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Vol 1, Issue 7, May 16-31, 2021
MORE STORIES ONLINE www.indianabroad.news PUBLISHED FORTNIGHTLY DAILY UPDATES ONLINE
PM emphasises on door-to-door TAG celebrates Ugadi, Covid testing in rural India Ramanavami in Gold Coast Anupam Kher: Heartening to see people helping selflessly - Page 4
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elugu Association of Gold Coast (TAG) celebrated Ugadi and Sri Ramanavami festivals on May 8 at the Robina Community Centre in Robina, Gold Coast.
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rime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday stressed on localised containment strategies in states where Test Positive Rate (TPR) in districts is high and adopt “door to door testing and surveillance in rural India” to contain the spread of Covid-19.
Indian-origin Australian doctor offers aid transcending distance - Page 13
The Prime Minister gave the direction while chairing a high-level meeting to discuss the Covid-19 and vaccination related situation in the country which is passing through the second wave of the deadly disease.
with Queensland’s Indian community
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Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk today announced the funding while meeting with leaders of the state’s Indian community to pledge Queensland’s support in the wake of a deadly second wave of COVID-19. Continued on Page 9
IABCA 2021: Community members honoured for laudable contributions
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and Community Awards
(IABCA), the largest platform
celebrating the India- Austra-
lia relationship, held its annual awards this year on 14th May
at the International Convention Centre, Sydney. Ever since its
inaugural event in 2013, IABCA has
achieved international recognition as a tool for cultural diplomacy,
bilateral trade enhancement, and as a platform for stimulating new
business investment between the
Raima Sen: ‘I have always had a phobia of auditions’ - Page 38
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Dyuthi Vuthpala and Aarna Dupakuntla
Mother’s day Fundraising Premier stands in solidarity Fashion Event Organised
he India Australia Business
Will wellness tourism grow due to COVID-19? - Page 25
Continued on Page 6
Continued on Page 4
he Palaszczuk Government will donate $2 million to the Australian Red Cross on behalf of all Queenslanders to aid the response to the COVID-19 crisis in India.
Mandsaur’s hidden ‘jewel of music’ recreates the ‘Dama Dum’ song - Page 21
The festivities included shlokam recitals by Bala Sanskar Kendra; classical and semi-classical dance items like Bharatanatyam by Priyadarshini Srinivasa, besides the Bollywood and Tollywood songs and dances performed by the local community members.
two nations by recognising the
success of our people-to-people links.
Continued on Page 5
Dr. Tanya Unni won the Businesswoman of the Year Award
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successful mother’s day fundraising fashion show was produced and designed by talented Rita Grigutiene of ModaRita in collaboration with the beautiful hand painted gowns of Chona Massingham on May 8 at LUMIERE events and culinary studio, Newstead QLD, Australia.
Many beautiful ladies from different ages, colour and size participated in the show. Hair and makeup artist Ngan Giang, Rio Hulbert and Lam Thai did the makeup and hair of beautiful ladies for the ramp walk. Reena Augustine and Krishna Singh were the choroegraphers of the show. Talented photographers Timothy flood, Adrian Phoebe and Bob Mcgahan covered the event. Continued on Page 28
Australia’s temporary ban on flights from India met with outrage The Morrison government’s decision to temporarily ban repatriation flights from India till May 15 had been received with open outrage by the Indian community and it was widely perceived as having stemmed from an outright “racist” prejudice Prime Minister Scott Morrison recently took to Twitter and announced the lifting of the ban from May 14 midnight following which the first “half-empty” Qantas repatriation flight from India touched down in Darwin at 9.00 am on May 15. Even though this was welcomed by the aggrieved Australian-Indians who had been stuck in India since the ban came into effect, this in no way lessened
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Prime Minister Scott Morrison the general feeling of discrimination and indignation which the Indian community at large had felt after the government’s decision to completely prohibit flights from India on April 27 which was Continued on Page 28
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Vol 1, Issue 7, May 16-31, 2021
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LEAD STORIES
Vol 1, Issue 7, May 16-31, 2021
Covid-19’s Rampage in India At 4,205, India reports record Covid deaths in a day
Priyanka says impossible to fight Covid without door-todoor vaccine delivery who is also in-charge of Uttar Pradesh Congress, said, “India is the biggest manufacturer of vaccines. BJP celebrated vaccine day on April 12 but did not make arrangements for vaccines and within 30 days vaccination rate was down by 82 per cent. (Prime Minister Narendra) Modiji went to vaccine industries and got his picture clicked.”
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ndia on Wednesday recorded 4,205 deaths due to Covid, highest till date with 3,48,421 fresh cases, the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said.
On May 8, India has recorded 4,187 deaths in 24 hours, while on May 7, India recorded its highest ever fresh cases 4,14,188. In the past 20 days India’s daily Covid tally has plateaued over the three-lakh-mark and over 3,000 casualties for a fortnight.
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India’s total tally of Covid-19 cases now stands at 2,33,40,938 with 37,04,099 active cases and 2,54,197 deaths so far. According to the Health Ministry, a total of 3,55,338 people have been discharged in the last 24 hours, with 1,93,82,642 being cured from Covid till date.
total of 17,52,35,991 people have been vaccinated so far in the country, including 24,46,674 who were administered vaccines in the last 24 hours.
The Health Ministry said that a
According to the Indian Coun-
cil of Medical Research (ICMR), 30,75,83,991 samples have been tested up to May 11 for Covid-19. Of these 19,83,804 samples were tested on Tuesday.
ongress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Wednesday slammed the government for celebrating Vaccination Day on April 12 and claimed that the vaccination rate was down by 82 per cent within 30 days. She also said that it is impossible to fight coronavirus without delivering the vaccines door to door. In a series of tweets in Hindi, Vadra,
Floating bodies cremated in UP districts
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ll the bodies recovered from the Ganga river in Ghazipur and Ballia districts were cremated and investigations have been initiated to find out where the bodies had been immersed in the river.
Ballia district Magistrate Aditi Singh said that Sub-divisional Magistrate Sadar and Circle Officer Sadar spearheaded a search operation on reports of decayed bodies piling under Ballia-Buxar bridge in the Ganga under Narahi police station area. The official, however, did not reveal the exact number of bodies found. The bodies were found floating on the river on Monday evening and officials found decayed dead bodies in large numbers near Ujiyar
Officials in Buxar, Bihar, on Monday, claimed that the bodies floating in river Ganga were coming from UP. During inspection, seven bodies were spotted in river Karmnasha before its confluence in Ganga on Ghazipur-Buxar border. District Magistrate Ghazipur M P Singh said, “All the bodies are heavily decayed and are suspected to have been disposed of days ago. It is difficult to trace from
the initial hours. This was done to give some time to people to return home. However, from Thursday police plan to take strict action against those found on roads after 10 a.m.
The busy markets in Hyderabad are under zero mobility as all the shops and business establishments downed shutters at 10 a.m.
A senior police official said cases would be booked against violators under Disaster Management Act and their vehicles would be seized.
People were seen rushing back homes after availing the four-hour relaxation from 6 a.m. to buy the essentials.
Hyderabad Police Commissioner Anjani Kumar who was supervising lockdown enforcement at historic Charminar said 180 checkposts were set up in the city to check the movement of vehicles. Senior officials were deployed to ensure strict adherence to lockdown norms.
Wednesday being the first day of the lockdown, police were not strict in enforcing restrictions in
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Several states have red-flagged the shortage of vaccines to the central government.
Joint search drives were conducted by officials of Ballia and Ghazipur districts in the Ganga and its tributaries, including Karmnasha, when locals alerted the administration about a number of bodies seen floating on the river.
oads wore a deserted look in Hyderabad and the rest of Telangana on Wednesday morning as the 10-day lockdown began across the state to check the spread of Covid-19.
Police personnel were patrolling the streets to enforce the lockdown.
Her remarks came on the day when India recorded 4,205 deaths in 24 hours, the highest in a single day so far, with 3.48 lakh Covid cases.
and Bharauli under Narahi police station of Ballia.
where bodies were disposed of in rivers, but we have asked police to find out whether villagers of our district are doing so.”
Deserted roads as lockdown begins in Telangana
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“Why did his government order the vaccines in January 2021? US and other countries ordered for vaccines with Indian government much earlier. Who will take responsibility of the same? It is impossible to fight Covid-19 without delivering the vaccines door to door,” she said in another tweet.
“Lockdown is important to break
the chain of infection. There is good awareness about this among people and they are extending cooperation with the police,” the police Commissioner said. Cyberabad Police Commissioner V. C. Sajjanar and Rachakonda Police Commissioner Mahesh Bahgwath were also in the field to monitor the lockdown enforcement in their commissionerate limits. Elaborate arrangements were also made in 32 other districts in Telangana to enforce the 20-hour lockdown. Director General of Police M. Mahender Reddy directed all commissioners and superintendents of police to ensure strict enforcement of lockdown.
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Earlier, roads were abuzz with traffic since early morning as people ventured out to buy essentials. Vegetable markets, grocery shops, meat shops and supermarkets were teeming with customers since 6 a.m. Public transport services like the RTC bused and Metro trains were also operated from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. In some places, garment shops also opened early in the morning to enable people to do shopping for Eid, which is to be celebrated Thursday or Friday. The State Cabinet on Tuesday decided to impose state-wide lockdown for 10 days to contain the spread of Covid-19. Every day, there will be relaxation for general activities and needs of the people. Only for these four hours all the shops will be opened. Pharmaceutical companies, companies manufacturing medical equipment, medical distributors, medical shops, all types of medical and health services, government and private hospitals and their staff have been exempted from lockdown. Transportation on national high-
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ways will be allowed for movement of essential commodities. Petrol and diesel pumps would be open on the national highways. Government offices would work with 33 per cent of the staff. Like during the lockdown last time, banks and ATMs would also work. Only 40 members will be allowed for marriage with prior permission. For funeral rites, maximum of 20 persons will be allowed. The government has ordered closure of cinema halls, swimming pools, clubs, gyms, amusement parks, and sports stadia. The state government was initially reluctant to impose lockdown. While imposing night curfew on May 23, it had ruled out imposing partial or total lockdown, saying the measure would be of not much help in containing the surge. Last week, the chief minister had also stated that such a move would bring the life to a standstill and would lead to total collapse of the economy. However, the government finally decided to impose lockdown after the high court pulled it up for not taking strict measures to check the spread of Covid.
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LEAD STORIES
Vol 1, Issue 7, May 16-31, 2021
Covid-19’s Rampage in India TN announces compensation for doctors’ families
This UP village has sealed itself to check Covid spread
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amil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on Wednesday announced Rs 25 lakh compensation to the families of 43 doctors who had lost their lives while on Covid-19 patient treatment duty.
Stalin also announced incentives to those medical service personnel who were involved in treatment of Covid-19 patients. As per the incentive scheme for the three months -- April, May and June -- when the second wave of Covid-19 spread, doctors will be paid Rs 30,000, nurses and trainee doctors Rs 20,000, and others like sanitary workers, people working in CT scan department, ambulance workers Rs 15,000.
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he Parwana village in Bulandshahr district of Uttar Pradesh has sealed itself to prevent the spread of Covid infection.
Stalin also extended greeting to the nurses on the International
Nurses Day that falls on May 12.
Anupam Kher: Heartening to see people helping selflessly
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uman beings have been known to come together in the face of a crisis; there is help and support pouring in from all quarters, which is a matter of great pride and relief, says senior actor and author Anupam Kher.
Kher’s foundation, called the Anupam Kher Foundation, partnered up with Dr Ashutosh Tewari (Global Cancer Foundation, USA) and Baba Kalyani (Bharat Forge, India), for a new project called “Project Heal India”. Through this initiative, the organizations will provide critical equipment and other life supporting devices to needy institutions and hospitals across India. “We are honored and humbled to team up with Global Cancer Foundation and Bharat Forge, India to provide lifesaving equipment and medical supplies to people in need. The fact that many people are coming forward to selflessly help others is heartening,” Anupam Kher told IANSlife. Kher added that the first consignment of care supplies like ventilators, non-invasive ventilation
devices and oxygen concentrators has arrived. We hope more people will join forces to ensure that India comes out of this pandemic soon,”
According to Dr Ashutosh Tewari, “We want the people in India to know that they are not alone, and we will fight this together. We may be 10,000 miles away, but we continue to keep you close in our hearts and thoughts. The supplies we are sending are a kind of symbolic gesture and a sign of solidarity. We know that the needs are both extremely urgent and very great. On behalf of everyone who has so generously contributed to this effort, we are grateful to be able to contribute to Project Heal India. COVID-19 has touched me personally and professionally in many ways, yet I remain hopeful that together we will win this fight.” Adding, Baba Kalyani called this an exemplary gesture and said: “As an eminent American doctor of Indian origin, this generous effort to help the Indian medical system with so much support at this time of crisis is immensely valued. I
“Localised containment strategies are the need of the hour specially for states where TPR in districts is high,” said the Prime Minister, instructing that testing needs to be scaled up further, with use of both RT PCR and Rapid Tests, especially
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in areas with high test positivity rates.
Modi said that states should be encouraged to report their numbers transparently without any pressure of high numbers showing adversely on their efforts and asked for “augmentation of health
The decision comes after over two dozen persons died in the past one and a half months, ostensibly due to Covid. Villagers are also taking care to maintain social distancing and sanitize their hands at regular intervals. People are wearing masks and even children are being forced to follow safety protocols. The village head, Syoraj Singh, said that 28 to 30 people have died in just over a month. “The deceased include both, elderly and the young,” he said.
am personally humbled and very pleased to contribute to this collective endeavour.”
Senior government officials did not give an exact figure of the dead, but admitted that ‘several’ have
Subhash Singh, sub-divisional magistrate (SDM) of Syana, said, “There have been several deaths due to natural causes too. Widespread sampling was done on May 5 and 41 villagers tested positive out of 160. More samples were taken after that and the report is awaited.” District magistrate of Bulandshahr, Ravindra Kumar, said that several teams have been sent to the village and the situation will be brought under control soon. “This (the deaths) did come to my notice. I immediately spoke to the health department officials. We have sent screening teams to the village. People who have tested Covid-19 positive have been put in isolation,” he said. Syoraj Singh said that people are ill in every second house. Each time the condition of a person deteriorates, we have to rush him to a hospital in Bulandshahr city, which is about 20 kms away.
Concluding, Anupam Kher said: “At the time of an ongoing world crisis, we human beings have always collectively come together to respond and provide help in any way possible. As India is reeling under a huge crisis, it is our moral responsibility to pick up the mantle and do our bit. Numerous people from around the globe reached out asking for ways to be of help but as Dr Ashutosh Tewari was one of the first to come up with a concrete plan.”
PM emphasises on door-todoor Covid testing in rural India Continued from Page 1
Barricades have been put up at the entry points of the village, with a banner declaring that the “entry of outsiders in the village is prohibited -- by order district administration.”
died.
care resources in rural areas to focus on door-to-door testing and surveillance”. He also spoke about empowering ASHA and Anganwadi workers with all necessary tools. The Prime Minister asked for guidelines to be made available
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in easy language along with illustrations for home isolation and treatment in rural areas. Considering the need for oxygen, Modi directed that a distribution plan for ensuring oxygen supply in rural areas must be worked out, including provision of oxygen concentrators. The Prime Minister also stressed on the need to provide necessary training to health workers in the operation of equipment like oxygen concentrators, and that there should be proper power supply to
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ensure smooth operation of such medical devices. The Prime Minister took serious note of some reports about ventilators lying unutilised in storage in some states and directed that an immediate audit of installation and operation of ventilators provided by the Central government should be carried out. He added that refresher training for properly operating ventilators should be provided to health care workers if necessary.
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IABCA AWARDS 2021
Vol 1, Issue 7, May 16-31, 2021
IABCA 2021: Community members honoured for laudable contributions Continued from Page 1
Some of the national finalists for this year included Aayushi Khillan, Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority in the Young Professional of the year category; Charishma Kaliyanda, Headspace Campbelltown in the Young Community Achiever of the Year category; Tulja Academy in the Community Services Excellence Award category; Indrani Ganguly, Author and Principal Policy Officer, Department of Communities, Child Safety and Disability Services in the Community Services Excellence Award (individual) category; Akshaya Borkar, the Art and Craft Gallery; Dr. Tanya Unni, Director, Amtan Medical Centres in the
Businesswoman of the Year Award category; Mannu Kala, Medlab Pathology in the Business Leader or Professional of the Year (Male) category; Aarti Bajaj, Wild Dreamer Productions in the Business Leader or Professional of the Year (Female) category; Mallika Bajaj, Former Indian tennis player and sportscaster; Simon Taufel, Former international cricket umpire and motivational lecturer, International Cricket Council; and Satinder Singh Chawla, Landmark Community Sports Club in the Spirit of Sport Award category; and Shaun Star, Centre for India and Australia Studies in the Australia India Impact Award (Individual) category. Some of the finalists who were
Spirit of Sport Award 2021 winner Simon Taufel honoured with awards for their excellence and valuable contributions to the India-Australia relationship included Shaun Star, Centre for India and Australia Studies in the Australia India Im-
Australia India Impact Award (Individual) 2021 winner Shaun Star pact Award (Individual) category; Simon Taufel, Former international cricket umpire and motivational lecturer, International Cricket Council; Dr. Tanya Unni, Director, Amtan Medical Centres in the
Businesswoman of the Year 2021 Dr Tanya Unni Businesswoman of the Year Award category; and Jehan Kanga, KPMG Australia in the Young Professional of the Year category.
Simon Taufel, former Australian cricket umpire, won the Spirit of Sport Award
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COMMUNITY NEWS
Vol 1, Issue 7, May 16-31, 2021
TAG celebrates Ugadi, Ramanavami in Gold Coast Continued from Page 1
A unique aspect of the program were interactive games which engaged the audience and were highly appreciated.
“TAG is very grateful for the contribution from the community and volunteers in making this celebration successful in line with the COVID regulations,” said Dr Prashanti Veeramachaneni, Cultural Secretary, TAG.
‘Mangalam’ by Rhythm India school of dance
(L-R) Tanvi Vuthpala, Sahitya Kothuri, Sohan Pateel
Rishi Veeramachaneni (L) and Yuvi Chauhan
Sarvani Juluru (L) and Narmada Chowdary
Bharatanatyam by Priyadarshini Srinivasa
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Reethika Yelavarthi _ Avinash Kundur
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COMMUNITY NEWS
Vol 1, Issue 7, May 16-31, 2021
Shlokam recital by Bala Sanskar Kendra
Indian communities stand together to pray in candle light vigil
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ustralian politician Annastacia Palaszczuk announced on a facebook post that they are donating $2 million to the Australian Red Cross to assist the COVID-19 response in India. She
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shared pictures and wrote “We’re with you, India. India is one of the worst affected countries in the pandemic with more 4,000 people dying every day and more than 3.7 million
active cases.
Today I met with leaders of Queensland’s Indian communities, including Honorary Consul Archana Singh. We’re offering our support and will
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donate $2 million to the Australian Red Cross to assist the COVID-19 response in India. More than 74,000 Queenslanders have ties there, and it’s heartbreaking to be so far away from
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loved ones.
We will do everything we can for the Indian people during these incredibly difficult times” as a caption.
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COMMUNITY NEWS
Vol 1, Issue 7, May 16-31, 2021
Australia’s temporary ban on flights from India met with outrage
Continued from Page 1
effectively implemented from May 3. Approximately 40 Indians due to arrive via this first post-ban flight were unfortunately barred from boarding as they tested positive for the novel coronavirus. Around 9000 Australian citizens are stuck in India of which a considerable number fall under the vulnerable category. Ban imposed in the wake of India becoming Covid hotspot From mid-April, India which had previously managed to curtail the number of Covid cases began to witness an unprecedented rise in new cases and this time according to medical experts, the onslaught was even deadlier as the patients
were found infected with a double mutant variant. With daily cases topping more than 300,000 by the end of April and an incline in the number of positive cases among Indian arrivals in certain states of Australia during that time period, the Federal government following a National Cabinet meeting announced a ban on flights from India from May 3 to May 15. It was also implied that if necessary, the ban might be extended. Indians decry government’s ‘racist’ stance What really ruffled the Indian community members’ feathers who claimed that the decisions were not simply discriminatory but stemmed from an outright
racist prejudice, which in the past had also made its presence felt in the form of the violent attacks on Indian students in Melbourne a decade ago, was the government’s decision to jail the citizens who tried returning from India. The Morrison-led government drew flak for blatantly having double standards as the same stringency was not shown in the case of travellers from UK and USA even when cases were surging dramatically in those countries. Even Australian cricket players who had been participating in the IPL tournament vehemently criticized the government’s decision which almost tantamounted to abandoning their own citizens. Indians once again were in for a rude
shock and it seemed to reinforce their conviction that despite their significant contribution to Australia and the measures taken by the government to acknowledge their being an integral part of the country, they were still regarded as “outsiders” and that Australia had still not given up their racial prejudice for Indians and maybe even for Asians, in general. One is left to wonder whether the government would have considered ending the ban on May 15 had the Indian community members not lashed out and voiced their objection so strongly. Morrison justifies government’s decision Although Prime Minister Morrison decided to lift the ban and resume the repatriation flights, he main-
tains that the previous decision had been taken for the welfare of the Australian citizens and after consulting medical experts. He denied that it was motivated by political interests and that it was a racist stance. Earlier also when Australia had closed its borders to Chinese nationals, this had been viewed as a prejudiced move particularly since no such measures were taken against US and European citizens. This time around the government’s decision to make the efforts of citizens from India trying to enter Australia a criminal offense is being seen as an extreme step. However, Morrison claims that the two-week long ban was a prudent one as it helped to prevent the number of cases from escalating.
Australians to return from India as Australia Dispatches Medical Supplies to India more essential supplies are dispatched
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ustralia will deliver essential medical supplies to India today as part of our initial package of support to the Indian Government’s programme for combating the country’s current COVID-19 outbreak.
“India has shown great leadership and generosity to the world in exporting vaccines globally. It is time for the world to repay that generosity and Australia as a close friend of the Indian people is playing its part,” Minister Payne said.
A chartered Qantas flight departed Sydney carrying supplies to meet the needs identified by the Government of India including 1056 ventilators and 43 oxygen concentrators. This will allow Indian frontline workers to provide lifesaving medical interventions.
“We express our solidarity and deepest support with India as it responds to this ongoing crisis and recognise how difficult this time is for Indians and Australians in India and their loved ones.”
These Australian donated supplies will be distributed by the Indian Red Cross and local authorities to ensure support reaches those in greatest need. The Morrison Government is working closely with state and territory governments and the private sector on the urgent deployment of further emergency supplies to India. Minister for Foreign Affairs and Minister for Women, Senator the Hon Marise Payne said that as close friends and strategic partners, Australia and India will stand together during this challenging time.
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Minister for Health and Aged Care, Greg Hunt, said the Government had offered a significant package of support to the Indian Government. “We are deeply passionate about supporting people in India, which is why we have reached out to support with medical supplies such as oxygen, ventilators and PPE,” Minister Hunt said. “At the same time we are working on plans to resume travel from India to support Australians to get home.” Australia’s High Commission and Consulates in India continue to provide consular assistance to Australians in need.
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lights facilitated by the Australian Government to return Australians from India have resumed, with a plane departing Sydney today set to pick up passengers in New Delhi before arriving back in Darwin tomorrow.
The flight will also carry further life-saving oxygen equipment to India to support its COVID-19 response. These passengers will quarantine at the Centre for National Resilience at Howard Springs in the Northern Territory. All passengers will undergo PCR and Rapid Antigen Testing before they travel. Minister for Foreign Affairs and Minister for Women, Senator the Hon Marise Payne said this temporary pause has helped mitigate the risk of potentially higher rates of infection presenting on arrival in Australia and ensured Australia’s quarantine system was able to receive further flights. “These government-facilitated flights will be focused on returning Australian citizens, residents and families who have registered with our High Commission and consular offices within India and will prioritise the most vulnerable people.”
