Indian News Queensland – January 2022 – Vol 4 Issue 10 by Australia India News

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Jan 7, 2022 - Vol 4, Issue 10

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Lord Ganesha temple in Brisbane marks Indian External Affairs New Year with sacred food offering Ministry organises 2nd Vajpayee memorial lecture S ri Selva Vinayakar Koyil (Ganesha Temple) in Brisbane held the Annadanam (The Sacred Offering of Food) ritual on New year’s Day. Despite it being a rainy day, over 3000 meals were cooked in the temple premises and served. This Annadanam has become a significant annual event in the temple calendar and was attended by Tamil families from the Northern suburbs of Brisbane. The temple itself has an interesting history and its establishment is inextricably interwoven with the growing Tamil community in Queensland.

Former Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee

Continued on page 7

IAIE conducts annual general meeting A

nnual General Meeting of the Institute for Australia India Engagement (IAIE) was convened on 29 November to take stock of the organisation’s accomplishments, hits and misses of 2021. The members of the board were very pleased to note IAIE's outstanding policy engagement impact, productivity in policy dialogues, public outreach and events, media interactions, publications, and ability to shape strategic thinking despite a tough Covid dominated year. Continued on page 15

n December 24, 2021, the Indian Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) hosted the second Atal Bihari Vajpayee Lecture. Dr Michael Fullilove, Executive Director of the Lowy Institute of Australia, gave the talk. The event was chaired by the Foreign Secretary, and the speech was titled "Australia, India, and the Indo-Pacific: The Need for Strategic Imagination." This is the second edition of the lecture series, which was established in honour of the late Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee, former Indian Prime Minister and External Affairs Minister. Shri Vajpayee was a key figure in creating India's foreign policy,

and this memorial speech is a high-profile event organised by the MEA to honour his efforts. Former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee introduced policy corrections that reflected the end of the Cold War and the new global balance, said External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on December 24, and that the former Prime Minister sought a modus vivendi with China based as much on mutual respect as on mutual interest. He also remarked that the IndoPacific area is where the winds of change are most obvious, and that Vajpayee's diplomatic innovation should be employed most forcefully there.

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Varghese and Sinnathamby felicitated for outstanding leadership

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Planting the seeds for growth – Indy’s disability support story

Three-day ‘Kashi Film Festival’ with cultural events and movie screening held in Varanasi

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WRITERS Mr Devashish Chakraborty Ms Deepika Banerjee Mr Rabindra Mukherji

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CDS Bipin Rawat-a fearless no-nonsense man who spoke his mind

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Community News IIT-Guwahati researchers develop cost-effective, highly efficient perovskite solar cells

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COMMUNITY NEWS

Holidays camp for school children organised in Queensland

rom the 13th to the 16th of December, the Forest Lake State High School in High St. Forest Lake hosted a school holiday camp. The head coach for the School Holidays Volleyball Camp 2021 was Steven Burton, a Level 3 coach. Steven has coached Queensland Junior Teams for over 20 years and has twice served as an assistant coach for Australian

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Junior teams. He's also the host of Queensland Volleyball's Coaching and Refereeing courses. Steven has visited all of Queensland's current clinics at high schools and elementary schools. The Volleyball Camp 2021 participants had a great time and gained a lot of valuable skills.

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Springfield Lions Club members growing as city's population grows A

n increase in the number of men keen to join the Springfield Lions cricket team is no surprise, with mental health and physical activity the primary focus of the Springfield Lions Club. The Club has been running for almost two years, with two teams involving male players aged between 20-45 years old. The Springfield Lions Club media officer Satya Yelisetti said the teams consisted of university students, doctors, scientists, university lecturers, business owners and various types of engineers. Mr Yelisetti said the Springfield Lions Cricket team provided men of all ages a safe place for better mental health and the opportunity to play in regular tournaments. “It’s an opportunity to get physically active and make connections with their peers,” Mr Yelisetti said. “People make new friends and apart from winning people have loads of fun together.” Mr Yelisetti said teams included players from all ages, backgrounds and communities. “We wanted to test our skills on a broader level and motivate ourselves and surrounding

cricket teams to excel,” he said. “There is a lot of interest in the game - 70% of the players from most of the participating teams are from the Greater Springfield region like Springfield, Springfield Lakes, Spring Mountain, Augustine Heights, Redbank Plains, Bellbird Park, Goodna, Yamanto, and Ripley.” He said the support from families to play cricket and have fun was “immense”. “Without their support and encouragement, we wouldn't have made a team and the club we have today,” he said. “Apart from the families, local Springfield businesses have always come forward to help us run the club or teams right from a grass root level.” Mr Yelisetti said there were not many cricket clubs in the Springfield area and the reason many players had showed a keen interest in the sport. “The convenience of a close cricket ground and culture of the club has helped attract more people,” he said. “Cricket has been an important part of the Australian way of life for over a century. Communities that participate in a social sport develop strong social bonds, are safer places and the people

who live in them are generally healthier and happier than places where physical activity isn't a priority. “Sport builds stronger, healthier, happier and safer communities and we think we are providing an opportunity for everyone to get active, healthy and make new friends.” Meanwhile the Springfield Lions cricket team has taken part in

three tournaments to date, two of which they have been finalists. The tournaments include: SSG T20 Tournament 2020 - OctNov 2020 – Lost in leagues S.R.R.R. Friendship Series 2021Jun-Sep 2021 – Runners Ipswich Friendship Cup 2021 Oct-Nov 2021 – Runners Mr Yelisetti said the club would no doubt attract more interest from

local families next year. “The Springfield and Greater Springfield areas are growing, and more and more people are moving here,” he said. “Also, because of the regular tournaments we play and participate in, Springfield Lions is gaining popularity - people are approaching us to join and play.” For more information visit https:// www.facebook.com/sflcclub/

Luxury, lifestyle, location — welcome to Dress Circle Located in the heart of one of Australia’s fastest growing regions, Brookwater is Brisbane’s best kept secret for luxury living. Crafted around the Greg Norman designed golf course, Brookwater provides a rare combination of prestige golf-side living and natural bushland beauty. With over 800 families already calling Brookwater home, we are pleased to introduce the next stage of this exclusive community — your own architecturally designed piece of paradise — Dress Circle.

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INDIA NEWS QUEENSLAND INDIA NEWS

Jan1-15, 7, 2022 Jan 2022- Vol - Vol4,2,Issue Issue1012

COMMUNITY COMMUNITY NEWS NEWS

Jim Varghese AM honored with India Champion Award Brisbane, 22 December: The Institute for Australia India Engagement hosted a dinner in conjunction with India News on 22 December to felicitate Mr Jim Varghese AM, National Chair, Australia India Business Council with the India Champion Award for his stellar leadership and outstanding community, government and business engagement accomplishments, and appointment as the Chancellor of Torrens University. On the occasion, along with Mr Jim Varghese, Dr Maha Sinnathamby, Chairman Springfield City Group was also felicitated for his unending support over the years for community and business initiatives. On behalf of India News Dr Ram Mohan Chairman and on behalf of IAIE, Dr Ashutosh Misra CEO, extended the collective gratitude of the distinguished attendees who included Mr Tony Denholder, partner Ashurst; Mr Samir Vora, COO Bravus, Prof Shaun Star Member of the IAIE Board, Mr Steve Illidge CEO, Fight4Balance; Dr Neeraj Khanna convenor, Indian Medical Association and Dr Yash Khanna.

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Dr Ram Mohan, Dr Maha Sinnathamby, Mr Jim Varghese and Dr Ashutosh Misra

Dr Ram Mohan felicitating Dr Maha Sinnathamby

Distinguished guests with the two leaders

Mr Jim Varghese addressing the guests

Perth celebrates Chariot Festival of India

Dr Ram Mohan, Mr Tony Denholder, Mr Samir Vora, Dr Ashutosh Misra, Dr Neeraj Khanna, Dr Neeraj Khanna, and seated-Mr Stephen Illidge and Prof. Shaun Star

Mr Stephen Illidge, Dr Ashutosh Misra and Prof Shaun Star presenting the India Champion Award to Mr Jim Varghese

Dance, marches through Forrest Place with the possibility to also pull the Chariot, Kirtan Meditation, live music performances, Spiritual Books & Gift Shop, Henna Art, Face Painting, and much more were among the various activities at the Perth Festival in 2021. The event, which offered free admission as well as complimentary food and refreshments to all attendees, drew throngs of individuals with their families and friends. Ratha-yatra, or the Festival of Chariots, has been held in India’s sacred city of Jagannatha Puri for thousands of years, and more recently in cities around the world, including the streets of London, Paris, Sydney, Tokyo, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and New York’s renowned Fifth Avenue.

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Jagannatha is another name for Krishna, and it refers to the Lord’s ecstatic form with huge eyes and rough features, which

is carried on a massive chariot during the festival and venerated in an old temple in Jagannath Puri’s centre.

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Jan 7, 2022 - Vol 4, Issue 10

COMMUNITY NEWS

Three-day ‘Kashi Film Festival’ with cultural events and movie screening held in Varanasi Net India

ndian Ministry of Information & Broadcasting inaugurated a three-day ‘Kashi Film Festival’ in Varanasi under the Divya Kashi campaign. The festival was launched on 27th December 2021 by UP Tourism Minister Neelkanth Tiwari and Apoorva Chandra, Secretary, Ministry of

Information & Broadcasting at Rudraksh Convention Center. The opening day of the film festival featured live shows by singer Kailesh Kher, comedian Raju Srivastava and actor Manoj Joshi. The thought-provoking movie “Toilet-Ek Prem Katha” was also screened. A cultural

performance by veteran actress Hema Malini was the most enticing among all the features lined up for the following day while a panel discussion on “Varanasi-Journey from a cultural, mythological and historical heritage to a modern city” and “Music and Songs-

Virasat of Banaras” also proved to be quite enlightening. Bhojpuri film “Humke Disha Mil Gaya” added a regional twist to the special event. On 29th December, the final day of the film festival, another panel discussion on ‘Uttar Pradesh as an important center for film production and

the potential of regional cinema’ was conducted. Performances by singer Ravi Tripathi and actor Ravi Kishan held the audience enthralled while the day as well as the three-day long festival culminated with the airing of the historical movie “Manikarnika”.

he Queensland Multicultural Council (QMC) celebrated the highs and lows of an eventful 2021 with an end of the year dinner at The Golden Palace on

December 9, 2021. The spots were strictly limited for the 10-course sumptuous feast and there were various entertainment programs planned along with the meal.

Lord Ganesha temple in Brisbane marks QMC bid farewell to New Year with sacred food offering 2021 with special dinner T Continued from page 1

The Census shows that the migration of Tamils to the State of Queensland started only very recently. Prior to 1985 there were only a few Tamil families living in the state. Only in 1983 some of the Hindu families felt the need for community worship so monthly congregational prayer meetings were conducted first at homes and then at the SWARA Hall. Since then, regular prayer meetings have been conducted at this hall at Spring Hill.

From the survey it is clear that the worship of Vinayakar in Brisbane was originally started in the form of congregational worship. As this congregational worship continued to expand, the building of a traditional Hindu temple in Brisbane became a necessity for obvious reasons. As a result a Convening Committee was formed on 25 April 1986 and subsequently this committee registered under the name, 'Hindu Ahlaya Sangam.' The members of the first Management Committee were unanimously elected on 12 October 1986 and the second in March 1998. The subsequent Committees continue to be elected yearly.

The major task for the Management Committees during the period 1987 to 1990 was to raise sufficient funds to purchase a suitable block of land to build the temple. Finally in 1990, the Management Committee succeeded in purchasing 4.5 acres of elevated, virgin bushland at South Maclean, 35 km South of Brisbane. Similar to the locations of the Hindu temples in India, this virgin land in Brisbane is also situated in the midst of areas of natural scenic beauty, in proximity to the Logan River at South Maclean.

An application seeking special consent to build Selva Vinayakar Temple was submitted to the Beaudesert Shire Council in July 1991 and permission was granted through the Planning and Environment Courts, Brisbane in May 1992. At the initial stage the committee started building a centre for Selva Vinayakar and additional shrines for Siva, Vishnu and Navagraha. The building plans were approved by the council in August 1992 and a plan for the centre began to unfold with the laying of the foundation on 10 June 1993. As the

first stage the Maha Mandapam (main hall) was completed and the major shipment of the deities, shrine doors etc. was received from South India. At the same time stapathies and the three sculptors arrived from South India. The construction of the shrines commenced on 24 June 1994 and after completion of the Brisbane Selva Vinayakar Kovil the consecration ceremony was held on 5 February 1995. This traditional Kumbabishekam was witnessed by hundreds of devotees and well-wishers from the other states and territories also.

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Jan1-15, 7, 2022 Jan 2022- -Vol Vol4,2,Issue Issue10 12

COMMUNITY NEWS COMMUNITY NEWS

Indian External Affairs Councillor Owen Ministry organises 2nd applauds BSK on Vajpayee memorial lecture its success On December 24, 2021, the Indian Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) hosted the second Atal Bihari Vajpayee Lecture. Dr Michael Fullilove, Executive Director of the Lowy Institute of Australia, gave the talk. The event was chaired by the Foreign Secretary, and the speech was titled “Australia, India, and the IndoPacific: The Need for Strategic Imagination.” This is the second edition of the lecture series, which was established in honour of the late Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee, former Indian Prime Minister and External Affairs Minister.

Shri Vajpayee was a key figure in creating India’s foreign policy, and this memorial speech is a high-profile event organised by the MEA to honour his efforts. Former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee introduced policy corrections that reflected the end of the Cold War and the new global balance, said External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on December 24, and that the former Prime Minister sought a modus vivendi with China based as much on mutual respect as on mutual interest. He also remarked that the IndoPacific area is where the winds of

change are most obvious, and that Vajpayee’s diplomatic innovation should be employed most forcefully there.

Brisbane Lord Mayor’s carols add to the fun of Christmas celebrations

The Brisbane Lord Mayor’s Christmas carols were like icing on the cake as part of the 2021 Christmas celebrations. With Bluey, Sheppard, Kate MillerHeidke, Troy Cassar-Daley, and, of course, the man in red gracing Riverstage to help spread the festive cheer across our city, this year’s programme was one of the

greatest ever. Being a member of the small red company’s very first Lord Mayor’s Christmas Carols in Brissie, for Brisbane City Council, was pure fun and a tremendous delight. It was a joy to watch Naomi Price, Rachael Rigg, and their top-notch crew conjure up a massive and amazing item with thousands of

Alex Van den Broek deserves special recognition for organising such a beautiful and fun event. The event was also broadcast on Channel 9 on December 19th.

From the 13th to the 16th of December, the Forest Lake State High School in High St. Forest Lake hosted a school holiday camp. The head coach for the School Holidays Volleyball Camp 2021 was Steven Burton, a Level 3 coach. Steven has coached Queensland Junior Teams for over 20 years and has twice served as an assistant coach for Australian Junior teams.

Steven has visited all of Queensland’s current clinics at

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high schools and elementary schools.

have supported our cricketers - you do an amazing job.Thank you also to the businesses who sponsor the junior teams- we value your ongoing support.” Cricket is always intended to be a team sport, but the relationship it fosters among communities is always admirable. BSK has played an important role in this regard by hosting cricketing events and competitions on a regular basis. The Councillor demonstrated BSK’s unique position in Australian society by praising them for their contributions to society.

moving pieces. The Christmas spirit came alive in all those who attended the event, and it was more contagious than Omicron.

Holidays camp for school children organised in Queensland

He’s also the host of Queensland Volleyball’s Coaching and Refereeing courses.

