New Delhi, July 28: Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Wednesday that the India-US Strategic Partnership will be of even greater global significance in the coming years, in the context of the challenges posed by Covid-19, global economic recovery and climate change. Modi made these remarks in a meeting with visiting US Secretary of State Antony Blinken. Blinken conveyed greetings of President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris to the Prime Minister. He briefed the Prime Minister on

his fruitful exchanges with External Affairs Minister S. Jaishakar and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval earlier in the day and expressed strong commitment to further deepen India-US strategic relations in various sectors including defence, maritime security, trade & investment, climate change, and science & technology. The Prime Minister conveyed his warm greetings to President Biden and Vice President Harris and his appreciation for the initiatives taken by President Biden including those related to the Quad, Covid-19 and

climate change. Blinken appreciated the increasing convergence between India and US on a wide range of bilateral and multilateral issues, and the commitment of both strategic partners to convert this convergence into concrete and practical cooperation. Prime Minister Modi said that the societies of US and India share a deep commitment to the values of democracy, freedom and liberty, and the Indian diaspora in the US has contributed immensely to the enhancement of bilateral ties.

Now SEBI nails Raj Kundra and Shilpa Shetty Photo Courtesy: Hindustan Times

Mumbai, July 29: Bad news continues unabated for embattled Raj Kundra and his actress wife Shilpa Shetty. Market regulator SEBI imposed a penalty of Rs 3 lakh on the couple and their company Viaan Industries for contravening insider

trading rules. Kundra, Shetty and Viaan have been fined for a three-year delay in the disclosure of an allotment of preferential shares. In 2015, Viaan Industries had made

a preferential allotment of 500,000 equity shares. Of this 128,800 equity shares each were allotted to Kundra (referred to as Ripu Sudan Kundra) and Shetty, the promoters of the company. According to SEBI's Prohibition of Insider Trading Rules, 2015, the promoters had to disclose this transaction to the company within two days if it exceeded Rs 10 lakh in value. The company, in turn, has to relay this disclosure to the stock exchanges within two trading days. In this case, SEBI said the value of the transaction was Rs 2.57 crore each and the disclosures pertaining to the 2015 transaction were made only in 2019. In reply to a notice from the regulator, Shetty and Kundra acknowledged the mistake and said it was not done with malafide intent.

Maoists attack Bihar railway station, take official hostage Photo Courtesy: IANS

Patna, July 31: A group of armed Maoists attacked a Bihar railway station on the Patna-Kolkata route on Saturday morning and held the station master captive for around half-an-hour. The insurgents also threatened to explode the station building. The railway operation was disrupted for more than 4 hours on the route as the Chaura railway station came under siege It falls in the Maoist-hit

Jamui district. The insurgents, in police fatigues, reached Chaura around 6 a.m. and barged into the cabin of Station Master Vinay Kumar. They ordered Kumar to stop operations as they were celebrating Maoist week in the region. "When the station master asked them why he would do such a thing, they introduced themselves as Mao-

ists and pulled out their fire arms," said one of the other railway employees at the station, an eyewitness, who requested anonymity. Most of the officials present at the railway station were shocked. It was a tense moment when they saw the armed Maoists inside the station premises. "After sometime, though the officials, including station master Vinay Kumar, managed to flee," he said. Superintendent Jamui, Pramod Kumar Mandal, confirmed the incident. "We have initiated a search operation of the entire area, including railway tracks and railway station and then given green signal to railway officials to resume operation on this route," Mandal said. Major trains like Himgiri express were stopped at various railway stations along the route. The railway operation was resumed after police and CRPF officials checked entire areas and gave the green signal.

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mode were taken up even during the lockdown periods. Chandrayaan-3 realisation resumed

after commencement of unlock period and is in matured stage of realisation, the minister said.

Govt not allowing MPs to discuss issues of national importance: Rahul New Delhi, July 29: Amid the logjam over the Pegasus snooping in Parliament, former Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Thursday once again attacked the government, accusing it of not allowing the opposition to work and discuss issues of national importance like Pegasus, Farmers agitation and inflation. In a tweet in Hindi, Rahul Gandhi said, "The foundation of our democracy is that the parliamentarians

should be the voice of the people and discuss the issues of national importance. "Modi government is not allowing the opposition to do its work. Don't waste more time of Parliament, let there be discussion on inflation, farmers issue and Pegasus." Parliament has witnessed repeated adjournments over the Pegasus issue.

Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday accused the government of "curtailing" the voice of opposition in Parliament and said that it has used Pegasus weapon against the people of the country. He also alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has inserted Pegasus weapon in phones which is being used to hit the soul of India's democracy.

Kerala oppn up in arms, demands 'unruly' Minister's resignation Photo Courtesy: IANS

Thiruvananthapuram, July 29: The Kerala Assembly on Thursday witnessed angry exchanges between the opposition and Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, who was trying his best to defend State Education Minister V. Sivankutty. Sivankutty along with another present legislator -- K.T. Jaleel, a former Minister, and four other former legislators will have to face trial after the Supreme Court on Wednesday dismissed the Kerala government's plea to withdraw the cases against the CPI-M leaders for vandalism in the state Assembly in 2015. On Thursday, senior Congress legislator P.T. Thomas sought leave for an adjournment motion demanding to discuss the resignation of Sivankutty in the wake of the Supreme Court's ruling. "Never in the history of the Kerala Assembly has witnessed such vandalism as had happened on March 13th, 2015. Over Rs two lakh property inside the floor of the Assembly was destroyed and it was led by our present Education Minister Sivankutty. It would be good if you can air the visuals in the Victers Channel (this channel airs the online classes in the state) of Sivankutty going berserk with his 'dhoti' folded and jumping over the desks. Let the students of Kerala see who is Sivankutty. Can he ever be a role model to the students. I also shudder to think, if Sivankutty continues to be the Education Minister, foreign Universities might go to the extent of not accepting Kerala students. If you (Vijayan) don't see that Sivankutty is ousted, you too will have to take the responsibility of shielding him," said Thomas. Vijayan, replying to the demand, ruled out the resignation of Sivankutty. He said he accepted the verdict of the apex court and also referred to similar acts of vandalism in various State Assemblies in the country. "The government decided to take legal steps in withdrawing the case and there is nothing wrong in it, as we did it in the general public interest. This has happened before also. The Congress-led opposition has been trying to tinker with the privilege that each member has and such an action is unheard of," said Vijayan. "We also know of the manner in which the infamous palm oil case was withdrawn in the past and following the intervention of the court and the strong strictures passed by the apex court, the case still is going on. For the Congress opposition, it has now become a habit to stir up unnecessary things for political

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needs and this also needs to be seen in that way," said Vijayan. Before leading the entire opposition out of the House after the Speaker M.B. Rajesh refused to take up the motion, Leader of Opposition V.D. Satheesan slammed Vijayan. "Public property has been destroyed and using public money, you (Vijayan) went to all the courts in the country trying to defend this grave vandalism act conducted by your leaders, but you lost that. There is no privilege for anyone who engages in criminal activities and this includes we, legislators also," said Satheesan. "How can this Education Minister Sivankutty be a role model to the students and teachers in our state. The whole world has seen the visuals and Kerala has been shamed and it has gone up after even the apex court ruled against what you are trying to defend," said Satheesan. Later the entire opposition decided to boycott the day's proceedings and squatted in front of the Assembly shouting slogans demanding Sivankutty's resignation. Outside the Assembly, feeder organisations of both the Congress and the BJP took their position in front and were seen engaging in pushing and pulling the police officials who thwarted the attempt of the protest-

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ers to break the police cordon. Sivankutty was not present in the Assembly as he is recuperating from fever at his house. The vandalism took place on March 13, 2015 when erstwhile State Finance Minister K.M. Mani was presenting the state Budget for the new fiscal. The then CPI-M-led opposition had taken a strong stand that Mani, who was accused of taking a bribe of Rs one crore from a bar owner for reopening closed bars, would not be allowed to present the Budget. When Mani began his speech, the Left legislators went berserk, throwing out the Speaker's chair from the dais and also damaging the electronic equipment on his table. The list of the other accused includes former State Minister E.P. Jayaraja; K. Kunju Ahamed, C.K. Sadasivan and K. Ajith, who are no longer legislators, while K.T. Jaleel, the former Higher Education Minister is a legislator now. Since 2020, the late K.M. Mani's party- Kerala Congress (M), now led by his son Jose K. Mani moved out from the Congress-led UDF and is presently the third biggest ally of the Vijayan government and has been given a cabinet berth.

DESI ACHIEVERS

Vol 1, Issue 12, Aug 1 -15, 2021

SHEBA NANDKEOLYAR

A woman of substance epitomizing excellence

he founder CEO of Sydney-based MultiConnexions Group which has the distinction of being the only agency to have won an EFFIE Gold award for multicultural marketing and the first woman National Chair of Australia India Business Council (AIBC) from 2016 to 2018, Sheba Nandkeolyar has not only made a mark as a brand diversity leader and marketer but also is a passionate champion for women’s empowerment. Get an insight into her remarkable story of triumph as a first generation migrant entrepreneur who has inspired and paved the way for many women aspiring to emulate her. You are the Founder and CEO of MultiConnexions Group in Australia. How have you been contributing to brand diversity? The vision for me in setting up MultiConnexions Group was and is still rooted in diversity, equity, and inclusivity. The world today is truly connected – in fact, it is a global village! Migration between countries has led to greater cultural diversity in countries like US, UK, Canada, New Zealand, and Australia, among others. Australia’s multicultural diversity is at an all-time high with one third of our population born overseas and a quarter of our population preferring to speak a language other than English at home. At MultiConnexions Group, we help marketers to better understand the changing dynamics of the Australian population. Australia is more multicultural than ever and the ‘one size fits all strategy’ does not work anymore. And if marketers insist on continuing with this strategy, they are simply wearing blinkers and fail to see how they are alienating their customers. We help marketers affiliate their brands with diverse audiences. Any brand which is viewed by consumers as diverse & inclusive enjoys a differential advantage. Consumers feel more engaged and view the brand as their own. In Australia, many marketers who are our clients – be it from a telco sector, banking/ financial services, superannuation and savings, automobiles, utilities, health and pharmaceuticals, or luxury goods among others – have all benefitted through their brand diversity affiliations. We are proud to be their diversity and multicultural strategy partners in this marketing journey.

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Such an approach has not just contributed to a do-good presence but has also impacted positively on their bottom line by increasing their market share and profitability. Being closely associated with AIBC and having had the distinction of becoming its first woman National Chair, what role have you played in fostering trade and economic ties between India and Australia? Being passionate about gender diversity, I was indeed privileged to have been elected as the first woman National Chair for Australia India Business Council in its history. As the first woman National Chair, I had the opportunity to live another passion of mine – promoting the bilateral trade and investment relationship between Australia and India. From contributing to advocacy initiatives, white papers in foreign policy with AIBC, and working closely with Australian Government’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) as a DFAT Board member at AIC, I believe I was able to generate some meaningful conversations and action in fast-tracking the Australia India business and trade relationship. I was privileged to host Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the AIBC Australian Business Leaders Forum when he visited Australia for the first time a few years ago and immediately after his election. I was also honored to accompany Former Australian Prime Minster Hon. Tony Abbott when he visited India for the first time. These were two milestone events where I was present to view the immediate rapport between the two leaders, both with a singular vision of taking this relationship to an all-new level. As a member of the Reference Group for the `India Economic Strategy to 2035’ led by Mr Peter Varghese former Secretary of DFAT, I had the opportunity to actively engage and contribute to the India Economic Strategy to 2035. which was launched by the Australian Government. Being nominated into the DFAT board Australia India Council for five years by Hon Minister of Foreign Affairs Hon Julie Bishop, saw me promote the bilateral relationship very actively and advise the Federal Government on further initiatives that could be undertaken to fast track this relationship. What challenges do you think wom-

en entrepreneurs encounter and have you also encountered them and, if so, how have you dealt with them? Often the industry does not fully believe that a woman can do as good a job as a male entrepreneur. The second challenge is in terms of finances – my inherent belief is that many banks perhaps do not take you as seriously as a male business owner. A third challenge is the assumption that a woman puts her career and ambition on hold if they find the going tough and they are unable to cope with the demands of a family and their multiple role requirements. How have I dealt with the challenges? If a woman has a belief in her own talents and capabilities – which I did – nothing can stop her progress and growth. If she delivers on the job and the work promised to her clients, the relationship only grows stronger as I have seen in my case. Today, my clients are my best brand ambassadors, who continue to do business with me in whichever company we are working in. Banks’ lending has improved over the years, but I think banks need to embrace diversity and take a holistic view of women-run businesses. On average, women run businesses and survive and thrive for a much longer period. They are also a lot more profitable! What inspired you to come to Australia and how has the Australian society helped you? It was my husband who decided to migrate to Australia, and I was happy to migrate as we felt that Australia would provide a good quality of life for our son and family. We were not economic migrants as both of us were highly-paid professionals in India. What Australian society contributed to was making us realize that life has a lot of facets – which includes spending more time with the family. The ‘Fair Go’ attitude, positivity and the helpful nature of Australians was a big plus factor in my settling down in Australia. You have won several awards and accolades for your contribution and dedication. How have these impacted you? Awards and accolades have never been my objectives or KPIs in life. I recently had a wonderful gift given to me by one of my team members – it was a framed quote:

‘’Passion comes first. Success is second – Thank you for teaching this to me Sheba’’. This sums up my thinking about awards and success. You have been championing women’s empowerment for several years. Could you throw some light on your involvement in this regard? Women’s empowerment is very close to my heart – just as gender diversity is. When I was National Chair of AIBC, I laid down a clear KPI of 50-50. That means 50 per cent of all board positions nationally and 50 per cent of state management committee boards should be diverse – which includes gender diversity. We achieved this and more. I founded the Women in Business Chapter at AIBC which I Chair. I have been recently appointed as the Global Vice President of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion of the International Advertising Association headquartered in USA & Chair of the Diversity Council to lead DE &I initiatives across the globe. Gender Diversity and empowerment is one of the initiatives among other facets of diversity ( age, race, sexual orientation, ability and more) that we will be focusing on. I love starting my day with mentoring sessions with young women and often over the weekends too.

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FOOD & CUISINE

Vol 1, Issue 12, Aug 1 -15, 2021

Indian Cooking with Lata Modi CHANA DAL & ALOO PALAK KI SABZI N

amaste friends I have been receiving lots of requests to give recipes for everyday food. Some students who go away from home to study or to work and miss Mum’s cooking and want to make something healthy and quick , should try these recipes. Good luck ! As we all know our daily dinner

plate will normally have some kind of legumes , one simple dry vegetarian curry with some roti or rice. 1- Today we are making Chana dal 2- Aaloo Palak Ki Subzi (potato and spinach curry without gravy) Let’s start ! CHANA DAL INGREDIENTS: - Two cups Dal (serves 4 people) (Buy it from Indian grocers) The yellow split peas at the super

market looks like chana dal but very different to cook and to taste - 1 tea spoon turmeric powder - 2 tea spoon coriander powder - 1 tea spoon mustard seeds - 1 tea spoon cumin seeds - 1 tea spoon ginger garlic crushed -2 table spoon ghee or olive oil - 2 table spoon lemon juice - salt to taste - fresh chopped coriander leaves METHOD First of all - Wash chana dal a few times under running water - Transfer in to a pressure cooker with 4 cups of water, salt to taste and one tea spoon turmeric powder. -Cover the lid and cook for three whistles and turn it off! -Let the pressure go completely before you open the lid (if you are using a normal pan , it will take longer ! Start with 4 cups of water , salt and turmeric powder bring to boil , then cover and simmer on medium heat for 20

minutes) - Check if it is cooked or does it require more water and more cooking - Once the dal is cooked and soft - Mix it with a ladle and see if the consistency is right - Now add two table spoon lemon juice - Now we need to garnish it. GARNISH: - In a small frying pan heat two table spoon ghee or olive oil - Once it’s hot add 1 tea spoon of mustard seeds. Let them crackle - Add One tea spoon cumin seeds - One tea spoon ginger and chilli paste - Two tea spoon coriander powder and top your dal up with the garnish - Do not stir now - Garnish with fresh chopped coriander and serve hot with soft rotis or basmati rice AALOO PALAK KI SUBZI (potato and spinach dry curry) This curry is very quick and easy and the left overs can be used as toasted sandwich fillings for lunch the next day. INGREDIENTS (for 4-6 people) - Two packets of frozen spinach - 5 medium size potatoes - two table spoon oil - 1 tea spoon mustard seeds - Two three fresh green chillies chopped ( optional ) - Two tea spoon coriander powder - 1 tea spoon chilli powder - Salt to taste METHOD - Peel potatoes , wash and dice them - You can either thaw your frozen

spinach or if you don’t have time , just use it frozen - Take a frying pan or a medium size wok - Heat oil - Add mustard seeds , let them crackle - Now add your potatoes and all the spices , stir fir 30 seconds and then add spinach and salt - Cover and cook until tender - Now open the lid and stir for about 5 minutes to make it totally dry . Enjoy! Serve hot with Roti .

These 5 boozy desserts are worth the shots!

Gulab Nut, The Bombay Canteen

Dark chocolate & whisky eclair, Country of Origin

Liquor Truffles, Cocoa Cellar

Cocoamisu, Cocoa Cellar

Old Monk Cake, Monkey Bar

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f you have a sweet tooth and are a fanatic when it comes to liquors, no combination is as serene as the amalgamation of them both. Alcoholic desserts have increasingly gained popularity in the recent past and why not, the zing that kicks in with each sweet surprise is absolutely drool-worthy not just for the tastebuds but the overall senses. Rum to tequila and not to forget the woody-noted whiskeys, they all make an ideal pair for some delectable desserts ranging from pastries to Indian confectioneries. Here are five alcoholic desserts you must not miss for their ideal sweet-bitter mix. Cocoamisu, Cocoa Cellar The bakery is celebrated for its lip-smacking alcohol-infused sweet creations. The Cocoamisu is classic tiramisu laced with espresso and a ganache shot of Bailey’s, assures that the body to the aftertaste, the experience is wholesome leaving the sweet warm sensation lingering in the mouth for a little while. An absolute bliss. Gulab Nut, The Bombay Canteen Presented as a donut filled with Pista cream, this quite a mouthful Gulab Nut drenched in rum is one of the bestsellers at The Bombay Canteen. Fried in ghee, this monumental piece of Gulab Nut with those

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rummy notes of Old Monk drives you nuts towards the end! Dark chocolate & whisky eclair, Country of Origin A popular dessert venue, their boozy delights are as well-known not just in the locality but making noise quite some distance from its vicinity! Going by the name, Dark chocolate and Whiskey Éclair, nothing feels as robust and mature! Don’t be deceived by its usual chocolate éclair look, it’s boozy punch leaves you go gaga over it! Old Monk Cake, Monkey Bar A chocolate cake draped in Nutella, with its cracks seeing a dark rummy seepage of Old Monk, who would have thought somebody can combine them all and turn out an art of its own kind? Monkey Bar has sure aced it with the strokes to these artistic pieces just right! Liquor Truffles, Cocoa Cellar A decadent box of chocolate truffles filled with liquor ganache is a perfect confectionery to indulge in! The beautiful exterior coated in tempered chocolate holds a moment of bliss in the form of a creamy, meltin-mouth dessert. One can choose from a wide range of liquor options- Malibu Rum, Amarula, Whisky, Rum, Baileys, Kahlua, Brandy, Limoncello, Amaretto, among more.

COMMUNTIY NEWS

Vol 1, Issue 12, Aug 1 -15, 2021

University of Newcastle develops India to receive 14 artworks worth $ 3 million from Australia world’s first needle-free diabetes test Continued from page 1

The Indian Government is soon going to receive 14 pieces of art valued at around $ 3 million from the National Gallery of Australia (NGA). These artworks were hitherto part of the Asian art collection at the NGA. Previously also the NGA had repatriated a $ 5 million Lord Shiva statue, a 12th century stone sculpture of Goddess Pratyangira, a third-century limestone sculpture, a pair of 15th century stone door guardians and a stone sculpture of the Nagaraja (serpent king). This time around the items to be handed over include bronze and stone sculptures, a painted scroll and six photographs as per The Sydney Morning Herald. These pieces had originally been either robbed or conveyed to other countries via illegal means. Nick Mitzevich, the director of the NGA stated that the physical handover would be negotiated over the following two months keeping in mind the Covid protocol, the ability

to travel and also the fact whether it would be more feasible to have it in India or Canberra. The government of India has received the news with a lot of enthusiasm and needless to say it has been welcomed by the authorities concerned. The gallery’s decision has been lauded and the Indian High Commissioner to Australia, Manpreet Vohra has hailed the decision by commenting that the return of the artworks would be immensely well-received by the government of India and people of India. Out of the 14 objects which have been listed for repatriation, 13 have been traced to the notorious art dealer Subhash Kapoor. The said items had been bought from Kapoor’s art gallery during the time period from 2002 to 2010. Kapoor who was a New York based illicit art middleman was apprehended in Frankfurt, Germany in 2011 for running a smuggling racket of USD 145 million for more than three decades.

Australian-Indian scientist granted $ 1.7 million to research on effective Covid-19 treatment

Professor SS Vasan

Indian-origin scientist Professor S.S. Vasan, who has been working at the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) in Geelong since 2019 has been granted $ 1 million by Australia’s Medical Research Future Fund along with $ 700,000 from the CSIRO in order to determine the most effective drugs for countering Covid-19. Professor Vasan, who is leading this project focusing on effective

treatment of Covid-19 especially in patients with protracted symptoms, recognizes the urgent need to simultaneously develop affordable, effective and safe treatment options along with vaccines having optimum efficacy. The scientist and his team have already worked on three potential vaccines which progressed to the human trial phase. He has also done extensive research work on Ebola and Zika viruses earlier. He is optimistic that his ongoing work on the novel antibody therapy repurposed drugs will proceed to the human trial stage by the middle of 2022. He says that research work being time-consuming and his having realigned his focus from developing Covid- 19 vaccines to improved treatment methods recently, it would take time before a reliable treatment methodology saw the light of day. But the good news is that now there are more than enough effectual vaccines being administered. The need of the hour is to repurpose already approved drugs for Covid treatment without adding to the costs and making these more target-oriented.

In the CSIRO lab, Professor Vasan and his team are assembling a screening platform which would have the capability to screen multitissue drugs to see if these are effective against SARS-CoV 2 and its variants. This in turn could help in fast-tracking the shortlisting of drugs which can then be used for human trials in the following year. For this purpose, human tissues from the lower respiratory tract, lungs, neural and cardiac area will be utilized as these are the areas which are usually affected severely in the people with SARS- CoV 2 strains. By analyzing the distinctions between the healthy and damaged states of the tissues, scientists will be able to identify if a drug has the capability of reverting a diseased tissue to its normal state. The project follows on from an existing, systems biology collaboration focusing on the long term impacts of Covid-19 and involves participants from Barwon Health, Deakin University, Monash University, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Swinburne University of Technology, University of Melbourne and University of New South Wales.

From Left to Right- Dr Daniel Elkington, Prof Paul Dastoor, Dr Nathan Cooling, Dr Pankaj Kumar, Dr Swee Lu Lim courtesy-newcastle.edu.au

Once this device becomes commercially viable, patients of diabetes would no longer have to undergo the painful test involving pricking their fingers multiple times a day to check their sugar levels every day. They would simply have to lick the test strips which would then check the sugar levels in the saliva. Conventional roll-to-roll fabrication techniques are being used to mass-produce the test strips on thin plastic sheets having non-invasive glucose biosensors. This would ensure that the test strips are not only available widely but also at affordable prices. The project which is being financed under the Medical Products priority of the Modern Manufacturing

government initiative will help to ease the life of more than 450 million people suffering from diabetes across the globe. University of Newcastle physicist and research leader, Professor Paul Dastoor and his team at the COE are working in close cooperation with their commercial partner GBS. The construction of the facility will commence this year only and it is slated that the first batch of devices will cross the boundary line of production by 2023. Apart from the fact that this development will relieve diabetic patients from the painful ordeal of pricking their fingers every day, it would also create plenty of employment avenues. Professor Dastoor has also stated

that the biosensor is being developed as a ‘platform technology’. In other words, it will have the capability of being applied directly in order to discern an array of substances which in turn would help in detecting a variety of ailments. If developed optimally, the sensor could have the potential of becoming a multi-indicator analytical device to detect malignant tumours, hormonal issues and allergens. Also, the biosensor could help to accelerate the detection of Covid positive cases by developing it as a non-invasive test. This is being explored by the Wyss Institute which has developed an antifouling coating to be integrated into the biosensor platform.

Demystifying NRE, NRO and FCNR accounts A trend among the NRIs has been observed that every year thousands of them return home to India. When they stay outside of India, they open their Non-Resident External (NRE), Non-Resident Ordinary (NRO) and Foreign Currency Non-Resident (FCNR) accounts in Indian banks. But as soon as they come back to India with an intention to stay in India permanently, there are certain obligations as to what they need to do with these accounts. In this context a few pertinent questions arise. Let us address some of these queries. Eligibility for NRE, NRO and FCNR accounts The first question that arises is who is eligible to open NRE, NRO and FCNR accounts in India? And what is the law that allows them to open these accounts? With a view to answering these two questions it is important to understand that NRE, NRO and FCNR accounts are bank accounts. And all the banks in India are governed by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). The RBI under the directives of the Foreign Exchange Management Act, 1999 (FEMA) has put forth all the regulations for opening, maintaining and closing all these non-resident accounts. Anyone who stays outside of India as per the FEMA law is eligible to open NRE, NRO and FCNR accounts. FEMA has defined who is a person resident in India and who is a person resident outside of India. Anyone who stays in India for 182 days in a year is a resident in India. Which means anyone who has not stayed in India for 182 days in a year will be considered a resident outside

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of India. However, there are exceptions to the above rule based on the intention of the person concerned. Exceptions to the rule A person leaving India to pursue employment or profession or a person leaving India to settle elsewhere for an indefinite period or a person who gets a business visa or a person who has an intention to stay outside of India permanently or a person who has a family outside of India and she/he intends to settle outside of India permanently, will be considered a resident outside of India immediately the day she/he leaves India. This person can open NRE, NRO and FCNR accounts as per the rules of the FEMA law. The opposite may also happen. Say a person who is a resident outside of India, now comes to India because she/he has got an employment in India or has a business in this country or has a family in India or for any other purpose and has an intention to stay in India permanently. This person will be considered a resident in India from the day she/he arrives in India. Such a person should surrender and convert her/his NRE, NRO and FCNR accounts to either Resident Foreign Currency account or any Indian currency account as soon as possible within a reasonable period of time, say 15-30 days. Only the FCNR account can be maintained till its maturity after which this account must also be closed. However, if there is a delay in converting NRE, NRO and FCNR accounts to either Resident Foreign Currency account or any Indian currency account, the person concerned has to give a justifiable rea-

son as to why there is such a delay. Not closing NRE, NRO and FCNR accounts Now what happens if a person has not surrendered and converted the NRE, NRO and FCNR accounts to either Resident Foreign Currency accounts or any Indian currency account even after losing the resident outside of India status under the FEMA law? First, it is advisable that such a person must declare the interests earned on Fixed Deposits on these accounts since interest on these accounts are not taxable till the person has the status of a resident outside of India as per the FEMA law. So once the person becomes a permanent resident in India, the incomes from interests on the NRE, NRO and FCNR accounts become taxable under the income tax law of India. Therefore, the person concerned must declare all the interests earned from these accounts and pay the taxes on these interests. They must also surrender the NRE, NRO and FCNR accounts and convert them to Resident Foreign Currency account or any Indian currency account. Moreover it is important to note that the person concerned who holds the NRE, NRO and FCNR accounts is solely responsible for closing the NRE, NRO and FCNR accounts after she/he loses the resident outside of India status as per the rules of the FEMA law. There will be consequences in the form of penalties if the person concerned does not comply with the rules of the FEMA law and she/he does not close these accounts after losing the resident outside of India status.

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COMMUNTIY NEWS

Vol 1, Issue 12, Aug 1 -15, 2021

Shishir Sangeet concert held in Brisbane

Continued from page 1

After the interval, Dr Indranil Chatterjee treated the audience to Raga Shree, firstly in chautaal (12 matras) on surbahar, whose deep resonant tones are a rare treat to hear, and then in ara-chautaal (14 matras) on the sitar, with very exciting rapid taans and tihais all presented with aplomb. Tabla accompanist Shen Flindell interspersed the performance with dynamic solos to good audience response. It was wonderful to see a large and diverse audience with many people of all backgrounds deeply absorbed in the performances. QSMA team saw Shen (organiser), Umesh (association president, catering sponsor), Sanjeev, Jesinthan, and Sharujan come together to present this event.

Women's Day event organised in Annerley

alayalee Association of Queensland organised the Women's Day event on June 19 in Annerley in Brisbane, where experts from various fields shared their knowledge and expertise, making the session informative and useful for the physical, mental and emotional well being of the participants Dr Iti Agrawal, psychiatrist at Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital spoke on mental and emotional wellness. Latha Vikraman, qualified medical social worker spoke on domestic violence. Another key speaker at the event was Dr Preetha Thomas, lecturer, School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Queensland. Suma, trained yoga practitioner, took the participants on a yoga session.

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COMMUNTIY NEWS

Vol 1, Issue 12, Aug 1 -15, 2021

Quad Economics: Australia and Community leaders meet India perspectives in COVID-19 era H.E. Manpreet Vohra in Brisbane

ndian community leaders from Queensland met with the new High Commissioner of India to Australia, His Excellency Mr Manpreet Vohra on his maiden visit to Brisbane on July 18. The meet was organised by Federation of Indian Communities of Queensland (FICQ) in association with the High Commission of India in Canberra.

enator Matthew Canavan, former Minister of Resources and Northern Australia, shared brilliant insights on the India and Australia perspectives in COVID-19 times. Senator Canavan was speaking in the Keynote Session of webinar on "Quad Economics: Australia and India Perspectives in COVID Era" organised on July 6 by India Foundation in collaboration with Global Wired. His Excellency Manpreet Vohra also attended the webinar and gave his perspective on the subject. Also present at the webinar was Mr Jim Varghese, AM of Australia India Business Council Ltd.

Rotary Club of Brisbane elects new President Indo-Pacific Business Summit held

Continued from page 1 otary Club if Brisbane elected their new president for 20212022 Ms Subhashni Singh, along with the new board of directors, on July 26 in Brisbane. Past President Mrs Soko Niko was thanked profusely for leading the Rotary Club successfully in his year. Rotarian of the Year was awarded to Mr Jitendra Prasad. Rotary Hero of the Year went to Mrs Anisha Ranchod.

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ndo-Pacific reflects the reality of globalisation, the emergence of multipolarity and the benefits of rebalancing," said Dr S Jaishankar, Hon'ble External Affairs Minister, Govt of India while inaugurating the 1st edition of the Indo Pacific Business Summit on July 6 over CII HIVE virtual platform. Hon. Minister mentioned about PM Modi's call for adopting a one earth, one health approach in the recent G7 summit and stressed on the need for meaningful partnerships, sharing of advanced technology, and collaboration in vaccine and pharmaceuticals production. He also highlighted that India is coming out of the 2nd wave and will witness a strong economic recovery. It will be a more dynamic and friendlier business destination. He said that India will continue to be an engine of growth for the global economy. H.E Mr Don Graves, Deputy Secretary of Commerce, U.S. Department of Commerce; H.E Mr Franck Riester, Minister Delegate for Foreign

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Trade and Economic Attractiveness, France; H.E. Mr Nguyen Quoc Dzung, Vice Minister, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Vietnam; H.E. Mr Abdulla Shahid, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Maldives; The Honourable Alan GANOO, Minister of Land Transport and Light Rail, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration and International Trade, Mauritius; Senator the Hon Marise Payne, Foreign Minister and Minister for Women, Australia; Mr Sanjiv Bajaj, President Designate, CII and Chairman and Managing Director, Bajaj Finserve Limited and Mr Chandrajit Banerjee, Director General, CII also spoke at the inaugural session.

