IndiaPost_02-26-2010 by Ghanshyam Bisht

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Suresh Kumar confirmed Asst Commerce Secy Details on page 41

Indian charged with stealing trade secrets Details on page 7

VOL 15, No. 807

February 26, 2010

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INDIAN PROF AMONG 3 SHOT BY COLLEAGUE

India Post News Service

Amy Bishop, (left) suspected of shooting Indian professor Gopi K. Podila

others were also injured in the incident. A biology professor, Amy Bishop, who was allegedly denied tenure at the University, has been taken into custody in connection with the incident. The Indian Consulate in Houston, which covers Alabama under its jurisdiction, has stepped up to provide any help that Podila’s family might need.

Rashad Hussain

Obama names Indian special envoy on Muslims Details on page 6

Rajaratnam faces 185 years in prison Details on page 7

Details on page 5

Indian American student lunches with Warren Buffet Details on page 10

US wants Headley to be brought to justice: Roemer Details on page 9 WORLD CHAMPIONS CELEBRATE: Harbhajan Singh leads a victory march as teammates (including Sachin Tendulkar at left) celebrate the last wicket of South African cricketer Morne Morkel on the final day of the second Test match between India and South Africa at the Eden Gardens, Kolkata. India defeated South Africa by an innings and 58 runs to retain their number one spot in the official Test cricket rankings.

CONTENTS Bollywood ---------------------- 22-23 Classifieds --------------------- 45-47 Community Post -------------- 10-19

INDIA POST SURVEY

NY attorney Reshma Saujani runs for Congress

Is US becoming risky for Indians? Last week’s result

Is funeral pyre cremation necessary? YES 35%

NO 65%

Edit Page --------------------------- 49 HealthScience Post --------- 38-40

survey@indiapost.com This week’s question

Date Book -------------------------- 44

SRIREKHA N. CHAKRAVARTY India Post News Service

sional District earlier this month, gains her credentials from an impressive background as a dedicated community activist, a Yale University legal scholar, an attorney in New York City and more importantly, as the daughter of political refugees whose story embodies the promise of life in America.

NEW YORK: Thirty-four year old Reshma Saujani is the first Indian-American woman to run for Congress from New York. Saujani, who officially launched her SPECIAL INTERVIEW campaign from the City's 14th Congres-

Details on page 6

Horoscope ------------------------- 20 Immigration Post ------------- 35-37 Life Style ----------------------- 24-28 Philosophy ------------------------- 48 Publisherís Diary ------------------ 4 Real Estate ------------------------ 21 TechBiz Post ------------------- 41-43 Travel & Hospitality Post ---- 29-32

Certified by “CIRCULATION VERIFICATION COUNCIL Readership 117,765”

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must say the Obama Administration is perhaps the worst at publicizing its efforts and garnering public support. Last week, the White House came out with a report on the success of the nearly $800 billion stimulus bill that President Obama signed exactly a year ago this month, even as a latest CNN poll revealed that 52 percent Americans think Obama doesn't deserve a reelection in 2012. And I find it surprising that more than what President Obama or Vice President Joe Biden had to say to their credit on how well the stimulus worked, reports put out by some of the country's private economic research firms more convincing. These reports show the stimulus bill actually added nearly 1.8 million jobs so far and that eventually it would result in no less than 2.5 million jobs. The message I got from Biden's speech on the one year anniversary of the signing of the Recovery Act: "Something's happening. Something positive is happening." And from the President, some political rhetoric and several jabs at the Republicans. Fortunately for Obama, he still has some media support. "You have to sympathize with the Obama administration: It has done more to save and create jobs than any White House in recent memory," writes a columnist in the Washington Post. "And still it's hammered, on the one hand, for not doing enough to create jobs, and on the other hand, for high deficits, which are a direct product of how much the administration's doing to create jobs. It's really sad that Obama has not been able to impress his electorate. Or perhaps it is the fault of the people who voted Obama to office expecting to see not only rainbows splattered across the American sky but also pots of gold at the end of each, the day after Obama entered the Oval Office. I have said this before, and I reiterate - give the man a chance. He may not be the most forceful President as we hoped, but at least it is better to have him in office through these difficult times than a Sarah Palin for want of any alternative.

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Deepika sets the record straight, "I would love to work with Ranbir. And Ranbir is a professional too.

Cover Story: Indian prof killed An Indian-American professor was among three professors killed during a Feb 12 shooting in Alabama University.

Community: Mili meets Buffett

When Mili Shah asked Warren Buffett why Wall Street was recovering he replied to her with a twenty minute answer.

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Travel: Gangotri Gangotri is a world renowned pilgrimage in India. It is the origin of the sacred river Ganges.

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February 26, 2010

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Indian prof among 3 shot by colleague India Post News Service

NEW YORK: An Indian-American professor was among the three professors killed during a Feb 12 shooting on the campus of the University of Alabama in Huntsville. Professor Gopi K. Podila, chairman of the Department of Biological Sciences and two other faculty members, Maria Ragland Davis and Adriel Johnson, were killed. Three others were also injured in the incident. A biology professor, Amy Bishop, who was allegedly denied tenure at the University, has been taken into custody in connection with the incident. The Indian Consulate in Houston, which covers Alabama under its jurisdiction, has stepped up to provide any help that Podila’s family might need. Podila’s research areas in-

cluded Engineering tree Biomass for Bioenergy; Functional Genomics of Plant-microbe interactions; Plant Molecular biology and Biotechnology. Fifty-two year Podila had left a teaching position at Michigan Technological University in year 2000 to move to Huntsville, Alabama for the position at the University of Alabama. The Indian American community had, a couple of years ago, seen a series of cases of campus violence in which one of their own have been victims. In April 2007, Prof. G.V. Loganathan was killed in a mass shooting by a crazed student at Virginia Tech; and in December 2007, Chandrasekhar Reddy and Kiran Kumar Allam, PhD students at Louisiana State University were shot dead; and in January 2008, a research student at Duke University, Abhijit Mahato, was shot to

Amy Bishop, suspected of shooting up a faculty meeting at the University of Alabama, Huntsville on Feb. 12, is taken away by police

death. Prof. Sreenath Sreenivasan, Dean of Students at the Columbia Journalism School in his posting on SAJA forum shared his personal thoughts, as a professor at an American University for the last 17

years: “Workplace violence is, sadly, a routine story in America. And gun violence at universities, it seems, even more so. Of course, the overwhelming majority of campuses are extremely safe and that’s why the occasional eruptions of

Blow to prestige of Alabama University

ith three professors dead, two wounded and one charged with murder, "our department has pretty much been cut in half," said Leland Cseke, a faculty member. "It's devastating." And the other half of the 14member department is traumatized; most of them witnessed the attack up close. Remaining department members have been meeting in small groups, said one of them, John Shriver. They're trying to help each other cope with the loss of Maria Ragland Davis, Gopi Podila and Adriel Johnson, all 52 and holding doctorates in the field. Staff assistant Stephanie Monticciolo was hospitalized in critical condition Wednesday. Another faculty member, Luis Cruz-Vera, was shot in the chest and has been released. The decimated department took an early step in its recovery as the family of Podila, the biology chairman who was born in India, holds a public visitation and a smaller, Hindu funeral. Bishop, an assistant professor, is accused of shooting all six in a small conference room. The Harvard-trained researcher and inventor was in her final year of teaching at the school after being denied tenure last April, but the motive for the shooting remains unclear. Podila had supported her tenure application. Bishop, 44, remains jailed on one count of capital murder and three counts of attempted murder in the shootings. At a school respected for its academics, and a department rec-

ognized for its work in a city of NASA engineers and other hightech industries, the shooting left students without teachers and administrators trying to regroup amid the mourning.

ground in industry that set her apart from other faculty members who had more academic backgrounds. "The students just loved her. She always had a very nice de-

Podila was chair of the biological sciences department at UAH, where he began working in 2001 and did research involving plant biology and work that can be used in the development of biofuels It was a blow to a university that proudly notes its ranking by U.S. News & World Report among the 150 best national doctoral universities in the U.S. The biology department is particularly well-regarded for its achievements in biotechnology, UAH spokesman Ray Garner said.

meanor, and she was always there for the students." Podila was chair of the biological sciences department at UAH, where he began working in 2001 and did research involving plant biology and work that can be used in the development of biofuels. Shriver said he was admired for

Two shooting victims being taken from the Shelby Center on the campus

"These guys are doing some really good work," he said. Professor Joseph Ng recalled Davis as a "fantastic teacher." "The students admired her for her teaching, her mentoring," he said. Ng said she had a back-

his ability to not only run the department and "keep everybody happy" but also to continue doing important research, travel overseas on behalf of the department and still teach. Johnson was known for his

sense of humor and students "flocked to him" because of his willingness to open up to them, said Florence Holland, an administrator at Auburn University who knew and worked with him. A mentor for minority students, Johnson started at UAH in 1989 and was also involved with the school's Minority Graduate Student Association. "He was always trying to encourage underrepresented groups to go into math and science and engineering," Holland said. "Some people, when they get to a certain level of success are like 'I have mine, you get yours,' but Dr. Johnson wasn't like that. He was very willing to work with students and just overall passionate about that." UAH President David B. Williams said for now the school is concentrating on grieving for the slain teachers. Work will begin soon to rebuild the department, he said, and several colleges in the state have offered teachers to help fill the gap in the meantime. "The overwhelming response has just been enormous," Williams said. A conference room at the University of Alabama-Huntsville was the scene of a mass shooting six days ago that claimed the lives of the department head and two other professors. Leahy, another professor and a staff member were wounded when, authorities allege, Amy Bishop pulled a pistol at a faculty meeting and started shooting her colleagues.-Agencies

violence are even more attentiongrabbing. Almost all such stories are about acts perpetrated by students, so I was surprised to see a professor is the alleged shooter in the Alabama case. Getting tenure or being denied tenure - a decision that is made outside your department, at the university level - is a life-changing milestone in a professor’s career. You get tenure and, for all practical purposes, you have a job for life. You get denied tenure and it means some of your colleagues have, in effect, rejected the worthiness of your career’s work. Not only is it embarrassing and confusing, you have year or less to find a new job, which often means uprooting your family and moving to a new city or state and establishing your credentials, research, etc, all over again.”

More details emerge about killer prof

ozens of her students signed a petition to get rid of her, but their complaints were dismissed by a faculty member --- who, by the way, was among those shot. She allegedly punched a lady in the head at an IHOP after the woman took the last booster seat, the AP reports. (Charges were eventually adjudicated and dismissed.) The more they think about it, Massachusetts authorities are kind of surprised she didn't get charged after shooting and killing her brother years ago. Earlier this week the Boston Globe reported that Bishop had written three novels and is related to novelist John Irving. Gawker did some more digging to find what may be one of her novels, a science fiction book entitled: If Bullets Were Gold. Here's an excerpt from the post: "We did a search of the U.S. Copyright Office's records show that in 1999, someone named Amy Bishop Anderson registered the copyright for a 260-page book called The Martian Experiment. At the time, Amy Bishop was a 34-year-old molecular biologist and biochemist at the Harvard School of Public Health living in Ipswich. She participated in a workshop called the Hamilton Writer's Group."

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February 26, 2010

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New York attorney Reshma Saujani runs for Congress SRIREKHA N. CHAKRAVARTY India Post News Service

NEW YORK: Thirty-four year old Reshma Saujani is the first Indian-American woman to run for Congress from New York. Saujani, who officially launched her campaign from the City's 14th Congressional District earlier this month, gains her credentials from an impressive background as a dedicated community activist, a Yale University legal scholar, an attorney in New York City and more importantly, as the daughter of political refugees whose story embodies the promise of life in America. Born of parents of Indian origin who escaped the brutal regime of Idi Amin in Uganda and rebuilt their lives thanks to amnesty in America, Saujani grew up in suburban Chicago and found an inclination towards political and community activism from her early high school and undergraduate years at the University of Illinois. She organized voters against the Republican Contract with America in 1994, and volunteered for the ClintonGore Campaign in 1996. After earning her Masters in Public Policy at Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government, Saujani traveled to South Africa, where she helped the National Democratic Institute support the post-apartheid government of Nelson Mandela. Back in the US, after graduating from Yale Law School she joined the prestigious firm Davis Polk & Wardwell. As an attorney for HillPAC, Hillary Clinton's public action committee, Saujani helped raise $1 million for 2004 presidential candidate John Kerry. In 2008, she became the Deputy General Counsel of the Liquid Markets business at For-

tress Investment Group, which she eventually resigned to plunge headlong into mainstream politics. "Now it's time for me to repay that debt to America and to my parents by running for Congress and fighting to make sure everyone in New York City has the opportunity to have a great education, a great job, and a chance to pursue their dream," says Saujani. She poses a primary challenge to incumbent representative in the district, Carolyn Maloney. In an emailed interview with India Post, she discussed her involvement with the South Asian American communities who form a major part of the constituency she is running from. IP: The constituency you are running from has a predominant

Reshma Saujani

South Asian population -- are there are any specific issues that concern them that you are campaigning on? Saujani: There are a number of critical issues facing all New Yorkers right now. We need to put people back to work. Congress needs to work with the President and engage the private sector to create jobs. That would certainly help the South Asian population in the district and it will be a top priority for me in Congress. Education and immigration reform, are two other top policy concerns. IP: A large number of South

Asians in New York have been found to be living close to poverty levels and in the past couple of years many have faced foreclosures on their homes... what are your thoughts on this? Saujani: There are many South Asians in New York living at or

SPECIAL INTERVIEW below the poverty level. According to Asian American Federation of New York, "the percentage of New York's Bangladeshi-American, Pakistani-American and Indian-American populations living in poverty stood at 31 percent, 28 percent, and 18 percent respectively compared with an overall New York City poverty rate of 21 percent." Many South Asians in our community work two jobs just to make ends meet and put food on the table. The recession has been devastating for many members of the community. We need to make longterm investments in skills development and education to help get all Americans back to work again. South Asians in New York face serious housing challenges. "Chhaya's study in 2001 showed that South Asian Americans live in the most overcrowded homes and pay much higher rents than other New Yorkers. As one of the newest and largest growing population in New York, the South Asian American community remains one the most underserved minority communities in New York. I want to work to change that. IP: What do you think of the Indian American representation and participation in mainstream politics -- especially the younger generation? Saujani: I am active in a number of Indian American organizations in New York and nationally.

I believe that our democracy is best when we more people are actively participating. While we need to encourage all generations of Indian Americans to get involved in politics, it is especially important that the younger generation becomes active. No Indian-American woman has ever been elected to Congress and we need to make sure there is a voice for Indian-Americans in Washington. IP: Drawing on your professional background what do you think should be done at the City/ State level to clean up Wall Street?

Born of parents of Indian origin who escaped the brutal regime of Idi Amin in Uganda and rebuilt their lives thanks to amnesty in America, Saujani grew up in suburban Chicago and found an inclination towards political and community activism from her early high school and undergraduate years at the University of Illinois Saujani: Reforming the regulatory structure of Wall Street is a major priority of mine. I have worked on Wall Street, but I come from Main Street and I believe strongly that we need to protect ourselves to avoid another destructive recession. To enact smart reform, though, we need to engage Wall Street to be part of the solution. Instead of browbeating the financial industry, we need to get all sides together to make

sure that new regulation fuels prudent, sustainable growth and makes sure the priorities of Wall Street are aligned with the priorities of Main Street. IP: New Yorkers are being made to pay for the City's deficits through high taxes, fare hikes on public transport, cuts in educational and healthcare facilities and so on... how do you think this should be handled with least burden on ordinary New Yorkers? Saujani: There are no easy solutions to these problems and fixing them will take time. That's why we need new leadership in Congress. Thinking long-term, we need to rebuild our economy and make long-term investments in emerging industries liked hightech, clean-tech and biotech. We need to utilize New York City's greatest resource - its people - to encourage entrepreneurship and innovation and build small businesses and create jobs. Those types of investments will get us where we need to be. In the shortterm, government can help by creating incentives for big and small businesses to hire and by extending benefits to those who have been left behind by the economic downturn. IP: On a personal level, what really made you want to run for Congress? Saujani: Public service is very important to me and I've always been taught that if you don't participate in the political process, your rights can be taken away at a moment's notice. In the 1970's, my parents were forced from Uganda by the regime of Idi Amin. They barely escaped with their lives and ended up coming to the United States with almost nothing. They worked hard to give my sister and me the opportunity to succeed and now, I feel like it is my time to give back to the country that gave my family so much.

Obama appoints Indian American special envoy to Muslim world India Post News Service

NEW YORK: President Obama on Feb 13, appointed Rashad Hussain to serve as his Special Envoy to the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC). Comprised of over 50 member states, the OIC is the second largest inter-governmental organization in the world. As Special Envoy to the OIC, Rashad Hussain will deepen and expand the partnerships that the United States has pursued with Muslims

around the world since President Obama's speech in Cairo last June. President Obama said, "I'm proud to announce today that I am appointing my Special Envoy to the OIC-Rashad Hussain. As an accomplished lawyer and a close and trusted member of my White House staff, Rashad has played a key role in developing the partnerships I called for in Cairo. And as a hafiz of the Qur'an, he is a respected member of the American Muslim community, and I thank him for carrying forward this important work."

Rashad Hussain is presently Deputy Associate Counsel to President Obama. His work at the White House focuses on national

suing the New Beginning that President Obama outlined in his June 2009 address in Cairo, Egypt. He previously served as a Trial

As Special Envoy to the OIC, Rashad Hussain will deepen and expand the partnerships that the United States has pursued with Muslims security, new media, and science and technology issues. Hussain has also worked with the National Security Staff in pur-

Attorney at the US Department of Justice. Earlier in his career, Hussain was a legislative assistant on the House Judiciary Commit-

tee, where he focused on national security-related issues. Hussain received his J.D. from Yale Law School, where he served as an editor of the Yale Law Journal. Upon graduation, he served as a Law Clerk to Damon J. Keith on the US Court of Appeals. Hussain also earned his Master's degrees in Public Administration (Kennedy School of Government) and Arabic and Islamic Studies from Harvard University. He attended college at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

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February 26, 2010

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Indian American charged with Rajaratnam now faces 185 years in prison stealing trade secrets India Post News Service

India Post News Service

NEW YORK: United States Attorney Richard S. Hartunian and FBI Special Agent In Charge John Pikus earlier this month announced the arrest of Shalin Jhaveri, 29, of Syracuse, New York on charges of stealing trade secrets and proprietary information from his employer, Bristol MyersSquibb. If convicted, Jhaveri faces up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Jhaveri appeared Feb 3 before US Magistrate Judge George H. Lowe and was held without bail pending a detention hearing scheduled for February 8 in Syracuse. According to the complaint, Jhaveri admitted being employed by Bristol-Myers-Squibb as a Technical Operations Associate from November of 2007 until his termination on February 2, 2010. The complaint further alleges that during his employment, Jhaveri stole numerous trade secrets as part of a plan to establish a pharmaceutical firm in his native India which would compete with BristolMyers-Squibb in various markets around the world. Among the trade secrets Jhaveri allegedly stole was a multimillion dollar drug under development to treat a form of cancer. He, who was arrested after a two-month investigation by the company and the FBI, was in a management training program at Bristol's East Syracuse facility, which develops cutting edge drugs known as biologics, federal

authorities said. While there, he downloaded confidential procedures for biologics that he e-mailed to a potential business partner in his native India, prosecutors said. Jhaveri's ultimate goal was to start his own biopharmaceutical company, Cherish Bio Services, in India, according to court documents. His business partner was a potential investor who FBI agents

Bristol officials reportedly began tracking Jhaveri's actions in December after finding documents on his work laptop that included an application to the government of India to start his own biopharmaceutical company recorded talking to Jhaveri on Jan 25, court documents show. During that conversation, Jhaveri told the partner he had set up a Gmail account and sent procedures for making "Anti-Human CD137 Monoclonal Antibody," a biologics drug for patients with malignant melanoma. The rare skin cancer has no proven cure in its advanced stages. That's why the drug is a potential blockbuster for Bristol that could bring in $1 billion a year if it

reaches mass production, said a stock analyst who monitors Bristol's products. Right now, the drug is in early stages of clinical testing. Bristol officials reportedly began tracking Jhaveri's actions in December after finding documents on his work laptop that included an application to the government of India to start his own biopharmaceutical company, court records show. Computer specialists found Jhaveri had downloaded 45 gigabytes of information onto an external drive. Soon afterward, authorities recorded a phone conversation Jhaveri had with the business partner from India. Their correspondence led to a meeting in Syracuse at the Renaissance Hotel on Feb 2, according to court documents. There, Jhaveri showed the partner virtually all the "Standard Operating Procedure" documents kept at the East Syracuse facility, court records state. These included the trade secrets for the melanoma drug, among many others. All together, Jhaveri had 1,327 standard operating procedures, all of which were confidential, court records state. An FBI agent confronted Jhaveri, who admitted to sending the confidential drug information and taking the standard operating procedures without authorization, court documents state. Jhaveri, who holds a Ph.D. and was a former graduate research assistant at Cornell University, is currently in federal custody without bail.

KERRY ON DIALOGUE: US Senator, John Kerry calling on Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, in New Delhi on February 15

NEW YORK: US Attorney Southern District of New York, Preet Bharara announced that additional charges were filed against Raj Rajaratnam in a nineteencount Superseding Indictment involving conspiracy and securities fraud crimes stemming from his alleged involvement in the largest hedge fund insider trading case in history. Tamil-born Sri Lankan Rajaratnam was the Managing Member of Galleon Management, is charged with five counts of conspiracy to commit securities fraud and eight counts of securities fraud. Each of the conspiracy counts against Rajaratnam carries a maximum sentence of 5years in prison and a maximum fine of the greater of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense. Each of the securities fraud counts carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a fine of $5 million.

If convicted, Rajaratnam faces a maximum prison term of 185 years. The Indictment also seeks forfeiture of the proceeds of the charged crimes, specifically $49 million, which consists of $45 million in illegal profits and losses avoided by Galleon. According to the Superseding Indictment and other documents filed in Manhattan federal court, and statements made during the guilty pleas of others charged in the case including Indian Americans Anil Kumar (on January 7) and Rajiv Goel (on February 8), Rajaratnam and others repeatedly traded on material, non public information pertaining to upcoming earnings forecasts, mergers, acquisitions, or other business combinations ("Inside Information"). The charges contained in the Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty, the US attorney's office said.

