Indian Weekender 5 February 2016 by Indian Weekender

5 February, 2016 • Vol. 7 Issue 44 • www.iwk.co.nz

NZ’s first Kiwi-Indian weekly newspaper

The pulse of Kiwi-Indians

WAITANGI DAY

CELEBRATING THE LEGACY

ANDREW LITTLE COMMITS TO FREE “POST SCHOOL” EDUCATION

CONTENTS

5 February 2016 | www.iwk.co.nz

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New Zealand Kiwis welcome Syrian refugees

Sports Black Caps bundle out Australian batsmen within 25 overs, win by 159 runs Pg

Glitterati All that glitters and more

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Opinion/Editorial Amidst saffron fundamentalism, Modiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s achhey din a mirage Pg

Star gazing What do the stars have in store for you this week Pg

Entertainment Priyanka Chopra to be presenter at the Academy Awards

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A plan for the future

People will have to adapt, changing their careers more frequently than in the past. Jobs, especially those that are less skilled, are being automated. New jobs will require much higher skill levels.

Phil Goff

ndrew Little’s State of the Nation speech at Albert Park last Sunday contained a bold but carefully costed commitment to free post-school education and training. Starting in 2018 and to be fully implemented by 2025, the policy gives all New Zealanders who have had no previous tertiary education access to three years free education, training or re-training. It is being phased in so that it will be affordable. Each year, the New Zealand government generally makes provision for around $1.5 or $2 billion in new spending. Labour has signalled that its priority from budgeted new spending will be ensuring the upskilling of our most valuable resource— our people. Over the last year, Labour has been focussing on developing a policy on the Future of Work. The rate of change in the workplace is incredible. International research demonstrates that nearly half (46 per cent) of the jobs that currently exist

employment

opportunities.

That

economically wasteful with people forced into being dependent, unable to contribute to the economy and not paying taxes. It is also socially disastrous because people unable to participate in mainstream society become alienated from a society that is not

won’t be there in 10 to 20 years. To a large

will require much higher skill levels. If

extent, this reflects the impact of rapid

we do nothing to help people train and

technological change.

retrain, the result will be high levels of

People will have to adapt, changing

structural unemployment, which means

their careers more frequently than in the

people trapped into dependence on the

past. Jobs, especially those that are less

unemployment

skilled, are being automated. New jobs

means to upskill to take advantage of new

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benefit,

without

the

inclusive of them. Unfortunately, far from increasing the upskilling of New Zealanders, our country is slipping back in the opposite direction. Since National became the government in 2008, the number of tertiary students has fallen by 20 per cent and the number of apprenticeships is down 22 per cent. Over Continued on Page 4

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5 February 2016 | www.iwk.co.nz

Continued from Page 3

the same time, total student debt has increased by over 50 per cent and is expected to reach $15 billion this year. Labour has for some time pushed for new policies to help people get the skills they need for a better life and that the community as a whole will benefit from. As Leader of the Opposition, I promoted the policy of turning the first year dole payment into a payment to employers to take on a person who had been out of work for some time and to subsidise them into an apprenticeship. It makes sense to help people retrain so they can support themselves rather than locking them into benefit-dependency with no future. Andrew Little has repeated his commitment to that policy but has gone much further. The new policy of three years free postschool education can be taken up by a person at any time during their lifetime, for academic or, trades training. We need not only university qualifications but also technical and technological skills to meet the needs across the workforce. The policy removes the barriers to further education that tuition fees may impose. Measures will be in place to ensure the quality of learning and the commitment of the student or trainee. For second

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Top Left: Andrew Little, Labour leader; Above: Labour MP Jenny Salesa

The policy removes the barriers to further education that tuition fees may impose. Measures will be in place to ensure the quality of learning and the commitment of the student or trainee or third year funding, students will need to pass more than half their courses in the previous year. This programme is about creating the opportunity for the individual and benefit for the community and we need to ensure that is what is delivered. I am pleased to see such strong support for the policy, both from commentators and from the wider public. People have expressed support for what we are trying to achieve and have acknowledged that Labour has

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done its homework. They have welcomed the fact that we have a plan to deal with rising insecurity from the rapidly changing nature of work. National has, of course, criticised the policy. It is a pity when political parties feel the need to oppose a good idea just because it comes from another

party. I note that the NZ Herald political editor acknowledged that the policy was properly costed and had merit. As she commented, everyone remembers the Working for Families policies National condemned as “communism by stealth” and interest-free student loans, both of which they criticised and then kept.

Labour’s policy is a good one. When implemented by the next Labour government, both the public and future governments will see it as critically necessary in the changing world we are living in. Views expressed in the article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect Indian Weekender’s opinion

Kiwis welcome Syrian refugees to New Zealand

iwis came together to welcome Syrian refugees to New Zealand in a heart-warming video released by World Vision. “We can’t wait to meet you” was the sentiment expressed by Kiwis of all ages, as nearly 100 Syrian refugees arrived in New Zealand as part of the government’s emergency quota intake. Featuring a special waiata created by Auckland iwi Ngati Whatua for the video, Kiwis welcomed refugees to New Zealand with messages of friendship. Ten-year-old Lochlan can’t wait to see Syrian refugees at school, 18-year-old Jay hopes to bump into the new arrivals down

at the beach this summer, and Natalie and Kiritapu have extended an invite to the Bay of Plenty for a barbecue. World Vision New Zealand CEO Chris Clarke says that he is excited to bring such a warm message to Syrian refugees as they arrive in New Zealand to create a safe home. “We want the Syrian refugees arriving to know that they’re safe, they’re welcome and we’re so

Children wave small photocopied Syrian flags in Mangere

happy to have them. New Zealand has a rich tradition of welcoming migrants and refugees to our country, and we’re proud to have these incoming Syrian refugees as a part of our wider Kiwi whanau” says Chris. “A refugee crisis that once felt so far away is now arriving on our doorstep, and it’s a testament to the Kiwi spirit that we’ve welcomed our new neighbours with such open arms,” continues Chris. There are many ways New Zealanders can welcome Syrian refugees to their new home. Here are five ways that Kiwis can help: 1. Welcome Syrian refugees into your neighbourhood as they arrive, and incorporate new migrants into schools,

workplaces, churches and communities with love and understanding, not fear. Create conversation and break down barriers at your school, workplace or with friends and family Join the online conversation with the hashtag #refugeeswelcome Work with local agencies who help to settle refugees into New Zealand such as Red Cross or Migrant Action Trust. Hold a fundraiser to support the 13.5 million Syrian in need overseas or local settlement projects here. If you think we can do more—say so. Many other organisations like World Vision are asking the government to double the quota to allow more Syrian refugees fleeing war into New Zealand.

www.iwk.co.nz | 5 February 2016

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New Zealand welcomes record 121,900 migrants in 2015 Black

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ew Zealand welcomed a record 121,900 migrants, mostly from Asia in 2015, the government statistics agency said on Monday. According to Statistics New Zealand, the country had a net gain - more arrivals than departures - of 5,500 migrants in December, down from the record high of 6,200 in November, Xinhua news agency reported. Of the migrant arrivals in 2015, 25,300 were from Australia, 14,500 were from India, with three-quarters having student visas, and 11,000 were from China, with almost half having student visas. Around 13,400 came from Britain, with almost half having work visas. It resulted from a record 121,900 migrant arrivals and 57,000 migrant departures, said a statement from the agency.

Reserve Bank of New Zealand governor Graeme Wheeler said last week that continued strong net migration, along with tourism, would help raise New Zealandâ&#x20AC;şs slowing economic growth this year.

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Garden City revel in Indian traditional wrestling or Kushti

5 February 2016 | www.iwk.co.nz

Gaurav Sharma

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Gaurav Sharma

ushti or Indian traditional wrestling has a great historical legacy, with Dara Singh probably the most famous modern great. Which is why it is ironical that it took a Ukrainian to go about generating awareness about the sport in Christchurch. But at the same time, it also points towards the universal appeal of the fighting art form. This is certainly how Demitri Korzh, an international wrestling coach who immigrated to New Zealand in 2002 feels about the sport. “I was introduced to Kushti when I was in my primary school in Ukraine and the love-affair hasn’t stopped since. During my stints with the national teams, first in my home country and then in Oceania and New Zealand, I have realised that Kushti is the best sport for total well-being, both mental and physical. This is the message I want to spread. That’s why I got very excited when a chance meeting with Hitesh led to the conceptualisation of a Kushti workshop in one of the main streets of Christchurch.” Hitesh Sharma, director of Christchurch-based event

Telugu Association celebrates Sankranti

Send us news, events and happenings from around your community... editor@indianweekender.co.nz

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he Telugu Association of South Island New Zealand celebrated the festival of Sankranti in Christchurch on January 17.

though our celebrations were lowkey this year, over 100 people attended the event. We had organised a game of indoor cricket as well as played musical chairs, which was followed by dinner of some delicious Andhra dishes.

TasiNZ is an informal group in existence since 2006 and having its membership at 240 now. Gopi Sajja, who came to Christchurch in 2003, and is one of the founding members of TasiNZ, noted, “Even

Apart from Sankranti, we also organise Diwali and a mid-winter festival. But the biggest yearly celebrations are of the Telugu New Year—Ugadi—which we will have this year too, sometime in April.”

management company Revel Events who helped in organising the Kushti event, was visibly happy too. “With so many young Indians from North India—where Kushti is very popular—immigrating to New Zealand, I see a lot of potentials for the sport to grow here. Moreover, we are always looking for organising events such as these, which have distinct Indian flavour. That’s why, next in line is the Holi festival, to be held in Christchurch on March 5 followed by the Vaisakhi Mela a week later, on March 11,” he concluded.

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www.iwk.co.nz | 5 February 2016

Bapu remembered on January 30th

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Gaurav Sharma

arking a death anniversary is always painful and sombre. More so, if it’s been 68 years since our father of the nation and one of the greatest political leader of modern times, Mahatma Gandhi, was assassinated by a Hindu fanatic Nathuram Godse. “But the thing with great people is that even their death can be a source of inspiration for all of us. Now, more than ever before, are Gandhian ideals of peace and non-violence relevant in human societies. Such days also give us an opportunity to pause and rethink on incorporating some aspects of Gandhian philosophy in our busy lives, while celebrating the great man’s own life journey, who famously said ‘my life is my message’,” noted Archana Tandon, a South-Island based Justice of Peace and custodian of 34 rare black and white photographs of the Gandhi. Last displayed publicly at the Lincoln Event Centre and Darfield Library during the Gandhi Jayanti celebrations in 2015, the photographs themselves have an interesting history.

“These were taken by noted Mumbai-based photographer D. R. D. Wadia during the 1940s and comprise of portraits and informal images of Gandhi ji with Pandit Nehru, Mohammed Jinnah and other major political leaders of the Indian independence movement. Some were taken during his village visits, at mass public gatherings and at formal political meetings,” informed Tandon. These photographs or rather their negatives came to New Zealand when Wadia’s grandson, Aditya Malik, a former senior lecturer at the Canterbury

University immigrated here in 2000s. When Malik returned to India for good some time back, Tandon agreed to become the custodian of the priceless collection. The photographs were put on public display for the first time in 2002 at the Canterbury Museum under the title, Gandhi: A Photographic Exhibition. Later, the collection moved around the country for a while. Then, again in 2010, the photographs formed the part of Colours of India—a weeklong festival with an Indian theme organised by the Christchurch Art Gallery. “While there was a gap of five years because of the earthquakes, we have restarted the public display last year and plan to continue it henceforth. While it’s good that the collection is mobile giving a lot more people the chance to witness this historical treasure, ideally, in due course, it would be great if these 34 photographs find a permanent place in Canterbury’s historical landscape,” she concluded.

New $72m Outpatients facility for Christchurch

ealth Minister Jonathan Coleman says the Government has given the green light to a new $72 million Outpatients facility to be built in Canterbury. “The Government is committed to ensuring that Canterbury DHB is well placed to continue to deliver high quality services,” says Dr Coleman. “The new building will be located in the health precinct on St Andrew’s triangle directly opposite Christchurch Hospital, which is close to the CBD and on public transport routes. “Spanning five storeys and 10,500m2 the new building will provide outpatient and other clinical services including diabetes, endocrine, ophthalmology, and dental. “Patients and staff will benefit from having so many key services brought together in a purposebuilt facility. Clinical leaders are having a high level of involvement in the design to help ensure the space is well utilised. “While the final design and construction timeframes are expected to be confirmed in the coming months, the Government has made up to $72 million available for the project and the new facility is expected to be completed in 2018.

“The approval of the new Outpatients facility is a significant milestone in what is already the largest hospital redevelopment project in New Zealand’s history. In total close to $1 billion is programmed to be spent in coming years on a range of new and/or redeveloped health facilities in Canterbury. “Canterbury’s health workforce has demonstrated incredible resilience and determination in recent years—this massive redevelopment programme seeks to help recognise this.” Canterbury DHB has a $1.36 billion budget, up $254 million in seven years. In addition, the Government has provided the DHB with a one-off $16 million funding boost for 2015/16.

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5 February 2016 | www.iwk.co.nz

City of sails celebrates its 176th anniversary Red

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Kumar Suresh

uckland celebrated its anniversary weekend with a bang as it saw live performances, cultural displays, helicopter rides, ferry rides, Waka rides, street plays, etc. The city’s wharfs were full of colors as people thronged to witness a successful event that portrayed the true multi-cultural spirit of Auckland. The queen’s wharf, over the weekend bore a new look as it hosted the Tāmaki Herenga Waka festival. As early as 10 in the morning, people witnessed a tugboat race. Tugboat is usually a boat used to pull larger vessels in the port and the ones that participated, flaunted their maneuverability with waterborne stunts much to the awe of the spectators. There was also beautiful display of Māori history, heritage and contemporary culture. There were village workshops, storytelling and koru lounges, market place for Maori artwork, medicine and food stalls etc. One could just walk through these workshops to experience and be a part of Māori village games, Māori massage therapy and traditional medicinal workshops, wooden artcraft workshops etc. Right

through out all the three days, Te Kai Māori, a 90-minute Māori culinary experience workshop was there to be taken up at a nominal price taking one deep into the lives of Maori lifestyle. As one came out of queens wharf, there were many road shows where stuntmen showed their skills on bikes, the big wheels, wooden poles, etc. At Captain cooks wharf which hosted ‘Seeport weekend festival’, welcomed its visitors with a free ferry sightseeing ride to all the ports and wharfs of Auckland. It had stalls hosted by army, navy, air force, scouts & guides etc along with the stage holding live performances by Auckland symphony orchestra. Between all of these, the one that

stole the show was the sevenminute helicopter ride around the CBD area for just $69 per head. Throughout the day the two helicopters took people for an aerial ride giving them views of the habour bridge and CBD skyline. On the Princes wharf, people were taken on free Waka rides into the waters and were explained the ancient Māori way of travelling by sea. Dragon boat race was organized at the Viaduct harbor on Monday, which was again flocked by people who cheered for the winners. Sudhanshu Mishra, who belonged to the touring group from Mumbai said,” We din’t know there was this festival being celebrated here in Auckland. It was a pleasant surprise for all

of us. I am really having a blast. Helicopter ride was brilliant and now I am waiting to get into the ferry.” The only let down was the fireworks organized at the Captain Cook wharf where the 6000 strong audience saw in shock as shift in wind saw ambers falling on the crowd and injuring four people who were given immediate medical attention. The fifteen-minute event was then cut down to seven. Though the accident at the firework event let the people down a bit, the event as a whole was organized extremely well. Auckland council which hosted the event, deserves to be congratulated for hosting an event of this magnitude in an

efficient manner. Afterall the festivals such as these are the real showcases of the multi-ethnic and multi-traditional nature of our city.