INDIA

Vol 1, Issue 12, Aug 1 -15, 2021

Rs 1,060 cr spend on Chennai-Bengaluru Chief Minister cannot break promise made in press conference, rules Delhi HC Industrial Corridor project Photo Courtesy: TIDCO

Chennai, July 26: A total of Rs1,060.02 crore has been spent during the last three fiscal years for the Chennai-Bengaluru Industrial Corridor project, the government told the Rajya Sabha. Answering a question raised by MDMK General Secretary Vaiko, the Minister of State for Commerce and Industry Som Parkash said the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs

(CCEA) on 30th December, 2020, approved the project cost of Krishnapatnam node (Andhra Pradesh) and Tumakuru node (Karnataka) as Rs 2,139.44 crore and Rs 1,701.81 crore respectively. The timelines for the construction of trunk infrastructure in these two nodes is 36-48 months, the government said. According to the government, the

Perspective Plan of Chennai-Bengaluru Industrial Corridor has been completed and following three priority nodes have been identified for development: (i) Krishnapatnam in Andhra Pradesh, (ii) Tumakuru in Karnataka and (iii) Ponneri in Tamil Nadu. Master planning and preliminary engineering activities for nodes at Krishnapatnam (Andhra Pradesh) and Tumakuru (Karnataka) have been completed. As regards the work done on the three nodes the government said: (i) Krishnapatnam (Andhra Pradesh): Project Management Consultant (PMC) has been appointed by Project Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) and 1,814 acres land has been transferred to Project SPV. The Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) of Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has granted 'In-principle' approval. (ii) Tumakuru (Karnataka): PMC has been appointed by Project SPV. 1,668 acres of land has been transferred to Project SPV. (iii) Ponneri node (Tamil Nadu): The consultant for master planning and preliminary engineering activities has been appointed.

Pegasus in Kashmir: More than 25 from valley were selected as potential targets Photo Courtesy: IANS

New Delhi, July 23: Besides Delhi-based Kashmiri journalists and a prominent civil society activist critical of official policy towards Jammu and Kashmir, more than 25 people from the Kashmir Valley were selected as potential targets of intrusive surveillance between 2017 and mid-2019 by an as yet unidentified government agency that is also believed to be a client of the Israeli company NSO Group, according to leaked records reviewed by The Wire. The numbers of key separatist leaders, politicians, human rights activists, journalists and business persons from Kashmir all figure in the snoop dragnet. Of these, The Wire was able to conduct forensic analysis on the phones of two ï¿½- separatist leader Bilal Lone and the late S.A.R. Geelani, who worked as a lecturer in Delhi University and died in 2018. Lone's phone data was examined by Amnesty International's Security Lab. Even though this phone set was not the same as the one he used at the time his phone was potentially targeted as per the leaked database, forensic analysis revealed signs of Pegasus targeting. Before the government of India revoked Jammu and Kashmir's special constitutional status in August 2019 and jailed hundreds of political opponents, dissidents and activists, Lone had formed a political outfit of his own, the Peoples Independent Movement, "to avoid confusion" with the Peoples Conference, which is headed by his brother Sajad Lone. For the other potential targets in

Kashmir it was not possible, for one reason or another, to conduct forensic analysis. As The Wire and its media partners have noted, the appearance of a number in the leaked database does not necessarily mean that the phone in question had been infected; but it does mean that the phone number was likely selected for potential surveillance. Others on the leaked database include at least two members of People's Democratic party (PDP) chief and former chief minister of J&K Mehbooba Mufti's family. Their selection as potential targets of surveillance happened when Mufti was still chief minister of the erstwhile state and in a coalition with the BJP. In fact, Mufti's family members were chosen for potential surveillance just months before the government collapsed as the BJP pulled out of the coalition in June 2018, The Wire reported. J&K Apni Party president Altaf Bukhari's brother Tariq Bukhari also makes an appearance in the list and was of considerable interest to the agency which added his name between 2017 and 2019. In addition, at least four members of Kashmir's most influential separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani's family ï¿½ including his son-in-law, journalist Iftikhar Gilani and his son, scientist Syed Naseem Geelani ï¿½ were of consistent interest to the Indian client of the NSO group between 2017 and 2019, the report said. The Wire said the leak also shows that the current head of the Hurriyat conference Mirwaiz Umar Farooq

was a potential target of surveillance between 2017 and 2019. Farooq, as chief cleric of the Jamia Masjid, a 14th-century iconic religious centre situated in Srinagar city, is also a very key religious figure in the Valley. The records reveal that Farooq's driver too had possibly been a target of surveillance. Waqar Bhatti, a prominent human rights activist from the Valley, was also potentially a target of surveillance. The Pegasus Project data also shows that at least five Kashmiri journalists -- including Muzamil Jaleel of the Indian Express, Aurangzeb Naqshbandi with Hindustan Times at the time, Iftikhar Geelani formerly with DNA and Sumir Kaul of PTI -- were also targeted in the cyber surveillance programme. The name of the fifth journalist is being withheld at their request. Shabir Hussain, a Delhi-based political commentator from Kashmir, is also in the list, The Wire said. The telephone number of a highly-regarded Delhi-based civil society critic of the government's Kashmir policy also features in the database for 2018 and 2019. The Wire verified the number but is withholding their identity at their request. A prominent businessman based in the Valley was also of interest for potential surveillance, as was a Delhi-based businessman who is known to enjoy strong political contacts with all mainstream J&K parties. Their identities are being withheld on their request The phone of a handicrafts businessman based in downtown Srinagar was also potentially targeted in the campaign. He refused to comment. Among others selected for potential surveillance include an influential Shia cleric associated with Mirwaiz-led Hurriyat and prominent separatist leader Zaffar Akbar Bhat. The records also show that two social activists and a senior faculty member at an agriculture science university in the region were also chosen for potential surveillance, The Wire said.

48K Delhi construction workers to get Rs 5,000 Covid relief

New Delhi, July 26: The Delhi government on Monday announced Covid relief of Rs 5,000 each to 47,996 construction workers. The Delhi Building and Other Construction Workers Welfare Board has been directed to disburse the relief amount to workers whose applications were approved between May 28 and July 18, an official statement said. "This relief comes as an additional benefit for construction workers who were hit hardest because of the www.indianabroad.news

Covid crisis in Delhi," it said. The Delhi government had disbursed the same relief amount to 2,16,602 construction workers in April this year. Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, who also holds charge of the Labour Department, meanwhile, urged all construction workers to get registered with the workers board to avail the benefits of the government's welfare schemes. "Earlier workers had to stand in long queues for hours to submit their ap-

plication but now, the entire process has been shifted online which helps the workers to quickly apply on the government website and not miss their daily wage," he said, as per the statement. He also said that last year, nearly 40,000 workers were given relief, and after taking charge of the Labour Department in November 2020, he had conducted inspections and mass registration drives in labour offices.

New Delhi, July 22: In a significant judgment, the Delhi High Court on Thursday ruled that good governance requires that promises made to citizens by those who govern are not broken, as it held that the assurance/promise given by the Chief Minister is enforceable, both on the basis of the doctrines of promissory estoppel and legitimate expectation. A bench of Justice Pratibha M. Singh directed the Delhi government to decide, within six weeks, on an assurance given by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on March 29, 2020 to pay the rent of migrant workers in view of the Covid-19 pandemic. He had said if any tenant is unable to pay the rent due to poverty, the government would pay his/her rent on their behalf. The court made it clear that the assurance is not a political promise, as is sought to be canvassed before it, and it was also not made as a part of an election rally, and is rather a statement made by the Delhi Chief Minister. It added that there is a reasonable expectation on behalf of the citizens that the Chief Minister knows the background, and the number of people who would be affected by the same as also the financial implications of such a promise/assurance, in the context in which it was made. "A statement given in a consciously held press conference, against the background of the lockdown announced due to the pandemic and the mass exodus of migrant labourers, cannot be simply over-

Photo Courtesy: IANS

looked. Proper governance requires the Government to take a decision on the assurance given by the Chief Minister, and inaction on the same cannot be the answer," said Justice Singh, in an 89-page judgment. The court said it is of the opinion that the promise given by the Chief Minister clearly amounts to an enforceable promise, the implementation of which ought to be considered by the government. "Good governance requires that promises made to citizens, by those who govern, are not broken, without valid and justifiable reasons," it added. The court said surely there must have been a large number of tenants and landlords, who would have believed the Chief Minister's assurance, and that the expectation of the citizens could be that government would implement the promise. However, when it is examining this promise and the expectation which comes with it, the question is whether there is any reason as to why the government did not even take a

decision in this regard, it said. "To that extent, insofar as the indecision is concerned, the GNCTD needed to answer the question, which it has failed to answer," the court observed. The petitioners had argued that the Chief Minister made promise, as the head of a government, and it was not a political statement but rather a statement made in the context of Covid-19, with an intent to prevent migration of workers. Opposing the plea, senior advocate Rahul Mehra, representing the Delhi government, submitted the doctrine of legitimate expectation can only be based on actual governmental policy or governmental notification or an executive decision, and not on a mere political statement. The judgment came on a writ petition filed by a group of tenants and landlords led by Nazma, who sought the recovery, payment or refund of the monthly rental amount, as per the promise made by the Chief Minister.

War of words erupts between The Hindu group members over paper's credibility Chennai, July 25: A war of words has erupted on Twitter between the Chairperson of The Hindu Publishing Group (THG), Malini Parthasarathy, and N. Ram, Director, THG, following a tweet by the former. On July 22, Parthasarathy, a former Editor of The Hindu daily, had tweeted after meeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi: "Had the privilege of calling on Prime Minister @narendramodi today & had an illuminating conversation in which he shared his perspective on issues of current public interest." A day before, Parthasarathy had tweeted about her meeting with Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman: "Had a lively & enjoyable discussion with the cerebral & feisty Union Finance Minister @nsitharaman on current issues." Apparently with reference to Parathasarthy's tweets, a Twitter user by the name of ProG @Mrs_DoSoLittle asked Ram: "@nramindwhy sir, why? Hindu's hard-earned legacy is being squandered away." To which Ram had replied: "I have

Photo Courtesy: IANS

nothing to do with this. What I can assure you is that we will do our very best to prevent The Hindu's 'hard-earned' reputation and legacy of 142+ years 'being squandered away'." Responding to that, Parthasarathy tweeted: "Our 142+ years of hardearned reputation was built by reporting that was factual & not

driven by political prejudice or bias. We @the_hindu are determined to restore the honesty & credibility of our reporting & commentary. This is the only way forward to revive our great legacy." It appears that she implied in her tweet that The Hindu daily has lost its credibility and she is trying to restore the same.

UK court declares Vijay Mallya as ‘bankrupt’

Photo Courtesy: IANS

London, July 26: A UK court on Monday declared fugitive Indian businessman Vijay Mallya, the chairman of now defunct Kingfisher Airlines, as "bankrupt". The UK court order comes as a massive boost for the consortium of banks led by the State Bank of India (SBI) to initiate freezing of assets owned by Mallya's Kingfisher Airlines, both in India and abroad, to repay its debt. Mallya is wanted in India for Rs 9,000 crore loan defraud. "As at 15.42 (UK time), I adjudicate Dr Mallya bankrupt," Chief Insolvencies and Companies Court Judge Michael Briggs said during a virtual hearing of the Chancery Division of the London High Court. The consortium of banks led by SBI had argued for the bankruptcy order to be granted in their favour. The Indian banks were represented

by the law firm TLT LLP and barrister Marcia Shekerdemian. Mallya is currently out on bail in the UK while a "confidential" legal mat-

ter, believed to be related to an asylum application, is being resolved in connection with the unrelated extradition proceedings.

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INDIA

Vol 1, Issue 12, Aug 1 -15, 2021

Naresh Goyal, Ajay Singh, Prashant No massive traffic jam in Himachal: Govt Ruia, PSU chiefs in Pegasus list Photo Courtesy: IANS

Shimla, July 26: The Himachal Pradesh government said on Monday that a fake video has been made viral on social media regarding massive traffic jams in the state and tourists evacuating in large numbers. It said the video is fake and misleading as it did not pertain to the state. The roads are open and there are no such traffic jams in any part of state, it said. An official statement said that tourists are welcome to visit the state, following Covid appropriate behaviour. Also, the tourists have been urged to avoid going near water bodies, especially the fast-flowing rivers and rivulets, and be careful while driving in the hills. They have also been asked to be responsive towards the environment.

Photo Courtesy: IANS

New Delhi, July 27: Among the host of names from cross-section of categories whose phone numbers have appeared on the Pegasus Project list, there are also a few businessmen and bureaucrats who have made their way into the alleged surveillance list. This includes disgraced industry captains like Naresh Goyal, formerly of Jet Airways, to former top PSU officials such as B.C. Tripathi, ex-chief

at GAIL India, The Wire reported. Apart from Goyal, the most prominent names on the list are numbers used by SpiceJet chairman and managing director Ajay Singh and the Essar Group's Prashant Ruia, the report said. The list also contains multiple businessmen or officials of companies who have had run-ins with the law over the last few years, mostly due to investigations of loan fraud. This includes Vikram Kothari of Rotomac Pens (and his son Rahul), and C. Sivasankaran, former Aircel promoter and maverick entrepreneur. In the last year, the Jet Airways founder has also been under the scanner of the enforcement directorate. The entries for Kotharis and Sivasankaran also appear to match key points of the investigation that law enforcement authorities have conducted. Also, a mid-level official at the Adani Group, one individual who used to work with the Essar Group and another formerly with SpiceJet.

The leaked list also contains at least five corporate executives associated with India's mutual fund industry. These include professionals from companies such as Franklin Templeton, DSP BlackRock and Motilal Oswal. Finally, key people in India's public sector also appear to have been selected as potential candidates for surveillance. The Wire reported that a phone number used by B.C. Tripathi -- formerly head of state-run GAIL India who joined Essar in January 2020 as non-executive chairman -- is on the list. Tripathi's selection as a possible candidate for surveillance comes a month after he took up the top post at the natural gas corporation and his number appears in the leaked records on-and-off for almost a year afterwards. Two numbers, one for a former boss of Life Insurance Corporation of India and the other for a former executive director of the Gujarat Narmada Valley Fertiliser Corporation also appears on the list.

Maha: Debt-hit Axis Bank manager loots ICICI Bank, kills woman officer Photo Courtesy: IANS

Palghar (Maharashtra), July 30 (IANS): Taking a page out of a crime thriller, a debt-ridden Axis Bank Branch Manager allegedly committed an unsuccessful heist on an ICICI Bank branch, stabbed a woman deputy branch head to death, before attempting to flee before being caught by locals, police said here on Friday. The incident happened on Thursday around 8 p.m., after the close of banking hours at the ICICI Bank's Virar East Branch, when most staffers had left for the day, barring two women officers. "The prime accused Anil Dubey -- the Naigaon Axis Bank Branch Manager, who is a former employee and ex-Manager of the ICICI Bank, has been arrested. There is no other person involved as of now," Virar Police Station Senior Police Inspector Suresh Warade told IANS. At the dark hour, Dubey drove down to the ICICI Bank branch, entered inside, whipped out a sharp weapon and threatened Deputy Manager Yogita Nishant Choudhary and her cashier colleague Shraddha www.indianabroad.news

Devrukhkar. He ordered them to hand over all the cash and jewellery which he dumped into a bag and attempted to flee the branch premises. Unwilling to give up without a fight, the two women started screaming for help and attempted to pin down Dubey who retaliated by attacking them both with the knife several times before breaking free to run out. By then, a few people from neighbouring shops had gathered who managed to grab hold of Dubey, took the booty-filled bag and kept it in the ATM cabin and summoned the police. As they entered the branch, they witnessed the horrifying scene with Choudhary and Devrukhkar lying in pools of blood with multiple stab injuries. Vartak, 36, who suffered gashes in the throat, shoulder and other parts of her body, succumbed to her injuries later. Devrukhkar, 32, who was hit in the neck and shoulder, is undergoing

treatment at a local hospital and further probe is on in the sensational case, said Warade. According to Warade, the accused Dubey had ostensibly run up huge debts of over Rs 1-crore and may have resorted to the shocking heist to clear off his dues, though details are not available. In a guarded reply, the Axis Bank Spokesperson told IANS: "As a responsible institution, Axis Bank has zero tolerance towards unscrupulous elements and is committed to fully cooperate with the relevant authorities in resolving this issue. We have taken strict Disciplinary action immediately." Though ICICI Bank declined to comment on the issue, banking expert and Maharashtra State Bank Employees' Federation General Secretary Devidas Tuljapurkar termed it as "an unfortunate and unprecedented incident". "The question that arises is whether the Axis Bank had taken the mandatory statement of assets & liabilities of the accused person before he was given a job, especially since he came from a competitive bank. The absence of the security guard outside ICICI Bank points to a larger conspiracy which must be probed thoroughly," Tuljapurkar told IANS. Industry sources reveal that a banking professional with 15 years' experience, Dubey had worked in several private banks, including with ICICI Bank for 15 months, but had piled up massive debts, indulged in some high-finance property purchases, allegedly through some siphoned money and other irregularities. Though police kept mum, the accused had reportedly called up before going to the desolate branch where only the two women officers were busy tallying and winding up the month-end accounts data.

Who was the Indian client in Pegasus project, asks Chidambaram Photo Courtesy: IANS

New Delhi, July 27: Amid controversy on the Pegasus snooping row, former Home Minister P. Chidambaram on Tuesday asked the government to reveal the name of the Indian client in NSO. "Based on investigations by an international group of journalists, 'The Wire' has reported that there was "an Indian client of the NSO Group". "Who was the 'Indian client'? "Was it the government of India? Was it an agency of the government? Was it a private entity? he tweeted "I am certain the client's name will be revealed soon. Until then, I suppose the government will brazen out the allegations of snooping," he added. The Rajya Sabha witnessed repeated adjournments and the house proceedings were interrupted for the third day on Monday.

Father kills daughter in the name of 'honour'

Photo Courtesy: IANS

Badaun (Uttar Pradesh), July 27: A 17-year-old girl was allegedly shot dead by her father to save the 'family's honour' when she tried to elope with her boyfriend. The accused father is a farmer. He caught his daughter leaving with a youth on Monday night and tried to stop her. Then in a fit of rage, he shot her down with a country-made pistol as she refused to obey him. The incident took place in Paroli village under the Bilsi police circle. The victim's mother informed the police and got her husband arrested. Bilsi circle officer, Aniruddha Singh, said, "The man killed his daughter to save the family's honour. He has been arrested on his wife's complaint. In fact, she was a witness to the crime. We have also recorded the statement of neighbours." Police said that the man has confessed to have killed his daughter,

and was booked under IPC section 302 (murder). Section 3/25 of the Arms Act has also been slapped against him for carrying a country-made pistol. The girl's body has been sent for autopsy. According to reports, she was a school dropout. She was reportedly in a relationship with the local youth, 21, for two years. Both were from the same community. The young couple wanted to get married but her father was against the relationship though her mother supported them.

redBus announces rollout of India's first vaccinated bus service Photo Courtesy: IANS

Biden nominates Indian-American to be first Muslim envoy for religious freedom

Continued from page 1 The position of Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom was set up by the Congress within the State Department with the mandate to “advance the right to freedom of religion abroad, to denounce the violation of that right, and to recommend appropriate responses by the US Government when this right is violated.” Khan is a lawyer who is the founder of the Constitution Literacy and National Unity Project. His son, US Army Captain Humayun Khan, was killed in action in Iraq. As one of the speakers at the Democratic Party’s National Convention that nominated Hillary Clinton as the party’s nominee for president in 2016, Khan criticised the Republican Party candidate Donald Trump saying he “consistently smears the character of Muslims.” Trump made a snide comment suggesting that because of that religion, the captain’s mother did not speak at the convention and it evoked strong criticism for attacking “Gold Star” parents ï¿½ as the parents of military personnel killed in action are reverentially called in the US. An Indian American, Anurima Bhargava, is a member of the USICRF as one of the three members appointed by Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Three others are appointed by the leader of the Senate.

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New Delhi, July 23: In a first for the bus transport sector, redBus, India's largest online bus ticketing platform, announced the launch of vaccinated bus services across 600+ major routes in the country. This new arrangement guarantees that passengers of an intercity bus get to travel with vaccinated co-passengers and crew. Booking a ticket on this service requires the travellers to have received at least the first shot of the Covid-19 vaccine and they must submit proof of the same at the time of boarding. Vaccinated Bus is being introduced in collaboration with private partner bus operators that have a customer rating of more than four stars out of five on the platform. Presently vaccinated bus services have begun operating across 600+ routes on redBus, with the crew and passengers having had at least the first dose of Covid-19 vaccine. redBus already implements various safety measures under its 'Safety+' programme, which is a unique certification given to partner bus operators who meet the highest standards of safety and sanitisation. These include deep cleaning of buses after each trip, compulsory masking, hand sanitisation and thermal screening of both passengers and the crew. In order to ensure proper execution of this new system, boarding for passengers who book their tickets on vaccinated buses will only be allowed once they produce their ID proof and vaccination certificate at the time of boarding. The travel-

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lers will also be informed of these requirements before the journey through e-mail and SMS. The partner bus operator staff will physically verify the vaccination certificates/ID proofs for all adult passengers before boarding, with the exception of passengers aged below 18. Passengers who fail to provide the necessary proof will be denied boarding. redBus CEO Prakash Sangam stated: "According to a survey that we recently undertook with our customers, 89 per cent of the respondents said that they prefer to travel in a bus which had all the bus staff and co-passengers vaccinated with at least one dose of the Covid-19 vaccine. It is therefore evident that a vaccinated bus rids passengers of their anxiety to a large extent and restores their confidence to undertake travel, which they are all so eagerly looking forward to. It is also extremely encouraging to witness our partner bus operators stepping up efforts to support us in this undertaking. At the moment, these services are spread across 600+ routes in the country and we will look at further scaling this initiative based on the response to it." Some of the top routes across the country where vaccinated buses are currently operational are listed below: 1. Delhi - Chandigarh - Delhi 2. Hyderabad - Tirupati - Hyderabad 3. Ahmedabad - Udaipur - Ahmedabad 4. Bengaluru - Coimbatore - Bengaluru 5. Delhi - Lucknow - Delhi

AUSTRALIA

Vol 1, Issue 12, Aug 1 -15, 2021

NSW reports record number of new Covid cases

Photo Courtesy: Pexel

Canberra, July 29: Australia’s most populous state of New South Wales (NSW) has reached a grim new milestone, recording 239 new local Covid-19 cases on Thursday. Of those cases, the source of infection for 126 cases is under investigation, reports Xinhua news agency. Another two deaths, a woman in her 90s and a man in his 80s, have also been confirmed, bringing the total number of Covid-related fatalities during this fresh outbreak to 13. NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian announced the grim statistics at her daily news conference on Thursday.

“Based on those numbers we can only assume that things are likely to get worse before they get better given the quantity of people infectious in the community,” she said. “Can we stress again most of these transmissions are occurring amongst households and in workplaces, but also in health settings. If you’re going to a pharmacist or a GP, make sure you don’t have symptoms, make sure you’re asking for medical help from home if you need help whilst you have symptoms. “We cannot continue to see transmissions increase in these settings,”

she added. Overall, NSW now has 2,512 active locally acquired cases in the rapidly escalating crisis which began in the state’s capital city of Sydney on June 16 with one case of the highly virulent Delta strain. The national emergency has led to the state’s Greater Sydney region being in lockdown since June 26 with no end in sight before August 28. Within that lockdown, which affects about 5.3 million people, eight local government areas (LGA) have been placed under ever tightening regulations, such as only allowing authorized workers to leave the local areas for their essential jobs. NSW Police Force Commissioner Mick Fuller has sought extra powers for police to ensure compliance within those LGAs, saying thousands of extra police would enforce the new rules. “We know that the numbers are too high today,” Fuller said. “We all want to come out of lockdown. These new powers, the additional police into these areas, are about getting us out of lockdown sooner.”

SA set to end Covid lockdown Photo Courtesy: Pexel

Adelaide, July 27: The state of South Australia (SA) will end its Covid-19 lockdown on Wednesday after successfully suppressing a new outbreak with 19 cases linked to an infection cluster, Premier Steven Marshall announced on Tuesday. Marshall said that the statewide lockdown will end as scheduled unless there was a significant rise in community cases, reports Xinhua news agency. The announcement comes one week after strict restrictions were introduced to prevent the spread of Covid-19 after new cases were found in the community. Marshall praised state residents for abiding by lockdown rules but warned that restrictions would be eased gradually as the state takes it “one day at a time”. “We won’t be going back to directly where we were with the lowest level restrictions in the country,” he said.

As of Wednesday, schools and universities will return to face-to-face learning in South Australia. Offices, restaurants, cafes, bars, and gyms will be allowed to re-open but must adhere to strict capacity limits. Masks will remain mandatory in high-risk settings including personal service industries such as hairdressers, on public transport and in health care services. Marshall said he wanted to see a “very high level” of ongoing use of masks, adding that “it really is one of our best protections”. Recently, more than half of the Australia’s 25 million people were under lockdown in the states of South Australia, Victoria and the Greater Sydney and some areas in New South Wales (NSW) to prevent the spread of the Delta strain. Australia has so far reported 33,081 confirmed cases of Covid-19, with 910 deaths.

MasterChef Australia winner Justin Narayan to assist Mumbai charity Photo Courtesy: Instagram

New Delhi, July 17: Most MasterChef Australia winners go on to sign up book deals and TV shows, and open restaurants. Justin Narayan, the Fijian-Indian Season 13 topper, is not only doing all this, but he plans to cook and work for the Mumbai-based NGO, Vision Rescue. Having been a youth pastor with a mission to create a fun and safe environment for teens, working with disadvantaged children is as important for Justin as setting up a food truck or restaurant showcasing popular Indian food. Justin, whose mother is of Indian origin, first visited India in 2017. Vision Rescue was started by Biju Thampy, a pastor and motivational speaker, in Mumbai in 2004, providing vada pav to children living at the Mahim railway station. Since then, the NGO's activities have grown to include counselling for children abusing drugs, providing healthcare, running a slum school and a transition home for women rescued from traffickers, and getting school dropouts engaged in sports. Other than setting his sights on Vision Rescue, Justin, according to 10play.com.au, the website of Network10, the TV that owns the rights to MasterChef Australia, got married to his sweetheart and fiancee, Esther Smoothy, and they set off for their honeymoon immediately after his big night. Justin and Esther had been dating for the past two years. "I am so fortunate, very blessed, for all those things," the 28-year-old from Perth said in a conversation

with the website. "Genuinely the best year of my life, I can easily say that." It was doubly important for him to win the title because his father has been ailing for some time -- "fighting for his life", as he puts it. And his father, along with the rest of the family, was watching him from the gantry suspended from one end of the studio. "It gave me that extra bit of motivation and an extra little bit of determination to focus on what I needed to do and, for him be in the room and see me do something I love the best, that was really special," Justin said to the website. In another interview given to the NRI website, IndiaLink News, Justin touched upon how the reality TV

show had made Australians more receptive to global flavours. "The show has changed the very concept of Australian food," he said. "You name a cuisine and it's been there. This season alone it has showcased Bangladeshi, Sri Lankan, Indian, Cambodian, Korean food." The show, Justin said, had also promoted a culture of social inclusivity. "When you see and taste the food from various cultures, when you relish someone else's food, you learn to accept their culture a little bit more," he said. His advice to MasterChef aspirants: "Cook the food you grew up with, cook the food you find delicious." Food, as Justin put it, is a "great equaliser".

Protests in Sydney against lockdown Photo Courtesy: Agencia EFE

Most populous NSW sees slight drop in daily Covid cases

Photo Courtesy: IANS

Sydney, July 25: Australia's most populous state of New South Wales on Sunday saw a slight drop in the daily Covid-19 cases with two new deaths recorded. According to the state health department, 141 new locally acquired cases were recorded in the last 24 hours, out from a record of 102,233 coronavirus tests reported during the same period, reports Xinhua news agency. The state also recorded two Covid-related deaths -- a woman in her late 30s and a woman in her 70s, both with no pre-existing conditions -- which took the total fatality tally in the state during the current outbreak to eight. At the same time, there are currently

141 people in hospital from Covid-19, among which 60 people are under the age of 55 and 28 people are under the age of 35. "If anybody thinks this is a disease just affecting older people, please think again," said NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian. As for the anti-lockdown protest in Sydney on Saturday, NSW Police Force said on Sunday that two men have been charged with allegedly striking a police horse. Officers attached to the Strike Force have also been working throughout the night to identify those involved in the protest and further arrests are expected to be made.

Sydney, July 24: Thousands of anti-lockdown protesters gathered in Australia's largest city of Sydney on Saturday amid a deteriorating Covid-19 situation in the country. New South Wales (NSW) Police Force accused the protest activity as unauthorised and said a high-visibility policing operation was launched in response to it, reports Xinhua news agency. The protesters marched towards the downtown through the suburb of Haymarket, which had just

moments earlier been declared a virus hotspot by the state's health department, according to a report by national broadcaster ABC. "Officers from across Central Metropolitan Region, assisted by specialist resources, were deployed. So far during the operation, a number of people have been arrested," NSW Police Force said in a statement on Saturday afternoon. Australia's most populous state of SW, with Sydney as the capital city, recorded on Saturday a new high

of 163 new locally acquired cases of Covid-19, a jump from the previous day's 136. Among the new local cases, 45 cases were infectious in the community while the source of infection for 76 cases is under investigation. NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard urged residents, particularly in southwestern Sydney, to abide by the stay-at-home rules as state police issued 246 penalty notices in 24 hours for people breaching restrictions.

NZ's travel bubble suspension with Pfizer jab provisionally approved for Australians aged 12-15 Aus upsets hospitality sector

Photo Courtesy: IANS

Photo Courtesy: Pexel

Wellington, July 24: New Zealand's eight-week suspension in the travel bubble with Australia has had an immediate impact on the country's hospitality sector. Hospitality New Zealand Chief Executive Julie White said the suspension's impacts on the hospitality

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and accommodation sectors are being felt immediately, Xinhua news agency. "Hospitality operators' first priority is the safety of their people, community and 'whanau' (family). Balancing the health risk and economic impacts comes at a cost to the hospitality and accommodation industry," said White. Quarantine free travel from all Australian states and territories to New Zealand is being suspended as the Covid-19 situation in Australia worsens. From 11.59 p.m. Friday, Australians were no longer be able to enter New Zealand quarantine-free. This will be in place for at least the next eight weeks. "I am also concerned with the toll this is having on people in the

industry, and the onset of Covid-fatigue," White said. Peter and Susanne Wood, who run a restaurant and a boutique conference facility in Methven, a town in the Canterbury region, said they received their first cancellation from booked Australian guests. Susanne said they expect many more cancellations to come. "We were pretty full over the next month because of school holidays across the Tasman," Susanne said. "Some of our guests from Australia are already in the country so their bookings aren't affected but those who aren't here yet will be cancelling." The Woods said they expect people who were planning to travel to Australia can travel within New Zealand instead.

Canberra, July 23: Australia's medical regulator on Friday provisionally approved Pfizer's coronavirus vaccine for children aged 12 to 15 years. Health Minister Greg Hunt announced that the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) has ruled that the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine is safe for the age group, reports Xinhua news agency. It makes it the first coronavirus vaccine approved for individuals younger than 16 in Australia. Up until now, the Pfizer vaccine had only been approved for use in Australia for people aged 16 years and above. In a statement, the TGA said the decision to approve the vaccine for the age group was made after careful evaluation of clinical studies. "Provisional approval for use in the 12-15 years age group has been made

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following careful evaluation of the available data supporting safety and efficacy, including clinical studies with adolescents 12 to 15 years of age," it said. "The decision has been made on the basis of short term efficacy and safety data. Continued approval depends on the evidence of longer term efficacy and safety from ongoing clinical trials and post-market assessment." Hunt said that conversations with the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) about rolling out vaccines to vulnerable children were "well advanced". "What is more likely, on the early advice I have, is that they will fast track vaccines for 12-15 year-olds for the immunocompromised children, or those with underlying health conditions, and then they'll review the

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incoming data over the course of the next month on the general population," he told the media. So far there has been about 10.6 million coronavirus vaccine doses administered in Australia. Approximately 36 per cent of the adult population have received one vaccine dose and 14.9 per cent are fully inoculated. Since the onset of the pandemic, there has been a total of 32,427 confirmed cases of Covid-19 in Australia, while the death toll stood at 915.

AUSTRALIA

Vol 1, Issue 12, Aug 1 -15, 2021

Brisbane wins right to host 2032 Olympics 'Flying doctors' to

Photo Courtesy: Newsdir3

Tokyo, July 21: The Australian city of Brisbane won the right to host the 2032 Summer Olympics in a vote at the 138th session of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) here on Wednesday, two days before the opening ceremony of Tokyo 2020. Australia has already hosted the Olympics twice, in Melbourne in 1956 and Sydney in 2000. In 2017, the IOC awarded the 2024 Games to Paris and the 2028 Olympics to Los Angeles, reports Xinhua. In February, 2021, the IOC said that Brisbane was the preferred candidate to host the 2032 Games. However, Qatar reiterated its desire to host the 2032 Games despite the IOC handing the preferred tag to Brisbane. On June 10, the IOC's 15-strong executive board approved Brisbane as the single candidate for election.

