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Royal couple of Britain a big hit in India
VOL 21, No. 1124
April 15, 2016
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INDIA, U.S. AGREE TO LOGISTICS EXCHANGE
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President Pranab Mukherjee presenting Padma Bhushan award to Robert Dean Blackwill at the Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi on April 12
Blackwill and Priyanka receive Padma awards Details on page 19
306 US Indian students face deportation
Santa Clara appoints Batra as City Manager
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H-1B cap reached; most from India
Gupta takes charge of Tata plant in UK
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3 more Sikhs allowed to serve in US army
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CONTENTS Bollywood ---------------------- 28-29
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INDIA POST SURVEY survey@indiapost.com This week’s question
India should not hesitate in accepting defense help from US? Last week’s result
Is it right for Obama to link up India with Pak on nuclear strategy? YES 14%
NO 86%
FIRM ON DEFENSE: Visiting US Defense Secretary Ashton B. Carter in a firm hands shake with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on April 12
NEW DELHI: India and the US have agreed "in principle" to a logistics exchange agreement to enable both militaries to use each other's assets and bases for repair and replenishment of supplies, an issue which did not find favor with the previous UPA government. Defense Minister Manohar Parrikar and visiting US Defense Secretary Ashton Carter made it clear that the agreement, which will be signed in "weeks" or "coming months", does not entail deployment of American troops
on Indian soil. Ramping up bilateral defense ties, both sides agreed to set up a new bilateral Maritime Security Dialogue between officials from their respective defense and foreign affairs ministries. This came as India and the US emphasized on freedom of navigation and need for international based order, in an apparent reference to China's assertiveness in South China Sea. Details on page 5
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s apologies go, there is something called "too little too late." I would say, there's also something called "unnecessary and unasked for". I am referring to this talk in the media about whether President Obama should, on a proposed visit next month to Hiroshima in Japan, apologize for the atomic bomb that the US had dropped on it 70 years ago killing nearly 150,000 people and permanently maiming several hundred thousand more. That bit of history is etched on the streets of this phoenix like city in its many memorials, peace parks and "preserved" remnants of the destruction, all of which draw thousands of tourists every day from all over the world. For those Americans, including President Obama, who may not know about present day Hiroshima, they can start by a simple Google search to see that it is a teeming, modern and technologically advanced metropolis with a 1.2 million population. Of course nobody has forgotten the devastation in the aftermath of the bomb. But evidently, the people of Hiroshima, indeed the people of Japan have not been festering over the decades waiting for a magnanimous "sorry" from an American President. What President Obama, or any future American President can and should do is leverage its leadership through example and go for total nuclear disarmament in the world. Reports show that just nine countries in the world possess a total of 15,696 nuclear weapons, 93 percent of which are in the stockpiles of the US and Russia. What I would really be worrying about is not whether ISIS or some other terror organization might lay hands on some of these weapons of mass destruction, but on the long term impact on earth if all of them are to be disposed off with. What American leadership needs to realize is there's nothing they can do to undo the past. But there is still a chance of their being able to do something for the future. And that will vindicate the perseverance of the people of Hiroshima. So, you know what, Mr. President, don't apologize to Japan. They are not asking for it. And they don't need it.
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HIGHLIGHTS Bollywood: Fun with 3 Ks Actress Anushka Sharma says working with Bollywood's three Khans is "unique and fun" as well as learning experience.
Cover Story: Logistics exchange India and the US have agreed to a logistics exchange agreement to enable both militaries to use each other's assets
Community: Trauma care The First Responder Trauma and Emergency Care Program, created by Dr. Dinesh Vyas, has much relevance in US
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Immigration: Fake university As part of a fake university sting operation, over 306 Indian students have been identified to be deported from US
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Tata plant Indian-origin businessman Sanjeev Gupta has formally taken charge of Tata Steel's loss making plants in Scotland.
Sarahan Sarahan, a beautiful hamlet located in the Sutlej Valley, is a major tourist destination situated in the Shimla District of HP
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India, US agree to logistics exchange NEW DELHI: India and the US have agreed "in principle" to a logistics exchange agreement to enable both militaries to use each other's assets and bases for repair and replenishment of supplies, an issue which did not find favor with the previous UPA government. Defense Minister Manohar Parrikar and visiting US Defense Secretary Ashton Carter made it clear that the agreement, which will be signed in "weeks" or "coming months", does not entail deployment of American troops on Indian soil. Ramping up bilateral defense ties, both sides agreed to set up a new bilateral Maritime Security Dialogue between officials from their respective defense and foreign affairs ministries. This came as India and the US emphasized on freedom of navigation and need for international based order, in an apparent reference to China's assertiveness in South China Sea. Following the delegation-level
Union Defense Minister Manohar Parrikar and his US counterpart Ashton Carter at the India-US delegation level talks in New Delhi on April 12
talks at South Block here, both countries also decided to enhance ongoing navy-to-navy discussions to cover submarine-related issues. Both countries will also deepen cooperation in maritime domain awareness by finalizing a 'White Shipping' agreement in the near future. Carter said India and the US agreed to two new projects under the Defense Trade and Technology Initiative (DTTI). This in-
cluded a tactical biological detection unit, Carter said. On growing Indo-US military exchanges, Parrikar said, "As our engagement deepens, we need to develop practical mechanisms to facilitate such exchanges. In this context, Secretary Carter and I agreed in principle to conclude a Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement (LEMOA) in the coming months." LEMOA is a tweaked version
'Need to work to match military technologies' PANAJI: US Defense Secretary Ashton Carter has said India and America will have to work hard to match their military technologies, which they have developed separately. "The reason we have to work on India-US relationship is simply historical. You remember India was born seven decades ago and its policy was not one to associate with the US," he said addressing the crew on board USS Blue Ridge which is anchored at Mormugao Port Trust (MPT).
Carter and Defense Minister Manohar Parrikar paid a visit to the ship which arrived here from Mumbai. Talking about India and the ways the US can be compatible with this country, Carter said, "Here's a country, a billion people democracy that is a melting pot in which every piece (thing) is respected. "There is a civil society where people openly discuss and debate. Here in India rule of law is important and whose approach
‘What has happened in seven decades with the sole exception of North Korea is that country after country has risen and prospered. Go back 60-70 years and see Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, South East Asia, India and China. These countries are prospering’ "That means our militaries developed separately, our technology systems cropped up separately and now when we have to work with them together, we have to try to get gears to match up. We have to work hard on that. That is why I am here, that is why you are here," he said.
is conditioned by its own history and uniqueness," he said. Referring to the crew on board USS Blue Ridge, Carter said, "You represent our style of strategic interaction. You are working with others to make a better world for everyone. That is the American approach today. It is not to exclude
people. American style is always to include people in protecting the soil. That is why people like to work with us." Carter said, "You are in a region right now which will be of great consequence to America's future because half of world's population lives (here) and half of world's economic activity is (here)." He said that also it is a place where strategic approach of the US is to play pivotal role in peace and security in Asia Pacific region. "What has happened in seven decades with the sole exception of North Korea is that country after country has risen and prospered. Go back 60-70 years and see Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, South East Asia, India and China. These countries are prospering. "But that does not come for free, there has to be peace and stability to that to happen. We have been the part of the system to create that peace and stability," he added. Carter, during his two-day stay in the coastal state, paid a visit to Mangueshi temple and Old Goa churches. He also went to Sea Bird naval base at Karwar in Karnataka.-PTI
of Logistics Support Agreement (LSA) which facilitates the provision of logistical support, supplies and services between the US military and the armed forces of partner countries on a reimbursable basis, and provides a framework that governs the exchange of logistics support, supplies and services. Explaining the proposed agreement, Parrikar said it is for providing logistics whenever
they need fuel or other support during operations like the humanitarian exercise done in wake of the devastating earthquake in Nepal. "This will help if any such situation comes up. Logistics is a very important part of the operation. It will be on case by case basis," Carter said, adding that "all issues" relating to the deal have been resolved. Cont’d on page 8
'Ready to share aircraft carrier know-how' PANAJI: US Defense Secretary to India to spy on Pakistan, CartAshton Carter has said his coun- ers said "Generally the US policy try was willing to share the tech- and approach to India is about nology for the next generation air- India and its role in the region and craft carrier of Indian Navy. it is not about particular neighbor. He was speaking to reporters We have a relationship with India onboard USS Blue Ridge which is which reflects today's American anchored at Mormugao Port Trust way of thinking". (MPT). Carter and Defense MinTo a question about US policy ister Manohar Parrikar paid visit in Asia, he said, "The US approach to the ship which arrived here from ‘We are working with the Mumbai. Indo-US defense ties Indian Navy on technology were going to be "defining relationship of for their next generation of 21st century", he said. aircraft carrier. India would "That is because both our values and our like to migrate on flat deck interests overlap in im- design which has some portant way and that happens with few coun- advantages’ tries around the globe and India is one of those which is to this region is not to confront. influential and very important We have to do what we have been country," he said, adding that doing for 70 years, that is to keep America is pleased to have part- the stability and peace that has nership with India. allowed economic and social "We are working with the In- miracle in modern India and dian Navy on technology for their China," Carter said. next generation of aircraft carrier. To a question, he said US reIndia would like to migrate on flat spected India's independence (in deck design which has some ad- policy matters). vantages in terms of weight of the "Their (India's) policy is that aircraft and others," he said, add- of supplier of security in the reing "we are more than willing to gion which is compatible with our share it with India." policy. It is inclusive one and not On supplying predator drones exclusive one," he said. -PTI
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Prince William lauds Indian innovations & tech MUMBAI: Impressed with Indian innovations, Duke of Cambridge Prince William has said entrepreneurs have a major role to play as the country is home to a sixth of the world population. "Being here today, it is clear that India is leading the way in so many areas of innovation and technology," he told an audience comprising entrepreneurs and venture capitalists at a special event here. "Your ability to innovate is not just a good news for India, but a great news for the world. With one-sixth of the world's population, young innovators like you must play a major role," said Prince William, who was accompanied by his wife, the Duchess of Cambridge, Kate Middleton. The royal couple launched the third edition of the Tech Rocketship Awards, where successful Indian startups are flown to the UK to meet venture capitalists and mentors. At the event, Prince William
raced a formula car in a simulator created by the Mahindra Group, tried his hand at 'preparing' the fa-
Mohandas Pai, of the startups think-tank 'iSpirit', said the royal couple met at least five Indian
Prince William, Duke of Cambridge and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge eats a dosa during the launch of Tech Rocketship Awards in Mumbai on April 11
vorite South Indian snack dosa, and was also taught to read the Braille script by a startup working on literacy for the visually challenged.
startups during the event, held at an upmarket cafe inside what was arguably one of the biggest imports from Britain in pre-indepen-
'Queen is boss & role model for George, Charlotte' NEW DELHI: "She might be the grandmother but she is the boss," this is how Duke of Cambridge Prince William described Queen Elizabeth II, Britain's longestreigning monarch, while giving little insight into the Royal family. Speaking at a reception here, Prince William said his children
Prince William said he was "incredibly impressed" how the country was on the move where "dynamism" was "matched" with warmth and welcome. A message of the Queen was also read out at the reception in which she said she has wonderful memories of India and that this
India's contribution to the Commonwealth is enormously important. He said the Queen is turning 90 shortly and it will not be wrong to say that the reception is a tribute to her. The reception, hosted in honor of the Royal couple by British High Commissioner Sir Dominic Asquith was attended by politicians, diplomats and socialites among others. While Middleton replied to the questions by the guests, she mostly sought to know from them about their areas of interests. Speaking on the occasion, the British High Commissioner offered condolence to families of those killed in the Kerala temple tragedy. The politicians who attended the reception included Union Minister Rajyavardhan Singh Prime Minister Narendra Modi shakes hands with Britain’s Prince William and his wife, Rathore, former Union Kate Middleton, the Duchess of Cambridge before their meeting at Hyderabad House Ministers Dinesh in New Delhi on April 12 Trivedi, Farooq Abdullah Prince George and Princess Char- event was reflective of the endur- and Pallam Raju. lotte were "lucky" to have her as ing friendship and shared culture The couple visited the India their great grandmother and that between the two countries. Gate and laid a wreath in honor of she will remain a role model for Prince William said he was those who lost their lives in World them for life. happy to convey that another War I. On his current India visit ac- generation of the family continThey also visited Gandhi Smriti companied by his wife Duchess ued to hold views similar to that here and paid tribute to the Faof Cambridge Kate Middleton, of the Queen. ther of the Nation. -PTI
dence era - the textile mill. A big cheer greeted Prince William and Kate as they entered the cafe and the hour spent at the venue was full of conversations with Indian businesses, including the startups and also Mahindra Group Chairman Anand Mahindra. The launch of the awards was followed by a pitching session, where four business promoters looking for funding presented their ideas before a special panel comprising of Mahindra, the Indian Angel Network (IAN), iSpirit and a
website devoted to profile startups. Project Mundra, a social venture started out of BITS Pilani's Goa campus, which has created special machines that help the visually challenged learn the braille script, seemed to be the toast of the show with Mahindra and IAN promising investments. Its co-founder Sanskriti Dawle said only 10 per cent of the visually challenged people in the world are literates or know the alphabets, and hence it is both a pressing social need and market opportunity out to be tapped.-PTI
William, Kate pay homage to Gandhi NEW DELHI: Duke and Duch- the memorial. ess of Cambridge Prince William "They were very excited and and Kate Middleton visited Ma- happy to see him spinning the hatma Gandhi's memorial here and wheel. They wanted to know why paid homage him. Gandhiji spun the wheel and what In a close to 45-minute visit to does it symbolize," Gyan said. the Gandhi Smriti on Tees Janu"They asked why was the spinary Marg, the royal couple also ning wheel used and how did it saw the exhibits there and came become a symbol of Indian nationto know that Gandhi learned to alism. To this, we said that this wear a tie and play violin during symbolized economic indepenhis stay in London as a student. dence and promoted the idea of The Duke and Duchess Cam- 'swadeshi'. They also asked how bridge also paid tribute to Ma- khadi is made," said Sailja hatma Gandhi at the Martyr's Col- Gullapalli, a research associate umn. The Father of the Nation was with the Gandhi Smriti, who also killed on January 30, 1948 by a accompanied the couple throughHindu fanatic at the Birla House. The House, where Gandhi spent the last few years of his life, was later turned into a memorial. They also visited the museum, the khadi-weaving room and expressed keen interest in knowing about Lord Mountbatten's tribute to Gandhi among other eminent personalities, after his death. The royal couple was particularly keen about the spinning wheel the use of which he popularized all his life. Lord Mountbatten, the last Viceroy of India was related to the British royal Britain’s Prince William and his wife, Kate family. Gandhi and Middleton, the Duchess of Cambridge paying Mountbatten were homage to Mahatma Gandhi during a visit to known to have shared Gandhi Smriti in New Delhi on April 11 bonhomie and the last Viceroy even attended his funeral. out their visit to the museum. "They (couple) were curious to The royal couple wrote a note know about Gandhiji and his life's 'To India's Visionary Leader' in the philosophy. Their reaction was visitor's book. 'such a simple life' as they saw his Known for their sartorial grace, pictures and visited his living the couple looked elegant in their room," said Depanker Shri Gyan, attire. Kate wore a cream dress by Director of Gandhi Smriti, who Emilia Wickstead on her first outaccompanied the royals around ing in the city.-PTI
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Blackwill, Priyanka receive Padma awards NEW DELHI: Superstar Rajinikanth, tennis icon Sania Mirza, former US Ambassador Robert D Blackwill and actor Priyanka Chopra were among the 56 eminent persons who were honored with Padma awards here. Former DRDO chief V K Aatre, chief editor of Telugu daily Eenadu Ramoji Rao, philanthropist and educationist Indu Jain, chairman of Maruti Suzuki India R C Bhargava, singer Udit Narayan, eminent lawyer Ujjwal Nikam were also honored with the Padma awards by President Pranab Mukherjee at the Civil Investiture Ceremony held at the Rashtrapati Bhavan. Rajinikanth, Aatre, Rao, renowned vocalist Girija Devi, chairperson of Cancer Institute, Chennai V Shanta were given Padma Vibhushan. Bhargava, Jain, Blackwill, Mirza, Narayan, Manipuri playwright Heisnam Kanhailal, noted Telugu and Hindi litterateur Yarlagadda Lakshmi Prasad, teacher of Vedanta Dayananda Saraswati (posthumous), leading sculptor Ram Vanji Sutar, Indologist N S Ramanuja Tatacharya and International
Superstar Rajinikanth with Bollywood actress Priyanka Chopra and tennis player Sania Mirza during Padma Awards function at Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi on April 12
head of Chinmaya Mission Swami Tejomayananda were honored with Padma Bhushan. Priyanka Chopra, the 33-yearold former Miss World, who es-
pecially flew down to India from her "Baywatch" shoot in Los Angeles to receive the honor, said Padma Shri is the best award. "This is the best award I have
ever received. Thank you so much. I am grateful," she told reporters here. The "Jai Gangajaal" star looked elegant in a lemon yellow
saree as she received the honor. She has made India proud globally with her role of FBI agent Alex Parrish in "Quantico" and bagging the Hollwood film "Baywatch" alongside Dwayne Johnson and Zac Efron. Chopra, Nikam, former President of Editors Guild of India Dhirendra Nath Bezboruah, renowned novelist from Karnataka S L Bhyrappa, Puducherry-based social worker Madeleine Herman de Blic, president of Bodo Sahitya Sabha Kameswar Brahma were among the 40 eminent persons who were given the Padma Shri. Folk artiste from Chhattisgarh Mamta Chandrakar, scientist Dipankar Chatterji, chairman of the Akshaya Patra Foundation Madhu Pandit Dasa, renowned sports commentator Sushil Doshi and orthopedic surgeon John Ebnezar were honored with the Padma Shri. The glittering function was attended by Vice-President Hamid Ansari, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Rajnath Singh, BJP chief Amit Shah, several Union Ministers besides others.-PTI
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3 more Sikhs allowed to serve in US army WASHINGTON: The Pentagon has allowed three more Sikhs to serve in US armed forces while maintaining their articles of faith like keeping a beard and wearing a turban, in the fourth such approval in less than a month, bringing cheer to the Sikh community in the US. The landmark decision comes days after the soldiers filed a lawsuit against the Department of Defense (DoD) seeking to serve in the US armed forces without being forced to compromise with their articles of faith. Two have been accommodated in the Army National Guard, and one in the US Army Reserve, a media release said. Arjan Singh Ghotra, 17, has been accommodated to serve in the Virginia Army National Guard and will continue his service while attending George Mason University this year.
"I will proudly wear my articles of faith with my military uniform," he said.
country as an observant Sikh in the Virginia National Guard," Ghotra said.
L-R: Spc. Kanwar Singh, Pvt. Arjan Singh Ghotra and Spc. Harpal Singh
"I am excited and honored to have the opportunity to serve my
Kanwar Singh has been accommodated with the Massachusetts
India, US agree to logistics exchange Cont’d from page 5
Controversial agreements India was earlier of the view that a logistics agreement would be seen as a military alliance with the US. However, with a tweaked LSA, India will decide on a caseto-case basis. LSA was part of the three controversial agreements that the US has been pursuing India to sign for nearly a decade. Termed as the "foundational agreements", the other two are Communications and Information Security Memorandum of Agreement (CISMOA) and Basic Ex-
actions, he said. A joint statement released later said both Carter and Parrikar reaffirmed the importance of safeguarding maritime security and ensuring freedom of navigation and over flight throughout the region, including in South China Sea. They expressed their support for a rules-based order and regional security architecture conducive to peace and prosperity in Asia-Pacific and Indian Ocean regions, and emphasized their commitment to working together and with other nations to ensure the security and stability that have been beneficial to the Asia-Pacific
Carter and Parrikar welcomed the finalization of four government-to-government project agreements in the areas of science and technology cooperation - Atmospheric Sciences for High Energy Lasers, Cognitive Tools for Target Detection, Small Intelligent Unmanned Aerial Systems, and Blast and Blunt Traumatic Brain Injury change and Cooperation Agreement (BECA). US officials said the logistics agreement will help the two militaries coordinate better, including in exercises, and also allow each other to more easily sell fuel or provide spare parts to India. Carter said that while sharing logistical assets may seem like it should be automatic, it is not. Although some of that can be done now, through what officials called "workarounds," the agreement will help expedite such trans-
for decades, it said. Both sides referred to the Defense Trade and Technology Initiative and agreed to initiate two new pathfinder projects on digital helmet mounted displays and the Joint Biological Tactical Detection System. They commended the on-going discussions at the Jet Engine Technology Joint Working Group (JETJWG) and the Joint Working Group on Aircraft Carrier Technology Cooperation (JWGACTC). They agreed to work towards
greater cooperation in the field of cutting-edge defense technologies, including deepening consultations on aircraft carrier design and operations, and jet engine technology. Both also noted the understanding reached to conclude an information exchange annex (IEA) to enhance data and information sharing specific to aircraft carriers. Carter and Parrikar welcomed the finalization of four government-to-government project agreements in the areas of science and technology cooperation - Atmospheric Sciences for High Energy Lasers, Cognitive Tools for Target Detection, Small Intelligent Unmanned Aerial Systems, and Blast and Blunt Traumatic Brain Injury. Parrikar said that discussions, spread over the past three days, have been marked by characteristic warmth, candor and a sense of mutual purpose. "I am confident that the IndiaUS relationship will be one of the key global partnerships of this century. Defense cooperation is a central pillar of India's multi-faceted relationship with the US. A stronger India-US partnership will promote peace, stability and progress in our region and the world," he said. Describing Carter as the architect of the India-US Defense Technology and Trade Initiative, the Defense Minister said DTTI has provided an unprecedented platform for both countries to strengthen bilateral cooperation in cutting-edge technologies and to address procedural delays in decision making.-PTI
Army National Guard, while Harpal Singh, a California telecommunications engineering specialist, has been accommodated to serve with the US Army Reserve through a program available for non-US citizens with critical foreign language skills. All three are scheduled to attend basic combat training with their respective units this May, according to the release. On March 31, 28-year-old Sikh-American decorated combat veteran Captain Simratpal Singh became the first active
duty Sikh soldier to receive approval to maintain his articles of faith while actively serving in the US Army. "We commend the US Department of Defense for its decision to allow these soldiers to serve with their religious turbans and beards," said Sikh Coalition legal director Harsimran Kaur. Sikhs observe five articles of faith - Kesh (uncut hair), Kara (a steel bracelet), Kangha (a wooden comb), Kachera (cotton underwear) and Kirpan (steel sword).-PTI
US to strengthen ties with emerging markets WASHINGTON: The US is prosperity, maintain a construccommitted to strengthen its ties tive global economic order and with emerging markets including make progress on critical chalIndia on key priorities such as fa- lenges like climate change," Lew cilitating investment, combating said in his remarks to the Council money laundering and terrorist fi- on Foreign Relations (CFR). nancing especially against Islamic Lew called for modernization State outfit, a top American offi- and reform of International Moncial has said. etary Fund (IMF). "We're committed to building "We must work with our parton the progress that we've made ners to further modernize the IMF, in cooperating with emerging mar- allowing it to intensify its scruket partners including Brazil, Ar- tiny of critical issues like exgentina, India and Mexico on key change rates, current account impriorities such as facilitating in- balances and shortfalls in global vestment, improving the implementation of tax policies, promoting ‘Because more information financial inclusion and means better policy coopcombating money laundering and terrorist fi- eration and more efficient nancing," US Treasury financial markets, the IMF Secretary, Jacob Lew should continue to promote said here. "We must continue greater transparency among to combat terrorist fi- its members’ nancing, corruption, money laundering and other fi- aggregate demand," he said. nancial crimes," he said. "Because more information Lew, 60, also said to prevent a means better policy cooperation repeat of the financial crisis, there and more efficient financial maris a need to continue to lead ef- kets, the IMF should continue to forts to reform the international promote greater transparency financial regulatory system. among its members when it comes "The Treasury is strengthen- to economic data, especially as it ing its anti-money laundering and relates to foreign reserves," he counterterrorist financing rules at said. home working through the finanLew said the US must also with cial action task force to improve its partners make the World Bank enforcement globally and and the regional development partnering with countries to com- banks more efficient and effective. bat terrorist financing specifically He said to prevent a repeat of against ISIL," Lew said. the financial crisis, there is a need He also said that the US and to continue to lead efforts to reChina, as the two largest econo- form the international financial mies, have a unique responsibil- regulatory system. ity to work together to advance "With many of the critical stanshared prosperity. dard-setting reforms in place, the "As the two largest economies, focus must shift to comprehenthe United States and China also sive and consistent implementahave a unique responsibility to tion and close attention to emergwork together to advance shared ing threats," he said. -PTI
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PM welcomes launch of Carnegie India India Post News Service
NEW DELHI: The Carnegie Endowment for International Peace has launched Carnegie India, its sixth international center. In a meeting with Carnegie President William J. Burns, members of Carnegie's board of trustees, and Carnegie India staff in
Carnegie India's research and programmatic focus will include the political economy of reform in India, foreign and security policy, and the role of innovation and technology in India's internal transformation and international relations. Led and staffed by Indian experts, it will build on decades of scholarship on India and
Carnegie President William J. Burns with PM Modi in New Delhi
New Delhi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi welcomed Carnegie's initiative to open the center, saying that it is reflective of democratic traditions and liberal thinking in the country. Modi expressed his hope that the center would further promote the climate of research in India, especially among youth, and would strengthen the strategic partnership between India, the United States, and the rest of the world.
South Asia across Carnegie's programs, while placing special emphasis on developing a cadre of young, up-and-coming Indian scholars. "India's rise is a significant and dramatic feature of today's evolving international landscape," Burns said. "I am convinced that Carnegie India will make an enormously important contribution to helping thinkers and doers around the world understand Indian perspectives and that it will
add an important global perspective to India's own domestic and international evolution." The center's founding director, C. Raja Mohan, has been a nonresident senior associate at Carnegie since 2012. He has also served as a distinguished fellow at the Observer Research Foundation in New Delhi, a visiting research professor at the Institute of South Asian Studies, National University of Singapore, and a member of India's National Security Advisory Board. "I am deeply honored to serve as the center's founding director and to work even more closely with longtime Carnegie colleagues across the world," Mohan said. "I am confident that Carnegie India will add to Carnegie's global reputation for quality, integrity, and independence." The center's creation has been supported by Carnegie India's Founders Committee, a group of Indian and international donors cochaired by former cabinet secretary and Indian ambassador to the United States, Naresh Chandra, and former United States ambassador to India, Frank Wisner. Ahead of a dinner to celebrate the launch of Carnegie India, Chairman of Bharti Enterprises and Carnegie Board Member Sunil Mittal said: "As India emerges as a global economic force, a think tank of Carnegie India's caliber will enrich the policy debate in India and increase the connection of ideas between New Delhi and the other capitals of the world."
