IndiaPost-06-17-2011 by Ghanshyam Bisht

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Pratima Dharm named first Hindu chaplain Details on page 7

VOL 16, No. 875

June 17, 2011

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Periodical Postage

BABA EMBARRASSES ANTI-GRAFT FRONT

'Picasso of India' M F Husain dies in London Details on page 11

Hazare holds fast; gives govt Aug 15 deadline Details on page 6 Ghulam Nabi Azad

BJP distances itself from Ramdev's 'force’

End barriers on generic drugs: India Details on page 8

Details on page 15

HAF interns on the Capitol Hill Details on page 9

Indian wins Spelling Bee for fourth year Details on page 10

Female feticide rampant among Indians in US Details on page 34

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

PM Manmohan Singh should speak up on corruption? Last week’s result

Has Indian govt broken the anti-corruption front? YES 63%

NO 37%

CRUSADERS: Social activist Anna Hazare (right) with Arvind Kejriwal, Shanti Bhushan, Prashant Bhushan and supporters standing for National Anthem during a day-long fast in protest against the crackdown on the Yoga Guru Baba Ramdev and his supporters, near Rajghat in New Delhi on June 8

VINOD DHAWAN India Post News Service

tracted criticism from the civil society leaders in the Hazare camp as well as the BJP which was waiting to ride on the Yoga guru's popularity bandwagon. If the Baba had joined his forces with the Anna Hazare agitation, by now some concrete results could have been obtained from the government of Manmohan Singh. Instead, in his zeal to go it alone, the Baba has provided an escape route to the government. Details on page 5

'Arrest & flog politicians, not Ramdev' Details on page 12

CONTENTS Bollywood ---------------------- 24-25 Classifieds ------------------------- 47

Top Congressmen at AAPI healthcare debate

Community Post -------------- 12-21 Date Book -------------------------- 46 Edit Page --------------------------- 49

India Post News Service

Frank Pallone (D-NJ); Phil Roe, MD (R-TN), Andy Harris, MD (R-MD), Jim McDermott, MD (D-WA), Bill Cassidy, MD, (R-LA); John Sarbanes (D-MD), Joe Crowley (D-NY), Jason Altmire (D-PA), Brett Guthrie (RKY), Hansen Clarke (D-MI), Steny Hoyer (D-MD), Carolyn Maloney (D-NY), Ed Royce (R-CA), Zoe Lofgren, (D-CA); Joe Wilson (R-SC) and Eliot Engel (D-NY).

Certified by “CIRCULATION VERIFICATION COUNCIL Readership 117,765”

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HealthScience Post --------- 38-39 Horoscope ------------------------- 45 Immigration Post ------------- 34-37 Life Style ----------------------- 26-28 Philosophy ------------------------- 48 Publisherís Diary ------------------ 4 Real Estate ------------------------ 44 TechBiz Post ------------------- 22-23 Travel & Hospitality Post ---- 29-31

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ven B-grade Hindi movie scripts read better, for, the drama of the internationally-hyped anti-corruption Satyagraha by Baba Ramdev in New Delhi this past weekend was worse for being real. I am embarrassed to even talk about it. The Indian government's action in cracking down on innocent, sleeping and unarmed people being totally unjustified, it is the actions of Ramdev that make me cringe. Here is a man with an enviable following of supporters from across the country and abroad hanging on to his every word and command, and he chooses to abandon them like a rat on a sinking ship, and tries to escape from police donning a woman's dress. Ramdev could have become a martyr of sorts and hero to millions if only he had stood his ground and faced the law - his cause being his vindication. It seems incongruous that a man who was sitting on a fast unto death - apparently not afraid of dying for the cause - couldn't face up to a possible arrest. Unbelievably, he fled while police beat up and tear-gassed tens of thousands of helpless supporters. Unlike the agitation for the same cause led by Anna Hazare that seems so right, somehow Ramdev's movement took on a distinct political hue. I want to condemn the government for making a mockery of democracy by cracking down on peaceful demonstrators, but am held back by images of the Baba jumping off the stage and disappearing leaving his supporters to fend for themselves against the police. A picture of the Baba in handcuffs being led away by the police would have strengthened the cause a million times but not a picture of him escaping in a woman's dress. Why couldn't he have earned the respect of the nation, and credibility among those who doubted his integrity and intentions? He is now threatening armed rebellion against the government, forgetting perhaps that he is a 'Satyagrahi'. For once, Indians have a real cause, but no real leadership. I wouldn't lose hope though. At least the churning for a far reaching social upheaval has begun.

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Baba embarrasses anti-graft front VINOD DHAWAN India Post News Service

NEW DELHI: Although Anna Hazare and his team went on a day-long fast protesting against the police action to evict Baba Ramdev and his followers from the Ramlila Grounds in Delhi, they are being continually embarrassed by the antics of the Yoga guru. His latest call to raise an armed force to protect himself and his gatherings has attracted criticism from the civil society leaders in the Hazare camp as well as the BJP which was waiting to ride on the Yoga guru's popularity bandwagon. If the Baba had joined his forces with the Anna Hazare agitation, by now some concrete results could have been obtained from the government of Manmohan Singh. Instead, in his zeal to go it alone, the Baba has provided an escape route to the government. Where was the need to start a separate fast when Hazare and his team were already in negotiations with the government for a Lokpal Bill to tackle corruption in high places? By adding an additional demand of bringing back black money stacked abroad, the ambitious Baba sought to take over the leadership of the anti-corruption

agitation and totally sidelined the Hazare group. Hazare who had promised to join the fast of the Baba in Delhi, had second thoughts and did not turn up. In the Ashtha TV channel which he owns, the Baba went on complaining about his victimization by the government and that for this reason it would be taught a lesson. The corruption issue had been thrown to the backburner. And now with his plans to start an armed force, the Baba is queering the pitch of the anti-corruption agitation and giving the government a reason to shift attention to his, what it is calling, "anti-national activities." The Baba is also fast losing his popularity among educated Indians. Hindi daily Navbharat Times recently said it had conducted a poll among its readers and a separate one on Facebook about who was more popular among the two leaders, Anna Hazare and Baba Ramdev. In both the polls, Anna Hazare was way ahead the Baba. In the Navbharat Times poll, 35 percent were with Anna Hazare and 17 percent with Ramdev. On Facebook this difference was even wider - 42 percent for Anna Hazare and just 6 percent for the Baba. According to the analysis pre-

Supporters of Social activist Anna Hazare during his on one-day fast in protest against police crackdown on Baba Ramdev and his supporters, at Rajghat in New Delhi on June 8

Those who know the Baba say that Ramdev is obsessed with turning kingmaker during the next General Elections due in 2014. He has been ignoring the counsel of some good friends

Baba says he wants to raise nationalist force HARIDWAR: Under attack for his proposal to raise an armed force, Baba Ramdev said here he was not trying to train terrorists or Maoists but only wanting to set up a "nationalist" force. "I am not making terrorists, Naxalites and Maoists. I am only

ruption campaign. "If our women are able to safeguard themselves then nobody will dare to harm them and if our men are able then they can defend any Ramlila ground-type attack," he said. "My words should be taken in

Baba Ramdev addressses his followers at his ashram Pitanjali Yogpeeth in Haridwar on June 7

developing a nationalist force. It is for self-defense," Ramdev, who is continuing his fast against corruption, told his followers at Patanjali Yogapeeth here. He was reacting to a volley of criticism on his plans to raise an 11,000-strong force to deal with police and anti-social elements attempting to disrupt his anti-cor-

the right context. People should understand what I have said. I want to train them for self-defense. Shaastra means knowledge and shastra means self-defense," Ramdev said, referring to his comments on the previous day that young men will be trained in both shaastra (vedas) and shastra (weapons).

Criticizing the yoga guru, Home Minister P Chidambaram had said that "by making that statement, he (Ramdev) has exposed his true colors and true intentions. Let him do so and the law will deal with that. You have to observe some discipline". "It is anti-national and we have to take action," said V Narayanswamy, Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office. Congress said Ramdev's call for an armed rebellion is a serious issue and hoped that the government will take appropriate action to uphold the Constitution and maintain law and order. The yoga guru, who is on a fast since June 4 demanding that black money stashed away abroad be brought back, said his hunger strike will continue till his demands are met. "Fast will continue till my objective is achieved. I do not care even if I die. The fast will go on," Ramdev said. He also said that his trust Patanjali Yogapeeth will bear all expenses for the treatment of people injured in the police action at Ramlila grounds, especially Rajbala who has been grievously hurt.-PTI

sented by Navbharat Times, the reason for this difference is that Hazare's campaign is independent and not backed by any political party whereas the Baba seems attached to the BJP and RSS. Hazare has no political ambitions whereas the Baba has a political agenda. He had in fact in the past made an announcement about forming a political party but was perhaps dissuaded by his friends. There are no hidden motives in Anna's campaign whereas Ramdev wants to use it to prove his clout and achieve much more. During his fast at Ramlila Grounds the Baba was in close contact with government representatives about averting his fast and his campaign. In fact his second in command had given a letter to the government promising to call of the agitation. But he went back on his word and did not want to wind down the grand show he had planned to im-

press the world and particularly, the political parties. So he persisted with his inciting speeches at the Maidan so as to arouse the people, giving a handle to the government to come down hard on him. Those who know the Baba say that Ramdev is obsessed with turning kingmaker during the next General Elections due in 2014. He has been ignoring the counsel of some good friends and giving evidence of a restless mind which tends to simplify things. Having been brought up in the Gurukul tradition, he has no experience of political or social campaigns. Riding on his popularity he wanted to quickly become a big right wing power of India. That is the reason that even after raising such a serious issue of black money he has not found support among the intelligentsia. He has almost lost the vigor the issue had generated because of his strident attitude and haste.

Anna group against Ramdev's decision NEW DELHI: The Anna Hazare group has distanced itself from Ramdev's decision to raise an armed force to resist any government crackdown on the anti- corruption movement, saying all protests have to be non-violent. Civil rights activist Arvind Kejriwal and lawyer Prashant Bhushan, who sit with Hazare in the joint drafting committee on Lokpal Bill, said all protests have to remain non-violent. "We do not support this (Ramdev's announcement of forming an armed wing). All protests have to be non-violent," Kejriwal told reporters here. Asked whether they still remain associated with Ramdev despite

his fresh move, Bhushan said the question was not whether they were with Ramdev or not but one has to protest against the assault on the fundamental and democratic rights of a person. "Hazare's fast was not in support of Ramdev but the police assault on his protest. We respect the right of everyone to stage a protest," he said and termed the yoga guru's announcement of forming an armed wing as "very uncomfortable". On whether they were encouraging the "anarchism" propagated by Ramdev, Kejriwal said they were neither supporting Ramdev nor encouraging anarchism by anyone.-PTI

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Hazare holds fast; gives govt BJP distances itself from Ramdev's 'force-formation' Aug 15 deadline NEW DELHI: Seeking to mount pressure on the government, civil rights activist Anna Hazare observed a day-long fast at Rajghat and threatened another hunger strike from August 16 if Lokpal Bill is not passed by then, saying it was part of the "second freedom struggle". The agitation saw Hazare and his associates attacking the government for putting "hurdles" in the drafting of a strong Lokpal Bill that will have under its purview the Prime Minister, higher judiciary and MPs' activities in Parliament. Hazare slammed the government, alleging that it was trying to target the civil society members of the joint Lokpal panel, such as Shanti Bhushan, Prashant Bhushan, Santosh Hegde and Arvind Kejriwal through a "discreet" campaign. Joined by a few thousand supporters, Hazare staged the protest against the police crackdown on Ramdev's congregation here. The Hazare camp made it clear that the protest was "not for Ramdev as such" but the cause of black money, Lokpal and "assault on democratic rights". Terming the police action at

Ramlila as a "blot on humanity" and attempt to "stifle democracy", Hazare and his associates accused the government of trying to "steamroll" any dissent "only because they have been elected for five years". "We are yet to achieve real independence. The second struggle

Comparing the police action at Ramlila Maidan to Jallianwala Bagh "without the firing part", Hazare had a poser for the government -- â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;What is the difference between your democracy and British Raj?â&#x20AC;&#x2122; of independence has started," Hazare said adding, he will launch an indefinite fast at Jantar Mantar here from August 16 if the Lokpal Bill is not passed by then. Hazare's fast in April had evoked nationwide support forcing the government to form a joint

panel of civil society members and ministers to draft the bill. The protest was initially planned to be held at Jantar Mantar but Delhi Police denied permission citing prohibitory orders in force as a result of which the venue was shifted. During the 10 am to 6 pm protest held outside the gate of Rajghat under tight security, the activists including Kiran Bedi and Swami Agnivesh led tricolor-waving youths in singing patriotic songs and bhajans. Comparing the police action at Ramlila Maidan to Jallianwala Bagh "without the firing part", Hazare had a poser for the government -- "What is the difference between your democracy and British Raj?" Coming down heavily on the Home Minister, he said "(P) Chidambaram says these satyagrahas are danger to democracy. If he thinks that we are blackmailing him, then we will continue to blackmail. You are not our masters. MPs are the servants of the people." Hazare said the government was leveling allegations against civil society members to defame them. -PTI

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: movement had been banned twice BJP has sought to distance itself earlier. But it has gained strength from yoga guru Baba Ramdev's as the largest ever school of paplan to set up a force as part of triotism in the country," he said. his anti-corruption crusade, sayCondemning the action on antiing the party never propagates corruption protesters at Ram Lila violence. Maidan on June 5, Javadekar de"We will not support anything manded a Supreme Court monilike that as the party never propa- tored probe into the police action gates violence," BJP national to unearth the truth. spokesperson Prakash Javadekar He said the party also wanted said at a meet-the-press program Prime Minister Manmohan Singh here. and UPA Chairperson Sonia He said BJP would extend moral support to anybody who will come Javedkar said the Congress forward to fight corruption and rejected Home was trying to frustrate antiMinister P graft movement in the country Chidrabaram's charge that civil rights activist by targeting Hazare Anna Hazare and and Ramdev Ramdev were masks of RSS. Javedkar said the Congress Gandhi to apologies to the nation was trying to frustrate anti-graft for the police action during movement in the country by tar- Ramdev's fast. geting Hazare and Ramdev. Prasad said the abusive and Criticizing the Home Minister indecent language being used by for attacking RSS on Ramdev is- Congress leaders against BJP, insue, Javadekar said RSS was not cluding against leader of the Opa banned organization and chal- position Sushma Swaraj seems to lenged the government to take have the approval of Congress action against it. President Sonia Gandhi as she "Let the government ban it has not spoken a word against it, (RSS) and face the music. The much less disapprove it.-PTI

OFBJP launches protest demanding Indian PM's resignation India Post News Service

NEW YORK: The Overseas Friends of BJP (OFBJP) is launching a series of nationwide protests in the US, beginning June 11, against the action taken by the Indian government against Swami Ramdev and his supporters in New Delhi on the night of June 5. Swami Ramdev had launched a 'Satyagraha' (fast-unto-death) on June 4 at Delhi's Ramlila grounds protesting against corruption and demanding that the Indian government bring back the Black money stashed away abroad. More than 20,000 supporters had camped out along with Swami Ramdev under massive tents. Past midnight on June 6, police cracked down on Swami Ramdev's congregation in a bid to disperse the protesters. The police action, however, turned ugly when they burst tear gas shells inside the tents where the protesters were sleeping, unleashing chaos and confusion in which Swami Ramdev tried to escape in a woman's garb but was later apprehended by the police

and sent off to Haridwar where he now continues with his fast-untodeath. Many of the supporters, who had come from across India, among them senior citizens, women and children, were injured and later left to fend for themselves on the streets of Delhi.

OFBJP had organized on June 4, mass protests in cities across the US in support of Swami Ramdev's movement. Various other Indian American community organizations also participated in several states and cities across the US In the US, the OFBJP had organized on June 4, mass protests in cities across the US in support of Swami Ramdev's movement. Various other Indian American community organizations also participated in the OFBJP-led

campaign in several states and cities across the US. The protests were organized in New York City, Upstate NY, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Washington DC, Richmond-VA, Tampa-FL, Houston-TX, Dallas-TX, St. Louis-MO, Atlanta-GA, Chicago-IL, BostonMA, and California. The National President of OFBJP, Dr. Adapa Prasad went to India last week to join in Swami Ramdev's Satyagraha against corruption. Reactions to Ramdev crackdown Predictable reactions have been coming in from the various supporting organizations in the US to the disruption of Ramdev's agitation in Delhi. Deploring the treatment meted out to the peaceful agitation, Bhavna Shinde, spokesperson for the Forum for Hindu Awakening (FHA), USA said in a statement, "This action by the Indian government is a stigma on the so called largest democracy of the world." It is reminiscent of the Jallianwala Bagh massacre, it said, but worse still because these atrocities were committed by the

Indian government on its own people, she said. The Indian government had announced back in 2008 itself that they would bring back the black money stashed away in Swiss banks by year 2011; however that has not happened yet, the FHA pointed out. "It shows the total

The Vishwa Hindu Parishad of America (VHPA) said Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Sonia Gandhi the Chairperson of the ruling UPA owe the nation an apology for this grave blunder apathy of the Indian government towards curbing corruption and shows how low this government has stooped morally. The government has now lost all its moral standing and right to remain in power," she said. The action of UPA government reminds us of the midnight anti-

democratic action on June 26, 1975 when Emergency was clamped on India by the same Congress party which is leading the UPA government now, the OFBJP said in its statement. The Vishwa Hindu Parishad of America (VHPA) said Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Sonia Gandhi the Chairperson of the ruling UPA owe the nation an apology for this grave blunder which has been criticized by all as an undemocratic and fascist action, unbecoming of a democratic country. The NRIs for Secular and Harmonious India (NRI SAHI), while condemning the brutality of the Delhi police in injuring peaceful protestors in the dead of the night, said, "We believe police had a right to evacuate the Ramlila grounds if the contract with the City was broken, but they had no right to hit and injure peaceful protestors who were asleep in the dead of night. We ask the Government of India to investigate the reasons for the police brutality and take actions against officers who overstepped their authority."

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Pratima Dharm named first Hindu chaplain of US Army India Post News Service

NEW YORK: Pratima Dharm, an Indian origin captain in the US Army, has been named the first Hindu chaplain to serve the Department of Defense. The Department of Defense has recently established the first Hindu Military Chaplain program in American history. Army Captain Pratima Dharm, who currently works as a Chaplain Clinician at Walter Reed Medical Center Hospital, took on her new role as the Army's first Hindu Chaplain as of May 16. "It is a great day for America and the democratic principles we've sworn to defend as service members," wrote US Airforce Officer Lt. Col. Ravi Chaudhary in an article in Huffington Post. "It is an honor to take on this incredible role supporting military members and their families serving in our Nation's Armed forces," Chaplain Dharm, who holds degrees in Psychology and Theology, was quoted in Huffington Post. Chaplain Dharm earned her commission in the US Army in 2006 and in 2008 was selected for the Army's Clinical Pastoral Education Program (CPE) while serving in Iraq. Her awards include the Bronze Star Medal, Army Commendation Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal and Global War On Terrorism Service Medal. No stranger to achieving "firsts", Chaplain Dharm is also the first

female Chaplain of Indian descent in the United States Army. According to Lt. Col. Ravi Chaudhary, Chaplain Dharm learned of the Hindu Military Chaplain program after reading a flyer developed through the Office of the Secretary of Defense's (OSD) Chief of Chaplains office. "As an Air Force officer stationed at the Pentagon, I had the distinct pleasure of serving as the action officer for this effort," says Lt

‘It is an honor to take on this incredible role supporting military members and their families serving in our Nation's Armed forces,’ Chaplain Dharm, who holds degrees in Psychology and Theology, was quoted in Huffington Post Chaudhary. "I came across the opportunity after reading about three individuals who led Hindu services at the Pentagon. The three lay leaders leading the services, Mr. Bhuj Gidwani, Hitul Thakur and Dr. Ram Bhat, informed me there was an official DoD endorsement for a chaplain, however a candidate had yet to come forward. "Unsure of the collective interest in such an effort, I teamed with

the lay leaders to develop a flyer to find out what the need was. We circulated the flyer throughout the Hindu community. A few months later, Chaplain Dharm contacted me and indicated she was interested," he adds. Throughout the process, OSD's Chief of Chaplain's office was extremely supportive, writes Lt. Col. Chaudhary. "Once Chaplain Dharm conveyed her interest, the Army moved out quickly to establish the program. Chinmaya Mission West and the three lay leaders served as the endorsing agents for the effort (every military chaplain requires an endorsing agency)." Lt. Col. Chaudhary says among the many tasks of establishing a new chaplaincy program was the task of establishing a new badge for future Hindu Chaplains to wear. "We consulted a broad range of spiritual leaders across the nation to design the badge, including members of the White House Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships. The symbol "Om," which denotes truth and peace, was unanimously chosen as the new badge. Chaplain Dharm will be the first to wear this badge when approved." According to niche publication Stars and Stripes, Dharm had immigrated to the US just months before the 9/11 attacks is a New Delhi native. "My neighbors were Muslims, my neighbors were Jews, Buddhists, Jains, Hindus, Christians,"

she told Stars and Stripes. "My close friends in school represented all the different faith groups, and it never occurred to me then that we were different or there was anything strange about it." Though the Army hasn't yet publicized her appointment, the rumor has spread among Hindu service members around the world says the publication. Dharm, 40, who hopes to reach out to the scattered service mem-

Kuntimaddi Sadananda of Chinmaya Mission's Washington center said her multi-faith background is an advantage. ‘She knows Christian theology, and she has a great grasp of Hindu theology. This means she can help everyone’ bers through social media, says, "I'm already on the job," she said. "There's this tremendous sense of hope and relief that there is someone who understands their story at a deeper level, coming from the background I do." Her job at Walter Reed entails reaching across faiths to minister to anyone who needs it, a key responsibility as military chaplain. "Some of them come back having lost their buddies, some of them

come back having lost their limbs, and things have changed for them forever," she said. "To be able to sit down and show compassion for soldiers I have never met before is part of the message of Christ as well as of Vedanta," Dharm told Stars and Stripes. Dharm apparently wore until recently, the cross of a Christian chaplain on her battle fatigues. When she started on active duty in 2006, she was endorsed by the Pentecostal Church of God, based in Joplin, Mo. Kuntimaddi Sadananda of Chinmaya Mission's Washington center who interviewed her for the organization before giving her an endorsement said her multi-faith background is an advantage. "She knows Christian theology, and she has a great grasp of Hindu theology. This means she can help everyone." However, she explains that "In Hinduism, the boundaries are not that strict. It is to base your life on the Vedantic traditions, and you can be a Christian and follow the Vedantic traditions." She also remains committed to educating America on the principles of Indic religions. "For starters, Hinduism has brought the many benefits of yoga to America, and is even being used to treat some symptoms of PTSD," she says. "I am a Hindu," she told Stars and Stripes. "It's how I was raised and in my heart of hearts, that's who I am."

8 Indo-Canadians win in Canadian general elections India Post News Service

NEW YORK: Eight Indo-Canadian-Indians got elected to the Canadian Parliament in the Canadian federal election held last month, and two of them have been appointed federal ministers in what apparently is a continued high level engagement by Indians in mainstream Canadian politics. Six Indo-Canadians were elected to the Canadian Parliament on the conservative ticket while two others got elected on the New Democratic Party (NDP) ticket. However, the total tally of Indo-Canadian MPs has reduced from 9 to 8 in these elections. Interestingly all 5 sitting Indo-Canadian MPs from the Liberal Party lost and all 4 sitting Indo-Canadian MPs from the Conservative party won. The winners are Nina Grewal,

Tim Uppal, Deepak Obhrai, Devinder Shorey, Parm Gill, Bal Gosal from the Conservative Party, and Jasbir Sandhu and Jinny Sims from NDP. Among prominent Indo-Cana-

The total tally of IndoCanadian MPs has reduced from 9 to 8 in these elections. Interestingly all 5 sitting IndoCanadian MPs from the Liberal Party lost and all 4 sitting Indo-Canadian MPs from the Conservative party won

dians who lost were former Federal Health Minister and first IndoCanadian Premier of British Columbia Ujjal Dosanjh, beauty

queen Ruby Dhalla, five time winner Gurbax Malhi, Navdeep Bains and Sukh Dhaliwal. The Conservative party of Canada under the leadership of Prime Minister Stephan Harper has got Majority in Canadian Parliament with 167 seats and NDP forms the official opposition with 102 seats and Liberal party managed only 34 seats. Many Indo-Canadians who were strong supporters of Liberal party supported the ruling Conservative Party, wanting to give them a majority government. The 2011 Canadian federal election (formally the 41st Canadian general election) was held May 2, to elect members to the House of Commons of the 41st Canadian Parliament. Two appointed ministers Among the ministers appointed by Prime Minister Stephen Harper are first time MP Bal Gosal and Tim Uppal. Gosal

representing the Toronto constituency of Bramalea-GoreMalton is minister of state for sport. A Sikh from Mukundpur village near Jalandhar, 50-year-old Gosal, who is an insurance broker

Tim Uppal, a 37-yearold Canadian-born turbaned Sikh from Edmonton, was also made minister of state for democratic reform. This is Uppal's second term in the Canadian parliament by profession, had defeated Sikh stalwart and six-time MP Gurbax Malhi. Malhi himself had created history in 1993 by becoming the

first Sikh turbaned MP in the western world. Tim Uppal, a 37-year-old Canadian-born turbaned Sikh from Edmonton, was also made minister of state for democratic reform. This is Uppal's second term in the Canadian parliament. However, what shocked many in the Indo-Canadian community was the omission of senior-most MP Deepak Obhrai from the ministry. A six-time MP from Calgary, Obhrai was a parliamentary secretary in the outgoing ministry. Many community leaders, who had pushed his name for a Cabinet berth, were disappointed with his omission It is the first time that there will be two Indian faces in the Canadian cabinet. Former health minister Ujjal Dosanjh of the Liberal Party was the last Indian face in the Canadian Cabinet from 2004 to 2006.