Councillor Angela Owens recently expressed her congratulations and best wishes to the Brisbane Super Kings (BSK) cricket players on a fantastic year. She commented, “As part of a young and developing club you are great junior ambassadors for our local community. Supporting young people in our local community to develop their skills in their chosen sport also enhances lifelong values of teamwork, sportsmanship, respect and self discipline. A special thanks to all of the BSK committee, coaches, managers and volunteers who

Christmas fundraiser event by GOPIO Queensland GOPIO Queensland held a Christmas benefit luncheon on December 12th, 2021, from 12 - 3 p.m. at Saffron Indian Gourmet to raise funds for victims of domestic and family violence.

Devang Patel Photography and venue decorator Varsha Badhe. Anya Gupta, a Queensland Police Service spokeswoman, and JohnPaul Langbroek were among the invited visitors.

The luncheon was sponsored by Choice The Discount Store, while other contributors included

A total of $3207 was raised for domestic and family violence victims.

participants had a great time and gained a lot of valuable skills.

The Volleyball Camp 2021

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COMMUNITY NEWS

Life changing opportunities for multicultural Australians in the care and support sector

ulticultural Australians are being encouraged to consider a career in care and support, including disability, aged care and veterans’ support. Culturally and Linguistically Diverse people offer unique skills, experience and cultural understanding, enabling high quality care, particularly where there is shared language or cultural backgrounds. The national advertising campaign, entitled A Life Changing Life, highlights the rewarding, varied and long term job opportunities available across the sector. As part of the Morrison Government’s Care and Support Workforce Package announced in the 2020-21 Budget, the campaign aims to attract 140,000 workers to the sector by 2024 and includes activities such as community and stakeholder engagement, to help employers in the sector to find excellent candidates from diverse backgrounds. Minister for the National Disability Insurance Scheme Senator the Hon Linda Reynolds CSC said that with thousands of jobs available around the country, now was a perfect time to apply. “If you are a people person looking for a meaningful and fulfilling job, or career, this is the perfect opportunity – especially in regional and remote locations

where I have seen firsthand, the need for more care and support workers,” Minister Reynolds said. “Real people are at the heart of this campaign. Everyone featured is an actual worker making a difference to people’s lives, as well as their own, through working in the care and support sector.” The sector also offered flexible work options and on-the-job training. “Mentoring, peer support and career options to suit different lifestyles are just some of the benefits of working in the sector,” Minister Reynolds said. Minister for Immigration, Citizenship, Migrant Services and Multicultural Affairs, the Hon Alex Hawke said culturally and linguistically diverse Australians are a great asset to the care sector. “We know that people with language skills and from diverse cultural backgrounds are valued in the care sector, bringing an extra layer of comfort and care for those with similar experiences and backgrounds,” Minister Hawke said. Minister for Senior Australians and Aged Care Services Senator the Hon. Richard Colbeck said older Australians whose English was not perfected, would welcome the opportunity of

speaking in their first language. “We know that older members of the community can often feel isolated in aged care if they cannot converse readily with staff and other residents,” Minister Colbeck said. “The opportunity to have staff members with whom they could converse in their language of choice would be most welcome.” Mohammad Al-Khafaji, CEO of the Federation of Ethnic Communities’ Council of Australia, said the care and support sector offered great opportunities for multicultural Australians who want to pursue meaningful careers. “Multicultural experiences are a significant asset in care and support work. Many fulfilling relationships between workers and clients are built on their similar backgrounds and values,” Mr Al-Khafaji said.

ARE YOU READY FOR A LIFE CHANGING LIFE?

The care and support sector is one of the fastest growing sectors in Australia and is now hiring. There are jobs available right now in aged care, disability and veterans’ support. There is a wide range of roles and opportunities for people with diverse skills, experiences, and backgrounds. Speaking a language other than English is also a big advantage in the sector. A key reason people work in the sector is the warm and mutually beneficial relationships they develop with the people they support. Each day is different – you might be helping someone with chores around the house one day and attending a social event with them the next. By empowering older people, people with disabilities and veterans to live their lives fully and independently, you will build strong and meaningful connections that will change lives, including your own.

“Diverse language skills and cultural knowledge can help to secure a meaningful job in a rapidly growing and essential industry.” For more in-language information about the care and support sector, and to learn about meaningful work that makes a difference, visit careandsupportjobs.gov.au/ resources/translated-resources.

There are many pathways into care and support work – you can earn while you learn, and you may be able to get help to pay for your training. Other benefits include flexible work, mentoring, peer support, and supporting or caring for clients who are a good match for you. For in-language information on the care and support sector, visit

careandsupportjobs.gov.au/resources/translated-resources

Planting the seeds for growth – Indy’s disability support story

oving from India and becoming a disability support worker wasn’t where Indy expected he’d end up. But after jobs in horticulture and then in the police force, he realised it was exactly where he was supposed to be. While it might seem an unexpected career path, Indy says his previous work experience has led him to where he is now. “In horticulture, I was working in disability residential accommodation and recovery places, which is when I realised how important it is for people to have greenery around them. I regularly met people with disability there,” he says. “Then, the police force. It was a big change but something I always wanted to try. I worked there for five years, and again had many interactions with people with disability. I wanted to try and understand and help them as much as I could, but it was hard to provide support in that role.” It was then that Indy decided

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disability support was what he wanted to do. He started studying community services through TAFE. “I was studying full time while working part time in the police force. I really enjoyed the course and started working in the care and support sector so I could get a feel for what it involved,” says Indy. While he was studying, Indy found work supporting a person with disability who lived nearby. He jumped at the opportunity to gain experience while studying. “This person had had a stroke and needed support to look after their health. It was a really eye-opening time for me – that you could be supporting anyone, from any walk of life,” says Indy. That work took Indy somewhere he didn’t imagine a role in support would – overseas. “My client told me he was going on a trip with his family and he wanted to bring me along. We went to the Pacific Islands in Tonga – I would never have gone there on my own, it was amazing,” he says.

“When I was getting into the care and support sector, I saw job ads talking about how you could travel but I didn’t really think it would happen. I couldn’t believe it!” Indy has now been working in the care and support sector for a couple of years. He’s just started in a coordinator role, which means he looks after the rostering of disability support workers to people with disability. “Some people with disability require two support staff, some from morning to night, while others need sleepover staff – so there are lots of things you need to consider,” says Indy. “Then if there aren’t support staff available, or if someone can’t get to a shift for whatever reason, I jump in and do the shifts so I’m still getting that face-to-face time with people with disability,” he says. It’s a varied, dynamic role. One that offers Indy a clear path forward. “I see myself moving up to become a client services manager, then a senior client services

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manager. At one point I thought it might be a good idea to start my own business in the care and support sector, but who knows?” he says. “I’m planning on going on to do a Diploma of Community Services after my certificate to keep on learning. The organisation I’m

working with really values growth and helps you with further study if you want it.” For a career like Indy’s, where you’ll continue to grow and be supported while making a genuine difference, consider working in the care and support sector.

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COMMUNITY NEWS COMMUNITY NEWS

BSK Mega Awards Awards Night Night BSK hosts hosts Mega post Multicultural Cup Cup post Annual Annual Multicultural

B B

risbane Super Kings, risbane Super Kings, Brisbane’s South-based firstSouth-based firsteverBrisbane’s Multicultural Cricket Club, ever Multicultural CricketNight Club, celebrated Mega Awards celebrated Mega Awards at Calamvale State SchoolNight on at Calamvale December 5. State School on December 5. The Mega Ceremony was The Megaby Ceremony was attended more than 250 attended more than people allby together with250 players, people allmatch together with players, parents, officials, parents, match officials, coaches, Queensland Cricket coaches, Queensland Cricket representatives, sponsors, representatives, sponsors, community leaders, and many community leaders, andall many more dignitaries, above more dignitaries, above all Special Guest of Honour Lord SpecialAdrian Guest of Honour and LordLady Mayor Schrinner Mayor Adrian Mayoress, whoSchrinner witnessedand andLady Mayoress, who witnessed and supported the 9th Annual BSK supported the 9th Annual BSK Awards Night. Awards Night. Speaking at the event, Lord Mayor Speaking at the event, Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner congratulated Adrian Schrinner congratulated all the award winners and praised all the award winners andyet praised Brisbane Super Kings for Brisbaneremarkable Super Kingsseason for yetfull of another anotherand remarkable season The full of cricket entertainment. cricket and entertainment. The objective of the tournament was objective of the tournament was to build new friendships, share to build new cultures and friendships, increase the share network cultures and fun. increase the network while having while having fun. The event, which was supported TheBrisbane event, which was supported by City Council, by Brisbane City Council, acknowledged all the players acknowledged players from BSK club:all 10 the junior teams, from BSK club: 10 junior including two girls teamsteams, and including girlsThe teams and two seniortwo teams. grassroots two senior teams. participation fromThe girlsgrassroots revealed participation from girls that cricket as a sport is revealed unbiased. that cricket as a sport is unbiased. With the support of multicultural With the support of multicultural community leaders, the event community leaders, the event was officially managed by lead was officially managed by lead organiser Sathish Rajendran, who organiser Sathish Rajendran, who has been appointed as 'Sports for has been appointed as 'Sports for All Community Ambassador' by All Community Ambassador' by Cricket Australia and Queensland Cricket Australia and Queensland

Cricket Since 2012. Cricket Since 2012. This competition was a This competition success, where 24was locala teams success, wherebackgrounds 24 local teams from different from differentand backgrounds participated, games were participated, and games were played at 17 different venues, played at 17public different providing withvenues, non-stop providing public with non-stop entertainment for 12 weeks entertainment for 12 weeks through live updates for every through live updates every game played and live for streaming game played and live streaming on YouTube. on YouTube. The tournament was an The tournament was an interesting and nail-biting interesting nail-biting experience and for the audience as experience the audience as well, as thisfor season was the most well, as this thelocal most followed andseason talkedwas about followed andwith talked about local tournament more than 42.3 tournament with more than 42.3 K views on dedicated live scoring K views on dedicated live of scoring application, a sure proof an application, a sure proof of an astounding love from local cricket astounding love from local cricket lovers. lovers.

Team UICC claimed the winner’s Team UICC thedefeating winner’s title for thisclaimed year after title forBulls this year Brissy by 73after runs.defeating Team Brissy Bulls by 73 runs.was Team Kalinga Tigers South Kalinga Tigers was endowed with South the 'Fair Play endowed withfor therepresenting 'Fair Play Award', given the Award' , given for representing the true spirit of the game. true spirit of the game. As a tradition, to showcase As tradition,oftoquality showcase thea pathway cricket the pathway of quality cricket and sportsmanship spirit, an and sportsmanship an exhibition game wasspirit, played exhibition game was played between the Seniors BSK T20 between the Seniors T20BSK squad under skipperBSK JK and squad under skipper JK and BSK Warehouse team under Karampal Warehouse team under Karampal Singh. Singh. Every year, cricketers in Every year, cricketers in to the Queensland look forward Queensland look forward to the annual BSK cup and participate annual BSK cup and participate with passion and love for the with passion and love for the game. game.

Christmas lunch organised by IWIA

he Indian Women in Australia (IWIA) had a wonderful time celebrating Christmas 2021. The all-female group organised a Christmas lunch on this special occasion. IWIA is a platform for Indianorigin women. Every year, they host a Christmas lunch to meet, form networks, and exchange experiences aimed at strengthening women in all aspects of their lives. The South Asian Community Link Group (SACLG) collaborates with them closely, and the delegates expressed their delight at being a part of such a wonderful event. The aforementioned programme drew over 150 people from all areas of life and all ages, and the forum gave a terrific opportunity for interaction, networking, and sharing experiences. Certificates of appreciation were presented to women who had played key roles in the activities, as well as sponsors who supported them. Children aged five to seven demonstrated their abilities in the event’s quiz and dancing games.

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Windsor community welcomes opening of new park

indsor family now has a new public place from December 20, 2021, with a previously flood-prone location reborn as a 16,000 square metre park. This new park, the third in as many years for the inner north, is part of Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner’s aim to build more parks around the city. While the Federal Government and MP Trevor Evans offered cash to Brisbane City Council to help create this beautiful playground, Councillor Andrew Wines advocated on behalf of the community.

SACLG admires Reena A Rana’s leadership in combining the voices of all Victoria women against domestic violence and the issues they confront. SACLG also intends to collaborate with them on a women’s empowerment project in 2022.

The grand opening of Windsor’s new park on December 19, 2021, drew a large crowd. This project

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resulted in the construction of a new 7-hectare green field for the neighbourhood as well as a oneof-a-kind customised playground. This is another evidence of the Schrinner Council’s dedication to provide the best parks for the community. A dry stream bed for naturebased play is included, as well as a durable rubber under-surfacing that provides immense protection against fall. The equipment was designed specifically for the site to withstand flooding. A 1.2m high playground fence runs around the perimeter of the playground. Around the park, around 1500 ground cover plants, 70 shrubs, and 90 trees have been planted.

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Jan 7, 2022 - Vol 4, Issue 10

COMMUNITY NEWS

Varghese and Sinnathamby felicitated for outstanding leadership

elicitation event with dinner was held in honour of Mr Jim Varghese AM for his appointment as new chancellor for Torrens University and Dr Maha Sinnathamby, Chairman Springfield City Group, for his outstanding leadership and support to the community and businesses. Mr Jim Varghese AM was felicitated with the India Champion Award on behalf of the Institute for Australia India Engagement for his stellar leadership and outstanding community, government and business engagement accomplishments. Dr Ashutosh Misra, CEO, Institute for Australia India Engagement,

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National Chair Sports, AIBC, organised the event. "We are very proud to felicitate Mr Jim Varghese and Dr Maha Sinnathamby, Chairman Springfield City Group, and express our gratitude for their unending support over the years for all our initiatives. On behalf of INDIA NEWS QUEENSLAND, Dr Ram Mohan, Chairman, and myself as Editor in Chief, our deepest gratitude is extended to both leaders," said Dr Misra. Other notable attendees at the event included Tony Denholder, Ashurst; Mr Samir Vora, Prof Shaun Star, Mr Steve Illidge, Fight4Balance, Dr Neeraj Khanna, convener, Indian Medical Association, and Dr Yash Khanna.

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INDIA NEWS QUEENSLAND

Jan 7, 2022 - Vol 4, Issue 10

COMMUNITY NEWS

IAIE conducts annual general meeting Continued from page 1

Hayden, Professor Jacqueline Drew, Prof Sarah Jane Kelly, Prof Shaun Star, Dr Amy Illidge, Mr Muthuraj Guruswamy, and also Director of Sports and Wellness Dr Amol Wagholikar, senior advisor Mr Stephen Illidge, Dr Ram Mohan and Mr Kartik Pratap Singh. IAIE’s International Panel of Advisors, Prof C. Raj Kumar (VC Jindal Global University), Amb. Virendra Gupta, Dr Uttam Kumar Sinha (Fellow, MPIDSA), Dr Rajiv Nayan (SRA, MPIDSA, Prof. Srikanth Kondapalli ( Jawaharlal Nehru University), Prof To-Hai Liou (National Cheng Chi University, Taiwan),

Prof Jack Anderson (University of Melbourne), Mr Dale Sheehan (International Centre for Sports Security, Qatar), Prof Priyankar Upadhyay (Banaras Hindu University) and Prof Nikos Passas (North Western University, USA) also deserve accolades for their constant support and guidance which ensured the success of all the activities. Adjunct Fellows Dr Nandkumar Janardhanan, Ms Audrey Courty and Ms Anushka Saxena have also played an instrumental role in enriching the research productivity.