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Tomorrow’s flight into Darwin brings the total number of government facilitated commercial flights from India to 39 – returning over 6,400 Australians since March 2020.
This will be the second flight of essential medical supplies to support our partners in their COVID-19 health response under the Morrison Government’s $37.1 million support package for India, which is experiencing a severe rate of COVID-19 infections. The next government-facilitated commercial flight from India is expected to arrive in Darwin on 23 May. Arrangements for further facilitated flights into Australia are underway. Australia has now delivered over 15 tonnes of medical supplies to India, including over 2,000 ventilators and more than 100 oxygen concentrators. Minister for Health and Aged Care, the Hon Greg Hunt, said the Australian Government stands ready to offer further emergency medical supplies if requested by the Indian Government. “The Australian Government is committed to doing all it can to
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support the Indian Government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic,” Minister Hunt said.
Minister Payne also praised the response of Australian businesses and everyday Australians and welcomed the support offered from state and territory governments. The Victorian Government has committed 1,000 ventilators, the Queensland Government has donated $2 million in relief funds to the Australian Red Cross and Western Australia has also donated $2 million in relief funds. The Australian Government is in close consultation with the New South Wales and South Australian governments on their proposed support to India. The Australian Government provides 24-hour consular emergency assistance. For urgent consular assistance, contact the Consular Emergency Centre on +61 2 6261 3305 from overseas and 1300 555 135 from within Australia. Australians seeking travel advice should consult the Smartraveller website. For non-urgent enquiries, contact the nearest Australian embassy or consulate or email smartraveller@dfat.gov.au
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Premier stands in solidarity with Queensland’s Indian community
Continued from Page 1
“More than 74,000 Queenslanders were born in India or have Indian heritage, and these people make a huge contribution to our community,” the Premier said. “I’m proud to have met with a number of leaders of the Indian community here in Queensland to offer the support of my government, including Honorary Consul Archana Singh. “Whether it’s on the cricket field, over a meal or at the boardroom table – Queensland shares strong
ties with the Indian community. “We’ll do everything we can to support the Indian people during these incredibly difficult times.” Funding will be used for a range of measures to fight the pandemic in India including PPE and vital oxygen supplies for COVID-19 patients. “I would like to offer my heartfelt condolences to the families of those who have lost their lives as a result of COVID-19 and those who continue to be directly affected by the pandemic in India,” the Premier said.
Minister for Multicultural Affairs Leanne Linard acknowledged the significant impact COVID-19 was having on the Indian community in Queensland and overseas. “This community needs our love and support more than ever right now, and I would like to offer my sympathies and those of our Government to everyone affected,” she said. “I’m proud to stand with the Premier in offering our Indian
community the backing of the Palaszczuk Government during these extremely tough times.” Red Cross Queensland Acting Director Collin Sivalingum says these funds will be used to provide critical emergency supplies and medical equipment including oxygen cylinders and COVID prevention kits. “The unfolding events in India are a tragic reminder we can’t leave anyone behind,” he said.
“It is critical that everyone, especially people from nations where health care systems are overwhelmed, have access to vaccines, masks, clean water, and basic hygiene supplies like soap. “This contribution and support from the Queensland Government will help save countless lives.” To donate to the Australian Red Cross, visit redcross.org.au or call 1800 733 276 (Monday to Friday).
AIBC appeals to federal government for a pragmatic approach to India Covid situation
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May, 2021: India is going through an unprecedented health crisis with the second wave of the COVID 19 virus affecting millions.
As the Indian Government and international agencies are dealing with this crisis to provide immediate relief, many countries including Australia have commenced supporting such relief measures.
Australia India Business Council Ltd (AIBC) appreciates the gesture by the Federal Government providing relief to India with ventilators, PPEs, Oxygen Concentrators, and other materials/ relief. While AIBC understands the temporary border closures in place that impact Australians in India, measures taken to keep Australia safe, AIBC is concerned about
fines and jail terms announced for Australian citizens in India should they try to come to Australia.
Such unprecedented measures and announcements are likely to have serious impact on the Australian-Indian community as well as bilateral business and trade. Australian-Indians are educated, professionals and business owners who work hard and contribute
seamlessly to the Australian economy.
AIBC requests the Federal Government to take a pragmatic approach considering the sensitivities involved and balancing health and economy and more importantly the goodwill with Indians and with India.
Scott Morrison releases a video for India Australian Community
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rime Minister of Australia, Scott Morisson, has released a video for Indian Community in Australia regarding the ban of flights from India for 14 days.
He started the video with mentioning Indian Australian community as generous and kind community. He said, “It is a tough time for Australia”. India has been declared a high risk country as there more
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than 3.9 lakh cases come in one day. Scott Morrison said 57% people who are quarantined in Australia are from India. Not only that but the rate increases to 15% in Howard springs quarantine centre in Northern Territory and most of them are people arriving from India.
Australian Govt. have providing following for those Australians who
are still stuck in India are
1. Taking Temporary precautions. 2. To provide support to Australians who are still in India. 3. To provide Humanitarian assistance to India. Regarding these measures Australia has put a temporary ban to Indian or whoever been to India in last 14 days. This ban is imposed
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till 15 May and even when this restriction will be uplifted those who come from India have to carry both a negative covid-19 report or a negative rapid antigen test. You can also watch his video by clicking on the link: https:// fb.watch/5h_kOP5Pjl/
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9
INDIA
Vol 1, Issue 7, May 16-31, 2021
‘Vikas’ is back with petrol touching Rs 100/ltr: Congress
CBI officer Ragothaman who probed Rajiv Gandhi case dies
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s petrol crossed Rs 100 a litre mark in many parts of the country, the Congress has taken a jibe at the government saying, Vikas is back after elections.
Congress General Secretary Randeep Singh Surjewala on Wednesday tweeted, “Vikas had to be suspended briefly due to state elections. Parivar of “Reformists” & “Positivists” will be pleased to note that Vikas is now firmly back on track. As petrol has now crossed Rs 100 in Bhopal.” The fuel prices increased for the third day in a row on Wednesday as state-owned fuel retailers hiked rates of petrol and diesel by 25 paise per litre each in the national capital. In Delhi, petrol now costs Rs 92.05 per litre and diesel is priced at Rs 82.61 up from yesterday’s level of Rs 91.80 and Rs 82.36 a litre respectively.
T
he CBI officer who was part of the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case investigation, K. Ragothaman passed away in Chennai on Wednesday due to Covid-19. He was 75.
Across the country as well the petrol and diesel prices increased on Wednesday but its quantum varied depending on the level of local levies in respective states. In Mumbai, petrol now comes for Rs 98.36 a litre and diesel for Rs 89.75, according to a price notification from oil marketing
companies. Petrol prices in some states including Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and in some places in Maharastra have breached the Rs 100 per litre mark while premium petrol has been hovering above that level for some time now.
Edible oil, LPG prices go through roof in 2 years T
His funeral will be held under Covid protocol. The former CBI officer was admitted in a private hospital in Chennai a couple of days ago owing to Covid and he breathed his last at 8 a.m. on Wednesday. He has four children and his wife predeceased him.
scam case, a case against AC Muthiah, former president of the BCCI in the case related to defrauding a bank of Rs 102.8 crore. He spent around ten years investigating the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case. He was awarded Police medal in 1988 and President medal for distinguished service in 1994. He had written a book “Conspiracy to Kill Rajiv Gandhi”, and produced a documentary, “Human Bomb” after his retirement. He has also written a book, “Third Degree Crime Investigation Management”.
He had also handled the UGC
he common man is hurting due to the sharp rise in prices of essential commodities like edible oil and LPG in the last three years.
In Kolkata for instance, edible oil prices have more than doubled in the last three years. Mustard oil which was Rs 90 a litre in May 2019 is now selling at Rs 190 a litre while rice bran oil which was Rs 80 a litre is now at Rs 150 per litre. Similarly, groundnut oil is touching Rs 200 a litre in May this year compared to Rs 156 in 2019. Soybean oil is at Rs 140 compared to Rs 95 a litre in 2019. Sunflower oil is being sold in Kolkata at Rs 180 a litre as against Rs 102 a litre in 2019. It is not only edible oil which is on fire. The cooking fuel, LPG is also
flaring up as 14.2 kg cylinder in Kolkata is now at a whopping Rs 835 compared to Rs 496 in February of 2019.
LPG cylinder prices have been going up in the last two years. They touched Rs 499 in May 2019, Rs 620 in August 2020, Rs 720 in January 2021 and Rs 835 in May 2021.
IAF’s Covid relief efforts increased three-fold in one week
T
he Indian Air Force has flown 732 sorties with a flying time of over 1,419 hours within the country and across the globe transporting Covid relief materials in the last one month.
rise. Within a week, the flying hours have increased from 500 hours on May 4 to 1,400 hours as of May 12.
“The aircraft took off from Agra early in the morning at 1:30 am on May 12 and landed back at Agra after completing all the tasks at around 8:15 am,” said the Indian Air Force.
The IAF’s C17 and IL76 transport aircraft, which are crucial for heavy lift capabilities, have been pressed into action to ensure quick airlifting of bulky oxygen containers and oxygen generation plants to augment the supply of liquid medical oxygen in the country.
The IAF stated that in the 98 sorties abroad flying 480 hours, it airlifted 95 oxygen containers that have a capacity of 793 MT and other relief materials like oxygen generators, oxygen concentrators etc. from foreign countries. The aircraft flew to the UAE, Thailand, Singapore, Germany, Australia, Indonesia, Israel and the UK, among other countries.
The acute shortage of medical oxygen had created to a big crisis, leading to deaths of several Covid patients. This prompted the IAF to start a war-like mission to airlift oxygen containers, the force said.
Within Indian, the IAF aircraft have done 634 sorties with 939 hours of flying time carrying 403 empty oxygen containers with a capacity of 6856.2 MT and other equipment. The force said that IAF was pressed into service on April 16 after the second Covid-19 wave hit the country. On April 24, the IAF made its first sortie abroad to pick up oxygen tankers from Singapore.
In the past one week, IAF’s flying time for Covid relief operations increased three-fold, from 500 hours to 1,419 hours, the force said.
The IAF has been carrying out round-the-clock operations and the frequency of sorties is on the
On Wednesday morning, an IAF C-17 aircraft airlifted two cryogenic
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oxygen tankers from Agra to Jamnagar and two tankers from Indore to Jamnagar.
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10
INDIA
Vol 1, Issue 7, May 16-31, 2021
Guv Dhankar hits back at Mamata Amid Covid surge, old graves at AMU being A dug up for new burials day after Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee asked Governor Jagdeep Dhankar to limit his travel according to the recommendations of the state government, Dhankar hit back at the chief minister and the government reminding her that no one is above the constitution and a constitutional post like that of the governor cannot be under the grip of the administration.
“What did the chief minister write to me? That I shall have to follow the recommendations of the state. This will bring the post of the governor under the grip of the administration,” Dhankar said after landing in Coochbehar in a BSF helicopter on Thursday. “The governor will only go places recommended by the state. Should the constitution of India come under the administrative decisions of a government?” the governor questioned. The Governor’s reaction comes after Banerjee wrote to him on Wednesday asking him not to take abrupt and unilateral decisions regarding his visit to any place and to follow the recommendations made by the government. The chief minister also wrote: “The programme for the Governor’s visits to places in the districts is finalised by the Secretary to the Governor ... on recommendation.., whether it is from a private party or a Government Institution, the Secretary to the Governor consults the Government and the Commissioner of the Division and the District Officer who are in charge of the proper execution of the overall programme.” The chief minister also asked him
not to go to Coochbehar without the recommendations of the state government. “I find from social media that you are unilaterally proceeding to the district of Coochbehar on 13-52021 and, sadly, I find that to be violative of the long-standing norms as evolved over several decades. I, therefore, would expect that you will kindly follow the well-established norms of protocol, as stated above, and desist from abrupt decisions with regard to field visits,” she said. After reaching Coochbehar to take stock of situation of post-poll violence in the district, the governor said, “There was election in four states and one union territory. There was no problem anywhere. Why is there a bloodbath only in Bengal? The rights of the people who have not given their support in favour of the party have been butchered. They had to pay the price with their lives.” The governor blamed the chief minister for all this violence in the
state. “It all started after she said openly that central forces will not stay forever and I was hurt when I saw that what she had said during the election ignoring the law and the constitution and law started from May 2,” he added. Dhankar also criticized the Calcutta High Court for giving clean chit to the state government so far as post-poll violence is concerned. “I have seen a narrative in the media where the Calcutta High Court has given clean chit to the government. I have not seen it anywhere. I have investigated it,” he said. Trinamool Congress, however, reacted sharply alleging that the governor has ignored the constitution. “The Governor has crossed all limits. I would ask him to read the constitution where it has been specifically mentioned that the governor should work on the recommendations and suggestions given by the state,” a senior Trinamool Congress leader said.
NF Railway converts 288 coaches into isolation wards
T
he Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) has converted 288 of its passenger coaches into Covid care isolation wards and is also equipping the existing six railway hospitals with oxygen plants, NFR General Manager Anshul Gupta said on Thursday. Gupta said that to meet the Covid needs of different states, after modifying the 288 passenger coaches as Covid care isolation coaches with 4,608 beds, those were handed over to the northeastern state governments.
The NFR, one among the 17 railway zones in India, operates fully and partially in six of the eight northeastern states, excluding Meghalaya and Sikkim, and in seven districts of West Bengal and five districts of north Bihar. While addressing the media virtually from NFR headquarters in Maligaon, near Guwahati, Gupta said that the NFR has provided
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facilities for treatment of Covid positive patients in six of its railway hospitals with a total of 354 beds.
Each of these special wards has all the basic healthcare facilities required for the treatment of Covid positive patients with mild symptoms. According to the official, 477 Covid patients have been treated in railway hospitals since last month.
D
espite assurances of all help by UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath to the Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) in dealing with the pandemic, the rising death toll has cast an unnerving shadow on the campus graveyard. With at least three dozen serving and retired AMU employees having died in the past few weeks due to Covid, old graves are now being dug up to bury the dead. The AMU campus has seen more deaths in past few weeks than in the entire year. The alarming death toll has sent shock-waves leading to apprehensions that a deadlier ‘AMU strain’ of the virus is wreaking havoc. Vice-Chancellor Tariq Mansoor has written to the Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR) so that all aspects can be studied through genome sequencing. AMU Proctor, Professor Mohammad Waseem Ali, said, “In the past 20 days, we have lost almost 16 members of our faculty, eminent teachers, including the chairman
of the medicine department, dean of law faculty and many others. As we come to terms with this loss, there is a sense of fear and restlessness.” A senior faculty member said, “The graveyard is comparatively small and old graves are now being dug up to make way for the new. This is not entirely unforeseen but it also explains the situation. At AMU, we never witnessed so many deaths.” The Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College (JNMC) is one of the biggest hospitals in Aligarh and caters to four neighbouring districts. Doctors at the hospital have been dealing with an unprecedented situation with the rising number of Covid cases. A high inflow of Covid patients from surrounding areas along with the faculty from within the AMU campus, has strained the facility. Sources said that 8 to 10 burials are taking place on an average every day. “Even the ‘namaaz’ is being offered collectively,” said a student.
7,339 freight trains in Assam, Tripura, Manipur, Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh during the pandemic period.
“As a result scarcity of both essential and non-essential commodities could be averted in the northeastern states,” the NFR General Manager added.
The NFR GM said that six oxygen plants are planned to be installed in railway hospitals at Maligaon, New Bongaigaon, Lumding and Dibrugarh (all in Assam), Katihar (Bihar) and Alipurduar (West Bengal). Gupta said that so far over 2,500 NFR employees and engineers were infected by the coronavirus and 1,500 of them have recovered from the disease and have joined their duties. He said that the NFR operated
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11
AUSTRALIA
Vol 1, Issue 7, May 16-31, 2021
South Australian university reveals mRNA vaccine manufacturing plan
A
ustralia could achieve vaccine self-reliance within half a year after the University of Adelaide (UA) revealed a plan to manufacture mRNA vaccines.
China’s threat of missile strikes backfires-sparks calls in Australia for nuclear weapons
The university on Wednesday announced a joint partnership with the South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI) and international biotechnology company BioCina that could see it develop the capability to mass produce mRNA vaccines within six months. Under the agreement, the Adelaide Pfizer plant purchased by BioCina in August 2020 would be used to manufacture vaccines with capital from the UA and the SAHMRI, the Xinhua news agency reported. The mRNA vaccines can be produced on a much larger scale than traditional vaccines and can be altered more quickly in response to mutant strains of viruses. Anton Middelberg, a vaccine manufacturing expert and UA deputy vice-chancellor, said the ability to manufacture mRNA vaccines in Australia would have applications beyond the Covid-19 pandemic.
“These microbial cells are the workhorses of biotechnology,” he said. “Because it is an industrial organism you can very quickly code up a piece of DNA and make a lot of material very quickly. What that means is that if Covid-19 becomes Covid-23 we can be in a position where we can start producing a vaccine pretty much immediately and go from being at the back of the queue to the front of the queue. “The great thing about this project
is that because it uses an existing facility which has regulatory approval, rather than a greenfield site, we can step up right now and start working.” BioCina chief executive Ian Wisenberg said to The Australian: “In a country like Australia we are talking about 20 million people, or 40 million doses, which is not a lot in terms of production. We see no reason why we could not be producing 100 million doses within that same six to 12-month timeframe.”
Australian farmers to get relief package for mouse plague
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he Australian state of New South Wales (NSW) on Thursday announced a relief package for farmers dealing with a catastrophic mouse plague that has destroyed crops and caused havoc in communities. State Agriculture Minister Adam Marshall told the media that A$50 million ($38 million) in funding will go to farmers dealing with the emergency, reports dpa news agency. “We are going to provide free chemical poison baits for farmers, primary producers, croppers, to challenge this scourge,” Marshall said, adding that rebates will also be given to small businesses and households for poison and traps purchased. The Minister said that the state’s government was also seeking approval from the country’s pesticides authority to use bromadiolone, a new poison currently outlawed in Australia, which he said is “the strongest mouse poison you can get on the face of
the earth”.
ple bitten and crops decimated.
“We haven’t seen a plague on this scale really since the early 80s, and everyone was hoping that the cool conditions in winter would actually see their numbers dented. Nothing so far has worked,” Marshall said.
As of late April, NSW Health had been notified of 23 cases of leptospirosis, a rare disease which can cause kidney failure and meningitis which is commonly passed on by mice, since the beginning of the year, compared to 11 in 2020, Australian news wire AAP reported.
The plague of rodents has been running wild for months, with peo-
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C
hina’s state medias threat to subject Australia to a missile strike, should it support Taiwan, has had an unexpected fallout--it has triggered demands in Canberra for nuclear weapons. Writing in the state-run tabloid Global Times� Hu Xijin �the editor-in-chief of the bullhorn of the Communist Party of China (CPC), threatened Australia by saying that China should consider attacking the continent with missiles, fired both independently and by its H6K strategic bomber. “Given that Australian hawks keep hyping or hinting that Australia will assist the US military and participate in war once a military conflict breaks out in the Taiwan Straits, and the Australian media outlets have been actively promoting the sentiment, I suggest China make a plan to impose retaliatory punishment against Australia once it militarily interferes in the crossStraits situation,” writes Hu. The bellicose insider of the CPC then details a plan of attack. “The plan [to attack Australia] should include long-range strikes on the military facilities and relevant key facilities on Australian soil if it really sends its troops to China’s offshore areas and combats against the PLA,” Hu writes. “If they [Australian hawks] are bold enough to coordinate with the US to militarily interfere in the Taiwan question and send troops to the Taiwan Straits to wage war with the PLA, they must know what disasters they would cause to their country.” Undeterred by the Chinese threat former Yale and Harvard academic, Anders Corr, in his riposte written in Epoch Times, says that given Hu’s threat “the United States and allies should immediately support Australia in obtaining an independent submarine-based nuclear deterrent, so that Australia can join countries such as the United States, France, Britain, and India as powerful global defenders of freedom and democracy. The independent strength of individual members of an alliance improves the overall strength of the alliance”.
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Corr is not the first one to call for an independent Australian nuclear deterrent, given the likely face-off with China in the Indo-Pacific region. “Far from being in a strategic backwater, Australia is very much now a state in the front line,” said Malcolm Davis, a military planner as quoted earlier by Bangkok Post. Hugh White -- a professor of strategic studies at the Australian National University is another heavyweight advocating Australian nukes. In his book, “How to Defend Australia”, he argues that developing nuclear weapons has become inevitable. “The strategic costs of forgoing nuclear weapons in the new Asia could be much greater than they have been until now,” he says citing “big strategic shifts in Asia”. Corr, points to the urgency of acquiring Australian nukes. “Australia has a limited window of opportunity in which to go nuclear, after which China’s rising power and regional hegemony will make an independent nuclear Australia impossible. At that point, which could be as soon as 5 or 10 years, the window will close and China could more effectively use nuclear brinkmanship, control of Asian seas, check book diplomacy, and its economic trading power, to break Australia from its allies, and bring it under Beijing’s dominance,” he observes. NATO should welcome Australia into its alliance as a full member, before China has a chance to create a territorial dispute down under, and thereby make Australian accession more difficult. If Washington came under the influence of Beijing, the bilateral U.S.-Australia alliance would be useless to Australia’s defence, he says. Corr makes two additional points. First, NATO must change its strategic outlook by no longer narrowly focusing on the Atlantic. Instead, it should broaden its vision to include Asia. Second non-democracies such as Saudi Arabia and Vietnam should be included in the Indo-Pacific phalanx.
12
AUSTRALIA
Vol 1, Issue 7, May 16-31, 2021
Indian-origin Australian doctor offers aid transcending distance
Due to the fresh onslaught of the second wave of the coronavirus pandemic in India which began to rear its ugly head once again from April onwards this year, India has been crippled afresh and this time it is even more horrifying as many are gasping for oxygen and tragically dying due to lack of timely medical intervention. The Indian community in Australia is feeling helpless and frustrated as the community members are unable to help their family members and
friends back in India.
among his network.
However, Sydney-based cardiologist Dr. Yadu Singh has employed the social media and all other internet-based communication devices and applications to stay constantly in touch with his relatives, friends and acquaintances. He has left no stone unturned in guiding them and offering invaluable, lifesaving medical advice via WhatsApp, zoom video calls, text and image sharing, live chat and so on. Like many of the Indian community members here, Dr. Singh has been witnessing the agony and suffering of Indians as the second wave wreaks havoc unsparingly but instead of sitting despondently, he has been actively involved in offering advice or referring queries of patients to other physicians and medical experts
Recently, he helped to find a hospital bed for his niece’s husband. Although the patient who is a resident of Delhi had to undertake an eight-hour long arduous journey out of the Indian capital where hospitals are overflowing with gravelly-ill Covid patients, the end of the journey offered the certainty of oxygen availability and thus, a hope of survival. In another case, he shared the CT scan image of a patient with one of his old classmates, a respiratory diseases expert who in turn was able to guide a local doctor in India. In yet another case, he managed to help a twitter acquaintance residing in California whose aunt in India had contracted the virus. Dr. Singh shared the details with a Delhi government official and thus,
ensured timely treatment for the sick woman. It is not surprising therefore, that Singh has been receiving messages from patients and their relatives conveying their gratitude and relief for his crucial help and guidance. In an interview with a leading media house, Singh commented that sitting in Australia it was not possible for him to treat patients without seeing them but he could certainly do his best by offering them useful advice regarding checking temperature and what to decipher from it; oxygen saturation levels, when to go to a hospital and when to self-isolate at home and take paracetamol for symptomatic treatment. The local Indian community tried its level best to send essential medical supplies such as life-sav-
Courtesy_Facebook
I
n spite of living miles away from relatives grappling with the second wave of coronavirus in India, Sydney-based Indian-origin doctor Yadu Singh has been playing an instrumental role in guiding and offering medical advice via text messages, audio and video calls.
