IndiaPost-04-09-2010 by Ghanshyam Bisht

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Wharton Forum brings out India growth story Details on page 7

VOL 15, No. 812

April 9, 2010

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U.S. BEGINS ACCEPTING H1B APPLICATIONS

WASHINGTON: The US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has started accepting petitions for H-1B visa applications -- the most sought after US work visa by Indian IT professionals -- for the fiscal 2011 beginning October 1, 2010. As mandated by the US Congress, the fiscal year cap

Sania, Shoaib surprise with marriage plans Details on page 26

(numerical limitation on H-1B petitions) for 2011 is 65,000. Additionally, the first 20,000 H-1B petitions filed on behalf of individuals who have earned a US master's degree or higher are exempt from the H-1B cap. Details on page 6

ISKCON barred from soliciting at LAX airport

Sachin Pilot

There are half a billion mobile users in India

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OFBJP condemns Congress for slandering Modi

New HAF report details plight of Hindu refugees

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18 bank accounts involved in terror financing frozen

Court upholds NY forced labor conviction

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Reshma could be first Indian Congresswoman

HONORED CITIZENS: President Pratibha Devisingh Patil with the Padma awardees at the Civil Investiture Ceremony at Rashtrapati Bhavan, in New Delhi on March 31

CONTENTS Bollywood ---------------------- 28-29 Classifieds --------------------- 49-51

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INDIA POST SURVEY survey@indiapost.com This week’s question

Are you happy with Sania-Shoaib marriage? Last week’s result

Will US yield to Pak on N-deal? YES 17%

NO 83%

US-India agree on reprocessing N-material India Post News Service

civil nuclear pact. The negotiations on these arrangements and procedures, which commenced in July 2009 concluded with the last round of negotiations held in New Delhi early last month (during March 2-4). The US-India Business Council explains this development as the US agreeing to grant India advance consent to reprocess spent fuel of US origin and fuel burned in US reactors.

Certified by “CIRCULATION VERIFICATION COUNCIL Readership 117,765”

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Community Post -------------- 12-23 Date Book -------------------------- 48 Edit Page --------------------------- 54 HealthScience Post --------- 40-42 Horoscope ------------------------- 24 Immigration Post ------------- 44-47 Life Style ----------------------- 26-27 Philosophy ------------------------- 53 Publisherís Diary ------------------ 4 Readers Write --------------------- 52 Real Estate ------------------------ 30 TechBiz Post ------------------- 37-39 Travel & Hospitality Post ---- 31-34

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he beaten cliché 'Too little too late' perhaps applies best to the recent attempt by some prominent Muslim intellectuals to declare that 'jihad' is outdated and irrelevant in today's globalized world. A conference of Muslim scholars in Turkey last week declared that a fatwa by 14th century scholar Ibn Taymiyya which called for militant violence and a division of the world into one of believers of Islam and the other of non-believers, no longer applies. Incidentally, Osama bin Laden is a staunch follower of Taymiyya's fatwa. Only last month, a Pakistani scholar based in London issued a 600-page fatwa against terrorism. A similar declaration in Dubai this month reportedly concerned peace in Somalia. Now, I am not sure if I can rejoice the sudden 'awakening' of these Muslim intellectuals when more than half the world is already caught in the grip of Islamic militants who have literally changed the way humanity lives today. Of course like many in the world I could never understand the Islamist groups' agenda - religious or otherwise - as to how they could justify such mass violent killings, even of their own. And what has deeply angered me always was why mainstream Muslim intelligentsia never came out openly to disown these terrorist groups and used their influence to educate their people. Why is it that it is easier for millions of Muslim youth to veer towards fundamentalist leaders preaching violence and self-destruction than towards the progressive scholars who do not believe in violence? It would appear to me that if it was not a fundamental sense of empathy towards fellow Muslims, however ridiculous their ideology may be, these scholars would have long come out to condemn the violence and helped governments to wipe out the menace of Islamic terrorism. We can take heart that at least there are some sensible voices that are making themselves heard over the din of bomb blasts; perhaps it takes courage on their part, so I guess one can say, 'it's never too late'?

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Travel: Pindari glacier The Pindari glacier lies some 278 km from Kathgodam. Along the way, one sees mighty trees, feathered with ferns, pines.

April 9, 2010

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US begins accepting H1B applications WASHINGTON: The US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has started accepting petitions for H-1B visa applications -- the most sought after US work visa by Indian IT professionals -- for the fiscal 2011 beginning October 1, 2010. As mandated by the US Congress, the fiscal year cap (numerical limitation on H-1B petitions) for 2011 is 65,000. Additionally, the first 20,000 H1B petitions filed on behalf of individuals who have earned a US master's degree or higher are exempt from the H-1B cap.

The USCIS has not announced any cutoff date for accepting the visa petitions; as was the practice till the year before when the US agency used to receive applications several times the number mandated by the Congress and had to resort to computerized draw of lots to identify successful applicants. "USCIS will monitor the number of petitions received and will notify the public of the date on which USCIS received the necessary number of petitions to meet the H-1B cap," an official media release said.

The USCIS said petitions for new H-1B employment are exempt from the annual cap if the beneficiaries will work at institutions of higher education or related or affiliated nonprofit entities, nonprofit research organizations

Even as there is signs of revival of US economy, but the continued high unemployment rate is likely to result in much longer time to fill up the pool of 65,000 H-1B visas for 2011 could, similar to last year's scenario in which the number of petitions for 2010 H-1Bs didn't get near the cap until December 2009. "If needed, USCIS will randomly select the number of petitions required to reach the numerical limit from the petitions received on the final receipt date. USCIS will reject cap-subject petitions that are not selected, as

US-India agreement on reprocessing N-material India Post News Service

NEW YORK: Taking another step towards the implementation of the India-US Civil Nuclear Cooperation, the two countries completed negotiations on the "arrangements and procedures" for reprocessing US-obligated spent nuclear fuel. This essentially means the two countries have reached an agreement on reprocessing nuclear material, clearing a major hurdle in implementing the Indo-US civil nuclear pact. The negotiations on these arrangements and procedures, which commenced in July 2009 concluded with the last round of negotiations held in New Delhi early last month (during March 24). The US-India Business Council explains this development as the US agreeing to grant India advance consent to reprocess spent fuel of US origin and fuel burned in US reactors. The advanced consent agreement is just the third such pact ever undertaken by the US with another country, having previously granted similar rights only to the European consortium EURATOM and Japan, but not to China, Brazil, Indonesia, South Korea, nor to sixteen other countries with 123 Agreements. A government of India statement said these arrangements, negotiated pursuant to Article 6(iii) of the historic Agreement for Cooperation between the Government of India and the Government of the United States of America concerning Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Energy, will enable Indian reprocessing of US-obligated nuclear material under IAEA safeguards. In his daily briefing on March 29, Philip J. Crowley, spokesperson for the US State Department said, "I think it's a reflection of the

deepening of our relationship. We think that the 123 Agreement is in the interest of both the United States, India, and has broader impact as well. It was an agreement that required some follow-up, some detail. Obviously, we had to

Finalization of the reprocessing agreement fulfills an important provision of the US-India 123 Agreement, which prescribed deadlines for negotiation of the separate reprocessing pact. Under the 123 Agreement, India will

The advanced consent agreement is just the third such pact ever undertaken by the US with another country, having previously granted similar rights only to the European consortium EURATOM and Japan, but not to China, Brazil, Indonesia, South Korea, nor to sixteen other countries with 123 Agreements advise our Congress about it. Likewise, the Indian Government worked through the issues. So I think anytime that you not only reach an agreement but then can see it begin to be enacted, that develops trust and confidence on both sides. And I think this reflects a much broader, deeper, and expanded relationship between our two countries." "The agreement to make India the third reprocessing partner of the US reflects the special trust and respect that exists between strategic partners," said Ron

construct new facilities dedicated for reprocessing the safeguarded nuclear material under IAEA safeguards. USIBC, supported by the leading US commercial nuclear suppliers, was instrumental in advocating that the 123 Agreement include advanced consent rights. Since final congressional approval of the 123 Agreement in October 2008, USIBC has steadfastly promoted commercial implementation of the historic accord. "Resolution of two key issues will enable India to assume a key

USIBC, supported by the leading US commercial nuclear suppliers, was instrumental in advocating that the 123 Agreement include advanced consent rights. Since final congressional approval of the 123 Agreement in October 2008, USIBC has steadfastly promoted commercial implementation of the historic accord Somers, President of the USIBC. "(Today's) announcement attests to continuity and bipartisanship in both countries, and encourages us that US-India civil nuclear trade is near at hand."

role in the global commercial nuclear supply chain," said Ted Jones, Director for Policy Advocacy at USIBC. "We hope these issues will get early attention, as US and Indian commercial nuclear

firms are eager to partner not just in India, but in the renaissance of commercial nuclear power around the world." The first issue is agreement by the US and Indian governments on nonproliferation assurances to permit US licensing for technical exchanges regarding nuclear power. Delays in these "Part 810 assurances," as they are known, are currently preventing work by Indian suppliers in the US as well as collaboration in India. The second issue is India's adoption of a regime to make nuclear liability predictable, consistent with the IAEA-sponsored Convention on Supplementary Compensation. A nuclear liability law will not just establish an effective and assured means for adequate compensation in the extremely unlikely event of an accident, says the USIBC. It will also enable responsible national and international suppliers to develop the safest nuclear power program in India. Contrary to myth, suppliers from all countries will require a modern nuclear liability regime in order to participate in the Indian market. US commercial nuclear companies have much to offer India as it undertakes an ambitious plan to add 60,000 MW in commercial generating capacity by 2030, the organization says. The US commercial nuclear industry leads the world in size, performance, innovation, and engineering. The US is by a wide margin the largest generator of nuclear electric power in the world - with 27% of the world's total installed capacity and nearly double the number of reactors as France. The US also produces at roughly 1/2 to 1/ 3 of the cost in other major countries. In recent decades, US reactor companies and civil nuclear engineering companies have remained at the forefront of innovation and engineering worldwide.

well as those received after the final receipt date," it said. The USCIS said petitions for new H-1B employment are exempt from the annual cap if the beneficiaries will work at institutions of higher education or related or affiliated nonprofit entities, nonprofit research organizations or governmental research organizations. Petitions filed on behalf of beneficiaries who will work only in Guam or the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas Islands are exempt from the cap until December 31, 2014. -PTI

18 bank accounts involved in terror financing frozen NEW DELHI: The government has frozen 18 bank accounts found involved in terror financing under the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. The bank accounts located in Pune, Guwahati and West Bengal have been frozen under section 51A of the UAPA which enables the government to freeze accounts of individuals or terror groups to prevent and cope with terrorist activities. "14 bank accounts of Moshin Ismail Chowdhary (involved in terrorist activities) in the Ratnakar Bank, Nana Peth branch, Pune, two bank accounts held by S S Brig Ningthoujam Rajen Singh, Commander-inChief and Finance Secretary of Kanglei Yawol Kanna Lup in the ICICI Bank, Guwahati and two bank accounts held by Rajen Singh's associate in SBI, Kurseong" have been frozen, Home Minister P Chidambaram told reporters. Meanwhile, Rs 22.25 crore was released by the Home Ministry for the families of 416 slain central para-military forces personnel as a grant-in-aid for payment of compensation, he said. Chidambaram said the government also sanctioned procurement of 801 assault rifles for the NSG at a cost of Rs 20.68 crore. He also said Andhra Pradesh government has issued a notification for acquisition of land for the NSG regional centre at Hyderabad. The Home Minister said a CCTV system was approved for 29 markets and check posts in the national capital and an advance withdrawal of 70 per cent (Rs 47.62 crore) of the total cost was sanctioned on March 17.-PTI

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Wharton Forum brings out continuing India growth story SRIREKHA N. CHAKRAVARTY India Post News Service

NEW YORK: It was all about back-patting over the leapfrogging of the Indian economy and the plethora of opportunities that the India story offers, but with a realistic and pragmatic outlook for the future keeping in view the critical gaps that was the crux of discussions at the 14th Wharton India Economic Forum (WIFE) held at the Park Hyatt in Philadelphia March 27. Indian ministers, parliamentarians, top industry leaders, representatives of media, arts, entertainment and the NGOs participated in a series of panel discussions and keynotes through the day-long sessions organized by the student leadership committee of the WIFE that had more than 500 attendees, mostly Indian origin students of Wharton Business School. Topics of crucial importance including infrastructure, education, healthcare, information technology and those of social trends like the role of women, performing arts and film were put into perspective by the experts in fourteen panel discussions that touched upon critical aspects of how the Indian economy will evolve in the next decade, revolving around the theme "Breaking Boundaries". Student organizers of the conference said that while past forums focused on how to move India forward as a nation, this year's conference took the discussion a step further to explore India's ability to surpass constraints and expectations. "India's economy could be 40 times bigger by 2050," said Sachin Pilot, Indian Minister of State for Communications and Information Technology, in his keynote address. The young minister, who is a Wharton Business School alumnus, was bullish about the participation of the Indian youth in the country's political process. As one of the very few "young" ministers in the Indian cabinet today, Pilot dismissed a view that individuals like him had an advantage because of the political lineage they come from (his father the late Rajesh Pilot was a former Indian cabinet minister). "Being from a political family ought not to be a disqualification by itself," he said. "I agree that it helps you to get a foot in the door but beyond that it is up to your performance, your capability that counts, and if you are not up to the job, no party or voters are going to re-elect you." Pilot also said it would be unfair to categorize the old guard of political leadership as corrupt. "I think it is not fair to paint everybody with the same brush. There

are more than 40 political parties in Parliament and there is a consensus among all parties that all of us will have to work for the betterment of the people as a whole and not focus on verticals as such. If we unleash the potential that young people have and give them a platform to display their capacity, their skill sets and creative energy that is enough." On the ongoing telecommunications boom in the country, Pilot talked of a technological revolu-

Indian ministers, parliamentarians, top industry leaders, representatives of media, arts, entertainment and the NGOs participated in a series of panel discussions and keynotes through the day-long sessions organized by the student leadership committee of the WIFE that had more than 500 attendees tion that benefits every Indian including the poor in the villages. In his keynote speech, India's Minister of State for Civil Aviation with independent charge Praful Patel talked about how only 20 years ago it was difficult in India to get a cooking gas connection or a telephone connection even for the urban elite. "Today we have 100 million telephones in India and our cell phone connections are better than those in the US," he

said. Of his own portfolio, he said six years ago when he first took over as aviation minister, the world did not associate India with aviation at all. "But in this short period we have now become the 9th largest aviation market in the world," he said. With opportunities being created through the policy frameworks, Patel said it was more important that India sustains those opportunities. For investors looking to invest in India, he asked, "How many countries can give you that rate of return as you get in India in terms of business? How many developing economies have strong demographic credentials, and strong financial institutions?" Indians, he said, should pat themselves on the back, "but everything is not hunky dory" as the country has issues to deal with on a daily basis. Talking about independence of the media which works free of any control from the government, he said politicians in India run for cover from the media, "we are in fact shit scared of the media," he said eliciting laughter. Talking with candid humor on the lack of infrastructure in the country, Patel said India performs better only when put under pressure. "Every day the number of cars are growing so the roads will have to get better someday and similarly there are many more airplanes flying, so we have to build airports… we don't build infrastructure and then create demand, we let demand force us to build infrastructure," he said amidst laughter. "The challenges in India are in themselves opportunities," he said adding that the challenge for India was to bring about change with a

human face. Yet another keynote speaker, Subhash Chandra, Chairman, Essel Group & Zee Entertainment Enterprises Limited, talked of skill-based education and decentralization of power as key to inclusive growth and all-round economic progress. As a media moghul, he recalled how he had to fight his way through systemic mindsets to bring in private enterprise into media and entertainment. "In 1991 when I wanted to start Zee TV, the then Information & Broadcasting

‘Every day the number of cars are growing so the roads will have to get better someday and similarly there are many more airplanes flying, so we have to build airports… we don't build infrastructure and then create demand, we let demand force us to build infrastructure’ Secretary had opposed me vehemently stating that private television would spread consumerism in the country to an extent that India could not afford," he said. However, with a booming media today, he wondered if the media people were indeed responsible for increasing the aspirations of the people, especially the marginalized sections of the population. Referring to the sizeable Indian population that is under the control of the Left extremists like the

Naxalites and Maoists, Chandra said, "Television has certainly added to consumerism and raised the level of expectations of people even in villages, which is adding to the unrest among them." He added that the media does sometimes delude itself that it can do anything, "but there isn't much that we can do," he confessed. Some of the important panels during the day were those on education, healthcare, women beyond the glass ceiling, and globalization of Indian cinema. Among the distinguished panelists were Aditya Puri, CEP and MD, HDFC Bank; Naveen Jindal, Member of Parliament and MD of Jindal Steel; Sangita Reddy, Apollo Hospitals; Atul Punj, Chairman of Punj Lloyd; Ekta Kapoor of Balaji Telefilms; musician Amjad Ali Khan; actor Anil Kapoor; filmmaker Rakeysh Mehra; Composer-singer Shankar Mahadevan and actress Vidya Balan. Earlier in his welcome note, Vice Dean of Graduate Division at Wharton Anjani Jain said the Wharton India Economic Forum draws its vitality from the deep roots that Wharton has in India and the interest of its students and faculty in India's growing role in the global economy. "Wharton's ties with India are pervasive," he said. "More visibly, they are reflected in the large presence of students and faculty of Indian origin at Wharton. Our institutional relationship and leading role in the founding of the Indian School of Business, and the presence of many distinguished Indian business leaders on our advisory boards further strengthen Wharton's enduring connections with India."

NEW WARSHIP: Indian workers and sailors wave from the warship INS Chennai after its launch at The Mazgaon Dock in Mumbai on April 1. The third and last of the Kolkata class warshipsINS Chennai- a 6700 ton destroyer 163 metres long and 16 metres wide, was launched using the pontoon assisted method by Elizabeth Antony wife of A.K. Antony, Defense Minister of India. The ship will be armed with the supersonic Brahmos surface - to- surface missile systems to the long range surface - to- air missile system and indigenously developed twin tube torpedo launchers and rocket launchers

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ISKCON prohibited from soliciting OFBJP condemns Congress for slandering Modi at LAX airport India Post News Service

NEW YORK: Devotees of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) — popularly known as the Hare Krishna movement — are disappointed that a California Supreme Court ruling on March 25, effectively prohibits them from sharing their message and literature at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). ISKCON had filed suit to challenge a restriction imposed by the LAX authorities on solicitation by the Krishna devotees and other groups, arguing that the practice of distributing literature and requesting a donation was free speech, historically protected under the First Amendment. A federal judge ruled in ISKCON’s favor, but on appeal the US Circuit Court held that the relevant statute was a state law rather than a federal law and referred the case to the California Supreme Court. The California Supreme Court ruling held that the LAX restriction is constitutional. “We are disappointed by the ruling,” said Anuttama Dasa, an ISKCON leader and spokesperson. “We feel that the court erred in departing from the historical understanding of protected

speech, producing an inconsistent view of the First Amendment that may have a chilling effect on freedom of speech generally.” Although the court acknowledged that requesting donations is a form of protected free speech, it held that such protection should be subject to limitations “in the

While it is unclear whether ISKCON will pursue further legal action, the group plans to continue to spread its message in other public spaces. ‘We are disappointed,’ Dasa said. ‘But not discouraged’ often crowded and hectic environment of a large international airport,” and that ISKCON’s outreach disrupted pedestrian traffic and hampered security. In Los Angeles, ISKCON is one of several charitable organizations, religious and secular, who approach people at the airport and ask for donations to support their work. Unlike other organizations, however, Krishna devotees distribute hardcover copies of their

lengthy texts and ask for contributions in exchange to offset costs. The LAX restriction does allow solicitors to hand out literature and ask for future donations to be sent in the mail. Such an arrangement would prove practically unfeasible for ISKCON devotees, however, because of the substantial cost involved in printing the books they distribute, such as the Bhagavad-Gita and other full-length Hindu texts. “This is an unfortunate outcome, but not a major set-back,” Anuttama Dasa said. “The airport was one important place for us to get our message out, but there are others. In fact, for decades we have been concentrating our efforts on distributing literature in other ways—including book fairs, cultural events, and the internet. We do so because we genuinely believe that the wisdom in these books, including ancient teachings on vegetarianism, karma and mediation can make a positive contribution to people’s lives.” While it is unclear whether ISKCON will pursue further legal action, the group plans to continue to spread its message in other public spaces. “We are disappointed,” Dasa said. “But not discouraged.”

Indians scale down in Afghan, fearing more attacks KABUL: India has suspended medical aid and teaching programs in Afghanistan, where Indian businesses and charities are slashing staff over fears they are increasingly targeted by militants. Kabul-based Indians believe they were the specific targets of three recent attacks in the Afghan capital, including a February 26 bomb and gun assault on a guest house that killed 17 people, among them seven Indians. Indian charity Self-Employed Women's Association (SEWA), which promoted economic independence for Afghan women, said it had pulled all staff from Afghanistan. "At the moment there is no one on behalf of SEWA in Kabul because after the 26 February disaster we were advised to come back (to India)," said SEWA's Afghanistan coordinator Pratibha Pandiya. Indian officials said a December 15 suicide car bombing that killed eight people also targeted Indians, although former Afghan

first vice president Ahmad Zia Massoud had a home in the same street. The manager of an IT company that many Indians believe was the target, said his Indian staff had since halved to 11. "We cannot stop people from leaving and we cannot guarantee anyone's safety," the manager, also an Indian, said on condition of anonymity and asking that his company also not be named. "Our office and residences are like fortresses," he said, adding that extra security promised by the Afghan government had yet to materialize. Indians in Kabul told AFP they see themselves as victims of a struggle with Pakistan for influence in Afghanistan, which is fuelling attacks on Indian interests in the country. The Indian embassy was hit on October 8 last year, with the deaths of 17 people, and on July 7, 2008 when more than 60 people were killed.

The Pakistan government denies supporting militants, pointing to its own fight against the Taliban, and says it is committed to peace in Afghanistan. Since a US-led invasion ended the Taliban's 1996-2001 regime, India has committed 1.2 billion dollars to Afghanistan, mainly aid for social services including health and education, making it one of the biggest regional donors. The two countries are historically close and many urban Afghans speak Hindi and Urdu learned watching Bollywood movies. About 4,000 Indians are building roads, sanitation projects and power lines in the volatile country. India is building the new Afghan parliament. Doctors were also recruited from the Indian military for India's medical mission (IMM) to Afghanistan, which focused on five cities, providing free treatment and medicine for 30,000 Afghans each month, an embassy official said.-PTI

OFBJP national executive advisor Dr Sudhakar Reddy with Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi at the BJP National Council meet in Indore, India India Post News Service

isters the country has ever witnessed." Reddy, who has been associated with Modi since the latter visited the US as the BJP general secretary in 1998 and 2000, opines that other state chief ministers in India should emulate Modi in effective governance. At the BJP national conclave in Indore, Reddy also met with BJP national president Nitin Gadkari, past president Rajnath Singh, former cabinet minister Arun Jaitley and several other senior leaders. He gave insightful inputs to Jaitley on the US efforts in tackling terrorism and suggested that India should take a leaf from the

NEW YORK: Taking on a controversy currently broiling in India over the Congress Party's objections to Bollywood actor Amitabh Bachchan's association with the Chief Minister of Gujarat Narendra Modi as the state's brand ambassador, the Overseas Friends of BJP (OFBJP) has condemned the Party for politicizing a non-issue and slandering the BJP leader. Reacting to statements made by Congress Party spokesman Manish Tiwari comparing Chief Minister Modi with the international criminal Dawood Ibrahim, OFBJP National Executive Advisor Dr. Sudhakar Reddy said it shows the narrow mindedness of the Con- Reacting to statements made gress in insulting a demo- by Congress Party spokesman cratically elected chief Manish Tiwari comparing Chief minister by the people of Gujarat for three con- Minister Modi with the internasecutive terms with a tional criminal Dawood thumping majority. Ibrahim, OFBJP National Dr. Reddy who re- Executive Advisor Dr. Sudhakar cently met with the Reddy said it shows the narrow Gujarat Chief Minister at the BJP National mindedness of the Congress Council meet in Indore, India, said the Congress Party US administration's national secushould focus on correcting its rity measures and take Homeland own misdeeds over the decades Security-type security measures rather than trying to run down to deal with terrorism in India. Voicing the sentiments of InModi who has consistently proven to be the best chief minis- dian American at large, Reddy also suggested the inclusion of ter for the last 9 years. "Chief Minister Modi has de- terrorism in the resolution introveloped the state of Gujarat in all duced by Jaitley and seconded by fields including agriculture, in- Modi, which was passed by the dustry and the social sectors," BJP national meet. With reference to the trial of the said Reddy. "Gujarat has the largest foreign investments coming 26/11 Mumbai attack accused in, it has some of the topmost In- Ajmal Kasab in India, Reddy sugdian industries including, Reliance gested to the BJP leaders that any and the Tatas. Even technocrats Pakistan-born terrorist apprelike Narayan Murthy (of Infosys) hended in India should be tried in and agricultural scientists like a special military court and not be Swaminathan have recognized tried as common criminals in civilModi as one of the best chief min- ian courts.

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There are half a billion mobile users in India today: Pilot SRIREKHA N. CHAKRAVARTY India Post News Service

NEW YORK: Having achieved a tele-density of almost 50 percent today from just about 1 percent in 1995, the government of India is now focusing on furthering the telecom revolution to rural and far flung border areas of the country, according to India's Minister of State for Communications and Information Technology, Sachin Pilot. Pilot, who has the distinction of being the youngest parliamentarian when he was first elected to Lok Sabha at the age of 26, was on his first US visit since taking charge in the ministry under the new UPA government in India. Speaking to media persons prior to addressing a gathering at a reception at the Indian Consulate in New York last week, Pilot said India was adding 15million to 20 million mobile phones a year bringing the big number to more than half a billion mobile users in the country today.

