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Kumar Barve to run for US Congress

VOL 20, No. 1069

March 13, 2015

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Periodical Postage

INDO-U.S. TRADE TO REACH $500 bn: ROYCE

Details on page 5

Rajat Gupta files fresh plea for release

Garcia gaining ground in Mayoral race Details on page 16

Racial attack on Sikh boy condemned Details on page 17

Details on page 5 Details on page 6

US lawmakers greet Indians on Holi

Indian doctor helped Harrison Ford after crash Details on page 5

Indian doc gets Fulbright-Nehru Chair

Details on page 6

Details on page 32

USFDA officials to visit India; to sign pact Details on page 17

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

Does banning films help in curbing crime?

Last week’s result

Racist abuse in America is only increasing?

YES 73%

NO 27%

CONTENTS BRIGHT PROSPECTS: Chairman of the powerful US House Foreign Relations Committee Ed Royce called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi along with his team in New Delhi on March 9. Indian-American Congressman Ami Bera is seen speaking on the left. Royce said he was absolutely bullish on the opportunity for economic growth in India today

NEW DELHI: Bullish about growth potential in India, a top US lawmaker said here bilateral trade between the two countries could jump from current USD 100 billion to USD 500 billion if the Modi government continues with reform initiatives and removes regulatory hurdles.

Chairman of the powerful US House Foreign Relations Committee Ed Royce called the government's budget proposals "big jump" to boost economic growth and attract foreign investment into India.

"We are absolutely bullish on the opportunity for economic growth in India today. We looked at the changes

that are occurring and we looked at the achievements and we believe that the bilateral trade could well be USD 500 billion from current USD 100 billion," he told reporters.

Hailing government's efforts to encourage infrastructure spending and decision to cut corporate tax by 5 per cent over the next four years, he said though budget proposals were not "quantum leap", they were big jump forward in revitalizing the economy.

"It was not a quantum leap but it was a big jump and I think the commitment for infrastructure spending is important.

Details on page 5

Certified by “CIRCULATION VERIFICATION COUNCIL Readership 117,765”

Bollywood ---------------------- 28-29 Classifieds ------------------------- 48 Community Post -------------- 16-23 Date Book -------------------------- 47 Edit Page --------------------------- 54 HealthScience Post --------- 32-35 Horoscope ------------------------- 49 Immigration Post ------------- 44-46 Life Style ----------------------- 50-52 Philosophy ------------------------- 53 Publisher’s Diary ------------------ 4 Real Estate -------------------- 24-26 TechBiz Post ------------------- 36-39 Travel & Hospitality Post ---- 40-43

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March 13, 2015

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Publisher’s Diary

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ontroversies these days die down as quickly as they are wont to flare up, irrespective of the frivolity or seriousness of the issue on hand, and often they are only as weighty as the 24x7 news channels make them out to be and lasting only until the next one flares out.

There are enough of those controversial issues closer home to debate on, but I would like to express my two bits on the BBC documentary on the heinous Nirbhaya rape case in India before it dies down.

This situation is so messed up that the lines between what is right and what is wrong are blurred beyond any possible clarity. Okay, to begin with, like enough of you out there, I too watched the documentary before it was pulled by You Tube. And well, journalistically speaking, apart from the exclusive interview of one of those convicted in the rape case, which the filmmaker obtained, the documentary was not the best of such efforts one expects to watch coming from the BBC. Now that that has been said, I felt nothing could be more immature than the Indian government's reaction in banning the documentary from being screened in India and actually expecting the BBC to not telecast it even in the UK. In these days of ubiquitous social media prevalence, such an action seems almost primitive. Modi or not, some things about Indian governments just don't seem to change.

And then there is this whole issue of the Indian male mindset. For a knee jerk reaction, I would call for a public flogging of the two defense attorneys who represented the convicted rapists for their appalling views about women in general as shown in the documentary. On deeper contemplation, one is scared to the core in the realization that their views do seem to represent a larger societal view of women in India, and as being symptomatic of the malaise of sexual violence against them across social strata.

Who can curb this scourge, I wonder. From fathers at home to mega heroes on the big movie screens, where does one begin, though?

Romesh K Japra rkjapra@indiapost.com

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HIGHLIGHTS Bollywood: Best in West Priyanka Chopra has made India proud by flaunting her acting skills in the western television series 'Quantico'.

Cover Story: Budget hailed Visiting Chairman of the powerful US House Foreign Relations Committee Ed Royce hailed India’s budget proposals

Community: Garcia gaining The huge lead that Chicago Mayor Rham Emanuel enjoyed over his run off rival Jesus Garcia is getting smaller everyday.

GOP rift The clear rift over immigration has opened up publicly in the emerging Republican presidential field

Life style: Pulsating Polo Cavalry 61 wins the finals of glorious and majestic Amity Polo Cup 2015 at New Delhi’s Jaipur Polo Grounds

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FTA talks The European Union has sought a 'political push' by PM Narendra Modi to restart the stalled talks for the FTA

Kaziranga National Park Kaziranga National Park, situated in the northeastern state of Assam, is one of the most picturesque wildlife parks in India.

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March 13, 2015

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Indo-US trade to reach $500 bn: Royce NEW DELHI: Bullish about growth potential in India, a top US lawmaker said here bilateral trade between the two countries could jump from current USD 100 billion to USD 500 billion if the Modi government continues with reform initiatives and removes regulatory hurdles.

Chairman of the powerful US House Foreign Relations Committee Ed Royce called the government's budget proposals "big jump" to boost economic growth and attract foreign investment into India.

"We are absolutely bullish on the opportunity for economic growth in India today. We looked at the changes that are occurring and we looked at the achievements and we believe that the bilateral trade could well be USD 500 billion from current USD 100 billion," he told reporters.

Hailing government's efforts to encourage infrastructure spending and decision to cut corporate tax by 5 per cent over the next four years, he said though budget proposals were not "quantum leap", they were big jump forward in revitalizing the economy.

"It was not a quantum leap but

A U.S. delegation led by the Chairman of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs Ed Royce calling on Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, in New Delhi on March 9

it was a big jump and I think the commitment for infrastructure spending is important.

I think the 25 per cent (corporate) tax rate down from 30 will bring more investment. I generally agree with Prime Minister's thesis of minimal government, maximum governance.

"In other words, getting more efficiencies in government.

I think that's an approach reflected in the budget and it's a

step by step process. It is a big step in the right direction," Royce said.

Emphasizing that there was scope for improving efficiency in governance, he said it takes 80 permissions to set up a hotel in India against six in Singapore.

"I know from the companies across US how focus they are on the opportunities in India," he said.

Royce said the bilateral trade

volume was one fourth of what it was now and taking it to USD 500 billion would not be difficult.

Asked about India's position on the Ukraine issue, he said it will not have any impact on IndoUS ties.

"I do not think it is going to affect the relationship with the US," he said while calling the issue as "tremendously complicated subject".

He said Russia was recruiting

youths to fight in Ukraine.

Indian-American Congressman Ami Bera, who is part of the delegation, said there has been a real sense of energy in the ties and it was time to move the relationship forward.

He said it could be the defining relationship of the 21st century. Speaking about the details about certain issues, he, however, added that devil could be in the details. -PTI

Kumar Barve to run for US Congress Indian doc helped Harrison Ford after plane crash

WASHINGTON: Kumar P Barve, the first Indian-American to be elected to a US state legislature, has decided to run for the US Congress in the 2016 elections.

The 56-year-old Democrat plans to be in fray for the US House of Representatives seat being vacated by Congressman Chris Van Hollen.

"I am announcing today that I'm running for the open 8th Congressional District of Maryland to help rebuild our middle class, restore hope in the American dream, and grow our economy so that everyone has an opportunity to thrive and the freedom to live as they wish," he said.

Born in Schenectady in New York, Barve in 1990 made history at the age of 32, when he was elected to the Maryland House of Delegates and became the first Indian-American ever to serve in a state legislature.

The legislator, who is currently

chairman of the House Environment and Transportation Committee, said his vision was restoring the American dream, which beckoned Indians to the land of opportunity.

Kumar P Barve

"Now, that dream is in jeopardy for millions of American families.

There is no longer confidence that working hard and playing by the rules means being able to provide for your family," he claimed.

If elected he would join fellow Democrat Ami Bera from California, currently the only Indian-

American in the US Congress, and would be the fourth from the community to be elected to the House of Representatives.

"My family, like so many others, came to America for freedom and opportunity.

As they left India and traveled across the Atlantic they knew they would face hardships but they were hopeful that they would succeed," he said.

Barve said, for 25 years as a legislator, "I have worked to earn your trust."

"As a Majority Leader in the Maryland House of Delegates, I helped lead the effort to build the best public school system in America. I worked to foster economic growth through investments in biotechnology and information technology. I also fought to raise the minimum wage, expand health care to working families and keep college tuitions low," he said.

-PTI

LOS ANGELES: An Indian-origin doctor was among the first who came to Harrison Ford's aid immediately after seeing his plane crash-land on a Los Angeles golf course.

Sanjay Khurana, a spine surgeon, was on the seventh hole of Penmar Golf Course March 5 afternoon when Ford's plane clipped a tree.

"A passenger in the rear seat slumped over in distress belted in. I could smell fuel," Dr Khurana recalled.

Dr. Khurana and other golfers pulled Mr. Ford from the wreckage after they noticed fuel leaking from the plane.

"We wanted to get him out safely and with the fuel leaking out, I motioned to some of the other folks at the golf course to put dirt on the fuel so it wouldn't combust," he said.

"I just wanted to get him out safely so that the situation wouldn't erupt into a fire," CBS

Local quoted Khurana as saying.

Dr Khurana was stunned to discover the actor at the controls.

"He was a very familiar face.

Sanjay Khurana

Kind of somewhat of an iconic face. And yeah, I did recognize who he was," he said.

Dr Khurana said that there were other golfers who helped him lift Ford to safety.

Mr Ford was transported to a hospital where he was listed in fair to moderate condition.

The 72-year-old Ford, best known for his roles in 'Star Wars' and as Indiana Jones, is a longtime aviation enthusiast.-PTI

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Border row with India 'contained': China BEIJING: China has said the border dispute with India has been "contained" as it sought stronger ties for the resolution of the vexed issue, likening it with climbing a mountain that gets "tougher" towards the summit.

Addressing his annual press conference on the sidelines of the National People's Congress (NPC), China's legislature, Foreign Minister Wang Yi said the Indian elephant and Chinese dragon should "do more" to strengthen bilateral

cause we are on the way up. This is all the more reason that we do more to strengthen China-India cooperation so that we can enable and facilitate the settlement of the boundary question," he said answering a question from PTI about Prime Minister Narendra Modi's expected visit and the chances of a breakthrough in boundary talks that have dragged on for years.

"The dispute has been contained. At the moment, the bound-

The talks to be held later this month will be the first round after the NDA took over power last year. They are taking place amid clamor on both sides that a concerted effort should be made for a final solution considering that the two countries have strong governments cooperation to clinch a final settlement of the boundary issue.

"As for China-India boundary question, it is a legacy of history.

We have worked on it for many years and made some progress in the boundary negotiations," Wang said here in a nationallytelevised address.

"It is like climbing a mountain...the going is tough be-

ary negotiation is in the process of building up small positive developments," Wang said in an elaborate comment on the issue ahead of the forthcoming 18th round of border talks.

He also said that a warm welcome awaited Prime Minister Narendra Modi when he makes his first visit to China later this year.

"Last September, President Xi

Jinping made an historic visit to India. Picture of the two leaders working at a spinning wheel in Gujarat, the home state of Prime Minister, has spread far and wide in China.

"Chinese people believe in reciprocating the courtesy of others. I am sure when Prime Minister Modi visits China later this year, he will be warmly welcomed by the Chinese government and people," he said.

Modi is expected to visit China before May 6, around the time when his government completes one year in office.

The talks to be held later this month will be the first round after the NDA took over power last year. They are taking place amid clamor on both sides that a concerted effort should be made for a final solution considering that the two countries have strong governments.

National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, who has been designated as Special Representative of India succeeding Shivshnakar Menon, will hold talks with his Chinese counterpart Yang Jiechi.

Officials say that the talks this time were expected to focus on the mutual stance regarding the over 4,000 km-long Line of Actual Con-

Rajat Gupta files fresh plea for release NEW YORK: India-born former Goldman Sachs director Rajat Gupta - currently serving a two-year jail term on insider trading charges -has filed a fresh plea in a US court seeking his conviction overturned as prosecutors failed to show he received personal benefits for passing information.

The IIT and Harvardeducated 66-year-old former McKinsey head has asked the Manhattan federal court here for an order "vacating his sentence, setting aside the judgment against him, and discharging him from prison".

In the plea, Gupta has argued that the government did not provide evidence to prove he received personal benefits in exchange for passing confidential Goldman Sachs information to hedge fund founder and billionaire friend Raj Rajaratnam.

Convicted in 2012, Gupta began serving a two-year prison term on insider trading charges in June, 2014.

His petition for a certiorari in

the criminal case is pending before the Supreme Court.

In the 21-page memorandum, Gupta's lawyer Gary Naftalis said the trial jury was not properly instructed regarding insider trading tips and the benefit accrued to

Rajat Gupta

Gupta.

The "erroneous jury instructions" permitted the jury to convict Gupta "without finding that his tips were part of an agreed upon exchange of tips for consequential benefits, resulting in his conviction for conduct that is not a crime", Naftalis said.

The government has time till April to file its response to the defense motion.

Naftalis said the proposition that Gupta gained nothing in exchange for the alleged tips provided critical support for the argument that he was utterly without motive to participate willfully in an insider trading scheme.

"Following a long and successful professional career of the utmost probity, at the pinnacle of the business world, with no shortage of lucrative post-McKinsey business opportunities and in the absence of anything resembling financial need, Gupta lacked any such motivation," he said.

Naftalis said there was total absence of an agreement to pay cash for tips, to share trading profits or to trade tips for other tips.

"Indeed, there was no direct evidence of any quid pro quo at all. Nor was there any evidence showing that Gupta even knew what Goldman Sachs trades Rajaratnam directed, the size or dollar amount of those trades, or how much money Rajaratnam made," the memorandum said. -PTI

trol (LAC) where troops from both the sides conduct aggressive patrolling.

Officials say that after agreeing on the 2005 guiding principles, the two sides were in the second stage of formulating a framework for a settlement which will be followed by drawing the mutuallyagreed boundary line.

area in Ladakh occupied by China in the 1962 border war.

Invoking one of China's erstwhile top leaders, Deng Xiaoping who said that unless India and China are developed, there will be no Asian century, Wang said: "China is prepared to work with India to implement important agreements reached by our lead-

China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi

China, which claims Arunachal Pradesh as part of Southern Tibet, says that the border dispute is confined to 2,000 kms mostly in the north-eastern state.

However, India asserts that the dispute covers the western side of the border, spanning to about 4,000 kms including Aksai Chin

ers."

"Chinese dragon and Indian elephant should join in a duet to work for the early revitalization of two ancient civilizations, common prosperity of the two emerging markets and amicable co-existence of two large neighbors," he said. -PTI

US lawmakers greet Indian-Americans on Holi WASHINGTON: US lawmak- can in the current Congress. ers have greeted Indian-AmeriHoli is a time to celebrate cans on the occasion of Holi, say- strengthening of community and ing it is an opportunity for all family bonds, said Tulsi Gabbard, faiths to come together and cel- the first Hindu elected to the US ebrate the arrival of spring.

Congress. "Since ancient times "Happy Holi to everyone in Sili- this festival of colors has comcon Valley, and around the world! memorated divine pastimes, such I am proud to join so many people as when Lord Krishna played Holi in celebrating a Spring festival also with His associates and devotees. known as the festival of colors," Congressman ‘I am proud to join so many Mike Honda said.

"As we celebrate the people in celebrating a beginning of a new sea- Spring festival also known son with festivities that as the festival of colors,’ include bright colors, music and dance, let us Congressman Mike wish our loved ones Honda said and friends a prosperous spring. I wish everyone a joy- I celebrate Holi along with millions ous festival," he said. of Hindus in the United States "I wish all the communities and and around the world. I wish all a families celebrating the festival of very happy Holi!" she said. colors a very happy Holi! As we "Holi provides an opportunity mark the end of winter, let us joy- for all faiths to come together and ously welcome the renewal of celebrate the arrival of spring. As spring with friends, music," Con- you gather with your loved ones gresswoman Judy Chu said. for this grand festival of colors, I "May this Holi celebration wel- hope that you find peace, hope come a prosperous and colorful and harmony," said Congressman spring for all communities," said Mark Takano.

Cont’d on page 8 Ami Bera, the only Indian-Ameri-

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No Indian varsity in list Modi will visit Pak for SAARC Summit: Aziz of top 100 NEW DELHI: None of the Indian universities could make it to the list of top 100 most prestigious global universities in the latest 'world reputation ranking' by Times Higher Education.

In a further embarrassment to India, Brazil, Russia and China, the other BRIC nations, have at least one university in this prestigious list, the study revealed.

The latest results come even

Harvard University

The rankings for 2015 based on invitation-only survey of senior academic opinion, placed Harvard at the top, followed by University of Cambridge and University of Oxford in the second and third place respectively.

as the Government has initiated a series of measures to place its institutes among the top globally.

"It is really a matter of concern that a country of India's great intellectual history and its huge and growing economic power does

not have a single university that is regarded by academics globally as being among the world's most prestigious," said editor of the Times Higher Education Rankings Phil Baty.

For the fifth year in a row, the rankings highlight an elite group of six Anglo-American brands that stand head and shoulders above the rest, headed by Harvard University.

University of Cambridge moves into second place (up from fourth) and the University of Oxford takes third (up from fifth), swapping places with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Stanford University, respectively.

The University of California, Berkeley holds on to sixth spot.

Overall, the US continues to dominate, with 26 of the top 50 places and 43 of the top 100 (down from 46 last year).

University of Tokyo in 12th has topped in Asia and China has gained ground over previous years with its top institution, Tsinghua University up 10 places to 26.-PTI

Wipro, Tata Steel, Tata Power among most ethical NEW DELHI: Three Indian companies Wipro, Tata Steel and Tata Power have been named among the World's Most Ethical Companies by the Ethisphere Institute, a global leader in defining and advancing the standards of righteous business practices.

The designation of "World's Most Ethical Companies" recognizes those organizations who truly go beyond making statements about doing business "ethically".

In 2015, there were as many as 132 honorees across 21 countries and five continents representing over 50 industries.

"Honorees not only promote

ethical business standards and practices internally, they exceed legal compliance minimums and

year underscores Wipro's commitment to leading ethical business standards and practices, ensuring

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will "certainly" visit Pakistan next year to attend the SAARC Summit, Pakistan Premier's Foreign Affairs Advisor Sartaj Aziz has said.

"Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will certainly visit Pakistan next year," Aziz told reporters after attending a two-day conference at the 6th Think Tank Forum of Islamic Countries here.

Pakistan will host the SAARC summit in 2016 and leaders of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) -- which comprises of Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka -- would be invited.

Talking about Indo-Pak relations, Aziz was quoted by Dawn News as saying that "all matters of common interest will be included in the talks, whenever they are started."

Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar visited Pakistan on March 3 as part of his 'SAARC yatra' and held talks with his counterpart Aizaz Chaudhary during which he conveyed the expectations of the Indian leadership on SAARC and the determination to forge a cooperative relationship with all the neighbors.

Aziz said that although the Indian Foreign Secretary's visit had a SAARC agenda, both sides had used the opportunity to discuss bilateral issues.

He termed the lack of trust be-

tween Pakistan and India as a major issue and said there would be progress on other matters if trust was gradually restored.

India had called-off foreign secretary-level talks at the eleventh hour in August last year be-

Pakistan Premier's Foreign Affairs Advisor Sartaj Aziz

cause the Pakistan High Commissioner in New Delhi held consultations with Kashmiri separatists.

Meanwhile, talking about Chinese President Xi Jinping's visit to Pakistan, Aziz said the dates for the trip were being worked out.

"The Chinese president will not visit Pakistan on March 23," he said.

The Chinese president last year postponed his trip to Pakistan due to protests by opposition. -PTI

USFDA officials to visit India; to sign pact

shape future industry standards by introducing best practices today," Ethisphere Institute said.

Wipro is one of the three IT services companies named in the list this year.

The other two firms are Japan's Ricoh Company and US-based Xerox Corporation.

Being featured in the list for the fourth consecutive

long-term value to key stakeholders, including customers, employees, suppliers, regulators and investors, the IT major said.

Tata Steel is one of the two companies named in the metal industry vertical, the other being US-based Schnitzer Steel Industries.

The other Tata Group Company Tata Power got featured in the energy and utility (electrical) industry.-PTI

NEW YORK: High-ranking officials of US health regulator USFDA will be traveling to India later this month to meet their senior regulatory counterparts and industry leaders, and to enhance relationship building in the areas of medical products and food exported to the US. The FDA officials traveling to India include Howard Sklamberg, J.D., Deputy Commissioner for Global Regulatory Operations and Policy, Michael R. Taylor, J.D., Deputy Commissioner for Foods and Veterinary Medicine and Cynthia Schnedar, JD, Director, Office of Compliance, USFDA said.

The FDA delegation will be traveling to New Delhi, Goa,

Chennai and Mumbai.

Officials will sign a Memorandum of Understanding between the US FDA and the Export Inspection Council of India, signifying the importance of regular engagement and information sharing with India's Ministry of Commerce, and other organizations under their purview that have oversight of FDA regulated products that are exported to the US, it added.

This visit is scheduled about a year after USFDA Commissioner Margaret A Hamburg traveled to India in February 2014 to further strengthen cooperation between the FDA and its Indian regulatory counterparts.-PTI

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Distinguished journalist Vinod Mehta passes away NEW DELHI: Vinod Mehta, distinguished Editor and commentator who successfully launched a number of newspapers and magazines, passed away here after prolonged illness. He was 73.

Mehta, who was Editorial Chairman of 'Outlook' magazine which he had founded, had been ailing for several months and was hospitalized at AIIMS. He was suffering from severe lung infection and was on life support.

He died of multiple organ failure, AIIMS spokesperson Amit Gupta said.

Mehta, who wrote the best sell-

figured in his columns in 'Outlook' magazine.

Born in Rawalpindi (now in Pakistan) in 1942, Mehta was known for his bold journalism.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi condoled his death. "Frank & direct in his opinions, Vinod Mehta will be remembered as a fine journalist & writer. Condolences to his family on his demise," Modi tweeted.

Mehta was a distinguished Editor who successfully launched a number of successful publications such as the 'Sunday Observer', 'Indian Post', 'The Independent', 'The Pioneer (Delhi edi-

of a factory hand in suburban Britain, before accepting an offer to edit Debonair in 1974, a men's magazine.

Years later, he shifted to Delhi where he launched the Delhi-edition of 'The Pioneer' newsapaper.

He was married to Sumita Paul, a journalist who worked for the Pioneer and the 'Sunday Times of India'. The couple do not have any children.

According to his own account in his book 'Lucknow Boy', Mehta has a daughter from an old affair from his younger days.

He said nobody, other than his wife, knew about his daughter until he wrote about it in his memoir. He said he spoke to his wife and she encouraged him to write about it.

Mehta has also authored biography of Meena Kumari and Sanjay Gandhi and published in 2001 a collection of his articles under the title 'Mr Editor, How Close Are You to the PM?'

Wit & irreverence Bringing with him a rare combination of wit and irrevSenoir BJP leader L K Advani, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and MoS for I&B, Rajyavardhan erence, 'Lucknow Singh Rathore during the cremation of veteran journalist Vinod Mehta on March 8 Boy' Vinod Mehta left his indelible iming autobiography 'Lucknow Boy' tion) and, finally, 'Outlook'. print as feisty editor of several in 2011, was a popular face in TV Mehta was three years old successful publications in a cadebates. when he migrated to India along reer spanning over four decades He recently published another with his family after partition. The in which he also shone as a bestbook 'Editor Unplugged' but could family settled down in Lucknow selling author and an influential not attend its launch in December where he did his schooling and TV commentator. last because of his illness. got BA degree.

Known for his candor, Mehta Mehta was a dog lover and had Leaving home with a BA third never shied from taking on the adopted a street dog whom he class degree, he experimented high and mighty and giving space had named 'Editor. The dog often with a string of jobs, including that to contrarian voices like that of Booker awardee Arundhati Roy. It was his refreshingly free of pomposity approach that lent a distinct flavor to the publications he edited beginning from Debonair, from where he started his career as an editor, to Outlook, of which he was the founder editor.

He rendered literary heft to the monthly men's magazine Debonair, better known for its titillating photographs and racy reads, by doing a series of investigative and serious stories.

His success, he recalled in his memoir Lucknow Boy, led him to "serious journalism", his first love, and he founded India's first weekly newspaper, The Sunday Observer.

From there he went on to edit The Indian Post and The Independent in what was then Bombay.

Mehta then moved to Delhi in

File photo of veteran journalist Vinod Mehta who passed away after a prolonged illness in New Delhi on March 8

the early 1990s, when he became Edi- professionalism. tor-in-Chief of The Pioneer, but his "In other words, the basics of 17-year helmsmanship of Outlook my trade impose a discipline which magazine was his longest tenure. ensures that instinctive or acThe versatile writer had also quired biases are tempered with written well-acclaimed biogra- the simple and clear rules of the phies of film actress Meena profession... Still, I wouldn't claim Kumari and Congress leader and I am a 100 per cent unbiased ediIndira Gandhi's son Sanjay Gandhi, which was relaunched re- The versatile writer had also cently. written well-acclaimed Criticized by rightwing voices for his lib- biographies of film actress eral values and denun- Meena Kumari and Conciation of their at times extremist agenda, gress leader and Indira Mehta mocked himself Gandhi's son Sanjay as a "pseudo-secular" Gandhi, which was reand wrote about abusive mails he would re- launched recently ceive in Outlook, which called him "pro-Sonia, pro-Con- tor!" he wrote. gress, pro-stray dogs, anti-BJP, As someone who often made anti-Hindutva etc, etc." fun of "big egos" of many jourHe may have his prejudices, he nalists, it was not without reason wrote, but he balanced with his that he named his dog 'Editor'.-PTI

US lawmakers greet Indian-Americans on Holi Cont’d from page 6

The ancient Hindu festival of Holi celebrates the rejuvenation and renewal of springtime, said Congresswoman Barbara Lee. "After the end of a long winter, Holi is a wonderful way to celebrate the diversity and culture in our communities, families and nation. I wish all those around the

world who are celebrating a safe, joyous and colorful Holi," she said.

"The Festival of colors is a time of joy and happiness in my district, across the country and around the world. I pray that everyone taking part in Holi festivities enjoys the harmony and prosperity of the season," said Congresswoman Bonnie Watson Coleman. -PTI

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'Yogendra Yadav, Prashant wanted AAP to lose polls' NEW DELHI: The widening internal rift in the AAP again came to the fore with the party top brass launching a scathing attack on Shanti Bhushan, Prashant Bhushan and Yogendra Yadav, accusing them of working for the

that he wanted the party to lose and win only 20-22 seats. If the party loses only then the leadership will get some sense," the leaders claimed.

They claimed that Prashant would also threaten to call a press

Prashant Bhushan and Yogendra Yadav

party's defeat and maligning the image of Arvind Kejriwal.

In a first official statement by top party leaders since the infighting came out in the open, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, Transport Minister Gopal Rai, party's General Secretary Pankaj Gupta and Sanjay Singh defended the national executive's decision to oust Prashant and Yadav from the political affairs committee (PAC).

"The trio, especially Prashant called up volunteers from other states and told them not to campaign for the party.I will not be campaigning for the party this time. You guys also don't campaign. It is necessary for the party to lose. It is only then Arvind (Kejriwal) will get some sense," the leaders said in the statement.

"In front of Anjali Damania (AAP leader from Maharashtra), he told the same to workers of Mysore.Those funding the party were discouraged from doing so," said a joint statement by the four AAP leaders.

Prashant and Yadav were voted out from the party's PAC. The proposal to drop the two was introduced by Sisodia, seconded

by Singh and supported by nine others including Gupta and Rai. A section of the party headed

by Arvind Kejriwal had alleged that the trio wanted to remove Kejriwal from the post of National Convener.

"Two weeks before the election, when (AAP leader) Ashish Khetan called up Prashantji and requested him to head party's Delhi Dialogue initiative, Prashantji said

conference in the midst of a heated election campaign.

"For three days, 10 senior AAP leaders were trying to convince them not to address any press conference as this would have a negative impact on the party. At a

The party said that it was compelled to come out in the open despite taking a decision not to go before the public and as the two leaders were giving statements to the media.

"They were trying to portray as if the decision to drop them from the PAC was irresponsible and undemocratic," the leaders said.

