Indian News Queensland - November 2019 Vol 3 Issue 2 by Australia India News

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NOVEMBER 2019 Vol 3 Issue 2

FICQ Diwali Delights Brisbane

King George Square reverberated with the sounds of Bollywood and Indian dance and music on the night of October 25 as the festivities during Diwali 2019 went underway (Contd on Page 3)

PAGE 4 INAS Global Games conclude in Brisbane

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PAGE 10 Highly-contested IABCA Awards conclude www.indiannewsqld.com.au

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Dear Readers, Celebration was the flavour of the month in October, what with all the festivities and events during Dussehra, Diwali and Navratri. It was indeed the most active month of the year for the Indian community in Brisbane, and I doubt if even December can now outdo it, in terms of scale and magnitude of festivities. Needless to say, our copy desk was inundated with accounts of these events. It's all there inside. The Diwali event organised by FICQ on October 25 was the grand one, and the celebrations and festive mood aside, the Indian community raised about $15000 -- for the welfare of Queensland farmers through this event. Just goes to show how this sacred festival of the Hindus originally now enthrals the broader mankind and showers them with compassion, love and brotherhood. Making October even more interesting a month, the IANS Global Games and the IABCA Awards also took place. We did not miss the action in both of these events as well. All up, we saw more abundance and prosperity in society, one of the key themes during Diwali, than in any other month, only making me wish every month was October and every day Diwali.

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NOVEMBER 2019

Indian News Queensland | FESTIVALS & EVENTS

Brisbane vibrates with Bollywood beats and FICQ Diwali Celebration

ing George Square reverberated with the sounds of Bollywood and Indian dance and music on the night of October 25 as the festivities during Diwali 2019, The Indian Festival of Lights, organised by the Federation of Indian Communities of Queensland (FICQ), the largest non-profit umbrella organisation of the Indian communities in Australia, went underway. The grand open-air show featuring Bollywood dances, cultural performances and Indian food was attended by a multitude of Indian diaspora members. Distinguished community leaders, high-profile politicians as well as the who's who of the Indian community in the city were also present at the much-awaited event. Most notable among the VIPs were Premier of Queensland Annastacia Palaszczuk, Lord Mayor of Brisbane Adrian Schrinner, Minister for Local Government, Racing and Multicultural Affairs, Hon Stirling Hinchliffe MP, Cr Angela Owen, Councillor for Calamvale Ward, Dr Maha Sinnathamby, Chairman of Springfield Land Corporation, FICQ President, Dr Ram Mohan, Jim Varghese AM, National Chair, Australia India Business Council, and India's Hon Consul in Brisbane, Archana Singh, among others.

The all-day event started at 11 in the morning, and after the ceremonial welcome of the VIPs and distinguished guests, went on well into the night. The highlights of the event were the various dance acts by several teams from within the city as well as the Bollywood industry. Earlier during the event, there were also a citizenship ceremony, a fashion show, laser show as well as fireworks near the end. The flagship event of FICQ showcasing Indian culture and music attracts thousands of Indians every year, who are there to enjoy the music, dance programs, the Indian food and the overall Indian festivities. FICQ has been organising the Diwali festival in Brisbane since 2010, promoting harmony and multiculturalism. More than 15,000 people all over Brisbane and other parts of Queensland attend the event annually, signifying the success of the festival over the years. Diwali, mostly observed by Hindus, Sikhs and Jains, is now celebrated by more than a billion people across the globe every year. Even though the festival is pronounced differently and has many spellings, the common theme of triumph of good over evil and of light over darkness is well recognised.

Cr Angela Owen with FICQ executive committee members

Distinguished guests of honour and high-level government officials on the parade towards the venue

Bronwyn Bartsch (left), Director of International Services Division, Central Queensland University, Brisbane, Premier of Queensland Annastacia Palaszczuk (middle) with Dr Maha Sinnathamby, Chairman of Springfield Land Corporation

Dignitaries as well as the multitude of Indians seated at King George Square

Trevor Evans MP representing Prime Minister, Deb Frecklington MP opposition leader, Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner, Lady Mayoress Nina Schrinner, Cr Angela Owen, seated in front row with other dignitaries

Contd on Page 19

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NOVEMBER 2019

Indian News Queensland | FESTIVALS & EVENTS

INAS Global Games conclude in Brisbane

he 2019 International Federation for Athletes with Intellectual ImpairÂ ments (INAS) Global Games concluded in Brisbane on October 19. INAS has been at the forefront of inclusivity for intellectually challenged athletes since 1989, and this year Brisbane hosted the 30th INAS Global Games. More than 1,000 athletes from 50 countries competed in various sports. There were ten sports in all, including athletics, basketball, cricket, cycling, futsal (indoor soccer), rowing, swimming, table tennis, taekwondo and tennis. The day also marked a big change in INAS history, as president Marc Truffaut announced the INASâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s new name: Virtus. The name has

changed, but the spirit continues. The Closing Ceremony of Brisbane 2019 was chosen for the launch of the new name, look, values and logo to recognise the fact that the INAS Global Games have become the world's biggest high-performance sports event for athletes with intellectual impairments. The games were inaugurated in Brisbane on October 12. Besides the International Paralympic Committee President Andrew Parsons, also present at the opening ceremony was Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk. Parsons and Palaszczuk were joined by Brisbane Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner, Australian Federal Sports Minister Richard Colbeck and INAS President Marc Truffaut.

Tamil Association of Queensland (TAQ) hosted a reception for the Indian IANS team

Lord Mayor of Brisbane Adrian Schrinner (left) and Premier of Queensland Annastacia Palaszczuk (2nd left) along with other dignitaries

Athletes from India, along with their trainers, posing for the camera

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NOVEMBER 2019

Indian News Queensland | FESTIVALS & EVENTS

QTA celebrates Dussehra and Diwali in Coorparoo ueensland Telugu Associa tion (QTA) celebrated Dussehra and Deepavali festivals on the evening of October 5 at the Coorparoo Secondary College, Coorparoo. Over 400 people from wider community attended the event. The crowd were entertained by international artists from Tollywood, and the event was attended by chief guests Councillor Fiona Cunnigham from Coorparoo ward, Councillor Angela Owen from Calamvale ward, Dr. Ram Mohan, president, FICQ and Mr. Anoop Nannuru, vice president, FICQ. The event started with a ‘deepa prajwalana' (lighting of the lamp) by the chief guests and then with samskritam shloka chanting by the students of Bala Samskar Kendra (BSK), Queensland. The children of Telugu Christian Fellowship (TCF) performed a drama on the birth of Jesus Christ. Other participants performed classical dances. After the local talent performances, the Tollywood artists took over the stage and they sang many melodious songs, both classical ones and heart-thumping contemporary ones. Mr Dinker Kalvala and Ms Spandana Puppala are well-known celebrities for the melodious songs they sang in Telugu movies and in

private albums. The audience were mesmerised by their grace as well as for their energy, and the evening was enlivened by music and dance performances. Patrons were each offered a free raffle ticket during the entry, and at the end of the evening, nearly 25 raffle prizes ranging from free movie tickets, sarees, Cricket Australia accessories and soaps were given as prizes to the audience. QTA's main objective is to "maintain and promote Telugu culture, literature and tradition among Telugu-speaking people in Queensland". They can be contacted through email qldteluguasn@gmail. com. Their Facebook is https:// w w w. f a c e b o o k . c o m / Q u e e n s l and Telugu.

QTA committee with the chief guests of the evening

Singers Dinker and Spandana

Councillor Fiona Cunnigham (left) and Councillor Angela Owen (2nd right)

Durga Puja organised in Brisbane

he Bengali Society of Queensland (BSQ) organised Durga Puja or Sharadotsav, an annual Hindu festival celebrating the worship of Hindu Goddess Mother Durga, in Brisbane on October 5-6-7. Durga Puja marks the victory of Goddess Durga over the demon Mahishasura, epitomising the victory of good over evil.

Besides the Durga Puja, the event also featured cultural program mes on all days, followed by dinner. BSQ is a non-profit organisation of Bengali-speaking people from the Indian subcontinent. The organisation promotes community spirit, multiculturalism, and Bengali language and culture through various festivals and activities and is currently 150 families and more than 500 members strong.

Durga puja being performed at the event

Durga puja marks the victory of Goddess Durga over the demon Mahishasura

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NOVEMBER 2019

Indian News Queensland | LOCAL & NATIONAL

BTA celebrates Bathukamma 2019

risbane Telangana Asso ciation celebrated Bathu kamma festival, a unique and official festival of Telan gana state in India, at Wynnum Municipal Hall on October 5, 2019. Bathukamma is floral festival celebrated predominantly in Telangana and some parts of Andhra Pradesh. The festival is celebrated for nine days during Durga Navratri and represents the cultural spirit of Telangana. ‘Bathukamma', in Telugu language, is to ask the 'goddess to come alive'.

Preparing a Bathukamma is a folk art, and women start preparing Bathukamma from the afternoon. They cut the flowers leaving the little length base and arrange them on a wide plate, and stack them up in a conical mound, decorated with a lotus or pumpkin flower on top of the stack along with goddess Gowri, made of turmeric. When fully prepared, Bathukamma is a beautiful flower stack, arranged with different unique seasonal flowers, most of them with medicinal values, in seven concentric layers in the shape of temple Gopuram.

(From left) Kiran Parvathaneni, Santosh Bikkumandla, Sandeep Aledi, Praveen Reddy Nukala, Prakruthi Mysore Gururaj, Prabhakar Bachu, Mukesh Dubey and Sharath

Telangana community teenagers during the festival

Gayatri Maha Yajna performed in Willawong

Vice President Kiran Parvathaneni, Treasurer Mukesh Dubey, President Praveen Reddy with Srikanth Pogaku

rya Pratinidhi Sabha of Queensland held the Gayatri Maha Yajna on Sunday, October 13, noon time, at Queensland Vedic Cultural Centre in Willawong. Gayatri maha yajna or hawan has been an integral part of Sanatan Vedic culture and is a spiritually enlightening experience. Along with other local dignitaries, also present at the yajna was India's Hon Consul Archana Singh. Telangana community women playing beautiful Bathukamma

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Devotees during the ongoing yajna in Willawong

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Indian News Queensland | LOCAL & NATIONAL

Peace Drive propagates Gandhi's message of peace in Brisbane

onouring the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, the leading exponent of the principle of non-violence, Hon Curtis Pitt MP, speaker of the Queensland Parliament, led the Gandhi Peace Drive organised by Gandhi Salt March Limited (GSML) on October 2. The peace rally between Coffs Harbour and Brisbane started from Sikh Temple at Woolgoolga early morning on the day, led by Hon Curtis Pitt, State Member for Mulgrave, along with the GSML management team and members of different communities who believe in unity, peace and acceptance. The drive stopped in Grafton and finished at the Gandhi Statue in Roma Street Parklands in the Brisbane CBD, covering approximately 390 kilometres, the exact distance of the Salt March of 1930 undertaken by Babu Gandhi. Gandhi's birthday, 2 October,

The peace rally between Coffs Harbour and Brisbane started from Sikh Temple at Woolgoolga early morning on October 2 is commemorated in India as a national holiday and worldwide as the International Day of Nonviolence. Gandhi is commonly nicknamed “Bapu”, the Hindi endearment for father. Mr Pitt said he was honoured to have been asked to lead the Bapu Peace Drive. “The Bapu Peace

Drive will commemorate Gandhian values of truth and non-violence and it will commemorate their beneficial impact on the world,” he said. “The Drive will also bring focus to how Gandhian values can benefit our community with the values of peace, harmony and inclusiveness.”