"We have some of the cheapest call rates per minutes in the world," informed Pilot. "In India we have mobile call rates ranging between one to two cents a minute. So, as calls and handsets are getting cheaper, we want to bring connectivity to every village. As a policy maker, I don't see it as having half a billion users; I see it as a challenge to get the other half a billion also connected." As technology and telecom services converged to bring about a communications revolution in the country, the Indian government is now pushing for rural telephony, the minister said. "We will have 40 percent rural tele-density by 2012 and it is our commitment to connect all villages through broadband access in three years," he said. "That will transform the way governance takes place in India and will ensure that the benefits of economic growth through egovernance reach the last mile." "For me as a minister, I do not

With Consul General Prabhu Dayal

Appeals court upholds NY forced labor conviction NEW YORK: A federal appeals court has upheld the convictions of a suburban New York couple accused of enslaving two Indonesian housekeepers, finding they received a fair trial in a case that put a spotlight on domestic worker abuse in America. The 2nd US Circuit Court of Appeals in Manhattan rejected arguments by attorneys for Mahender and Varsha Sabhnani that sought to overturn their forced-labor convictions. It also ordered a recalculation of restitution requiring each of them to pay USD 936,546 to their victims. The appeals court found that the lower court judge erred in awarding overtime pay.

Varsha Sabhnani's lawyer had argued that prejudicial publicity prevented a fair trial. Her husband's lawyer argued that he did not actively take part in hurting the women. The appeals court said in its written ruling that it was rejecting arguments by lawyers for the couple that all victims of crimes like peonage and forced labor are vulnerable and therefore none are particularly so. Varsha Sabhnani is serving an 11-year prison sentence. Her husband, who has been free on bail pending appeal, was ordered by the appeals court to begin serving his three-year sentence next week.-PTI

India's Minister of State for Communications and Information Technology, Sachin Pilot addressing the media

see IT as an industry in terms of dollar returns but as one that can make a difference to the life of a common man in India. A poor person in a far off village benefiting from new technology -- that's the real upside for me - making technology relevant to every Indian in every town and village." The Indian IT industry, Pilot said, was still strong although the global economic slowdown brought down its growth from 30 percent per annum a few years ago to 15 percent last year. "Still, the IT industry has been largely resilient and continues to hire youngsters," Pilot said. "The IT related services being exported out of India are to the tune of $60 billion and the domestic market itself worth $14 billion." Competition from other Asian countries in the outsourcing market notwithstanding, India's share in global outsourcing is more than 60 percent, and its share of total BPO market globally is more than 30 percent," informed Pilot. "But we cannot be complacent. There are a lot of other Asian countries trying to get into IT market. Indian companies have to reinvent their skills to keep themselves relevant." India has traditionally enjoyed cost advantages but that cannot go on for long with other countries replicating their model, the minister said. "What we want to do now is focus on niche services. It's a good thing that other countries are competing; there's enough business to go round for everyone. Besides, in India there's now a concept of rural BPO where companies are going into Tier 3 and 4 cities and towns and there are young boys and girls in these rural areas getting jobs." Not commenting on the political outcry in the US over job losses to India in the BPO market, the minister said in a globalized world it was a well established fact that outsourcing helps cut costs.

"It is a mutual game," he remarked. "Job losses happened around the worldâ&#x20AC;Ś" Pilot also said India was now beginning to focus on manufacturing of IT hardware. "Our IT hardware import bill will be over $300 billion by 2015," he said. "In the near future, IT hardware import bill will be second only to our energy import bill. And hence we are focusing now on manufacturing which will also create jobs for our young boys and girls." As for Indo-US relations, Pilot said, "as partners and good friends, we will have issues as we go along, whether it is trade related issues or visa or industry related issues. But all that can be sorted out by understanding and

Pilot, who has the distinction of being the youngest parliamentarian when he was first elected to Lok Sabha at the age of 26, was on his first US visit since taking charge in the ministry under the new UPA government in India being sensitive to each others aspirations and needs. The relations between US-India are strong enough to withstand those fault lines that appear once in a while." While in New York, Pilot also interacted with the members of South Asian Business Association at STERN, New York University. Pilot in D.C. On this visit, Pilot met with senior officials in the White House and in the US Department of Commerce to exchange ideas on how to take the India-US economic and

technological collaboration to the next level, including through fostering joint innovation with broad-based benefits. Some potential areas that came up in discussions were healthcare and skill formation. In the meetings, the Minister highlighted the mutual advantages of establishing close IndiaUS collaboration in the area of cyber security, in particular against cyber terrorism. He also emphasized the need for bilateral initiatives to be specific, resultoriented and time-bound. Among the officials who called on him were the newly appointed Under Secretary for International Trade Administration, Francisco Sanchez, Aneesh Chopra, Federal Chief Technology Officer, Vivek Kundra, Frederal Chief Information Officer and Alec Ross, Senior Adviser for Innovation to the US Secretary of State. On March 30, the Minister addressed a round table organized by the US India Business Council (USIBC), which was attended by representatives of over 100 companies that are already doing business with India and are keen to strengthen their relationship. Earlier in the day, the Minister interacted with the Minister interacted with the members of the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM), the largest Association in the US representing small and large manufacturers in every industrial sector. On March 29, the Minister spoke at the Center for Strategic and International Study. At all these forums, Pilot talked about how the Indian government was working on providing broad band connectivity even to the remote villages within a short time frame so that rural populations could have access to healthcare, education and other services. He also told the gathering about the progress on e-governance and future plans to expand its coverage and scope.

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New HAF report details plight of Hindu refugees India Post News Service

NEW YORK: Khem Adhikari arrived to a sparsely furnished apartment in Minneapolis, Minnesota in November 2009, not knowing what he would do, how his family would be fed or clothed, and certainly not how heavy a coat he would need for a very cold winter in the Upper Midwest. Adhikari and his family are

It was twenty years ago, when Adhikari found his ancestral home razed to the ground and was then ousted from his native Bhutan after police informed him that his family had fled weeks earlier. He would join a hundred thousand other fleeing ethnic Nepali Hindu minorities of Bhutan in a squalid refugee camp saddled between Nepal, Bhutan and India. His family -- all well educated -- were

His family -- all well educated -- were amongst the first to be targeted years earlier by the Bhutanese monarchy for the family's insistence on practicing the religion of their birth, Hinduism, in the wake of Bhutan's Buddhism-first policy. Boxed into a forgotten no-man's land administered by the International High Commissioner of Refugees (IHCR), Adhikari escaped into India to complete a medical degree before returning to care for fellow refugees in the camps amongst the 60,000 Bhutanese refugees the US government has agreed to resettle over the next several years. But the prospect of starting over when others his age are mid stride seems daunting.

amongst the first to be targeted years earlier by the Bhutanese monarchy for the family's insistence on practicing the religion of their birth, Hinduism, in the wake of Bhutan's Buddhism-first policy.

Boxed into a forgotten no-man's land administered by the International High Commissioner of Refugees (IHCR), Adhikari escaped into India to complete a medical degree before returning to care for fellow refugees in the camps; camps he would serve for the next sixteen years. Now resettled with his wife, two young sons, elderly parents and younger brother by the IHCR in Minneapolis, Adhikari's arrival focuses attention on an ongoing human rights story detailed in the annual Hindu human rights report released by the Hindu American Foundation (HAF) March 30. The 194 page report, now in its sixth year, entitled Hindus in South Asia and the Diaspora, A Survey of Human Rights 2009, is the only such report released internationally, according to this report posted on the HAF website. Censuring eleven countries for either targeting Hindus to further religious and political agendas or failing to ensure equal rights and protections, the report is widely read by government officials and lawmakers here and earned spirited responses and denials from

US court sets Apr 7 for hearing of Pak-origin terror suspect CHICAGO: A US court has fixed April 7 as the date for the preliminary hearing in the case of a Pakistani-origin taxi driver who was arrested by the FBI here on charges of providing material support and funds to Osama bin Laden's al-Qaeda terror group. Wearing an orange prison jumpsuit with his hands shackled, 56-year-old Raja Lahrasib Khan appeared before US Magistrate Judge Geraldine Soat Brown in the court here. This was Khan's second court appearance after he was arrested and presented in court on March 26. Granting the government's motion to keep him in detention pending trial, the Judge ruled that Khan would be held in custody till the next hearing when the government would show some of its evidence against him. Khan, who claims to have known al-Qaeda-linked HuJI chief Ilyas Kashmiri for 15 years, is being held at the federal lock-up Metropolitan Correctional Centre where 26/11 plotter David Coleman Headley and co-accused Pakistani-Canadian Tahawwur Rana are also detained. Members of Khan's family, including his son Omar and wife

Diane, as well as a few cab drivers were also present for the hearing. Khan smiled, waived out to his family and blew a kiss to his wife, mouthing the words 'I Love you' as he entered and exited the

Granting the government's motion to keep him in detention pending trial, the Judge ruled that Khan would be held in custody till the next hearing when the government would show some of its evidence against him courtroom. During the short hearing, he briefly spoke to his lawyer Thomas Durkin, who later said he would try to put together a plan under which release on bond could be possible. Durkin said he may not seek bail in the next hearing as he has

not had sufficient chance to discuss the case with Khan. Durkin has handled terrorism cases before including for Guantanamo detainees as well as Ramzi Bin Alshibh, accused of masterminding the 9/11 attacks. The government may indict Khan before the April 7 hearing but Durkin said he was hoping he would be given an opportunity to challenge the evidence. "I think it is important that we get the right to challenge the evidence. The complaint that has been filed is an incredibly onesided document that only paints with a broad brush and selects all that the government perceives is its best points. There are any number of points that I think can stand corrected and we look forward to being able to fight the case," he said. On Khan's Pakistani background, Durkin said it is a "little insulting" to call Khan a Pakistani cab driver now that he is a US citizen. Khan came to the US in 1975 and became a naturalized citizen in 1998. He has three children from his previous marriage and has been married to an American since 1994. -PTI

the American embassies of several countries indicted in the past. "This annual report documents human rights violations of Hindus throughout South Asia and in countries that do not share values of democracy, pluralism and freedom," said US Congressman Ed Royce (R-CA) after reviewing the Foundation's report. "By spotlighting which nations do not live up to these standards, nonprofit organizations like HAF stand up for the basic dignity and human rights for all people of faith and for free thought." "Our effort started with the belief that Hindu minorities were silent and unknown victims in Bangladesh, Pakistan and elsewhere, and documenting their realities has grown into a full time endeavor," said Ramesh Rao, the Foundation's human rights researcher and coordinator. "This year, the arrival of so many Hindu refugees from Bhutan brings a human face to the issues too many encounter, simply because of their ethnicity and Hindu faith." Hindus in South Asia and many of the twenty million Hindus living outside of India are subject to discrimination, terror, rape, murder and other forms of violence, forced conversions, ethnic cleansing, and temple destruction the report states. Foundation leaders announced that a major effort would focus on encouraging lawmakers to tie foreign aid and appropriations to measurable progress on human rights, similar to the effort after the publication of the 2008 HHR report. While Bangladesh saw some improvement last year in the overall rights situation with a signifi-

cant drop in attacks against its Hindu minority -- even as sixtyseven new attacks were recorded -- Australia appeared on the list for the first time. The deaths of thirty-three Indians, most of them Hindu, and thousands of attacks over the last five years forced the Government of India to recently condemn the lack of adequate protections and demand from Australian authorities a program

‘This year, the arrival of so many Hindu refugees from Bhutan brings a human face to the issues too many encounter, simply because of their ethnicity and Hindu faith’ of education and strict law enforcement to end these attacks. Adhirkari is settling into the rhythms of the Twin Cities and celebrating signs of spring signaling an end to the Minnesota winter. And while the scars from the brutal Bhutanese attacks on his family remain -- belying the Himalayan kingdom's fame as a tranquil Shangri-la -- spring brings hope, Adhikari says. He imagines a much brighter future for his children and personal struggle in the years ahead as he tries to earn a new medical license and career as a physician here with the dream of practicing his faith in a pluralistic America, a freedom they will never take for granted.

WINNING DESIGN: Mayor of London Boris Johnson (L) shares a joke with the Chairman and CEO of ArcelorMittal Lakshmi Mittal during the launch of the ìArcelorMittal Orbitî sculpture at City Hall in central London, on March 31. Johnson and Mittal unveiled ëThe ArcelorMittal Orbití - the winning design for the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic sculpture, conceived by Turner Prize winning artist, Anish Kapoor. This unveiling also marks ArcelorMittalís confirmation as a tier two sponsor of the Olympic and Paralympic Games

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Nityananda gives up ashram post over sex scandal BANGALORE: Facing a series of criminal charges, including rape and unnatural sex, self-styled godman Swami Nityananda has said he is quitting as head of his ashram and its trusts to lead a life

of "spiritual seclusion". Conveying his decision in a video message to his followers on his website three weeks after video footage of his alleged sleazy activities were shown on TV, the 32-year old Nityananda said he would return whenever required and talk about "...my conduct with a clean heart and clean soul and also in a less prejudiced

atmosphere." Nityananda, whose whereabouts are not known, said he took the decision after consultations with leading acharyas of Hindu Dharma at the Haridwar

acts, intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religious beliefs, rape, unnatural sex, cheating, criminal intimidation and criminal conspiracy. "I have decided to live a life of spiritual seclusion, for some indefinite time...I am resigning as the head of the He said he had ashram and from all the trusts associated with it," briefed the he said. Acharyas about He said he had briefed the allegations the Acharyas about the alagainst him and legations against him and explained ‘what is explained "what is fact and what is fiction. fact and what is The cases were slapped fiction., against Nityananda first by Nityananda had Tamil Nadu police, who said that portions transferred them to their counterparts in Karnataka, of the video where his ashram is headfootage showing quartered near Bidadi. him with a Tamil Nityananda had said that actress had been portions of the video footage showing him with a morphed Tamil actress had been morphed. Kumbh Mela. In his petition in the High Court, The self-styled godman an- he alleged that one of his former nounced his decision days after disciples and driver Kurup Lenin the Karnataka High Court rejected (who has claimed to have leaked his plea for anticipatory bail and the sleaze video) conspired to dequashing of the cases registered fame him and his ashram by levelagainst him. ing such charges against him. Nityananda, who also has overKarnataka CID police sought seas followers, has been booked information from "victims" of the under various sections of IPC re- godman against whom it has lating to deliberate and malicious launched a probe. -PTI

Pak factor in India-China ties dominates Beijing media meet BEIJING: China's all-weather ties with Pakistan and its reservations in backing India's aspirations to become a permanent UN Security Council member dominated the proceedings of the first-ever public get together of Indian and Chinese media professionals here. The one day event organized by the 2010 India-China Development Forum which was set up with backing of China's top media houses and the Indian Embassy here has displayed a heated debate, something that the Chinese media professionals have rarely seen and appeared to have thoroughly enjoyed. The spark was ignited by Karan Thapar, the noted Indian television interviewer and President of Infotainment Television, stating that despite the shared history and cultural ties with bourgeoning trade, China was viewed with suspicion in India for its close military and strategic ties

with Pakistan, which continues to be an impeding factor for a vibrant Sino-Indian relationship. He also pointed out Beijing's reservations in extending full support to India's aspirations to be-

‘Despite the shared history and cultural ties with bourgeoning trade, China was viewed with suspicion in India for its close military and strategic ties with Pakistan’ come permanent member of the UNSC has also cast shadow on the relations between the two countries. Perhaps China too entertained

similar apprehensions about India-US relations. These "suspicions" get reflected in media and picked by audiences, becoming a part of their mental outlook, he said. Chinese Minister of the State Council Information Office Wang Chen, who attended the inaugural session of the meeting, met Thapar after the session and appreciated the candidness with which the issues were discussed. Some of the Chinese Journalists and academicians including, Zhou Minwei, President of China International Publishing group and Ma Jiali, Research Professor of China Institute of Contemporary International Relations in their speeches took pains to explain that China's policy towards Pakistan has changed in the last ten years and Beijing viewed its relationship with New Delhi and Islamabad with more sense of equality. -PTI

NSA: India, China can ill-afford misperceptions on policy NEW DELHI: Warning that In- he said. dia and China could ill-afford Chinese Ambassador to India misperceptions on policy, Na- Zhang Yan said that efforts tional Security Advisor should be made by both China Shivshankar Menon has said that and India to properly handle pursuit of an ambitious agenda by public opinion. the two countries can put bilateral "Public opinion is vitally imrelations on a sound footing. portant to the development of our "When the world is changing relations. Two countries should so rapidly, and when uncertainty provide correct guidance to the in the international system is at un- public opinion and avoid war of precedented levels, neither India words," Zhang said. nor China can afford Efforts should be made on misperceptions or distortions of both sides to create an environpolicy caused by a lack of under- ment that is objective, friendly standing of each other's compul- and that of mutual trust. sions and policy processes," he said. Menon asserted that ‘Public opinion is vitally in a democracy like India, foreign policy has a important to the developsymbiotic relationship ment of our relations. Two with public opinion which is formed by it and countries should provide needs its support to be legitimate, coherent and correct guidance to the implementable. public opinion and avoid "It is only on the basis of informed and sup- war of words,’ Zhang said portive public opinion that we would be able to grasp the "A good and conducive pubopportunities and move forward on lic environment will not only prothe ambitious agenda that awaits vide a necessary condition for the India-China relations, the pursuit stable development of our relaof which would place India-China tions, but also create conditions relations on a sound footing for conducive to the settlement of histhe 21st century," he said. torical issues and other differHe was speaking at a seminar ences," Zhang said. organized by the Indian Council He said the two countries should of World Affairs to commemorate further enhance mutual trust which the 60th anniversary of India- is vital to a sound and stable relaChina diplomatic relations. tionship. Menon warned that the emer"Without trust there can be no gence of "nativist" voices, and sustained and meaningful cooperathe loud expression of opinion tion. Two countries should maincould introduce volatility in per- tain the momentum of high-level inception. "We have all witnessed teraction, expand exchanges and this phenomenon in India- China cooperation at all levels and in all relations in the last year or so," fields," Zhang said. -PTI

India voices concern over US military aid to Pak NEW DELHI: The US military aid to Pakistan is a matter of concern for India which has been conveyed to the Obama administration, Air Chief Marshal P V Naik said here. "The aid being given to Pakistan is a matter of concern to us definitely and we have made it known. We have not hidden anything," Naik said soon after taking over as the Chairman, Chiefs of Staffs Committee here. The US has been providing F16 combat jets, air-to-air missiles and other equipment worth millions of dollars to Pakistan as military aid for fighting the Taliban terrorists on its soil.

Pakistan is scheduled to get 18 of the Block 52 F-16s, Oliver Hazard Perry Class frigate by winter and is expected to receive Shadow Drones within a year. Islamabad is also to receive equipment capable of converting 1,000 traditional munitions into "smart bombs" that can strike targets with precisions. In the last three years, the US has provided 14 F-16s, five fast patrol boats, 115 self-propelled howitzer field artillery cannons, more than 450 vehicles, hundreds of night- vision goggles, day and night scopes, radios, protective vests and first aid items to Pakistan's security forces.-PTI

Desi News

Vichitra - the Chicago Iron Lady no more India Post News Service

CHICAGO: Many called her Iron Lady - Jhansi Ki Raani - of Chicagoland. And she lived up to that label all her life -a fighter to the last, be it her personal agonies or community problems. Vichitra Nayyar, the Iron Lady, battled cancer for 28 years. But the inevitable had to happen as is the case with all of us. She died on March 24 at her residence in Chicagoland. Her mortal remains were cremated at Oakridge Glen Oaks Cemetery in Hillside, a Chicago suburb.

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Mendoza, others recognize community leader

April 9, 2010

Details on page 21

40 travel agents attend Incredible India tourism promotion MOHAMMAD GHOUSE India Post News Service

Details on page 14

Faces of devotion: Indian sculpture exhibition India Post News Service

Dr. Austin Prabhu recognized at Lions Convention KRISHNA RAJ

CHICAGO: Government of India Tourist office, New York and Kingfisher Airlines jointly organized a meeting in Chicago at Gaylord Restaurant at Schaumburg on March 19 to promote the Incredible India campaign. Forty Travel and Tourist agencies from Chicagoland participated at an evening reception. Indian Consul General Ashok Kumar Attri was the Chief Guest. Mrs. Bidisha Sengupta, Assistant Director, of the India Tourist Office at New York, in her welcoming remarks gave a comprehensive coverage of the various tourist destinations in India. She highlighted places of special interest which have been marketed in different packages such as Adventure tourism, Monsoon package, Wildlife Safari, Religious and Places of pilgrimage circuit, Health & Wellness tourism, Heritage monuments tours etc. She reminded the travel agencies that India is no more a one season tourist destination and travel can be arranged to India round the year, as it has different things to offer to different kinds and category and likes and tastes of people. Attri in his address highlighted the various facets of Indian tourism and reminded the travel agents that there is a vast potential to develop tourism from US Midwest to India. He mentioned to the gathered audience that in the last two International Aerospace exhibitions, the largest orders for commercial jets were

Indian Consul General Ashok Kumar Attri with his wife Usha Kiran at Incredible India promotion event in Chicago. Also in the picture (L-R) Ms. Bidish Sengupta of India Tourism Office New York and Atul Kumria, Kingfisher's Head of Sales, Kingfisher in North America

placed by India and according to Boeing Company; the total requirements will exceed over 1000

He also took the opportunity to allay the fears of certain visa restrictions on tourism traffic and

A lucky draw for two Kingfisher air tickets to fly to any city in India with Kingfisher connectivity was conducted by Mrs. Usha Kiran Attri, and the winner was Raj Goyal of Shamma Travels, Morton Grove, Illinois. Several other prizes were also given by lucky draw wide body jets. That reveals the depth and strength and growth story of the Indian tourist traffic and this is only to grow further.

informed the agents that the consulate would strive to do the best possible to encourage that no genuine tourist is put to any dis-

comfort because of such restrictions. He encouraged them to inform the Consulate, where they do notice any such issues and the Consulate would be happy to assist in resolving the matter. He also welcomed the initiative of Kingfisher Airlines to join together with the Tourist office to promote tourism to India, though they did not have direct flights to India from USA so far. He mentioned that this initiative was praiseworthy and wished that Kingfisher is able to fly to USA in the near future. Contâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d on page 23

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BJP National Secretary felicitated in NJ India Post News Service

NEW JERSEY: Vani Tripathi, the newly appointed National Secretary of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was felicitated by the Indian American community in New Jersey recently at the TV Asia auditorium. Tripathi was visiting the US as part of the Indian delegation for "Women in Politics" program that was organized for two weeks by the US State Department. OFBJP-USA, President-elect Jayesh Patel introduced Tripathi as a model, animal rights activist,

Vaniji addressing the gathering, H R Shah Chairman & CEO of TV Asia and Jayesh Patel, President Elect OFBJP

OFBJP Team - Krishna Reddy (Treasurer), Ram Kamath (General Secretary), Vani Tripathi (National Secretary BJP), Jayesh Patel (President Elect), Rakshpal Sood (Senior Advisor of OFBJP)

Tripathi observed that while there was good support for women's issues in the US, there was minimal presence of women in the US senate. She shared her excitement on the passage of the Women's reservation bill in the Rajya Sabha

Hindus fight to amend Hinduism portrayal in Texas textbooks India Post News Service

NEW YORK: Despite an aggressive push by Hindu groups to get the Texas State Board of Education to correct the way Hinduism is being portrayed in history textbooks, it is unsure whether any amendments would be made when the draft books come out later this month. The Texas State Board of Education garnered new notoriety as the influential body, comprised of non historians and advocated a sharp right wing tilt in history textbooks published for state schools; and the Board's widely condemned party line vote occurred even after hearing spirited testimony and considering amendments from numerous Texans including HAF Texas Coordinator, Rishi Bhutada, at the raucous meeting, said a statement of the Hindu American Foundation (HAF). In his extensive testimony before the Board in Austin, Texas, Bhutada sought to ensure that Hinduism is portrayed as one of the oldest living world religions and pressed for an amendment to remove a separate discussion on the development of monotheism in the exclusive context of Judaism an addition made during one of the many rounds of the curriculum's current drafting. Over 800 HAF supporters, mostly from Texas, sent emails to the Board endorsing HAF's amendments aimed at clarity, consistency and accuracy in the textbook process.

"The TEKS (Texas Education and Knowledge Skills) for all the major world religions already included discussion of their origins and central ideas, which would arguably cover development of monotheism not only in the Judeo-Christian context but these

In his extensive testimony before the Board in Austin, Texas, Bhutada sought to ensure that Hinduism is portrayed as one of the oldest living world religions and pressed for an amendment to remove a separate discussion on the development of monotheism in the exclusive context of Judaism other religions," stated Bhutada. "Special focus on monotheism could also paint a misleading picture that monotheism is exclusive to Abrahamic religions when Hinduism, which encompasses a complexity of theologies ranging from panentheism to monotheism, would be left utterly misunderstood." Contâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d on page 17

Jayesh Patel (President Elect OFBJP), Harish Mehta (Depy. Vice ChairDemocratic Party, NJ) H R Shah, (TV Asia) Vani Tripathi (National General Secretary-BJP), Sandip Patel (OFBJP)

theatre artist, wildlife photographer, singer, and a politician who has achieved a lot at young age. Tripathi in her speech shared her US experience as she visited various states and US Congress. She attended many meetings at the State Department, UN forums and women's forums in a hectic schedule. Tripathi observed that while there was good support for women's issues in the US, there was minimal presence of women in the US senate. She shared her excitement on the passage of the Women's reservation bill in the Rajya Sabha that provides 33%

reservation to women in the Indian Parliament. She expressed confidence that the bill will be passed in the Lok Sabha as well. Tripathi reminded the gathering that the legislation was originally moved by the BJP where Atal Behari Vajpayee and L.K. Advani had introduced the bill in the parliament during NDA government. Tripathi said her priorities as the national secretary were engaging the youth and women's safety. She told the audience that currently, Delhi is the crime capital of India and women are very much scared to stay out after 6 pm.