Canada to apologize for Komagata Maru tragedy TORONTO: Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has said he will "formally apologize" for Canada's refusal to allow entry to Komagata Maru, a ship carrying 376 immigrants, mostly Sikhs, from India in 1914 due to "discriminatory laws of the time". Speaking at the Baisakhi celebration in Ottawa, Trudeau said
the day. We should not and we will not," Trudeau said at the Gurdwara Sahib Ottawa Sikh Society. He further said that he will "formally apologies" on May 18 in the House of Commons, 102 years after the infamous incident, Toronto Star reported. The Japanese steamship
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau sits with members of the Sikh community and government caucus during a Vaisakhi celebration on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, April 11
that the Komagata Maru's passengers were seeking refuge and better lives, "like millions of immigrants to Canada since". "With so much to contribute to their new home, they chose Canada. And we failed them utterly," the prime minister said, adding that the passengers were refused entry to Canada due to "discriminatory laws of the time". "As a nation, we should never forget the prejudice suffered by the Sikh community at the hands of the Canadian government of
Komagata Maru, carrying 376 immigrants, mostly Sikhs, from India was denied entry by the Canadian government in May 1914 and was forced to return to India. Two months later, the ship arrived in Calcutta where British soldiers fired upon the disembarking passengers in which 19 people died. A painful chapter in the history of Sikhs in Canada, the incident also highlighted the discriminatory immigration policies Canada had followed against Asian immigrants in the 19th century.-PTI
Austria sees link between Paris, Mumbai attacks VIENNA: Austrian prosecutors have said they are probing a possible link between a Pakistani held in Salzburg in connection with last November's terror assaults in Paris and the 2008 attacks in the Indian city of Mumbai. "Leads pointing to this are being looked into," prosecutors in Salzburg said, adding however that the identity of the Pakistani suspect, who has been in custody since December in the western Austrian city, has not been confirmed. "Wide-ranging investigations on this question, among others, are ongoing, although the public prosecutors' office has been waiting for information on this from Pakistan since December 2015," they said in a statement. A source in Paris and the Sunday Times said that the man is
thought to be a bomb maker for Pakistani extremist organizations Lashkar-e-Taiba and Lashkar-eJhangvi. India holds Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), allegedly linked to AlQaeda, responsible for the 2008 Mumbai assault that killed 166 people. Lashkar-eJhangvi is blamed for a string of high-profile attacks in recent years. The 34-yearold was arrested in Austria in December along with an Algerian. French investi-
gators suspect that the Islamic State (IS) group, which claimed responsibility for the Paris bomb-
ings as well as attacks in Brussels on March 22, sent both men to Europe to carry out attacks.
Austrian authorities said in February that they are believed to have been in the same boat bringing around 200 migrants to Greece as two men involved in the Paris atrocities. While those involved in the attacks were able to travel onwards, the pair were held up by Greek authorities for 25 days because they were carrying fake Syrian passports. They then arrived in Salzburg at the end of November - after the Paris killings - and Austrian police arrested them at a centre for migrants on December 10. A senior security official in Pakistan told AFP he had no information. "We are in completely in the dark about such a person... who he is, his identity and his affiliations," the official said. -AFP
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US Indian invents lowcost hearing aid HOUSTON: A 16-year-old Indian-American boy has created a low-cost hearing aid costing USD 60 to help those who cannot afford expensive devices. Mukund Venkatakrishnan of Kentucky's Louisville city worked on the device for two years and presented it at the Jefferson County Public Schools Idea Fest and recently won first place the Kentucky State Science and Engineering Fair. The device, which can be used with even the cheapest set of headphones, is built to first test hearing by playing several different sounds at seven different frequencies through headphones. It then programs itself to be a hearing aid, amplifying volume based on the test results. "It eliminates the need for a doctor altogether. It is really, in essence, just amplifiers, just increase the volume based on how much hearing loss you have and it is crazy that they cost USD 1,500 each, when you can do it for USD 60," Mukund, DuPont Manual High School student, said. He said the processor responsible for amplifying volume by increasing the volume of an incoming signal, was the most expensive part - about USD 45. Other parts cost about USD 15. Mukund was inspired to invent the aid during his visit to his
grandparents in India two years ago. He was tasked with helping his grandfather get tested and fitted for a hearing aid. He saw that it was a costly and difficult process and resolved to find an alternative. "Since audiologists are spe-
without spending a penny, they still cannot afford a hearing aid. "Unlike with traditional hearing aids, if the ear piece gets damaged it is not costly to replace. You just buy another set of ear buds. In its current form, the device is about two inches and looks like a com-
Mukund Venkatakrishnan
cialists, even finding and getting an appointment with one in India was really hard. And then we got ripped off," he said. He said they spent about USD 400 or USD 500 on doctor's appointments and about USD 1,900 on the hearing aid itself. He realized that hearing is a luxury many people in developing countries cannot afford. "In India, the median household income is USD 616 a year. If someone in India saves all year
puter processor," he said. He envisions the device, which has a standard headphone port, fitting into someone's pocket. His goal is to distribute the device to people with hearing loss who cannot afford a USD 1,000 hearing aid. Various foundations are reaching out to Mukund to help mass produce and distribute it. Mukund said that he would visit his grandfather in Bangalore, India this summer and deliver the hearing aid.-PTI
India's GDP to be 7.5 pc in 2016: WB WASHINGTON: Driven by India's expected GDP growth of 7.7 per cent in 2017 and 7.5 per cent in 2016, the World Bank has forecast gradual acceleration in South Asia's economic growth from 7.1 per cent in 2016 to 7.3 per cent in 2017. Given its weight in the region, India sets the pace for South Asia as a whole, the World Bank said in its latest twice-a-year South Asia Economic Focus report. India's economic activity is expected to accelerate from 7.5 per cent in FY 2016 to 7.7 per cent in FY 2017 based on the expectation of strong private investment, a push in infrastructure spending, an improved investment climate, and improved corporate and financial balance sheets, it said. "South Asia has been resilient to global turbulence due to its limited exposure to slowdowns in other major economies coupled with the tailwinds of favorable oil
prices, capital flows, and remittances," said Annette Dixon, World Bank South Asia Vice President. "However, fiscal and financial vulnerabilities remain and countries should strive to address them
For sustained growth, Pakistan needs to address power cuts, a cumbersome business environment, and low access to finance through generating revenue and creating more fiscal space," it said. According to the report, the GDP growth in India will be supported by a rebound in agriculture and stimulus from civil service pay reforms.
However, delays in the adoption and implementation of key reforms could affect investor sentiment, it said. Favorable overall trends mask important underlying divergences: between urban and agricultural households; between domestic and external demand; and between public and private capital expenditure, which should be addressed, it noted. In neighboring Pakistan, growth is projected to accelerate modestly from 4.5 per cent in 2016 to 4.8 per cent in 2017, supported by growing industry and services and greater investment as well as buoyed by low oil prices and substantial remittances. For sustained growth, Pakistan needs to address power cuts, a cumbersome business environment, and low access to finance through the successful implementation of tax and energy reforms, the report said.-PTI
Indian-origin student killed in US shooting NEW YORK: A 21-year-old In- and ongoing", they said. dian-origin student at Rutgers In a letter to the Rutgers UniUniversity was killed and his versity s Newark community, roommate seriously injured in a Chancellor Nancy Cantor exshooting incident at their apart- pressed shock and sadness at ment near the school's campus in Patel's death. the US state of New Jersey. "While law enforcement is still Shani Patel, a junior econom- investigating and we understand ics major at the university, was that it was not a random act that shot and killed on Sunday at an led to Shani's death, it is a shock off-campus apartment building in to lose a member of our commuNewark, a spokeswoman for the nity under any circumstances," Essex County Prosecutor's Office Cantor said. as saying. Patel's roommate, whose identity was not In a letter to the Rutgers released, was seriously injured in the shooting, University s Newark authorities said. community, Chancellor The Rutgers Police Department said the Nancy Cantor expressed shooting was not ran- shock and sadness at dom and that the downtown campus, which Patel's death serves about 12,000 students, was not under threat, "Our deepest condolences go The New York Times reported. out to Shani's family and to all Authorities are investigating who knew him as a student, colthe incident. league, or friend," she added. Essex County Prosecutor s ofThe Rutgers police said in a fice and Newark Public Safety Di- statement issued to the Newark rector said in a statement that no campus that the shooting ocsuspects have been identified so curred inside a private residence. far and no arrests have been Two assailants, both believed made. to be in their early to mid-20s, fled The investigation "is active the scene. -PTI
US offers FBI help to probe Bangla murders WASHINGTON: The US has offered FBI's assistance to Bangladesh to collaborate in its investigations into a spate of murders involving secular bloggers, including the recent killing of a law student who posted comments against radical Islamists on Facebook. "We've offered assistance to the Bangladeshi government, collaboration on the investigations, FBI assistance," said Mark Toner, State Department Deputy Spokesman. He was responding to a question on killing of several secular bloggers in Bangladesh, some of whom have been claimed either by the ISIS or al Qaeda. "We've seen reports in this most recent case that Al Qaeda was behind it. These are horrific attacks. We urge the Bangladeshi authorities to take them very seriously and to fully investigate these attacks and to support the families of the victims," Toner said.
There have been systematic assaults in Bangladesh over the past six months specially targeting minorities, secular bloggers and foreigners. 28-year-old law student Nazimuddin Samad, was hacked by machete-wielding militants before being shot dead from close range last week. Samad's death marked the sixth time a Bangladeshi writer of atheist material had been killed in 14 months. Last month, a 65-year-old Christian convert was hacked to death in the northern Bangladeshi town of Kurigram by three motorbike-borne unidentified assailants. Last year, four prominent secular bloggers were killed with machetes, one inside his own home. Given the threat being posed by terrorist outfits to these bloggers, the US in those circumstances is willing to consider requests for humanitarian parole, Toner said.-PTI
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Panama Papers: India to attend meet in Paris NEW DELHI: India will take part in a special OECD meet on April 13 in Paris to firm up cooperation between countries in the wake of the 'Panama Papers' leak that has seen the government here order a multi-agency probe after 500 Indians were named in it as holding offshore assets in the tax haven.
entities mentioned in the leaks and a preliminary report has been sought by this week by the ministry, which is expected to forward it to the Prime Minister's Office (PMO). "The Income Tax department will issue notices to those whose names figure in the Panama leaks. They will be asked to explain their
‘The 'Panama Papers' leaks contain an unprecedented amount of information, including more than 11 million documents covering 2,10,000 companies in 21 offshore jurisdictions. Each transaction spans a number of different jurisdictions and may involve multiple entities and individuals’ The Finance Ministry received the invite from the Paris-based body and it has been decided that a Director-rank officer of CBDT will represent the country at the day-long special session, officials said. Officials said India is looking forward to the meet as the country adheres to a number of Organizations for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD)mandated norms aimed at strengthening overseas tax cooperation and exchange of information and also follows fiscal guidelines endorsed by it. The government has set up a Multi-Agency Group (MAG) to investigate the Indian names and
position and the next course of action will be determined thereafter," they said. The MAG, which met here for the second time after April 7, had during the first meeting decided to approach OECD along with another similar forum - the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) in connection with its probe. Announcing the date for the meeting, the OECD secretariat had said, "Government officials from around the world have called upon OECD to convene a special meeting of the Joint International Tax Shelter Information and Collaboration (JITSIC) network to explore possibilities of cooperation and information-sharing,
identify tax compliance risks and agree on collaborative action in the light of the 'Panama Papers'. "The meeting will bring together senior tax administration officials from countries worldwide." The 'Panama Papers' had disclosed the names of nearly 500 Indians, including celebrities and industrialists, who allegedly have money stashed away in offshore entities in Panama, which is considered to be a tax haven. The names were released by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) with 'Indian Express' newspaper in India. The ICIJ added a disclaimer that there are also "legitimate uses for offshore companies". The OECD JITSIC is a network of tax administration officials with responsibility for responding to global compliance risks through active collaboration and fast and effective information exchange with other tax administrations. "The 'Panama Papers' leaks contain an unprecedented amount of information, including more than 11 million documents covering 2,10,000 companies in 21 offshore jurisdictions. Each transaction spans a number of different jurisdictions and may involve multiple entities and individuals. "The meeting at OECD presents tax administrations with a first opportunity to act on the considerable body of information revealed by the 'Panama Papers' release.” -PTI
Kejriwal offers water to drought hit Latur NEW DELHI: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for making efforts to resolve the water crisis in drought-hit Latur and
sought his help to send water to the parched district in Maharashtra's Marathwada region. Kejriwal in a letter to the Prime
Central Railway train loading water to transport to drought affected Latur District from Miraj station near Sangli on April 10
Minister said the people of Delhi are ready to send 10 lakh liters of water per day to Latur for the next two months and demanded that the Centre make arrangements for transportation. "Latur is going through an acute water crisis. The central government has decided to send water to Latur by train. This is an admirable step. "It will be shameful for the entire country if anyone dies due to water crisis in India in the 21st century. It is the responsibility of the entire country to help the people of Latur," he said. "Delhi also faces water shortages. But considering the sinister situation in Latur, it is our responsibility to help people there. "If you find it appropriate, you may appeal the chief ministers of other states in this regard. I am sure they will also extend a helping hand," Kejriwal said. -PTI
Mystery of Indian's death in Pak jail LAHORE: An Indian national who was languishing in a Lahore jail for more than 20 years on spying charges died here under mysterious circumstances. Kirpal Singh, 50, had allegedly crossed Wagah border into Pakistan in 1992 and was arrested. He was subsequently sentenced to death in a serial bomb blasts case in Pakistan's Punjab province. "Kirpal Singh was found dead at his cell in early hours of Monday at Kot Lakhpat Jail," an official of Kot Lakhpat Jail told PTI. He said the body of Kirpal has been shifted to the Jinah Hospital Lahore for autopsy. A judicial magistrate was also called who recorded the statements of some prisoners about the death of Kirpal, the official said. To a question about the death of Kirpal by torture, he said: "The inmates of the jail near to Kirpal stated that he complained about pain in his chest and died instantly." Kot Lakhpath Jail police station head Nafees Ahmed told PTI that the jail authorities had called police to shift the body to the dead house. "Apparently, it seems the Indian prisoner died of natural death. However, autopsy will tell
the exact cause of death," he said. Ill-fated Kirpal from Gurdaspur has reportedly been acquitted of bomb blast charges by the Lahore High Court but his death sentence could not be commuted because of unknown reasons. Jagir Kaur, Kirpal's sister, earlier said that the family couldn't raise voice for his release due to
Kirpal Singh
financial constraints and no politician came forward to plead his case. Earlier, in last week of April, 2013, Indian prisoner on death row Sarabjit Singh was brutally attacked and murdered by his fellow prisoners at Kot Lakhpat Jail. Both accused - Muhammad Muddasar and Amir Tamba also condemned prisoners - are facing trial of his murder at the jail. Sarabjit was arrested on charges of conducting four bomb blasts in Faisalabad, Multan and Lahore that killed 14 bystanders in 1990. He was sentenced to death. -PTI
Joint task force for SmelterPower Plant in Iran BHUBANESWAR: A joint task force has been set up by Nalco and Iranian industries ministry to deliberate on the proposed smelter and gas-based power plant in Chabahar Free Trade Zone. The task force, comprising senior project, operations and marketing executives of Nalco, Directors of Ministry of Industries, Government of Iran and senior executives of Iranian Aluminum Company, is given three months to submit its report, a NALCO release said. "The project would help Nalco to use low-cost energy available in Iran for conversion of its alumina, presently exported
to international markets, to aluminum," it said, quoting Nalco's CMD Tapan Kumar Chand. Chand is in Iran as part of an Indian business delegation, led by Union Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. During this visit, Chand held discussions with Iran's Deputy Minister of Industry, Mines & Trade, Chairman of IMIDRO and top Iranian officials and other aluminum companies. Based on the report, ownership pattern, project financing, long-term supply of gas and other aspects would be decided. A team from IMIDRO is likely to visit NALCO shortly, the release said. -PTI
Tech News Mallya skips ED again; seeks time till May NEW DELHI: Liquor baron Vijay Mallya failed to appear before the ED for the third time as he sought time till May to depose before it in connection with a money laundering probe in the over Rs 900 crore IDBI loan fraud case. The beleaguered businessman informed the Investigating Officer (IO) of the case in Mumbai that he will be unable to depose personally as scheduled citing the ongoing legal proceedings going in the Supreme Court over settlement of loans, officials said. However, it is understood that he has suggested his legal team can help ED in taking the probe forward. Sources did not immediately comment as to what next step the agency will take now as he has sought time till May, a request he made to the IO earlier too and which was turned down. "The next action will be decided in due course," they said. The agency had issued fresh summons to Mallya asking him to appear on April 9 after he sought two extensions from the earlier dates of March 18 and April 2 citing official reasons.-PTI
Jaitley is firm on excise duty on jewelers KOLKATA: Refusing to relent on excise duty levy on non-silver jewellery goods, Indian Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has said a "luxury item" cannot remain out of tax ambit when taxes need to be paid on many essentials. A large section of jewellers and bullion traders have been on strike for over a month seeking withdrawal of one per cent excise duty on non-silver jewellery items. They are also opposing mandatory quoting of PAN by customers for transactions of Rs two lakh and above. "How can a luxury item remain out of tax when essential items like cement, cloth and many others have to pay manufacturing tax. If we do not bring GST on gold, taxation on other items will have to be increased," Jaitley said at a media interaction at the Press Club here. He said there was no reason why luxury items should be exempted when the country was moving toward GST. Jaitley said the Centre has given a benefit that excise would be similar to VAT on gold and has tried to allay fears that 'karigars' would be affected from the new taxation. -PTI
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India remains 19th among top 30 exporters GENEVA: India's rank remained unchanged at 19th in 2015 in the list of top 30 merchandise exporters of the world, according to a WTO report. China continues to hold the top position in the list. However, India's ranking among top importers slipped by one notch to 13th in 2015, from 12th in previous year. In imports, the US topped the list. India's exports dipped by 17.2 per cent to USD 267 billion last year while imports aggregated at USD 392 billion.-PTI
Indian-origin Sanjeev Gupta takes charge of Tata's Scottish plants LONDON: Indian-origin businessman and founder of the Liberty Group Sanjeev Gupta has formally taken charge of Tata Steel's loss making plants in Scotland. Gupta, who has also expressed an interest in acquiring Tata's embattled Welsh unit of Port Talbot, hailed the "fresh chapter" in efforts to begin work on the re-opening and recovery of the two mothballed steel plate operations at Dalzell and Clydebridge in Lanarkshire, negotiations for which began last November. "Despite the current anxieties surrounding steel, I believe the sector has a future in the UK and, more particularly, a future here in Scotland. Like in Wales and the West Midlands, where our business model is already at work, steel is very much part of the fabric of Scottish industry and we are confident we have the caliber of people here who will keep it where it belongs, at the heart of the economy," Gupta said at an official hand-over ceremony at Dalzell. He acknowledged the efforts
24 and in coming months Liberty expects to create around 150 new jobs to get the plants up and running again. The company said it has a vision for "Green Steel", using renewable energy to melt the readily available supply of scrap in Britain. Its plan is counter to the current UK steel industry, which relies on the import of iron ore and coal from far flung corners of the globe, the firm said. Founded in 1992, the Group has turnover approaching USD 7 billion with net assets of USD 1 billion. Criminal investigation into Tata Steel Britain's Serious Fraud Office has launched a "criminal investigation" into workings of Tata Steel UK in relation to certain events of 2015, amid the steel maker scouting buyers for its loss-making business. The matter relates to certain inappropriate testing and certification procedures at the South Yorkshire-based Speciality Steels business and a full investigation that
Britain's Serious Fraud Office has launched a "criminal investigation" into workings of Tata Steel UK in relation to certain events of 2015, amid the steel maker scouting buyers for its loss-making business. put in by the Scottish government to help Liberty House strike the deal with Tata. The 44-year-old added: "Without their exceptional and exemplary attitude to saving these plants, we would not have been able to stand here today collecting the keys. I would particularly commend the leadership and tenacity of the First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon, and her Business Minister, Fergus Ewing. "This is our first step in Scotland, based on our experience so far we are confident we can build on this positive relationship, leading us to further opportunities and investments that will benefit the Scottish economy." The agreement to save the two plants was completed on March
was carried out internally with the help of experts. In a statement, Tata Steel UK said it had informed relevant bodies, including SFO, about the issue after completion of internal
investigation. "Amongst other bodies proactively notified by Tata Steel UK was the Serious Fraud Office, which has opened a criminal investigation," Tata Steel UK said. Without disclosing specific
tification procedures at the South Yorkshire-based Speciality Steels business. Speciality Steels produces around 225,000 tonnes of steel, comprising around 3 per cent of Tata Steel Europe's total output,
Sanjeev Gupta
details about the probe, the company said since the initial notification, it has been cooperating fully with the SFO in their investigation. "It is not appropriate for Tata Steel to comment on that investigation," the statement said. Earlier in the day, the 'Daily Telegraph' reported that SFO has launched a criminal inquiry into the workings of Tata Steel UK. When contacted, the SFO told PTI that it was "declining to comment" on the matter at this stage. During an internal audit in 2015, Tata Steel said it came across certain inappropriate testing and cer-
and 275 million pounds of turnover, it said. This is also Tata Steel Europe's only electric arc furnace-based business. "Tata Steel UK took immediate action to address the issues uncovered. The practices were immediately stopped. A detailed investigation was carried out by a technical team from outside the Speciality Steel business, and its conclusions were verified by independent experts. "The investigation found the steel affected and supplied was always well within safety margins," the statement said.-PTI
India in talks with US to buy 100 drones WASHINGTON: India is i n talks with the US for possible procurement of about 100 latest drones - both armed and surveillance versions -worth USD 2 billion to bolster its arsenal keeping China and Pakistan in mind. Industry sources familiar with India's interest and ongoing talks between the two governments,
said India had requested for the latest Avenger drones, an un-
manned combat air vehicle, and is mainly being sought with an eye on China.
It has also sought Predator XP category which is a surveillance version for internal security issues and ter- rorist threats. According to ind u s t r y sources, India is looking for about 100 drones worth USD 2 billion. Cont’d on page 14
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Guptas leave South Africa amid furor JOHANNESBURG: Two brothers of South Africa's beleaguered Gupta family have quietly left the country, a media report said, amid growing calls for a probe into the Indian-origin business barons' alleged influence over the government through President Jacob Zuma. With enough luggage for 20 people Ajay and Atul Gupta left in their private jet from Lanseria airport, according to a report in City Press. They left the country hours after they quit their firm. It has also been reported that
their Saxonwold residence in Johannesburg was deserted. Their third brother Rajesh lives in Dubai. The Dubai connection is linked to Department of Mineral Resources Minister Mosebenzi Zwane and Des van Rooyen who was appointed minister of finance after President Zuma sacked Nhlanhla Nene. The Sunday Times reported that the two made mystery trips to Dubai late last year while the Guptas were there. Ajay and Atul were the cochairs of Oakbay Investments, while Atul was the chair of Oakbay
Ajay and Atul Gupta
'Hope US will soon have a woman leader' NEW YORK: MasterCard's India-born CEO Ajay Banga has expressed hope that the US will soon have a woman leading the country, underscoring that the world today needs more women heading countries and running compa-
Ajay Banga
nies. "You need women who lead countries. I hope we have one soon. You can see where I'm going," Banga said at the Women in the World Summit here, hinting support for Democratic presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton, the lone woman candidate for the US presidency this year. Banga, 56, said there is "need to have women as CEOs, on boards, in the private and public sectors." "We need more like them, not few, we need many more and I think we have got a long way to go. We need men to take ownership as much as women of these issues and I'm hoping you will see more of that, not just in our company but everybody else," Banga said at the conference organized by renowned author and media personality Tina Brown.
Voicing admiration for his colBanga asserted that men have league PepsiCo's CEO Indra to take "ownership" and ensure Nooyi, Banga said that the world women at workplace and in famistill has a long way to go on the lies are treated equally. issue of "getting enough women He said the father in the house to come through the pipe all the should ensure that his daughter way to the top. Not just CEOs like is not the only one helping with Indra, whom the household chores but that the I admire but son too has responsibility. even on He added that mothers too boards be- have a role to play in ensuring cause they equality among kids, saying create role "both genders have to take ownmodels." ership in small ways." While 25 "There are small things we can per cent of change in the way people think MasterCard's within educated families on how board is their girls should be treated," w o m e n , Banga said. Banga said He stressed that companies this ratio is have to ensure that women returnbetter than ing from maternity leave are able some compa- to smoothly re-enter work and nies but "not enough tools should be made g o o d available to her so that she can enough." manage work and responsibility He said having women occupy of a new child easily. just a third of the board seats is "I still think this is the tip of not enough and companies should the iceberg. We have to get to target having women occupy at where a woman can feel comleast half of the board seats. "Why not 50 (per The father in the house cent), why is 30 (per cent) the right number should ensure that his suddenly. We make a daughter is not the only one mistake when we put a number out there saying helping with the household lets sign up for 30. chores but that the son too Why," he said. Banga said humanity has responsibility. will not prosper if half the world's population is "underutilized and subjugated". pletely confident that they can He informed the audience of pass through this phase and that women leaders, CEOs and activ- their kid will still be well looked ists that MasterCard has achieved after and they can get back to pay parity and men and women work. That to me is still wet ink in are paid the same amount for the almost all of America," he said. same job. PTI
Resources and Energy. The three Gupta brothers Ajay, Atul and Rajesh have been under immense pressure for the past few months after several highranking members of the ruling African National Congress (ANC), including the current Deputy Minister of Finance, claimed that the family had offered them government positions, including appointments as ministers. The Guptas have denied these allegations, which have been termed as "state capture". Zuma's son Duduzane held a directorship in the company after starting there as an intern a few years ago. He also resigned amid the political storm over the issue. There have been widespread calls from several compatriots and aides of late President and antiapartheid icon Nelson Mandela
as well as civil society and churches for Zuma to resign in the wake of the allegations and a finding by the country's highest judicial body, the Constitutional Court, that he had breached his duties in terms of the Constitution. But the ANC has come out in defense of their leader. Simultaneous pressure on the Guptas has seen Oakbay's banks and financiers all severing their association with the business in the past fortnight. Oakbay Chief Executive Officer Nazeem Howa said the Guptas had taken the decision to move despite their continual denials of all these claims because of the impact it was having on their family. The Gupta businesses are now under the control of Howa and other senior executives who are said to be negotiating with banks. Howa was quoted as saying that while the Guptas were friends of Zuma but they had not even told the President of their decision to leave. The Guptas had built up a huge empire with interests in mining and media among others after settling in South Africa about two decades ago from their ancestral home in Saharanpur, Uttar Pradesh, hoping to capitalize on the economic opportunities presented by the new democratic government headed by Nelson Mandela. -PTI
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Sachin to endorse Skill India campaign NEW DELHI: Government has roped in cricketing legend Sachin Tendulkar to endorse the 'I Support Skill India' campaign, in an attempt to reach out to the youth and build awareness on the importance of skill development.
respect for skills and that is exactly the idea behind our new campaign. Our new campaign is a step towards sensitizing society and achieving our mandate of creating a skilled India." The campaign of the Ministry
Sachin Tendulkar
"Sachin is one of the greatest Indian stories of our times and someone who resonates the best with skills. He is a true global icon and brand that disrupted the game of cricket through his skill sets and inspired generations," Minister of State (independent charge) Skill and Entrepreneurship Rajiv Pratap Rudy said in a release. "It is imperative that we build
of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) is an Endeavour to galvanize stakeholders across states, organizations and industries to bring value and respect to skills and standardize the ecosystem to meet human resource requirements nationally and globally. Elaborating on the relevance of skills and his association with Skill
India, Tendulkar stated, "When I was approached for endorsing Skill India, I realized that it is an important component in one's personal growth that needs to be valued and mastered. The all-time great added: "We are a young nation and we have the potential in us. We just need to learn a skill that is driven by our passion and turn it into an opportunity for us. Skill India is a big opportunity extended to all. We should avail of it to its best." Secretary in the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Rohit Nandan said: "It was found during our skill development efforts across the country that while capacity for trained labor was increasing, the aspiration among the young people to join a skill development program was lacking." Nandan stressed on use of a communication methodology to reach out to the young and the skills certificate that would lead to a career progression. The ministry's target is to skill 40.2 crore youth by 2022. It has also introduced its flagship scheme Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY), the world's largest monetary reward scheme promoting skill development to those who need financial support. -PTI
Amitabh denies ties to Panama companies MUMBAI: The media went into a tizzy with the report alleging Amitabh Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan featuring in the list of people with sizeable investments in off shore accounts and firms. A day later, the legendary actor released a statement denying his involvement in any of the companies listed in the earlier reports. "I do not know any of the companies referred to by Indian Express - Sea Bulk Shipping Company Ltd, Lady Shipping Ltd, Treasure Shipping Ltd, and Tramp Shipping Ltd. I have never been a director of any of the above stated companies. It is possible that my name has been misused. I have paid all my taxes including on monies spent by me overseas. Monies that I have remitted overseas have been in compliance with law, including remittances through LRS, after paying Indian taxes. In any event the news report in Indian Express does not even suggest any illegality on my part." Indian Express newspaper had
uncovered a leak of 11.5 million tax documents resulting in the exposure of the secret offshore dealings of renowned sports persons, world leaders, businessmen like DLF owner KP Singh, Pakistan
though the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) BI had allowed individuals to remit funds up to $25,000 a year under LRS (Liberalized Remittance Scheme), it never allowed Indian citizens to set up companies
Indian mining tycoon sells London home LONDON: Indian-origin industrialist Pramod Agarwal has put up his lavish home in central London for sale as a result of a slump in the mining industry. The founder of the international Zamin mining group had acquired the large property overlooking the city's famous Regent s Park in October 2013 for 37.5 million pounds. According to 'Evening Standard', Agarwal was hit by a big fall in his personal wealth last year following a collapse in the price of ore and a costly legal battle over a Brazilian mine. But he has said the decision to
The former office building was originally two town houses knocked together during a refurbishment to create a single 11,233 sq ft residence, the newspaper reports. The owners can enjoy a spa and gym in the basement, a first-floor grand reception room nearly 40ftlong with views over the park's boating lake and six bathrooms or shower rooms. Agarwal, known for his flashy lifestyle in the UK, had become embroiled in a 145 million pound court battle with Kazakh mining giant ENRC over a Brazilian iron ore mine, which is now believed to have been settled.