Several notable Indian community members were present during the event, including GSML Chairman, Jim Varghese AM, Dr Ram Mohan, Umesh Chandra, Prof Yarlagadda, Prerna Pahwa, Seema Chauhan, Chaithanya Unni, among others.

The peace rally brought together multifaith leaders with local business and community leaders who all participated in the drive. Bapu Peace Drive was supported by High Commission of India, Canberra, Fed eration of Indian Communities Queensland and Australia India Business Council.

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NOVEMBER 2019

Indian News Queensland | FESTIVALS & EVENTS

Highly-contested IABCA Awards conclude

ndia Australia Business and Community Awards (IABCA) 2019 annual awards gala took place on Friday, October 11, at the Howard Hall East, Howard Smith Wharves. This year's awards have been highly contested for, with nearly 300 entries received across twelve categories. It took over eight weeks for IABCA panel of experts to deliberate over the entrants' profiles and decide on the winners.

The event, which was supported by Trade & Investment Queensland, was attended by nearly 400 guests from across the nation, including fellow finalists, industry leaders, international guests, and high-level government representatives, with Charlotte Smith being Master of Ceremonies. Among the dignitaries who attended the gala were Senator Amanda Stoker, Senator for Queensland representing the Hon. Scott Morrison MP Prime

Minister of Australia. His Excellency, Karthigeyan Palaniswamy Subramanyan, Deputy High Commissioner of India in Australia, Senator Murray Watt, Senator for Queensland representing the Hon Anthony Albanese MP, Leader of the Opposition, the Lord Mayor of Brisbane, Councillor Adrian Schrinner, Peter Varghese AO, Chancellor, UQ, Paul Martyn, CEO, TIQ, Arun Sharma, QUT, 2018 IABCA Lifetime Achievement Award Winner, and Jim Varghese, AM.

IABCA 2019 Winners Here are the winners of the various award categories for IABCA 2019

Business Woman of the Year 2019

Business Leader of the Year 2019

Elena Norman, Hockey India

Ashok Mysore (Infosys Limited)

Young Community Achiever of the Year 2019

Australia India Science, Research & Development Award 2019

Tarang Chawla, Not One More Niki

Professor Neena Mitter

Community Services Excellence Award Individual 2019

Professional of the Year 2019

Margaret Hepworth, The Gandhi Experiment

Victoria Police

Detective Sonali Deshpande

Spirit of Sport Award 2019 Melanie Jones OAM Fox Sports in Australia and Star Sports in India

Lifetime Achievement Award 2019

Young Professional of the Year 2019

Jane Den Hollander AO

Natasha Jha Bhaskar

Small Business of the Year 2019

Australian Exporter of the Year 2019

Western Specialist Centre SME of the Year 2019 Medsurge Healthcare

Newland Global Group

Mack Valves

Tourism Hospitality, Hospitality and Catering Award 2019 Travel Crafters

Community Services Excellence Award - Organisation 2019 Australia India Youth Dialogue Excellence in Innovation 2019 Get to Sleep Easy

Photo courtesy: IABCA

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NOVEMBER 2019

Indian News Queensland | FESTIVALS & EVENTS

Diwali event organised in Banyo for the wider community

anyo District Community Group organised the Diwali event for the wider community on October 12. The event is attended by hundreds of patrons every year at the venue adjacent to the Banyo Library. The event is celebrated annually with the greater community of Banyo and surrounding suburbs,

and this year the event featured gidha, bhangra and Bollywood dance performances as well as cultural dances. It was a fun-filled family atmosphere at the event, where kids enjoyed heaps on the jumping castles. Kids also enjoyed the camel rides, pony rides, and the gaming stalls.

Organier Nikki Jain said, "When we live outside India such festivals help us stay connected and helps our kids learn about their festivals as not everyone can go back to India every year. This is the way to stay connected to our roots." People were seen enjoying the Indian food and also the masala chai in various food stalls. The celebration ended with a spectacular display of fireworks.

Blood donation drive held to commemorate Guru Nanak Dev Ji's birthday

MP Honourable Mick De Brenni surrounded by club members during the blood donation drive

T The event featured gidha, bhangra and Bollywood dance performances as well as cultural dances

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o commemorate the 550th birthday of Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji, Majha Youth Club, Brisbane, hosted blood donation drive last month. Guru Nanak Dev Ji was the founder of Sikhism and the first of the ten Sikh Gurus. His birth is celebrated worldwide as Guru Nanak

Gurpurab on the full-moon day in the month October or November. On the first day of the blood donation camp, around 30 donors donated blood. In addition to the youth club's members, Honourable Mick De Brenni, Minister for Housing and Public works, also took part in the donation drive.

NOVEMBER 2019

Indian News Queensland | FESTIVALS & EVENTS

FSCAQ organises multicultural dinner event in Coorparoo

erformers from diverse nations from across the Pacific, South America, Africa and the Indian subcontinent kept the crowd entertained, as more than four hundred people attended the Fiji Senior Citizens Association's (FSCAQ) annual multicultural dinner and cultural show in Coorparoo, Brisbane, earlier in October. At the start of the evening, a welcome to Australia was delivered by indigenous elder, Aunty Peggy Tidyman, and soon after the Indian Priest Sanat Pandey led the gathering in a prayer for world peace. The event included dance performances from Padma Sri Smita Maharathi Lavani as well as cultural dances from Africa, Columbia, Tonga, the Cook Islands and the Indian subcontinent. There was also a bhangra dance performance from the Punjabi Cultural Association. These dances were complemented by songs from around the globe, including a joint rendition of â&#x20AC;&#x153;We are Australianâ&#x20AC;?.

The event coincided with Fiji Day, and in honour of the occasion, the Annual Fiji Day Award for Excellence in Community Service was presented to Mr Lewis Lee OAM by the association president, Mr Surendra Prasad. This annual multicultural evening itself was sponsored jointly by the Brisbane City Council through the Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner, the Councillor for Holland Park, Krista Adams, Councillor for Coorparoo, Fiona Cunningham, and Bendigo Community Bank. Drought-relief donation raised During a raffle and auction held on the dinner evening, more than 1500 dollars were raised for the drought relief in Queensland by the association. Prizes of the raffle were donated by local politicians and businesses. The proceeds of the raffle and auction and also a donation from the FSCAQ were passed on to the Macgregor Lions Club for distribution towards drought relief in Queensland.

Mr Lewis Lee OAM (right) being presented with Annual Fiji Day Award for Excellence in Community Service by FSCAQ president, Mr Surendra Prasad

Mr Lewis Lee OAM, Councillor for Holland Park, Krista Adams, Councillor for Coorparoo, Fiona Cunningham, FSCAQ president Mr Surendra Prasad, among others

Cultural dance performance by the Indian community

IASQ organises Mood India event for Diwali

he India Australia Society of Queensland (IASQ) organised Mood India 2019 on October 12 to celebrate Diwali and Christmas together at Indooroopilly Uniting Church, Indooroopilly. The Mood India 2019 event was organised to enhance a friendly understanding and goodwill between Indians and Australians. Besides promoting multicultural

Traditional Indian dance performance by one of the artists www.indiannewsqld.com.au

awareness and exchange within the wider community, this event also encourages Indian youngsters to learn their own culture and values and to respect other cultures. The Hon'ble Indian Consulate Mrs Archana Singh and FICQ president Dr Ram Mohan were the chief guest and addressed the community on this cheerful evening. The past presidents of FICQ and IAS and also eminent leaders from other communities graced the occasion. The function started with a welcome speech by the IAS president, Mr Vishal Sharma, followed by lamp lighting. The success of this event is owed much to the wonderful performers -- Victor Justus, Parvathy, Ruban Victor, Hafeez Ali Khan, Aishwitha Vithiyananthan, Rheanca Lincoln, Selincia Ashwathi Lincoln, Amutha Kandasamy, Abirami Somasundaram, Autha Murali and Suhani Sharma. All these performers kept the audience well entertained by their brilliant music, singing and dance performances.

Prof Yarlagadda (middle left) and FICQ president Dr Ram Mohan, along with other attendees It was a beautiful blend of traditional Indian music, dance and Bollywood performances. More than 150 attendees enjoyed not only the cultural performances but also the dinner and networking thereafter. A number of students and community volunteers also chipped in to make this event a success with their efforts. The event was supported by the Brisbane City Council and Lord Mayor suburban initiative fund.

NOVEMBER 2019

Indian News Queensland | FESTIVALS & EVENTS

Mental health workshop for Muslim women conducted

workshop titled Take Time 4 Mental Health was organised by the Islamic Council of Queensland (ICQ) on October 12. Occupational therapist Aneesa Kathrada conducted this unique workshop on mental health matters and the Islamic perspective. The workshop was widely attended by Muslim women from various walks of life -- professionals, homemakers, mother-daughter duos, young adults and grandmothers as well. This versatile group of women was made to experience sensory techniques like painting kindness rocks, making therapeutic bookmarks, using hot food to nourish the spirit, along with a relaxing, guided meditation led byAneesa. Participants also discussed the significance of gratitude and practicing mindfulness in all aspects of life.

Famous neuroscientist and philosoÂpher Dr Mohammad Ghilan attended the workshop as the keynote speaker and was very well received by the attendees. This was the first of many such events to come from ICQ, which aims to provide the platform to young and old, single and families alike to engage and express themselves in a comfortable environment.

Attendees during the workshop

'Wellbeing walk' in Brisbane raises awareness of mental health

s part of National Mental Health Month 2019, Mental Health Foundation Australia (MHFA) organised the Mental Health Wellbeing Walk on Sunday, 20th October, at City Botanic Garden. At a time when one in five Australians aged 16-85 experience a mental illness -- depression, anxiety and substance use disorder, at some time in their lives, it is imperative that events like this walk are

organised to raise awareness of the importance of good mental health. The walk also offered an opportunity to meet good people, in a good environment and move together for a great cause. The attendees were given, at subsidised prices, the mental-health merchandise like pins, caps and t-shirts, besides water bottles and fresh fruit. Cr Vicki Howard, Central ward Brisbane, was present there among the attendees.

Cr Vicki Howard, Central Ward Brisbane, among the walk attendees at the City Botanic Garden www.indiannewsqld.com.au

NOVEMBER 2019

Indian News Queensland | FESTIVALS & EVENTS

Awards galore for Indian ladies Prerna Pahwa wins two awards

Lord Mayors Australia Day ‘Achievement’ Award, in recognition of her work in the community. Earlier, the Nepalese Community in Queensland and Student Association of Nepal

honoured her with a ‘Friend in need is a friend indeed’ award in 2016, and the Varnam Cultural Society presented her with a ‘Young Community Achiever Award’ in 2017.