NEW ZEALAND

www.iwk.co.nz | 5 February 2016

Commercial property market in 2016

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a major tourism boom, with more than three million international visitors visiting our shores for the first time in a one year period. This represents an 8.1% increase on the previous twelve months, and our hotel property market is reflecting that. ”Colliers Hotel division is witnessing the first stages of the next transaction cycle with more than $290 million in sales recorded in 2015, up a staggering 500% over the same period in 2014.

Following a record year of sales volume, low vacancy rates and yields—Colliers International, CEO Mark Synnott sees little reason for that trend to change heading into 2016

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Two key features will underpin the confidence and demand in the commercial property market for the next 12 months: historically low interest rates and population expansion.” Synnott says population growth was a key tenet of his predictions for last year (2015) and he says it will remain a driving force behind major commercial developments in 2016. “New Zealand’s net migration gains show no sign of letting up, and population— specifically in Auckland—will provide the impetus for more major commercial developments.” Record low yields will also feature again in 2016, purely because of demand, says Synnott. “There is a lot more money available for investment than there are properties to be invested in. The record low CBD office and industrial vacancy rates in Auckland will continue as an acute barometer of this trend.” Synnott says the residential market is also placing greater focus on density to alleviate demand and price pressures, and this will increase the attractiveness of quality apartment projects such as Alexandra Park.

“As predicted last year, New Zealand’s commercial property market is still only seeing the beginnings of the ‘great wall of money’ on offer from China. The sheer weight of capital available from Asian investors who want to find a home for it in international markets is massive, and New Zealand is an extremely attractive location.” Synnott predicts activity within the retail property sector will also be very notable in 2016 – particularly coming off the back of significant momentum late last year (2015) where Colliers’ Capital Markets team transacted a record billion dollars in sales in less than six months, anchored in the main by Westfield shopping centres ($549 million) and Countdown supermarket ($287 million) sales. Synnott also sees a strong case for ‘tourism becoming the new dairy’. “New Zealand is currently enjoying

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5 February 2016 | www.iwk.co.nz

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International action on Zika appropriate

ealth Minister Jonathan Coleman says the World Health Organization’s declaration of Zika virus as a public health emergency is appropriate. “Although cases of the Zika virus have been reported for over a decade in New Zealand, it’s generally been regarded as a mild illness,” says Dr Coleman. “Recent developments overseas mean this declaration is the right step. “The WHO declaration follows international clusters of microcephaly and neurological conditions associated with the virus. By elevating this to a public health emergency, much needed research can now be fast-tracked. “I am advised that the threat within New Zealand is virtually non-existent as we don’t have the mosquito species, Aedes aegypti, which is spreading the disease. “We have a longstanding programme in place to protect our borders and reduce the spread of communicable disease. “Good surveillance and reporting means we can ensure people get the right diagnosis, with prompt help and advice. “This includes information at the airport for travellers arriving in New Zealand advising them

about the virus and where to get help if they become sick. “Passengers coming from Zika infected countries are being given an information handout which has been translated into several languages. There are also large signs displaying this information at passport control. “New Zealanders are only at risk if travelling to areas where Zika is prevalent. “Until more is known about the virus pregnant women or women planning to become pregnant should consider delaying travel to areas with Zika virus. Anyone travelling to Zika infected countries should take appropriate precautions to avoid mosquito bites.” Within New Zealand there

have now been 10 Zika cases this year affecting travellers who have recently arrived from the South Pacific—eight of which are confirmed. Travellers with the disease have been in Tonga, Samoa, and American Samoa. More than 20 countries, which are mostly in central America, are currently reporting cases. The Ministry of Health continues to monitor international developments and is in the process of establishing a specialist advisory group to guide ongoing advice and actions. Anyone wanting more information can call Healthline 0800 611 116 or visit the Safe Travel website, www.safetravel. govt.nz and the Ministry of Health website, www.health.govt.nz.

Unemployment figures lowest in seven years

he latest Household Labour Force Survey (HLFS) shows unemployment has fallen to 5.3 per cent, the lowest since March 2009. There were an additional 21,000 jobs in the December quarter, and 175,000 additional jobs over the past three years. “It’s positive to see strong falls in unemployment in many regions, including Northland, Gisborne/Hawke’s Bay, Manawatu/ Whanganui, Nelson/ Tasman/Marlborough/West Coast, Taranaki and the Waikato,” says Mr Joyce. “The construction industry led the way with 27,500 more people in the year to December, largely driven off residential construction in Auckland. It’s also positive to see strong growth in technicians and trade workers, with 20,800 more employed over the year. “Wages continue to outpace cost of living increases, with the

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No room for complacency in volatile 2016

he government must not become complacent about a fall in the unemployment rate given the Reserve Bank Governor’s warning of increasing global uncertainty in 2016 and a plunge in dairy prices yet again, says Labour’s Finance spokesperson Grant Robertson. “This year has started off in a volatile fashion with stock markets diving, the global dairy price continuing to slide and Fonterra’s forecast milk pay out again dropping to well below break-even point for farmers. “That’s why Graeme Wheeler has warned of greater uncertainties around the global economy and the impact that could have on New Zealand. National must listen to his words—despite ignoring his warnings for months. “His speech challenges the ongoing validity of the policy targets agreement. This shows Mr English needs to look at alternative approaches to monetary policy. Graeme Wheeler can’t fix the economy on his own. “Today’s drop in the global dairy trade means there has been a 60 per cent plunge in the price of whole milk powder in the last two years, raising the real prospect of three years of no profits for dairy farmers and flow-on effects for their communities.

“The unemployment figures also need careful reading, given that any drop is offset by the number of people actively looking for work falling by 14,300. This is the third quarter the participation rate has gone down, meaning people are walking away from the labour market. This contributes to a lower unemployment rate. “Many New Zealanders are still feeling the cost of living squeeze, as evidenced by today’s figures showing the lowest quarterly wage growth in 25 years. While inflation might be low, wages are just not keeping up with skyrocketing housing costs—putting the Kiwi dream of home ownership further out of reach. “National needs to bring forward more infrastructure projects. It needs to take urgent action to diversify the economy away from dairy and the Auckland housing market to help prepare New Zealand for a challenging year. Just yesterday the ANZ commodity index had a 15 per cent fall, showing the need to move up the value chain of exports. “New Zealanders need a government that is an active partner in growing the economy and preparing for the future, not the bunch of distracted bystanders we currently have,” says Grant Robertson.

Customs underfunding compromising border security

T average weekly wage up 3.1 per cent in the past year, compared with inflation of 0.1 per cent.” Other highlights include: • Youth not in Employment, Education or Training (NEETS) was the lowest since September 2008 (10.9 per cent) • The NEET figure for 15-19 year olds was again the lowest since records began in 2004 (6.5 per cent) • Pacific people’s unemployment is now the lowest in seven years • Maori unemployment fell 1.6 per cent

“This quarter’s unemployment rate is better than nearly all commentators anticipated. While that measure will continue to move around each quarter, the job growth and employment figures for New Zealand continue to be strong relative to nearly all other developed countries. “This shows that the New Zealand economy is growing well relative to our competitors and that the government’s economic programme including the Business Growth Agenda, is helping provide employers with the confidence to invest and grow jobs.

he underfunding of Customs is putting the security of New Zealand’s borders at risk, says Labour’s Customs spokesperson Rino Tirikatene. “Reports that Customs only stop 10% of illicit drug imports and are not investigating Class B drugs or imports under 5 kilograms are deeply concerning. This is a sure sign of a department that is unable to do its job adequately and appropriately. “While the management of Customs needs to be held to account for this debacle, the root cause is inadequate funding of Customs by the government. “At a time when visitor numbers to New Zealand are rising, it is deeply irresponsible to

not adequately fund the protection of New Zealand’s borders. “New Zealand is facing a tsunami of hard drugs flooding into the country including record levels of methamphetamine or ‘P’. “Seven years ago, the Prime Minister made halting the scourge of ‘P’ a priority for his Government. It is clear on that measure alone he is failing the people of New Zealand. “The government needs to explain why they think that stopping drug smuggling is such a low priority,” says Rino Tirikatene.

NEW ZEALAND

www.iwk.co.nz | 5 February 2016

Auckland boy tops IGCSE Maths exam in the world

New towers expand mobile phone coverage

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ifteen new cell towers added to existing networks have expanded mobile coverage to more than 1700 square kilometres of rural areas previously without coverage. The new towers are a result of the auction of the 700 MHz band of radio spectrum, won by Spark and Vodafone in 2014. Under the auction agreement, Spark and Vodafone were required to build new towers in new rural areas in the first five years after the purchase. Fifteen of these new towers are now complete and servicing remote communities, and 60 more are still to come. “People living and working in these areas can now use their mobile phones in places where there was previously no coverage,” Hon Amy Adams, Minister for Communications, says. “This new coverage is essential for emergency situations and will help emergency service providers to quickly reach those needing assistance. 80 per cent of New Zealanders now have access to 4G or fourth generation, high-speed mobile data services and we expect that number to reach 90 per cent by 2019.” The new 4G networks

are delivering better coverage and increased network capacity for New Zealand’s regions. The result is speed up to ten times faster than 3G mobile. “This is another important milestone in improving our internet services for individuals, schools, hospitals and businesses, including in rural areas, as New Zealanders seek to take advantage of the benefits of the digital economy,” Ms Adams says. Vodafone’s five new towers are: Catlins North (Southland),

Waihau Bay (East Coast), Tapawera South (Tasman), Otautau (Southland), and Millers Flat (Central Otago). New Spark towers have been built at: Castle Hill (North Canterbury), Awhitu North (South Manukau Heads), Porongahau (South Hawkes Bay), Glen Murray (South of Port Waikato), Barrytown (West Coast), Maihiihi (Waikato), Kaniere (West Coast), Gladstone (Wairarapa), Karamea (West Coast), and Kaiaua (western Firth of Thames).

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015 has been yet another successful year for Brilliance Educare Centre, the reputed after-school tuition centre at Mt Roskill. Established in 2007 by husband-wife duo Raji Chacko M.Sc., B.Ed., PGDME, and Lotus Raji M.Sc., M.Ed., the tuition centre, which is located at 20 Frost Road near Mt Roskill grammar school, has seen an exponential increase in those seeking for quality education, as well as their various student success stories. One student from St Peters College Auckland, Paulse Anithottam achieved 100% marks, top in the world for the 2015 Cambridge Year 11 IGCSE Maths exam. In the previous years, various students have come close with 99% and 98% marks. Paulse achieved 100% marks in all the Maths internals he wrote in 2015 and credits the knowledge received from Brilliance for his success.

Paulse Anithottam

All year 13 students who graduated from Brilliance in 2015 got admission into various universities, with one student—Balu Mallela, gaining a Chancellor’s scholarship of $50000 to study Medicine at Sydney University. Brilliance Educare Centre is a place where students get the help they need, no matter what level they are at, and which transforms students into scholars true to its motto “Aiming for Excellence”.

6m breakfasts served in schools

ocial Development Minister Anne Tolley says that with students returning to school, the six millionth Kickstart breakfast will be served this week since the government expanded the programme. “More than 27,000 schoolage children sit down to a bowl of breakfast at more than 800

schools across the country every school week,” Ms Tolley says. “Feedback from schools is overwhelmingly positive, with 99.5 per cent of schools satisfied or very satisfied with the Kickstart Breakfast programme. “Schools have also reported that general health, concentration and behaviour has improved.”

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5 February 2016 | www.iwk.co.nz

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Being ambitious for New Zealand Kanwaljit Bakshi National List MP

s a small island nation, it is crucial New Zealand is an open and confident country that backs itself on the world stage. And that’s exactly what this Government is working hard to achieve. As the Prime Minister says, New Zealand can’t get rich selling things to itself. But it can

if we build and develop strong and enduring global relationships. Building a strong economy that attracts new investment and creates more jobs will remain front and centre of the Nationalled government’s agenda. A strong, growing economy encourages businesses to boost investment in new products and markets, hire more staff and pay good wages. It means New Zealanders can be rewarded for their enterprise and hard work. A strong economy also supports better health-care, education, and other public services people need.

We frequently hear other political parties calling for the government to magic up more jobs, to increase wages or to spend more on any number of things. Actually, we can’t do any of those things without a strong, confident economy. Our role as a government is creating an environment that gives businesses the confidence to invest and grow. They can only do that in the knowledge they’ll be backed by clear and sensible government policies. This National-led government works on those issues every day. We’re resolutely focused on improving

our competitiveness. A good example is the TransPacific Partnership Agreement. It will be New Zealand’s biggest free trade agreement, giving our exporters much better access to more than 800 million customers in 11 countries across Asia and the Pacific. It will eliminate tariffs on 93 per cent of exports to our new free trade partners—the United States, Japan, Canada, Mexico and Peru. And it’s expected to be worth at least $2.7 billion a year to New Zealand by 2030. Successive New Zealand governments have worked hard

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to achieve this for 25 years. They knew it would help diversify and grow the economy. So it really is unthinkable that any responsible government would now walk away from the TPP. It will be positive for our country and for our future. This week, New Zealand hosted the signing of the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement. This is a big deal for a small country such as New Zealand. I’m looking forward to seeing the benefits the TPP will deliver to our exporters, businesses and to our country as a whole.

More challenges for Auckland ahead Len Brown Mayor of Auckland

The Prime Minister’s announcement on Auckland infrastructure was most welcome—it’s a confirmation of the good things happening in our city. However we must not lose sight of the fact that there is much more to be done. Since the government announced its support for the City Rail Link (CRL) back in 2012, I have been asking them to provide certainty over timing and funding. That is what Auckland needed and that is what the government has now delivered. To reach our vision of Auckland being the world’s most liveable city, we need this to happen. Aucklanders have been waiting for the CRL for decades and it’s been my number one priority since my first Auckland Council mayoral campaign. Securing government funding

and certainty for my number one priority—the City Rail Link—shows how much progress is being made. What we have done in the first five years of the united Auckland has built the foundations.