Cornwall Terrace (Regent's Park)
sell the luxury home was more personal. "I had to choose whether to live in Mill Hill (north London) or whether to live in Cornwall Terrace (Regent's Park). We thought we would move to town and see how it is but we didn't like it so we decided to come back here (Mill Hill)," he said in a statement. The prime property is now being marketed for 32 million pounds by UK property agents Savills, which describes it as a "unique and elegant lateral town house" with "excellent volumes and proportions".
Also, a judgment at the Royal Court of Jersey in September 2015 revealed that the finances of his main companies, Devi and Zamin, had been badly hit by the slump in the price of iron ore. The gardening and film buff had in 2014 spent an estimated 7 million pounds on the three-day Italian wedding of his daughter Ritika at the elite Borgo Egnazia resort in Puglia. Three years earlier he threw a similarly spectacular wedding for his second daughter, Vinita, at Venice's San Clemente Palace, with singer Shakira as the star turn.-PTI
India in talks with US to buy 100 drones Cont’d from page 12
Amitabh Bachchan
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, and Bollywood celebrities including Amitabh Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan. As per the report that has been published in the newspaper, even
abroad. Amitabh Bachchan (in the year 1993), had been appointed as the 'Director' in at least four offshore shipping companies, of which one was in the BVI and the rest three were in the Bahamas.
"Yes, General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc (GA-ASI) is aware of India's interest in Predator-series Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA)," Vivek Lall, chief executive of the US and International Strategic Development of General Atomics, had said. General Atomics Aeronautical Systems produces Predator series of remotely piloted aircraft. Due to American export laws,
the US government has to approve the export of a Predator-series RPA to India. Predator-series RPA could provide a world-class Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) capability for India which would include both high-definition radar and Electro-optical/Infrared (EO/IR) coverage along India's borders. Additionally, the RPA can perform humanitarian aid/disaster relief surveillance over both land and sea. -PTI
TechBiz Post
April 15, 2016
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Trouble for Cameron after his tax records go public LONDON: In an unprecedented decision, David Cameron has released his tax records to defuse the growing anger over his father's offshore business that threatened his premiership, but the bold move appears to plunge him into more trouble over 200,000 pounds he received from his mother. Cameron released a summary of his tax returns from 2009-15, and also revealed that his mother transferred two separate payments of 100,000 pounds (collectively USD 280,000) to his accounts in 2011, allowing the family estate to avoid a potential 80,000 pounds worth of inheritance tax. The move came a day after Cameron admitted in an emotional speech to the Conservative party's spring conference that he "should have handled this better" and "will learn the lessons" from the row triggered by the so-called Panama Papers leak. The accounts disclose that
Cameron has declared nearly 1.1 million in earnings over the past six years and paid 400,000 pounds in income tax.
David Cameron
Cameron, 49, published the six years' worth of accounts in a dossier in a bid to end speculation about his tax affairs after one of the most difficult weeks of his premiership. The release never before done by a UK prime minister or political leader shows that his approach to his finances is not dissimilar to many other middle-class families. However, there are further questions over a 200,000-pound gift
'Indian concerns over Colombo port addressed' BEIJING: Ruling out chances of former President Chandrika India-China clash to gain control Kumaratunga to build consensus. of the Indian Ocean, Sri Lankan "I had discussion with Prime Minister Ranil Rajapaksa few days ago we came. Wickremesinghe has said his gov- We briefed him on issue we were ernment has addressed New going to discuss in China. He was Delhi's security concerns over the for it. Also discussed with newly-modified USD 1.5 billion Kumaratunga. Because we want to Colombo Port City project. build consensus on long-term ar"There is no question of secu- rangement with China," he said. rity problem. The Indian security About the likelihood of Chiissues have been addressed by nese military presence in Lanka, us. There will be further discussions with India" on this, About the likelihood of InWickremesinghe told dia-China clash in the Indian the media here wrapOcean, Wickremesinghe ping up his four dayvisit during which he said the Ocean should be held talks with Chinese governed by law of the sea President Xi Jinping principles and Premier Li Keqiang. "We have discussed with India also. We are prepared he said: "Chinese have not asked to discuss it further," he said an- for any military base in Sri Lanka." swering a volley of questions "We are going to have further about USD eight billion Chinese military co-operation by training. investments including the Port They offered offshore patrol vessel City project made during former (OPV)," he said, adding that India is Lankan President Mahinda also building two for Sri Lanka. Rajapaksa's regime, which sparked About the likelihood of Indiaoff security concerns in India. China clash in the Indian Ocean, In a politically significant state- Wickremesinghe said the Ocean ment, Wickremesinghe said he has should be governed by law of the embarked on China visit after hold- sea principles with freedom of ing talks with Rajapaksa and navigation.-PTI
from his mother, which is being perceived as a move to avoid inheritance tax. It emerged that his mother transferred two separate payments of 100,000 pounds to his accounts in 2011, allowing the family estate to avoid a potential 80,000 pounds worth of inheritance tax. The payments by Mary Cameron to her son in May and July 2011 were given tax-free, and will only become liable to inherit-
ance tax of up to 40 per cent if she dies within seven years of handing over the money. Downing Street said the payments were an attempt to "balance" the sums received by all their children. The figures show that, on top of his income as Prime Minister, his 50 per cent share of the rental income on the Camerons' family home in London amounted to 46,899 pounds, he received 9,834
pounds in taxable expenses from the Tory party and 3,052 pounds in interest on savings in a high street bank. The figures show that when he first entered Downing Street in 2010, he benefited from a 20,000 pounds tax-free allowance as part of his 142,500 pounds salary, although in subsequent years he did not take advantage of the long-standing perk available to occupants of Number 10. -PTI
Desi News Microfinance icon Mohd Yunus captivates Boston GEETHA PATIL
BOSTON: More than 1200 people from Worcester, Massachusetts and surrounding towns, including many students from different nearby colleges, recently gathered at the beautifully designed Mechanics Hall at the Becker College to listen to Prof Mohammed Yunus, popularly known as the Father of Microfinance. Fallon Health was the presenting sponsor of the event. Details on page 19
Santa Clara appoints Batra as City Manager India Post News Service
SANTA CLARA, CA: With over 13 years of experience with the City of Santa Clara, the City Council has unanimously appointed the Director of Public Works/City Engineer, Rajeev Batra as the long-term Acting City Manager. The announcement follows the formal acceptance of the resignation of City Manager, Julio Fuentes last month. "On behalf of the entire City Council, we thank Assistant City Manager/Economic Development Officer, Ruth Shikada for her willingness to step in as Acting City Manager while the Council went through the appointment process for the long-term Acting City Manager," said Mayor Lisa M. Gillmor. Details on page 20
Veterans of India honor Alka Bhatnagar India Post News Service
MILPITAS, CA: Veterans of India (VOI) is an informal organization of ex military officers of India's armed forces (Army, Navy & Air Force) in San Francisco Bay Area & surrounding communities. It was founded by Col Rupinder Singh, PhD. in the year 1999. Over the years, participation of this fraternity has grown exponentially. The social events of this association are held approximately once a quarter with quality musical & dance programs. Alka Bhatnagar who is highly accomplished, multifaceted Bollywood singer is a part of VOI fraternity. Details on page 22
COMMUNITY ACROSS AMERICA
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Spectacular musical Shanti comes to Bay Area Details on page 24
April 15, 2016
Dr Vyas' training helps rural trauma outcomes in US too vironments. Dr. Vyas has routinely conODESSA, TX: The First Re- ducted these sessions across sponder Trauma and Emergency eight different international locaCare Program, created by Dr. tions to date, under the umbrella Dinesh Vyas, a professor of sur- of Vyas Global Pre-hospital Care Education Initiative and plans on expanding to 3 more locations within the state of Texas. On March 26, Dr. Vyas led the inaugural session in Odessa, Texas, to test proof of concept of this type of training being useful in West Texas. The inaugural program was highly successful, and had 32 participants from Midland Police, Midland Fire Department, students from Odessa and Midland area schools, PA students, first, second, third and fourth year medical students, family medicine residents, ER nurses, and laypeople from the oil industry. In addition, the program incorporated a trainer's orienPractical demonstration at the session tation course as well. Trainers included gery at TTUHSC, seeking to ad- TTUHSC faculty from pediatrics, dress trauma problem through the nursing college, PA school, educational efforts directed at lay simulation educators, and trauma person first responders in rural settings, has as much relevance here as back home in India. The trauma related accidents tend to cause more severe injuries and more frequent fatalities in rural environments than their urban counterparts in the United States. This is, in part, due to a lack of appropriate critical care education of first responders in rural settings. The First Responder Trauma and Emergency Care Program is a four-tier education program and uses online platform, high end simulation and mock drills in addition to an interactive model of lectures delivered by Dr. Vyas, followed by breakout sessions where program participants practice the skills discussed in simulation enIndia Post News Service
leaders. This program was felt to be useful by all participates as indicated by their responses in video interviews conducted after the session. A scientific study was also con-
towards the First Responder Trauma and Emergency Care Program being a worthwhile effort in the West Texas demographic. Future efforts will include recreation of this session in the cities of Lub-
Dr Vyas addressing the March session in TX
ducted after institutional review board approval, and the initial analysis of the data from the study is highly encouraging. Based on the data, new strategies are being developed on how to best use the participants from this session to implement future sessions on a much larger scale. This initial assessment points
bock and Amarillo, further analysis of data points collected from these additional sessions, and determination of what additional locations would benefit from these sessions. Lessons learned from these additional sessions could be used to implement similar programs for first responders across the rural United States.
MIT Boston India conference a grand success GEETHA PATIL
BOSTON: The MIT India Conference 2016 organized by the MIT MBA students and teachers' team at MIT, Cambridge on Sunday April 3, was aimed at highlighting the key social, business, and political challenges, practices, and innovations shaping India today and tomorrow, besides creating a platform that connects East and Prof Mukesh Aghi
West through educating and preparing the next generation of world leaders. This conference addressed Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "Startup India" initiative and focused on how to create a booming environment in India to put "Startup India" into action and active growth. Cont’d on page 18
Community Across America
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Shabana, Javed weave magic with 'Kaifi Aur Main' VIDYA SETHURAMAN
Pics: Vik's Photography
India Post News Service
HAYWARD, CA: Renowned Bollywood actress Padma Bhushan Shabana Azmi and her lyricist husband Padma Bhushan Javed Akhtar enthralled a jam-packed audience in Chabot College, Hayward, California on April 9 with 'Kaifi Aur Main', a play on the life and times of revolutionary Urdu poet, Kaifi Azmi, Shabana Azmi's father. The play was hosted by Bollywood Events and Javanika Entertainment. Speaking about the play, Jagruti, Javanika Entertainment, said her company is committed to bring quality entertainment show to the Bay area audience. Karl Kalra was the national promoter. This theatrical collage is a compilation of Shaukat's interaction with Kaifi, from her book Yaad Ki Rehguzaar, along with portions from various interviews of Kaifi, which have been strung together by Javed Akhtar and directed by Ramesh Talwar. Shabana Azmi, regarded as one of the finest actresses in India and Javed Akhtar, recipient of Sahitya Akademi Award
The play leads the audience through Kaifi's life in Bombay in the 1950s, his involvement with the progressive writers' movement, his entry into Indian cinema and his subsequent success there and finally his unending courage in the face of a life-threatening illness as well as thirteen Filmfare Awards, were on stage playing Shaukat and Kaifi Azmi, in a narrative that traced their lives from childhood to their romance and marriage that lasted 55 years, and everything in between. The play leads the audience through Kaifi's life in Bombay in the 1950s, his involvement with the progressive writers' movement, his entry into Indian cinema and his subsequent success there and finally his unending courage in the face of a life-threatening illness. Shabana, through her performance, portrayed the innermost feelings of Shaukat. In his rendition of Kaifi, Javed was witty and comical at times. Every episode from Kaifi's life was beautifully
punctuated by ghazals and songs by singer Jaswinder Singh and troupe. In their inimitable style, they take the audience on this very personal journey that weaves together humor, pathos and the triumph of human spirit. The mesmerizing performance of poetry and politics, persistence and success, love and grief and of silence and solitude duly got a standing ovation from the audience. About the artists: Shabana Azmi has been honored with the National Film Award for Best Actress five times, making her the most awarded actress in the category. Shabana Azmi has been conferred with prestigious honors like Padma Shri and Padma Bhushan by the Government of India, Martin Luther King Professorship award by the University of Michigan. She has also been honored with internationals awards in film festivals like Taormina Arte Festival (Italy), Chicago International Film Festival and L.A. Outfest. Cont’d on page 20
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MIT Boston India conference a grand success Cont’d from page 16
The conference brought together a number of successful young startup entrepreneurs from India and the United States who
Opening Remarks at the conference and mentioned that his organization is dedicated to strengthen the economic and commercial relationship between the United States and India and serve as a direct link between
Milestones and decisions in the early years' with enterprising and ingenious speakers who were led by a recognized host Christina Chase. She is a lecturer and Entrepreneur-in-Residence at the Martin Trust Cen-
assisted, the session to run smoothly with Q&A part. Rakesh Pandey, a distinguished Research Scientist at Olin College of Engineering facilitated the third panel on, 'Creating
Participants at panel discussions
joined in the 'Startup India' initiative to share their leading business experiences and challenges. Rafael Raif, MIT president, sent out his welcome letter and his best wishes to MIT India conference. Aditi Sarangi, Aditya Rao, Munaf Kachwala and their team formally received hundreds of audience and distinguished speakers to the conference. A welcome address was given by S.P. Kothari, Prof. of Accounting and Finance at the Sloan School of Management. Dr. Mukesh Aghi, the President of the US-India Business Council, presented
business and government leaders. The keynote speaker of this conference was Arvind Subramanian, the chief economic advisor to the government of India. Prof Kothari facilitated Q&A session of Subramanian. Ron Spangler, a graduate of MIT spoke on what new technology transition opportunities in energy and defense are available with this 'Startup India' Initiative. There were three panel discussions with thought provoking speakers and very experienced moderators.The first panel focused on, 'Transforming ideas into reality -
ter for MIT Entrepreneurship. The second panel emphasized on, 'The Journey to scale - Growing sustainably in a complex market with speakers' experiences and challenges.' Yasheng Huang, International Program Professor in Chinese Economy, shrewdly stimulated speakers and
A section of the audience
lasting impact - Opportunities in social entrepreneurship.' These entrepreneurs made huge impact in community by helping villagers in India even though there are no tangible indicators to measure their social impact. As a second keynote speaker, Gururaj Deshpande, the President and Chairman of Sparta Group , shared his own entrepreneurial experiences, projects that help school children with mid-day meal program and farmers with watershed programs etc. He also gave some tips on how to solve challenges and hold on to optimism to obtain success in our ventures. Cont’d on page 19
April 15, 2016
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Microfinance icon Mohd Yunus captivates Boston GEETHA PATIL
BOSTON: More than 1200 people from Worcester, Massachusetts and surrounding towns, including many students from different nearby colleges, recently gathered at the beautifully designed Mechanics Hall
a privilege to bring him to Worcester so our students and the public can hear first-hand about his transformational vision," said Johnson in his address. The Center will focus on educating, de-
Prof Yunus addressing Boston students and elites
MIT Boston India conference a grand success A dedicated team of MIT students - Aditi Sarangi, Aditya Rao, Munaf Kachwala, Rahul Arora, Alok Singh, Ishan Gokhale, Sheila Chheda, Manisha Singh, Grace Kermani, Priyanka Chaturvedi, Jaswanth Madhavan, Shahid Azad, Sruthi Reddy Chintaunta, Naina Saxena, Alankrita Nigam, Siya Purohit, Sharvi Mewada, Karthik Gopalakrishnana, Juhi Singh, Remya Kurup, Rishi Gohil, Francis Goyes, Kairav Shroff, Malika Shahrawat - worked hard for the past
ate poverty among lower middle and poor classes and farmers in Bangladesh. Prof. Yunus initiated the concept of social business, utilizing micro-finance to help the poor to develop self-sustainable busi-
A section of the audience
at the Becker College to veloping and deploying listen to Prof sustainable, scalable, Mohammed Yunus, and social businesses popularly known as the that generate resources Father of Microfinance. to have socio-economic Fallon Health was the impact. Seven Hills presenting sponsor of Foundation President the event. and CEO, David Jordan Becker College Presidelivered the highlights dent Robert Johnson of his Foundation and welcomed Prof. Yunus how it will serve as a partand the audience with ner for the Centre and an impressive introducprovide Becker students tion His presence in and faculty with opporGreater Boston area tunities to work at Seven marked the launch of the Hills' project sites in Yunus Social Business Bangladesh, Ghana, SiCentre at Becker - the erra Leone, Liberia, first officially-sancKenya, Haiti, Guatemala, tioned Yunus Center in and Jamaica, to bring in the country. Prof. Yunus positive and self-susSeven Hills Foundation President is a distinguished, vitainable change. He also David Jordan sionary leader who has added how his Foundaprompted positive socio-economic change tion was impressed by Prof. Yunus' innovaon a global scale; so it is both an honor and tive, self-sustaining social business ideas
Cont’d from page 18
that transformed lives and communities in Bangladesh. Prof. Yunus in his speech on the topic observed, "We Are Not Job-Seekers, We Are Job Givers - Turning Unemployment
eight months to put this event together.. Aditya Rao thanked his teachers, mentors and peers as also sponsors for putting this conference together. He also thanked MIT Community poster presenters for showcasing their innovative projects and acknowledged MIT's support by providing them with a beautiful media lab for hosting the conference. He expressed his gratitude to all the speakers for coming and sharing their experiences with others and willingness to help and guide others with their startup undertakings.
into Entrepreneurship" by narrating his own "Microfinance" project examples. His speech in a story telling format made all the people to listen attentively to his various microloan project stories that helped allevi-
nesses. He established the Grameen Bank in Bangladesh in 1983 driven by the belief that credit is a fundamental human right. Cont’d on page 20
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Kumar Sanu & AlkaYagnik Santa Clara appoints Batra as City Manager meet Media JAYANTI OZA
CHICAGO: On the eve of their stage performance in Chicago, Kumar Sanu and AlkaYagnik, two talented and popular Bollywood singers, decided to meet and greet the news media, fielding their questions and exchanging ideas. The media event was organized by Sahil, LA Tan, Starz on Tuesday April 6 at Meadows club in Rolling Meadows three days before the stage performance by the artists at Sears Arena in Hoffman Estate. The news meet had attracted 50 plus media and non-media interests and they were keenly seeking information about the April 8 show. Kumar Sanu explained that whenever he and his co-artists stage a performance, the first thing they would like to assess is the mood of the audience. They would like to go with the likes and dislikes of the audience and would swing with them besides render-
India Post News Service
Bollywood singers Kumar Sanu & Alka Yagnik addressing the press conference
Some of the members of media asked how they would tune to the songs while rendering first time, since the songs and rhythm would be totally new. Alkaji explained that first of all they would try to fathom and understand the meaning of song or the line and after that tune their emotion and heart to reach the depth of feeling in the song or line "We have to cross many steps before the lyric finally reaches the end line," she said. At the end of two hours meet and greet session, the news media asked to them sing a few line of some of their songs. They both sang "Meine socha na News media and invited guests at the meet and greet news conference tha.' ings songs that they feel comfortable with. He said the artists gauging the public mood and tuning their performance accordingly would meet with huge success. The response of the audience is very important for the artists to give their best.
Microfinance icon Mohd Yunus captivates Boston Cont’d from page 19
His objective was to help poor people to escape poverty by providing loans on terms suitable to them and teaching them a few sound financial principles so they could help themselves. His personal loan to the destitute basket weavers in Bangladesh in the mid-70s gave rise to the idea of establishing Grameen Banks in rural areas of Bangladesh that sparked the world movement toward eradicating poverty through micro-lending. That is why he is
called the "Banker to the Poor." Replicas of the Grameen Bank model operate in more than 100 countries worldwide. His dedicated work in the area of sustainable economic development has been recognized with more than 100 awards from 26 countries, including the Nobel Peace Prize, the U.S. Presidential Medal of Freedom, and the U.S. Congressional Gold Medal. In 2012, Fortune magazine named him one of the 12 greatest entrepreneurs of all time. Beside his glorious recognition, he faced some
allegations and criticism but remains highly respected as a forward thinker on breaking the cycle of poverty. The audience enjoyed his very inspiring speech and applauded with claps the successes in his long journey and laughed at the incidents which he narrated with a touch of humor. His motivational speech made the audience pay him standing ovation. At the end, Johnson offered him the Becker Presidential Medal in the middle of another standing ovation and big round of applause.
struction of Levi's® Stadium and is involved with the review of all substantial development projects in Santa Clara such as Santa Clara Square, City Place and City-wide infrastructure improvement projects.
SANTA CLARA, CA: With over 13 years of experience with the City of Santa Clara, the City Council has unanimously appointed the Director of Public Works/City Engineer, Rajeev Batra as the long-term Acting City Manager. The announcement follows the formal acceptance of the resignation of City Manager, Julio Fuentes last month. "On behalf of the entire City Council, we thank Assistant City Manager/Economic Development Officer, Ruth Shikada for her willingness to step in as Acting City Manager while the Council went through the appointment process for the longterm Acting City Manager," said Mayor Lisa M. Gillmor. Of Mr. Batra, she said "not Rajeev Batra only does he have the experience and exceptional qualifications to be the Acting City ‘He will be able to lead Manager but he will be able to lead the City through a time of the City through a time transition where we will come of transition where we together as a Council and staff to work towards building a will come together as a bright future for Santa Clara." Council and staff to work Mr. Batra who, as Director of Public Works, led his depart- towards building a bright ment to deliver programs and future for Santa Clara’ projects successfully over the past 13 years, such as Mr. Batra is married to Anu Northside Library, Mission City Ballroom at the Convention Cen- Batra for the last 37 years and they have grown twin boys. He looks ter, and Fire Stations 2, 3 and 4, along with forward to working with the Counother infrastructure projects. In ad- cil and community to continue to dition, Mr. Batra was integral with make Santa Clara a great place to the planning, design and con- live and work.
Shabana, Javed weave magic with 'Kaifi Aur Main' Cont’d from page 17
Besides being renowned for her extraordinary contribution in the film industry, Shabana Azmi has made a mark for herself in the field of social activism. She has fought for various causes like child survival, fighting AIDS and communal harmony. Javed Akhtar is an eminent Indian film scriptwriter, lyricist and poet, whose lineage can be traced back to seven generations of renowned Urdu writers, poets and freedom fighters. A respected social commentator and activist admired for his secular, liberal and progressive values, Akhtar has written a large number of poems
against communalism, social injustice, national integration and for women's rights. He has received five national awards and15 Filmfare Awards. Akhtar has also been nominated to the Rajya Sabha by the President of India (2010) and is a recipient of the Padma Bhushan, the third highest civilian award in India. His publications include his first poetry collection Tarkash, currently in its 11th edition in Hindi and 7th in Urdu. It has been translated into English, French and a range of Indian regional languages. According to a recent survey done by a publisher's organization, it is the most sold book of verses in the last 60 years in India.
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Alka & Sanu charm Chicago music lovers Kumar Sanu and Alka Yagnik performing
Organizers and artists (L-R) Kumar Sanu, Rocky (Rakesh) Kaushal, Mayur Patel, Babubhai Patel, Alka Yagnik, Nick Patel and Bhavesh Patel Asian Media USA
CHICAGO: Front runners in hosting entertainment shows in Chicagoland, Sahil, and La Tan have paired one more time bringing highly acclaimed Bollywood singers Kumar Sanu and Alka Yagnik, together on Friday April 8 at Sears Center Arenain Hoffman Estate, a northwest Chicago suburb. A band of twenty talented musicians from India added spice to the highly entertaining musical presentation. The Emcee Ravi Raj Kandle integrated various graphics on the fly with live camera feed of the concert to the venue's two 15 ft x28 ft media screens. The vibrant concert proved to be a treat for music lovers of all ages seen clapping, singing, dancing, and enjoying the concert from start to finish. Kumar Sanu kickstarted the scintillating evening with a number of chartbusters which included: "Dheeray dheeray se merizindagi main aana", "Do dil mil rahe haimagar chupke chupke." After a huge
A section of the audience
round of applause, he moved on to such saccharine-sweet romantic compositions as "Bas ek sanam chahiye ashique ke liye", "Ek ladki ko dekha to aisa laga", etc. This was followed by a wave of soulful melodies, including: "Tumeri zindagi hai tu meri her khushi hai", "Jab koi baat bigad jai tum dena saath mera." Alka Yagnik, who is called the nightingale of India, set the stage on fire by giving a power-packed rendition of her all- time hits,including "Tum pas aaye yun muskuraye tum ne na jane kyssapne dikhai", "Akele hai to kya gham hai", "Lal dupatta urgaya teri hawa ke jhoke se","Tum aai to aaya yaad gali mai aaj chand nikla", Cont’d on page 23
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SEF presents magnificent trio Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy
Sikhs celebrate Vaisakhi with POC
and music composer. His first album called 'Breathless' left many speechless. He has won the National award four times, three times for best playback singer and once for best music director. For his heart touching song "Meri Maa" from Taare Zameen Par he deservingly won an award for best playback singer.