Gadkari urges Muslims to be generous towards Ram temple INDORE: Raking up the party's defeats. pet issue, BJP President Nitin Gadkari also mentioned the "big Gadkari has spoken of its commit- national movement" for the Ram ment to building a "grand" Ram temple that had taken place earlier temple in Ayodhya and appealed in which many karsewaks lost their to the Muslims to "offer a perfect lives. . solution" by being generous toThe Ram temple movement, of wards the sentiments of Hindus. which L K Advani's rath yatra was "The BJP stands fully commit- an integral part, had propelled BJP ted for the construction of a grand from two seats in 1984 to power in Ram temple at Ayodhya...Litigation 1998 (with support of NDA allies). is also pending for resolution of Since then the party has this dispute which may not offer a downplayed this and other pet isperfect solution because one party would lose and the other may Gadkari insisted that if Muslim win. community made the gesture "Today I appeal to the Muslim community of building a consensus, it to be generous towards would â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;herald a new amity the sentiments and feeland reinforce the bond ings of Hindus and facilitate the construction for a resurgent Indiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; of a grand Ram temple," he said in his Presidential Address sues for the comfort of its NDA alat the two-day National Council of lies, keeping their sentiments in mind. the BJP here. BJP has always maintained that Gadkari insisted that if Muslim if its gets a clear majority on its community made the gesture of own in the Lok Sabha it would building a consensus, it would build the Ram temple at the spot "herald a new amity and reinforce where the disputed Babri Masjid the bond for a resurgent India". stood. The Masjid was demolished This is an indication that with by kar sewaks on December 6, the elevation of RSS candidate 1992. Abrogation of Article 370 Gadkari, 52, to the BJP's top post, which gives special status to Hindutva and other contentious Jammu and Kashmir - and imposiissues which form the core of the tion of a Uniform Civil Code are Sangh Parivar ideology may find the other two issues on which greater emphasis in its bid to re- most NDA allies do not see eye to vive after two successive electoral eye with BJP. -PTI

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Tata Nano on display at Smithsonian's Cooper-Hewitt museum India Post News Service

NEW YORK: New Yorkers and design enthusiasts in general are getting a first look at a bright sunshine yellow Tata Nano, the world's most affordable car designed by Tata Motors, at the Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum in the City. The display of the Nano, along with diagrams and photos describing its concept, development and production, began Feb 18 and will run through April 25. "Cooper-Hewitt's mission is to present the very latest developments in design and technology and the Tata Nano introduces more families in India to the new world of affordable and safer mobility," said Cara McCarty, curatorial director of the museum. "We're eager to display the Tata Nano at the museum, where many visitors will see it for the first time."

Unveiled last year in India by Tata Motors, India's largest automobile manufacturer, the Tata Nano is targeted to families who had not previously been able to afford a car. Billed as "the people's car," the base model starts at $2,500 in India and can accommodate up to five adults. The name "Nano" connotes high technology, small size and low price. Continuing the tradition of inexpensive cars made in large numbers, this ultra-cheap compact car takes after some of its predecessors like Henry Ford's Model T, the Volkswagen Beetle, Citroen 2CV and the original Fiat 500. Conceived by Ratan Tata, chairman of the Tata Group, the Tata Nano is intended as an all-weather form of personal transportation that provides a safer and cleaner alternative to the two-wheelers that are pervasive in India, where

often entire families ride clinging to a motorbike or a scooter. The Nano offers a high fuel efficiency of 50 miles per gallon, making it more fuel efficient and

engineers, the 35-horsepower, four-door vehicle has been pared down to the essentials: It is about10 feet long, weighs approximately 1,300 pounds, has an

less polluting than all other cars on the road today in India. Designed by a team of 500 Indian

all-sheet-metal body, a rear twocylinder engine, small tubeless tires, a reinforced passenger com-

Obama speaks to Manmohan; condemns terror blast in Pune NEW DELHI: US President Barack Obama spoke to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Feb 18 and condemned the terror blast in Pune on February 13 that has claimed 11 lives. In the brief telephonic conversation, Obama condoled the loss of lives, the Prime Minister's Office said. "The two leaders took the opportunity to review developments in Indo-US relations," it said. The Obama administration has offered FBI help in the investigation into Saturday's blast at the German Bakery, a popular eatery in Pune's posh Koregaon Park area. The US State Department has said it is working with India and Pakistan to combat the threats the three countries face from terrorist and extremist groups. "The information we have shared so far has been quite unprecedented, and we intend to

PUNE BLAST: German Bakery, the site of the explosion. A Pakistani group known as Laskhar-e-Taiba Al Alami has claimed responsibility for the bomb blast in Pune in which 11 people were killed and 57 injured

continue to working with the Government of India to try and protect our two societies from these types

of attacks," Acting US State Department Spokesman Gordon Duguid said.-PTI

Indians in Haiti seek help to rebuild lives, return home PORT-AU-PRINCE (Haiti): The minuscule Indian community of around 30 engineers and businessmen in quake-hit Haiti has sought financial aid from the government back home to rebuild their shattered lives and facilitate the return of those who do not wish to stay here. These people not only lost their homes and cars in the devastating January 12 earthquake of magnitude 7.0, but also the money they

had in the banks which too collapsed in the tremor, the worst to hit the tiny Caribbean nation that claimed an estimated two lakh lives. They had presented Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Shashi Tharoor, with a written demand for compensation when he visited Port-au-Prince two weeks after the earthquake. "They (Indian officials) listened, they promised but nothing has happened," said Eddy

Handal, the honorary consul for the Indian government. Tharoor said he was deeply sympathetic about the Indians in Haiti but the purpose of his visit had a broader mandate of expressing solidarity with Haitians, grieving the loss of UN personnel and boosting the morale of Indian peacekeepers engaged in relief work in the aftermath of the quake. "I had a four-fold mission," he told PTI.

partment, crumple zones, seat belts and achieves a top speed of 65 miles per hour. To allay concerns about safety, the car passed a roll-over test and offset impact, which are not regulated in India. Its barebones design, as of now, does not include more costly features such as power steering, air bags, antilock brakes or an exterior left passenger-side mirror, which are not mandatory in India. Tata Motors is currently developing versions of the Nano for European and American markets. Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum is the only museum in the nation devoted exclusively to historic and contemporary design and has been a branch of the Smithsonian since 1967. The museum presents compelling perspectives on the impact of design on daily life through active educational programs, exhibitions and publications.

CBI to seek US help to bust international cartel NEW DELHI: The CBI will soon seek the US help in cracking an international cartel circulating fake cheques after the agency arrested an India-based operative and seized counterfeit bank drafts with a face value of USD 300,000. Official sources said cooperation of the American enforcement agencies will be sought through Letters Rogatory and other channels to trace the masterminds of the racket involved in printing, circulation and use of counterfeit cheques. A large number of special paper sheets to be used for printing such counterfeit cheques have also been seized. These paper sheets could have been

used for printing cheques with a face value of around USD 81 million, the agency said. It said only the printing of cheques was carried out here with data and materials being routed from the US. CBI sources said the racket may have been running for at least one year. The CBI had earlier conducted searches at residence of Hemant Reddy in Dwarka in south west Delhi and seized the counterfeit cheques. Interestingly, all the cheques mentioned amounts less than USD 5,000, which the officials believe was being done to avoid suspicion. -PTI

ONGC, GAIL to pick stake in China gas pipeline NEW DELHI: The government has permitted ONGC and GAIL to pick 12.5 per cent stake in a pipeline that China is building in Myanmar, and allowed them to invest USD one billion more in fields that will provide gas to be shipped to China through the pipeline. The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs headed by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh allowed ONGC Videsh Ltd, the overseas investment arm of Oil and Natural Gas Corp, to invest USD 167.84 million in taking 8.35 per cent stake in the pipeline. GAIL will invest USD 83.88 mil-

lion for taking 4.17 per cent stake in the pipeline being constructed by China National Petroleum Corp (CNPC) to transport gas found in block A-1 and A-3 off the Myanmar coast, an official spokesperson said. CNPC is building the USD 2.01billion pipeline to ship gas from blocks A-1 and A-3, where OVL and GAIL India hold 17 per cent and 8.5 per cent stakes respectively, to China. Gas from the blocks would be sold to China for USD 7.72 per million British thermal unit at the landfall point in Myanmar. -PTI

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Pak wants resumption of CD, vibes 'not encouraging': Gilani

ROAMING AT ISRO: US Ambassador Roemer (l) shakes hands with ISRO Chairman Dr. K Radhakrishnan at ISRO headquarters in Bangalore on February 17. In the background is a 1:5 model of a Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV)

US wants Headley to be brought to justice: Roemer BANGALORE: Acknowledging that India and America share a "common enemy" in terror groups, the US said it wants to bring American terror suspect David Headley, charged in the Mumbai attack, to justice and make sure he pays a "severe penalty". The US also said it will track people like Headley and other "blood thirsty" terrorists wherever they go to bring them to justice. Headley is currently in US custody. The two countries shared a common perspective of the threat from terror groups and were working closely to enhance security and safety, US Ambassador Timothy Roemer said. "They (terrorists) can strike very quickly in a blood-thirsty way into any part of the globe and this is something that our President and your Prime Minister is taking very seriously", he told reporters. On Headley, who faces conspiracy charge in connection with 26/11, Roemer said, "Headley may well be responsible for canvassing, tracking information to pass on to attackers of Mumbai blast. This is the sort of the thing that the US is extremely serious about". "We want, along with Indian people and Indian government, to bring him to justice and make sure he pays a severe penalty for what he has done", Roemer said. "We want Headley to cooperate. We want him to continue giving us valuable information", he said, adding currently the process of investigation was on and was

not being interrupted. India has been pressing the US to give it access to the PakistaniAmerican Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) operative for interrogation. "The US will track people like Headley and other blood thirsty

Describing the Pune blast, which claimed 11 lives as tragic, he said he had immediately called up Home Minister P Chidambaram and offered the American peoples' condolences. Describing Indo-US relationship as a growing strategic relationship, he said there were various areas of opportunities for it to grow, including fighting piracy, maritime, defense exercises, weapon procurement and humanitarian causes terrorists wherever they go to bring them to justice", he asserted. Roemer said both India and U.S. were cooperating in terms of collecting, sharing and analyzing information in connection with anti-

terrorism efforts. The Indian Home Minister, he said, had "a very successful visit" to US recently, looking at labs working on anti-terrorism, meeting the New York Police and trying to find out the best practices in that country. Roemer reiterated that the U.S. was ready to provide any assistance in the Pune blast investigation if India sought it. "We would provide any assistance we could." "We will do it only if asked. We respect the process. Going forward, when the government wants or sees a need and asks for any technical assistance, we as a government are happy to provide it", he said. Describing the Pune blast, which claimed 11 lives as tragic, he said he had immediately called up Home Minister P Chidambaram and offered the American peoples' condolences. Describing Indo-US relationship as a growing strategic relationship, he said there were various areas of opportunities for it to grow, including fighting piracy, maritime, defense exercises, weapon procurement and humanitarian causes. "It is up to the Indian government where they want to take this relationship", he said. "There is no limit to this relationship", he said adding "that does not mean there are agreements on every issue and no country or no ally has it" (total agreement). -PTI

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan wants "scheduled expeditiously to disresumption of the stalled compos- cuss agreed components during ite dialogue with India but "the the first half of 2010" as had been vibes emanating from the other agreed during US Secretary of side have not been encouraging," State Hillary Clinton's visit to the Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani country last year. said. Gilani "underlined the imperaGilani made the remarks while tive of the strategic dialogue for discussing the state of Indo-Pak building trust to remove relations and the forthcoming For- misperceptions or misgivings eign Secretary-level talks with vis- prevalent on both sides." iting US Special Representative On being briefed by Holbrooke for Pakistan and Afghanistan, Ri- and his team on 'Operation chard Holbrooke. Pakistan is committed to peace in the re- However, he "regretted that gion and the government is "making sincere the vibes emanating from the efforts for resumption other side have not been of the composite dialogue process with In- encouraging." Relations bedia," Gilani said. tween India and Pakistan However, he "regretted that the vibes ema- "should not become hostage nating from the other to the activities of terrorists," side have not been encouraging." Relations who are the common enemy, between India and Paki- Gilani was quoted as saying in stan "should not become hostage to the activities a statement issued by his office of terrorists," who are the common enemy, Gilani was quoted as saying in a Mushtarik', the new campaign statement issued by his office. launched by the US in AfghaniHe said both countries "must stan, Gilani expressed concerns address core issues, including about the "spill-over of refugees Kashmir and water disputes," for and militants" from Afghanistan's lasting peace in the region. Helmand region into Balochistan Gilani and Holbrooke also held and North West Frontier Province wide-ranging discussions on vari- in Pakistan. ous issues, including the major He hoped these concerns will offensive against the Taliban be kept in mind by US and ISAF launched by the US-led forces in (International Security AssisAfghanistan and proposed US- tance Force) troops and there Pakistan strategic dialogue. would be enhanced coordination The Premier hoped that the and cooperation with Pakistani strategic dialogue would be armed forces in this regard.-PTI

IIT-Kanpur to start its own FM Radio station KANPUR: The stage is all set for IIT-Kanpur to start its own FM radio station, the first-of-its-kind in any of the IITs in the country. For the last one year hectic preparations were going on in full swing to start the FM station. On January 26, some testing was done by airing a program. The station will finally start its operation on March 12 or 13. A two-day workshop has been organized in the institute's campus starting March 12 where experts from community FM radio station will be present. The workshop will discuss problems that come up in running the FM station and how to make it more effective.

This will be the first time that an FM radio station would be opened in any of the IITs in the country. The Information and Broadcasting Ministry has already given a green signal to the project. "The project will be the first of its kind in any of the IITs in the country," Director of IIT Kanpur Professor Sanjay Govind Dhande told PTI. He added the station will function emulating the model of America's National Public Radio (NPR). The FM station will air programs relating to science with special emphasis on making the subject more interesting and simpler to students. It will also air cultural programs.-PTI

Desi News Koffee with Madhavan - An affair to remember JODHSINGH RAAWAT

Nite to Reunite enlivens Valentine spirit SURESH BODIWALA India Post News Service

Prabodh Vaidya is Jain Society chief

COMMUNITY ACROSS AMERICA

10 India Post

February 26, 2010

Details on page 16

Indian American student lunches with Warren Buffet NALINI RAJA India Post News Service

ATLANTA, GA: When Mili Shah asked Warren Buffett why Wall Street was recovering but Main Street was not, he replied to her with a twenty minute answer,

Mili Nitin Shah, of Atlanta, Georgia, graduated from New York University in 2008. She is now pursuing a JD/MBA dual degree at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville Milli Shah with Warren Buffet

stating that it is the business, stock, and timing and not the economy that drives the value of a company.

Mili Nitin Shah, of Atlanta, Georgia, graduated from New York University in 2008. She is now pursuing a JD/MBA dual degree

at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville. Recently, her university selected her to represent the College of Business and College

of Law for an all-expense paid trip to meet Warren Buffett in Omaha, Nebraska. Contâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d on page 12

Hindu groups demand recall of Hanuman plush toy India Post News Service

KAPILA SHAH

CHICAGO: The five members Jain Society of Metropolitan Chicago (JSMC) unanimously elected Prabodh Vaidya as their Chairman for two years at their meeting held in the last week of January 2010. The election of Vaidya as Chairman was received well by members at large as he is deemed to be forthright, committed and a visionary member of the Society. In the month of November 2009. Details on page 14

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Help your community -be counted

Hanuman toy

NEW YORK: Certain Hindu groups in the US have demanded an immediate recall of a toy of Hanuman, the Hindu deity, manufactured and sold by Kridana, a Pennsylvania based company that specializes in toys based on Hindu epics. Upset Hindus say the toy "Hanuman as plush doll" was "inappropriate, upsetting, and denigrating". Nevada-based priest Rajan Zed said that inappro-

Hanuman as a plush doll reduced him to a toy under the mercy of a child, while in reality the believers put the destinies of themselves in the hands of their deities

priate usage of Hindu deities or concepts for commercial or other agenda was not okay as it hurt the devotees. Hanuman as a plush doll reduced him to a toy under the mercy of a child, while in reality the believers put the destinies of themselves in the hands of their deities. This would send erroneous message to our highly impressionable children that they could control Hanuman and other deities, Zed, who is president of Universal Society of Hinduism, added. Contâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d on page 17

February 26, 2010

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Koffee with Madhavan - An affair to remember JODHSINGH RAAWAT

CHICAGO: Maharashtra Mandal of Chicago organized a press conference "Koffee with Madhavan", a popular movie actor who is on a tour of four cities in USA to raise funds for Habitat for Humanity, a global organization which is to build houses for the poor in Maharashtra. The venue was the Meadows Club in Rolling Meadows, a north side suburb of Chicago. The now famous Bollywood star Madhavan known to many as Maddy gave a performance but it was a different style and mode than the one he is noted for. Maharashtra Mandal seized the opportunity and announced that the event was also a kick off function for the upcoming international convention of Brihan Maharashtra Mandal in Chicago on July 21-24, 2011. Community leader Naren Patel of Medstar accompanied with Bina Patel of a Cook County Circuit court Clerk office was present. He was one of the main sponsors and he welcomed the move by Madhavan in helping homeless across the world. Madhavan did go to Haiti also and had a first hand feel of the devastation wrought by the recent earthquake. Unlike a typical Bollywood style pro-

Left to Right : Shantanu Keskar (Maharashtra Mandal Chicago), Court Clayton (Habitat for Humanity), R. Madhavan, Niteen Joshi, 2011 Convention Chief

tivities. Ms. Kalpana Nimkar of Maharashtra Mandal hosted the show and graciously introduced Madhavan to the audience followed by a simple question like, who he was and how he became

In his trademark witty and truthful monologue he elaborated his life story with his days in Alberta, Canada as an exchange student of Rotary International, his first crush, his struggles as an engineering student in Kolhapur, Maharashtra, his first profession as a self-made public speaking tutor to his miraculous entry as a TV star gram, this event was a totally informal affair without any songs and dances yet it left the audience spellbound for over two hours. In his amazing life story, Maddy proved his public relations skills by con-

what he is today. When asked how he became a movie star, Maddy gave a first hand account of his life right from his school days at Jamshedpur. Born in a typical "Iyengar"

an engineering student in Kolhapur, Maharashtra, his first profession as a selfmade public speaking tutor to his miraculous entry as a TV star and subsequent success in Tamil and Hindi films as an accomplished actor. A Tamil Brahmin boy born in Chennai, made his way to stardom in Bollywood. In his recent very successful film "3 idiots" he is one of the idiots. His new film "Teen Patti" with Amitabh Bachchan is ready to be released. Madhavan showed a few clips from his favorite Tamil and Hindi movies with his narration of behind the scene stories and admiration for stalwart film makers like Mani Ratnam and Kamal Hasan. The second session was of Q&A. Several members of the enthusiastic audience asked questions ranging from his personal life to his political beliefs.

L to R Sponsor Naren Patel, Illinois politician Raja Krishnamoorthi, Mahaarashtra Mandal office bearer Vir Doshi and 3 Idiots fame Madhavan

necting to the audience. His down to earth approach towards life and his simplicity as a human being are exemplary. Niteen Joshi, the chief convener of the Convention welcomed the audience and briefly explained about the convention ac-

family, Maddy's journey to stardom is an enchanting story. In his trademark witty and truthful monologue he elaborated his life story with his days in Alberta, Canada as an exchange student of Rotary International, his first crush, his struggles as

India Post posed a question on problems faced by India "What does he think the biggest problem India is facing today as a nation?" â&#x20AC;Ś and Madhavan in his typical forthright manner replied: "it's definitely hostile neighbors, who are trou-

bling us too much." Elaborating, he observed that "Our problem is not as much with the government. It is largely external." Asked if he had any political ambition, he smilingly sidelined the question. Members of the audience loved Madhavan's unassuming style and simplicity despite his stardom and popularity. A representative from Habitat, Court Clayton also addressed the crowd and explained about projects undertaken by the organization globally and specifically in India. The event was also attended by many eminent community leaders in Chi-

Madhavan showed a few clips from his favorite Tamil and Hindi movies with his narration of behind the scene stories and admiration for stalwart film makers like Mani Ratnam and Kamal Hasan. The second session was of Q&A. Several members of the enthusiastic audience asked questions ranging from his personal life to his political beliefs cago area including the former Asst. State Treasurer, Raja Krishnamoorthy. Raja also addressed the audience and vowed that despite his narrow loss at the recent election for State Comptroller, he has big plans for returning to Illinois politics and he is likely to bid for Lieutenant Governor. The audience mobbed Maddy for autographs and snaps. Maddy did not disappoint anybody and once again proved he is truly a people person.

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February 26, 2010

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Nite to Reunite enlivens Valentine spirit

Fashion show at Nite to Reunite

SURESH BODIWALA India Post News Service

CHICAGO: Waterford Banquets in Elmhurst (a Chicago suburb) was sparkling with Chicagoland talents vying with each other to show off their dancing and singing skills on Valentine Day recently. It was a 'Nite to Reunite' sponsored by RahulSinghGill.com headed by Rahul Singh, an artist in his own right in Chicagoland. It was a mixture of dancing, singing; comedy and fashion while leaving doors open to any talent out there. As the audience built to a cozy group of Chicagoans, Dr. Mita Gupta and her sister Vanita Gupta opened the night with "Ambika Jhankaar," a dazzling light romantic dance that captured the hearts of many. The 2 idiots, Keyur Parikh and Alpesh Chaudhari rocked the stage with their creative comedy that imitated characters and events of the recent Bollywood blockbuster "3 Idiots". Just as the laughter was at its peak, Sensational 6 (Viraj Shah, Flora Thakkar, Dharti Patel, Shruti Thakkar, Rinku Kapadia and Nilofur Khan) switched the mood to excitement with their fun-jumpy footwork in "Money Money."

