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January 1, 2016

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EYE FOR AN EYE: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is greeted by his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif on his surprise arrival in Lahore on December 25

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WASHINGTON: The US, the UN and China have welcomed Prime Minister Narendra Modi's surprise visit to Pakistan, saying improved ties between the two neighbors will benefit the entire region.

"We welcome the December 25 visit between PM Modi and PM (Nawaz) Sharif. Better relations between neighbors India and Pakistan will benefit the people of the entire region," US State Department spokesman John Kirby said.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon also welcomed the

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meeting between the two leaders, hoping that the bilateral dialogue will be maintained and strengthened going forward.

"The Chinese side has noticed the report and welcomes the latest development in the Pakistan-India relationship," China's Foreign Ministry Spokesman Lu Kang said. "Improvement in Indo-Pak ties is significant for regional peace, stability and development, he added.

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et's begin by wishing one and all a very happy new year. It's uncanny how with the change of the calendar we actually mean it when we wish others that their year should turn out to be a happy one much as we hope to have a good one ourselves. It is that time when the probability of natural calamities, manmade disasters, economic downturns, crime and violence don't seem as threatening as peace, prosperity and all things beautiful seem a distinct possibility.

Now, I am no psychic but indulge me while I make some "predictable" predictions for the New Year. If some of the predictions seem bleak, one need not be overly bothered, because we are in a state of continuum and in many ways, will continue to live out situations perpetuated in the past.

So well, there'll be no respite for the world from the Kardashians and the Jenners as they will continue to dominate social media and mainstream media.

Donald Trump will win GOP nomination. But Hillary Clinton will win the Presidential election (a distinct possibility!).

In the US, gun violence will continue with no real preventive laws being attempted by Congress.

Hate crimes, race divide and anti-immigrant sentiments will grow, as will Trump-style conservatism.

ISIS will continue to keep the world engaged in a consuming war on terror.

Migrant crisis will continue and there will be related unrest in the receiving nations. Climate change initiatives will be begin to be formulated but brace yourself for more freak-weather disasters.

New economic alliances will emerge among nations that will not necessarily need the US to spur their growth.

In India, Bollywood exports to Hollywood will be more significant and the Khans will continue to rule the Plus-100-crore clubs.

Conservative Hindu voices will grow stronger as will the anti-Hindu voices in the mainstream media.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will continue to spin the growth story (with results to show, no doubt) and will unofficially patent the Modi-ki-jhappi kind of diplomacy.

Opposition parties will continue to rage on like cornered beasts. And no, Rahul Gandhi will still not manage to impress anyone at all.

Romesh K Japra rkjapra@indiapost.com

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HIGHLIGHTS Bollywood: Slapping queen Priyanka Chopra is not comfortable if anybody touches her. She once even slapped a fan for misbehaviour

Cover Story: Welcome visit The US, the UN and China have welcomed Prime Minister Narendra Modi's surprise visit to Pakistan

Community: Toy Drive FOG and Fremont Hindu Temple organized a "Toy Drive" to distribute toys to needy children including jailed youth

US regrets The US has regretted the impact of deportation of Indian students bound for two California schools

Life style: Sadhana ‘cut’ One of the most charming heroines of the 1960s Sadhana was the first cine star to have a hairstyle named after her.

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Russia opens up Russia's decision to open up its oil and gas sector to Indian companies will significantly boost bilateral trade

Kalpetta The quaint town of Kalpetta in Wayanad district of Kerala is surrounded by thick coffee plantations, picturesque mountains

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US, UN welcome ModiSharif meeting WASHINGTON: The US and UN have welcomed Prime Minister Narendra Modi's surprise visit to Pakistan, saying improved ties between the two neighbors will benefit the entire region.

"We welcome the December 25 visit between PM Modi and PM (Nawaz) Sharif. Better relations between neighbors India and Pakistan will benefit the people of the entire region," US State Department spokesman John Kirby said.

The spokesman was responding to a question on Modi's surprise visit to Lahore, where he held talks with Sharif.

UN Secretary-General Ban Kimoon also welcomed the meeting between the two leaders, hoping that the bilateral dialogue will be

‘The Secretary General has long been encouraging both leaders of the two countries to engage in dialogue.

He obviously welcomes this visit’

maintained and strengthened going forward.

"The Secretary General has long been encouraging both leaders of the two countries to engage in dialogue. He obviously welcomes this visit and this step in the right direction and he hopes that the dialogue will be maintained and strengthened," a UN spokesperson told PTI when asked about the UN chief's response to Modi's visit to Pakistan, the first by an Indian Prime Minister in more than a decade.

Modi, returning from his visit to Russia and Afghanistan, made the surprise visit to Lahore. -PTI

Modi has ushered changes in all spheres: Swaraj SILCHAR, Assam: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has ushered in changes in all spheres including India's foreign policy, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said here.

"Modi has established a new outlook in all spheres, including India's foreign policy, economic policy, homeland security," benefiting the people, Swaraj said at a BJP workers' meeting here.

Asserting that the BJP had come to power in the general elections with a broad vision for the country, Swaraj voiced confidence that her party will emerge victorious in the Assam assembly polls too.

On the vexed illegal foreigners' problem in Assam, the Minister said, "The Centre is seized of the matter.

"The issue will be solved keeping the interest of all sections of people".

On the demand in the Barak valley for a Passport office in Cachar district, she said the Central government was examining the demand and the Passport office may be set up in Silchar.

The Passport Office, Guwahati caters to six of the North Eastern States of Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram and Nagaland.

Coming back to the development plank, Swaraj said, "When BJP wins here all round development will come to Assam as BJP does not indulge in partisan politics based on religion and caste".

The senior BJP leader exhorted her party workers to tell the people about the development

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is greeted by his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif on his arrival in Lahore on December 25

China hails Modi-Sharif meeting in Lahore

Sushma Swaraj

works undertaken by Modi government.

Swaraj charged Tarun Gogoi with "failing" to bring all round development to Assam.

"The whole of the North East region, particularly Assam, has been lagging behind the rest of the country", she said.

Swaraj wondered what kind of development former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh brought to Assam which he has been representing in Parliament for nearly 24 years, ten years of that phase being as Prime Minister.

Singh is a Rajya Sabha MP from Assam. -PTI

BEIJING: China has welcomed the surprise meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif in Lahore, saying improvement in Indo-Pak ties is significant for regional peace, stability and development.

"The Chinese side has noticed the report and welcomes the latest development in the PakistanIndia relationship," Foreign Ministry Spokesman Lu Kang said.

He was responding to a question about Modi's surprise visit to Lahore while on way form Kabul

during which the two prime ministers met at Sharif's residence.

Lu said Pakistan and India are important countries in south Asia and the improvement of their relationship will be significant to regional peace, stability and development.

"As the common neighbor and friend of both Pakistan and India, China is happy to see and will support, as always, Pakistan and India to enhance mutual trust and achieve common development through continuous dialogue," he added.-PTI

'More Pak-visit like initiatives in pipeline' JAMMU: Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Pakistan is a "positive step" which would lead to more such actions, Minister of State in the PMO Jitendra Singh said here while noting that peace parleys between the two countries would benefit Jammu and Kashmir the most.

"This (PM's Pakistan visit) is a positive step which will lead to other and subsequently other leads will follow. A meeting ground has been formed to discuss other issues," Singh, who hails from

Jammu, told reporters here.

He said Jammu and Kashmir which has borne the brunt of terrorism would be the biggest beneficiary of the peace parleys be-

‘This (PM's Pakistan visit) is a positive step which will lead to other and subsequently other leads will follow’

tween India and Pakistan.

"There is no second opinion about the fact that in the second half or quarter of the century, Jammu Kashmir is the greatest sufferer as far as terrorism is concerned and therefore any process which seeks to restore peace in the subcontinent and the region, will certainly have the most important benefit for Jammu and Kashmir," said the MP from the state.

He said the entire world was surprised over the Prime Minister's visit to Pakistan but

also welcomed his move aimed at mending relationship between the two nations.

"The entire world was surprised and the Pakistan media also. The most interesting fact was that when Prime Minister got out of the aircraft and the Pakistan media was running forward to cover him he along with Nawaz Sahab immediately boarded the helicopter and Pakistan media was not aware of anything," the Minister said.

Cont’d on page 6

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Sharif dons Modi gifted pink turban

Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif wearing pink turban gifted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during the wedding of his granddaughter at his residence in Raiwind, Lahore on December 27

LAHORE: Pakistan's Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif wore the pink turban gifted to him by his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi for his granddaughter's wedding.

A source at Sharif's Jati Umrah

residence told PTI that Sharif had donned the "Indian Rajasthani pink turban" gifted to him by Modi during the Indian premier's visit.

"Wearing the gifted turban of Mr Modi itself shows Mr Sharif's sincere intention towards the

neighboring country. Besides, it also demonstrates that Mr Sharif values the gift of Mr Modi," the PML-N source said.

Mehrun Nisa, daughter of Maryam Nawaz, married Raheel Munir, son of well known industrialist Chaudhry Munir, who was the first to shake hands with Modi when he got off the car at Jati Umrah outside Lahore.

Modi had congratulated Sharif on the wedding of his granddaughter and also presented him gifts.

Later around 2,000 guests attended the Walima ceremony of the couple. Some VVIP guests had also come from Saudi Arabia for the occasion.

Both the groom and the bride have studied at the London School of Economics.

The source says that Walima ceremonies will also be held in UAE and the UK next month because many friends of the Sharifs could not make it to Lahore.

Though all the wedding ceremonies are being kept a close family affair away from the public eye, selected footage is released to the media as during the marriage of Sharif's elder son Husain back in the 1990s.

The locals as well as British tailors were reportedly been hired to prepare dresses of the bride and her relatives. -PTI

Modi-Sharif meeting an innovative diplomacy: HM LUCKNOW: Terming as "innovative diplomacy" the surprise meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Pakistani counterpart in Lahore, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh has said it was in line with Atal Bihari Vajpayee's vision of Indo-Pak ties.

"The meeting is an innovative diplomacy," Singh said at a function here to mark the birth anniversary of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

Singh's remarks came a day after Modi's visit to Pakistan, the first by an Indian Prime Minister in more than a decade. Former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee had traveled to Lahore from New Delhi on the inaugural run of a bus route in 1999.

Modi and Sharif had met briefly on the sidelines of the Paris Climate Change Summit recently. The

Paris meeting was the first between the two leaders after July when they had met in the Russian city of Ufa and had agreed that their National Security Advisers would meet.

The two leaders also attended

Home Minister Rajnath Singh

the UN General Assembly session in September but did not meet even though they stayed in the same hotel.

The two leaders again came under one roof during a peacekeeping summit held on the sidelines of the General Assembly, but only waved at each other and did not speak or shake hands.

The Home Minister opined that after Atal Bihari Vajpayee, it was Prime Minister Modi who has raised the dignity of India in front of the world.

"In independent India, after Atal Bihari Vajpayeeji, if there is someone who has made the country proud and raised its dignity in front of the world, it is Narendra Modi," he said.

Singh said that it was mainly due to Modi's long stretching efforts that the influence and image of the country has vastly improved. He also mentioned about the visit of US President Obama to India in 2010, claiming that "India is not emerging, but India has emerged".-PTI

'More Pak-visit like initiatives in pipeline' Cont’d from page 5

"This is something which has been welcomed by and large by everybody", he said.

To criticism by Opposition parties, Singh said, "Except for those few who are not inclined to give Prime Minister the credit, everybody else has welcomed it. But some of the opposition leaders who are not comfortable with it are the ones who would criticize us anyway."

The MoS in PMO said the several initiatives could not go forward because they had already come into discussion and were in the public domain.

He said some of the opposition leaders would criticize the Prime Minister for whatever he does.

"If Prime Minister does not talk, then the allegation is that he is not talking. When (NSA) Ajit Doval spoke to his counterpart in Bangkok for reasons of confidentiality, the accusation was why in third country and now we have gone there, they say why have you gone there. Regardless of the accusations, the things have to move forward", Singh said.

On the allegations by the opposition parties that Modi deviated from India's stated position that terror and talks cannot go together, he said that terror can

without preparation. Now if everything is made public, then you get hurdles as you move ahead."

Asked whether the issue of the Pakistan-occupied Kashmir would also figure in the talks between the two countries, he said the roadmap for talks was yet to be decided.

Jitendra Singh

"What to talk and where to start, this thing has to be decided.

If we discuss anything in public today it might pre-empt the very initiative itself and it might not be in national interest to discuss the possible agenda," he said.

When asked to react on the statement of veteran actor Anupam Kher who has said that the revocation of Article 370 from the Constitution would end all the problems of Kashmir, he said that it was the government of Jammu and Kashmir to take a call on the issue "There is a coalition government, very sensitive government.

They have an agenda of the alliance, they should take a call," he said.

"Within the state now that there is a coa‘If we discuss anything in lition government, we leave it to them how public today it might they want to move pre-empt the very initiative ahead with their agenda of alliance" he itself and it might not be said.

Replying to a quesin national interest’ tion about the statement of BJP General Secretary Ram Madhav in which stop only after talks are held.

"When there are bombs blasts he had said that one day India, you cannot listen to each other, Pakistan and Bangladesh would so this has to move on and there unite, the MoS in PMO said such is no other option and the Prime a school of thought existed even Minister is keeping alive the spirit before Partition.

"I don't think such type of diswith which he had taken the oath and invited Pakistan Prime Minis- cussion is going on. Right now it ter and other heads of states. He is about improving the relationgave a loud message that we want ship (between India and Pakistan). to work in an atmosphere of coex- There is a school of thought which istence with all the neighboring existed before the partition and which was not convinced with the countries," he said.

He said some leaders from the two nation theory.

"There has been a very strong opposition were fuming that Modi had gone to Pakistan without school or opinion, however I canpreparation, but "I ask them how not express my personal opinion do you know that he went there on the issue," he said.-PTI

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Hurriyat cautions against 'rabble-rousers' SRINAGAR: The moderate separatist group in Jammu and Kashmir has urged the top political brass of India and Pakistan to ensure that "rabble-rousers" in both countries are not allowed to vitiate the "atmosphere of peace" emerging after the recent thaw in Indo-Pak relations.

The Hurriyat Conference headed by Mirwaiz Umar Farooq hoped that the leadership in both the countries will carry forward the peace process in a "bold way" and resolve all outstanding issues including Kashmir. It also said that it would not shy away from talks with the government, adding that any dialogue should be "with an open mind and heart".

Keenly watching the developments, Mirwaiz Farooq, who is also a Muslim religious head, feels that the meeting of Prime Minister Narendra Modi with his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif in Lahore has given a fresh hope not

only to people of the two nations but to the entire South Asian region.

"I only hope that the process, which has been initiated after many speed breakers, gains mo-

‘Any party or group that stands in the way of attempts to achieve peace are enemies of the people of South Asia’ mentum and both nations sit together and find solutions to all the outstanding issues including Kashmir by involving the Kashmiri people," the Mirwaiz told PTI here.

He, however, expressed apprehension that radical elements, who

are inimical to peace in the region, would try and make desperate attempts to sabotage the peace process.

"Both the Prime Ministers are democratically elected and have a strong mandate in their respective countries. If they are to carry forward a peace process and take historical steps, it is important that the process has broad support from the political opposition and general public in both countries.

"Any party or group that stands in the way of attempts to achieve peace are enemies of the people of South Asia. The leadership in India and Pakistan should invite and involve all the stakeholders -especially the people of Kashmir - to contribute and be a part of this process.

"The rabble-rousers should be reined in so that issues can be addressed and peace becomes the order of the day in the South Asian region," he said.-PTI

Cong always favored friendly ties with Pak: Mir JAMMU: Congress has said lations with its neighbors, espethat it has always been in favor of cially Pakistan. dialogue and friendly relations We had questioned the role of with Pakistan, and accused the the BJP which always indulged in BJP of indulgrhetoric on the ing in negative issue for the rhetoric whensake of its doever the previmestic politics. ous Congress"The party led government (Congress) actook such an inicused the Modi tiative. government for "Congress following an inalways favored consistent and dialogue and zig-zag policy tofriendly relawards Pakistan," tions with Pakihe said.

Ghulam Ahmed Mir stan and always He referred to pursued a policy for engaging Pa- the initiatives taken by the previkistan for dialogue process," Con- ous Congress-led governments gress state unit President Ghulam from time to time to engage PakiAhmed Mir said. stan in the process of bilateral dia"But it was the BJP which of- logue to have better relations and ten indulged in negative rhetoric resolve outstanding issues. over these initiatives by the former "However, at times the events Congress-led government at the and the situation emerging from Centre," he said.

Pakistan overtook the peace iniHe said the Congress follows tiatives and derailed the peace the policy to have harmonious re- process," he said.-PTI

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Take forward Vajpayee initiative: Advani GANDHIDHAM, Gujarat: A day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi's surprise Lahore visit, BJP veteran L K Advani said here that Modi and other leaders in government should work to carry forward Atal Bihari Vajpayee's initiative for improving Indo-Pak ties and get rid of problem of terrorism.

He, however, skirted a query on the issue of suspension of party MP Kirti Azad who had made allegations of corruption against Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA) in which Finance Arun Jaitley has come under attack.

"The efforts initiated by Vajpayee ji need to be taken forward," Advani said on a question of surprise visit of Modi to Lahore.

"Modiji and others in government should steadfastly improve relationship with Pakistan and get rid of terrorism, which has been an issue between both the countries," Advani said.

Former Prime Minister Vajpayee had traveled to Lahore in a bus from India in 1999 and started a peace initiative with Pa-

L K Advani

kistan in 2004.

Modi during his return from Kabul had a surprise stop-over at Lahore and went to the home of Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Shairf on his birthday.

This was the first visit of Indian Prime Minister to Pakistan after 2004 when Vajpayee had traveled to the country for the SAARC summit.

Advani, who had met other BJP veteran leaders like Murli Manohar Joshi and Yashwant

Sinha to discuss suspension of Azad, did not respond to the question on the issue. It was the veterans' second meeting.

Following their first meeting on the Diwali eve, they had launched a stinging attack on BJP leadership over the Bihar election drubbing.

This time, however, they issued no statement.

Advani was here to attend a Sindhi community function at Sindu Bhavan. -PTI

CPI (M) bewails Pak artists not allowed to perform KOLKATA: CPI-M general secretary Sitaram Yechury has said Indo-Pak relations should move beyond leaders and wondered what the use of talks is if Pakistani players and artists are not allowed to perform in India.

"Now the talks have started. So the talks are only among leaders. What is the use of talks if Pakistani Singer Ghulam Ali is not allowed to sing in Mumbai, Pakistani cricket players are not allowed Sitaram to play in our country?" Yechury wanted to know.

"The talks can't be conducted in a superficial way. You need to stress on people-to-people contact," he said while addressing a rally at the open session of the party's five-day plenum.

"Modiji is only interested in foreign trips. He is eating breakfast in Kabul, lunch in Lahore and dinner in Delhi. Before elections

he claimed that he has a chest of 56 inches and he will not hold any talks with Pakistan without stopping terrorism," the CPI (M) general secretary said.

Yechury's comments come in the backdrop of a surprise visit

by Modi to Pakistan when he flew into Lahore, his first touchdown in that country, to meet his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif.

Ye c h u r y also condemned BJP leader and RSS ideoYechury logue Ram Madhav's comment that India, Pakistan and Bangladesh will unite one day, saying such comments are aimed at spreading "communalism."

"The RSS is saying they want a united India by taking along Pakistan and Bangladesh. The comment is aimed at spreading communalism. It is aimed at pitting one brother (religion) against another brother (religion). The oil

prices have come down in the international market, but the Centre is imposing one after another tax and not allowing the oil prices to fall," Yechury said.-PTI

India, Pak, Bangla will reunite one day: Ram Madhav NEW DELHI: Ram Madhav, BJP general secretary on lien from RSS, has said that RSS believes that India, Pakistan and Bangladesh will one day reunite again not by war but through "popular goodwill", comments that were made public on the night Prime Minister Narendra Modi made a surprise stopover in Lahore for a meeting with Nawaz Sharif.

"The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) still believes that one day these parts, which have for historical reasons separated only 60 years ago, will again, through popular goodwill, come together and Akhand Bharat will be created," he told Al Jazeera, the Dohabased channel.

The BJP general secretary said, "As an RSS member, I also hold on to that view."

He, however, clarified, saying, "That does not mean we wage war on any country...we annex any country. Without war, through popular consent, it can happen."

The program containing Madhav's comments was apparently recorded in London before the prime minister's surprise visit to Pakistan on Christmas day when he met Sharif and discussed ways of improving ties between the two countries.

Madhav, an RSS pracharak himself, said, India is "a land where a particular way of life, a particular culture or civilization, is practiced."

"We call it Hindu - do you have any objection? India has one culture. We are one culture, one people, one nation," he told the channel.

Madhav said the RSS ideology is for the supremacy of In-

Ram Madhav

dia and the organization is neither "fascist" nor "aggressive".

On the controversy over returning of awards by writers and intellectuals, he said, a small number of people do not represent the entire country's views and there were a very large number of intellectuals who did not support this award.

Madhav said they were doing it "to defame the government and in turn to defame the image of India" and termed as "wrong" their method of protest. -PTI

Pak in talks with US to buy F-16s: Air Chief ISLAMABAD: Pakistan is in negotiations with the US to procure the latest F-16 fighter jets and by 2020 it will phase out some of its old combat aircraft, including Mirage, Air Chief Marshal Sohail Aman said here.

"We are in talks with US defense officials to get some latest F-16s but the deal may take some time," the Air chief told reporters after the rolling out ceremony of the 16th JF-17 Thunder aircraft at the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC) Kamra near here.

Aman, however, did not specify the number of aircraft which Pakistan is keen to procure from the US. The new F-16s would add to Pakistan's sizeable force of fighter jets which include more than 70 F-16s and dozens of French and Chinese attack air-

craft.

Pakistan already has several F16s which US provided over years since the two countries entered into a deal in the 1980s to equip Pakistan with the state-of-the-art aircraft.

JF-Thunder is the latest entry into the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) and is replacing the aging Mirage.

The latest models of the JF-Thunder jets, which are locally produced in cooperation with China, are lightweight

multi-role aircraft capable of Mach 2.0 (twice the speed of sound) with an operational ceiling of 55,000 feet.

The Air chief also said that by the year 2020, PAF will say "goodbye to some of its old fighter jets, including the Mirage".

Expressing his satisfaction over the production and quality level of the JF-17 Thunder, he said it is at par with the F16 in terms of performance and operations.

According to a report in the New York Times in October, the US Congress was notified about the proposed sale of eight F-16s fighter jets to Pakistan just days ahead of the Oval Office meeting between US President Barack Obama and Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.-PTI

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Indian-American doc is Ohio's Poet Laureate WASHINGTON: A 36-year-old Indian-American doctor has been named the first Poet Laureate by the US state of Ohio for showcasing a variety of styles in his poetry.

Amit Majmudar, a diagnostic nuclear radiologist, was named to the two-year honorary position by Governor John Kasich who created the honor.

"Our first poet laureate will bring a unique perspective to this new role and is a powerful example to our young people that regardless of what career path they choose to pursue, they always can tap into their other passions," Ohio Governor John R Kasich has said.

During his two-year term beginning January 1 next year,

Majmudar said he intends to bring an interdisciplinary approach to promoting poetry by establishing a link with the existing, thriving Ohio arts community, a media release said.

Another important component of his outreach will be engaging Ohio high school students through a variety of means to encourage the future of poetry in

Ohio. As a poet, Majmudar has taken a nontraditional path, the Governor's office said.

Majmudar is a medical doctor and serves as a diagnostic and nuclear radiologist in Columbus.

The legislation creating the position of the State's official poet was passed in 2014.

He was recommended for the position by the Ohio Poet Laure-

Indian-American to lead UC's investment fund WASHINGTON: A prominent Indian-American businessmen will lead a venture to collect funds for University of California with an aim to invest in innovation opportunities.

Anchored by USD 250 million from University of California's investment office, the fund will be an independent entity run by Vivek Ranadive, who will build a business team and help attract outside capital.

"Our business plan for the UC innovation fund is designed for the next 100 years," said Paul Wachter, chair of the UC Board of Regents Committee on Investments.

"Therefore, it's important that we get this right with a great team and an independent structure, which is what we have accomplished by recruiting Vivek to lead the fund," he said.

Ranadive is the founder and former CEO of TIBCO, a multi million-dollar real-time computing

company. The Indian-American is also the owner and chairman of the Sacramento Kings, a National Basketball Association (NBA)

Vivek Ranadive

team.

"Vivek is a visionary who has transformed the way businesses operate across the world and developed his own innovations in Silicon Valley," UC's Investment Officer Jagdeep Singh Bachher said.

"This venture will support the research and entrepreneurship of UC faculty and student research-

China withdraws vulgar translation of Tagore poetry BEIJING: A publisher in China hurriedly withdrew a Chinese translation of Nobel Laureate Rabindranath Tagore's "Stray Birds," after facing flak from literary critics who termed the racy translation of the classic as "blasphemy" and "cultural terrorism".

Considering the huge controversy sparked by Feng's translation, Zhejiang Wenyi Publishing House, the publisher of the translation, announced that it would pull the books off bookshelves and websites, and recall the sold ones, state-run Xinhua news agency reported. Tagore's "Stray Birds" has long been deemed as a work of elegance and wisdom by its Chinese fans.

But the new translation by fa-

mous Chinese writer Feng Tang has shocked readers with racy translations that are often misinterpreted, the report said.

The translations using erotic and vulgar language drew sharp criticism from public which condemned Feng for vulgarizing Tagore's works.

Users on popular Chinese microblog Sina Weibo chastised the translation as "a blasphemy against a classic".

"Tagore is Asia's foremost literary titan, revered throughout the world and very much beloved in China. There are many Chinese versions of his poetry, so it is not surprising one more would appear," columnist Raymond Zhou wrote in state-run China Daily.-PTI

ers whose discoveries can benefit people throughout California, the nation and the world," the university's President Janet Napolitano said.

"Vivek is a leader who can make that happen. His involvement will enable us to achieve our objective of capitalizing on UC innova-

tion," he added.

"It is a tremendous honor to partner with the University of California in this unique collaboration focused on investing in breakthrough technologies emerging from the world-class University of California system," Ranadive said in a statement. -PTI

ate Selection Committee, following an extensive statewide nomination and review process.

Throughout his medical career, Majmudar has nurtured his writing as a poet, novelist and essayist. He has published two novels, Partitions in 2009 and The Abundance in 2011.

Majmudar's poetry has appeared in numerous publications including The New Yorker, The New York Review of Books, The Atlantic Monthly, Poetry Magazine, The Antioch Review and The Best of the Best American Poetry 1988-2012.

His essays and literary criticism have appeared in a number of publications as well including the New York Times, The Kenyon Review and Poetry Daily.

His next collection of poems Dothead will be published in March by Alfred A Knopf. -PTI

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Elderly Sikh attacked in Fresno, CA NEW YORK: A 68-year-old Sikh man has been brutally assaulted by two persons in the US state of California, prompting police to launch a "hate crime" probe into the latest such incident in the country.

