Meet Rekha Bohra; Raj Suri Mrs India Australia 2022 winner

It is often a pleasure to meet women who dare to take up challenges and build themselves to pave their paths of life and careers. Not only that but they also dare to empower other women and help eachother grow. What a delight to have a conversation with Mrs. Rekha Bohra who recently won the Mrs. India Australia Title. She was the only one from Brisbane to participate in this contest.

Interview with Rekha Bohra by Amrita Deshpande (Community News Editor)

Tell us about you, who is Rekha Bohra?

I was born and brought up in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, India. I am a doctor by profession. I did my schooling and MBBS from Bhopal. I got married and moved to Jaipur where I completed my Post Graduation in Gynecology then moved to England for 15 years. I practiced as a gynecologist and a General Practitioner in England before I moved to Australia 6 years ago with my husband and 2 boys. I continue to practice as a GP and a cosmetic physician here in Brisbane.

Tell us more about the contest. Who can participate in this contest?

Any married woman of Indian origin living in Australia is eligible to participate in this competition. The judges mainly look for passionate, confident and talented women who have a purpose and goal in participating in this pageant and how they will use this title to bring a positive change in society.

What intrigued you to participate in the contest?

Firstly, I have always had an interest in beauty and fashion but practicing as a doctor in the western world for a long time, I feel that there is a big percentage of women who lack self-confidence, self-love and self-esteem, which is the root cause of mental health issues. I needed a platform where I could help these women and spread my message around. This particular pageant gave me that platform hence I decided to participate. Secondly, I wanted to challenge myself as I strongly believe that one grows only when one comes out of the comfort zone. I wanted to do something that I had never done before. Did you have to prepare for this contest?

Participating in this pageant was a challenge for me as I had never done anything like this before but I wanted to try my best and get the most out of it. I did a professional photoshoot to learn about camera facing.

I did mentorship sessions with the trainer.

Spent hours learning ramp walk and recording myself on camera. For my talent, I wrote a poem on women empowerment as I am a writer too.

Who helped you and supported you in this venture?

My mentor Mr Raj Suri helped me a lot. I gained immense confidence under his mentorship. I realized my strengths and worked on my weaknesses.

Your profession as a doctor did that help you win the pageant?

My profession as a doctor helped me as it made me realize, when I had conversations with my patients that I need to do something more for the women outside my clinic as well. Further, my confidence and communication skills certainly helped me in the contest. What message would you give to future participants? My message for every woman is that nothing is impossible if you believe in yourself and if you put your heart and hard work into it everything is possible. I also want to mention that age is just a number, dreams can be chased at any age. To me “ Every woman is a queen and every girl is a princess, it's just a matter of them realizing it “.

What message would you like to give our readers, women and the Indian community?

As Mrs India Australia 2022, I believe that women need to have more financial independence as financial independence brings social and emotional independence. As a Doctor specializing in women's health, I see women struggling with mental health and mental health services are not freely accessible. I hope in the future, we will see development in these areas. My message for the Indian Diaspora living in BrisbaneFirstly, I want to say a big thank you to the Indian community in Brisbane for their love and support. We are a very big community and the way we are preserving and celebrating our rich culture is commendable. I think we can do more to support Indian women. I have started a Facebook group called” empower Brisbane Indian women, where women would support women, promote their businesses and share their talents.

What’s next for you?

I am representing Australia in “Mrs India Worldwide 2023 “ which will be held in Pune in June. I am very Excited about it!!

Meghana Pandit named CEO of Oxford University Hospitals NHS Trust

London, Feb 18 (IANS) India-born professor Meghana Pandit has become the first woman of colour to be appointed CEO of Oxford University Hospitals (OUH) NHS Foundation Trust.

Meghana, who was named to the post on a fixed term basis in 2022, has now been appointed permanently after a rigorous and competitive process, which concluded after an extensive national and international recruitment search.

Members of the interview panel unanimously agreed that she was the preferred choice, and this recommendation was approved at a meeting of the Council of Governors on February 15.

Professor Jonathan Montgomery, Chair of Oxford University Hospitals, said in a statement: "I am delighted that Meghana has now been appointed to the CEO role on a permanent basis and I am looking forward to working with her personally in what promises to be an exciting new era under her leadership." He added that she has a strong focus on staff engagement and building the patient voice into the strategic development of the Trust.