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Vichitra - the Chicago Iron Lady is no more

Family mourns - daughters Anjali, Alka and husband Sarv Nayyar India Post News Service

CHICAGO: Many called her Iron Lady Jhansi Ki Raani - of Chicagoland. And she lived up to that label all her life -a fighter to the last, be it her personal agonies or community problems. Vichitra Nayyar, the Iron Lady, battled cancer for 28 years. But the inevitable had to happen as is the case with all of us. She died on March 24 at her residence in Chicagoland. Her mortal remains were cremated at Oakridge Glen Oaks Cemetery in Hillside, a Chicago suburb, on Saturday March 27 in presence of a large number of mournersfamily members, relatives, friends, associates and others coming in from all walks of life and from all parts of the city and neighboring States. Paying tributes to the departed soul, Dr. S. Sawminathan said Vichitra was a loving daughter, mother, wife, grandmother and friend to many. He talked about her grittiness, sense of purpose, vision, honesty and integrity saying that as a pioneering TV producer, director, host and entrepreneur she was an inspiration to all. She will always be remembered for promoting goodwill, honesty and tolerance among different communities. Born in 1945, Vichitra was an accomplished sportswoman, a promising dramatist through college theatrical productions, and a humanitarian, leading school drives to help raise money for the poor, the infirm and the elderly. After graduating from Lady Shri Ram College with a Masters in English Literature, she married Sarv Nayyar, immi-

Mourners from across Chicagoland and neighboring States at Oakridge cemetery

grated to the US, and assumed the traditional roles of housewife and mother. She was the South Asian media pioneer starting Sangeeta, the first Indo-Pak radio program in the US. The idea was to create an outlet for homesick South Asians living here who would love to hear an hour-long

country on WCIU, Ch. 26. This groundbreaking event was an even more significant milestone for Vichitra and her family than it seemed, as at the age of 38, Vichitra was diagnosed with breast cancer. She persevered through radical mastectomy and chemotherapy, and just two weeks after her

Paying tributes to the departed soul, Dr. S. Sawminathan said Vichitra was a loving daughter, mother, wife, grandmother and friend to many. He talked about her grittiness, sense of purpose, vision, honesty and integrity saying that as a pioneering TV producer, director, host and entrepreneur she was an inspiration to all Vichitra Nayyar

show of their favorite songs. As Sangeeta's popularity created the demand for more cultural avenues amidst a growing community, Vichitra decided to extend her efforts. Chitrahaar TV was born on May 6, 1982. Indians, Pakistanis, Bangladeshis - and all South Asians in the Midwest - tuned in to the first South Asian TV program in the

surgery, she went on the air for the first, live Chitrahar TV program. But there were countless other issues that the community was struggling to cope. She presented panel discussions regarding "Mixed Marriages" to focus on the trend of inter-racial marriages, a special on "Aging in America" to draw attention to the issues

Asian elderly were experiencing in the US, "Teen Suicide" to address the alarming number of suicides among South Asian youth. Vichitra believed that children would never really know where they were going, unless they could relate to where they came from. Segments like "Health is Wealth," "Chicago Sheher Ki Charcha" (local events/ news), "Samachar Darpan" (news from the subcontinent), "Rasoi Ghar" (cooking and recipes), and "Chitrapat" (Bollywood Film Review), gave individuals the opportunity to express their talent on Sangeeta Radio and Chitrahar TV. Chitrahar Night, an annual event showcasing the community's local talent and highlighting the accomplishments of South Asians in all fields and a beauty pageant, was the next significant step. Much to Vichitra's gratification, third-generation South Asian children today perform at Chitrahar Night, which is now celebrating 25 years. For no reason, Vichitra was fondly labeled as India's cultural ambassador to Chicago and the "Oprah" of the South Asian community. Vichitra was one of the founding members of the India League of America and the Indic Magazine. She was on the City of Chicago's Commission on Human Relations, and had won countless awards for her selfless commitment and fostering cross-cultural understanding. As she battled with cancer, she participated in YME breast cancer awareness walks and was an active board member of the Nargis Dutt Cancer Foundation. Vichitra is survived by her husband, Sary Nayyar, and two daughters, Anjali and Alka.

Hinduism Summit in Chicago India Post News Service

NEW YORK: The first ever Hinduism Summit (Hindu Dharmasabha) in the Greater Chicago area, will be held on the auspicious occasion of Kamala Ekadashi, 5112 (24 April 2010) at the Hindu Temple of Greater Chicago, Lemont, IL. The Summit will be held by the Forum for Hindu Awakening (FHA) and Hindu Janajagruti Samiti (HJS), with support from noteworthy Hindu and spiritual organizations and leaders

from the US. This Summit welcomes anyone interested in understanding, living and preserving Hinduism, and is a step in the direction given by Swami Vivekananda's historic address about Hinduism at the 1893 World Parliament of Religions in Chicago, the organizers say. The Summit aims to promote an understanding about the unique science behind Hinduism concepts and practices, and provide practical guidance on living Hinduism. It also aims to unite every-

The Summit aims to promote an understanding about the unique science behind Hinduism concepts and practices, and provide practical guidance on living Hinduism one interested in Hinduism, and to preserve it in the face of deni-

gration and misconceptions about Hinduism today. This Summit follows the success of recent similar summits held in the last half of 2009 by FHA in Virginia and jointly with HJS in New Jersey, and in London, UK. HJS has successfully brought hundreds of thousands of people through more than 350 such Dharmasabhas that it has held throughout India in just the last 2 years. The Chicago Hinduism Summit will commence and conclude with auspicious recitations from the

Vedas and ancient Hindu Scriptures. It will feature enlightening presentations by Hindu leaders, and demonstrative videos on understanding, living and preserving Hinduism, followed by a unique exhibition of posters and books on Hinduism education. The event will be webcast live on FHA and HJS websites for attendance and participation from anywhere in the world. The Forum for Hindu Awakening and Hindu Janajagruti Samiti are non-profit, charitable organizations.

April 9, 2010

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Millennium Bank set for further expansion Tamil Sangam fetes prominent literary persons

India Post News Service

Des Plaines Mayor Marty Moylan cutting the ribbon in presence of Bank officials and other guests from Chicagoland. Moti Agarwal, the founder and chairman of the board is on the right of the Mayor

JODH SINGH RAWAT India Post News Service

CHICAGO: Millennium Bank, an Indian owned community bank set up two years ago in Des Plaines, a north side Chicago suburb, is now set for an expansion of its activities and facilities. Located earlier at 2100 Miners Street in Des Plaines it has moved to its own building with a much bigger area and better accessibility to its customers. The new premise was formally launched Friday, March 26 with the Mayor of Des Plaines, Marty Moylan cutting the ribbon with a giant sized scissor and announced the new location open to business. He urged the gathering to help the bank grow in the Chicagoland area and more prominently in Des Plaines. The occasion was marked by the presence of prominent citizens, customers and businessmen from the locality. Moti Agarwal, founder and chairman of the board of Millennium Bank welcomed all the guests and urged everybody to help the institution prosper in the locality and beyond.

The Bank, founded in the year 2007 by the visionary leadership of Agarwal and with active participation by other investors, has prospered to the satisfaction of the management and the customers. The bank is a full-fledged commercial bank having most of the

Located earlier at 2100 Miners Street in Des Plaines it has moved to its own building with a much bigger area and better accessibility to its customers banking services offered to the public. The President & CEO, Bob Rud is confident the Bank will make great strides in future months and would be able to offer a variety of new services to its customers. He also urged the gathering to direct more and more business customers to the bank and make it

a strong financial institution in the greater Chicagoland area. In a talk to this paper, he said that the bank started with $8 million asset has upstaged to $42 million now and the plan is to go further up reaching a target of $50 million very soon. Currently the bank offers commercial loans; both business and real estate, home equities and lines of credit to a variety of businesses. The bank also offers SBA loans under certain schemes and would be doing other types in a few weeks time. On the occasion of the grand opening customers are offered an attractive 1.50% APY on a 12 month CD with a minimum deposit of $10,000 and with additional requirement of opening a checking account simultaneously. Among the distinguished guests attending the inaugural ceremony were Alderman Rosemary Argus, Jennifer Ganser, Nancy Kirsch from the Des Plaines Chamber of Commerce, the Des Plaines Fire Chief, director of the board Mr. Paul Khanna, Vithalbhai Patel, Marco Greco from the Des Plaines Journal, employees and other customers.

NEW YORK: The New York Tamil Sangam conducted International Women's Day celebrations and a literary event last week with two prominent literary persons who were in the US from Tamil Nadu on invitation under the US State Department International Visitors program. Poet Salma, chairperson of the State Social Welfare Board and a leading champion of women's rights movement in Tamil Nadu was honored with Mahakavi Bharati Award for her contribution to Tamil poetry. The award was presented by Kanchana Poola, advisor to the Sangam. Sumathy, a leading attorney, writer, orator and a tireless champion of underprivileged women in Tamil Nadu was conferred with Swami Vivekananda Award for using her creativity to spread dharma and spirituality. Shan Shanmugam, another advisor of the Sangam presented the award to Sumathi. A Tamil Muslim, Salma had to undergo lot of suppression and had studied up to the ninth grade. She started writing seriously when she was 17. She became head of the village council of Thuvarankurichi near Tiruchi in Tamil Nadu despite opposition at a very young age. Her poetry breaks new ground in Tamil poetry for its articulation

domestic relationships and women suffering sexual harassment at work place. Sumathi gained popularity through her column in the reputed Tamil Magazine "Tuglak" edited by Cho .S. Ramaswamy. Her articles were later on compiled as a book called "Rowthiram Pazhagu" and won wide appreciation as it touched upon the social issues which also had legal shades. Dr. M. N. Krishnan, one of the

Sumathy, a leading attorney, writer, orator and a tireless champion of underprivileged women in Tamil Nadu was conferred with Swami Vivekananda Award for using her creativity to spread dharma and spirituality. Shan Shanmugam, another advisor of the Sangam presented the award to Sumathi founders of the Sangam and advisor, presiding over the meeting, recalled the popularity of both the young women leaders in public and television and highlighted

The two women leaders with office bearers of Tamil Sangam. (Pic: Ramesh Ramanathan)

of an unapologetically subjective female worldview, its bold examination of life in a traditionally restrictive patriarchal context, its refusal to allow the erasure of personal memory. Sumathi is an acclaimed orator and writer and is known in literary and debating circles in Tamil Nadu. As an attorney, she deals with matrimonial issues and helps battered women and victims of domestic violence. She initiates proceedings on behalf of women facing violence and harassment in

their role in helping poor and hapless women. Albert Chelladurai, president of the Sangam, in his address, said the Sangam had been conducting various events such as cultural programs, meet the leaders program, Carnatic music concerts but the program was unique as the Sangam salute the womanhood of India, especially Tamils. Prakash M Swamy, secretary welcomed the gathering and Devaraj Vijayakumar, treasurer, proposed a vote of thanks.

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Hari Jayanti and Ram Navami at BAPS mandir SURESH BODIWALA

Children performing traditional Gujarati folk dance.

CHICAGO: Hundreds of Swaminayran devotees flocked to attend the annual Swaminarayan Jayanti and Ram Navami celebrations at the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in Bartlett, a northwest Chicago suburb. Idols of Bhagwan Swaminarayan and Gunatitanand Swami were dressed elegantly and the main hall was decorated aptly to suit the occasion. Devotees, dressed in traditional outfits, arrived to

join an evening of kirtans, spiritual discourses, and meaningful skits, all of which were organized and performed by the children and the youth of BAPS. The program, themed 'Bolyaa Shri Hari Re', took a closer look at the words of Bhagwan Swaminarayan and the lives of devotees who abided by these words no matter the obstacles. One of the organizers Jatin Jani said. "Today's program was organized to better understand Bhagwan Swaminarayan by ex-

An extended drama 'Dhovaa dyo Raghura' described the glory of Bhagwan Ram while additional skits highlighted some of Bhagwan Swaminarayan's virtues as seen through His actions

Hindus fight to amend Hinduism portrayal in Texas textbooks Cont’d from page 12

HAF also supported the Sikh Coalition in its push for the inclusion of Sikhism in the new World History TEKS. The Sikh Coalition successfully lobbied for the inclusion of Sikhism in sixth grade social studies and world geography TEKS drafts last summer, but the world history curriculum did not conform to these changes. The 15-member board debated high school US and world history over the course of three days and in a 10 to 5 partisan vote; Republicans on the Board prevailed in approving a draft of social studies curriculum which stressed conservative views on American capitalism and questioned the Founding Fathers' commitment to the separation of church and state. "Unfortunately politics and propaganda have reigned supreme in the TEKS process," said Suhag Shukla, HAF's Legal Counsel and Managing Director. "Texas students will now learn a version of history, especially relating to the crucial issue of the separation of church and state, that is not supported by American jurisprudence or history." The final version of the Texas Education and Knowledge Skills will not be approved until May of this year and whether the amendments proposed by HAF and others were adopted is uncertain. To date, the latest approved proposed curriculum

had yet to be made public. Bhutada and Shukla bemoaned the potential fallout of this latest vote by the Texas School Board. "If this brand of politics continue into adoption of science curriculum as it has in states like Kentucky and Louisiana, we'll face 9th graders in

‘Unfortunately politics and propaganda have reigned supreme in the TEKS process," said Suhag Shukla, HAF's Legal Counsel and Managing Director. "Texas students will now learn a version of history, especially relating to the crucial issue of the separation of church and state, that is not supported by American jurisprudence or history’ India and China learning calculus and advanced chemistry while American students question evolution," Bhutada added. "And the impact could be devastating not only for Texas school children, but the future of America as a competitor in the global market."

Kirtan at BAPS in progress

amining his words from the Vachanamrut." A presentation by sixteen-year old Parth Thakkar, discussed the qualities of selflessness, asceticism, and a desire for knowledge on the basis of the Vachanamrut. Pujya Vivekmurti Swami expounded on the program's theme by discussing Bhagwan's godliness as explained in the Sampraday's scriptures. An extended drama 'Dhovaa dyo Raghura' described the glory of Bhagwan Ram while ad-

ditional skits highlighted some of Bhagwan Swaminarayan's virtues as seen through His actions. In the end, Thakorji was placed on an ornate swing while devotees sang the Janmotsav, "Dharma gher anand bhayo, jay bolo Ganshyam ki." Similar celebrations were held at all the BAPS Swaminarayan Mandirs worldwide. A grand celebration in the presence of Pramukh Swami Maharaj was held in Sarangpur in Gujarat on March 24.

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Telugu community briefed on ID theft & prevention ASHWIN PATEL India Post News Service

Dallas, TX: "Cleaning up after identity theft is a marathon, not a sprint. Prepare your mind accordingly" was the theme of the evening gathered at the Kokila Indian Restaurant to learn about "Identity Theft & Prevention" hosted by the Telugu Association of North America (TANA) on March 24th, 2010. This program was co-hosted by the Telugu Association of North Texas (TANTEX). Before the start of the main program, Sai Sathish Ganesa who just returned from a long service mission to help the earthquake victims of Haiti, shared

his trip experiences. The trip included both medical and nonmedical services and the video footage provided a glimpse of the devastation and the suffering caused by this massive earthquake that took many lives besides property damage. He pitched for donations and help from experts. Murali Vennam, Regional Director, South West Division of TANA extended a warm welcome to the gathering and thanked them for the attendance in spite of the unfavorable weather. Chandra Kanneganti, President of TANTEX requested the gathering to take advantage of the expertise available on the subject. Tina Miller, Educational Pro-

Reshma could be first Indian Congresswoman JODH SINGH RAWAT

CHICAGO: The first generation of the Indians must feel proud to see the second and third generation advancing in every field of activity in this country proving that they can be sailing in the main stream of the American life as everyone else. Reshma Saujani 34, the daughter of Gujarati immigrants, is an ideal example of the slow merging of Indian Americnas with the mainstream society. Her story embodies the promise of the American Dream. Her parents came to the US as political refugees after Idi Amin expelled Indians from Uganda in the 1970s. A qualified mechanical engineer, Saujani's father found work in a machine shop. Living as one of the first Indian families in suburban Chicago, Saujani faced discrimination. But as a gutsy freshman at the local public high school, Saujani started PRISM - the Prejudice Reduction Interested Students Movement. She said "it was a defining moment" in her life that sparked her commitment to community activism. Saujani studied in Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government, where she worked part-time to pay for school. She also made it to Yale Law School and later, at the law firm Davis Polk & Wardwell, handled asylum cases pro bono. She has been a lawyer for hedge funds. Being quite successful perused her dream side by side to fulfill her political ambition she got involved in the activities of Democratic Party where she came closer to Hillary Clinton in her campaign too. Later she campaigned for Barack Obama and took keen interest in National politics. Now

Reshma Saujani

She is running for Democratic primary race to take New York's 14th Congressional District away from nine-term incumbent Carolyn Maloney she is running for Democratic primary race to take New York's 14th Congressional District away from nine-term incumbent Carolyn Maloney. At this time, there still is no Republican challenger to U.S. Representative Carolyn Maloney. 2010 has, however, brought Maloney a challenger from within the Democratic Party - Reshma Saujani. On March 27 she was introduced to the community in a fundraising luncheon at her parents' house in South Barrington, a north side Chicago suburb. The way Reshma presented herself in front of the gathering was impressive. She will be the first Indian American woman to be in the Congress if elected.

Tina Miller addressing a meet on identity theft in Dallas.

gram manager of LifeLock, founded in 2005 and based in Tempe, Arizona, is an industry leader in the rapidly growing field of identity theft & protection is the guest speaker of the evening. In her address she provided an overview of identity theft & prevention, current trends and specific areas of concern for the government in dealing with the menace. Breathtaking video footage provided examples of the way criminals collect and use confidential information causing inconceivable damage to the individuals. She emphasized the need to be cautious when dealing with social networking sites, peer-to-peer service portals as well as public access to the computer. In her final remarks Ms. Miller reminded the gathering to ensure security of the websites when shopping and invited them to take advantage of

Life-Lock's industry leading services. Ms. Miller patiently answered a plethora of questions from the audience on a variety of

She emphasized the need to be cautious when dealing with social networking sites, peer-to-peer service portals as well as public access to the computer. In her final remarks Ms. Miller reminded the gathering to ensure security of the websites subjects related to identity theft. In his address to the gathering. Prasad Thotakura, Executive Vice

President, TANA thanked Miller for her excellent presentation. More than $ 1,000 worth of gifts were given away to lucky winners including four, one-year free service subscriptions of LifeLock and one Norton Anti-virus software package. Thotakura announced that TANA is hosting two events in the near future such as, "Networking for Singles" through Telugu Matrimony.com scheduled for April 17 and Super Singer contest lead by veteran singer and director G. Anand scheduled for May 1. Both of these programs are cosponsored by TANTEX. Suresh Manduva, Secretary of TANTEX concluded the meeting with vote of thanks to the audience for their attendance, event sponsors; H e also thanked management of Kokila Indian Cuisine management for providing a delicious dinner.

Nani Chhasath celebrate Limbach Jayanti KRISHNA RAJ

CHICAGO: It was a festive occasion blended with religious fervor when over 150 devotees of Goddess Limbachi gathered at Golf Park District in Niles (a north side Chicago suburb) to celebrate Shree Limabach Jayanti Mahotsav last week. The event was organized and hosted by Nani Chhasath Limbach Samaj of USA that has following across the country among devotees of the Goddess. The chief guest for the event was a community activist from Mumbai Narayanbhai Nayee who was joined by his wife Lakshiben Nayee, their son Piyush Nayee. Young activist Sudhir Nagar from Texas too joined them in the celebrations. The Samaj President Dilipbhai Parekh and the Samaj Secretary Sunilbhai Sharma extended hearty welcome to all those present. The traditional lamp was lighted with all shouting Jai Limbach. Garland for the Goddess Limbach was given thru Lakshmiben. The atmosphere was enlivened with staging Indian folk dances like

Chief Guest Naryanbhai Nayee (fourth from left) with office bearers and members of the Samaj

Raas Garba and Bhangra with the accompaniment of DJ. The youth and the children presented talent show to the delight of all present. Dilipbhai Sharma gave gifts to all the participants to encourage them in the cultural activities. This was followed by Aarati which was conducted by Bharat Kumar and Trikamlal who donated $551.00. The guests from Mumbai gave $125.00 for garland and

$251.00 additional gift on the occasion. Dinner followed and Kanubhai (Insad) and Ashokbhai (Charad) agreed to foot the bill. The Samaj office bearers- President Dilipbhai Parekh, Secretary Sunilbhai Sharma, Vice President Jivrabhai Nayee and Treasurer Govindbhai Limbachia were honored. The emcee of the event was Narendrabhai Sharma while Sunilbhai Sharma proposed a vote of thanks

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Vasant Navratra Celebrated

haitra Navarari known as Aswin Navratra or Vasant Navratra is an eight day spiritual festival which coincides with Ram Navami and Hari Jayanti. Metropolitan Asian Family Services (MAFS) seniors observed these nine holy days with fasting and worshipping Goddess Durgama, Goddess Sarswatima and Goddess Laxmima for eight days. A lively Garba dance was performed wearing colorful saris on the eighth day. A special Puja of 24 hours of Ramayan and chanting of Shri Swaminarayan were recited on the ninth day to propitiate Lord Shri Ram and Lord Shri Swaminarayan on their birth anniversaries. -Himali Bharucha

MAFS seniors doing Garba on Chaitra Ram Navmi celebrations on MAFS Western avenue location

Mrs. Santosh Kumar, the Executive Director of Metropolitan Asian Family Services putting holy thread on a baby and feeding the kuvarika girls on the eighth day of Navaratri

Inter-community Mushaira in Schaumburg MOHAMMAD GHOUSE

Mohammed Ahsan Rafiq (L) and Amin Haider

CHICAGO: Arbaab-e-Urdu Chicago held its first Hindi, Punjabi, and Urdu Mushairah during its monthly literary program last week at Schaumburg Library, Schaumburg, a Chicago suburb. Aqeel Alam presided the Mushairah, Dr. Ajeet Pant and Dr. Sadiq Naqvi were Special Guests. Latif Saif, Dr. Khursheed Kizar, Mrs. Kiran Caturvedi, Nazar Naqvi, Gur Mukh Bhuler, Sajid Choudhry, Jodh Singh Rawat, Itrat Husain Itrat, Aejaz Khan, Dr. Sadiq Naqvi, Dr. Ajeet Pant, and Aqeel Alam re-

Jodh Singh Rawat reciting his poem in Hindi

Gurumukh Singh Bhular (Pics: Mohammed A Haider)

cited their poems in Hindi, Urdu and Punjabi. Amin Haider and Nazar Naqvi performed Nizamat. In another session, Mohammed Ahsan Rafiq read his short story which consisted of a real life event. In this program, two workshops were also organized. In the first workshop, Prof Saif Latif presented his program that involved enriching Urdu language through Urdu poetry, and in the second workshop, Dr. M. Muzafferuddin Farooqui, explained Allama Iqbal's Poetry and his philosophy.

Faces of devotion: Indian sculpture exhibition India Post News Service

SALEM, MA: A singular selection of Indian ritual bronze and metal sculptures will be on view at the Peabody Essex Museum (PEM) from April 10 through January 16, 2012. Faces of Devotion: Indian Sculpture from the Figiel Collection presents nearly 40 dramatic sculptures of Hindu gods, goddesses, animal spirits and deified heroes as depicted in the folk traditions of western and southern India. These works, dating from the 1500s to the 1800s, are exquisite examples of vernacular folk art and offer unique insight into the region's compelling iconography, craftsmanship, and ritual. Widely regarded as the finest collection of its kind, the Dr. Leo S. Figiel Collection of Indian sculpture was donated to the Peabody Essex Museum in 2006, augmenting the museum's extensive collection of contemporary and traditional Indian art. Faces of Devotion was organized by guest curator Cathleen Cummings, Assistant Professor of Art History at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, a scholar with firsthand knowledge of deity worship in India. With an emphasis on masks and headscompelling with their large, wideopen eyes-the exhibition draws attention to the visual exchange between God and devotee, the act of seeing and being seen that is a fundamental component of Hindu devotion. Pan-Indian gods such as Vishnu, Shiva, and Devi are worshipped and celebrated alongside a host of deities with local and regional significance. Bronze masks and sculptures play a central role in devotional practice. They aid in focusing the devotee's attention by giving physical form to unseen gods and invisible forces. In household shrines and public temples, these sculptures and the deities they represent are often treated in the manner of honored guests. In the morning, they are gently "awakened," bathed with perfumed water, dressed in fine cloth, and adorned with jewelry and

fresh garlands .To delight their senses, incense is burned, a bell is rung, a lamp is waved before their eyes, and food is symbolically offered all before the household begins the day's activities. "These exceptional works reveal the centrality of deity worship in rural India, where devotees place great faith in their powers to protect, grant success, and reverse misfortune," said guest curator Cathleen Cummings. "To convey something of the original context of these sculptures, PEM has ritually installed several in the exhibition to suggest the devo-

tional context in which they were originally used." Devotional bronzes, whether cast as masks, plaques or threedimensional sculpture, exude personality and serve the dual purpose of being the focal point of a shrine and a mobile spiritual effigy in ceremonies. Faces of Devotion introduces visitors to an array of revered Indian deities, from Hanuman the monkey god and Panjurli the wild boar to the warrior-goddess Durga and the allpowerful Shiva. "Faces of Devotion allows visitors to connect with another culture through objects that are at once aesthetically absorbing and ritually significant," said Susan Bean, Curator of South Asian and Korean Art at PEM. "We hope that our visitors walk away with an expanded world view and an enhanced understanding of India's rich cultural and artistic heritage."