SURENDRA ULLAL
India Post News Service
SAN JOSE, CA: Sankara Eye Foundation (SEF) and Balaji Entertainment have organized an evening with the magnificent trio Shankar, Ehsaan, Loy, featuring Siddharth Mahadevan live. This fabulous show will be held on April 29 in San Jose CA, April 30
Shankar, Ehsaan, Loy
in Seattle WA, May 7 in Austin TX, and May 14 in Newark NJ. Shankar Ehsaan Loy will give a heartfelt tribute to R.D Burman and S.D Burman. This event will be extra special for those who cherish the music of yester years with a touch of fusion. By the end of this evening, Shankar, Ehsaan, Loy will surely leave you mesmerized. Shankar Mahadevan born March 6, 1967 in Mumbai, Maharashtra, is a famous singer
Ehsaan Noorani born October 12, 1963 in Hyderabad India is a famous music composer and guitarist. He has lent his vocals to many Bollywood songs such as "Ek Junoon" from Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara and "Don The Theme" from Don. Loy Mendonsa played guitar and piano for A.R Rehman before he became a music composer. Siddharth Mahadevan, born April 16, 1993, is the son of
Shankar Mahadevan, and is a playback singer and composer himself. He is a promising new talent and is well known for his debut song "Zinda" from the film Bhaag Milkha Bhaag and his most recent hit song "Malang Malang" from Dhoom 3. The trio of Shankar/Ehsaan/ Loy has created magic together and won many national awards for best Music Direction with such hits as Kaal Ho Na Ho, Dil Chahta Hai, Bunty aur Babli and Rock On. They also won awards for Two States (Best Music) and Mission Kashmir (Best Background Music). Established in the Bay Area, SEF is a non-profit organization that has been working for the past fifteen years for the cause of eradicating curable blindness in India. Driven by the truly inspirational vision of "Vision 20/20 by the year 2020," SEF currently has 11 hospitals and is working on three new hospitals- in Hyderabad, Indore and Jaipur. By far the most unique and remarkable characteristic of SEF is that they provide free eye care for those unable to afford it, the rural poor. These account for 80 percent-which is approximately 150,000 people per year-of the surgeries performed at their hospitals. The tireless efforts by the SEF team since inception, has enabled over 1.35 million people to receive the gift of vision, utterly free of cost. Also, it has maintained the top rating from Charity Navigator for sound fiscal management.
CHICAGO: Sikhs from Palatine Gurdwara celebrated Vaisakhi with students and members of Partners of our Community, commonly known as POC. Vaisakh is a month in Indian calendar and Sikhs were baptized on April 13 to be called Khalsa. Thakar Singh Basati organized the program and importance of Vaisakhi as a harvest festival was
tained Vaisakhi greeting cards made by Mandeep Kaur Gill and paper about Sikh religion provided by S Kuldip Singh Makker. Of course there were goodies in it too. Sweet rice and vegetarian Parantha (stuffed chapatti) were made by priests of Sikh Religious Society who are taking free English classes there. Bhai Parminderjit Singh recited Sikh
At the Sikh Vaisakhi celebrations (L-R) Thakar S Basati, student from POC, Kathy Millin, Director POC and Bhai Mohinder Singh
explained. Bhai Mohinder Singh explained the importance of turban in Sikh religion. He explained some important aspects of Sikh religion to attendees. Dr Jasbir Kaur Saluja, President Sikh Religious Society, welcomed people to the ceremony which consisted of giving Happy Vaisakhi goody bags that con-
Ardaas (prayer). Bhai Mohinder Singh explained the meaning of Ardaas. Some Bhangra steps were also taught. Turbans were tied to nonSikhs. They were invited to visit the Gurdwara. Thakar Basati is on the Executive Board of POC and also one of founding members of POC.
Veterans of India honor Alka Bhatnagar India Post News Service
MILPITAS, CA: Veterans of India (VOI) is an informal organization of ex military officers of India's armed forces (Army, Navy & Air Force) in San Francisco Bay Area & surrounding communities.
Alka Bhatnagar who is highly accomplished, multifaceted Bollywood singer is a part of VOI fraternity
It was founded by Col Rupinder Singh, PhD. in the year 1999. Over the years, participation of this fraternity has grown exponentially. The social events of this association are held approximately once a quarter with quality musical & dance programs.
Alka Bhatnagar who is highly accomplished, multifaceted Bollywood singer is a part of VOI fraternity. She was honored recently by VOI at Milan Restaurant, Milpitas, CA on her receipt of very prestigious UP "Ratna Award " in deep appreciation of her outstanding, dedicated service to community through music, art & culture.
April 15, 2016
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PEN condemns murder of Student in Bangladesh NEELA PANDYA
NEW YORK: PEN America has condemned the brutal killing of a student in Bangladesh in what appears to be another targeted attack by Islamist militants on those who express dissident viewpoints.
also reiterate our demand for the United States and other countries that are able to provide refuge to shelter those writers who are still at grave risk before more lives are lost. This killing is a cruel illustra-
State John Kerry to consider granting humanitarian parole to Bangladeshi writers at risk. Since then, PEN America has had ongoing dialogue with the State Department concerning the importance
been killed in Bangladesh since February 2015; three others have survived attacks and dozens more have been publically threatened by religious extremists. Islamist groups published a "hit list" of 84 secular bloggers in late 2014, and further lists published in 2015
have also targeted journalists, academics, and members of civil society. Police and other authorities have offered little in the way of assistance or protection, leading dozens of bloggers to go into hiding or leave the country in order to stay alive.
Alka & Sanu charm Chicago music lovers Cont’d from page 21
Karin Deutsch Karlekar
Nazimuddin Samad
The persistent failure of the Bangladeshi government and the international community to ?better protect threatened thinkers has created a climate of fear and direct threat to free thought in the country, PEN sources said. Nazimuddin Samad, whose writings on Facebook promoted secular themes and criticized radical Islam, was attacked while walking home from an evening law school class at Jagannath University. According to the Dhaka Tribune, witnesses said that the assailants chanting "Allahu Akbar" hacked Samad with machetes in the street before shooting him. The attackers, who appeared to know Samad's daily route, remain at large. Samad was not known to have received explicit threats prior to the murder. "For more than a year, Bangladesh has been ravaged by a spate of bloody attacks on bloggers and other writers who espouse secular viewpoints," said Karin Deutsch Karlekar, director of Free Expression Programs at PEN America. "We urge the Bangladeshi police and other authorities to do everything in their power to investigate and prosecute this vicious attack on free speech and thought, and halt this terrible pattern of murders. We
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tion of the costs of inaction." In December 2015, PEN America led a coalition of organizations in sending a letter to Secretary of
of measures to protect free thought in Bangladesh. At least five other writers, bloggers, and publishers have
"We urge the Bangladeshi police and other authorities to do everything in their power to investigate and prosecute this vicious attack on free speech and thought�
"Tip tip barsa pani pani mai aag lagai"," Bole churiya bole kangna", "Ek, do, teen, char, panch, che, sath." Culmination slowly creeping in was with the duets of Kumar Sanu and Alka Yagnik. Both of them rendered the everlasting melodies and immortal rock songs from the 70's, 80's, and 90's and mesmerized the audience. As expected, they created magic with their timeless songs and took the listeners down memory lane. "Tumhe dekha to ye jana sanam pyar hota hai deewana sanam", "Mera dil bhi kitna pagal hai ke pyar tum hi se kerta hai", and many more. They also sang such hit duets
as "Ghunghat ki oud se dilbar ka deedar adhoora lagta hai", "Ladki badi anjani hai", etc. on huge public demand.Two popular singers from Chicago, Chetan Laxman Rana and Anuradha Gosh, also enthralled the audience by singing select solos and duets. "Our commitment to entertain music lovers will continue unabated. Many more high-profile events, aimed at bringing qualitatively-rich entertainment, are in the pipeline such as Dream Team on August 19 at Sears Center Arena", said Bhavesh Patel and Nick Patel. Savi Singh from Starz Entertainment that had teamed with Sahil and LaTan for the show also padded up what Patels said to the delight of all present
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Spectacular musical Shanti comes to Bay Area
India Post News Service
Can you imagine 250 performers on stage singing melodious chant like notes, set to India
Raagas, but that combine a Western orchestra and choir? The music of "Shanti - A Journey of Peace" will reverberate in the Bay area during its inaugural perfor-
mance on April 30 at the Flint Center Auditorium. Shanti is an acclaimed multi-media musical performance that premiered to a capacity audience on
May 1, 2004 at the University of Cincinnati's Great Hall and launched the Indo-American choral movement in the US. Shanti in Sanskrit means peace. Shanti-A Journey of Peace, is a contemporary oratorio in Sanskrit. It is a spectacular multi-media musical produc-
Dr. Kanniks Kannikeswaran
tion that integrates western choral and orchestral music with Indian
musical and dance elements. Created by Cincinnati based music composer/educator Dr. Kanniks Kannikeswaran, Shanti is an expansive and collaborative performance that explores the meaning of peace and interconnectedness through a music score that cuts across cultures and brings ancient chants for peace to life in a contemporary setting. Kanniks' opening invocation 'Mahavakya' was performed by his daughter Vidita Kanniks at the historic reception accorded to the Indian Prime Minister at Madison Square Garden, New York in 2014 and his anthem for the Indian diaspora in Sanskrit opened the Indiaspora Conference in 2015. Cont’d on page 26
April 15, 2016
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Guyana school terms called Divali, Ramnavami MADHU PATEL
GUYANA: Saraswati Vidya Niketan (SVN), a Hindu Secondary School in Guyana's West Coast Demerara, divides the school year in unique four terms: Divali, Ramnavmi, Vyasa Purnima and Grishma. Besides 15 standard subjects in its curriculum, non-profit SVN also teaches "Hindu Culture", including Vedic studies, Bharatnatyam and Kathak. Its history goes back to 1998, but it opened in 2002. Its motto includes "Satyam vada dharmamcara" (Speak the truth. Practice righteousness.) and its "philosophy of education" is concerned with the "overall development and transformation of the student". Besides encouraging academic brilliance, it claims to "foster the eternal and universal hu-
man values of compassion, fearlessness, truth, forgiveness, and non-injury". Swami Aksharananda and Tanuja Gopaul are Principal and Vice-Prin-
cipal respectively. Commending efforts of SVN to instill Hindu values among the pupils, Rajan Zed, president of Universal Society of Hinduism, has
urged the Hindu community to work towards opening more Hindu schools in West Indies. He observed that such schools would help Hindu children to strengthen
their spiritual and moral roots and enlighten interested non-Hindus about the concepts and philosophy of the oldest and third largest religion of the world.
Guyana School and its classroom
A play that unites one family, one humanity India Post News Service
SUNNYVALE, CA: As the world responds to the recent spate of horrific terrorist attacks, the deeply misguided actions of a few are unfortunately coloring public perceptions of a larger, peace-loving populace. The increasingly aggressive rhetoric against Islam and its followers by exploitative demagogues is worrisome. These adverse reactions beg the question: aren't we playing right into the hands of fundamentalists who would like nothing more than to make this an 'us vs. them' race to the annihilation of humanity? The Bay Area Drama Company felt this was an opportune time to bring back "The Domestic Crusaders", a play by Wajahat Ali that was originally staged Off Broadway, Berkeley Rep, and at numerous theatres across the United States and the world, garnering
generous praise along the way. "The Domestic Crusaders" is a dramatic comedy in English directed by Ravi Bhatnagar. The show runs May 8-22 at the Sunnyvale Theatre. The story is about six members of a Pakistani-American Muslim family, spanning three generations, reuniting at the family home to celebrate the youngest son's 21st birthday. As the day unfolds, they spar over their own unique take on the events unfurling around them, and how they perceive their individual roles. The play is about diversity of thought and reaction, but also about what brings and ultimately keeps us together. Despite their sometimes vehement disagreements, they are bound inextricably together as 'one family'. "The Domestic Crusaders" will leave you wondering why we cannot come together as 'one humanity'.
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Spectacular musical Shanti comes to Bay Area Cont’d from page 24
Having wowed audiences for over 10 years, in the Eastern, Midwestern and Southern Regions of the US, Shanti comes to the Bay Area for the first time. Shanti's cast of 250 features singers and dancers from the Bay Area Indian community, the Santa Clara Chorale and a chamber orchestra. Shanti is a ground breaking creation in the history of world music, and represents the ultimate meeting of Western and Eastern cultures.Shanti is perfect for families, connoisseurs, and music lovers of both Western and Indian genres, and is a great way to celebrate the multi-cultural and diverse world that we live in, especially at a time, when stories of violence pervade the daily news cycle. While the Bay Area is inundated with performances, shows, music and dance, competitions and other forms of entertainment, three aspects make Shanti an absolutely unique and one of a kind event. Firstly, most performers are drawn from the Bay Area: This is one aspect that distinguishes Shanti from other performances where the performers are usually
stars coming from elsewhere. The community of singers and dancers, who will bring Shanti to life, have been practicing for many months now. Singers from the area have been working with composer Dr. Kanniks Kannikeswaran since August 2015 to bring this music score to life, much like previous performances in Houston, Atlanta and elsewhere. Secondly, Shanti belongs to a unique musical genre: It is a unique mixture of Indian Classical Music that springs from the Raaga tradition and the classical western arrangements of Orchestra and Choir. Thirdly, there is the enormous diversity of people who are coming together to create Shanti in the Bay Area.
The Santa Clara Chorale, a western choir, has also been practicing Indian Raagas and Sanskrit chants to join the Indian singers, in a one of kind musical event. Speaking about the opportunity to
work on the Shanti performance, Scott Hanna-Weir, the conductor of the Santa Clara Chorale said "I am always looking for new and exciting repertoire to program with my ensembles, and the opportunity to work on Shanti not only provides that, but also a tremendous opportunity for cultural ex-
committed to this cultural harmony as the basis of spiritual accomplishment. I congratulate the entire team and the leader, Kannikeswaran, a musicologist and visionary". S. Ramadorai, Vice chairman, Tata Consultancy Services, said "In 1938, writer Raja Rao, in his revolutionary preface to Kanthapura wrote; "One has to convey in a language that is not one's own the spirit that is one's own...We cannot write like the English. We should not. We cannot write only as Indians. We have grown to look at the large world as part of us.These words rings true in the context of Kanniks Kannikeswaran's music. It would be hard to restrict it as Indian music, yet strictly speaking, his music springs forth from Saaman of Vedic times and reaches through the ragas of classical India to the recent Celtic lilts of Muthuswami Dikshitar. Through Shanti and his larger orchestral works, Kanniks stands out as a truly innovative and global, yet deeply Indian, music composer who has been able to bring together a deep understanding of both Western and Indian musical
change and fellowship. The Chorale is thrilled to be participating in this project." Speaking about Shanti - Pujya Swami Dayananda Saraswati, (1930-2015), has said "Shanti is a grand theatrical performance involving many artists and musical instruments, all brought together to enjoy the experience of harmony of different expressions of culture, without losing each one's individuality. This is what is required by humanity a capacity to enjoy each other, without the pressure to change and bring others to the melting pot of one's own culture.A program like "Shanti" makes us appreciate the riches of global culture. The people involved in staging "Shanti" are
traditions in a manner that is absolutely unique and enriches the entire world of music." On seeing Shanti in Cincinnati, the former CEO of Proctor and Gamble, John Pepper had this to say: "What a magnificent Show! A truly uplifting night. From start to finish, in all its complexity and its simplicity, the presentation was masterful and the content luminous. What you and the cast did Saturday night had an enormous impact on me and I would guess every member of the audience. As I learned about Shanti: A Journey in Peace, I embraced its purpose immediately.The fact that this initiative started in Cincinnati and spread to other parts of the coun-
Singers from the area have been working with composer Dr. Kanniks Kannikeswaran since August 2015 to bring this music score to life, much like previous performances in Houston, Atlanta and elsewhere.
try is a testament to its quality." Former Ambassador of India to the US, Lalit Mansingh, has said "The Indian dance and music tradition is as rich and powerful as it is ancient. To fuse this heritage
"One has to convey in a language that is not one's own the spirit that is one's own...We cannot write like the English. We should not. We cannot write only as Indians.� with what is probably the youngest, if not the most vibrant ? i.e. the American music and theater ? is indeed a unique experiment. This seamless integration will add a new dimension to the cultural ties between the two countries and create a truly universal musical show. May the message of 'Shanti'
or 'Peace' spread forth across the globe". Shanti is the ultimate confluence of peoples and cultures; it celebrates the diversity that characterizes our global era through the language of music and dance. Shanti embodies the possibilities for concord amongst the world's civilizations in the face of cultural and ideological differences. Shanti is a celebration of Peace and our essential oneness transcending linguistic and cultural borders.Shanti - A Journey of Peace is being brought to you to the West coast by Dharma Civilization Foundation, for two performances, one at the Flint Center, Cupertino, on April 30th, and an encore performance at the Interstake Center auditorium on May 21st. Dharma Civilization Foundation Dharma Civilization Foundation, (DCF) is an American 501c3 non-profit organization, registered in the State of California. The mission of DCF is to promote philanthropic giving for creating academic and intellectual infrastructure for the systematic study of "Dharma", its interpretation and application in modern contexts, in formal academic settings. Shanti is being brought to you in the Bay Area in support of its flagship initiative at the Graduate Theological Union, Berkeley California, where a Center for Dharma Studies was launched in the year 2015. This Center will offer MA and PhD programs in Hindu Studies to begin with, and will eventually support programs in the other Dharma traditions as well. DCF, in the years to come, aspires to support undergraduate courses and minors in Hindu studies and Dharma studies at the undergraduate level at institutions such as UC, Berkeley, Mills, Mary's and other colleges.
Thaman Live in concert in Bay Area India Post News Service
"Raaga Lahari" is back with SS.Thaman Live in concert and team of 15 amazing musicians (Sri Krishna, Deepu, Geetha Madhuri, Sameera n others) on 23 April 7 pm at Flint Center. The Celebrity Guest will be leading Telugu actress Rakul Preet Singh. Sensational anchor Rashmi Gautham is hosting the show. It is organized by U'N'Me Entertainmentz and Towne3 with
Calhomes Ramana Reddy as Sponsor.
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Significance of Chaitra - first month in Hindu calendar PT ANIL JOSHI
A
ccording to Hindu calendar, Chaitra is the first month and its first day is celebrated as the start of Hindu New Year. This calendar known as Hindu Punchang is based on Luni-Solar system that is very much close to accuracy. Even in modern times, it is re-
Pt Anil Joshi
leased with Vedic rituals and read with great devotion by Pandits on this day for their devotees, after the worship of their Ishta Devata, Kula Devata and Gram Devata. For Hindus, this year is VikramSamvat2073 that begins on
Chaitra Shukla Pratipada. New Year festivals like Chaitra Navaratri, Ugadi, and Gudi Padwa will be celebrated in India and abroad. People visit temples, greet each other and pray for a healthy, wealthy and prosperous life. Above all, seeking blessing from religious places on this day holds an additional significance. Chaitra Navratri that generally comes in the months of MarchApril marks the end of the winter season and beginning of the short spring followed by the summer in India. Chaitra Navaratri is also known as Vasant or Vaishnava or Ram Navratri. It is celebrated more traditionally with great pomp and devotion in the northern part of India. This year, Chaitra Navratri is on April 8 and will continue for 9 days until Friday, 16th April. Devi Pujan along with Kalash and sowing of paddy will be performed with family members, relatives and friends by fasting till nine days,
singing hymns to get the good health, wisdom and blessing of Goddesses. The Kanyapujan is performed on the eighth day and some people also perform it on ninth day. Apart from food, people also offer money and many other forms of gifts to young girls. In Hinduism, women are worshipped as equal to goddesses, during their childhood as Kanya, adulthood as Lakshmi and during post-adulthood as Devi Maa. Chaitra Navratri is the most significant festival of Hindus because during this time of the year, it is considered that there is an important junction of climatic and solar influences. This period is taken as a sacred opportunity to worship the Divine Mother Durga, the Goddess of cosmic powers, to be blessed by Her divine benediction, new energy and vigor. Chaitra Navratri also marks the onset of the Ghreeshma or summer season, when the Mother Nature undergoes a major climatic change. It is a popular belief that by observing a vrat (fast) during the Chaitra Navratri, the body is prepared for ensuing summer season. It is also believed that if devotees worship Goddess Durga with-
out any worldly desires to be fulfilled, they will attain salvation. The ninth day of the Navratri festivity is also celebrated as the birthday of Lord Rama which marks the end of Chaitra-Navaratri celebrations. In temples and houses, the images of Baby Ram will be placed in the cradles and swung with devotion using flower ropes. At temples special Homam, Abhishekam, Puja, Aaarti will be
bring them to temples. Lord Vishnu took Lord Ram Avatar to destroy the demon Ravan and uphold Dharma. It is one of India's most pious, joyous, and enlightening festivals which promotes Lord Rama's message of Dharma, neeti, adarsha, manavata and victory of good over evil. Celebrations on this day begin with prayers and observing fast. The best place to see the fes-
It is one of India's most pious, joyous, and enlightening festivals which promotes Lord Rama's message of Dharma, neeti, adarsha, manavata and victory of good over evil. Celebrations on this day begin with prayers and observing fast. done amidst the chanting of Vedic mantras. Pravachans, devotional Keertans, singing of Bhajans, continuous recitals of Ramayana will begin 9 days in advance. On 9th day, devotees will complete their Ramayana Path before noon and celebrate Ram Janma Utsav at noon with all Vedic rituals and distributing toys and candies to children. Devotees decorate their baby as Baby Ram and
tivities in full swing is Ayodhya, the city where Lord Rama was born. The whole city will be decorated with illuminating lights and garlands of flowers. The procession of decorated chariots will be the highlights of the grand celebrations. Blessings of Lord Rama for family welfare and applying his principles and ideologies in life will ensure balance, stability, and peace.
TOP TEN HINDI FILM SONGS
1 Kar Gayi Chull : Kapoor & Sons 2 Jabra Fan: Fan 3 Sanam Re: Sanam Re 4 Soch na Sake: Airlift 28 India Post
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5 High Heels Te Nachche: Ki & Ka 6 Yeh Fitoor Mera : Fitoor 7 Gerua: Dilwale 8 Agar Tum Saath Ho : Tamasha 9 Janam Janam : Dilwale 10 Hua Hai Aaj Pehli Baar : Sanam Re
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he has worked with Shah Rukh Khan and Aamir Khan and will soon be seen sharing screen space with Salman Khan in 'Sultan'. Actress Anushka Sharma says working with Bollywood's three Khans is "unique and fun" as well as learning experience. The actress will be seen essaying the role of a wrestler in 'Sultan'. When asked if there is a sense of accomplishment after working with all the three Khans of Bollywood, Anushka says: "They all are unique and fun to work with; you get to learn so much from them. I am lucky that I got a
chance to work with all of them." A celebrity's life is constantly in public gaze, and Anushka has also had her share of gossip - be it her link up rumors, speculations around marriage or her break up stories with cricketer Virat Kohli. When asked how she deals with people looking for some 'chatpata' stuff around a celebrity's life, Anushka says she knows the perfect way to deal with them. "Being in the profession for a long time, I've learnt to take it all a little nimbu maar ke."
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lia Bhatt and Shah Rukh Khan, who will share the screen space in Gauri Shinde's next, will not be romancing around. According to a leading magazine, the 23year-old actress will be wooed by Aditya Roy Kapur, Ali Zafar, Kunal Kapoor and Angad Bedi in the flick. Shinde, who last directed 'English Vinglish,' said that SRK and Alia's romance will be anything but conventional. And she is keeping her promise. SRK will be a man who helps Alia figure out how to find love in her life. While it is a key role, it's nothing near the romantic lead that it was assumed to be. In the flick, Alia plays a filmmaker, who is scripthunting for a short film.
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n American travels to India in search of his girlfriend, only to discover that a guru with mysterious powers may be behind her vanishing act. "'The Ashram' is a spiritual, fantasy-thriller with magic and discovery," says Guneet Monga, who produced 'Gangs of Wasseypur,' 'The Lunchbox' and 'Masaan,' among others. The film rolled in Manali and will be shot over a twomonth schedule. . The story has been cowritten by Binky Mendez. 'The Namesake' and 'Harold & Kumar' actor, Kal Penn, who gave his nod within 24 hours of reading the script, features alongside Melissa Leo, who won the Golden Globe and Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance as Alice Eklund-Ward in 'The Fighter.' Hollywood actors Sam Keeley ('Burnt,' TV series 'Raw') and Hera Hilmar ('Anna Karenina') are also a part of the film.
Bollywood
April 15, 2016
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areena Kapoor Khan will soon begin doing Ribhu Dasgupta's thriller which will see her kicking and punching. In an interview to Mirror, the actress had admitted to rejecting over six scripts in the last three months, including Raj Kumar Gupta's 'Section 84' in which she was to play a schizophrenic and Sanjay Gupta's revenge-drama 'Kaabil' opposite Hrithik Roshan. "Yes, I have become choosy and I don't want to do films back-to-back. I will begin my next film around June and have been reading a lot of scripts. I am not insecure, and in no hurry either. I am content with where I am and have a large and diverse body of work behind me and would love to play interesting characters," she had asserted, adding that she'd love to work with new directors who have a story to tell. A source said that for the new thriller, "She is excited to be playing a serious, deglam, independent woman who finds herself in the midst of chaos when things don't go as planned. She will also be seen kicking and punching. It's unlike anything Kareena has done before."
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bhishek Bachchan is currently in the process of recovering from a slipped disc. The actor had been dealing with a severe back pain for a while now, and it was recently diagnosed as a slipped disc. Junior Bachchan will be out of action for about a month now. A source has been quoted as saying, "Due to his Pro Kabaddi league commitments earlier this year, he had been travelling extensively, leading to a lot of discomfort. He had been popping painkillers, but after his condition worsened, tests proved that he had a slipped disc." Bachchan was in Dubai recently for a charity event. He was then snapped along with father Amitabh Bachchan at the India-Pakistan World T20 match two weeks ago. The actor took to Instagram to share a glimpse of his 'healing time'.
“The movie will be along the lines of show 'The Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants' that starred Blake Lively�
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onam Kapoor is all set to show her girly avatar in her upcoming chick flick that is titled ' Veerey Di Shaadi.' The flick will be directed by Shashanka Ghosh from the 'Khoobsurat' remake fame and will be produced by her younger sister Rhea Kapoor. The movie will be along the lines of show 'The Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants' that starred Blake Lively. A leading daily reported that it is a journey about four girls going on a crazy trip and finding love. The girls will travel from Delhi to Europe and the makers have already begun scouting for suitable locations. The script will be locked and the prep done in a month's time. The film will roll in June. The film is also said to star Swara Bhaskar in the other lead role.
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Realty Tidbits
Sober homes under more supervision CHICAGO: Sober homes in Illinois are under more government supervision than in other states. Illinois has been licensing the facilities since the 1990s following complaints about crowded, hazardous conditions. Today, complaint investigations are conducted on licensed homes - as well as anyone attempting to operate one without a license. Illinois has 90 licensed sober homes, a number that has grown about 10 percent over the past three years. Theodora Binion, retired director of Illinois' Division of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse, says they are cost-effective. It costs the Illinois Department of Corrections about $48 per day to house an offender in a sober home, compared to $64 per day in prison. Last year, Illinois spent $4.8 million housing parolees in sober homes - up 25 percent in the last three years. -AP
„ Finance firms exempted from XBRL filings NEW DELHI: Providing relaxation for housing finance companies, the Corporate Affair Ministry has exempted such entities from filing financial statements in XBRL format. XBRL, or Extensible Business Reporting Language, provides a common, electronic format for business reporting. In a recent notification, the Corporate Affairs Ministry said "housing finance companies need not file financial statements" under the XBRL rules. The ministry, which is implementing the Companies Act, has amended the Companies (Filing of Documents and Forms in Extensible Business Reporting Language) Rules. Banking, insurance, power sector and non-banking finance companies are already exempted. XBRL is a data-rich dialect of XML (Extensible Markup Language), the universally preferred language for transmitting information via the Internet, as per the ministry's website. It was developed mainly to communicate between businesses and other users of financial information, such as analysts, investors and regulators. Among others, companies having paid up capital of at least Rs 500 crore or those with a turnover of Rs 100 crore or more have to follow XBRL rules. -PTI
Real Estate 30 India Post
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Housing.Com to spend $7 mn on ads NEW DELHI: Realty portal Housing.Com plans to spend up to USD 7 million on advertisements this fiscal as it looks to strengthen its brand equity. Softbankbacked company, which has announced the launch of its first ever TV campaign, will be releasing a slew of ads on electronic, digital and social media platforms targeting consumers in the age range of 25-40.