Dr. Yadu Singh
ing drugs, oxygen concentrators but Dr. Singh feels that this would be a case of too little and too late or even worse, the community might even fail completely in procuring sufficient supplies to deliver to India. Hence, his motto, as a responsible and dedicated medical practitioner, has been to offer guidance, advice and most of all, hope of survival.
More support for the Australian tourism and hospitality sector
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he Morrison Government is increasing support for Australia’s tourism and hospitality sector by providing more visa flexibility during the COVID-19 pandemic period.
tor. This decision adds tourism and hospitality to the critical sectors of agriculture, food processing, health care, aged care, disability care and child care for eligibility for this visa subclass.
The Government will remove existing work hour caps for Student Visa holders employed in the tourism and hospitality sector. A 40 hour fortnightly limit previously applied during study periods.
Temporary visa holders working in, or intending to work in, tourism and hospitality will be able to apply for the 408 COVID-19 Visa up to 90 days before their existing visa expires and then remain in Australia for up to 12 additional months.
In addition, temporary visa holders will be able to access the 408 COVID-19 Pandemic Event Visa for a period of 12 months if they work in the tourism and hospitality sec-
The Minister for Immigration, Citizenship, Migrant Services and Multicultural Affairs said these changes build on the Morrison
Government’s support for sectors that are critical to our economic recovery.
“Government has listened carefully to the States, Territories and industry and is introducing these changes to support critical sectors for Australia’s COVID-19 economic recovery,” Minister Hawke said. “Tourism and hospitality employs more than half a million Australians and these changes will allow them to supplement their existing workforce to keep their businesses running in addition to generating employment through a job multiplier effect,” he said.
Minister Hawke has also taken the decision, based on strong industry feedback, to include veterinarians in the Priority Skilled Migration Occupation List (PMSOL) which fills critical skills needed to support Australia’s economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. “I am continuing to take feedback and advice from a range of sectors and will make further announcements on temporary visa flexibility measures and priority skills in the near future,” Minister Hawke said.
Mr Alex Hawke, Minister for Immigration, Citizenship, Migrant Services and Multicultural Affairs
Australia secures Moderna vaccines
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he Australian Government has secured 25 million doses of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine to further diversify our vaccine portfolio as well as provide access to a booster or variant vaccine should this be required in the future. As confirmed in the 2021-22 Budget, the Government will commence an approach to market for mRNA manufacturing capacity in Australia. The Government also remains in discussions with Moderna in relation to establishing a manufacturing facility in Australia for mRNA vaccines. Onshore manufacturing would ensure a secure, long-term supply of Moderna’s mRNA-based vaccines against COVID-19, including variants, and for potential future pandemics. This is the second messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccine to be purchased by the Government, providing access to the current Moderna vaccine or variant-specific versions of the vaccine developed by Moderna, to address longer term immunity or emerging viral vari-
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ants in the first half of 2022.
To date, the Moderna vaccine has shown an overall vaccine efficacy against symptomatic COVID-19 of 94.1 per cent, and 100 per cent efficacy against severe COVID-19. It has also shown strong protection of 90 per cent efficacy against COVID-19 for at least six months after the second dose. The Moderna vaccine has been approved by leading regulatory authorities across the world and is being used successfully in the United Kingdom, Canada, the European Union, the United States and Singapore. The agreement includes 10 million doses in 2021 and 15 million doses of Moderna’s updated variant booster vaccine in 2022. Supply in Australia will only commence should the vaccine be approved as safe and effective by Australia’s regulator, the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA). An application by Moderna to the TGA is expected shortly.
has recommended the purchase of the Moderna vaccine. As Australia looks to 2022, the Moderna vaccine provides a strong booster and emerging variants supply if required.
A complete course of Moderna’s vaccination is likely to be two doses given 28 days apart. The Moderna vaccine diversifies Australia’s supply of COVID-19 vaccines, provides more flexibility for the national vaccine rollout, and secures early access to possible vaccinations for emerging COVID-19 variants of concern circulating around the world. Australia has five separate agreements to secure more than 195 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines if they are proved to be safe and effective. Around $6 billion has been invested to support the COVID-19 vaccine roll-out.
The Science and Industry Technical Advisory Group, the Australian Government’s expert group advising on vaccine purchases,
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13
AUSTRALIA
Vol 1, Issue 7, May 16-31, 2021
‘Aus universities left to bleed by federal budget’
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top official at one of Australia’s most prestigious universities warned on Friday that the sector has been “left to bleed” by the federal budget.
The laws give the government the power to detain indefinitely refugees who have had their visas cancelled but cannot be returned to their country of origin because they would face persecution there.
The federal budget for the financial year 2021-22 was unveiled by Treasurer Josh Frydenberg on Tuesday night.
“What is harder to understand is why the university sector has been left to bleed, given what most might expect to be its pivotal role in the health of the economy,” Schmidt was quoted as saying by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) on Friday. “The cumulative effect of border closures on international student
T
he Australian parliament has passed laws that give the government the power to detain refugees indefinitely.
The governing coalition and opposition Labor Party on Thursday joined forces to vote the Migration Amendment Bill into law, reports Xinhua news agency.
Brian Schmidt, Vice-Chancellor of the Australian National University (ANU) here, said that many universities in the country would experience “budget woes” in 2021, reports Xinhua news agency.
The ANU in April revealed a budget deficit of A$162.4 million for 2020, its worst since 2008.
Aus govt can detain refugees indefinitely under new laws
Legal experts and the parliament’s human rights committee have raised serious concerns about the legislation. numbers will lead to other universities catching up with my university’s budget woes this year.”
the industries hit hardest by the coronavirus pandemic, would lose a further A$2 billion in 2021.
Peak body Universities Australia in February revealed that 17,300 jobs had been lost at universities in 2020 as operating revenue fell by about 4.9 per cent, or an estimated A$1.8 billion lost in revenue.
In response to Schmidt’s assessment, Education Minister Alan Tudge told the ABC that funding for higher education was already at an all-time high of A$20.4 billion.
It predicted that the sector, one of
In a statement released on Thursday, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said the laws would cause serious harm. “Locking up people indefinitely will clearly lead to a high risk of selfharm or suicide,” spokesperson Greg Barns said. “It amounts to detention without trial and is a gross breach of Aus-
tralia’s human rights obligations. “This is cruel and unnecessary. The legislation must be revised to remove the government’s power to keep people locked up indefinitely with no plan for their future.” The laws apply to 21 refugees already in immigration detention. Tabling the legislation in March, Immigration Minister Alex Hawke said it was an “important change” to “ensure that we uphold Australia’s non-refoulement obligations.”
1st repatriation flight from India lands in Aus
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he first repatriation flight from India landed in Australia on Saturday after the government’s controversial travel ban to the Covid-battered country ended. The Qantas jet carrying approximately 80 Australians, who were stranded in India, touched down at a Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) base in Darwin earlier in the day, reports Xinhua news agency. The flight was scheduled to carry about 150 passengers but dozens were blocked from boarding after 40 tested positive for Covid-19 and 30 were deemed close contacts of the positive cases, according to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC). Those that were able to board will quarantine for 14 days at the Howard Springs facility outside of
Darwin.
They are the first people to enter Australia from India since the federal government made it a criminal offence to do so at the end of April in response to the surging coronavirus crisis in the South Asian nation. The travel ban was condemned by human rights groups as racist but Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Saturday said it had effectively prevented the hotel quarantine system from being overwhelmed by positive cases. “That pause has done its job. The number of cases that we had up in Howard Springs at that time was over 50. It’s now down to four,” he said. About 10,000 Australians, perma-
nent residents and their immediate family members in India are seeking to return home. Barry O’Farrell, Australia’s High Commissioner to India, told the ABC that he was disappointed that people were blocked from board-
ing the flight. “My team has worked hard across India to get them bookings on this flight because they are vulnerable,” he said. “Regrettably those people will have to return home and deal with the
COVID that they have, or continue to isolate to prove that they don’t have COVID. “Until such time that they test negative they won’t be able to fly on one of these facilitated flights,” he added.
Victoria on high alert after first Covid positive case reported in two months
V
ictoria, the state which had reported the highest coronavirus cases and deaths in Australia, spent a major part of 2020 under strict lockdown but had at last managed to curtail the spread of the virus. However, on May 11, it reported a locally-acquired Covid positive case in more than two months which has once again put Australia’s second most populous state on high alert. The local authorities immediately swung into action to trace the origin of the infection even as alarm bells for a new outbreak have started ringing.
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According to the authorities, the patient in question is a man in his 30s who arrived from India in mid-April and had undergone the mandatory two-week hotel quarantine in neighbouring South Australia. But he developed symptoms recently and his test came back positive for the novel coronavirus. All the necessary steps are being taken to contain the potential spread of the virus. Health workers have been in touch with the patient and queried him about the people he had come into contact with since the completion of his quarantine. These people have
been advised to self-isolate and get themselves tested. A list of places which have likely been exposed to the virus has also been published and made public knowledge.
“There is definitely a sense of complacency creeping in. We haven’t had really significant outbreaks for some time and people drop their guard, people go about life as if we haven’t been through the 15 months we have all been through. But it is a reminder that we need to be on guard.” Victoria Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton told reporters.
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Victoria had no immediate plans to increase social distancing or mask-wearing rules and the possibility that the man caught the virus in quarantine in Australia and not in India is also not being ruled out .There were no other cases reported in Victoria or in New South Wales (NSW), the Australian state with the highest population, which implemented more stringent its virus-protection rules recently when a couple tested positive for which the source is unknown. The new Victorian case underscores the need for the federal government to play a more active
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role in the hotel quarantine system, which is administered by the states. “We are going to need a strong border control and a strong quarantine control likely for years. We cannot continue to have a situation where it is the states disproportionately bearing the load.” Victorian Health Minister Martin Foley said at the news conference. Australia has reported less than 30,000 novel coronavirus cases and 910 deaths since the pandemic began. To curb a potential new wave of the pandemic, timely proactive steps are necessary.
14
LATA JI’S KITCHEN
Vol 1, Issue 7, May 16-31, 2021
Mango Pudding
Egg cury and chappati Hello friends,
Today we are going to make roti / chapati. Most people have tasted Naan bread at Indian restaurants. Everyone seems to love it. Roti is more wholesome and healthier as it is made with wholemeal flour. Most Indian households in the north of India make fresh dough each day and serve freshly made rotis to their families. I have an interesting incident to share with you before the recipe. When I was growing up, as I had mentioned before, ours was a joint family with my grandparents living with us. It was a family of ten all together at any given time. We also had three domestic helpers to do different chores. But cooking was always done by mum. She was a fantastic cook with a special magic touch in her food. To make rotis for so many people, she needs to make a lot of dough. She wanted one of us to assist her with that. The thing is mum had her stove on the floor in her kitchen and she used a small stool to sit and stir the pot. Making the dough was very hard, as you must knead the dough. So we had to kneel on the ground and knead, that was so hard that the minute mum will call our name to make the dough, we used to pretend that we were studying or doing homework. This was everyday drama. One day mum came to our room (I and my two sisters shared one room ) she saw us applying cream on our face, the cream was called “ Fair and lovely “ because we wanted to be fair complexion so we used to rub it every day. Mum said you know how you girls rub this cream to make your face fairer, but what about your hands. They will still be dark. So if you used your both hands to knead the dough? Your hands will be fair-skinned too. Yes, you guessed it right. After that every day, we used to fight over to make dough for mum, because remember what she said? So it was a happy ending, she was happy that she got the fresh dough every day and we were hopeful that one day we will have fair-looking hands like pretty western girls, without using cream. What beautiful memory is this for me!! I tell my kids and they laugh. Wholemeal Roti / Chapati/ Naan bread INGREDIENTS: 4-6 people - 2 cups wholemeal flour (Atta). You can buy atta in most Indian Ingredients - Green moong 1/2 cup - Bulgar (daliya) 1/2 cup - Water 3 cups - Salt to taste
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INGREDIENTS: 4-6 people - One-kilo minced chicken grocery shops. - Warm water to make the dough. You might need about 1 & 1/2 cup. - Pinch of salt (optional). METHOD: - In a mixing bowl put the flour. - Add salt. - Start adding little water at a time to make nice smooth firm dough. - We must knead it with our knuckles to give it a smooth texture. It is a skill and makes you perfect with practice. - Once the dough is done, keep it aside for about 10 minutes; cover it with the muslin cloth. - Now heat a frying pan (normally Tawa is used to make rotis, which is an iron skillet). - Divide your dough into equal 1214 round balls (slightly bigger than golf ball); Work on one round ball at a time. - Dip it in dry flour and with the help of a rolling pin give it a round shape. The thickness should be equal all around. - Once the pan is hot, dust off the excess flour from your rolled Roti and put it on the pan. - You will notice small bubbles, flip it over and cook the other side. - On this side, if you press it with a kitchen towel and rotate it quickly, it starts to puff up like a little balloon. - Take it off the Tawa (skillet). - Brush it with butter or ghee on only one side and follow the process again. - Our Roti is ready. - Serve it with curry and enjoy. Chicken minced and hard-boiled curry which tastes like butter chicken
- 4 hard-boiled eggs - 3 medium-size onions (very finely chopped)
Ingredients
uously
- One bulb of clove (peeled)
- Semolina 1/2 cup
- 2” piece of fresh ginger - 3 fresh tomatoes
- Cold pressed virgin coconut oil 1 tbsp
- One cup thickened cream or if you have homemade Malai.
- Water 2 cups
- Once semolina is roasted and turns golden brown, add cold pressed virgin coconut oil and cook for another minute or two.
- NMR tested Honey 1 tbsp
- 3 Tablespoon Oil to fry onions
For sauce
- 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
- Mango 1 cup
- 2 teaspoon coriander powder
- Chia seeds ½ tsp
- 2 teaspoon cumin powder
For topping
-2 teaspoon chicken tikka masala powder (optional)
- Mango cubes ½ cup - Desiccated coconut ½ tsp
(you can get the small packets at the Indian grocers)
- Yogurt 1 tbsp
METHOD:
- Roast semolina on a slow flame for 3 to 4 minutes stirring contin-
- In a pressure cooker or saucepan heat oil. - Fry onions until really golden brown. - Grind garlic, ginger, and tomatoes into a smooth paste.
Method
- Gradually pour water and mix well. When it starts to bubble, add NMR tested honey. - Let it cook with constant stirring until the desired consistency is achieved. Remove from heat and let it cool. - For mango sauce, simply blend mango cubes with chia seeds. - Serve semolina pudding topped with mango sauce and garnish with mango pieces, desiccated coconut and yoghurt.
Moong with bulgur pilaf
- Now add garlic ginger and tomatoes paste in saucepan. - Keep stirring until the whole mixture is cooked through. - Now add minced chicken. - Keep stirring until meat is brown. - Now add turmeric and all the other spices. - Keep stirring - Add half a cup of warm water and close the pressure cooker. - After three whistles, bring the temperature down to slow and let it be for 10 minutes. - Turn off the heat. - Open the cooker after 15 minutes - Slice the hard-boiled eggs and thickened cream and cook for further 5 minutes on medium heat. -Garnish with chopped coriander leaves.
- Coriander leaves, finely chopped ¼ cup *1 cup = 30 g*1 tbsp = 15 g*1 tsp =5g
- Add garlic, jeera , cinnamon powder, salt, pepper, nutmeg and all spice stir for 1 min. - Stir in lentils, bulgur mix well.
Method
- Remove from heat.
-Serve it with rotis.
- Combine moong and bulgar with water and bring to a boil.
- Cold pressed virgin coconut oil 3 tsp
- Cinnamon, ground ½ tsp
- Add salt, lower the heat cover and simmer until lentils are almost done but still firm (approx. 20 min).
- In a frying pan, take 2 tsp cold pressed virgin coconut oil add sliced onion.
- Onions, chopped 1 no.
- Black pepper ¼ tsp
This is my grandchildren’s favorite dish, as it’s easy to eat and taste is so much like butter chicken.
- Garlic 2 tsp - Jeera seeds 1 tsp
- Nutmeg, ground a pinch - All spice powder a pinch - Onions, thinly sliced 3 no
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- In a large pan, add 1 tsp cold pressed virgin coconut oil and chopped onions. Cook for 5 minutes.
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- Cook and stir until caramelized to a very rich brown colour for 15 min. - Transfer lentils and bulgur mixture to a serving bowl and top with caramelized onions.
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WORLD
Vol 1, Issue 7, May 16-31, 2021
11 killed in Russia school shooting Covid-19 claims over 425,500 lives in Brazil A t least 11 people were killed and 32 others injured on Tuesday in a shooting incident at a school in the Russian city of Kazan, authorities said, adding that a suspect has been arrested. The incident took place at the school No. 175 in Kazan located in the country’s Tatarstan Region. A source in the emergencies confirmed to the TASS News Agency that the victims comprised 10 children and a teacher. Two children fell to their death after jumping out of a window on the third floor, according to the news agency. The sources said that the first signal from a panic button at the school came in at 9.25 a.m. (local time), after the shooting had started five minutes earlier. There were 714 children and about 70 employees at the school, including 52 teachers, present at the time of the incident. It was not clear if there were more shooters but the 17-year-old attacker who was arrested had shot eighth grade students and a
teacher. The TASS News Agency said he told the the police that he had placed a bomb at his home. Law enforcement agencies are working at the scene, and security measures have been strengthened at all educational institutions in Kazan. An eyewitness told the news agency that the attacker had carried
out an explosion and then went on a shooting spree. The school, founded in 2006, has 1,049 students and 57 teachers. Tatarstan President Rustam Minnikhanov described the shooting as a “tragedy”, the BBC reported. Responding to the attack, Russian President Vladimir Putin said he would review Russia’s gun control laws.
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razil’s Covid-19 death toll reached 425,540 on Tuesday, after the Ministry of Health reported 2,311 more deaths from the pandemic in one day. In the previous 24 hours, tests also detected 72,715 new cases of Covid-19 infection. Since the country’s first case was detected on February 26, 2020, 15,282,705 people in Brazil have tested positive for the virus, the Xinhua news agency reported. Brazil has the world’s sec-
ond-highest Covid-19 death toll, after the US. It is facing a new wave of Covid-19 infections, which has resulted in an increase in cases and deaths and the collapse of hospitals incapable of handling the surge of patients. As of Monday, Brazil had vaccinated 53.9 million people against Covid-19 -- 35.9 million (16.96 per cent of the population) with the first dose and 18 million (8.54 per cent of the population) with both doses.
Israel-Gaza violence spirals as Netanyahu vows to intensify attacks
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undreds of rockets were fired upon Israel from Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip throughout Tuesday, as Israel pummelled the tiny coastal territory with airstrikes and the death toll mounted on both sides.
stroyed.
The cross-border violence, which erupted on Monday following weeks of rising tensions in the contested city of Jerusalem, is the worst the region has experienced in years.
Rocket warning sirens were a persistent sound across Israeli communities.
More than two dozen Palestinians have been killed in the last day, including several children. Three Israelis died from Gaza rocket fire on Tuesday, DPA news agency reported. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the attacks on Gaza, which have targeted some 500 Hamas and Islamic Jihad positions since Monday, would intensify. “This operation will take time, but we will bring security back to the citizens of Israel,” he said late Tuesday. Hamas, which rules the coastal strip, would “receive blows it did not expect,” Netanyahu had said hours earlier in remarks after a meeting with military officials. An Israeli military spokesperson said that at least 20 members from the two groups have been killed so far in Gaza, including senior officials, and some 150 missile-launchers had been de-
Many of the targets were located in places where civilians reside, spokesperson Jonathan Conricus said, so civilian casualties could not be ruled out, though the army was trying hard to avoid them.
The greater Tel Aviv area was in the cross-hairs of Palestinian militants, who sent a barrage of rockets towards the coastal metropolis, marking the heaviest attack the city has faced so far. The rocket fire prompted flights to be halted at Israel’s main international airport outside of the city. The Ben Gurion Airport near Tel Aviv was closed to landings and departures due to the attacks; flights were diverted to Cyprus. One person was killed on the outskirts of Tel Aviv in rocket attack. According to media reports, a woman was killed in the town of Rishon Lezion when she was hit directly. The Zaka aid organization also confirmed her death. The rockets were fired toward Tel Aviv after the Israeli army destroyed a building containing offices of members of the Hamas political bureau in the Gaza Strip. Residents of the building were warned by Israeli forces before the attack and told to leave, witnesses said.
A Hamas spokesman had earlier threatened a “harsh” rocket attack on Tel Aviv if the Hanadi Tower building was destroyed.
In the southern city of Ashkelon, two women were killed when their homes were struck, according to the Zaka aid organization. Impacts were also reported on residential buildings in Ashkelon as well as a school where no lessons were being conducted. In total, Gaza militants aimed around 480 rockets towards Israel over 24 hours. Of these, some 200 were intercepted and 150 failed to properly launch, the Israeli military said Tuesday evening. The Al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, claimed responsibility for the attacks, which it said were in retaliation for a deadly Israeli strike on a high-rise residential building in the western part of the Gaza Strip. The apartment belonged to a member of Islamic Jihad, according to witnesses. In total, the Gaza Health Ministry put the death toll in the latest round of violence at 28, including 10 children. More than 100 people were injured, it said.
production, storage and training facilities as well as military posts. The airstrikes and rocket attacks followed violent clashes in recent days at Jerusalem’s holy site known as the Temple Mount to Jews and the Noble Sanctuary to Muslims. Demonstrations continued on the ground in Israel on Tuesday between police and Israeli Arabs in numerous cities throughout Israel. Stones were thrown at police officers and several cars were set on fire.
According to local media and witness reports, three children were killed by Israeli airstrikes and others by misdirected rockets fired by extremists.
In the city of Lod, a 25-year-old Arab man was shot and killed during the riots. Media reported that a 34-year-old arrested after the event was a Jewish resident of the city.
Israel said it was targeting rocket
The Islamist Hamas movement
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had issued a Monday night ultimatum telling Israel to withdraw settlers and police from the Jerusalem holy site, parts of which had been cordoned off, and from the Sheikh Jarrah neighbourhood. Shortly after the deadline expired, mass rocket attacks began, with sirens wailing in Jerusalem. Netanyahu said the militants crossed a “red line” by directing missiles towards Jerusalem, and Israel in turn shelled targets in Gaza. Leaders around the world expressed concern about the escalating violence, calling on both sides to show restraint. “This spiralling escalation must cease immediately,” a spokesperson for UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said.
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WORLD
Vol 1, Issue 7, May 16-31, 2021
Nepal plunges into political crisis as China’s gambit flops
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hinas desperate attempts to bring about a patch-up between the two warring factions of the Nepal Communist Party have come a cropper, plunging the Himalayan country into a political crisis at a time when the deadly Covid-19 pandemic has also peaked in the country. After the fall of the KP Sharma Oli government on Monday, Nepal President Bidya Devi Bhandari has called the country’s political parties to form a new government by Thursday. She has asked Oli to be the caretaker prime minister till then. According to sources, during the past couple of weeks, Chinese ambassador to Nepal, Hou Yanqi, had lobbied with senior Nepalese MPs to gather support for Oli to ensure his victory in the vote of confidence on the floor of Parliament.
China wants someone loyal to Beijing as PM and it was concerned over the weakening communist influence in South Asia with the ruling Nepal Communist Party (NCP) splitting into two factions - one led by prime minister Oli, and the second by former prime minister Prachanda, who is also the executive chairman of the party.