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Dr. Austin Prabhu recognized at Lions Convention

April 9, 2010

TANA helps sending Prashant's body to India

KRISHNA RAJ

was nominated for the office of Second District Vice Governor for the Year 2010-2011 by Past Council Chairman Georg Toft. Stan D'Souza, past Zone Chairman seconded Dr. Austin's nomination. Both spoke about Dr. Austin's accomplishments in India and in the United States as a Community Leader, Organizer, Actor, Poet, Editor and Publisher of various magazines and books. This is the second record Dr. Austin Prabhu set in District 1-A running for the second time as District Governor for the year 2012-2013. Dr. Austin was declared elected at the end of the convention along with other winners for different positions. Following these awards and nominations, there was a Holy Mass for Catholic Lions and Fr. Richie Vaz, SVD, a Mangalorean was the celebrant. He blessed palm sand distributed to attended devotees. Lion Dr. Austin was born on August 8, 1950 in Nanthur, Mangalore. His mother Gaulbert D'Souza was a well-known ladies clothes designer in Mangalore. He did his Mechanical Fitter from Industrial Training Institute (ITI), Mangalore; B.A. from Mysore Open University, Mangalore, Computer science from Triton College, River Grove, Illinois, M.B.A from Pacific Western University, Los Angeles, and Ph. D. in Management from Pacific Western University, Los Angeles.

Dr Austin Prabhu with his wife Terry Pinto

CHICAGO: Lions Clubs International Mother District 1-A celebrated its 42nd District Convention lasting four days beginning March 24 at the Westin Hotel & Resort near O Hare Chicago. Nearly 600 from all over Chicagoland, Illinois and neighboring States were in attendance to witness this gala chain of events. One of the highlights was the presentation of 8 Diamond Progressive Melvin Jones Fellowship Award to District Cabinet Secretary & Treasurer and Past District Governor Dr. Austin Prabhu from Past International Director from Hawaii, Maurice Kahawaii. Dr. Austin set a new record in Mother District of Lionism, District 1-A as the first ever recipient to receive such an award in the history of Lionism in Chicagoland for the past 93 years. District Governor

Ray Jachim commended Dr. Austin Prabhu's service to humanity and dedication to Lionism. Candidates for District Offices

Dr. Austin set a new record in Mother District of Lionism, District 1-A as the first ever recipient to receive such an award in the history of Lionism in Chicagoland for the past 93 years were nominated and seconded by Lion leaders from respective clubs and Dr. Austin Prabhu from the Forest Kala Sampath Lions Club

India Post News Service

DALLAS: All formalities have been completed to send the body of Prashanth Goinaka, 28 yrs, who was shot dead on March 21 in a food mart in Oklahoma City, OK., by unidentified men. The Telugu Association of North America (TANA) Team square volunteers helped to see that the body of the deceased is sent to his parents in Hyderabad as soon as possible. Several community members including the Consul General of India Sanjiv Arora, Dr. Vishwanadham Puligandla, Dr. Sridhar Reddy Korsapti, Rao Kalvala, Dr. Narasimha Reddy Urimindi, Ram Yalamanchili, Gopi Chillakuri, Prasad MVL and Raheem Mohammad visited Rehma Funeral Home in Dallas to pay their last respects to Prasahnath Goinaka. "TANA will now try pressuring Oklahoma City Police department to pursue this case seriously and

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bring punish the culprits to justice" said Prasad Thotakura, Executive Vice President, TANA. Jyaram Komati, TANA President and Mohan Nannapaneni, Secretary of TANA conveyed their deepest condolences to Gionaka family for untimely death of a young person and thanked all TANA Team Square volunteers and officials who worked vigorously in making all arrangements. Ram Yalamanchili, TANA Treasurer thanked all who donated for this cause. Prashanth Goinaka, who had taken up a part-time job of a cashier at a convenience store SK

His family who reside in Santoshnagar area is in a state of shock not believing that the youth who left for the US barely two months ago to study for an MBA was no more Foods only four days ago, was shot dead by two unidentified assailants who had walked into the store posing as customers and snatched the cash. The Oklahoma City Police say they are investigating the man's death as a homicide as there was trauma to the body. His family who reside in Santoshnagar area is in a state of shock not believing that the youth who left for the US barely two months ago to study for an MBA was no more. Prashanth's father G. Rajaiah and mother Bharathi were devastated after hearing the shocking news of their only son. His only sister Swathi is pursuing her MBBS here. Prashanth, a BCom graduate of St Thomas College, Dilsukhnagar, had gone to the US Jan 25 this year to realize his cherished dream of studying for his MBA. He was a student at the International Technological University in California. He went to Oklahoma after the university permitted him to take up a part-time job.

Community/California

April 9, 2010

India Post 21

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Mendoza, others recognize community leader India Post News Service

NORWALK, CA: California State Controller John Chiang and Los Angeles City Councilwoman Janice Hahn were among the numerous elected officials that joined Assembly member Tony Mendoza on Monday, March 29, to pay tribute to the late labor leader César E. Chávez, and to recognize the accomplishments of community member, Victor Ledesma, during the Third Annual César E. Chávez Humanitarian Awards banquet. "We are fortunate to have leaders in our communities like Victor Ledesma who work hard to help

those in need and live up to César Chávez's legacy of service," said State Controller John Chiang. "César Chávez Day was such an appropriate occasion to honor Victor Ledesma. Victor has worked tirelessly to improve his community and make it a better place for all to work and to live in, and that's exactly what César Chávez did for all of us," said Councilwoman Janice Hahn. Victor Ledesma has worked in the 56th Assembly District for more than 25 years, and previously lived in South Whittier for 20 years. He has worked as a Los Angeles County social worker, a volunteer board member for the

‘Mr. Ledesma's selfsacrifice has helped to improve the lives of members of his community," said Assemblymember Mendoza. "He has been a strong advocate for the development of culturally relevant mental health services’

South Whittier School District, and an advisory council member in at least 18 different nonprofit organizations. He has been a strong advocate for the development of culturally relevant mental health services in areas that have long been underserved. Mr. Ledesma has also lobbied for strong local school districts and quality educational services in schools. "Mr. Ledesma's self-sacrifice has helped to improve the lives of members of his community," said Assemblymember Mendoza. "He has been a strong advocate for the development of culturally relevant mental health services,

as well as an active lobbyist for quality educational services in our schools." "This award is very special to me because it's from my peers, my friends and my relatives," said Victor Ledesma. "I have received many awards in the past, but this one is from my community, which makes it all the more special." Assemblymember Tony Mendoza, a former teacher and current vice-chair of the California Latino Legislative Caucus, represents the communities of Artesia, Hawaiian Gardens, Cerritos, Buena Park, Norwalk, Santa Fe Springs, Lakewood, Los Nietos and Whittier.

Ram Navami celebrated with 24 Kundi Yagya

Navratri Hawan India Post News Service

LOS ANGELES: The youth just need right spiritual direction, which was brought forward at the Gayatri Chetana Center, Anaheim, OC by All World Gayatri Pariwar Saints on March 28 during Ram Navami celebration with 24 Kundi Gayatri Yagya. More then 200 people included youths attended this ceremony. The program started with lamp lighting and devotional songs sang by Babubhai Gorajia. Rushi Thaker played tabla during the songs. Pragya Sharma helped from the stage to give an explanation of the rituals to group of Spanish speaking members who attended the program. The importance of Guru,

Gayatri and Shri Ram were explained and special poojan was conducted by Saint

Bhajan in progress

ment that Dr. Pranav Pandya is coming to Los Angeles at this Gayatri Chetana Center

Gayatri Chetana Center, Anaheim, OC will have grand Murti Pran Pratistrtha program on July 10. There will be remodeling and construction work for changing the look of the building as Hindu traditional place with many artistic designs and Shikhar on top of the building roof Shanti Lal from Shantikunj, Hardwar, India. All the attendees performed 24 Kundi Yagya. Saint Shanti Lal made an announce-

for Gayatri Mata's Murti Pran Pratistha Mahotsav on July 10. He gave a special blessing and inspirational message on this

special occasion. The program concluded with Aarti and Mahaprasad. Gayatri Chetana Center, Anaheim, OC will have grand Murti Pran Pratistrtha program on July 10. There will be remodeling and construction work for changing the look of the building as Hindu traditional place with many artistic designs and Shikhar on top of the building roof. Every Sunday Gayatri Yagya programs are scheduled regularly at 11:00am and kept open & free for all. Yoga and meditation practice are also scheduled every Tuesday evening at 7:00 pm and also Saturday and Sunday Morning at 9:00 am. Shanti Lal will be helping to teach the rituals and other spiritual discourses every evening at 7:30 pm.

Community/California

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April 9, 2010

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Sita-Ram wedding performed on Ram Navami India Post News Service

RIVERSIDE: The finest costumes and jewelry adorned Sita and Rama for the Ram Navami wedding celebration in Riverside's Shri Lakshmi Narayan Mandir. The program began with several hours of beautiful bhajans sung by Amma Bhajan Group. Mandir President Bhoodev Tiwari thanked Festival Committee Chair Hema Nakka for her hard work arranging the event and then welcomed the 400 devotees who came to seek the blessings of Lord Rama on his birthday. Vice President Lakshmna Koka invited the sponsors to sit in front of the mandap for the wedding festivities and to participate in the havan. Vice Chairman Sreenivas Nakka, spoke on the importance and

Koka family throw rice upon the newly married Sita Rama

ebration. Pandit Sharma Ji carefully explained everything from

400 devotees attended Ram Navami

meaning of Ram Navami. Mandir priests Pandit Seshacharyulu Samudrala and Pandit Vipul Jani were joined by special Guest Priest

why things are done a certain way and the reasons specific slokas are chanted. Rama was carried to the

L-R: Milind Panse Sreenivas Nakka Mehul Joshi Bhoodev Tiwari Lakshman Koka carry Rama to mandap for wedding

Pandit Chandrashekhar Sharma. After sankalpa the Ganesh Puja was held to remove all obstacles that might occur during the cel-

mandap on the strong shoulders of Bhoodev Tiwari, Lakshman Koka, Mehul Joshi, Milind Panse and Sreenivas Nakka.

L-R: Pt Seshachacharya Pt Vipul Jani holding curtain Pt Sharma officiate during the wedding

The groom's procession consisted of all men. After the Raksha Bandhan Puja when the rakhi was tied upon the right wrist of Ram the second procession carried Sita Devi to the mandap. Sita Devi was hidden by a dhol and carried by women. As Sita Devi's procession approached the mandap, Pandit Vipul Jani held a decorated cloth in front of Rama so that He was unable to see his bride-to-be. While the Pandits continued chanting, the mangala sutra was carried around the Mandir so that all devotees could touch it. The Priests placed the fresh-flower

For the cultural program Archana Ganta performed a Kuchipudi dance based on the Ramayana.The Amma Bhajan Group joined in for the double aartis, Sita Ram and Lakshmi Narayan, that concluded the event malas one at a time on Sita and Rama. There were many so fragrant garlands of vividly-colored blossoms that soon Sita and Rama were almost hidden behind a wall of flowers. Everyone agreed that the authentic wedding was wonderful and complete. For the cultural program Archana Ganta performed a Kuchipudi dance based on the Ramayana.The Amma Bhajan Group joined in for the double aartis, Sita Ram and Lakshmi Narayan, that concluded the event. The delicious catered Maha Prasad was the perfect ending to a perfect Ram Navami.

Festivals Committee Chair Hema Nakka (left) and Sreenivas Nakka place rice on Sita Rama

Ladies carry Sita Devi during the wedding procession

April 9, 2010

Community/California

India Post 23

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Sheriff Baca offers support to Muslims India Post News Service

LOS ANGELES, CA: The Los Angeles County Sheriff Lee Baca recently took part in a town hall meeting organized by the Muslim American Homeland Security Congress (MAHSC) at which he expressed strong solidarity with and support for engagement with American Muslims to help keep our nation secure. The town hall, held at Omar ibn Al-Khattab Foundation in Los Angeles, followed Sheriff Baca's testimony at a hearing the week before held by the House Committee on Homeland Security, where he stated: "Americans, particularly elected officials, should not claim Islam supports terrorism. This is counter-productive to trust. It plays into the terrorist strategy that the West is against Islam. At this time in our history, with billions of dollars being spent on a war against terror, our nation should ask that all Americans follow President Obama's example and be the instrument of goodwill to Muslims throughout the world." At the town hall, Baca said he and American Muslims have worked closely, especially after the terror attacks of 9/11, to help

protect the nation. "I firmly believe that God did not give orders of death for anybody to take on that role," said Baca. Baca also reiterated his sup-

‘It plays into the terrorist strategy that the West is against Islam. At this time in our history, with billions of dollars being spent on a war against terror, our nation should ask that all Americans follow President Obama's example and be the instrument of goodwill to Muslims throughout the world’ port for CAIR, a leading national Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization. He said CAIR represents average American Muslims and that, "When you attack CAIR, you attack virtually every

Muslim in America." "The American Muslim community in Southern California is grateful for and proud of Sheriff Baca's courage and leadership in making a clear stand against bigotry and recognizing American Muslim contributions to the fabric of our society," said CAIR Greater Los Angeles Executive Director Hussam Ayloush. In the Congressional testimony, Baca further stated: "It is my belief that the average American has the potential to be our best ambassador of goodwill. However, senators, members of congress, governors, mayors, boards of supervisors, sheriffs, police chiefs, scholars, scientists, and laborers and their leaders must set the example with a desire to visit mosques and communicate with Muslims, worldwide, in the quest of better understanding Islam. Extremists are what they are, but they cannot thrive or survive in a world that is not indifferent." During the Congressional hearing, Rep. Mark Souder (R-Indiana) raised doubts about Sheriff Baca's support for Israel and questioned him about his working relationship with CAIR and his attendance at 10 CAIR fundraisers.

40 travel agents attend Incredible India tourism promotion

Cont’d from page 12

Atoll Curia, Kingfisher's Head of Sales, North America based in New York in his brief remarks mentioned about the Kingfisher Airlines history and its level of service and the excellent connectivity their airlines offers. Savior Dias, representing

Kingfisher in Chicago was also present on the occasion. A lucky draw for two Kingfisher air tickets to fly to any city in India with Kingfisher connectivity was conducted by Mrs. Usha Kiran Attri, and the winner was Raj Goyal of Shamma Travels, Morton Grove, Illinois. Several other prizes were also given by lucky draw. This was followed by a dinner.

Horoscope

India Post

April 9, 2010

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ARIES Mar 21-Apr 20 Find the truth before you make that big decision. You will be successful in cutting down on expenses upto only a certain extent. You will have a great opportunity to spend time and learn from very successful and famous people this week. Running around will be too much and you may even have to travel out of state to attend to some business.

LEO Jul 23-Aug 22 Let the head rule over heart and you will easily resolve a challenging situation. Application will go through and the process will start. You will gain victory over your opponents and may receive favorable decision in legal matters pending for long. There will be some encouraging changes at work also. You will buy an interesting item.

SAGITTARIUS

April 9 to April 15

Nov 23-Dec 22 You will finally make up your mind and stop wasting time on unnecessary issues. Focused, You will achieve a lot and finish all pending work and still have lots of time on hand for recreation and to relax. Money wise the roller coaster ride will continue but you will meet all commitments on time. You don't have to spend fortune to impress some one.

TAURUS Apr 21-May 20 You will hear few encouraging news this week. Past experience can help you deal with current situations better. Relationship will keep getting stronger and the final say is yours, but you will need to be quick. Things will improve at current job and expect full cooperation from new colleagues. You will be able to control your expenses now.

VIRGO Aug 23-Sept 22 Lucky planets will bring you closer to few very influential people. You will benefit from mistakes made by others. Some of you may accept another part time job. Incomes and revenues will keep improving from now and on. Lease will need to be renewed this week. You may travel to a nice place with family.

CAPRICORN Dec 23-Jan 19 This should be an extremely fruitful week. All the planets are very well aligned to help you achieve a lot. Investing in real estate, commercial or residential will be very beneficial. Things will stabilize at work and from now and onwards you will have no fears about career. You will receive a big check in mail and bank balance will grow.

GEMINI May 21-Jun 20 You may feel little helpless with no real solution. It will be hard to find trust worthy people to discuss the situation. Things will get better at work and people in business will see sales shooting up suddenly. A close family member may confirm his visit. You may visit a holy place by yourself. You will be working on a bright idea.

LIBRA Sept 23-Oct 22 You will be looking for little adventure in life and will be successful, but stay within legal parameters. You will treat yourself with new cloths and some expensive item. Though there is no immediate threat but some fears will continue to occupy mind about career. It will be a better week for people in retail. Money will not be an issue.

AQUARIUS Jan 20-Feb 18 Analyze your response carefully and you should not think of retaliation. Its time to fine tune your talents as planets bring back the self confidence. Sun in house of luck will get you the results for hard work and patience maintained in the past. A child continues to need your moral support and guidance.

CANCER Jun 21-Jul 22 Emotions will play the major role in decisions regarding your future location and career. Strong Venus in third will take you to places unexplored in the past. Some of you will be suggested minor surgery to overcome health problem. Money will come but disappear fast this week. You will call an expert for his valuable advice and guidance.

SCORPIO Oct 23-Nov 22 Life will become more exciting because of new company. Most of the things you plan will go through without any difficulty. Trip will be good and results will be almost immediate. Again be careful when it comes to signing any paper or contract. A nice property may slip out of your reach but you will have no regrets.

PISCES Feb 19-Mar 20 Take a chance with some one extending not only support but good company. You can make extra money if you put your talent to work. You may find it difficult to get job done from subordinates. Proposal will be good and the bachelors should not be scared to make the commitment. A child will need your help in doing research about next step.

Pak to India: Will ensure safety of IPI pipeline CANCUN: Seeking to coerce India into joining the much-discussed gas pipeline from Iran, Pakistan has said it will guarantee safety of the pipeline and may give New Delhi an equity stake in the section passing through its territory as additional surety of safe delivery of the fuel. With New Delhi boycotting formal talks for almost three- years, Iran and Pakistan this month signed last of a series of agreements for implementing the project on bilateral basis. Islamabad insists the agreements have "in-built" mechanism to accommodate India should it decide to join the project. "We (the State of Pakistan) will stand guarantee for safe delivery of gas (at Pakistan-India border)," Mohammed Chaudhry Ejaz, Additional Secretary in Pakistan's Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Resources, told PTI in an interview here. Of the 1,035-km length of the pipeline in Pakistan, only 100-odd km would be exclusively for carry-

ing gas to India while the rest would be transporting fuel for both Pakistan and India. "We have up to nine hours of power outages and we need Iranian gas to bridge this rising deficit. It is in our interest that the pipeline is safe and we get the gas to generate power and fuel industries," he said. India was widely believed to have decided not to pursue the project after the 26/11 terror attacks in Mumbai with apprehensions being expressed about terrorists holding the pipeline hostage to their demands and even cutting supplies by blowing the pipeline to hurt the interest of world's second fastest growing economy. New Delhi, however, has not officially called it quits yet and is proposing talks with Iran to sort out impediments. It wants to take custody of gas, that triggers payments for the fuel, only at Pakistan-India border to make Iran explicitly responsible for safe passage of gas through Pakistan. -PTI

April 9, 2010

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India Post

HYDERABAD/KARACHI: Announcing her marriage with Pakistani cricketer Shoaib Malik on April 15 in Hyderabad, tennis star Sania Mirza has said she would retain her Indian passport and play for India in the 2012 Olympics for the country. Flying back to Hyderabad after a lightning visit to Delhi where she secured visa

"We are getting married. We are not also making any political statement or anything on (IndoPak) relations. It's a simple matter. We are getting married. We are very, very happy and our families are very happy," she said when a reporter asked whether she would like others to emulate her example.

April 9, 2010

also continue to play for his country. I am going to keep playing. Everything will be the same except that we are getting married." In Pakistan, Shoaib Malik interacted with the media where he said both the families were happy with

She said she would continue to hold Indian passport and was looking to play for India in the 2012 Olympics Asked who she would support in case of an India-Pakistan cricket match, she said, "I will obviously support India but I will also support my husband." To a question, she said she would continue to hold Indian passport and was looking to play

Shoaib Malik

from Pakistan High Commission for going to Lahore for a reception, she declined to go into "uncomfortable" details about where she met Shoaib but said she knew him for last seven years. She made it clear that they would settle down in Dubai which she called a "home away from home" and just three hours' flight from Hyderabad. During the brief interaction with the media in the company of her father at her residence, the 23-year-old Sania said she would be lying if she did not expect the development to be a shock but both of them and their families were happy about the marriage. She said she had received messages of best wishes from several people both in India and Pakistan.

for India in the 2012 Olympics. "I'm not going to answer nor will Shoaib be comfortable answering personal questions," she said when asked when the two started seeing each other. Sania and her father distributed sweet among the media persons during the interaction and when asked about opposition from VHP and other rightwing groups on her marrying a Pakistani, the tennis player said, "We are happy. You should not speak such things with mithai in your hands." Saying that the marriage would not in any way affect their career, Sania said, "I will continue to play tennis after wedding and he will

the marriage. "Inshallah, we are getting married soon and our families are very happy. We both are also happy," he said. Six members of Shoaib's family have reportedly applied for visas to travel to India for the wedding in Hyderabad. -PTI

KARACHI: Pakistan Tennis Federation Chief Dilawar Abbas wants Sania Mirza to play for Pakistan after her marriage with former cricket captain Shoaib Malik. . "It is great news for our tennis community that Sania Mirza is getting married to Shoaib Malik. We welcome her and hope that she would become a Pakistani national and

Sania Mirza

to play for Pakistan," he added. The 23-year-old Sania, who is the most successful woman tennis player from the subcontinent, will settle down with Shoaib in Dubai post marriage. Abbas said even if she decides to continue playing for India, Sania can still help her husband's country by promoting the game among women here.

'Sania should play for Pak' play for us in future. She has a great future ahead and we would be delighted if she plays for Pakistan," Abbas told 'The News'. "Asian women traditionally follow their husbands which is why I'm hopeful that someday she would be inspired by Shoaib

"She can encourage our girls to take up tennis, she can inspire them to become world class players," he said. "We would hope that Sania would lend a helping hand to women's tennis in Pakistan," he added. -PTI

April 9, 2010

India Post

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Eccentric autumn - winter collection India Post News Service

The autumn winter collection of Reynu in luxurious fabrics, vibrant colours and meticulous craftsmanship is presented this time against a backdrop of this regal game. The collection plays various combination of cream to black shading with a touch of mustard. More over the digital prints and checks give a perfect hounstooth look. Even the sarees are very contemporary as they are patchwork sarees teamed with European stylized check blouses cum boleros.

NEW DELHI: Designer Reynu Taandon unveiled her Autumn Winter collection under her label Mynah at the Wills Lifestyle India Fashion Week 2010.

There is a hint of drape in the collection but not voluminous, instead drapes are such that would enhance a woman's figure rather than hide it. For this collection Reynu has given a new definition to style and fashion. The profoundly sophisticated collection is pointedly aggressive and alluring without exception. By using effervescent colors and embellishments, Reynu has infused life to each ensemble created.

'I am the brand ambassador of India': Aamir Khan NEW DELHI: Bollywood star Aamir Khan steered clear of the controversy over superstar Amitabh Bachchan endorsing Gujarat, saying he is the brand ambassador of whole of India. When asked whether he would become the ambassador of any state if he is asked to, the actor replied, "I endorse Incredible India, so I am the brand ambassador of the whole country." The actor has been a prominent

The 45-year-old actor also said he is not against the idea of Bollywood actors becoming politicians. "An actor is a citizen of the country. He also has the right to the freedom of expression just like other people," he said. Aamir said that the interaction with the Broadcast Editors was an opportunity for him to understand the media and was a learning experience for him.

Actress Megha Chaterjee in AW 10' by Reynu Taandon

Bollywood actress and the daughter of Madhushree Chaterjee, Meghna Chaterjee walked the ramp for Reynu Taandon.

The collection captured the oddities and unconventional eccentricities of the European style. This collection is very simple yet sophisticated and structured one;

even the cuts which are used this time are very chic. The fabrics used in this collection are heavy woolen tweel, winter knit, rayon and georgette for the drape.

Dubai shift prompted by security fears KARACHI: Security concerns and the blow hot blow cold diplomatic ties between India and Pakistan are the reasons why Sania Mirza and Shoaib Malik have decided to shift base to Dubai after they get married. A source close to Malik has revealed that the two families met in Dubai where Sania's family made it clear that the she would not settle in Pakistan after marriage. "Sania's family made it clear that she would not settle down permanently in Pakistan, one due to the security situation in the country and secondly because of the blow hot and cold relations between the two neighbouring countries," the source said. "Sania made it clear that she was not interested in setting up home in Lahore because of the security issues involved in staying there and both families opted that the couple set up home in Dubai," he added.