Big challenges remain The government announcement shows that Auckland, New Zealand’s economic powerhouse, is starting to reap what it has sown. The government coming to the party is confirmation of my long-held argument that the rail link is not just about transport, but it’ll also be transformational in boosting the city’s economic and social life. In our ever-maturing partnership with the government, Auckland Council knows the importance of the inescapable link between transport and urban form and development. Transport and housing remain our two biggest challenges. This August, agreement on the Unitary Plan is fundamentally important to Auckland’s future – as essential as creating better transportation to get employees into the central city

or where they need to work. The Unitary Plan, a single set of planning rules to guide Auckland’s growth over the coming decades, has affordable housing and integrated public transport at its core. It is these two essential issues that Aucklanders have been telling me for the past five years they want us to provide.

800 new Aucklanders every week Our city is becoming desirable globally. Our population is growing at 3 per cent a year which means more than 800 new people a week are arriving, adding to housing and transport pressures. As Auckland grows, and as our transport systems improve due to projects such as with the rail link, the options for people to live closer to transport links will get greater. That is, for example, why in the plan we are linking public transport corridors with terraced housing and apartment zones and limiting the amount of parking in centres where there are good transport options available. This frees up more space for housing and provides greater incentives

for people to use public transport. All this is a work in progress for which there is no quick magic wand. Short of putting barbed wire around our city, telling potential immigrants they can’t land in Auckland and telling our citizens they can’t have babies, our city will keep growing.

City Rail Link just the start The united city I have led has bravely moved forward with a new plan for the city including investing in our transport system. After years of bickering amongst previous Auckland councils and periods of disagreement with the government, we are now clearly working hard in partnership with government. We are well into the work on a transport accord with the government - known as the Auckland Transport Alignment Project. By the middle of the year, we will have removed the hurdles over any differences on transport investment priorities and found common ground on how to fund the investment needed to get Auckland moving. The CRL announcement is just

a precursor. The transport funding debate which Aucklanders have also been engaged in for more than five years remains the most important issue to be resolved in Auckland. Lowering barriers to home building Likewise, the housing accord with the government is a springboard for smart thinking about reducing barriers to freeing up housing land. Even after all the streamlining of regulatory systems, I am as impatient as anyone that no one can hurry the time involved in the actual construction process of building houses. Auckland’s population will reach two million people in the early 2030s. The collective work now being done means we have reduced the political hurdles to deal with that. Now comes the task of cohesively focussing on delivering on the present and future expectations of Aucklanders and New Zealanders. While I serve out my present term as mayor of Auckland, I will continue to be totally focused on those goals.

Govt and tech industry summit to look at key issues

major tech industry and government summit in Wellington on February 23 will look at key issues to improve service and delivery to consumers. About 40 per cent of all the money spent in New Zealand on ICT technology is spent by the government amounting to hundreds of millions of dollars. NZTech chief executive Graeme Muller says the government has recognised that in order to deliver better public services they need to use technology to transform the way they interact with people, organisations and across government. “NZTech is bringing together the leaders and chief information

officers across government to collaborate and share innovative ways they have partnered with the tech sector to help transform and deliver better to and for the public. “In a recognition of the importance of balancing the cost of technology deployment with the longer term financial benefits that transformation of government can bring, Deputy Prime Minister Bill English will open the summit. “Leaders from the New Zealand tech sector and the government will discuss and share success strategies for successful deployments of technology, of innovative uses of technology and of cross-department collaboration to improve people’s experiences.”

Keynote presentations will include the chief executive of the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment, David Smol; Deputy Commissioner of Transformation at Inland Revenue, Greg James; and the Australian chief technology officer, John Sheridan. Muller says underlying the government’s drive to deliver better public services are targets to reduce welfare dependency and crime, to support vulnerable children, boost employment and make it easier to interact with government. Across all of these, technology is recognised as an enabler that will help the government to improve and transform.

“To accelerate the transformation shared learning and collaboration is essential. The savings across government and the society could be enormous. Since 2012, better use of technology has delivered a 16 percent reduction in the reported effort in dealing with government departments.” NZTech is the voice of the New Zealand technology industry whose role is to help drive economic growth led by technology. It represents over 270 tech companies throughout New Zealand including the ICT multinationals, hi-tech manufacturers, local NZ ICT firms and start-ups. Technology is the fastest growing industry in New Zealand and the third

NZTech chief executive Graeme Muller

biggest export earner. For further information contact New Zealand Technology Industry Association chief executive Graeme Muller on 021 02520767 or Make Lemonade media specialist Kip Brook on 0275 030188

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www.iwk.co.nz | 5 February 2016

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Pop-up village starts to take shape on Queens Wharf

temporary container village has popped up on Queens Wharf which will soon offer an exciting new dining and services hub to downtown Auckland. Queens Wharf Village will be made up of a mix of food and beverage providers as well as service-based retailers with outdoor lounging spaces and entertainment. The first to move into the village this week is New Zealand’s oldest and longest running mobile food business, The White Lady. White Lady co-owner Max Washer says the village has given them an exciting opportunity to offer a White Lady experience to the day-time crowd. “This cafe version of the White Lady is in a style that can be easily enjoyed with a harbourside stroll and coffee in hand”, says Mr Washer. Food and beverage providers along with retailers are being carefully selected to ensure the village has a varied offering for locals and visitors.

Queens Wharf Manager Connie Clarkson says the containers will be filled over the coming months, and the village will be a welcome addition for the hundreds of thousands of people that visit the wharf each year. “We aim to complement what’s already on offer nearby and pick up some of the services, perhaps even tenants, that will be moving out of the Downtown Shopping Centre,” she says. Auckland’s culture and heritage has also been reflected in

Have your say on the council’s annual budget A word from Councillor Cameron Brewer

the design of the village. The eight 20 foot containers that make up the village have been brought to life by local artist Amiria Puia-Taylor and her interpretation of Tāmaki Herenga Waka (Tāmaki – the gatherer of canoes). “I wanted to communicate the wharf’s heritage from a contemporary, but historical perspective. Through art we can remember and acknowledge how important this place is to so many people. I wanted to create something that to anyone who is unfamiliar of the area’s significance, they can feel a sense of connection and inclusion while here too. “Queens Wharf has such a strong cultural significance to mana whenua, our early European settlers and pacific neighbours. The waka, cargo ships, passenger ships and people who migrated here have all been contributors to the nature of our people’s wharf, carrying with it the strongest sense of mana (integrity) to its story,” says Ms Puia-Taylor.

rākei Ward Councillor Cameron Brewer encourages all Aucklanders to have their say on the council’s 2016/ 2017 budget. Auckland Council will soon be consulting on the 2016/2017 Annual Plan. Last year over 1600 people from the Ōrākei Ward submitted on the 2015-2025 Long-term Plan, giving it the second highest level of submissions after Hibiscus and Bays. Of those respondents, over 45 per cent wanted a higher Uniform Annual General Charge and 66 per cent were against the proposed 3.5 per cent rates increase. “These topics are on the table again for the next budget, and from February 15 you will have the opportunity to submit your views either by a written submission or attending a ‘Have your say’ event,” says Councillor Brewer. Make your views known to the council and support the Ōrākei

Make your views known to the council and support the Ōrākei Local Board and its proposed projects for the community. Local Board and its proposed projects for the community. The next mayor of Auckland, 20 councillors and 149 local board members will be known on October 8 so make sure your latest address details are on the roll.

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5 February 2016 | www.iwk.co.nz

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VC Prof Chandra honoured with Ratna award

he vice-chancellor and president of The University of the South Pacific (USP), Professor Rajesh Chandra, was recently honoured at the first-ever Uttar Pradesh (UP) Pravasi Diwas, India, on January 4 with Uttar Pradesh Ratna Award. He was one of the 13 people across the world from the Indian diaspora who were honoured at the Pravasi Diwas ceremony by the Chief Minister of the State of Uttar Pradesh, Akhilesh Yadav. Among those honoured was the former Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago, Basdeo Pandey. Also included were those making outstanding contributions in various countries in different fields including business, medicine, politics, education, community and social development, and culture.

USP vice-chancellor and President, Professor Rajesh Chandra (right), receives the Uttar Pradesh Ratna Award from UP Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav

Professor Chandra said that he was deeply humbled by this award. “I feel very humbled and grateful for this international recognition and deeply honoured by being placed in company of

such eminent recipients. “I was also overwhelmed by the warmth that was shown by the government and people of Uttar Pradesh and impressed by the calibre of the presenters and participants,” he said.

Hard work pays dividend

avin Shah was the happiest graduate last Friday after winning the Pivot Point Fiji Dux prize during the 2015 Class Graduation at the Tanoa International Hotel in Nadi. The 22-year-old Labasa woman graduated in Advanced Diploma in Esthetics. “When I returned from Australia in 2014, I was exposed to a different left) Naleshni Devi, Dhiren Kumar, Kamla Wati Kumar and Zavin Shah with their top awards during the environment, so I enrolled (from Pivot Point Fiji 2015 class graduation at the Tanoa International Hotel in Nadi. in this programme,” she said. Ms Shah also has an flooded nowadays. If I remained “I got a good job at the Bebe Advance Diploma in Information in IT, it would be boring after all.” Spa at the Outrigger Fiji Beach Technology and has completed Ms Shah said: “There are no Resort and Spa. barriers for success when the heart “I earn a good pay and the CCNA (CISCO) Stage One. She has worked for Fiji is willing to go the extra mile.” whole investment proved my Her classmate Naleshni choice to be good,” she said. Broadcasting Corporation and Vodafone Fiji before joining Devi, 30, originally from Ba was “There were a lot of expenses in InterContinental Fiji Resort and awarded the Principal’s Award. travelling and for the projects, but Spa. “I fell in love with Spa and Ms Devi said she faced a lot the sacrifice is bearing fruit now, never regretted it. It is a hot cake challenges, but her family played and maybe I will later open my in the market and IT is sort of a big role in her success. own business.”

Twenty four young men for New Zealand East Pack

wenty four young men will soon leave for New Zealand to work for a kiwi fruit packing and cold storage company – East Pack. Two company representatives were here last week interviewing potential candidates. Bay of Islands based East Pack is looking for 24 young Fijian men to work in Source: Fiji Sun

it’s orchards and packing plant. East Pack Human Resource Manager Heather Burton says they are mainly focused on people who are stable, reliable and can also work hard for 6 days a week. ‘’We want good reliable people. People that are happy to work in the outdoors. New Zealand is a lot colder than Fiji so they have to

brave the elements and come into what is our autumn going into our winter. One of our big criteria is that they stick to the roles that both the government and East Pack has’’. The twenty four selected will be paid a starting rate of $15 an hour. They’re expected to leave for New Zealand in March.

“I was also overwhelmed by the warmth that was shown by the government and people of Uttar Pradesh and impressed by the calibre of the presenters and participants”

“In receiving this award, I acknowledge the contribution of my parents, especially my father who has been my inspiration. “He not only took loans to further my education, but as manager of the Tuva Indian

School, he inspired me to make a contribution to education. “I feel proud that as a son of a girmitya, I could make the kind of contribution that are attracting international recognition, especially being from a small country like Fiji,” he said. The award was based on his extensive contribution to higher education. In addition to being the vicechancellor and president of USP for the last seven years, Professor Chandra has served USP for about 37 years in various capacities. Professor Chandra also signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the government of Uttar Pradesh to promote diasporic studies and exchanges and the development of information and communications technologies.

TISI Sangam appreciates its elders

he Then India Sanmarga Ikya (TISI) Sangam hosted a first event for its pioneering members yesterday in Labasa. TISI Sangam Pioneers’ Day was aimed at acknowledging and recognising the elders for their contribution towards the organisation. It saw more than 100 senior citizens and members of the institution celebrating. Naleba College former principal, former northern divisional education officer, who is now a lawyer shared the significance of the event. Keshwan Padayachi said: “Our elders have taught us how to love, how to care, how to give, how to

forgive, how to accept, and most of all they are our backbone of support.” A 95-year-old, known as Kottaiya, is believed to be oldest in crowd. The father of five sons said he was very happy to participate in a programme where people honoured him for his contribution. “My elders and I have been members of the TISI Sangam and positively contributed to the development but never ever I thought I would receive an appreciation gift,” Mr Kottaiya said. Ponsami Padayachi, 83, said he was not present for the gift but to meet his friends and families.

Sri Lanka offers to work with the Fiji military

ri Lanka has offered to work with the Republic of Fiji Military Forces (RFMF), the Fiji Sun Online reported. Highly decorated Sri Lankan officer, MajorGeneral Aruna Perera, met with Fiji Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama in Suva. Major General Perera mentioned Sri Lanka’s offer to work to assist the RFMF. He said he was happy with the Prime Minister’s response. The RFMF Land Force Commander, Colonel Sitiveni Qiliho who was also at the meeting told the Fiji Sun he would be looking into the defence co-operation. Major-General Perera said he would like RFMF to send some senior officers to Sri Lanka to

look at their military operations and later prepare the defence co-operation between the two defence forces. Sri Lanka has a highly trained and experienced military with a record of success in counter terrorism. Colonel Qiliho said the two forces had been in touch through the RFMF rugby players who now play in Sri Lanka. Now he said while RFMF would send rugby players, Sri Lanka had offered to help the RFMF in cricket.