Amrik Singh Bal was attacked December 26 in California's Fresno area, a report in the Fresno Bee said.

The incident happened as Bal

his head. During the assault, one of the suspects yelled "Why are you here?" the report said.

The suspects fled only after they heard another vehicle approaching.

Bal, who was taken to a local hospital, suffered abrasions to his nose and right hand and a broken collar bone.

Noll said police have started a hate-related criminal investigation

Fearing for his safety, Bal tried crossing the street but the suspects backed up their car and hit Bal with their back bumper. The two men then got out of the car and attacked Bal, hitting him in the face and upper body was waiting alone for a ride to work when two white men stopped their car in front of him and started yelling obscenities at him, Fresno police Sergeant Greg Noll said.

Fearing for his safety, Bal tried crossing the street but the suspects backed up their car and hit Bal with their back bumper.

The two men then got out of the car and attacked Bal, hitting him in the face and upper body.

Bal fell to the ground and hit

into the attack on Bal adding that the Fresno police would coordinate with the Department of Homeland Security and FBI to solve this case.

The attack is the latest in a line of hate crimes against Sikhs in America.

Earlier this month, a Gurudwara in California was vandalized with hateful graffiti, including the word 'ISIS', in the aftermath of the mass shootings in San Bernardino.

In September, a Sikh American

father was viciously assaulted in a suburb outside of Chicago after being called 'Bin Laden'.

In 2014, Sandeep Singh, a Sikh American father in New York City, was run over and dragged 30 feet after being called a "terrorist".

In May 2013, 82-year-old Piara Singh was attacked outside the Nanaksar Sikh Temple in south Fresno by a man who later allegedly made inflammatory comments about Muslims.

In 2012, a gunman with NeoNazi ties walked into a Sikh gurdwara and shot and killed six innocent Sikh in Oak Creek, Wisconsin.

"Sikhs have been mistaken for terrorists and radicals and continue to suffer after 9/11," member of the Sikh Council of Central California Ike Iqbal Grewal said.

"This is the latest episode of what Sikhs have been enduring when they are very peace-loving and hard-working citizens of this great country and not members of al-Qaida or ISIS or any other radical group."

Rights group The Sikh Coalition said its thoughts and prayers go out to Bal and his family.

"We are quickly investigating and will share updates when we have them," it said. -PTI

DDCA probe chief wants live telecast NEW DELHI: Former Solicitor General Gopal Subramanium, who is heading the Commission of Inquiry to go into alleged irregularities in DDCA affairs, has strongly pitched for live telecast of the proceedings to make it transparent.

"I would also like to make it clear that I have already promised a public inquiry. The same should be held at a suitable place. I offer it to be televised because I would like anybody in the world to watch how the Commission is proceeding to deal with this matter.

"I have always believed that in many parts of the world where proceedings of courts have been televised particularly in Britain and also in Canada, the judiciary has only stood to gain by being utterly transparent," he said in a letter to Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.

"I do not see why a matter which involves cricket and in particular which has long term implications must not be dealt with in

the same fashion," he said.

Formally accepting to head the Commission to probe alleged financial irregularities and wrongdoings in the Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA), Subramanium said its formation

The noted lawyer desisted from making any direct comment on Jung's reservations on setting up of the commission but made his disagreement clear, saying that not setting up the panel would be "contrary" to the relevant provisions of the Constitution.-PTI

Cong organ questions Nehru's China policy MUMBAI: Articles in a Congress mouthpiece questioning Jawaharlal Nehru's China policy and calling Sonia Gandhi's father a "fascist soldier" left the party squirming in embarrassment, forcing its editor Sanjay Nirupam to apologize and sack its editorial content in-charge.

One of the write-ups in Hindi journal "Congress Darshan" blamed Nehru for "the state of affairs in Kashmir, China and Tibet", while another made the controversial remarks about Congress President Sonia Gandhi's parent.

Ironically, the focus of the latest issue of the magazine was the services rendered by Sonia to the party and her achievements since she took over as Congress president. It also had a color picture of Sonia on the cover.

As the two unsigned articles in the journal published by Mumbai Regional Congress Committee, left Congress in discomfort, Nirupam, who also heads the party's city unit, tendered an apology and sacked Sudhir Joshi, the man in charge of the magazine's editorial content.

One of the articles, a tribute to the country's first home minister Sardar Vallabbhai Patel, had references to the "strained" relations between him and Nehru.

The article cited a letter Patel had purportedly written in 1950 to

caution Nehru against China's policy towards Tibet wherein he had described China as "unfaithful and a future enemy of India".

"Had Patel been heard (by Nehru) then, the problems of Kashmir, China, Tibet and Nepal wouldn't have existed now.

Patel opposed Nehru's move of taking the Kashmir issue to the UNO," the article went on to say.

Another piece, which focused on Sonia, described her early life and her "ambition to become an airhostess".

It termed her father a "fascist soldier" who, the article claimed, was a member of the Italian forces that lost to the Russians in the World War II. "Sonia Gandhi's fat h e r Stephano Maino was a former fascist soldier," the article claimed and described her rapid rise in the Congress hierarchy.

"Sonia Gandhi registered as a primary member of the Congress in 1997 and became the party s president in 62 days.

She also made an unsuccessful attempt to form a government," the article said.

Taking a serious note of the matter, Congress leaders Salman Khurshid and Raj Babbar said in Delhi that it should be seriously looked into.

"If something like this has come out in the Congress article, then AICC will take it up," Khurshid said. -PTI

Microsoft to work with entrepreneurs: Nadella

Gopal Subramanium

was in tune with provisions in the Constitution, notwithstanding Lt Governor Najeeb Jung's reservations over it.

Subramanium said that in view of the resolution passed by the Delhi Assembly to form the Commission, it was "incumbent" upon the city government to set up the same as the House was a "State legislature for all practical purposes".

HYDERABAD: Microsoft is interested in working with entrepreneurs on building last mile technological connectivity with India's rural areas, CEO Satya Nadella said here.

Addressing a gathering at THub, a technological incubator promoted by the Telangana government, Nadella advised the start-up community to learn from the failures.

"Whatever technology you use, like white space technology, it is important to get the last mile connectivity to rural areas. We are interested to work with entrepreneurs in that space. The idea should have marketability," he

said.

Microsoft recently launched a pilot project in Kenya to deliver low-cost, high-speed wireless broadband and create new oppor-

Satya Nadella

tunities for commerce, education, healthcare, and delivery of government services across the African country.

It is the first deployment of

solar power-based stations together with TV white spaces, a technology partially developed by Microsoft Research, to deliver high-speed Internet access to areas currently lacking even basic electricity, Microsoft had said.

Nadella said people celebrate failures only when they learn lessons from them and correct mistakes.

"Failure plays an important role as it gives an opportunity to learn from it. Celebration of failure comes only when we learn lessons from it," he was quoted as saying by a government official in an interactive session where media was not allowed.-PTI

12 India Post

Horoscope

January 1, 2016

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upiter's presence in fifth will continue to help you overcome obstacles but at a slow speed. Solutions will be permanent. Luck will definitely stay on your side and the guidance and blessings of an old man will steer your life in the right direction. There is a very strong chance of an addition in the family this year. Marriageable child will be hooked to someone beautiful as well as professional person. Your interest in religion will increase and you will perform many great deeds this year. You may also make some serious donations for a noble cause. Money wise you will stay in comfortable zone, its the professional hurdles which will not leave you alone. Working under others will be a challenge.

Some of you may need minor surgery to improve eyesight or to treat some difficult to diagnose problem in stomach region also this year. There is a strong possibility of change in career after September, 2016, whether you like it or not. Strong chance that one of your child may move out or away for one or another reason this year. You will be very much tempted to start a business but may keep backing off for financial reasons. Running around will increase and you will take more than two short vacations. Investing in property will be a great idea. You have to be extra careful when signing any important papers or contract this year.

S

aturn will stay strong though in enemy camp in seventh throughout the year. You will make tremendous progress in career. hard work and patience will keep paying off in shape of rich financial rewards. Few promotions for those in service are not at all out of question. People in business will expand their horizons by buying more locations but still in the same field. Investing in property will be another good idea and will turn profitable only in long term. You may have some major changes or addition done to your existing home around summer time. Some of you may launch a consulting company in partnership with few old friends. Jupiter's presence in fifth after September will give you some concerns about children and you will need outside help to resolve the issues. People in business may relocate to a bigger place but in the same neighborhood or end up buying the property from landlord. Spouse if working, may quit around April and wait for few months to apply again landing up in a good company around September. It will be a good idea to keep a bottle of water next to you and take few sips before making any important decisions. You may also get some kind of clearance from government around March, making room for tremendous progress or a big change in career.

aturn will continue to stay in sixth house in 2016.

You will feel tired of stale life and people taking advantage of your generosity in the past and make some changes in your approach with full determination. Results will be positive and bring big change in life. This will not only bring self respect and confidence back but it will help you improve your revenues also. Try to stay away from getting involved in litigation because chances are that decision will not come quick and the legal expenses will drain you out completely. People in business will face new challenges and strong opponents but with little diplomacy they will overcome all difficulties. Health issues will be resolved with surgery only, be careful. Some of you may buy another bigger home in a nice locality and move towards the end of August. People in sales and marketing will do a lot better this year. Some of you already in business may buy and location in partnership with an older person. There is a window of hitting some kind of financial jackpot in the month of March. Bachelors will be hooked up with a courageous person before July. If you take prompt actions, you will make it a very successful year. As a lesson from past don't blow it all, put most of your excess money aside for rainy days.

J

upiter's transit in third after September is even better.

Saturn will continue to occupy fifth house in enemy camp throughout 2016 and Rahu will enter second from February. Stress about children will not reduce. You may leave you worries aside and just stay focused on children like previous year. Their issues will finally get resolved before the year ends but will keep everyone on the edge. And in order to help them out you will leave no stone unturned whether it may be going to temple or doing charity. It will be an expensive year by all means. You will make a big commitment and that will drain you out up to a great extent. Seems you already made the commitment so there is no turning around now. You will give up so many opportunities to make money little unorthodox way and stick to principles or the righteous way. Good thing is that money you need for your projects will become available on time and little over your needs. And the stress may have some negative impact on health, in shape of irregular food and sleeping habits. So eat and sleep proper otherwise a minor surgery will be the only option to treat the complication in stomach region. Remember loss of weight may not be always a healthy sign.

The only unconditional support you will be getting is from spouse.

J

upiter's presence in your sign and then in house of finances after September is favorable. Rahu will enter first in beginning of February and try to pollute Jupiter.

Unforeseen obstacles and difficulty with partners could make things tough if you are not prepared. Seek an expert's opinion on how to deal with these situations. There is some unorthodox remedy for all difficulty as Rahu will cast shadow on your Sun or Moon this year. Your plans will be above average and intelligent and within the parameters of rules and regulation but you may not find people to come on board with your ideas. Of course children will do exceptionally well and you will gain another member into the family. Progress will be slow but steady this year. You need to be extra careful when dealing any issue involving authority or government, whether it may be city, state or federal level. Expenses will shoot up a little bit towards the end of year and most probably they will be on immediate family or on a child. Rahu will bring a change in your personality. You will have to maintain a tough attitude and always stick to what you think is right, if you want to get any job big or small get done. Be careful when dealing with a tall and comparatively dark color person, as he will be the trouble maker this year. You may also get rid of an old vehicle and need to spend some money on repairs to your home.

Horoscope

January 1, 2016

India Post

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his should be a great year for you. Saturn will stay in third and Rahu will move out of your sign in February. Suddenly everything will become crystal clear in life.

Progress on hold for past many quarters, will occur this year. You will be in better state of mind and have better controls over emotions once Rahu moves in 12th from February 1st. Suddenly you will become very ambitious and make your moves. New opportunity with better working conditions and perks is assured around March or April. If the opportunity comes from another state and if you are ready to move, take it. It should turn out to be stepping stone and turning point in your career. New venture in partnership is also a possibility this year. This should be a lucky year for bachelors too, who have been missing the opportunities narrowly in the past, a mature and nice companion will enter their life, leading to permanent ties before the year ends. Ultimate victory possible in any ongoing litigation, and it should be accompanied by big financial awards. Money wise you will stay comfortable and most probably you will invest in a property or land around July this year.

It's the blood pressure and eye sight you should be careful about in 2016.

S

aturn will stay in second throughout 2016 and Rahu will move from 12th to eleventh house on February 1st. Jupiter will stay in eleventh till September. Money wise it looks like another great year. You may dispose off some property purchased in the past for a huge profit and put the money in savings. Those who are looking for an addition, will be blessed with one in 2016. Change in career around April, if you are ready to travel and try your hands in sales and marketing. It will not be a bad idea to start consulting business on the side. You will have few visitors from overseas this summer. Saturn in second will help you develop the habit of savings and you will negotiate with service providers and make good deals and save money on long terms. There is a chance of little money coming through legal channels also. You may also file a big claim with insurance company in July and recover money from them too. Some of you will be joining a short term program or receiving some training to improve your job prospects this summer. Any pending issues with the government will get settled around August to your satisfaction.

Expenses will suddenly shoot up after September, but will be on good reasons and family only.

S

aturn will continue to occupy first house.

Jupiter will stay in house of career till September before moving in to house of gains for remainder of year. Rahu will occupy house of career after February 1st. Jupiter will bring some favorable changes in career. There is a strong chance that you will move up to a different level in career before September. These changes will be associated with enhanced pay scale and better status. A dream assignment you always wanted can become reality before July. Strong Jupiter provides great help to couples looking forward to have an addition in the family towards the end of 2016. All pending appeals with the government will be decided in your favor and any legal claims you filed in the courts, will be decided out of court with the help of mediator. Rahu in tenth will make you little ambitious about career and you will not be scared to take a chance. Of course you will continue to accumulate money and bank balance will grow in 2016. Isolation or separation from someone close will cause little disturbance in mind but it will be better to let the past go if you want progress in life and stay away from depression. Do not hesitate to seek advice from an old and trusted person, who has been very helpful in the past also.

J

upiter will continue to stay in house of luck till September. Saturn will stay in house of expense and Rahu will move into ninth after February. Self confidence and health will be at it's best. Fighting spirit will take you to a new level in career and if you re looking for a home to move in, it will happen before September. People prone to litigation should not let their guards down and if possible stay away from filing any unnecessary law suits because such Saturn can cause only expense without any favorable outcome. There is a strong chance that you shake hands with some young person and start a business venture around July or August this year. You may also replace one of your old vehicles with a newer model before March. Obstacles will be followed by excellent solutions this year. There will be drastic change in your religious beliefs and you may finally find a spiritual master. Financial growth will be slow and gradual and you will accumulate wealth and the money in savings will grow. You will be traveling long distance at least twice, first in June and second time in October this year and both journeys will bring instant rewards. There will be many occasions when you will need to make quick decisions about career/business. It will be better to go after the gut feelings. Since fortunate planets will keep helping, all decisions will turn out favorable.

S

aturn will continue to occupy house of gains through out 2016. Jupiter will stay in eighth till September before moving into ninth. Rahu will enter eighth house on February 1st. Large gains from overseas are indicated.

Ongoing projects will take off like a rocket from beginning of year. It will be a great year specially for people in sales, marketing and communication industry. People connected with hardware, oil, metal and high tech will also benefit from Saturn's transit in eleventh. There is an interesting overseas trip for you after September when Jupiter moves into ninth and if you play your cards right and take instant decision, you could really hit a Goldmine. Since Saturn is placed in eleventh, you will save a lot this year and may also dispose off some property for large gain. Someone thin and dark color will be very helpful. Favorable planets will continue to help those looking for an ideal soul mate.

Marriage is possible by June 20th or later towards the end of 2016. Do not ignore any inquiry or paper work from a government agency and have proper advice before you send the reply. You will have some close relative visit and stay with you in May and June. Strong chances of change in career in the month of April, August or September this year. You may or may not go for them as things will keep improving at existing place even.

J

upiter will continue to stay in seventh till September and Rahu will move into seventh on February 1st. Saturn will stay in house of career throughout 2016. Presence of Ketu in first and Rahu in seventh may keep you tense about life partner, relationship or venture in partnership this year. Some of you may get out of partnership and go on your own. The root cause of all problems will be lack of trust. Still it will be advisable to seek outside opinion before taking this big decision. Spouse if working may find a temporary but highly paid assignment away from home and make this sacrifice for financial gains. If waiting for any judgment on appeal, it could come around April or May. Money wise it looks like another great year and by the end of 2016, you will see a lot of money in bank. You may also dispose off some stocks purchased or options given long time ago and keep the money in savings. Any claim from Insurance will be immediately awarded in the month of July. You may purchase another vehicle and have some construction or remodeling done inside your home in the month of July. Children will do better this year and one of them may apply for college away from home. Quite possible that you may be assigned a position that requires frequent traveling. You will make new connections and it will be a favorable year for those having some political aspirations. It will be better not to disclose your plans and strategy to anyone.

J

upiter will stay in sixth till September and Rahu will also join Jupiter in sixth in February. Saturn will continue to occupy ninth throughout 2016. This year will bring changes in personality and the way you look at life. You will become more spiritual and maybe stop chasing materialistic life with the understanding and acceptance in destiny. Since mind will be calm, you will receive divine help and as a result you will see some very good change in career right after February. A dream job with better perks and working conditions will be offered through an old associate. You may join a noble cause and start contributing time and little money to it. Strong chance that the marriage of a child may be fixed in first half of 2016. You may travel long distance or overseas number of times and benefit from distant places. Any projects going overseas will make remarkable progress this year. You will make some very useful new contacts during the year and benefit from their friendship. There can be some more good changes in career right around September. Good thing is that this time changes will last for a long time. There will be some health issues, which will ultimately get corrected without the help of any western medications. You will receive full support from spouse and there will be more peace at home this year. You will do more for your parents this year and if they live away, you may call them at your place to stay.

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January 1, 2016

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Happy New Year

India Post 15

Desi News Candidate Harish Patel to work for real solutions Asian Media USA

CHICAGO: Harish I. Patel, Democratic contender for State Representative in Illinois' 40th Legislative District, discussed his progressive policy agenda for the communities of Avondale, Logan Square, Albany Park and Irving Park on December 16, 2015 with a room full of local Muslim community leaders.

Patel, who immigrated to Chicago from India when he was just 14 years old, said he is running to bring independent Democratic leadership to the communities of the 40th District and many elected officials, including his opponent, who are supposed to stand up against privatization and budget cuts, are often only interested in getting along with the power brokers.

COMMUNITY ACROSS AMERICA

16 India Post

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New Year traditions around the globe

January 1, 2016

Details on page 23

Festival of Globe Holiday Toy Drive a big success

Details on page 18

New office bearers for Gandhi Samaj Asian Media USA

CHICAGO: The Gandhi Samaj of Chicago (GSC) unanimously elected Keyur Ghayal as its President for 2016 and 2017, who, in turn, selected, as per the by-laws of the organization, his team for the year 2016.

The new team comprises Keyur Ghayal (President), Hitesh Gandhi (Executive Vice President), Bhumika V. Gandhi (Vice President); Ashwin Bodalia (Treasurer), Manhar Gajjar (Secretary), Roma Bhagat (Cultural Secretary), Ramesh Gandhi, Bharat Ghayal, Dipak Ghayal, Hary Gandhi, Hiren Ghayal, and Hiral Gandhi (Joint Secretary), Priya Ghayal (Youth Secretary).

Details on page 19

Hyderabadi 'Angrez' team visits Chicago A.Q. SIDDIQUI

CHICAGO: "If Amjad Khan was known as Gabbar, Mast Ali is known as Saleem Pheku," remarked Iftekhar Shareef as he introduced the team of Angrez at a press conference in Chicago to members of Indian media gathered at Mysore Woodland to greet and meet the comedian actors team from Hyderabad film industry Details on page 20

RITU MAHESHWARI

Dr. Romesh Japra, Founder and Convener FOG, addressing the gathering

India Post News Service

FREMONT, CA: This year Festival of Globe (FOG) and Fremont Hindu Temple led the initiative to spread the joy. Continuing the giving tradition and in the spirit of holidays, they organized a "Toy Drive" on Sunday December 20th to distribute toys to needy children including incarcerated youth and destitute kids.

Alameda county juvenile justice system has many such children in its system. There is a strong felt need to give a little bit of cheer and joy to these kids during the holiday season.

There was tremendous response to FOG's appeal to community. Lots of boxes of toys were collected and delivered to the needy. The event was attended by many judges and other judicial dignitaries at Fremont Hindu Temple.

From Alameda County Superior Court Judge Rhonda Burgess - Juvenile Court and Judge Charles Smiley - Juvenile Court effective Jan 1st, 2016 attended the event.

From Alameda County Probation Department, Chief LaDonna

Harris and Assistant Chief Esa Ehmen-Krause graced the occasion. Toni Gardner who retired in 2014 from Board of State and Community Corrections (BSCC) and Stephen Gardner, Chief Deputy for Williamsburg County who was part of the Sheriff's organized

crime, attended the event.

Assemblyman Kansen Chu, His wife Daisy Chu, Fremont Vice Mayor Lily Mei, Commissioner Kamal Nair, Senator Ramesh Deosaran, FOG team members Rajesh Verma, Manorama Joshi, Ritu Maheshwari, Kamal Sahaney,

L to R: Ritu Maheshwari, Esa Ehmen-Krause, Judge Rhonda Burgess, Jusleen Khanuja, LaDonna Harris, Toni Gardner, Judge Charles Smiley, Kamal Nair and Raj Joshi at Toy Drive

Manali Brambhatt and others were present at the event.

It was an effort make this holiday season a little more cheerful and put a smile on a few children who may not be as fortunate as others. It could make someone's holidays bright and cheerful! Toys will be handed out to local charities in Bay area.

Dr Romesh Japra, Founder and Convener, FOG, said, "It is one of the finest moments where community comes together to support those who are disadvantaged.

Thanks to all the donors of toys, blankets and other accessories for needy, destitute, incarcerated, juvenile and other disabled children. As we enjoy and celebrate the holidays, there are many who are not fortunate enough. Strength of community is shown in supporting its most needy members."

FOG has plans to do many more such events next year.

Community Across America

January 1, 2016

India Post 17

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AAPI-QLI donates $10 K for Chennai floods PM SWAMY

NEW YORK: American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI) Queens and Long Island of (QLI) donated $10,000 towards flood relief in Chennai at a fundraiser "Chennai - we are with you" organized by America Tamil Sangam in Antun in Long Island New York recently.

According to Dr Madhu Korrapati, President of AAPI-QLI, Chennai and its neighborhood witnessed worst floods in recent memory throwing the city life out

sociation of Kerala Medical Graduates Association (AKMG) of Greater New York Jaya Sundaram said the practice of honoring all the guests with traditional shawl in Tamil style and presenting of bouquets were dispensed with as the association felt every penny collected should go to the deserving individuals, Satnam Singh Parhar, president of IALI, Dr Anila Midha, President of Five Town Indian Association and Dr Thomas Mathew, presi-

Jaya Sundaram said the practice of honoring all the guests with traditional shawl in Tamil style and presenting of bouquets were dispensed with as the association felt every penny collected should go to the deserving individuals of gear. "It's our duty to take part in the massive relief work to mitigate the problems of those affected," he said.

On behalf of AAPI-QLI, Dr Korrapati, Dr. Vaijinath Chakote, President-elect, Dr Rakesh K Dua, Vice President, Treasurer Dr. Himanshu Pandya, Dr Bhavani Srinivasan, committee member presented the check to John Joseph, executive vice president and

dent of AKMG of Greater New York, Padma Shree Awardee Dr Dattatreyudu Nori, leading oncologist, spoke and offered their financial support to the flood affected people of Chennai.

AKMG Greater New York was represented by Dr. Dheeraj Kamalam, Immediate Past President, and Dr. Radhakrishnan Palangat, Secretary, besides Dr, Mathew.

Representatives of AAPI-QLI, IALI, Five Town Indian Association, AKMG of Greater New York and Dr Dattatreyudu Nori pledge their support to America Tamil Sangam

Jaya Sundaram, secretary of America Tamil Sangam.

"Funds will be used 100 percent towards the cause. Our target is to collect at least $25, 000," John Joseph said. The fundraiser was co-sponsored by Indian Association of Long Island (IALI), Five Town Indian Association and As-

Dr Madan Raj coordinated the event and made a power point presentation on the gravity of flood situation in Chennai and the relief work undertaken by America Tamil Sangamin Chennai. The event was followed by cultural programs by Janani Sundaram, Lavanya Pradeep, Swati, Divya and Kalpita.

Dr Madhu Korrapati presenting the check to Secretary of America Tamil Sangam Jaya Sundaram while John Joseph, Dr Bhavani Srinivasan, Dr. Vaijinath Chakote, Dr. Himanshu Pandaya, Dr Madan Raj and Dr. Rakesh K Dua look on

18 India Post

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January 1, 2016

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Candidate Harish Patel to work for real solutions

Harish Patel with Community leaders and members at Downtown Chicago Asian Media USA

CHICAGO: Harish I. Patel, Democratic contender for State Representative in Illinois' 40th Legislative District, discussed his progressive policy agenda for the communities of Avondale, Logan Square, Albany Park and Irving Park on December 16, 2015 with a room full of local Muslim community leaders.

Patel, who immigrated to Chicago from India when he was just 14 years old, said he is running to bring independent Democratic leadership to the communities of the 40th District and many elected officials, including his opponent, who are supposed to stand up against privatization and bud-

get cuts, are often only interested in getting along with the power brokers.

"We need to stand up strongly against the right-wing, destructive agenda of Gov-

Patel.

Patel said he is devastated by Gov. Rauner's shortsighted cuts, while the current State Representative fails to effectively

Patel said he is devastated by Gov. Rauner's shortsighted cuts, while the current State Representative fails to effectively fight back. He added that people are in desperate need of real independent and progressive leadership to effectively address their concerns ernor Rauner, which prioritizes corporate interests and resorts to corrupt politics.

These anti-people practices have been hurting all of us adversely for a long time," said

fight back. He added that people are in desperate need of real independent and progressive leadership to effectively address their concerns and to move the State of Illinois forward.

He will rally for a fair income tax, in which

wealthy and big corporations pay their fair share in taxes, fight back against devastating cuts to social services, support an equitable funding model for public schools, support democratically-elected school boards, and champion fully funding pensions for public employees.

Patel has a strong track record of working on progressive issues as a part of numerous eminent organizations across Chicago, including Southwest Youth Collaborative, Chicago Votes, Illinois Coalition for Immigrant & Refugee Rights, and more.

"This rich exposure to public life has prepared me to go to Springfield to bring people together, despite the gridlock, and to work for real solutions for the people of Illinois."

To learn more about his campaign, check out www.harishipatel.com/vote

'Leadership breakfast' opens with Sikh prayer SURENDRA ULLAL

CHICAGO: The annual Chicago Leader- of all humanity. The Master of Ceremonies ship Prayer Breakfast sponsored by Chicago at the Prayer Breakfast was David Casper, Sunday Evening Club held at the Grand Ball President and CEO of BMO Harris Bank.

Room of Chicago Hilton on Michigan AvChicago business and civic leaders esenue on December 4 opened with a Sikh tablished an annual Chicago Leadership prayer of ThanksgivPrayer Breakfast in ing.