Dr Tanya Unni wins award as the young entrepreneur

Prerna Pahwa being awarded the Rising Star - Community Dedication & Social Justice Honour Award 2019

rerna Pahwa won the Rising Star - Community Dedication & Social Justice Honour Award 2019, and she was also the Awardee of Merit for Greater Brisbane Women in Business Awards 2019. An IT professional, Pahwa has been working with service organisations like Red Cross Australia, Leukaemia Foundation Queensland and other community projects, providing them with assistance through fundraising. She has also been

organising multicultural events in Brisbane. Earlier in 2011, she also put in work towards clean up after the 2011 floods. More importantly, she is involved in raising awareness of bone marrow transplant and mental well-being in our society. She also founded and runs a nonprofit organisation called Simply Human Inc. that raises awareness of cancer. In January 2019, Prerna became the first Australian of Indian origin to receive the prestigious

Dr Tanya Unni with her Gold Coast Young Entrepreneur Award

r Tanya Unni won the coveted Gold Coast Young Entrepreneur Award for Health and Fitness segment at the prestigious Business News Australia Awards. Dr Unni is the co-founderdirector of AMTAN Medical, a chain of medical centres

across Gold Coast, and one of its centres won the monthly category award for Health and Well-Being in September 2019. She has also established a range of 'Skin Lab & Beauty' clinics, which converge cosmetics with medical solutions. She is also the founder of Australian Skin Lab, which has produced cosmetic products and devices under the brand name 'Dr Tanya'. She also serves as the management committee member of Australia India Business Council. Dr Unni, along with her husband Dr Ameer, had featured at 18th place in the Best 100 Young Entrepreneurs in the Business News Australia awards last year. They were the only Indians to feature in the list. Dr Unni hails from Kozhikode, Kerala, and the doctor couple had moved to Australia 10 years ago.

Saradha Ravichandran wins 2019 Santore Viruthu

aradha Ravichandran won the 2019 Santore Viruthu from Kamban Kalzhagam and received this award during the award ceremony on October 12 as part of the Kamban Vilzha festival in Sydney. Ravichandran won this award due to her service to the community and also to the Tamil language. Previous to this award, she had won 2017 Volunteer of the Year from National Ethnic Multicultural Broadcasters Council (NEMBC), authored a Tamil Lesson in the Year-8 Tamil book, was the Thaai Tamil School president for 2018, and also the treasurer and broadcaster at Radio4EB Tamil Oli during 2016-2018. She is also a regular newsreader with Australian Tamil Broadcasting Corporation (ATBC), Sydney.

Diwali and Annakut celebrated in QLD Parliament

he Hon. Stirling Hinchliffe MP, along with BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, hosted the Diwali celebration and Annakut in Queensland Parliament House on October 23, 2019. Annakut, the following day after Diwali, marks the beginning of the Hindu New Year. On this day, the Annakut, or ‘mountain of food,’ is offered to the Lord as a symbol of appreciation and gratitude. Devotees lovingly prepare vegetarian delicacies and offer them to the lord while singing devotional songs. The function begins with the recitation of the Shanti Paath to usher in peace into everyone's

hearts and minds, followed by thaal (offering food to God) and aarti. Keynote speeches were delivered by Hon Hon Curtis Pitt, Speaker of the House, Hon. Stirling Hinchliffe, Minister for Local Government, Minister for Racing and Minister for Multicultural Affairs, Mr John-Paul Langbroek, Shadow Minister for Multicultural affairs representing Leader of Opposition, and Mrs Archana Singh, Honorary Consulate of India, Brisbane. Keynote speakers all acknowledged the significant contributions made by the Indian community to Australia. They reflected on the values of Hinduism, and Diwali, and were proud to see them being displayed in Queensland

Highlight of the event was the offering of grand Annakut (mountain of food) where a vast array of pure vegetarian food is traditionally arranged in tiers or steps, resulting in a spectacular display www.indiannewsqld.com.au

Parliament. Both parliamentarians noted the significance of the Indian diaspora to the Queensland state and appreciated the hard-working and entrepreneurial nature of the Indian community. Mrs Archana Singh reinforced one of the key messages of His Holiness Mahant Swami Maharaj of Unity, and that unity was one of the key values that leaders of all the Indian communities should guard as sacred, and that unity between the Indian community and the wider Queensland community should never be broken at any cost. Over 30 distinguished Members of Parliament, Honorary Consul’s, respected leaders of various Indian and Hindu communities and BAPS guests attended this vibrant event in the Premiers Hall of the Parliament House. All guest were welcomed traditionally with applying chandlo, nadachadi and presented garlands of fresh flowers. The event concluded with fresh vegetarian refreshments and delicacies being served to all who attended. On display, nd the highlight of the event, was the offering of grand Annakut (“mountain of food”) where a vast array of pure vegetarian food is traditionally arranged in tiers or steps resulting in a spectacular display. Also, delegates explored the journey of Hinduism through an exhibition and introductory video showcased by

All guests were welcomed traditionally with application of chandlo, nadachadi and presented garlands of fresh flowers Kishor-Kishoris, young volunteers of BAPS. The event was well received by all attendees and served as a valuable opportunity to strengthen intercommunity relationships as well as relationships with Members of Queensland Parliament.

MPs and dignitaries posing together in front of the Annakut

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NOVEMBER 2019

Indian News Queensland | FESTIVALS & EVENTS

Multicultural fashion show celebrates Queensland's diverse cultures

he Red Carpet Function's (RCF) Multicultural Fashion Show was held on October 26 at Saint John's Cathedral in Brisbane. It was a spectacular night of fashion and performances from different countries. Besides celebrating multiculturalism in Australia, the event provided the perfect opportunity to the participants and attendees to network with other multicultural leaders, business people, media and performers. MC for the event were Prakruti Mysore Gururaj, who is also the multicultural ambassador of Red

Carpet Functions, and Surendra Prasad, president of FSCAQ. Since 2015, RCF has been providing a unique platform to independent designers, models, performers and artists belonging to various cultures to showcase their work and talent to the public. That way, RCF celebrates the diversity of Brisbaneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s communities and recognises that fashion is a common denominator among all cultures. It also focus on inclusivity, as the founder Reena Augustine believes that everyone deserves a chance to walk on a fashion runway, regardless of their experience, age, gender and cultural background.

The fashion show was hosted by the RCF founder Reena Augustine

Participating designers, models and artists posing together

Red Carpet Functions' Brand Ambassador Prakruthi Mysore Gururaj (3rd right) and founder Reena Augustine (middle), among others

Sanatan Dharam devotees celebrate Diwali in Willawong

hree Sanatan Dharam Hindu Association of QLD Inc (SSDHAQ) held its annual Diwali celebrations on Friday, October 11, 2019 at Unidus Community Hall in Willawong. Dressed in colourful costumes, the community kids enacted scenes from Ramayana. The community hall was packed to full capacity on the day, and the audiences were treated to various cultural and religious stage performances, including a dance skit by indigenous Australians. Raffle prizes were handed out at the end of the performances.

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Dressed in colourful costumes, the community kids enacted scenes from Ramayana

NOVEMBER 2019

Indian News Queensland | FESTIVALS & EVENTS

Diwali event hosted in Moreton Bay

he Multicultural Association of Caboolture and Surrounds hosted a Diwali event in the Moreton Bay Region. Renowned Sydney-based dance instructor Farah Shah and her Bollywood dancers were the highlight of the evening. Farah is best known for choreography on popular shows 'So You Think You Can Dance' and the 'Australian MTV Awards'.

The association's president, Nooreen Harris, said that this event is the perfect way to bring the Indian community together to share Hindu traditions and cultures, including Nepalese and Bhutanese as well. The community event featured cultural performances, Indian market stalls, authentic Indian food, henna tattoos and children's activities. Other highlights were workshops on wearing a sari, photo booths and Indian food tasting.

Tamil Association Queensland observes Diwali celebration

Senator Paul Scarr, Hon Stirling Hinchliffe MP, Cr Angela Owen, Dr Ram Mohan, Mr Umesh Chandra and Mr Shyam Das, among others

amil Association of Queensland organised Deepavali celebration on October 19 at the Unidus Community Centre in Willawong. Apart from the audience and supporters of the association, also present at the event were www.indiannewsqld.com.au

Senator Paul Scarr, Hon Stirling Hinchliffe MP and Cr Angela Owen. Other dignitaries who participated in the festivities were Dr Ram Mohan, President FICQ, Mr Umesh Chandra and Mr Shyam Das. MCs Priya Mani and Vikram Ned kept the community members,

audience, and the Indian paralympic team present there engaged. Queensland Government and Brisbane City Council supported this event, and Cr Angela Owen sponsored the celebratory fire works at this Diwali cele bration.

NOVEMBER 2019

Indian News Queensland | FESTIVALS & EVENTS Contd from Page 3

Brisbane vibrates with Bollywood...

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NOVEMBER 2019

Indian News Queensland | FESTIVALS & EVENTS Contd from Page 3

Brisbane vibrates with Bollywood...

Bhangra, the high-energy dance from the Indian state of Punjab, being performed on stage

One of the dance teams on stage, dancing to Bollywood beats

A team of male Bollywood dancers in the thick of their performance

Chinmaya's annual family camp participants posing together www.indiannewsqld.com.au

NOVEMBER 2019

Indian News Queensland | FESTIVALS & EVENTS

Premier Palaszczuk hosts reception for Indian community at Queensland Parliament

remier of Queensland Hon. Annastacia Palaszczuk MP hosted an Indian community reception and celebrated Diwali with the Indian community and business leaders at Queensland Parliament on October 28.

“Diwali is such a joyous celebration with a truly universal message, which people of all nations and faiths can embrace and celebrate,” Ms Palaszczuk said. Apart from the prominent community leaders and business persons, FICQ executive

committee members were also present there, along with the leaders of the various Indian communities as well. Multicultural Minister, Hon. Stirling Hinchliffe MP, was there as well.

On behalf of the Indian community, FICQ president Dr Ram Mohan presented a cheque for $15,000 to show the Indian community's support for Queensland farmers' relief fund. The donated amount received generous contributions from Dr

Maha Sinnathamby, Chairman, Springfield City Group, Mr Robin Jaggessar, Intech Institute of Technology, Mr Surendra Prasad OAM, President, Fiji Senior Citizens Association of Queensland.

FICQ president, Dr Ram Mohan, handing over the cheque to Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk, Hon Stirling Hinchliffe, Mrs Archana Singh and Dr Ram Mohan, along with the leaders and notable personalities from various Indian communities

Chinmaya Mission's annual family camp organised

hinmaya Mission Australia in Brisbane hosted its Annual Family Camp 2019 with Swami Shri Karananda for children, teenagers, and adults at PGL Kindilan Redland Bay on September 21-22, 2019. The camp focused on the themes of Mahabharat teachings for teenagers, Lord Parasurama for kids and happy-living tips for adults. Once families were introduced on Saturday morning, classes for adults and kids started. Everyone studied the books on the same themes written by Swami Tejomayananda Ji. The adults were guided by Swamiji on the tips for happy living. After a busy morning, the pasta lunch made by teenagers was served, along with pizza. After the lunch, keeping with the camp’s tradition every year, sport and activities complementing

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this year’s camp's themes followed. The Mahabharat games with the war as the theme, with puzzle-making skills, working under stressful situations, and management of limited time when competitiveness increased, were played. Kids, teens and adults worked together in their mixed teams to complete the funfilled events. Following the Mahabharat games, adults continued their classes with Swamiji, while the kids performed a havan ceremony, as their gratitude to the Lord and the creation. Here the children offered ghee and samagri into the sacrificial fire while chanting mantras to purify oneself and the environment. Then the kids watched the Mahabharat movie, while the adults were deep in discussions and reflections on the theme of this year's camp for them, Tips for Happy living.