FIJI

www.iwk.co.nz | 5 February 2016

Rock, clan and the school

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Avinesh Gopal

HERE is a rock that is visible from the Kings Rd as you head to Rakiraki. Many would probably shrug it off as just another handiwork of mother nature. But this is no ordinary rock. In fact it juts out almost majestically as a rocky mountain. It seems there are connections to the existence of human beings many centuries ago, probably about 1000 BC or so. The rock is also said to have what looks like giant human faces on different sides. From this rock comes the name of a clan in Rakiraki and a school that caters for children from the four villages, the members of which make up the clan. The rock is believed to have been the abode of the villagers’ ancestors and a little bit of information about it can be found on the internet. As part of my journey to the district which brims with history, I stopped over at the Navatu Primary School, which is past Rakiraki Town towards Tavua. The reason for the stopover was to meet my good friend, Varayame Tavualevu, who is the chairman of Vunitogoloa Village in Rakiraki. He was cutting grass at the school. It was to find out something else from him but I then became inquisitive with the school’s name and was lucky to meet the school committee secretary, Inia Waqa. Mr Waqa, 57, of Vitawa Village, explained where the school name came from and how it came to be located where it is now, near the foot of the hills at Navatu. “The name of the school comes under the name of our clan, which consists of Vitawa, Narewa, Vunitogoloa and Naivuvuni villages,” he said. “Navatu, which is our clan name, itself means the rock and it comes from the rock Uluinavatu which is near Vitawa Village. “According to archeologists, people were living on the Uluinavatu long before the birth of Jesus Christ. Human bones were found there. From my search on the internet, I found out that pottery found at the Uluinavatu dates back to 1000BC, which is quite a long time ago.” Mr Waqa said it was believed the villagers’ ancestors lived on the rock at a time which people could never imagine. He said from the stories passed down through the generations, he heard their forefathers who lived on the rock in the 1800s were strong people. “They were not defeated in any war and they lived on the rock during Udreudre’s time when cannibalism was rife in the area. “When missionaries arrived in Fiji and started moving out to different places in the country, our ancestors who lived on the Uluinavatu received them and accepted Christianity. From what I heard, our ancestors who lived on the rock also took the missionaries to Udreudre.” Mr Waqa said the clan name Navatu had been there since the time of the villagers’ forefathers, linking it to the rock Uluinavatu. He said following the introduction of education by the missionaries, the first school started in Narewa and was later moved to Vunitogoloa. “But the school was later destroyed by a hurricane and it was then moved to where it is now at Navatu and named after our clan. The land on which the school is located was of yavusa Navatu and mataqali Dawadigo from Naivuvuni Village. “The school serves children from the four villages which make up the Navatu clan and we have facilities for Year 1 to Year 8.” Mr Waqa said the school used to have a roll of more than 150 students but it dropped to a little more than 80 last year. He said more than 80 students had been

enrolled this year and enrolment was still open. “The school roll has declined because people have been moving out from the area

to urban centres in search of employment and for other things. “And as such, children have been going with their parents and attending other schools. But we are still as strong as the rock and we will continue to ensure that children from the four villages and other nearby areas get primary education not far from their homes. The clan name itself means the rock, so we are strong. Just like the rock still stands, so will the school stand strong.” Mr Waqa also said the school would start its firstever kindergarten in February as approval for it had been obtained from

the Ministry of Education. He said the kindergarten would be of great value to the children who had been staying home and waiting to start school in Year 1. “It is the first time that we are going to have a kindergarten in the school and we are looking for some donors right now. “We just need assistance in getting playing stuff and things for other activities for the children who will attend the kindergarten,” said Mr Waqa. * Next week: A closer look at Uluinavatu. Fiji Times

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Thought of the week

Sometimes the grass is greener on the other side because it’s fake.

— Author Unknown

Editorial

From the desk of the Managing Editor

“

“Many years ago I crossed the heart of the Sahara Desert, the Tanezrouft, deep in modern-day Algeria. The desert was 500 miles across in a single stretch, without water, food, a blade of grass, or even a fly. It was totally flat, like a broad, yellow, sand parking lot that stretched to the horizon in all directions... To counter the lack of features in the terrain, the French had marked the tracks with black, fifty-five-gallon oil drums, five kilometers apart, exactly the distance to the horizon, where the earth curved away as you crossed that flat wasteland. Because of this, wherever we were in the daytime, we could see two oil barrels, the one we had just passed and the one five kilometers ahead. And that was enough. All we had to do was steer toward the next oil barrel. As a result, we were able to cross the biggest desert in the world by simply taking it ‘one oil barrel at a time.’” ~ Brian Tracy from Eat that Frog

Often times in life, when we are faced with a huge challenge, our head goes into a tizzy in trying to figure out how we are going to deal with it. We want to charter the entire course that we are going to take in trying to surmount that challenge. And that makes the whole situation even more daunting. That’s exactly what Brian Tracy talks about when he talks about “one oil barrel at a time”. Just as that helped him across the desert, so too in life’s difficult times, it’s often a good idea that we break down the problem staring us in the face and deal with it step at a time or in Tracy’s language “one oil barrel at a time”. In doing so, you will find that neither will you realize how long and difficult the journey was and you will become more confident as you take one step after another. While I write this, the TPPA is being signed in Auckland and there are reports of two pictures emerging. One that of all the leaders, a picture of optimism and confidence in the agreement and the other is the demonstrations on the street a display of complete non-confidence in the government’s decision. We hope to cover off an analysis on this in our next issue. In this issue, we also carry Andrew Little, the leaders of the opposition’s, State of the Nation speech where he has made a commitment to free higher education for everyone and this includes the provision of being re-trained. This could be exciting. While there have been some initial reactions, overall I feel it has been well received. The place to be, over the weekend was Auckland, as it celebrated its Anniversary. The city was alive and buzzing with exciting activities and we bring you a report. New Zealand is also gearing up for another long weekend and this time for Waitangi Day. Whilst it’s a day to celebrate a legacy and the heritage, it seems to be clouded by some controversies. A spokesperson for the Prime Minister has just given us a statement that “the Prime Minister’s Office has had no response to its letter sent to trustees at Te Tii Marae. Accordingly, the Prime Minister has decided he will not be attending celebrations in Waitangi this year.” We will bring you an update on how it all unfolds. I hope this issue adds to your reading pleasure as you spend time with family and friends over the long weekend. Stay Safe. Until next time. Giri Gupta

Pick of the week

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Photos of a 5-year-old boy Murtaza Ahmadi wearing the improvised Messi jersey made ou of plastic has touched a chord with football fans. Afghanistan Football Federation has confirmed that Messi will meet his 5 year old fan Murtaza at Camp Nou.

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OPINION/EDITORIAL

www.iwk.co.nz | 5 February 2016

Amidst saffron fundamentalism, Modi’s achhey din a mirage

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Amulya Ganguli

o most supporters of Narendra Modi, including those outside the saffron fold who welcomed his economic agenda, the prime minister’s tenure so far has been disappointing. That he has sensed the uneasy public mood is evident from his directive for action against non-performing bureaucrats. But, apart from disciplining the officials, what is expected of him is the kind of sternness which he showed as the Gujarat chief minister. As a result, he was able to marginalize his predecessors like Keshubhai Patel and silence rabble-rousers like the Vishwa Hindu Parishad’s Pravin Togadiya. In Delhi, he has taken similar effective action against incorrigible trouble-makers like Yogi Adityanath and seems to have persuaded Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat to refrain from saying that all Indians are Hindus. But his task remains incomplete as the hooliganism of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) activists recently showed in Allahabad University where they held a senior journalist hostage in the vice chancellor’s office to prevent him from speaking at a seminar. Their charge against the journalist was that he was “antinational”, a label which they also used to defame the Dalit student, Rohith Vemula, who recently committed suicide in the Hyderabad Central University. It is patent enough that Modi’s call for upholding constitutional governance, under which anti-nationals are to be identified only by the state and not vigilante groups, is not being heeded by some of his party members and associates. There is little doubt that their words

and deeds are reflexive in nature. Having being tutored in the RSS shakhas (schools) to regard themselves as the epitomes of patriotism, the saffron-tinted activists have routinely dubbed those not adhering to their creed as enemies of the nation. Their pursuit of the same line, despite Modi’s restraining efforts, is the main reason why sections of the intelligentsia have expressed misgivings about the prevailing intolerance in their view. Had the prime minister followed up his general advice with firm admonitions on specific occasions, the sense of despondency might have been dissipated. But perhaps because he feels that it is below his dignity to react to the various incidents which can appear to be minor in the larger perspective, he prefers either, to say nothing or leave it to party president Amit Shah and others to speak to those who step out of line.

However, his “dangerous silence”, as the New York Times once called it, has begun to hurt the party as mavericks like Subramanian Swamy continue their campaign for building the Ram temple and suggestions are made by the RSS chief to regulate the media “to ensure that no illeffects prevail in society” as a result of their writings. Although the temple is unlikely to be built in the near future—if at all—or Mohan Bhagwat’s veiled plea for censorship implemented, it is a familiar tactic of fascistic outfits to keep on harping on their provocative projects to sustain communal tension. It is not surprising, therefore, that an opinion poll has shown Modi’s ratings to be higher than the BJP’s. There is little doubt that at the national level, the people across the board continue to repose considerable faith in his pro-development programme even if it is yet to reach the take-off point.

But what the BJP has to be wary of is, first, the significance of the party’s lower approval rating and, second, the fact of its inconsequence in states such as West Bengal, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry which will go to the polls this year. Only in Assam, which will also go to the polls, can it expect to fare reasonably well, but it is still a touch-and-go affair. In Uttar Pradesh, too, the BJP may face a hard time next year because of the alienation of sizable sections of Muslims and Dalits in the aftermath of the targeting of so-called beef-eaters and the suicide of Rohith Vemula. Amit Shah is right in saying that just as the political polarization at one time pitted Indira Gandhi against the rest, it is now Modi vs the rest. But there is a slight difference—the middle-class today is much larger and more politically active than it was in Indira Gandhi’s time. Modi’s high approval rating comes from this segment of society, which was also largely responsible for his victory in 2014. But it is also a group which will not take kindly to the antics of the ABVP, the Shiv Sena and other Hindu militants. It is also possible that they are siding with Modi at present because there is no alternative at the all-India level. But this isn’t the case in the states, which is why the BJP is unlikely to have an easy run in the assembly elections. To give the party a nationwide edge, the prime minister will have to crack the whip much harder where the saffron fundamentalists are concerned, for even an eight percent growth rate will not help him to usher in the missing achhey din if the extremists continue to rave and rant against the “anti-nationals”.

Is perception a good measurement of corruption? Amit Kapoor

vidence of corruption in a developing countries like India can cause massive turmoil. Two cases in point have been the near collapse of UPAII on account of corruption charges and the rise of the AAP in Delhi on the anticorruption plank. And yet, India is not alone when we talk about the endemic problem of corruption. Brazil has seen a lot of turmoil in the recent past with impeachment charges being pressed against the president. Similarly, the Petrobras scandal dented the image of Brazil internationally. All this points to the fact that countries across the world have seen corruption in the past. Historically, even Kautilya (more than 300 years before Christ), in the treatise Arthshastra, mentions the problem of illegal transactions as well as public fraud. In a reference to it among officials stealing the money, he mentions that it is easier to ascertain the movement of birds in the sky rather than track the activities of corrupt officials. While things have got a lot better than the Mauryan times, there remains the endemic problem of corruption. The question is how do we track or measure it? Reference to corruption is used in the context of use of public office for private

good. However, this is not the only form of corruption one can think about or in which corruption can exist. Corruption can be with respect to the movement of files quickly through a system, as well as be benefits in kind and the like. Corruption can be classified in various ways - as public versus private, moral versus monetary and even institutional versus retail. However, a fundamental feature is that it corrodes public wealth and often causes a loss to the society. It is worth mentioning that corruption can also be between two private individuals, though often people conceive it to be a public problem.

Transparency International, which works in the area of transparency and accountability of corporations and public institutions, does exactly that and measures corruption annually. It has just released its Corruption Perception Index 2015. The index is on a scale of zero to 100 with zero being totally corrupt and 100 being totally clean. India has a score of 38, which shows it is relatively corrupt. However, this year the country is ranked 76 out of 168 economies compared to 85 out of 174 economies in 2014. India is better placed than its BRICS peers with Brazil at 76; Russia at 119; China at 83; and South

Africa at 44. While the index shows scores and ranks across countries, it does not tell much about the level of corruption actually observed. The problem arises as the index assumes that the best way for measuring corruption is measuring its perception. Another point is that is it valid to put a single number on the plethora of experiences businesses have in governance. What about the experiences of common citizens? Proxies in the index like the number of people caught for actual corruption can add value to the index. These can include details about charges of corruption and enforcement of these charges by public officials. Such actual cases can help assess corruption and not just the perception of corruption. Over time, India should improve on the corruption perception rating. The new government, to its credit, has not had big scams in the past, but the retail level corruption seems to be where it was. On a methodological note, Transparency International could use actual indicators which tell about corruption charges and enforcement at the ground. (The article is co-authored with Sankalp Sharma, Senior Researcher at the Institute for Competitiveness, India. Amit Kapoor is Chair, Institute for Competitiveness & Editor of Thinkers. The views expressed are personal.)

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5 February 2016 | www.iwk.co.nz

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LGBTs welcome SC move on homosexuality plea

erming it a sign of positivity, the LGBT community rejoiced at the Supreme Court’s decision on February 2 to refer to a constitution bench the curative petition seeking a relook at its earlier verdict upholding the validity of Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code that criminalises homosexuality. Pallav Patankar, programme director at Humsafar Trust, an LGBT rights organisation, expressed happiness over acknowledgment of the curative petition by the apex court. “The fact that the court has even agreed to reopen the debate is a sign of positivity. It’s like a ray of hope through a closed door,” Patankar said. He said he was hoping for government support on the matter. “In our country, minority means religious minorities. This is unfair. It is time for the government to recognise sexual minorities as well,” he said. An apex court bench headed by Chief Justice T.S. Thakur referred the matter to a five-judge constitution bench as counsel

LGBT Rights supporters celebrates outside the Supreme Court after India`s top court agreed to re-examine a colonial-era law that criminalizes homosexual acts in New Delhi on Feb 2.

Kapil Sibal said the issue involved a question of far-reaching constitutional importance and must be heard by a five-judge bench. Gay rights activist Harish Iyer also expressed happiness over the court move. “The fact that the court has agreed for an open discussion on it, it takes a lot of courage. The fact is that now the community is garnering support from various sections of the society, even religious groups are now

supporting this fight,” Iyer said. “They may oppose same sex people getting married, but at least they are standing with us to strike down Section 377, saying that it is a matter of privacy,” he said. The LGBT community in India has been fighting a legal battle asking for Section 377 to be revoked on grounds that it violates human rights. Rituparna Borah, an LGBT activist of Nazariya Foundation, slammed the government saying

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OROP to cost Rs.7, 500 crore a year, arrears Rs.10, 900 crore

he annual expenditure on the ‘One Rank One Pension’ (OROP) scheme has been estimated at around Rs.7500 crore, the defence ministry said on Wednesday. The arrears from July 1, 2014— the date of implementation as announced by the government— till December 31, 2015, will be approximately Rs.10,900 crore, the ministry said in a statement. This is set to push the defence budget for pensions, which is estimated to go up from Rs.54, 000 crore as per Budget estimates of 2015-16 to around Rs.65, 000 crore, the proposed Budget estimate for 2016-17. This is an increase of about 20 per cent of the defence pension outlay. The statement said 86 per cent of the total expenditure on account of OROP will benefit Junior Commissioned Officers (JCOs) and other ranks.

“The government of India had taken the historic decision to implement OROP in November 2015. This fulfilled the long standing demand of the defence forces personnel after 42 years benefited over 18 lakh exservicemen and war widows,” the statement said. Payment of arrears and revision of pension under OROP is to be made by the Pension Disbursing Authorities in four instalments, except for family pensioners and pensioners in receipt of gallantry awards who will be paid arrears in one instalment. Asked about the development, Indian Ex-Servicemen Movement spokesperson Col. Anil Kaul (retd) said it “seemed ok”, but they would be studying it and come out with a detailed reaction later. “We are still studying it. It seems ok... so far it seems to be almost there, except that they are paying out from July (2014) not April,” Col. Kaul said.

she has no hopes from it. “The matter is in court now, so we are pinning our hopes with the judiciary. Except Arun Jaitley and Shaina N.C., no one else from the (Bharatiya Janata Party) party has supported the LGBT community,” Borah said.