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India calls for removing barriers on generic HIV/AIDS drugs

India's Minister of Health And Family Welfare Ghulam Nabi Azad speaking at the High Level meeting on HIV/AIDS in the UN General Assembly, New York on June 8. Pics Mohammed Jaffer-SnapsIndia India Post News Service

NEW YORK: India has called on the international community to vigorously scale up resources and continue to commit funds to the global effort of combating HIV/ AIDS. Representing India at the United Nations, India's Minister of Health and Family Welfare Ghulam Nabi Azad addressed a high level meeting of the General Assembly on HIV and AIDS where he underscored India's efforts on prevention, treatment, care and support of HIV and AIDS. At the high level meeting June 8, top United Nations officials issued a call to action to end AIDS, stressing the need for a broad partnership among governments, the private sector and civil society to combat an epidemic that is still wreaking havoc 30 years after the first case was reported. In his statement, Minister Azad stated that it was imperative that the international community remain highly engaged in the combat of the epidemic. "A foremost requirement is to bridge the resource gap," he said. "It is essential that the international community continues to commit funds commensurate with the require-

ment for containing HIV/AIDS." More importantly, he said, the international community has to

dismantle barriers that obstruct universal access to treatment. "A key barrier in universal access to treatment is the high cost of Anti Retro Viral medicines," he said. Highlighting the active role of pharmaceutical companies from India in providing high quality and affordable drugs for use not only in India but also in around 200 countries, Minister Azad made it clear that "these drugs are not cheap in quality." "It is important that considerations of commerce and profitability are not used to erect artificial barriers between life and death," he said. "I would also like to urge the international community to work together for removing barriers in the form of Intellectual Property Rights or other means." He called for a proactive and collective action from the international community to dismantle trade and intellectual property

Ghulam Nabi Azad met with President UNGA at a reception in NY on June 7. Ambassador Hardeep Singh Puri is seen in the middle

Ghulam Nabi Azad met with United Nations Secretary General Ban KI Moon at a reception in NY on June 7

right barriers and improve the Universal access to second availability of affordable and qual- line ART and early infant diagity drugs for the needy and im- nosis are in an advanced stage poverished. of being rolled out in India, the Speaking of India's efforts at minister said. Strategies for combating the epidemic, Azad behaviour change communicanoted that India has been able to tion include "The Red Ribbon contain the epidemic with a preva- Express", which is a unique train lence of just 0.3 %. "India has a strong prevention program which Azad noted that India has goes hand in hand with been able to contain the care, support and treatment. We have been epidemic with a prevalence able to contain the epi- of just 0.3 %. India has a strong demic with a prevalence of just 0.31 %," the min- prevention program which ister said in his state- goes hand in hand with care, ment on the floor of the General Assembly. "We support and treatment have also brought about a decline of 50% in new infections annually. Over that covers the length and the last decade, there is evidence breadth of the country dissemiof stabilization of the epidemic nating awareness about HIV/ with definite success in reversal AIDs and providing services to in some parts of the country." about 8 million people annually, Azad further said that India's he informed. Also, India is now focus has been on high risk at the threshold of commencing groups, expanding services and the next phase of the National improving access to Anti Retro AIDS Control Program (NACP Viral Therapy. IV), the minister said.

Asking Pak to act against 26/11 culprits not unrealistic: Rao NEW DELHI: India's demand that Pakistan should do more to bring the perpetrators of the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks to justice is not an "unrealistic" one, Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao has said. "We want Pakistan to do more to bring the culprits of the Mumbai attacks to justice. Let me tell you, we are not asking for the moon. We are not asking for unrealistic things. We are asking for justice," she said while interacting with a group of visiting Pakistani journalists here.

Rao said India was committed to the dialogue with Pakistan, which resumed earlier this year after a gap of over two years in the aftermath of the Mumbai attacks that killed 166 people. "India has shown courage to resume the dialogue with Pakistan as we believe that it is the best way to resolve problems peacefully. We should aim for a sustained dialogue and we must not be impatient. Every step we have taken so far in this regard is a

meaningful step," she said. Home Minister P Chidambaram, in a separate interaction with the Pakistani journalists yesterday, had made it clear that confidence between the two countries cannot be restored unless Pakistan takes action against the "real culprits of 26/11". Rao said India is concerned about terrorism in Pakistan. "Pakistan has got identified with what happened on 26/11 and other terror incidents. It is unfor-

tunate that many people have died in Pakistan owing to terrorism. Pakistan is going through difficult times," she said. "Therefore, we want Pakistan to take on board the genuine concerns in this regard," she added. . Complaining about Pakistan's seriousness to tackle militancy directed against India, Rao asked why Jamaat-ud- Dawah chief Hafiz Muhammad Saeed was allowed to make public speeches in which he targets India.-PTI

India gives $3m aid to Libya

ndia had announced humanitar ian assistance of $3 million to Libya comprising $1 million cash through United Nations Office of the Coordination of Human Affairs (UNOCHA) and relief material and medicines to the tune of $1 million to Benghazi and Tripoli each. The cheque of $1 million was handed over on June 8 to Under Secretary General for Humanitarian Affairs Valerie Amos at New York by Permanent Representative Ambassador Hardeep Singh Puri.

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Investing in tomorrow's leaders - HAF interns on the Hill

Sandhya Devaraj India Post News Service

NEW YORK: This year brought the Hindu American Foundation (HAF) its inaugural class of interns - five college students who were selected through a highly competitive process and placed into congressional offices to serve as interns for six weeks this summer. The five selected interns are Sandhya Devaraj, Neil Gundavda, Prithvi Guruprasad, Ashmi Patel and Sonal Somaiya. Only one week into the Hindu American Foundation's Congressional Internship, the five interns already had much to share of their experiences and insights gained into the political process when they reconvened over the weekend with HAF leaders. "We're excited about offering this first-of-its-kind opportunity to young Hindu Americans and are thrilled with the caliber of our ini-

Neil Gundavda

Prithvi Guruprasad

Ashmi Patel

Sonal Somaiya

tial class. They're not only hardworking and capable, but outstanding representatives of our community," said Sheetal Shah, HAF's Senior Director and coordinator of the internship program. "We're also grateful to the con-

workings of our government." In addition to placing the students in various congressional offices, the Foundation also provided the interns with room and board and coverage of incidental expenses for the full six weeks of the program. The Foundation also organized a half-day event for the interns to learn more about HAF's advocacy efforts and become more involved with HAF. Throughout the year, the interns will continue to have opportunities to share their experiences at various HAF programs, including joining the HAF delegation at the upcoming DC Advocacy Days on September 20. "These interns represent the future leaders of the Hindu American community and for that reason we believe it is vital to develop their interest and expertise in advocacy," said Suhag Shukla, HAF's Managing Director and Legal Counsel. "It is our hope that the Hindu American Congressional Internship enables this and future classes of interns to fully understand the legislative process to better lead our community's advocacy efforts going forward." Sandhya Devaraj has been

placed in the Office of Congresswoman Donna Edwards (D-MD). Sandhya is a senior at the University of Maryland, College Park with significant business experience. She serves as the president of the college's Hindu Students

past three years. Prithvi Guruprasad, placed in the office of Congresswoman Grace Napolitano (D-CA), is a junior at the University of California, Berkeley. She speaks six languages and has nearly 15 years of experience in Indian classical music as a vocalist, composer, and performer. She has conducted extensive volunteer work in her local community, including as a tutor, spreading literacy in India, and educating people about India's languages, culture, and traditions. Ashmi Patel, interning with House Foreign Affairs Terrorism Subcommittee, Chaired by Congressman Ed Royce (R-CA), is a senior at Southern Methodist University majoring in religious studies. She has been actively involved in women's health care and Indian American campus activities. Sonal Somaiya, interning at the office of Congressman Donald Manzullo (R-IL), is a sophomore at Georgetown University with experience in both American and Indian classical dance. She has been actively involved in business, women's and Indian American activities on campus.

Only one week into the Hindu American Foundation's Congressional Internship, the five interns already had much to share of their experiences and insights gained into the political process gressional offices for taking these emerging leaders under their wings to teach them first-hand the inner-

Kirpan ban lifted at Amritsar Airport India Post News Service

AMRITSAR: The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) has lifted the ban it had imposed in April on the wearing of a Kirpan by employees working on the airside at the Sri Guru Ramdas International Airport, Amritsar, following a campaign by the United Sikhs and the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC). "The ban has been lifted so that Sikh employees working on the airside at Amritsar airport may

wear a Kirpan on the same terms as passengers are allowed to wear it on domestic flights. I am sorry for any inconvenience caused by the recent ban," Mr Sharad Kumar, the Commandant of CISF who initially announced the ban, told United Sikhs by telephone. "A right accorded under the constitution cannot be taken away by any law or order or rule by any agency. Hence the Kirpan ban imposed by CISF on April 25th was illegal," said Mejindarpal Kaur, United Sikhs Legal Director.

â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;These interns represent the future leaders of the Hindu American community and for that reason we believe it is vital to develop their interest and expertise in advocacyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Council, leading its educational and awareness campaign of Hindu faith traditions. Neil Gundavda, placed in the office of Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL), is a senior at the University of Florida and was elected to the school's state senate, serving in an active role in student government for the

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Indian American wins Spelling Bee for fourth successive year India Post News Service

NEW YORK: For the fourth consecutive year, an Indian American kid won the prestigious and popular Scripps National Spelling Bee competition. Fourteen-year old Sukanya Roy, an eighth grader from Abington Heights Middle School, Pennsylvania spelt

Sukanya Roy

cymotrichous (meaning having wavy hair) correctly as a culmination of a marathon 20-word run in the finals, to win the coveted trophy and $40,000 in cash and other prizes. Some of the unheard-of-in-normal-parlance words that Sukanya sailed through with supreme confidence were pyopoiesis, vรถlkerwanderung, zwischenspiel, naumkeag and periscii - and never mind their pronunciation or meaning as one may never use those words. Not too surprisingly, more than half of the 13 finalists in the championship were of Indian origin, establishing once again the uncanny advantage Indian American children seem to have in this unique competition. While a Canadian student won second place, 11-year old Arvind Mahankali, a sixth grader from New York tied for the third place with Joanna Ye of Pennsylvania; 10-year old Dhivya Senthil Murugan, a fifth grader from Colo-

Arvind Mahankali

rado tied for the sixth place with Sriram Hathwar of New York and Mashad Arora of Texas; and Prakash Mishra of North Carolina tied for the 10th place with Nabeel Rahman of New York and Lily Jordan of Maine. Tall, lanky and bespectacled Sukanya Roy, who was ecstatic and said she couldn't believe she got a word she knew the spelling of in the final round, enjoys hiking, rock climbing and ice skating. She was selected to go to Panama this summer with her school's ecology club to learn more about the rain forest. A pianist, Sukanya also plays violin in her school's orchestra. She won first place in the individual portion of the Northeast Pennsylvania Chapter Mathcounts Competition. Last summer, she was selected to participate in Jeopardy! Kids Week at the regional level. Sukanya speaks Bengali, and every summer travels to India to visit family. She hopes to pursue a career in international relations. Sukanya participated in the 2009 and 2010 Scripps National Spelling Bees, tying for 12th place in 2009 and 20th place in 2010. Arvind Mahankali of Forest Hills Montessori School in For-

Dhivya Murugan

est Hills, New York would perhaps make President Obama happy as he states his favorite school subject to be math and his aspirations to be a physicist like his role model Albert Einstein. Outside of school, Arvind enjoys playing tennis and soccer, reading books and acting. He also enjoys Indian classical music and speaks Telugu. Not one to be shy, Arvind once delivered a monologue performance in front of an audience of 7,000. In 2009 he was a university talent search participant. Arvind tied for 9th place in the 2010 Scripps National Spelling Bee. His cousin Sanjay Kottapali participated in the 2008 and 2009 Scripps National Spelling Bees. Among the youngest participants this year, and a first time Spelling Bee participant, Dhivya

Sriram Hathwar

Senthil Murugan from Challenge School in Denver, Colorado, was born in India and speaks Tamil at home. She is learning Spanish and has regular exposure to Hindi as well. Dhivya participates in her school chess club, math club and Destination Imagination program. In her free time, she enjoys volunteering at a retirement home, doing arts and crafts, drawing, swimming, roller skating and reading. She especially enjoys reading the Harry Potter series. Dhivya is currently taking piano, karate and Indian classical dance lessons. Sriram Hathwar, of Chemung Valley Montessori School in Painted Post, New York, says he enjoys playing oboe and has learned to play several Sanskrit hymns on piano. He spends much of his time participating in sports including skiing, ice-skating, swimming, baseball, basketball, tennis and Ping-Pong. He is an avid reader and especially enjoys the Harry Potter book series. Sriram's favorite school subject is science and he hopes to become an ophthalmologist. He participated in the 2008 and 2009 Scripps National Spelling Bees. Mashad Arora of Resaca Middle School in Brownsville, Texas appears to be a true competitor, participating as he does in spelling, writing, math and poetry recitation competitions through the University Interscholastic League. He is also a member of his school's robotics team. Mashad's Science Bowl team placed fourth at the Rio Grande Valley Regional competition after building and racing a hydrogen fuel cell car. He enjoys playing badminton and piano and is a member of the school's cross-country team. Mashad admires the art and architecture of Frank Lloyd Wright and his career aspirations include architecture, engineering, journalism or international relations. Mashad participated in the 2010

Scripps National Spelling Bee. Thirteen-year old Prakash Mishra, an eighth grader from Marvin Ridge Middle School in Waxhaw, North Carolina, has written several novels and enjoys reading, especially works by Shakespeare, Edgar Allan Poe and T.S. Eliot. Prakash speaks five languages, including Hindi, French, German, Spanish and English. He is passionate about academics and especially enjoys learning about history, culture and religion. Prakash studies Tae Kwon Do, plays both piano and drums, and loves to play hacky sack. He is a Junior Beta Club member and the Mega Math Madness first place champion. Prakash participated in the 2010 Scripps National Spelling Bee. Jai Ho In 1985 Balu Natarajan of Chicago, Illinois, became the first Indian-American to win the Scripps National Spelling Bee, and Rageshree Ramachandran won the championship in 1987. Since then, eight additional IndianAmericans have won the Bee.

Prakash Mishra

ers from the 50 US states, American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico, US Virgin Islands, and Department of Defense Schools in Europe; also, the Bahamas, Canada, China, Ghana, Jamaica, Japan, New Zealand and South Korea. The spellers ranged in age from 8 to 15 years old, but 82% were between the ages of 12 and 14 years old. This year's group of competitors is 50.2% boys and 49.8% girls. Among this year's

A pianist, Sukanya also plays violin in her school's orchestra. She won first place in the individual portion of the Northeast Pennsylvania Chapter Mathcounts Competition. Last summer, she was selected to participate in Jeopardy! Kids Week at the regional level Nupur Lala won in 1999 (winning word: logorrhea); George Thampy won in 2000 (winning word: demarche); Pratyush Buddiga won in 2002 (winning word: prospicience); Sai Gunturi won in 2003 (winning word: pococurante); Anurag Kashyap won in 2005 (winning word: appoggiatura); Sameer Mishra won in 2008 (winning word: guerdon);

Mashad Arora

Kavya Shivashankar won in 2009 (winning word: Laodicean) and Anamika Veeramani won last year, with the winning word: stromuhr. 2011 Bee at a glance This year there were 275 spell-

field of competitors, math was most frequently cited as a favorite subject. Twenty-four spellers this year had at least one relative who has competed in previous national finals. The allotted time for the live telecast of the Scripps National Spelling Bee on ESPN on June 1 was between 8.30 and 10 pm. But past 10 pm, it was far from over; five finalists were tirelessly on the roll crunching between them 21 words without stumbling. It was way past bedtime for most participants of the Bee - the oldest among them being 15 and the youngest 8, when it was finally over. South Asian Spelling Bee Interestingly, many of the Indian American Scripps championship finalists were participants in the 2010 MetLife South Asian Spelling Bee. Sukanya Roy was the 2010 NY Regional Champ and National First Runner-Up. Of the other finalists, Sriram Hathwar was the 2010 DC Regional Champ and National Second Runner-Up; Arvind Mahankali was 2010 NJ Regional Second Runner-Up; and Prakash Mishra was 2010 DC Regional Second Runner-Up.

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'Picasso of India' Maqbool Fida Husain dies in London LONDON: Legendary Indian painter Maqbool Fida Husain, popularly known as 'Picasso of India' who earned both fame and wrath for his paintings, died here today at a hospital following over a month-long illness. He was 95. Husain breathed his last at the Royal Brompton Hospital where he was admitted after being in "indifferent health" for the last oneand-a-half month, family sources told PTI. The painter, whose works fetched astronomical sums at the recent Bonham's auctions - the highest for any Indian artist, was living in self-exile since 2006 following a series of legal cases and death threats against him over his paintings depicting Hindu goddesses in nude. He accepted Qatari citizenship in 2010 after surrendering his Indian passport and till the last was reticent on whether he would return to his homeland. Born in Pandharpur in Maharashtra on September 17, 1915, Husain courted controversy over his paintings of Hindu goddesses. His paintings on goddesses Durga and Saraswati invited the wrath of Hindu groups which attacked his house in 1998 and vandalized his art works. . In February 2006, Husain was charged with hurting sentiments of people

because of his nude portraits of Hindu gods and goddesses. In the wake of legal challenges and death threats in his home country, Husain had been living abroad in self-imposed exile since 2006. As he had not responded to summons from an Indian district court in Haridwar, his properties in India were attached as per court orders and a bailable warrant was

He also produced and directed a few movies, including Gaja Gamini with his muse Madhuri Dixit who was the subject of a series of his paintings which he signed as Fida issued against him by the court. Three of Husain paintings recently topped a Bonham's auction here, going under the hammer for Rs 2.32 crore with an untitled oil work in which the legendary artist combined his iconic subject matters - horse and woman -fetching Rs 1.23 crore alone. In 1952, Husain's first solo exhibition was held at Zurich and over the next few years, his work was

widely seen in Europe and the US. In 1955, he was awarded the prestigious Padma Shree. In 1967, he made his first film, Through the Eyes of a Painter. It was shown at the Berlin Film Festival and won a Golden Bear. Husain was a special invitee along with Pablo Picasso at the Sao Paulo Biennial in 1971. He was awarded the Padma Bhushan in 1973 and was nominated to the Rajya Sabha in 1986. He was awarded the Padma Vibhushan in 1991. Between 1990 and 2011 Husain went on to become the highest paid painter in India. He also produced and directed a few movies, including Gaja Gamini with his muse Madhuri Dixit who was the subject of a series of his paintings which he signed as Fida. Husain's film Meenaxi: A Tale of Three Cities was pulled out of movie theatres after some Muslim organizations raised objections to one of the songs in it. The All-India Ulema Council complained that the Qawwali song Noor-un-Ala-Noor was blasphemous. It argued that the song contained words directly taken from the Quran. The council was supported by Muslim organizations like the Milli Council, All-India Muslim Council, Raza Academy, Jamiat-ulUlema-e-Hind and Jamat-e-Islami.

Husain's son stated that the words were a phrase referring to divine beauty that were being sung by the central character played by Tabu. He said there was no intention to offend. Following the wave of protests the enraged artist pulled off his

movie from the theaters. The movie was well received by the critics, however, and went on to win various awards. Husain's autobiography was being made into a movie tentatively titled The Making of the Painter, starring Shreyas Talpade as the young Husain.-PTI

Tragic for Husain to die in exile: Artists Bollywood mourns MF Husain NEW DELHI: Friends and admirers of M F Husain were at a loss of words at the demise of the painter famously dubbed 'Piccaso of India' and angry at the fact that he had to die in a foreign land. From contemporaries Kishen Khanna and Anjolie Ela Menon to younger artists like Jitish Kallat a sense of shock, disbelief and grief prevailed among the art fraternity which mourned the death of the 95-year-old painter, a long time associate for many who said they found it difficult to visualize an art scene without the maverick. "I knew he was in hospital for some time but am very sad to hear about his demise. Husain was a very, very close friend. I knew him long before his first exhibition in 1954," Khanna, a close friend and fellow painter of the Progressive Art movement, told PTI. Husain along with F N Souza had founded the Progressive Art movement in India in the 1960s and had invited Delhi-based Khanna, who worked as a banker, to be a part of it.

"He had given me several paintings and we had exchanged our paintings. After I left my bank job we used to meet often and talk and discuss. He used to visit me in Kanpur and in Chennai," Khanna said. Jatin Das, who has known Husain since the 1950s, remembered the barefoot-bohemian painter as his "very very dear friend" but said the people of India should be sad that his desire of settling in India remained unfulfilled as the government did not assure him security. The artist was living in exile after death threats issued to him for his controversial paintings of Hindu deities. Another well-known painter Anjolie Ela Menon could not hide her shock when she heard the news. "I have known him for 55 years, he has touched my life in so many ways and so often. It is difficult to visualize that he is no more and I had never realized that he had aged," she said. Menon said, "After his socalled exile, people who revered

and loved him had made it a point to go and meet him every year. Last week, when I was in London, his sons Shahbad and Shamshad had said that he was out of trouble but I now realize that he was ill. I met him in London and Dubai every year." Contemporary artist Jitish Kallat said it was tragic that the painter had to breathe his last in a foreign country. "It is a huge loss for anyone related to the arts and also as an artist I almost feel as historically a huge canopy has been blown away from us, extinguished. I feel a sense of huge loss. "It is also a tragic feeling that he had to die in a foreign country. It is a pain, I think it a black mark on the Indian state which has not understood the immensity and the relevance of Husain," said the painter. Kallat describes Husain's paintings as "a unique artistic talent which merged European modernism with the textures of post colonial modernism." -PTI

NEW DELHI/MUMBAI: Legendary painter MF Husain had his heart in Bollywood and many from the film industry have expressed grief over his demise. "Very sad to hear that the great M F Husain is no more, RIP," veteran actor Dev Anand said on micro-blogging site Twitter. "The news is shocking. It is yet to sink in. Just two days back I was discussing him with a friend. He was a great filmmaker who made films which he believed in and financed it himself. He was a special person and a genuine artist," director Anurag Kashyap told PTI. Foraying into filmmaking with 'Through the Eyes of a Painter' in 1967, Hussain later made 'Gaja Gamini' with his then muse Madhuri Dixit, followed by 'Meenaxi: A tale of Three Cities' starring Tabu. Actor Raghubir Yadav, who also starred in 'Meenaxi..', told PTI, "It is sad that an artist of such a stature is no longer among us. Working with him was a learning

experience. He was peaceful by nature and an open-minded person." "Deeply saddened by the news about Hussain saab. He was not only a great artist but an incredible human being. His passion and love for life was contagious and unparalleled. May his soul rest in peace," tweeted Kunal Kapoor, who made his acting debut with 'Meenaxi...'. Expressing grief, actor Shabana Azmi told PTI that Husain was a close friend and a wonderful human being. "He was a prolific painter. He is someone who is born once in 100 years. I last met him through a video-conference. He was deeply moved when we told him we will try to bring him back to India. He missed India." Lyricist Javed Akhtar termed Husain as one of the greatest artists in and outside India. "I think many people realize the importance of artists in this country because of him. His contribution to Indian art has been totally unprecedented." -PTI

Desi News NJ legislature felicitates entrepreneur India Post News Service

NEW YORK: In a rare gesture, the State legislatures of New Jersey and Connecticut and the New York City Council joined in to felicitate K.T. Srinivasa Raja, a Chennai-based entrepreneur for his corporate social responsibility and entrepreneurship, at an event held in New York recently. Raja is managing director of Chennai-based Adyar Ananda Bhavan group of restaurants and sweet shops. Presenting the proclamation issued by the Speaker of New Jersey State Assembly.

COMMUNITY ACROSS AMERICA

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Rain couldn't dampen spirits at 17th Punjabi American Festival Details on page 19

June 17, 2011

'Arrest & flog politicians, business thugs, not Ramdev'

Details on page 14

Fascinating picture-painting dance ASHWIN PATEL

ST LOUIS: St Louis recently witnessed a revival of the dying art Chitra Natyam as demonstrated by Samprita Bajpai of Gurukul Academy Kansas City at COCA (Center for Creative Arts). The three-hour performance was under the auspices of Abhinaya, a nonprofit organization for the promotion of classical dances of India, in St Louis, Missouri. Samprita has learnt many of the classical Indian dance forms and was fascinated by Kuchipudi and has become a master at this. With a pleasing swift footwork and neat hand movements her performance won applauds from all those attending it Details on page 15

Ekal Vidyalaya fundraiser raises $320,000

Baba Ramdev supporters at Gayatri Shakteepith

RAMESH SOPARAWALA India Post News Service

CHICAGO: The Indian government trying to crush the anti-corruption movement spearheaded by Baba Ramdev after Anna Hazare might have (or might not have) won the second round but both these leaders have carved a place in the hearts of Indian Americans. They are aghast like their counterparts in India at the extent of corruption in the county and the utter indifference shown by those in power in not addressing the issue. A commoner working at an Indian restaurant probably reflected

the view point of many Indian Americans when he said that it should not be Baba Ramdev but the scores of politicians, mafia and industrial tycoons amassing huge

tried to show their moral support to Baba Ramdev by staging a similar token one-day hunger strike and staging protests at major cities here. In Chicago, members of

Satish Chandra, one of the activists and an ardent participant, in a talk to newsmen said that the move to support Baba Ramdev here was spontaneous and this "Abhiyan" needed to be supported even if it involved huge sacrifices ill-gotten wealth who need to be caught and publicly flogged. Indian Americans across USA

the Indian community gathered at the crossing of Devon Ave and Rockwell Street known as Ma-

India Post News Service

Indian Americans gathered to show their support to Baba Ramdev's Anti Corruption drive in Chicago

hatma Gandhi Marg on June 4. A group of Indian leaders also held a panel discussion at Gayatri Shakteepith in Chicago so that a consensus could emerge for addressing the issue and finding ways and means to support the anti-corruption movement in India, Satish Chandra, one of the activists and an ardent participant, in a talk to newsmen said that the move to support Baba Ramdev here was spontaneous and this "Abhiyan" needed to be supported even if it involved huge sacrifices. Keerthi Ravoori, an FIA office bearer, lauded the grassroots movement in uprooting corruption while former AIA president Nand Kapoor observed that spread of education and equal opportunity to get higher education was a must for eradicating this evil. He said the people should get enlightened about the insidious ways that certain elements in the country were bent on injecting religion in all aspects of daily life and fomenting religious differences. Gayantri Shaktipeeth had a good gathering of elite who denounced corrupt practices and politicians. Laxman Rao, Sunil Shah and Vandana Jhingan were panelists while the meeting was addressed among others by Dinkar Patel, Bhailal Patel, Sohna Joshi and Kusum Patel. ContĂd on page 13

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Gujarati industrialist honored in Chicagoland

Iftekhar Shareef reading out Memento presented to Gujarati industrialist Jayantilal Shah (fifth from left). FIA President Gabhawala is standing next to him.