Christmas fundraiser event by GOPIO Queensland

OPIO Queensland held a Christmas benefit luncheon on December 12th, 2021, from 12 3 p.m. at Saffron Indian Gourmet to raise funds for victims of domestic and family violence. The luncheon was sponsored by Choice The Discount Store, while other contributors included Devang Patel Photography and venue decorator Varsha Badhe. Anya Gupta, a Queensland Police Service spokeswoman, and JohnPaul Langbroek were among the invited visitors. A total of $3207 was raised for domestic and family violence victims.

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INDIA NEWS QUEENSLAND INDIA NEWS

Jan1-15, 7, 2022 Jan 2022- Vol - Vol4,2,Issue Issue1012

COMMUNITY COMMUNITY NEWS NEWS

IAIE signs MoU With Bennett University in India Brisbane/Noida, December 15: The Institute for Australia India Engagement (IAIE) signed an MoU with the Bennett University in India. The MoU was signed by Dr Prabhu Aggarwal - Vice Chancellor, Bennett University and Dr Ashutosh Misra - CEO,

IAIE to bolster institutional cooperation, research collaboration, joint programs and student internship opportunities. Other key persons who attended the virtual ceremony were Mr. Rohit Sharma, Chief Manager, Career Services Centre; Mr.

Sudhanshu Varma, Chief Operating Officer, Bennett University; Colonel Guljit Singh Chadha, Registrar; Dr. Nuzhat Parveen Khan, School of Law, Bennett University and Prof Shaun Star, IAIE Board member.

Free food distributed in Brisbane by Seva Dharma Mission On December 22, Seva Dharma Mission delivered free food at the Adra Community Centre car lot in Woodridge, Brisbane, providing relief to the underprivileged, disabled, and low-income community members.

Apples, bananas, zukini, semolina, sweet potato, avocado, and a variety of breads were among the fresh fruits, vegetables, and basic necessities supplied to them. Anyone interested in volunteering

or contributing should contact Dada at 0422 823 341. Every second Saturday of the month at 11.45 a.m., the mission serves lunch at Loganlea Community Centre.

Punjab-origin realtor, scientist honoured with Order of Canada

Toronto, Dec 30: Two IndoCanadians -- top realtor Bob Dhillon of Calgary and clean energy scientist V.I. Lucky Lakshmanan of Mississauga -- have been honoured with the Order of Canada.

relations”.

The two are among 39 persons who have been honoured with the Order of Canada by Governor General Mary Simon.

One of the richest IndoCanadians, Dhillon comes from a family from Tallewal village near Barnala in Punjab.

The award citation says Dhillon has been awarded for “his achievements in business, and for his unwavering commitment to philanthropy and higher education”, and Lakshmanan for “his philanthropy and for his expertise in hydrometallurgy and business, which have greatly benefited his profession, community and Canada-India

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Dhillon, who founded the real estate group Mainstream Equity, is the biggest landlord in Canada in the mid-segment rental market today. His group owns more than 15,000 units across the country.

Lakshmanan is an internationally renowned clean energy scientist and innovator in sustainable development. Born in Chennai, he went to the UK for higher studies and came to Canada in 1974. He founded Process Research ORTECH which is a global leader in sustainable process technologies.

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COMMUNITY NEWS

IAIE conducts annual general meeting

n behalf of the Executive, a special thanks was conveyed to the Board members Mr Matthew Hayden, Professor Jacqueline Drew, Prof Sarah Jane Kelly, Prof Shaun Star, Dr Amy Illidge, Mr Muthuraj Guruswamy, and also Director of Sports and Wellness Dr Amol Wagholikar, senior advisor Mr Stephen Illidge, Dr Ram Mohan and Mr Kartik Pratap Singh. IAIE’s International Panel of Advisors, Prof C. Raj Kumar (VC Jindal Global University), Amb. Virendra Gupta, Dr Uttam Kumar Sinha (Fellow, MPIDSA), Dr Rajiv Nayan (SRA, MPIDSA, Prof. Srikanth Kondapalli ( Jawaharlal Nehru University),

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Prof To-Hai Liou (National Cheng Chi University, Taiwan), Prof Jack Anderson (University of Melbourne), Mr Dale Sheehan (International Centre for Sports Security, Qatar), Prof Priyankar Upadhyay (Banaras Hindu University) and Prof Nikos Passas (North Western University, USA) also deserve accolades for their constant support and guidance which ensured the success of all the activities. Adjunct Fellows Dr Nandkumar Janardhanan, Ms Audrey Courty and Ms Anushka Saxena have also played an instrumental role in enriching the research productivity.

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INDIA NEWS QUEENSLAND

Jan 7, 2022 - Vol 4, Issue 10

COMMUNITY NEWS

Special event by Rich virsa Bhangra Academy

ich Virsa Bhangra Academy organised a successful event at Aspley State School recently. The well attended and well organised event corroborated the exemplary work done by the management and the volunteers. The President of the Indian Council of Australia, Queensland attended the event.

RIC organises Bollywood musical event R hythm India Club (RIC) held a musical event, “A December to Remember” at the Ron Hurley Theatre, Camp Hill on 18th December, 2021. The event, which was attended by the President of the Indian Council of Australia, Queensland, featured live music of 50 years of Bollywood music from the 1970s onwards. Talented singers Chandan Das, Hemant Dua and Tanvi Goel presented an impeccable performance.

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Networking event lunch organised for the Ashes

n amazing and successful networking event was organised by Dr Ashutosh Misra, the National Sports Chair, Australia India Business Council at the launch of the Ashes at the Gabba. The event was attended by many cricketing, swimming and

AFL icons, CEOs, journalists and corporate members. Among the most illustrious attendees were Greg Chappell, Adam Hallioke, Carl Rackemann, Michael Kasprovizch, Kirsten Pike, AFL legend Daniel Merrett and QLD Treasurer Cameron Dick.

INDIA NEWS QUEENSLAND

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INDIA NEWS QUEENSLAND

Jan 7, 2022 - Vol 4, Issue 10

EDITORIAL

From the editor's desk CDS Bipin Rawat-a fearless no-nonsense Fast-tracking man who spoke his mind

Australia-India Free Trade Agreement

he watchers of Australia-

India relations and the IndoPacific affairs firmly believe that India’s withdrawal from the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership in November 2020, the disruption in international supply chains caused by the Covid, alongside growing tension between India and China and Australia and China, intensified political will in New Delhi and Canberra to pick up the threads of their stalled negotiations on the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) or the Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA). The appointment of the former Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott as the Trade Envoy of Australia and his visit to New Delhi in August 2021 year, followed by the 2+2 dialogue between Defence and Foreign ministers in mid-September in which CECA featured, followed by Australian Trade, Tourism and Investment Minister Dan Tehan’s visit soon after, symbolized the growing synergies across both, bilateral as well as strategic interests. After talks were suspended in 2015 after nine rounds, Minister Tehan and his Indian Commerce and Industry, Consumer Affairs and Food, and Public Distribution and Textiles counterpart Piyush Goyal resumed formal negotiations in September 2021 and appointed trade negotiators to continue indepth discussions on the entire gamut of CECA. To fast-track negotiations, both ministers again held virtual discussion on December 23 to materialize an early harvest announcementon an interim trade deal before the end of 2021. Both ministers expressed satisfaction at the progress in talks between the trade (chief) negotiators and indicated that several rounds of talks between trade negotiators was progressing well to ink a “balanced comprehensive agreement” by the end of 2022. Interim agreement is expected to be reached on goods, services, investments, energy resources, logistics and transport, standards, rules of origin and sanitary and phytosanitary measures. For years, despite a visible strong will in both capitals, bilateral trade has languished way below its potential, at A$30 bn, and not many are aware that the two-way trade with India had fallen by 13.6 per cent and exports by 18.4 per cent in 2020. But a flurry of summit level talks enabling the two prime ministers

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(six times in two years), including the Modi-Morrison virtual summit in June 2020, trade and ministerial level dialogues and the opening of a new Australian Consulate-General in Bengaluru demonstrate a new energy, purpose and high in bilateral relations. Although Australia and India have a shared bilateral and strategic interests, there is no denying that the path towards an FTA/ CECA is arduous and ironing out differences will be complex. India has only recently emerged out of an year-long violent farmers’ protest, and in that context, opening doors for Australian agricultural commodities, wine and dairy will be difficult for New Delhi to approve, which was the reason for leaving RCEP. Australia wants India to deregulate agricultural sector, and India wants Australia to liberalize the service sector and ease recognition of professional credentials, on which discussions are currently underway. In 2018, the editor had personally struggled to organize interactions between a delegation of progressive ginger farmers from India’s Northeast with their counterparts in Queensland, which shows sensitivities plaguing both sides in opening up to Agri-based trade and business exchanges. But the good news in conflict resolution terms is that both sides have a shared desire for moving forward andare well aware that the inability to do so will leave both worse off. Bilateral ties aside, the domineering China factor in the World Trade Organization and the urgent need to reform the Organization will also receive a shot in the arm with Australia and India showing flexibility and compromise in signing the FTA/CECA. The negotiations are being held in the spirit of Article XXIV of the General Agreement of Trade and Tarriff 1994 which specifies the “increasing freedom of trade by the development, through voluntary agreements, of closer integration between the economies of the countries parties to such agreements... [and]...recognize(s) the purpose of a customs union or of a free-trade area should be to facilitate trade between the consistent territories and not to raise barriers to the trade of other contracting parties with such territories”. This clause is the backbone of the not only the WTO reforms, but also the fight back from the concert of democracies for an open, free, transparent and rulebased order in the Indo-Pacific.

By Lt. Gen Syed Ata Hasnain

ndia's first-ever Chief of the Defence Staff (CDS), and his wife are no more. They along with 11 other brave hearts of the Armed Forces of the Union of India met a fiery end when their Mi-17 helicopter crashed in some reported bad weather near Wellington in the Nilgiris, Tamil Nadu. Throughout the day after 12.20 PM on 8 Dec 2021, my family and I were at a prayer meet for the lives of our good friends Bipin and Madhulika, and all those accompanying them. We hoped God would be kind to them, to us, and to all of India to spare their lives. They had much more to contribute to their nation's destiny but it's God's will that they have been taken from us. As service children who went on to join the Indian Army, General Bipin Rawat and I enjoyed a commonality of what in the military system is called 'passing it on'. We therefore could relate to each other very well. We were both commissioned into our father's unit; he to 5/11 Gorkha Rifles and I to 4 Garhwal Rifles. He replaced me in the Military Secretary's (MS) branch of the Army Headquarters as a Colonel in the crucial appointment which oversees and drafts policy on the management of officers, their placement, and their careers. It was on my strong recommendation to our common superior that General Bipin got this job. He never looked back. A couple of years later I returned to Kashmir to command the famous Dagger Division at Baramulla. To my surprise I found my friend Bipin parked right next door as the Commander of the Rashtriya Rifles (RR) Sector at Sopore. The Sopore RR Sector was always perceived as a hell hole of a command. Terrorist presence was everywhere in those days. Bipin came to meet me on my arrival and through the next many months several operations were coordinated in the Sopore – Baramulla area. He seemed to be on the move always, hardly ever spending time at his headquarters. Post his Sopore stint he went for the National Defence College, a prestigious course at Delhi and then as Commander of the Indian Brigade in UN operations in Congo. I think he served there just a little before General Qamar Bajwa, the Pakistan Army Chief who commanded the Pakistani Brigade. On his return he was to be promoted to Major General. I was then GOC 15 Corps (Kashmir) and took upon myself to request the Army Chief to post Gen Bipin Rawat to Kashmir to command the division I had commanded at Baramulla. He would thus serve under me and our old rapport would work wonderfully for the

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organization. General VK Singh, the then Army Chief, accepted my request. His tenure as GOC Dagger Division was memorable and especially his handling of the local populace. At one time he took a lot of guidance from me on sensitivities regarding various festivities and occasions in Kashmir. He always seemed to remember them. General Bipin had many other feathers in his cap in subsequent years too. He survived a helicopter crash in Dimapur while commanding the prestigious 3 Corps where he had to travel extensively by helicopter throughout the area of responsibility. He planned and coordinated the response against the NSCN (K) terror group which had ambushed and killed many of our jawans in an ambush in Manipur on 4 Jun 2015. He then went on to command the Army's Southern Command before being moved as the Vice Chief of the Army. In that capacity, I met him a day after the surgical strikes and he gave me a full brief on these in his office. In a slightly controversial move, he was appointed the Army Chief to succeed General Dalbir Suhag on 01 Jan 2016. During his tenure as the Chief, Pakistan

He replaced me in the Military Secretary’s (MS) branch of the Army Headquarters as a Colonel in the crucial appointment which oversees and drafts policy on the management of officers, their placement, and their careers. attempted to revive the proxy war in Kashmir but he allowed it no quarter, responding strongly against all forms of violence. After having stood ground against the Chinese for 72 days at Doklam in 2017 he ensured that in 2019 he oversaw the security of J&K during the risky period involving

the amendment of Article 370. He was the natural choice for Chief of the Defence Staff (CDS) when the government decided to create history through instituting that appointment. Having instituted the Department of Military Affairs (DMA) in the Ministry of Defence it was left to him to create the department and get it functioning. One of the main tasks before him was the setting up of the Theatre Commands of the Armed Forces. In the new appointment, General Rawat shed his orientation as a soldier and donned the role of a truly Joint Commander, winning the respect of all three Services. His greatest desire was to leave the appointment with the theatrisation process complete with the setting up of the Theatre Commands. It was a measure of his intellect that he instantly absorbed this unique challenge, something no military officer had ever been tasked to undertake. He was on the verge of launching big-ticket reforms to execute the concept of Theatre Commands and streamline the integration process, in the last year of his command. From a leadership angle, General Bipin Rawat was an absolute no-nonsense man, who spoke his mind to the point of even creating controversies. These were as per his conviction and his experience. Having served the longest any officer has ever served (till 64 years of age), I only wish General Bipin had lived to complete his tenure and spend a total of six years in the rank of a General (4 star), a unique record in its own right. Bipin and Madhulika indeed made a charming couple. They will be remembered long for the stellar work they did for the Armed Forces and their contribution towards nation-building. We shall remain proud of them. Jai Hind. (The author is a retired Lieutenant General of the Indian Army) This article was first published on https://www.news9live.com/india/ cds-rawat-a-no-nonsense-manwho-spoke-his-mind-neverfeared-controversies-writes-ltgen-syed-ata-hasnain-139287

CDS General Bipin Rawat

INDIA NEWS QUEENSLAND

Jan 7, 2022 - Vol 4, Issue 10

SPECIAL FEATURE

Revisiting Ray’s Pather Panchali, Neo-realism and Contemporary Bengal By Priyam Sinha

ften, movies instantly grab our attention with the grandiosity of their settings, quirks and idiosyncrasies of its stars, catchy song-dance sequences and special effects to amplify the suspense and characterisation. The West is credited for introducing improvised cinematography and sound and visual elements that make films aesthetically pleasing. Post-independence, radical film societies movements shaped cinematic content, proposed the novelty of neo-realism in filmmaking, yet infused it with the film forms and techniques dominant in the West. Satyajit Ray, in a way, pioneered this movement being a stalwart through his Apu Trilogy. By distancing from the utopian cosmopolitanism and urban cultural milieu, he threw light on situating his films mostly in dilapidated houses, mired in chaos and poverty and chose offbeat suburban locations of Bengal. His vision of the Indian

Satyajit Ray

majority was successful in his critically acclaimed film Pather Panchali, produced by the Government of West Bengal, and released on 26th August 1955.

panoramic view of the lake, and close-up shots of distressed faces coping with meagre resources provided a cinematic world aligned with realism.