After the dinner, a special Mahabharat activity to make a chariot and the flags followed. This involved teams of all age groups together building wooden chariots signifying Lord Krishna, Arjuna and the army’s readiness for the great battle. Then all retired to bed, exhausted but feeling pumped for the activities to come next day. Early on Sunday morning, the teams started with yoga class, followed by deeper studies. Everyone then had breakfast, followed by 'Matru and Pitru' pooja that instils reverence and love for the parents within the child and awakens deep emotions and sentiments within their parents. Following lunch, convocation certificates were awarded and the Chinmaya family camp for this year drew to a close.

Participants during a special Mahabharat activity to make a chariot and the flags

NOVEMBER 2019

Indian News Queensland | FESTIVALS & EVENTS

Karva Chauth: Celebration of Womanhood Indian culture is immersed in traditions, which all carry deep meanings, and the meaning behind

karva chauth, the festival of fasting, is to celebrate marriage and womanhood, writes Madhu Khanna

ocal Indian women from Brisbane observed their karva chauth fasts on October 17, and like their counterparts back in India, waited eagerly for the full moon on the big day. Karva chauth is a festival observed by married women for the long life of their husbands. It can also be observed by women who are in marriageable age, in the hope of getting the grooms of their choice. Karva chauth rituals and vidhi The fasting of karva chauth is strict, and women do not even drink water during the period of the fast until they see the full moon at night. Karva chauth vrat is more famous in the northern states of India. After four days of karva chauth, mothers keep ahoi ashtami vrat for the well-being of their sons. Women dress up by wearing beautiful attires and applying mehndi (henna) on their hands. They also sing songs and exchange karvas or clay pots with other married women. Once the fast is

broken, women enjoy a delightful feast along with their families. A day before karva chauth, motherin-law would give a basket (sargi) full of fruits, food, jewellery, and other shringar (makeup) items. On the day of karva chauth, women wake up before sunrise and eat food from sargi to begin their fasts. The fast is kept till the moon rises after sunset. Karva chauth vrat katha There's an epic tale on how the karva chauth vrat gained prominence. Long time ago, a Brahmin named Ved Sharma was married to Leelavati, and the couple had seven sons and a daughter named Veeravati, who was highly pampered by the family. After her marriage, when Veeravati observed her first karva chauth, she faced difficulty bearing the hunger and fainted on the ground. Upon seeing her condition, the brothers decided to trick their sister into breaking the fast. One of the brothers climbed on the distant tree with sieve and lamp. When Veeravati gained

consciousness, her brothers told her that the moon has risen and brought her on the roof to see the moon, so that she could break her fast. Seeing the lamp-and-sieve trick by her brother, she actually believed that moon has risen behind the tree. She then offered prayers to that lamp that she believed was the moon, and after offering

prayers, she broke her fast and ate food. After her third bite, she was called in by her in-laws. When she reached her husband's home, she found that her husband is no more. While she was mourning inconsolably, Goddess Indrani appeared and told her that she broke the fast without giving argha (offering) to the moon and

that led to the untimely death of her husband. She also said that if she keeps chauth vrat every month and the next karva chauth vrat, her husband will be alive and back. When Veervati followed all the rituals with devotion, her husband came back to life. Photo courtesy: Madhu Khanna

Local Indian women from Brisbane observed their karva chauth fasts on October 17

Mehndi (henna) application is one of the customary traditions on the karva chauth day

Women dress up by wearing beautiful attires, apply mehndi (henna) on their hands and sing songs

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NOVEMBER 2019

Indian News Queensland | FESTIVALS & EVENTS

Sweets, greetings and sparklers mark Arya Samaj Queensland's Diwali

rya Samaj Queensland celebrated Diwali with havan yaj on Saturday, October 26. After the distribution of sweets and sharing of greetings, the ASQ members lighted diyas, had fun with sparklers and enjoyed dinner together. The significance of performing havan yaj on Diwali can be traced to the farmers' prayers for good harvest during these days. Farmers performed havan for a rich harvest and then praised the God for granting them a good crop. Diwali holds a special significance for ASQ because on this day, Swami Dayanand, the founder of Arya Samaj, left his physical body for the heavenly abode. That is the reason Arya Samaj observes Rishi Nirvan Divas on Diwali and pays tribute to Swami ji through commitment in carrying on with his mission and vision of Krinvanto Vishvam Aryam, which translates to "making the world noble".

ASQ members performing havan yaj

4EB Tamil Oli broadcasters enjoy their annual get-together

t was a beautiful sunny day with mild temperature and pleasant family-friendly surroundings at Arthur Davis Beach Park, Sandgate, on Sunday, October 13, when 4EB Tamil Oli broadcasters gathered for their annual gathering, along with their families. It was their 3rd annual family meet up, and as the 4EB Tamil Oli broadcasters arrived along with their families, the smell of tasty chicken biryani, vegetable pulao, lamb curry, gulab jamun and other homemade Indian dishes hit their nostrils along with the sea breeze. That scrumptious lunch was closely followed by introduction session of new broadcasters and their families, and the team celebrated the victory of

Mrs Saradha Ravichandran’s recent Maruthi award by “Kamban Kazhalam Australia”. The kids participated in various games, including a fun game involving food tasting. The idea was to identify the food as a blindfolded family member tasted and provided three clues about it. Food tasting was followed by tugof-war that naturally attracted the passing crowd in the park cheering for the two teams. Men of the group found time to play some beach side cricket, while the womenfolk sat back and played some dumb charades. 4EB Tamil Oli can be reached through their website www.4eb.org. au/tamil or email tamil@4eb.org.au. By Uma Palvannan

4EB Tamil Oli broadcasters with their families at Arthur Davis Beach Park, Sandgate, on Sunday, October 13 Photo courtesy Mahesh Naidu

Tamil Oli team engaged in tug of war at the beach

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NOVEMBER 2019

Indian News Queensland | NEWS FROM INDIA

elhi ranks first in terms of polluted air among 10 major cities of the world as the air quality index (AQI) in the capital is at 450, which is dangerous. Delhi topped the AQI rankings while Lahore with AQI 356 is the second in the ranking followed by Dhaka (182), Krakow (165), Ulaanbaatar (162), Wroclaw (158), Guangzhou (157), Wuhan (153), Chongqing (152) and Kathmandu (151). The air pollution level has increased so much that the Environment Pollution (Prevention & Control) Authority (EPCA) had to declare

a public health emergency and the Delhi government announced that all schools in the Capital will remain closed till November 5. The grave situation can be understood on the basis of the 2018 global database report of WHO, which said that out of the 20 most polluted cities of the world, 14 are in India. Almost 20 lakh people in India die annually due to polluted air. Out of every four deaths due to polluted air in the world, one death is recorded in India. Delhi topped the ranking in that report too. The major reason behind the increasing air pollution in India

is that various governments have failed to work on any plans to tackle the problem permanently. On the one hand, people are dying due to poisonous air and on the other hand the political leaders are busy in finding temporary solutions to it. A report of airvisual.com released in 2018 identified the sources and reasons of air pollution. According to the report, the air pollutants released from industries, homes and vehicles are extremely dangerous for health. Out of all the air pollutants, the micro pollutants affect the people most.

Photo: IANS

AQI in Delhi worst in the world, Lahore second

East Delhi Municipal Corporation (EDMC) tankers sprinkles water on a street as a measure to curb pollution in New Delhi on Oct 16, 2019

New Department of Registration in J & K for Central Act

he Jammu and Kashmir State Administrative Council (SAC) approved creation of a new Department of Registration to provide hassle free and speedy service to people for registration of documents pertaining to property, mortgage etc. The SAC, which met under the chairmanship of Governor Satya Pal Malik, also approved the creation of 464 new posts under various categories in order to make the department of registration functional. The new Department of Registration is being created under the Registration Act, 1908 (which

is a Central Act), now applicable to Jammu and Kashmir with effect from October 31, the day the state was formally bifurcated into two Union Territories. The Department of Registration shall function under the overall administrative control of the Revenue Department. In order to make the Department of Registration functional and provide hassle free and speedy service to the citizens for registration of documents pertaining to immovable property like sale, gift, mortgage, lease, bequest etc., SAC approved creation of 464 new posts under various categories.

Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik during a programme organised for the distribution of free-to-air Doordarshan set-top boxes to border residents, in Srinagar on June 22, 2019

India, Pakistan sign Kartarpur Corridor agreement

ndia and Pakistan on October 24 signed the operationalising modalities agreement for the Kartarpur Corridor to allow Indian pilgrims to visit the holy shrine throughout the year. The agreement paves the way for inauguration of the Corridor in November, ahead of the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev, the founder of Sikhism. The signing ceremony took place at the Kartarpur Sahib Corridor Zero Point, International Border, Dera Baba Nanak. The travel will be visa free and the pilgrims can visit individually and also in groups. Under the agreement, Indian government will inform Pakistan authorities about the list of the pilgrims 10 days in advance and pilgrims will be notified through message of mail four days ahead of the travel. The 4.2 km-long corridor from the Indian side in Dera Baba Nanak area in Punjab's Gurdaspur district was completed on October 31, a

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Signing ceremony of the Kartarpur Corridor agreement between India and Pakistan underway, at Kartarpur Sahib Corridor Zero Point, International Border in Punjab's Dera Baba Nanak on Oct 24, 2019 week before celebrations begin to mark the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev. The corridor is likely to be inaugurated by the Indian and Pakistani Prime

BSNLMTNL merger a ploy to sell it cheap: Rahul Gandhi

Ministers Narendra Modi and Imran Khan respectively, on November 9. Every day, 5,000 Indian pilgrims will be allowed to visit the holy

site. The Kartarpur Sahib Gurdwara in Narowal district of Pakistan's Punjab province is located 4.5 km from the border near Dera Baba Nanak.

ormer Congress chief Rahul Gandhi took a swipe over proposed merger of loss-making BSNL and MTNL saying it was a government ploy to first merge and then sell it cheaply to the crony capitalists. "Step 1: Merge. Step 2: Mismanage. Step 3: Show mega losses. Step 4: Sell cheap to crony capitalist," Rahul Gandhi tweeted. His remarks came soon after the Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, approved the BSNL-MTNL revival plan, which includes allocation of 4G spectrum, Rs 20,000 crore capital infusion and their in-principle merger. The revival and restructuring plan also includes permission to the entities to raise Rs 15,000 crore sovereign bonds, monetise Rs 38,000 crore assets and roll out a voluntary retirement scheme (VRS) for employees. The asset monetisation will be done over four years. Pending the merger, MTNL will act as a subsidiary of BSNL till modalities are firmed up.