Desi Divas (Mahnaaz Syed and Nishma Patel) did likewise with a blast from the past that moved to

Talented young child artists from www.RaahulSinghGill.com

and made everyone smile as a very fun MC for the night. Alongside him was the "original" Ajay Randhawa with his live dhol beats that got a pack of people bopping. Epikz Crew (Aman Choudhury, David Unciano, Dheeraj Charles, Parnell Tesoro and Steven Han) was also

The 2 idiots, Keyur Parikh and Alpesh Chaudhari rocked the stage with their creative comedy that imitated characters and events of the recent Bollywood blockbuster "3 Idiots" Rahul Singh, the main coordinator of Nite to Reunite

more recent in their dance titled "Bollywood Sizzle." No one could forget the breathtaking, Raahul Singh Gill himself, who thrilled the crowd as he sang his most recent song, "Janjhar"

there once again showing off their spectacular hip hop moves. "Afreen" was a medley of songs to which SPA Inc.'s female group members (Soniya Sheth and Sirvangi Patel) performed an amaz-

ing dance. Jodi # 1 (Stuti Parikh and Chirag Soni) were nothing less than a celebrity couple right out of a Bollywood dance competition. Their acts "Pyaar with Passion" and "Thoda Pyaar Thoda Takrar" were the complete romance package and certainly brought love in the air right in time for Valentine's Day. Later we got to hear some very astonishing singers with their own style of spreading love and a mix of East and West. "Samosa's Valentine" was a couple of romantic, well-known tracks sung by Shahvar "Samosa" Hussain. Then we had "Lift Karade"; Harris Sahi jammed to his own tracks "Right Where We Started" and "She Want that Money". Just about midway through the show, Raahul Singh Gill announced a Youth Award, which was given to Iftekhar Naseem for his great work in the community. Amongst these youthful and talented local stars were some little stars. There was a children's fashion show (Ekjot Kaur, Gurleen Kaur, Laisha Singh, Jesse Singh, Nayaly Robledo, Navroop Kaur, Saihaj Kular, Surleen Saini, Yarely Robledo, and Hemani Nayi) and a dance by Hemani Nayi to a famous

track from the Bollywood film "Hum Saath Saath Hain." There were four other fashion shows showcasing various types of Indian and Pakistani outfits locally available for purchase at Regal and Tabarruj of Chicago. These fashion shows were coordinated and choreographed by Diya Khan, Viraj Shah, and Raahul Singh Gill. The models (Amit Mangat, Aqsa Bawany, Chirag Soni, Dharti Patel, Emil Shah, Fatima Hussain, Flora Thakkar, Hassan Saddiq, Irfan Ahmad, Kiran Shaikh, Krystell Barraza, Mahnaz Syed, Nadeen Patwa, Nilofur Khan, Nishma Patel, Preet Sandhu, Priya Kapil, Rinku Kapadia, Saloni Sharma, Shahbaz Lateef, Sonali Patel, Usman Chaudhary, Vidhi Joshi, Viraj Shah, Vishal Shah & Zainab Saddiq) were also local and part of RaahulSinghGill.com's agency called Desi Models. The evening ended with a super-energy-filled dance by SPA, Inc. (Soniya Sheth Sirvangi Patel, Usman Malik, Hassan Bhatti, and Aaron Saballo) that totally rocked the stage and moved the audience. In short, 'Nite to Reunite' was to many local guests a magnificent way to get charged up for Valentine's Day!

Indian American student lunches with Warren Buffet Contâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d from page 10

At her stay in Omaha, she visited Berkshire Hathaway's businesses, including the Nebraska Furniture Mart (largest home furnishing store in North America) and Borshiems Fine Jewelry, where Buffett allowed Mili to try on a $175,000 diamond ring. She also enjoyed meals compliments of Buffett where she was able to probe deeper into the life of the richest man in the world. During these conversations, Mili noted how humble, humorous, and witty the man was.

"His investor-savvy self spoke about everything from business to marriage to Tiger Woods. When it was time to take pictures, he was posing in all sorts of funny ways he was proposing to a girl, doing bunny ears, giving his wallet away. It was very amusing!" Buffett shared with Mili his views on Burlington Northern Railway, Kraft's acquisition of Cadbury, Jack Welch, institutional investors as board directors, CEO salaries, Berkshire's stock ratings, losing money, and philanthropy. When asked to use one word

Buffett shared with Mili his views on Burlington Northern Railway, Kraft's acquisition of Cadbury, Jack Welch, institutional investors as board directors, CEO salaries

to describe her experience, she said "eyeopening." "We were sitting there and I looked around. I was the only minority, and at that, the only Indian American female in the room. So, I sat there and asked him his thoughts on India, outsourcing, and globalization. He replied to me saying, 'India and China will allow people to fully realize their human potential. These countries are growing fast. Never be envious of another's prosperity; you will also do better and become happier in the long run."

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Maha Shiva Ratri celebrated at Hari Om Mandir JODH SINGH RAAWAT

Arati being performed at the temple

CHICAGO: It was a huge mela of devotees who flocked in thousands to be a part of Mahashivratri

celebrations at Hari Om Mandir in Medinah, a northwest suburb of Chicago. Shiva Ratri means the

Dandmudi appointed on adm. hearing commission India Post News Service

ST. LOUIS: Mississippi Governor Jay Nixon has announced and Indian American St. Louisarea attorney, Sreenivasa Rao (Sreenu) Dandamudi to serve on the Administrative Hearing Commission for a six-year term. Dandamudi, of Town and Country, currently is general counsel for the State Board of Registration for the Healing Arts, a position he has held since 2006.

Gov. Nixon observed that he appreciated having such a quality candidate for this position and that Sreenu would bring valuable experience and diversity to the commission. â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Sreenu has also demonstrated a deep commitment to his community Gov. Nixon observed that he appreciated having such a quality candidate for this position and that Sreenu would bring valuable experience and diversity to the commission. "Sreenu has also demonstrated a deep commitment to his community, and I am pleased to appoint him," he said. A graudate of Washington University of Law, Dandamudi operated a private law practice in St. Louis and also was a Missouri assistant attorney general. While

with the Attorney General's Office, he was legal counsel to several licensing boards, representing those boards before the Administrative Hearing Commission. Dandamudi is a graduate of Washington University School of Law. The Governor's appointment now moves to the Missouri Senate for confirmation. The Administrative Hearing Commission is a neutral, independent administrative tribunal that decides disputes involving state

Sreenivasa Rao (Sreenu) Dandamudi

agencies and another party, usually a private person or corporation. The Commission typically decides the cases after a trial-type hearing. The commissioners do not sit as a body; instead, each commissioner hears evidence and arguments from the state agency and from the other party and decides a case as an individual. Any party, including the state agency, may seek review of the Administrative Hearing Commission's decision from the judicial branch.

Abhishek being performed on Linga

night dedicated to Mahadev, the Lord of all the Gods. This year the Maha Shiva Ratri fell on Friday February 13 On this auspicious day, Hari Om Temple organized a day and night pooja of Lord Shiva and Parvati at its

temple premise where the Shiva Linga at the Temple is established. Devotees started pouring milk and offering fruits and flowers to the lord and a special Linga abhisek with milk and Gangajal was performed under the holy mantras

chanted by the priest Pundit Anil Joshi and his associates. According to an estimate nearly 4000 devotees came to visit the temple to worship and offer pooja on the day. Contâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d on page 14

Community Across America

India Post

Prabodh Vaidya is Jain Society chief KAPILA SHAH

Prabodh Vaidya

members at large as he is deemed to be forthright, committed and a visionary member of the Society. In the month of November 2009, there was an election for two Trustees posts and Sunil Jain and Arvind Shah were declared elected for a period of 4 years ending their term in 2013. The three others were elected for a period of 4 years term in the

year 2007 with their term ending in 2011. They are Kishor Shah, Prabodh Vaidya (now Chairman Board of Trustees) and Dr. Mukesh Doshi. Every two years, two or three trustees retire as the case may be and in 2011 there will an election of three Trustees. In a talk to this paper, Vaidya said that the work for establishing an artistic Derasar (temple) and Community-cum-Educational center is near complete and would be completed this year. He said that the members of the executive committee are busy chalking out activities for the current year but it is decided that the Society would invite known and well read experts on the principles of Jainism from India to create awareness among members and the public at large about the basic teaching of Jain Tirthankars and founders of this great religion. In this context he disclosed that next month a well known speaker Tej Saheb has accepted to come to Chicago for a week and conduct discourse and talk on Jainism. The Society will also be celebrating on a grand scale the birth anniversary of Lord Mahavir Swami, the 24th Tirthankar and founder of Jainism. Tej Saheb would participate in this function, Vaidya said.

Maha Shiva Ratri celebrated at Hari Om Mandir

A couple dressed like Lord Shiva and Mata Parvati added charm to the proceedings (L-R) Satyajit Sarkar, Subhash Sharma, Raj Vij as Shiv, Meenu Jethi as Parvati and Ayodhia Salwan Cont’d from page 13

The management committee of the Temple had invited a group of Bhajan Mandali headed by Hitesh Master and Poornima of Chicago who mesmerized and involved the devotees in the spiritual ambience. A couple dressed like Shiva & Parvati and appeared for Darshan to devotees making the event more realistic and devotional. The

Chairman of the Temple A.N Salwan with past president Vipin Vadhera, current president Indrajit Sarkar, Manager Hardev Raj were fully involved in the organization of this spiritual event. Indrajit Sarkar said, "Such a successful event is possible only with the help of generous donors, food sponsor Star Foods, tremendous team effort and Lord Shiva's blessings."

February 26, 2010

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Oregon House votes to repeal ban on religious dress India Post News Service

WASHINGTON DC: The Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund (SALDEF), the nation's oldest Sikh American civil rights and advocacy organization, has commended the Oregon House of Representatives for passing Oregon House Bill 3686, which if enacted would allow public school teachers to wear religious dress, including the Sikh dastaar (turban), the Muslim hijab, and the Jewish yarmulke. The House voted overwhelmingly in favor of the bill, passing it with a 51-8 vote. The bill will now be considered by the Oregon State Senate. In the summer of 2009, SALDEF initiated a campaign to overturn this discriminatory legislation and has since been working to publicize and repeal ORS 342.650. This bill is the first step in undoing ORS 342.650, an Oregon law that effectively forbids Sikhs, and all other individuals who wear religious

dress in accordance with their faith, from working as public school teachers. Over the past several months, SALDEF has been working closely with the Oregon House Speaker Dave Hunt, along with a broad coalition of groups and individu-

cally Speaker Hunt for this vote and for sending the message that Oregon respects and embraces individuals of all faiths," said SALDEF Managing Director Kavneet Singh. "By passing this bill the legislators have taken the first step in doing away with an

In the summer of 2009, SALDEF initiated a campaign to overturn this discriminatory legislation. This bill is the first step in undoing ORS 342.650, an Oregon law that effectively forbids Sikhs, and all other individuals who wear religious dress in accordance with their faith, from working as public school teachers als to engage in outreach to Oregon legislators, provide testimony at House hearings, and mobilize community support for the Lobby Day held at the State House in Salem. "We commend the members of the Oregon House, and specifi-

archaic law that was initially enacted with the support of the Ku Klux Klan. We look forward to the Oregon State Senate taking up this issue and passing it with similar overwhelming support." Cont’d on page 15

Valentine's Day with a difference India Post News Service

CHICAGO: Valentine's Day had its beginning when the Roman Empire was at its peak. Since then it has been celebrated with quite fun and fervor everywhere, especially in the Western world and USA. While everyone celebrated Valentine's Day with much fun, the Cremation of Indian Society made it all the more special with over 50 member couples having a gala time with music, masti and fun on the occasion. Dr Chandrakant Modi, a physician and chairman of the Society and his wife Dina Modi, Collector of Niles Township, organized a Valentine's Day celebration at his residence in Skokie for the organization's board of trustees, founding members and guests on Sunday, February 14. Participants included Suresh and Usha Bodiwala, Jitendra and Daxa Patel, Himat and Nalini Modi, Dr. Arvind and Rita Kakodkar, Dilip and Jaya Baxi, Shailesh and Dipti Patel, Mean Patel, Omprakash and Usha Kamaria, Jitendra and Sharmi Bulsara, Suresh and Indira Parikh, Shantanu and Nisha Deshpande, Vipul and Sudha Shah, Arvind and Urmila Shah and Arvind and Sharada Patel. Length of marriage among the couple present varied from 10 years to 38 years. The theme of the colorful evening was presentation by each couple of their most embarrassing moments in their

Trustees, Board members of Indian Cremation Society of Chicagoland, a nonprofit body, with guests and invitees at Valentine's Day Celebrations

married life. Each couple had a revealing story to tell. This was followed by kneeling down by each gentleman in front

He told his wife ‘Don't walk in front of me, I may not follow. Don't walk behind me, I may not lead, Just walk beside me, and be my friend for ever. Every day is a special day of my life because of you’ of his spouse, presenting her an eternal symbol of true love (Red Rose) looking directly in her eye, and vocalizing reasons for his life-

long admiration devotion, true love and trust in his partner. Suresh Bodiwala said for many Valentine's Day conjured up images of love, romance, flowers and chocolate, but he said he believed every day as a Valentine's Day. He told his wife "Don't walk in front of me, I may not follow. Don't walk behind me, I may not lead, Just walk beside me, and be my friend for ever. Every day is a special day of my life because of you." Some of the expressions were "some love lasts long time but true love lasts forever", "I never knew how to worship until I knew how to love" and "You don't marry someone you can live with - you marry the person who you cannot live without". The evening concluded with unique Gujarati village type sumptuous dinner and toast of thanks from the host couple.

Community Across America

February 26, 2010

India Post 15

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NSF educational contests for Indian-Americans India Post News Service

CHICAGO: Anyone watching Teen Jeopardy or the Scripps Spelling Bee on TV will remember the strong presence of Indian American students at these events. Last year, Kavya Shivashankar from Olathe, Kansas won the Scripps Spelling Bee championship after Sameer Mishra from West Lafayette, Indiana won the trophy the previous year. Anurag Kashyap won not only the Spelling Bee but also at Jeopardy. Strikingly, these contestants largely have one common theme - they all have an association with the North South Foundation (NSF), a Chicago based not for profit organization established in Illinois in 1989 that now seeks to foster educational excellence among students of Indian origin in the US. In order to achieve this goal, NSF conducts educational contests like Spelling Bee, Math Bee, Geography Bee and other such events organized by NSF annually for over 18 years. Continuing its annual tradition of conducting the competitions, this Chicago based North South Foundation has announced the

Some of the NSF contestants and prize winners last year

nounce the location shortly. "Also, continuing the process of growth, not only have we expanded the number of regional centers this year, but also added a new contest in 2010, to promote an interest in Science", says Dr. Ratnam Chitturi, Founder and President of the organization. The Science Bee will be conducted as a pilot in a few select chapters this year and will

NSF educational contests begin at local chapters. At the regional level educational contests are held in Spelling, Vocabulary, Math, Geography, Essay Writing, Public Speaking and Science schedule of its regional contests for 2010. These contests will be held during the months of March, April and May in more than 70 regional centers in US, leading up to the National Finals later in August. The National Finals are usually held at prestigious universities within the US. In the past, National Finals have been held at MIT, Northwestern University, Ohio State University and University of Maryland among other well known institutions. This year NSF is seeking to host the Finals at a venue in the East Coast and hopes to an-

be further expanded to all chapters and to the Finals next year, adding any tweaks if required based on student and parent feedbacks from participants this year. NSF educational contests begin at local chapters. At the regional level educational contests are held in Spelling, Vocabulary, Math, Geography, Essay Writing, Public Speaking and Science. "Catch them young" is a fitting slogan for NSF as they have students participating at an early age with Junior, Intermediate and Senior segments to most contests. Students in grades 1 to 8 are eli-

Oregon House votes to repeal ban on religious dress Contâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d from page 14

SALDEF also thanked Oregon House Speaker Dave Hunt and his staff including

The lobbyists

Geoff Sugerman for their continued support of the campaign. It also recognized Saba Ahmed, Kevin Finney of the Oregon Ecu-

menical Ministries, Gregory Hamilton of the Northwest Religious Liberty Association, the Oregon Family Council, Willamette University Professor Steven Green, and all the other coalition partners who made this effort possible, as well as SALDEF local advocates Sat Hanuman Singh Khalsa, Navneet Kaur and Ravitej Singh Khalsa for their efforts in mobilizing the local community. "This vote is a great victory for all residents of Oregon and the Nation," said Oregon resident and local leader Ravitej Singh Khalsa. "I was part of the original effort in the mid-80s to get this law repealed, and it was truly amazing to see such a broad coalition of groups working to the same end this time around. It is most satisfying to finally feel welcome in Oregon, and I would like to thanks SALDEF for the leadership and efforts in taking up this cause."

gible to participate in these contests except for Essay Writing and Public Speaking. Essay Writing is held for students in grades 3 to 12 and Public Speaking for grades 6 to 12. High School students are also eligible to participate in Brain Bee, a contest about neuroscience and brain disorders. Brain Bee is conducted only at the National Finals. NSF offers material for preparation on its website. Additionally, many NSF chapters also conduct workshops prior to the contests to raise awareness among parents regarding the Bees. As encouragement, all students are awarded certificates and participation ribbons for all contests. At regional level winners are awarded medals and certificates for the first three places depending on the number of participants at a chap-

ter for the specific contest. Contestants are grouped into various levels depending on their grade to ensure that the difficulty of the test is proportionate to the student's grade level. Top scorers at the regional contests are invited for the national level contests. At the National Finals winners of first three places are awarded scholarships of $1000, $500 and $250 respectively which can be used towards college tuition. Trophies are awarded to top ten national ranks in Spelling, Vocabulary and Math Bees. For Geography Bee top five ranks are recognized with trophies and top three ranks for other contests. To participate in the educational contests parents need to register their children on the NSF website www.northsouth.org.

Community/California

India Post

Cal News OC Supervisors VC endorse Harry Sidhu India Post News Service

ANAHEIM, CA: The campaign of Anaheim Mayor Pro Tem Harry Sidhu has received a big boost with the endorsement of Supervisor Bill Campbell, Vice Chairman of the Orange County Board of Supervisors. Following his recent announcement of campaign funds that have been raised, this endorsement by Vice Chairman Campbell clearly establishes Mayor Pro Tem Harry Sidhu as the front-runner in the 4th District Supervisor race. Vice Chairman Bill Campbell's endorsement comes on the heels of recent campaign finance reports, where Harry Sidhu's campaign finished 2009 with over $210,000 cash on hand - a total that was more than double that of his closest competitor. Details on page 18

Maha Shivarathri celebrated with great enthusiasm India Post News Service

February 26, 2010

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Help your community - be counted INDER SINGH

ull page advertisements for United States Census 2010 are currently appearing in many Indian newspapers in the US. It mentions the importance of being counted and assures that the US law "protects confidentiality" of the respondents. It also assures that the Immigration Department, IRS, FBI, CIA or the local police will not have access to any of the information in the Census document. The 2010 Census is a count of everyone living in the United States and is mandated by the U.S. Constitution. Whether you are a citizen, legal or illegal immigrant, on tourist visa or H1-B visa, or even have no visa, the law encourages everyone on US soil to respond to the Census 2010 questionnaire. The Indian community in the US can "help improve schools, increase job training and get its share of over $400 billion per year in federal funds" provided every Indian household 'answers 10 simple questions and mails the Census questionnaire back to the Census Bureau." Large majority of people will get the short form with ten questions while some, randomly selected, will be surveyed in depth. However, the usefulness of the information will directly relate to the accuracy with which you respond to each of the questions. Thirty years ago, the U.S. Census Bureau counted 361,544 Indian Americans living in the United States. This number was one-sixth of one percent of 226.5 million US population in 1980. The Indian community predominantly comprised of those who migrated from India and adopted the USA as their new homeland. Ten years later, as per the 1990 Census, the number

of Indian Americans rose to 815,447, more than double the previous count. By then, the community also included a large number of those who were born and raised in the United States of America. In 2000, the Census count of Indian Americans - immigrants, citizens, visitors from India, H-1B visa holders, officials of Indian Embassy and Consulates, Indian employees of other non-governmental Indian agencies, such as banks, etc. - was 1.67 million, slightly more than double the 1990 Census count. The 2010 Census is again a number-dependent game. We can participate in it to our advantage by having a complete and accu-

with against misrepresentation of our culture or negative presentation of our professionals in the movies and other media, as well as in academia, politics and the professions. An accurate count of Indian Americans in the United States could translate into dollars flowing for services to our community during the next ten years. It could also mean increased number of political appointments at federal, state and city level for Indian Americans. This is truly our chance to be properly and accurately counted as part of the fabric of American life. Since 1790, the census in the

If a Census worker knocks on your door, make sure that he/she has a badge, a handheld device, a Census Bureau canvas bag and a confidentiality notice. Do not hesitate to see his/ her identification and badge before answering any questions rate count of our community. In March 2010, the Census Bureau will mail Census questionnaire to all households in the U.S. The Indian American community has an edge over the general US population as it is highly educated and would need no outside help to fill the Census form. All Indian Americans should make a sincere effort to complete the Census questionnaire and return before the April 1 deadline. The Indian American community can use its numerical strength to demand its fair share of the funds and services allocation pie. The increased number can be effectively considered as our community's strength and clout. We can become a force to reckon

United States is taken every ten years. The earliest censuses were simple tallies of individuals in each household for the sole purpose of equal apportionment of House (of Representatives) seats among the states. But policymakers in the U.S. Congress and elsewhere started adding questions on the Census form to gather meaningful data about the U.S. population. The Census Bureau has constantly monitored and evaluated the changing societal needs and added new questions or dropped unnecessary ones from the survey form. In 1988, the Census Bureau wanted to eliminate various subgroups under the group titled "Asian" on the 1990 Census form. A bill was introduced in the U.S. Congress, proposing elimination of the nine check-off boxes, Asian Indian, Chinese, Korean, Japanese, etc. The Asian leaders opposed the bill and eventually succeeded in that effort. Thus, the Asian people continue to be the only major group of US population for which statistics by their country of origin are collected and are maintained by the US Census Bureau. The recognition of Asian Indians as a separate sub group on the Census Form gives us a sense of pride. The Census Bureau collects, maintains and provides data with respect to the number of Indian Americans in the U.S, their household income, education level, etc. It is imperative that Indian Americans check the box titled "Asian Indian" in response to question 9 on the Census form for an accurate count of the Indian Americna population in the US.