Jayantilal Shah

laud the achievements of Gujarat in recent years under the leadership of Narendra Modi. He said that Gujarat has notched huge successes not only in the industrial field but also in the sphere of higher education and professional skill. "It would not be surprising if those in Gujarat do not come to countries like USA for higher education

who like to pursue medical, engineering, computer science and accounting. "Through our Khadyata Utkarsh Mandal we give Rs. one lakh every year for five years to each deserving medical student which would enable them to complete their education in medicine. We offer similar aid to engineering and accounting students also. This is loan which they would return once they get settled in their life. This should ensure that every year more and more students get benefited," he said. Jayantibhai is also planning to set up a green resort at Koteshwar which is visited by devotees of Kotiyark Prabhu. The near 23 acres land would be transformed into a very hospitable place, not only for adult devotees but also for young ones and kids so that they get imbued to our culture and religious tradition. This multi-million dollar project will be under way soon and would be completed in record time. It would turn Koteshwar, which is near Mahudi, into a big pilgrim place, he said.

RAMESH SOPARAWALA India Post News Service

CHICAGO: From a sheet glass-photo frame vendor Jayantilal Shah rose to own the largest figured glass factor in India. He was honored in Chicagoland by the Federation of Indian Associations (FIA) headed by Satish Gabhawla and a group of his supporters last week at Palos Park not only for his success as a businessman but also for his outstanding philanthropic contributions as well. Iftekhar Shareef, an FIA trustee, presented a memento to Jayantibhai at a simple but dignified function held at the residence of Gabhawala in the presence of 60 plus invited guests and FIA office bearers. Among them were Keerthi Ravoori, Babu Patel and an anti terrorist activist Imran Khan of Islamic Research and Educational foundation. Jayantibhai in his brief response praised Indian Americans for their success in many a field but could not resist the temptation to

notched an annual turnover of over $35 million (Over Rs 125 crores) and is ranked the biggest of its type in the country. It employs 500 workers and staff and can boast of using indigenous technology A to Z. The company, he said, recently helped Nigeria set up a turnkey figured glass project and is in a position to offer its "indigenously de-

Jayantibhai is also planning to set up a green resort at Koteshwar which is visited by devotees of Kotiyark Prabhu. The near 23 acres land would be transformed into a very hospitable place because we will have all the facilities and faculties there," he said. The progress of Gujarat is in a way is the progress of India as it is part of India and if its model is followed by other States, India could be a super power before long, he said. In a talk to this paper he said that the Gopal Glass Works headed by him has

veloped technology" to any country in the world. Barely a high school graduate himself, Jayantilal Shah believes in the spread of education, especially higher education in the field of engineering, medicine and computer science. He has been instrumental in giving financial help to deserving students

'Arrest & flog politicians, business thugs, not Ramdev'

ContĂd from page 12

The news spread like wildfire that the government had come down "unfairly" and bit "uneven

handed" on Baba Ramdev by arresting him and teargassing those assembled to hear him and support him. Madhubhai Patel, founding

president of NRI Press Club was very vociferous and suggested that Indian Americans should stage Dharna and protests at Indian Consulate or at Daley Plaza

in Downtown Chicago to show their support for Baba Ramdev and denounce his arrest. Sohan Joshi mentioned that the Indian government would be

living in fool's paradise if it thought that arresting a publicly revered figure like Baba Ramdev would end the anti-corruption drive.

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NJ, Connecticut legislatures felicitate Chennai entrepreneur India Post News Service

of Tamil Nadu in 2004. Raja also helped construct schools and provided job opportunities to over 500 destitute women and widows. Though a school drop-out, Raja worked his way up from a cook earning $1 (Rs. 44) in his father's small-time sweet stall to build a group of restaurants and sweet shops across India with a turnover of Rs. 300 crores.

Raja also helped construct schools and provided job opportunities to over 500 destitute women and widows. Though a school drop-out, Raja worked his way up from a cook earning $1 (Rs. 44) in his father's small-time sweet stall to build a group of restaurants and sweet shops across India with a turnover of Rs. 300 crores Chennai-based Adyar Ananda Bhavan group of restaurants and sweet shops. Presenting the proclamation issued by the Speaker of New Jersey State Assembly, its deputy speaker Upendra Chivukula, said Raja excelled in helping the poor and the needy and fed over 75,000 people round-the-clock when tsunami struck the southern Indian state

The Connecticut Legislative proclamation piloted by its newly elected Indian-American member Dr. Prasad Srinivasan, praised Raja's stellar role in educating girls and offering scholarships. His role in planting over 100,000 saplings across the state to reduce global warming was also recognized as commendable. Peter Koo, member of New York City Council, who was instrumen-

Peter Koo, Upendra Chivukula and Srinivasa Raja

tal in the Council issuing a proclamation honoring Raja, said the Council recognizes and takes pride in the role played by Indian-Americans who enrich the quality of life of America. He said his council district of Flushing have AsianIndians and Chinese-American population totaling 70 percent of

the total electorate and is considered a true representation of the diverse vibrant immigrant community of the US. The Proclamation further said Raja's efforts and R&D to promote zero-calorie sweets to cater to the needs of diabetics and low-calorie sweets could be emulated in the US

that has the highest child obesity rate. Albert Chelladurai, past president of New York Tamil Sangam, Dr Chidambaranathan, advisor to the UN University, several diplomats, prominent American businessmen and members of chambers of commerce were present on the occasion.

Learning from the living narrative of Mahabharata India Post News Service

NEW YORK: Dr. Lakshmi Bandlamudi, a LaGuardia Community College psychology professor and a Fulbright-Nehru Fellow, spent the past six months in India expanding research on her book examining the evolution of the Mahabharata, the epic of ancient India, and how it is interpreted by the Indian people and the culture. Using her interdisciplinary book 'The Dialogics of Self, The Mahabharata and Culture: The History of Understanding and Understanding of History', as a foundation, Dr. Bandlamudi set out to explore how this ancient text, which has influenced the Indian culture for over 5,000 years, is the site to trace the evolution of the culture. "Unlike the epics of the western work, which are seen as very different and remote, this major Sanskrit narrative of ancient India is a living text that gives birth to variations," said Dr. Bandlamudi. "What you call the ancient past and epic text is not simply frozen in time and space, but, instead, flows. It picks up all the fragments of history. So history itself has a history." This is Dr. Bandamudi's third Fulbright Scholarship. She received a Fulbright-Hays Summer Seminars Program Award to study the cultural transformation of Bulgaria and Romania in 1996 and of China in 2004. To further research this living narrative of Mahabharata, she spent time at the Bhandakar Oriental Research Institute in Pune, the largest archive of the

Mahabharata. There she read and interpreted the stories that make up the longest epic in the world - seven times the size of The Illiad and The Olyssey combined. She was affiliated with the Center for the Study of Developing of Societies in New Delhi, where she examined the theoretical and philosophical dimensions of interpreting the past. She also attended classical traditional performances and interviewed street performers to learn

said Dr. Bandlamudi, "and is a flashpoint for gender roles and contesting patriarchy and tradition." For Bandlamudi, who has always had an interest in women's issues, the study of the heroine was vital. "Maximum variation in the text is seen of the character of the heroine, more so than the hero and that requires a cultural explanation," she says. "Looking at the characterization of the heroine throughout history, gives us a way of study-

The epic captures the imagination because every character is flawed and every character has redeeming qualities," she said. In the case of Draupadi, who was her major focus, contentious issues were clear. She was a queen who was ostracized by society for being the wife of five brothers how they arrived at the profiles of the particular cultural text. Her research examines two of the Mahabharata's central characters, Karna, the King of Anga and a great warrior, and Draupadi, a heroic princess. "The epic captures the imagination because every character is flawed and every character has redeeming qualities," she said. In the case of Draupadi, who was her major focus, contentious issues were clear. She was a queen who was ostracized by society for being the wife of five brothers. "She is a controversial and fascinating character who defies the notions of femininity,"

ing the cultural history." When Dr. Bandlamudi was not conducting her research she was lecturing at a number of universities. One stop was at the Ravenshaw University, Cuttack, where she spoke on the topic "Representation of Women in the Mahabharata." She also spoke about her book, which is based on the theoretical foundations of two Russian philosophers - literary critic Mikhail Bakhtin and socio-historical epistemologist Lev Vygotsky - who both shaped her philosophy of dialogue. "These thinkers changed my life," she said.

Dr. Lakshmi Bandlamudi

After a whirlwind six months in her native India, Dr. Bandlamudi is back at LaGuardia where she has been teaching general and developmental psychology since 1993. What is to come out of the six-month research project in India? "Another manuscript," said Dr. Bandlamudi. "In my earlier work I examined how people interpret the text. The research in India gave me some clues on how the text evolved."

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Fascinating picture-painting dance ASHWIN PATEL

Samprita Bajpai performing

ern and Indian, with bated breath. Chitra Natyam, or picture painting dances, is an ancient temple tradition from Andhra Pradesh that is almost extinct now. In the olden days, during festive seasons, dancers would perform in the temple courtyards and would etch animal figures with their feet on the floor, which had been sprinkled with color. The audience would then walk up to the painting to view it. Guru C.R. Acharya of India was the one who tried to

Chitra Natyam, or picture painting dances, is an ancient temple tradition from Andhra Pradesh that is almost extinct now. In the olden days, during festive seasons, dancers would perform in the temple courtyards and would etch animal figures with their feet on the floor has become a master at this. With a pleasing swift footwork and neat hand movements her performance won applauds from all those attending it Her full length recital which included the Tarangam - dancing on a brass plate with a pot of water on her head holding a lighted candle, and two lighted candles in each hand was a treat to watch. However, the Chitra Natyam where she painted a peacock was watched by the audience, West-

bring this art form from the temples to the auditorium to a larger audience. The challenge was how to present it, since in an auditorium it was not practical for the audience to walk up to the stage to view the picture. The first time Guru Acharya was presenting it, he spread a wet cloth over the color, so it would not shift while dancing, and decided to hold up the screen to display the painting. What he did not realize was that the wet screen

would soak up the color randomly and not only where the feet fell. Therefore the first time the peacock ended up looking like an alien. Guruji was heartbroken. Then after many years of brainstorming he came up with another idea. This time he built a frame and attached the screen to it, so that it would not touch the floor directly. While the dancer danced on it, the fabric would only touch the floor wherever the feet put pressure, thus creating a more definite line for the picture. The method worked, and that is the principle being followed by a handful of his students to this day. Mayura Kauthuvam and Simha Nandini are the two pieces in praise of Lord Kartikeya and Goddess Durga that are commonly done by painting the peacock and the lion respectively.

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Hindu Students Council celebrates 20th anniversary ADITYA KASHYAP

PENNSYLVANIA: Hindu Students Council (HSC) celebrated its 20th anniversary with its Annual Youth Camp at the Vraj Bhoomi grounds this Memorial Day Weekend. Students from over ten of HSC's fifty-five plus college chapters, traveling from as far away as California, attended the event. Camp activities focused on and celebrated key facets of Hindu culture, tradition and philosophy. The weekend agenda included a series of discussions and debates, historical skit performances, competitive games, aarti (prayer), bhajans (devotional songs), yoga and meditation sessions, and a raas/bhangra closing celebration. The camp marks a historic twenty years of HSC serving the community. The organization was founded in 1990 by three students seeking to help their peers organize and provide them with opportunities to learn about Hindu heritage and culture. One of the three original founders, Kanchan Banerjee, was present to donate his time to the camp. HSC also seeks to foster awareness of issues affecting Hindus, and this mission took centerstage at the camp. "The discussions were really illuminating; sharing the issues that we as Hindu students deal with, and offering suggestions and support to one another was empowering," remarked Sonal Nadchickadhara, from Stony Brook University. Students were divided into two groups named after ancient Hindu dynasties - the Cholas and the Guptas. They competed against each other throughout the weekend in outdoor activities and a Hinduism Trivia game. Each team was also responsible for learning the historical, cultural and religious aspects of these kingdoms,

and presented this knowledge in two well-choreographed skits using various props and mantras (chants). Camp coordinators, understanding the importance of passing on Hindu values to future generations, sought to organize the camp in a way that would be educational yet engaging for young people. A particular student favorite this weekend was a forum on the Bhagavad Gita led by Acharya Vivekji from Chinmaya Mission. His two sessions, "Wellness Through Work" and "Spirituality

The weekend agenda included a series of discussions and debates, historical skit performances, competitive games, aarti (prayer), bhajans (devotional songs), yoga and meditation sessions, and a raas/ Bhangra closing celebration in Day to Day Living", drew upon the essence of Karma Yoga and how students may incorporate these teachings into their daily lives. "Vivekji is from our generation, and someone who grew up here. He explained Vedantic philosophy in an engaging and passionate tone", said former Rutgers General Secretary Ravi Jaishankar. "By putting the Gita in the context of his life experiences, the lessons

Air India reschedules flights India Post News Service

were relevant and interesting to us", added Lehigh chapter President Neal Sankhla. Sunday saw a special emphasis on Seva (service) with a presentation on Hindu American Seva Charities (HASC) by its convener Anju Bhargava, a member of President Obama's Council on Faith Based and Neighborhood Partnership. Bhargava stressed the need for Hindu Americans, especially youth, to get involved in service initiatives at both the grass-roots as well as national levels in order to bring the community on par with other established traditions in the country. Following Bhargava, Shivi Chandra, a dynamic youth speaker from the Gayatri Pariwar and a student at Johns Hopkins, delivered an inspiring talk on "The Responsibilities of Hindu American Youth Leaders". Chandrai maintained that self-development and introspection are the keys to creating true leaders in society and that our culture offers us the tools necessary to bring about this transformation. Overall, the camp left the student attendees with a general sense of excitement and pride about their Hindu heritage. Throughout the weekend, Vraj temple visitors on the other side of the campground lake could hear the youth cheer: "Who are we? Who are we? HSC, HSC!" HSC is an international forum providing opportunities for college students and young professionals to learn about Hindu heritage through various activities, events and projects. With over fifty-five chapters in North America and several inspired chapters around the world, HSC is the largest Hindu Youth organization outside of India.

grounded any of its flights and we are looking forward to serving our passengers across the network" said a spokesperson while reiterating that the required amount of

CHICAGO: Air India's operations are absolutely normal and there are no disruptions across its network, according to a release from the Air India Office in Chicago As a short term measure, Air India has rescheduled / combined / Air India logo & Maharja curtailed some of its flights in view The revised schedule has been of the low definalized keeping in view command / lean season from mercial / business decisions as June to Sepwell as demand and convetember. However, Air India nience of passengers has ensured connectivity with all the stations / destinations fuel (ATF) was being made availas per its schedule across the net- able by the Oil Marketing Companies as mutually agreed upon. work. Air India's daily operations The revised schedule has been finalized keeping in view commer- span over 490 flights across its cial / business decisions as well global network of 64 domestic and as demand and convenience of 33 international destinations inpassengers. "Air India has not cluding Chicago.

Indians honored by Jesse White

(L-R) Program emcees, Ravi Baichwal of ABC 7 Chicago and Joanie Lum of Fox News Chicago, Secretary White and special awardees, Alpana Singh and Matt Toeaina.

CHICAGO: Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White presented awards to Chicago Bears Player Matt Toeaina and Alpana Singh of WTTW's television program Check, Please!, as well as a host of local humanitarians during a celebration of Asian-American Heritage Month. The event also featured performances by community youth groups, including In-

donesian Dance of Illinois and the Transfiguration Dance Group. The Secretary of State's office hosts this ceremony to honor and recognize Asian-Americans in the city of Chicago and state of Illinois and their efforts to improve their communities during the month of May, which is Asian Pacific American Heritage Month.

June 17, 2011

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Congressman Rothman greets Parth Shah

On May 25, Congressman Steve Rothman (D-NJ) welcomed Bergen Arts & Science Charter School student and Wood-Ridge resident Parth Shah in his Washington, D.C. office, to congratulate him for competing in the New Jersey Science Olympiad and for receiving third place honors in the engineering and math division. "I am so very proud of Parth for his accomplishments at the Science Olympiad, and the honor he has brought to his family, Wood-Ridge, and the entire state of New Jersey. I know he is destined to achieve great things," said Congressman Rothman. The Science Olympiad is an international nonprofit organization devoted to improving the quality of science education. Students from all over New Jersey competed in the March 15 state tournament in Middlesex County, New Jersey.

George Allen apologizes for 'macaca' slur India Post News Service

NEW YORK: Five years since former Senator George Allen called an Indian American campaign volunteer a "macaca" (monkey), he is still apologizing for his mistake. The former Republican Senator from Virginia was campaigning for re-election in 2006 when at a campaign pit stop he singled out S.N. Sridhar, who was working for Allen's opponent Democrat Jim Webb at the time. Sridhar was a campaign tracker and his job was to follow Senator Allen on his campaigns with a camera, which at that time seemed to have irritated Allen. The apparent racial slur he used to describe Sridhar had cost Allen his election and he lost. Speaking last week at the Faith and Freedom Coalition conference in Washington DC, Allen, who is running once again for Senate in 2012, admitted his mistake. Without naming Sridhar or repeating the word 'macaca', Allen said, "During my last campaign I never should have singled out that young man working for my opponent, calling him a name. He was just doing his job." Allen said it was not easy running for public office and that he

did not like losing. "Sometimes you learn more from losing than you do from winning," he said. "You don't brood over mistakes, you learn from them and you improve." "I was wrong to do that to him and it diverted the campaign away from the real issues that families

Without naming Sridhar or repeating the word 'macaca', Allen said, "During my last campaign I never should have singled out that young man working for my opponent, calling him a name. He was just doing his jobâ&#x20AC;? care about," Allen said. Speaking of families, Allen said his family had to endure a lot of taunts and insults because of his mistake. "And I never want them to have to go through something like that again," he said.

Ekal Vidyalaya fundraiser raises $320,000

India Post News Service

NEW JERSEY: Ekal Vidyalaya Foundation's (EVF) benefit concert June 4 by Bollywood singers of 'Sa Re Ga Ma Pa' fame Manoj Mishra and Nirupama Dey, in Edison, N.J., raised $150,000 bringing the total fundraising efforts for the week from New Jersey to over $320,000. In a PowerPoint presentation about Ekal Vidyalaya Project, Prajna Khisti, President of NJ-Ekal Chapter, set the tone for the evening by quantifying illiteracy in modern India and the efforts needed to eradicate it. Explaining the vicious cycle of illiteracy, poverty and exploitation, Dr. Yogendra Patel, demonstrated to the capacity crowd, how education could lead to empowerment and better quality life. For just a dollar-a-day, an Ekal Vidyalaya School provides non-formal basic education and hygiene training to a group of 30 to 40 underprivileged children in tribal, remote-area villages of India, which lack approachable roads and other basic facilities. Dr Umesh Shukla, Regional VP for Ekal informed the gathering that Ekal Vidyalaya is not only the largest literacy movement undertaken by Indians and NRIs, but also a recipient of the 'Best NGO Organization' Award recently for its transparency and administration. He further elaborated that there are over 34,000 Ekal Schools in operation in tribal-remote areas throughout India, including Jammu-Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh, where education is being rendered without consideration to caste, creed or language.

Brahm Sharma, another Ekal member, pointed out that the success of Indians in the US was due to their education back home which is heavily subsidized. "In other words, unknown to us, someone else paid for it," he said. "Now, by reciprocating the same gesture to the needy children of India, we are only seeking our own salvation in a small way."

Ekal's literacy cause. The recipients of this honor were Arvind and Pratibha Sant, Prakash and Neela Waghmare and Makarand and Suniti Abhyankar. Every year, Ekal Vidyalaya Foundation of USA, which is a duly registered tax-free, charitable Organization in the US, supports over 8,000 tribal Schools in India, through such concerts, through-

Explaining the vicious cycle of illiteracy, poverty and exploitation, Dr. Yogendra Patel, demonstrated to the capacity crowd, how education could lead to empowerment and better quality life. For just a dollar-a-day, an Ekal Vidyalaya School provides non-formal basic education and hygiene training to a group of 30 to 40 underprivileged children During the program, in a small departure from previous years, instead of honoring only generous donors, the committee this year chose to felicitate three volunteerfamilies with a plaque, for being role models for selfless service to the society and their dedication to

out USA and raises approximately $2.5 million through such concerts. At the conclusion of the evening, Dr Shubhangi Thakur, VP of NJ-Ekal Chapter, thanked the donors and invited them to visit Ekal Schools during their visit to India, to see their money in action.

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Hindu activist Parthasarathy passes away India Post News Service

NEW YORK: P.R. Parthasarathy, a noted community activist and founder of an online news network, passed away at his home in Bayside, Queens last week following a cardiac arrest. He is survived by his wife, Vanaja Parthasarathy, former vice president of the New York Tamil Sangam and an executive at AIG in Manhattan; and only daughter, Madhu Parthasarathy, an attorney in New York City. Parthasarathy known by his alias "Partha" to his friends, was a native of Tiruchi in Tamil Nadu. He immigrated to the US in 1981 and was the general manager of an imports company at the time of his passing away. A few years ago, he launched a Hinduism news network as a personal hobby. The daily online resource consisted of articles on Hinduism, India, spirituality and politics culled out from various publications and had a wide range of readership across the globe. The Indian American Intellectuals Forum honored him at the Hindu Sangathan Diwas and the Shri Vari Foundation honored him for his stellar role in promoting Hinduism in the tri-state area. A staunch nationalist, Parthasarathy was also praised by Janata Party President Dr. Subramanian Swamy for his efforts during a visit to New York.

SALDEF conducts Sikh awareness presentations India Post News Service

WASHINGTON: Saldef conducted two significant trainings in the Atlanta area and informed over 150 employees of the Georgia Department of Driver Services (DDS) and the regional US Attorney's office about Sikh religious practices. Georgia DDS Training: Last year, the

According to Alan Watson, Division Director, "The presentation was exceptionally beneficial for our staff. We all have a much better understanding of who Sikh Americans are and what they believe in. Specifically, we understand the importance of the Sikh Turbanâ&#x20AC;? Georgia DDS denied a Sikh American father and son the right to have their driver's license picture taken. As a result of Saldef's intervention, both men were allowed to wear their dastaar in their driver's license

Sally Yates

photo. Additionally, Saldef demanded that all frontline DDS employees be informed about Sikh religious practices and the significance of the Sikh dastaar. On April 18, Saldef Associate Executive Director, Jasjit Singh, conducted a Sikh awareness presentation for approximately 120 customer service representatives and supervisors from all over the state. According to Alan Watson, Division Director, "The presentation was exceptionally beneficial for our staff. We all have a much better understanding of who Sikh Americans are and what they believe in. Specifically, we understand the importance of the Sikh Turban." US Attorney and Executive Staff Training - On April 19, Saldef conducted a Sikh Awareness presentation for the US Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia,

Jasjit Singh

Sally Yates, and her executive staff. The purpose of the presentation was to increase awareness about Sikh Americans among the highest law enforcement officials in the district and highlight the most common problems faced by Sikh Americans. The presentation, which showed Saldef's groundbreaking training video, On Common Ground, included a brief history of the Sikhs, introduction to Sikh theology, common challenges faced by Sikh Americans, and recommendations for respectfully engaging with the Sikh American community. US Attorney Yates stated, "This was one of the most useful trainings I have attended, and I am pleased that we will be further strengthening our relationship with the local Sikh American community over the next several months."

Sikh Coalition speaks at Congressional briefing

India Post News Service

WASHINGTON: On May 24, the Sikh Coalition's Director of Law and Policy spoke by invitation at a policy briefing on Capitol Hill organized by the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC). The

discussion focused on the need to promote legislation that protects individuals from workplace discrimination, school bullying, and racial profiling. Earlier in May, the Sikh Coalition testified by invitation at a separate hearing before the United States Commission on Civil Rights, a federal agency.

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Rain couldn't dampen spirits at 17th Punjabi American Festival

Kamal Khan India Post News Service

YUBA CITY: Despite heavy rain early in the morning of May 29, thousands of people thronged to Yuba Sutter Fair Grounds to attend

President Davinder Deol honoring Manj and Nidy Kaur

with Punjabi roots to celebrate and share their culture with fellow Americans. The event started with the American National Anthem and Shabad Kirtan followed by perfor-

It is the largest event of its kind in USA. Sponsored by the Punjabi American Heritage Society of Yuba City, the festival is a way for those with Punjabi roots to celebrate and share their culture with fellow Americans. The event started with the American National Anthem and Shabad Kirtan followed by performances by hundreds of children the 17th annual Punjabi American Festival. It is the largest event of its kind in USA. Sponsored by the Punjabi American Heritage Society of Yuba City, the festival is a way for those

mances by hundreds of children. This year the ladies' stole the show by their live singing and energetic performance of Giddha. ContĂd on page 21

Dr Ghuman honoring late Baldev Singh. His wife was presented plaque

Kamal Khan and Mela crowd

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Saldef event surpasses fundraising goal India Post News Service

DIAMOND BAR, CA: On Sunday June 5, Saldef held its annual Southern California Fundraising Banquet at the Diamond Bar Center in Diamond Bar, CA. The event served as an opportunity to highlight Saldef's advocacy work and strengthen outreach with the local Sikh community. The event was attended by over 350 community members, who helped surpass Saldef fundraising goal!