NOVEMBER 2019

Indian News Queensland | NEWS FROM INDIA

India’s economic slowdown needs urgent corrective measures Decline in auto sector, real estate and FMCG part of the crisis; low demand and investment a major concern; government intervention in terms of more spending, besides more reforms, need of the hour.

hough India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi has a dream of catapulting India into a USD five trillion economy, the dream seems a far-fetched one, considering the fact that Indian economy has been showing signs of slowdown. This slowdown has prompted Nobel laureate Abhijit Banerjee to comment that the Indian economy is going into what he terms as “a tailspin”. There are certain key reasons for the economic slowdown, and these are ominous signs for the Indian economy. Auto sector declining The first sector to add to the economic slowdown is the automobile sector, which is facing its worst crisis in 20 years. Recent reports suggest that as many as 2.30 lakh jobs have been lost in the auto sector. Sales of vehicles such as cars, tractors and two-wheelers have gone down considerably. Real estate hibernating The state of affairs in the real estate sector, which decides the fate of

– By Rabindra Mukherji

nearly 250 ancillary industries such as bricks, cement, steel, furniture, electrical, paints, etc., is dismal. Reports suggest that the volume of unsold houses over the past one year has increased in the top cities of the country. What is more, according to Liases Foras, a real estate research company, the unsold inventory currently stands at 42 months, which should not be more than 8-12 months of inventory. FMCG slowing down Another worrying factor is that the fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) companies have reported decline in volume growth in the April-June quarter. This has been largely due to a decline in rural demand, which shows a deeper crisis --- less availability of funds in villages. Not enough credit for MSME Though lending by banks to industries has shown a significant increase from 0.9 per cent in AprilJune quarter in 2018 to 6.6 per cent for the same period this year, the job

Photo IANS

Left party workers participate in a protest rally organised on deepening economic crisis and growing misery of the people, in Hyderabad on Oct 16, 2019

growth rate in industries continues to be dismal. This may seem contradictory, but an analysis of the pattern of lending has revealed that the banks have extended loans largely to big firms, without extending a similar favour to medium and small-scale industries, which are the biggest employment generators. Now, what is the way forward for the government of India? We have to go back to the basics of Keynesian economics and more to seek answers. More government spending In a situation where demand is sluggish and therefore, private investments are unlikely to rise, the government has to step in and spend more now to overcome the situation from spinning out of control. The government needs to spend more to boost investment and demand in the economy. Lowering lending rates The Reserve Bank of India needs to cut interest rates for banks even further, thereby making borrowing cheaper for the industry and boosting investment. Also, the Reserve Bank must monitor that extending of credit must reach the medium and small-scale segments of the economy, if employment is to be generated to boost household demand. Conducive business atmosphere There is also a need to create an environment of confidence; a mere sloganeering by emphasising on ‘ease of doing business’ and ‘make in India’ is not working. Besides other measures, investor confidence is boosted when fears of disruptive steps like demonetisation and shoddy GST implementation can be allayed.

Left party workers participate in a protest rally organised on deepening economic crisis and growing misery of the people, in New Delhi on Oct 16, 2019 www.indiannewsqld.com.au

Photo IANS

Union Ministers Piyush Goyal and Hardeep Singh Puri and Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis chair a meeting with representatives of the Real Estate Industry in Mumbai, on June 29, 2019 And this must be done sooner than later. Reviving Planning Commission It may not be a bad idea to revive the Planning Commission of the past at a time when India is braving the rough economic weather. India has not yet reached the level of the developed countries to leave the country entirely at the mercy of market forces, just like a purely capitalistic country would do. Economic planning is still the way forward.

Harking back to Gandhi’s Swadeshi pitch As imports rise and exports do not show a proportionate increase, it is high time to look forward to a second Swadeshi movement in India. Job creation should begin at the grassroots with a thrust on production of goods and services for both the national and international markets. Not enough is being done in India to develop indigenous technologies, though India has a huge potential to do so.

Photo IANS

NOVEMBER 2019

Indian News Queensland | RELIGION

GAQ celebrates Navratri and Sharad Poonam

ujarati Association of Queensland (GAQ) celebrated Navratri and Sharad Poonam (festival of dance) over 3 weekends -- 28th September, 5th October and 12th October -- at Centenary State High School. GAQ has been organising and celebrating Navratri for more than 25 years in a traditional way for the Indian community in Brisbane. Special guest Cr Angela Owen attended the festival on 5th October in the traditional Indian attire and apparently enjoyed being part of the event. GAQ's dance team also gave their special performances on the 28th September and 5th October. This year, GAQ decided to donate all the arti collections, which totted up to $1262, to GIVIT - QLD Fire and Emergency Services. The word Navratri means nine nights, and it is one of the most

popular and widely celebrated Hindu festivals in many parts of India. But Gujarat is, however, the only state in India that celebrates all nine-night dance festival, perhaps the longest in the world. The event, which drew multitude of people from various walks of life within the Indo-Australian community, started with some peppy traditional garba songs, followed by aarti, prasad and finally some dandiya and sanedo. Various singers and musicians set up magical nights with an overwhelming traditional garba beats. Members of the community dressed up in vibrant and colorful traditional attires, and many of those who attended had something positive to narrate about the three nights of fun and festivities, including live singers and musicians with DJ, food, the works. By Parul Mehta

Special guest Cr Angela Owen (right) attended the festival in the traditional Indian attire and apparently enjoyed being part of the event

Live singers and musicians with their garba songs kept the participants dancing

Interactive session with Election Commissioner of India held in Brisbane

Photo courtesy: Election Commission of India

r Ashok Lavasa, Hon'ble Election Commissioner of India, visited Brisbane and held an interaction session with NRI representatives at Hotel Sofitel on October 29. Besides the Hon Consul of India Archana Singh and FICQ president, Dr Ram Mohan, also present at the event were leaders of various Indian communities in Brisbane and from broader Queensland. The attendees were given the opportunity to interact with Mr Lavasa and have their queries answered.

Election Commissioner of India Mr Ashok Lavasa posing with the Indian community in Brisbane on Oct 29, 2019

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Photo courtesy Election Commission of India

Mr Ashok Lavasa, Hon'ble Election Commissioner of India, addressing the Indian community leaders at the session

NOVEMBER 2019

Indian News Queensland | YOUTH

Heal Australia raises $15000 through Diwali event

he Diwali 2019 Gala was organised by Heal Australia to celebrate Diwali as well as raise funds for donation purposes, and the organisers Vahini Panda and Dr Ashok Chauhan could raise $15,200, enough to lifetime sponsor

three orphaned kids and also sponsor one child for higher education. The organisation has been holding Diwali fundraisers for the past four years, and they manage to raise about $13000-$15000 each year to sponsor Indian children who are either destitute or orphaned.

Heal Australia is an Australian registered charity committed to providing shelter, support, education and healthcare to well over 1,000 children in India. For more information, you can visit their website at healaustralia. com.

Why being their true selves is becoming hard for teenagers?

ll of you have heard the term “peer pressure”. Well, what exactly is it? “Peer pressure” is when someone pressurises you to do something or act in a certain way. If you’re only doing something that others are doing, to feel accepted and valued, it’s time to stop, think and then take action. It can be easy to follow the crowd, rather than stand up to everyone and say “no”. Peer pressure and influence could sway you in multiple ways. • Dressing the same way as your peers • Changing the way you talk • Starting to be mean to someone, even though deep down inside you know it’s wrong • Breaking rules (these could be the rules of your school or your country’s laws)

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Well, how do you avoid being a victim of peer pressure? Here are some ways to help you out: 1. Learn to say “no” Get comfortable with saying “no”. This is a word that will help you throughout your whole life, and not just with this issue. Many people struggle to say “no”. Well, what if you said “no” in the form of a phrase? Here are some simple phrases you can use next time you’re having trouble saying “no”. . ‘I just like this style better.’ . ‘I’m going to say no for now, but I’ll let you know if I change my mind.’ . ‘That’s not going to work for me.’ . ‘I’m afraid, I can’t’. Understand that if you don’t want to do something, you have to say “no”. And keep in mind, you are not doing anything wrong and there’s

no need to apologise for saying “no”. 2. Think about what will make you happy A lot of the times people think that going with the crowd and doing what others are doing will make them feel like they fit in or belong. They think that fitting in will result in making them happy and feel valued by their peers, but they never realise that doing what they love and what they want to do will reduce the stress that they were buried under and will make them a lot happier. So, next time you’re in a situation where you feel threatened, are being hurt, or feel pressured into doing something that you’re uncomfortable doing, remember to take action. If nothing works out, talk to a family member or a trusted adult, a teacher or a counsellor. You can even call Kids Helpline if you’re

not comfortable talking to someone in person. And most importantly, know that you’re beautiful the way you are, and you don’t need to change yourself to feel accepted, loved or valued, because you already are by people who matter.

By Suhani Sharma (Suhani Sharma is 13 and currently in Grade 7. She writes on social issues among the youth, common problems that teenagers experience, as well as fun topics.)

NOVEMBER 2019

Indian News Queensland | TRAVEL

An enchanting visit to God’s own country

The coconut palm-lined coasts and extended hills of tea, the elephant rides and what not, Kerala has it all and a lot more for the visitors, writes Rabindra Mukherji

ravelling can be a rewarding pastime, and I have had the good fortune of travelling extensively in India. Of the many places I have visited, Kerala has had an indelible impression on me. A visit to Kerala is like visiting an island nation, and Sri Lanka comes to memory. Kovalam beaches--- a feast for eyes When I visited Kerala, it wasn’t without reason that I sought its beaches. Having reached the coastal Indian state the night before my official assignment began, I decided to stay for the night in a hotel near Kochi airport. The day in Delhi was already very hectic, so I intended to greet one night’s sleep without any hassles. The next morning, I skipped breakfast and embarked on a journey by car to reach Kovalam. Kovalam is located at a distance of about 213 km from Kochi. The town shot into limelight for its beaches with shallow waters and low tidal waves. It is connected to Kochi by roadways and railways. However, the best way to reach Kovalam from Kochi is by car, which takes roughly about four hours. A bus ride would have taken me about six hours. At one of the beaches, I saw paths running through groves of palmtree and guesthouses. Restaurants at the beachfront offered belly-full for the morning, and beach-umbrella sellers were all busy offering shades and lounge chairs to those who wanted them. Kovalam’s beaches thrive on fishing culture. I could see some wonderfully coloured striped boats arriving with groups of lungi-clad men pulling them in, frantically, along with gigantic nets, doing

all they did singing merrily. It was apparent that the variety of jobs from catching, hauling, cooking and selling fish here comprised the whole family. My mind wavered for a moment reminiscing Sarojini Naidu’s peom ‘The Coromandel Fishers’. It was my maiden experience of what appeared to me to be numberless activities at the beach. After whiling away the rest of the day, I decided to take rest in one of the traditional cottages at Surya Samudra. Alappuzha and the boat ride The next morning I hired a taxi and was off to a three-hour drive to Alappuzha, which is known for its houseboats with luxury bedrooms for visitors. It wasn’t as if the boats were specifically constructed for staying in them as a luxury hotel. They were first built to bring rice and spices to Kochi. I had booked a houseboat with the help of an earlier acquaintance. The boatmen came and took turns to stir it on the water for quite a while. Besides the boat ride, the overnight stay in the houseboat was going to be quite an adventure, I felt. And so it was, especially when the night descended and it started raining heavily. A storm was also raging and it was quite scary for a man like me who had never experienced the vagaries of nature first hand. However, with the first light of the morning the rain had disappeared, promising a sunny day ahead for me. Munnar — the tea hub From Alappuzha I took a taxi ride to Munnar. A rather hilly area, Munnar is suffused with rushing waterfalls, mountain forests and a whimsical weather. The serpentine