Australia promises Games of highest standard as Brisbane wins bid

Photo Courtesy: IANS

Sydney, July 21: The Australian Olympic Committee (AOC) applauded the success of Brisbane's bid for the 2032 Summer Olympic Games and promised a Games to "serve Olympic ideals". In a statement on Wednesday, the AOC thanked the members of the International Olympic Committee

(IOC) for their decision to award Brisbane, capital city in the state of Queensland and the country's third largest city, the right to host the Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2032. The successful bid also makes Brisbane the third Australian city hosting Olympic Games, following

Sydney in 2000 and Melbourne in 1956. AOC president John Coates said Brisbane, Queensland and all Australians stand ready to deliver an Olympic and Paralympic Games that will repay the trust shown by members that Australia can deliver the world's greatest sporting event to the very highest standard, reports Xinhua. "This is a very proud day for Australia, make no mistake. I thank the IOC members for their confidence. Brisbane 2032 is genuinely committed to serving the ideals of the Olympic movement," he said. "The Olympic Games in Brisbane will be in the most diligent, grateful and enthusiastic hands. And I make this commitment to the athletes of the world - we will provide you with an unforgettable experience," he added. With Brisbane as the host city, the Games are scheduled to take place in zones across Brisbane, Sunshine Coast and the Gold Coast, and are

rare earth metals is also expected to get a boost from the move. "The grant will enable Lynas to commercialise an industry-first Rare Earth carbonate refining process that has been developed by our inhouse research and development team. The new process has been tested at bench scale and has proven effective in producing a higher purity Rare Earth carbonate that can feed the Lynas Malaysia plant as well as the proposed U.S. Rare Earth processing facility. The grant is expected to contribute approximately 50 per cent of the implementation cost," Lynas said in a statement. The Indo-Pacific Quad initiative has gathered momentum after China started using its dominance in rare earths production to extend its geopolitical clout. Beijing has even indicated that it would cut off the supply of rare earth metals to stall the US F-35 fighter jet programme as relations between the two countries have soured. Similarly, it has also been using these tactics of holding back rare earth metal supplies against Japan. The Quad nations intend to counter this by cooperating in funding new

production technologies and development projects. They also intend to lead the way in drafting international rules. China currently produces nearly 60% of the world's rare earths, and its market power has posed supply concerns. Big tech companies rely on China-produced rare earths like neodymium, essential for electric vehicles, and lithium, used in batteries. While India accounts for 6% of the world's rare-earth reserves, Japan is one of the biggest rare-earth consumers. If the Quad nations can collaborate all along the chain, from production to consumption, their influence in the critical sector will rise, the Nikkei report states. As for their rare-earth efforts, the Quad nations will first develop refining technologies. Rare-earth veins often contain radioactive materials, and a large amount of radioactive waste is produced in the refining process. The U.S. government is already supporting plans to process Australian ores in the U.S., and Japan is weighing whether to take part in this arrangement.

expected to bring great benefits to the local economy. "We know from the independent financial analyses that a benefit of 8.1 billion Australian dollars for Queensland and 17.61 billion Australian dollars for Australia is projected. We have talked about the Games becoming a catalyst for much needed infrastructure and the jobs and tourism that will flow to all of Queensland and beyond," Coates said. He said the 4.941 billion Australian dollars it will cost to put the event on will be offset by a contribution from the IOC plus sponsorship and ticket sales. The Games will be cost neutral from an operational perspective. Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said, "It's a historic day not just for Brisbane and Queensland, but for the entire country." "It also marks an important leap forward for Australia as we look toward major events that lock in economic growth and social benefits that will echo for years to come."

deliver vaccines to remote Australians Photo Courtesy: IANS

Canberra, July 18: The Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS) has been enlisted to inoculate thousands of Australians against Covid-19 in remote areas, a top official said on Sunday. Frank Quinlan, RFDS federation executive director, said the service has administered about 5,121 coronavirus vaccines since being brought in by governments to accelerate the rollout in remote communities, reports Xinhua news agency. Of those vaccines, it was estimated that about 45 per cent were for Indigenous Australians. "Early on in the pandemic we identified a whole number of communities across Australia where the RFDS is either one of or the primary source of health care," he said. "So we're now provided vaccine clinics into those often remote and often small communities. "We're expecting on the back of the plans we've worked up to be delivering some 50,000 vaccines to some 500 vaccine clinics between now and the end of the year." As of Saturday, about 10 million Covid-19 vaccine doses had been administered in Australia.

"At our current pace of roughly 956,674 doses a week, we can expect to reach the 40 million doses needed to fully vaccinate Australia's adult population in late February 2022," according to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. The RFDS, a non-profit organisation, received A$38.8 million in funding from the federal government to join the vaccine rollout. It has been tasked with delivering doses to remote medical centres, deploying support staff and supplying health care staff to administer jabs. "The remoteness of some communities has been both their protection but also their risk because we know that those communities are often protected by distance but at the same time they experience poorer health by distance," Quinlan said. "We know if Covid was to get into communities the impact would be devastating." As of Sunday, there has been 31,771 confirmed cases of Covid-19 in Australia, and the number of locally acquired cases in the last 24 hours was 131, according to the latest figures from the Department of Health. The death toll stood at 913.

Aussie govt bankrolls new rare earth Suicide, incarceration rates rising metals plant to cut China to size among Indigenous Australians Photo Courtesy: IANS

New Delhi, July 23: The Australian government has extended a USD 10.9 million grant to Lynas Rare Earths Ltd to commercialise a new mineral refining process that produces high-purity rare earth carbonate, the company announced on Thursday. The Australian government's move is aimed at breaking China's monopoly on rare earth metals that are used as key inputs in hi-tech products ranging from electric vehicles to smartphones and military hardware such as missiles and fighter jets. China currently controls 90% of the world's production of rare earth metals, alloys and magnets. The U.S., India, Australia and Japan Indo-Pacific Quad initiative to jointly build a rare-earth procurement chain to counter the dominance China plays in supplying these crucial

National Gallery of Australia to return 14 'looted' artworks to India

New Delhi, July 29: The National Gallery of Australia has decided to return 14 artworks from its Asian art

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collection to the Indian government. Worth a combined value of $3 milion, 13 of the artworks were pur-

chased from the New York-based gallery, Art of the Past, run by antiquities dealer and alleged smuggler Subhash Kapoor. The artworks include six sculptures, six photographs, a painted scroll and a processional standard. Some of the items date back to the 12th century. This is the fourth time that the NGA will be returning illegally exported works from Kapoor and his associates. In fact, Kapoor was extradited from Germany to India in July 2012 and has been charged with stealing and

Photo Courtesy: IANS

Canberra, July 29: A new reported published on Thursday revealed that Indigenous Australians were significantly more likely to be imprisoned, die by suicide or have their children removed, than non-Indigenous people. The report was published by Closing the Gap program that aims to reduce disadvantage among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, Xinhua news agency reported. Thursday's report was the first time that data on the strategy has been published since federal, state and

territory governments reached an agreement with Indigenous organisations to overhaul the framework in July 2020. It found that while improvements in life expectancy for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people since the baseline of 2005-2007 narrowed the gap to 8.6 years for boys and 7.8 years for girls in 2015-2017, the national target of "no gap" was not on track to be met. The suicide rate among Indigenous people rose to 27.1 per 100,000 in 2019, with the target of a "significant

illegally exporting antiquities. "We have strengthened our processes and have zero tolerance now for any inconsistencies in the provenance of a work of art. This is another step towards us building an ethical approach to managing our collections," ABC News quoted NGA director Nick Mitzevich as saying. "It's unfortunate, and the institution is sorry for this development. We are doing all we can to avoid any future missteps of this kind," Mitzevich

said in The Australian. "It's a historic issue... The NGA was part of an international fraud campaign that affected more than a dozen of the world's leading institutions," he said. Kapoor's clients included the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston and the Peabody Essex Museum in Salem, Massachusetts, as well as the Asian Civilizations Museum

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and sustained reduction in suicide towards zero" not on track to be met. Among the agreement's targets is a goal to reduce Indigenous incarceration rates by 15 percent within the decade. The report found that the Indigenous incarceration rate rose to 2,081 per 100,000 people in June 2020, with the national target not on track to be met. In 2020, the rate of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children aged 0-17 years in out-of-home care was 56.3 per 1,000 children in the population, an increase from the 2019 baseline, with the national target of a "reduction in the rate of home care by 45 per cent" not on track to be met, said the report. However, the rate of Indigenous children in youth detention fell to 25.7 per 10,000, with the national target on track to be met. The Productivity Commission could not provide an update on some of the 17 targets due to a lack of available data. "The agreement is now 12 months old, but the most recent available data for monitoring these socioeconomic outcomes are only just hitting the commencement date for the agreement," commissioner Romlie Mokak said in a media release. "It is likely to be some years before we see the influence of this agreement on these outcomes." in Singapore, the NGA and the Art Gallery of NSW. The Indian High Commission in Australia has welcomed the move, though it will take a few months before the works are actually handed over. In a tweet, Manpreet Vohra, the Indian High Commissioner to Australia, said that India is grateful to Australia and the National Gallery of Australia for their decision to return the extraordinary pieces of art to India.

WORLD NEWS

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QUAD summit in September likely International Criminal Court to deliver a major blow to China investigating war crimes by

Photo Courtesy: The White House

he imminent in-person Quadrilateral Security Dialogue -- QUAD meeting in September -- is expected to be a crucial one as it is likely to further build pressure around China and put the focus back on the origin of Covid 19. In May, US President Joe Biden ordered intelligence agencies to 'redouble' their efforts and prepare a fresh report on the origin of Covid 19 within 90 days. The report is expected to be ready by August end just ahead of the summit. "As part of that report, I have asked for areas of further inquiry that may be required, including specific questions for China," a statement from the US President read. The report is expected to be ready by August-end. "There are many circumstantial evidences to indicate China's bio-tech programme is the origin of the virus. The report may indicate China's bio-weapon-programme was the origin though there is no perfect evidence. The report will be discussed and the US would naturally seek legitimacy to put more pressure on China and even isolate it economically," Satoru Nagao, fellow at Hudson Institute told India Narrative. He added that the QUAD meeting will be closely monitored as the epicentre of world politics has now shifted towards the Indo- Pacific region. Nagao also said that depending on the content of the report, the US may even want to move towards

imposing sanctions against China. The Japan Times said that the gathering would underscore the unity among the four Indo- Pacific democracies amid China's growing assertiveness. The newspaper added that Biden is seeking to build a position of strength to directly engage with Chinese leader Xi Jinping, possibly on the sidelines of the Group of 20 summit in Rome in late October. Nagao said that the meeting between US, India, Japan and Australia may also look at creating an alternative supply chain in the world, which excludes China. China has been caught in a global storm for its economic and military assertiveness amid the Covid 19 pandemic. "China was the darling of the world as it quickly turned to becoming the factory of the world but now with the changing power equations between the western world and China things have taken a turn. The pandemic has also played a big role," BR Deepak, expert on China and Professor at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) told India Narrative. Analysts say that the issue of gross human rights violation by the Chinese authorities in Xinjiang has also come to the fore big time--a situation that has major geo-economic implications. In April, a report by Human Rights Watch said that the Chinese govern-

ment has been committing crimes against humanity against Uyghurs and other Turkic Muslims in the northwest region of Xinjiang. "The Chinese leadership is responsible for widespread and systematic policies of mass detention, torture, and cultural persecution, among other offenses. Coordinated international action is needed to sanction those responsible, advance accountability, and press the Chinese government to reverse course," it said. Since the Xinjiang issue has also now come up putting China under further pressure, many countries are now already looking at an alternative supply chains, minus China. Observers say that the Xinjiang issue can trigger a major debate in the US about imposing sanctions against China. "This can majorly dent the RCEP, which is a China centric trade bloc. But if sanctions are imposed several country such as Japan and Australia among others will find it untenable to persist with RCEP," an analyst who did not wish to be named said. Apparently, the west is focusing on Xinjiang for two other reasons. First, Xinjiang is the gateway for China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) as all cargo trains heading to Europe have to pass through the region. Second, Xinjiang is the lynchpin for China's energy security. The West-East pipeline bringing gas to China's coastal industrial heartland with Shanghai and Guangzhou as major icons of China's emerging as the factory of the world pass through Xinjiang. In a huge blow to Beijing, the European Parliament in May passed a motion freezing all European investment agreements with China. "New Delhi appears to recognise the difficulties involved and thus appears more keen to cooperate with other maritime powers in maintaining security in the Indian Ocean region. This is a good first step to greater Indo-Pacific cooperation, but further coordination is clearly needed," an Observer Research Foundation report noted.

Taliban

New Delhi, July 25: Taliban forces that have taken control of districts in Afghanistan's southern Kandahar province have detained hundreds of residents whom they accuse of association with the government. Human Rights Watch said the Taliban have reportedly killed some detainees, including relatives of provincial government officials and members of the police and army. The watchdog body said that after Taliban forces took control of Kandahar's Spin Boldak border crossing with Pakistan on July 8, 2021, and the Spin Boldak district center on July 16, they conducted searches to identify residents who have worked for the local government or security forces. Taliban forces that control areas around Kandahar city have carried out similar searches and have evicted some residents. Taliban have taken more than 300 people into custody and have detained them in unidentified locations. "There are grave concerns that Taliban forces in Kandahar may commit further atrocities to retaliate against the government and security forces," said Patricia Gossman, Associate Asia director at Human Rights Watch. "Taliban leaders have denied responsibility for any abuses, but growing evidence of expulsions, arbitrary detentions, and killings in areas under their control are raising fears among the population." The International Criminal Court is

Photo Courtesy: Free Pass Journel

currently investigating allegations of war crimes and serious human rights abuses by all parties to the conflict, including the Taliban. Taliban commanders who knew or should have known about abuses by forces under their control and took no action to prevent or stop them are culpable as a matter of command responsibility. "The UN, US, and other countries engaged in the peace talks should urgently call on the Taliban leadership to stop these killings and other abuses," Gossman said. At Spin-Boldak, the Afghan officials found the dead bodies of over 100 civilians -- while the fate of the around 300 civilians abducted was not known. The Taliban have told members of the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces (ANDSF), including police who have been the princi-

All allegations, all finger-pointing should be at the customer: Pegasus spyware seller Photo Courtesy: IANS

Afghan forces kill 81 militants in Balkh province Photo Courtesy: Ommcom News

Kabul, July 26: Airstrikes in the Afghan provinces of Helmand and Badakhshan provinces killed more than 35 Taliban militants amid the escalating violence in the war-torn

country, according to defence officials. In a statement on Sunday, the Defence Ministry said that fighter jets

targeted taliban hideouts and positions in parts of Helmand’s Nad Ali and Sangin districts, reports Xinhua news agency. A weapon cache of the militant group was also destroyed during the attacks, the statement added. The Taliban controls at least six districts in Helmand province. Meanwhile in Badakhshan province, the fighter planes struck a Taliban gathering in Argo district, according to an army statement. In the sorties, a large number of arms and ammunition including an anti-aircraft gun were also destroyed, the statement said, adding that no security personnel or civilian was harmed during the air raids. The Afghan forces earlier claimed killing 81 militants in Kaldar and Chamtal districts of Balkh province on Saturday. Fighting has intensified in Afghanistan since early May when the USled coalition forces began withdrawal from the war-torn country.

Thousands of female troops in UK military face harassment: Report London, July 26: About 64 per cent of British female veterans and 58 per cent of currently-serving females in the UK military have reported experiencing bullying, harassment and discrimination during their careers, a parliamentary report revealed. Published on Sunday by the House of Commons (lower house of the British Parliament) Defense Sub-Committee on Women in the Armed Forces, the report said there is "truly shocking" evidence of bullying, sexual harassment, sexual assault and rape experienced by service-women, reports Xinhua news agency. At the same time, most of the women who responded to a major survey www.indianabroad.news

by the committee said they did not believe the military did enough to address the problems, as six in 10 women did not report the bullying, harassment and discrimination they experienced. "Of those who did complain, one third rated the experience 'extremely poor'," the report added. "Unfortunately, the stories we heard paint a difficult picture for women in the military. Accounts of bullying, harassment, discrimination, 'laddish' behaviour, and sometimes serious sexual assault and rape. The complaints system, as it stands, is woefully inadequate and leaves most feeling unable to come forward," said military veteran Sarah

Atherton, who chairs the sub-committee. She said the committee heard accusations of senior officers sweeping complaints under the rug to protect their own reputations and careers. "It is clear from this report that more can, and should, be done to protect and provide for servicewomen and female veterans, who have, far too often, been let down by the Ministry of Defence. Where there has been injustice, rectifications must be made. "The issue of sexual assault and rape in the military is pressing," said Tobias Ellwood, chair of the House of Commons Defense Committee.

pal security force in Kandahar, to register with them to receive letters guaranteeing their safety, a local activist reported. Those who registered are required to report to the Taliban once a month. Taliban forces have gone to the homes of some ANDSF members who had registered, taken them into custody, and killed an unknown number of them. In one case, on July 9, the Taliban shot and killed a man named Nangiyali, in front of family members. He was a resident of Sarposa, Kandahar, who had previously worked with the police. Media reported that on July 19, Taliban forces shot and killed two sons of a provincial council member, Fida Mohammad, who had reportedly had a close relationship with the late Kandahar police chief, General Abdul Raziq whom the Taliban killed in 2018.

London, July 22: The maker of the powerful spy software allegedly used to hack the phones of various people around the globe says blaming the company is like "criticising a car manufacturer when a drunk driver crashes", the BBC reported. A NSO spokesperson told BBC: "If I am the manufacturer of a car and now you take the car and you are driving drunken and you hit somebody, you do not go to the car manufacturer, you go to the driver. "We are sending the system to governments, we get all the correct accreditation and do it all legally. "You know, if a customer decides to misuse the system, he will not be a customer anymore. "But all the allegations and all the finger-pointing should be at the customer." NSO Group is facing international criticism, after reporters obtained

a list of alleged potential targets for spyware, including activists, politicians and journalists. Investigations have begun as the list, of 50,000 phone numbers, contained a small number of hacked phones. Pegasus infects iPhones and Android devices, allowing operators to extract messages, photos and emails, record calls and secretly activate microphones and cameras. The Israeli company says its software is intended for use against criminals and terrorists and made available to only military, law enforcement and intelligence agencies from countries with good human rights records. But a consortium of news organisations, led by French media outlet Forbidden Stories, has published dozens of stories based around the list.

Suva, July 26: Fiji has upgraded restrictions amid a resurgence of fresh Covid-19 cases in the island nation, according to health authorities. In a statement on Sunday, Permanent Secretary for Health James Fong said that all unnecessary movements should be restricted from Monday onwards, while he urged citizens urged to stay home as much as possible, reports Xinhua news agency. Movement outside home must only be for approved employment purposes, medical purposes or to get groceries. To facilitate this, the curfew hours throughout the Western Division will be effective from 6 p.m. to 4 a.m.. like the capital Suva, Fong said. All movements from the Central

Division to the Western Division will be assessed on a case by case basis and higher priority for approval will be given to those who have completed 14 days after the second dose of the vaccines. All movements from the Viti Levu to the Northern Division and maritime islands will be assessed on a case

NSO Group said it had been told the list had been hacked from its Cyprus servers But a company spokesman told BBC News: "Firstly, we don't have servers in Cyprus. "And secondly, we don't have any data of our customers in our possession. "And more than that, the customers are not related to each other, as each customer is separate. "So there should not be a list like this at all anywhere." And the number of potential targets did not reflect the way Pegasus worked. "It's an insane number," the spokesman said. "Our customers have an average of 100 targets a year. "Since the beginning of the company, we didn't have 50,000 targets total." Of the people whose numbers are on the list, 67 agreed to give Forbidden Stories their phones for forensic analysis. And this research, by Amnesty International Security Labs, reportedly found evidence of potential targeting by Pegasus on 37 of those. But NSO Group said it had no knowledge of how some phones on the list contained remnants of spyware. It could be "a coincidence", the spokesman said.

Fiji upgrades restrictions

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by case basis and higher priority for approval will be given to those who have completed 14 days after the second dose of the vaccines, according to Fong. Fiji has so far reported 22,513 confirmed coronavirus cases, with 177 deaths.

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Vol 1, Issue 12, Aug 1 -15, 2021

Florida condo collapse Ireland resumes indoor dining at eateries, pubs toll reaches 98 Photo Courtesy: IANS

Photo Courtesy: IANS

Miami, July 27: The death toll from the partial collapse of a 12-storey residential building in Surfside, a beachside town in Florida, has increased to 98 following the identification of the last victim, authorities said. The Miami-Dade County authorities identified the last victim of the collapse of Champlain Towers South as the 54-year-old Estelle Hedaya, Xinhua news agency reported citing the US media as saying on Monday The development as also confirmed by Hedaya's family, who had been in

limbo throughout the month-long rescue mission she had not been officially found and identified by authorities. Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava told a news conference on Monday that over the past 33 days, first responders "have searched the rubble as if they were searching for one of their own". The Mayor called the incident "the largest non-hurricane related emergency response" in Florida's history. "Nothing, we can say or do will bring back these 90 angels who left

behind grieving families, beloved friends, loved ones across this community and across the world," Levine Cava said. "But we have done everything possible to bring closure to the families, and I am especially proud that through these tireless efforts, we were able, at last, to bring closure to all those who reported missing loved ones." After weeks of searching and recovering, which had been interrupted by inclement weather conditions and risks of further crumbling of the building, Levine Cava said 98 victims have now been identified, including 97 victims who were recovered from the collapse and one person who died in hospital. Ninety-eight families have been notified, and all 97 people for whom there was a missing persons report have been recovered, Levine Cava said, adding a total of 242 people are accounted for. The Champlain Towers South, a beach-side condominium, partially collapsed in the early morning of June 24. No survivors have been found since. Experts said it could take months for investigators to determine what precisely caused a significant portion of the condo to collapse.

Dublin, July 27: Restaurants, bars, cafes and food courts across Ireland have been allowed to provide indoor services to customers who have been fully vaccinated against Covid-19 or have recovered from the disease in the past six months, as well as to children under 18 in their care, according to new government guidelines. Customers must show their EU Digital Covid Certificate or other valid proof of immunity before entering indoor hospitality venues, reports Xinhua news agency. They will also be required to bring their photo identification (ID), such as passports or driving licences, to verify their identity. Children will not have to show proof of immunity, but they may be checked for their age at the premises. Businesses providing indoor hospitality services will be required to record the name and phone number of each customer for contact tracing purposes. Those aged under 18 will be exempted. The contact details of customers must be kept for 28 days. Customers will be required to wear face covers at all times while seated. A maximum of six people aged 13 or above can be served at a table. This limit does not include children younger than 12.

There is no time limit on how long customers can stay, but all businesses must close at 11.30 p.m. Ireland had banned indoor hospitality services for more than 16 months since the pandemic broke out in the country in late February 2020, causing a huge loss to its hospitality sector, which employed an estimated 180,000 people prior to the pandemic, according to local media reports. While the reopening of indoor hospitality services is widely welcomed by businesses and consumers, it

also raises concerns among local public health officials and residents. Statistics released by the Department of Health of Ireland show a rapid rise in Covid-19 cases in the country in recent weeks. In the past seven days, the moving average of cases in Ireland has been over 1,200, more than double the average from a month ago, the department said. The Delta variant now accounts for over 90 per cent of the new cases in Ireland, according to public health officials.

US to end combat mission in Iraq by end of year Chinese FM, US Deputy State Secy discuss responsible management of ties Photo Courtesy: IANS

Photo Courtesy: IANS

Beijing, July 27: In a first face-toface meeting, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and visiting US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman discussed "ways to set terms for responsible management" of bilateral ties. The meeting took place in Beijing on Monday. According to a readout of the meeting issued by the US State Department, Sherman and Wang had a "frank and open discussion about a range of issues, demonstrating the importance of maintaining open lines of communication between our two countries". Although Sherman underscored that the US "welcomes the stiff competition" between the two superpowers, Washington "does not seek conflict" with Beijing, it added. According to the State Department, Sherman raised a series of concerns in private, in particular, human

rights, including Beijing's anti-democratic crackdown in Hong Kong; the ongoing genocide and crimes against humanity in Xinjiang; abuses in Tibet; and the curtailing of media access and freedom of the press. "She also spoke about our concerns about Beijing's conduct in cyberspace; across the Taiwan Strait; and in the East and South China Seas," the readout said. The Deputy Secretary also raised the cases of American and Canadian citizens detained in China or under exit bans and "reminded officials that people are not bargaining chips". She "reiterated concerns about China's unwillingness to cooperate with the World Health Organization and allow a second phase investigation into the Covid-19 origins". Meanwhile, Sherman also affirmed the importance of cooperation in

areas of global interest, such as the climate crisis, counter-narcotics, non-proliferation, and regional concerns including North Korea, Iran, Afghanistan, and Myanmar, said the readout. On his part, Wang, who is also the State Councillor, said it requires serious consideration for the US side to make correct choices as to whether the bilateral ties will head to confrontation or improvement, reports Xinhua news agency. Calling Sherman's visit a part of mutual contact and dialogue, he said the two sides should enhance mutual understanding, erase misunderstanding, avoid misjudgment and better manage differences via constant dialogues. The Foreign Minister also said that China's development is aimed at seeking happiness for all Chinese people, rather than challenging or replacing the US. "We take no interest in betting winnings or losses of the US side. China's development is not based on the premise of US decline." He said issues regarding Xinjiang, Tibet and Hong Kong have never been about "human rights" or "democracy", but about fighting against "Xinjiang independence", "Tibet independence" and "Hong Kong independence". "We have a clear view on where China-US relations are headed, that is, to find a way for two major countries with different systems, cultures and stages of development to coexist peacefully on this planet through dialogue," he added.

5 people killed in hourslong standoff in California Photo Courtesy: IANS

Washington, July 27: Five people, including the suspect, were killed during an hours-long standoff in California's Wasco city, local authorities said. In a statement to the media on Mon-

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day, the Kern County sheriff's office said they received a report of shots fired at 1 p.m. on Sunday, reports Xinhua news agency. When deputies arrived at the scene, the suspect opened fire at the law

enforcement personnel triggering the standoff between the two sides. Two hours later, special weapons and tactics (SWAT) teams who approached the house were attacked by the gunman. One policeman suffered major injuries and died in hospital and another deputy was moderately injured. At around 6.30 p.m., the suspect and deputies exchanged more gunfire, during which the former was wounded. The suspect and other three persons locked in the house during the time of the shooting were taken to a hospital for treatment, and all died there. The victims have not been identified and an investigation is underway.

Washington, July 27: US President Joe Biden said on Monday that American forces in Iraq will end the combat mission by the end of the year while continuing to train and assist Iraqi forces. "Our role in Iraq will be... continue to train, to assist, to help and to deal with ISIS (Islamic State) as it rises, but we're not going to be, by the end of the year, in a combat mission," Biden said at the beginning of a meeting in the Oval Office with Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi, Xinhua reported. "Our counter-terrorism cooperation will continue even as we shift to this new phase," he said. Al-Kadhimi told a leading media outlet ahead of the visit that there is no need for any foreign combat forces staying in Iraq. "What we want from the US presence in Iraq is to support our forces in training and developing their efficiency and capabilities, and in security cooperation," he said. There are now around 2,500 US troops in Iraq. White House Press Secretary on Monday declined to

provide the number of troops staying in Iraq at the end of the year. US media said the move may not lead to a significant reduction of US military presence in Iraq, given most of the American troops in the country have already been taking training and advising roles for the Iraqi forces. The two countries agreed to shift US troops' mission back in April, but no timeline for the transition had been set at the time. Analysts noted that the Iraqi leader faced mounting pressures at home from hardline Shia factions who demand all US troops to leave the country. This shift in the mission of US troops could be seen as a political gain for al-Kadhimi ahead of parliamentary elections in October. The US troops withdrew from Iraq in 2011, eight years after the US-led invasion. US troops returned to the country in 2014 to support the Iraqi forces in the fight against the Islamic State militants. Immediately after the deaths of top Iranian general Qassem Soleimani and Iraqi militia leader Abu Mah-

di al-Muhandis in a US airstrike at Baghdad airport in Jan. 2020, the Iraqi parliament passed a resolution requiring the government to end the presence of foreign forces in Iraq. Iraqi military bases housing US troops across the country and the US embassy in the Green Zone in central Baghdad have been frequently targeted by rocket and drone attacks from Iran-backed Shia militias. The US military launched retaliatory airstrikes against Shia militants in Syria and Iraq this February and June, only leading to a cycle of more attacks and reprisals.

NZ records largest flood flow in almost 100 yrs Photo Courtesy: Stuff.co.nz

Wellington, July 29: Flood flows on South Island's Buller River this month were the largest in New Zealand in almost 100 years, the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA) announced on Thursday. NIWA hydrodynamics scientist Richard Measures said records show even larger flooding of the Buller River in 1926, reports Xinhua news agency. "It's not the largest river in New Zealand but it does experience the biggest flood flows. The flood levels through the Buller gorge are incredible," he said. NIWA environmental monitoring technician Mike O'Driscoll used a radar gun from the Westport and Orowaiti bridges to measure the speed of the Buller River at its surface on July 17. These measurements, coupled with surveys of the riverbed level carried

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out from a jetboat after the flood, provided the data for flood flow calculations at the bridges. As the bridges were being closed, the measurements showed a flow of 7,640 cubic meters per second, the largest direct measurement of river flow ever completed in New Zealand. The previous record was a flow measurement of 5,870 cubic metres per second taken in the Grey River in 1988. As a comparison the mean flow of the Buller River is 454 cubic metres per second. Meanwhile, a NIWA monitoring station on the Buller River at Te Kuha, about 10 km upstream, was continuously recording water levels throughout the flood. The monitoring station is part of NIWA's national network of benchmark hydrometric monitoring

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stations as well as being a key flood forecasting site for the West Coast Regional Council. Because of its importance, the site has three independent monitoring systems in place - one sensor system to provide rapid updates during floods, plus primary and back-up sensors to record data for future analysis. However, the magnitude of the flood meant debris knocked two sensors out of action, leaving only the backup providing real time information to inform emergency management decisions. The water level at Te Kuha peaked at 12.8 metres at 1.35 p.m. on July 17, several hours ahead of the peak flooding in Westport. In the 1970 flood the flood peak was 11.9 metres. This was the biggest flood recorded since the Te Kuha monitoring site was established in 1963. "We can confidently say that the recent flood flows in the Buller River are the highest of any river in New Zealand since 1926, when historic records and photographs of flooding show an even bigger flood on the Buller," Measures said. Work is now ongoing to gather more data to refine the flood analysis and NIWA's flood flow forecasting tool. Repairs to the monitoring systems have already been completed. "Observations from this flood will help ground truth the inundation and impact models used in the program ensuring we have a more accurate understanding of the risks we face," Measures said.

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Vol 1, Issue 12, Aug 1 -15, 2021

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POLITICS

Vol 1, Issue 12, Aug 1 -15, 2021

CM & Sidhu bury hatchet, reminiscence old times, hint at bigger battles Photo Courtesy: IANS

Chandigarh, July 23: Extending support to the protesting farmers who have been staging protests at Delhi borders for over 250 days against the three contentious farm laws enacted by the central government, Punjab Congress President Navjot Singh Sidhu on Friday said the real issue was theirs. In his maiden speech after assuming charge here, Sidhu, who shared the stage with Chief Minister Amarinder Singh after a long break, also extended an olive branch to the protesting doctors, nurses, teachers and bus conductors, who have been on roads for their demands. "My fights are not the issue, the farmers sitting in Delhi, the protesting TET qualified teachers, the problems of doctors and nurses and bus conductors are the real issues," Sidhu said. Reiterating his commitment to provide the electricity to the consumers in the state at the highly subsidized rates, Sidhu, donning his trademark

maroon Pathani suit with a scarf, asked his government that why the electricity was being purchased for Rs 12 per unit. He also talked about costly power purchase pacts signed by the previous SAD-BJP government and still continuing in the Congress government. "Choran di chori pakdi jaani chahidi ae (the thieves would be put behind the bars)," he said. For quite some time, Sidhu has been targeting the Amarinder Singh-led government in the state by saying the state must do more for domestic and industrial consumer by giving power at Rs 3-5 per unit instead of surcharge inflated Rs 10-12 per unit, along 24-hour supply with no power cuts and free power up to 300 units to all. Sidhu said there have been all sorts of speculations about him, but "positions are not the issue". "Today every Congress worker has become the president, no difference

between leader and workers," he said. Remembering his ties with Sidhu's family, Chief Minister Amarinder Singh in his speech said they would work together for the state. "I was commissioned in the Army, the year Sidhu was born. When my mother asked me to enter politics, his (Sidhu) father helped me. I used to go to his house when he was about six years old," said Amarinder Singh. Ending speculations of differences between him and Sidhu, Amarinder Singh said, "We (Sidhu and Amarinder Singh) will work together for Punjab. Not just for Punjab, but for India. We share a long border with Pakistan...Pakistan, China and now with America's departure, Taliban in Afghanistan, all of them are going to come and sit at Kashmir's border, Punjab's border," the Chief Minister said. Before Sidhu assumed the charge as the state President at the party office, Sidhu met the Chief Minister at the Punjab Bhawan here for the tea meeting. The meeting between Sidhu and Singh, who had been at loggerheads, was cordial. According to a video from the event, Sidhu greeted Amarinder Singh with folded hands and broke the ice by saying: "How are you, sir? Such a pleasure." Amarinder Singh had invited all Congress MLAs and MPs for breakfast an hour before the new team to take charge, comprising four working presidents -- Kuljit Singh Nagra, Sangat Singh Gilzian, Sukhwinder Singh Danny, and Pawan Goel.