He said that Malik had won an apartment in Dubai after a Twenty20 tournament held in Canada in late 2008 which was sponsored by a well known builder of the emirates.

According to Malik's family sources, both of them spent a lot of time together in Hobart when Pakistan were touring Australia "Malik by virtue of being the owner of the apartment has a residency permit for Dubai and he has now handed over his flat to Sania and it is being refurbished and decorated for the couple after they get married in April," the source said. The source said both families agreed that Dubai was the best

place for them to stay as it was not very far from Lahore and was just a three hours flight from Hyderabad. "Dubai will also allow both of them to pursue their sporting careers without any hinderance or having to stay apart for long periods," the source confirmed. According to Malik's family sources, both of them spent a lot of time together in Hobart when Pakistan were touring Australia for a cricket series while Sania was there for a WTA tournament. "Sania took out time and came regularly to the ground to watch the match," one Pakistani player also confirmed. "There has been no formal engagement ceremony between the two, their marriage was only finalised in late February when their families met up in Dubai during a Twenty20 series that Pakistan was playing against England in Dubai," one family source told PTI.

President Pratibha Devisingh Patil presenting Padma Bhushan Award to Amir Khan, at the Civil Investiture Ceremony-I, at Rashtrapati Bhavan, in New Delhi on March 31

face of the 'Incredible India' campaign which promotes tourism in the country. The actor was in the capital for an off-camera interaction with the Broadcast Editor's Association, after which he spoke to the media where he was asked to comment on Bachchan being the ambassador of a state to promote its tourism. "I don't think I should comment on that," the actor told reporters here.

"Perhaps I have been a bit judgmental about the media earlier. When you go deep into a profession you understand its problems. There is a good and a bad to everything. What is appreciable is the sincere effort to improve," said Aamir. When asked whether he would make a film on the media ever, the actor-turned filmmaker said," Why not? If a good script on the subject comes my way then surely." -PTI

1 RI Ka Dhaga Re - Well Done Abba

6 Meri Aashaon Ki - Right Yaaa Wrong

2 Tu Gandi - Love Sex Aur Dhokha

7 Waqt Ne Jo Bij Boyaa - Sadiyaan

3 TBHYRS - Sadiyaan

8 Ajnabee Ehsaas Ko - DDKKM

4 AHBB - Shaapit

9 Aao Seene Se Lag Ke - M v/s M

5 O Janeman - Tum Milo Toh Sahi

India Post

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10 Dont Know What To Do - Housefull

April 9, 2010

eteran actress Dimple Kapadia is certain that her son-in-law, actor Akshay Kumar, who has already been conferred a Padma Shri award, deserves a national award too because she believes that he is a great entertainer. "I think he (Akshay Kumar) deserves a national award. Nor for any movie as such but he has really grown as an actor and he is excellent in comedy beside that he is an all-rounder, and most importantly he is a great entertainer," she told reporters at a cafe where she came to promote her upcoming film "Tum Milo Toh Sahi." Dimple is sharing screen space with Akshay in director Nikhil Advani's "Patiala House" where he is again playing the role of a Sardar after Anees Bazmee's "Singh is Kinng" (2008). 16 years after "Krantiveer" in 1994, Dimple is paired opposite actor Nana Patekar in Kabir Sadanand's "Tum Milo Toh Sahi" where they play lovers in their 50s. "It was a fantastic experience again working with Nana Patekar. We share a student-teacher relationship where I am a student. I learnt a lot from him. With every film he has given me something," said Dimple. "The climax of the film is completely dedicated to him and Kabir. The way they made me see it and the way they made me do it... it's completely their baby. I just went and did what they wanted me to do. It's great to get such a costar and that's what Nana is. He gives you a lot," she added "Tum Milo Toh Sahi" weaves together lives of three couples who connect with one another through a series of touching and funny moments. Dimple essays a Parsi woman running an old Irani cafe in the film.

Brazil beckons

riyanka Chopra would be shooting in Brazil for TV show Fear Factor. She has never visited that part of the world. And she's all set to leave in July. Says Priyanka excitedly, "I'm looking forward to shooting the show there. I haven't seen Brazil. So July onwards I'm going to be basking in Brazilian territory." Says Priyanka, "I was getting a lot of television offers for the last couple of years. But the amount of time that those shows required didn't

suit me. Besides nothing excited me. Fear Factor is one of my favorite shows. And it goes with my personality. I'm sporty and spontaneous. The channel didn't have to convince me much. The paycheque? Ah, let's say it's the cherry on the icing." Priyanka says she will be more than up to cracking what's seen to be a male domain. "Just because I'm a girl it shouldn't be presumed that I can't enter the boys' territory. I'd do the stunts better than the boys. And cricketers are people I'm very cool with. Not that I know the cricket world that well. It will be great getting to know them." Priyanka has her own stunts planned for Fear Factor. "All I can tell you is that the stunts this year are going to be bigger and scarier than they were on the show last year .Now we've male contestants instead of female and I've to match up to them."

Bollywood

April 9, 2010

India Post

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atrina Kaif is undergoing a transformation for her role as an item girl in Farah Khan's Tees Maar Khan. She is slowly turning aggressive and loud. She has made sure her manner turns loud even when it's 5am in the morning. She is also making an effort to look strikingly different in each of the item songs, which Farah and her assistant, Gita, have choreographed. To get her character's look right, Katrina has been shopping for clothes and accessories herself. She has been visiting small shops that sell cheap stuff to give her character an authentic look. She feels that it's a bit of a challenge to do a complete look but working in Rajneeti has taught her that every accessory brings the character in. The actress has also been brushing up her knowledge on Bollywood's item girls by going through some of the popular item numbers like Mumtaz's Tik tiki mera dil bole from Humjoli (1970) and Bipasha Basu's Beedi from Omkara (2006). Akshay Kumar, Katrina's co-star on Tees Maar Khan has been advising her to just go wild when dancing on camera as it will help her character.

Pregnant prancing

he may be pregnant but that hasn't deterred Kajol from working as hard as she does. While shooting for a song for Siddharth Malhotra's remake of Stepmom, Kajol had to do some energetic dance steps. She had to be able to do as fine a job as Elvis Presley did in Jailhouse Rock, seeing that was the song she was shooting for. Kajol was a little worried about the dance steps affecting her health. The steps were changed as per her request but as the shoot went on, she started to enjoy it and as it is one of her favorite songs, she danced along with the rhythm of the song. Finally, she ended up doing something similar to what the choreographers had earlier planned. The film team was naturally concerned and was very alert throughout. In one portion, she was supposed to dance on a piano. Though Kajol wasn't worried about it, the unit was very protective. The director even suggested that the sequence could be done away with but Kajol had no qualms doing it. In the film, Kajol plays Arjun Rampal's exwife while Kareena plays his girlfriend. Both Arjun and Kareena were part of the song too.

Going wild

Admission to Medical School

alman Khan is a very generous actor. Everyone knows that. From people who reaped benefits from his generosity to people who burnt their hands after Khan's kindness faltered, would vouch for it. So he commands (read orders) respect and Zarine Khan wants to shower him with just that. It is heard that whenever she's with her mentor (Veer went to her because of him), she goes speechless. No not out of awe, she just doesn't find it necessary to speak when her master...oops sorry...Khan's doing all

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Speechless Khan the talking! While Salman is taking an active interest in her career (he takes an interest in everyone's career - his brothers', his brother-in-law's, his wards') and getting her the best of people to guide her, the actress is said to be petrified of him. There are those who say, this utterly butterly heroine doesn't utter a word in his presence. Poor girl...like the film...she might never get a chance to show off her voice modulations! We wonder what does she do when Salman speaks for her and everyone? Well, she stares hard at her own feet whenever Salman is around. Such dedication to her godfather is sincerely touching.

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Realty Tidbits

Only 25% pay Property Tax in Delhi

Real Estate

nly 25 percent of the properties in the national capital are paying property tax, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) told the Central Information Commission (CIC), which has termed the revelation 'startling'. The revelation was made during a hearing of an appeal filed by an RTI applicant, Naved Ahmed, who sought information regarding property tax of a particular property in Okhla village. Municipalities levy tax on properties within their jurisdiction on the basis of their value. It is a major source of income for the civic agency. 'The respondent (MCD) states that until 2004, the property tax department used to send bills to the owners of propertyâ&#x20AC;Ś. After 2004, when self-assessment scheme was implemented, the MCD has not been able to clearly identify which properties have paid property tax,' noted information commissioner Shailesh Gandhi in his order dated March 25.

Â&#x201E; Govt shelves plan to buy out RBI stake

hree years after a Cabinet decision to buy out Reserve Bank of India's stake in National Housing Bank and Nabard and list them, the government has conceded to RBI's objections in this regard and put the plan on the backburner. In Budget 2010-11, the finance ministry has, therefore, dropped the allocation of almost Rs 1,900 crore it had earmarked for the purchase. The sum was on the books for the past two years. A senior government official said the delay and abandonment of the significant plan for the development of the real estate sector and improvement in agricultural financing could have been avoided, if the Financial Stability and Development Council had been set up earlier. NHB is the regulator-cum-apex bank for the realty sector.

30 India Post

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Mexico's Homex to partner with Indian co

exico's Homex said it intends to partner with In dian construction company Puravankara on new public housing projects in India. Homex has agreed to terms with Puravankara for a "future, nonexclusive strategic alliance to begin operations in the public housing segment," the Mexican company said in a stock exchange filing. The first project being looked at will be in Chennai, a city in southern India, Homex said.

April 9, 2010

Positive change in commercial office space sector

he demand-starved commercial office space market is slowly seeing positive signs, with several large and midsized US corporates firming up their plans to outsource their work to India for the first time. Major cities like Bangalore, Mumbai and Gurgaon have seen substantial business deals in the last few months and this has led to several new India-based subsidies and back offices which may generate substantial employment opportunities as well. Experts tracking realty developments say that out of the new jobs being created, 80% will be in the IT sector alone, with the corporate sector accounting for the rest. Also, with new vistas being thrown open by US President Obama's recent healthcare pushwhich may trigger an outsourcing

spree in health and knowledge sectors-both job and office space markets may see major gains. Though the office space market has not been able to bring prevalent vacancies under control, there is scope for growth for realty, according to experts. In an interaction with the me-

fice hub for Western companies to housing knowledge process outsourcing centers and research and development wings of multinational firms. "Asia, which includes robust nations like India, has shown signs of an economic revival, and these are more evident that those seen in economies like

Experts tracking realty developments say that out of the new jobs being created, 80% will be in the IT sector alone, with the corporate sector accounting for the rest dia, Collin Dyer, president and CEO, Jones Lang LaSalle Inc, says India presents a huge opportunity in terms of attracting jobs outsourced by US firms. India has graduated from being a back of-

the European Union, because of strong banking and financial systems present here". According to Jonse Lang's India Office Map 2010 findings, the demand for office space is gradu-

Delhi, Mumbai most preferred destinations

ew Delhi and Mumbai are considered the most preferred real estate investment destinations for this year (2010), with 62 per cent of prospective buyers wanting to invest in a home and live in these two cities, a nationwide survey revealed here. The survey by housing and realty portal entitled "Realty Trends2010? conducted in the metros and tier II cities found that nearly onethird of the people - 34 percent would like to buy a house in the national capital. Mumbai follows close behind with 28 percent of the people desiring to settle in their own home in the city of dreams.

Surprisingly, Bengaluru and Hyderabad came a distant third as the option of only 11 percent of the people surveyed, said Aditya Verma, vice-president, makaan.com. "The survey also revealed that

A majority of the buyers have also said that the speculators driving the realty boom of 200407, have been more or less driven out of the markets

in 2010, the realty sector will be driven by the end users who shied from making property purchases last year in view of the recession and fluctuating prices," Verma added. As many as 67 percent of those surveyed wanted to buy a

house for self-consumption while 23 percent looked at it as a longterm investment and the remaining 10 percent as a short-term investment proposal. A majority of the buyers have also said that the speculators driving the realty boom of 2004-07, have been more or less driven out of the markets. As far as Mumbai is concerned, the survey has some unexpected results. While 72 percent of the property seekers want to buy a home for self-consumption, nearly 20 percent plan to take the plunge this year itself. The remaining 8 percent will treat it as a short-term investment option. About the location choices, the north-west Mumbai suburbs Andheri, Jogeshwari, Goregaon, Malad, Kandivli, Borivli and Dahisar - have emerged as the hot favorites with 30 percent of the people opting for this region. Another 29 percent will prefer to consider relatively cheaper options in Navi Mumbai, while only 12 percent plan to buy a house in the south Mumbai areas. The survey was carried out among people in the 26-35 age group, who form the main chunk that invests in property for long-term purposes.

ally improving with opportunistic tenants taking up space at lower rentals. The markets in Mumbai and Bangalore are leading the property cycle and are likely to recover the earliest among office-space markets. Also, the markets of NCRDelhi, Chennai and Pune are expected to stabilize sooner that those of Hyderabad and Kolkata. However, the real estate sector, which has been showing signs of a revival, could come under severe pressure if builders resort to a price hike to cash in on the emerging demand in the residential and commercial office space sectors, says Anuj Puri, chairman and India head, Jones Lang LaSalle Meghraj (JLLM). The builders in Delhi and Mumbai may have hiked the prices of residential apartments when sales were picking up, resulting in a slowdown in apartment sales.

Monitory policy, service tax to boost prices

urther monetary tightening by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and imposition of service tax on under-developed housing complexes, as proposed in the Budget 2010-11, will lead to increase in property prices, according to real estate companies. India's central bank last week hiked two major policy rates - the repo rate and reverse repo rate - by 25 basis points each. "The recent monetary tightening by the RBI was on expected lines, but further tightening will certainly lead to increase in property prices. Further rate hikes will impact affordability of home loans," K.P. Singh, chairman of DLF, India's leading real estate developer, said here. "The monetary policy should be such as it encourages this important sector of the society. The policies should encourage people to buy homes, particularly the middle class who wants to buy," he added. In the budget, Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee proposed to bring development of real estate complexes under the ambit of service tax.

31 India Post

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Under the shadow of Nandakot, on the slopes too sharp to catch a foothold, the trail climbs towards Dhakuri Pass at 9,300 feet. Going towards Khati, just eight km away, one can hear the roar of the Pindar Ganga River

April 9, 2010

he Pindari glacier lies some 278 km from Kathgodam railway station. Along the way, from Kathgodam one can see the mighty trees, feath ered and festooned with ferns, pines, rhododendrons, and the forest floor a veritable carpet of flowers. Legions of long-leaved pines line the narrow road as it begins its snaking journey into the hills. The famed templetown of Bageshwar stands aloof on the banks of the Gomti and Saryu rivers. Once upon a time, the priests here were famed Tantriks. Tourist attractions: The crunchy balmithais sold at the shops at Bageshwar take some of the bad taste of one's mouth. It is a sweet unique to the Uttarakhand region and one will not regret trying it. Contâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d on page 34

Travel & Hospitality Post

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April 9, 2010

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Travel agents complain about new visa regime SINGAPORE: Singaporean travel agents have complained to Indian officials here that the new visa restrictions that require multiple journey visa holders to return to India only after two months of leaving its shores, is hindering the travel plans of many visitors. Speaking at a Tourism Ministry's Singapore roadshow for promoting the Delhi Commonwealth Games and visa on arrival,

the agents said travelers were no longer comfortable to make a return trip to India, having landed at one of its airports and then traveling to neighboring countries. The Ministry and the Indian High Commission officials, led by assistant director Neela Lad, explained that the New Delhi had liberalized the visa restrictions by giving authority to immigration officials at entry points to allow a person of Indian origin to revisit

The agents were not satisfied by the clarification given by the officials and said there was no certainty that Indian immigration officials would allow re-entry to a traveler who had landed in India, and then went on to visit places such as Kathmandu or elsewhere in Pakistan or Bangladesh

within the two months. The agents were not satisfied by the clarification given by the officials and said there was no certainty that Indian immigration officials would allow re-entry to a traveler who had landed in India, and then went on to visit places such as Kathmandu or elsewhere in Pakistan or Bangladesh. The agents, invited to the road show to promote tourism to India, were not convinced, said a business development manager at a major travel agency. "We need to get full clarification on the visa restriction," he said. Speaking to PTI on the side-

lines of the Singapore road show, Lad said she expected the visa issue to be resolved by October. She also said the Commonwealth Games were expected to see some 100,000 tourists and sporting enthusiasts visiting Delhi during the two weeks, in addition to the 7,000 sportsmen/women and delegates. The Indian Home Ministry had put in place a revised set of visa norms following revelations that Pakistani American LeT operative David Coleman Headley visited India several times to carry out recce operations of sensitive locations using his multiple entry visa. -PTI

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JAMMU: The tulip garden in Srinagar is emerging as a unique attraction for visitors in the early spring in Kashmir, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has said. All measures need to be taken to upgrade the garden and make it round the year attraction for tourists, Abdullah told the officers of floriculture department while reviewing the development status of the garden at a meeting here. The tulip garden was conceived and set up by former Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad on the foot hills of Zabarwan range overlooking famous Dal Lake in Srinagar. It was later thrown open by AICC President and UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi in March 2008. Abdullah said the importance of gardens in the state's tourism is significant, and holistic approach is needed for upkeep and maintenance of all gardens. -PTI

Geo-heritage museum to come up at Kasauli SHIMLA: The unique and richly varied geo-heritage wealth of Himachal Pradesh would be showcased in a museum of international standards to come up at Kasauli in Solan district. Announcing this at a meeting here, state tourism director Arun Sharma said the geo-heritage museum would go a long way in creating mass awareness about the mineral wealth available in the state. He said geo-tourism and ecotourism were expected to take a big leap in Himachal with launch of geo-parks all over the state.-PTI

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April 9, 2010

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Bainum receives prestigious Hospitality Heritage Award India Post News Service

SILVER SPRING, MD: Stewart Bainum, Founder of Worldwide lodging franchisor Choice Hotels International, has received the prestigious America Hotel & Lodging Association's (AH&LA) Hospitality Heritage Award. Mr. Bainum was the sole focus of the exclusive evening reception and award dinner held on Tuesday, March 16 at the J.W. Marriott of Washington, D.C., where he received the annual recognition among his family, friends, colleagues and industry peers. He was recognized for his life-long achievements and unparalleled leadership and commitment to the lodging industry. "The core values of hard work and perseverance that Mr. Bainum instilled in Choice Hotels are represented in every aspect of the way we do business today," said Stephen P. Joyce,

president and chief executive officer for Choice Hotels International. "His accomplishments are

Mr. Bainum was the sole focus of the exclusive evening reception and award dinner held on Tuesday, March 16 at the J.W. Marriott of Washington, D.C., where he received the annual recognition among his family, friends, colleagues and industry peers truly outstanding -- he shaped not only our organization, but the face of the entire hospitality

industry, we all owe him a great deal of congratulations and thanks." Just two decades after arriving in Montgomery County, Md. with three dollars in his pocket, Mr. Bainum joined the board of directors of Quality Motels in 1961, which would one day become Choice Hotels International. With his influence, the board began to explore the possibility of restructuring the organization from a non-profit membership organization, which had been its structure since its 1939-inception among seven independent motel owners in Florida, effectively created the nation's first hotel, into a forprofit corporation in order to build and leverage the financial resources needed to drive growth and remain a leader in the lodging industry. As a leader, Mr. Bainum has always served as a pillar of strength within the travel industry but has

'Know India Tour' for NRI students MUMBAI: Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC) has announced the launch of "Know India Tour" for foreign students of Indian origin to introduce them to the culture and heritage of Maharashtra. The program, launched in association with Incredible India, offers a special tour of Maharashtra for 67 NRI students from all over the world, a MTDC release said here. MTDC has sponsored a ten-day long tour of

Maharashtra for them, which will cover local sightseeing places like Elephanta caves, visit to the film city in Mumbai and visit to Maharashtra's picturesque destinations like Raigad Fort, Ganpatipule Beach, strawberry plantations in Mahabaleshwar, Warna Milk Factory in Kolhapur and Narayangaon Winery in Pune, it said. Managing Director, MTDC, Dr Avinash Dhakne encouraged all the participants and wished them luck and success. -PTI

shown that his commitment to serve extends far beyond the reaches of hospitality. His spirit to serve was further illustrated with the launch a nonprofit organization, the Commonweal Foundation, meaning "for the common good," which works to give back to the local community by empha-

sizing the importance of family, hard work, perseverance and education as the cornerstones of life success. Proceeds from the annual Hospitality Heritage Awards Dinner benefit the research and scholarship efforts of the American Hotel & Lodging Educational Foundation.

India Post

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April 9, 2010

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Pindari glacier: A sight fit for the gods

Contâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d from page 31

But the mountains call out and what a host of them: Nandakot (7,878 m) and Pawali Dwar (6,663m) while flanking the actual glacier are Kafini and Sunderdhunga glaciers. Moving westwards, at Namik glacier one can see the headwaters of the Ramganga long before it becomes the mass of water flowing through the Corbett National Park. Under the shadow of Nandakot, on the slopes too sharp to catch a foothold, the

trail climbs towards Dhakuri Pass at 9,300 feet. Going towards Khati, just eight km away, one can hear the roar of the Pindar Ganga River. Ahead is a maple-lined thicket en route to Dwali at 8,900 feet. Molten streams of quicksilver cascade in multitude of waterfalls, as one moves on towards Phurkia. Now the destination is just another twoand-a-half thousand feet to climb. The ascent is steep till one gets to around Martoli, where there is a small shrine dedicated to

the goddess Nanda Devi, the one who keeps a watchful eye on her devotees. Icebridge spans the river, which has to be crossed most gingerly. Six hours later, after several breaks for rest, one arrives at Pindari and what a sight it is. The primal forces are at work. The Great Sculptor has used his tools of ice here to carve a deep gorge into the face of the mountain and the waters have done the rest. The magnificent peak of Nandakot rises to 22,500 feet above the glacier's edge. It is a sight fit

for the gods and one has no trouble understanding why the poets of ancient India waxed eloquent about the mystical beauty of the Himalayas. How to reach Air: Nearest airport is Pant Nagar, 206 km. Rail: Nearest railhead is Kathgodam, 180 km. Road: Bageshwar is well connected with all the major towns of the state. Taxis are available for local transport

Limited scope for tourism development in Goa PANAJI: Goa tourism minister Fransisco Pacheco has lamented that there is limited scope for tourism development in the state even as the Economic Survey tabled in the assembly talked about rising flow of tourists. "Goa being a small state, the scope for tourism development is limited," Pacheco told state assembly during Question Hour. The minister, replying to a question posed by BJP legislator Damodar Naik, ruled out formation of a tourism board for Goa because of the small size of the state. The minister's statement came minutes before state government tabled its Economic Survey which boasted of high tourist inflow witnessed in the state. "Nearly 8 to 10 per cent of about 50 lakh foreign tourists arriving in India visit Goa," the document mentioned. The survey also pointed out that Goa generates revenue of USD 700 million in foreign exchange for the government exchequer. The statistics placed on the floor of the house mention that the tourist inflow to the state including domestic tourists reached the 25 lakh mark for the year 2009. The survey said Mumbai terror attack had resulted in negative growth for tourism in 2008. "The year 2008 witnessed a negative growth of 8.7 per cent in the total tourist arrivals to the state which could be at-

tributed to the terrorist attack in Mumbai," the survey states. While 25.97 lakh tourists, domestic as well as those from abroad visited Goa in 2007, the number dipped to 23.71 lakh in

The survey also pointed out that Goa generates revenue of USD 700 million in foreign exchange for the government exchequer. The statistics placed on the floor of the house mention that the tourist inflow to the state including domestic tourists reached the 25 lakh mark for the year 2009 2008. The year 2009 showed good signs with tourist arrivals increasing to 25.03 lakh. The figures in the survey reveal that tourist arrivals in Goa rose from just 15.96 lakh in the 2002 to 20.39 lakh in 2003. -PTI

April 9, 2010

India Post 35 www.indiapost.com

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Tech News Commercial operation of RAPS-6 begins MUMBAI: The northern grid of the country is slated to receive 1,180 MW capacity out of the total 4,560 MW generated from nuclear power in the country with the commencement of commercial operation of RAPS-6 at Rawatbhata on April 1. "With Rajasthan Atomic Power Station unit-6 synchronization on March 28 and commercialization from today, the northern grid of the country will receive 1,180 MW capacity out of the total 4,560 MW generated from nuclear power in the country," Chairman and Managing Director of Nuclear Power Corporation of India told PTI. The commencement of operations here means the nuclear park generates one third of India's nuclear power. -PTI

Govt sops worth Rs 625 crore for exporters NEW DELHI: Government has announced incentives worth Rs 625 crore for exporters of garments, engineering, electronics and agro products as the demand for these items in the western economies is yet to pick up. The garment sector, which is still reporting contraction in overseas shipments, will receive sops for about 300 items -equivalent to two per cent of the export value, Commerce and Industry Minister Anand Sharma told reporters here. The dole-out would be given to the garment exporters under the Market Linked Focus Product (MLFP) scheme for shipments to the US and Europe- two of their biggest markets, Sharma said. -PTI

TechBiz 37 India Post

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April 9, 2010

NEW DELHI: Expanding for the fourth straight month, exports surged by 34.8 per cent in February to USD16.09 billion against USD11.94 billion in the year-ago period on the back of revival in the Western economies. Due to dismal performance up to November, the cumulative shipments during the April-February period, however, declined by 11 per cent to USD153 billion from USD172 billion in the same period last fiscal, Director General of Foreign Trade RS Gujral said. Indicative of a revival in the economy, imports rose 66.1 per cent to USD25.06 billion in February against USD15.08 billion in the corresponding month last fiscal. "It shows that the economy is picking up," commerce and industry minister Anand Sharma said. -PTI