The leaders claimed that the party has ample evidence that Yadav tried to malign Kejriwal's image and tried to portray a negative side of the organization.

"Some senior editors in private have also said that during the Delhi election, Yadav again tried to malign Kejriwal's image by giving off the record information," the leaders charged.

Lashing out at Shanti Bhushan, the leaders said that the AAP leader not only spoke in favor of BJP's chief ministerial candidate Kiran Bedi but also supported a breakaway faction AAP Volunteers Vichar Manch.

"A few days before the election, Shanti Bhushan ji said he trusted Kiran Bedi more than Arvind (Kejriwal).All party workers were stunned listening to his statements. Volunteers started

"The trio, especially Prashant called up volunteers from other states and told them not to campaign for the party.I will not be campaigning for the party this time. You guys also don't campaign. It is necessary for the party to lose. It is only then Arvind (Kejriwal) will get some sense," the leaders said in the statement time when the BJP and AAP were engaged in a cut throat battle, senior leader were busy convincing them and wasting their valuable time," the leaders alleged.

asking what was he doing in the AAP if he supported Bedi. He also gave many statements against Arvind," the leaders claimed. -PTI

'Indian woman saw attacker, begged for mercy' SYDNEY: The Indian woman IT professional, who was stabbed to death in a Sydney suburb, is believed to have seen her attacker approach and begged for mercy in her final moments, even as the police were investigating if the assault was related to the sex attacks here last year.

Prabha Arun Kumar, 41, was stabbed to death in Parramatta Park in Westmead while she was on the phone with her husband in India.

Her husband Arun Kumar was interviewed by police over the content of that conversation.

Prabha's flatmate in Australia has spoken to Arun since his arrival in the country, and told a local TV station what was said during the phone call.

"She saw he was approaching her and then he passed her and then suddenly she shouted 'don't hurt me, I'll do whatever you want', and then she said in her native tongue that 'he stabbed me, he stabbed me'," she said.

"And then (her husband) could not hear anything."

According to police, Prabha died after being slashed across the throat with a sharp-edged object.

The friend, on the condition of anonymity, also urged the public to inform police for any clues.

Police have launched a probe and were also investigating if a series of sex attacks in western Sydney last year could be linked to Prabha's death, reports said.

Homicide Squad chief Detective Superintendent Michael Willing was quoted as saying that the police were talking to Arun about his final phone call to his wife to piece together her movements.

He also confirmed other incidents in the area in recent months were being examined.

"I believe that over the preceding years there have been a number of incidents there (at the

Prabha Arun Kumar

park)," Willing said.

"We would consider that as part of the investigation, and indeed you would expect us to look at anything that has occurred in that geographical area in the days and months leading up to this matter, and we will certainly do that," he said.

"What we're hoping to do is jog the memory of anyone who was in the area on that night and we encourage them to come forward and speak to police," he added.

Police has released CCTV images of Kumar leaving Parramatta Station just before her death.-PTI

Indian American Heritage Night in Philadelphia WASHINGTON: A top USbased professional basketball franchise has celebrated Indian American Heritage Night, recognizing the immense contribution of the community.

The first-of-its-kind event in Philadelphia, the fifth largest US city, was marked by a scintillating Bollywood dance performance during one of its high-profile NBA games, organizing a "Beyond Bollywood" exhibition reflecting on the community's rich contribution.

Philadelphia 76ers, an American professional basketball franchise, honored two trailblazers in Indian

The goal of Indian American Heritage night was to educate, highlight and celebrate the vast diversity and success of Indian Americans, said Ganga Mukavalli American Community - H R Shah, a successful entrepreneur, who is also CEO and chairman of T V Asia and Ajay Raju, the CEO and executive chairman of one of Philadelphia's most profitable white shoe powerhouse law firms Dilwoth Paxson.

"Today is a great day for Indian Americans. Celebration of Indian

American Heritage Night by 76ers is recognition of the contribution of Indian Americans in the past several decades in the development of the US in every sphere of," Shah said.

Shah, CEO and Chairman of popular T V Asia channel which is celebrating its 25th year in the US, was specially honored by 76ers, a

top professional basketball team based in Philadelphia, during a high profile game.

As part of the festivities the Smithsonian Institute presented their exhibit on "Beyond Bollywood: Indian Americans Shape the Nation."

The exhibition chronicles and captures over 150 years of the Indian American Experience.

The goal of Indian American Heritage night was to educate, highlight and celebrate the vast diversity and success of Indian Americans, said Ganga Mukavalli, chairman of Heritage promotions.-PTI

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Indian ultra-rich to double by 2024: Knight Frank NEW DELHI: Wealth creation in India is likely to accelerate significantly with the number of ultra-wealthy individuals expected to double to 3,371 by 2024, a Knight Frank report says.

According to the latest Knight Frank Wealth Report, as of 2014, India is home to 1,652 ultra high net worth individuals (UHNWIs), which is likely to swell to 3,371 by the year 2024, registering a jump of 104 per cent.

Commenting on the report findings, Knight Frank India Chairman & Managing Director Shishir Baijal said wealth creation in India is expected to "accelerate".

"This reflects a more positive outlook

for India's economy after 2014 was marked by capital outflows and a sharp devaluation of the rupee," Baijal said.

The number of UHNWIs in India has increased from 622 in 2004 to 1,652 in 2014, registering a rise of 166 per cent over the past decade (2004-2014). "...with the new Indian government com-

manding a majority in the lower house for the first time in three decades, there is real opportunity to introduce far more transparency.

That in turn will boost foreign investment. WealthInsight forecasts a 104 per cent increase in India's UHNWIs over the next decade," Knight Frank said.

According to the report over the next ten years, only the US, China and Russia will have more billionaires than India. By the year 2024, the United States is expected to have as many as 50,767 UHNWIs, followed by China (15,681)

However, wealth concentration continues to remain a "challenge" in India.

"At 0.1 UHNWI per lakh population, India ranks a distant 84 among 97 countries globally in terms of equitable distribution of wealth," Knight Frank India Chief Economist & Director, Research Samantak Das said.

Moreover, the concentration of wealthy Indians also extends geographically as the top six cities contribute 58 per cent of the number of UHNWIs, which is likely to accelerate to 68 per cent in the next 10 years.

According to the report over the next ten years, only the US, China and Russia will have more billionaires than India. By the year 2024, the United States is expected to have as many as 50,767 UHNWIs, followed by China (15,681).

Within India, Mumbai is expected to see the fastest rise in UHNWIs followed by Delhi and Hyderabad.

Interestingly, the prime residential prices in Mumbai is costlier than Dubai. Owning a prime residential property in Mumbai costs Rs 61,300/sq ft, while in Dubai it is Rs 40,455/sq ft, the report said. -PTI

Lanka to review Tata housing project COLOMBO: Sri Lanka has said it is reviewing a USD 400 million housing project here by Indian conglomerate Tata group, weeks after the country's new government said it was looking for a fresh start into the first-of-its-kind township plan in the country.

"We are also examining a housing project by Indian conglomerate Tata. The Tatas come in and say they will put in USD 250 million, but they put in USD 20 million, use our land, and sell it back to us for a higher price. How does that work?" Finance Minister Ravi Karunanayake told Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post.

Tata launched the USD 400 million housing project last year in central Colombo that involved the displacement of 65,000 people.

The scale of displacement and the compensation offered have been a sore point with former president Mahinda Rajapaksa's opponents, it said.

The government had decided to recommence the whole project from the very beginning, Cabinet spokesman and Minister of Health Rajitha Senaratne had said on February 26.

Meanwhile, Tata Housing spokesperson refused to comment on the matter.

In May 2014, the first phase of the project was launched to build a four tower apartment block with 650 units in the Slave Island business district of Colombo.

The project was launched on a three acre area out of a total of 8 acres which has been released from the families.

The Colombo project is mixed use township. -PTI

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German prof rejects Indian due to 'rape problem' NEW DELHI: An Indian student's internship request was rejected by a professor in Germany citing "rape problem" in India, prompting a sharp reaction from the German envoy here who condemned it saying India was not a "country of rapists".

Professor Annette BeckSickinger of Leipzig University in Free State of Saxony had rejected the internship application, saying she does not accept any Indian male student for internship.

"Unfortunately I don't accept any Indian male students for internships. We hear a lot about the rape problem in India which I cannot support. I have many female students in my group, so I think this attitude is something I cannot support," Sickinger said in a reported email.

Taking note of the incident, German Ambassador Michael Steiner wrote a strong-worded letter to the professor following which she apologized for her "unwarranted remarks" in the rejec-

tion letter to the student whose identity is not known.

"I have made a mistake. I sincerely apologies to everyone whose feelings I have hurt," Sickinger was quoted as saying by the German embassy in a re-

‘In India, the Nirbhaya case has triggered a lively honest, sustained and very healthy public debate - a public debate of a quality that wouldn't be possible in many other countries’ lease here.

In his letter, Steiner said, "Let's be clear: India is not a country of rapists."

"In India, the Nirbhaya case

has triggered a lively honest, sustained and very healthy public debate - a public debate of a quality that wouldn't be possible in many other countries.

"The Indian Government and Indian civil society organizations are very committed to tackling the issue. Yesterday we celebrated International Women's Day at the German Embassy here in Delhi with many local activists including many men," he said in the letter.

He said the Nirbhaya rape case has refocused attention on the issue of violence against women.

"Rape is indeed a serious issue in India as in most countries, including Germany."

"Your oversimplifying and discriminating generalization is an offense to these women and men ardently committed to furthering women empowerment in India; and it is an offense to millions of law-abiding, tolerant, openminded and hard-working Indians," he said.-PTI

AI has new address in Washington, LA, Amsterdam NEW DELHI: Loss-making Air India has shifted its offices in Washington, Los Angeles and Amsterdam to less expensive premises, saving thousands of dollars every month in rentals.

The national carrier has embarked on restructuring of overseas offices as part to its overall cost-cutting measures.

Faced with intense competition from private airlines and high operational cost, Air India has been grappling with huge losses for the past few years.

The airline's decision to shift its Washington office from January this year has brought down its monthly rental expense by more than USD 2,500.

The monthly rent shelled out by the carrier for its present premises at Washington is USD 2,495 whereas the expense was more than USD 5,000 at the previous location, according to official data.

"The (Washington) office has been shifted to new premises with effect from January 1, 2015. The current rent of the premises is USD 2,495. Air India earlier had office premises with a monthly rent of USD 4,542 plus USD 500 for parking space.

"Shifting the office to the new

premises has achieved substantial savings," Minister of State for Civil Aviation Mahesh Sharma informed Parliament last week.

The carrier has also shifted its offices in Los Angeles and Amsterdam to less-costly premises.

According to Sharma, Air India's Washington office raked in Rs 190.40 crore revenues last fiscal.

During the same period, revenues from Los Angeles and Amsterdam offices stood at Rs 116.45 crore and nearly Rs 20 crore, respectively For the new premises in Los Angeles, the carrier is paying little over USD 1,474 per month. At the old location, the monthly rental was USD 1,974. The carrier began operating from the new location since June 2014.

With regard to Amsterdam, the

monthly office rental is now 1,520 euros while for the old premises the carrier was shelling out 3,611 euros per month.

According to Sharma, Air India's Washington office raked in Rs 190.40 crore revenues last fiscal. During the same period, revenues from Los Angeles and Amsterdam offices stood at Rs 116.45 crore and nearly Rs 20 crore, respectively.

In the recent past, the airline had shut its booking offices in Zurich (Switzerland), Chittagong (Bangladesh), Vienna (Austria) while the process is on for closing down its offices in Cairo (Egypt) and Tehran (Iran).

The booking offices in Chittagong and Vienna were closed down in November last while the office in Zurich was shut in October 2014.

Besides, a committee is looking to address issues of downsizing the carrier's Toronto station and the process is in the final stages, the Minister noted.

In 2013-14, Air India incurred a loss of Rs 6,280 crore, higher than Rs 5,490 crore seen in the previous fiscal. This has been on account of multiple factors including high operating cost environment.-PTI

Filmmaker condemns documentary ban by India LONDON: India committed "international suicide" by banning a documentary on the December 16 Delhi gangrape from screening in the country, the British filmmaker behind the controversial film has said.

Leslee Udwin, the director of 'India's Daughter' also said it was ironical that her purpose of "giving a gift of gratitude" to India has been misinterpreted as "pointing fingers" at the country.

She said: "My whole purpose was to give a gift of gratitude to India, to actually praise India, to single India out as a country that was exemplary in its response to this rape, as a country where one could actually see change beginning.

"The supreme irony is that they are now accusing me of having wanted to point fingers at India, defame India, and it is they who have committed international suicide by banning this film."

Speaking after a screening of the documentary - that has stoked a controversy, with the Indian government banning its telecast and asking the video-sharing website YouTube to remove all

links to the documentary - Udwin said Prime Minister Narendra Modi would see similar thoughts echoed in the film as his 'Beti Bachao' campaign.

"If (Modi) spent one hour seeing this documentary, he would see his own statements since he got into power reflected in this film.

"The film is saying exactly what he's saying with his 'Beti Bachao' campaign," she said over the

Leslee Udwin

weekend.

The documentary - still available online in the UK via BBC's iplayer tool - features an interview of one of four men sentenced to death, Mukesh Singh, for rape, torture and murder of 23-year-old 'Nirbhaya' on a moving bus.

Police said the ban was imposed as comments in the film by one of those convicted of the crime created an atmosphere of "fear and tension" and risked fuelling public anger.-PTI

India's ban on rape docu will 'not last very long' NEW YORK: India's ban on the BBC gangrape documentary will "not last very long" as the country's courts "are not puppets" of the government and civilized values will return, the British filmmaker behind the controversial film has said.

"My prediction is that the ban will not last very long at all because the courts of India are not puppets of the government," Leslee Udwin, director of 'Storyville: India's daughter' told PTI in an interview here.

"India is a democracy, it is actually a civilized nation even though the current ban would suggest otherwise - that the most important pillar of democracy, which is free speech, has been stamped upon in this ban.

It (the ban) is temporary.

It's not going to last. Civi-

lized values will return, the ban will be lifted and then I hope when all of this hysteria dies down, they will focus on saving the women of the world rather than hiding their particular shame," she said.

The US premier of the documentary on the brutal gang rape of the 23-year old paramedical student was attended

by Oscar-winning actress Meryl Streep, actress Frieda Pinto and Indian actor-producer Farhan Akhtar, who came with his wife Adhuna at the Baruch College here.

Udwin faced backlash over her documentary, banned in India, with people saying the film gave a platform to the rape accused Mukesh Singh to air his views. Singh appears unrepentant in the documentary.-PTI

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I am not helpless, but very influential: Sushma NEW DELHI: "I am not helpless. I am a very influential External Affairs Minister."

This is how Sushma Swaraj re-

here.

He said even the neighboring nations had started taking India lightly after Prime Minister

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj speaking in the Rajya Sabha in New Delhi on March 9

plied to a taunt by an opposition leader in the Rajya Sabha while she was speaking on the issue of plight of fishermen and how the issue has been taken up with Sri Lanka.

Rajeev Shukla (Cong) had said the remarks by Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe about "right to shoot intruder" in the context of Indian fishermen was a slap on the face of India and showed helplessness of External Affairs Minister "who was not even allowed to share dais with (US President Barack) Obama" during his recent visit

have been seated. You see the pictures."

Replying to clarifications sought by members on the fishermen issue, Swaraj said she had, during her recent visit to Sri Lanka, strongly put forth India's views and comments by Wickremesinghe who had suggested that Indian fishermen may be shot if they intruded into his country's waters.

"I share your outrage and pain.

I have strongly placed before Sri Lankan PM Wickramasinghe in his territory that such remarks were improper and objectionable, which was not contradicted by them. We are keeping a close eye on the issue," she said.

The Minister said she had incamera talks with the Sri Lankan PM on Tamil fishermen issue but External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Syed Akbaruddin had within half-an-hour held a press conference, stating that India objected to Sri Lankan PM's remarks.

"There is no reply to our objection and we consider it retraction," she said, adding "Their (Sri Lanka) silence translates that they have understood our point."

She added, "I am proud to state that after the present government took over, not a single Indian fisherman was killed there. There was

Narendra Modi rolled out red carpet for their leaders during his oath ceremony in May last year.

Deputy Chairman P J She added, "I am proud to Kurien wanted the word "helpless" to be ex- state that after the present punged but Swaraj said government took over, not a there was no need for single Indian fisherman it.

In a retort to Shukla's was killed there’ remarks, Swaraj said, "I am not helpless. I am a very influential External Affairs a date when we achieved zeroMinister. zero status which meant there was During President Obama's visit no fisherman arrested or captive I sat with my PM where I should in either India or Sri Lanka."-PTI

Harish Manwani joins Blackstone as global advisor NEW YORK: Harish Manwani, former top executive of Unilever, has joined investment major Blackstone as a global executive advisor.

In the new role, he would also the advice management of teams of Blackstone's Indian portfolio companies.

Manwani, who had served as Chief Operating Officer at Unilever, retired from the FMCG giant at the end of 2014.

"As a global executive advisor, Manwani will assist and guide selected Blackstone portfolio companies across the world and help in diligencing investment opportunities.

"In addition, he will help guide portfolio operations and advise the management teams of Blackstone's Indian portfolio companies," Blackstone said in a statement.

Manwani is the non-executive Chairman of Hindustan Unilever and serves on several international boards, including Qualcomm, Pearson and Whirlpool.

He spent 38 years with Unilever

posted on Project Syndicate website.

"By 2017, India could surpass Italy and Brazil to become the

and the United Kingdom to become the fifth largest," O'Neill, who was recently in India, said.

Way back in 2001, O'Neill, had

‘Between now and 2030, the growth rate of India's workforce will add as much to the existing stock of labor as continental Europe's four largest economies put together,’ he said world's seventh largest economy; by 2020, there is a reasonable chance that it will overtake France

coined the acronym BRIC -- the grouping of Brazil, Russia, India and China -- while mentioning

Harish Manwani

kets in the world.

"I look forward to working closely with the leadership of the portfolio companies to further raising the bar on operational excellence and value creation," Manwani said about his new role.

A leading investment firm, Blackstone has almost USD 300 billion in assets under management. -PTI

India can lead n-disarmament initiative: Activist NEW DELHI: Pitching for a nuclear weapon-free world, activist Alyn Ware said India can lead the initiative in this regard by "building bridges" between

'India poised to be world's 3rd largest economy' NEW YORK: As India's investment climate seems to be improving, the moment might not be far away for the country to emerge as the world's third economy, says Jim O'Neill who is better known for coining the acronym BRIC. "It is probably too early to say with certainty that India will soon take its place as the world's third largest economy, behind China and the United States. But, given that India's investment climate seems to be improving, that moment might not be too far away," he said in a recent commentary

in various senior general management positions including overseeing the company's businesses in Latin America, North America and Asia.

Blackstone's Global Head of Portfolio Operations David Calhoun said Manwani's wide ranging general management experience and particular expertise in developing markets would give the firm enormous leverage in some of the fastest growing mar-

about growth prospects in large emerging markets.

O'Neill, a former chairman of Goldman Sachs Asset Management, is now an Honorary Professor of Economics at Manchester University and Chairman of the Review on Antimicrobial Resistance, among other roles.

He said that a key feature of his research into the BRIC economies over ten years ago was that at some point during this decade, India would start to grow faster than China and continue to do so for dozens of years.-PTI

nuclear-armed states and nonnuclear states.

Ware, who is in India to meet parliamentarians such as CPI MP CN Jayadevan and Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar, social campaigners and academics, said such a move could help break the "deadlock" that has "prevented multi-lateral negotiations for nuclear disarmament for the past 20 years".

He said issues like "international disarmament initiatives, humanitarian impact of nuclear weapons and the opening of Indo-US relations" were likely to come up in his talks with them.

"Globally around 100 billion dollars goes into weapons, most of that money is for technology and very high tech materials. The wasted money can be used to create ten times as many jobs and be invested on education," he added.-PTI

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We are proud of you: PM Modi to Saina

India’s Saina Nehwal stands on the podium as runner up, after being beaten

by Spain’s Carolina Marin during the Women’s Singles final, at the All England Badminton Championships in Birmingham, England on March 8

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has praised Saina Nehwal after the ace Indian female shuttler suffered a heartbreaking defeat in the final of the All England badminton championships, saying the country is proud of her for creating history by reaching the summit clash.

"Well played @NSaina! We are very proud of you. You created history by reaching the finals.

Keep up the spirit," Modi wrote in his twitter page.

Olympic bronze medalist Saina quest for becoming the first Indian woman to win the most prestigious All England badminton championship ended in agony after she lost to Spain's Carolina Marin in the summit clash in Birmingham.

The World No. 3 Indian let go of a huge opportunity to script history as she squandered an opening game lead to go down 2116 14-21 7-21 to the reigning world champion in the women's singles final that lasted for little over an hour.

Olympic bronze medalist, Saina, thus, failed to emulate her longtime coach Pullella Gopichand (2001) and legendary Prakash Padukone (1980), who had won the prestigious title in the past. PTI

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, flanked by Army chief General Dalbir Singh Suhag, Chief of Naval Staff R.K. Dhowan and Air Force chief Marshal Arup Raha salutes as they pay homage at Amar Jawan Jyoti during the centenary commemoration of World War I, in New Delhi on March 10

Indian economy sees firming growth trend: OECD LONDON: India's economic would also make India the fastest growth is firming up and pros- growing large economy in the pects are also looking better in world. most of the other major econoIn 2015-16, Gross Domestic mies, says Paris-based think tank Product (GDP) growth is pegged OECD. at 8-8.5 per cent.

The Organization for Economic While presenting the Union Cooperation and Development Budget for 2015-16, Finance Min(OECD), which is also a grouping ister Arun Jaitley last month said of about 34 countries, has projected stable growth momentum for "In India, the CLI continues most major economies.

The readings are to indicate firming growth, based on its Composite while in Russia the CLI still Leading Indicators (CLIs), which are de- points to a loss in growth signed to anticipate turning points in eco- momentum," nomic activity relative to trend.

"In India, the CLI continues to that "aiming for a double-digit rate indicate firming growth, while in seems feasible very soon".

Russia the CLI still points to a loss According to the grouping, in growth momentum," the group- euro area is expected to see posiing said in a statement. tive change in growth momentum.

Reflecting positive sentiment, In Germany, the CLI point toIndia's CLI rose to 99.5 in January wards positive change in momenfrom 99.3 registered in December. tum while outlook for Italy and The indicator has been inching up France too has improved. since September last when it "Stable growth momentum is anstood at 99. ticipated amongst most other major Based on new series of GDP, economies, including the United Indian economy is estimated to States, the UK, Canada, Japan, China grow at 7.4 per cent this fiscal. This and Brazil," it added. -PTI

England overrated in both cricket, football: Gavaskar HAMILTON: Indian batting legend Sunil Gavaskar has slammed the England team for its embarrassingly early exit from the World Cup, calling it an overrated side in not just cricket but football also.

Bangladesh h a v e knocked out England from the mega event with a 15-run win to set up a likely clash with defending champions India in the quarter finals.

Gavaskar was far from being impressed after England folded for 260 runs in 48.3 overs.

"I think it would have been easier playing England in the quarters. Look at their form. England have won only one game, they are a nothing side. Every time there is

a World Cup football, everyone speaks how they will do this and that but at the end of the day, they are just an overrated team both in cricket and football," Gavaskar

Sunil Gavaskar

told NDTV. Put into bat, Bangladesh rode on Mahmudullah's resilient century to post 275 for seven and then put up a spirited bowling show to pack England for 260 runs in 48.3 overs in a thrilling group-A contest. -PTI

Top Stories

March 13, 2015

India Post

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MH370: Family still clinging to hope KUALA LUMPUR: One year after the mysterious MH370 plane accident, the grieving family of an Indian-origin Malaysian IT professional is yet to perform the last rites for him as they find it hard to accept that they would never see their only son again.

Each time former estate worker G Subramaniam sees a plane, the 61-year-old father is choked with emotion because it brings back memories of Puspanathan who was among the 239 passengers on board MH370 on March 8 last year.

Since news of the missing aircraft made headlines a year ago, life has not been quite the same for Subramaniam and his wife A Amurathnam, who still find it hard to accept that they would never see their only son again.

With the mystery of the Beijing-bound MH370 remaining unsolved and no wreckage of the Boeing 777-200 aircraft or bodies

found, the family has not performed any final rites for Puspanathan, an IT graduate and marketing manager at Petronas.

Subramaniam has not been sleeping well, has lost weight due to poor appetite and become reclusive. An avid Tamil movie fan, he has stopped going to the cinemas.

Amurathnam, also 61, refuses to hang up Puspanathan's portrait on the wall of their house in Banting.

Adding to the couple's heartache is how some neighbors have been treating them following the tragedy.

"One family in my neighborhood who used to visit me regularly before the tragedy has stopped talking to us because they feel my family has been cursed and they fear the ill luck will befall on them," he was quoted as saying by the Star.com.

"My biggest challenge how-

46,000 Twitter accounts linked to Islamic State WASHINGTON: Nearly 50,000 Twitter accounts are being run by supporters of the dreaded Islamic State terror group, a study by a prominent US think tank has said, a worrying indicator of the outfit's reach on social media.

Despite repeated attempts by Twitter to thwart the Islamic State's threats, propaganda and recruiting by suspending accounts linked to the group, sympathizers have maintained thousands of active accounts on the social network, the study said.

The users include a disciplined core group that sends messages frequently and understands how to maximize impact.

"Jihadists will exploit any kind of technology that will work to their advantage," said J M Berger, an expert on online extremism who was the lead author of the study, which was published by the Washington-based Brookings Institution and financed by Google Ideas. But the Islamic State, he said, "is much more successful than other groups".

The release of the study came as Twitter, the San Franciscobased social media giant with more than 288 million active users

worldwide, has moved more aggressively to suspend accounts linked to the Islamic State, the New York Times reported.

The group, also known as ISIS or ISIL, which is ensconced in parts of Syria and Iraq, has used the social network to publicize executions of prisoners, including beheadings and at least one immolation, and to espouse death, violence and hatred for all perceived enemies.

Tw i t t e r ' s crackdown on the group has led to death t h r e a t s against the company's leaders and employees.

Berger said the threats against Twitter reflected, to some degree, the Islamic State's increased reliance on open social media forums, a Western invention that seems incongruous with the militants' desire for restoring the caliphates that once ruled vast areas of the Middle East.

The 92-page report found that a minimum of 46,000 Twitter accounts operate on behalf of the Islamic State. The study, titled "The ISIS Twitter Census", was the first public attempt to measure the influence of Islamic State members or their sympathizers on social media.-PTI

Subramaniam has not been sleeping well, has lost weight due to poor appetite and become reclusive. An avid Tamil movie fan, he has stopped going to the cinemas

ever is trying to answer my two grandchildren because they keep asking when their father will return from work after they see other classmates being picked up by their fathers from the nursery," Subramaniam said.

Puspanathan's wife K Sridevi, 30, and their two young sons are also waiting for his return.

Subramaniam said he was the third generation in his family to work as an estate worker in Carey Island

but moved to the mainland to provide his son a better education.

"I'm sad because my dream to see my son become a corporate leader has been dashed but my hope remains strong."

"Over the past seven months, the Welfare Department has been giving me RM300 (Rs 5,100) monthly. Sometimes I work parttime as a security guard when there is an opportunity to earn some extra money.-PTI

Desi News 6 cars stolen from SF Bay Area dealerships FREMONT, Calif.: Police say thieves stole six cars from three San Francisco Bay Area car dealerships in one night.

Fremont police said they were seeking several suspects in the thefts but had made no arrests.

Police say the string of thefts began on March 5 night, when they received an alert from a triggered alarm at Phantom Motors.

Despite arriving within four minutes, police say the suspects had gone and stolen two cars. Another car was discovered stolen from a neighboring dealership.

A few hours later three cars were stolen from H&R Automotive about two miles away.

Witnesses reported seeing five people wearing gray and black hooded sweatshirts and riding in a silver sedan who police are looking for in connection with the thefts. -AP

Sangeet Bahar enthralls with classical songs India Post News Service

MILPITAS, CA: Sangeet Dhwani, a community-based organization that promotes the musical heritage of India, organized a Sangeet Bahar concert that delighted music lovers with old clas-

sic movie songs based on Hindustani classical raags.

Sangeet Bahar is one of its two segments that promotes movie songs; the other one is "Sangeet Ankur" which inspires youth and kids to learn classical raags so that they would carry the torch of this glorious heritage to the future.