"Her approach is strongly aligned with our Trust values and with our vision of delivering compassionate excellence to our patients," Montgomery said. Meghana's appointment will come into effect from March 1, 2023.

An MBBS from University of Bombay, Meghana trained in Obstetrics and Gynaecology in the Oxford Deanery and was a visiting lecturer in Urogynaecology at

University of Michigan in the US. "It is a privilege to be asked to lead OUH on a permanent basis and I look forward to continue working with colleagues at OUH, our partners in the health and social care system in Oxfordshire and across the BOB Integrated Care System, our partner Universities, and Oxford Hospitals Charity, to ensure the highest quality of research and innovation enabled care for our patients and populations," Meghana said in an OUH release.

Will initiate legal action against all parties, including Cong, says Tipu descendant

Bengaluru, Feb 19 (IANS)

Sahebzada Syed Mansoor Ali

Tipu, a seventh-generation descendant of Tipu Sultan, is the founder-president of 'Tahreek-eKhudadaad', and a social worker. He actively participates in all debates over his ancestor and has been in the news lately.

In an interview with IANS, Ali says he will initiate legal action against political parties, including the Congress, for playing politics using the name of Tipu Sultan. Here are excerpts from the interview:

IANS: What's your opinion on the controversy surrounding Tipu Sultan in Karnataka?

Mansoor Ali: Recently, Union

Home Minister Amit Shah compared Veer Savarkar to Tipu Sultan, which is not correct.

Veer Savarkar has his own history and Tipu Sultan has his own. Tipu Sultan gave good administration during his time. History recognises Tipu Sultan as a freedom fighter, who fought against the British and sacrificed his life for the motherland.

Why are you talking about his administration now? He pioneered missile technologies. His reforms in water management, administration, training of officers, and setting up of armory houses are part of history. The BJP will have to give its progress report to the people. When they do not have a report card of achievements, they want to pull out things from history.

IANS: What are your views on Karnataka BJP President Nalin Kumar Kateel's remarks that Tipu Sultan's followers should not stay in this land?

Mansoor Ali: Being a State President of a national party, such a statement does not suits his dignity. We are in a democratic country. Everyone has got their place and is paying their taxes. Whether it is in India or Karnataka, they have their rights. It is a crime to utter such words. Sending descendants and followers to forests... How many of them will you send? Will you be able to send 30-40 crore people, including minorities and seculars, who are followers of Tipu Sultan?

IANS: How do you see the move to tone down the content that glorifies Tipu Sultan from the syllabus?

Mansoor Ali: Who are they to glorify Tipu Sultan? The Britishers themselves, before independence Tipu Sultan gave the title of Tiger of Mysuru to him.

It is not the title given to him by his father or by himself. The French and British, who failed to win against Tipu Sultan, told King George III in London that he is a tiger. That is how he got the title. Britishers lost three Anglo-Mysore wars from him. In the fourth one they won through betrayal.

They have not removed the lesson. The title - Tiger of Mysuru - has been removed. They have also removed the part which described him as the pioneer of rockets. History always remembers Tipu Sultan as the Tiger of Mysuru. It doesn't matter whether they keep it or remove it. Maybe it matters to them that they have removed something, but they can't take out the title which is in the hearts of people.

Former President Ramnath Kovind himself stated that Tipu Sultan is the pioneer of rockets. Will you change his statements or accept his statement?

The former President made this statement in the assembly, when he visited Karnataka. Former President Late Abdul Kalam when he visited NASA, he had written there that Tipu Sultan is a pioneer of rockets. Will you go (there) and remove it from NASA, America?

The charges are baseless, the history can't be rewritten.

IANS: Tipu Sultan is projected as a freedom fighter as well as a religious bigot who killed people, your views?

Mansoor Ali: Tipu Sultan's father Hyder Ali was a soldier. It was through bravery they took over the kingdom. They fought against the British. It was about the kingdom. From thousands of years, from emperor Ashoka to old civilisations, there was a rule. Whenever there was betrayal in his kingdom, he took action. Tipu Sultan did not spare Muslims also. He went against Hyderabad Nawabs. If he was thinking on religious lines, he would not have opposed the Nawabs. Why don't they take their example?