April 15, 2016
Details on Page 31
Owning a duplex can help you save and make money
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or a fresh real estate invest ment idea, consider duplex ownership. Duplex is a dwelling with two independent living units that share a common wall but have separate entrances. Duplexes are attractive investments because one of the units can be rented out, bringing in cash; meanwhile, duplexes are "exempt from much of the municipal regulation that most states impose on housing structures of three or more units," says Matthew Reischer, a real estate attorney in New York City. An added benefit is that as rents go up, revenue improves - but the
mortgage remains a fixed cost. About deductions Duplex owners who rent out one unit are allowed to take the same deductions as with singlefamily residences. "Hence, you are still allowed to deduct half of your mortgage interest, half of your property taxes, and half of your mortgage insurance premiums in an owner-occupied duplex," Reischer says. Duplexes can be used several ways: rent out one or both units, use one side for an office, or house extended family. Live on one side, rent out the other When the owner occupies one unit and rents out the second, the rent can offset part of the mortgage payment. "The owner will be able to claim
ERICA LAMBERG
depreciation on the income-producing unit, thereby reducing income tax liability," says Joe Parsons, senior loan officer with PFS Funding, a mortgage banker located in Dublin, California.
multiple tenants. It's often cheaper than buying two single-family
traffic is appropriate. Living next to the office in a
houses. Reischer says it's easier to obtain financing for duplexes than it is for buildings with six units or more, which most banks categorize as commercial property. And maintenance and repairs are lower, says Bruce Ailion, an associate broker with Re/Max Town and Country in Atlanta. "It costs less to mow one yard than two, less to roof one structure than two, easier to lease two units at the same location than one," Ailion adds. Live in one side, use the other as an office For aspiring entrepreneurs, or professionals who like a
duplex saves commuting time, says Reischer, who adds that the owner may be able to write off the rent to himself or herself as a business expense. But be careful with the rental and tax thing: "Properly formalize the leasehold with an agreement and understand the specific tax consequences, which may vary, depending on how the business is organized," Reischer says.
Risks of renting out "Rental income will always have a certain amount of vacancy," Parsons says. "When a tenant leaves, the expenses, including the mortgage, continue." The tenant will be the owner's next-door neighbor, so it pays to be selective. Due diligence should include credit checks, references, verifying employment status and even a background check for
added peace of mind. Create a professional rental agreement and ask for security deposits for unexpected property damage or unlaw-
ful breaking of a lease. Rent out both units Owning a duplex is an easier way to become a landlord with
workspace independent of a home office, using the second unit as a professional office can save money - as long as there's sufficient parking and any customer
Using the second unit for extended family If elderly parents need to live close to adult children, a duplex arrangement may be the solution. Because each is an independent unit, privacy remains in place. Also, for 20-somethings fresh out of college or graduate school, renting an apartment or buying a condo may be out of reach. Allowing an adult child to live in one side of a duplex can help set the foundation for homeownership by saving money, says Dean Beckman, Realtor consultant with Beach Break Properties in San Diego. With that said, these adult children can also forge an arrangement with parents for a less-than-market rent agreement. Then, if the parents can afford it, they can pool the money collected and give it back to their child with hopes of investing in their own home. -Courtesy Bankrate.com
Real Estate Post
April 15, 2016
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Mom, daughter feature on TLC's 'My First Home' LAS CRUCES, N.M.: Las Cruces is about to get a little more exposure on the small screen, as the national television network TLC launches a new season of ``My First Home.'' The latest season of the show
ter the business she began when she returned to Las Cruces in 1988. Babbey, an Anthony-area native, wanted to return home after living for a time in Del Rio, Texas, and settle her family here. Just over three years ago,
A case manager Realtors Divelia “D.I.� Babbey, left, and her daughter Ashley Babbey, pose for a picture at a property they’ve listed for sale in Las Cruces, N.M.
crosses the nation in search of real estate agents who are trying to put customers into, as the title indicates, their first home, the Las Cruces Sun-News reported. Earlier this year, the network producers reached out to a Las Cruces mother-daughter duo to film a first-time buyer finding a home. Ashley Babbey Magill, 29 and mom D.I. Babbey, 54, have been working together since Babbey persuaded Magill to en-
Babbey persuaded her daughter to get a real estate license so they could work together. It was that mother-daughter partnership that drew the attention of the network executives. My First Home, which premiered in 2007 and launches its current season the second weekend in April, has not told Babbey and Magill exactly when their episode will run. But, they agreed, the dynamic they share was probably what lured the film crews to
southern New Mexico. ``We love it,'' Babbey said. ``We are best friends inside of work and outside of work. We love our jobs, so it's awesome.'' ``Maybe we are a little more comfortable with each other and we say what's on our minds,'' Magill said. ``That's a little of a downside.'' ``We are a little too open with each other,'' her mother added. ``But that's all.'' Filming was ``hard; really, really hard,'' Magill said. ``We'd start at 7 a.m. and finish at 7 p.m. But it was a really neat experience. We got to film at Sunset Grille and had the cameras all around. People thought we were famous. Our first-time homebuyer really loved it.'' The homebuyer, a single mother of three, had been in the market for a larger home for her growing family for a while. ``She came from a smaller mobile home and found a beautiful house,'' Magill said. Another upside was showing off the city - from New Mexico State University to Mesilla and the surrounding landscape to a national audience. ``They asked us to shoot them the nice parts of Las Cruces,'' Magill said. ``We are excited to see the show and what they put in there. You never see shows done in Las Cruces and to have one that is going to do that on a major network is good.'' The series will be carried on TLC channel 45 on Comcast. -AP
Housing.Com to spend $7 mn on ads NEW DELHI: Realty portal Housing.Com plans to spend up to USD 7 million on advertisements this fiscal as it looks to strengthen its brand equity. Softbank-backed company, which has announced the launch of its first ever TV campaign, will be releasing a slew of ads on electronic, digital and social media platforms targeting consumers in the age range of 25-40. "We have just launched the first ever television ad to strengthen our brand and establish deeper emotional connect with our consumers. We are looking at a marketing spend of USD 5-7 mil-
lion in 2016-17 for advertisements on TV, digital and social media," Housing.Com CMO Nikhil Rungta told PTI. The first ever TV campaign would be launched during this IPL. The media outreach will include channels across GECs, Sports, News, Movies and Regional. The campaign will also be amplified across online, social and mobile platforms. "Housing.Com has always gone that extra mile to transform home buying from a stressful process, to one full of ease. We believe that with this ad, our connect with the target group will get
stronger, confirming our commitment to being the most trusted platform to buy and sell homes in the country," he said. Earlier this week, Housing.Com announced that former business head of 99Acres.Com Vineet Singh has invested in the company. The amount invested was, however, not disclosed. Singh will closely work with the Housing.Com management team in a senior advisory role. In January, Japan-based SoftBank invested an additional Rs 100 crore in Housing.Com to drive the growth of the realty portal. -PTI
Unitech to raise Rs 500 cr from PE firms NEW DELHI: Realty firm Unitech is looking to raise about Rs 500 crore from private equity firms for the development of housing project in Noida and repay LIC's debt. The company is in advance stage of discussion with 2-3 private equity firms, including one from the Middle East, to raise funds, sources said. Unitech would use the amount raised to clear the dues of Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) and development of a new housing project in Noida, they added. The company has recently raised Rs 85 crore from Piramal group, sources said. Unitech had last year raised about Rs 70 crore from Piramal group to complete construction of its joint venture housing project in Chennai. Unitech spokesperson declined to comment on this matter. LIC has issued a notice to eauction Unitech's 14 lakh sq meter land in Noida on May 6 if the realty firm does not repay the entire dues before that date. The spokesperson said the company was in the process of making the outstanding payment to LIC shortly. "We are close to finalizing the funding for the same," the spokesperson said. The company's consolidated net debt as of December 31, 2015 stood at Rs 6,802.05 crore with debt to equity ratio at 0.64.
Unitech's Managing Director Sanjay Chandra had in February said the company was making efforts on multiple fronts to improve the cash flow for completing its ongoing projects. The company had made certain organizational changes to give sharper management focus to individual projects, Chandra had
Private equity (PE) investments in the realty sector rose by 72 per cent to Rs 25,683 crore during 2015, highest since 2008, mainly on fund infusion in the sluggish housing segment, according to property consultant Cushman & Wakefield. said. Real estate sector is facing a huge demand slowdown from last 3-4 years, forcing developers to raise funds from PE players to meet construction cost and repay debt. Private equity (PE) investments in the realty sector rose by 72 per cent to Rs 25,683 crore during 2015, highest since 2008, mainly on fund infusion in the sluggish housing segment, according to property consultant Cushman & Wakefield. -PTI
Govt confident on real estate regulators NEW DELHI: Urban Development Minister M Venkaiah Naidu has said he was confident that each state would be able to set up its regulator for the real estate sector within a year as envisaged in the Bill passed by Parliament. The ministry is working on the rules which need to framed for the Real Estate Bill within three months and then it will be circulated to the states. "My department is now internally discussing the rules which need to be framed within three months. Then it has to be communicated to the states and then each state has to set up a regulator. "I am confident about achieving the time-frame given in the Bill itself or even before the time-frame. I am actively pursuing it. It will be
before one year," he said during an interaction with journalists at Indian Women's Press Corps. The Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Bill, 2015, seeking to regulate the real estate sector, bring transparency and help protect consumer interests was passed last month in Parliament in the first leg of the Budget session. It will help establish state-level Real Estate Regulatory Authorities (RERAs) to regulate transactions related to both residential and commercial projects and ensure their timely completion and handover, Naidu had said in Parliament. He said that the government had recently released a set of building by-laws which empower urban local bodies to grant building permissions. -PTI
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April 15, 2016
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As housing market soars, poorest renters are priced out BREMERTON, Wash.: Crystal Turner stood in the kitchen of her cramped apartment and stared at the cracks in the fake wood flooring beneath her feet. Surrounding her was the home she'd made for herself and her two sons in the past year, since they moved out of her Toyota Camry and into Admiral Manor, a lowrent apartment complex in west Bremerton. There was the single bedroom with two kids' beds on the floor. The living room she'd decorated with signs that said ``Hope'' and ``Love.'' A dingy bathroom with a leaking toilet that had never been fixed. Admiral Manor wasn't the place Turner, a recovering addict, wanted to raise her boys. It was the place she could afford. ``It was better than nothing,'' she said. Turner can't afford Admiral Manor much longer, the Kitsap Sun reported. A Seattle company bought the 118-unit complex in January and began displacing tenants in waves as it prepared to renovate rooms and increase rent. During a visit in March, residents in Turner's block of apartments were awaiting 20day termination notices. For Turner, eviction likely meant a return to her Toyota and the street. ``I'm going to lose all this'' she said. ``It isn't much, but it's mine.'' The same upheaval taking place in apartments at Admiral Manor this spring is quietly playing out across Kitsap County as the economy gains strength and a long-slumbering real estate market roars back to life. Rents have surged. Vacancies are scarce. Once-cheap houses and apartment buildings like Admiral Manor are being renovated and rented at higher rates. Some federally subsidized developments have been converted to market-rate rentals, eating away at the county's stockpile of affordable units. With a large pool of tenants to choose from, landlords are less likely to lease to low-income families, even when they have money for rent. Frustration is simmering among those residents finding themselves priced out of homes. ``If you don't work at the shipyard, or you don't work for the Navy, you're screwed,'' said Laura McLovin, a pizza delivery driver who lost her Admiral Manor apartment at the end of February. McLovin was considering a move to Belfair. Bremerton, she said, had become too expensive. Affordable housing advocates say the sudden constriction of Kitsap's real estate market widened an existing gap in
affordability, a gap that will continue to grow unless new housing solutions are created. Reports from service agencies suggest rising costs already have added to the county's homeless population. ``A recovering economy is a great thing, except when it impacts people who are most vulnerable,'' Bremerton Housing Authority Executive Director Kurt Wiest said. Communities across the region are confronting similar pressures. Seattle recently declared a state of emergency on homelessness. Community leaders here warn
will stay in the area. King County residents trickled across Puget Sound, seeking refuge from Seattle's skyrocketing costs. A host of economic factors seemed to converge in 2015. ``The pent up demand finally let loose,'' Eliason said. ``The problem with housing is the inventory hasn't been there.'' The average number of homes for sale in the county plunged 30 percent last year. The vacancy rate at large apartment complexes, which had been as high as 10 percent in 2013, dove to about 3 per-
An apartment at Admiral Manor in West Bremerton allowed Crystal Turner to move her family out of her car. But the complex is changing ownership and tenants have been given eviction notices as the new company prepares to renovate it. Turner fears she will have to return to living in her car.
Kitsap is facing a housing emergency of its own. ``Sometimes I wonder if we don't have an undeclared crisis,'' said Joe Roszak, CEO of Kitsap Mental Health Services, which reported a growing number of vulnerable clients priced out of rentals. ``I think it's happening already.'' DEMAND `LET LOOSE' Kitsap's housing squeeze was years in the making, according to real estate professionals. Home construction slowed to a virtual halt during the recession as sales fell off, contractors went out of business and platted developments slipped into foreclosure. Home construction ground back into gear across the county over the past few years, but demand rebounded faster, said Mike Eliason, CEO of the Kitsap County Association of Realtors. More people hunted for new homes and rentals as the economy improved and consumer confidence grew. Emerging trends heaped additional housing demand on the peninsula. New jobs came online, including hundreds of shipyard positions. The Navy stationed a second aircraft carrier, USS Nimitz, in Bremerton through 2019, ensuring nearly 3,000 military households
cent. Property managers said the vacancy rate for single-family homes was as low, if not lower. ``I've never seen the market as tight as it is now,'' Wiest said. High demand and low supply helped drive up prices. Buyers paid a median of $258,500 for Kitsap homes in 2015, an 8 percent increase from the year before. Average apartment rent jumped 15 percent _ about $143 _ climbing to more than $1,000 for the first time. The strong rental market was a refreshing change for landlords. To tenants already scraping to pay rent, it signaled trouble. PRESSURE ON LANDLORDS ``Welcome back to the `70s,'' Ben Nelson said, pushing open the door to a one-bedroom apartment in Madrona Estates, a lowrent complex on the outskirts of Bremerton. The apartment inside was small, clean and simple. A bathroom, tiny kitchen and living room were wedged into the ground floor. A spiral staircase led to a sleeping loft above, a funky layout devised 40 years ago, when the complex opened as a motel. It's not the retro vibe but cheap rents that draw tenants to Madrona Estates. Studios start at about
$575 a month. With Admiral Manor converting to market rate, Madrona Estates might soon become the least expensive private apartment building in the county. The waiting list for units is 90 applicants long and growing. ``We're kind of the last bastion of affordable rentals in Kitsap,'' said Scott Nelson, who owns Madrona Estates with Ben, his son. The Nelsons want to keep rents low, but they say pressure is mounting to charge more. Their tax and utility bills have risen to the point they'll have to eventually bump up rent to cover expenses. ``Essentially forcing us to go market rate,'' Ben Nelson said. Some jurisdictions, including Bremerton, offer tax breaks for new multifamily developments that rent a percentage of units to low- and middle-income families. Ben Nelson wonders why there aren't similar incentives for existing building owners to keep affordable units affordable. ``Where are the incentives for landlords that have been here 10, 20, 30 years, who are providing low rents to the people of Kitsap County?'' he asked. Many of the Nelsons' counterparts have increased rents, with the housing market improving. Others are selling. Already this year, two large Bremerton apartment complexes have been scooped up by firms outside the county. A Los Angeles company paid $13 million for the 70-year-old Bremerton Garden apartments in Manette in March and announced plans to invest $3.5 million in upgrades. In January, a corporation affiliated with Seattle-based Stratford Co. bought Admiral Manor for
tions, ignored maintenance requests and bedbug infestations. But most believed they wouldn't be able to afford rent at Admiral Manor after the work was finished. ``We're not the right monetary demographic, or any other demographic,'' said resident Laurleen Smith, who commutes to a call-center job in Tacoma. Pete Gamez, 70, shares a onebedroom Admiral Manor apartment with his sister Rosie. Gamez said he didn't know where he and Rosie would move after the new apartment owners give them notice. Neither did his neighbors. ``They don't care where we go,'' Gamez said. ``That's the ugly part.'' PRESERVING SUBSIDIES Residents leaving Admiral Manor will be joined in their housing search by a group of renters uprooted from Poulsbo. Like Admiral Manor, Woodcreek Apartments on Hostmark Street recently changed hands and new owners began moving out tenants to make way for renovation and rent increases. Unlike Admiral Manor, Woodcreek was a governmentsubsidized development. The 40-unit complex was built in 1984 with a low-interest loan offered through a U.S. Department of Agriculture rural development program. Under the program, Woodcreek made apartments affordable to low- and moderate-income households. A portion of the units were supported by a federal rental assistance subsidy, making rents even cheaper. Mary Traxler, multifamily housing director for the USDA in
A Seattle company bought the 118-unit complex in January and began displacing tenants in waves as it prepared to renovate rooms and increase rent. During a visit in March, residents in Turner's block of apartments were awaiting 20-day termination notices. $5.83 million. In February the company began issuing 20-day notices alerting residents their tenancy would be terminated. ``We are planning to make significant and necessary improvements to the property,'' Stratford CEO George Webb said in an email. ``We believe this will be a benefit to the community and are excited to help revitalize this part of the city.'' Tenants being displaced from Admiral Manor agreed the apartments desperately needed renovation. In interviews, they complained about unsanitary condi-
Washington, said the loan for Woodcreek was set to mature in 2034, but owners successfully applied to pay off the debt early in 2014, releasing the complex from the terms of the program. Woodcreek Apartments sold in September for $3 million. Some tenants received 20-day termination notices shortly after. Jeff Miller, CEO of Pacific Living Properties, which oversees Woodcreek, said the property was purchased with a market-rate loan, and the new owners need to increase rents for the investment to pencil out. -AP
April 15, 2016
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Horoscope
34 India Post
April 15, 2016
www.indiapost.com
April 15th - April 21st2016
T
ake it easy and relax. Children bring happiness. Those of you who are in foreign lands are likely to have good opportunities. Avoid involvement in vices such as gambling, drinking and smoking. It is better to avoid haste, conflicts and unnecessary driving. As transit rahu/ketu can cause sudden mishap. obstruction are likely to continue in income up to August, 2016.
rofessional matters are looking up. Some of you are likely to get promotions. Week is good for those who are in foreign lands or are dealing with foreign lands. Some new professional opportunities and gains through investments are likely. Week may bring some good news for bachelors. Week is good for students and for those who are appearing in selections.
Y
rofessional matters are looking up. Some gains through real estate are likely. Handle relationship and health with patience. Child may need help. Avoid haste, conflicts, speculation, aggressive behavior and unnecessary driving. Health and financial concerns are likely to continue. Enemies are likely to trouble. Conflicts will put you to harm. Manage with paience. Eyesight and dental care may be needed.
ou may get professional opportunities related to foreign lands. The child may cause concern. Avoid speculative investments. Some sudden developments are likely to disturb in the matter of health and relationship. It is better to avoid unnecessary driving. Exercise patience. The prolonged transit planetary influences caused by Rahu/Ketu are quite difficult. Don't do anything in haste, take it easy.
P
P
S
rofessional matters look good. Week brings good news of a rise for the spouse. Child may also bring some happy news. Additional income is likely through new business opportunities. Those appearing for selection may get good news. Week is good for those who are in foreign lands. Incidence of conflicts may harm you. Work with patience. Take care of your health
P
ome new business opportunities are likely. Good for investments in long term assets. incidence of difficulties is indicated for those who are in foreign lands up to Septmber, 2016. Week is good for those who are in job or are looking for a job. Better to avoid unnecessary driving. Take care of your health and relationship matters. Some immune disorder is likely
F
ood developments are likely for those, who are in foreign lands or are dealing with foreign lands. Some gains in real estate income is likely. Week is good for students and women. You are likely to join some course for your knowledge. New business opportunities face obstructions. Things are moving a bit slow. Exercise patience and avoid unnecessary driving.
G
he professional matters may encounter sudden conflicts. Take care of your health and exercise patience. Avoid aggressive behaviour and haste up to August, 2016. Some sudden developments are likely to disturb your income. Don't be at wrong place at wrong time as transit of planets is weak.The prolonged transit planetary influences caused by Rahu/Ketu are quite difficult.
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ortune helps. Some good developments are likely in professional matters. Some new business opportunity is likely. The week is good for students, women and for those who are looking for marriage. The prolonged transit planetary influences caused by Rahu/Ketu are quite difficult Sudden mishap as transit planets are weak, be patientance and avoid unnecessary places at wrong time.
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P
S
our professional mat ters are likely to be okay and they may help you in managing your problem areas. Some sudden health and conflicts continue to disturb you and make the week difficult. Keep new ventures and property deals pending. Some mental stress is likely. Avoid haste, conflicts, unnecessary driving/ travel.Take care of your health. Some additional expeses are likely.
rofessional matters are looking better. Fortune helps to some extent. Some additional income is likely. Be careful in new Ventures to avert losses. The child may need attention up to August, 2016. Patience is the best medicine. Prolonged transit planetary influences caused by Rahu/Ketu are quite difficult. Some income constraints are likely. transit weakness of planets can bring sudden mishaps.
ome good developments are likely in professional matters for some of you. The spouse is likely to get recognition or promotion or a pay raise. The week is good for those who are dealing with foreign lands. Some sudden financial gain is likely. The incidence of conflicts, health concerns, obstructions and sudden setbacks continues ,It is better to avoid unnecessary journey.
This weekly horoscope is more focused and accurate as it is based on ascending signs. The ascending sign is worked out on the basis of your date, time and place of birth. The predictions elsewhere are based on your Sun sign or Moon sign. The Sun remains in one sign of zodiac for one month whereas the Moon remains in one sign for about 60 hours. What is important is the ascending sign, which changes every couple of hours. That is how this site offers you more focused predictions.
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April 15, 2016
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Health
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Lead levels not a worry in Nevada town LAS VEGAS: Health officials say that tests found no significant lead contamination in the blood of adults or schoolchildren in a former Nevada mining town where more than the federal safety limit for the heavy metal was found in water samples. Tests of the blood of seven children and four adults in Goodsprings found less than the five milligrams of lead per deciliter level set by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Southern Nevada Health District spokeswoman Stephanie Bethel said. Pinprick blood tests were done last week after water samples from a community center fountain showed a lead concentration of 16 parts per billion last September. That's slightly above a federal Environmental Protection Agency limit of 15 parts per billion. ``It appears there was no significant exposure in the community,'' Bethel said in an email that described the testing as a precaution. ``Our screenings did not indicate the need for further testing.'' An estimated 200 people live in Goodsprings, about 40 miles southwest of Las Vegas. A community center drinking fountain from which the water sample was drawn was shut off, and additional testing was being done to determine the source of the metal, Bethel said. -AP
Hospitals give $8.5 million to tax-hike measure SACRAMENTO, Calif.: A lobbying group for California hospitals is giving $8.5 million to an initiative campaign to extend a temporary tax increase on the wealthy. The political arm of the California Association of Hospitals and Health Systems reported the March 23rd donation. The ballot initiative would continue existing voter-approved income tax increases in Proposition 30 for 12 years beyond their scheduled expiration. It is one of two proposals approved to collect signatures to extend the taxincrease measure. The tax increase is anticipated to raise between $5 billion and $11 billion a year. Much of the money would be earmarked for education and health care. As of early March, the group had collected about a quarter of the 585,000 signatures needed to qualify for the ballot. -AP
Health Science 36 India Post
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April 15, 2016
90-year-old fitness fanatic finds community Details on Page 39
Kidney patients trapped between insurer, dialysis companies BOISE, Idaho: Debbie Birch's kidneys failed last year. That made her one of more than 2,000 people in Idaho who regularly need dialysis, using a machine to filter their blood when their kidneys no longer do the job, the Idaho Statesman reported. But the 63-year-old woman is now caught in a rift between a national dialysis company and her health insurer. No dialysis centers within driving distance of Birch's home in Caldwell will take her insurance plan, the Bronze Choice plan sold on Idaho's exchange. It is unclear how many dialysis patients in Idaho this rift is affecting. But similar situations, which can limit choices and result in surprise bills, are increasingly common. ``What has happened - why we are so concerned and upset - is that we were with Blue Cross last year, when I was diagnosed with kidney failure,'' Birch said. ``We just went right next door (from the physician's office) and started going to his Caldwell center for hemodialysis. ... We did that for three months, then we got a bill for $115,000.'' Why? Even though her physician was ``in network'' - under contract to
take Blue Cross insurance - the dialysis center next door was not. It was owned by a large dialysis company, Fresenius Medical Care, that was not doing business with Blue Cross.
other states allow ``out of network'' health care providers to charge the patient for whatever portion of the bill is left after the insurer pays. For Birch, that ``balance bill'' was about $115,000.
Gary Birch helps his wife Debbie get into their pickup truck following a monthly visit to Davita Dialysis clinic in Nampa, Idaho. The 63-year-old woman is now caught in a rift between a national dialysis company and her health insurer. No dialysis centers within driving distance of Birch’s home in Caldwell will take her insurance plan, the Bronze Choice plan sold on Idaho’s exchange.