Jagdeep Singh, a successful Silicon Valley entrepreneur and philanthropist, delivered the keynote address, sharing how Sikh values informed his path and guided his success. Jagdeep is the co-founder and CEO of Quantum Scape Corporation, as well as the cofounder and former CEO of several successful technology startups. His philanthropic interests center on education, supporting various Sikh causes and institutions, and endowing professorships at Stanford University. Saldef Western Regional Director Bhupinder Kaur expanded on the organization's key grassroots efforts and community empowerment programs, such as Know Your Rights forums, trainings done under Saldef's Law Enforcement Partnership Program, and Sikh Awareness presentations at local schools. Mrs. Kaur applauded the local community for leading efforts in activism and garnering a positive image of the Sikh community, in conjunction with

area gurdwaras. "It is a defining moment in terms of our ability to grasp who we are and our legacy in this country. This current anti-immigrant climate has affected us and it's also a moment for our community to decide whether to be victims or step forward and remind our country of our constitutional and founding values," Kaur said. Saldef representatives Jasjit Singh, Associate Executive Director, and Birpal Kaur, Community

Relations Associate, also apprised community members of various initiatives to challenge racial profiling and proactively address hate crimes and school bullying. Jasjit Singh added: "It's important for us to celebrate the successes, but it's extremely important to know about the challenges as well, because

Kamlesh pens another tale of victimized women India Post News Service

LOS ANGELES: Hindi novelist, Kamlesh Chauhan's second book, 'Saat Pheron Se Dhokha', was launched May 21 at the Peacock Restaurant in Diamond Bar under the aegis of Jagriti. An evening of singing and music, the function was attended by over 100 guests. Kamlesh Chauhan is the founder of Jagriti, an organization she started several years ago to offer refuge and a support structure for women who had been victimized by domestic violence. Chauhan has since been embraced by the Indian community of Southern California as a community activist. She is a published poet and writer. Her first novel, 'Saat Samundar Paar' won her acclaim in India and in the U.S. The function started with lamp lighting by Dr Parvin Syal, President of Jagriti, accompanied by

karaoke style singing of new and old Indian songs, rendered by singers Gurdeep Grewal, Imtiaz Khan, Deep Rajput and Avtar Chadda. The book was officially launched with brief addresses by three speakers. Dr Kiran Rami, a college English teacher, spoke about the theme of domestic violence in the novel. She praised Chauhan for her courage in writ-

the issue of children in a broken family. He spoke passionately about the sensitive portrayal of the effects of domestic violence on children and encouraged the audience, particularly men, to read this novel to understand an abused wife's perspective. The book was released by Gaytri Saggar, author of a novel, 'Lost to Them'. Manju presented a bouquet of

ing a novel about an issue most women don't talk about. Harshi Gill, a writer and literary critic, spoke about infidelity in the novel and lauded the writer for exposing different layers of infidelity at an emotional level as perpetrated by the key male characters. Community activist and writer Dr Parvin Syal addressed

flowers to Kamlesh Chauhan, who was then honored with citations from the LA County Board of Supervisors and from the City of Cypress. The author spoke briefly about the inspiration behind her writing. Her experiences with Jagriti had exposed her to many tales of women subjected to domestic violence and abuse. These stories, coupled with anecdotes related to her by her parents, encouraged her to write this novel. She thanked all those present for their love and support in making this a successful event. The New Jersey based media channel T.V. Asia filmed the event for later broadcast. Featured artistes presented songs and Aslam and Sunny Singh also performed a few numbers. The successful event wrapped up with dancing to music provided by deejays Abid and Asif Masih.

The author spoke briefly about the inspiration behind her writing. Her experiences with Jagriti had exposed her to many tales of women subjected to domestic violence and abuse

out of challenges arise opportunities." The evening ended with the presentation of a $5,000 grant from the South Asian Bar Association of Southern California by its President, Puneet Kakkar. Entertainment included the Mehndi Group, local performers Gunjiv Singh "Baagi", Jagmeet Singh "Hoodini", and a Dhadee Jatha.

Chauhan, Cypress City Councilman Dr. Prakash Narain and Los Angeles County Commissioner Mahesh Parekh. This was followed by welcome address by Amit Mehta, winner of the 2010 Mr India Global Title, who praised Chauhan as being a role model for the Indian youth in California. Sunny Singh then emceed a

Community/California 14-year old Nimal wins Rain couldn't dampen spirits at 17th science fair contest Punjabi American Festival

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June 17, 2011

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UC Davis Bhangra team ContĂd from page 19

India Post News Service

IRVINE: In January when Nimal Subramanian's teacher posted information about Google's first ever science fair contest his interest was aroused. His uncle, Somu, encouraged him to enter. Nimal knew this would be difficult to win because out of 10,000 international students only 7500 entries were selected to compete. The 8th-grader submitted a project that examined whether anti-cancer agents used in food inhibit the germination and protein content in experimental seeds. Nimal came up with the idea for this project during one of his trips to India. He complained that every time he visited his Indian relatives there would feed him spicy things. When he complained that he preferred not to eat the spices he was always told, "They are good for you." This prompted him to design the winning experiment. In May, the contest was narrowed down to 15 finalists and Google urged everyone to vote for their favorite. The Indian American community supported Nimal and he became the People's Choice Winner on May 21. His win was covered in a half-page story in the Orange County Register and online. Information about the Google contest can be viewed at http://www.google.com/events/ sciencefair. Nimal confesses that his dad, a

research scientist, wanted him to follow in his footsteps. An inventor at heart, he is now thinking of following up his project by testing using animals instead of plants. "I have always tried to do things to promote the welfare of

He complained that every time he visited his Indian relatives there would feed him spicy things. When he complained that he preferred not to eat the spices he was always told, "They are good for you." This prompted him to design the winning experiment others." Nimal replied when asked how he felt about being a role model to all aspiring scientists and to Indian youth." He hopes his work will make a difference for cancer patients. "This is the biggest point in my life so far." He gushes. "but I am confident it is just the beginning."

Every year, the Society selects five students to receive $500 scholarships. This year six students were recognized on stage as scholarship recipients (one scholarship was divided in half to present to twin sisters who were equally qualified). Recipients of the 2011 Punjabi American Heritage Society scholarships are: Charndip Singh Clair and Harmanprit Kaur Randhawa of Yuba City High School and Sukhpreet Kaur, Dilraj Kaur Dhillon, and Rubeena & Sureena Basra of River Valley High School. The following were honored on stage by Society members for their selfless community service and human rights work: Attorney Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, legal adviser to Sikhs for Justice, Attorney Amar Shergill for helping victims of Hate Crimes, California Assemblyman Dan Logue for introducing ACR-181 declaring November 2010 as Sikh Appreciation month in California and the late Mr. Baldev Singh for his life time research on the true meaning of Guru Nanak's teachings. Miss Jessica Kaur Chug won the Miss Punjabi American Talent title and Mr. Harman Singh Bath became Mr. Punjabi American. Miss Virenda Gupta and Mr. Hargurjit Singh Jassar were adjudged runners up. Dr Gurpreet Sjngh Dhugga conducted the contest very smoothly. This year's festival included Film Festival in partnership with SikhLens. Riding the Tiger and Prisoners Song documentaries by Michael Singh were very well received by the audience. The festival transformed from local performances to the entertainment RDB which is a musical group from Toronto, Canada. They

are well known for their famous song Singh is a King by Manj (Manjit Singh) along with his wife Nindy Kaur. Some of the younger spectators danced to the music and thoroughly enjoyed their performance. The final performance of the

USA. His incredible performance thrilled and had the audience of all ages spellbound. His performance left an everlasting impression on everyone's mind...one that will never be forgotten. The stage was managed by

Miss Jessica Kaur Chug won the Miss Punjabi American Talent title and Mr. Harman Singh Bath became Mr. Punjabi American. Miss Virenda Gupta and Mr. Hargurjit Singh Jassar were adjudged runners up festival was by Kamal Khan (winner of Saa Rey Gaa Ma Pa singing contest of ZEE TV, India). Kamal specially came from Mumbai to do his first ever solo performance in

Asha Sharma (popular and well known stage announcer) and locals Bhajan Aujla, Rajan Rai, Prabhjot Johl, Suky Bains, Jasbir S Kang and Davinder K Deol.

Tech News Jet to expand in Europe for South, East Asia SINGAPORE: Aiming to attract passengers of South and East Asian origin, Jet Airways has applied to the government for traffic rights to rapidly expand into continental Europe to fly people to Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Thailand. "We are considering operating to Paris, Amsterdam, Rome, some places in Germany and other parts of continental Europe. Shanghai and Beijing are also being looked at. We have applied to the Civil Aviation Ministry for traffic rights (to these destinations). We are hopeful of getting approvals soon", Jet Chairman Naresh Goyal said here. "I hope those clearances come so that we as an Indian carrier can play a further important role for the convenience of customers and (in getting) India's market share (of international traffic) what we deserve," he told Indian journalists on the sidelines of the annual summit of the International Air Transport Association here. Maintaining that the airline wanted to tap the huge market of South Asians, living in Europe, who currently fly to their homes by Gulf or European carriers, he said his airline is "already in the second place" to fly out such passengers to Dhaka, Colombo, Kathmandu or even Bangkok. Contíd on page 23

Lagarde woos China in bid for IMF Chief BEIJING: Echoing India's stance on the issue, China said the race to head the IMF was "open" as the French front-runner Christine Lagarde began a charm offensive to woo Beijing to support her bid. A leading contender, the French Finance Minister, traveled to China from India where her intense parleys failed to get an endorsement from New Delhi. Lagarde, who already visited Brazil and India, two key member of the BRIC group, which initially evinced interest in projecting a candidate from its ranks, met Chinese Vice Premier Wang Qishan, Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi, top officials of Foreign Ministry, and central bank governor Zhou Xiaochuan. Playing down the significance of her visit the 55-year-old Lagarde said she was not seeking China backing but only wanted to introduce her bid for the post of IMF Chief.-PTI

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‘No decision on swapping clause with Posco’ BHUBANESWAR: Put in a fix over controversial iron ore swapping clause in the lapsed MoU with Posco-India, Orissa government has asked different departments to give their views within 15 days on possible deletion and addition of new points in the renewed MoU with the South Korean firm. ìNo decision was taken at the meeting. The secretaries of concerned departments are asked to give their considered opinion on different subjects, including swapping clause. Chief Minister will take a final decision,î said chief secretary B K Patnaik who presided over a preparatory meeting ahead of the renewal of MoU with Posco-India. -PTI

June 17, 2011

Corporate America hails India's decision to buy 10 Boeing C17s WASHINGTON: Welcoming India's decision to buy 10 Boeing C-17 heavy-lift aircraft for its Air Force, US-India business body said it is a testament to New Delhi's confidence in having the US as its long-term defense partner. "This is testament to India's appreciation of US technology and confidence in the US as a long-term defense sales partner. This largest-ever Indian purchase of US defense technology, we hope, will be just the beginning of much more to come," said Ron Somers, president of US India Business Council (USIBC) after Indian government took decision in this regard. Marking the biggest defense deal between India and the US, India gave green signal to procurement of 10 C-17 heavy-lift military aircraft at a cost of USD4.1 billion, weeks after America lost out in the bid for 126 fighter deal. Once delivered, Indian Air Force will be the owner and operator of the largest C-17 fleet outside the US. Headquartered in Chicago, Boeing is the manufacturer of the C-17 aircraft. The C-17 is a large transport aircraft used for rapid strategic and tactical airlift of

tanks, supplies and troops, as well as perform medical evacuations. It can land on short and rough runways. According to Boeing, each plane supports 650 suppliers across 44 states in the US, and the order would support its C-17 production facility in Long Beach in California for an entire year.

about 25,000 workers in 44 states depend on the C-17 planes," a Boeing spokesperson said. The USD 4.1 billion transaction, all of which is US export content, would support an estimated 22,160 jobs, the USIBC said. The deal comes with an offset requirement valued at USD 1.2 billion. This offset is to facilitate

gan only a decade ago, at a value of less than USD 200 million for radar equipment. We have come a long way since then. US-India defense sales have now crossed the USD 9 billion mark and continue to grow," Somers said. "US industry wishes to provide India with a host of cutting-edge products and solutions to meet its

Marking the biggest defense deal between India and the US, India gave green signal to procurement of 10 C-17 heavy-lift military aircraft at a cost of USD4.1 billion, weeks after America lost out in the bid for 126 fighter deal Boeing is the largest employer in the city. "Without the order by the Indian government, the last of the plant's current orders would be delivered in December 2012. The order has a USD 5.8 billion annual economic impact and the jobs of

Ron Somers

India's domestic capability to expand its own defense manufacturing prowess. India's Cabinet Committee on Security has also approved the future purchase of four additional C-17s, the body said. "US defense sales to India be-

emerging defense, security, and counterterrorism needs. Overall, we see the US and India, the world's largest free-market democracies, forging a deep and lasting strategic partnership, shaping the destiny of the 21st Century," he said. -PTI

Inflation, low demand to hit India's GDP WASHINGTON: Rising inflation and slowing demand would moderate India's economic growth to 8 per cent during 201112 from 8.8 per cent in the previous fiscal, said a World Bank report. "... (India's) growth is projected to ease to 8 per cent in FY 2011-12 from 8.8 per cent in FY 2010-11", World Bank said in its June edition of Global Economic Prospects. Elaborating on the reasons behind the expected slowdown in the country's economic growth, the multilateral lending agency said it "stems from a moderation in domestic demand, as elevated inflationary pressures have cut into disposable

incomes and household spending". The report further said the growth in the developing countries will slow down to 6.3 per cent during 2011 and 2013 from 7.3 per

rent fiscal. However, Indian Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee has pegged that growth projection at 8.75 per cent (plus/minus 0.25 per cent).

GDP growth of the country slowed to a fivequarter low of 7.8 per cent during the January-March quarter, while the six core industries registered meager 5.2 per cent expansion in April cent in 2010. The World Bank's India growth projection is in line with the Reserve Bank's economic growth forecast of 8 per cent for the cur-

GDP growth of the country slowed to a five-quarter low of 7.8 per cent during the JanuaryMarch quarter, while the six core industries registered meager 5.2

per cent expansion in April. Experts have blamed inflation and the resultant rate hikes by the RBI, which resulted in slowing down of investment, for the poor economic growth numbers. Inflation has remained at an elevated level despite the Reserve Bank's tight monetary policy stance. RBI has raised its lending (repo) and borrowing (reverse repo) rates nine times since March 2010. Headline inflation in April stood at 8.66 per cent. The government said earlier it expects the recent hike in petrol prices to put upward pressure on the rate of price rise in the coming months. -PTI

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June 17, 2011

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Pranab assurance to FIIs on sell-off plans NEW DELHI: With slowdown in FII investment in equities looming over government's Rs 40,000 crore sell-off plan, Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee met institutional investors and asked them to stay optimistic on India. At a meeting with a group of 30 Indian and foreign institutional investors (FIIs), Mukherjee said the economy is expected to clock 8.5 per cent growth this fiscal and the revenue collections would be on course. "There need not be any undue fear on the issue of fiscal deficit," he said. There have been concerns that government will find it difficult to meet Budget targets of fiscal deficit and revenue collections because of inflationary pressures and global economic uncertainties. Asking them to take a long term view of the economy without being disturbed with the short term data, the Finance Minister said the investors should "remain optimis-

Pranab Mukherjee

tic." On concerns over Rs 40,000 crore disinvestment plan for this fiscal, he said, "It would be too pre-mature to reach a judgment as only the first two months of the current financial year have gone by." The follow-on-public offer (FPO) of steel major SAIL has

been delayed due to uncertain stock market conditions. The government has been able to raise only Rs 1,145 crore from the PFC issue. Sensex has lost by over 2,000 points or 10 per cent so far in 2011 on worries over inflation impacting domestic growth which could also be affected by global uncertainties. -PTI

High funding cost may hit margins of banks NEW DELHI: Global rating agency Standard & Poor's (S&P) has said margins of banks could be under pressure during the fiscal due to rising costs of funds. "Rising funding costs could put Indian banks' margins under pressure, though lower provisioning costs could offset the impact," S&P said in a report. There is high amount of pressure on the funding cost following increase in interest rate and hike in savings deposit rates by 50 basis points from April this year, S&P credit analyst Geeta Chugh said over a teleconference. However, banking sector earnings are likely to remain stable. The Net Interest Margin is expected to be around 3 per cent. At the same time, non-performing assets (NPAs) are expected to moderate during the current fiscal, the study titled 'India Banking Outlook 2011: Stability Ahead, But Some Headwinds Remain' said. "We believe the asset quality of Indian banks will improve in view of India's sound economic growth and reasonable leverage. Banks' focus on low-to-moderate risk segments and the increased diversification in their loan portfolios should also help their asset

quality," she said. "We expect the sector's overall non-performing loan ratio to have

Capitalization at Indian banks could dip due to the sector's steady growth, she said, adding, the government-owned banks could need additional capital to support their growth plans peaked at about 2.6 per cent in FY11 and decline to 2.4 per cent in FY12," she said. The report noted that a stable

retail deposit base and a prudent regulatory environment also support the industry's creditworthiness. Capitalization at Indian banks could dip due to the sector's steady growth, she said, adding, the government-owned banks could need additional capital to support their growth plans. On liberalization of saving banks account, she said, it will put upward pressure on deposit rates. The rating agency expects that the credit growth would be around 20 per cent in the current fiscal. "We expect Indian banks' credit growth to exceed the nominal gross domestic product growth for the next five years," she said. Loans to the infrastructure, metals and mining sectors are likely to lead the increase in credit growth in 2011-12, it said. However, construction, real estate and gems and jewellery sectors are likely to be high risk segment for the banking sector. On the flip side, the report said, the sector's growth is likely to be high in the next two to three years. But high inflation, increased competition and evolving risk management processes will be key challenges. -PTI

Extra efforts required to achieve tax targets: Pranab NEW DELHI: Amid fears of moderation in growth, Indian Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee has said sustained efforts would be needed to achieve indirect tax collection target of Rs 3.92 lakh crore, about 15 per cent more than the last fiscal. The Minister, while addressing the annual conference of chief commissioners and directors general of Central Board of Excise and Customs (CBEC) here, also called upon the tax officials to work towards reducing the tax litigations. Noting that doubts were being raised over growth projection of 9 per cent for the current fiscal, Mukherjee said, it would be possible to achieve a growth rate of 8.75 per cent (plus-minus 0.25 per cent) with "hard work". To realize indirect tax collection

of Rs 3.92 lakh crore in 2011-12, the Minister said, "you (tax officials) would need a growth of nearly 15 per cent. The task before you is very challenging and will require sustained and strategic efforts throughout the (this) financial year". On taxes locked in litigations, Mukherjee said it currently stood at around Rs 35,000 crore as against a little over Rs 9,000 in March 2005. "This in an area of serious concern. You must, therefore, jointly devise a strategy for realization and liquidation of at least 50 per cent of this locked up revenue during the current fiscal. "This would also provide the necessary fillip to your efforts in attaining the budget revenue targets for 2011-12," he said. -PTI

Jet to expand in Europe for South, East Asia ContĂd from page 22

"We are watching how the Gulf carriers are moving traffic from Europe to South and East Asia. ... We are preparing how we can take on this competition", he said noting that there was big traffic between Europe and Bangladesh, Nepal and Sri Lanka. The plan is to bring in South and East Asian traffic from Europe and fly them to their destinations with a short stopover at the hub of Delhi.. Asked about raising funds to meet Jet's route and fleet expansion, Goyal said "we are looking at all sorts of options, including QIP (Qualified Institutional Placement). We are even

considering diluting some of our equity... We may do some dilution when the right time comes". On his plans to acquire more aircraft, the Jet chief said "we are already ordering aircraft, we are in the process of finalizing certain leases. We are ordering more Boeing 737s and we are ordering Airbus A330s. These will be delivered in the next 2-3 years". The company had about two months ago approved plans to acquire two additional Boeing 777-300ER aircraft which would be delivered between February and April 2013. The premier private carrier was also planning to induct four A330-family aircraft over the next two years.-PTI

TOP TEN HINDI FILM SONGS

1 Humko Pyaar Hua : Ready 2 Tere Bin Jiya Na Jaye : Love Express 3 Kutta : Pyar Ka Punchnama Shor In The City 4 Hare Jhande Ke Shehzaade :

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June 17, 2011

A Strange Love Story 5 Khoya Kya : Kashmakash 6 Khwab (Rock) : Kucch Luv Jaisaa 7

Zindagi : Shaitan

8 Ishq Da Keeda : Bheja Fry 2 9 Bhaag D.K Bose, Aandhi Aayi : Delhi Belly 10 O Yaara : Shaitan

Friendless Asin

adhur Bhandarkar has finally zeroed down on the lead actor opposite Aishwarya Rai Bachchan in Heroine. He is none other than the Yeh Saali Zindagi charmer Arunoday Singh. Arunoday will play a cricketer in the film. A source revealed, "The character is of an ace cricketer who is going around with this top actress. The whole casting is kept hush-hush and the inspiration is not disclosed. Now it would be interesting to know from which controversial jodi the drama is inspired, Azhar-Sangeeta, Amrita Singh-Ravi Shastri or YuvrajDeepika romance." Arunoday expressed his excitement on his big break opposite Ms Rai, "Yes I am doing the film and I am over the moon. I can't speak anything about the character but it feels great to be acting opposite Aishwarya Rai. But I would approach it as any other film. Having said that, Madhur is a wonderful director and I don't need to say that."

sin has worked with big names in the industry like Aamir Khan, Salman Khan and Ajay Devgn, but the actress doesn't have a close friend in Bollywood yet. "I wouldn't call anybody my closest friend in Bollywood because I think it takes a lot of time and effort to put into that relationship, which I don't think anybody in Bollywood has. There are a lot of people I know, but no such very close friends," says the 25-year-old. "Most of the people I've worked with are my seniors, so I have a lot of respect and admiration for them. I know I can approach them for anything that I want to, but I wouldn't call that close friendship," added the actress. Asin started her Bollywood career with Aamir in "Ghajini" and then went on to do films with Salman including "London Dreams" and "Ready".

Bollywood

June 17, 2011

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Sonu the cop T

hanks to the success of "Dabangg", Sonu Sood has got his share of sunshine in Bollywood. And after working with Aishwarya Rai and Salman Khan, he now shares screen space with megastar Amitabh Bachchan in "Bbuddah - Hoga Terra Baap" and says that this is the best phase of his career. "Every actor wants to work with Mr. Bachchan at least once. And I got an opportunity to work in a film, which is basically about him and me. Everyday was a learning experience. He is a great man with a lot of experience. He is a great guy and we had lot of fun together," he said in an interview. "We used to rehearse our scenes again and again because that really fine tunes your performance. He is an actor who is always ready for rehearsals, which is great. He used to give me suggestions that helped me. Sonu is playing a cop in "Bbuddah - Hoga Terra Baap", helmed by director Poori Jagannath and produced by AB Corp. It is about an angry old man, played by Amitabh, who often gets into trouble because he loses his cool easily. "Two years back he (Jagannath) narrated me a script and said that he wants to make a film with me and Mr. Bachchan. I liked the idea and finally it happened," said Sonu.

Salman fined

Sexy widow S

oon to be relased Double Dhamaal revolves around four friends who decide to make money by investing in buildings. It stars Sanjay Dutt, Arshad Warsi, Jaaved Jaaferi, Riteish Deshmukh, Ashish Chowdhry, Mallika Sherawat and Kangna Ranaut. The movie has Kangna Ranaut playing a widow and her character is set on the looks and feel of the character inspired by Jaya Bachchan's role in Sholay. In fact, in one of the scenes, Kangna wears an old white saree like Jaya in 'Sholay'. Indra Kumar confirms, "It is a spoof, a funny scene all in good humor. We are not making fun of or passing derogatory remarks on Jayaji and Sholay. It's just that in earlier times all widows were stereotyped. They wore white sarees and would only cook gajar ka halwa and alu parathas for their mothers. The particular scene, with all the other actors, is a spoof where she is in a widow's garb with minimal make-up. In the film, she plays a modern, smart and sexy young secretary to Sanjay Dutt."