Ray did so by casting nonprofessional actors and curating their characterisations and stylistic elements, highlighting thorough research backed up with skilful cinematography. Assimilation of these factors made it a voyeuristic pleasure for audiences of all ages to look beyond a myopic view of a family film with a happy ending. I called it voyeurism as it created an experience of gazing at each subplot to provide an introspective journey about the unpredictability of lives. The realistic portrayal of every protagonist’s journey through deprivation could move one to tears- so powerful and relatable were the emotions captured in the film. He set himself apart by going beyond a narrow vision of urban masculinity and fetishism.

Ravi Shankar’s background score created a poetic style of filmmaking which complimented his films. Additionally, its loosely structured script and low key lighting made it easier to comprehend poverty and deprivation during Bengal famines. Moreover, it contrasted the formulaic family feudal romance and emphasised how song and melody must complement the film’s story. Situated in Nischindipur in the 1910s, the film captured the power of silence to display despair and hopelessness instead of dialogues that instantly tapped into audience insecurities.

Capturing on the reel the lives of its female protagonists and gendered hypocrisies, Ray captured the monstrosity of everyday lives in rural landscapes. The skilful use of cinematography included long shots of the sweet seller and other villagers immersed in daily chores, a

flung the necklace that Durga had stolen into the lake, fearing the label of his sister being remembered as a thief. Similarly, Durga’s father (Harihar Roy), the priest, broke down on hearing of his daughter’s death as he finally entered with a new sari for her. His disillusionment was complemented by sitar music and panoramic shots of the lake accompanied by heavy rains in the backdrop while the family left the village. The complexity of their emotions, simple joys in stealing guavas explicitly shown through Durga’s smile, Indir’s thrill in licking a few morsels of rice, Durga’s tattered and wornout clothes and heart-warming emotions of Apu and Durga sharing food introduced the audiences to an affective medium of cinema watching.

Quite contrary to male centrism in 1950s Indian cinema, Ray placed his female characters such as Durga (the daughter), Sarbojaya and Indir Thakrun (old aunt) at the forefront. The film revolved around their lives and how Durga’s death led to her family being disillusioned and migrating to Banaras. But it also threw light on how Apu (Durga’s younger brother) felt her void and was compelled to become independent. He also

Instead of melodramatic clichés, Ray presented rural India engulfed in an impoverished material world, surrounded by nature’s havoc and life cycle from birth, illness, ageing and death. Ray forayed into poetic storytelling to communicate the transience of things, the unpredictability of life and how an accident can leave an entire family distraught with their sense of being and belongingness.

Mon district in a botched up anti insurgency operation has now led to demand for the withdrawal of the AFSPA from Nagaland.

district.

What’s appalling is how he

captured authentic emotions in their most raw form and presented it through an exchange of silences, gestures of stealing and taunting, and desire for some simple joys like sweets, fruits and new clothes for Durga Puja. Ray’s vision still holds prominence in portraying rural Bengal; and how the pandemic has marred the quality of life, leading to economic crises. Health hazards like typhoid and dengue combined with natural disasters like the floods led to the annihilation of their sources of livelihood in rural Bengal. Although the film ended on a tragic note with Durga’s death, mired by the family’s disillusionment, it showed how it continues to draw contemporary relevance strongly backed by critical appreciation and global appeal till date. Therefore, Pather Panchali provides a lens to view marginalised India and goes beyond Indian cinema's formulaic melodrama. (The author is a doctoral candidate at the National University of Singapore)

Naga peace talks, AFSPA: Is the ball finally in the court of the PM? By Nirendra Dev

hings have perhaps started falling in their places. Have they? Close on the heels of Indian Foreign Secretary Harsh V Shringla taking up with Myanmar's military rulers on the now infamous Churachandpur ambush in Manipur, Union Home Minister Amit Shah held a crucial late night meeting with Chief Ministers of Assam and Nagaland Himanta Biswa Sarma and Neiphiu Rio, respectively. Home Minister Shah is likely to brief Prime Minister Narendra Modi on his talks with the northeastern leaders especially in the context of security implications in taking any decision on AFSPA. Assam Chief Minister Sarma has favoured continuing with the enforcement of AFSPA in his state. Recently, RSS leader Indresh Kumar told reporters that even in Kashmir the deployment of forces was automatically minimised once situation improved and the Article 370 was abrogated. Sources close to the NNPGs, an umbrella of 7 militant groups, have said only a final peace pact can bring a 'natural end' to all controversies pertaining to AFSPA and deployment of security forces in Nagaland and other Naga inhabited areas. Tangkhul Nagas of NSCN (IM) leader Thuingaleng Muivah have substantial presence in Manipur, which again goes to the polls by February-March along with Uttar

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Pradesh, Punjab, Uttarakhand and Goa. BJP floor leader in Nagaland and Deputy Chief Minister Y Patton and a former Chief Minister T.R. Zeliang (of NPF), were also present in the meeting with Shah. Patton is also the state Home Minister and a section of BJP leaders in Delhi were not impressed with his performance especially in the context of Oting shooting down. The deliberations between Shah and northeastern leaders were vital as these took place days after the Nagaland assembly adopted a resolution for repeal of the Armed Forces Special Power Act (AFSPA). The summoning of the leaders from Nagaland especially on the eve of Christmas and their arrival in the capital along with Assam Chief Minister and NEDA convener Himanta Biswa Sarma signified that talks were sensitive and essential. The meeting between Mr Shah and the northeastern leaders took place within hours. India's Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla on a two-day visit to Myanmar raised matters relating to India's security with Myanmar military rulers especially in the light of the "recent incident in Churachandpur" district in southern Manipur. The ambush on November 13 claimed the lives of Col Viplab Tripathi, his wife and nineyear-old boy and four jawans. Subsequently, the killing of Naga civilians by security forces in

"Entire Naga society has been calling for repeal of AFSPA and that voice is at its loudest today," said Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio on December 20 while piloting forcefully an official resolution in the Assembly seeking immediate repeal of the controversial law that gives some impunity to armed forces. Assam Chief Minister Sarma for his part, however, said AFSPA will continue in his state. The argument being the withdrawal of AFSPA cannot be a call of the government alone. It has to depend on the overall situation, law and order situation of the state. "Now suppose I withdraw, will that be reciprocated by the militant organisations?" he said in Guwahati a few days back. The Oting killing of Konyak Naga civilians and subsequent violence in Mon town on December 5 have led to the demand for withdrawal of the AFSPA, considered an essential piece of legislation for army operations in north east and in Jammu and Kashmir. In the Churachandpur ambush on November 13, one colonel Viplab Tripathi, his wife and nine-year boy were killed along with four jawans. Six others were injured when PLA and little known Manipur Naga People's Front militants attacked the forces at Behiang in Churachandpur

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Apprehensions were expressed in certain quarters that Oting killing and subsequent developments could even lead to derailment or stalling of the hard-owned Naga peace talks that had begun in August 1997. The Oting killing of Konyak Naga civilians and subsequent violence in Mon town on December 5 have led to the demand for withdrawal of the AFSPA, considered an essential piece of legislation for army operations in north east and in Jammu and Kashmir. In the Churachandpur ambush on Nov 13, one colonel Viplab Tripathi, his wife and nine-year boy were killed along with four jawans. Six others were injured when PLA and little known Manipur Naga People's Front militants attacked the forces at Behiang in Churachandpur district. Apprehensions were expressed in certain quarters that Oting killing and subsequent developments could even lead to derailment or stalling of the hard-owned Naga peace talks that had begun in August 1997. As it is the NSCN (IM) has stuck to its demand for Flag and a Separate Constitution that has only lingered the peace talks. In 2019, the then Nagaland Governor R N Ravi had said the peace talks were over and final pact was to be inked. However, the NSCN (IM)'s twin demands have posed hurdles although NNPGs, a conglomeration of

7 Naga groups operating in Nagaland, were keen for an early signing of the peace agreement. Meanwhile, a four-member panel of party leaders Gaurav Gogoi, Jitendra Singh, Ajoy Kumar and Anto Antony submitted a report on Nagaland situation to Congress president Sonia Gandhi. Notably, K. Therie, the president of the Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee, has blamed Chief Minister Rio for the recent Oting incident. "It is a game plan to derail the peace process," Therie has alleged. "Nothing can happen in the state without the knowledge of the Chief Minister and state Home Minister as the law and order is a state subject," he said and maintained the movement of 21 paratroopers from Assam in Nagaland on the fateful day, December 4, was not possible without the knowledge of authorities in Nagaland. (Nirendra Dev is a New Delhibased journalist. He is also author of books, 'The Talking Guns: North East India' and 'Modi to Moditva: An Uncensored Truth')

INDIA NEWS QUEENSLAND

Jan 7, 2022 - Vol 4, Issue 10

MAKE IN INDIA

As world economies restart their engines in a bid to regain lost ground due to the Covid-19 pandemic, India too shows signs of economic buoyancy and promise. India’s Make in India initiative holds a key to the global economic revival, something that should interest Australian government ministries, corporate sector, entrepreneurs, institutions seeking R&D collaborations and Australia Inc in general, among others. India assumes greater importance as several major world economies including American, Japanese, German, British and South Korean look to move out and diversify their businesses from China. India has jumped to 63rd rank in the World Bank’s Ease of Development 2020 report, and has also been ranked as the 9th largest recipient of Foreign Direct Investment in 2019 by the World Investment Report 2020 of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD).

IIT-Guwahati researchers develop costeffective, highly efficient perovskite solar cells IANS

New Delhi/Guwahati, December 22 (IANS): Indian Institute of Technology, Guwahati researchers have developed hybrid perovskite-based solar or photovoltaic devices, which are highly efficient, cost effective, easy to manufacture and easily recyclable when it comes to producing electricity from the sunlight. The emerging perovskite-based semiconducting devices are considered the most promising due to their low-cost, ease of manufacturing as roll-to-roll devices, high material availability and easy recyclability. These devices were developed for achieving power conversion efficiencies beyond 21 per cent by utilizing economical solutionbased photovoltaic device processing techniques at mild room temperature and realizing high ambient, thermal and optical stability. Among all the renewable energy sources, the energy from sun (solar energy) is considered to be the most sustainable due to its ample availability on the surface of the earth. Currently, inorganic solar cells (Silicon-based) are a major player in the market. However, this technology requires high-temperature processing, which results in the high price of solar panels. Further, the

recycling of solar panels is hazardous and complicated. "The perovskite solar cells (PSCs) research has experienced tremendous attention due to their exponential growth in terms of efficiencies achieved within a decade. However, the perovskite materials are extremely unstable in ambient (humidity and oxygen) conditions that restrict their commercialization," said a release from IIT-Guwahati. The research team at IITGuwahati comprising research scholars Rabindranath Garai (Department of Chemistry), Ritesh Kant Gupta (Centre for Nanotechnology), Arvin Sain Tanwar (Department of Chemistry) and Maimur Hossain (Department of Chemistry), all working under the supervision of Professor Parameswar K. Iyer, Department of Chemistry and Centre for Nanotechnology and School for Health Science and Technology, IIT Guwahati, have achieved the results in terms of efficiency and stability of the PSCs. In this recent study of IITGuwahati, published in the American Chemical Society journal 'Chemistry of Materials' mentioned how charged conjugated polymers have been incorporated in photovoltaic devices as a passivation molecule to achieve defect-free highquality perovskite solar cell devices. The passivated defect-free device reveals a high efficiency of 20.17 per cent with excellent reproducibility. Such polymer based passivation method effectively improved the long-

term device stability by improving the hydrophobicity of the perovskite layer. In another recent investigation by the team, published in The Royal Society of Chemistry journal 'Journal of Materials Chemistry A', the researchers demonstrated the development of solutionprocessed multi-dimensional (2D-3D) graded perovskites and the precise role of surface re-crystallization to achieve very high efficiencies, stability, economical device scalability by mitigating the perovskite defects. Speaking about these research output, Prof Iyer mentioned that organic-inorganic hybrid PSCs have experienced rapid growth in terms of efficiency and stability due to the development of highly efficient functional materials combined with careful device engineering. The materials design can be tailored at the molecular level whereas the fabrication process is printable and solutionbased, making the overall solar cell development process economical and scalable. These results obtained from perovskite solar cells have performed well beyond the commercial inorganic solar cells panels which are available in the market presently. Also, these small and large area devices performances are among the best results achieved using these classes of perovskite materials. "Therefore, the strategies being developed have the potential to address the renewable energy challenges regarding the largescale commercial fabrication of efficient and stable solar panels," the release added.

Daimler India shipped out 9,000 CVs in 2021

Chennai, December 24 (IANS): German truck and bus maker Daimler India Commercial Vehicles (DICV) on December 24 said it had exported 9,000 commercial vehicles in 2021.

With this, the company crossed some new milestones including 45,000 vehicles, 9,000 completely knocked down (CKD) kits and 200 million parts exported. India is a key hub for Daimler trucks, with DICV serving not only growing domestic demand, but also more than 60 export

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destinations across the globe including markets in Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East.

DICV is the only Daimler truck location worldwide that produces engines, transmissions, trucks and buses at the same site under four brands -- BharatBenz, FUSO, Mercedes-Benz, and Freightliner.

ongoing challenges presented by the pandemic and its effect on logistics, we continue to foster a global presence with exports of 'Made in India' products," DICV Managing Director and CEO, Satyakam Arya, said.

"It is a momentous occasion for us at DICV and a great testimony to the trust our customers worldwide have in our locallymade products. Despite the

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Vedanta Aluminium launches high-speed billets for extrusion industry

New Delhi, December 20 (IANS): Vedanta Aluminium Business, India's largest producer of aluminium and value-added products, launched highspeed billets for the global extrusion industry at a virtual event with participants from the downstream and extrusion industry. The company's global experts on billet extrusion also shared a slew of initiatives as part of its Customer Technical Service cell for unparalleled customer experience.