1964 for the purpose This was the first of gathering as an intime in its 51 years of terfaith community to history that the event pray for the city, the included a Sikh prayer. nation, and the world.

The ninety minutes The Chicago Evening long breakfast event Club has the principal was attended by Govresponsibility for orernor State of Illinois ganizing the Prayer Bruce Rauner, First Breakfast. lady Diana Rauner, The mission of the President Cook Club is to tell stories County Board Toni that inspire people to Preckwinkle and more put their faith into acthan 600 Chicago leadtion to make Chicago ers from business corbetter. The Club creporations, religious, ates innovative, faithRajinder Singh Mago rendering interfaith, civic, and focused programming Sikh prayer non-profit service orfor public television, ganizations. public radio, public The Sikh prayer was for Thanksgiving, events, and new media.

Peace, and Harmony. Rajinder Singh Mago, The Club works upcoming project is a a front ranking community activist, prayed full-length documentary for WTTW, "The to the One Universal God for the well being Journey: Responding with Faith."

Community Across America

January 1, 2016

India Post 19

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New office bearers for Gandhi Samaj Asian Media USA

CHICAGO: The Gandhi Samaj of Chicago (GSC) unanimously elected Keyur Ghayal as its President for 2016 and 2017, who, in turn, selected, as per the by-laws of the organization, his team for the year 2016.

The new team comprises Keyur Ghayal (President), Hitesh Gandhi (Executive Vice President), Bhumika V. Gandhi (Vice President); Ashwin Bodalia (Treasurer), Manhar Gajjar (Secretary), Roma Bhagat (Cultural Secretary), Ramesh Gandhi, Bharat Ghayal, Dipak Ghayal, Hary Gandhi, Hiren Ghayal, and Hiral Gandhi (Joint Secretary), Priya Ghayal (Youth Secretary).

"GSC is a 32-year-old organization which has been led by a number of eminent persons in the past. I take this opportunity to pay rich tributes to them for put-

Gandhi Samaj-Chicago Board members (committee) 2016-2017: Sitting, from left Bhumika Gandhi (Vice-President) Hitesh Gandhi (Executive Vice-President), Keyur Ghayal (President), Ashwin Bodalia (Treasurer), Manhar Gajjar (Secretary). Standing from left Vimal Gandhi, Bharat Ghayal, Riya Ghayal, Hiren Ghayal (Directors)

Boy Scouts building to turn temple soon India Post News Service

RACINE WI: Efforts by a group of Indian Americans led by Patel family will soon see the establishment of a Hindu temple in Racine, a city in Wisconsin. Plans are to

marble Idols - murtis of deities, currently being sculpted in India. A priest from Wheeling, a northwest suburb of Chicago, might commute for the Sunday services which will end with a community lunch.

The Temple would provide

Others associated with Temple include Mahesh Patel, Zarna Patel and Shital Patel.

Welcoming this move by the Patels, Rajan Zed, President of Universal Society of Hinduism, praised the efforts of Temple lead-

Some of the family members working to establish the Hindu Temple of Racine pose for a photo at the temple: From left, Mahesh Patel, Ram Patel, Zarna Patel and Shital Patel. Pic courtesy Journal Times

have a former Boy Scouts of America building in Racine remodeled to serve as a temple expected to be functional in the course of next few months.

The proposed Racine Temple will be open to the public for services, rituals and other community activities during the upcoming spring. It is proposed to install nine

space for worship services to local residents who currently drive to Wheeling (about 53 miles). It would also create awareness about Hinduism by holding classes on this very ancient religion. The classes will be held in Hindi, Gujarati and on yoga. It will also organize festivals.

Ram Patel heads the temple.

ers and area community towards realizing this Temple.

Racine, on Lake Michigan and Root River, is home to S.C. Johnson & Son, the first garbage disposal, one of the world's first automobiles, malted milk balls development, large prom celebration, etc., and is known for its Wind Point Lighthouse and Danish

pastry kringle. Prominent people associated with it include two-time Oscar-winning actor Fredric March, Rotary International founder Paul P. Harris, S.C. Johnson & Son founder Samuel Curtis Johnson Senior, singer-actress Barbara McNair and female bodybuilding champion Cory Everson. John Dickert is the Mayor.

ting their best foot forward for bringing laurels to the GSC in the US", said Keyur Ghayal.

Keyur Ghayal said that the top priority of his team would be to preserve, protect, and defend the integrity and credibility of the GSC. Hitesh Gandhi, the Executive Vice President, said that the new team would strive for the GSC's objectives to achieve and promote unity amongst the members while helping the community to enhance cultural awareness via education and also through celebration of festivals such as Diwali and Navratri.

He said that he would conceptualize and execute a number of innovative events aimed at preserving the unique culture and heritage of India by involving members belonging to different age groups.

"My vision is also to expand the membership base of the GSC in order to make it an effective platform for providing guidance and support", he added.

Bhumika Gandhi, the Vice President said that her focus will be on involving the youth in the activities of the GSC by organizing a number of events in accordance with their felt needs.

"We propose to organize 'Youth Career Planning Seminar' on January 31st 2016, in order to expose the youth to the emerging, newer, and innovative career and educational opportunities", she added.

20 India Post

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January 1, 2016

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Hyderabadi 'Angrez' team visits Chicago A.Q. SIDDIQUI

ers and gained popularity not only in Andhra Pradesh and different parts of India but also among the large Diaspora in the Middle-East and the US, thanks to the Internet and DVDs", said Mast Ali, a. k. a.

Saleem Pheku, the king of comedy.

Ali has acted in over 20 high impact making films in different languages and brought laurels to Hyderabad.

"Our films entertained their audiences thoroughly, irrespective of their linguistic backgrounds, as the Hyderabadi Urdu, the lingua franca of the streets of Hyderabad, which is a unique mix of Urdu, Hindi, Telugu, and some Marathi.

It is widely understood across the Indian subcontinent, including Pakistan", added Mast Ali. Cont’d on page 23

Philadelphia Museum showcasing Lord Krishna Leading stars from Hyderabad film industry L-R Feroz Khan (Actor), Syed Hussain (Director), Mast Ali (Actor), Iftekhar Shareef, host and Community leader, Azizullah Naser "Jahanjir" (Actor) and a guest. Pics Asian Media USA

CHICAGO: "If Amjad Khan was known as Gabbar, Mast Ali is known as Saleem Pheku," remarked Iftekhar Shareef as he introduced the team of Angrez at a press conference in Chicago to members of Indian media gathered at Mysore Woodland to greet and meet the comedian actors team

Hyderabad, besides regional Telugu films. And the team is moving on for the mission laughter ever since. They gave more successful movies such as "Hungama in Dubai" Berozgaar" "Zabardast", "FM Fun and Masti" and recently, "Stepney". "Shareef said the team is expecting release

share their success story.

Saleem Pheku-Mast Ali first chose to peak in English but when prompted for the peculiar Hyderabadi dialogue that made him so popular in his movies, he switched to Deccani Urdu. Mast Ali said they worked under tight budget and lack of facilities. Their

India Post News Service

PHIOLADELPHIA: Philadelphia Museum of Art (PMA) is showcasing some drawings related to Hindu deity Lord Krishna till March 27 next.

"peaceful stretch", PMA also made "Henna tattoos" available at this event.

PMA, which began as a legacy of the great Centennial Exhibition of 1876, claims to have "world-renowned collection" and to inspire

Philadelphia Museum Speakers L-R: Iftekhar Shareef, Mast Ali "Saleem Pheku" (Actor) and Azizullah Naser "Jahanjir" (Actor)

from Hyderabad film industry. of new film, "Dawat e Shaadi" script idea was to pick the fun from The team members of first-ever soon. real life and real life characters. full length comedy movie in Deccan Iftekhar Shareef also requested Turning to his friend Aziz Naser, Urdu-Hindi language were on a visit actor Mast Ali and Aziz Naser to Ali said working together they to Chicago. Shareef want to create a duo said it was an honor to image similar to Tom present the people who and Jerry, fighting worked under limited and remaining friends resources and created for fun. a unique film industry Naser ali and Mast in Hyderabad. He inAli answered questroduced Director Syed tions from media perHussain, actor Feroz sons. Their first Khan and popular comovie Angrez remedian duo actors mained in theatres for Mast Ali and Aziz over 250 days. While Naser. their distributors Shareef said, worked under limited "Popularly known as territories they got Saleem Pheku, actor overwhelming reMast Ali and his comsponse from the panion Aziz Naser video market all over have created a unique the world. comedian duo in first Asian Media USA ever Deccani language adds movies. The success "The Hyderabad of Angrez in 2005 was Film Industry, even immediately followed though only about 10

by Hyd Bad Nawabs. years old, has Harish Kolsani (center), a Hyderabadi community activist Both movies created a churned out a series with film Industry stars new film industry in of comedy blockbust-

An exhibition of rare and masterful drawings "Drawn from Courtly India" created between 1500s and 1800s, shows Krishna dancing atop many-headed Kaliya demon and six naginis (Kaliya's part-human part-snake wives); Krishna and the Gopis shelter from the rain; festive image of the birth of Krishna; walking Vaishnava disciples; Devi and the Shakti forces attack Nishumbha, Shumbha, and their army; battle scene with demons; etc.

Commending PMA for showcasing drawings about Lord Krishna and other Hinduism subjects, Rajan Zed, President of Universal Society of Hinduism, in a statement in Nevada said that art had a long and rich tradition in Hinduism and ancient Sanskrit literature talked about religious paintings of deities on wood or cloth.

PMA organized a yoga party to "Celebrate the Holidays" involving yoga through meditative exercises, yoga postures, and breathing techniques. Calling it a

the visitors "to discover the spirit of imagination that lies in everyone". Timothy Rub, Gail Harrity and Constance H. Williams are Director, President and Trustees Chair respectively of the Museum while Ainsley M. Cameron is the Curator of this exhibition.

Radha Krishna

Lord Krishna is the eighth avatar (incarnation) of Lord Vishnu and subject of major Hindu scriptures such as the Bhagavad-Gita (Song of the Lord) and BhagavadPurana.

January 1, 2016

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India Post 21

BAPS celebrates Pramukh Swami birthday India Post News Service

CHINO HILLS, CA: The BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in Chino Hills, CA celebrated the 95th birthday of their guru, His Holiness Pramukh Swami Maharaj on Saturday, December 19. Devotees came together to commemorate the many years Pramukh Swami Maharaj has dedicated to guiding the lives of individuals all over the world. Their heartfelt prayers were exemplified through the theme of this year's program, "Shatam Jiva Sharadaha (May you live long)."

Devotees of all ages came together to prepare this program. Youths rehearsed for weeks before the festival, practicing devotional songs and skits to share their enthu-

siasm and love for their guru with the program attendees. Speeches were also delivered, reminiscing on the influence that Pramukh Swami Maharaj has had on individuals.

"Swamishri's life is filled with countless incidents of selfless love for individuals and dedication to cultivating spirituality in communities around the world", said Shreya Patel, a participant in the program. "Today, through this celebration, we tried to relive some of those moments to provide a better appreciation of his continuous spiritual service."

The celebration united the participants of the program with the audience through celebrating and learning from the exemplary

life of Pramukh Swami Maharaj. Throughout his life, he has traveled to all corners of the world and positively impacted the lives of countless individuals. Even to this day, at the age of 95 and as leader of BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha, he continues to inspire and advocate for the betterment of individuals, families, and communities.

22 India Post

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January 1, 2016

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Control your words to change quality of life SWAMINI GOPESHWARI DEVI

T

ongue is the most powerful force for good or evil. As Hamlet says, "I will speak daggers to her and use none". We should be extremely careful of what we say and the words we use. Never should we say something that would hurt even a servant's feelings.

Greatest of the battles and biggest of the crimes, like murder or suicide which involve so much hurt, pain and misery is due to what we say. If we wish to live in peace then we ought to watch our words and check our attitudes. We should learn to speak less but sweet. If someone insults us then don't show your attitude but build the power to tolerate it.

If the elders in the family say something, then learn to tolerate it; however it would be considered a real bravery if we can tolerate the insults coming from our youngsters. Our Vedic scriptures declare: "parpeedha suma nahi adhmai". The greatest sin is said to be giving pain to others. Lust, anger, greed and attachment always become the cause of our downfall. Even if we have to scold someone to correct them, we need

employee then the employee humbles down, that instant saying sorry, but internally he is getting very upset and feels like giving him back. A little child cries out loudly to get the mother's attention and has his desire fulfilled: in reality there is not even a single tear drop in the child's eyes but he knows that the mother will fulfill his demand if he cries out loudly.

Even that little child is having a dual behavior.

As a child grows up, he has to learn to behave in two different ways or else he can't survive in this world. Everyone has a split personality. It is a shame that most people are internally wrong and externally right, when in reality it should be the other way round.

One needs to have a very strong will power and also needs to be spiritually wise, not to disturb the inner peace while externally behaving as if angry, lusty or greedy.

We are unable to do this because we don't have our minds under control and neither are we completely surrendered to the teachings of our great spiritual teachers. That's why God- realised saints alone, when they descend

Greatest of the battles and biggest of the crimes, like murder or suicide which involve so much hurt, pain and misery is due to what we say. If we wish to live in peace then we ought to watch our words and check our attitudes. We should learn to speak less but sweet. to remain completely humble from within and only show the anger externally in acting. In this world, we will have to behave in the various manners that are required in the given situation, showing different emotions but internally we are to remain absolutely humble, gentle and calm.

Although this doesn't mean that if a robber breaks in then you give him a warm welcome. In such a case you have to beat him up in self defense but internally remain absolutely unaffected. Our scriptures give a very clear teaching regarding this! In the battle of Mahabharata, Arjun killed thousands of people but internally remained peacefully normal.

HOW TO PRACTICE THIS DUAL BEHAVIOUR? We always practice two kinds of behavior in the world. For example, if someone comes to your home and you don't like him, but in acting you welcome him, give him tea and snacks but internally you want him to go away. In the office if the employer scolds the

in this material world for the welfare of mankind, easily behave like material souls, externally showing lust, anger, greed and so on, but internally remaining in the state of perfect bliss.

However, we worldly people are internally truly greedy, lusty, angry or jealous but externally behave very sweetly as if we are completely free of lust, anger, or greed completely hiding our inner feelings. Every material soul is capable of doing this.

However, we need to practice to be perfectly happy and calm internally even if we have to show our harsh and strict behavior externally, for the welfare of others.

This can be only done with proper knowledge about the nature and reality of the world and the mind.

Suppose one of the family members or your best friend insults you or scolds you, no doubt on hearing this you will feel bad but, if you talk back then their anger will increase, then our reaction can be even worse. In such a competition, the situation can

get dangerously out of control and as a result of this beating up, divorce, killing etc. take place.

Therefore, we have to play safe by first of all keeping absolutely quiet and then with intelligence fight the anger that has arisen in the mind, by accepting the fact that I am also endowed with all kinds of faults. So why should I feel bad?

Secondly, we should realize that the other person has got the idea that his selfishness will be destroyed or will not be satisfied by me, hence he is insulting me in anger but, it will pass over soon and things will be okay, when he is back to normal.

Thus, by wisely thinking of few reasons in the mind and without making a mountain out of a molehill, just finish the matter there and then. Then slowly calm down or else internally anger will continue to burn and harm us.

In the worldly relations, this is the first principle of application, just don't speak a word back to the person who is angrily spitting out insults, simply walk away from the sight if possible or at least take a vow of silence if you can't walk away but at no cost we should get angry internally.

We have to keep practicing this behavior but, in case someday we forget and speak out, immediately stop it. For example, when cooking, sometimes the towel catches fire while handling the pot but the cook instantly catches hold on the spot and extinguishes the fire.

However, if he is careless and ignores it, then the longer he takes to attend to it the harder it would become to extinguish the fire which would quickly grow wild.

Hence, if he doesn't destroy the fire quickly enough, the fire will destroy him.

ger is one of the most dangerous emotions and is taking away everyone's peace. The root cause of domestic violence is mainly due to anger and the words that are exchanged between the parties. For instance, the husband asks, 'why is this laptop kept here?' The wife replies, "So, should I keep it on my head."

Here begins the words of anger!

Husband in trying to explain says, 'I am not asking you to put it on

Swamini Gopeshwari Devi

your head but, why it is not kept in the room?' The wife replies, 'What's wrong, if it's kept here, will the robbers steal it?' That is how the argument begins and grows very wild and dangerous.

Thus, the power of our words can be most deadly or most beneficial. Most of the domestic violence or violence in general and tension is through words. That's why we need to speak less but sweetly and if someone speaks abusive language, just cut it off right away and don't allow it to grow wild.

In case someone thinks that if I don't say anything then the other party will take advantage of me then, this is absolutely wrong philosophy. Because if one party remains silent, the other party after insulting verbally for a while ,will automatically stop because

Our behavior needs to be changed according to the situation. If someone younger to us is saying something wrong, then we can scold them and ask them to keep quiet. However, if someone older to us is saying something, which may be wrong and if we talk back, that will make the situation worse. Choose to keep quiet Likewise, when any of the faults like anger, greed, lust etc. arise in us, instantly try to suppress them. But if we ignore, then it will grow wild and the wilder it grows, the more difficult it would become for us to deal with it.

For example, in this world an-

of no exchange of words and the situation can be brought under control. We need to practice this for sometime because we are imperfect human individuals endowed with faults and bound to make the same mistakes. However, with constant practice one

day we will have our inner self under control.

One important point to note is that our behavior needs to be changed according to the situation. If someone younger to us is saying something wrong, then we can scold them and ask them to keep quiet. However, if someone older to us is saying something, which may be wrong and if we talk back, that will make the situation worse. Choose to keep quiet because he/she has the ego that I am older and hence will never accept what you may say specially when he/she is angry. Thus our behavior should always be dependent on the kind of person we are dealing with; we need to adjust it accordingly. We cannot practice the same behavior universally but it is very important to note, that at no cost should our mental peace get disturbed.

It is dangerous to always behave humble because the rogues will not leave us alone and it is also dangerous to always behave arrogantly because then we can never take benefit from the elders.

Therefore, how we need to behave with a particular person in a given situation needs to be very tactfully tackled by our intelligence. A person can never be successful in life if he/ she always behave in the same manner with everyone.

Therefore, deal with love when it comes to your own people; deal with mercy with the poor and needy, deal with reverence and surrender with the true saints, deal with humility when it comes to the great scholars and deal with bravery with the enemies.

Such behavioral variation in varied situations and personalities is the way to successful living in the world. Nevertheless, my main point is that even when our external behavior is harsh and negative, we should remain calm and positive from within.

What is the cleverness in getting angry on someone and hurting someone and also getting hurt while burning in anger? Moreover, try to understand the nature of the people we are always dealing with, like our parents, spouse, siblings, children, in laws, and so forth, because you can't run away from them. So learn to understand their nature and act in the manner that they don't feel hurt and the situation is kept under control and your work is smoothly carried out.

Cont’d on page 23

January 1, 2016

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New Year traditions around the globe

N

ew Year's Eve, with its emphasis on evening social gatherings with eating, drinking, and dancing underneath all that glitter and sparkle, might seem a totally modern and secular celebration.

The celebrations generally go on past midnight into January 1 (New Year's Day). Samoa and parts of Kiribati are the first places to welcome the New Year while Baker Island, in the United States, is among the last.

In fact, New Year celebration is an ancient holiday with deep spiritual meaning. For centuries, people have been observing the end of one year and the beginning of another with different cultural traditions. In the past, Romans cel-

GEETHA PATIL

tians welcoming the birth of the Son of God. The days between Solstice and the New Year are a magical and luminous time period.

It is more so with modern animated radiant decorations. In the past, in England, the Twelve Days of Christmas were considered omen days and people used to predict the weather in the coming year.

In Scotland, courts remained closed during these days; and in Ireland, people held a belief that if a person died during the Twelve Days, he or she went straight to Heaven. In ancient Babylon, the days between the Winter Solstice and the New Year were seen as the time of a struggle between Chaos and Order and some other cultures also viewed this as a time for re-

Each culture's New Year celebration has its own flavor but there are certain common focuses. New Year's Day is a time for setting things straight such as to do thorough housecleaning, set up new agendas related to personal and public life and health ebrated New Year with six days of partying that is what we see today. According to St. Boniface, a missionary from England who visited Rome, described their celebration as people were dancing in the streets with wild cries, disrespectful songs, and tables loaded with food. Women wearing amulets and offering them for sale.

A Time of Seasonal Change The beginning of Winter Solstice is the turning point of the year. It represents the lengthening of days. It has long been viewed as the birth of the New Year - by non-Christians celebrating the return of the Sun and by Chris-

versing order.

Time to Start a Fresh Life Each culture's New Year celebration has its own flavor but there are certain common focuses.

New Year's Day is a time for setting things straight such as to do thorough housecleaning, set up new agendas related to personal and public life and health, paying off debts, returning borrowed objects, reflecting on one's shortcomings, mending quarrels, giving alms and donations.

In Indian and many other cultures, people jump into the sea or river to literally wash off sins or bad deeds done during the year.

In Italy, people throw away their

old sofas, chairs and even refrigerators out of their windows on New Year's Eve. In Ecuador, people make dummies, stuffed with straw, to represent the events of the past year. These images are burned at midnight, thus symbolically getting rid of the past.

In most cultures, it is said that most preparations should be completed before midnight on New Year's Eve. According to British and Hindu folklore, you should not sweep on New Year's Day because you will sweep your good luck away, and not to take anything even the trash out of the house. You only want to bring new things inside the house to ensure abundance in the coming year. If you must carry something out, be sure to bring something else in first. For a situation like this, people conceal a coin outside the house on the previous night. As this medieval poem reminds us: Take out, then take in Bad luck will begin Take in, then take out Good luck comes about Rituals for Good Fortune Rituals people do on New Year's Eve and New Year's Day are imbedded with significance for the future. In the United States, New Year's Eve is celebrated with formal parties, family-oriented activities, and other large public events.

One of the most prominent celebrations in the country is the "ball drop" held in New York City's Times Square, in Atlanta's "Peach Drop", in Nashville "Music Note Drop".

The American custom of spending the night with the one you love and kissing them at midnight assures that the relationship

Control your words to change quality of life Cont’d from page 22

Another very important philosophy to be remembered is that apart from God, we are never to lay our full trust in anyone, be it the parents, children, spouse, neighbors, friends, or anyone for that matter. Every individual soul is under Maya and for their selfish reasons they all tell lies. Everyone is endowed with all the faults and no one can even lift a finger for the happiness of another. So never fall in the trap laid by another, thinking that he loves me truly.

Everyone is searching for their true love, so be very cautious with the entire world. Realize this truth that the more one bows down to you, the more he needs his self-

ishness fulfilled from you. Be careful of such people. Hence, always keep this philosophy in your mind that everyone is selfish in this entire world and never fall in their trap of deception. Always apply your intellect and rationalize every dealing in life. However, when the subject of God or God realized Saints comes, then completely surrender and stop applying your intellect. Just as when a sick person visits a doctor he has to fully abide by what the doctor prescribes and not apply his own intellect.

In conclusion, we have to learn this dual behavior. With God and God realized Saints, become like an innocent child, surrender your mind and intellect completely and

obtain bliss. In the world, apply your complete intelligence and become very smart. In acting you can also behave as if you are with the person but internally remain absolutely detached and don't get fooled by their sweet words or behavior. In any case, all the worldly people are selfish and at the most what they can give to anyone is the temporary worldly pleasure and that too only till their selfishness is satisfied.

Sushree Gopeshwari Devi ji is one of the foremost preachers of His Divinity Jagadguru Shri Kripalu ji Maharaj. gdidi@usbm.org She is a teacher for (JKP) Radha Madhav Dham, Austin, TX www.RadhaMadhavDham.org

will flourish during the coming year. In Rio de Janeiro, millions of people gather on the beaches on December 31st to honor "Mother of the Sea," who brings good fortune.

Even the color of underwear Brazilians wear on the first day of

Geetha Patil

the New Year has meaning. Pink brings love, yellow, prosperity; and white, peace and happiness.

New Year in Canada is generally a social holiday and celebrations comprise concerts, late-night partying, and fireworks.

Mexicans celebrate New Year's Eve by eating a grape with each of the twelve chimes of a clock's bell during the midnight countdown

and wish with each other. They decorate homes and parties in colors that represent their wishes for the upcoming year: red signifies an overall improvement of lifestyle and love, yellow stands blessings of improved employment conditions, green for improved financial circumstances, and white for improved health. They also bake sweet bread with a coin or charm hidden in the dough. When the bread is served, the recipient of the slice with the coin or charm is said to be blessed with good luck in the New Year.

Another tradition is that they make a list of all the bad or unhappy events over the past 12 months before midnight and the list is thrown into a fire, symbolizing the removal of negative energy from the New Year. Mexicans celebrate with a late-night dinner with their families by serving traditional meal of turkey or pork loin. Celebrations outside the home include firecrackers, fireworks, sparklers and shouts.

In Puerto Rico, New Year's Eve is celebrated with friends and family along with Latin music, fireworks at midnight and sing signature song "Auld Lang Syne" in Spanish. In most other countries, New Year's Eve is usually celebrated with friends and family and grand fireworks.

Hyderabadi 'Angrez' team visits Chicago Cont’d from page 20

Mast Ali said the Hyderabad Film Industry is currently in growth mode and, hence, there is a great demand for story writers, lyricists, singers, etc. "Currently, we are caught up in all the departments of film making. Once the demand for different professionals is met, we can focus on our core job of acting and on producing high-quality films according to the felt needs of our audience, across the globe", he added.

"It is a matter of gratification that the Hyderabad Film Industry is currently undergoing a metamorphosis; it is no longer confining itself to making small budget films for its niche market. Instead, it is focusing on producing typical Bollywood films, which are rich in terms of exquisite quality, panIndia appeal, and high-end technology", said Aziz Naser, a. k. a.

Jahanjir.

"It is a moment of pride that Dawate-Ishque', a landmark Bollywood-type

movie of the Hyderabad Film Industry, is being released by Rajshree Productions under its banner, with a big bang", said Syed Hussain, Director of the film.

"The release of our film by Rajshree Productions, which has produced a number of blockbusters in India, will take the Hyderabadi cinema up a notch like never before and catapult it into the higher echelons of film appreciation, added Hussain, with a sense of accomplishment.

Feroz Khan, who has essayed a negative role in "Dawat-eIshque" said that Hyderabadi cinema has come to attain the status of a genre unto itself, not just considering the typical lingo of the City of Pearls, but even given the culture and traditions of the Deccan.

"Our films, which deliberately shun vulgarity and item songs, considering the culture of Hyderabad, focus mainly on delivering authentic entertainment for the entire family", he added.

24 India Post

www.indiapost.com

January 1, 2016

Realty Tidbits

10,000 DDA flats available in New Year NEW DELHI: Nearly 10,000 DDA (Delhi Development Authority) flats will be available early in the New Year, most of them onebedroom accommodations surrendered by allottees of the 2014 housing scheme. The land-owning agency hopes to turn around the large scale rejection, unusual for DDA projects, by putting up the flats for sale around March, along with others returned or yet to be allotted under other schemes.