Ghaziabad cop

t all started with Salman Khan's Dabangg, with him playing the proverbial cop torn between duty and family. Now Sanjay Dutt will be seen essaying the role of Thakur Pritam Singh, a zamindar-turned-cop from Bulandshahr in Uttar Pradesh, in the film Zilla Ghaziabad. Thakur Pritam Singh employs notorious unorthodox methods of dealing with criminals. He would make criminals shoot other criminals rather than doing the dirty job himself. Dutt who previously played cop in quite a few films in his career, is gearing up for the challenge to play this real life character in which he will change his entire look. Confirming this Dutt's spokesperson said, "Yes at this point, all I can do is say yes Sanjay will be playing that role, however I cannot reveal further details as of now."

alman Khan's smoking habit got him into trouble as he was fined for smoking in public. The incident took place in Patiala, Punjab, where Salman is shooting for his forthcoming film Bodyguard. Smoking is banned in public places but Salman was seen puffing away to glory on the sets of his film at the Hotel Neemrana in Patiala. The actor was issued a fine of Rs. 200 by the local district authorities on the basis of a photograph which was published in a local newspaper. This is not the first time that the Bollywood superstar has been fined for smoking in public. Besides Salman, actors like Ajay Devgn and SRK too have been fined for smoking in public places.

ilmmakers are known to shell out lots of money to shoot at actual or authentic locations to get the ambience and mood right. In the case of Double Dhamaal, producer Ashok Thakeria had to construct a set of a casino at Mehboob Studio in Bandra for a price of Rs 1.5 crore. Mallika Sherawat's item song Jalebi bai… and part of the climax of his forthcoming comedy, Double Dhamaal, which he's making in association with Reliance Entertainment, was shot there. Though director Indra Kumar could have filmed the sequences in casinos in Goa or Macau, he didn't think it would be feasible. "They would only let us shoot for a few hours in a day, and that too only at night. Since we required to shoot all day long, we had no option, but to build this set," says Thakeria. Major parts of the film's climax have been shot in Macau as well. It was the pictures that the production team clicked on their trips to Macau that inspired the set design in Mumbai. "Credit goes to art director Tanushree Sarkar for putting up such a brilliant set. Other actors and filmmakers would drop in to have a look around as they had heard a lot about it," he says, adding that it is worth the Rs 1.5 crore it cost to make in two-odd weeks. But he's unperturbed about the expense, as he feels the song will go on to become a chartbuster. Sherawat's item number, which has been composed by Anand Raj Anand and choreographed by Ganesh Acharya, also features Sanjay Dutt, Kangna Ranaut, Riteish Deshmukh, Arshad Warsi, Ashish Chowdry and Jaaved Jaffery. The team became so attached to the casino that it broke their hearts to learn that after completing their 12-day shoot, the set would be dismantled. "We were telling each other that if we could manage a license, then the casino would continue to stand and actually function," he says, laughing. However, the film's promotion will not start with the Jalebi bai… number. "We'll promote it somewhere in the middle of the campaign, closer to the film's release on June 24," he adds. Kangna's kissing woes The makers of Double Dhamaal have bought the rights of Tridev's (1989) hit 'Oye oye...' to be featured in the movie. During the shoot of that song, actor Kangna Ranaut was supposed to get close to her co-star Riteish Deshmukh. But she faced constant problems cozying up with him, thanks to his African-retro

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‘Credit goes to art director Tanushree Sarkar for putting up such a brilliant set. Other actors and filmmakers would drop in to have a look around as they had heard a lot about it,’ he says, adding that it is worth the Rs 1.5 crore it cost to make in two-odd weeks. But he's unperturbed about the expense, as he feels the song will go on to become a chartbuster

disguise. Ritiesh wears a large wig as part of his costume, due to which Kangna had problems kissing on his cheek. After several retakes, they finally managed to shoot it with different dance moves choreographed by Ganesh Acharya. "Despite combing it

down, Riteish's wig kept troubling us. Nothing helped but finally, thanks to Ganesh, we managed to shoot around the wig," says a source from the film's unit. Cont’d on page 27

June 17, 2011

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Jalebiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Dhamaal Contâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d from page 26

Sanju ensures Dhamaal on sets Free time on the sets of Double Dhamaal, was made more fun by Sanjay Dutt when he purchased a new gadget called Segway, a two-wheeled, self-balancing electric vehicle which is battery operated and is quite popular among the youth abroad. According to sources, the crew of the film was no less amused and obsessed with the device. Double Dhamaal features Sanjay Dutt, Arshad Warsi, Riteish Deshmukh, Jaaved Jaafri and Aashish Chaudhary and is being directed by Inder Kumar. Sanjay, who is known for his passion for latest gadgets kept his Segway in his

vanity van during the shoots. But during breaks, there was a dhamaal of a different kind on the sets as actors and crew members would try to outdo each other, to get their hands on Segway first. A unit source said, "The boys including Arshad, Riteish, Ashish and Jaaved were constantly arguing over who gets to ride the Segway first and this wasn't only restrained to the cast." Director Inder Kumar, too, was seen giving instructions on the sets moving around on the Segway! "Within a few days, everyone seemed to have become a pro riding it. They liked it so much that they even included it in the film while shooting the comic caper!" the source elaborated.

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Indo-American Center sponsors Eye on India fest India Post News Service

CHICAGO: A unique and colorful extravaganza of Indian culture, the first of its type the annual Eye on India festival seeks to showcase India's rich cultural heritage by presenting the best of Indian music, theatre, literature, film, traditional health and wellness and visual arts at Millennium Park and surrounding venues, including the Harris Theater, the Art Institute of Chicago and the Chicago Cultural Center. This extraordinary festival will join Chicago's world class cultural landscape for ten days July 8-17. Presented by India-based Teamwork Films in partnership with Chicago-based Anookul Inc, Eye on India will open Friday, July 8 at the Harris Theater with internationally acclaimed Indian classical violinist Dr. L. Subramaniam with special local guests, the Chicago Children's Choir and Natya Dance Theatre. Daily events to follow, the majority of which are free of charge, will include: literary panels with esteemed journalists and authors including Tarun Tejpal and Hari Kunzru; an Indian film retrospective hosted by critically acclaimed

Indian actress Tabu; a "Music Without Borders" concert featuring Susheela Raman; and, a performance by India's Ishara Puppet Theatre Trust. An Indian art exhibit entitled "Where The Streets Have No Name" will be on display at Coalition Gallery throughout the festival. Eye on India will culminate on Sunday, July 17 with The Wellbeing Experience - a full-day of yoga, meditation and ayurveda workshops. Known as the "God of Indian Violin," Dr. L. Subramaniam will kick off the Eye on India Festival Friday, July 8 at 8 p.m. with special guests, the Chicago Children's Choir and Natya Dance Theatre at the Harris Theater. One of India's foremost puppet groups, Ishara Puppet Theatre Trust presents "Transposition," an original work based on Rashna Imhasly's book, "The Psychology of Love: Wisdom of Indian Mythology." "Transposition" features dance, martial arts and puppetry to both playfully and powerfully depict the illusions of love and the duality of each person. With exquisite sets and a moving soundtrack, this internationally acclaimed show is a complete sensory experience.

Free Events: Literature sessions will be held for a full day on Saturday, July 9 at the Art Institute of Chicago in Fullerton Hall. Three separate onehour sessions will commence at 11 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3 p.m., featuring moderated discussions with panelists including: Tarun Tejpal, author of "The Alchemy of Desire,"

Known as the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;God of Indian Violin,â&#x20AC;&#x2122; Dr. L. Subramaniam will kick off the Eye on India Festival Friday, July 8 at 8 pm with special guests and declared by BusinessWeek among 50 leaders at the forefront of change in Asia; writer and political commentator Nayantara Sahgal, whose award-winning work includes "Rich Like Us;" journalist and historian, Shrabani Basu, who currently writes for The Telegraph as well as other publications; and Hari Kunzru, a New York City resident whose work has appeared in The New Yorker, New

York Times, Guardian, and Times of India among others. A film retrospective will feature one of the most critically acclaimed actresses in India, Tabu, who is best known in America for her leading role in Mira Nair's "The Namesake." She has won the National Film Award for the Best Actress twice and holds the record for the most wins of Filmfare's Critics Award for Best Female Performer. Tabu will be speaking at the Art Institute of Chicago's Fullerton Hall Sunday, July 10 at 3 p.m., and will host a screening of one of her films Monday, July 11 at 6:30 p.m. at the Chicago Cultural Center. British musician Susheela Raman exploded onto the music scene in 2001 with her debut album, "Salt Rain," winning the UK's coveted Mercury Prize. She keeps her Tamil heritage alive in her music, mixing South Indian classical music with jazz, folk and pop. Accompanied by tabla player, Aref Durvesh, guitarist and producer Sam Mills, and Rajasthani folk musicians, Kutle Khan, Chugge Khan, and Nathoo Lal Solanki, Raman's multi-layered vocals lead an inclusive sound of traditional Rajasthani folk and rare South Indian Raga. She will perform at the

Jay Pritzker Pavilion in Millennium Park as part of the "Music Without Borders" series presented by the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events, Thursday, July 14 at 6:30 p.m. Curator Dr. Alka Pande brings together artists and children to create twin canvases to explore the varying perceptions of the street, in "Where The Streets Have No Name," a one-of-a-kind 'Street' art exhibit from the residents of the 'Salaam Baalak Trust.' This exhibit will be on display July 8 - 15 at Coalition Gallery, 217 N Carpenter St. Millennium Park will host two free, family-friendly events, including Indian music & yoga at the Family Fun Festival Tent on Chase Promenade, Friday, July 15 at 1 pm. and a morning Yoga in the Park session on the Great Lawn Saturday, July 16 at 8 a.m. The Wellbeing Experience on Sunday, July 17 will feature several yoga workshops led by local schools and practitioners, guided meditation, lectures, demonstrations, private Ayurvedic consultations with certified practitioners from India, local yoga schools, and AYUSH (India's Department of Ayurveda, Yoga & Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy).

Hrithik's triple role in 'Krrish 3'! Celebrity Cricket on Sahara One channel India Post News Service

ollywood icon Hrithik Roshan's adoring fans can finally rest at ease, as there will be no shortage of the screen heartthrob in the highly anticipated film, 'Krrish 3'. After contemplating for months on what to do to make for the next installment of the blockbuster superhero 'Krrish' series, it seems that the producer and father of the Bollywood star, Rakesh Roshan, has understandably decided on the formidable actor playing a

triple role in the film. 'Krrish 3' will be a story of three generations where Hrithik will be seen in the role of father, son and grandson. But if the dedicated actor had his way, he would have played four roles in the film, including the villain! This idea definitely did not fit in with his father's plans as he was quoted saying "Hrithik is already playing three roles in the film and that is more than enough for him. It was not possible for Hrithik to play the enemy as well." 'Krrish 3' will release in 2012.

India Post News Service

NEW YORK: For the first time in India, the film fraternities from southern film industry - Tamil, Telugu, Kannada - and Bollywood have come together to play Celebrity Cricket. This star-studded action entertainer will kick-start June 18 and conclude June 26, and will be telecast on Sahara One channel. Celebrity Cricket League (CCL) aims to bring entertainment to another level by mixing film industry with India's most loved sport, Cricket. CCL will consist of four teams Mumbai Heroes, Chennai Rhinos, Karnataka BullDozers and Telugu Warriors. Mumbai Heroes will be led by

actor Sunil Shetty as its captain and Ritiesh Deshmukh as vicecaptain. Superstar Salman Khan will be the iconic player for Mumbai Heroes.

Celebrity Cricket League (CCL) aims to bring entertainment to another level by mixing film industry with India's most loved sport, Cricket The Mumbai Heroes team includes other players like Aftab Shivdasani, Mahesh Manjrekar,

Ashish Choudhary, Shabbir Ahluwalia, Raja Bherwani, Kabir Sadanand, Apoorva Lakhia, Sonu Sood, Sunny Singh, Angad Bedi, Varun Badola, Vatsal Seth and Sohail Khan. The teams from Southern Film Industry will also see known names in its team combination. Popular actor Kicha Sudeep will captain the Karnataka BullDozers, superstar actor Venkatesh will lead Telugu Warriors and actor Abbas will lead the Tamil Rhinos. The opening ceremony of Celebrity Cricket League will be on June 18 at 2:30 p.m. This ceremony will be a grand affair with a performance by 1200 drummers and India's singing sensation Sonu Nigam.

29 India Post

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ampi is famous for its ruins belong ing to the erstwhile medieval Hindu kingdom of Vijaynagar and it is declared a World Heritage site. The temples of Hampi, its monolithic sculptures and monuments, attract the traveler because of their excellent workmanship. The Hindu style of architecture found at Hampi reflects the splendor of the Vijaynagar Empire. The rugged landscape adds to the historic ambience of this site. Hampi is located in the central part of the state of Karnataka, in the southern part of India. It is 353 km from Bangalore, and 13 km from Hospet. It is located on top of a rugged terrain and is 467 m above sea level. Tungabhadra River flows through Hampi. It has a tropical climate with hot summers (April-June), and cool winters (OctoberFebruary). It experiences the southwestern monsoon rains from June to August. Best time to visit: The best time to visit Hampi is from October to March. History: The first settlement in Hampi dates back to 1st century AD and a number of Buddhist sites belonging to that time have been found nearby. Hampi was the capital of the mighty Vijaynagar Empire. Vijaynagar was one of the largest Hindu empires in India. Two brothers, Harihar and Bukka founded it in 1336.

June 17, 2011

The temples of Hampi, its monolithic sculptures and monuments, attract the traveler because of their excellent workmanship. The Hindu style of architecture found at Hampi reflects the splendor of the Vijaynagar Empire Krishnadevaraya (1509-1529) was the greatest ruler and controlled almost all of peninsular India south of Tungabhadra River. The town of Hampi in 14th century had a population of half a million people. Seven concentric lines of fortifications protected the city. Contâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d on page 30

Travel & Hospitality Post

India Post

June 17, 2011

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Check unplanned tourism: Centre to states NEW DELHI: A concerned Centre has come out with draft guidelines for eco-tourism in the country and asked state governments to develop a strategy to check unplanned tourism in protected fragile landscapes. Environment Ministry laid out a detailed set of framework guidelines on the selection, planning, development, implementation and monitoring of eco-tourism in and around natural ecosystems, saying "unplanned tourism in such landscapes can destroy the very environment that attracts such tourism in the first place." "All states should notify the state-level Eco-tourism Strategy by December 31, 2011, and put the same in the public domain, in the local language also," says the guidelines which also direct the state governments to carry out "relevant modifications" in rules in order to ensure adherence to these standards by tourist developers and operators. The draft guidelines said the states should prepare "a site-specific eco-tourism Plan for each Protected Area" and levy a "local conservation cess" as a percentage

of turn-over, on all privately-run tourist facilities within 5 km of the boundary of a Protected Area. It also directed the temple/pilgrimage boards to designate as sacred groves the pilgrimage sites located inside Protected Areas. All transit camps and places of stay for

The guidelines also directs temple boards to negotiate terms of revenue sharing with local communities, and channel a minimum of five percent of gross revenue collected into development of local communities through the Panchayat and Gram Sabha. "Livelihoods to local communities are of

The draft guidelines also ask visitors not to disturb the highly endangered, endemic species during their courtship period. "The Central Indian barasingha, a highly endangered, endemic species found only in Kanha has a courtship period of about 1 month in winter, during which it is extremely sensitive to disturbance" such pilgrimage must be restricted to nominated days in a year and all rules that apply to tourism facilities including noise, building design, use of alternate energy and free passage to wildlife will apply to such pilgrim facilities, it says.

paramount importance. Without their full participation, and without their realizing the benefits of ecotourism in tangibly visible measure, our protected areas can not remain protected in any meaningful manner," Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh said

in his foreword. The draft guidelines has also asked the Protected Area Management to develop a "Do's and Don'ts" like visitors should dress in colors that blend with the natural environment, observe the sanctity of holy sites, respect local customs and do not provoke wild animals. The draft guidelines also ask visitors not to disturb the highly endangered, endemic species during their courtship period. "The Central Indian barasingha, a highly endangered, endemic species found only in Kanha has a courtship period of about 1 month in winter, during which it is extremely sensitive to disturbance," the Ministry said. Likewise, the peak courtship activity for spotted deer lasts for two months before the onset of regular monsoon. "As far as tigers are concerned, newborns are seen between March and May and also during the rains; hence an average value of two months in a year can be considered as the matter phase," it said. The guidelines also suggest that the staff strength could be increased during tourist peak season. -PTI

Hampi: Excellent workmanship of sculptures & monuments Contâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d from page 29

It maintained a huge army to protects it from other kingdoms. Vijaynagar Empire flourished, as it controlled both cotton and spice trade routes of southern India. Medieval historians refer to Hampi as an important center of trade. However, the glory of Vijaynagar was short lived. With the death of Krishnadevaraya, the combined armies of the five Muslim kingdoms-Bidar, Bijapur, Golconda, Ahmednagar and Berar-destroyed this mighty empire in 1565. Tourist attractions: The main tourist spots in Hampi can be divided into two broad areas: the Hampi Bazaar area and the Royal center near Kamalapuram. The 15th-century Virupaksha Temple is located in the Hampi Bazaar area. It is one of the oldest monuments of the town. The top of the temple rises about 50 m from the ground and the main shrine is dedicated to Virupaksha, a form of Lord Shiva. Hemakuta Hill, south of the Virupaksha temple, contains early ruins, Jain temples and a monolithic sculpture of Lord Narasimha, a form of Lord Vishnu. Hemakuta Hill offers excellent view of Hampi

Bazaar. Two kilometers east of Hampi Bazaar, the traveler can see the World Heritage Vittal temple, built in the 16th century. The carvings on this temple give an insight into the architectural splendor achieved by the artisans of Vijaynagar Empire.

visit in the Hampi Bazaar area. The royal center is located between the Hampi Bazaar area and Kamalapuram. One can take a 2km walk down to this area from the Hampi Bazaar. There are a number of tourist attractions, within the walled area of the royal center. The

on its domed and vaulted ceiling. The Elephant quarter is adjacent to the Zenana Enclosure. It is a domed building, which housed the royal elephants. The Queen's Bath, with its unique Islamic architecture, and the Underground Virupaksha temple are other impor-

Lotus Mahal or palace is an intricately designed pavilion within a walled compound, known as the Zenana Enclosure. This palace is a blend of IndoIslamic architecture and gets its name from the lotus bud carved

tant places to visit within the royal center. The Archeological Museum at Kamalapuram has a good collection of sculptures belonging to the Vijaynagar Empire. Apart from the Hampi Bazaar and the Royal center, Anegondi is

The top of the temple rises about 50 m from the ground and the main shrine is dedicated to Virupaksha, a form of Lord Shiva The outer pillars of this temple are said to produce music when tapped. They are also known as the musical pillars. Between Hampi Bazaar and Vittal temple, one can see the deserted Sule Bazaar and the Achutraya temple. Monolithic statue of Lord Ganesh, Nandi, the Kodandarama temple and the Krishna temple are other places to

another area to be visited by the tourist. It is a fortified area north of Hampi Bazaar across Tungabhadra River. It has a number of temples in and around it. Places around The town of Hospet, which is 13 km from Hampi, is an important tourist center. Travelers can have a panoramic view of surrounding areas from the 49-m-high and 2-km-long Tungabhadra Dam, 6 km from Hospet. Fairs and festivals: Hampi is famous for Purandara Festival. This annual festival is held in January-February in the Vittal temple to celebrate the birth anniversary of the medieval poet-composer, Purandar. How to reach Rail - Hampi does not have a Railway station. The nearest railhead is at Hospet, which is 13 km from the ruins of Hampi. Travelers use Hospet as a base to commence their journey to Hampi. Road - The main bus station in Hampi is located in the Hampi Bazaar area.

Travel & Hospitality Post

June 17, 2011

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J&K promoting tourism in less developed areas SRINAGAR: To boost tourist footfall in less developed areas of the state and create more employment opportunities, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has sanctioned Rs 3 crores for the tourism department. "Omar approved an additional allocation of Rs 3 crores for Tourism Department which can be enhanced to Rs 5 crores at the time of revised estimates," an official spokesman said. He said the amount has been granted under the package of incentives for tourism to develop infrastructure in less developed areas and give impetus to the economic activities besides generating employment for people. The Chief Minister also gave

nod to the revised incentive rules prepared by the Tourism Department in consultation with the Planning and Development Department to bring more suitable areas under the ambit of incentive package.

sides opening venues for wide-ranging economic activities. The incentives under the package include subsidy on capital investment, subsidy for new units, support to adventure and recre-

"Omar approved an additional allocation of Rs 3 crores for Tourism Department which can be enhanced to Rs 5 crores at the time of revised estimates," an official spokesman said Approving the proposal to this effect, Omar said under a comprehensive incentive package, opportunities of self employment for a large number of people would be created across the state in the tourism sector be-

ation tourism, subsidy on facilities and equipment, purchase of tourist coaches, upgradation of vehicles, creation of paying guest accommodation and travel agencies. -PTI

Goa temples ban entry of foreigners PANAJI: Scantily-clad tourists in beach wear have not gone down well with temple authorities in Goa with some laying down a strict dress code for visitors and another barring foreigners, While the Mahalasa Narayani Temple at Mardol, 20 km from Panaji has put up a board stating that "Entry Restricted for Foreign Tourists", the Mangueshi Temple at Mangueshi village and Ramnathi temple at Ponda have put a dress code in place. "We are not against foreigners, but their dresses and conduct in the temple is highly objectionable, so the management has decided to ban them," said Vinod Kamat, President, Mahalasa Narayani Temple. The locals were recently outraged after some foreigners, out of ignorance, wore garlands that were supposed to be offered to the deity. "They would wear garlands themselves, and later place them before the deity, which was highly objectionable," Kamat said. "There has to be some disci-

pline." Before the ban, on an average a hundred foreigners visited the temple every day. Mangueshi Temple, located next to Mahalsa Temple, has imposed dress restrictions. The

Now a days, many foreigners after seeing the board describing the dress code, come to temple committee's office and are given shawls so that they can cover themselves while going in

temple president, Jayant Mandurkar, said the dress code was same for both domestic as well as foreign tourists. Tourists sometimes wear short skirts, shorts and other dresses

when visiting the temple, Mandurkar said. Now a days, many foreigners after seeing the board describing the dress code, come to temple committee's office and are given shawls so that they can cover themselves while going in. "Foreigners are cordial. They don't argue. But we always have a run-in with the domestic tourists," Mandurkar said. He said that when the temple management informed the tourism department about the dress code, the department welcomed the move. "This will not impact the tourist flow. In fact, all over world, there are dress codes for visiting religious places," said Ralf D'Souza, President, Travel and Tourism Association of Goa (TTAG). For example, a visitor to mosques in Istanbul cannot enter inside without wearing a shawl, he said. "We cannot violate the sanctity of temples in the name of tourism," he said. -PTI

E-ticketing for Gondola Cable Car soon SRINAGAR: The Jammu and Kashmir Tourism department will soon launch e-ticketing for tourists desirous of enjoying a ride on the Asia's longest and highest ropeway, 'Gondola Cable Car' in Gulmarg resort. "Online ticketing for Gondola rides would be introduced very soon," Minister for Tourism and Culture Nawang Rigzin Jora said while addressing a function organized by Travel Agents Society of Kashmir (TASK) here.

Peace and normalcy is must to allow the tourism industry in the state to flourish, he said. "Concerted efforts of the government have shown good results towards increasing tourist influx to the Valley," he said. During the last two years, focused attention has been paid on development of new tourism spots, besides upgradation of existing infrastructure to facilitate the visiting tourists, Jora said. He said a vigorous publicity

campaign has been launched by the government in and outside the country for showcasing state's rich tourism potential. Road shows, exhibitions, travel marts have been organized at various capital cities of the country besides aboard to attract more and more tourists to visit the Valley, he said. "The State Tourism Department has also engaged a reputed advertising agency to publicize the state's tourism," he added. -PTI

Indians rank among top tourists in Singapore SINGAPORE: India is among the top five tourists generating nations for Singapore with a total of 171,000 Indians visited the city state in the first quarter of this year, according to data released by the Singapore Tourism Board. During January to April, 171,000 Indians visited Singapore, an increase of 9 per cent from a year ago, said the Tourism Board. India remained the top five tourist generating markets for Singapore, after Indonesia, China, Malaysia and Australia, it said. Overall, Singapore received 3.12 million tourists in the first quarter of the year, up 15.7 per cent from

the same period of last year. The Indians were also among the top spenders in Singapore, ranking fourth in 2010, after the Indonesians, Chinese and Australians. The Indian tourist spending totaled SGD911 million last year, up by 19 per cent from 2009. The Indians spent 28 per cent of their money on shopping, 24 per cent on accommodation, 14 per cent on food & beverages and 34 per cent on other recreational activities. The board said spending by 11.6 million tourist visits increased by 50 per cent to SGD18.9 billion in 2010. -PTI

'Ecology conservation must to sustain tourism' SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has emphasized conservation of forests and water bodies to sustain tourism industry in the state. "To sustain tourism and safeguard economic resources in the state, conservation of water bodies, forest wealth and bio-diversity is the need of the hour," he said at a meeting of Wullar-Manasbal Development Authority.

Omar also stressed on the need for unified and coordinated efforts by the administration and public to preserve the state's fragile environment and conserve its natural beauty. Pointing out the significance of Wullar and Manasbal lakes, the Chief Minister asked WMDA to take measures for protection and beautification of these water bodies.