Chinese ambassador Hou Yanqi’s efforts to settle the differences between Oli and Prachanda proved futile and last week, the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist Centre) � a key faction led by Pushpakamal Dahal “Prachanda” withdrew support to the government. Consequently, Oli lost the vote of confidence in Parliament on Monday. Many analysts believe that Oli is down but he still has a chance to regain power. Nepal President Bidya Devi Bhandari has initiated the process to form a new government under Article 76 (2) of the constitution and in cases where no party has a clear majority in the House of Representatives, the President shall appoint as prime minister a member of the House of Representatives who can command majority with the support of two or more parties, according to the Nepalese constitution.
If the opposition parties fail to form a new government, the President, as per the constitution, has to invoke Article 76 (3), which says “ in cases where the prime minister cannot be appointed under Clause (2)... or the prime minister
so appointed fails to secure a vote of confidence within 30 days from the date of appointment, the President shall appoint as prime minister the parliamentary party leader of the party which has the highest number of members in the House of Representatives.” Advantage Oli? In the current equation, Oli’s Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist�Leninist) popularly known as CPN-UML, with 121 representatives, is the party with the largest number of members in the House but the Madhav Nepal-led faction of CPN-UML with 32 lawmakers abstained from the voting process. The Nepal-Khanal faction for the last few days had been saying that its lawmakers would resign. However, they did not. And instead, on Monday morning, they decided to remain absent. A UML Standing Committee member close to Oli said the party has no plans to initiate action against the Nepal-Khanal faction lawmakers as that could make it easier for the opposition parties to form a new government. In fact now Oli is trying to “pacify” them. There are currently 271 MPs in the
parliament and for any faction would need 136 votes to form the government. Nepal’s political situation is such that no single party now can form a government without the support of at least one other party.
“Given the voting pattern, it looks like things are moving the way Oli wants them to move. Now the onus to form a new government and unseat him lies with the opposition parties, but they cannot do so because of their own differences,” says Sharad Singh Bhandari of NCP. According to observers, if the opposition parties fail to form a government under Article 76 (2) and if Oli gets re-appointed as per Article 76 (3), he needs to win the vote of confidence within 30 days from the date of the appointment and failure to do so would lead to House dissolution and fresh elections and China is preparing for that too. China’s Covid card Meanwhile, Nepal’s Covid-19 tally crossed the 400,000 mark and reached 403,794 on Monday with the addition of 9,127 fresh cases and PM Oli has asked for help. “I have appealed to the interna-
tional community to help us with vaccines, diagnostic tools, oxygen kits, critical care medicines and equipment, to support our efforts to save lives. Our urgent goal is to stop preventable deaths,” Oli said. China has said that it will continue to do its best to offer support to Nepal in its fight against Covid-19. “We believe the Nepalese people will defeat the virus at an early date,” Chinese ambassador in Nepal, Hou Yanqi said in a tweet. “The first batch of oxygen cylinders and ventilators donated by the Chinese government will arrive in Kathmandu tomorrow! We wish friendly Nepali people an early victory over the pandemic! China will continue to do its best to offer support to Nepal in its fight against #COVID19,” she added.
Palestinian death toll from Iranian reformist announces bid to Israeli strikes reach 103 run for Prez T he death toll of Palestinians killed in Israeli strikes on the Gaza Strip increased to 103, as violent clashes between the two sides continued unabated.
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enowned Iranian reformist Mostafa Tajzadeh on Friday announced his candidacy for the upcoming presidential election, the first time a regime critic has registered for the post in the Islamic Republic.
The victims included 27 children and 11 women, while 580 others have been wounded by the Israeli airstrikes and artillery shellings on the Palestinian coastal enclave since Monday, according to the Hamas-run Health Ministry. On Thursday evening, the armed wing of Hamas, known as al-Qassam Brigades, and other less-influential militant groups fired barrages of rockets from the Gaza Strip into Israel, reports Xinhua news agency. Witnesses said the Israeli military has intensified its air and ground strikes in the town of Beit Hanoun and the Jabalia area in northern Gaza, leaving at least 11 Palestinians killed and dozens of others wounded. The al-Qassam Brigades said its militants had fired more than 1,700 rockets at northern, central and southern Israeli towns since Monday. Meanwhile, an Israeli military spokesman said troops had struck 750 different targets in the Gaza Strip since the fighting began on Monday. The targets included 33 under-
ground tunnels, 160 embedded rocket launchers, four high-rise buildings, and 60 terrorist operatives. Senior Hamas officials were also targeted by Israeli air raids, according to the spokesman. On Thursday night, Abu Obeida, spokesman of the al-Qassam Brigades, said that its militants launched a barrage of 90 rockets at once at the Israeli cities of Ashdod and Ashkelon. “Firing the 90 rockets was in response to the enemy’s targeting of safe civilian homes and the killing of children and women in the afternoon in northern and southern Gaza Strip,” Obeida said. The tension between Israel and Gaza militants threatens to further escalate as the Israeli government is reportedly drafting a plan for a possible large-scale ground of-
fensive in Gaza, similar to the one waged in 2014. Obeida said that his group had warned Israel against carrying out any ground military operation in the Gaza Strip. “In light of the enemy is threatening to wage a ground military operation, we say any ground incursion into any area in the Gaza Strip will be an opportunity to increase our harvest of the enemy’s dead bodies and prisoners (captives). “We are ready to teach the enemy harsh lessons with the support of God,” the spokesman added. The latest wave of violent clashes between Israel and the Palestinians, the worst since 2014, was sparked by an Israeli plan to evict some Palestinian families from the Sheikh Jarrah neighbourhood in East Jerusalem.
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“I was a political prisoner myself for seven years and am, therefore, first and foremost against banning critics from speaking up,” dpa news agency quoted Tajzadeh said as saying. The former Deputy Interior Minister, under President Mohammad Khatami, belongs to the radical wing of the reformist camp. After protesting against the allegedly rigged election of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in 2009, Tajzadeh was arrested and spent several years in prison. Since then, the 64-year-old has been frequently in the headlines with his tweets criticising the regime. During the registration of his candidacy, Tajzadeh said he was against forcing women to wear a headscarf. He said he wanted to promote more liberties and seek peaceful solutions to foreign policy issues. Like all other candidates, Tajzadeh
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still has to be vetted and approved by the Guardian Council. His approval is seen as highly unlikely, however. Registration for the presidency is open until Saturday. Aside from former leader Ahmadinejad, several former generals of the revolutionary guard have announced their bid. Justice chief Ebrahim Raisi is seen as the most promising candidate. Incumbent President Hassan Rouhani cannot stand for re-election after two terms in office. The election is to take place on June 18.
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BUSINESS & INVESTMENT
Vol 1, Issue 7, May 16-31, 2021
Over 60% of digital leaders expect change in working patterns
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ore than 60 per cent of digital leaders in Asia-Pacific believe there will be long-term changes to where and how people work within their organisation, according to a new study by global digital infrastructure company Equinix.
More than half (60 per cent) of the companies still intend to expand into new regions, countries or metros, despite the disruption experienced as a result of Covid. Digitisation and business investment in digital infrastructure have increased as a result of Covid. In Asia-Pacific, 46 per cent of the digital leaders said they have accelerated digital transformation plans because of the pandem-
To send money internationally, start by searching for the Google Pay user you want to send money to in its app, tap “Pay” and select either Western Union or Wise. ic, while 44 per cent said their budgets have been increased to satisfy the rapid growth in digital demands. About 76 per cent reported digitising their IT infrastructure was a top priority, while 61 per cent said they see interconnection as a key facilitator of digital transformation, up by 12 per cent on last year’s results. “During the pandemic, Asia-Pacific has seen demands for interconnection from digital leaders to manage distributed workforce and make the best use of resources. This is reflected in the findings of our study with over 60 per cent of IT decision-makers in Asia-Pacific
confirming that interconnection will help them to navigate the challenges faced as a result of Covid-19, and 56 per cent believing interconnection can help their business gain competitive advantage within the marketplace,” said Jeremy Deutsch, President, Asia-Pacific, Equinix, in a statement.
From there, you simply follow the steps to complete the payment, according to the blogpost.
“With our global footprint, robust ecosystem and a wide array of interconnection solutions, we plan to continue to bring and interconnect the digital infrastructure to help digital leaders thrive in the new era,” he added.
“For some, sending money back to their home countries is a regular activity and we are making it more accessible by adding it to the app that you use for your everyday
YouTube to distribute $100M among top ‘Shorts’ creators
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n a bid to bring more engagement on its platform that is similar to TikTok, YouTube said that it plans to pay $100 million to creators who use YouTube Shorts.
In a bid to create socio-economic opportunities for rural and micro entrepreneurs, Smart Power India (SPI)’s MED programme has helped rural communities harness electricity for productive uses, said a statement.
“The Shorts Fund is the first step in our journey to build a monetization model for Shorts on YouTube,” the company said in a blogpost on Tuesday.
“We are excited to start rewarding
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creators for their contributions through the Shorts Find,” the company said. “At the same time, we will expand our Shorts player across more surfaces on YouTube to help people find new creators, artists and Shorts to enjoy,” it added.
Earlier this year, YouTube previewed a new feature that will allow users to remix audio from videos across YouTube � which includes billions of videos. The company said it is starting to roll out to everyone that has access to our Shorts creation tools soon.
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money tasks,” the company said. “Working with Western Union and Wise, we are now able to give those with family abroad a simple, safe and reliable way to send money abroad,” it added. According to a recent Mastercard study, 73 per cent of people regularly send money abroad. However, in the last year, 38 per cent of people surveyed reported greater involvement in international payments. This suggests that as the pandemic continues to create uncertainty, easing the financial anxieties of loved ones is even more critical.
Smart Power India supports 2,412 micro firms with reliable electricity
mart Power India said that its Micro Enterprise Development (MED) programme has helped transform 2,412 commercial and micro entrepreneurs in rural India, across the states of UP, Bihar, Jharkhand as of April, through reliable electricity access.
They will also ask these creators to share their feedback so they can continue to improve the product experience.
The Shorts Fund is not limited to just creators in the YouTube Partner Programme. Creators will be eligible to participate if they create original content for Shorts and adhere to our Community Guidelines.
From now until June 16, Western Union will offer unlimited free transfers when sending money with Google Pay and Wise will make the first transfer free for new customers on transfers up to $500, the company said.
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Each month, the company will reach out to thousands of creators whose Shorts received the most engagement and views to reward them for their contributions.
“We are actively working on this and will take the feedback gathered from our community to help develop a long-term programme specifically designed for YouTube Shorts,” it added.
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oogle Pay users in the US will now be able to send money to users in India and Singapore, the company announced on Tuesday. “By the end of the year, we expect that US Google Pay users will be able to send money to people in more than 200 countries and territories through Western Union and to more than 80 countries through Wise,” the company said in a blogpost.
The study surveyed 2,600 IT decision-makers from diverse enterprises across 26 countries in the Americas, Asia-Pacific and EMEA regions on the biggest technology trends affecting businesses worldwide and the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on digital infrastructure plans. The findings showed that 57 per cent of businesses have rearchitected their IT infrastructure to meet new remote and hybrid working demands, with tech budgets increasing to accelerate digital transformation.
Now Google Pay users can send money to India, Singapore
This has thereby boosted greater demand for power and helped village level entrepreneurs to expand their existing businesses or develop new businesses. “SPI, along with its partner Energy Service Companies (ESCOs), has aided in access to reliable electricity across multiple irrigation units, oil expellers, rice hullers, water treatment units in these regions. This has resulted in not just alleviating poverty but also in
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bringing socio-economic parity in these communities,” it said. SPI’s CEO Jaideep Mukherjee said: “While there has been tremendous progress made in rural electrification with respect to household electrification, challenges remain in even ensuring basic connections to rural businesses and microenterprises.” It is with this overarching objective, SPI started the MED programme with a vision to drive socio-economic progress of rural customers by ensuring access to reliable and quality electricity, he said. The statement, further, said that the mini-grid sector has proved that reliability is key to unlocking latent demand and achieving the full economic potential of energy access in under-served regions. Only with access to reliable power are enterprises likely to employ relatively expensive and sophisticated appliances for productive purposes, it said.
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BUSINESS & INVESTMENT
Vol 1, Issue 7, May 16-31, 2021
UN forecasts India’s economy to grow Goa B-school floats 7.5% in 2021, but warns situation ‘fragile’ program for food
photographers, bloggers
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he UN forecasts India’s economy to grow by 7.5 per cent this calendar year and rebound to 10.5 per cent next year with the caveat that the outlook is “highly fragile” because of the brutal Covid-19 second wave.
The mid-year World Economic Situation and Prospects report released on Tuesday said that for a global recovery universal access to Covid-19 vaccine is critical but in India “access to vaccines is unequal and insufficient to meet the massive demand”. “Given the fluid situation, India’s growth outlook in 2021 is highly fragile,” it warned. It noted that while “India has been particularly affected by a brutal second wave, which is overwhelming the public health system in large parts of the country”, the country also “has expanded vaccine eligibility and is ramping up supply in every possible manner”. The mid-year forecasts are 0.2 per cent higher than that made in January for this year and it has been revised up by 4.2 per cent higher for next year. The report forecast investment growth to plunge by a negative 10.2 per cent this year. The UN projection for India is far lower than the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) upbeat 12.5 per cent forecast last month just as the Covid-19 surge was beginning. But there is also a difference in the time periods two organisations use -- UN follows the calendar year,
while the IMF uses the fiscal year under which the growth forecast would take in to account the growth in the first months of 2021. The UN report said it expects global economy to expand by 5.4 per cent in 2021 buoyed by the recovery in the world’s two largest economies, China and US, due to the “rapid vaccinations and continued fiscal and monetary support measures”. This year China’s economy is projected to grow by 8.2 per cent and the US by 6.2 per cent -- the highest it has seen since 1984. Introducing the report, the Chief of the UN Development Research Branch, Hamid Rashid, said that universal access to vaccines was a critical factor for global economic recovery as it will create her immunity to enable the resumption of economic activities. The report, however, painted a dim picture of the global vaccination situation.
It said, “As of 24 April 2021, 1.01 billion vaccine doses have been administered globally, with the United States, the United Kingdom and China collectively accounting for nearly 50 per cent of all the doses administered worldwide. Only about 1 in 10 people worldwide have received a vaccine shot so far (figure I). The vaccination rate is only 1 in 100 in Africa.” For South Asia, the report said, economic growth will return in 2021 at 6.9 per cent against a 5.6 per cent drop in 2020, but the recovery will be very uneven, and the scarring effects will run deep. It added, “Indeed, South Asia’s regional economic growth in 2021 will still be insufficient to undo last year’s 6.7 per cent loss in GDP (gross domestic product) per capita. Many of the region’s households that have fallen into extreme poverty will thus remain trapped in their precarious condition.”
Realtors expect improved housing demand on ‘Akshaya Tritiya’ amid Covid woes
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t a time when the severe second wave of Covid-19 and lockdowns have halted economic activities, developers expect that the traditional housing demand during ‘Akshaya Tritiya’ would somewhat lift the spirits in the market and improve sales.
He noted that the market conditions stand favourable for the home buyers as well as the investors in backdrop of low interest rates, lucrative deals from the developers, choices of apartments, flexi payment schemes from banks and financial institutions, attractive price points and other fiscal benefits to grab the right deal.
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“Shoots have been more streamlined, with more adherence to sanitisation and safety, in terms of preparing meals and other related chores for photoshoots and promotions. Clients have also become more restricted due to budget constraints, which has led to a drastic fall in earnings per shoot,” says Sankalp Malik, a Goa-based food and architecture photographer. While the first step to adapt to the new Covid-inspired normal involves cutting down on fees, holding on to clients in dire times like the pandemic, also helps build longer relationships, Malik says. Siddesh Mayenkar, also a Goabased food photographer, has faced the Covid impact in his pet trade, with the pandemic cutting down on footfalls in restaurants and the numerous restrictions and lockdowns, either resulting in shutdowns of eateries or severely limiting their marketing spends. “Covid has changed everything around the world and had a devastating effect on photography as well. The market for food and hospitality has completely crashed and as business is down most of the hotels don’t want to spend money,” Mayenkar says.
The occasion is considered to be auspicious for buying homes. Niranjan Hiranandani, President, National Real Estate Development Council (NAREDCO) said: “The festive day of Akshaya Tritiya traditionally, is an auspicious day for home buying. This year too we expect smart home buyers to take advantage of both aspects -- the festive fervour and aspect of making one’s dream home a reality.”
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ith restaurants and the food and beverage industry floundering in wake of the pandemic, Goa’s photographers and bloggers specialising in food, are learning to adapt to the new normal by tweaking their sales pitch and their budgets.
“The time is right for first time new age homebuyers to buy its safe nest and existing homebuyers to upgrade into spacious luxury ready to move homes conducive for new normal lifestyle in wake of pandemic,” Hiranandani said. Aditya Kushwaha, CEO & Director at Axis Ecorp, said: “Days such as Akshaya Tritiya hold sentimental value for people and in this pandemic, people have started giving greater importance to these values. Traditionally, it is believed that if you invest in property on this day, its value will appreciate for
sure in due course of time.” Noting that the sales momentum has gone down amid the second wave of Covid, he said that although a significant spike in the sales is not expected, but people who had been holding off their decision to buy a house may use this opportunity to make the purchase. “As real estate companies are offering lucrative schemes, this may incentivise people planning to buy a house to close transactions,” Kushwaha said.
Goa’s restaurant industry is one of the worst hit by the pandemic, with the tourist footfalls falling drastically in the state over the last few months. While the state witnessed a mini-tourism resurgence through December to March, the emergence of the second Covid wave has resulted in a lockdown in the state and severe restrictions imposed on tourists travelling to Goa. According to the latest Economic Survey report the state has more than 56,000 registered hotels and resorts. As per the latest lockdown norms,
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restaurants have been directed to halt in-house dining, but kitchens and home deliveries have been allowed from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. According to Parixit Pai Fondekar, founder of the Kamaxi College of Culinary Arts, while the pandemic has grounded food and beverage industry budgets for mainstream marketing, there is still scope for food bloggers to break new ground. “The pandemic has forced many businesses to go almost entirely online. Food bloggers and photographers have had to cut down on reviewing and promoting restaurants and travelling, and focus on other aspects of their work - affiliate marketing, PR, sponsored posts, contests and giveaways, selling merchandise. Food collaborations, virtual tips and kitchen hacks, recipes are other ways they are generating content even while quarantined or in lockdown,” Fondekar said. The state’s top B-school, the Goa Institute of Management, has also tied up with a culinary educational institute to come up with a special culinary and kitchen incubator to allow food bloggers and photographers to enhance their craft. Fondekar’s institute, last month, tied up with the Goa Institute of Management’s (GIM) Atal Incubation Centre to conduct one of the country’s first culinary and kitchen incubation programme, which aims at providing edge infrastructure and dedicated support to culinary start-ups and upcoming ‘foodpreneurs’, including bloggers and photographers specialising in food. According to Rajesh Joshi, chief executive officer of GIM’s incubation centre, the programme will provide food bloggers and photographers access to mentors and domain experts along with market and customer support. “The access to a mentor and domain experts will enable them to move up a notch and convert this hobby into a profession. We will provide access to market and customer support to these professionals,” Joshi said.
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POLITICS
Vol 1, Issue 7, May 16-31, 2021
Pappu Yadav starts hunger strike in prison, attacks Nitish
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ormer MP and Jan Adhikar Party (JAP ) president Rajesh Ranjan alias Pappu Yadav on Wednesday launched a hunger strike at Veerpur jail in Bihar’s Supaul district.
Yadav was arrested on Tuesday in connection with a lockdown violation in Patna. Subsequently, the Madhepura police arrested him in connection with a 30-year-old case, he alleged. In an emotional tweet, Yadav said: “Helping Corona patients, saving their lives and exposing the medicine, ambulance, oxygen and hospital mafias is my crime. my fight will continue.” He further said: “I am on a hunger strike in Veerpur jail. There is no water, no wash room, and no commode in my cell. I underwent surgical operation recently and am unable to sit.” On Tuesday Yadav had claimed that CM Nitish Kumar had ordered his arrest under pressure from the BJP.
“I have been continuously serving Corona patients for the last one and half months. Madhepura police arrested me in a 30-year-old case. That case is pending in court. I asked Nitish Kumar to clarify whether it was necessary to arrest me in that case when the Corona infection is at its highest level in Bihar,” Yadav said. “It is a big conspiracy against me. I am a corona negative person today and if something happened
to me in jail, Nitish Kumar will be held responsible for it. You are 71 years old Nitish Kumar Ji: Now you should stop saying that you don’t save anyone or frame anyone,” Yadav said. “I appeal to Lalu Prasad Yadav to intensify the struggle in a bid to save Bihar. Now I am in jail so Tejashwi Yadav must come on the street and help the people of Bihar to provide medicines and beds to corona patients,” Yadav said.
It’s time to stand together and not to criticise: Sibal
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fter war of words erupted between Congress and the BJP over the handling of the pandemic, Congress leader Kapil Sibal on Wednesday said, its time to stand together and not a time to criticise.
“Stand Together India, it’s time to stand together not time to criticise after this battle is finally won will find out who was wrong and who was right,” Sibal said in a tweet.
In his letter to interim Congress President Sonia Gandhi, Nadda lashed out at her party saying that in the fight against the pandemic, the conduct of topmost Congress
In a tweet in Hindi, Gandhi said, “The false assurance of ‘positive thinking’ is a joke on those families and health workers who have lost their loved ones and are suffering a crisis of oxygen, hospitals and medicines. Burying one’s head in the sand is not positive - it is a betrayal of our citizens.” He also attached a news report in Hindi with the tweet. On the same day, poll strategist Prashant Kishor also slammed the government, describing as “disgusting attempts to push “propaganda” in the name of spreading positivity. “In the face of a grieving nation and tragedies unfolding all around us, the continued attempt to push falsehood and propaganda in the name of spreading positivity is disgusting! For being positive
we don’t have to become blind propagandist of the government,” Kishor said in a tweet. The remarks came amid reports of a new strategy of the government, the ruling BJP and its ideological mentor Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) to fight massive national and international criticism of the Narendra Modi government’s handling of the Covid second wave. On Wednesday, India recorded 4,205 deaths, the highest so far in a day with 3.48 lakh cases of Covid-19.
War of words between BJP and Cong over bodies found in MP river
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fter Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, dead bodies have been found floating in Madhya Pradesh, too. At least two bodies have been found in Runjh river in Panna district, triggering a war of words between the BJP and the Congress.
However, according to unconfirmed reports, at least six bodies have been found floating in the Runjh river.
leaders, including its former chief Rahul Gandhi, will be remembered for its “duplicity and pettiness”.
deceased,” Maken said, as he asked the government to shed the arrogance and help the people.
Congress General Secretary Ajay Maken said the situation in the country is pathetic as dead bodies were seen floating in the Ganga river in Bihar’s Buxar district on Monday.
The party said the BJP should follow ‘Rajdharma’ as the Congress is only doing its duty and the government should accept its mistake in handling the pandemic and start free vaccination for all. The Congress also reiterated its demand for an all-party meeting on the Covid situation.
“The government is unable to provide treatment, vaccines and even honourable last rites to the
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ormer Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday slammed the government over its mega push for positivity to fend off criticism nationally and internationally as “burying one’s head in the sand” and a betrayal of citizens.
The district administration claims that both these bodies are of persons who were suffering from various diseases and were thrown into the river as per the local tradition.
The Congress has been attacking the government over mishandling of the pandemic and not heeding to the advise of ex-PM Manmohan Singh and the opposition parties. The Congress on Tuesday accused the BJP of being “arrogant”, soon after BJP President J.P. Nadda shot off a letter to interim party chief Sonia Gandhi, saying that raising issues and making suggestions to the government on the pandemic is the duty of the opposition parties.