Another jolt to BJP in Telangana as ex-minister quits

Photo Courtesy: IANS

Hyderabad, July 26: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Telangana received another setback on Monday as former minister E. Peddi Reddy quit the party. Peddi Reddy was an aspirant for the party ticket for the ensuing by-election to Huzurabad Assembly seat vacated by former minister E. Rajender. However, Rajender joined the BJP and the party decided to field him as its candidate. Peddi Reddy was opposed to Rajender's entry into the BJP. A two-time MLA from Huzurabad, Peddi Reddy had quit the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) to join the BJP

in 2019. He had served as minister during the tenure of TDP President N. Chandrababu Naidu as Chief Minister of undivided Andhra Pradesh. Peddi Reddy is the second BJP leader to quit the party in less than a week. Senior leader Motkupalli Narasimhulu resigned from the saffron party last Friday. He was also a prominent leader of the TDP in Telangana before joining the BJP. Both Peddi Reddy and Narasimhulu are likely to join the ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS). By-election to Huzurabad seat has been necessitated by the resignation of sitting legislator Rajender. He quit the TRS and resigned from Assem-

bly membership last month, more than a month after he was dropped from Cabinet by Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao following allegations that he encroached lands of some farmers.

Jaya university issue: AIADMK to hold agitation against govt

Photo Courtesy: IANS

Chennai, July 27: The AIADMK has decided to launch a state-level agitation against the DMK government after accusing it of delaying tactics in not going ahead with the university named after former Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa. The proposed university was to come up at Villupuram and had got the approval and sanction of the Governor of Tamil Nadu who is the Chancellor of the University. This was on February 25, 2021, when the Palaniswami government led by

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AIADMK was in power. However, following the election model code of conduct, the government could not take it further and was expecting to commence its operations once it was back in power after 2021 Assembly polls. The DMK government has not taken forward the implementation of the University citing lack of funds. The AIADMK leader and former minister, CVe Shanmugham termed the DMK government's delaying tactics as part of vendetta politics practiced

by the DMK. The AIADMK has termed the DMK government's action of not commencing operations of the Jaya University due to lack of funds as "fictitious and untenable". The party's state leadership has chalked out a series of agitations across the state against the DMK government's politics of vendetta by trying to scuttle and derail a University for higher education in the backward Villupuram district of the state owing to political anathema, said party leaders. CVe Shanmugham, who is also the Villupuram North district secretary of the AIADMK, led an agitation in the district on Monday against the DMK government on the issue. While speaking to IANS, CVe Shanmugam said, " This is a classic example of vendetta politics and the DMK government seems to be worried even on the name of Jayalalithaa. They should understand that by delaying this they are scuttling the higher education opportunities of a large number of students of the backward Villupuram region." The AIADMK leader also said that the DMK government, which was citing lack of funds, has no qualms in setting up a library in the name of DMK leader and late Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi by spending a mammoth amount of Rs 200 crore. The senior leadership of the AIADMK is planning an agitation across the state in a few days time to put pressure on the DMK government.

Karnataka CM Yediyurappa announces resignation Photo Courtesy: IANS

Bengaluru, July 26: Karnataka Chief Minister B.S.Yediyurappa announced his resignation on Monday while delivering a speech at a function to mark completion of his two-years in office. Yedyurappa, made the announcement teary-eyed. "I am resigning from this post. I am meeting the Governor Thavarchand Gehlot after lunch and submitting my resignation. "I thank Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah for allowing me to continue even after 75 years of age. I will be involved in party building activities in future," he said.

Amit Shah has failed the country by sowing hatred: Rahul Photo Courtesy: IANS

New Delhi, July 27: A day after five Assam Police personnel were killed in violent clashes on the Assam and Mizoram border, former Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday condoled the deaths and took a swipe at Home Minister Amit Shah saying he has failed the country by sowing hatred and distrust into the lives of people. "Heartfelt condolences to the families of those who've been killed. I hope the injured recover soon. HM (Home Minister) has failed the country yet again by sowing hatred and distrust into the lives of people. India is now reaping its dreadful consequences," he said in a tweet with the hashtag of #AssamMizoramBorder. His remarks came a day after five Assam Police personnel were killed and over 50 injured while defending the "constitutional boundary" of the state with Mizoram, as the festering border dispute between the two Northeastern states erupted into a bloody conflict on Monday. A statement from the Assam government said that five personnel had died -- Sub Inspector Swapan Roy and constables Liton Suklabaidya, M.H. Barbhuyia, N Hussain and S. Barbhuiya.

'No decision is best decision' is Congress' philosophy: Nadda Photo Courtesy: IANS

New Delhi, July 26: BJP chief J.P. Nadda said on Monday that Congress has a philosophy of ‘no decision is best decision. Nadda was speaking at a function organised at the party headquarters here to commemorate Kargil Vijay Diwas. Hitting out at the main opposition party for not taking any decision against terrorist attacks, Nadda said, "Congress has the philosophy of ‘no decision is the best decision' and whenever there is a deal in the interest of the country, its philosophy remains ‘no mission but commission'. Nationalism is a synonym of Bharatiya Janata Party. It is our responsibility to preserve this." Talking about the surgical strike and the Balakot air strike, Nadda said, "By conducting surgical strike and air strike in Balakot under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India has shown that it only means business." Emphasising that forces have been given a free hand to take decisions, Nadda said, "Since the BJP government came to power under the leadership of Modi, the defence forces have been given a free hand to take decisions after accessing the situation. This is the impact of changed leadership." He also pointed out that terrorists are punished at the earliest by the Modi government. "Earlier, a terrorist used to come to India and create disturbance for 2.5 years. The army is the same, but if the leadership is not right, the terrorist can create havoc for 2.5 years. If the leadership is right, they can be neutralised in 2.5 weeks," Nadda said. Referring to the defence acquisitions by India under the Modi government, the BJP chief said, "After the arrival of Prime Minister

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Modi, a fleet of 36 Rafale fighter aircraft is available in India. We have 28 Apache helicopters, 15 Chinook choppers, 145 ultra-light Howitzers, and 100 Vajra artillery guns. Today, India is exporting bullet-proof jackets." "We need to understand which party or leader gives importance to national security. And whose arrival and departure makes a difference,"

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Nadda said. Talking about the Kargil Vijay Diwas celebrations, Nadda said, "We celebrate it as the day of bravery. Kargil is a symbol of bravery of our soldiers. The enemy was hiding above and our brave soldiers were standing thousands of feet below. The tricolor was hoisted by attacking the enemy under adverse conditions."

BUSINESS & INVESTMENT

Vol 1, Issue 12, Aug 1 -15, 2021

We can make next 30 years the best Fuel consumers get relief, no in India's history: Mukesh Ambani revision in petrol, diesel prices Photo Courtesy: Sprout Wired

am supremely hopeful and confident about the Rise of New India. I can see that the spirit of India is more resurgent than ever before", Mukesh Ambani, Chairman, Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) wrote in Times of India. Ambani said India and the world changed dramatically at the beginning of the 1990s. Communist Soviet Union collapsed. The cold war ended. And India embarked on a bold new path of economic reforms. "Thirty years later, the global order is changing fundamentally yet again. The speed, scale and substance of this change are unprecedented, even unpredictable. Yet, one thing is absolutely predictable: India's time has come", Ambani said. "Destiny and Drive is making the 21st centur's favourite nation ready for a great leap forward. India stands at the doorstep of prosperity that is both significant and inclusive, and of delivering all-round human development through the democratic route. With faith in our potential, confidence in our collective capabilities, and unity in action, we can exceed the world's expectations", Ambani wrote. "My source of optimism is our recent past. In 1991, India showed foresight and courage in changing both the direction and determinants of its economy. These reforms liberated India's entrepreneurial energy and inaugurate an era of fast-paced growth", Ambani said. Ambani said the results are for all to see. India's GDP of $266 billion in 1991 has grown by over ten times. India's economy has become the fifth largest in the world. Poverty rates have halved despite population rising from 880 million to 1.38 billion. Key infrastructure has improved beyond recognition. Our expressways, airports and ports are now world-class, and so are many of our industries and services. "No young Indian today would believe that people had to wait for years to get a telephone or a gas connection, or that businesses had to seek government's permission to buy a computer", Ambani said. "India transformed from an economy of scarcity in 1991 into an economy of sufficiency in 2021. Now, India has to transform itself into an economy of sustainable abundance and equitable prosperity for all by 2051. In India, equity will be at the heart of our collective prosperity", Ambani said. "With our accomplishments over the

past three decades, we have earned the right to dream big. What can be a greater dream than to be able to celebrate the centenary of our independence in 2047 by making India one of the world's three wealthiest nations, on par with America and China? Is it too tall an ambition to pursue? No. My visionary father Dhirubhai Ambani, who was one of the earliest advocates of economic liberalisation in the 1980s, used to tell me - 'To think small is unbecoming of an Indian", Ambani said. How can we realise this ambition? By following our own unique Indian and atmanirbhar model of wealth creation, while cooperating with, and learning all the right lessons from, the rest of the world. Ambani has presented five broad ideas. First, So far economic reforms have benefited Indians unevenly. The disparity is neither acceptable nor sustainable. Therefore, the Indian model of development should focus on creating wealth for the people at the bottom of the economic pyramid. Our greatest advantage lies in India's continent-sized domestic market, which is still largely untapped. Our economy will begin to witness miraculous growth when we create a middle class of one billion people with rising incomes. In demographic terms, this will amount to adding all of USA and Europe combined to the current size of the Indian market. When so many people are enabled to fulfil their aspirations for a better life, they will set in motion a virtuous cycle of consumption and production. This will cause an exponential rise in young entrepreneurs, including women entrepreneurs. Investors and businesses from around the world will want to participate in this humungous India Opportunity. To achieve this might have seemed impossible in the past. Not so now. Hence, my second idea. This is the age of technological disruption and acceleration. The world will witness more changes over the next 30 years than seen in the previous 300 years. After losing out in the first two Industrial Revolutions, and catching up on the third, India now has an opportunity to lead the Fourth Industrial Revolution. By speedily deploying its technologies, our entrepreneurs can achieve quantum increases in productivity and efficiency. This will transform not only our large industries and services, but also agriculture, MSMEs, construction, renewable energy, arts and crafts, etc. These are precisely the areas with the highest potential to create large-scale employment, which is India's most pressing need. These technologies can help us achieve quality, affordability and equity in education, healthcare and housing at scale - a dire necessity since our population is expected to rise to 1.64 billion by 2050. They also have the power to reverse degradation of the environment and make it safe for all. In short, technology-led development is the surest way to create a better India and a more equal India for every Indian. Third, To turn these exciting possibilities into realities, India should become a nation of innovators. Traditionally, India has been highly innovative in low-tech activities. Now we have to replicate this prow-

ess using hi-tech tools so that they become facilitators of faster growth. Innovation will help our entrepreneurs provide high-quality, yet extremely affordable, services and solutions to meet India's needs. The same can also be offered to export markets, where they will fetch higher value. Wealth will thus migrate from developed countries to India. Of course, a critical requirement to achieve this goal is rapid re-skilling of our workforce and reforms in our education system to make our children and youth future-ready. Specifically, we must expeditiously build world-class universities and research centres and also upgrade existing institutions to serve India's 21st century needs. Fourth, We need to change our understanding of wealth and the ways to pursue it and bring them in alignment with India's ancient wisdom rooted in the primacy of empathy. For too long, we have been measuring wealth only in personal and financial terms. We have neglected the truth that India's true wealth lies in achieving 'Education for All', 'Health for All', 'Employment for All', 'Good Housing for All', 'Environmental Safety for All', 'Sports, Culture and Arts for All' and 'Opportunities for Self-Development for All' - in short, 'Happiness for All'. To attain these redefined parameters of prosperity, we have to bring care and empathy to the core of everything we do in business and society. Furthermore, our concept of prosperity of the people has to be extended to prosperity of our planet. After all, India is called upon to play a leading role in realising the daunting 2050 Climate Action goals. Therefore, at Reliance our newest and most ambitious business initiative is aimed at offering 'Affordable Green Energy' solutions to India and the global market. Fifth, the Indian model of wealth creation requires reconceptualization of entrepreneurship itself. Tomorrow's successful businesses will be partnerships and platforms, which promote both healthy competition and fruitful collaboration. Moreover, running enterprises of the future cannot be a solo play. Ambani said at Reliance, we see it is orchestration of professionals and employees with an 'ownership mindset', joined by partners, and investors, all working for the common goal of what Mahatma Gandhi called 'Antyodaya' (welfare and wellbeing of the last man). "Having begun my own business career when India was still in the pre-reforms era, I am supremely hopeful and confident about the Rise of New India. I can see that the spirit of India is more resurgent than ever before", Ambani said. "Let us accelerate our nation's forward march with positivity, purpose and passion. True, the road ahead is not easy. But let us not be deterred by unexpected and temporary problems, such as the pandemic, or distracted by unimportant issues that dissipate our energies. We have the opportunity, also a responsibility towards our children and youth, to make the next thirty years the best ever in independent India's history", Ambani added.

New Delhi, July 26: Oil marketing companies (OMC) continued to pause fuel price revision for the ninth consecutive day on Monday, the longest period in weeks, as global development on oil production and rising US inventories has softened crude and product prices. However, they stopped short of reducing the retail price of petrol and diesel as more time will be required to study oil price movement before any downward revision. Already, crude has firmed a bit for last few days and this could prevent price cut by OMCs. With no change in prices on Monday, petrol continues to be sold in the national capital for Rs 101.84 per litre, while diesel is also being sold at the unchanged price of Rs 89.87 a litre. The pump price of fuel has been static since July 18. It rose a day before that with petrol being revised upwards by 30 paisa per litre while diesel prices remained unchanged. One of the main reasons for pause in fuel price rise is an over 10 per cent fall seen in global oil prices with benchmark crude sliding to $69 a barrel from a high of over $77 barrel just couple of weeks back. It had again risen to over $73 a barrel on strong demand projections.

Photo Courtesy: Social News XYZ

With OPEC reaching an agreement to raise crude production, oil prices are expected to remain soft. This could make way for fuel prices in India to actually fall after a long interval. In the city of Mumbai, where petrol prices crossed Rs 100 mark for the first time ever on May 29, the fuel price is at Rs 107.83 per litre. Diesel prices in the city is also at Rs 97.45, the highest among metros. Petrol prices in all metros have now crossed the Rs 100 per litre mark. The price pause comes after fuel

Currency Squeeze: Rupee expected to weaken further H

Photo Courtesy: IANS

igh imported commodity prices is expected to weaken the Indian rupee against the US dollar during the trade week ahead, experts opined. Besides, the possibility of IPO money outflow to foreign venture capitalists will impact rupee's position via-a-vis USD. Last week, rupee consolidated in a narrow range and has been having a muted reaction despite various data releases. "Indian rupee is expected to weaken against the US dollar in the coming week due to higher crude prices and a possible outflow of IPO money going back to foreign venture capitalists," said Sajal Gupta, Head, Forex and Rates at Edelweiss Securities. The rupee closed at Rs 74.5650 per USD on last Friday. "The safe-haven bets for dollar are still intact and after Powell's testimony FX traders aren't convinced over the insistence of dovish outlook," Rahul Gupta, Head Of Research- Currency, Emkay Global Financial Services. "Better than expected US retail sales data will appreciate the USDINR

spot, rising bets for earlier than expected Fed Rate hike or tapering." Experts predict a range of USDINR(Spot) is expected to trade with a positive bias and quote in the range of 74.20 and 75.20. "Next week, in the first half of the week we expect the momentum to remain relatively low as market participants remain cautious ahead of the ECB policy statement," said Gaurang Somaiya , Forex & Bullion Analyst, Motilal Oswal Financial Services.

Photo Courtesy: IANS

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performance of the group's listed entities propelled its portfolio to cross $100 billion in market capitalisation in the very first week of this new financial year. "This valuation milestone is a first for a first-generation Indian company. While there is reason to feel proud, valuations are simply an outcome - what truly matters to me is the path that led us here - and even more importantly, the path we have charted ahead," he said. "I credit our performance and resilience to the core values that we believe in. These values drive our purpose of Nation Building - and this past year further reinforced my faith in our organisational values," Adani said. On the recent reports on accounts of three FPIs holding significant investment in Adani companies being suspended, the Chairman said that

the group is "few media houses indulged in reckless and irresponsible reporting related to administrative actions of regulators". This caused unexpected fluctuations in the market prices of Adani stocks, he added. "We are inter-generational holders of equity. We focus on creating long term sustainable value for our partners, our minority investors and ourselves."

"Expectation is that the central bank could continue to remain dovish thereby keeping gains capped for the EURUSD pair." However, Devarsh Vakil- Deputy Head of Retail Research at HDFC Securities said: "The near-term outlook for the rupee remains bullish however central bank is likely to absorb the inflows and that would limit the upside in the near term." "We expect rupee to trade in a range of 74.30-74.80 in the near term."

Airtel, Intel announce collaboration to accelerate 5G in India

India can become $15 tn economy in 2 decades: Gautam Adani dani Group Chairman Gautam Adani has said that India can become a $15 trillion economy in the next two decades and also turn out to be among the largest global markets. Addressing the Annual General Meeting (AGM) of Adani Group, he noted that although there will be bumps along the road, the largest middle class that will ever exist, augmented by an increase in the working age and consuming population share, will have a positive impact on India's growth "India will be a 5 trillion-dollar economy - and then go on to be a 15 trillion-dollar-plus economy over the next two decades. India will emerge as one of the largest global markets, both in terms of consumption size and market cap," he said. On the group achieving the $100 billion market cap, he said that the

prices increased on 41 days and remained unchanged on 46 days since May 1. The 41 increases has taken up petrol prices by Rs 11.44 per litre in Delhi. Similarly, diesel increased by Rs 9.14 per litre in the national capital. Since April 2020, petrol prices have increased by Rs 32.25 per litre from Rs 69.59 a litre to Rs 101.84 a litre now in Delhi. Similarly, diesel prices during the period has increased by Rs 27.58 per litre from Rs 62.29 to Rs 89.87 a litre in the national capital.

he collaboration is part of Airtel's 5G roadmap for India as it transforms its networks to allow its customers to reap the full possibilities of the hyperconnected world where Industry 4.0 to cloud gaming and virtual/augmented reality become an everyday experience. Airtel is the first telecom operator in India to demonstrate 5G over a LIVE network and is conducting 5G trials in major cities. Airtel will deploy Intel's latest third

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generation Xeon Scalable processors, FPGAs and eASICs, and Ethernet 800 series across its network to build a solid foundation for rolling out wide-scale 5G, mobile edge computing and network slicing. As members of the O-RAN Alliance, Airtel and Intel will work closely for developing a range of Make in India 5G solutions and enabling worldclass telecom infrastructure in India through local partners. Open radio access network (O-RAN)

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will be an area of innovation and creativity in the coming years. These O-RAN platforms will leverage Intel FlexRAN, a reference architecture with both software and hardware components, and enable software-based radio base stations that can run-on general-purpose servers located at the network edge. Randeep Sekhon, CTO - Bharti Airtel said, "Airtel is delighted to have Intel as a part of its rapidly expanding partner ecosystem for 5G. Intel's cutting-edge technologies and experience will contribute immensely to Airtel's mission of serving India with world-class 5G services. We also look forward to working with Intel and home-grown companies to unlock India's potential as a global 5G hub." Dan Rodriguez, Intel corporate vice president, Network Platforms Group said, "Being able to digitally power the vibrant population of India's connected users requires scalable and agile networks that can evolve to address the growing demands of its users. Airtel is delivering their next-generation enhanced network with a breadth of Intel technology, including Intel Xeon Scalable processors and FlexRAN software to optimize RAN workloads with embedded intelligence, to scale their infrastructure and deliver on the promise of a connected India."

BUSINESS & INVESTMENT

Vol 1, Issue 12, Aug 1 -15, 2021

Amazon may soon allow digital Internet needs a native currency like Bitcoin: Twitter CEO currency as payment mode

Photo Courtesy: IANS

Photo Courtesy: India Retailing

mazon may allow users to pay in cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin soon as the e-commerce giant is hiring a digital currency and blockchain product lead for its payments team. According to a latest job listing, Amazon's Payments Acceptance & Experience team is "seeking an experienced product leader to develop Amazon's Digital Currency and Blockchain strategy and product roadmap". "You will leverage your domain expertise in Blockchain, Distributed Ledger, Central Bank Digital Currencies and Cryptocurrency to develop the case for the capabilities which should be developed, drive

overall vision and product strategy, and gain leadership buy-in and investment for new capabilities," the company posted. The product lead will work closely with teams across Amazon, including AWS to develop the roadmap for the customer experience, technical strategy and capabilities as well as the launch strategy. Amazon doesn't accept cryptocurrencies as payment yet. A company spokesperson told Insider that it was "inspired by the innovation happening in the cryptocurrency space and are exploring what this could look like on Amazon." Amazon Web Services (AWS), the

Cloud arm of Amazon, currently offers a managed blockchain service. The new digital currency and blockchain product lead would "need to operate with a high level of autonomy and operate analytically, working backwards from data and customer insights to build new and innovative solutions to unsolved problems", the company further said. Tech giant Apple posted a similar listing in May for a business development manager "working in or with alternative payment providers, such as digital wallets, BNPL, Fast Payments, cryptocurrency, and etc." Tesla and Twitter are bullish on Bitcoin as the next payment mode. The online world needs a global currency, and our focus is on Bitcoin because with this cryptocurrency, we can reach every single person on the planet, Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey has stressed. Meanwhile, Tesla CEO Elon Musk has confirmed that the company is "most likely" going to resume taking Bitcoin payments after some due diligence on the improvements in the energy mix used to mine the cryptocurrency.

San Francisco, July 23: The online world needs a global currency, and our focus is on Bitcoin because with this cryptocurrency, we can reach every single person on the planet, Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey has stressed. A staunch supporter of Bitcoin, Dorsey said that the world of cryptocurrency allows speed, a lot more innovation and opens up entirely new use cases. "If the Internet has a native currency, a global currency, we are able to move faster with products such as Super Follows, e-commerce, Subscription, Tip Jar and we can reach every single person on the planet," Dorsey said during the Q2 investors' call on Thursday. "There are three trends relevant to Twitter and our shareholders. AI, decentralisation and the Internet, finally having access to a global native currency in Bitcoin. All these will help us do our jobs better and we intend to lead the way in each," he emphasised. In Q2 2021, Twitter saw its revenue reached $1.19 billion, an increase of 74 per cent (year-over-year). The micro-blogging platform now has 206 million average monetisable DAU (mDAU) in Q2, up 11 per cent.

"As we enter the second half of 2021, we are shipping more, learning faster, and hiring remarkable talent. There's a tremendous opportunity to get the whole world to use Twitter," said Dorsey. Dorsey and rap artist Jay-Z recently announced to invest 500 Bitcoins (approximately Rs 174 crore) in an endowment to fund Bitcoin development with a focus on India and Africa. For Dorsey, Bitcoin is like poetry and that he sees ample opportunity for

Bitcoin to bring about a sea change in the world. "Most people access the internet on mobile. Any solution we build must provide an excellent experience when using mobile, despite its shortcomings and liabilities. An uncompromising focus on mobile interaction is likely to include the most people," he had said. He has announced plans to consider making a hardware wallet for Bitcoin for the customers of its digital payments services company Square.

Tesla to resume taking Swiggy raises over Rs 9,357 cr Bitcoin payment: Elon Musk after Zomato’s bumper IPO Photo Courtesy: IANS

San Francisco, July 22: Tesla CEO Elon Musk has confirmed that the company is "most likely" going to resume taking Bitcoin payment after some due diligence on the improvements in the energy mix used to mine the cryptocurrency. During the ‘B Word' conference, Musk said on Wednesday that there have been improvements already and Tesla will do more due diligence to confirm, but he expects the automaker will resume accepting crypto payment, reports Electrek.

"I wanted a little bit more due diligence to confirm that the percentage of renewable energy usage is most likely at or above 50 per cent, and that there is a trend toward increasing that number, and if so Tesla would resume accepting bitcoin," Musk said. "Most likely the answer is that Tesla would resume accepting bitcoin," he added. The Tesla CEO also confirmed that he has a significant personal invest-

ment into bitcoin on top of Tesla's investment and he has smaller Ethereum and Dogecoin holdings. Over the last year, Tesla has been delving deep into the cryptocurrency world at different levels. Earlier this year, Tesla invested $1.5 billion in Bitcoin. Shortly after, the automaker started accepting the cryptocurrency as payment on new vehicles. Later, CEO Musk even talked about the potential of Tesla starting to accept Dogecoin as payment for its vehicles. However, a few days later, Tesla took a step back with crypto by removing the Bitcoin payment option. The company noted concerns over the energy needs of the Bitcoin network. This is a concern that many Tesla community members shared when Tesla first announced its Bitcoin investment and many were angered by the fact that the company didn't think about it in the first place. At the time, Tesla noted that they were not selling their stake in Bitcoin and that they planned to resume taking Bitcoin payments once the network shows a higher mix of renewable energy.

$18bn worth of loans to India realty under 'severe stress', $67bn stress-free

Photo Courtesy: IANS

Mumbai, July 26: Around $18 billion of the total loan advances to the Indian real estate by banks, NBFCs and HFCs are currently under severe stress, while a majority, around $67 billion, is completely stress-free, according to a report by Anarock Capital. The stress-free portion accounts for 67 per cent of the total loan advances of $100 billion. Another 15 per cent, is under some pressure but has scope for resolution with certainty on at least the principal amount, according to the report. The report noted that around 18 per cent of the overall lending to Indian real estate is under 'severe

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stress', implying that there has been high leveraging by the concerned developers who have either limited or extremely poor visibility of debt servicing due to multiple factors. Shobhit Agarwal, MD and CEO of Anarock Capital, said: "Covid-19 has had a cascading impact across sectors, and 'severely stressed' loans levels in Indian real estate were expected to go up substantially. However, real estate, particularly the residential segment, has fared better than anticipated. "Towards 2019-end, of the total real estate loan of $93 billion, at least 16 per cent was severely stressed. Despite the devastation of the pandemic over the last one year, only 18

per cent of the total $100 billion loan value falls under this category. This is definitely far better than other major sectors such as telecom and steel." He also noted that, the entire 'severely stressed' loan value in real estate is spread across more than 50 developers. In telecom and steel, default by a single company equals a sizable portion of the overall stress in the real estate sector. Also, every real estate loan is backed by hard security, which is anywhere between 1.5 to 2 times. "Even if the loan is NPA, there is enough security for the lenders to recover a significant portion of their money," Agarwal said The overall contribution of NBFCs and HFCs (including trusteeships) towards the total lending to Indian real estate is at 63 per cent. Individually, banks accounted for the largest share of total realty loans with 37 per cent per cent followed by HFCs with around 34 per cent, and NBFCs have 16 per cent and 13 per cent loans given under trusteeships. Interestingly since 2013, the share of NBFCs and HFCs has grown considerably, at the expense of banks. However, in the past 4-8 quarters, banks have been more active than NBFCs

Photo Courtesy: IANS

Bengaluru, July 20: After its rival Zomato witnessed a mega IPO last week, Swiggy on Tuesday announced the closing of a $1.25 billion (over Rs 9,357 crore) fundraise led by SoftBank Vision Funds 2 and its long-term investor Prosus, one of the largest technology investors in the world. The food delivery platform said that the fresh investment will further accelerate its multi-year strategy of growing its core food delivery business and building new food and non-food adjacencies in 2021 and beyond, as it expects the total addressable market for convenience to grow to 500 million users in the next decade. Swiggy said it will enhance its capabilities in technology and artificial intelligence (AI), and strengthen teams across engineering, product, data science and analytics as well as in business and supply chain for its newer initiatives. "The scope of food delivery in India is massive and over the next few years, we will continue to invest aggressively into growing this category. Our biggest investments will be in our non-food businesses that have witnessed tremendous consumer love and growth in a short span, especially in the past 15 months of the pandemic," said Sriharsha Majety, CEO, Swiggy. The Swiggy funding marks the first investment in the Indian food delivery category by SoftBank Vision Fund 2, with participation by existing investors, Accel Partners and Wellington Management. In addition, Swiggy welcomed new investors Qatar Investment Authority, Falcon Edge Capital, Amansa Capital, Goldman Sachs, Think

Investments and Carmignac. The company said that the fundraise was heavily oversubscribed following strong interest from investors, and comes on the back of its rapid recovery from the impacts of Covid-19 and subsequent growth in 2020-21. "We are excited to partner with Swiggy as they increase their service offerings and daily consumer touchpoints in the rapidly developing digital economy," said Munish Varma, Managing Partner, SoftBank Investment Advisers. Swiggy has expanded its pick-up and drop service, Swiggy Genie, to 65 cities and deepened the presence of its meat delivery service in key markets. Supr Daily, Swiggy's daily grocery delivery service, is now present across major cities, the company said.

"I believe the next 10-15 years offer a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for companies like Swiggy as the Indian middle class expands and our target segment for convenience grows to 500 million users," said Majety. To relieve some of the stress of the Covid-19 pandemic, Swiggy launched the Jumpstart programme, supporting over 50,000 restaurants last year. Founded in 2014, Swiggy currently connects consumers to over 1,50,000 restaurant partners and stores in over 500 cities. "Swiggy has a steadfast commitment to delivering unparalleled service to consumers, fulfilling their needs across a range of services, while striving to be the most desirable platform for restaurants and delivery partners," said Larry Illg, CEO, Prosus Food.

Zomato delivers stellar debut; Mcap reaches Rs 1L cr Photo Courtesy: IANS

Mumbai, July 23: Stocks of online food delivery platform Zomato made a stellar debut on stock markets with market valuation crossing Rs 1 lakhcrore-mark. Around 1 p.m., its shares on the BSE were trading at Rs 125.90, higher by Rs 10.90 or 9.48 per cent from the issue price of Rs 76 per share. On the BSE, it got listed at Rs 115 a share. Further, on the National Stock Exchange, its shares were trading at Rs 125.85, against the issue price of Rs 76. It got listed on the NSE at Rs 116 per share. Post the stellar debut, the market capitalisation of Zomato is around Rs 1 lakh crore. The much-anticipated initial public

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offering (IPO) of Zomato was subscribed over 38 times by the end of the final day of the issue on Friday. According to data on the BSE website, qualified institutional buyers (QIB) subscribed 51.79 times of their earmarked portion. The portion of the non-institutional investors was subscribed 32.96 times. Furthermore, retail investors subscribed 7.45 times of the portion allocated to them. The portion reserved for employees was subscribed 0.62 times. "Zomato, India's leading online food delivery company, listed strongly on the exchanges today with 53 per cent premium at Rs 116 per Share against its issue price of Rs 76 per share," said Sneha Poddar, Research Analyst, Broking & Distribution, Motilal Oswal Financial Services.

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"Such stellar debut on exchanges led to its market capitalization crossing Rs 1 lakh crore. Despite the large size of IPO at Rs9,375 crore and rich valuations, the company saw healthy overall subscription of '38x'."

SCI-FI

Vol 1, Issue 12, Aug 1 -15, 2021

HP unveils next-gen gaming PCs in India Photo Courtesy: IANS

New Delhi, July 26: With an aim to expand its gaming PC portfolio, HP on Monday launched its next-generation mainstream gaming PC portfolio Victus by HP in India. The Victus by HP E series laptops powered by AMD Ryzen Processor start at Rs 64,999 and would be available on Amazon India, while Victus by HP D series laptops powered by Intel 11th Processor starts

at Rs 74,999. It will be available on Reliance digital stores in the coming weeks. "We are on the cusp of a major gaming boom in India based on the rising popularity of gaming witnessed in the last few years," Vickram Bedi, Senior Director (Personal Systems), HP India Market, said in a statement. "For youngsters in India, gaming is increasingly becoming a passion

point like music or any other sport," Bedi added. The new gaming notebook range comprises a 16-inch unique laptop design in two attractive colours, Mica Silver and Performance blue, ideal for both casual and experienced gamers. Designed for both veteran gamers and enthusiast explorers, Victus is built with the DNA of HP's powerful OMEN gaming lineup. It will be available in India in two processor options -- AMD Ryzen and Intel Core processors. Both models provide an accessible, affordable, and elevated gaming experience with an FHD IPS 144Hz Display, audio from Bang & Olufsen, an all-purpose backlit gaming keyboard, powerful NVIDIA GeForce RTXTM graphics, and an upgraded cooling system. With a pre-installed Omen Gaming Hub, the device offers features like undervolting, performance mode, network booster, and system vitals. As per HP India's Gaming Landscape Report 2021, around 60 per cent of Indian gamers want to spend under Rs 1 lakh for a gaming PC and Victus portfolio can be their preferred gaming PC option.