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In Brief Little info on farm labor in GA immigration debate ATLANTA: Weeks after Georgia enacted a tough law targeting illegal immigrants, it remains to be seen if recent complaints about farm labor shortages represent a wider problem. Fruit and vegetable growers blame the new law for spooking migrant farm workers - including many illegal immigrants - from Georgia. The law authorizes police to ask about a suspect's immigration status in some situations. It will force growers to eventually use a federal database to verify that new hires are legal workers. Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Gary Black is surveying farmers to find out if they face labor shortages. He'll report his findings to the governor. -AP

Mass. won't sign onto immigration check program BOSTON: Gov. Deval Patrick has decided Massachusetts won't participate in a federal program that checks the immigration status of people who are arrested. In a letter to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Massachusetts Public Safety Secretary Mary Beth Heffernan said Patrick has decided not to sign any memorandum of understanding for the state to participate in the federal Secure Communities program. Patrick had previously said he believed the state might have no choice but to participate in the program. -AP

Lawmaker files bills targeting illegal immigrants AUSTIN, Texas: A state representative from Houston has filed three pieces of legislation that would criminalize illegal immigrants and those who employ them, but the legislation won't get a hearing unless Gov. Rick Perry adds the topic to his agenda for the current special legislative session. Perry recalled the Legislature to work on unresolved issues relating to school finance, congressional redistricting and the Texas Windstorm Insurance Association. Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst, who presides over the Senate, has called on Perry to allow lawmakers to take up illegal immigration issues and said the governor was considering it. -AP

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Assembly OKs state grants for immigrant students Details on page 36

Female feticide rampant among Indian immigrants in US India Post News Service

NEW YORK: "There is such a thing as too many daughters, but not too many sons" is the title of a qualitative study of son preference and fetal sex selection among Indian immigrants in the United States published recently following a study by the University of California San Francisco (UCSF). The researchers found that 40% of the women interviewed for the study had terminated prior pregnancies with female fetuses and that 89% of women carrying female fetuses in their current pregnancy pursued an abortion. The study led by Sunita Puri, (Dept of Internal Medicine, UCSF) , and supported by Vincanne Adams ( Dept of Anthropology, History, and Social Medicine), Susan Iveyc (Dept of Community Health and Human Development), and Robert D. Nachtigall (Dept of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences) found that the pressure to bear sons leads some immigrant Indian women to sex selection and abortion. In response to concerns from feminists, demographers, bioethicists, journalists, and health care professionals, the Indian

government passed legislation in 1994 and 2003 prohibiting the use of sex selection technology and sex-selective abortion. However, the study found that in contrast, South Asian families immigrating to the United States find themselves in an environment where reproductive choice is protected by law and technologies enabling sex selec-

United States between September 2004 and December 2009. The women surveyed spoke of son preference and sex selection as separate though intimately related phenomena, and the major themes that arose during interviews included the socio-cultural roots of son preference; women's early socialization around the importance of sons; the different

The researchers found that 40% of the women interviewed had terminated prior pregnancies with female fetuses and that 89% of women carrying female fetuses in their current pregnancy pursued an abortion tion are readily available. In the absence of research exploring immigrant Indian women's narratives about the pressure they face to have sons, the process of deciding to utilize sex selection technologies, and the physical and emotional health implications of both son preference and sex selection, the study group undertook a semi-structured, in-depth interviews with 65 immigrant Indian women in the United States who had pursued fetal sex selection on the East and West coasts of the

forms of pressure to have sons that women experienced from female inlaws and husbands; the spectrum of verbal and physical abuse that women faced when they did not have male children and/or when they found out they were carrying a female fetus; and the ambivalence with which women regarded their own experience of reproductive "choice." These narratives highlight the interaction between medical technology and the perpetuation of this specific form of violence

against women in an immigrant context where women are both the assumed beneficiaries of reproductive choice while remaining highly vulnerable to family violence and reproductive coercion, the report says. The interviews were conducted in English, Hindi and Punjabi. The researchers found that 40% of the women interviewed had terminated prior pregnancies with female fetuses and that 89% of women carrying female fetuses in their current pregnancy pursued an abortion. These results were consistent among all education levels; approximately half the women interviewed held jobs outside the home, according to a report on the UCSF website. In addition, women who carried a female fetus to term said they were subject to varying degrees of verbal and physical abuse. The women came from various religious and educational backgrounds. Thirty eight had finished high school, 12 had graduated from college and 15 held advanced degrees in medicine, law, business, nursing and scientific research. Contâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d on page 37

Supreme Court upholds Employer Sanctions Law CYRUS D. MEHTA

n May 26, the US Supreme Court in Chamber of Commerce v. Whiting upheld the Legal Arizona Workers Act, requiring all Arizona employers to use E-Verify and also suspending or revoking the licenses of employers who knowingly or intentionally hire unauthorized aliens. Numerous civil liberties organizations joined the US Chamber of Commerce in challenging the law. At issue in this decision was whether the federal employment sanctions regime under the Immigration Reform & Control Act of 1986 (IRCA) preempted states like Arizona from enacting similar immigration-related legislation that

would sanction employers who hire unauthorized workers. Â§274A of the Immigration and Nationality Act, which was introduced by IRCA, prohibits the hiring or the continuing employment of aliens not au-

states could still regulate. The Supreme Court held that the Legal Arizona Workers Act law fell within the "licensing and similar laws" exception of IRCA and rejected arguments that the law was

The Supreme Court decision will impact businesses that operate in Arizona and other states with similar laws as they will need to comply with a hodgepodge of employer compliance laws thorized to work in the US. Although IRCA preempted states from imposing criminal or civil sanctions on employers relating to the hiring of unauthorized workers, it created an exception with respect to "licensing and similar laws" which

not truly a licensing law or that it conflicted with IRCA, an exclusive federal enforcement program. The Supreme Court decision will impact businesses that operate in Arizona and other states with similar laws as they will need

to comply with a hodgepodge of employer compliance laws with respect to hiring workers. Furthermore, Chamber of Commerce v. Whiting will encourage other states to also enact similar laws and also make E-verify mandatory when hiring any worker. Since the Supreme Court's ruling is narrow and revolved around the "licensing and similar laws" exception, it is not clear whether the Supreme Court will uphold the constitutionality of broader state legislation, such as Arizona SB 1070, whose most controversial provisions have thus far been found to be unconstitutional in the Ninth Circuit. Contâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d on page 37

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June 17, 2011

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US industry faces labor woes in immigration debate WASHINGTON: The U.S. agriculture industry fears a disaster is on the horizon if the one bit of new immigration policy that Congress seems to agree on becomes law. A plan to require all American businesses to run their employees through E-Verify, a program that confirms each is legally entitled to work in the United States, could wreak havoc on an industry where 80 percent of the field workers are illegal immigrants. So could the increased paperwork audits already under way by the Obama administration. ``We are headed toward a train wreck,'' said Rep. Zoe Lofgren, a California Democrat whose district includes agriculture-rich areas. ``The stepped up (workplace) enforcement has brought this to a head.'' Lofgren said farmers are worried that their work force is about to disappear. They say they want to hire legal workers and U.S. citizens, but that it's nearly impossible, given the relatively low wages and back-breaking work. Wages can range from minimum wage (about $7 an hour) to more than $20 an hour. But workers often are paid by the piece; the faster they work, they more they make. A steady income lasts only as long as the planting and harvesting seasons, which can be measured in weeks. ``Few citizens express interest, in large part because this is hard, tough work,'' Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsak said this past week. ``Our broken immigration system offers little hope for producers to do the right thing.'' Arturo S. Rodriguez, president of United Farm Workers, said migrant farm workers are exposed to blistering heat with little or no shade and few water breaks. It's skilled work, he said, requiring produce pickers to be exact and quick. While the best mushroom pickers can earn about $35,000 to $40,000 a year for piece work, there's little chance for a good living and American workers don't seem interested in farm jobs. ``It is extremely difficult, hard, dangerous work,'' Rodriguez said. Last year Rodriguez's group started the ``Take Our Jobs'' campaign to entice American workers to take the fields. He said of about 86,000 inquiries the group got about the offer, only 11 workers took jobs. ``That really was thought up by farm workers trying to figure out what is it we needed to do to show that we are not trying to take away anyone's job,'' Rodriguez said. Vilsak and the American Farm

Bureau Federation president, Bob Stallman, said in a recent conference call with reporters that the best and likely only hope to stave off an economic catastrophe for American farmers and consumers is comprehensive overhaul of immigration policy. Vilsak said the industry is worth about $5 billion to $9 billion a year. ``We need to address the agriculture labor supply,'' Stallman said. ``This situation will affect the future of America's farmers and ranchers.'' Manuel Cunha, president of Nisei Farmers League, a group representing growers in central California, said farmers don't have the wherewithal to verify a worker's status when their labor force is often hired on the spot and in a hurry to pick ripe crops. Forcing them to verify a worker's legal status, he said, would prove disastrous. ``If we were to use E-Verify now, we'd shut down, either that or farm-

About the only hope for success for any immigration-related legislation, some say, is a bill that would make it mandatory for American employers to use the government's E-Verify program to ensure their workers are legal ers would go to prison,'' said Cunha, a Fresno-based citrus farmer. ``We've admitted many workers are not legal and if you have to get rid of everybody, where do I go to get my labor? Nowhere. We have to have a work force that we can put in the system.'' Shawn Coburn, a politically active farmer who grows thousands of acres (hectares) of almonds on the west side Fresno County, said he favors tighter borders, a guest worker program and a path to citizenship for those already in the U.S., or at the very least their children. But, like Cunha, he believes a mandatory E-Verify plan would be nothing but trouble for the industry. ``I don't think it's going to happen, but if it does it would throw the California economy for a loop,'' Coburn said. Without a broad overhaul in the works, industry officials have focused on improving the H-2A temporary agricultural workers visa program that's aimed at allowing season workers to come and work on U.S. farms. The program, however, is costly, time consuming and ineffi-

cient, according to Cathleen Enright, vice president of federal government affairs for the Western Growers Association. `Ìt has never been a great program or easy to work with,'' Enright said. `Ìt's an unbelievably crushing program.'' There isn't enough capacity in the system to process, interview and approve visa applications for the nearly 1 million seasonal workers who take to the fields every season. Farmers are required to pay for a worker's transportation from their home country to the fields, provide housing and other benefits. Even minor violations of the numerous rules and regulations that govern the H-2A program can lead to hefty fines, Enright said. `Ìt's too expensive, it's too litigious, it's too bureaucratic,'' said Lee Wicker, deputy director of the North Carolina Growers Association. ``We need a program that farmers can use and have confidence in.'' Rep. Trey Gowdy, a South Carolina Republican, said farmers in his area want to do the right thing and hire legal workers but they are frustrated with the stifling bureaucracy that comes with the visa program. `Ìt's a labyrinthine visa process, with the slow walking of applications,'' Gowdy said. ``You could not by accident come up with a better plan to ruin the small family farm.'' Farmers, he said, `àre just at their wits' end.'' Using the program to get workers can put farmers at a disadvantage if their competitors decide to take their chances and hire illegal workers, Wicker said. Lawmakers agree the visa program is problematic, but there's a wide divide on how to make it workable. About the only hope for success for any immigration-related legislation, some say, is a bill that would make it mandatory for American employers to use the government's E-Verify program to ensure their workers are legal. Republican Rep. Lamar Smith of Texas, chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, has pledged to introduce such legislation. Such a proposal appeared to get a push this past week when the Supreme Court ruled 5-3 in favor of an Arizona law that allows the state to penalize businesses for hiring illegal immigrant workers. Agriculture officials say there needs to be some exception for farm workers. `Ìt needs to take into account the unique aspects of agriculture,'' Vilsak said. -AP

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Immigration Post

India Post

June 17, 2011

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Oakland opposes S-Comm immigration program India Post News Service

OAKLAND, CA: The Oakland City Council voted 8-0 to endorse the Trust Act (AB 1081) and several other urgent bills currently advancing in the California legislature, just hours after the Los Angeles City Council also passed a resolution in support of opting out of the flawed "Secure" Communities or S-Comm immigration program. The Trust Act would reform California's participation in SComm and ensure local governments' ability to opt out of the deeply troubled program. In addition to the Trust Act, the city council unanimously backed the California Dream Act (AB 130 and AB 131), the Fairness for Farmworkers Act (SB 104), and the Domestic Worker Bill of Rights (889), approving a series of resolutions introduced by Councilmember Ignacio De La

Fuente (District 5). The Fairness for Farmworkers Act is currently on the Governor's desk, while the other bills easily passed the State Assembly and will soon be taken up by the Senate. "These bills recognize the crucial contributions of California's immigrants to our state and advance economic prosperity, public safety, and education for all Californians," said Reshma Shamasunder, Director of the California Immigrant Policy Center. "I applaud the Councilmembers for taking a sensible stance in support of solutions that move all Californians forward together." The City Council's Trust Act endorsement comes as S-Comm faces a growing wave of national criticism over its lack of transparency and harmful impacts on public safety and community-based policing. Massachussetts Gov. Deval Patrick announced his state

would not sign an agreement to implement the program. Patrick is the third Governor challenge the program, after New York's Governor Cuomo and Illinois Governor Quinn suspended their states' par-

â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;S-comm is an indiscriminate deportation dragnet that has torn apart families, targeted even victims of domestic violence, and undermined safety in all of our communitiesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; ticipation in S-Comm last month. All three Governors cited concerns that the program hurt public safety and was not functioning as intended. Even victims of domestic violence have been swept up

Assembly OKs state grants for immigrant students SACRAMENTO, Calif.: California lawmakers voted to open the door to state-funded financial aid for immigrant college students who entered the United States illegally. The state Assembly approved AB 131, part of the California Dream Act, on a 46-25 party line vote. It now goes to the Senate. Assemblyman Gil Cedillo, a Los Angeles Democrat, had intro-

try illegally if they attend school or serve in the military. The federal legislation stalled in Congress last year but backers have indicated they will try again. The state Assembly approved the other half of the package last month, allowing illegal immigrant students to receive private financial aid. That bill drew extensive debate on the floor; but it was more muted and limited as the As-

The measure includes restrictions intended to make sure the number of student awards for legal California residents doesn't shrink, and limits the award of competitive Cal Grant funds to immigrants. Applications for competitive Cal Grants already exceed the amount of money available, so it's unlikely that immigrant students would have a chance for them duced similar legislation each year since 2005 only to see it vetoed by Republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. Gov. Jerry Brown, a Democrat, made a campaign pledge last year to sign it. ``I ask you to do what is justified and fair,'' Cedillo said during a short floor debate. ``This is in the best interests of the state of California'' and brings the state's law in line with those of the federal government, he said. Although Cedillo's two-bill package has a similar name, it differs from the federal Dream Act, which would include a path to citizenship for immigrants in the coun-

sembly raced through a long calendar to meet legislative deadlines this week. Critics argued that AB 131 would encourage more illegal immigration and cut the education funding available for citizens. They contend that it makes no sense to educate immigrants for jobs they would not legally be permitted to hold. Assemblyman Tim Donnelly, RTwin Peaks, who has made immigration one of his legislative priorities, argued that a large number of Internet searches for information on the bill came from China. ``If you offer a benefit, people

will come,'' he said. ``Do we want to have a lot more people coming here illegally?'' Supporters of the bill have argued that students shouldn't be punished because their parents decided to enter the United States illegally, and that educated immigrants would be ready to join the work force once comprehensive immigration reforms are approved. If approved by the Senate and signed by the governor, AB 131 would take effect July 1, 2012. The bill would expand eligibility for state-administered financial aid to qualified immigrant students who have attended a California secondary school for at least three years, including one year of high school. The measure includes restrictions intended to make sure the number of student awards for legal California residents doesn't shrink, and limits the award of competitive Cal Grant funds to immigrants. Applications for competitive Cal Grants already exceed the amount of money available, so it's unlikely that immigrant students would have a chance for them. But other aid and program changes would add at least an estimated $14 million in General Fund costs and could change the mix of students who receive institutional aid from the University of California and California State University systems, and the amounts they receive. -AP

for deportation in the program's broad net. "S-comm is an indiscriminate deportation dragnet that has torn apart families, targeted even victims of domestic violence, and undermined safety in all of our communities, " said Cinthya Munoz of Causa Justa: Just Cause, who testified at the hearing. "I'm proud that Oakland is helping to turn the tide against this unfair and harmful program." "ICE's lack of transparency on S-Comm has been simply been appalling," added CIPC's Reshma Shamasunder. "Congresswoman Lofgren has clearly stated that ICE lied to her and local governments about whether local governments had a say in participating in SComm, and the Department of Homeland Security's own Inspector General is now preparing to launch an investigation. In the big picture, immigration is a federal re-

sponsibility, and neither a state like Georgia, nor the Federal Government itself, can force local law enforcement to act as federal agents - especially when that undermines public safety." With this vote, Oakland joins the Alameda County Board of Supervisors, which voted 4-1 to endorse the Trust Act on May 26. The program has raised significant criticism from area leaders. In a statement praising Gov. Cuomo's decision, Assembly member Nancy Skinner, who represents parts of Oakland, remarked: "I applaud Gov. Cuomo's announcement. S-Comm has a tremendous lack of transparency and no opportunity for local oversight. The consequences are startling. A desperate call for help from a victim of domestic violence should not lead to deportation - trust in our police is essential for the public safety of our communities."

ACLU threatens legal challenge on immigration MONTGOMERY, Ala.: The American Civil Liberties Union says the Arizona-style immigration bill passed by the Alabama Legislature is a throwback to segregation and the organization will challenge it in court if the governor signs it into law Gov. Robert Bentley's communications director, Rebekak Mason, said he will spend the weekend reviewing the long, complicated bill before deciding what action to take, but ``having a strong illegal immigration bill has been a top priority for the governor.'' The Legislature passed the bill on votes of 67-29 in the House and 25-7 in the Senate. Support came from Republicans and some white Democrats, while black Democrats led the opposition. The bill makes it a crime for a person without a valid federal registration or other proof of legal presence to be in Alabama, and it allows police in a traffic stop to detain anyone without legal papers if the officers have reasonable suspicion that they may be present illegally and research by the officers can't turn up any records. ``This is an Arizona bill with an Alabama twist,'' said the sponsor, House Republican leader Micky Hammon of Decatur. Cecillia Wang, director of the ACLU Immigrants' Rights Project, announced the plans to sue. ``It's an outrageous throwback to the pre-civil rights era and we call on Governor Bentley to veto

this deeply misguided bill,'' she said. The bill makes it a crime for anyone to transport or house an illegal immigrant and for an illegal immigrant to apply for work. The bill requires all Alabama businesses to use the federal E-Verify system to check the legal status of new employees, although businesses with 25 or fewer employ-

The Legislature passed the bill on votes of 67-29 in the House and 25-7 in the Senate. Support came from Republicans and some white Democrats, while black Democrats led the opposition ees could get the state Department of Homeland Security to do it for them. A business caught twice for knowingly hiring an illegal immigrant would lose its business license. Republican Sen. Scott Beason of Gardendale, who helped write the legislation, said it's designed to take jobs away from illegal immigrants and give them to legal residents. ``This is a jobs bill,'' he said. Wang said, ``The Alabama Legislature has invited rank discrimination into people's everyday lives.'' AP

Immigration Post

June 17, 2011

India Post

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Supreme Court upholds Employer Sanctions Law Cont’d from page 34

The full decision in Chamber of Commerce v Whiting is available at: http://www.supremecourt.gov/ opinions/10pdf/09-115.pdf. For a summary, see lexisnexis.com/community/litigationresourcecenter/ blogs/litigationblog/archive/2011/ 05/26/a-summary-of-the-supremecourt-s-ruling-on-the-legalarizona-workers-act.aspx . ICE Adds 50 Degree Programs to STEM List U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has added 50 science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) degree programs to the list of those that qualify eligible graduates on student visas for an Optional Practical Training (OPT) extension. By expanding the list of STEM degrees, ICE said the Obama administration "is helping to address shortages in certain high-tech sectors of talented scientists and technology experts." Under the OPT program, foreign students who graduate from U.S. colleges and universities are able to remain in the U.S. and receive training through work experience for up to 12 months. Students who graduate with one of the newly expanded STEM degrees can remain for an additional 17 months on an OPT STEM extension.

The announcement is available at m.ice.gov/news/releases/1105/ 110512washingtondc2.htm?f=m. The expanded list of STEM-designated degrees is available at http://www.ice.gov/doclib/sevis/ pdf/stem-list-2011.pdf. For further commentary, see our blog, "Expansion Of STEM Fields As An Example Of Admin-

The rapid forward movement of the India employment second preference cut-off date in May had the potential to greatly increase such demand istrative Fixes For A Broken Immigration System," http:// cyrusmehta.blogspot.com/2011/ 05/expansion-of-stem-fields-asexample-of.html. Employment Second Preference Visa Cut-Off Date Advances Significantly for June The previous Visa Bulletin for May 2011, from the State Department's Visa Office, noted that § 202(a)(5) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) prescribes rules for the use of poten-

Court orders new look at Pa. city immigration law ALLENTOWN, Pa.: A Pennsylvania city will get another chance to defend its never-enforced illegal immigration law after the Supreme Court ordered a federal appeals court to reconsider the case. Citing their recent decision upholding an Arizona employer-sanctions law, the justices threw out a ruling by the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals that prevented the city of Hazleton from enforcing regulations that would deny permits to business that hire illegal immigrants and fine landlords who rent to them. Hazleton's Illegal Immigration Relief Act inspired similar laws around the country, including the one in Arizona. Both measures were authored by the same scholar, Kris Kobach, currently Kansas' secretary of state. ``Hazleton has paved the way for other cities and states across the country to enact similar laws, so this is a great day for all of those

cities and states, and for the people of Hazleton who had to endure criticism from those who opposed what we were trying to do because the federal government didn't want do its job,'' said U.S. Rep. Lou Barletta, Hazleton's former mayor, who pushed through the measures in 2006. Hazleton, a northeastern Pennsylvania city of about 25,000, wants to fine landlords who rent to illegal immigrants and deny business permits to companies that give them jobs. A companion measure requires prospective tenants to register with City Hall and pay for a rental permit. Barletta advocated for the measures after two illegal immigrants were charged in a fatal shooting. Barletta, now a freshman congressman, argued that illegal immigrants brought drugs, crime and gangs to the city and overwhelmed police, schools and hospitals. -AP

tially "otherwise unused" employment numbers. During May, the India employment second preference cut-off date governed the use of such numbers, because India had reached its employment second preference annual limit. Since October 2010, the latest Visa Bulletin for June 2011 explains, there has been heavy demand by applicants "upgrading" their status from employment third to employment second preference. The rapid forward movement of the India employment second preference cut-off date in May had the potential to greatly increase such demand. Therefore, the Visa Office had delayed determination of the June cut-off dates to monitor this demand. The Visa Office has since determined that new "upgrade" demand has been minimal; this has allowed the employment second preference cut-off date governing the use of the § 202(a)(5) numbers to advance significantly for June. The same cut-off date (October 15, 2006) applies to both the China and India employment second preference in June. Other second preference categories are Current. The Visa Bulletin for June notes that all of the "otherwise unused" numbers must be provided strictly in priority date order regardless of the applicant's chargeability. Cut-off date movement for upcoming months cannot be guaranteed, the June Visa Bulletin notes, and because of the variables involved, "no assumptions should be made until the dates are formally announced." Should there be a sudden or significant increase in India and China employment second preference demand, it may be necessary to slow, stop, or even retrogress that cut-off date as the end of fiscal year 2011 approaches. The Visa Bulletin for June 2011 is available at travel.state.gov/ visa/bulletin/bulletin_5452.html. * Cyrus D Mehta, may be contacted at 212-425-0555 or info@cyrusmehta.com

Female feticide rampant among Indian immigrants in US Cont’d from page 34

"Health care providers often are well-positioned to intervene or suggest options, but may be hesitant to approach issues perceived as 'cultural'," said lead author Dr. Sunita Puri. "Reproductive technological advances are extremely valuable, but it is important to understand the varied impact they may have on women from different sociological backgrounds," she said. The researchers sought to understand how women exposed to cultural pressures to have male children react in an environment where reproductive choice is allowed and sex selection technologies are openly marketed and available. The Indian government prohibits using ultrasound and sperm-sorting technologies explicitly for sex selection. In contrast, choosing an abortion for whatever reason, as well as selecting the sex of a child through various medical techniques, are legal in the United States. Of the study participants, 10 women used sperm-sorting tech-

nology and four underwent in vitro fertilization with pre-implantation genetic diagnosis to determine the sex of their fetuses. Of the 51 women using ultrasound to identify the baby's gender, 24 of their fetuses were male and 27 were female. All carried male offspring to term. All but three of the women carrying a female fetus terminated their pregnancies. Women identified female inlaws and husbands as sources of significant pressure to have male children. This was especially true when in-laws lived nearby, but also occurred if they remained in India. The study participants immigrated after age 18 from the Indian states and territories of Punjab, Haryana, New Delhi, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. "While higher education is often thought to translate into enhanced female empowerment, our data suggest a distinction between financial and educational empowerment and empowerment within marital relationships," said Dr. Robert Nachtigall.

Health

Line

Health department warns of dangerous haze

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo.: The Colorado health department is warning of dangerous haze from wildfires in southwest Colorado and Arizona. The department says the fires are creating a dangerous haze over Colorado Springs, Pueblo, Walsenburg, Trinidad, Alamosa, Westcliffe, Canon City and surrounding areas. The health department says people with heart disease, respiratory illnesses, young children and the elderly should limit prolonged exertion. The department says some people should consider relocating temporarily if smoke is present indoors and is making them ill. -AP

Health Science 38

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India Post

June 17, 2011

Details on page 41

AAPI Legislative Meet discusses imminent physician shortage

Hispanics higher risk for pork tapeworm MEDFORD, Ore.: A new study shows that Hispanics in Oregon may be at a higher risk for infection from a certain kind of tapeworm known as the pork tapeworm. The Mail Tribune reports the study was done by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and led by researchers at Oregon Health & Science University in Portland. The study used hospital medical charts to identify people who are infected and tested others living in their households. The pork tapeworm can cause a tissue infection called cysticercosis in people who consume the tapeworm eggs. The study reviewed medical charts from January 2006 to December 2009 and found 143 potential cases. -AP

Bill could end dispute between dentists & nonprofit BIRMINGHAM,Ala.:Abill awaiting Gov. Robert Bentley's signature could resolve a dispute between leaders of Alabama's dental profession and a non-profit corporation that has quickly grown into a giant by providing teeth cleanings, fillings and other basic care for thousands of low-income Alabamians. The legislation spells out that non-profits can provide dental services and requires them to register with the Alabama Board of Dental Examiners. The bill was pushed by Anniston-based Sarrell Dental Centers, which has been at odds with the state's dental establishment for more than a year amid questions about whether it was operating legally. -AP

AAPI President Dr Ajeet R Singhvi

India Post News Service

WASHINGTON: The American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI) held its annual Legislative Day June 1 on Capitol Hill attracting at least a dozen influential Congressmen sending across the message of rising clout of the community in the national healthcare debate. The Congressmen who spoke at the meet included Frank Pallone (D-NJ); Phil Roe, MD (RTN), Andy Harris, MD (R-MD), Jim McDermott, MD (D-WA), Bill Cassidy, MD, (R-LA); John Sarbanes (D-MD), Joe Crowley (D-NY), Jason Altmire (D-PA),

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer speaking at the AAPI Convention flanked by, among others, AAPI President Dr Ajeet R. Singhvi and President Elect Dr Sunita Kanumury at Capitol Hill in Washington DC on June 1 (-Pic Mohammed Jaffer-SnapsIndia)

Dr Wilson said, that as the country faces continued shortages in the number of physicians accompanied by the increased demands for care of an aging population, increasing burden of chronic disease and increasing number of patients with insurance under the Affordable Care Act, the role of IMGs will continue to be critical Brett Guthrie (R-KY), Hansen Clarke (D-MI), Steny Hoyer (DMD), Carolyn Maloney (D-NY), Ed Royce (R-CA), Zoe Lofgren, (D-CA); Joe Wilson (R-SC) and Eliot Engel (D-NY). The day-long event included a legislative conference and in-

Congressman Joe Crowley

teraction with AAPI members on the Hill, evening reception and a dinner hosted by India's Ambassador at the Indian Embassy in Washington DC. Dr Cecil Wilson, President of American Medical Association said the number of physicians

in the US who are International Medical Graduates (IMG) has grown from 20.9% in 1980 to 26% in 2010. One in four physicians in this country was an IMG, Dr Wilson said, adding that as the country faces continued shortages in the number of physicians accompanied by the increased demands for care of an aging population, increasing burden of chronic disease and increasing number of patients with insurance under the Affordable Care Act, the role of IMGs will continue to be critical.