``In network'' health care providers agree to accept payments negotiated with the insurer. Patients pay only their premiums, deductibles and coinsurance or copayments. Idaho and most
`WE COULD LOSE OUR FARM' Birch and her husband, Gary, were floored. ``We could lose our farm,'' she
said. ``We called our insurance company, and they said, `Well, DaVita is in network, and it's just down the street.''' So, Birch switched to a center owned by another large dialysis company, DaVita. That did the trick: Her bills were covered. Until this year, around Feb. 1. ``We get a notice from DaVita (that) says we are no longer in network - Blue Cross of Idaho did not re-up our contract,'' Birch said. ``So my husband calls up Blue Cross and says, `What do we do? Who do we go to now?' " That's when they got the bad news. There was nowhere to go. Blue Cross plans sold on the exchange no longer cover any local dialysis centers. An organization called the Chronic Disease Coalition contacted the Statesman about the issue in late February and connected a reporter with Birch. Dialysis companies DaVita, Fresenius and US Renal started the coalition ``to highlight patient discrimination issues in Oregon,'' a media representative from the organization said, when asked about the coalition's funding source. Cont'd on Page 38
High premium keeps Indians away from insurance NEW DELHI: People across all age groups in India do not buy health insurance due to high premium cost, a survey released on the occasion of World Health Day revealed. "The survey highlighted that people across all age groups do not prefer buying health insurance because of high premium even though 27 per cent said that at least one person in the family has already been diagnosed with a critical illness," Future Generali India Insurance said in its report. A total of 1,082 respondents were questioned on their fitness regime and knowledge of
critical illnesses during the survey. Its objective was to study a correlation between prevailing critical illness in Indian families,
risen, however, they don't go for regular health check-ups and prefer to visit the doctor only when they are unwell," it said.
fitness regime and health insurance buying habits. "Customers do understand that health-care costs have
Majority of participants across age groups believed that the expenses for treatment has increased and that the major ex-
penses at the time of treatment is hospitalization and medical expenses. "We noticed that even though people are aware of the fact that treatment and hospitalization cost associated with these critical diseases are high but they still do not prefer opting for a health insurance policy," as per the study. The survey pointed out that the fitness regime was low among youth. The youth prefers working out in gym over walking. Elderly people are also not involved in any physical activities, it added. -PTI
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'Privatization has failed Rs 1 lakh health coverage in health sector' for 8 cr families NEW DELHI: Voicing concern over alleged fleecing of poor patients by private hospitals, Union minister Uma Bharti has said privatization in health sector has been a "failure" and called for improving government component in healthcare services. Addressing an event here, Union Water Resources Minister Bharti said that on "one
Union minister Uma Bharti
or two" occasions she was forced to threaten private hospitals that they will be "blasted" if they did not release patients held back for non-payment of bills. She also made a pitch for strengthening the government component in healthcare services so that poor people need not rely on private hospitals for treatment. "(Poor) people come to my place seeking help for medical treatment...How much can we help from the Prime Ministers fund as the hospital fees are to the tune of Rs 10
lakh, Rs 20 lakh...Hospitals keep bodies of half dead or dead people until bills are paid. "Hospitals threaten them that they cannot take patients (until bills are paid). I had to call up one or two hospitals that they will be blasted if the patient is not released," Bharti said. The minister made the remarks during the event organized as part of on-going India Water Week, where she spoke about role of NGOs in water conservation and also expressed concern over privatization of health and education sector. She said privatization in health sector has been a "failure" until now and urged Health Minister J P Nadda to focus on improving government component in health sector. "I tell the Union health minister to focus on this, states too should focus on this, there should be 100 per cent nurses, doctors, no seat should be vacant, so that people need not depend on private sector," she said. On water sector, Bharti said that NGOs should play an "effective" role by ensuring public participation in conservation of water as she noted that role of governments will not suffice in this regard. She also lauded Punjab's Seechewal model of waste water management and pressed on the need to share such success stories within the country for water conservation. -PTI
Fitness tracker helps treat heart patient WASHINGTON: In a first, doctors in the US have used a 42-year old man's personal activity tracker and smartphone to obtain information that helped assist in medical decision-making and treating his heart condition. Using the devices, the emergency physicians identified the time his heart arrhythmia started, which allowed them to treat his new-onset atrial fibrillation and discharge him home. "Using the patient's activity tracker - in this case, a Fitbit - we were able to pinpoint exactly when the patient's normal heart rate of 70 jumped up to 190," said Alfred Sacchetti, from Our Lady of Lourdes Medical Centre in US. "The device told us that the patient's atrial fibrillation was present for only a few hours," said Sacchetti. "That was well within the 48-hour window needed to consider him for rhythm conversion, so we cardioverted him and sent him home," he said.
The patient with a history of seizures but no history of cardiac disease or prior episodes of atrial fibrillation came to the emergency department following a seizure. He had an irregular heart rate ranging between 130 and 190 beats per minute. He was medicated with oxcarbazepine and diltiazem, the doctors said. His heart rate returned to normal (between 80 and 100 beats per minute) but the atrial fibrillation remained. Recent onset atrial fibrillation is treated by electrical cardioversion in any patient who can reliably relate an arrhythmia onset time of within the previous 48 hours. Because the patient had not experienced any symptoms during his current episode of atrial fibrillation, it was not possible to assign an onset time for his arrhythmia. The staff accessed the smartphone application connected with his activity tracker and discovered the onset time for his atrial fibrillation was 3 hours prior to coming to the emergency department. -PTI
AHMEDABAD: Union Health Minister J P Nadda has said the Centre will be providing Rs one lakh annual health insurance coverage to eight crore economically weaker families through an Aadhar-linked program. "Beneficiaries from economically weaker families will be given Rs 1 lakh annual health coverage and those above 60 years of age will get Rs 30,000 extra coverage," he said. A portal was being prepared for the implementation of the scheme, said Nadda, who was here to take part in BJPs foundation day program. "The money will not be given to individuals but to institutions for the services rendered.... this will help reduce out-ofpocket expenditure of common man. "Free diagnostics and drugs are provided by Centre, and the states have been asked to prepare a list of beneficiaries and Centre will provide funds for the same," he added. The Centre was also going to grade the hospitals up to the level of community health centers, he said. "In the next six months, all the hospitals in the country up to CHC level will be graded on the basis of facilities they provide, staff pattern, sanitation facility, waste management protocol and protocol of treatment.
Patients will give feedback of experience on a portal," Nadda said. To give fillip to the medical education, Nadda said his ministry was working on upgradation of 58 hospitals in the districts which have no medical college, and also planning to set up AIIMS in all the states. He also expressed confidence on pre-
Union Health Minister J P Nadda
paredness to tackle the Zika virus. "India was one of the first countries to make guidelines, prepare protocol, issue advisories, and train states... we have taken control of the situation, there is no need to panic as we have all facilities in place and we are maintaining constant vigil," Nadda added. -PTI
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Philippines launches first Dengue vaccination MANILA: The Philippines has launched the first public immunization program for dengue fever, seeking to administer to a million schoolchildren the world's first licensed vaccine against a mosquito-borne disease that the World Health Organization estimates infects 390 million people a year globally. Hundreds of fourth-graders at a public school in metropolitan Manila's Marikina city were given the first of three shots of Dengvaxia. Some of the pupils received their vaccination shot under the glare of cameras during a festive ceremony at a gymnasium festooned with multicolored bunting and preceded by songs and dances performed by the children. The Philippines had the highest dengue incidence in the WHO's Western Pacific region from 2013 to 2015, recording 200,415 cases last year, according to the Department of Health. Health Secretary Janette Garin called the program's launch "a his-
toric milestone" in public health. "We are the first country to introduce, adopt and implement the first-ever dengue vaccine through
administer the free vaccines, which it bought at a discounted cost of 3,000 pesos ($65) for three doses for each child. Free vaccine
A Filipino worker sprays a chemical to prevent to kill dengue-carrying mosquitos as part of observance of the "Clean Up The World 2012" in suburban Pasig, east of Manila, Philippines.
(the) public health system and under a public school setting," she said. The government is spending 3.5 billion pesos ($76 million) to
programs ensure that "health should be for all, rich or poor," Garin said. The health department says a study showed that the vaccina-
tion of 9-year-old children for five years starting in 2016 can reduce dengue cases by 24.2 per cent in the Philippines. The vaccine is given as a three-dose series, with the doses coming six months apart. Dengvaxia, developed by the French pharmaceutical company Sanofi Pasteur, obtained its first license in Mexico in December 2015 for use in individuals aged 9 to 45. Regulatory agencies in Brazil, the Philippines and El Salvador followed. But the vaccine is awaiting regulatory reviews in Europe and dozens of non-European countries, as well as prequalification by the WHO. According to the New England Journal of Medicine, a study of children from 9 to 16 years old showed that the vaccine reduces the risk of contracting dengue by 65.6 per cent. It also prevents dengue hospitalizations by 80 per cent, and severe dengue cases by 93 per cent. But the effectiveness was lower for children younger than 9, as well as against the type
of dengue caused by serotype 2 one of the four strains of dengue. "A vaccine able to reduce six out of 10 cases, or more importantly to reduce by 80 per cent the risk of hospitalization or 93 percent of the risk of dengue hemorrhagic fever, is a major breakthrough," Guillaume Leroy, Sanofi Pasteur's vice president for dengue vaccine, told The Associated Press, adding that the vaccine would be especially important in Asia and Latin America, where dengue incidents are high. Leroy said that while there are differences in the level of effectiveness against the different dengue strains, the vaccine "has shown efficacy against all the four serotypes, all the serotypes circulating in the world." He said that while Sanofi has prioritized dengue endemic countries for licensing, it recently submitted for review an application to the European Medicines Agency. It has applications in 20 additional countries, and will be applying in 17 more. -AP
Kidney patients trapped between insurer, dialysis companies Cont'd from Page 36
``It then grew into a larger organization to advocate for patients' rights in additional aspects and for all chronic diseases as well as to advocate for national (research and development) efforts aimed at cures for chronic diseases.'' The coalition argues that insurers are discriminating against people who have chronic diseases. Those diseases are expensive to treat, and not having contracts in place with dialysis centers is a subtle way of pushing kidney patients out of Blue Cross plans, the coalition argues. Blue Cross says that is not the case. It says it simply is trying to keep down health care costs. Skip Thurman, a spokesman for DaVita, said the company has ``never before seen a health plan terminate its network and leave dialysis patients with only one in-network option to receive treatment.'' That center, he said, is in Idaho Falls. DaVita has ``appealed'' the Blue Cross network decision ``and all inquiries from DaVita to clarify Blue Cross' decision and attempt to engage in a go-forward discussion have gone unanswered,'' he said. Of the other four insurance companies that do business on Idaho's exchange, some of their
plans have in-network dialysis in Idaho. PacificSource covers four centers and Mountain Health COOP covers six - none in the Treasure Valley. SelectHealth covers several centers, and so does BridgeSpan, including those Birch has used.
Medicare. Birch considered Medicare but says she determined it will actually cost her more money than her current insurance. Blue Cross of Idaho spokesman Josh Jordan confirmed that the company no longer has contracts with either DaVita or
Debbie Birch, a kidney patient, flinches as a nurse draws a blood sample at a DaVita dialysis center in Nampa. Birch uses a home dialysis machine, but she must visit the clinic for blood tests on a regular basis.
PATIENT FEELS CHEATED Birch bought a health plan that was supposed to cover her dialysis. Now, her options are to deal with potentially astronomical medical bills or to cancel her current health plan and sign up for
Fresenius. While the companies try to resolve their differences, both Blue Cross and DaVita said they are treating patients as though they are ``in network.'' At a minimum, that means patients will not have
to meet a higher ``out of network'' deductible before insurance kicks in, or pay higher ``out of network'' copays; and they won't have to pay DaVita for whatever Blue Cross doesn't cover. But Birch worries that either company could rescind the ``in network'' waiver, raising her costs by thousands of dollars. Having medical costs up in the air - relying on the benevolence of health care businesses - is difficult for Birch, who learned that her plan no longer included DaVita while she was recovering from a stroke. ``I was laying down on the bed and crying, and my husband said, `What can I do?' and I said, `Let me go. Let me out of this nightmare,' " she said. ``Then I know he gets to keep his farm and things like that, and that's not what he wants. And yet, when you don't feel good, and it's all overwhelming. ... When you're sick, and you've got no fight left.'' BLUE CROSS: MEDICARE RATES OR NO DICE Gary Birch said he has negotiated with Fresenius, the company that sent the $115,000 bill. ``Supposedly that should go away,'' he said. The couple also filed a complaint with the Idaho Department of Insurance, which declined to comment because the complaint is
under investigation. Jordan declined to say what is causing the lack of contracts between dialysis providers and Blue Cross. But it likely is related to money. Idaho law says insurance companies must contract with any providers that are willing to take the insurer's terms and payment rates. ``For dialysis, we absolutely are willing to pay and attempt to negotiate with our providers - that we will pay for dialysis at the Medicare rate,'' Jordan said. ``We want to make sure we're reimbursing providers at fair market value. In this instance, the federal government Medicare - has applied what they consider to be a fair reimbursement rate for that service, and for the most part these people have access to Medicare.'' For the five most common dialysis procedures billed to Medicare in Idaho in 2013 - the most recent year in public records - providers charged an average of more than $400 per service. Medicare paid them an average of about $150. Jordan said Blue Cross wants to work with companies that operate dialysis centers around the state, but those companies want to overcharge, he said. ``We desperately want to make sure that people have access to the care that they need,'' he said. AP
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90-year-old fitness fanatic finds community FORT COLLINS, Colo.: Head up to the second floor of Miramont Lifestyle Fitness' airy northern location, head straight and you'll likely see him every day starting around 7 a.m. His mornings begin with a daily brisk, half-mile walk around the gym's indoor track. Then it's onto an exercise ball for his back. Next is sit-ups. And you can't forget the weight machines. If you're an early riser or a gym person - two categories I gratuitously and inexplicably lump myself into from time to time - you may have heard of Byrd Collins Curtis, the Coloradoan reported.
he'd been lovingly nicknamed ``The Mayor of Miramont.'' It felt like at any moment, a woman would run up with a baby and ask him to kiss it. ``(Byrd) knows everybody and talks to everybody,'' friend and fellow gym goer Bob Fulton said. ``They just kind of named him that.'' Curtis started going to Miramont North in 2001 after trying a handful of other gyms in the area. He said he likes the open space, and then, of course, there are the people. Born and raised in Oklahoma, he studied agronomy at Oklahoma State University and earned his Ph.D. in plant breeding and genetics. A longtime wheat scientist, his job took him all over, including to Fort Collins in 1963, when he started Colorado State University's wheat breeding program. From there, he took a job with 90-year-old Byrd Curtis works out at Miramont North Lifestyle Cargill Inc., a priFitness in Fort Collins, Colo. vate international company that ``It's so important for the body ... for me,'' provides food, agriculture, financial and Curtis said, sitting in a conference room off industrial products. With Cargill, he travof Miramont's main-floor weight area. eled the world, living in Syria and Mexico Clad in a black long-sleeve shirt tucked and visiting places like Argentina and into matching black track pants, Curtis was France. on the eve of his 90th birthday. And even abroad, Curtis said he made a Asked how he felt about becoming a new point of staying physically fit. Growing up nonagenarian, he gave a one-worded an- with parents who worked on farms, he was swer: ``strange.'' no stranger to hard work, and his time walkBecause Curtis doesn't seem 90. ing through wheat fields kept him in good When we first met, he was rounding the shape. But he says he also started working Miramont indoor track with a friend. With a out in gyms in 1974. In different countries, pep in his step, he led me down the he'd find a way. Miramont steps to a quiet place where we As a veteran - he enlisted in the Air Force could talk, all the while fielding greetings after high school, was commissioned into from fellow gym goers - members of the the Army after college and retired as a colosame early-morning crowd who, when they nel after three years of active duty and 33 see him, let out yells of ``Byyyrd!'' that cut in the Army Reserve - he was allowed to through the gym's open air. workout in gyms on military bases. It made sense to me in that moment why And when he couldn't find a gym, ``I'd
Bypass boosts survival in heart failure CHICAGO: Heart failure patients with clogged arteries have a better chance of surviving 10 years if they get bypass surgery plus medicine rather than just drugs alone, according to an international study. Earlier results from the same research raised questions about the benefits of bypass versus medicine alone, but researchers say the long-term evidence clearly favors the surgery. The lead author of the study, Duke University cardiologist Dr. Eric Velazquez, said the results "are so definitive and so robust" that they would likely to lead to stronger recommendations favoring bypass surgery for these patients. Nearly 6 million Americans and 23 million people worldwide have heart failure,
and many of them also have artery disease similar to those studied. In recent years, bypass surgery has increasingly been recommended for such patients, along with medicines to ease heart failure symptoms. Concerns were raised when results after nearly five years of research showed about equal number of deaths in bypass patients and in those who got only medicine, despite fewer heart-related deaths in the bypass group. Those findings were published in 2011. The 10-year results were published online in the New England Journal of Medicine and presented at an American College of Cardiology meeting in Chicago. AP
walk to walk,'' he said, on top of the walking he already did through wheat fields eight to 10 months out of the year, evaluating wheat based on its yield, straw strength, disease resistance and gluten quality. After retiring in 1991, Curtis and his wife moved back to Fort Collins, where many of his kids still live. And he threw himself even more into staying fit. Seven days a week, starting at 7 a.m., he's at Miramont. And he'll go on and on about the merits of exercise. Not only does it help keep him agile, but it helps him stay mentally alert and gives him a boost when he needs it. ``I can wake up feeling a little blue, and I'll come here and talk to everyone and I'll leave feeling ...'' he trails off, gesturing like his workouts leave him light and make him feel like a weight is lifted. We talk for a bit longer about a little of everything. Byrd? Is that a nickname? ``No,'' he says. His father gave it to him, ``and it's caused me problems:'' all his life, he jokes, flapping his arms like wings and saying people would see him and say, ``Oh, here he comes!'' What about his family? The Curtis clan is made up of he and his
wife, Eloise - ``same woman for 70 years!'' he quipped - their six children (four boys and two girls), 15 grandkids and 14 ``greats,'' he says. We talk about Fort Collins, what it was like in 1963 and how his family lived in the Indian Hills neighborhood, which was, at that time, brand new. And the whole time, I'm hanging onto a secret. A surprise party to celebrate Curtis' birthday was planned and he had no idea. His gym friends, like Fulton, knew that 90 was a big milestone and started putting together a bigger birthday party than they usually do for Curtis, which has consisted in recent years of just cake and singing ``Happy Birthday.'' This time, however, they secretly gathered with plans to make him an orange and black - OSU colors - shirt that said ``Byrd,'' a baseball cap with ``1926'' on it, marking his birth year and a big decorative key. So at 8 a.m Friday morning, after his daily workout, Mayor Byrd was presented with a big, gray, ``key to the city,'' decorated with ribbon and marked with the words ``Byrd Mayor of Miramont.'' OK, so maybe Miramont isn't a city, but it is a community - one that came together to celebrate a person who makes it great, someone who makes it special. -AP
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S
arahan, a beautiful hamlet located in the Sutlej Valley, is a major tourist destination situated in the Shimla District of Himachal Pradesh. It offers visitors an opportunity to explore Nature at its best. Placed at an altitude of about 2165 m above sea level, the place is popu-
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lar for its apple orchards, pine forests, small streams, rustic settings and slate roofed houses. There are several myths and folklores associated with Sarahan. As the legend goes, the king of Kullu declared war on the neighboring kingdom of Bushair. The king of Bushair won the war and killed the king of Kullu. He then
brought the decapitated head of the dead king to Sarahan and laid it out for people to see. When the dead king's family asked the king of Bushair to give them their king's head so that they could carry out the last rites, the king declared that he would only grant their request under three conditions. One of the conditions was that the people of Kullu would have to promise to never challenge his rule. Another condition was that the land that was seized by him would be retained.
April 15, 2016
According to the final condition, the image of Ragunath; the chief god of the region, which was taken away from Sarahan, would not be returned. The three conditions were accepted under the term that the ruler of Bushair would celebrate the festival of Dussehra. The king accepted the terms and thus Dussehra became a major festival of the region. After this, the image of Raghunath was placed alongside that of Goddess Bhimakali.
Tourist attractions Sarahan has numerous tourist attractions, among them, the Bhimakali Temple Complex, the Bird Park, and Bhaba Valley, are a few to mention. The Bhimakali Temple Complex is believed to be at least 800 years old. Large number of devotees visit this temple every year to pay obeisance to the presiding deity. The temple architecture is a unique blend of Indian and Buddhist architectural styles. Cont’d on page 42
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7 lakh Indian tourists visited Germany in 2015 NEW DELHI: Indian tourist traffic to Germany rose by 84 per cent from 2007 to 2015 and over 6.92 lakh travelers visited the European country last year, Germany has said.
figure rose to 6,50,103 in 2014 and 6,92,612 in 2015. The rise from 2007 to 2015 is over 84 per cent," Theophilus said. He said after Europe, a majority of the tourists to Germany come
According to Romit Theophilus, India Director for German National Tourist Office, there has been a steady growth of Indian visitors to Germany. "In 2007, 3,77,025 overnight Indian travelers visited Germany. The
from the Americas and Asia-Pacific. "In Asia, India ranks fourth in terms of travelers visiting Germany," Theophilus said. India is expected to have 50 million outbound travelers by 2020 and Germany wants to attract a
major chunk of it, he said. German Ambassador Martin Ney said Indian students in Germany have doubled to 12,000 in the last four years and there were over 1,600 desi restaurants in the country. On the impact of Syrian refugees on tourism, he said they are being integrated in a systematic and peaceful way and it will not affect the sector in anyway. He said there has not been a single terrorist attack on Germany by ISIS due to the "excellent" work done by the security agencies. "This is a political issue. It is dealt in a way which does not affect tourism. We have had over a million Syrian refugees in German cities and they are being integrated in a very systematic and peaceful way. "Because it is being done in a safe and consensual way, it does not affect tourism," Ney said. Germany was in the forefront as compared to other European countries in accommodating Syrian refugees. -PTI
US warns citizens against all travel to Pak WASHINGTON: The US has warned its citizens against all nonessential travel to Pakistan given that the country continues to experience significant terrorist violence including sectarian attacks. "Pakistan continues to experience significant terrorist violence, including sectarian attacks. Several foreign and indigenous terrorist groups continue to pose a danger to the US citizens throughout the country," the State Department said in a latest travel warning on Pakistan which replaces that of the one issue on August 28 last year. While the US Embassy in Islamabad and its Consulate in Karachi continue to provide consular services for all its citizens, the two diplomatic posts are often limited in the services they can provide due to the security environment. The Peshawar Consulate no longer offers consular services, and the one in Lahore remains temporarily suspended. Noting that sectarian violence remains a serious threat countrywide and the Pakistan government continues to enforce blasphemy laws, the State Department said religious minority communities have been victims of targeted kill-
ings and accusations of blasphemy. Observing that attacks include armed assaults against heavily guarded facilities, such as military installations and airports, the State Department said terrorists have also struck universities, schools, rallies, places of worship, and large
side a health centre in Quetta, Balochistan; gunmen attacked Bacha Khan University in Charsadda, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province, killing 22 people; and a suicide bomber at a park in Lahore killed more than 70 people and injured more than 340. The Pakistan government main-
BSF Jawans keep vigil at Attari international border. The security has been tightened up after suicide bomb attack at Wagah in Pakistan.
marketplaces in several Pakistani cities. Since the beginning of 2016, a suicide bomber killed at least 15 people and injured 25 others out-
tains heightened security measures, particularly in major cities, following attacks or in response to threats, the State Department said. -PTI
Andhra eyes Rs 20,000cr investment in tourism NEW DELHI: Andhra Pradesh is eyeing investments worth Rs 20,000 crore in the tourism sector by 2029 as it undertakes multiple initiatives to position the state as a preferred destination. To attract more visitors, the state is working towards creating six tourist hubs - Visakhapatnam, Srisailam, RajahmundryKonaseema-Kakinada, Vijayawada-Amaravati, Tirupati and Ananthapuramu-Puttaparthi. "Andhra Pradesh is eyeing an investment of Rs 20,000 crore in the tourism sector by 2029," Andhra Pradesh Principal Secretary Tourism & Culture Neerabh Kumar Prasad told PTI. With an investment of Rs 12,000
crore already tracked, development of a sturdy tourism infrastructure is what will give further fillip to the sector, he added. Bullish on the states tourism potential, Union Minister of State for Science and Technology & Earth Sciences Y S Chowdary said: "I am confident that it (tourism) will emerge as one of the biggest growth engines, driving the states economy." The state is also looking to unlock further value through temple tourism and creation of a Buddhist Circuit to attract both domestic and international tourists. The state witnessed a jump in tourist footfalls from 93 million in 2014 to 122 million in 2015. -PTI
Delhi to promote tourism at international fests NEW DELHI: In order to promote the national capitals heritage and culture on foreign soil and attract more international tourists, the Delhi government has proposed to participate in a number of events which will be organized in London, Berlin and other cities of the world this year. Besides, the Arvind Kejriwal government has also plans to participate in about 28 exhibitions and marts across India to promote Delhi's rich and diverse cultural heritage. Unveiling its plan for the current financial year, Delhi Tourism and Transportation Development Corporation (DTTDC) said it has proposed to participate in World Travel Mart (London), International Tourism Bourse (ITB - Berlin), Council for Promotion of Tourism in Asia (CPTA), PATA International and International ATTA (Adventure Travel Trade Association Convention). In its manifesto, the Aam Aadmi Party had promised that it would make Delhi a tourism hub after coming to power. In July last year, Chief Minister Arvnd Kejriwal had said in the coming five years, his
government would work towards developing the national capital into a tourism hub at par with global cities. "National and international tourism fairs, conferences, travel marts and travel exhibitions are important for interaction with travel industry, media, airlines and other opinion makers. Further, this is helpful in direct marketing of tourist products and services to the consumers by direct interfacing. "Presently, DTTDC participates in limited national tourism fairs and international fairs. No major conference has been arranged in Delhi in the last more than 25 years. It is, therefore, necessary that these interactive activities be organized in Delhi and simultaneously Delhi should also participate in such exhibitions, marts and conferences within India and abroad," DTTDCs plan stated. Since the new government has been formed, several steps have been taken to boost tourism and for ease of doing business in the national capital which include single window clearance system for organizing cultural events. -PTI
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Cont’d from page 40
This temple is also one of the most prominent 'Sakhtipeeth' or 'sacred sites' of the country. Bhaba Valley, which has an alluring landscape with its reservoir lake and alpine meadows, also attracts numerous visitors. Travelers planning a trip to Sarahan must visit the Bird Park,
as it is not only a breeding centre of pheasants but also home to the state bird of Himachal Pradesh the monal. Famous for lush green deodar trees and the snow-covered Bashal Peak, Sarahan is also known for the Shrikhand Mahadev, located at an altitude of about 5155 m above sea level. This pilgrimage centre is devoted
to the god of destruction, Shiva. According to a legend, Shiva meditated on this peak. According to the great Indian epic, the 'Mahabharata', the Pandavas also trekked to this holy peak. This peak is known for the tremendous trekking opportunities that it offers to visitors. Other popular attractions of Sarahan include Jeori, the Banjara Retreat, Gaura, the Darang Ghati, and the Sangla Valley. Jeori has a hot spring, located at a distance of 20 km from Sarahan while Banjara Retreat, situated on the national highway 22, is known for its green apple orchards. The Sangla Valley, located close to Sarahan, is a popular hill town famous for apple and cherry orchards and glacial streams.
November. However, tourists can also travel to Sarahan during winters as the climatic conditions remain favorable for sightseeing. How to reach: By Train: Kalka is the nearest railway station to Sarahan. It is connected to Shimla by train.
Shimla is connected to all major railway stations in India. By Air: The nearest airport to Sarahan is Jubbarhatti in Shimla, which is at a distance of 175 km from Sarahan. By Bus: Bus Services are available from Sarahan to Delhi, having a distance of 564 kilometers
Best time to visit It is advised that trips to this place should be planned between the months of April and
Maharashtra eyes 6% rise in tourists' arrival MUMBAI: Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation is eyeing 6 per cent growth in footfalls this fiscal as it has set up a directorate for publicity and promotion of tourism in the state. "We have set up a directorate that will look into promotions, publicity and skill development in the tourism sector in the state. We are also working at re-branding Maharashtra as a tourism destination. "And on the back of this we are expecting 6 per cent increase in visitor footfalls this financial year," Principal Secretary Tourism and Culture Valsa Nair told PTI here.