Of the 25,034 houses put on sale under the 2014 scheme, DDA officials say, owners gave up more than 9,000 flats as they found the rooms too small. The scheme, aimed at providing affordable housing to middle class and lower middle class families, comprised over 25,000 houses. Of these 22,627 were one-bedroom units and just 1,800 were two- or threeBHK flats. "A majority of people returned the flats citing extremely small size of the room," said a senior official.

Cont’d on page 26

How home life keeps changing

H

ome sweet home. It seems so simple.

But while the idea of ``home'' remains constant - the epitome of the familiar and reliable - actual home life is messier and changes all the time. So says Judith Flanders, author of ``The Making of Home: The 500-Year Story of How Our Houses Became Our Homes'' (Thomas Dunne Books, September 2015), in which she traces the evolution of the home, and concepts of home, in northern Europe and America from the 16th century to the early 20th century.

She looks at changes in technology, such as plumbing and toilets, tableware and furniture, windows and window dressings, light bulbs and kitchen gadgets, as well as changes in culture, such as marriage patterns, hopes and customs. ``There's a huge disconnect between the mental construct of home and the reality, and it turns out that that's been the case for centuries,'' says Flanders, reached by phone recently in her London home.

For instance, while some might think that families and marriages used to be more stable, ``broken homes were the absolute norm in most of history,'' she says. ``A home can't be any more broken than if one parent is dead.''

Cont’d on page 26

Real Estate 25 India Post

www.indiapost.com

January 1, 2016

Developer guilty for $5.7 mn bank fraud BALTIMORE: A developer has pleaded guilty to conspiring to commit bank fraud in a scheme that prosecutors say brought him $5.7 million from property deals near Maryland's Deep Creek Lake and Cheat Lake in neighboring West Virginia.

Samuel VanSickle of Accident was convicted in U.S. District Court in Baltimore. He is the last of three defendants convicted in the case. -AP

How to invest in real estate JEAN CHATZKY

H

ere's some good news for folks still waiting for the value of their homes to come back. In many parts of the country, the residential real estate recovery is continuing and, after years of pain, lots of people are seeing a nice boost in their property values. Prices in some areas are even looking frothy.

Real estate's ups and downs in the past decade have spurred many investors to ask some hard questions about the role real estate plays in their overall investment mix. What percentage of my portfolio should be in real estate?

What about real estate securities such as real estate investment trusts, or REITs? Do investment properties make sense in this market and for my circumstances?

How much you invest in real estate often depends on whether or not you own your home and how much equity you have built up if you do, says Greg McBride, CFA, Bankrate's chief financial analyst. "For a lot of people, their home might represent a significant chunk of their portfolio. The risk may be that they are too heavily invested in real estate, not underrepresented," he says. That said, for some people, real estate

can be a good way to add diversification to your bond and equity portfolios.

REITs, which invest in properties and trade on exchanges like stocks, offer investors a liquid way to get into real estate (often

reaping high dividends simultaneously). REITs specialize in all segments of the market, including commercial and residential properties in a range of locations. "If you hold a REIT mutual fund or ETF you get instant diversification," McBride says.

Other people may want to take real estate investing a step further and purchase actual rental properties. "There's certainly money to

be made with that approach, but it's not always easy," warns McBride. Keep these pros and cons in mind when you're considering increasing the role of real estate in your portfolio.

Pros • Diversification. Investment real estate can provide solid portfolio diversification over the long run because you are holding a hard asset with the potential for high long-term appreciation, says Kristin McFarland, director of strategic partnerships at Darrow Wealth Management.

• Income. Rental income can provide a solid revenue stream.

"We usually estimate a 2% annual return while you are holding the property," says McFarland.

"That's a different kind of return than the stock market, but it can sustain you until you cash in on the long-term capital gain."

• Inflation hedge. A property's potential appreciation can help hedge against future inflation.

Cons • Cash intensive. This is the biggest obstacle for most investors considering buying rental properties. You'll need the down payment and closing costs as well as the monthly carrying costs. Then there are taxes, maintenance and insurance. Plus, you'll need an emergency reserve for unexpected events such as a surprise assessment or large repair.

• Labor intensive. Being a landlord is hard work - often at odd hours - and therefore not for everyone. If you're managing the property yourself, you're on call 24/7.

• Illiquid. Your money will likely be tied up for years, especially if you need to wait out a market downturn before selling. Even in good markets, dealing with tenants and other issues can delay a sale.

-Courtesy Bankrate.com

Hong Kong apartment sells for $ 76.7 mn HONG KONG: A luxury apartment in Hong Kong sold for a record 594.7 million Hong Kong dollars (USD 76.7 million), days before Christmas, making it the most expensive flat in the city and possibly in Asia, reports said.

An unidentified buyer paid more than 103,700 dollars persquare-foot for the 5,732 squarefoot (532 square-meter) unit at the luxury 39 Conduit Road apartment tower in the southern Chinese city's upmarket Mid-Levels residential area, The Apple Daily and The Standard reported.

The condominium, on the 46th floor with a view of the iconic Victoria Harbor and a 1,754 square-feet rooftop, had a list price of 646.48 million dollars on developer Henderson Land Properties' website.

The price beats the previous record 470 million dollars paid for a luxury unit which takes up the entire eighth floor of the Opus Hong Kong, a 12-storey residential building designed by Pritzker Prize-winning architect Frank Gehry, in 2012.

This comes as analysts said a US interest rate hike could put an end to the housing boom in the Chinese city which maintains a decades old peg with the US dollar.

Hong Kong-based brokerage CLSA warned the residential market was at a "turning point", with prices possibly dropping 17 per cent by 2017, while other firms have tipped falls of up to 30 per cent.

Hong Kong's de facto central bank raised its base interest rate

by 25 points to 0.75 per cent after the US Federal Reserve announced its first rate increase in more than nine years.

But chief analyst for Midland Realty Buggle Lau said the recordbreaking purchase does not reflect the bigger picture of the overall

property market in the city.

"The super-rich, I don't think the small increase in the interest rates have any impact on their purchasing power," Lau said.

"This is exceptional, it can't reflect the whole market," which he described overall as "sluggish".

Property prices in Hong Kong, famous for its sky-high rent and super-rich tycoons, have more than doubled in six years due to record low interest rates and a flood of wealthy buyers from mainland China.

Many residents complain they can no longer afford decent accommodation in the city of seven million people, and analysts say property ownership is out of reach even for the upper middle class. -AFP

Real Estate Post

26 India Post

January 1, 2016

www.indiapost.com

Mumbai housing shifts to eastern suburbs MUMBAI: Even as Mumbai's real estate market witnessed a general slowdown in the construction industry in 2015, there was a steady shift of housing and office stock towards the eastern suburbs.

Official statistics shows that the eastern suburbs and peripheral areas, traditionally seen as the poorer cousins of the more plush island city and western suburbs,

were the favored locations to set up homes and offices this year.

Records show that while median property prices in some of Mumbai's more "prestigious" pockets in the island city and western suburbs hardly budged, several pockets in the eastern suburbs jumped by at least 20-25 per cent.

Mumbai is touted as the country's most expensive real estate market.

"The data indicates the movement

of people within the city in search of affordable homes and office spaces,'' a senior government official said.

Sources said availability of large contiguous land parcels in the eastern suburbs, cheaper property values, and improved supporting infrastructure were the major factors that shaped this trend. Connectivity to the eastern suburbs has improved with the

Maharashtra government throwing open the Eastern Freeway, the Metro rail, and the Monorail.

Despite the slowdown, official data shows that property prices appreciated for 70% of the development pockets (value zones) in the eastern suburbs. The data also shows that property transactions recorded in this belt were an average 18% higher than the Ready Reckoner (RR) rates, which are

property values determined by the government for stamp duty collected by the government in course of property transactions.

In comparsion, in the island city, property values appreciated in only 108 out of 223 development pockets, which amounts to roughly 48 per cent. The median average property value for a transaction in this belt was just over 7% higher than RR values.

In 2015, the eastern suburbs pipped the suburbs on the west, which had seen intense construction activity over the past seven years. While 65% development pockets in the more developed Bandra-Andheri belt recorded property values higher than RR, the far-off western suburban belt covering areas from Jogeshwari to Dahisar were more active with 69% belts recording appreciation in property values.

The property rates in both cases were 12% and 11% higher than RR values in these areas respectively.

The Maharashtra government will come out with revised RR rates for Mumbai and the rest of the state on January 1, 2016.

These rates are arrived at on the basis of property transactions recorded in various belts in 2015.

The Maharashtra government will hike the RR rates in Mumbai by an average 8-10% in the New Year.

-Courtesy Indian Express

10,000 DDA flats available in New Year Cont’d from page 25

DDA is set to come up with another scheme in December 2016, largely for the high income group.

Sources said DDA had offered the surrendered flats to those in the waiting list. "But the response wasn't encouraging. This is why we have decided to announce a new housing scheme," said an official.

Given the demand for housing, there are bound to be takers for the new scheme, DDA officials believe. Besides, those who turned down the flats did not check the size before applying, they said. "We had told applicants that they can see the flats before applying. If they didn't see it before applying, it is not our fault.

We are certain that the new scheme will get a good response," said an official. “We are drawing up a list of all flats which are ready for allotment.

Over 9,000 flats of 2014 scheme have been returned. We are compiling a list of flats which were either returned or not allotted under other

schemes as well. Hopefully, we will announce the scheme before March next year," said a senior DDA official. The pricing of the flats has not been decided yet.

Of the 25,000 flats sold under the 2014 scheme, DDA has successfully given possession to just 4,000 owners so far. Nearly 5,000 are yet to get the flats due to incomplete documents while DDA is yet to complete construction of 3,400 flats.

Burman buys Golf Links bungalow for Rs 160 cr NEW DELHI: Though slackening property prices have created a lull in the realty market, plush zones seem to be least affected.

As per a report in the Economic Times, Dabur's chairman emeritus VC Burman has bought a bungalow in Delhi's Lutyens zone for Rs 160 crore.

The bungalow, located in Golf Links area is spread over 1,310 square yard and has a total builtup space of about 9,000 square feet.

The ET further said that the bungalow was sold at Rs 12.2 lakh per sq. yard.

The Burmans own a similarsized property adjacent to this one and a bungalow on Prithviraj Road in the Lutyens Bungalow Zone (LBZ).

A spokesman for Dabur confirmed that the Burman family had purchased the Golf Links property, without revealing the price or other details.

Property prices in central Delhi have slackened over the past few years owing to the general slowdown in the market. A 3,170 sq. yard plot with about 9,000 sq. ft. of built-up space on nearby Prithviraj Road was sold to Harish Ahuja of Shahi Exports for Rs 173 crore in September.

Subhash Chandra-promoted Essel Group bought a bungalow built on 2.8 acres of land on Bhagwan Das Road for Rs 304 crore earlier this year. Earlier this year, Delhi based builder Kabul Chawla of BPTP sold a 575 sq yard bungalow in Golf Links for Rs 65 crore.

"Despite the slowdown in the residential property market, the LBZ and central Delhi areas continue to draw interest from ultrahigh net worth individuals," said Shveta Jain, executive directorresidential services at property

consultancy Cushman & Wakefield. "The snob value of these locations and the neighborhood profile is a great draw."

Property owners in the LBZ could soon be able to expand their homes beyond limits set by the government when it first demarcated the zone in 1988 if a proposal of the ministry of urban development is approved. The ministry proposed to reduce the area of the LBZ in central Delhi by 5.13 square km, by excluding localities such as Jor Bagh, Golf Links, Sun-

"Despite the slowdown in the residential property market, the LBZ and central Delhi areas continue to draw interest from ultra-high net worth individuals" der Nagar, Bengali Market, Ashoka Road, Mandir Marg, Panchsheel Marg, Sardar Patel Marg and Chanakyapuri from the zone.

Residents of Golf Links, which has 212 plots, have voted against this proposal as they fear that it will allow more construction in the zone and spoil the character of the colony, apart from putting pressure on the existing infrastructure in the area.

Other businessmen who own homes in the LBZ include steel baron LN Mittal, businessmanturned-politician Naveen Jindal, DLF's KP Singh, AirtelBSE -1.88 % boss Sunil Mittal, the Ruias of Essar, Malvinder and Shivinder Singh, Analjit Singh and Atul Punj.

How home life keeps changing Cont’d from page 25

As for appearance, ``the paintings of the Dutch golden age did not depict what Dutch households of the time actually looked like,'' Flanders says. While the paintings are heavy with symbolism and appear sparse and sparkling, actual homes were crowded with furniture.

She likens the disconnect to the images featured in today's interiordesign magazines, which are generally devoid of toothbrushes, electrical outlets, hampers, dish racks and other basic amenities, as well as the tchotchkes that clutter many real homes.

``It really proves that our desire to believe in this ideal of home overrides everything. We don't like to be told or reminded that it's not true,'' she says.

Something as basic today as the fork, she says, did not appear as a standard eating implement in most places until well into the 18th century. ``You had a cutting and a piercing instrument in your knife.

You had a scooping implement in your spoon. You were set,'' Flanders says.

But then pasta came along as a standard starch in Italy, and the earthenware plate replaced wooden trenchers. Tableware needs rapidly changed. -AP

January 1, 2016

www.indiapost.com

India Post 27

TOP TEN HINDI FILM SONGS

1 Gerua: Dilwale 2 Agar Tum Saath Ho: Tamasha 3 Matargashti: Tamasha 4 Deewani Mastani: Bajirao Mastani 28 India Post

www.indiapost.com

January 1, 2016

Hate Story 3

A

diti Rao Hydari, who is sharing screen space with Farhan Akhtar in 'Wazir', says she felt like a fan in front of the 'Rock On' star.

The thriller-drama, produced by Vidhu Vinod Chopra and directed by Bejoy Nambiar, also stars megastar Amitabh Bachchan in the lead role. Aditi says as she did not grow up with people from Bollywood, she gets awestruck when she comes face to face with many people from the film industry.

"I have not hung with these people while growing up, so just being with there with them on set was amazing. There is always that awe-struck fan girl moment with people like Bachchan sir, Farhan, Vidhu Vinod Chopra sir or even Bejoy," Aditi told PTI. "Farhan is into what he does, he is very present, the honesty in his eyes struck me.

His eyes are speaking the truth," she added.

5 Tumhe Apna Banane Ka : 6 Pinga : Bajirao Mastani 7 Prem Ratan Dhan Payo : PRDP 8 Heer Toh Badi Sad Hai : Tamasha 9 Malhari : Bajirao Mastani 10 Prem Leela : PRDP

P

riyanka Chopra has revealed she once slapped a fan for misbehaving with her.

Priyanka said she doesn't mind posing for pictures with her fans, but she is not comfortable when anybody tries to get too-close for comfort or touches her. The 33-year-old actress said that she slapped a fan who touched her when she was shooting for the 2010 film 'Anjaana Anjaani'.

"I slap a lot. I think once a f a n misbehaved with me. I don't know if he was a fan but, I came out of my trailer when I was shooting for 'Anjana Anjani'. He just came and held my arms," the former Miss World said.

"I am very good with taking pictures and everything but I don't like physically being touched. So he just held my hand and started asking for pictures.

I got really scared so I grabbed his collar slapped him. Then I got so scared, I ran away," Priyanka told reporters on the sidelines of the trailer launch event of 'Jai Gangaajal'.

Prakash Jha's action drama 'Jai Gangaajal' is a sequel of the director's 2003 hit film 'Gangaajal' starring Ajay Devgn.

"I am very good with taking pictures and everything but I don't like physically being touched. So he just held my hand and started asking for pictures�

K

nown as the fashion icon of Bollywood, Sonam Kapoor says many actresses in the industry blame her for starting the trend of always being stylish. "A lot of actresses are abusing me for it. I remember a very big actress telling me 'Sonam, why did you do this.

You know how much money I am paying my stylist right now'. "I was like I don't pay my stylist, it's my sister or I just

style myself. You just have to be yourself," she told reporters at Filmfare Glamour and Style Awards cover launch.

Sonam said film stars have to be careful while setting a trend as they are influential. "As movie stars we have such a huge say in how the market is going to be like.

Whether it's the movies, or cricket, we all started dressing up in a certain way and started wearing makeup. We unfortunately or fortunately set trends so we have to be very careful in what we do and what we say," she said. Sonam, however, feels she should be called "stylish" rather than a "fashionista".

Bollywood

January 1, 2016

India Post 29

www.indiapost.com

S

hahid Kapoor is all praise for his ex-flame and 'Bajirao Mastani' star Priyanka Chopra for her performance in the period drama.

The 'Shaandaar' star also praised the film's other leading lady Deepika Padukone and director Sanjay Leela Bhansali. "@deepikapadukone ethereal and peaking as an artist in every way. @priyankachopra in top form. And above all sanjay leela bhansali," Shahid, 34, posted on Twitter. Both the actresses were quick to reply to his tweet.

Priyanka, who worked with Shahid in 'Kaminey' and 'Teri Meri Kahaani', wrote, "Thank you @shahidkapoor glad you liked the film." "Thank you sooo much Saash!!! @shahidkapoor," tweeted Deepika, who is yet to share screen space with the 'Mausam' star. Shahid is currently shooting for Vishal Bhardwaj's period romance drama 'Rangoon', opposite Saif Ali Khan and Kangana Ranaut.

S

unny Leone says superstar Salman Khan was quite welcoming when she came to India and hence he holds a very special place in her heart.

Before entering Bollywood, Sunny had appeared on Salman's hit reality show Bigg Boss.

"I am a big fan of him. He was one of the first people in the industry to wish me luck and welcome me in India. In that way I have a very special place in my heart for him as those were the first encouraging words that you hold on to especially when you don't know anything. He said some really nice things," Sunny sad in an interview.

N

o one remembers her from Samir Karnik's 2004 romance 'Kyun! Ho Gaya Na...' in which she played Aishwarya Rai's sister, Riya. For many, Kajal Aggarwal made her Bollywood debut opposite Ajay Devgn in the Rohit Shetty-directed cop drama, 'Singham', seven years later. And despite the film's super success, she disappeared down South, only to reappear as Akshay Kumar's leading lady in the heist thriller, 'Special 26' in 2013, followed by another two-year hibernation.

Why this game of hide-andseek? Speaking to Mirror from Ooty, where she's filming the Tamil-Telugu bilingual, 'Brahmotsavam', with Mahesh Babu, the 30-year-old actress points out that even down South, she's always opted for quality over quantity. "In this industry it's easy to get typecast and I've been careful even with my Tamil and Telugu films. Kajal is gearing up for another comeback with Deepak Tijori's intense love story, 'Do Lafzon Ki Kahani', next year. "I play a blind girl or rather because of a disorder, she suffers from poor sight. So while R a n d e e p ( H o o d a ) trained in martial arts, I went to a Blind School and studied Braille."

V

idya Balan, who is playing a cop in Amitabh Bachchan's next with Nawazuddin Siddiqui, has been categorically told to keep her character discreet.

Besides the fact that she is playing a cop, very little about her character is known even to those who are working on the film. A junior artiste who was recently present for the shooting of a scene with Big B and Nawaz in a jute mill, tells us that Vidya's scenes are mostly shot separately. Sujoy Ghosh refrains from even discussing her character. Expect this killer cop to create some havoc!

A junior artiste who was recently present for the shooting of a scene with Big B and Nawaz in a jute mill, tells us that Vidya's scenes are mostly shot separately

30

India Post

SATYAGRAH SOULS Indian Americans Making A Difference

January 1, 2016

www.indiapost.com

S

ATYAGRAH SOULS is a monthly column highlighting the community involvement and success of role-model Indian Americans, providing an inspiration for each of us to strive for similar uplifting purposes, while giving back to our local community. Indian Americans are going through a transitional evolution while getting entrenched in a new world, exerting zealous work ethics, supporting the American economy as entrepreneurs, high tech geeks, doctors, lawyers and more.

We are definitely imposing the posi-

tive intentions and good citizen values upon this fantastic country. But can our involvement run a bit deeper with issues near and dear to our hearts, within our local city with the local public school that our child attends? Do you sometimes hear your conscience asking you, "Am I doing enough?" with a pinch of guilt? Yes we can get involved a bit more, push our comfort zone and enhance the learning and involvement. Our involvement can simply start with developing a healthy curiosity in our local community, instead of being 'busy' bystanders.

Once we get involved, we will quickly discover how easy it is for us to make change happen and how receptive everyone around is to leverage our skills for the good. More importantly, how freeing and energizing the experience is; personally rewarding and transformative at the same time.

There are many who have made their mark in doing just that. With this monthly series, we want to highlight these SatyAgrah souls who are showing us the path. Here is a satyaGrah soul, who has found his calling‌

A MONTHLY SERIES - BY

RISHI KUMAR

Time to engage R politically in life of this country: Raja

R

aja we are excited to see you run for Congress. What is your moti vation? What made you jump in?

Raja: Thank you Rishi for talking to me. I am running for Congress from Illinois's 8th Congressional district, the Northwest suburbs of Chicago. I am the son of immigrant parents who were both engineers but found themselves without a job during the 1971 recession. My parents were then taken care of by the government programs back in those days. That has defined our lives.

My parents have always said that whatever you do, make sure that the government and the society is there for families who may not be so fortunate. That has been my motivation with every job I have held, every position that I have held in the government

fortunate are taken care of.

Our country which I believe is the greatest nation the world has ever known, has the ability to enable people to go from nothing to having something and realize the God given potential. We have to always remember that as we move up socially and economically, we reach back and pull people up and not remove the ladder. My mission is to help enable our people to get to their full potential, help more Americans find good jobs and economic security in a changing world.

Raja you have a unique blend of high-tech innovation, politics and public service.

How will that help you with the job? What are the key drivers for success in office?

Raja: Simply stated, you need people

Raja shakes hands with Barista at Cup & Vine in Schaumburg, IL

- and now running for Congress. I will create an opportunity to continue to fulfill that and ensure that the ones who are not so

with good relationship building, listening skills, you need to find the common ground and build on it. This is what we do every

aja Krishnamoorthi, 41, has a unique understanding of the challenges facing the U.S. economy and their implications for families and future workers. With successful experience in both the public and pri- creation of hundreds of good-paying vate sectors, he will go to Congress with jobs in Illinois. In 2006, Raja was apclear ideas to help more Americans find pointed by Illinois Attorney General Lisa good jobs and economic security in a Madigan to serve as Special Assistant changing world.

Attorney General in her Public Integrity Raja currently serves as President Unit. He also served as a member of the of Sivananthan Labs and Episolar, Inc., Illinois Housing Development Authority, small businesses that develop and sell where he was Chairman of the Audit products in the Committee. national secuThe son of Inrity and renewdian immigrants able energy into the U.S., Raja dustries. was raised in He is a coPeoria, Illinois, founder of where he atInSPIRE, a tended public non-profit orgaschools and nization that graduated as a provides trainvaledictorian of ing to Illinois his high school students and class.

Raja veterans in soearned his lar technology, bachelor's deand was forgree summa merly Vicecum laude in Chairman of Councilmember Raja Krishnamoorthi mechanical enthe Illinois Ingineering from novation Council, whose mission is to Princeton University and graduated with promote innovative technologies that honors from Harvard Law School. Folsupport economic growth and job cre- lowing law school, Raja clerked for a fedation in Illinois. eral judge in Chicago, served as issues Raja previously served as Illinois's director for Barack Obama's successful Deputy Treasurer, where he helped re- United States Senate campaign in 2004, vamp the state's unclaimed property and became a partner at an Illinois law system by using technology to increase firm. the amount of property returned to taxRaja is married to Priya, a doctor at a payers while cutting the program's costs. local hospital. They live in Schaumburg He also helped run the state's technol- with their sons Vijay, 9, and Vikram, 5, ogy venture capital fund, assisting in the who attend public schools in District 54.

day in business. But for whatever reason we are not doing that in Congress. As a Democrat, I may not share the same views as a Republican. But there is a lot that we share in common. So the question is how do we identify those common areas and build upon them? I have done that as a business man, and I hope to continue doing that in Washington DC, collaborating with others, discovering common areas, building upon them for the good of our

country.

What are the top issues you hope to hit as a result of this unique nexus.

Raja: There are a number of issues I care about. The health of a society is based on health of education and how women are empowered economically. So let me highlight a couple of issues here.

Cont’ d on page 31

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SATYAGRAH SOULS Indian Americans Making A Difference

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31

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Time to engage politically in life of this country: Raja Cont’ d from page 30

zens with the tools to evolve and work in a rapidly changing economy or addressing public policy challenges that are hard to escape. My background can help in moving the ball forward.

One of the questions to answer is how do you get and keep people in the middle class, to have the skills to upgrade and adapt to the changing economy. Answer is higher education and life long learning. The How was it like to work on the Obama price to go to college has sky rocketed keeping middle class families out of it. That needs to be fixed! We have a five point plan for colleges to help address that. Another issue is related to empowering women. We have to empower the women of our country, even more economically than what we have now. That means equal pay, access to paid maternity, sick leave, high quality child care and more. And the final isRaja and his wife, Priya, play checkers with their sons sue I want to talk about is innovation.

I believe that our energy future is renew- campaign in Illinois? Can you share your able energy. How do we as a country move insights and learning and how they are forward, innovate and create jobs in renew- helping you today?

Raja: I worked for three of President able energy for the future? Solar can provide 20% of the world energy by 2050, right Obama's campaigns. Back in 1999 as a policy now it is 1%. There will be economic wealth researcher for US Congress against Bobby and gains to be made in that sector over the Rush. I learnt from that campaign that timing matters when you run for office. In 2002 several decades.

I was his policy director for the US Senate What is going through your mind as a CEO campaign. I learnt that credentials may not from the hi-tech world jumping into the matter but talking about issues and stuff that world of politics? Are you concerned that it matters to everyday people is. That is somemay be too slow for a fast paced corporate thing that President Obama did well which took him to victory on the Senate race. People innovator?

Raja: I spent a long time in government. of Illinois are good decent people who look The challenge and the pace at which issues past name and skin color, but look for who are evolving is rapid and will keep anybody you are as a person, the message, how you engaged. The real question is, are were go- want to help people and your vision to guide ing to have a political culture where we can the country forward. I was inspired to run for get things done. We have to bring that small office after the campaign. business acumen to the picture. As small How engaged is the Indian community in Illinois getting involved locally and giving back in the neighborhood and the schools?

Raja: I am seeing our Indian American community more and more engaged. I am heartened to see many amongst the young professionals, high school kids. There are many who have entered public service. We have so many volunteers who work Raja doing homework with his son in various capacities for business I cannot debate endlessly and not our campaign. The next challenge is two take action when there are clear challenges fold: Get our community to vote commenthat need to be addressed head on. Whether surate to our numbers. We need to have global climate change or equipping our citi- them run for office, become more politically

Raja at the offices of Sivananthan Labs in Bolingbrook, IL

engaged and have a full voice in the political life of our country. We need a seat on the table. If you don't have a seat on the table you are on the menu. It is time, we engaged politically in the life of this country and its communities.

What is your advice for wanna-be political aficionados who want to run for office? How would you advise them to get started?