Details on page 22

Asian American Coalition honors Amarjit & Anukool India Post News Service

CHICAGO: The Asian American Coalition of Chicago honored Indian Americans Dr Amarjit Singh and Anukool Vasudevan at their 32nd Conference on Business and Networking and Annual Lunar New Year Celebration on Saturday, February 28 at the Hyatt Regency O'Hare Hotel in Rosemont, a northwest suburb of Chicago Details on page 18

COMMUNITY ACROSS AMERICA

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Offering the fruits of our actions

March 13, 2015

to God Details on page 23

Chicago Mayoral race heats up with Garcia gaining ground RAMESH SOPARAWALA India Post News Service

CHICAGO: The Mayoral race for Chicago is heating up. What appeared to be a one-horse race a few months ago with all betting on Mayor Rham Emanuel wining hands down the four cornered race on February 24 with subtle support from the President Barack Obama, is now become a twohorse play off.

Relatively less known and underdog Jesus "Chuvy" Garca has forced a run off election with Rham Emanuel for April 7 and is now forging ahead with support from many a quarter. The huge lead that Mayor Rham Emanuel enjoyed over his run off rival is getting smaller everyday.

An opinion poll conducted by Ogden and Fry a couple of weeks ago showed Garcia has forged ahead from 33 percent to 38.5 with Rham enjoying a lead of four percent at 42.9 only with 20 percent voters undecided. This is a near

dead heat, say political analysts, and with Garcia bagging endorsements of Latinos and African Americans, it would not be surprising if he springs a surprise on Rham Emanuel.

Members of Indian American community too have been watch-

Earlier, during the four-pronged elections ending February 24, many had backed Willie Wilson, an African American who had risen from a low key McDonald employee to be one of its franchises and now heading a multimilliondollar plastic glove distribution

Mayoral candidate Jesus Garcia and the current Chicago Mayor Rham Emanuel

ing closely the election scenario and they want to get educated about the position that the two candidates take on many issues.

business. He could not make it at the end and now Indian Americans have begun assessing Garcia to see if he could be supported.

A front ranking ethnic newspaper publisher, Prashant Shah recently hosted a meet with Garcia at his office of India Tribune and invited media to attend it so that the community members could get enlightened on the issues that face them. Interestingly, Garcia came out a winner answering tough questions and assuring the community of its fair share in the City administration if he gets elected.

"Indians are well educated, having great work ethics and I would be fortunate to have these kind of people in my administration," he told the gathering. He said that one of the foremost tasks he would take up is to have balanced development in the City which right now is primarily in the Downtown area. He would also end the corporate patronage that influences the decision making process in the City. The Red Light camera that plagues the city roads will be off as it has blown into scandal ridden affair.

Cont’d on page 19

Maha Kumbhaabhiskeam planned for new temple RAMESH SOPARAWALA India Post News Service

INDIANAPOLIS: Five-days of elaborate ancient rituals commencing June 3 by 30 priests will mark the "Maha Kumbhabhishekam" ceremony that would formally launch the consecration of the newly built Hindu Temple of Central Indiana (HTCI) in Indianapolis.

This mega-ceremony will also mark the formal inauguration of Shiva, Radha Krishna, Ram Parivar, Durga, Mahavir Jain, Balaji, Ganesha, Saraswathi, Ayyappa, Bhoodevi and Shirdi Sai Baba shrines and Rajagopuram.

Seventeen moolamoorthies, made of granite and marble in India, will go through elaborate series of rituals.

A large tent will be set-up next to the temple located on North German Church road to accommodate devotees and visitors who will be served free food and drinks

The $ 10 million monumental place of worship, the Hindu Temple of Central Indiana

during the five-day event. There are over 4000 Indian American families in areas close to the temple and it was a crying need to have a place of worship for hundreds of

devotees, said Dr Arun Jain, Vice Chair Trustee Board.

"This is the third phase of the $10 million temple and it took nearly a decade to get completed.

Once it is over, the temple will be truly monumental and one of the best in the entire country," Jain added.

Cont’d on page 19

Community Across America

March 13, 2015

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Racial attack on Sikh boy condemned widely India Post News Service

NEW YORK: Indian American Intellectuals Forum (IAIF), a New York based organization of Indian Americans, has expressed its deep sense of shock and regret at the racial attack on a Sikh student in Georgia.

The video of the Sikh boy seen sitting in what appears to be a school bus being racially abused and called "terrorist" by other students has gone viral all over the USA and created a sense of fear and insecurity in the minds of all our Sikh children.

The video shows the Sikh boy sitting on his own, filming his abusers on his mobile phone as they hurl racist insults at him in childish voices.

The worrying video, distorted here to

protect the identities of the children, has been uploaded to YouTube and has been watched more than 472,000 views since it was added on February 28.

This is not the first time that such racial and slanderous epithets have been thrown on our Sikh brothers. According to information so far, more than 200 incidents of mistaken identity against Sikhs have taken place, says Narain Kataria, President of IAIF. Sikhs are being targeted and victimized in this country because they are confused with Islamic terrorists as they also wear beards and turbans. Most Americans do not know that Sikhism originated in India. Sikh people in India have the reputation of being peace-loving, but also extremely brave, heroic and dignified people. In fact, Sikhs

Celebrating Holi festival Kathak style JAYANTI OZA

Group of Kathak artists presenting Krishna performance

CHICAGO: On February 28, Anila Sinha Foundation and TV Asia presented Rang Rangili Holi festival at Shree Swaminarayan

Temple Midwest-Chicago in Streamwood IL.

A section of the audience

Cont’d on page 23

have nothing to do with Islam, Middle East or Iranian people.

There instances galore in history where Muslim rulers persecuted and tortured Sikhs for their being non-Islamic and siding with Hindus in India. Some of the Sikh gurus

Sikhs in Amritsar and New Delhi have also condemned the racial attack on the Sikh boy in the US state of Georgia. Politicians cutting across party lines have condemned the incident.

The attack is just one in a series of such incidents against the Indian community in the US. A man of Indian origin was shot dead in his liquor store in New Jersey.

Last month, an Indian man was left paralyzed after being brutally beaten by From the video shot by Sikh boy cops in Alabama. gave up their lives and suffered inhuman Slamming the attack, chief Sikh priest torture by the Muslims because they spoke Gurbachan Singh said Sikhs are being tarup on behalf of Hindus. geted in the United States because of misIAIF has strongly pitched to the con- taken identity. cerned authorities to take severe deter"We have warned the Sikh community livrent action against the perpetrators of ing in US to beware of the continuous atsuch religious / racial hate crimes. "We tacks. Sikhs are a different community. Their ask the US government to restore the attire and beard are different from other relipositive image of Sikh people as peace- gious groups but they are being subjected ful and law-abiding citizens", added to continuous attacks by mistakenly taking Kataria. them as Muslims," he said.

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Asian American Coalition honors Amarjit & Anukool India Post News Service

CHICAGO: The Asian American Coalition of Chicago honored Indian Americans Dr Amarjit Singh and Anukool Vasudevan at their

day, February 28 at the Hyatt Regency O'Hare Hotel in Rosemont, a northwest suburb of Chicago.

This year's gala event themed "Unity in Diversity" was hosted by the Indonesian American com-

IL-8 Tammy Duckworth was the keynote speaker.

More than 1300 people attended this extravaganza evening

Indonesian community hosts AACC annual Banquet event at Hyatt Regency in Chicago presenting eye catching dance Puspanjali

32nd Conference on Business and Networking and Annual Lunar New Year Celebration on Satur-

munity of Chicago, with Martino Tangkar serving as the event chairperson. U.S. Congresswoman

dinner banquet. More than 500 attended the day time events like

AACC Awardees from the Indian community - former IAMA President Dr Amarjit Singh and Senior Loyola University student Anukool Vasudevan

health fair, business seminars and networking opportunities.

Amarjit Singh M.D, past president of Indian American Medical Association of Illinois and also

cine to determine the effects of cardiac myosin binding protein-c and its role in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy in South Asians.

He has presented his work at

Unity dance

Past Chairman of Punjabi Cultural Society of Chicago, with a stellar record of community service, won the Indian American Exemplary Community Service Award.

Anukool Vasudevan, a senior

the American Heart Association Network Symposium as well as the Central Society for Clinical and Translational Research Symposium. Anukool is also the Co-President of New Life Volunteering So-

Indian Consul (H.O.C.) O.P. Meena, his wife & daughter with prominent community activist Rajinder Mago at the Asian American banquet

at Loyola University won the Indian American Youth Who Excel Award. Anukool is a senior at Loyola University Chicago and has also worked with researchers at Loyola's Stritch School of Medi-

ciety, an organization aimed at allowing students to give back to their community and increase their awareness of social justice through community service.

Cont’d on page 22

March 13, 2015

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Religious leaders seek Senator's apology India Post News Service

NEVADA, CA: In a remarkable interfaith gesture, various Christian, Buddhist, Hindu, Jewish, and Native American spiritualist leaders have urged public apology from Idaho Senator from Cottonwood, Sheryl L. "Sherry" Nuxoll, who allegedly described "Hindu is a false faith with false gods".

She made this statement in a

media interview regarding historic first Hindu invocation of Idaho State Senate on March 3 which she and two other State Senators reportedly refused to attend.

Idaho Senate, upper house in the State Legislature, started its day with ancient Hindu mantras on March 3, a first since Idaho acquired statehood in 1890. It contained verses from Rig-Veda; the oldest existing scripture of the

mankind still in common use; besides Upanishads and BhagavadGita, both ancient Hindu scriptures

by Rajan Zed, President of Universal Society of Hinduism, Different religious leaders asking for Nuxoll's apology include: Rt. Rev. Dan Thomas Edwards, Episcopal Bishop of Nevada; Rita K. Sloan, Life-Peace-Justice Commission Coordinator of Roman Catholic Diocese of Reno; Mat-

Maha Kumbhaabhiskeam planned for new temple Cont’d from page 16

"Maha Kumbabhishekam" ceremonies will include poojas, homams, aradhanams, archanas, nyasams, jaladhivasam, cultural programs, snapanam, c h a a y a s n a p a n a m , dhaanyadhivasam, gopurakalshasthapanam, p u s h p a d h i v a s a m , nethronmeelanam, d a s h a d a r s h a n a m , shayaadhivaasam, yantra sthapanam, grudhashirorpanam, thrikandaparikalpanam, purnahuti, kumbhabhishekam, pranaprathistapanam, mahaneerikshanam, abhishekam, aalankaram, mahanivedanam, baliharanam, mangala aarati, kannika darshan, thalapoli, harivarasanam, etc.

Procession with kalashams and young girls carrying oil lamps will be held. Devotees will apply oil at the feet of all deities. Dr Satyanarayana Reddy Marri is Chairman of the Kumbhabhishekam Planning Committee. Devotees can garland all deities at HTCI for about $200 worth of fresh flowers.

The age-old temple ritual of Kumbhabhishekam aims to synergize-unite-homogenize the mystic powers of the deity and it involves ritual bathing with sanctified sacred waters accompanied by chanting of appropriate mantras, thus transforming the deity statue into a vibrant representation of the God.

Thirty-two temple craftsmen from India are currently engaged in giving final touches to the temple spread in about 13.5 acres, which will include 11,000 square feet worship hall and 400 square feet havan-room, reports suggest.

Once finished, it will have the distinct appearance of an Indian

thew T. Fisher, Buddhist leader from Nevada; Dr. Uma V. Mysorekar, President of Hindu Temple Society of North America; Rabbi ElizaBeth W. Beyer, Jewish leader in California and Nevada; Brian E. Melendez, American Indian spiritualist; Rev. Richard L. Smith, a United Church of Christ pastor in Nevada; Rev. Stephen L. Child of American Clergy Leadership Conference; Andy Hill, Director of For Goodness Sake Spirituality Center in California; Church of Inner Light Founder Laura A. Peppard; Rev. June H. Canak, Unification Church leader; wellknown Hindu monk Swami Poojananda Saraswati; and Paula

a former Idahoan who dearly loves the Gem State, it was therefore disappointing to me that certain Senators protested his prayer and spoke disparagingly of Hindu faith. An apology certainly seems to be in order...we believe that truth is best discovered where all viewpoints can be expressed."

Father Charles T. Durante, a senior Roman Catholic pastor, stated: "I find it sad that some legislators in Idaho could not respect the importance of religious diversity by their presence at a brief prayer."

Rabbi Beyer stressed that Nuxoll "should be called upon to offer a public apology and perhaps

Jagannath Pandey are President and Vice President respectively of its Executive Committee. Bardinath Shastri and Ramaswamy Bhattar are priests.

Applauding the efforts of temple management and area community for realizing this wonderful Hindu temple complex, Rajan

Rajan Zed (middle) with Idaho Governor C. L. "Butch" Otter (left) and Idaho Lieutenant Governor Brad Little (right) before the historic first Hindu invocation of Idaho State Senate

Deities at the temple

Hindu temple.

HTCI, open all days, besides worship services, also organizes festivals, havans, daily poojas and aartis, bhajans, lectures on scriptures, talks, cultural programs, children's forum, heritage camps, youth programs, Hindi-Sanskrityoga-Indian music and dance classes; and undertakes educational, cultural, charitable, religious and spiritual projects.

Vijayapal Reddy and Arun Jain are Chairman and Vice-Chairman respectively of its Board of Trustees, while Ambat Babu and

Devotees doing Aarti during Puja

Zed President of Universal Society of Hinduism, observed that it was important to pass on Hindu spirituality, concepts and traditions to coming generations amidst so many distractions in the consumerist society and hoped that this temple would help in this direction.

Zed stressed that instead of running after materialism; we should focus on inner search and realization of Self and work towards achieving moksh (liberation), which was the goal of Hinduism.

J. McDonough, Christian activist.

A group of Idaho Buddhist leaders, including Boise Institute for Buddhist Studies Director Dan Black, in a joint statement, said: "Being a public official, it was highly inappropriate and insensitive for Ms. Nuxoll to call a major religion "false." To show responsibility, respect and understanding that her words were hurtful to the Hindu community, Ms. Nuxoll should apologize."

Nevada Episcopal Bishop Edwards, in a letter to Idaho Legislative Services Office, wrote: "As

even be sanctioned by the Senate for her inappropriate, insensitive and insulting remarks." Buddhist Fisher pointed out, "Such divisive comments by public officials are detrimental to the fabric of our democracy...The true measure of a democracy is how it treats the minority."

Hill of Truckee (California) noted: "I am a Christian. And I don't feel that my faith and my relationship with God would suffer in any way by being present at and grateful for an opening prayer offered by a Hindu."

Chicago Mayoral race heats up with Garcia gaining ground Cont’d from page 16

As a Mayor, Garcia would make his administration more peopleoriented with frequent town hall meetings and inviting suggestions from people for improving the city.

The closing of schools also smacks of inept handling of city affairs. "You snuff out whatever life there is in the community with closure of schools," he observed.

The crime and shootings are also big issues and Garcia said that he would augment the police force hiring additional 1000 officers.

Offering a big sop to the Indian

community in Chicago, Garcia said that he would be among the first elected officials to attend the India Day Parade held by the community in August. For the past many years, Chicago Mayors past and present, have shunned attending this Indian event and that was an eyesore for many community activists.

The key to Garcia winning would be the support that he could extract from the African American community and in this context he would focus on those who had solidly voted for Willie Wilson, an African American candidate, in the February 24 elections.

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March 13, 2015

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Musings from Chicago Is Delhi, Capital of India, a sustainable city?

W

hen we talk of sustainable cities, a re cent survey result comes handy to initiate a dialogue on Delhi. The capital of India comes at disgusting 49th number out of 50 in the Arcadis Sustainable Cities Index done recently by a Dutch group. Frankfurt in Germany won the top slot followed

by London. Chicago won the 19th rank. Mumbai comes at 47th position.

Three categories of criteria were devised to index the cities: people, environment and economy. Various factors were taken into account such as income inequality, health indices, level of greenery, property prices, ease of doing business, GDP, etc.

London lost the first slot to Frankfurt not due to environmental reasons, but mainly due to one criterion: high property prices.

If we look at Delhi, its obnoxiously high property prices with a signature lining of brazen and broken roads crying for green dots makes you wonder: what kind of race is Delhi into?

Sustainability is a holistic term.

It encompasses humans and its ecosystem in peace with each other.

DR MUNISH KUMAR RAIZADA

Today Delhi is a living testimony of mass (teeming population), misery (in the name of development) and mockery (of planning)!

Ironically, Delhi is a cradle of aspirations for two important politicians of our country: We have a

Dr Munish Kumar Raizada

forward-looking Prime Minister in the name of Narendra Modi who never tires of talking of vikaas (development) and swacchta (sanitation) and Arvind Kejriwal who bulldozed his way into Delhi secretariat by selling a vision of Delhi through Delhi Dialogue before elections and soon afterwards, constituting Delhi Dialogue Commission.

Alarming situation However, the situation in Delhi is really alarming. Delhi is a tiny dot on the Indian map with just 1400 square km in area but houses 1.7 crore human lives.

The city with the highest density in India is in a geographic and demographic turmoil.

Is there any realistic plan to de-congest the city of its people?

The infrastructure of Delhi is in shambles.

There were 20 million vehicles in India in 1991 and the number jumped to 140 million in 2011. The ever-increasing pace of vehicular congestion coupled with inadequate public transport system continues to be a nightmare for Delhi. Roads and domestic streets are cluttered with vehicles.

Is there a comprehensive solution to fix this problem?

Poor quality of roads, dust all around and lack of greenery, poor sense and enforcement of traffic rules make a mockery of Indian civic sense and intelligence.

Roads are the face of a city. But roads in Delhi present a pathetic

Sunil Mungee to charm St. Louis music lovers MADHU PATEL

ST LOUIS: Globally known Indian maestro of Bhajans and Ghazals Anup Jalota has remarked that "Sunil Mungee will take Indian music to greater heights" and by all accounts this upcoming Indian artist has been living up to this expectation with concerts all around.

Seema Enterprises, a St Louis based entity, has announced hosting a nite of Ghazals and Bhajans

by Sunil Mungee on Saturday March 28 at Wydown Middle School auditorium in St Louis.

Ashwin Patel said that Seema has been in the entertainment filed besides its usual forage into travel and grocery, and the Sunil concert was decided after a huge request that "we have been getting for the past few months."

The response for the concert so far has been meeting "our expectations and we are reasonably sure that Sunil too will not disap-

point his hundreds of fans," he added.

Sunil in one his recent interviews said that he was Ghazal and Bhajan singer with great music

Sunil Mungee

learning experience from the Maestro Pandit Jitendra Abhishekiji, under the traditional Guru Shishya Parampara. He was with his GuruTeacher for 15 years and has performed all over the world sharing

stage many a time with maestros like Ustad Bismillah Khan Sahab (Great Shehnai maestro), Pandit Jasraj, Sonal Mansingh, Ghulam Ali, Anup Jalota and Anuradha Paudwal, to name a few.

Sunil's sojourn in the music world started even while he was five years old starting with film songs, small participation in the school curricular activities and presentations at small family gatherings. His real journey commenced when Pandit Jitendra Abhisheki spotted him when he was barely 13 and under his tutelage for 15 years, Sunil learnt a lot and has not looked back.

Ashwin Patel said that Sunil has planned a theme concert called "Gulistaan" with finest ghazals and old nostalgic film songs for the tour of North America that starts from April through July. The one in St Louis is however on Satruday March 28.

story of dilapidation, dust, dirt and 'dard' of impoverished human spillover. The footpaths stuffed with people and blocked with unaccounted vendors and small busi-

erage is 40). The annual average Suspended Particulate Matter (SPM) in Delhi is more than 500 (for Goa, it is 100).

Let us look at another environ-

nesses create a situation of asphyxia. The constant noise around adds to the misery.

Delhi is the place to push up the nation's GDP to slashing corporate taxes, to boost enterprise to 'Make in India' slogans to 'Swacchtaabhiyaan.' However, the landlocked city itself is sick: the quality of air that we breathe is polluted beyond acceptable levels.

The media noted with alacrity when the U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry lit lamps to celebrate Deepawali in the power corridors of Washington DC, but we seemed to miss out when last October he issued an advisory to his Embassy in Delhi, cautioning not to let children play outside since the air was too polluted.

The vehicular traffic, poor pollution regulation and insufficient greening have contributed to the toxic and impure air.

The poor quality of air in Delhi tells us that we are in the grip of a health crisis. But since the morbidity and mortality attributable to air pollution is not grossly visible and directly quantifiable, the gravity of the situation is not realized.

Swine flu outbreak may make waves, but Delhi's toxic air is taking its toll in an insidious manner.

Just to give you a comparison, the total suspended particulate (TSP) in Chicago is about 60 micrograms per cubic meter (national U.S. av-

ment index. As the name indicates, the air quality index (AQI) conveys quality of the air. It is reported in a range of 0 to 500.The average AQI is typically under 40 in USA denoting a safe range from health point of view. The AQI in Delhi as declared by the US embassy in Delhi in the aforementioned case was 255.

Delhi is also witness to high levels of benzene, nitrogen dioxide, sulphur dioxide, and carbon monoxide. Dense and poisonous air is associated with a variety of medical disorders ranging from skin, allergy, respiratory, cardiac illnesses and cancers.

Looking at the results of Arcadis survey, the road to making Delhi a better city is next to impossible unless some drastic and reformative actions are taken.

Delhi needs to be resuscitated in a fast yet steady manner. Rather than patch up work, a collaborative and comprehensive development agenda involving cooperation between the Center and the State needs to be put in place to develop a better Delhi.

The author is a Chicago-based columnist.

Email: pedia333@gmail.com Twitter@DrMunishRaizada

March 13, 2015

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India Post 21

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Preparations on for Grand Tamil Festival in Bay Area India Post News Service

SAN JOSE, CA: Federation of Tamil Sangams of North America (FeTNA) is organizing its 28th Annual Tamil Convention "FeTNA 2015"in San Jose, City National Civic Auditorium on July 2-5. FeTNA is an umbrella organization of Tamil Sangams that function within the North American Continent including USA and Canada. The event is hosted by FeTNA along with Bay Area Tamil Manram (BATM), San Francisco.

Members of Tamil Sangam from all over US are participating in the grand preparation for this event along with several other volunteers who are actively participating alongside Sangam members to make it a grand success. This year's event celebrates two main events. First is Centenary celebration (100 years) of "Tamizhisai Aringer" V.P.K. Sundaramand and second is the celebration of 125 years of great composer Papanasam Sivan. It will be a great honor to Bay area, which is home to many music lovers, to host this event recognizing the two great scholars.

This year's annual convention has 80 hours of programs spread over three days, catering to a wide range of age groups from kids, teens, adults to elders. The categories of events are diverse enough to attract people of varied interests like literature, drama, dance, folk music, classical music, light music, entrepreneur forum, children's program and many more. Silicon Valley, be-

There is startup pitch competition geared towards Startup ideas and there is Tamil American Pioneer Awards session to honor acclaimed Entrepreneurs. ing the land of new inventions and startups, is the perfect place to have an Entrepreneur Forum solely dedicated to Entrepreneurs.

This is one of the highlights for the Convention and this Forum will host various panel discussions and workshops on entrepreneurship and startups, where different topics will be covered and are geared towards both novice and experts in the field.

There is startup pitch competition geared towards Startup ideas and there is Tamil American Pioneer Awards session to honor acclaimed Entrepreneurs. Leading entrepreneurs and special guest from India have been invited as Guest Speakers in the event. (http:/ /tef2015.org/) Another scheduled event is Medical Session, which will give information on Continuing Medical Education on Medical Professions in USA and Canada. This is targeted for Indian medical professionals who are aspiring to purse their medical career or planning to advance in their career.

For Light Music Session, 'Vijay TV' fame 'Bennet and the Band' from Chennai have been invited to perform along with Cine Singers Haricharan, Roshini and Maghizhini (Kumki)and Super singers - Divakar, Pragathi & Pooja. Folk Music Session will be led by 'Parai Isai' Manimaran & Magizhini

Manimaran of 'Buddhar Kalai Kuzhu' along with a workshop on Parai Isai. Dr Sowmya will be presiding over Classical Music Session named 'Tamizhisai' based on Papanasam Sivam's compositions and music workshop for kids.

A classical drama named "Sivagamiyin Sabatham" will be staged by members of Bay Area Drama enthusiasts. It will showcase one of the finest literary works of Kalki.

Speech and Literature Sessions in-

clude debate session by Dr Sumathi Sri who will be heading 'Vivaatha Kalam' and a talk on Environment by Mr Sundarrajan. Other speakers include Writer Poomani who is recipient of 2014 Sagithiya Academy Award and Dr Margaret Bastin - Principal, Kalai Kaviri College, Trichy who will talk on Kavingner V.P.K. Sundaram. There will be an ancient Tamil literary discourse by renowned speakers Dr V.S. Irajam, Dr Sudalaimuthu Palaniappan and Judge Vaideygi Herbet.

Prof. Abdul Kadhar will lead 'Kaviyarangam' along with members of poetic interests. This will showcase the talent of Bay Area poem lover community.

Kids Session includes forums for harnessing the youth talent in Leadership and Communication Skills along with Quiz Competitions. There will be also a Thirukurral competition targeted for ages 5 to 18.

Cine celebrities that are expected to take stage include 'I' movie actress Amy Jackson.

Few other celebrity actors are expected to join.

A complete list of invited guests and celebrities along with program schedule will be announced in website www.fetna2015.org.

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Community Across America

March 13, 2015

www.indiapost.com

Sangeet Bahar enthralls with classical movie songs India Post News Service

MILPITAS, CA: Sangeet Dhwani, a community-based organization that promotes the musical heritage of India, organized a Sangeet Bahar concert that delighted music lovers with old classic movie songs based on Hindustani classical raags.

Sangeet Bahar is one of its two segments that promotes movie songs; the other one is "Sangeet Ankur" which inspires youth and kids to learn classical raags so that they would carry the torch of this glorious heritage to the future.

Over the last 15 years, Sangeet Dhwani has hosted as many as 150 successful concerts with rave reviews from the press supported by high appreciation from music aficionados.

This Sangeet Bahar event was held on February 14 at the Milpitas Library Hall, Milpitas with 20 Award winning vocalists and musicians and was attended by as many as 175 music lovers. The artists rendered 25 songs. The high-

light was a brilliant performance

by Richa Srivastava who had acquired Doctorate in Hindustani Classical Music from the Benares Hindu University in India.

The event started with a melo-

Srivatsava took the initial 10 minutes to explain the main characteristics and nuances of Raags Bihag and Darbari Kanada.

She rendered a Bandish on Raag Bihag and Darbari Kanada

The awards were distributed by the Ambassador of Republic of Indonesia to U.S.A. Budi Bowoleksono, assisted by Martino Tangkar and George Mui. Mrs Aurora Abella Austriaco, a distinguished attorney, the first ever Asian American president of Chicago Bar Association, was honored with the Pan Asian American Award. Lisa Madigan, Attorney General State of Illinois received the Coalition's Grand Asian Award. This award is periodically presented to someone of non-Asian descent, who has made significant contributions to the Asian Pacific American community.

The dignitaries who spoke included Jesse White, Secretary of State of Illinois, Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan, State Treasurer Michael Frerichs, State Comptroller Leslie Munger, US Congressman Robert Dold, Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle and Cook County State's Attorney Anita Alvarez.

Many other government officers, media outlets, local dignitaries, business and community leaders, and the consul generals of many Asian countries were in the audience. O.P. Meena consul H.O.C. represented India's Consulate

Barapa"; Ashwini Guruprasad (Tora Man Darpan Kahalayein" from Movie Kaajal (1965), Raju Chithambaram (Jhanak Jhanak Tori Baje Payalia- Mere Huzur-1968).

Shonali and Maneesh sang a duet

Vocalist Richa Srivatsava and accompanying Tabla by Shonali Srivatsava and Harmonium by Prasun Kumar Jha

dious Devotional Song 'Satyam, Shivam, Sundaram,' a popular movie of the same name (1966), which was melodiously presented

by Sandhya Gayathri. Then Richa

and a movie song. She remarked that Raag Bihag had become popular with both beginners as well as experts. This raag is usually assigned to Thaat Bilawal. Its strong

Asian American Coalition honors Amarjit & Anukool Cont’d from page 18

characteristic is the use of both Madhyams. Its related Ragas are Bihagra and Maru Bihag. It is played in the second quarter of night. Its Vadi swar is Gandhar and Samvadi swar is Nishad. The

General in Chicago.

The evening program was presented by Asian American celebrities, TV and radio news anchors and reporters from Chicagoland ABC, CBS, NBC & Fox TV stations, including Joanie Lum, Billy Dec, Eric S. Horng, Judy Hsu, Nesita Kwan, Nancy Loo, Mai Martinez, Susanna Song, and Katie Kim. Linda Yu and Rick O'Dell participated by pre-taped

An event held on this grand scale only once a year, Lunar New Year is traditionally the single largest organized annual event in Chicago's Asian American community which takes turns to host the event. voice overs.