Falling realty and labor costs attract Indian BPOs to expand in US MUMBAI: Indian back-office processing firms are planning to expand operations in the US following a fall in real estate prices and labor costs and a rise in antioutsourcing sentiments there. The industry, which traditionally followed the off shoring model, is now looking to open facilities and hire locals in low-cost locations in the US. Their aim is to woo first time outsourcers and win projects in highly-regulated sectors. As these firms boost their onshore presence and follow the IT services industry in hiring locals, their business model is set to shift from a primarily offshore-revenue model to an onsite-offshore model, companies and experts tracking the sector said. "We see the BPO industry changing. Based on the availability of skill and cost, about 15-20% of work will eventually be done in local geographies," said Sanjiv Kapur, senior VP and head of BPO

at Patni Computer Systems. This shift comes even as the more high-profile IT industry attracts flak for not hiring locally in countries such as US and UK. Last year, a legislation proposed by senators Chuck Grassley and Dick Durban sought to prohibit firms that have over 50% of staff

mat - open up, BPO firms find merit in having onshore facilities and hiring locally. Compared with the IT industry, which hires technology workers, BPO firms have more diverse manpower requirements. Knowledge of local regulations in a specific industry or process too would be handy here. A com-

‘In the BPO context, about 95% of the work is done offshore and only 5% onshore. These firms have started thinking about near shore and onshore delivery centers’ on H-1B and L-1 visas from hiring more people on these two visas. Indian IT firms are the biggest users of H-1B visas but in contrast, their BPO arms have limited use for them because most of their projects are done offshore. But as new opportunities - unlike the traditional outsourcing for-

paratively high jobless rate in the US, hovering at around 10% now, which has driven wages lower and made more manpower available, is helping the BPO firms. According to Keshav Murugesh, who recently took over as CEO of India's second largest BPO exporter WNS Glo-

bal Services, real estate prices have dropped nearly 30-40% in places like Scottsdale, Arizona. Cities such as Kansas, Memphis, Detroit, Miami and Omaha offer potentially attractive locations for setting up onsite facilities. Omaha, the home of insurance, for instance, is a low-cost location with many universities, Mr Murugesh added. "In the BPO context, about 95% of the work is done offshore and only 5% onshore. These firms have started thinking about near shore and onshore delivery centers," said Arup Roy, a senior technology analyst at research firm Gartner. Last week Patni acquired a BPO delivery centre in El Paso, Texas, following a deal with a healthcare insurance provider. The 150-person centre will mainly do compliance related work for the insurance provider. But it can be leveraged for other deals too. Cont’d on page 38

Sunset for M800 in 13 cities

Salaried people to have more money in their pockets NEW DELHI: Salary earners with an annual income between Rs 3 lakh and Rs 8 lakh will have more money in their pockets with the new income tax rates coming into effect from April 1. Annual earnings of salaried people in the range of Rs 3 to 8 lakh will now attract 10.3 per cent to 20.6 per cent income tax, against 20.60 to 30.90 per cent in the fiscal ending on March 31. These rates are inclusive of 3 per cent education cess. Finance minister Pranab Mukherjee had announced the new income tax rates in his budget. While the Finance Bill 2010 is yet to approved by Parliament, the changes in the direct taxes will remain effective from April 1. -PTI

Exports surged by 34.8pc in Feb

NEW DELHI: Twenty six years after revolutionizing personal transportation in India, Maruti Suzuki on April 1 bid adieu to its once bread-and-butter model 'M800' from 13 cities as new emission norm comes into effect. With the company deciding to let business rule over sentiments, M800, which was first was rolled out from Maruti's Gurgaon plant in December 14, 1983 in the presence of then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, will no longer sell in major cities, including the National Capi-

tal and Mumbai. "Lots of nostalgic value is attached with the car (M800)..., but we can't allow sentiments to dictate business. We have not upgraded it to Bharat Stage IV (BS-IV) norms as we do not consider it a good business proposition," Maruti Suzuki India (MSI) Chairman R C Bhargava told PTI. From April 1 onwards, 13 cities, including the NCR, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Bangalore, Hyderabad and Ahmedabad, will

switch over to BS-IV emission norms, while rest of the country will adopt BS-III norms from October. "This car has really done an amazing job in building the company and driving its success. In fact, the whole Maruti brand is based on M800. We greatly value this car," he said. In 26 years, M800 has so far clocked a total of about 28 lakh units, of which over 25 lakh units were in the domestic market and rest exported. In its first year of commercial operations (December- March 1983), Maruti had produced 840 cars. Of late, M800 had lost ground to more modern peers and on an average was clocking about 2,500-3,000 units a month. While launching M800, Late Gandhi had said: "And it is my desire, that this motorcar will serve the ordinary people of India and they will have no complaints about this car. I hope it will contribute in every aspect of the nation build-

ing and will serve the Indian people". The company has played its role in India's journey towards modernization riding on the success of this 796cc car. Along with M800, a few other vehicles such as 'Ford Ikon' and 'Fiat Palio', will also be driving into sunset in the 13 cities. Fiat India President and CEO Rajeev Kapoor said the company will phase out its hatchback Palio from the cities as it has not made the car BS-IV compliant. A Ford India spokeswoman said the company will stop selling one of its successful sedans Ikon. Meanwhile, General Motors Vice-President P Balendran said the company will temporarily withdraw its utility vehicle Tavera as currently it is not BS-IV compliant and will be upgraded later. SkodaAuto India Senior General Manager (Sales and Network Development) Ashutosh Dixit said the company is working on to upgrade its premium sedan Octavia to meet the BS-IV norms. -PTI

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Bharti clinches Zain's Africa biz for USD 10.7 bn NEW DELHI: In the largest telecom takeover by an Indian firm, Sunil Mittal-led Bharti has announced the mega USD 10.7billion deal to acquire Kuwaitbased Zain Telecom's African business, making it the world's fifth largest mobile operator with presence in 18 nations. After signing the about Rs 48,000-crore deal in Amsterdam, Bharti Chairman and MD Sunil Mittal said, "With this acquisition, Bharti will be transformed in a truly global company with operations across 18 countries, fulfilling our vision of building a world-class multinational." In terms of presence, the new entity would be the second largest in the world offering services to a population of about 180 crore. The new entity will have a customer base of 17.9 crore. Under the agreement, Bharti would acquire Zain's African mobile operations in 15 countries with a total customer base of over 42 million people for an upfront payment of USD 8.3 billion, and pay another USD 700 million after a year. Besides, it would take the debt liability of USD 1.7 billion. The Zain deal would take the total revenue of the combined entity to an estimated USD 13 billion. The deal finally realize Mittal's dream of entering the African continent, where Zain is a market leader in ten countries. The Indian giant had failed twice to clinch a

USD 23-billion merger deal with South African giant MTN in the last two years. With this deal, Bharti Airtel is set to become the world's fifth largest wireless company with operations in countries including Kenya, Nigeria, Uganda and Zambia. The takeover is the second largest overseas acquisition by an Indian entity after Tatas' 12.9 billion dollar takeover of AngloDutch steel giant Corus.

In terms of presence, the new entity would be the second largest in the world offering services to a population of about 180 crore. The new entity will have a customer base of 17.9 crore Zain group Chairman Asad alBanwan said after the deal: "We are delighted that the African telecom assets that we so assiduously built is becoming part of such a committed and reputed telecom powerhouse." "... This transaction is pioneering step towards south-south cooperation and strengthening of ties between India and Africa," Mittal said. Zain has operations in 17 African countries and Bharti has acquired all, but those in

Sudan and Morocco. The African business would widen Bharti's reach, which was hitherto restricted to Asia and Indian Ocean region with businesses in Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Seychelles. Of the USD 8.3 billion being paid to Zain, Bharti has raised finances from a consortium of foreign banks and State Bank of India with the lead-arranger and lead-advisor Standard Chartered

Sunil Mittal

Bank committing the highest amount -- USD 1.3 billion followed by USD 0.9 billion by Barclays. The rest of the co-advisors -ANZ, BNP, Bank of AmericaMerrill Lynch, Credit Agricole CIB, DBS, HSBC, Bank of TokyoMitsubishi UFJ and Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation -have allocated USD 600 million each. State Bank of India has agreed up to one billion dollar loan in rupee terms. -PTI

Falling realty and labor costs attract Indian BPOs to expand in US Cont’d from page 37

"In this case, it was more of a regulatory requirement, but we have instances where the client preference is to do the work in the US," Mr Kapur said. "Where the nature of work is complex, where it requires physical verification and where there are associated security aspects these are instances where work will be done onshore. This is also a reflection of the fact that the BPO industry is moving up the value chain. Initially, onsite revenues may not be a very significant percentage, but if you look at it as a percentage of the new processes coming in, it will be significant," said Alok Shende, principal analyst at technology research firm, Ascentius Consulting. An official from BPO firm Firstsource Solutions, points out

that as opposed to high street banks or large MNCs, healthcare providers are extremely conservative and business is often relation-

Where the nature of work is complex, where it requires physical verification and where there are associated security aspects - these are instances where work will be done onshore ship based. "Even large US insurers are wary of new entrants," the official said. Firstsource, an early mover in the healthcare provider segment through its MedAssist acquisition in 2007, has facilities

in Kansas, Colorado, Kentucky and Miami. Opportunities such as those emerging from the US Healthcare Bill may mandatorily require sensitive information pertaining to patient records to be within the country, and if BPO firms don't have onshore facilities, they could risk losing the business. Reasons such as these and concerns about job losses are guiding BPO providers decisions to start onshore facilities. "Even if some revenue is high cost, it drives long-term growth. So it is okay," said Mr Murugesh about the potential impact onshore hiring would have on profit margins of BPO firms. He also views this as a two-step process, where work is first outsourced to an onshore location and then offshored with increase in customer confidence.

Boeing eyes collaboration with ISRO BANGALORE: Boeing has evinced interest in collaborating with Indian Space Research Organization in the area of communication satellites, and the two entities are exploring joint opportunities, a senior ISRO official said. But the future possible cooperation with Boeing is unlikely in the field of joint-building of communication satellites as the Indian Space agency already has a tie-up in this segment with EADS Astrium, Managing Director of Antrix Corporation, ISRO's commercial arm, K R Sridhara Murthi indicated. "They (Boeing) said they are interested in having collaboration with us in the field of communication satellites. But we (ISRO) already have an alliance with Europeans (EADS Astrium)," he said. "May be some new areas of business we (ISRO and Boeing) have to explore. We need to do a lot of homework before we could arrive at collaborative level. Still, it's very preliminary type of exchange," Murthi told PTI. ISRO, meanwhile, is expanding its alliance with Astrium, with

which it has an agreement to jointly offer communication satellites with a launch mass of two tons to three tons for the international market. "We are trying to cooperate in other areas (in addition to communication satellites) such as earth observations. So, we have built

‘They (Boeing) said they are interested in having collaboration with us in the field of communication satellites. But we (ISRO) already have an alliance with Europeans (EADS Astrium)’ along with them (Astrium) some multi-sensor ground systems for the USA and we are also trying to cooperate in other areas and explore what other type of cooperation we can do in the field of earth observations," he said. -PTI

Maruti sales jump 11 pc in March; cross 1 mn mark in FY10 NEW DELHI: India's largest car maker Maruti Suzuki India has reported a growth of 11.04 per cent in its total sales in March at 95,123 units, boosted by the best ever monthly export figures. The company had sold 85,669 units during the same month last year, Maruti Suzuki India (MSI) said in a statement. It also reported a rise of 28.55 per cent in its annual sales during the 2009-10 fiscal at 10,18,365 units, as against 7,92,167 units during the previous fiscal, helped by a spate of new launches and product refreshments. This was also the first time ever that an Indian car maker had crossed the one million units mark for sales in a single year. In March, MSI sold 79,530 units in the domestic market compared to 73,855 units in the same month of 2009, registering an increase of 7.68 per cent. Exports surged by 31.99 per cent to 15,593 units from 11,814 units in the year-ago period, it added. This is the highest ever monthly export by the car maker, breaking the previous record of 14,847 units achieved in August 2009, the company said. However, sales of the company's once bread-and-butter model M800 fell by 13.66 per cent at 2,430 units compared to 2,762

units in March 2009, it added. Incidentally, the car -- the oldest model from MSI's portfolio -is being phased out from 13 cities from April 1 in line with the new emission norms which have come into effect. The A2 segment (comprising Alto, WagonR, Estilo, Swift, AStar and Ritz) also witnessed a fall of 1.18 per cent in sales during March at 54,763 units compared

This was also the first time ever that an Indian car maker had crossed the one million units mark for sales in a single year to 55,415 units in the same month a year ago. In the A3 segment, sales (consisting of SX4 and DZiRE) increased by 21.61 per cent in March to 10,453 units compared with 8,595 units in the same period a year ago, MSI said. Sales of C segment (Omni, Versa and Eeco) jumped by 80.62 per cent at 10,875 units, as against 6,021 units in March 2009. MSI's total passenger car sales rose 8.82 per cent at 78,853 units in March as against 72,461 units in the same month in 2009, it added. -PTI

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Biodegradable is not sustainable: Prof. Gunter Pauli NEW DELHI: Biodegradable, as we understand it today is not sustainable and hence, we need to start thinking about the next version of the green economy i.e the blue economy. This was stated by Prof. Gunter Pauli, Founder, Zero Emissions Research & Initiatives at the Session on Green Economy at the CII Northern Region's Annual Regional Meeting & Conference on "Tomorrow's North: Green & Educated" The Blue Economy, Prof Pauli elucidated is on how a new generation of entrepreneurs can bring innovations to the marketplace, secure the basic needs of all, and make sustainable businesses competitive. It is a business model that requires companies to invest more in order to save the environment and will be replaced with a framework that permits less investment and more revenues while building social capital. He said that the framework of the Blue Economy opens possibilities for a new generation of entrepreneurs who use what is available to sustainably address

the needs of the earth and all its citizens. On his new book, "The Blue Economy", he said that it is based on extensive research over a number of years. This book has identified a portfolio of 100 innovations including whole systems models that have the potential to generate as many as 100 million jobs worldwide over the next 10 years. The first set of innovations, all proven and benchmarked at a remarkable scale, cascade nutrients and energy the way ecosystems do. This means that everything contributes according to its capacity, and everything stays in the nutrient stream - even waste is not wasted. Instead of contrived scarcity and shortages, what we see in the new economic framework is abundance - of food, energy, jobs, and revenue. For example: The silkworm converts leaves into nutrients, which easily blend with soil bacteria, quickly attracting micro-organisms and regenerating topsoil that will safeguard agricultural production and build food security. Additionally, silk -as discovered by Fritz Vollrath based at Ox-

ford University- itself can be used to replace high performance titanium in health care and consumer products, reducing the burden that titanium mining places on the Earth, while sequestering carbon. Simply replacing the titanium and stainless steel razor requires

The new "blue" business framework will work with what is locally available to generate multiple revenues and respond to basic needs the planting of 250,000 hectares of mulberry trees on desolate and infertile land, which apart from generating top soil creates an estimated 12.5 million jobs. He said that our society is heavily accustomed to consuming products that create massive

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waste and pollution. These products and their manufacturing processes have squandered limited resources and mired many in living environments that are loaded with toxic residue and the spoils of production. Real, lasting solutions - truly sustainable solutions - require a fundamental shift in our awareness. We will need breakthrough innovations, such as the second set of innovations which exemplify how "something" - models of unsustainable production and consumption - can be replaced by "nothing." The new "blue" business framework will work with what is locally available to generate multiple revenues and respond to basic needs. It will provide a platform that merges creative entrepreneurship with breakthrough innovations to nurture life, secure food and shelter for all, and sustain the Earth's natural systems.

In Indian context, Prof Pauli said during the winter season much of North India is covered with dense fog, which is a rich source of fresh water. By using proper technology, fog can be a source of fresh drinking water. He added that this technology can be used in solving the problems of drinking water in the state of Rajasthan. Another example, he quoted was how wind energy can be generated from electric grid network of the existing system and then again feeding back the same electricity produced to the grid. He argued against the current MBA education system, which is based on the model of core businesses based on a single core competence and economies of scale. A framework of multiple businesses with aligned economies of scope may sound unrealistic to the executive trained by any leading business school, he said.

Health

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Indian doc is sentenced in drug case

BENTON, Ill.: A federal judge has ordered a year and four months of confinement for a southern Illinois doctor who admits he illegally dispensed methadone, tampered with a witness and obstructed justice. A federal judge in Benton sentenced 56-year-old Sukhdarshan Bedi of Energy to eight months in federal prison followed by eight months of home confinement. Bedi pleaded guilty in November and has surrendered his medical license. His three clinics also pleaded guilty to charges of health-care fraud and conspiracy to illegally dispense a controlled substance and were sentenced to a year of probation. -AP

Insurance industry agrees to fix kids coverage gap

WASHINGTON: The insurance industry says it won't fight President Barack Obama over fixing a coverage gap for kids in the new health care law. In a letter to Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, the industry's top lobbyist says insurers will accept new regulations to dispel uncertainty over a much publicized guarantee that children with pre-existing medical problems can get coverage starting this year. The president of America's Health Insurance Plans said the industry will ``fully comply'' with the regulations, expected within weeks. -AP

Ohio lapse to raise cost of HIV drug program COLUMBUS, Ohio: Ohio health officials say a missed deadline will raise the cost of a federally funded state program to help people infected with the AIDS virus pay for their drugs. Ohio uses outside companies to process payments related to the HIV drug program. The current administrator did not want to renew its contract, and the state did not choose a new company early enough for it to be in place when the contract ran out. During the transition period, the state will need to use federal tax dollars to pay the full cost for HIV medication, not just the usual copays. Ohio Department of Health HIV services chief Katherine Shumate estimates the transitionary lapse will cost an extra $19,000. She says all patients will still receive their needed drugs. -AP

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Health officials issue warning about raw milk INDIANAPOLIS: Indiana and federal health agencies are alerting consumers to a disease outbreak associated with drinking raw milk from a northern Indiana dairy. -AP

US Rep. Schauer holds health care forum DELTA TOWNSHIP, Mich.: A divided audience of about 60 Lansing-area residents asked U.S. Rep. Mark Schauer tough questions about how the new health care law will work as he tried to sell the law's advantages to them during a community forum. The Battle Creek Democrat spoke with senior citizens at meetings in Adrian and Eaton County's Delta Township. At both sites, some audience members expressed concerns about the bill, while others expressed support. At both meetings Schauer said the law addresses tort reform, doesn't cut Medicare benefits and will help seniors cover more of their prescription drug costs. But the biggest reason he supported it, he said, was because it was the right thing to do. ``I think everyone deserves the same kind of health care that I have,'' Schauer told the audience in Delta Township. ``What we're doing now doesn't work.'' One dissenter responded, ``Government doesn't work!'' About half those attending stood to show they opposed the law, while half stood to show their support for it. Some seniors left as

the meeting turned contentious. One man said he didn't stand up because he said he didn't think anyone really knew what was in the new law. Schauer responded that he held dozens of meetings with constituents to explain the bill before it passed and posted details on his Web page. He said he's received many letters from business owners asking for help with providing health care to their workers and residents who told him they can't

The congressman's comments didn't calm Joe Mills, a retiree from Holt. ``It's a nationalizing bill,'' he said, adding that Democrats are trying to nationalize many things, including student loans and the auto industry. Starting in 2014, the new law will require nearly all Americans to have health insurance through an employer, a government program or by buying it directly. That same year, new insurance markets will open for business, health plans

Schauer said the law will give tax credits to up to 167,000 families and 12,100 small businesses in his district to help them afford health care coverage afford to buy their medications and pay their other bills. Despite the sometimes hostile atmosphere, Schauer didn't back down. ``Don't think for a minute that I didn't listen, and that I don't understand your concerns. I understand that many of you don't like this,'' he said. ``The same kind of allegations were made about Social Security and Medicare that are being made about this.''

will be required to accept all applicants and millions of people will receive tax credits to help them pay the premiums. Richard Dykema, 57, said he worries because the automation design company where he works, IDC Corp. in Dimondale, already faces high costs providing health insurance for its 16 employees. ``Health care costs have been going up and I don't see this

changing that,'' he said. Schauer said the law will give tax credits to up to 167,000 families and 12,100 small businesses in his district to help them afford health care coverage. Another group of uninsured residents will be able to get coverage through Medicaid. A spokeswoman for Gov. Jennifer Granholm said the administration expects about 375,000 more Michigan residents will be covered by Medicaid, the state-run health care program that now covers low-income children, seniors and pregnant women. The federal government will pay 100 percent of the costs of the new Medicaid recipients until 2017 and will always pay at least 90 percent of the costs after that, Liz Boyd said. ``Our initial analysis actually shows us saving money over the next few years in our Medicaid budget as a result of the bill,'' she said. Retired 75-year-old nurse Sandy Kallen of Grand Ledge said she supports the new law and understands why it's taking years to phase in some of the provisions - another criticism of some in the room. ``Nothing happens fast, but it has to start,'' she said. -AP

Arizona bill to sue over health care PHOENIX: Republican lawmakers have introduced legislation that would allow Arizona to participate in a lawsuit challenging the federal health care overhaul, a move that was criticized by Democrats who said the Legislature should instead focus on restoring cuts to children's health care. The legislation declares that the federal government has no constitutional authority to mandate the purchase of health coverage and allows Republican Gov. Jan Brewer to hire a lawyer to sue on the state's behalf. It's not clear ifArizona would join an existing lawsuit or file its own. The measure is co-sponsored by all 18 Republicans in the Senate and all 35 Republicans in the

House. No Democrats signed on. A separate measure would send a nonbinding message to Congress asking the federal government to pay for costs associated with the health care overhaul. Attorney General Terry Goddard,

Goddard, who is running for the Democratic nomination for governor, called Republicans' pursuit of a lawsuit ``saber rattling and pure symbolism.'' The legislation is designed to give Brewer clear authority to go

In response to big budget shortfalls, Brewer earlier this month signed a state budget that eliminates the KidsCare health program for children and drops health coverage for 310,000 people who typically represents the state in legal issues, announced he would not join a lawsuit filed by more than a dozen other states challenging the federal law. Goddard said the lawsuit was unlikely to succeed and would be a waste of taxpayer money.

around Goddard and sue on behalf of the state. Legislative Democrats denounced the plans, saying lawmakers should focus on restoring cuts to children's health care in order to avoid jeopardizing billions

in federal health funding. In response to big budget shortfalls, Brewer earlier this month signed a state budget that eliminates the KidsCare health program for children and drops health coverage for 310,000 people in the state's Medicaid program. The requirements in the federal health overhaul make those cuts illegal, and Democrats said Arizona will lose $7 billion per year in federal Medicaid funds if the cuts aren't reversed. Rep. Kyrsten Sinema, D-Phoenix, the assistant House Democratic leader, said Brewer is demonstrating ``a colossal failure to lead'' by focusing on a lawsuit instead of restoring the health care funding. Cont’d on page 41

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Not too late to get swine flu vaccination ATLANTA: Health officials are renewing their push for Americans to get swine flu vaccinations following a recent up tick in hospital cases in Georgia. No other state has had such an increase in hospitalizations, and overall swine flu illnesses and deaths have been down for months. But in the past two weeks, 70 to 80 people in Georgia have been hospitalized with swine flu the most since September, according to the Georgia Department of Community Health. Most were unvaccinated adults and many had pre-existing conditions that made them more susceptible to swine flu, federal health officials said. Georgia has one of the lower vaccination rates for swine flu in the country, said Dr. Anne Schuchat, a flu expert with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, although she declined to elaborate. Swine flu first was first identified last April and it hit the country in two waves -a smaller spring wave and then a larger fall wave. Flu activity has been declining

since November, and health officials have had to push harder and harder to get people interested in getting some of the tens of millions of unused doses.

Swine flu has sickened about 60 million Americans, hospitalized 265,000 and killed about 12,000. The U.S. death toll from the new H1N1 virus, declared a global epidemic, is about one-third of the estimated deaths from a regular flu season ``Many Americans are still vulnerable because they haven't gotten vaccinated yet,'' said U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Regina Benjamin, who joined Schuchat in a teleconference with reporters. About 86 million Americans have been vaccinated in a campaign that began in October. If a third wave of illness occurs,

it likely would be in pockets where few people were previously infected or got flu shots, said University of Michigan flu expert Dr. Arnold Monto. The Georgia hospitalizations were in areas of the state that were not hard hit last year, Schuchat said. Swine flu has sickened about 60 million Americans, hospitalized 265,000 and killed about 12,000. The U.S. death toll from the new H1N1 virus, declared a global epidemic, is about one-third of the estimated deaths from a regular flu season. But it was a fearsome threat because children and teens are much more vulnerable to it than seasonal flu. There's been no significant increase in deaths reported in Georgia or nationally, and reports of flulike illness are at their lowest level since late 2008. And there's no evidence that the virus has mutated to a more dangerous form, health officials say. New pandemic flu viruses usually don't change substantially in the first two or three years, Monto said. -AP

Arizona bill to sue over health care Contâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d from page 40

Brewer has ``chosen to challenge the federal government with a frivolous lawsuit, and she has completely failed to address the potentially massive problem that's facing our state,'' Sinema said. The director of the state's Medicaid program, Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System, said last week that reversing health care cuts to comply with the federal health overhaul will cost Arizona $3.8 billion over the next three years. Sinema said federal legislation awaiting approval in the U.S. House of Representatives would provide Arizona with about $400 million that could be used to cover the cost of complying with the federal law in the first year. Republicans said they likely will restore the KidsCare program because the costs of avoiding it are too high. ``I expect KidsCare to be reauthorized,'' said Rep. John Kavanagh, R-Fountain Hills, the House Appropriations Committee chairman. ``We really have no choice, we don't want to lose all that other money.'' House Democratic leader David Lujan, of Phoenix, introduced a bill that would ban the use of taxpayer money for the lawsuit.