Raja: One important thing is to think deeply on why you want to run, and whether you can do something meaningful once you get into office. There has to be a good reason why you are running and then a message that communicates that motivation and everything builds off that. Whether getting support for campaign, fundraising or finally getting votes, there has to be a reason for what you are doing why you are doing. It has to be compelling. You will be giving up a lot of time, putting a burden on your family and loved ones. But, it can be incredibly satisfying and meaningful if you have taken the time to answer the question and then giving it all you can.

Raja thank you! We wish you the best for your Congressional run and all future endeavors. We will be following you closely and hope to see you as the winner on November 1st 2016. *********

leaders, establish and entrench ourselves in this glorious country of America and help make it a better place. ********* ABOUT RISHI: Rishi is Silicon Valley's community worker seeking to make a difference in his local community. As an elected city councilmember in Saratoga, CA he continues to follow his passion for community service. As city councilmember Rishi seeks to provide services to the citizens of Saratoga cheaper, faster and better; community outreach and engagement is a focus for him on the council. As Saratoga's community organizer, Rishi is host of many community events in Saratoga, many of which are free and always inclusive usually addressing a need or a cause. Community events such as bike safety workshop to help with the safety of kids biking to school, drought tolerant vegetation seminar, documentary screenings, Saratoga has Talent annual competition that raises money for Saratoga's Seniors every year, Diwali, Dandia along with free weekly Sunday

Dear Readers Do you have a story to share? We invite you to introduce us to Raja greets voters at the home of Selwyn & Sheila Schwartz folks in your commuin Schaumburg, IL nity who are making a difference - we would love to profile them. Are there similar sto- classes such as Lego Robotics, Bollywood ries you are familiar with locally. The ones fitness, Young Coders club, Meditation, who helped address a simple issue in Yoga, Hindi, Balagokulam and more.

Rishi's day job is as a Silicon Valley hithe community to make life a bit better.

Perhaps someone you know decided to tech executive but his zeal for community make a run for school board, was ap- service effervescent. Rishi is also the Presipointed to the planning commission. Pro- dent of the Bay Area Indian American vide us your insights on Indian Ameri- Democratic Club (www.baiadc.org) whose cans locally and nationally who are mak- charter is to further the interests and valing things happen. These perspectives ues of Indian Americans, work towards will help construct roadmaps for our com- political empowerment and advance ethimunity to empower ourselves, to hope- cal standards in the political system. You fully ignite a desire in all of us to repre- can reach him via his website sent our local communities as doers, www.RishiKumar.com.

„ Health

Line

Health insurance firm asked to pay Rs 3 lakh THANE, Maharashtra: A consumer court here has ordered a health insurance company to pay Rs 3 lakhs to a claimant as it failed to prove that his wife was suffering from a disease prior to issuance of the policy.

Complainant Dilip Mohite informed the Thane District Consumer Redressal Forum that he had taken a floater insurance for Rs 3 lakh for his family members, including wife and two children, from Star Health and Allied Insurance Company.

In June 2012, his wife fell ill and had to undergo an angiography and angioplasty, for which he had lodged a claim of Rs 3 lakh with the insurance company.

However, the insurance firm rejected the claim stating that it was a pre-existing disease which Mohite had concealed at the time of taking the policy, and thus rejected it.

Mohite then approached the forum seeking a claim of Rs 3 lakh and Rs 50,000 as compensation.

The insurance firm said it was observed that there were 90 per cent blockages (in heart) detected on the patient, which meant that it had taken a long time to develop and can be treated as pre-existing, and hence it rejected the claim.

Forum president Shena Mhatre and members Madhuri Vishwarupe and ND Kadam gave the definition provided by a court ruling in a case that "pre-existing disease is one for which the insured should have undergone hospitalization or undergone long treatment or operation." -PTI

„ First flu deaths reported in Las Vegas area LAS VEGAS: Health officials in Las Vegas are reporting the first two influenza deaths of the season The Southern Nevada Health District announced that two men, both over age 60, have died as a result of the flu.

Dr. Joe Iser, chief district health officer, says the flu season has been mild so far this year.

Last year, 26 people died, 321 people were hospitalized and 583 cases were reported in the fall-tospring season.

That was a spike from an average over the previous three flu periods: 9 deaths, 112 hospitalizations and about 468 reported cases. Officials say the number of flu cases usually peak in January and February.

Iser says there's still time for people to get a flu vaccine. -AP

Health Science

'Self-sabotage' prevents immune protection

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Details on Page 35

Indian American scientist develops software for cancer patients WASHINGTON: An Indian scientist in the US has developed a new MRI-based technique to predict survival of patients with aggressive brain tumors and help them provide personalized therapy.

Dr Pallavi Tiwari's work is based on recent clinical findings that 90 per cent of the Glioblastoma Multiforme (GBM) recurrences occur close to the tumor margin, suggesting that malignant cells are present at the periphery of the tumor but are not visually discernible.

GBM is the most common and most aggressive cancer that begins within the brain.

"Less than five per cent of all GBM patients live for more than five years," Tiwari, a leading cancer researcher working at Case Western Reserve University, said.

She said that despite several advances in drug discovery and clinical trials for cancer treatment, all GBM patients still follow the same 'one-fits-all' treatment regi-

men.

Tiwari, who is from Madhya Pradesh, presented her new research before at the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) meeting recently.

"With Obama administration's push for personalized therapy, a pressing need in precision medicine is to identify patients with

size-fits-all' treatment," a media release said.

Unfortunately, this has not been feasible so far in the absence of reliable non-invasive and quantitative measurements regarding patient prognosis (likely outcome of the disease) in GBMs, Tiwari noted.

Tiwari and her team have

GBM who are suitable for specific clinical trials based on their tumor characterization, instead of a 'one-

shown on 62 patients that these computer-extracted features from tumor margins and its surround-

Obama to honor Indian-American Prof WASHINGTON: President for the latest National Medal of Barack Obama will felicitate a 65- Technology and Innovation. year-old Indian-American proThe White House announced fessor at the Harvard Medical the recipients of the National School with the US' highest hon- Medal of Science and National ors for achievement and leader- Medal of Technology and Innoship in advancing the fields of vation, America's highest honors science and technology, the for achievement and leadership in White House has said. advancing the fields of science Dr Rakesh K Jain, an IIT- and technology.

Kanpur alumnus and professor of tumor biology at Massachusetts General Hospital in the Harvard Medical School, will receive the National Medal of Science at a White House ceremony early next year. Jain is among the nine latest recipients of the National Dr Rakesh Jain has received numerous awards for Medal of Science. his work on tumor biology, particularly research on Eight persons the link between tumor blood vessels and improving the effects of chemotherapy and radiation have been chosen treatment.

"Science and technology are fundamental to solving some of our Nation's biggest challenges.

The knowledge produced by these Americans today will carry our country's legacy of innovation forward and continue to help countless others around the world. Their work is a testament to American ingenuity," Obama said.

Jain has received numerous awards for his work on tumor biology, particularly research on the link between tumor blood vessels and improving the effects of chemotherapy and radiation treatment. He received his B.Tech degree from the IIT-Kanpur in Chemical Engineering in 1972.

The National Medal of Science was created by statute in 1959 and is administered for the White House by the National Science Foundation. Awarded annually, the Medal recognizes individuals who have made outstanding contributions to science and engineering.-PTI

ing areas on MRI are together predictive of GBM outcomes, the press release said.

So far such an approach of investigating imaging features from normal-appearing areas outside of tumor margins has not been investigated.

Using computer techniques developed by Tiwari and her team, subtle information can be gleaned from normal-appearing regions (at tumor periphery) to allow for the ability to reliably and non-invasively stratify patients based on their survival and can ultimately guide personalized therapeutic clinical trials in GBM. Tiwari graduated from SGSITS in Indore and moved to United States to get a PhD degree in Biomedical Engineering.

She is currently a research assistant professor in Biomedical Engineering and since 2012 has been working in early diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment evaluation of brain tumors. -PTI

NY launches registration for medical marijuana ALBANY, N.Y.: The New York health department has launched its online registration system for patients to buy medical marijuana when it becomes available in January.

Health Commissioner Dr. Howard Zucker says the system for certifications and registrations means ``qualified patients will soon have access to treatment they need.''

According to the department, patients need certification from a registered doctor, then have to access the online system to apply for a registry identification card.

They also need photo identification and documentation of state residency.

Those under 18 must apply through a proxy.

Under the state's new law, patients with a qualifying condition can get permission from their doctor to obtain non-smokable forms of cannabis. -AP

January 1, 2016

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Pollution too behind Liver hormone cuts cravings for sweets, alcohol antibiotic resistance?

WASHINGTON: Environmental contaminants may be partly to blame for the rise in antibiotic-resistant bacteria, a new US study suggests.

J Vaun McArthur from the University of Georgia tested his hypothesis in streams on the US Department of Energy's Savannah River Site (SRS).

The 802-square km site near Aiken, South Carolina, east of the Savannah River, was closed to the public in the early 1950s to produce materials used in nuclear weap-

ons.

This production led to legacy waste, or contamination, in limited areas of the site.

This waste impacted some of the streams in the industrial areas.

"The streams have not had inputs from wastewater, so we know the observed patterns are from something other than antibiotics," said Mr. McArthur, a senior research ecologist with the Savannah River Ecology Laboratory and Odum School of Ecology.

McArthur tested five antibiotics on 427 strains of E coli bacteria in the streams. His research team collected samples from 11 locations in nine streams, which included sediment as well as water samples.

The level of metal contamination among these locations varied from little to high.

The results showed high levels of anti-

biotic resistance in eight of the 11 water samples. The highest levels were found at the northern location of Upper Three Runs Creek, where the stream system enters the site, and on two tributaries located in the industrial area, U4 and U8.

The level of antibiotic resistance was high in both water and sediment samples from these streams.

McArthur said Upper Three Runs Creek flows through residential, agricultural and industrial areas before it enters the SRS, so the bacteria in this stream have been exposed to antibiotics.

In contrast, U4 and U8 are completely contained within the site and have no known input from antibiotics. However, they have a long history of inputs from the legacy waste.

McArthur conducted a second screening using 23 antibiotics on U4, U8 and U10, a nearby stream with little to no industrial impact.

"More than 95 per cent of the bacteria samples from these streams were resistant to 10 or more of the 23 antibiotics," Mr. McArthur said.

These included front-line antibiotics gatifloxacin and ciprofloxacin, which are used to treat basic bacterial infections from pink eye to urinary tract and sinus infections.

The contaminated streams U4 and U8 had the highest level of antibiotic resistance.

"These streams have no source of antibiotic input, thus the only explanation for the high level of antibiotic resistance is the environmental contaminants in these streams - the metals, including cadmium and mercury," Mr. McArthur said.

The study was published in the journal Environmental Microbiology. -PTI

Drug Resistant TB rose to 20% in 2012 NEW DELHI: A study based on a retrospective analysis of patient data at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital in New Delhi has revealed a 12 per cent increase in the incidence of multi-drug resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) in India between 2000 and 2012.

Nearly 15,000 patients were subject to mycobacterial culture during the study.

The researchers have called the increase "alarming" and demanded urgent modification in policies. These findings, they say, should ring alarm bells for India, which according to WHO has the highest burden of TB in the world. One out of every five TB patients worldwide is Indian.

Dr Chand Wattal, Chairman of the Department of clinical microbiology and immunology told NDTV that multi-drug resistant tuberculosis went up from 4.7% in 2000 to 19.8% in 2012. This implies that while in 2000, one of every 20 TB patients

in India had this strain of TB, by 2012 one of every five suffered from multi-drug resistant tuberculosis.

Dr Wattal adds while the policies are in place, rigorous implementation is needed.

Active household contact investigation acts as a powerful tool to detect and treat TB at an early stage because it helps break the transmission cycle, he says. But, many patients don't return for a follow up due to the stigma associated with the disease.

About 2.8 lakh people die of TB in India annually. More than half of the estimated 300,000 cases of multi-drug resistant tuberculosis reported worldwide were in India, China and Russia in 2014. However, experts say, India's response to TB remains far from satisfactory. The Revised National TB Program had asked for a budget of Rs. 1,358 crore but only received Rs. 710 crore in the current fiscal. -PTI

WASHINGTON: Scientists have identified a liver hormone that can reduce cravings for sweets and alcohol by acting on the brain's reward pathway, an advance that may help develop a treatment for alcoholism.

"This is the first time a hormone made in the liver has been shown to affect sugar and alcohol preference in mammals," said co-senior author Steven Kliewer, professor at University of Texas Southwestern Medical Centre.

The hormone - fibroblast growth factor 21, or FGF21 - is associated with environmental stress such as extreme dietary changes or cold temperature exposure.

It is also produced when mammals consume carbohydrates. Because of FGF21's unique effects, forms of the protein are being evaluated as drugs for the treatment of obesity and type 2 diabetes.

"Our findings raise the possibility that FGF21 administration could affect nutrient preference and other reward behaviors in humans, and that the hormone could potentially be used to treat alcoholism," said Kliewer.

The researchers report that mice with elevated levels of FGF21 showed reduced

preference for sweetener- and alcohol-laced water as well as a marked decrease in levels of dopamine, a neurotransmitter that plays a central role in reward behavior.

"We found that FGF21 administration markedly reduces sweet and alcohol preference in mice, and sweet preference in larger animal models," said co-senior author David Mangelsdorf, Chair of the Department of Pharmacology.

To confirm that FGF21 acts via a brain pathway, the researchers took advantage of the fact that FGF21 requires the co-receptor beta-Klotho in order to function.

When FGF21 levels were increased in mice genetically unable to make betaKlotho in the central nervous system, the effect on taste preference disappeared.

"The finding that FGF21 acts via the brain was completely unexpected when we started down this path of investigation a dozen years ago," Mr. Kliewer said.

"These findings suggest that additional studies are warranted to assess the effects of FGF21 on sweet and alcohol preference and other reward behavior in humans," he said.

The study was published in the journal Cell Metabolism. -PTI

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Mathematical model can predict dengue epidemic WASHINGTON: Scientists have developed a new mathematical model that could predict the spread of dengue fever in urban areas and may help contain the deadly disease.

The model created by Lucas M Stolerman and Stefanella Boatto from Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro offers a simplified approach to studying the spread of the dengue fever in urban areas, specifically breaking down the epidemic dynamics across a city and its varying neighborhoods and populations.

The model is important for studying how varying neighborhood conditions affect the spread of dengue fever and how to contain it.

For example, some neighborhoods have standing water allowing large mosquito populations to develop.

Since mosquitoes fly only a few hundred meters from their birthplace, a human infected with

the disease who commutes long distances could spread the disease.

The model uses a SusceptibleInfected-Recovered (SIR) approach to disease spread and the network consists of the city's

one or two neighborhoods could affect the prevalence of dengue across the city," said coauthor Daniel Coombs, professor at the University of British Colombia in Canada.

"We give formulae that de-

"We give formulae that describe whether an epidemic is possible, in terms of human travel patterns among neighborhoods"

neighborhoods where local populations are assumed to be wellmixed.

"The SIR-Network model can be used to predict whether local interventions - like cleaning up standing water in containers - in

scribe whether an epidemic is possible, in terms of human travel patterns among neighborhoods, mosquito populations and biting rates in each neighborhood," Mr Coombs said.

The fraction of people travel-

Music therapy can correct respiratory disorders NEW YORK: Music therapy can increase the effectiveness of standard rehabilitation that patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and other respiratory disorders receive, a new study has found.

In the study, patients with COPD and other chronic respiratory disorders who received music therapy in conjunction with standard rehabilitation saw an improvement in symptoms, psychological well-being and quality of life compared to patients receiving rehabilitation alone.

The study by researchers at The Louis Armstrong Center of Music and Medicine at Mount Sinai Beth Israel (MSBI) in US suggests that music therapy may be an effective addition to traditional treatment.

COPD is the fourth leading cause of death in the US with symptoms including shortness of breath, wheezing, an ongoing cough, frequent colds or flu, and chest tightness, researchers said.

Patients with COPD are often socially isolated, unable to get to medical services and underserved in rehabilitation programs, making effective treatment difficult.

The 68 study participants were

ing from residential neighborhoods to active ones are represented by directed edges in the network.

The study also presents fundamental properties of the basic reproduction number (Ro) for their

diagnosed with chronic disabling respiratory diseases, including COPD. Over the course of six weeks, a randomized group of these patients attended weekly music therapy sessions.

Each session included live music, visualizations, wind instrument playing and singing, which incorporated breath control tech-

niques.

Certified music therapists provided active music-psychotherapy. The music therapy sessions incorporated patients' preferred music, which encouraged self-expression, increased engagement in therapeutic activities and an opportunity to cope with the challenges of a chronic disease.

"The care of chronic illness is

purposefully shifting away from strict traditional assessments that once focused primarily on diagnosis, morbidity and mortality rates," said Joanne Loewy, Director of the Louis Armstrong Center for Music and Medicine at MSBI, where the study was conducted.

"Instead, the care of the chronically ill is moving towards methods that aim to preserve and enhance quality of life of our patients and activities of daily living through identification of their culture, motivation, caregiver/ home trends and perceptions of daily wellness routines," said Ms. Loewy.

"Music therapy has emerged as an essential component to an integrated approach in the management of chronic respiratory disease," said Jonathan Raskin, co-author of the study and Director of the Alice Lawrence Center for Health and Rehabilitation at MSBI. "The results of this study provide a comprehensive foundation for the establishment of music therapy intervention as part of pulmonary rehabilitation care," Mr. Raskin said.

The findings were published in

specific model. Ro is the expected number of secondary cases due to a single infection.

The researchers applied the SIR-Network model to dengue fever data, which had been updated several times, including as recent

as 2014, from the epidemic outbreak of 2007-2008 in various neighborhoods of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and soon discovered several interesting features of the epidemic.

First, they needed to include a transmission rate that varied over the months of the dengue season to match the available data. The researchers predict that the transmission rate peaks 6 to 8 weeks before the peak incidence of dengue.

Secondly, they predict that the city centre, where large populations from various neighborhoods go to work each day, is the most important neighborhood to spreading the fever. Ultimately, the researchers found that results were improved most when a timeinfection parameter was introduced to model seasonal climate changes.

The study was published in the SIAM Journal on Applied Mathematics. -PTI

Migrants get time to sign up for health insurance HONOLULU: The federal government is allowing more time for a group of migrants in Hawaii to enroll in health insurance plans under the Affordable Care Act. People living in Hawaii under the Compact of Free Association will get 60 extra days to sign up, Gov. David Ige announced.

The compact allows migrants from several Pacific Island nations to live and work freely in the U.S. In exchange, the U.S. military controls strategic parts of their region.

But an estimated 4,300 migrants who were insured through the Hawaii Health Connector haven't been able to re-enroll in the federal HealthCare.gov website, because they're having trouble enrolling due to language barriers and documentation requirements, state officials said.

The decision to extend the deadline came as welcome news to people who have been helping with the enrollment efforts. ``That's truly a Christmas present for a lot of families who were not able to make the deadline,'' said Josie Howard, program director for We Are Oceania, a nonprofit organization that helps Micronesians who live in Hawaii. ``It's very good news. We're very appreciative of that decision.''

Once people from compact nations are enrolled, a state program covers the cost of the premiums, said Rachel Wong, Hawaii director of human services. ``We haven't had this type of

collaboration between the state and this community before,'' Wong said.

The state negotiated with the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to extend the enrollment time. ``We appreciate the federal government's understanding of the special circumstances our residents from Compact nations face when seeking health care services in Hawaii,'' Ige said in a news release.

`That's truly a Christmas present for a lot of families who were not able to make the deadline,'' said Josie Howard Interpreters from We Are Oceania have been working in Hawaii to help people from Palau, Marshall Islands and Federated States of Micronesia enroll. But the process can take two to four hours, especially if the person enrolling has a large family, Howard said.

One of the main issues is that the federal call center for HealthCare.gov doesn't have enough interpreters who speak languages of the Compact of Free Association nations, Wong said.-AP

January 1, 2016]

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IT-enabled tool to help quit tobacco NEW DELHI: The Centre has launched four IT-based health care initiatives including an audio-based mobile service which will deliver weekly messages to families about pregnancy and child birth, an IT-enabled tool to help quit tobacco, and a dedicated helpline for TB patients.

Speaking at the launch of the AIIMS OPD Transformation Project, which aims at using Information Technology to ease access to services at AIIMS, Union Health Minister J P Nadda said the audio mobile

services would benefit two crore pregnant women and an equal number of infants.

Announcing the first of the four initiatives 'Kilkari' to mark the birth anniversary of Madan Mohan Malaviya and birthday of Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Nadda said it is an audio-based mobile service that delivers weekly audio messages and is being supported by Tata Consultancy Services as part of its CSR initiative.

"Each pregnant woman and infant's mother, registered in the Mother and Child

'Self-sabotage' prevents immune protection MELBOURNE: Malaria parasites cause said. an inflammatory reaction that sabotages "However, we showed that during maour body's ability to protect itself against laria infection critical inflammatory molthe deadly disease, scientists have found ecules actually arrest development of helper for the first time.

T cells and therefore the B cells don't get The finding opens up the possibility of the necessary instructions to make antiimproving malaria vaccines by boosting bodies," he said. key immune cells needed for long-lasting Malaria is one of the most serious huimmunity. This could even include vaccines man infectious diseases, with about 250 that have previously been ineffective in million clinical cases each year. clinical trials.

Children are particularly susceptible to Researchers found that the same inflam- severe malaria because they have little or matory molecules that drive the immune re- no immunity to the parasite. sponse in clinical and severe malaria also Severe malaria causes symptoms includprevent the body from developing protec- ing anaemia, breathing difficulties, kidney failtive antibodies against the parasite. ure and coma, and can quickly lead to death.

Diana Hansen, Axel Kallies and Victoria Hansen said the findings could lead to Ryg-Cornejo led a research team from new avenues in the search for effective Walter and Eliza Hall Institute in Australia malaria vaccines. that examined how the immune system re"This research opens the door to therasponded to malaria infection caused by peutic approaches to accelerate developPlasmodium falciparum. ment of protective immunity to malaria and Hansen said it is the first time scientists improve efficacy of malaria vaccines," Ms. have pinpointed why the immune system Hansen said. fails to develop immunity during malaria "Until now, malaria vaccines have had infection. disappointing results. We can now see a "With many infections, a single exposure to the pathogen is enough to induce production of antibodies that will protect you for the rest of your life," Ms. Hansen said.

"However with malaria it can take up to 20 years for someone to build up sufficient immunity to be protected.

During that time Australian scientists have for the first time revealed how malaria parasites cause an inflammatory reaction that sabotages our body's people exposed to ability to protect itself against the disease.Dr. Axel Kallies (left) and Dr. malaria are suscepDiana Hansen (right) from Melbourne's Walter and Eliza Hall Institute tible to reinfection said the discovery opens up the possibility of improving new or existing and become sick malaria vaccines by boosting key immune cells needed for long-lasting many times, as well immunity. as spreading the disease," she said. way of improving these responses, by taiMr. Kallies said inflammatory molecules loring or augmenting the vaccine to boost released by the body to fight the infection development of helper T cells that will enprevent protective antibodies from being able the body to make protective antibodmade. ies that target the malaria parasites," she "Specialized immune cells called helper said.

T cells join forces with B cells to generate The study was published in the journal these protective antibodies," Mr. Kallies Cell Reports. -PTI

Tracking System (MCTS), a web-enabled name-based system to monitor and ensure delivery of full spectrum of services to all pregnant women and children, would receive weekly voice messages relevant to the stage of pregnancy or age of the infant.

"The 72 messages would reach the targeted beneficiaries from the 4th month of pregnancy until the child is one year old. On an average, the duration of each message is two minutes. Such messages will empower and educate women and parents to help create a better environment in maternal and child health," Nadda said.

He said the service will be provided free of cost to the beneficiaries and in the first phase of implementation, such messages would be sent to the pregnant women and infants' mothers in Jharkhand, Odisha, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan.

He said the messages are being developed in Hindi, Odiya and English in the first phase. It will be later expanded to other lan-

guages.

Nadda said the other initiative, 'M-Cessation', will be an IT-enabled tool to help tobacco users to quit tobacco.

Stating that it is built on a helpline con-

Health Minister J P Nadda

cept, Nadda said it will register beneficiaries on the basis of a missed call and counseling would be done through a two-way SMS process.

The Union Health Minister also said a new mobile-based application 'Mobile Academy' has been developed through which about 90, 00, and 000 Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs) will be imparted training.

Nadda, along with Union Minister Piyush Goyal, inaugurated the new IT-enabled OPD registry block at AIIMS. -PTI

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January 1, 2016

Tech News AI may seek compensation for Kolkata mishap NEW DELHI: Governmentowned Air India may seek Rs 6570 crore compensation from Jet Airways for the damage suffered by one of its aircraft in an incident at Kolkata airport, sources said.

A Jet Airways tarmac coach had on December 21 rammed into an Alliance Air stationary ATR aircraft, at Kolkata's NSCB airport, resulting in substantial damage to the plane.

The regional arm of national carrier Air India, Alliance Air has a fleet of 12 aircraft, comprising ATRs and Canadian Regional Jets (CRJs).

Alliance Air is assessing the damage to aircraft and revenue loss suffered due to the grounding of the plane and once the exercise is completed, it would serve a notice on Jet Airways, sources told PTI. "A team from ATR has already completed inspection and has, prima facie, found substantial damage to aircraft.

However, its report is awaited.

Besides, our insurers (of Air India and Jet Airways) are also carrying out survey to assess the damage," Air India sources said.

Public sector insurers New India Insurance and Oriental Insurance Company are carrying out the survey for Air India and Jet Airways respectively, they said.PTI

Govt for level playing field for airlines NEW DELHI: With Gulf carriers garnering a significant chunk of outbound passenger traffic from India, the government is mulling ways to put in place mechanisms to prevent overseas airlines from virtually making local airports their regional hubs.

The basic idea is to ensure that domestic airlines have a competitive as well as level playing field with their foreign counterparts, especially since Indian aviation market has a huge growth potential, according to a senior Civil Aviation Ministry official.

Etihad, Emirates, Qatar Airways, Air Arabia, and Flydubai are among the major Gulf carries having operations in India.

Of these, while Doha-based Qatar Airways flies to 13 Indian cities, Emirates flies to 10 key airports via its Abu Dubai hub.

Etihad, which holds 24 per cent stake in domestic carrier Jet Airways, also connects its Abu Dhabi hub with 10 cities here including Delhi and Mumbai.-PTI

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January 1, 2016

Reliance Jio launches 4G service for employees MUMBAI: Telecom arm of RIL, Reliance Jio, has launched 4G service for its employees under Jio brand name.

"Today on the eve of the 83rd birthday of Dhirubhai, it is my proud privilege to invite all our Reliance families and friends to be the first to experience Jio s services. While you enjoy Jio Digital Life, I am also counting on you, as part of my family, to be part of co-creating the best experience for all our customers," Reliance Industries Limited Chairman and Managing Director Mukesh Ambani said at the event.

The company is offering Jio mobile service for free to its over 1 lakh employees as of now.-PTI

Russia opens up oil and gas sector to Indian companies MOSCOW: Russia's decision to open up its oil and gas sector to Indian companies will significantly boost bilateral trade and the two sides are negotiating on some more acquisitions and projects in the hydrocarbons sector, India's envoy here P S Raghavan has said.