The Indian American activists in 1980 voiced their concerns that our community count was not correctly reported. In the 1990 Census, we tried to ensure that everybody from the community was included and no one knowingly was left out; not even the employees of public agencies, such as Embassy of India, Consular offices, State Bank of India, etc. The Census Bureau would like to avoid the pitfalls of the previous Census. Millions of dollars are being poured into advertisements and billions more in hiring temporary staff for Census related work. A multicultural and multilingual outreach campaign has already been launched. Publicity in the ethnic media, including Indian American media, has already started and that factor can help in convincing foreign-born residents to respond to the Census questionnaire promptly - and without reservation or fear. Since the Census Bureau is determined to have complete and accurate count of all US households, the census takers will go door-to-door to count residents who fail to return their form by April 1. If a Census worker knocks on your door, make sure that he/she has a badge, a handheld device, a Census Bureau canvas bag and a confidentiality notice. Do not hesitate to see his/her identification and badge before answering any questions. Also, A Census worker will not contact you by e-mail. So, do not click on a link or open any attachments in an e-mail which are supposedly from the U.S. Census Bureau. A word of caution from Better Business Bureau and law agencies. Be cooperative with the U.S. Census workers but do not give sensitive financial information. It is the scammers who could be impersonating Census workers to gain access to your Social Security, bank account or credit card numbers. The U.S. Census Bureau also depends on voluntary help to spread the message to the masses. They have formed the Complete Count Committees (CCCs) of volunteers to increase awareness of the 2010 Census and motivate residents in various communities to respond. These CCCs plan and implement census awareness campaigns that cater to the special characteristics of their communities. A number of CCCs are already functional and more are forming. If interested in organizing a committee, you can call the regional census center or visit www.2020.census.gov. Contâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d on page 17

February 26, 2010

Community/California

India Post 17

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Maha Shivarathri celebrated with great enthusiasm

Paramahamsa Nithyananda India Post News Service

MONTCLAIR: Maha Shivarathri was celebrated with great enthusiasm and energy at the Nithyananda Vedic Temple on Feb 12. The temple welcomed hundreds of visitors throughout the night for the grand festival and offered a variety of grand events to the delight of all. The festival included a total of five abhishekams (holy bath) and six unique and grand alankars (decoration) known as Pancha Bhoota Darshan for Sri Anandeshwara. Called "extraordinary" by many observers, participants and visitors joyfully stayed awake all night to take part in the grand celebrations, singing bhajans and enjoying cultural performances at the temple. Each of the pancha bhoota darshans revealed of one of the five elements: aakasha tatwa (ether), vaayu tatwa (wind), agni tatwa, (fire), jala tatwa (water), prithvi tatwa (earth). Sri Nithya Bhaktapriyananda Maharaj gave lively and engaging temple talks on the significance of the festival as well as each of the different alankars. Celebrations began as early as

Dance performance in the Temple

7:00 am Friday morning, February 12, and concluded the following morning, February 13, at 7:00am. In addition to the grand abishekam and alankar, devotees and visitors also enjoyed cultural performances, live bhajans, chanting, a rudra homa, Maha Aarthi and

Alankar ShivaRathri

Maha Prasad. Shiva Rathri, one of the most important festivals of the year. It is the day when the energy of Shiva is intensely available. Called

Kalasha Abhishekam being offered

"extraordinary" by many observers, participants and visitors willingly and joyfully stayed awake all night to take part in the extraordinary celebrations, singing bhajans and enjoying cultural performances at the temple. According to Paramahamsa

Shiva Rathri began with Vibhuti Abishekam and Alankar, representing aakasha tatwa, ether element Nithyananda in his Shiva Rathri 2010 address, "Shiva is the being whose inner space is completely awakened, who is living in Light, who is radiating the energy. If in-

Hindu groups demand recall of Hanuman plush toy Cont’d from page 10

Bhavna Shinde of Forum for Hindu Awakening, in a communiqué to Kridana wrote: "Hanuman is highly revered in Hinduism, meant to be worshipped in temples or home shrines, and not to be thrown loosely around on the floor, cars, bathrooms, etc.; or squeezed; or hit by feet; or used as a play ball or pillow. Please recall this toy immediately and refrain from producing/selling any more of these in the future." "We feel that your toy 'Hanuman as plush doll' is very inappropriate, upsetting, and denigrating. We humbly request that while manufacturing other Hinduism related objects also, please

stay true to the Scriptures and respectful to Deities and concepts," Shinde added.

‘Hanuman is highly revered in Hinduism, meant to be worshipped in temples or home shrines, and not to be thrown loosely around on the floor’ Zed explained that Lord Hanuman was greatly revered and his worship was very popular

among Hindus and there were numerous temples dedicated to him. Son of wind-god, besides incredible strength and changing shape at will and flying, he was believed to be a perfect grammarian, great scholar and excelled in all the sciences. According to a legend, even while he was still an infant, he intimidated the sun. In Mahabharata war, flag on Arjuna's chariot driven by Lord Krishna displayed Lord Hanuman. According to a belief, all the planets were under his control. Kridana describes "Hanuman plush" as "squeezably soft" and "super-cuddly". "Through modern toy technology, we're connecting our children with millenia of tradition and culture," it adds.

ner awakening happens in you, you are living as Shiva. When inner awakening happens, each of your chakras (vital energy centers in you) comes to life. Each energy center comes to life. A person in whom all the seven chakras are awakened is Shiva. He is the one who has experienced inner awakening". Shiva Rathri began with Vibhuti Abishekam and Alankar, representing aakasha tatwa, ether element. This was followed by an exotic and beautiful flower abishekam and alankar, representing wind element. Next was a rudra homa was completed followed by kalasha abishekam in which visitors and devotees had the rare opportunity participate in abhishekam for Sri Anandeshwara. The kalasha abishekam was followed by alankar of Sri Aandeshwara representing agni tatwa, the fire element. Maha Arati was offered after the curtains revealed this beautiful third alankar. Devotees and the visitors received prasad and the curtains closed to prepare for the fourth alankar. Bhajans for Shiva were sung while all waited eagerly for the next grand abishekam and alankar. In addition devotees also enjoyed outstanding cultural performances by Rangasree Dance studio, Indian classical music and Bharti Music School and performance by Anita Singh. Soon the next abhishekam began, with rare and precious bilva leaves offered to Lord Shiva. Bhaktapriyananda explained the significance of the bilva leaf, dear to Lord Shiva for its cooling qualities. Chanting was done while

bilva leaves were offered to Lord Shiva. Following this all were given the opportunity to offer this sacred leaf to Sri Anandeshwara. The unique and hard to find opportunity of being able to offer auspicious Bilva leaves, especially on Shivrathri day to the Shiva Linga, kept the devotees struck with awe and wonder. Enchanting Shiva bhajans played in the background. Devotees already immersed in the aura of the room enjoyed a realm of bliss. One of the devotees who were coming to the temple for first time exclaimed, "I feel like I'm in heaven!" The curtains closed and soon revealed darshan of Sri Anandeshwara as the jala tatwa, the water element. Dressed in bilva leaves and accompanied by the music of running fountain water, devotees and visitors were again treating to another astounding darshan. Once again the curtains closed and preparation for the last abhisekam and alankar. For this abhishekam, Anna Abhishekam was performed with handfuls of rice that had been collected from 1008 homes. In addition, 1008 food items were offered to Sri Anandeshwara. Once completed, the curtains closed again to prepare for the privthvi tatwa, earth element, alankar. Life Bliss Meditation was performed by devotees and visitors in the early morning as the last alankar was completed. Soon, the curtains opened to reveal the final abhishekam of Shiva Rathri adorned by abundant, colorful fruits. Guru Puja was perforrmd and all received delicious fruit prasad.

Community/California

India Post

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February 26, 2010

Marwahas celebrate 60th wedding anniversary

A fight for Sikhs in Texas curriculum India Post News Service

AUSTIN, Texas: Over the past eight months, the Sikh Coalition has partnered with Texas Sikhs to press the state to include information on Sikhs in the mandatory state-wide public school curriculum. After months of intense work, the Coalition has reported that a preliminary draft of the new curriculum standards requires information on Sikhs be taught. However, the curriculum standards have not yet been finalized and adopted. In addition, the Coalition believes that more sections of the draft curriculum should include information on Sikhs. The curriculum standards will be formally adopted in May 2010. During the spring of 2009, the Coalition identified Texas as a critical state to include information on Sikhs into its curriculum. Why Texas? Textbook manufacturers often include information required by big states, like Texas, because they represent the largest book markets. Moreover, Texas just began the process of adopting new social studies curriculum standards. This process only occurs once every 10 years. Over the summer, the Coalition and the Sikh Research Institute conducted an exhaustive review of over 120 pages of the Texas state curriculum standards. After the review, the Coalition drafted proposed language that would require information on Sikhs be taught in Texas public schools. In July and September, the Coalition's Education Director vis-

ited Dallas, Houston, Austin, and San Antonio to explain the project and request the sangat's support. With the help of Manpreet K. Singh, Moni Katial, Izhaarbir Singh, Harpal Singh, Muntek Singh, Preeti Singhnarula, Komal K. Suri, Jagmit Singh, Aman Sangha, Rubinder Kaur, Moninder Chadha, Harmandeep Singh Wadhwa, and Juspreet Kaur, over 400 Texan Sikhs wrote letters to the Board of Education urging them to include information on Sikhi into their standards. In November, the Coalition's

The curriculum standards have not yet been finalized and adopted. In addition, the Coalition believes that more sections of the draft curriculum should include information on Sikhs Education Director, along with several local Sikhs, testified at a Board of Education meeting in support of adding information on Sikhs in the curriculum. These efforts led to the current draft of the curriculum standards that includes Sikhism in two areas: 6th grade and World Geography. Nevertheless, there are two areas in World History where all major world religions are studied, but do not currently include Sikhism. This was contrary to the Coalition's recommendations.

JS BEDI India Post News Service

LOS ANGELES: Senior Community Elder and Philanthropist Dr Amarjit Marwaha and Mrs Marwaha celebrated their 60th Wedding anniversary with friends and family during the Valentine's Day weekend. Sat 13 Feb was lunch on board a boat off Marina Del Ray whereas Sunday was at the Marwaha Ranch in Malibu where there was Akhand Path and Guru Ka Langar. Dr Marwaha is a pioneer of community service and has been a trailblazer in community service since the 50s. Widely respected and revered as an elder and mentor, Dr Marwaha is known for his generosity and humble demeanor. Not to be left behind, Kuljit Kaur has always supported her husband in his service to the community and like the good Doctor she too is loved and revered by everybody. We all wish Dr Amarjit Singh Marwaha and Sardarni Kuljit Kaur Marwah many happy years ahead.

Community/California OC Board of Supervisors VC Help your community - be counted endorses Harry Sidhu

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February 26, 2010

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Contâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d from page 16

India Post News Service

that are strangling businesses as they try to grow and create jobs. He is the only candidate with the real world experience we need to improve the economy and create jobs in Orange County. I am proud to give him my endorsement and support." Long considered one of Orange

Vice Chairman Bill Campbell's endorsement comes on the heels of recent campaign finance reports, where Harry Sidhu's campaign finished 2009 with over $210,000 cash on hand County's most influential leaders, Vice Chairman Campbell was first elected to the Board of Supervisors in 2003. He served two terms as Chairman of the Board of Supervisors. From 1996 to 2002, Campbell served in the California

State Assembly, where he served as Assembly Republican Leader. "I am honored to have Bill Campbell's endorsement and support," Sidhu stated. "We share common business sense in finding solutions for streamlining government." "Harry Sidhu is quickly outpacing potential opponents for this open seat," said Sidhu spokesman Tim Clark. "With strong fundraising totals in what is a difficult year to raise money, Harry is already well positioned for victory." Mayor Pro Tem Harry Sidhu was first elected to the Anaheim City Council in 2004 and was overwhelmingly re-elected to a second term in 2008. On the council, he quickly established a reputation as a tough-minded advocate for streamlined, efficient government and as a champion of small business. Harry also ensured the protection of property rights through the successful passage of a City Charter Amendment prohibiting eminent domain abuse. As a local business owner, he employs over 120 people with sales of close to $5 million a year.

In the past, Indian organizations played a significant role in spreading the Census message. They created grassroots outreach efforts geared toward reaching every segment of the Indian population. However, the community activists and cultural, social and religious organization heads cannot and should not take past achievements for granted. During the last few years, many Indian American regional, ethnic and professional organizations have gained more visibility, recognition and respectability and can play a major role in Census 2010. The leaders of all Indian American organizations, national or local, religious or social, political or professional, should band together to increase awareness about the census and work towards full participation of Indian Americans. They need to create awareness and highlight the benefits about the upcoming census count and provide leadership in addressing the Census issue on timely basis. The community activists will be failing in their responsibility if they do not educate and encourage

members of the Indian American community for one hundred percent response to the Census questionnaire. They should identify and convince those who are hesitant or holdouts, and ensure that they stand up to be counted. They must understand that their objective is clearly defined, a full enu-

The leaders of all Indian American organizations, national or local, religious or social, political or professional, should band together to increase awareness meration of people of Indian origin. Any inaction and timidity in pursuing that objective boldly and vigorously can result in less than deserved local community financing, representation and services for next ten years. Inder Singh is Chairman of Global Organization of People of Indian Origin (GOPIO), past president of NFIA and founder/President of FIA, Southern California.

Horoscope

20 India Post

February 26, 2010

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ARIES Mar 21-Apr 20 You will gain wisdom and hear encouraging words from an old friend. Business will improve and things will be more relaxing at work. You will be working closely with a very smart and young person. You may take family out to a nice place for lunch. Opponents will keep trying but will fail. You may make big money through stocks also.

LEO Jul 23-Aug 22 You will have several choices some of them will be confusing. You will be competing for a prestigious position. It will be slightly better week for brokers. Guidance from a trusted person will steer you towards right direction. Spouse may feel exhausted and need extra vitamins. You will be invited to a small party by some one close.

SAGITTARIUS

February 26 to March 4

Nov 23-Dec 22 In order to move closer to your goals, you will need to shake hands with opponents. You will have better luck with stocks this week. Mind will lean towards religion and you may visit a holy place after long interval. You may take family out to a nice place for dinner. There will be some positive developments in ongoing litigation.

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Lessons from experience

am 57 years old and this is what I have learnedâ&#x20AC;Ś 1. Take into consideration that great achievement involves great risk. 2. Don't let a little dispute injure a great relationship. 3. Share the good things that you know and have learned. It's a way to achieve immortality. 4. Place great importance upon your marriage, there are few things in this world more beautiful and fulfilling than a wonderful marriage. A loving and respectful marriage can be the foundation for the remainder of your life. 5. Live a good honorable life. Then when you get older and think back, you will be able to enjoy it a second time. 6. One of the ways you can judge your success is by what you had to give up in order to get it. 7. Be gentle with the earth. The web of life is interwoven, and

all things are connected. What we do to the web, we do to ourselves. 8. Once a year go someplace you have never been before. 9. When you lose, don't lose the lesson. 10. Learn the rules so you know how to break them gently. 11. When you realize you made a mistake, take immediate steps to correct it. 12. Remember that sometimes silence is the best answer. 13. In disagreements with family and loved ones, deal only with the current situation. Do not bring up the past. 14. Open your arms to change, but don't let go of your values. 15. Finally, spend a little time alone every day, just to think and reflect. Steven J. Belmonte President and CEO Hospitality Solutions, LLC, Windermere, FL

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

TAURUS Apr 21-May 20 Expect few more positive developments at work. Presentation will go well and you will earn lots of respect. Soon you will be assigned to an important desk. You may dispose off recently purchased stocks and pocket the profit. A child will also need attention and your help. You will be doing some cleaning in or around the property.

VIRGO Aug 23-Sept 22 You will try to confront the problems head on rather than dodging them anymore. Take second opinion or talk to a friend before you finalize anything. Money will come at a slow pace. You may also recover part payment for money long overdue. Some one in the family will leave for a short trip. You may also pay a visit to a holy place.

CAPRICORN Dec 23-Jan 19 Expect some interesting developments at work. Opportunity will benefit you financially for a long time. A big refund is also on its way to you. Money will go on buying some beautiful items for the house. You may start looking for another vehicle also. You may be in touch with a trusted friend for some advice.

GEMINI May 21-Jun 20 You may have to take a trip on a very short notice. Financial pressure will continue to build up again. You will ultimately get the response from other side. Your vehicle may need little repair work. There will be sudden improvement in ongoing overseas projects. You will make good use of time on hands and finish important paperwork.

LIBRA Sept 23-Oct 22 Gather little more information before you make the commitment. Deal is good and so is the asking price. Get together will bring you in contact with someone who will be interested in your ideas and plans. Spouse will buy some beautiful but expensive items for the house. A child not doing so well in the past will be on track.

AQUARIUS Jan 20-Feb 18 You will spend money on entertaining others and even buy some valuable gifts. You will easily convince others to be a part of your new venture. Do not take a chance with uncertain weather and carry enough warm cloths. People involved in research work will see sudden success. Some one close will invite you at his place.

CANCER Jun 21-Jul 22 You will put all worries aside and try to enjoy life to maximum. A new friend will bring lots of motivation and inspirations to life. Money wise you will continue to stay comfortable and change your mind about buying a business or investing in a property. Some of you may need small doses of blood pressure medicine for a short period.

SCORPIO Oct 23-Nov 22 It will be a favorable time for job seekers as you will be called for second interview and offered the chance immediately. Long awaited clearance will also come from a government agency. Go through papers twice before you mail them out as there are few errors in them. You will keep changing your mind about an overdue trip.

PISCES Feb 19-Mar 20 Developments will take you towards a brighter future. A social event will take you closer to someone from past. You will meet all financial commitments on time and still have some left. You will try to steal some time from busy schedule for children also. Spouse will put stamp on your plans. Victory becomes visible in legal matters.

Realty Tidbits

Vascon to develop non-major airports in India

Real Estate

ascon Engineers, an engi neering, procurement and construction (EPC) services and real estate development company, plans to develop non-major airports in India with foreign joint venture partners, a top company official said. “We plan to develop upcoming airports in the country with foreign JV partners. This will add value to our propositions,” Vascon Engineers chairman and managing director, R Vasudevan, told PTI. The company is also interested in various government and low-cost housing projects, including slum area development in the country, he said.

Teaser rates fail to attract buyers

anks' teaser rate offers for home loans have failed to attract new borrowers. These schemes offer a low fixed interest rate for the first few years and a floating rate after that. Latest data released by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) show that during the 12 months up to November 20, 2009, flow of housing loans went up by 7.3 per cent, or Rs 19,820 crore. In contrast, growth in nonfood credit was 10.4 per cent. Data from rating agency Icra shows similar trends. Between the end of March and the end of December 2009, the home loan portfolio of banks and housing finance companies grew 8.7 per cent to Rs 4,13,700 crore (see table). According to RBI data, between the end of March and December, bank credit grew 8.8 per cent.

PVR calls off deal with DLF Cinema

ultiplex operator PVR and real estate major DLF have decided to end the deal involving the sale of the cinema exhibition business of DT Cinemas Ltd, a DLF group firm. Sources said the deal has been called off as DLF could not meet the terms of the deal. They, however, added that the parties may reconsider the deal if the market improves. DLF officials confirmed to DNA Money the development but declined to provide further information on the issue. DLF's share price has fallen in the last few weeks since the companies announced the deal last November, while the PVR stock has climbed.

21 India Post

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February 26, 2010

Demand boost may raise prices

ome prices may remain firm or inch up slightly in metros such as Delhi and Mumbai and their suburbs despite an expected rise in interest rates as demand picks up once again on the back of renewed activity on the employment front, bankers and realty players said. However, they felt that prices at extended suburbs such as Greater Noida and Manesar near Delhi and Navi Mumbai, along with tier-II and tier-III townships will remain under pressure due to over supply of housing, lack of connectivity and paucity of jobs in such locations.

Real Estate and infrastructure sectors expect stimulus from Budget

he global economic melt down radically impacted the infrastructure and realestate sectors, reminisces K. T. Chandy, Senior tax professional, Ernst & Young. The decline in demand, the supply excesses, and the high debt position of most Indian developers were some of the factors that contributed to the decline of the real-estate sector over the last two years, he adds, during a recent pre-Budget email interaction with Business Line. The Budget should come up with measures that can offer the much-needed stimulus to the real estate and infrastructure sectors for sustaining broad-based and inclusive growth, Chandy argues. The fiscal stimulus packages introduced by the Government did help the sectors achieve greater liquidity level, but did little to improve retail demand. It is impor-

tant that the sectors continue to receive Government support through tax policy, which will help the sectors move firmly towards the path of economic recovery. Budget 2009 surprisingly had very few proposals that directly benefited the sector despite the fact that the global crisis was at

The fiscal stimulus packages introduced by the Government did help the sectors achieve greater liquidity level, but did little to improve retail demand. It is important that the sectors continue to receive Government support through tax policy its peak and the real estate and infrastructure sectors were more badly affected than most other sectors. The sectors are hopeful that this time around, the Finance Minister will be more responsive

Ceiling on foreign investment doubled A

month and a half before the unveiling of India's consolidated foreign investment policy, the government has doubled the ceiling on automatic foreign investment from Rs 600 crore to Rs 1,200 crore. Union commerce minister Anand Sharma, who announced the decision, said the move is expected to make India a more attractive destination for long-term investment. Under the current rules, longterm investments into most Indian sectors are 'red-tape free', subject to a cap on the amount of money invested. "We have got a good response from companies and investors, both from India and abroad," he said, referring to his Christmaseve invitation for suggestions from the public on simplifying foreign investment policy. Sharma also announced that existing investors need not seek the government's nod for incremental investments in sectors where a fresh investor would not be required to do so. Similarly, a single no-objection certificate from business part-

to the needs of the sector. The reintroduction of direct and indirect tax incentives would go a long way in meeting the current challenges faced by these sectors. On affordable housing The resurgence of the affordable housing segment has resulted in a winwin situation for developers in

ners would be enough for all subsequent investments of a company into India, he said. For calculating the investment, the government will look at actual capital inflow rather than the projected cost of the project, he said. The simplifications are seen as the result of the feedback given by the industry on the complexities of the existing policy. Sharma had, in December last year, urged companies and investors to give their suggestions on simplification and consolidation of India's foreign investment rules. Sharma said that long-term foreign investment (FDI) into India has remained at levels comparable to the year before. December saw inflows of $1.5 billion, taking the ninemonth total to $20.9 billion against $21.2 during the same period a year ago. FDI flows, a signal of longterm confidence in India's economic future, have remained flat for the last three years at around $35 billion even as the country moved up to top 3 in international ratings on investment friendliness.

terms of improving demand, for consumers in terms of affordable real-estate, and for the Government in terms of meeting its objectives of providing quality housing to the population at large. Given that the margins derived from the affordable housing segment are lower than the mid to luxury segments, the Government would do well to re-introduce the tax holiday available for low-cost housing that had lapsed on March 31, 2008. On sops for infrastructure projects On the infrastructure front, presently, a tax holiday is available for profits from infrastructure projects such as roads, highways, water supply projects, ports, airports and so on. Budget 2010 should extend the scope of the tax holiday to include projects involving development of integrated townships, which we believe will certainly provide a fillip

to such large developments. Further, while several infrastructure projects are eligible for tax holidays, the same projects are liable to tax under the Minimum Alternate Tax (MAT) provisions. This besides being inequitable has an adverse impact on cash-flows. It would be a welcome relief, therefore, if such infrastructure projects were exempted both from normal corporate tax provisions and the MAT provisions in accordance with the spirit of the policy to exempt projects with long gestation periods. On service tax woes The abolition of service tax on commercial real estate would also be welcome relief to the real-estate sector and for consumers of such real estate. Currently there exists quite some uncertainty on whether the levy is applicable given judicial precedent on this issue. While the tax office seems to be enforcing the collection of such service tax on rentals, a legislative amendment doing away with the levy would help significantly reduce litigation on this matter. On other policy measures to improve liquidity and as a matter of policy, the Government may consider broad-basing the external commercial borrowing (ECB) regulations to include other eligible real estate borrowers to tap overseas debt opportunities besides integrated townships, which is currently permitted. This would help the infrastructure/ real estate community invest into new projects and would give the sector sufficient time to repay the loans.