Alappuzha is known for its houseboats with luxury bedrooms for visitors roads leading to Munnar were making me feel uneasy for a while, before I finally got somewhat used to them, and the return journey wasn’t all that uncomfortable. The roads I saw were dotted with pendulous white flowers known as angels’ trumpets, and tall trees covered with vines. The hills of tea plantations all around seemed to go on forever. They were covered witha green carpet of bushes resembling fluffy clouds.It is said that Munnar produces about 10 per cent of the country’s tea, which is often served black for its subtle flavour. After reaching Munnar, I took refuge in a small hotel. It was almost evening and the atmosphere was getting darker than one would expect. So I decided to take the rest of the day off. The next morning I did not have any official work, it being a Sunday. I decided to set out on foot traversing the vast fields of tea plantation. The vastness of the plantation area

could hardly be imagined as the entire background was filled with greenery. I also partook of the tea served by one of the locals in the area, who later became my guide for the entire afternoon well into late evening. Gastronomic delights I am not the first person for sure who has had a fascination for idli and sambar, and when in Kerala I had them in profusion. Though most of the items that I ate here were spicy, I was not going to let the opportunity go by without having a taste of most of the vegetarian food I could lay my hands on. From idli sambar I turned to ela sadya, which they call the king of all vegetarian foods in Kerala. Generally, sadya is a dish prepared and served during religious and ceremonial occasions. A combination of pachadi, kichadi, pulissery, olan, sambar, varavu, thoran, aviyal, payasam, and the accompanying hot steaming rice

on a banana leaf could be money’s worth for anyone on any day. Then I had the taste of the dal curry, which is made from small gram and ghee with a copious amount of spices and chillies. However, it was ishtu appam which seemed to have stolen the show so far as I was concerned. Appam is made from fermented rice flour, coconut milk, coconut water, and a bit of sugar. It is, most generally speaking, a thin pancake with crispy edges. These were served with ishtu, a kind of stew made from coconut milk, cinnamon, cloves and shallots, and at times mango pieces and vegetables. It was mouth-watering to say the least, and quite satisfying once relished to the full. Though there were more places to visit and I was longing to visit Kochi’s cultural centre for Kathakali and other cultural performances, I did not get enough time to enjoy these experiences as duty and work called me back home.

Ela sadya is a dish prepared and served during religious and ceremonial occasions

Kovalam, known for its beaches with shallow waters and low tidal waves, is located at a distance of about 213 km from Kochi www.indiannewsqld.com.au

A rather hilly area, Munnar is suffused with rushing waterfalls, mountain forests and a whimsical weather

NOVEMBER 2019

Indian News Queensland | SPORTS

Indian Test cricket on a high as South Africa plummets Team India win test series 3-0, make a strong statement for test championship By Devashish Chakraborty

ndian Test cricket reached its new height when Team India decimated the South Africans 3-0, a scoreline the Proteas would remember for years to come. Having achieved stupendous success, Indians are now way ahead in terms of points to claim the test championship. But then,what amazed many was that it was a tame submission on the part of the South African side. They never looked the side that was going to test the mighty Indians on their home turf. While some experts feel the South African side is going through a transition period, it is not enough to justify their dismal performance in a country which is not alien to them. At least some of their top players have been to India and were part of their respective IPL sides. So they are not altogether unaware of the Indian conditions. Then, why did they go down so cheaply? Indian batting sparkles One of the key areas of concern for Indian cricket lately was the opening slot. Having tried different combinations, the Indians were unable to find the right choice. Shikhar Dhawan was inconsistent and so was Rahul. But Mayank Aggarwal showed his grit and determination at the top, and has justified his selection as one of India’s openers scoring tons this series with a consistency that would make any opener proud. However, Rohit Sharma’s return to top form at the test match level was quite a revelation. Experts have always wondered why a batsman of his caliber did not deliver in the test arena, and this time he did not disappoint anyone. Rohit smashed three centuries against South Africa, including a double ton in Ranchi, to prove a point or two as a test opener. Though he is not quite the type of intimidator Sehwag was at the top

The Indian team poses with the winners trophy after India registered an emphatic victory over South Africa in the third and final test match at the JSCA Stadium in Ranchi on October 22, 2019 of the order, Rohit still has the knack of destroying teams if asked to open. The vital adjustment he has made is a mental one, where he no longer gets overawed by a test match situation. Even in a test match he opens the innings quite like he does in a one-day match, playing every ball to its merit, getting a feel of the pitch initially and then not afraid to unleash his stinging shots all around the wicket. Quite literally, Indian batting looked invincible with Kohli and Rahane also coming to the party in terms of wielding the bat and scoring big runs. Even Umesh Yadav had some fun with the bat hitting sixes with consummate ease in the last Test against South Africa! Indian pace attack comes of age India is no longer the team that looks towards its spinners to pick up wickets and win matches. It is true that in Indian conditions spinners

have a crucial role to play with ace spinners like Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja doing bulk of the damage, even debutant Shahbaz Nadeem bowled brilliantly in the last test match, beating the bat more times than the reward he eventually received. However, it is the strength of Indian pacers that needs special mention as Indians have enviable bench strength so far as pace attack is concerned. Though Harprit Bumrah could not play due to an injury, his absence was never felt as Mohammed Shami, Ishant Sharma and Umesh Yadav bowled with fire throughout the series. The Indian pacers reminded of the West Indies of yore in terms of their pace attack, with each bowling complementing the other and wickets were picked up in partnerships. This means Indians can now hope to win more test matches in overseas conditions as well where spinners do not have much say against the opposition.

South Africans taken aback That the South African side came to India short of preparation was apparent. Their spinners did not bowl well as was expected of them. Keshav Maharaj was the leading spinner in the side, but he did not bowl in the right areas. Other spinners also did not impress as they were unable to read the Indian conditions properly. The South Africans pacers led by Kagiso Rabada and Vernon Philander bowled well throughout the series but were unable to dislodge Indian batsmen who no longer shy away from any pace attack. But it was the dismal South African batting that brought them down. Dean Elgar was tenacious; Faf Du Plessis did not have the best of times with the bat, though he has always done extremely well against the Indians in the past. None of the other batters shone this time around in India to leave their mark on the

(Photo Surjeet Yadav - IANS)

Indian batsman Rohit Sharma celebrates his double century during Day 2 of the 3rd test between India and South Africa in Ranchi on October 20, 2019 Indian soil. The South Africans now need to dig deep and sort themselves out before they embark on their next assignment.

Ganguly, the crisis man of Indian cricket, back at the helm

as his work cut out as the new BCCI president to reform India’s domestic cricket and restore its image at the international level, writes Devashish Chakraborty That Sourav Ganguly has been elevated to the top post of Indian cricket is indeed the first right step forward in years. Ganguly has had the reputation of being the man the cricketing fraternity in India looks www.indiannewsqld.com.au

forward to every time the Indian cricket is in trouble and faced with uncertainty. At a time when the image of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) took a hit and it lost its clout in the International Cricket Council (ICC), Ganguly has been assigned a challenging job of bringing the BCCI back on track. And what makes it more challenging is that he must achieve all that in a period of

9-10 months before his mandatory “cooling off” period of three years begin and he will have to demit the office of the president of the BCCI. Why Ganguly is the right choice When Ganguly was given the job of leading the Indian cricket team as captain back in 2000, Indian cricket was in muddy waters. Controversies such as match-fixing scandal and other forms of corruption and irregularities in the day-to-day functioning of the BCCI were

Former Indian skipper Sourav Ganguly arrives to take charge as the President of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) at the BCCI headquarters in Mumbai, on October 23, 2019

NOVEMBER 2019

Indian News Queensland | SPORTS gradually sinking Indian cricket. Ganguly rose to the occasion and drove the national team to safety and instilled belief that the Indian team had the potential to win matches, even in overseas conditions. He emerged as one of the most successful leaders the team had ever had. In cricketing terms, Ganguly represented India in 113 tests and 311 ODIs, scoring nearly 19,000 runs in international cricket. He took on the Australians with fortitude and tenacity of purpose at a time when the Australians were unbeatable on their home turf and were a formidable side. He faced the English onslaught and fought them like no Indian team had ever done for years. He reciprocated what the other teams dished out to the Indians. He took the Indian side to the World Cup final in 2003. The Kohlis of today are carrying forward what Ganguly began for Indian cricket, building a formidable side like the West Indies of the 70s and 80s and the Australians of the 90s and the decades following 2000. As an administrator he has served Bengal cricket as the president of the Cricket Association of Bengal for five years and proved his credentials. He was part of the BCCI technical committee and was also one of the persons responsible for selecting Anil Kumble as the team's head coach and Ravi Shastri after that.

Saurav Ganguly - the new BCCI President

What Ganguly has to do Though Ganguly has said that after taking over as the president of the BCCI, his first priority will be to take care of first-class cricketers and revive the glory of Ranji Trophy, he has to restore Indiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

Photo - IANS

lost clout in the ICC. He has to try and implement at least some of the recommendations of Justice Lodha Commission, which the Supreme Court-appointed Committee of Administrators could not achieve.

Then, there are other decisions to be taken, including day-night test matches. More importantly, he has to clean up the mess in the BCCI and prove to the world that Indian cricket body can be run without any corruption and irregularities.

For all these challenges, Ganguly is the right man. However, 9-10 months may not be enough time for him to do what he did for Bengal cricket. Can he deliver? Only time will tell.