“(Shashi) Tharoor’s private member’s bill proposing to replace Section 377 was not even heard in the winter session of parliament last December. So we have no hopes from this government,” she added.

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Ontario premier on India visit to boost trade

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remier Kathleen Wynne of Canada’s Ontario arrived in New Delhi on January 31on a six-day visit leading a 100-member business delegation in a bid boost the province’s trade relations with India, the CanadaIndia Business Council (C-IBC) said in a statement. “Wynne’s delegation will visit four cities—New Delhi, Chandigarh, Hyderabad and Mumbai—and will formalize agreements and memorandums of understanding within the research, infrastructure, technology, science, health and education sectors,” the statement said. “Wynne will also meet with political and cultural leaders to build new relationships, strengthen existing ones and examine areas for future cooperation,” it added. Ahead of her visit, Wynne, in provincial capital Toronto, noted that she “really believes that 2016 can be a huge year for Ontario and India because of what is going on in India and the plan that Prime Minister (Narendra) Modi has put in place, the smart cities, the clean tech that is going be needed,

and because of our potential here to provide capacity in all of those areas”. With 700,000 Ontarians being of Indian descent, ties between the province and India are already strong,” former C-IBC president Kam Rathee, who is India-born, told reporters in New Delhi. “India is an important trade partner for Ontario. In 2014, total goods trade between Ontario and India was valued at almost $2 billion,” he said. Bilateral ties, that had become dormant, got a big boost with Prime Minister Modi’s visit to Canada last year, he added.

Strengthen surveillance against Zika, WHO tells south-east Asia

he World Health Organization (WHO) this week urged south-east Asian countries to strengthen surveillance and preventive measures against Zika virus, already reported in 22 countries and territories in central and South America. “There is a need for the SouthEast Asian countries to increase surveillance and take preventive measures against Zika virus which is strongly suspected to have a causal relation with clusters of microcephaly and other neurological abnormalities,” said Poonam Khetrapal Singh, WHO south-east Asia regional director. The WHO has declared the recent clusters of microcephaly and other neurological abnormalities reported in the Americas as a public health emergency of international concern. Khetrapal said the countries should build capacities of their laboratories to detect the virus and strengthen surveillance for cases of fever and rashes, neurological syndromes and birth defects. The Zika virus, first discovered in Uganda in 1947, is spread through bites of Aedes aegypti

mosquito, the vector for dengue. The most common symptoms of Zika virus disease are fever, rashes, joints pain and conjunctivitis. The illness is usually mild with the symptoms lasting a week. There is no vaccine for Zika virus disease at present. Meanwhile, the union health ministry on Tuesday released a list of guideline to prevent the spread of Zika virus in India. “All sectors that can assist should be engaged, and the public told about the risks and preventive measures against Zika virus disease. People can protect themselves against mosquito bites by using insect repellents, wearing clothes that cover as much of the body as possible,” an official statement said.

In December last year, the first consignment of Canadian uranium was delivered in Mumbai marking the first commercial outcome the Canada-India Nuclear Cooperation Agreement that came into force in September 2013. The India-Canada bilateral trade last year in goods amounted to over $6 billion, while that in services was worth $1.6 billion. The Ontario premier began her India tour with a visit to the Golden Temple at Amritsar on January 31. A substantial part of the Indian-origin population of the province is Sikh.

Proscribe countries sponsoring terrorism, says Mukherjee

escribing terrorism as a global threat which poses an unprecedented challenge to all nations, President Pranab Mukherjee has asked the world to proscribe the countries that support or sponsor terrorism as an instrument of state policy. “It is imperative that the world in one voice rejects all manifestations of terrorism, without distinction, and proscribes states that support or sponsor terrorism as an instrument of state policy,” he said while inaugurating the CounterTerrorism Conference in Jaipur. “Terrorism is a global threat which poses an unprecedented challenge to all nations. No cause can justify terrorist acts. It is imperative that the world acts in unison against terrorism, without political considerations. Therefore, there is a need to take a resolve to not justify terrorist means whatever be the reason or the source,” he said. The president said that important aspects of counterterrorism strategy are capacity building to prevent attacks through intelligence collection and collation, development of technological capabilities, raising of special-forces and enactment of

special laws. “Though we have evolved certain mechanisms in this direction, there is scope for further intensifying these efforts. “Counter-terrorism is generally considered to be about tactics, weapons, force levels and intelligence gathering. While these things are important the predominant focus has to be on the political management of terrorism. This includes addressing issues of ideology and dealing with countries that sponsor or support terrorism,” he said. Mukherjee said that the country’s counter-terrorism effort has to be more pointed, more focused, more objective and more professional. “While doing so there will always be a dilemma of whether we are threatening individual liberties or human rights. We have, therefore, to be judicious in protecting larger freedoms and democratic values,” he said. “We need to fight this scourge at all levels- through shaping of public opinion, society building and evolving a concerted and integrated counterterrorism policy premised on international cooperation in intelligence sharing,” he added.

system uses in-house developed software to automatically process data from the NASA satellites (Terra and Aqua MODIS) and produces daily maps of fog and low cloud regions for the IndoGangetic Plains at a moderately high resolution. He said his team was presently testing retrievals and processing of fog-related parameters from geostationary satellites, such as India’s own INSAT satellites, “for near-real time continuous monitoring of fog, water vapour and aerosols over south Asia”. “This satellite monitoring system is quite complex but I am glad that we have developed the capability and are moving forward,” Gautam said. “It can also be used to monitor dust storms, biomass burning events, cyclones and monsoon clouds.” In addition to datasets obtained from both polar orbiting and geostationary satellites, the IIT team is also working on integrating surface-based meteorological and pollution related measurements, he said. According to Gautam, his team has also analysed spatial and temporal variation and trends of fog occurrence frequency over the entire Indo-Gangetic Plains

along with trends in pollution for the winter season (DecemberJanuary). “We have found a highly interesting trend where the long-term satellite data analysis suggests a statistically-significant increasing fog frequency trend over the eastern parts of the Gangetic Plains (parts of Bihar and West Bengal),” Gautam said. “This is in sharp contrast over the western regions of the Gangetic Plains (such as Delhi), where a decreasing trend in fog frequency is found.” The upward trend in fogginess over eastern Indo-Gangetic Plains is found to be strongly coincident with upward trend in pollution, suggesting that increasing wintertime pollution over this region could be linked to increasing fogginess. While the focus of media is mostly centred over Delhi, Gautam said the increasing fog over eastern Indo-Gangetic Plains was not usually reported. However, long term analysis of satellite data by the IIT team has found that “most of northern India is subjected to severe and persistent fog and pollution haze events during the winter months”.

IIT-Bombay develops satellitebased fog monitoring system K.S. Jayaraman

cientists at the Indian Institute of TechnologyBombay (IIT-B) have developed a satellite-based fog monitoring system with the ultimate goal of integrating the fog information to air, rail and vehicular transportation management to ensure safe travel. “The Indo-Gangetic Plains covering northern India, Pakistan, Nepal and Bangladesh is subjected to dense haze/fog during winter months severely impacting on air, rail and vehicular traffic,” Ritesh Gautam, assistant professor at the IIT’s Centres for Resources Engineering and Climate Studies, said. “We have developed this system for monitoring and dissemination of fog information to government agencies and also to the general public.” Formerly a research scientist at the Climate and Radiation Laboratory of NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Centre in the US, Gautam said the fog monitoring system was developed with the help of his students Reema Chourey, Dinesh Patil, Sarwar Rizvi and Manoj Singh. According to Gautam, the

INDIA

5 February 2016 | www.iwk.co.nz

Reservations for Dalits will stay, assures Modi

rime Minister Narendra Modi this week assured Dalits that the reservation to them in jobs and education will not be cut and hit out at the opposition for spreading lies and preventing his government from functioning. He said the opposition parties are unable to digest the fact that he—a tea vendor, and son of a poor woman—is governing the country and taking actions that were not seen for the past over 60 years. Charging the opposition parties with instigating the Dalits by spreading lies about the government, Modi asserted reservation for Dalits will continue. This is the first time Modi addressed a public rally in Coimbatore, 500 km from Chennai after becoming prime minister. Citing the grand manner in which the government celebrated the 125th birth anniversary of Dr B.R. Ambedkar, the architect of Indian Constitution, Modi said the Maharashtra government has bought the house in London where Ambedkar stayed as a student and made it a memorial. Citing that there was no scam

Procedures to be made easier for exporters: Sitharaman

he government will work with various departments including environment, textiles and finance to boost exports to simplifying procedures towards improving the ease of doing business in the country, Commerce Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said this week. “The commerce ministry will follow up with environment, textiles, customs and finance for easing out of few more things related to export promotion so that there is an ease of doing business from the exporters point of view,” Sitharaman told reporters after a meeting with export promotion councils (EPCs) in New Delhi. “Many of the issues which are enablers to better exports have been identified, issues which may have a bearing on the forthcoming budget were also raised,” she said. Several export related issues, including the impact of IndiaAsean free trade agreement (FTA) on the country’s exports were raised at the meeting held as part of stakeholder consultations to discuss ways to boost exports, which have been in continuous decline for over a year. Sitharaman said other issues discussed included nontariff barriers of other countries, currency volatility, special economic zones, problems in dealing with customs authorities and service tax.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi addresses at the inauguration of the newly constructed building of ESIC medical college and hospital, in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu on Feb 2.

in the central government ever since his Bharatiya Janata Party came to power, Modi said the situation was not so two years ago when the media was full of news about scams under the then government. “The opposition parties are showing their anger against the government in the Rajya Sabha by blocking schemes that would benefit the poor,” Modi said, alleging the opposition is losing its sleep over his government’s performance. “There are many laws in the country and the poor are caught in the legal tangle. We have abolished around 700 laws and in the Rajya Sabha, the opposition is not allowing the government to do that,” he said.

“Similarly, opposition parties are not allowing an amendment of the Bonus Act so that workers can get a higher bonus,” he said, noting that the bonus that workers are getting now is insufficient to buy sweets for their children. On the farming segment, Modi said that soon after he became prime minister, many chief ministers wrote angry letters to him demanding supply or urea for the farmers but these have stopped. “Now no chief minister is writing to me asking for urea. For the first time after the country attained independence, urea is not sold in the black market,” Modi said. According to him, all the research reports whether they are by IMF, World Bank or the credit rating agencies state that Indian economy is growing and moving forward. For India’s youth, Modi said schemes such as Start Up India, Stand Up India and others have begun while under the Mudra financial assistance scheme, Rs.95,000 crore has been disbursed benefiting over two crore families.

Govt, Congress vie for credit for rural job scheme

oth the government and the Congress on Tuesday sought to take credit for work under the rural employment guarantee scheme, with Minister Birender Singh saying allocation has gone up and the opposition party maintaining that its previous UPA government had a much better record on the scheme. The scheme was launched by the United Progressive Alliance government from Anantapur district in Andhra Pradesh on February 2, 2006. The Congress organised an event in Anantapur on Tuesday to mark the 10th anniversary of the scheme, which was addressed by former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and party vice president Rahul Gandhi. Gandhi also interacted with the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) workers and activists. In his speech at the Anantpur event, Manmohan Singh said the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act(MGNREGA) was the “most significant legislation of our times in many ways”. “MGNREGA is the gift of UPA to our people to assist them to fight poverty, ignorance and

disease,” he said. Manmohan Singh said Prime Minister Narendra Modi “does not like” the scheme despite its enormous potential. The scheme was launched by Manmohan Singh and Congress president Sonia Gandhi in 2006. Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala in a statement accused the Modi government of taking a U-turn on the scheme and said it has suddenly discovered its virtues. The Congress leader alleged that expenditure on the scheme has come down during the rule of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance and there has been decline in the average days of employment per household.

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India, Bangladesh discuss multisectoral cooperation

ndia and Bangladesh on Monday discussed ways to take forward multi-sectoral cooperation following the agreements signed during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Dhaka last year. The issues came up for discussion during talks between Foreign Secretary S. Jaishankar and his visiting Bangladeshi counterpart Shahidul Haque in New Delhi. “Building the partnership with another close neighbour,” external affairs ministry spokesman Vikas Swarup tweeted. “The foreign secretaries of India and Bangladesh hold talks.” India and Bangladesh signed 22 key agreements during Modi’s visit last June, including on prevention of human trafficking, circulation of fake currency notes, setting up an Indian economic zone in Bangladesh and extending a new Indian line of credit of $2 billion.

Assam CM reviews security for South Asian Games

ssam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi has reviewed security arrangements with top officials of the army, state police, paramilitary forces, and intelligence agencies as well as sports administrators for the 12th South Asian Games that begin on February 5. Guwahati and Shillong in Meghalaya are jointly hosting the mega event, which will see participation of over 4,000 athletes from eight countries. “The government has made arrangements for fool-proof security for the sports-persons as well as spectators and for the smooth conduct of the Games,” Gogoi said on Tuesday, February 2. The chief minister, who reviewed the security at a meeting on Monday, said all the Chefs de Mission in charge of running the games have expressed satisfaction over the facilities put in place. The chief minister has instructed all departments to showcase the rich cultural heritage of Assam along with its handicraft, tourism potential and refreshing beauty. Instructions have been given to officials to take care of all logistical issues, transportation, communication, accommodation etc. Gogoi also appealed to the people of Assam to forge friendly relations with the sports-persons and administrators from the eight countries so that they cherish the warm hospitality of Assam later on.

Wipro targets $15bn revenue by 2020

ndia’s third largest IT firm Wipro Ltd has set a revenue target of $15 billion from its global IT services business by 2020, with 23 per cent operating margin, a top executive said. “As detailed to you all recently, our ambition is to double our size and touch $15 billion revenue with 23 per cent operating margin in four years (by 2020),” Wipro’s new chief executive Abidali Z Neemuchwala said in an e-mail to his employees on taking over the top post this week. The $7.5 billion global software major promoted Neemuchwala from being its chief operating officer on January 4 after elevating incumbent T. K. Kurien to executive vice-chairman post Pinning his hopes on Wipro’s employees, Neemuchwala said that the company’s leadership team is busy fleshing out the details of the $15 billion target. According to Neemuchwala, over the last several months, Wipro collapsed and simplified processes to create a more agile organisation laying emphasis on speed and decentralised decision making.

RBI to ease doing business for start-ups: Rajan

eserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor Raghuram Rajan this week announced various steps to facilitate the ‘ease of doing business’ for start-ups. Rajan announced a string of initiatives, while announcing the sixth bi-monthly monetary policy review in Mumbai. “In keeping with the government’s Start-up India initiative, the Reserve Bank will take steps to ease doing business and contribute to an ecosystem that is conducive for growth of start-ups,” he said in the monetary policy statement. Rajan pointed out that the slew of RBI initiatives will include enabling framework for receiving foreign venture capital, differing contractual structures embedded in investment instruments, and deferring receipt of considerations for transfer of ownership. Besides, the Indian central bank aims to make it easy for start-ups to raise foreign capital and operate in India. Start-ups across sectors will find it easy to receive foreign venture capital investments and also easily transfer shares from foreign venture capital investors to other residents and non-residents. The start-up India campaign was started by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on January 16. He had then announced tax rebates for the first three years, exemptions on capital gains, a corpus fund of Rs.10,000 crore and a mobile app to register start-ups in a day among others.