Govt’s mega push for positivity is like burying one’s head in the sand: Rahul
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After the recoveries of the bodies, a war of words has ensued between the BJP and the Congress. Madhya Pradesh Congress President Kamal Nath said, “Shivraj ji, till now we were seeing pictures of dead bodies floating in the Ganges river in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. But it is now seen in Nandanpur village of Ajaygarh tehsil of Panna district in Madhya Pradesh too. Horrific pictures of six floating bodies have come to light in Runjh river. This is a very serious matter.” Kamal Nath added that conditions in the rural areas are appalling due to coronavirus infections. The government should take immediate cognisance of the matter and conduct a thorough investigation and should increase the health services and resources in rural areas on a war footing.
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Rebutting the allegations of the Congress, BJP state president Vishnu Dutt Sharma said, “Kamal Nath ji should stop politics on dead bodies. This is totally untrue that six corpses have been found in Runjh river in Panna. Only two dead bodies have been found and they are of people suffering from cancer and leprosy, which are not cremated, as per the local tradition. The Congress does not leave even the corpses to do politics.” He said, “Kamal Nath ji, shame on your understanding and mental bankruptcy. By spreading false news about the corpses you have shown how insensitive you are. The people will never forgive you for misleading statements and telling lies.”
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ARTS-CULTURE
Vol 1, Issue 7, May 16-31, 2021
A rare Leonardo da Vinci drawing heads to auction
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itled ‘Head of a Bear’, a rare drawing by Italian polymath and ‘Mona Lisa’ creator Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519) will be on auction in London on July 8. This penetrating study of a bear’s head is one of less than eight surviving drawings by Leonardo da Vinci known to be in private hands outside the Royal Collection and the Devonshire Collections at Chatsworth.
It is estimated to fetch between £8,000,000-12,000,000, which converts to approximately Rs 82 crores - Rs 122 crores. century, the drawing was in the collection of another great British collector, Captain Norman Robert Colville, sold at Christie’s in 2009, it said.
This drawing in the Christie’s London sale is executed in silverpoint on a pale pink-beige prepared paper, a technique which Leonardo was taught by his master Andrea del Verrocchio, said Christie’s. According to the auction house, the drawing’s history can be traced back to Sir Thomas Lawrence the renowned British painter whose collection of old master drawings is considered among
Since its first public exhibition in 1937, it has also been shown at museums around the world. the greatest ever assembled. After Lawrence’s death in 1830, the drawing passed to his dealer
Samuel Woodburn, who sold it at Christie’s in 1860 for £2.50. In the first half of the twentieth
Ben Hall, Chairman, Old Master Paintings, Christie’s New York says that this masterpiece is one of the most important works from the
Renaissance still in private hands. “The work has been owned by some of the most distinguished collectors in the field of Old Masters across many centuries, not least the present owner who has owned it since 2008. It has been admired around the world whilst shown by prestigious museums and Christie’s is honoured to bring this Leonardo to the market this season.”
Mandsaur’s hidden ‘jewel of music’ recreates the ‘Dama Dum’ song
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n incredible voice from Madhya Pradesh’s Mandsaur, Sugan Devi Gandharv, was discovered recently as part of Delhi-based record label DRecords, which is recreating the magic of the soulful classic ‘Dama Dum Mast Kalandar’ with Punjabi pop icon Daler Mehndi.
The label run by Mehndi and his filmmaker, architect and author wife, Taran Mehndi, launched a unique project titled ‘Jewels of Music’, under which they will be scouting for hidden talent to help them realise their dreams. For this project, DRecords is looking for artists, musicians, singers, composers, songwriters above the age of 40; those who have never received a platform owing to circumstances in their lives, poor financial conditions, society hindrances, or any other reason owing to which they never got a chance to showcase their voice. Sharing his experience in exploring talent like Sugan Devi, Mehndi said, “I had found Sugan Devi ji’s video as a WhatsApp forward and I immediately got into action, requesting my dear friend who is a senior TV journalist, who got his team to act upon it. They found her for me and as the Divine would have had it, I went to perform the same month in Madhya Pradesh for a government festival ahead of the forests of Jhabua. I not only met her there but also made a promise to release her album and shared my stage with her.” He urged: “The song ‘Dama Dum Mast Kalandar’ has recreated a
Sugan Devi beautifully renders Dama Dum with her rustic folk voice to the traditional song made famous by Runa Laila and many artists after. The song would be streaming online for music lovers to enjoy.
to present Sugan Devi Gandharv to the world. “Another pearl in the ocean of music. We want to help people understand and share their gifts with the world and we feel privileged and happy to be able to facilitate that,” adds Taran Mehndi.
The Mehndis say they are excited
Sugan Devi (Left) with Taran and Daler Mehndi (Middle and Right)
Sugan Devi Gandharv from Mandsaur, Madhya Pradesh magic with her voice. Please listen and allow space in your heart for her voice.” “Sugan Devi learnt music from her late husband while doing household chores just listening to him sing, with the elders in the family, she was never permitted to sing in public but her husband
ensured she could listen to his riyaaz, with meagre finances and kids to raise, household responsibilities Devi could not make it to a stage,” shares Taran Mehndi, CEO of Drecords. The foot-tapping music for Dama Dum pushed Sugan Devi out of her comfort zone of singing bhajans.
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SPORTS
Vol 1, Issue 7, May 16-31, 2021
It was a pleasure to see Jadeja perform: Kohli R
Asian Boxing Championship shifted from Delhi to Dubai
oyal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) captain Virat Kohli said that they were beaten by Ravindra Jadeja’s individual performance in Sunday’s match against Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the Indian Premier League (IPL). “One guy completely beat us. Today, his skill was there for everyone to see,” said Kohli in the postmatch presentation ceremony. “His ability has been there for everyone to see. I am very happy to see him perform with the bat, ball and on the field. After two months, he will be back playing for India, and it is always a pleasure to see your premier all-rounder do well with the bat. When he plays well and is confident, it lets out many opportunities,” he further said.
three wickets prior to the over.
Jadeja smashed 37 runs off the final over of the CSK innings off fast bowler Harshal Patel, who had conceded just 14 runs and taken
“You have to look at it the right way. I feel this is a positive feedback for our side. A performance
Kohli said that the team will continue to back Patel and this defeat has come at the right time for RCB, who had won all four matches they had played before Sunday.
like this, it is good to get this out early on in the tournament. Our start was decent enough,” said Kohli. “He (Patel) bowled well and we will continue to back him. His two wickets, of the set batters, took momentum away from CSK before Jaddu took it away in the final over,” he said.
This IPL has become more about what’s happening outside: Ponting
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elhi Capitals (DC) head coach Ricky Ponting said that the 2021 season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) has become more about what is happening outside the tournament than the matches itself due to the Covid-19 pandemic in India. “This IPL, probably more than any other, has become more about what’s happening on the outside than what’s happening here. We right now are probably the safest people in the country being in the bubbles that we are in,” Ponting said in a video posted on Delhi Capitals’ Youtube page.
“Continuously, I’m asking the boys at breakfast every day how’s everything going on the outside, how’s family, is your family safe? Is family happy?” he further said. DC spinner Ravichandran Ashwin on Monday announced that he is taking a break from the IPL as his family is fighting with the virus.
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“In the wake of international travel restrictions to India, the Boxing Federation of India (BFI), in consultation with Asian Boxing Confederation (ASBC), has decided to conduct the upcoming 2021 edition of the ASBC Asian Elite Men and Women Boxing Championships in Dubai. The event will now be organised by BFI in association with UAE Boxing Federation,” said the BFI. The BFI said that it has received a no objection certificate from the Sports Ministry to conduct the tournament at the Indira Gandhi Sports Complex in New Delhi but again, but those glory days, I don’t think we will see them again,” said Ambrose on the Talk Sports Live in Antigua.
“Yes, it is hard for the players to be away from their families. I can’t imagine, even if I put myself in this situation, guys that live in Chennai are actually home now, but can’t see their families. It must be incredibly difficult,” said Ponting. “So, the more we can share these experiences, the better off we are. The people that aren’t from
India, we can be talking to the locals about what they are going through. We will just keep our fingers crossed. And hope people remain safe. That’s a big thing for me, the players are taking the best care of their families where they can from the outside. And we look after what we can do here,” Ponting added.
Windies may never return to dominate world cricket, says Ambrose est Indies’ glory days of the past may never come back, said legendary former fast bowler Curtly Ambrose. He said that the West Indies may be able to be competitive and climb up the International
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he 2021 Asian Boxing Championship, originally scheduled to be held in New Delhi in May, has been shifted to Dubai, the Boxing Federation of India (BFI) said in a statement on Wednesday. The decision was made due to travel restrictions that several participating nations have announced to India due to the sharp rise in Covid-19 cases in the country.
Cricket Council’s (ICC) rankings again but the team may never be able to dominate world cricket the way they did during his playing days, and earlier. “When we were the best team in the world, West Indians all over
the globe could walk and boast about how good we were because we were the best, so it’s going to be difficult to see those glory days again. Yes, we can be competitive and climb up the ICC rankings and be a force to be reckoned with
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Ambrose said that while he doesn’t mean any disrespect to the current generation, most younger players don’t quite know what cricket means to Carribean people living in the islands and abroad. “Most of the youngsters we have now probably don’t quite understand what cricket means to West Indians in the West Indies and abroad because cricket is the only sport that really unites Caribbean people,” he said.
had to eventually make the decision of not hosting the tournament in the national capital due to the travel restrictions. “It’s unfortunate that we have to shift the venue out of India. We were very keen to host the championships in Delhi but we are left with no options. Boxers’ safety is the most important concern for us and hence we had to take this decision. We are grateful to UAE for accepting our request and agreeing to co-host on such a short notice. We are thankful to all member federations and ASBC for their cooperation,” BFI President Ajay Singh said. “We closely monitored the situation and after deliberation with ASBC as well as the Government of India, we decided to conduct the tournament in Dubai. I wish for everyone’s good health and safety and pray that India soon come out of this situation strongly,” he added. both formats, behind his famous former bowling partner Courtney Walsh. “It’s going to be difficult to find another Viv Richards or a (Desmond) Haynes and (Gordon) Greenidge, a Brian Lara, Richie Richardson, you know, a Malcolm Marshall, Curtly Ambrose, Courtney Walsh, Michael Holding, Andy Roberts, and the list goes on and on, Clive Lloyd. It’s going to be extremely difficult to find those quality players again,” said Ambrose.
“This is no disrespect to the players we have now because we have a couple of guys who have some quality in them and can become great, but what we have to understand is that I don’t think we will ever see those great, exceptional glory days again,” he said. Ambrose took 405 Test wickets in 98 matches and 225 ODI wickets in 176 matches between 1988 and 2000. He is West Indies’ second highest wicket taker of all time in
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SPORTS
Vol 1, Issue 7, May 16-31, 2021
Aussies in quarantine rattled IOC to ‘work with full engagement’ towards by falling rocket debris safe Olympics
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early 37 Australian cricketers, officials and coaches were rattled by the sonic boom of Chinese rocket debris that crashed into the Indian Ocean on Sunday. The Aussies, including Test stars Steve Smith, David Warner and Pat Cummins, are quarantining at a resort here after the Indian Premier League (IPL) was postponed indefinitely due to bio-bubble breach. “We heard the bang around 5.30 a.m. this morning (Sunday). Experts say the noise we heard is the crack in the atmosphere which sets off a wave of sound not the actual impact of the rocket,” Warner told The Australian from Maldives. The contingent will fly back to Australia once it completes the quarantine period mandated by the country. China had, on April 29, launched a module for setting up its first permanent space station in orbit
and it was known that the rockets carrying the main module would re-enter earth’s atmosphere around Saturday or Sunday. The China Manned Space Engineering Office had allayed global fears that the falling debris would cause any damage, saying that most of the debris “would burn up in the atmosphere”. But the uncontrolled re-entry into
the atmosphere, with some remnants falling at a few locations in Maldives, has drawn flak from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). Earlier, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) had sent the Aussies to the Maldives as there is a ban on direct flights to Australia due to the Covid-19 situation in India.
India retain top spot in ICC Test rankings
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ndia have retained the top spot in the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) annual update of the Test rankings. India are on 121 rating points while second-placed New Zealand are on 120. England overtook Australia to take third place with 109 rating points. Australia currently have 108. The West Indies, who beat Bangladesh 2-0 and drew 0-0 with Sri Lanka in series played this year, have moved from eighth to sixth with 84 points, their best position since 2013.
The ICC said that the latest update eliminates the results of 2017/18. It rates all matches played since May 2020 at 100 per cent and those of the previous two years at 50 per cent “India’s 2-1 win over Australia and 3-1 win over England over the past year and New Zealand’s 2-0 series
wins over the West Indies and Pakistan have helped them keep ahead of the pack,” said the ICC. Pakistan have gained three points but remain in fifth position. South Africa are in seventh position, equaling their lowest in Test
ranking history, while Sri Lanka are next on the list. Bangladesh have lost five points but remain in ninth position while Zimbabwe have gained eight points but are still nine points behind Bangladesh.
India very good at making distractions during a series: Paine
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ustralia captain Tim Paine said that they were distracted by India’s apparent reluctance to play at the Gabba in Brisbane during the 2020/21 Test series, which eventually led to them losing the series 2-1.
“Part of the challenge of playing against India is they’re very good at niggling you and trying to distract you with stuff that doesn’t really matter and there were times in that series where we fell for that,” Paine said while speaking at a function for the Chappell Foundation at the Sydney Cricket
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Ground (SCG) on Wednesday night, according to news.com.au.
“The classic example was when they said they weren’t going to the Gabba so we didn’t know where we were going. They’re very good at creating these sideshows and we took our eye off the ball.” Rumours were abound during the third Test of the series in Sydney that India were reluctant to play the fourth Test at the Gabba due to the hard quarantine rules in Brisbane.
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he International Olympic Committee (IOC) will continue to “work with full engagement” towards a safe Olympics, an IOC spokesperson told Xinhua. Japan Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga had said on Monday that he had never put Olympics first when asked whether the Tokyo Olympics will go forward if the Covid-19 situation worsens, adding that the IOC has the final say on the matter. “My priority has been to protect the lives and health of the Japanese population. We must first prevent the spread of the virus,” said Suga, whose government is under fierce criticism over its handling of the pandemic. When asked about Suga’s comments, the IOC spokesperson responded: “The Olympic community from all over the world is thinking of the Japanese people who are affected by the pandemic and who are facing this crisis with solidarity and resilience. Together with our Japanese partners and friends, we continue to work with full engagement to ensure the safe organisation of the Olympic and Paralympic Games.” The spokesperson also highlighted the vaccination of delegations, which has been in place to ensure a safe Games. “In addition to the already strict science and experience-based Covid-19 countermeasures, the IOC has initiated an already very successful vaccination program for the national delegations coming to Japan. This will ensure that
the vast majority of the residents of the Olympic Village will arrive in Japan vaccinated,” the spokesperson said. “It is happening in solidarity with the Japanese people, and to protect the Japanese people as well as the participants of the Olympic and Paralympic Games,” he added. Thus far, Japan has only managed to vaccinate 240,000 of those aged 65 or older with the second of their two jabs, in stark contrast to the pace of other advanced countries. The Japanese central government has reportedly begun to speed up the national vaccination drive from Monday. In the following two weeks, the government said it will deliver enough vaccines to the local municipalities to inoculate nine million seniors, with all 36 million of this demographic having the requisite amount of vaccine doses administered by the end of June. The host city of Tokyo is currently under an extended state of emergency until the end of May, and the Games organisers announced on Monday that IOC president Thomas Bach’s scheduled visit to Japan on May 17 and 18 has been postponed. A recent opinion poll by the Yomiuri Shimbun daily showed nearly 60 per cent of the people in Japan want the Games cancelled. Tokyo 2020, postponed by one year due to the pandemic, is scheduled to take place from July 23 to August 8.
Shadow Minister Ros Bates warning India to follow quarantine guidelines or don’t come at all. The third Test ended in a draw from a position of advantage for Australia and India eventually played at the Gabba.
They won the Test by three wickets, chasing down a target of 328 on the final day and thus became the first team since Vivian Richards’ all-conquering West Indies team in 1988 to beat Australia in a Test match at the Gabba.
It had led to Queensland’s Health
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23
INTERVIEW
Vol 1, Issue 7, May 16-31, 2021
Sushma Maloo: From a 2000-rupee argument to a jewellery entreprise
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he journey of Mumbai-based jewellery entrepreneur and ‘Indian Matchmaking’ participant Pradhyuman’s mother Sushma Maloo has been one of sheer grit and commitment to the self. Having established her jewellery brand Normament, which also features on the popular Netflix show, after an argument over two thousand rupees with her husband, this Indian mother says that, “this is perhaps a womanly quality, we are unbeatable, unafraid because we are brought up with some or the other odds against us.”
Calling jewellery a “unique gift of love that travels over time and generations”, Maloo says she was told that she has an eye for picking out good pieces and had an affinity towards jewellery designing. Sushma Maloo with son Pradhyuman “Back in the day, when I was a housewife, I used to receive a monthly stipend from my husband to run the house. I don’t remember the exact details but we got into an argument over 2,000 rupees, and I remember it was at that moment that I decided to start earning for myself. As I was determined to start my own business, I managed to save Rs 50,000 and start Nornament,” she tells IANSlife in an interview. Sushma Maloo Her first creation was an order for a Tirupati Balaji pendant. A humble Maloo thanks the heavens as she remembers a floodgate of orders being opened “To be truthful I was not equipped, however I garnered my strength and with a dedication to never quit even in this harsh male dominated jewellery world. I was a one-woman army, doing everything from accounting to research
to development but I held a single goal and with blinders on to the patriarchy, I charged forward.
“Everything else fell into place like tetris. Workers, clients, vendors, I just happened to always be at the right place and at the right time. I used to attribute much of my success to luck but that would be taking away from my efforts at large. I think this is perhaps a womanly quality, we are unbeatable, unafraid because we are brought up with some or the other odds against us. I’m grateful that I was denied those 2000 rupees because out of sheer spite, I become a businesswoman!” she says. Would she agree it’s hard being a mother and an entrepreneur in an ethos which constantly shames mums for not focussing all their energies on their children? “Coming from a conservative joint family, my decision to move into business was understandably met with harsh criticism. There were many challenges and microaggressions but it only strengthened my resolve to build Nornament. In such dire times, my mother-in-law had my back, she was the wind beneath my wings and she supported me whole heartedly for which I am eternally grateful. I used to work late in the nights on new creations, making new designs and barely clock in any sleep. The whole day would be invested in running around attending to family and doing household chores. Those times were difficult but I was never tired. I could see that over time, my efforts were paying off and the loud sound of criticism moved into the background and eventually it quietened down,” says Maloo. She adds that when one is a working mum, she cannot give the quantity of time to her children but can give however, the quality
Sushma Maloo
of time. “It’s safe to say that being a mother, managing a household taught me some of my most important business lessons. How to manage people and how to manage oneself. Time is the money-maker. If you learn how to manage your time, the world is at your feet. So, while it is hard to juggle being a mother and a businesswoman, I think if you’re doing what you love, you’ll find a way to balance it, with the people you love,” answers the veteran designer. “When my son joined the business and my daughter started designing herself, my world evolved. It was also a sign to me that all those nights I had focused on my work, my children had maybe been inspired by it,” says the proud mother-of-two. Sushma Maloo
For Maloo, the reason why most women work is to be treated with the same level of respect and dignity as her male counterparts. Sharing her thoughts on India needing more entrepreneurs and leaders who are female, she shares: “Women are not necessarily motivated to work for money... India’s younger population is fierce and are bold in comparison to my generation. This is a good thing and we need the few of Indian entrepreneurs to never let that fire in their belly die. Women see the value of money in terms that it builds a better life when shared. When a woman is on top, she brings others up with her as well.” Today’s social climate cannot function with the “repressiveness of the past”, to move up the social ladder, man and woman, husband and wife must climb together, she notes.
“If there are more female entrepreneurs, it will inspire girls everywhere to dream a little bigger and be a little bolder. These women will also empower their children and their homes to be a little kinder. If young girls see more representation, they will feel confident that they can do it. I am a living example of the same. “The future is growing together, men and women as a team. I wholeheartedly believe so.” Finally, answering how life has changed since her son and family appeared on the televised show ‘Indian Matchmaking’, she says: “It was an enriching experience to be a part of a world that is so dramatically different than the one I was brought up in. I am no social butterfly and neither was I a social media person. The reactions to our family some positive albeit some were not the most palatable. Such was the nature of the show and the narrative had to be spun in an entertaining way. Nevertheless, everything happens for a reason, good or bad, I’m happy to be known as Pradhyuman’s mom.”
A cremation ground worker’s tale in times of Covid-19
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heat from the pyres, and this kit over clothes --- so many times I feel I am having an anxiety attack. Not to mention, one gets dehydrated very soon.”
Since it was established decades ago, the cremation ground at Sector 25 in Chandigarh has never witnessed so many pyres ever. Equipped to handle 50 cremations at a given time, it is running to almost full capacity ever since the second wave of Covid-19 stuck.
Adding that while there is a rush of Covid bodies, the situation is not as bleak as Delhi where there is a wait for hours, Kumar says here, they are ensuring that relatives get to be part of the last rites, while following all the protocols. “We understand their fear, and also the guilt if they do not execute the rituals that have been part of our culture for hundreds of years. One has to find a middle-ground...”
Sanjeev Kumar (28), who has been working here for the past seven years starts at 6 am and ends at 7 pm. He says it is tough to take a break too nowadays. Being inside the PPE kit for hours on end is now taking its toll. “The weather, the
Earning Rs 15,000 a month, he assures that he has fear of contracting the virus. “Not because we take all the precautions, but the fact that fear would not really help us in any way. “One has to earn, no? We are not expecting any special
he shades of dusk are falling -- it is time to exit this space. But people continue to come in with their dead. The quiet which is synonymous with a cremation ground has been replaced by ambulance sirens, relatives in PPE suits and the crackling of burning wood.
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perks from the administration even as our workload has almost doubled,” he says. Bodies, not just from the region but places surrounding, including Delhi, are also being cremated here. “Many people from other
cities have been admitted for the treatment of Covid19 in multiple hospitals in Chandigarh. If they pass on, their last rites are done here only. Admitting that his family members are perpetually nervous consid-
ering the fact that he is in close proximity with the infected bodies, Kumar says, “I take a long shower with hot water before going home. However, most workers here including myself have told our families to keep a distance from us -- as much as possible.”
24
TRAVEL
Vol 1, Issue 7, May 16-31, 2021
Check into Goa’s latest hotel ITC Maurya safety, comfort & luxury T he Westin Goa opens in the Indian beach capital, Goa, with a 171 spacious guestrooms and suites. Located within easy access of the main tourist attractions, it is a great spot for beachgoers who enjoy a healthy dose of pampering, matched with holistic wellbeing offerings and access to a fun-filled nightlife.