During the pre-event cocktail hour reception a Fashion Show was presented by Akira and Lady Quaint.

The entertainment program featured colorful costumes, Javanese and Balinese gamelan music per-

formances, Holy Balinese "Barong" Lion Dance, Indonesian Cultural dance "Reog Ponorogo Singo Lodoyo" by a group of 40 Indonesian dancers from Washington DC, performances from the 25 member Indonesian Consulate General in Chicago Dance Troupe; "Puspanjali" by the Indonesian Performing Arts of Chicago; and members of the Indonesian Dance of Illinois. "Journey to Harmony," a Unity Dance choreographed by Liah Tehan, brought another interpretation of this year's theme, and musical performance "Together, The World Can Count On Us," by Keith, Betty & Kelly Uchima.

The evening show was produced and directed by Irene Cualoping.

An event held on this grand scale only once a year, Lunar New Year is traditionally the single largest organized annual event in Chicago's Asian American community which takes turns to host the event. There were exhibition booths for businesses and community organizations in the foyer area during the whole day.

British-India Sikh Soldier's contribution to World Wars I & II was exhibited in photo posters.

The next year's hosts are Chinese American community chaired

by Dr Karen Eng.

mood of the Raag is celebratory 'Dekha Hai Pahli Baar' from movie as well as romantic. Richa but- Saajan (1991), Hemant Joglekar tressed these comments with a (Toote Huwe Khwabon Ne ( beautiful rendition of lyrics of a Madhumati), Almas Shabvani Bandish, "Baje ri mori payal jhanan sang 'Mohabbat ki Jhoothi kahani jhanan, kaise kar aayoon tore paas, pe (Mughal E Azam), Nishikant Saas mori dooti nanad mori bairan Shivpurkar (Ye Hawa, Ye Raat ye nahi aavat tohe laaj".

Chandani' (Sangdil- 1952), Sanjay Next, Richa gave a few distinct Saxena 'Tujhe jeevan ki Dor se' characteristics of Raag Darbari (Aasli Nakli- 1952), Jayshree Kari Kanada. This Raag is said to be 'O Chand Jaha Vo Jaye' (Sharada invented by Tansen who sung it 1957), Shonali 'Aap ki Nazarone in the court of Emperor Akbar. This Samajha' (Anpadh- 1962). raag is considered to be one of the As the grand finale of the event, most difficult raags to master. The Prasun Jha was invited to render a ascension of Aroha is mostly in devotional song "O Duniyake lower and middle octave. In Avroha, Komal Gandhar is used which She also sang a movie is Ati Komal and there song Tere Sur Aur Mere is some slow Andolan Geet from Movie Goonj Uthi on that note. Its Vadi swar is Rishabh and Shehnai. Her performance Samvadi swar is was lauded by several Dhaivat. rounds of applause from the Its Jati is said to be sampoorna sampoorna audience. but it must be presented in Vakra style to distinguish it from Rakhawale" from the famous its related ragas like Jaunpuri, movie Baiju Bawra (1952). Prasun Asavari and Adana. It is a night gave live music for Richa time raag. She sang another Srivatsava on harmonium and Bandish, the lyrics of which were Shonali Maneesh, a Tabla maestro, "Ghar Jane de chad mori baiyyan, gave superb accompaniment for haha karat tori paiyyan parat hun. the classical piece.

She also sang a movie song Tere The event was meticulously Sur Aur Mere Geet from Movie planned by the Sangeet Dhwani Goonj Uthi Shehnai. Her perfor- President, Pradeep Joshi, whose mance was lauded by several passion has been enrichment of rounds of applause from the audi- Indian classical music, as his reence. tirement assignment. Joshi was Each of 20 singers gave a soul- awarded a "Life Time Achieveful performance. Krishnan ment Award" by President Barack Subramanian sang "Payalwali Obama in January 2014 for his Dekhna" from the movie Ek Raaj valuable community services over (1963), Sujata Mudumba who ably two decades to the needy in the emceed the show with Niharika San Francisco Bay Area. At the Saxena, had chosen "Mere end, while thanking all the singers Mehboob Shayad Aaj" (Movie and the audience, Joshi anKitane Paas Kitne Door-1976), nounced that more attractive muPrasun Jha sang Ghulam Ali's fa- sic programs were being planned mous Ghazal-Hangama kyon hai in the future months.

March 13, 2015

Community Across America

India Post 23

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Offering the fruits of our actions to God

I

n the last article it was explained how to perform ac tions without attachment, which is the actual karm yog. You learned that the only way to do this is to attach your mind to God, instead of to the world. To do that, you need to change your belief that there is happiness in the world, and instead believe there is happiness in God. A common doubt regarding Karm Yog A common query that confronts a lot of people is - If we believe that there is no happiness in the world, will we not become apathetic, unmotivated, or depressed?

If we are not attached to our family, will we not become uncaring or insensitive and be inattentive to our family duties? If we are not

SWAMI NIKHILANAND

keep reading the Gita, and yet find ourselves unable to practice the central concept of the Gita because in our heart of hearts we disagree with Shree Krishna: we think attachment is a good thing, and that it helps us to perform our duty.

Yet, He is telling us the exact opposite: attachment has a negative effect on our life and our ability to perform our duty; the more we reduce our attachments, the happier we will be, and the better we will perform our duties.

Performing duties out of attachment Let us first address the question of motivation. Is it attachment that compels us to action in this world? Is it attachment that makes us take care of our family? Is it attachment that motivates us to

Most of us perform our duties because of our attachments, and not out of a sense of duty or goodness. Then can it really be said that we are doing our duty? Or are we just pursuing our self-interest attached to our work, will we not become lazy and unproductive? In other words, without attachment how will we do our duty properly?

How will we care for our children?

How will we be able to work?

Clearing this doubt is crucial for a person who wishes to practice karm yog. After all, Shree Krishna is telling us repeatedly in every chapter that we must perform our duty without attachment. And we

perform our duty? For most people, the answer is yes. However, let us recall that attachment is based on our desire for happiness (explained in the previous article); thus attachment is inherently selfish.

We desire happiness from a person or thing, and that is why we become attached to them. It is natural to want to protect the things that make us happy, so we

Celebrating Holi festival Kathak style Cont’d from page 17

More then 100 people participated in this festival. It began the Indian festival of colors "Holi' through a beautiful dance choreography in the North Indian classical dance style ' Kathak'. Dr Birendra Sinha of the Foundation welcomed all invited guests and participants. TV Asia's Midwest Bureau Chief Vandna Jhingan joined him in greeting all and mentioned that TV Asia is the first Information and Entertainment channel for the South-Asia community in North America.

The network was founded in April-1993, by the legendary Indian movie star Amitabh Bachchan. In 1997 as part of restructuring the network, a well-

known entrepreneur and community leader H.R.Shah, took TV Asia and grew it to what it is today - a channel that focuses on the Indian community within the US and brings the community together under the umbrella of culture, tradition and family.

The Holi dance group Nagade sang Dhol Baaje. Holi classical dance was performed by ASF Dance Company with songs like Aaj Biraj mein, Dekho Holi ke Khileiya, Bhangedi, Holi Khelat Hai Girdhari, Holi Aayee Hai Udati Gulal, Krishna-Sakha, Teasing Krishna, Kanha Khelo Kanha. The dances won the heart of all attendees and they asked Dr Birendra Sinha to come out with such entertainment more often.

want to protect those people and things we are attached to. If we are not attached to someone or something, then we lack the motivation to act on their behalf: in other words, we do not care. This is why we will mourn for years if our child dies, but we will only shed tears out of formality when our neighbor's child dies.

There are thousands of tragedies every day in this world, there are children starving all over the globe, and yet we do not mourn them, and we are not compelled to save them. My point is that most of us perform our duties because of our attachments, and not out of a sense of duty or goodness. Then can it really be said that we are doing our duty? Or are we just pursuing our self-interest, which happens to align with our duty?

If this is the case, then ask yourself what will happen if our selfinterest shifts, causing our attachment to a person or thing to reduce: then we will care less for them, and be less motivated to perform our duty towards them. ] Now I'm sure you can see the problems inherent in merely performing duty out of attachment.

Our motivation to perform the duty will fluctuate along with our feelings of attachment. This does not give us a stable and evenminded base from which to perform our duties.

How to perform our duties without attachment?

If however, we attach our minds to God, there is a very positive change that takes place within our mind: all the daivi gunas begin to evolve. These are the godly or positive qualities of the mind (described in chapter 16) like: being energetic, active, hard-working, having focus, determination, patience, fearlessness, generosity, control over one's senses, a willingness to sacrifice, honesty, modesty, humbleness, respect, forgiveness, kindness, compassion, mercifulness, straightforwardness, cleanliness, etc.

Persons whose mind is filled with such qualities will have a natural sense of duty, which is not dependent on their attachment to any person or thing. A broader sense of duty has been awakened within them and they are now motivated by the desire to do what is right. Such a person will have the nature of wanting to do whatever they undertake to the best of their ability, so they will tend to excel in their work as well. They will have a natural compassion for all living beings, so they will naturally do what is best for their family and those who are dependent on them.

To raise this idea to an even higher level, one could start to see God in all living beings, including one's own family. If you see God in your children, will you not want to do what is best for them? Yes you will, but you will be performing your duty in order to please God, instead of out of mere worldly attachment.

Swami Nikhilanand

This practice of performing our duty while seeing God within us and in all things is not easy - it is a skill which must be practiced, but once developed, gives a positive and healthy perspective to one's life. This is what Shree Krishna means when He says, 'yogah karmasu kaushalam', which means "skillfulness in action is karm yog."

So you see that it is not only possible, but in fact desirable to perform our actions without attachment in the world, because the more our mind is attached to God, the more adept we become at performing our duties. More benefits of this practice will be discussed in the next article.

Disciple of Shree Kripaluji Maharaj: Swami Nikhilanand Ji is a Ca-

nadian born Hindu spiritual leader based in Austin, Texas. He is a sanyasi disciple and pracharak of Jagadguru Shree Kripaluji Maharaj.

Taking sanyas Attracted to the teachings of Hinduism from a young age, Swamiji eventually let his deep spiritual longing lead him to India, where he was most fortunate to come under the guidance of Shree Kripaluji Maharaj. Thereafter, living in the ashrams of JKP, he extensively studied Hindi, the philosophy of the prime Sanskrit scriptures (Vedas, D a r s h a n Shastras, Gita, Bhagwatam), and practiced meditation in the tradition of raganuga bhakti. In 2003, he was given sanyas.

Now, with the blessings of his Guruji, he offers satsang programs throughout America, engaging audiences with his clear explanations of Hindu philosophy coupled with inspired chanting of Sanskrit mantras and shlokas and charming nam sankirtan. His informative and compelling speeches provide practical insight into how to adopt the teachings of Sanatan Dharm into our daily lives, and inspire us to awaken our inner spiritual potential.

To stay in touch with Swami Nikhilanand Ji, like his Facebook page at https:// www.facebook.com/ SwamiNikhilanand or follow him on twitter at https://twitter.com/ Swami_Nikhil.

Realty Tidbits

HDIL puts 113-acre land parcel on block MUMBAI: Realty player Housing Development Infrastructure (HDIL) said it will sell its 113-acre land parcel in Gujarat to pare debt.

"HDIL has put on block 113.47 acre industrial plot in Gujarat. The company's decision is in line with its philosophy of exiting non-core assets and focusing on debt reduction," the company said in a statement.

The land parcel is located adjacent to Ranoli railway station, on the Ahmedabad-Vadodara corridor, and falls under the jurisdiction of the Vadodara Urban Development Authority, the company said.

Over the last year, HDIL has reduced its debt by nearly Rs 685 crore to Rs 3,142.4 crore as of December 2014.

"Since it is an industrial area we could not do any residential projects there and instead of keeping it lying we decided to sell it.

Since its our non-core asset, we decided to unlock our investment in that, to reduce the debt," company's vice-president for finance Hariprakash Pandey told PTI. According to sources the land in that area is valued at Rs 1.5-2 crore per acre.-PTI

Deuel County tops homeownership rate CLEAR LAKE, S.D.: Figures from the U.S. Census Bureau show that more people own their homes in Deuel County than in any other South Dakota county.

The Public Opinion reports that 85 percent of homes in Deuel County are owner-occupied. A re-

port from the Black Hills Knowledge Network based on Census data shows that Deuel is one of only six South Dakota counties with a homeownership rate of 80 percent or more.

The Census Bureau earlier this year reported a continued decline in the national homeownership rate. At 64 percent, the rate is at its lowest since the spring of 1994.

The South Dakota counties at the bottom of the homeownership rate are Shannon, Bennett, Ziebach, Todd and Buffalo.

Buffalo's rate was 46.5 percent, the lowest in the state. -AP

Real Estate 24 India Post

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March 13, 2015

Sahara mulling loan refinancing to regain hotel NEW DELHI: Facing a possible sale of its Grosvenor House hotel in London by lenders, Sahara on Tuesday said it is working on a refinancing transaction to repay the loans to Bank of China and regain control of the iconic property.

The crisis-ridden group said that the London hotel is being "treated under default" because Bank of China has declared "an event of default" on the US loans due to some "technical breaches" in the financial covenants.

Cont’d on page 25

Brighton Oaks' model homes debut on March 28 in Morgan Hill India Post News Service

MORGAN HILL, CA: Homebuyers interested in William Lyon Homes' Brighton Oaks should mark their calendars for the Model Grand Opening celebration on Saturday, March 28th. This highly anticipated event gives buyers the opportunity to be among the first to tour the professionally decorated model homes while enjoying refreshments and entertainment for the kids. Set in Morgan Hill, Brighton Oaks' attached-home collection is inspired

by Boston's historic row town architecture and features an impressive array of designs at attainable prices.

As the finishing touches are being applied to the models, buyers are urged to act quickly to take advantage of the last pre-sale opportunities with limited-time premodel pricing starting from the low $500,000s. For more information, visit the sales gallery today, or log on to www.LyonBrightonOaks.com.

"Interest in Brighton Oaks is extraordinary and we're very excited to welcome our homebuyers to the upcoming model unveiling on March 28th," said Kathy Floyd, Director of Sales for William Lyon Homes. "We expect a tremendous turnout during our Grand Opening celebration where buyers can tour the models to personally experience which floorplan best suits their lifestyle needs."

Brighton Oaks' 110 attached

pool and spa.

The commuter-friendly location in Morgan Hill puts the Caltrain Station within walking distance and 101 and 85 freeways conveniently close. Recreational opportunities including Coyote Creek Golf Club, Henry Coe State Park, several county parks, Coyote Lake and Centennial Recreation Center are also nearby. The Morgan Hill Outdoor Sports Center, Aquatics Center and Commu-

Unified School District with the well-rated El Toro Elementary School, Martin Murphy Middle School and Ann Sobrato High School.

It matters who your builder is and William Lyon Homes is a company built upon a legacy of pride and integrity. A team of visionaries who are passionate about homebuilding and committed to providing a high quality home buying and homeownership expe-

acquisition of Polygon Homes, its newest division in Washington and Oregon, and its Village Homes division in Colorado. William Lyon Home shares are publicly traded on Nasdaq under the symbol WLH. For updated information and to learn more, visit www.lyonhomes.com.

To visit Brighton Oaks from 101 Freeway, exit west on Cochrane Road. Turn left on Butterfield Blvd., then right on Huntington

nity and Cultural Center are within easy distance, while dog owners will appreciate the proximity to Morgan Hill Dog Park.

Shopping destinations include Cochrane Commons with its Target, Petco and Starbucks, as well as the Lawrence Oaks Shopping Center featuring Safeway grocery

rience, William Lyon Homes has earned a solid track record for outstanding construction and customer service since 1954.

The company continues to expand its well-respected brand beyond California, Arizona and Nevada and into other market areas across the Western region with the

Lane. The sales gallery is on the right and is open daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. For more information, please call 669-888-3079 or visit www.LyonBrightonOaks.com.

Pricing is approximate and is subject to change without prior notice. CalBRE Officer License: 00982816.

"Interest in Brighton Oaks is extraordinary and we're very excited to welcome our homebuyers to the upcoming model unveiling on March 28th," said Kathy Floyd, Director of Sales for William Lyon Homes. designs range from approximately 1,175 to 2,440 square feet, with 2 to 4 bedrooms, 2.5 to 3.5 baths and 2-car attached garages. Recreational amenities include a beautifully landscaped commons area with center fountain and seating, as well as a swimming

store, Home Depot and CVS pharmacy. Other retail options can be found at Coyote Creek Plaza, Vineyard Town Center, Gilroy Premium Outlets and Tennant Station Shopping Center.

Brighton Oaks' parents will value inclusion in the Morgan Hill

4 secrets to budgeting for a home purchase MICHELE LERNER

Living from one paycheck to the next may be the norm for many people. But homebuyers need a better strategy.

"If buying a home is your goal, then it needs to be your priority," says Tim Kirchner, formerly vice president of MetLife Bank in Irving, Texas. "Most people

need to sacrifice a little and stick to a budget in order to save for a home."

A good budget plan begins one or two years before the buyer makes an offer. Here are four tips for renters who plan to become homeowners.

Cont’d on page 26

Real Estate Post

March 13, 2015

India Post 25

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Australia clamps down on illegal foreign housing CANBERRA, Australia: Australian authorities are clamping down on wealthy foreigners illegally buying real estate, ordering a Chinese billionaire to sell a Sydney mansion he recently bought for $30 million, a minister said.

The billionaire, Hui Ka Yan, 56, is chairman of Hong Konglisted real estate developer Evergrande Real Estate Group, which is based in Guangzhou, China. He is listed by Forbes as China's 15 wealthiest person with a fortune of $6.4 billion.

The government ordered Evergrande subsidiary Golden Fast Foods to sell a Sydney Habor-front mansion known as Villa del Mare within 90 days. The company bought the Mediterranean-style property in the exclusive Potts Point suburb in November.

The government said the acquisition was illegal because Golden Fast Foods, which is owned by Evergrande through a series of shelf companies in Australia, Hong Kong and the British Virgin islands, did not inform the Foreign Investment Review Board it intended to buy it.

``It is hugely important that we have integrity in our foreign investment regime,'' Treasurer Joe Hockey said. ``Wherever people believe that there has been unlawful behavior in relation to foreign investment, we want to know about it.''

It is the first such divestment order issued in Australia in at least seven years and is attempt

Foreigners are allowed to buy new homes, but generally aren't allowed to compete with locals in the market for existing homes unless they are Australian residents. by the government to negate anger over sky high real estate prices in Sydney, some of which is due to foreign investment. The company could face prosecution. ``If it's sold at a profit, the owner gets to keep the profit,''

Hockey said of the forced sale. ``If it's sold at a loss, it sounds as the though the owner has the capacity to absorb some of it.''

Hockey said that other properties were under investigation.

Phones at the regulator, the Foreign Investment Review Board, were running hot with tips in response to the Villa del Mare order, Hockey said.

The regulator's resources were being beefed up to cope with the extra workload, he said.

Foreigners are allowed to buy new homes, but generally aren't allowed to compete with locals in the market for existing homes unless they are Australian residents.

But wealthy investors, many from China, are accused of sidestepping these restrictions by buying through Australian lawyers or shelf companies.

The regulator has shown little interest in investigating such accusations in recent years. But an extraordinary increase in real estate prices in Sydney has put political pressure on the government to remove the competition. ``We're not going on a witch hunt,'' said Hockey. ``We definitely don't want to create an atmosphere of xenophobia.''-AP

Unitech to pay penalty for delay in project NEW DELHI: Realty firm Unitech has said that the delivery of the flats in its housing project 'Residences' at Gurgaon got delayed and the company would pay the penalty to the buyers as per the agreement.

Unitech said this while responding to a clarification sought

by BSE with respect to reports that buyers have filed FIR against the company.

"The matter pertains to a housing project known as Residences in Gurgaon, Haryana. All sanctions/approvals, no objections etc as required under the law have been procured by the company.

"Due to reason such as market recession, shortage of labor, ban imposed by the High Court on use of ground water for purposes of construction and delay in clearances from the regulatory authorities etc the delivery of the apartments to allottees got delayed," Unitech said in a filing to the BSE. Unitech is developing over 1,300 flats in this project, which has been delayed by the 2-3 years.

The company said that the process of handing over of apartments in the project 'Residences' is already on.

"We reiterate that Unitech is a law abiding company and are in compliance with the laws of the land. Unitech is fully committed to handing over all the flats," Unitech said, adding that the company will pay penalty to the allottees as per buyers agreement for any delay in handing over the flats. -PTI

Realty industry hails rate cut by RBI MUMBAI: The real estate industry has hailed RBI's decision to cut repo rate by 0.25 per cent, saying the move will help the sector to tide over the liquidity crisis.

"The reduction in repo rate by 0.25 per cent is an excellent move as this should help the industry and business in general to tackle liquidity crisis. In fact, there is further scope to ease the credit policy," Confederation of Real Estate Developers' Association of India (Credai) Chairman Lalit Kumar Jain said.

Cushman & Wakefield Executive Managing Director, South Asia Sanjay Dutt said.

He further said the hike in service tax rate from 12.5 per cent to 14 per cent will increase the costs of buying and unnecessarily prolong the rebound of housing sales.

"Even while the magnitude of the rate cut is 0.25 per cent, the move will build the confidence of developers and buyers alike that there are more rate cuts in the offing, provided of course, that infla-

The Reserve bank of India reduced the repo rate by 25 basis points from 7.75 per cent to 7.5 per cent with immediate effect.

"Given that the recently-presented Union Budget did not have any major announcements aimed at directly boosting home buying to lift the listless real estate sector, there were higher expectations from the RBI by the stakeholders.

Housing developers have been anxiously hoping for interest rate cuts to spur home buyers into making purchase decisions,"

tion maintains its downward trend or remains stable," Dutt said.

Commenting on the announcement, HDIL's Vice-President, Finance and Investor Relations Hariprakash Pandey said, "This move is set to benefit the entire real estate sector. A rate cut would help in bringing down the mortgage rates and at the same time secure more working capital. The impact on borrowing cost is also encouraging as a 0.50 per cent reduction in borrowing cost can reduce the interest cost substantially by 10 per cent." -PTI

Sahara mulling loan refinancing to regain hotel Cont’d from page 24

The loan on Sahara's three hotels -- Grosvenor House in the UK and two other prime hotels (The Plaza and Dream Downtown) in New York -- from Bank of China is "cross collateralized and cross guaranteed".

Bank of China put the London hotel under "administration" last night for recovery of its loans, while Deloitte and realty consultant JLL have been mandated to find a buyer for the property, estimated to be worth about Rs 5,000 crore.

Sahara Group, which has been trying to raise funds to secure release of its chief Subrata Roy from jail, further said the debt servicing

for the UK and US loans "has always been completely proper and timely".

The three overseas hotels have been at the centre of these fundraising plans.

The group said "there have been technical breaches of the financial covenants, like DSCR (Debt-Service Coverage Ratio) and debt service yield etc, in the loans on the US hotels because of which Bank of China has declared an event of default on the US loans.

"But because of cross collateralization, loan on Grosvenor House Hotel also is being treated under default," a Sahara spokesperson said in a statement. -PTI

Real Estate Post

26 India Post

March 13, 2015

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SBI to buy 4 posh Air India flats in Mumbai NEW DELHI: Cash-starved national carrier Air India is set to seal a real estate deal with State Bank of India, which has "in principle" agreed to acquire four of its posh residential properties in south Mumbai for Rs 90 crore.

The airline had been scouting for a buyer for its four tony flats on the Sterling Apartments on the upmarket Peddar Road in south Mumbai for the last two years, AI sources said.

available for comments.

In August 2013, the national airline had floated bids for e-auctioning of these four flats. Each of these 3-BHK flats measures 2,033 sq ft in carpet area.

The deal has been facilitated as the airline has a working capital loan from SBI and it has agreed to retire the same, according to sources.

"The deal is expected to be in place by this month," sources

Surviving on the previous UPA dispensation's largesse - a Rs 30,000 crore bailout package beginning FY-13 through FY- 22 - the accumulated loss of Air India stands at Rs 38,000 crore, besides a debt pile of Rs 40,000 crore.

Its efforts in 2013 to sell these through e-auctions did not elicit good response. So were its attempts to lease out its iconic previous headquarters in the Nariman Point area of the megapolis.

SBI Estate Manager was not

close to the development said.

"Senior Air India officials held a meeting with the SBI management to discuss the sale, which should be finalized in the next couple of weeks," the sources said.

As part of its Rs 5,000 crore land monetization program, the national carrier had decided to put on block these flats, along with some other properties, through an e-auction in August 2013, which did not elicit good response.

"We did not get the desired results from the e-auction," the airline sources said.

Under the land monetization plan, Air India plans to mop up Rs 5,000 crore over a 10-year period in its bid to bridge the widening mismatch in its revenue and expenditure.

Surviving on the previous UPA dispensation's largesse - a Rs 30,000 crore bailout package beginning FY-13 through FY- 22 - the accumulated loss of Air India stands at Rs 38,000 crore, besides a debt pile of Rs 40,000 crore.

"We have some working capital borrowings from SBI, besides longterm loans. The funds raised from the sale proceeds will help reduce this working capital loan from SBI besides reducing the interest outgo," the sources said.-PTI

4 secrets to budgeting for a home purchase No. 1: Build strong credit When it comes to securing a loan at the best mortgage rate, credit is king.

Greg Holmes is national director of sales and marketing for Credit Plus, a company in Salisbury, Maryland, that provides credit reports to mortgage lenders.

He says potential buyers should

"The most important focus for all potential buyers should be improving their credit score," says Jean Badciong, chief compliance officer of Inlanta Mortgage in Brookfield, Wisconsin. "A low score can prevent someone from buying a home or at least from qualifying for an affordable mortgage rate."

request their free credit report at AnnualCreditReport.com.

"Some people who think they have good credit don't, while people who think their credit is bad may be surprised that it is actually OK," Holmes says. "Everyone should check their report for accuracy and fix any mistakes. It can take months to correct errors."

Where to get the credit score

How to raise the credit score

Cont’d from page 24

To improve their credit scores, buyers should pay off past-due bills, pay every bill on time and reduce their balances to less than 30 percent of the credit limit on every account, Holmes says. Also, it is best to have three to five credit accounts, such as a car loan, student loan or credit card, for one year or longer.

Holmes recommends against frequently switching credit cards to get the best rate, though.

"Lenders do not want to see a lot of credit inquiries or too many new accounts because this could indicate someone who is about to take on a lot of extra debt," Holmes says.

Beware the pitfalls Kirchner says people often do not realize the consequences of paying bills late or missing a payment, which can stay on your credit report for a long time.

Some young people assume they can improve their credit scores as an authorized user on a parent's card. But Badciong says this will have no impact on their score.

Courtesy Bankrate.com

Homeowners told to stop renting to travelers LOUISVILLE, Ky.: Metro Louisville officials have sent letters to some homeowners that rent space to travelers through online homesharing sites telling them to stop the practice immediately or they risk being fined.

The Courier-Journal reports the letters say the property owners are operating illegal hotel or motels and they could be fined up to $500 per day.

by our zoning ordinance and as such is in violation of our zoning ordinance,'' Mims said.

Amy Linfield said she spent nearly $40,000 to improve a furnished duplex she bought near her home to rent out to travelers and the letter ``certainly scared me and upset me.'' ``There was no option for improving or registering or changing,'' she said.

Several owners and their attorney say they would like to find a compromise with the city and they don't have any opposition to regulations and a licensing fee.

Jim Mims, who heads the city's Develop Louisville office, said 20 violation notices were sent out based on complaints. He said no one is near a point of being fined and that officials are trying to determine the best course to move forward. ``This is not accommodated

Mims said city officials ``will take a very cautious approach to enforcement'' as they deal with the issue. ``During this process, we are not trying to throw the heavy hand down,'' he said.

Louisville is among several cities across the country that are trying to determine the best way to regulate the home sharing sites, where people can sign up to rent short-term space that could include a couch, a room or an entire home. -AP

March 13, 2015

www.indiapost.com

India Post 27

TOP TEN HINDI FILM SONGS

1 Sooraj Dooba Hain : Roy 2 Tu Hai Ki Nahi : Roy 3 Jee Karda: Badlapur 4 Chittiyaan Kalaiyaan: Roy 5 Khamoshiyan : 28 India Post

www.indiapost.com

O

nce again, Priyanka Chopra has made India proud by flaunting her acting skills in the western world. The former Miss World has appeared in a television series 'Quantico'.

'Quantico' features a bunch of trainees at Quantico base that is located in Virginia.