Vedanta is India's largest manufacturer and exporter of high-quality aluminium billets, which find end-usage in Building & amp. construction, Solar/ Renewable Energy, Automotive, Electrical and many other key industries through the extrusion process. Extrusion is a process used to create objects of a fixed cross-section profile by pushing material through a die. It also creates excellent surface finish and gives considerable freedom of form in the design process. The high-speed billets are a part of Vedanta Aluminium's portfolio of billet offerings, manufactured with the highest engineering precision. Best-in-class global technologies like Wagstaff HotTop Air Slip Casting System (USA) and Hertwich Continuous Homogenising Furnace (Austria) have been used to manufacture these billets. Vedanta's high-speed billets can improve extrusion speed by at least 25 per cent, or more, depending on the extrusion environment. With superior metallurgical properties brought about with stringent process control and optimised chemistry, these billets demonstrate exceptional extrusion speed without compromising on the strength of the extruded profile. These products show significant improvement in process recovery. Launching the product, Rahul Sharma, CEO – Aluminium Business, Vedanta Ltd, said, "We are committed to manufacturing the best aluminium products, as well as offering our customers a powerful competitive edge in their business aspirations. Our holistic solutions are marketresponsive and tailored to support customers at various stages of their evolving business

journey. With our deep R& D capabilities and global expertise, we are keen to co-create leadingedge innovations with our customers. high-speed billets are our latest offering in a long line of expertly customized product solutions for various industry segments." Vedanta's Customer Technical Services cell anchors customers' quality and technical requirements from existing and new products. Jonathan Pangborn, global billet- extrusion expert working with Vedanta's Customer Technical Services cell added, "Vedanta Aluminium has a robust and quality-focused manufacturing. The Customer Technical Service team is geared up to adapt our customized product portfolio to the evolving needs of the extrusion industry. I look forward to collaborating with customers and providing the best technical solutions to them, as part of Vedanta's value-added service offering." As aluminium is a dynamic and rapidly evolving industry with potential for greater applications in a sustainability-conscious world, Vedanta is also focusing its efforts on R&D, bringing together Technical, Operations and Marketing expertise in a Centre of Excellence to invent the next big thing in aluminium. Vedanta is constantly augmenting its value-added product portfolio by introducing customer-centric products and next-generation technologies. Vedanta Aluminium Business, a division of Vedanta Limited, is India's largest manufacturer of aluminium, producing half of India's aluminium at 1.97 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) in FY21. It is a leader in valueadded aluminium products that find critical applications in core industries. With its world-class Aluminium Smelters, Alumina Refinery and Power Plants in India, the company fulfills its mission of spurring emerging applications of aluminium as the 'Metal of the Future' for a greener tomorrow. SOURCE: Invest India, National Investment Promotion & Facilitation Agency, Government of India

INDIA NEWS QUEENSLAND

Jan 7, 2022 - Vol 4, Issue 10

Omicron evades vaccine, antibodies therapies: Study IANS

New York, December 24 (IANS): The highly transmissible Omicron variant of Covid-19 has the potential to evade the immune protection conferred by vaccines and natural infection, as well as render most monoclonal antibody therapy ineffective, according to a new study. The study led by researchers from Columbia University in the US, in collaboration with scientists at the University of Hong Kong, suggests the need for new vaccines and treatments that anticipate how the virus may soon evolve. A striking feature of the omicron variant is the alarming number of changes in the virus's spike protein that could pose a threat to the effectiveness of current vaccines and therapeutic antibodies. The new study, published in the journal Nature, tested the ability of antibodies generated by vaccination to neutralise the Omicron variant in laboratory assays that pitted antibodies against live viruses and against pseudoviruses constructed in the

he added.

lab to mimic Omicron. The findings showed that antibodies from people doublevaccinated with any of the four most widely used vaccines Moderna, Pfizer, AstraZeneca, Johnson and Johnson - were significantly less effective at neutralising the Omicron variant compared to the ancestral virus. Antibodies from previously infected individuals were even less likely to neutralise Omicron. Individuals who received a booster shot of either of the two mRNA vaccines were found to be better protected, although even their antibodies exhibited diminished neutralising activity against Omicron. "The new results suggest that previously infected individuals and fully vaccinated individuals are at risk for infection with the omicron variant," said David Ho, Director at Columbia's Aaron Diamond AIDS Research Centre. "Even a third booster shot may not adequately protect against omicron infection, but of course it is advisable to get one, as you'll still benefit from some immunity,"

The results are consistent with other neutralisation studies, as well as early epidemiological data from South Africa and the UK, which show efficacy of two doses of the vaccines against symptomatic disease is significantly reduced against the omicron variant. Further, the study suggests that all of the monoclonal antibody therapies currently in use and most in development are much less effective against Omicron, if they work at all. When administered early in the course of infection, monoclonal antibodies have shown to prevent many individuals from developing severe Covid. In neutralisation studies with monoclonal antibodies, only one (Brii198 approved in China) maintained notable activity against Omicron. A minor form of Omicron is completely resistant to all antibodies in clinical use today, the researchers said. The researchers note that Omicron is now the most complete "escapee" from neutralisation that scientists have seen. In this study Ho's lab also identified four new spike mutations in omicron that help the virus evade antibodies, suggesting the need for new approaches to combat the variant.

Booster protection fades within 10 weeks against Omicron: UK study London, December 24 (IANS): While countries are racing to administer booster shots to protect against the Omicron variant of Covid-19, a new study released by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has shown that protection wanes even after taking the third dose of a vaccine within 10 weeks. Scientists at the UKHSA noted that protection against Omicron appears to wane more rapidly than Delta among people who are boosted. They found 15 to 25 per cent reduction after 10 weeks. "Repeated vaccine effectiveness analysis continues to show lower for symptomatic Omicron disease compared to Delta. There is evidence of waning of protection against symptomatic disease with increasing time after second dose, and by 10 weeks after the booster dose, with a 15 to 25 per cent reduction in vaccine effectiveness after 10 weeks," the UKHSA wrote in its latest technical brief. "This waning is faster for Omicron than for Delta infections. "However, vaccine effectiveness against severe disease is more likely to be sustained, especially

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after a booster dose, '' the brief said. The team also said that neutralisation data, real world vaccine effectiveness against symptomatic disease, and reinfection rate all confirm substantial immune evasion properties in the case of Omicron. Further, the study showed that the risk of hospital admission for a person detected as a case of Omicron appears reduced compared to a case of Delta. However, health officials believe it's unlikely that these individuals are at a greater risk of severe illness. As a whole, people who catch Omicron are 50 to 70 per cent less likely to need hospital care compared to previous variants, the analysis showed. The UK has reported a record 1,19,789 daily Covid-19 cases as on December 23, the second time daily cases have risen above 1,00,000, according to the UKHSA. The country has also seen 14 deaths so far due to Omicron. Britain is also considering the rollout of a fourth round of vaccination against Covid-19 after both Israel and Germany

gave the green light to a second set of boosters. Experts on the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation will examine evidence on levels of immunity given by three jabs as well as data on hospitalisations for the new Omicron variant before making any decision on a fourth vaccine dose.

HEALTH

Global Covid caseload tops 278 mn

Washington, December 24 (IANS): The global coronavirus caseload has topped 278 million, while the deaths have surged to more than 5.38 million and vaccinations to over 8.86 billion, according to Johns Hopkins University.

In its latest update on December 24 morning, the University's Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) revealed that the current global caseload and the death toll stood at 278,101,403 and 5,385,862, respectively, while the total number of vaccine doses administered has increased to 8,861,081,345. The US continues to be the worsthit country with the world's highest number of cases and deaths at 51,814,125 and 815,343, according to the CSSE.

The second worst hit country in terms of cases is India (34,765,976 infections and 478,759 deaths), followed by Brazil (22,230,943 infections and 618,492 deaths).

The other countries with over 5 million cases are the UK (11,836,768), Russia (10,140,429), Turkey (9,249,576), France (8,994,106), Germany (6,954,634), Iran (6,179,817), Spain (5,718,007), Italy (5,517,054), Argentina (5,428,957) and Colombia (5,115,194), the CSSE figures showed. The nations with a death toll of over 100,000 are, Mexico (298,359), Russia (295,296), Peru (202,375), the UK (148,185), Indonesia (144,042), Italy (136,245), Iran (131,262), Colombia (129,640), France (123,280), Argentina (116,979) and Germany (109,877).

Australian state reports record high Covid infections amid Omicron concern Sydney, December 22 (IANS): The state of New South Wales (NSW), as the epicenter of Australia's Covid-19 infections, reported a record high daily increase of cases on December 22. The state health department recorded 3,763 new Covid cases and two deaths in the 24 hours to 8 p.m. December 21, the highest daily increase since the pandemic outbreak started early in 2020. The hospitalisations for Covid also exceeded 300, with 40 people in intensive care, Xinhua news agency reported. According to the latest figure from NSW Health on December 19, 313 Covid cases with the Omicron variant have been confirmed in the state since the first infection was detected in late November. Despite the continued sharp increase of Covid transmission, NSW is no longer practicing mask mandates, density and visitor limits in some indoor venues. Unvaccinated people were also allowed to enter non-essential venues. "Based on rising cases and Omicron (which we still need more data on), it would be preferable to keep indoor mask-

wearing, and good contact tracing," epidemiologist Professor Alexandra Martiniuk from the University of Sydney told Xinhua. "When health is put as a priority, a strong economy follows. Masks and QR code check-ins should not reduce economic gains rather should improve them." Martiniuk said the current Covid figures are rising fastest among the 20-year-olds, and this age group is not as likely as older age groups to be hospitalised with the virus, which means hospitalisations typically lag case growth. Responding to the growing calls of reinstating Covid restrictions, NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet acknowledged on December 21 that the increase in cases would lead to more hospital admissions but said he is not committed to reintroducing compulsory masks in indoor settings. "We are treating the people of our state like adults. If we need to tailor our responses from time to time, we will." "When it comes to face masks, we recommend face masks in areas where you can't socially distance yourself."

Indian govt launches study to determine need for booster dose

New Delhi, December 24 (IANS): The Centre has initiated a study of 3,000 individuals who received their both doses of Covid vaccines to determine the need for booster dose amid the looming scare of Omicron. The study will be conducted by the Translational Health Science and Technology Institute (THSTI) under the Department of Biotechnology. The participants who have already received their both doses of Covid vaccines will be given booster doses to determine the impact

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on their immunity level. The study is expected to cover all three vaccines used in India -Covishield, Covaxin and Sputnik V.

According to a source, the study will include people above 40 years of age, below 40 years of age, people infected with Covid-19 prior to vaccination, and people with co-morbid conditions. The hospitals involved in the study will be submitting the report on blood samples along with the analysis on the requirement of booster doses in India, said the

source.

Amid the everyday rise of Omicron cases in India, the need for booster dose has been voiced by many institutions. Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya had earlier said that the decision on booster dose in India will be taken based on scientific data and analysis. The National Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (NTAGI) is expected to meet in the first week of January to take a call on the same.

INDIA NEWS QUEENSLAND

Jan 7, 2022 - Vol 4, Issue 10

Aussie energy giant unveils plans to fuel Asian markets Sydney, December 23 (IANS): Western Australian (WA) oil and gas company Woodside has unveiled long-term plans to potentially supply liquid hydrogen to two major Asian destinations.

In a statement released on December 22, Woodside said it had signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Singaporean conglomerate Keppel Corporation and Japan's Osaka Gas to conduct a feasibility study into ultimately establishing a "stable supply chain of sustainable liquid hydrogen (LH2)" from WA to those companies' home markets. The MoU followed the October announcement of Woodside's proposed gas facility, H2Perth, which will be created to supply international consumers, Xinhua news agency reported. Woodside Chief Executive Officer Meg O'Neill said the 1-billionAustralian-dollar ($720 million)

plant in the WA capital of Perth would be "ideally located" for shipping to Singapore and Japan, and noted that the site was "close to gas, power, water and port infrastructure, as well as a skilled local workforce."

The H2Perth hub, which is due to be built in 2024, would have a target of 300 tonnes per day of hydrogen production, which could be converted into 600,000 tonnes per annum of ammonia or 110,000 tonnes per annum of LH2.

power generation, town gas and as an industrial feedstock.

O'Neill said the MoU with Keppel and Osaka Gas complied with Woodside's aim to "develop a diversified and scalable portfolio of new energy products to help reduce customers' emissions."

The gas can also be liquefied by cooling it to minus 253 degrees Celsius, meaning LH2 takes up far less volume than in its original state, making it easier to be stored and transported.

Woodside is keen to promote hydrogen because it does not emit carbon dioxide during combustion and is considered a promising next generation, lowcarbon fuel that can be used in a range of applications including

Woodside's feasibility study with its Asian partners is expected to take about six months "at which juncture the parties will decide on the next phase of their collaboration", the statement noted.

Among sectors, Realty, Power, Oil & Gas, Capital Goods, Banks and Auto indices have lost the most whereas IT and FMCG index have gained the most.

Deepak Jasani, Head of Retail Research, HDFC Securities.

Omicron concerns subdue equity markets; power stocks fall Mumbai, December 24 (IANS): Rising domestic Omicron cases subdued India's key equity indices -- S&P BSE Sensex and NSE Nifty50 -- during the late-after trade session on December 24. Besides, the continuous selling by FIIs also dampened investors' sentiment. Initially, both the indices opened with an upgap, but fell thereby. Globally, Asian stocks were mixed after failing to harness a tailwind from the US. On the domestic front, volumes in the traditional holiday period remained low.

Consequently, at 2.40 p.m., the S&P BSE Sensex traded at 57,268.18 points, inched down by 0.082 per cent from its previous close. Similarly, the broader 50-scrip Nifty at the National Stock Exchange (NSE) rose to 17,051.20 points, down 0.13 per cent from its previous close. "Nifty is still flat vis a vis last week after seeing losses initially and then a rise during the week," said

According to Gaurav Garg, Head of Research, CapitalVia Global Research: "Despite positive sentiments from other Asian markets, the Indian equity shares trading low as Omicron cases in India recorded more than double from last week." "Our research suggests that the levels of 56,800 may act as important levels in the market. If the market sustains the levels of 56,800, we can expect the market to trade in the range of 56,80057,200."

Adani announces annual prize for social enterprise New Delhi, December 23 (IANS): The Adani Group, India's fastestgrowing portfolio of companies, will institute the Adani Prize for Social Enterprise --India's biggest annual prize in the social sphere. This was announced by Gautam Adani, Chairman of the Adani Group, at the first-ever Green Talks, an Adani talkseries initiative to provide social entrepreneurs a platform to present their ideas and secure support for their work.

Beginning in 2022, the Adani Prize for Social Enterprise will be awarded to five outstanding social entrepreneurs for their impact in India and other parts of the developing world. The Adani Prize will provide a total of Rs 5 crore in funding for the five chosen social enterprises. The winners will be chosen by an international panel of eminent personalities drawn from different fields of expertise, including science, business and

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governance.

"I am humbled by how social entrepreneurs devote themselves to the difficult, often underappreciated but essential work of helping those who are less privileged," said Adani. "While we must invest heavily in enabling the transition to a greener, low carbon world, that transition must also include plans to enable the social upliftment of people. The green shoots of recovery for the planet can be truly green only if we create a climate of faith and optimism for even the world's most socially deprived people. I am optimistic that the Adani Prize and the Green Talks series will lay the foundation for this process of discovering social entrepreneurs who are making major impacts and help to fund their best ideas." The Adani Group will invite other partners, including corporates, to join an initiative to create a collaborative fund for social

China cites harsh business environment after tax searches on Chinese firms in India New Delhi, December 24 (IANS): The Indian government should protect the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese firms in India, Chinese analysts urged, as New Delhi launched probe into multiple Chinese companies on tax and income issues, Global Times reported.

Woodside Chief Executive Officer Meg O'Neill

enterprises that will help expand the number of social upliftment projects that could be funded. As the first step, the Group will drive an open-source innovation platform as a unifying force for the best of ideas from social enterprises across the developing world. Five social enterprises, selected from over 25,000 social enterprises that participated in the 2021 TiE Sustainability Summit in October, were felicitated and honoured today at the Adani Green Talks in Ahmedabad. They included Arunachalam Muruganantham, better known as Pad-Man, healthcare innovator iKure, prosthetics technologist RoboBionics, automation developer GenRobotics and DharaviMarket founder Megha Gupta.

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BUSINESS & TRADE

The operations of Chinese firms remain normal at the moment, but relevant companies are looking to reassure their Indian employees as the investigation has caused some concerns, the report said. The investigation has not been concluded yet, but some Chinese experts reiterated on December 23 that the business environment in India is harsh, not only for Chinese firms, but all foreign companies, the report said. They pointed out that "nonmarket factors" in India will have large and unpredictable effects on them and cause many problems, and many Western companies have already pulled out from the country for this reason, the report added. They urged Chinese firms to be cautious in investing and doing business in India, and strictly follow the local laws and leave no excuse for the authorities to take actions against them if those companies choose to stay there. More than 20 premises in the National Capital Region (NCR), Mumbai, Rajkot and Karnataka linked to Oppo and Xiaomi were searched by the tax department on December 23. Searches were also conducted at the offices of OnePlus, the Chinese company that has merged into Oppo but operates as a separate brand. "India's tax laws are very

complicated, and in recent years, many Indian companies and some joint venture enterprises have also been investigated over tax issues," said Qian Feng, director of the research department at the National Strategy Institute at Tsinghua University in Beijing. Although the latest investigation seems likely to have been mainly driven by economic reasons, the possibility of a political impact still exists, because there are extreme anti-China forces in the government, and they will look at matters related to Chinese firms in India with a discriminatory attitude, Qian said, as per the report. Lin Minwang, a professor at the Institute of International Studies at Fudan University in Shanghai, told the Global Times that "the investigation is not a surprise at all, because the Indian authorities, especially those in some local governments, don't care about how Chinese firms feel because they are pushing for 'decoupling with China' and they see Chinese firms as perfect targets, and they don't care how Chinese investors will look at the business environment in the country". In a statement sent to the Global Times on December 23, a Xiaomi spokesperson said: "As a responsible company, we give paramount importance to ensuring that we are compliant with all Indian laws. As an invested partner in India, we are fully cooperating with the authorities to ensure they have all the required information." Along with Chinese vendors, their contract manufacturers were also subject to searches. Foxconn said that it is looking into the matter.