The Goa international airport – Dabolim is located approximately 40-minutes’ drive away from the hotel, making it easily accessible from other regional and international destinations. The new hotel boasts of an outdoor pool accessible directly from the rooms. All the rooms are equipped with the brand’s iconic Heavenly® bed, which is uniquely designed to revitalize the body and mind with a night of restorative sleep. The sleek bathroom featuring the Heavenly® bath redefines the shower experience with a revitalizing rain shower and features luxuriant white tea aloe bath amenities, extra-large bath sheets and plush bathrobes to help guests start the day feeling pampered and invigorated. Goa is home to many golden beaches that are perfect for those who enjoy the sun, the sea and a lively nightlife. The State however, is so much more than picturesque beaches. It is home to several UNE-
SCO-listed churches and convents including the late-Renaissance Church of Bom Jesus; and it also offers a plethora of adventure sports activities, ranging from windsurfing, to parasailing to bungee jumping. Moreover, Goa is known as a top wellness destination, with several yoga retreats, ayurveda and naturopathy resorts and meditation centers, making it the perfect home for the wellbeing-focused Westin brand. The many beaches in the city are also ideal running routes for those who would like to stay active on the road. “We are excited to open The Westin Goa in one of India’s premier leisure destinations expanding the brand’s signature wellbeing offering to more locals and travelers. The opening marks the 9th Westin property in India,
indicative of the market’s appetite for the brand and its growing presence in key leisure and resort destinations across Asia Pacific,” said Neeraj Govil- Senior Vice President, Operations APEC, Marriott International. For younger travelers, the Westin family kids club features fun activities such as origami, sandcastle making, dancing, baby zumba classes and a playful kids activity area. “We are excited to open The Westin Goa, offering a holistic wellbeing experience through our Move Well, Eat Well and Sleep Well pillars,” said Sunil Kumar, General Manager of The Westin Goa. “We look forward to welcoming guests to discover the charm of Goa while empowering their wellbeing during their stay.”
Will wellness tourism grow due to COVID-19?
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he Westin Goa opens in the Indian beach capital, Goa, with a 171 spacious guestrooms and suites. Located within easy access of the main tourist attractions, it is a great spot for beachgoers who enjoy a healthy dose of pampering, matched with holistic wellbeing offerings and access to a fun-filled nightlife.
The Goa international airport – Dabolim is located approximately 40-minutes’ drive away from the hotel, making it easily accessible from other regional and international destinations. The new hotel boasts of an outdoor pool accessible directly from the rooms. All the rooms are equipped with the brand’s iconic Heavenly® bed, which is uniquely designed to revitalize the body and mind with a night of restorative sleep. The sleek bathroom featuring the Heavenly® bath redefines the shower experience with a revitalizing rain shower and features luxuriant white tea aloe bath amenities, extra-large bath sheets and plush bathrobes to help guests start the day feeling pampered and invigorated. Goa is home to many golden
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OVID-19 second wave overtakes the capital, and in this time of crisis, many are scared even to stay within their homes. Part time staff, lack of delivery options, and shared common areas has many running scared. In such times one of Delhi’s leading hotels, ITC Maurya commits to giving its patrons safety, comfort and luxury with its isolation package for those who are COVID negative, and want to isolate themselves out of abundant caution. Take a luxurious break right here in the city and feel at ease as you enjoy unparalleled comfort with peace of mind. The hotel promises health, hygiene and safety, designed in collaboration with medical professionals and disinfection experts with its WeAssure programme. One can check into the safety if their rooms at an extremely competitive and attractive rate which includes three meals. Ensuring your safety at every turn, high-touch surfaces are frequently sanitized with hospital-grade
beaches that are perfect for those who enjoy the sun, the sea and a lively nightlife. The State however, is so much more than picturesque beaches. It is home to several UNESCO-listed churches and convents
including the late-Renaissance Church of Bom Jesus; and it also offers a plethora of adventure sports activities, ranging from windsurfing, to parasailing to bungee jumping. Moreover, Goa is
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disinfectants, recommended by World Health Organisation (WHO). DNV’s (one of the world’s leading certification bodies) proprietary infection and emerging pathogen risk-prevention framework has reviewed and helped in further upgrading ITC Hotels’ award-winning hygiene and safety program rating it with their Platinum Grade Certification. The result is an elevated health, hygiene, and safety standard for the well-being of guests and associates, which will constantly evolve to meet national and international regulations as well as industry-best practices. The hotel meticulously sanitizes your private abode with heightened hygiene protocols and utmost attention to in-room safety standards. Rates: Rs.5000 all inclusive for Single occupancy; Rs.6000 all inclusive double occupancy (inclusive of three meals and taxes) For room reservations please call on: 1800-102-2333
known as a top wellness destination, with several yoga retreats, ayurveda and naturopathy resorts and meditation centers, making it the perfect home for the wellbeing-focused Westin brand. The many beaches in the city are also ideal running routes for those who would like to stay active on the road.
destinations across Asia Pacific,” said Neeraj Govil- Senior Vice President, Operations APEC, Marriott International.
“We are excited to open The Westin Goa in one of India’s premier leisure destinations expanding the brand’s signature wellbeing offering to more locals and travelers. The opening marks the 9th Westin property in India, indicative of the market’s appetite for the brand and its growing presence in key leisure and resort
“We are excited to open The Westin Goa, offering a holistic wellbeing experience through our Move Well, Eat Well and Sleep Well pillars,” said Sunil Kumar, General Manager of The Westin Goa. “We look forward to welcoming guests to discover the charm of Goa while empowering their wellbeing during their stay.”
/indianabroadnews
For younger travelers, the Westin family kids club features fun activities such as origami, sandcastle making, dancing, baby zumba classes and a playful kids activity area.
25
BEAUTY
Vol 1, Issue 7, May 16-31, 2021
7 easy tips to treat dark spots on your body
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f you are someone prone to pigmentation, then you might know the struggle of getting rid of dark spots. Recurring and stubborn dark spots can take a toll on self-confidence, and get worse with time without proper treatment. While many over-the-counter creams claim to fade away dark spots within a matter of days, there is no such magical potion to clear your skin instantly unless you eliminate the cause behind it. Pigmentation occurs due to an excess amount of melanin production in the skin cells, triggered from sun exposure, hormonal changes, poor diet, medical conditions, use of certain products, post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation, or environmental conditions. Here are seven tips to easily treat dark spots on your body for a bright and clear complexion. Wear broad-spectrum sunscreen UV radiation coming from the sun induces the production of melanin, which results in tanning. However, sun exposure can also exaggerate post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation, resulting in the darkening of the brown spots. Therefore, make sure to add sunscreen to your skincare routine 365 days a year to prevent intensifying pigmented marks. Also, physical protection is more effective than using the sunscreen, so make sure to wear hat, scarf, or even use an umbrella when you are outdoors. Try to limit spending hours in the sun for long hours to prevent exacerbating the skin issue. Include antioxidants in diet Consume antioxidant-rich foods
such as coloured fruit, vegetables, berries, dark chocolate, etc. to even out your skin complexion. Antioxidants promote collagen production, repair acne marks faster, increase cell turnover, and lead to a brighter complexion. Drink adequate amount of water Dark spots are sometimes caused by lack of hydration, so consuming an adequate amount of water can do wonders for your skin. Drinking water can provide a natural barrier for skin from pollutants and heal the skin faster, resulting in a flawless complexion. Exfoliate Make sure to gently exfoliate your skin at least twice a week to diminish the appearance of dark spots. Choose alpha-hydroxy acids based exfoliators that work to improve skin by removing top layers of the skin and remove dead cells to reveal healthy and glowing skin. Use turmeric on your dark spots Packed with anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial benefits, turmeric has been shown to inhibit the skin’s melanin production. Topical application of turmeric
on dark spots can help to lighten hyperpigmentation and prevent the occurrence of acne. Apply night cream The skin repairs and rejuvenates while you take your beauty sleep. So, make sure to apply a night cream with a high concentration of antioxidants, Vitamin E, Kojic acid, Azelaic acid, Glycolic When your body has the right vitamins in the right quantities, the health of the skin cells improves rapidly and it radiates from within. Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin B12, and Vitamin E are some of the best vitamins for lightening dark spots. Generally, vitamin skin treatment starts showing results but to know the right vitamins as per your skin type, take advice from a certified dermatologist. Develop healthy skincare habits Make sure to cleanse your skin twice a day to remove dirt and dead skin layer. Get at least 6-8 hours of sleep so that your skin has ample time to heal. Quit bad habits like excessive drinking and smoking for glowing skin.
How to choose the best sunscreen for your skin type
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sunscreen is your best friend, whether you’re stepping out shopping or going about your work and chores, it protects your skin from harmful UVA/UVB rays and pollutions that cause damage in any and every season.
Not only outdoors, sunscreens plays a crucial role in protecting your skin while you are indoors from UVA rays which enter through standard glass windows and can penetrate deeper into the skin than UVB rays, becoming a contributing factor to photo-aging — which are changes seen as dark spots, wrinkles, and leathery textured skin. Broadly there are 4 types of skin and to choose the best sunscreen it’s very important to know your skin type. This can be done by washing your face with the help of gentle cleanser. This will wash away the makeup, pollutants and other dirt. Wait for an hour and make sure that you do not touch
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your face. Your skin should return to its natural state which will help to determine the type of your skin. Take a tissue paper and dab your face. The area consisting of your forehead and nose must be the place where you concentrate.
Normal Skin: If your skin shows no oil or no flaking and it feels smooth and supple, you have a normal skin type. Oily Skin: If there is lots of grease on the tissue paper, then you have an oily skin type. It is common that you might have a shine and large pores. Dry Skin: If the tissue paper is accompanied by lots of flakes and dead skin, then your skin is dry. You need to consider moisturizing your skin Combination: Any combination of the above-mentioned skin types is a combination skin type. This is very common skin type. Your skin is generally oily in the forehead and nose area and dry elsewhere.
Breaking myths around oily skin
it’s easy to choose the perfect SPF Sunscreen for yourself. If you have dry skin, look for a sunscreen with a moisturizer or sunscreens that contain hydrating ingredients (ceramides or hyaluronic acid).
If you have oily skin type, creamy sunscreens can usually feel sticky and heavy. Opt in for water-based or a lightweight formula sunscreen which is considered ideal for oily skin type. If you’re blessed with normal, uncomplicated skin, your choice is easy. Any high-quality sunscreen will work for you, whether spray, cream or stick. Along with the SPF factor it is equally important to look at the PA factor. SPF is a grade used to rate the level of UVB protection. The higher the number, the higher the UVB protection. PA is a grade used to rate the level of UVA protection. The more “+” symbols, the higher the UVA protection.
Now that you know your skin type,
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sebaceous gland, genetics, environment, hormonal changes and lifestyle factors.
Plabita Sharma, National Training Manager, The Body Shop India talks of a very basic yet very effective step for oily skin care.
Male/Female Skin Difference: There are some notable differences between men and women skin. Men’s skin tends to be oilier, rough, thicker and more prone to environmental and shaving damage. On the other hand, women skin is thinner and signs of ageing is more prominent than in male skin. Just like women, men’s skin too deserves some attention and care. While there is nothing wrong to use a moisturizer that is suitable for both the genders, one needs to understand & choose moisturizer based its own skin type, concern, need, ingredients and benefits.
kin needs hydration, but we tend to connect hydration with dry skin only. When you have oily skin, you may think that using a moisturizer is the last thing you should do. But, as the body’s largest organ—and the one that is arguably most influenced environmental conditions—skin often needs a moisturizer to mitigate the loss of hydration even with it is oily or acne prone. The key with oily skin is to make sure you’re hydrating it without adding extra oil from other products. With no moisture at all your skin would become dehydrated and begin to over-compensate by producing more oil.
Oily skin and its causes: If your skin has large pores and you can a see a greasy or shiny appearance, you know you have oily skin. There are multiple reason that triggers the oily skin like overactive
Role of moisturizer: When one have oily skin, they tend to skip this step thinking it is not required. But, a suitable moisturizer helps to soothe and protect the skin thereby improving the elasticity and preventing water loss. A well hydrated skin is a game changer for achieving healthy supple skin.
Seven beauty secrets Shahnaz Husain swears by
Beauty is a matter of cultivating some good habits to last you a lifetime. Here are some tips Shahnaz Husain swears by to give you that extra edge:
- Remember to cleanse your face every night, removing make-up and pollutants that are deposited during the day. I use an Aloe-Vera and Lemon cleanser for normal to dry skin. Glowing skin that is free from blemishes is the result of daily, appropriate cleansing. - Remove all creams, like cleansing creams, nourishing creams, under-eye creams with moist cotton wool, so that there is no moisture loss. Moist cotton does not absorb moisture from the skin. - Moisture and protection are the life of the skin, especially in winter, to keep the skin soft and smooth. Sun-exposure also causes mois-
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ture loss. Use sunscreen or sunblock before going out in the sun. Choose high SPF for sun-sensitive skin, while SPF 25 would suit most skins. Use a sunscreen gel for oily skin. When you are at home, apply moisturiser. - I have normal to dry skin. So, I apply nourishing cream at night, after cleansing, massaging it on the face with outward and slightly upward strokes. I include the neck in my massage routine and wipe off cream with moist cotton wool before bedtime.
- Use a facial scrub for blackhead-prone, oily skin at least twice a week. Avoid scrubs on pimples, acne or rash, as well as very dry, dehydrated skin. It can deplete both oil and moisture, causing flaking of the skin. For normal skin, a scrub may be used once a week.
26
FASHION
Vol 1, Issue 7, May 16-31, 2021
Royal textile heritage reinterpreted Innovative and Indulgent athleisure, leisurewear in upcoming digital exhibition Chaniyo produced in the ‘bharat kaam’ technique; a traditional choli or khadi blouse; a bandhani cotton saree draped in the local kathiyawadi style and adorned with bead work jewellery, a famous craft of Bhavnagar.
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he 2021 Asian Boxing Championship, originally scheduled to be held in New A series of installations and traditional textiles, presented by Karkhana Chronicles-II in collaboration with the royal families of Indore, Kathiwada, Bhavnagar and Mysore, will be launched on Saturday. Opening a conversation around India’s textile heritage, the project draws its inspiration from the artisanal workshop or ‘karkhana’ -- a timeless site of creativity and innovation that distinguishes India’s rich textile heritage. Supported by The ReFashion Hub -- a sustainability-focused initiative with a special emphasis on water stewardship -- and the royal families mentioned above, the exhibition will launch virtually exhibiting heritage textiles. The project builds on Karkhana Chronicles-1 which launched in late 2020 showcasing three installations in collaboration with Ma-
harani Priyadarshini Raje Scindia of Gwalior, Maharawal Chaitanya Raj Singh of Jaisalmer and Akshita Bhanj Deo of Mayurbhanj. Among the four installations for the second edition, is a reinterpretation of the HH Maharani Sanyogitaraje Holkar’s resplendent yellow Maheshwari saree which will be paired with a ‘Nazneen’ Varanasi silk brocade blouse by Sanjay Garg that features all-over ‘jaal’ of floral motifs. Alongside this, Sanjay Garg will also present a cape, inspired by the Maharaja’s tuxedo and woven by WomenWeave. Weaving Drapes, an installation supported by the Bhavnagar royal family, brings women weavers and beadmakers of Bhavnagar city, with brass and copper karigars of Sihor to create a vision that shows the range and versatility of traditional skills. Placed on a delicate silk textile the installation presents a fine embroidery
Conceptualised by HH Yaduveer Wadiyar and his sister, Jayathmika Lakshmi, an installation from Mysore will incorporate silks and Khadi, in a sculptural piece of a styled sari and jacket. The beauty and symbolism of Mysore’s textile heritage and sustainability will be highlighted by a third component -- the Navalgund Dhurrie, a style of weaving that dates back to the Vijaynagar empire and is woven exclusively by women. The Kathiwada family installation brings together indigenous communities and highlights their traditional craft practices through various indigenous weaves, prints and jewellery crafts. The legacy of Kathiwada will be demonstrated through the languishing craft of Kasota weaves, adapting it to make contemporary wearable pieces. Showcasing the versatility of bamboo, the installation will adorn a bamboo jacket stitched by the native communities. Sustained by the Khatri community at Bagh, the craft of hand-block fabrics, made with natural vegetable dyes, will also accompany the look, adorned with intricate bead jewellery.
Summer lingerie essentials
and activewear
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ulti-brand e-commerce fashion platform Nykaa Fashion, expands its offering with the launch of Nykd All Day, a new indulgent sub-brand featuring athleisure, leisure, and activewear. Designed with a focus on comfort and inclusivity, it offers minimal yet versatile pieces which promise to seamlessly transition from at-home wear to stepping-out attire as per the dictates of the hybrid work model of today. Derived from the name Nykaa and inspired by its values of being real, relatable, authentic, and inclusive, the Nykd by Nykaa (pronounced nay-ked) philosophy centres around giving customers the ultimate sense of comfort with a blend of fashion, function, and technology. The brand wants to positively reinforce its DNA of realness and the importance of self-love at the core of its messaging through the tagline, ‘Love Your Every Self’. The attire is designed keeping in mind the real Indian women’s body types and includes special touches like high waist compression leggings, everyday tights with pockets, hip covering silhouettes, and options of layering tanks with Show it off, go Strapless! You love shoulder-baring dresses, don’t you? But the sight of those ugly bra straps peeking and poking on your shoulders is horrific. Flaunt your shoulders without having to worry about the straps – with the strapless bras!
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he summer heat has already started to bog one down, as temperatures soar high, your body also starts perspiring due to excessive heat. This is why you should ideally opt for lighter and breathable fabrics that make you feel cooler, and also reduce the incidence of any heat rashes or skin irritation. It’s time to refresh your drawers full of intimates with a few must-haves for the season.
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Are you confused about what to start with? Try these summer-friendly lingerie styles by Zivame: Make way for summer in flashy floral prints! Start flaunting the quirkiest of your bra collection. Wear brighter shades and floral prints for starters. These look super fresh and feminine when worn on bright
sunny days or even under the evening sun. Consider trying out some of funky floral prints that can be easily worn with any outfit of your choice. Team them with a casual open back dress or a strappy summer top in racerback style. A floral printed peek-a-boo is bound to add a super fresh, springtime exuberance to your entire look!
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These bras are designed to hold your breasts in place without the aid of straps and come with high-quality adhesive that gently sticks to your skin and are designed to stay put all day. You can also pair them with transparent straps that allow multiway styling. Get a perfect demi coverage and a gentle lift before you head out for your next date night. Get sporty, stay fit! Most women have complained
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shrugs. The looks make for the perfect travel or stay-at-home companions. One can sport an Airport look, a seamless work from home look that can easily be translated into an outfit for running errands or catching that last-minute workout. Adwaita Nayar, CEO, Nykaa Fashion and Founding Team Member, Nykaa, says, “We are excited to expand Nykd by Nykaa to include athleisure, leisure & activewear after successfully launching lingerie and sleepwear. Over the past one year, as we navigate new ways of working, living, and managing our hectic schedules, athleisure & activewear has now become wardrobe staples that we choose to make a style statement in! We combine high-quality athletic staples with versatile leisurewear to offer the utmost comfort whilst maintaining a modern appeal and ensuring a wide selection so that we have something for almost everyone. We hope that it will deliver on both; functional and comfortable products steeped in the latest innovations in fabric and fit”. Nykd All Day will be available online and in-store at Ambience Mall, New Delhi. about how difficult it is to train in the boiling heat because of incessant sweating and prolonged discomfort. But sports bras crafted with sweat-wicking fabric keeps you comfortable during heavy physical workouts. Detox with coconuts, relax in Cottons! Staying home to avoid a tan? Well, grab a glass of coconut water, slip into one of our Underwired Cotton Bras and enjoy your cool and calm zen space with some happy music. Nothing compliments summer weather more than comfy cottons, so stock up on a few cotton lingerie and sleepwear pieces. They are fuss-free, lightweight and moisture-absorbent, so, you stay cool and relaxed all day long.
27
FASHION
Vol 1, Issue 7, May 16-31, 2021
Mother’s day Fundraising Fashion Event Organised Continued from Page 1
This exciting also event offered live music by singer songwriter POLONCE, raffle prizes and gift bags
for participants to take home. The best dressed member of the audience also received a special prize!
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28
FASHION
Vol 1, Issue 7, May 16-31, 2021
India, a key country with regards to sustainable fashion Director at Fashion for Good had to say about India’s role in sustainable innovation in the fashion industry: Tell us about the innovator programme?
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ith all the emphasis on craft, sustainable materials, organic dyes and clothes that last forever, India’s dressing traditions are certainly having a moment. Fashion’s future is often created by reinventing the past and finding fresh inspiration in tradition. As fashion focuses on becoming “good”, many Indian companies are looking at innovation in ways to recycle, upcycle and make the supply chain more eco-conscious and less wasteful. It really is in the countries of manufacturing where the change needs to happen. With India being a global manufacturing hub its role in taking the “good fashion” conversation forward is vital. Fashion for Good (FFG) is a global
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initiative based out of Amsterdam. Their Innovation Programme focuses on technologies, developments, and innovations in - solving water pollution, hemp value chain, bio-based pigments, and dyes among other advancements in the industry. FFG recently announced its global list for the third patch of selected startups, and three (Chlorohemp Agrotech, Graviky Labs and Deven Supercriticals) of the ten companies are from India. The companies which are shortlisted become part of a ninemonth long programme which includes an introduction to Fashion for Good’s Investor Network and also a chance to participate in pilot projects with FFG’s network of global partners. Here is what Katrin Ley, Managing
Katrin: The Programme scouts the most promising innovators and brings them together-- global and local apparel brands, manufacturers, and investors, with the aim to accelerate the transition towards a circular economy and to scale the much-needed sustainable innovative solutions. Where does FFG feel India stands in the whole sustainability conversation? Katrin: India is a key country with regards to sustainability, not just as one of the largest manufacturing markets, but it is also turning into a large consumption market with a third of the world’s population buying more and more. The Indian fashion industry has so far played a reactive role in the sustainability conversation. There’s been a lot of push from the west (mainly buyers) to improve sustainability practices and compliance. We are now starting to see the leading players particularly becoming pioneers in sustainable practices in both the social and
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environmental arena.
All three players are very different—Hemp, Dying and Carbon Emissions runs us through each one? Katrin: Chlorohemp Agrotech, the company specialises in making fabric from hemp that acts as an ideal substitute for cotton. As a raw material, hemp requires less water and grows faster - has strong and breathable fibers with antibacterial properties and is suitable for both summers and winters. It grows like weed which means that it statistically produces 200 to 250 percent more fiber than cotton when cultivated within the same stretch of land. Deven Supercriticals is a company that is dedicated to supercritical CO2 based processing, offering an efficient single-step dyeing and finishing technology for manmade, natural and blended textiles which allows the use of traditional dyes, improved dye utilization, easy scale-up and less than half the batch time needed in current supercritical CO2 dyeing processes. Last but not least, Graviky Labs is a startup that turns end-of-life carbon emissions into industrial grade materials, helping manufacturers
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produce more sustainably and creating a positive impact on climate. The carbon emissions are recycled into products such as screen-print and inkjet inks, dyestuff and transfer inks that could be used in apparel and packaging applications. Where do you feel there really is a need for change in India? Katrin: Considering India is amongst the largest suppliers of cotton, a drastic change in cotton farming would be an area to improve. Cotton as a material deals with multiple challenges like water consumption, excessive use of pesticides and fertilisers, soil depletion and more. Then there is factory waste and post-consumer waste; finding solutions to minimise waste and energy use.
29
HEALTH
Vol 1, Issue 7, May 16-31, 2021
Anyone able to communicate, Ayurvedic ways to is distressed, says head of treat PCOS or PCOD Psychiatry at AIIMS
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t was during the first lockdown last year that Delhi-based Rasika Bhardwaj (name changed) got in touch with the Psychiatry department at AIIMS through their tele-medicine services. She just could not stay still. The fear that everything was falling apart consumed her. “Leave alone concentrating on work, even bathing seemed like an impossible chore. Maybe the lockdown was a precipitating factor, but it definitely forced me to come to the conclusion that I needed expert help. The doctor helped me immensely. But seeing the situation around during this second wave makes me fearful. The anxiety is back. So, I am in constant touch with him again,” says this freelance graphic designer.