Polarised posts travel faster on social media: Study Photo Courtesy: IANS

n social media, posts with polarised or controversial views travel faster than the non-controversial ones, say researchers, adding that disagreement seems to spread online posts faster and further than agreement. To reach this conclusion, the team from University of Central Florida (UCF) in the US analysed more than 47,000 posts on public discussion platform Reddit. Approximately 23,000 posts were labeled controversial and about 24,000 were noncontroversial. The researchers found an association between controversially labeled comments and the collective attention that the audience paid to them.

For the controversial posts, there were more than 60,000 total comments, whereas for the noncontroversial posts, there were less than 25,000 total comments. The researchers found that these posts were seen by nearly twice the number of people and traveled nearly twice as fast when compared to posts not labeled controversial. The study is important because it shows that disagreement may be a powerful way to get people to pay attention to messages, said study co-author Ivan Garibay. However, he advised caution to those inducing disagreement in their social media posts. "There may be an incentive in terms

of influence and audience size for a social media user to consistently include controversial and provocative topics on their posts," Garibay said. "This benefits the person posting the messages. However, controversial comments can be divisive, which could contribute to a polarised audience and society," he added in a paper published in the Journal of Computational Social Science. Reddit posts are also more akin to word-of-mouth communication since they are user generated and not paid advertising. The study's findings are consistent with past research that has found that traditional controversy increases the spread of word of mouth and discussions online, especially when contributions are anonymous, as they somewhat are on Reddit. Jasser Jasser, a doctoral student in UCF's Department of Computer Science and the study's lead author, said the findings highlight the need to better understand why the content labeled in Reddit as controversial spreads. "The next step in this work is to analyse the language used to induce such controversy and why it brings the attention of the social media users," Jasser added.

realme 1st Android brand to launch magnetic wireless charging: Report

Photo Courtesy: IANS

New Delhi, July 27: Smartphone brand realme is set to launch a new device with MagDart wireless magnetic charger which will be the first in the Android ecosystem. An apparent take on Apple's MagSafe technology, the realme Flash smartphone will use magnetic wireless charging. Looks bulky in the first look, Realme MagDart will clip onto the back of the device and pump out an undisclosed amount of power, reports GSMArena.

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"The charging speeds will exceed 15W and that Realme's solution will be the fastest magnetic charger in the world once it launches," the report said on Monday. The charger also packs a USB-C connector. The smartphone will have one 12GB and 256GB variant. ‘Realme Flash' with a triple camera system at the rear is likely to house Snapdragon 888 chip with Android 11 with Realme UI 2.0 on top. MagSafe is a new feature on all iPhone 12 models that allows for

magnetic accessories to be attached to the back of the devices. The MagSafe technology features an array of magnets around the wireless charging coil at the back of the iPhone 12 in a beautifully placed ring, optimised for alignment and efficiency. MagSafe chargers efficiently provide up to 15W of power, while still accommodating existing Qi-enabled devices, meaning you can still use any standard Qi-compatible wireless charger.

AI helping researchers improve solar data from the Sun

Photo Courtesy: IANS

Washington, July 25: Researchers are utilising artificial intelligence (AI) techniques to calibrate some of NASA's images of the Sun, helping improve the data that scientists use for solar research. Launched in 2010, NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) has provided high-definition images of the Sun for over a decade. The Atmospheric Imagery Assembly, or AIA, is one of two imaging instruments on SDO and looks constantly at the Sun, taking images across 10 wavelengths of ultraviolet light every 12 seconds. This creates a wealth of information of the Sun like no other, but - like all Sun-staring instruments -- AIA degrades over time, and the data needs to be frequently calibrated, NASA said in a statement. To overcome this challenge, scientists decided to look at other options to calibrate the instrument, with an eye towards constant calibration. Machine learning, a technique used in artificial intelligence, seemed like a perfect fit.

To start, the team would teach the algorithm what a solar flare looked like by showing it solar flares across all of AIA's wavelengths until it recognised solar flares in all different types of light. Once the programme can recognise a solar flare without any degradation, the algorithm can then determine how much degradation is affecting AIA's current images and how much calibration is needed for each. "This was the big thing. Instead of just identifying it on the same wavelength, we're identifying structures across the wavelengths," said Dr Luiz Dos Santos, a solar physicist at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, and lead author on the paper published in the journal Astronomy & Astrophysics. "It's also important for deep space missions, which won't have the option of sounding rocket calibration. We're tackling two problems at once." Since AIA looks at the Sun in multiple wavelengths of light, research-

ers can also use the algorithm to compare specific structures across the wavelengths and strengthen its assessments. As machine learning advances, its scientific applications will expand to more and more missions. "For the future, this may mean that deep space missions -- which travel to places where calibration rocket flights aren't possible -- can still be calibrated and continue giving accurate data, even when getting out to greater and greater distances from Earth or any stars," said NASA.

New crypto malware targeting Windows, Linux systems: Microsoft Photo Courtesy: IANS

New Delhi, July 25: Microsoft has warned customers about a new crypto mining malware that can steal credentials, remove security controls, spread via emails and ultimately drop more tools for human-operated activity. Called 'LemonDuck', the crypto mining malware is targeting Windows and Linux systems, spreading via phishing emails, exploits, USB devices and brute force attacks in various countries, including India. "LemonDuck's threat to enterprises is also in the fact that it's a cross-platform threat. It's one of a few documented bot malware families that targets Linux systems as well as Windows devices," warned Microsoft 365 Defender Threat Intelligence Team. The malware can quickly take advantage of news, events, or the release of new exploits to run effective campaigns. "For example, in 2020, it was observed using Covid-19-themed lures in email attacks. In 2021, it exploited newly patched Exchange Server vulnerabilities to gain access to outdated systems," Microsoft informed. This threat, however, does not just limit itself to new or popular vulnerabilities. It continues to use older vulnerabilities, which benefit the attackers at times when focus shifts to patching a popular vulnerability rather than investigating compromise.

"Notably, LemonDuck removes other attackers from a compromised device by getting rid of competing malware and preventing any new infections by patching the same vulnerabilities it used to gain access," said the company. In the early years, LemonDuck targeted China heavily, but its operations have since expanded to include many other countries — the US, India, Russia, China, Germany, the UK, Korea, Canada, France, and Vietnam. "Once inside a system with an Outlook mailbox, as part of its normal exploitation behaviour, LemonDuck attempts to run a script that utilises the credentials present on the device," the Microsoft team said. The script instructs the mailbox to send copies of a phishing message with preset messages and attachments to all contacts. Because of this method of contact messaging, security controls that rely on determining if an email is sent from a suspicious sender don't apply. "This means that email security

policies that reduce scanning or coverage for internal mail need to be re-evaluated, as sending emails through contact scraping is very effective at bypassing email controls," the company suggested. Last Monday, US President Joe Biden's administration finally came out publicly against China's involvement in cybercrimes, accusing it of running a massive global operation of "state-sponsored activities" causing billions of dollars of losses to victims. In a show of solidarity indicating the serious global repercussions, all the 30 NATO allies and the European Union, Australia, New Zealand, and Japan joined in indicting Beijing. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that the US and its allies had "formally confirmed" that China's Ministry of State Security (MSS) used the vulnerabilities in the Microsoft Exchange Server "in a massive cyber espionage operation that indiscriminately compromised thousands of computers and networks, mostly belonging to private sector victims".

Musk criticises Apple as Tesla posts record profit Photo Courtesy: IANS

San Francisco, July 27: Tesla CEO Elon Musk has criticised Apple, saying the iPhone maker uses more cobalt in its batteries than Tesla. After reporting a record $1.14 billion in net income in the second quarter (Q2) 2021, Musk said that the electric car-maker does not uses cobalt in its vehicles. "Tesla uses no Cobalt and almost none in the nickel-based chemistries. On a weighted average basis, we might use 2% Cobalt compared to say Apple's 100% Cobalt," he said during the earnings call on Monday. "There is somehow a misconception that Tesla use a lot of Cobalt, but we actually don't. Apple uses I think almost 100% Cobalt in their batteries in cellphones and laptops," he added. Apple is reportedly developing an electric self-driving car under a project code-named Titan. "Some cobalt mined in places like the Democratic Republic of the Congo has been linked to human rights abuses such as child labour," reports CNBC. In 2019, Apple, in addition to Tesla and other major technology companies, was named as defendants in a human rights lawsuit, according to

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The Guardian. Musk said that he needs the supercharger network to grow globally. "For the supercharger to be useful to other car companies, we need to grow the network faster than we're growing vehicle output, which is not easy. We're growing vehicle output at a hell of a rate. So Superchargers need to grow faster than vehicle output," he said.

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On Cybertruck, he said that ramping up its production "will be difficult because it's such new architecture". "It's going to be a great product, our best product ever. But there's a lot of fundamentally new design ideas in the Cybertruck. Nobody's ever really made a car like this before. A vehicle like this before," Musk told the analysts.

HEALTH

Vol 1, Issue 12, Aug 1 -15, 2021

54.7% of EU adults fully Global warming may limit vaccinated against Covid spread of dengue fever: Study Photo Courtesy: IANS

Photo Courtesy: IANS

Brussels, July 23: More than half, or 54.7 per cent, of the adult population in the European Union (EU), equivalent to over 200 million people, have been fully vaccinated against Covid-19, a European Commission spokeswoman said here. Dana Spinant, deputy chief spokesperson of the European Commission, told journalists on Thursday

that according to the latest data of the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control, 54.7 per cent of the adult population was fully vaccinated with either two doses or one dose in the case of the Johnson & Johnson jab, reports Xinhua news agency. "We have 68.4 pe rcent of adults in the EU who have received their first

dose. So we are making very significant progress. "We are among those parts of the world that have vaccinated most of their citizens, but of course, it is paramount to ensure that this is evenly shared so that we do not have areas where the virus can propagate and mutate," said Spinant. The European Commission has set its target to vaccinate at least 70 per cent of its adult population by this summer. Meanwhile, the Commission announced through a statement that Team Europe, including the EU, its institutions and all 27 member states, will donate at least 200 million doses of the Covid-19 vaccines to low- and middle-income countries by the end of the year. "Team Europe takes its responsibility in helping the world fight the virus, everywhere. Vaccination is key -- that's why it is essential to ensure access to Covid-19 vaccines to countries worldwide," President of the Commission Ursula von der Leyen said on Thursday.

Hypertension, digestive diseases and diabetes are among the top three most prevalent NCDs Photo Courtesy: Pexel

New Delhi, July 23: The Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM), the apex trade association of the country, as part of its 'Illness to Wellness' campaign, today unveiled India's largest primary healthcare survey report on the rising burden of non-communicable diseases (NCD) in the county followed by a virtual panel discussion. The report titled "Non-Communicable Diseases in India" covered 2,33,672 people and 673 public health offices in 21 states, to analyse the rising cases of NCDs in the country and the social profile of suffering households. Calling diabetes an overpowering non-communicable disease, Dr. Ambrish Mittal, Chairman and Head, Endocrinology and Diabetes Department, Max Healthcare (Pan Max), said, "Diabetes has risen exponentially in India from 2 per cent in the 1970s in urban areas to between 10-20 per cent in 2020. The cases of diabetes are even higher in metros at 35-40 per cent. This spike is linked to urbanization led by economic development and has been more prevalent in urban areas as compared to rural areas." The Covid-19 pandemic has brought a sharper focus on health care. Patterns emerging from Covid management across the country indicate that people with co-morbidities of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) have a higher mortality rate than those who do not. Report prepared by Thought Arbi-

trage Research Institute (TARI), the survey report observed that India's non-communicable disease burden is growing at an alarming rate with the average age for onset falling sharply. It reported that NCDs increase after 18 years and show a quantum leap when an individual crosses the age of 35 years. It found that more than 2/3 of the individuals suffering from NCDs are in the most productive-life age groups i.e., between 26-59 years. This is an alarming trend and points to the grim reality that the burden of NCDs on India is long-lasting given that 65 per cent of the country's population is below 35 years of age. The survey suggested that the prevalence of having any NCDs among the population is 116 per 1,000 population in India. It identified hypertension, digestive disease, and diabetes as the top three NCDs followed by respiratory diseases, brain/neurological disorders, heart diseases/CVD, kidney disorders, and cancer in the order of prevalence. Rajinder K. Dhamija, Head of Neurology Department, Lady Hardinge Medical College New Delhi said, "The cases of stroke have grown 4 times in the last 30 years. This can be attributed to changes in the lifestyle and the demography of our country. It is worth noting that the life expectancy of our population has increased from 47 years in the 1970s to 70 years today. This means that we have a large aging population that is vulnerable to neurological diseases, dementia, stroke, etc. There is also an interesting trend of

lower-income countries witnessing a rise in cases of vascular diseases like stroke and mortality, unlike developed countries that are more resourceful and yet registering a decline in such cases. This is due to an epidemic of diseases like diabetes and hypertension coupled with changes in lifestyle, an aging population, lack of physical activity, and air pollution." On a collective basis, the report identified air pollution as the most prevalent risk factor among the surveyed population. It was trailed by low physical activity -- a key metabolic and physical activity and an imbalanced diet, a behavioural risk factor that occupied 3rd spot. An imbalanced diet includes a diet low in legumes, milk, omega-3 fatty acids, vegetables, fruits, calcium etc. High consumption of sugar and trans-fats due to growing urbanisation often leads to sedentary and stressed lifestyle also contribute to factors that lead to an imbalanced diet. Interestingly, chewing tobacco and tobacco consumption were found not to play any significant role in the occurrence of NCD, and alcohol consumption was found to have an even smaller impact on the prevalence of NCD. Together these intoxications, deeply connected to modern-day lifestyle, were found to have a much lesser impact on the occurrence of NCDs. Throwing light on the co-morbidity of NCDs with each other, the study underlined that hypertension has the highest comorbidity with almost all NCDs. This is followed by diabetes, kidney, and digestive disorders in their relative simultaneous occurrence in morbidity. This coexistence, according to the survey, is followed by diabetes and respiratory diseases. On the other hand, cancer and kidney disease were found to have lower comorbidity. The state of Odisha was found to have the highest prevalence of NCDs (272 per 1,000 population) while Gujarat registered the lowest prevalence (60 per 1,000). Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and West Bengal were other states where NCD prevalence was higher than the national average. This calls for state-specific strategies to tackle NCDs.

NZ reports 19 new Covid cases in managed isolation Photo Courtesy: IANS

Wellington, July 23: New Zealand on Friday reported 19 new cases of Covid-19 in managed isolation, but no fresh community infection, according to the Ministry of Health. All of the 19 infected persons are mariners in managed isolation and quarantine facilities in Christchurch, Lyttleton Port and South Port, Xinhua news agency reported citing the Ministry as saying. Two previously reported cases have now recovered. The number of active cases in New Zealand is 80, and the total infection tally is 2,855, said the Ministry.

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New York, July 23: Global warming could limit the spread of dengue fever but could also affect Wolbachia as a biological control agent, according to new research. Researchers, at the Pennsylvania State University in the US, found that infection with the bacterium Wolbachia, which has recently been used to control viral infections in mosquitoes, also increases the thermal sensitivity of the insects. Wolbachia have been shown to prevent viruses, including dengue, from replicating inside mosquitoes. But future climate models point to increasing frequencies of extreme temperature events, making short exposures to high temperatures a threat to the survival of dengue and Wolbachia infected mosquitoes, the researchers said. "At lower temperatures, we know that dengue virus may fail to replicate fast enough to make it through the mosquito body and be transmitted, thereby reducing transmission risk," said Fhallon Ware-Gilmore, graduate student in the Department of Entomology at Penn State. "At higher temperatures, while the virus may replicate faster, our work suggests that a corresponding reduction in mosquito thermal tolerance may act as a counterforce on mosquito survival that could help to reduce transmission and potentially human disease incidence in hot-

Bird flu reported in Kerala Photo Courtesy: IANS

Thiruvananthapuram, July 23: Bird flu has been reported from a poultry farm at Koorachundu in Kerala's Kozhikode district, official sources said on Friday. Around 300 poultry birds at the farm was reported to have died on Tuesday. Following this, local authorities decided to send the samples for further testing and when the reports arrived from a laboratory, it was found out that the cause was bird flu. It was decided to immediately close down all poultry farms in a 10 sq km radius of the said locality, from which bird flu was reported. Meanwhile the authorities are now waiting for the test results from the NIHSAD, Bhopal. Officials, however, have said there need be no reason for any panic, as all the required precautionary steps to be taken have commenced and things are well under control.

ter, more climate-variable regions. Similarly, our work suggests that Wolbachia may fail to work as a biocontrol agent in hotter regions given its effect on mosquito survival," she added. For the study, published in the journal PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases, the team placed infected mosquitoes in sealed vials and then submerged the vials into a water bath heated to 42 degrees Celsius -a realistic temperature extreme that a mosquito might encounter in the wild. The researchers then measured how long it took for the mosquitoes to

become immobilised and compared the time to uninfected control mosquitoes. The team found that mosquitoes infected with dengue virus showed greater sensitivity to heat; they became immobilised almost three times faster than uninfected mosquitoes when placed in the hot water bath. Similarly, mosquitoes infected with Wolbachia became immobilised four times faster than uninfected mosquitoes. Interestingly, dengue virus and Wolbachia bacteria did not have an additive effect on mosquito thermal tolerance.

No fixed timeline can be given at present for completion of Covid vaccination: Govt Photo Courtesy: IANS

New Delhi, July 23: The government on Friday said that no fixed timeline can be indicated at present for the completion of the vaccination drive. The government said it is expected that beneficiaries aged 18 years and above will be vaccinated by December 2021. Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare Bharati Pravin Pawar in a response to Congress MP Rahul Gandhi and Lok Sabha MP Mala Roy's unstarred question said, "The Covid-19 vaccination is an ongoing and dynamic process, which is being guided by National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration for Covid-19 (NEGVAK) on the basis of concurrent scientific evidence." She said that in view of the dynamic and evolving nature of the Covid-19 pandemic, "no fixed timeline at present can be indicated for the completion of vaccination drive". Pawar said, "However, it is expected that beneficiaries aged 18 years and above will be vaccinated by December 2021." To another question by Rahul Gandhi, Pawar said, "Between August to December 2021, a total 135 crore doses of Covid-19 vaccine are expected to be available." She added that there has been no delay in entering into purchase agreements with the domestic vaccine manufacturers. "Advance

payments have also been made to manufacturers for the supply of orders placed with them," the Minister said. Pawar said, "A total of Rs 9,725.15 crore have been spent so far on the Covid-19 vaccination programme including procurement of vaccines and operational cost for vaccines."

Nearly 1 in 2 Indian adults have poor quality of life: Study New Delhi, July 23: Nearly one out of two Indian adults (46.2 per cent) have a poor quality of life, according to a survey released on Friday. The survey by Danone India, in collaboration with Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), included 2,762 adults from eight Indian cities viz Delhi, Mumbai, Lucknow, Chennai, Indore, Hyderabad, Kolkata and Patna. It was based on the mean percent scores of the four domains of Quality of Life (QoL) -- physical health, psychological health, social relationships and environment. The findings showed that more women (50.4 per cent) were found to have poor QoL than men(42 per cent). Kolkata recorded the highest percentage of adults (65 per cent) with poor QoL score, followed by Chennai (49.8 per cent), Delhi (48.5 per cent), Patna (46.2 per cent), Hyderabad (44.4 per cent), Lucknow (40 per cent) and Indore (39.2 per cent).

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Mumbai had the highest percentage of adults (68 per cent) recording a good quality of life. The survey is part of the Protein Week 2021, celebrated annually between July 24-30 to raise awareness about the importance of protein -- a macronutrient which is integral to lead a healthy and active life. While malnutrition has always been a pressing issue in India and more prevalent in children, the survey found even adults are low on nutrition. Around 91 per cent of Indian adults do not meet their everyday protein requirement. A huge gap also existed for the intake of 10 micronutrients that are important for immune function and overall health. "Around 60 per cent of women in India are anaemic and one out of eight children that are born in India are underweight. The cycle of under nutrition, thus, becomes an intergenerational cycle. Nutrition, with wider lens in India is a very big issue,

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and it plays a big role in health and health plays a big role in well being, and well being determines what I think about my quality of life," Vinita Bali, Chairperson, CII National Committee on Nutrition, told IANS. "Physical health is one of the factors which one can influence with right nutrition choices and staying active. Although more than 90 per cent of the respondents were aware about the role of physical health and nutrition only 9 per cent of respondents were getting adequate protein in their diet, which is alarming," added Himanshu Bakshi, Managing Director, Danone India, in a statement. It is imperative to maintain a healthy lifestyle through appropriate diet and adequate physical activity. It is critical that people are aware that a balanced and nutritious diet with emphasis on protein and other essential nutrients can contribute to a healthy immune system, while maintaining good strength and mobility, he said.

ART & CULTURE

Vol 1, Issue 12, Aug 1 -15, 2021

Art for all, all for art

Photo Courtesy: IANS

hen price tags speak for themselves, one really does not need to convince people that art can be affordable. Our challenge is to let more people know," says Srila Chatterjee, founder of Baro Market which will be putting together a one-week show 'The Affordable Art Show (July 31August 8) at the Method Art Space, in Mumbais heritage Arts District - Kala Ghoda. With art works starting from a base price of Rupees two

thousand, customised framing on the spot will also be offered. Conceived as a result of many bazaars that were curated at Baro with crafts and hand-made design from all over India, Chatterjee says the success of those led to a decision to set up a permanent Baro Market with small brands, craftsmen and artists pan India that they specially chose. "This was launched on March 1 2020, with just over 60 brands/ artists. On our launch weekend,

we exceeded our monthly target. Although, we were aware that part of that success was due to a new launch, it also convinced us we were on the right track. Sadly, on March 19 we shut down the physical store in face of the pandemic." Stressing that the artists associated with Baro have grown in confidence, and are therefore experimenting and trying things they might not have been ready to do before, the founder, who is also a film producer feels, "There is mutual respect and trust, and they like the way we have constantly presented them with their creations. This makes it possible for us to attempt bigger plans." Talk to her about the general reaction of the art community towards her 'affordable art' initiative, and she says, "I really cannot answer about the community but yes, at our upcoming show, we have special selections from two well-known Kolkata-based curators and major Mumbai gallery - which I assume is an indication of endorsement." While their store in Mumbai could not survive the pandemic, Chatterjee adds, "I chose to continue with the online Baro Market, which was very new. Going online was the only option at the time, and clearly that is why the brand lived on." Stressing that in these times, plans need to be fluid as no one has a valid answer as to what the world is going to be like, she says, "We decided at the start we would go with the flow and keep adapting. What I would love is to be able to grow online and reach everywhere, but at the same time, find successful ways to get people to experience, touch and feel what we offer, and to hear the stories first hand. That hybrid model is what we aim to have."

Odisha: Bahuda Yatra of Lord Jagannath, deities completed

Photo Courtesy: IANS

he Bahuda Yatra (return journey) of Lord Jagannath and his siblings, Lord Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra, to Srimandir in Puri town of Odisha was completed on Tuesday without participation of devotees. Even though the pilgrim city received heavy downpour in the afternoon, pulling of the chariots continued and all the three holy chariots of deities have reached in front of Shree Jagannath Temple in Puri this evening. After completing their nine-day sojourn to Gundicha temple, their Janma bedi (birthplace), the deities on their respective chariots reached near the Singhadwara, officials said. "With the cooperation of all including servitors, the Bahuda Yatra has been completed very smoothly. I want to thank the servitors and the people of Puri town, who obeyed all instructions of administration," said Puri collector Samarth Verma. Following the morning rituals, the trinity brought out of the Gundicha temple in procession amid loud chants of "Jai Jagannath, Hari Bola" and noises of conches and 'ghantas' by thousands of 'Sevayats'. Lord Sudarsan was the first to be brought out of the temple followed by Lord Balabhadra, Devi Subhadra

and finally Lord Jagannath. Following Chhera Panhara by Gajapati Maharaj of Puri Dibyasingh Deb, pulling of the three gigantic chariots was started by the servitors around 12.20 p.m. On the way, the trinity halted at the Mausima temple where 'poda pitha' was offered to them. Before reaching the Srimandir, Lord Jagannath's chariot was also halted in front of the palace of Gajapati Maharaja, where a ritual namely 'Lakshmi-Narayana Bheta' was per-

HK's Seema Mathew takes to brush, colours & easel to ease with cancer trauma

Photo Courtesy: IANS

Ramappa temple inscribed on UNESCO World Heritage List

Photo Courtesy: Wikipedia commons

aced with pain and a near death situation can change ones perspective and passion for lifetime. That seems to be the case with Seema Mathew, who took to painting with a single-minded devotion after her encounter with cancer. She held her exhibition in Hong Kong. Born in Bengaluru, art for Mathew was a pastime like many other Indian children. Though she was perpetually drawing, she started some sort of formal training only when she moved to Hong Kong in 2000. Though self-taught, she attended weekend art classes, and picked the brush only when she could spare time! A twist of fate, and everything changed, when for the second time, she was found to have breast cancer. Mathew's first encounter with the dreaded disease in 2004 didn't lead to a drastic change. She got better and instead of continuing being a travel agent, she decided to sell art supplies. It was the second time on,

he World Heritage Committee has inscribed Telangana's Kakatiya Rudreshwara (Ramappa) Temple on UNESCO's World Heritage List during its 44th session held online and chaired from Fuzhou (China), it announced on Sunday. The historic site was inscribed on the same day when Quanzhou: Emporium of the World in Song-Yuan China, Trans-Iranian Railway, and Spain's Paseo del Prado and Buen Retiro, a landscape of Arts and Sciences, were also added to the prestigious list. Rudreshwara, popularly known as Ramappa Temple, is located in the village of Palampet approximately 200km north-east of Hyderabad, in the state of Telangana. It is the main Shiva temple in a walled

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complex built during the Kakatiyan period (1123–1323 CE) under rulers Rudradeva and Recharla Rudra. UNESCO described the Temple in a statement: "Construction of the sandstone temple began in 1213 CE and is believed to have continued over some 40 years. The building features decorated beams and pillars of carved granite and dolerite with a distinctive and pyramidal Vimana (horizontally stepped tower) made of lightweight porous bricks, so-called 'floating bricks', which reduced the weight of the roof structures. "The temple's sculptures of high artistic quality illustrate regional dance customs and Kakatiyan culture. Located at the foothills of a forested area and amidst agricultural fields, close to the shores of the

Ramappa Cheruvu, a Kakatiya-built water reservoir, the choice of setting for the edifice followed the ideology and practice sanctioned in dharmic texts that temples are to be constructed to form an integral part of a natural setting, including hills, forests, springs, streams, lakes, catchment areas, and agricultural lands." On Saturday, five cultural sites, including one transnational property, in Saudi Arabia, Austria, Belgium, Czechia, France, Germany, Italy, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland were inscribed onto the UNESCO's World Heritage List. The inscription of sites on the World Heritage List is scheduled to continue through July 28.

formed. First Taladhwaja, the chariot of Lord Balabhadra reached Singhadwara followed by Mata Subhadra's Darpadalana and then, Nandighosha Ratha, the chariot of Lord Jagannath. The festival was organised amid tight security in adherence to Covid norms. Curfew has been imposed on the Grand Road since Monday night while CCTVs and drone cameras have been installed to keep a close eye on the event.

when the cancer came back with a vengeance making it both traumatic and frightening, that she took a life-changing decision -- pursue her dream of painting full time! Speaking to the South China Morning Post, she said: "I have always felt like the universe was trying to push me in this direction, I just never really listened. I know now that painting is what I was truly born to do." The artist's solo exhibition is titled "Origa-me", which is also the name of one of her artworks. The painting portrays a torso -- in black and white fragments -- that seem to have been fitted together to design a new form, much like the Japanese art of paper folding, origami. Elucidating on the piece, which is obviously the main one in the show, Mathew said: "The idea for Origa-me was born out of my real-life experience of undergoing multiple reconstructive surgeries in 2012. After such extensive procedures, I viewed my body as a cut-and-paste version of its former self, like an origami." The artworks on display have a deep

connection with her and embody the relationship between her and her body, which fought valiantly against cancer. She told scmp.com: "When I paint, I always choose to focus on my inner landscape, emotions and thought processes. Art keeps me motivated, as I always aim to challenge myself by constantly trying something new and pushing the boundaries of what I already know." The ongoing show has emerged after five years of work by the artist in which she used Chinese ink and water-soluble graphite on linen paper to bring to the fore similarities between human anatomy and the natural world. According to Mathew, painting has been a catharsis for her as it gave her insight into spirituality, philosophy and human nature. Art has afforded Mathew a vital catharsis, she says, and gives her a way to visually work through her spirituality, philosophies and understanding of human nature. Painting has greatly helped her to deal with all the pain she underwent while making her positive. Mathew believes that every individual has to find his/her own path to deal with life. "We all have a choice in how we react to different situations. I tried to convert my most traumatic and negative experience into something rather beautiful. If audiences were to take away one thing from this exhibition, I hope they understand that traumatic experiences do not have to bring them down. We all have a choice in how we react to these kinds of situations, and we can turn these experiences around into something positive." Mathew's exhibition ended on July 31.

Theatre stalwart Urmil Kumar Thapliyal passes away

Photo Courtesy: TOI

enowned theatre director, satirist and eminent columnist Urmil Kumar Thapliyal passed away after a prolonged illness. He was 78. His family said that Thapliyal was suffering from intestinal cancer and had been in and out of medical facilities for some time now. He returned home on July 17 after being discharged from the hospital, but breathed his last at his residence on Tuesday late evening. He is survived by his wife Bina Thapliyal, 70, son Ritesh Thapliyal,

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daughter Ritun Mishra and son-inlaw Satyendra Mishra. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has condoled the death of the well-known theatre artist and litterateur. In his condolence message, the Chief Minister said that Thapliyal enriched the world of theatre and literature with his talent. "It is difficult to compensate for the loss caused to the art and literary world by the death of Urmil Kumar Thapliyal," he said in a statement.

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LITERATURE

Vol 1, Issue 12, Aug 1 -15, 2021

'An Ugly Truth' unveils Facebook's battle for dominion

Indian publishing to be Rs 800 bn industry by 2024: EY Parthenon Photo Courtesy: IANS

Photo Courtesy: IANS

lose on the heels of media reports on the Pegasus project that some 300 Indians were targeted using spyware capable of extracting data from a phone, comes a riveting book that asks an urgent question relating to Facebook: What are the consequences for society when a few individuals are in charge of the technology used by half the worlds population? Drawing on unrivalled sources, based on more than 500 interviews, and never-before seen internal documents, "An Ugly Truth" (Hachette) by investigative journalists Sheera Frenkel and Cecilia Kang is the tech story of our times, following Facebook from its undisputed power and influence in 2011, up to its greatest challenge to date: The 2020 US Presidential Election. In November 2018, the New York Times published a bombshell indepth investigation that exposed, with disturbing insider detail, how leadership decisions at Facebook enabled, and then tried to cover up, massive privacy breaches and Russian meddling in the 2016 election. The story quickly shot to the top of the paper's most emailed list. It would earn the team of NYT reporters a prestigious Loeb award, the George Polk award, and a spot on the Pulitzer short list. But it only

skimmed the surface. Frenkel and Kang spent eighteen months piecing together the story of how one of the most powerful companies in the world tried to bury a damning truth: that Facebook has become a conduit for disinformation, hate speech, and political propaganda. The unrivalled sources of these two veteran journalists led them to perhaps the most recognizable names in the tech industry: Mark Zuckerberg and Sheryl Sandberg. Both have long existed as archetypes of uniquely 21st century executives -he, the tech "boy genius" turned billionaire; she, the ultimate woman in business, an inspiration to millions through her books and speeches. Drawing on their unrivalled sources, Frenkel and Kang take the reader inside the complex court politics, alliances and rivalries within the company, its growing political influence as well as its skirmishes with privacy groups and the FTC, to reveal that the missteps of the last four years were not an anomaly but an inevitability: this is how Facebook was built to perform. In a period of great upheaval, growth has remained the one constant under the leadership of Mark Zuckerberg and Sheryl Sandberg. Each

has stood by as their technology is co-opted by hate-mongers, criminals and corrupt political regimes across the globe, with devastating consequences. In "An Ugly Truth", they are at last held accountable. Sheera Frenkel covers cyber security from San Francisco. Previously, she spent over a decade in the Middle East as a foreign correspondent, reporting for BuzzFeed, NPR, NYT and McClatchy Newspapers. Cecilia Kang covers technology and regulatory policy out of Washington.