All of these Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) recruits have a special purpose for opting for this profession. Priyanka plays one of the FBI trainees called Alex Weaver. She is troubled by her past as soon as she joins the group at the base.

Priyanka signed a deal with ABC Studios some time ago. Keli Lee is ABC's executive vice president of casting. He had personally visited the actress in Mumbai for making the deal with her. Priyanka is on cloud number nine with such a great project in hand.

The actress has a special place in the western world. In 2012, Priyanka was the very first Bollywood star to be signed by Creative Artists Agency - Los Angeles based entertainment and sports agency. She then collaborated with the international fame artists Sam Watters and Jay Sean. 'In My City' was her first single and it was featured on NFL Network - the American sports network. It ended up being the number one song on Twitter, just minutes after it was released. Priyanka then worked with the famous artists Pitbull and The Chainsmokers too.

A

March 13, 2015

All of these Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) recruits have a special purpose for opting for this profession.

Priyanka plays one of the FBI trainees called Alex Weaver.

lthough Suzanna Mukherjee is sexy, smart and stylish like her character Naari Shrivastava in director Amit Khanna's 'Fun Never Ends Badmashiyaan', it was a little tough for her to play a con girl.

In a conversation, the actress says "Besides being a festival of love, which our film is all about, Holi is also the most badmaash festival of India. The biggest challenge of playing a con girl was getting into Naari's thought process. In real life, I'm quite complicated, while Naari is free of all life complications. Playing this character was liberating because I realized how much fun you can have, once you stop caring about what's right and wrong.

Suzanna's mother is half-Russian and half-Ukrainian, while her father is Bengali. She says," While my dad kept me grounded with a very strict Indian upbringing, my mother has always been my best friend, who speaks the truth, whether I can handle it or not. Also, I h a v e learnt many languages, which is a perk."

Khamoshiyan 6 Jeena Jeena : Badlapur 7 Chaar Kadam : PK 8 Tu Har Lamha : Khamoshiyan 9 Dance Basanti : Ungli 10 Piddly : Shamitabh

T

ina Desai has made all the right noises in the west ever since starring in 'The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel' but the actress fails to unders t a n d why the s u c c e s s has not m a d e much of an impact to her Bollywood career. The 28-year-old actress has starred in Hindi movies like 'Yeh Faasley', 'Sahi Dhandhe Galat Bande', 'Table No 21', but none of the films have seen the success that the British film has enjoyed.

"Yes, it worries me. I don't know why but Bollywood seems to be very hard to crack for me. I certainly hope I get big budget Bollywood films as soon as possible. I want to know what that complete Bollywood experience is.

When anyone asks me to compare Hollywood and Bollywood, I find it very hard because I have done bigger projects in the west in terms of films, directors, budget and I have done smaller budget productions in India... I have not had the experience of working in popular films in Bollywood. I absolutely look forward to such opportunities," Tina says.

Bollywood

March 13, 2015

India Post 29

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A

ccording to the latest buzz, the charming couple of Bollywood, Alia Bhatt and Sidharth Malhotra are moving in together. They will follow the foot-steps of their seniors, Ranbir Kapoor and Katrina Kaif and decided to live-in together.

It is heard that Alia and Sidharth together rented an apartment and soon the lovebirds will moved in together in their new love nest. Alia had already moved out of his parents' house and living independently but now she will move in with her rumored boyfriend.

Sidhrath however says, "We don't know how it (rumors) all started. Alia and I have been hanging out with each other way before. She is my first co-star and she, Varun Dhawan and I would spend lot of time together.

It's not something that has happened suddenly."

Not only Siidharth denies dating Alia, the actress too has rubbished the rumor.

R

anbir Kapoor is not in a hurry to tie the knot. He says marriage will happen when it has to be and he is not in a hurry to get married to his girlfriend Katrina Kaif.

"I am very happy in my life right now. I've not decided when I will get married. I think marriage is something which should happen organically," Ranbir said when asked about his marriage plans.

He says age has nothing to do with matrimony.

"I'm not the kind of person who will say that 'I am 32 now, let's get married' or 'The time is running out'. The day I would want children, the day I feel me and my partner feel that 'it's an organic thing now so get married', is when I will get married," he added.

K

nown for favoring performance-oriented roles she recently played a sex worker in Badlapur- Huma Qureshi isn't fazed about being overshadowed by the film's leading men, Varun Dhawan and Nawazuddin Siddiqui.

"They totally deserve the praise.

The film was always meant to be a revenge tale involving the two men, who are fabulous actors. I found my character interesting as she ages along with the men. I had to make her human, yet add oomph," she says.

The actor's absence during the promotions of the film had led to speculation that her role wasn't prominent enough, and that Yami Gautam's character (she plays Varun's wife in the film) was stealing her thunder.

O

ne of the most reputed actors of the Marathi film industry, veteran Sachin Pilgaonkar has also given some iconic performances in Bollywood with films like Trishul, Satte Pe Satta, Ankhiyon Ke Jharokon Se etc. And now his daughter Shriya Pilgaonkar is all set to try her luck in Bollywood with the Shah Rukh Khan starrer, 'Fan'.

Collaborating with Yash Raj Films, Shah Rukh Khan's 'Fan' will see the superstar in a dual role, where he will play a superstar and an obsessed fan. Though Shriya will not be the leading lady, spokesperson of Yash Raj Films confirmed her presence and stated that 'she will indeed be seen in a small but important part in the film.' However, the details of her character are still being kept under wraps.

Directed by Maneesh Sharma, 'Fan' also stars Vaani Kapoor, Ileana D'Cruz among others.

30 India Post

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India Post 31 www.indiapost.com

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„ Health

Line

Lawmaker asks about plan if subsidies lost MADISON, Wis.: Wisconsin Department of Health Services Secretary Kitty Rhoades says it would be up to the federal government to deal with the fallout if the U.S. Supreme Court rules that subsidies offered under President Barack Obama's healthcare law are unconstitutional.

Rhoades was asked during a briefing before the Legislature's budget committee whether she had a plan for dealing with the possibility that the court may strike down the subsidies.

Gov. Scott Walker turned down federal money to expand Medicaid and instead forced anyone earning above the poverty line to purchase subsidized insurance through the federal health exchange.

Rhoades says if the Supreme Court strikes down the subsidies the state will work with its federal partners ``to make sure they get it fixed right.'' -AP

„ Judge asked to delay medical marijuana permit CHICAGO: A Cook County judge heard arguments from a Chicago company that failed to win a permit to grow medical marijuana and then filed a lawsuit claiming the Illinois Department of Agriculture broke its own rules and is hiding behind a secretive process.

Judge Kathleen Kennedy is expected to issue a ruling on a request for a temporary restraining order to halt the marijuana permit process in a region that covers Ford, Iroquois and Kankakee counties.

The plaintiff, PM Rx LLC, filed the complaint against the Department of Agriculture, claiming the agency didn't follow its own rules for licensing cultivation centers that will grow cannabis in the state's pilot program.

The company had applied for a license to grow marijuana in Kankakee. The state announced it was awarding the permit to another Chicago company, Cresco Labs LLC, which also won cultivation permits in two other districts. Cresco plans to build cultivation centers in Lincoln, Joliet and Kankakee.

Attorney John Rooks said his client, PM Rx, needs a delay in order to find out more about how the Illinois Department of Agriculture scored applicants.

National background checks through the FBI weren't completed before the permit winners were announced, Rooks said, citing statements from Gov. -AP

Health Science 32 India Post

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March 13, 2015

Students learn about health care careers Details on Page 34

US health officials perplexed by vaccination skeptics NEW YORK: Public health officials in the U.S. are exasperated by their inability to persuade more parents to vaccinate their children, saying they're dealing with a small minority who are misinformed - or merely obstinate about the risks of inoculations.

Those parents contend they have done their own research and they believe the risks are greater than health authorities acknowledge. They say they are merely making their own medical choices.

That leaves public health officials struggling to find ways to get their message across. ``As scientists, we're probably the least equipped to know how to do this,'' said Stephen Morse, a Columbia University infectious disease expert.

Their frustration comes amid unsettling outbreaks of some vaccine-preventable diseases that had nearly disappeared from the United States.

Measles is a leading worry.

Cases have jumped back into the hundreds over the last five years or so as infected travelers sparked outbreaks in poorly vaccinated communities. The fear is that if the number of unvaccinated families keeps growing, sustained spread of measles will be re-established in the United States.

``That's what we don't want to happen again,'' said Dr. Walter Orenstein of Emory University, considered one of the leading U.S.

But in some states, the number of parents seeking exemptions from school attendance vaccination requirements has been inch-

experts on vaccines.

Most parents do bring their children for shots, and national vaccination rates for kindergarteners remain comfort-

ing up. In some communities, large proportions of households skip or delay shots. ``Part of the reason everyone is so concerned about this is be-

`People are really good at coming up with reasons to believe what they already believe,'' said Jason Reifler, a political scientist at the University of Exeter ably above 90 percent. Experts aren't even sure the ranks of families who don't vaccinate are growing to any significant degree.

cause they don't know whether things will get worse,'' Orenstein said.

Scientists have long assumed

the problem is that some parents are simply misinformed, and providing them ``corrective information'' will clear things up.

But some studies have shown that doesn't seem to work. For example, in the last 15 years, a leading concern of many vaccine opponents is that shots trigger autism in children. One recent study found that some vaccine-opposed parents could be presented with medical evidence disproving that, and seemed persuaded. But they also said they still did not intend to vaccinate their kids. ``People are really good at coming up with reasons to believe what they already believe,'' said Jason Reifler, a political scientist at the University of Exeter who coauthored the study.

In fact, vaccines can have side effects - very severe ones, in extremely rare cases that doctors can't always anticipate. ``It may be one in a million or one in 2 million, but I can't tell you that it won't happen to your child,'' Morse said.

Some parents say, ``I'm not willing to take that chance with my child,'' he added. Parents have been nervous about vaccines for as long as vaccines have been around - at times with good reaCont'd on Page 35 son.

Indian doc selected for Fulbright-Nehru Chair WASHINGTON: A top Indian-American physician has been selected for the prestigious Fulbright-Nehru Distinguished Chair to India.

Ahmedabad-based HL Trivedi Institute of Transplantation Sciences would host Doctor Rahul Jindal during the duration of the chair, a media release said.

The Institute performs about 400 kidney transplants in a year and has developed innovative transplant tolerance models.

Dr Jindal is Professor of Surgery and Global Health at the Uniformed Services University

of Health Sciences in Bethesda,

Maryland.

Dr Rahul Jindal is Professor of Surgery and Global Health at the Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences in Maryland, US

The Fulbright Distinguished Chairs Program comprises approximately 40 distinguished lecturing, distinguished research and distinguished lecturing / research awards ranging from three to 12 months.

Awards in the Fulbright Distinguished Chairs Program are viewed as among the most prestigious appointments in the Fulbright Scholar Program.

A leading US surgeon, Jindal in 2013 was presented with a prestigious immigrant award of the US government in recognition of his outstanding achievements.-PTI

March 13, 2015

Health Science Post

India Post 33

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AIIMS docs remove 17 kg tumour from woman NEW DELHI: In a major surgery, a tumor weighing 17 kg was taken out from the abdomen of a 30-year-old woman suffering from a rare ovarian tumor (growing teratoma syndrome) by doctors at AIIMS. AIIMS experts claimed that it was the largest ovarian tumor removal in India till now and the case has been sent to be documented in Limca Book of Records.

The biggest ovarian cyst removal in India till now mentioned in the Limca Book of Records is of 6.1 kg.

N Devi, a native of Bihar was referred to AIIMS in December last year with huge abdominal tumor which was growing rapidly and caused constant pain.

The woman had developed a small cystic tumor in her right ovary for which she had undergone ovarian cystectomy followed by 3 cycles of chemotherapy in Bihar in March 2014, said Dr Neerja Bhatla from the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, AIIMS. "However, even after chemotherapy, the mass inside the abdomen kept growing progressively.

"In fact within 8-9 months the tumor had already occupied whole of her abdomen and the doctors at other places had given up on the case," said Bhatla.

Once brought to AIIMS, surgical oncologists evaluated her and found her

fit for surgery.

"On evaluation we found that she was fit for surgery as this was the only option before us for treating this kind of tumor. CT Scan conducted on her showed huge abdomino pelvic mass originating from right adnexal region and her uterus and urinary bladder could not be seen separately.

"Also there were multiple large depos-

WHO's safety checklist makes surgery safer NEW DELHI: Implementation of World Health Organization's Surgical Safety Checklist should be made mandatory in India and the developing world as it significantly reduces postoperative morbidity and mortality, states a recent study.

More than 234 million surgical operations are performed annually worldwide, and it has been estimated that at least half of the complications that occur are avoidable.

"It is the first such randomized controlled study from any developing country which shows that implementation of checklist can significantly bring down the postoperative complications ultimately improving the outcome," said Dr Samiran Nundy, Author of the study and Emeritus Consultant, Department of Surgical Gastroenterology and Liver Transplantation, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital (SGRH).

The study, which got published in the journal of Gastrointestinal Surgery on February 18, was performed on 700 consecutive patients undergoing a surgical procedure between February 2012 and April 2013.

Two groups were made - in both the groups, a hospital checklist (used in all patients before operation in our hospital) was filled in by the nurses. In half of the patients, in addition to the hospital checklist, a modified WHO checklist was implemented and the results were compared with a control group of another 350 patients.

The checklist was used on three occasions - before anesthesia (sign in), before the skin incision (time out) and before the patient was shifted out of the operating room (sign out).

"In the study, the implementation of a modified WHO surgical safety checklist was associated with a decrease in mortality and number of complications. The mortality was significantly lower in the modified WHO checklist group which had a mortality rate of 5.7 per cent compared to 10 per cent in the other group where this checklist was not used," said Dr Neeraj Chaudhary, corresponding author of study and clinical assistant, Department of Surgical Gastroenterology and Liver Transplantation SGRH.

"This is the first study, to our knowledge, which has shown improved results with checklist implementation in a prospective randomized controlled trial from a developing country. Improved results after checklists have also been shown by previous studies, but all of these were in a cohort setting and from the developed world," said Dr Chaudhary.

Our results are comparable to another prospective study done in 2009 and published in New England Journal of Medicine wherein using WHO checklist in eight hospitals in different cities across the globe

The study, which got published in the journal of Gastrointestinal Surgery on February 18, was performed on 700 consecutive patients undergoing a surgical procedure between February 2012 and April 2013. over 1 year on about 4000 patients, a substantial reduction in both mortality as well as complication rate were noticed, said Dr Chaudhary.

According to Dr Nundy, surgical complications are a major cause of morbidity and mortality and also pose a major financial burden to patients and providers.

"This is especially relevant in a developing country like India where there is a lack of resources and more than three fourths of the population pays out of their pocket for health expenses," said Dr Nundy.

According to WHO, while surgical procedures are intended to save lives, unsafe surgical care can cause substantial harm.

Given the ubiquity of surgery, this has significant implications in industrialized countries, nearly half of all adverse events in hospitalized patients are related to surgical care, and at least half of the cases in which surgery led to harm are considered preventable. -PTI

its seen in different parts of abdomen and at the entrance of liver. Biopsy showed possibility of Germ cell tumor, the treatment option for which is only surgery," said M D Ray, the Surgical oncologist at AIIMS. One February 28, a team of doctors op-

erated upon her.

"It was immensely challenging as we had to remove the tumor along with almost whole of the urinary bladder and a part of the large intestine. This was risky as it was highly vascular tumor and getting an access to the tumor was difficult because of the large mass. We had to increase the midline incision and separately made horizontal incisions to reach to the roots," explained Dr Ray. The operation took eight hours after which the doctors had to entirely reconstruct the urinary bladder with the intestine and reconnect the large and small bowels to maintain the continuity of the gut.

Teratoma tumor actually is a Germ cell tumor which happens in case of females in the ovary and in case of males in testis in between 22-40 years.

Women with benign (noncancerous) germ cell tumors are cured by removing the part of the ovary that has the tumor.

The woman will be discharged soon and her abdomen has reduced to normal.

"She will require regular follow up and treatment has to continue and such tumors often recur," said Ray. -PTI

34 India Post

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March 13, 2015

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Students learn about health care careers MINOT, N.D.: Future health care providers are receiving valuable training in Minot before they're even out of high school.

Long-time instructors Brenda Demke and Mary Keller said there are about 110 students in the health careers program at Minot High School-Magic City Campus, with even more students signed up for the classes next year.

In the first year of the program, students are in class for two hours a day; the second year, they are in class for one hour a day, along with experience job shadowing out in the community. During the course of the eight weeks, students will have experience job shadowing in eight ``health experience'' areas.

With more than 200 clinical job sites available to students, students might find themselves job shadowing a dental technician, a veterinarian, or a practitioner of alternative or traditional medicine.

Keller and Demke said the first year of the health careers program provides kids with a snapshot of what it might be like to work in a health care field; the second year is more like a movie trailer.

Before they go out on a job shadowing experience, health careers students obtain CPR certifi-

cation and are well versed in the need for confidentiality and become certified in the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act. Students in the advanced health careers class also have the option of taking a test to become

until they have been trained to work at entry level and can be of assistance.

Local health care providers appreciate the care that goes into training the high school students and have told Keller and Demke

certified nursing assistants, which is a gateway to many health careers.

Keller and Demke said when they're doing job shadowing, the students are not treated as teenagers but as health care professionals. Students do not go out on a job shadowing experience

that their students are among the best high school students they see doing job shadowing. ``Without the amount of community support we have, we could not run this program,'' Keller told the Minot Daily News.

Keller still works part-time as a registered nurse in the emergency

McDonald's dropping human antibiotics from chicken NEW YORK: McDonald's says it plans to start using chicken raised without antibiotics important to human health and milk from cows that are not treated with the artificial growth hormone rbST.

producers give their livestock antibiotics to make them grow faster and ensure they are healthy. The practice has become a public health issue, with officials saying it can lead to germs becom-

The company says the chicken change will take place within the next two years. It says suppliers will still be able to use a type of antibiotic called ionophores that keep chickens healthy and aren't used in humans. The milk change will take place later this year.

Many cattle, hog and poultry

ing resistant to drugs so that they're no longer effective in treating a particular illness in humans.

Chipotle and Panera already say they serve chicken raised without antibiotics, but the announcement by McDonald's is notable because of its size; the

company has more than 14,000 US locations. Chipotle has nearly 1,800 locations, while Panera has almost 1,900 locations.

"This really does move the ball quite a bit," said Gail Hansen, a senior officer with the antibiotic resistance project with The Pew Charitable Trusts.

Hansen noted that ionophores, the antibiotics that will be allowed by McDonald's, are not considered medically important for humans and are not even considered antibiotics in Europe.

The announcement comes as McDonald's Corp. struggles to transform its image amid intensifying competition from smaller rivals positioning themselves as more wholesome alternatives.

The company has long battled negative perceptions about its food, but that has become a bigger vulnerability as more people shift toward options they feel are made with ingredients that are higher quality or meet standards on social responsibility. -AP

room at Trinity Hospital on the weekends and also as a cardiac/ rehab nurse during her summer vacation. ``My husband is very understanding,'' said Keller, who likes to keep busy. ``Mary is a high-energy person,'' Demke said. ``I get a lot done,'' Keller said.

Demke worked as a radiology technician and still keeps up her certification, though she no longer works in that capacity.

Demke said when she did work as a radiology tech, she sometimes mentored high school students and enjoyed it so much that she decided she wanted to teach students as well.

Both women have obtained their teaching certification. Keller has been teaching the health careers class since 1990 and Demke is in her 19th year of teaching health careers.

Their past professions help them as teachers at Minot High, since they know so many people in the health care field and make a point of continuing to stay current in the most recent advances in health care.

Over the years, they've seen many of their past students go on to careers in health care. Former

students have gone on to become nurses, medical doctors, chiropractors, massage therapists, certified nursing assistants, radiology technicians or mental health workers.

Sometimes students may not think they're suited for a particular health care career, but Keller and Demke can persuade them to try job shadowing in a different area.

A student who is squeamish about blood might have no problem as an addiction counselor, for example. A student who starts out being interested in physical therapy might find that she is more interested in pharmacy.

The job shadowing experience can serve as a motivator for students who might not realize how much knowledge is required to go into a particular field. Students become more aware of the need to buckle down in math and science classes, Keller and Demke said. The students are aware that health care is a field that is growing and where there are job opportunities.

After all these years, Keller and Demke both also still enjoy working with the students. ``It's the kind of job that you can't believe you get to come and do,'' Keller said. -AP

3 to 5 cups of coffee may lower heart attack risk SEOUL: People who drink three to five cups of coffee a day may have a lower risk of heart attack as they are less likely to develop clogged arteries, a major new study has claimed.

Despite earlier concerns about a potential increase in heart disease risk associated with drinking coffee, a recent meta-analysis of 36 studies showed that moderate coffee consumption was associ-

ated with a decreased risk of heart disease.

An international team of researchers led by the Kangbuk Samsung Hospital, Seoul, set out to examine the association between coffee consumption and the presence of coronary artery calcium (CAC).

CAC is an early indicator of coronary atherosclerosis - a potentially serious condition where arteries become clogged up by fatty substances known as plaques or atheroma and which can cause the arteries to harden and narrow, leading to blood clots which can trigger a heart attack or a stroke.

They studied a group of 25,138 men and women - average age of 41 - who had no signs of heart disease, attending a health screening examination.

Researchers estimated the CAC score ratios associated with different levels of coffee consumption compared with no coffee consumption and took potential confounders into account such as education level, physical activity level, smoking status, BMI, alcohol consumption, among others.

The researchers found the prevalence of detectable CAC was 13.4 per cent amongst the whole group of people and the average consumption of coffee was 1.8 cups per day. -PTI

March 13, 2015

Health Science Post

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Bill financing research New hormone mimics building gets final OK effects of exercise FRANKFORT, Ky.: Kentucky lawmakers have gave final approval to reopening the state's two-year budget to supply taxpayer money for a new medical research building at the University of Kentucky, with the goal of increasing efforts to combat high disease rates plaguing Kentuckians.

The bill cleared the Republican-led Senate, 36-1. It has already passed the Democratic-run House.

Gov. Steve Beshear praised lawmakers for sending him the legislation and said he will be pleased to sign it into law. The center will attract talented researchers striving for ``rapid improvements in Kentucky's collective health,'' the governor said in a written statement. ``Kentuckians have suffered from poor health and early deaths for decades, and sadly, many of these diseases are preventable or manageable with proper health care,'' Beshear said. ``Combating these entrenched health problems requires big changes and big investments.''

Lawmakers are typically wary of delving into a current budget to make changes, but they were won over by arguments that the proposal amounts to an investment to improve the state's miserable health statistics.

Kentucky has some of the nation's highest rates of cancers and heart disease. ``The life expectancy of our citizens is lower than that of citizens in other states,'' said Sen. Alice Forgy Kerr, R-Lexington. ``We know that that is unacceptable and we have to do something about that.''

The measure authorizes a $132.5 million bond to pay for half the research building.

UK says it would pay for the other half through research contracts and private fundraising.

The bill also appropriates about $5.4 million for debt payments in the upcoming fiscal year.

UK said it hopes to start work on the project this year. The school said it plans to use the new building to bring together research teams from multiple disciplines on campus to combat diseases.

The bonding seeks to build on the momentum from the National Cancer Institute designation won by the UK Markey Cancer Center.

Lawmakers are typically wary of delving into a current budget to make changes, but they were won over by arguments that the proposal amounts to an investment to improve the state's miserable health statistics. ``Our goal is to make death a beggar in Kentucky,'' UK President Eli Capilouto said in a statement. ``Our legislators, through their vision and farsightedness, have decided that an investment today in UK and its world-class faculty and staff will pay off for our state for generations to come.'' -AP

US health officials perplexed by vaccination skeptics Cont'd from Page 32

More than 100 years ago, vaccines were unregulated and could be as likely to harm a child as protect them. Opposition seemed to plummet for several decades, as vaccines got better and succeeded in beating back

Another strategy is to simply make more parents vaccinate, through a concerted effort to eliminate philosophical exemptions to vaccinations diseases that had long terrified families, including polio, measles and whooping cough.

But parental concern has seemed to be on an upswing in the last 20 years.

Family decisions about vaccinations have always involved a cost-benefit analy-

sis, in which parents weigh the danger of the disease against side effects or other potential risks from the vaccine itself. As overall vaccination rates hit high levels and diseases became rare, some families have decided the risks of vaccination outweigh the benefits, observed Massachusetts General Hospital's Dr. Stephen Calderwood, president of the Infectious Diseases Society of America.

Another strategy is to simply make more parents vaccinate, through a concerted effort to eliminate philosophical exemptions to vaccinations or to make the exemption application process more demanding. Several experts interviewed believed reducing exemptions is the most practical approach, in a country where individual freedoms are sometimes celebrated at the expense of the communal good. ``No other country relies on mandatory vaccinations as significantly as the U.S. does to insure high rates of vaccination,'' said Jason Schwartz, a medical historian who studies vaccine policy at Princeton University. ``One argument is we need those mandates.'' -AP

WASHINGTON: Researchers have discovered a hormone that mimics the effects of exercise and blocks the negative health impact of eating a high-fat diet.

Scientists at University of Southern California (USC) Leonard Davis School of Gerontology found that the hormone can fight weight gain caused by a high-fat Western diet and normalizes the metabolism - effects commonly associated with exercising.

The hormone, dubbed MOTS-c, primarily targets muscle tissue, where it restores insulin sensitivity, counteracting diet-induced and age-dependent insulin resistance.

"This represents a major advance in the identification of new treatments for agerelated diseases such as diabetes," said Pinchas Cohen, dean of the USC Davis School and senior author of a study on the research published in the journal Cell Metabolism.

To test the effects of MOTS-c, the team injected the hormone into mice fed a highfat diet, which typically causes them to grow obese and develop a resistance to insulin.

The injections not only suppressed both effects in mice, they also reversed age-dependent insulin-resistance, a con-

dition that precedes diabetes.

"This discovery sheds new light on mitochondria and positions them as active regulators of metabolism," said Changhan Lee, assistant professor at USC Davis and lead author of the study.

MOTS-c is unique among hormones in that it is encoded in the DNA of mitochondria - the "powerhouses" of cells that con-

"This discovery sheds new light on mitochondria and positions them as active regulators of metabolism," said Changhan Lee, assistant professor at USC Davis and lead author of the study. vert food into energy. Other hormones are encoded in DNA in the nucleus.

While all of the experiments on MOTS-c have been performed on lab mice, the molecular mechanisms that make it function in mice exist in all mammals, including humans, researchers said. -PTI

Tech News Walmart India appoints Ashwin Mittal as CFO NEW DELHI: Walmart India has announced two executive appointments with Ashwin Mittal as the new Chief Financial Officer and Javier Rojo as head of Real Estate and Business Development.

Mittal will replace Jill Anderson, currently the CFO of Walmart India, who will soon repatriate back to Walmart in US, Walmart India said in a statement.

Commenting on the development Walmart India President & CEO Krish Iyer said the appointments reflected the company's 'commitment to India'.

"Ashwin comes with in-depth knowledge, wide experience and commitment that will help us strengthen our processes even more in the years to come," he added.

"Javier's depth of knowledge and global experience in real estate development will indeed make a positive difference and deliver results as we remain steadfast on our growth and expansion plans in India," Iyer said.

Javier will lead the Real Estate and Business Development and will be responsible for Design & Construction, Real Estate and Store Planning. -PTI

Chinese woman contests for UN aviation chief post BEIJING: A Chinese woman is contesting to become the first female chief of the aviation arm of the UN, a post for which India is also likely to put up its candidature.

Liu Fang, an air-safety official, will run to get elected as the secretary-general of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), its Asia-Pacific branch told China's state-run Xinhua news agency.

If successful in the elections expected to take place sometime in late March, Liu will succeed Frenchman Raymond Benjamin, who is currently in his second term in the position.

She is currently director of the organization's Bureau of Administration and Services.

The other three candidates are expected to be from the United Arab Emirates, India and Australia. Liu previously served in the Civil Aviation Administration of China before she joined the ICAO in 2007.

The ICAO, a specialized agency of the UN founded in 1944 and headquartered in Montreal, Canada, sets safety standards and rules for air transport..-PTI

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March 13, 2015

Slaughter ban to affect lakhs of people, says MIM MUMBAI: The Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (MIM) has criticized Maharashtra government for the ban on the slaughter of bulls and bullocks, saying it will render lakhs of people dependent on this business jobless.