Indian companies will significantly boost bilateral annual trade which is currently around USD 10 billion.

A number of deals were struck between Indian and Russian oil firms during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit here re-

major gas and oil exploration projects in Russia and central Asian countries.

Raghavan said New Delhi had pressed Russia to open its oil and gas sector to Indian companies during summit talks between President Vladimir Putin and Modi in

He said ONGC Videsh Ltd is exploring more acquisitions in Russian oil fields besides working on some other proposals.

"Russia has been very careful in its process of disinvestment in the oil industry as it considers oil as a strategic resource. It has been

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President of Russian Federation Vladimir Putin began the 16th Annual Summit with a restricted meeting, in Kremlin, Russia on December 24

He said Russia considers its huge oil and gas reserves as strategic resources and is allowing Indian firms "extensive exposure" to them in sync with close bilateral ties.

"This is really a rush by India into Russia's hydrocarbons sector," he told PTI. He said Russia's decision to open up its oil and gas sector to

cently.

The deals sealed in the oil sector include ONGC Videsh Ltd buying a 15 per cent stake in Russia's Vankorneft oil field for close to USD 1.3 billion. Vankorneft is Russia's second biggest oil field and is owned by oil behemoth Rosneft.

India, considered one of world's fastest growing energy markets, has been eyeing greater access to

December last year and the Russian side now has heeded to the request.

"Russia is a major hydrocarbon power. We are a major hydrocarbon consumer. Our energy security depends on hydrocarbons. So there was a conscious decision that India should increase its footprint in Russia's hydrocarbons industry," Raghavan said.

very careful in its disinvestment," said Raghavan.

Sounding confident of Indian companies in oil and gas sector expanding their operation in Russia, the envoy said economic relations between the two countries are on an upswing which is going to boost bilateral trade volume significantly.

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China-backed AIIB formally established BEIJING: China-backed Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) in which India is a founder member along with other 56 countries has been formally established here and expected to start operation next month.

"The AIIB is legally established as the Articles of Agreement take effect," China's Finance Minister Lou Jiwei said.

Articles of Agreement outline the financial share of each founding member as well as rules for policymaking, governance structure and business and operational systems for the bank.

The bank's establishment came after 17 funding members of the AIIB, which account for just over

50 per cent of its share capital, ratified the agreement on the bank.

With authorized capital of USD 100 billion and subscribed capital of USD 50 billion, AIIB, based in Beijing, will invest in sectors in-

healthcare.

China, India and Russia are the three largest shareholders, taking a 30.34 per cent, 8.52 per cent, 6.66 per cent stake respectively in the newly-formed bank. Based on the

Based on the share holding, India is expected to get the post of the Vice President. China has already nominated its former Finance Minister Jin Liqun as the first President of the Bank, which is in addition to the BRICS Development Bank, headed by eminent Indian banker K V Kamath. cluding energy, transportation, urban construction and logistics as well as education and

share holding, India is expected to get the post of the Vice President.

Their voting shares are calcu-

lated at 26.06 per cent, 7.5 per cent and 5.92 per cent.

Based on the share holding, India is expected to get the post of the Vice President. China has already nominated its former Finance Minister Jin Liqun as the first President of the Bank, which is in addition to the BRICS Development Bank, headed by eminent Indian banker K V Kamath.

The establishment of the AIIB marks a milestone in the reform of global economic governance system, Lou said.

The AIIB will be operational after board of directors and executive council meet for the first time.

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India, US engines of global growth: Basu HYDERABAD: World Bank chief economist Kaushik Basu said here that amidst sluggish global growth, the US and India are two engines of growth with India anticipated to be among the fastest growing major economies in the world.

Addressing the 98th annual

conference of the Indian Economic Association (IEA) here, Basu said, "This is a very critical time to have the conference on economy. Global growth is sluggish. The world economy is expected to grow barely by 2.5 per cent."

He noted that Russia is in recession and its GDP is actually

China-backed AIIB formally established Cont’d from page 37

The meetings are slated to run from January 16 to 18 in Beijing, according to Lou. The bank's president will be officially appointed and the management team will be in place at the meetings, state-run Xinhua news agency reported.

The bank will start recruiting new members, the bank's president-designate, Jin Liqun, told Xinhua, adding that members of the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) could apply to join the AIIB. "The bank will always be open to new membership," Jin said.

"China is not deliberately seeking a veto power. Its stake and voting share in the initial stage are

the natural outcome of current rules, and may be diluted as more members join," China's Vice Finance Minister Shi Yaobin was quoted as saying Xinhua.

As its name suggests, the AIIB will finance infrastructure - airports, mobile phone towers, railways and roads - in Asia.

There is a yawning infrastructure funding gap in Asia.

The ADB pegged the hole with about USD eight trillion between 2010 and 2020.

While both the ADB and World Bank focus on a broad range of development programs including agriculture, education and gender equality, the AIIB will concentrate on infrastructure alone.

The International Monetary Fund, World Bank and ADB have all welcomed the AIIB initiative and see room for collaboration. -PTI

shrinking by about 4 per cent.

Among the BRICS nations, only China and India are growing around and below 7 per cent, while Brazil's GDP is declining by about 3.5 per cent and South Africa is barely growing.

"In this bleak scenario, the US among the rich economies and India among the emerging economies are the two engines of global growth," he said, adding, "In both 2015 and 2016, we expect India to be the fastest growing country among the major economies in the world."

"I don't think this has happened before since we began measuring and estimating GDP data.

All this puts special responsibility on India and there is no room for complacency," Basu said.

"There is a slowdown in global trade going on and this would

Kaushik Basu

have an adverse impact on India.

There is political conflict in the Middle East and a huge refugee problem that can have impact on

us," he said stressing on the need to bring analysis, research and professionalism to steer the economy in these risky times. -PTI

India did well in year of global economic turmoil: Jaitley NEW DELHI: Rolling out GST, rationalizing direct taxes and ensuring further ease of doing business will be at the top of his agenda in the New Year, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has said. He also promised more money into physical and social infrastructure in 2016.

He said that "there are areas (in which) we have to respond faster", although the country responded well to the challenges posed by the slowdown in global economy during 2015 and the growth rate will improve further in "months to come".

Outlining his top priority areas for 2016, the Finance Minister said he would continue with structural

Arun Jaitley

reforms and the priorities would include GST, rationalizing direct

taxes, and further easing the system of doing business.

"After having done that, I would like to concentrate essentially on three things - more money for physical infrastructure, more money on social infrastructure and lastly more money on irrigation because that is a neglected sector," Jaitley told PTI in an interview.

He dismissed the grumblings about the economy not having taken off as "cynicism" and said India has performed well in "a year of turmoil and volatility" globally.-PTI

Russia opens up oil and gas sector to Indian companies Cont’d from page 37

Asked about the amount of possible investment Indian companies were planning to make in Russia's hydrocarbons sector, he said negotiations are underway on various proposals and that it was difficult to put a specific number.

Referring to four deals and agreements finalized during Modi's visit, he said these are examples of "extensive exposure" to Indian companies to Russia's hydrocarbons sector.

India is the third largest oil importer after the US and China,

while Russia is one of the top oil producers globally and has huge reserves of natural gas.

Russia's economy has been hit hard by sanctions by the West following annexation of Crimea and Putin is keen to enhance economic engagement with timetested ally India.

Besides the deal by OVL to pick up 15 per cent stake in Vankor oil field owned by Rosneft, Oil India Ltd and Indian Oil Corporation signed a non-binding agreement with the Russian oil behemoth setting a time-frame for finalizing a pact to pick up stakes in Taas-

Yuryakh Neftegazodobycha oil field, which is another major oil field in Siberia.

Raghavan said Essar has also "concluded some details of a deal" under which it will pick up 10 million tonnes of crude from Roseneft.

Roseneft will pick up 49 per cent stakes in India's second largest oil refinery in Vadinar in Gujarat. As per the deal, crude oil from Russia will be refined at Vadinar refinery.

Raghavan said GAIL and Gasprom have struck an agreement for supply of LNG for a long term period beginning 2017. -PTI

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Green Tribunal hogged limelight in 2015 NEW DELHI: A halt on diesel vehicles in Delhi and cracking its whip with a slew of directions for restoring the pristine glory of the Ganga reflected the activist mode of National Green Tribunal which in 2015 got global attention in its endeavor for pollution-free environment.

The tribunal, which has been a busy hub of environmental issues,

ranging from challenges to clearance granted to projects of big industries to protection of eco-sensitive areas like Rohtang Pass and Kaziranga National Park, achieved a feat of pronouncing 56 judgments in a single day on December 10 by settling 209 cases.

Barely five years into existence, the NGT's pro-active role was no-

ticed by international media which praised its speedy redressal of pollution issues as an elated Chairman Swatanter Kumar stated that the green panel disposed of 82 per cent pending cases in 2014.

The extraordinary situations arising due to extreme environmental degradation demanded extraordinary measures and some of the tribunal's decisions like the ban on

registration of new diesel-run vehicles in the national capital created controversy, confusion and hogged the limelight.

However, the NGT had the last laugh as the Supreme Court later put the stamp of approval on the steps taken by it to bring the pollution level down in the capital which has achieved a dubious dis-

tinction of world's most polluted city.

The tribunal also lived up to the expectation and trust bestowed on it by the apex court while delegating the panel with the issue of Ganga and it acted tough against the polluting industries by ordering their closure.

The green panel, which unveiled its plan to clean Ganga from Gomukh to Bay of Bengal, imposed complete ban on plastic from Gomukh to Haridwar and announced that if any hotel, dharamshala or ashram release waste into the river, it will have to pay environmental compensation of Rs 5,000 per day.

Rafting and camping activities in Uttarakhand also came under the scanner of NGT which banned camping activity in the entire belt of Kaudiyala to Rishikesh on the banks of Ganga till the regulatory regime comes into force but allowed the adventure sport rafting.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's clean Ganga project also got a boost when NGT directed tanneries situated in Kanpur along the river to strictly comply with mandatory pollution norms and warned them of closure.

Keeping in tune with pledge of

sustainable development, the green panel indicated that its orders would not come in way of the economic growth and in one such decision it stayed the order of the Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board to close Coca Cola's bottling plant in Prime Minister's Lok Sabha constituency Varanasi.

While, cracking the whip on those polluting Yamuna, the green bench passed a slew of directions including a fine of Rs 5,000 on individuals spotted throwing waste or religious items in the river and held that every household in the city will now have to pay a minimum environment compensation of Rs 100 for generating sewage.

In another significant order, it banned immersion of idols except those made from bio-degradable material and held that no commercial/construction activity except floriculture and silviculture would be allowed by any of the authorities on the flood plain of Yamuna River.

In southern India, the tribunal directed the Andhra Pradesh government not to carry out any operation of clearing of land near the floodplains on the banks of river Krishna for construction of a new state capital without obtaining the environmental clearance.

Irked by the blame game by various departments within the

state, it imposed a fine of Rs 1 lakh on Delhi government for not following its orders on implementation of "Maili se Nirmal Yamuna Revitalization Project 2017".

Cracking the whip on two commercial projects in Bengaluru, the tribunal imposed Rs 117.35 crore and Rs 22.5 crore as damages on two companies for degrading the environment, which was later stayed by the Supreme Court.-PTI

40 India Post

T

he quaint town of Kalpetta in Wayanad district of Kerala is surrounded by thick coffee plantations and picturesque mountains, all adding up to its scenic beauty.

Other than being a nature lovers' delight, it is also a place where pilgrims come to pay homage at its several temples.

From the famous Sri Maha Vishnu temple, which is one of the few temples dedicated to Vishnu to the Grammam Devi temple; popular among the local women; to the temple dedicated to the most

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revered deity of the region Lord Ayappa, the Ayappa Swamy temple located on the outskirts of the city and adding to its diversity is the prevalence of several Jain temples too, making this place a pilgrimage of sorts.

The surrounding natural beauty is yet another feature

bringing people to Kalpetta. The cascading waterfalls of Soochipara, Meenmutty & Kanthapara are all located in close proximity - making it an ideal spiritual-natural beauty combo.

Attractions Chembra Peak: Chembra Peak is the tallest peak in all of Wayanad

January 1, 2016

district. It is at a staggering height of 2100 meters above sea level.

This peak is especially popular with mountain climbers and trekkers alike.

There are temporary camps set up atop the peak so that anyone that has successfully climbed the peak can choose to easily stay

there for a few days. The climb is rather intense, but the reward on the top is worth the sweat!

The panoramic views of Wayanad are rather breathtaking, and the beautiful mountain lake at the top is impressive as well.

Sleeping bags, canvas, log huts, guides and trekking equipments are provided by the District Tourism Promotion Council (DTPC). Trekkers are sure to enjoy the entire view of the Wayanad district from the top of the peak, while prior permission is required from the Forest Range Officer at Meppadi for trekking at Chembra Peak.

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Sarnath, Harmandir Sahib on tentative UNESCO list NEW DELHI: Sarnath, where Lord Buddha gave his first sermon, Sri Harmandir Sahib in Amritsar, Sikhism holiest shrine, Assam's river island Majuli and Mughal Gardens in Srinagar are among 46 Indian sites on UNESCO's tentative list for consideration for nomination as World Heritage Sites.

32 cultural and natural sites in India already figure in the World Heritage list, Culture and Tourism Minister Mahesh Sharma told the Lok Sabha in a written reply.

Punjab; and River Island of Majuli in midstream of Brahmaputra River in Assam.

The list also includes Mughal Gardens in Kashmir; Delhi - A Heritage City; Ekamra Kshetra The Temple City in Bhubaneswar, Bahai House of Worship in New Delhi and Jaipur city of Rajasthan.

To another query, he said the two nomination proposals on cities -- 'Delhi s Imperial Capital Cities' and 'The Victorian and Art Deco Ensemble of Mumbai'-- were

which the Sheila Dikshit government had signed an MoU in 2008, was sent to UNESCO in January 2014.

The walled city of Shahjahanabad (the Red Fort in the area is already a UNESCO World Heritage Site on its own), and the Lutyens s Bungalow Zone, were included.

But just a month before UNESCO was to review nominations from across the world, the government withdrew its bid.

e-Tourist visa introduced to promote tourism NEW DELHI: Union Tourism Ministry has taken various steps, including introduction of e-Tourist Visa, to promote tourism and enhance earnings from the sector, Rajya Sabha has been informed.

In a written reply, Tourism Min-

Mahesh Sharma

"Moreover, there are 46 sites including Indian cities, monuments, archaeological sites, on UNESCO s tentative list, which is a mandatory requirement before a site is finally considered for the nomination," he added.

The tentative list includes Temples at Bishnupur in West Bengal; Mattanchery Palace, Ernakulam in Kerala; Group of Monuments at Mandu in Madhya Pradesh; Ancient Buddhist Site, Sarnath, Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh; Sri Harimandir Sahib, Amritsar in

submitted to World Heritage Centre in January, 2014 in which Delhi was prioritized.

Before the 39th Session of World Heritage Committee in July 2015, however, the proposing State Party had requested UNESCO Secretariat for postponement of the consideration of the nomination of 'Delhi s Imperial Capital Cities'.

The Culture Ministry filed Delhi's nomination in 2012, but the final dossier, prepared by the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH), with

"Once the city comes into that heritage list, you are unable to make some construction in the city plans and land use plans, so it will become difficult, Culture Minister Mahesh Sharma was then quoted as saying.

Delhi's Red Fort, Qutub Minar, Jantar Mantar, Mahabodhi Temple in Bodh Gaya, Ajanta, Ellora and Elephanta Caves in Maharashtra, Western Ghats, monuments of Hampi and Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus are among the UNESCO designated World Heritage Sites in the country.-PTI

AI launches Mumbai-Gwalior, Mumbai-Surat flight MUMBAI: Government-owned Air India has resumed its flight services to Gwalior in Madhya

Pradesh besides launching air services to Surat from here.

Air India, in a statement said

that both flights, Mumbai-SuratMumbai and Mumbai-GwaliorMumbai will operate three times a week on (Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays) with an ATR 72-600 aircraft.

Air India had earlier in August 2013 also commenced services to Gwalior from Mumbai, which were later discontinued.

The launch of these flights will significantly boost connectivity of these two cities to Mumbai and will also be a boon to fliers looking for business opportunities or leisure travel to and from Mumbai, Air India said.PTI

ister Mahesh Sharma said his ministry operates various schemes through which Central Financial Assistance (CFA) is provided to states/union territories for overall development and promotion of tourism.

Besides, he said, the Ministry promotes India as a holistic destination in the international markets.

As part of its promotional activities, the Tourism Ministry releases campaigns in the international markets under the Incredible India brand line to showcase various tourism destinations and products including its cultural heritage, the Minister said.

Moreover, a series of promotional activities are being undertaken in tourist generating markets overseas through the India Tourism Offices abroad with the objective of showcasing India's tourism potential and promoting tourism.

These promotional activities, he said, include participation in travel

fairs and exhibitions, organizing road shows, Know India seminars and workshops and organizing and supporting Indian food and cultural festivals.

He said Tourism Ministry provides financial assistance to stakeholders and Tourism Department of states/union territories for undertaking promotional activities under the Marketing Development Assistance ( M D A ) scheme.

The government has also introduced the facility of eTourist Visa for the citizens of 113 countries at 16 airports. "Introduction of e-Tourist Visa is a path breaking measure by the Government in easing formalities in the country," he said.

The Minister also said the government has also revised the eTourist Visa fee in four slabs from November 3 this year.

To another query, Sharma said as per the 2nd Tourism Satellite Account of India (TSA) 2009-10 and subsequent estimation, the contribution of tourism to total Gross Domestic Product (GDP) during the 2009-10, 2010-11, 2011-12 and 2012-13 were 6.77 per cent, 6.76 per cent, 6.76 per cent and 6.88 per cent respectively.

Under Swadesh Darshan Scheme, Maharashtra government has submitted proposals Sindhudurg Coastal Circuit and Development of Adasa, Dhapewada, Paradsingha religion circuit - for consideration, he said while answering another question.-PTI

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Kanthapara Waterfalls: Kanthapara falls located towards the south east of Kalpetta, is at a distance of 22 km from Kalpetta.

This is another magnificent & picturesque waterfall at about 30 mts height, comparatively smaller than Sentinel rock falls.

It is not a frequently visited place and so its surrounding environment is peaceful and serene. A relaxed hike from the main road brings you to Kanthapara falls; a place apt for picnicking amid the

Located 20 km from Kalpetta, this beautiful piece of architecture is a must see on your visit to Kalpetta.

Varambetta Mosque: Located 15 km southwest of Kalpetta, is the Varambetta Mosque which dates back to as early as 300 years ago and is one of the oldest mosques in the Wayanad district.

Puliyarmala Jain Temple: Dedicated to Ananthanatha Swami, the Jain Temple is s remarkable piece of architecture famous for its architecture and crafted pillars. The Jain temple is just 6 km

Karapuzha Dam

luring beauty of the nature. It is extraordinarily silent and soothing with the sound of the bubbling waterfalls.

Karapuzha Dam: One of the biggest earth dams in the country, the Karapuzha Dam's reservoir with partially submerged hills and lush green islands is an ideal breeding ground for aquatic birds. The backdrop of the gushing water from the dam against the verdant mountains makes for a picturesque spot.

Koottamundu Glass Temple: Yet another Jain temple in the region of Kalpetta, the Koottamundu Glass Temple located on the hillside of Vellarimala is built in the honor of the Jain Saint, Parshawanatha Swami. The temple is adorned with thousands of glass mirrors, all of which reflect the idols placed in the temples sanctum sanctorum.

from Kalpetta and is a popular pilgrim spot revered by Jains. With skillfully crafted entrance doors, carved granite pillars and Dravidian style Stupa with a Lord

Mahavir carving at its top; it is indeed an art lover's delight.

The main shrine has small steps with 20 different Jain idols carved on them. This is an ideal spot to appreciate Jain architecture of the old times.

Soochipara Falls: The Soochippara Waterfalls, also known as Sentinel Rock Waterfalls, situated near Meppadi is nature's treasured gift.

The waterfall cascading from a height of 100 to 300 feet is a treat to the eyes.

The pool sited below the falls offers great opportunities for swimming, bathing, water rafting, etc. Another attraction is the tree top huts presenting distinct views of the Western Ghats and of the shining shallow waters of the spring.

Koottamundu Glass Temple

the path of both the South West and the North East monsoon.

Summers in Kalpetta are during the months of March to May. The maximum temperature that the region experiences during these months will be around thirty five degrees (35°C). The minimum temperature in the region will be

(24°C) and the minimum temperature will be around fifteen degrees (15°C). Sometimes the temperature may even drop to ten degrees (10°C). The town of Kalpetta is one of the few places that experience low temperatures in the state of Kerala.

around twenty seven degrees (27°C) during the summer.

The South West monsoon then takes over, during the months of June to September. The North East monsoon follows suit, during the months of October and November.

The place experiences torrential rainfall during this time and traveling to Kalpetta is not advisable due to this.

Winters in Kalpetta are during the months of December to February. This is the best time to visit Kalpetta. The maximum temperature during the winter months will be around twenty four degrees

By Air: The nearest airport is the one in Kozhikode, which has local flights to Mumbai, Delhi and Chennai.

By Train: Trains can be taken to Kozhikode, and then buses from Kozhikode to Kalpetta. There are regular trains from Kozhikode to Madgaon, Chennai, Pune and Goa. You will also get regular trains to New Delhi and Mumbai.

By Bus: Buses to Kalpetta will be available from the nearby cities of Kozhikode and Vythiri, and even from other cities and towns like Bangalore, Mysore and Mangalore.

Best time to visit Kalpetta is located amidst dense forest cover; hence the weather here is normally mild and pleasant. There are three main seasons in Kalpetta - summer, winter and monsoon.

The monsoon in Kalpetta is extensive, as the region comes under

Soochipara Falls

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Giant Buddha & a view from Jet Airways cuts base fares by 10 pc above Hong Kong HONG KONG: Hong Kong is a crowded, busy place, but there is a way to escape the city, visit a giant Buddha and feel like you're nearly floating in the clouds.

You may have to put up with long lines in order to get there, though.

Ngong Ping Village is located on Lantau Island, Hong Kong's largest island. The mountainside village can feel a little like a Disney attraction with crowds and souvenir photos. But it's also the site of the century-old Po Lin Monastery, complete with temples and statues.

The most popular way to get there is the Ngong Ping 360, a cable car that soars over mountains and sea on a 5.7-kilometer (about 3.5mile) route. It's not for those afraid of heights, since the cable car sways slightly as the winds pick up the closer to the peak you get.

And the lines for tickets can stretch for hours, though you can book online.

The view includes plateaus, valleys and hiking trails, and a sitting Buddha on the horizon.

At the top, walk past the shops (or grab a copy of that picture taken when you stepped into the car) and head for the bronze Tian Tan Buddha statue, also known as the Big Buddha. Completed in 1993, this outdoor bronze statue, 34 meters (112 feet) tall rests on the peak of a mountain. Take the 268 steps to reach the tip of the lotus flower where the statue sits, passing by praying Buddhists along the way. Several other statues overlook the landscape and

village below. A small museum tells the story of Buddha and sells prayer beads blessed by monks.

This high up, clouds seem within reach. The wind is cool and inviting. Enjoy the views before climbing back down for another photo (or selfie) with the Buddha

a perfect spot to rest, meditate and take in the views. The path is lined with a series of wooden columns forming the infinity symbol, with a Buddhist prayer written on them in Chinese calligraphy.

The cable car will take you back to crowded Hong Kong, but the

for travel on board Jet Airwaysoperated international flights from India to destinations across SAARC, ASEAN, Europe, and Canada regions as well as on flights originating from Paris, Canada, Brussels, ASEAN and SAARC regions, and on the airline's newest destination, Amsterdam, it said.

The airline has recently announced shifting of its European gateway to Dutch capital from Brussels from March next year.

"This global festive fare sale offer is a goodwill gesture to our loyal guests while they celebrate

tional network for first, premiere (business) and economy class, the Mumbai- headquartered airline said.

This special offer is applicable

the festive season and ring in the New Year, with family and friends," Jet Airways senior vice president for commercial Gaurang Shetty said.-PTI

A view of the head of a Buddha statue against the sky in Ngong Ping Village, Hong Kong. Ngong Ping is also home to the Po Lin Monastery and visitors worship throughout the grounds.

in the background.

Buddhists worship throughout the grounds and the scent of burning incense fills the air. Inside the Grand Hall of Ten Thousand Buddhas is a spectacular sight: the thousands of small, golden Buddha statues. Outside, the gardens are fragrant with the smell of tea leaves. Stop for a bite at the vegetarian restaurant or try some street food, from fried noodles to sticky rice filled with meat.

Continue your path to enlightenment by taking a short, leisurely hike through the quiet hills to the Wisdom Path overlooking the mountains and sea. Benches offer

nighttime views are also worth the trip.-AP If You Go...

NGONG PING: Lines for the Ngong Ping 360 cable car are notoriously long. You can purchase tickets online ahead of time. Travel time is about 20-25 minutes. Or skip the aerial experience and get there by bus or taxi, which takes about the same amount of time as the cable car. Tours are available, as are tickets for single rides (if you prefer to hike one way there). Details: http://www.np360.com.hk/ en/explore-np360/ngong-ping-village/ or http://www.plm.org.hk/ eng/v

2 UK-Indians on charity drive from UK to India LONDON: Two British-Indian friends are set to drive from a town in south-east England to the Golden Temple in Amritsar travelling through 17 countries in 14 days to raise 25,000 pounds for a British heart foundation.

Jagjit Singh and Rapinder Singh, both 36 years old, aim to complete nearly 12900 km road trip from Gravesend to the Golden Temple in 14 days starting February 1 next year.

The pair will drive through Germany, Austria, Turkey and other countries and have applied to the 'Limca World Book of Records' in the hope of setting the shortest cross-continental travel time.

The journey is in memory of Jagjit's father, who died of heart failure in February 2012.

The duo are being sponsored by 17 local businesses and they aim to raise 25,000 pounds for the

MUMBAI: Private carrier Jet Airways has slashed tickets by 10 per cent across cabin class for travel on international destinations, including the recently-announced flight to Amsterdam, as part of its Christmas and New Year offer to fliers.

The offer is available only to those customers who make bookings through the airline's website and is applicable for a limited period, Jet Airways said in a statement.

Guests can enjoy an attractive 10 per cent savings on base fares for across Jet Airways' interna-

British Heart Foundation (BHF) quoted as saying by 'News Shopdedicated to research into heart per'. disease.

He added, "In the early stages, "India is the holiest country for when we drive through Europe, we Sikhs and we live in Gravesend, will be looking to cover 1,000 to which has the (Guru Nanak 1,500 miles a day. Originally, we Darbar) Gurdwara, the biggest Sikh temple outside of India.