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Indian-American couple gifts $3.5m for Sanskrit studies at Chicago varsity Arun Kumar

he University of Chicago has established a professorship for the study of Sanskrit with a $3.5 million gift from an Indian-American couple to help it advance the study of the Indian subcontinent. The Anupama and Guru Ramakrishnan Professorship in Sanskrit studies supports a faculty member whose work focuses on the ancient classical language, according to a university announcement. Gary Tubb, professor in South Asian Languages and Civilisations and faculty director of the University of Chicago Centre in

Delhi, will be the first scholar to hold the new position, it said. “The University of Chicago is world renowned for its excellence in the scholarship of South Asia,” said Martha T. Roth, the dean of the Division of the Humanities. “Guru and Anupama Ramakrishnan’s generosity allows us to sustain that tradition and makes possible continued rigorous study of the cultural heritage of South Asia through its literary, religious and philosophical texts.” Sanskrit, the oldest literary language of South Asia, is the longest continuously taught South Asian language at Chicago University, having been offered since the first classes were held at the university in 1892.

Tubb first encountered Sanskrit as an undergraduate at Harvard University. He said he was attracted to the language because it provided “access to a long and rich history of human thought”. A leading Sanskrit scholar, Tubb praised the Ramakrishnan family for its support of the Sanskrit scholarship. “It’s fortunate this professorship carries the name of people who have serious interest in and respect for the way Sanskrit is studied,” he said. The Ramakrishnans’ gift is part of The University of Chicago Campaign—Inquiry and Impact, which will raise $4.5 billion and engage 125,000 alumni by 2019. To date, the campaign has raised $2.82 billion and engaged more

Indo-Canadian Sikh elected head of police services board

n Indian-American Sikh has been elected the new head of the Canadian Police of Peel region in Ontario, media reported. Amrik Singh Ahluwalia was unanimously voted as the chair of Peel Police Services Board, reports said. He also received the backing of both Brampton Mayor Linda Jeffrey and Mississauga Mayor Bonnie Crombie. “My first thoughts are, what a wonderful country we live in,” he was quoted as saying in Toronto Star. After briefly describing how he arrived in Canada 40 years ago, “with $7 in my pocket,” he said, at the time, he could not have fathomed one day being bestowed with the “honour” and responsibility of what was just bestowed upon him. “I am honoured. This is a great responsibility, I take with humility and with a sense of purpose that I want to do my very best,” Ahluwalia was quoted as saying. “I will do my best to serve the public and serve the police force... the men and women in the force who day in and day out do such

Amrik Singh Ahluwalia

an exemplary job,” he added. After Navdeep Singh Bains and Harjit Singh Sajjan who became the first Sikh Cabinet ministers in Canada, Ahluwalia is the third Indo-Canadian to rise in the country’s government affairs. He was first appointed by the provincial government to the board in February 2011 and reappointed for a second term in April 2014. Popular for his volunteer work and organisational

skills in the Punjabi-Canadian community, Ahluwalia has organised several youth camps and has served as president of the Sikh Society Calgary. The Peel Regional Police is Canada’s third largest municipal police force, responsible for the provision of adequate and effective police services, law enforcement and crime prevention within the region, a duty it discharges through the enactment of policies.

dentist

settled

in Melbourne has been honoured with the highest civilian honour, the Order of Australia. Sajeev Koshy was given the award for his service to dentistry in

Victoria, Australia. Koshy, who has served as the president of the Kerala Dental Council, president of the Indian Dental Association, was honoured on the Australia Day Awards 2016, by the Governor General

of Australia. Koshy is currently the head of the endodontics at the Royal Melbourne Dental Hospital, which is the teaching hospital for the University of Melbourne.

dance,” the Ramakrishnans said. “The University of Chicago’s long-term commitment to scholarship in Sanskrit made it our institution of choice to partner with on this important initiative,” they said. The University of Chicago is home to a rich array of resources for the study of the Indian subcontinent, including its Centre in Delhi. Currently, more than 60 faculty members are engaged in the study of South Asian history, culture and language. The university offers instruction in nine modern and two classical Indian languages, including advanced instruction in less commonly taught languages such as Marathi and Telugu.

Indian-Americans celebrate Republic Day with call to honour Gandhian ideals

Kerala dentist wins top Australian honour Kerala

than 59,000 alumni. Guru Ramakrishnan, MBA ‘88, is a founding partner at Meru Capital Group; Anupama Ramakrishnan is on the advisory board of the Agastya Foundation, a Bengaluru-based NGO that funds and operates educational programmes in rural India. The couple also supports a scholarship programme for Indian students at Chicago Booth, the Guru and Anupama Ramakrishnan Endowed Scholarship Fund. “We are delighted to fund this chair in Sanskrit—one of the oldest languages that has given the world the Vedas, Upanishads and other exceptional works of spirituality, poetry, music and

he Indian-American community across America celebrated the 67th Republic Day of India with cultural programmes and a call to renew commitment to the Gandhian ideals and help their motherland achieve its full potential. In Washington metropolitan area, the National Council of Asian Indian Associations (NCAIA) in partnership with over 15 community organizations marked the day with an event in Greenbelt, Maryland over the weekend honouring the monumental achievements of Mahatma Gandhi. In a keynote address, Frank Islam, a prominent Indian American entrepreneur and philanthropist, said in these “extremely troubling and turbulent times” India was “engaged in a battle for the ideals that Mahatma Gandhi propagated.” “In 2016, radical extremists are countering Gandhi by preaching of hate, violence, and war,” he said. “If they are successful, Republic Day in India and in places around the world that celebrate democracy will become a distant memory.” As concerned “citizens with connections to two great nations— India and the United States” Islam said, it was their responsibility as those “who understand the values of a free society to prevent that apocalyptic vision.” He called on the community to

“bear witness to and reaffirm and renew our commitment to the Gandhian ideals of love, nonviolence, and peace as means for achieving the full potential of India.” India s “destined to be a great nation and a force for good in the world”, Islam said. “As Indian Americans who understand our civic responsibilities, I am confident that we will do whatever we can to help her achieve that destiny.” The event also featured a cultural show, which included several patriotic songs, Indian dance performances and a fashion show. India Association of Greater Boston celebrated the day with an event with the theme of Folk Art of India that featured folk music and colourful folk dances from across India at Burlington High School in Burlington, Massachusetts. A number of vendors and nonprofit organizations had set up their stalls and booths, creating a festive and mela-like atmosphere outside the auditorium, according to ethnic India New England News. In Texas, the Indian-American community held the celebrations at Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Plaza in the city of Irving. In Ohio, the Federation of Indian Association of Central Ohio (FIA-Ohio) celebrated the day with flag-hoisting ceremony held at the State House in Downtown Columbus.

SPORTS

5 February 2016 | www.iwk.co.nz

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Black Caps bundle out Australian batsmen within 25 overs, win by 159 runs

fter a 3-0 whitewash against India in the T20 series, Australia lost the first ODI against New Zealand by a whopping margin of 159 runs. It was the first occasion when any Australian side was all out within 25 overs. In reply to New Zealand’s 307-8, Australia were all out for 148 in the 25th over. New Zealand, sent in to bat, made an aggressive start with Martin Guptill (90), Henry Nicholls (61) and Brendon McCullum (44) getting them past the 200 mark in 30 overs. The run rate slowed with the tailenders but a total in excess of 300 at Eden Park, even with its short boundaries, was competitive. Australia innings, in reply, began to unravel at the very start as Henry and Boult ripped out the top order to have the tourists reeling on 41-6 after nine overs.

“Our bowling effort was one of the best we have put out for a while,” Aussie captain McCullum said, while skipper Steve Smith felt 300 was a gettable target until Bould and Henry fired up. “Losing six wickets in the first 10 overs you’re not going to win too many games when you do that,” he said. Guptill and Nicholls provided

the backbone for New Zealand after McCullum, in his final appearance at Eden Park, ignited the innings in typical swashbuckling fashion. After swinging wildly at the first eight balls he faced, McCullum found his target and whacked two sixes and two fours off four consecutive Josh Hazlewood deliveries.

Tendulkar’s advice helped me develop: Kohli

ndia’s star run scorer Virat Kohli believes Sachin Tendulkar’s advice to him during the early stage of his cricketing career helped him immensely to develop as a player. The 27-year-old this week claimed the top spot in the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) latest Twenty20 batting rankings after his stupendous form helped India thrash Australia 3-0 in a three-match series. Kohli hit scores of 90 not out, 59 not out and 50 in the series to gain 47 ratings points and move ahead of Australia’s Aaron Finch. “I started playing cricket because of him (Tendulkar). I was inspired to do things he did for the country. I always visualise myself in those situations. I was lucky enough to be in the same dressing room when I started my career. He really helped me with the little things that I could improve in my game,” Kohli was quoted as saying by Cricket Australia’s website. “If he saw something he would come up to me himself and tell the areas I need to work on, which is

Team India celebrates after 3-0 series win against Australia in T20I last week.

quite rare. People of his stature won’t always do that. It always gave me confidence and I got chance to bat with him and have big partnerships. That was the most special thing I could have asked for,” the swashbuckling batsman said. Speaking about the One-Day International (ODI) series which India lost 1-4 and the successful T20 series, Kohli said, “It has been a hectic and busy tour for us, but I love coming to Australia and performing here. People are amazing here and I love to deliver in front of them.” “It was sad to lose the series but obviously Australia played much

better than us. I don’t think we played badly in the ODI series, I think it was important to capitalise in those moments which Australia were good at. Our bowling was also a bit inexperienced as well. In the T20s we have experienced players compared to Australia and we have capitalised more on that,” he said. Kohli, who is the skipper of Indian Premier League (IPL) side Royal Challengers Bangalore, praised the cash rich tournament as a great platform for the young players to mix with international stars, adding that the league helped him know Australia speedster Mitchell Starc personally.

Nadal granted Argentina Open wild card

afael Nadal has been granted a wild card to defend his Argentina Open title in Buenos Aires next week, organisers said. The 29-year-old Spaniard, who defeated Argentine Juan Monaco in last year’s final, played his first match of the tournament this week, Xinhua news agency

reported. Nadal, currently ranked fifth in the world, said he sought a place in the clay-court tournament after his first-round exit at the Australian Open last month. “I asked for this wild card after the bad result in Melbourne and I hope that Buenos Aires will once again be the start of a good run for me. I will try my best to make

sure it is,” the 14-time Grand Slam winner said. The ATP 250 tournament will also boast world No.6 David Ferrer, No.9 Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and No. 12 John Isner. Nadal’s next assignment after Buenos Aires will be the Rio Open starting on February 15.

Guptill joined the action, hoisting Kane Richardson on to the roof of the stadium, as New Zealand -- having one run on the board after 14 deliveries -- raced to 27-0 after 19. McCullum left the ground to a standing ovation when his innings ended on 44 off 29 balls with five fours and three sixes. Kane Williamson fell for a duck but Guptill and Nicholls put on 100 for the third wicket before Guptill was run out. He faced 76 balls and clouted eight fours and five sixes but there was no one following who could maintain the momentum. With his dismissal, four wickets fell for 53 runs in 12 overs, with Santner’s unbeaten 35 at the tail the only other innings of note. The second game in the series is in Wellington on Saturday.

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Sehwag joins Kings XI Punjab as mentor

ormer batting great Virender Sehwag has been appointed mentor of Indian Premier League (IPL) outfit Kings XI Punjab for the upcoming ninth season. In his new role, Sehwag will work closely with head coach Sanjay Bangar and be responsible for guiding the squad to help it excel on field. “I am extremely happy to continue my journey with Kings XI Punjab. Given the relationship and camaraderie I share with the squad, management and promoters, it feels like I am with my extended family. Being a part of KXIP has always been a special experience and I am looking forward to the upcoming season in my new role,” said Sehwag.

Lara warns of Windies threat but says India have edge

atting legend Brian Lara has tipped India to win the Twenty20 World Cup but says the West Indies can be a threat if they can avoid the inconsistency that has plagued them in the past. While the West Indies will be packed with all their international stars after selecting a strong squad last week, Lara said India would enter the tournament with the edge because of home advantage, reports CMC. “I think India will win in home conditions,” the former Test captain said following an outing at the Abu Dhabi Invitational golf pro-am in Dubai this week. “Their players know the pitches and they’re playing good cricket against the best teams in the world at present in that version of the game. I would definitely give them top billing.” “But I must talk about the West Indies. I hope they can pick the best possible team because if they do, every other nation will be worried,” he added. The West Indies have selected the core of the side which stunned hosts Sri Lanka in the final of the 2012 Twenty20 World Cup two years ago in at the R. Premadasa Stadium. The squad will be led again by all-rounder Darren Sammy and includes the likes of global superstar Chris Gayle, Kieron Pollard and Andre Russell—all

familiar faces in the major T20 leagues across the world. Lara believes once the side can gel and play consistent cricket, they would be genuine contenders at the March 8 to April 3 tournament. “Chris Gayle, Darren Bravo or Kieron Pollard, all these guys when they come together, there’s a certain chemistry. I can tell they want to be together and pull together,” the 46-year-old pointed out. “But on occasions, we know the West Indies can be very inconsistent. We can still have the best players and be out in the first round. You never know with the West Indies.” The West Indies have been drawn in Group 1 alongside England, South Africa and Sri Lanka, along with a yet-to-bedetermined qualifier. They will undergo a preparation camp in Dubai later this month before flying to Kolkata for the two official warm-ups against Australia and India.

KIDS ZONE

www.iwk.co.nz | 5 February 2016

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BENEVOLENT JUMBO umbo, a big elephant, was very kind and

caring towards others. One day, he saw a little boy crying. Jumbo went to him and asked him the reason for crying. The boy replied, I was carrying water to my home, when I noticed a hole in my bucket. All the water had been drained out. Now how will I take water to my home? Jumbo consoled the boy and thought of a plan. He filled his trunk with water and went along with the boy to his home. There he poured the water from his trunk into another basket. The boy felt very happy and gave Jumbo bananas to eat.

Did you Know

Amish Bhayani, 8

The taste buds o butterfly are on f a its feet.