1 Noor E Khuda - My Name Is Khan

6 Phir Se - Toh Baat Pakki!

2 Taali - Veer

7 Tu Jo Jaan Le - Dulha Mil Gaya

3 Zoobi Doobi - 3 Idiots

8 Hey Ya! - Karthik Calling Karthik

4 Dil To Bachcha Hai - Ishqiya

9 Maa Tera Jaisa - Bolo Raam

5 Just Do It - Chance Pe Dance

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February 26, 2010

10 Remote Ko Baahar Phek - Rann

anbir Kapoor and Deepika Padukone looked great in Bachna Ae Haseeno, but weren't paired thereafter. Reportedly, with their personal equations undergoing a change, the actors have decided against working together. "Completely untrue," Deepika sets the record straight, "I would love to work with Ranbir. And Ranbir is a professional too. These are mere rumors and shouldn't be entertained." So why haven't the duo signed any film together? "Ranbir and I have decided that till such time we aren't offered a script that inspires us, we won't work to-

gether. I am keen to work with him. So is he. We looked great in Bachna Ae Haseeno," she says. While Deepika started her career with 'seniors' like SRK (Om Shanti Om), Akshay Kumar (Chandni Chowk To China) and Saif Ali Khan (Love Aaj Kal), she's now cast alongside Gen X actors - Abhishek Bachchan (Khele Hum Jee Jaan Se), Farhan Akhtar (Karthik Calling Karthik), Neil Nitin Mukesh (Yash Raj's untitled film) and Imran Khan (Break Ke Baad). Incidentally, she will have as many as five releases this year, if you count the above-mentioned four films as also House Full, which teams Akshay and Deepika again. "Yes, 2010 is an eventful year for me. I hope to live up to the expectations that people have from me, after Love Aaj Kal," she smiles.

Khan says it in German

hahrukh Khan's movie My Name Is Khan opened at Berlin Film Festival and to everybody's utter astonishment all the tickets, which were auctioned for price Euro 1000 (Rs 60,000 approx) on eBay, were sold out in five seconds. Such was the response for the SRK starrer film in Germany. So, the King Khan who is, as usual, good in pleasing his fans with wit, humor and sometimes intellect tried to learn some German during his stay in Berlin. Though he admits that he is not good in learning new languages. SRK tweets, "'Ich liebe oish' is the second thing I learnt in Germany. They said 'oish' means all... as in 'I love you all'. Not good with languages. Just about make it in Hindi and English. But I know so many people who pick up languages so fast. It astounds me." At the press conference in Berlin, he said about his German fans: "I don't call them fans because that would be one-sided and I love them as much, they are family."

hey undoubtedly make the most beautiful couple in Bollywood. Even after nine years of marriage and two kids, Hrithik Roshan and Suzanne Khan are very much in love. And that shows, of all places, on Twitter! The star couple has started tweeting about each other. Hrithik recently introduced Suzanne to Twitter and wrote, "Friends, please welcome my wife, my friend, my lover, the coolest, the purest, the exotic Sussanne to twitterland!! Give Love tweeple!!!" Suzanne, who now has some free time for herself as her sons, Hrehaan and Hridaan are grown up, seems quite interested in tweeting. And she tweets, "So many brains, so many hearts, so many souls all connected thru 149 charcters..wow what a wndrful tworld..gnite all w lov in my heart!!" She even loves to write about her husband's work, "So inspired when I see my Hrithik working.. (he) has the eye of the tiger.. no stopping till he gets it perfect and only because he loves you (the public) all too much." In turn, Hrithik replied, "Stop it Sussanne, stop complimenting me in twublic! But thanks, felt good". We wish some other B-town couples do open up like them!

Roshan(i) in

Twitter

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February 26, 2010

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ino Morea has had a reputation of a bad lover boy in our tinsel town having a series of linkups right from Bipasha Basu, Lara Dutta to Nandini Mahtani. Kangana Ranaut too had linkups and ugly breakups with Aditya Pancholi and Adhyayan Suman. Since, both these actors seems to be single at present nursing their wounds from the last breakup, they decided to fall into each other's arms for solace. The occasion was Sanjay and Manyata Dutt's second marriage anniversary where the duo had quite a good time mingling with each other. The eye witnesses say that despite this being their first meeting, both of them were very comfortable with each other and were chatting away intimately. Before leaving together, they hugged each other rather warmly with the peck on the cheek. The party had other hot celebrity guest too with the likes of Shilpa and Raj Kundra, Sunil and Mana Shetty, Fardeen and Natasha Khan, David Dhawan and wife Lalli, Kirron Kher and Amar Singh and so on.

ishal Bhardwaj had offered Imtiaz Ali a role in his Priyanka Chopra starrer 'Ek Batta Saat'. After discussing the film, Imtiaz initially had given the nod to do it. As a matter of fact, Imitaz earlier had been a theatre actor and played a cop in Anurag Kashyap's 'Black Friday' before he took to direction. Now, when the 'Love Aaj Kal' filmmaker heard that in the film he had to woo the actress by reciting romantic shaiyiri (read poems), Imtiaz immediately backed out. He was feeling too shy at the very thought of romancing Priyanka on screen. Vishal tried to convince Imtiaz that he would fit the bill because of his looks, but Imtiaz politely turned down the offer. In Ek Batta Saat, Priyanka plays love interest of seven men. While John Abraham, Arshad Warsi, Mohan Lal and Naseeruddin Shah are among them, other cast is yet to be finalized.

Shy

Imtiaz

ame and fame seems to have gone to Shahid Kapur's head. Shahid has established a niche in Bollywood and is now intervening in all works of the debutante director Parmeet Sethi who is directing Shahid Kapur in Aditya Chopra's 'Badmaash Company'. Intervening between the two and trying to establish peace between the two is filmmaker Aditya Chopra.

Shahid's tantrums Talking about the big tiff between the two, a source from the sets said, "Shahid was highly inquisitive and often questioned Parmeet's decisions on the sets. More often than not, Shahid wanted to be the one to decide whether a shot was okay or not. He always used to question Parmeet about why he was asking for so many retakes. Several times when Parmeet said 'Ek aur baar karte hain,' Shahid would demur because he felt he'd given a great shot."

riyanka Chopra is on a spree of firsts this year. After winning a national award recently for her role in "Fashion", the actress is now making a debut in an animated video in order to raise environment consciousness. Produced by Red Dot Productions, it is an attempt to inspire people to take action such as saving water and electricity, planting trees and reducing pollution, as a part of the NDTVToyota Greenathon Campaign. Priyanka who is also the ambassador of the campaign, is seen in a mix of animation and real life sequences in the video. Titled "Hawaaein, patte, paani", it has been penned by legendary lyricist Gulzar and composed by musician trio Shankar, Ehsaan and Loy. In the video, the actress shows a polluted, dry and barren landscape and is looking for a solution. As she finds it, a green sapling sprouts out of the cracked earth.

Priyanka's

video

Designer Sabah Mansoor (from Bangalore) showcasing her debut collections at Mercedes-Benz New York Fashion Week in Bryant Park on Feb 13

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Sabah's Fall 2010 collection finds basis in her knowledge of the traditional handicrafts of India and her sense of sculptural shape and design. In reference to the collection, she states, "I used the centuries-old traditions of knit and felt techniques to expand conceptual boundaries between art, craft and design. Cont’d on page 28

‘I used the centuriesold traditions of knit and felt techniques to expand conceptual boundaries between India Post News Service

NEW YORK: Sabah Mansoor Husain of Bangalore, India was one of the privileged designers to showcase her debut collection at the MercedesBenz New York Fashion Week at Bryant Park in Manhattan, Feb 13.

art, craft and design’

February 26, 2010

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My Name is Khan breaks box office records figure to $2,275,000. This makes the Karan Johar film the fastest Hindi film ever to break the $2 million mark beating the previous record of 5 days set in December by Aamir Khan's '3 Idiots', which

India Post News Service

NEW YORK: Karan Johar's much-hyped film My Name Is Khan (MNIK) broke the record for the largest opening weekend ever for a Hindi film in North America grossing an estimated $1.93 million in its first weekend, February 12-14. Starring Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol, the Fox Searchlight release averaged a stellar $16,158 from 120 theaters across the United States and Canada over three days. The film performed better than expected on Sunday, February 14, grossing $761,000 for a 4% increase over Saturday. The Sunday figure now ranks as the highest one-day gross ever for any Hindi-language film in North America. The Fox Searchlight release's revised opening weekend figure for February 12-

The film performed better than expected on Sunday, February 14, grossing $761,000 for a 4% increase over Saturday

14 now stands at $1,939,000 - a new all-time record for a Hindi film beating the $1,764,131 of Shah Rukh Khan's 2007 movie 'Om

Obama names Jhumpa Lahiri to key administration post

Shanti Om'. Theaters across the country have reported sold out shows and have had to turn moviegoers away.

South Asian comics take center stage on Broadway India Post News Service

Jhumpa Lahiri India Post News service

NEW YORK: Indian American author Jhumpa Lahiri is among six persons named by President Obama on Feb 5, to be appointed as members of the President's Committee on the Arts and the Humanities. The others individuals named, besides Lahiri, are Chuck Close, Fred Goldring, Sheila Johnson, Pamela Joyner, and Ken Solomon. President Obama said, "I am proud that these distinguished individuals will serve in my Administration. The arts and the humanities enhance the vibrancy of our society, inspire us and strengthen our democracy. I look forward to working with them in the weeks

and months ahead." Lahiri is a fiction writer whose debut collection of stories, Interpreter of Maladies, received the Pulitzer Prize, the PEN/Hemingway Award, the Addison M. Metcalf Award, and the New Yorker magazine's Debut of the Year. Her novel, The Namesake, which was made into a movie of the same name by Mira Nair, was a New York Times Notable Book, a finalist for the Los Angeles Times Book Prize, and was selected as one of the best books of the year by USA Today and Entertainment Weekly. Her latest story collection, Unaccustomed Earth, won the Frank O'Connor International Short Story Award and the VallombrosaGregor von Rezzori Prize.

My Name Is Khan is estimated to gross $336,000 on Monday, Presidents' Day, bringing the estimated four-day opening weekend

grossed $2,149,227 in its five-day opening over the Christmas holiday weekend. Khan also generated the highest per-theater average of any film in North American release the opening weekend.

NEW YORK: Caroline's on Broadway, America's premier comedy nightclub, has teamed up with Engendered, a transnational arts and human rights organization, to present a unique new live comedy show called Indophile that will feature the best and most diverse stand-up comedians of South Asian origin. Indophile will debut at Carolines on Broadway on Feb 24 and 25. Indophile shatters the boundaries created by race, gender, sexuality and religion to showcase hilarious contemporary comedy that brings marginalized South Asian voices into the mainstream. "Various forms of comedy have long used incendiary subjects to create outrage, and in the process, foster dialogue," says Myna Mukherjee, Founder and Executive Director of Engendered. "The tone of the show fits with the mission of our organization to raise awareness, break silences and impact perceptions around the issues of religion, race, gendered identities, stereotyping, bias and sexual choice, and further how those issues relate to the affirmation or violation of human rights." "As an openly gay South Asian comic, my actions, thoughts, and voice have all been marginalized," says Vidur Kapur, the comedian headlining Indophile. "Caroline's and Engendered are presenting us a unique opportunity to speak our minds on the grandest performance stage in the world." "South Asian comics continue

to make their indelible mark on mainstream American culture," says Louis Faranda, General Manager of Caroline's on Broadway. "We are so proud to diversify our acts and include the voices and talents of this under-explored region." The comedians performing at Indophile include Vidur Kapur, a gay Indian immigrant; Shazia Mirza, a British Pakistani; Hari Kondabolu, an Indo-American; Anu Kalra, an Indian American New Yorker; and Monrok, an Australian born Indo American. Additional comedians and South Asian

celebrities will be added to this bill. Caroline's on Broadway presents the best live comedy entertainment in a spacious, upscale environment seven days a week, 365 days a year. Engendered is a New Yorkbased transnational arts and human rights festival that brings together the best in contemporary South Asian cinema, visual arts and performance to explore the complex realities of gender and sexuality in modern South Asia, especially at the intersection of ritual and religion.

ICC, IPL cricket on DIRECTV India Post News Service

NEW YORK: All International Cricket Council (ICC) and Indian Premier League (IPL) cricket tournaments are now available exclusively on DIRECTV through CricketTicket® 2010 Season Offer. DIRECTV's CricketTicket®, the first year-long subscription TV package for international cricket, enables US audiences to catch all the International Cricket Council (ICC) tournaments, Indian Premier League (IPL) tournaments, Champions League Twenty20, Australian cricket, South African cricket, New Zealand cricket and other major cricket events only on DIRECTV. CricketTicket events also include the 2010 ICC World Twenty20 in West Indies, the 2010 IPL tournaments, the India Tour

of South Africa, Australia Tour of New Zealand and Champions League and the Zimbabwe tour of South Africa. CricketTicket is part of DIRECTV's International programming platform and is available for $299.99 or 3 payments of $100 per month for the full season. Individual matches can also be purchased á la carte and pricing varies depending on the specific game. CricketTicket is sold separately and requires an international-services capable dish and activation of any international service package along with a DIRECTV base package ($29.99/ mo. or above) or the basic choice package ($19.99/mo). Customers can receive more information on the package by calling 1-888-2440530 or visit southasiandirectv.com

26 India Post

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February 26, 2010

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Indian designer ramps up NY Fashion Week All pics by SnapsIndia

Contâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d from page 24

I drew strongly upon the traditional techniques of felting, Shibori and hand-embroidery to act as 'resists', and I combined wetfelting with knitted fabric to pur-

posefully create surfaces that marry these techniques and yet, are not defined by either." Sabah's knitwear collection combines an eclectic set of techniques derived from both craft and design. She drew from tradi-

tional methods of felting fabrics, crochet, hand embroidery and Shibori (a Japanese technique of dyeing a pattern by binding, stitching, folding, twisting or compressing fabric). Sabah also added jewel details to her en-

tirely black and charcoal collection. Inspired by chandeliers, she worked with an artisan in Firozabad, India developing the jewel-shaped crystals. According to the Academy of Art University's Fashion School

Daily Sabah entered the Academy of Art University for her MFA degree in Fashion and Knitwear Design, after receiving her BA degree in Textile Design from Bangalore's Srishti School of Art Design and Technology in 2005.

29 India Post

February 26, 2010

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Gangotri Mystical aura of origin of sacred river Ganges

Gangotri is a world renowned pilgrimage in India. It is the origin of the sacred river Ganges, attracts tourists in large numbers every year. The confrontation with the daunting rivers and attempts to unravel the mysteries of the supernatural world are ubiquitous sights here

e it man's urge to placate the gods above or to quench his desire for adventure, Gangotri is an ideal location. Gangotri is a world renowned pilgrimage in India. It is the origin of the sacred river Ganges, attracts tourists in large numbers every year. The confrontation with the daunting rivers and attempts to unravel the mysteries of the supernatural world are ubiquitous sights here. Along with the thrill of conquering nature, what one experiences here is the mystical aura that India is so famous for. The pilgrimage in India is couched in the magnificent Garhwal hills. Gangotri is at an altitude of 3048 meters above sea level. It is on the northernmost part of the state of Uttar Pradesh and is very near the Indo-Tibetan border. It is approximately 300 km from Dehradun, 250 km from Rishikesh and 105 km from Uttarkashi. The summers are relatively cool and winters are freezing cold, with rains in the months of May and June. For the devotees and tourists, the gates of the temple are open only from May to November. Like other pilgrimages in India, Gangotri too has a legend associated with it. According to an old legend, Lord Shiva rewarded King Bhagirath after his penance and Ganga came down to earth. However, due to her pride, and the fact that the earth would be devastated if Ganga came down in her full force, Lord Shiva caught her in his locks. It was then proclaimed that Goddess Uma or Parvati, Shiva's consort, would bathe in the Ganges daily and only then would she descend on the earth. Contâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d on page 32

Travel & Hospitality Post

India Post

February 26, 2010

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New entity in Kerala to promote tourism THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: In a bid to give thrust to tourism infrastructure development, Kerala Government has decided to form a new company that would focus on promoting private investments and take up Public Private Partnership (PPP) model projects.

The Tourism Resorts Kerala Ltd (TRKL), a subsidiary of Kerala Tourism Development Corporation, would be delinked from the parent company and reconstituted as Kerala Tourism Infrastructure and Investment Corporation Ltd, Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan told report-

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ers here. TRKL Managing Direct Mansoor said though the company in its present form was taking up tourism promotion projects, there was no focused attempt on its part on infrastructure development. Now the new company would

focus on infrastructure development, he said. TRKL had already initiated ten tourism projects in the tourist spot of Velli here with a total outlay of Rs 100 crores, he said. The tender process to identify private partner was progressing, Mansoor added. -PTI

Fiji invites medical tourism investments NEW DELHI: Fiji, an island nation, has invited Indian companies to invest in the country in sectors including health care and medical tourism. A Fiji delegation headed by Fiji Permanent Secretary for Health Salanieta Saketa was on a five-day visit to India aimed at exploring various business opportunities in health care, travel and tourism and medical tourism, the Federation of Indian Export Organizations said in a statement. Pointing out that Fiji is witness-

The island nation has also sought consultancy assistance in infrastructure sector and sourcing of medical equipment from Indian manufacturers

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ing lack of basic health care facilities in oncology, cardiology, joint replacement and diabetes, Saketa invited Indian companies to invest in their country. Besides, the island nation has also sought consultancy assistance in infrastructure sector and sourcing of medical equipment from Indian manufacturers. The bilateral trade between India and Fiji stood at USD 91.07 million in 2008-09. –PTI

Gujarat tourists to get liquor permits at airport AHMEDABAD: To bolster tourism, the Gujarat government has started issuing liquor permits to people coming from outside the state at the airport, a minister said here. Gujarat, where prohibition policy is in place, has seen tourists flow dipping over the years as compared to other states, mainly due to unavailability of liquor here. "We have started the facility to issue liquor permits from the domestic airport for those coming from outside the state from February 15," Minister for Tourism Jaynarayan Vyas said. "Any person who does not belong to Gujarat can avail the permit for liquor on demand after arrival at the airport," Principal Secretary Tourism Vipul Mitra said. The permit entitles a person to buy liquor from five select leading hotels having bar facilities, a tourism department official said. -PTI

Travel & Hospitality Post

February 26, 2010

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Nepal to launch Tourism Year campaign KATHMANDU: To boost its ailing tourism industry, Nepal is set to launch Tourism Year 2011 campaign to attract one million tourists, including more than 250,000 Indians, almost double from the last year. Nepal currently receives 140,000 Indian tourists by air and the country aims to attract 265,000 Indians next year. Nepal Tourism Year (NTY) campaign will officially be launched on February 26. Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal will lead a rally of over 50,000 people including political leaders, diplomats, tourism entrepreneurs, journalists and government officials to kick off the campaign. "India and China are the major tourist markets for Nepal and we expect to receive 265,000 tourists from India and 100,000 from China next year," said Tourism Ministry Secretary Nagendra Prasad Ghimire. Last year Nepal registered 1.1 per cent growth in its tourism in-

flow as compared to previous year. "In January the arrival was encouraging as some 19 per cent growth was registered," Subhash Niraula, director of Nepal Tourism board, said.

The recently signed Air Service Agreement between Nepal and India during President Ram Baran Yadav's visit to New Delhi will also help to boost Nepal's tourism which is regarded as the backbone of the national economy Besides increasing air seat capacity, developing new products and upgrading infrastructure, Nepal is also encouraging home stay in urban and rural areas to fulfill the growing demands of ac-

commodation targeting the NTY, he said. Nepal's tourism entrepreneurs have asked all political parties not to strike to make the NTY a success, said Yogendra Shakya, a leading tourism entrepreneur, who is also the coordinator of the Nepal Tourism Year steering committee. Unified CPN Maoist chief Prachanda and top leaders of other major political parties like Nepali Congress and CPN-UML have assured that they would sign a commitment paper not to call strike and agitation during the entire year for the sake of tourism promotion, he said. The frequent strikes have badly effected the development of tourism in the country. The recently signed Air Service Agreement between Nepal and India during President Ram Baran Yadav's visit to New Delhi will also help to boost Nepal's tourism which is regarded as the backbone of the national economy, experts pointed out at the program. -PTI

US firm to set up super specialty hospital BHUBANESWAR: US-based Euthenic Group Consortium has expressed interest to set up a 1,000-bed super specialty hospital in Orissa at an investment of Rs 1,500 crore, official sources said. A delegation of the consortium met Orissa's health and family welfare minister Prasanna Acharya here and discussed the proposed project.

The team led by its director told the state government that the proposed project would be completed within 18 to 24 months after getting the required land for the purpose. The project, which was said to boost health tourism in the state, would require 100 acre of land, they said. -PTI

India Post

Travel & Hospitality Post

February 26, 2010

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Gangotri: Mystical aura of origin of sacred river Ganges Contâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d from page 29

The sacred stone near the temple denotes the place where Ganga first came down to earth. This is why Ganga is also called by the name of Bhagirathi. Tourist attractions: The shrine of Gangotri is around three centuries old. It was renovated in the 20th century and is a 20-feet high structure of white granite. During the winters the statue is taken to Mukhimath village for six months,

nearby is the Gaumukh (literal meaning, cow's mouth) glacier, which is at an altitude of 4200 meters above sea level. It is the geographical origin of the Ganges and is at a distance of 18 km from Gangotri uphill. The Ganges is called the Bhagirathi here. At a distance of 28 km from Gangotri is Cheedvasa, where one can pick up local artifacts. Bhojvasa, at a distance of 22 km, is an ideal camping site. Nandanvan is a 6-km tough trekking route along the glacier and gives a view of the Shivling. Across the snout of the Gangotri glacier is the sylvan Tapovan, which is known for its exquisite verdure encircling the base of the Shivling peak. From here, one can go to Vasuki Tal,

Gaumukh glacier is the geographical origin of the Ganges and is at a distance of 18 km from Gangotri uphill. The Ganges is called the Bhagirathi here

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where it is worshipped. There is a natural rock Shivling (Shiva worshipped in his phallic form, as the originator of life) as well. It is called the Jalamagna Shivling. This is the place where Lord Shiva received Ganga in his locks. It is visible only during winters. Places around: The most famous site

Kalindikhal, at a height of 5590 meters and reach Badrinath. On route Uttarkashi, at a distance of 9 km from Gangotri, is the Bhairon Valley, at the confluence of the rivers Bhagirathi and Jat Ganga and is famous for its temple dedicated to Bhairavnath. Also on the same route is Dayara, at a distance of 90 km from Gangotri via Bhatwadi, which is a newly

Gaumukh (Gangotri glaciaer)

developed snow sports complex. At a distance of 53 km from Gangotri is the place known for its hot water springs, Gangnani, which is at an altitude of 1855 meters above sea level. At a distance of 97 km from Gangotri is the pilgrimage spot of Uttarkashi. It is known for its Vishwanath and Kuteti Devi temples. Harsil is 25 km from Gangotri and is perched at a height of 2620 meters above sea level. It is well known for its resorts. There is the Wilson Cottage, built in 1864, which is often visited. Sat Tal or the seven lakes is a wonderful sight and is near the village Dharali (20 km).