Congressman Frank Pallone

Cont’d on page 40

Health Science Post

June 17, 2011

India Post

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Zerona - The laser slimming solution India Post News Service

CHICAGO: To all you ladies and gents out there who have tried the various pills, creams, patches, diets and surgeries but with no results - your prayers have been answered. Zerona the non invasive body slimming laser solution is here, it is an easy, painless method to lose those extra pounds quickly without dieting, exercising and popping pills. Zerona is making waves in the media and has been featured in TV programs across the US namely: The Rachel Ray show, The Early Show, ABC Nightline & the Doctors Show. Prestigious magazines such as: - Bazaar, Women's World and Fitness RX have highlighted the benefits of using Zerona. Dr. Sheri Merchant of "Your Doc" is the first to introduce this new revolutionary laser procedure "Zerona" (the fat zapper) at her plush MedSpa office in South Barrington. Dr. Merchant talks about the benefits, costs and risks associated, and treatment protocol of Zerona. The Zerona system is a low level laser designed to get rid of

body fat and shape the skin without surgery. The Zerona laser works by emitting cold laser energy into the body tissues. This energy is absorbed by the body

tummy, back, hips, thighs, buttocks, love handles, chin, neck and arms. The key benefits of using this revolutionary technique is that there is no pain, no downtime, no incision, scars or marks from the treatment, no reported side effects, ongoing fat loss day and weeks

The simple technique behind this procedure is that transitory pores opens in the cellular wall which allows body's natural detoxification processes time to mobilize fluids to move into interstitial space. Fat moves through the lymphatic system and is passed out of the body during

Zerona is a safe and well researched low level laser which was initially designed and FDA approved for use during liposuction. It is the only non-invasive body contouring device in process of imminent FDA 510k clearance. Patients lost an average of 3.5 inches from their waist, hips, and thighs after one series of 6 treatments

Dr Sheri Merchant

fat, and then the fat is broken down and channeled out of the body. The laser stimulates the break down and removal of body fat without affecting the surrounding skin and tissues. The target areas for slimming the stubborn fat are from the

after treatment. How much better can it get, zero recovery time on an outpatient basis with lasting results. The laser procedure costs around $1500 for six forty minute sessions and is virtually applicable to everyone. The Zerona system has been successful on teens up to people in their 80s; only patients with certain medical conditions should consult their physician before trying this procedure.

normal course of debris removal. This process continues for the week after treatments are finished. The first step is targeting the softest and greatest areas of subcutaneous fat which is the waist, hips and thighs which are treated at the same time. In order to optimize the flushing of fat from the body, patients need to follow a strict treatment protocol set by Zerona namely: 1) Drink minimum of 2 liters of

water per day 2) Walk 30 minutes immediately after treatments 3) Exercise regularly on nontreatment days 4) Maintain a healthy and low fat diet 5) Eliminate alcohol and limit caffeine intake 6) Keep all scheduled treatment appointments 7) Curva supplements to begin one week before treatment and be continued during series and one week after treatments. (Curva is a proprietary blend of Niacin, L-Carnitine, Ginkgo Biloba, and Green Tea extracts which aid the detoxification process). Zerona is a safe and well researched low level laser which was initially designed and FDA approved for use during liposuction. It is the only non-invasive body contouring device in process of imminent FDA 510k clearance. Patients lost an average of 3.5 inches from their waist, hips, and thighs after one series of 6 treatments - so what are you waiting for? Get ready to turn back the clock, make heads turn, and get more confidence with a slimmer, sexier body in weeks.

India Post

Health Science Post

June 17, 2011

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AAPI Legislative Meet discusses imminent physician shortage

Congressman Phil Roe

Cecil Wilson President American Medical Association

Congressman Zoe Lofgren

Contâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d from page 38

The presence of lawmakers at the conference highlights the fact that the politics of health care is top of mind not only to those of us who practice medicine, but to our lawmakers as well, he said. AAPI represents the largest international physician population in the US, including more than 40,000 physicians and 12,000 medical students, residents and fellows. About 25 physicians of Indian origin are in the House of Delegates, the AMA's policy-making body. Dr Wilson said the new Affordable Care Act (ACA) includes major provisions that hold the potential for a stronger, better performing health care system. But while the new law represents a giant step forward on the path toward meaningful health system reform, it is not perfect. Physicians will face a nearly 30% pay cut unless Congress acts, he said. Physicians cannot go on treating Medicare patients without knowing if they will be paid and be able to pay their staffs. This situation is so precarious that many physicians have stopped seeing Medicare patients, he

Congressman Jim McDermott

ing by about $11 billion in 2009. And they would reduce federal budget deficits by $54 billion over the next 10 years. Medical liability reforms have made a difference in both California and Texas. Physician premiums have risen more slowly in those two states than in the rest of the country and the number of lawsuits has dropped. Equally important, in Texas, the

AAPI President Dr Ajeet R. Singhvi and Dr Sunita Kanumury, President Elect and other AAPI members with Ambassador Arun K Singh -(Pic Mohammed Jaffer-SnapsIndia)

pointed out. He said another badly needed change that is high on the AMA agenda is medical liability reform. The medical liability situation is now costing the country a great deal of money, and many physicians their practices. The non-partisan Congressional Budget Office has estimated that nationwide implementation of medical liability reforms, including caps on non-economic damages, would have reduced total US health care spend-

growth rate of newly licensed physicians was 59 percent higher in the past two years than the two years preceding reform. This year, the AMA is working in support of the Health Act of 2011, which contains medical liability reforms that have been shown to work in controlling insurance premiums - caps on non-economic damages. The price of unrestrained jury awards and the cost of defending against excess litigation have been record high medical liability premiums for some physicians.

Congressman Joe Heck

These staggering premiums, as high as $150,000 annually, have reduced patient access to care, especially among high-risk specialties. "Even if we accomplish everything I have talked about so far, the US will

An expansion of J-1 Visa waivers could make a difference in medical care for people in underserved rural and inner city neighborhoods. IMGs fill important roles in this country - often practicing in rural and inner city communities that are typically under-served by the medical community not have enough doctors to take care of all the people who need us," Dr Wilson said. "This country already faces a shortage of physicians, and in 2014, when millions more will have access to health insurance, that shortage will reach epidemic proportions." Along with those previously uninsured who will be seeking care, 78 million baby boomers have just begun entering the Medicare system -- the time of life when people begin to need more and more medical attention. Combine those two sets of numbers - the newly insured and the newly old - and in just four years the United States will be short by 62,900 physicians. An expansion in residency slots in this country would be a major step toward providing

Congressman Bill Cassidy

more physicians, Dr Wilson suggested. Likewise, an expansion of J-1 Visa waivers could make a difference in medical care for people in underserved rural and inner city neighborhoods. IMGs fill important roles in this country - often practicing in rural and inner city communities that are typically under-served by the medical community. The AMA is advocating for parity in review of applications from IMGs and US medical graduates wherein the same criteria are used regardless of where the applicants received their medical education. The AMA is also fighting for equality in the area of state licensing for both US and international medical graduates. A third focus area of the AMA-IMG Section is lobbying to alleviate visa complications and delays. For example, the AMA

Michigan Democrat Hansen Clarke

supports federal legislation that would permanently reauthorize the J-1 Visa waiver program expand the current cap on J-1 visa waivers from 30 positions to 50 positions per state, and exempt physicians-in-training from H-1B caps. Congressman Joseph Crowley, (D-NY) Co-chair of Congressional Caucus on India and Indian-Americans said, "We need to help doctors that are currently practicing, and make it easier for new doctors to go to medical school, get the training they need, and serve patients in needed areas. I know you have seen firsthand the problems with our shortage of primary care doctors, especially in underserved communities like the Bronx and Queens in my home district. Contâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d on page 42

Health Science Post

June 17, 2011

India Post

www.indiapost.com

Pfizer lung cancer pill may double survival TRENTON, New Jersey: A much-anticipated drug for advanced lung cancer from Pfizer Inc. appears to double survival over standard drugs against tumors with a certain genetic mutation, according to a research paper. The drug, called crizotinib, would be the first targeted treatment for the roughly 50,000 people who get this cancer each year worldwide. It might eventually produce annual revenue for Pfizer exceeding $2 billion. The first overall survival data for patients with advanced nonsmall cell lung cancer treated with crizotinib showed 74 percent were still alive after a year and 54 percent after two years, researchers announced at a huge cancer specialists conference. Median overall survival, a key measure, hasn't been determined because more than half the 82 patients are still alive. The early-phase study did not include a direct comparison group. But among similar patients getting standard cancer drugs in other research, 44 percent survived for a year and just 12 percent were alive after two years, said lead researcher Dr. Alice Shaw.

Crizotinib, part of the new wave of personalized medicine in which drugs are being matched to patients according to genetics, would be the first drug in a new class called ALK inhibitors. The twice-a-day pill targets the roughly 4 percent of non-small cell lung cancer patients whose tumors

Researchers found that among 119 patients whose cancer had worsened after three or more prior types of treatment, 88 percent had their tumors shrink have a genetic rearrangement of an enzyme that stimulates growth and survival of those cancer cells. The experimental drug works by turning off that enzyme, with a rapid and dramatic effect that's long-lasting, said Shaw, a thoracic oncologist at Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center. ``This is not a cure for this type of patients. Unfortunately, cancer

becomes resistant over time,'' Shaw added, so researchers already are trying to develop new treatments that could push this cancer back into remission. In a continuation of that study, also sponsored by Pfizer, researchers found that among 119 patients whose cancer had worsened after three or more prior types of treatment, 88 percent had their tumors shrink at least somewhat over nearly a year follow-up. Similarly, in a midstage study of 136 patients who failed at least one previous cancer treatment, 54 percent had their tumors shrink by about a third or more and 83 percent had tumors shrink somewhat. Most patients had mild side effects, but two of the nine patient deaths during that study were considered treatment-related. U.S. regulators are expediting their review of crizotinib, indicating its promise. Pfizer expects it to be approved in the U.S. by year's end, because under the ``Fast Track designation'' the Food and Drug Administration gave the drug last December, Pfizer was able to start submitting batches of data in January, rather than wait until all studies are completed. Two larger, late-stage studies

US Sen. Kirk calls for action on stem cell law CHICAGO: US Sen. Mark Kirk has issued a challenge to Senate Democrats to pass legislation supporting the Obama administration's expansion of embryonic stem cell research, saying the approach offers ``the best promise'' to cure certain diseases. The Illinois Republican spoke at a Northwestern University facility in Chicago, where he toured a stem cell research lab and hosted a symposium on the search for medical breakthroughs using stem cells. Kirk, who has described himself as a fiscal conservative and a social moderate, supports federal legislation to codify an executive order issued by President Barack Obama in 2009 advancing stem cell research. He supported similar legislation when he was a member of the U.S. House. `Ìf senior Democratic senators choose not to move this legislation in this Congress, I will,'' Kirk said. Court challenges to taxpayer-financed stem cell research make it necessary for Congress to act, he said. Dr. John Kessler, director of the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine Stem Cell Institute, said he's grateful to Kirk for championing legislation he called `àbsolutely essential for the field.'' Uncertainty over federal funding hurts science and `ìs a huge disincentive to our young and most promising investigators to do human embryonic stem cell research,'' Kessler said.

Obama's executive order opened new embryonic stem cell lines for research on treatments and possible cures for conditions from diabetes to spinal cord injuries. Opponents object because the cells come from destroyed human embryos. Current research uses cells gathered long ago, but opponents fear research success would encourage new embryo destruction.

'If senior Democratic senators choose not to move this legislation in this Congress, I will,' Kirk said. Court challenges to taxpayer-financed stem cell research make it necessary for Congress to act, he said In April, a federal appeals court ruling allowed federal support to continue for embryonic stem cell research, but this issue isn't settled. ``Stem cell research offers the best promise to cure juvenile diabetes and certain blood cancers,'' Kirk said in a statement. ``That is why I believe Republicans and Democrats should unite behind keeping the United States first in medical research.'' -AP

comparing crizotinib directly to standard treatments are continuing, one in patients for whom prior drugs didn't work and one in new patients. There are no treatments specifically for patients with this type of lung cancer, although some others are in much earlier stages of testing.

So the FDA is expected to conditionally approve crizotinib based on results of the earlier studies rather than wait until the latest ones are completed, said Dr. Robert Sweetman, head of medical affairs for Pfizer's cancer unit. Analysts also think the drug is likely to get approved. -AP

India Post

Health Science Post

June 17, 2011

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AAPI Legislative Meet discusses imminent physician shortage

Congressman Joe Crowley, Co-chair India Caucus, interacting with AAPI physicians at Capitol Hill

Deputy Chief of Mission Embassy of India Ambassador Arun K. Singh speaking to AAPI at Embassy on June 1. AAPI President Dr Ajeet R. Singhvi (right) and Dr Aggarwal is on the left

Contâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d from page 40

That's why in the last Congress, I introduced the Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act, to allow medical schools and hospitals to welcome more medical students and train more doctors. Many of the provisions from my bill were included in the Affordable Care Act, and that's something I'm proud of." Crowley further said diversity was as critical to the nation's medical workforce as it is to the country as a whole, and an important part of ensuring diversity was fixing the broken immigration system. "Programs like the J-1 visa allow talented foreign medical students to come to the United States to train, benefiting not only themselves but their U.S. classmates as well," he said. "The problem is, we then make it too difficult for these trained, qualified physicians to stay in our country and serve patients. Like our problems with the H-1B visas, this only hurts American competitiveness. I have been a leader in the fight for compre-

Group of Congressman enjoying 'kababs and samosas' during AAPI held Legislative Day, meetings with member of Congress at Capitol Hill in Washington DC on June 1

Neera Tanden, former healthcare advisor to President Bill Clinton, said one can sense the growing influence of the Indian-American community by the increased attention the meeting is getting from the Congressmen

AAPI President Dr Ajeet R. Singhvi and Dr Sunita Kanumury, President-Elect

hensive immigration reform, and a major part of that will be reforming the way these and other visa programs work, so that we are not consistently in danger of losing talent. In addition to training the doctors of tomorrow and putting them where they are needed, we need to support the doctors of today, and that means fixing the payment system for physicians. I know that you are concerned about the threat of payment cuts under the flawed Sustainable Growth Rate payment system. There is no doubt that we need to fix this system, and I will keep working toward this goal from my position on the Ways and Means Committee." Congressman Phil Roe (R-TN), himself a physician for 30 years, jocularly said going to hospitals could lead to bankruptcy as cost of treatment has skyrocketed over the years. The increase in the cost of malpractice insurance is the key factor that's pushing up the cost of treatment, he said, adding healthcare decisions should be made by the physicians and patients and not by outsiders.

Dr Ajeet R. Singhvi, AAPI President, said the well-being of any nation is invariably tied to the health of its citizens. "Economic prosperity can't come at the expense

of health of its people. We should not neglect long-term health of the nation for the sake of short term economic concerns," he said. Dr Singhvi said physician shortage will have a devastating effect on the well-being of the nation and increasing residency slots and J-1 visa waiver could prove to be an answer. Neera Tanden, former healthcare advisor to President Bill Clinton, said one can sense the growing influence of the IndianAmerican community by the increased attention the meeting is getting from the Congressmen. Tanden is currently the chief operating officer of Washington-based think tank Center for American Progress. A panel discussion on health care reform was addressed by Neil Chatterjee, Legislative Assistant to U.S. Senator Mitch McConnell (R-KY); Dr Robert Moffitt, Senior Fellow, Center for Policy Innovation, The Heritage Foundation; Vivek Murthy, President and Co-Founder, Doctors for America; Cindy Brown - Vice President, Government Affairs, American Medical Association and Mike Stinson, Director of Government Relations, Physicians Insurers Association of America (PIAA) besides Neera Tanden. Dr Sunita Kanumury, president-elect spoke about the New York convention and proposed a vote of thanks. Dr Jayesh Shah, AAPI Secretary, Dr Ajay Lodha, New York convention chair, members of Board of Trustees and regional directors attended.

AAPI -MSRF President Mamta Singhvi at Q & A with Congressman Frank Pallone

Health Science Post

June 17, 2011

India Post

www.indiapost.com

Texas House panel approves health care compact AUSTIN, Texas: A Texas House panel revived legislation to allow Texas to govern federal health care benefits on its own by joining a multistate agreement challenging federal health care law. The plan already created in Oklahoma and Georgia would allow Texas to adopt its own health care rules in lieu of federal regulations if Congress approved. The legislation by Rep. Lois Kolkhorst, R-Brenham, was approved by the House during the regular session. States would receive federal health care funding as a block grant and then decide how to structure Medicaid and Medicare programs.

``This is a movement that's afoot,'' Kolkhorst said. Kolkhorst said Texas would receive 2010 federal funding health care levels, when federal Medicaid dollars were ``flowing at an all-time high.'' Opponents argue that if Texas enters the compact, the state gives up its right to increased federal funding for Medicaid and Medicare. They say additional funding is needed to take care of the millions of uninsured Texans. ``Capping the funding doesn't do anything to actually control health care costs,'' said Anne Dunkelberg, associate director of the Center for Public Policy Pri-

orities. ``Our concern is that there is no requirement stated in the legislation that Texas would continue

Though Congress has to grant permission for the agreement to go through, Kolkhorst said presidents sign most compacts to serve the same population it currently serves.'' Kolkhorst said the elderly and the poor can have their voices

Utah officials trying to ban hookah smoking SALT LAKE CITY: Hookahs could go the way of cigarettes, cigars and pipes if Utah health officials approve a ban on smoking the heated tobacco in popular bars and other public places. Health officials argue the secondhand smoke from hookahs is just as dangerous as that from other tobacco products, which state law already prohibits in public indoor spaces. ``There's no safe secondhand smoke, and some recent studies show even minimal amounts of secondhand smoke can be harmful,'' Utah Department of Public Health spokesman Steve Hadden told KSTU-TV. Two Utah counties have banned hookah smoking in public, although neither county had any businesses that offered hookahs at the time of their bans. Other public health officials have asked the state for a clarification about whether smoking hookahs, in

which tobacco is mixed with flavorings, violates the indoor smoking laws. Utah is home to a number of bars and restaurants that offer

The health department acknowledges that the ban could 'severely affect' businesses where hookah smoking is a primary attraction hookahs, however, primarily in Salt Lake City and surrounding suburbs. They include sushi bars, Middle Eastern restaurants and social clubs. In its proposed rule, the health department acknowledges that the ban could ``severely affect'' businesses where hookah smoking is

a primary attraction. Nathan Porter, the owner of the Huka Bar in a Salt Lake City suburb, said the ban would potentially ruin his business. ``We're called the Huka Bar,'' Porter told the TV station. ``People come here knowing we have hookahs or they're with their friends who smoke hookah.'' A public hearing is scheduled for the hookah ban in Salt Lake City. During debates last year in Davis County, which was the first county to ban hookahs, health director Lewis Garrett said hookah smoke is still smoke that can be harmful to people. ``One of the reasons this is so prevalent, is it smells good,'' Garrett said. ``It doesn't smell like tobacco. It smells like incense or something flavorful. And I think there's a misconception that this isn't nearly as harmful as cigarettes because it's filtered through the water and it smells nice.'' -AP

better heard in Austin than in Washington, D.C. ``This isn't about throwing seniors off of Medicare,'' she said. ``It's about protecting them.'' Supporters say states are in a better position to make health care decisions for their citizens and shouldn't be forced to adopt a one-size-fits-all federal plan like President Barack Obama's Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. ``This is an innovative and very promising way of carving out a certain area of health care for states and starting to establish something that has been very clearly eroding for at least 70 or 80 years, which is proper

CDC study: Gay, bisexual teens do riskier things ATLANTA: Gay and bisexual high school students are more likely than their heterosexual classmates to smoke, drink alcohol or do other risky things, according to a government study. Based on anonymous surveys of 156,000 high school students, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study is the largest by the government to look at sexual orientation and behavior in teens. It echoes similar findings in some smaller studies. Investigators asked about dozens of risky behaviors, ranging from not wearing a bicycle helmet, to drug use, to attempting suicide. Gay, lesbian and bisexual students reported worse behavior in half to 90 percent of the risk categories, depending on the survey site. Why? CDC officials don't know for sure: The survey didn't ask kids why they smoked or attempted suicide or did other things that could be dangerous. But gay, lesbian and bisexual

Conn. Senate approves health care pooling bill HARTFORD, Conn.: The Senate gave final legislative approval to a bill that allows municipalities and non-profit agencies to sign up with the state of Connecticut for health insurance for their employees, retirees and dependents. The bill, which is supported by many advocates of a universal health care system, passed on a 22-14 vote. It requires the state Comptroller to offer coverage through the so-called ``partnership plan.'' State officials estimate nearly 578,000

municipal employees, retirees and their dependents could join the new plan, and more than 174,342 people from the non-profits. According to the legislation, the Comptroller could pool the ``partnership plan'' with the state employee and retiree health plan. State union leaders and the state budget office would have to approve such a move. The state plan now covers 202,157 people and advocates maintain that by grouping more people together, the state can help drive down health care costs.

``That absolutely works when you're talking about bringing down administrative costs and purchasing things, like prescription drugs,'' said Senate President Donald Williams, D-Brooklyn. Williams said this bill, which already passed the House of Representatives and now moves to the governor, also creates a new Office of Health Care Reform and Innovation that will work to make sure Connecticut takes advantage of various reforms in the federal health care reform law. Meanwhile, the SustiNet Health

boundary between state and federal control,'' said Mario Loyola with the Texas Public Policy Foundation. Though Congress has to grant permission for the agreement to go through, Kolkhorst said presidents sign most compacts. Texas could pull out of the agreement with six months' notice. With federal health care costs soaring, Kolkhorst wants to give Texas the flexibility to be innovative in how it structures and offers health care benefits to slow the rates down. ``This bill is a look down the road,'' Kolkhorst said. ``The cards are on the table; change is coming our way.'' -AP

Care Cabinet, an outgrowth of a board which originally recommended pooling everyone from state employees to the uninsured into one system, will advise the governor and legislature on evaluating the feasibility of a basic health care option, or a universal health care option. Sen. Leonard Suzio, RMeriden, said the legislation doesn't live up to the original expectations of the SustiNet supporters, who often wear red tee shirts at the Capitol with the words ``Health Care For All.'' -AP

students deal with stigma, disapproval and social rejection. ``Many risk behaviors are related to how people feel about themselves and the environment they're in,'' noted the study's lead author, Laura Kann of the CDC's division of adolescent and school health.

The survey didn't ask kids why they smoked or attempted suicide or did other things that could be dangerous The surveys are from 2001 through 2009. Some results, which vary by survey site: About 8 percent to 19 percent of heterosexual students said they currently smoke cigarettes; 20 percent to 48 percent of gay and lesbian students smoked. About 4 to 10 percent of heterosexual students said they attempted suicide in the previous year. For gay and lesbian students: 15 percent to 34 percent. For bisexual students: 21 percent to 32 percent. About 3 percent to 6 percent of heterosexual students said they threw up or used laxatives to lose weight or stay thin. For gay and lesbian students: 13 percent to 20 percent. For bisexual students: 12 percent to 17.5 percent. The core results came from surveys done in five states and four city school systems. The states were Delaware, Maine, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Vermont. Boston, Chicago, New York City and San Francisco rounded out the list. -AP

Realty Tidbits Property prices in Delhi up 28 percent NEW DELHI: Real estate portal 99acres.com said property prices in the national capital increased by up to 28.02 per cent in the JanuaryMarch period this year in comparison to the year-ago period. "Capital values in Delhi continue to move upward even though the market seems to be in a phase of stagnation and (there is) lots of talk about imminent price reduction," 99acres.com Business Head Vineet Singh said in a statement. According to the study, prices went up by 28.02 per cent in Dwarka Sector 11 to Rs 7,100 per square foot during the quarter ended March 31, 2011, from Rs 5,546 per square foot in the same period last year. Other locations such as Dwarka Sector 2, Sarita Vihar and Rohini also witnessed property prices climbing by over 25 per cent in the first quarter of this year compared to the corresponding period of 2010.-PTI

Dubai's Emaar denies change in board DUBAI: The board of Emaar Hills Township Private Limited, a joint venture between Dubaibased Emaar and Andhra Pradesh Industrial Infrastructure Corporation (APPIC), has not been changed in a bid to end the stalemate with the Andhra Pradesh government, Emaar Properties has said. "There are no changes to the board of directors of Emaar Hills Township Pvt Ltd (EHTPL), and as a matter of policy, we do not respond to market rumors or speculation," an Emaar spokesperson told Emirates 24/7. EHTPL is to develop an integrated golf course and township in Manikonda, a commercial suburb in Hyderabad. Earlier, media reports said Emaar had eased out its Indian partner, Emaar MGF, from the controversial project. -PTI

Real Estate 44

India Post

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INDORE (MP): The Indore Development Authority (IDA) has invited investments for its five mega projects including a Sports Complex and Medicity worth Rs 2000crore under Public-Private-Partnership (PPP) to develop infrastructure in the city. The IDA has planned an Investors' Conference here on June 24-25 by inviting 100 big real estate players for all five projects. This comprises of a Sports Complex, Medicity, Interstate bus terminal, Transport logistic, and Convention Centre, Vijay Marathe, its Assistant Architect Planner, told PTI.