Join the dots

Did you Know?

sily, but the Shark teeth fall out veryweaithin days! next row replaces them

Send us stories, drawings, poems and other contributions by your little ones along with their photographs for this page. E-mail us at editor@indianweekender.co.nz

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Healthy go happy— cha cha cha with chia

t shot to fame a few years ago and health enthusiasts have taken to it like fish to water, the world over. Have you heard of this superfood called Chia? The Mayans and the Aztecs used chia seeds as a staple of their everyday diets. “Chia” is the Mayan word for strength, and these ancient people understood the important health benefits of these seeds. The Mayans are known to grind these seeds into flour, press them for oil, and drink them mixed with water. These seeds were considered magical due to their ability to increase stamina and energy for long periods of time. Now Chia seeds have made a comeback in modern diets as researchers around the world have discovered the hidden benefits from this ancient super seed. Here are just a few of the various reasons you should add this superfood to your diet. Fiber Rich The American Dietetic Association recommends 20 to 35 grams of fiber per day, yet most of us end up consuming only about half of that. Chia seeds deliver almost 50 per cent of your necessary daily intake, with 11 grams of fiber per ounce. Fiber is essential for ultimate health, but especially for digestion and weight loss. Trimming that fat Chia seeds can absorb almost 12 times their weight and expand in your stomach, making you feel full and curbing your appetite. Chia seeds also help reduce your food and caloric intake by filling you up and for longer thus helping lower the energy density of certain foods. This ultimately, assists greatly in weight loss. Pump up the Omega-3S Chia seeds are known to be a concentrated source of Omega-3 fatty acids, and they actually have more Omega3s than salmon. Omega-3s are critical for brain health and chia contains five grams per one ounce serving. Build and strengthen your bones Chia seeds help to promote better bone and oral health with one ounce of chia seeds providing 18 percent of the recommended daily intake of calcium. Improve heart health Chia seeds are known to improve heart health by improving blood pressure and increasing healthy cholestrol Rich source of phosphorus Chia seeds can provide up to 27 per cent of our daily required intake of phosphorus that is required by the body to synthesise protein and repair cells thus helping the body heal. There are many other ways that chia seeds can benefit our overall health, and it’s no wonder that the ancient Mayans and Aztecs regularly consumed them. Adding chia seeds to your diet can be a great way to get your daily vitamins and nutrients while also helping with weight loss. Here are some fun, no guilt and yummy ways to eat Chia:

c Verry Berry Chia Pudding Serves 4-6 You need : • • • • • • •

10 fresh strawberries, hulled 1 cups coconut milk ½ cup coconut cream 1/4 cup honey, or to taste 1 vanilla bean, scraped 3/4 teaspoon finely grated lime zest 1/2 cup chia seeds

3. 4. 5. 6.

Place the strawberries, coconut milk, honey, vanilla, and lime zest in a blender and blend until smooth. Taste and add more honey if desired. Place the chia seeds in a large bowl, pour the strawberry mixture on top, and whisk thoroughly. Stand for 10 minutes, add the coconut cream and whisk again. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours (keep up to 3 days). Stir the pudding before serving. The longer it sits, the thicker the pudding will become; if you find that it is too thick, whisk in a little water (or coconut water, if you have some on hand). Spoon into individual cups or bowls and garnish with crushed almonds, crushed cardamom seeds.

Dark Chocolate Hazelnut Shake

Lemon Masala Chia Cheela

Serves two You need :

Serves 4 You need :

• ¾ cup milk / almond milk • ¼ cup whole hazelnuts (with or without skin), soaked overnight and drained • 1 tablespoon chia seeds • 1 tablespoon dark chocolate powder • 3 to 4 dates, pitted • pinch of salt • 8 -10 ice cubes

• • • • • • • •

Combine the water, hazelnuts, chia seeds, chocolate powder, dates, and salt in a high-speed blender, and blend until smooth. 2. Adjust any ingredients to taste, then add in the ice and blend again to create a milkshake-like texture. 3. Pour into two glasses and serve immediately.

2 cups besan / chick pea flour 1 lemon 1 small onion 1 small tomato some coriander leaves 1 green chilli (optional) 1 tablespoon chia seeds Salt, chilli powder, garam masala powder to taste. • ½ teaspoon baking soda 1.

3. 4.

Zest the lemon and chop the onion, tomatoes, coriander and green chilli. Add them all to a large bowl. Juice the lemon and add to mixture. Add the besan, the chia seeds, salt, chili powder, garam masala powder and baking soda. Add water and gently stir to make into a batter. Heat a griddle or pan to medium low heat. Coat with cooking spray or add oil as per choice. Drop about a 1/4 cup of batter onto heated skillet. Cook until surface of cheelas start to form. Flip carefully with a spatula, and cook until browned on the underside, 1 to 2 minutes more. Flip around to thoroughly cook or brown on both sides as required. Continue making pancakes until the batter is gone. Serve hot with mint chutney.

ASTROLOGY

www.iwk.co.nz | 5 February 2016

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Weekly forecast: February 5 to February 11 ARIES

TAURUS

GEMINI

CANCER

This is the time when you can let your hair down and enjoy life. Appreciation for something you have achieved at work is likely. Opportunities for making a quick buck come to you. Students are likely to fare well on the academic front. Those in gold and jewellery business can expect gains in the second half. Domestic scene will be peaceful and serene. Someone in the family may require your support. You are likely to take steps to rejuvenate your love life.

Your business interests may get compromised if you disclose your intentions prematurely, so be careful. Something achieved on the academic front is likely to hold you in good stead in the job market. Opportunities to earn big bucks may soon come your way. Newlyweds are likely to enjoy a blissful existence. Earning brownie points on the social front will not be too difficult. Plan something exciting with friends over the weekend to make it extra special.

Improvement in your financial status is indicated, as you start earning better. At work, it is important to keep a track of the tasks entrusted to you. Expect favourable developments on the academic front. Financially, you will manage to bring down expenses. Fitness bug is likely to bite some and do their health a lot of good. A delicate domestic issue needs to be handled with care.

Things are bound to improve on the professional front. Your efforts will help make a mark on the academic front. Overcoming laziness is important to achieve fitness, so work towards it. Money from an unexpected source can be expected and promises to fill your coffers substantially. Romance remains on the backburner since you don’t show any extra enthusiasm. Someone’s ailment or sickness can become a source of worry if you don’t take remedial measures soon.

Lucky No.: 7 Lucky Colour: Golden

Lucky No.: 6 Lucky Colour: White

Lucky No.: 5 Lucky Colour: Peach

Lucky No.: 3 Lucky Colour: Rosy Brown

LEO

VIRGO

LIBRA

SCORPIO

Travelling makes you happy and you will find any excuse to remain on the go! Your attempts to get even with someone you hate may not materialise. Consider all the options before making an important decision at work. You may lag behind others, if you don’t pull up your socks on the academic front. A family get-together is on the cards. You may plan to buy a new vehicle.

Chances of hitting it rich in an investment cannot be ruled out. Good news regarding a family youngster is likely to warm the cockles of your heart. At work, don’t procrastinate in completing whatever is entrusted to you, as you can cut a sorry figure. Someone may work against your interests on the academic front, so watch your step. You will need to go into a saving mode as the week progresses.

At work, impressing superiors will be important, if you want to have your way. Your reputation on the academic front is set to rise amongst peers. Financial stability is foreseen and will encourage you to turn your ideas into action. Your actions and demeanour may end up upsetting someone towards the end of the week, so be careful. Someone of opposite gender is likely to make this a best phase on the romantic front!

Your insistence on something may not be acceded to, so think out the options. In business circle, if you need advice, don’t hesitate to ask even your rivals. A deal may swing in your direction, if you play your cards well. You will manage to establish yourself on the academic front and make people who matter notice. Family life remains stable and provides much happiness.

Lucky No.: 5 Lucky Colour: Green

Lucky No.: 7 Lucky Colour: Blue

(March 21-April 20)

(April 21-May 20)

(July 23-August 23)

(August 24-Sep 23)

Lucky No.: 4 Lucky Colour: Yellow

(May 21-June 21)

(Sep 24-October 23)

SAGITTARIUS

(Nov 23-December 11) Helpfulness is in your nature, so don’t go against it as it will show. A chance of getting to know someone intimately is about to materialise, so make the most of it. Organising a party or an event can have its share of hassles, but it will eventually turn out to be a success. Those thinking of a business venture must weigh all the pros and cons carefully.

Lucky No.: 1 Lucky Colour: Baby Pink

CAPRICORN

(Dec 22-January 21) Your awesomeness level may suffer, if you don’t honestly project yourself. Those serving in uniform are in line for some recognition. Differences with lover need to be sorted out to strengthen the relationship. Those newly introduced to acting or public speaking will manage to overcome stage fright. A financial issue will be satisfactorily solved. You may choose an exercise regimen to come back in shape. Lucky No.: 1 Lucky Colour: Light Red

AQUARIUS

(Jan 22-February 19) You are likely to gain an upper hand in a competitive situation. Becoming more technologically savvy is indicated for some. An outing is on the anvil, but may not prove as exciting as anticipated. Financial situation may warrant cutting corners, so don’t relax on this account. Tackling a big project has its share of difficulties, but you will overcome them. Choose only healthy options to remain fit. Lucky No.: 11 Lucky Colour: Baby Pink

(June 22-July 20)

(Oct 24-November 22)

Lucky No.: 2 Lucky Colour: Navy Blue

PISCES

(Feb 20-March 20) Better prospects are seen in something that you are contemplating on the professional front. You may need to be at your convincing best to lure someone into your camp. Managing time for a social event may pose difficulty but results are certain for those who give it a try. Some retailers may face decreased footfalls, but it will only be a temporary phase. Those wishing for a passionate evening must take the initiative to make it happen! Lucky No.: 7 Lucky Colour: Off White

By Manisha Koushik Manisha Koushik is the talented daughter and associate of world renowned celebrity astrologer Dr Prem Kumar Sharma. She is gifted with strong intuitions and clairvoyance right from the childhood. A practicing astrologer, tarot card reader, numerologist, vastu and fengshui consultant is based in India but maintains a global presence through the online channels. She is available for consultations online as well. Reach out to her to explore what the future holds for you. Let her tarot cards do the magic and numbers make you understand which choices in life will be best for you! E-mail: support@askmanisha.com | Website: www.askmanisha.com Contact: +91-11-26449898, 26489899 | Mobile/Whatsapp: +919015607139

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5 February 2016 | www.iwk.co.nz

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CrĂ¨me de la crĂ¨me wedding reception of Maneet and Gawanjit Bakshi

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Features

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Something old, something new—friend funding meets gift registry

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Christchurch start-up company has produced New Zealand’s first of its kind online wedding gift

registry. When a couple are getting married people can go to www.onegreatgift. co.nz and set up a campaign for friends and family to contribute to a wedding gift.

present the most common practice is for the bride and groom to set up a Gift Registry at a department store which guests can then select a gift from the list. Doing it this way results in the couple receiving a large number of small gifts whereas by pooling funds using One Great Gift the gift can be substantial.

SENDING MONEY TO LOVED ONES THIS VALENTINE’S DAY

The One Great Gift team of Paul Hill, Cam Richardson and Terry Fullerton

Terry Fullerton, One Great Gift managing director says most people are familiar with the idea of crowd funding for good causes through websites like Give A Little and so it is easy for them to use our website to make a contribution to a gift for the bride and groom. “The big difference between our site and other crowd funding site is that ours is just for collecting funds between friends rather than an appeal to the general public. “The organiser can be the bride and groom themselves or a friend doing it as a surprise The gift can be for a targeted dollar amount or for a specified high dollar value gift such as a dining room table and chairs. The campaign can be run as a public campaign visible to all or as a private campaign only visible to people invited to contribute. “Once the campaign is setup, the organiser then contacts people invited to the wedding and other friends to ask them to contribute to the gift by making a pledge online with their credit or debit card. This is done by emailing them the link to the campaign or posting it on Facebook and other social media sites. Facebook has a function where it is possible to exclude the bride and groom from seeing the post if it is to be a surprise. “The campaign page then shows a barometer of the total funds raised. Contributors can elect to give anonymously if they choose or have their names displayed on the campaign page. The page does not display the amount given by an individual. “One of the big pluses of using the site is that it enables people to chat prior to the wedding. It is possible to chat on Facebook without the bride and groom knowing and also people can leave comments on the campaign page which the bride and groom will only see once they are given the link. “As far as we are aware there are no other websites in New Zealand which enable people to give towards a wedding gift online and normal ecommerce sites do not have the facility to set up a campaign for a gift. At

“Another option is to have a Wishing Well at the wedding where people can leave an envelope with money in it instead of a present. This feels very much like people are being asked to pay for their meal and very few people carry a lot of cash or use cheques these days. The big difference with using our site is that they can pay by credit or debit card,” Fullerton says. In just over a year One Great Gift has gone from clever little idea to live website, and attracted investment from Graham Robertson, former president of Federated Farmers and ex-chairman of Crop and Food Research. For further information contact One Great Gift director Terry Fullerton on 027 4729180 or Make Lemonade media specialist Kip Brook on 0275 030188.

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ආදරය moving money for better

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ENTERTAINMENT

5 February 2016 | www.iwk.co.nz

Social media helps people in clarifying their stands: Kangana Nivedita

ollywood actress Kangana Ranaut says that she is inactive on social media because of “nasty trolls and frustration” from different people, but she feels that one of its advantages is that people can use the medium to clarify their stands and dispel rumours. “I am inactive so I don’t miss it (social media) but what I definitely see.... Certainly one of the good things about such mediums is that you can actually clarify your stand when you are sort of facing rumours and misunderstood. “The bad things is that you are susceptible to all kinds of nasty trolls and frustrated people who are just out to show their frustration regardless of whosoever it is and you get subjected to that sort of hatred which is inhuman,” Kangana told media replying to a query why she stays away from social media and what are the pros and cons of being there as an actress. She also added that she wants to stay away from negative things in life and this is the reason why she is not active on social media platforms. Recently Bollywood actor Hrithik Roshan’s tweet made headlines

when he indirectly pointed out at the actress on the micro blogging site. “Ther r more chances of me having had an affair with d Pope and any of d (Im sure wonderful) women d media hs ben naming. Thanks but no thanks (sic),” he had posted. His reaction came post the Tanu Weds Manu Returns actor’s comment that she “fails to understand why exes do silly things to get attention”. Taking back the words, Kangana sought to end the row by saying that she doesn’t want to “dig the grave yet again”. She contended that on social media, different people take “one statement in a thousand different ways and hence it gets difficult to clarify to everyone”. “The way you perceive things is different from what other person feels. It creates

Divya Dutta may call book on mother Me and Maa

ctress Divya Dutta is planning to pen a book based on the moments spent with her mother, who died earlier in January. She plans to title it Me and Maa. The Delhi 6 actress, who lost her mother on January 10, says she wants the world to know about the “precious moments” that she shared with her mother Nalini, who was a doctor by profession. “I am planning to write a book on my mother. I think it will be called Me and Maa... Whoever knew me and my mother, knew we bonded like nobody else. She wasn’t just a mother to me she was my best friend. I want to share this with the world,” Divya said. The 38-year-old actress said the book will be out this year. “I am not in the mental condition to start it, but I think I will start it immediately and the book will be out this year,” said the Chalk N Duster actress. What urged her to pen such a book? Divya said, “It is very strange. I was sitting right next to her when she wasn’t well in the hospital, and the thought just came to me. The book will have everything... It will make you smile, laugh and cry. But it will be relatable and I want to share it with the world.”The actress had lost her father when she was all of seven.