Prof. RK Chadda, head of the Psychiatry Department at AIIMS in New- Delhi tells IANS, “Anyone, who is able to communicate, is distressed... Right now, we are attending to about 200 patients through the department’s tele-medicine service. Our National Drug Dependence Treatment Centre and its three community outreach clinics and mobile methadone clinic are catering to more than 600 patients daily and providing maintenance treatment to the patients with addiction problems.” For Rohtak-based Dr. Sumeet Nag, MD (Internal Medicine), the never ending duty at the COVID centre in his city has started taking its toll. He says apart from the physical exhaustion, it is stress that started overpowering him a week back. “It’s quite easy to say that we are trained to handle the high-pressure situations, sight of death and long-working hours without a break. It is also very convenient to forget the fact that we are human. Precisely why I decided to approach a mental health professional.” In fact Prof. Sandeep Grover from the Department of Psychiatry at PGIMER (Postgraduate Institute of
P Medical Education and Research) in Chandigarh, which gets patients from across the Northern part of the country points that there has been a 30 percent increase as compared to 2019 in the number of doctors and health-care workers from all across approaching the Psychiatry department. “And COVID is one of the factors.”
and depression issues have worsened during the second phase. “The general feeling of hopelessness seldom leaves me nowadays. A close cousin died of Covid related complications recently. Though I am in touch with the department through tele-psychiatry, I am definitely missing meeting the doctor in person and sharing with him.”
COVID patients admitted to the COVID and emergency wings of PGIMER are screened for mental distress by the residents from the psychiatry department. “The Residents then evaluate and discuss cases with the faculty, and care is provided to whoever needs it.”
Adding that those suffering from Covid are complaining of anxiety, distress and sleep issues, Dr. Grover says, “Social isolation and loneliness are the common issues we encounter. In case they have established psychiatric illness, they will need longer care.”
While pointing out that during the second wave, it is mostly patients, not able to get beds who are the ones complaining of severe anxiety, stress and depressive symptoms, Dr. Chadda says that his department is getting calls from people across age groups and genders. “COVID patients at home must do some stress busting activities including deep breathing, listening to light music, reading and keeping in touch with friends through the phone etc. Patients with Covid having mental health issues don’t come to Psychiatry directly. Most patients have anxiety or stress related symptoms, but only a few, those with severe ones, are referred to us. ”
Pointing that the number of people getting in touch through the tele-psychiatry facility is much lower than those attending the OPD before the pandemic stuck, Dr. Grover says, “Sadly, what is happening right now is that people are just rushing to hospitals after testing positive for Covid 19. They fear that they would require hospitalisation --‘will I get a bed, ventilator etc... . Now, this thought cycle triggers a lot of anxiety. This is putting pressure on hospitals for admissions. Don’t panic. remember, if you panic, your oximeter is bound to show lower readings -- and this will again increase panic. Break this cycle. Don’t think of the outcome in the long term. It is important to know if anxiety is contributing to the lower oxygen level.”
Avinash Gupta (name changed) from Bathinda in Punjab, a psychiatry patient at PGIMER for the past eight years says that his anxiety
Scientists call for investigation into origins of Covid-19
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ore investigation is needed to determine the origin of the Covid-19 pandemic, say a team of 18 scientists from Universities in the US, Canada, the UK and Switzerland. “Theories of accidental release
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from a lab and zoonotic spillover both remain viable,” they wrote in a letter published on Thursday in the journal Science.
of future outbreaks,” said the researchers led by Jesse Bloom, an evolutionary virologist at the University of Washington, US.
“Knowing how Covid-19 emerged is critical for informing global strategies to mitigate the risk
The Coronavirus disease, which was first documented on December 1, 2019 from Wuhan City
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olycystic ovarian syndrome or disease (PCOS/PCOD) is a common condition in women in their reproductive age caused due to hormonal imbalance. This hormonal breakdown results in irregular or prolonged menstrual periods, excessive body hair, acne, and hair loss. Because of this, Polycystic ovaries may fail to develop follicles and regularly release eggs, causing difficulty in conceiving. Ayurveda Diaries, on Tata Sky Fitness explains ayurvedic ways to treat these problems: Ayurveda & Infertility Both men and women face issues of infertility. However, one of the reasons for infertility is the irregular metabolic fire that results in PCOS and ovarian disorder that is results in PCOD. This disorder can be treated by various ayurvedic products. Men can consume products like Ashokarishta, Ashwagandha, Shatavari, and Guggul that helps them to build and strengthen vigour, increase vitality and metabolism. Also, products such as Kaunch, Musli, and Shilajit help men in healing infertility. Women with infertility issues need to make a drastic shift in their lifestyle and eating habits. One can start with giving up dairy products, meats, seafood, and eggs from their diet. It has proven beneficial for women dealing with various menstrual disorders. Ayurveda & PCOD / PCOS
Nowadays, 4 out of 7 women complain of PCOS or PCOD, infertility or menstrual disorders. Therefore, women must adapt plant-based diet. One must include Carrot, Beetroot and Spinach in their diet. They can make a soup and drink it every night for a 28-day cycle. It helps to purify the blood and rectifies the damage done to the uterus. Spices like Fenugreek, Carom seed in your dals, or soups can work wonders for these women. Seeds like chia seeds, flax seeds, pumpkin seeds, Sunflower seeds, and Sesame seeds are excellent source of protein for women following plant-based diet. Cumin Seeds and Fennel seeds help women prevent UTI. Coriander seed and Cardamom seeds have proven to be best remedies for period cramps. Fruit like Pomegranate and Black grapes also help in purifying the blood that carries fresh oxygen to the uterus, thus helping to repair damaged tissues, muscles, and nerves. One can also consume saptashayam kasayam or Sukhumarum kasayam for 3 - 4 month. It has proven to show good results for all gynaecological health issues. This should be practiced with yoga and exercise to strengthen the core muscles around the uterus and pelvic. Asanas like the Camel Pose, Boat Pose, and Butterfly also help to build strength around the core.
in China, has since spread like wildfire throughout the globe. The overall global Covid-19 caseload has topped 160.8 million, while the deaths have surged to more than 3.34 million, so far.
were released in November 2020.
The team of researchers lauded the efforts of scientists in understanding SARS-CoV-2 -- its transmission, pathogenesis, and mitigation by vaccines, therapeutics, and non-pharmaceutical interventions. Yet, even after 17 months, how the coronavirus pandemic exactly began still remains a mystery.
“As scientists with relevant expertise, we agree with the WHO director-general, the United States and 13 other countries, and the European Union that greater clarity about the origins of this pandemic is necessary and feasible to achieve,” they said. They call for an investigation that is “transparent, objective, data-driven, inclusive of broad expertise, subject to independent oversight, and responsibly managed.”
The researchers highlighted a joint China-World Health Organization (WHO) report into the origins of SARS-CoV-2, some results of which
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“WHO Director-General Tedros Ghebreyesus commented that the report’s consideration of evidence supporting a laboratory accident was insufficient,” they noted.
30
HEALTH
Vol 1, Issue 7, May 16-31, 2021
To keep your immune system in its prime
Aseem Sood, Managing Director, Proveda India
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t the personal level, the fight against the COVID-19 virus begins with strong immunity. As the second wave turns out to be more alarming and devastating than the previous one, many are turning to strengthening their immune system using homegrown plants, ‘kadhas’, and a nutrient-rich and diverse diet. The world is waking up again to the importance of a balanced diet, and according to Aseem Sood, Managing Director, Proveda India, it is necessary to follow a diet that includes foods rich in iron, protein and vitamins C, B12 and A. While patients must strictly follow their doctor’s advice, Sood believes that “to combat this deadly disease is also to opt for the age-old ayurvedic immunity drinks and kitchen ingredients in Indian households that have the necessary nutrients to cure a lot of ailments like cold, flu and fever. Make sure that your immunity is in its prime and working at its full capacity to fight against allergens and pathogens attacking your
body.” Here’s what he suggests to help you boost your immunity and complete your diet, so your body builds up the strength to put up a fight against foreign pathogens. Giloy and tulsi: Studies have proved that Giloy possesses immune-o-simulator properties. It helps to flush out the toxins from the body. Giloy also contains Antipyretic (fever controlling) properties. Tulsi is known as the “the queen of herbs”. Tulsi is said to prevent disease, promote general health, well-being and longevity and assist in dealing with the stresses of daily life. Combination of these two superb herbs gives you a healthy and long life. Giloy Tulsi Plus is a traditionally-known herb that boosts immunity level and balances all three ‘doshas’. Panch tulsi with ginger drops: It is one of the best examples of ayurveda’s holistic lifestyle approach to health. Considered as a potent adaptogen, Panch tulsi and ginger have a unique combination of pharmacological actions that
promote well-being and resilience. This combination increases anti-oxidant molecules such as glutathione and enhancing the activity of antioxidant enzymes such as superoxide dismutase and catalase, which protect cellular organelles and membranes by mopping up damaging free radicals in the body. Immune drops: Immune drops is a mixture of rama tulsi, kala tulsi, vishnu priya tulsi, sweet lemon tulsi, bisva tulsi, curcumin. It is an instant immunity booster, gives you good health, protects you from diseases and helps you to live a good healthy life. Sood also suggests taking in dissolvable Vitamin C tablets in water as it is an antioxidant which strengthens body’s immune response. Finally, if one is advised, they can also take in multivitamin capsules. “Modern day food habits don’t provide proper nutrition and that’s why we need multivitamin supplements to re-vitalize the body and to keep you protected from the damage caused by harmful free radicals.”
More nurses lead to fewer patient deaths, shorter hospital stays: Study
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minimum ratio of one nurse to four patients for day shifts can successfully improve patient care, with a 7 per cent drop in the chance of death and readmission, and 3 per cent reduction in length of stay for every one less patient a nurse has on their workload, according to a study across 55 hospitals in Queensland, Australia. In 2016, 27 public hospitals in Queensland were required to instate a minimum of one dedicated nurse for every four patients during day shifts and one for every seven patients for night shifts on medical-surgical wards. The study, published in The Lancet, examined more than 400,000 patients and 17,000 nurses in 27 hospitals that implemented the policy and compared with 28 hos-
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Aroma can be a therapeutic process in building positivity
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t is a challenge to relax in a fast paced world which is currently undergoing a crisis. Investing time and energy in activities that can help de-stress is tough in a busy schedule, even if its work from home nowadays. All you need is a daily healthy ritual that can help strike the balance between your mind, body and soul. Aromatherapy is one such solution which helps build positivity, release stress, boost your mood and leave your home smelling wonderful. Traditional, alternative or complementary therapies that use essential oils, fragrances and other aromatic plant compounds. Smell is the strongest of the senses and most efficient in influencing brain activity. Hargunn Jayaswal, CEO Misa Candles shares some benefits of practicing aromatherapy. Candles are great for aromatherapy. Lighting a candle is probably one of the simplest yet most effective ways to boost the mood and absorb the goodness from the environment. It creates a soothing aura and is more practical than the essence sticks which add to the smoke. Aroma candles also act as a focal point for meditation. Aromatherapy helps combat the different emotions we face. Not only does it reduce stress, agitation, and anxiety but also helps in pitals that did not. The comparison hospitals had no change in staffing, with six patients per nurse in 2016 and the same ratio (1:6) in the follow-up period in 2018. The findings showed that the chance of death rose between 2016 and 2018 by 7 per cent in hospitals that did not implement the policy, and fell by 11 per cent in hospitals that did implement the policy. The chances of being re-admitted increased by 6 per cent in the comparison hospitals over time, but stayed the same in hospitals that implemented the policy. Between 2016 and 2018, the length of stay fell by 5 per cent in the hospitals that did not implement the policy, and by 9 per cent in hospitals that did.
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calming your nerves that lead to headache and migraine. It helps in easing discomforts, boost immunity, improve sleep quality and rejuvenate the mind. Studies show many elements of our moods are related to the smells present in the environment and that can alter our mood from good to bad or vice versa. Aroma has the neutralising properties which reduce the number of unwanted ions in the house atmosphere hence keeping you positive. Aroma stimulates the mind. A soft mild smell can infuse the thoughts of positivity and creativity. It helps the mind to ease the tension,relaxes the muscles and erases the negativity. It lightens up the atmosphere and enables you to work and think better. Aroma also charges the good emotions of the mind. Emotions and factors like empathy,gratitude, humbleness get charged up and actions post aroma therapy. It helps in de-stressing, creates a balance, stimulates and refreshes the memory. Just like good music, good smells can alter brain waves that help in boosting your productivity. Different aromatherapy scents have different effects on people, but the common denominator is a deepened sense of relaxation, positivity and balance. Further analyses found that when nurse workloads improved by one less patient per nurse, the chance of death and readmissions fell by 7 per cent, and the length of hospital stay dropped by 3 per cent. “Our findings plug a crucial data gap that has delayed a widespread roll-out of nurse staffing mandates. Opponents of these policies often raise concerns that there is no clear evaluation of policy, so we hope that our data convinces people of the need for minimum nurse-to-patient ratios by clearly demonstrating that quality nursing is vital to patient safety and care,” said lead author, Matthew McHugh from the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing, US.
31
FOOD & CUISINE
Vol 1, Issue 7, May 16-31, 2021
Is olive pomace oil healthy for Indian cooking?
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he year 2020 has been an eye opener in many ways. Not only did it lead to introspection in general, it also changed quite eating habits, fitness and cooking styles.
Cooking food is no longer a scheduled task just about cooking and eating, there is awareness, conscience awakening and science attached to it today. Right from raw vegetables, meat and even the oils that are used, consumers today have questions about what they are consuming, the source of raw materials, the formulation and production. Oil is an essential ingredient used in Indian cooking be it for frying, stir frying, shallow frying, pan frying, grilling, barbequing, baking, kneading… there isn’t a component of cooking where oil doesn’t feature, even if it means a slight drizzle. It’s where it all starts and ends. For generations, the traditional mindset in using a particular kind and brand of oil has had a very ‘hand me down’ approach, something has been followed ritualistically until recently. Sunflower and Groundnut oil have constituted as majority in the cooking oil segment followed closely by Mustard oil. Today, there are a variety of cooking oils available in the Indian
market and thanks to exposure to international standards and a whole new category of olive oils. Indian consumers are spoilt for choice but are they making the right one? How does one know the oil they’ve been using isn’t doing more harm than benefitting? While there have been a few constants that have proven to be ideal choices for the palate and health, there are others whose properties are second to none but haven’t gained wide spread popularity. One such variant is Olive Pomace oil.
Olive oil actually comes in a number of forms, colour, taste, and acidity level along with three variants: Extra-Virgin Olive Oil, Refined Olive Oil and Olive Pomace Oil. Extra-Virgin Olive Oil is a cold pressed olive oil with acidity below 0.3 percent. Owing to its aroma and flavour, it is suitable for making salads, dressings, flavourings or condiments for salads, pastas, rice, vegetables, meat and fish. It is also rich in anti-oxidants when eaten in raw / cold form. However, it may not the right choice for typical Indian – high temperature - cooking. Olive Pomace oil is, however, the right olive oil for Indian cooking. Because of its extraction process, Olive Pomace oil is stable at high
temperatures and contains higher Tocopherol and Squalene than even extra virgin olive oil. Tocopherol and Squalene are forms of Vitamin E which have anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant properties for the body and is great for skin. Other properties such as its fatty acid profile (eg. mono-unsaturated fatty acid) are the same as that jar of extra virgin olive oil that graces the aisle at the supermarket. In fact, it has the same composition as extra virgin olive oil. What’s more, it is completely neutral in taste, therefore, making Olive Pomace oil liquid gold for healthy Indian Cooking. FOR TASTE: Olive Pomace Oil is the perfect companion for desi food. It is a light oil with a neutral taste and flavour. Indian food encompasses a wide variety of regional and traditional cuisines and they all vary significantly from each other. Olive Pomace Oil can be used for all Indian cooking and the taste is quite incredible. FOR HEALTH: While we face the second wave of the pandemic, it’s prudent to stay fit, eat right and follow a healthy lifestyle. The choice of cooking oil plays a major part in this. Choosing an oil that has necessary fats and zero cholesterol that are
helpful for weight loss and maintaining a low-calorie diet is what one needs today. Olive Pomace oil is 80 percent monosaturated that can lower the cholesterol level. Monosaturated fats are healthy fats with fatty acid profile (high MUFA) like other Olive Oils found in olive oil, avocados and certain nuts. Olive Pomace oil also brings the additional benefit of Vitamin E for better immunity and tissue repair with Vitamin K for better bone density and health. FOR COOKING: It is a light, neutral in taste and healthier option than other edible oils, and is stable at high temperatures. This helps beat the myth that Olive oil is not good for Indian cooking. What’s more, the great thing about Olive Pomace oil is that since it is absorbed less by
food, it is great for healthy cooking and affordable at the same time, as it will be consumed less. FOR BEAUTY: Apart from uses in kitchen, Olive Pomace oil can be used to treat skin problems and hair problems by using a little bit of it on the damaged scalp to treat dryness. Similarly, one can also use it in the bath to rejuvenate dry skin. Olive Pomace oil is cost effective in comparison to the other grades of olive oil but when compared to the cost of regular soya bean, sunflower or the peanut oil, it is priced at premium. So, the next time you go for grocery shopping, take a leap of faith and grab that can of Olive Pomace oil—it’s a health decision that’s much overdue!
How to make your basic meals full of nutrition
The fact that fancy diets are difficult to follow is because they try to eliminate all ingredients that are well accustomed to our taste pallet. It’s important to follow a diet that helps in reaching our fitness goals in a flexible and comfortable manner. However, making major changes to your diet can sometimes seem very overwhelming. Instead of making big changes, it may be better to start with a few smaller ones, by tweaking your regular cooking style, chapati, curries, dal and soups be a welcome change and add value to everyday nutrition. Diksha Chhabra, Founder, Diksha Chhabra Fitness Consultations, shares a few ways you can make load your meals with nutrition and that too effortlessly. Power of Protein: We have seen our mothers and grannies making paneer or curd at home with leftover milk. Ever wondered what that water like substance is? Often thrown as waste after making paneer or seen as leftover after the curd is set is actually pure milk protein that gets
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filtered during the process. It’s a quick digesting class one protein which the human body can easily absorb and can benefit of. Instead of throwing the residual water after making paneer or removing it from curd to make it thick and creamy, use it in kneading your dough for chapati, or add it to dals, vegetable curries, soups and even for cooking rice and pasta. Our Indian vegetarian meals lack class one source of protein and this can positively increase the nutritional value of simple everyday meals. Power of Fibre: Food rich in fibre helps your body to dispose of the toxins, regularise bowel movement, lowers blood sugar and cholesterol levels. A few basic changes to our whole wheat flour, dosa idli batter and chapati can lead to more fibre. Adding multiple grain like jowar, bajra, oats, ragi, legumes in our flour or batter doubles up its nutritional value and fibre content. The same can be done if you are fond of baking cakes and cookies. The more the number of different kinds of grains in your plate, the healthier it is. For your sweet tooth:
There is a great way of having your favourite icecream, make it with frozen fruits at home with no added sugar. Fruit with natural pulp like banana, mango, chikoo, coconut cream or papaya can be frozen in the refrigerator for few hours
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after which once you blend it in the blender it gets nice creamy icecream. You can also add berries, nuts or dark chocolate to enhance the flavour. Juicy fruits like orange, watermelon, sweetlime, kiwi can be great options for making pop-
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sicles once its juice is extracted. Also, instead of sugar laden thick shakes with artificial flavours and milk, adding fruits and yogurt can be a game-changer in your list healthy and guilt-free dessert or snacks.
32
ASTROLOGY
Vol 1, Issue 7, May 16-31, 2021
Five astrology tech-driven platforms that are transforming the astrology space
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n an environment like the present one, there is heightened fear about jobs and careers. Where a new era awaits us all, bringing forth an incredible amount of progress. The divine language of astrology is a sacred tool that’s been harnessed for thousands of years; it translates universal patterns and the whispers of Mother Earth.
Ever since its inception, Astro spaces have been steadily adapting to the needs of its users by using the latest developments in IT to provide a range of astrology solutions. Reflecting the multitude of digital astrology services that has offered in the past three decades, including stand-alone applications, online apps, and Astro content services.Powering these offerings are some of the latest technologies like Artificial Intelligence (AI) and voice-based services. Check out these 5 Astrology tech-driven platforms that are transforming the astrology space who can offer insight into almost all areas of your future.
Cancer
Cancer is fourth astrological sign in the zodiac. It is originated from the constellation of cancer. Its zodiac symbol is crab. Its zodiac element is water. Its zodiac quality is cardinal. Its ruling planet is moon. Its detriment is Saturn, exaltation Jupiter. According to Vedic astrology it is named as Karka and its lord is moon. Cancers are very loyal. They love their family and are always ready to protect their family at any cost. They like their friends also and can do anything for them. They like to protect the people who are close to them. Cancers are very creative. They like painting, writing and reading books. They are very religious persons. They are very cool, reserved and strongly pragmatic. They are very kind, giving and sympathetic nature. They have strong healing power. They can sense what others
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Astroyogi - It is one of the fastest-growing and most trusted online community of experts in the domain of Astrology and spiritual science. Being an aggregator, the platform leverages technology to provide traditional services including online consultation with experienced astrologers for career, personal and financial life guidance, Tarot Readers, Numerologists, Vastu experts, and Fengshui experts to help the young population across the world find guidance, direction, and happiness in their life.
Astrotalk - is one such technology-driven astrology startup based out of Delhi. It was started in 2017 by Puneet Gupta, a techie, who never believed in astrology. But after certain emotional turbulence, his faith became stronger because somebody predicted that he would go through a rough patch. Today, the startup is bringing both astrologers and consumers together on its tech platform. One can get predictions related to love life, marriage, career, etc.
However, the startup claims its key focus since the beginning has been maintaining the privacy of its customers.
Ganesha Speaks - GaneshaSpeaks.com is a pioneer in more than one ways, initiated in the year 2003 with a definitive vision, the aim, and the vision of the company to streamline a scattered, direction-less astrology market, based on Astrology and allied subjects for entertainment, learning and planning your life. With their own modern hi-tech studio, they generate Astrology content for syndication. Astrosage - Astrosage is one of the largest astrology portals in the world. It provides astrology software in cloud, talk to astrologer services, Kundli reports, gemstones, rudraksha, and much more. Astrosage has proficient practitioners in the fields of Numerology, Palmistry, Tarot Reading, Chinese Astrology, Horary, Reiki Healing, Vastu, Vedic Astrology, KP System, Feng Shui. For any reading in the given branches of
need, and are always ready to help them.
Writer
Cancers have some weakness also. They are over protective. Moon represents cancer so they think from heart, which sometimes is not safe for them as others take advantage from their weakness. They are over passionate. Moon makes them moody also. It depends upon their mood that what they like to do or not. They are very pessimistic. Sometimes they feel very insecure and lonely. They are very manipulative also.
C for caring
Career Business Childcare worker Gardener Interior designer Marine biologist Nurse Online business owner Politicians
Meaning of Cancer A for ambitious N for nourishing C for creative E for emotionally intelligent R for resilient Greatest challenges They can easily read the situation and can give the best solutions. They are good healers also. Compatibility Taurus, Scorpion Birthstone Moonstone, Ruby, Emerald, Pearl Lucky colour White, cream, red, yellow Famous Cancers Salena Gomez, Ariana Grande, King Bach, Luke Bryen, Kevin hart.
Real estate agent
astrology, you can contact our astrologers for online reading. Whether you want to learn about astrology or consult a genuine and experienced online astrologer, this is the place you need to be.
AstroBuddy Launched in 2018, AstroBuddy set out to popularise science-based astrological practices as opposed to propagating conventional stereotypes that tied astrology with religion. It wanted to “change the image” of an astrologer. AstroBuddy offers services like free daily, monthly, and yearly horoscopes; free birth charts
(kundalis); matchmaking (based on planetary positions); traditional Panchang; and personalized onthe-go problem-solving on topics such as relationships, marriage, career, finances, children, health, and lifespan.