IANS: Salaam Aarati, the ritual which came to practice during the rule of Tipu Sultan, is renamed as Namaskara Aarati. How do you see this development?

Mansoor Ali: When Tipu Sultan fought and won the Anglo-Mysore war, he came to Kolluramma and other few temples. Even today, when the PM or the CM visits religious places they will be highly respected. That time priests gave 'salaam' to Tipu Sultan and that tradition continued. He gave special grants to temples. That thing has continued, not for Tipu Sultan but for God. It is just a change of name as 'Salaam' or 'Namaskara' have the same meaning.

IANS: What's your take on the move to ban the celebration of Tipu Jayanti?

Mansoor Ali: On one side there is BJP which says Tipu Sultan is a tyrant and villain, on the other there is Congress which says they are with Tipu Sultan. The Congress party should show how they plan to be with Tipu Sultan? They are two sides of a coin. For 70 years you (Congress) didn't realise the importance of celebrating Tipu Jayanthi. Suddenly, when your party is seeing downfall, you want to celebrate it to attract minority and backward votes.

In 2015, you decided to celebrate Tipu Sultan Jayanti. Fine, we are with you for Tipu Jayanti. But, what about universities and other institutions to be named after

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him? When you compare him with other martyrs like Mahatma Gandhi, Jawahar Lal Nehru or any other Prime Minister, what is the place given to Tipu Sultan? You (Congress) too have failed to give him respect.

Using the post of Chairman of Wakf, the Congress leaders have enjoyed the properties of Tipu Sultan... Who is going to defend Tipu Sultan's descendants and followers? Who's going to protect us?

IANS: Amidst the ongoing controversy over Tipu Sultan, what do you think will happen in the future?

Mansoor Ali: I don't want the Congress, the BJP or any other political party to use our ancestor's name again and again for creating negativity. None of them can do any good to Tipu Sultan. We are quiet despite whatever is happening. They call Tipu Sultan a tyrant and mass rapist, how much do we have to take? The only way is to initiate legal action. Our entire family in Kolkata and here will initiate action. We can support and defend descendants and followers of Tipu Sultan.

IANS: The Tipu Sultan issue is being politicized ahead of the upcoming Karnataka Assembly polls. What do you have to say about this?

Mansoor Ali: Every party should have their own progress report. Being in Opposition, the Congress never stood for Tipu Sultan. Where was the Congress when the lessons were removed, the name of the train named after Tipu Sultan from Bengaluru to Mysuru was changed? Why did they not stand up?

They (Congress) started celebrating Tipu Jayanti and spoiled everything. Earlier, even BJP used to celebrate Tipu Jayanti; JD (S) and all political parties used to celebrate Tipu Jayanti. But all controversy started from 2015, when Congress started celebrating Tipu Jayanti.

IANS: What, according to you, are the biggest contributions of Tipu Sultan to Karnataka and the country?

Mansoor Ali: Tipu Sultan was a pioneer of rockets and also called the father of rockets. When he ascended the throne, he brought silk reforms; he introduced a milk system of gifting cows to farmers, and the gold imams (currency), which was the first currency in India. He banned the 'Sati' system. For women of backward, SC and ST communities, who were not allowed to wear blouses or had to pay taxes for wearing blouses. The blouse tax was abolished in Kerala. He ensured equality for women. Wherever he constructed mosques, he gave lands generously to temples such as Sringeri Sharadamba, Chamundeshwari in Mysuru and Thippeswamy temple in Nanjangud.

Moreover, for Christians, in the Srirangapatna region, the first Basilica Church was constructed by Tipu Sultan and given to French officers for praying. Do you call him a religious tyrant?

IANS: Tell us about your family?

Mansoor Ali: I come from the seventh lineage of Tipu Sultan... Our entire family and elders stay in Kolkata. We have 35 members in our entire family.

New Delhi, Feb 23 (IANS) Online food delivery platform Swiggy has announced the integration of Dineout offerings on the platform, making it available for all its users.

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According to the Canadaheadquartered global research firm ETC Group, Swiggy was placed in 9th place.