Asked if the book will also have chapters on him, Divya said, “Of course! My father was an integral part. I was very close to him. But after I lost my father, my mother had been the rock in my life... She taught me how to look into my dreams and follow them, and stood by me in everything.”

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certain negative environment. As a person I live only for myself and for those for whom I make movies. I impress myself through my work and that’s what I focus on. I don’t care about anyone,” she retorted.

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The National award winning actress also says that if she has to clarify something, she “believes in releasing an official statement”. Kangana, who was in New Delhi to launch Big Fish Ventures’ table reservation app, called it a “cool idea”.

Need more co-productions with Pakistan: Shabana

eteran actor Shabana Azmi, whose film Neerja is releasing this month, believes that it is important for the film industries in India and Pakistan to have more “co-productions” to create a “spirit of collaboration”. “I think what is required is that we should make many more joint coproductions because that will enlarge our audience all over the world... Then it is a non-competitive thing. Sports like cricket create a spirit of competition, but what we need is a spirit of collaboration. I think that’s what we need,” Shabana said in an interview. The five-time National Award-winning actress, whose 1982 film Arth is being remade by Pakistani filmmaker and actor Shaan Shahid, is “curious” to see how the film has shaped. Directed by Mahesh Bhatt, the original film revolves around the story of a film director who has an extra-marital affair with a woman. He leaves his wife who then goes searching for her real identity. Would the Fire actress like to act in a Pakistani film? “Not in itself... If I like the script then I will be happy to

work in a film even in Timbuktu, but the basic requirement is that it should be a challenging script,” the 65-year-old said. Shabana, who has essayed the role of Rama Bhanot, the mother of flight attendant Neerja Bhanot who died in a hijacked plane while saving the lives of passengers, in Neerja, says that the film “essentially has two arcs”. “One is of Neerja, an ordinary girl, who is put into an extraordinary situation and is able to rise above her fear to do an act of great courage including giving up her life,” she said. “Her mother is a conventional mother who is concerned about whether her daughter has eaten food or not or she is not working too hard, who goes through the awful shock of losing her child and is able to rise above her own personal loss to celebrate the heroism that her daughter was capable of,” she added. Neerja was a Pan Am chief purser who was gunned down by terrorists when a flight in Karachi was hijacked in 1986. Her courage is being celebrated with the biopic.

ENTERTAINMENT

www.iwk.co.nz | 5 February 2016

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Women-centric action films can really work: Katrina Kaif

ctress Katrina Kaif, who has featured in some action films like Dhoom:3, Ek Tha Tiger and Phantom, believes that if supported rightly, womencentric action films can work in Bollywood. “I believe if we have right kind of support, a woman-centric action film really works. It will be a complete transformation and something radical,” she said as she discussed her desire to appear in a role that requires her to do some serious action, in an interview. Asked if she wishes to do action films which have a female lead, she said, “I would love to do action films... I recently saw Mad Max: Fury Road with a character like the one Charlize Theron did. When I saw that, I was telling Bosco (choreographer) that someone has to do something like this. “I really wish to do something like this.” In times when Bollywood stars like Priyanka Chopra, Irrfan Khan and Anil Kapoor are accepting international projects, does Katrina harbour dreams for Hollywood? “Why not... If it is a right film, in right time and at right place.” Katrina next film Fitoor, which also stars Aditya Roy Kapur is releasing on February 12.

There’s a part of me in all my film roles: Madhavan

ctor R. Madhavan says all the roles he has played onscreen so far look so real because the characters have a part of him in them.

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has been there in all the characters I have played onscreen. Saala Khadoos is no different. The audiences will get to see a part of real Madhavan in the movie,” Madhavan said on Zoom TV’s show Yaar Mera Superstar. He says he becomes a “khadoos” (stubborn and grumpy) in real life mostly when “someone tries to pull other people down”. “I get ‘khadoos’ and irritated when people make mistakes despite being given instructions or when someone tries to pull another person down or when someone intentionally hurts the other person,” he said. Directed by Sudha Kongara Prasad, Saala Khadoos also features boxer-turned-actress Ritika Singh in a pivotal role. The film released on Friday last week, and is riding high on word-of-mouth.

Want to work with Govinda once again: Tabu

ersatile actress Tabu says she is keen to work with comedy king Govinda, with whom she featured in the 1996 film Saajan Chale Sasural. “I want to work with Govinda once again. He is one of the most brilliant actors that we have. He makes it (acting) easy for others... that’s why I want to work with him,” Tabu said. The actress would in fact want David Dhawan to direct a movie in which she can be cast with Govinda. “I really hope David casts me and we complete our hat-trick as Saajan Chale Sasural and Biwi No.1 both were successful films. I would love to do a comedy with Govinda and David,” she added. Tabu ruled that the kind of comedy films that Dhawan used to make are far and few in Bollywood nowadays. “I am very keen to do a film with David. In fact, his kind of comedy films are fun. Unfortunately, not too many comedy films are being made these days,” the 44-yearold said. These days, Tabu is busy promoting her forthcoming film Fitoor. She finds such promotions exhausting. “I don’t know how many of us enjoy this... some people might

e n j o y . When you talk so much during the day, it drains you... You are physically exhausted and you get tired. Earlier things were different... Once you finished shooting and dubbing, your work was done. I am trained for that only.”

Airlift enters Rs.100 crore club in India

ctors Akshay Kumar and Nimrat Kaur-starrer Airlift, which revolves around the evacuation of Indians from Kuwait during the 1990 IraqKuwait war, entered the Rs.100 crore club in just 10 days since its release. Directed by Raja Krishna Menon, Airlift, which released on January 22, minted Rs.19.26 crore in its second weekend, thus taking its cumulative total to Rs.102.76 crore. “Airlift is now in the Rs.100 crore club with its box office collection crossing the Rs.100 crore figure on Sunday, January 31. It has met our expectations of being in the Rs.100 crore club and we are sure that with the Uttar Pradesh government making it tax free, in the second week the movie will do much better business,” Prashant Tiwari, chairman, Pratee Entertainments, which has released the film, said in a statement. The film relates how the Indian government evacuated 170,000 people of Indian origin and also of other nationalities through 488 flights during the Iraq-Kuwait war. Airlift also stars Feryna Wazheir and Purab Kohli. It has been appreciated for the gripping storyline and Akshay’s performance.

Poonam Dhillon to join MSG The Warrior

eteran actress Poonam Dhillon will play a pivotal role in Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh’s film MSG The Warrior, the Dera Sacha Sauda sect chief has revealed. Singh said in a statement: “MSG The Warrior is a Hollywood style movie directed by a NRI director from the US, Sukhwant

Singh, who is also the scriptwriter of the film. The story belongs to him. A Hollywood actress, and renowned Bollywood actress Poonam Dhillon will play other key roles in the film.” Singh is currently in the midst of shooting his third film MSG Online Gurukul. Talking more about the film, he said, “Normally it has been seen that warriors fight for land, extension of their kingdom’s boundary, wealth, but the subject chosen for this film is a true warrior who is seen fighting for the respect of women and how he earns respect and fame in the entire world for the same.”

Nil Bate Sannata role very

role in the film, she said, “It is the story of an orchestra party singer who sings numerous double meaning songs in villages and other small areas of Bihar. It is about an incident which turns her life upside down. “Even this is a beautiful story. It keeps women’s issues at the centre and it showcases the world which we haven’t seen in Bollywood—nautanki and the world of orchestra parties.” Swara was last seen in the Salman Khan-starrer Prem Ratan Dhan Payo.

Sonam Kapoor campaigns against fear

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challenging: Swara Bhaskar

ctress Swara Bhaskar says that her next release Nil Bate Sannata was very challenging for her since she plays a 15-year-old’s mother in the film. “My next release is Nil Bate Sannata coming on April 22, which is an extremely brilliant and beautiful film. It is the story of a mother—and I’m that mother— to a 15-year-old. It was a very challenging role for me. Numerous people told me that it was a career suicide considering the fact that which actress would play a role of a person older than her and that too a 15-year-old’s mother. “But it was such a beautiful story that I couldn’t refuse. And I’m very proud that I did the film. You need to find out what the meaning of Nil Bate Sannata is because it is a very interesting title and it has a very sweet meaning,” she said. Swara has even received the Best Actress award at the Silk Road film festival in China for the film. “Of course the award goes to the whole film,” she maintained. The film is being presented by Anand L. Rai, who brought Swara into the spotlight with his film Tanu Weds Manu. He went to cast her in all his next films like Raanjhanaa and Tanu Weds Manu Returns. The film is directed by Dangal director Nitesh Tiwari’s wife Ashwini Iyer Tiwari. Swara will also be seen in Anarkali Aarawali. About her

Sonam Kapoor, who is prepping for her upcoming film Neerja, is campaigning against fear on social media platforms. The Prem Ratan Dhan Payo actress uploaded a less than a minute video on Instagram, where she urged her fans and followers to share a clip of themselves talking about their fears and how they overcame it. “Hi everybody, I have a request, I want you to talk about your fear and how you overcame it. Neerja’s fear gave her courage. The best videos you put out I will post. It will give other people courage to face their fears,” Sonam said in the video. She captioned the video: “Hi everyone. I often wonder how fear gave Neerja courage. I would love to hear your stories in 15 second Instagram videos.” “The most fascinating and touching stories will be posted by me, so that your stories can inspire other people to overcome their fears. You can also be #Neerja. Use #fearvsneerja when you post.” Neerja is a biopic on Neerja Bhanot, a valiant Indian flight attendant who lost her own life, but saved the lives of passengers during a hijack. The Ram Madhvani-directorial features Sonam as Neerja, a Pan Am chief purser who was gunned down by terrorists when Flight 73 was hijacked in Karachi in 1986. She saved a number of lives, but lost her own. The film is set to release on February 19.

ENTERTAINMENT

5 February 2016 | www.iwk.co.nz

Deepika Padukone off to Canada Priyanka Chopra to be presenter at the to shoot for xXx... Red

ctress Deepika Padukone has packed her bags and left for Canada to shoot for her debut Hollywood film xXx: The Return of Xander Cage, opposite Vin Diesel. Her Bajirao Mastani co-star and rumoured beau Ranveer Singh on Tuesday shared the news about the actress flying off to shoot for her maiden Hollywood project at the NDTV Indian of the Year 2015 awards ceremony in New Delhi. Deepika was presented the Actor Of The Year trophy by her Piku co-star Amitabh Bachchan and Pawan Munjal, chairman of Hero MotoCorp. “Deepika we are really proud of you. Since you are leaving tonight (Tuesday) to go and shoot your action Hollywood blockbuster, we all wish you all the best. May you conquer this new frontier and make us proud as you always had,” said Ranveer in reference to her upcoming foreign project. According to a source, the actress

has left for Canada to shoot for the movie, and will begin working in a day or two. However, the exact location of the shoot is not known. Deepika is all geared up for the project and has worked on her fitness level as she often shares photographs and videos of herself training in the gym for her character in the movie. The Hollywood action icon

also posted several photographs from the shooting location of the upcoming action film through his official Facebook page. One of the images features the actor on a motorbike with a girl in a bikini in front of a green screen. Diesel is back as Cage who returns to the National Security Agency after an eight-year absence in the movie, which also stars Nina Dobrev, Samuel L. Jackson, Ruby Rose, Jet Li and Tony Jaa. xXx: The Return of Xander Cage is expected to release in 2017. For Deepika, 2015 was an eventful year with three successful films—Piku, Tamasha and Bajirao Mastani. And it seems that the actress has started 2016 with more power starting with the international project. The 30-year-old had shared her excitement over venturing to foreign shores with her acting talent earlier as she said, “I’m very excited and at the same time nervous about the film”.

Indian films need innovative storytelling ideas: Irrfan Khan

nternationally acclaimed actor Irrfan Khan feels Indian filmmakers should not just stick to the basics while making a film, but should rather try on to get in more innovative approach to make Indian films known globally. “If there is any field which becomes stagnant, it will pound to come down. Indian films need to reach the world audience and for that it needs to find a new

language,” Irrfan said at the NDTV Indian of the Year 2015 awards on Tuesday. “It (Indian filmmakers) needs to find a new way of storytelling. It’s very necessary to find the bigger audience. We can’t keep on making similar kind of films all the time. “We need to find something innovative, like the way audience gaze is evolving and is changing our storytelling ideas,” he added.

“It is bringing new actors and encouraging them,” Irrfan, best known for is roles in Oscarwinning films like Slumdog Millionaire and Life of Pi, said. The actor, who had a wonderful last year with all his films—Piku, Talvar, Jazbaa and Hollywood film Jurassic World—doing well both commercially as well as critically, was given the Actor of the Year award by former Indian cricketer Sourav Ganguly.

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Academy Awards

ollywood actress Priyanka Chopra will be among the star presenters at the 88th Academy Awards, where stars like Julianne Moore, Reese Witherspoon and Whoopi Goldberg will also take to the stage later this month. She’s expecting it to be an “insane night”. The former Miss World, who has garnered international fame for her lead role as Alex Parrish in American TV series Quantico, is one amongst the many global names who will be a presenter at the much coveted awards ceremony, watched by people across the globe. “Looking forward @ TheAcademy!! This will be an insaaaane night!” Priyanka tweeted on Monday. This year, the event, where India has no nomination, is to be held on February 28. The Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences released a second list of 13 presenters for this year. Apart from Priyanka, it features names as popular as Steve Carell, Quincy Jones, Byung-hun Lee, Jared Leto, Julianne Moore, Olivia Munn, Margot Robbie, Jason Segel, Andy Serkis, J.K. Simmons, Kerry Washington and Reese Witherspoon. Priyanka, 33, was also a presenter at the 22nd Screen Actors Guild (SAG) Awards in Los Angeles and dazzled on the stage in a pink lace mesh gown. Now all eyes will be on what she chooses to wear for the Oscar ceremony.

Her friends in the film industry have congratulated her on being chosen as a presenter at the Oscars. Prakash Jha, who has directed her forthcoming Bollywood film, tweeted: “Isn’t that fantastic!! So proud of you Priyanka Chopra! Bravo Abha Mathur”; while filmmaker Kunal Kohli shared: “Priyanka Chopra wow! Next step winning one.” Currently riding on the success of Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s magnum opus Bajirao Mastani and a Padma Shri honour that the Indian government has decided to decorate her with, Priyanka is also the first Bollywood personality to be feted with the People’s Choice Award in January this year for her international acting debut as FBI agent Alex Parrish in Quantico.

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www.iwk.co.nz | 5 February 2016

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