``Gov. Brewer's lawsuit is a waste of taxpayers' time and money, when we could use that money for many things that the state is lacking, such as better public safety,'' said Lujan, who is running for attorney general. Republicans defended the case, saying costs would be minimal and would be far offset by the savings if the lawsuit is successful.

Republicans said they likely will restore the KidsCare program because the costs of avoiding it are too high ``The return potentially is worth billions,'' said House Speaker Kirk Adams, R-Mesa. The Republicans' conflict with Goddard comes amid similar jockeying in other states. In Mississippi and Nevada, Republican governors have pressed Democratic attorneys general to sue. In Washington and Michigan, Republican attorneys general have joined challenges against the wishes of Democratic governors. -AP

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Scientists look to tobacco as a potential biofuel RICHMOND, Virginia: Some researchers say an age-old cash crop long the focus of public health debate could be used to help solve America's energy crisis, by genetically modifying the tobacco leaf for use as a biofuel. The golden leaf is the latest in a series of possible biofuels like switchgrass and algae that are being floated as Congress and President Barack Obama stress the importance of securing alternative energy sources. Scientists believe using tobacco would be beneficial because it would not affect a major U.S. food source, unlike other biofuels made from corn, soybeans and other crops. But there's no worry here about second-hand smoke for commuters stuck in traffic: the tobacco wouldn't be burned to power vehicles, merely used to extract its oils and sugars. Tobacco is an attractive ``energy plant'' because it can generate a large amount of oil and

sugar more efficiently than other crops, said Vyacheslav Andrianov, a researcher at the Biotechnology Foundation Laboratories at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia. Andrianov recently co-wrote a paper on how researchers have found a way to genetically engineer tobacco to boost the oil in the plant's leaves. Researchers found that modifying the plant produced as much as 20 times more oil, according to the report published online in December and featured in a special biofuels edition of the Plant Biotechnology Journal. ``Certainly tobacco could work; any plant is a potential source of biofuel,'' said Matt Hartwig, a spokesman for the Renewable Fuels Association. ``I know tobacco farms have been hit hard in recent years and this may be an opportunity for some of those tobacco farmers.'' Commercial use for tobacco as a biofuel may be more than five

years away, but tobacco farmers look forward to the possibilities, said Andrianov, an assistant professor of cancer biology at the university's Jefferson Medical College.

Tobacco is an attractive 'energy plant' because it can generate a large amount of oil and sugar more efficiently than other crop ``There are other crops that can be used and the idea of tobacco is that it's not a food crop,'' Andrianov said. ``I got a lot of response from farmers that would like to grow tobacco in fields that are not being used right now.'' According to the Food and

Gap in health care law's protection for children WASHINGTON: The Obama administration is scrambling to fix a potential problem with a muchtouted benefit of its new health care law, a gap in coverage improvements for children in poor health, officials said. Under the new law, insurance companies still would be able to refuse new coverage to children because of a pre-existing medical problem, said Karen Lightfoot, spokeswoman for the House Energy and Commerce Committee, one of the main congressional panels that wrote the bill President Barack Obama signed into law. However, if a child is accepted for coverage, or is already covered, the insurer cannot exclude payment for treating a particular illness, as sometimes happens

now. For example, if a child has asthma, the insurance company cannot write a policy that excludes that condition from coverage. The new safeguard will be in place later this year.

Obama's public statements conveyed the impression that the new protections for kids were sweeping and straightforward In recent speeches, Obama has given the impression that the immediate benefit for kids is much more robust. Full protection for children

would not come until 2014, said Kate Cyrul, a spokeswoman for the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, another panel that authored the legislation. That's the same year when insurance companies could no longer deny coverage to any person on account of health problems. Obama's public statements conveyed the impression that the new protections for kids were sweeping and straightforward. ``This is a patient's bill of rights on steroids,'' the President said at George Mason University in Virginia. ``Starting this year, thousands of uninsured Americans with pre-existing conditions will be able to purchase health insurance, some for the very first time. Starting this year, insurance companies will be banned forever from denying coverage to children with pre-existing conditions.'' Addressing House Democrats as they approached a make-orbreak vote on the bill, Obama said: ``This year ... parents who are worried about getting coverage for their children with pre-existing conditions now are assured that insurance companies have to give them coverage - this year.'' The administration said Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius would try to resolve the situation by issuing new regulations. -AP

Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, tobacco production has dropped about 1.5 percent worldwide over the past 10 years. Production has decreased by nearly 39 percent in the U.S. during that same period in part due to the federal buyout program that provided an incentive for tobacco farmers to switch to other crops. The decrease is largely due to the slump in cigarette demand, which has been hurt by tax hikes, health concerns, smoking bans and social stigma. Industry estimates show that the number of cigarettes sold in the U.S. declined about 8 percent in 2009 compared with a year earlier. But some farmers say they'd have to look at the economics and processes used to grow tobacco for biofuel to see whether it is viable. ``We tend to get excited when we hear about tobacco getting used for something else but so far it's just been on a very limited,

niche-type basis,'' said Roger Quarles, a Kentucky burley tobacco grower and president of the International Tobacco Growers Association. In Allen Wooten's corner of tobacco country there used to be nearly 50 farms. Only four growers remain. ``There's definitely a decline,'' said Wooten, who grows about 150 acres of flue-cured tobacco on his Burgaw, North Carolina, farm. ``Domestically ... it's going down every week, every month. There's all these smoking bans and smoking restrictions.'' Wooten said higher costs and lower profits have forced some tobacco farmers to switch to other crops or shut down. While farming tobacco is an expensive task when high-quality leaf is needed for cigarettes, Andrianov said there is real potential in the golden leaf's future. ``You can grow tobacco like a weed'' when it's being grown for biofuels, he said. -AP

Great Falls mulls options to regulate medical marijuana GREAT FALLS, Mont.: City planners have come up with three options for regulating medical marijuana in Great Falls, including one that would ban such businesses within city limits. The planners gave the proposals to city commissioners and the zoning department. The first option would ban

medical marijuana dispensaries in the city on the grounds that they violate federal law. Planners also say the city could extend a 90-day moratorium for up to one year to give officials more time to study the issues, or pass an ordinance that would allow businesses to grow marijuana only in industrial zones. -AP

Washoe County health officials warning of illness RENO, Nev.: Health officials in Washoe County are warning residents in the area about the spread of gastrointestinal illness in the community. The Washoe County Health District says norovirus is a common cause of gastrointestinal illness and has caused several outbreaks in Washoe County in recent years. The health district says laboratory

confirmation and other methods have shown that there has been increased gastrointestinal illness activity over the past few weeks. Officials are reminding people wash their hands often by using warm water and soap for at least 20 seconds. They also advise people who are ill to stay home from school, work and other activities. -AP

CDC confirms norovirus on SC cruise CHARLESTON, S.C: Officials with the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say tests confirm that norovirus caused intestinal illness on a third straight cruise from South Carolina earlier this month. The norovirus sickened almost 420 people aboard Celebrity Mercury, which returned to Charleston on March 18. Norovirus symptoms include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and stomach cramps.

The Mercury then underwent three days of extensive cleaning. There were no problems when the ship sailed on a fourth cruise last week. The Celebrity was back in Charleston preparing to board another cruise. On two previous cruises this year, hundreds of passengers were sickened by norovirus on the same ship. The norovirus can spread quickly in close quarters. -AP

April 9, 2010

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In Brief 100 protest NC jail's policy on immigrants CHARLOTTE, N.C.: About 100 people took part in a protest at the county jail in North Carolina's largest city, upset about the jail's participation in a program to deport undocumented immigrants arrested on other charges. The Charlotte Observer reported the group marched to the Mecklenburg County jail Sunday. The rally was organized by local immigrants' rights group and Little Rock AME Zion Church in Charlotte. The Mecklenburg County Sheriff's Office has participated in the federal program since 2006. Everyone who is arrested is checked for immigration status, and those found to be illegal are referred to US. -AP

Bill targeting illegal immigrant drivers fails JUNEAU, Alaska: A bill binding the expiration date of Alaska driver's licenses to the expiration of immigration papers failed on the House floor. Democrats voted as a block against the bill y, and it split the Republican majority. The final vote was 17 in favor, 23 against. Sponsor Rep. Bob Lynn, an Anchorage Republican, says if someone doesn't have the right to walk down the street, they shouldn't have the right to drive down it. Opponents on the House floor said it was a federal matter and not the state's. Republican Rep. Anna Fairclough said it could trap immigrants, especially women, who marry into legal status but end up in abusive relationships. -AP

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Neb. immigration raid victim wins appeal OMAHA, Neb.: A federal appeals panel has reversed the conviction of a woman arrested during a 2006 immigration raid at a Grand Island meatpacking plant. The panel took the action because it said she didn't know she was using someone else's identification. -AP

Symposium highlights South Asian immigrant concerns India Post News Service

NEW YORK: Community members, students, lawyers, and advocates gathered in Washington DC March 29, for a symposium on 'South Asian in America: An {Immigrant} Dream Deferred', presented by South Asian Americans Leading Together (SAALT) and the South Asian Law Students Association (SALSA) as part of the Washington College of Law at American University law school's 2010 Founder's Day celebration. "This symposium brought together two key areas of concern for South Asians: the broken immigration system, civil rights violations resulting from racial and religious profiling, and how these issues intersect in the lives of community members," noted SAALT's Policy Director, Priya Murthy. "SAALT and SALSA utilized the symposium to raise awareness about these intersections, which have become even more exacerbated since September 11, 2001."

At the symposium, SAALT also released a series of briefs that highlight the effects of racial and religious profiling on South Asian communities, including surveillance, airport travel and immigration-related enforcement. Attendees participated in two panels over the course of the day. The first panel, which dealt with the inequities faced by immigrants highlighted challenges raised by

role in ensuring fair practices. "Local activism is what we've seen be successful when it comes to many of these programs. It is when people in the community learn about what's going on and talk to their local governments and police departments that things start to change. Since the implementation and terms of ICE Access and 287(g) are decided at a local level, community efforts at

One of the panelists, Anjana Malhotra, a practitioner-in-residence at Seton Hall School of Law pointed out that local activism plays a crucial role in ensuring fair practices lengthy visa backlogs, problems endemic to local enforcement of immigration law through programs such as 287(g) and Secure Communities, and the exploitation of undocumented workers. One of the panelists, Anjana Malhotra, a practitioner-in-residence at Seton Hall School of Law pointed out that local activism plays a crucial

the local and national levels have been key to ensure immigrants' rights are protected." The second panel on national security and civil liberties highlighted how the civil liberties of South Asians, Muslims and Sikhs had been eroded in the post 9/11 climate as a result of airport profiling and surveillance and how

organizations and coalitions are taking action to organize community members and advocate for policy change. The panel showed me how law students and lawyers can get engaged to make a real impact when it comes to civil liberties and profiling," said Reena Parikh, copresident of the South Asian Law Students Association at American University's Washington College of Law. Both panels concluded with speakers sharing their calls-to-action to the audience. Later, participants came together to strategize about how they planned to take action to become active on the issues highlighted during the symposium. The afternoon concluded with an Alumni Recognition Dinner that honored two WCL alumni, Naznin Saifi, Deputy Director at Northeast New Jersey Legal Services and Nicholas Rathod, Deputy Associate Director of the White House Office of Intergovernmental Affairs.

Discrediting circularity argument in EB-1 petitions CYRUS D. MEHTA

Officer arrested for alleged immigrant smuggling SAN DIEGO: A New Mexico police officer has been arrested at a San Diego border crossing for allegedly attempting to cross into the US with an illegal immigrant. US Customs and Border Protection spokeswoman Jackie Dizdul says Bosque Farms police Officer Ronald Haley was arrested Friday after an inspection at the San Ysidro Port of Entry. Dizdul says Haley drove up to the checkpoint in a Chevy Tahoe with a female passenger. Dizdul says Haley presented a Mexican border crossing card for the woman that actually belonged to her sister. Authorities determined the woman had no legal documents to enter the US. -AP

he recent decision in Kazarian v. USCIS, goes a long way in discrediting the circularity argument that the USCIS often deploys to shoot down petitions filed under the extraordinary ability category (EB-1). Even though the petitioner lost in this case, the new re-issued decision is still a victory for those who wish to seek green cards as persons or extraordinary ability or as outstanding professor or researchers. Kazarian essentially holds that a petitioner claiming extraordinary ability need not submit extraordinary evidence to prove that he or she is a person of extraordinary ability. If one of the evidentiary criteria requires a showing of scholarly publications, the petitioner need not establish that the scholarly publications in themselves are also ex-

traordinary in order to qualify as a person of extraordinary ability. This is a circular argument, which Kazarian appropriately shot down. All credit goes to my friend and colleague, Bernie Wolfsdorf, AILA's current President, who decided to take on this hopeless case

behalf of the American Immigration Council. The whole purpose of seeking review of the decision was not to overturn the denial, but to request the Court of Appeals in the Ninth Circuit to remove, or rather discredit, the circular reasoning of the

We believed that by removing this reasoning in Kazarian, it would give the USCIS Service Centers less ammunition to deny EB-1 petitions by rejecting evidence pro bono after it was first denied in 2009. Nobody thought that the Ninth Circuit panel would even agree to review the case again. This writer is proud to have been part of an informal group of lawyers who occasionally assisted with thoughts and ideas on the amicus brief, which Nadine Wettstein, so adroitly crafted on

USCIS with respect to accepting evidence to prove extraordinary ability that was not required by the regulation. We believed that by removing this reasoning in Kazarian, it would give the USCIS Service Centers less ammunition to deny EB-1 petitions by rejecting evidence that can otherwise prove that one is a

person of extraordinary ability. As background, an individual can establish extraordinary ability in the sciences, arts, education, business or athletics which has been demonstrated by sustained national or international acclaim and whose achievements have been recognized in the field through extensive documentation. See INA § 203(b)(1)(A)(i). Furthermore, the individual seeks entry to continue work in the area of extraordinary ability and his or her entry will substantially benefit prospectively the U.S. See INA § 203(b)(1)(A)(ii) & (iii). No job offer is required. Evidence to demonstrate "sustained national or international acclaim" could be a one-time achievement such as a major international award (for example, a Nobel Prize, Oscar or Grammy). Cont’d on page 46

Immigration Post

April 9, 2010

Arkansas youth struggles to become a US citizen CALICO ROCK, Ark.: Twelveyear-old Bryan Parnell remembers at an early age having no shoes for his feet and little, if any, food to eat. He can still remember the gangs who roamed the streets in Managua, Nicaragua and how poor it was in comparison to the United States. Here, he no longer has to worry about having clothes on his back, shoes on his feet or where his next meal is coming from. And, at Calico Rock Elementary he is a favorite among students and staff and excels at sports and academics. For Parnell, his birth country holds no special ties and he has no desire to ever return there. Even though he has been legally adopted for the past five years, he now faces a dilemma. July 7, 2005 was one of the happiest days of Joseph and Maria Parnell's life. It was the day a judge in Logan County signed official adoption papers, making Bryan Parnell their legal son. Almost three years later, problems arose on April 8, 2008 when the couple applied for a passport for Bryan. ``It didn't come and we were told it would be here in December,'' Joseph Parnell said. It was then Joseph said they learned Nicaragua didn't recognize the adoption and would not give him a passport. So Joseph began talking to elected officials, along with officials at the Nicaraguan embassy. He was then told because Bryan was adopted in the U.S. that he would never be granted a passport. ``He has to go to Nicaragua and come back and then he can be automatically be recognized,'' Joseph said. But returning to Nicaragua and coming back creates another set of problems.

Even though the embassy said they can give the family a pass to get Bryan to Nicaragua they can't do anything if Nicaragua officials refuse to let him come back. And, that's exactly what will happen, Joseph said because he has been in direct contact with the Nicaraguan president. ``I have heard that athletes can get a fast track to citizenship in order to compete in the Olympics, and rich or famous people can fly to another country, adopt a child and return with their child the same day, and the child is a citizen automatically upon entering the USA.

Bryan is not eligible for a Social Security number and unless he can become a citizen he won't be eligible for college ``Cubans, who come to the USA illegally, are allowed to remain in this country because Cuba is a communist country. Nicaragua is also a communist country. What is the difference? ``I thought he (Bryan) would become an automatic citizen. That's not true.'' In addition, Bryan is not eligible for a Social Security number and unless he can become a citizen he won't be eligible for college under his dad's veteran's disability status either. Joseph said immigration had said it would take two years to get the Social Security number. Two years later, Joseph said they were told they had been

given the wrong information and would have to apply for citizenship for him. On top of everything else they are dealing with a deadline and have only until September, which is when Bryan turns 13, for him to become a citizen. A dark cloud on the horizon doesn't prevent the family from enjoying some silver linings. Bryan has a love for basketball and excels at academics. ``He is the star of the basketball team,'' his dad said. ``And, he is one of the smartest kids. He took the benchmark test and scored the highest of anybody in the whole school.'' ``He has a good home and loves Calico Rock. He just fell in love with this school.'' The administrators and staff at Calico Rock agree. ``He is a wonderful young man well-mannered, good student,'' Principal Debbie Moore said. ``You couldn't ask for a better young man.'' Math teacher Karen Haley agrees. ``He is a very creative and inquisitive young man.'' ``He takes pride in his work. There are so many good things I could say about Bryan. He is a really good athlete ... a natural. And he gets along well with everyone in class.'' Haley said there is no cultural division. ``He is one of the more popular kids in his grade.'' Science teacher Janie Jenkins echoes those same sentiments. ``He is a good student, well-liked by the kids.'' ``He is a kid we really want to keep,'' Moore said. Downstairs, unaware of the praise, Bryan was in Spanish teacher Nicky Webb's classroom making a poster for his dad to take to Little Rock. -AP

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Witness describes alleged NY bias attack RIVERHEAD, N.Y.: A childhood friend of an Ecuadorean immigrant allegedly stabbed to death by a group of Long Island teenagers testified he heard the sound of his friend bleeding before setting eyes on the fatal stab wound. ``As I got closer to him, I started to hear a sound, a loud sound. There was blood rushing out of him. It sounded like a faucet running,'' Angel Loja testified through a Spanish interpreter. Loja is a key prosecution witness in the trial of Jeffrey Conroy, one of seven youth charged in the Nov. 8, 2008, stabbing death of Marcelo Lucero, 37. Conroy is the lone defendant facing charges of murder and manslaughter as a hate crime because prosecutors contend he was the person who inflicted the fatal blow. The 19-year-old former Patchogue-Medford student has pleaded not guilty. Four co-defendants have pleaded guilty to hate crime-related charges and may testify against their friend. The other two defendants are to be tried after Conroy. Six defendants are white; the seventh is Hispanic and black.

Loja, 37, testified that he was walking with Lucero on a Patchogue street around midnight when they were confronted by a group of teenagers yelling racial epithets. ``I said to Marcelo 'let's be careful,''' Loja recalled. ``They did not have good intentions.''

Within moments, Loja said the teenagers separated him from Lucero, surrounded the two men and yelled racial epithets Within moments, Loja said the teenagers separated him from Lucero, surrounded the two men and yelled racial epithets. He said he could see Lucero being kicked and punched before he eventually fell to the ground. Three teens who had started to assault Loja then turned their attention to Lucero, who was about 20 feet away. Loja said he did not see Lucero actually being stabbed, but saw

the teens run away from him. As Loja approached Lucero, Loja said, he heard blood pouring from his friend's chest. ``'Angel, call the ambulance. I'm bleeding a lot,''' Loja remembered his friend saying. Loja said those were the last words his friend uttered to him before being taken to a hospital, where he died. During cross-examination, defense attorney William Keahon peppered Loja with questions about inconsistencies between Loja's grand jury testimony and what he said on the witness stand. Loja admitted he used a phony name when he initially spoke to police. He said that when he illegally emigrated from Ecuador in 1996, friends told him he needed to purchase forged identification papers in order to get a job. Keahon also questioned Loja about payments he received from the district attorney's office since the Lucero killing. Loja was paid $615 a month for a year, and $400 a month since December 2009. The prosecutors' office said the payments were made because Loja is considered a crime victim. -AP

Lawmakers reviving bill to cut immigrant pensions DENVER: Colorado lawmakers are reviving a bill to cut state pensions to some legal immigrants, saying they need the money to help balance the budget. The proposal would save the state an estimated $24 million next year but this time the budget stakes are higher. Minority Republicans are threatening to withhold support for a bigger budget balancing bill if lawmakers don't consider the cut to the old age pension fund first. Last week, budget committee chairman Rep. Jack Pommer, DBoulder, asked the House to kill his pension bill out of frustration after a series of proposed changes ate away at the savings. He said that the committee decided to reintroduce a similar bill during a meeting. Currently, legal immigrants are eligible to collect a retirement benefit of up to $699 a month even if they're being supported by the person who promised to support them financially when they emigrated. Citizens receiving financial support from someone else aren't eligible for a pension. Under the proposal, immigrants whose sponsors are able

to support them would lose their pensions. Those whose sponsors can no longer take care of them would keep their pensions. Budget committee member Sen. Moe Keller, D-Wheat Ridge, said the committee would have revived the bill without the Republican pressure because of the

Under the proposal, immigrants whose sponsors are able to support them would lose their pensions savings to the state. However, she acknowledged that the GOP has the power to block a bill to take $43 million in tobacco tax money if lawmakers don't pass the pension bill. In a letter to the budget committee, Republicans said lawmakers should change pension eligibility before it considers cutting the $43 million from programs such as preventing and treating breast and cervical cancer and heart and lung disease. -AP

Discrediting circularity argument in EB-1 petitions Cont’d from page 44

If the applicant is not the recipient of such an award then documentation of any three of the following is sufficient: 1. Receipt of lesser nationally or internationally recognized prizes or awards. 2. Membership in an association in the field for which classification is sought, which requires outstanding achievement of its members, as judged by recognized national or international experts. 3. Published material about the person in professional or major trade publications or other major media. 4 Participation as a judge of the work of others. 5. Evidence of original scientific, scholastic, artistic, athletic or business-related contributions of major significance. 6. Authorship of scholarly articles in the field, in professional or major trade publications or other media. 7. Artistic exhibitions or showcases. 8. Performance in a leading or cultural role for organizations or establishments that have a distinguished reputation. 9. High salary or remuneration

in relation to others in the field. 10. Commercial success in the performing arts. See 8 CFR § 204.5(h)(3)(i)-(x). An applicant may also submit comparable evidence if the above standards do not readily apply. In Kazarian, the main bone of contention was what constitutes "authorship of scholarly articles in the field." In the original decision, Kazarian v. USCIS, 580 F.3d 1030 (Kazarian 1), the Ninth Circuit agreed with the Appeals Administrative Office (AAO) that "publication of scholarly articles is not automatically evidence of sustained acclaim; we must consider the research community's reaction to those articles." The Court in Kazarian 1 acknowledged that this reasoning "may be circular, because publication, on its own, indicates approval within the community." However, the Court went on to justify the AAO's circular reasoning probably unmindful of the adverse impact that it would have for future EB-1 petitioners, "Because postdoctoral candidates are expected to publish, however, the agency's conclusion that the articles must be considered in light of the community's reaction is not

contrary to the statutory mandate that the alien have achieved "sustained national or international acclaim." (citation omitted). It was precisely this reasoning that the petitioner Kazarian's new brief, along with the amicus brief of the American Immigration Council attacked, on the ground that it

The regulation does not require consideration of the research community's reaction to those articles, which was essentially an invention of the USCIS was inconsistent with the governing regulation, 8 CFR § 204.5(h)(3)(vi), which simply states, "Evidence of the alien's authorship of scholarly articles in the field, in professional or major trade publications or other major media." The regulation does not require consideration of the research community's reaction to those articles, which was essentially an invention of the USCIS.