Air France-KLM and IndiGo to start codeshare agreement

IANS

New Delhi, December 23 (IANS): Air France-KLM and IndiGo on December 23 announced the launch of an extensive codeshare agreement. A codeshare agreement allows airlines to sell seats on each others' flights in order to provide passengers with a wider choice of destinations. With this new partnership, Air France and KLM will offer their customers access to 25 new Indian destinations. "From their hubs in Paris and Amsterdam, Air France and KLM already serve 4 destinations in India -- Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai

and Bengaluru," a joint statement said. "On departure from the Indian provinces, Air France and KLM will open up their global network of over 250 destinations to IndiGo customers, with more than 120 destinations in Europe and about 50 in the Americas." The statement added that the agreement is subject to government approval after which it will start from February. IndiGo has a fleet of over 275 aircraft and operates more than 1,500 daily flights, connecting 71 domestic and 24 international destinations.

INDIA NEWS QUEENSLAND

Jan 7, 2022 - Vol 4, Issue 10

Centre of Excellence for water reuse launched New Delhi, December 24 (IANS): Highlighting that cutting-edge research should aim to help the larger community, Vibha Dhawan, Director General, The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), on December 24 said that treating wastewater at source is crucial not only from an economic perspective but also as a sustainability measure.

gaps for research and need for new ideas, supporting targeted research, and spurring and nurturing needed innovation such as low-cost, effective and integrated treatment technologies, which could bridge the current treatment gaps, augment capacities and provide safe treated water for reuse, a release said.

"Research which remains in the laboratory is of little use. TERI has always worked closely with industries and other stakeholders to effectively address the issues of use and reuse of water," Dhawan added at the launch of the 'Centre of Excellence on Water Reuse'.

Speaking at the launch, NMCG Director General, Rajiv Ranjan Mishra said, "Wastewater after treatment should be used to the maximum possible extent. The idea behind cleaning the Ganga, a river or a city is to make them sustainable in the long run; sustainability from the point of view of looking at it not as wastewater, but as a resource that can be reused."

The first of its kind in the country, the Centre of Excellence on Water Reuse is a collaboration between the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG), Union Jal Shakti Ministry, and TERI which was launched at the TERI headquarters in New Delhi. The Centre of Excellence (CoE) will be meeting the objectives of the Ganga Knowledge Centre to design and foster research and innovation, including identification of knowledge

Mishra emphasised the need for partnerships with stakeholders, including research institutions and industries, to effectively address water reuse.

Vibha Dhawan, Director General, The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI)

to provide treated water for safe reuse," he added. S. K. Sarkar, Distinguished fellow and senior Director, Water Resources Division, TERI, said, "TERI under the Department of Science and Technology -Water Mission 'Water Technology Initiative Programme' has developed the TERI Advanced Oxidation Technology (TADOX) for wastewater treatment, achieving zero liquid discharge and enhancing water reuse. Setting up of this CoE will help in advancing such technology initiatives."

"We need to have dialogue with industries that are working in the area of wastewater treatment, establishing treatment plants, enhancing water reuse and going

The CoE will be headed by Nupur Bahadur, Fellow and Area Convenor, TADOX, Technology Centre for Water Reuse, Water Resources Division, TERI.

intelligent bi-directional converter (PCU) that interfaces with SRTPV and battery systems (with DC coupling) to manage the energy flow with EV chargers and the grid. "An intelligent computing unit in the PCU commands the energy flow across these components to maximise the generated solar energy for self-consumption," the study said.

for prioritisation of solar energy for local consumption before feeding it to the grid and said: "The deployment of a novel charging algorithm where the EV charging load is made to follow the solar energy generation profile. Such a method reduces the need for a costly battery energy storage system (BESS)."

ENERGY & RESOURCES

Aussie astronomers capture black hole eruption Sydney, December 23 (IANS): Astronomers from Curtin University, as part of an international team, have produced the most comprehensive images of the nearest active black hole to earth. The discovery, published in the Nature Astronomy journal and released to the public on December 23, took a deep dive into the black hole at the center of the galaxy Centaurus A, about 12 million light-years away, reported Xinhua news agency. Despite being galaxies away, the erupting black hole extended across a length equal to 16 moons placed side by side in the night sky. However, it is not visible to the naked eye. The images were created using the Murchison Widefield Array (MWA) telescope in outback Western Australia, which is able to detect and image emitted radio waves. "These radio waves come from material being sucked into the supermassive black hole in the middle of the galaxy," said lead author on the study Benjamin McKinley from the Curtin University node of the International Centre for Radio Astronomy Research (ICRAR).

As the black hole that possesses 55 million times the mass of the sun erupts, it feeds on gas and ejects material at near light speed, which causes "radio bubbles" to expand outwards. "It forms a disc around the black hole, and as the matter gets ripped apart going close to the black hole, powerful jets form on either side of the disc, ejecting most of the material back out into space, to distances of probably more than a million light-years," said McKinley. McKinley said this is why the images appear brighter in the center, as energy is dissipated as particles are shot out and settle. He said the shape it forms, two connected ovals, is likely the result of particles being reaccelerated by a strong magnetic field. The research and imaging were made possible by the MWA which Curtin University operates on behalf of ICRAR. "The MWA is a precursor for the Square Kilometre Array, a global initiative to build the world's largest radio telescopes in Western Australia and South Africa," said MWA director Steven Tingay.

EV charging stations with rooftop J&K to buy 200 MW solar solar more economical: Report power for next 25 years Energy Darpan

New Delhi/Bengaluru, December 23 (IANS): Aiming to demonstrate the concept of using a clean source of energy (solar) for charging Electric Vehicles (EVs), a new report has shown that electric vehicle charging stations (EVCSs) with solar rooftop photovoltaic (SRTPV) facility are economically more viable than those with grid. "The mismatch between solar energy generation and consumption (from charging) can be solved by deploying net-metering at charging stations. Among the scenarios considered, an EVCS connected to RTPV under net-metering policy represents the best-case scenario with the least LCOC," the report by the Centre for Study of Science, Technology and Policy (CSTEP) said. The report is based on the CSTEP system design for the pilot project at the Bangalore Electricity Supply Company (BESCOM) Corporate Office premises consisting of a power conversion unit (PCU), solar rooftop photovoltaic (SRTPV) panels, a lithium-ion battery bank, and an EV charger as the main components. The project showcases an

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This is necessary in view of the fact that Indian cities top the charts every year for worst air quality in the world. Studies have established that the transport sector is a major contributor (40-80 per cent) to air pollution in the cities. Hence, decarbonising the transport sector with the deployment of electric vehicles (EVs) is a crucial step in mitigating air pollution. Government too has been pushing EVs and, of course, as part of its proposed action plan to combat climate change promised to have 450 GW of solar power among other renewables. "Running an electric vehicle in the USA leads to a greater reduction in CO2 emissions than running it in India since the grid energy (used by the EV) in India is predominantly generated using coal. Therefore, the renewable energy mix of grid electricity becomes essential in enabling green mobility in the truest sense," CSTEP said. The report highlighted the need

A battery storage capacity equal to 40 kWh was considered in the analysis, which stored approximately 16 percent of the total daily solar energy (on average) generated. The costs of upstream electricity for grid only, PV only, and PV plus BESS are Rs 5, Rs 4.6, and Rs 8.9 per unit, respectively. "Including a BESS increased the cost of PV+storage system electricity by Rs 5.3/kWh." A novel framework to estimate the levelised cost of charging (LCOC) at a certain EVCS with grid connected RTPV and RTPV plus energy storage is also provided in the report. The framework can be extended to assess the feasibility of using a grid tied RTPV plus energy storage system serving any electrical load in general. "Currently, only EV charging guidelines are in place, sourcing the power from renewable energy sources is not emphasised. Learnings from the study can, therefore, guide policies for the widespread adoption of SRTPV-based EVCSs," the report mentioned.

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Energy Darpan

Jammu, December 17 (IANS): The J&K Administrative Council, which met under the chairmanship of Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on December 17, approved the purchase of 200 MW solar power through the Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) to meet the growing power demand and promote the use of green and clean energy in Jammu and Kashmir. The decision will allow the purchase of renewable energy at an estimated cost of Rs 2.52 per kWh for the next 25 years, which is by far the lowest rate ever offered to J&K. Accordingly, the Power Department has been given financial approval for Rs 110.37 crore per annum for purchasing the electricity from the Solar Energy Corporation of India. The envisaged purchase of additional power will help Jammu Kashmir Power Corporation ltd ( JKPCL) partially meet the Renewable Purchase Obligation (RPO) as fixed by the Ministry of Power, Government of India, besides ensuring enhanced power reliability due to diversity in

the power bucket of Jammu and Kashmir. The decision will also prioritise the generation and usage of renewable solar energy in consonance with the national endeavour of promoting green energy for a reduction in carbon footprints and mitigating global warming. It is expected that with the addition of this power, the JKPCL will be better placed to meet the increasing power demand which went up from 18091.386 MU during 2020-21 to 19500-2000 MU in the current financial year. The power development department has been working towards ensuring 24x7 reliable electricity in major cities and towns in Jammu and Kashmir by augmenting assets both at transmission and distribution levels under various centrally sponsored schemes. It is anticipated that with the completion of the major ongoing flagship programmes, the energy requirement will further grow and touch the 22000 MU-mark, thus creating a demand for an additional, stable, and reliable supply of 300-500 MW power.

INDIA NEWS NEWS QUEENSLAND

Jan1-15, 7, 2022 Jan 2022- Vol - Vol4,2,Issue Issue1012

SPORTS SPORTS

SA v IND, 1st Test: India breach Fortress ‘Fabulous’: Former Centurion with 113-run win over South Africa cricketers laud Team India’s historic win at Centurion Centurion, Dec 30: India signed off 2021 with a 113-run win over South Africa in the first Test at SuperSport Park here on Thursday. The win is also Indias first-ever Test victory at the venue, which is largely considered to be a fortress for South Africa. With this win, India have also taken a 1-0 lead in the threematch series.

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It took only two overs after lunch for India to wrap a memorable win. Marco Jansen began the second session by taking two boundaries off Mohammed Shami. But on the fifth ball, Shami had the last laugh as he drew Jansen to defend on the front foot but nicked behind to keeper Rishabh Pant. Ravichandran Ashwin took the first wicket by a spinner in the match, offering Kagiso Rabada flight outside the off-stump. Rabada reached out for a drive but the outer edge flew to Shami at backward point. On the very next ball, Ashwin sealed India’s win in just 10 minutes of the second session as Lungi Ngidi inner-edged to Cheteshwar Pujara at backward short leg. Earlier, resuming from 94/4 under a clear bright sky, Bavuma

and Dean Elgar struck crisplytimed boundaries to keep India frustrated. Shami dropped Elgar on 63 in a straightforward chance off his own bowling, further extending the wait of a breakthrough for the to’rists’. Shami’s dropped chance cost India only 14 runs as the 36-run partnership was brought to an end by Jasprit Bumrah trapping Elgar plumb lbw. The left-handed batter shuffled in an attempt to flick but missed the in-ducker from Bumrah which crashed to his pads. He went for the review, but replays showed the ball hitting the stumps. Quinton de Kock smashed some boundaries while sharing a stand of 31 with Bavuma before chopping on to his stumps while trying to cut off Siraj. Shami

struck in his second spell of the session, getting a length ball to straighten after pitching and take a faint outer edge of Wiaan Mulder’s bat to Pant. Bavuma lost partners but continued to hit boundaries. Along with Jansen, Bavuma ensured that South Africa didn’t lose any more wickets before lunch. But on resumption after the break, it took just 12 deliveries for India to breach another fortress after Gabba in the beginning of the year despite a day washed out due to rain. Brief scores: India 327 and 174 beat South Africa 197 and 191 all out in 68 overs (Dean Elgar 77, Temba Bavuma 35 not out, Jasprit Bumrah 3/50, Mohammed Shami 3/63) by 113 runs

In busy 2022, Neeraj Chopra to participate in CWG, Asian Games, World Championship Mumbai, Dec 30: India’s Olympic gold medallist javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra wants to participate in the full season in 2022 including the Commonwealth Games, Asian Games, World Championships, and the Diamond League. The World Athletics Championships, postponed from 2021, is scheduled to be held at Oregon (USA) from July 15-24, 2022 while the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham will start on July 28 and will continue till August 8. The Asian Games will be held at Hangzhou, China from September 10-25 while the Diamond League will comprise 14 events to be held from May 13-September 8, making it quite a busy schedule ahead for Chopra. If he goes ahead with this plan, Chopra will participate in three major events in three months, which will leave him with very little time for preparations in between because of the travel restrictions because of the Covid-19 protocols. Having just started training in the United States following a lengthy break after he became only the second Indian after Abhinav Bindra to win Olympic gold, Chopra said things are going well at the camp. He is currently at Chula Vista Elite Athlete Training Centre in California for a threemonth camp with his German coach Klaus Bartonietz. “My training is going well and

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New Delhi, Dec 30: Former Indian cricketers including legendary batter Sachin Tendulkar on Thursday showered praise on the Virat Kohli-led side for their historic win at the Centurion, saying the team has capability to pick 20 wickets in a Test match anywhere in the world. Team India defeated South Africa by 113 runs in the opening Test at Centurion to take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series. The win is also India’s first-ever Test victory at the venue, which is largely considered to be a fortress for South Africa. “Superb bowling by an attack that can pick 20 wickets in a Test match anywhere in the world. Congratulations to #TeamIndia on a convincing victory!,” Tendulkar wrote on Twitter. The former India coach Ravi Shastri also congratulated Team India, saying, “Wohoo Brisbane, Oval, Lord’s and now Centurion…

I am getting back my fitness. Initially, it was very difficult and I experienced some pain and stiffness as I started my physical training, but now things are better,” Chopra told the media in a virtual interaction on Thursday, Chopra had decided to end his season in August considering that everyone wanted to have a slice of the Tokyo Games gold winner. He had spent the last few months soaking up the adulation, participating in events, and meeting people. He had generally been enjoying his time with family and friends, ignoring diet restrictions and fitness regimen, gaining weight. Now after a couple of weeks’ training, which had initially been hard according to him, the 24-year-old reigning Commonwealth and Asian Games gold medallist from Haryana feels he is getting back to peak fitness and will will soon sit down with his coach and support staff to

plan his schedule in the season. “I have shed some weight and will be losing some more in the next couple of weeks. I will soon sit down with my coach and support staff and decide my schedule for the season. As all these events are very important, I am planning to participate in all of them,” Chopra said on Thursday. Chopra said he will try to accommodate as many of these important events as possible in his schedule. He said he will participate in all big events unless there is a very short gap between them. For Chopra, crossing the 90-metre mark remains his aim for the upcoming season and Chopra said he wants to achieve the feat this season. It is a psychological barrier that Chopra wants to cross at the earliest but the bigger task will be to hurl the spear continuously beyond 90 in the next few years.