Where to stay: There are no lavish lodging facilities at Gangotri. One can find government tourist guesthouses, PWD inspection bungalows, forest guesthouses, Garhwal Vikas Mandal Nigam's (GMVN) travelers' lodges, dharamshalas, ashrams and other small lodges. The available is by and large vegetarian and liquor is neither available nor encouraged. How to reach Air - The nearest airport is that of Jolly Grant, which is approximately 270 km from Gangotri, via Rishikesh. Rail - The nearest railway station is Rishikesh, to which one can get trains from Dehradun and Delhi.

February 26, 2010

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In Brief Groups ask ID lawmakers to dump bills BOISE, Idaho: Immigrant advocacy groups want Idaho lawmakers to dump three bills targeting illegal workers and companies that employ them, on grounds such reform should be left to the federal government. Catholic Charities of Idaho and the Idaho Community Action Network were among critics of the bills at a press conference. The strictest of the measures pending in the Idaho Legislature, sponsored by Sen. Mike Jorgenson of Hayden Lake, would require companies to use the federal E-Verify system and would suspend a business's license if it were caught knowingly hiring illegal workers. -AP

Ariz. Senate approves immigration bill PHOENIX: The Arizona Senate has approved a sweeping bill to strengthen immigration enforcement laws. The measure passed the Senate 17-13. Scottsdale Republican Carolyn Allen joined Democrats in opposing the measure sponsored by Mesa Republican Sen. Russell Pearce. It now goes to the House. Pearce's bill would ban police departments from adopting policies that prevent officers from asking people about their immigration status. The bill also would make it a state crime to be in Arizona illegally or to transport or conceal an illegal immigrant. And it seeks to curb day-labor employment by making it a crime for an illegal immigrant to solicit work in a public place or for anyone to hire someone from a vehicle. -AP

Wet Arizona winter leads to more border deaths TUCSON, Ariz.: An unusually wet winter in Arizona this year has been lethal for illegal immigrants crossing from Mexico into the United States, with nine people dying from hypothermia since November. The same number of immigrants died of hypothermia during the previous three winters combined. ``When you are wet, your risk is a lot higher,'' said Dr. Bruce Parks, chief medical examiner at the Pima County Medical Examiner's Office. ``Wet clothing takes the heat away from the body. You've lost that insulation your body can't react.'' -AP

Immigration 35

India Post

February 26, 2010

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Oz court lenient to teens who attacked Indians MELBOURNE: Two teenage brothers, who spent less than a year in youth detention for a brutal racial attack on a group of Indians which left one of the victims with permanent brain injuries, will not spend any further time in custody, an Australian court ruled here. Victorian County court judge Christine Thornton said the 12month detention order for the brothers, now aged 17 and 18 respectively, by the Children's Court last year over the 2008 incident, was lenient but should stand because of the delay in bringing an appeal against the sentence, AAP reported. Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) had appealed against the sentence given by the Children's

Court, with Chief Crown prosecutor Gavin Silbert, SC, describing it as "manifestly inadequate". However, judge Thornton confirmed the pair's original sentence, saying though the punishment was lenient,

tenced the duo, who was not identified, to the same 12-month term, for which they got early parole. The brothers had in December 2008 carried out an unprovoked attack in an Indian convenience

‘I consider the sentences imposed were lenient for what can only be regarded as serious offending,’ Thornton said and re-sentenced the duo to the same 12-month term, for which they got early parole the brothers' rehabilitation would be impeded if they were again detained. "I consider the sentences imposed were lenient for what can only be regarded as serious offending," Thornton said and re-sen-

store in Sunshine, where eight men were injured, including one who spent 15 days in coma and was left with permanent brain injuries. The re-sentencing was delayed by some hours because the older youth

turned up nearly an hour late and his brother 20 minutes late. At two prior hearings, they were both at least 20 minutes late but the judge took no action against them, the report said. Thornton said she took a number of sentencing considerations into account, including the need to protect the public, but the law said rehabilitation of young offenders was the most important. The judge said the youths were remorseful for the attack. She also said the victim with brain injuries would continue to suffer from the bashing. "The effects on him have been profound and this is a serious example of the offence," she said. Cont’d on page 37

Controversial memo on employer-employee relationships CYRUS D. MEHTA

onald Neufeld, Associate Director for US Citi zenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Operations, released a memorandum on January 8, 2010, that provides guidance concerning the requirement that an H-1B petitioner establish that an employer-employee relationship exists and will continue to exist with the beneficiary throughout the duration of the requested H-1B validity period. The memo states that a lack of guidance clearly defining what constitutes a valid employer-employee relationship has "raised problems," particularly with independent contractors, self-employed beneficiaries, and beneficiaries placed at third-party worksites. Mr Neufeld notes that the placement of a beneficiary/employee at a worksite that is not operated by the petitioner/employer (third-party placement), common in some industries, "generally makes it more difficult to assess whether the requisite employer-employee relationship exists and will continue to exist. Among other things, petitioner control over the beneficiary must be established when

the beneficiary is placed into another employer's business and is expected to become a part of that business's regular operations, the memo notes. "The requisite control may not exist in certain instances when the petitioner's business is to provide its employees to fill vacancies in businesses that contract with the petitioner for personnel needs. Such placements are likely to re-

trol." The memo states that the employer-employee relationship hinges on the right to control the beneficiary, and outlines 11 factors USCIS will consider to make such determinations. The memo also provides examples of valid and invalid employer-employee relationships; exceptions; documentation to establish the employer-employee relationship; and requests for evidence.

On January 20, 2010, US Immigration and Customs Enforcement released an updated list of schools approved under the Student and Exchange Visitor Program quire close review in order to determine if the required relationship exists," the memo warns. Further, the memo notes, USCIS must ensure that the employer is in compliance with Department of Labor regulations requiring that a petitioner file a labor condition application (LCA) specific to each location where the beneficiary will be working. The memo includes a discussion of the "right to control" when, where, and how the beneficiary performs the job, which the memo distinguishes from "actual con-

The memo, has stirred controversy (see e.g., cyrusmehta.blogspot.com). SSA fails to verify 19 percent of new hires In a recent 18-month period, the Social Security Administration (SSA) failed to verify the Social Security Numbers of 19 percent, or 1,767 of 9,311 new SSA employees, as required. In other cases examined by the SSA's Office of the Inspector General, the SSA improperly E-Verified volunteers who should not have been screened under federal guidelines, and inap-

propriately screened some candidates in advance of hire. SSA agreed with the Inspector General's recommendations, including verifying the 1,767 workers and issuing guidance to remind staff to: (1) verify all new hires; (2) conduct verification queries within three business days after a new employee has reported for duty and both sections of the I-9 employment eligibility verification form have been completed; and (3) prohibit the verification of existing SSA employees, job candidates, and volunteers. The Inspector General's report is available at http:// www.ssa.gov/oig/ADOBEPDF/ A-03-09-29154.pdf. ICE updates list of SEVP-approved schools On January 20, 2010, US Immigration and Customs Enforcement released an updated list of schools approved under the Student and Exchange Visitor Program. The list is available at http:/ /www.ice.gov/doclib/sevis/pdf/ ApprovedSchools.pdf. * Cyrus D Mehta, may be contacted at 212-425-0555 or info@cyrusmehta.com

Immigration Post

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February 26, 2010

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Five Muslims jailed up to 28 years over Australia terror plot MELBOURNE: Five Muslim extremists have been jailed up to 28 years by an Australian court for plotting violent attacks to protest the country's involvement in "War on Terror" in Afghanistan and Iraq. New South Wales Supreme Court Justice Anthony Whealy handed out the sentence to the five men who cannot be named and who had been found guilty in October 2008 for stockpiling arms and explosives and chemical and bomb making manuals for attacks on unspecified targets. Justice Whealy, who presided over the trial since November 2008, said the involvement of the five had been proved beyond reasonable doubt.

"There is no reason to doubt that if the law agencies had not intervened, their plan would have come to fruition in early 2006 or thereabouts," the judge said while

The men were found guilty last October on charges of plotting terrorist acts between July 2004 and November 2005 delivering the verdict in Australia's biggest terrorist conspiracy. Four of the accused of Lebanese descent and the fifth one were handed maximum jail terms

ranging from 23 to 28 years with the shortest non-parole period being 17 years. After the sentences were pronounced, all five broke into smiles. Two men shouted from the back of the court in Arabic: "Be patient. Allah is with you." The men were found guilty last October on charges of plotting terrorist acts between July 2004 and November 2005. During the trial, an associate of the suspect had testified that the group had planned bombings at Australian rules football final in 2005 which was to be attended by over 22,000 people and killing the then prime minister John Howard. -PTI

Chinese Sanskrit singing star wants to work with Indian talent

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NEW DELHI: Popular Chinese pop star Sa Dingding who uses Sanskrit in songs says her interest in the ancient Indian language stems from her love for the Buddhist culture popular in the east. "During my growing up years, I learned Sanskrit through scriptures used by Buddhist Inner Mongolians. Upon reading them again and again, I discovered in them a hidden melody which I enlarged and began to sing out. It became my music," the talented singer told PTI in an email interview. In her second album "Harmony," which was released in January this year, Sa Dingding composed and sung two songs in Sanskrit. "When I first wrote the melody, I didn't think of the lyrics. But it's very amazing, when I finished the music, I just searched in my Buddhist scripture collection, and the one I used just fit into the music perfectly," says the 26-year-old singer who can speak in Mandarin, Mongolian, Tibetan, Sanskrit and English. 'Alive,' one of the songs in her album has two versions one in Sanskrit and another in Chinese.

"People love it. Most listeners have told me that they loved the Sanskrit version for its special charisma. I'm very glad that a lot of young people are interested in this Indian language after listening to my music, and I think it's a good thing to introduce more people to this language," she says. Her connection with India, which she visited in 2009, is not just limited to singing in Sanskrit.

'Alive,' one of the songs in her album has two versions one in Sanskrit and another in Chinese "I like India very much, I had been longing to go there since I was very young and felt very glad after visiting India last year. It's a very interesting country and I want to go back there soon again," she says. "Also, I read a lot of books and watch a lot of movies about India. When I tour around the world, no matter where I go, Indian stores will always be on my Must-To-Go list," she adds.

Indian instruments have also caught the singer's attention. "I have listened to a lot of Indian musical instruments and they are very typical like the Indian singing. I'm looking forward to using them in a future album if possible." The pop star says she likes listening to Indian American producer, composer and musician Karsh Kale who is known for melding Indian music with modern electronic club music. "Indian music has created its own style in the world music industry setting an example to other types of music in Asia. Recently I have been listening to a DJ called Karsh Kale whose work is interesting," she says expressing willingness to work with any musician from India including Bollywood. She hopes to get a chance to perform in India this year and see how audiences respond to her music. The singer honed her musical skills at an early age by listening to her grandmother. She says she led a nomadic life till the age of six listening to her grandmother who sang about Mongolion emperor Genghis Khan. -PTI

Immigration Post

February 26, 2010

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Judge finds grounds to sanction Arizona sheriff PHOENIX: A federal judge has found grounds for sanctioning an Arizona sheriff's office for its acknowledged destruction of records in a lawsuit that accuses deputies of racially profiling countless Hispanics in immigration patrols. US District Judge Murray Snow held off on imposing the sanctions against the office of Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio in the ruling, but indicted he would do so at a later date once related issues were ironed out. Since early 2008, Arpaio has run 13 immigration and crimes sweeps consisting of deputies and posse volunteers who flood an area of a city in some cases heavily Latino areas to seek out traffic violators and arrest other offenders. The handful of Latinos who

filed the lawsuit against Arpaio's office alleged that officers based some traffic stops on the race of Hispanics who were in vehicles, had no probable cause to pull them over and made the stops so

Some sheriff's officials have acknowledged deleting their e-mails about the patrols they could inquire about their immigration status. Arpaio is known for tough jail policies, including housing inmates in canvas tents, and pushing the bounds for how local law enforcement agencies can confront illegal immigration.

The U.S. Justice Department said it's investigating his office for alleged discrimination and for unconstitutional searches and seizures, but won't provide any details of its examination. The sheriff believes the inquiry is focused on his immigration efforts. Arpaio has repeatedly denied the racial profiling allegations, saying people pulled over in the sweeps were approached because deputies had probable cause to believe they had committed crimes. It was only afterward that deputies found many of them were illegal immigrants, he has said. Some sheriff's officials have acknowledged deleting their emails about the patrols and throwing away and shredding officers' records of traffic stops made during the sweeps. -AP

Oz court lenient to teens who attacked Indians Contâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d from page 35

Others who joined the brothers in the attack had already been sentenced in various courts and their sentences were not appealed. Defense barrister Andrew McKenna, for the older brother, had urged judge Thornton not to send his client back into custody, saying he had completed his sentence and was on the road to rehabilitation. McKenna denied it was a racist attack and said the welfare of the child offender was the most important issue in sentencing young people. Simon Moglia, advocate for the

other brother, argued his client had received a substantial penalty and it was not the rare and exceptional case that required the County Court to intervene. The re-sentencing was delayed by some hours because the older youth turned up nearly an hour late and his brother 20 minutes late. At two prior hearings, they were both at least 20 minutes late but the judge took no action against them, the report said. Thornton said she took a number of sentencing considerations into account, including the need to protect the public, but the law said rehabilitation of young offenders was the most important.

The judge said the youths were remorseful for the attack. She also said the victim with brain injuries would continue to suffer from the bashing. "The effects on him have been profound and this is a serious example of the offence," she said. Others who joined the brothers in the attack had already been sentenced in various courts and their sentences were not appealed. Defense barrister Andrew McKenna, for the older brother, had urged judge Thornton not to send his client back into custody, saying he had completed his sentence and was on the road to rehabilitation.-PTI

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Blue Cross overhead method consistent

RALEIGH, NC: An accounting report found Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina charged the state employee health insurance plan overhead to help pay for food for company board meetings, the chief executive officer and other broad expenses. But the outside review of expenses charged by Blue Cross to administer the plan made public found the company complied with the language in its contract. The accountants also determined Blue Cross allocated overhead in a manner consistent with its other lines of business. The issue of overhead arose last year when the Legislature approved premium increases and reduced benefits to narrow a shortfall. -AP

Texas challenging EPA's greenhouse gas finding AUSTIN, Texas: Texas is taking the federal government to court over a ruling that says greenhouse gases present a danger to human health. Gov. Rick Perry and other state officials announced that Texas has filed an appeal in federal court and plans to formally ask the Environmental Protection Agency to reconsider its decision. Texas leads the nation in greenhouse gas emissions, and Perry says the state's industry and agriculture would be harmed by the EPA actions. The EPA in December issued an ``endangerment'' finding about carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases, saying the pollutants can harm people. -AP

Anthem to delay insurance rate hike amid criticism THOUSAND OAKS, Calif.: Health insurer Anthem Blue Cross says it's postponing its much-criticized plan to raise rates up to 39 percent for some California residents buying insurance on their own. Anthem says it will postpone the increase by two months, as requested by the California Department of Insurance. The company says it welcomes a review by the department, and that its proposed rates reflect anticipated medical costs. Anthem's plan, coming as more people lose employer-sponsored health insurance, has been criticized by regulators and politicians all week. -AP

Health Science 38

India Post

February 26, 2010

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No health care overhaul will bring more problems WASHINGTON: What could be worse for Americans than health care overhaul? No health care overhaul. It's anybody's guess whether President Barack Obama's health remake will survive in Congress. But there's no doubting the consequences if lawmakers fail to address the problems of costs, coverage and quality: surging insurance premiums, more working families without coverage, bigger out-of-pocket bills, a prescription coverage gap for seniors that grows wider and deeper, and government programs that pay when people get sick but do little to keep them healthy. ``They complained, 'If you pass this bill, prices will go up,''' said Sen. Maria Cantwell of Washington state, who helped shape the Senate Democrats' bill. ``Well, you don't pass it, and prices will still go up.'' For economist Douglas HoltzEakin, a top adviser to 2008 Republican presidential nominee John McCain, ``no one has the luxury of saying we're not going

to worry about this.'' While he's no fan of the Democrats' approach, he said Republicans ``are going to have to deliver something at some point. The question is whether they do it with this president leading or wait for a Republican president.'' Health care spending in the U.S. hit $2.5 trillion last year, growing faster as a share of the economy than at any time in a half

people purchasing their own coverage with Anthem in California could be a harbinger. Medical costs are rising in a weak economy, causing healthy people to drop coverage and raising costs for those left behind, with no limit in sight. ``We will see real changes in the way health care is delivered, regardless,'' Holtz-Eakin said. ``The

On the plus side, private insurance plans in the Medicare Advantage program, serving about one-fourth of seniors, would be spared cuts proposed by Democrats century, yet with results that compare poorly with other advanced countries spending less and offering universal coverage. Government programs _ mainly Medicare for the elderly and Medicaid for the poor _ will soon cover more than half the nation's health care tab, a staggering burden for federal and state budgets. For those with private insurance, the recently announced double-digit premium increases for

question is whether they are coordinated and done proactively or whether they are done on the ground by providers, insurance companies and employers, reacting to their costs and their risk pools.'' A look at how some major groups would fare if the health care overhaul collapses and present trends continue unchecked: Older People Both Democratic bills would

begin experiments aimed at providing quality care at lower cost for Medicare recipients, particularly those with chronic conditions such as heart failure and diabetes. Co-payments for preventive care would be eliminated. The House bill gradually would close a gap in prescription drug coverage for seniors, now growing wider and deeper because of inflation. Those improvements would be lost. On the plus side, private insurance plans in the Medicare Advantage program, serving about onefourth of seniors, would be spared cuts proposed by Democrats. Still, insurers and other service providers won't get a free pass. With Congress looking to cut the federal deficit, Medicare will be on the chopping block again. ``The irony is that major interest groups hospitals and drug makers had agreed to take reductions this time,'' said John Rother, top political strategist for AARP, an advocacy group for seniors, which supports the Democratic bills. Cont’d on page 40

Tennis Elbow or pain near elbow joint DIANA PINTO

aving elbow pain lifting your grocery bag? Does your arm feel weak? Do you have pain on the outside of your elbow? Tennis elbow (lateral epicondylitis) is an inflammation, soreness and pain on the outer side of the upper arm near your elbow joint. The pathology is present primarily where the tendons of your forearm muscles attach to the bony prominence on the outside of your elbow. Your forearm tendons (often called the extensors) attach the forearm muscles through similar tendons to the outer prominence (later epidcondyle) of your elbow. Of the tendons which attach to the lateral epicondyle, the pathology is most often than not, restricted to the Extensor Carpi

Stretch to Extensor muscles and tendons for reducing pain due to Tennis Elbow

Radialis Brevis tendon. Symptoms: - Elbow pain that gradually worsens with activity but is decreased by rest - Pain radiating from the out-

side of the elbow to the forearm and the back of the hand when twisting or grasping tightly - A weak grasp while holding your dinner plate - Patients often reports dropping objects because

they feel weak! Causes: This kind of injury is classified as a repetitive stress injury. Repeated motions of the wrist or forearm can cause inflammation or a partial tear of the extensor tendon fibers near the elbow joint. Since this injury is often seen in tennis players, it is also termed as tennis elbow. An activity like, repetitive twisting of the wrist (while using a screwdriver) can also cause this kind of injury Tests and diagnoses: Radiographs (X-rays) of the elbow usually appear normal. But when your doctor or your physical therapist evaluate you in the clinic, they will notice the following signs: Cont’d on page 40

Health Science Post

February 26, 2010

India Post

www.indiapost.com

Budget director recommends $40M in cuts HELENA, Mont.: The governor's budget director is recommending nearly $40.5 million in cuts, including $17 million from the Department of Public Health and Human Services. Gov. Brian Schweitzer said he planned to study the recommendations and make a final decision, noting the state still has $320 million in the bank. The largest reduction calls for eliminating $6 million from the DPHHS budget by canceling planned provider rate increases for physicians, child care and foster care providers, disability services and the children's mental health bureau. The recommendation by Budget Director David Ewer said the increases proposed for the 2011 fiscal year are not sustainable. Earlier this month, the Legisla-

Raccoons in Central Park getting rabies vaccine

added another $40 million in suggested cuts,'' Schweitzer said. Ewer has forecast the state will get another $19 million in federal matching funds, bringing the June 2011 ending balance to $90 million,

the governor said. Schweitzer said that forecast does not include increased economic optimism he's hearing from bankers and independent business owners around the state. ``We'll see that revenues will start picking up,'' Schweitzer said. ``Everyone is agreeing that we're approaching or have reached the bottom of the recession.'' But Schweitzer said he still plans to cut the budget. ``I said to the people of Montana that we will cut dollars without cutting corners,'' he said. Other large cuts proposed by Ewer include $6.8 million from the Commissioner of Higher Education and $6.8 million from the Department of Corrections along with $3.9 million from the Department of Public Instruction. -AP

NEW YORK: The New York City Health Department has begun trapping raccoons in Central Park and vaccinating them against rabies in an effort to halt a recent outbreak of the disease. Health officials have documented 39 cases of rabies among raccoons in Manhattan this year, compared with 12 cases in all of 2009. Two people and one dog were exposed to rabies, but all were treated and none became ill. The Health Department said the dog and one person were bitten by raccoons. The second person was exposed to the virus when she found a rabid raccoon Feb. 4 in Central Park and

said that the agency found no safety violations following a sixmonth investigation. The performer, 30-year-old Anislav Varbanov, was killed in August while rehearsing for the ``Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular.'' A witness said Varbanov,

who had just recently joined the cast of the show, was practicing a relatively routine tumble roll when he landed awkwardly on his neck. A Disney spokesman says the park cooperated fully with OSHA and was aware of the agency's findings. -AP

nesses that provide health insurance for their employees would have an advantage getting state projects under a bill passed by a House panel. The bill by Tulsa Democrat Seneca Scott provides that if two or more contractors bid on

tive Fiscal Division projected the state faces a $60 million budget deficit by mid-2011, while the governor's office predicted about a $5 million surplus. "We have already found about $30 million worth of cuts and

'Everyone is agreeing that we're approaching or have reached the bottom of the recession'

took it to a veterinarian for treatment. Treatment for exposure to rabies involves a series of injections over two weeks. Wildlife experts will trap raccoons in and around Central Park, Morningside Park and Riverside Park for four to eight weeks. The animals will be vaccinated, tagged for identification and released. The process will be repeated this summer to vaccinate raccoons born this spring. The rabies virus, present in the saliva of an infected animal, is usually spread by a bite or scratch. It can be fatal to humans if left untreated. -AP

Bill benefits companies providing insurance Disney cleared of safety violations in death OKLAHOMAhealth CITY: Busi- a state job and both are equally

ORLANDO, Fla.: Walt Disney World has been cleared of any workplace safety violations related the death last summer of a stunt performer who was rehearsing for a show. A U.S. Occupational Safety & Health Administration spokesman

the lowest bids, the contract goes to the business that provides health insurance for its workers. Scott says the law would serve as an incentive for contract employers to offer health insurance to their employees. -AP

India Post

Health Science Post

February 26, 2010

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No health care overhaul will bring more problems Contâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d from page 38

Workers The divide between those who have health insurance and those who don't will get deeper. Many more will find themselves with inadequate coverage that leaves them with hefty bills if they get seriously ill. ``More employers will drop coverage. More consumers will get increased co-payments and deductibles,'' said Oregon Democratic Sen. Ron Wyden, a moderate who has not given up hope of a deal with Republicans. ``I believe that would be so corrosive for the country that we would not let it be the outcome.''