She joined the NYT in 2015 after ten years covering technology and business at the Washington Post. The Pegasus project reports, published in The Wire, showed that over 300 phone numbers -- including those of two serving ministers, over 40 journalists, and three opposition leaders, among others, could have been targeted for hacking through Pegasus spyware. IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw rubbished the reports of espionage while replying to questions from the opposition in Parliament on Monday.

Identifying and resolving problems arising from past experiences

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o you want to believe in yourself and your ability to be content with who you are? If the answer is yes, then "A Manual for Being Human" (Simon & Schuster) is the book you need to read. Do you want to understand how your childhood affects who you are today? How it affects your relationship with yourself and others? How school, bullying, gender expectations and even social media you consume each day affects your emotional wellbeing? Do you want to know what your emotions actually are, where they come from and how to manage them when they threaten to overwhelm you? In this practical and insightful guide, Dr Sophie Mort will help you to understand why we all feel anxious, stressed, insecure and down from time to time. Her three-step methodology, developed through years of experience supporting people to make genuine change in their lives, will help you to identify problems arising from past experiences and current life events, look at the patterns, bad habits and negative cycles that may be keeping you stuck, and then draws on established, proven therapeutic techniques such as mindfulness, journaling, self-compassion, grounding and breathing and relaxation techniques to provide a toolkit of go -- to techniques to use any time. Reassuring, knowledgeable and kind, Dr Mort offers support to those feeling lost at sea in today's trouwww.indianabroad.news

bling times and gives you the tools you need to help get the most out of life. Dr Mort has a bachelor's degree in psychology, a masters in neuroscience and a doctorate in clinical psychology, and is one of the few clinical psychologists in the world right now taking psychology out of the therapy room. Since 2018 she has helped thousands manage their emotional wellbeing by sharing her psychological expertise on Instagram, on her blog and through her online private practice. Dr Mort is an expert for the mindfulness app Happy Not Perfect and has been featured in global outlets including Vice Magazine, Girlboss, Psych Central and Teen Vogue. "A Manual for Being Human" is her first book.

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ndia, which has the second largest publishing infrastructure among the developing countries next only to China, is expected to see this grow to Rs 800 billion by 2024 from Rs 500 billion in 2019, a new report from EY Parthenon said on Wednesday. Indian Publishing is the key enabler for education attainment, continuous learning, and recreation, promoter of Indian culture, values and excellence and is one of the country's largest media-related industries, larger than print media (newspapers and magazines), digital media (social media, apps, online streaming, music, and games), filmed entertainment (movies), and radio and music, the report, drawn up in collaboration with the Association of Publishers in India (API), said. Considering the key stakeholders in the publishing industry, India is dominated by educational book publishing with a small share of trade book publishing. There are some 250 million students at the school level and more than 35 million at the higher education level. These students rely primarily on books as the medium for learning. Thus, the Indian publishing industry makes an integral part of the Indian education system. Further, the report also highlights that there is a strong correlation between access to sources of published information, such as scientific journals and research papers and the quality of research output. The industry helps with the dissemination of scientific research and plays an essential role in the advancement of research and development. The publishing industry promotes Indian culture, values and excellence by enabling the continued production of knowledge in regional languages. It also capitalises on the opportunity of continued adoption of digital platforms such as e-books in regional languages to address diverse audience segments. Though there is a paradigm shift towards the adoption of digital media, print books currently dominate (90 per cent) the publishing landscape in India. According to industry participants, digital formats account for a very small share or 8-10 per cent of the market. However, e-books and audiobooks are expected to be critical growth drivers and have a promising future in the industry. With the change in customer preferences and socio-economic and technological landscape of India, the publishing industry is innovating new modes of outreach, formats and business structures, the report says. New business models including online retail, subscriptions, bundle packages, open-access resources, and self-publishing are emerging in the industry. This provides innovative channels to reach a broader target audience and thereby changing the mode of operations for publishers. Despite the advancements in the country, the publishing industry in India faces a few legal challenges ï¿½ piracy and copyright issues. To tackle these challenges, India needs

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a strong regulatory ecosystem for copyrights, the report says. Given the business landscape in India, private publishers face significant competition from state publishing houses. On the other hand, regulations or norms related to the use of state-published materials vary across the country, inhibiting the industry from operating as a free market. Concerning India's regulatory landscape, the publishing industry witnesses a huge impact of GST. In the Indian scenario where a zero-tax slab does not exist, the introduction of five per cent GST on books can benefit both the publishing industry and the government, the report says. The report notes that the publishing industry plays a vital role in shaping the future of India. Key educational improvement targets and initiatives of the government, creation of a knowledge society, and global dissemination of Indian culture and heritage present how the publishing industry and the government can support one another to achieve these targets. One of the biggest opportunities for the Indian publishing industry is the National Education Policy (NEP). The shift would lead to the new curriculum and publishing of associated teaching-learning material where the publishing industry will have to provide textbooks and supplementary resources that enable parents, students, and teachers to adapt to the new curriculum, the report says. Additionally, a thriving research culture also demands an increase in the publishing and distribution of quality research journals. The publishing industry could actively collaborate with the research community to design, market, and distribute quality journals to a broader audience. Moreover, the publishing industry can also collaborate with government and private organizations to offer diverse content in multiple languages at various price points, and to enable greater access and affordability for end-users. It can support publications of textbooks in regional languages to align with the NEP. Commenting on the report, API President Neeraj Jain, the MD of Scholastic India, said, "We are pleased to release this report as it syncs with our mission to represent the views of members and fellow associations to stakeholders, government and the society at large on the value proposition of the industry. Through this report, we look forward to witnessing the opportunities that are highlighted and yet to be seized in the market." "The publishing industry has a promising future in India. Encouraging the publishers' involvement in policy-making reforms pertaining to the publishing industry and government's intervention in overcoming regulatory challenges are expected to transform the present landscape. Besides implementing immediate reforms, the government could also facilitate the growth of human capital in the long run," API General Secretary Subrahmanian Seshadri said.

GARDENING

Vol 1, Issue 12, Aug 1 -15, 2021

A flower offering B

risbanite Sharon Bath, who volunteers at the Shree Laxminarayan Mandir in Burbank, which reopened on July 3 with Covid-19 guidelines, as a sevadar (volunteer), got asked by the resident priest to create a flower garden around the back of temple. She narrates her experience and describes some of the sacred plants used. Back in January 2016, a friend invited me to attend the Lohri festival at Shree Laxminarayan Mandir (Hindu Temple) at Burbank in Brisbane. The atmosphere that evening was extraordinary -- warm and uplifting, and I felt blissfully happy. Later when lining up for the delicious vegetarian food, I noticed the garden needed some care. Wasting no time, I was with Subash Chand, the committee president, volunteering to tend to the garden. I started my garden seva at the temple the following week. The resident priest, Aacharya Harihar Adhikari Shastri Ji is a very sincere and devoted soul. He was pleased with my initial garden seva

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As their growth went on, I was actually in awe of how well the flowers and tulsi grew. Each day Pundit Ji lovingly watered the tulsi and flower beds during the dry hot summer months that seemed to go on forever.

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and asked me if I could create a new flower garden in a crescent shape around the back of the temple. The work proceeded quickly; the grass was dug up and flowers and tulsi were planted. Some temple devotees offered their help along the way. I remember at one stage the ground was very hard, and just as I wondered, “How can I possibly dig in this?" some young people (originally from Gujrat) turned up and offered their services. I met people from all parts of India, Nepal, and Fiji, and everyone was so welcoming and friendly. I must add that we had some really interesting discussions. In my heart, I wanted to finish the garden before the Shivratri festival. I

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experienced many a sweet moments in the lead up to this extremely sacred time. The temple’s atmosphere was very pure and I thoroughly enjoyed working there; to do seva at a place of worship is truly a great privilege. Devotees from the temple and friends donated garden tools as well as cow manure and gypsum to break up the clay and soil. All this was rather encouraging. I had in mind to plant flowers and plants that were sacred to the divine, like tulsi. As their growth went on, I was actually in awe of how well the flowers and tulsi grew. Each day Pundit Ji lovingly watered the tulsi and flower beds during the dry hot summer months that seemed to go on forever. My passion for growing sacred plants was one of the reasons I volunteered at the temple. I donated hundreds of home-grown tulsi plants and many other plants too. As I wanted, the garden was completed for Shivratri, and then I expanded the garden bed once again; this work was finished around Navratri. During Navratri two beautiful garlands made from temple-grown flowers were offered to Goddess Durga and Lord Ganesh. Ram Naumi was celebrated in grand style at Shree Laxminarayan Mandir. Flowers planted in the new garden at Shree Laxminarayan Mandir These were the flowers planted by me at the temple garden. Marigolds: These very popular flowers are used extensively for offerings and garland making. They are auspicious in all respects. Marigolds were sacred to the Aztecs, later they were offered to Lord Jesus’ Mother,Mary – and named after her. The flowers were called Mary’s-gold because the early Christians offered golden flowers instead of gold coins to her altar. Marigolds are offered to Shree Laxmi, Lord Vishnu and Lord Ganesh. They are hardy flowers and come in a range of colours: copper red, yellow and orange. They are symbols of the sun and creativity. Marigolds will happily self-seed. Zinnias: The colours of zinnia flowers come in bright combinations that Indian people are not afraid to mix: hot pink, orange, yellow and white. Zinnias are grown as annuals, they are an easy flower to grow in Brisbane, and they will put up with hot sun, and readily self-seed. Zinnias come in two sizes a miniature variety and a larger variety. Originally they are from North and South America and Mexico. Petunias: These flowers are originally from South America. They come in many attractive colours, deep purple, blue, red, and pink and many other shades. There is also a striped variety. They will put up with hot and harsh conditions. Shree Laxmi is said to love all these bright, attrac-

Some guidelines for the use of plants in worship 1. Always express gratitude to the plant. You may repeat a mantra while plucking its bloom. 2. Flower buds should not be offered. Buds of champa and lotus are two exceptions. 3. Flowers found on the ground should not be offered. There are two exceptions, fallen Parijata flowers (coral jasmine) and Bakula flowers (Elengi tree); these may be offered. 4. Pick the flowers after your bath and before sunset. Never pick a flower at night. 5. Never offer stale flowers, or flowers eaten by insects or smelt (enjoyed) by anyone. 6. Red flowers are preferable for worshipping the Goddess, however in the case of roses, lotus and kaner(oleander flowers) all colours are all considered to be of equal value. 7. Fragrant Screw Pine and Champa are not offered to Lord Shiva. Ketaki flowers and Tulsi leaves are not offered to Lord Ganesh. Poisonous plants are not offered to Lord Vishnu. tive colours. Madagascar or Rosy Periwinkles: These sweet flowers are a charming sight, most commonly they come in shades of pink. There are two white varieties planted at the temple, along with red and pink shades. Periwinkles are an easy to grow evergreen plant; however they tend to look a little sad in cold weather. Rosy periwinkles will happily self-seed and will even take over your garden if you let them. The hot pink rosy periwinkles blend nicely with yellow, orange and rusty red marigolds. Salvia: We have a few varieties of salvia planted at the temple. Salvias are easy to grow in Brisbane. Their blooms are long-lasting and will attract bees and butterflies. Salvias enjoy a sunny spot in the garden. The colours of salvias planted at the temple are red for Mahadevi and blue for Lord Krishna. Tulsi: Tulsi is beloved of Lord Vishnu; the holiest of all plants and where Tulsi plants are grown it is known as Vrindavan (Grove of Tulsi). Going to such a place is true pilgrimage. Every part of the Tulsi plant is sacred. Pundit Ji loves Shyama Tulsi so we have planted several; if you go by there, you may notice that there are two types of Shyama Tulsi planted in the temple garden. Along with the green Krishna Tulsi and Rama Tulsi too. There is also a wild Tulsi growing called Vana Tulsi, this Tulsi is not used for worship, however it is used in Ayurveda and called “the Mother medicine of Nature”. Jasmine: Jasmine is the Queen of flowers. There are a variety of jasmines planted at the temple, both single flowers and double flowers. Along with a baby water jasmine (jasmine religiosa) which a small tree often grown at temples. Lord Vishnu likes the sweet white, fragrant blossoms and they are also offered to Lord Shiva. In fact jasmine flowers are offered to all the Deities.

Jasmine grows well in Brisbane, they are generous bloomers and have a lovely perfume. White flowers look charming with the backdrop of a dark sky, stars and moonlight and in years to come when one walks around the temple in the evening the fragrance of jasmine will fill the air at Shree Laxminarayan Mandir. For more information about Shree Laxminarayan Mandir: http://www. laxminarayan.com.au Sharon gardening at the temple

The flower sweetens the air with its perfume; Yet its last service is to offer itself to thee. Rabindranath Tagore

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SPIRITUALITY & DEVOTION

Vol 1, Issue 12, Aug 1 -15, 2021

Wooing Lord Shiva

Since childhood Goddess Parvati dreamt of marrying Lord Shiva and set off on winning the heart of the god who was just bereaved of his first wife, Sati, and had retired to his cave in the Himalayas to enter samadhi. Despite Lord Shiva's utter indifference, Parvati relentlessly kept wooing him. Sharon Bath narrates.

Lotus flower photo

n the day Parvati was born, nature rejoiced and many flowers bloomed out of season. Parvati’s father was the great mountain king Himavat and her mother Menaka was a divine being. The name Parvati means daughter of the mountain. Since childhood Parvati dreamt of marrying Lord Shiva and whole-heartedly believed it would happen; Sage Narada had prophesied it. Lord Shiva, the divine ascetic, lived in a cave in a remote location in the snow-covered Himalayas. When Sati, Lord Shiva’s first wife, died Lord Shiva’s grief knew no bounds. From that day on he ceased to be interested in the world of gods and men. Lord Shiva retired to his cave and sat in meditation and entered samadhi, an extremely deep meditative state. Parvati’s thoughts were constantly on the Lord, and she begged her parents to allow her to serve Lord Shiva directly. Himavat couldn’t resist his daughter's pleas and made arrangements. Lord Shiva's samadhi and Goddess Parvati's visits to the divine cave Each day Parvati and two other young maidens set off on the long and exhausting walk to the abode

of Lord Shiva. Parvati was a strikingly beautiful young woman; she had a delightful manner which charmed everyone. She dressed in the most sumptuous silks and wore ornaments of gold and plaited wild flowers into her hair. Parvati wanted to look her best for Lord Shiva when he finally broke his deep meditative state. Despite her rich attire Parvati swept the floors, cleaned the hearth, and lit the fire herself, while the other maidens slumbered, tired out by the strenuous climb. They didn’t like the dark cold cave; however, they were in awe of Lord Shiva. Lord Shiva’s divine presence filled the cave. He wore a garland of serpents around his neck and looked magnificent, sitting very still in his meditative pose on a mat made of animal hide. His clothes were also made of animal skin. His dark hair was very long and unkempt with a knot at the top; a crescent moon adorned his head. His only other embellishments were the sacred seeds from the Rudraksha tree around his arms and wrists. He was covered in ashes and white as camphor, however, his neck was dark blue like thunderclouds and by his side was the trident. Parvati had been certain she could gain Lord Shiva’s attention with her devotion and loving care. She brought abundant flowers and fruits in season and tried to make the cave beautiful. She decorated it with bel leaves and blossoms. Often she sang prayers aloud. Nothing could arouse Lord Shiva, neither the jingling of her ankle bells nor the sweet scent of jasmine and sandalwood. Even the thick plumes of smoke from the fire failed to disturb his meditation. Parvati tried every trick she could imagine, however weeks turns into months. Lord Shiva stayed in samadhi. But Parvati would not give up. With full faith she prayed for divine intervention. Gods suffering in the heavens above, Kamadev sent and dies

Soul’s quest for the supreme soul This story about Goddess Parvati and Lord Shiva illustrates the soul’s quest for the supreme soul. Saints and mystics have used the analogy of the blossoming lotus flower to describe the development of the soul. The tightly closed bud is the soul not yet surrendered to the Lord. By following the instructions of the guru and performing loving service to every creature, the soul grows stronger each day and the delicate petals begin to unfurl. With the constant sweet remembrance of God, a pure lifestyle, and daily meditation practice, the lotus flower blossoms and the soul becomes resplendent, fragrant, and thoroughly immersed in the divine. The Self is hidden in the lotus of the heart. Those who see themselves in all the creatures go day by day into the world of Brahman hidden in the heart. Established in peace, they rise above body consciousness to the supreme light of the Self. Immortal, free from fear, this Self is Brahman, called the True. Beyond the mortal and the immortal, he binds both worlds together. Those who know this live day after day in heaven in this very life. --Chandogya Upanishad

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Since childhood Parvati dreamt of marrying Lord Shiva and whole-heartedly believed it would happen; Sage Narada had prophesied it.

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Photo Credit: Sharon Bath

Lord Indra and the other gods were suffering in the heavens; a demon Tarakasura was terrorizing them and causing trouble to the people of the world. Lord Brahma had said this demon was given a boon and could only be destroyed by Lord Shiva’s son. Since Lord Shiva did not have a son it was imperative he stop meditating and become a father. Lord Brahma told the heavenly beings Lord Shiva’s first wife had reborn as Parvati; he suggested she was the only one who could break Lord Shiva’s samadhi. Lord Brahma in turn commissioned Kamadeva, the god of desire. One bitterly cold day Kamadeva appeared with his wife Rati. Kamadeva brought with him the colourful, fragrant flowers of springtime, humming bees and butterflies, exotic birds with the most exquisite birdsongs, along with a gentle warm breeze. The snow outside melted away and the cave was instantly transformed. The other maidens were intoxicated by the beauty of Kamadeva; only the pure-hearted Parvati could resist his charms. She kept her single-pointed attention on Lord Shiva despite the blissful breeze of intoxication that accompanied this most beautiful god. Kamadeva carried a bow made of sugarcane, strung with humming bees. The god of desire then took aim with an arrow made of flowers and shot with his bow straight at Lord Shiva’s heart. Lord Shiva opened his eyes;

his first glance fell on the beautiful form of Parvati. His second glance fell on Kamadeva, and through the power of Lord Shiva’s third eye, a flame burst forth from his forehead and burnt to ashes the god of desire. Lord Shiva stood up and walked away from his dwelling leaving everyone in a state of bewilderment and tears. Parvati's return from cave and meditations Parvati waited and waited for Lord Shiva’s return, finally she too left the cave and returned home. On the steep walk down the mountainside she soothed Kamadeva’s wife: “Do not worry, Rati. I will marry my beloved Lord. This is my spiritual destiny the enlightened Sage Narada had prophesied, and so it will happen. When it does, Kamadeva will be reborn, that I promise.” After a few days spent in contemplation Parvati spoke to her parents very sincerely, “Oh mother, my physical beauty could not gain Lord Shiva’s attention. He is uninterested in my physical form and my devotion to him has gone unnoticed. Even the gods could not intercede on my behalf. You must understand I have no happiness of my own. Everything is for him.” Parvati then turned her attention to her father; she held his hands in her own: “Dear father, please spare me a small clearing in the forest, I will pass my days in meditation. I will emulate Lord Shiva and win his love. There, in his sweet remembrance the last vestiges of my small self will vanish. With my mind completely subdued at his holy lotus feet, nothing can stand between us.” Parvati went into seclusion in the forest. She sat so quietly in her meditative pose that the animals came quite near and befriended her. The deer and the birds were entranced by her, even the insects would buzz around her. Meditation did not come easy. Her troubled mind refused to let her sit. She practiced and practiced. Every morning at dawn and once again in the evening at dusk she attended her rituals. The forest animals brought her berries, fruits, and nuts. Nature was at Parvati’s beck and call. She donned herself in simple fabrics and wore Rudraksha beads. With the passing of the seasons, Parvati could no longer distinguish between day and night. She ate less and less. The forest hermits were a witness to this and began to marvel at Parvati’s endurance. When she felt fatigued she would sit in a pond, and contemplate there. Her meditations were becoming deeper, and

Model of teaching based on Hindu scriptures

Paddy Krishnan

eaching and learning has always been regarded as a sacred activity in Hindu Dharma. Because Hindu Dharma had no central authority, the teacher and guide or guru had a special role. Everyone was expected to have a guru to guide them. That is why, even the Devas (the Gods) and the Asuras (the anti-Gods) have gurus. This article presents a summary of what was expected from a guru and a shishya (student) in the context of spiritual/ philosophical teaching and learning. The first aspect is the nature of a guru. The best guru is one who is soft-spoken and has lots of patience

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and tolerance. In the context of teaching spirituality, the guru must practise austerity, display humility, and be willing to listen to both other gurus and their students. The guru must acknowledge that there is more to know and hence be willing be learn. The guru should not be intolerant of other ideas. It is important to recognise that even in ancient times, the importance of having an open mind was stressed. An ideal guru should view teaching as a service. Ultimately the guru must teach by setting an example. Apart from imparting knowledge a guru was expected to show the way to proper living. The scriptures also requires the guru to be a doer of good to others, devoted to the Vedic rituals, practitioner of Yoga or related philosophies. The guru needs to inspire, and bless the shishya, and teach philosophy combined with action. The second aspect is the nature of a good student. According to the Vedantic tradition, a student must already have a general exposure to the scriptures. They perhaps learned this from their parents. However, the students should not have an inflated opinion of what they know. Before going to a guru, they must aspire to understand the difference

between the permanent and the transitory or illusionary items. That is, they must acknowledge that all pleasurable activities in this world will end at some time. Towards, this they need to understand that control of the mind and of the senses. They must have a deep desire for the spiritual liberation. A student must be aware that to acquire knowledge requires asking relevant questions. They should not be arrogant nor should they be accepting of everything that is conveyed to them. The guru is required to ascertain whether a student can actually teach themselves and apply their knowledge. A good student was also required to carefully examine the prospective teacher to determine if they are qualified. Many of the schools had entrance exams for potential students. It is said that famous universities such as Nalanda admitted only 20% of the applicants. These were the ideal requirements. Therefore, it is said that it might be hard to find a competent guru but more difficult to find qualified shishyas. The scriptures state "Even today it is not impossible to find ten good gurus out of every hundred so called gurus. But one does not often find even a single shishya out of a thousand who is competent."

The scriptures that describe the interaction between the guru and shishya predates books. Without written material, studying by oneself was very hard, if not impossible. Therefore, self-study with no external help was not encouraged. The lack of written resources made a guru essential. As there was no ability to refer to published material, memorisation was the only possible teaching technique. Although memorisation played a central role, it was not rote learning. The students were encouraged to debate each other to reinforce their understanding. The students also had to develop the ability to respond to difficult questions. As in research, students were encouraged to propose and test hypothesis before presenting their conclusions. The skill of asking the right questions has to be developed from a young age. Parents were responsible for developing this ability when they introduce the students to the scriptures. The Brhadaranyaka Upanishad states that the student must follow the three steps, viz., Sravana (listening), Manana ( comprehension and reasoning) and Nidhidhyasana (deep contemplation), of learning. This requires Dharana or the ability to concentrate for long periods of time.

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Lord Shiva and Mata Parvati

Lord Shiva opened his eyes; his first glance fell on the beautiful form of Parvati. His second glance fell on Kamadeva, and through the power of Lord Shiva’s third eye, a flame burst forth from his forehead and burnt to ashes the god of desire.

she managed to stay inside longer. Parvati’s loving service to the Lord had not stirred his interest, and yet it had had a great affect on her spiritual state. She sat cross-legged and motionless for hours at a time. Often Parvati cried, but her tears were not for her own discomfort; they were the heart’s yearning for the beloved. The forest hermits called Parvati “Apana” they noticed she was eating the bare minimum and surviving on tree barks and leaves. She continued her meditation and performed austerities. Love made her do these things. Her reputation travelled far into the highest spiritual realms. Lord Shiva appears in disguise One day Lord Shiva appeared before Parvati. He dressed as a Brahmacari (celibate monk), and Parvati did not recognise him. In the spirit of service she offered her guest some refreshment. Lord Shiva (in the guise of the monk) questioned Parvati as to what she was doing there. The truth was soon revealed that she was doing hard penance in order to win the heart of Lord Shiva. The monk then changed his tune, and began speaking about Lord Shiva in a mocking tone: “Why, that madman! He has no relations; he surrounds himself with spirits and goblins. He has a bull as his vehicle. Why waste your precious maidenhood thinking about him?” Parvati refused to listen to another word. She could not bear to hear Lord Shiva’s name insulted by this

stranger. Never before had Parvati looked so radiant -- her face was flushed, and tears were falling in streams. She raised her voice and demanded the stranger to leave immediately. He refused to do so and continued saying distasteful things about Lord Shiva. Parvati tried to leave his presence and pushed against him, but he blocked her way. Lord Shiva suddenly stopped the masquerade. The final test was over. Parvati’s tears and depth of true love affected him. Parvati had proven herself as a yogini and a loyal, loving soul. She was flawless like a rare jewel. Lord Shiva then appeared as his true self. Parvati at once recognised him and fell at his feet. He pulled her up and looked at her lovingly: “Parvati, will you marry me?” Parvati blushed sweetly: “You must go to my father and ask for my hand.” Parvati was a kind and compassionate soul, who lovingly served every creature as herself. Her rare beauty came from within, and her true wealth was meditation and devotion, inspired and spurred on by pure love. Parvati never once forgot her high destiny-karma and the reason for her birth in the material world. She was courageous, self-disciplined, and steadfast. Lord Shiva and the Goddess Parvati were married. Parvati fulfilled her promise to Rati, and the god of desire, Kamadeva, was reborn. Victory was hers in the three worlds.

Key takeaways -A guru is a guide who is dedicated to imparting wisdom -Parents and teachers must encourage their children/students to be curious by asking questions -Students and gurus must have an open mind and be interested in education -Students must develop the ability of introspection and extend their own thought processes -Students must recognise that their education needs to be enhanced with real-world experience -The education system and society must value both vocational training and academic/philosophical education The general steps used to teach any material was as follows. The teacher first provides a high-level overview of the topic. The teacher considers all the questions from the student and answer every question even if it appears to be silly. Honest inquiry and honest doubt must be addressed and the guru should not be insecure, or disturbed by questioning. Because the background of every student will be different, every student should be allowed to have their own trajectory for learning. Hence different students will ask different questions and there should be no single universally applicable answer. In the end, each student will find their own path to spiritual knowledge. While oral instruction and memori-

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sation was important, the spiritual teacher had to inculcate the habit of questioning. That is, the students had to question what the verses actually meant. Learning only the verses will lead to a loss of curiosity. There can be no philosophical understanding without curiosity. Asking the right question is hard and it is this that requires training. Therefore, one of the main aims of a guru is to enable the student to think critically. By Paddy Krishnan Paddy Krishnan is a computer scientist, who got his BTech degree from IIT-Kanpur and PhD from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. Being very interested in Hindu philosophy, he maintains a blog at www.goldcoasthindu.wordpress.com

SPORTS

Vol 1, Issue 12, Aug 1 -15, 2021

TOKYO

Olympics: Tai Tzu beats Sindhu in straight games in semifinals

Photo Courtesy: The Indian Express

2021

OLYMPICS

Olympics roundup: Mirabai makes history on a gloomy day for India in Tokyo Photo Courtesy: SSBCrack

Tokyo, July 31: India’s gold medal hopes in women’s singles badminton went up in smoke after PV Sindhu lost her semifinal to Tai Tzu-Ying in straight games 18-21, 12-21 here on Saturday. Sindhu, who is the Rio Olympics silver-medallist and world champion, will now compete with China’s He Bing Jiao for the bronze medal. Sindhu had drawn early advantage with her aggressive display in the first game, opening up a 6-3 lead. However, Tai Tzu fought back before Sindhu again opened up a threepoint lead at 11-8. However, Tai Tzu then won three quick points to draw level and from there, the two went neck and neck before the Taiwanese player closed the first game in her

favour 21-18. While the first game took 21 minutes, the second game took just 19 minutes as Tai Tzu continued using the sharp, acute angles to leave the ace Indian shuttler and the world champion flummoxed. Tai Tzu took a four-point lead at 11-7 and from there never looked back sealing the game at 21-12. The 40-minute encounter between the sixth seed Sindhu and the second seed Tai Tzu was as one-sided as it could get and took half as much time as the first semifinal between He and Chen Yu Fei. Chen overpowered her Chinese compatriot in three games 21-16, 1321 and 21-12 in 79 minutes.

Olympics: Kamalpreet comes up with scintillating throw, qualifies for discus final Photo Courtesy: IndiaBlooms

Tokyo, July 24 (IANS): Weightlifter Mirabai Chanu provided the silver lining on a day when some of the most talented Indian shooters, including pistol marksman Saurabh Chaudhary and rifle ace Elavenil Valarivan, flattered to deceive on the first full day of competitions at the Tokyo Olympics here. Manipur's 26-year-old Mirabai exorcised the ghost of the 2016 Rio Olympics with a total lift of 202kg -- 87kg in snatch and 115kg in clean and jerk - to clinch India's second medal in weightlifting after Karnam Malleswari's bronze in the 69kg category at the 2000 Sydney Olympics. It was a big performance by Mirabai who had failed to lift weights in three attempts in clean and jerk in 2016. With the silver at the Olympics, Mirabai has now won medals in the Commonwealth Games, Asian

Championships, and World Championships. On a day when 19-year-old ace 10m air pistol shooter Chaudhary qualified for the finals at No. 1 spot, raising hopes of a gold medal, he lost touch in the finals to finish seventh, while compatriot Abhishek Verma couldn't make the eight-shooter final, ending 17th. The Indian men's hockey team, after a sedate beginning in Pool A, when they conceded a goal, rallied against New Zealand to win 3-2 and prime themselves up for the upcoming clashes, especially against the world No. 1 side Australia on Sunday. The women's hockey team, however, left the fans disappointed after matching World No 1 the Netherlands for the entire first half before slumping to 1-5 defeat in their opening Pool A match.

Indian tennis ace Sumit Nagal, who was a last-minute entry to the Olympics after slots were created due to pull-outs by top players, defeated 2018 Jakarta Asian Games champion, Denis Istomin of Uzbekistan, 6-4, 6-7(6), 6-4 to advance, while table tennis player Manika Batra -after losing the round-of-16 mixed doubles match partnering Achanta Sharath Kamal to Chinese Taipei's Lin Yu-Ju and Cheng I-Cheng 11-8, 11-6, 11-5, 11-4 -- came back strongly to beat Ukraine's 20th seed Margaryta Pesotska. She is now the first Indian woman paddler to win a round at the Olympics since 1992. Indian shuttlers had a mixed day with the men's doubles pair of Chirag Shetty and Satwiksairaj Rankireddy defeating the higher-ranked Chinese Taipei pair of Lee Yang and Wang Chi-lin 21-16, 16-21, 27-25 in their first Group A match,

while the country's hope in men's singles, B Sai Praneeth, suffered a shock loss against Misha Zilberman of Israel in his first Group D match. There was disappointment for 2010 Asian Games gold-medallist boxer Vikas Krishan who was eliminated in the first round by Japanese upstart Sewonrets Quincy Mensah Okazawa in the 69kg category. The lone Indian judoka at the Games, Shushila Devi Likmabam, bowed out in the opening round, pinned by Hungarian stalwart Eva Csernoviczki in the round of 32, while rowers, Arjun Lal Jat and Arvind Singh, too had a forgettable outing as the pair finished fifth in the lightweight men's double sculls heats on Saturday. The rowers will now head into the repechage round on July 25 and hope for luck to favour them.