SRI SELVA VINAYAKAR KOYIL (GANESHA TEMPLE) BRISBANE (South Maclean)

Newsletter 153-25 Aipasi/Ashvina Month (mid-October 2018 to mid-November 2018) Festivals

Dear Sri Selva Vinayaka devotees, Hindu Ahlaya Sangam Qld Inc (HASQ) cordially invites you to Sri Selva Vinayakar Temple Brisbane (South Maclean) for Aipaasi /Ashvina Month Festivals. Sri AyyapaSwamy Tulam Rasi Masa Abishekam / Aipasi Maasa Pirappu (Ashvina month starts) on Friday 18 October 2019 Sri Lalitha Sahastranama Stotram Chanting on Sunday 20 October 2019 Pirathosha Viratham on Saturday 26 October & Sunday 10 November 2019 Deepaavali Festival/Kethara Gowri Viratham Ends on Sunday 27 October 2019 Kantha Shashti Virataham starts on Monday 28 October 2019 Chathurthi Viratham on Thursday 31 October 2019 Kantha Shashti Viratham finishes with Soora Samharam on Saturday 2 November 2019 Murugan Thirukalyanam on Sunday 3 November 2019 Full moon/ Powrnami & Sathya Narayanar Poojai on Tuesday 12 November 2019 Sankatahara Chathurthi on Saturday 16 November 2019 Sri Vishnu Sahastranamam & Paaraayanam on Sunday 3 November 2019

Visit Brisbane Sri Selva Vinayakar (Ganesha) Temple and get the Blessing of Lord Ganesha. For further information please contact our Temple on 07 5547 7302 or Mr: M.Surendra on Mobile-0407-753991

Temple Website: http://www.sriselvavinayakar.org Follow us on (click the icons): 4915-4923, Mt Lindesay Highway, South Maclean, Queensland-4280, Australia, Phone: +61 7 5547 7302

www.indiannewsqld.com.au

NOVEMBER 2019

Indian News Queensland | BOOKS & LITERATURE

Book on yoga exercises unveiled in Bengaluru

oga, which gained global popularity after the United Nations in 2015 declared June 21 as the International Day of Yoga, continuous to fascinate and evoke interest among the common man as well as the aficionado. Grand Master Akshar became the latest spiritual guru to unveil his book "Yoga Namaskar" in Bengaluru last month to unravel the yogic secrets of the majestic Himalayas. Published by Dorling KindersleyPenguin Random House, the 296page book documents seven yoga namaskars -- a gesture with hands folded in the Indian tradition, with 290 asanas (postures). "The book is the first part of a series, which will reveal the secrets of yoga the way to attain spirituality," said Akshar, adding he would spread the ancient science all over the world and share its fruits with everyone. According to the book, the yogic process is more than a physical or mental practice and is a deep-rooted culture that nourishes the soul. To connect with the five tattvas or elements, nature, physical and metaphysical is the endeavour of any spirit. Through the yogic postures, the flow of prana (life),

spotlight. It works for upliftment of the yogic community with the aid of experts from diverse sectors. Akshar shared his experience of

yoga with sports personalities, like Sunil Gavaskar, Matthew Hayden, wrestling champions Geeta and Babita Phogat, among others.

QTA Vidyarthi Nestham - free networking event offered to Telegu students the stillness of dhyan (meditation) and the focus of dharana, any individual can evolve to a higher spiritual plane. "Yogis must grow and evolve in practice daily to become complete. The more they fill with teachings and practices of yoga, the closer they are to perfection," asserted Akshar. The book also has wealth of information on beneficial yogic processes. Endowed with mystical arts, Akshar has capacity to convert negative energy into positive energy. Armed with meditation techniques, he is familiar with parallel life and transcendence.

"Akshar is empowered by special mantras (hymns) and has healing capabilities, including aura healing, chakra balancing and positive affirmations," said a statement from the publishers. Akshar claims to have 500,000 students worldwide, trained about 3,000 teachers and set up 20 yoga academies in his name. "My goal is to touch 5 million lives and train 5,000 teachers by offering a blend of ancient Himalayan teachings and present wellness exercise," said Akshar. The master has set up the World Yoga Organisation, a non-profit, to ensure that Yoga remains in the

ueensland Telugu Association (QTA) is planning to run networking events for Telugu students who come to Queensland for their higher studies. The networking events would cover number of topics that are presented by professionals, that would help the international Telugu students understand the local culture, improve their communication skills, find accommodation before/ after arriving in Queensland, also make acquaintance with the local Telugu community. This is a free event initiated by QTA for the benefit of the students who are pursuing

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Masters in Queensland at various Universities. QTA Vidhyarthi Nestham team will contact the interested students and share the scheduled network events, soon as students fill the form on this web address: tinyurl. com/QTATeluguStudent For any questions or if any of the community members wish to share their knowledge on valuable topics that could benefit the student community and are keen to be part of this team, you can email the organisers at qta.telugustudent@ gmail.com or call Krish (0421 462 209) or Ravi (0430 097 364) or Hari (0411 137 396).

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NOVEMBER 2019

Indian News Queensland | MIGRATION

Q&A Session with our migration expert Question 1: S. Hussain I am a Mechanical Engineer having eight years of experience with an engineering company. I heard mechanical engineers find it difficult to get PR in Australia. Is that correct? If I want to apply for PR, what is the process? Answer: Thank you for the email. It is not true that mechanical engineers are not getting PR to Australia. This occupation is still in the skilled occupation list for all sorts of migration, and eligible candidates would get PR or employer sponsored visas to Australia. Regarding pointbased skilled migration, you may not be currently eligible. The required points are 95 as on Sept 11, 2019 for mechanical engineers to get invitation. This could be the reason for the difficulty for many mechanical engineers in getting through the migration process. To proceed with the skilled migration, you need to get positive skills assessment initially and get at least proficient-level English score. This may not be easy for some candidates to manage, however, you may get options for migration such as state sponsored skilled visas

or employer sponsored visas in near future. Question 2: J. Akhil I am a civil engineer graduate and currently in Australia to undertake higher studies in Engineering Management. I found that to get PR, I need to score 90 points for civil engineering profession, which is difficult. My brother told me to consider the occupation which is not in pro rata to reduce minimum point level such as Civil Drafting or other. I have attached my resume with this mail. Please help me get permanent visa. Answer: The current required point for civil engineers for getting invitation is 85 (as on September 11, 2019). Your age, English language proficiency test score, work experience in the nominated profession are critical in assessing your eligibility. From 16 November, 2019, the point system for skilled migration would be changing, and there could be more chances for qualified engineers to get the state sponsored skilled visas. However, as a full-time student, we advise you to complete the current course successfully and move to subclass 485 visa initially and then

Send all your queries and doubts on migration to us on:

info@indiannewsqld.com.au

also try to get employed in your profession in Australia. If you change the course to Civil Drafting, this might complicate your process in future, as without one-year post qualification work experience in drafting, you would not get skills assessment from VETASSESS as well. Question 3: R. Raj I and my husband have been living in Australia for 11 years, and Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m Australian citizen and my husband is a permanent resident of Australia. We are planning to bring his brother here along with his wife. My brother-in-law is working in Kerala, India, as a dental technician and his wife has completed a degree in microbiology. I have attached all their documents and request you to help us find a good way to bring them here. Answer: We have gone through both the CVs. The dental technician occupation is not eligible for subclass 189 visa. However, it is an eligible occupation for state sponsored 190 visa, TSS and RSMS visa at this stage. With the experience mentioned, it is a bit hard to get subclass 190 visa. For employer sponsored visas, you

have to satisfy certain other criteria, such as minimum previous work experience before applying the visa. With the other applicantâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s prospect, her nominated occupation, Microbiologist, is in the skilled occupation list for all category visas. Her qualification is fine; however, she is working in an unrelated field since her graduation in microbiology. Her current job is not in the skilled occupation, unfortunately. This would not help her to nominate microbiologist as her occupation. She needs minimum one-year post qualification experience to get positive skills assessment. Question 4: J. Bhurtel I am a registered nurse working in Australia. Having 70 clear points, I had lodged EOI in March but haven't received invitation yet. Please let me know if you can help me with this matter. Answer: The current point score for a registered nurse to get an invitation from Department of Home Affairs for skilled migration application is 85. As your point is below the minimum threshold, you have to wait to get the invitation, provided the required score come down in

PRATHAP LAKSHMANAN MA, LLB, LLM, GradDipLP (Lawyer & Migration Agent / Qualified Education Agent Counsellor) TN Lawyers & Immigration Consultants

future. The other option is to explore the chance for state sponsored migration (at this stage subclass 190), or employer sponsored visas. You may wait a little and go through the details of new regional visas introducing in middle of November 2019. Question 5: A. Antony I have just seen the FB post of a law firm saying that DAMA visa is available for aged care workers in Queensland. I am working in a nursing home for the last one year, and my husband is also an AIN (full time) for the last 6 months. Can we apply for this one? Please advise. Answer: DAMA visa is basically employer sponsored visa with different requirements to be satisfied. You may note different DAMA have their own criteria for sponsoring employers. We advise you to check with the DAMA you intend to move about their requirements first and assess your eligibility. If eligible, confirm with the employer on the nomination of such jobs and go ahead with the process and see if you get positive response such as offer letter or confirmation of employment. Email: info@tnlawyers.com Web: www.tnlawyers.com.au Skype: prathap.tnmc

Guru Nanak Dev Ji's 550th Gurpurab celebrations held in Australian parliament

n the first-ever historic event, the landmark 550th birthday of the founder of Sikh religion, Guru Nanak Dev Ji, was celebrated at Australia's federal parliament on 22 October, 2019. Organised by Australian Sikh Council, this was first-ever parkash (ceremonial opening) of Guru Granth Sahib (the Sikh scriptures), and singing of Kirtan (devotional hymns) with tanti saaz (traditional musical instruments). The Panj Piaras (five beloved ones) escorted Sri Guru Granth Sahib ceremoniously from the security checkpoint outside the Parliament House, and the parkash took place at a designated room inside. More than 30 federal MPs and senators attended the celebrations, including Labour Leader of the Opposition, Anthony Albanese, leader of the Greens Party, Richard di Natale, Hon Bob Katter and MP Warren Entsch. The key note address was by Harinder Singh from Sikh Research Institute, USA, and Ms Jatinder kaur from Brisbane spoke about Gender Equality in Sikhism. The Australian Sikh Council invited Sikh representatives of various gurdwaras and Sikh organisations from Perth, Brisbane, Melbourne, Adelaide, Riverland, Cairns, Woolgoolga, Alice Springs, Darwin, Gold Coast and other regional cities and towns. www.indiannewsqld.com.au

Photo courtesy: Quami Awaaz Radio

Ms Jatinder kaur from Brisbane spoke about gender equality in Sikhism

Parkash (ceremonial opening) of Guru Granth Sahib

Panj Piaras escorting Sri Guru Granth Sahib ceremoniously from the security checkpoint outside the Parliament House

Sikh representatives of various gurdwaras and Sikh organisations from various Australian cities posing together

NOVEMBER 2019

Indian News Queensland | HOROSCOPE

GCQ Diwali Dhamaka enthralls revelers

ujarati Community of Queensland (GCQ) held the much-awaited Bupa Diwali Dhamaka event and Diwali celebrations in Willawong on October 26. Soon after the arrival of the chief guests, the event started with national anthem and kids performances, followed by various competitions, henna applications, face painting and cultural stage

performances. Then followed the speeches from the guests and dignitaries, and prizes for rangoli were distributed. The event had various cultural and Bollywood performances lined up, as well as fireworks near the end. Chief guests of the event were Mr Graham Parrett MP, Cr Angela Owen, Dr Ram Mohan, President, FICQ and Mr Samir Vora, COO, Adani Mining.