If nothing gets done, large employers will be the front line in efforts to rein in health care spending. They will keep passing on costs to employees through higher premiums and co-payments By 2019, the number of uninsured Americans would rise to 54 million, most of them low-income workers paying federal and state taxes to support health care programs for older people and the poor. The Democratic bills would expand Medicaid to pick up more people near the poverty line, while providing subsidies for many middle-class households to buy private coverage. People with health problems Insurers would be able to continue denying coverage to people with medical problems, or charge them higher premiums. People who get sick could face cancellation of their coverage in certain circumstances.

People in their 50s and 60s, when many medical conditions emerge, would face premiums up to six times or seven times higher than what those in their 20s pay. Conversely, 20-year-olds would continue to enjoy access to low-cost health insurance. The Democratic bills would have forced them to subsidize premiums for older generations. Still, young people would not escape unscathed. The Democratic bills would have allowed children to stay on their parent's coverage until their mid-twenties, a particularly valuable benefit for those with health problems. Employers Big employers were hoping that the Medicare experiments would provide a template for their own efforts to try to control costs and maintain quality. Small employers were leery of the Democratic bills, although some would have received subsidies to help them provide coverage. If nothing gets done, large employers will be the front line in efforts to rein in health care spending. They will keep passing on costs to employees through higher premiums and co-payments. But they're also expected to take a more aggressive approach to get workers to shape up by quitting smoking, losing weight and making other lifestyle changes. Employers won't just be insurance sponsors any longer; they could start acting more like the health police. Small companies are likely to keep dropping coverage, as are employers with lots of low-wage workers. ``The fact that we had a mandate from voters to do something, and that a major effort to respond led to such a deep partisan divide and gridlock is not positive,'' said AARP's Rother. ``The gridlock that's developed on health care is a very serious and negative omen for our ability to tackle Social Security and deficits.'' -AP

GOP sees possible upside in health care summit WASHINGTON: Congressional Republicans see a chance for political gain in President Barack Obama's televised health care summit next week, even though the president will be running the show. Obama and the Democrats are certain to highlight a crucial element of their health care plan - extending coverage to more than 30 million Americans - at the one-ofa-kind event. By comparison, a Republican plan would only help 3 million more. But during a time of ballooning deficits, the GOP figures reining in rising medical costs - not coverage - could resonate with voters in an election year. The Democratic health overhaul plan is estimated at some $1 trillion over 10 years, and Republicans will contrast their financial approach with that of the Democrats. So even on Obama's turf, the GOP thinks it can score a few political points. ``I think what we have to do is keep it on the policy and really continue to describe that we have listened to the American people, and anyone listening to the American people would say scrap this bill and begin again, and let's begin again by focusing on lowering costs,'' Rep. Dave Camp of Michigan, who will be attending the summit as the top Republican on the House Ways and Means Committee, said. Republicans know they go into the half-day event Feb. 25 with built-in disadvantages. Obama

dominated when he debated House Republicans at their retreat in Baltimore last month, and the White House would like to recreate that dynamic, capitalizing on Obama's speaking skills. The president has already said he'll moderate the forum, and the location and staging at the Blair House guest residence are of the White House's choosing, giving Democrats home-court advan-

In a New York Times/ CBS poll released this month, 56 percent said they preferred 'a smaller government providing fewer services' tage. But Republicans say they have a different advantage: Polls show Americans side with them on the substance. All they have to do is remind viewers that's the case, and they could chalk up something like a win that could make the going even tougher for the Democrats. In a New York Times/CBS poll released this month, 56 percent said they preferred ``a smaller government providing fewer services'' to 34 percent in favor of ``a bigger government providing more services.'' Some 27 percent named jobs as the most important issue confronting the nation while 25 percent said the economy. Thir-

teen percent said health care, fewer than the 16 percent who said `òther.'' Republicans say all that argues in favor of their approach: taking smaller steps toward reform, not a comprehensive remake like the Democrats prefer. They'll continue to argue that Democrats should scrap their existing bills and start over. `Àmericans don't want another 2,700-page bill that raises taxes and slashes Medicare for our seniors,'' said Don Stewart, spokesman for Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky. House Minority Leader John Boehner of Ohio and McConnell, his Senate counterpart, will attend the summit along with other top Republicans. Boehner and McConnell also get to invite four lawmakers each but have not said who they will be. That decision in itself will send a message about their approach and help determine the tone of the session. `Ì think the president will lay out his ideas and I would expect that Republicans will and others will lay out their solutions,'' White House press secretary Robert Gibbs told reporters. One potential hitch for Republicans is that there is not a single GOP plan. In the House, one Republican plan would cover some 3 million and lower premiums by as much as 8 percent for individuals and 10 percent for small businesses - expect to hear the latter figure mentioned frequently at the summit. -AP

Tennis Elbow or pain near elbow joint Contâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d from page 38

-On pressure to the Lateral Epicondyle, intense pain will be felt by the patient, and symptoms will be provoked; even if patient walked in with little to no pain that day. - There is also pain near the elbow when the wrist is extended against resistance (Imagine bending your wrist backwards, like revving a motorcycle engine. Your physician will resist this movement, which will elicit the pain in your elbow.) Prognosis: Most people improve with non-surgical condition. Surgical cases also show marked improvements in their symptoms. Prevention: Maintaining good strength and flexibility in the arm muscles and avoiding repetitive motions are the Norm. On the first sign of any pain during bending and straightening of the elbow, it is advised that you rest your elbow. An ice pack ap-

plied to the outside of the elbow after repetitive motion may help alleviate the symptoms. Physical Therapy treatment:

The pathology starts in the area marked ECRB muscle. Pain is often felt at the Lateral Epicondyle

Rest and NSAID's will be recommended by your physician along with a referral to Physical Therapy. PT treatment for tennis elbow involves Extensor muscles stretch (shown in the figure below) 5-10 times a day for 1 minute each.

At your Physical Therapist, you will also be provided with Ultrasound Therapy for quicker relief from pain resulting out of inflammation. Ice application, strengthening exercises to the forearm extensors and use of brace will also be a mainstay of your treatment. If you participate in a racquet sport, your doctor may encourage you to have your equipment checked for a proper fit. Stiffer racquets and looser strung racquets often can reduce the stress on the forearm, which means that your forearm muscles do not have to work as hard. If you use an oversized racquet, changing to a smaller head may help prevent your tennis elbow symptoms from recurring. Diana Pinto is a Registered Physical Therapist practicing in New York. She has experience working in a wide variety of orthopedic cases.

Tech News YLE deploys Wohler Monitor for Games

TechBiz

ohler Technologies Inc. has announced that the Finnish Broadcasting Company, YLE has deployed seven of Wohler's AMP2-16-3G monitors to enable simultaneous real-time monitoring of 16 audio channels of 3G HDSDI feeds during the Vancouver Winter Games. The Wohler systems offer powerful monitoring capabilities, a highly configurable interface, and a rich feature set. YLE has installed the Wohler system at its Helsinki, Finland, facility and OB van that will simplify the local monitoring model and operations throughout the high-profile HD broadcast for the broadcaster. "The AMP2-16-3G provides audio monitoring in a compact, convenient design that streamlines monitoring in the fastpaced live sports production environment," remarks Matti Helkamaa, senior technical advisor for YLE in a prepared statement.

T24: new GSM brand in India

ata Teleservices in collaboration with the leading retail entity, Future Group has unveiled its new GSM mobile service brand T24. This is the latest entrant to the India's already crowded market of mobile service providers. T24 symbolises Talk24 where customers of this new GSM services will be provided with the dual facility of shopping and talking for 24 hours of day. Tata Teleservices is the pan India dual technology operator, namely GSM and CDMA services. The launch of this new service will initially take place in the Southern Region of the sub-continent and is expected to come into existence in the next three years.

NYT introduces Qatar edition of T (style)

he New York Times Company, publisher of over 15 newspapers and owner of more than 50 websites, has announced the launch of Qatar edition of the T: The New York Times Style Magazine. This new edition of T will be rolled out as a bilingual magazine, Arabic-English magazine, and will be published by Oryx. Oryx Advertising Co. is one of the oldest and biggest publishing houses in Qatar. Some of its publications include Qatar Today, Qatar Al Yom, GLAM and Woman Today.

41 India Post

www.indiapost.com

February 26, 2010

Colors to mesmerize UK audience

fter compelling key players of Hindi Entertainment segment of Tele vision to feel envy of its success and popularity, Colors is all set to rule the hearts of millions of Hindi viewers scattered across UK as it has been officially launched in the country. Following its US launch last month, the channel has made its way to bring healthy every type of entertainment to UK's Hindi viewers. Colors is available on the platform of Sky and later on it will be provided free-to-air to the viewers on 24 hours basis. Its marketing team for the new region will be the same as off India's and Big B will continue to act as its Brand Ambassador for both UK and US. Plans are also to expand its reach in some other Hindi markets of World in near future.

Indo-US MoU on Trade Standards & Conformance India Post News Service

NEW DELHI: With trade ties between India and USA set to further expand, the role of Standards & Conformance Assessment in facilitating global trade was reemphasized by Rajiv Agarwal, Secretary, Department of Consumer

Tariff barriers in international trade were on the bane, these had been replaced with Non-Tariff barriers. These needed to be demystified Affairs, Ministry of Consumer Affairs & Public Distribution. He was delivering the Keynote Address in the Valedictory Session of the 1st Indo-US Summit on Standards in Trade in the Capital. Noting that different countries adopt Standards to suit their national requirements, he said that

Rajiv Agarwal, Secretary, Department of Consumer Affairs & Public Distribution, Ministry of Consumer Affairs & Public Distribution addressing delegates at the 1st Indo-US Summit on Standards in Trade on 16 February in New Delhi.

Third Party Certification was a welcome step in trade facilitation. Complimenting the MoU signed by CII and ANSI, he said that the Standards Conformance and Cooperation Program (SCCP) between India and US would go a long way in opening India's dia-

logue on Standards with the world. Sharad Gupta, Director General, Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) in his remarks observed that while tariff barriers in international trade were on the bane, these had been replaced with Non-Tariff barriers.

These needed to be demystified and the Trade Portal jointly commissioned by BIS, ANSI and CII would provide a platform for continuous dialogue and help in influencing the thinking of trading partners. Cont’d on page 43

Suresh Kumar confirmed as Asst Commerce Secretary India Post News Service

NEW YORK: Indian American Suresh Kumar was confirmed by the US Senate by unanimous consent on the night of Feb 11, to serve as Assistant Secretary of Commerce and Director General of the US and Foreign Commercial Service (CS). As part of the International Trade Administration, the Commercial Service helps American firms and workers navigate the often complicated and unpredictable waters of foreign trade so that US firms' sales abroad help to support jobs here in the United States. "Promoting exports of US manufactured goods and services that will lead to the creation of goodpaying jobs has never been more important to our economy than it is today," Commerce Secretary

Gary Locke said. "Suresh Kumar has the knowledge and experience

Suresh Kumar

to lead the Commercial Service and increase efforts to help US companies looking to sell their prod-

ucts abroad." In fiscal year 2009, US firms re-

‘Ninety-five percent of the world's consumers live outside the United States. We must encourage and support US companies, especially small businesses, to export goods and services’ ported 12,335 export successes that were assisted by the Commercial Service; 832 of these successes

were from companies that had never exported before, and 2,876 were from firms that exported to a new market. Nearly 85 percent of these successes were reported by small and medium-sized enterprises. "Ninety-five percent of the world's consumers live outside the United States. We must encourage and support US companies, especially small businesses, to export goods and services," Kumar said. "International trade is a proven path to global prosperity. The current economic climate makes it even more compelling to prioritize and pursue this course." A former Doordarshan anchor in India, Kumar most recently was president and managing partner of KaiZen Innovation, a management advisory firm dedicated to improving local communities and global markets. Cont’d on page 43

TechBiz Post

India Post

February 26, 2010

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TLCC tips for running cars more efficiently India Post News Service

SACRAMENTO: February is referred to as the month of love. When driving your car around this month, remember that a little "tender loving car care" (TLCC) can go a long way in making your car more dependable and ultimately

to 20 percent in fuel costs, extend the life of your car and even help reduce air pollution. Performing a few common sense maintenance tips, such as replacing the air filter and regularly changing the engine oil can make a difference in how your car performs. In a statement, Bureau of Au-

Performing a few common sense maintenance tips, such as replacing the air filter and regularly changing the engine oil can make a difference in how your car performs saving you some money. The DriveHealthy campaign, a program of California's Bureau of Automotive Repair, reminds Californians about the importance of keeping up with their vehicle's scheduled maintenance checks. Treating your car right with a few maintenance tips can save up

tomotive Repair has offered a few TLCC tips that will help your car run more efficiently and last longer: • Check your air filter - Replacing a dirty air filter can improve gas mileage by as much as 10 percent. • Get in tune - A properly tuned

engine can improve mileage by as much as 4 percent, which creates favorable gas-by-the-gallon savings. • Pump 'em up - More than onequarter of vehicles have improperly inflated tires. The average under inflation of 7.5 pounds causes a loss of 2.8 percent in fuel efficiency. • See the light - Service your car immediately when a warning light appears. Whether it's your engine, oil or tire light, get assis-

tance right away. • Watch your speed - For every 5 mph you reduce highway speed, you can reduce fuel consumption by 7 percent. If you typically drive 70 on the highway, slow down to 65. • Drive smoothly - The smoother you accelerate and decelerate, the better your gas mileage. • Give your foot a brake - Riding with your foot on the brake not only wears out the brakes but can also reduce gas mileage by as much as 35 percent.

• Don't idle - If stopped off the road for more than 30 seconds, turn off the engine. Don't warm up your car before driving-it's not necessary. For every two minutes you don't idle, you can save the equivalent of nearly 1 cent per gallon. • Straighten out - Poor alignment not only causes tires to wear out more quickly but also forces your engine to work harder, which can reduce gas mileage by as much as 10 percent.

Mumbai dabbawallas on Harvard curriculum India Post News Service

NEW YORK: The dabbawallas of Mumbai who carry from home cooked lunches for the office goers from their houses will now be a part of the curriculum in one of the world's best B-schools, Harvard Business School (HBS). The dabbawallas, who deliver lunch boxes with amazing precision to millions of Mumbai office goers daily, are already the subject of many case studies in business schools. Nine months ago, a HBS professor from Boston came to Mumbai; he was joined by two other professors from the Bschool's research centre in Worli, Mumbai, in preparing the report. During their visit, the Harvard professors spent a day with the dabbawallas, interacted with the employees and had a hands-on experience about how the system

works. A comprehensive report was then submitted to the dabbawallas for review before preparing the final draft. Harvard's study was in-depth. It got the gist of how some 200,000 dabbas are delivered every single day by 5,000 dabbawallas without

any mix-up. The case study, which comes to around 25 pages, contains information on its history, how the organization works and lessons to be learnt from them. The case study will also be sold to other business schools across the globe, for academic purposes.

'Hire Me' video extols the correct way to hire India Post News Service

PALM BEACH GARDENS, FL: You see them standing on street corners, waiting for you at your local home fix-it store looking for a job. Most people believe that hiring illegal workers to do any kind of work is a good thing. Sadly, that is not the case. Hiring undocumented workers from street corners or even from local government sponsored locations (yes, they do exist) undermines the economy, especially affecting healthcare and education. Consider this scenario; a contractor hires an undocumented worker to do some landscaping. The worker cuts himself using a hedge trimmer. Now, most likely the contractor does not carry workers compensation insurance. Being a "good person", the contractor gets the worker to the lo-

cal hospital and drops him off. Now, here lies the real problem, in all probability, this worker does not have health insurance. So, who pays for his treatment? You, the taxpayer. Your health insurance goes up. Your future medical bills go up. Labor Finders International, in a press release says it wants you to know about the effect of undocumented laborers working in our country. These workers do not pay taxes nor do they carry workers compensation insurance. In addition, there needs to be a strong concentrated focus on those individuals who hire undocumented workers in the first place. In order to bring awareness to this ongoing situation, Labor Finders has produced a compelling two-minute video title "Hire Me", filmed by Intelligent Produc-

tions. This striking, thought provoking, unscripted video highlights workers, some born in this country, others are legal immigrants; but the common bond they all share is that each are legal to work in this country and each pays their taxes. Dan Shube, Director of Marketing, for Labor Finders International, said, "This great country of ours was built on the sweat of a diverse workforce. Hopefully this video will help spread the word about hiring temps who pay their taxes, have workers compensation insurance, and are safety trained!" Government agencies depend on tax revenue to provide important services. "In addition, Labor Finders is urging our federal government to pass and enforce comprehensive immigration reform," stated Shube.

February 26, 2010

TechBiz Post

India Post

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Nissan introduces zero- Indo-US MoU on Trade Standards & Conformance emission car India Post News Service

campaign - which illustrates Nissan's passion about the potential for zero-emission NEW YORK: Nissan announced details mobility and a better, cleaner world - was for its latest offering, the Nissan Leaf, shown in New York as part of the culminathrough 'The Nissan Leaf Zero-Emission tion of the Nissan Leaf Zero-Emission Tour. The Nissan Leaf Zero-Emission Tour Tour' that culminated Feb 11 with an appearance in New York City. The three-month tour, covered 10,000 miles in the United States which made 63 stops in 24 cities, offered the and Canada, providing the first opportunity opportunity for interested drivers, media, for more than 100,000 people to see and learn civic partners, businesses and university stu- about the Nissan Leaf first hand. "There was a groundswell of grassroots dents to learn more about the Nissan Leaf support from coast to coast," said Tavares. and the benefits of zero-emission driving. The tour helped pave the way for the 2010 "Everywhere we went, people recognized a introduction of Nissan Leaf, the world's first new urban mobility - a turning point - and all-electric, zero-emission car designed for the they wanted to be a part of it. The response was spontaneous mass market, and and diverse. We leads up to the start were joined by mayof the vehicle-purors and government chase process. The officials, CEOs, utilNissan Leaf will be ity partners, car enavailable to conthusiasts, students, sumers via lease or dealers, media, envisale, in a single ronmentalists, Twittransaction that inter users and lots of cludes the battery. families." To date, close to Already, the 50,000 people have Nissan Leaf has reregistered on the ceived more than 10 company's website The Nissan Leaf on display at the Time media and environto reserve a Nissan Wamer Center mental awards, inLeaf. The reservation process will begin in April, shortly af- cluding the Green Car Vision Award, preter the announcement of the price of the sented at the Washington Auto Show by Nissan Leaf. Nissan will begin taking firm Green Car Journal. Nissan also announced a joint commitorders in August, for deliveries when sales ment with Hertz, the world's largest general begin in the driver's particular market. Rollout begins in select markets in De- market rental brand, to bring zero-emission cember 2010, with vehicles available in all mobility car rental to the United States and Europe in 2011. Hertz is developing a rollout major launch markets quickly thereafter. "The Nissan Leaf purchase process is of the Nissan Leaf at select rental sites in effortless, transparent and accessible, of- both major markets. Nissan, along with allifering value with a one-stop-shop approach ance partner Renault, is the only automaker for everything related to the car, including committed to making all-electric vehicles the assessment, permitting and installation available to the mass market on a global scale. In North America, Nissan's operations of in-home battery charging units," said Carlos Tavares, Chairman, Nissan Americas. include automotive design, engineering, "We want everyone to feel good about hav- consumer and corporate financing, sales ing a car that is affordable, fun to drive and and marketing, distribution and manufacturing. Nissan is dedicated to improving good for the environment." Coinciding with this next phase of the the environment under the Nissan Green Nissan Leaf launch is the debut of Nissan's Program 2010, whose key priorities are reinitial global marketing campaign, which is ducing CO2 emissions, cutting other emiscalled "The New Car." A first look at the sions and increasing recycling.

Suresh Kumar confirmed as Asst Commerce Secretary Contâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d from page 41

He served as special advisor to the Clinton Foundation where he worked with governments in Sub-Saharan Africa and corporate CEOs to establish private-public partnerships to stimulate economic development in the region. Kumar led Johnson and Johnson's Worldwide Consumer Pharmaceuticals business and served on the corporation's Group Operating Committee, and was vice president of consumer products for Latin America & Asia at Warner Lambert/Pfizer. Educated and experienced globally,

Kumar has published on global management. His business leadership and contributions to management education and consulting were recognized by Thunderbird School of Global Management which named him Distinguished Executive in Residence. Kumar has served as adjunct faculty member at the Schulich School of Business at Toronto's York University, Bombay University, India, and has been appointed Professor of International Business at Rutgers University EMBA program. Between 1970 and 1985, Kumar was an anchor on national television in India.

Contâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d from page 41

Blair Hall, Minister Counselor for Economics, Environment, Science and Technology Affairs, Embassy of the United States of America in his Special Address underlined the expected growth in Indo-US trade as envisioned by the US President and the need to adopt a Public Private Partnership in the formulation of bi-lateral trade standards. To further intensify the co-operation under the Standards and Conformance Cooperation Program, an MoU between CII and ANSI was signed Dr Sarita Nagpal, Deputy Director General, Confederation of Indian Industry and S Joe Bhatia, President & CEO, American National Standards Institute (ANSI). BIS, ANSI and CII already have a tripartite agreement on mutual co-operation in the area of Standards and Conformity Assessment. Emphasizing the role of Non-tariff barriers as a deterrent to enhanced global trade, Dr Biswajit Dhar, Member, CII WTO Committee & Director General, Research and Information Systems(RIS) related how NTB had risen from a mere 389 in 1995 to 1895 in 2009! In his Special Address, Dr Girdhar J Gyani, Secretary General, Quality Council of India (QCI) called upon Industry to step

up in creating voluntary standards. S Joe Bhatia, President & CEO, American National Standards Institute (ANSI) explained how the SCC Program, which now had US Congressional support, would serve as a forum to exchange information and best practices. Ms Elise Owen, Representative for China and India Affairs, American National Standards Institute (ANSI) in her address drew attention to the emerging new standards on environment and CSR which would be areas which would affect trade and commerce. Rajan Sudesh Ratna, Professor, Centre for WTO Studies, Indian Institute of Foreign Trade (IIFT) observed that since International Standards did not require consensus in formulation, often local issues remained uncovered. Others who spoke on their respective sectoral issues included R K Boyal, General Manager, Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) and Dr S K Saxena, Director, Export Inspection Council (EIC). The Theme Address was delivered by P K Gambhir, Scientist 'G' Technical, Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) who spoke at length on the Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) vis a vis national and international standards.

Datebook

44 India Post

February 26, 2010

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• Radiate Enlightenment & Dance Like Shiva

Fri March 5 Sat Feb 27

• An Evening with Imran Khan

• Holi Poornima

Venue: Victor Hotel Lounge, 311 N. Sangamon, Chicago, Illinois Time: 9pm to 2am Contact: 773-490-0975

Venue: Hindu Samaj Temple, 3 Brown Road, Wappingers Falls, New York Time: 7pm Contact: (845) 297-9061

Tues March 16 Sat Feb 27

• Ugadi Celebrations

• Mohamana (Infatuated Love)

Venue: Hindu Temple, 10915 Lemont Rd, Lemont, Illinois Time: 10:30am to 7:30pm Contact: (630) 972-0300

Venue: Simple Studios, 134 West 29th street, NYC Time: 7pm Contact: (800) 838-3006

Fri March 19 Sat May 1

• Shakuntala

• Dancing STAR ka Damaka

Venue: Prairie Center for the Arts, 201 Schaumburg Court, Schaumburg, Illinois Time: 7:30pm to 9:30pm Contact: 847-755-9625

Venue: Shreenath Enterprise Inc, 220-15, 92 ave queens village, New York Time: 7pm Contact: 347-513-8526

Sun May 2 • 9th Muslim Matrimonial Hosted by MillanUS.com Venue: Adria Hotel & Conference Center, 220-33 Northern Blvd., Bayside, New York Time: 3pm to 9pm Contact: 516-840-0396

Sat March 6 • Bharata Natyam Student Recital 2010 Venue: City Center Studios, 130 West 56th street, studio #3, NYC Contact: (917) 214-6466

Sat March 13 • Zakir Hussain's Masters of Percussion Venue: Rose Theater, Broadway at 60th Street, New York Time: 8pm Contact: 212-545-7536

WASHINGTON DC Upcoming Sat Feb 27 • Elite 8 Bhangra Invitational Venue: George Washington University's Auditorium , 21st Street NW, Washington Contact: info@emdoentertainment.com

Sun Feb 28

• Marathi Vishwa-Vasantotsav 2010 Venue: Crosroads Middle School- South, 195 Major Road, Monmouth Junction, New Jersey Time: 3pm to 8pm Contact: 732-355-9844

Sat March 27 • 2010 Spring Festival Venue: Ocean Township High School, Ocean, New Jersey Time: 3pm to 9pm Contact: 732-801-4694

Sun Feb 28 • HOLI Hungama Venue: Tawa Restaurant, 1357 Stelton Road, Pscayaway, New Jersey Time: 11am to 4pm Contact: 732-763-0118

Sun March 7 • Zara Jhoom "The Ultimate Group Dance Competition" Venue: Hoilday Inn, 3050 Woodbridge Ave, Edison, New Jersey Time: 5pm Contact: 732-277-6687

• Holi 2010 Venue: Shri Mangal Mandir, 17110 New Hampshire Avenue, Silver Spring, Maryland, WDC Contact: (301) 421-0985

• Naach Revolution

Sat March 6

Venue: Union County Arts Center, 1601 Irving Street, Rahway, New Jersey Time: 6pm to 9pm Contact: 732-763-0118

• Vibha DC Rangeela Rendezvous

Sat May 29

Fri March 19 • Bombay Jazz - Indian-inspired jazz & jazz-flavored ragas

Wed March 24 • Ram Navmi Venue: Hare Krishna Temple, 10310 Oaklyn Drive, Potomac, Maryland Contact: 301-299-2100

Venue: Green Room, War Memorial and Performing Arts Center, San Francisco, California Contact: (415) 894-9442

Sat Feb 27 • Purandara Dasa Aradhana

Sat March 27

Sat March 20

Venue: Heritage India, 1337 Connecticut Ave, NW, WDC Time: 10pm Contact: volunteer@dc.vibha.org

Venue: Skirball Center, for the Performing Arts, 566 LaGuardia Place, Washington Square South, New York Time: 8pm Contact: 212-545-7536

Venue: Gayatri Chetna Center, 240 Centennial Ave, Piscataway, New Jersey Time: 6:30pm to 9pm Contact: 732-317-4823

Venue: Livermore Temple, 1232 Arrowhead Ave, Livermore,CA Time: 5pm Contact: (925) 449-6255

Sat Feb 27 • A free guided talk & slide presentation by Etan Doronne Venue: East West Exchange 2051 West Warner Road, Chandler, AZ 85224 Time: 3pm to 5pm Contact: (480) 855-6010

Sat March 6 • India Literacy Project Cultural Fest - 2010 Venue: FootHill College, 12345 El Monte Blvd, Los Altos Hills, California Time: 6pm to 9pm Contact: 408-340-0428 Highlights: Indian Classical Music: Jugalbandhi by prominent Bay Area artists. Shri Ravi Gutala - Tabla, Shri Shriram Brahmanandam - Mridangam, Shri A. Mahadevan - Morsing, Bollywood Music: Bollywood music by IndianMusic Band "Ehsaaz".

Tues March 16 • Ugadi Celebrations Venue: Hindu Temple, 10915 Lemont Rd, Lemont, Illinois Time: 10:30am to 7:30pm Contact: (630) 972-0300

Sat March 20 • Nachle Express 2010 Dance Show Venue: The MAC, 425 Fawell Boulevard, Glen Ellyn, Ill Time: 6:30pm to 9:30pm Contact: (630) 216-9632

• Vishwa Marathi Natya Sammelan Venue: Raritan Center, New Jersey Convention Center, 97 Sunfield Avenue, Edison, New Jersey Highlights: The VMNS will be hosted and executed by the US branch of ABMNP, led by Dr. Meena Nerurkar and her team. It will have an attendance of some V.V.I.P.s in the entertainment industry, about 200 top notch artists from Maharashtra, the chief minister of Maharashtra and government representatives.

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA Upcoming Every 4th Sat every Month • Durga Mata Ka Jagaran Venue: 2335 S. Diamond Bar Boulevard, DBC Center, Diamond Bar, CA Time: 6:30pm Contact: 909-519-1579, 626-810-2345

Every Sat (start from Sat Aug 8) • Gurukul Classes for Children Venue: Sindhu Center, South California Time: 2pm to 4pm Contact: 818-541-1754 & 909-576-1114 Highlights: Children between the ages of 5 and 18. Children will be taught the Fundamentals of Hinduism, Prayers, Shlokas, Bhajans and Values of our culture.

Sat Feb 20 and 27 • Reservoir Bitches," a staged version of Quentin Tarantino's classic Venue: The Next Stage Theatre in Hollywood, 1523 N. LA Brea Ave, Hollywood, CA 90028 Time: 8pm Tickets: $25 @ the door, $20 if you reserved a ticket, $15 if you buy them prior

Sat Feb 27 • Garba With Attitude 2010 Venue: Theatre for the Performing Arts, 4900 La Mirada Blvd, La Mirada, California Contact: (626) 242-5469

Thurs March 4 • South Asian Professional Singles Venue: The Auld Dubliner, 71 South Pine Ave, Long Beach, California Contact: (951)743-4995

March-24th 2010 • Raamnavami mahotsav Time: Geet Ramayan by Geeta and sanjiv Munshi from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Raam janma mahotsav at 12:00 noon. Tues March 30th, Maaruti yagna with 108 hanumaan Chalisa from 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.

Fri March 26 • Music and Dance Festival 2010 Venue: Jewish Community Center, Los Angeles, California Time: 7pm to 10pm Contact: 858-200-7481

Classifieds

February 26, 2010

India Post 45

www.indiapost.com

MATRIMONIALS BRIDEGROOM WANTED

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M.B.A (I.T) From USA. Has Student Visa and work

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permit Trying for H-1B Visa Brother Dentist in India. Father & Mother in USA

OWNER OPERATORS WANTED WITH OR WITHOUT

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Classifieds

India Post

February 26, 2010

www.indiapost.com

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February 26, 2010

Classifieds

India Post 47

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Philosophy

48 India Post

February 26, 2010

www.indiapost.com

Page Sponsored by Sahanis sive. I do not have the images. The chances that there is liver metastatis are low. I try to contact the radiologist, who reported, to get more insight into his thinking. The radiologist is out till coming Monday. I talk to the patient and his family. They want to get it over with. Pressure is there. I go with the flow. The patient signs off on the consent-form and all is set. He leaves the office happy that surgery will be performed on coming Monday. (Cont'd from last week) n real life you can make one thought theme an undercurrent. You may have several parallel undercurrents running without any conflict with each other. Once you are able to pick up and stay with one thought without distraction; you will enjoy life on a different plane. Example: Let me give a simple example. I am a physician. One undercurrent thought theme in my professional life is 'quality patient care.' I was in office yesterday (Thursday) seeing patients. It was a busy day as usual. There was a patient, diagnosed with prostate cancer, who had come to see me. Let us call him John Doe. He is scheduled for surgery for removal of prostate coming Monday in 4 days' time. He wants to get it done and be over with. The patient has a high grade cancer. The CT scan and liver ultrasound suggest that there may be minute metastasis in the liver. It is not clear. Rather, it is inconclu-

SRI RAMAKRISHNA PARAMHANSA

You shot from the tee and perhaps made a birdie. But, the birdie was not real. There was no DR KRISHNA BHATTA

attachment. This is the basis of non attachment

All the paperwork is done. Everyone concerned is informed. I start seeing other patients and dealing with their issues. "The Quality Patient Care" undercurrent is still there. A thought comes about John Doe. The x-ray images are on my computer and I can talk to another radiologist and discuss his case. I can see images too, but I do not have much experience about liver mets or lesions. So, I pick up the phone and call the radiologist at another center where I work. We have a five minute discussion. The radiolo-

ing the knowledge of undercurrent thought theme. They all have this undercurrent instilled in them while being trained as a responsible Urologist. The exercise mentioned above brings these undercurrents to a conscious level. Some undercurrents already exist in your life. You may want to get rid of some of these undercurrent thought themes once you become aware of them. And now that you have learned how to drop and add undercurrents, you can find it easier to get rid of some of these undercurrent themes.

applied to real life? Is there no attachment in real life? We are born non-attached. We with help of our parents and the environment learn to attach. Every attachment disappears with our death. This exercise lets you practice picking up a thought and processing it intensely for a few minutes. Remember to drop it completely as well. Then and then only will you get a glimpse of non-attachment. Whether you would like to taste this or not is up to you but do not be in a hurry to come to a conclusion about this intriguing topic. (Concluded)

back and laid him on a bed. He was still unconscious. The other monks sat around him sad at heart; some were fanning him. Finally someone suggested that he should be given a little milk to drink. When it was poured into his mouth he regained consciousness. He opened his eyes and looked around. One of the monks said, 'Let us

state of mind without the realization of God. You talk glibly about prema. But is it such a commonplace thing? There are two characteristics of prema. First, it makes one forget the world. So intense is one's love of God that one becomes unconscious of outer things. Chaitanya had this ec-

There are certain signs of God-realization. The man in whom longing for God manifests its glories is not far from attaining Him. What are the glories of that longing? They are discrimination, dispassion, compassion for living beings, serving holy men, loving their company, chanting the name and glories of God, telling the truth, and the like. When you see those signs of longing in an aspirant, you can rightly say that for him the vision of God is not far to seek. Master: "Repeat His name, and sins will disappear. Thus you will destroy lust, anger, the desire for creature comforts, and so on." Devotee: "How can I take delight in God's name?" Master: "Pray to God with a yearning heart that you may take delight in His name. He will certainly fulfill your heart's desire." Excerpted from The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna by M. (Mahendranath Gupta) The 132nd birth anniversary of Sri Ramakrishna Paramhansa was celebrated on Feb 16

God-conscious see that He is all-doer

turned his wrath against the innocent monk. He beat the monk till he fell unconscious on the ground. Someone reported the matter to the monastery. The monks ran to the spot and found their brother lying there. Four or five of them carried him

Non-Attachment By now you have picked up a thought, processed it as far as you can and have dropped it. You did not allow any of these thoughts to be attached to you. They were there just for the exercise. You thought about the game of golf intensely. Yet, the game was never there. You shot from the tee and perhaps made a birdie. But, the birdie was not real. There was no attachment. This is the basis of non attachment. Can this same principle be

Making one thought theme an undercurrent

here was a monastery in a certain place. The monks residing there went out daily to beg their food. One day a monk, while out for his alms, saw a landlord beating a man mercilessly. The compassionate monk stepped in and asked the landlord to stop. But the landlord was filled with anger and

gist understands the situation and gives his feelings about the liver lesions. We feel that we should postpone the surgery and do some follow up images and have a better report of his status before proceeding further. This is what we go ahead with. I explain it to the patient and he is ok with that line of thinking. Probably other physicians in this situation would have acted in a similar fashion without hav-

see whether he is fully conscious and can recognize us.' Shouting into his ear, he said, 'Revered sir, who is giving you milk?' 'Brother,' replied the holy man in a low voice, 'He who beat me is now giving me milk.' But one does not attain such a

'Brother,' replied the holy man in a low voice, 'He who beat me is now giving me milkâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; static love; he 'took a wood for the sacred grove of Vrindavan and the ocean for the dark waters of the Jamuna'. Second, one has no feeling of 'my-ness' toward the body, which is so dear to man. One wholly gets rid of the feeling that the body is the soul.

The Mother's presence is always there; but if you decide to act on your own -- your own idea, your own notion of things, your own will and demand upon things, then it is quite likely that her presence will get veiled; it is not she who withdraws from you, but you who draw back from her. -Sri Aurobindo Better indeed is knowledge than mechanical practice. Better than knowledge is meditation. But better still is surrender of attachment to results, because there follows immediate peace. -Bhagavad Gita Don't wait for the Last Judgment. It happens every day. -Albert Camus Good for the body is the work of the body, and good for the soul is the work of the soul, and good for either is the work of the other. -Henry David Thoreau Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate, our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. Marianne Williamson Wanting to reform the world without discovering one's true self is like trying to cover the world with leather to avoid the pain of walking on stones and thorns. It is much simpler to wear shoes. -Ramana Maharshi

You Insure all your Valuables, all are replaceable except YOU! So Insure yourself FIRST. Call Sahanis, (Arish, Priya or Shiv) for your Insurance needs 718- 271- 0453. Serving for last 35 yrs

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February 26, 2010

India Post

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Talks with the Taliban: Implications for India VINITA PRIYEDARSHI

he information released in the media regarding the secret meeting held between Taliban commanders and United Nations Special Representative in Afghanistan, Kai Eide is a good sign. The news as reported in the Guardian is best not discussed in the media by the officials concerned, given the stakes. Yet, the implications on regional players, particularly India, need to be explored. That the government of Afghanistan had been trying for a peace talks with the Taliban is something that has been reiterated many times by the official spokesman. There were even reports that the Afghan government had held talks with the Taliban over 24-27 September 2009 in Mecca during

It is true that India is not a player in Afghanistan and its contribution in Afghanistan has been limited to providing civilian assistance (it has till date given US$1.2 billion worth of aid) and yet instability in Afghanistan will usher in problems at India's doorstep. Whether the talks with the Taliban succeed or not is a different matter, but one thing is sure that if dialogue with the Taliban succeeds it will have serious repercussions for India. The Taliban ruled Afghanistan from 1996 to 2001, having a sway over 90 per cent of the territory. During their tenure not only was the law and order situation in shambles, militants also enjoyed a safe heaven. If one goes back to the United States' drone attack in

for Pakistan and yet Pakistan's ISI will not want total disengagement with the Taliban as it will deprive them of an ally in their struggle in Kashmir. The Taliban did not recognize the Durand Line (recognized as border between Pakistan and Afghanistan) during their rule which is an issue which Pakistan would like to be settled in its favor if the Taliban again forms the government. United States and Britain want an end of instability in Afghanistan and yet they would not like any support to al Qaeda from Taliban as that would defeat the very purpose of their involvement in Afghanistan. Taliban has also made it clear that they do not want to fight the

It would be in the world's interest if the dialogue does not bring back the old autocratic rule of the Taliban and hardliners are kept out by all possible means Taliban Militia in front of the hijacked Indian Airlines Flight 814 in Dec 1998.

the holy month of Ramadan, these reports were however denied by President Karzai. The Afghan government's feelers to Saudi Arabia to broker a dialogue with the Taliban did not materialize. It is true that no insurgency has ever been won through a purely military strategy; insurgents are a part of society and any counterinsurgency strategy that ignores this fact is doomed to failure. Even President Karzai mentioned in the London conference that a purely military solution is not the answer to Afghan insurgency. Besides, the government of Afghanistan is also keen on reducing the burden of the international partner which is a right step considering the fact that foreign involvement has only led to further alienation and disgruntlement of the insurgents. The solution to any insurgency lies in recognition of the rights of the insurgents and acceptance of their genuine grievances. But there are a number of nuances involved in talking with the Taliban which will have serious security implications for India.

the Khost province of Afghanistan in the year 1998, one is reminded of the fact that a large al Qaeda camp was running there until August 1998. The province of Khost during the tenure of Taliban was a prime area for militants with links to Taliban and al Qaeda. The alliance between Taliban and its mentor, ISI, in Pakistan is an open secret. Not only this, one also needs to be reminded of the hijack of Indian Airlines IC 184 on 22 December 1998 to Kandahar in Afghanistan when the ruling Taliban government had provided the hijackers with fuel, blanket, food and water. In such a scenario any government in Kabul which has the backing of the Taliban or a coalition with the Taliban is bound to have adverse security implications for India. There is also another angle to this whole dialogue process going on with the Taliban. At present the Taliban is engaged in fighting with the allied forces and are pooling all their resources into it. The different regional players have different stakes in the region. Instability in Afghanistan is not good

allied forces as long as they do not interfere with their objective of establishing an Islamic state. The consequence of all this would be that once the dialogue leads to positive results and the Taliban gets the feeling that the Western allied forces are not their enemies, all their resources will get diverted to funding militancy in Kashmir and other Central Asian countries and fundamentalist groups in the region. So the government of India as well as the international community which is supporting a dialogue with the Taliban needs to be reminded of the ground realities. The move by the United Nations to remove the names of five former Taliban members from its official sanctions list reflects the intention of the United States to collaborate with the moderate Taliban to bring them into mainstream politics. It would be in the world's interest if the dialogue does not bring back the old autocratic rule of the Taliban and hardliners are kept out by all possible means. The writer is Research Associate, USI-CS3. Courtesy IPCS

India Post Triumphalism

n spite of Pakistan being in turmoil, its cities victims of daily bombings and suicide attacks, official Pakistan seems to be pleased at any pin pricks it can deal at India. First Pakistan's Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi went about tom toming how India had lost by inviting Pakistan for talks even though Pakistan had done little to earn that invitation. Then, on the eve of the talks, the Prime Minister of the country gave the thumbs up to India's most wanted terrorist Hafeez Sayeed allowing him freedom to take to the streets to mouth vituperative anti-India slogans. If even the Pune terrorist attack has not deterred India to call off the talks, it comes as another feather in the tattered cap of Pakistani leaders. Ever since the massive and humiliating defeat to Indian forces in 1971, leading to vivisection of Pakistan and creation of a separate country, Bangladesh, Pakistan has nursed a desire to get back at India. Unable to confront India openly due to its superior military might, it adopted an official policy of promoting guerilla war - sending in terrorists to target civilian targets and to unsettle conditions in economically thriving areas. Having lost the opportunity to hold peaceful international events, Pakistan is now concentrating on disrupting the coming international events in India. Official Pakistan, which was so vociferous in blaming non-state actors for the Mumbai attacks, has not countered or condemned the threat from Ilyas Kashmiri, Pakistan-occupied Kashmir-based Harkat-ul-Jihad al-Islami (HuJI) leader, who has openly warned international sportspersons against visiting India to take part in events such as the Hockey World Cup, the Indian Premier League and the Commonwealth Games. Defeating India at any little game seems to give Pakistanis a sense of triumph, a satisfaction that they feel can heal their deep psychological hurt over 1971. Can the talks assuage that hurt, that feeling of victimhood? Having been nurtured on the myth that Pakistanis are superior to Indians, the youth of Pakistan find it difficult to face facts. This also disrupts their normal pursuits to work for a career. The government is ducking its responsibility of providing jobs, encouraging industrialization and looking after health and education. Blaming India for everything, it is undermining the progress of the country. It had been hoped that with the coming of a civilian government there would be change of perception. They would rely less on antiIndia rhetoric. Instead, there has only been an increase in such provocations. Talking to Pakistan when there is little trust between the two countries is a risk. Even if the talks seem to succeed, there is no knowing whether the writ of the government runs over elements it promises to control. Prospects of peace with India would undercut the role of the Army which the dominant force of Pakistan would not be willing to accept. Although the Pakistani government is pleased at the recent anti-India rhetoric let loose by jehadis it is no longer a tap it can turn off at will. They have acquired their own momentum and are able to carry out missions without its support. With the US hedging on continuing the Afghanistan mission, Pakistan feels its approach of good and bad terrorists is winning. Indeed, the western powers have endorsed such a view at the London conference. Though not quote vocally, they also seem to agree with Pakistan that India needs to talk Kashmir with Pakistan. There has been little support from the West for India after the Pune attack. These are ominous signs but still India needs to put its cards on the table and encourage Pakistan also to do that. Maybe an atmosphere for future talks can be created.

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