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Congratulations @imVkohli, Rahul Dravid and the entire contingent on becoming the first Asian nation to win at Centurion #BoxingDayTest #TeamIndia.” The former India batter VVS Laxman lauded Team India’s efforts. “Began the year with great resilience at Sydney , followed by an incredible win at the Gabba, the Lord’s win was special and India end the year with a brilliant win at the Centurion. Has been a brilliant Test Match year for Team India. Congratulations on a wonderful win #INDvsSA,” he wrote on Twitter. The Board of Cricket Control in India (BCCI) secretary Jay Shah, too, hailed the team and wrote, “Congratulations to #TeamIndia on a fabulous victory at Centurion despite a day being washed out due to rain. 2021 has been a phenomenal year with many famous away Test wins in Brisbane, Lord’s, and The Oval.”

Australian PM lavishes praise on MCG hero Scott Boland Melbourne, Dec 28: Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison led the tributes for 32-year-old pace bowler Scott Boland, who singlehandedly demolished England in the Boxing Day Test on Day 3, grabbing six second-innings wickets and conceding only seven runs in the four overs he bowled. Boland’s efforts on Test debut saw Australia crush England by an innings and 14 runs to take an unassailable 3-0 lead and retain the Ashes at the MCG on Tuesday. “How good!!! They don’t come much bigger than that. An Ashes triumph to rival the best at the G (MCG). Congratulations to @patcummins30 (captain), @ stevesmith49, Justin Langer (coach) and the whole team -and especially @sboland24 -- an inspirational performance. A great day,” tweeted Morrison. Boland’s figures of 6/7 are the best by a debutant on the MCG in 144 years, and the only player to

have taken more wickets is Tom Kendall, who recorded 7/55 in 1877 -- five years before Australia’s victory at The Oval gave life to the Ashes. Former England cricketerturned-commentator Michael Vaughan said, “England nowhere near good enough... they will know that... but seeing a 32 yr old (Boland) on debut on his home turf with the Crowd going berserk is what makes Sport so special... Well done Australia... Far too good for England... #Ashes.” Australian cricketing great Shane Warne tweeted, “Amazing stuff and how good was @ scottboland24 on debut rocking the mighty MCG -- just awesome, well done mate.” Boland has become only the second Indigenous male player to wear the baggy green after pace bowler Jason Gillespie, who played 71 Tests between 1996 and 2006.

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INDIA NEWS QUEENSLAND

Jan 7, 2022 - Vol 4, Issue 10

TRAVEL

The celebrity choice for Maldives

ue to the one resort one island idea, Kandima Maldives, with its surreal surroundings in a tropical private island setting, is the safest heaven. The game-changing resort made its mark in 2021 as the first choice of many Bollywood celebrities, renowned artists from various fields, and prominent sports stars. When celebrities' social media feeds are full with fun beach photos and breathtaking scenery, it's practically impossible not to have a case of wanderlust! This 3-kilometer-long island paradise, which has everything for everyone, has been visited by a constellation of stars. Kandima's K'Krew has entertained these high-profile guests with a wide range of interests, customising each one's stay to fit their needs, whether it's a romantic honeymoon, a wellness retreat,

IANS

a family vacation, or even a staycation with friends! Take a peek at these celebs who recently spent unforgettable vacations in this so stylish and entertaining destination: Singer Rahul Vaidya and Disha Parmar enjoyed their honeymoon and celebrated Rahul’s birthday at Kandima, accompanied by their close friends. Bollywood actress Bipasha Basu and her husband Karan Singh Grover spent quality time with their parents during a relaxing family holiday. It planned their trip to include, among other things, a spectacular sunset sail and specifically crafted gastronomic experiences. Singer Aditya Narayan and his wife Shweta Agarwal took a couple’s staycation. They are total water babies, and the resort

went to great lengths to create breathtaking experiences for them to explore the Indian Ocean through Aquaholics, the resort’s in-house watersports centre. Actress Sonalee Kulkarni and her husband Kunal Benodekar had the time of their lives on their honeymoon, taking in everything it has to offer, from special culinary delights to a Dolphin cruise, relaxing spa treatments for the pair, and much more. These are only a few examples. Bollywood actors Sonu Sood and Elli Avrram, cricketer Mohammad Shami, and Indian television personalities Shefali Jariwala, Amna Sharif, Aarti Singh, Tina Datta, Erica Fernandes, and others have all visited Kandima Maldives in the recent past. Deanne Pandey, a celebrity fitness trainer, wellness advocate, and author, frequents the resort.

Three new destinations, three stunning intimate properties

teadfast, strong, and evidently attaining their vision of opening a multitude of luxury experiential hotels, The Postcard Hotel is set to open two new hotels this December, The Postcard Hideaway, Netravali and The Postcard Mandalay Hall, Kochi. Refurbished and renewed, The Postcard Galle, Sri Lanka also opens again, as Sri Lanka has reopened its borders for tourists. The Postcard Hideaway, Netravali opens on 10th December in a pristine, hidden ecosystem of South Goa. This first hideaway resort comes with 20 rooms spread across 20 acres, enveloped by the western ghats and overlooking the verdant hills. Propelling a wellness journey, the hotel is designed and curated to let one absorb the nature around and detox from the outside

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world, while offering restorative seclusion and an all new way to holiday in Goa. “This expansive resort is perfect for ones looking to truly unwind and get away from the noise and pace of busy city lives. All our hotels in Goa have a uniquely distinct identity that offer an immersion of the surrounding spaces and culture. Our hotel in Netravali goes a step further towards exploring a completely unseen dimension of Goa. We truly believe that the experience at this property has the potential to change the way many people see Goa.” says Kapil Chopra, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, The Postcard Hotel. The Postcard Mandalay Hall is an art hotel nestled in the cobbled by lanes of Mattancherry, Kochi, in a 200year old landmark building

that was once a residential Jewish quarter. What makes this hotel completely charming is the way it has been crafted to offer an unforgettable experience that bridges Kochi’s past and present. Each of the five luxury rooms is an immersive living gallery, exhibiting artwork and installations by different artists. “Our hotel in Kochi is all soul. Each section is carefully designed to tell its own unique story, be it the rooms, the heritage jewellery store or even the untouched exterior walls.” says Kapil. The Postcard Galle, Sri Lanka is another Postcard experience that shouldn’t be missed as the year ends. With a spectacular view of the enchanting Indian ocean, this 10 suite resort is also a stone’s throw from Galle Fort and just an hour away from the biggest

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mammal in the world, the blue whale. “We opened the hotel a few months before the pandemic. With Sri Lanka now open again for tourists, it gives us the chance to bring this enchanting experience back to our guests.

Located above the waters of a beautiful blue lagoon in a neighbourhood filled with wellpreserved architecture, local cafes and boutiques, The Postcard Galle offers the perfect balance of some cultural exploration as well as some solitude by the sea.” says Kapil.

INDIA NEWS QUEENSLAND

Jan 7, 2022 - Vol 4, Issue 10

ART & CULTURE

Jaipur Literature Festival - A Curtain Raiser

he Jaipur Literature Festival 2022 programme has been revealed today at the Delhi Curtain Raiser. The programme, is a vast and kaleidoscopic, with themes ranging from the arts, biographies, business & economics, climate change, current affairs, food, poetry, science & technology, Artificial Intelligence, and the writing process, etc. Set to take place between 28th January to 1st February, 2022 on-ground in Jaipur and until February 6th online, the 10-day-long annual literature extravaganza, will return with in a hybrid avatar. The Delhi Curtain Raiser, hosted by the producer Teamwork Arts at The Leela Palace saw a breathtaking performance by the Anirudh Varma Collective along with Rajasthani bagpiper Shyopat Julia welcoming the audience with his melodious music. This year's veritable power-house roster of speakers, like every edition, reflects the diversity of the Festival's programming in books, themes, subjects, and ideas representing literature and thoughts intrinsic to both India and the world. This year, the Festival will host over 250 speakers, writers, thinkers, politicians, journalists and popular cultural icons from across a vast array of nationalities, representing 21 Indian and international languages as well as major awards such as the Nobel, the Booker Prize, the Pulitzer Prize, the Sahitya Akademi, the Padma Bhushan, the Padma Shri, the DSC Prize for Literature, the JCB Prize for Literature and many more. Some highlights from the programme include Nobel Laureate Abdulrazak Gurnah's session. Gurnah won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 2021 and is celebrated as one of Africa's greatest living writers. His novel Afterlives examines the brutality of German colonial forces in East Africa and the lives of Tanganyikans impacted by devastating war. Featuring another Nobel Laureate, Daniel Kahneman joins professor Olivier Sibony and legal scholar Cass R. Sunstein in explaining how and why humans are so susceptible to noise in judgment and what we can do about it. They will be in conversation at the session titled 'Noise: A Flaw in Human Judgment'. At another session, yet another Nobel Laureate Abhijit V Banerjee will be in conversation artist and illustrator Cheyenne Olivier. This session will explore a totally different dimension of the economist donning the cap of a gourmet chef. Discussing his delicious cookbook Cooking To Save Your Life, Banerjee will take the audience through the recipes he has delighted his friends,

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colleagues, and students with. He will speak movingly of the bonds of food and memory, friendship and community, across cultures and continents. The 2021 Booker Prize winning author Damon Galgut will discuss his writing style, process, inspirations, and the essence of his latest work The Promise. Galgut is a master of the knot, the stubborn rope which chafes and binds people to places, politics, prophets and the past. His latest book, sharp, meditative and winner of the Booker Prize, conveys the play of power in relationships with self, society and the state against the backdrop of post-Apartheid South Africa. Booker Prize-winning author DBC Pierre's recent and riotous novel, Meanwhile in Dopamine City, defies form and the limits of literary possibility. In Dopamine City, a father grapples with a world changing every day, his daughter's request for her first smartphone and the choice between joining this new world, wither, or escape altogether? Pierre will discuss experimental fiction and the plea for heart and soul in robotic times at the session. British writer and translator Deborah Smith, in conversation with translator Arunava Sinha, will discuss the many, often intangible, tasks of the translator comprising integrity, interpretation, expression and the singular objective of storytelling. Her translation of Korean author Han Kang's The Vegetarian won the Man Booker International Prize in 2016 and is widely celebrated for its feminist treatment of Kang's vivid and radical novel. Indian-American businesswoman and former CEO of PepsiCo Indra Nooyi's memoir, My Life in Full: Work, Family, and Our Future, follows her journey of grit and determination as she broke through several glass ceilings and the barriers of gender and race to become a global business leader. In conversation with author Aparna Piramal Raje, Nooyi will discuss her life, her trailblazing philosophy of 'Performance with Purpose' and the importance of a care infrastructure that benefits both women and men. In conversation with Seema Goswami, celebrated Indian actress Neena Gupta will discuss the backstories behind the glamorous facade, the ups and downs, the triumphs and heartbreaks that she has manoeuvred in her extraordinary life. In Gupta's candid autobiography, Sach Kahun Toh, she chronicles her extraordinary journey, both personal and professional, deconstructing Bollywood to tell her version of the realities behind the starstudded screen. At another session considered

as one of the greatest sciencefiction authors, Kim Stanley Robinson will be in conversation with journalist and author Raghu Karnad. Robinson will share his vision of the not-too-distant future. Beginning with a deadly human-induced heatwave in India, his recent cli-fi novel, The Ministry for the Future, is a roadmap on which life on Earth can survive. The Dawn of Everything provides an extraordinary perspective of human history and social evolution, challenging our most fundamental assumptions to reveal a broader scope for human emancipation. Author David Wengrow studies the origins of predominant theories of our primitive ancestors, barbarianism, human instinct, the origin of states and civilisations and their ties to the conflict between European society and indigenous discourse. In conversation with Rebecca Wragg Sykes, Wengrow will discuss the conceptual shackles and the possibilities that emerge from their removal. Bringing a historical flavour to the programme, acclaimed writer and historian Manu S. Pillai and writer and politician Dr. Shashi Tharoor will get into a conversation with author Ira Mukhoty. The idea of India's maharajahs as trifling, decadent despots who chased opulence over the public good, or as incompetent leaders who submitted to British design and dominance, has long been circulated, past verifiability. Pillai disputes this view in his seamless new book, False Allies: India's Maharajahs in the Age of Ravi Varma. Tharoor is also no stranger to upending misinformed notions, and has chronicled disruptive histories in works such as An Era of Darkness: The British Empire in India and Inglorious Empire: What the British Did to India and his most recent book, The Struggle for India's Soul: Nationalism and the Fate of Democracy. It will be a conversation that is sure to galvanise historical perspectives. Pillai will also be in conversation with researcher and writer, Anirudh Kanisetti at another session where both writers come together for an invigorating conversation on the lords and legacies of the Deccan. Kanisetti's upcoming book Lords of the Deccan: Southern India from the Chalukyas to the Cholas is a testament to his thoughtful and immense study of medieval South India and its influence on contemporary politics and culture. The Festival will feature another interesting conversation between leading Indian art historian and recipient of the Padma Shri and the Padma Bhushan, BN Goswamy and historian, author and with Festival Co-Director William Dalrymple. Comprehensive and

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Indian Education Dairy

deeply engaging, this session will be an accessible and authoritative primer to art in India and South Asia. In his latest book Conversations, Goswamy opens a window to the artworks that define our sensibilities. British biographer and literary agent Andrew Lownie's The Mountbattens: The Lives and Loves of Dickie and Edwina Mountbatten is an intimate story of an unusual marriage in a family of great intrigue. Lownie illustrates the powerful partnership between the last Viceroy of India, Dickie, and the magnetic, wealthy and universally-loved Edwina. Lownie has most recently petitioned the British government to release the 'Mountbatten documents', and explores in his book, the questions they might definitively answer revealing the truth behind Dieppe Raid, the Partition of India, the alleged affair between Edwina and Nehru and the assassination of Mountbatten in 1979. In conversation with historian and author Narayani Basu, Lownie will reveal the veracity behind the legends of the Mountbattens. Writer, columnist and curator Sujata Prasad's co-authored biography, The Dream of Revolution: A Biography of Jayaprakash Narayan, is a riveting account of a man whose ideas and beliefs epitomised Marxian and Gandhian styles of political engagement. Along with historian and author Narayani Basu and Indian sociologist and public intellectual Dipankar Gupta, Prasad will discuss the crucial role played by one man in shaping India's history. Viruses exist in the marginal space between the realm of the living and non-living. Acclaimed writer and biochemist Pranay Lal brings this marginal life form to the forefront and gives us fascinating insights into the world of viruses in his book Invisible Empire. In conversation with the academic, surgeon, and author Ambarish Satwik, Lal will explore the history of viruses that have turned from simple life forms to catastrophic illness-causing agents and discuss the vast ramifications that one tiny life

form can have on humanity. The audience will also witness a session which looks at the relations between India and Bangladesh and examines the socio-political, cultural and economic way forward to fuel and support the rich diversity of the two neighbouring countries, and commemorating 50 years of Bangladesh's Liberation War. Eminent Bangladeshi journalist Mahfuz Anam is the editor of The Daily Star, Bangladesh's foremost English language daily newspaper. He will be in conversation with the author of The Bengalis: A Portrait of a Community and The Eastern Gate, Sudeep Chakravarti. They will discuss the shifting axis of Bangladesh's socio-economic, political and religious ethos and the emerging roadblocks around migration, refugees, water-sharing and development that await the road ahead. Former diplomat and columnist Pinak Ranjan Chakravarty will also be a part of the session. Writer, screenwriter and activist Farrukh Dhondy boasts as many scintillating life experiences as he does professional accolades. From bearing witness to pre-independent India, the Partition and a great many social movements to meeting a roster of eclectic and even murderous celebrities, Dhondy's life is a cinematic rollercoaster that reignites excitement in memoir-writing. In conversation with film and theatre director Arghya Lahiri, co-author of Dolly Thakore's unapologetic memoir, Dhondy will discuss life as a writer. The Festival will also explore the artistic side of literature with some sessions concentrated on art, culture, music, poetry etc. at a dedicated venue for sessions on the arts. Arundhathi Subramaniam is an awardwinning poet, author and critic who has contributed greatly to contemporary spiritual writing and exploration. Subramaniam will discuss the confluence of literature, culture and yoga, the ultimate practice and meetingplace for individual consciousness and the universe.