Though the slaughter of cows was previously prohibited in the state under the Maharashtra Animal Preservation Act of 1976, the passage of the new Act will ban the slaughter of bulls as well as bullocks, which was previously allowed based on a fit-for-slaughter certificate. The Maharashtra Animal Preservation (Amendment) Bill, 1995 received assent of President Pranab Mukherjee on March 2.-PTI

European Union seeks Modi intervention to resume FTA talks BRUSSELS: Keen to expand economic ties with India, the European Union has sought a 'political push' by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to restart the stalled talks for the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) and expressed readiness to adopt flexibility to iron out differences on crucial issues.

Noting that finalizing the longpending pact was a major priority area for it, the 28-member powerful bloc said sticky issues relating to intellectual property rights (IPR), data security for IT services and tariff in the automobile sector can be resolved through talks.

Top European Union officials handling trade issues with India said they are reaching out to Commerce Minister Nirmala Sitharaman to resume the negotiations for the FTA at the earliest.

The last round of talks on the FTA was held in May, 2013.

Head of India Division at the European External Action Service Maria Castillo Fernandez said the EU was ready to show flexibility on all major issues that have stalled the talks as the FTA will be a "win-win deal" for both the sides.

Policy Officer for India at European Commission's Directorate General of Trade Roberto Cecutti said: "We are ready to review all outstanding issues, including in the automobile sector. We are intensifying our efforts to restart the

talks."

Expressing disappointment over delay in finalizing the pact, Chairman of the European Parlia-

is the word from the top that works in India. I think the word needs to come from the top," Orden said when asked about the issue.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi

ment Delegation for relations with India Geoffrey Van Orden said Prime Minister Modi should make a political push for making fresh

The EU has been India's largest trading partner and Orden said both sides should try to finalize a "realistic and meaningful" trade

Orden said tariff on cars coming from India to Europe was less than 10 per cent while the tariff imposed by India on cars from Europe is around 130 per cent and sought a pragmatic resolution of the issue among other things. initiatives to put the FTA talks on fast track.

"I think Modi is a man who wants to get things done. I think it

pact by the next year which will be a real step forward in significantly expanding economic engagement.

The two-way commerce stood

at USD 101.5 billion in 2013-14. It was USD 57.25 billion during April-October this fiscal.

Orden said tariff on cars coming from India to Europe was less than 10 per cent while the tariff imposed by India on cars from Europe is around 130 per cent and sought a pragmatic resolution of the issue among other things.

A number of EU officials expressed confidence of holding the EU-India summit later this year which they feel will give a new push to relationship between the two sides.

A top diplomat said besides FTA, the EU was looking at insurance, banking and retail as major areas for economic engagement with India.

Officials involved in trade talks said labor laws and issues relating to sustainable development were important to them.

"The FTA is not all about tariff reduction but its much more about market access, investment protection and labor laws and issues relating to climate change as well," said a senior official.

On medicine, which is another sticky issue, the official said nothing in the FTA will touch upon the IPR legislation and patent legislation concerning access to medicines, including generic medicines.

In May, 2013, both sides failed to bridge substantial gaps on crucial issues, including data security status for IT sector.-PTI

Coal, spectrum sale proceeds cross Rs 3-lakh crore NEW DELHI: The auction kitty from sale of coal mines and telecom spectrum have swelled to over Rs three lakh crore - exceeding all estimates including by CAG for value of such resources, which have been at the centre of two major scams in recent years.

While coal blocks being sold through an e-auction are the same whose allocation got cancelled pursuant to a Supreme Court order in relation to the alleged 'coalgate' scam, the 2G and 3G airwaves being put under hammer

are different from those in the socalled '2G scam'.

These two scams had become matters of big political debates including in run-up to the Lok Sabha polls last year.

In total 204 coal blocks were cancelled, while auction of just 32 of them have yielded Rs 2.07 lakh crore already, including about Rs 11,000 crore from two mines. In spectrum, total bids reached Rs 94,000 crore at the end of the fifth day of auction.

Coal Minister Piyush Goyal said

that the e-auction of 32 coal blocks, out of 204 cancelled coal blocks, "has already yielded potential e-auction revenues, royalties and upfront payments of Rs 2.07 lakh crores, which is far in excess of CAG loss estimate of Rs 1.86 lakh crore."

The cumulative kitty of over Rs 2 lakh crore includes over Rs one lakh crore from sale of 19 mines in first tranche.

The total proceeds from the spectrum auction is expected to cross Rs one lakh crore mark, while the minimum amount earlier tar-

geted by the government was Rs 82,000 crore.

Goyal said that the auctions would result in lower cost of power, while coal-bearing states like Odisha, West Bengal, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra will "earn lakhs of crores of additional revenue".

The power fuel cost would come down by Rs 96,971 crores, resulting in power tariff savings for consumers, he added.

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Chidambaram blames high inflation for UPA's defeat NEW DELHI: Former Finance minister of India P Chidambaram has said the fiscal stimulus package inducted between 2009 and 2011 was a collective decision of the government that led to breaching of fiscal and revenue deficits and high inflation for which people punished the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government in the Lok Sabha elections.

In a speech that analyzed the first full budget of the Modi government presented by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, he said the budget for 2015-16 has not passed the test of equity, fiscal and financial stability and the test of rising inequality while it had some good aspects.

In his speech at the Loyola Institute of Business Administration (LIBA) in Chennai, Chidambaram, at no stage, had taken the name of President Pranab Mukherjee, during whose tenure as finance minister the stimulus package was decided by the Union Government following the 2008 economic crisis.

Chidambaram said he had only made a passing reference to the stimulus package that led to the Centre breaching targets on fiscal and revenue deficits, current account deficit and the resultant high inflation led to a price situation that people punished the government in the elections.

In the LIBA speech, the former finance minister said Jaitley has pushed the deadline of curbing fiscal deficit to three per cent of GDP to

2016-17 by another year to 2017-18.

As against a target of 3.6 per cent fiscal deficit fixed by the UPA government for 2015-16, he has relaxed it to 3.9 per cent of GDP. Through this, Chidambaram said, the National Democratic Al-

tax slabs but felt there was need for a fourth slab since the liberalization was giving huge rise in income for certain people.

The former finance minister said the government's acceptance of the 14th Finance Commission re-

Former Finance Minister P Chidambaram

liance (NDA) regime was planning to borrow an additional Rs.42,500 crore which the government was planning to spend not on plan expenditure but on non-plan expenditure.

Replying to questions, Chidambaram said there was a need for a fourth slab in the personal income tax rates.

He recalled that in his budget of 1997 he had introduced three

port, which increased the states' share of divisible central taxes to 42 per cent from 32 per cent, did not mean states were going to get more money. "This calls for another long debate," he added.

He also defended the Minimum Alternate Tax (MAT) which was introduced to force companies which did not pay tax due to availability of concessions, exemptions and deductions - to pay tax.-PTI

Saudi Arabia topples India as top defense importer DUBAI: Saudi Arabia has dislodged India to become the world's top defense importer in 2014, while China inched closer to its Asian neighbor at third position, research company IHS said in a report.

US continues to be the top defense exporter followed by Russia, France and UK, the ranking unchanged from 2013, the information agency said in its annual defense report.

"In 2014, Saudi Arabia replaced India as the largest importer of defense equipment worldwide and took the top spot as the number one trading partner for the US," the IHS report added.

Similarly, China jumped from the world's fifth to the third largest defense importer, the report added.

It also pointed that China was

the largest recipient of defense equipments from Russia in 2014 valued at USD 2.3 billion followed

by India at USD 1.7 billion, and Venezuela and Vietnam each at

USD 1 billion.

In 2014, global defense trade increased for the sixth straight year to USD 64.4 billion, up from USD 56.8 billion, IHS added.

"This record figure has been driven by unparalleled demand from the emerging economies for military aircraft and an escalation of regional tensions in the Middle East and Asia Pacific," IHS senior defense analyst Ben Moores said.

M o o r e s added that "one out of every seven dollars" spent on defense imports in 2015 will be spent by Saudi Arabia.

And its imports increased by 54 per cent between 2013 and 2014 and, based on planned deliveries, imports will increase by 52 per cent to USD 9.8 billion in 2015.-PTI

New GDP numbers not realistic, say CEOs NEW DELHI: Cautioning based on a new methodology, unagainst being "too optimistic" der which it expects economic exabout economy as yet, industry pansion of 7.4 per cent in the curbody Assocham has said a large rent fiscal ending this month, while majority of CEOs and CFOs find GDP growth rate of last fiscal has the revised GDP data of over 7 per also been revised upward to 6.9 cent growth as "too good to be per cent. realistic".

Under the previous methodolIn a post-Budget survey of 189 ogy, the economy grew at 4.7 per CEOs and CFOs, conducted by cent in the last fiscal 2013-14, while Assocham, as many as 76 per cent the earlier growth estimate for the respondents said that "they find the new data showing over seven per In the survey, 71 per cent of cent growth of GDP as the CEOs said "they would too optimistic since the like to wait for some more underlying situation is time before they could be not all that upbeat".

In the survey, 71 per as optimistic as the governcent of the CEOs said ment is about the new data" "they would like to wait for some more time before they could be as optimistic as current financial year was 5.5 per the government is about the new cent. data".

Chief Economic Advisor Besides, 68 per cent CFOs said Arvind Subramanian had also said the picture must "translate into that the ambitious 8.1-8.5 per cent solid sales and production data on economic growth projected for the the ground" and there was still next fiscal in the Union Budget is some way to cover. more like a "statistical and not a The industry body also said real number." that "there would be a certain In reply to a question on credamount of lag before we start see- ibility of these GDP growth estiing results on the ground" from mates, Subramanian had said the various "path-breaking" steps Budget was based on projections announced in the Union Budget about nominal GDP growth, which

by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley. is the sum of real GDP growth and Last month, the government inflation.

Cont’d on page 38 released GDP growth figures

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Ramesh asks govt not to give nod for power project ATHIRAPPILLY, Kerala: Congress leader Jairam Ramesh has asked the NDA government not to grant green clearances to Kerala's fresh proposal to set up a hydro power project at Athirappilly, an ecologically sensitive area.

"It will be an ecological disaster. It has been studied extensively and the former principal chief conservator of forests had strongly recommended against the project," said Ramesh, who blocked the project when Kerala government tried to push it, during his stint as Environment Minister in the UPA government.

VisitingAthirappilly in Kerala amid state government's move to go ahead with the project, Ramesh asked Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar to visit the site before taking a decision on the issue.

"Under no circumstances this should get cleared. Central Minister should instead of clearing files, visit some of these places," Ramesh told PTI. He, however, took a dig at Javadekar, saying the Environment Ministry has "now become Ministry of file clearances".

"It should be Ministry of Environmental due diligence. It should be a Ministry of Environmental homework. I think Environment

Ministry has given up thinking.

Due diligence has been completely forgotten in their anxiety to clear projects," he said.

He also asked the Congress-led UDF government not to go ahead with the project.

"Here in Athirappally, Kerala will lose high density projects and

bonus for its rich forests.

"In the fourteenth finance commission award, which has been implemented by the Narendra Modi government, 42 per cent of all taxes will be shared with the state government.

That has been announced in the budget. Now, in the formula

Jairam Ramesh

for what - only 140 MW. It can get that power from Kudankulam nuclear power plant," the Rajya Sabha MP said.

He said the impact of constructing a dam for the power projects across the waterfall would be virtually like Silent Valley.

Ramesh pointed out that the Kerala government has got green

for distributing the money across states, 7.5 per cent weightage is given to the forest cover - for high density and medium density forests," he said.

"So states like Kerala benefit," he added. The Congress leader also asked the Centre to give green bonus to states that protect fragile areas. -PTI

'Banks in smaller centers gender insensitive' MUMBAI: On International Women's Day, Union Commerce Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has chided lenders for being gender insensitive while dealing with female entrepreneurs' loan proposals in small cities and towns.

"What I find missing, and that is where I think the government should also look at (is) how can it enhance the role of women in business (through) the sensitivity with which banks deal with women," Sitharaman said, addressing an event organized by Moneylife Foundation here.

The Minister said banks in metropolitan cities generally look at a loan proposal on merit, irrespective of the borrower's gender, but those in smaller cities and towns tend to create many problems for women borrowers and this is "not a comfortable situation."

She said banks ask questions like 'are you ok', 'is everybody around you ok'. "In other words, (it means) is your husband ok, is

your father ok," the Minister said, describing the attitude of the lenders.

"That sets a lot of hurdles in the way in which the mindset of

Union Commerce Minister Nirmala

banks work when they deal with women," she said.

There are many innovative women entrepreneurs who have gone beyond businesses like "making papads and pickles," Sitharaman said.

Initiatives like the Bhartiya Mahila Bank can help in sensitizing other banks, she said, adding that even though the network of the BMB, launched by the previous UPA government, is small, it can help sensitize other lenders.

"They (BMB) should help other commercial banks to be able to reason it out for them, saying the entrepreneur, be it a male or a female, does not matter. It is the professional excellence which has to be looked at," she said.

Sitharaman said it is a "desperate situation" when it comes to women entrepreneurs, adding that there are few of them and hence, they require full support.

Personalizing her argument, Sitharaman conceded that she herself owes her rise within her party to the affirmative action of reservations, but stressed that after getting into a role, it is about merit.-PTI

New GDP numbers not realistic, say CEOs Cont’d from page 37

"Before the (revised) numbers came out, we were expecting a nominal GDP growth of 11.5 per cent. Broadly that was about 6.5 per cent of GDP growth and 4.5 per cent on inflation," he had said.

Earlier, Subramanian had said he was "puzzled by the new GDP growth numbers", while RBI Governor Raghuram Rajan had said he did not "want to say anything about the numbers until we understand them better".

Quoting from its survey, Assocham said that "even though the new data series may reflect the best international practices, the shift seems to be so sudden that at times, it looks too good to be realistic".

"While sharing the upbeat mood reflected in the Budget, majority of India's CEOs and CFOs would like the government not to base its optimism entirely on shifting to the new CSO series of the data on the GDP, as it is still early days for the new numbers to sink in and relate them to underlying figures of the old series," Assocham said.

The business chamber said that the industry is well aware about "how bad the previous fiscal was in terms of growth, but the new

numbers revise the fiscal 2013-14 GDP growth to 6.9 per cent".

"Going by these numbers, close to seven growth in the previous fiscal meant India never faced slowdown," it added.

Assocham Secretary General D S Rawat said, "While a lot of pathbreaking steps have been initiated in the Budget like MUDRA Bank for MSMEs, step up in investment in the public sector, boost to infrastructure, increased penetration of the pensions and insurance and the cut in corporate tax, there would be a certain amount of lag before we start seeing results on the ground. "(I am) not sure, whether the optimistic outlook as reflected by the new series has taken it into

account."

Under the new series, the share of manufacturing in the country's total GDP has gone up from 12.9 per cent to 17.3 per cent, making the sector look much better, it added.-PTI

Coal, spectrum sale proceeds cross Rs 3-lakh crore In five days of the second leg of auction so far, mines have been mostly sold in eastern states to firms like Adani, Hindalco, JSW and Jindal.

sale of 2G and 3G airwaves where government is selling spectrum in four bands: 2,100 megahertz (Mhz), 1,800 MHz, 900 MHz and 800 MHz. Most of the spectrum put up for auction is at present held by Airtel, Vodafone, Idea Cellular and

Spectrum auction With regard to the spectrum auction, the Department of Telecom said that the bidding has taken place in all bands and "a value of approximately Rs 94,000 crore has been committed by bidders in respect of provisionally won spectrum".

Incumbents Bharti Airtel and Vodafone are locked with Reliance Jio to protect their spectrum they need to carry voice and data in the world's second-biggest smartphone market. In all, eight bidders are in the fray.

The auction is the biggest ever

Reliance Telecom.

Their licenses are expiring in 2015-16.

Mobile licenses for nine circles of Idea Cellular, six circles of Airtel and seven circles each of Vodafone and Reliance Telecom are coming up for renewal. -PTI

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MH370 probe inconclusive as kin mark anniversary KUALA LUMPUR: The battery of the black box locator beacon of the doomed MH370 had expired over a year before the Malaysian plane mysteriously disappeared, a new report said as grieving families of the 239 people on board marked the first anniversary of the world's biggest aviation mystery.

Investigators, however, found no indications of unusual behavior among the pilots and cabin crew of the Beijing-bound Malaysia Airlines plane that dropped off radar just an hour after taking off from here on March 8.

"There were no behavioral signs of social isolation, change in habits or interest, self-neglect, drug or alcohol abuse of the cap-

tain, first officer and the cabin crew," said the 584-page interim report.

In the aftermath of the disappearance of the plane there was intense focus on the flight's captain, Zaharie Ahmad Shah, and his co-pilot, Fariq Abdul Hamid.

The report said Boeing 777200's captain did not have any personal or financial problems that would cast suspicion on him.

It contained factual information about the missing plane rather than analysis. It offered relatives of the 239 people, including five Indians, on board no apparent answers about why the aircraft dropped off radar.

Meanwhile, Voice 370, a support group for the kin of those on board, hosted a Day of Remembrance at a mall here.

The purpose of the event was to urge people all over the world to not forget about the disaster and encourage the government to keep searching for the wreckage.-PTI

90% of traffic through mobile services: Myntra BENGALURU: Myntra.com, India's leading online fashion retailer, has said that 90 per cent of its traffic is being generated through mobile devices.

It said close to 85 per cent of this traffic is driven by Android, iOS and Windows platforms, and interestingly, over 50 per cent of the mobile traffic is coming from Tier II & III cities.

Referring to a recent study which ranked India second in consumers accessing the Internet for online shopping through mobile devices, just after China, Myntra in a release said with over 150 million smartphone users as of 2014, and penetration of mobile phones expected to reach 45 per cent with whopping 520 million users by 2020, mobile is radically transforming consumer's shopping behavior.

Myntra said it launched its mobile app in May 2014 and within a short span of nine months, it has become one of the fastest growing shopping apps with over six million installs.-PTI

Tata JLR to build first electric car in Austria LONDON: Tata Motors-owned Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) is set to build its first all-electric car in Austria.

The luxury car-maker's Jaguar brand could begin production of the vehicle next year.

JLR's electric debut would be the latest in a string of launches after its new XE "baby Jag" and F-Pace sports utility vehicle, as well as a new factory in China and one under construction in Brazil.

The company is believed to be devising plans for a small production line in Austria, making about 10,000 cars a year, by leasing space in an existing factory, according to The Sunday Times.

Jaguar wants to build an electric vehicle, in part to sidestep looming European Union emission fines.

Manufacturers are racing to produce electric and hybrid cars, with Germany's BMW enjoying surging sales of its i8 and i3 petrol

and electric plug-in hybrids.

The Tata Group, which paid USD 2.3 billion in 2008 to buy JLR from Ford and has more than doubled the workforce to 32,000.

The company now sells almost half-a-million cars.

The firm is also exploring plans for a factory in America.

"Jaguar Land Rover continues

to evaluate opportunities in a range of markets to increase our global manufacturing footprint in the future," the company said in a statement.

Discussions on all manufacturing plans remain commercially confidential. No decision has been taken on future manufacturing locations, it said. -PTI

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K

aziranga National Park, situated in the northeastern state of Assam, is one of the most picturesque wildlife parks in India. The natural habitat of the one-horned rhino (Rhinoceros unicornis), Kaziranga lies on the southern banks of the Brahmaputra River,

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northeast of Assam's capital Guwahati. Originally established as a game reserve in 1908, which included specific portions of Assam's Sibsagar district, Kaziranga was declared a sanctuary in 1940 to counter excessive poaching. In 1974, the Indian Government declared it as a protected site. The park's original in-

habitants - the rhino and the elephant being the most noticeable - now thrive in a serene environment to the sheer delight of nature lovers. Viewing wildlife at Kaziranga Park because of its vast open spaces, the presence of the mighty Brahmaputra, and adjoining Mikir hills makes a trip to Kaziranga a complete 'jungle'

adventure.

Best time to visit: Weather in Kaziranga is pleasant throughout the year. There are no extremities in terms of temperature variation; the winters (November-January) are cool and summers warm (temperature does not exceed 38°C).

Monsoon (June-July) season is dominant and lasts for a long time

in this area. Mild showers may be experienced throughout the year.

Tourist attractions Apart from being the home of the one-horned rhino, it is also the natural habitat of wild buffaloes, wild boars, elephants, Barasinghas Cont’d on page 42

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Google maps now soar through Amazon jungle SAN FRANCISCO: For its next technological trick, Google will show you what it's like to zip through trees in the Amazon jungle.

The newly released images are the latest addition to the diverse collection of photos supplementing Google's widely used digital maps. The maps' ``Street View'' option mostly provides panoramic views of cities and neighborhoods photographed by car-mounted cameras, but Google also has found creative ways to depict exotic locations where there are no roads.

In its latest foray into the wilderness, Google teamed up with environmental protection group Amazonas Sustainable Foundation, or FAS, to explore a remote part of an Amazon rainforest in Brazil. Google Inc. lent FAS its Trekker device, a camera mounted on an apparatus originally designed to be carried like a backpack by hikers walking on trails.

FAS, though, sent the Trekker down a zip line. Google is renowned for going out on a technological limb, but even this project made the company nervous at first, said Karin TuxenBettman, who oversees Google's

Street View partnerships.

The setup required FAS workers to tread through the rainforest to find a place where they could string the zip line so the Trekker wouldn't bump into tree trunks and branches as it zoomed through the thick canopy. With the help of some monkeys who joined their scouting expedition, FAS workers found just enough room to erect a zip line for the Trekker's roughly 65-yard trip. ``One of the things that I love

India pipped China in air travel demand for Jan NEW DELHI: India outperformed China in terms of air travel demand in January as its domestic air passenger traffic logged a healthy 17.9 per cent growth over the year-ago period, according to the data released by IATA. The overall air traffic during this period posted 4.6 per cent growth with international traffic growing 5.4 per cent and domestic travel demand going up by 3.2 per cent, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) said.

According to IATA, China's domestic air travel rose just 2.1 per cent in January of this year compared to the year ago due to the timing of the Lunar New Year falling in February (a month later than in 2014) as well as a contraction in volumes in January as compared to December, after adjusting for seasonal factors.

However, the passenger-carrying capacity in India declined by 1.2 per cent despite a healthy load factor of 84 per cent recorded during the month, said the global airlines' body.

"The 4.6 per cent growth in glo-

bal air traffic represents a slower start to the year compared to the 2014 full-year growth of 5.9 per cent. However, results likely were affected by the timing of the Lunar New Year in Asia, which occurred one month later this year compared to 2014," said IATA Director General and Chief Executive, Tony Tyler.

The capacity of the global carriers in the month rose 5.2 per cent and load factor slipped 0.5 percentage points to 77.7 per cent, IATA said, adding that while domestic markets drove growth in the latter part of 2014, international traffic was stronger in January.

"January traffic did not maintain the rate of growth attained

in 2014; nevertheless, we are seeing healthy though slightly slower growth in the demand for air services. While January was a relatively positive start for the year, we cannot look ahead without seeing some significant risk factors in the macro-economic and political environment," Tyler added. -PTI

about working at Google is that if a partner comes to us with a crazy idea, we will probably try it,'' Tuxen-Bettman said.

Since Google developed the Trekker camera in 2012, the device has been dispatched on other unusual journeys. The Trekker went scuba diving in the Galรกpagos Islands to take underwater photographs of the preserve, and traveled on a dog sled in the Canadian Arctic to photograph the tundra.

Google's Street View feature has raised privacy concerns through the years because its photographs have occasionally captured images of unsuspecting bystanders engaged in embarrassing activities or near places where they didn't want to be seen. Cars carrying Street View cameras also secretly vacuumed up emails and other personal

information transmitted over unsecure Wi-Fi networks from 2007 to 2010, sparking outrage and legal action around the world.

Privacy issues shouldn't be an

issue in any of the photography taken by the zip-lining Trekker.

Birds and insects are the only visible forms of life in the pictures it took. -AP Amazon

42

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Travel & Hospitality Post

March 13, 2015

www.indiapost.com

Kaziranga National Park Natural habitat of the one-horned rhino

Cont’d from page 40

(swamp and hog deer), leopards, tigers, hoolock gibbons, capped langur, rock python, monitor lizards, various species of eagles, partridge, bar-headed geese, whistling teals, florican storks, herons, pelicans and water fowls. Large areas of the park comprise marshland interspersed with large pools fringed with reeds, patches of elephant grass, scattered trees, and thickets.

In November 1999, the Kaziranga National Park was selected for the millennium award by the World Wildlife Fund-Tiger Conservation Program (WWFTCP) for being one of the bestmanaged parks in the country.

The Park

range. Elephants are managed by authorized mahouts (trainers), who guide visitors through the park.

Contrary to what one may have heard, rhinos browse past visitors nonchalantly. The rhino is a peaceloving animal and, instead of batting an eyelid about peaceful tourists who have invaded its territory, it keeps itself busy grazing in the wild. Moreover, the conditions at Kaziranga are ideal for the rhino to survive. In addition to elephant rides, several watch towers have been set up for elevated viewing of the wildlife park. Pleasant boat rides at the nearby Rhinoland Park can also be availed by tourists.

Sunset is a pleasant sight as well

ences three main seasons and they are summer, monsoon and winter season. The Park can be best visited during the months from October to May. How to Reach

By Air: The near-

earned this award for the second time in succession.

The areas adjoining the park, though they sound like tough terrains, are easily accessible on the backs of elephants. Mihimukh is the starting point for the park and elephants can be hired from here to enter the sanctuary. An elephant-ride during early hours of dawn awards an excellent opportunity for seeing wildlife at a close

with the birds returning to their nests. After sunset, a pleasant conversation and personal experiences can be exchanged with other fellow tourists once the day's adventures come to a close.

Convention and norms are limited and the beauty of the regional flora and fauna can be enjoyed at its closest best. It is precisely for this reason that many tourists feel drawn towards Kaziranga National Park.

The wildlife sanctuary experi-

est airport here is Jorhat that offers regular flights to Kolkata.

By Rail: The nearest railway station is Furkating which is wellconnected to Guwahati on the broad gauge line. The trains that connect this place are Brahmaputra Express to Delhi and Kamrup Express to Howrah (Kolkata). There is also the facil-

ity of an Intercity Express train that interlinks Furkating with the towns of Dibrugarh and Guwahati on a daily basis.

By Road: The nearest National Highway to this park is NH-37.

Kaziranga is located at a distance of 217 km from Guwahati, of 96 km from Jorhat and 75 km from Furkating.

March 13, 2015

Travel & Hospitality Post

India Post

43

www.indiapost.com

250 on Mansarovar Yatra through Nathu La NEW DELHI: The government has said as per an understanding reached with the Chinese side, five batches of 50 pilgrims each are expected to travel through Nathu La for the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra

this year.

In a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha, Minister for External Affairs Sushma Swaraj said this year about 1,000 pilgrims are expected to undertake the yatra.

As per the statement laid on the table of the House, during the visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping to India in September 2014, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Xi had agreed to open an additional route for Kailash Mansarovar Yatra through the Nathu La pass in Sikkim.

The route through Nathu La will augment capacity and reduce the hardship enabling many more pilgrims, in particular aged pilgrims, to undertake the Yatra, the government said.

As per the statement, 906 people had undertaken the pilgrimage last year while the number stood at just 53 in 2013, as due to natural disaster in Uttarakhand only one batch completed the yatra. -PTI

Thomas Cook plans to focus on student segment NEW DELHI: Travel services provider Thomas Cook (India) has decided to focus on the student market through 'Travel Quest Study Tours' as the business potential of this segment in India is quite significant.

As per the data from UGC and National University of Education, there were over 13.6 lakh schools in the country in 2012.

"With enrolment increasing by 13 per cent and nearly USD 70 billion being spent on private education, the business potential of the student market in India is significant and increasing rapidly, Thomas Cook India said.

Hence, in a strategic initiative to leverage this untapped market potential, Thomas Cook intends to target the student sector by setting up a dedicated 'Travel Quest' vertical comprising experienced professionals across the educa-

tional and travel domain, it added.

Commenting on the development, Thomas Cook (India) MD Madhavan Menon said: "Our strategic business intent is clear: to address the business opportunity posed by the growing student market in the absence of organized players in the market."

The latent demand is evident and the early response has been

encouraging, Menon said, adding "Our team has, as part its quiz school outreach, confirmed over 5 school student tours to destinations as diverse as Ranthambore, Singapore and Netherlands in just over a month since we began our school outreach".

Thomas Cook India shares closed 7.64 per cent up at Rs 214.20 per scrip on the BSE. -PTI

BENGALURU: The Karnataka government has issued a set of guidelines mandating organizers of national and international music shows and tourism events to adhere to Indian culture and also share details of foreign visitors at such events.

The guidelines are not however, applicable to Bengaluru.

Though the guidelines do not define 'Indian culture', it is mandated that the authorities lay conditions to the organizers that the events should not violate Indian culture.