Fortunately, the new decision in Kazarian acknowledged the AAO's faulty reasoning, which Kazarian 1 affirmed, and the following extract from the decision is worth noting: "The AAO's conclusion rests on an improper understanding of 8 CFR § 204.5(h)(3)(vi). Nothing in that provision requires a petitioner to demonstrate the research community's reaction to his published articles before those articles can be considered as evidence, and neither USCIS nor the AAO may unilaterally impose novel substantive or evidentiary requirements beyond those set forth at 8 CFR § 204.5." It is hoped that the USCIS pays heed to the Kazarian court's admonition of its flawed circularity analysis and stops insisting on evidence that has no basis in its own regulations. Deserving petitioners claiming extraordinary ability who benefit the United States ought to be able to gain permanent residence without jumping through needless hoops and hurdles.. And if the USCIS does not relent, petitioners should continue to discredit the government's circularity argument. In addition to Kazarian, other federal district courts have been

critical. See Buletini v. INS, 860 F. Supp. 1222 (E.D. Mich. 1994)(criticizing the government's circular argument requiring that "plaintiff must prove he is a doctor of extraordinary ability in order to prove that he is a doctor of extraordinary ability"); Gülen v. Chertoff, Civil Action No. 07-2148, 2008 WL 2779001 (E.D. Pa. July 16, 2008), at *4 ("Because Gülen has met the requirements of three of the subcategories of 8 C.F.R. § 204.5(h)(3), the AAO's determination that he has not demonstrated extraordinary ability is contrary to applicable law and must be reversed"). Kazarian is a step in the right direction, following on the heels of equally critical lower federal court decisions on circularity, and will also benefit another important community so vital to this country, outstanding professors and researchers, who can also claim permanent residence through another provision of EB-1, INA § 203(b)(1))(B), where the evidentiary criteria with extraordinary ability overlap. * Cyrus D Mehta, may be contacted at 212-425-0555 or info@cyrusmehta.com

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Smuggler of immigrant kids sentenced to 18 months

50 illegal immigrants, 10 smugglers arrested in Arizona PHOENIX: Arizona authorities say they arrested 10 human smugglers and rescued 50 illegal immigrants held in drop houses in Phoenix in two separate incidents last week. Detectives from the Illegal Immigration Prevention and Apprehension Co-op Team made the arrests after a three-month investigation into a human smuggling organization by the Arizona Department of Public Safety. Authorities say three suspected coyotes were taken into custody from a drop house, and 12 Mexican immigrants being held against their will were rescued. In all 45 people were found in a Phoenix home. The Department of Public Safety says seven were identified as suspected human smugglers and the remaining 38 were illegal immigrants from Mexico. -AP

make some calls to find out what was going on,'' Henderson said. Henderson said his client had no criminal history, adding they were satisfied with his sentence. Ochoa-Bello made no courtroom statement and showed no emotion at the sentencing.

The toddler apparently was separated from her mother at some point as the passengers crossed from Mexico to the United States, according to court documents Under the plea agreement, prosecutors dropped a second count for illegal re-entry after deportation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brent Anderson declined to comment after the hearing. Ochoa-Bello was charged with transporting the illegal immigrants from a ``stash house'' in Phoenix, Ariz., bound for destinations in Pennsylvania and New Jersey where they hoped to join relatives

and find work. A so-called stash house is a residence where illegal immigrants are hidden until they can make arrangements, usually financial, for transportation to destinations throughout the United States. Six children traveling without parents or legal guardians were among the passengers in a minivan driven by Ochoa-Bello that was stopped Nov. 24 by the Kansas Highway Patrol after a traffic infraction in Barton County, according to the indictment. The toddler apparently was separated from her mother at some point as the passengers crossed from Mexico to the United States, according to court documents. The six youngsters found traveling alone in Kansas are among the 7,200 unaccompanied illegal immigrant children that immigration agents turn over each year to the Office of Refugee Resettlement within the Department of Health & Human Services. The agency says the children on average stay 55 days before they are released to family members or sponsors, age out of the facility or are returned to their home countries. -AP

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WICHITA, Kan.: A smuggler convicted of transporting a dozen illegal immigrants was sentenced to 18 months in prison for trafficking in a case in which agents found an unaccompanied 2-yearold girl in soiled clothes and an unchanged diaper who had been fed only Gatorade during the trip. U.S. District Judge Eric Melgren handed down the more lenient prison term for Santos Tomas Ochoa-Bello on Wednesday under the terms of a plea deal. The 29-year-old Mexican national was also sentenced to three years of probation after his release. Defense attorney John Henderson said after the hearing that his client was upset when he found out during the trip that the toddler did not have an adult traveling with her. ``He realized as the trip continued there were no relatives for her there that is when he started to

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Perspective

April 9, 2010

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Women in the armed forces: Misconceptions and facts MAJOR GENERAL MRINAL SUMAN, AVSM, VSM, PHD

he recent debate about the induction of women in the armed forces has been highly skewed and shallow. An issue that critically affects the fighting potential of the armed forces has been reduced to 'equality of sexes' and 'women's liberation'. Many ill-informed observers have trifled such a sensitive matter by terming it as 'conquering the last male bastion'. Sadly, stances have been taken more on the basis of personal views and mind-sets rather than on well evolved logic. Both military and non-military experts are equally guilty in this regard. To start with, it needs to be stressed that the services carry no male chauvinistic mindset. The very fact that daughters of service officers have excelled in all fields proves that service officers do not suffer from any gender bias and are very supportive of women's advancement. However, the issue of women's induction in the services warrants singular treatment. It will be instructive to take a look at the genesis of the issue. Earlier, entry of women was limited to the Army Medical Corps, the Army Dental Corps and the Military Nursing Service. In the early 90s, a service Chief visited the United States and saw women participating in Guards of Honor. He was suitably impressed and wondered why India should lag behind in this aspect. Thus the decision to induct women was neither need-based nor well thought-through. The first batch of women Short Service Commission (SSC) officers joined in 1992. No attempt was made to study likely long term implications of multiple issues involved and their effect on the fighting potential of the services. In other words, a decision of colossal significance was taken in a totally cavalier, slapdash and hasty manner. As the other two services did not want to be seen as 'male-chauvinists', they followed suit. Soon a race got underway between the three services to induct women in maximum number of fields. It is only now that a plethora of complex issues are getting thrown up with resultant adverse fall-out. Presently, the Indian Army counts 2.44 percent women in its ranks, the Indian Navy 3.0 percent and the Indian Air Force 6.7 percent. The tenure of women SSC officers has since been increased to 14 years.

Common Misconceptions and Fact s Women must get equal opportunities in the services The concept of equality of sexes is unquestionable. Its appli-

cation should, however, never affect the fighting potential of the armed forces. Two points need to be highlighted here. First, the armed forces are constituted for national defense and there can be no compromise on that issue. Secondly, the armed forces are not a 'Rozgar Yojana' to provide employment to all segments of the society in equal proportion. As it is a question of nation's defense, the best man or woman should be selected for every job. In other words, women should be inducted in the services only if they add value or at least not affect it adversely. No right thinking individual can advocate women's induction at the cost of the fighting potential. That would be disastrous for the country. Interestingly, demand for equal opportunities is selective in nature. Women want to join only as officers and not as soldiers. Additionally, the concept of equality is given a go-by soon after commissioning. Applications for peace postings and other special dispensations proliferate. They join the military on the plank of equality of sexes but this plank vanishes the day they join the training academy. Thereafter, they again become the weaker sex needing special privileges. Women can perform all physical tasks as well as men Standards of physical fitness of women can never be the same as those of men. It is a biological reality and is true for all fields including sports. In the case of women officers, Indian army has lowered the standards to appallingly low levels. Even then many women fail to qualify during their pre-commission training. Whereas male cadets are required to run 5 km in 28 minutes, women are given 40 minutes. Similarly, males are required to jump across a 9 feet wide ditch with full equipment and personal weapon; women have to negotiate only a 5 feet wide ditch. Worse, most women fail in the test. All male officers and soldiers are subjected to annual Battle Physical Efficiency Tests till they attain the age of 45 years. No such tests have been prescribed for women officers to avoid embarrassment to them in front of the troops. Concerns have also been expressed about the susceptibility of Indian women to frequent back problems, pelvic injuries and stress fractures. A recent review conducted by the British army concluded that women have neither the upperbody strength nor the physical resilience to withstand intensive combat. Tests in 2000 respondents found that women were eight times

more likely than men to sustain injuries other than wounds in action. Physical fitness is of lesser importance in modern fighting Need for physical effort is dictated by two factors - level of technological development and nature of military's involvement. Requirement for physical prowess un-

The current policy of non-induction of women in combat arms should continue. Additionally, their entry into Engineers, Signals, Supply Corps, Ordnance and EME (Electrical and Mechanical Engineers) should be deferred till infusion of technology generates adequate number of high-tech jobs doubtedly reduces as the armies advance technologically. In other words, quantum of physical effort needed is inversely proportional to technological progression. Thus, as an army evolves technologically, more high-tech jobs get generated where technically qualified women can be gainfully employed. In a high-tech army like the US, a woman sitting in the US mainland can effectively guide drone attacks in Afghanistan. India on the other hand is still a second generation technology force which is trying desperately to graduate to the third

generation. Indian defense forces are man-power intensive needing physical ground effort. India has very few high-tech jobs. As regards degree and extent of a military's involvement in active combat duties, countries like Canada and Australia face no internal or external threat and their militaries are generally in peacetime mode with routine passive duties. They can certainly afford to have a larger percentage of women in their forces. Contrast this with India where the majority of Army troops are deployed on active combat duties in remote, inhospitable and uncongenial areas. Only physically fit and tough troops can survive. Worse, peace tenures are short and there are very few periods of comparative lull. Therefore, the Indian services continue to be physical-power intensive and will remain so in the near future. Only the very fit can survive to deliver in India's hostile environment. India needs to exercise caution It is universally accepted that induction of women in the services should be dictated by the level of technology, prevailing security environment and the nature of likely deployment. Availability of adequate number of male volunteers is another major consideration. India should follow a graduated approach. Women's expertise, talent and competence should be profitably utilized in areas which are totally non-combat in nature. For the present, women must continue to play their established role in the medical, dental and nursing services, both as short service and permanent commission officers. However, they should not be

granted short service commission in any other branch. The Government has rightly approved grant of permanent commission to women in legal and education departments of the three services, accounts branch of the Air Force and constructors of the Navy. Grant of permanent commission should also be considered for women in Survey of India, Military Engineering Service Militarized Cadre and Director General Quality Assurance. The current policy of non-induction of women in combat arms should continue. Additionally, their entry into Engineers, Signals, Supply Corps, Ordnance and EME (Electrical and Mechanical Engineers) should be deferred till infusion of technology generates adequate number of high-tech jobs. Finally, it should never be forgotten that the raison d'ĂŞtre for the constitution of the armed forces is to ensure security of the country. Decisions which have a far reaching effect on the defense potential of the armed forces must be taken with due diligence. Instead of replicating a model, India must chart its own policy. It has an experience of 18 years. Honest feedback must be sought to appreciate the true ground situation and initiate corrective measures. Most importantly, the military brass must show moral courage to admit that the present mess demands a holistic review of the policy, protestations of self-styled champions of gender-parity not withstanding. Decisions taken as a matter of political and populist expediency can prove disastrous for the nation in the long run. Defense matters cannot be treated as publicity gimmick to flaunt sexual equality.

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The Maoist 'threat'

hile India is aggressively embracing capitalism with all its attendant benefits, it is simultaneously waging an unholy war against its poor, indigenous people in the country's tribal belt. This large swath of land known as the Red Corridor, stretches from West Bengal, Jharkhand through Orissa to Chhattisgarh. The land is coveted by local governments who have sold mineral mining rights for crores of rupees to corporations. The indigenous people are on an un-

holy collision course with paramilitary forces who have been given '007' licenses to kill with complete impunity. The local inhabitants, known as Maoist rebels, or Naxalites, are battling with government and paramilitary forces and have been castigated as India's "gravest internal security threat." In a staggering level of brutality over 640 villages have been burned and hundreds of villagers killed. This military action closely resembles the strategy of hamletting - forcing people to move off their ancestral lands for

profit corporations - first devised by the British in Malaya. It was subsequently 'refined' by the US who forced Vietcong peasants off their land and burned their huts. It is unconscionable that India, which boasts to be a burgeoning democracy, should use such harsh, brutal measures to lay siege to a very vulnerable population. Once again corporate money interests triumph social justice. Jagjit Singh Los Altos, CA

Disclaimer :- India Post does not endorse opinions expressed in the letters.

Philosophy

April 9, 2010

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ord Mahavir explained that from eternity, every living being (soul) due to its ignorance is in bondage of karmic atoms. Then these karmic atoms are continuously accumulated by our good or bad deeds. Under the influence of karma, the soul is habituated to seek pleasures in materialistic belongings and possessions. This is the deep-rooted cause of self-centered violent thoughts, deeds, anger, hatred, greed, and such other vices. These result in further accumulation of karmas. Mahavir preached that right faith (samyak darshana), right knowledge (samyak jnana), and right conduct (samyak charitra) together is the real path to attain the liberation from karmic matter of one's self. Mahavir spent twelve and half years in deep silence and meditation to conquer his desires, feelings, and attachments. He carefully avoided harming or annoying other living beings including animals, birds, and plants. He also went without food for long periods. He was calm and peaceful against all unbearable hardships that he was given the name Mahavir, meaning very brave and courageous. During this period, his spiritual powers fully developed and at the end he realized perfect perception, knowledge, power, and bliss. This realization is known as keval jnana or the perfect enlightenment.

ne of the most profound, enigmatic and radical spiritual figures, Jillellamudi Amma lived her entire life as a householder, to all appearances a typical village wife and mother in the state of Andhra Pradesh on India's southeast coast. Born Anasuya Devi, she was far from typical, however, and even as a small child acted as a guru to pundits and priests. Among her sayings: "If Knowledge is Brahman, why not Ignorance" "Where is the question of a good way to Atman when everything you see is that?" "Vedanta is that which is not understood either by the one that expounds it or the one that listens to it." Mother considered the entire creation as her own child. Even a casual visitor to Amma could find his mind steadily gravitating to peace and natural tranquility. Amma evolved a new way of life based on universal brotherhood and complete surrender to God. Mother's philosophy does not discriminate between anyone and the basis of caste, creed, race, nationality, religion or sex. Among her famous sayings

Mahavir spent the next thirty years traveling on bare foot around India preaching to the people the eternal truth he realized. The ultimate objective of his teaching is how one can attain total freedom from the cycle of birth, life, pain, misery, and death, and achieve the permanent blissful state of one's self. This is also known as liberation, nirvana, absolute freedom, or Moksha. Mahavir explained that from eternity, every living being (soul) due

Mahavir preached that right faith (samyak darshana), right knowledge (samyak jnana), and right conduct (samyak charitra) together is the real path to attain the liberation from karmic matter of one's self. At the heart of right conduct for Jains lie the five great vows: Nonviolence (Ahimsa): not to cause harm to any living beings Truthfulness (Satya): to speak the harmless truth only Non stealing (Asteya): not to

nuns follow these vows strictly and totally, while the common people follow the vows as far as their life styles will permit. In the matters of spiritual advancement, as envisioned by Mahavir, both men and women are on an equal footing. The lure of renunciation and liberation attracted women as well. Many women followed Mahavir's path and renounced the world in search of ultimate truth and happiness.

Right faith, right knowledge & right conduct

Lord Mahavir

to its ignorance is in bondage of karmic atoms. Then these karmic atoms are continuously accumulated by our good or bad deeds. Under the influence of karma, the soul is habituated to seek pleasures in materialistic belongings and possessions. This is the deeprooted cause of self-centered violent thoughts, deeds, anger, hatred, greed, and such other vices. These result in further accumulation of karmas.

take anything not properly given Chastity (Brahmacharya): not to indulge in sensual pleasure Non possession/ Non attachment (Aparigraha): complete detachment from people, places, and material things Jains hold these vows at the center of their lives. These vows can not be fully implemented without the acceptance of a philosophy of non absolutism (Anekantvad) and the theory of relativity (Syadvad). Monks and

Mahavir attracted people from all walks of life, rich and poor, kings and commoners, men and women, princes and priests, touchable and untouchable. He organized his followers, into a four fold order, namely monk (Sadhu), nun (Sadhvi), layman (Shravak), and laywoman (Shravika). This order is known as Jain Sangh. Lord Mahavir was born 2609 years ago. His birth anniversary was celebrated on March 28.

are: "My life is infinite and my history is limited." "Pure empathy for the suffering of others is the hallmark of divinity." "The Darkness which is the basis of light is the real Light." "Spiritual" is heads, and "worldly" is tails...According to your standpoint, one side or the other appears real. One fellow thinks that Reality is behind all This, whereas another thinks

"All forms of Sakti [power] are manifestations of that one Sakti ...If you say that Sakti is making you act, there must be two, you and Sakti; but if you say that Sakti acts as you, you speak [wisely] of the ONE alone." Once a student of Hindu College, Guntur, expressed an opinion: Amma! 'In my view Buddha is greater than either Rama or

dha. They played their allotted roles. So will you. I find no difference.' Questioner: Are God and the human soul different, or is man himself God? Is it true that the maturity of the human mind is Divinity? Amma: If you ask, "what is true and what is false?" I say all that appears is true. We are using the

If Knowledge is Brahman, why not Ignorance? â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;I say that we are not the doers, but that some Sakti (Divine Power) gets things done. That does all the mischief while all the time Jillellamudi Amma

that This is all there is. Both are the same to me. When they say there are two, I unfold it and say there is only ONE." "I say that we are not the doers, but that some Sakti (Divine Power) gets things done. That does all the mischief while all the time making you think that you are the cause."

making you think that you are the causeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Krishna? What do you say?' After a pragmatic silence of a few minutes Amma said; In my view you are as great as either Rama or Krishna or Buddha. Those present thought that Amma was making fun of the questioner. But she was not. She continued; 'Rama came with a purpose. He has completed and he left. So did Krishna or Bud-

name 'God'. For whom? For what kind of a being? We don't know what HE is like. We don't know the meaning of that word 'God'. 'God' means 'what is', 'Truth, Reality (Asalu). What is Reality? 'What is', 'what is', is God. The 83rd birth anniversary of Jillellamudi Amma was celebrated on March 28

Mind is consciousness, which has limitations. We are originally unlimited and perfect. Later on we take on limitations and become the mind. -Maharishi Ramana Time is in the mind, space is in the mind. The law of cause and effect is also a way of thinking. In reality all is here and now and all is one. Multiplicity and diversity are in the mind only. -Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj I reached in experience the Nirvana which is unborn, unrivalled, secure from attachment, undecaying and unstained. This condition is indeed reached by me which is deep, difficult to see, difficult to understand, tranquil, excellent, beyond the reach of mere logic, subtle, and to be realized only by the wise. -The Buddha Look at the optimism of Nature. Nothing can stop it. Only the ego makes humans pessimistic, and this causes suffering. -Amma (Mata Amritanandamayi Devi) What shall it profit a man if he gains the whole world but loses his soul. -Jesus Christ It is the stillest words that bring on the storm. Thoughts that come on doves' feet guide the world. -Friedrich Nietzsche Identification with the body is so total that it gives one a sense of separate identity. Now, the separate identity is merely a concept, a concept based on the individual body appearing solid. -Ramesh Balsekar

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The new Army Chief and transformation ALI AHMED

he new Indian Army Chief expectedly, has much on his agenda. The most significant item is how to carry out "transformation" in the millionstrong army. He led a study into this issue, over the past year and he is best placed to implement it. It would be a challenging management exercise involving questioning verities, unlocking the status quo, realigning the organization and then fixing the change. The details not being in the open domain, this article deals with what could figure on that agenda. First, the Indian military has been so committed in sub-conventional operations over the past two decades that the engagement has possibly impacted its conventional preparedness. Equipment shortfalls have found mention, but of greater importance is the operational orientation. While the earlier thesis was that sub-conventional shortcomings were attributable to a conventional orientation of the military, today the reverse is possibly true. This may require attention in case the promise of 'Cold Start' is to be achieved. The commitment in holding terrain and deployment on counter-insurgency grid is manpower intensive. Given the relative 'normalcy' in both, there are dangers of routine, stasis and fixity. Nevertheless, that these are 'field' and have challenges from altitude etc, there is a need for recharging when in peace locations. Thus, peace tenures have served as interregnums between deployments, particularly for the crucial component, the Infantry. While commanders with shortened time to prove themselves have been busy driving offensive and pivot formations in peace station, that such tenures serve as 'rest and recoup' for consequential deployments later, limits their efforts. Therefore, transformation requires reorienting the major portion of the Army to conventional operations once again. The sub-conventional experience has been useful in 'blooding' the force and getting it attuned to small team operations. The subconventional dimension set to emerge in occupied territory would be easier to tackle. However, the preceding conventional operations would require attention. While armored formations are likely to be readily off the block, having internalized the changes to

a proactive and offensive doctrine, it is uncertain that the Infantry can make that switch as easily. In cantonments, it is usually imposed in myriad ways that do not require spelling out here. In particular, cantonments all over the country are gaining the appearance of fortifications brought on by the terror threat. This is further evidence of the Pakistani aim of its proxy war - to tie down and tire out India's military - being met in some measure.

New Indian Army Chief V K Singh

While the earlier thesis was that sub-conventional shortcomings were attributable to a conventional orientation of the military, today the reverse is possibly true. This may require attention in case the promise of 'Cold Start' is to be achieved Deployment in penny packets on CI grids or on LC has already done its wrought. With the cantonment tenure taken as a breather, the challenge of injecting mental agility and cohesion exists. As an Infantryman, the Chief has the insight and empathy to bring about the change. Second, though useful as an energizer for change, "transformation" has its limitations. The Army remains a 'mass' one, given the commitments. Current security demands need a rethink. Where troops can revert to barracks, such as for instance from Assam, the shift needs to be made. While some formations have been de-inducted from the

south of Pir Panjal, this can be affected to the north also. The vacating RR needs to be demobilized in case they are not being considered for redeployment in Central India. Currently, it appears that institutional momentum and interest in appearing relevant to the end game in Kashmir is keeping the Army reluctant to disengage. In case the Chief is serious about transformation, rethinking the Army's size and its levels of commitment in operations needs to be done. The aspect of size is not one that the Army can engage with autonomously, being at present a combination of threat-dependent and capabilities based. The absence of resolution to the border problem with the neighbors and the final settlement of the Kashmir issue are immediate problems. The additional secu rity problem ahead is that of China being, in the Prime Minister's words, more 'assertive'. Deployment in Central India is not ruled out, since it is inconceivable that the paramilitary can wrap up the Maoists. The totality of this would be an increased reliance on the 'mass' aspect of the Army, making "transformation" not only more important, but equally more difficult. The ambitious way to address this would be at a national security policy level in resolving border issues and internal security problems politically. This would help the Army draw down its operational commitments, down size where possible and modernize not only in equipment and organization, but more importantly in ethos. Until that happens, "transformation" would remain a useful catchphrase to lend focus to an initiative, but would not be able to fulfill its promise or potential. Lastly, the Chief has already indicated the direction of his thrust while in command in his exceptional stand on the Sukhna land issue. The inference is that he apprehends that things have come to such a pass that a stand was needed. A mature follow through would bring back the balance in the organization that had seemingly moved away from an institutionaltransformational to a managerialtransactional ethic. The Chief has the nation's good wishes. The writer is Research Fellow, Institute for Defense Studies and Analyses

India Post Behind the scenes

t took years of negotiations, meetings, Congressional approvals, 123 steps and several approvals by UN and other international organizations for India to acquire the civil nuclear cooperation deal with the United States. It is still a few steps away from implementation. All India's deals have been out in the open, above board, within legal requirements and in public knowledge based on announcements made by two sides from time to time. A recent report has revealed there are other and clandestine means by which states enter into similar agreements without much ado and fuss. According to sources, even before its team for the first ministerial level strategic dialogue left for the United States, Pakistan had reportedly entered into a civil nuclear deal with China for setting up two nuclear power stations of 640 megawatts in Chashma. During the strategic dialogue Washington had rejected Pakistan's demands of having an India like civil nuclear deal. But under this unannounced deal, Beijing would be providing Islamabad financial and technical assistance for the project. Sources said that the frequent visits of President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani to Beijing were particularly aimed at securing the deal. This is not the first time that Beijing has decided to assist Pakistan in its "civilian" nuclear projects. There are several other areas of nuclear co-operation between Pakistan and China and not all of them have been made public. The question arises, do international laws and conventions not apply to deals between China and Pakistan? Are nuclear proliferation lectures India specific? Pakistan is known to have been a proliferator in the past, but are the US and other international watchdog bodies not aware of the present proliferation taking place? Perhaps international deals also take place in the way Indian bureaucracy functions. It is said that in India if you apply to the government for permission for something, it will never be granted. But if you don't apply for permission and carry out your project irrespective of any approval, you will get away with it. Pakistan is the beneficiary of this secret international code of business. There is great hullabaloo about US concessions to India under the civilian nuclear deal. Even the China-Pakistan deals have been under the scanner. But as pointed out by Vikram Sood, a former Secretary of India's Research & Analysis Wing, Pakistan's clandestine nuclear deals with Saudi Arabia have totally escaped public attention. He cites documents with a Saudi UN diplomat which showed linkages between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia. A pact had been signed by the two countries that in case of a nuclear attack on Saudi Arabia, Pakistan would retaliate against the aggressor. German magazine Cicero in its April 2006 edition alleged that Pakistan had been collaborating with Saudi Arabia for several years to build a "secret nuclear program." Citing western experts, the report stated that Pakistani scientists had traveled to Saudi Arabia for the three years, disguised as Haj pilgrims and then disappeared for weeks to work on this program. Further, that the al-Sulayyil missile base was being upgraded and that there was a "secret underground city" with silos to house Ghauri missiles provided by Pakistan. It is unlikely that the US is unaware of these developments but it keeps its eyes closed because it depends on Saudi Arabia for oil and on Pakistan for pulling its chestnuts out of the Afghan fire. In this quirky situation, Pakistan manages to eat its cake and have it too. What has been revealed may only be a tip of the iceberg. What is actually cooking in such clandestine activities may never be known. But it certainly provides material for great political detective stories.

April 9, 2010

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Add VIJAY only for $9.99/month.

(in addition to your Digital Cable TV subscription)

1.800.407.8405 www.comcast.com/internationaltv Offer ends 4/30/10 and is limited to new residential customers. Not available in all areas. Offer limited to Digital Starter. After promotional period, regular charges apply. Comcast’s current monthly service charge for Digital Starter XFINITY TV is $61.99. Cable service limited to a single outlet. Equipment, installation, taxes and franchise fees extra. May not be combined with other offers. Basic Service subscription required to receive other levels of service. Not all programming available in all areas. Call for restrictions and complete details. ©2010 Comcast. All rights reserved.