"I work in the vehicle business and both of us like driving so it made sense to do the trip. We will be taking Jagjit Singh with a donor at Gravesend. turns on the wheel every three hours. We want were going to do this trip for fun to remember my father and raise but then my dad died and it bemoney for the BHF," Jagjit was came more charitable. -PTI

Cable-stayed bridge opened in J&K BASOHLI, J&K: A strategically-important cable-stayed bridge, only the fourth in the country, has been inaugurated here marking a crucial step as it will provide close connectivity among the three states of Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Punjab.

The 592-metre span bridge on Ravi River here in Kathua on the Dunera-BasohliBhaderwah road was dedicated to the nation by Defense Minister Manohar Parrikar, flanked by Union Minister Jitendra Singh and Army Chief Dalbir Singh Suhag.

The Basohli Bridge is only the fourth of its kind in India.

The other three cable-stayed bridges are Hooghly Bridge at Kolkata, Naini Bridge in Allahabad and Rajiv Gandhi Sea Link in Mumbai, officials said.

The bridge, built by Border Roads Organization (BRO), is strategically important from defense point of view. It will reduce the distance of travel to Punjab and HP and help improve connectivity

and tourism between the three states.

"It was the most challenging task before the BRO engineers to accomplish this task," officials said.

"Not only the Indian engineers and consultants, the agencies

from Canada, Japan, Spain and Switzerland have also been engaged for the completion of this prestigious project by the BRO authorities," they said.

The work on the maiden cablestay bridge of the state was started in September 2011 after UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi laid the foundation stone in May 2011. It was built at the cost of Rs 145 crore. -PTI

In Brief US announces recent deportation figures WASHINGTON: The Obama administration says Immigration and Customs Enforcement deported 235,413 people between October 2014 and September 2015.

It is the fewest number of immigrants sent home by ICE since 2006.

The Homeland Security Department says during that same period 337,117 would-be immigrants were caught crossing the border illegally.

The arrests at the border included roughly 79,800 people traveling as families and children traveling alone, mostly from Central America.

The Associated Press first reported in October that ICE had deported about 231,000 people as of Sept. 28.

Homeland Security has previously said deportations have declined in part because arrests at the border have dropped. -AP

„

Nearly 100 Mexicans seek return to US

SAN DIEGO: Nearly 100 Mexicans have sought to return to the U.S. under the settlement of a classaction lawsuit that accused federal immigration officials in Southern California of failing to advise people of their rights.

The American Civil Liberties Union sued the Department of Homeland Security in 2013 over the use of a procedure to expel people from the country known as a voluntary return.

Under the procedure, people surrender rights to appear before an immigration judge and can't legally return to the U.S. for up to 10 years. The lawsuit claimed authorities threatened people into accepting the terms.

The government didn't acknowledge wrongdoing but agreed to changes in California that include a revised form that spells out the consequences and options of a voluntary return, new training and procedures and an information hotline for detainees seeking legal aid.

The government also agreed to let some Mexicans return to the U.S. to resume efforts to stay legally.

The ACLU, which had estimated thousands might be eligible for that chance, identified nearly 100 who might qualify to return to the U.S., said staff attorney Gabriela Rivera. Of those, the government has so far approved more than 20 to return and was reviewing other cases.

Cont'd on Page 45

Immigration

2 states say Guard could house immigrant kids

44 India Post

www.indiapost.com

January 1, 2016

Details on page 46

Students deportation: US regrets impact, says collecting facts NEW DELHI: The US has regretted the impact of deportation of Indian students bound for two California schools and said it was closely following the situation after the incident, facts of which were still being collected.

The statement by the US Ambassador Richard Verma came a day after India advised its students to defer their travel to the US till the matter of denial of entry to those students holding valid visas was resolved.

"The Embassy is aware of reports that some students bound for two California schools were denied entry by Customs and Border Protection. We regret the impact this may have had on certain students and their families.

"We are following this situation closely and have been in regular communication with the Department of Homeland Security, as well as the Government of India. Facts are still being collected," Verma said in a statement here.

He also maintained that the US will continue to strongly support educational study and exchange programs for Indian and US students, as these programs have been a hallmark of the bilateral relationship for decades.

External Affairs Ministry had issued an advisory noting that there have been several instances of denial of entry by the US Immigration authorities to Indian students having valid student visas

to pursue studies in two educational institutions, namely, Silicon Valley University at San Jose and Northwestern Polytechnic University, Fremont.

"Government of India has taken up this matter with the US Government. We have asked the US authorities to explain the reasons for denial of entry on a large scale

taken up deportation of Indian students admitted in SVU San Jose and NPU Freemont with US State Deptt. Their response is awaited."

MEA spokesperson Vikas Swarup said that the matter has been raised very strongly with the US in both Delhi and Washington.

Air India had stopped 19 Indian students heading to the two Uni-

US Ambassador Richard Verma

to Indian students holding valid visas. The response of the US Government is awaited.

"Till such time the matter is satisfactorily resolved, the students seeking admission in aforementioned two institutions are advised to defer their travel to the United States," the advisory had said.

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said, "We have

versities from boarding a flight to San Francisco citing a communication from US Customs and Border Protection agency which said that 14 Indian students have been deported as these varsities were "under scrutiny".

"The students have been deported on the advice of the US Immigration Authority.... Air India is duty bound to follow their advice," Swarup said.

Air India, which had barred the students from boarding the flight to San Francisco at Hyderabad's Rajiv Gandhi International Airport, said it had taken the action so the students are not "inconvenienced".

The airline has decided not to accept students headed to these universities till the time it got clearance from Air India's US office for their travel.

Meanwhile, the two universities - Silicon Valley University and Northwestern Polytechnic University - said they have been told by the US Customs and Border Protection that they have not been blacklisted by the US Government or any of its agencies.

The two universities said that there has been increased security and questioning at the port of entry in view of the recent terrorist attacks in the country.

An Air India statement had said, "Air India received communication on December 19, 2015 from the US Customs and Border Protection agency that two universities namely Silicon Valley, San Jose, California and North Western Polytechnic College, Fremont, CA are under scrutiny and students who arrived into San Francisco were not allowed to enter the US and were deported back to India."

The statement said so far 14 students who traveled on Air India flights to San Francisco have been deported.-PTI

UK Sikh facing extradition arrested in Portugal LONDON: An Indian-origin British Sikh who is wanted in India on murder and bombing charges has been arrested in Portugal.

Parmjeet Singh Saini is fighting extradition to India, where authorities believe he was involved in the murder of Punjab politician Rulda Singh in 2009 and a series of bomb attacks in north-west India in 2010.

Indian authorities claim Saini, who came to the UK from India 13 years ago claiming political

asylum, is a leading member of Babbar Khalsa International.

The organization, which had its international base in the West Midlands region in England, supports armed struggle for an independent Sikh homeland of Khalistan and was banned in the UK under the Anti-Terror Act 2000.

Saini's MP John Spellar said his constituent was an Indian national but had indefinite left to remain in the UK until 2023

after successfully claiming political asylum two years ago.

"I am very concerned about Saini's detention and I have made strong and urgent representations on his behalf to the Foreign Office at a ministerial level," Spellar said "Saini has refugee status in the UK and traveled to Portugal on a family holiday using official British documents and under the protection of the British state," he said Parmjeet Singh Saini

Cont'd on Page 45

Immigration Post

January 1, 2016

India Post 45

www.indiapost.com

US readies New Year push to expel migrants WASHINGTON: President Barack Obama's administration is planning a vast operation to round up and expel from the US migrant families who fled drought and vio-

and November.

Several Latin American countries are in the grip of violent lawlessness and the El Nino weather pattern has plunged a number of

US Border Patrol near Falfurrias, Texas about to detain illegal immigrants in this file photo taken March 29, 2013. Surprisingly, more and more Cubans are among those detained.

lence in Central America, reports have said.

Any such crackdown would be hugely controversial, with immigration one of the hottest topics in the 2016 presidential campaign, and rights groups expressed grave concern at the deportations.

The flow of families and unaccompanied children crossing into the United States from Mexico slowed this year, but the numbers surged upwards again in October

countries in the region into drought.

The Department of Homeland Security did not dispute anonymously sourced reports in The Washington Post and Wall Street Journal that a crackdown is imminent.

According to the reports, hundreds of families living in the United States whose asylum requests have been denied will be

rounded up and sent home.

DHS Immigration and Customs Enforcement spokeswoman Gillian Christensen told AFP that Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson "has consistently said our border is not open to illegal immigration.

"If individuals come here illegally, do not qualify for asylum or other relief, and have final orders of removal, they will be sent back consistent with our laws and our values."

Refugee rights activists argue the families are fleeing corruption, gang violence and drought in their homelands and should be treated as refugees.

Republican presidential hopefuls including frontrunner Donald Trump - who took to Twitter to claim credit for the deportations are vying for who can promise the toughest stance on immigration.

Trump tweeted: "Wow, because of the pressure put on by me, ICE to launch large scale deportation raids. It's about time!"

In contrast, Hillary Clinton's campaign said the Democratic frontrunner has "real concerns."

Clinton "believes it is critical that everyone has a full and fair hearing, and that our country provides refuge to those that need it," read a statement reported in US media.

"We should be guided by a spirit of humanity and generosity as we approach these issues. -PTI

Nearly 100 Mexicans seek return to US Cont'd from Page 44

The number reflects the high bar to qualify, Rivera said. The requirements include being married to a U.S. citizen after entering the country legally, being in the country for at least 10 years and having a spouse, child or parent who relies on them, or being eligible to be shielded from deportation under President Barack Obama's 2012 executive order.

Applicants also must have accepted a voluntary return in Southern California between 2009 and 2014.

Lucy Sanchez, who came to California in 1996, was on a fishing boat in San Diego's Mission Bay in October 2009 when authorities asked her legal status. She said they told her she might be jailed

for months if she fought to stay and would be released immediately to Mexico if she agreed to a voluntary return. ``They didn't even let me read it, they just said sign here,'' said Sanchez, 35, a wife and mother of U.S. citizens.

Sanchez lived in Tijuana, Mexico, for six years with her daughter, now 7, and was among a small group of Mexicans allowed to return to the U.S. in August to plead her case before an immigration judge. She has a court date in April.

The ACLU spearheaded an extensive campaign on both sides of the border that included workshops, billboards and television advertising to reach the estimated 200,000 people who accepted voluntary returns in Southern Califor-

nia during the period covered by the settlement.

The settlement applies only to the Border Patrol's San Diego sector and Immigration and Customs Enforcement's Los Angeles and San Diego field offices, and the requirements on the agencies to change its procedures expire in August 2017, said ACLU staff attorney Mitra Ebadolahi.

It was unclear if the agencies have changed practices in other parts of the country or if they planned to keep the procedures in place in Southern California after 2017.

Officials at the Homeland Security and Justice departments, Customs and Border Protection or Immigration and Customs Enforcement either declined comment or didn't respond to questions. -AP

UK Sikh facing extradition arrested in Portugal Cont'd from Page 44

"It's a slightly perverse state of affairs that the Indian government has been able to activate an Interpol red notice and demand Saini's extradition to India to face terror related charges," Spellar was quoted as saying by the 'Express and Star' newspaper.

Saini was previously arrested and held by West Midlands Police Counter Terror officers in 2010 following the shooting of Rulda Singh in Punjab a year earlier.

The delivery driver, who lives with his British wife and four children, was eventually released without charge after an 11-month probe along with three other West Midland Sikhs.

"It was really distressing to see Paramjeet taken away without knowing what was happening to him. We know that if he gets taken to India we will never see him again. The UK government let us stay in England because they know what will happen to him if he is arrested," Pinky Kaur, Saini's wife, said in a written statement from Portugal.

"I hope the UK government again intervene to stop him being extradited. Saini has been re-

manded in custody until January 4 when the Indian government is expected to provide evidence against him," she said.

A spokesperson for Interpol said a red "wanted" notice had been issued against Saini in 2012 at the request of the Indian government, adding it was not a legally binding international arrest warrant.

"A country can exercise its right to ignore the notice which

Saini was previously arrested and held by West Midlands Police Counter Terror officers in 2010 following the shooting of Rulda Singh in Punjab is what the UK government chose to do Saini's case," Pinky said.

The UK Foreign and Commonwealth officials said the matter had now been referred to the Home Office because of Saini's immigration status.-PTI

Man dies at California detention center ADELANTO, Calif.: A man from Guatemala being held in the California's biggest immigrant detention center has died after a heart attack.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement said in a statement that 54-year-old Jose Manuel Azurida-Hernandez died after suffering a heart attack and being

hospitalized.

Azurida-Hernandez had served 16-month sentence on an attempted robbery conviction at Wasco State Prison and in June was transferred to Adelanto Detention Facility because he was in the United States illegally.

His deportation case was pending at the time of his death. -AP

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Immigration Post

46 India Post

January 1, 2016

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2 states say Guard could house immigrant kids COLUMBUS, Ohio: Only two states say their National Guard operations could provide facilities to house unaccompanied immigrant children following a request for options from the government.

California and Virginia told the National Guard Bureau they have facilities that could be used but they would require additional funding if asked to meet federal requirements.

Other states responding to the National Guard Bureau's request late last month say they aren't set up to handle that kind of housing or they lack the proper facilities.

Ohio also voiced concern about the government's oversight of the program, pointing to a case of labor trafficking at a large egg farm in the state earlier this year.

The "government has attempted to increase capacity and push people through the system too quickly causing unintended consequences," Ohio Adj. Gen. Mark Bartman said in the state response obtained by The Associated Press.

Bartman said he and Gov. John Kasich have concerns about the government's ability to safely

Immigrant families, many of them mothers with children, board a bus headed to the downtown bus station in McAllen, Texas. The immigrants, mostly from Central America, had crossed the Rio Grande and were later released by Border Patrol with notices to appear before immigration judges

handle the increased number of children in refugee resettlement programs.

Kasich, a Republican candidate for president, raised similar issues in an August letter to President Barack Obama. Among his concerns was a lack of information shared with the state about children settled in Ohio.

U.S. Sen. Rob Portman, an Ohio Republican running for reelection, has pushed for an inves-

tigation into the way the government screens sponsors getting custody of unaccompanied children.

The government says about 1,100 children have been released to sponsors in Ohio's Franklin, Hamilton and Tuscarawas counties.

A total of 10,588 unaccompanied children crossed the U.S.Mexico border in October and November, compared with 5,129

Holloman Air Force Base to house immigrant kids ALAMOGORDO, N.M.: Holloman Air Force Base will be a temporary shelter for hundreds of immigrant children from Central America.

U.S. Defense Secretary Ashton Carter has directed the base to house up to 400 children starting in January, according to The Alamogordo Daily News.

The children are currently in

health department officials have already visited Holloman to see if the site could work. ``I'll be the contact on this perspective. I'll be working directly with HHS and Holloman and help them connect the dots with the things they need to take care of these young people,'' he said. ``We'll be meeting with Holloman next week, and hopefully we'll have

Holloman Air Force Base will provide temporary housing for up to 400 refugee children.

the care of the Department of Health and Human Services' Administration for Children and Families.

Alamogordo Chamber of Commerce President Mike Espiritu said

more information that we can provide to the public. `` The children will be housed in a vacant building that was used by the 4th Space Surveillance Squadron.

Espiritu said the children will be from several different Central American countries, including El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras. He said they have been immunized and screened for possible diseases.

The children are considered refugees who fled strife in their homeland or are trying to reunite with family in the U.S. ``That's what the purpose is, is to try and reunite them with their families,'' he said. ``They may be placed with host families as well.''

Espiritu encouraged members of the Alamogordo community to be supportive of the government and Holloman in trying to help the refugee children.-AP ``I think we should help our government and base to support them in those needs. I believe we need to support our government and our base so that they're successful. If it means taking care of these kids for a period of time, then I think it's the right thing to do,'' he said. ``They're children after all, and I think most people understand that. I think we're a very positive and humane community.''

who crossed during the same two months last year, according to the U.S. Border Patrol.

U.S. immigration policy dictates that unaccompanied minors trying to escape dangerous situations can't be turned away. In the Ohio case, federal prosecutors say several teens were fraudulently plucked from U.S. custody by conspirators posing as friends or family who forced them to work as virtual slaves on egg farms near Marion.

The case occurred at a time when the country's immigration system was being overwhelmed by unaccompanied children fleeing unrest in Central America.

The Guard request to states was part of a bigger request by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to the military looking for possible sites. The request sought facilities large enough to hold 300 beds for two months.

Although Virginia told the National Guard Bureau it would consider the request if funding became available, questions remain about the viability of such an operation, said Virginia Guard spokesman Cotton Puryear.

"While we are very sensitive

to the needs of these unaccompanied children to find adequate housing, our primary concern is the possible negative impact on the readiness of units," Puryear said.

In California, all facilities would require work for fencing or other items to meet the requirements, said California Guard spokesman Brandon Honig.

Earlier this month, HHS Director Sylvia Burwell formally asked the Defense Department to provide up to 5,000 temporary beds within 30 days for the minors.

The government has recently assessed Holloman Air Force Base in New Mexico; Fort Hood, Texas; Joint Base Lewis McChord, Washington; Fort McCoy, Wisconsin; and Naval Station Great Lakes, Illinois, for potential use as temporary shelters, according to HHS. The government's expansion of its temporary ability to house children "is a prudent step to ensure that the Border Patrol can continue its vital national security mission to prevent illegal migration, trafficking, and protect the borders of the United States," said HHS spokesman Mark Weber. -AP

Australia deports Frenchman with extremist material SYDNEY: A French national carrying extremist material was detained at an Australian airport and subsequently deported two days after the deadly attacks in Paris, Australia's immigration minister said.

The man, who had traveled to Australia from the Middle East, was stopped at Melbourne Airport on Nov. 15 and found to be carrying three cans of mace along with extremist material on his mobile devices, government officials said following a local media report about the incident.

Australian officials liaised with their French counterparts and held the man overnight at an immigration detention center before deporting him to France, Immigration Minister Peter Dutton said. ``We don't have any information, as I say, to link it to the Paris attacks, but it is a reminder to us all that there are people there who would seek to do us harm,'' Dutton told reporters.

Dutton would not say why authorities initially chose to stop the man, or what his motives for being in Australia may have been.

He said he did not know what French officials had done with the man upon his return there.

France has been under a state of emergency since 130 people were killed and hundreds wounded in extremist attacks on Nov. 13. The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the attacks.

Australia's government raised

Australian officials liaised with their French counterparts and held the man overnight at an immigration detention center before deporting him to France the country's terror threat level last year in response to the domestic threat posed by supporters of the Islamic State group.

Police have since conducted dozens of raids they say have been aimed at thwarting several plots in Australia, including an alleged plan to attack government buildings and a naval base in Sydney.AP

Datebook

January 1, 2016

NEW JERSEY Upcoming Sat, Jan 30 • Dance Pe. Chance Venue: State Theatre, 15 Livingston Avenue, New Brunswick, NJ 08901 Time: 8:00 pm

Sun, Jan 31 • 2016 Pongal Vizhaa and Chennai Fundraiser Venue: Melvin H. Kreps Middle School,, 5 Kent Lane, Hightstown, NJ 08520 Time: 2:30 pm

Sun, Feb 28 • NJTS 2016 Annual Membership Venue: New jersey Tamil Sangam, 30 Ginger Dr, NJ 08837 Time : 9:00 pm

NEW YORK

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA

Upcoming

Upcoming

Sat, Jan 2 • Desi Saturdays Presents....Post New Years Party Bollywood Beats New Yorks Weekly Venue: Lexicon, 226 E 54th St, New York, NY 10022 Time : 08:00 pm Contact 917-975-9144

Sat, Jan 9 • Desi Saturdays New Yorks Weekly Saturday Night Desi Party Featuring Complimentary Admission & Open Bar at Lexicon NYC Venue: Lexicon, 226 E 54th St, New York, NY 10022 Time : 10:00 pm Contact: 917-975-9144

Sat, Jan 2 • Bollywood Blast: Happy New Year Venue: Club OMG, 43 6th St, San Francisco, CA 94103 Time: 9:00 pm Contact: 510-757-5726

Fri, Jan 8 • Open Mic Karaoke - Happy New Year 2016 Venue: Vara Indian Cuisine, 250 E Java Dr, Sunnyvale, CA 94089 Time: 07:30 pm

Sat, Jan 9 • Chhello Divas (Hilarious Gujarati Movie Chhello Divas) Venue: Serra Theatres, 200 Serra Way #37, Milpitas, Ca 95035 Time: 5:00 pm

Sun, Jan 16 • LOHRI, A festival of warmth and love.

Venue: Centerville Community Center, 3335 Country Dr, Fremont, CA 94536 Time: 7:30 pm Contact: 408-422-8585

Sun, Jan 17 • Kite Flying - Uttarayan 2016 Venue: San Jose City College Football Stadium, 2100 Moorpark Avenue, San Jose, CA 95128 Time: 11:00 am Contact: 408-586-0006

India Post 47

CHICAGO

Upcoming Sat, Jan 23 • M. M. Keeravani Live In Concert - Bay Area Venue: City National Civic - San Jose, 135 West San Carlos Street, San Jose, CA 95113 Time: 06:00 pm Contact: 4087186678

Sat, Jan 23 • Dance Basanti Dance Party in SF Venue: Cosmo Lounge, 440 Broadway, San Francisco, CA 94133 Time: 10:00 pm Contact: 925-261-8682

ATLANTA Upcoming Mon, Jan 4 • Beginners Raja Yoga Meditation Course Venue: Brahma Kumaris Meditation Center, 13914 Josey Lane, Farmers Branch, TX 75234 Time: 7:00 pm Contact: 9722545562

Sat, Jan 30 • Keeravani - Live in Concert in Houston Venue: Cullen Performance Hall, 4800 Calhoun Rd, Houston, TX 77004 Time: 6:00 pm

Sat, Jan 23 • Natsamrat – Marathi Film

Sun, Jan 31 • Gujarati Comedy Natak GOLMAAL

Venue: Serra Theatres, 200 Serra Way #37, Milpitas, Ca 95035 Time: 2:00 pm

Venue: Atlanta Event Hall, 3750 Venture Drive, Duluth, GA 30096 Time: 06:00 pm

ILLINOIS Upcoming 1st and 3rd Sunday of Month • Chicago Children's Bal Mukund Character Building Program and Hindi Literacy Classes Venue: Vogelei Center, 650 W. Higgins Road, Hoffmann Estates, IL 60192 (Next to Nissan Dealership) Contact: Ajay & Arti Chandhok @ 630-561-4807

Mondays and Fridays • Free ESL - English as Second Language Classes Metropolitan Asian Family Services Venue: 9015 N Milwaukee Ave, Niles, IL, Time: 10:30am to 12:30pm Contact: 773-465-3105

Mondays and Fridays • Free ESL - English as Second Language Classes Where: Metropolitan Asian Family Services Venue: 9015 N Milwaukee Ave, Niles, IL, Time: 10:30am to 12:30pm Contact: 773-465-3105

Swami Ishatmananda • Bhagavad Gita: Philosophy of life Venue: Public Library-95th Street 3015 Cedar Glade Rd Naperville IL 60564 Time: 1st friday of every month 7-8 pm Contact: 630-637-0662

• India Eternal: From the Vedic Age to the Present Venue: Hindu Temple of Greater Chicago 10915 N. Main Street Glendale Heights, IL 60139 Time: 10:00 pm Contact: 630-655-8822

India Post

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Philosophy

January 1, 2016

India Post 49

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Page Sponsored by Sahanis KAHLIL GIBRAN

I

n my youth I was told that in a certain city every one lived according to the Scriptures.

And I said, "I will seek that city and the blessedness thereof."

And it was far. After forty-days of journey I entered into it.

And lo! the whole company of the inhabitants had each but a single eye and but one hand. And I was astonished and said to myself, "Shall they of this so holy city have but one eye and one hand?"

Then I saw that they too were astonished, for they were marveling greatly at my two hands and my two eyes. And as they were speaking together I inquired of them saying, "Is this indeed the Blessed City, where each man lives according to the Scriptures?" And they said, "Yes, this is that city."

"And what," said I, "hath befallen you, and where are your right eyes and your right hands?"

And all the people were moved.

And they said, "Come thou and see."

And they took me to the temple in the midst of the city. And in the temple I saw a heap of hands and eyes. All withered. Then said I, "Alas! what conqueror hath committed this cruelty upon you?"

And there went a murmur amongst them. And one of their elders stood forth and said, "This doing is of ourselves. God hath made us conquerors over the evil PARAMHANSA YOGANANDA

M

y Guru said to me: "Allow me to discipline you, for freedom of will consists not in doing things according to the dictates of prenatal or postnatal habits or mental whims, but according to the suggestions of wisdom and free choice." He continued, "If you tune in your will with mine, you will find freedom.

Formerly, my will was guided by habits, but when I tuned it in with the God guided and Wisdom guided will of my Guru, I found freedom."

To tune in with a soul whose will is guided by wisdom is to find freedom of will. Most teachers who slavishly control their students after the pattern of dogmatic teachings, destroy the power of free will in them, but obedience to a Guru does not produce spiritual blindness in the disciple. On the contrary, it develops his third eye of wisdom and intuition.

Most teachers want their students to see through the teacher's eyes, but a Guru disciplines the disciple only until he can guide himself through wisdom. A Guru is sent by God. If a disciple, after following a Guru for a long time, should spurn him, then he actu-

that was in us."

And he led me to a high altar, and all the people followed. And he showed me above the altar an inscription graven, and I read: "If thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out and cast it from thee; for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell. And if thy right hand offend thee, cut if off and cast it from thee; for it is

save such as are yet too young to read the Scripture and to understand its commandment."

And when we had come out of the temple, I straightway left that Blessed City; for I was not too young, and I could read the scripture.

Supreme Ant Three ants met on the nose of a man who was lying asleep in the sun. And after they had saluted

is, I believe, what my people call the soft, moving land where nothing grows."

Then the third ant raised his head and said, "My friends, we are standing now on the nose of the Supreme Ant, the mighty and infinite Ant, whose body is so great that we cannot see it, whose shadow is so vast that we cannot trace it, whose voice is so loud that we cannot hear it; and He is omnipresent."

The hazard of living by the Scriptures Then the third ant raised his head and said, "My friends, we are standing now on the nose of the Supreme Ant, the mighty and infinite Ant, whose body is so great Kahlil Gibran

profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell."

Then I understood. And I turned about to all the people and cried, "Hath no man or woman among you two eyes or two hands?"

And they answered me saying, "No, not one. There is none whole

one another, each according to the custom of his tribe, they stood there conversing.

The first ant said, "These hills and plains are the most barren I have known. I have searched all day for a grain of some sort, and there is none to be found."

Said the second ant, "I too have found nothing, though I have visited every nook and glade. This

When the third ant spoke thus the other ants looked at each other and laughed.

At that moment the man moved and in his sleep raised his hand and scratched his nose, and the three ants were crushed.

Excerpted from The Madman and The Three Ants. The 132nd birth anniversary of Kahlil Gibran falls on January 5

ally spurns the help sent by God. A Guru is not a help for this life only.

He also makes a spiritual soul contact with the disciple, and says, "Let our friendship be eternal, and let us help each other through incarnations until we are both completely emancipated in spirit. Sometimes, likewise, an advanced disciple can help a Guru, and vice versa. Such friendship is not based on any selfish consideration

nity, no matter whether you are on the lowest mental plane or on the highest plane of wisdom. I will be your friend if ever you should err, for then you will need my friendship more than at any other time."