The list of 28 guidelines by the department that was gazetted on February 26 has come in the wake of the alleged obscenities during the 'Spring Zouk Music Festival' at St. Mary's Island in Udupi district held from February 3 to 5, 2012.

The incident, where foreigners were allegedly caught indulging in "inappropriate behavior" as seen in video grabs, had caused huge embarrassment to the then BJP government following which it had asked the Regional Commissioner, Mysore division to in-

In order to ensure that organizers follow the guidelines and to issue permissions in accordance with relevant rules, the guidelines notified by the Karnataka Tourism Department provide for the constitution of a 10-member committee in each district headed by the Deputy Commissioner, excluding Bengaluru city.

The guidelines also seek video recording of the events and permit video recording by Tourism or Police department officials if anything is found "sensitive".

quire and submit a report.

Overnight stay at the venue of such events is restricted under the guidelines which propose that adequate transport arrangements should be made to ferry the guests back.

The guidelines also ask authorities to lay conditions relating to consumption of alcohol and banned substances before giving permission to such events and authorizes the district administration to take action if there is any violation. -PTI

Smithsonian bans 'selfie sticks' in museums

Punjab launches 'Bed and Breakfast scheme' CHANDIGARH: Punjab government has introduced "Bed and Breakfast scheme", under which private house and farm house owners can offer home-stay facilities to tourists in their houses and farms.

"Punjab Heritage and Tourism Promotion Board has invited applications from the interested home or farm house owners for this Bed and Breakfast and farm-tourism

Karnataka guidelines on music shows, tourism events

scheme," an official spokesman of the state tourism department said.

He said the registration of farm houses will be done in those cases where such places are fully-developed and worth living and visiting.

A high-level committee will be formed by the board to inspect such sites, he added.

The scheme would be a source of additional income for those who have adequate living area, meet-

ing the required standard, said the spokesman, adding that the scheme would be applicable only for the owners who themselves were staying within the same premises.

The houses or bungalows under consideration should be located in an accessible area with adequate parking space, may have a maximum of six bedrooms with attached washrooms, he said.-PTI

WASHINGTON: Cameras and pictures are allowed, but selfie sticks are now banned at the Smithsonian museums.

The Smithsonian Institution has issued a new policy saying the use of selfie sticks is now prohibited, along with tripods and monopods in museums and gardens. Selfie sticks are handheld camera mounts for self-portraits.

Smithsonian officials say this is a preventative measure to protect visitors and museum objects - especially when muse-

ums are crowded with thousands of visitors.

In a statement, the Smithsonian says the museums encourage visitors to take selfies and share their experiences. But they should leave their selfie sticks in their bags.-AP

In Brief England migrant population up by half million LONDON: An Oxford University study say the number of foreign-born residents in England has increased by more than half a million in three years - a finding that will fuel debate about immigration ahead of the upcoming election.

The study by the university's Migration Observatory says around two-thirds of the 565,000 migrants thought to have come to England between 2011 and 2014 were born in other EU countries.

The observatory estimates that puts the total number of foreignborn residents at 7.9 million. In 2001, the number of migrants was 4.6 million.

The rate of immigration in England, whose population is about 53 million, has stirred passions ahead of the election, with at least one party, the U.K. Independence Party, arguing it is too high. -AP

„ Immigration agent stole from prisoner in Philadelphia PHILADELPHIA: Authorities in Philadelphia have charged a federal immigration agent accused of stealing from a prisoner he was assigned to transport, the city's district attorney said.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agent Justin Ford was arrested after he was caught in a sting allegedly taking $200 from an undercover Philadelphia police officer posing as a deportee, District Attorney Seth Williams said. ``What Mr. Ford did was deplorable. It wasn't the first time he stole from deportees,'' Williams said. ``He will be punished to the fullest extent of the law.''

Williams said that after searching the undercover officer and finding $2,000, Ford took two $100 bills. Ford transported the undercover officer to York County Prison and turned over the money to an intake officer, who confirmed that $200 was missing, Williams said.

Ford was arrested in Philadelphia and allegedly acknowledged the theft, as well as thefts from other prisoners, according to authorities.

Investigators have information that makes them believe this was not his first time, Williams said. ``Others had claimed to be missing money after he transported them'' the district attorney said.

Ford, 31, was charged with theft, unlawful taking and related offenses. He's due in court on March 27. -AP

Immigration 44 India Post

www.indiapost.com

March 13, 2015

AAO on credential evaluation of H-1B visa petitions-II Details on page 46

Republican presidential hopefuls split on immigration DES MOINES, Iowa: The clear rift over immigration has opened up publicly in the emerging Republican presidential field, with most potential 2016 candidates calling for enforcement of existing laws and outliers Jeb Bush, the former Florida governor, and Sen. Lindsay Graham wanting to offer the estimated 11 million immigrants in the U.S. illegally a path to legal status.

The policy difference emerged in Iowa and will likely remain a key issue as the race for the 2016 Republican nomination unfolds. Immigrants are an important workforce in agriculture and food processing in the early caucus state and around the country.

Bush, Graham and seven other presidential prospects, including New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, were asked about their views on immigration and other topics at the day-long public forum by their host, Bruce Rastetter, an agribusiness magnate and GOP donor. ``Immigrants that are here need to have a path to legalized status,'' Bush, the brother and son of former presidents, said. ``No one I know has a plan to round up illegal immigrants and send them back.''

Graham, who was part of the bipartisan Gang of Eight senators who crafted immigration legisla-

tion that passed the Senate in 2013 but died in the House, said he favored letting some immigrants living in the country illegally stay, if they met certain conditions, like learning English and paying taxes. ``We need a rational solution to the 11 million, because no

Huckabee recommended only allowing in immigrants who say they love America, and bar those seeking government dependence. ``I think we meet them at the door and say it may not be a good fit.''

Even if immigrants in the U.S. illegally pay taxes, they are ineli-

Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee speaks during the Iowa Agriculture Summit, in Des Moines, Iowa

Democrat is going to give us everything we want without getting something,'' the South Carolina Republican said. ``But they'll agree with me that crooks are not welcome to stay.''

New Jersey's Christie spoke of broadening the guest worker program as one ``piece of an overall approach,'' but he offered no specifics.

gible for most federal programs.

They cannot legally get food stamps, unemployment benefits, Pell grants or federal student loans.

They cannot get Medicaid, except for emergency medical services, and are ineligible for subsidies under President Barack Obama's health law.

Bush called for restrictions on family immigration to make room

for a larger workforce based on legal immigrant labor, which is key to his goal of achieving 4 percent economic growth.

Bush and Graham's positions are politically risky in Iowa, where conservatives are disproportionately opposed to a path for legal status for those living here illegally. ``I'm sure there's some support for it, but Iowa Republican caucus-goers don't feel that way,'' said Chuck Laudner, a former Iowa Republican Party executive director.

An Associated Press-GfK poll conducted in December showed only 37 percent of Republicans in favor of allowing immigrants who are already in the country illegally to become citizens, a step further than Bush's proposed ``permanent legal status.''

Although Bush received no applause from the audience for his remarks, that may not matter, said Republican activist and fundraiser Doug Gross. ``He doesn't need a lot of the folks who are going to make that a defining issue,'' said Gross, a Bush supporter and former Republican nominee for Iowa governor.

The discussion also touched on energy, trade and food policy, with many of the candidates grabbing the opportunity to tout any agricultural or Iowa connection they could. -PTI

States say Obama administration misled judge HOUSTON: A coalition of states suing to stop President Barack Obama's executive action on immigration alleges the government misled a judge about not implementing part of the plan before the judge temporarily halted it.

The allegation comes after the Justice Department said in court documents that federal officials had given 100,000 people threeyear reprieves from deportation and granted them work permits under a program that protects young immigrants from deportation if they were brought to the U.S. illegally as children.

President Barack Obama speaks during a town hall meeting on immigration hosted by Telemundo and MSNBC, at Florida International University in Miami.

Justice Department attorneys had previously said federal officials wouldn't accept requests under an expansion of the 2012 Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, known as DACA, until Feb. 18.

The federal government's immigration actions regarding DACA as well as a program that would extend deportation protections to parents of U.S. citizens and permanent residents who have been in the country for some years, were put on hold on Feb. 16 by U.S. District Judge Andrew Hanen in Brownsville, Texas.

Cont'd on Page 46

Immigration Post

March 13, 2015

India Post 45

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AAO on credential evaluation of H-1B visa petitions-II CORA-ANN V. PESTAINA

Continued from last week

T

he AAO also took issue with what it described as a "misinterpretation and misapplication of the so-called "threefor-one" rule" which evaluators use to recognize any three years of work experience in a relevant specialized field as equivalent to attainment of one year of college credit in that specialty.

The AAO stated that only one segment of the H-lB beneficiaryqualification regulations provides for the application of the three-forone ratio, and that is the provision at 8 C.F.R. §214.2(h)(4)(iii)(D)(5), which reserves the application exclusively for USCIS agency-determinations and moreover, that portion of the regulations requires substantially more than simply equating any three years of work

occupation; (iii) Published material by or about the alien in professional publications, trade journals, books, or major newspapers; (iv) Licensure or registration to practice the specialty occupation in a foreign country; or (v) Achievements which a recognized authority has determined to be significant contributions to the field of the specialty occupation.

Finding that the beneficiary's experience letter failed to meet these three criteria, the AAO held that such evidence did not qualify for recognition of any years of college-level credit.

The decision also points out that under 8 C.F.R. §214.2(h) (4) (iii) (D) (3), only a "reliable credentials evaluation service that specializes in evaluating foreign edu-

AAO decision also touched on the fact that two evaluations mentioned that the beneficiary had completed "professional development programs in a variety of computer technology and accounting-related subject[s]" and provided no concrete information experience in a specific field to attainment of a year's worth of college credit in that field or specialty.

The AAO pointed out that evaluators seem to have adopted as their standard of measure only the numerical portion of the ratio segment of the regulation at 8 C.F.R. §214.2(h)(4)(iii)(D)(5), that is, "three years of specialized training and/or work experience must be demonstrated for each year of college-level training the alien lacks" and neglected to recognize the rest of the test which limits application of the "three-for-one" rule to only when USCIS finds that the evidence about the "the alien's training and/or work experience" has (1) "clearly demonstrated" that it included the theoretical and practical application of specialized knowledge required by the specialty occupation; (2) "clearly demonstrated" that it was gained while working with peers, supervisors, or subordinates who have a degree or its equivalent in the specialty occupation; AND (3) "clearly demonstrated" that the alien has recognition of expertise in the specialty evidenced by at least one type of documentation such as: (i) Recognition of expertise in the specialty occupation by at least two recognized authorities in the same specialty occupation; (ii) Membership in a recognized foreign or United States association or society in the specialty

cation credentials" can evaluate a foreign national's education. In the instant case, the AAO therefore dismissed two evaluations prepared by individuals and not by credentials evaluation services as having no probative weight.

The AAO also found fault with one evaluation of the beneficiary's experience/training since the proof of the evaluator's own credentials qualifying him to provide the evaluation included an endorsement letter from the Chairman of the Department of Computer Science at the education institution where the evaluator was employed, dated four years prior

ation.

The AAO decision also touched on the fact that two evaluations mentioned that the beneficiary had completed "professional development programs in a variety of computer technology and accounting-related subject[s]" and provided no concrete explanatory information about the substantive nature of those programs and what their completion may have contributed in terms of equivalent U.S. college-level coursework.

With regard to any use of a foreign national's resume as evidence of his work experience, the AAO decision pointed out that a resume represents a claim by the beneficiary, rather than evidence to support that claim.

This is one non-precedent decision and the AAO seems to be taking a very hard line in denying a case where the beneficiary provided evidence of his work experience. Immigration practitioners who file H-1B petitions may feel that USCIS has not been taking such an extreme stance in previous petitions.

It is up to each practitioner to discuss the issue with the prospective H-1B employer and decide on whether to submit a wealth of documentation with the initial H-1B petition or take the chance that the USCIS could issue an RFE. So what can we take away from this AAO decision?

• Most importantly, the "threefor-one" rule cannot be taken for granted. It is important that the foreign national obtain extremely detailed experience letters from former employers, which describe each position that the foreign national has held such that the progressively responsible nature of the positions is evident and indicates the foreign national's level of expertise in the specialty.

This is one non-precedent decision and the AAO seems to be taking a very hard line in denying a case where the beneficiary provided evidence of his work experience. it seems that USCIS has not been taking such an extreme stance in previous petitions. to the evaluation and a letter from the Registrar which stated that the evaluator had the authority to "recommend college-level credit for training and experience" and did not state that he had the power to "grant" college-level credit or go into any detail as the specific extent of his authority in this regard.

The letter from the Registrar was also dated a year prior to the evalu-

The description of the foreign national's duties and responsibilities should make it clear that his work included the theoretical and practical application of specialized knowledge required by the specialty occupation. The letters should also mention the foreign national's peers, supervisors and subordinates who have degrees in the specialty occupation. The H-

1B petitioner must also demonstrate that the foreign national has recognition of expertise in the specialty evidenced by at least one type of a list of five types of documentation described above. This can be accomplished by submitting two expert opinion letters from two college professors along with contemporaneous evidence of their ability to grant college-level credit.

• Only a foreign credentials evaluation service may evaluate a foreign national's education. Accordingly, if the foreign national has a combination of education and work experience, the submission to the USCIS cannot contain only expert opinions from professors but must also include an evaluation from a foreign credentials evaluation service.

• Any evidence of the foreign

national's training must be accompanied by transcripts and a discussion about the nature of the program and what each program is worth in equivalent U.S. college level coursework. Again, if relying on a college professor to do an equivalency, the evaluation must be corroborated with evidence from the college authorities that the professor has the authority to grant credits and must provide further details under what circumstances this professor is authorized to grant those credits.

• The foreign national's resume should never be used as documentation of his experience.

Concluded * Cyrus D Mehta, may be contacted at 212-425-0555 or info@cyrusmehta.com

PRADEEP ROY-SINGH B.A. LL.B. M.B.A. J.D. Attorney-at-Law

Former Assistant State s Attorney

Civil & Criminal Litigation Felonies, Misdemeanors, Inc DUI 1 Personal Injury, Business, Divorce etc.

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http://www.proy-singh.com

2335 W. Devon Ave., Suite 204, Tel: 773-381-1820 Chicago, IL 60659

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46 India Post

March 13, 2015

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US states ask judge not to lift stay in immigration suit HOUSTON: A coalition of states suing to stop President Barack Obama's executive action on immigration has asked a federal judge not to lift a temporary hold on the directives.

The 26-state coalition, led by Texas, said in a 22-page court filing in Texas that ``there is no emergency need to institute this sweeping new program.'' ``It is not in the public interest to allow (the U.S. government) to effect a breathtaking expansion of executive power, all before the courts have had a full opportunity to consider its legality,'' the states said in their motion.

A judge issued a preliminary injunction on Feb. 16 that halted Obama's action, which could spare from deportation as many as 5 million people who are in the U.S. illegally. The states sought the injunction, arguing that Obama's executive action was unconstitutional.

The U.S. government on Feb.

23 asked Judge Andrew Hanen to lift his injunction while it appeals his ruling to the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans.

Justice Department attorneys have said a stay of Hanen's ruling is needed ``to ensure that the Department of Homeland Security is

Obama announced the executive action in November, saying a lack of action by Congress forced him to make sweeping changes to immigration rules on his own. able to most effectively protect national security, public safety, and the integrity of the border.''

The states argued the preliminary injunction does not impair Homeland Security Secretary Jeh

Johnson's ``ability to marshal his assets or deploy the resources of'' his agency.

The states also said lifting the stay would irreversibly harm them as they would spend millions of dollars in government benefits for individuals that they would not recover if they win their lawsuit.

The first of Obama's orders - to expand a program that protects young immigrants from deportation if they were brought to the U.S. illegally as children - had been set to take effect Feb. 18. The other major part, extending deportation protections to parents of U.S. citizens and permanent residents who have been in the country for some years, was not expected to begin until May 19.

Obama announced the executive action in November, saying a lack of action by Congress forced him to make sweeping changes to immigration rules on his own.

There was no deadline for a decision by Hanen. -AP

States say Obama administration misled judge Cont'd from Page 44

Justice Department attorneys have asked Hanen to lift his hold while they appeal the ruling to the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans. Hanen has not made a decision on that request.

Obama's action, first proposed in November, could spare from deportation as many as 5 million people who are in the U.S. illegally.

Many Republicans strongly oppose his action and 26 states, most of them led by Republicans, sought to block the Obama orders as unconstitutional. ``News that tens of thousands of expanded work permits have

als who were already eligible under the original 2012 guidelines of DACA. The Justice Department said the federal government recognizes that its identification of Feb. 18 as the date when requests under the new and expanded eligibility would be accepted ``may have led to confusion.''

Justice Department attorneys said they don't believe the preliminary injunction requires federal officials to take any steps to reverse the three-year reprieves already granted.

In court documents, the states said they don't understand why the U.S. government doesn't con-

The Justice Department said the federal government recognizes that its identification of Feb. 18 as the date when requests under the new and expanded eligibility would be accepted ``may have led to confusion.'' already been issued to illegal immigrants while President Obama's executive action, which we believe is illegal, is being contested in the courts is both outrageous and unacceptable,'' Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick said in a statement.

In court documents, the Justice Department said that between Nov. 24 and Feb. 16, federal immigration officials granted the threeyear reprieves to 100,000 individu-

sider the approval of the 100,000 reprieves to have been done under the new and expanded guidelines of DACA. The 2012 DACA guidelines provided two-year deportation reprieves and work permits. Obama's new immigration action would expand that to three years. ``This newly disclosed conduct is difficult to square with (the federal government's) prior represen-

tation to the Court that `nothing is going to happen' until weeks after'' a Jan. 15 court hearing on the preliminary injunction request, the states said in court documents.

The states, led by Texas, asked Hanen to allow them to request additional information from the federal government about how it approved the DACA requests while the lawsuit was going through the courts.

In his Feb. 16 decision on the injunction, Hanen wrote the federal government had indicated that Feb. 18 would be the date it planned to accept requests under the expansion of DACA. Hanen also wrote that while his injunction did not affect the 2012 DACA program, it did put on hold its expansions and additions proposed

by Obama's action.

The other major part of Obama's immigration action extending deportation protections to parents of U.S. citizens and permanent residents who have been in the country for some years, had not been expected to begin until May 19.

The other states seeking to block Obama's orders are Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Maine, Michigan, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, West Virginia and Wisconsin. -AP

Sean Penn has 'no apologies' for immigration joke BEVERLY HILLS, California: Sean Penn opened up about the immigration joke heard `round the world in Beverly Hills during a promotional tour for his new film ``The Gunman,'' saying that he has ``absolutely no apologies'' for his comment. The actor-director also offered up choice words for those who didn't recognize the irony in his remarks.

On Feb. 22 at the 87th Academy Awards, Penn, tasked with presenting the best picture award, made waves when he opened the

added.

While Iñárritu's casual dismissal of any perceived offense helped to temper the public response to the comment, Penn has remained largely silent on the topic. ``I'm always surprised by flagrant stupidity. I keep having more hope,'' said Penn of the widespread outrage that followed the moment. ``The fact is that I understand it. I see it all the time. When somebody sees the opportunity to frame something in the comfort

Sean Penn, left, and filmmaker Alejandro Iñárritu pose in the press room at the Academy Awards

envelope and first asked ``Who gave this son of a bitch his green card?'' before announcing the winner as ``Birdman.''

Directed by the Mexican-born Alejandro Iñárritu, many wondered whether the joke was distasteful. The term ``green card'' refers to a document that confers permanent residency on immigrants in the United States. ``I found it hilarious,'' Iñárritu said after the ceremony. ``Sean and I have that kind of brutal (relationship) where only true friendship can survive.''

Iñárritu directed Penn in the 2003 film ``21 Grams,'' and the two remain close to this date. ``I make on him a lot of very tough jokes that I will not tell you,'' Iñárritu

that it will be common - that they can do that and they can get a group to look at them and that they will take on those positions and never really think about what it was,'' he added. ``I have absolutely no apologies,'' Penn said with calm resolve. ``In fact, I have a big (expletive) you for every ... anybody who is so stupid not to have gotten the irony when you've got a country that is so xenophobic,'' he said. ``If they had their way, you wouldn't have great filmmakers like Alejandro working in this country. Thank God we do.''

Penn also clarified that the order of his comments were intentional. -AP

Immigrants urge lawmakers to reject welfare cuts AUGUSTA, Maine: Immigrants and advocates are asking Maine lawmakers to dismiss Republican Gov. Paul LePage's proposed cuts to welfare.

LePage's administration is proposing that the state no longer provide certain welfare benefits, like food stamps and general assistance, to non-citizens, like refugees and people seeking asylum.

It's part of the governor's more than $6 billion budget plan.

Sebastien Bukuru, who's from

Burundi, told the Appropriations Committee that without state assistance that he and his wife use to pay for rent, electricity and food, they would be out on the street.

Health and Human Services Commissioner Mary Mayhew says that Maine's welfare programs are more generous than most states and that it must prioritize its services to help the neediest residents. The move is expected to save more than $4 million. -AP

Datebook

March 13, 2015

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NEW YORK Upcoming Sat, Mar 28 • Hans Raj Hans Venue: Performing Arts Center Of York College, 94-45 Guy R Brewer Blvd, NY 11451 Time : 7:00 pm Contact: 917-325-4903

Thu, Apr 2

Sat, Mar 21

• Nafees | Sama Blake Live

• Rang Tarang 2015

Venue: Antun's by Minar, 244 W Old Country Rd, Hicksville, NY 11801 Time : 8:00 pm Contact: 516-336-9042

Venue: Deewan Banquet, 560 Stelton Road, Piscataway, NJ 08854 Time: 11:00 am Contact: 609 354 8080

Sat, Apr 4 • Prevention Is Power – Health Awareness Day Venue: East Brunswick Public Library, 2 Civic Center Dr, East Brunswick, NJ 08816 Time : 11:00 am Contact: 732-801-4814

India Post 47

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NORTHERN CALIFORNIA

CHICAGO

Upcoming

Upcoming

Fri, Mar 13 • Zodiac Trio Clarinet, Violin, Piano Venue: Smith Center at Ohlone College 43600 Mission Boulevard, Fremont Timet: 8:00 pm Contact: www.smithcenter.com

Sat, Mar 28 • The Leela Tnstitute for the Art Venue: Ektaa Center 2691 Richter Ave., Suite 104

Upcoming Sat, Apr 4 • "Rangla Punjab 2015" Venue: Meadows Club In Rolling Meadows Illinois Time: 4:00 to 7:00 pm Contact: www.PCSChicago.org

Irvine, CA Time: 6:30 pm

1st and 3rd Sunday of Month • Chicago Children's Bal Mukund Character Building Program and Hindi Literacy Classes

Venue: Vogelei Center, 650 W. Higgins Road, Hoffmann Estates, IL 60192 (Next to Nissan Dealership) Contact: Ajay & Arti Chandhok @ 630-561-4807

Sat, May 9 • Ranjeet Rajwada Prince Of Ghazal Venue: Hindu Auditorium, 143-09 Holly Ave, Flushing, NY 11355 Time: 7:30 pm Contact: 347-989-6104

ILLINOIS

Sat, Mar 14 • Naach Meri Jaan: A Reality Dance Competition Judged by Javed Jaffrey and Bollywood Celebrity in Bay Area Venue: Chabot College Center of Performing Arts, 25555 Hesperian Blvd, Hayward, CA Time: 10:00 pm Contact: 408-389-4179

Sat, Mar 14 • South Asian Heart Center's Seventh Annual Scarlet Night Gala Venue: Mission City Room at the Santa Clara Convention Center at 5001 Great America Parkway, Santa Clara, CA. Timet: 6 to 11:30 p.m Contact: 650 940 7242

Sat, May 16 • Isayum Thendral The healing breeze Venue: DMarsee Performing Center, 16007 Crenshaw Blvd, Torrance, CA 90506 Time : 05:00 pm

ATLANTA Upcoming Mon, Mar 9 • Beginners Raja Yoga Meditation Course Venue: Brahma Kumaris Meditation Center, 13914 Josey Ln, Farmers Branch, TX 75234 Time: 7:00 pm Contact: 9722545562

Sat, Apr 26 • CMA Walkathon 2015 - for CORD Venue: Settles Bridge Park, 380 Johnson Rd, Suwanee, GA 30024 Time: 9:00 am Contact: 678-428-4718

Mon, Aug 31 • MITHAS 2014 Membership Venue: Wong Auditorium, MIT, 70 Memorial Dr, Cambridge, MA 02142 Time: 07:00 pm Contact: 857-205-9731

Mondays and Fridays • Free ESL - English as Second Language Classes Metropolitan Asian Family Services Venue: 9015 N Milwaukee Ave, Niles, IL, Time: 10:30am to 12:30pm Contact: 773-465-3105

Mondays and Fridays • Free ESL - English as Second Language Classes Where: Metropolitan Asian Family Services Venue: 9015 N Milwaukee Ave, Niles, IL, Time: 10:30am to 12:30pm Contact: 773-465-3105

Mondays and Fridays • Free ESL - English as Second Language Classes Where: Metropolitan Asian Family Services Venue: 9015 N Milwaukee Ave, Niles, IL, Time: 10:30am to 12:30pm Contact: 773-465-3105

48

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March 13, 2015

Horoscope

March 13, 2015

India Post

49

www.indiapost.com

Your Weekly Future

by Pandit Parashar

March 13th - March 19th 2015 (March 21 to April 20)

Y

ou will take a short trip to a nice place with family.

Money wise things will start looking up. Extra money can come through a stocks transaction also. You will be working on a great plan and may call few trusted friends for their support. You may be asked to cut down on sugar by people close or your physician.

(April 21 to May 20)

Y

ou will sign some kind of loan documents. Money may go on upgrading your existing home. You should try to cut down on red meat or spicy food for some time. It is going to be a very favorable week for people in restaurant or real estate business. You will receive very good advice from a matured and learned person.

(May 21 to June 20)

Y

ou will have to come up with some sound proof plan to beat the competition and then only the job is yours.

You will gain friendship of a very useful and experienced person. You will need to do lots of juggling in order to meet your financial commitment. Try to forget past incidence and just move forward in life.

(June 21 to July 22)

Y

ou may be seriously thinking of getting out of a venture not doing so well for past couple of months. You may call some one trusted for advice.

Money wise things will be on the edge and you will be able to meet all your commitments on time. You may be thinking of going for a short trip for family reunion in near future.

(July 23 to August 22)

(November 23 to December 22)

Y

ou will receive some valuable gifts from people close. Business will improve but you will need to draw money out of savings in order to meet your financial commitments. Some money could go towards legal bills also. You will be invited to couple of parties. Some one in family will need to go for minor surgery soon.

(August 23 to September 22)

Y

ou may invite few influential people at your place for dinner this week.

Bossmay assign additional work and also set a deadline. Out of panic you may accept a lower paying job. You may dispose off some stocks and pocket the profit. New relationship will cause lots of excitement in life and keep you busy.

(September 23 to October 22)

O

bstacles will be followed by good solutions.

Money wise things will start looking up as expenses will come down a lot and you will recover old dues also. Spouse can overcome health issues with the change of diet and little exercise only.

If were waiting for any response from a government agency, it will come favorable.

(October 23 to November 22)

S

ome one close will make a unreasonable demand.

Expect few favorable developments in career this week.

Stay away from the person trying to interfere in your personal life.

Journeys and business trips will be fruitful. You will be just lucky in all money matters and may make big chunk of money through stocks.

PANDIT PARASHAR, CEO & COO Astro Scan USA is also available for individual consultations.

He can be reached at: parashar@parashar.com

I

f you will act quick, you will make tons of money this week. Grab the offer made by other side and run. Handle all relationship issues with care and listen to other side complete before answering. Boss will call you to discuss an important project. You may plan a small party with some colleagues from work.

(December 22 to January 19)

H

unt will be over and you will find the dream job.

Strong Venus in angle will bring some one beautiful close to you. You may purchase another vehicle or spend some money on upgrading your home this week. You will be generous in giving gifts to siblings. Some extra money may come through a stocks trade.

(January 20 to February 18)

V

ery favorable week for people involved in any re search program. Opponents will accept the defeat. You will be traveling to another town or state for a family reunion this week. Money wise things will be steady. You will benefit from advice given by some one lot younger in age, provided you act quickly.

(February 19 to March 20)

C

hances of hitting some kind of financial jackpot are very strong. Some one will move out making room for your promotion. You may travel long distance to meet a sibling this week. Kids will be working on another small family trip to a nice place. You may be still looking for an ideal place to move.