Olympics: India beat Argentina 3-1 in men's hockey group match, reach quarters

Photo Courtesy: IANS

Tokyo, July 29: India scored twice in the last two minutes to beat Rio Olympics gold medallist Argentina 3-1 in a Group A preliminary league match at the Tokyo Olympics on Thursday. India have cemented their hold on the second spot with a match against hosts Japan to go. This win has assured India a place in the quarterfinals with the final

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Group match against Japan to go. After a barren first half, India opened the scoring when Varun Kumar, who came into the 16-member team for this match in place of experienced Birendra Lakra, scored off a penalty corner in the 43rd minute. India had denied Argentina many opportunities in the first two quar-

ters but the South Americans came back strongly in the fourth quarter. Argentina earned their first penalty corner and Casella Schuth converted with a brilliant drag-flick to pull Argentina, who had lost to Australia 5-2 in their previous match and had to win this match to maintain their chances of finishing second in the group, level at 1-1. Argentina increased pressure and dominated the fourth quarter as they sensed an opportunity to score the winner. However, India, who had defeated Argentina in two Pro League matches in April this year, sealed victory when they scored twice in the last two minutes when Varun Sagar Prasad capitalised on a rebound off a shot by Dilpreet Singh to make it 2-1 for India, and then Harmanpreet Singh converted their eighth penalty corner to make it 3-1. The two goals not only sealed victory for India but also brought up their goal difference to zero. The goal difference had dropped to -5 after the humiliating 7-1 defeat to World

No 1 Australia. But victories in the last two matches against Spain (3-0) and Thursday's 3-1 verdict against Argentina virtually assured India the second spot. India had 14 shots at the goal as compared to only six for Argentina, they had 28 attacking circle penetrations as compared to eight for the South Americans. India held 53% possession as compared to 47% for Argentina, they earned eight penalty corners as against only two for the defending Olympic champions. India now have nine points from four matches and are placed second behind Australia (12), who have won all four matches so far. Spain iare third with four points from a win and a draw, the same as New Zealand. Argentina also have four points from one win and one draw but trail Spain and New Zealand on goal difference. Japan with only one draw against New Zealand are placed last in the group with one point.

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Tokyo, July 31: Patiala-born 25-yearold Indian discus thrower Kamalpreet Kaur came up with a scintillating performance to secure her place in the final at the Tokyo Olympic Games even as the more experienced and Asian Games gold medallist Seema Punia bowed out with a 16th-place finish in the qualifying stages on Saturday. The first Indian woman to have cross the 65m mark and against whose name the national record stands at 65.06 -- at the Federation Cup in March this year -- breached the direct qualification mark of 64m on Saturday in her third attempt to make it to the medal round. The Indian, who had qualified for the Tokyo Olympics on the basis of her 65.06m in March, was among the only two throwers who breached the 64m mark at the Olympic Stadium in the qualifying round. Valarie Allman of the United States was the other thrower and she heaved the disc to a distance of 66.42 metres, to emerge the firm favourite to win the gold medal. Croatia's Sandra Perkovic came in third with a throw of 63.75 metres. A total of 12 throwers qualify for

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the final. However, with just two of them managing to cross the direct qualification mark, the other 10 were decided on the basis of their best attempts on Saturday. Seema Punia exited the event with a 16th-place finish in qualifying. The 2014 Incheon Asian Games gold medallist's best throw was 60.57m. Her first attempt was a foul and her last measured throw was 58.93m. Seema, a four-time Olympian, has a personal best of 63.72m. The 38-year-old stalwart achieved it at the Inter-State Championships in Patiala last month. In her debut Olympics, Kamalpreet breached the 60m mark with an opening throw of 60.29 metres. Her next throw was 63.97 metres followed by the 64-metre effort in the final attempt that helped her confirm a place in the final on Monday. If Kamalpreet, whose personal best of 66.59m at the Indian Grand Prix-4 at NIS, Patiala last month was not ratified as a national record as she was the lone discus thrower competing, is able to replicate her form in the final, she will be a strong contender for a place on the podium.

SPORTS

Vol 1, Issue 12, Aug 1 -15, 2021

Olympics: Boxer Satish Kumar reaches quarterfinals in men's super heavyweight category

Olympics: Atanu Das crashes out as archery campaign ends on disappointing note Photo Courtesy: Sportslumo

Photo Courtesy: IANS

Tokyo, July 29: Indian boxer Satish Kumar advanced to the quarterfinals at the Tokyo Olympics with a comprehensive win against Ricardo Brown of Jamaica in the mens super-heavyweight round of 16 bout on Thursday. Kumar, the 32 year old from Bulandshahr Uttar Pradesh who is making his Olympics debut, won the +91kg bout by a 4:1 split verdict at the Ryo-

goku Kokugikan arena. Four of the five judges scored the bout in favour of the Indian boxer. Both boxers started defensively and kept their distance as they tested each other. Brown went on the attack, but Kumar was able to defend most of the attacks from the Jamaican. The Indian also landed some punches through his better timing and earned points from all five judg-

es. He won the first round 50-44. Brown, also an Olympic debutant, remained the aggressor in the second round as well but wasn't able to trouble Kumar much. The Indian boxer defended brilliantly and landed timely hooks and jabs. Kumar, despite suffering a slight cut above his right eye and given prompt medical attention, maintained his upper hand and won this round too, getting 10 points from four judges (49-46). With the heavyweights slowing down going into the third round as fatigue kicked in, Kumar continued with his defensive tactics. Though Brown put up a better performance in the third round as he landed couple of good left hooks and followed them with solid body bunches, but that was not enough as Kumar, a two-time Asian Championship bronze medallist, emerged winner. It was a good win for the Indian who next faces reigning world champion Bakhodir Jalolov of Uzbekistan on Sunday.

Olympics: Boxer Lovlina in semis, assures India a medal

Continued from page 1 Das struck two 10s off the first two arrows of the third set and a nine off the last arrow. In response, Furukawa shot 8, 10, and 9 as he lost the set 27-28, with the set scores tied 3-3. There was nothing much to differentiate between the two archers in the fourth set as they shot an identical 9, 10, and 9, the set scores 4-4 going into the fifth and deciding set. And that’s where Das succumbed to the pressure. He started with a nine but botched up his second arrow and shot an eight. Furukawa responded with a 10. Das came up

with only a nine on the last attempt -- a 10 could have put more pressure on his rival -- and Furukawa responded with a nine which was enough to give him the set 27-26 and a place in the quarterfinals. Furukawa, who had won silver in the 2012 London Olympics, was a tough opponent but Das was on a high after beating South Korea’s Oh Jin-hyek, the man who won the gold medal in 2012. However, it did not matter much in the end as the Indian could not maintain his composure and lost the close duel 6-4 on points.

Sable sets national record, misses final in 3000m steeplechase Photo Courtesy: IANS

Tokyo, July 30 (IANS): India's Avinash Sable set a new national record in men's 3000m steeplechase heats but could not manage to reach the final as the Tokyo Olympics athletics programme started on Friday. Running the second heat, Sable, who hails from Beed district of Maharashtra, clocked 8 minutes, 18.12 seconds to finish seventh as the top three from the three heats and the next six fastest qualified for the final. Sable, who used to run six kilometres a day to get to school as a child, improved on his own record of 8:29.18 set in Bhubaneswar in 2018. The 26-year-old Armyman has had clocked 8:21.37 in the Asian Championships in Doha in 2019 but that has not been ratified till now. Sable completed the first 1000m in 2 minutes 46.5 seconds and the next one kilometre in 2:47.0 and the last 1000m in 2:44.7, thus improving upon his national record by a big margin. But, he was unfortunate to miss a spot in the final by just 0.81 seconds.

Photo Courtesy: Hindustan Times

Tokyo, July 30: Boxer Lovlina Borgohain assured India a medal in women's welterweight (69 kg) by reaching the semifinals, beating Chen Nien-Chin of Chinese Taipei in a quarterfinal bout at the Tokyo Olympics on Friday. The 23-year-old from Assam is set to become the second Indian boxer after MC Mary Kom to win an Olympic medal. Mary Kom had won a bronze medal in the 2012 Olympics in London. On Friday, Lovlina defeated Chen 4-1 on points in the quarterfinals, assuring India a medal as there is no playoff for losing semifinalists in the Olympics. She will meet Surmeneli Busenaz of Turkey in the first semifinal on August 4, a win assuring her of at least a silver medal. Up against an opponent she had never beaten in three attempts earlier, Lovlina came out aggressively and attacked Chen from the start, landing a few body blows and left hook-and-jab combinations, winning the round 3-2 after getting 10 points from three of the five judges. Chen got in a few scoring punches but Lovlina defended well and kept the score in check. In the second round, Chen went on the attack in an attempt to negate Lovlina's advantage but the Indian, who took up combat sport Muay

Photo Courtesy: IANS

Thai at age 13 before a switch to boxing, used her height and quick feet to keep distance and did not allow her rival any chances to land good scoring punches. Her tactics won approval from the judges as got 10 points from all five judges. With Lovlina enjoying an overwhelming advantage, Chen went in

the hunt for a knockout in the third round but her Indian rival was cautious and maintained her distance and defended well to win the bout 4:1. This will be India's second medal at the Tokyo Olympics after weightlifter Saikhom Mirabai Chanu won a silver medal on July 24.

Olympics hockey: Indian women beat Ireland, keep alive hopes of spot in quarters Photo Courtesy: Freepressjournal.in

I want to go for the gold: Lovlina Borgohain Before this match, Lovlina had lost to Chen four times. "I knew I lost to this girl four times before. So, it was a challenge for me to prove to myself. I never thought about proving to others. I thought this was a golden opportunity for me to take my revenge of previous losses against her. There was no strategy while going to the ring. Whatever situation was there, I will handle it there itself. I am happy I bagged the chance to do well. I played whole-heartedly and enjoyed it," said a smiling Lovlina in a press interaction organised by the Boxing Federation of India (BFI). Before making a foray into boxing, Lovlina was into Muay Thai, a form of martial arts from Thailand. Asked whether training in it helped in grasping boxing, Lovlina said, "I had learnt Muay Thai for a year. There used to be one or two punches. I can't say that Muay Thai helped me in getting the medal. But it did help me a little bit. When I got into boxing, I used the one or two punches from Muay Thai in winning the national sub-junior championships." She was firm on her next target: a gold medal. "I don't want to stop at bronze. I want to go for the gold.

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Medal is only one. That is gold. For that I have to prepare and plan for the semifinal fight." When quizzed about her fearless attitude in the ring, Lovlina quipped that she was fearful at the start. But she started to gain confidence by trusting herself. "I wasn't like this before. I used to fear a lot earlier while playing in competitions. Slowly, the fear started to go away after coming into boxing. Earlier, when I used to enter the ring, I had fear in me. But when I started to trust myself and stopped caring about what people said that's how I began to play fearlessly." Before the Olympics, the youngster had missed a training trip to Italy last year after testing positive for COVID-19 a day before departure. She had come back from a two-day trip to her hometown of Bora Mukhia in Assam's Golaghat district to visit her ailing mother. The virus robbed her of crucial training and exposure. "Because of the virus, I missed my tour to Italy. There were very less international competitions too. I missed one competition due to it.

Continued from page 1 The feel of competitiveness in the ring was very less. Even sparring was very less. But I thought how to do well if sparring is not there? I trained that way. My coaches and everyone around supported me to do well," said Lovlina. Lovlina, a big fan of legendary Mohammad Ali, quipped that she had taken some tricks out of his style of play. "I used to watch the long-distance movement of Muhammad Ali. Every boxer is different and has a different style of play. Two boxers can't be the same. I follow and watch some things of Ali. Like his footwork and long punch. Before the Olympics, I saw one or two videos of him." She has also cited MC Mary Kom as her inspiration. "Mary Kom has been a big inspiration for me since I heard her name after entering boxing. She has struggled a lot and I take inspiration from her. It feels very nice and I get to learn a lot from her. Very happy that she is training with us." Lovlina will be up against the world champion in her category, Busenaz Surmeneli of Turkey in the semifinal on August 4.

That ended India’s campaign in archery at the Tokyo Olympics. They had reached Tokyo with high hopes after a good performance in the World Cup Stage III event in Paris last month but are returning home without any medal as Das, the topranked archer in the world for some time during the build-up phase, was the lone male archer to reach this stage. The lone contestant in the women’s section, Deepika Kumari, the world No. 1 before the Tokyo Olympics, fell by the wayside in the quarterfinals on Friday. The Mixed Team of Pravin Jadhav and Deepika Kumari lost to South Korea in the quarterfinal as did the men’s team which also went down to Korea 0-6. In the Individual rounds, both Tarundeep Rai and Pravin Jadhav won their first-round matches but went down to strong opponents in the second. Deepika made it to the quarterfinals before running into the eventual winner An San of South Korea. Das raised hopes by beating Oh Jin-hyek but in the end that too was short-lived as he failed to capitalise on his chances against Furukawa.

Tokyo, July 30: The Indian women's hockey team missed a bag full of chances but managed to overcome Ireland by a solitary goal to maintain its chances of reaching the quarterfinals at the Tokyo Olympics on Friday. Forward Navneet Kaur scored a beautiful goal in the 57th minute off a superb pass from the right flank by skipper Rani Rampal to seal the victory for India. This is only the third win for the Indian women's team in the three appearances in the Olympics. The first two wins came in 1980 Olympics in Moscow while in the 2016 edition at Rio de Janeiro India could manage only one draw in five matches. Friday's win, coming after three defeats against strong opponents, has India sharing the fourth spot with Ireland, both with three points but India were placed fifth as they have an inferior goal difference -- -8 as against -5 for Ireland. India will now play South Africa in their final League match while Ireland meet reigning champions Great Britain on Saturday.

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Victory for India and defeat or draw for Ireland will move them to fourth place and put them in the quarterfinal, the stage they had aimed to achieve at the start of the Olympics. Draw or defeat for both India and Ireland will bring the goal difference into account. But midway through the match, it looked like India would not be able to put it across Ireland considering the number of chances that they had wasted. India started aggressively against a team ranked eighth, just one place ahead of Sjoerd Marine's squad in the ranking and dominated the first half, creating 10 penalty corners but failing to convert any. Ireland created a goal-scoring opportunity early on in the first quarter, however, the Indian defence stood tall and deflected the ball away. The Indians attacked soon after and made a circle penetration. However, Navneet Kaur couldn't find the back of the net after getting close to the goal. The Indians continued to put pres-

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sure on the Irish goal and earned a penalty corner in the 9th minute but Gurjit Kaur couldn't find the back of the net. Navneet had another chance when she went through two Irish players and took a shot at the goal, but was thwarted by the Irish defence. India earned a number of penalty corners in the last five minutes of the first quarter, however, couldn't convert any of them. In all, India earned 14 penalty corners but could not convert any. They also had 21 shots on the goal but only one goal to show. They made 30 attacking circle penetrations while Ireland could manage only 15. But in the end what mattered was that India bagged three points that keep them in the hunt for a spot in the quarterfinals. Coach Marijne said the only matter of concern was the number of chances they missed. "The only thing we can blame ourselves for is that we didn't score enough. It's not easy to score penalty corners against Ireland, but our performance was not good on a few occasions, but we kept going. "Getting 14 PCs in the match says a lot and I like to talk about the positives that we got those PCs. We outplayed Ireland, but you won't see it in the numbers. We kept going in the match, we didn't stop. Three minutes before time, we kept pushing and this match has also shown the quality the team has gained and I am very happy with that. And now it's all about recovery and getting ready for the next match as we have a game against South Africa in less than 24 hours."

KARGIL VIJAY DIWAS

Vol 1, Issue 12, Aug 1 -15, 2021

Kargil Vijay Diwas commemorated across NE India Photo Courtesy: IANS

Guwahati/Shillong, July 26: Kargil Vijay Diwas was observed in all the northeastern states with Governors, Chief Ministers, top army and security officials paying homage to all those who lost their lives during the Kargil war in 1999 while protecting the nation. Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, after paying his tribute at the War Memorial in Dighalipukhuri, said that the state government has reiterated its commitment to be with the jawans and is doing everything possible for their welfare. He also said that welfare of ex-servicemen constitutes the priority agenda of his government.

The Chief Minister, after interacting with the parents of the Kargil martyrs from the state -- Captain Jintu Gogoi, T.R. Gogoi and Dulu Gogoi -- said that the people of Assam continue to derive inspiration from the supreme sacrifice made by these great soldiers. He also said that the state government has planned to set up four more Sainik Schools across Assam to help the younger generation imbibe the spirit of national service while in school. In Aizawl, Mizoram Governor Haribabu Kambhampati paid tribute to the martyrs of the Kargil War at the War Memorial in Zodin Square.

Unsung heroes recall immortals of Kargil conflict

Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu joined the Indian Army virtually in celebrating the 22nd Kargil Vijay Diwas from the army establishment in Tawang, while state Governor B.D. Mishra joined the programme virtually from the Raj Bhawan in Itanagar. Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma, after paying his homage to the fallen heroes, tweeted: "On Kargil Vijay Diwas paid tribute to Northeast's brave sons -- Meghalaya's Capt Clifford Nongrum & Manipur's Maj David Manlun. We salute their unflinching courage and supreme sacrifice. Every Indian is proud of their heroism and service

to the nation." Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb said in a tweet: "On this Kargil Vijay Diwas, saluting the courage, determination and valour of our brave soldiers who sacrificed their lives in the line of duty to defend Bharat Mata by showcasing exemplary courage. The nation is forever grateful to them and their families." General Officer Commanding, Gajraj Corps, Lt Gen Ravin Khosla, and General Officer Commanding, Trishakti Corps, Lt Gen Ajai Kumar Singh, paid their tributes to the Kargil heroes in separate events in Tezpur and East Sikkim, respectively.

President pays homage to Kargil fallen heroes

Photo Courtesy: IANS

New Delhi, July 27: It was not just infantry. It is not just armoured Corps. Indian Army medical corps in Kargil conflict in 1999 played a crucial role to relieve the soldiers'

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physical sufferings, and heal their wounds. During the conflict, Colonel (then Captain) Vijay Kumar, who was awarded Sena Medal, was posted as the Regimental Medical Officer of an Infantry Battalion at a location along the Srinagar-Leh Highway, when he received a message that his unit was moving to the Dras sector on May 8, 1999 to evict Pakistani intruders. On the occasion of 22nd Kargil Vijay Diwas on Monday, he recalled that when he was moving towards the Line of Control with the Alpha Company of his battalion on May 27, 1999, they suddenly came under intense fire from the enemy by heavy weaponry and artillery shelling. Many soldiers of Alpha company got injured and sustained multiple splinter injuries including one fatal case. One of the young soldiers lost both his hands and was bleeding profusely. He became unconscious due to the shock when he was attended. Then Captain Vijay Kumar and his unit Battlefield Nursing assistant shifted the patient behind some rocks to cover him from incoming enemy fire, as the engagement was still going on from both the sides. He managed to stop the bleeding by applying compression bandages on both hands and further administered IV fluids to manage the shock. Afterwards, they shifted the injured

soldier along with others to the next medical echelon by stretcher-bearer till the roadhead and thereafter by ambulance. He was then airlifted to a Forward Surgical Centre (FSC) and survived because of his strong will to live and timely medical management in the battle area. During the war, he managed casualties in a rugged high altitude area with no cover, especially under heavy enemy fire and artillery shelling under challenging and extreme weather conditions. Colonel (then Captain) Rajesh Adhau, Sena Medal feels nostalgic while remembering the first day of climb during the battle for point 5140, when he and his then 2IC (Later Commanding Officer) were moving towards Hump area; creeping towards their target inch by inch. While he was completely exhausted and wanted to halt near a big boulder, his 2IC (-- Lt. Col YK Joshi -- Now Lt. Gen YK Joshi) told him not to stop and pushed him further ahead. After walking about 50 metres, he saw an artillery shell exploding on the same rock where he had intended to stop. Already horrified, he thanked God and Lt. Col YK Joshi who did not let him stop. Similarly, Colonel Adhau faced many such incidents during the course of the conflict but he fondly remembers one incident in which when he

was at Tololing complex and one of his jawans from the mess staff had recently got married. During a chat with him, he asked: "Why are you joining the front line? You should be amongst the administrative party!" The brave lad replied: "Sir, fighting the enemy is my final Dharma! I have to fight against the enemy!" After two hours, he received an unfortunate call informing him of his unit's first casualty by gunshot wound in the forehead. It was the same jawan with whom he had spoken a couple of hours back. He was completely shattered after hearing this and later when Captain Vikram Batra made the supreme sacrifice, Captain Adhau himself lifted his mortal remains and was in a state of "extreme sadness". Col Adhau has been an active member of National Service Scheme (NSS) during his college days and NCC in school days which made him inclined towards service for mankind but he had never really thought of joining the Army. "The war scene is dreadful as one is surrounded by casualties, catastrophe, fear of impending death; that is natural but as they say - courage is to hold on a minute longer - and the true gallant, valour and zeal to defeat the enemy which had encroached our land with wrong intentions was far more motivating than the war scene and its after effects," says the Kargil hero Colonel (then Captain) Vishal Vir Sharma, Sena Medal. Every passing day was creating epochal stories of heroism of soldiers and officers that motivated him to give his best. He decided to move with them to the war zone in the middle of battle. During the war, doctors become immune to patients after a point of time, however every patient in himself is a new case to be dealt in a meticulous and systematic manner. There is no tailor-made treatment for a prototype of cases. Every patient is a challenge for a doctor. One particular incident which Colonel Vishal can never forget in his life was that of Captain Anuj Nayyar, 2IC of 'C' Coy, who laid down his life for the territorial integrity of the nation on July 7, 1999. It was an unforgettable sight when mortal remains of Captain Anuj Nayyar were brought down from Point 4875 to Battalion headquarters. Everyone was shattered on untimely demise of brave, valiant and gallant officer. And Col Vishal was distraught when sending Captain Nayyar's mortal remains to his home.

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New Delhi, July 26: President Ram Nath Kovind visited Baramulla on the 22nd Kargil Vijay Diwas on Monday and paid homage to all those who lost their lives in the Kargil war while protecting the nation. He was accompanied by the Lieutenant Governor of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, Manoj Sinha and Lieutenant General DP Pandey, General Officer Commanding Chinar Corps. He paid homage to the indomitable courage and sacrifice of the Indian Armed Forces personnel during the Kargil conflict in 1999 by laying a wreath at the Dagger War Memorial in Baramulla during a solemn ceremony. The President was received by Major General Virendra Vats, General Officer Commanding Baramulla Division and was briefed about the town's history, highlighting the contribution of the town in various operations post-independence.

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He interacted with the soldiers of Baramulla Division and wished them luck in all future endeavours. After visiting Baramulla, the President proceeded to Gulmarg and visited the High Altitude Warfare School. He was briefed on the various facets of training there. Kovind paid homage to the Indian armed forces at Baramulla after he could not make it to Dras War Memorial as planned earlier due to bad weather. This is not the first time bad weather has prevented the President from visiting Dras. In 2019 also bad weather prevented the President from visiting Dras to participate in the Kargil Vijay Diwas. He instead paid tribute by laying a wreath at a war memorial at the Army's 15 Corps headquarters in Badamibagh in Srinagar. The President flew to Srinagar on Sunday for a four-day visit to Jammu and Kashmir.

WHAT’S ON

Vol 1, Issue 12, Aug 1 -15, 2021

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TRAVEL

Vol 1, Issue 12, Aug 1 -15, 2021

Winter festivals and experiences in New Zealand W

Photo Courtesy: NZ Pocket Guide

inter in New Zealand is also the best time to visit if you’re enthusiastic about attending festivals in the open. With a light dusting of snow, the country is transformed into a winter wonderland. From music festivals and dance parties, to vintage fashion and craft beers, here are eight experiences in New Zealand that Kiwis will be enjoying this year. Don’t forget to add these to your bucket list of activities for when international travel resumes, and New Zealand welcomes Indian visitors with open arms to the country! Taupō Winter Festival 9 July – 25 July The sixth annual Taupō Winter Festival offers an action-packed program over two weeks. You’ll have the choice of hitting a lakeside ice rink, jumping in a giant inflatable snow globe, attending a mountain-themed film festival, catching live circus acts, and downing free hot chocolates. What's more, most of the events are free to attend. https://www.taupowinterfestival. co.nz/ Greytown Festival of Christmas Wairarapa Entire Month - July 2021 This Festival has all the hallmarks of a cosy Northern Hemisphere winter escape – with spectacular lighting displays right along the Main Street, interactive family activities, Night Markets, Christmas parties, celebrations and more. There are over 30 events and 40 workshops to choose from, not to mention free family activities taking place every day where attendees will be spoilt for choice. https://www.greytownvillage.com/ Winter Deco – Napier 16 July – 18 July Get out your coats, hats and fur wraps and get cosy with the sophisticated and stylish, Winter Deco Weekend. The whole region steps back in time to experience what life was like between 1920 and 1940 as part of the festivities. Whether it's glitzy soirees, vintage cocktail evenings, cool jazz performances, delectable dining experiences at the finest Art Deco restaurants, fabulous fashion, classic films, vintage car displays or taking in Napier’s incredible Art Deco heritage, there is a lot to savour at Winter Deco Weekend. https://www.artdeconapier.com/

Photo Courtesy: Festival Sherpa

Winter Pride | Festival – Queenstown

Macao International Art Biennale 2021 opens Photo Courtesy: www.gov.mo

four-month mega international cultural and artistic event titled ‘Art Macao: Macao International Art Biennale 2021’ has opened at the Macao Museum of Art, presenting a movable feast to the Chinese city. According to the organisers, Art Macao will present 30 art exhibitions in 25 locations from July to October, bringing an immersive cultural atmosphere to the entire city as a gallery and an art garden, allowing the public to enjoy the beauty and vividness of art. This edition is curated by Professor Qiu Zhijie, one of the most influential contemporary artists in China and Dean of the School of Experimental Art of the Central Academy of Fine Arts, focusing on contemporary visual arts. It is divided into several sections: www.indianabroad.news

Main Exhibition, Special Exhibition of Resorts and Hotels, Creative City Pavilion, Public Art Exhibition, Selected Works by Local Artists and Collateral Exhibition, aiming to reshape the humanistic spirit in the post-pandemic era. The art biennale also features main exhibition themed 'Advance and Retreat of Globalization' with three exhibitions, distributed through various areas of the Macao Museum of Art, reflecting on the advances and retreats of globalization through the arts. They provide a space for reflection and discussion on globalization and individuality, life and dreams, remoteness and proximity, security and happiness, among others. The three thematic exhibitions feature over 40 artists from nearly 20 coun-

tries and regions, presenting more than 100 pieces/sets of artworks. The first part titled ‘The Dream of Mazu’ brings together Ming’s and Qing’s export porcelain transhipped through Macao, the combination of traditional and contemporary creations of azulejo tiles by artists from Portugal, the brand-new blueand-while porcelain works by artists from China and the Middle East. ‘Matteo Ricci’s Labyrinth of Memory’, the second part, describes the Western world’s view of China over 500 years. Both parts of the exhibition are held until August 15. The third part “Advance and Retreat of Globalization” shows that artists around the world have been continuously working on creation, striving to open a new spiritual path that leads the world from despair, and organizing the ideas about tradition

and memory mentioned in the first two chapters. This part of the exhibition is held until October 17. “Undoubtedly, in the global governance system, the value of art lies in getting rid of every ideological bias through extraordinary imagination and surpassing the law of the jungle. Through art, we can initiate negotiations and conversations, thereby learning to cherish our difference, capitalize on the difference to develop a better world, and preserve the cultural diversity. Art helps to break the barriers between our hearts and makes us remain open-minded in the rapidly changing world. “Macao is named after Mazu, the sea goddess on the Maritime Silk Road nurtured in the maritime civilization of China. The city became prosperous in the Age of Discovery, resulting from the first wave of globalization after AD 1500. Macao is not only a hub gathering the early experience of globalization, but also an experiment site for humans to study and practice the dialogue among civilizations. “Art Macao: Macao International Art Biennale 2021” is launched at this special moment, with a theme of “Advance and retreat of globalization”. We hereby invite artists from Macao and all over the world to participate in this event, where we will have a technical discussion on globalization and individuals, on daily life and dreams, on distance and nearness, and on a sense of safety and happiness,” says Chief Curator Qiu Zhijie. Admission to all activities is free.

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Events.html Beervana – Wellington 13 August – 14 August Beervana is New Zealand’s biggest and most popular beer festival. Held at Sky Stadium over two days Beervana is most certainly a thirst quencher and with the amount of a visual and interactive activity happening all over the concourse, it’s also a feast for the eyes. From outrageous brewery displays to silent discos, colourful beer cocktails to cheeseburger spring rolls it’s Willy Wonka Factory for beer lovers. Many beers a brewed especially for the festival and are unlikely to be poured elsewhere ever again. Beervana also includes an annual homebrewers’ competition in which homebrewers are challenged to recreate specific beers from breweries - then the brewer has to pick their own beer out of the homebrewers’ line up (Beat the Brewer). Fun Fact: Beervana was the biggest beer festival held in the entire world in 2020. https://beervana.co.nz/ Visa Wellington on a Plate | Food Festival 1 August – 31 August For the full month of August, you can Eat, Drink and Be Welly with hundreds of Festival Events, Festival Dishes that showcase the best of Wellington region's ingredients, suppliers, and producers. This year's theme, Out of Place, sees many events and dishes taking you on a culinary trip around the world, transporting you to far-flung destinations, currently out-of-reach. https://www.visawoap.com/visawoap Winter Pride | Festival – Queenstown 27 August – 5 September Winter Pride is the largest gay pride festival in the southern hemisphere - Queenstown emerges in full rainbow colors, on and off-mountain, with the perfect excuse for people to show their true selves in an accepting, supportive and fun community. This 10-day festival is jam-packed with fabulous events, talented entertainers, dance parties, skiing, boarding and mountain hikes. The event is typically packed with some of the best Australasian DJs, epic dance parties, speed dating, skiing, boarding and all-round good times. Don’t miss the Boogie Downhill Retro Day at Treble Cone on Monday 30th

https://winterpride.co.nz/ Snowboxx | Music Festival – Queenstown & Wanaka 7 September – 14 September After 8 consecutive sold out events in the French Alps, Snowboxx starts a new chapter in New Zealand bringing an epic combination of DJs, parties, and pistes to the best ski area in the Southern Hemisphere. Landing between Treble Cone and Cardrona from 7–14 September, Snowboxx will see Shapeshifter, Opiou and Kora hit the stage. Attendees are also invited to enjoy on and off-mountain activities like bottomless disco brunches, igloo parties, sledge races, comedy nights, snowball fights and aprés ski experiences throughout the week. https://www.snowboxx.nz/ Snow Machine | Music Festival – Queenstown 8 September – 11 September After making its debut in Japan last year, alpine music festival Snow Machine is hitting the slopes for four snow-filled days of music and adventure. Attendees at the New Zealand edition from September 8–11, 2021 will be treated to action-packed days on the slopes, aprés ski events on both Coronet Peak and The Remarkables and a lineup of international acts against the idyllic backdrop of Queenstown. A who's who of Australian electronic acts will warm up the frosty evenings, including headliners The Avalanches, Flight Facilities, Hayden James, and The Presets. https://snow-machine.nz/ Peak to Powderkeg | Adventure Race - Ohakune 9 October The Peak 2 Powderkeg is an iconic four stage adventure race from the top of Turoa Ski Area to the Powderkeg bar at the foot of Mt Ruapehu. Now in its 30th year, it’s a race steeped in history, fun and competition. Participants can enter as individuals or in teams of three to complete the stages which include: Skiing from top to bottom of the ski area. -4.8km downhill run on the sealed Ohakune Mountain Road. -11.5km downhill bike on sealed road -Short 300m dash run and beer/ lemonade scull at the Powderkeg & Powderhorn Chateau.

Pilibhit House opens in Haridwar

Photo Courtesy: IANS

eople who would like to spend their leisure time in aristocratic mansion set on a river bank, can head over to Haridwar that recently got Pilibhit House -- an IHCL SeleQtions hotel at the foothills of the Shivalik mountains – that has a rich ancestry that traces back to over a century. Taljinder Singh, Senior Vice President - South Mumbai and SeleQtions, IHCL, says: “With its spellbinding landscapes ringed by the lofty Himalayas, Uttarakhand is not only a nature lover’s delight but also known for its many pilgrimage sites. With Pilibhit House, IHCL steps into the holy city of Haridwar located on the banks of the river Ganga. The addition of this destination in IHCL’s portfolio will help create new circuits in the state with Rishikesh, Corbett and Haridwar, for both domestic and international travellers.” The 35 artfully restored rooms and graceful suites are wrapped around a serene courtyard, with balconies offering panoramic views of the Ganges and the Shivalik mountains. The restaurant, Dining Room, offers delicious vegetarian food with a range of international cuisines and

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local delicacies, including some recipes from the home kitchen of the ancestral family. The open-air Lobby Lounge is the perfect place to unwind with finger foods. Guests can enjoy a Ganga Aarti at own private bathing ghat at Pilibhit House or Yoga at the Ganges Deck. Jiva Spa, with its age-old Indian healing techniques and finest natural ingredients, offers wellness and meditation with expert instructors. Guests can trace decades of their ancestry with a private session of genealogy. The other curated experiences that evoke the four spiritual stages of life include an offbeat holy tour, trip to ashrams, a forest riverbed picnic and a wetland tour of the Chiriyapur Forest Range. “Pilibhit House, located close to the famous Har Ki Pauri, offers an authentic flavour of the legendary city of Haridwar. We look forward to welcoming guests as they explore Haridwar’s rich history, which goes back thousands of years, through the lens of the curated and immersive experiences that we have to offer,” said Amit Kumar, General Manager, Pilibhit House – IHCL SeleQtions hotel.