INDIA NEWS QUEENSLAND

Jan 7, 2022 - Vol 4, Issue 10

BOOKS & LITERATURE

Kafeel Khan's book on Changing 'UP waala bhaiya' Gorakhpur tragedy, his journey slur to badge of honour: Yogi's K biographer on UP transformation IANS

three things in UP's politics -- goonda raj, widespread corruption and a high degree of nepotism.

ogi Adityanath's biographer Shantanu Gupta, having made waves with his bestselling 'The Monk Who Became Chief Minister', returns with a new title 'The Monk Who Transformed Uttar Pradesh' published by Garuda Prakashan. The book meticulously details how Yogi Adityanath transformed Uttar Pradesh as Chief Minister, in various aspects like law and order, air and road connectivity, education, health infrastructure, electricity, industrial growth, agriculture and other important aspects. The book carries a foreword by T.V. Mohandas Pai, ex-director of Infosys and chairman of Aarin Capital. Pai writes: "When Yogi Adityanath took over as CM, Lutyens Delhi -- the name by which the power structure and supporters of the ancient regime are known -exploded in anger and derision. They questioned his capability to be CM, abused him roundly, and predicted the total failure of his regime. They forget that he was a 5-time MP, a person of great accomplishment as an MP going by his track record in Parliament, had toured most districts of UP and knew the living conditions of the people of UP more than any of his critics." The author, Shantanu Gupta, goes on to explain that governance under the SP and BSP governments institutionalized

"Corruption became part of the basic grammar of UP. All development indices of UP remained abysmally low during those years, apart from the crime numbers, which always soared. Only industry, which was getting benefited from Uttar Pradesh in those years, was Bollywood ï¿½ which drew inspiration for many of its criminal thriller sequences from UP, where Mulayam Singh Yadav had in-famously defended heinous rapists, saying -- "Ladke Hain, Galti Ho Jati Hai" (Boys, do commit some small mistakes sometimes)," he writes. The arguments in the book are backed by hard facts -- the massive administrative changes that Yogi brought in UP's work culture, how he overhauled policing in UP, how he electrified a dark Uttar Pradesh with the motto 'Sabko Bijli, Paryapt Bijli aur Nirbadh Bijli', how UP became an expressway state under Yogi's regime and how industries, prosperity and jobs are returning to UP under Yogi. Having chronicled how Yogi changed the perception of Uttar Pradesh as an un-developed, uneducated, corrupt, lawless and 'Bimaru' state to a transformed and progressive Uttar Pradesh, the author also showcases Yogi's merit-based education system versus Akhilesh Yadav's cheatingbased system, the story of Yogi's One-District-One-MedicalCollege mission to his Covid management, how Yogi's massive pro-farmer steps rendered socalled farmer protests irrelevant, the cultural renaissance of UP under Yogi government and finally, how the duo of Modi-Yogi brought welfare for the poor in UP. "Uttar Pradesh was disparaged as 'bimaru' and known for governance based on identity politics rather than all-around development, Sabka Vikas. Shantanu Gupta's book is an

important contribution to how an effective leader, rooted in India's ancient ethos while looking for apt solutions for contemporary times, can bring real change," says Sankrant Sanu, founder and CEO of Garuda Prakashan. Many prominent scholars and journalists have applauded the book on social media platforms ï¿½ Sr Advisor to I&B Ministry Kanchan Gupta, Author and CIC Uday Mahurkar, Author Harsh Madhusudan, USA Congressional candidate Ritesh Tondon, to name a few. In Book discussion organized by Overseas friends of BJP for the diaspora in 13 cities of Europe - Rajya Sabha MP Sudhanshu Trivedi, BJP's Foreign cell head Vijay Chauthaiwale and Author Shantanu shared their thoughts. Sudhanshu Trivedi applauded his college junior Shantanu's work and added that Uttar Pradesh has seen a sea of positive change in Yogi Adityanath's tenure. "Today the same UP has become second in Ease of Doing Business (EoDB) ranking leaving many industrialized states behind. Under Yogi Adityanath, Uttar Pradesh has become the second largest state of India in Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP), surging ahead of even the industrialized states like Gujarat and Tamil Nadu. Uttar Pradesh has doubled the per capita income of its citizens -from Rs 43,000 per year in 201516, when the SP was in power, to Rs 95,000 a year in 2021.

afeel Khan, the doctor embroiled in the August 2017 Gorakhpur hospital incident controversy, has written a book on the subject.

IANS

Titled, "The Gorakhpur Hospital Tragedy, A Doctor's Memoir of a Deadly Medical Crisis", the memoir presents Khan's version of the incident and subsequent developments that have kept him on the firing line ever since. "My book is an honest, heartfelt account of the terrible events of 10 Aug 2017 and after. I dedicate it to all the parents who lost their children in the tragedy. This book is dedicated to those 63 children and 18 adults," says Khan. "I thought of giving readers facts and evidence. This is not only the story about me. It is about kids and adults who died, and about families who are waiting for justice." The book, claims Khan, has stories that expose the system's failures and exposes "real culprits". The Gorakhpur hospital tragedy took place on August 7, 2017 when oxygen disruption eld to the death of 63 children. Khan relates the "gut-wrenching turmoil that followed - a suspension without end, an eight-month-long incarceration and a relentless fight for justice in the face of extreme apathy and persecution". When asked if the book is timed keeping in mind the Uttar Pradesh elections, Khan said that he has been writing the book for a

long time. "The most important point the book talks about is the broken health system. The system collapsed. It also talks about doctors' struggle. The poor and the marginalised community depend on public hospitals. I have talked about the public health system." Born in Gorakhpur, Khan had completed his MBBS and MD from Kasturba Medical College, Manipal, in Karnataka. He was suspended from Baba Raghav Das Medical College's Nehru Hospital after the August 2017 incident. With jail terms in between and after a long legal battle, Khan was terminated from service in November this year. There are still cases pending against him in various courts.

Institutions like the World Health Organization (WHO), IIT Kanpur, Niti Aayog and the Mumbai High Court praised Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath over his Covid-19 management and the way the Yogi government handled the state in the first and second wave. In fact, Australian MP Craig Kelly was so impressed with Yogi Adityanath's handling of Covid that he publicly requested for Yogi Adityanath to be loaned to Australia for some time to manage Covid in his country," adds the author.

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Jan 7, 2022 - Vol 4, Issue 10

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Deepika's glam 'this is 83' pictures makes hubby Ranveer go 'uff' Instagram

ENTERTAINMENT

Samantha shuts down troll who accused her of 'robbing' Rs 50 cr from ex-husband

latest post shared by the actress. Deepika posted a series of pictures on Instagram, where she looked every inch glamorous dressed in a floor-sweeping midnight-green ensemble. She completed her look with a statement jewelled necklace and bold eyes. For the caption, Deepika simply wrote: "#ThisIs83". Ranveer couldn't stop himself from commenting on his wife's pictures. He exclaimed: "Ufffff." In '83', Ranveer plays the role of the captain of the 1983 team and cricketing legend, Kapil Dev, who led the underdogs to coveted World Cup glory, beating the mighty two-time previous winners West Indies in the final at Lord's. Deepika, the film's co-producer, plays Kapil's wife, Romi Dev, in the film.

eepika Padukone and Ranveer Singh never shy away from publicly professing their love for each other, especially if it gets them fan eyeballs for an upcoming film featuring one (or both) of them.

The special screening in Mumbai of Kabir Khan's cricket drama '83', where Bollywood's showstoppers celebrated the film with the 1983 World Cup-winning team, gave the power couple an opportunity for yet another PDA moment in a

Others on the film's cast include Tahir Raj Bhasin, Jiiva, Saqib Saleem, Jatin Sarna, Chirag Patil (son of 1983 team member Sadeep Patil), Dinker Sharma, Nishant Dahiya, Harrdy Sandhu, Sahil Khattar, Ammy Virk, Addinath Kothare, Dhairya Karwa and R. Badree, apart from Pankaj Tripathi, Neena Gupta and Boman Irani. The film is releasing theatrically on Friday, December 24.

'Decoupled': Surveen Chawla calls Madhavan a 'dream co-star' behind their impeccable onscreen chemistry and repartees, Surveen said, "I remember when we were doing the test shoot and the first scene of the show, it felt like Maddy (R. Madhavan) and I had known each other since forever. The moment I spoke to him on the first video call we had, I found him to be really chill and easy-breezy."

ctress Samantha Ruth Prabhu shut down a troll on social media who accused her of "robbing" Rs 50 crore from ex-husband and actor Naga Chaitanya as alimony after their divorce. Samantha has been trending on social media ever since her item song 'Oo Antava' from 'Pushpa' was released. While a huge section of the Internet was busy lauding the actress for the newest hat she has worn, one section has been degrading her for her 'boldness' in the song. On Tuesday, one troll commented on her marital status, as he also accused her of robbing Rs 50 crore from a "gentleman".

His comment implies that the actress had taken alimony from Naga Chaitanya, related to their separation. Samantha, who usually ignores her social media trolls by simply blocking them, replied, "God bless your soul." With this reply, the troll deleted his disrespectful comment soon. Samantha's subtle, yet hitting reply caught the attention of all. On the work front, Samantha Ruth Prabhu is to appear in Gunasekhar's directorial 'Shaakunthalam', while she has a couple of multilingual movies in her kitty. She also has a Hollywood movie titled 'The Arrangements Of Love' on her list.

Talking about how Madhavan approaches a scene holistically, she said, "One very important thing about him that I noticed very early on during our interactions was that as an actor he is not thinking about just himself, or just his character, he's very giving and generous.. He's thinking about the show." "So that process and that kind of camaraderie for a show like this where you're playing partners, I think just worked beautifully. I couldn't have asked for a better partner to play Arya," she concluded

ctress Surveen Chawla, who was recently seen in web show 'Decoupled', has called R. Madhavan "a dream co-star to

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work with" and that "it has been a pleasure" for her to work with him on the show. Shedding light on the reason

Created and written by Manu Joseph and directed by Hardik Mehta, 'Decoupled' follows the life of an urban Indian couple as they decide to go their separate ways. The series is available to stream on Netflix.

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Kareena shares her Covid quarantine essentials A

ctress Kareena Kapoor Khan, who is currently in isolation for Covid, has shared her quarantine essentials and it is something one cannot imagine.

ENTERTAINMENT

Working in multiple languages has enriched me, says actor Kashmira

Kareena on Thursday took to Instagram, where she also shared updates from the 12th day of her quarantine. She wrote: "I am still trying to figure out if we are in COVID times or not...anyway, day 12...two days to go...stay safe all" in her first Instagram story. Kareena then shared a picture of herself flaunting her signature pout and wrote: "Pyjama, lipstick and a pout... quite the combination... try it!!" According to reports, Kareena and a few of her friends, including Amrita Arora, Seema Khan and Maheep Kapoor, contracted Covid last week. Kareena will next be seen in the Aamir Khan-starrer 'Laal Singh Chaddha'. It will hit the big screen on April 14, 2022. Atul Kulkarni has done the Indian adaptation of the Academy Award-winning film 'Forrest Gump' that was originally written by Eric Roth. 'Laal Singh Chaddha' has been directed by Advait Chandan with music by Pritam and lyrics by Amitabh Bhattacharya. The film is presented by Viacom18 Studios.

Anupria Goenka calls 'Tiger Zinda Hai' a turning point in her career Y very close to my heart because it was a turning point in my career. Poorna was a very nuanced character, and I am thankful to Yash Raj, Aditya (Chopra) Sir, and Ali Abbas Zafar for giving me the opportunity to play her." Talking about the film's schedule, she says, "We had a lovely time shooting the film. We were in Abu Dhabi for two months, and I made some wonderful friends on sets. Working with Salman Khan, Katrina Kaif, and Kumud Mishra was a wonderful learning opportunity. It also marked my first collaboration with YRF, and they are like family now." She also praises the director of the film, Ali Abbas Zafar as she adds, "I also found a lovely director in Ali Abbas Zafar. He is a one-man army and is always on his feet, ready to take on any challenge. For me, 'Tiger Zinda Hai' is a very important film. I still reminisce about the time I spent while shooting it."

s Salman Khan's 'Tiger Zinda Hai' completes four years on Wednesday, actress Anupria Goenka who played the character of Poorna, reminisces about her

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experience of working in the film, calling it a turning point in her career. While sharing her excitement, Anupria says, "'Tiger Zinda Hai' is

The actress is currently gearing up for the second season of the much awaited show 'Asur' and another yet-to-be-titled series for Hotstar.

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es, some films may not be commercially viable but it takes a lot of courage to make such cinema. What the audience then witnesses is something mind-blowing because the story and treatment are not meant just to make the box office buzz. So many young directors are offering new narratives and are willing to explore the unexplored. These are truly interesting times," says actor Kashmira who made her debut with the Tamil movie 'Sivappu Manjal Pachai', and has been part of projects like Mission Mangal (Hindi) and Rampaat (Marathi). Now all set to make her Kannada debut with filmmaker Vijay Kumar Konda's upcoming movie, 'Rider', in which she plays the role of Soumya, who comes to India from the US for her love, the actor tells IANS, "She is strong and believes in the old school definition of love. The character is quite like me in real life It was such a pleasure working with actor Nikhil Kumarsway, who is very kind and encouraging." For someone who has worked in movies in multiple languages --- Hindi, Tamil, Marathi, and now Kannada, the experience has enriched her as an actor. "It has definitely made me understand different cultures and that really

adds up to my experience as an actor. Whenever I am doing a movie in a particular language, I make it a point to closely observe how the people of that culture carry themselves." Stressing that it is never just one factor that makes her sign the dotted line, Kashmira adds that for a good project multiple elements like the subject, director, story and cast play a decisive role. "A film is a collaborative effort and requires excellence in each department. It is like a well-cooked dish which cannot be made unless all ingredients are perfectly balanced." As her movie 'Anbarivu' gets set to stream on Hotstar in January, the actor feels that streaming has brought about a metamorphosis in the industry. "It is content that occupies the centre stage now. People are ready to accept new faces if the subject and story are exceptional. And we all know about the phenomenal reach of these platforms." Looking forward to working with directors like Anjali Menon, Gauri Shinde, Sudha Kongara, Kabir Khan, Shoojit Sircar and Om Raut among others, Kashmira has two upcoming Tamil releases.

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Luxury, lifestyle, location — welcome to Dress Circle

Jan 7, 2022 - Vol 4, Issue 10

Located in the heart of one of Australia’s fastest growing regions, Brookwater is Brisbane’s best kept secret for luxury living. Crafted around the Greg Norman designed golf course, Brookwater provides a rare combination of prestige golf-side living and natural bushland beauty. With over 800 families already calling Brookwater home, we are pleased to introduce the next stage of this exclusive community — your own architecturally designed piece of paradise — Dress Circle.

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