The state government had recently come up with tourism policy, which envisages over Rs 30,000 crore investment and generate 10 lakh employment in Maharashtra, she said. "We signed agreements worth over Rs 15,000 crore during the Make in India week and we expect it to cross over Rs 30,000 crore. In the tourism policy, we have tried to incorporate the best practices of top states and countries that are doing very well in the tourism sector. "We have adapted these best practices to suit our local
conditions. The policy has also tried to create niche sectors, like monsoon tourism and film tourism,
Valsa Nair
and how to develop them," she added. According to Nair, MTDC is mainly focusing on promote and practice sustainable tourism. Maharashtra saw 20 crore travelers visiting the state in 2015-16, of which 80-82 per cent were domestic tourists. Nair said, 14 sectors have been identified as focus areas and MTDC will bring out policies soon in each of them that will have guidelines to develop them further. "In the policy we have identified 14 focus areas, including film, medical, adventure, caravan and
rural among others. We will also come out with policies for each of these sectors individually in 6 months. We will now create database to make guidelines for these sectors," she said. Nair further said that MTDC is planning a single window clearance for investment in the hospitality sector. "We are now identifying the licenses required for setting up a property and to make it operational. Once all the licenses are identified we will bring it all under one window and the process will be done online. It will take about 3 months," she added. -PTI
Travel & Hospitality Post
April 15, 2016
India Post
43
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Maharashtra tour operators enjoy Israel visit India Post News Service
enced the vast array of activities, including leisure driven events,
MUMBAI: Invited by the Israel Ministry of Tourism, outbound tour operators of the Maharashtra Tour Operators Association visited Israel this month for their very first time. In the past, the operators have marketed Israel during the famous AgriTech exhibition, which is held in Tel Aviv once every three years. Through this familiarization tour the Ministry believes the operators experi-
that Israel has to offer. The adventures of this tour began in the modern and exciting city of Tel Aviv, where the operators not only enjoyed the city's famed beaches, nightlife and
shopping, but they experienced the array of cuisines which are of-
Air India to expand route network in Europe VIENNA, Austria: With India projected to become the world's third largest aviation market by 2020, Air India is exploring a number of new destinations in Europe as part of its international route network expansion plans. The airline at present is carrying out a feasibility study on two new routes - Barcelona and Madrid which it may commence next year, provided that they are found economically viable, Air India Commercial Director Pankaj Srivastava said. Speaking to reporters after Air India's first non-stop flight to the Austrian capital arrived here from New Delhi, he said that the national carrier may look at enhancing the frequency of the new service to five times a week. Vienna is Air India's eighth destination in Europe, where it will operate three times a week with a Dreamliner B 787-800 aircraft. "Air India is looking at some other markets in Europe shortly. We are evaluating the market in Barcelona and Madrid and if the results of viability study are positive, then the operations (to these two destinations) could start from beginning of next year," Srivastava
said. Air India had announced the launch of non-stop flight services to Vienna from New Delhi following the Austrian Airlines' decision to opt out of the route from April. "The friendship with Vienna officials here in the first meeting had hastened the decision to start this flight and the decision was made in a rapid fire manner," Srivastava said. Airline Chairman and managing Director Ashwani Lohani had earlier this week said that the carrier was aiming to provide point-topoint connectivity to African and Scandinavian regions, where it currently does not operate, be-
sides enhancing services on existing routes, as part of its aggressive network expansion plan. "Once we achieve the set targets for this (Vienna) flight, it can be made into a five days a week
service," Srivastava added. Indian ambassador to Austria, Rajiv Misra, who was also present when Air India's maiden flight landed at the international airport here amid water canon salute, expressed hope that the new service would strengthen bilateral ties in a number of areas and facilitate travel. He said around 40,000 Indian tourists come to Austria every year. "We are not talking about the connection of India to Vienna (with this flight) but we are talking about India connecting Vienna to the whole of Indian subcontinent and to Australia and to many destinations beyond India in East Asia," Vienna Airport Chief Executive Officer Julian Jager said. A new study by industry body Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry and consultancy firm KPMG has forecast that India is all set to become the world's third largest aviation market by 2020 after the US and China. -PTI
fered, with a focus on the easily available vegetarian Mediterranean and Indian food. The tour continued on to other parts of Israel, including Jaffa Port showcasing the historical part of Tel Aviv, Jerusalem - the historical site for 3 Abrahamic religions in Old City as well as modern Jerusalem where they experienced the contrast between old world historical charm and modern city living. The operators also ventured down to the resort city of Eilat on the shores of the Red Sea. With a host of hotels from luxury chains and unique boutiques to Bedouin hospitality, the
city offers activities like shopping, scuba diving and the Timna Park and Underwater Observatory as well as the Dolphin Reef. The tour operators also enjoyed activities like floating in the Dead Sea, visited the historical site of Masada, cruises on both the Mediterranean and Red Sea, as well as a jeep safari in the rugged Negev desert. The Ministry of Tourism believes that the tour operators' experiences in Israel will showcase the country as a destination that is filled with unique attractions that will cater to leisure travelers as well as the MICE market.
Shakespearean app to boost tourism LONDON: A new smart phone app which adds a Shakespearean touch while text messaging, has been launched here to celebrate the 400th anniversary of the world famous playwright and to boost tourism drive in London. Working with VisitLondon.com, the official visitor guide for the British capital, ShakeSpeak has been developed by software company
text messages into Shakespearean prose by predicting the playwright's best known phrases. Swiftkeys app, which is available to download free of cost, allows the user to simply type the first word or two of a famous Shakespearean quote and the technology will do the rest. Commenting on the development of the app, SwiftKeys Head of Partnerships Sarah Rowley said: "We are delighted to be combining the Bard's works with our smartphone keyboard technology for the first time". "SwiftKey learns from your writing style, so who better to have as your guide Danielle Hoffman, left, a development manager at the than one of the world's greatest American Shakespeare Center, and Cathy Bagwell Marsh, the organization's director of marketing and wordsmiths? sales, sit for a portrait together at the Blackfriars Shakespeare Playhouse in Staunton brought language to SwiftKey, best known for their lan- the masses in innovative and excitguage prediction app. ing ways - and now people can exBy analyzing the Complete perience his unique and timeless use Works of Shakespeare they devel- of language on their smartphone oped an app that helps turn users' keyboard," Rowley said. -PTI
In Brief Refugee Center launches smartphone app SALT LAKE CITY: The Utah Refugee Center is finding new ways to let people know how to help new arrivals after a surge of interest sparked by Mormon Church leaders urging women to help new arrivals in their communities. Officials at the nonprofit said they now have an app available
for all types of smartphones. Called ``Serve Refugees,'' the app will help people find ways to learn more about refuges in the area, what their needs are and how to help. Executive director Deb Coffey has reported a flood of calls and emails from prospective volunteers after Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints leaders highlighted it at a women's conference in late March. The church has also launched its own website to coordinate the volunteer effort called ``I was a stranger.'' -AP
„ Plea to consider immigrants' ability to pay bond LOS ANGELES: Immigrant advocates in Southern California are suing to demand the federal government consider immigration detainees' ability to pay when setting immigration bond. The American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California filed suit in Los Angeles contending at least 100 immigrants are jailed in the region daily even though they were granted bond. The ACLU says the Justice Department has encouraged criminal courts to consider defendants' ability to pay when setting bond, and wants the agency to do the same in immigration courts to avoid jailing people because they are poor. They also want authorities to consider other kinds of bond or detention alternatives, noting immigration bonds must be paid in cash.-AP
Immigration 44 India Post
www.indiapost.com
April 15, 2016
Arizona Latino groups plan boycott Details on page 46
306 Indian students face deportation in US fake varsity sting WASHINGTON: As many as 306 Indian students who unknowingly came to the US as part of a fake university sting operation conducted by law enforcement agencies to expose a visa scam, have been identified and located and the process has started for their deportation, officials said here. "The 306 individuals from India who were purported students at the University of Northern New Jersey have been identified, located and placed in the immigration process for removal in accordance to proper due process," Alvin Phillips, spokesman USICE Homeland Security Investigations told PTI. Ten Indian-Americans are among 21 people arrested as part
of a sting operation in which a fake university was created by US authorities to expose a visa scam that allowed more than 1,000 foreign-
dent visas and foreign worker visas for approximately 1,000 foreign nationals from 26 countries. It is learnt that a large number
The HSI sting investigation was carried out to unearth the unauthorized networks and educational institutions that are "nothing more than sham visa mills," officials said, adding that these educational institutions have no curriculum, no classes, no instructors and no real students. ers to maintain student and work visas. The arrested people were brokers, recruiters and employers who unlawfully and fraudulently obtained or attempted to obtain stu-
of students who received necessary visa and permits to work in the US as a result of the sting operation for which they reportedly paid huge sums of money are from India.
These people arrested for their involvement in an alleged scheme to enroll foreign nationals as students in the University of Northern New Jersey, a purported forprofit college located in Cranford, New Jersey (UNNJ). Unbeknownst to the defendants and the foreign nationals they conspired with, the UNNJ was created in September 2013 by special agents of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). The HSI sting investigation was carried out to unearth the unauthorized networks and educational institutions that are "nothing more than sham visa mills," officials said, adding that these educational institutions have no curriculum, no classes, no instructors and no real students. -PTI
H-1B cap reached; majority from Indian firms WASHINGTON: The US government is believed to have received about 250,000 petitions for H-1B visas - the most sought after American work visas - with a majority of them being from either Indian companies or having huge footprint in India. The US Citizenship and Immigration Services said it has reached the Congressional mandated cap for H-1B visas in the general category and also the 20,000 for those who completed higher education from inside the US in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) subjects. USCIS did not give the number of H-1B petitions it received since April 1, when it started accepting applications for this most coveted visa for the fiscal year 2017 beginning October 1, this year. But, it says the successful petitions would be determined by a computerized draw of lots. "We had 230,000 H-1B visa petitions last year. I think, this year it is going to be higher. We think 250,000 H-1B petitions were filed this year," Bill Stock, incoming president of American
Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) and a founding partner of Klasko Immigration Law Partners told PTI in an interview. Stock's estimates are based on his experience and interaction with lawyers and those groups who mostly file H-1B visas. This is fourth consecutive year that the Congressional mandated cap
"may have had a little impact" on Indian companies. "But I think their business so much depends on H-1B and being able to send people on projects, they (Indian companies) are going to pay fees on those petitions," Stock said. President of the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) Victor Nieblas Pradis said
‘Each year that we cap these visas when demand outweighs supply, all we're doing is creating obstacles to economic growth. We're losing out on shared prosperity for no good reason’ has been reached in the first five days of the filing. "Unless the economy changes again, we would continue to see it," he said. Majority of these estimated 250,000 H-1B visa applications are "certainly" either by companies that have Indian owner like TCS or companies that have substantial operations or development centers in India like IBM, Stock said in response to a question. The recent increase on certain category of H-1B visas, he said,
the "avalanche" of petitions for H-1B visas mean that USCIS will once again randomly determine which of those petitions will actually be considered for one of the 85,000 available visas. Each petition not selected is a business need unfulfilled and a growth opportunity that is delayed or thwarted. "However, artificial limits established more than a generation ago are again hobbling the economic potential of this great nation," Pradis said,
calling for lifting this visa cap. "Why do we continue to artificially limit this program? In a reasonable system, market demand should factor into how many business visas are granted, and indeed, demand for H-1B visas slowed when the economy took a downturn. But each year that we cap these visas when demand outweighs supply, all we're doing is creating obstacles to economic growth. We're losing out on shared prosperity for no good reason," he said in a statement. The US is one of the most important economies in the world, but its full potential is going unrealized, he said. "We live in a wireless world, but our visa system is a relic from the days of the dial-up modem. It's long past time for Congress to lead on this issue and reform the H-1B program in a way that addresses the needs of American businesses, US workers and our economy. Congress must bring our immigration system out of the last century and into this one," Pradis said. -PTI
Immigration Post
April 15, 2016
India Post 45
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'Trump remarks damaging UK claims visa changes will not hit most Indians foreign relations' WASHINGTON: The recent remarks of Republican presidential frontrunner Donald Trump on foreign policy, including on Mexican immigrants, have damaged US relations with other nations, President Barack Obama has said. "The answer to the question is yes," Obama told reporters at a White House news conference when asked if Trump's foreign policy proposals are damaging US relations abroad. "I think that I've been very clear earlier that I am getting questions constantly from foreign leaders about some of the wackier suggestions that are being made. I do have to emphasize that its not just Mr Trump's proposals. You're also hearing concerns about Mr (Ted) Cruz's proposals, which in some ways are just as draconian when it comes to immigration, for example," Obama said. "The implications with respect to ending remittances - many of which, by the way, are from legal immigrants and from individuals who are sending money back to their families - are enormous," he said. "First of all, they're impractical. We just talked about the difficulties of trying to enforce huge outflows of capital. The notion that were going to track every Western Union bit of money that's
being sent to Mexico, good luck with that," Obama said. "Then we've got the issue of
US President Barack Obama
the implications for the Mexican economy, which in turn, if its collapsing actually sends more immigrants north because they cant find jobs back in Mexico. But this is just one more example of something that is not thought through and is primarily put forward for
political consumption," Obama said. "As I've tried to emphasize throughout, we've got serious problems here. We've got big issues around the world. People expect the President of the United States and the elected officials in this country to treat these problems seriously, to put forward policies that have been examined, analyzed, are effective, where unintended consequences are taken into account. They don't expect halfbaked notions coming out of the White House. We can't afford that," Obama said. Trump has said he would force Mexico to pay for a border wall by threatening to cut off billions of dollars in remittances sent by immigrants living in the US. A memo by Trump outlines how he would try to compel Mexico to pay for a 1,000-mile wall if he becomes president. -PTI
Now, get British visa from your home MUMBAI: Getting visas for the UK has become convenient and applicants can now seek the document from the comfort of their homes or offices. VFS Global, in partnership with UK Visas, has launched 'On Demand Mobile Visa' service for applicants in India. Through this service, applicants located anywhere in India and applying for visas to the UK, can complete the relevant application and enroll biometric data from their homes or offices, VFS Global said in a release here. VFS Global is an outsourcing and technology services firm that handles visa issuance job for several countries. The on-demand service can be delivered on request at the applicant's residence, office, or any location of their choice (subject to
risk assessment). The service is mainly aimed at large groups of people travelling to the UK such as corporate employees or film production unit members, who do not wish to travel to visa application centers for this purpose. The service is available by appointment only - on a day of choice, including weekends, and
charged separately. VFS Global has also launched 'Home to Home (H2H)' a personalized facility that provides chauffeur services and end-to-end assistance with form-filling and submission for UK visa applicants. This is specifically aimed at outof-town applicants, who may have to travel to certain cities for their visa application. -PTI
LONDON: Allaying concerns of Indians over the new visa rules change, the UK government has said a new 35,000 pounds salary threshold requirement for Tier 2 work visas which has come into effect will not impact a "vast majority" of Indian professionals. Thousands of Indians and other nationals from outside the European Union (EU) living and working in Britain on a Tier 2 visa may have to leave or be deported if they earn less than 35,000 pounds a year once the terms of the visa expire. "This rules change will not impact the vast majority of Indian professionals who work or are looking to work in the UK as last year 89 per cent of all work visas issued to Indian nationals were for routes which are not impacted by the 35k pounds (35,000 pounds) income threshold," UK immigration minister James Brokenshire said. "The UK government's reforms to Tier 2 work visas are intended to ensure that businesses are able to attract the skilled people they need, but also see that they get far better at recruiting and training UK workers first," he said. Under the changes to the Tier 2 norms, non-EU workers will need to earn at least 35,000 pounds to remain in the UK for longer than six years unless they are working in a PhD-level occupation or a job which is on the UK's Shortage Occupation List, including nurses. The new rules mean professionals who wish to apply for "Indefinite Leave to Remain" (ILR) or settlement in the UK at the end of a five-year period of living and working in the UK must now prove they earn over 35,000 pounds per annum. The threshold was raised from the salary requirement of around 21,000 pounds per annum on advice from the Migration Advisory
Committee (MAC). According to the UK's Office of National Statistics (ONS), of the 55,589 Tier 2 sponsored visa applications cleared in 2014-2015, nearly 78 per cent were for Indians (31,058). However, UK officials indicate that a majority of Indian nationals coming to the UK to work do so via the Tier 2 Intra Company Transfer (ICT) route, which does not lead to ILR any way and therefore remains unaffected by the changes. The UK government has also highlighted that employers have
These non-EU professionals can extend their stay for a sixth year, until April 2017, which means it is unlikely there will be any deportations as a result of the changes this year. been aware of these changes since 2011 when they were announced and affect those who entered on Tier 2 from April 2011. These non-EU professionals can extend their stay for a sixth year, until April 2017, which means it is unlikely there will be any deportations as a result of the changes this year. Concerned over the move, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had raised the issue with British counterpart David Cameron during a meeting on the sidelines of the Nuclear Security Summit in the US last week, saying skilled IT professionals from India should not find it difficult to come to work in the UK. -PTI
PRADEEP ROY-SINGH B.A. LL.B. M.B.A. J.D. Attorney-at-Law
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2335 W. Devon Ave., Suite 204, Tel: 773-381-1820 Chicago, IL 60659
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Arizona Latino groups plan boycott PHOENIX: Latino and civil rights groups behind a 2010 boycott of Arizona designed to pressure the state into stopping antiimmigrant legislation said they are considering a renewed boycott because of a new series of legislative proposals. The groups, united as the Somos America Coalition, said more than a half-dozen bills moving in the Arizona Legislature target illegal immigrants and strike fear in the immigrant community. Founding President Roberto Reveles delivered a letter to Republican Gov. Doug Ducey asking him to pressure the Legislature into killing the bills or to veto them if they reach his desk. ``During the boycott, Arizona's business community eventually delivered a clear message to the Legislature's leadership to reject any further anti-Latino and antiimmigrant policies,'' Reveles' letter said. ``Regrettably, the legislature
is once again promoting extremist public policy shamelessly aimed at making life so miserable for undocumented immigrants that they will self-deport.'' Enacting the new legislation would prompt a destructive boy-
cott, Reveles said. A study done six months after the start of the 2010 boycott showed at least $141 million in lost economic activity, although it didn't have a massive impact on the state's economy. Ducey spokesman Daniel
Gov. Doug Ducey
Court backs immigrant youth to get licenses PHOENIX: A federal appeals court has affirmed the ability of young immigrants protected from deportation to obtain an Arizona driver's license. In a 42-page opinion, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in California ruled the plaintiffs suffered irreparable harm from
Arizona's policy. Plaintiff lawyers say the policy was discriminatory and impeded the immigrants' ability to work and go to school. A federal judge in Phoenix issued a permanent injunction in the case in January 2015. At a hearing in Tucson last August, Arizona attorneys argued
to reinstate the driver's license ban for immigrants who are part of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. The state said it denied licenses over liability concerns and to reduce the risk of the licenses being used to improperly access public benefits. -AP
Suspects in Cologne attacks mostly foreign BERLIN: German officials say an investigation into a string of sexual assaults and robberies in Cologne over New Year's Eve that fueled a nationwide debate over immigration policies has confirmed that most suspects so far are foreigners. North Rhine-Westphalia Inte-
rior Minister Ralf Jaeger told state parliament in a report that of 153 current suspects, 149 are foreigners, the DPA news agency reported. Of them, 103 were from Morocco or Algeria. They include 68 asylum-seekers and 18 people illegally in Germany; the residence status of others is still being de-
termined. Through the end of March, police received 1,527 criminal complaints, with more than 500 victims alleging sexual crimes. Three people have already been convicted of thefts, and a 26-yearold Algerian was charged last month with groping a woman. -AP
Virginia Gov vetoes immigration bills RICHMOND, Va.: Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe has vetoed GOP-backed legislation that would have prohibited state and local officials from releasing people from jail if federal immigration officials had requested they be detained.
The Democratic governor vetoed the legislation saying it would unfairly treat immigrants ``caught up in a broken immigration system.'' The Richmond Times-Dispatch reports that legislation was an attempt to roll back a 2014
opinion by Democratic Attorney General Mark Herring, which said federal detainer requests are not legal requirements. McAuliffe said in a statement that the legislation attempted to stoke ``irrational fears of non-citizens present'' in Virginia. -AP
Scarpinato called any boycott ``a stunt that should be widely and vocally condemned.'' ``Let me be very clear,'' he said. ``Any discussion of a boycott is election-year politics at its worst and these groups should be ashamed of themselves for trying to divide Arizona and destroy our economy.'' State business groups, including the Arizona Chamber of Commerce and Industry, also rejected calls for a renewed boycott. ``Boycotts only hurt our economy, negatively impact hardworking Arizonans and divide our citizens,'' the groups said in a joint statement. The Legislature is considering a series of bills that worry the Latino groups, although many of them have stalled. Ducey has signed one bill that ends a state prison program that releases some convicts subject to deportation after they serve 50 percent of their sentences instead of the normal 85 percent. Those convicts were then turned over to federal officials for deportation, but lawmakers were concerned some were being released in the U.S. In a signing letter, the governor said the bill was about holding everyone to the same standard of justice and wasn't about immigration politics. The other bills cited by Reveles' group include ones that would require illegal immigrants to serve their full sentences and deny them probation; target state funding to cities that issue identification cards to people in the country illegally or don't cooperate with immigration agents; and another bar-
ring the state from helping relocate refugees. Sen. Steve Smith, R-Maricopa, is sponsoring the bill requiring full sentences and says it aims to prevent criminals from being released early and committing more crimes. It was prompted by the 2015 killing of 21-year-old convenience store clerk Grant Ronnebeck by an
`The only thing my bill does is say if you are convicted of a felony, whatever penalty that crime carries, you will serve the whole sentence, immigrant released on bond by immigration officials after a state conviction. ``The only thing my bill does is say if you are convicted of a felony, whatever penalty that crime carries, you will serve the whole sentence,'' Smith said. ``Which to me is fair. You tell me what you tell Grant's family - I'm sorry your son was murdered because it wasn't politically expedient for us to do anything about it?'' The 2010 boycott came after years of legislation targeting immigration. The signing of Senate Bill 1070 by former Gov. Jan Brewer led to huge protests and the boycott. -AP
Datebook
April 15, 2016
NEW JERSEY Upcoming Sat, Apr 16 • Carnatic Music Mela 2016 MS Centenary Special Venue: Sri Guruvaayoorappan Temple, 31 Wooleytown Road, Morganville, NJ 07751 Time: 08:30 pm
Sun, Apr 17 • IFMP HOLI 2016 Venue: Mercer County Park East, 1346 Edinburg Road, West Windsor Township, NJ 08550 Time: 12:00 pm
Fri, Apr 22 • Hollwood/Bollywood Blowout Venue: JP Stevens High School, 855 Grove Ave, Edison, NJ 08820 Time : 6:00 pm
NEW YORK
NORTHERN CALIFORNIA
Upcoming
Upcoming
Sun, Apr 24 • A Hilarious and Hysterical Comedy Play with Comedy King Nimesh Shah Venue: Hindu Temple Auditorium, 143-09 Holly Avenue, NY 11355 Time : 06:00 pm
Sun, Apr 24 • Mummy Mari Yamuna, Ame Ena Namuna Venue: Hindu Community Centre, 143-09 Holly Ave, NY 11355 Time : 6:00 pm
Sat, Apr 30 • BIGGEST Bollywood Party with DJ Notorious Venue: PRANNA, NYC, 79 Madison Ave, New York, NY 10016 Time : 10:00 pm
India Post 47
CHICAGO
Upcoming
talent show
Sat, Apr 16 • HOLI COW ! Bollywood Boat Party
Venue: Golden Peacock, 24989 Santa Clara
Venue: Pier 40, 89 King Street, San Fran-
Sat, Apr 23 • Dance dhamaka reality
St, Hayward, CA 94544 Time: 07:00 pm Contact: 650-219-7995
Sun, Apr 24
cisco, CA 94107 Time: 12:00 pm Contact:
315-746-0250
• Vasanthothsavam 2016 Venu Vina Duet Smt. Shantala Subramanyam.
Sun, Apr 17 • Vishakha Hari Tyagaraja Ramayanam
Venue: Smithwick Theater, 12345 El Monte
Venue: Sunnyvale Hindu temple, 450
Rd, Los Altos Hills, CA 94022 Time: 1:00 pm
Sun, Apr 30 • Voice of Bay Area Junior Singing Competition Grand Finale Venue: Santa Clara Convention Center, 5001 Great America Parkway, Santa Clara, CA 95054 Time: 6:00 pm Contact: 510-648-0596
Sun, Apr 30
Persian Dr, Sunnyvale, CA 94089 Time: 04:30 pm
ATLANTA Upcoming Sun, Apr 24 • Umar Chhe Antique, Pan Dil Chhe Romantic Venue: Sardar Patel Bhavan, 5331 Royal Woods Parkway, Tucker, GA 30084 Time: 6:30 pm
Venue: Sai Temple Auditorium, 1221 Cali-
Sun, Apr 24 • Gujarati Comedy Natak GOLMAAL
fornia Circle, Milpitas, CA 95035
Venue: Atlanta Event Hall, 3750 Venture
Time: 10:30 am
Drive, Duluth, GA 30096
• A Morning Sitar Concert By Nayan Ghosh
Time: 5:00 pm
Sat, May 7
Venue: Windemere Ranch Middle School
Sat, Apr 30 • Colors Of Rainbow With Dhoop Chaoon
Soccer Field, 11611 East Branch Parkway,
Venue: Berkmar High School, 405
San Ramon, CA 94582
Pleasant Hill Road, Lilburn, GA 30047
Time: 10:00 am
Time: 07:00 pm
• Spandana Volleyball Event 2016
ILLINOIS Upcoming 1st and 3rd Sunday of Month • Chicago Children's Bal Mukund Character Building Program and Hindi Literacy Classes Venue: Vogelei Center, 650 W. Higgins Road, Hoffmann Estates, IL 60192 (Next to Nissan Dealership) Contact: Ajay & Arti Chandhok @ 630-561-4807
Mondays and Fridays • Free ESL - English as Second Language Classes Metropolitan Asian Family Services Venue: 9015 N Milwaukee Ave, Niles, IL, Time: 10:30am to 12:30pm Contact: 773-465-3105
Mondays and Fridays • Free ESL - English as Second Language Classes Where: Metropolitan Asian Family Services Venue: 9015 N Milwaukee Ave, Niles, IL, Time: 10:30am to 12:30pm Contact: 773-465-3105
Swami Ishatmananda • Bhagavad Gita: Philosophy of life Venue: Public Library-95th Street 3015 Cedar Glade Rd Naperville IL 60564 Time: 1st friday of every month 7-8 pm Contact: 630-637-0662
• India Eternal: From the Vedic Age to the Present Venue: Hindu Temple of Greater Chicago 10915 N. Main Street Glendale Heights, IL 60139 Time: 10:00 pm Contact: 630-655-8822
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T
he love of Rama and Sita is love; it is not marriage. If you have not read Valmiki's Ramayana - the story of Rama you must read it. Tulsi and many others have written versions of the Ramayana after Valmiki, but all those Ramayanas have lost the purity of Valmiki's Ramayana. Valmiki's version is pure because he is not concerned about morality or religion. Valmiki narrates the Ramayana in the spirit of Rama himself. Tulsi, however, is too preoccupied with preserving Rama's image, so that whatever he feels to be detrimental to Rama's moral character he has left out. Tulsi has removed from the Ramayana every detail, however small, that might tarnish Rama's image. Tulsi is an idealist, Valmiki is a realist. You may find yourself troubled by many features of Valmiki's narrative because so many of the events surrounding Rama and Sita will defy your imagination. Rama comes to the city where Sita lives and, wandering in a garden, sees Sita and falls in love with her. This is inconceivable, to us, this is the kind of thing that any vagrant boy might do - to set eyes on a girl and immediately fall in love with her. Is this any way for a Rama to behave? But so it was! Love happened to Rama before marriage. Marriage came afterwards SWAMI RAMDAS
I
t is much easier for a poor man to tune his mind to the Divine than for a rich man who is steeped in worldly pleasures. Many of our Rishis and saints were born poor. The path is simple, straight and easy. Remember the Beloved with all the love of your heart. That instant you are filled with joy. There will be no strain, no pain, no struggle. As you seek Him, so does He seek you in the shrine of your heart. Let His love envelop and absorb you. God is ever after us. He wants to take us to Himself and grant us the highest beatitude. But we try to escape from Him even as a dirtcovered child runs away from its mother who wants to bathe it. We are trying to run away from the Divine Mother who wants to purify us and give us the highest bliss. We like playing with the toys of the world, ignoring Her call. Seek not to find peace and freedom in the external circumstances of life. True freedom and happiness is an inner state which you acquire when you are in tune with God who dwells within you. Let the knocks you get in life turn you more
just as a supplement to love. To Sita too, love happened the moment she saw this young man. Their two hearts met - the essential meeting had already happened - before they married, before society played the part of the formal witness. My understanding is that after what had happened between the two, if Sita had to marry someone else, that would have been merely a superficial marriage. The freshness, the virginity of the meet-
have missed the music of the meeting of two hearts; what was spontaneous and unplanned would not have been possible in any other marriage. Rama and Sita have never been studied in this dimension, because love is something we do not study - we want to avoid such things. Their falling in love with each other is the very first thing between Rama and Sita, and all that unfolds afterwards between them
Krishna he will be opposed to Rama, and if he is devoted to Rama he will oppose Krishna. The scholar is always for one party and against the other. They have no heart which can understand, otherwise they would see that Rama and Krishna are one. The scholar said to me, "Everything is Rama's life seems fine to me, expect for his expulsion of Sita to the jungle on the basis of gossip. This is a very unworthy act
Love happened to Rama before marriage Rama comes to the city where Sita lives and,
The boundaries which divide Life from Death are at best shadowy and vague. Who shall say where the one ends, and where the other begins? -Edgar Allan Poe
wandering in a garden, sees Sita and falls in love with her. This is inconceivable, to us, this is the kind of thing that any vagrant boy might do Lord Rama
I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you
ing of these two hearts would not have been there in any other marriage. It would have been only a business transaction, something just on the body level. This is why, even if Ravana could have been able to marry Sita, he could not have had her; that event had already happened, her giving of herself had already happened. And likewise, had Rama married another woman, he would
has to be understood in this light. If we ignore the fact that first and foremost they have fallen in love with each other, then many apparently meaningless issues arise in the lives of Rama and Sita, and to resolve these becomes very difficult. A scholar came to me, a devotee of Krishna and opponent of Rama. This is just the way scholars behave: if he is a devotee of
on Rama's part - this shows that his love fell short." I don't think the scholar was able to understand my answer when I told him, "To me, this is one of those are acts of love. Only a lover could do this." It was difficult for the scholar to catch my meaning. Rama Navami, the birth anniversary of Lord Rama, will be celebrated on April 15.
did, but people will never
and more towards God. All Sadhana is for keeping remembrance of God unbroken. Remembrance is Darshan. The easiest way is to take the name of God constantly. The Name is the link between the devotee and God. It brings the devotee face to face with Him and enables him to realize oneness with Him.
are in the kitchen, or engaged in fetching water, taking bath, walking in the streets or doing any physical work. If you do not practice keeping the Name ever on your lips, you cannot avoid being unhappy. Know this once and for all. Japa must be done with intense love and devotion for God, and not as a discipline imposed on you by
tion of His Name. It is not always necessary that you should chant the Name of the Lord aloud. In the early stages, it might be found very helpful. But mental repetition is far more effective. All names of God are great and powerful. But Ram Nam has a value of its own. Rhythm is a most im-
ence.
forget how you made them feel. -Maya Angelou Two roads diverged in a wood and I - I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the differ-Robert Frost It is one of the blessings of old friends that you can afford to be stupid with them. -Ralph Waldo Emerson
God is ever after us but we want to escape Him
Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go.