TRAVEL

Vol 1, Issue 12, Aug 1 -15, 2021

'Roof of the World' no more an enigma now!

Photo Courtesy: Reetu Khodiya

ver two-thirds the size of India, Tibet, also known as the 'Roof of the World' or 'Third Pole of the Earth', may no more be an enigma for the outside world now. For, China has opened its door to the tourists after keeping the Tibet Autonomous Region in the southwest, the land rich in minerals and a variety of flora and fauna, out of bounds for ages. President Xi Jinping last week made an unannounced visit to the politically sensitive region of Tibet, the first by a Chinese leader in more than 30 years. Besides visiting Nyingchi, a strategically located border town close to Arunachal Pradesh, and the regional capital Lhasa, Xi inspected a number of key local infrastructure projects, including the Lhasa-Nyingchi section of the Sichuan-Tibet railway project. As per the regional tourism development department, the traditional culture-dominated Tibet Autonomous Region is seeing a tourism boom with a record 17.58 million trips made by visitors in the first six months this year, up 110.9 per cent year-on-year growth. It says the opening of the Lhasa-Nyingchi railway, the first electrified railway on June 25, has injected new vitality into the development of Tibetan tourism. Tibet saw more than 35 million tourists in 2020 despite the pandemic, up from 1.8 million tourists in 2005, according to the local government. But for the foreign journalists and government dignitaries it's still off-limits, fearing backlash for seizing control of the Tibetan monasteries and expanding Chinese education rather than the local language. A small group of foreign journalists every year gets a rare opportunity to visit the Tibetan plateau -- barren and ringed by dense groves -- at the invitation of the Chinese government to showcase the progress Tibet has made since the Chinese etakeover'. This correspondent was part of the foreign media tour of Tibet in the recent past. The tastefully lit square with magnificent fountains facing the famed, majestic Potala Palace, once the seat of the Dalai Lama, is the most visited place, especially in the evening. In Lhasa, which in Tibetan language means holy land, the sun sets normally in summer at around 9 p.m. Transcending geographical barriers, Hindi movies and love songs make their presence felt in mobile ringtones and even the lips of the Chinese youth in Tibet. When this IANS correspondent visited the Beijing Experimental School in Lhasa, a big screen at the entrance showcased students swaying to the "Chaiyya chaiyyaa" song from the Shah Rukh Khan-starrer Hindi film "Dil Se". Government officials say that Indian films, dubbed in Mandarin, get released simultaneously in Lhasa with the mainland. The upscale Lhasa has four cinemas. The 1,300-year-old Potala Palace, included in the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1994, with seven golden peaks on the main building, is a model of ancient architecture and home to over 100,000 pieces of cultural relics such as murals, stupas, statues, ethangkas' and rare sutras. The authorities restrict visitors to the Potala Palace to less than 4,000 a day and it stays open from 9 a.m. to 5.30 p.m. In 2002, the Chinese government invested a total 179.3 million yuan in the renovation of the palace. Every year renovation is being carried out by painting the interior and exterior walls of the Potala Palace. The Potala Palace, which symbolises Tibetan Buddhism and its central role in the traditional administration of Tibet, was first built by the Tibetan king Songtsen Gampo in the 7th century and it was rebuilt in the mid 17th century by the fifth Dalai Lama. According to UNESCO, the Potala

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Palace, noteworthy for its unique architecture globally, reached its present size and form in the years that followed as a result of repeated renovation and expansion. The Potala Palace, together with the Norbulingka and the Sakya Monastery, are the three main Tibetan cultural heritage sites in Lhasa. The current Dalai Lama, the Tibetan spiritual leader, lives in exile in Dharamsala in the northern Indian hill state of Himachal Pradesh. He escaped to India from the Potala Palace in 1959 along with his followers after China crushed an uprising in Tibet. India has a literary connection with Tibet and one of its most widely travelled writers, Rahul Sankrityayan, is still close to the heart of the Chinese people, even after eight decades. His memory is preserved in a memorial to renowned Tibetan scholar, poet and thinker Gedun Chophel, who was Sankrityayan's fellow traveller, in the capital Lhasa. Located on the popular Barkhor Street in the vicinity of the Jokhang Temple, the important cultural relics in the heart of old Lhasa, the Gedun Chophel Memorial was opened in his last residence to the public after renovation on November 11, 2013. Rahul Sankrityayan (or Rahula as mentioned in memorial archives) came to Tibet in 1934 to trace the lost Sanskrit texts, says the memorial. Spread over more than 1.2 million sq km, the Tibet region constitutes about one eighth of China's territory. The plateau is seeing an infrastructure boom too with roads connecting 95 per cent of the township-level administrations and 75 per cent of the incorporated villages. Tibet now has five airports that link with 60 cities across China. It will have three more airports to further improve the region's comprehensive transport system, according to the Civil Aviation Administration of China. The entire Tibet has been undergoing a construction boom with expressways, housing complexes, markets, posh neighbourhoods, special economic zones and education centres coming up in rapid succession. China has reached up to villages with modern amenities and optimum tapping of hydro, geothermal and wind energy. Lhasa has an average 3,000 hours of sunshine per year. With funding from the central government hundreds of micro hydropower plants have been set up in Tibet that have been meeting the electricity requirements of the locals. Tibet has a mini Switzerland too. Located in eastern Tibet, the picturesque small township of Nyingchi, which is connected by railway with Lhasa, is acclaimed for alpine beauty comparable to that of Switzerland. It's known for virgin forest with rich flora and fauna. Rural homestays have provided additional employment to locals, mainly Buddhists, and generated economic activity too, say officials. Located some 500 km from Lhasa on the Lhasa-Chengdu national highway through the majestic Mila Pass (5,013 metres), the picturesque Nyingchi located at an altitude of 3,100 metres houses a small population of less than 400. Each household in Nyingchi and nearby areas has a homestay unit. The government is encouraging the locals, who are mostly herdsmen and farmers, to opt for homestays to get additional income by extending subsidies to rebuild their houses and to make homestay units. The Nyingchi Peach Flower Festival in spring is a famous annual event when the hills bloom with flowers and abound with butterflies, including the dragon butterfly. The yellowish caterpillar fungus, which is about two inches long and weighs less than one gram, is the

costliest medical ingredient in the local markets of Nyingchi. Not only is Nyingchi Prefecture the third largest forest area in China, but it also has one of the most intact virgin forests in China. The forests in Nyingchi Prefecture function as the source of the climate and ecology for Tibet and even the entire country and Southeast Asia. The area of glacier and ice in Nyingchi Prefecture amounts to 6,783 sq km, ranking second across the country. The entire Tibet region is populated mainly by tribals. The climatic conditions are harsh as much of the land is a cold desert where the mercury drops to below minus 20 degrees Celsius in winter. The important festivals of Tibet include Shoton, also known as the Yoghurt festival, in Lhasa, the Yarlung and Qomolangma (Mt. Everest) festivals in Shigatse, the Grand Canyon festival in Nyingchi and the Khampa art festival in Qamdo.

Photo Courtesy: Reetu Khodiya

Photo Courtesy: IANS

Photo Courtesy: Reetu Khodiya

Photo Courtesy: IANS

Photo Courtesy: Reetu Khodiya

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BEAUTY

Vol 1, Issue 12, Aug 1 -15, 2021

A rising wave of clean label brands in India Photo Courtesy: Pexel

onsumers are increasingly more aware of choosing the right products for personal care and nutrition. They are questioning a product's sourcing and ingredients and whether they hold any ramifications for the user or the environment. But the market is overrun with a vast surfeit of products filled with harmful chemicals that have various side effects on the end-user. The conscious customer of today wants to settle only for products that are safe. Therefore, we are witnessing a steady influx of clean label health, nutrition and beauty brands in the country that are dedicated to raising the bar in terms of purity and product quality. With consumers appreciating the efforts of select brands that are pushing the envelope towards furnishing only the best in class products that are made wholly from clean and organic plant-based sources, the Indian food and consumer product industry is at the threshold of a vital transformation. The consumers must have the final say as ultimate stakeholders and should be in the centre of all product designing and development. With this thought in mind, several companies in India

are galloping towards the exclusive use of top-drawer ingredients and sustainable methods in formulating products that can be recognised as clean label products. Clean label majorly refers to products that are free of artificial chemicals, contaminants and additives. It brings in transparency and helps consumers make the right choice when it comes to nutrition, health and beauty. Allied Market Research estimates the global clean ingredients market to reach USD 64.1 billion by 2026 from the current USD 38.8 billion. In India, the clean label trend is on the rise and the market will continue to grow in the coming years too. Clean label certification is an extremely important aspect of nutrition products. Being clean label certified ensures that what you are consuming is free of harmful elements and is good for the body, even in the long run. There are organisations like Clean Label Project (a US-based Not for profit organisation) that follow stringent methods before awarding clean label certification to consumer products. Through actual retail sampling and testing, the Clean Label Project has managed to institute evidence-based benchmarks to identify the world’s best products by optimising data and science as opposed to just marketing. The clean-label revolution has also catapulted the rise of clean beauty brands that are focused on delivering exactly what they promise on the product label. Free from a plethora of dangerous chemicals and additives that harm the skin, these new-age clean-beauty products have clearly taken the personal care industry by storm on account of their superior ingredients and absence of harmful toxins. The newly-arising faction of enlightened and eco-conscious users across India and the world solemnly swear by the benefits that are offered by this groundbreaking new wave of clean-beauty brands. No wonder, the commercial and conventional brands have no

option but to make a similar transition or face extinction. As organisations in the country strive to offer only the best products that are certified clean, they are also indirectly nudging the masses into gaining heightened market awareness and using high-quality products only. This will prove instrumental in raising quality standards and product benchmarks around the country as consumers will finally have an opportunity to experience products and services that are clean and uncompromised. The emergence of clean label companies has also imposed a crackdown on many commercial firms meeting dubious products across India and the world. Customers are no longer bullied into buying spurious products that are made under unethical circumstances. They can readily choose to buy products from clean-label brands without experiencing guilt pangs. This clean label paradigm shift has simultaneously helped in empowering the customers and democratizing the market competition. Some companies in India are ostensibly cashing in on the clean-label wave that is spreading fast across the globe. This new league of cruelty-free, organic and vegan brands are also quite vocal in creating their brand fable around their clean-label certification and pristine operational philosophy. The clean label revolution will grow further in India and will also see newer products and categories being launched. Categories like clean proteins, plant-based vitamins, and minerals good for health and immunity have seen a high adoption rate amongst consumers. Clean beauty products with natural and cruelty-free ingredients are highly sought after by Indian consumers. The future of beauty and health is clean and there is no looking back for brands who have adopted clean labels early on.

New Kerastase Chronologiste range launched

Photo Courtesy: Instagram

t is a wish we all share, to stay young forever. Is it impossible? Chronologically, maybe. But this is why we savour our daily beauty rituals. Because they keep us moving forward in life while looking as if little time has passed. A generation ago, women became concerned about ageing only after they began to see the signs, but today’s savvy women are thinking ahead, putting haircare right up there with skincare as a source of eternal youth. We now know that preserving our youthful hair keeps us looking and feeling our best for the world. Healthy, voluptuous hair is a goal we can work at – and achieve – every day. Because ageing is no longer about the passage of years but now the passing of days. HAIRCARE AS SELF PRESERVATION The passage of time is no longer a concern reserved for the middle-aged among us. Women are seeking out youth-preserving products beginning, on average, around age 26, half the age than the previous generation. To answer to the new demand, Kérastase has identified 6 dimensions of ageing scalp and hair, targeting each one with powerful formulas from the rejuvenated Chronologiste range. Chronologiste has long been the premier solution for unrivalled hair revitalization and regeneration. Kérastase has once again combined advanced technology and luxurious sensoriality for an updated hair care system that completely revitalizes hair from scalp to tip. Infused with lovely textures and uplifting fragrances, Chronologiste gives women an indulgent experience that helps them achieve the most beautiful, vital head of hair possible now, tomorrow and forever. THE 6 DIMENSIONS OF AGEING SCALP & HAIR DRYNESS: Sebum production and cell renewal slow from the hormonal changes. The result is flakiness, www.indianabroad.news

irritation and a rough texture on the scalp. SYMPTOMS: Flakiness, dead skin, irritation, roughness. CAUSES: Slower sebum production, slower cell renewal, hormonal changes. SENSITIVITY: As the dermis thins and the skin’s barrier weakens, external factors such as prolonged pollution exposure can cause redness, soreness and itchiness as the scalp becomes more sensitive over time. SYMPTOMS: Redness, soreness, itchiness, fragility. CAUSES: Thinning dermis, weakened skin barrier, prolonged pollution exposure. SLACKNESS: A reduction in natural hyaluronic acid and collagen production, along with UV exposure can cause a loss of elasticity in the scalp. The skin becomes more wrinkled and malleable, which can be uncomfortable. SYMPTOMS: Loss of elasticity, malleability, wrinkling, discomfort. CAUSES: Reduced hyaluronic acid and collagen, prolonged UV exposure. DULLNESS: Due to vitamin deficiency, stress and UV exposure, the hair fibres can become dull over time. Poor light reflection leads to the reduced vibrancy and a lack of real shine. SYMPTOMS: Lack of shine, poor light reflection, reduced vibrance. CAUSES: Natural vitamin deficiency, regular stress, prolonged UV exposure. BRITTLENESS: Over time, the hair fibre becomes more porous and dry, with a weakened cuticle. Hair is more likely to break and feels rough to the touch. SYMPTOMS: dryness, damage, increased breakage, roughness. CAUSES: Slower sebum production, more porous fibre, weakened cuti-

cle. THINNING: Hair follicles reduce in size, while protein levels in the fibres decrease with hormonal changes. The hair appears flat and limp, lacking volume and shape. SYMPTOMS: Flatness, limp look, reduced volume, unshapeliness. CAUSES: Smaller hair follicles, reduced protein levels, hormonal changes. How has Chronologiste changed since the original launched? I still remember the first launch of Chronologiste! Łe range was smaller, but it was already the most luxurious Kérastase range. Now, we have two new products, so it’s becoming more luxurious and more youthful. We’re really working with anti-ageing of the scalp and the hair. What age is best to begin the treatment with Chronologiste? I don’t think we have a specific age to start because we have prevention to think of. Just as you have a serum for your skincare, you should have one for hair and scalp care. Łe Serum Universel has really powerful benefits for the scalp and hair at the same time. It’s skincare inspired. What makes Chronologiste the best youth revitaliazing haircare system? It has the best ingredients in it. Hyaluronic acid plumps the fibre and hydrates the scalp, vitamin E acts as an antioxidant, and Abyssinia will regenerate and revitalize the hair. You can take all of this for yourself and enjoy the sensorial experience, and enjoy the result.

Natasha Moor’s makeup power comes to India via the Global Store on Nykaa Photo Courtesy: IANS

ykaa, India’s leading beauty & fashion destination, recently opened doors to a whole new world of international beauty brands, with the launch of the Global Store on the Nykaa App. Keeping its promise of bringing some of the most loved brands from across the globe to Indian beauty enthusiasts, the Global Store now launches the super glamorous and high-performing range of Natasha Moor Cosmetics. Makeup artist turned entrepreneur, Natasha Moor is on a mission to inspire women to be the best version of themselves- inside and out, with her products that speak the universal language of happiness and self-love. Through her years of experience, Natasha knows firsthand, the transformative power of makeup and its ability to empower her customers with confidence. These values reflect in the Natasha Moor Cosmetics range that celebrates individuality and acknowledge the diverse definitions and expressions of beauty. Each product is designed with unique aspirational

affirmations so that you feel motivated when wearing Natasha’s products. Her lip colours are named after heartening and uplifting mantras, with the intention to inspire the wearer to manifest and live by each message. Aligning with her signature gold and glamorous aesthetic, Natasha’s makeup products look and feel authentically luxurious. Natasha Moor Cosmetics will make its India debut on the Global Store by Nykaa, with best-sellers like the Molten Matte Liquid Lipstick, Silk Suede Lipstick, Moor Power Black Mascara, Kohl Me Fantastic and the Liquid Magic Concealer, amongst others. Designed to democratize the access of international brands by giving choice, inspiration, authenticity, and convenience to users in India, the Global Store on Nykaa is a true oneof-a-kind, cross-border e-commerce platform, that makes, otherwise hard-to-reach, international brands, easily available to Indian beauty buffs. Speaking about the launch Nykaa Spokesperson says, “We are de-

lighted to expand our offering with brands like Natasha Moor Cosmetics, that share our values of inclusivity and empowerment, bringing delight to our customers who are passionate about beauty. Natasha Moor’s luxurious, young and high-glam range of cosmetics will be available exclusively on the Global Store and we cannot wait for our customers to bag these makeup must-haves”. Natasha Moor, Founder of the brand says “Bringing my brand to India has been a dream for such a long time! What’s even more exciting is that we’re going to be launching with the Global Store on the Nykaa App! I have spent so much time in India across cities, working with brides, celebrities, movies and on so much more. My experience of working with amazing Indian women has inspired the shades that I have created, and it finally seems like the right time to introduce Natasha Moor Cosmetics here. I can’t wait to see everyone trying on the products, especially the new shades, and seeing how fabulous they look”!

Improve Your Daily Disposition Through Fragrances!

Photo Courtesy: Pexel

t is no secret that stress levels are at an all-time high. Habits have transformed and life as we knew it, changed right in front of our eyes. A tangible psychological impact of going through this very tiring phase has manifested in different ways. Stress, anxiety and a nagging worry have been constant companions. If there is one strong lesson to be learnt during these times – it is your relationship with yourself and how important it is to love and pamper yourself to survive oddities. When external factors fail to delight, your need to depend on yourself to create a happy, positive environment, becomes significant. Looking and feeling good just for yourself, has gradually taken precedence overlooking and feeling good either to impress or to socialize. One of the sure-shot ways to improve your daily disposition is through fragrances! Fragrances are highly potent in affecting various domains of human psychological functioning, ranging from perception and mood to cognitive processes and behaviour. Olfactory bulbs are a part of the limbic system and directly connect to our mood responses. Multiple researchers and fragrance experts have concluded in the past that scents can be used to transform our surroundings as well as our mindset - with certain smells helping to relax us, while others giving our spirits a much-needed boost. ITC Engage shares ways to use fragrances and tips for how to best incorporate them into your daily ‘Feel Good’ routine: If you’re struggling to keep up an upbeat attitude, adding bright citrus scents or colognes can work wonders. There is no denying that working from home has been physically and mentally exhausting for most of us as everyone is trying to strike a balance between working-at-home and working-from-home. If you’re feeling low while sitting through the endless Zoom calls, wearing perfume can help you energize and refresh. Spraying on stimulating fragrances, especially with citrus notes like lemon, orange bergamot, and fresh-picked mint like the newly launched Engage L’Amante Perfume can further enhance alertness and promote concentration as well. Missing your ordinary life and longing for normalcy? A scent can be nostalgic and make you remember people, places, and things that

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you can’t interact with at the moment. Even if you are just at home, why not use the perfume you wear at work or during a night out with friends? Aiana Jain the beauty and lifestyle influencer says, “Fragrances are a part of most Indian households. From the attar my mom used, to the strong fragrance of spices and plants at home - this fascination turned into a passion for fragrances from all over. Despite that, we are stationed at our homes, using a fragrance remains the high point of my day and my daily dressing ritual. Not only does it uplift my mood instantly but also serve the purpose of being nimble stress busters. Using floral and fruity scents can give me a high whereas using lingering, an elegant fragrance with vanilla and tonka beans bring out a sense of being well-groomed post a shower. I real-

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ized beside adding an extra oomph to my personality, fragrances can innately bust stress too. “ “Scents and a sense of relaxation are closely connected for me. Scents can have positive effects on our mood, stress reduction, sleep enhancement, self-confidence, and emotional performance as well. Our olfactory response is directly linked to the emotional centre of our brain, causing a flood of feelings with every spritz. After experimenting much with different brands and notes, I have finally discovered Engage L’Amante Perfume, a fragrance that compliments my natural scent and enhances my confidence.” said Jainam Vora aka Vorasahab the lifestyle influencer. Times may be difficult but it only takes a few spritzes to help you continue smelling good and feeling good.

FASHION

Vol 1, Issue 12, Aug 1 -15, 2021

74th Cannes Film Festival: Who wore what

here's nothing fashion addicts were craving more than a fabulous red carpet, and the Cannes Film Festival was just what the doctor ordered. After the event was cancelled last year in light of the pandemic, all eyes were glued to this seasons fashion gala as the 74th edition of the annual event kicked off with much pomp and glamour. This year, Indian beauties who are regulars at the Cannes, like Sonam Kapoor, Priyanka Chopra, Deepika Padukone, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, were missing due to travel retrictions. Nevertheless, the star-studded Cannes 2021 had all the glitter and glamour which we were missing since last year. Hollywood personalities took to the red carpet with panache, dressing up in the latest trends. Bella Hadid: Super model Bella wore a vintage Jean Paul Gaultier gown in monochrome with a sheer veil, wrapped as halter neck. Pearshaped diamond earrings, a diamond ring, and heart-shaped ruby ring finished her look. Jessica Chastain: Jessica looked gorgeous in an off-shoulder Chris-

Photo Courtesy: IANS

tian Dior lace gown. For accessories, she chose to wear a sleek diamond and ruby necklace. Jodie Foster: Jodie Foster gave us fashion goals in a white Givenchy dress featuring silver-studded accents. Pebble-stacked earrings and a cocktail ring were the jewellery she chose to compliment the outfit. Elena Lenina: Elena dazzled in an all-silver gown with trailing sleeves and a shimmery gold head accessory to add the OTT affect. Kat Graham: A green Etro paisley-patterned dress and Pomellato jewellery were Graham’s pick for the occasion. Carla Bruni: Carla wore a shimmery, baby blue single-strapped gown by Celine and matching shimmery bracelet. Lorena Rae: The German model shimmered in a nude Elie Saab hi-lo dress with silver-striped and feathered accents. Frédérique Bel: The actress, model was seen wearing a strapless baby pink Yanina Couture gown, with flowing sleeves. She completed the look with a warm pink toned and a gold clutch.

Carla Bruni Elena Lenina

Bella Hadid

Jodie Foster

Kat Graham

Frédérique Bel

www.indianabroad.news

Lorena Rae

Jessica Chastain

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ENTERTAINMENT

Vol 1, Issue 12, Aug 1 -15, 2021

Simba Nagpal impressed by Rubina Jacqueline flaunts 'sexy back' Dilaik's 'boss lady nature' Photo Courtesy: Instagram

Photo Courtesy: Instagram

ctor Simba Nagpal, who plays the protagonist Virat Singh in the show "Shakti: Astitva Ke Ehsaas Ki", is impressed by the boss lady behaviour of co-star Rubina

Dilaik, who won the reality TV show "Bigg Boss 14" last year. "Rubina is actually the way she was in the reality television show. Nothing was fake about her. I enjoy

shooting with her and I am impressed by her boss lady nature. It's fun to have her on the sets. She is good to talk with," said Simba. The actor revealed that because of Rubina, shooting gets over on time on the set of the show. "One thing I personally enjoy about her is that she is very punctual and makes sure the shoot gets over on time. We can be back from work on time. The shots are never stretched," Simba pointed out. Rubina essays the role of Soumya in the fiction show, which also stars popular actors like Jigyasa Singh, Kamya Punjabi, Sudesh Berry and Cezanne Khan

Mumbai, July 23: Actress Jacqueline Fernandez set the mercury soaring with a glamorous picture flaunting her "sexy back" on social media. She posted two pictures on Instagram on Friday. In the first one,

sporting a short bob haircut, minimum make-up the "Kick" actress is seen covered in a bright red towel. She completes her look with long lashes and orange lip-tint. In the second, Jacqueline's toned

Top style divas of the small screen

Photo Courtesy: Instagram

back is towards the camera, captioned: "You.. you're not ugly.. society is #liveyourlifenow." Speaking about her work, the actress recently featured in the music video "Paani paani" by rapper Badshah and singer Aastha Gill. Jacqueline has her date diary full as she has several releases coming up. She has "Ram Setu" and "Bachchan Pandey" coming up with Akshay Kumar, "Kick 2" with Salman Khan, "Cirkus" with Ranveer Singh and the multi-star cast horror comedy "Bhoot Police".

Rakul Preet Singh ‘excited’ to join ‘Dr G’ cast in Bhopal Photo Courtesy: Instagram

Erica Fernandes

Neha Pendse

www.indianabroad.news

Shraddha Arya

ou are what you wear. The proverb goes apt with television stars too, for they become style icons for what they wear on screen and fans love to follow their dresses, jewellery, hairstyles and other looks. IANS looks at five actresses who have made an impact on the wardrobes of fans with their stunning style statements on the tube. PRATIBHA RANTA She made her debut in Qurbaan Hua and now has become a trendsetter for the wedding ceremony look. Her embroidered kurta sharara in the show can be the best choice for your friend's haldi, mehndi and sangeet ceremonies. They are subtle and classy at the same time. NEHA PENDSE

Rubina Dilaik

Neha is popular these days for her role of Anita bhabhi in her show Bhabi Ji Ghar Par Hai! She dons sarees in a vintage manner that gives the character a classy touch. The patterns and designs are very inspired from the late eighties and the early nineties. Those who prefer to wear satin and chiffon admire her draping style and look. ERICA FERNANDES She can be seen as Sonakshi in the show Kuch Rang Pyar Ke Aise Bhi: Nayi Kahaani. Her looks are curated to bring out a strong statement. Her long flowy Indian wear such as kurtas and churidars, teamed with oxidised jewellery, add an edge to the look, and her cotton sarees paired with bold earrings present her independent and working woman look.

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RUBINA DILAIK She is a style icon, and from Choti Bahu to Shakti, Rubina never fails to catch your attention. Apart from her sarees, her blouse designs have inspired a lot. From off shoulders to flared sleeves, she has set a distinct trend. So, if you want to go for a classy and simple look, give her dressing style a shot. SHRADDHA ARYA She is currently portraying Preeta Karan Luthra in Kundali Bhagya. She has gained a lot of fame for her traditional look, wearing embroidered lehenga with jewellery to ethnic sarees. Because of her desi look she has become a youth icon, and her ethnic fashion statement is loved by the audience.

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ctress Rakul Preet Singh has landed in Bhopal to start her shoot for "Dr G". The actress, who will be seen alongside Ayushmann Khurrana, is thrilled to shoot in the city for the first time. "I am so excited to be in Bhopal and start shoot of 'Dr G' . Have waited for so long due to the lockdown to start shooting the film . I'm very thrilled and look forward to start shooting with Anubhuti, Ayushman, Shefali ji and the entire cast and crew it's an amazing script and very close to my heart," Rakul says. This marks her maiden visit to the city of Bhopal. The actress is keen on exploring the city too in between the schedule. "This is my first time shooting in Bhopal. Had always heard it's a city of lakes and as soon as I landed and my drive to the hotel was so beautiful. It's such a green and pretty city. Can't wait to explore it. I also want to try the poha and jalebi here that I have heard of so much," she says.

ENTERTAINMENT

Vol 1, Issue 12, Aug 1 -15, 2021

Kartik Aaryan set to play 'Shershaah' a real tribute to pilot in 'Captain India' Kargil hero: Elderly parents Photo Courtesy: Instagram

ctor Kartik Aaryan has been roped in to star in filmmaker Hansal Mehtas next titled "Captain India".

Kartik said: "‘Captain India' is inspiring and thrilling in equal measure and it gives me great pride and honour to be a part of such a historic chapter of our country."

The film is produced by Ronnie Screwvala and Harman Baweja and is an action-drama inspired by India's successful rescue missions from a war-torn nation. "I have immense respect for Hansal sir's body of work and this was the perfect opportunity to collaborate with him," Kartik said. Mehta said the film will revisit a moment where a man goes beyond his own pain. "‘Captain India' which is inspired by true events will revisit a moment in time where a man goes beyond his own pain and suffering to save thousands. I'm happy to collaborate with Ronnie Screwvala and Harman Baweja on the film and I look forward to working with Kartik," the filmmaker said. Talking about the film, producer Ronnie Screwvala said that "Captain India" is not just a story of one of the biggest humanitarian operations ever but also about the indomitable human spirit, one that rises above failure despite the odds. Screwvala added: "Hansal Mehta is one of the finest filmmakers of our time and has always beautifully captured the true essence of humane stories. Kartik Aaryan's fans are surely in for a treat as he steps into an all-new territory with ‘Captain India'." Writer and Producer, Harman Baweja said that "Captain India" is the film that strikes the perfect balance of an inspiring human story and an exhilarating cinematic experience.

Tamannaah Bhatia: Saw a lot more successful films in South

Photo Courtesy: Instagram

ctress Tamannaah Bhatia says she has seen a lot more successful films in the South. Tamannaah is one of the most prominent names in the South film industry and has even featured in Bollywood with films such as "Himmatwala", "Entertainment", "Humshakals" and "Tutak Tutak Tutiya". Asked between south or Bollywood films which one is the most difficult to headline, Tamannaah told IANS: "I saw a lot more successful films in the south and it just is very simple. The industries work in exactly the same fashion. There is no difference in the work. At the end, wherever you get success that place accepts you a lot more right?" The 31-year-old actress, who has starred in Southern blockbusters including the "Baahubali" franchise, "Anbanavan Asaradhavan Adangadhavanace", "K.G.F: Chapter 1" and "Sye Raa Narasimha Reddy" among many others, aspires to reach out to a global audience. "I feel I got that in and received that kind of love and fan following in the south and I aspire that the kind of work I am doing I will be able to reach out and continue to reach out to a more pan-India and hopefully global audience." The actress, who was recently seen in the web-series "November Story" on Disney+ Hotstar VIP, is now gearing up for the Telugu remake of the Hindi thriller "Andhadhun". The Telugu version is directed by Merlapaka Gandhi.

wenty-two years have passed, but time has not healed wounds of this elderly couple whose Indian Army officer son sacrificed his life while fighting with the enemy in icy heights at an altitude of 16,000 feet in the 1999 Kargil War. Now the biography of their son, Captain Vikram Batra, portraying in Tamil director Vishnu Vardhan's film 'Shershaah' that is all set to release on Amazon Prime Video on August 12, a real tribute to a Kargil hero. The couple told IANS on Sunday that it is the proud moment for them and the film is a real tribute to a soldier, who sacrificed his life for the nation and has a huge fan following across the globe, including Pakistan, for his valour. "We are proud to see a war historical film that portrays our son's real-life story, in fact struggle, that begins from his early childhood to reaching the IMA (Indian Military Academy) and finally getting inducted into the Indian Army," an emotional but upbeat G.L. Batra, 77, the father of late Captain Batra, who was awarded the Param Vir Chakra for leading one of the toughest operations during the Kargil War, told IANS. He said the movie, the first memoir of his son, is a real tribute to a Kargil hero. The producer has done a lot of research on his life. "But we certainly feel that there is a much delay in documenting the memoir of a martyr. If it has been made within two-four years of the Kargil War, it would have been more appropriate. We still feel proud that the director has made a biopic on the life of our Kargil War hero son," he added. Actors Sidharth Malhotra and Kiara Advani will be seen in Karan Johar produced 'Shershaah'. Batra, who retired from the state government and settled in this tea garden town, about 220 km from the state capital Shimla, said his son has a huge fan following across the globe. "As per my knowledge, Captain Vikram Batra commands huge respect among the Pakistani youth." The film crew has travelled to Palampur, Chandigarh, Lahaul-Spiti and Ladakh several times to portray Captain Batra's real-life, who died in combat on Point 4875 in the Drass subsector of Kargil on July 7, 1999. Captain Batra, nicknamed Sher Shah, used "Yeh dil maange more" as a battle slogan, which became widely popular.

Photo Courtesy: Instagram

The martyr's mother, Kanta Batra, told IANS that there was delay in the release of the movie owing to the coronavirus pandemic. "We are regularly getting to many phone calls and letters from our well-wishers from across the globe," she said, adding, "Now the war historical film will be the first documented memoir that the followers of our son are awaiting." On being asked about the response to the film they are expecting, she responded humbly, "Actually by seeing the film we will be able to com-

ment. We can now only say Sidharth Malhotra did justice to Captain Vikram Batra." Actor Sidharth has played the role of the martyr. Captain Batra's twin brother, Vishal Batra, hoped his brother's life is presented with the same vigour in the real as the soldier led in real. Vishal accompanied Johar and Shabbir, co-producer of the film, to Leh, Kargil, Drass and the Indian Military Academy in Dehradun to meet officers, who took part in the war.

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Vol 1, Issue 12, Aug 1 -15, 2021

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