When I accepted my Master's unconditional friendship, he said, "Will you be my friend under all circumstances? Will you protect me in my highest or in my lowest strata of mind?" I was amazed-I was stupefied, for how could I

stood the significance of a Guru, and really, I never found complete satisfaction, comfort, and Godconsciousness until I tuned myself in with the Divine consciousness of my Master.

Jesus knew of the above law of emancipation. He must have found in John his reincarnated Guru. (A Guru, although inferior in spiritual quality, is a Guru just the same, a vehicle of God). That is why Jesus insisted on being baptized by John

Tuned into will of my Guru, I found freedom “Will you protect me in my highest or in my lowest strata of mind?" I was amazed-I was stupefied, for how could I dream of my Master being in the lowest strata. or on any condition.

Such Divine friendship and perpetual good will expressed between two or more souls gives birth to the ever pure, unselfish, all emancipating Divine Love.

My Master said to me, "I will be your friend from now until Eter-

dream of my Master being in the lowest strata. But until I vowed to be his friend always, under all circumstances, he did not rest. He was gladdened when I said, "I will be thine always."

It was then, after this amazing spiritual compact, that I under-

Paramhansa Yogananda

the Baptist. Jesus also spoke of John the Baptist as the reincarnated prophet, Elias (Elijah).

Excerpted from East West, April 1932, compiled in Selected Early Works of Paramhansa Yogananda whose 122nd birth anniversary falls on January 5

There exists only the present instant... a Now which always and without end is itself new. There is no yesterday nor any tomorrow, but only Now, as it was a thousand years ago and as it will be a thousand years hence.

-Meister Eckhart Whoever fights monsters should see to it that in the process he does not become a monster. And if you gaze long enough into an abyss, the abyss will gaze back into you.

-Friedrich Nietzsche All truth passes through three stages. First, it is ridiculed. Second, it is violently opposed. Third, it is accepted as being selfevident.

-Arthur Schopenhauer Experience without theory is blind, but theory without experience is mere intellectual play -Immanuel Kant Freedom would be not to choose between black and white but to abjure such prescribed choices.

-Theodor Adorno The world is not comprehensible, but it is embraceable: through the embracing of one of its beings.

-Martin Buber The learner always begins by finding fault, but the scholar sees the positive merit in everything.

-Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel

Insure yourself FIRST. Call Sahanis, (Arish, Priya or Shiv) for your Insurance needs 718- 271- 0453. Serving for last 35 yrs

50 India Post

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MUMBAI: One of the most charming heroines of the 1960s and early 70s, Sadhana was not just known for her versatility and effervescent beauty but she also became the first Hindi cine star to have a hairstyle famously named after her.

The 74-year-old actress passed away at her residence on December 25 in suburban Santa Cruz after brief illness. She is survived by a foster daughter.

Her prime career spanned over a decade-and-a-half but Sadhana worked with almost all the greats of the Hindi film industry of the time including Dev Anand, Joy Mukherjee, Sunil Dutt, Rajendra Kumar and Manoj Kumar.

Her memorable roles include those in "Love in Simla", "Hum Dono", " Asli Naqli", "Arzoo", "Mere Mehboob", "Waqt" and "Woh Kaun Thi." Born in a Sindhi family in Karachi, Sadhana Shivdasani was named after her father's favorite actress-dancer Sadhona Bose. Her father was the brother of actor Hari Shivdasani, father of actress Babita.

Her mother home-schooled her till the age of eight.

Sadhana aspired to be an actress since childhood and it was her father who

January 1, 2016

helped her gain entry into the films.

In 1955, she had her first tryst with Bollywood playing a chorus girl in the song "Mur mur ke na dekh mur mur ke" in Raj Kapoor's "Shree 420". This song later went on to become a chart buster. She made her full-fledged big-screen debut with the first ever Sindhi film "Abana" in 1958.

She joined producer Sashadhar Mukherjee's acting school along with her debutante co-star and Mukherjee's son Joy Mukherjee.

Sadhana married "Love in Simla" director RK Nayyar in 1966.

The romantic film also introduced the actress's iconic hairstyle, called 'Sadhana cut', apparently inspired from Hollywood actress Audrey Hepburn.

In the film, which was declared a hit, Sadhana played the role of a simple, bespectacled girl who is transformed by her grandmother into a beautiful woman and encouraged to pursue the hero.

Following that, Sadhana played the role of a simple village girl in Bimal Roy's multi-awardCont'd on Page 53 winning film "Parakh".

January 1, 2016

India Post 51 www.indiapost.com

Entertainment industry lost its marvels in 2015 ber 16. He was 86.

Born in Malerkotla, Punjab in 1929, Jaffrey began his career as a theater artist. He went on to study at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts in London and did a second post-graduate degree in drama from The Catholic University of America.

Veteran music director-singerlyricist Ravindra Jain passed away at the age of 71 on October 9 due to multiple organ failure. Jain be-

NEW DELHI: Indian film industry in 2015 marked the passings of many notable and accomplished artists like Saeed Jaffrey, music composers Ravindra Jain and Aadesh Shrivastava, theater actor Ashraf-Ul-Haque, TV actors Sanjeet Bedi, Mohan Bhandari, Sudha Shivpuri, and just in the last week, Sadhana, the lovable actress of the sixties.

Jaffrey, who gave sterling performances in over 100 Bollywood movies including classics like "Shatranj Ke Khilari" and "Masoom" besides leaving his mark in Hollywood and British films, died in London on Novem-

come one of the most successful composers with films like "Chor Machaye Shor", "Geet Gaata Chal", "Chitchor" and "Ankhiyon Ke Jharokhon Se", in the 70s to his credit. During the 1980s and 1990s, he widely composed music for many mythological movies and television serials.

Another music personality, whose death left the industry shaken was music director-singer Aadesh Shrivastava. The com-

Saeed Jaffrey

Asin to marry Rahul Sharma on Jan 23

T

he 'Ghajini' actress Asin Thottumkal is all set to ex change wedding vows with CEO of Micromax mobiles, Rahul Sharma on January 23, 2016. Venue is set, cards have been distributed and the wedding preparation is going on in full swing. Asin has wrapped up all her projects and

now she just wants to sink in the bliss of matrimony.

Asin will quit acting post wedding to Rahul. She wants to concentrate only on family life and is happy with her decision. The wedding will take place in New Delhi.

It would be a three-day affair, mehendi, sangeet, shaadi followed

Asin and Rahul Sharma

Ashraf-Ul-Haque

by a grand reception in Mumbai.

The wedding card has been distributed. Gold in color, it looks formal, elegant and has impressed the guests.

Few years ago, Asin met Rahul Sharma. They were introduced by Akshay Kumar and later the couple started seeing each other.

In September this year, Rahul went down on his knees and proposed to Asin with a '20 carat solitaire ring'. The ring has initials 'AR' inscribed on it which means Asin and Rahul. It also has personalized message from Rahul engraved on the ring. The ring reportedly costs a whopping Rs 6 crore.

Asin compares her love story to the plot of 'Ghajini'.

Says a colleague of the actress, "'All Is Well' is the first film she did in three years. Now after its release, she wants to settle down.

She's madly in love with Rahul Sharma. During the shooting, she never hid it. I don't know why she's hiding it now from the media."

poser, who was battling a relapsed cancer, passed away on September 5 at the age of 51.

He got his first big break with film "Kanyadaan" in 1993.

However, the film could not be released and its songs went unnoticed. Shrivastava delivered chart busters like "Kya ada kya jalwe tere Paro", "Haathon mein aa gaya jo kal", "Sona sona", "Shava shava", "Gustakhiyaan", "Gur nalon ishq mitha", "Mora Piya" among others.

Theatre-film actor Ashraf-UlHaque, best known for his roles in "Fukrey" and "Traffic Signal", died on February 18 at the age of 45.

The Assam-born actor started his career with theatres and worked with renowned playwrights including Ram Gopal Bajaj before trying his luck in Bollywood.

An NSD graduate he played many important character roles in movies like "Company", "Jungle", "Ravan", "Deewar", "Black Friday" and many others. -PTI

Sudha Shivpuri

52 India Post

January 1, 2016 www.indiapost.com

Hollywood stars took ticket to India NEW DELHI: Be it Leonardo DiCaprio's secret date with the Taj Mahal, Nicole Kidman's Delhi visit or the entertaining entry of the "Games of Thrones" giant Kristian Nairn at Comic Con here, 2015 was

Taj Mahal, Agra in October.

The 40-year-old "Inception" star was in India to shoot an untitled documentary on climate change.

The actor, who starred along-

Leonardo DiCaprio

a treat for Indian fans of Hollywood stars as they took the eastern route.

Avoiding media glare and limelight, Hollywood superstar DiCaprio paid a quiet visit to the

side Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan in 2013 film "The Great Gatsby", spent around two hours and showed keen interest in the fascinating history of the 17th century white marble mausoleum, a

world heritage site.

The monument's beauty perhaps also allured Orlando Bloom as the "Pirates of The Caribbean" star made his maiden India visit.

His trip was, however, marred by a visa issue. He was initially turned away because he did not have a valid visa.

The actor was finally able to enter India after the External Affairs Ministry intervened and granted him a visa.

It was a double dose of Hollywood beauties in India as actresses Eva Longoria and Nicole Kidman came visiting here. While Kidman's visit was for a summit in the capital, Longoria's was a more personal one and the "Desperate Housewives" diva was pictured spending having a great time with school girls.

Kidman spoke about how she was never offered a Bollywood film but she was in love with Hindi movies and felt it was difficult to adapt the cinema here in a format in Hollywood.

Oscar-winner Cate Blanchett

Doubly-sacred, triplyperfect Year 2016 KRISHNAN BALASUBRAMANIAN

Here is an intriguing mathematical poem to welcome 2016 Twenty-Sixteen, A doubly-sacred year, As 2016 is twice the sacred number 1008.

A year of Twos and Threes, For 2016 = (3+2+2) (2^(3+2))(3^2) ={(3+2)(3^2)}^2 - 3^2 And 2016's Triply-Perfect, as it's three-times aliquot 672: 2016= Aliquot (672) = 3*672=1+2+3+4+6+7+8+12+14+16+21+24+28+32+42+48+ 56+84+96+112+168+224+336+672 As Aliquot of 672 or divisors of 672 { 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,,12,14,16,21,24,28,32,42,48,56,84,96,112,168,224,336,672 Add to compose 2016.

Twenty-Sixteen, a year of triple-squares: 44^2 + 8^2 + 4^2 40^2 + 20^2 + 4^2 36^2 + 24^2 + 12^2 Twenty-Sixteen, a year of Four-squares: 4^2+ 12^2 + 16^2 + 40^2 4^2 +20^2+24^2+32^2 8^2+12^2+28^2+32^2 8^2+16^2+20^2+36^2 16^2+ 20^2+ 24^2+ 28^2 Twenty-Sixteen, a year of Four-Cubes: 2^3+ 2^3+10^3+ 10^3 2^3+ 4^3+ 6^3+12^3 Twenty-Sixteen, Aheap of Sacred, Aliquots, squares and cubes A leap, and only a leap from 2020's Perfect Vision.

lent international star power to a summit of "Women in the World" organization in Delhi.

After surprising Delhi fans with an impromptu gig at an eating joint in July, American musician Chris Martin was back to India with his band Coldplay, this time to shoot a video with kids here.

According to the photographs that surfaced online, Martin and other Coldplay members Jonny Buckland, Guy Berryman and Will Champion were seen playing Holi with children.

The four musicians, who had

their faces covered in hues of pink and blue, were pictured enjoying with the kids as they were all smiles during the making of the video.

Some fans posted their pictures with the 38-year-old star on the micro-blogging site, Twitter.

A fan also shared a few seconds of video, which showed Martin thanking the crowd after the shoot.

"We are really very thankful," Martin was seen telling them. His trip, like last time, was kept discreet reportedly to avoid media attention. -PTI

Kristian Nairn

Nice phase to be in Bollywood now: Kajol NEW DELHI: With artistes getting their due credit in Bollywood now, superstar Kajol says it's the best time for an actor to be in the Hindi film industry.

Kajol, 41, who made a comeback on the silver screen after a gap of five years with Shah Rukh Khanstarrer "Dilwale", said Bollywood has films for every performer be it male or female dominated.

"Our film industry is in a wonderful phase, where we are at right now. As actors, we have a world in front of us.

"Male, female, hero, heroine and what we used to call character actors, everybody has the chance to have a film that centers around them with nobody taking away anything from anyone. Right now, it's a nice place to be an actor," Kajol told PTI. Asked her opinion on the female pay disparity in Bollywood and Hollywood, the "Kuch Kuch Hota Hai" star said it's a global issue.

"I think it's definitely prevalent in Bollywood. It's world over. It's a male dominated business. I also think we have a Meryl Streep, who has done 'Mamma Mia!'. We have Julia Roberts, who has done 'Notting

Hill'. I cried in 'Skyfall' after watching Judi Dench. We have so many actresses, who have done so much fantastic work today despite being paid less."

Kajol said it's completely fine for a middle-aged actress if she is not getting to play a college girl.

"If you talk about typical typecast of a heroine, may be they cannot currently play a 16-year-old bubbly girl and rejecting or not getting roles, that is perfectly fine.

You have to find a film that works for you."

But the mother of two is happy that the scenario is different in the small screen.

"TV has only women-centric shows. On these shows, men are playing the side roles. -PTI

Kajol

January 1, 2016

India Post 53 www.indiapost.com

To-do lists turn creative with stickers, tape & colors NEW YORK: Keeping a to-do list or a schedule is much more than time management for a dedicated group of calendar keepers.

They're using colored pens and pencils along with scrapbooking materials like stickers and washi tape to track appointments, reminders and milestones.

Look no further than social media. The ``planner community'' likes to share photos of layouts and entries on sites like Pinterest, YouTube and Instagram, using hashtags like (hash)plannernerd, (hash)plannerobsessed, (hash)plannerjunkies and (hash)plannerlove.

The planners under discussion can be desk or pocket notebooks, journals, inserts into binders - any planning tool that can be decorated.

Erin Condren of Los Angeles introduced her LifePlanner in 2007, providing templates with a range of designs and fonts to customize

a planner, and has turned it into a business at ErinCondren.com. She says there's a market for ``a color-

ful approach to not only scheduling every day but truly celebrating every day.''

Initially, she thought her customers would be ``45-year-old women who couldn't grasp digital technology, but that's not the case.''

She especially enjoys watching her 14-year-old daughter, Kate, use her planner. ``A Sunday night for her, she's got everything color-coded.

She's got stickers that say, `Math exam!' She's ready to conquer the week,'' says Condren. ``To be honest, my community has taken it This photo provided by Juliette Perkins shows a day planner. Keeping a to-do list or schedule is to a whole other level,'' much more than time management for a Condren says. ``It's indedicated group of crafty calendar keepers who spiring me. I'm a little emuse colored pens and pencils along with scrapbooking materials like stickers and washi barrassed to open mine.''

Katy Halliday of Chitape to track appointments, reminders and milestones. cago, the mother of a 2-

Bollywood celebs attend 'Star Wars' screening MUMBAI: Several Bollywood actors and directors, including superstar Aamir Khan and Rajkumar Hirani, attended the special screening of the Hollywood film "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" held here.

The show, held at a multiplex here, was also attended by Aamir's wife Kiran Rao, actor R Madhavan, actress Kalki Koechlin and directors Ashutosh Gowarikar, Madhur Bhandarkar, Rakyesh Omprakash Mehra and several other celebrities.

Directed by J J Abrams "Star Wars: The Force Awakens", is an

American space opera film. It is the seventh installment in the main "Star Wars" film series.

Talking to reporters before the screening, Madhavan said, "For our generation deep space, space exploration was about "Star Wars". Later on that they got "Star Trek" and rest of the things. The technology they have used in their films is amazing."

Filmmaker Madhur Bhandarkar, who is known for his hard-hitting films, including "Chandni Bar" and "Fashion", said he is a huge fan of the "Star Wars" franchise.

"I used to take video cassettes

of "Star Wars" and watch it. I am happy. It is a big film, there are lots of expectations," he said.

Ask him if "Star Wars" will be able to beat "Dilwale" and "Bajirao Mastani" at the box office, Madhur said, "It is an English film.

There is a different zone of Hindi films. But in terms of English cinema, it will be huge grosser."

Rakyesh Omprakash Mehra said, "For 25 years the film has entertained people and it's great."

Actress Sonali Bendre said she is also a fan of "Star Wars" and so is her producer-director husband Goldie Behl and her son. -PTI

"Star Wars: The Force Awakens" show, held at a multiplex in Mumbai was attended by celebrities including Aamir Khan, Rajkumar Hirani, R Madhavan, Aamir's wife Kiran Rao, actress Kalki Koechlin and directors Ashutosh Gowarikar, Madhur Bhandarkar, Rakyesh Omprakash Mehra

year-old son and a 3-month-old daughter, considers herself part of the planner community. She uses hers as a way to be artistic. ``I used to be in a choir and that was my creative outlet. This is something I can do at home with the kids, and it's something for mommy,'' she laughs.

Halliday keeps track of meal planning and nap times with stickers in her planner.

Juliette Perkins of Hampshire, United Kingdom, says she puts ``a mixed bag'' of entries into her planner, including schedules, hours

slept, steps taken, meetings, appointments, parties and lists.

It's also a way to connect with other people. Perkins is part of Facebook groups dedicated to the love of planning.

To get started, she advises, be conservative with supplies like colored pens and stickers. ``Try to avoid buying all the cute stuff you see,'' she says. ``If you buy too many stickers or too much washi early on, you'll inevitably get overwhelmed.'' ``The great thing is, there are no rules.'' -AP

Sadhana was a 'cut' above Cont'd from Page 50

Lata's favorite What does one say about an actor who'd say much with one gesture or look?" asked the saddened Bharat Ratna nightingale Lata Mangeshkar. "She was one of my favorite actresses. I'm happy to have given playback for songs filmed on her.

That many of my songs filmed on her are still favorites with youngsters shows how her acting reached out to people across ages. I pray for her soul to rest in peace."

Seeing her photograph in the promotional material for the Sindhi film, producer Subodh Mukherjee offered her the lead in Love in Simla (1959) opposite his debutante son Joy Mukherjee.

This film was directed by another debutante RK Nayyar.

Well-known Marathi film director and brother of the late actor Nanda (a close friend of Sadhana) Jayprakash Karnataki remembered how the triple-debutantes' film took the country by storm.

"RK Nayyar felt she her forehead was too broad.

He asked her to get a fringe with bangs like Audrey Hepburn who was his favorite," he remembers, "This not only became her signature look, but every girl wanted it though beauty and hair salons were hard to come by then." He recounts watching the movie thrice.

"I was head over heels with her expressive eyes, smile and that hairstyle."

Love blossomed on the sets of her first film but Sadhana's parents were opposed to her closeness to director Nayyar even threatening to take legal action against him.

They eventually came around seven years later.

Songs filmed on her like O Sajana Barkha Bahar Aayee (Parakh, 1960) or the ones like the title track of Mera Saaya

(1966) composed by the Afghan Ustad Mohammed Hussain Sarhang and others like Lag Ja Gale and Nainon Mein Badra Chhaye by Madan Mohan are still seen as the most iconic songs ever.

Another song sung by Mangeshkar's younger sister Asha Bhosle - Jhumkagira re too remains one of the most requested on radio because of the way Sadhana danced her way into audiences' hearts. Repeated attempts to reach Bhosle for comment drew a blank.

Sadhana, it will be recalled, had been bitter and often complained about being made to run around legally fighting to save her home on the ground floor of the Sangita bungalow, which was originally owned by Ganpat V Bhosle, Asha Bhosle's late husband.

Seeing her photograph in the promotional material for the Sindhi film, producer Subodh Mukherjee offered her the lead in Love in Simla Her friends and acting legends Waheeda Rehman and Asha Parekh visited the family to express their condolences.

Veteran actress and vamp Shashikala who has acted in three films with Sadhana including Waqt broke down. "She had one of the most beautiful faces of the Indian screen with the most astonishingly good figure.

How she did that despite being such a foodie always remained a mystery to me."-Agencies

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Has the rise of Islamic State benefited Iran?

T

he recent attacks in Paris, triggered by the ever growing Islamic State (IS) has caused a great deal of concern not only among the Western nations but in the Persian Gulf as well. The event has questioned the success of the US-led coalition as well as the involvement of the regional countries, particularly Iran, in the battle against the IS. To that end, has the IS's existence benefited Iran in the regional as well as international context, and to what extent?

Regional Dynamics Iran is definitely a gamechanger. It is deeply involved in the fight against IS in both Iraq and Syria. The Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's support for the Assad regime is a double-edged sword.

It acts as an enabler as it has kept the Assad regime afloat, and a constrainer as it can influence the activities of the regime. Iran's support for Assad has caused a clash

in the form of proxy wars, flareups and sectarian conflicts between the countries have created a security dilemma - which includes the war in Yemen, the SaudiQatar unease, the Iran-Saudi Arabia rivalry etc.; these rivalries have obstructed the effective functioning of the coalition forces as well as creating a parallel crisis in the region.

The threat posed by IS has given Iran an upper hand in playing a greater role in regional security issues. Reaching out to its nemesis, Saudi Arabia, is one way.

But the sectarian and regional flare ups are creating a dilemma. The Gulf States and the others are wary of Iran's influence, especially in the Shia dominated or ruled countries in the region - which includes Iraq and Syria. Syria has been especially supportive of Iran's enhanced role in the region. Iran has never backed down from supporting Shiite organizations, especially in its fight against the IS.

The Jehadi army of ISIS

between Iran and the West and the influence it potentially wields is a reason why the West should engage with Iran.

From a strategic point of view, the regional countries have the most to lose if the growth of IS is not curbed. Hence, a committed regional effort is required to dismantle its influence in the region.

This includes Iran and the other Gulf countries.

Though most West Asian countries have joined the international coalition, their degrees of commitment are questionable.

Many of these countries are also part of the problem; and they have been indirectly responsible of the spread of the IS. It also means that these countries too have to include Iran in the fold. The regional challenges

India Post

KIMBERLEY ANNE NAZARETH

International Community If the regional countries seem complacent, the international community, dominated by the Western powers, are in a worse position. They lack a clear strategy.

Their complacency was witnessed in their procrastination to form the coalition. They have also been divided on a roadmap to tackle the Assad situation. There is more that divides them, than unites them especially when Russia is thrown into the mix.

The main question is whether Iran should be part of the coalition. There are many like Michael O'Hanlon of the Brookings Institution who advises against such a coalition. Conversely however, strategically, some sort of partnership would be prudent as both Iraq and Syria are not hostile towards

Iran, as well as face the common threat of the IS. However, other complications have arisen and Iran and the US are now embroiled in a fight for influence in the region, with Russia who is friendly towards Iran rather than its 'frenemy', the US. Though their goals do converge, there are other factors, such as Iran's support of groups like Hezbollah that impede a working relationship.

The US' battle against the IS has proven to be futile in spite of President Barack Obama's repeated attempts at reassuring his citizens as well as the international community. The Paris attacks are a clear indication that the IS is still expanding its influence beyond the areas it controls; and that the strategy of the coalition is underequipped to deal with them.

Iran's Regional and Global Trajectories The threat posed by IS will not disappear in the near future, and as predicted by many, the crisis will continue for a longer term. It creates a window of opportunity for Iran as a regional powerhouse to play a leading role especially in the Shia-dominated states.

However, the regional countries, especially the Sunniruled countries are apprehensive of the role Iran should play.

If the international community is serious about its need to dismantle the IS, getting all regional countries to take onus as well as regional collaborative efforts should be promoted with greater fervor. This collaborative effort would further compel Iran into a leadership role.

However, Iran's changing role in world affairs is viewed with heavy skepticism, especially due to its 'extracurricular' activities aimed at one 'unfriendly' regional nation at the least. Therefore, at the moment, though Western countries are beginning to see Iran as a problem solver rather than a creator, they are still uncertain.

The writer is Research Intern, NSP, IPCS

I

Good Practices

t is believed that learning "good practices" current in any field anywhere in the world cuts time, drudgery and boosts development. In today's rush for development, the developing countries can import latest technology from the developed world. But such an import comes with a high cost which the developing countries may not be able to afford. They will have to weigh the gain possible from such an import. But what if some good practices are available in the country itself. This looks like an alien thought in the prevalent fashion to copy the West. And the question arises, where are these best practices? In which State of India? Give us the proof.

This proof has been provided by Bibek Debroy, Member of India's planning body, the Niti Aayog. In collaboration with the UN Development Program, Niti Aayog has brought out a book titled 'Good Practices Resource Book 2015' which focuses on social-sector delivery. Social-sector delivery is part of the Niti mandate, as is the dissemination of good practices. Social-sector public expenditure (and delivery) is mostly a state subject and, cutting across states, there are 37 case studies in this publication.

By "social sector" one often means education and health. The 11 heads in this volume - child protection, education, environment, financial inclusion, food security and public distribution, health, infrastructure and development, local governance, social security, water and sanitation, and women's empowerment - have a broader "social security" canvas. And all this is not "jugaad", the derogatory term by which cheaper alternatives are described. The successes of ISRO in developing rocket technology came because the import of cryogenic engines had been banned under US sanctions after India went nuclear and the Indian scientists were forced to develop indigenous technology.

Writing about the contents of this book, Debroy reveals that some states are not exclusive paragons of good governance, nor are some others exemplars of bad governance.

Debroy says that good practices often originate in districts, sometimes even in blocks and villages. The case of rehabilitation of manual scavenging is listed against UP, he says, "but is really a Badaun district initiative: The Daliya Jalao initiative was a result of the combined efforts of the district magistrate and the district administration of Badaun, with the support of the local community‌It's now being tried in 15 other UP districts."

The purpose of a publication like this is to disseminate and advocate its replication elsewhere. It is also useful because it imparts an element of optimism to the development and governance discourse.

If you look up mainstream Indian newspapers, it would seem there is nothing going right in India and that the Modi government is the worst ting that could have happened. Holes are being picked in any developmental effort and anything that is salutatory happening is just ignored or pushed into the inner pages where hardly anyone notices. Bibek Debroy is one person who has been painstakingly documenting the good things happening in India's districts and villages, irrespective of the political party in power. He quotes the 2014 the DIPP/ Accenture report which identified six (seven) best practices - management of indirect taxes in Karnataka, labor management in Maharashtra, single-window clearance in Maharashtra, land interventions in Gujarat, e-governance in Gujarat and single-window clearances in Rajasthan and Punjab.

Smaller changes are underway, even in the states where you would least expect them. He has listed some. There is a Mont Blanc ballpoint pen worth almost $7,50,000. But cheap ballpoint pens with bamboo shells being produced by artisans in Pengdhusi village of Orissa are now sold over an area that has an ever-increasing radius.

Debroy points out that whenever one feels depressed about what is happening, or not happening, in the country, thebetterindia.com is a good site to inject optimism. Many more such innovative practices can be found on the Honey Bee Network and Sristi (Society for Research and Initiatives for Sustainable Technologies and Institutions) websites.

January 1, 2016

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