510-886-4370 www.parashar.com

50 India Post

KRISHAN SHARMA India Post News Service

NEW DELHI: The finals of glorious and majestic Amity Polo Cup 2015 were played between Cavalry 61 and Action Polo at lush green turf of Jaipur Polo Grounds, Delhi with a huge turnout of spectators who remained hooked to the game speculating about the winners till the last moment.

Cavalry 61, captained by Bk Lt Col Ravi Rathore, edged out Action Polo captained by Bk Samir Suhag and rode to victory by 6-3 goals.

The match consisted of four closely fought chukkers with exemplary display of impressive horse-

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manship, skillful stick work, pulsating moves, amazing sync between equestrian and sportsmen, competitive face-offs with occasional clashes between the players.

Both the teams fielded some of the finest Polo players, vying for the coveted Trophy, including Bk Samir Suhag, Maj Vishal Chauhan and Bk. Lt Col Ravi Rathore.

Amity Polo Cup 2015 (March 3-8, 2015) No. of teams:-8 Final Teams: Cavalry 61 v/s Action Polo Winner and Score: Cavalry 61 (6-3 Goals) Best player: Maj Vishal Chauhan from Cavalry 61 Best Pony: Ruhaana Speaking during the occasion Dr. Ashok K. Chauhan- Founder President, Amity Group applauded the exemplary sportsmanship and teamwork displayed by the players and shared that Amity is committed to the development of the nation through education and philanthropic activities.

The finals were followed by an Exhibition Match between Mauritius Tourism Promotion Authority and Axis Bank wherein the team of Mauritius Tourism Promotion Authority was overpowered by Axis Bank by 2-1 goals.

Adding to the glean of the illustrious finals were Ambassadors from several countries, diplomats, academicians, designers, sportspersons, celebrities, politicians and famous personalities from all walks of life.

March 13, 2015

India Post 51

March 13, 2015 www.indiapost.com

'Haraamkhor' will be opening night film at IFFLA LOS ANGELES, CA: The Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles (IFFLA) has announced the Opening and Closing red carpet galas.

Opening the festival on April 8 is

Haraamkhor -Nawazuddin Siddiqui and Guneet Monga.

Tickets to the galas are now available on www.indianfilmfestival.org. The full line-up will be announced on March 10. The festival is widely

the world premiere of Haraamkhor, written and directed by Shlok Sharma and starring Nawazuddin Siddiqui. Nagesh Kukunoor's award-winning Dhanak (Rainbow) will close the festival with its US premiere. Sharma and Kukunoor will be in attendance along with the star and producer of

recognized as the premiere showcase of groundbreaking Indian cinema. Celebrating its 13th year, IFFLA will run April 8-12 at ArcLight Hollywood in Los Angeles, the festival's home since its inception.

Shlok Sharma's riveting feature debut, Haraamkhor, is produced by

India Post News Service

India's most prominent producers, Anurag Kashyap (Gangs of Wasseypur, Ugly, Bombay Velvet) and Guneet Monga (The Lunchbox, Gangs of Wasseypur).

Monga was honored at IFFLA in 2013 with the Industry Leadership Award.

Starring Nawazuddin Siddiqui (Gangs of Wasseypur, The Lunchbox, Miss Lovely) in a masterful performance as a teacher having an illicit affair with one of his students, Haraamkhor, explores innocent young love that is put on a collision course with the messy reality of budding adulthood.

"We're thrilled to kick off our 13th edition with the world premiere of Haraamkhor. Shlok's film resonates to something we all can understand - the beautiful complications of youth. It invigorates us to have a filmmaker return to IFFLA, and especially so when their first feature is as powerful as

this," said IFFLA's Artistic Director, Jasmine Jaisinghani.

Fresh from his award-winning premiere at the 2015 Berlin Film Festival, Nagesh Kukunoor ar-

Nawazuddin Siddiqui

rives at IFFLA with Dhanak. The gorgeous tale of a brother and sister who embark on a journey across Rajasthan in an attempt to meet the great Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan, Dhanak is filled

with color, magic and music in a celebration of childhood and family.

"I have been a longtime fan of Nagesh's work and look forward to welcoming him back to IFFLA," said festival Founder/Chair Christina Marouda. "Dhanak is a stunning film - infectious in its joyous spirit and appreciation for the beauty that surrounds us. We can't wait to share it with the IFFLA audiences, who I know will be just as charmed as we were."

For both filmmakers, their screenings at IFFLA will be a homecoming. Shlok has had two short films in the festival, one of which Tubelight's Moon (Ka Chand) won the Audience Award in 2011.

Nagesh Kukunoor's 3 Deewarein (3 walls) played at the inaugural year of the festival in 2003.

Nirvana-Bombay Palace will host the Opening and Closing Night Gala receptions in Beverly Hills.

Harbhajan Singh getting married this month?

NEW DELHI: Indian off spinner Harbhajan Singh is all set to tie the knot to his long time 'rumored' girlfriend and Bollywood actress Geeta Basra. If reports are to be believed, the duo has finally decided to get married this month.

However, the rumored love birds never admit their relationship publicly. But reports say that

the preparations have already started and the much awaited wedding will take place in mid of the month.

'The train' actress has often been spotted at matches where Harbhajan Singh was playing.

However, the cricketer and the actress are keeping the relationship under wraps. In a recent in-

terview, Geeta was asked about her plans of settling down with Harbhajan, to which she said, "Whenever it happens, you all will definitely get to know. I don't like to talk about my personal life.

Anyway, I get to read 20 stories daily about me marrying Harbhajan, but I'll talk about it only whenever it happens."

Katrina soon at Madame Tussauds, London

A

ccording to a report on Pinkvilla.com, Bang Bang hottie Katrina Kaif is all set to join Bollywood biggies at Madame Tussauds, London. The actress will unveil the carefully sculpted wax statue later this month. Katrina is reportedly trying to zero in on what she would wear for the unveiling ceremony.

The official Madame Tussauds Twitter handle had earlier tweeted, "Katrina has collaborated closely with our sculptors and artists to decide a dancing pose and outfit for the figure, having given a sit-

ting in Mumbai where all the measurements required to create an accurate likeness were gathered.

A team of 20 artists will work on the figure, which will cost ÂŁ150,000 to produce."

There is perhaps only one place in the world where stars like Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Salman Khan, Shah Rukh Khan and Amitabh Bachchan can come together under one roof. The prestigious Madame Tussauds wax museum in London brings the best of Bollywood together and freezes the stars in all their glory.

Amitabh Bachchan is the first living Asian and Bollywood star to be immortalized at London's Madame Tussauds wax museum in 2000. Not only this, his wax statues were placed in New York in 2009, Hong Kong in 2011, Bangkok in 2011 and Washington, DC in 2012. The superstar is now all set to get his wax statue at Madame Tussauds, Sydney by the end of this year. According to an official statement, for the first time in the wax museum's history, Bachchan was nominated by fans in a global online poll.

Harbhajan Singh and Geeta Basra

52 India Post

March 13, 2015 www.indiapost.com

Giving expensive gifts is normal in Bollywood

A

ccording to a report on Bollywoodlife.com, Deepika Padukone sported the golden clutch gifted by her rumored beau Ranveer Singh, at a recently held award function. The report claimed that the actress who wore a stunning black number, chose to accessorize her look with a golden clutch that was reportedly gifted

by Ranveer Singh on her birthday.

The golden Bottega Veneta Knot clutch added to Deepika's attire and also complimented the temple earrings she was wearing.

Ranveer perhaps wanted to indulge his ladylove with an expensive clutch but he isn't the only one. When it comes to gifts, Bollywood sure thinks expensive is better.

It is a well known fact that Salman Khan likes to give away some interesting paintings to his B-Town friends. The actor loves to paint and often gifts the same to his buddies. Last, we heard, he had gifted a painting to his Kick co-star, Jacqueline Fernandez. Reportedly, he gifted some paintings to close friends from the industry during the festive season of Diwali as well.

According to a report on Dnaindia.com, Salman took some time off from his busy schedule and painted portraits to give away as Diwali gifts. The report further stated that a few of Salman's paint-

ings fetched a whopping Rs 2.5 crore!

If rumors are to be believed, Jacqueline Fernandez had received another expensive gift - a 3-BHK flat in Bandra, from Salman Khan.

A Bollywoodlife.com report said that the flat she shifted into had been allegedly gifted by Salman.

In fact, both of them had been spotted together several times and were openly praising each other in the media

Katrina with har car

Salman had compared the Sri Lankan beauty to yesteryear actress Zeenat Aman. The gorgeous couple were also spotted together at Sidharth Malhotra's Ek Villain success bash.

Earlier, Salman Khan had gifted his former girlfriend Katrina Kaif a black SUV on her birthday. In 2012, when Salman and Katrina were still together, Sallu bhai had

gifted his ladylove an expensive Audi. However, after the two parted ways, rumors of Katrina contacting an agent to sell the same car made its way.

Shah Rukh Khan is known to maintain a high-profile lifestyle off the silver screen as well. Over the years, King Khan has gifted expensive tokens of appreciation to his friends and well-wishers. Shah Rukh also gifted Abhishek Bachchan a Harley Davidson motorbike.

From what we can gauge from SRK and Abhishek's tweets, SRK gifted Junior B a Harley after the latter gifted SRK a bicycle!

Earlier, Shah Rukh had made headlines when he gifted his director friend Farah Khan a Mercedes Benz E Class for their film Om Shanti Om and a Hyundai SUV after the release of Main Hoon Na. Even though his superhero film Ra.One did not live up to expectations, SRK spent Rs 1 crore gifting Arjun Rampal, Anubhav Sinha and Rajinikanth, a BMW each.

Vidhu Vinod Chopra's gift to Big B is one 'gift' that has stayed for long in public memory. In a publicized event of sorts, filmmaker Vidhu Vinod Chopra gifted a Rolls Royce Phantom to Amitabh

maker gifted an Audi A8 W12 worth Rs 1.25 crore to Rani in the year 2012.

Aditya never professed his love for Rani publicly, although rumor mills had always been abuzz about their romance. Aditya's very expensive gift to Rani was touted to be his present to her before they tied the knot.

Filmmaker Karan Johar, who is known for making larger-than-life films for the big screen, is a man with a big heart.

We know that because the celebrity director apparently gifted nothing less than an extravagant Ferrari to actress Katrina Kaif.

The story that went around this big gift by the filmmaker is that Karan Johar Amitabh Bachchan with his car asked Katrina Kaif to do an item number in his gave him this extremely expensive film Agneepath. The actress gift.

Rani Mukerji and Aditya agreed and reportedly refused to Chopra's relationship has been on charge anything for the same. So the media's tenterhooks for ages overwhelmed was Karan by this now. While the media was busy gesture that he apparently decided playing the guessing game on to return the favor and gift sometheir alleged affair and later mar- thing to the beautiful actress. riage rumors, Aditya's move Karan is believed to have gifted grabbed eyeballs. Apparently, in Katrina a Ferrari for shaking a leg true filmi style the celebrated film- to 'Chikni Chameli.'

Bachchan for his performance in the film Eklavya. What followed however, was an altogether different story.

Soon after Chopra's flashy gift to Big B, news of Big B returning the same to the showroom the next day appeared. If that wasn't all, this 'gimmick' was seen as a way of waiving off taxes. According to reports Big B charged just a rupee for Eklavya and hence, Chopra

Rich, luxurious food now with a green label

V

egetarians are now living it up with regional cui sines, be it the Rajasthani 'Kadi', Chettinad spices, Kashmiri 'Nadru' (lotus stem) and are even looking into experimental international fare to spice up menus.

'Aaloo' or boiled potatoes and 'paneer' or plain cottage cheese are passe with a league of eateries whipping up delicacies from across the country to cater solely to the vegetarian's palate.

"It is not that difficult to order sea weed, yamagobo or Kashmiri guchi in Delhi these days. In terms of innovation, terms such as reduction, foam etc are not as unheard of as they were before," says Om Routray a foodie who blogs at Theyoungbigmouth.

The 'Kathputli' restaurant, a new eatery in Delhi has put on offer a royal Marwari 'thali' that serves delights such as 'Gulkand Kebabs' and 'Mirch Pakodas' for starters, 'gatte ki subzi', 'Kadi' and the popular 'Daal Baati churma' dipped in pure ghee, a variety of

breads in the main course accompanied by spiced buttermilk and 'Jal Jeera'; all served without any onion or garlic.

The restaurant changes its plat-

ing momentum not just in India but all over the world as well, thanks to animal rights activists. "...Major chunk of Indian society is dominated by veg only

ter every week and owner Vipul Gupta says the trend of burgeoning vegetarian restaurants is universal.

"Vegetarianism has been gain-

communities, namely Gujaratis, Jains, Marwaris, Baniyas etc. for whom dining out places were really scarce...we have tried to fill in this gap," says Gupta.

Food blogger Reeta Skeeter says entrepreneurs are finally waking up to the existence of a large chunk of an all vegetarian market which has not yet been tapped into. "Restaurateurs are realizing that there is a sizable vegetarian customer base that is interested in their food and they want to cash in on that.

"Nowadays we can get vegetarian sushi, which is an oxymoron for some, but works well for vegetarians," says Skeeter who blogs under the Delhi Foodies' Zone.

A pioneer in the pure vegetarian restaurant league, 'Sattvik', fine dine restaurant in South Delhi has been in the business for the past seven years now.

With delights like 'Flourless Cheese cake', 'Tangy Lotus Stem Salad with plum sauce' and other in house specialties like 'Paneer Sattvik' cooked in a rich coconut milk sauce with flavors of mint, the eat out is serving a diverse menu under the larger North Indian cuisine.

Its owner Rajeev Manchanda believes that vegetarian food is no longer just the cheaper option but has gone mainstream.

"Vegetarian is the new cool and getting green and is a style statement now. With so many exotic vegetables available and experimenting with fusion food, vegetarian food is not just a meal but also an overall experience of eating out," Manchanda says.

Another addition to this veg brigade is 'Shiv Sagar', located in the heart of Delhi, serving typical Mumbai street food, which hitherto could be found only in distorted versions across the capital.

In order to replicate the same texture of the food, the owners are flowing in the 'Pavs' from Mumbai.

"All of us are really excited to serve the most loved dishes of Mumbai in Delhi. In our quest to replicate the experience of Mumbai, we are actually getting the famous Laadi Pavs flown everyday from Mumbai," says Varun Puri, who owns the eatery. -PTI

Philosophy

March 13, 2015

India Post 53

www.indiapost.com

Page Sponsored by Sahanis CHUCK HILLIG

J

ust because everything is perfect, that doesn't mean that things don't appear to change.

Who you really are, of course, doesn't (and can't) ever change.

Who you think you are, however (as well as who you think you are not) appears to change a lot. But life always unfolds from one perfect instant into yet another perfect instant ...and, amazingly, every micro-instant in between is also absolutely perfect, too.

You can realize this for yourself the very moment that you give up your belief about what perfection is 'supposed' to look like. You see, without your idea about what's perfect, then perfection always looks exactly like 'what is.'

However, whenever you superimpose what you believe 'should be' over what actually 'is,' the misalignment creates both the tension and the friction that feed into your persistent illusion of separation.

Since happiness and bliss are your own true nature, however, there's no reason to go out searching for something that you already have (and are.) Please remember, though, that just because every moment is always perfect, that doesn't imply that every moment is always going to be comfortable.

The body's ongoing search to seek pleasure and avoid pain will automatically play out as it does.

But that still doesn't mean that whatever shows up for you is goROY DOPSON

A

map is used to give a different perspective. From this different perspective you may be able to better see where you are and where you can go.

The 'One-Step Path' is a map. It gives you a different perspective, not on where you are, but on who you are.

This different perspective is: What if everything you think you are - every way in which you describe yourself - is not your True Self, but an illusion, an apparition, a fictional character manufactured by the mind and having no existence apart from the mind? What if everything you think, and therefore your entire subjective experience of Life, is itself, just a certain perspective?

What if a slight shift in this perspective could bring about a profound change of experience?

Consider the following: You are reading a novel. You become so involved in the plot and associate so strongly with the main character that you lose awareness of yourself; you forget that you are actually the reader and begin vicariously living the plot in your mind.

What if this is exactly what is

ing to be any more perfect than what's present right here and right now. Life is as it is because, at this single moment of now, it simply can't be any other way.

Relationship problems Our closest relationships can be either a golden chalice or an iron cauldron. We're all cooked in the melodramas of our own making until we become softer and more malleable. Marriage is an opportunity to deepen our compassion, love and forgiveness. Since

are. And, just like it was in school, you're not always going to like what you're being taught. Remember, though, that none of it (no matter how crazy it might be) is happening to you. It's all actually happening for you.

By the way, therapy is not about feeling 'better.' Therapy is about telling the truth. It's about 'feelingwhatever-you're-feeling' and finding the courage to 'be-who-youalready-are.' Bottom line: A good therapist helps you to grow up and to create better dreams. A satguru,

pends on remembering a past or imagining a future. It only shows up within the dualistic world of opposites, stratifications, values (e.g. ethics) and, of course the five senses.

Specifically, relative truth arises when there's a point of view (i.e. an 'Observer' observing an 'Observed'). Absolute truth, on the other hand, doesn't have a polar opposite simply because it's incapable of adopting a single point of view about anything. Or, more accurately, you might say that Ab-

Absolute truth holds all possible points of view

Chuck Hillig

Whenever you superimpose what you believe 'should be' over what actually 'is,' the misalignment creates both the tension and the friction that feed into your persistent illusion of separation.

our spouse is a reflection of who we are, the guru is really appearing to us as the Beloved.

In our neurotic need to dominate and control, though, (all fearbased), we often don't appreciate the gifts that our significant relationships bring to us. We should learn to deeply honor and respect their contribution to our own unfoldment.

Your spouse is the way that they are because of the way that you

however, helps you to wake up and to stop dreaming altogether.

Telling a story The only Truth (capital 'T') that's really real is Absolute truth, and it'll never change into anything else simply because it can't change. It just 'is-what-is.' Absolute truth manifests as relative truth within the Great Illusion, however, whenever we start telling a story about 'what is.' Relative truth de-

solute truth holds all possible points of view because, at the bottom line, Absolute truth is just 'what's so.'

Clients are able to heal in therapy when they find the courage to fully embrace Absolute truth.

Based on an interview by Dick de Boom on website Amigo. Chuck Hillig is a practicing Marriage and Family Therapist in Ojai, California.

happening right now, in/as this very reality? What if the character your name here with its likes, dislikes, desires, hopes, fears, joys, sorrows, loves, heartaches, attractions, aversions, birth and death, has no existence apart from the consciousness that gives it Life?

Just as the words in the book translated by the mind of the reader into thought gives the story Life, so

the map pointing you back to, reminding yourself of, your True Self.

Once you accept the possibility that there is a higher Self (does not every single religion say there is a higher Self, a higher level of Reality?) then that possibility can be transmitted into actuality. This transmission of idea into actuality is the shift in perspective from believing you are the character in the

over, from different perspectives, always back to the same place.

This is the path. The path that brings you back to your True Self.

The One-Step Path.

The truth of the teaching can only be tested in/as your direct experience. Investigation into the thought-free state will reveal what it will.

Truth is absolutely Self-evident

All your experience is no more than story in a book What if everything you think you are - every way in which you describe yourself - is not your True Self, but an illusion, an apparition, a fictional character manufactured by the mind do the thoughts of your mind give the story of (your name here) Life.

What if this is the single fundamental reason why nothing within this realm ever completely satisfies?

All experience within this realm is no more substantial than the reading of a story in a book.

The One-Step Path proposes that the idea presented above is more than metaphorical. That proposal is

book back to the realization that you are the reader of the book.

This shift in perspective requires only one step: Pay attention to the space between your thoughts.

If the thoughts in/of your mind are the reading of the book, the silence/stillness between the thoughts is the reader. The map that is this book will point you over and

Roy Dopson

and therefore impossible to believe in. Belief necessarily implies uncertainty. Uncertainty is inherent within belief. Does one need believe that they exist? Directly experiencing one's own existence, what is there to believe?

Excerpted from the Introduction to the book, 'The One Step Path'. Roy teaches the One-Step Path in Canada and the US.

Even after the Truth has been realized, there remains that strong, beginningless, obstinate impression that one is the agent and experiencer...

This has to be carefully removed by living in a state of constant identification with the supreme Self. Sages call that cessation of mental impressions, "Liberation."

- Adi Shankara People do not know what the Name of God can do.

Those who repeat it constantly alone know its power. It can purify our mind completely... The Name can take us to the summit of spiritual experience.

-Samarth Ramdas Knowledge grants us nothing new; it reveals to us what we already possess - our immortal nature; but love infuses into the movements of our life, beauty, purity, splendour and joy.

- Swami Ramdas This entire universe is a sport of Consciousness.

One who is constantly aware of this is certainly a liberated being (jivanmukta).

-Tantric scripture To find a buddha all you have to do is see your nature. Your nature is the buddha.

-Bodhidharma

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India Post

March 13, 2015

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Islamic State in Af-Pak: The 'Wilayat Khurasan' conundrum

India Post

RAJESHWARI KRISHNAMURTHY

I

n January, the Islamic State (IS), in a statement, called on the militants operating in the Af-Pak region to pledge their allegiance to their chief Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi and his 'Caliphate'.

They declared 'Wilayat Khurasan' as active, and appointed former Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) commander Hafiz Saeed Khan as the 'Wali' of Khurasan.

The IS identifies 'Khurasan' as certain areas in present-day Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iran, Central Asia, India, and China. At the heart of this region lies the troubled Afghanistan-Pakistan border, and IS entry into this region will undoubtedly change several long-standing dynamics in the region's many conflicts involving State and non-State actors.

The IS poses a serious threat to an Afghanistan that has just begun to take baby steps towards normalcy - because several terrorists strewn across the country

government has been carrying out Operation Zarb-e-Azb, a systematic offensive targeting and eliminating militants and terrorist groups along the Durand Line.

The Operation has seen some positive results - and the Pakistani military appears to be making the most of the divisions underway among various terrorist outfits in the region.

However, while this factionalism is proving useful for the Pakistani military in eliminating terrorists, the same fault-lines are being harnessed by the IS to gain a foothold in the region.

Those militants who were flushed out of Pakistan due to this Operation are among many, along with some disgruntled former Afghan Taliban members, who have pledged allegiances to the IS. The Afghan Taliban and the IS supporters in the region are already at loggerheads and the battle for control of the regions between the

IS's apparently steady entry into the region is likely to shuffle relationships not just between non-State actors but also State actors. Pakistan and Afghanistan have already set forth towards cooperation on counter-terrorism.

The Pakistan-Iran relationship, long defined by their individual relationships with Saudi Arabia, will have to take a new character have pledged allegiance. The IS has potential inroads in Western Afghanistan via Farah and Faryab Provinces. In eastern Afghanistan, IS supporters are already indulging in violence in Logar, Ghazni, Parwan and Zabul provinces.

However, despite the seriousness of the threat that Afghanistan faces from the IS, it is via Pakistan that a possible solution to halt and end the IS ingress can be found. It is not child's play to enter and establish a terrorist outfit in the Af-Pak region without the patronage of the Pakistani army which is far from keen on having a new group enter the fray.

Musical chair of regional dynamics The IS' entry has brought to fore an important issue: jihadists in the Af-Pak region, Pakistan in particular, have for long been in flux due to the frustrations rising from identity-crises, endgames, loyalties and relevance. This has resulted in a tendency to factionalize frequently.

Since June 2014, the Pakistani

various groups is getting serious.

More importantly, the Khurasan Council comprises mostly of Pakistani jihadists. Mullah Omar is the Afghan Taliban's Amir-ulMomineen, whereas the IS rejects Omar's credentials. The al Qaeda, the Afghan Taliban, the TTP and other groups all have varying priorities.

And for the several young terrorists who are evidently frustrated by the lack of clarity in the agendas of al Qaeda and the Taliban, the IS is an option that offers structure and set goals and targets.

If the Pakistani army continues to exploit factionalism among the terrorists, it risks sending them straight into the IS' hands. In fact, the cover story of the 6th issue of the IS' official magazine, Dabiq, titled 'Al-Qa'idah of Waziristan', is an elaborate account by a former al Qaeda operative who lambasts the group by elaborating on its 'flaws'.

The IS too also realizes that that which is advantageous for them at the moment - factionalism - has

the potential to bring great disadvantages in the future. The IS statement therefore addresses this issue by calling on the militants to "abandon disunity and factionalism."

Regional geopolitical shuffle The IS's apparently steady entry into the region is likely to shuffle relationships not just between non-State actors but also State actors. Pakistan and Afghanistan have already set forth towards cooperation on counterterrorism. The Pakistan-Iran relationship, long defined by their individual relationships with Saudi Arabia, will have to take a new character - one that is defined by mutual interests; neither party can afford otherwise.

There is no good or bad Taliban. Pakistan must start thinking laterally for solutions. They will have to balance their fight with the IS while also curbing radicalism and extremism from within especially vis-Ă -vis the sectarian schism. Counter-strategies must be simultaneously coordinated, nationally and collectively as a region.

The roles of Iran and the Central Asian States are vital, and cannot be overlooked.

The IS will tread a delicate line in Af-Pak, especially in Pakistan.

If they manage to establish themselves firmly in Pakistan, they cannot continue without uniting all the militant groups in Pakistan; and simultaneously, the easiest way to acquire support is by exploiting the burgeoning factionalism within the militant groups in the Af-Pak region. An alternative route the IS could adopt is to take measured steps and not gamble away the goldmine they want to acquire.

But, will the IS take the quick route in or is it willing to wait it out? Regional responses to the looming IS threat will have to be charted on these lines. Interestingly, in Af-Pak, the IS is following the same trajectory al Qaeda did two decades ago. Does that mean those charting counter-strategies are working on familiar territory? Or will the IS treat the South Asian jihadists as expendable assets?

More importantly, answers must be found for why the IS is attempting to establish control in regions geographically separated from its headquarters and that are not under its control.

The writer is Research Officer, IReS, IPCS

Culture of banning

T

he BBC documentary 'India's Daughter' has raised a big storm in India. The media selectively quoted from the documentary one of the alleged rapists of 2012 Dec 16 victim as saying the young woman could have lived if she had not resisted rape. This caused respected members of Parliament like Jaya Bachchan, wife of legendry actor Amitabh Bachchan, and some others storming the well of Rajya Sabha demanding a ban on the documentary for voicing the opinion of the rapist and for allegedly insulting womanhood.

MPs across parties, BJP, Congress, JDU soon joined her in demanding a ban. Women's activists also asked for it not to be shown.

Bowing to the protests, the Modi government banned the BBC documentary believing in its own wisdom that by doing so it had furthered the cause of womanhood. How wrong the government and Jaya Bachchan have been has been realised only after the documentary was shown by BBC despite the ban. The documentary was not shown in India but that hardly mattered as those who wanted to see it got to view it on the Internet. And because of the ban the documentary has become more popular.

Those who have seen the documentary say that contrary to the impression created by the government, it is a tribute to the courage of the victim and her parents and to the thousands of young men and women who protested on the streets of Delhi and rest of India against the horrific act of the rapists.

British filmmaker Leslee Udwin, who directed India's Daughter, claimed that it shows how India's youth had taken the lead in protesting such acts which are not exclusive to India and thus the film had a lesson on ill treatment of women the world over. She also rejected claims by the authorities that the documentary contained offensive remarks towards women, and could cause a public outcry.

The BBC's director of television, Danny Cohen also defended the film saying, "We do not feel the film as currently edited could ever be construed as derogatory to women or an affront to their dignity."

The incident shows how the BJP government is no different from the UPA government where banning is concerned. It has also banned beef in Maharashtra and is on the wrong side of public opinion in Jammu & Kashmir where a separatist leader has been freed because there was no criminal case against him.

The NDTV news channel had scheduled to show the BBC documentary 'India's Daughter' on March 8, which is observed the world over as Women's Day. However, in view of the government's ban, it left the screen blank for one hour which was the slot for showing the documentary. This was its way of protest against the ban; an act reminiscent of the Emergency.

For those who have not seen the documentary, Columnist Shobha De says the most chilling aspect of the documentary is the absence of guilt and regret on any level by the men involved, and even those not involved. "Men", she says, "who can stare straight into the camera and say, 'She asked for it!' Or worse, 'She deserved it!' And even more worse, 'We will do it again... and again... because women need to be taught a lesson."

At the US premiere of the documentary, Director Udwin predicted that the ban will not last very long at all "because the courts of India are not puppets of the government."

In another ham-handed instance of banning, a Greenpeace India employee was offloaded from a London-bound flight at the Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi because she wanted to brief British parliamentarians about the status of tribals' rights in India. The action of the government created a controversy and the activist Priya Pillai was able to brief the British parliamentarians through video conferencing. So the very purpose of a ban is defeated in every case.

March 13, 2015

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