Mr Graham Parrett MP with the committee members during the event

Photo courtesy: Parekh Digital Photography

One of the various cultural performances on stage

Chief guest Mr Graham Parrett MP among the audience Mehandi or henna application

Cr Angela Owen with the Indian community members

www.indiannewsqld.com.au

BSQ celebrates Diwali in Brisbane

engali Society of Queensland (BSQ) members enjoyed their Diwali celebrations in Brisbane, along with traditional Begali puja and cultural

dance and programmes. BSQ is a nonprofit, membership-based organisation based in Brisbane, and their main objective is to promote Bengal's culture and tradition in Queensland.

NOVEMBER 2019

Indian News Queensland | WHAT’S ON

Join Us for a grand celebration at The Greek Hall 269 Creek Road, Mount Gravatt East, Qld 4122 Two live bands! Authentic Goan buffet!

On 30th November 2019 with Mass at 5:30PM and event from 6:30PM. Ticket Prices

Early Bird*

Normal

Members

$45

$50

Non-Members

$55

$60

Children 5-12

$30

$35

Children<5

Free

Special Offer: As part of 30th Anniversary celebrations, Ex-Committee members are being offered an ‘exclusive discount’ Please contact the Club for more details

Contact via email clubdegoabrisbane@gmail.com or via phone to book your tickets, Randolph 0411270061, Everton 0432495386, Ivy 0410008106, Joaquim 0420309802 or Wilda 0416027088 *Early Bird Prices are valid till 27th October 2019 Dress Code: Black Tie

www.indiannewsqld.com.au

NOVEMBER 2019

Indian News Queensland | WHAT’S ON

Vishva Hindu Parishad of Australia Inc., Queensland Chapter

Bala Samskar Kendra

Queensland Promoting Vedic Culture, Samskrit Language and Shloka Chanting Proudly presents

BALA UTSAV 2019

An evening celebrating Hindu Culture & Heritage

Saturday, 30 November 2019 | 5:45 PM for 6:00 PM start Acacia Ridge State School | Arts Auditorium | Nyngam Street | Acacia Ridge QLD 4110

Online Tickets QR Code

Entry Tickets – $10 Single (Free for children under 12 years) Vegetarian dinner available for sale Online tickets link - https://tinyurl.com/BU19Tickets

Facebook event QR Code

No tickets will be sold at the venue; sale is until 25 November 2019 and is limited to hall capacity

For more information please contact us at: bskqld@live.com.au Gold Coast: Paddy 0481 322 421 | Somalatha 0432 229 096 Brisbane: Krrishna 0411 776 509 | Hari 0411 137 396 | Menaka 0406 422 543 | Mohan 0400 775 924 Media Partners

www.vhpqld.org.au

VHP strives for the ideal of “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam” (the world is one large family) https://www.facebook.com/VHPAustraliaQLD

www.indiannewsqld.com.au

NOVEMBER 2019

Indian News Queensland | WHATâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S ON

www.indiannewsqld.com.au

NOVEMBER 2019

Indian News Queensland | BOLLYWOOD

Indian Movies Coming Soon Dil Bechara

Bhangra Paa Le RELEASE DATE: 15 November, 2019 Language: Hindi (with English subtitles) Director: Sneha Taurani Cast: Sunny Kaushal, Rukshar Dhillon Bhangra Paa Le explores the significance of Bhangra dance in the lives of Kaptaan Singh and his grandson Jaggi Singh. Set against two timelines, the film transitions between both their journeys, giving a historical context as well as a present-day take on this energetic Punjabi dance form. Kaptaan, a dance enthusiast, gets recruited by the British Army for a unique job. He uses music and dance to motivate soldiers of the British Army (Britishers, Italians, Indians) and encourages them to fight for victory against the Germans during World War 2 (1944). Through his

journey, he spreads joy and cheer in an incredibly tough and dark time. But when the joy of dance finishes and war gets the better of him, we see his struggle in finding the love of life he once had. A hero at war now has to find a way to make it back to the love of his life and reignite the same passion he once had for Bhangra. The second protagonist, Jaggi, is a young, confident college boy who is the best dancer his college has ever seen in present-day Amritsar. Through his journey, we discover the nuances of inter-college and international Bhangra competitions. His passion reaches an extreme and

becomes an obsession for him, and the film deals with the growth he goes through while building and working as part of a team. Sparks fly when he meets another talented dancer, Simi, who is at par with him. But when he discovers that she's from a rival college this romantic story gets a new twist. Now while they are constantly opposing each other, they also start falling for each other. The screenplay transitions between the past and present story throughout and the film explores what Bhangra means to these characters, and more importantly, the impact it has on them.

RELEASE DATE: 29 November, 2019 Language: Hindi (with English subtitles) Director: Mukesh Chhabra Cast: Sushant Singh Rajput, Sanjana Sanghi, Sahil Vaid

Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a love story of two cancer patients.

Mardaani 2

Dabangg 3 RELEASE DATE: 13 December, 2019

RELEASE DATE: 20 DECEMBER, 2019

Language: Hindi (with English subtitles) Producer: Aditya Chopra Director: Gopi Puthran Cast: Rani Mukerji

Language: Hindi (with English subtitles) Producers: Salman Khan, Arbaaz Khan, Nikhil Dwivedi Director: Prabhu Deva Cast: Salman Khan

Commando 3 Rani Mukerji's edge-of-the-seat entertainer Mardaani 2 is set to release this year with producers announcing that the much-awaited cop thriller will release on 13th December. Rani is reprising the role of the fearless and committed Superintendent of Police Shivani Shivaji Roy in Mardaani 2. She had delivered an outstanding

performance in the superhit and hugely acclaimed prequel, Mardaani, in which she took on the kingpin of a child trafficking racket. In Mardaani 2, Rani will be seen pitted against a 21-year-old menacingly evil villain. There is a lot of anticipation on who her villain

will be but one thing is for certain that Aditya Chopra is set to launch a new face as the antagonist. The film marks the directorial debut of Gopi Puthran, the writer of the first Mardaani film. Produced by Aditya Chopra, Mardaani 2 was shot extensively in Jaipur and parts of Rajasthan.

RELEASE DATE: 29 November, 2019

Motichoor Chaknachoor

Language: Hindi (with English subtitles) Director: Aditya Datt Cast: Vidyut Jamwal, Urvashi Rautela

RELEASE DATE: 15 NOVEMBER, 2019 Language: Hindi (with English subtitles) Producer: Viacom 18 Director: Debamitra Biswal Cast: Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Athiya Shetty A fiery bride, a desperate groom, in an ideal world, would never come together, but here they do. Anny, a beautiful, ambitious and

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easily one of the most eligible girls in the neighborhood, would only settle for an NRI groom, someone who would take her away from her

seemingly mundane life to nothing closer than at least the USA or England. Pushpinder, not so eligible a bachelor, working in Dubai and a

bit past his age, would marry any girl who would be kind enough to marry him and would fulfill his mother's desire for a hefty dowry.

NOVEMBER 2019

Indian News Queensland | BOLLYWOOD

Nawazuddin to be honoured at Cardiff Film Festival

oted actor Nawazuddin Siddiqui is all set to be honoured at the upcoming Cardiff International Film Festival 2019 for his contribution to the world of cinema. Nawazuddin will receive the Golden Dragon Award at the festival, which will be held from October 24 to 27 at Cardiff Bay, Wales. The award will be given on the final day of the fest. Nawazuddin Siddiqui who started off with small roles in films such as Sarfarosh and Shool, shot into limelight with his role in Anurag Kashyap's Gangs of Wasseypur in 2012. Subsequently, his performances in The Lunchbox, Liar's Dice, Badlapur, Manjhi: The Mountain Man, Kick, Bajrangi Bhaijaan, Mom and the web series Sacred Games received accolades from everywhere. This festival started in 2016 by Abbas, along with Andrea Moignard and Cheryl Ingram. The festival jury and supporters include Anurag Kashyap, Florence Aiyisi, John Altman, Joe Ferrera, Keith Williams, Divyanka Tripathi Dahiya, Norman J Warren, Kimberley Nixon, Jonny Owen, Maria Pride, Kai Owen and Matthew Rhys.

Bhumi defends her dusky appearance in Bala

he dusky appearance of Bhumi Pednekar in the forthcoming film Bala has received a lot of online criticism after the launch of the filmâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s trailer. The actress has clarified that the film is not about mocking at dark-skinned people. On the contrary, it is an attempt to get rid of the bias or obsession

that people in India have with fair skin. She says that the Indian audience will understand after watching the movie that it is not to poke fun at any skin colour. She further states that all her films are different and in all her films she has a different appearance. She says that she is not shying away from playing a role even if it is that of a man.

Had to work 10 times harder on Dabangg 3, says Salman Khan

ven as Salman Khan returns as Chulbul Pandey with his Dabangg 3, it has been a long wait for the third in the Dabangg series, especially when the sequel of Debangg (2010) came in a space of two years. Now it has taken seven years for Dabangg 3 to appear. About the third in the cop

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series, Salman says that with every film he tries to give the audiences a little more than what he has offered previously. For this film, he says, he had to work 10 times harder. Besides Salman and Sonakshi Sinha repeat their characters from the blockbuster franchise,

Dabangg 3 will also witness Saiee Manjrekar making her Bollywood debut. The actor also said that they trusted Prabhudheva with the responsibility to direct the film, knowing that the film would have high expectations.

NOVEMBER 2019

Indian News Queensland | BOLLYWOOD

Kiara Advani begins shooting for Indoo Ki Jawani

iara Advani is all set to don her newest character with her movie Indoo Ki Jawani. Months after the film’s announcement, Kiara has started the shoot of the film. The team, which includes Kiara and Aditya Seal among others, has started shooting for the female-centric movie in Lucknow. The film is being supported by Monisha Advani, Madhu Bhojwani with Nikkhil Advani and co-produced by Niranjan Iyengar and Ryan Stephen.

Sunny Leone to feature in musical broadway, Abhimanyu

c c l a i m e d choreographer and Kathak maestro Sandeep Mahavir is all set to kick-start his dream project, Abhimanyu, which is said to be India’s biggest Indian classical dance show in Broadway style. It is a unique and beautiful blend of kathak and hip-hop into one big dance show.

For this show Sandeep has roped in Sunny Leone. About the offer Sunny Leone says that she is looking forward to the role. Abhimanyu, according to Sandeep, is the journey of a dancer, and he is happy that Sunny Leone has agreed to be a part of it. The broadway would be inaugurated in Ahmedabad and would go on a global tour.

Kiara was last seen in Kabir Singh with co-star Shahid Kapoor. The film did very well at the box office.

Tiger Shroff wants to emulate Michael Jackson

ctor Tiger Shroff has said that he wants to sing songs, along with his dance, thereby becoming a complete performer like Michael Jackson and Bruno Mars were. Tiger, who became popular with his film Heropanti, is one of the successful action heroes of Bollywood. Besides his career as an actor, he shoots music videos and offers them to his audience. Tiger, who has featured in music videos such as Zindagi aa raha hoon main, Chal wahan jaate hain and Befikra, finds them a sort of breather.

About choosing his films he says he goes according to his instinct. He is a big fan of Michael Jackson and Bruno Mars and wants to emulate them. He says he loves being stereotyped and is looking forward to working on more action movies such as Baaghi 3 and Rambo.

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NOVEMBER 2019

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