The easiest way is to take the name of God constantly. The Name is the link between the devotee and God. It brings the devotee face to face with Him
-T. S. Eliot Not knowing when the Swami Ramdas
dawn will come I open every door.
Namasmaran is capable of granting the universal vision by which one sees everything as God. When you take the name, you are taking the Name of the Lord who dwells in your own heart. Take the Name with all the faith you are capable of. Repeat it without a moment's break, whether you
somebody else. If you do not get joy in doing Japa, you had better not do it, as it will not help you very much. When you have love for God, Japa of His Name must give you great joy. It is not mere mechanical repetition that helps, but a spontaneous outflow of your love for Him along with the repeti-
portant factor in a Mantra. The soothing melody of the repeated word, or combination of words, has a marvelous effect on the distracted mind. Excerpted from 'Thus Speaks Ramdas.' The 132nd birth anniversary of Swami Ramdas was celebrated on April 10.
-Emily Dickinson To me, every hour of the day and night is an unspeakably perfect miracle.
Insure yourself FIRST. Call Sahanis, (Arish, Priya or Shiv) for your Insurance needs 718- 271- 0453. Serving for last 35 yrs
-Walt Whitman
50 India Post
MUMBAI: The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge William and Kate have hit India for six on the first day of their week-long tour. They were on their game as soon as they touched down in India's bustling city of Mumbai. They played games and cricket with legendary player Sachin Tendulkar and street children and toured the slums made famous by the Brit film Slumdog Millionaire. They also laid a wreath of white lilies in memory of the 31 people killed in the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks at the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel, where they were staying. And they were guests of honor
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at a Bollywood gala charity dinner at the hotel. Wills, 33, and Kate, 34, in a stunning blue Jenny Packham gown, met Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan, 50, on the red carpet. He said: "If they spend more time here I think they'll love it. I could definitely show them a good time." Tendulkar and Slumdog stars Anil Kapoor, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and ex- Celebrity Big Brother contestant Shilpa Shetty were also invited to the do. Cont'd on Page 53
April 15, 2016
April 15, 2016
India Post 51 www.indiapost.com
Indie music artists hop to small towns NEW DELHI: A new wave of indie artists are eschewing coveted venues in big cities equipped with heavy duty music sets, spectacular lighting and aggressive promotions that lead up to good audience turnout for performances in serene small towns with niche crowds. From Bollywood's veteran composer, Lesle Lewis, blues band Kanchan Daniel and the Beards to a boy band from Delhi, music makers in India across platforms are now looking forward to strum it up in small towns ranging from Kokrajhar in Assam to picturesque Kasauli in the hills. At the recently concluded 5th season of Kasauli Rhythm and Blues festival, artists across genres performed on a single stage taking back nothing but smiles and cheers from fans both domestic as well as those coming
in from countries like Sri Lanka, Switzerland and the UK. "Honestly, I love playing in smaller town festivals because I feel people love you for your music, they are real fans, they have come there because they love your music and I saw that tonight. I love to interact with people of India and they could be from anywhere," says singer-composer Lesle Lewis, a pioneer of independent music in India. "At festivals like this you see people coming with their kids and they are actually enjoying the music, they have come for the music and that's how a festival should be, people are actually here to see these bands perform and listen to one band at a time, no option nothing," he says. Riding on similar lines is a Hindi-rock band who goes by the name 'The Local Train' formed by
musicians from Chandigarh and small towns of Haryana who grew up listening to Bollywood numbers 'Baazigar' and 'Ole Ole' which influenced them to pen music in Hindi rock n roll with a desi touch. The band is a regular at campus gigs and festivals, which are often considered to be best performance spaces for both established and upcoming performances. Taking in the towny vibe, the band has been on constant tour for the past six months to places like Sonepat (Haryana), Kokrajhar (Assam) and Deogarh (Jharkhand) following the release of their debut album, 'Aalas Ka Pedh' last year. "We did not want to be a metro band when we started out. We wanted to really get to the twotier cities and smaller towns because we knew that these people
Sonu unveils Jackie Chan wax statue
A
ctor Sonu Sood has un veiled the wax figure of martial arts actor Jackie Chan in Jaipur. The 'Dabangg' actor says he feels honored to reveal the wax figure of his 'friend'. "Revealed the wax statue of my friend, the legend Jackie Chan at Jaipur. Nahargarh Fort. Honored," he tweeted. The 'Happy New Year' star also shared a photograph with the legendary actor's wax statue. Jackie and Sonu were shooting a schedule for the film in Jodhpur for their upcoming Indo-Chinese film upcoming film 'Kung Fu Yoga'. Directed by Stanley Tong, 'Kung Fu Yoga', which also stars actress Amyra Dastur, is a part of the three-film agreement signed between the two countries during Chinese President Xi Jinping's visit to India.
really need exposure, so college festivals in the outskirts and away from the metros are important and through that I think we have reached to people who don't have access to alternate, independent music," vocalist for 'The local
Mumbai-based Mihir Joshi Band which likes to experiment with elements of blues and rock and has taken western flavors to places like Shirpur in Maharashtra besides to the northeast says that music is a language that fans understand re-
Indie music bands and artists are flocking to small towns of India as they slowly open up to the western influences in non-Bollywood music.
Train', Raman Negi told PTI. "It comes down to very basic thing, it's about good music and not good music. Language and music is very subjective as long as you are making good songs, people in remote corners of country don't even know what independent music means and whether or not they would like it or not. So when you play your original set for such a crowd and they enjoy, then it speaks for itself and that is your ultimate test," says the band's lead guitarist Paras. "People know our songs in these small towns we play and I think it's evident that fans there are opening up to new music. It's just that they have didn't have the resources before, these are very loyal fans of a band or for any artist," says Raman.
gardless of the limelight or the celeb status of an artist. "These people don't get that much entertainment as compared to the audience in metro cities. There are several places you can watch a band perform in Mumbai or Delhi every week, but in a small town like Kasauli, they wait for an entire year for an artist or band to perform, they are crazy for entertainment and the joy that an artist gets playing for such people is phenomenal, says the band's front man and vocalist Mihir Joshi. "I want to play in every small city concert and festival because I find that people are so much more receptive to good music. They are not bothered about star and celebrity value. People appreciate good music," he says. -PTI
52 India Post
April 15, 2016 www.indiapost.com
Bid to make life affordable in San Francisco SAN FRANCISCO: In approving a novel paid parental leave policy, San Francisco officials buttressed their efforts to make life a little more affordable for workers who eke out a living in one of the most expensive cities in the country. Mayor Ed Lee is expected to sign legislation approved by the Board of Supervisors that requires employers to provide fully paid six-week leaves for new mothers and fathers. Currently, the state of California pays about 55 percent of a worker's salary when they take leave, which advocates say is not enough for working families. The San Francisco measure requires employers with at least 20 employees to make up the rest. ``The vast majority of workers in this country have little or no access to paid parental leave, and that needs to change,'' Supervisor Scott Wiener, who pushed the measure, said at a news conference before the vote. Paid parental leave is the latest proposal to come from a city that has led the country on employee
protections even as the cost of living soars. The median rental price in the five-county San Francisco metropolitan area was $3,350 in February, according to real estate
data firm Zillow, and the median price for a home tops $1 million. For example, San Francisco approved a $15 hourly minimum wage for workers in 2014, a mandate that California Gov. Jerry Brown has signed into law for the entire state. In 2007, San Francisco officials required businesses to set aside money to be used toward employee health care, long before the federal government approved the Affordable Care Act. And in 2006, San Francisco voters approved paid sick leave, the Kim Turner holds her daughter Adelaide Turner Winn first in the counbefore a rally supporting paid family leave at City Hall in try to require San Francisco the benefit.
Some larger employers, such as Twitter and Netflix, already offer generous benefits for their workers but owners of small businesses say they don't have such deep pockets. ``These are issues that need to be taken at the state level, and the state now is showing some appetite for dealing with these issues,'' said Mark Dwight of Rickshaw Bagworks, a company of 30 employees that makes custom work bags in San Francisco. But in the meantime, he said, ``let's make it a level playing field, for everyone.'' Attorney Jason Geller, managing partner of Fisher & Phillips San Francisco employment law office, said he expects retailers to pass on the costs to consumers who can and will pay higher prices in a bid to make the city more equitable. ``I am a business person and a resident of San Francisco, and I know that if they can pass on that expense, people will pay it,'' he said. ``We know that consumers in San Francisco will pay higher prices.''
Paid leave has become a topic in the presidential campaign as companies, especially in Silicon Valley, start offering better benefits. Twitter announced that it would offer up to 20 weeks of fully paid leave for new parents in the U.S., starting May 1. The U.S. lags other many countries in providing parental leave and is the only major industrialized nation that doesn't require paid leave. Kim Turner, a nonprofit attorney who took advantage of the state parental leave program, says full paid leave like San Francisco's would have been better. ``I do think employers should be pitching in more,'' she said. ``I think we all need more help. It's just so hard to make ends meet with little ones in the house.'' The regulation will be phased in, starting with businesses that employ 50 workers in January 2017. Businesses with 35 to 49 workers must comply starting in July 2017, and businesses with 20 to 34 workers have until January 2018. -AP
Shah Rukh has a double Padma Lakshmi calls Trump 'racist buffoon' in London LONDON: Shah Rukh Khan is all set to make his `wax' presence felt in the Queen's City. The actor has a `double' in Madam Tussauds. A year ago, he got a chance to shoot inside the 250-year museum which houses his `duplicate' when the makers got permission to shoot there for the first time ever. Now, in another first, his statue will be brought out of Tussauds and into the public eye, or more specifically the London Eye. The Giant Ferris Wheel, Europe's tallest at 443 feet, on the South Bank of the River Thames, is the world's tallest cantilevered observation wheel offering a bird's eye view of London. "It is the most popular paid tourist attraction
in the United Kingdom and draws over 3.75 visitors every year. This year, many locals and visitors will get a chance to get up close and clicked with the Badshah," informs a source close to the development. Shah Rukh was the third Bollywood actor to be waxed after
the Bachchans, Amitabh and Aishwarya. His statue was unveiled in 2007 and has him nattily dressed in a black suit. "He's all set to go in for a wardrobe change and will be wearing the clothes of a character from one of his upcoming films," reveals the source, refusing to say more.
NEW YORK: "Top Chef" host Padma Lakshmi says she would never vote for Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump from being elected. "Even if he wasn't the racist buffoon that he is making himself out to be, I probably wouldn't
Padma Lakshmi
vote for him," Lakshmi said. "But as an immigrant, I obviously don't see his worldview as mine," she told Variety. Lakshmi, 45, who moved from
India to New York as a child, said she is particularly bothered by Trump's controversial views on immigration. "We are a country of immigrants, so to say you should put a wall up or limit certain ethnicities is sort of antithetical to what this country is about," she said. "He himself is an immigrant of immigrant descent. Unless you are from the Cherokee nation, your ancestors are immigrants so you may be an umpteenth generation immigrant but there you are, squatting on someone else's land." The former wife of author Salman Rushdie noted that because she runs the women's health organization, she has been paying close attention to Trump's recent comments on reproductive rights specifically, that women receiving abortions should be punished. "I think he is insane. I think he's blabbing, I don't think he really knows what he is saying, I am not even sure he really believes that a woman shouldn't have a right to choose. But I can only judge someone by what they say." -PTI
April 15, 2016
India Post 53 www.indiapost.com
Tendulkar bowled over by royal stroke MUMBAI: On a sultry afternoon at Mumbai's famous Oval ground, cricket icon Sachin Tendulkar bowled what was probably his slowest delivery. At the other end was Prince William, who began his visit to India accompanied by his wife Kate. And the royal couple lost no time in charming their hosts with their warmth and graciousness. The event was the first major public outing for the royal couple who earlier paid tributes to the 26/11 victims at Taj hotel. After Tendulkar's inaugural delivery, it was the turn of a school girl to bowl to the Duke of Cambridge. While he played that one, Prince William was caught on her second delivery. It was then the turn of Kate, the Duchess of Cambridge, who also faced a couple of slow deliveries. Talking to reporters later, Tendulkar praised William's cricketing skills. Asked if the Prince had batted well, he said, "Of course, he 'middled' the ball very well." Tendulkar, whose wife Anjali, too, was present at the Oval ground, also spoke of his conversation with the royal couple and his and William's passion for tennis.
"It was a wonderful experience. I am sure this event will be remembered for a long time," he said. At the Oval ground, the royal couple also interacted with representatives and children of three NGOs based in Mumbai - Magic Bus, Door Step School, and India's Childline. "Their royal highnesses were eager to know how we manage
such a mammoth operation, handling nine million calls," Nishit Kumar of Childline told PTI. "They were very sensitive to the problems faced by children.
They did not show cursory interest but were genuinely interested in our work," he said. Bina Sheth Lashkari of Door Step School said Prince William lauded the NGO's work. "The students were seeing a prince and princess in person for the first time," she said, adding she had told the royal couple that "before they had only read about
princes and princesses in fairy tales". Prince William and Kate, who also autographed cricket bats for the NGOs, later took an open-top
Royal couple a big hit in India Cont'd from Page 49
He then said: "When Catherine and I were married, India was the first place on Catherine's list that she told me that she wanted to visit. "Two children and five years later, we have finally made it - and we are both honored to be here." The couple also met children from nearby slums at Oval Maidan cricket ground, where they played a friendly match with legend Sachin Tendulkar. And later, Kate unveiled a sparkling Jenny Packham dress as she and her husband attended a charity gala packed with Bollywood stars. During the dinner, William gave a speech, revealing how his
then-newlywed wife previously told him that India was at the top of her list of places she wanted to visit. "When Catherine and I were married, India was the first place on Catherine's list that she told me that she wanted to visit," he told attendees. Proud connection William told guests that his family has a 'long and proud connection with India'. "Although our relationship has evolved, my family's high regard for India - the largest country in the Commonwealth - remains unchanged," he said. "It seems fitting that Catherine and I start our journey from here, a short distance from the place marked by the famous Gateway of
India, where so many people, including my great-great-grandfather, have arrived." The Duke of Cambridge said he had enjoyed a 'wonderful and colorful evening' and that he and his wife 'are full of admiration for this diverse and democratic society'. "No-one can come here without being awed and amazed; noone can come without a sense of excitement about all that India has achieved in the past and the extraordinary promise it holds for the future," he said. He also thanked the British Asian Trust, the charity founded by his father, Prince Charles, 'for their support to the British High Commission in putting on this event'
bus tour of Mumbai with children from local charity Apnalya. They also interacted with former India player Dilip Vengsarkar and students of his cricket academy. Tendulkar also told reporters that "the causes they (the royal couple) are supporting all over the world shows
their heart". He later said on social media that he was "bowled over" by the humility of the royal couple. "Royal afternoon at the Oval with the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. Bowled over by their humility," the 42-year-old right-handed batsman said on twitter.-PTI
William, Kate leave Bollywood awestruck MUMBAI: The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, Prince William and Kate Middleton, had Bollywood luminaries in their awe at a star-studded gathering attended by A-listers like Shah Rukh Khan and Madhuri Dixit. Khan, who met the royal couple at a meet-and-greet organized here for them, told PTI, "It was very nice. They are so elegant and beautiful. It was really nice to see them." The royal couple attended a glittering reception alongside some of the biggest names in business and Bollywood, to celebrate Mumbai's film and creative industries. They met and greeted the who's who of Bollywood, including actor Rishi Kapoor, his wife Neetu, actress Madhuri Dixit, her husband, actress Aishwarya Rai
Bachchan, director Karan Johar, actor Anil Kapoor and choreographer Shiamak Davar. After meeting these guests, the couple went to individual tables and interacted with other celebrities, including Parineeti Chopra, Shilpa Shetty, her husband Raj Kundra, Arjun Kapoor, Sonam Kapoor, Alia Bhatt and Jacqueline Fernandez. They also had a chat with cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar, music composer Shankar Mahadevan, actress Aditi Rao Hydari, politician Priya Dutt, actress Huma Qureshi and designer Manish Malhotra. Kate was wearing a blue evening gown with embroidery which had an Indian touch. It was designed by British fashion designer Jenny Packham.-PTI
'I'm terrible at maths,' quips Prince William MUMBAI: "I'm terrible at maths," quipped Prince William as he interacted and joked with a group of students along with his wife Kate Middleton here. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge had free-wheeling interaction with a group of students living in the care of NGO Smile at Banganga water tank in South Mumbai. They met representatives from Smile, an organization that works for the welfare of underprivileged children, their families and communities. William and Kate joined the children for a game of football and later interacted with them. "What do you study? Hope you are working hard in your studies and relentlessly pursuing your dreams. What are your favorite subjects?" he asked the children. "I am terrible at maths...very bad at it," the 33-year-old Prince candidly said when a student said
maths was his favorite subject and that he aspired to be a teacher. William was effusive in his praise for Tendulkar and described him as "a great cricketer who taught me how to bat." The royal couple sought to know from the students whether they gave priority to physical exercise while focusing on studies and what hobbies they pursued. When a student said dancing was his hobby, William asked him to show a few steps, even as he and Kate along with members of a crowd present there cheered him. The Duke and the Duchess interacted with the football coach of the students and on his request, agreed to play the sport amid loud claps from the pupils. Before conclusion of the event, the royal couple wished good luck to the students and advised them to study well and do well in life.-PTI
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US report looks critically at India's Air Power crisis
India Post
ABHIJIT IYER-MITRA
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roubles, They come in Battalions' is the latest report by the Carnegie Endowment for Peace on the Indian Air Force (IAF). The substance of the report is divided into five sections, dealing with the supposedly aggravating threat environment, a worsening internal situation of the air force with falling numbers, and finally looks at the three categories of fighters the IAF wants to induct - heavy, medium and light. Assessing the threat environment Dr Ashley Tellis points out that the Indian Air Force has traditionally always had an edge over the Peoples Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) in the high-end spectrum. This however is changing with the PLAAF's high-end component alone, set to exceed the total strength of the IAF. This imbalance is exacerbated by the presence of a large fleet of UAVs for persistent surveillance and cruise missiles for saturation attacks on Indian targets capable of overwhelming Indian air defenses. He also points to the strength of China's aircraft design and production and the Indian leadership's lack of attention to air warfare. He does however point out some weaknesses in PLAAF in-
rather crudely to the mismatch of defense needs and the defense budget. The usual arguments are regurgitated - how current force numbers are much lower than it appears on paper, money is not being sanctioned for new projects and how unforeseen expenditures like One Rank, One Pension (OROP) have taken a further toll. It does however acknowledge how much of the problems stem from India's own internal problems and the inability of the higher defense management system to plan systematically into the future. This leads into the IAF's own logistic problems of an excessively diversified Air Force of far too many fighter and support aircraft varieties. He analyses the current light aircraft scenario, pointing out accurately that the expensive upgrades to the Mirage 2000 and MiG-29 could have been avoided if the IAF had committed to immediate retirement of the MiG-21 fleet. The monies saved he opines could have then been diverted to the procurement of a brand new 4.5 generation aircraft in the light end of the spectrum, which was scuttled by domestic opposition in favor of the HAL Tejas. Savaging the Tejas - he points out accurately the notion of cost savings the Tejas brings
India built Tejas
frastructure as well as the need to keep large reserve forces given the several adversaries China faces across its periphery - meaning the full force of the PLAAF probably cannot be brought to bear against one adversary. He then goes on to survey the Pakistan air force and assess what India will be up against in a 1.5 and 2-front war, settling on a 60squadron air force to comprehensively combat both adversaries or a 42-45 squadron air force in an environment with more limited aims. The second part of the report goes into the usual rants about the acute numbers shortage the Air Force is facing, putting this down
is illusory and how competing aircraft on the market bring much more to the table at comparable prices. The analysis of the medium weight category starts with some considerable incredulity (not misplaced) on the author's part, pouring scorn on the choice of the Rafale and the Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) process. Sadly this comes across as a case of sour grapes - given that his previous report Dogfight basically said the MMRCA process was well thought out - a report that the Air Force used to validate the process politically in India. Irrespective, he then engages
in some highly suspect financial comparisons to the costs of US aircraft that cannot be supported by facts - at least with regards to foreign purchases. Finally, the author analyses the heavy segment. He cogently analyses problems with the Sukhoi fleet in terms of costs (both procurement and maintenance and in terms of their operational effectiveness given that China operates the same type, albeit inferior version, with Russia willing to transfer increasingly more sophisticated technology to China). This dovetails neatly into his accurate and balanced criticism of the Indo-Russian PAK-FA program as well as some analysis of the electronic support fleet - specifically the Airborne Warning And Control System (AWACS) aircraft. On balance the reports several strengths are overshadowed by its weaknesses. For starters', the author falls into the IAF trap of numerical comparisons shorn of intended effects, failing to account for the fact that Western quality with its attendant costs was meant to overcome eastern quantity. In effect he makes the very worst case - of "great quality in great quantity." Essentially he scores an own goal - because he cannot demonstrate how Western quality will allow a reduction in total numbers procured. He fails to reconcile his n u merical recommendations with the fiscal reality of what India is willing to spend on defense and tellingly avoids a ball park figure on what his recommendations will cost. Perhaps the greatest flaw of the report is that he tends to place far too much blame on the DRDO, the government, and the "higher defense management" while absolving the IAF of grave culpability in its own travails. While his recommendations at the beginning of the report are exceptionally far-sighted, the substance of the report does not do full justice to the last and most salient of his recommendations that of internal reform and focusing on the secondary aspects of the fleet such as training and infrastructure - instead of mere procurement. The writer is Independent defense consultant, New Delhi. Courtesy IPCS
Caution on Kashmir
I
t is rare for Indian Express, a respected mainstream Indian newspaper, to praise the actions of a BJP government. It did so recently lauding the efforts of J&K Deputy Chief Minister Nirmal Singh to diffuse the NIT Srinagar crisis. It originated in, predictably, during the India-West Indies World T-20 cricket match during which the Kashmiri students and outstation students clashed over cheering the West Indies team. The incident blew into a big political crisis. With the BJP in power at the Center, the outstation students were emboldened to protest and raise the Indian flag and complained that they were beaten up by J&K Police.� They raised some demands including shifting of the institute outside the State. With his calm and firm intervention, Nirmal Singh ruled out shifting saying "it is not a demand worth raising let alone worth hearing." He told the students that "just like it's your flag, it is also our flag and the flag of J&K police. The joining together of the PDP and BJP in Kashmir is a unique experiment. It is fraught with consequences for both parties as they have to both pull back from their customary positions in order to save the alliance and govern the sensitive state that Kashmir is. Given the propensity of the fringe BJP elements to make outrageous remarks, it is necessary for the ruling party to rope them in. As for Kashmiris cheering for teams contesting against India, it is not a new development. As far as in 1983, the World Cup winning Indian team faced unexpected hostility from the crowd when they played against West Indies in Srinagar. This must be kept in mind while dealing with the present situation. As many as 60 outstation students have left the institute without taking their annual exams. This has been allowed as a precautionary measure by allowing these students to take their exams later. Highly decorated Lt General Syed Ata Hasnain, a retired senior Indian Army officer, who was Corps Commander of the Srinagarbased 15 Corps, recounts his own experience of commanding the Army in Kashmir. He has cautioned that developments like those in the Srinagar NIT should not be allowed to spread but should be nipped in the bud. "There are smart people sitting across the LoC, reading the situation at all times and awaiting or creating opportunities," he says. "There are many for whom the strength of India's unity is a sore. They will wish India to be weak, divided and at war within. It's for us to realize how we get exploited, how we contribute towards weakening the very entity we call our motherland," he adds. Kashmir is a great experiment being played out amid dangerous odds. The very attempt at development in Kashmir is stymied because no one dares to set up industry or create infrastructure for fear of damage by the extremists. Jobs and avenues of self-employment can open up if the industrialists and traders from the rest of the country can freely come and ply in the State. That the people of the State will not allow in their pride of their special independent status given under Article 370. The purpose was and is about providing space, in matters of governance, to the people of a State who felt deeply vulnerable about their identity and insecure about the future. But it can be argued that it has not helped the state to create jobs and encourage development. This suspicion of each other among Kashmiris and the people of rest of India has only been increasing and therefore there is need for great caution in dealing with the State. Pakistan plays a very big hand in exacerbating tensions among people of Kashmir and rest of India. That is why the dialogue with Pakistan becomes necessary. But these days Pakistan is playing hardball and it becomes even more necessary to tread with caution.
April 15, 2016
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56 India Post
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April 15, 2016