Numerology Number 3
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eople with number three are lucky persons. They are known as knowledge seekers. They have a high degree of self respect. They are “Swabhimani” (Self-esteem) type people. They do not like taking help from other person. They would like to struggle for survival. They have very good family life. They are very creative.
or Topaz.
Lucky direction: North-East Favored God (Isht Dev): Lord Vishnu Best days: Thursday. Strong period: February 19th to March 20th and November 21st to December 20th.
Career They are very creative and ambitious dynamic. They have a high imagination power. They also like higher studies. They are ideal teachers, counsellors, ideal mentors, ideal trainers, lecturer, philosopher, anything related to judiciary, government, civil services, banking, religious, spiritual organisation. Lucky number: 3, 6, 9, 1 Lucky colour: Yellow, Violet, Saffron, Purple, Cream and Gold. Lucky Gemstone: Yellow sapphire
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33
SCI-TECH
Vol 1, Issue 7, May 16-31, 2021
44 attorneys urge Facebook to drop ‘Insta for kids’
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coalition of 44 US attorneys general signed a letter to Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg urging Facebook not to launch “Instagram for Kids”, citing mental health and privacy concerns.
The “Instagram for Kids” app will allow children under the age of 13 to begin using the popular photo-sharing app. However, the attorneys general urge Facebook to abandon its plans to launch this new platform. The letter lists reasons and cites research to show that Facebook should not go forth with its plans to develop and market a kid-friendly version of the Instagram app, reports GSMArena.
Among the reasons listed in the letter are -- Facebook’s poor history of protecting childrena’s privacy and data on the platform, research showing that social media can be harmful to children on physical and psychological levels, children do not have a fully-developed understanding of privacy and can easily be targeted by anonymous predators.
In the release published by the coalition head Attorney General Maura Healey, she cited Zuckerberg’s dismissal of the idea that social media is harmful to children. The release points out there is much strong evidence and research that contradicts Zuckerberg’s denial.
Currently, children under 13 are not allowed to have an Instagram account unless it is explicitly written in the profilea¿s description that the account is being managed by a parent or guardian.
Intel’s new processors to power gamers, content creators
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o power laptops for gaming, content creators and business professionals, chip giant Intel on Tuesday launched the new 11th Generation Intel Core H-series mobile processors -- codenamed “Tiger Lake-H”.
Extending the performance momentum established by the 11th Gen Intel Core H35 series, the 11th Gen Intel H-series processors, based on 10 nanometre SuperFin process technology, feature up to 8 cores and 16 threads, with single
and dual-core turbo performance up to 5.0GHz. Additionally, the central processing unit (CPU) can directly access high-speed GDDR6 memory attached to the graphics card, enabling gamers to experience higher framerates with lower latency and load large textures faster. The processor offers 2.5 times the total PCIe bandwidth to the CPU compared with the 10th Gen H-series processors, and three times the total PCIe bandwidth compared with other industry
processors. The company also unveiled new Intel vPro H-series processors -- led by the eight-core and 16-thread Intel Core i9-11950H -- and Intel Xeon W-11000 series mobile processors.
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While 43 per cent of Indian IT professionals say that the pandemic has increased their focus on security and threats, more than 1 in 2 feel limited expertise or knowledge and increasing data complexity and data silos as barriers to AI adoption.
Mail reported.
The biographer James Wallace has claimed that Gates once allegedly held naked parties with strippers during his wild bachelor days. The alleged parties took place at
“Trusted AI, the rise of virtual agents using NLP, automation, and anywhere Hybrid are the top areas that have emerged as key business enablers in the last year owing to the acceleration of
technology adoption,” said Viswanath Ramaswamy, Vice President, Technology, IBM Technology Sales, India/South Asia. Over 3 in 4 (78 per cent) Indian IT professionals said it is very important to their company that they can build and run their AI projects wherever the data resides. During the virtual event, IBM unveiled new competencies, skills training, and benefits to ensure its partners succeed in an increasingly competitive market, ss part of its $1 billion investment to support its partner ecosystem. “We will look back on this year and last as the moment the world entered the digital century in full force,” said IBM Chairman and CEO, Arvind Krishna. “In the same way that we electrified factories and machines in the past century, we will use hybrid cloud to infuse AI into software and systems in the 21st century,” he added. IBM announced several advances in artificial intelligence (AI), hybrid cloud, and quantum computing at the Think conference.
Built on the 11th Gen Intel vPro platform, the platform delivers comprehensive hardware-based security and breakthrough performance, as well as powerful computing experiences for professional users.
Young Bill Gates allegedly hosted naked pool parties: Biographer
As the mega-billionaire couple Bill and Melinda Gates are heading for divorce, a biographer has spilled the beans about the Microsoft co-founder’s past and described him as a womanising party-boy during his early years, the Daily
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ore than 1 in 2 (53 per cent) of Indian IT professionals say that their company has accelerated the rollout of artificial intelligence (AI) based technologies due to the COVID-19 pandemic, an IBM survey revealed on Tuesday.
“Nearly all (95 per cent) IT professionals in India believe that it is critical or very important to their business that they can trust the AI’s output is fair, safe and reliable,” according to IBM’s ‘Global AI Adoption Index 2021’ survey released during the company’s IBM Think 2021’ virtual conference.
The Intel Core i9-11980HK delivers the highest performance in laptops, reaching speeds of up to 5.0 gigahertz (GHz), the company claimed. “These new H-series processors are an exciting extension of our 11th Gen mobile family with double-digit single-core and multicore performance improvements, leading gameplay, direct-attached storage and 20 PCIe 4.0 lanes for true enthusiast-level platform bandwidth,” Chris Walker, Intel corporate VP and GM of the Mobile Client Platforms Group, said in a statement.
Covid accelerates AI rollout at Indian firms: IBM
Gates’ Laurelhurst, Washington home and were first detailed in Wallace’s 1997 book, Overdrive: Bill Gates and the Race to Control Cyberspace. He described the parties as “wild” and said the racy events would
/IndianAbroadNews
often see Gates and his entourage flock to one of Seattle’s all-nude nightclubs and “hire dancers to come to his home and swim naked with his friends in his indoor pool.” Wallace also described a young Gates as a renowned “womaniser”, with his antics reportedly placing a strain on his relationship with Melinda while they were dating,AThe
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Sun reported. “Though Gates began dating French (Melinda’s maiden name) in 1988, he continued to play the field for a while, especially when he was out of town on business, when he would frequently hit on female journalists who covered Microsoft and the company industry,” a passage of the book reads.
34
SCI-TECH
Vol 1, Issue 7, May 16-31, 2021
IIT-K launches Mission Bharat O2 OSIRIS-REx spacecraft
T
way back to Earth with asteroid sample
he Startup Incubation and Innovation Centre (SIIC) of IIT Kanpur has launched Mission Bharat O2, a 45-day open challenge for manufacturing high-quality indigenous, rapidly scalable oxygen generation units to help combat the emergency.
The manufacturing challenge task force will be led by Prof. Amitabha Bandyopadhyay, Professor Incharge, Innovation & Incubation, IIT Kanpur, Srikant Sastri, President, TiE Delhi-NCR, and Rahul Patel, Head of Strategic Initiatives, SIIC, IIT Kanpur. The SIIC had, last year, supported its incubated companies to develop indigenous products like Swasa N-95 mask and Noccarc V310 ventilator. Prof. Abhay Karandikar, Director, IIT Kanpur, has appealed to entrepreneurs to apply for the challenge. “IIT Kanpur carries a legacy of serving the nation in times of urgent need. When the first wave of Covid-19 hit India, SIIC incubated companies stepped up to deliver Swasa N-95 masks, which became a household name for protection and the Noccarc V310 ICU ventilator. Both products, developed locally, were testament to India’s capability to innovate at par with global standards. As the second wave hits India, IIT Kanpur and SIIC
have decided to support more indigenous innovators, this time to address the oxygen crisis in the country. I urge all eligible entrepreneurs to participate in Mission Bharat O2.” Prof. Bandyopadhyay said, “SIIC and IIT Kanpur have a history of delivering quality products as per the country’s needs. We did it with the Noccarc ventilator; we will do it again with Mission Bharat O2. We urge young innovators to come up in large numbers to support the nation at this time.” Oxygen concentrator is a medical device with limited scope for product innovation, and hence SIIC plans to decentralise the manufacturing process by engaging quality SMEs across states. Prof Bandopadhyay said, “An ideal case scenario would be to work with a set of manufacturers in different regions with the target
production capacity of 100 units per day initially and scale up gradually.” Srikant Sastri said, “Entrepreneurs usually get carried away by a big idea without acknowledging whether the problem it solves is as big. With Mission Bharat O2, SIIC IIT Kanpur has taken a step toward solving a major crisis the country is grappling with today. We believe the team will make a mark with its combined entrepreneurial experience and vision to serve the nation.” All eligible Indian SME manufacturers can apply online and the initiative will help ease the pressure on hospitals and save lives. Mission Bharat O2 makes a strong case for leveraging local, indigenous talent to innovate the manufacturing and supply chain for oxygen concentrators and plants.
TikTok likely to launch jobs service: Report
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hinese short video platform TikTok is working on a pilot program that is designed to help people find jobs on TikTok and connect with companies looking to find candidates.
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Each month, the company will reach out to thousands of creators whose Shorts received the most
This burn thrust the spacecraft away from the asteroid at 600 miles per hour (nearly 1,000 km per hour), setting it on a 2.5-year cruise towards Earth, NASA said. After releasing the sample capsule, OSIRIS-REx will fire its engines to fly by Earth safely, putting it on a trajectory to circle the sun inside of Venus’ orbit.
Shorts,” it added.
users to give an elevator pitch or work experience summary via the video in a unique way, it added. TikTok will ask candidates to post their resume videos to their TikTok profiles, if they wish, to help publicise the new service.
According to the report, a top TikTok executive posted, a few weeks ago, on LinkedIn that a Washington Post article about Gen Z using TikTok to share career advice inspired TikTok executives to try to bolster their platform for job seekers.
YouTube to distribute $100M among top ‘Shorts’ creators
n a bid to bring more engagement on its platform that is similar to TikTok, YouTube said that it plans to pay $100 million to creators who use YouTube Shorts.
On Monday, May 10, at 4.23 p.m. EDT, the spacecraft fired its main engines full throttle for seven minutes -- its most significant manoeuvre since it arrived at Bennu in 2018.
“The team rose to the challenge, and now we have a primordial
The company is currently testing the service with a beta group of companies. Several big brands have been asked about participating, including sports leagues.
Users can post a TikTok video resume to the site rather than a traditional resume. The idea is for
The spacecraft is due to reach Earth on September 24, 2023, after orbiting the Sun twice.
“OSIRIS-REx’s many accomplishments demonstrated the daring and innovate way in which exploration unfolds in real time,” said Thomas Zurbuchen, associate administrator for science at NASA Headquarters, in a statement.
Axios, citing sources, reported that it is also meant to help brands use TikTok as a recruitment channel.
The platform isn’t a product that’s integrated within TikTok itself, but rather a separate web page accessible via the TikTok app where brands can post jobs, primarily entry-level listings, the report said.
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fter nearly five years in space, NASA’s Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, Security, Regolith Explorer (OSIRIS-REx) spacecraft is on its way back to Earth with an abundance of rocks and dust from the near-Earth asteroid Bennu, the US space agency said.
engagement and views to reward them for their contributions. They will also ask these creators to share their feedback so they can continue to improve the product experience. “The Shorts Fund is the first step in our journey to build a monetization
The Shorts Fund is not limited to just creators in the YouTube Partner Program. Creators will be eligible to participate if they create original content for Shorts and adhere to our Community Guidelines. “We are excited to start rewarding creators for their contributions through the Shorts Find,” the company said. “At the same time, we will expand our Shorts player across more
piece of our solar system headed back to Earth where many generations of researchers can unlock its secrets,” he added. OSIRIS-REx exceeded many expectations. Most recently, in the midst of a global pandemic, the team flawlessly executed the most mission’s critical operation, collecting more than 2 ounces (60 grams) of soil from Bennu’s surface. The mission was instrumental in both confirming and refuting several scientific findings. Among those confirmed was a technique that used observations from Earth to predict that the minerals on the asteroid would be carbon-rich and show signs of ancient water. One finding that proved unsuccessful was that Bennu would have a smooth surface, which scientists predicted by measuring how much heat radiated off its surface, NASA said. Scientists will use the information gleaned from Bennu to refine theoretical models and improve future predictions. “This mission emphasises why we have to do science and exploration in multiple ways -- both from Earth and from up-close in space -- because assumptions and models are just that,” said Heather Enos, OSIRIS-REx deputy principal investigator, based at the University of Arizona, Tucson. surfaces on YouTube to help people find new creators, artists and Shorts to enjoy,” it added. Earlier this year, YouTube previewed a new feature that will allow users to remix audio from videos across YouTube which includes billions of videos. The company said it is starting to roll out to everyone that has access to our Shorts creation tools soon.
model for Shorts on YouTube,” the company said in a blog post on Tuesday. “We are actively working on this and will take the feedback gathered from our community to help develop a long-term program specifically designed for YouTube
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ENTERTAINMENT
Vol 1, Issue 7, May 16-31, 2021
Ruhanika Dhawan: Shame that women Irfan Pathan reacts to and girls are looked down upon Kangana’s jibe: My tweets are either for humanity or countrymen
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hild actress Ruhanika Dhawan, who is part of an important track on the show “Mere Sai: Shraddha Aur Saburi”, says her track delivers the important message of treating sons and daughters alike. Ruhanika essays the role of a girl who is abandoned on the steps of a temple by her parents, who wanted a son as their third child after two daughters.
“My character Rama is a very brave and independent girl who is looking out for her biological parents. She was abandoned by them outside a temple and was later adopted by a lady who she lovingly calls Ajji. The track aims to teach people a lesson about how whether it is a girl or a boy, a child is a child,” she says.
She adds: “It’s a shame that women and girls are looked down upon. If a girl is given equal opportunity as a boy, she can reach greater heights. I believe in equality, and I credit my parents for practising and inculcating that in me. This track in ‘Mere Sai’ will highlight the struggles girls face and I hope we are able to impact some minds to bring a positive change in society. My message for all the girls out there is to fight for your rights, and that no one can make you feel inferior.”
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ormer Indian cricketer Irfan Pathan on Thursday replied to an earlier jibe at him by Kangana Ranaut, saying his tweets are either for humanity or for his countrymen while the Bollywood actress’ Twitter account has been dismissed for spreading hate.
The actress says that she has learnt a lot from the show. “’Mere Sai’ is indeed a show that imparts wisdom and learning, and my take-away is that where there’s a will there’s a way, and nothing is impossible if you have
faith. My family and I are huge devotees of Sai Baba, and getting to do a part in a show about him is no less than a blessing to me,” she says.
Raima Sen: ‘I have always had a phobia of auditions’
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ctress Raima Sen recalls giving a screen test for her role in the upcoming web series “The Last Hour”, adding it was something she has never done before.
“All My tweets are either 4 humanity or countrymen, from a point of view of a guy who has represented India at d highest level. On d contrary counters I get from ppl like Kangna who’s account get dismissed by spreading hate n some other paid accounts are only about hate. #planned,” Pathan
tweeted. Taking to her Instagram Story recently, Kangana had posted the screenshot of a politician’s tweet in Hindi who wrote if Irfan Pathan has so much sympathy for other countries then why is he not bothered about tweeting about West Bengal, which is a part of his own country. The reference was to post-election violence in the state.
Krystle D’souza believes in ‘trust and some pixie dust’
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hen it comes to basic diktat in life, actress Krystle D’souza banks on trust and some pixie dust. The actress revealed the notion with an Instagram photo she posted on Thursday.
“In all these years in the industry, I have never done a screen test. When I learnt that (director) Amit (Kumar) wanted to do a screen test for my character in Calcutta, I first avoided it as I have always had a phobia of auditions. Later, I gathered my strength and somehow decided to do it. I first thought I was never going to get the part but surprisingly, I got a confirmation call from him in a couple of days,” says Raima, who essays the role of Nyima. “With all my work, I’ve always tried to understand the vision of the director and then added my individuality, which helps me stay focused on my character. My director Amit told me what he expected from the character, but at the same, asked me to keep it real and feel it. His guidance and my vision helped me get the best out of me. It was such a great
It all began after Kangana, who has been posting stories on Instagram in support of Israel after getting suspended from Twitter, took a jibe at Irfan, who has been tweeting sympathy towards Palestine.
In the photo, Krystle wears a yellow ribbed tank-top and black shorts. She completes her look with hoop earrings and sunglasses. The image captures her throwing sand at the camera. “Trust and some pixie dust,” Krystle wrote alongside the image. The actress was recently seen in the recreated version of “Ek bewafaa” by Bharat Goel. The number is originally sung by Sonu Nigam in experience shooting for the series,” she said. “The Last Hour” also features Sanjay Kapoor, Shahana Goswa-
the 2005 Akshay Kumar-Kareena Kapoor film “Bewafaa”, and also features Siddharthh Gupta and Akshay Kharodia.
mi, Karma Takapa, Robin Tamang and Shaylee Krishen. The series releases on Amazon Prime Video on May 14.
#ThalaivarVaccinated: Daughter tweets photo of Rajinikanth’s vaccination
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ajinikanth has been vaccinated for Covid-19 prevention. On Thursday, daughter Soundarya tweeted a photograph of the 70-year-old superstar getting the vaccine shot.
“Our Thalaivar gets his vaccine. Let us fight and win this war against Corona virus together #ThalaivarVaccinated #TogetherWeCan
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#MaskOn #StayHomeStaySafe,” Soundarya wrote alongside her father’s photograph on Twitter.
Fans are also saying Rajinikanth’s vaccination will encourage common people to get vaccinated.
In the photo, Rajinikanth sits wearing a mask on his face as he gets the jab on his left arm. His daughter stands next to him.
Rajinikanth gets the jab at a time when several South stars and Bollywood celebrities are also getting vaccinated amid the ongoing deadly second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The photo has gone viral in no time, with fans sharing it using the hashtag #ThalaivarVaccinated.
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ENTERTAINMENT
Vol 1, Issue 7, May 16-31, 2021
Meditation helped Alicia Keys to Prasoon Joshi reacts after be a good mother, partner, friend Big B credits him for poem
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inger Alicia Keys said that meditation helped her a lot after she became a mom.
“Like so many new moms I was exhausted, but the depletion was more than physiological; my spirit was shot. I needed to do something so I could continue to be a good mother to my children, partner to my husband, and friend to myself,” she said, according to a report in femalefirst.co.uk. Since she was so tired during those days, she slept off the first time she meditated but got better with time. “I have to be honest: The first time I tried the meditation, I was
so tired that I fell asleep. But the second time, I felt a little spark. I really liked the mixture of chanting, singing and movement. Between the chanting and the singing and the rhythm and the meaning of these ancient words, I discovered a sense of peace and comfort,” she said. She added that she was able to connect with herself better, too. “I started to notice a richer connection with myself, an ability to go deeper. After years of silence I could hear myself, trust my instincts, know what I wanted, know what I needed and not feel so insecure.”
P Keys has two kids -- Egypt, 10, and Genesis, six.
Urvashi to donate “Versace baby” proceeds towards Covid relief in India, Palestine
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rvashi Rautela has said that all proceeds and her earnings from her debut international music album “Versace Baby”, with Egyptian actor Mohamed Ramadan, will be donated towards Indias fight against Covid-19 and to Palestine Red Crescent Society. “I’m well pleased to be a part of this noble dynamism, to lend our hand towards the nation’s fight against Covid-19. Since last year, we have endeavoured in our efforts towards fighting Covid-19, since this unprecedented catastrophe struck our country and the world. The contemporaneous situation has empowered us to bestow more in these arduous times,” Urvashi told IANS.
Urvashi added that the country is “going through a formidable situation”.
“Mohamed and I are committed to taking all the requisite steps to invigorate the fight against Covid-19. We are also donating to the Palestine Red Crescent Society to help amplify the resources to provide vital relief efforts to people affected by the pandemic,” she concluded. Urvashi also took to social media on Thursday to share the news about the donations. She shared a video with Ramzan on Instagram. Alongside the clip, she wrote: “With my fav Hindi student Mohamed Ramadan.#EidMubarak to you and your family! May this bring nothing but joy for all. Have a safe and
oet-lyricist Prasoon Joshi has reacted after veteran Bollywood star Amitabh Bachchan rectified his error and credited Joshi for the poem which he had recited on social media.
It all began with Amitabh Bachchan reciting the poem “Ruke na tu” on social media on Tuesday and erroneously claiming it as the creation of his father, late poet Harivansh Rai Bachchan.
“I feel humbled if my poem ‘Ruke na tu’ can provide support in these difficult times, which has been recited by respected Amit ji with all his heart, as always. Several sites in the internet consider it as a creation of respected late poet Harivansh Rai Bachchan. It is an honour that his craft is reflected in my work. My respect to Ma Saraswati,” Joshi tweeted in Hindi late on Wednesday.
Bachchan took to social media on Wednesday to rectify the mistake he made the day before and acknowledged in a tweet that the poem is actually written by poet-lyricist Prasoon Joshi. Bachchan had recited Joshi’s poem in an attempt to encourage frontline workers amid India’s battle with a raging second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Priyanka Chopra: Over 14,000 good Samaritans helped us raise $1mn happy Eid to all my Muslim fans & loved ones worldwide.” She added: “All proceeds and my earnings from this video will be donated towards the nation’s fight against Covid-19 and to Palestine Red Crescent Society.”
Juhi Chawla: What are you grateful for today?
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ctress Juhi Chawla on Wednesday inspired netizens to count their blessings at a time when the nation is battling a deadly second wave of Covid-19. “I read this today morning... Once you carry your own water; you will learn the value of every drop! This quote embodies a mindset of gratitude. By carrying the weight of the task, and experiencing for yourself the effort required to produce the result, you’ll develop a new level of respect for everything that goes into it. Now read that again. What are you grateful for today? #BreakTheChain #Covidpositivity #PositiveMindset,” Juhi shared in an Instagram post. Juhi recently took to social media to encourage people to plant more trees at a time when the nation is battling Covid-19 and a huge number of people are dying due
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ctress Priyanka Chopra Jonas shared that over 14,000 contributors have helped raise $1 million, to help India amid the second wave of Covid-19. Priyanka shared a video on Instagram late on Wednesday night according to India time, featuring a world map and the countries from where donations have poured in to help India.
to oxygen shortage among other problems caused by the virus. “When I think about my children, I think about the world we dwell in, I think about will they have to walk around in masks for the air will be so toxic, will they be devoid of clean drinking water, will they know
the feeling of gazing the sky while lying down on the green grass in a park? I think it is our individual responsibility to preserve & tend to the world in which we all live. We can start by planting trees,” the actress had recently shared on Instagram.
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“Through some of the darkest days in our history, humanity has once again proven that we are better together. @nickjonas and I are so humbled by your support and by the outpouring of help for India from so many parts of the world,” she wrote alongside the video. Priyanka added: “Over 14,000 good Samaritans opened their hearts
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and helped us raise $1 Million in these trying times. Countless others helped us spread the world to expedite the process. All the money raised is already being deployed across the country in the form of Oxygen Concentrators, Vaccine Support and so much more.” Priyanka shared that the fundraising target is now $3 million. “We can all continue to help so let’s not stop here. We’re raising the fundraising target to $3 Million and we know that with your help and support, we can achieve this too. Thank you all for your support and thank you @give_india for the incredible work you are doing on ground,” the actress concluded.
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