250 Indian projects to feature at Dubai Expo

DUBAI: More than 250 projects worth $2200 million will feature at an upcoming Indian real estate show in Dubai. The eighth edition of the Indian Property show is scheduled from June 16 to 18 at Dubai World Trade Centre. Organized by Sumansa Exhibitions, the show is expected to generate business worth $58 million, a statement said. Seventy per cent of the projects at the exhibition are residential while 30 per cent offer commercial and retail space, it added. Visitors will be able to look at a spectrum of properties available, different investment options, financing sources, Vaastu consultations and sorting out legal queries. "The Indian property show connects buyers and developers at an opportune time, with the Rupee slated to be strong against the dollar and demand for property at a high, we will again witness rise in property prices in India in near future and hence this is a right time for the investors to buy the property," said Sunil Jaiswal, CEO Sumansa Exhibitions. "Also those keen to expand their financial portfolios with real

estate as a hedge against rising inflation and those looking to maximize their ROI should definitely visit Indian Property Show." "Buoyant with the response we received last time, we decided of making this show biannual this year. Investors, buyers and Devel-

There were four bidders for this land deal, including DLF, Alpha G Corp and Shapoorji and Pallonji, he said, adding, "Alpha G Corp emerged as the second highest bidder". Gehlot said the company will develop a housing project on the land, but did not give further details. "We have roped in private equity firm Indiareit for this project. In the Special Purpose Vehicle

booming real estate markets within India along with the benefits of investing now. Anuj Malik, sales head, GCC for Unitech, one of the prime exhibitors at Indian Property Show, said: "The global meltdown, unrest in few parts and job uncertainty may

‘The Indian property show connects buyers and developers at an opportune time, with the Rupee slated to be strong against the dollar and demand for property at a high, we will again witness rise in property prices in India in near future’ opers all have encouraged us to hold the show again after 6 months. The last show saw more than 17000 visitors; we expect a similar response this time as well," he added. The exhibition also features property and investment seminars by property industry gurus, international fund managers, and legal advisers. This year the seminars aim to guide the buyers on the

Ambience acquires 17.63 acres land NEW DELHI: Ambience Developers says it has bought 17.63 acres of land in Gurgaon from IT firm Aricent Group for Rs 206 crore, outbidding real estate companies such as Alpha G Corp and DLF. "We have bought 17.63 acre of land from Aricent in March through bidding process," Ambience Chairman Raj Singh Gehlot told PTI.

June 17, 2011

Indore to have five mega projects

(SPV), our company and Indiareit will have equal stake," he said. Real estate consultant Jones Lang LaSalle India, which brokered the deal, said it was the single largest land deal involving two corporates in Gurgaon till date. "Three of the largest national level real estate players were the next highest bidders for this strategically located land parcel. -PTI

have also prompted the NRIs in UAE to buy property in India. Catching up on these trends Indian realtors is going that extra mile to make homes that fulfill individual's aspirations and are still affordable." "We are participating in the upcoming Indian Property Show with

aggressive pricing of INR17 lakh ($38,000) onwards and providing all options such as first time buy, second home, investment option, budget homes & holiday homes." Ajay Sachdewa, regional headDubai & GCC, HDFC, a leading India-based bank, said: "Through this exhibition we plan to meet potential customers and we foresee a strong demand as Indian property market has revived very quickly as compared to other markets in the world." "This is due to strong RBI policies, Government planning and healthy credit history. HDFC has made it easier for the Gulf based NRIs to apply for a loan to HDFC - India." "HDFC through its office in Dubai and all the GCC countries through Service Associates, now offers advisory services in real estate finance to the Middle East based Non-Resident Indians who wish to acquire homes in India. These offices will coordinate the entire loan process in India," he added.

Horoscope

June 17, 2011

India Post 45

www.indiapost.com

Your Weekly Future by Pandit Parashar

JUNE 17TH - JUNE 23TH ARIES (MARCH 21 TO APRIL 20)

TAURUS (APRIL 21 TO MAY 20)

tress will reduce a lot. With balance mind, you will be able to plan wisely. You may be in touch with a government agency to get some information and some kind of clearance. Efforts will not go waste and financial gains will be more than expected this week. Business will pick up suddenly, try your hands at lottery also this week.

eal will bring in lots of money. You will benefit from some one from different culture. Mind will be at peace and the stress level at work will decrease too. Irregular food habit may cause some acidity or bloating. People prone to blood pressure will need to be careful for next few weeks. You will plan a small family trip to another state.

GEMINI (MAY 21 TO JUNE 20)

CANCER (JUNE 21 TO JULY 22)

ou may invite few friends at your place or take them out for dinner this week. Property related matters will come to a closure and you will be profitable. Legal matters will continue to make progress but at slow speed, relax the victory is yours. Children will do better in school and right match for one of your child is within reach.

ew relationship will be exciting. You will make several wise decisions this week and one of them could involve career. Money wise things will continue to fluctuate as usual. You may make some money through stocks also. There will be some last minute change in your travel plans. You will receive invitation for couple of big parties.

LEO (JULY 23 TO AUGUST 22)

his could be the turning point in your life. Opportunity will be nothing less than a goldmine. It could take you to a entirely different level in life. Chance of getting money from a litigation becomes stronger. Juggling will help reduce the financial pressure and liability. Its time that you start paying more attention to spouse.

VIRGO (AUGUST 23 TO SEPTEMBER 22)

our advice will be well taken on other side. Try to look beyond immediate before you make the big commitment. Road blocks will be removed in career and big progress is imminent, also rewards for hard work performed in the past will become visible. Money wise you will do well from now and on. A short vacation will be finalized.

LIBRA (SEPTEMBER 23 TO OCTOBER 22)

SCORPIO (OCTOBER 23 TO NOVEMBER 22)

inancial pressure will escalate. People in business will advertise heavily in order to stay ahead of competitors. Some of you will start a new relationship with some one from different culture. You will be doing some soul searching and try to find some answers. Your expertise will help many needy people.

ome of you will be getting ready to move. In long run you will be able to save a lot and even salvage some of the visible losses. You will have couple of important meetings with boss this week. You may spend money towards air tickets for an upcoming trip for the family. Do not go out of your way to help others.

SAGITTARIUS (NOVEMBER 23 TO DECEMBER 22)

CAPRICORN (DECEMBER 22 TO JANUARY 19)

ou will overcome some difficulties and resolve an important issue this week. Reply from the government agency could also come in positive. You may put your needs aside in order to help someone close. Things will keep getting better at work and new associate will be useful. Try to have your meals on time.

ou will not have to compromise. Other side should bow down now. Some one will make a decent proposal and you should accept it. Some of you will be taking an important trip this week. You will have an excellent opportunity to learn few tricks from successful people. Money wise things will keep improving.

AQUARIUS (JANUARY 20 TO FEBRUARY 18)

PISCES (FEBRUARY 19 TO MARCH 20)

ou may be in market for a new car. Couple of old friends will call to invite you at their place. Do not make any impulsive decisions about career and think about pros and cons. It will be better to seek advice from a trusted person. You will be slowly working on an upcoming trip. Stocks will get some extra money.

Pandit Parashar, CEO & COO Astro Scan USA is also available for individual consultations. He can be reached at: parashar@parashar.com

xpect some unnecessary delay in your plans but nothing to really worry about. Friend will keep his words and go out of his way. Extra running around will be tiresome. Family will be getting ready for an upcoming trip. Boss will call you to discuss some thing important. Money will come but will be hard to preserve.

925-833-7170 website: www.parashar.com

Datebook

India Post

June 17, 2011

www.indiapost.com

NEW YORK

ILLINOIS

Upcoming

NEW JERSEY

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA

Upcoming

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA Upcoming

Thurs June 16

Fri June 24

• Wine N Dine

• Chicago Global Runway Fashion Show

Sat June 18 to Sat June 25

Faith Based Healing Camp

Thurs June 16

Venue: Heart of India - East Village, 79 2nd Ave (between 4th St & 5th St) New York Venue: Time: 5pm to 10pm Contact: (212) 598-0746

Venue: Chicago Cultural Center, 78 East Washington Street, Chicago Time: 7:30pm Contact: 847-250-7303

ï YFS Cricket For Charity

• Thurs June 16 to Sat June 18

• Jay Dabhi

Venue: Lincoln Park, Jersey City, New Jersey Contact: 201-844-8937

Venue: Sikh Center of Orange County, 2530 W. Warner Avenue, Santa Ana, Ca 92704 Time: 10am to 4pm (Langar will be served during break 12:30pm to 1pm.) Contact: www.gurunanakhealing.com

Venue: The Conga Room at LA LIVE, 800 W. Olympic Blvd., Los Angeles Time: 8pm to 12am Contact: (323) 362-6450

Wed June 29 • Shaan Se Venue: Main Stage Theatre, University of Buffalo, 103 Center Art Center for the Arts, Buffalo, New York Contact: 716-308-5325

Sat Oct 8 • Rhythm For Relief Venue: Haven NYC, 244 East 51st St, NY Time: 6pm Contact: 347-307-1378

Mon July 18 • Bhasshic 2011 (Free 10-Day Summer Hindi Camp) Venue: Chinmaya Mission Chicago - Yamunotri Campus, 30877 N. Fairfield Road, Grayslake, Illinois Time: 9am to 5pm Contact: 847-537-4710

Sat July 30 • Surtarang Music Competition Venue: Naperville Community Concert Center, 104 E. Benton Ave., Naperville,Illinois Time: 11am to 4pm Contact: 630-355-5468

Fri June 24 • The Science Of God - Realization Venue: Durga Mandir, 4240 Route 27, Princeton, New Jersey Time: 7:15pm to 8pm Contact: 201-848-0680

Sat June 25 ï Shaan Se Venue: Ritz Theater, 1148 East Jersey St, Elizabeth, New Jersey Time: 8pm Contact: 732-921-2070

WASHINGTON DC

Upcoming Fri June 24 • Art of living course Venue: Art of Living Ashburn center,Virginia, 43618,Millay Court, Ashburn, Virginia Time: 6:30pm to 9:30pm Contact: 703-723-8181

Sat June 18 • Sonu Nigaam Live In Concert Venue: San Jose State University, Event Center, 290 south 7th street, San Jose, California Time: 8pm Contact: 408-368-6865

Mon June 20 to Thurs Aug 20 • Summer Enrichment Program: Ohlone For Kids (and Teens!) Venue: Irvington High School, 41800 Blacow Road, Fremount CA & Newark Memorial High School, 39375 Cedar blvd., Newark, CA Contact: 510-742-2304 Highlights: Classes Include: Lego Robotics, Video Game Design, PSAT and SAT Prep, Young, Chefs, Drawing and Cartooning, and more... Class Just Added: MaST Adventures. Under the Stars and Sea (Marine Biology and Astronomy).

Sat June 25 • Tagore Festival : 150th Birth An-

niversary

Mon July 4

Venue: Amador Theater, 1155 Santa Rita Road, Pleasanton, California Time: 11am to 9pm

• Rathyatra, Festival of India

Thurs June 30

Venue: National Mall (in front of Air & Space Museum), Washington, DC Time: 10:30am to 9pm Contact: 301-299-2100

Mon Aug 22 • Shri Krishna Janamastami Venue: Hare Krishan Temple, 10310 Oaklyn Drive, Potomac, Maryland Time: 4:30am Contact: 301-299-2100

• Global Change - A Spiritual View Venue: The Palace Of Fine Arts Theater, 3301, Lyon Street, San Fracisco, California Time: 6:30pm to 9pm Contact: 415-563-4459

Sat July 9 • Arangetram - Emily Johnston Venue: Albert & Janet Schultz Theater, 3921 Fabian Way, Palo Alto, California Contact: 408-871-5959

Thurs June 23 • Art of Living Course Venue: Art of Living Los Angeles Center, 948 West Adams Blvd., Los Angeles Time: 6:30pm to 3pm Contact: 310-820-9429

Sun June 26 • Pan IIT Picnic Venue: Camp Liberty Shelter, Liberty Park, 19211 Studebaker Road, Cerritos, Alabama Time: 11:30am to 5pm Contact: 562-299-9212

Thurs July 7 • 2011 Western Regional Family & Youth Conference Venue: St. Thomas Orthodox Church of Los Angeles, 14121 Coteau Dr. Whittier, California Time: 4pm to 2pm Contact: 714-342-5196

Sun July 17 • Indian Cruise to Mexico from Long Beach Venue: Carnival Splendor, 231 Windsor Way, Long Beach, California Time: 4:30pm Contact: 858-925-7806

Mon Aug 1 • Yogalicious! Venue: Art of Living Center Los Angeles, 948 W Adams Blvd, Los Angeles, California Time: 6:30pm to 9pm Contact: 310-820-9429

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Philosophy

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ernadette Roberts describes a quality of silence she had known on occasions, which was so total as to evoke fear, annihilation, point of no return. Always she would return to her usual self, warding off the fear through willful thoughts of God, thus breaking the silence.One day, however, that silence could not be broken, for the fear did not come. And so there was no reason to return to the relationship between self and God. Roberts simply remained in that great silence. For 8 days the silence rendered her almost unable to function. There were moments of exhaustion and near black-out. Every chore had to be done with great attention to every detail. By the 9th day, Roberts was able to function as usual, but she noticed a part of her mind had closed down. She had become emptied of the past and come to live in the present moment. Trying to understand that silence, Roberts first perceived it to be a kind of absorption into God. Then, after a month, she revised her perception to be one of "seeing", a kind of opening-up, not a closing down. She soon discarded that perception and decided to research the works of John of the Cross. SWAMI TEJOMAYANANDA

t a satsang in one place, someone asked me: "How to have fun in life?" "Be serious", I said, and I said it rather seriously because really speaking the pursuit of happiness is a serious matter. A superficial approach to anything lands one in trouble. So, "Eat, drink and make merry" is a very shallow view of life. Deeper enquiry takes us to deeper truths. Let us see how Vedanta views the issue of happiness. To put it in a simple way, life is constituted of perception and response. Whether we like it or not, we cannot help responding to people, to situations, to events, in general to the world around. Now, response depends on individual perception. Everybody see the same object but how each sees it makes all the difference. Perception therefore can be called as a vision of life and response as an action or reaction that depends on this vision. Superficially whatever we see or experience with our gross sense organs is alone considered as real. No wonder, one finds the world very enchanting with its infinite variety and matchless beauty. But

There she found nothing describing her experience. Coming home that day from the library, Roberts turned her gaze inward and saw there was no longer a center, no longer a self. There was emptiness. She felt great joy and lightness with this knowledge. She decided that this emptiness and joy was Christ. She could live forever with that. However, further annihilation was in the cards.

Bernadette Roberts

other kind of life. Roberts felt now that she was on an unknown path, lifeless, yet she recognized life all around her. She intensely felt the need to be in nature, as life at home was too routine and lifeless. Though she found herself in the midst of life during her time of the day she spent in nature, she still had to deal with an intense emptiness. In a matter of days another re-

totally secure we really are and how all the fighting for individual survival and self-security is a waste of energy." Roberts further comments on insights gained. She says insights or realizations are often polluted by being brought to personal experience, conditionings, ideas, and to frames of reference. The secret to allowing an insight to become a permanent perspective,

Bernadette Roberts' experience of No-Self

A good traveler has no fixed plans, and is not intent on arriving. -Lao Tzu

â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Until we can go beyond our notions regarding the true nature of life we will never realize how totally secure we really are and how all the fighting for individual survival and self-security is a waste of energyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;

A n d r e m e m b e r, n o matter where you go, there you are. -Confucius

After a while, the joy of the emptiness began to wane and Roberts sought to rejuvenate it by spending time alone, simply gazing into the emptiness, which she was still sure was God. On one such occasion, the emptiness expanded rapidly and every sense of life became drained from her. The realization that came was: "When there is no personal self, there is also no personal God." This marked the end of an interior spiritual life, as well as any

alization arrived, a new way of perceiving reality: "God of life was not IN anything, it was just the reverse: everything was IN God." At this point, Roberts comments on the limitations of language: "One thing is for sure: as long as we are caught up in words, definitions, and all that the mind wants to cling to, we can never see how it works. And until we can go beyond our notions regarding the true nature of life we will never realize how

she offers, is to not touch it or thing about it, but to flow with it. Once an insight is released from a frame of reference, the insight or realization is free to become permanent. About two weeks following the insight that everything is in God, Roberts perception of the world changed. She now could see the Oneness of everything and could no longer see the separateness or individuality of things, only "THAT into which all separateness dissolves."

when we try to understand the same world a little deeply, it becomes very mind-boggling. Normally what happens is we get enchanted by the world of names and forms. But again we feel horrified or dejected by what happens sometimes in this very world. All this proves that what is visible is immaterial, what is invisible

pervades the multiple and diverse world of names and forms. Such a vision can make all the difference. It can help us see oneness in the midst of variety; it can protect us in the face of temptation, frustration and fear. All the Upanishads exhort one to develop this indivisible, immutable, immaculate vision. The very

Therefore, this answers the question of what fun or happiness is. It is not in merely gratifying our senses. The happiness experienced as a result of such a noble vision alone can be called as true and lasting happiness. But sadly, many of us do not have this kind of a vision. We are stuck either with rajasika vision

How to have fun in life? Be serious Swami Tejomayananda

is much more significant. What is visible is only an appearance and we all know that appearances are deceptive. The one truth that is not visible is subtle and it is this Truth that will solve all the problems. To see this Truth, we need a pure mind and subtle intellect. This is where Bhagavad Gita talks of a sattvika vision. A sattvika vision is one that helps us perceive the one Truth that

What is visible is immaterial, what is invisible is much more significant. The one truth that is not visible is subtle and it is this Truth that will solve all the problems first verse of Ishavasya Upanishad asks us to develop such a vision. "Pervade the world with the vision of the one Truth that is the Lord." Om ishavasyamidgam sarvam yat kinca jagatyam jagat tena tyaktena bhunjitha ma grdhah kasyasvid dhanam. Great souls who have attained this vision will work for unity, integration and happiness of all.

(extroverted outlook) or a tamasika vision (dull approach). A person with rajasika vision sees differences while perceiving the work and he considers those differences alone as real. A person with a tamasika vision is deeply, fanatically and exclusively attached to a particular view. Therefore, the sattvika kind of happiness alone deserves to be pursued.

All men's souls are immortal, but the souls of the righteous are immortal and divine. -Socrates A hero is born among a hundred, a wise man is found among a thousand, but an accomplished one might not be found even among a hundred thousand men. -Plato All things are subject to interpretation whichever interpretation prevails at a given time is a function of power and not truth. -Friedrich Nietzsche Children's talent to endure stems from their ignorance of alternatives. -Maya Angelou How strange that nature does not knock, and yet does not intrude! -Emily Dickinson

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US-Pakistan-India equations after Osama PR CHARI

month and a week have passed since Osama bin Laden's dramatic execution in his Abbottabad hideout. Two outcomes, both fully anticipated, have already come true. The first is that Osama's execution and his burial at sea [read feeding to the sharks in the North Arabian Sea] in contravention of Islamic traditions, has evoked hardly any reaction in the Muslim world. Why? Unsurprising, because he was not visible following the American attack on his base in Afghanistan after 9/11. His periodic exhortations to the faithful through videos to carry on the jihad against Americans had begun to pall. Obviously, the Pakistan Army and ISI found value in secreting Osama away in Abbottabad so that they could continue milking the munificent American cow for over $20 billion in civil and military assistance over the years. Osama's access to the outside world was severely restricted. Consequently, his charisma was fading; witness the minimal repercussions of his assassination in the Gulf and Middle East, convulsed presently by the 'Arab Spring'. Ironically. Pakistan is the country most adversely affected by Osama's killing. Almost daily revenge attacks are being launched on its security establishment by the Tehrik-e-Taliban and other outfits linked to al Qaeda. The second outcome, equally anticipated, is that Pakistan's anger that its sovereignty was violated by the Abbottabad raid was feigned. It has since quieted down. Anyway, this feigned anger was tempered by guilt, and was only meant to assuage the outraged domestic population. Pakistan's dependence on American aid is absolute, and it could not have continued this charade for long. Now, the Americans have deprived Pakistan of its last fig leaf of sovereignty by forcing its consent to conducting 'joint strikes' against 'high value targets', [read important militant leaders holed up in Pakistan.] The successful drone strike, which took out Ilyas Kashmiri, is the first such 'joint strike'. It succeeded because pinpoint and realtime intelligence were available to the Americans. Was this supplied by the ubiquitous ISI? Ayman al Zawahari, Mullah Omar and the Haqqani family are next in line.

Watch this space. What could Pakistan and India expect from the US in the postOBL era? It remains dependent on Pakistan to ensure that logistics supplies transiting through Pakistani territory from Karachi reach the American and international forces deployed in Afghanistan. Pakistan has exploited this American vulnerability to disrupt supplies to convey its disapproval of US actions. Post Osama, the US will be much less tolerant of crude blackmail. It could, instead, exploit Pakistan's vulnerability of being, in truth, a bankrupt and rentier

Osama bin Laden

state. More plainly, the US could use its aid to Pakistan for ensuring its fuller cooperation to address the jihadi threat emanating from its territory. President Obama

Pakistan's dependence on American aid is absolute, and it could not have continued this charade for long. Now, the Americans have deprived Pakistan of its last fig leaf of sovereignty by forcing its consent to conducting 'joint strikes' against 'high value targets', [read important militant leaders holed up in Pakistan has already advised Islamabad to refrain from exaggerating the threat from India and to not be niggardly in throwing its weight behind counter-insurgency operations against the jihadi outfits en-

sconced in the FATA and KhyberPakhtoonkhwa province. What does all this mean for India? Significantly, the US has not renewed its standard call on India to reconcile with Pakistan and resolve the Kashmir dispute to enable Pakistan to reduce its military presence against India on its eastern flank, and re-deploy those forces on its western borders to grapple with the militant outfits based there. Instead, the US has treated India with great circumspection, appreciating its capacity, like China, to invest in the American economy, provide markets for American goods - especially defense equipment, and partner the US to stabilize the volatile Southwest Asian region. Pakistan [read Pakistan Army and the ISI] would find it difficult however to continue its aberrant foreign policy of using cross-border insurgency and terrorism to keep India off-balance. Indeed, Pakistan will be under great pressure to restrain its militants from acting with impunity from its territory. India must obviously not shun dialogue with Pakistan. But it should re-define its terms and review the agenda beyond the hackneyed eight issues listed for discussion in the India-Pakistan Foreign Secretary level talks. High on this agenda should be the delivery of India's 'most wanted' criminals provided asylum in Pakistan, plus visible action against those identified Pakistanis who had perpetrated the Mumbai outrage. This includes credible action against the Lashkar-e-Toiba and Jaish-e-Muhammad, which are enjoying 'most favored terrorist organizations' status in Islamabad. No doubt a 'tough' agenda will not appeal to the Prime Minister, who is, by nature, averse to driving a hard bargain against Pakistan, especially in its present state of discomfiture. But as the former NSA MK Narayanan informed an American interlocutor, as revealed by WikiLeaks, the Prime Minister stands 'isolated' in the Indian policy establishment. The majority would undoubtedly favor a more realistic and hard-nosed policy in dealing with Pakistan without getting mushy in the unfolding post-OBL era The writer is Visiting Professor, IPCS

India Post Delusions of grandeur

ith his fast in Delhi, social activist Anna Hazare brought focus on corruption and the unwillingness of the government to tackle it. The Government was forced to respond and inducted members of the civil society into a panel to discuss the draft for a bill to appoint a Lokpal (ombudsman) to oversee cases of corruption against the high and mighty in government and bureaucracy, and even the judiciary. The deliberations were proceeding smoothly but all this was not to the liking of a Baba who was left squirming for not being given importance in the fight against corruption. Cashing on his popularity as a yoga guru he had launched a countrywide crusade against corruption and black money stacked abroad. His agitation was to culminate at a grand show to be organized in Delhi which would feed his publicity hungry ego. But without warning, he was upstaged by Anna Hazare in Delhi. His associates joined in the Anna Hazare event but unwillingly. They were both fighting on the same issue but the Baba wanted to hog the limelight. Healthcare in India is either not available, is shoddy when available and proper treatment is very costly. In such a scenario Baba Ramdev retrieved ancient Indian health techniques and offered them to ordinary people bringing in cures and fitness. The breathing and exercises made a difference to millions and the Baba became a celebrity. Turning commercial by selling his medicines (note the dollar rates of some of his medicines advertised on the Internet) Ramdev's business empire today comprises 34 companies with an overall annual turnover estimated at over Rs 1,100 crore. He has been buying land left and right offering the asking amount to farmers. Having made his millions, it is a wonder the Baba is now after others who have similarly made their millions. For he couldn't have amassed such wealth by fair means. Granted captive audiences of people seeking health and fitness, the Baba started haranguing them on patriotism or Hindutva. The Baba owns a religious channel which furthers his agenda. He dons the saffron garb but he hardly has any pretensions to being religious and none at all to spirituality. Still he tries to disseminate his two pence worth knowledge. Having found such wealth and popularity, the ambitious Baba thought the next step was political power. If he could mesmerize millions in the name of health, he could also use them to increase his clout in the corridors of power in New Delhi, where he hoped to make and break governments. Such were his delusions of grandeur when he descended on Delhi with hordes. He kept fooling government emissaries by promising to end his tamasha but kept on inciting people in the hope that with their support he could humiliate a government. Even after being evicted from Delhi he tried to march to Noida near Delhi, which is under the Uttar Pradesh government, knowing full well that many television studios are headquartered there and he could exploit their propensity to sensationalize. However, he was barred by the UP government. Confined to his ashram in Haridwar, he has now made it an issue of humiliation of a Swami by the government. The fight against corruption has gone to the backburner, more so because the government has started investigating his business empire. There is an interesting tale of ancient wisdom from Panchatantra. A donkey once strayed into the jungle where he came across the lion. The lion had never seen a donkey before so he got a bit alarmed and retreated to his den. The donkey thought the lion was frightened of him, so he ventured further into the jungle and soon met the fate of the Baba.

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